The GateWorld Cantina Chronicles

[lordofseas]

Draygon lay back on the spa bed and attempted to relax. She should relax, she was in one of the most exclusive spa worlds in the Empire, was getting pampered by the best the facility had to offer and yet she still felt as tense as ever. What was she afraid of happening? Assassination? She had survived the attempts to the point where people had given up trying to kill her, for now at least. Los had still insisted on the bodyguard though.

Allowing the warm sun of La'ta'ma to wash over her and attempted to organize her thoughts. They fell into two main categories.

Benson and his rebellion. Mapp and the Timelords.

Benson... if Los was able to enact her orders then his rebellion would soon be fighting amongst themselves leaving her free to place a government of her choosing on those planets, ones that would respect her and remain loyal. Benson himself would be a different matter. He was far too cunning to be so easily tricked and would continue to try and undermine her. However, having him killed wouldn't resolve matters because he was well liked by many worlds, enough to give him plenty of power in the Triangle senate. He would need to be killed publicly, and with her there as a witness and to remove her from immediate speculation. It would require careful planning.

The Timelords... well, those that didn't know she was a metacrisis treated her well enough, though she rarely had any dealings with them at all. Many saw her as part of Greg's power group and therefore offered her respect. Perhaps they deluded themselves that she would put in a good word for them. As if she would be listened to. P-90 she could get along with amicably, just. But Greg, and Laplace as well, frightened her. But did they accept her? P-90 had called her "contaminated" with her wraith genetics which is why they hadn't told her their plan about Mapp.

Mapp.

She felt her insides boil and a growl threaten to escape her lips. She had followed Greg's orders, allowed him to escape. The universe might have it's justice but she didn't. It was Mapp that had caused the metacrisis between them, changing her forever. She had never got any justice from him for ruining her life. Her mind was a mess, she had no idea who Draygon was anymore. She looked down on wraith, her kinfolk but was shunned by timelords as somehow tainted and treated like a child. She felt an outcast to both sides of her heritage and it was all his fault.

And she would see him pay for that. No matter what the Lord President Gregorious had in mind.

Dray closed her eyes and let the sun continue to sooth her, while fire and blood filled her mind.

Los watched as the reports came to his tablet. The leaders of the rebellions on Ka'gah, Stepha, and Kioa were dead. Only on Kioa were the leader's aides killed as well. And those deaths were linked to rebels in high places. And that couldn't provide alibis. Los smiled.

"We need a vacation." Adaris said from behind Los.

"You are on vacation, silly." Los said, smirking. "I am working."

"Point still stands. Vacation. You. Me." he said.

"And where will we go?" Los said.

"Hera's nice this time of year." Adaris said absently.

Los turned around slowly.

"You just want to see the progress on my mothership, don't you." Los said coolly.

"You do need a ship. How the heck you manage this place without one is beyond me. And like I said, Hera's nice this time of year. The sounds of the oceans, the majestic scenery. It's not even in the Local Group, so you won't be disturbed from events from here."

Los looked at Adaris. He sat on the bed, face as hard as a stone.

"I have work to do." Los said quietly. "We'll go on."

Los smiled, then left.

Draygon and Multiverse travel. Why would want such a thing. Why not a TARDIS? Why not a Stargate? Why why why....

Los walked into the kitchens to get some food. The cooks had a plate left for him ready, and Los took it, with a nod to the main cook, and left. Normally, he didn't get good meals, but while Draygon was gone, Los got to get her normal food. Her food was prepared weeks before, anyways, then thrown out after two weeks, due to her inane eating habits. She'd get up in the middle of the night and pull out a plate. Good grief, Los thought.

Los sat down at a table on a balcony. A few people were here, eating their dinners, with friends. Representatives, and men in high places. As soon as he sat down, a servant ran up to him for a tablet to sign. Los whipped out his stylus, and wrote his name with just a glance at the short document. It was the finishing touch to an agreement for the cleaning staff's contract to have another 300 men and women added onto staff. The servant hurried away.

Los began to eat. Pleasant steak, heavily peppered, with a side of mashed potatoes, and a cup of gravy. Traditional Earth food, a rare delicacy. Whatever could have driven Draygon to adapt Earthen food styles was beyond Los, but he didn't mind. The food was good. Although, the amount of pepper in this could have been reduced. It had a pleasant aftertaste. Los' eyes began to blur. He hadn't known he was this sleepy. Pepper...Los tried to breathe, but couldn't. He blinked, and blinked, to see, but his eyes grew more blurry. What...what was wrong? Los cast his mind about. He wanted to sleep....pepper....pepper for....pepper to mask...

Poison.

Los fell off his chair, onto the floor, gasping for air.

(TGCC)

[Gregorius]

.

.

.

The Lord President had been sitting inside the dome, inside the oasis he had created over half a century ago: The last remnants of the life that had once spread all over the planet. Now all that remained of it had spread to all compartments of what had once been part of his Tardis. He had been trying to do some research, if only to keep his mind off from the things he knew that would come.

"Hello, Greg.", a voice he knew that was P90's said as he senses P90 and Laplace enter the dome, "Shouldn't you be in the senate holding a grand speech?"

"P90, why have you come here? I thought I told you to deal with the situation in the universe of the lower beings."

"I came here because you weren't in the senate. What are you working on?"

"A way to return life to this planet.", Greg said with a sigh in his voice, "And I was planning on visiting the restored fortress on the other side of the planet soon."

"An aide is looking for you, P90.", Laplace interupted, "He has just been transported near our location."

The aide walked into the domed structure and was amazed by what he saw before he saw P90.

"Lord P90", he bowed, "I have an urgent message from the Temporal Protectorate. They couldn't reach you via hologram and send me to the location you transmatted yourself to." The aide noticed Laplace and Greg. "Excuse, Lord President, Lady Laplace, I didn't see you. Forgive me!"

"

"You are forgiven, now leave. Laplace, take him to the fortress.", Greg said and he continued to P90, "What's going on?"

As Laplace took the aide and vanished, P90 disabled the jammed field that was established around the dome and a hologram appeared.

"Lord President, Lord P90. There has been a problem on New Gallifrey. Lady Draygon has left on a holiday, and the human Los has searched in her chambers and found a document pertaining to one of our projects."

