TEST DRIVE MEME #5

[sailmods]

1. not subtle revealings

[you wake up.

it doesn't matter where you were before. going to bed? dying? opening the door to face a great evil? same result. you wake up in a soft bed with starched sheets in a cool, darkened room, sunlight peeking out from behind thick curtains. maybe you're alone; maybe you aren't. maybe you immediately notice the folded paper on the bedside table near your head. if you don't, you better fix that real quick: you won't be able to even open the door before you read it.

the note itself is written in a neat hand on white card stock; there is a stylized logo of a ship with the words SERENA ETERNA printed underneath. the note reads as follows:

Dear Passenger(s),

As your cruise director, it is my great honor to welcome you aboard the Serena Eterna, your destination for fun and adventure! We know you could have chosen any cruise line for your vacation, and we're very grateful you chose ours! On behalf of the Captain, I would like to assure each and every passenger that will we do whatever it takes to fulfill all your needs and desires during your journey with us.

At your earliest possible convenience, please attend the mandatory lifeboat drill by the end of the day. I'm sure everyone is very eager to get started on all the fun and sun, but safety always comes first! You can find your life jacket in your cabin's closet; carry it to your assigned muster station on deck one, where I will take you through the drill. If you can't find me in the crowd, just look for the gal with the winning smile!

See You Real Soon!

Sincerely,
Gal Friday

you walk to deck one. you have no other choice: every time you try to step in a direction some unseen being considers "not towards deck one," you find your legs no longer move, staying stock still, frozen. whether compelled quickly by curiosity, or delayed by pure stubbornness, the result is the same, and you are left milling around with other similarly curious or stubborn people.

you see someone in uniform near the front of the crowd. she seems to be a gal, but is missing the winning smile, along with most of her other features. she seems to see you, though, rushing to your side and placing a lei around your neck with great formality. a voice, cheery but artificial, sees to come from nowhere and everywhere.]

Welcome! I'm very glad to have you aboard!

[you touch the lei. rooster feathers, lotus seeds, and a carved circle of something white and hard, linked onto a silk string.

after the drill is completed, you are seemingly free to go. or, well, your legs work, now. and maybe that's as good as it's gonna get.]

2. a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling

[the reflections are missing. all of them. in mirrors. in television screens. on the backs of spoons. nothing looks back at you.

then, figures do show up. not your own, like you'd expect. thin, wispy apparitions, people with pleading eyes and hands, reaching out to place their palms against the surface, from their own end. faces familiar and not, beckoning, mouthing words you just can't quite make out. help me, it might be. get me out, perhaps. just until you're close enough, until your skin warms the surface of whatever it is you're peering into. and then, those same hands wrap, all too real, burning-cold against your flesh, and pull, trying to drag you through the surface, making up for their lack of strength with desperation. any flesh unlucky enough to enter the reflection comes back bone-white and cold, all sensation dead, though it will fade within a few hours.

in retrospect, it looks a bit more like they were saying something different. something more like, better you than me. or maybe it's not even words at all. they look a bit more like they're laughing.]

3. complex mementos

[but, hey. sometimes changes are good! like, today, in Playback, there's a brand-new game available for all the children to play! it's an old-fashioned sort of claw machine, the type that's so large, a particularly dedicated kindergartner could wriggle their way inside. the prizes vary, and sit loose: bags of candy, stuffed toys, firearms, painfully early-00s electronics, actually that one just looks like a dead iguana, tiny ship-branded knickknacks... like all the other games in the arcade, the game starts up automatically upon being touched; lack of quarters shouldn't keep you from having fun! pro tip: they are loaded, and they will go off if you suck at claw games and let it fall.]

Comments

[makemeasong]

Who else would I be?

She frowns just a little, her brow furrowing. This isn't what she expected; although he's hardly been eager hug, she expected something else, not distrust.

Doctor, it's me, it's Clara.

[twelfthsong]

I just met a version of Bill who was a glass avatar. You could be that. Could be something else. Zygon? Plenty of other alien forms out there that can replicate a human form.

[He's not entirely sure of his ramblings. Something thrums in his two hearts that tell him it is her but he needs to be sure.]

How long have you been here? What's the last thing you remember?

[makemeasong]

I dunno who Bill is, and I'm sure as hell not a Zygon.

[ Clara almost calls him an idiot, but something's happened to him to make him this untrusting. It just hurts that it's her he doesn't trust. ]

I've been here a week or so. [ Swallowing, she wraps her arms around herself. ]

The last thing I remember doesn't include you. Have to go back a century or so for that to a diner in the desert and my heart breaking. If I still had one.

[twelfthsong]

[He blinks several times, as his brain tries to catch up to all this information this person - Clara - is him. That she's been alive, or at least existing a century by herself in a diner. It has to be her. How could it not be her?

