Year of Hell thought...

[unfeathered]

I've just worked it out. The reason there (apparently) weren't any escape attempts from the gang on the Valiant for a whole year until the very day before the Master's launch day is that they weren't trying to escape. The Doctor had told Martha to 'use the countdown' - because she needed time to spread the word, and one specific moment for everyone to think of the Doctor - and until then, or nearly then, there was absolutely no point in trying to bring down the Master.

Probably this was blindingly obvious to everyone else and I'm just being really slow.

Mind you, they could have thrown in a few 'fake' attempted escapes, to keep the Master occupied.

Comments

[unfeathered]

Yeah, I was just thinking about his "Not again".

Now I don't know what to think.

A lot of it, I suppose, depends on whether the Doctor was able to share any of his plan with the rest of the team. Well, I suppose it would have been pretty easy to talk to the Joneses in odd moments, but Jack? We have no on-screen evidence that Jack saw even the Master (in person) let alone the Doctor throughout that year, so...

You may well be right. And I know it makes it interesting to make so many different scenarios fit the facts we're given, but I always have this thing about wanting to know which is right!

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

*nods* I understand, entirely! I'm really pretty flexible, and easy going about takes on canon and things that make sense, but in truth? I still want to know where it is.

It's annoying, a little, because there's very little on screen evidence about any of it. It's nice to have the gap to fill but what happened in that gap, but still with the frustration.

I figure the fact that the Joneses were how the plan got communicated to Jack says something about how much contact he had with the Doctor, too.

[unfeathered]

I figure the fact that the Joneses were how the plan got communicated to Jack says something about how much contact he had with the Doctor, too.

Mmm. Good point. Though again, the fact that that was how it was at the end of the year says nothing about how it was at the start.

Gah. It's so frustrating!

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

Nope, we have no way of knowing anything about the whole year and everything that happened during it - and we probably won't, ever. Which, while frustrating, is kind of good. I mean, hey, at least the fic won't get 'jossed'.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

I figure the fact that the Joneses were how the plan got communicated to Jack says something about how much contact he had with the Doctor, too.

Yep. And it would've been waaay too dangerous for the Joneses to know the actual plan. Jack's harder to mind-read than the average bear, so *maybe* he knew, but there's no way they could take a chance on the Joneses knowing. (And here's where somebody points out to me that there's canon proof that they did know, and I whine a lot.)

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

I think they actually sent Jack the plan and everyone moved together, but the big, ultimate, Martha doing plan? I don't think they knew. I also bet Jack being harder to mind-read (and he is) probably is why he got signaled through them. I doubt the Doctor could get into his head when the Master couldn't - and I doubt the master did.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

Yeah, that's what I meant--the Martha plan.

I doubt the Doctor could get into his head when the Master couldn't

Good point--that aspect of it hadn't occurred to me. I guess I figured it'd make a difference if it was somebody he *wanted* to communicate with.

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

But if he let the Doctor in, would he be letting the Master in or giving the Master opportunity to get in?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

Yeah, it seems likely, and I don't suppose they'd be willing to take the chance.

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

Hm. *sits and ponders*

[unfeathered]

Hmmm. Thank you for working that one out while I was gone, you guys. I've been trying to work out how the Doctor could communicate with Jack (especially without the Joneses, as they're still in their little cell in my story), and I'd thought of telepathy but hadn't thought about the Master intercepting such.

Back to the drawing board, then. Though maybe if the Doctor was touching Jack, and the Master wasn't...?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

Though maybe if the Doctor was touching Jack, and the Master wasn't...?

That could work, I think. I'd buy it, depending maybe on where the Master was at the time.

[unfeathered]

Yeah. Though it's going to be difficult as hell, for my fic, with the Master telling it so therefore he's got to see it, without realising what's going on...

Oh! Perhaps spying on the Doctor and Jack through the CCTV or something. Putting them together and watching them, and listening to what they're saying aloud, but unaware that the Doctor's light hand on Jack's bare forearm is anything more than just a touch for comfort...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

Oh, yeah, that'd work. Of course, then there's the question of how do you let the reader know there's more to it than that...First person = hard, in my book. :)

[unfeathered]

Oh, yeah, I'm discovering that! Though a lot of the time, I find it easier. It's just certain things like this. And it's certainly challenging my writing and plotting skills, which is great fun!

But it wouldn't have to be clear at the time. Just later. I just want to make sure I can make an opportunity for the two of them to communicate when I need them to!

Thanks for that. It's so useful having help working these things out! :-)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

You're very welcome! This kind of thing is great fun. I mean, where else can you have earnest conversations about how telepathy works? *g*

[unfeathered]

Nowhere better than with you! :-)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

Aw, thanks! I really love this little group that we have going.

[unfeathered]

Me too :-)