Meeting Night

[nevermindtherunning]

Who: the Doctor, EVERYONE
Where: Doctor's house
When: Night of day 73
What: The Doctor Time Lord Victorious holds an escape plan meeting.

Ever since the Master had arrived, the Doctor has been stewing in an anger so deep that he didn't quite understand it himself. He couldn't ever recall feeling like this for this long, but it was there. Part anger, part mania, part obession all channeled into one thing: escaping.

Initially it felt like a holiday, but that had worn off, leaving him in this state. Everything here was wrong, and it was up to him to change that.

Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, the Doctor looked at the room before him. He had finally bothered cleaning things up, given now he was in the final testing rounds of the generator. The floors were cleared of the debris, dishes washed, kitchen sanitized - everything had its proper place. Everything except them.

All the cameras in the house were covered by towels, and in the middle of the room were some chalkboards he managed to find. On the top of one, Part 1: the escape and the other, Part 2: the distraction. Given his idea had to separate pieces that needed to work together, this seemed appropriate. Now, if he can get everyone to come.

[ooc: Don't be afraid to tag each other in the threads. I'm imagining this will become quite chaotic after a while XD]

Comments

[blackmagus]

Given that she'd pledged her involvement already, not showing up wasn't much of an option for Fortescue. Still, she kept to the back of the room, leaning against a wall. She wasn't a soldier, more of a government-trained assassin pressed into black ops, and receiving orders was, ordinarily, straight-forward. From her country, anyway. The Doctor was clever, but she had her reservations about this strange place — and they weren't going away anytime soon.

Jazz was perched on her shoulders so as to be out of the way, curled around her neck a little like a feline scarf; he scanned the room with cautious, pale eyes. Fortescue did similarly, expression thoughtful but subdued. She was, for the most part, here to listen.

[tryingitall]

Settling at the edge of the room, Balthazar's quick to notice Fortescue and Jazz. Goodness, she really does bring him everywhere, doesn't she? He's beginning to wonder if the cat is more than a pet.

Not that it's any of his business. He smiles at them, anyway, and gives an uncertain wave.

[nevermindtherunning]

"Fortescue!" He chirped excitedly, stopping by to give Jazz a little 1-fingered chin scratch briefly before stepping back. "The place is cleaner than you were here, eh? Well, cleaner than it's ever been, I think." He sort of missed Sharon for that. This place wouldn't have looked as bad as it did if she were still around, but then again, his generator might have not been built in the first place for that very reason.

He would've chatted a little more, but he was seeing more and more people filtering in and stepped back to let everyone find a spot to linger in. "Alllright, alright." He clapped his hands together, "Let's get this meeting started, shall we?"

[noblexcompanion]

The Doctor had been so excited about his junk sculpture and the fact he was so sure it was going to get them home that Donna had to attend to see what all the fuss was about. It wasn't that she didn't trust him to get them all home - there was no one in the universe she trusted more (well, apart from Wilf); but things with the Doctor never ran smoothly.

Still, she was his mate and she needed to be there whether his junk machine was a success or a failure. So, there she was! "Bloody hell, you cleaned!" As always, the trivial matters.

[thelittlestbub]

Jubilee isn't surprised at the cleaning. She's also not surprised at the gathering. If nothing else, there would be hell to pay later.

... she might have conveniently left out her part in this plan. She didn't want Logan to sit on her. Man's heavy.

"Yeah, he did." She stops near Donna, watching the Doctor. If he can get them home, that's fine. She just wonders how far her powers are going to burn out. It's been a while since she's truly let them go - the Mandarin's house, ouch - and this will be a test of everything she's learned over the years.

And possibly how to slip the Professor, Magneto, and Logan all in one fell swoop.

[godsprophet]

Chuck's not entirely sure what's going to come out of this meeting, but he's here anyways. It's better to try and fail then never try at all, right?

Well, unless failing has sever and unintended consequences.

But he tries not to think about that, and he tries at giving Donna a grin. "I'm guessing it's, uh, not always this clean, then?"

[nevermindtherunning]

"Yes, I cleaned! I can clean!" Thanks for that vote of confidence, Donna. He did prefer a lifestyle of collecting things, but storage on the TARDIS was far easier than a house that wasn't bigger on the inside.

He would've chatted a little more, but he was seeing more and more people filtering in and stepped back to let everyone find a spot to linger in. "Alllright, alright." He clapped his hands together, "Let's get this meeting started, shall we?"

