001 - A Bad Day For Everyone

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Misaki Kirihara appears on the plane looking very, very pissed. Her Sig P230 is unholstered and leveled at…

…no one.]

Tch.

[She lowers the weapon, very slightly, taking in her surroundings. Or rather, the lack thereof.]

Contractor!

[She turns in a slow circle, tension wrapped around her like a creaking spring.]

Contractor! Show yourself. You’re being stupid. Using your power on a member of the NPA will get you killed. It isn’t worth the laugh.

[A pause. She’s starting to get angry again.]

Show yourself!

[She looks up, down, around at the stars, and a pained expression crosses her face. Barely audible, she mutters,]

You people… know how to be cruel.

Comments

[contract_star]

[Lets his body relax, just slightly.]

The Twins and Meredith Sault brought us here. We're part of an experiment--something to do with realities. And no, PANDORA's not involved.

[He blinks, and curiosity gets the better of him.] Are they still around in 2008?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She shakes her head, still facing away.]

Not as such. Gate-related research is still under UN control, but the program is largely demilitarized.

[contract_star]

[He didn't expect that answer, and mild surprise shows on his face.]

Demilitarized? PANDORA? What could...?

[Stops himself and shakes his head.] What exactly happened at the Gate?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She glares over her shoulder at him.]

You'll have to tell me. When and if it happens in your world. I only know my half of it--which is more like one-tenth of the story.

[contract_star]

[Gives her a level stare.] Could you tell me your tenth, then?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She shrugs, noncommittal and not sure how much she should tell this person--providing he is Li, providing he is from the past.] You've heard most of it already. I'm more interested in the nine-tenths you apparently can't offer.

[contract_star]

[He's not going to let her escape that easily, not when Amber is involved.]

What about Amber? What did she do?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[This time she's mad--there's no question.]

Helped to kill a lot of good men, and tried to kill a lot more. Whether or not I understand her goals, her methods were inexcusable. Our side was no better. Neither side won. That's all the information I'm at liberty to share. If you want to know so badly, go back to your world and ask her yourself.

And do let me know what you learn.

[contract_star]

[Grits his teeth and is about to fire back at her, but stops himself. Suddenly he just feels tired.]

[His voice is soft as he asks,] And you say I help her...?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

You do.

[Arms still crossed, position still defensive, but also looking quite tired.]

I suppose soon enough you'll find out why.

[contract_star]

[He thinks about this, and the implications behind what she has said, staring into space. Eventually he looks up at her again, and though his face his hard, the hostility is gone.]

You should know that, the people here...they've never heard of the Gates, or Contractors. Their skies are intact. And...[Pauses.] Most of them, they know me as Li Shengshun. Not as a Contractor.

[Longer pause. He looks away.] I haven't killed anyone here, and I don't intend to. This place...[He trails off, unable to articulate.]

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Some of the coldness in her melts at his expression. She hates how easily he does that.]

I'll keep it in mind. It's more natural to call you Li, anyway.

[And then, after a long and deliberate pause, because she just needs to know his answer.]

What if you're ordered to?

[contract_star]

[His lips quirk in an almost-smile.]

[He looks at her sidelong.] You should know the answer to that. But there's no one here to give me orders. Yet.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

And if anyone ever shows up, we both know what the outcome will be. [She is matter of fact; she has to be.] I trust you realize I'll do what I must to get in your way.

[contract_star]

[Dips his head once in a nod.]

[He actually does smile this time, though it's half-hearted.] And I'll do what I can to keep you out of my way.

[Pauses as he thinks of what else he should tell her.] There are two people here who are very dangerous. The Masters. Avoid them, if you can; they're worse than Contractors. [Looks out over the Plane.] The rest of the people here are largely decent.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[The phrase "worse than Contractors," coming from him, feels like someone taking a handful of tension and punching her in the gut with it.]

The Masters. Thank you. [Hesitation, and then,] Are they associated in any way with the Doctors?

[contract_star]

They're Time Lords as well. One of them is traveling with the, ah, Tenth Doctor. Brown suit and hair, glasses. [Blinks as something occurs to him.] Have you met Mr. Tyler yet?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

I have. Why?

[contract_star]

The Master who arrived with the Tenth looks exactly like Sam Tyler. Something to do with their regeneration abilities. The Master typically wears a suit and Mr. Tyler is never without his leather jacket, but it wouldn't be difficult to confuse them.

The other Master is harder to miss--beard, yellow eyes, fangs. [Pauses.] The Doctors try to keep them in check, but the Masters together have killed at least three people here thus far.

They have hypnotic abilities, and probably others. Don't look them in the eyes.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

Hypnosis... They really are like Contractors.

Thank you, Li-san. [She nods and looks away.] We'll be seeing each other, I'm sure.

[contract_star]

[Blinks a little at her abruptness and can't help but feel a pang at the formalness of the -san. But then the mask comes back up.]

Take care of yourself, Ms. Kirihara.