best_served_hot | rp for scienceandgod

rp for scienceandgod

England. 1920.

The Master shouldn't have expected much more from hastily inputting coordinates into the vortex manipulator. He'd had only moments to escape and that is what he'd managed to do. Since he landed in England just after the end of the first World War, he would have to make due. The Doctor's repairs on the TARDIS would take time but he could not risk jumping again and leading him straight to him.

For now, he was stuck.

He hadn't been on top of his game when he'd first arrived but he'd been lucky the ignorant young man he'd beaten senseless wasn't of any importance. He'd slipped into the insignificant space the young man's life had left as he laid in hospital. It had taken time, but mere months down the road, he'd procured papers he needed as well as credentials for a professorship.

Charming his way through most things, it wasn't long before he was settled at Cambridge teaching History to rising students but he wasn't idle, though he was careful. After all, it wouldn't do for him to draw unwanted attention to himself.

He could be quite patient when it was required.

At that precise moment, he was in the library, less for study or reacquainting himself and more, simply, because he enjoyed a good book once in a while. It didn't matter who or what wrote it, as long as it was good. So here he is, perusing the shelves.

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Arthur, by nature, wasn't a very social being. He was polite, of course. He greeted the professors in the University and accepted their offers to dinner. But very rarely did he engage anyone in a conversation which he started, aside from scientific debates and the like. The only person he really opened to was his sister, and that came only from years of familiarity and an attachment for his older sister which he had never quite grown out of, all these years later.

Thus, it was not uncommon to find him slowly working through new material, either in his own study at home or, occasionally, the library at school. There were, after all, some materials that even he didn't have readily available.

It was there, tucked away in one of the more private corners of the library, that he could be found today, surrounded by books and papers. Arthur often felt that it was during these moments that he felt most comfortable.

And the Master, still using the more simple guise of Harold Saxon, had noticed his fellow professor but had kept his distance. He knew he wasn't the Doctor, but the resemblance was uncanny. He doubted this being some sort of elaborate trap as well.

The Doctor had no stomach for games.

Still, he was intrigued and so, he left his search for something to read on his own to go to the table where Arthur was. He placed his hands on the back of a chair.

"Might I join you?"

The offer came as a surprise, something which was probably evident from the way Arthur seemed to blink up and stare for a moment, as if trying to register that he had been spoken to. He got a bit too into his work, sometimes.

This was followed a moment later by a polite smile and nod. "Of course, be my guest."

When Arthur looked up at him, he smiled easily and thanked him as he pulled out the chair to sit.

"I would have approached you sooner to introduce myself but you seem to be quite busy," the Master said. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

He quickly moved the books and papers to make room for him, shaking his head. "Not at all. Are you a new faculty member here?"

Unlike the rest of his coworkers, Arthur was quite inept at keeping up with the news of the University. Aside from anything in the scientific field, of course; he had one focus, after all.

"You don't have to move your things, I know how easy it is to be drawn into your work," the Master smiled.

"Yes, yes I am. I only just arrived a few days ago. Still settling in, I'm afraid," he offered his hand. "My name is Harold, Harold Saxon."

The resemblance was still slightly unnerving considering his being on the run but skulking about in alleyways and dark corners had never really been something he enjoyed doing. It didn't suit his nature at all.

This time, there was no delay before he shook the offered hand. "Arthur Eddington. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Saxon."

He couldn't deny the temptation of letting the conversation end at that and simply go back to his research, Arthur knew that part of his position depended on being on amiable terms with the staff. Even if it was not one of the biggest factors that gave him his job, it made things much, much easier in the long wrong. "What position, if I may ask?"

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Eddington," said the Master, offering a small smile before letting his hand go.

He glanced down briefly, over the books littering the table, before looking back up to reply. "I was offered a professorship in History since the position was open."

"I was not aware that such a spot had become vacant at the University." His tone turned more conversational, then, as he couldn't help glancing down at his work and adding a few more notes.

He quickly forced his attention to turn back to the Master, however. "Are you enjoying your time so far?"

"I believe there was some kind of tragic accident recently. I must admit, I was quite stunned at their sudden reply," he said, playing the part of looking somewhat saddened as he parroted off about the accident.

"I am so far, yes. Thank you for asking." The Master then glanced at the other man's notes, making a mental note to leave things alone. Interference would draw attention. It was also dangerous without any way of controlling the outcome. "Might I ask what you're working on?"

