The GateWorld Cantina Chronicles

[P-90_177]

"What are you doing!?" wailed Jenni,

She was shaking and despite her obvious disillusionment with him, the poor girl pressed herself against Vaan as he wraped an arm round her comfortingly.

"I need information, and trust me, a Wraith knows how to get information."

She said nothing. He could feel her concern, the feeling that she had once more been dissapointed by him and that no matter how many times she fooled herself, he did not really care about her. Of course that wasn't strictly true. He did care. Or at least he felt like he did. It was just that sometimes certain things needed to be done, and there were far more important things afoot than her.

He walked her into her room; sparsely decorated with what little clothes she had hung up in an open wardrobe and a collection of boxes stacked precariously; he had often used this room for storage, he just didn't get many guests any more.
He sat her down on the bed and ran a gentle hand through her hair, moving a few ruffled strands away from her eyes before turning his back. She sat quietly, absently; as though her mind was elsewhere in the universe.

"Can you take me back home?" she asked, causing him to stop at the door,

"No I can't." he said simply, causing the words to echo in her mind, "You have to understand Jenni. This is a different Universe to the one you left. If I took you back in time now, you would still be there. You would be at that Opera house. Only it wouldn't be you. It would be another you."

She looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes again. She tried to understand, she struggled to understand but all she knew is that he had taken her from her life and that she was never going to get it back.
She thought back to when she first saw him and the TARDIS; the magical Blue Box appearing in front of her during her walk home from a concert and him and another man bursting through the doors, wrestling eachother to the ground, then in a second, just as she was about to scream for help, he looked up at her and their eyes met. In that second Vaan had learnt everything he needed to know about her, her entire life displayed in his minds eye. If only she had run away, if only she had gone before he had laid eyes on her then maybe none of this would have happend. He wouldn't have come back to her and played his games with her. He would have left her alone....

"Why did you even bring me here?" she asked through tear filled eyes.

He searched his mind. He looked right at her and tried to remember why. What had he seen in her? What spark had he detected in her that he wanted her with him......He couldn't remember......why couldn't he remember?

"I...." he paused, "I really do not know anymore." he told her coldly as he stepped out, and closed the door behind him.

-------------------------------------

Susie screamed as Dray probed her mind, her mental powers delving into her thoughts. There was nothing of consequence really. Memories of growing up, her pitiful childhood like so many humans; yet there was something else, shining in her mind like a burning candle that was just out of reach. She contained information that was important and yet she just couldn't get to it, just like the Vagabond before.
Still at least she had the satisfaction of hearing her scream.

CJ meanwhile was on the floor, clutching her stomach where Vaan had beaten her and now she looked on as Dray tried to break susie down. It was horrifyng. She could remember when Dray was still a Wraith when she was onboard the Cantina, but that Dray was not nearly as agressive as this one, at yet she seemed happy enough to serve as P-92's loyal dog.

"There is something different about you," Dray spoke, looking back and forth between Susie and CJ, "Both of you. Just Like The Vagabond, and just like me. What is it?"

The Wraith was starting to feel as though she could remember something. Something locked in her mind as though from a long long time ago. Something important,

"Tell me what it is?!" she commanded as she thrashed inside Susie's mind, quickly losing her patience as Susie once again let out a blood curdling scream.

That was it, CJ couldn't stand idly by any more.
With a single pained movement she thrust herself onto her feet and leapt onto Dray, wrapping her arm round the Wraiths throat. Dray in turn collapsed to the floor, slamming her full weight onto CJ, forcing the reaper to yelp in agony.

From all the commotion Vaan ran back into the control room, just in time to see Dray get back onto her feet and lift CJ off the floor by the scruff of her neck. She pulled back her clawed hand and hissed at her prey.

"Dray..." Vaan spoke in a warning tone, "Dray don't!"

He was too late, as Dray plunged her hand onto CJ's chest her face flashed with animalistic victory. There was no way for Vaan to intervene now, with the speed Dray was feeding, CJ was already dead.
He suddenly saw Susie rise up onto her feet and with a paniced move, went to strike out at Dray. Draygon in return pushed her away with ease, her Wraith strength slamming Susie into the nearby railing and causing her to flip over the side and down into the lower level of the TARDIS.

Vaan darted over to the side and looked down on Susie's body, her neck contorted at an impossible angle. She was already dead.
He turned back to Dray as she finally finished feeding on CJ, the withered husk now hanging limp from Drays hand. The Wraith let out a Screach of defiance as she drew her arm back ready to throw the corpse aside.

"Dray! NO!" Vaan shouted as the body was launched away and connected with the central column of the TARDIS, the glass shattering instantly and the contents of the Time rotor emptying out as CJ's body hit the far wall and clumped to the ground.

.........Less than a second later everything changed...............


(More on this tomorrow peoples. )

[P-90_177]

CJ leapt to her feet drawing her sword. She was met with a fist to her sternum. She stumbled backwards, falling into her back. She glared up at the perpetrator, his brown eyes burning with the ferocity of a true timelord. CJ fumbled to gain her bearings, her eyes continually falling on the crumpled form of her best friend and spiritual sister. CJ took a deep breath, trying to stare back at the monster with the same intent to kill.

He smirked, "Now, now Ceej, lets be civil......"

He stopped in mid sentence, his face falling. The look of confidence and malice disappeared, instead replaced with confusion.

"What the hell was that?" he said instead.

A look towards CJ told him that she had the same thought.

"We were just on the TARDIS." She said, suddenly losing all the feelings of rage within her for a moment.

"Yes we were." Vaan responded, looking about the room as though attempting to gain his bearings, or some reason for his Deja Vu.

"How did we...."

"Jenni's in trouble," he interupted her just as the TARDIS doors flung open, banging loudly as they almost tore from their hinges and revealing a suitably enraged Wraith stepping out, holding Jenni firmly round the neck.

