paradisa | Dictated/Action

Entry tags:

plot: paranatural

Dictated/Action

[The Wendigo is a clever creature, capable of both immense speed and stealth. It can imitate human voices to near perfection, a hunting technique it uses to draw out the love ones of its victims for one simple purpose: more food. To that end, it finds the Tenth Doctor's journal quite useful. Late Friday night, residents of Paradisa are treated to its best rendition of the dear Doctor's own death.]

No! Don't come any closer... Save yourselves... Run! RUN!!! ARGH!!!!!

Hey you! Yes you, you ugly thing. You don't want them... I'm a Time Lord... Much more tastier than them. I have time running through my veins! Humans will give you indigestion.

[Grunt... Hiss... Grunt... Gasp... Muffled Cry... Moan...] Gu-AHH! ARGH!!!! ARRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

[Some time passes, and when the Wendigo goes back out to wander the woods, it leaves the journal sitting open in the small, dark cave. As the night wears on, the voices of Serin and Conan can be heard, semi conscious and struggling.

The sounds of movement and exertion from Serin are few and far between. She feels like she's fourteen again, body broken and throbbing from the failed augmentations. As it was, she could feel broken bones now; cracked ribs, fractured arm. It's come from a struggle with the monster and the following days in restraint. She'd learned the tricks to resisting torture, to keep sensitive intel from leaking, but this was something different. She knew whatever had captured her wasn't interested in the UNSC's darkest secrets, ONI's dirtiest lies. Still, familiarity brought her comfort, and the moments she found enough strength to speak she did.]

Rear Admiral Serin Osman, Office of Navel Intelligence, service number 39489-72738-SO ...

[The first thing Conan is aware of is pain.

It stabs through him, clouding his mind and awareness. But even in a half-conscious state, the awareness that something was wrong is enough to rouse him. He groans as he forces his mind to work through the pain and drowsiness.

Dully, he begins to assemble the clues. Dark. Cold, but with a scent of dampness. Nothing below him, and the pressure of restraints suspending him from the ceiling.]

A cave... And a kidnapping. But why?

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[Dairine had her journal open during their investigations in case someone wanted to give advanced notice before joining them. She soon regrets it, as what sounds like the Tenth Doctor's death is broadcasted live. She feels like she's going to be sick.

She also puts down "eats humanoids" under the search field. That aught to narrow it down enough.

Once she hears the other voices though, her heart leaps. They're not dead yet, so they still have a chance. She quietly whispers.]

Hey, Conan! Can you hear me? Can you speak?

[Oh my, what an interesting new way to lure out additional victims.

In an impeccable impression of the small boy's voice, the Wendigo calls out for help to his concerned friend, speaking of a cave in the woods.]

[Dairine pauses for a moment, worried over the fact that Conan is calling for help instead of snarking at her. Suspicious? A little. Or it could be that the situation is grim enough that he isn't bothering with his usual stubbornness.

In the end it doesn't matter. She's going to help him anyway.]

Hang on, Conan. We'll be there.

[Of course they'll also be looking for how to deal with his captor but details.]

[ The Doctor would like nothing more than to make a quiet entrance into the woods. Easy by foot, but when using the TARDIS, not so easy. There's the sound of the engines as they materialise, rising vworp-vworps and a wind that disturbs the trees until materialisation is complete and then everything is still.

The Doctor is thankful for such small triumphs. Short hops are never easy and half the time it seems the castle prevents the TARDIS from ever leaving the bedroom but the Doctor is determined; he doesn't want to fail again. It was bad enough that any of their party were taken in the first place and the fact his elder self is gone... he has enough guilt pressing down on him just at the moment. ]

We're here. Look sharp. Do NOT go off alone. Is that clear?

"That goes for you as well, Doctor," Will says calmly as he steps out of the TARDIS. In respect of the seriousness of the mission the Old One had donned a dark hooded cloak. As he moves out he pushes the hood back off his face so that it hangs down his back.

[Dairine nods at Will's statement, agreeing completely. She had, of course, insisted that she come along. And while it is mostly to save the kidnapped residents, she also didn't want to let the Doctor out of her sight with his strange condition.

Ironically, she also is wearing a cloak, her present from Galadriel. It was supposed to hide people from evil's gaze to an extent, so she thought it wouldn't hurt. However, she's also put up a personal invisible shield on the off chance she's noticed. Better to be safe than sorry.]

We have a little ways to walk before we reach the cave. Be on your guard. Company might know we're coming.

"I'm betting they definitely know someone is coming."

Danny jumps into the air the moment he is outside the TARDIS and hovers there.

[ In leaving the TARDIS he picks up his staff, the one he made himself at Terre Haute and stands against his hat stand in the console room. Once everyone is out he will lock the TARDIS doors tight.

Eyeing each of the children especially and not happy at their presence but what can he do, lock them in a room? ... That's actually a tempting idea. ]

When you're as tall as I then you can tell me not to go off alone. As for knowing we're here... if the TARDIS didn't alert it, if it has a heightened sense of smell to hunt with that would do it as well. Stay close together. Be cautious.

