"Assassin Brotherhood," the Doctor's whole face scrunches up as if he's smelled something off. "Maybe not that name, but I run into the sort that fancy themselves organized killers from time to time. Those are days that never end well for anyone." And now the Doctor is acting more cautious towards Miss Read.

The Assassin part is new, but chasing a foe that is attacking time and space sounds like Jack. "The world you have to save, bleeding energy off this one. If you and Jack can stop her without my help, then brilliant."

This woman, this pirate, is an anomaly, all right. Maybe another one who is, to Time's sense, wrong, like Jack. Another sign that maybe she was snatched from certain death.

"Oh, blimey," the Doctor breathes out a very long breath and dusts a hand through his hair in thought. "It's got to be about- a year since I've last seen him? Last Christmas?" And that was a dodge, because Jack hasn't been crew in far, far longer. "Time flies, literally."

"I'm not after a thing in regards to him. Check up on him every once in a while, see what trouble he's getting into. Like I do everyone who's traveled with me." LIES. "But it's a big universe out there, always another thing to see and to do."

Another dodge. Because he won't dare admit, even to someone he doesn't know, that he's running from his own death.