Luminescence ('Brilliance' entry)

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

Title: 'Luminescence'
Rating: G
Genre: Missing Scene
Word Count: 395
Pairings or Characters: Ninth Doctor; mentions of Rose Tyler, Adam Mitchell, and Henry van Statten
Spoilers: Takes place immediately after 'Dalek', from which the italicized dialogue is plucked
Warnings: None

Summary: If someone like van Statten had his way, then all the stars in the universe would be reduced to mere commodities. Objects to buy and sell, to trade on the stock market. To be exploited without a thought.

The Doctor stands in the open doorway of the TARDIS, arms folded across his chest. His gaze is sharp, absorbing every detail.

Outside, the Trifid Nebula swirls and gleams, lanes of dust obscuring portions of a vast, gaseous cloud. Deep within, stars are coming into existence after untold ages of pulling in enough material to ignite.

Somewhere in the TARDIS, Rose is showing her pretty boy--Adam, he unwillingly reminds himself--around. Giving him the grand tour.

Adam's a puppy, at best. It probably won't be long before he heads for home, his tail between his legs. Blokes like Adam, they don't understand something like this. They say they want to see the bigger picture, then panic when the picture proves too big for their puny vision.

He's a small fry. The Doctor doesn't bother to give him another thought.

Right now, he's too angry. Remembering. Remembering the puppy's former employer.

"Let me tell you something, van Statten. Mankind goes into space to explore, to be part of something greater."

"Exactly! I wanted to touch the stars!"

"You just want to drag the stars down and stick them underground, underneath tons of sand and dirt, and label them. You're about as far from the stars as you can get."

He knows that type; he's seen that kind of attitude before. It's not about wonder with blokes like van Statten. It's not about appreciation. It's not about staring in awe at the brilliance of a star, granting it the respect it deserves.

It's about ownership, plain and simple. If someone like van Statten had his way, then all the stars in the universe would be reduced to mere commodities. Objects to buy and sell, to trade on the stock market. To be exploited without a thought.

To be...dissected like a specimen. Even that poor Dalek deserved better.

Van Statten wanted to kill the stars, to get down to their most minute particles, to see what made them tick. To see what would bring him the greatest profit.

The Doctor stares at the nebula before him, its pink-purple luminescence casting a glow on him. He bathes in that glow, letting his anger wash itself away as he takes in the beauty.

The stars that are being born here...they will never be treated so callously as men like van Statten would do.

"Not if I can help it," he murmurs.

Comments

[wavingkilts.livejournal.com]

This is beautiful! You'd expect something like this from people as closed minded. If you had any sense you'd go for the beauty, stars, great balls of fire always being born and always dying. How amazing would that be?

You can understand why someone like the Doctor would be angry. He appreciates the beauty of the Universe...

What a fantastic story! *cheers*

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

One of the (many, many) reasons why I wish the Doctor was real is to be able to see such things up close. There is so much beauty out there that to see it closer, rather than just through Hubble, etc., would be an enormous honor. I imagine the Master would understand van Statten's logic perfectly. But, after all, that's not what the Doctor is or could ever be about. :)

Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! ♥

[roseglade.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love it! Van Statten was a very good villain in that episode (I loved that the Dalek wasn't actually the bad guy for once). I think that you described the 9th Doctor very well in this and his determination to protect the universe (from even us)! I felt as if I could really hear these as his words. Amazing job! :D
*cheers along with wavingkilts*

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

Gosh, thank you! Yeah, that man was such a monster; that was my first episode to feature a Dalek, and I was not expecting to feel sorry for it!

♥

[chinesebakery.livejournal.com]

Oh, I had forgotten about that episode. Van Statten is pretty much the opposite of the Doctor, their conflict is really interesting.
Your Nine voice is really, really good! Those words fit him perfectly.

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

I need to watch that one again; it's so good. God, that van Statten...a perfect example of what can happen if curiosity goes bad.

Thanks! I'm not too used to writing Nine yet, so I wasn't sure if I had him or not. :)

[paynesgrey.livejournal.com]

Great character introspection by Nine here, perfect! Wonderful work.

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

Thanks so much! :)

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

Thanks so much, love! I don't even know where this came from; it sorta snuck up on me. :D I really need to watch Nine again sometime; it's been a while.

*huggggggggggggggggg*