The Remnants of Evil [Complete Story]

[Fitz Kreiner]

Koschei put the gun down slowly before quickly pulling out a Tissue Compression Eliminator and firing, catching all four guards in the blast. Smiling at the four small bodies, Koschei picked up the pistol and proceeded on his way. He eventually found himself outside. Walking around to where he had landed the TARDIS. Turning the last corner, Koschei paused; the TARDIS had gone. There had to be an explanation, the commandant had moved it and would tell him where it was.

Eventually Koschei found himself outside the office of the commandant of the complex. Kicking open the door he found himself face to face with the commandant, sat alone with no attendants.
“What the hell?” Vreghiys began.
“Quiet.” Koschei snapped. “What have you done with the craft I arrived in?”
“Who the hell are you?” Vreghiys asked, outraged at the stranger who had burst into his office.
“A traveller. A very angry one at that. You will tell me where my TARDIS is or you will die.” Koschei said.
“And who are you to condemn me to death? Do you know who I am?” Vreghiys snapped.
“I don’t care who you are. I want to leave this hole of a planet now and you have taken my craft. Tell me where it is, now!”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Vreghiys protested. “We’ve seen no craft of any type in the complex.”
Koschei raised the pistol and fired a shot at the commandant, hitting him in the arm. Vreghiys cried out in pain.
“Tell me!” Koschei shouted.
“I don’t know what you’re on about.” Vreghiys whimpered.
Koschei fired again, this time hitting the commandant in the leg. Standing above the commandants body, Koschei aimed the gun again
“Tell me.” He snarled.
“We’ve not got anything. We found nothing.” Vreghiys wailed “I don’t know what you want.”
“Very well, I’ll have to look myself.” Koschei said calmly.
“Who are you?” Vreghiys feebly asked after Koschei.
Koschei paused and turned back. “I am your master.” He purred. “The master of your death.” Koschei threw the now useless gun on the floor and pulled out a Tissue Compression Eliminator. Vreghiys looked up in horror at the short tube. He had designed the Tissue Compressor and knew what it could do. He could no do nothing but watch as Koschei operated the weapon.
Koschei smiled down at the small corpse and sat down at the Commandant’s desk. He accessed the Commandant’s computer and looked through the files for information on his TARDIS. There was none. Taking a new tactic, Koschei looked for information for other prisoners, primarily one who matched the description of the Doctor. Again, no information. The Doctor had abandoned him. Left him here on this planet. Koschei fumed. He jumped to his feet and strode out of the room. Halfway down the corridor, Koschei felt dizzy, the corridor seemed to stretch out beyond him. His surroundings blurred then everything went black.

“How is he?”
“There are very strong traces of Artron energy my Lord. He is in extreme regeneration crisis.”
“How severe?”
“According to the readings, he’s regenerated ten times in the past few days. Taking him out of time triggered another.”
Koscheis’ eyes flickered open. A medical orderly and Borusa were stood over him. He could sense another in the room, watching from a distance.
“Doctor.” He groaned.
“I’m here my friend.” The Doctor said coming over and standing with the orderly and Borusa.
“Do not ‘friend’ me. You abandoned me. Left me to die.”
“That’s simply not true.” The Doctor protested.
“You were both very foolish.” Borusa said. “But he is right, we found him sneaking into the temporal chamber trying to steal a Time Ring. He gave us your location and we rescued you.”
“I’m sorry Koschei.” The Doctor said. “It was never meant to happen like this.”
“I think it best he get some rest.” The Medical orderly said. “He needs time to recuperate. Have you any idea the strains that multiple regenerations in short spaces of time can inflict upon the body?”
“You are quite right.” Borusa said. “Come; let us leave Koschei in the hands of the medical staff.” Borusa let the Doctor from the room. “This is not the first time you’ve been in trouble for events of this nature, is it?”
“No sir.” The Doctor replied.
“You are aware how close you came to that fate, I hope you realise that. That is your friend in there. He nearly died on that trip.”
“Yes sir. It was never meant to be like that.” The Doctor protested.
“It doesn’t matter if it was meant to be like that or not, the fact is, Koschei nearly died. He’s lost several regenerations.”

Koschei opened his eyes. The medical centre was deserted. He got slowly to his feet and put on the uniform from Keplon he had worn. There were still three Tissue Compression Eliminators in his pockets. Heading out of the medical centre he slowly crept through the Capitol, heading towards the TARDIS bays. He had decided he was going to leave Gallifrey, for good this time. He had decided what he was going to do. He had long wanted to experiment and expand his mental powers. He had wanted to be able to extend his mind onto others and there was one way he could achieve that quickly; the DarkHeart. He had remembered hearing about it during his time at the Academy. A source of unimaginable power that could drastically increase his mental powers. No more would he be second rate or answerable to anyone, nor would he be a victim of brutal regimes. He would become powerful and return to Keplon as its master, destroy the complex and all those who had caused him pain. He would have power, he would be the master.
“Koschei?”
He turned.
“Koschei, where are you going?” The Doctor said jogging towards him. “You should still be in the medical centre.”
“Koschei is dead.” He said pushing past his old friend. “I’m leaving Gallifrey, for good. I will have power; I shall become Master of Keplon. They will pay for what they did to me.”
“Koschei, don’t do this. What are you talking about?”
“The DarkHeart, Doctor. I shall increase my mental powers, like I used to long for. I shall be the Master of all.”
“Koschei, no!” The Doctor stared after his old friend, a tear in his eye. Koschei had really died; he didn’t recognise his old friend anymore as he headed to a mark3 type 40 TARDIS. At the doors he paused and turned to face the Doctor:
“Not Koschei, The Master.”

[Fitz Kreiner]

Friends Reunited.

“I’m sorry.” Tom said looking up at the Doctor; there was a great pain and sadness in his friends’ eyes. “I can’t begin to imagine how that must have felt.” Tom walked over to the Doctor and put his hand on his shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault, Doctor. It was the regime on Keplon. They’re the ones who killed him, not you. How were you to know that that would happen?”
“Thank you.” The Doctor said. “It still weighs on my shoulders and conscious.”
“What happened to Keplon? Did the Master carry out his threat?”
“Records indicate that there was a large temporal explosion on the site of a former security complex. Before hand, there was some kind of raid; allegedly some top secret technology was removed.”
“Him?”
“Possibly.” The Doctor replied. “He’s upgraded his TARDIS with lots of technology from all time and space in the past years. It pains me every time we come into conflict.”
“How far are we from Autrion Major?” Tom asked changing the subject. “If we are to get Jess back, hadn’t we better formulate a plan?”
“I’ll try and land within four miles of the Master. I don’t want to land too close and alert him we’re here. I know he’s expecting us, otherwise he wouldn’t have kidnapped Jess.”
“Then the whole duel-?” Tom started.
“Was merely a distraction. Sometime, we have or will cross time streams and meet the Master in his past. He knows us, and knew that you would be able to beat Krel. If he hadn’t become impaled then he would have died from exhaustion.”
“The Master used us all, didn’t he?”
The Doctor simply nodded. “Never underestimate him. Now, let’s have a look at you.”
“What do you mean?” Tom asked.
“If you hadn’t noticed, you’re bleeding. And there’s the matter of your arm.” The Doctor stood in front of Tom and looked into his eyes, tilting his head back. “Hmm, no concussion.” He muttered. “Sit down.”
Obediently, Tom sat down as the Doctor rolled up his sleeve.
“That’s some bruising you’ve got there. It doesn’t look like the bones broken, possibly bruised though, tapped nerves maybe.” The Doctor mused.
“Hurts a bit.” Tom replied looking down at the purple bruise on his upper arm.
The Doctor rolled Toms sleeve back down gently. Just rest it; I’ll pop it up in a sling for the time being.” He said pulling a triangular bandage out of his pocket. Gently lifting Toms arm, he proceeded to tie an elevated sling around his companions’ neck, supporting his arm. “There, that should do it.” He smiled standing back.
“Thanks.” Tom said looking down at his arm. His left arm now rested against his chest, his hand by his collar bone.

