taxonomites | Entries tagged with { spencer reid

cheerioless.livejournal.com

Quinn Fabray had been heading for the girl’s washroom. Bladder control issues were probably one of the worst things about being pregnant. She constantly had to excuse herself from class to go to the washroom. At first she could feel the eyes of her classmates on her whenever she got up. Their stares burning into the back of her head. She didn’t even want to know what they were thinking about her. But now no one looked. No one paid any attention when Quinn got up and excused herself. No one paid attention to her in the halls, it was like she had disappeared off the face of the earth. Quinn Fabray had gone from being queen bee, to the laughing stock of the school, to a complete and utter nobody.

This time she didn’t really need to use the washroom, she just wanted a few moments alone. She sat in a stall and cried. She blamed the hormones, because Quinn Fabray wasn’t the sort to let these things bother her. At least that’s what she told herself, and that’s what she was going to keep telling herself. Besides, it wasn’t like she had anyone anyways. Her parents had abandoned her, she had lost Finn, Puck was more concerned with getting into the pants of every other girl at school, he had said he wanted to be with her – but Quinn didn’t believe him. She knew Puck far too well to believe he could stay true to her. Then there was Santana and Brittany, were they even really her friends?

"Pull yourself together Quinn," Quinn muttered to herself, sniffing. "You’re Quinn Fabray, you used to rule this school. All the guys wanted you, all the girls wanted to be you…" her voice trailed off, and she swallowed hard. "Oh my God. Who am I even kidding?"

Quinn Fabray wasn’t just invisible. She was alone - completely and utterly alone, asides from the tiny life growing inside her – a life she really didn’t want anything to do with.

After what felt like hours Quinn pulled at the roll of toilet paper and wiped her face with a piece of it. Then she stood up and left the stall, and when she did, she almost screamed.

( She wasn't in the girl's washroom anymore. )

taintedrose

The tablet feed clicks on to reveal Rose curled up on her couch in her apartment, nursing a huge glass of scotch. She seems to be unaware that this is being recorded as she takes sips from her drink, not really focusing on anything in particular. Rose looks like she hasn't slept in days and she's been crying; the tear stains still visible on her cheeks.

"I don't think I can do this anymore."

After downing her glass, Rose sets it down on the table beside the couch before she starts to cry again, overwhelmed with emotion that she just can't seem to control. She would never willingly let someone see her like this and it's clear that she doesn't want to appear this vulnerable. Rose glances down at her tablet for a moment and that's when she realises that this is being shown to the whole of Taxon.

With a frustrated sob, she switches off the tablet and ends the feed.

littlestcastle.livejournal.com

The tablet flickers on, and there's a glimpse of Alexis on the roof of a building before she turns the tablet away and points it at the roof. The camera angle jumps a few times, as if Alexis is fiddling with something, then the camera flies out into the air, jumping wildly for a moment before its descent is slowed by a whoosh of wind. The tablet sways a couple of times, sometimes showing a visual of the nearby buildings, sometimes showing a cage built of straight wooden rods and string.

The tablet descends gently until it hits the steps of the Taxon library, then it bounces a couple of times and comes to rest against a rock. The view shows the rock for a few minutes, then a shot of Alexis running up, then a closeup of her feet before it turns off.

noheatnikki.livejournal.com

The tablet turns on without Kate's knowledge from it's position on the counter of the Kate and Amy's shoe store at the mall. Kate is leaned back on a bench, her foot in the air, a stiletto heel on it. Next to her is a bottle of the free whiskey, half empty (or half full, depending on your view). Kate took advantage of the last day of free alcohol to unwind a bit and try on some shoes.

She glanced over her shoulder and noticed the red light of the tablet on. She gestured to her foot.

"What do you think? Are they me? I can't decide."

She turned and grinned at the tablet.

"If anyone is bored, feel free to come down and try on some shoes with me! Retail therapy is always helpful."

numbersnfigures.livejournal.com

Spencer Reid wandered through the aisles of the library carrying a stack of books that was far too high for him to handle. As he rounded a corner, the weight shifted and he lost his balance. Half of the stack went crashing to the floor. In the process, his tablet fell with it, turning itself on without his knowledge.

"Darn," he muttered to himself.

