realityshifted | θ 12 - Coup of the Zygons

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doctor who (d6) the tenth doctor

θ 12 - Coup of the Zygons

[This is it. The Doctor's recruited his friends and allies and currently, is fast at work running around the central console while he sets coordinates for the first of many locations. The ride is particularly bumpy, but thankfully for those unaccustomed to TARDIS travel, there are railings to hold onto, as well as a grated floor to cling to should anyone find themselves on the ground. (Hopefully not--but at least they'd be prepared in case things shift and the console room is perpendicular to it's original position.) All the while, the Doctor is shouting instructions as he has a lot to get through before he can let anyone out to their locations.]

Now, this batch of Zygons learnt from their predecessors and hid their ships much closer to populated areas so they could slip in and assimilate faster, thus speeding up their time-frame for the conversion of Earth to a more Zygon-friendly environment. So! They blocked off a few tunnels here and there after kidnapping a few key people who could help them hide their actions better, grew their semi-organic ship structure into the tunnels and whammo, a shelter for the many captive humans. [He pulls a face and wrenches down on a lever.] All right, never saying "whammo" again.

Anyway! [The TARDIS jerks again, but the Doctor is sure-footed as a mountain goat and only vaguely fumbles as he switches on yet another stabiliser which really doesn't do anything, but it's the thought that counts, right?] I'm going to try to get you all as close to the body-print machine tunnels as I can without setting off their sensors. Once you're in, make doubly sure you do not get caught. If any of you do and they take away your communications devices, then I won't have a way to know or help until it's too late. And don't let them touch you either; they could very well sting you if they're feeling up to it and, well, since you're in their ship, chances are very high that they will!

You'll know the body-print machines when you see people standing up with their hands up like they're about to be robbed. Each machine has four valve controllers, and to release each person--and yes, you've got to do it individually for every single person there or else you'll kill both the person and the Zygon linked to it--you need to gently massage and squeeze the ends of the two bottom levers. You'll see the person start to wake up, but they'll be a bit weak and disorientated for a couple minutes. Tell them you're there to help and that you need their help to get the others out. Then--well, you get the idea. The quicker you do so, the easier it'll be on you all. If you hear anyone coming, get them to hide back in their pods, and hide in one yourself. They don't exactly check to make sure they have too many extra.

Now that's the easy part. [The Doctor pauses to run to the opposite side of the console, and fiddles with a few other switches and dials. A moment later, the rocking in the TARDIS slows, the central column churning slower and slower but it doesn't stop yet. This gives him a chance to walk around freely now he's put the old girl into a holding pattern.] The harder part is getting the Zygons to leave their ship, make sure everyone gets out safely, and self-destruct their ship without getting yourselves hurt or drowned in the process. Thankfully, there are only so many Zygons per ship and they usually leave a couple behind to maintain the body-print machines and other systems, so you'll likely only have to lure them out of the control rooms. And since they don't exactly vary their ship designs, the control room should be near those machines in some way or another. Remember those four valve controllers? Hold up something hot like a match or lighter to it to induce a fire alarm. The Zygons should come out and leave it open for you lot to run in and lock the doors behind you. Just destroy the door controls of the door you just came through and that ought to do it. Once you're there, call me and I'll walk you through the next steps. Just be prepared to run when you do.

[And conveniently, that's when the TARDIS engines slow to a stop. He glances at it briefly, and then runs around to make sure everything is off and safe for disembarkation.]

All right, if any of you get in any kind of trouble or can't find what you're looking for, get a hold of me as soon as possible. And... [He trails off, putting on a small smile.] Good luck, and thank you.

[ooc: Time to stop the invasion! Information about Ten's plot can be found here if you missed it. Have any questions, drop me a line there!

For those already involved in the plot: I have four cities (NYC, Paris, Washington DC, and Tokyo, in addition to Birmingham for Oliver and Jamie) that the Doctor's going to drop people off to, and each city will have a comment to start that leg of the adventure. Tag into the city you want to visit! I strongly suggest no more than two people per city (and I'll be interacting with each thread as you need me as the Doctor or as any kind of narration you guys will need to get further along. If we get more people, I'll add more cities, but so far, it works out that everyone on the list will fit into these five, with one of you teaming up physically with the Doctor. (So if you want him, please say so! He'll just come back to that city if he's already left to drop others off.) Other than that, have fun! The Zygons sure will <3]

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[That weapon isn't at all familiar to this Zygon and it flinches even before Narvin shoots--and thanks to that and the Doctor's action, it avoids getting shot. Not that it's grateful to still be breathing; it's just angrier now.]

