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crossing_lostrp2006-04-11 03:38 pm
purplerhino.livejournal.com) wrote in crossing_lostrp2006-04-11 03:38 pm
Entry tags:
Day 8 - Team Transmitter (tag Tara, Jon, McKay)
The small group gathered early, collecting food to sustain them for lunch, but prepared to scavenge for their own meals after that. Rose was starting off wearing her backpack, and had a Bamboo walking stick. Her hair was pulled up into a pony tail on top her head, keeping it out of the way. The Backpack held two changes of clothing two blankets wand bottled water. The Doctor carried nothing except what was in the pockets f his ever-present leather jacket. Sayid had one of John Locke’s knives tucked into his belt, and one of the sturdy spears from the found crate ‘just in case’.
Sayid had not understood why he had been asked to join them. He knew that between The Doctor and Doctor McKay his own technical knowledge was limited. But the Doctor insisted he’d be invaluable if they were dealing with older equipment and, The Doctor confided, he was obviously one of the ex-military types. He told the Iranian he wanted someone who could handle themselves, and was an adult, with them. Someone he trusted to help protect the group. Although when he said the group he’d turned to look at Rose. Sayid was not certain if The Doctor was mad or not, the things he had heard whispered round the campfire, but he was capable. And the obvious trust was an honor of its own.
McKay, Jon and Tara rounded out the group heading for the Transmitter. Tara had the map. The Doctor had announced he didn’t need it. Rose complained that such a statement was something only those male statements that tended to get people lost, so Tara had been handed the map to keep them on track, should the Doctor’s ‘excellent sense of direction’ fail them.
They had set off keeping to the shade of the treeline. Besides the shade, the ground was harder there, and easier to walk over. They were not traveling fast, in deference to McKay’s still hurting ribs.
[Faith] Game On (tag Mara, transmitter team)
If they hadn't been Watchers, Faith might have felt badly for thinking ill of the dead. As it was, she didn't really think much on it at all once the thought passed through her brain.
Faith watched Orrie bound across the sand towards the group of people, following slowly behind. Despite Mara's affirmation of the "goodness" of this group, Faith didn't let her guard down. It was normal, a part of who and what she was. She was sizing them up, each and everyone, taking out the potential threats and figuring out the worst case scenario and how to counter it.
Buffy and Giles had always accused her of being impulsive, of rushing in without a plan. That had only been true half the time back then (and that Faith is gone anyway, mostly, trying at least) and it was less true now. Faith often had a plan (Hell, you don't stay in one piece and get respect in cell block D if you don't think on your feet and plan your way round the rest of the starving bitches); her plans just typically weren't those that other people would come up with first.
('Specially not B.)
None of the people were armed with guns – that she could tell from this distance – and the two blondes looked about as creampuff as Mara. The British guy got her hackles up just because he was British, and yeah, she knew that she was going to have to get over that . . . eventually. The Complainer wasn't much of a challenge, ('Less he talks me to death), so that left the teenager (no sweat), the tall dark haired kinda dorky looking guy and Tall, Dark and Muscled (definitely dangerous).
Faith walked with purposeful strides, but kept her hands in plain view. Not like there was any place to hide anything other than a stake in her denim shorts and white tank, and even that was pushing it. Faith knew that there was no way she could hide the Slayer power and poise; she had never tried to do so and she'd just spent the last year and half in lockup making sure that she kept every bit of the Slayer out on display. Damsel in distress wasn't her style anyway.
As the puppy lunged at the squatting blonde, tackling her as best a puppy could, Faith drew closer and did a quick reassessment of the group. She shifted her estimation of the British guy; he looked like he walked the line between crazy and dangerous, and he'd require keeping an eye on.
Stopping a safe distance away, close enough to talk without shouting, but far enough to see trouble coming, Faith called out the blonde on her knees. "Yo. I think she likes you."
[OOC: Yeah, I know Tara is there. But I figure that Tara is far more likely to recognize Faith (or rather Faith's body, because it was inhabited by Buffy for a good deal of the time) before Faith recognizes Tara.]