"You'll transport the abomination to the Fortress on the Impossible Planet, along with the documents and the device they had been contained in."

"Very well, Lord P90.", and the hologram disappeared.

"That Wraith left Time Lord documents on New Gallifrey when she left? It would've been only a matter of time before that abomination would've found them.", P90 spoke in a direct manner, "We need to get rid of the evidence immediately."

"Personally, I'm more curious as to what documents Dray has been keeping with her. I can't remember we allowed her to take anything with her from Gallifrey when we send her down to control the empire.", Greg spoke in a calm voice, "Lets see what our little Wraith has been up to without us knowing. And be sure you put the jamming field back up."

---------

On New Gallifrey Los continued to convulse fom the poison when he felt the pain had gone. He had appeared in a chamber of some sorts and he found that he had been bound by a force field that seemed to eminate either from the ceiling or the floor. He looked around and saw that the Dalek figurine was also in the room. The doors opened and multiple people in gold and purple robes with an emblem he didn't recognize entered. They took the Dalek figurine and the documents.

One of them turned to him. "The Lord President and the Lord Director will speak with you shortly."

The doors closed and he was alone again.

----------

Inside a different room in the Fortress on the Impossible Planet the members of the Temporal Protectorate has delivered the Dalek figurine and the documents as Greg and P90 arrived. They looked at the Dalek figurine.

"Definately Time Lord technology. Crude attempt to mimic a Tardis and its chameleon circuit, but Time Lord technology nonetheless.", P90 continued scanning the figure with his screwdriver and once again the figurine turned into the rectangular box, "It seems it isn't locked to a specific person, it'll appear to anyone if they can find it. So this is where she those documents?" He pointed at the table where Greg had been reading the documents. "What's in the them?"

"It seems she's trying to decypher basic Time Lord principles of having things bigger on the inside than the outside. It's a good thing the Temporal Protectorate is watching her, as Los would've misunderstood it. It seems even Dray herself doesn't completely understand it, she calls it "Controlled Multiverse Travel"."

"It seems she's becoming more unstable as time progresses...We need to do something about it, Greg, we can't allow her to run wild if she's designing things like this but doesn't keep her papers more hidden from things such as him."

"What are you suggesting?"

"We'll bring her to Gallifrey again and mend her mind. My operatives mention that the general public thinks she's on a vacation so it shouldn't be too hard to bring her back here without arousing suspicion. As for Los, we'll wipe the knowledge from his mind and reseed him back into the time line as if had never left."

"Very well, execute it. After we speak to him that is."

---------

Los saw the doors open again and this time the men in purple and golden robes formed lines on both of the doors and men in redish-orange robes with a silver trim entered, followed by three people Los recognized: Greg, P90 and Laplace.

"Greg! P90! Laplace! What is going on here? Why am I here? Greg! The Time Lord are back and they ... they are trying to destroy time with Dray's help! She's gone mental! wait... Have you they captured you too? Quick, get me out of here and you can transport us out of here...?"

A man in the redish-orange robes with the silver trim spoke: "Silence, human. You will only speak to the Lord President, the Lord Director and the Lady Laplace if they ask you to speak."

"Los, whatever you think you have read in those documents: It's wrong. We're not trying to destroy Time itself, it would be unproductive. You're right about one thing though, Dray has gone mental. We'll fix it.", Greg spoke to Los in a calm manner, "Don't worry you won't remember any of this, P90's going to make sure of that."

P90 put his gauntlet on Los' head and Los felt the memories being erased from his mind, as the very cells and synapses relating to them were wiped from existence. Then he lost consciousness.

"It is done, the memories have been permanently erased from his mind. He'll never get them back, and to be absolutely sure about this I created a failsafe in his mind. Should he ever again discover Time Lord technology or documents he'll fall asleep."

"Excellent. Have your men reseed him into the time line, right at the moment they snatched him away."

"You heard the Lord President, reseed him into the time line. And please get rid of that poisoned food and all the evidence he might've left behind relating to Dray's research. I'm allowing you to wipe and rewrite memories are you see fit."

The men in the purple and gold robes left, taking Los' limp body with them, leaving only the Presidential Guard, Greg, P90 and Laplace in the room.

"Laplace, I have a mission for you. I want you and P90 to get to the universe and bring Dray in. You're right, P90, we need to fix that mind of hers."

An aide entered the room. "Lord President, the head of the CIA wishes to speak to you."

"Tell him I'll be there shortly. P90, Laplace, you know what to do, I'll leave it up to you."

Greg and the Presidential Guard left the room.

--------

On New Gallifrey Los was lying on the floor and coughed.

"Mr. Los? What happened?"

"I think I got a piece of food stuck in my windpipe, it's gone now."

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

'Don't worry, CJ. I'm coming back,' he nodded and squeezed her hand as the cargo ramp slammed down against the ice 'It just a summoning. All the real threats have already been dealt with.'

He stepped back and headed into the base of the Cantina as it stood and shone under the blue glimmer of Midna's sun. It's armour new, fresh, repaired, still glinting with a golden glitter. He waved as the ramp sealed up again with a fastening thud, and the engines started to shake.

Then it all suddenly dissolved into the darkness of a metal hallway.

He leant against the wall, overcome by the memories of his former life. Sometimes he knew they were coming, but most times he was just hit by flashes out of nowhere. He fought off more head pains and forced control back into his limbs, realising that he hadn't fallen over this time...But was more disorientated than ever before.

The last thing he remembered...

Elle...She said...She said something about...a farmer?

He became dizzy again.

Dammit! It's like anything I think about is making my head swell up!

He shook it off, focusing on where he was.

This...isn't...Elle's place.

The revolver hung from his finger and when he realised a shock pulsed through, and he dropped it and jolted back. He stared down, eyes widened, fixed as it slapped the metal of the floor.

'Oooh...' He mumbled, and glared around '...what?'

How did I...?

Behind him someone, a guardsman, lay completely still on the floor against a recently opened hatch. Blood spilt from a bullet hole in his neck.

Ooooh....No.

His eyes found the gun again. His mind took seconds to peice the puzzle together. He fell back against the wall, frozen in place, and felt himself eventually slide down to the floor. A search progressed among the ruins of his mind, hunting for answers, hunting for what could have possessed him to kill someone, to infiltrate somewhere.

