[017]

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies appears in the middle of the Plane clearly arriving straight from work. she's in a suit, as well as wearing an ID card hanging from her neck and a belt of police gear around her waist. however, her hair is disheveled and she looks very concerned about something. ignoring her surroundings, she pulls her right arm against her, twisting the fabric of her shirt so see can see the underside of it. she frowns down at a small round scortch mark on her shirt for a moment before she presses against it, still frowning, but showing no sign of pain as she prods at the area]

[after a moment, she lets her arm go and now stares down at her own hands in confusion--as though she expects to find some sort of answer there. she considers silently for a bit, chewing her lip. but eventually she sighs before mumbling to herself:] I wish I had a knife...

[ooc: Menzies' wish has had the accidental side effect of making her invulnerable for a month! Just a warning that if you give her something sharp, she's going to do a little (ultimately harmless) test with it.]

Comments

[timesbureaucrat]

Not exactly. [In the sense that the Gallifreyan government only had marginal control over what the CIA did much of the time.]

But we are neutral. House and Chapter political rivalries can get very messy sometimes, and we are expected to stay out of it. We are supposed to serve a higher loyalty, to the planet and the timelines, and not allow ourselves to be dragged into family squabbles.

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods] Makes sense--for some jobs, anyway. But that's not what I meant. What exactly does your agency do?

[because that's one thing the Doctor didn't tell her, though she might ask him if Narvin doesn't explain. and maybe even if he does]

[timesbureaucrat]

My agency is in charge of off-world security, thing like the enforcement of Time Lord law as it relates to issues of time travel.

And a few other things besides. [Like spying, weapons hording, and coverups. But "security" sounds so much better.]

[grip_on_reality]

[she raises an eyebrow, but obviously he doesn't mean to elaborate, so she doesn't push it. still, from that description, she has to wonder if Narvin knows anything about Charlotte Pollard. she's considering whether to ask--or whether that will just draw her into something she doesn't want to be in the middle of. for the moment, she leaves it]

[but it does explain one thing at least] No wonder the Doctor's not, ah, your favourite person. [there's amusement in her tone]

Any luck with that device?

[timesbureaucrat]

The Doctor is a criminal. [Narvin says bluntly.] I don't imagine you're terribly fond of your local pickpockets and vandals either.

[He pulls at a few more wires.]

It's almost ready.

[grip_on_reality]

[blandly] Oh, I don't know. Pickpockets who turn around and save the world aren't always so bad.

[because there is definitely a difference in her mind between those who commit some criminal acts and those who are legitimately evil. sometimes the two do go hand-in-hand, but other times they very much do not]

[she leans forward a little, genuinely curious] So what did he do to earn so much hatred from you, anyway?

[timesbureaucrat]

I wouldn't say I hate him. I simply think he's a reckless, arrogant rule-breaker who has been given too much leeway by the government because he has friends in high places. [And because he saves Gallifrey sometimes. But not in CIA-approved ways.]

I'll admit that he's not as evil or destructive as some renegades, but he's still broken our laws time and time again and should answer for it.

[grip_on_reality]

[she snorts] I see. [because she has a feeling that was a very honest description of the Doctor, at least as far as Narvin is concerned]

[she raises an eyebrow] So, what, does he get away with it because he stays out of your jurisdiction? Or what? [because she has a feeling it's either that or the "friends in high places" have pardoned him. but she wonders if it's the former because that might explain why he wanders so much, beyond just because he has the capability to do so]

[timesbureaucrat]

For the most part, yes. He was captured and punished once but that was centuries ago. Shortly before my time.

And then for a while we couldn't touch him because he was the Lord High President. [Narvin frowns at that memory. Gallifreyan politics is nothing but trouble.]

[grip_on_reality]

[she snorts when Narvin alludes to "centuries" being shortly before his time. leave it to a Time Lord to say something as incredible as that so casually, almost as an afterthought]

[but she's completely distracted by his next comment] He--what? He was your president? You can't be serious!

[timesbureaucrat]

I'm always serious, Detective Inspector. [He says with a very straight and serious face.]

The Doctor's presidency was certainly a joke, but not one of my making.

[grip_on_reality]

[she snorts] I'd say it was more likely of his making! What was that like, then?

[because she really can't imagine the Doctor in a position like that at all, so her interest is clear. and who knows, maybe it'll give her a few more things to tease him about later--particularly the next time he decides to be high-and-mighty about something]

[timesbureaucrat]

His presidency was exactly as one would expect from the Doctor. It largely consisted of him running away from his responsibilities and when he was present his orders were capricious and inexplicable more often than not.

Fortunately for everyone, including the Doctor, the High Council eventually came to their senses and impeached him.

[grip_on_reality]

They what? [she chuckles] You know, I've gotta admit, that really isn't surprising. So, what, they impeached 'im and happily sent 'im off on his way again?

[timesbureaucrat]

Hm, more like they impeached him and he didn't notice for a few decades because he wasn't ever around. Those were the grounds for impeachment, in fact. Dereliction.

[grip_on_reality]

I should 'ave known! But I can't imagine he minded too much when he did notice, by the sound of it.

[she eyes one of the documents from her file now, picking up a pen and beginning to fill it out]

[timesbureaucrat]

Well, he minded but only because he was on trial and thought he could get out of it by claiming presidential immunity only to be told he'd long since been impeached.

[Narvin pokes at the communication device a final time and it whirs and lights up.]

[grip_on_reality]

[she glances up, raising an eyebrow] And 'ere I thought you said he was only punished the once.

Well, that sounds promising. [she peers across at the device, wondering how long Narvin will need to find out if he can contact Gallifrey]

[timesbureaucrat]

He was acquitted at that trial and not punished, even though he was clearly guilty. But the trial was poisoned by procedural irregularities and corrupt motives on the part of the prosecution...and others.

[It's still not connecting. Power is steady, all systems functional, but not connecting. So Narvin uses the time-tested repair method of "smack it upside the top and see if it works then." Ah, and there's the connection.]

[grip_on_reality]

I see. [she quirks an eyebrow, though, wondering what the rest of that story might be]

[but any questions she might have asked are interrupted when he starts smacking the device] No joy, I take it? [though her tone is dry, her amusement might be showing in her expression]

[timesbureaucrat]

There never is. [Narvin doesn't believe in joy.]

But I'll make this heap of scrap metal work as I need it to, one way or another.

[grip_on_reality]

[she snorts at that, unimpressed by Narvin's pessimism] Good luck with that.

[and since she figures she'll hear some indication of when he succeeds, she goes back to her paperwork for the moment, leaving him to whack the device in peace]