Not impossible...just a bit unlikely

[by his count, it had been far longer than a day since Oliver disappeared inside that old suite of his. others had gone since then too, and he's certain that they will not be back either. he can't help feeling terribly angry at the Commander for luring his friends and acquaintances into the death trap the Crucible has become--and it really has become one, he thinks, what with the debris, collapsing floors, and the additions of smaller black holes matching the ones dotting planet Eos' surface.

however, he squashes that hurt and anger and tucks it away to be dealt with later. figures he might as well try his hand at finding the Commander himself, continue the task the others had foolishly started. after all, once he finds the Commander, he can grill the man for all the information he's been wanting for months and if he has to... well, he hopes the man is still alive or else he's merely wasting valuable time he could be using to tinker more with the escape ship. and save at least a handful of people before it's too late.]

[after wandering the halls on all three former habitation levels, he finds himself back on level 20. his sphere turns on while he stands staring at a spot in the wall between two suites and mumbling to himself.]

--o, no, no, the naming scheme doesn't make sense... The first ones were named after Jupiter's moons and after... No. There should be another one right here. A man like Ganymede should have been more than pleased to have a suite named after himself and yet none exists. It's like the thirteenth floor in a high rise!

[his eyes glance over to the Europa suite, and judging from the slash marks and debris, someone's already been inside. so he turns his attentions to the crumpled door of the Callisto Suite in hopes of seeing anything that might prove the Commander's presence, but finds none.]

I've only got one chance at this... Out of all the rooms, what're the chances Orion's in here? [he begins to smirk] Only one way to find out!

[pushes his way into the suite, the door creaking loudly on ruined hinges. he resists calling out 'Marco', doubting that he'd hear 'Polo' in response and that the game has lasted so far into the future. Or worse, that Orion knew nothing about Marco Polo, or the little game named after him, and the man wouldn't answer because 'Marco' isn't his name.]

Hello? Commander Orion, are you in here?

[his face is ghostly pale, and a thin sweat has broken out across his forehead, dirt and grime sticking to his skin. he's clutching something off-screen, but from the grimace twisting his features and the mud covering his front, one can only venture a guess as to what transpired. his voice sounds strained when he finally speaks.]

It's been over twenty-four hours... As much as I completely appreciate the irony of losing the other one--made it even! Can't say that happens often!--I want it back. [mumbles to himself] Riku came back after that time, and I foolishly hoped...

No, the only answer is what lies beyond these holes. Jack's fingers and everyone else's bits and bobs, there's a reason why they're being severed--and yet Riku came back whole. Why is that? What's the nature of these holes? Not even my sonic screwdriver can analyse it, not that it's in top working order anyway.

[suddenly he stops and the sphere shows for a brief second a very muddy path with a heavy blood trail leading away from a black hole, as well as Converse-shaped footprints leading to and away from the scene, though the ones leading towards it are elongated, like he'd slipped...]

[he's aware of the sphere now and smiles at it, his feet bringing him to the edge of the hole.] I didn't mean for any of you to see this, but there's something I need to check and I couldn't risk any of you trying to stop me and getting hurt in the process.

But! If this goes how I think it should, I'll be a complete man again. [holds up his left arm, the end of his brown coat sleeve folded over and darkened with dried blood.] In any case, the best way I'm going to find out what's in there is if I go in myself. And yes Jack, I realise I'm being a hypocrite here, yell at me all you want later.

So, hopefully see you all in a day! If not, well, we'll try not to think that way. [he hesitates for a brief second.] But if I really don't return... Thank you. Thank you all so much. You've been brilliant. [he grins sadly, winks, and suddenly jumps into the hole, disappearing completely.]

[ooc: While the Doctor won't be fielding any messages, feel free to play here if you'd like!]

[anxiously, he paces back and forth somewhere very deep in the forest, his movement somewhat twitchy, like even his own body can't decide what state of mood it's in. if anyone had happened upon him the day before, they would've met a far different man than the one shown on the sphere now. that man had been meditating in his shelter, tuning out the world as best as his abilities would allow him to, though a few voices managed to disturb this relaxed state of mind, and since then, he hasn't been able to concentrate at all.]

( He's going slightly mad. )

Go away...

