Eighth Rift

[chronosexual]

WHAT: Jack's Dreamscape
WHO: Jack Harkness and anyone who wants to join. The more the merrier.
WHEN: Nighttime, Thurs-Sun

The location is not immediately identifiable, and rather lonesome, though the warmth of the light from the computers and desk lamps gives off an adequate glow by which to see. It appears to be some kind of underground facility with some impressive technology and... was that a pteranodon that just came soaring overhead? It doesn't matter, it flew out of sight anyhow. One of the computers appeared to be linked to a few CCTV camera feeds and had been left running by its operator. There were no signs of life, save for the flying beast and the light coming from the office up the stairs and over the catwalk. There is much to explore in this dream. Or is it a memory? Is there a difference?

Comments

[orphan-moon.livejournal.com]

"What the Hell?" Shiniro asked the echoing bunker, but not expecting much of answer. Unless flying dinosaurs could talk, which would make just as much sense as the rest of this shit.

Something was going wrong with his brain, that was for sure. He'd never imagined shit like this in his dreams before. He almost never had anything halfway like that lucid dreaming shit. Matter of fact, he never had anything but nightmares these days. Almost enough to make him miss all the crazy, awkward dreams he'd had when he moved into the dorms and first started using his Persona, years ago.

Whatever this meant, it probably wasn't that bad as a change. Unless it meant he had a brain tumor or something like that.

[chronosexual]

Nightmares? There's plenty of fodder for those lurking around here. From back in one of the corners there appeared to be a tunnel from which a deep agitated groan came alongside the sound of footsteps. From over the railings and pieces of strange, but very expensive-looking equipment, a strange figure can be seen. At first glance it might have been easy to confuse it with a man on account of its bald head and blue jumpsuit, though its shuffling feet and hunched stance might have given it away. The creature pauses, appearing to sniff the air before its eyes lock onto Shinjiro and it gives an unholy bellow of a roar. The creature moves quickly, leaping over railings and machines with ease, its large teeth glinting from the light. Whatever it is, it's hungry.

[orphan-moon.livejournal.com]

Shinjiro wasn't one to back down from a fight. He bellowed right back at the creature, his voice an angry snarl.

"All right, asshole! You want some? You got it!" He reaches out to one of the nearby computer terminals and wrenches at the post beneath it, tearing the length of metal out of its socket with a flash and sizzle of disrupted wires and circuitry. He holds it out at his side, like an improbable, oversized baseball bat in a loose, one-handed grip. With his other hand, he fishes in his pocket and produces a strange-looking handgun.

"One chance," he says. "You wanna think about this again?"

[chronosexual]

The noise from the terminal being torn apart seems to startle the creature and it roared its response, sizing up its opponent. It didn't seem to mind the weapons so much, or really know what they were. The creature hunched and gave another roar before launching into a full sprint toward his prey and then leaping into the air, gnashing its large, eager teeth and brandishing its claws.

But as it flew through the air, a gunshot from above was sent through the side of the creature's neck and it roll to the ground, twitching mostly harmlessly. The man who fired the gun hurried down the steps from his office, curiously eying the newcomer. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" he asked, clearly not playing around.

[orphan-moon.livejournal.com]

"I'm just a lost fucking kid," Shinjiro snaps back, nettled. "What the fuck does it matter?" He eyes the gun a moment, then shrugs and drops the torn support strut to the floor; and slowly, carefully tucks the gun back into his voluminous coat pockets. "Shinjiro Aragaki. Unless this is in Japan somewhere, nobody at all is going to give a shit about that name, and even there you'd have to get lucky. And I don't know how I got in here. So, are you gonna shoot me or what?"

In someone else, this sullen snarl would be a very convincing tough guy act, but with Shinjiro, it's simpler, and boils down to two things. The first is: he doesn't act. The second is that he doesn't act because he doesn't really give a shit whether the jackass shoots him or not, so why should he bother sucking up?

[chronosexual]

Jack eyed Shinjiro with an arched eyebrow, studying the boy for a long moment. It was improbable that any ordinary kid would be able to make it down here on his own, much less have the sack to threaten a weevil like that. He looked to Jack like he was quite brave... or maybe just that stupid. Either way, he wasn't sympathetic. "Sorry, but I don't buy it," he said firmly, "You don't just get 'lost' this far underground." He then looked down to the weevil that was struggling to hold onto life and pointed his gun toward it. "You know what this is, kid?"

[orphan-moon.livejournal.com]

"Ugly," Shinji said promptly. There was a pause as he looked at it.

