ten_fwd_meme | TEST DRIVE #16 - Turbolifts and Ten Forward

Entry tags:

test drives

TEST DRIVE #16 - Turbolifts and Ten Forward

Option 001. Trapped in a Turbolift: This space travel thing is new to you, and you're starting to think the ship is purposely out to get you. A turbolift is just a grandiose name for an elevator, which should be the safest way to travel after all! But someone out there is out to get you, you're sure of it. Because the next thing you know, the lights flicker and the lift grinds to a stop. You're trapped, with whomever was unlucky enough to be in the lift with you.

It could be hours before you're rescued. These turbolifts span the entire massive ship, and don't just travel straight up and down. No, they can travel horizontally, vertically, sometimes even diagonally. You could be stuck between any deck now. There is a small access panel on one of the smooth walls, but how good are you with getting these things to work? Let's not forget that sudden stop tossed everyone around a little, and people could be hurt. Time to put your emergency thinking cap on, and make friends with the people beside you fast. You could be the only way back to freedom.

Conversely, you could slide that pack of cards out of your pocket and start a rousing game of gin rummy. Really it's up to you.

Option 002. Ten Forward: You have no idea what just happened. One minute you were home, minding your own business, and now you're on a spaceship in the middle of a crowded room! It looks like a bar. There are people eating and drinking, some in uniform, others not. Some are clearly aliens, and some of the food is looking rather strange too.

You've managed to land in Ten Forward. A long bar with barstools and a bartender span one side of the room, with a bank of strange computers on that same wall. It looks like people are ordering food and drinks from them. Tables are sprinkled throughout, and the far wall is nothing but floor to ceiling windows with a view out to space. It looks like a nice lounge, low conversation making the room hum.

Better ask some questions and find out where you are, or just tap the closest person on the shoulder and try to make friends. The bar is open.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[O1: Turbolift]
Clara Oswald has barely been here a day and already she is pretty sure something has it out for her. Trying to find the lounge again she took the lift, because that was how one got around this place, wasn’t it? She didn’t mind then normally, but there was the Law of Mechanical things to keep in mind, like when the lift suddenly comes to a hard stop.

The moment it stopped she realized they had been doing sideways by the way her body pitched to the left, running into the wall, her hand grasping at the smooth surface to get a hold of herself and keep herself on her feet. Oh. Okay. This was a thing.

It had gone dark, and there was just the two of them in here, so that wasn’t too bad. The part about there being two of them on the lift, not the part about it going dark.

“Oookay. This shouldn’t be a problem. Lifts break down all the time, right?” She said to her companion, sliding up the wall to stand proper again and looking to them to make sure they were all right.

[O2: Ten Forward (mild spoiler warning for ”Face the Raven”)]
When Clara appeared she stood still, arms lowering to her sides but eyes still closed a moment. There were sounds that were out of place for her last location. There were things going on around her that didn’t make sense.

One eye at first, popped open and peeked out, looking. The next eye followed, both widening as she looked around. She looked surprised, confused and a bit lost, but it didn’t have anything to do with the aliens sitting around at tables or the bar. It had more to do with her being here at all. Is this where you go when you…

No, something else must be going on. Her hand reached back to rub the back of her neck, not as if she could feel the counter before, but it couldn’t hurt to try and check, right. She turned once, looking around, and turned the other way, as if to confirm that the location was solid and very much before her.

Bouncing once on her toes she curiously looked around as she stepped forward, moving now past a couple of people and to the humongous wall of windows, the view of space. Space too didn’t surprise her. If this is where she went in the end then all the better. Still, space had a calming effect on her. “Oh my stars…” she whispered to herself, staring out a window and mentally trying to piece things together. She should ask someone. That is the first logical step. Speak up and ask someone where she was…

Being distracted by the field of space before her though helped to calm her mind. After all, this shouldn’t be happening. Maybe the Doctor managed to pull off a miracle some how. She thought to herself, smiling sadly at the thought. He said there was no way around this. Who knows what is going on here, but she was going to take about ten minutes to collect herself. To get her brain back in working order and not where it was before. There had to be a reason for this, she just had to focus and think. Be clever.