Jess sighed. She’d been trying to pick the lock with a piece of copper wire that she’d bent into a small hook. She’d been able to pick large padlocks when she was younger, she was sure that this was a more primitive lock; unless the Master had improved it somehow. Jess cautiously looked round to see if the Master had come back into the room. The Greek pillar had gone; in its place was a pillar that matched the architecture of the room. The Masters TARDIS had blended with the surroundings, had she not known that it was there, she would have assumed that is was simply part of the architecture. She stood up and walked to one of the benches to see if there was anything else she could use on the lock. As she rummaged on one of the desks, the Master walked out of his TARDIS, fuming.
“Is there something wrong?” Jess asked, noting the expression on his face.
“There has been a large explosion on the surface of Autrion Minor. The Cyber base has been destroyed.” The Master replied.
“Then that was the Doctor. That’s what we set out to do.” Jess replied.
“I’m not detecting any traces on the Time Curve Indicator.” The Master said.
“What’s that?”
“It monitors the time curves and lets me know if someone is on the same curve as I. its not indicating so the Doctor has not followed.”
“What?” Jess spluttered. “Why? How do you know?”
“I don’t know-” The Master began before pausing. “No, of course he isn’t. Oh, well done Doctor! You had me there for a moment”
Jess looked on confused.
“You’re not coming via the vortex; you’re coming via real space to try and slip here unnoticed.”
“What do you mean?” Jess asked.
“The Doctor might be here already.” The Master replied turning back into his TARDIS.
Jess looked around. The Doctor was on his way here and the Master knew that. His plan obviously entailed something that he needed the Doctor for. Jess had to try to escape and warn him. Picking the lock may take too long. She looked up at the skylight. She might be able to reach it if she stood on a desk. It was risky but the only chance she had. She positioned a desk below the window and lifted a box onto it. Pulling herself up, Jess climbed onto the desk and then stood on the box. Reaching with all her might, she was just a little too short to reach the skylight. Breathing deeply, she had one chance. Jump.
Bracing herself, Jess launched herself up, reaching out for the ledge of the window. Her fingers grasped the rough stone and she teetered precariously. Scrabbling desperately, she gained a more stable hand hold. Using all her strength, Jess pulled herself up, squeezing out of the small window. She found herself stood on the roof of a stone building. The roof was almost domed; Jess felt it wouldn’t be too hard to slide down the camber.
“Miss Lawton, I hope you aren’t doing anything stupid out there?” The Masters voice came faintly from below.
Jess wasn’t sure whether the Master knew she had got onto the roof or not. Thinking quickly, she started too slid down the angle of the building. Noticing that the dome ended above the ground, she realised that there was a six foot drop to the ground. Bracing herself, she dropped off the edge. Crouching down after the drop, Jess looked about her. There were some small bushes nearby, decidedly alien. They had blue leaves with purple and orange fruit hanging from their branches. There were other buildings not too far away the other side of a small copse of trees. She started to make her way towards them.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Master walked out of his TARDIS, his breathing laboured. He was getting weaker.
“Miss Lawton-.” He began before noticing that she wasn’t in the room. He walked over to the door and tried it. It was still locked. He looked round bemused, before spotting the box on the desk. Looking up, he saw that they were underneath the sky light. Fuming, he returned to his TARDIS.
Entering the console room, he activated the scanner. He had rigged hidden cameras about the outside of the building he had occupied. Flicking through images The Master eventually found an image that showed the small copse of trees not to far from his base of operations. There was a figure moving through them. Moving the camera to full zoom, he could just make out that it was his former hostage.
“You may run, but the Doctor still thinks you’re here.” The Master muttered to himself. “He will trace me before he finds you. But by that time, it will be too late.” The Master chuckled to himself and walked back into his laboratory. Moving the desk back to its original position, he placed the box back on the floor. He then set about connecting some more equipment to the metamorphic symbiosis regenerator.

Jess emerged from the small copse to find several fields of what she assumed to be crops. The plants were about a foot high with reddish leaves. They had blue berries or some other type of fruit growing from them. Jess staggered forwards, suddenly exhausted. As she staggered on, she saw several figures bent down working in the fields.
“Please. Please help me.” She gasped, stumbling forwards.
The closest figure to her turned round. It was a woman. She was wearing woollen clothing that reminded Jess of how she envisioned people from the Middle Ages dressed, only lighter and cleaner. Jess scrambled to her knees.
“Please?”
“Oh my poor child.” The Woman said.
Jess’s world went black.

“Very nice. I see what you mean about it being primitive.”
“I had forgotten how peaceful it was.” The Doctor said closing the TARDIS door.
“Pity that it’s been ruined by the Master.” Tom said leaning back against the Police Box shell. “How do we find him?”
The Doctor pulled a small box out of his pocket and tapped it with his finger. A small compass like dial spun round, the little arrow eventually stopping and pointing. “That way.” The Doctor said, pointing the same direction as the needle and setting off.
“What is that thing?” Tom asked indicating the small box the Doctor was using to navigate.
“A friend of mine once dubbed the original ‘A TARDIS Sniffer-Outer”. I’ve worked on it a bit since then; it’s smaller and more precise than it was.”
“There’s some smoke over there.” Tom said pointing in the direction in which they were heading. “The Master?”
“Or a small settlement. I don’t think the Master would advertise where he was. He’d find it far more amusing for us to find him and stumble into any traps he may have set.” The Doctor replied.
“You think he will have set traps for us then?” Tom asked stepping over a small bush.
“This whole thing is a trap, Tom.” The Doctor said stopping and looking at his companion. “When you get to know the Master as I do, you’ll realise that, only I pray you won’t get to know him that well. Yet he does like to set traps within traps, and the fact we have to pass through these woods to get there doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence.”
“You did say we would be landing some distance from him.” Tom said, turning round to face the Doctor.
“Yes, I suppose I did.” The Doctor said, setting off again at a brisk pace. “But hopefully, the Master will be monitoring his Time Curve Indicator looking for us. Hopefully it will take him time to realise that we didn’t do what he hoped.”
“Let’s hope, eh?” Tom said falling into step behind the Doctor.
The two Time Lords walked in silence for a while until the Doctor stopped and held up his hand, causing Tom to stop also.
“What is it?”
The Doctor hushed Tom. “There’s someone up ahead.” He whispered.
“The Master?” Tom whispered back.
“I don’t think so.” The Doctor whispered before stepping loudly forwards. “Hello there!” He shouted.
Up ahead a silhouetted figure paused where they were stood then turned and looked at the Doctor who was waving at them.
“Come on Tom.” The Doctor said, cheerfully walking towards the shocked figure.
Tom walked slowly behind the Doctor, steadying himself with his good hand over the uneven ground.
“I wonder if you can help us.” The Doctor was saying. “We’re looking for a friend of ours.”
“You are not from the village.” The man said.
“Clearly.” Tom replied leaning on a tree with his good arm receiving a silencing glance from the Doctor.
“I do not understand.” The man said.
“We’re travellers.” The Doctor replied. “I’m the Doctor and this is Tom. We’ve lost one of our companions. A young girl. About 20 years old, wearing blue jeans and a black t-shirt.”
“I have not seen anyone all day. I have been working.”
“Are you from the village ahead?” Tom asked.
“Indeed. My name is Drac Etas.” The man bowed slightly.
“A pleasure to meet you Mr. Etas.” The Doctor said offering his hand.
Drac looked at the Doctors hand confused before gingerly reaching his own hand out. The Doctor took hold of it and shook it much to Dracs’ bemusement.
“I don’t suppose you could help us look for our friend, could you?” The Doctor asked. “The chances are that she arrived with another person, swept back hair and a beard.”
“Omestre?” Drac queried.
The Doctor paused for a second on hearing the name. “Yes, of course. He would.” He smiled.
“Who would?” Tom asked looking at him.
“Omestre. Or rather ‘O Mestre’. The Doctor said turning to face Tom. “It’s Portuguese, for ‘The Master’. How like him.”
“Not exactly imaginative is he?” Tom asked.
“It’s all part of his trap to reel me in.”

