003 [Slightly Clandestine]

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[Susan is sitting at a desk when she arrives on the Plane, frowning a little as she browses the books and documents spread out in front of her. There is a mug of tea on the table as well, but it is now cold (and largely obscured by paper).

If you get close enough to investigate, you'll see that she is looking into forging documents.

Why? Well, for a start, it would be nice to be able to help Astrid properly. Secondly, she and her grandfather seem to spend a lot of time on Earth. If they get into trouble, she wants to be able to get them out of it.]

Comments

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

It depends on where you want to guide them. Time Lords aren't really supposed to interfere, are they? Even when they want to.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

I know a few people in a Gallifreyan Agency who may not entirely agree on non-intervention. Even so, you have a point - ix-nay on the flux-wither-change-its-state thing and all that.

So you may only intervene to preserve history? To keep the end the same, no matter what the end may be?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I don't think it deserves to be preserved, but ... well, we can't rewrite the universe.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

We can't? No one except all the professors I ever had at the Academy - and you grandfather - has ever told me that.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Perhaps I should have said 'shouldn't' instead?

I'm not sure what I'd like to change.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Really? Well. Let's say you could. Change one thing. Any thing at all. No damage to the Web of Time, no grandfather telling you to stop. Just one change to the universe. What change might you prefer?

It's not a trick question. All theoretical, of course.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[This is probably the most difficult question Susan has ever been asked, and her attempts to narrow down the possibilities seem to create even more.]

I ... I don't know. Just one thing? It doesn't seem enough, does it?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

One to start with, then.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[She could give David the lives of a Time Lord. She could bring back her family. She could stop her Grandfather from regenerating during the encounter with the Cybermen. She could...]

I'd get rid of the Daleks. I don't know how, but I'd stop the invasion of Earth before it happened. I'd stop them from doing anything.

[Then David could have a good life, even if it wasn't with her. Then the people who had died because of them - directly or indirectly - would be safe.]

That would save Katarina, and Victoria's father, and so many others.

[She looks at him earnestly, hoping she's made a good decision and rather eager for approval.]

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[he frowns, as in consideration, but the approving smile - and the quiet smirk - very quickly form from the expression]

I think that is an excellent choice. Had I been given the opportunity, I certainly would do just that.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[She beams delightedly, a little relieved.]

Really?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[an encouraging smile and nod]

Really. Really really, even! I've never gotten along with a Dalek [slightly angry about the circumstances surrounding Frontier in Space? Maybe] and I can't think of any sane individual who'd miss them.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[Sorry, Master. That earns you a hug.]

Have you met many?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[the Master's caught off-guard - hugs are, for some reason, not a commodity he usually finds himself receiving - and he has to stop himself from reflexively pushing her away. Instead, he hugs back, as he might Lucy]

I've met my fair share. It sounds like I've another encounter to look forward to, but I'm sure that will be no problem.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

You will be careful, won't you?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

I'm always careful, Susan.

[ignore that he used up thirteen regenerations in less than seven hundred years]

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Good!

[What she doesn't know won't upset her.]

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

As are you. This is still your first form, correct? You're too young to regenerate so I better not see you popping up here having had a change of face.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Yes. I'm not in a hurry to regeneration. It doesn't sound unpleasant, just very strange. I'm used to this body.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

Hmm, well! While we're playing the what-if game, for one hundred points: what would you like your next regeneration to be like? I don't want you picking up your grandfather's habit of not planning for what they ought be at all.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

A little older, certainly. [Ninety years is a very long time to be an unearthly child.] And maybe a little less ... fragile? Although I think a lot of that is because I still look like a child.

It might be nice to have a different hair colour, as well.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

If you say you want red hair, I shall be very disappointed.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! Just ... a nicer shade of brown?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

I think your hair is lovely, my dear Susan.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[She beams.] Thank you! Maybe I don't have to change that, then.