[identity profile] fikgirl.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] crossing_lostrp
[OOC: This takes place later that night, after everyone has gone to sleep. Faith started coming so clearly that I had to get it out and posted.]

Meditation had not worked. Tai Chi had not worked. And there wasn't anything to read. Her copy of A Wrinkle in Time, battered and dog-eared, but given and not taken from a fellow inmate was back at her and Mara's makeshift camp, so Faith could not even turn to that as a distraction from the press of insomnia.

The insomnia wasn't anything new to Faith. She couldn't just curl up in bed and go to sleep on a good day; on a bad one, like this one where she was stranded on a desert island, sleep was even more difficult to find without some way of burning off steam first. In prison, there'd been time for exercise before lights out. Sometimes, that hadn't been enough but there were things that could be done in the privacy of her bunk that took off that Slayer edge, that driving pressing need to hunt and run and just move without boundaries and with freedom.

Truth is, she'd gotten used to the lack of freedom in lockup. Her body adapted and so did her mind; that's what she'd come to believe. Before crashing here, when she was handing a plastic bag containing her belongings and dressed in a dress that looked more like a funeral gown than anything anyone in their right mind would wear, the Slayer beast surged forth, instinctively smelling that elusive freedom. Faith, and her two Watchers, Ms. Blake and Mr. Verlin had spent the first three nights in a posh hotel – Closet Gay Guy, as Faith had dubbed Verlin had his own room of course. The second night, Faith left the hotel to roam the streets, looking for a fight. Finding one hadn't taken long, and when the vampire was dust under her heels, Faith breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, (I'm still me. I’m still a Slayer.)

Blake and Verlin had been less than happy with her nocturnal run. She wondered many times over the course of the next few weeks how it was that they could be Watchers when they clearly didn't even understand what a Slayer was. Only the threat hanging over Angel made her stay with them and do her best to abide by their rules. She pretended it was prison again; it helped.

Seven days ago, the Slayer had finally been set free. Free to roam, free to jump, free to hunt, free to be. Even limiting her roaming to daylight hours after the first close encounter with the Creepy Stalkers because she didn't dare leave Mara unprotected at night, hadn't completely calmed the need and the itch to hunt. The Slayer was a nocturnal creature because her prey moved at night.

Now the awareness of night pressed in on her, a heavy weight pressing upon her chest and her mind. The Slayer felt it and crawled around inside of her skin, clawing and itching to get out, to touch the night and become one with it. (To hunt.) On every level, from the conscious to the subconscious, Faith's being knew that it was night and knew that it was the first night she could completely be the Slayer with no holds barred and still, there was no freedom. Willingly, eagerly, she'd come to this ship and it had been a good thing – she learned who these people were and that they were just as stranded as she was – but she should never have agreed to stay when they bedded down for the night.

Faith was trapped inside this spaceship and as fascinating and cool as it was, it didn't lessen the feeling of entrapment.

The room she'd chosen to sleep in was all leather and suede, hard and polished, yet still felt feminine and had that air of woman to it, and right now it only intensified the itch.

Giving up on capturing illusive sleep, Faith swung her feet to the floor and stalked across the room. The corridor outside was deserted, because no normal person would be awake this time of night, and Faith hovered between relief and disappointment. Someone to actually talk to might be a pleasant distraction.

(Shoulda dragged Ash into the shower with me,) Faith thought, then shelved it. Not now, not yet, she wasn't going that road again, wasn't going back to the time in her life when everything had been divided into the fight-it-or-fuck-it/slay-it-or-lay it category; even her relationship with B had those undercurrents of charged sexual energy and frustration to it. Faith could admit it, wouldn't deny that soft womanly curves every now and again did the job just as well as a man; fortunately, B had never picked up on it so it was one less thing for The Slayer – the first one and foremost – to not hate her for.

She stopped and drew back her hand when she realized that her feet had carried her right to the room that Ash occupied. Unthinkingly, she had approached his room, knowing that a way to cure the itch was right there – and her heart pounded, blood roaring in her ears, her hand trembling as she stared down to where it hovered just over the door. Faith cursed herself, jerked her hand back and back pedaled as quickly as she could. Flirting was safe, playful teasing was all good, but crossing that line – going back to the dirty bump and grind with not a care for anyone's feelings or needs – wasn't. It was a part of her that she'd left behind, a part of her that she'd hated, but had cultivated out of "self-protection" according to her shrink.

It was an instinct that still reared its head when she wasn't careful, something to fall back on that was easy, that didn't require thought or control or attachment.

"It's harder on the outside."

(Yeah, yeah, Angel, I know. I get that. Would be easier if I could talk to you.) Faith gave a soft, rough laugh. (How many fucking slayers need a vampire as their grounding base?)

She found the kitchen and began mechanically going through cupboards. (Fridge is off limits.) Faith found coffee, she found mugs and she found an old Mr. Coffee which actually made her giggle. (Time traveling alien still uses the old reliable.)

Coffee brewing, she sank into a chair and watched it drip down. (Worse thing for insomnia, but it's not like I'm gonna sleep anyway.)

