23- Tinkering here and there

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[Jack is sitting on the sofa normally found in his office, a small coffee table in front of him. On it lies several tools, along with what appears to be the pieces of his wristband. It has been taken apart completely, the leather strap holding only a hollow metal casing at this point. All the wiring and small parts are laid out neatly on the surface of the table, seemingly taken apart as thoroughly as possible without actually breaking anything.]

Comments

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[He simply shakes his head, though the Master probably felt the startled stab of fear there.]

No. I don't want to fight you, Master. Not like that. Please.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

It's clear you can't endure this.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Yes, I can. [a little laugh and he looks up at him.] You've always believed I would survive whatever you put me through. Don't tell me you're giving up on me now.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[lifts his eyebrows]

I think you just called me something to be survived.

[he smiles, an easy and arrogant grin]

Go on, Doctor. It's one planet. I'm offering you an opportunity to keep me in one place while you go off. Free again! No Time Lords holding you back, no old enemies trying to manipulate you. Just you and a TARDIS and the universe. That's what you ran away for in the first place, after all.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[He stands now and looks at the Master.]

I said I'm not running away from you and I'm not. I don't want to. You're not what I want to run away from. All of that is what I want to run away from. It's ridiculous! We're fine! [a beat.] Well, we were. It's not- [Frustrated incoherent mumble as he drags his hands through his hair and tugs.]

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[absently]

If you start rubbing the back of your neck, I'm calling you out on it.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[Gives him a look, then starts rubbing the back of his neck just to be stupid.]

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[rolls his eyes and reaches out through their minds to hyper-sensitize the nerves on the back of the Doctor's neck]

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[makes a soft noise before quickly drawing his hand away.] Don't do that.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Music to my ears.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

You like the Scissor Sisters. I'm really not trusting your judgement.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

And your favourite Wells is The Time Machine. So I'm not trusting yours.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

War of the Worlds is much less interesting than The Time Machine.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

War of the Worlds is brilliance. The Time Machine not half so engaging.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Oh and what's so engaging about it? Especially compared to scenes like the realisation of how humanity meets its end. That was chilling!

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

The response of mankind to a post-apocalyptic world? The struggle of one race to dominate another, of foreign species to survive in lands not their own? Much better than a dichotomized species and the inaccurate scientific predictions.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

The legacy of the time traveller as someone who wants to know and see and be part of it all, to have that experience, all of it built very nicely on the struggle of all people to survive. That's literature.

And honestly, the science wasn't that bad.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

He didn't do half as much interfering as you did, Doctor.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Well, we don't know that. He may have after the story's end. I like to think he enjoyed himself quite a lot.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

I call self-insert.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[He grins.] I may have influenced Wells, actually.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

You're disgusting.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[He laughs and shakes his head.] What, for enjoying my literature?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Name-dropping.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Did I ever tell you about Shakespeare, Master?