For Sophy. I'm terribly sorry about the lateness of this. I've been trying to get Clara to work on this for quite some time, but she wouldn't latch onto anything. But then she latched onto the pairing I least expected. Please enjoy!
Master!centric, Rose/Master, Rose/Ten.
Notes: This is an AU, set before and during the Last of the Time Lords.
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Prologue: introduction of the cast
The Master curses as the TARDIS lands. He's no fool; he knows that the Doctor had tampered with the navigation. But he didn't expect him to lock it so that he can only travel between the last two places the Doctor had went – the end of the universe and early twentieth century on Earth.
The Doctor has always been too fond the humans, and that is what the Master will use against him.
He sets out into the fresh air of London, late 2006. He pauses, running through the recent history of the area. "The fall of Harriet Jones as Prime Minister. The Doctor is ruthless," he mutters happily to himself. "But I can use that."
He turns on his heels and makes his way back into the TARDIS. He feels the resentment of the machine. She doesn't like that he's using her. While he's trying to find the library, she attempts to lead him stray. She makes a labyrinth of her hallways, causing him to smirk. Putting his hand against the wall, he says, "You will come to trust me in time."
He can feel her disagreement vibrate under his hand.
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Until the TARDIS learns to trust him, he's forced to search through the books that the humans have to obtain the knowledge that he needs. But the books are worthless as the humans.
Instead, he begins at a different angle. For his plan to work, he needs to become someone that the humans trust. He needs to be someone that they will elect. But he can't do that with a name such as "the Master"; it sounds like a tyrant.
He needs a new identity. So he searches through the records of people in the area, trying to find someone suitable to take over. Though, it would leave him to deal with the person whose identity he's taking over and all the people who knows them, which leads him to believe that just making up a new person would be the best way to go.
He sits there for a while before he decides on a name – Harold Saxon.
It's a start. He takes him a few hours to hack into the local records and mere minutes to start fabricating Harold Saxon's past. It begins with the birth certificate, and it ends with a whole new identity. He randomly picks out schools and commits them to memory, because it isn't a successful fabricated past if he doesn't memorize all the details.
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It takes nearly two months of sleeping on the chair in the control room before the TARDIS actually allows the Master to have a bedroom. He had walked along her labyrinth of hallways each night, trying to convince her to trust him.
It finally paid off when a door doesn't disappear as he's trying to open it. When he does, he finds a small bedroom with nothing more than a desk and a bed. But it's a step in the direction of trust so he doesn't complain.
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He uses the spare parts that he finds in the control room and the rooms that the TARDIS allows him into to make himself a laser screwdriver. It's not a sonic screwdriver because of the crystal that powers it. He makes sure that he makes it to where only he can use it. He doesn't need it falling into the wrong hands.
When he tests it out, he is pleased with the results. He has a weapon to use against the Doctor when he arrives.
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It's six months after he originally landed, when he starts making true progress in the direction he wants to go. The TARDIS had finally allowed him into the library, where he read through the Doctor's vast collection to figure out how exactly to use a low-lower physic field to control most people.
He makes plans for the Archangel Network. A series of fifteen satellites would be put into a stationary orbit around the Earth. These fifteen satellites would be the focal point of all communications in England and worldwide, and will use cell phones to help prevent attacks on England.
When he reveals them at a meeting in the Defence Office, all of the members agrees that it would be the ultimate defence that Britain could make. It doesn't take them long after that to promote him to Minister of Defence and to launch his network.
As he takes the office of his new position, he starts intergrading himself into the Archangel Network. He uses the ever constant series of drumbeats that he hears in his head as the pattern to control people.
There won't be a person in the world that can resist his brainwashing.
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For most of 2007, the Master spends most of his time campaigning to become the Prime Minister. With the Network, his fabricated past is real. So, for the sake of his campaign, he visits the high school that he never attended.
He walks on the campus, his laser screwdriver in his suit pocket. It's just there as a precautionary measure. He smiles for the cameras and he watches as the staff talks about Harold Saxon and how bright of a student he is. They tell stories of brilliant and cleverness.
But there's one teacher that looks at the Master with confusion in his eyes. When the cameraman swings on that teacher, the Master walks up close to stand beside the man, silently pulling out his laser screwdriver as he goes. He wraps an arm around the man's shoulder and smiles as he presses the laser screwdriver against the man's side.
"I was always his favorite student, isn't that right, Mr. Curtis?" the Master asks, his smile never faltering.
James Curtis blinks twice before nodding. "Oh yes, Harold was a wonderful student. A pleasure for any teacher to have."
The Master smirks to himself. Nothing will get in the way of him becoming the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
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His work pays off as he takes the title of Prime Minister. But somehow, it's only just begun.
