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[coordinator]

Well, you took your time, didn't you? Do you actually have a plan this time, or are you merely going to pull me from that wretched excuse of a Gallifrey into whatever new reality you deem fit?

...the latter. Of course. Could I at least hope for the presence of one of my compatriots? I think I'd even settle for Braxiatel's company, as appalling as it sounds.

Comments

[romana2]

[Romana raises an eyebrow.]

Well. That is just like you... abandoning a Gallifrey in need, simply because it's not the Gallifrey you would call home.

[She's disappointed, Coordinator.]

[coordinator]

[ Narvin's face is impassive, but there's an unhappy set to his shoulders. Do you really believe that of him, Romana? ]

I have never abandoned Gallifrey, Madame President, and should I ever do so, it would be under duress.

[romana2]

[After all they've been through? No, she doesn't, but it provides an effective way of needling him. But her expression turns sad.]

That is probably what they think, you know. That we abandoned them rather than face imprisonment.

[Never mind they were forced to leave. "The people" won't remember that.]

[coordinator]

Romana, I'm not sure many of them could think. Not beyond what the Dogma virus turned them into, at any rate.

[ He's not very good at being reassuring. ]

[romana2]

All the more reason to stay here... Help this Gallifrey....

[That, and Romana has a suspicion there won't be a Gallifrey to which they can return.]

[coordinator]

[ He won't give up on their Gallifrey; he doesn't have it in himself to. But as long as it's out of reach, he'll do the best he can with what he does have. ]

We will, Madame President.

[romana2]

Well...

[All traces of sentiment of the old Gallifrey are gone for now.]

...It was difficult to tell, since you called it.... What were your words? Oh, yes! "Wretched excuse of a Gallifrey."

[coordinator]

[ Oh, is that all? He's fairly certain he's called you worse things during your tenure, Lady President. ]

Rather apt, I thought. Given that they've built their bloody little empire on the backs of their slaves and possess a lamentable technological level...

[ A pause. ]

But that doesn't mean I won't do what I can.

[romana2]

[While that may be, she had thought he had... adjusted better than this.]

Which is why we need to remain and teach them otherwise. Though, in their case, the lack of technological advances may be for the best.

[coordinator]

[ He'll go wherever you lead, Romana (arguing all the way), but he'll never stop hoping that their Gallifrey is salvageable. ]

No interest in playing Founder, my Lady?

[romana2]

[Romana nearly groans. Nearly.]

I have about the same interest in playing Founder as you do in playing Chancellor. But since both of our counterparts have been... eliminated, we have little choice but to move forward at this point.

[ofdrumsthesound]

Do I count?

[coordinator]

[ All the lineface, Master. ]

No.

[ofdrumsthesound]

I'm so very disappointed.

[coordinator]

[ Dryly: ]

Yes, I can tell. But if you're looking for a nice new universe, I'm sure there are several that would suit you.

[ Like the ones that are completely devoid of sentient life, perhaps. ]

[ofdrumsthesound]

*But he's hungry!*

Can I join yours? I promise not to torture you to death unless you really deserve it!

[failedreintegration]

[He might almost, almost sound pleasant but...he doesn't. Not really] Still as judgemental as ever I see.

[coordinator]

[ There's a brief flicker of surprise -- the last time Narvin saw you, Andred, you were dead. Again. ]

Ah, Andred. Or is it Castellan Andred, at your point? It is difficult, keeping track of who you're pretending to be these days.

[failedreintegration]

[The thinnest most pressed together smile.] Castellan thank you. It's a nice title and it'll do.

[coordinator]

It's nicely irrelevant, now. [ He wouldn't be half as bitchy if you hadn't been such a good agent. ]

[failedreintegration]

I'll rise again I'm sure. [He still has people to fight for] All of this. Who knows what might happen. [Oh of course not]

[coordinator]

[ A pity he already knows your future, Andred. But he's far too CIA to let on about it. ]

I wouldn't get your hopes up.

[failedreintegration]

[The darkside of being a Time Lord] Really? And what do you base that on? Still mad that I beat you?

[coordinator]

Let's just say, Castellan, that the future hasn't been won by anyone.

[failedreintegration]

[He considers this] What do you mean?

[coordinator]

It's over, Andred. The Gallifrey we knew is gone. For now, and very possibly forever.

[failedreintegration]

...What?

[coordinator]

Did you really think Darkel was acting in Gallifrey's best interest?

[failedreintegration]

[No. not in the end. Not in the long run. But it took dying to see that] ...I ...

[coordinator]

[ The irony of lecturing Andred on the same failures he had committed is not lost on Narvin. ]

The planet fell into civil war. The Dogma virus spread into the population, and I've no doubt that we would have ended up as easy pickings for the other temporal powers by the end.

[failedreintegration]

And how are you still alive?

[coordinator]

Luck.

[ Luck, in this case, stands for 'Braxiatel' and 'time scoop'. ]

[liberal_gallifreyan]

The situation must be dire if you're settling for Brax.

[coordinator]

[ He will never admit that he maybe misses Brax. A little. ]

You must admit, Madame President, that his experience would be useful in our new situation.

[ In that Narvin wishes he could foist the Chancellorship onto him and create a new CIA instead. ]

[liberal_gallifreyan]

He actually wanted to be Chancellor.

[Romana is starting to get the hang of Narvin-speak.]

[coordinator]

Of our Gallifrey, though he'd be welcome to this one as well.

[ Worst job on any Gallifrey. ]

[liberal_gallifreyan]

It's a contest to see which one's better of late.

Though I think I would pick having to build a civilised civilisation than undoing regeneration, let alone whatever that would have to be done to those already... affected.

It feels like a stopgap to me, either way.

[coordinator]

Build a civilisation and introduce time travel, or destroy regeneration proper and attempt to fend off the war that is sure to come after. I see your point.

[liberal_gallifreyan]

If we weren't so duty bound we'd almost be happy. Then again, we also wouldn't be us, would we?

[coordinator]

If I were happy here, I would have serious concerns about my own mental state. I've no desire to emulate my alternate. But if taking on his titles puts us closer to our world... [ He almost shrugs. ] Needs must.

[liberal_gallifreyan]

Nor do I, except, perhaps, to scramble and hide my true origins. Even that involves peeling away this... unfortunate personality to my true self.

Still could be worse, there was a terrible moment where your alternate tried to convince me they were married.

[coordinator]

[ A wince. Yes, he'd heard about that. ]

Yes, well...

[ Awkward. ]

[liberal_gallifreyan]

Quite. [Why did you even bring it up? Because awkward is better than misery?]

Confession: I have always admired your Narvin

[timesbureaucrat]

Braxiatel? Have we sunk so low.

Aww, thank you! And it's great to see yours as well, you've done some awesome stuff with him!

[coordinator]

Further, I'm afraid. [ A sigh. ] I'm starting to miss his conversational skills.

[ Translation: everyone on this planet is an idiot. ]