After working on this story for most of the past month, I think I'm finally ready to share the first part. Comments and crit would be greatly appreciated! I want to make this story the best that I can. And I hope you enjoy it!

Title: The Ivory Maiden
Part: 1/6(?)
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3490
Special thanks to vampydirector for her beta help!


“So where are we this time?” Oliver asked as the TARDIS’ central column slowly wound down its movement, signifying a landing.

The Doctor was intent on his instruments at the console. “Filioris, it seems,” he said absently. “You know, I’ve never been there before.”

Oliver scoffed, crossing his arms over his T-shirt. “You? Not been somewhere? Sounds like the end of the world to me.”

“The end?” the Doctor cried, glancing up at him with wide eyes for a few seconds before he went back to his instruments. “What makes you say that? It looks perfectly viable to me.”

( It took Oliver a moment to realize the man was referring to the image on the scanner. )

After the Doctor discovered what happened to Oliver immediately before his Crucible arrival, I wrote a drabble outlining the scene. So why not share it?

( A meeting with one of the new refugees )

[is in his room, packing a suitcase and his backpack. his actions and the angle of the sphere are currently allowing for a rather good view of a huge bruise on his right arm. however, he doesn't seem bothered by it in the least. he looks up at the sphere in surprise as it moves about him, but at least it's alerted him somehow that it's on. he breaks out in a grin] Now this is like old times, isn't it, Doctor? Not that being on a randomly dangerous luxury cruiser wasn't, but we've got the whole foreign society to experience now! It's more authentic. Except maybe that everyone's happy now and there aren't any crazy political battles going on, but I suppose we already finished that part.

Speaking of, I guess this room used to belong to a couple. Not quite sure what sort of couple, except that there are tentacles involved, but still, definitely a couple. So uh...I'm gonna be moving back into your suite for the last few days, okay? If you and the TARDIS don't mind, anyway.

Also, Crucible passengers! If nobody else organizes a trip to the pub or a party for us all soon, I'm doing it. Because we deserve it, don't you think? [grins]

Oh, and! Now that... [pauses, his expression growing just a bit more serious, but still cheerful] Well, now that we're getting close to going back home, I have a favour to ask! Anybody who wants to be visited by me and the Doctor, I need to know where and when you live. I'm making a list. I can't guarantee we'll actually arrive where and when you say, but you never know. And really, it works as long as we don't arrive too early, right? Then again, if we do, you should've already remembered us from...well, maybe not...or...nevermind, I'm gonna give myself a headache at this rate. Just, where and when, let me know!

And definitely let me know when we're going to the pub. Shouldn't take me much longer to get moved out!

[Oliver is back to his normal self and seemingly has been long enough to change and to go back to his own room in Kepler (after leaving a note for the Doctor--"Back to normal - Ollie"). he is wearing one of his typical T-shirts and jeans, but his leg brace is missing. currently, he's sitting on his bed, staring out a porthole in the wall, apparently unaware that the sphere is on. for once there isn't anything he wants to share, neither by way of apologies nor encouragement. he's remembered the deaths he saw just before he became seven again, and to him it feels as though they just happened. he is deep in thought, and his expression is sad and strained as he stares at the stars outside]

[despite the fact that he is neither addressing the sphere, nor is his mouth moving, his own voice suddenly sounds in the room]

"Well, you heard her, Doctor! That Puppeteer thing's murdering people all over, and nobody can catch it. It sounds like just the job for us! What are we waiting for?"

[Oliver frowns, looking up as though expecting to find the source of the voice. then he sighs and mumbles to himself, an edge of bitterness in his voice] It didn't work out then, either.

[the voice comes back as if in reply, except it's different this time--dark and rough and full of anger and hatred. it's still clearly Oliver's voice, but in many ways it doesn't sound like it] "Once I'm done with the girl, I will rend you limb from limb, but it won't just be me; it will be Oliver too, doing what he wants to do to you so very much. You've lied to him once too often. You've never had any intention of taking him home, and he hates you for it. And with his hands I'm going to pull the still-beating hearts from your chest."