'Midna.' He said.

He didn't know why.

'I have to get back to Midna.'

The seven symbols filled up his thoughts, as well as several suggestions from his subconscious.

I can get there. I have the power to get there.

His stare broke and his eyes fell over his body. He was wearing his old clothes, the shirt, the pants, the long brown coat...and had several of those objects fixed tightly to his belt. The digits on the 'big calculator' had been activated, and were changing randomly.

G.D.O.

'Of course,' he said, as if it was all so obvious 'Midna's gate would be protected. I wouldn't want to go there unless it was safe. This device opens the door. But...why kill that guy?'

Again, he stared over to the body by the hatchway.

What if I fall asleep again? What if I hurt someone else?

The reflection in the revolver stared up at him, not in a malevolent way but with a curious determination. A faint trail of smoke still snaked up out of the cannon.

Guess I fired a round and woke myself up.

He reached down and pulled it up to his eyes.

This is what I really am?

Dangerous memories pertruded through.

A murderer?

Something stumbled into his ears, a distraction. He flipped the gun, gripped its handle and aimed it over to the hatchway as someone fell through, tripping over the body. She lost her feet and slammed down. Mapp slid up to his feet and kept his aim, even when she slowly looked up.

He looked so different now, so much stronger. She never would have noticed before, in the heat of the crash, how much those clothes really suited him...

'...Don't shoot,' she pleaded 'It's me!'

It took him a moment to register.

'Mapp...It's me.'

'Elle?' He said, lowering it to his side.

She looked over to the dead guard.

'You killed a guy,' she noticed 'he get in your way?'

'Yeah...' He guessed, watched her grab the guards rifle and lug herself back up to her feet.

'Well, I figured you could use some help.'

He just stared at her. Eventually she shrugged.

'I mean y'know, if...If you want it,' she said nervously.

'...Why?'

'Because...I kind of, sort of, saw into your head when we touched,' she explained 'and I know you're not a bad guy. But I saw a whole nest of things about you, things you don't even know, buried in your mind...And I think you're so much more important than me, than any of us. Because Earth, I mean compared to what I saw in your head...Earth is so small.'

He didn't understand her motives, or what she was trying to say. It seemed that she know more about him then he did now.

'I know you don't remember much from before, but the universe became a very bleak place around half-a-century ago...' She continued 'And recently we all had some hope. When Dray came to power, we pinned all of that hope on her, that she'd change things for the better, that she'd collapse the old Triangle, make a new one...But that never happened. The Triangle never fell. Things never changed. They just got worse.'

'...But,' he finally spoke up 'why are you here now?'

'...Because, I know you're the key to bringing it down. I saw that inside. You tried before, you got so close...I want you to try again. And I want to help you.'

'I don't remember anything...'

She had slowly approached him as they talked without him really acknowledging it.

'We'll search for a way,' she offered a smile 'starting with Midna.'

She held up the gate address on the paper.

'I thought you didn't believe me.' he muttered.

'It's not on the Triangle's list, which means they don't know it's there.'

'So we can get there through the Stargate after all?' He said, hopeful.

She nodded.

'I hope, but that's the least of our problems.'

'What?'

'Duh. The gate room is the central command centre on the entire planet. It's going to be heavily guarded, and even if we break in we have to deal with the power of the workforce. We're just two. How do you suppose we do it?' She asked 'I've never taken hostages before...'

She looked at her new rifle.

'I fired a gun once, two years ago, back on New Gallifrey when some theives attacked the bar I worked at...so you better be an expert with that thing in your hand,' she patted his shoulder and took the lead 'I've only been in the gate command once, and that was after stepping through from the Core world. Don't rely on me to get us through.'

His mind was still focused on what she said before, even as he nodded and followed.

...'When some theives attacked the bar I worked at'...

I think ... I met a girl in a bar once.

Heh.

[susanne]

Spoiler:

'Don't worry, CJ. I'm coming back,' he nodded and squeezed her hand as the cargo ramp slammed down against the ice 'It just a summoning. All the real threats have already been dealt with.'

He stepped back and headed into the base of the Cantina as it stood and shone under the blue glimmer of Midna's sun. It's armour new, fresh, repaired, still glinting with a golden glitter. He waved as the ramp sealed up again with a fastening thud, and the engines started to shake.

Then it all suddenly dissolved into the darkness of a metal hallway.

He leant against the wall, overcome by the memories of his former life. Sometimes he knew they were coming, but most times he was just hit by flashes out of nowhere. He fought off more head pains and forced control back into his limbs, realising that he hadn't fallen over this time...But was more disorientated than ever before.

The last thing he remembered...

Elle...She said...She said something about...a farmer?

He became dizzy again.

Dammit! It's like anything I think about is making my head swell up!

He shook it off, focusing on where he was.

This...isn't...Elle's place.

The revolver hung from his finger and when he realised a shock pulsed through, and he dropped it and jolted back. He stared down, eyes widened, fixed as it slapped the metal of the floor.

'Oooh...' He mumbled, and glared around '...what?'

How did I...?

Behind him someone, a guardsman, lay completely still on the floor against a recently opened hatch. Blood spilt from a bullet hole in his neck.

Ooooh....No.

His eyes found the gun again. His mind took seconds to peice the puzzle together. He fell back against the wall, frozen in place, and felt himself eventually slide down to the floor. A search progressed among the ruins of his mind, hunting for answers, hunting for what could have possessed him to kill someone, to infiltrate somewhere.

'Midna.' He said.

He didn't know why.

'I have to get back to Midna.'

The seven symbols filled up his thoughts, as well as several suggestions from his subconscious.

I can get there. I have the power to get there.

His stare broke and his eyes fell over his body. He was wearing his old clothes, the shirt, the pants, the long brown coat...and had several of those objects fixed tightly to his belt. The digits on the 'big calculator' had been activated, and were changing randomly.

G.D.O.

'Of course,' he said, as if it was all so obvious 'Midna's gate would be protected. I wouldn't want to go there unless it was safe. This device opens the door. But...why kill that guy?'

Again, he stared over to the body by the hatchway.