For now, one could see the small woman staring out the windows, seeming a bit dazed but calm. If no one bothers to speak to her after a while, and if nothing gets her attention, it’ll be a good ten minutes before she snaps out of it and starts to look for someone to speak to.

The Doctor wasn't in the lift. But he was in the hall when it broke down. And something... Or rather someone, sounded familiar. Far too familiar. It was a voice he had missed for too many weeks now.

Weeks, because thinking about it in months was too short and in days was far too long. So, weeks was how he decided to think about it.

The voice, though. Had to be in his head. Because while he absolutely wanted it to be the owner of the voice, he daren't wish she was here. He wouldn't wish that on anyone. To be snatched from their home worlds and placed here.

Focus, Doctor! He approaches the doors, but they don't open so he knocks on them.

"Hello? Hello? Is any one there? Can you hear me?"

So perhaps she hadn't been talking to anyone but herself, or perhaps the lift itself. These things had a personality of their own, right? She knew the TARDIS did, so why not a lift. Be kind to it and maybe it would move on or open up. Maybe that wasn't the best logic, but it would get her though at the moment.

"There has to be an emergency call button. All lifts have them. For this reason." She said to herself, talking TO herself because it was easier then standing there in silence. She looked around at the wall panel, but honestly, she had no idea how to open this up and there was nothing marked 'Emergency Call Button', as if it was missing just to make her life a little harder.

That was when she heard the voice and froze.

Her eyes went wider and she paused breathing for all of a moment. Can she hear him? "I can hear you!" She called, a bit louder, just in case they had a hard time hearing her. Clara suddenly pressed herself close to the door, ear to it, trying to hear better. "Yes! Someone is in here! The lift just stopped suddenly. Hello? Can you do anything from that side?"

It can't be him, can it? She needed to hear more of his voice to be sure, but her heart sank as she thought, just for a moment, it could be him. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking. Her mind projecting his tone in her ear.

Or maybe it was him and she didn't need to worry about this problem anymore.

And of course, the way she said that... there was no doubt it was her. That it was Clara. Well, maybe a little doubt. Given how his TARDIS had come here, he supposed she could be one of her echoes. Still, that's all right.

"I'm going to try something. Just stand away from the Doors."

He doesn't know exactly how his sonic will interact with the doors here. Of course, it could be like on the "Orient Express in Space" and he could open the wrong set of doors. No matter, he had to try.

The Doctor pulls out his sonic to scan the door. But the readings were less than encouraging. If he could just get them to move a little bit, maybe he could get his fingers in there...

Or not. He stared between the sonic and the doors. "You're not wood you shouldn't be a problem for my sonic."

Except for the fact that this is an entirely different universe. But physics is physics, so it really shouldn't be an issue.

When he speaks again she draws back, heart fluttering suddenly as she felt that confirmed it. That was the Doctor. HER Doctor. The one she just left. The one that...

Right. Stand away from the doors. She backed up and spun around a moment. It's a round room in here, he had best not blow the doors inward. But if that IS her Doctor out there, then he'll just... sonic them open and she'll be out in no time.

"Okay, Doctor! All clear." She called out, leaning on the rounded wall to the back and side, hands pressed behind her, flat on the wall. She wasn't sure how she felt about this. If it's him, what did he do to get here to her? She wont ask that to start, but it was in her mind.

Let's not mention that she has no idea if the lift stopped right at the landing of a floor or if it stopped half between. So long as the door opened and she could get out. That sonic tone just barely rang through the small life room and made her smile though.

A smile that dropped a moment later. Mostly because as he tried to sonic the door open, the lift jarred, hard to the side, like it had started to move again, but stopped, only half a foot in distance, if that. "What did you do?" She found herself asking as she righted herself again.

"Clearly not what I wanted to do!"

To hear that voice call him 'Doctor'. All the confirmation he needed. Still, the sonic wasn't working, so he tucks it away and tries to put his fingers into the seam between the doors.

It takes a good ten or so seconds but finally, finally he pries them open just a crack. And then he's able to wedge his boot-clad foot between them. Except... Those were just the outside doors.