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Doctor paused and turned to face Drac. “Would you be able to lead us to your village?” The Doctor asked politely.
Drac bowed slightly again and turned to lead the way. The Doctor and Tom started walking behind him.
“Do you trust this man?” Tom whispered to the Doctor.
“I don’t see why not.” The Doctor whispered back. “He knows the area; that the Master is here and would therefore be able to let us know where he is and the best way to get there.”
The two Time Lords followed Drac to the edge of the woods in silence.
“Quite a nice little community you have here.” The Doctor said looking about the small village ahead of them as they exited the copse.
“Thank you.” Drac said bowing again.
“I’m not too sure I trust these people.” Tom whispered to the Doctor.
“Oh, come on. You’ve only met the one. What’s wrong with them?” The Doctor replied.
“I don’t know, just a feeling, a certain je ne sais quoi.”
“What?” The Doctor looked intently at his companion.
“There’s just something about them. He talks a bit strange too, don’t you think?”
“I hope you’re not making judgements purely on that?” The Doctor spluttered.
“Well no-” Tom started.
“Good, because I’m not in the habit of staying friends with shallow, superficial and judgemental people.” The Doctor stared hard at Tom.
“I just meant, we’ve only just met this man, and we’re willing to take his word when he obviously knows the Master is here. We also know that the Master is capable of hypnosis, so how do we know that the Master has no influence over these people?” Tom explained.
“Trust me, I know the Master well enough to know when someone is under his influence.” The Doctor said setting off again after Drac.
“I do not know if there have been any strangers here, but my wife may.” Drac said. “She is often in the village during the day. If you want Omestre, then he is often over there.” Drac pointed to a larger stone building that the usual homes. Leading the Doctor and Tom, Drac took them to one of the more central buildings.
“Drac?” A female voice called from within.
The Doctor and Tom stood just outside the door as a woman came out of the building. She was wearing a grey dress with a brown sleeveless top, complete with a hood, thrown back letting her almost orange hair fall down her back.
“We’ve got-” she started before seeing the Doctor and Tom and stopped. “More strangers?”
The Doctor and Tom shared a buoyant glance at each other.
“More?” Drac asked. “Oh sorry.” He paused cutting the woman off before she could answer. “This is my wife; Kisro. This is the Doctor and Ton.”
“Ah, Tom.” Tom corrected.
“It is nice to meet you Doctor and Artom.”
Tom rolled his eyes. “It’s just Tom. Tom.” He said
“I am sorry.” Kisro said, looking down to the ground, ashamed.
“It doesn’t matter.” The Doctor said. “We’re obviously not the first strangers you’ve seen today.”
“No, there was a girl; this morning. She came form Omestres’ estate.” Kisro replied.
The Doctor and Tom shared another glance before moving towards the door.
“We may see her, I take it?” The Doctor asked.
Drac gestured to the doorway and the Doctor and Tom entered the building with Kisro and Drac following.
“Where is she?” Tom asked, turning to face Kisro.
“Through in the back room.” Kisro pointed to a door at the back of the main living room.
The two Time Lords entered the room and saw Jess lying on a bed, her eyes closed.
“Jess.” The Doctor breathed.
“Oh, thank God.” Tom sighed. “Is she ok?”
“She sleeps.” Kisro said.
“Post hypnotic fatigue.” The Doctor said. “She’s just exhausted. Would it be ok to leave her here to sleep?” He added turning to Drac and Kisro.
“Yes, of course.” Kisro said. “I can look after her.”
“Excellent.” The Doctor clapped his hands together. “Mr. Etas. Could you show me the best way to Omestres’ estate? And Tom, could you stay here with Mrs. Etas?” The Doctor turned on his heel and strode from the room.
Drac and Kisro looked at each other bemused then at Tom.
“It’s best to just go with what he says.” Tom said. “I’ll stay here, and it may be best if you keep an eye on him, Drac. He’s got a knack of getting into trouble.”
Drac looked confused for a second before nodding and turned to follow the Doctor.

The Master straightened himself up and brushed his clothes down. Straightening his jacket he stepped back and admired his handiwork. There was just one thing he now needed, and the Doctor was about to deliver it. He could feel it. His victory was at hand.
“Soon, Doctor. I shall be rid of you. I shall live and you will have repaid your debt to me.” He muttered to himself.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Master walked about his laboratory. He’d been on the planet too long and was getting restless. He drummed his fingers on a nearby desk before moving off to check the connections to the regenerator. Smiling to himself, the Master turned. A faint alarm was going off in his TARDIS. Entering the TARDIS and crossing to the console, the Master activated the scanner control. A perimeter alarm had been activated. Checking the camera by the main door, the Master was less than surprised to see the Doctor standing there, smug as ever with his hands in his pockets. He was accompanied by another, judging from the clothes the man was wearing, he was a native of the planet. He was the same height as the Doctor with wavy black hair and an unshaved appearance.
“Why do you collect these imbeciles, Doctor?” He muttered.
The Doctor was now talking to the man and gesturing to the door with his right arm, no doubt explaining something really simple that the primitive was unable of grasping.
“Now, do I let you in, or will you let yourselves in?” He muttered again.
The Master watched as the Doctor walked up to the door and took his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket.
“So be it.” The Master turned and walked from the console room into his lab.

“Keep quiet, watch out and be careful.” The Doctor warned looking back at Drac. “We’re in the Masters domain now. There could be traps everywhere.”
“I find it hard to believe that Omestre is this Master figure.” Drac said.
“The biggest criminal the universe has ever known.” The Doctor confirmed. “And he’s after me, I believe.”
“Are you sure it is safe to pursue him then?”
“Oh, I shouldn’t think so at all.” The Doctor smiled trying one of the doors off the entrance hall. The door swung open to an empty room.
“Where is all the décor?” Drac said stepping into the room.
“Yes, it is quite Spartan, isn’t it?” The Doctor said following Drac into the dark room. “Obviously not the Masters base of operations.”
”This should be the grand living room or the estate.” Drac said. “There were festivals here before Omestre took the estate. Where did it go?”
“No matter.” The Doctor said turning and leaving the room. “It’s not important, the Master is however. He could destroy everyone on this planet.”

Kisro walked out of the back room into the living area.
“How is she?” Tom asked sipping his drink, a green liquid that tasted of a fruit he couldn’t quite place.
“She is stirring. As if she has a troubled sleep. She is muttering strange phrases.” Kisro said.
“I think I’ll take a look at her.” Tom said standing up. “Would you say it was safe to wake her?”
“I do not think so. Not yet.” Kisro replied.
Tom walked through the partitioning into the back room.
“Did you change her or did she herself?” Tom asked, noticing Jess’ clothes folded on a chair nearby.
“I did. She fell unconscious in the fields. We carried her here and put her to bed.” Kisro explained. “Why?”
“If she’d spoken before it may have been helpful.” Tom answered sitting by the bed and brushing a few strands of hair from her face.
“Doctor? Tom?”
Tom turned to face Jess. “Yes, I’m here, don’t worry, what is it?” He asked.
“Doctor?” Jess muttered again.
“He’s not here, Jess.” Tom said soothingly.
“She still sleeps.” Kisro said.
“Yes.” Tom mused. “Jess, can you hear me?”
“Doctor?”
“Not quite.” Tom smiled. “Come on Jess, you can hear me. Wake up, please. What is the Master up to?”
Jess’s eyes snapped open and she sat up straight in the bed. “The Master. Regeneration. Dying.” Her eyes fluttered closed and she fell back onto the bed.
“Jess?” Tom leant over her checking her breathing.
“Is she alright?” Kisro asked.
“Sleeping again.” Tom said.
“What were those words she used?”
Tom rested his chin in his good hand, thinking. “Regeneration?” He mused. “The Master is dying, he can’t regenerate. What is he up to?”
“I do not understand.” Kisro said confused.
Tom stood up and walked round the room, thinking. Kisro watched him pace. “The Master is dying.” He said. “He can’t regenerate, so what is he-?” Tom paused. “Of course! He tried to steal the Doctors life before; he’s trying to do that again, himself this time!” Tom spun to face Kisro. “This is important. Please, look after Jess. Your husband and the Doctor are in trouble, I need to warn them. Where is the Master?”
“Who is the Master?” Kisro asked.
Tom screwed up his eyes, thinking. “Omeser? Omser? What was his name?”
“Omestre?”
“Yes, that’s it!” Tom cried. “Where is he? Please, it’s important.”
Kisro took Tom to the main door to the house. “Over the Viughsferberry fields and the large estate through the copse.” She said pointing the way out for the young Time Lord.
“Thank you. Take care of yourself and Jess.” Tom said putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll get Drac back here for you. Don’t worry!” Tom smiled at her before running off towards the Masters base.
Kisro watched Tom run off across the fields before turning back into the house. Finishing her drink, Kisro walked into the back room and sat down beside the sleeping form of Jess.