He crouched down and started to re-stack his books. Titles piled up in front of the tablet: Wormholes in Space, Physics of the Time-Space Continuum. When he had made a stack about half the size of what he was carrying before, he brought them to a nearby table, then came back for the rest of the books and his tablet.

After sitting down, he glanced at the table and realized it was recording. He gazed at it with a sheepish smile.

"Oh. S-Sorry."

The tablet clicked off.

patternal.livejournal.com

Corwin has definitely learned his lesson in “be careful what you wish for,” and instead of wandering the city aimlessly and complaining about how dull it is here (or hacking at trees), he’s managed to find something to occupy himself with.

He has always enjoyed the company of books—something about being surrounded with so many words had a calming effect that nothing else could even come close to matching. He spent a good deal of time simply wandering through the shelves and taking in the smell of them. It had been a long time since he’d been near so many. Too much to do…

It took a lot longer than it might have before he finally made his decision, sliding an obviously old, rather thick, and doubtless dry piece of literature off the shelf it sat on and retreated to a chair to sit and read it, cigarette in hand that he rapidly forgot about, lost as he was in the world of words.

And all of it for the enjoyment of the tablet. Evidently, it didn’t like him today.

mercenaryacare.livejournal.com

There are various noises coming a short distance away from the microphone, including chatter, chairs being pulled out, music, and the sound of liquid filling a glass. A gruff voice, much closer to the tablet says, "Gimme another." Then a pause. "They're still free, right?"

"Oh, yes sir!" a cheery Extra's voice answers. "All month."

"Make it a double then."

Jayne sets his elbows on the bar and puts his head in his hands. He had settled well enough into Taxon, and had even seen it as a possibly good thing. No Mal to boss him around. No Zoe to carry out Mal's stupid orders. No Doc being pompous. And getting a monthly allowance for doing nothing more than breathing... Taxon just needed a whorehouse to be the ideal place.

But then the zombies had come. Luckily he had avoided being chomped on, but it was a hell of an ordeal, and now he knew what Kaylee had meant when she had first explained the downside of the place to him.

Another downside had occurred to him recently. Jayne had always been a greedy man. But while part of that was simple selfishness on his part, his lust for money wasn't all about buying shiny things for himself. Half of his cut from jobs had always been sent home to help his family. His Pa was too old to work now and Mattie was always in poor health and needed medicine. His Ma always sent him letters praising him for the money he'd sent, but what about now? Did time really stand still outside this place? What if it didn't? What if Ma and Pa and Mattie were waiting for that money from him? Getting 350 credits a month was great, but what was the use of it if it couldn't be sent out?

"Here you are, sir!" There was the sound of the glass being set on the bar, but a moment later there was a loud BANG as the glass was slammed back down after a long gulp.

"What the hell's the point of all this?"

"Sir?"

"I mean, what d'these here aliens get outta this? They gotta feed us, pump air in here, give us water, all that gou shi*. Why the hell they botherin'? Are they really gettin' entertained watchin' us sit around all day, bein' ruttin' bored as hell? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm likin' the rest, when we ain't gettin' chased by zombies that is, but this place gets borin' fast, don't it?"

"I uh, I don't..."

"Aw, hell, why I askin' you? Y'ain't even real. Get outta here."

The sound of feet hurrying away was practically drowned out by Jayne's heavy sigh.

[gou shi = crap]

[ooc: I just realized, this should be forward dated to after the Angelus event, so people aren't still in hiding, lol.]

iminmynightie.livejournal.com

The tablet switches on to reveal Amy waving her hands in the air and shaking her booty as a generic pop song plays in the background. Once she discovered that Taxon was now broadcasting radio stations she was all geared up to have the stereo on in the background all the time.

But of course, one couldn't expect the aliens to know what people wanted to hear, so everything had been instrumentals from movies, with the occasional song with lyrics. Amy was tuning in sporadically as a result. There was only so many times she could listen to those overdramatic ballads from movies where someone's lover dies.

She's lucked out today though. Right now the aliens were playing a soundtrack that feels vaguely familiar to her, like from a movie she loved as a kid, and even though that movie was filled with pop songs and was cheesy with a capital C, it's making her feel nostalgic. Hence the dancing and singing like a mad woman.