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Act I: Rose, enter stage left
As Prime Minister, the Master tries to keep an eye on Torchwood to know if they've had any contact with the Doctor, but bloody Jack Harkness has hidden them very well and the other ones have already fallen. Instead, he keeps an eye on UNIT.
While in the office for UNIT for their weekly check in, he sees a blinding light. He closes his eyes, and when he opens them, a girl with blonde hair is standing in front of him. "I wasn't expecting that to work," she says, mostly to herself. When she meets the Master's eyes, she seems to realize that she had just appeared out of thin air.
"Who are you?" the Master asks. He can't seem to recognize her.
She holds out her hand, "Rose Tyler."
And a smirk crosses the Master's face. This just seems to be getting better for him. This is the ultimate way of torturing the Doctor. "Welcome to UNIT, Rose Tyler," he says. "I'm the Prime Minister, here for their check in. Would you mind telling me how you got here and where you're from?" He motions for her to walk in front of him as he takes her to a conference room.
She sits down at the table, folding her hands in front of her. And she starts her story. She tells him about how she's been trapped in a parallel universe and how she's been trying to get back to her home universe, and how she's looking for the Doctor.
The Master sets down a cup of coffee in front of her, and sips his own. He's quiet throughout her tale, and at the end, he says, "It looks like you made it home, then."
She flashes him the brightest smile.
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UNIT helps her back to her parallel universe so that she can say her goodbyes. While she is away, the Master takes a trip on the TARDIS. He makes his way back to the end of the universe, where the future of humanity is on the brink of being killed.
When he steps out the doors of the TARDIS, he is greeted by metal balls. "Hello," one of them says.
He furrows his eyes because this is not what he was expecting. These are not the people who left Malcassairo on the rocket; these aren't even people anymore.
"Have you come to save us?" another one asks, flying close to the Master.
He nods. "I want to take you to the distant past where you start a new race. Where you can be Gods. How does that sound?"
When they announce their agreement, the Master grins. "I will be for you. I cannot take you now, but you will be saved."
The ball closest to the Master switches to attack mode, spikes protruding from them, causing him to back up. "I have to get the people of this new planet to trust you. I must warm them up to the idea of "aliens" and when I do, I will come back for you."
With that promise, the metal balls allow the Master to leave unharmed.
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It's a few days before he sees Rose again. She's standing in UNIT, where they had agreed to meet last time. He has to pull string to get her official death reversed, and the flat where she had live with her mother is empty.
He gets her settled into the new flat that the government is providing her. He goes to hand her the cell phone that he's holding in his hands, but she holds up her own. "The Doctor rigged it so that I can call anywhere, anytime," she says.
She places it on the table before going to the kitchen to make tea. The Master picks it up and pulls out his laser screwdriver, correcting the level of the Archangel Network on her. He slips the screwdriver back into his pocket and replaces the cell phone before she re-enters the living room with two cups of tea in her hands.
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He hands the folder to his assistant. "I want to see all results of the project, and I want this to be kept under wraps."
The red-headed girl nods her head. "Of course, Mr. Saxon. I'll see to it that you get all results immediately," she says. She turns and makes her way out of the room, leaving the Master alone.
He picks up his phone, calling Rose. He calls her daily because the more often he speaks to her, the more control he has over her and the more that she forgets about the Doctor, the aliens, everything.
And he knows that's the only way to win her over – make her forget about her Doctor.
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He shows up at her flat, like he does every few days and offers her his arm. She clutches it, allowing him to lead her away. He takes her to one of the finest restaurants in London, making sure that the media caught wind of it.
He wants the public to know. He wants the Doctor to know when he shows up.
As they are sitting down for dinner, it's the first night in a month that the blonde haired girl doesn't talk about the Doctor, doesn't talk about the aliens, doesn't talk about her time spent on different planets.
And it's in that moment that the Master knows that she's completely his.
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Act II: the Doctor, enter stage right
"Prime Minister?" his red-headed assistant asks softly, almost frightened.
At the sound of her voice, the Master lifts his eyes, but he can't force the coldness that flows through his veins. The Doctor has finally arrived; the Master can feel his presence. "I'm sorry. You were saying?" he replies.
The girl pushes her glasses up further. "The governments of the other nations have agreed to meet on the Valiant in three days' time."
The Master nods his head and motions for the girl to leave. As she shuts the door, he pulls out the papers from the Lazarus project and his laser screwdriver. He works on incorporating the ability into his screwdriver.
It takes a while, but eventually, he manages. He presses the speaker on his desk phone. "Send in Julia, and I would like the Jones' to be aboard the Valiant."
"Right away, Prime Minister."
He waits patiently for the door to his office to open. When it does, there's a little girl of no more than twelve standing there, her blue eyes questioning. "You wanted to see me, Prime Minister?" she asks timidly.
