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]

"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.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

As the door to the cell opened Jack barely turned to acknowledge the guard that opened it. It did pique his interest though when the Master stepped in, but he feigned being disinterested.

"Well well well, look who the cat dragged i-" but he stalled as the Master tugged Tish in behind him. He straightened up, immediately alert, worried.

"What's going on?"

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

The Master didn't dignify him with a response, wrestling with Tish was taking up the brunt of his concentration and boy was she a fighter. He'd been on the receiving end of those claws of hers and it showed with a mark high on his cheek. Caught off guard when he should have been paying attention.

He grabbed another set of restraints, securing Tish right up against him, being certain Tish wouldn't be able to try and maneuver away from Jack.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

As soon as Tish was secured next to Jack he shifted his chains and put a hand to her shoulder, addressing her directly, "You okay?" He asked her, concerned. She nodded and moved close to him, as though that would protect her. Jack knew it wouldn't.

"I said what's going on!" Jack demanded, looking back to the Master with an angry stare. "What are you doing?"

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

All Jack would get for his demands of the Master were a glare. He stepped back, taking a moment to look at his handiwork and be sure it wouldn't come loose. After all, it was about to get pretty uncomfortable being that close together.

The Master rifled through his pockets, producing a small hand grenade and moved closer to Jack. "It goes," He pulled the pin, being sure to keep the lever from popping back up. He forced Jack's hand open, pressing the lever hard against his palm and closing his fist around it, with a glare.

"Like so." he hissed.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack watched with a furrowed brow as the Master dug his hand into his pocket, but he had little time to catch up with the measure of the situation before the Master had thrust the primed grenade into his hand.

His eyes went wide as he realised what he'd done. He stared at his hand as he gripped hold of the grenade.

"You bastard," he said, glancing back up at the Master. "Why? Why this?"

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

"Entertainment has been especially lacking as of late." he replied sarcastically.

He stayed close to him, eyes never leaving Jack's, keeping the temptation there. "You could always let go." he insinuated, voice soft, only for Jack.

"I'm sure they could find it in themselves to forgive you for it, after all, you'll have saved the world and only damned Tish. Go on. Be the hero, Captain."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"No," Jack growled back, not even an element of doubt in his voice.

Jack refused to be a murderer. Not like this. Oh he'd killed, he'd killed many a time, but he tried to reason them, to say that he had to, that he had no other choice, and here? Here he had a choice. He wouldn't let Tish get hurt.

He turned his head to her and nodded, "You're gonna be just fine, don't worry, I promise."

With a scowl, he looked back at the Master, "Afraid the entertainment value might be pretty low."

Oh if it were just the two of them, he thought, he could let go. He could let go and stop all of this.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

He gave a wicked smile and laughed then. "The entertainment value will raise soon enough." He was very sure of himself.

"How long do you think you can hold onto that, hm? Wait, I should rephrase that." he mused aloud. "How long without food, water and sleep, do you think you can manage to hold that?"

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Ohh but it all made sense now. Jack's meals had become less and less frequent over the last few days. This was all planned. This wasn't a whim at all. The man just seemed to stoop lower and lower.

"Ohh now that's where you don't know me at all," Jack spoke through gritted teeth. "Because I might not be strong, but I've got the willpower. If I've got anything it's willpower. How long has it been? How many months and I'm still here, you still haven't done it, have you? Still haven't broken me. And you won't. Because I'm more than that."

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

He mocked him, both hands up in an imitation of someone talking on and on and frowned.

"Oh we'll see, Captain. I may not have broken you, but they've still got so much more hope to smash through." He meant the Jones family and he'd never said that this had anything to do with Jack, save him being a pawn in the game.

"So, how long? I know you don't sleep much, but you have to be feeling it after the past few days. Hungry yet? It eating away at you?" he asked jovially.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

That was it, Jack told himself. No more. No more giving this man the ammunition he so deeply wanted.

He turned his head and looked at Tish, then looked over at her mother and father, frightened and worried about their daughter. "It's okay," he told them with an even voice. "Trust me when I say I'm not going to let a thing happen to her. She'll be safe."

Looking at Tish he went on, "You hear me, Tish? You're going to be just fine, nothing is going to happen."

His eyes glanced up again at the Master, but he didn't respond to his words, didn't even acknowledge them.

[endlessdrums.livejournal.com]

He was ignoring him again. It didn't matter, soon enough he'd have him begging just for him to release Tish because he couldn't hold onto that grenade forever. Even though it was such a small thing, he surmised that Jack might feel like Atlas with the world on his shoulders.

"Oh, how sweet. Yes, encourage the hope, the more we've got the more will be dashed to pieces when all this is over." he grinned.

He didn't mind having to wait for days on end to finally reduce them to sniveling and begging, it made the prospect of hearing it all the more thrilling. He clapped his hands and someone brought in a chair, which the Master casually slumped into. "I can't wait for the fireworks."