[Otherways] Arrival at Palasia Four

[just_the_doctor]

The hum of travel in the TARDIS ceases abruptly as the ship materializes at its destination.

The Doctor heads over to Padme's suite and knocks on the door.

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[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

And something makes her turn around. Some kind of disturbance in the Force.

"What's wrong?"

[just_the_doctor]

He squints in the direction he'd seen the flicker. "Thought I saw something."

And then, there it is again. Just behind a bush. He walks over in that direction. None of the park patrons seem to have noticed it or aren't paying any attention if they have.

When he gets close, he crouches down in front of it and leans forward...

... and promptly bangs his head on nothing.

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

Padme watches him before following him. Because no use getting lost or anything. Really now. Although, she blinks when he hits his head and there's nothing there. So rather than follow suit in what he'd done she reaches out with the Force to see exactly what was there. Or rather if it was human, animal or something else.

[just_the_doctor]

As Padme reaches out with the Force, the Doctor reaches out with his hand. They come to the same conclusion at about the same time. It's an invisible wall.

The Doctor slides his hand along the wall and down toward the flicker.

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

"Well, isn't that interesting..."

She reaches her own hand out and runs it along the invisible wall. Why in the world was there an invisible wall there?

[just_the_doctor]

The Doctor's hand moves over the flickering form. Whatever it is, it seems to be part of the wall.

"Yes, very interesting indeed," he murmurs.

He pulls back some of the bush to reveal a small metal box.

"Ah ha." The Doctor reaches into his pocket and pulls out -- what else? -- his sonic screwdriver. He fiddles with the settings a bit while holding it close to the little box.

A moment later, an entire section of the landscape changes. Between the bush they are near and another identical one about 50 yards down, the lush park landscape flickers and dims, revealing a barren wasteland.

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

Padme blinks when the image dies away and stares. This was... yeah, interesting indeed. Well... um... right then.

"I guess if my world was something like this I'd want to hide it away in something lush and beautiful too." A part of her thought of Tatooine, how it was covered in nothing but sand.

[just_the_doctor]

He stands up and steps back to Padme, staring at the desolation.

"But this isn't right," he says, aghast. "This planet is supposed to be lush and green! It's supposed to look like this park, not like that out there!"

"Hey! You there!" Apparently, the pair have attracted some attention of the... official capacity. Three men in security uniforms are rushing toward them.

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

Padme's hand immediate goes to her side. Because she's not much up on the whole officials bit. But she gives them a charming smile and uses the Force to keep them at bay for the moment.

"Yes?"

[just_the_doctor]

The Doctor spins around, smiling widely while surreptitiously putting a hand on the small of Padme's back.

The security men stop a safe distance from them, spreading out so that there's a guard on all sides except the wall behind them, pinning them in. "What do you think you're doing?" the senior officer barks.

The Doctor jerks a thumb over his shoulder toward the screen. "It was malfunctioning. I had to power it down so I can repair it."

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

"And you can't have something malfunctioning. It just wouldn't do."

She leans into the Doctor a bit pulling her hand away from her lightsaber. It wasn't like the guards could get to them anyways due to a Force wall in their way not that they could see it but Padme knew it was there.

[just_the_doctor]

"Then I'm going to need to see your work authorization," the guard says dubiously.

"Certainly!" the Doctor agrees, reaching slowing into his inside jacket pocket and pulling out what looks to be a small wallet. He flips it open and steps closer to show it to the guard. "There you are."

The guard looks it a moment, then visibly relaxes, waving a hand to the others, who also stand down. "Okay, but look, I don't know who sent you up here, but we don't bring the screens down while there are patrons. They don't want to see that! That's why they're here. Just... get it working again fast."

The guards scowl at the Doctor and Padme, but turn and head back to their posts.

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

"You know things could've gone far easier than that."

But Padme gives him a slight smile anyways.

"Now what?"

[just_the_doctor]

He headtilts at her.

"What? That wasn't easy?" He flashes her the little wallet, which contains nothing but a blank white piece of paper.

Then, he slips it back in his jacket and goes back to the control box. A few quick adjustments, and the idyllic park landscape reappears, without the telltale flicker in the corner.

"Now, we find out what happened here."

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

"It's blank. And actually I could've easily done something about all of that without us needing to prove anything." She states with a little smile.

[just_the_doctor]

"Yeah, it's blank," he says with a grin. "The paper's slightly psychic. It showed them what they wanted to see." Then, a little smirk. "You can handle the next bunch. Now, let's see if we can find a way out of here. You get a sense of what direction the park exit might be?"

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

Padme let her eyes look around as well as searching around with the Force. The park's exit. Hmm...

"There"

Yep, she's pointing off in an opposite direction than what they're standing.

[just_the_doctor]

"Hey, you're handy," the Doctor says, winking at her. He starts off in that direction, moving with a purpose now.

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

"Of course I'm handy Doctor"

[just_the_doctor]

"As much as I don't want to speak ill of friends," he says as they leave the park grounds and exit onto a wide walkway, "quite a few of my previous Companions have been... less than helpful at times."

The sky abruptly stops as they leave, and it becomes apparent that they are inside a massive domed structure enclosing the entire city.

"This is wrong. This is very, very wrong."

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

Padme follows him inside and blinks before tilting her head back and looking up.

"Well, first time for everything I suppose."

Then she looks at the Doctor. "Well, darling Doctor, I'm not them."

[just_the_doctor]

"No, you're not, Padme. And I'm happy to have you along."

He looks up and down the walkway.

"We need to find a library or archive or something."

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

"Hmm..."

She walks in front of him and takes his hand before leading him away from where they'd just entered and finds a door and opens it. Well... they'd get to find out what the room was.

[just_the_doctor]

The sign over the desk is in a strange curling language unfamiliar to the Doctor (and likely to Padme as well), but thanks to the TARDIS, it's understandable as saying 'Archival Room'.

The Doctor looks at Padme. "You're a little scary."

[darksithsenator.livejournal.com]

Padme raises a brow at that. Because that's the first time she's heard him say something like that.

"Why do you say that?"