[The Doctor'll never admit it, but Narvin's right about losing the element of surprise--but then again, it's better that they weren't caught off-guard in turn.] Why when I can do this! [He hits the door controls as he replies, the door sliding down just as the Zygon was about to reach them again. It hits the door somewhat hard and bounces back in a daze while the Doctor removes his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and overloads the lock, burning the organic knobs.] That should keep him busy for a while!

[He practically bounces away as he turns and bursts into a run to reach the other end of the hall.]

What...? How...? [He looks back and forth from the Doctor to the door and back again. Perplexed and trying very hard not to be impressed, because he refuses to be impressed with a renegade. But he has to ask.]

I've never seen that setting on a sonic screwdriver before. [He says as he belatedly runs after the Doctor.]

[The Doctor grins anyway, proud of his trusty ol' sonic.] Nor would you have done. This sonic screwdriver is one of a kind! At my last count, there were over 2000--wait, or was it 3000?--different functions, and overloading the electrical circuits in a semi-organic door control just so happens to be one of them!

[He slips it back into his pocket as he opens the door leading into the body-print machine chamber. No Zygons are about, but there are a good six humans stuck within different machines. Glancing back behind him at the room where the Zygon is yelling and banging on the door, he figures they have a few minutes before help arrives or the door just breaks apart. Either way, they've got to hurry.]

I'll take this half and you get that lot. [He runs to the fourth person down and starts to massage the lever.]

I'm not one of your human pets, Doctor; I don't have to take orders from you. [But he runs to where the Doctor directed anyway. It would be mad to rebel now, in the middle of a Zygon stronghold. But he has to at least put up a verbal protest.]

[He throws Narvin a look.] I'll have you know those "pets" are some of the greatest people I've ever met. I'd sooner trust them with my life than anyone else in the universe.

[The first person the Doctor releases begins to stir during all this, her body growing slack until the hood slides up and she blinks blearily at him.] Hi there, no time to explain. We're here to help you, but we need you to help some others first. [Confused, the woman just nods and follows him out of the body-print machine as he quickly instructs her on how to release her fellow captive before he moves to his next one.]

[Narvin watches from the corner of his eye while the Doctor frees the human and recruits her help. He opens the pod to free his first human.]

Be quiet and listen. Open those pods and-- [He was interrupted as the frightened human slapped him across the face.]

You ungrateful-- Doctor! [Narvin called out.] This one is panicking. Come over here and do...whatever it is that you do that makes the humans trust you.

Edited (added a word) 2013-10-16 07:54 (UTC)

[The Doctor literally finishes his explanation when he hears the slap and Narvin crying out for him. Knowing they can't afford to lose any more time, he jogs over, and smiles charmingly over Narvin's shoulder--well, it's more like over Narvin's head since he is that much taller--at the human the other Time Lord has tried to assist.] Sorry, don't mind him, he doesn't get out much; can't even be bothered to change out of his nightgown! We're here to help you. From what, well, it's all a bit complicated and there'll be time for explanations and more slapping later, but you've got to trust us if you want to make it out of here.

[Reluctantly, the woman nods and slowly puts down her hand that she had had ready to fend them both off.]

Brilliant! Now, Narvin, explain to the nice woman as kindly as you can how she can help you free the others. That's all you need to do: be friendly. [With a clap on Narvin's shoulder, the Doctor bounces away to free another person on his side of the body-print machine chambers.]

[He glared at the Doctor when he described the noble uniform robes of the Celestial Intervention Agency as a nightgown. A nightgown!]

Friendly? Doctor, I don't do friendly.

[But he's already gone.]

Right.

[He tries to smile at the human woman. It's a tight, thin-lipped smile and doesn't look at all trustworthy.]

Watch me do the next pod, then begin with the others. And watch carefully. I don't want to have to repeat myself as I go because you weren't keeping up.

[And he turned to the next trapped human. He was sure the woman muttered something about wishing she could slap him again, but no slap came so he dismissed it from his mind and focused on getting this finished so they could get out of here and back to safety.]

[The Doctor knows very well that Narvin can't do friendly; it's why he said it to begin with. Still, he keeps an ear out in case anyone else decides to have a go at the other Time Lord, as well as to hear the Coordinator's attempts with the manner. It'll be a good thing to laugh about later.]

[A moment later, he's got his final person free, the befuddled man joining the others as they try to explain to him that things are weird and they just need to get out of there first before they get a proper explanation (which they'll never get but they don't know that yet.) Before they can ask any questions, he dashes away, past Narvin and his own charges, until he's at the door to the hallway. He can still hear the angry Zygon banging at the door and muttering things about Time Lords, but it doesn't sound like it'll be getting away any time soon.]

