[Mostly Open] So we'll press, and press 'til you can't take it anymore!

[groupiedrifter]

CHARACTERS: Precursors and you. And Eventually Newton. Hopefully!
LOCATION: A holding room in Ximilia Station.
DATE: Est. two days post-mission, after the kaiju is defeated and the orb is retrieved.
CONTENT: The precursors are revealed — and are finally removed from Newt's mind.
WARNINGS: Possession and the bodily autonomy issues that come with that. More will be added if necessary!

Closed and opened starters will be added as I go, which will be announced on plurk! But if you don't use plurk or would rather keep an eye out by email/tracking, feel free to use the tracking option and mark to receive notifs any new top level comments posted to this log! The log will involve an open starter to visit the precursors where they're cuffed/contained in the room, so stay tuned.

Also no rush once the open starters are posted!

Feel free to focus on the player plot log first and come back to this later.

CLOSED STARTER | THE DOCTOR
DARKLING'S TOP LEVEL | WHILE NEWT WAS SLEEPING...
OPEN STARTER | THE PRECURSORS, REVEALED
CLOSED FINAL CONCLUSION | THE PRECURSORS, REMOVED
OPEN PROMPTS | NEWTON GEISZLER'S RETURN

Comments

[lateness]

[ The Doctor remains very still in an effort not to lose his temper or do anything else ridiculously stupid while the creatures in Newt's head try and taunt him. The important part is not to hurt the physical body of his friend, not when there are people on this station who have claimed they could help him.

And it mostly works, keeping his composure — mostly, because these creatures seem to know exactly where to get at him, where to poke at those tender bits of his hearts.

He breathes out, eyes trained on Newt's face, studying every minute change in his expression. ]

It's no matter. You've revealed yourselves enough and I'll find you either way. Wherever you are. I've got a very clever spaceship, you see, and it travels across time and space, and wherever it is you're from, I'm going to find you. And I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to my friends.

[groupiedrifter]

[Oh, they would love nothing more than to have the Doctor lose his temper and lash out. They would love to saddle him with the guilt of hitting the face of a friend trapped in his own body. Showing that someone who's so-called 'heroic' can snap and reveal the nastiest parts of their own make-up. They wonder, are Timelords as unstable as humans? It'd be fun to test. They can't help but smile at the possibilities.]

You're going to do what? Stop us? You couldn't even keep us from snapping your nasty little companion's arm.

Do you remember hearing it, in Newton's mind? The crunch?

[They lean forward, as far as their binds will let them.]

She called your name, Doctor! Said you'd stop us! Where were you, while she whimpered and screamed? Or is she worth little more than her short skirt and batting eyelashes? We almost did you a favor if the dream had gone on just a little longer...!

[lateness]

[ The Doctor goes very, very still, jaw clenched as he tries his very best not to be affected by the words coming out from Newt's mouth. (It isn't very easy. He wouldn't even call himself 'heroic' by any means. He isn't always a good man, and he's at least self-aware enough to know that whatever else it might mean for those who know him.)

He swallows. Takes a breath. And his expression becomes a mask of indifference. ]

You can go on all you like — the point is she's all right, no thanks to you, and I've seen you now. And while we could reminisce about those good old days, eh, I think it's about time we sent you on your way and let Newt go back to being himself.

[groupiedrifter]

[They glower at him with eyes still wet with Newton's tears, displeased at the Doctor's tolerance. They suppose it's not as effective — words, that is, compared to twisting his companions into pretzels in front of his eyes.]

Just try to send us away, Doctor.

We'd tear Newton's mind to pieces before you can ever get to him.

Or maybe we'll force him to bite through his own tongue, huh? Tilt his head back and let him drown in his own blood while he's awake and aware? Wouldn't be nearly as difficult as you'd think; the human brain is notoriously dim. You should have seen how often he tried to reach out to you. Oh, especially you.

What a mistake, to place so much faith in you, mm?

[lateness]

Oh, I won't have to try. I'll do it, and I'll have the help to make sure that it works too. You won't hurt Newt now, and you won't hurt him again.

[ Now that he's forced the things that have been puppeteering his friend all of these months out from the shadows — and now that he remembers having seen them in some way before — he can rely on those of their crew with magic and psychic abilities to coax these things out (or push them out as it were, depending on their level of stubbornness). They'll have far more effective methods to guarantee a success, and the Doctor will be by Newt's side every step of the way. He won't leave him.

But still: their words do cut at some part of him despite the steeliness of his expression, and the way he keeps his spine straight, his hands from wavering in the slightest. To see Newt still succumbing to their whims while they maintain their power over him ... to witness Newt being hurt now just to get at him ... ]

Trust me. [ He looks into Newt's eyes, past the sneer and the darkness of the precursors, to find his friend in them as though he's speaking directly to him. Hear me, Newt, he thinks. Don't give up. I will save you. ] I'm the Doctor.

And I will see you lot again.

[ He takes a step back now, catching the eye of Kovacs who (along with Peter) have been standing guard nearby in case things get a little out of hand. ]