06; I'm taking it slow [feeding my flame]

[best_served_hot]

[The Master appears on the plane looking rather displeased, of course, that is quite a timid way to put it after the time he's had here since being so graciously released by their hosts (torture, the Valeyard and monkeys, oh my!). He looks around, jaw clenching and unclenching as he pulls the hoodie he is wearing over his suit off and puts it over

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[bit_impossible]

[the Doctor spots the Master from a ways away, but doesn't say anything yet. just...follows him to the bar and quietly closes the door behind him, then spots the hoodie. he speaks softly, calmly, in Ceressian]

You really should leave the hoodie out of the ensemble. Doesn't do you any justice. [which is so not what he wants to talk about, but hey, small talk works for a reason]

[bit_impossible]

[softly, leaning forward even more] I don't think you need to go as far as that. He gave you an idea of what it could be, but of course you didn't listen. Considering the circumstances, I wouldn't have done either if I was in your place.

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You'll have to refresh my memory, I was somewhere between bludgeoned and as close to death as I can get nowadays.

[bit_impossible]

[yeah, he really wanted to forget about that fact]

Two words: "Back-up plan".

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[he almost gives him a quizzical look--but then it dawns on him. all of it, clicking into place in his mind.

and he's so very angry.]

A contingency plan. A link with Gallifrey to bring them out of the War. They would still need something physical to complete it, to help amplify the signal and send it back to give them a pathway--

[bit_impossible]

And you'd better hope that doesn't happen. At all. [there's a bit of desperation and fear in his tone]

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[except the gears in his head are turning in a different direction. not restoring the time lords to power, no. revenge is on his mind.]

Why should I? What have you seen, Doctor? What made you destroy them? It couldn't have been something trivial, you'd dismiss something like that readily enough.

[his turn to lean in close, voice low.] What terrified you?

[bit_impossible]

[he leans back from him now, really not wanting to dive back into those memories, and very soon he pushes away from the bar, agitated and really wanting to leave now. he's said his peace, gave his warning, he should leave. he really, really should leave, but he finds himself turning right back.]

You don't understand. How could you? You weren't there!

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No, not for the end I wasn't. I defected, if you want a time frame, it was just after the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform. I was there to see it and all the devastation wrought upon our fleets.

And yes, I ran.

[bit_impossible]

[he stops moving, staring at him while he spoke before shoving that shock away. he remembers hearing of it--how could he not considering how terrible that battle had been?--but...]

I thought you'd died. [he pauses as he realises something] That could still be the case in my reality. Either way, it was for the best. You didn't have to see what they became.

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I very nearly did. It was all I could do to escape, to-[he stops himself. it doesn't matter.]

I wouldn't count my other out, were I you.

[peers] What do you mean, "what they became"?

[bit_impossible]

[he doesn't comment on whether he will or won't. knowing the Master survived somewhere is enough for now.]

[his expression darkens] Imagine corruption at its highest level, then imagine what thoughts could be born from a once great and powerful race that decayed as sheer and utter madness took hold, as the war turned into hell. Because that's what it became in those final days, Master. Hell! And if they're allowed to use that connection to come back, they won't be the only horrors that will break out of the Time Lock. Ohhhh no, not just them or the Daleks. You didn't see the the Nightmare Child, Horde of Travesties, the Skaro Degradations, or the Could-Have-Been-King with his army of Meanwhiles and Never-weres! Want me to go on? I could. Ohhh, I could.

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[as he should be, he's quiet. utterly silent as he soaks all that in. he does think about what might have been born of their own race.]

I never heard anything outside of vague whispers. There was nothing concrete before I was sent out to the front lines for my last battle.

Things were unstable to say the very least.

[bit_impossible]

[lets out a little derisive laugh] Compared to the end, that time was practically a walk through the park on a sunny day.

[best_served_hot]

Oh, wonderful. [he grabs two glasses, letting out soft snort as he grabs a bottle and fills both glasses.

he sets one in front of the Doctor.] Nevermind how unbearable the noise is now, that's obviously due to a convergence, which must be what they are waiting on. [he'll deal with it. he always does.] Which also means they are going to send something to Earth, it would have to be incredibly small to get through the Time Lock.

You never answered my question, you hinted and told me to use my imagination as to what our dear old Lord President would do. Why did you destroy them? What were they planning?

[bit_impossible]

[he eyes the glass, not taking a step towards the bar. he really wants to just...leave right now, do something constructive and distracting so he can bury those memories again... but he just sighs, annoyed at himself and annoyed at the Master because he can be, and stalks back over]

Just think, will you? All that corruption, all those horrific atrocities running amok; in all that madness with no end in sight, what do you think they would have done to stop everything? And I mean everything.