"WHAT JUST HAPPEND!?" Dragon roared, her fingers squeezing tightly around the young girls neck,

CJ leapt to her feet with all of her strength, her sword drawn.

"She killed me, and Susie. I remember her killing us."

"Yes I did." Dray hissed, "Which begs the question, why are you still here!?"

CJ's mouth opened but no words came out. She had experienced all manner of time travel mishaps and hiccups in her time but this was a first.

"Time jumped." Vanguard explained, "Something triggered a leap back in time.....The question I have is why can you all remember it?"

He looked at them all suspiciously. He was worried. Something was wrong was the universe and he suspected that one of them was responsible. He looked down at Susie near his feet, now regaining her senses and wearing the same look of confusion as everyone else.

"Heaven has gone down hill," she jibed as she got back to her feet, her eyes darting to Dray and Jenni,

Dray chuckled,
"I'll be quite glad to send you back there girl..."

"That might be unwise." Vaan interjected, "We don't know what caused the time jump. It could be any number of events before it happend."

"I would be quite happy to kill you all repeatedly until I get bored," Dray laughed, as her hand hovered over Jenni's chest,

CJ reacted immediately, leaping forward and slashing down with her blade, slicing into Dray's arm. The Wraith screamed and released the girl, backing back into the darkness of the TARDIS, CJ nimbly following.
Vaan followed too, shoving the stunned Jenni to one side as Susie caught her.

Just as Jenni regained her balance, the pair of humans rushed into the Timeship, just as the doors slammed shut once more, just as it hummed into life and disappeared into the vortex.

[susanne]

Susie landed on the mesh hard, the breath she'd managed to suck in was expelled with force by Jenni. The woman was as skinny as a rat and she was still beyond heavy. It must be the boobs. she thought disorientated, all the fat heads there. Lucky bimbo. There seemed to be a fight going on around them, but susie's brain had yet to recover from its unceremonious bashing. 'They're fighting!' Jenni wailed at her. 'You've got to-'

''Ere....Do i know you?' Susie frowned. It had only been a flash of recognition, but Susie couldn't place from where. The way the light from the TARDIS had caught her had aroused something in Susie's memory but for the life of her she couldn't think of where.

'What are you talking about? Is everyone i meet bloody stupid?!' Jenni raged uncharactaristically strung. 'You have to stop them!'

'Watch it!' She grabbed Jenni and rolled her over to avoid the dancing feet as CJ and Draygon fought around them. Susie had just about had enough of whatever was going on. She wanted to know why P-90 or Vaan as he now called himself was acting so terribly towards her. She leapt to her feet, ignoring the dashing women and approached him like the Valkyrie of hell. '90 I swear you'd best tell me what you've done or i'll-'

----

The sky blew suddenly from pink and purple to orange in a flash. The guests around the conferance room gasped in amazement, even Elle, hiding in the bathrooms could see the sudden colour change. Usually she would consider it some wierd phenominon of the planet, had a blue box not suddenly materialised into the bathroom. Had a stumbling, coughing man not staggered out of it. Had he not made the remark he had she would have.

'Where am i?!' He choked, suddenly spotting Elle. 'What planet?'

'Alpha centauri six.' Elle smirked. 'More specifically in the girls bathroom of Alpha centauri six.'

'Oh.' He glanced around. 'Well i do apologise.'

Elle waved it away, what she was more concerned with now was how he'd managed to do that. Appear out of nowhere. He, whoever he was, seemed to be more interested in what she was wearing. 'That is a very....Interesting choice of apparel...?'

'Elle.' She replied, going a little pink.

'Elle....Hey that rhymes!' He beamed, obviously the smoke had gone to his head, Elle deducted, he couldn't possibly be this stupid if he had a machine like that.

'And yours?' She added.

'Vagabond.' He didn't seem so sure of the name. Was he lying to her so early into the introductions?

'Uhhuh. You just land here out of nowhere then?' She remarked snidely.

'No my ship did. I was in it.'

'You've gone and "Landed" in the middle of a treaty conference Vagabond.'

'Really?'

'In the girls bathroom i think i should emphasise that.'

'Ah yes...'

((paul? ))

[Commander Jumper]

THe next words Susie intended to say were hard to force out, not because of her love for her former husband, but because she couldn't get enough oxygen into her lungs as her husband closed a hand tightly around her neck, his eyes cold and ferocious.

"I'd watch my words, Susie..." Vanguard mumbled, her words deep and terrifying.

CJ turned around. turning her back on the predator for a moment, Susie's strangled cries reahcing her ears.

"Let her go!" CJ growled launching her self to charge, only to be torn down by the ravenous beast she had once considered a dear and close friend. She turned adn fell onto her back, the monster a top her, her sister's cries no longer reaching her ears. CJ turned her eyes onto the creature and relayed her feelings of hate.

"I know already that you might be the hardest to convince..." CJ spat, trying to force the mosnter off her using her knees.

Dray persisted, pushing her full weight onto the fragile, petite girl. She lifted her hand, ready to kill CJ all over again but Jc's next words caught her off gaurd.

"You hide behind a mask..." CJ whispered, Draygon's weight crushing the life from her body, "You're terrified of everything... especialyl change. You try to prentend you're so strong.. but you've always wished for someone who truly supports you."

Dray's hesitation lasted for only a moment before her hand dug into CJ's chest.

CJ seized as she felt the monster dig into her like a long waited meal. CJ took the moemnt of closeness to her advantage, sending images to Dray's tightly locked up mind, images of her pain and her life upon the Cantina.

Dray threw herself back, backing way from the strong willed young woman before her. Her mind raced with images of a woman unfamiliar in appearance but familiar in spirit... the same fear she hid away could be felt from the memory. She knew who the woman was, but it felt so unreal to be faced with someone with the same soul but such a different appearance, things liek that were impossible, Dray was wise enough to know that much.

