Planetfall (Victoria, Sarah)

It hadn't been too long since a ugly hunk of metal easily identified as a cargo ship came burning through the atmosphere and touched down on the Isle of Man. The ship was an interstellar vessel, it suffered little damage touching down. Whether or not it will leave Earth anytime soon remains to be seen.

Victoria kept her hat pulled down over the brim of her eyes as she walked through the urban setting, entirely unaware of her location beyond what planet this was. Her thin frame was hidden behind heavy clothing that was a vague attempt at blending in with humans, but it didn't seem to be working terribly well. Nobody in this part of the world wore a stetson. At least, nobody with any sense of where they are.

Her thoughts lingered on when she had stumbled out of the cargo ramp of her ship not so long ago. It had been raining when she landed, and the hot metal of her ship's hull steamed from every drop. Everything was very pleasant until the purpose behind landing returned to plague Victoria's mind. The vessel had a highly adaptable fuel-conversion system, so the radioactive materials that seemed to be in surplus here would do nicely. It wasn't until she inspected things a little more closely that Victoria realized her readings were not deposits of viable fuel sources, but storage and launch facilities for nuclear weaponry. This planet would not be offering her any sort of salvation.

As saddening as this was, a cursory glance at the wireless and pleasingly wide-spread network that this species had set up showed a promising lack of advanced technology. Perhaps, with a bit of a trade, whoever was in charge would help her get off this spinning ball of dirt and rocks.

But, that was earlier. This is now, and now is trying to learn whatever English is and get a hold of the local currency for some of the local sustenance. Not starving is important, after all.

She'd known what it was. Oh, when she saw it in the sky, she had her doubts, for a meteor could look many ways. It was the smell, down by the docks, that had caught her attention. She knew the strange metallic burn of something that had come through the atmosphere. The hint of overheated metal that was odd on the tongue to anyone who had not spent time in interstellar weigh stations.

The ship confused her, and she did not go near it.

However, she did go to every sail yard and smelt dock in site. They'd seen someone leave it there. A tall pale woman in a remarkable Yankee style Cowboy hat. Rumor had kept Sarah Jane one step behind the woman. She felt a thrill and the break of a smile as she finally spotted that hat. Oh, that marvelous, unusual hat. A shock of pale hair. Sarah Jane got up from the bench a head of her, walking slow enough for the woman to catch up, but ready to match stride should the woman come abreast of her.

Sarah Jane had questions.

Victoria hadn't lifted her gaze up from the ground. She was too paranoid about someone spotting her alien eyes, as obscure of a detail as they were. The Good Captain sighed faintly at her thoughts. Was this place what her planet would have become if it hadn't been consumed by a sun? Probably not. Victoria wasn't much for the idea of fate, but her home world had been touched by alien technology. It was inevitable that it's people would spread to the stars faster. The means by which this occurred were just... bittersweet.

She slipped a small book out of her pocket that was supposed to be a beginner's guide to English, but it assumed that you had another human language to work off of. Victoria figured that was only just. Humanity didn't seem particularly aware of aliens. A light growl came from her throat as she passed by Sarah and continued walking.

It was going to be a long couple of weeks.

The growl from the woman brought a quirk to her lips.  That and the utter paleness of her skin gave Sarah Jane a bit more to base her suspicions on.  It was as if the sun had no effect on her whatsoever.  Surely there were humans built as this woman was, so tall, lean, and oddly elegant, but they were few and far between.  The woman had such a stride on her that she was quickly ahead, but Sarah Jane gave a skip and a hop, managing to fall into step with her.   Near.  She turned and smiled at the woman, keeping deliberate and synchronous pace.

"Hello.  Lovely day isn't it?"

Unflappable.

Victoria looked up and to the side sharply at the sound of a voice, blinking her eyes as her pupils adjust to being exposed to just a little bit more light. The woman that had addressed her looked normal enough. The Good Captain turned away quickly to make sure there wasn't much time to take notice of her eyes and speaks in a thick accent. "It is very lovely." Her words are spoken oddly, like her tongue isn't sure how it's supposed to move. Very slow and deliberate, but still not very clear. Victoria straightens her jacket and speeds restrains another growl. This was the first human to approach her. It was an extremely inconvenient thing, this uncalled for approaching. She was already having trouble figuring out what a place of food selling looked like. The alien could barely speak English, reading it was another matter entirely. Especially since her language consisted of symbols not even remotely similar to the arcane things all over signs and buildings and clothes.

Victoria cracked the book that was assisting her with English open to try and get a look at what the word "lovely" meant without alerting this woman who had begun speaking to her to the fact that she didn't actually know this language well. Assuming it wasn't already obvious, of course. She was very sure it wasn't.

Oh, that accent. She'd never heard one like it, and that was unusual. Romanian? Korean? She thought not. And now that she was close enough, Sarah Jane could simple scent it on her. A hint of fuel, and not any fuel found on Earth. And the woman's clothing. A good close look and one could see they were not materials from Earth. Close, but not quite.

She had no trouble keeping up as the long legged stride of the woman lengthened. The woman was tall, but not as tall as the Doctor. That little growl worried her a little, for one never knew what hidden secondary characteristics a being might have, but it wouldn't do Sarah Jane any good to think about it. Jolly was a much better choice.

"New in town?"

Well, it didn't hurt to tease a little. One started taking liberties after the first few dozen aliens.

"Traveling. I will not stay." She puts a little too much determination in her words for someone simply traveling, but thinks nothing of it. Victoria opened her mouth to say something that she very much hoped would cause the human to leave her, but suddenly the Good Captain was struck with a thought of great importance.

This woman spoke English.