Tom was running as fast as he could, steadying himself with his right arm over the uneven terrain of the fields. He had to get to the Doctor; warn him what the Master was up to. Jess was safe. Yet the Doctor was walking to his death.

[Fitz Kreiner]

“Ah, now this is more like it.” The Doctor said opening another door and entering the Masters Lab.
“What is this stuff?” Drac asked, looking around bemused at the technology that filled the room.
“Experiments.” The Doctor replied looking about. “I’m not too sure what he’s-” The Doctor paused spotting the metamorphic symbiosis regenerator. “No, he wouldn’t.”
“What is it?” Drac asked.
“Something from home. A metamorph-. No, never mind. This thing in the middle, it’s a machine that will stop the Master from dying, he hopes.” The Doctor added, turning to face Drac smiling.
“How does he hope?”
“Well,” The Doctor explained. “This machine here is meant to rejuvenate the Masters body, but, he’s upgraded it, added to it, so that it will steal the life essence of someone and transplants it into his body and regenerate himself. And if that person is a Time Lord,” The Doctor paused again. “That must be what he was expecting the fake him to do, deliver my lives into this machine. Now he’s trying to do it himself.”
“So what will you do?” Drac asked.
The Doctor turned to him and smiled a broad smile. “Sabotage!” He grinned waving his sonic screwdriver before ducking down behind the array of technology.
Looking round the room in awe, Drac walked to the nearest bench and gingerly reached out to touch one of the arrays the Master had constructed, drawing his hand back quickly in case the machine activated or turned on him. Sighing, he stepped back and looked around the room again. The Doctor was muttering to himself about what he was doing. The absence of the furniture of the estate was bothering him. Maybe Omestre had stored it all in one room. He and the Doctor had not tried all the doors. Walking into the hallway, Drac decided to check the doors that he hadn’t previously. Even if they didn’t contain anything, it was not often he was able to explore the grandest estate in the village. As he stepped down the corridor he heard a noise from outside the main doors. Going to investigate, the other stranger, Tom, collapsed through the door, out of breath.
“Oh, my life. You poor sir. What is it? Is my wife ok?” Drac said rushing over to help the Time Lord back to his feet.
“She’s fine.” He panted. “She’s looking after Jess. It’s the Doctor who’s in danger. Where is he?”
“Drac pointed down the corridor to the Masters laboratory. “He’s in there.” he said looking round just as the door to the lab slammed shut.

The Doctor jumped to his feet as he heard the heavy wooden door slam closed. “Mr. Etas?”
“No my dear Doctor, I’m not Mr. Etas. Although you do seem to like collecting imbeciles, don’t you, old friend.” The Master said from the doorway.
The Doctor pulled himself up to his full height and looked at the Master. He was looking much older than when he left Autrion Minor. His hair and beard now grey and his skin looked almost stretched. “Do we have to come down to the same old things, time in, time out?” He asked.
“You assume too much, old friend. What where you doing back there?”
“Admiring your handiwork.” The Doctor replied. “Although, isn’t the whole trying to steal my lives routine getting old by now?”
The Master chuckled then coughed a rattling cough. “You know neither of us seems to be able to exist without the other these days Doctor. I plague you and you plague me. We’re destined to do that for all eternity. Although I must admit, the temptation to take away your remaining regenerations is strong. An eye for an eye wouldn’t you say?”
“Eye for an eye?”
“Oh, Doctor. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about the whole incident on Keplon all those years ago. I know I haven’t.” The Master snarled.
“That was not my fault.” The Doctor said starting towards the Master, his finger raised accusingly.
“You left me Doctor. Left me to die.”
“I couldn’t get to you. The Time Lords stopped me. I wanted to be there, I would have saved you.” The Doctor stopped and sighed. “Is this what it’s all about? Revenge over a misunderstanding?”
“If you wish Doctor. It would be worth killing you face to face, so that I could see your expression as you died.”
“Ah, but then what, you’d die too. You wouldn’t be able to steal my regenerations then, would you?” The Doctor countered standing back and folding his arms.
“O contraire Doctor. When I die, I would die content, but it would not be for some time after you.”
“Judging from the state of you, it would be a matter of hours, if that. I know you’re strong willed, but it looks like your willing back death further and further.”
“There is one other option that you’ve overlooked blatantly.” The Master said simply.
“What? I-” The Doctor began before stopping. “No. there’s no one else.” He said finally.
The Master laughed. “Don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes Doctor. You’re transparent as glass. You think I don’t know that Mr Rowan is also a Time Lord. In his first body as well. A whole new regeneration cycle.”
“You leave Tom and Jess out of this.” The Doctor roared stepping towards the Master.
The Doctor never completed his step. Swiftly the Master pulled a short tube out of his pocket, not unlike a TCE and fired at the Doctor. The Doctors world went black, just microseconds before he crashed to the ground.
“Oh Doctor.” The Master said looking down at the Doctors body. “What to do with you?”

[Fitz Kreiner]

“The Doctor is in trouble?” Drac asked desperately trying to open the door.
“I can’t quite make out.” Tom replied leaning against the door. “Normal wood shouldn’t conduct sound like this. The Master has probably sound proofed it somehow.”
“What do we do?”
“There must be a way in. Somehow. We need to get the Doctor out of there.” Tom looked at Drac. “Is there another way into this room?”
“None that I know of. There may be a secret passage, but if there is, its secret has been lost.”
“What about a sky light?” Tom asked. “Did Jess say how she escaped?”
“Not to my knowledge.”
“Well, let’s see if we can find one.” Tom said, making for the main door. “We have to get in there.”
Drac nodded and followed him. The two men walked down the corridor. Unknown to them, as they left the building, the door to the Masters laboratory slowly creaked open.

Jess awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright.
“Where-?” She started before taking a look at her surroundings and noticing she wasn’t alone in the room. “Who are you?” She asked the woman who sat watching her.
“My child, you’re awake.” She said sweeping over to her. “My name is Kisro Etas.”
“Where am I?” Jess asked panicky, looking about her.
“You are in my home. The Doctor and Tom bid me look after you while they looked for Omestre.”
“Omestre? Who’s he?” Jess asked.
“My child, it is he from whom you ran.” Kisro said, bemused. “You do not know him?”
“The Master!” Jess gasped. “How long has he been here?” She asked, swinging herself round to get out of the bed.
“Only a few weeks. Yet he has closed completely the great estate.”
“Did you never wonder why?” Jess asked, gasping as her bare feet touched the cold stone floor.
“No,” Kisro replied. “It is Omestres’ estate for him to do with as he wishes.”
“Well, why are we sitting about here?” Jess asked heading for the door. “If the Doctor and Tom are there, then they’re going to be in trouble! We’ve got to go and help them!”
“Why do you believe them to be in trouble?” Kisro asked confused.
“I may not have known the Doctor that long, but I have learnt that he seems to attract trouble, or if there is any, he manages to find his way into the thick of it.”
“Then what of Drac?” Kisro suddenly became alarmed.
“Who’s that?”
“My husband, he went off with the Doctor, the boy, Tom followed when you were muttering in your sleep.”
Jess stopped by the door and looked round sadly at Kisro. “I’m sorry.” She said. “I didn’t mean for you to both be caught up in this. Just like the Doctor probably didn’t want me and Tom caught up in the mess with the Master.” Jess, turned to leave, before pausing and turning back to look at Kisro. “Thanks for looking after me.” She said.
“My child, I’m not leaving you to go there on your own, especially if this man is as dangerous as you say. I want to make sure that my husband is ok.”
“It’s gonna be dangerous.” Jess said.
“You said, yet you are going. Besides, you may need me to show you the way.”
Jess smiled at the strange woman who had obviously tended her while she was unconscious, and who the Doctor and Tom must have trusted to leave her alone with her. “Ok,” She smiled. “But don’t trust him, and don’t let him hypnotise you!”

