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[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[There's a distinctly irritated looking Astrid pacing on the Plane. Her hands are gesturing like she's practicing a script, mouthing and quietly muttering the words over and over as she gets them right. Occasionally she shakes her head at the word choices, seems to backtrack and remouths them differently, hands firmly assisting with the annoyed dramatic effect, emphasising her rehearsed points.

She's not in her work clothes this time, she's wearing jeans and a pair of battered looking sheepskin boots, which make her seem even shorter. Given the clearly determined set of her jaw and the sharpness of her eyebrow, she's no pint-sized blonde to be messed with though. If looks could kill, you'd be a goner.

Approach with caution, particularly if you resemble the Tenth Doctor, Astrid's been doing some thinking...]

Screw you parallel universes, I don't give a damn. A year... a whole year, for what? 'Oh hey, you're alive, nice to see you Astrid' and that's it.

[apparently you pick up some choice language after a year on Earth. o_O]

Comments

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[one stab wound and a still-healing broken nose later, the Master isn't feel all too kind towards Doctors either]

Parallel universes are all idiocy anyway. You can dump your ex off in one or she can abandon you by running to it, but that's about all they're worth. Otherwise, they're just trouble.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[upset wound up ranting Astrid isn't being too observant, initially anyway.]

I wish they didn't exist in the first place. You know I thought, thought for a stupid moment that it wouldn't matter, I mean I'm still the same person, he's still the same person. I died in theirs, and I've lost him in mine. And all they can think of to say is 'go see Australia' and 'Ooh your hair looks nice'...

[a pause for consideration as she actually looks at him] Are you okay?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

People are idiots about doubles and parallel universes. It's all about the point of deviation. No matter how great or small the alteration may be, it's the same individual - variations on a theme, to borrow from musical endeavours.

[he frowns, which actually makes his nose hurt, and he touches it with no small amount of irritation]

I got into an argument with a man of medicine, and he happened to break the only thing of mine that doesn't heal in three days.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

Tell me about it [stud]. He offered to let me travel with him. Okay, I'm not entirely sure he did that in his universe, but I pretty much think he did, as everything else seems to be the same up until a point. I just don't get why he wouldn't...

[Ughh! Hand flail exasperation] I'm waiting on votdamned tables and don't even officially exist so they can get away with paying me next to nothing, not exactly having the time of my life.

[Curious head tilt] Man of medicine?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

['man of medicine' got her, and 'offered to let me travel with him' got him. Because the Master is exceptionally used to that sort of behaviour from the Doctor that it sometimes seems to him that the only person who picks up strays is that Time Lord]

You mentioned travelling. And Vot? Are you from the Casivanian Belt?

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[It's a blessed relief to speak to people who actually know these things, her life is pretty much one big lie as far as that's concerned. She grins.]

Yes! Sto actually. You have no idea how great it is to be able to say that without risking being arrested.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Been meaning to stop in on Sto. There's a ship being built I want to look into.

I take it you're not on Sto.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[cue staring] A ship? As in space cruise-liner type ship? [because that's been the only BIG news as far as ships being built recently are concerned, certainly the only news that would travel off-world]

No. I'm on Earth, post-Dalek invasion type Earth.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Yes, some idiot called it Titanic.

[when he hears that, he lets out a big, irritated sigh]

Everyone else has fought the Daleks, and we can't get a bloody tracker on them.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[silenced! It hasn't happened yet in his universe... She opens her mouth and closes it a few time, words failing her.]

No way... I-- I-- that's where I met the Doctor. [she goes quiet, looking off to the side] It lives up to its name.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Oh, so you know him? I'm so sorry.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

You're the second person to say that, I just don't know anymore, I was so sure.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

You can't trust men of medicine; they're worse than politicians. And you should never trust a Doctor who doesn't know basic surgery. Barbaric as the practice is...

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

But he tried to save everybody, he was amazing. I don't know, maybe I need to talk to him first.

Why did he hurt you?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Because he's selfish and stupid. He's a good man, certainly, following Sto's set of morals, but one should never confuse that with kind or intelligent.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

But he risked everything, that's not selfish, he was selfless. It doesn't make sense. [confused and stressed now, she doesn't know what to think]

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Oh, that? He's suicidal. Been that way for centuries. He's not particularly self-reflective and he usually lies to himself to rationalise his selfish or idiotic behaviour. He justifies base, crude desires with altruistic intent.

And he cheats in sword fights.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[altruistic - she has no idea what that means, but she's not going to ask, she's sort of hazarding a guess though.]

Right. I see. I think I might have made a mistake. [clearly upset now, absence had made the heart grow even fonder, and with what the Master's telling her and what the TARDIS has already said, it's all hitting her like a ton of bricks]

I'm sorry that he hurt you.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[the Master snorts]

Not the first time, shan't be the last. And it isn't exactly like he came out unscathed.

But say, which Doctor do you know? I only ask because I've known him for some time now, and he is different levels of stupid at different points in his life.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[she doesn't know the regeneration count, and the three times she's met him, he's worn something different. Tux, pinstripes and whatever Handy was wearing.]

Tall, slim, dark hair, sort of messy spiked style on top?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Ahh, my contemporary. The most stupid of the entire lot, in my opinion, though they all have their moments.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[trying her hardest to not get upset, but right this second she just feels like dropping from the Plane and bursting into tears. But she hardens her jaw and bites it back.]

I'm Astrid, by the way. Astrid Peth.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

I'm the Master, Astrid. Pretty name.

[stardustflying.livejournal.com]

[less than half hearted smile at that, but she's trying, because he's been really helpful and now he's paying her a compliment.]

Thank you, I'd say it was a pleasure, but I'm not feeling particularly happy right now, I'm sure it would be usually.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[he considers her for a moment, then-]

Don't let him break your heart, Astrid Peth. You only have one to work with.