[he jerks visibly this time, looking up at the ceiling with wild eyes] SHUT UP! [he chucks a pillow uselessly at...nothing, really. it lands on the floor near the bed. Oliver then grabs the mp3 player sitting next to him and shoves the headphones in his ears, turning the music up so high that the beat can faintly be heard over the sphere network. he puts his hands over the headphones, as though to make doubly sure he can't hear any more voices. thankfully, he's turned partway toward his sphere, so if anyone were to interrupt him, he would see them]

[is that who you think it is broadcasting over the sphere? yes. yes, it definitely is. seven-year-old Oliver is sitting on the floor in the middle of the Doctor's kitchen, practically swimming in one of his older counterpart's sweatshirts. he's in the process of working the trousers off his legs, mostly without the use of his hands as they're currently lost in the sleeves. his trainers can be seen on the floor near him, as well as a spilled and shattered cup that seems to have been holding tea a moment ago. the boy looks up at the sphere in concern, guessing that it's on as it has just swung in closer so as to film him better from his position on the floor]

Uncle Doctor, where are you? It happened again, but I don't remember us playing Swap. And why does the room look all funny? You can see all the food! [points at the doorless cabinets] Did something happen while I was sleeping? Why did somebody spill their tea and leave it? And they left the kettle on, too! [blinks] Where's Lara?

[looks around the room as though this may answer a question or two, biting his lip. then a thought seems to occur to him, and his worry abruptly fades as he addresses the sphere again] Ohhh, wait, can everybody hear me like before? [waves at the sphere] Hi! Was I asleep a long time? I don't remember what happened. Does anybody know?

[pauses. that's a bit too much to think about, he decides, especially when there are so many friends out there to talk to] Does anybody want to play?

[Oliver is walking slowly along the orange hallway of level 9, relying on the detector to pick up anything important that he passes. the bays all look nearly identical--aside from debris that is only mildly useful as an identifying factor. still, when the detector starts going off near one of the bays, he has a feeling this is the one where they saw the supposed xeno-geologists arrive. the debris in it does look familiar, too. it must be the one!]

Orion, where are you? Would you be up for checking something on level 9?

[the Doctor has let Oliver into level 15 so he can explore, which he fully intends to do quite thoroughly, but he has one specific place he wants to try before anything else.]

[as he nears the Jupiter, he holds up the detector, walking along the front of the restaurant before venturing inside. he heads around the tables and chairs, going over to the wall near where they saw the captain activate the lockdown protocol. the detector, predictably, reacts to the location, blaring out a sound of the sort Oliver should have expected in a device designed by the Doctor]

Hey, Orion? It's Oliver. I might have something here!

[Oliver's sphere comes on to show him walking through a corridor just outside of the Enviro-dome. he stops periodically, poking at the wall--hoping to somehow stumble upon one of the elusive command consoles.]

[suddenly, Oliver yelps, jerking his hand away from the wall. the air around him seems to take on a sheen, and Oliver gasps and starts to run down the hallway as fast as he can with his leg brace. he's not breathing well as he runs, and he's beginning to sweat, but that would be difficult to see as the view from the sphere seems to be fogging up like it's suddenly been hit by intense heat]

[Oliver continues to run, sweating heavily and breathing in gasps. he stumbles, catching himself with his hands as he falls to the floor. the sphere begins to clear as Oliver, red-faced and breathing hard, wiping sweaty hair from his face, sits up and mumbles to himself]

What...the hell...was that!?

Hey, captain! [waves] I hadn't heard anything back from you, so I guess you must be really busy doing captain stuff to keep us all safe. Since you're working so hard for us, we passengers want to show our support. Here goes...

[begins to chant] Go, Captain, go! Capture them! Go, Captain, go! Capture them!

Come on, everybody! [begins to chant again]

[ooc: If a single appeal to Ganymede's vanity won't work, maybe a group one will? If you're reading this and your character would be willing, please throw in a comment of "support" for Ganymede (repeating the chant or whatever you'd like). I won't be tagging this entry, but this whole idea is dead without collaboration. Help?]