Right, once everyone's all free, you lot will follow the nice man in the pyjamas out of here. [He turns his gaze to Narvin, the look in his eyes almost daring him to start an argument now over his word choice for the Time Lord's attire.] Bring them back to the TARDIS. I'll catch you up. [Note he doesn't say anything about bringing them inside the TARDIS. He may act foolish, but he knows better than to leave his key in the hands of another Time Lord.]

[Narvin grits his teeth, aching to argue about every word out of the Doctor's mouth, from "nice" to "pyjamas." But now was not the time.]

I'll need a key to let the humans in. It would be safer for them inside.

[It was worth a try.]

[He waves a hand dismissively, knowing full well just how much he's annoying the other Time Lord.] Nah, don't worry about that. I'll be right behind you, as I said.

[He moves away from the hall, turning instead to another door in the body-print machine chamber. It's there he has to go to now, but not with everyone else still there.] Well? Go on! Get out of here!

You'd better be. If I die because you didn't trust me... [He'd have no one to blame but himself for the lack of trust. But that wouldn't stop him from blaming the Doctor anyway.

He turns to the people milling about, nervous and confused.]

Come on, humans, follow me.

[He decides not to comment about the fact that Narvin can simply regenerate or he'll bring the Time Lord back to the Plane to die there and come back. It isn't ideal, but at least he'd live.]

[The humans gladly follow the man in the peculiar nightie. Some want to ask about the banging noises and threats, but figure it's best to just keep moving or else.]

[The Doctor, in the meantime, as loathe as he is to repeat something his younger self had done, takes out his sonic screwdriver to set off a fire alarm once he's certain Narvin and his new human friends have enough time to get close to the door leading into the Paris catacombs. Quickly, he ducks under the hood of one of the machines and waits while he hears the Zygon in the other room come out to evacuate. It starts calling for its friend, and there's a muffled reply from down the hall. Seeing as there aren't any shouts about humans being free, he takes that to mean they've gotten to safety. Unfortunately, now he can't go that way himself. Ducking back out into the room, he peers down the hall just as the second Zygon busts the first one out.]

Oi, over here!

[He waves then dashes into the control room the second he sees the Zygons acknowledge his presence with a shout. With very little time to lose, he immediately goes over to a specific panel, massages a couple knobs in just the right way--and sets the self-destruct sequence to go off, and breaks the knobs off after. He hopes he told the ship to implode instead of explode, but the two Zygons appear at the doorway just then and launch towards him. Luckily, he's much faster and agile than the pair of them, so he simply ducks and weaves beneath their swinging limbs and bolts for the hallway.]

Out of the way! [He shouts so the people can part and allow him access to the TARDIS door. The key's already in his hand as he nearly slams into his ship and throws the key into the lock.]

All right, in, in, in!!! [He shouts a bit louder so they can hear him above the alarm, motioning frantically for them to move. He knows how much time is left and the seconds are ticking by quick.]

[Narvin stands by the TARDIS door, opposite the Doctor, as the Terrans hurry in. He ungently shoves one or two along when they stop in the doorway to gawp and start to mutter something about "bigger on the inside."]

Doctor, what did you do? [He asks, his voice tight and shrill.]

I'll explain later! [And conveniently, that's when the last human steps inside. The Doctor unceremoniously grabs a handful of Narvin's robes and pushes him in before he steps inside the TARDIS, and slams the doors behind him. Continuing to dodge the other Time Lord's question, the Doctor sprints up the ramp around the astonished humans until he runs into the central console and starts the dematerialisation process.]

Everybody, hold on to something! The ride's going to be very bumpy! [And a split-second later, the TARDIS begins to rock from a combination of the Zygon ship imploding and the dematerialisation.] HOLD ON!

[Narvin stubbornly fails to heed the Doctor's warning to grab a rail and sprawls ungracefully on the floor at the first spat of heavy turbulence. He crawls up to his hands and knees and pulls himself to his feet using the edge of the console to steady himself.]

You call this piloting! Watch out for the chroniform variable bubble. And adjust your Blinovich quantum arc, the temporal drift is off by point zero two percent. [He quickly goes from backseat driving to starting to push buttons on the console.]

[It's probably for the best that the Doctor didn't see Narvin's moment of grace. He's far too busy trying to keep the TARDIS steady and try to land her in a safe place to let the humans out.]

Oi, no one asked you for advice! The temporal drift is supposed to be off; makes for a smoother landing! And--hey! [It's by then that he realises that the noises the TARDIS is making is not because of him, but from Narvin's own attempt at piloting the old girl. She's having none of it, and neither is he. He immediately comes around and swats Narvin's hand away before it can touch the Helmic Regulator.] I know how to drive her just fine. Took the exam enough times! [Never passed but hey, details.]

[Narvin crosses his arms and glares, first at the Doctor, then at the console, then back at the Doctor again.]

