The GateWorld Cantina Chronicles

[susanne]

A genuine smile erupted on her face. 'Ok!' She chirped. 'Which one? Green tea? Decaf? Darjeeling?'

'Any.' He sat back and brought a finger to his lips in thought.

Jenni had lost him again for the moment. Quietly she moved around the platform and headed for the kitchen.

---

Susie entered the bedroom. Her hair had been haphazardly tied back into a ponytail and dripped ever so slightly. It was obvious she hadn't spent a whole lot of time getting dry. Her cheeks were pink and her skin had a healthy glow again but her arms were a raw red. She was naked, having passed in wearing the dust laden and bloody dress.

She began rifling through the wardrobe for a spare change of clothes. Her head felt bunged up with warm pink fog. She felt strange and unconnected. Definately not herself.

Susie grabbed the first set of clothes that looked about her size and dragged them onto her skinny frame. Usually she'd have spent a fair number of minutes deciding on her apparel but today she didn't so much as glance at what she was wearing.

She walked barefoot through the corridors until she came to the Control room. It was empty, save for a brooding Vaan. He glanced at her as she sat heavily beside him and drew her knees to her chest. She spoke quietly, not daring to even look at him.

'Thank you, Vaan.'

'For what?'

'Rescuing me.' Her voice cracked as she struggled to keep the emotions in check.

It seemed that, out of everyone, Vanguard had been the one that was there for her. He hadn't lied to her, or betrayed her, yet.

A solitary tear rolled down her cheek as she realised how pathetic that was. How shallow her friends were without Mapp.

She felt lost and without an anchor.

[Draygon]

"INCOMING!"

The soldiers scattered as the explosion rocked the ground, finding a new position before returning fire to the enemy. The leader of the rag-tag remains of his squad took time ot look back.

"Have you got through to command yet?" he barked. The young serviceman shook his head as he continued to try and get a signal through.

"They're still jamming us, captain."

"Damnit." He turned back and let fly a hail of bullets and taking down a few but there were more that swarmed to fill the gaps in the ranks. They would have to fall back if they were to have a chance of surviving. Suddenly, a strange yet familiar groaning sound rent the air. Their enemy all turned to look at a large blue box that had managed to materialise in their midst. Before they could do anything about it though, a concussive force blasted outwards from the box, taking down the enemy. His own men stared in shocked surprise before a triumphant yell bubbled up from them.

"Nailed the devils!"

"That showed them, right captain?"

"Is that from command?"

"Probably some sort of secret super weapon they're building."

"If its secret, that mean they're gonna kill us now for seeing it?"

The captain ignored his men's chatter as he continued to watch the blue box and a pair of doors that opened in the front of it. A man stepped out and was immediately greeted with a dozen gun muzzles pointed in his direction.

"Um," he said, "do you guys have a medic?"

-----

They had escorted the people from the blue box back to the temporary headquarters. The captain had to admit, the blonde woman looked pretty beat up despite someone's best attempts at first aid. The box itself was a puzzle. He hadn't had a look inside but surely it would be a pretty snug fit even thought it was just the man and blonde woman who were in it. Why did it feel familiar?

The medics had taken the woman off their hands and were treating her as he reported back to his superiors. Now he sat next to the man from the blue box in silence.

"Never got your name, or hers," he said eventually. Neither of them looked at each other.

"I'm Vagabond," replied the man. "She's CJ."

"Ain't those a bit... weird names? Did your parents hate you or something?"

"And what exactly is your name, solider boy?" growled the man. The captain sat up a little straighter.

"Captain Foley of the 5376 devision." He became aware that the Vagabond guy was staring at him now. "What?"

"Foley? As in Col Foley?"

"It's captain," retorted Foley. He picked up his gun and helmet again and stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I've got to go see to my men. Hope your lady gets better. See you around '90."

He walked off but then paused for a moment. Why had he called the guy '90? He shook his head and carried on.

----

Back onboard the Tardis, its three occupants were sat in the control room and flicking through a video screen display of various individuals.

"And these are all former travellers of the Cantina?" asked Elle. Wolfax grunted and flicked to the next infoblog.

"That's what Vaga said wasn't it?" replied Tood, a plate of bacon on his lap. "He said we were to see if we regonized anyone and then said don't try anything because he put the parent locks on so lesser beings won't go meddling where they don't belong."