Tom and Drac had walked round the whole of the estate building that the Master had adopted as his base of operations.
“Definitely at the rear.” Tom muttered.
“What is?” Drac asked.
“This main wall.” Tom said pointing, “It’s lowest towards the rear of the house because of how the ground slopes. That’s our best bet of getting onto the roof.”
“How will we get on?” Drac asked looking up the side of the wall, which reached about ten feet in height.
“You’ll have to give me a bunk up.” Tom said setting off round the wall again.
“What about me?” Drac trotted off after the young Time Lord who was swiftly pacing round the estate.
“Try the main door again. If that’s no good, just keep a look out. Keep people away, that sort of thing.”
“You are trying to keep me out of the way.” Drac observed.
“Yes.” Tom replied bluntly. “This Master is a bloody dangerous man; I don’t want you getting caught up in whatever he’s up to.”
“Your concern is appreciated, however-”
“However, the Master is a dangerous person and wouldn’t think twice about killing you. Don’t forget your wife, well, put it this way, I won’t let you.” Tom said cutting Drac off before urging him to help him up onto the roof.
Straining, Tom reached up with his good arm as Drac lifted him up the wall as high as he could. Tom struggled his feet against the wall, trying to find a foot hold and push himself up, before finally rolling over on the edge of the domed room breathing heavily.
“I shall get round to the door then.” Drac shouted up to Tom before turning and headed off.
“Ok.” Tom shouted back, getting to his feet and looking about him. Slowly steadying himself, Tom made his way up the arc of the dome, looking about him for any skylight that may lead to the Masters lab. Slowly, he made his way towards the centre of the large domed room and had spotted half a dozen skylights; none had yielded anything that resembled a laboratory. Looking about at the peak of the dome, Tom spotted a skylight that he hadn’t seen on his ascent. Making his way over to it, he cautiously peered over the rim into the room below.

[Fitz Kreiner]

Success! The room contained scientific equipment, easily beyond the technological level of the populace. Tom looked about and could see no one else in the room. Seating himself on the edge of the skylight, Tom dropped himself down onto the table that sat underneath the opening and then jumped to the floor. Glancing about, he made his way over to the door and tried it. It was locked.
“Ah well.” Tom muttered to himself and turned around. Spotting the metamorphic symbiosis regenerator me walked over to it and started admiring it. “Why do I know this thing?” he muttered to himself. Walking round the machinery, he ducked down at the back, and crouching by an access hatch, pulled it open and looked at the circuitry inside. “Don’t plan on this working how you want it to.” Tom smiled reaching inside.

The Doctor opened his eyes. His head was spinning. Slowly pulling himself up into a sitting position he looked around. He could feel his hearts beating heavily in his chest. He was sat outside the estate in a small grove of trees. He could see the main door of the building about two hundred yards away.
Slowly and cautiously he got to his feet. What was the Master up to? He hadn’t killed him, just knocked him out and dumped him outside. Why? The Doctor looked back through the grove to the main entrance of the Masters base. He couldn’t see Drac anywhere. The Doctor was torn; he wanted to go to see whether Jess and Tom were ok, or where Drac was. It was possible that he had gone back to see his wife, if not, the Doctor could get Tom to help him find the missing Autrion and stop the Master. Reaching into his pocket, the Doctor pulled out the silver coin, and looking thoughtfully at it for a few seconds, tossed it into the air and caught it. Slapping the coin down on the back of his hand, the Doctor looked at it; heads. Taking one last lingering glance back down to the estate, the Doctor turned and walked back towards the village. As he drew closer, he saw that there were more people about that before. Smiling, he nodded to them in greeting as he strolled through towards Drac and Kisros’ hut.
Arriving, the Doctor called out to Tom and was surprised to receive no answer. Entering the hut, the Doctor found it deserted: no sign of either Tom or Kisro. Walking through to the back room, the Doctor was less than surprised to see that Jess had gone also. The Doctor stood in the centre of the main living room, his hands plunged deep into his pockets thinking. He knew that there was only one place where they would have gone, but the real question was how long they had been gone. He’d not seen them on his trip back from the estate. However, something about his pocket was bugging him. It felt different. Then he realised, the piece of paper he’d been idly fingering whilst thinking wasn’t there before he came round outside the Masters base. Pulling it out and reading it, the Doctor realised it was a note, from the Master;

My Dear Doctor.
Allow me to apologise for the offhand manner in which I dumped you outside my base of operations. You must understand, that as much as I wanted to kill you, or even take away your remaining regenerations, it wouldn’t be as fun as you having to watch me take Mr Rowans regenerations. A whole new life Cycle Doctor. 13 more regenerations. After the boys’ body is my own, I shall then use it to kill the charming Miss Lawton, then your good self.
You must understand old friend, that I didn’t come to this decision lightly. It seems as though one of us has to always be the bane of the other’s existence, and Mr Rowan helped me in the past/future so I will effectively be creating a paradox.
However, if I am feeling benevolent, I may let you live, a shattered man. Your two friends dead, and me with Mr Rowans body will be a permanent reminder for you.
Farewell old friend.

The Doctor dropped the paper in shock and sprinted from the room heading back towards the Masters base.

Tom stood up from where he had been crouched and walked round the regenerator smiling to himself when suddenly he heard a flurry of movement behind him. Turning fast he could see nothing. Unnerved, Tom moved cautiously towards the large wooden door and tried the handle. The door was locked. Looking back up, he saw that there was no way he could get out via the skylight with an injured arm, and so set about looking for something to prise the lock with. Another flurry of movement made him turn once again and again he could see nothing. He was getting jumpy. Turning back to the door, Tom raised the electron probe that he’d found and started to use it on the lock. He turned again as he glimpsed a black shape move behind him, spinning round, the electron probe raised as a weapon. A blow knocked him to his knees and a second knocked the wind out of him.

[Fitz Kreiner]

“I knew you’d beat that fool Krel.” A harsh voice rattled.
Tom looked up to see the owner of it, only to be shocked at what he saw. The figure stood before him was wearing the clothes he last saw being worn by the Master, yet the figure didn’t resemble the man he saw on Autrion Minor in the slightest. The figure noted Toms reaction to seeing him in the state and obviously felt obliged to elaborate for him.
“You see before you a dying man Mr Rowan.” The Master said. “I do not like having this visage you see. Nonetheless it is what lies beneath the face you saw earlier. The old body is dying and I need another.”
Tom simply stared at the Master for a few moments. His dark features had gone and he was now gaunt. His hair had gone from dark to almost pure white. His eyes were deep and watery as opposed to being the dark, hypnotic pools they were the last time Tom glared into them. The Masters beard had also changed to pure white and almost seemed to heighten the fact that the skin seemed taught and stretched over the flesh and muscles of the face. Tom could almost see the shapes and texture of the facial muscles through the skin, the worst case being about the Masters eyes. The sight almost made Tom feel sorry for him.
“You’re dying?” He finally managed. “For real?”
“Yes, Mr Rowan, I am dying ‘for real’.” The Master sighed.
Tom smiled grimly as he struggled to his feet. “Well then. What can you do about that?” He said pulling himself up to his full height, allowing him to look down on the now frail and old man before him.
“Oh,” The Master started coolly “Just steal your body and life cycle of regenerations.” He completed simply staring at Tom.
“Ah!” Tom started, chuckling softly. And how do you propose to go about-?” Tom never finished the sentence. The Master moved with surprising speed for the state his body was in before Tom even knew and had a chance to properly defend himself. Going to take a step back, Toms’ world went black.
The Master looked down at Toms’ prone body lying on the floor to his laboratory and started to chuckle. His chuckles slowly turning to laughter, victory was almost his, a new body lay just before him.

