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Humans! [ Good, now that he has your attention. ] There is a sickness aboard this vessel, a Dark Beast that harbours rot and the ruin of any that approach it. I, myself, suffered injuries that have now healed. It is a skilled foe that walks in shadow, a warrior of the forsaken. It does not bleed when wounded or hesitate to give harm and it will kill you, should you be fool enough to challenge it. Unless, of course, it decides to keep you alive for sport — those mortals who deliberately put themselves at risk do so at their own peril. If you believe you are strong, I am here to tell you that you are not. Keep your corpses to a minimum.

Specifically: it carries a great chain that burns like embers, knows your mind and moves at incredible speed. Thranduil is aware of this demon, as are all those of Elvenkind aboard.

[ Nuada, who brings the network this message from the corridors where he is patrolling, peers into the camera with wolflike gold eyes. You may have seen them around recently, instead belonging to one massive six-foot hound. ]

To those who are not human, I say this; stay with your brothers and sisters, send word over a secure line if any of you are attacked. All manner of Aes Sidhe, from my world or not, are my concern.

[ What else? His manner eases ever so slightly, as it is wont to do between comrades. ]

Loki — we must speak concerning the forging of your weapon. It is time to take up arms worthy of your skill, my friend.

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Captain Jack Harkness, actually. But call me Jack. [There's practically a wink thrown in there.]

And I wouldn't be so quick to judge if I were you. From the way you make it sound, you're gonna need all the help you can get. And I'm pretty sure that I'm one of a kind.

[Way to be cryptic, Jack.]

Prince Nuada. Silverlance.

[ He narrows his eyes, making Jack wait a moment too long for it to remain polite before rejoining with a reply. ]

If you wish to speak your mind, Captain, now is the time to do so.

I'm guessing that Prince isn't your first name then... [Jack that is the worst and corniest joke ever.

He sits back in his seat and switches the feed to 99% encrypted after a moment's thought. Suddenly, this conversation is serious business.]

Can I trust you, Prince Nuada Silverlance? I mean, really trust you? This isn't the kind of thing I want getting out to the rest of the ship, it really isn't.

[ That really is a terrible line and he remains blank-faced until Jack gives him something else to go on. ]

Do you usually trust strangers?

Not usually, but then again this isn't exactly a usual situation, now is it? [He smiles at the question, and it's a grin that doesn't quite meet his eyes. Then again, this isn't his first rodeo, and he knows just how bad things could get, in the right circumstances. His expression sobers slightly.]

I mean it. Can I trust you? Or is there someone else who knows what's going on that I might speak to? This 'Thranduil' maybe. [There, that's it. Threaten to lose interest and go up the chain of command, that'll hopefully get him where he needs to go.]

Thranduil is the king of the elves and I will, in all likeliness, tell him anything you tell me. He can keep a confidence, however.

[ Got to admit, Nuada is honest. ]

But I am the one who has met this creature in the flesh, so you would do better to talk to me first.

[Jack gives the camera a long, searching look. How does he know that he's doing the right thing here? The truth of the matter is that he doesn't. But there's an unknown evil out there and if something happens to others because he can't risk sharing his secrets. If something happens to Ianto. He'd never forgive himself. After all, at the end of the day, regardless of what happens, nothing can really happen to him...

A muscle tightens in his jaw as he steels himself for this. This better not be making a giant mistake, here.]

I can't die.

[ Nuada watches him unflinchingly for a long moment, then tilts his head. ]

Do you mean to say you are immortal if left unharmed?

[ That isn't to imply he can't die, but the nuances bear investigating thoroughly. ]

[Jack leans really close to the camera, eyeing it levelly as he responds.]

No, I mean to say that I can't die. Or rather, I can't stay dead. I keep coming back. And believe me, it's not the sort of thing that wears off. A 'fixed point in space and time', I had someone explain it to me once. I'm pretty sure that means it's forever.

[ ... Well. That's a new one. ]

What manner of creature are you?

[Jack shrugs.] I told you, a fixed point. That's what makes that possible. Other than that, human. Mostly. Bloodlines get a little complicated the further out into the space colonies you get.

[He's honestly surprised that's the first question he's asked and not...well. Anything to do with his condition. Though he's sure those questions will come.]

You are 'a fixed point'?

[ This is like the reverse of saying 'a shadow' and all the ye olde folke knowing exactly what you mean, but now it's Jack and his futuristic vernacular. ]

Regeneration is your defining ability, then?

Edited 2014-01-04 21:23 (UTC)

[There's no easy way to explain it - Jack thinks that 'fixed point' sums it up rather nicely, but if you insist...] I can't stay dead, I don't really age, or haven't at least, since I was made to be this way. I heal faster than most. Every time I revive whatever injuries were inflicted on me heal themselves as well. [He shrugs again.] Fixed point.

I have never met a creature like that ... until now, I suppose.

[ Curiously, he tilts his chin. ]

What if your head were cut off and burned to nothing? Would your body remain active?

[Jack looks like he doesn't really want to answer this question. But he does anyway.]

No, I'd be dead. But it would...grow back. And then I'd revive. I don't know how to describe it more specifically. I've been through worse, but I wasn't exactly there to witness it personally, you know? Let's just say that it would hurt like hell and leave me with a killer headache, but otherwise be pretty much none the worse for wear.

[Relatively speaking. His head will still have been cut off and had to have grown back, after all. He knows from personal experience that growing his body back hurts like hell. He kind of wishes he didn't, some days.]

Edited 2014-01-10 22:11 (UTC)

[ That gains a laugh. ]

Not a little morbid, then? [ Satisfied this isn't exactly a human in the broadest sense of the word, something else of its own making, not a thief of magic, Nuada lets a small smile ease up. ] Then we shall endeavour not to let your head lose its shoulders.

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<small[jack>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<small[Jack makes a face, although it's clearly one in jest. Only someone who's been through that kind of horrible situation can actually joke about something like this, after all.]</small>

Thanks, my shoulders and I both appreciate it. <small>[He <i>does</i> register that he's gotten a smile and a laugh there, at least. Good signs, he thinks.]

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