[Mara] Game On (tag Faith, transmitter team)
Orrie was going nuts. She wagthoomped into one lady's midsection, leaped out of her arms, buzzed the whole crowd a few times and then went scrambling back to Mara for about three seconds to announce that there were people!!!!!--before running back to the blonde lady again. Hi! I'm a dog. I'm new at it. Isn't it exciting? Here, check out my belly. Got any treats? Wait--hey you! You've got boots. I'm gonna chew on 'em. *gnar gnar gnar*
Mara came up slowly, looking at each person in turn with a quiet intentness, as if she were memorizing their features. She spared the Doctor the longest glance, wondering why the light around him was bright and loud and multi-stranded, like something woven together. Something about it made her put a hand over her chest, as if to conceal the torn-feeling place the demon had left.
"Hi," she said to the newcomers shyly. Her smile was warm, but sad.
[Rose/Doctor] Game On (tag Faith, Mara, transmitter team)
"Yo. I think she likes you." was all the warning they got before the puppy headbutted Rose in the stomach exhuberantly, sending her from a crouch to full on her arse. Potential threat or not, she couldn't help but laugh.
The puppy seemed to examine everyone, running from person top person, sniffing pants and shoes before begging Rose to pet her.
The Doctor assessed the two women, noting that Sayid and Jon were both ramrod stiff, alert, coiled and ready for any threat. He might be young, but Jon was good, more disciplined than most teens.
The more forward of the women moved with the smooth grace of a warrior. She didn't walk, she stalked. But it wasn't something clumsy, no, it was the almost seductive movement of one of this worlds panthers. While you admired the smooth flow, it had positioned itself to tear your throat out and make a meal of you.
The other woman... reminded him of Tara. She seemed reserved, shy even. She kept the other woman between her and the group.
It was getting easier the more he did it, he lowered some of his shields, metally aware of them without actively intruding on thoughts. Although he disliked doing it. Felt like cheating. But still, he needed to know if whatever they said was true as they understood it.
"Hello." He answered the shy one back.
They were wearing clean clothing, not worn like the Others, or even Danielle. And the shy one had signs of recent sunburn healing into a tan. Not the great outdoors type, least without loads of sunscreen.
"Nice night for a stroll on the beech, yeah?" He grinned.
[Faith] Game On (tag Mara, transmitter team)
Faith smiled easily, "Actually I'd kinda prefer a nice, hot bath and one of those fluffy hotel bathrobes, but despite the tropical scenery, from what I've seen so far, it ain't happening."
Faith hooked her fingers comfortably through the belt loops of her shorts, settling into an almost relaxed slouch. "I don't suppose y'all are about to point us to the really ritzy resort with cute little cabana boys, huh?"
[Tara] Game On (tag Faith, Mara, transmitter team)
At one of them in particular. Tall, dark hair, beautiful and dangerous, moving like she had all the confidence in the world... it was Faith. The last she'd heard the girl was in prison, and doing well, redeeming herself for the murder. To see her here... now....
Tara pushed to the front of the group, without thinking at all. It was *Faith*, and while they hadn't been friends, at least she was a tie to her old life, to Sunnydale. Oh but what if she'd gone bad again, then no one here would know that except for her.
Mind whirling, Tara stepped forward, and said, "Faith? Is that really you?"
[Faith] Game On (tag Tara, transceiver team)
Her gaze narrowed and slid to the source of the voice, taking in the unsure blonde with the cool study of a predator. Long blonde hair, usnure and shy and vaguely familiar, although Faith was hard pressed to remember how or why . . .
"This is Tara."
"So Willow's not driving stick anymore."
"Spit it out already."
Faith blinked, the Slayer Predator slipping back into its cage, leaving Faith empty and vulnerable in front of a group of strangers. She quashed the vulnerability as soon as it appeared, cool mask of aloofness and control sliding in place even as her mind whirled.
(Not my best moment, not me, not her, not anymore.)
"Willow's girl," Faith said with a smile, not the threatening, salacious smile that made some of the toughest mothers in lockup back away from her, but with her friendly smile, the one she'd used from time to time in Sunnyhell before her world and hatred had twisted it all around.
Recognition brought both hope and worry. If Willow's girl was here, then maybe Red was as well. Red and B and G-Man, and as much as her heart skipped because that would mean rescue, it clenched because it would mean facing her past and she wasn't sure she could do that yet.
"It's easy on the inside," Angel reminded her more than once.
The pounding of her heart in her ears and the desperate war she waged against the urge to flee spoke the truth of that assessment.
"Yo, Tara, 'sup? The rest of the Scoobies here too?"
Faith wasn't sure what she wanted the answer to be.
Worse yet, she was already wondering how and why the fuck they would be here in the Backass End of the Middle of Fucking Nowhere, Pacific Ocean.