If you weren't flying an antiquated old crate, you wouldn't need to adjust the temporal drift just to make a proper landing.

[Another burst of turbulence makes him stagger and he puts his hand on the console to steady himself. The TARDIS gives him an electric shock.]

Ow! You...

Oh yeah? Well--[The Doctor bites back a retort--which takes an enormous amount of effort on his part since it's not often his tongue is so restrained--but what he could've said would bring up their home planet, and the kidnapped humans are still with them, and that's not an audience he wants for the type of discussion he knows Narvin will want after that reminder.]--well, you're just jealous I've got my own TARDIS and you don't. Perhaps I should call you Straxus. I seem to remember an incarnation of his was particularly put out with not having one of his own. Tell me, which one of you numbskulls decided to actually give him one?

[He doesn't care what branch of the Gallifreyan government and organization of big, ugly hoods and gowns was responsible.]

Good girl. [He mutters to the central console just before he initiates the final sequence for materialisation. Be prepared for another jolt, Narvin.]

Jealous? Don't be ridiculous. I am the head of the CIA; I can get a state-of-the-art TARDIS for my use whenever I want.

[He pursed his lips, cleared his throat. If he wanted any hope of getting the Doctor to trust him, he'd have to start telling the truth. A little bit. Narvin didn't like the idea, but it was all he had.]

Except recently. I've been...trappedintheAxis. [He mutters quickly, embarrassed by the whole predicament and by Braxiatel and Arkadian's scheme that got him into it.

The TARDIS begins to rematerialize and Narvin is thrown to the floor again. He's half convinced that the blasted ship is doing it on purpose.]

[It's definitely not your imagination, Narvin. The old girl really is doing it on purpose.]

You--[But the words stop at the end of the Doctor's tongue. He's heard right, hasn't he? He stares for a moment at Narvin, but a jolt from the TARDIS jerks him out of it and he scrambles around the console to finish the landing sequence.] Hold that thought.

[He jogs right back around to the group of humans clinging to the railing and beams at them.] And we're back home! Now, I'm sure you lot have plenty of questions, but trust me, you're better off returning to your lives and boring ol' jobs, and moving onward. And if anyone asks, just blame your change in demeanor on a really bad batch of coffee from your local Starbucks. They should be all over the world by now, if I'm remembering correctly. So! Without further ado... [He strides past them, throwing open one of the TARDIS doors and gesturing outside.] ...Out you go!

[A large group of Japanese tourists bustle by, snapping pictures of something. The confused former hostages look between the glowing central console, Narvin, the Doctor, and the doors and start to filter outside. He too gives Narvin a look, but not an annoyed one for once, but he doesn't want to get into it right yet with the humans still there. Thankfully, a call from Oliver lets him put that off for a few minutes longer, but once he's done, he returns his attentions to Narvin.]

I'm sorry, but did you say "the Axis"?!

[Narvin waits silently for the humans to leave, glad to see them go. He has to contain the impulse to mindwipe the whole lot. But there are too many of them, and he knows that the Doctor would object. Still, he doesn't like the idea of so many aliens just wandering off, memories intact, after getting a close up look at Time Lord technology, even antiquated Time Lord technology.

Once they leave, he paces the console room while the Doctor confers with his compatriot and stops only once the Doctor speaks to him. Narvin clasps his hands behind his back.]

Indeed. I've already seen one alternative Gallifrey there. It was more than enough.

[He says is quietly. And afterwards he has to follow that up with a snark to try to hide his discomfort at talking about the place the took his regenerations away.]

You were in the Axis once, weren't you. The incarnation who decorated himself with plant life, I believe. Rumour has it that you left the place in a highly disorganized state, as you generally do after you've been somewhere.

[He slowly makes his way up the central console, ready to bat away Narvin's hands if he tries anything again.]

If you already know what happened, then why ask? [He folds his arms in front of him.] More to the point, why are you there? Why is anyone there, especially anyone from the CIA?

You can blame Braxiatel for that. He schemed to steal the biodata archive banks, time scooped the whole lot of them. Unfortunately for us both, I was in the biodata archive at the time.

[Narvin leans back against one of the curving coral pillars.]

Now I'm stuck there, along with Braxiatel, Leela, Romana, her tin dog, the biodata archives and no TARDIS. And what's more the time scoop broke as well. So we're stuck there. All of us. All thanks to Braxiatel's brilliant plan.

[His eyes light up hearing that K9's still with Romana, but it's gone by the time the Doctor sweeps a hand through his hair.]

Ohhhh, he's really gone and done it now. And you lot complain about me! [He folds his hands in front of him.] Certainly explains why you've been so interested in my TARDIS. But the question is: where do we go from here?

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