#Doctor Nero

[themalhambird]

There’s a complex simplicity to marking first year homework- it’s engaging without requiring any particular effort, and Doctor Nero is making steady progress down the pile. Ivan appears every so often to refill the china cup on his desk with tea. Just at the moment Nero pauses to stretch out his spine, flex his fingers, crack the joints threatening to stiffen up in ankles- just at the moment that he’s starting to flag, in other words, a mug and a pot of coffee touch down on his left. “Thank you, Ivan,” Nero says, picking up the pot and pouring himself the welcome dose of steaming, bitter caffeine. 

“It is seven thirty,” Ivan announces, his gruff St. Petersburg accent colouring the English words. “At eight p.m, you will have sandwiches.”

A brief, but genuine smile touches Nero’s lips. “Thank you, Ivan. I should be done by nine.”

“Be done at nine thirty; take half an hour to properly eat.” Ivan moves off as Nero laughs silently and picks up his coffee, draining the lot in continuous gulps before pouring himself a second mug, setting it to the side, and  returning to the task at hand. The rhythm of it is  just coming back nicely when his study door slides open, and since there are only  three people in the world who have  the clearance to make that door open without his granting access- Ivan, who is already within the suite of rooms that make up Nero’s personal quarters; Dr. Scott, who never appears without calling ahead first and is polite enough to knock unless there’s reason to assume that Nero is unconscious or otherwise incapacitated; and finally- “Professor,” Doctor Nero says, without looking up from his work. “What have you blown up this time? And can you find a way to blame Diabolus so that the doubtless very expensive replacement gets taken out of his bottom line, and not mine?”

“It’s not- Max, I’m trying to work up the aliases for Raven and I…”

There’s an uncharacteristic uncertainty in the old man’s voice. Nero caps his pen and straightens up in his chair, scanning the Professor’s face. He seems nervous; Nero frowns slightly. “It’s not like you to have difficulty curating false IDs.”

“Well, it’s not a difficulty exactly, its-” the Professor turns, and presses the button to seal the door, watching it shut before turning back. Nero’s frown deepens. “She’s fourteen, roundabout; if she’s going to be out and about with you, then the most logical- the most believable identities for her would be- well, they’d be linked to several of your existing sets as. Well. as your daughter.” He falls silent, looking rather like he does when he’s waiting to see if a prototype he’d really rather didn’t explode was about to blow up in his face. Nero’s face clears, and he leans back, reaching for his coffee. 

“Yes, I’d assumed as much,” he says, “What’s the problem?”

“It’s- well. There’d need to be a mother in the picture, somewhere, obviously- facts of life- and the existing identities that we have for you, the ones best suited for that- not that I couldn’t set some up from scratch but you know, the most secure ones have had time to be embedded properly, and are soldered close to the truth as possible where personal details are concerned- easier to remember and all that, and so-”

“You want to slot Raven into the aliases that were built to link up with corresponding identities for Elena.” Nero finishes quietly 

“Only with your permission,” the Professor says, his gaze a little too penetrating for Nero’s comfort. “You’ve not been using them, but you never ordered  any of them destroyed either, and you know how my system works. The identity is removed entirely, and the appropriate real-world office finds itself with a  death certificate, or else they keep living- chugging along  quietly in the background, another face in the millions. Taxes, career records…”

“Cull some of Elena’s- backdate six to eight months, if you can, and make the corresponding records show a fairly recent widower. Divorce a few of the ones where Elena had Russian ties but I didn’t- Raven is still working on accents, spending large parts of the year in Russia with her mother would account for hers…set a couple up where it seems Raven’s the product of a one night stand or an affair, and you had best tie some to Darkdoom as well. Let him know that some of his alter-egos are about to acquire a god-daughter, step daughter, or a niece by marriage.” 

“Max.”

“Theodore. It was fourteen years ago.” Nero picks up his pen. “It was unfortunate. I grieved. It no longer matters. Robust covers for Natalya are a priority; for now, that requires making me her father, though I suggest an uncle or two is thrown in the mix as well- again, her accent. In the meantime, start laying groundwork for identities independent of mine that she can grow into. Fast-track-to-CEO, secretary, European aristocracy, cleaner- the usual gamut for our line of work.” He pops the lid off the pen with the tip of his thumb. It clatters down on to the desk. 