[Oliver turns on his sphere while standing in the hallway, hoping that if the captain isn't watching his sphere transmission, he's at least watching the surveillance] Captain? Hey, Captain, it's Oliver. [waves] Remember me from dinner? I know you've got all sorts of expertise for situations like this, and I'm sure you've got it all well in hand, but could we get any more information about what's going on?

What I'm wondering about is it looks like we're deflecting everything they're throwing at us. I mean, sure, I want the ship to stay safe, and I know you'll definitely keep it that way! But could you tell us your ingenious plan for catching whatever despicable people would attack a civilian ship? If the shields are holding, how are you going to get those criminals on board so they can be detained and prosecuted? I know you wouldn't just let them get away! And I mean, I'm sure the story will be going all around afterwards, but I want to know about your glorious exploits first-hand for once! If that's okay?

And uh...when it's all done, could I get an autograph from our hero?

Okay, so who out there thinks things on this ship have been way too depressing lately? I mean, we got invited to a party, but we got sent away before we got to party at all! So I have a brilliant idea. We're gonna have a party of own instead!

Now, you all might think I'm being a bit daft. "But Oliver!" you may ask, "How could we possibly have a party when we're all locked in our rooms?" Don't worry; I've come up with the perfect solution! We can have a Sphere Party! Yeah, you heard me. So everybody gather 'round for good conversation and live entertainment! And don't forget to bring your own freeze-dried astronaut food.

Oh, almost forgot. [grins] The live entertainment I'm referring to? You guessed it, my fellow passengers. It's us! Got a hidden talent? A passion for music? Can you sing or dance or do flips or throw your voice or chug a pint like nobody else? This is the time to show it! This party is what you make of it.

I'll start. ( And Oliver's act is cut for length and absurdity )

Ta-dah! [takes a bow] Okay, who's next?

[Oliver is still in his suit, sitting on the end of his bed, and not looking happy at all]

Well, that definitely wasn't what I was hoping for when I went in there. [sighs] Damn captain. So, party's over just like that, and I'm definitely locked in here now. Nothing new for me, but I have a feeling I'm not the only one who is. Is everybody okay? Nobody got hurt when...whatever it was just happened? Did the spheres do that? Anyway, if you're hurt, be sure to say something, all right? We'll figure out a way to help. And I'd love to hear more about what the hell just happened, too.

[pauses briefly, looking thoughtful, then tries for a weak smile] On the bright side, we just proved the captain still has control over the ship. Now if Orion would just show himself again...

[Oliver can be seen standing just outside the holo-suite, leaning against a wall to keep more of his weight off the knee that's still in a brace. he's grinning widely] Doctor! Would you believe it, it was outside the holo-suite this time! And ohhh, everybody, you're gonna want to see this. [fiddles with his sphere for a moment before it replays this message]

This just gets more interesting by the second! What do you think? I think... [pauses] Orion's starting to look a bit more trustworthy. And something very suspicious was definitely going on with this trip from the beginning. Only question is what. That, and was everything that happened planned? [frowns slightly--that's not a very cheerful thought]

What about all of you? Any ideas?

[Lyle is sitting at a table in one of the restaurants. he waves at the sphere in a rather un-Lyle-like manner, cheerful but a little nervous. the remains of a meal are in front of him, as well as a half-finished pint. and is that a used ash tray in the middle of the table?]

Hey everybody! Guess it's kinda been a while. This is Oliver. [he has a feeling most people have worked that out by now, considering the Brummie accent, but he figures it's better to be clear] Sorry about disappearing like that. For anybody who heard or saw what happened, don't worry. Ever since I...uh...changed into Lyle [smiles wryly] all my injuries have been gone. So I'm just fine now!

[his expression grows a bit more serious] But Doctor, Lyle, Riku, thanks a lot for helping me out. I owe you all a pint or two! Well, or a cuppa, Doctor, if you'd rather. [grins]

Anyway, the Doctor's been catching me up on what I've missed. Luckily, I had my sphere set to record any messages from this one friend, so that's been... [trails off suddenly, frowning slightly. his gaze turns thoughtful for a moment before snapping back to the sphere. perhaps he's not quite as okay as he's claiming?] What was I...oh, yeah! If anybody thinks there's anything else I've missed that's important, let me know, okay? [scratches his head; sheepishly] I've been out of it since we came back from being small, so I guess I've missed out on rather a lot.