Elle glared at Tood, who was happily oblivious of the fact now that he had bacon. Their orders were to sit and wait until Vaga got back with CJ once she had been patched up. Elle was frankly bored already. Half the people they had looked at were weird as it was and sometimes it would just say 'incomplete data' which made no sense really.

A bleeping from the console got all their attentions. Wolfax studies it for a moment and then looked over at the main viewing screen.

"Hm, seems like there's another attack starting," he said before going back to reading.

"Shouldn't we, you know, do something?" insisted Elle. Wolfax gave her a yellow eyed look of annoyance.

"This ship is far beyond their technology, besides what concern is a large blue box to them?"

"Good point," Elle admitted grudgingly before rejoining the others in studying.

[P-90_177]

Vaga sat on the edge of CJ's stretcher, his tired eyes fixed on her battered and beaten body.
The Medics had stitched closed her wounds and set her bones already. There was very little else they could do. The fighting going on outside had wittled their resources away through their own casualties, and only so much can be done within a hastily erected tent in the middle of a warzone. Now all Vaga could do was sit and wait for his love to wake up.
Of course CJ was strong and had a fierce will to her credit. It wouldn't take long for her to recover. At least, that's what the Timelord hoped.

Vaga had to admit that he didn't even know why he had chosen this place and time. It was by far not his bightest idea. It was merely the first place he could think of to travel.
A hospital would have been far better. Any hospital. On a thosand different worlds.
It didn't even have to be a hospital.
The Chanting Healers of Carline would have been fine; or the Recooperation mists of Scon.
Anything. Just not a war. And a human war just to make things worse.

He must have been mad.

Vaga yawned loudly as his eyes drifted closed; letting himself give in to his own weariness.

[susanne]

'There could be anything out there! I wish to go!' Wolfax protested.

'Sorry but i think you'll stick out like a sore thumb.' Elle explained carefully. 'We just need to check Vagabond is ok. I can do that.'

'He's been gone for a while!' Tood interrupted.

'All the same.' Wolfax intoned slowly. 'I do not wish you to go alone.'

'I'll go with her!'

Elle glanced at Tood, who wore an expression of good intentioned determinedness...Or constipation.

'Fine.' She sighed.

--

Elle wandered into the Medical Bay, since arrival people had been oddly gracious about their presence, even though they'd just appeared from the TARDIS, allowing them access to the Canteen and corridors. Elle was suspicious of their reasoning, but at least Wolfax and his crazy biometrics was still aboard to keep the riff-raff out. They were only going to check Vaga hadn't been murdered or something 'Orrible like that. She also suspected the man had neglected to move an inch from CJ's side and had come prepared.


It had been easy enough to get the food, a quick bat of her eyelashes and the pimply youth, who looked far too young for Military Service was happy to hand it out. It had to be Military Service, the uniforms were stranger than she'd imagined but every person they wore one. Every person had a gun, she shuddered. Tood seemed to believe it was his duty to follow her. Perhaps because of what had happened to CJ. Elle felt lead settle into the pit of her stomach. It had virtually been her fault. As a way of appeasement she'd went to the canteen and gotten a tray of food. The smell of coffee made her stomach growl.

Vagabond was stretched out in a hard plastic seat, his head lolled to the side. He seemed asleep.

Tood brought a finger to his lips and Elle nodded in understanding.

Slowly she portioned out the meagre food and took a deep drink of her coffee. She'd pay for the caffine hit later, but at least one person needed to be awake on this strange planet.

The clink of cups and the scent of coffee seemed to arouse Vagabond from his sleep, he gave a jerk and sat up in alarm.

'What-'

'She's ok.' Ellle sighed tiredly.

He glanced at her for a second before he leaned over to view for himself, satisfied he sat back and sniffed. 'Coffee?' He croaked tiredly.

She handed him a cup and pointed to the soggy sandwich.

'She looks better!' Tood smiled optamisitcally.

'She looks like a...' Elle shook her head, unable to say it.

Vaga ran a hand down his 5 hour stubble, he watched her unmoving form with trepidation.

'She'll be fine.' Tood repeated. 'She's CJ!'

The room descended into silence. Something nagged at Elle, after he'd pulled that mad woman away from the scene, what had he done with her? Was she still on the ship?

'Vaga...' She asked slowly.

'Mmmhm.' He responded.

'What did you do with...With...Her?'