[bluesrat]

Rat's still learning the details of this place, but he'd noticed the envelopes slipped on the porches, and picked one up. It's a good thing he did. Now he's here, entering like he's afraid of intruding on something, guitar case slung over his back. As he hasn't settled into a house, there's nowhere he really trusts he can leave it, so he settles in a chair at the back with the case propped between his feet, and eyes the chalkboards thoughtfully.

[nevermindtherunning]

Oh! A new face! "Hello there! Welcome." He greeted Rat with a smile, "I don't believe we've met. I'm the Doctor. Lucky for you, you be stuck here very long like the rest of us."

Because the Doctor was going to get them out, back home, safe in their own beds again.


He would've chatted a little more, but he was seeing more and more people filtering in and stepped back to let everyone find a spot to linger in. "Alllright, alright." He clapped his hands together, "Let's get this meeting started, shall we?"

[mentis]

Charles had received the mysterious summons from the Doctor, the WWII slogan catching his attention almost immediately. It's been twenty-years, and even though he spent the majority of the war in America far away from the true horror, even though he was a child, it still brings back memories and feelings attached. Churchill was undoubtedly a good leader but are there ever truly good men to be found in any war?

So he turns up to witness this cloak and dagger finale for himself, curiosity bringing him out of his shell, only just skimming the thoughts of everyone present in the same way someone might slide their gaze over strangers. The chalkboards make him smile as he settles off somewhere to the side.

Whatever might happen, he's hopefully prepared for it.

[burnburnburn]

Dilandau slunk over to Charles when he got a moment, nodding subtly and sitting down beside him. He didn't want to go near the mindreader, didn't like the possible vulnerability, but he needed something he couldn't get otherwise. He got to his point quickly.

"Can you just hear with those powers of yours, or can you speak with them too?"

[primogen_vampirate]

There were precious few people in the village that Mina would obey any kind of summons from. The Doctor, however, was one of them. And anyway, she was bored. Even if she was utterly friendless in this place, she supposed these people could provide some amusement.

Although if anyone asked her if she was on her period again, she would happily shoot him in the face.

She did not arrive with her customary swagger. She was relatively silent as she slipped inside, her fedora pulled down low over her forehead. Nevertheless, she was immaculately dressed, her three-piece suit pressed and clean, her purple tie perfectly knotted, and all of her rings gleaming off of her fingers.

Casually, she lounged against a back wall, arms crossed. "What adventures have we in store for tonight?" she mused softly to herself.

[hung_garian]

While Gabriel probably shouldn't fall under the heading of 'friend', given all that pesky lying, and wouldn't be particularly bothered to hear that he doesn't, he does at least hope to be entertaining. Less so now than usual - he has other things on his mind - but still, it's nice to have (and/or be) a distraction, and talking to Mina almost always gives the ol' wits (or something in their general vicinity) a bit of a workout. Besides, he can't pass up having a good-natured jibe at someone leaning on a wall, dressed in a suit and an angled fedora, with ostentatious jewellery. That would practically be a crime.

He sidles over and leans against the wall not quite next to her, but close enough to be heard speaking in hushed tones. And, for that matter, a rather bad Brooklyn accent.

"The crow flies east at midnight. How's the petunias?"

[nevermindtherunning]

"Dressed up for the occasion, I see." The Doctor remarked cooly as he stopped by for a moment. "Erm, sorry about the mess in the kitchen the other day." He had thought Mina would've tracked him down about it, but it didn't matter at this point.

Or maybe she had, and he didn't know it, as the last two days seemed to have blurred together.

[burnburnburn]

Dilandau had turned up bright and early, eager to see what was going to happen. He'd wrapped a rag around his communicator in an attempt to muffle it, as he was sure their captors would listen in.

After making his greetings he took a moment to scratch a few symbols onto the corner of the Distraction chalkboard so that the gathered demons and aliens would know what will mean trees, troops and traps when he began to explain his part.

[hung_garian]

One of the aforementioned 'demons', probably to Dilandau's chagrin, is running a finger over the diagram, smudging the chalk only slightly. He glances over, not even bothering to hide the smug expression that says all too clearly that he's deliberately trying to piss him off.

"Regular da Vinci, aren'tcha? What's all this, huh?" He drags one finger down past the symbols, resulting a brief but unpleasant nails-on-chalkboard noise. "And which bit of it means me? This one looks most rugged, but I gotta say, none of 'em really capture my essence."

