[END OF TIME SPAM 2 - accidental video through the vinvocchi ship]
[The Doctor is sitting on the floor of a dark, grubby spaceship, fiddling with some of the wiring inside the walls. As he’s there, Wilfred comes in, and sits down next to him.]
There you are. Got this old tub mended?
I’m just trying to fix the heating.
[Wilf settles himself, and gazes out the window, clearly looking at what must be Earth.] I’ve always dreamt of a view like that. [He laughs gleefully and slaps his hands against his legs in excitement.] An astronaut! There’s dawn over England, look. Brand new day. [He suddenly becomes a lot more serious.] My wife’s buried down there. I might never visit her again now. Do you think he changed them, in their graves?
[The Doctor looks pained as he gazes at his friend.] I’m sorry.
Eh, not your fault.
Isn’t it?
[Wilf looks at the Doctor, who’s gone back to his engineering, for a second, then changes the subject, looking back down at the Earth.] Oh, 1948, I was over there. [He’s pointing over at somewhere the camera can’t see.] End of the mandate in Palestine. Private Mott. Skinny little idiot I was. Stood on this rooftop in the middle of a skirmish. Like a blizzard all them bullets in the air. The world gone mad. [Wilfred, lost in his memories, hasn’t noticed, but while he’s been speaking, the Doctor has completely dropped his heating work and is listening intently to the old man’s words.] Eh, you don’t want to listen to an old man’s tales, do you?
I’m older than you.
Get away!
I’m 906.
… What, really though?
Yeah!
900 years… [Wilf looks gobsmacked, like he can’t even begin to imagine such a number.] We must look like insects to you.
I think you look like giants.
[Wilfred reaches into his pocket and withdraws his hand holding the one thing that everyone knows the Doctor would never, ever carry - a gun.] Listen I - I want you to have this, I’ve kept it all this time, and I thought -
No.
But if you take it, then -
No. [Ten’s voice is firm, final, even though it’s barely over a whisper.] You had that gun in the mansion. You could have shot the Master there and then.
Too scared, I suppose.
I’d be proud.
Of what?
[The Doctor has a faint smile on his face.] If you were my dad.
Come on, don’t start. But you said you were told, “he will knock four times and then you die”. Well that’s him isn’t it? The Master. That noise in his head, the Master is gonna kill you.
Yeah.
[Wilf, his expression grim, holds out the gun again.] Then kill him first.
And that’s how the Master started. [There’s a silence, Wilf looking aghast and lowering the gun again. The Doctor looks into the distance, his expression disgusted. Disgusted with himself.] It’s not like I’m an innocent. I’ve taken lives. And I got worse, I got clever. Manipulated people into taking their own. … sometimes, I think a Time Lord lives too long. [Wilf is holding out the gun again, and the Doctor shakes his head as he looks back at his friend.] I can’t. I just can’t.
If the Master dies… what happens to all the people?
… I dunno.
Doctor, what happens?
… the template snaps.
What, they go back to being human?
[The Doctor nods, and Wilf looks thunderstruck, digesting this information.] They’re alive… and human. Then don’t you dare, sir. Don’t you dare put him before them! Now take the gun, Doctor, that’s an order, take the gun, and save your life! And plea - please don’t die, you’re the most wonderful man, and I don’t want you to die! [Almost in tears, he reaches out and puts the gun in the Doctor’s hand, closing his own hands over it. But the Doctor just pushes it back.]
Never.
[And suddenly, there’s a voice over the intercom, startling the two men. A voice that older community members might remember very well. The Master’s voice.] A star fell from the sky. Don’t you want to know where from? Because now it makes sense, Doctor. The whole of my life. My destiny. The star was a diamond. And the diamond is a White Point Star. [At those words, the Doctor gasps in wide-eyed shock, his entire face looking horrified. No, more than horrified - he looks plain terrified.] And I have worked all night to sanctify that gift. Now the star is mine. I can increase the signal and use it as a lifeline. D’you get it now, d’you see? Keep watching, Doctor. This should be… spectacular. Over and out.
What’s he on about? What’s he doing, Doctor, what does that mean?
[The Doctor sounds scared as he replies quickly, plain and simple. Just scared.] A White Point Star is only found on one planet. Gallifrey. Which means… it’s the Time Lords! The Time Lords are returning!
Well that’s good isn’t it? I mean, that’s your people!
[As an answer, almost, the Doctor reaches for the gun. He picks it up, looks at it for a moment. And then gets to his feet, stowing it away. The feed ends.]
