Down in space it's always 1982

[caycep]

((The return of Cayce and Quixote! Wide open RP. If you haven't already, catch up with the adventures of Quixote, Setsuna, Cayce, and Adam here.))

At some point after Pirate Day, an announcement came on over the park PA system.

"Hi everyone. This is Cayce Pollard. I'd like everyone to come to a meeting tonight to discuss a new discovery that's been made about the park. The meeting's in the Honey I Shrunk the Audience auditorium, at sundown. This is pretty important, so please be there if you can."

That evening ...

When Cayce felt a critical mass of audience had been achieved, she stood up, cleared her throat, and began.

"Hi everyone, and thanks for coming. For those of you who don't know him, this is Don Quixote de la Mancha, a ... a true knight and the person we have to thank for this latest discovery. In a moment, I'll let the Don tell his tale in his own words if he wishes, but for now I'll get straight to the point, since I'm sure that's what you're all dying to hear.

"Point is this: Don Quixote and Setsuna Mudou have discovered a complex of passages beneath the park, leading to a door. The door's heavily barred and all our attempts to open it—including asking politely—have met with absolutely no success whatsoever. Any contact with the door—knocking, hitting it, trying to pry off a bar, leaning on it—gets met with the 'please keep your arms and hands inside the ride' announcement that some of you may be familiar with from when people try to walk out the gates, or when ... things happen."

Cayce waited for the reactions to settle down a bit before continuing. "I've called everyone here first to tell about the discovery, and second to find volunteers to look at the door. We really need scientists and magicians." Yep, it still felt weird, saying that. "Whatever's got that door barred probably won't open to anything but sufficiently advanced science. Or magic. Insofar as there's a difference, anyway." Anyone get the Clarke's Law reference?

"So, um, there you have it. Floor's open for questions or discussion. Oh! Before that—Don Quixote, is there anything else that you would like to add?"

***

After the various discussions had settled out somewhat, Cayce finally cleared her throat.

"Okay, so here's the plan. Tomorrow at midday, anyone who wants to join the underground expedition should meet at the statue. It sounds like the time dilation or whatever it is makes time pass more slowly belowground than up here, so I think Adam and Setsuna will be fine. We should take the time to get ready with whatever we'll need to bring with us." Plus, of course, it was Adam. Of course they'd be fine. "Then, once we're at the door and ready to proceed, the—the Master will send a signal to the Doctor, who'll lead the distruption. Anyone has any other questions, find me. Thanks, everybody."

((And there will be a fresh post for the expedition when my life is a little more normal.))

Comments

[caycep]

"I'm taking all suggestions at this point," Cayce said evenly in answer to the Master. Her chin went up a little bit and she folded her arms. Not going to be afraid of you anymore. Asshole. "Anyway, Mr. Stibbons, you're right; there's no guarantee it leads out. In fact, we're only inferring from the fact that it's so heavily barred that it leads anywhere interesting or important at all. And, well, it's new. And it's not as if there's anything else clamoring for our collected attention." As to the Doctor's point: "We did mark our way down there. And Setsuna and Adam remained behind, to keep an eye on things."

[redo-fromstart.livejournal.com]

Ponder sighs and raises his eyebrow, "Apart from the fact that if we don't know what the door's under, an explosion could cause substantial damage to whatever's on the surface." He adds as an after thought, "Surely using magic to unlock it would be...oh, less destructive."

[markoftherani]

There was a disdainful snort from the back as the Rani joined the other two Time Lords. Or rather, entered the auditorium and stood a careful distance from both of them: close enough to indicate yes, I know you're there, but far enough away that it couldn't quite be construed as friendly.

[chantinellie.livejournal.com]

"That depends," said Ellie, who had slipped in quietly and listened a bit before speaking up, "on how it's been secured. Mixing the wrong kinds of magic, or the right kinds the wrong way, or magic and other forms of reality-bending shenanigans, could turn the whole thing into a complete clusterfuck really fast." Now where the blazes was Constantine, he knew this shit much better than she did...

[hear-the-drums.livejournal.com]

THe Master nodded in Ellie's direction in something that might have been a thank you. Well, not on him, but someone else.

"I'm going to ignore the defensive, antagonized posture," as if he cared whether or not Cayce Pollard was afraid of him when they were discussing possible ways out of the this hellhole, "for now and point out that leaving them down there in no way guarantees that you're going to be able to get back to them. For all you know, the marked areas could get turned around on you."

He turned on Ponder. "If you actually think we could damage something that is capable of regenerating every essential in this place without fail, using only a minor explosive, I think you should go back and polish your wand some more." He paused. "Oh, you would rather we performed some sort of high-tech scan to maybe find out how the locks are constructed?" He smacked a palm against his forehead in exaggerated understanding. "Why didn't you say so?"

[markoftherani]

"All of this may be entirely academic if it turns out to be some sort of elaborate trap," the Rani said. Her gaze flicked to the Doctor. –because that's the sort of thing He'd do, isn't it?– "How do we know it isn't?"

[caycep]

"We don't," Cayce snapped. Her mood was souring. Should've known this was going to be like herding cats. Shit.

"Look, maybe what we need to do is get the scientists and the magicians to do some sort of initial scan. Learn what we can to the best of our ability. Then, when we're ready to try and break in, we ..." Oh, this was going to be fun. "We'll probably need a volunteer to do something to distract the security while we try to break through the door."

[a-lonely-god.livejournal.com]

"But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try," the Doctor added to the 'we don't comment. "Otherwise we'll just be burying our heads in the perfect flowers out front for the rest of eternity."