"Dying," he said. "So either shoot it dead or patch it up, but I ain't having this conversation while anyone or anything bleeds out in front of me."

[mrspond.livejournal.com]

Rory peers around, eyes growing wide. He pauses for a second, before exclaiming, to the room at large, "So, this is...a bit weird."

[chronosexual]

And just behind him, a heavy gear-like door was rolling to the side, and practically tumbling through was Jack and unmistakably another man, each struggling and clawing at one another to rend the other's clothes from his body. It wasn't until Jack's shirt was deposited on the floor and his mouth practically glued to the other man's neck that Jack's partner froze and met the sight of Rory. "Jack?" said the Welshman, "I think we've got company."

In a somewhat irritated fashion, Jack reluctantly pulled his mouth from around his partner's neck and detached his hands from his belt. It took him a moment to recognize Rory, but when he did so, a curious smile crossed his face. "Rory Williams. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

[mrspond.livejournal.com]

"Oh!" Rory ineffectively waved his hands in front of his face, before finally just covering his eyes.

"Um, I didn't realize--wow, I'm sorry--I just--" and he went on, babbling not even to the new occupants of the room, but really more to himself, before finally pausing at Jack's prompting.

"I'm not...actually sure. But hello?"

Rory peeked from between his fingers, then hastily closed the gap again.

[chronosexual]

Jack laughed to himself when Rory covered his face like that. What was he, a teenage girl walking into a boy's locker room? It was unspeakably adorable, though. "This dream keeps getting better and better."

With a coy smile on his face, Jack stepped forward to meet Rory, gently taking hold of his wrists and pulling his hands away from his face. "Never seen you in one of these kinds of dreams before, but I'm willing to make do." Jack gave Rory a playful little wink and leaned in for a kiss.

[mrspond.livejournal.com]

Rory stood frozen for a few seconds, but managed to gather his wits at the last moment. Jack's kiss skated over his cheek.

He extricated himself from Jack's grasp, and took a step back. He heaved a breath as though gearing himself up for a big speech, but all he said was, "Uh." Then, "I am married, you know? And not into men besides. What sort of dream is this?"

[chronosexual]

Jack seemed almost genuinely surprised when Rory pulled away, eying Rory quizzically. He took a look over his shoulder to his his adorable coffee boy who merely shrugged. "Well, what kind of dream do you think it is?" Jack asked with a smile. "It's my dream, isn't it? Funny, though. I don't usually get resistance like that in my dreams. But then I don't usually get you in my dreams either. Guess this isn't a normal dream." He snapped his fingers in disappointment. "Damn. But then again, if it didn't really happen, is it really cheating?"

[neverstops]

Honestly, the Master had no idea how he wound up in this bizarre workspace. The giant rolling door had stood open and his curiosity drew him in through it. He did not really pay much heed to the large prehistoric animal flying around. It was the computer monitors that caught his interest.

Standing near the empty computer chair, he tapped out queries on the keyboard, hacking his way into the various systems with an almost bored disinterest. Human technology was so simple minded at times. The CCTVs were a familiar sight and he navigated through them a while before digging through files on catalogued alien technologies. Someone had been collecting them, unsurprisingly. In the back of his mind, he knew this must be Torchwood. That little team he had sent scampering off on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas. He was secretly impressed with their collection.

For humans, they had not done too terrible a job of it.

[chronosexual]

In an instant there was cold metal pressed hard against the back of The Master's skull and the unmistakable click of the hammer being drawn on a handgun. Its owner gave him a moment to repent before he spoke in a cold voice that was trying so hard to suppress its rage. "What. Are you doing here?" it asked as the gun bored itself more aggressively against The Master's head. "More importantly, how did you get in here? Former Prime Minister or not, this is NOT a place where you belong."

[neverstops]

The Master froze at the sound of the click, his eyes sliding closed as the owner of the voice registered in his mind. His hearts skipped a few beats as he took a slow steadying breath. Of course he would be here. If this was Torchwood; that only made sense. That cold metal was a very firm anchor for his thoughts and he swallowed again, steeling his nerves before he replied. Any word could bring a very sudden and final end to whatever thoughts he had.

"The door was open." A fairly neutral reply. No shake in his voice yet, though there was a shake in his nerves. He had every reason to feel that this encounter would end badly. 365 days worth of reasons.

