RP for endlessdrums 'A year on the Valiant.'

[quitehomoerotic]

It was cold when Jack woke up. There was no blood on his chest, no wound other than a deep pain in his chest. That Lazer screwdriver had been the weapon, and it was a sharp pain, second only to that of the Dalek's extermination. The death had faded but the sting remained.

It had taken him a while to reorientate himself, to recognise the room around him as a section of the underside of the Valiant. He felt the metal around his wrists before he saw it, so cold it seemed damp against his skin. The corners of the shackles were sharp and bit harshly into his skin. But then, he didn't suppose they were built to be comfortable.

He tugged on the chains a little, to test their strength, but they were secured fast to the wall. He'd been put here to stay.

It was amusing at this stage. He didn't intend to be kept. Not when the Doctor might need his help. If he ever had motivation then that was it. He wouldn't let him down, not now.

He had expected that someone would come, that they might try and get information out of him (information that he of course wouldn't give), but nobody did. Nobody came that day and nobody came the day after. The only way he knew night or day was an LCD clock in the corner of the room. No light reached him, everything seemed to fade into one.

It became his focus though, that clock. Because someone would come, that much he knew, and when they did, he'd have something to say.

Comments

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

The Master watched him, that right there wasn't something he expected and his voice held a sort of awe. "I rather like this side of you."

It would be his own fault that Jack got loose, he should have made sure that idiot of a guard (soon to be dead idiot) had a good hold of the chains. But he pulls out that screwdriver, aiming it at Ms. Jones.

"Shall we add another number to the steadily growing list of the dead then, Jack?" he sneered, eyes flashing. "Can you stop me before I kill all three and they riddle you with holes so they can drag you back to your cell? Want a bit more blood on your hands?"

He eyed him critically. "No? Then down, boy."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack's hands were released just enough that he could so easily lift his arms and wrap the chain around the Master's next. Grip until he falls down dead.

But he didn't.

He stopped halfway through moving. Stopped dead because the Master was aiming that thing at Tish.

"Leave her alone," he said. His voice was still harsh but more worried than before. Tish was panicing and that was Jack's fault. Or so he thought.

"Tish. Tish just listen to me, okay? He's not going to hurt you. He's not. You're going to be fine. I promise. He's not going to touch you," his voice was imploring, desperate for her to calm.

He turned his head to the Master and with a slight nod, said, "are you," as though he was sure of it. But his eyes told a different story, a question, almost a plea (he'd never admit a plea).

"You don't need to hurt them," he reminded, "that's what you've got me for."

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

Except you couldn't really be sure of anything with the Master. How long did Jack think the man would really let him get away with such blatant disregard of his obvious power? Sooner or later he would grow tired of that flippant attitude and knowing that he couldn't make the aberration see the error of his ways by hurting him, he'd hurt everyone else as an example.

Everyone.

"I don't know, all this excitement, I haven't had a rush like this in quite some time. My finger might just slip cause I admit, I'm a bit shaky." he sneered, voice a hiss. "Hurting you never gets the point across. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough. Maybe, just maybe, I've been too nice to all of you!"

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack raised his palms outwards towards the Master and glanced briefly over to Tish who was huddled up, terrified, against her mother's chest. Mrs. Jones staring at him with wide and frightened eyes.

He looked back and nodded, breathed out slowly, like trying to calm down a child, or negotiating with a hostile alien (he's done plenty of that before).

"Please," he said, imploring. "She's done nothing wrong. This is between me and you. We can deal with it like men."

Somewhere inside there was a small grain of Jack that was terrified to think how bad his next death might be. It was all such a big front to pretend it didn't hurt. To pretend he wasn't frightened or that he welcomed it. He didn't.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

"Please." he mocked. "All I ever here is whining. All the time!" He was still aiming for the family, quite thrilled at the hysterics starting to break through that tough exterior.

"No, she hasn't but you have and you just don't learn. You never, ever learn and I'm sick of giving the same lessons over and over!" he snapped, anger taking over the mocking tone. "Maybe I'm still doing this wrong, because I doubt her death will keep you in line."

Short of turning the Doctor into a decrepit old man, he'd done nothing else to him. Sure, he lived in a tent and was wheeled around in a wheelchair; but he hadn't laid a finger (or screwdriver) on him since. "Maybe you need some added incentive."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Look. Look, Master, this doesn't need to get out of hand." He wasn't above bowing down to calling him Master if it meant there was even the slimmest possibility it could keep someone alive. And ironic really, that he'd mention things getting out of hand, as though they hadn't gone that way months ago.

"We can talk," he nodded, "man to man. If that's what you want. No whining. Just talking. Or you can talk and I'll listen. Just whatever you need, okay? We'll sort this out."

