poly_chromatic | 0.05 gigawatts ⇒ video / action ⇒ [glass city]

[The device had been on standby, close at hand in case of an emergency, nestled in the center console of the DeLorean, behind the gearshift and in front of the switch for the time circuits. And there it stayed, stable and secure, as the car and the little trailer designed for it had headed out into the desert, looking for anyone else who needed to be picked up.

It stayed there when the sandworm raised out of the dunes behind them, and it stayed there as Doc slammed down on the accelerator. It stayed as the sandworm increased its speed in turn, and the car bounced over dunes as quickly as it could manage without risking the trailer. It stayed there as Doc floored it on flat terrain, pulling away as the sandworm tried to close in.

It stayed there when the increasingly overworked engine pushed the car to 125 miles per hour, but it did not stay there when the passengers emerged on the other side - and found that they no longer had a car and a trailer, but rather a pile of sand.

And it's when the car dissolves into sand that the video function is activated, as the device goes skittering from the momentum. Doc Brown, for his part, is scarcely on the ground for a moment before he leaps to his feet, staring around his surroundings in obvious alarm, surveying the trail of sand left in the car's trajectory, and immediately throwing his hands into his hair, twisting it in his fingers as he shrieks.]

[ooc: action for the folks along for the ride <3]

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[The sandworm had been terrifying, and if not for Doc and the car.... Ken feels a swell of pained empathy as he stares down at the sand that had once been the vehicle. He would likely lose it if his Digivice turned to sand. He gives Doc a worried look, unsure what to even say. What do you say to that? 'Sorry you did that wonderful thing for us and saved us and now your car is sand?' Yeah. No.]

Are you.... Are you gonna be okay?

[He's still staring... thirty years of work gone, the single vision that his life had been devoted to. In a way, it's ironic: he did come to terms with the thought that time travel would be too risky in the wrong hands, and he did intend to destroy the time machine. But now not only is he stranded here without what he had thought of as his way out, the car is gone and Marty is still in 1955.

So he's, perhaps understandably, distraught. And when he stops screaming, it's a few long moments before his hands drop from his hair. And a few more before he responds, hollowly.]

... fine. I'll be fine.

[Considering all of that? Yeah...Ken's not buying Doc's words.]

Are you sure?

[A worried look.]

And, thank you, for that. We would be in that worm's stomach if you hadn't sped up as you did.

[You may be right there, Ken. But it's not as if he can do anything about what's done. Now that he's done screaming and gone gravely stoic, he passes over the question.]

Of course... I could hardly have allowed us all to be reduced to prey for the worm.

[Ken knows there's nothing to be done about it, and he feels the weight of it. This was the price for saving them? It's too cruel.]

.... Of course. [There really is no way to console at this time.] If you need anything, let me know.

[For now, he just stays there. Silent company is better than nothing at such a time, right?]

[It is some time before Doc turns to him, tearing his eyes away from the pile of sand. His tone is still not right - far too quiet and subdued, lacking any of his usual animation or feeling.]

I am glad you're all right.

[Though, the sentiment is genuine enough that he feels the need to say it.]

[The lack of it doesn't go unnoticed by the kid, and he looks down at the ground, shuffling his feet uncomfortably for a second.]

That's only because of you. [He tactfully doesn't keep on 'you and your car'.]

I'm glad all of us are okay, too, though.

[And Doc nods, simply. With a bit of effort a small, reassuring smile does work its way onto his face.]

That's what's important.

Yes.... [But so was the car.]

And we're back in a safer place, as well.

Maybe we should warn others...about what coming through that barrier will do?

Yes. Yes, we certainly should.

[He'll build another time machine, somehow; he's already working on a plan for that.]

This phenomenon is a most troubling development.

[If he knew of that, Ken would want to help, in whatever small way he could, just to witness it.]

Then they will at least know what will happen. I'm sure in most cases they will still choose to make the trip, though. [Though, Ken's not so certain for himself. Now that he knows, he's glad Judith and Ba'ul never made it through earlier.]

[ The Doctor gets to his feet, spitting sand irritably. He does a quick personal inventory -- nothing broken, which is good. But the car -- the time-traveling car -- it's gone. Just sand. He stares at the pile for a moment, anger flashing in his eyes, or frustration. He'd been hoping they could get that working and find a way out of here. But now it's just dust, nothing, worthless. Had this happened to other people? Why hadn't they said anything?

Doc Brown is expressing his anger rather loudly. The Doctor just clenches his fists furiously for a moment. He doesn't know what to say. Finally he speaks, voice hoarse. ]

We broke through to the safe side.

[ At least there's that...? ]

[It takes a while before he glances over to The Doctor, his hands falling to the side as he shakes his head slowly. He'd been counting on getting out using the time machine as well; even more importantly in his mind, his friend and assistant is currently stranded in 1955.

This might be the first time he's been this subdued since arriving in the City, his voice bizarrely quiet.]

Indeed we have.

Edited 2012-02-26 02:04 (UTC)

[ The Doctor kicks the sand in frustration, not caring if any of it gets into his shoes. He's used to the small irritation of it all the time by now. Eventually he'll realize he should take a bath, but the thought is far away right now. ]

Didn't know that was possible. The barriers between the worlds must be in flux. Not a good sign.

[ He's grim. ]

[He's returned to staring at the sand, unmoving, eyes wide and brow heavy. But he latches onto that statement, eager for a different topic.]

I was aware of the controlled migration, of course, which was a far less worrisome prospect. This unintentional crossing over, on the other hand, and the consequences thereof...

[Well. They speak for themselves, don't they?]

If solid objects are already disintegrating, we might be too late to do something about it.

[ He pulls the sonic screwdriver from his pocket and passes it over the sand pile, frowning at whatever information this gives him. ] Can't even tell it was a car once. This is bad.

[Doc watches The Doctor's movements with the sonic screwdriver with a bit of interest. He shakes his head at the news, frowning.]

Is that completing a molecular analysis?

Among other things. [ He puts it back in his pocket. ] It's just sand. If I didn't know better I'd say that it had always been sand. I wonder what the process was. [ He frowns. ]

[And in turns, Doc's frown deepens.] Whatever process this is, if it's capable of change this extensive on such a level, it could pose an incredible risk to individuals crossing over. Certainly if this is a situation that's deteriorating.

[ The Doctor nods. ] I might go down to the transport zone and poke around a bit. See if anything like this is happening there.

[ Maybe the deities have a way around this problem, but he really doubts it. ]

[One minute Frankie's twisted around, trying his damnedest to shoot the sandworm-- no easy feat between the bouncing of the trailer and the beast's weaving, and as far as he can tell the shots that do connect just piss the thing off.

The next minute, he's lying in a big pile of sand, spitting it out, and wondering what the hell just happened.

Also, why someone is screaming.]

0.05 gigawatts ⇒ video / action ⇒ [glass city]

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