[Looking a little green around the gills, Wade staggered out of the TARDIS and into the woods. She hadn't known what to expect, but she hadn't taken no for an answer when she'd heard that the Doctor was going back out here. Like Dairine, she was absolutely not going to let him out of her sight after what had happened, even if she was probably the least likely to be useful.

That had the information they needed, so she'd armed up as best she could. While she wasn't fond of fighting, Wade had had cause to fire a gun or two over the years. She had a flare gun on one hip and a machete on the other]

You guys were here first...where should we start looking. Conan said something about a cave, didn't he?

Edited 2014-08-26 23:06 (UTC)

He did. ...Assuming it was him.

[Dairine had had her doubts before, thinking it seemed strange for him to ask for help so... eagerly. While she didn't want to make any assumptions, Conan did have that voice-changing bowtie. If the kidnapper had figured out a way to use it, imitating him wouldn't be too challenging. After reading up on the Wendigo's skills though, Dairine's doubts over who or what spoke to her had doubled.]

"You think it could be someone else?"

Will had never met either of the people they were here to rescue.

The book said a Wendigo can imitate voices. What better way to get more food than to have them come to you?

[She says grimly. Wizards in her circle have a strange sense of humor when they're dealing with moral danger.]

So the first step is to second-guess any voice we hear out here?

[Dairine wasn't the only person she knew with that kind of coping mechanism]

[ For one that's already hearing voices and seeing things, he casts a look over to Wade. His gaze going down and seeing what she has strapped around her waist, he raises both eyebrows. ]

Basically, yes, in that case.

[ He steps into the lead, poking at the under-brush with his staff. ]

I'm... going to need someone with me. I can't trust what I hear.

[Will casts a look back at the others, than steps forward.]

I will go with you. It would be best, I think, if those of us with some way of creating fire were spread out.

[Having finished consuming the remains of the Tenth Doctor, the Wendigo heads back to its cave to feed more of its insatiable appetite. With any luck, more food will show up. When it returns, its guard is up as always, though it takes the most direct route through the small system of tunnels as possible, and thus the most predictably obvious. When it reaches the small chamber where it has Conan and Serin stashed away, it sets to work cutting down the young boy who had put up such an amusing fight.

If only he had more meat on his bones...]

[Spike has been staying to the back of the group, coming off as an onlooker instead of an actively engaged member of the search party. They may even forget he's there until he finally lifts his head when one of the kids volunteers. He tries to meet the Doctor's gaze, because as much as he keeps his judgment to himself, they're setting themselves up here.

But he's here more for the Doctor than anyone, and he'll let the silent offer hang until he makes his choice.]

Right.

[Nita steps out from the Target, pushing her way towards the front of the group.]

I know Dair, Will, and I all have fire covered. Does anybody else?

Just this... [Wade holds up the flare gun]

But it's only good for a couple shots.

I've got ectoplasmic blasts. And ghost ice. I figure I can slow the guy down at least.

Oh, jolly good. [ He grimaces and doesn't sound that jolly. In fact, he's rolling his eyes. ]

Well I have my stick and some matches. Spike, [ In catching his gaze he understood the message. While he doesn't doubt the younger of their bands abilities or that he can watch them, the Doctor needs someone to watch himself as well. ] I'm sure you have your gun. Why not come up front?

Danny, could you be our air support please? Find us this cave, look for tracks but stay out of sight and reach. Ladies and Will, two of you each to our sides and just in front where we can see you as our flank and fire support.

[ And he didn't even have to raise his stick. ]

[Dairine shoots the Doctor a look, as though to say he better not be placing her on the front to keep an eye on her. But she doesn't complain about it since the plan seems good enough.]

Just so you know, guns won't work against it. [Maybe as a distraction but no wounding.]

[Then to Nita:] Think we should be on the far sides then? Our shield spells might cover more that way.

Danny spots the cave opening from the air, and quickly drops back down to join the rest of the rescue party.

"Hey, there's a cave up ahead. Definitely creepy with three e's."

['Just so you know'... Spike keeps his mouth shut, but the look he was casting the Doctor earlier is transferred to Wade. You give a kid magic powers, and they think that's all it takes. But he can't expect them to have a realistic view when they live here.

Ideally, Spike would rather repay his debt all on his own, working gun or not. It wouldn't be the first time he went up against a demon without it. Instead he only nods and steps forward.]

I'll improvise.

'E' marks the spot, hmm?

[ It could be the right one or it could not. Either way he's already feeling the dread of what could happen if this all goes wrong and he feels responsible. At least half of this group he already can't seem to look in the eyes for what he allowed to happen to them. ]

All right. Onward, I imagine. When we get there, we're going to need someone to stay outside and watch our back, can you do that Danny? Early warning system. If what we're looking for isn't in the cave and comes along when we are, we'll be penned in. If it's already inside and bolts, likewise we'll need someone to catch it or at least slow it down at the entrance.