Her mane of ginger hair is whipping around her head, and the knick knacks on the shelves are shaking as she really gets into it. The song comes to an end and she stops suddenly, out of breath and trying to tame her locks. It's only now that she notices the tablet has been recording, but instead of being embarrassed at being caught, she skips over and picks it up.

"These songs are taking me back!" The next song, from the same pop group as the previous, starts playing and Amy's head bobs from side to side. "I know the songs will go back to rubbish soon, so I have to enjoy this while I can. Does anyone know if this is all the aliens are going to play? Can't we, I don't know, call a request line or something?"

numbersnfigures.livejournal.com

Spencer drained the spaghetti as Kate was putting the finishing touches on the sauce. He glanced back at their small table, now hastily set for three. They would need a bigger table if Alexis was going to stay permanently. The apartment was cozy with two, but a bit small with three, even though Alexis had been staying in the spare bedroom.

He placed the bowl of spaghetti on the table and gave Alexis a smile. From the few days that he'd known her, she seemed like a very bright, considerate and driven girl, and he was eager to get to know her a bit better. Spencer sat down next to her and placed his napkin in his lap as Kate brought the sauce over.

"That looks good."

Unconsciously, he placed his hand on Kate's thigh as she sat down, rubbing her gently. Having Alexis around would take some getting used to. He hoped that this dinner would be the first of many "family" dinners they would have. Spencer served Kate some spaghetti before offering it to Alexis.

biverbam.livejournal.com

When the tablet clicks on, River is sitting cross legged and cross armed on Serenity's dining table.

She is staring at a cake. Pretty one, too, just three modest tiers of purple with blue hibiscus flowers made of sugar. It's almost like the aliens are trying to compensate for something! From the expression on River's face, however, this is the most disturbing confection in the history of all human existence.

"There isn't a reliable measurement for time," she tells the tablet. "Seasonal markers are arbitrary. Manufactured. Without a solid point of reference it all slides out of place-- Places." Agitation is winning out and she fidgets with a loose string at her elbow. "The appearance of punctuality can't be trusted." It is possible there are some Issues behind that statement other than turning nineteen, but she's not voicing them today.

None of this stops her from picking off a flower and nibbling on a sugary blue petal, though.

"I don't want it."

Get your free cake, Taxon! Hurry, before she peels all the fondant off.

[ ooc: PRETEND THIS IS FRIDAY backdating forever yay. \o/ ]

noheatnikki.livejournal.com

The tablet shows the conference room of the library, and a table with some snacks, before shaking a bit and Kate appears.

"Hey all. Since the zombies seem to be gone, thank god, I just wanted to check in and see how everyone fared. The cops especially."

She sighed, still feeling a bit guilty that she didn't do more to organize the law enforcement folks before the zombies showed up. As if she could predict zombies as a potential event. She shakes her head.

"Anyway, just wanted to make sure you were all okay. I've got some more snacks, if anyone wants to stop by. We can swap zombies stories," Okay, yeah, that wasn't as funny as she meant for it to be, "and maybe discuss something we can do in case something like this happens again."

She gestures to the room at large. "I've kind of commandeered this room from Reid for law enforcement, since there's so many of us, a kind of casual meeting place. Feel free to come by if you'd like."

keepshopealive.livejournal.com

Coming directly from a zombie apocalyptic world into a 'fake' world run by aliens, that just so happened to be glitched with zombies didn't settle very well in Rick's stomach. Obviously these aliens weren't keeping tabs on their captives. Either that, or it was an experiment. Whatever it was Rick had noticed that plenty of the other inhabitants had little or no experience fighting zombies, much less defending themselves. And that was perfectly normal.

What bothered him was that there seemed to be no defense or enforcement group. Not only for law, but for the protection of others. Rick wasn't about to just come in and try to direct--that wasn't who he was. His concern was for his fellow city-goers. If they were stuck here they may as well have some sort of establishment. At least, that's what he'd like to have happen.

But since he was new, and very polite, Rick would make sure that he ran this by the others in Taxon. It was a decently sized place, he knew little to no one, and there was possibly other officers he could co-op with. Which is why he took out his device, took a breath, and put his thoughts to word. "I haven't been here long, but it's in my understanding that there isn't any sort of lawful or defensive establishment in the city. I understand that we aren't exactly in control ourselves...but given the recent circumstance, I think it's something that we should consider. While we may not have complete control of our lives at the moment, we can at least try and be organized."