((ooc: Blue text is Wilf, Brownish font is the Master, and normal text is the Doctor. Comments will ICly be within a 15 minute window!))
There you are. Got this old tub mended?
I’m just trying to fix the heating.
[Wilf settles himself, and gazes out the window, clearly looking at what must be Earth.] I’ve always dreamt of a view like that. [He laughs gleefully and slaps his hands against his legs in excitement.] An astronaut! There’s dawn over England, look. Brand new day. [He suddenly becomes a lot more serious.] My wife’s buried down there. I might never visit her again now. Do you think he changed them, in their graves?
[The Doctor looks pained as he gazes at his friend.] I’m sorry.
Eh, not your fault.
Isn’t it?
[Wilf looks at the Doctor, who’s gone back to his engineering, for a second, then changes the subject, looking back down at the Earth.] Oh, 1948, I was over there. [He’s pointing over at somewhere the camera can’t see.] End of the mandate in Palestine. Private Mott. Skinny little idiot I was. Stood on this rooftop in the middle of a skirmish. Like a blizzard all them bullets in the air. The world gone mad. [Wilfred, lost in his memories, hasn’t noticed, but while he’s been speaking, the Doctor has completely dropped his heating work and is listening intently to the old man’s words.] Eh, you don’t want to listen to an old man’s tales, do you?
I’m older than you.
Get away!
I’m 906.
… What, really though?
Yeah!
900 years… [Wilf looks gobsmacked, like he can’t even begin to imagine such a number.] We must look like insects to you.
I think you look like giants.
[Wilfred reaches into his pocket and withdraws his hand holding the one thing that everyone knows the Doctor would never, ever carry - a gun.] Listen I - I want you to have this, I’ve kept it all this time, and I thought -
No.
But if you take it, then -
No. [Ten’s voice is firm, final, even though it’s barely over a whisper.] You had that gun in the mansion. You could have shot the Master there and then.
Too scared, I suppose.
I’d be proud.
Of what?
[The Doctor has a faint smile on his face.] If you were my dad.
Come on, don’t start. But you said you were told, “he will knock four times and then you die”. Well that’s him isn’t it? The Master. That noise in his head, the Master is gonna kill you.
Yeah.
[Wilf, his expression grim, holds out the gun again.] Then kill him first.
And that’s how the Master started. [There’s a silence, Wilf looking aghast and lowering the gun again. The Doctor looks into the distance, his expression disgusted. Disgusted with himself.] It’s not like I’m an innocent. I’ve taken lives. And I got worse, I got clever. Manipulated people into taking their own. … sometimes, I think a Time Lord lives too long. [Wilf is holding out the gun again, and the Doctor shakes his head as he looks back at his friend.] I can’t. I just can’t.
If the Master dies… what happens to all the people?
… I dunno.
Doctor, what happens?
… the template snaps.
What, they go back to being human?
[The Doctor nods, and Wilf looks thunderstruck, digesting this information.] They’re alive… and human. Then don’t you dare, sir. Don’t you dare put him before them! Now take the gun, Doctor, that’s an order, take the gun, and save your life! And plea - please don’t die, you’re the most wonderful man, and I don’t want you to die! [Almost in tears, he reaches out and puts the gun in the Doctor’s hand, closing his own hands over it. But the Doctor just pushes it back.]
Never.
[And suddenly, there’s a voice over the intercom, startling the two men. A voice that older community members might remember very well. The Master’s voice.] A star fell from the sky. Don’t you want to know where from? Because now it makes sense, Doctor. The whole of my life. My destiny. The star was a diamond. And the diamond is a White Point Star. [At those words, the Doctor gasps in wide-eyed shock, his entire face looking horrified. No, more than horrified - he looks plain terrified.] And I have worked all night to sanctify that gift. Now the star is mine. I can increase the signal and use it as a lifeline. D’you get it now, d’you see? Keep watching, Doctor. This should be… spectacular. Over and out.
What’s he on about? What’s he doing, Doctor, what does that mean?
[The Doctor sounds scared as he replies quickly, plain and simple. Just scared.] A White Point Star is only found on one planet. Gallifrey. Which means… it’s the Time Lords! The Time Lords are returning!
Well that’s good isn’t it? I mean, that’s your people!
[As an answer, almost, the Doctor reaches for the gun. He picks it up, looks at it for a moment. And then gets to his feet, stowing it away. The feed ends.]
((ooc: Blue text is Wilf, Brownish font is the Master, and normal text is the Doctor. Comments will ICly be within a 15 minute window!))