"What sort of trickery are you feeding me witch!" Dray growled as CJ pulled herself up from the ground, worse for wear.

CJ laughed,"Not trickery... visions of another world."

CJ withdrew her sword, ready to kill Dray if she refused to even consider the truth.

"I've already lost too much in this world. Losing you would do no harm. I've come to realisation that with or without you... I will save MY world... a world where you and I are friends.. I will save Mapp! I will not let anything or anyone stand in my way! I will kill you Dray..."

"I'd like to see you try!" Dray seethed, pouncing towards CJ like a cat would a mouse.

--
Vanguard let the small girl fall to his feet, her eyes closed tightly, lungs barely moving. Somewhere within him he didn't have it in him to kill her. All he felt was hatred for her, but his fight was not with her. she had left him long before the betrayal had occurred.

Deep within him felt a small moment of love for the girl lying on the floor, an instant later it was gone, and only hatred remained.

Susie weakly brought herself to her hands and knees, breathing deeply. trying to take in air through her crushed throat. She looked up at the man she would love more than any other, "P-90 please... please you must be like me.. you must have forgotten who you are in this world. Don't you remember anything. Getting married? all the Times I stayed by your side while you fought for your life? Please P-90 recognize me.. Remember me!"

Susie's desperate pleas were met with cold laughter. Vangaurd knelt to Susie's level, the hatred in his eyes causing Susie's blood to run cold. He placed a gentle hand on her face, "My love... I think you've failed to grasp one pivotal piece of information...I'm not P-90"

Susie felt her heart stop as his fingers dug into the skin of her face. He brought his face to hers, his voice falling into a darkness that made the very foundation of Susie's soul quake, "I made this world."

[susanne]

Susie had never seen this level of anger and malice, even in P-90, even when the worlds were burning and the crew was lost. She was chilled to the bone by the man kneeling next to her. He wasn't her husband, he wasn't a shred of the man she had fallen hard for. But she still had to try. She couldn't let this end in violence.

'Vaan.' She tried, using the name Jenni had used on him. There was a flicker, barely there. 'You don't have to end things like this....' If possible, his hand gripped her jaw harder, grinding her teeth together.

'Susie...My dear.' He leaned closer, so she could fully see into those dancing, firelit eyes of hell. 'Of course i do.' He whispered into her ear.

'VAAN!' Jenni yelled from across the TARDIS, He immediately looked up and frowned in discontent, those two were making a rather lot of mess in his console room, oh and putting his companion in a large amount of harm. With SusieSlumped, wheezing in ragged breaths on the floor he stood and strode towards the fighters.With a snap of his fingers they were both flung out towards opposite ends of the TARDIS.

'I don't condone fighting on my ship.' Vaan lectured to the two stupine forms.

---

Susie gasped for air, staring up at Vaan with red rimmed eyes, tears of desperation spilled down her cheeks. Do something! Her thoughts urged. But what? Save CJ. CJ is the Key. Get her off of this ship. Susie's eyes crawled to the console and then towards CJ moored up on the wall, struggling to breathe. He will kill her, and all hope of returning the world you remember will be lost. Save the Key. She looked up at Jenni, the girl was shaking, pale, totally unhappy with this situation. Slowly, she nodded. She knew what Susie was going to do. She wanted her to. The girl is an allie. She wants to go home.

Silently, painfully Susie crawled across to the console on her stomach, wincing as the wire mesh scraped across her alarmingly skinny frame. She reached up and began turning dials, pulling knobs and coiling springs. The closest planet was miles away, but she could probably do the jump before Vaan realised what she was doing. The ship locked onto Alpha centauri six. Doing this would put herself at risk. Would she die again to save CJ? What kind of stupid question was that to ask herself? Susie pressed the button.

'And look at that, stuffing all over the floor, those were antique chairs you know! I can't just-'

His rant was interrupted by a loud grinding noise, as it rose to foghorn level the forcefields shut off and CJ slumped to the floor by the door. Vaan turned as the TARDIS shakily materialised in an allyway.

'CJ! Get out! NOW!' Susie roared at her. Vaan focused on Susie and his face pinched into fury.

'I never expected that.' He smirked.

'I can't leave you to-' CJ began but was cut off by Jenni grabbing her.

'Please, you have to go!' She begged.

'Why are you on our side?' CJ whispered menacingly.

'I want to go home' Jenni whispered to her. 'Your friend is saving your life, please, you have to go!'

Vaan meanwhile was walking towards the exhausted Susie hunched over the control panel. 'You certainly aren't one to be underestimated are you?'

'No.' Susie panted, her eyes flitting to Draygon and back again. 'But hey, i try to.....keep things interesting.' Her short laugh soon became a wheeze as her chest ached. 'I make a brilliant distraction.....Don't i?'

'What?' Vaan looked puzzled and then realisation dawned on his face.

((anne?))

[P-90_177]

"I can't go!" CJ cried, "You have no idea what he'll do to her," her eyes fell upon Susie at the console, the girls eyes looking back at her; pleading with her to go.

"No please go!" said Jenni as she pushed the reaper away symbolically, "You have to go!"

"NO!"

CJ couldn't leave. She couldn't abandon Susie. She couldn't even abandon Dray and Vaan for despite their natures were still somewhere the people they used to be.
She stared into the tear soaked eyes of Jenni and felt her heart break slightly, but there was nothing she could do. She was trapped in her own loyalty, despite her lesser demons telling her to leave.

She leapt backwards. It was instinct, a reflex. One quick step away from Jenni as a body flew between them and clattered on the floor; the creased body of Vanguard. Following swiftly was Dray, a look of murder on her face as she bounded down the ramp to where the Timelord lay.

Even more unexpectedly, Jenni suddenly leapt herself, in the path of the Wraith. Putting a wall between herself and Vaan.