Drac re-entered the main door of the estate house again. He had gone through those doors more times in the past three hours than he had in the past three years. He cautiously crept along the main hallway of the house. There was a strange noise filling the air that was like nothing that he’d ever heard before. He listened hard, and found that he couldn’t pin it down as coming from one particular direction. Looking about him, he decided to try to keep his rendezvous with Tom in the laboratory. Running down the corridor, Drac reached the door and reached his hand out to try the handle. The door swung open. Cautiously, Drac entered the room, looking about him. It seemed almost unchanged since he last stood in it. The large machine in the centre was different though; there was a glowing, swirling blue field about one of the cavities in it. Drac cautiously edged towards it, trying to peer through the swirling haze. There was a figure inside.

Tom awoke his head pounding. All he could see was a bright white glare, which slowly subsided into a swirling blue haze. The throbbing in his head had seemed to synchronise with the thumping of his hearts in his chest. He felt faint. He tried to look through the haze to the outside world. He wasn’t sure whether he was still in the Masters laboratory or whether he had been moved. He could just make out the silhouette of a figure moving behind the swirling haze, although he wasn’t sure whether he was hallucinating, it was part of the swirl or whether there was actually someone there. Deciding to take a chance, Tom tried to shout out. He was somewhat taken aback by the gargled croaking sound came from his throat. Attempting to try again, a surge of intense pain flushed through his body causing him to convulse and scream.

Drac heard a gargling croak come from the figure in the machine, followed by a terrifying piercing scream of pain. Hurriedly he looked about for something that would look like it could control the machine or release whoever was inside it. Spotting some instrumentation, Drac rushed over to it. The technology was beyond his comprehension, as were a lot of things that had started to happen since he had met the Doctor and Tom. He took another look at the panel. One of the switches was pulsing red. Taking a chance, Drac pushed it. The figure in the alcove let out another scream, this time it made the owner more recognisable.
“Tom?” Drac cried, rushing to look through the blue haze. He gingerly put his hand forward to reach through, but pulled back quickly when he felt a jolt of energy flash through his hand.
Without thinking, Drac randomly hit at another control on the panel, and to his relief, the noise of the machinery started to subside. As he watched, the haze started to disperse round the chamber and he could see Toms body in the alcove looking pale and limp.

Kisro lead Jess to the main gates of the large estate and stopped looking down the tree lined path to the main door.
“You do not remember this place?” Kisro asked.
“Not at all.” Jess said. “Is this the only way in?”
“Yes,” Kisro replied. “Yet, you arrived from another direction.”
“I think there was a skylight.” Jess replied looking down the stony path. “I wish I’d thought to bring some shoes.” She muttered looking down at her bare feet.
“You did seem most hurried,” Kisro started. She was cut off by a terrifying scream, coming from the direction of the building.

[Fitz Kreiner]

“You did seem most hurried,” Kisro started. She was cut off by a terrifying scream, coming from the direction of the building.
The two women stopped and looked at each other for a couple of seconds before turning and running down the path. Reaching the door, Jess held Kisro back from running straight into the building.
“Careful,” she warned. “We don’t know where it came from or what’s in there.”
“The scream did come from the house.” Kisro confirmed. “But who it was, I do not know.”
“Me neither.” Jess replied. “Look, lets split up and check.” She said turning to face Kisro.
“But, you said that this Master is dangerous. Is it safe to separate?”
“The Doctor seems to manage it. If you find anything out of the ordinary, shout me.” Jess smiled at Kisro.
“Be careful.” Kisro warned, putting a caring hand on Jess arm before turning and walking through the door and down a corridor.
“And good luck.” Jess whispered to herself as she slowly crept down the corridor, cautiously peering through doors as she went. She suddenly paused, hearing a sound coming from behind the door at the end of the corridor which stood slightly ajar. Jess swiftly tip-toed down the stone flagged floor to look through the door. She was unprepared for what she saw in the room. It was filled with technical and scientific apparatus, clearly a laboratory, but her gaze was drawn to the centre of the room. There was a large technical array with two figures by it, one, who appeared to be a native of the planet, was leant over the second who was strapped inside the array looking deathly grey. It was then Jess realised who the second person was.
“Tom!” she gasped.
The first figure turned upon hearing her gasp. Jess instinctively went to duck back behind the door, but was too slow, the man saw her.
“You are awake?” He said slowly after a few seconds.
Jess merely stared at the strange man.
“I cannot explain.” He said. “My name is Drac Etas. You are the travelling companion of Tom and the Doctor?”
Jess finally found her voice, “Yes.” She said. “What have you done to Tom?”
“I have done nothing.” Drac replied. “I do not know how he ended up in here, I can only assume it was the work of Omestre.”
Jess rushed into the room to join Drac by the machinery. The room evoked some strange memories in the back of her mind, but looking at Tom, she chose to ignore them. Tom was limp inside the machine, his wrists and ankles strapped to it, holding him upright. Gingerly reaching her hand out, Jess touched his forehead. His skin was cold and clammy. She snatched her hand back quickly not sure what to think before reaching out again to try to find the pulse in his neck.
“What is it?” Drac asked after a few seconds.
“I can’t find his pulse.” Jess replied a tear in the corner of her eye.
“He did cry out not long ago.” Drac said. “I tried to shut down this thing.”
Jess looked at the control panel. “I’ve no idea what this is.”
“A ‘metamorphic symbiosis regenerator’.” Said a voice from the door.
“Doctor!” Jess cried turning round.
“Jess, I’m very glad you’re safe, but you should have stayed put.” He scored before turning to look at the limp form of Tom in the alcove. Swallowing hard, the Doctor extended his arms and put a hand each side of Toms neck. “Hmm.” He muttered. “He’s still alive. You did well stopping this thing Mr. Etas.” He said finally.
“But I couldn’t feel a pulse.” Jess said.
“Time Lords hearts beat at a different rate to that of humans.” The Doctor replied.
Jess heaved a sigh of relief. “Then where’s the Master?” She asked.
“I don’t know, but we need to get Tom out of here very quickly.” The Doctor replied. “Mr Etas, the blue switches on the panel beside you, press them for me will you?”
Drac tured and pressed the switches the Doctor indicated. The straps on Toms wrists and ankles snapped open and he fell limply forwards into the Doctors waiting arms. Drac stepped forward and helped the Doctor to support the young Time Lord.
“Outside, quick.” The Doctor said, leading Drac and Tom out of the room and down the corridor, Jess following behind, glanding over her shoulder expecting the Master to jump out on them at any moment. Jess breathed another sigh of relief when she finally sat down on a patch of grass some way outside of the Masters base. The Doctor and Drac carefully lowered Tom down next to Jess. Some colour was starting to return to his face. Jess leant over to look at her friend, she could see his chest rising and falling in time with his now almost normal breathing.
“Why did we have to leave so fast?” Drac said.
“I rigged the Regenerator so that it would explode not long after full use.” The Doctor replied. “I just hope that you got Tom out before that, otherwise there could be some nasty side effects in several aspects.”
“What do you mean?” Jess asked looking up at the Doctor.
“Well, for a start, the Master would have stolen all Toms regenerations, thus ending Toms’ life as a Time Lord. And… Where’s Mrs. Etas?” The Doctor suddenly asked. “You didn’t come all this way alone did you?”
Jess realised that he was talking to her and turned round.
“She brought me here.” She replied. “She went the other way in the Masters Base, she must still be in there.”
“What?” Drac cried.
The three turned to face the Masters Base as a faint scream was carried their way on the wind.
“Mr. Etas, wait!” The Doctor shouted as Drac sped off back the way they had just come.
Jess looked up at the Doctor; he was clearly torn between helping Drac or taking care of his two friends.

