realityshifted

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[017]

[Menzies appears in the middle of the Plane clearly arriving straight from work. she's in a suit, as well as wearing an ID card hanging from her neck and a belt of police gear around her waist. however, her hair is disheveled and she looks very concerned about something. ignoring her surroundings, she pulls her right arm against her, twisting the fabric of her shirt so see can see the underside of it. she frowns down at a small round scortch mark on her shirt for a moment before she presses against it, still frowning, but showing no sign of pain as she prods at the area]

[after a moment, she lets her arm go and now stares down at her own hands in confusion--as though she expects to find some sort of answer there. she considers silently for a bit, chewing her lip. but eventually she sighs before mumbling to herself:] I wish I had a knife...

[ooc: Menzies' wish has had the accidental side effect of making her invulnerable for a month! Just a warning that if you give her something sharp, she's going to do a little (ultimately harmless) test with it.]

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Right. Fleming's it is, then. Come on. [she ushers him after her as she heads along the alley] I'm in the carpark up the block.

[at the question, she glances curiously in his direction. she still doesn't entirely trust him, so she has to wonder if that's curiosity of his own or if he's trying to gather some sort of ammunition. still, she thinks he would be hard-pressed to do any damage with the answer, so after a pause, she says:] They know. The Doctor put me in touch. Basically, they're counting on me to let 'em know about any big stuff going on. I suppose it's a bit easier getting that sort of information from me instead of expecting the aliens around town to expose each other.

[and she has a feeling the Doctor influenced their decision, though she doesn't know what he said to them]

[In Narvin, curiosity is always both inherent and an attempt to acquire leverage through knowledge. He's been in the CIA so long now that the motives were inseparable.][He sniffs at her answer.] The Doctor. With the messes he makes I'm surprised the local authorities don't lock him up.

[His scorn vanishes when they leave the alley, however. The last time he was on Earth it was over seventy years ago, local time, and a lot has changed since then. He freezes as the sudden, unexpected alien hustle and bustle and noise of a 21st century city hits him fully.]

[she chuckles, amused at how he put that] Trust me, we have. More than once. [and that's just her personally, at that]

[for a second, she doesn't realise that Narvin has stopped, so she's already a few steps ahead of him when she stops herself and turns around] You all right? [she frowns, trying to follow his line of sight in case there's something to be concerned about out there]

I'm perfectly fine. [He bites out. He doesn't want to show weakness to an outsider, a human whom he doesn't know well. But despite his words, he's still frozen to the spot.]

It's simply very...alien. [And Narvin is having a bit of culture shock. He starts as a lorry rumbles by, far louder than the ground transports on Gallifrey.]

[she looks at him, considering. she's seen some adverse alien reactions to situations that seem perfectly natural to her before, so it only takes her a moment to decide how to react. in this case, she takes the hard approach, based on the sort of man she thinks Narvin is] Right. Well, I'm going to my car. Follow if you like, or you can 'ead back to the Plane and I'll get you when I get to Fleming's.

[and she turns and continues forward--at a natural but leisurely pace. she wants him to have a chance to catch up if he does decide to go after her]

[He hesitates for only a moment, then pulls himself together, twists his mouth into a determined frown, and strides off after her.]

After all the trouble it took to get here, I'm hardly going to leave now.

[she smirks because she had a feeling he was going to do that--but her expression is carefully neutral when she turns back to him] Good. [thankfully, while there's plenty of street traffic, pedestrian traffic isn't heavy. assuming Narvin manages not to stop again, they soon come upon the promised carpark, and Menzies leads the way to a blue Ford Fiesta. she gestures at the passenger side as she unlocks the doors] Get in. I'm sure you'll be glad to 'ear it's not far. [because if this is how he reacts to a city street, she has to wonder how he's going to react to riding in a human vehicle]

[He looks at the door. It doesn't open automatically at his presence, so he looks for a button to trigger entry. Finding nothing, he assesses the situation, studies the design, and experimentally tries the recessed area in the door. His fingers brush and fumble around until, at last, he works out how to open the car door.

That was far more difficult than he'd expected.]

Don't say a word.

[He says as he settles himself in the passenger seat.]

[Menzies, who is already in the car by now, smirks at him] Oh, I wouldn't dream of it! [she starts the vehicle] Don't forget your seat belt. [and she very purposefully pulls her belt across her, clicking it into the slot. she waits for him to--hopefully--imitate the action. she'll pull out when he's ready]

[He follows her lead, but grumbles as he does so.]

That occupants require strapping in, like in a whirl-go-round, does nothing to assure me of the safety of these contraptions. [TARDISes don't come with seatbelts.]