"Of course. Nothing can be easy when she's around."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls the sonic out again. Setting and pointing and thinking. Just not thinking too hard. Tempering his excitement. He takes a breath and activates it again.

Well, he heard the doors disengage, even if they didn't open.

She gave a huff of breath and pushed off from the wall, back to the door and stood there, fists on her hips and frowning at it. Oh, come on! "Clearly it's not what you wanted to do." She said more to herself than anything. Nothing could be easy around him. Nothing!

"If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, Clara." She said softly to herself, planting her feet and pressing her hands into the door, trying to push and slide them open, to start. As she heard the sonic again though she pulled her hands back, pointed up and waited. Waited... and click! "Haha! That ...did something." She sounded only MILDLY disappointed as it had done something but didn't open the doors.

Still, it was something. Pressing her finger tips into the center she tried to pull one side open, straining. "Just... a bit... more." A bit? Try a lot more? She managed to push it just a bit, and once she was able to get her hand in she strained to push harder.

"I hope... this isn't normal... for these things. You know how I feel about normal."

When the doors finally give way, the Doctor is standing there. He's in the clothes he had on at Christmas: holey shirt, black hoodie, red-lined blue jacket.

But then he takes in Clara's face and can't help but to chuckle softly. "If it's normal you want, you've come to the wrong universe for that, Clara Oswald."

Then he shifts his expression into mock disappointment. "How did you end up here? No. I do know how. I could probably explain it better to you than you could to me. But, you've met me, since you seemed to recognise my voice, so we'll start with that."

And yes, he's still standing in the middle of the two sets of doors, because what better place is there to have a long conversation?

As she shoved the second set of doors mostly open she huffed, leaning her back into them and standing there. Her light grey sweater fitted over a large undershirt, over fitted pants and boots. Sensible and comfortable for colder weather. She leaned there a bit, pushing more as he chuckled softly.

"I suppose this is the right universe then, as I don't care for normal and you happen to be here." With the last shove she managed to get her door open enough that it shoved there was a space large enough for her to get through, the doors of the lift not matching up to the doors on his side.

He was rambling about how she got here. Seriously, at a time like this? She huffed a breath through her hair and gave him a look. "Oiy. Not the time for long conversations. You can explain once you get me out of here. Gimmie a hand?" She said, moving now to slip through the door as best she can and try to get through on his side, no fear of the lift suddenly moving or not. She just wanted through.

"Whatever you say, boss."

With that he offers her his hand and tries to move himself into a position that he should be holding the doors more than she is. That should give her the chance to sneak through them.

"I always said you were built like a man. Got the strength to prove it too."

Nothing like a little encouragement when things are getting better anyway.

"Yes, and that is exactly what I say!" She said in a soft huff, like his comment was unneeded. And then... the next comment, just as she was trying to squeak past him.

She faltered in movement and let out a soft "Hey!" before bapping him on the shoulder lightly.

"Was that really necessary?" But, she might have a bit of a sad smile on her face. Was he putting on a show for her? Pretending he was alright. Not at all upset about what happened? He's got that damn hoodie on though, and that wasn't what she saw him in last. Which doesn't mean too much, really. "Strax calling me a boy, you calling me a man. Honestly, you men can give a girl a complex!"

She managed to duck through though, stumbling a bit in step until she turned around. No matter what he said, no matter what he did, the moment he was clear of those lift doors, he would find his small companion attached to him. A sudden movement of her arms looping around his neck and hugging him so tightly, before he could do or even think anything.

She honestly though she would never see him again, and for good reason, really.

"Time Lord. We don't get hang-ups about gender. Thought you might have learned that from Missy."

He winces. Because Missy means P.E. and that means... he really doesn't like it when she slaps him... Only she's not slapping him.

She's... hugging him! No hugging. Not that. No. Excuse him as he goes wiggly and tries to get out of her touch, because... touching. Not so up on it right now.

"Um, Clara. I know I let you kiss me on the cheek, but that was Christmas and I hadn't missed you by Sixty-two years... Doesn't mean I want to make a habit of it."

