Ficlet: Key Perception

[unfeathered]

Title: Key Perception
Fandom: Doctor Who
Author: unfeathered
Characters: Jack, the Master, Tenth Doctor
Rating: Gen
Word Count: 270
Spoilers: The Sound of Drums
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary: The Master has Jack. Jack still has his key. But not for long…
Beta: jadesfire2808
Author’s Note: Set in jadesfire2808's 'Keyverse', which all began with her drabble The Key, which she then expanded into a fic, also called The Key. And then it started getting drabbled all over… :-)

My previous contributions are: Key Recovery and Key Possession, both set after this one, after Last of the Time Lords.

(Cross-posted to torch_wood, new_who and galactic_conman)



He knew it was coming. Knew he couldn't expect to have possession of it much longer. Any second now, the Master would remember that Jack still had his key. Martha had escaped with hers; the Doctor's was lying abandoned on the floor where he'd dropped it amidst all the flailing. Jack was the only one who still had his hanging round his neck.

Not, he realised, that it was working as a perception filter any more. The soldiers had been able to see him as soon as the Doctor had taken his off. Presumably, once the spell had been broken, it stayed broken. Which only made it even more likely that the Master would notice him soon.

Sure enough, when the Master finally stopped gloating out of the window and came lightly down the stairs to the main room, the first thing he did was stalk over to the Doctor's key and snatch it up. It disappeared swiftly into his pocket. He started to straighten, and paused, halfway up, head cocked as if listening to something Jack couldn't hear. Then he stood up and turned to Jack, and the hairs rose on the back of Jack's neck at the predatory smirk that twisted the Master's face. He got slowly to his feet as the Master sauntered over to him, looking him in the eyes as if he could see into the very depths of Jack's soul, and held out a hand, palm up.

And as he passed his key over, despair hit Jack harder than it ever had before, because this time, he really didn't expect to get it back.

Comments

[becky-h.livejournal.com]

I love key!fic, and this is really awesome and brings up something I'd vaguely been poking in my brain - just when Jack lost his key.

[unfeathered]

Thank you! :-)

just when Jack lost his key

That's what Medley and I were talking about the other day (in the What Happened Next post) and I realised he still had it on at the end of TSoD. It seemed logical that he really wouldn't have had it very much longer...

[nightporters.livejournal.com]

Just when I'm bemoaning the lack of Jack/Master fics, this gem comes along.

[unfeathered]

Thank you - that's a very nice compliment! :-)

And Master Plan will be back eventually. It's just that the next chapter is rather long and I have a lot of real life stuff going at the moment. But it's getting there.

[travels-in-time.livejournal.com]

Aw! *snuggles Jack* I love all this keyfic. That key just represents all sorts of things.

[unfeathered]

I love it too. And yeah, it's such a symbol for the whole of Jack's relationship with the Doctor, and his immortality, and everything.

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

I was very happy to see this on my friendslist this morning, and...wow.

head cocked as if listening to something Jack couldn't hear

I love that, and I love him walking up to Jack and just holding out his hand like of course Jack would give it to him. And Jack *does.* Which surprised me a little. I love that last line, painful as it is.

[unfeathered]

Glad you liked it. :-)

head cocked as if listening to something Jack couldn't hear

He does that such a lot. I don't know what he's hearing - but it seems a bit part of him.

And Jack *does.* Which surprised me a little.

Hmm. That must be my sub!Jack coming through. Though, honestly, what choice does he have? It's either that or get killed again and have it taken off him.

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh. Well, I say "poor Jack" a lot in feedback, and I hate to overuse it, but... Poor Jack!

You write this so well. The description of the Master leaving the window, going down the stairs, and approaching Jack really makes me see him and his movement.

[unfeathered]

Heh - we all say "poor Jack" a lot in feedback! *g*

And thank you! It's nice to know when it's worked - and positioning is something I visualise very strongly.

And there was a definite gap in the canon at that point. They cut from the Master and Lucy gazing out of the window to Martha landing back on earth, and then to Doctor with the Master and Lucy on either side of him. It had to be then. :-)

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

He does that such a lot. I don't know what he's hearing - but it seems a bit part of him.

He does. My favorite, though, is when the Doctor, Jack and Martha walk onto the room on the Valiant, and he freezes for a sec like he hears something, and then he just puts his head back and grins.

Though, honestly, what choice does he have?

Not much of one, I admit. *g* And maybe he'd rather hand it over like it's his decision rather than have it taken.

[unfeathered]

Oh yeah, I love that bit too. He doesn't even, really, look at them. Just knows they're there.

(And obviously that should have read 'a BIG part of him' not 'a BIT part of him'!)

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

Exactly. And yeah, I figured that was a typo. :)

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

head cocked as if listening to something Jack couldn't hear
He does that such a lot. I don't know what he's hearing - but it seems a big part of him.

You don't??

the Master sauntered over to him, looking him in the eyes as if he could see into the very depths of Jack's soul *shudders*

[unfeathered]

You don't??

Um. Do you? In canon, I mean? 'Cos there's a lot of things it could be - drums, other people's thoughts, the TARDIS (especially here, with the TARDIS keys) - but I'm never quite sure in canon.

