Post by Oldmankrondas on Sept 20, 2008 21:40:45 GMT
Henry Kozell, owner of the Tempus Casino, one of the galaxies largest and indeed, most ambitious gambling resorts should not be losing a game of poker. He is aware of such a fact as he checks the amount of chips he has left and the dire hand he has in front of him. He tries not to let his opponent see this in his eyes, come to think of it, who the hell does this guy think he is? Swanning into his casino, challenging him to a game of cards? He reaches for his drink, thinking the amber liquid of the whiskey would steady his nerve, he would need everything in his armoury to bring himself back from the brink. The blonde haired cocktail waitress comes past and he calls her over. 'Anna? Could you get me some more chips from the company account?' He asks, indicating also that his glass is empty. The man in the tuxedo is shaking his head.
'I don't think there's any need for more chips Mr Kozell.'
'Oh yeah? Think you've got me beat do ya?' He replies, sitting back in his chair and placing the cards face down on the table.
'Not at all, I just think we ought to make this a little more interesting.'
Kozell arched an eyebrow. 'Exactly what do you suggest Doctor Smith?'
Vinnie Childes was a nervous man as he checked into the Tempus. After just escaping a Judoon squad back on one of the colonies, he was clearly living on borrowed time. He consulted the datapad in his pocket, containing the fake identity and booking details his employers had supplied him with. He couldn't quite understand why they had chosen this place for a hideout; Childes was not a gambling man, and he also thought the whole Timelord theme was a little bit tacky. He approached the reception desk, manned by a large gelatinous creature, its many tentacles stretching out typing various details into a number of computers. He coughed politely to alert the creatures attention, one of the four eyes on what he assumed was it's face swivelled round to face him. 'The Tempus Casino welcomes you! Name and reservation number please!'
Childes nodded, placing the datapad in the slot on the reservation desk, there was some whirring and bleeps before finally the creature made a satisfied noise and passed him a key-card. 'You will be in the Morbius suite. It's on the ground floor of the building.'
Childes lifted his suitcase, slipped the key-card into his coat pocket and followed the sign to his room.
Anna was not entirely sure she had heard the Doctor correctly. Thankfully he repeated his offer so that she could be sure. 'I raise you a genuine Type 40 Gallifreyan TARDIS.' She almost dropped the drinks tray.
Kozell looked at the Doctor, open mouthed. He put a hand through his thinning grey hair and suddenly smiled broadly. 'And how did you come by one of those? I thought they would all have been destroyed?'
The Doctor put his hands up. 'I'm a bit of a collector, I'm afraid I can't reveal my sources...'
He looked at the Doctor suspiciously but decided to let the matter lie. 'I'd like to see it first of course...you could be bluffing.'
The Doctor shrugged. 'Fair enough.' He looked to Kozell's chips. 'But in return...in return I'd like this place, all of it.'
Kozell shook his head. 'No way Doctor Smith....'
The Doctor puffed out his cheeks. 'Must be a bad hand, I think I'll just play this hand and leave...with my TARDIS.'
Kozell grinned. 'Fair enough...fair enough, we'll play it your way.' He stood up, sinking his second whiskey. 'Show me the way.'
Underneath the many floors of the casino and its hotel was a floor that noone knew existed, a floor that did not appear on any schematics. Not even the all powerful Henry Kozell knew of its existence. Every now and then customers would go missing from the casino, the staff just thought they were skipping out on their bill, others thought they had wandered off drunk and got themselves into mischief. But the residents of this hidden floor knew exactly what had happened to these missing residents, and knew exactly what they had become.
The face of Vinnie Childes appeared on one of the monitors, asking to speak to the man in charge. The man in charge made sure he was shrouded in darkness. 'Don't I get to see your face? I'm not in the habit of doing business with people whose faces I can't see.'
'Faces are irrelevant. You have lied to us.'
Childes had a confused look on his face. 'How do you mean?'
'You informed us that you had lost the Judoon.' The shadow replied. 'Our scanners detect a Judoon ship several light years away.'
Childes' face fell. 'I thought...I honestly thought...'
'Your thoughts are irrelevant, you must correct this situation.'
'How exactly am I supposed to wipe out an entire platoon of Judoon?' Vinnie stammered, disappearing out of sight for a moment before returning with a glass of water.