The dripping coffee entranced her. So much so that she was on her feet, back tensed and dropped into a defensive crouch, every predatory instinct in her body on alert when a voice asked from the doorway, "You can't sleep either?"

[Doctor] Nightcrawlers (tag Faith, Doctor, open)

Date: 2006-04-15 09:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] purplerhino.livejournal.com
"Ask the Barrista." The Doctor inclined his head towards Faith. "This might be what we need for the time compensation." The Doctor fished a circuit board looking thing out of his pocket. "It's not top of the line by any stretch, and it's an early form of a chip I fixed into Rose's old cell phone. That one could punch a signal through a couple million years. This one might get us through maybe a hundred. Thing is, I'm not sure what other defenses whoever engineered this place have up. If they're advanced enough, to place is six munths out of phase with the current timeline, theres a fifty-fifty chance they have the tech to block a signal and put it in place. They might not have counted on anyone here being able to punch through the tempral bubble, thus, didn't thingk to block it."

The Doctor let Rodney digest that bit of information, as well as examine the chip he'd tossed him, and turned his attention back to Faith. "Considering what Tara told us all at lunch, I could see why your system would be geared towards night. She was explaining her friends, and we swapped wierd life form stories. She said you were a Slayer. She explained the basics of it, but it sounds as if your system is more efficient that other humans. That affect sleep as well? Do you need less, or just adapt to the noctournal life style?"

[Doctor] Nightcrawlers (tag Rodney, Faith, open)

Date: 2006-04-16 12:56 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] purplerhino.livejournal.com
"Then maybe the coffee isn't the best idea." He winked as he grabbed a little potter jar from the table and dumped two sugar cubes into his drink before passing it along.

"Sorry, the gym wasn't a priority. And until recently, not really much in use. Don't really recomend going out for a run. A week ago, I heard the others whisperin about when we arrived. Never know when that smoke thing or dino might pop up either. No matter how strong or skilled, no one holds a chance against smoke."

The Doctor looked at Rodney. "But we can tell you what we know about this place so far. Catch you up a bit. Not sure how much your friend can handle. Okay, the TARDIS has been known to blow a few mental circuts in her day. But from what I gathered you've only been worrying about human aggressors. The rest might be more than she can handle all in one dose."

The Doctor then lay down a brief history of what had happened since he and Rose had crashed here. He didn't say a word about a half xenomorph, the Stargate project, really old humans or any of the rest. She'd discover some of the other oddities as the people they involved shared or not. She already knew Tara was a witch. He almost bubbled about witnessing magic. He might never get tired of that.

[McKay] Nightcrawlers (tag Faith, Doctor, open)

Date: 2006-04-16 01:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lost-mckay.livejournal.com
"Hmmm? Oh... Regular. Black." Rodney wasn't not picky about his coffee. It just needs to be hot, black, and constantly flowing. Beyond that is a bonus. "Thank you." He crossed the room quickly, found a mug, and poured himself yet another cup.

Turning to take the board from the Doctor's hand, the astrophysicist looked closely at it, at the design. Not elegant, by any stretch, but it might work. Of course, the Doctor could possibly suffer from the same 'disease' as he, that is, thinking that all his plans will work. "I still think there's a generator somewhere on this island. Maybe two to provide the shield. We should find that first, put it out of commission, then try the transmitter." He could cite at least one instance where even the Ancients required something on the ground to hold a shield, and until he'd met the Timelord, the Ancients were the top dogs in the universe, and even then, maybe they were more evenly matched than one over the other?

Rodney's attention turned towards the board, and his coffee, and after taking a seat, studied it a little more carefully, allowing the conversation go on around him. There was one particular point, however, where he had to interrupt.

"Wait-wait-wait-wait..." He looked and sounded a little, well, disturbed. "There are really vampires? Th-th-they're real? I mean... here. Out there." With his mug hand, he gestured off to the 'distance', mindless of direction. "Really?"

[Doctor] Nightcrawlers (tag Faith, McKay, open)

Date: 2006-04-16 06:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] purplerhino.livejournal.com
The Doctor grinned. "Rodney, in your... line of work... I know you've seen a lot of things. Vampires aren't even limited to this planet. There are different kinds, I'm sure you've guessed." The Doctor rubbed the palm of his hand with his thumb, making a referance obvious only to someone who knew about it. "There are pleanty of homebound threats."

"The universe is full of things you can't even imagine. And your own little blue planet has more... higher life forms that just you little apes. And I'm not just talking cetaceans, which, by the way, are even smarter than you humans credit them for."

[McKay] Nightcrawlers (tag Faith, Doctor, open)

Date: 2006-04-16 07:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lost-mckay.livejournal.com
"Yes, but... vampires. The blood-sucking, 'I'm feeling a little anaemic so can you spare me a pint?' vampires." Rodney was just making sure that they were all on the same page when it came to definitions, and from the sound of it, he was still pretty dubious. He didn't miss the gesture, however, and even the reference to them creeped him out. Nothing like a creature that can suck the life force from a person through the palm of their hand.