And even if it wasn't her, what harm would a hug do when he had just found her again? He takes several steps towards her before pulling her into him and wrapping his arms around her.]

Clara. But - how?

[makemeasong]

[ There's nothing to say for a second as she holds onto him tightly. Turning her head she breathes him in, closing her eyes. They'd gotten so close to this before, hugs and being close. But then she'd had t face the raven, and he'd spent four and a half billion years bringing her back. ]

[ Pulling back to look at him she shakes her head. ] I dunno. No one knows how we get here. But...you aren't supposed to know who I am, how do you know me?

[ Her voice shakes as she looks up at him wiping away her own tears. ]

[twelfthsong]

[He didn't think he'd ever be able to do this again. The Doctor had made his peace before he had regenerated and had been content with just the memories of Clara returning to him at all. He had known that there had been something, someone, missing from his memories all that time and having them returned to him had simply been enough at the time. What else were you supposed to do when you had accepted your own fate - your own death - and time continued to trudge on?

He had yet to draw a conclusion about this ship but at the very least Clara was here. He can't help but laugh slightly.]

Well that's a fine, 'Great to see you, Doctor. Love to see that you remember me.' My memories came back. Just before I regenerated.

[makemeasong]

[ Clara pulls back and looks at him. ] Sorry, sorry. [ And if she wipes away some tears he can just ignore that. She thought she'd never hear him say her name like that again. ]

You have no idea how much I've missed you. [ She frowns though, when the rest of what he's said registers. ]

...What happened to you? You were hurt? [ It distresses her; regeneration isn't easy but his face isn't different so she's slightly panicked about what might be happening now. ]

[twelfthsong]

And I've missed you too, Clara Oswald.

[He can't just ignore the tears, Clara. His thumb manages to catch a stray one she had missed and there's just the hint of a smile on his face. A hint, mostly because even though he had come to terms with moving on becoming another face, another version of himself, it wasn't any less easier.

But in true Doctor fashion, he brushes it away, the light tone in his voice returning.]

Just a little Cyberman shot to the chest to kick things off. I made it out okay - in fact, I actually held off regenerating until I finished some business but even I can't stop the inevitable. [And then a frown and the furrowed brows are back.] I wasn't expecting to end up here though.

[makemeasong]

[ Clara stares at him blankly as if maybe she didn't hear him, but in fact, she feels like if she could breathe the wind would've been knocked out of her. She's made peace with her own death but he was supposed to keep going. After everything, she could be at peace with dying as long as she knew he was out there somewhere with his angry eyebrows and wild hair. ]

You died. [ Essentially. Her eyes are wide and watery, she can't help it. If he hadn't come here, he'd be gone forever and there wouldn't have been this, him looking at her and knowing exactly who she is. ]

God, what were you doing without me? [ She pushes his shoulder in admonishment but then her arms are around his neck before she gives him time to respond. ]

[twelfthsong]

Ah Clara, it was just my time.

[He says it so matter-of-factly, but there's little else he can do to sugarcoat it despite the own gnawing feeling in his stomach when he says it. He finds himself trapped in her arms again and he chokes slightly mid-response.]

All the usual things. Traveling. Trying to help the world where I could and staying out of trouble, mostly. All of it was just sans a boss. [He says it tenderly and even though he knows she can't see it with how she's hugging him, he's got something of a sad smile on his face.] But enough about me - how long have you been here?

[makemeasong]

[ She wants to ask him how reckless he was being, but she can interrogate him later. When she finally pulls back again, she studies his face, resisting the urge to reach out and ruffle his curls.

Did he never call anyone boss after her? For some reason it makes her feel warm. He didn't know her, but he never really gave away her title, either. Turning her attention to his question, she casually crosses her arms and leans against the claw machine. ]

About...two, three weeks now I think? Not quite a month, I know that for sure. I was in my TARDIS one second, then the next, here I was. Same way you woke up, forced to go one direction and listen to Friday.

[twelfthsong]

[The look she gives him means she wants to ask more of him, but a part of him is relieved when she doesn’t. So much has just happened since they had last seen each other in that diner, and he isn’t sure that he’s come to terms with her death and everything that happened between them. His old wounds always had a bad habit of opening up at the most inconvenient moment.

Not to say that having her here is inconvenient. It’s good. But it’s also troubling because he still doesn’t understand where here is. His hands grasp her shoulders as he pulls back himself to examine her.]

Alright and what trouble have you gotten into?

[It’s mostly his way of asking if she’s been hurt. But also he needs to know what to expect.]

[makemeasong]

Why do you assume I got into any trouble?

[ She huffs a little, bangs fluttering a bit. ]

A sentient 'bot pulled a weapon on me but that's it. I missed the most harrowing thing that's happened here so far by about a month, apparently.

