02- From Bad to Worse

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[Jack appears on the Astral plane, his coat gone. The front of his shirt is covered in blood, and he looks more dazed than anything, half wondering half stumbling. He mumbles to himself as he walks, an almost blank look on his face] Their dead. I couldn't even save Rhys for Gwen, and now so man people are dead. Why doesn't the blood come off......

[ooc: *cough* Do to his recent interaction with Simm!Master, Jack's mental state has gone from somewhat bad but manageable, to  a few steps from just loosing it completely. Which, of course, reflects on his reality, which in turn makes things worse >>

Oh, and just for the record; any post before this is basically pre!return, so he'll be his normal self there u-u]

Comments

[barelyemoting.livejournal.com]

[the Brig looks mildly quizzical] Of course he does. I saw him dance with Miss Grant at UNIT's last Christmas Party.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[Jack can't help but smile, because it's been a long time since he's even thought about the reference] Think of a more...intimate kind of dance, sir.

[barelyemoting.livejournal.com]

...Can't fathom it. He's always seemed the sort to be a bit removed.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

I've only seen him actually dance once, though I still owe him a drink.

But what I'm referring to, Brigadier, is sex; the Doctor's own euphemism for it.

[barelyemoting.livejournal.com]

[realisation]

Ah.


Well. Never much asked him about it. None of my business.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

See? That's what I mean. Twenty first century people always seem so...repressed when it comes to things like sexualities and physical categories.

Quaint little categories and all.

[barelyemoting.livejournal.com]

Regardless of repression - of which, I dare say I am not repressed in the least - it's none of my business. Not to mention, it's got no place being brought up.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[He sighs softly, shaking his head] That is something where UNIT could learn a thing or two from my team; you can't just be soldiers to each other. Torchwood Three...something happened, and two people died. It could've been avoided so easily if we had just talked to each other, bothered to find out about the other person.

I'm not saying there were no secrets between us, but what's the point in fighting for and protecting something you don't even know?

[barelyemoting.livejournal.com]

UNIT has a very open line of communication, Mr. Harkness. The officers and the enlisted are not afraid to come to me with any of their problems and most of them are very close to each other. I know Benton and Yates often invite a few of the men to the pub or to watch a game of rugby.

We're... a family, at UNIT. Always have been.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it was like that while you ran it, Brigadier; it tends to be something you sacrifice when the whole operation grows.

Job tends to consume you're life, doesn't it? Most of us didn't have families, only Gwen...

[barelyemoting.livejournal.com]

I just run the British contingent. My friend, Colonel Konrad ran the German contingent. Don't keep much in contact with the Russian contingent, but I'm afraid the Russians never did like me much.

[he nods] Quite right. My wife divorced me because I was never home. She couldn't understand that I had a duty to uphold.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

I went to Russia once, pre-Soviet Union; met this young actor called Sergeyevich Stanislavski. He was good, both on and off the stage, even at such a young age. Found out later he made it big.

A military-style life is never easy on civilians. I never bothered to even get a place to live, and immortality sort of dampened the whole 'till death do us part' aspect.

[barelyemoting.livejournal.com]

Not so lucky on my part. Had a bad run-in when I was a Second Lieutenant. Corporal Clarke and I were captured on a mapping 'mission'. The plan was that we were to be tortured for information, killed, and then our bodies to be used as proof that the British were invading Russia. Tight spot, that one.

I think part of the appeal was having a Colonel for a husband... my rank at the time we were married. Fiona was rather fond of titles.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

Take it things didn't go according to plan, at least for the Russians.

Women used to be a sucker for titles and the unform; I would
know.

[barelyemoting.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't be here otherwise.

[he folds his arms behind his back and chuckles] I know that just as well myself.