What if I fall asleep again? What if I hurt someone else?

The reflection in the revolver stared up at him, not in a malevolent way but with a curious determination. A faint trail of smoke still snaked up out of the cannon.

Guess I fired a round and woke myself up.

He reached down and pulled it up to his eyes.

This is what I really am?

Dangerous memories pertruded through.

A murderer?

Something stumbled into his ears, a distraction. He flipped the gun, gripped its handle and aimed it over to the hatchway as someone fell through, tripping over the body. She lost her feet and slammed down. Mapp slid up to his feet and kept his aim, even when she slowly looked up.

He looked so different now, so much stronger. She never would have noticed before, in the heat of the crash, how much those clothes really suited him...

'...Don't shoot,' she pleaded 'It's me!'

It took him a moment to register.

'Mapp...It's me.'

'Elle?' He said, lowering it to his side.

She looked over to the dead guard.

'You killed a guy,' she noticed 'he get in your way?'

'Yeah...' He guessed, watched her grab the guards rifle and lug herself back up to her feet.

'Well, I figured you could use some help.'

He just stared at her. Eventually she shrugged.

'I mean y'know, if...If you want it,' she said nervously.

'...Why?'

'Because...I kind of, sort of, saw into your head when we touched,' she explained 'and I know you're not a bad guy. But I saw a whole nest of things about you, things you don't even know, buried in your mind...And I think you're so much more important than me, than any of us. Because Earth, I mean compared to what I saw in your head...Earth is so small.'

He didn't understand her motives, or what she was trying to say. It seemed that she know more about him then he did now.

'I know you don't remember much from before, but the universe became a very bleak place around half-a-century ago...' She continued 'And recently we all had some hope. When Dray came to power, we pinned all of that hope on her, that she'd change things for the better, that she'd collapse the old Triangle, make a new one...But that never happened. The Triangle never fell. Things never changed. They just got worse.'

'...But,' he finally spoke up 'why are you here now?'

'...Because, I know you're the key to bringing it down. I saw that inside. You tried before, you got so close...I want you to try again. And I want to help you.'

'I don't remember anything...'

She had slowly approached him as they talked without him really acknowledging it.

'We'll search for a way,' she offered a smile 'starting with Midna.'

She held up the gate address on the paper.

'I thought you didn't believe me.' he muttered.

'It's not on the Triangle's list, which means they don't know it's there.'

'So we can get there through the Stargate after all?' He said, hopeful.

She nodded.

'I hope, but that's the least of our problems.'

'What?'

'Duh. The gate room is the central command centre on the entire planet. It's going to be heavily guarded, and even if we break in we have to deal with the power of the workforce. We're just two. How do you suppose we do it?' She asked 'I've never taken hostages before...'

She looked at her new rifle.

'I fired a gun once, two years ago, back on New Gallifrey when some theives attacked the bar I worked at...so you better be an expert with that thing in your hand,' she patted his shoulder and took the lead 'I've only been in the gate command once, and that was after stepping through from the Core world. Don't rely on me to get us through.'

His mind was still focused on what she said before, even as he nodded and followed.

...'When some theives attacked the bar I worked at'...

I think ... I met a girl in a bar once.

Heh.

((LOL sorry i got knackered last night.))

Elle took point, keeping to what little shadows and gloom the building offered, it was far more complex and domineering than she had ever remembered. She had expected hoardes of Triangle employees stomping through the complex, but it was as silent as the streets. It unnerved her. What also made her edgy was the rifle slung across her shoulder, she had, indeed once shot a man in a bar. He stupidly thought that he could come and rob her. That she would have broken down and wept. No. She had taken him by surprise with her willpower. You cant take me down. There is nothing to break down. She hadnt killed him of course. But she had shot him, twice. In the kneecaps. He had cried.

And i thought......this was too easy. Killing people is too easy.

She had wept of course, eventually, in shock and revulsion. Her lesson had been learnt. It was easy to kill and maim and wound, it was harder to show mercy and compassion and empathy.

She stopped, her memories scattered into a thousand fragments by the simple shifting of dirt over a rough floor.

"Shhh."

Mapp stopped behind her, trusting of her instincts. Someone....someone was moving around the corner, someone smarter than the average guard. Carefully she swung her rifle into her hands and saw the look he gave her. Elle winked.

Crack.

Cheap shot into the back of the head. He'd came around the corner and spotted Mapp, but he had failed to see Elle slide behind him and knock him out.

They stared at the guard, they stared at each other and then back at the guard.

"That wouldnt have worked.....if there were two of them....."

ATCCU

[P-90_177]

Dray slammed her hotel room shut and locked it behind her.
She began to pace her backwards and forwards, her anxiety being too much for her to bare.

It might not have been them, she thought frantically. They might not know.

The message that she had received only minutes ago had been an automated response. The instant that a pressure switch was triggered, underneath an unassuming figurine of a dalek, then the message was sent to her private terminal.

Of course there was a chance that the worst had not happend. For all she knew even the cleaning lady had come in and moved it..............not that Dray could possibly be that lucky. All she could do was hope and pray that the Timelords still knew nothing of her attempts at reverse engineering their technology, albeit in her rather simplistic way.

She stopped and took a deep breath. Her chest was bounding and she suddenyfelt so weary and tired.

There's nothing you can do now, she thought again.
What would happen, would happen and there was nothing she could do about it. She had already told Los to go out on the run and that was all she could do for him too. All that left was her......though she knew that there was no use to her running. No matterwhere she went P-90 and his temporal protectorate pack dogs would find her.....

She grbbed a towel and a robe from her hotel closet and entered her luxurious bathroom suite. This room itself was almost as big as most peoples living rooms and as she ran the water to her bath she smelt the distinct essence of roses in the water itself.

She spent a good hour in the bathroom. Letting the warm water sweep over her and the sweet perfume fill her head and doing its best to relax her. For a couple of seconds she could almost forget her problems......almost......
When she was done she quickly dried herself off and pulled the plug, wrapping the towel around her and putting on the robe over the top. Next she had to think what to do next.

She jumped back as she stepped back into her hotel room. There before her sat Laplace, on the bed, starring directly at the hybrid as she exited.

