Drabble: Bad Timing

[bk_forever]

Title: Bad Timing

Author: badly_knitted

Characters: Jack, Ianto, Owen, Gwen.

Rating: G

Written For: Challenge 370: Old Age at tw100

Spoilers: Nada.

Summary: Alien technology doesn’t always cause problems at convenient moments.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.

Torchwood’s latest brush with alien technology had resulted in Owen and Gwen being de-aged. It was unfortunate timing as Tosh was in Japan visiting her family.

“Look, we’ve seen things like this before,” Jack told them. “Tosh always makes comprehensive notes on all technology she studies. You’ve got nothing to worry about, I’ll soon have you both back to normal.”

Famous last words.

An hour later, Jack had managed to reverse the de-aging, resulting in two of his agents becoming old age pensioners somewhat prematurely.

“Oh well. At least they’re not kids anymore,” Ianto sighed. “Back to the drawing board.”

The End

Comments

[bk_forever]

It's a mistake a lot of people make - that pacifism is weakness. It's totally untrue though, it's really strength and intelligence at play, looking for peaceful solutions to problems. Violence is easy, it's peace that's difficult because people (and alien races) seem unable to agree to accept each other's differences. Intolerance isn't just a human trait, apparently.

When the opposition forces him into it, the Doctor will use violence, but he never enjoys it whereas the villains revel in it. Running doesn't always work, but it gives him time and breathing space to come up with other options.

The Doctor is like a parent putting a wayward child in its place. He won't tolerate certain behaviours and I suppose he thinks he's giving them what they deserve. He's not always right though. Even the Doctor isn't infallible.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

The Doctor may become conflicted when he can't find the ideal solution.

*The Gelth took advantage of Nine when Rose got him to change his mind on how to deal with them.

*Ten will punish or judge someone when they do something he doesn't like. Except Rose.

*Amy had to point out another way to deal with the situation in "The Beast Below" and Eleven almost sent her home because she withheld information.

*Twelve seems to be the most honest about making a judgement call. He doesn't revel in his decision.

It would be difficult not let his emotions get to him when he believes he has better knowledge of the situation.

The villains perceive his empathy as a sign of weakness, but if they threaten those he cares about he will do whatever it takes to protect them and the outcome may have repercussions.

[bk_forever]

That's a good point about Twelve.

In the Beast Below, Amy and the Doctor were still feeling each other out. I think they became more confident in each other as time passed, but Amy was very much a person with her own opinions. Maybe it's a redhead thing, like with Donna. He couldn't walk all over either of them.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

I like how straight forward Twelve is. I think its from the learning experences he had from his previous incarnations.

I like "The Beast Below specifically for what Amy does in the episode. It showcases how Amy was a competent champion despite the holes or should I say crack to her background.

Rory was supposedly brought in as the traditional champion besides being Amys husband to be. Since Amy was as "crazy" as the Eleven.

My brother has been in a relationship with a redhead twice and they were both nice and academically smart people. So maybe your right.

[bk_forever]

My mum was a redhead - not flaming bright red, but still red enough ;)

It's no wonder the Doctor wants to be a ginger, maybe it's the reason he's picked red haired companions from time to time. If he can';t be ginger, he'll travel with someone who is.

Twelve is so blunt he can be completely tactless, hence the cards Clara made for him, but that's a big part of what makes this incarnation work so well. He cuts right to the heart of things.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

My mum wanted my brother to marry a redhead so she could have grandchildren with reddish hair.

It was a missed opportunity that Eleven never mentioned to Amy about Donna having red hair too. There was that casual line from the Dream Lord about how the Doctor likes redheads. Referring to Queen Elizabeth.

Twelve is trying to be a realist. He doesn't make promises he can't follow through. When Twelve is called out on his insensitivity, he justifies it by explaining why he must react that way. At least he is aware of how he may come across.

It would have to take Clara the teacher to encourage the Doctor with cue cards. I remember Ten asking Rose if he was being rude or something like that.

The champions sometimes have to translate the Doctors behavior to other people. I like the one where Martha tells Billy just to nod his head when Ten pauses for breath in "Blink".

[bk_forever]

Blink is one of my favourite episodes =)

Clara has that practicality, preparing in advance so that the Doctor can work things out for himself in situations. It also means the Doctor is learning as he goes. Eventually he won't need the cards because he'll know how he's supposed to react in sensitive situations.

Twelve doesn't give false hopes or false promises. That doesn't help people when they need to kn ow the truth. It's just that sometimes he could find more tactful ways to be honest.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

I think it was good having the weeping angels as a one off baddie but when Moffat brought them back over and over again, they seem less scary.

I'm surprise the Doctor has never read social etiquette book. Maybe he thought because of his intelligent that he could just improvised. I liked the reference to Sarah Jane on one of the cue cards.

This scenario is used on other shows too. I saw it done on "Monk" where he made out conversational cue cards.

Twelve seems to lack the charm of Ten and Eleven but they both could be blunt too when people aren't able to follow or understand what he means.

Ten would give a speech about his credentials and challenge people. It worked in "Voyage of the Damaged. Not so much in "Midnight". Because he thinks his brilliant, he just assumes everyone else will too.

Eleven: I'm making perfect sense, you're just not keeping up.

Twelve negotiating skills are just different. But may not suit everyone. There's still room for growth though.

[bk_forever]

The Doctor gains and loses skills and personality traits from one regeneration to the next. He's always feeling his way when he changes, trying to work out who he is now.

I like the Weeping Angels. In some ways they got scarier because the seemed more malevolent in some of the later episodes.

I liked Ten's speeches, especially the one in Voyage of the Damned. It gave me chills =)

He probably has, but proper etiquette changes from one time period to another and from one planet to another. I think it would be hard to know always what the proper behaviour was

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

You never know what your gonna get with a new carnation. But the essence of the Doctor will always be the same.

Ten said that regeneration is like death and that another man goes slaughtering away.

When the Weeping Angels catch you off guard they are scary. But if you knew they were coming, couldn't there be a way to stop them. Like smashing them with something hard?.

Ten was so determined that you hoped he would follow through with his promises. He said sorry so many times that it sometimes lost weight. I didn't like how he had to say it to Donna. But I get why there was no other way to handle it.

The Doctor would have to do proper research before hand to understand a planets customs etc. Like a phrase book when you go to another country your not familiar with.