[Tara] Game On (tag Faith, transceiver team)
Shaking her head, she replied, "No, it's just... well it's just us now... I mean it's us and about fifty other survivors from the plane crash, and there's so many horrible things here, and now there's you..." she trailed off, out of breath, eyes stinging with tears. Seeing *anyone* from her old life was just too much for her, and before Faith could back off, she darted forward and hugged her, saying very softly, "I'm so glad you're here."
[Ash] See? See! (tag Rose, transceiver team)
Her friend looked like she'd seen a few things too. But while Faith had the look of a...participant, her friend looked like a survivor. She looked haunted. Ash knew that look. He'd seen it in the mirror a few times over the years. Whatever she'd endured, Ash was willing to bet it hadn't happened all that long ago.
Ash looked at Rose and caught her eye. "See?" he said without preamble. "This is exactly what I was talking about! We walk a few hours from camp and we stumble across still more castaways!"
[Faith] WTFHUGS? (tag Tara, transceiver team)
(Then again, maybe G-Man has been getting regular reports on me. Faith doesn't step out of line, model prisoner, does really well on the knitting.)
Touchy-feely wasn't really her thing, especially when she didn't know the person in question all that well and there was going to be any dirty grinding involved with the touchy-feeliness. Of course, Red's girl -
(Whoa.)
Questions cropped up and as Tara finally released her, ducking her head and blushing pink a bit, Faith launched them. "You were on a plane that crashed here? Was B and G-Man ... Dawnie?"
Faith was terrified of facing her past, but even worse was the thought of all those people she knew, that she formed attachments to, however bad, were dead and gone. B again, and Dawnie ...
[Tara] WTFHUGS? (no tag)
But her head came up at Faith's question, and she hastened to reassure her. "No, I was on the flight, but as far as I know everyone back in Sunnydale and L.A is okay. Willow..." she swallowed hard, "We broke up, and I had to get out of town for a while."
Then she heard the rest of the conversation going on, how the Doctor was proposing that the two new women be left here, and that didn't sit right with her.
[to be continued down the line...]
[Mara] Scarred mind (tag Doc/Rose, transmitter team)
/Where did they come from?/ But of course. They had come from the plane. /What plane?/ There was another. There had to be. The moment Faith had brought Orrie from the forest, she had known that. As usual, she didn't know /how/ she knew it--but she did. /There was another plane. A big one, this time. Oh...oh, that's so sad. So sad! How many of them died?/ Her chin trembled a little bit.
/It's all right. Their souls are gone. Free. They can't hurt anymore./ She reminded herself of this a few times, since bursting into tears in the middle of an introductory conversation wouldn't do.
To the Doctor, her thoughts felt...sore...around the edges, as if she were operating under some sort of exquisitely nasty psychic injury.
Orrie came bumbling over again and yapped, bouncing in a small circle, in case Mara had missed the whole THERE ARE NEW PEOPLE HERE!!! dance she'd done before. Then she went to bother Rose again.
/I wonder how many people there are here./
[McKay] Game On (everone :))
Still, McKay was smart. He kept himself in the middle of the little group, even as the two women made contact. He didn't make any threatening moves, particularly as there would be absolutely nothing he could do anyway, even if he didn't have the issue of the ribs. While not averse to carrying a pistol, and he had actually used one successfully, he wasn't armed now. Positioning himself near the teenager, oddly enough, he glanced at the Doctor, to him, the defacto 'leader' of the group. Scary, but true.
[Doctor/Rose] Game On (everone :))
"Sorry, no fancy resorts. Kinda hoping for that one, myself, but we got a pretty efficient little camp set up, lots of beachfront property, roast turtle, the occasional party thrown by the neighbors."
Rose spoke out now, because Tara obviously knew at least one of these two. That meant they couldn't be 'Others'. And it wasn't like this place didn't drop non-threatening (in the relative term) strangers here all the time. Yup, Bermuda Triangle, in the Pacific.
"Yes, well, this is all very nice and touching, but the sun is going down, and I would prefer not to be wandering these woods at night. I might be able to see perfectly well, but you lot will be tripping over your own feet." He didn't mention the fact that an ambush was easier and more likely in the dark.
"Forget him, they don't teach manners where he's from. An' seein as how Tara's a bit... overwhelmed. I'm Rose, that's The Doctor, Sayid, Jon, Ash and Doctor McKay." Rose pointed to each in turn. "Where you on flight 815 too, or just dumped here for the fun of it?"
