Summer 3 - action on the farm

[forever_jack]

Jack is not and has never been a farmer. But he does know the value of vigorous physical activity in helping to deal with psychological pain, and so this morning brings him over to the farm to help out with the potato harvest.

For Einar

He shows up perhaps a little later than some of the others (he's not naturally a particularly early riser, especially when he's on holiday!) and ambles up the path towards the farm buildings, looking out for the farmer.

Open

He's worked hard and by the time the bus comes round again on its way back to the village, he's ready to hitch a ride with some of the others rather than walk. They haven't talked all that much while they were working, and there are several he hasn't spoken to at all, so he grins round at the person settling into the seat across the way. "Feels like a good day's work, eh!"

Comments

[freedomordeath]

North gives him an unimpressed look as she swipes a hand over her forehead. There is no sweat there and nor does she look exhausted, but she does look disgruntled and now there's a smear of potato field dirt on her brow.

"It's been something useful to do." She shrugs slightly, then lounges back in the seat as much as you can in bus seats. I don't like sitting around doing nothing."

[forever_jack]

One eyebrow quirks upwards a bit at the vibe she's giving off.

"Yeah, me neither," he agrees, angling his body towards her and giving her a once-over. He saw her out in the fields earlier, but only from a distance and now that he's getting a better look at her, taking in the lack of fatigue, sweat, flushing or anything else that a normal human would be displaying... He's definitely curious.

But formalities first. "Captain Jack Harkness," he says, with a warm smile but without the sometimes over-the-top flirtatiousness he often employs, in deference to her manner. "And you are...?"

[freedomordeath]

There is no matching smile on her face but she doesn't look unfriendly either, mostly just curious. "I'm North."

She looks him up and down, brows arching a little. "What are you a captain of?" Her eyes sharpen a little. "Military? Police?" Neither of the two her favorite groups of people right now, with her and her friends having been hunted by them just a couple of weeks ago.

[forever_jack]

"Nice to meet you, North," he says easily, and gives her a disarming smile when she starts to look faintly nervous about his title.

"Time Agent originally, but that was a long time ago. These days, it's mostly just an affectation. Goes with the coat." Which he wasn't wearing earlier in the fields but has donned again in the bus. Blue eyes twinkle at her. "Nowadays I'm strictly freelance. Travelling around, defending people wherever they need it."

[freedomordeath]

"Hmm..." Time Agent, that means nothing to her. Some kind of top-secret intelligence service? More likely something from a world completely different from hers, which is, quite honestly, perfectly fine with her.

She gives a quick nod. "Freelance, I see..." She leans forward, challenge as much as curiosity sparking in her eyes. "What do you defend people from?"

[forever_jack]

Different world, different time, different dimension probably. She doesn't seem likely to have run across him anywhere but here!

He meets her challenge with an enigmatic smile. "Whatever they need defending from! Oppression, alien invasion, environmental disaster, serial killer - you name it, I've probably done it."

[freedomordeath]

If anything, her blatantly displayed skepticism only grows more blatant at that. With some new suspicion sneaking back in, her mind already looking for ways to find something sinister in the tasks he has just described.

"That's a big claim, sounds like you can be everyone's hero at once." She leans back, arms crossed in front of her chest. "Most people would be busy dealing with just one of these things."

[forever_jack]

His expression turns more serious. "No, no-one can be everyone's hero at once. But I do the best I can, one at a time." He shrugs. "I'm just not picky about the type of saving, you know?"

[freedomordeath]

"At least it sounds like you're never going to be bored," she offers, as much of a peace offer as she can bring herself to offer. That Captain is still rubbing her wrong, if she's perfectly honest with herself. Of course, getting over knee-jerk reactions to other people is exactly why she is here so...

She drops her arms, placing her hands on her knees. "Did you enjoy the day of farm work? It was my first time."

[forever_jack]

"Oh yeah, I never time to get bored," he says wryly, watching her soften slightly, and relaxing a bit himself in response.

"My first time too, but hopefully I didn't butcher the potatoes too much." He grins wryly. "It's not exactly the most exciting day I've ever spent, but I do like to feel useful."

[freedomordeath]

"I'm sure the potatoes won't hold too much of a grudge..."

She gives a little shrug, lips quirked in amusement. "It's been nice. I have spent all my life in the city, I've never been in the countryside at all. And I sure didn't think I would ever get to visit a farm."

[forever_jack]

"I hope not! I understand we're supposed to be eating them tomorrow!" he grins, and then raises his eyebrows. "Wow, this place must be quite an adjustment for you then! Can't really get any more rural than this."

[freedomordeath]

North gives a little scoff, more amused than scornful. "You could say that." She pauses, thinking for a moment about how to put the difference into words. No, she doesn't really have any. "This place feels like something out of the history entries. Even their phones are extremely outdated."

As an android, she would be kind of professionally insulted except she never had any intention to use the phone.

[forever_jack]

"Yeah, it's very archaic and traditional here, isn't it?" he agrees, with the tone of someone who's also been used to a much higher level of technology.

"Almost deliberately so, in some ways. The tech's obviously available, or they wouldn't be able to reach out to us and bring us here, but they've chosen to keep everything here as simple and tech-free as they can."