"Hello Dray." She heard behind her, as she once again jumped in shock and spun round to find P-90 sitting in and arm chair, again starring right at her.

"How long does it take you to have a bath?" He enquired as he glanced at his watch......

[Draygon]

Dray slammed her hotel room shut and locked it behind her.
She began to pace her backwards and forwards, her anxiety being too much for her to bare.

It might not have been them, she thought frantically. They might not know.

The message that she had received only minutes ago had been an automated response. The instant that a pressure switch was triggered, underneath an unassuming figurine of a dalek, then the message was sent to her private terminal.

Of course there was a chance that the worst had not happend. For all she knew even the cleaning lady had come in and moved it..............not that Dray could possibly be that lucky. All she could do was hope and pray that the Timelords still knew nothing of her attempts at reverse engineering their technology, albeit in her rather simplistic way.

She stopped and took a deep breath. Her chest was bounding and she suddenyfelt so weary and tired.

There's nothing you can do now, she thought again.
What would happen, would happen and there was nothing she could do about it. She had already told Los to go out on the run and that was all she could do for him too. All that left was her......though she knew that there was no use to her running. No matterwhere she went P-90 and his temporal protectorate pack dogs would find her.....

She grbbed a towel and a robe from her hotel closet and entered her luxurious bathroom suite. This room itself was almost as big as most peoples living rooms and as she ran the water to her bath she smelt the distinct essence of roses in the water itself.

She spent a good hour in the bathroom. Letting the warm water sweep over her and the sweet perfume fill her head and doing its best to relax her. For a couple of seconds she could almost forget her problems......almost......
When she was done she quickly dried herself off and pulled the plug, wrapping the towel around her and putting on the robe over the top. Next she had to think what to do next.

She jumped back as she stepped back into her hotel room. There before her sat Laplace, on the bed, starring directly at the hybrid as she exited.

"Hello Dray." She heard behind her, as she once again jumped in shock and spun round to find P-90 sitting in and arm chair, again starring right at her.

"How long does it take you to have a bath?" He enquired as he glanced at his watch......

"I will take as long as I like!" snapped Dray, glaring at the both of them. "And what do I owe this visit to?" They've found it, she thought panicked, my attempts. Perhaps I should be pleased that these two turned up. At least it means I was on the right lines.

"Why not put some clothes on and we'll tell you, like civilised beings," replied P90 but his eyes were cold. She could see it. Laplace too. Well, they would not find her easy prey, she still had a few surprises left for them.

Snatching up some clothes at the foot of her bed, Dray took them behind a screen and began to get dressed. Her mind was buzzing with possible ways to get out of this. She couldn't take them out physically, even with the knives she had specially treated to hold a paralytic poison. The intruder gas would probably be ineffective as well, besides Laplace cut her off from the release. But it might cause enough of a distraction.

Coming out from behind the screen, her still damp hair hanging down her back, Draygon organized her face to appear amicable. Laplace was looking around her room and P-90 still looked bored.

"At least you get dressed faster than you bathe," he commented.

"Well it wouldn't do for me to go around in just a bathrobe and towel when I have guests," replied Dray, smiling. "Why don't I order some tea up while you tell me what I owe this delightful visit too?" Not waiting for a response, she walked over to a panel near her bed where Laplace sat and entered a code. There was a sudden hiss of gas and a white smoke started to fill the room. In a human it would cause unconsciousness for a few hours, but P-90 and Laplace weren't humans.

She felt a hand immediately grab for her as the room filled with smoke, but she twisted away from it, grabbing a knife from under the pillows on the bed. Her heigtended wraith senses took over at the smell of the hunt. She could hear Laplace move to grab her and P-90 rummaging for something on his person. She threw the knife where she had heard him and attempted to kick out blindly at Laplace. She felt her leg being grabbed and used as leverage to flip her over Laplace to the ground. Dray let out a sudden cry of pain and resumed her attack on Laplace.

"Enough of this foolishness," sighed P-90 from the smoke. A high pitched whine filled the room. His sonic screwdriver!

Dray tried to disengage from her fight with Laplace but it was hopeless. Feeling her try and get away, Laplace grabbed Dray's arms and held her in place. Dray thrashed in her grasp, shrieking. Her thrashing became more violent before suddenly stopping, the hybrid falling limp in Laplace's grasp.

"I take it you used the sonic frequency to knock her out?" she asked the smoke.

"She was using her wraith senses, it wasn't hard to overload them," replied the invisible P-90. "Now lets get her back and get this whole mess cleaned up."

Later when the maid came to the room, she saw the now fading traces of smoke and a few pieces of over turned furniture and a knife buried into the wall a few inches to where P-90's head had actually been, and no Draygon. She jumped to conclusions and screamed.

[lordofseas]

Los scrambled slowly back to his rooms. He shook his head a couple of times, then lay down on the couch. Adaris stood in the corner, a single eyebrow raised.

"What the.." Adaris began to say, to question Los, but Los' snores drowned out the rest of his words.

A small beep came from Los' tablet. Adaris walked over to see what was causing it. It was a new message. It was addressed: Of the Utmost Importance. Personal Concern.

Adaris smirked. Everything was a personal concern. Nevertheless, he clicked it, and began to read. It was very short.

Alert. Draygon captured by Resistance. Authentication code: Zephyr Alpha Six.

Adaris stood, shocked. Then he whipped into motion. In around five minutes, he had beamed everything onto a beaming tablet. Then, as non-chalantly as he could, he flung Los over his shoulders and began to run through the hallways.

Adaris thought quickly through the halls. If the Resistance captured Draygon, then logically, they'll be here next! We must not die, after so long of doing what we had to....

Adaris' legs were made of nanites, so they could run faster than normal humans. He moved quickly through the halls. He had to save Los and himself from what could happen. Besides, he wanted to go on vacation, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

Adaris flew into the Gate Room, and began to dial the DHD. Suddenly, a burst of troops came through the outer doors. Adaris finished dialling, and ran straight through.

(TGCC) (Greg)

[P-90_177]

Dray awoke slowly, her head buzzing with P-90's sonice scredriver still echoing within.

"A rather unusual use for my sonic screwdriver." She heard P-90 say somewhere in front of her as her eyes tried to focus, "Yet a strangely effective one."