He hated saying all the things he was, but now was no time for pride. Pride would only get people killed.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

"A little late for titles, isn't it? Cause I know you don't mean it." he growled, voice low and menacing.

He lowered the screwdriver but that hateful expression never left his face. "Oh no, I am not some child to be coddled and you will do well to remember your place from this point on." He looked back to another guard, one near the door.

"I think our dear Doctor should join us." he looked back to Jack. "I'd hoped to spare him from the sight of the islands burning, his hearts are so very weak and broken already, but I need all hands on deck for this lesson."

The guard stood sharply at attention before exiting the room to retrieve the other Time Lord.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack hadn't seen the Doctor even once since he'd been imprisoned in the bowels of the Valiant. He had no proof but the words of others that he was even still alive. He wanted so desperately to see him, to talk to him. But not like this.

When the Master mentioned his name, Jack felt a chill down his spine. A terror at what the Master might do. And what he might do that he himself pushed him to. Jack should have known well enough not to taunt and push a mad man, and he let his emotions get the better of him.

His mouth was dry and he didn't know what to say. To protest? That would only anger him more. So he said nothing. Just made do with a expression on his face, stricken with worry.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

The Master paced as he waited, relishing the look on Jack's face as he did. Oh if he thought waiting for his precious savior was hard, wait till things really heated up.

The guard brought him in, the Doctor uncharacteristically quiet, as they came closer. Locking the wheels in place, the guard stepped back but the other Time Lord didn't dignify the Master with a glance, let alone a response to all of this. He turned back to address the Fact.

"He's been like this since he worked out what our little sphere friends really were, least that's my theory. I think I might have actually broken his poor withered hearts. He won't talk to me, won't look at me, nothing." he circled the Doctor slowly, like a cat waiting to pounce.

"Nothing at all."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

As the Doctor was brought into the room Jack's eyes immediately went to him. Oh this was bad, so bad to see the man so important to him looking so broken. Looking so helpless and alone. And what could he do but stand there?

He felt useless.

"Maybe he's got nothing to say," Jack suggested, attempting to sound unaffected when he was quite the opposite.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

"You were just coming back from oblivion, so I don't expect you to remember all of it." he mused aloud, still looking very much like a predator about to attack. "But when I changed him, he was in an awful lot of pain for it. That was probably traumatizing in and of itself, even without the relentless cascade of terrible events that have unfolded since."

He looked to Jack, his hands resting on the Doctor's shoulders who used every ounce of willpower he had not to react or tense at the touch.

"Do you remember the sounds he made?" he asked, voice belying the rage that had been there moments before.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Don't get angry, don't get angry. Jack repeated the words inside his head like a mantra. Don't show it. Don't give him ammunition.

Oh he remembered. He remembered what the Master did to the Doctor while he was lying on the floor coming back from his first death of these long months. He remembered and he could only imagine how it felt. Just the thought of it choked him up inside.

"Yeah," he said, his voice damaged and broken. "Yeah I remember."

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

"Well, I've left him alone since then. I hadn't planned on doing a thing to him, unless he brought it upon himself."

He stopped a moment, looking down to see if any of that had warranted the Doctor responding to him in any form or fashion. Hell, he'd be happy with him tensing up, something but no, he received nothing for his trouble. The Doctor didn't even blink at him at the prospect of torture.

The Master stepped to the side, where he could easily look between both of them as he adjusted his screwdriver. "What do you think the damage should be, hm?" asked Harold conversationally. "Maybe they should hear him over the roar of the fires below us. Maybe the whole world should hear him this time."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

There was no pretence now. Jack didn't need or care to cover a plea, and he didn't care that that's what he was doing. He might, maybe later, but not now. Not here.

"Please," he said, utterly imploring. "Please, not him. Just leave the Doctor alone. Look at him, what difference would it make. You've already broken him."

Utter desperation was in Jack's voice. Nobody else, please, he hoped with all he could that nobody else would get hurt today.

"Please" he begged.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

The Master frowned, despite the giddiness he felt at finally, finally hearing the proud Captain Jack Harkness begging and tsked him softly.

"Now now, that isn't an answer." His light tone masked the menace beneath it. Jack had crossed a line, he'd pushed the Master that tiny bit too far and if he hadn't already made a promise (Yes, he remembered.) to the man involving his team; it would be them he was dragging up here to make an example of.

His modifications to the settings done, he leveled it at his fellow Time Lord. "Tick tock, Jack."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"No!" Jack said, desperate. "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it, just no more hurt. Please, there's been enough today. If you want to make an example then make an example out of me. Please. Please just, please."

He stepped forward a little, his arms raised palms up.

"The argument here is with me. Just me, yeah? What do you want me to do?"

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

"How thick can you stunted apes get?! I've repeated, repeated myself time and time again that doing damage to you does nothing! You just don't learn, none of you do!" he finally snapped, that rage back. He was nearly shaking with it.

