those imprisoned

[realitymods]

[While some people are off exploring the maze-like city, not everyone is so fortunate.

This place looks like a stadium with no floor. Circular and endlessly massive, there is a island in the center and a bridge leading into darkness. This island is where many, many pod-like cages are kept. Wires and gears lay dormant, but they're clearly attached to the cages-- and the prisoners within.

The bars aren't big enough to allow a whole arm through, but due to the half-circle's concave shape, all the prisoners can see each other. There is no food or... relief to be found, but the soft humming of the machinery seems to cancel all that out, like a stasis. It feels as if this place is sleeping. Waiting.

Above, the Plane's usual galaxies and planets circle overhead. Below, there is only darkness and oblivion.]

[ooc: This post is for those who want to half-opt-out of the plot, or those who 'die'. They'll wake up here without injury. Feel free to tag amonst yourselves or just pretend you're here anyway. There's no escape, at least for a while.]

Comments

[bit_impossible]

[The Doctor turns towards Jamie's voice, his face still somewhat contorted from listening and trying not to listen. (It's not as easy as one may think.)]

That humming! I mean, we're familiar with the TARDIS' natural humming, but I've always been more in-tune with her...finer meanings. I can understand when she's upset, disapproving, cross, extremely cross, and so on and so forth.

But listen to this one. Really listen. [And he falls silent for all of thirty seconds because he seriously can't wait.] Did you hear that?

[bonnypiperlad]

[With a small sigh, Jamie does as he's told, tilting his head ever so slightly to one side as he listens. Thirty seconds for Jamie, though, only really gets him one thing.]

Sounds like humming to me.

[Clearly he's not really getting what's wrong with it. At least, not yet.]

Like from some sort of machinery, but I don't see what's so bothersome about it.

[bit_impossible]

Ahhh, but Jamie my fine fellow, you haven't been well-versed in bombilatio--and no, it has nothing to with bombs, but the beautiful language of the Bombiens. All they do is hum. It's terribly wonderful, unless you've got an earache or migraine, then the constant vibrations will be disorientating pretty quickly. Anyway! This humming isn't actually actually saying anything--[which would make anyone who doesn't know the Doctor wonder why the hell he brought it up in the first place]--but it's the tone.

[And something else. His time senses are a bit off from being held in here, but it's not like his previous experiences.]

And it sounds like whatever kind of machine is running near here is being awfully patient about something. I wonder what...

[bonnypiperlad]

[The fact that Ten clarified bombilatio as quickly as he did is a good thing, because otherwise that would've most definitely prompted a question or three from Jamie. In fact, he goes so far as to open his mouth before the explanation pretty much answers anything he would've asked. So, after a second or two where he looks like he's going to say something, he doesn't, instead closing his mouth again - and listening once more.

This time around, he can hear what the Doctor is hearing as well, at least to an extent, and his eyes widen just a bit.]

Aye. Aye, I can hear it! It's as though it's...waiting for something, maybe. Och, that can't be right, though. Can it?

[bit_impossible]

Normally, I'd say no, but since we're on the Plane with a Machine that can do anything whenever it wants without a care in the multiverse... [He shrugs, drawing his hand down his chin.] I'd say it very well can.

[He falls silent again, but his ears perk up when, somehow, he begins to hear Menzies' voice.] Patricia? Jamie, you hear that as well?

[It takes him a moment before he realises the voice is coming from his pocket. He pulls out a helmet radio--because of course he's going to investigate tech that he isn't familiar with and tinker with it to no end--and listens to the rest of her message.]

[bonnypiperlad]

[Naturally the Doctor would go and do that - and for all that Jamie's rolled his eyes at some of his inventions in the past, he's actually happy the Doctor has the radio now.]

Aye, I hear it. Some sort of gate, with locks. Hey, that must be where everyone else is, Doctor! Do ye think it's connected, somehow?

[bit_impossible]

[They're both lucky the Doctor rarely empties his pockets. He'd just about forgotten it's there anyway!]

Ohh, yes! [He grins broadly at his friend and pumps his fist into the air.] It's got to be! There's no such thing as coincidence, Jamie.

[And now, he's energetically bouncing around his cell, once again trying his sonic screwdriver on the lock in hopes it will work on it now. It doesn't, but it's worth a try!] It does make you wonder, though...why so many keys? What needs so many?

[bonnypiperlad]

[Seeing that, Jamie tries the door to his own cell, but it still stays just as firmly locked.]

Well, the locks are all on that gate, aren't they? Maybe it leads to somewhere important, and it's some sort of extra security.

[bit_impossible]

Yes, but what for? [He pockets his screwdriver and presses his face as far as he can between the bars without actually putting his head through. He doesn't want to get stuck, after all. His eyes squint as he tries to see the far reaches of the room, but that's all he can see. No door, no great big door that a bunch of locks would be attached to.]

Must not be for here. These locks are deadlock sealed, and don't need a five-key system to operate. [Look at him overthinking things.]

Jamie! What if it's something more to do with the Machine? A bloke named Wolfgang has access to it, so what if this is his way of helping us get to it?

[bonnypiperlad]

By having us sitting in cages? Fat lot of good that'll do anyone.

[Don't worry, he's not being quite as obtuse as all that, just complaining a little. After a moment, he folds his arms over his chest.]

All right, Doctor. Say that these keys are some way to get to that. Do ye really think they'd just leave them out for us to find? Even if Wolfgang's on our side, no-one else is. And doesn't he keep getting having problems when he's showing up here, anyway? How's he able to help when things keep going wrong?

[bit_impossible]

[He grumbles under his breath. Jamie's saying exactly what he's been thinking where Wolfgang's involvement is concerned. Even the best of intentions are going to get someone hurt--and everyone else around them to boot.] That's a very good question, Jamie. Very, very good--except, I don't know the answer to that. I can only guess, as I always seem to be doing here. [He lets out a loud sigh.]

You know, I've waited a long time for someone like him to come along and see what the others have done to us, but I've been wondering since then whether his intentions to help us are actually true, or just another way to play games with us all.

[bonnypiperlad]

Maybe we can talk to him if we ever get out of this thing.

[The 'we' is deliberate - because if the Doctor's going to go and do that, then he's going to need someone to look after him. Who better than Jamie?]

I'd bet ye could come up with some sort of clever way to see if he's really on our side or not.

[bit_impossible]

Oh yes, we're definitely sitting him down to have a nice chat. I'm sure we won't be the only ones wanting to either.

[At that comment, he just smiles.] You know me, Jamie. Always clever. [And since direct questions didn't work last time...] Painfully clever, even. Being stuck in here with this great big ol' brain of mine is almost hurtful. All that brain power going to waste... [he trails off as he mutters:] All this and I still can't undo a single lock.

[bonnypiperlad]

Ah, but you'll come up with a plan, Doctor. Ye always do.

[He has faith in that. It doesn't change the fact that for the moment, they're still stuck. But maybe if he comes up with something as a distraction it'll take the Doctor's mind off of things just enough that he'll come up with some sudden inspiration.]

Don't suppose you've got some cards hidden in that suit of yours in the meantime? Could do with something to pass the time.