She adjusted her gaze to find P-90 and Laplace sitting in front of her, both staring right at her once more. She tried to move, to rise to her feet yet she found she could not. P-90's gauntlewas firmly holding her in place, as it shined with a soft blue glow.

I'm a prisoner

"We need to talk Dray." Laplace said slowly with a note of softness to her voice. "You know why you're here otherwise you wouldn't have reacted the way you did."

"Maybe I just don't like you guys!" She spat back at them.

P-90 leaned forward in his chair and made a sorrowful sigh.

"Dray.....you were researching Timelord secrets.....for what purpose?"

Dray glanced between them both and remained silent. She knew that what she did was wrong. She knew that if the TImelords ever found out she would be punished......it was just her own fault for getting caught.

P-90 and Laplace passed a look between them. A second later, a flash of unbridled agony wracked Drays body and P-90 raised his gauntlet towards her.

"Tell me Dray....please....why?" he demanded in a tone that masked the horrendous pain he was inflicting her with.

"I....I.....wanted to know!" she screamed as she had yet another flash of pain go through her. It felt as though her body was on fire.

"Wanted to know what Dray?" Laplace asked this time, in the same falsly calm manner.

"How your technology worked!!" she screamed again over the pain.

suddenly the agony stopped and she slumped her head down as her body relaxed and she breathed in lung fulls of air.

Laplace glanced at P-90 as though surprised that he had stopped. Meanwhile the Timelord crouched down next to Dray.

"That's it? You were merely curious?"

Dray nodded as a single tear rolled down her face, her body still recovering from the pain. Yet suddenly she found that she could move again as she looked down and saw that P-90's gauntlet was no longer glowing at all.

"P-90 what about the fact that a lower being found it?" Lapalce demanded.

"Perhaps an innocent mistake." He explained. "There's no need to hurt her......quite frankly I'm getting tired of using this thing." ,indicating the gauntlet.

"Possible I supose...."

"In which case she still needs to be punished....But I see no reason to be excessive....."

"So what do you suggest?"

P-90 turned and began to walk out of the intterogation room.

"First I need to check it with Greg......"

"Since when have you ever checked anything with Greg?!" Laplace called after him.

Since I get something out of it as well P-90 thought as he went t find the nearest comm system.....

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

((LOL sorry i got knackered last night.))

The gaurd went down with a quiet thud. They slid further down. The lighting grew dimmer. Elle always in front. She stopped at the edge of the corner. Peeked around. Turbo-lift. Unguarded. She stepped out.

'Where is everyone?' she wondered 'This is supposed to be the most secure facility on the entire planet.'

'Maybe still out investigating the crash?' Mapp suggested.

'All of them? There were a few out in the front, but only two around the back. Something must be going on.' She was whispering and didn't realise it 'Last time i was here, these hallways were crowded. I had to squeeze my way out. Something's not right.'

'Or something important's going on,' he added. They approached the turbo-lift and stopped as its doors flung open, welcoming them inside. Elle stepped forward but he grabbed her, shaking his head.

'What?'

'We're already inside. Let's not frak this up. We don't know what's down there, or how many are waiting at the bottom,' he said coldly 'We only have one shot at this.'

He pushed past her, knelt down and slid his fingers beneath the frame of a vent opening. After a moment of struggle he peeled it off and set it to one side, revealing the wide, dark shaft beyond.

'Perfect.'

'You've done this before then?' she responded, impressed. He glanced up at her cheekily.

'You tell me.'

***

Some time later. Several floors below.

A huge chamber of pure iron stood at the foot of the huge facility, the purpose of its importance, the heart of the Citadel and its bond to the shining motherworld. It was like a giant storage compartment, resembling a modern cargo hold. Originally built by the military to withstand any kind of tremor or realistic attack, essentially like a colossal bomb-shelter of a warehouse with several levels, platforms and beams which hovered under the blackness of the ceiling above. On one of the thin platforms overlooking what lay directly beneath it, the vent opening was silently folded up, pulled inside the inner shaft and Mapp crawled out with caution, followed closely by his new and daring companion. They stopped and peeked through the rails, spotting the guards encircled before the large metal ring many feet below.

The Stargate. It was wedged up against the wall by various stands, and held in place by a number of red stability bars which were each fixed in four positions around the circular frame of the device. A ramp ran up into its open mouth like a prosthetic tongue. Everything was so much more twisted than how she remembered a few days ago. Has the world really changed that much?

The guards were listening to another man in the middle of their group and although his speech was too distant to hear, Elle saw and recognised his face.

'That's Benson!' She whispered in Mapp's ear.

He looked at her, faintly recognising the name.

'He's a politician. Leader of one Dray's opposing parties. Lots of people think he should replace her as the Triangle Lord, but he's had problems getting there. Since she wasn't the heroic leader we all hoped she'd be, hope kinda fell onto him to take over.' He explained to him 'But what's he doing here?'

'Shhh, listen,' he finally covered her mouth.

They stayed quiet, leaned in and focused their ears...The gate churned to life, each chevron glowing a menacing red as the inner-ring began to spin. Benson's voice started to hum out of the speakers higher up, his words reaching out across the entire facility.

'You've all done tremendously well in the humanitarian effort, as well as helping keep City 001 secure and safe for all of her residents. The Earth is still getting used to bearing its seeds again, and we've all helped it to nurture that gift. This has sent a huge example of goodwill out to the other two Citadels, and the message that we are in control. Despite potential terrorist attacks and failures from the highest rank of the political chain' he said, then sighed 'but we've all got something to work hard for, right?'

He looked over to beyond a set of large windows behind the guard line, to the various technicians in the control room working at their stations.

'Are we ready?' He asked, and recieved a short nod from a small bald man behind the dialing device 'Good.'

The last chevron shone to life, and the light burst into existence as if the hunger of the gate had reached a pivotal moment. The kawoosh screamed out and splashed back against the ripples of the silver event horizon, swallowed by the wormhole that created it as the watery surface trembled with energy. Benson smiled at it as he started up the ramp, towing a crate of documents behind him.

The guards saluted his leave and he waved back a final time before he looked into the light, and then stepped through. Moments later and the surface of the wormhole slurped itself up, vanishing into nothing. The guards turned together and began a march over to the command centre.