The Doctor rolled his eyes. It wasn't like he could hold back time, much. Looks like chit-chat was in. But he detected no deception from the women so far. The shy girl was recovering from trauma, he could feel the wounded edges of it. But he did not push, or question. Sense only, no reading, no violation.
"Can we natter on as we walk? Unless you want to give directions back to camp and meet up later."
"Oh, aren't we techy now?" Rose looked at McKay with a wink and a smile. "You must have scored some points to get him a bit riled."
[Mara] Skepticism (everone :))
"There were two planes," she said quietly. A line appeared in her forehead when two of the men started going on about leaving. Leaving? Wait, these strangers just came out of the jungle and were expecting her and Faith to just walk off with them like that? Into the jungle? With the sun going down?
"I just met you," she said uncomfortably. "I'm not running off into that place with a bunch of strangers on their say-so with night coming. I'm sorry. That's asking way too much."
[Doctor] Skepticism (everone :))
Meanwhile Rose was giggling at Ash's comments. "Must be you. You attract stragglers. You found the last ones."
[McKay] Skepticism (everone :))
"Wait-wait-wait... Giving them a map to the campsite? But-but..." A pile of 'what-if's ran through his mind, a million of reasons why it wasn't a good idea. Of course, it certainly wasn't a good idea to bring them along, either. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. They wouldn't get there until night, and-and-and..."
Wait. That's right. The woods. At night. His shoulders drooped, though that particular action caused a bit more discomfort that he was prepared for, and a hand moved around his chest as he turned his back towards the general group. Ow. "Can... we please just hurry up and go meet our fate in there rather than prolonging it?"
[Doctor] Skepticism (everone :))
"We've got guards set up. You might not have noticed, but there are less friendly types round 'bout. Stay out of the forest after dark unless you really know the territory. When you get to the camp, don't try to case it first, approach like you did us. Out and open is less likely to set off alarms." The Doctor advised.
"We have thirty minutes or so til sun's down, kiddies, and a mile to go before we sleep."
[Faith] Whoa. Time Out. (open tag)
Faith put her fingers between her lips and let out a shrill wolf whistle. Conversation instantly stopped as all heads turned to her. Fortunately, she was used to being glared at and being the center of attention so the looks didn't phase her one bit. "You mind if me and M get a word in here. Well, M got her word in, but I'd kinda like to maybe put in my two bits?"
"I don't know any of you 'cept Tara, and she's not running scared so I'm gonna guess you're an okay crowd for now. But, we've been here for a week, and you're the first people we've seen that whole time. As much as I get taht you don't know me and M from Jack and Jill, before you send us off to 'camp' I'd kinda like to know what we're walking into.
"And, I don't know, but considering we've been here and haven't seen you, and you've been well, wherever you've been, maybe swapping intel might be a good idea? Never survived a plane crash before, so I'm not real clear on the etiquette, but I'm pretty sure that saying," Faith paused and did a surprisingly good imitation of the Doctor's accent, "Well met, off with you now,' would not make Miss Manners happy."
Actually Faith didn't mind staying on the beach, but she had questions and she wasn't going to get answers sleeping under the stars next to Mara. These were people, actual people who were survivors of another plane crash, and that set off all kinds of alarms that didn't have a damn thing to do with Slayer sense.
"Anybody ever heard of safety in numbers?"
[Tara] Two-cents (open tag)
Re: [Tara] Two-cents (open tag)
[Ash] Skepticism (everone)
[Rose/Doctor] Skepticism/Two Cents (everone)
Rose was rubbing the cute puppy's belly until she got the one back leg wavbing furiously. "Tickle spot."
She looked up as the capable looking woman started talking back at the Doctor. She laughed outright. "Got you pegged, she does."
She heart Tara's protests, and agreed. This woman was like a superhero... with attitude, evidently. Not bad to have about.
She stood up, to the puppy's consternation. "Truth is, swapping 'intel' is gonna take time. I'm with you on the safety in numbers thing. Especially if you're a... slayer? Tara was just telling us about her own wierdness at lunch." Rose reminded the transmitter team, "Thing is, we have an absolutely safe place we're headed to, and Doctor McKay has some bad ribs from a raid on our camp three nights ago. We have stuff there to fix him up, too. We really don't want to travel through the jungle in the dark. We'll be glad to explain what we can, and trade campfire tales with you if you come with. In the morning you can decide if you want to head for the camp or not. But we can't force you." She looked at Mara, who looked kinda little girl lost.
