FIC: The Waitress's Tale (Valiant Tales)

[lindenharp]

Title: The Waitress's Tale
Series: Valiant Tales.  Read them in order here.
Rating: G
Characters: The Master (Simm), other characters
Genre: drabble
Spoilers: Minor spoilers for The Sound of Drums and Last of the Time Lords.
Summary: A series of drabbles about the people who lived, worked, and suffered on the Valiant during the Year That Never Was. 100 words according to MS Word.
Disclaimer: The sandbox belongs to RTD and the BBC. I'm just playing here, in the corner, making little sand-TARDISs.
A/N: I've figured out that one of the reason I write these things is to have the satisfaction of finishing something while I'm struggling with a WIP.  Chapter 11 of ATKH is coming along slowly.  Meanwhile... have a canape.

'Cept for the aliens, it was like any VIP party.  Pass the canapés, pour the champagne.  I've served Cristal and lobster raviolis to billionaires.  I've been puked on by a Duchess.  Had £5 stuffed down my shirt by an aging rocker in £300 shoes.  It's what "the help" gets paid for, right?

I'm still a waitress, serving the Master's special guests.  I recognize some of them.  Sometimes the champagne is vinegar and bicarb.  Sometimes the paté is cat food with chilli sauce.  They always thank me politely.  I don't get paid now, but I enjoy my work a lot more.

Comments

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

ow!

[lindenharp.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

And I bet you'll think a moment longer the next time you're calculating a tip...

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

On the contrary I've always tipped generously for good service. I have always behaved courteously towards waiters and waitresses etc.

I have done nothing to merit the anger of service personnel.

[lindenharp.livejournal.com]

Sorry, just a clumsy joke. I didn't mean to offend.

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

My bad! I'm too literal at times.

[garpu.livejournal.com]

Wow...ironically was just wondering when we'd get an update. :)

[lindenharp.livejournal.com]

Synchronicity and serendipity... two of the most powerful forces in the Universe. :-)

[rabecka.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. This one really stands out - I'm still sitting here trying to figure out how I feel about it. On the one hand, I can understand her relishing the payback, but to enjoy the circumstances that allow it... Ack! Lovely, twisted little drabble.

[lindenharp.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

We humans are a complicated species. When I write a drabble in this series, I often think of a quote in Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis. The Prince has just discovered that he is descended from pirates who came through from our world to the world of Narnia.

"I was wishing that I came of a more honourable lineage."

"You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve," said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content."

Continuing on with the pirate theme, I found myself humming "Pirate Jenny" midway through writing this. It's a song from Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera. My favorite version is sung by Judy Collins.

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

Oh, she's not nice, is she...

Brilliant update though because it's easy to think of all of them as victims (I know in a way she is but she doesn't see it that way)

Ok, rambling over, hope it made sense :)

[lindenharp.livejournal.com]

Your observation makes perfect sense. She is a victim of sorts, but she's also acting out of free will. The Master hasn't brainwashed her -- just given her a stage to play out her revenge fantasies. And he enjoys watching her moral disintegration, just as much as he enjoys watching wholescale murder. Possibly more. It reinforces his opinions about the worthlessness of the Doctor's pet species.

Thanks for the comments.