Mapp and Elle glanced at each other, and he nodded as they too turned back towards the vent, remembering the secondary shaft that followed down toward the dialing device and the workforce around it. Elle crawled through first this time, squeezing in and finding the right way to slide herself. She looked back as Mapp bent in too, but just before he could fit himself through the gap again the alarm beacons suddenly shone to life on the walls above him.

The alarm yelled out, stabbing through the silence as the inner-circle of the gate started to spin again. Mapp tucked himself into the shaft but kept his head out, watching the gate room fill up with the guards again.

'INCOMING WORMHOLE!' Someone shouted through the comm.

The wormhole exploded into existence again as the guards knelt before it with their rifles aimed. A radio transmission bristled through the comm. It was Benson's voice.

'The Citadel is under attack! I repeat we are under attack! New Gallifrey is being overrun, back-up, back-up, support, everyone, everything! NOW! The Senate needs your protection! We're falling!!'

The guards were already speeding up the ramp and through the luring puddle, ready to defend their culture, ready to protect the Triangle. They were quick, precise and most importantly to Mapp...They were leaving.

'This is going to be easier than I thought. Now we just gotta take out the employe-...' he paused and looked over to Elle, her eyes wide, worrying 'Elle?'

'New Gallifrey's under attack?!' She gasped, fear spilt in 'It's the core of the entire Empire...If New Gallifrey falls, the entire Triangle will crumble.'

'I thought that's what you wanted...'

'But not like this! Not with fire!' She said, her voice jumpy. He moved in.

'It'll be alright.'

'We should do something!'

'I've got to get to Midna, Elle. That's where my future lies...or rather my past. Whatever. I have to get there, and I thought you were coming,' he said in a very this-is-it sort of tone 'they've got back-up now, we just watched them leg it through. And we both know that this is as big a distraction as any. The world's finally turning in our favour, okay?'

She stayed quiet for a moment, concentrated on working out her feelings.

'Okay,' she eventually breathed out 'I'm with you.'

'Then lead the way.'

[susanne]

((ill reply tomorrow epic though mappy))

[Gregorius]

Only to be shot backwards and stunned by the shield protecting the gate. Adaris know immediately what had happened: Why he had been dialing the gate in a hurry someone else had dialed in. He looked around and saw that the soldiers and technicians put up a brave fight but were hopelessly outnumbered. What worried Adaris more was that Los was starting to wake up by all the gun fire, he knew he could fight through the troops but fighting with Los on the verge of waking up would be difficult.

He turned around and saw a man he recognized walk through the gate, unharmed by the bullets of the invading troops as the gate shield protected him. He recognized the man, it was Senator Benson. Los had told him much about Benson but never that he was the type of man that took shift action. In the mere seconds he had been on New Gallifrey he had ran from the protective barrier around the gate to the DHD and dialed the planet from which he had just returned only to send a message requesting troops.

The gate activated again and Adaris could see a dozen if not more of the Triangle common soldiers emerge. They took up their positions and managed to drive the invaders from the gateroom.

"You, Adaris, wake-up Los. As much as I hate to admit it, I need him now." Adaris hated to be ordered around but saw he had no choice, Benson was right, Los has to be woken up so he could help Benson coordinate a defense. "And please tell me what has been going on?"

"Los received a message that Draygon has been kidnapped by the rebels."

"Those idiots, they went ahead with their plan while I was off-world. Is he awake yet?"

Los started to come to his senses and saw himself surrounded by Adaris, Benson, a Triangle officer and ... corpses? Corpses everywhere around him. His mind quickly analyzed the situation and he realized he was in the gateroom.

"Adaris, what happened?"

"That's what I like know, Los." Benson inquired, "I return from a visit to Earth and find this room the scene of a massacre." They could hear shots being fired outside the gateroom in what appeared to be the entire city. "It seems New Gallifrey is under attack by the rebels."

"Your rebels you mean."

"I assure you I had nothing to do with this. It must've been those idiots leading those planets, they've become too eager to free themselves that they're now attacking New Gallifrey."

"Draygon?"

"She appears to have been captured by the rebels according to this message you received while sleeping."

Los thought about this: Impossible, they can't have captured Dray. The Time Lords would've prevented it from happening. The only logical conclusion is that the Time Lords themselves have taken her and the rebels seized the opportuniy...Who can blame them? Dray gone and Benson gone, it must've seemed like Christmas had come early. "I see, well first things first. We need to secure the space docks and the senate itself. What's the status?"

Benson answered: "According to the data I'm receiving the senate itself is sealed and protected. I have just send messages to all the military outposts to send troops to New Gallifrey."

"Cancel that order. We need troops on those planets unless we want the rebels to take them over. I'll give the order to recall the warships that have been send to Earth." He was interrupted by Benson.

"Los. As the most senior member of the senate I am in charge now and before we do anything I want this planet to be quiet again."

[lordofseas]

Only to be shot backwards and stunned by the shield protecting the gate. Adaris know immediately what had happened: Why he had been dialing the gate in a hurry someone else had dialed in. He looked around and saw that the soldiers and technicians put up a brave fight but were hopelessly outnumbered. What worried Adaris more was that Los was starting to wake up by all the gun fire, he knew he could fight through the troops but fighting with Los on the verge of waking up would be difficult.

He turned around and saw a man he recognized walk through the gate, unharmed by the bullets of the invading troops as the gate shield protected him. He recognized the man, it was Senator Benson. Los had told him much about Benson but never that he was the type of man that took shift action. In the mere seconds he had been on New Gallifrey he had ran from the protective barrier around the gate to the DHD and dialed the planet from which he had just returned only to send a message requesting troops.

The gate activated again and Adaris could see a dozen if not more of the Triangle common soldiers emerge. They took up their positions and managed to drive the invaders from the gateroom.

"You, Adaris, wake-up Los. As much as I hate to admit it, I need him now." Adaris hated to be ordered around but saw he had no choice, Benson was right, Los has to be woken up so he could help Benson coordinate a defense. "And please tell me what has been going on?"

"Los received a message that Draygon has been kidnapped by the rebels."

"Those idiots, they went ahead with their plan while I was off-world. Is he awake yet?"

