The Doctor's the only one awake in the prisoner's room at the moment - Toshiko's dozed off, which he can't blame her for, concussion and all, and April's napping, head in his lap. He manages to not jump at the contact - wouldn't want to wake April, as little sleep as she's likely to get in this place.
:: Vesmier! :: he replies, tone artificially bright. He knows the Vesmier's likely to see right through that, but it's habit anyway. :: You did get my note, then. That's good - I wondered about that. ::
Well. The Doctor is conscious and coherent, at least - both of which qualities are good.
:: I did. I'm working with Torchwood to retrieve you. Is there anything you can tell us? ::
The tone to the Doctor's thoughts is both encouraging and not. At least he's grounded enough to put on the appearance of being untouched, but the dark thread thrumming under it... is not so promising.
:: There's a lot I can tell you, I just don't know how much of it's actually useful. You already know where we are, or if you speak to the TARDIS, she can tell you. April and Toshiko Sato are also here, which... well, you're working with Torchwood, you already know that too. Oh, he did write something in my journal, I hope no one took that too seriously... ::
He pauses a moment, glancing around the room. The problem with Thane is that Torchwood is far outclassed here. And sure, they have superior numbers, but getting someone or several someones killed to rescue the people here is not the Doctor's idea of an acceptable solution. :: I did get a look inside his head, though. Very briefly. ::It's... not promising. He offers up his impression of the general landscape of Thane's mind, all of it tinged with the Doctor's disgust, the anger he hasn't managed to shove away entirely. He's been considering it. He could probably break something in Thane's mind, if he's still touching April. The trouble with that is even with the boost April gives
( ... )
The Vesmier picks over that information, analysing it in the depth in which it's presented. Some shade of his own disapproval filters back through.
:: I spoke with Elashte, :: he sends back. :: He was :kind: enough to allow me to see the mechanisms by which he altered Captain Harkness' mind. I also took what I could from the minds of Captain Harkness' team which might be relevant. ::
Putting it all together, of course, is the big issue.
:: In the most simplistic terms, Instagur John Thane is a pocket of memories and experiences without contextual referent. There is an imposed but integrated framework placed in his psyche which serves to allow an otherwise nonpsychic mind to suppress, in totality, whatever is trapped beneath it. In trying to circumvent this, Elashte reversed the positions of suppressor and suppressed.
:: It is my understanding that Captain Harkness was concerned about the nature of his suppressed memories and their access to his conscious mind, even without knowing the mechanics involved. These memories,
( ... )
:: Don't, :: the Doctor says firmly, doing his best to impress on the Vesmier that this is a Very Bad Idea, capital letters and all. :: If you can do it from, say, inside the TARDIS, good, fine, but if it means you coming any closer to this place, I'm telling you now, don't. He's got this... thing with Time Lords. His home was destroyed in the War, and I'm sure he'd love someone else to blame. :: And the Vesmier is much closer to Thane's idea of what a Time Lord is than the Doctor is, as far as the Doctor can tell.
Also not encouraging. Not that the Vesmier wanted to walk straight into a dangerous and volatile situation - he's not that kind of a man - but it is perhaps the easiest of the options down.
:: We will find a way to retrieve you, :: he says, just in case the Doctor was getting any ideas that they might not be able to. Strange as it may seem, the Vesmier is one of those incapable of admitting an impossibility.
After a moment, however, his mental tone softens. :: ...how is April? ::
The Doctor gives a vague sense of acknowledgement at that, though he's not going to bother responding in words. Anyway, he's more concerned about getting April and Toshiko out, and if he's the only one stuck here... well, that's not so bad.
:: She's... alright, now. Relatively speaking. Sleeping now. She was shot. Earlier. Punctured her lung. Not fatal, not even particularly dangerous as far as I can tell, just... painful. I'm dealing with that. :: And will continue to as long as he can touch her.
The Doctor, if you asked him, would tell you he'd rather deal with Thane than hear stories of the Senate floor. Ask him again in a few days.