She's dealt with Missy more. She doesn't like her. She really doesn't like her, but the comment was thrown away in her mind. She wasn't going to slap him. Not this time. Not like that. She was just going to hug him until she couldn't breath anymore, or him. One or the other.

But he was being damn wiggly again, and she hated when he did that (and yet loved it, because she did love to torture him with hugs). Still, that didn't seem right. "No." She said, voice trying to break. "No, you give me this one. Just this one..." Only, as she was about to call him some simple name she didn't really mean, the comment about Christmas came.

He might feel her suddenly freeze.

Freeze and her eyes went wide, suddenly letting go of the hug and drawing back, looking up at him. "Christmas?!" Her heart dropped at that. her eyes looked left then right, looking as if she was trying to make sure she was in a real place. Okay, maybe this was in her head. Her very gone brain. She's not sure how that works, but if Danny had gone to an "afterlife" maybe she...

No. "How long have--" No, time questions never worked. He always had a snotty comment to them. "Wait, where are we? I mean why are we here? Christmas was the last time you saw me?"

Uh-oh, what did he do this time? His fingers move. Some may think it's a nervous twitch. It's not. He's running rapid calculations in his mind trying to figure out the right answer. Which, when you think about is what a nervous twitch is.

Keep things easy, start with the last question first. "Yes...?"

It sounds hesitant, unsure. And he looks at her. Oh no. "You're malfunctioning again. I hate it when you do that."

And he's not thinking. The answer is obvious, right in front of him and he doesn't see it. Well, that's what he gets for having a companion who doesn't travel with him constantly.

She backed up a step more, watching him. She knew what he was doing. He was braining the situation. She just asked him a lot of queer questions and he was processing it. And he has the nerve to call her a robot. Okay, well, not a robot, but... "I am not malfunctioning!" She said without thought, feeling disoriented and wrong. Feeling like she might be malfunctioning, really.

Yes? Why to what? That was the last time he saw her? But that means... ah... oh wow. For a change she was ahead of him. Her eyes narrowed, looking him up and down, trying to figuring this out. Was he off on some adventure while she was home? Did she interrupt that? If he wasn't the reason she was... ah, here. Then what happened.

But, if this was him, and not him of the now, which was her now, then... then he doesn't know. She felt the blood drain from her face at the thought. He doesn't know. She brought a hand to her lips, trying to think of how to deal with this. "It's just... Christmas was a while ago, and I've seen you since then." She actually DOES travel with him now more then before. It's... easier, now.

Or was.

He sees the blood drain from her face and he reaches out to catch her, in case she feels faint. "Clara. Breathe."

So much like they had done when they came out of her Christmas Dream. "It'll be all right. Just Breathe."

He even takes a couple of exaggerated breaths, just to show how to do it.

"So, what you're saying is you're from my future."

He nods. This really isn't a big deal, it's not the first time it's happened to him. And won't be the last. But the way she hugged him...

"Please tell me now that I'm actually used to this face that I still have it."

He moved like she was going to faint, and he exaggerated breaths like she had forgotten how. She wanted to grouse at him for that, but it didn't bother her. She got to see him and that was fine with her. That was better then she had thought. She's sure this is okay, but there is still that feeling like something was going wrong. Going strange. She shouldn't be here, or is this exactly where she should be? Was he really here?

"I'm fine. I'm fine!" She said, trying to assure him that she was, in fact, fine. This was n big deal, was it? Not at all. Right. "Yes, I suppose I am saying I am from your future." That was weird, but not. She understood why he wasn't surprised. Time Lord and all. Still... she wanted to cry, seeing him after all that.

Be brave she told herself, putting on a smile for him now. "I'd say you're used to the face, yes. You even let me hug you." She pointed out, because that part was important! and, it wasn't all a lie...

He relaxes substantially one she convinces him that she's all right and that this face was still his. He pulls a face of mock indignation when she mentions he lets her hug him.

"Well, I doubt it's 'let' probably more I decided it wasn't worth the effort to fight you any more."

But the expression he gives her now is filled with fondness. And he has to tell her, because needs must.