"A proper answer, Jack." he practically hissed. "Or I'll just keep going until he's dust to be swept up off the floor."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"I don't know what you want me to say!" Jack said, loud and hurried. "What are you asking me to answer?"

It was a game, he was sure of it. Some sort of twisted game. But that didn't make anything better. Jack had played the Master's twisted games before. They usually ended in death, aching and slow and painful. Death like those poor people in the city below are facing.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

His grip on the screwdriver shifted, a clear sign of just how angry he was, especially at having to repeat himself again.

"The damage, Jack. Just how much should he be made to endure?" It was all on the Captain. He would choose and the Master would act it out. With how their games worked, Jack should know that not giving the Master ammunition might as well be a death sentence.

For the first time in months, the Master noticed a reaction from the Doctor, but didn't acknowledge it. A deeper breath, steadying, trying to prepare for what was coming. He seemed resigned to whatever fate was in store for him. The other Time Lord was looking at Jack, trying to convey that he didn't blame him for this.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack's eyes widened. No. No, how could he do that. How could the Master expect him to do that? He couldn't.

He glanced briefly at the Doctor, such pain and regret in his eyes. So much he wanted to say to him but he couldn't, he never could.

He thought about what to say. What could he say? He had to say something. But his finger was prised over the trigger and he didn't want to pull.

"None," he breathed eventually. "None."

To explain, quickly, he went on, "You want me to be honest, don't you? To tell you what I think? Not to pander to you?" He was verging on dangerous, he knew, but he had to go with his instincts, and if he was right about what he thought, then this might actually work. "That's why you talk to me, isn't it? Because you know I won't just tell you what you want to hear. You know I'll tell you like it is. So don't hurt him. Don't."

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

His eyes flashed, something dark glittering in their depths that we doubt any of them have had the misfortune to witness. He was like a rope stretched too thin, ready to snap and that little speech in front of all of them... He'd told no one of their conversations. Not even the Doctor.

How was he meant to rule over all of them if he showed a weakness of needing the attention? Of needing companionship? No, they would learn. They would all learn and understand and never cross him again.

"Wrong answer." It was hushed, full of venom as he activated the screwdriver. The Doctor convulsed, arching as it hit him and fought back the scream bubbling up. It was hard enough to have resisted as he did when he'd first been aged so rapidly and his body was weaker now than it had been then. He gripped the arms of the wheelchair tightly for a few long moments, before he finally started screaming.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack had made a mistake. He knew it as soon as he saw the angry look in the Time Lord's eyes. He'd made a very big mistake.

And there was nothing he could do.

The Master activated the screwdriver and Jack could do nothing but watch as the Doctor writhed in pain, as he cried out as his body was damaged and destroyed by the device.

"No!" He called out, but it was pointless, and as the Master continued Jack fell down to his knees. He watched, with tears rolling down his cheeks as the Doctor was put through this ordeal, and all because of him.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

The Master relished that call from Jack and the screams being pulled from the Doctor's throat. Dimly, he might have heard sobbing from where the rest of their audience watched but he could care less the effect this had on them.

He'd found the crack in Jack's armor and he was happily exploiting it. He'd denied himself long enough.

When he finally switched the screwdriver off, the Doctor slumped, even terrifying the Master for a few moments into thinking he might have finally killed him dead. It took him those few seconds to realize that he was, in fact, still breathing and he allowed himself a moment of relief as his anger abated. Without allowing (he hoped) Jack or anyone notice, he had him moved from the room.

"Class dismissed."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack was taken back to his cell and he didn't protest. He didn't struggle or push against his restraints.

He didn't care.

He stayed quiet. Not a word.

The next few months were like that. Quiet. He had nothing to say. Nothing he wanted to say. There was no bravado left. He tried, sometimes. He didn't want to appear as broken as he felt. A man so good at pretending to be someone else could mask his emotions easy enough. But it was tiring, and he was already a tired man.

It took a while before he could quip again, make idle and snide jokes. Make light of things like a guard that put a bullet in him just because he'd been told to. He sat most days in silence in his cell, there was nothing left to say.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

His actions of late were possibly a testament to how withdrawn the Master, himself, had become. Left alone to the constant din in his own head. He'd even dismissed Lucy countless times in irritation, his sole focus on his plan. He'd not visited Jack since a few days after he'd tortured the Doctor in front of him as a lesson.

Not being acknowledged by the freak had hurt more than he cared to admit and he hated himself for it.

This time when the doors open, just how tightly wound he is shows in the way he's dragging a struggling Tish in by a wrist, towards Jack. The guards are dragging the rest of the family into the room. He'd never laid a hand on anyone else, save Jack, and even that had been sparing at best.