Video: When Props Attack

[timesbureaucrat]

[The communicator comes on with the sound of a hard crack, like the buttons are being smacked instead of pushed. The communicator bounces with the force of the blow.

On the screen, Narvin is looking wild-eyed and hair askew. He swears in Gallifreyan and runs a frustrated hand over his head.

Well, now that the communicator is on, he might as well explain.]

One of those vile pests has got into my room. If there's an exterminator around, I would pay good emeralds to see the blasted thing put out of my misery. I last saw it disguising itself as a communicator, but where or what it is now...

[He scans the room, sees something moving out of the corner of his eye.]

No don't--! [And runs off chasing after the Prop, communicator still on, but left on the table.]

Comments

[tawarwaith]

[There is only the tiniest nod of her head as she glances around her room, trying to hunt out the object that is misplaced and therefore the Prop.]

Looks like neither option is working too well. I dare not use my weapons in my room for fear of doing worse harm than good.

[Because having to explain arrows sticking out of walls and things slashed with daggers is totally something she wishes to do right now.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[Narvin just barely keeps himself from shouting out "Stop that underwear!" but his mental filter realizes just in time how it would come across. So instead he just joins the chase next to Visscher, pursuing the pants that are galloping swiftly down the corridor.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[He huffs a frustrated breath and runs his hands through his thinning hair.]

At this point, I'm almost ready to give up my room as hopelessly overtaken by the enemy and just blow it up as I retreat, and to hell with the damage.

[He's joking. Probably.]

[frontier_doktor]

[Visscher is good at running away from things, but not after them. As he's just about to close in on them a room door opens and he manages to fumble right into the Andorian man that comes out- after the underwear ramps off of him to fly delicately through the air, of course.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[Narvin tries to skid to a stop to avoid running into the tangle of German and Andorian, but momentum is not on his side and he slams into them both.]

[tawarwaith]

[Don't mind her horrified expression.]

Is that not uncalled for? They are indeed annoying pests, but why harm the resort? I am certain we might come up with a more natural and less destructive solution.

[frontier_doktor]

[Said Andorean is the quickest to get up, and he looks fit to chase them the other way.]

Your room. Let the underwear go- [Visscher does not want to face the wrath of this angry man.]

[thumbsdown]

Could try to help you catch it, if you want. Or I could try shooting it. Never seen one of those things though, not sure exactly how fast they move.

[Very fast, by the sounds of it. Boone can be quick, though. He just hopes he's quick enough to catch a prop. If those things get into his home, he'll need to be fast if he wants to get rid of them again. Rex is faster, but he doesn't really want this to turn into him chasing Rex chasing something important down the street.]

[timesbureaucrat]

It's worth a shot. [Pun not intended and Narvin doesn't even realize that he made one.] I'm a fair hand with a staser, but I'm not a sharp shooter.

[timesbureaucrat]

I'm open to ideas.

[Narvin himself is at his wits end. He's more used to problems that he could deal with by either killing, blackmailing, or erasing from the timeline. Pests like this are uncommon in the protective dome of the Capitol.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[Narvin scrambles to his feet. He's loath to let his underwear go wandering free, but the Andorian does look very angry, and Narvin doesn't want to get into a fist fight that he'd most certainly lose.]

Discretion is the better part of--

[He doesn't finish the sentence because he's too busy running back to his room.]

[frontier_doktor]

[Visscher presses his back against the wall by the door and closes his eyes]. Well that's unpleasant. [He says, shaking it off a surge of fear even though really, the big warrior had only looked angry. He hadn't come after them (but to him it wasn't worth the risk).]

I apologize for that.

[timesbureaucrat]

[Narvin is breathing heavily from the double sprint up and then back down the hallway. He waves aside the apology.]

Not your fault the blasted thing chose the most humiliating of all possible options to mimic.

...

Well, perhaps not the most humiliating, but certainly high on the list.

[thumbsdown]

Should I bring Rex? If I can't catch it, he might be able to. Can't guarantee he won't break something, though.

[The pun goes right over Boone's head, too.]

[ewestmarch]

By all means then, keep doing whatever this is. I think it's starting to work.

[frontier_doktor]

At least they know you're respectably modest? [Visscher gives him a bright one-sided smile.] They could have been a thong.

[tawarwaith]

...Ah... well perhaps we can trick them into a cage of some sort? Or barring that, find an animal who is good at sniffing them out I am certain they've a scent that is all their own, no matter their appearance.

[This was a place of damn near magical science, so her hopes were high.]

[timesbureaucrat]

Entirely thanks to your generous "help," I'm sure. [He says with bitter snark.]

[timesbureaucrat]

He can hardly make the situation worse. At this point, I'll try anything.

[Even letting an animal in his room.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[Narvin's eye twitches at the idea of ever wearing a thong.]

Thank Rassilon for small favours, I suppose.

[And at least it's not mimicking something potentially incriminating, like his mind wipe.]

[thumbsdown]

I'll bring him over, then. Where can I find you?

[He's already walking, Rex following along behind him.]

[timesbureaucrat]

I'm no trapper, but if we can find out what attracts them it must be possible to lure and cage them.

[The next part...he hesitates. It's a bit embarrassing to him.]

I have a keen sense of smell, especially when I make a point to...[He tries to think of the proper English word to describe a nonhuman sense.]...taste the air.

[timesbureaucrat]

[There's a very long pause as Narvin goes on a run around with Visscher trying to chase down his underwear.]

I'm on the highest floor reserved for guests. The...item...creature has escaped, but it must still be on the floor somewhere. If we can track it down we may be able to stop it once and for all.

...

Watch out for the Andorian, he's not feeling well disposed towards Gallifreyanoid life forms right now.

[thumbsdown]

[Boone waits patiently enough, but grunts when he hears the prop has escaped. It'll be a lot harder to find it now. He's arrived at the resort in the time it took for Narvin to get back to his communicator, so all he has to do is head up.]

Better hope Rex can sniff it out. What'd it look like when you last saw it?

[And avoid the Andorian, got it.]

[ewestmarch]

The first one's free.