HANDYSPLOSION [open to multiple]

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew is snooping, but he's not getting very far with it. The trouble with absurdly powerful, government-sanctioned entities is that getting inside the base of such an organization tends to be a bit more complicated than showing up with a forged Health and Safety ID card. Of course, he could probably get inside very easily if he simply went up to the front doors and announced himself, but somehow he doubts he'd be likely to come back out without making a grand production of escaping, and he doesn't want to be too late coming home and make James worry.

The other trouble with Romac is that they're too smart to have anything interesting going on outside. After quite a bit of loitering -- more loitering than is probably wise -- all Andrew's seen is fairly ordinary people going in and out of the building. Disgruntled at their failure to be even the least bit interesting, Andrew finally gives up in disgust and decides to walk to the rebel base in order to say hello to a few people and use their private library.

He makes it less than halfway to the park before disaster strikes. Later, Handrew will be mortally embarrassed that the crisis didn't come about because some Romac agent spotted him and decided to make trouble, or because he had to run to intercept an alien, or even because someone got it in their head to mug him. No, this disaster occurs simply because neither Andrew nor a certain speeding taxi driver happens to be looking in the right direction at the right time. As the meta-crisis steps out into the intersection of Lexington and 59th (against right of way, if he'd bothered to notice), there's a deafening screech, an impact, and Andrew quite unexpectedly shatters.

The reflex to use his power when surprised likely saves his life. Twelve tiny Andrews are scattered across the road a moment later, all of them stunned to one degree or another. As they recover and realize what's happened -- and hear the yells of a few people who saw -- they all take the same course of action:

Run.

Unfortunately, very few of them run in the same direction. There's no plan or pattern to it, and very quickly the Andrews scatter to the four winds -- or at least to the four corners of the intersection. There are a few shouts (even New Yorkers tend to notice when someone explodes next to them) and one person even stoops and tries to grab one of the four-inch-tall Andrews, but he has quite a bit of experience in running for cover.


[OOC: Let me know where you want to encounter one or more Andrews, and I will write up an explanation of how he got there. The accident occurred at E. 59th St. and Lexington Ave. (the game map might help you here), and the Andrews have gone in every direction. Some Andrews will take advantage of the nearby subway entrances; depending where he enters he could do as he intends and go northwest, or he could get on the wrong train and go northeast, which would take him past Romac housing. Really, anything is possible -- though he's trying to get to either the Rebels or the TARDIS, he could get lost in any direction, or stay stranded near the intersection. Just write a tag indicating where your character encounters an Andrew and I'll work it out (or you can PM me or ping me on AIM if you want to hammer it out together). He'll be staying in twelfths, since merging into sixths would make him a foot and a half high, meaning he'd be still too small to get around without trouble but too big to go unnoticed. There might be multiple Andrews traveling together, so let me know if you want two of them.]

UPDATE, November 14: Nine Andrews are accounted for so far. One Andrew each currently reserved for Lucy, Spike, and Topher, meaning no more Andrews are available.

Comments

[traken_master]

"AFRAID?" the Master growls, his hand tightening just a bit, but still constricting threateningly. "Nothing about you or are games has ever made me afraid, you arrogant fool! Frankly, finishing you off would be in my best interests, for the sake of my own peace of mind. I've been a fool to be so gentle with you!"

[bluesuit_handy]

Clearly that was the wrong thing to say. Andrew lets out a fearful little noise before he can stifle it, and wriggles fruitlessly against the Master's too-tight grip. "Please!" he yelped, forgetting his efforts to be calm, collected, and in control.

[traken_master]

There is much about the Master that is perverse and his moods are never exactly stable. The slight show of fear and the word please act as a salve and the Master chuckles, his grip relaxing. There are few things sweeter than breaking through the Doctor's facade.

"My apologies, my dear Doctor," the Master gloats. "It would be a terrible shame to end our little chat too soon.

[bluesuit_handy]

Shaken, Handrew glares up at the Time Lord. "You're outside your timeline," he says hoarsely, trying a different tack. "You shouldn't have even met this me yet."

[traken_master]

The Master shrugs.

"You're correct, of course, my dear, but the nasty rift in this city makes keeping our timelines separate nearly impossible, you must admit," the Master argued. "Unless, of course, you wish to let me do as I wish. If you're willing to turn a blind eye to my schemes, I could accomplish quite a lot."