[chronosexual]

Jack's icy glare bored straight into the back of The Master's head. "Door was open? I don't buy it." He gripped the back of the chair and spun The Master round, digging the barrel of his pistol directly into his forehead. Jack was very, very unhappy. "What nerve do you think you have, marching into MY place and stealing info from MY team?" Jack had to take a moment to steady himself and his overeager hand, whose finger was practically twitching on the trigger. "Given that, and everything else you've done, give me one very, VERY good reason why I shouldn't paint Tosh's desk with your brains."

[neverstops]

The world of dreams and nightmares had an uncomfortable effect on the Master that he loathed nearly as much as the drums. It was the place he had banished his conscience to, to avoid listening to it in his waking hours. Now faced with the very real, very bloody series of memories of his time on the Valiant and how uselessly futile the entire year had been, he grimaced. It wasn't just the fact that the year never happened. It was that, through all of it, the rise to power, the death, the destruction, even the screaming, the drums had never stopped. The distractions had been welcome, but had done nothing to cease the noise in his head. The sound he had decided was a call to war.

"I have no use for your little team's information. There is nothing here I did not already know." He glanced up at Jack's anger filled eyes before looking away, unable to face the reminders. Yes. This was clearly a dream. If it had been real life, his words would have resulted in almost certain death, but here in the world of nightmares he was forced to face the consequences of his choices. It wasn't fair. Maybe if Jack shot him, he could wake up and be done with it.

"If you want me dead, what are you waiting for? Do it already." He closed his eyes, listening to the drumming, waiting for the shot to come. "

[chronosexual]

"Come on, sweetheart," Jack teased, giving a smartass little grin, "You spent how much time with me and you still don't know me that well? For shame." Jack huffed and released some of the pressure from where the gun was digging into the Time Lord's skull. "Besides, wouldn't want you to get out so easily." He took a cautionary step back, for even though The Master was unarmed, Jack knew better than to threaten a Time Lord. That was typically very, very bad business.

"You haven't answered my question yet. You just.. decided to pop into Torchwood unannounced, start sifting through files all because 'the door was open'? What are you really getting at?"

[jenratedanomaly]

Everything about the hub was a new and fascinating find for Jenny. So long as she was alone in the tall expanse of computers and strange alien artifacts, she wandered with child-like fascination, touching everything with a brush of her hands. Occasionally picking an oddity up to turn it around in her hands. Working her way to the small medical bed in the lower section she picked up an odd looking little scanner device, twisting the knob curiously.

If anyone else was around besides the pteranodon they would be met with the sound of something exploding and a very short, startled shriek of surprise. Setting it quickly down, she put her hands behind her back, leaving the smoldering mess of a coffee mug behind her as she headed back up the stairs. Oops.

[chronosexual]

Waiting for her at the top of those stairs was Jack with a very amused smile on his face, like watching children play with toys. "You shouldn't just pick up and play with everything you find in here, young lady," he teased, "There's a lot of things in here that could easily kill you. And have killed before." He looked her over a moment checking for... injuries. yeah. injuries. "You're not hurt, are you?" he asked, taking her hand and looking it over before placing a very gentlemanly kiss against her knuckles.

[jenratedanomaly]

Jenny smiled sheepishly at Jack, thankfully without injury despite her penchant for finding trouble. Another trait she had inherited from her father. Trouble seemed to follow her around. Jack's little kiss one her knuckles drew a happy little laugh from the young Time Lady.

"I'm fine, Jack. Sorry about your coffee mug, though. Think it has seen a few better days, yeah?"

[chronosexual]

Oh that bashful little giggle. Always the best part of wooing the ladies. "It's fine. It was Ianto's. I don't think he'll mind if it's gone missing. Just means he gets to use mine." He gave a playful wink and started heading away from the medical bay. "So? Whatcha think? Been a while since I've had anyone from The Doctor's circle of friends come visit. Welcome to Torchwood."

[jenratedanomaly]

The bright and cheery smile so natural to Jenny returned at that reassurance and she laughed, running around the hub to splash into the odd little pool of water near the base. She loved this place. It was amazing.


It's absolutely brilliant. I love it." Her reply was unabashedly honest as she pulled herself up over the railing the way only trained gymnasts should be able to, landing gracefully on her feet and leaning back on it.

"This is where you live?"

[chronosexual]

Jack laughed and moved over to watch her play in the pool. She was a remarkable creature, he had to admit. Every bit as spunky as The Doctor, but with a hint of cheeky feminine wile. "Well, I wouldn't say I live here... but with as much time as I spend here, I may as well. I certainly sleep here often enough."