Oh, and one more thing! [looking very awkward now] Just in case you're with me, the Doctor says I might pass out again when I switch back to my own body. [quickly] But don't worry! I'll be fine, and if you just let the Doctor know, he'll fix it. [smiles reassuringly] Sorry, but you're all stuck with me now!

[after getting Motoko's help, Oliver is now on the shopping level. he is currently on top of the bar in one of the lounges, a pint next to him with a straw in it, as well as a plate containing a burger and chips, partially eaten. he's holding onto the sphere with both hands, but he lets it go once he's sure it's on, and it floats up above him. he is roughly 30 centimetres tall and wearing a torn off portion of one his T-shirts like a cloak]

I don't think I need to mention how annoying this is or how insane the captain is, so I'm just gonna skip that part. Instead, if anybody needs help getting anywhere, don't hesitate to say something on the spheres. I'm not much good myself, but there are plenty of people who could be. And from what I've seen, people are different sizes. Not sure what that's for, but there you are. It could be helpful for those of us who are shorter.

But that's not really what this message is for. I've been thinking about what the captain said. He mentioned that there was a "boy"--boy from his perspective, at least; there are plenty people he could've meant--who asked him good questions. And the way he talked, it sounded to me like he's waiting for something from us--the "right" questions, whatever that means. If we put our heads together, maybe we can work it out. First thing to do might be to figure out who asked the good questions and what they were. People who contacted the captain, especially blokes, mind sharing the gist of what you said? Even if you're not a bloke, knowing what he didn't consider "good" questions could help us narrow things down.

Anyway, I'll go first. I basically just asked what the captain's goal is and if he wants to die because I'm really starting to feel like that's the case. I think that basically falls under what he described as "pointless" questions, so I doubt I'm the "boy" he meant.

So, what about everybody else?

[ooc: Feel free to threadhop and discuss!]

[after days of inadvertently slipping off to sleep and experiencing the same nightmare, then seeing others on the network banish theirs, Oliver knows he can't just keep running out of the room when he turns up in his. he has to make this stop somehow]

[although he's not aware of it, his sphere seems to have realized that this time is going to be different as well and has chosen to broadcast it. as always, Oliver wakes up to find himself on the sofa in his lounge at home, his parents and Chloe in the room with him]

Oh, Ollie, you're awake!

[he stands quickly, not looking at his family this time but instead looking down at his own hands] Come out already! I'm ready for you this time.

[his body goes rigid, and as always bitter laughter momentarily comes from his own mouth before the Puppeteer seems to step out of him. instead of going straight for his family, it turns to face him] Really? Should we get started then?

[Oliver backs a few steps away, fumbling with his backpack]

[the Puppeteer laughs] What is it this time? A screwdriver? A baseball bat? Do you think you can stop me like that? You can't even defend yourself!

[he ignores him, drawing out a torch and flicking it on, shining it in his eyes]

[the Puppeteer is stunned for several seconds, but it lifts up a hand to shield its eyes and starts laughing again, finding that Oliver has moved between it and his family] You realize this just means I'll have to kill you first this time.

[he stands his ground, torch in hand, but his voice shakes slightly] No. I won't let you keep killing people!

[the sphere comes above Oliver, who is lying in a tangle of blankets on the sofa in the Doctor's and TARDIS' suite. he's looking frazzled, and his eyes are open, as though he's having difficulty sleeping. heaving a sigh, he appears to give up just after the sphere has come on, and he sits up, working his way out of the blankets]

[he stands and goes to a nearby table covered in odds and ends, sitting down and picking up a pair of scissors. he starts to cut at the dressings on his left arm, and the sphere comes in close as though to take a look at the injury--at which point Oliver notices it]

Are you on? [makes a face at it and puts down the scissors, flicking an eraser from the table toward it. the eraser misses, going off to the right--or did the sphere just move out of its way? Oliver sighs, turning away from the sphere. he is silent for a moment, looking down at his arm but making no move to continue redressing his injury. finally he whispers] How many people died?