He paused, taking a breath and swallowing. "It may save more lives next time. So, what I'm asking is, is there anyone else out there--officers, policemen, whomever, who would consider setting up such an establishment?" Another pause. "And before I forget my manners, my name is Rick Grimes. Former sheriff's deputy."

littlestcastle.livejournal.com

Alexis glanced at her phone as she hurried down the stairs to the subway station. “I'm going to be so late,” she fretted, dodging around an older man with an oversized briefcase as she dialed a number on the phone. She swiped her subway pass and scooted through the turnstile as the phone rang, and rang, until it clicked to voicemail. “Oh hey, Justin! I just wanted to call to let you know that I'm running a little late for our violin lesson toda--”

The rest of her message died in her throat as, between one step and the next, the familiar confines of the New York subway system became something completely different, a seamless expanse of sterile, featureless steel.

Alexis gaped, mouth still slightly open. “Hello?” she finally asked. “My name is Alexis Castle. Can anybody tell me where I am? Or how I got here?”

Her own words echoed back at her, and Alexis chewed her bottom lip as she fumbled with her phone, hitting her dad's number on speed dial without any conscious thought. She didn't wait for him to pick up; if she had, she would have realized the phone wasn't ringing, but finding herself in a strange room when she had two seconds before been in the crowded subway station made Alexis less than rational. “Dad? Are you there? I need you to come get me, I think I'm in trouble,” she said, trying her best to sound calm, though it was hard to hide the edge of hysteria, the rising panic in her voice. “I was on my way home, in the subway station, but now I'm not, I'm in a little round room and there isn't anything here--” A pause, as she notices for the first time a podium with a device resting on it. Her voice quavers as she continues, “Except a podium, and I'm getting scared, Dad. Can you come get me?”

aworldenchanted

[Backdated to day three]

It's become clear the problem is getting worse, not better. At first, Tara thought it was just some kind of strange disease, confined to Extras, but it has rapidly become obvious that the situation is much worse than that. She's called DG, grabbed Dawn, and checked on Willow - she doesn't want to push her girlfriend, but things are serious enough they could use all the help they could get. Sunnydale Library is, she thinks their best bet for specifically occult knowledge, and this definitely falls firmly on the creepy-crawly side.

Tara's not much of a leader, and she wishes Giles were there, but Willow's in no shape. She needs to get them together and see if there's anything they can do. So here she is, with a huge pile of books, and her fellow witches, and breathing a small prayer that there's something they can do.

--

[Day Five]

Tara knows that she shouldn't have gone back to the shop. There were supplies there, though - things that could help with wards, or healing, and it wasn't so far from the castle.

Too late now.

She's pumping the power that she can into the wards, and she's dragged some display cases in front of the doors and windows for good measure She can't hear much outside, but what she can hear... well, it's not very heartening.

In a lull, making sure her voice is steady, she picks up the tablet. "This is Tara Maclay. I don't know about the other sections, but W-Wilde is unsafe to travel. If - if anyone didn't know." She hesitates a moment, then adds, "I'm okay. But I don't think I'm going to get back to the Castle v-very soon."

[OOC: Combined to avoid spamming the comm, because I let this week slip by! Day three is for Dawn and DG and optionally Willow. Day Five is open for tablet replies; if anyone is running through Wilde and needs refuge or something, I'm open to whatever. PM me and we'll sort it out. Please feel free to backtag either of these forever.]

numbersnfigures.livejournal.com

For the first few days of the attack, Spencer Reid had sensed there was something amiss, but hadn't seen any tangible proof of such. He had heard the reports over the tablets of zombies (of all things) roaming the streets, but things seemed fine back at his apartment in Shelley.

It wasn't until the third day when he got off the tram in Osten and was walking towards the library when it hit him that this was more than an isolated incident. As he neared the entrance to the library, an Extra with a decaying body leapt at him from the side of the building.

( mild zombie violence, so cut? )

Safely inside, he fumbled for his tablet.

"Z-Zombies... in Osten... outside of the library..."

He swallowed hard, trying to calm down and be the responsible law-enforcement officer that he felt he had to be.