[bluesuit_handy]

"By all rights, you shouldn't be my problem," mutters Andrew, more to himself than to the Master. It's doubly true; even if he were the Doctor, it ought to be a past incarnation dealing with this Master. "You know I can't do that," he adds exasperatedly.

[traken_master]

"I certainly know that you won't," the Master said, grinning smugly. "As for your past self, my dear Doctor, I'm certain he'll be glad to help you stop me, should he be so kind as to put in an appearance.?

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew scowls up at him. "What are you planning?" he asks bluntly. "You do realize that grabbing me and threatening to squeeze me to death isn't likely to keep me out of your business."

[traken_master]

"Threaten?" the Master purred. "I haven't threatened you, my dear, have I? I have no intention of 'squeezing you to death.' I would never inflict such a messy and ignoble death upon you."

[bluesuit_handy]

"So what is it going to be, then?" asks Andrew. He'd suggest a few cliche ideas, but frankly, he doesn't want to give the Master any inspiration.

[traken_master]

"Oh, we have plenty of time to make such decisions. First, though, I'm interested in hearing how you ended up in this situation."

[bluesuit_handy]

"...It's a long story. Boring, really. Put you right to sleep." Really, he could just admit that it's a rift power...except he doesn't really want the Master to know there are more of him running about, lest the Time Lord should attempt to catch them.

[traken_master]

"Hm. In other words, it's either embarrassing to you or there is something about your circumstance that you do not want me to take advantage of," the Master deduced, grinning. "You remain predictable, my dear Doctor."

[bluesuit_handy]

There's truth to both those guesses, but perhaps Andrew can direct him onto just one of them. "I'm not embarrassed," he says hotly. "It could happen to anyone. It happened to you, didn't it?"

[traken_master]

"Indeed it did, Doctor, and you weren't very sympathetic," the Master reminded him. "But, let's forget the past, for the moment. Let's talk about this place we're trapped in. Rifts aren't usually so powerful."

[bluesuit_handy]

"...No," agrees Andrew, giving the Master a doubtful look. Is that it? Has he really dropped the subject? He doesn't seem to be dropping Andrew along with it. "They're not."

[traken_master]

"So, tell me what you've learned. I know you haven't been here, without learning anything of significance."

[bluesuit_handy]

"Ah." Now, this is a bit awkward. Andrew had kept up his efforts at scanning for a little while until the TARDIS had pointed out that his homemade scanner was terrible and made him all self conscious about it. Without the TARDIS herself to help him (not that she wouldn't have been willing; it just seems awkward), he hasn't actually got that much done about it.

Drawing in a long breath, he gives the Master a cock-eyed look. "If I knew anything, do you think the rift would still be open and I'd still be here?"

[traken_master]

The Master frowns, nodding slowly. He can accept that, because it's true. The Doctor wouldn't hesitate to close the rift and leave, going off on further adventures.

"My dear Doctor, we can not remain here indefinitely. Even if I were to conquer this place, that would leave the rest of the universe in a state of chaos!"

[bluesuit_handy]

"The universe gets on perfectly well without your interference," scoffs Andrew, perhaps unwisely. "Now, are you going to put me down? Only it's getting a little hard to breathe down here."

[traken_master]

"Ah? And do you think it is getting along as well without yours?" the Master asked, smugly. "You are it's grand champion, after all. I'm no where near ready to release you, my dear Doctor. Your conversation is so stimulating."

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew scowls, realizing he opened himself up for that. It's more of a sore point than the Master will realize, given that Andrew has been quite useless to the universe since before coming here. "I don't have to talk to you," he decides, crossing his arms.

[traken_master]

"Oh, do be stubborn, my dear Doctor," the Master encouraged. "It will give me an opportunity to use methods of persuading you to be more reasonable."

[bluesuit_handy]

It flashes into Andrew's head that biting the Master really might improve his situation. Unfortunately, those gloves of his are in the way. Instead, he just glowers at the Time Lord and settles into a sullen, stubborn silence. He means it. He really does.

"I mean it," he grumbles, unable to actually keep silence.

[traken_master]

"I'm sure you do," the Master agrees, chuckling. He stands up. "I think we'll move this to more secure quarters. I need time to decide your fate."