[something out of the corner of his eye moves, darting behind a tree. and then another, and another and more still, all the shapes different from the next and so very familiar to him. he clenches his hands into fists, blunt nails digging into his palms as he feels his anger rising. in a low, dangerous voice, he growls:]

Ohhhh, you've chosen the wrong man to fool around with. Go away, all of you! You're dead and gone and I've done my mourning for you!

[he finally notices the sphere and his features flicker between surprise and complete vexation, before settling on a forced neutral expression]

Don't...give in to all of this. [there's a hint of desperation in his voice now as he rubs his temples.] All of you have to fight it. You can't give in!

[his fire burns low, partially from the rain and partially because he's neglected it even though he specifically lit it to make tea. instead, he's spent a good deal of time after the mysterious message played pacing back and forth in the rain--if the mud trail he's blazed in front of his shelter is anything to be judged--but he pays it no mind and doesn't care that his sphere is recording--not that he notices. he's too busy muttering to himself.]

What'd that voice mean about the locals? The way it was said...sounded like the frog hybrids aren't the only life around here. But...if they're not, where have the real locals been this entire time? [he runs a hand through his drenched hair, clearly disturbed by this]

No, no, no, we shouldn't stay around to find out. [glances to the sky] There must be a way to signal that ship! But they mentioned a potential danger...are we that danger? We shouldn't shoot anything at it then. Not even my sonic screwdriver, even if it wasn't damaged in that fall, will help this time; can't risk scaring them off or worse.

[he pauses, looking around him. he can see a handful of smouldering fires coming up from various places around the field and wherever else his fellow passengers have set up camp. this gives him an idea]

The fires...the fires! All we have to do is burn--no, no, hang on a mo'. The question is what should we burn? Shouldn't burn that awful, awful fruit [pulls a face, remembering their taste] because some people actually like them. And burning the nuts and the other food stuffs is unwise as well, and no burning the fore--

The flowers. Ohhhh, of course, stupid Doctor, why didn't you think of that sooner? Those cheeky little flowers gave off that green pollen before! Perhaps it'll even turn the smoke green too! [he dashes out towards the field, skidding and sliding in the mud, and unceremoniously plucks a handful of flowers out of the ground before running back to his camp.]

Here goes nothing! [tosses the flowers onto the fire]

[the Sphere pops on showing a pair of pin-striped legs walking along the side of an escalator on Level 15. can't see his face yet, but he's grinning like mad, damned proud of his new creation.]

Brilliant! Better than I expected! I'll have to thank Sasuke and the other ninja--[notices the sphere's broadcasting and he groans] Again?! Blimey, such a finicky piece of machinery, aren't you? I wish you'd stop doing that. [sighs and nudges the Sphere away from him. he can't help wondering what attracts strong-minded things to him.]

Well, don't know about the rest of you, but the lack of gravity loses its novelty after a time. Bad enough I'm resorting to drinking tea out of little plastic bags. There's a much easier and palate pleasing way to preserve food items, but apparently this ship isn't capable of that technology yet. [mutters] Big surprise there.

Where was I...oh yes! So, I noticed what those ninja lads were up to and I figured, well, I could do the same, if not better, and [grins cockily] I have. See? [pokes his sphere to turn and focus on his trainers. one foot's raised like he was caught midstep--which he was and he's slightly annoyed about it too, but his eagerness to show off hides all that.] Look like regular ol' Chucks, don't they? But what you can't see is the intricate mechanisms built onto two inserts inside them. They work on a system of attraction and repulsion, kind of like magnets but they work on more surfaces than just metal alone. As one foot goes down, the other foot is repelled away from the surface. Works fantastic when you're walking! Well...I suppose if you had more than two feet there'd be a problem, however! I can work around that!

The best part? Stamp your free foot down and you can propel yourself away from the surface you're on! Just do a little tumble in the air or swing your feet about and the mechanisms will latch you onto the next surface. Or you'll hit your head if you're not too careful, either one. Depends on how nimble you are in the air.

So! [smiles eagerly] Would anyone like me to make you up a pair while I'm here? They're frightfully easy to make--don't know why I never thought of them sooner. If not, well...you'll be missing out on a lot of fun!