He nods. "Bring me your phone."
She hesitates. "My phone?"
Again, he nods. "Yes, Julia, your phone. Hand it over please. I want to check something." His tone is harsher than it was a moment ago, but it gets his point across.
The girl crosses the space between them, handing over her phone. The Master takes it, changing the level of the Archangel Network on her phone before he hands it back. "Don't make a sound," he warns, turning his laser screwdriver on her. Her eyes go wide, but due to his control over her, she doesn't make a sound. He attempts the new setting.
He is pleased when her body starts to age before his eyes.
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After he sends Julia out of the room under a new name, he lends back and puts his hands behind his head. The only thing left to do is power up the paradox to bring the future to the past.
He hears a knock on the door to his office. He drops his hands as the door opens. In the doorway is Rose, her blonde hair down and her brown eyes wide. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she says, crossing the room to stand behind him.
"Not at all. Just getting my speech ready for tomorrow," he assures her as she wraps her arms around him.
She rests her head against his shoulder. "You haven't been telling me what tomorrow really is about."
"I'm hoping that we can create peace and have treaties with one another. That is what tomorrow is about," he lies. "It will hopefully be a big step forward between the larger countries."
She presses her lips to his cheek. "Well, I hope that you succeed."
He gives her a smile before capturing her lips with his own. "Thank you."
.
He waits until she is sound asleep before he slips out of the bed. She had insisted about going over the speech with him, and it was well into the night before she finally agreed it was perfect.
He makes his way to the TARDIS which he had moved aboard the Valiant days ago. Once inside, he sets the coordinates for the rocket that he had been on a while ago. The TARDIS is curious under his touch, but does what he requests anyway.
As he steps out the doors of the TARDIS, he is greeted by a crowd of happy metal balls. "The time has finally come. From here on out, you will be known as the Toclafane, and you will be Gods of this new world."
He points at the orb closest to himself. "You will come with me and the rest will wait for the signal. You will be free soon enough!"
He hears cheering long after he flees away with an angry TARDIS. She doesn't want to go into the past anymore, but he forces her. When he lands, he makes the last few changes to the TARDIS to change her into a paradox machine. He rigs the machine to turn on through his laser screwdriver before leaving.
Everything for the next day is set into place.
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It's well before eight in the morning when the other major countries step aboard the Valiant. Rose stand by his side as he shakes hands with the leaders. After she shakes hands with them, she points them in the direction of their seat.
He hears a loud gasp and a string of swears. He doesn't have to turn his head to know that it's the Doctor and the two companions he had with him at the end – Jack Harkness and Martha Jones. But he pretends he doesn't notice them as he shakes hands with President Arthur Winters.
Rose follows him to the stage, always dutiful because of his brainwashing. He wraps an arm around her waist. "Today, we are gathered here to witness history," the Master begins, eyes scanning the crowd. "Today, I present to you friendly aliens –the Toclafane." He raises his hand, motioning toward the doorway where a metal orb is flying toward them. "Do not be afraid, they are very friendly."
There are loud remarks about secretive alien contact and how it was wrong. The Master continues to scan the crowd. And out the corner of his eye, he sees the Doctor, glaring at him, causing him to smile.
He turns toward the President of the United States. "Kill him," he orders. The entire room goes silent as the Toclafane moves to obey. "This world is now under my control," he says with satisfaction.
The Doctor moves to disable the Toclafane, but the Master pulls out his laser screwdriver. He turns it toward the Doctor, making his sonic screwdriver fly out of his hands. "Did you honestly believe blending in with the TARDIS' chameleon circuit would fool me?" he asks. "I knew you were here all the time. I just wanted you to enjoy the show."
Rose stands silently beside the Master, unable to recognize her Doctor. The Master watches as he looks longingly at her. He smirks and puts his arm back around her waist. "I see you recognize her."
It's Jack who speaks next. "What are you doing, Rose?"
The Master watches as Rose perks at her name. "Being faithful," she replies. And he rewards her with a kiss on the cheek, causing her to smile.
"Capture them!" he orders, pointing in their direction.
His guards stand there, wearing confused looks. "Capture who, Prime Minister?"
He sighs and pulls out his screwdriver, intending to turn off their chameleon, but before he gets a chance, he watches Martha disappear and his guards leap into action to arrest the Doctor and Jack. "Put them in chains."
As they are being drug away, Rose turns toward him. "How did they know my name?"
"The media," is all the reply she gets. "I need to work. Please don't disturb me."
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In the days after he captures the Doctor, he goes on air. The Doctor is sitting right next to him as the camera roll. "I know you are watching, Martha. Don't think that your actions don't have consequences."
He pulls out his laser screwdriver. "For those of you that don't know, this being here," he says, motioning towards the Doctor, "is actually an alien. He's a Time Lord and 900 years old." He turns, facing the Doctor. "I wonder what you would look like if you looked even a ninth of your age."