"Whatever you know... about me, about the future.... It's best not to tell me. This universe has enough problems without adding to the complications."

She took in a small breath and let it out again, slow and steady. Yes, she was okay, and she had to be. Be strong, for him. Brave. She made sure her smile was a bit more real now, looking at him with a bit of a curious but amused glance. "Explain to me the difference? Because it sounds like, you not wanting to fight me on hugs, simply means you let me hug you."

He tells her to not tell him his future. She had already decided against it on her own. Lies again. There would be more lies. Or at least holding back on the truth. It would take her a bit, to force herself not to break in on any of it. Not to start tearing up anytime she saw him. Maybe he did something back there, his future self, to bring her here. Where ever this is. "It's not like a lot has happened since last Christmas anyhow. You show up, we go places, adventures happen. The Doctor and Clara. Clara and her Doctor, running around and saving planets. You know, the normal things." She said it lightly, a vow not to tell him anything.

She would keep it, for him.

It was better this way.

"Soooo." She clapped her hands together, trying to get her mind off recent events and honed in on what he just said. "Where are we? Because... this really shouldn't be where I ended up, but if it has enough problems for you than clearly it was in need of me." Should she be here at all? This can't be what she first thought it might be...

And there's her egomania. Good. He's actually missed it. The months he's been here without her. Her egomania keeps his own ego in check. He offers her his arm and gestures to the corridor he can explain while they walk. For now, she looks like she could use a drink.

"You know how you're always wanting me to learn a bit of popular culture and things you call 'science fiction'?"

He doesn't give her a chance to reply. Because it's not her specifically necessarily, but most of his companions have asked it of him at one point or another.

"I should have taken you more seriously. This is the Enterprise."

She wouldn't call it egomania herself, but she was getting used to HIM calling it that. No big deal. It's fine. Right now he could call her rubbish and she'd love to hear it from him. When he offered his arm she smiled and took it, hand slipped in at the elbow and a soft "Thank you!" Given, letting him lead the way.

She almost opened her mouth to say that she didn't really harp on the science fiction thing. She enjoyed it, and for some of her life grew up on it, but she liked high fantasy more. But, before he would let her protest or comment, he was explaining.

And it was a weird thing to explain. She at first gave him a look like he was daft. The Enterprise? Then a look that said 'oh, come on'. Only to look around more, surprise on her face. "No..." She said softly at first, then a bit louder as if it was hitting her. "No!" She glanced up at him in bewilderment. "No way. It can't be." It had the right feel, but it was more a shower her mom watched when she was a kid, so she didn't focus on it.

And this is why he travels with companions. The shock and wonder. The doubt and hesitation. All of it is brilliant. He's so old now, he sometimes forgets what all of that was like.

"This isn't science fiction, it's reality."

They're at Ten Forward now. He drops her off at a table and goes over to get a drink for her. It's a glass of her favourite red wine. For himself, a Scotch. Yes, he can't resist the pun, even now. He sets her drink in front of her and he sits with his own.

"We were brought here by an entity called 'Q'. He's as near to a god-like creature as you will ever encounter. Well, a menacing god, anyway. Most of us here are from different universes or different time zones within this universe."

And he'll pause, wait for her to catch up.

"I'm here in four different incarnations myself. But you are the first companion to recognise me in this form..."

And, that was the loneliest bit of all. It's why he kept running, never looking back.

Clara Oswald | Doctor Who | OTA

Let's do 1, only because of where Twelve is in game XD

Works for me!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

if she ever does decide to slap him, it's fine, I got an icon for that XD

I read: "I've got an app for that" and thought of the sonic...

LOL Stop guessing all my secrets!

But it's what Clever girls do :D

XD

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Oh, *hello*! :D Mind a post-Angels Take Manhattan Amy, Option 02? Testing out a canon update! :)

Omg Amy <333! test away!

<333! So sorry for disappearing, Life does that to me sometimes. I hope you don't mind the late tag!

Oh, hello! :D Mind a post-Angels Take Manhattan Amy, Option 02? Testing out a canon update! :)