'This casino houses a large fighting arena dubbed "The Death Zone". Many species are imprisoned here, we have the access codes for the cells...'
Vinnie's mouth formed an "O". 'Go on...'
'These creatures are angry, hungry for blood. You will release them in time for the Judoon's arrival, the resulting panic will shield yours and our presence until the time is right.'
Vinnie warmed to the idea. 'Excellent.'
To Be Continued....
'I don't think there's any need for more chips Mr Kozell.'
'Oh yeah? Think you've got me beat do ya?' He replies, sitting back in his chair and placing the cards face down on the table.
'Not at all, I just think we ought to make this a little more interesting.'
Kozell arched an eyebrow. 'Exactly what do you suggest Doctor Smith?'
*
Vinnie Childes was a nervous man as he checked into the Tempus. After just escaping a Judoon squad back on one of the colonies, he was clearly living on borrowed time. He consulted the datapad in his pocket, containing the fake identity and booking details his employers had supplied him with. He couldn't quite understand why they had chosen this place for a hideout; Childes was not a gambling man, and he also thought the whole Timelord theme was a little bit tacky. He approached the reception desk, manned by a large gelatinous creature, its many tentacles stretching out typing various details into a number of computers. He coughed politely to alert the creatures attention, one of the four eyes on what he assumed was it's face swivelled round to face him. 'The Tempus Casino welcomes you! Name and reservation number please!'
Childes nodded, placing the datapad in the slot on the reservation desk, there was some whirring and bleeps before finally the creature made a satisfied noise and passed him a key-card. 'You will be in the Morbius suite. It's on the ground floor of the building.'
Childes lifted his suitcase, slipped the key-card into his coat pocket and followed the sign to his room.
*
Anna was not entirely sure she had heard the Doctor correctly. Thankfully he repeated his offer so that she could be sure. 'I raise you a genuine Type 40 Gallifreyan TARDIS.' She almost dropped the drinks tray.
Kozell looked at the Doctor, open mouthed. He put a hand through his thinning grey hair and suddenly smiled broadly. 'And how did you come by one of those? I thought they would all have been destroyed?'
The Doctor put his hands up. 'I'm a bit of a collector, I'm afraid I can't reveal my sources...'
He looked at the Doctor suspiciously but decided to let the matter lie. 'I'd like to see it first of course...you could be bluffing.'
The Doctor shrugged. 'Fair enough.' He looked to Kozell's chips. 'But in return...in return I'd like this place, all of it.'
Kozell shook his head. 'No way Doctor Smith....'
The Doctor puffed out his cheeks. 'Must be a bad hand, I think I'll just play this hand and leave...with my TARDIS.'
Kozell grinned. 'Fair enough...fair enough, we'll play it your way.' He stood up, sinking his second whiskey. 'Show me the way.'
*
Underneath the many floors of the casino and its hotel was a floor that noone knew existed, a floor that did not appear on any schematics. Not even the all powerful Henry Kozell knew of its existence. Every now and then customers would go missing from the casino, the staff just thought they were skipping out on their bill, others thought they had wandered off drunk and got themselves into mischief. But the residents of this hidden floor knew exactly what had happened to these missing residents, and knew exactly what they had become.
The face of Vinnie Childes appeared on one of the monitors, asking to speak to the man in charge. The man in charge made sure he was shrouded in darkness. 'Don't I get to see your face? I'm not in the habit of doing business with people whose faces I can't see.'
'Faces are irrelevant. You have lied to us.'
Childes had a confused look on his face. 'How do you mean?'
'You informed us that you had lost the Judoon.' The shadow replied. 'Our scanners detect a Judoon ship several light years away.'
Childes' face fell. 'I thought...I honestly thought...'
'Your thoughts are irrelevant, you must correct this situation.'
'How exactly am I supposed to wipe out an entire platoon of Judoon?' Vinnie stammered, disappearing out of sight for a moment before returning with a glass of water.
'This casino houses a large fighting arena dubbed "The Death Zone". Many species are imprisoned here, we have the access codes for the cells...'
Vinnie's mouth formed an "O". 'Go on...'
'These creatures are angry, hungry for blood. You will release them in time for the Judoon's arrival, the resulting panic will shield yours and our presence until the time is right.'
Vinnie warmed to the idea. 'Excellent.'
To Be Continued....