Los started to come to his senses and saw himself surrounded by Adaris, Benson, a Triangle officer and ... corpses? Corpses everywhere around him. His mind quickly analyzed the situation and he realized he was in the gateroom.

"Adaris, what happened?"

"That's what I like know, Los." Benson inquired, "I return from a visit to Earth and find this room the scene of a massacre." They could hear shots being fired outside the gateroom in what appeared to be the entire city. "It seems New Gallifrey is under attack by the rebels."

"Your rebels you mean."

"I assure you I had nothing to do with this. It must've been those idiots leading those planets, they've become too eager to free themselves that they're now attacking New Gallifrey."

"Draygon?"

"She appears to have been captured by the rebels according to this message you received while sleeping."

Los thought about this: Impossible, they can't have captured Dray. The Time Lords would've prevented it from happening. The only logical conclusion is that the Time Lords themselves have taken her and the rebels seized the opportuniy...Who can blame them? Dray gone and Benson gone, it must've seemed like Christmas had come early. "I see, well first things first. We need to secure the space docks and the senate itself. What's the status?"

Benson answered: "According to the data I'm receiving the senate itself is sealed and protected. I have just send messages to all the military outposts to send troops to New Gallifrey."

"Cancel that order. We need troops on those planets unless we want the rebels to take them over. I'll give the order to recall the warships that have been send to Earth." He was interrupted by Benson.

"Los. As the most senior member of the senate I am in charge now and before we do anything I want this planet to be quiet again."

Los raised an eyebrow.

"You are not in charge of me. However, I will concede authority to you until after this is done."

"Done."

"However, recall only half the warships. We do not need more riots."

Benson nodded, then flicked his hand. A soldier began to dial the gate.

Adaris turned to Los. "I know what must be done."

Los turned to him, and nodded. "My backpack?" Adaris handed it to him. The Stargate just went offline before Adaris left through the gate again.

Los slung his backpack onto his back. It was very small, and light. He took out a small pad, and tapped it. A small gun appeared as a hologram. The Ion Gun. Los grasped the hologram, and it coalesced. Los put the holograph back into his bag, and began to point it at the door.

"Let's get you to the Senate. Guards, with me!" Los roared.

[AtlantisRules!!!]

Los fired and the door exploded. The guards moved through to secure the area. Benson stuck close to Los, after all, he was the one with the big gun!

They barely made it down the hall and around the corner before they were faced by a large group of rebel troops. Benson ducked around the corner while the troops battled.

"Benson!" Los called, "Can't you call them off?"

"I dont know if they will listen. The Rebel council might have given them orders not to listen to me." Benson replied, as a shot brushed the corner, near his head. "Isn't there another way around?"

Los cursed under his breath and thought for a moment. "Yes... come on" He hurried back the way they came and Benson followed, leaving the troops to their fate.

[lordofseas]

Los fired and the door exploded. The guards moved through to secure the area. Benson stuck close to Los, after all, he was the one with the big gun!

They barely made it down the hall and around the corner before they were faced by a large group of rebel troops. Benson ducked around the corner while the troops battled.

"Benson!" Los called, "Can't you call them off?"

"I dont know if they will listen. The Rebel council might have given them orders not to listen to me." Benson replied, as a shot brushed the corner, near his head. "Isn't there another way around?"

Los cursed under his breath and thought for a moment. "Yes... come on" He hurried back the way they came and Benson followed, leaving the troops to their fate.

Los heard the screams of the soldiers meant to protect them as they ran. He ran all the way to the Senate. By the time they had gotten there, Benson was out of breath.

"Ok....now...how do...we...get...in?" Benson said.

"Not a problem," Los said. Los grasped Benson's arm as he tapped the Tollan Phasing Device on his belt. Benson gasped as they walked through solid metal.

The Senate hall was expansive. It was meant to represent each and every planet within the Triangle. Los smirked as he observed politicians from each and every planet with one or two armed guards. Two men were on the opposite sides of the Senate hall, "debating" with each other.

"We cannot sanction the idea of slaughtering our workers!" one yelled at the other.

"And you dare suggest that we let their arrogance rule us?!" the other shrieked at the top of their lungs.

As Los and Benson walked up the High Podium, at which no one sat at, Senators turned slowly to look at Los and Benson. The guards shifted, weighting their heavy guns, as if trying to prepare for what could come from Los' gun. So many rules broken today.... Los thought with a rueful grimace. Yelling, weapons in the hall...when will we recover? He walked up to the podium. Silence ensued the chatting senators, as they watched Los and Benson ascend the stairs. Not the two on the podiums, though. They kept their tirade going.

Los stood, at the podium, Benson a single step behind. He stood, silent, waiting. A cool hush came over the Senators. The screams of the innocent, slaughtered in the streets could be heard outside, but Los moved them from his mind.

"You will be silent." Los said, to the two bickering senators. Their heads whipped towards him, as if they had never seen him before. They probably hadn't.

"I realize that you would not accept me lecturing you on the child-like approach you have taken, so I will let Benson do so for me." Los moved back, and sat in the red velvet chair, as Benson began to speak.

(AR)

[AtlantisRules!!!]

"You two are going to stand there bickering while innocent inhabitants are slaughtered right outside your windows? I shouldn't have to explain how unintelligent you seem for doing so. Fortunately for you, I dont have time for you right now."

Benson turned to the rest of the Senate. "We need to work together to find a solution to this. And Lord Draygon is currently missing, assumed captured. So I am in charge. You will follow my orders to the letter. And if you dont... well... I'm sure an ion blast from his gun doesn't feel pleasent." Benson said, then let the threat hang in the air.

One of the Senators who was yelling now sputtered, "Y-You can't do this!"

"I just did." Benson replied calmly.

"This is against our law! The law states we must-" he was cut off as a shot caught him in the shoulder. There was a collective gasp throughout the Senate, a guard hurried up the podium stairs, checked his pulse, then nodded to Benson meaning he was still alive.

"Good shot" Benson murmured to Los then turned to the Senate once again. "We cannot follow the law to the letter. We must end this as soon as possible to save lives." the Senators whispered back and forth. They were practically brainwashed that the law was the only way, they were not gonig to accept that truth very well. "This is what we are going to do..."