Ask Some Questions, Get Some Answers (?)

[airlockedmods]

[The Stardust Nebula is a large cloud, sprawling pink and purple across the dark void of space as you approach. There are no planets here, not even a planetoid, but that hardly means it’s devoid of life. Kip will easily be able to navigate to the place in question, a small collection of interconnected spaceports orbiting near the edge of one of the nebula’s hazy, rose-tinted tendrils. Floating signs hooked to these advertise “AIRLOCKED! Q&A”, with arrows leading towards what appears to be a convention center. A dome encloses the area, much like the one around the Fantasy Sweet, but there does not appear to be any kind of security restrictions on the port; it will open as soon as any ship pulls up to it.

Inside, there aren’t too many inconspicuous places to park your weird flotilla of offensively-shaped ships. You may just have to settle for the back of the docks, behind a large news van or something like that, and consider not sticking around the entire time. Getting inside was a quick process, so you shouldn’t have any trouble doing it again, especially with a military navigator staying with the ship. A line has already formed in front of the entrance, at least partially due to the scanners flanking the door. A large weirdly baby-faced alien in some type of uniform is standing there, apparently manning the machine, checking peoples’ belongings, and generally directing them. There’s an unfamiliar symbol on their uniform, clearly not the InterGal 7 logo. Despite being alone, they seem to be handling the line fairly efficiently - even if they occasionally appear to intentionally loom over some of the smaller aliens attempting to enter. There are a few cosplayers among the crowd, of course, but this time the majority are in plainclothes.

Some people are skipping this line and walking around to the back of the building. They’re all wearing or carrying badges, which do have the InterGal 7 logo on them.

For the moment, no one seems to have taken notice of your arrival.]

Comments

[stitch_in_time]

[Are they being menaced by a Wookiee.]

[Chewie, how could you.]

[...but more importantly, is that insignia one the Doctor would recognize?]

[thesciencemind]

[Nope.]

...yes. [Yl'lb hesitates for only a second, taking a careful step away from the guard as he turns to make his reply.] I believe they've sneaked in. If you could please remove them?

[He smiles, though the line of his back is stiff and tense, before he turns to walk with long, quick strides away from the entire affair. As he passes Yurika, he whispers to her:]

Call a lawyer.

[stitch_in_time]

[Whatever's on that tablet is important, he's sure. He's got the sonic in easy reach, in his pocket. He could set off the fire systems, grab the tablet and run... or shut it off remotely, cancel out whatever it's doing with the stage show, then do the same.]

[But the others are still out there. Church is still here, somewhere backstage.

[They really should've had some kind of signal set up for this besides just screaming. Regardless, they need more time.]

Right to the lawyers? That ought to be interesting. You're willing to legally stand behind what they've got you doing, then? Or did they tell you not to worry about that part of the fine print in your contract. Y'really need to read that stuff carefully, Yl'lb, smart boy like you should know what you're actually doing, legally.

[ratherdoweddings]

[Yurika gives a nervous laugh and nods.]

He's got a point. There's more behind this... Though wait, just one thing. If you weren't waiting for us, then what were you waiting for?

[stitch_in_time]

She's right, might as well say it now. Whatever NDA they made you sign won't matter once you're under oath, and I can guarantee that this'll escalate that far anyway.

1/2

[thesciencemind]

[The reaction is immediate: Yl'lb sucks in a sharp gasp, blanching like he's just been slapped in the face.]

You... [It comes out of him in a shocked breath. He'd relaxed for a second there...]

2/2

[thesciencemind]

[...now that's over.]

Get them out. [He signals to the guard, who is about to grab the Doctor and Yurika both. In a lower tone, he adds:]

You're that willing to stand behind what she did? She will turn on you the second it's convenient. Don't you dare come to me when she does.

[And he turns on his heel and stalks off. Bye, motherfuckers.]

[stitch_in_time]

Who's she-

[And. This is happening.]

[The Doctor spares a second's glance over at the last place he saw Church, hoping he was paying some kind of attention.]

Ah. Well. Yurika, looks like we'll have to wait to see Dr. Ein's work later. For now-

[He draws out the sonic, pointing it at the TV displaying the event and blasting a frequency that should cause it -only it, hopefully- to short out rather spectacularly.]

RUN-

[And grabbing at Yurika's hand and, in grand Timelord tradition, legging it away from the hulking maybe-Wookiee.]

[airlockedmods]

[Luckily, Yl'lb has already vanished through a backstage door, because security has a definite reaction to the TV shorting out.

It is not a friendly reaction.]