"I am a... foreign being." Victoria started, hesitantly. "I come for food things." She looked sideways at Sarah with what she hoped was a friendly smile that still managed to obscure her teeth. "Help?" The woman seemed at ease with strangers. It was hard to discern why, as Victoria didn't have much of an idea of human culture... yet. Maybe this woman would know where to find viable fuel sources? It was worth a shot. After all, this planet looked advanced enough. With her vague knowledge of how things worked, more advanced meant more resources, right? Maybe the uranium she needed would be easily accessible in a society such as this. It was hard not to get her hopes up on the back of this ignorant logic.

The eyes.  She hadn't been certain this wasn't a human until she'd gotten a second look at those deep gold flecked eyes.  A glint of light hit her at just the right angle, and she saw the pupil contract  in a streak like cat's eye.  Sarah Jane felt a rush as this fantastical, nearly human creature decided to actually speak to her.  The woman struggled elegantly with the language.  Sarah Jane did not bother to contain her smile.

"I can help.  Come with me to food things? Will you? My name is Sarah Jane.  I'd like to help."

Well, unless she ate puppies or life force or something like that.  Sarah Jane didn't think so, though. She was finding out the limits of the TARDIS translator.  How far away did their connection have to get in time and space before it stopped effecting her?  Three and a half months since the Doctor had dropped her off.  The effect now was more like hints than any sort of translation, but there was a sense of rightness or wrongness if she made a guess.  She could 'get the jist, a bit.' The point being, She didn't think this willowy woman wanted to suck life force out of anyone. She really meant 'food'.

"There is food a short walk from here."

"Good. Lead." Victoria gave a slight nod of her head and relaxed her pace. "Name?" She studied Sarah closely, maybe a little on the invasive side. She straightens her jacket and adjusts her hat in a fidgety, nervous manner. Victoria still wasn't used to never being among her own species. And, aliens always looked weird. Even humans were creepy looking, with their eyes and their teeth. It was kinda creepy how their pupils never changed shape. On top of that, their security was way too good. Cameras absolutely everywhere. The Good Captain had never had such trouble trying to pull something off a store shelf while nobody was looking. She bowed her head slightly as unbidden thoughts of home came and brought waves of nostalgia.

The visitor was brusk, to say the least.  Sarah Jane was not put off at all.  If this alien was more interested in lunch than world domination, it was going to be an easy day.  The woman was clearly of mixed emotions, clearly uncomfortable, but willing to follow Sarah Jane none the less.  She found herself amused as icy haired visitor basically ordered her to lead them to food.

"Yes. Food." Her lip quirked as she imagined herself leading this sophisticated creature along with a trail of Jelly Babies. Apparently it would be unnecessary, but the image warmed her.

Boldly, she cut her new acquaintance off on the path, wanting a straight on look at her face.  She gave her a #6 smile.  Strong but kind.

"My name is Sarah Jane Smith." It was universal, a simple sign that worked for almost every species.  Sarah Jane tapped her own chest with the flat of her hand as she said her name, claiming it.

"What is your name?" She pointed at the visitor.

Victoria looks up sharply at Sarah as she is cut off, nearly bumping into her. She resists the urge to growl at the human, but does bare her teeth briefly. "Sarah Jane Smith." The assumption that this woman was some sort of skilled crafts-person was established immediately. Smith was tacked onto the end of titles for such things often enough. She tugged the brim of her hat down after a few seconds of looking eye-to-eye, then answered the question posed to herself. "Victoria," Now that Victoria had a suspicion of this woman's profession, she looked over her for signs indicative of whether or not said suspicions were correct.

Some study of her build wouldn't go amiss, either. Watching humans from afar and having one directly in front of you to inspect are two very different things. Her gaze lifted itself from Sarah's body and back to her face. "Victoria Turning."

Sarah Jane Smith was bigger on the inside than she was on the outside. She had the spine of a dancer and the self assurance of a world shaker. Green hazel eyes like a sea at storm were heavily dark lashed enough, it was easier to tell her mood from her delicate dark winged eyebrows and her expressive lips. A cocky jaunt of jaw usually told the tale as well. She'd never had much of a poker face.

As much as she'd been enjoying the Ilse of Man for it's own intrigue, she missed the thrill of brushing wings with the greater Universe any chance she got. And this wasn't even one of the squiddy ones. She was hoping to pry her for information about what was going on out there. Regardless of their height difference, Sarah Jane had no trouble keeping up. Though it wasn't the style of the day, she was prone to a good boot. Something one might run in. Or keep up with men in. Sometimes she thought the high heel had been invented simply to slow women down.

Brown leather boots sculpted nicely to her feet. Her brown hounds tooth skirt might be a touch short, but she didn't care what people thought. Crisp white linen of her shirt was held in snug around her narrow torso by the dark oxblood of her vest and it's big tortoise shell buttons. It was just warm enough that she wore her light tan duster open, letting it cape out behind her. The purse over her shoulder was squared, structured, patten and full of all sorts of handing things for an investigative journalist who occasionally saved the Earth. Lock picks. Mace. A very fine flashlight and a compass. A camera small enough to fit in her pocket.

She'd cut her hair when she'd left him. The Doctor. It no longer dashed half way to her elbows. Sometimes it just got in the way, now that she was doing this alone. She'd cut dark locks blunt and chunky to her shoulders. It cut dramatic waves across her pale skin. Her cheekbones are high and smooth, rarely obscured even by her head full of hair.

"Nice to meet you Victoria." She was grinning, showing a great expanse of even white teeth. She was keeping just a fraction of a step a head of Victoria, to guide her to the Sushi restaurant. Over the years, she'd learned generally, the less processed the food, the more likely an alien visitor was to be able to eat it. Spicing, it turned out, was entirely subjective.

"Food for right now, yes? And more food to take? Food to travel with?" She watched her face carefully. With a name like 'Victoria Turning', perhaps her body language would be equally recognizable.