The Master walked out of his TARDIS. He was getting weaker and his old body had almost completely decayed. He gripped the edge of a nearby table to gain a bit of strength and walked round to the regenerator. He let out a rattling cry of pain and annoyance to see that it was empty, his new body had gone.
“Doctor.” He cursed in a rattling wheezy voice. A brief moment of panic gripped the Master until he heard another voice in the building.
“Hello?”

Kisro had drawn a blank, not found anything. She turned back and walked back towards the main door, planning on finding Jess. She heard a sudden cry come from the direction that Jess had taken. The Cry sounded like “Doctor.” She tried to remember the names of Jess travelling companions. She was sure that the older one was called the Doctor.
“Hello?” She called out edging towards the room where the voice came from.

Drac flung himself through the main door to the estate house and ran along the corridor to the Masters laboratory. He didn’t know quite why, but he expected the scream to have come from there. Upon entering the room he skidded on a pool of something and nearly tripped. Looking down, he recoiled in shock. He had skidded on a pool of blood, very fresh blood. A body lay by the pool. Drac stared in horror and the shock of almost orange hair that was sprawled in the blood. Not wanting to believe it, he knelt beside the body and looked at the face. Wide eyes stared upwards in an unseeing gaze, the eyes of his wife. Drac let out a wail of despair as he held the head of his wife close to himself. He spotted the discarded hammer lying close by, the head covered in blood and brain tissue. A wage of rage flowed over him and he stood up to be confronted by another monstrous sight. A figure stood before him in a black suit. The figures features were blackened and horrific. The flesh was almost gone as if burnt from the face, leaving an almost skull-like appearance with wide manic staring eyes and a grinning mouth, almost mocking. It was the last thing Drac ever saw as his world pitched into blackness.
“A new body!” The Master almost laughed.

[Fitz Kreiner]

Tom was stirring and starting to mutter incoherently.
“I should have gone with him.” The Doctor was saying again and again, pacing towards the Masters base then turning and coming to check on Tom before turning and pacing again.
“Isn’t there still time for you to go back?” Jess asked. “I can look after Tom.”
“I wish I knew how far the metamorphic and symbiotic processes had gone.” The Doctor said crouching down beside Jess. “The Master may have taken a body print, I just don’t know.”
“What do you mean?” Jess asked.
“That could be the Master, but in Toms’ body.” The Doctor replied.
“But then, what was that scream? And where’s the Masters body?”
“That’s what’s making me whish I knew how far the process had gone.” The Doctor replied.
“Ah.” Jess said, downbeat.
“Right.” The Doctor said getting to his feet. “Take this,” He handed Jess the TARDIS key “If I’m not back in five minutes, get Tom back to the TARDIS. There’s a little slot in the console, put the key in and turn in clockwise. It will take the TARDIS back to Gallifrey and the Time Lords will send you home. They won’t like it, but they’ll do it.”
“Doctor?”
“If I’m not out in five minutes, it’s because I’m dead.” The Doctor said flatly anticipating what Jess would ask.
“What are you going to do?” Jess asked.
“What I have to.” The Doctor said turning on his heel and starting off towards the Masters base. Ten yards down the path, he ducked as an explosion ripped through the rear of the building. Jess ran down the path to the Doctor.
“You did say you’d rigged it.” She shouted over the noise of a second and third explosion.
“I caused Dracs’ death.” He whispered, more to himself than anyone else.
“No, you didn’t.” Jess replied. “He might have got out ok.”
“The Master.” The Doctor suddenly said.
“Where?” Jess glanced round nervously.
“The Explosion didn’t occur quickly after we left, it occurred some time after Drac entered. That means that the process hadn’t worked fully on Tom.” The Doctor explained
“So, Tom’s ok?”
“Yes!” The Doctor beamed, “So the explosion must have been caused by-” He paused, realisation dawning. “Drac!”
Jess was still lost. “What do you mean?”
“Thing about it Jess. I rigged the regenerator to explode after it had been utilised to full function. Drac went in, and some minutes later the base explodes.”
Jess looked into the Doctors eyes; they were filled with both sadness and horror. “You mean-?”
“Yes.” Came the reply. The Doctor looked sadly at the now burning building. “I think we’d better get Tom to the TARDIS and get out of here.” He said after some minutes, getting to his feet and helping Jess to hers.

The Master opened his eyes and breathed deeply. He could feel no aches or pains. He could feel his hearts beating in his chest and feel the artron energy surge through his very being. Stepping out of the regenerator, he paused. Glancing back, he could see the husk that was Drac Etas filling the other chamber. The Master smiled slightly to himself. He may not have taken the young Time Lords body, but he had a new one.
Stepping towards his TARDIS, the Master paused. He could feel two hearts beating within his chest and the Artron energy that accompanied regeneration. He knew the body was that of a native, not a Time Lord. Thinking, he checked the back of the machinery. He could see from the open panel that someone had interfered. He looked in and could see two different attempts at sabotage. The Doctor and Mr. Rowan he guessed. He must have taken a Gallifreyan body print off the boy and the life force of the native.
The Master noticed a light blinking on the side of the regenerator that should not have been blinking. As he watched, he saw that the blinking was starting to get faster. It could only mean one thing; the regenerator had been rigged to self destruct after use. Turning, the Master ran to his TARDIS and slammed his hand down on the door control. He saw the regenerator explode on his scanner screen as he dematerialised his TARDIS. The Doctor, the Master concluded.
“Better luck next time Doctor.” He muttered before looking down at his clothes, which were now too small for him. Turning, the Master walked from the console room.

Tom struggled into a sitting position. His head was pounding again; it seemed to do nothing but recently. Looking around, his vision was blurred but soon he managed to focus on two figures walking towards him. As his eyes focussed, he could make out the Doctor and Jess, who had her arm round the Time Lord. Standing beside Tom, the Doctor crouched down beside him and looked into his eyes.
“How are you feeling?” He asked.
“I’ve been better.” Tom managed. “Where’s Drac?”
The Doctor looked down. “He didn’t make it.” He said sadly.
Tom looked up at Jess, and then noticed the plumes of smoke billowing into the sky behind her.
“What happened?” he asked struggling to his feet, before collapsing down again.
“The Masters’ base exploded.” Jess said. “The Doctor fixed the morphing machine to explode after it was used.”
“Then...” Tom began.
“The Master tried to steal Dracs’ body; like he tried to do to you.” The Doctor said.
Tom struggled into a sitting position, his strength rapidly returning to him. “Dracs’ dead?” he asked looking at the Doctor.
“Yes and no.” The Doctor replied. “The master stole his body to extend his life. What was now Drac will undoubtedly be the Master.”
“But the explosion?” Jess said. “If you rigged that machine, then wouldn’t it have got the Master?”
“It’s possible.” The Doctor replied. “But as Drac and Kisro were in the building at the time, I was the cause of their deaths too.”
“No. you weren’t.” Tom struggled up into a kneeling then crouching position. “You did what you had to, to stop the Master. Just as I did back in the Cyber base. You didn’t kill them, the Master did. If the machine exploded after use, then the Master would already have killed Drac. And if he is that deranged and psychotic then it stands to reason he’ll have killed Kisro too, probably in order to distract Drac.”
The Doctor suddenly found his shoes intensely fascinating.
“Look,” Tom said slowly getting to his feet with a little support from Jess. “I was directly responsible for Krels death, but it was the Master who killed Drac and Kisro. Krel died helping to stop the Cybermen, and they died helping to rid the galaxy of the biggest criminal it has ever known. Come on Doctor, what was it you said to me?”
The Doctors’ interest in his shoes suddenly ended. Looking up at Tom, his eyes brightened and a smile crept back across his face. Jumping to his feet, he threw an arm around Jess’ shoulders and another round Toms causing the young Time Lord to wince in pain briefly.
“Mind the arm!” He muttered through gritted teeth.
“Doctor?” Jess said taken aback by his sudden change of mood.
“You’re quite right, both of you.” He said. “We have work to do, come on.”
“But what about all this? Shouldn’t we tell people what happened?” Jess asked motioning to the people who had started to arrive to see what had happened.
“It’s at times like this when it really is better to slip away quietly rather than answer a lot of awkward questions, like who we are and where we came from. And time has a way of working things out, trust me!” The Doctor smiled leading his two friends back to the TARDIS.

