Can we climb this mountain? I don't know.

[smithnjones]

Martha Jones sits at a table in the restraunt part of the lobby with a book of World Geography.

She's going to leave again in three days. Martha has to. She can't afford for her stomach to get used to eating food regularly and three times a day again, because going through the process of starvation, of the initial hunger pangs would only slow her

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[yourimperiatrix]

It's been a while since they've last chatted, since before she came into the Inn, but Romana is quick to spot Martha and head towards her.

"Mind if I take a seat," she asks as she tries to get a glimpse of what the other girl was working on. "Of course I can come back if you're busy, I don't want to be any sort of distraction."

[smithnjones]

Martha looks up and blinks, a bit tiredly, but there's a warm smile in her eyes.

"Of course. Not very busy at all, and I can honestly use a break." She smiles at her. "How are you? Have you been enjoying the Inn?"

[yourimperiatrix]

The smile is returned and she moves to take a seat opposite the other. "It's certainly been interesting,' she admits with a bit of a laugh. "I've met a few people I wasn't exactly fond of but I've seen a few nice ones as well."

Her expression will turn slightly concerned. "What about you? You don't seem quite well."

[smithnjones]

Martha frowns a little at that.

"Yeah, there... there are some people who are... well. More than a bit mad. But the rest are some of the best people I've ever met."

She shies away from the concerned expression, how ever slight and nods. "I'm... all right. Better than I was earlier. It's... been a long few months. End of the Earth. Doctor's been imprisoned. Type of long..."

[yourimperiatrix]

"And some have seemed to grow madder since I've last met them." But that's all she's going to say on the matter because she's not one for talking about that sort of thing for too long.

"Ah." Not quite the answer she was expecting, not at all. "Yes, I think that warrants for a bit of tiredness." She offers th girl a sad smile and takes a closer look at the map.

"That got something to do with it?"

[smithnjones]

"Yes." Martha nods, glad for someone who she can talk to about. Whose timeline she won't mess up by revealing too much and who might actually understand more than most.

And it's easier not to get emotional when she detaches herself, stares at the map and presses the sharpie into a circle over her next location. "The Master has an army of Toclophane, with it he's managed to take over Earth. Turned humans into slaves. So I've got to travel the world. Tell everyone about the Doctor. All hooked up to the same network so- Only chance we've got." Like a band-aide.

Tell it fast and it won't hurt as much.

[yourimperiatrix]

"The...Master?"

She makes a disgusted face. "Why doesn't that surprise me at all?" Her arms cross on top of the table and she leans a little closer to get a look at the map. "That sounds just like him. If his past is any indicator though, it should all fail at one point or another."\ He never did quite manage to do anything right."

[smithnjones]

"You know him? Well, suppose that makes sense. What with you both being Time Lords and all..." Martha smiles at her words. "Well, that is good to know. Hate to be fighting a losing battle, but I'd fight it anyway."

[yourimperiatrix]

"Regrettably I do."

She smiles as well but don't mind if hers seems a bit off. "A woman after my own hearts."

Eyes fall to the map. "Where are you headed next?"

[smithnjones]

Martha can most likely guess why the smile is a bit off, but she won't mention it.

"Asia. I think that'll be the hardest." She takes in a deep breath, shaking her head. "So very many people there."

[yourimperiatrix]

"I wish you the best of luck," she says with a sigh. "And assistance in any way I can."

She might lose hr own war but if she can help someone else win theirs, at least it was something.

[smithnjones]

Martha smiles at her.

"Thank you." She resists touching her in comfort. She wants to, but she's not sure if it's her place at this point. "Honestly, just talking to you has done wonders. There isn't very many people that I can talk to about this. Not in great detail... at any rate."

[yourimperiatrix]

If she had reached out, she would not have been pushed away. She has earned a bit of the Time Lady's respect through this particular meeting and subsequently has become one of the few people who can offer that kind of comfort and not be pushed away.

"Well, you're welcome to talk to me any time then. It's the least I can do." Her smile this time isn't quite so sad. "The earth is lucky, if my fate had to fall one someone's shoulders, I couldn't think of a better candidate."

She's got faith in you, Martha.

[smithnjones]

Martha blinks and blushes madly, ducking her head as she presses her hands back across the map.

She has incredible amounts of respect for Romana, and that was garnered in their very first meeting so the words mean very much to her and she can't quite wrap her mind around the proper words to say it.

"Thank you." But it doesn't seem enough. Martha looks up at her. "Really. Coming from you it... means an incredible amount to me."

[yourimperiatrix]

She knows that the respect between them is mutual but it would be a lie to say that Martha's reaction didn't make her smile just a little.

"You're very welcome," she replies and she might even reach out, fingers brushing against that of the other woman. "You're very, very welcome."