realityshifted | (no subject)

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doctor who (d1) narvin

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[With a distinct lack of ceremony, a man abruptly appears on the Plane. He is thin and sly, perhaps vaguely reminiscent of a weasel, and dressed in the working uniform of the Celestial Intervention Agency, for those who would recognise it. His tired, weary look is quickly replaced with one of surprise when arrives, and he is instantly wary.]

No. No, this isn’t the Matrix. We would have noticed if there had been a Matrix door this close to the Cloisters. This shouldn’t be possible.

[He turns in a circle, observing his surroundings with an air of suspicion.]

Commander Hallan?

Madame President? ...Romana?

[There is no answer, and Narvin begins to look even more alarmed. He makes another turn, this time taking in the mismatched mix of buildings and objects that are on the Plane. Unamused with the entire situation, he crosses his arms, his tone acerbic.]

If whoever is behind this would care to reveal themselves, now would be an excellent time. I must return to Gallifrey. I don’t have the time for whatever game this is.

[...there's probably a joke to be made here about a Time Lord not having any time.]

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I forgive you your suspicion, Narvin, as one never trusts anyone one has deceived. But we both know that you have no choice but to accept my offer. You need every scrap of help you can get.

[And damn him, he's right. Narvin had taken stock of the few weapons they'd managed to obtain -- apart from a stash of stasers, most of it was ancient percussion grenades. They wouldn't last long without something to defend themselves with. Narvin sighs.]

Very well, then. ...you have my thanks.

As those are notoriously low-quality, I'll take a list of what you need instead. [While his words and tone are no more or less acerbic than they were before, there's a steel edge of anger in his smile. Braxiatel will not for a second forget Narvin's betrayal.] And keep in mind that food is easier to get than weaponry, especially given my chosen timezone. I can cheat, but that will invariably take more time and effort. You'll have to get used to alien supplies.

[Narvin can guess at what Braxiatel is thinking, but his expression doesn't change. What's done is done.]

The Guard won't ask questions if I tell them not to. We'll take what we can get for rations -- do try not to shock them with anything too outlandish?

As for weapons... I suppose the Oubliette may be too much to ask for. Right now, all we've managed to secure is a crate of percussion grenades, the Guards' stasers, and Leela. We also have two skimmers buried in the Outlands in case we are found.

[For Braxiatel's part, he is surprised at how much bitterness he feels over it all. He knew the sense of betrayal had lingered, safely tucked away, but actually talking to Narvin has brought to the surface more feeling than he had realised was present.]

That's 'no' to the strawberry daiquiris, then? I'll do my best.

Skimmers? They must be the last pair on Gallifrey. I'll get you Ormand-Seltec Flyers instead. Do the Guard seem up to handling Martian sonic weaponry? [Braxiatel pauses, then leans back in his chair.] And recent... events have brought a great deal of Dalek weaponry into my hands. If you're interested.

The Guards we have left are competent enough, yes. Commander Hallan and Captain Annos in particular.

[Narvin pauses, slightly surprised at the mention of Dalek weaponry. What has Braxiatel been up to...]

Daleks? ...No. As powerful as they may be, we cannot risk them falling into our new dictator's hands if we were to be raided. She hardly needs those added to her arsenal.

Oh, good. I always liked Annos. [Braxiatel adds more sugar to his tea, mentally going through the considerable list of weaponry and defensive technology he has been stockpiling for the past few months.] I have been able to create personal forcefields, about as strong as those a timeship could form, but I only have a handful. I can make more; however, that will require time. How many are you?

In the Vaults? Twenty or so. Myself, the Madame President, Leela, Hallan and Annos, Matthias, a handful of my agents, and another ten guards. Occasionally we'll gain another ally, but I wouldn't count on it.

Outside of the Vaults, we have four safe houses set up for the remaining alien students from the Academy. They should be relatively safe from attack, provided their guardians don't do anything unutterably stupid to attract attention to themselves.

So the students will be attacked within days. And you'll lose many of your own people defending them, because the Madame President will not let Pandora kill those under her direct protection. [Braxiatel drinks before speaking, letting the tea soothe his growing headache.] You need a better way to protect them.

We do. There's nowhere else to hide them at the moment, however. They wouldn't survive in the Outlands, the rest of the Capitol is infected by the new Dogma virus, and we cannot allow them to fight in our war. The transduction barriers are still raised, and, I've just learned, there are war fleets from the Sunari, the Nekkistani, the Monan Host, and the Phiadon in orbit.

Has she attacked the Academy itself yet?

It was one of the first targets. Her bombardment has stopped, for the moment.

She won't bother with it again, not if it continues to be a symbol of Romana's failure, and not if it looks abandoned by all. If you have anyone discrete enough, move the students back to the Academy. My sensornet will still be intact there. You're always bragging about your technical abilities, Narvin; use your talents to expand the sensornet. And I'd suggest leaving the students to the care of Lord Matthias.

That's assuming your sensornet is still in place, of course. Annos can take the student; Hallan will stay with the President.

Why Matthias?

My sensornet is still in place.

He's untrustworthy, but only as any politician is, and that will be needed if he's to keep ahead of your enemies. Matthias may be xenophobic, but no more than you are, and with a bit more respect for life at that. He'll understand that we need to make those students safe if we're to survive, and he won't side with Pandora. Even if he pretends to.

Of course it is.

You suspect he will attempt to to infiltrate her ranks?

Matthias has a politician's sense of duplicity, Narvin, not a spy's. He won't take avoidable risks.

Perhaps, perhaps not. But if he is planning something, protecting the students should keep him too busy to do anything about it.

All the more reason to give him the job. For now.

[That works out nicely for Narvin -- he doesn't want Matthias around the Madame president until he is sure of what the other man stands to gain from this civil war.]

Yes, I think I shall. Or rather, the Madame President shall.

[Braxiatel doesn't bother to hide his grimace at the thought of Narvin being Romana's primary advisor.] Shall she indeed. Ah, well. Needs must. I assume you've done something to stop this from becoming a temporal civil war, of course?

Of course. We managed to take the berthing bays for long enough that Romana had the chance to use her Presidential codes to scramble the imprimaturs. All TARDISes are grounded, for the moment.

And now you'll be strategically destroying targets that the enemy would have use for?

I believe the Archive banks and the artron microforums are currently on our list.

I like to believe you'd not make such a glaring oversight, but it must be asked for thoroughness: why not the enemy's weapon stores?