[tryingitall]

Balthazar is not entirely sure about any of this. On the one hand, he's furious and worried about missing siblings (with the additional stress of concern for the one that's just arrived). On the other hand...he doesn't have much to go back to, should an escape succeed. More importantly, he doesn't care to leave without something more definite on Anna's whereabouts.

Still, it can't hurt to hear the planners out. He can always discuss the matter more privately with Raphael or Gabriel later.

[bostonhowler]

The smell is what draws her. The otherly smell that had surrounded St. Raphael and St. Lucifer surrounds another in the room. Gravitating towards him settles her nerves, eases the strain of being in a room with all the smells, all the sounds, all the everything that involve a group of people together.

She isn't used to it here. School is easy. Blank it out, concentrate on the cadence of the teacher's voice. But, here, she hasn't had a chance to acclimate to it yet.

Slipping through the group, Brigid takes up her position near the angel, allowing his scent to focus her thoughts.

[justrunsasaloon]

Ellen finds a chair and settles herself into it. She's mostly stiff and bruised, though there's a couple of things still healing. She's wondering what's going on here. With the disappearance of Angels - and how weird was that - she's cautious of any plan that would take them anywhere.

This place is dangerous in a way that she hasn't figured out yet. But, she's willing to listen. For now.

[nevermindtherunning]

Another new face. Where are these scientists getting them? Why were some being taken away and others still appearing? It sat unsettled in the Doctor's stomach and left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Hello." He greeted calmly, offering Ellen a hand, "Have we met? I'm the Doctor."

[reluctantsword]

Wallie slides into the meeting and settles himself at the back of the room. The note was vague but he suspects a conspiracy for escape. He's all for that, but he also knows how well the last attempt went.

They don't need a repeat of that.

Either way, he's here to listen.

[burnburnburn]

Dilandau's glad to see Wallie's there. His misunderstandings mean he's not particularly fond of this king of the Sorcerers, but he respects his skill with the sword. He weaves his way over and leans in.

"Make sure you're not here just to listen. It'll be a waste of your skills if we don't find way to make use of you in these plans."

[thezerothlaw]

Daneel is present. He feels he should be. He's not in favour of violence, but he isn't in favour of captivity, either. Any attempt to escape, if he is to support it, must balance those two in an acceptable way for him.

He's quiet, though, listening more than speaking, for the moment.

[hung_garian]

Like Balthazar, Gabriel's no longer entirely sure how invested he is in this plan. At any rate, if it works then he's not leaving without Anna and Lucifer, and, well, he's got nothing to back to besides the possibility of an afterlife, in which he's pretty sure he doesn't believe. Not for the angels. Besides, he's actually quite content: if he's honest, he's genuinely happy more often here than he's been in a very long time, even if it does come with a price.

But of course, he's well aware that not everyone is enjoying this as much as he (reluctantly) is, and he's not going to take back his offer to help out. For the humans especially, the dangers presented by the village are very much more real, and even if he doesn't want to leave himself, he's definitely on board with helping those people he do want to. And if this provides a key to getting the missing people out of wherever they are, so much the better.

His lack of any particular enthusiasm, though, is probably quite obvious. He's perched on one of the counters, chewing bubblegum, carefully far enough from Balthazar to maintain some semblance of the (increasingly laughable) charade that he has nothing to do with anyone who could possibly be identified as an angel.

[nevermindtherunning]

"I'm glad you find this all amusing." The Doctor deadpanned, watching Gabriel so fully amused at the crowd.

"It's going to work, y'know. The calculations, the specs of the equipment. It'll all work." There wasn't a hint of doubt in his reply, if Gabriel were to notice.

[nedofpies]

Ned sidles into the room a few minutes before the meeting is set to start, looking furtive and uncertain as ever. He slouches his way over to an unoccupied corner, looking at the covered cameras, wondering if the eyes behind them won't be starting to get suspicious. If enough people show up here it will be obvious. They all converged within view of the exterior cameras. What if this incurs some kind of response, some kind of punishment?

Still, they can't just lay down and accept their captivity and torture, and he's glad someone is taking matters in hand. So he stays in the corner, hunched with his hands deep in his pockets, looking at the crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces.

[nevermindtherunning]

The Doctor was glad to see Ned, and if he could hear his thoughts, he'd have to agree with him, hence the chalk boards he found. This was going to be a strange meeting with limited talking, but they had no choice. Granted, the scientists probably already had an idea of what was happening, but nothing had been done to stop him just yet.

Maybe it was all a game. The Doctor had thought of that, of course, but it just egged him further and pushed him over the edge. He was tired of being a pawn, a plaything, and tired of it happening to his friends as well. He cared about the people here, and cared that they got home.