"I-If these zombies are anything like the traditional zombies of lure, the thing that is keeping them animated is their brain function. Disrupting brain function will cause them to fall. Still, I-I caution you against taking these matters into your own hands... S-Stay inside in a fortified place if you can."

At that, he shut off the tablet and set to strengthening the doors to the library by pushing several tables and chairs against them. He drew the curtains on all the windows, hoping that if they couldn't see him inside, they wouldn't try to break in. After Spencer felt more comfortable that he was securely inside, he headed to the back room where Kate had held her police meeting just a few weeks earlier. He sank down into one of the chairs at the table, his hand still shaking. Spencer didn't like to fire his gun for any reason, even if it was to kill something about to attack him. He placed the revolver on the table and stared it. Six rounds, one gone. If the undead managed to get in, he would probably be toast.

It was then that his eyes fell on a box in the back corner of the room - Casey's weapons which he and Kate had stashed there after he had left Taxon. The idea of using an assault rife nauseated him, but never before had the thought been this appealing.

[OOC - Backdated to Day 3. Possible violence in comments if Spencer is convinced to come out and fight. If you'd like your character to be stuck with him in the library, by all means go for it. :) ]

gotcouplings.livejournal.com

Since the first few posts on the network, Kaylee has been slowly making just-in-case preparations: securing the parts of the drill, stocking up on provisions, double-checking that Serenity is in fine working order--everything she's learned to do during her time with Mal. The lovely system failure was a clear case of You Can't Be Too Careful, and there's no way she's about to be surprised again.

After checking her surroundings, she quietly leaves the ranch house and heads for the ship. Just have to send a quick blip to River and she'll be set to go pick her up and move. Kaylee pulls her tablet out as she heads up Serenity's ramp, absently hitting the buttons on the panel to close the cargo bay up as she starts the feed.

"River, mei mei, gonna come get you at the zoo, alright? Stay safe 'til I get there. And Jayne, mind checkin' in--"

A loud stuttering clunk halts her, and she steps forward to peer curiously back at the door and investigate whatever is jamming the gears. It's a fortunate turn--just as she spins around, an Extra, bloody and drooling, lunges at her. Kaylee twists out of the way and scrambles for the stairs, catching just enough of a glimpse of the bay doors to see another body stuck fast in the gears, and a third Extra clambering up over the top of the ramp.

The tablet catches glimpses of stairs and zombie flesh as Kaylee makes her way up toward the mess hall. In the distance, the dull thud of a body toppling over the ramp can be heard as the mechanic rounds the corner for the next set of stairs. There's an awkward fumbling to shove the kitchen's door closed before Kaylee finally leans back against the wall to catch her breath--

--and promptly screams and drops her tablet as another Extra lunges at her from behind the table. The tablet's screen cracks and goes black as it hits the ground, and for a time only the sound of the scuffle can be heard before another screech of metal cuts them off. The dining room remains silent.

On top of Serenity, the mechanic grimaces at the tips of the Extra's fingers that had been caught in the hatch as she had slammed it closed. A quick glance over the side of the ship shows a few other Extras slowly gathering around the ship. Kaylee sighs, dragging her knees up to her chest. Stuck on top of a ship with no way of contacting the others.

"Shiny," she mutters.

iminmynightie.livejournal.com

Since everyone else seemed to be enjoying the change in weather, Amy decided to join in. Gone were the scarf and mittens, replaced with khaki shorts and a tank top, though at the moment she was also sporting a button down shirt, just until the mercury raised a few degrees more.

She'd been a bit too solitary lately. Ever since the Doctor disappeared, she'd been falling into old habits, mainly keeping to herself because most people thought of her as that "mad Amy Pond." Either that or "that leggy ginger kissogram." But no, that was how she'd been seen in Leadworth, and this was Taxon. The people here were different, very different, and they didn't see her as the girl with the overactive imagination all grown up.

Grabbing her tablet, she headed out the door and started walking towards the center of the city. She didn't know why exactly, just exploring, really. The weather seemed to demand her presence outdoors.