"Don't hurt him!" she screamed,

Draygon laughed cruelly as she came nose to nose with the girl.

"That sounded like a command to me." she said softly, "I don't take commands from pets."

"No?" CJ stepped in herself, interjecting, "Then how about you take one from me? Stand back or I will slice you to ribbons." she said nervously as she pulled her blade from its scabbard.

"And who are you to speak with such imputance?" the Wraith demanded,

"I'm a Soul Reaper..." CJ responded with reverance,

"Never heard of them."

"Then how do you know I can't do it?"

CJ's sly response put the Wraith on edge, causing her to take a step back as CJ then turned her sword onto Vaan.

"Now you," she said, her bladed just touching his chin,

Vaan meanwhile lay still, his eyes merely staring back at CJ with a coldness she had not witnessed P-90's eyes before. The pupils suddenly darted to Dray, and somehow seemed to turn just that little bit darker.

"You know Dray I'm not sure why you're so intent on killing me." he began calmly, "You wanted to know the secrets to your past and you thought the Vagabond could help you, so can I as well......I am a Timelord afterall."

CJ suddenly felt uneasy once more about the prospect of standing next to the Wraith who had suddenly gone worryingly quiet.

"All I want," Continued the Timelord, "is the opportunity to use just a few of your services and in return I will answer ANY questions you may have. No deception. No typicaly Timelord arrogance. What do you say?"

[susanne]

'A treaty conference did you say?' The Vagabonds eyes sparkled as he approached, the look of excitement in his eyes.

'Yeah. A treaty conference.' Elle repeated snidely. He really was rudely close to her. Then he glanced down, noticing the small badge on her....On her...Outfit.

'Historical officer?' His grin couldn't have gone any wider, the way he'd said it, it sounded like he was scoffing at her.

'What's so funny about that? Huh?' Elle snapped back at him. She'd never met a more rude man in her life!

'Nothing, nothing of course. I just...' He sniffed. 'I like to laugh at Historians and Archeologists.' He sniffed again and then dug into the pocket of his coat, pulling out something almost impossible to fit in there. 'Do you smell that?'

'Smell what?' Elle glared at him as his fingers moved nimbly around the dials, he swung round and she ducked the scything rod of metal. 'You can put someone's eyes out with that!'

'If i can just get a lock onto the....' He fiddled with it some more and then his features suddenly shut down. 'Elle.....What year is it?'

'What kind of stupid question is that?' She stared at him aghast.

'Answer it for me please.'

'It's 3013.' She replied grumpily.

'Aw...' His hand quickly shoved the device back into his pocket and he opened the door to his ship, the smoke hitting him in the face like a solid thing. Coughing he closed the door and cursed.

'What's wrong with you?!' Elle raged.

'Ok so im stuck on Alpha centauri six in the middle of the Dashgun disaster....What to do....'

Elle was non-plussed at his apparent franticness but allowed him to pace around the bathroom. Suddenly a new voice was approaching. It was Jainia. 'Elle? Are you hiding in the bathrooms?'

'Sh*t.' She muttered.

'A friend?' Vagabond asked.

'A security officer. You have to go. Right now.'

'I can't.' He rebuked. 'My ship needs time to cool down and repair.'

'Double Sh*t.'

[P-90_177]

"I'd prefer it if she didn't come in here." Vagabond whispered as Jainia repeated her question again, looking for Elle.

"Well I'd prefer it if you hadn't come in here to begin with," rasped Elle, getting as close to shouting as she could, "How about we just explain where you came from; which was, incidently, where exactly?"

"Does she have a gun?"

"What? Yes. Why?"

"I don't let people with guns near my ship. They tend to want to take it from me."

Elle looked up at the dusty looking wooden box for a moment.

"Really?" was her only response.

"Yes really, so I'd prefer she didn't see it."

"Well she knows I'm in here, and quite probably she's wondering why I haven't responded to her yet so eithery you have to get ut of here or come up with a real good excuse for why you're in here with me real fast."

A pause.
Elle had only met this man for about a minute and a half and already she knew he was going to be trouble. She could see almost in slow motion as he came to his final conclusion, his mind working on the problem, considering his surroundings and what resources he had, right up until his eyes settled back onto Elle, and suddenly on the certain lack of personal space between them as he looked back up at her and smiled.
Some how she already knew what he was about to do.

"Oh no." was all she muttered, at the same time as he uttered;

"I have an idea."

----------------------------------------------

"Elle? Are you in there?" Jainia repeated for the third time, "She knew Elle had gone to the bathroom, someone had even seen her go in, she could even her whispering inside, but for whatever reason Elle just wasn't answering her and she was starting to get worried.
"Elle I'm coming in."

She reached for the door, her hand just pushing it open ajar as suddenly she was knocked back as it swung in the opposite direction and a tall figure in a black coat bounding out. He looked out of breath and his face seemed red with embaressment.

"Hello erm...." he seemed to be stumbling on his words as he brushed down his coat, "Erm, Gosh. Sorry officer, I'm....I'm....."
She tensed as he reached in his coat, an automatic response for someone in her profession but she relaxed when she saw him withdraw just a card holder as he flipped it open,
"I.....I am part of the Gallifreyan delegation....." he stammered,

She looked over the card. It certainly looked genuine,

"I wasn't aware there was a delegation from a humanoid planet other than ourselves." she stated, almost rhetorically,

"I'm just the hired help," he explained as he once again tried to neaten his rather roughshod appearence.

"Uh-huh," Jainia voiced as she handed the documentation back to the strange man, "So what were you doing in the womens facilities?"

His face suddenly turned red,

"Well we were......You see we were just having a diplomatic meeting and........well..........."

Jainia turned, suddenly aware of Elle whose face was poking out behind the door now, also looking somewhat less than innocent.

