Bolton's Office Hours

[theoverseers]

[Want to chat with Bolton privately? Here is where you do it! Bolton's office hours will be held in conference room B in the library for approximately four hours in the morning several days a week. During that time the blinds will be drawn and that room will be off-limits unless you're there to talk to Bolton, though the other three study rooms will still be available for use.


Comments are screened for privacy.]

Comments

[stitch_in_time]

Pass, thanks. Seein' paradoxes handed out like candy tends to put me off my appetite a little. Seriously, what the hell makes you think you can do that?

[theoverseers]

Eh, I dunno. It seemed like something that would incentivize a lot of you. Not, you, obviously, especially since there's not really a lot of you left.

[He pours himself a cup of coffee and takes the time to cup his hand over the mouth, letting the steam gather before breathing deep and letting out a content sigh. There's a copy of It on the table next to the french press.]

You seem pretty sure someone's gonna take the bait.

[stitch_in_time]

[Oh ha ha, he's the last of his kind and down to his last few regenerations, very clever.]

Let's say I feel like planning for the worst. And you certainly seem t' think so. This kind of influence doesn't ruin your precious grand experiment or whatever it is?

[theoverseers]

Why would it? You can't get a diamond without adding a little pressure.

[He takes a sip of his coffee, watching the Doctor over the rim of his cup.]

[stitch_in_time]

So it's not about leveling the playing field then, it's about what it'll take to push someone to kill.

Oh, no, I've got it. You're not interested in trying to prove anything, this is just your own personal snuff film.

[theoverseers]

[He holds the cup to his lips for a moment longer than it actually takes to take a sip of coffee, but he gives an insincere grin when he lowers it.]

Sure, if you want to think that.

[stitch_in_time]

I think I look for the answer that fits the evidence.

[Science works, dammit.]

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it might be about to quote Groucho Marx, but I don't think you've got that many layers. This is about pushin' people better than you into dirtyin' their hands for a cheap thrill.

[theoverseers]

You know, you seem so sure about what my motives are, but I don't know what you're in here to do about it.

[Are you trying to guilt him into stopping this whole thing or...]

[stitch_in_time]

Maybe I was just trying to see if there was any shred of humanity left under all that... that.

[Note the past tense. And much as he'd like to think that Bolton might be reasoned with into calling things off, at this point he'll settle for annoying the one with the proverbial gun to all their heads.]

[theoverseers]

[Bolton kind of "mm"s quietly, in a "so that's how it's going to be" kind of tone, taking another sip of coffee. When he lowers the cup again he smiles, though there's something hollow to it and not smug or cruel.]

You of everyone here has been around long enough to know that there's plenty of reasons someone would give that up, Doc.

[Note the complete lack of guilt. You won't reason with him - or annoy him - that easily.]

[stitch_in_time]

I know there's plenty of excuses for it. Wars and old age and never quite gettin' over that fear of the dark. But y'know, old as I am, I've not once seen any that actually held up.

So what's yours, lost someone you care about? Mum and dad didn't hug you enough? Lost at tic-tac-toe one too many times?

[theoverseers]

[Bolton leans forward, sets his coffee cup down and steeples his fingers on the table.]

Wouldn't you love to know.

[stitch_in_time]

I would! And not just for the schadenfreude of it all. Mostly, but not all.

[And you know what, he will take some coffee. Specifically, that mug Bolton just set down to pose over.]

And speaking of, you never answered my question on day one. Where'd you get the tech to bring everyone here? Call that one professional curiosity.

[theoverseers]

[You can insult a man's morals, but you cannot take his almost-empty mug of coffee! He snatches it back out of the Doctor's hands with a glare.]

Where'd we get it? Same place we got the funding to keep the kitchen stocked and hot food prepared every day.