He turned to look at Elle, his eyes heavy and hooded from little sleep, but the spark of hate in his eyes was horrible. 'I threw her out.'

'Where?'

'Any old planet, i wanted rid of her.' He spoke flatly, but his eyes became much more intense, to Elle, it seemed like the punishment he'd given her was not the one he wanted to inflict.

The room went silent again.

[P-90_177]

Foley was making his report to his supperiors. Speaking into a crackling satalite phone, he heard the voice of a staunch Brigadier General asking all the usual questions, until the subject of the new arrivals began.

"We were fully surounded sir until the blue box showed up." the Captain explained,

"And it sent out some sort of energy pulse?" The General asked curiously,

"That would be my description sir," Foley had to shout as a series of shell explosions could be heard ever louder outside his Command and Control Tent,

The General went quiet, with only the crackling phone line making Foley aware that the line was still operating.

"Captain, whatever that weapon was it must not be allowed to fall into enemy hands. Begin a tactical retreat. If you cannot take this 'box' with you then destroy it but make sure that no matter what that your two guests accompany you."

"Yes sir, order understood." Foley responded,

The phone crackled dead just as a fresh barrage of explosions rocked the ground, forcing Foley to steady himself.
Stumbling out of the tent he emerged to find freshly smoking craters just metres from his teams posistion, a number of bodies littering the floor.

The artillery fire continued, the explosions ringing in his head as he glanced over to two of his men and signalled to accompany him.
First he had to secure his 'guests' then he had to attempt to secure their device.....or else destroy it......

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

Vaga flung open the tent to the infirmary in time to see a artillery barrage strike the ground. One after the other plums of dirt spit into the air; and through the ear splitting explosions he could hear screaming and shouting all around him as the troops dove into their nearby fox holes.

Suddenly a nearby tent imploded and went up in flames; part of the troop barracks. Vaga hit the ground as the explosion was close enough to knock him off of his feet.
It didn't phase him. Not the explosions, not the bodies that were begining to litter the area, not even the thought of some poor souls being exploded into bits or the ones being burnt alive. Vaga was still so used to War.

The Timelord felt a strong hand grab his arm and pull him onto his feet, coming face to face with Captain Foley.

"Who are they!?" Foley asked before Vaga could even say thank you, pointing at the two fearful faces of Elle and Tood, peeking out of the infirmary.

"Two of my friends. They're ok." Vaga responded,

For a moment Foley had a look of confusion, however he had no time left to listen to explanations and Vaga had no time to give them. Instead, Foley merely shrugged and gestured to them to come outside.

"I need to order a retreat of my men, the enemy is approaching too rapidly and I doubt we'll even survive long enough for them to get here in this. Get your friends and we'll do our best to make sure they leave safe."

Vaga shook his head.

"Sorry Captain but I won't be leaving with your men. Just get me to my box."

"I have orders to destroy it, unless you can use it to get us out of this mess."

Before Vaga could answer, the high pitched whistle of another shell got ever louder and closer.

"EVERYBODY DOWN!" one of Foley's men shouted as everyone fell to the floor and covered their heads.

The explosion buffetted the earth, showering them all with mud and rock.
As Vaga felt the debris hitting the back of his coat he looked up and saw the bodies of Foley's men dead on the ground, their bodies ripped open by Shrapnel.
Foley himself lay screaming in agony, clutching his leg as it appeared to have been nearly blown off.

Reacting like the good company they were, Tood and Elle ran to the Captains side, looking him over, but not really knowing what to do.

"Vaga," Elle asked, her voice full of panic, "What do we do?"

The Timelord jumped to his feet, pulling out his sonic screwdriver and handing it over to Tood.

"Get back to the TARDIS. Keep the screwdriver active and it should create enough interferance to through their targeting computers off for a little bit. Take Foley with you, I'll treat him inside. I need to grab CJ."

Not waiting for them to move, Vaga leapt into the infirmary and over to CJ. He noticed the holes in the tent of all varying sizes. Shrapnel had burst through the tent so many times, puncturing the canvas and riping into medical equipment, and medical staff. Only CJ looked untouched as she lay asleep, looking almost fully healed now.

He took her in his arms, lifting her up and ran out of the tent, making his way towards the TARDIS, passed craters and fallen soldiers, some dead and some still screaming in pain.
At the TARDIS doors he saw Wolfax helping Elle with Foley as he effortlessly picked up the Captain and carried him inside, while Tood, still with the activated screwdriver in his hand ran back towards Vaga.