"I see....." she pondered the situation for a moment, clearly she had come looking rather too soon, "well don't you work fast Elle?," she said snidely,

Elle in turn through her a look as the Security Officer turned her attention back to the tall man.

"Can....can I leave now?" he asked softly,

Jainia nodded and he quickly rallied himself, turning away from them and walking in the opposite direction, his stride taking him quickly from the scene. Suddenly he turned back to them, his face full of wondering as he starred at Elle for a moment who had fully made her way out of the bathroom.

"You know I get the strongest feeling I know you from somewhere......."

Jainia smiled to herself as she looked between him and the red faced Elle,

"Won you over with that line did he?" she said as Elle's head suddenly slumped in frustration.


-----------------------------------------------------

CJ whipped her blade round to meet the Wraith as fast as lightning, yet not quick enough as the back of Dray's hand met squarely with CJ's jaw and sent her flying across the room, her body twisting like a rag doll.

"Thank you," The Vanguard smiled to Dray as he got back onto his feet.

"You'd best fulfill your promise Timelord," she responded coldly,

"But of course. Now go soften her up a bit," he said, nodding in CJ's direction, "But don't kill her if you could please."

Vaan turned her attention to Jenni as Dray strided off to meet with CJ's fallen body. The girl looked petrified as soon as his eyes met with hers, her body almost shivering as he approached her. She let out a small wimper and looked like she wanted to move away but yet she was firmly rooted in place as his eyes burned their way into her soul. She didn't know what he was going to do to her, but she was terrified of him.

"Jenni," he sighed, "can you do me a favour and try not to let the canarys fly out of the cage? There's a good girl."

He patted her lightly on the head; not condescendingly, just like the neglected love a father might show to a mildly naughty child.
She gazed back at him as tears filled her eyes and he quickly whiped one away from her cheek.

"You're looking tired. You should get some rest soon."

And with that he walked away from her, back to the TARDIS console, seeminly uninterested in everything else that was going on around him as Draygon began brutally kicking CJ on the floor while the reaper mimed silent screams of anguish. Susie meanwhile had just got back onto her feet as Vaan set the TARDIS controls and the whir of the Time rotor kicked in with a faint vibration indicating that they were travelling.

"P-90 where are we going?" Susie asked approaching him slowly,

"Just somewhere random," he said breezily as he turned to her with a smile, "You remember all those little random adventures right Susie? I'm not sure how you do, but you do. Call this one more for old time sake."

Susie's eyes kept darting between Vaan and the beating going on behind him. Every ounce of her being wanted to run over there and help her, but she knew she couldn't help. She couldn't take on a Wraith, or Vaan; all she could do is hope to talk him down.

"Don't you worry about CJ," he said, seeing where her eyes were, "she's been through worse."

"P-90 please, I don't really fully understand what's going on here, but please stop this."

P-90 chuckled very quietly, his eyes shining with Timelord power, the power he had over them all.

"Well I'm afraid susie that I just can't really do that. I'd actually quite like to. But I'm afraid that once again the universe needs fixing and I'm the only repair man in town."

The TARDIS shuddered suddenly as the Time rotor ceased its rotation and the control room once more fell all but silent. A single ping rang out from a hotel-like bell and an expression of gleeful anticipation sparked in Vaan's face.

"Oooh. Let's see if the brownies are done."

He glided back over to Dray and CJ, laying a steadying arm on Drays shoulder which resulted in a frustrated hiss from the Wraith as she stopped.
He crouched down by CJ's side and took a look at her; his eyes crossing over her now unconcious, bleeding and bruised body.

"You've broken her arm," he said, looking up as Dray smiled.

He jumped up and struck her with the back of his fist, getting in her face.

"I only told you to soften her up." he spat at her angrily,

"I can't help it if she was soft already." growled the wraith.

Vaan threw her a look as he crouched back down to the floor and lifted CJ's limp body up, guiding it over to the doors.

"P-90 don't!" Susie yelled, making a move for him and instantly being blocked by Dray,

"You know......." Vaan began as the TARDIS dors opened loyally with his mere nod, "I feel like I've done this before."

He carried the body through the doors, stepping out into sunny, blue skies beyond, taking in a brief glimpse of the planet beyond.

"Well well Alpha Centauri Six," he stated to the unconcious CJ, "Well at least you should survive here providing they remember how to treat humanoids,"

He unceremoniously dropped her body onto the grass below. He dusted his hands and turned back around, closing the doors behind him and going back to the console, setting up new coordinates.

"You're just leaving her there?!" Susie yelled at him,

"She's just cause more trouble along the way. I need peace and quiet for what I have planned........"


-------------------------------------------------------

CJ woke up just in time to see the TARDIS disappear once more, her pounding head rebelling at the sound of the engines as she struggled to look around her, beyond the green and pleasant park green she found herself in and to the vast towers of the city beyond before once more slumping to the ground as her body gave in once more.

[susanne]

'Ah quit it.' Elle snarked brushing herself down. Vagabond had certainly flustered her. She wondered where he had managed to get his credentials from, and so fast too. She could see him sliding towards the entrance doors and moved to intercept him when Jainia stepped into her path.

'Hold it right there Elle! What could you have been thinking?!' Jainia berated her. 'Relations with diplomats? This could potentially be catastrophic, should anyone catch wind of this! We are impartial! Didn't anyone tell you that?' She raged at her.

'Not in so many time consuming words.' Elle sighed. 'Ok i get it, no more bathroom entanglements.'

'I mean it Elle, Jacen will hear about this.' Jainia warned. Elle rolled her eyes and nodded.

'Now if you'll excuse me i need another drink.' She skirted around her and weaved her way into the crowd, quickly becoming part of it. That little hold up had given Vagabond enough time to sneak out of the doors, if she was quick then she should be able to-

'Elle!' Tood leapt on her, hugging her somewhere around the midriff. She groaned at the distraction.