[if she knew that he was thinking about TARDISes and seatbelts, she would point out that, from her experience, that's something the Doctor's TARDIS could really use. but as it is, she's just sarcastic at him] So glad you're acclimatising so quickly!

[she pulls out of the carpark and soon joins the traffic of the main road. she has a feeling Narvin isn't going to react well to this part, so she at least has the foresight to attempt to distract him. the easiest way she can think of to do that is to explain what she has in mind, so she says:]

I 'aven't got a species name for Fleming, but he's got direct access to some otherworldly market for alien goods. The locals use 'im to get their 'ands on 'ome comforts, mostly. UNIT keeps an eye out to make sure no weapons are going around, but communication devices should be innocuous enough. Just tell 'im what you need. He might try to barter for it, but I'll, ah, remind 'im that he owes me.

[He grips the edges of the seat with white-knuckled hands. He doesn't trust this alien machine. From the few ancient Earth vidcasts he's seen, these things have a terrible tendency to flip over and explode. And he half expects one of the humans to start shooting a gun out of the window of one any nanospan now. The the historical vidcasts made it appear as if the humans used them almost as urban war chariots.

But he pays close attention to Menzies' words and tries to keep his voice smooth and unconcerned, despite being in fear for his life in agreeing to travel in this primitive metal box.]

And if he should conveniently "forget" that he owes you a favour, I shall point out to him that it really would be in his best interests to comply. Whether he helps me contact Gallifrey or someone else does, when I am back in touch with the CIA I'll have an entire agency of security personnel at my command, and I'll remember who assisted and who didn't.

[He's going into negotiations as he approaches every encounter with an unknown alien. Assume they're an enemy until proven otherwise. He's decided that Menzies probably isn't an enemy, but Fleming is an unknown factor.]

[it's probably for the best that Menzies doesn't know he's expecting their drive to turn into an action film--although she'd certainly get some amusement out of the idea. but nothing untoward happens at all as they continue down the street]

[she raises an eyebrow, scoffing at Narvin] Before you start an interdimensional crisis, you might want to keep in mind that, even if you do get in contact with Gallifrey, it might not be the one you're from. Not to mention I can 'andle Fleming myself, thanks. [she rolls her eyes, hoping she's not going to have to play mediator if Narvin gets a bit overzealous. but she supposes, if worst comes to worse, she can just grab him and whisk him back to the Plane]

[they continue along busy streets, not far from Fleming's shop now]

[He harumphs softly and leans back in the seat with a tight and stubborn set to his jaw. But...he has to acknowledge that she's right. There's no guarantee that the Gallifrey in her universe is the same as his, or, even if it is his Gallifrey, it's relative time from Menzies chronological point may not correspond to his own relative time. He may contact Gallifrey only to discover that some past version of himself is still there. He would have to tread very cautiously.

A part of him is grateful that she brought it up, otherwise he might have inadvertently caused a paradox.

As to whether she can handle Fleming, he'll wait to see the evidence first before he takes her word on it.

Narvin, being Narvin, verbalizes only the doubt and none of the praise or gratitude.]

We'll see about that.

[Narvin would probably be surprised by how much Menzies knows about paradoxes--meeting the Doctor out of order will do that to you. but she just scoffs at his skepticism; she doesn't feel any particular need to "prove" herself to him, especially considering he's the one who's trying to get a favour from her]

So we will. [she makes the comment as she pulls over, parking on the street just outside of a shop. a neon sign proclaims that they're at "Fleming's: Costumes and Electronics," though a few of the letters are flickering on and off. the front window displays an assortment of goods tagged at bargain prices--a wolf mask, a plastic Captain America shield, a few refurbished iPods, and several different video game controllers, among other odds-and-ends]

[but as they leave the car to go up to the door, she gives Narvin a stern look] Not everybody in there is gonna be "other"--not until we get into the back, anyway. So do me a favour and let me do the talking. All right?

[The objects visible in the window display don't fill Narvin with optimism about this Fleming person's merchandise. He hopes Fleming keeps some better items in the back.

Narvin meets Menzies' stern look and raises and eyebrow in reply.]

I have been under cover before. I know how to keep a low profile among the primitives.

[she raises an eyebrow] Well, that statement just filled me with confidence! [but she heads inside anyway, not concerned enough that she feels the need to strong-arm him into any agreements]

[a bell over the door tinkles as they enter. the shop itself is no more impressive than it looked from outside--it's small and somewhat dark, with shelves and racks filled rather haphazardly with items in seemingly no particular order. it's also empty except for one man--a short, stout man with a nose and ears that look just a little too big, olive skin, and a bushy black mustache and beard contrasting against the scraggly black hair around the edges of a large bald spot. he's wearing a green polo shirt over beige slacks, helpfully marked with a crooked nametag reading "Fleming." and at the sight of Menzies, his brown eyes go wide below bushy eyebrows]

Detective Inspector! Oh, how nice to see you again! Is there something you need?

