reverielogs | ( open )

» WHO? river song + open
» WHEN? september 1
» WHERE? observation deck, bar, medical
» WHAT? arrival + investigation
» WARNINGS? tbd

observation deck

( stars could tell you a great many things. stars gave you locations, they gave you time. stars told a story.

to river these stars were silent. it wasn't just that they were unfamiliar, a part of space or time that she hadn't visited, but that she can't tell anything about them. her sense for that sort of thing wasn't as refined as the doctor's, a man that could sniff the air and tell you everything around you. river could to an extent but here-- it was strange, an almost repulsive feeling. a fixed point in time?

it didn't stop her lingering, fighting against the feeling to try and find out something. there was always some way of finding out where you were )

the bar

( there was one thing that seemed to be certain wherever river went -- bars were a good source of information. people drank, people talked, sometimes they traded information but always there was something to get... or overhear.

she'd taken a seat at the bar, left hand by the drink that she'd gotten, right resting lightly on her legs. she was starting to feel the pain from the break even more now and whilst river was good at putting it off, focusing on something else, it was distracting. working with one hand, trying not to jostle the other was difficult.

but her mask was solid. to anyone that passes she'll ask, with perhaps a hint of flirtation ) So, how long have you been here?

( she'd gotten a lot of good information from clara. now it was time to find out her own )

medical

( she'd been putting it off for as long as she could. the pain was bearable (it wasn't but she was very good at lying to herself) and river felt like she had more important things to do -- like escaping. but it was a hindrance. only having the use of one hand was slowing her investigating down which was not going to help anyone.

she'd seen the location of medical when she'd been looking at the map, begrudgingly making her way there.

the lab looked a little impressive, fairly modern for the century that she'd noted though how long ago that century was river didn't have an answer for. though it would be just her luck that the place would appear to be empty. she didn't know which of the equipment would be useful to her or how to use it, though it didn't stop river from looking around just in case something happened to be labelled )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That occurs to me often. I trust the technology in my own hands, but obviously believing it'd remain that way is magical thinking.

Have you seen it happen before?

Yes.

( though river is certainly a more extreme case. few could defy a fixed point in time and make all of time unravel )

It can be easier to do than you would believe but sometimes time will fix itself, make things happen as they should.

Time.

[She echoes, and yes, it's time to backtrack and address this fully.]

You can change history itself, but somehow it resists you?

There are some things in history that cannot be changed -- time wants to happen, my husband would say.

( and she'd certainly learned that )

But for you it would be your future. You'd have to be careful how you wanted it to happen and whether speeding up knowledge could have consequences.

( it would but it depended on what her people were like )

['Husband' startles Jasnah. It's the first time she's met someone here separated from a family like that- or the first time she's spoken to someone who admitted it, at least.]

We have strict cultural prescriptions about predicting the future. I'd just like to take some of this technology from it home and see to it that humanity isn't annihilated.

And if it has the opposite effect? Whilst your intentions may be noble could you trust that it wouldn't instead annihilate your people sooner?

( perhaps they wouldn't be annihilated, perhaps without this technology they would find a way to save themselves )

We're already on the brink of an apocalypse. I'm the queen of a kingdom of refugees. Alethkar is past the point of holding out for a less risky solution.

( a queen. this was an unexpected development )

Well, your majesty, it's your risk to take.

( the doctor might have made more of an argument one way or the other, or offered to help, but there were two differences there -- he took more of an interest in people and he also knew better the risks and consequences. river cared enough to push a little but she didn't get so involved )

Jasnah.

[She insists, warmly, and offers her hand to shake.]

We're a long way from any kind of political system here.

( oh, river wasn't using the title out of any sort of politeness, using it to add to her point. but she smiles, shaking her hand )

It gives you an opportunity to carefully consider your action.

It does. Though of course, I'm far more preoccupied with working out how to return.

[So;]

Perhaps your husband will tear through and find us here?

If I can get a signal out then yes.

( a good if. she'd already taken a look at the command console though too many of the functions were still inaccessible )

If not there may be other ways of getting out.

There must be. And as sorry as I am you're trapped here, I'm relieved someone with a background in this area has come to put their mind to the problem.

[She feels the technological disconnect very keenly these days.]

Oh, I wish that I could say this was the first time something like this has happened.

( but it's her life and also very much something she chooses. some of these situations are coincidental but river runs towards danger so much )

We'll get out of it.

[She gives the other woman a faint, thin smile. That's a help.]

How are you settling in? Has someone explained all the logistics?

For the most part.

( settling in... she'd dived straight to work. never one to stay in one place for too long )

An unknown time and location that we started arriving to roughly four months ago. Some of the functions of the station are now accessible but much is still closed off, and we appear to be alone.

( appear to be. river doesn't believe that they truly are -- someone has to be out there keeping an eye on things, or in here )

And it breaks. Periodically. Gravity shuts down, people disappear- presumably as this place loses hold on them. There have been electrical shorts, problems with the food replicators...

[And absolutely more to come, she's sure.]

That could just as easily be this place falling apart.

( it looked fine on the inside, for the most part, but it was the outside that would show the damage -- or the parts in between. but falling apart only explained some of their troubles and it could also just as easily be something more. someone more )

But it's certainly somewhere to start. Route a problem back to its origin.

What could feasibly be the origin of something like this? Electricity?

[Yes, as far as Jasnah understands, the problem could just be 'electricity' in the abstract.]

A lack of it?

That's exactly what we'll find out.

( because there just isn't one answer to it )

If we can get a location of where these fluctuations originate then we'll get a hell of a lot of answers.

[River has already lost her, but Jasnah insists, gamely;]

Is there a way I can help?

I believe that you can.

( she offers her a smile, a light tap on the counter of the bar )

You've been here far longer than I. Whilst I could read something on what has been happening it's a different thing to having experienced it. Which you have.

( open )

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