'Hey Tood, look i got no time to talk so-' She began but the boy merely disregarded her voice and picked her up, spinning her in the air.

'Why're you heading for the doors?' He laughed 'There's fun here!'

'One of my....Friends stepped outside for a moment. Im just going to check-' She tried to downplay the events but he merely laughed and dropped her.

'Lets go then!'

---

Susie looked past Draygon, watching Vanguard exit the TARDIS with CJ's limp body. Her mind seemed to have shut down and wept. My sister, oh my poor sister i am so very sorry. His return without her sparked a reaction from her numb brain.

'You're just leaving her there?!' Susie yelled at him,

'She's just cause more trouble along the way. I need peace and quiet for what I have planned........' He replied softly. Draygon stood between her and the man as his head hung low, working on the instruments.

'What do you mean what you have planned? Is this something to do with "Fixing" The universe? Answer me! P-90 ANSWER ME!' She took a step forward, only for Draygon to shove her back. She stumbled and flailed but remained upright, though fighting to do so. Her strangulation and messing with the TARDIS controls had all but left her weak. Her limbs felt like lead, her mind a pink fog of numbness. She'd wanted to protect CJ, to get her safely off this ship. But how could she protect her from such a vicious monster? She felt so ashamed and disgusted, forced to stand and watch their friend beat the living daylights out of the one person she loved above her own husband. She felt.....Powerless. And Vaan knew it. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Jenni walk from the room and felt a spark of hope. The girl is still your allie on this voyage to hell. She wants to go home, the home she had before Vanguard's meddling. She just had to be patient and save her rage for later.

'How are you fixing this then?' She asked conversationally, holding onto the remains of a chair for support.

---

Jenni slipped out of the control room with barely a rustle of silk, once around the corner and into the corridor she reean seatdfastly to her room, slamming the door and scooping up the beige pillow in her bed. She was so scared. Scared of Draygon most of all, but Vaan's sudden personality shift came a close second. Her chipped and broken fingernails dug into the soft fabric as she gave a sob. Tears began pooling in her eyes. That Wraith had beaten that poor woman so hard and he stood and let it happen. Even her friend had been desperate to stop it. But Draygon did it all with a smirk on her face. She gave another heaving sob as tears splashed onto the cushion, being absorbed quickly. She held it to her chest tightly as the next words here hiccuped to the material. 'I want to go home...'

She didn't want to stay here any longer, the dream had become a nightmare. Vaan was so distant towards her, his sudden moodshift was frightening enough without that beast staying too. She wanted to go back home and listen to her mother rattle on about men and fashion and status. What she wouldn't give for that now.

((paul? ))

[Commander Jumper]

Tood followed the bustling Elle closely, smiling all the way, his mind reeling with questions he wanted to ask her. 'Where did you meet him?' 'Will he be my friend too?' 'I love making friends!' ;you think your friend loves bacon? I love bacon...

He was snapped from his internal dialog by Elle,w ho had stopped walking as she reached a small grassy hill. On top stood the man from before, his slender figure a silhouette against the daylight. He turned his head ever so slightly, just enough to show off his handsome features. The partial turned changed aburptly as he turned fully to smile at Elle.

"You brought a pet?" The mystery man stated, looking pointedly at Tood.

He grinned and bounded up the hill, extending his hand to the stranger, "I'm Tood.. nice to meet you!"

"Vagabond," He muttered, grasping Tood's hand, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Do you like bacon?" Tood asked, not letting go, still vigorously shaking Vagabond's hand.

Vagabond was taken aback by the sudden and odd question, "Uhm yes.."

Tood had a knowning smile on his face as he finally let go, "I knew you would."

Vagabond looked past the man before him direactly at Elle, "Elle you think we could go for a bit of a stroll while I wait for my ship to repair... it'll only be a few moments.... then I'll be out of your hair forever."

Elle sighed and nodded, "fine if you insist.."

"Can I come?" Tood asked, the hint of a whine within his plea.

"Fine," Elle struggled, marching up the hill to join them. She turned to Tood with a sigh, "Why don't you give us a tour.."

"But I don't know any-"

"Do it," Elle growled, her temper getting short as problems seemed to pile on.

The group strolled quietly through the lush green garden, ignoring the hustle and bustle of alien looking tourists, though to them the three humanoids probably looked the strangest. Vagabond turned to look at Elle, "Is there anything speciacally special about today?"

"Just a bit of a delgation thing.. I'm not really well verse on it all."

"But you're a historian," Vagabond pointed out.

"not relaly," Elle muttered, "I kinda landed this job by accident. You see.." Elle stopped short, the screams from her memory haunting her still, "It was just.. an accident."

"Ahh... painful then I take it?" Vagabond pointed out, "and not just the outfit."

Elle managed a small chuckle before becoming silent, ignoring Tood's intense descriptions of the area, his positive charisma almost making her ill.

He stopped short, causing Elle to bump into Vagabond.

"Guys.. is there supposed to be a dead girl here?" Tood asked, tunring pale.

The words 'dead' seemed to snap Elle from her silence. she pushed past Tood and Vagabond to get a look at what he was talking about. Before her lay a battered and bruised form, blood spilling slowly from ruby lips, black eyes hiding behind soft layers of blood stained blonde. Elle felt a vague sense of familiarity as she looked upon the woman, no longer breathing.

"Move aside, Elle," Vagabond whispered, pushing Elle off to the side slightly, "I'm a doctor."

He knelt beside the woman, picking up her broken wrist and testing for any sign of a pulse, "Tood.. I need you to get an ambulance, this girl is barely alive."

Tood froze for a moment, his eyes locked firmly on the fragile life hanging in the balance, before running off, fear coursing through his veins for the first time in his life.

Elle watched as Vagabond examined the girl, "Whoever beat this girl up wanted her dead..."