“Alright,” the Professor says. “It’s ironic, just need to un-bury some pre-natal medical records, and Raven slots right in. She even looks like you, a little bit- well, your hair is the same colour-”

“You can go, Professor,” Nero says, a little more sharply than he intended. He doesn’t need to be told that Raven is the same age his child would have been, if the child had survived. When he had reaffirmed his intention to keep the young assassin close to him, Number One had spent a good ten minutes probing at the fact, trying to trip Nero up into admitting- what had the man called it? Displaced Paternal Emotion. Nero feels no such thing. He is fond of the girl, in the same way he had been fond of several other young people he's mentored across the years. He feels viciously, nastily triumphant that he’s taken the weapon his mortal enemy had designed to kill him, and worked out how best to wield it himself. He foresees, in Raven’s skill set, a rising star in G.L.O.V.E’s exacting sky- just as he had seen it in a young Diabolus Darkdoom- and he anticipates, when Raven sets out on her own, reaping that same reward, experiencing that same quiet satisfaction of having been right that he gets whenever Darkdoom excels. Displaced Parental Emotion. No. He’s a master craftsman, and he knows how to spot a top of the line tool that some clueless idiot cleaning out their dead grandmother’s shed was selling for £2.50 from the boot of their car. Take care of the rust spots (or, in Natalya’s case, a tendency to stab people who made her angry) and you get the steal of a lifetime. 

He’s very good at his job.

[the-black-bulls]

Nacht: The first rule of being interrogated is that you are the only irreplaceable person in the torture chamber. The room is yours, so work it. If they're going to threaten you with death, show them who's boss. Die faster.

Nero: Are you okay?

[companion-showdown]

Who is the Greatest Accomplice to the Doctor's War Crimes?

TOURNAMENT MASTERPOST

[manaosdeuwu]

[lndslorepuzzler]

Spacepedia: Relevant Information

(Some of these are transcribed word for word, and others (generally less immediately story-relevant) are summarized for ease of reading.)

Lemuria: "An ancient marine civilization recorded in legends. It's unique, advanced technologies are difficult to use. Also, Lemurians had achieved great mastery over many art-related fields, such as music, painting, literature, architecture, and carving. In 2034, the ruins of an underwater city were discovered to the southeast of Linkon City, proving the existence of Lemuria."

Tenebra/Tenebrae: Those who broke the Hunter's Code and engage in illegal activities, like protocore smuggling. They often have ties to secret organizations and carry out covert missions behind the scenes. They are actively pursued by the Hunter's Association.

Lumiere: "In the midst of the 2034 Chronorift Catastrophe, a mysterious hunter emerged, taking down numerous formidable Wanderers and rescuing countless citizens in Linkon City. This enigmatic hunter played a crucial role in resolving the crisis. Their true identity remains shrouded in mystery, and after the catastrophe, they disappeared without a trace. They appeared again in the last two years, with rumors suggesting that they have already transformed into Tenebra."

N109 Zone: "Once a bustling technology hub, it is now one of the most dangerous areas after the catastrophe occurred. Surrounded by other no-hunt zones, it has evolved into lawless land where danger and opportunity coexsist. It is rife with violence and crime. With illicit trade and dangerous research, many of its activities are related to protocores and Wanderers. Its many benefits have driven countless outlaws to risk their lives. **The Origin of the N109 Zone's Name: "The N109 Zone, also known as No-Hunt Zone No. 109, does not belong to the 108 regions resignated officially as no-hunt zones by the Hunters Association. Prolonged energy fluctuations and dangerous Wanderers are characteristics of a no-hunt Zone. The Wanderer threat in the N109 Zone has been suppressed, but its inherent dangers persist due to the complex web of factions and poor living conditions. Consequently, it has earned the reputation of being "No-Hunt Zone No. 109 because it's difficult to enter and even more dangerous than a typical no-hunt Zone."

Onychinus: "A mysterious faction stationed in the N109 Zone. Unlike other shady groups, Onychinus is omnipresent. They have connections everywhere, forming a vast web of sin to control every illegal activity."

The Nest: An information hub moonlighting as an exclusive bar. "A complex network brimming with Intel and secrets unknown to the public."

Characters:

Tara: FMC's colleague and friend. Cute, likes divination, works in the analysis department.

Jenna: Leader of UNICORNS. Manages the FMC's Alpha Team.

Yvonne: A nurse at Akso Hospital. Gets things done with a good attitude.

Caleb: Childhood friend. Fighter pilot for the Deepspace Aviation Administration. Presumed dead.

