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[ Video ] | Day 15

[ The feed clicks on to reveal the Doctor. He's looking about like he always does and goes to fix a bowtie he isn't wearing. Soon... ]

[ Ignoring that, he sits back looking all professional and give the camera a bright smile. ]

Hullo all! For those who don't know me, I'm the Doctor-not a doctor-The Doctor. People tend to get that bit mixed up. However, if you need a Doctor-either I or my lovely new friend Wen Qing will see to you. Now then!

[ Looking professional. He never said he was a professional ]

First order of business-Joss is back! Yay Joss! Everyone give him a hand, make him feel welcome!

[ He claps his hands a moment and then his expression changes to one much more serious as does his tone. ]

Second order, this does seem to have a very strong suggestion that death isn't permanent here-and I'd have some theories-still have a few but the main one I had doesn't quite work with the facts as I have them so that's probably not it.

Now, I've seen people... shall we say recover? From that sort of condition before-rare-but I have seen it. What about you all? Any theories?

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[Nita's got her exhaustion beaten down to just a pounding headache, now, but this is an important conversation.

She's having Bobo transcribe any replies to this post directly to her Manual, when she's not writing it herself.]

I wouldn't say this train is exactly like the last place I've been - in Nautilus, it was tied to our own willpower. But here... I'd say it was part of whatever set us up for this system to begin with.

[Video game system? Who knows.]

The SCAs are probably relevant as well. Have you had Joss check his?

Mine beeped when I tried to climb through the ticket gate at a station; I don't know what they do if we die or just disappear.

Well, no. The SCA was not the first thing on my mind at the time-Joss had a few immediate concerns but he deserves to be able to come out about that on his own time, not have me blabbing to everyone.

[ The Doctor respects that the change from Vampire to Human must be a pretty extreme one-especially since it came with a medical condition and slight impaired vision so he's not going to mention that until Joss has accepted it himself. ]

You say yours beeped? So they're definitely equipped with some form of GPS then-well not Global-but same concept.

[Nita nods, understanding - ~~presumably~~ she's talked to Joss herself at this point, and she's not going to blab about what he's said to her either.]

Yeah - and they definitely have maps. All sorts of little features, but no comm functions.

[Which her sister's taken particular issue with, understandably.]

We're also told it's a bad idea to take them off whenever we leave the train. Has anyone tried to test that... as much of a common-sense violation as it sounds?

[Look, it was described as an 'augmentation' to her Manual, so while she's not taking it entirely at face value she's in no hurry to risk breaking it and whatever life-preservation functions it's providing, okay?]

No, not that I'm aware of but I'm guessing it's a matter of being able locate someone. You take the SCA off and the train's positioning system losing track of you-you might be left behind.

[Nita nods.]

May be safer to try on a world than a platform, in terms of having more time to spare on them.

[Even as there was more space to get lost in.]

Nope. I think that's one you don't test.

[ he is not risking you getting left behind because you took the SCA off, Nita. Not happening. ]

We don't know if that is definitely the case and until I know more then no-no testing what happens if you remove it.

[Maybe if she's lost alone on a mission... if the evacuation method failed her, anyway.

Nita notes that plan to herself.]

It's the old problem again; either avoid testing it and risk it backfiring on you when you most need it, or do test it and deal with the consequences.

Hm, yes. I suppose but it's certainly not worth risking losing you. So put the thought out of your head.

[Not quite willing to commit even in whatever not!Speech the SCAs translate everything into, Nita just nods instead, expression grim.]

I mean it, Nita.

[ He was a dad once, he knows that look and that defiant silence. ]

[ Hi, eleven year old sitting here looking very calm and composed. ]

...so if you aren't a doctor then why would anyone call you The Doctor?

Because, it's my name. Why else?

And I can be a dcotor-as I stated. But The Doctor is what I'm called.

Your parents must have had high aspirations.

No, that's not how Timelords work. I chose the name-it's my promise to myself and others-always make people better.

So you chose to confuse people.

[ She narrows her eyes. ]

But you did it with a meaning behind it. I... can't disapprove of that part.

No, I didn't. that's not how Timelords work. Don't hold my people's culture to the same standard as yours.

I suppose I'm unfamiliar with such differences in use of language. And I do mean that sincerely.

I will learn to deal with it.

Well, you certainly aren't the only one that could do with that lesson.

I can only imagine. Surprisingly, I've found few concerns with my name having a number in it.

I'm more interested in your theories, honestly. Even in my world, this sort of thing doesn't happen.

There are several ways you can bring people back-most of which are banned on all civilised planets. All of which, I don't recommend a thousand years of time and space you learn the cold hard fact that death is there for a reason-or you learn it better than others.

I see.

[There's a sharp nod. Death is death and while she believes in a rebirth for the soul, one has to die before that happens.]

What are the ways it can be forced back into the body? Assuming you're ok talking over there.