The Master stepped back and observed his new facade in the mirror. He was taller than before and a little slimmer he noted, his previous body had started to put on a little weight towards the end of its time. He pulled down his black tunic, straightening it out and looked again at his clothes. His high collard Black tunic, although having a slight military feel to it, suited this new body better than the tailed coat and cravat of his old self. The white cuffs of his shirt extruded from the ends of the sleeves of the tunic, fastened with black jewelled Cufflinks set in silver. Black trousers were tucked into a pair of black knee high riding boots, setting the ensemble off completely. The Master turned to look at another mirror, this one at head height to look closer at his new face. He could see elements of both the primitive and the young Time Lord in his new visage. His dark hair was swept back, showing off a high forehead with strong dark eyebrows. Brilliantly blue eyes shone out of his dark features, these, he noted, clearly came from Mr. Rowan. Not as dark as he had hoped, but they seemed to suit. A strong cheek structure stood either side of a strong and almost aristocratic nose. The Master smiled, relieved to see that he still had his beard which ran down the sides of his face and along his jaw line, framing his new face. The moustache on his top lip stood independently of the rest of the beard. Reaching up with both hands, the Master stroked his new beard carefully.
“Most acceptable.” He smiled looking back at the full length mirror. “And now To convey my thanks.” He announced to the air in a strong deep voice, turning and walking to the console room.

[Fitz Kreiner]

The Doctor was busying himself at the console, flicking switches and checking instruments. Jess was sat in the Doctors chair and Tom perched on the table nearby, the pair of them filling each other in on what they’d missed in the past few hours. Occasionally one or the other would look up at the Doctor as me muttered to himself at the console.
“Well Doctor,” Jess finally said.
“Yes, very well thank you.” The Doctor replied instantly.
“No, where are we going now?”
“Oh, I see. I’m trying to track the other trace. The reading I took from the Time Lords is starting to fade, making it difficult to trace.”
“You think it’s shifting time tracks?” Tom asked getting to his feet and walking to the console.
“It’s a possibility. It may not even be on a fixed time co-ordinate, which might be why it’s so difficult to track.”
“You did say it was heading to the other side of the galaxy earlier.” Tom said.
“Yes, that’s where I’m looking, but the trail appears to be dissipating somewhere near the Quwyxus system.” The Doctor looked up at Tom. “And before you say anything, that’s where I’m looking.”
“I wasn’t going to.” Tom replied holding up his good arm in protest.
“Well, if you’re going to argue over the best way to find the trace before going to find it, can I go and change?” Jess said looking down at the gown that she was still wearing.
“Erm, yes.” The Doctor said not looking up. “You know where the wardrobe is?”
“I’m sure I can…” Jess trailed off looking at the console. “Doctor?”
“Along the corridor-” The Doctor started.
“No Doctor, should that light be flashing?” Jess pointed to a blinking light on the console.
The Doctor looked up to where Jess was pointing. “The Time curve Indicator?”
“Then that means…” Tom started.
“Somebody else is travelling along the same time curve as us.” The Doctor finished.
“Have you found the Cybermen?” Jess asked cautiously. “I mean, are you following it?”
“No.” The Doctor said, looking at a screen. “We’re being followed.”
“Followed? Who’d be following us?” Tom asked. “You think the Time Lords have found us?”
“No,” The Doctor said, “I was hoping…” He trailed off looking closer at the screen in front of him.
“Don’t keep us in suspense Doctor, what were you hoping?” A new deep voice came from almost everywhere.
The three travellers spun to look at the scanner screen. A figure in black was staring down at them; the background was that of another TARDIS interior.
“Who-?” Jess started.
“Drac?” Tom said carefully, not too sure as to whom he was looking at.
The figure merely smiled down at them, as if waiting for realisation to dawn. His eyes were fixed on the Doctor who was just staring back.
“No,” he said after a few seconds. “The Master.”
The Masters smile grew and he folded his arms a slight smug look on his face. “Correct Doctor,” he said. “Your sabotage didn’t quite work out as you intended I’m afraid, although, as you can see, it’s fortunate for me.” The Master looked up at Tom. “And I owe you some thanks Mr. Rowan. If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead, I owe you my life.”
“Me? What did I do?” Tom asked, glaring up at the screen.
“Your ‘sabotage’ over reversed the Doctors, it would seem, and as a result, I have your body print. I should thank you; you’ve given me a new regeneration cycle!” The Master laughed.
“What have you done to him?” The Doctor bellowed
“Nothing at all Doctor, merely taken a body print for a new regeneration cycle it would seem.”
“What about my regenerations? You’ve stolen them?” Tom snarled supporting himself on the console through rage.
“Oh no, my dear boy. Like I said, it’s a print, not quite cloned, but according to my instruments, you were still registering as having a regeneration cycle.” The Master protested. “And believe it or not, I am not here to mock, gloat or threaten you, I am here merely to convey my thanks and gratitude to you all.”
“What are you playing at Master?” The Doctor asked.
“I just told you Doctor, conveying my thanks to you all for a new life cycle.” The Master replied. “And to apologise to the lovely Miss Lawton for being so off hand with her.” The Master added looking at Jess.
“Why should I believe you, or even accept your apology?” Jess asked, sceptically.
“I don’t ask you to believe, but I would be grateful if you were to accept it.” The Master replied before turning back to Tom. “Oh, and Mr. Rowan, had I known in the past what I know now, things would have been different, so again, I can only apologise to what I did to you, what I will put you through.”
Tom looked up at the scanner, confused. The Doctor stepped forward, standing beside Jess. “You know as well as I the laws of time and what paradoxes can be caused by telling us of our future.” He warned at the screen.
“Did I tell you what has or will happen?” The Master replied feigning hurt. “But as another sign of gratitude to you all, I thought I would tell you the whereabouts of your next mission objective.”
“What?”
“Oh, come Doctor, did you think I didn’t know about your little mission for the Time Lords, clearing up after them as usual?” The Master laughed. “I knew about the war, and the Time Lords files aren’t that well protected these days, it was easy to see the report on the three of you. And yes, the last Cyber trace is temporally lost, but I found it. It’s on the planet Telris, and is reaching out to you. Have you net felt the pull?”
“What are you talking about?” Tom asked.
“The Cybermen tried to reach out into time and space with this base before it backfired on them, with a little help from me of course.”
“Why are you telling us this, and what exactly is it you’re telling us.” The Doctor asked.
“The Cybermen have constructed a temporal beacon, to reach out to any other Cybermen and any time capable craft, which includes TARDISes. I took a little trip to Telris and routed the control of the beacon.”
“Routed it to where? Or should I take an educated guess you’re referring to your TARDIS?”
“Correct Doctor.” The Master smiled. “And like I said, I’m going to help you in your little mission. All I have to do is activate this control…” The Master reached out to a small lever on his console.
“I think I can find the co-ordinates for Telris, thank you.” The Doctor said, trying to stall the Master, gesturing to the console behind his back to Tom.
“Oh, but this would be far more fun.” The Master said, his hand closing on the lever.
“For who?” Jess asked.
“Why, me of course. Goodbye!” The Master laughed operating the lever.
“Grab hold of something!” The Doctor yelled spinning round throwing himself at the console.
The TARDIS lurched throwing Tom and Jess to the floor, the Masters laughter echoing round the console room, slowly fading.
“What’s happening?” Jess shouted above the whine that the TARDIS engines were now starting to emit.
“The Master!” The Doctor yelled gripping the edge of the console. “He was holding back a temporal snare with his TARDIS. We’re being dragged down.”
“Where?” Tom shouted, struggling to his feet.
“You need to ask?” The Doctor retorted, holding out an arm and helping Jess to her feet. “The beacon is malfunctioning, making travel rough. It’s reaching out into the vortex, dragging us down.”