:: Ahhh... um... oh, right! Yes! If, eh... Torchwood! If the TARDIS doesn't mind, tell them they can stay there until this is all sorted out. They'll be safe there. :: He should have done that before. If he'd done that before, Toshiko wouldn't be here...
:: Of course. Good. :: He takes a breath, hesitating just a second, and then adds, :: And... tell Martha I'm sorry. And... thank you. :: The Doctor pauses a moment, and gives the Vesmier a quick psychic hug. Well, he can't actually hug him, so it's the next best thing.
The Vesmier is exactly as used to mental hugs as he is to physical hugs. The fact that it's the Doctor makes it a bit more easily acceptable.
He transmits a wash of mental presence back, something akin to a steadying hand on the shoulder, and then he pulls back into his own mind. Work to be done.
:: Vesmier! :: he replies, tone artificially bright. He knows the Vesmier's likely to see right through that, but it's habit anyway. :: You did get my note, then. That's good - I wondered about that. ::
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:: I did. I'm working with Torchwood to retrieve you. Is there anything you can tell us? ::
The tone to the Doctor's thoughts is both encouraging and not. At least he's grounded enough to put on the appearance of being untouched, but the dark thread thrumming under it... is not so promising.
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He pauses a moment, glancing around the room. The problem with Thane is that Torchwood is far outclassed here. And sure, they have superior numbers, but getting someone or several someones killed to rescue the people here is not the Doctor's idea of an acceptable solution. :: I did get a look inside his head, though. Very briefly. ::It's... not promising. He offers up his impression of the general landscape of Thane's mind, all of it tinged with the Doctor's disgust, the anger he hasn't managed to shove away entirely. He's been considering it. He could probably break something in Thane's mind, if he's still touching April. The trouble with that is even with the boost April gives ( ... )
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:: I spoke with Elashte, :: he sends back. :: He was :kind: enough to allow me to see the mechanisms by which he altered Captain Harkness' mind. I also took what I could from the minds of Captain Harkness' team which might be relevant. ::
Putting it all together, of course, is the big issue.
:: In the most simplistic terms, Instagur John Thane is a pocket of memories and experiences without contextual referent. There is an imposed but integrated framework placed in his psyche which serves to allow an otherwise nonpsychic mind to suppress, in totality, whatever is trapped beneath it. In trying to circumvent this, Elashte reversed the positions of suppressor and suppressed.
:: It is my understanding that Captain Harkness was concerned about the nature of his suppressed memories and their access to his conscious mind, even without knowing the mechanics involved. These memories, ( ... )
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:: We will find a way to retrieve you, :: he says, just in case the Doctor was getting any ideas that they might not be able to. Strange as it may seem, the Vesmier is one of those incapable of admitting an impossibility.
After a moment, however, his mental tone softens. :: ...how is April? ::
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:: She's... alright, now. Relatively speaking. Sleeping now. She was shot. Earlier. Punctured her lung. Not fatal, not even particularly dangerous as far as I can tell, just... painful. I'm dealing with that. :: And will continue to as long as he can touch her.
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:: There is someone here quite concerned for her. A Mr. Julian Sark. He asked that I look in on her. ::
And then another moment's pause. Ves isn't particularly good at smalltalk, and unless the Doctor would like to hear stories of the Senate floor...
:: Do you have anything you'd wish us to know? ::
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:: Ahhh... um... oh, right! Yes! If, eh... Torchwood! If the TARDIS doesn't mind, tell them they can stay there until this is all sorted out. They'll be safe there. :: He should have done that before. If he'd done that before, Toshiko wouldn't be here...
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And there isn't... all that much more to say, is there?
:: I'll check in on you when I can again. I'll attempt periodic contact, but my schedule will likely be determined by Torchwood's proceedings. ::
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He transmits a wash of mental presence back, something akin to a steadying hand on the shoulder, and then he pulls back into his own mind. Work to be done.
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