[The ICP might not the best place in the world for this talk...]

Oh, I'm always okay to talk.

[ He responds matter-of-factly. ]

And honestly-that's not typically how it's done-you have to save the consciousness first and find somewhere else to 'store' it, as it were. That's all a brain is really-is a computer so you back up the data and download it somewhere else.

[ This is, in theory, good news... but Ivy can't help but feel irked at it. ]

Oh, well isn't that nice! Where was this rule when I needed it 200 years ago?!

Probably in a different universe.

I know, it's not fair but sometimes technology doesn't advance fast enough.

[That sparks a thought.]

...Say. If it's just a matter of advancement, then if I wait long enough, do you think someone will invent a way to... you know, bring me back? Then again, my body's ancient history...

[ And his hearts clench slightly in his chest. ]

Probably not. I suppose here it's not out of the question considering-but it would definitely require a body and there's not really... one available.

[ Ivy laughs, in what she hopes is a flippant and unconcerned-sounding way. ]

Oh well, I suppose some things are too much to ask, even of modern technology.

[ She might have been able to fool most people with that, but not the Doctor. He's seen it before, in a different flavor mind, but basically the same thing. ]

I don't want to get your hopes up Ivy, but I'll keep an eye out. Maybe there's something I can do.

Really? What would that be?

Well.... I don't know.

But I'll erm.. I'll think on it. Come up with something maybe. Of course it would have to be safe.

Oh, i wouldn't worry too much about it being safe. What's it going to do, kill me?

[ Dead people humor. ]

[ Oh, Ivy. ]

Well, your safety is most definitely important my dear, but I meant the general safety of everyone else involved as well.

Is this really so dangerous that other people would be in danger, too? Now I'm starting to have second thoughts.

[ Curufin claps along with the Doctor, a bright smile on his face. The smile is fake, even though it doesn't look fake. He's missing his brothers Maedhros and Maglor, who disappeared while Curufin was on the mission. ]

Hurrah for Joss!

I've lived in two other worlds since I left my own, and I have an observation to make. There's actually nothing unusual about people dying and coming back. I have known that to happen many times, in those other worlds.

I don't have a fully formed theory, but I have some thoughts. Why is it that people can come back in these transitional worlds but not in our original, natural worlds? I make this distinction between types of worlds because I suspect that this isn't a natural universe. As I've said, I've been in three of them now. They all have one thing in common: they are controlled by a powerful entity that can snatch people out of their own universes or out of another transitional universe. In this case, the train itself is the powerful entity. And because it has this power, it also has the power to snatch people out of the death process, or to hold them back, and to restore them to the living state.

Just my thoughts.

Well, in actuality I have seen people brought back from the dead in my natural universe-as you've coined it. Some people that I think really shouldn't have been and some people I know shouldn't have been but I was glad to see them again. A little.

Oh, have you met my friend Jack? Don't know if he can do it in this universe or not but in ours he can't die. He just comes back. Bit of fault actually-a friend of mine did a thing and she couldn't control it very well so she brought him back all throughout time and space.

Well, I suppose I should have been more specific. Ordinary mortals don't seem to be able to come back -- for the most part. But it seems that in in my universe as well as yours, there are exceptions. Furthermore, some of us are not ordinary mortals. I came back from the dead myself. I'm of the Elvish people, and we have a special relationship between body and spirit. Our spirits never forget the body -- and there are various ways we can return to that body or re-manifest it. How does it work in your world?

I haven't spoken with Jack yet, though I see him on the passenger roster. He can't die? It sounds as though he didn't have any choice about that? Does he approve of being immortal? [ Smile.] I'm going to have to meet this guy.

Edited 2020-04-04 23:20 (UTC)

Well, I don't know. You'd have to ask him. I'm pretty sure it varies day to day though. does anyone approve of being immortal? Personally, I find it to be a bit.. lonely at times.

[ And now he's the last of his kind so he has to live on. ]

But there are rituals and the like-some machines, some other means to preserve the mind. That's really all you need to bring someone back-their mind. However-most ways of doing it are... banned on civilized planets. For good reason-it never turns out quite how they intend.

I know what you mean. Though there were plenty of other immortals in my world, Elves -- those who survived the wars, that is. But it's a strange thing, when we see ourselves outlasting all the mortals by thousands of years. Do you spend much time with people who die in a century or less?

What? You can preserve a person's mind after they are dead? And there are ways of. . . what?. . . re-implanting that mind in a body?

Yes, of course. Strictly speaking the brain is little more than a very complex computer and your mind is essentially just software that can be converted. Don't recommend it though.

[ Curufin shudders at the thought. ] Is it really that simple, the brain, I mean? And the mind? You don't recommend preserving the mind in a machine because it never turns out as intended. Maybe there's a reason it doesn't?

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[ Video ] | Day 15

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