"She might be a criminal," Elle whispered, she herself slowly being consumed by fear. How could something so monstrous occur in such a clean and beautiful place?

She nearly jumped out of her skin as black swollen eyes peeled back to reveal the iciest blue eyes she had ever seen. For a moment the girl looked stunned and then her eyes filled to tears, spilling over the bruised and bloody skin on her cheeks.

"P-90" she cried, sitting up, pulling the man before her into a passionate Kiss.

For a moment Elle was shocked as the girl seemed to devour the man before her, obviously mistaking her for someone else.

By the look in his eyes he was obviously shaken.

She pulled back, more tears falling past her eyes, "You probably don't know me.. but I'm so happy to see you!" Her cries turned into howls of happiness and intense pain.

"She shouldn't even be able to talk," Vagabond muttered, ignoring the fact she knew his name.

"I'll explain everything later," she stated through hiccups, her voice slightly more steady revealed a strange raspy-ness.

Elle spied the dark purple blotches along the vitims neck, she had been chocked, and badly, "Do you know her?"

The woman's eyes turned to Elle and it seemed to invoke even more tears, "Elle!"

Elle felt her blood run cold.

"Elle, you bloody prostitute," the woman cried, "I thought I'd never be happy to see your face, but I guess I was wrong."

Elle was speechless, not only at the way the woman had addressed her but also at how she knew her name.

Tood rushed into the scene, breathless, "There's an ambulance on the way."

"This is surreal," the woman stated her voice getting weaker, "All three of you in one place.. this certainly makes my life easier."

"what do you mean all three?" Tood asked, looking very confused.

The woman stood shakily, much to Vagabond's complaints, and wobbled to Tood, "I've missed that funny face of yours.. you like bacon still Tood?"

Tood didn't have time to answer, the woman falling into a heap on the ground, her body finally giving way under her injuries.

"That was weird," Elle whispered.

"How did she know I liked bacon?"

(Susie? Paul?)

[susanne]

'Do you know her Elle?' Vagabond asked softly.

'I've never seen that woman before in my life!'

'She called you a bad word!' Tood chuckled.

'Two bad words.' Elle said, struggling to comprehend what was happening.

'Bloody isn't a bad word.' Vanguard muttered, still hunched over the figure. 'Where is this ambulance?!'

On cue, an ambulance roared into the grassy clearing, followed by two retro looking police cars. Two technicians hopped out and approached the sprawled form on the floor as police approached the three onlookers. Elle's mind seemed to have gone numb, this entire ordeal was beyond surreal. 'Can you tell us what's happened?' The first asked as the second took notes.

'Not really...' Elle mumbled.

'Did you witness the attack?'

'No we just found her.'

'Do you know the victim?'

'No' Elle growled in the face of his questioning. She hated cops. Suddenly she frowned, Elle had never been in trouble with the law before so why was she suddenly adverse to them? She was cut off by the questioning man turning to the paramedics.

'Jimbo! Got any ID on her?' The technician loooked up and then shook his head.

'Just a bladed weapon Mahoney.'

The cop turned back, unhappy with their finds.

'Is there anything you can tell me?'

Suddenly Vanguard strode forward, his ID badge held aloft. 'Officer, we're part of the deligation, we only came out for a stroll and discovered that poor girl.' He grabbed Elle's elbow pointedly. 'This poor young girl is in shock and i really think a sit down and a cup of tea back at the party would help.'

'But that says you're the King of Heresheba!'

'Does it?' Vagabond looked at the paper and then back at the officer. 'Why ever would you think that?'

With that he grabbed Tood also and dragged him away. Once they were suitably out of sight he turned to the two of them. 'Do you know that woman back there? Even the slightest hint of recognition?'

'A...A little.' Elle saught for the right words. 'Like....'

'Like you've seen her face in a crowd?' Tood answered, going along the same lines.

Vagabond looked from Tood to Elle and shook his head. 'Yes, thats what i felt too.' He brought a finger to his lips in puzzlement.

'And there's the events of today to consider also.'

'What do you mean by "The events of today"?' Elle asked shrewdly.

'Hmm? Oh nothing.' Vagabond paused, considering what to do. 'Lets go back to the party eh?'

[Commander Jumper]

Pain, impossible amounts of pain. It coursed through her veins like fire, setting her body aflame with each breath she took. The very thought of moving, more than what she needed to keep breathing, made her stomach swirl.

She could hear words forming on the other side of a black abyss of her mind. The muddled voices sounded like they were far away, buried under gallons of water. Beyond her eyes she could sense people bustling about, panicked.

Then there was the screech.

She forced her eyes open, the sudden light burning her delicate eyes. She felt like she hadn't opened them in days. She looked around wildly, her vision terribly blurred, eyes being scarred by the blinding white operating room lights.

"Her eyes are open...she's looking right at me..." Came a female voice, obviously shaken.

"Her heart just stopped don't be ridiculous..." The Doctor growled, shoving the stunned nurse aside and prepping some sort of device.

CJ internally wondered through all the pain just how she could understand these beings.

Most planets didn't speak English.

Then she felt the jolt run through her veins, causing her body to convulse. Pain roared even stronger, causing a strangled scream to echo from her dry throat.

She glared in the direction of the blur that had hurt her.

"Up the pain medication, we can't risk this human feeling pain, at this point it could kill her. We need to repair the internal injuries."

CJ felt a warm sensation sweep through her veins and she fell back into the abyss.

In the back of her mind she felt the deafening sensation that this must be what hell is like: pain beyond imagination yet no voice to scream.

[susanne]

Elle shook Vagabond from her. 'No, I want to go and see she's ok.'

'Im sure her friends will arrive soon.' Vagabond smiled. He suddenly backed off at the incredilous sneer she gave him, but soon she relaxed.

'I want to be there until her friends arrive then.'