And I love making people shudder! *laughs evilly*

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

I'm all for the drums for that particular moment - canonically it *fits* especially as his Archangel network should still be transmitting his version round the globe. I don't think it's 'people's' thoughts - he's simply not interested - unless you mean the "Toclafane" he seemed to be on their wavelength - always knowing (for instance) when they were on their way. Maybe it's more like he's listening to a full blown *orchestra* by then.

[unfeathered]

That's an interesting idea - I've never thought about him hearing the drums sort of echoed over the Archangel network. Hmm...

By 'people's thoughts' I meant specific people, like the Doctor, or at this point, Jack. I don't know, just sort of sensing something coming from them. But the Toclafane, yes.

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

I meant specific people, like the Doctor, or at this point, Jack

I think it's way too crowded and noisy in there for him to be able to single any one thought out - though it may be that he's trying as hard as he damn well can to do just that - because he still needs to cover all the angles even then

[unfeathered]

Well, yes, hence the cocking his head as if to try and - filter - what he's hearing.

I have to admit that I haven't really gone very far with the telepathic part of Time Lords, partly because it's not something that 'new' Who has made a big thing about, and practically everything I know about 'old' Who is from reading other people's fic (and Wiki). I mean, I did watch them once upon a time, but I don't remember anything about telepathy from that either. So I'm playing down at least the Master's telepathic ability in Master Plan. This, however, is Keyverse, and things may be very different here.

(I don't know. It's jadesfire2808's world, and she didn't get as far as the Master in her fic. *g*)

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, hence the cocking his head as if to try and - filter - what he's hearing
Ha see? You did *know*...
partly because it's not something that 'new' Who has made a big thing about Well not in Nine's short reign anyway but Ten definitely one of the more telepathic Doctors - along with is other odder um kinks(?)

Is this discussion helping calm your nerves at all?? I'd have offered porn but *shrug* it wasn't to be.

*break a leg* I'm off out now.

[unfeathered]

Ten definitely one of the more telepathic Doctors

Really? From the fic, I was getting the impression there was loads of telepathy in the classic series (which I'd somehow managed not to notice)!

Mind you, there wasn't any obvious Master/Doctor telepathy in S3, and yet it seems to appear in virtually every fic but mine! (Well. I've got a little.)

along with is other odder um kinks(?)

Have I been missing something here???? *g*

Is this discussion helping calm your nerves at all?? I'd have offered porn but *shrug* it wasn't to be.

It did help a bit, thanks. And yeah, I was waiting for my porn... *g*

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

I'd somehow managed not to notice
Well I think we're of an age and I must have missed it too then because I remember going wtf! (almost quite literally) when the first Jack/Doctor fic I read - written by a friend - had NINE poking around in Jack's brain :S I mean the only reference we have for him as far as I remember is that "red bicycle when you were 5" moment that anyone would only think was telepathy if you already knew it was... Er convoluted - sorry.

there wasn't any obvious Master/Doctor telepathy in S3, and yet it seems to appear in virtually every fic but mine
There wasn't but it does work - especially the ones where they're trying to keep stuff from each other.

Have I been missing something here???
One can't help but notice the *licking* thing ;-)

I was waiting for my porn...
It was a morning full of many, many, interruptions grrr

How did it go?

[unfeathered]

I think we're of an age

I'm 34...

when the first Jack/Doctor fic I read - written by a friend - had NINE poking around in Jack's brain

Not Becky's Something that Medley did a commentary on, was it?... :-)

I went wtf at the stuff in The Girl In the Fireplace and then again, because I'd forgotten again, in The Shakespeare Code. Because it's just not something I associate(d) with the Doctor (brackets there because I do now, via fanfic).

And yes, it definitely works well for Master/Doctor stuff. But that's interesting if there really is NO canon basis for it!

One can't help but notice the *licking* thing ;-)

Oh, that. Yes. Even I noticed DT's oral fixation without much help from people commenting on it! :-)

How did it go?

It went well, no major mishaps. I think I was too tired to really enjoy it, though. Hopefully in a day or two I'll get my second wind and get excited about it. And my family are going on Wednesday so that should get the adrenalin going!

bad fingers

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

Okay so I'm older than you (42)
Not Becky's Something that Medley did a commentary on, was it?...
No *moves it to the top of my reading list* it was this

NO canon basis for it
At least for this Doctor/Master - Three seemed always to be on one end or the other of mind 'probes' and Delgardo seemed to be able to bend people to his will in the blink of an eye. Though most new peeps wouldn't know that. It just goes to show how fans can latch onto an idea and run with it - mind reading's always going to be one of those themes that has people rushing off to play.

It went well, no major mishaps
Good, good. Wednesday will definitely be your best performance then *g*

Re: bad fingers

[unfeathered]

Yeah, do go and read Becky's stuff. All of it, actually! *g*

That fic you linked to was... interesting. Fascinating explanation for randy!Jack - but it did seem to come a little out of nowhere :-)

Re: bad fingers

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

It was entirely left field yes but her theory had logic - of a kind ;)

[laurab1.livejournal.com]

I love all the suff about the key; not quite talisman, not quite good luck charm and not quite cross.

[unfeathered]

I love it too. It's not quite canon - it being a bit thing, I mean - but as soon as you realise Jack still has his key in TSoD, yeah, it's obviously a big thing for Jack.

I hadn't actually thought about it as a cross, not specifically, but yes, it certainly is, in a way.