The Doctor is silent as the Master turns his screwdriver on him. Before his eyes, the Doctor ages a hundred years. "Your actions have consequences, Martha. Remember that."
He moves off camera. "Get him a wheelchair. And a dog house to sleep in. I want him to be my slave."
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Rose is sitting in the room, as an intercom sounds. The Master presses the speaker button. "They have found her. She's back in England."
"And?" he questions, knowing that there has to be more than that in order for them to contact him.
"She's searching for a weapon to kill you."
Rose gasps, and the Master inhales sharply. "Where is she at? I must destroy this weapon immediately." They rattle off a place and the Master nods. "Prepare a group of men. I want to capture her."
The Master ends the call and moves toward the door. Rose catches his arm. "Please be careful."
He gives her a smirk because she's in far too deep.
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Act III: Martha, enter stage center
This is it. This is the moment that he's been waiting for. The Doctor is sitting in his cage because he is too weak to stand in his 900 year old form. And the Master can break him, can shatter him because of two women in the room – Rose and Martha.
"You've always been too fond of the humans and that will be your downfall," the Master says to him.
But the Doctor gives him a smile. "Your hatred of them will be yours," he replies.
He grabs the gun from his bodyguard, and points it at the woman kneeling in front of her. "I won. And I will celebrate my victory by killing you when the clock reaches zero," he informs her, glancing at the clock.
Two minutes – 120 seconds and everything will be over.
He feels a tug at his arm and glances to see the wide, fearful eyes of Rose. "What are you doing?"
"Ending this," he states. "Any last words?"
The brown skinned woman shakes her head. The Master nods and glances back at the clock. A minute and a half – 90 seconds. He hears laughter, causing him to turn back around. He watches as Martha's shoulders shake with the force of her laughter. "What is so funny?"
"A gun," she starts. "A gun that can kill a Time Lord?"
"A gun that I destroyed," he says confidently.
"A gun that can kill a Time Lord," she repeats. "Do you seriously believe that? That I travelled the world looked for pieces of a gun? I'll tell you what I really was doing," she promises, glancing at the clock. "I travelled, from place to place, telling a story. Just one – the story of the Doctor." At this, she glances over at the shell that is the Doctor. "Just like he told me to."
The Master waves his gun. "Like words really have the power to kill me." He turns the gun back on her, but she still doesn't shake in fear.
"I told them to think of a word, just one. The Doctor. I told them to spread the stories and to think that word. And I told them to think it all at one time," she says. "But one word is not going to do anything to you. But if you had, say, fifteen satellites in the sky…" she trails off.
The Master stares at her, "What?"
The clock reaches zero and a light is emitted from the cage that the Doctor occupies. "No, no, no," he cries out.
The Doctor, whose age had been reversed, steps toward the Master. "I've had an entire year to intergrade myself into the Archangel Network."
Rose moves away from him, disgust written in her eyes. "What have you done?" she questions.
In that moment, the Master knows that it's over. He turns toward the door, trying to flee but is stopped by Jack. "Going somewhere?"
"You need to destroy the paradox, Jack!" the Doctor cries. Jack forces the Master around, and cuffs his hands together. He then passes him off to the Doctor before motioning for the guards to follow him.
It takes several minutes for Jack to successful disable the paradox. But it's in those moments that she learns that she was tricked into a relationship with the Master. The Valiant starts moving in high speeds, causing Rose to lose her footing and grab onto the railing. When it finally stops, Rose stands.
It's then that she notices the gun on the ground, and picks it up. She turns it toward the Master, anger overcoming her. "I trusted you. But that was all a lie, wasn't it? You used that network to control me."
The Doctor puts his hands up, stepping in front of the Master, protecting him. "Rose, put the gun down. This is not the way to end it. You know that. I know you know that. Please, Rose," he pleads softly.
Slowly, she puts the gun on the ground, because she would do anything the Doctor asked without hesitation. She turns to walk out the room and the Doctor turns back to the Master. "Now, I can't leave you out there by yourself, so I think the only thing I can do is take you with –"
He's cut off by the sound of a gun. Rose whirls around as the Doctor catches the Master. He looks up at the Doctor with a smile. "It's always the woman, isn't it?" he jokes.
"It's only a wound. Regenerate. Come on, Regenerate!" the Doctor begs. He shakes the Master harder when he doesn't. "Come on!"
The Master smiles before grimacing. "But you would be winning that way. I won't spend the rest of my life locked away in your TARDIS as your prisoner."
"But we're the only two left. There's no more," he says, trying anything to get the Master to regenerate. But he won't. The Doctor is left there, holding him as he dies.
It's the Master's ultimate victory.
Final: the curtain falls