The reference to 'little apes' caused the astrophysicist to bridle as his head rolled slightly and his back straightened. "Yes, yes. Enough with the apes, please. That's several million years out of date. Even a bigger fashion faux pas than miniskirts and go-go boots." Though, truthfully, McKay didn't mind a good set of legs.

Rodney took a swallow of coffee, tentatively at first, then another deeper draught. It was nice, for sure, and in taking a step towards the door once again, he offered a nod to the two, though his attention lingered on the 'Slayer' for a moment longer before he made his announcement. "I'm going to go test this before turning in for a couple of hours. See you in the morning."

[Doctor] Nightcrawlers (tag Faith, McKay, open)

Date: 2006-04-16 07:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] purplerhino.livejournal.com
"Night." The Doctor called after him, humor in his eyes. The man was just so easy to goad. Barely worth the effort, really. If it weren't so bloody amusing.

"So, deamon vampires? I've known a few alient species up for a good body swap. But Tara described a complete genetic overhaul. Knew a species of vampires... the originals if being the first means it, that passed on their thirst like that, like a disease. Don't know about the soul thing." The Doctor sort of slouched in his chair. "Wisdh I could offer you something to do to burn off that energy. Energy's too limited, though. However, You can take any of those weapons in the room you're in. The last owner would be glad to see them in the hands of someone who appriciates and can use them. You remind me of her a bit."

{Doctor] Nightcrawlers (tag Faith, open)

Date: 2006-04-17 01:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] purplerhino.livejournal.com
The Doctor's face fell, a sadness came over him, but he pushed through it. "Her name was Leela, and she was from your future, a far off world, though her ancestors were from Earth. Her people were... regressed, savage. But she was very intelligent, grasping ideas you would have though beyond her."

He gestured to the door, the bedrooms beyond. "She traveled with me for a few years. And she was a warrior. As her appriciation of weapons shows. Just be careful of the thorns in the second drawer of her dresser. Look like small raptor claws. Their very poisonous at the tip. The weapons are trophys or gifts, and that rat tail... you can imagine the size of the rat. When she left, she only took her favorite knife and one of those Janus thorns. She left to settle down and marry, have a child." The sadness was back, and the pain overcame the joy of her memory.

She had married a Gallifreyan, Andred, and bore the first naturally concieved child on his homeworld in... almost 900 years. They had sent young Tiala to Leela's homeworld when the war started. To be raised by the Sevateem, her tribe. A primative life was better than none at all. But he didn't know if the girl still lived. After all, her father had been wiped from history. Leela and Andred had burned with his homeworld.

"She enjoyed a good fight, much as I tried to show her diplomacy was often better. I think she would have liked you."

He stared into his barely touched coffee.

[Doctor] Nightcrawlers (tag Faith, open)

Date: 2006-04-17 11:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] purplerhino.livejournal.com
The Doctor chuckled at that. "Oh yes. I've seen the end of Earth. It's about five million years from now, if time stays on course. It was the first place I took Rose."

He shook his head with a kind of amused ruefulness. "Course all sorts of things went wrong on the viewing platform. Just made it mor interesting. Took her home and went for chips after. Let her decide if she really wanted this kind of life."

"If it's any consolation, by the time Earth dies, from the sun expanding, the people have all left. Spread all over the universe. Your kind are just beginning to explore.

"As for dinosaurs... not really much to see. No people, smells like lizard, and rather large chance of being eaten or stepped on."

Re: [Faith] Nightcrawlers (tag Doctor, open)

Date: 2006-04-17 06:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] purplerhino.livejournal.com
“To be honest, your safest bet would be going to the main camp. Like I said before, if you approach openly they’ll be a bit less wary. And if I send a note in a language only the camp leader, Doctor Daniel Jackson, Rodney and I really know, then you won’t have too much of a problem. I’d appreciate you not telling the whole camp about the TARDIS. Those able to accept it know what I am, those that can’t, think I’m a brilliant nutter, others only hear what they want. But a bunch of people talking bout my lovely ship and it could turn ugly. Either frightened people will panic, or they’ll get it into their heads that I’m holdin’ out and she isn’t really as low on power as she is.”

The Doctor considered. “There’s a woman there, Ripley. I think you’ll either really like each other or want to kill one another. She’s a hunter type. She also stalks the forest at night, loves runnin free in the woods. She’s smart, strong and fast. Likes a spot of violence now and then.”

[Doctor] Nightcrawlers (tag Faith, open)

Date: 2006-04-17 11:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] purplerhino.livejournal.com
"Wander all you want, just don't touch the controls on the Consol. And you're welcome to anything you can find. Rose has some of her own things here yet. I can't see you wandering around like Sheena." He grinned, he was also fairly certain Faith was shorter and differently built than Leela. "But there are a pair of rough leather pants in there, I think. For cooler temperatures. Can't speak for the fit."

The Doctor stood himself. He might not sleep, but he could find some rest in his own room. At least lose himself in a book.

July 2007

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