Dead Religion

[some_go_mad]

Who: Dematoralvakosib, Ancient Gallifreyan exile priest, and anyone at all!
What: Just a priest with a really long name, stargazing. The nuttiness on the Barge isn't bothering him.
Where: Deck
When: Now!
Warning: Unlike the Master, Demat is not particularly prone to smarming, killing people, or eating everything in sight. Unless someone attacks him

Comments

[rass_bestie]

[What he's doing, who he is, is calling to a part of him, that death, let alone a flood, can't erase, so he's practically out of costume, when senses the song. Though he is isn't quite solid. He doesn't know his name, nor much of Gallifrey, but he knows holy when he sees it.] Are you all right?

[The Doctor is clearly puzzled by the break in character.]

[some_go_mad]

[Omega's question elicits a telepathic ?, a 'hm?' in wordless telepathy, before Demat turns around to give his attention properly to the person addressing him.]

Sorry. [He tips his head to the side, as he hears himself speak the word, and then mouths it again. English. It's a new language to him-he's good at picking up languages telepathically, but he's never run into this one. He shrugs, and smiles, a little rueful, before continuing.] I didn't think anyone was listening.

[And he's just registering the fact that the newcomer is also a strong psychic-very strong. Huh.]

[rass_bestie]

[He's very thrown.] I'm sure we can get home…

Bound to!

[some_go_mad]

[The two voices make him flinch, and then try to conceal his unease. He's seen stranger things happen to strong psychics-particularly under the new regime. The 'safeguards' being put in place to, officially, protect them from themselves have shattered more than a few of Gallifrey's best empaths.]

We'll get somewhere. And then we'll make it home.

[rass_bestie]

[The Doctor was about to say something positive to perk up the man's spirirts when Omega spoke instead. Who are you?

[some_go_mad]

Dematoralvakosib. [The name's backed up by a telepathic sense of identity, a mental signature unique to Demat-and completely free of the Master's drums. If the Doctor/Omega can pick it up, it includes a good deal of identifying information, including the facts that Demat is 82 and on his second regeneration. He's very young, by Time Lord standards.]

How many people are you? [It's a matter-of-fact question. He's getting a sense of two, but you never know. Some split personalities are very picky about how they're addressed.] If I can ask.

[rass_bestie]

[There's a part of him that's angry, just at the man's existence. Something about superstition and power. Still curiosity over rides that.] No.

[Mostly though, he's not sure. He thinks two, but he's no sensing something beneath it, a lie?] You're just a child.

[It's not a judgement, he's sad about it, for some reason. He's repressing the anger, deeming it useless.]

[some_go_mad]

[He bristles, visibly.]

I've died and come back. I'm old enough. [Regeneration's still new, in his time. His parents didn't have the ability, but they couldn't keep the new regime from giving it to their children. It took him a good two years to stabilize, after he was killed, and he'd get rid of the ability in a heartsbeat, if he could. It's wrong.]

[rass_bestie]

I'm... older. [The part of him that says he's in his late twenties is quiet now. He's not needling him on purpose, he's sensing something's wrong.]

[some_go_mad]

[He's used to bristling, over his age. The people he tries to help distrust him, often-he's not of the right generation. He's too young to have lived for more than a few decades in a time when the Pythia ruled, and so he's suspect.]

I can tell. [He hasn't tried to get into Omega/the Doctor's mind, but he can feel the other man is much older than he is.]

[He sighs, and deliberately drops some of the irritation, feeling apology at Omega.] Not many people trust children. [The words are tired more than bitter.]

[rass_bestie]

[He nods vaguely. He couldn't tell, not so long ago.] I suppose not. [He shakes off the feeling of loss as best he can.] Some things have to be experienced. [He shrugs.]

[some_go_mad]

((Playing thread triage! What do you want to assume happens? Demat will be largely puzzled by the other almost-Time-Lord, and treat him as though he's a Time Lord who's had his psychic abilities twisted by Rassilon's regime. He'll be sympathetic, but a little wary. I assume they'll part ways eventually having mutually puzzled each other.))

[rass_bestie]

Sounds fair.