You’re looking beat but you say ”no, oh, no, no, I'm all messed up and I'm ready to go...”

[the_vesmier]

In the Kashtta Tower, the Vesmier is in a foul mood. He may even be frowning.

To be honest, he knew the chances of success for that mission were nowhere near certain, but he was not expecting such an abysmal outcome. This was one of the very many areas in which tactical situations differed from senatorial battles - the intricasies of Gallifreyan

Comments

[likes_pears]

The Doctor (no, the other one), is in an equally foul mood. He should've gone himself, shouldn't have listened to the arguments against it, because hasn't he learned by now? If he doesn't take care of it himself, it always goes wrong. Now there's one other person suffering, and... What could Thane have done to him, anyway? He's a pocket watch grafted onto a robot.

And if Thane has a problem with Time Lords... well, he's far too used to being the only authority there. Nothing higher. No one else. Everything in him's telling him he should've been the one to handle this.

He needs another plan. He needs something brilliant. But there's nothing else. Nothing except one thing the other Doctor mentioned.

...if you can find a way to seperate him from the morphogenic field, he can be killed permanently.

It's only fitting that the other Doctor mention it to him. They know, the two of them. Can't ask anyone else to kill. They know. They understand. And if that burden's to go on anyone... It has to be him. Them.But he can't do this alone. Not

[the_vesmier]

The Vesmier senses a psychic tangle coming his way, and turns to face the Doctor as he approaches. He reads that, and - well. Please don't ask why, or what for, but...

This is rarely a good sign, from any version of the Doctor. From a man overeager to explain anything and everything, the fact that he doesn't want to...

:: You're planning on doing something which you believe I will disapprove of, :: he transmits. No need to have this conversation aloud, and it's not a rebuke, merely an observation. :: I imagine this has something to do with the dilemma we find yourselves thus far unable to bring to a close. ::

[likes_pears]

And this is why he's never been that fond of psychic contact.

:: I'm planning on doing something I don't want you -- or anyone else -- involved in at all, and if there was any other way... :: He doesn't know which would be worse -- approval or disapproval. He doesn't want this happening at all. And that's why he has to be the one to end it. :: And yes, it does. ::

His usual bravado is completely gone now. Just purpose. This is what he felt like the moment he realised that Gallifrey had to burn. Just like this, but on a much larger scale.

He hates it, and he hates that it still defines him. If there was another way, if he had any idea how else to save Thane's hostages... But he doesn't.

Still, there's an undercurrent to his thoughts, subtle but present: Please tell me there's another way. Please tell me I don't have to become this again. Everybody lives: that's what I want. Let me have that. Oh, please, let me have that.

[the_vesmier]

The Vesmier has never been in a position to feel that specific emotion from the Doctor, but it's not encouraging. It reminds him, a bit, of other resolves - which he'd prefer not to think about, in the context of this issue here. And that undercurrent...

They're verging on something neither one of them likely wants to go through this, and as little as the Vesmier enjoyed trying to tear apart Harkness' mind...

He exhales. :: ...there is another way, Viga, :: he offers. :: Acute psychic contact, without relying on a mediating element. I have some familiarity with his mind, now. Some better idea of what to expect. ::