[godsprophet]

Despite both of his housemates being here, Chuck shows up as well.

Not that he doubts either of their abilities to explain to him what happened at the meeting, but this is something he needs to see for himself. If they're making an escape attempt, he wants to be there, to contribute when (or if) he can, and to see what, exactly, everyone else thinks about this place and the people who brought us here.

He takes a seat in one of the chairs off to the side, regarding the chalkboard.

[justrunsasaloon]

"You get out from under the angels for a little while?" Ellen asks, pulling her chair over to him. She's sticking close to a few people from her world. She does hope Ruby shows up. If she's reading one of those chalkboards right, one group's going to need explosives.

Well, she needs a little bit of ordinance in her life, no reason not to offer to help.

The meat & potatoes of the plan

[nevermindtherunning]

Walking back up to the chalk board after clapping his hands to gain everybody's attention, the Doctor pressed his finger on his lips, indicating silence, and started writing furiously.

-Generator: Interior like a particle accelerator. Build up enough energy, it must go elsewhere.
- Elsewhere = upwards = barrier destruction.
- Beyond barrier? Find our friends, escape to proper time lines.

He knew there were mutterings and whispers, causing him to grip the small piece of chalk tightly in his fingers. "I can't make this any simpler." He spun around, looking at his audience. "Why is there so much doubt? Eh? Anyone? Is it you don't trust me?"

Placing the piece of chalk back on the stand he claps his hands together, letting the small cloud of dust float on, "There's been failed attempts before, but there's one thing that hasn't been in these attempts - me. Wars, genocide, natural disasters - so many of those are fixed points in time. I can see them; I know them. But this here isn't one of them, this isn't a fixed point in time at all! My home planet and people are gone, never to return, thanks to the Time War, but I walked away from it alive. The sole victor; Time Lord Victorious. I can see all that is, was, and to be. The laws of time are MINE, AND THEY WILL OBEY ME."

With a swing of his arm pointing outside, "We'll get your friends, I won't leave them behind, but we're not going to be trapped here any longer!"

[tryingitall]

Right, the plan makes some sort of sense to Balthazar, and he has to admit a person who can build a particle accelerator out of a box of spare parts is impressive. But even the most logical conclusion only holds if the premises upon which it's based are true, and he's afraid they simply don't know enough about the place they're caught in.

And, of course, the megalomania is worrisome.

"Can you make it less simple?" He asks politely. "I'm with you as far as breaking the barrier--assuming a rush of pure energy is sufficient to break it and won't simply fry us all and I do hope you've accounted for that in your calculations--but once we can leave, how do we leave?"

Angels can fly through the vacuum of space and time, no problem. Humans can't, at least not without the proper apparatus, and there are quite a lot of them here. Some of them he likes!

The Distraction Plan

[burnburnburn]

Dilandau paces to the front of the room once the questions being peppered at the Doctor start to slow.

He quickly sketches out a map of the town and forest, crosshatching an area to mark the working zone.

"We need to keep our captors distracted while the Time Lord works and I'm going to be the one leading that side. This is my plan and I need volunteers."

Unlike the Doctor he's calm and confident as he makes his presentation. He raps his finger above the crosshatched zone.

"This is where the metal bears patrol in the woods to keep us from straying too far. The marked zone is where we can draw them into. I've got a rough idea of the boundaries, but I want some fast volunteers to make a few excursions in to see how far they'll come."

He quickly marks crosses within the lower edge of the zone, nearer to the town.

"When we know how far they'll come we'll dig in pit traps we can lead them into. Whether we keep them, destroy them or send their parts to the Time Lord is something we can work out once we've got them in there. The important thing is to make it look as if it's vital to get those bears out of their usual patrol zone in enough numbers that our captors start to get suspicious enough to bulk up their defences over there instead of where the Time Lord will be attacking. If you talk about this outside of this room make sure to treat it as a vital part of the plan that we need to make them vulnerable in that direction.

"I need spies, chasers, trap setters and destroyers. Who wants to be useful?" He grins, confident in his plans. That's not all to them by a long shot, and those who can see into minds might realise this, but he's not giving that away in his appearance.

[happytobleed]

"Given their seemingly unlimited resources and the type of creatures they've managed to trap here, I don't think distracting a few bears will do anything." He hasn't been forthcoming about what he is. Many of them haven't, but perhaps it's time to change that.

"I suspect they can conjure up anything they need to to keep us trapped, especially after what happened the last time escape was attempted."