STOP! [The maybe-Wookie is charging after you. He is entirely willing to tackle both of you to the ground if he comes within range.]

[stitch_in_time]

[Wow, a not-friendly reaction from a giant alien. Such a novel situation. What will he do.]

[....he'll fucking KEEP RUNNING is what he'll do.]

[ratherdoweddings]

Got it!

[Yurika runs with him, hoping they know where they're going.]

Who do you think he meant? E.P.?

[airlockedmods]

[The not-Wookie is not the only security guard, and you'll find that both the exits are blocked off in short order. It looks like Church managed to get out the way Yl'lb went, just in time, but you're not gonna be able to follow easily.]

[stitch_in_time]

[Well, they want to keep security AWAY from Church, so immediately following probably isn't a good idea anyway.]

[In the probably less-than-a-few-seconds available to them, what exactly is the layout of this place like?]

[ratherdoweddings]

We can't get near the crowd. There are too many innocent people there.

[airlockedmods]

[You have the exterior door you entered through, and a door off to the side that Yl'lb went into. Both are guarded. Other than that, the only exit points are the wings, but they're still pretty congested with people - even if a lot of those are swarming away as the commotion becomes louder.

There is a couch back here, and a table set up near the door Yl'lb entered. It's got something that looks like sound equipment laid out on it. Other than that, there isn't much.]

[stitch_in_time]

Yurika, the door-! BREAK!

[And releasing her hand, hoping she goes somewhere not immediately guarded. The Doctor's gonna just-]

LOOK AT ME, I'M A STUPID TARGET!

[Take a second to taunt the Security Wookiee before running for that table of sound equipment, screwdriver in hand. Because you know what sonic waves are really good at? Audio feedback.]

[stitch_in_time]

Maybe? We'll have to find out later-

[motherfucking_ghost]

[There's only so much watching the stage from the sidelines and trying to gather as many details without letting himself be read like a fucking newspaper. Of course he's kept an eye on the others out of the corner of his eye, and it looks like things have gone from bad to worse. They got themselves caught. Fuck.

When he looks back out at the stage, Team Audience is going through the line. The Doctor and Yurika are caught, but nobody's gotten him yet. He still has a chance to help, or...ffffffff--

But the Doctor's got a plan. He can see them talking to the Blue Man Group Member and see that look and he knew they'd wanted to see what he was fucking with on his tablet, and he can put two and two to get four right up to when the Doctor explodes the tv and books it.

It means that there's momentary chaos for anyone in the room or near it, and it means that him scampering off out of the way won't be seen as odd, and it means that security is going after the two anyway. Whenever he gets through the door the Scientist Salarian went out, he's going full tilt after any trace of the guy. Where'd he get at?]

[thesciencemind]

[Yl'lb hasn't gone very far. Just into the hallway outside, in fact, where he's leaning back against the wall and taking some deep breaths. As the door opens, he startles upright. The tablet is no longer floating; he's grabbed it out of the air and is now holding it.]

Hello, who are you?

[motherfucking_ghost]

Friend of the 'cast'. [Those airquotes are audible. He's trying to keep calm and keep to not revealing himself straightaway. We'll see how long that lasts. The phrase the Doctor had used was see Dr. Ein's work. Presumably this is Dr. Ein, and presumably his work is the tablet of Shiny Things They Want To See.]

I'm not going to hurt you, but I'm going to need to see that. [Nice and calm. He holds out his hand. Be cool.] Don't raise any alarm, and I'll be on my way.

[thesciencemind]

The "cast"...

[Yl'lb starts to back off, putting both hands around the tablet and holding it closer to his body.]

Do you mean the cast, or is it really the network?

[motherfucking_ghost]

I'm with people who are trying to take down the assholes ruining lives in the network. Do you have any idea what they've been doing? To real people, to the people on their shows?

[thesciencemind]

...I see. You're with that guy out there, aren't you?

[He nods towards the door they just came through.]

He let me know exactly how much you care about real people. I'm not going to listen to any more of this. Try telling him.

[theoverseers]

[And that was when Church got bodyslammed into the wall by a barista. Bolton seems to weigh a lot more than you'd think.

As this happens, Yl'lb turns and flees. Nice attempt at mugging a senior citizen, though?]

[motherfucking_ghost]

I'm a real--

[He sure does not get the rest of his little 'but I'm a Real Boy too :(' speech out before he gets fucking rammed by a mack truck into a wall, what the fuck.]

YOU SCRAWNY MOTHERFUCKER I AM TRYING TO HELP! [Yes, Church, that's what you should use whatever breath you've got left in you to shout.]