The Doctor opened his mouth to voice a weak protest but caught the look Rose shot him. Yes, these women were safer with them tonight. He didn't like it, but logic was there.
"They're being honest at least. If Tara can vouch for them, and you both decide to come along, you can. But," he looked to Mara, "if either of you doesn't want to, that's fine as well. You can't leave just one person out here alone though. That'd be really dangerous."
Re: [Rose/Doctor] Skepticism/Two Cents (everone)
/They're only thinking of wherever they are going and their own convenience. What a bunch of pushy, inconsiderate people./
And almost nothing that came out of the shiny one's mouth made any sense at all. He sounded insane, and he wasn't human, and she wasn't sure that was the most trustworthy of combinations. He was really starting to make her uncomfortable and nervous.
"I don't want to go into the jungle at night no matter how good an idea anyone I just met thinks it is for me," she said quietly, with her eyes down. "The ones in the woods want me. It isn't fair to ask me to make it easy for them because you're hot for another fighter.
"And we're not going someplace safe. There is no safe. But I'll go pack anyway, since I don't have a choice. Unless of course you all think it's an inconvenient wait for us to get to bring our belongings." Her tone wasn't angry, or even hurt. It was resigned.
She got up, dusted off her knees, and walked back towards the tent with the puppy trailing after her. She was scared to death of the jungle at night and the things that whispered inside of it. But she couldn't expect anyone to give a damn about that.
[McKay] Skepticism/Two Cents (everone)
"No, we really don't want to travel through the jungle at night, and as we are losing day, it is beginning to look as if /all/ our travel will be in the dark, thank you. Now, can we just get started?" A touch of irritation mixed with petulance had crept into his tones. He was tired, achy, and until they got to the transmitter, useless. He's not military, never was, never wanted to be. And should he survive this, he still didn't want to be.
A studied glance was given the new women. Truth be told, he really didn't want to be told what one was. He was conversant with the English language, and if the definition held true? He certainly didn't want to know. There were just some things that he believed ignorance was bliss, and the chances were good that this was one of them.
Re: [McKay] Skepticism/Two Cents (everone)
[Faith] Two Cents (tag everyone)
"Hang a sec," Faith said simply, then jogged off after Mara. It didn't take much to catch up with the other woman and get her attention. "Mara, I know you're scared of the jungle, and it's not safe in there, you're right. But it might not be safe out here either. But I know Tara, not that well, but I know her type and the sorts she hangs out with, and they might be weird, but they're safe."
(Ok, safe is kinda relative at this point.) Faith thought back to the odd behavior of The Doctor guy, yes she had heard the Capitals on his name, and the wary stance of the Middle Eastern guy. (Damn, wish I'd caught his name.)
"They're not rapists, murderers, vampires, demons, or evil lawyer types," Faith ticked off the list in her head, pretty certain that she would recognize every type from the list she'd given. "And, they're just as wary of us as we are of them.
"I know you don't want to do this, but you gotta ... have faith," Faith smirked as she said the last, "I got your back, right? Don't worry 'bout packing away the camp, just grab a few things. These are the first people we've seen in days, I don't think we have to worry 'bout vandals."
Leaving Mara's side, Faith returned to Tara's group. "M's not big on trusting random strangers."
"A wise decision, certainly," Hot Middle Eastern said. "Are you 'big' on trusting random strangers, Faith?"
"I'm not 'big' on trusting anyone," Faith felt a salacious grin slide over her face as her attention shifted to the man. Old habits died hard, and her body shifted into a far too relaxed hip and shoulder rolling gait that accentuated every curve. She let her eyes rake openly over his body, from his head to his feet and then back up again, "You may be pretty enough to get a girl wet with a glance, but if Tara wasn't with you guys, I'd be sleeping on the beach tonight with one eye open."
[Mara] Resignation (tag Faith, everyone)
[Tara] Help? (tag Mara, everyone)
[Faith] Move Out? (tag everyone)
[Rose] Move Out? (tag everyone)
OOC Question?
Re: OOC Question?
Re: OOC Question?
[Mara] Move Out? (tag everyone)
[Faith] Move Out? (tag everyone)
[McKay] Safe and sound? (tag everyone)
[Ash] A Phone Booth? (tag everyone)