[his accent is vaguely Italian, though of course that means little under the circumstances. but from his tone, he is clearly worried about what Menzies might want from him. he rubs his hands together in front of him in a nervous fidget]

[Menzies strides casually over to the counter, obviously used to this sort of behaviour] Hullo, Fleming. As it 'appens, I've got a new arrival 'ere, and he's looking for a way to get in touch with 'is 'ome planet. I thought you might be able to 'elp 'im with that. [she gives him a pointed look]

[Fleming relaxes rather visibly at this news] Oh, yes! Yes! Of course! [he claps his hands together, eager now] And, ah, what sort of range are you seeking? [he looks Narvin over curiously, trying to make a judgment about his species]

[Narvin watches Fleming with a suspicious eye. His eagerness to help makes Narvin paranoid.]

I need a communications device that will reach, oh, somewhere near the galactic centre, around the Kasterborous sector.

Kasterborous? [Fleming tilts his head, thoughtful] Hmmm, let's see... Come, come! [he gestures, heading away from the counter toward the back of the shop. once they've gone around a set of shelves, a door hidden in a back corner is visible, nestled along the edge of more shelves. he fumbles with a keyring at his belt for a moment, trying to get it open] I have many things. We find what you need! [when the key finally turns, Fleming pushes the door open, ushering again for them to follow him]

[the back room is, as it turns out, larger than the shop itself. in appearance, it's like a warehouse--rows upon rows of metal shelving, filled with various odds and ends of clearly non-Earthly origins. each section is labeled at the top, and Fleming trundles right for an area marked "communication." he gestures grandly] Here it is! These have the longest range. [he points to the far right] So maybe... [he draws his hand back a bit] In here. These will help! What would you like?

[Menzies just follows, shutting the door behind them in case any customers happen to come around. she watches Narvin to see how he handles this. if he does see anything promising, she hopes she can rely on how much Fleming owes her for helping him with UNIT. but they'll cross that bridge when they get that far--assuming something in Fleming's shop will even do what Narvin wants]

[Narvin rifles through the devices Fleming pointed out. None of them were ideal from Narvin's perspective (which is to say, none of them were Gallifreyan technology) but at last he chose one.]

This should do the trick.

[And then he drops another request, one he hadn't mentioned to DI Menzies.]

What about time travel technology? Do you keep any of that here?

[As CIA he should frown at the idea of temporal tech in the hands of some alien shopkeeper on 21st century Earth. But CIA rules aside, it would be very convenient for him if Fleming did have something.]

[for a second Fleming is clearly surprised by Narvin's request, but he recovers himself quickly] Ah, that's more rare! Expensive. I could order in special. Depending on what you wanted--and, ah, what you have to pay. [he rubs his hands together]

[Menzies steps forward then, though] I think one is enough for today. [and she gives a Narvin a look because so help her, she will grab him and drag him back to the Plane right in front of Fleming if he pushes her] Cheers, Fleming. So. [to Narvin] Grab your gadget and let's be off.

[Narvin snatches up his chosen communications device, lips pursed, vexed by Menzies' interruption. He waits until they've walked a little away from Fleming, then hisses quietly.]

If I had a piece of temporal tech, I could hook it up to the communicator and then I'd be guaranteed to get, if not the right universe, at least the right temporal era.

[And if he failed to contact Gallifrey at all, it would have served well as a possible back-up plan. A time travel device could be useful in all sorts of ways.]

[Menzies is relieved when Narvin doesn't push, but it's not a surprise when he pulls her aside as they reenter the shop. she hisses back:] Yeah, well, 'ow 'bout you try what you've got first? Before you get yourself too far in debt. And then we at least check with the Doctor before we even consider going in for Fleming's outrageous prices. All right?

The Doctor?!

[Narvin's pitch rises with incredulity even as he tries to keep his volume low.]

I have no intention of asking that renegade for permission. Or for favours.

[she gives him a skeptical look. she wouldn't have thought someone in Narvin's position could afford to be picky, but clearly he expects to be. and so she shrugs, unsympathetic]

Then try this first--and if that doesn't work, we'll 'ave to talk about what you're gonna owe me in return before we do anything else.

[the statement is only partially true. while all she's mentioning to Narvin is the money, she has bigger concerns about his request. she's going to need time to think about the dangers and make a plan before she starts purchasing temporal technology for anybody, especially someone about whose motives she's still dubious. but she's hoping that won't be necessary anyway, if Fleming's widget can do the trick]

So let's go test it. [and without waiting for his reply, she heads out of the shop]

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