"I'm sorry to hear that." Arthur wanted to say more. He may not have known the man very well, but the loss of a life was always something to be mourned.

Before he could continue, however, the focus shifted to the work in front of him, his eyes going from the Master, then down to his notes. "Fusion. I've started only recently, so most of the work is research at this point."

The Master was quiet a moment before he realized that playing the part would require a solemn nod and possibly an agreement on his part to the sudden, tragic loss of life. And so, he nods very solemnly.

But then things turned to a more interesting topic. "Fusion?" He could play the politely curious professor for a time. After all, it kept him from being bored completely out of his skull and he was curious as to how much this man really understood.

Edited 2010-01-30 06:38 (UTC)

Arthur pointed down at his notes, looking expectant for a moment before realizing that a history professor would probably lack the knowledge to take in the equations at face value.

"I have a theory that the rate of fusion within a star is dependent on both the density and the core temperature of the star."

A history professor more than likely would. The Master did not. However, he couldn't go running at the mouth about such things.

"And that's what all these ..calculations are?" the Master asked. "How would you prove something like that?" He had to admit, it was mildly interesting, seeing history playing out. Of course that wasn't something he would ever admit to anyone else, especially someone who happened to share the same face as Mr. Eddington, but that was beside the point.

He nodded, gesturing over one of the cleaner pages, the others full of scribbles and crossed out equations and notes in the margin. He then pointed at one of the books that surrounded him. "Through data. I cannot prove it, per say; there is no way to physically test these things. But if I can form an equation that proves true within a margin of error each time it is tested, no matter the star, then my theory will become valid. Until it can be proven, or proof is found against it."

"Seems like a very complicated and tedious process," he says, pretending to look baffled. "I doubt I'd have the stomach for such things. No, I rather think I prefer my dusty old tomes to sort through for my reading material than ideas full of stardust."

Arthur couldn't help laughing at that, looking down at his book and the work that surrounded him. "I can appreciate their literature, and even some of their music, but to me....there's so much that lies ahead of us, so many new things that we could learn. I can't find it in me to spend that time looking back at the past, when the future is full of stardust, as you call it."

"I suppose as long as the world keeps moving forward I will never be short on material," said the Master, chuckling.

"After all, how can one know what to strive for if they don't know what's already been reached?"

Arthur gave him a smile, and it was less formal and closer to genuine. "And that is why I am a scientist and you are a historian, I suppose."

The Master had taken to exploring the countryside when he wasn't at the University. Earlier in the week he had disappeared for a few short days, timing a few well coordinated jumps in order to lead the Doctor on a wild goose chase, had he finished his repairs but the return trip proved problematic.

The blasted device had burnt itself out, now nothing more than a useless accessory.

He still planned on leaving this place but his progress in repairing the vortex manipulator was holding him back. So, for now, he merely wandered along a well worn path outside of town.

Arthur sat below a tree on the side of the row, the bicycle propped up besides him. He had long since reigned his breathing again, and was now simply enjoying the slight burn in his muscles that told him he'd had enough, though only for now.

He felt perfectly content then, sitting below the tree. He knew home to be only a few meters away, just a walk over the hillside, but for now work could wait.

Even a physicist was allowed a few moments of rest before delving back into work, however seldom he allowed himself these moments.

The Master saw the bicycle before he saw Arthur but it would have told him the physicist was there, at least out along these paths. This particular route was far out of his way but he enjoyed the crispness of the air and the quiet apart from the bustle of the city and the campus as well.

He usually walked quite softly, but not wanting to startle the young man, he scuffed his heels lightly over the ground as he came up on the tree.

"An afternoon ride?" he questioned, hands slipping into his pockets as he watched him. "If you aren't careful someone will think you have an unhealthy relationship with your bicycle, " the Master said, humor in his voice.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of feet moving over the dirt road, so it came as little surprise when he saw the Master approaching. He smiled easily, feeling quite relaxed due to his exercise as well as the atmosphere.

"It may be too late for that, then. I have become no less fond of these bike rides now than when I first learned."

He tutted him softly. "For shame, Mr. Eddington," but there was almost a fondness to it.

Rassilon help him, was he getting used to this? Though, to be fair to himself (and he always thought of himself first and foremost), he had taken a wife out of necessity of his image and an Earth politician.

This wasn't far from the same situation. Blending in was required and rubbing elbows with other professors and higher members of the society could turn out to be quite useful in the future.

Or at the very least, entertaining.

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rp for scienceandgod

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