Nero: A severely socially anxious man on the data analysis team. Very interested in Wanderers, and Lumiere.

Thomas: Qi Yu's friend, and owner of Flux Arts. Takes care of the business end of being an artist.

Talia: A famous soprano. Qi Yu's aunt.

Josephine: FMC's grandmother. Presumed dead.

Greyson: Cardiac surgeon at Akso Hospital. Witty with a good sense of humor. "However, there's a rumor that no one knows his real age..."*1

Dr. Noah: An old acquaintance of Josephine, and Li Shen's teacher. Originally responsible for the treatment of FMC's heart disease and treatment.

Jeremiah: The owner of Philo, a florist. Friends with Shen Xinghui. Has a lot of overy questionable skills, like creating identities and manipulating data.

Luke: Works for Qin Che. One half of a set. Vivacious and unpredictable.

Kieran: Works for Qin Che. One half of a set. Calm and dependable.

Mephisto: Works for Qin Che. A mechanical crow.

.

.

*1, The tin hat is ON, he's one of Shen Xinghiu's people.

[thirddoctor]

people don't appreciate Vicki enough :(

[outofthiisworld]

. ✦ ݁ ˖ @grandgrief NO googly eyes allowed !!!

[💜]  Ophelia tossed the lil’ bag of googly eyes over her shoulder and grumbled some. What a spoilsport! A real sour-puss! (Ophelia, sweetie, his own dead body was a mere few inches away— you may be used to it, but this ain’t normal).

Still, her frown flipped right side up, and how could it not? Nero had just asked for a favor so so so nicely, with a please and everything! So: she dialed up the old senior medic without a tantrum.

“Hiiii, Doc.~ ♡ Um! So, Nero has a lil itty bitty situation,” Ophelia looked between the very much alive Nero and the very much dead Nero while she twirled her hair. “Oh! Wow, you too? That’s so crazy. Yeah, yeah. Uh-huh. Mm. Yep— a Nero corpse, how’d you know? Mm. Nooo, no. No Ophelia-corpse yet… uh-huh. Sure, I’ll let him know. I love you more!”

Click.

“Um! Doc said he found his own corpse look-alike too and to ‘go bug Dr. Hwan ‘bout this!’ He also wants us to make sure there aren't any sort of chest bursters or egg sacs in the ears or nose, juuust in case. He ALSO said ‘it's not an emergency if it’s just Nero’s corpse and not your corpse—’ oh wait, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that part.”

[batcows]

finally back to watching classic who and I've come 100% around on One. this old man is a giggly little psychopath. i love him.

[v-thinks-on]

Today, the Doctor gleefully burned Rome to the ground...

[leonleonhart]

i am so tired

[northernexposureonly]

[themalhambird]

Since learning that Nero's memory of a good, what, few hours at least? was forcibly, magically overwritten, I've been headcannoning that he subsequently developed a tendancy toward migraines. Also, because I like it when things have longer lasting consequences, you cannot tell me that that man did not have to do a shitload of physical therapy after being imprisoned for three months and canonically tortured (albeit off screen) before getting electrocuted by a computer possessing the corpse of his boss.

[the-black-bulls]

Gauche, Zora & Nacht: [comes up with a long and elaborate plan to escape a locked room without relying to magic]

Nacht: I tell you what, boys. We are incredibly clever.

Nero: [opens the door]

Zora:

Gauche:

Nacht: ...How did you do that?

Nero: It wasn’t locked.

Zora: Riiiight.

Nero: Hang on. Three of you in one cell and none of you thought to try the door?

Gauche: It should have been locked.

[rhetoricalrogue]

Help, I can’t stop creating characters that I will more than likely never use.

[manaosdeuwu]

does anyone know how to wake up without a headache/incoming migraine?

[wisdomfish]

Peter May considers some snapshots of the real history and real people mentioned in the New Testament, illustrating its historical integrity.

Topics and people discussed include:

the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, predicted by Jesus and such a cataclysmic event for Judaism, but mentioned nowhere in the New Testament.

internal evidence in Luke and Acts that Luke was a doctor.

the chaos that occurred in Ephesus when Paul preached.

the list of people Paul mentions in chapter 16 of his letter to the Romans.

Apollos and Priscilla and Aquila.

Seneca, the Stoic Roman philosopher and tutor and personal adviser to the Emperor Nero (Seneca's brother Gallio, is mentioned in Acts 18:12-17).