[ He matches Dairine's look with a cool one of his own. Don't even go there young lady, not with the way he's feeling right now. He nods at Wade too, willing her to please be careful, and as Spike comes up the Doctor claps him on the shoulder. ]

Good man. Let's go softly on.

Towards the front and far sides it is. [Nita, in contrast, shoots the Doctor a sympathetic look. Sorry that her sister is impossible.

She takes a moment to pull up a temporospatial claudication- her own little pocket of space and time- and pulls out an old reliable friend. A rowan branch, soaked in the moonlight. She knows that fire is there best bet, but it can't hurt. And the faint glow may keep them from tripping over their own feet, at least.]

We'll be careful. [She pats the Doctor on the arm, as much to reassure herself as him, and starts to fan out as instructed.]

Okay. All together, then? I figure hitting it all at once will give us our best shot. [She talks in hushed tone, the flare gun readied in one hand and the machete in the other in case in gets too close.

This is so stupid, but she can't stand the thought of just standing and letting them die.]

Whatever we do, we better hurry.

[They've already spent more time than Dairine is comfortable with just researching. The last thing she wants is to be too late at this point.]

Danny nods slowly as he figures out what he was being asked to do.

"Yeah... I can do that. Just... scream really loud if you need help?"

[Will says nothing more, but extracts a candle from a pocket inside his cloak. It is large enough to need both of his hands to carry, but smooth and hard to the touch.

He speaks a word to it in the Old Speech and watches as the candle lights with a small flame that burns without consuming.]

[As if on cue, a loud scream echoes from inside the cave.]

[Fire and more stuff he doesn't understand. Well, more than he had to start with.

Spike could always comfort himself in the idea that he doesn't have a choice with the way people were getting picked off. He straightens his shoulders after the Doctor seemingly put him off balance, but stays with him. Maybe they'll get lucky and kill off whatever it is before anyone else gets involved.

It always helps to be an optimist.]

I think they're expecting us.

[Maybe it did, maybe it didn't, but standing around talking never helps the element of surprise.

Despite skepticism, he has his gun out and readied. He glances at the Doctor again, checking one last time to see if he's really up for this. There's no guarantees here, and he doesn't have any fancy magic to protect anyone if this doesn't go well. But it's his plan, and if they are going down, he'll let him give the call.]

[Wade glances back at the group at most intensely on the Doctor. 'Don't trust everything you hear' they'd said, but it's damn hard not to go rushing in when you hear things like that. Her look at the Doctor is pleading.]

[Dairine agrees with Spike and Wade that standing around doesn't seem like a good idea, especially when she can hear a scream. The fact that it is Conan's scream though prompts her to action.]

Doctor, either we go now or I'm going ahead of you guys.

[She doesn't bother to wait for an answer from him before marching at a quick pace in the direction of the scream. Dairine is NOT going to lose another friend here, not on her watch. She glances back briefly to see if anyone is following her, but she does not slow down. If she is the first there, Dairine figures she can serve as a distraction for them. Buy them some time.]

[And this puts Nita in a terrible quandary. On one hand, she should probably stay with the non-wizards to offer some sort of magical back-up. On the other hand, that was her little sister who just went in there. Alone.

The fact that Dairine could take care of herself. That she'd faced the Lone One and survived didn't make this any better. She looks at Dairine and then back at the group, offering them a pleading look.]

We can't let her go in there alone. I won't.

[And with that, she's marching off to join Dair, gripping the Rowan wand so tightly that her knuckles have turned white.]

Edited 2014-09-01 20:07 (UTC)

[Will casts an apologetic look back at the adults of the group. He knew that some of them wouldn't like this. But... he knew what his place was. And it wasn't hanging back while others walked into danger. His magic wasn't meant for that.]

I'm sorry. I'm going as well.

[His expression takes on a certain stubbornness as he chases after the two girls. ]

[Great. Just great. They're the ones who said you couldn't trust it and they're the ones going ahead. But what can she do? They're kids but they're magic, which puts them a bit higher up on the scale of being useful in this situation.]

Be careful!

[Wade hangs back just a little bit, wanting to stay at the Doctor's side. Plus, you know, if anything snuck up behind them]

[ He can tell right away that he wasn't the only one that heard the scream; Spike and Wade alone immediately confirm it. As the younger of their party step forward, so does the Doctor. Trust it to be the children to hare off without a second thought. They might have magic but right now the Doctor is thinking not much wit, even when he knows how hard it is to be cautious when it's their friends in danger. ]

Blast it, don't they realise that could be a lure? They'll be torn apart! Come on. I think I can see the opening.

[ The cave isn't that far ahead and catching up with the children they should be right on top of it. ]

[The monster waits within its cave, strategically positioned by the entrance they've found. But when they make their way inside, it just watches and waits.

It's only a few minutes' walk to the small chamber where the captives are. It doesn't have long to wait until they corner themselves as well.]

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