After around fifteen minutes, she stopped at a bench and turned on her tablet. She felt the need to do something, but she had no ideas. Looking at the map, she spotted the mall and wondered if she should stop by the shoe shop she co-owned with Kate to see how it was doing. Not that she expected chaos or anything. The Extras ran things in their absence and Amy and Kate raked in the profits. The library? Well, Amy had never been a voracious reader, but it might be worth checking out. And what was this? There were two libraries in Taxon?

Turning on the text feature, she quickly typed out:

Is there anything worth seeing at the library? Either of them? Besides books, I mean. I need something to do today.

imperial-long.livejournal.com

The last of the small red envelopes were sealed. Long took a jar of ink and a brush from the drawer of the lacquered table, and began to methodically mark most of them with the character for happiness. Had a calligraphy instructor been present to witness his handiwork, they would have remarked his technique was precise and technically correct but overly mechanical.

Beneath each character, he wrote the name of each planned recipient in English. The last one, which he hesitated over, he addressed to 'Winifred Burkle'. This envelope was placed in the alcove that had once held his statue and was now slowly gathering dust.

(It was an adjustment, not being able to call on the cleaning staff of the James Herald Hotel. He made a mental note to do something about that.)

The other envelopes he gathered up and put into the pockets of his wool coat. It was bright outside, but Long knew all about deceptively sunny yet still chilly winter days, and it was only February.

Down the elevator, six stories to the ground, and out into..... balmy, sunny, 75-degree weather.

He blinked, suspiciously, at the melting snow on the sidewalks, then gingerly took off his coat and started to walk for the tram station with it draped over one arm.

He absently quoted lines from Herodotus (on the Persian Empire's postal service) to himself as he walked. Did Taxon have a postal service? Perhaps that would be a useful way of occupying oneself and earning money? But then again it would probably be frowned upon to pry into other people's letters. If anyone still sent letters. The tablets were convenient, he couldn't deny, but dreadfully unromantic.

No matter; he went about his self-appointed rounds, stayed by neither snow nor rain nor completely inexplicable summertime.

[ooc: Long is passing out red money envelopes to the following people in the comments: Kaylee, Jayne, River, Jenny, Stefan, Glitch, Cain, Gene, Spencer, Kate, Angel, Willow, B'Elanna, Drusilla, Elisa, Dawn, Godric, Sam Axe, and Michael Westen. Note that doesn't mean you have to tag/play! If you don't respond to this post, no worries, Long will just have left the envelope at your residence and you can choose to acknowledge that or not as you please.]

Current Mood: busy

noheatnikki.livejournal.com

Kate propped the tablet up on the counter and flipped it on, waiting for the red light to come on before she backed up to speak. Behind her can be seen a long conference table in a windowed room, and through the window, what is obviously a library.

"Okay everyone. We've been talking about getting all the law enforcement-types together, so I decided to go ahead and do it. Reid's given us this room at the library," she holds up a box with a smile, "and I've got doughnuts and bad coffee for all you traditionalists. It will be a little piece of home."

She puts down the box and gets serious again. "So get down here, so we can meet each other and get some plans formulated. Or, you know, just hang out and eat doughnuts."

There's a small grin from her before she turns the tablet off.

[This is mainly for the law enforcement folks in Taxon, but anyone is welcome to stop by. The more the merrier! And please, threadjack to your heart's content. :)

imperial-long.livejournal.com

"Good afternoon," says Long in that radio-quality voice of his, Masterpiece Theatre accent broadcasting from your tablets, folks. He's in his sitting room, a wall of books behind him, the fire blazing merrily to one side and a teacup in the hand that is not holding his tablet.

"I suppose I ought to introduce myself to those individuals I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting. Mayland Long, an unwilling resident of Taxon for some three weeks now.

"The novelty is beginning to wear off; I am bored. In that spirit, I would like to offer myself as an instructor to anyone who might wish to learn a new language-- provided, of course, that it is a language I know. I realize this is not an activity that will appeal to all, but there are worse things to do while in a cage than to educate one's self.

"Conversely, if anyone would be willing to educate me in a language I do not know, I would be very indebted. One's best bet for such would be languages not native to Earth or languages not in existence before 1983.

"If one has no interest in languages whatsoever, then I also welcome simple introductions and pleasant conversation. I believe we might as well do our best to get to know one another. We are, after all, all press-ganged members of the same ship, with our destination unknown and the weather promising to be choppy."