[ Clara looks around, then takes his hand to walk further away from everyone and sit down on one of the couches in the lounge. ]

It definitely isn't safe here long term. Everyone was forced to fight to the death a few weeks ago. Literally, everyone, kids included. [ She knows exactly how he's going to feel about that, and she feels it in equal rage. ] There's no way off. Even when the ship docks and people can leave, it's limited.

[twelfthsong]

Clara.

[The 'because it's you', goes unsaid. Clara would know that despite the admonishment laced in his voice, there's a hint of affection.

But then he pauses, the levity leaving his tone as quickly as it comes and he grips her hand.]

Were you? Did you have to fight?

[makemeasong]

[ She realizes she didn't clarify that the killing is what she missed and she squeezes his hand tightly, shaking her head. ]

No, I wasn't here for that. Apparently, the things that happen aren't all bad; off the ship right now there's a whole...diner situation going on with classic cars.

[ Her hand's still in his, eyes not leaving his face. ] If we die here, we come back. Not in the regenerating kind of way. In a 'no one knows how it happens' sort of way. You just...do. But I've only heard about it.

[twelfthsong]

[The anxiety in his chest only unfurls slightly. The thought of Clara having to kill anyone fills him with a dread that he hasn't felt in a while. He's always tried to be the one to make the difficult choice for people knowing the kind of burdens taking a human life brings. As much as he's wanted rest, he can't help but think that he'd rather be here to protect her from those things as best he can.

His grip doesn't loosen and his gaze doesn't leave hers.]

Has anyone seen the bodies?

[makemeasong]

Apparently, Friday comes and collects everyone who died, and there's a morgue.

[ Clara keeps his hand in hers as long as he'll allow it. Her entire time on board so far she'd wondered what he would do, tried to be as curious and kind as he would. But there is nothing quite like the real thing and she tried once, to be him, and it didn't go over as great as she'd hoped.

But what's keeping her holding on is the fact that he knows her, he remembers her, and a part of her is afraid that if she lets go, it'll sever some sort of connection between them. ]

You better not ever forget me again, do you understand?

[twelfthsong]

We should go look at the morgue. Have you taken a look at it? Or is it locked like everything else in this floating prison?

[He isn't in a rush to let go of her hand. They're in an unfamiliar place with no sign of the TARDIS and faulty sonic tech. But it's not the only reason he doesn't want to let go. Clara is here. His Impossible Girl proving once again that she's capable of anything.]

I wouldn't dare, boss.

[makemeasong]

When I went exploring on my own it was unlocked, but I have no idea if I got lucky or not.

[ A thought occurs to her and for a second she has new hope. ]

Either of your sonics with you? Glasses might be more handy, but that's only if Friday lets them work, I guess.

[twelfthsong]

[He whips out both of the mentioned sonics, not being able to help the absolutely sour look on his face.] Nothing. Whatever this place it made sure to mess with the software for both of them. So we’re back to doing things the old fashioned way which I’ll admit I haven’t done in a while.

Lucky or not what did you find? Any clues? Anything out of the ordinary or unexplainable?

[makemeasong]

[ It feels like a relief to fall back into this, to move into 'The Doctor and Clara in the TARDIS' mode, regardless of whether or not their ships are with them. ]

No distress beacons in or out. The captain is a psychopath who orchestrates all of this but no one knows how. I was given a lei by Friday and met someone on board who thinks it's actually a device of some sort. That Friday's secretly trying to help us in her own way.

[ Clara sits back a little on the couch after getting all of that out in one go. ]

It's like people from every universe you can think of are here. I met a girl who can control water, someone who has wings, and more than one person part of a Starfleet or other space organization. There are people from alternate versions of Earth, even. So I'm pretty sure we have the biggest mystery we've ever faced on our hands.

[twelfthsong]

The leis as a device? [He raises an eyebrow and casts a glance down towards the garish thing around his neck.] That's a thought. Has anyone else explored it?

[He would have but with a fritzing Sonic Screwdriver and no other working equipment on board it's a tad more difficult than it normally would be for him. The Doctor seems to ponder it for a minute before tuning back into what Clara is explaining and she'd be able to tell that he's got that familiar, excited sparkle in them.]

Fascinating. It's not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Maybe this place is just a pocket universe functioning on its own. Anyone from your Earth? [Honestly, save for the sick micro management element to this place, the Doctor is having a pretty good time with that prospect in mind.]

[makemeasong]

[ Reaching out with her free hand to touch his lei, she shakes her head before dropping her hand again. ] This is brand new information. Just found out and haven't had time to explore it yet.

[ Looking at their hands, she sighs and shakes her head, looking back up at the Doctor. ]

Everyone I've talked to has something happening I've definitely never heard of or seen. On one Earth, apparently, the US is so deep into technology that robots are pretty human. As an aside, there are robots here and they don't like being called that. It's offensive. Anyway, in another version, there's a virus that caused the entire population to have random mutations.