'Nobody should be alone in the hospital!' Tood agreed.

'I really think we should go back to the party.' Vagabond insisted. They could almost hear Elle's patience snap with a twang.

'Why are you so insistant?!' She yelled at him. 'You've been on edge since i told you what year it was! Who are you mister stranger who arrives out of thin air acting like the king of all?!' She marched forward and began screaming in his face. 'See, here's what im going to do. Im going down to that hospital and im going to make sure that woman is ok. You, little man, can do what the hell you like!'

With that she stormed a few feet down the road before realising the problem with her plan. 'Tood! Where is the hospital?!'

'Im coming too!!' He skipped to catch up to her. 'I want to make sure she's ok too.'

As they walked around the corner, Vagabond stood and watched them leave in shock. Recovering quickly he gave a small smirk and a chuckle. He stuck out his arm and glanced at the complicated watch on his wrist. '3 hours....Yeah I can move her in plenty of time.'

((anne?))

[Commander Jumper]

She was blinded by a flash of light as her eyes slowly came into focus, a strange looking creature towered over her, checking her pupils for a reason CJ had yet to comprehend.

"She has a mild concussion, but the rest of her injuries have been treated, give it a few days and she'll be good as new," The strange creature mumbled, his voice pitchy and accent thick, as if English was not his first language, "In the mean time when she wakes... if... she wakes.... try to keep her awake..."

CJ smacked the light from the creatures gloved tentacle and rubbed her eyes, "Oi mind keeping that thing out of my eyes."

The doctor looked on, with what CJ assumed were his eyes, with mild astonishment, "The woman lives.. I'm surprised you woke up this quickly, if at all. You received quite a few violent blows to the head. When you''re feeling better a group of policemen will come in to take a statement and find the perp that did this to you."

"I'm fine," CJ growled, "Public duty or not I won't be pressing charges, either way the man you want won't be found on this planet."

"Fugitive?" The Doctor asked.

CJ nodded, "You could say that."

"Either way a report needs to be filed with the proper authorities," The doctor mumbled, shoving the light into his coat, he turned to the group of people waiting in chairs near by, "She's all yours."

CJ's interest was piqued and she strained her tired eyes to make out the distant blurs.

"We thought we'd stay with you till your friends arrived," Came the quiet voice that CJ recognised so well.

CJ nodded, "No bother... they won't know they're my friends."

Vagabond sighed, "I personally have some questions I'd like answered as quickly as possible."

CJ smiled softly, a sigh escaping her lips as her eyes grew heavy, "I come back from the brink of death.. and all you can do is ask me more questions, you always were so impatient."

"That's the thing that's been bothering me," The Vagabond muttered, "Why do you act like you know us all so well? How do you know my real name? More so why did you kiss me?"

CJ smiled, "All of those question, come with long stories, I hope you're prepared to hear the impossible."

"Try me."

(Sorry its short... I need to get ready for wooork)

[P-90_177]

"How are you fixing this then?" She asked him,

Vaan turned from the TARDIS controls and looked her in the eyes, a distant and detached gaze stared into her.

"Well......I was going to kill you."

He said it so coldly, so matter of fact that it made Susie's blood run cold, and her mind flashed back to just a few minutes previously when he had his hand wrapped round her throat. Just as suddenly though his voice turned back to the warm an conversational tone of an old friend,

"But I decided that might have ben a slight over reaction." he said,

"Oh well that's a relief." she replied, possibly a little more nervously than she would have liked,

"No I've decided I'm better off running a few experiments first."

The same chill down her spine returned as Susie caught a glimpse of Dray's monstrous grin at the prospect of treating her like some lab rat.

"Erm....what kind of experiments?" She asked reservedly, not wanting to say anything that may give The Vanguard any further ideas, like torture.

"I haven't fully decided yet. A full temporal scan is a must, though to be honest I don't have all the equipment I need here." he spoke to her as he made his way around the TARDIS console, gazing at the various instrumentations and read outs while occasionally glancing back up at her, "Sadly some of it may be quite......uncomfortable for you. But it has to be done. Yet another occasion where I have to single handedly save the universe and all that."

"Save the universe?" she enquired,

"It's unravelling susie." He began, "We experienced it first hand with that time skip. The universe has a tear in it somewhere and I think it has to do with you,"

"Why me?"

"Because I don't know why but the universe seems to have some sort of connection with you. For the past several decades the entire universe has revolved around you in the strangest of ways and for the life of me I don't fully understand how.........." ,he paused and went over to susie's side, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and helping her into the chair that she was gripping so tightly to avoid falling over, "There's just too much coincidence surrounding you Sus. I always suspected that CJ might remember some parts of her old life; afterall reapers don't live in normal space time like we do, but the fact that she would just stumble across you."

"Coincidences happen all the time," Susie blurted,

Vaan let out a sigh. Even after all she had been through, with many of her memories returned, susie was very naieve.

"That's right they do." he began again, "but not like this. Not in this sheer quantity. Out of an entire universe of possibility and diversity we have still all met up; You, me, CJ, Dray and through some sheer stroke of luck even my counterpart from this universe whose TARDIS 'just happend' to be occupying a similar route in space time as me when you tried to call one of us back to Earth."

Susie went silent. She still didn't fully understand. To her a coincidence was a coincidence. They were common enough. Her whole life when she was aboard the Cantina was full of them.
The Cantina. Her memory of it was still spotty but she could still remember th most important parts; that strong feeling of family and belonging; and yet now, it had never really exsisted. Vaan, for whatever reason had stolen it all away.

"Why did you do it?" she asked, her voice just above a whisper,

"Why did I do what?" he asked absently,

"This," she indicated in a round about way, he voice picking up some new anger across the way, "The Universe. Why change everything?"

"Because," he said as he crouched down next to her, "We destroyed the last one..............."