If it's halloween it must be...

[markhoffman]

New chances, new opportunities. No more fucking baggage. Come on kid, let the past go and be past. I'm in a new fucking game and I have John's work. What else do I need?

[relationships. friendship. emotions.]

[There's a slight flicker of annoyance] How well did that work out the last time? I'm a mean ass junkyard dog, you don't pet those. You let them do their shit and do their fucking thing stop trying to put a square peg in a round fucking hole already!

If I can't have her back I should take my revenge on that boat don't you think? Don't you think you could find a reason for me to do that? You say it's bothering you well how about letting me do something about it? Let me out of there to fucking do something!

Nothing fluffy, nothing fucking fancy, nothing with [Feelings. He doesn't say that but the word is there and there's contempt and also anger, it's the only emotion he really gets anymore.] any of that shit. You're doing this that's fine. Then you do what's fair. You've denied me justice and the opportunity to do real justice.

Give it back.

Comments

[notthedoctor]

[oh Mark.]

You don't have to do this.

[blame the Doctor for the belief that no one is beyond helping.]

[markhoffman]

Why? Are you worried it'll be you?

[notthedoctor]

No. No, I'm not. I'm more worried about you.

[markhoffman]

[His eyes narrow] It's survival.

[notthedoctor]

[shake of his head and a small frown.]

Survival doesn't have to come at the cost of other people's lives or well-being.

[markhoffman]

How sure are you that they deserve it? [Half mad, of course.] How absolutely sure that they're worth it?

When you strip someone down...when they lose everything that matters and you see what comes out. That's when you can tell.

[There is something pitiful about the feral look he's trying to project]

[notthedoctor]

It doesn't matter if they deserve it or not, Mark. Everyone's life is worth something. It's not up to me or you or anyone else to say otherwise.

[That there feral look is doing absolutely zero to Theta. all it gains Mark is a quiet brand of pity.]

Is that what happened to you?

[markhoffman]

[He flinches] It's up to the strong to take from the weak, to show them, to lead them and protect them.

[It's spat out] even from themselves.

And go fuck yourself.

[Translation: Yes]

[notthedoctor]

No, it's not. It is never up to one person to decide what's best for everyone else. To harm others, especially those weaker, to enforce those views makes it worse.

[he's part of the Doctor. who doesn't curse at him? that just rolls right off. but he does know what it means.]

When that happened, did you enjoy it, Mark? Do you think someone else would?

[lastmanstanding]

[No. He knows they wouldn't. Eric didn't and John killed him to please Amanda. Rigg understood but his friend had been half mad by the time he'd told him. His friends.

It weighs heavily on him. And it shows. So for awhile he doesn't say anything.

He just stares.]

[notthedoctor]

[and Theta watches him in turn, waiting for him to make the connection or not. there are steps he can't take for others or make them take anymore than he would force someone to do as he wanted. Mark can do it.]

[he hopes]

[markhoffman]

[After a long time he says] No.

[notthedoctor]

Justice isn't yours to hand out. You're a better man than that, and you could be so much more than that.

[markhoffman]

Why the hell are you so positive about it? Like you know the things I've done.

[notthedoctor]

It's not what you've done. It's what you do now, especially with us all being trapped on the ship.