He glanced at Ponder, then at Cayce. "Regardless of whether or not a spell or whatever worked, it seems to be as though, as long as there is a simple physical way to destroy the door, magic would be better applied to creating a disturbance at the same time. If we're going to create distraction for the powers in charge, it needs to be as big and complicated as possible. Explosions, people walking out, vandalism, everything. All at the same time. What we need to do is figure out the most efficient way of applying everyone's... expertise. One person creating a disturbance isn't enough."

[caycep]

Cayce nodded, glad that at least someone else here seemed to see sense. "Yes. Yes, you're right. So ... here's a suggestion.

"Let's get a team of knowledgeable people down there to look at the thing. We'll check the door out and learn what we can. Then once we have a better idea of what we're dealing with, we can organize the ... the insurrection. And then once we're ready with that ..." She held out both hands, palms up, in a well, I guess we'll see what happens gesture.

[iron-and-latin.livejournal.com]

Sam raised his hand from where he was sitting two chairs away from Starbuck. He looked vaguely nervous (due partially to some still unresolved issues with Kara and more to the presence of the Master in the back) but his voice was enthusiastic.

"I offer to rain down hell once you're ready," he said. "Walking out, or blowing something up, or just straight-up vandalism. Whatever's needed."

[una-harlequin.livejournal.com]

Una flashed a quick smile in Sam's direction. "I've got some grenades," she said cheerfully.

[iron-and-latin.livejournal.com]

Sam grinned back. "Sweet. Concussion or frags?"

[una-harlequin.livejournal.com]

"F1 fragmentation grenades (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F1_grenade)," she said. "Not many, but it should be more than adequate for our purposes."

[redo-fromstart.livejournal.com]

Ponder sensed that efforts seemed to be combined against him, and as much as he liked experimenting with the universe, he wasn't about to blow anything up, "Excuse me, but if anyone has an idea how magic might be able to fix this, it's certainly me. If you want to use an explosive, the point that was earlier made surely shows that it would be pointless, because the park does repair itself. That door, if clearly unopenable by all the forces orginally mentioned, must be sealed by magic, and therefore, must only be unlockable by magic. If nothing else, if I can't undo it, I certainly might be able to get inside of the magic of the park a little further and understand it a little better, which might just help us get out of here a little faster."

Ponder breathed in indignantly, but decided he wasn't really finished, either, "And for your information, sorry, I missed your name, but the man who made some innuendo about wand polishing, I am perfectly capable of judging what magic might be a applicable and how to apply it. I am a qualified wizard of the Unseen University, who specialises in the fabric of universes, so if you want me to go and 'polish my wand'" which, by the way, was a staff, and definately did not have a knob on the end, "I suggest you learn a little about magic before debunking it. I do not pour scorn upon your scientific methods, even if they may include explosions."

It was mainly in answer to The Master, and Ponder didn't often get angry, but if he sensed magic being insulted by anyone who wasn't a wizard, it annoyed him a little, especially if it involved people thinking they were better than him.

[caycep]

"I thought we were just going to use the grenades as a distraction...?" Cayce said. Sam and Una's enthusiasm for the subject was making her a little uncomfortable. "I don't think we're going to try actually blowing up the door unless we, um, find out that it's blow-up-able and we don't have any other option."

Please to not be getting in a fight, guys, please...

[hear-the-drums.livejournal.com]

"And I am a qualified Time Lord of Galifrey," the Master snapped, completely ignoring Cayce "with higher degrees in Cosmic Science, Temporal Engineering and Multi-Dimensional Astrophysics, who is in no way interested in your piddling degree. My people are older than yours, undoubtedly more learned than yours, and guardians of the Universe at large. Surely no one has any interest in you waving your qualifications about in some sorry attempt to give retort to a flat out insult. My name, upon receiving my degree, was changed to the Master, which I should point out I have no reason to inform you of, as you have offered no name in return."

The fact that this was not the time to be getting into this sort of pissing contest had apparently not occurred to the Master at all. He was at least sure that the Rani would side with him if things got ugly.

[a-lonely-god.livejournal.com]

"Which is all rather beside the point," the Doctor added, faux-smoothly through slightly clenched teeth. "We've already decided that we're all going to go down and look at the thing, so if it's magic, Mr. Ponder will take charge. If not, then Master, you can finally turn your destructive tendencies to good use. Doesn't matter who's degrees are in what just yet."

[iron-and-latin.livejournal.com]

"The grenades are for the distractions," Sam assured Cayce, over the noise of Time Lords and Wizards comparing penis sizes. "I'm sure these guys don't need any more help with the door."

[caycep]

"Gotcha," Cayce said with a badly stifled snicker.

[epicdigger.livejournal.com]

Simon, in the back, raised his hand, looking nervous as he did so.

[caycep]

"Simon, right?" Cayce said, indicating for him to speak.

[epicdigger.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Simon said, frowning. "Okay, if it's something important and they get mad when you touch the door...maybe blowing it up or using magic isn't that great of an idea," he said, aware that Kamina would probably be shocked at this branch of reasoning. "If it's the only way...but I could try, first. I know you said a lot of people worked to get out, but I'm a digger; I can tunnel through just about anything. So maybe it makes sense for me to try tunneling under or around it before we try to break it."

[caycep]

Cayce considered this. "That's possible," she said. "Makes sense, anyway. Magic, science, and, well, engineering. Might be what we need. What kind of digging equipment would you need for that?"

[iron-and-latin.livejournal.com]

"Jesus, limonkas?" He raised his hand in a sort of long-distance fist bump. "I am so there."

[una-harlequin.livejournal.com]

"Спасибо," she answered with a grin, and raised her hand in salute.