001 [Shadows and Silence]

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

... I do not trust Arkadian or his information. If something is coming, we must face it without his help.

[Leela had been forced to share her views on Gallifrey’s current political situation with K-9, as Romana and the rest of her friends among the Time Lords were busy in some meeting or another. He was not the most satisfactory conversation partner, and he was not her K-9, but she was still affronted when he did not reply.]

K-9? K-9?

[Something was wrong. The floor beneath her feet did not feel like any floor in the Capitol. When she reached out, her hands failed to find the cool stone wall that they should have encountered.

And it was too quiet. The sounds of the Citadel – sounds that she had learned to take for granted in the years since she had left the TARDIS – had dwindled away. Leela had been trapped in a world of darkness for months, but she was not used to being trapped in a world of silence as well.

Instinctively, she drew her knife. The familiar weight in her hand was something of a comfort.]

This is not Gallifrey. What is this place? Why have you brought me here? Speak, unless you wish me to loosen your tongue. What machine?

I may be blind, but I am still a warrior and I can still drive my knife into your throat!

Comments

[oliverplus]

[Oliver is understandably startled when the woman who randomly appeared nearby draws a knife on him] Whoa, hey! Calm down! [puts his hands up in a placating gesture. when she says he's blind, he makes a face. he isn't going to be able to read her emotions]

Uh...you're on the Plane, and none of us knows exactly how you get brought here. But you met Meredith and the Twins, yeah? They run things.

I'm Oliver, by the way. [gives her a nervous but friendly wave, although he stops when he remembers she wouldn't be able to see it anyway]

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

They are our keepers, you mean.

[And the machine they had spoken of was nothing more than a prison.]

I am Leela.

[oliverplus]

[is very relieved when she stops menacing him with that knife] I...guess you could put it like that. But we're not totally trapped here. You can go home...sorta. It's complicated.

But it's nice to meet you, Leela! Where did you say you were from? [because he thought he heard a familiar name, but he wants to check before he jumps to conclusions]

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

Then why have we been brought here?

[A prison they could leave at will? What was the point?]

I live on Gallifrey.

[Which was not home, but was close enough.]

[oliverplus]

We're part of some sort of experiment.

[excited; that's what he thought she said!] Really!? Are you a Time Lord, too?

[collector]

[Brax is delighted, except that falters when her words confirm what her behaviour had made him assume. He masks that quickly with a welcoming tone.]

I hope that comment about using someone's throat as a sheath wasn't directed at me, Leela? There are so many better targets lurking around, and I'm so fond of this throat. I've had it for centuries.

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

[His voice was familiar, if unexpected. Leela lowered her knife, but didn't return it to her belt.]

Braxiatel. Did you bring me here?

[That would not have been wholly surprising - he was a Time Lord, after all - but it would have been nice if he had asked permission first.]

[collector]

No, of course not. The situation here is well beyond even my abilities. And I'd have asked. [Except when he wouldn't have. With her knife at least lowered, Braxiatel walks closer to her.] But it's a pleasure to meet you again after all these centuries. I had hoped you'd come visit me.

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

It has not been that long since we have seen each other.

[collector]

No, I'm sure you're quite right. How long has it been? For my own reference.

[practicalrobes.livejournal.com]

[Oh, now this is familiar. Narvin had wondered if Leela might show up here one day. But he pauses when he realises that she's not quite the same savage he's grown used to. She seems older, almost. And the blindness is... unexpected. Perhaps that's in his relative future as well.]

[He approaches anyway, mindful enough to stay well clear of her knife hand.]

Do try not to stab anyone to death, savage.

[Narvin's tone is casually disdainful, but he watches her closely. He may even actually be glad she's here.]

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

Narvin? [She frowned slightly, turning towards his voice.] What are you doing here?

[practicalrobes.livejournal.com]

The same thing you are, only with considerably less violence. Welcome to the Plane.

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

I have not hurt anyone yet.

[There was something rather pointed about the 'yet', though.]

These 'twins' have kidnapped us both, then. Where is this Plane?

[practicalrobes.livejournal.com]

Another universe. And before you ask, yes, you can return to Gallifrey.

[not-theman-iwas.livejournal.com]

You're from Gallifrey?

[Sorry, she'll get to the important things in a moment, she just has to take a moment to get past the shock of someone so very obviously not Gallifreyan.]

Oh, you don't need to threaten to slit anybody's throat. With the exceptino of a couple who aren't around very often, the rest of us here are like you, a little out of our natural element. What's your name?

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

[Leela has heard that tone before, Doctor, and she is never impressed by it.]

I am not a Time Lord. I am a warrior of the Sevateem. My name is Leela.

[not-theman-iwas.livejournal.com]

[Well, now it's a friendly tone! Providing you don't slit her throat.] Pleased to meet you, Leela, I'm the Doctor.

[Beat.]

What were you doing on Gallifrey, then, if you don't mind my asking? [Gallifrey sucks, her tone seems to imply, now.]

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

You are not the Doctor. The Doctor is a man. And he is my friend.

[Which means that she won't answer that question until she knows who she's really talking to.]

[not-theman-iwas.livejournal.com]

Very likely. And I will be again, once I get to that bit in my timeline.

[She's not even going to bother asking if Leela is aware of regeneration - after all, she did come from Gallifrey.]

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

[While I am catching up on Leela's serials, have a Damon! Who's voice is gentle and concerned, despite being rather terrified by that knife. Dying once here was enough for him, thank you.]

Leela? It's me, Damon. You're safe. [well, sort of. relatively speaking. for now.]

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

Damon? [It took her a moment to place the name and the face. He was familiar, but she hadn't expected to find him here and she didn't intended to lower her knife until she knew what was going on.]

Safe. I do not believe that.

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

[sighs] You're on the Astral Plane. It's...well, simply put, it's a multidimensional nexus. People are brought here from various worlds, different timelines, even different universes entirely. But you can return to your own world easily enough -- just by thinking of it.

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

A 'nexus'? You mean a meeting place?

Good. I will not leave Romana.

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

You could put it that way, yes.

And no, you won't. In fact, time won't even pass on Gallifrey while you're here. [pauses] Romana may be here, too, but I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her.

I have, however, met Cardinal Braxiatel, Coordinator Narvin, various incarnations of the Doctor, the Master, and Omega, as well as several of the Doctor's companions.