"Thought you might need the protection," Tood said brethelessly as he ran along side the Timelord for a moment,

"Thanks...But I don't think I would have needed it."

Reaching the doors, vaga snapped his fingers, causing the TARDIS to respond loyally as both sides of the door flung themselves open wide enough to bundle CJ through, depositing her in one of his leather chairs.
Tood followed last and shut the doors behind him, leaving behind the crippling sound of war behind. Only the agonising sound of Foley was heard, as Vaga made his way to the TARDIS console and activated the engines, flinging them through time.

"Wolfax, get Foley to my lab," Vaga said as he shrugged off his coat and followed them down the hall, leaving Elle and Tood with the still unconcious CJ.


"If he can treat that Soldier," Tood asked, "Why didn't he treat CJ, rather than taking us to that hell hole?"

Elle couldn't think. Her face was white and she felt so terribly sick after the horrors she had just seen.
She shivered and shook her head in response to Tood question, before crumpling to the floor and quitly crying.

[susanne]

Elle choked on her tears as the battle raged outside. She could hear it.

What was the point of war? What was the meaning behind the butchering of so many people? Religion? Politics? Revenge?

All those people, alive one minute and dead the next. She felt their blood on her clothes and their deaths on her conscience.

Not since...Not since she met Vagabond had she seen so much death, so many explosions.

Tears trickled down her face, they turned the dirt into mud and streaked her skin. She looked up at Vaga, looking for some reassurance, she looked for help, but he was too busy doing something with the machine.

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to follow it. CJ was sitting up, looking confused.

'CJ?' It sounded louder than she'd meant it to be in the silence.

Vagabond's head snapped up at the sound of her name. His hand dropped from the keyboard as they stared at one another.

'You're awake...' He managed weakly.

---

'Im...Not sure what to do.' Susie admitted to herself. She turned to Vanguard, her clouded with confusion.

'How can I possibly...There are so many...Conflictiong thoughts.' She sighed. 'I can't explain.

Jenni suddenly burst back into the control room. 'I hope you like Assam tea! I-Oh.' She stopped when she realised Susie had joined Vanguard.

Susie realised that she had unwittingly moved closer to him. almost touching. She stood quickly, flustered. 'I...I'll be in my room.'

Jenni watched her go, just a little shocked. 'I would have gotten another cup...'

Vanguard smiled, ever so slightly. 'I don't think she wanted some tea Jenni.'

'Oh. Well do you still want some?' She asked brightly.

[Girlbot]

The HEA has noted that this thread is not ending happily. In fact it has been abandoned. How is that possible?
thank you
Have anice day

[Ukko]

The HEA has noted that this thread is not ending happily. In fact it has been abandoned. How is that possible?
thank you
Have anice day

Because there are people that think raising children is more important than the Cantina!! Susanne will be punished. Everyone else is gone (or not around much) too.

[Girlbot]

Because there are people that think raising children is more important than the Cantina!! Susanne will be punished. Everyone else is gone (or not around much) too.

Susanne grew up
She will be mourned

[343_Guilty_Spark]

this thread will pick up again. just give Susanne some time. shes a busy woman these days

[Girlbot]

this thread will pick up again. just give Susanne some time. shes a busy woman these days

Aw........a woman....no longer a girl...................a girl who could get herself banned from a forum........Oh the good old days..................Now she has to be good and set an example ...............................Susanne has lost her Funmojo

[Ukko]

Aw........a woman....no longer a girl...................a girl who could get herself banned from a forum........Oh the good old days..................Now she has to be good and set an example ...............................Susanne has lost her Funmojo

Family, babies, jobs. Nothing is more important than the cantina.

I blame that GB.

[Girlbot]

*Is innocent*

[aretood2]

Aw........a woman....no longer a girl...................a girl who could get herself banned from a forum........Oh the good old days..................Now she has to be good and set an example ...............................Susanne has lost her Funmojo

Okay, female Peter Pan...But just imagine how much more awesome Susanne will be when she comes back not as a weak little girl, but a fully grown woman

[Girlbot]

Okay, female Peter Pan...But just imagine how much more awesome Susanne will be when she comes back not as a weak little girl, but a fully grown woman

Susanne was never a weak little girl , believe me