The Doctor, Martha, and Jack appeared in a modern-day alleyway. They all groaned as felt pain shoot throughout their bodies from the awful way of travelling without the TARDIS.
Martha held a hand to her head, "Oh, my head!"
"Time travel without a capsule. That's a killer," the Doctor stood on his feet and helped her up.
"Still, at least we made it," Jack took observation of their surroundings, "Earth, 21st century by the looks of it. Ha, ha, talk about lucky," he chuckled as they walked out to the streets.
"That wasn't luck, that was me," the Doctor mumbled. He'd repaired Jack's manipulator just in time to get them out of the era and back into the 21st century where he was sure the Master had come to...with Renata.
They took a seat on a bench as they got their bearings back from such a rowdy trip. Jack leaned back on his spot and sighed, "The moral is, if you're gonna get stuck at the end of the universe, get stuck with an ex-Time Agent and his vortex manipulator."
"But this Master bloke, he's got the TARDIS," Martha pointed out, "And Renata. He could be anywhere in time and space with them."
"No, he's here, trust me," the Doctor looked around and noticed dozens of Saxon campaign posters on nearly every wall. He was trying his best not to jump up and run to every last place until he found Renata. The Master had taken her with him, against her will, and she was probably scared and it was all his fault.
"Who is he, anyway?" Martha eyed the Doctor, "And that voice at the end, that wasn't the professor."
"If the Master's a Time Lord, he must have regenerated," Jack shrugged.
"Right," Martha remembered. The Doctor watched a homeless man tapping a four-tap beat on a mug, "Then how are we gonna find him?"
"Ill know him," the Doctor stood up, "The moment I see him. Time Lords always do."
Martha raised an eyebrow, nearly spilling that he had missed a Time Lady right under his nose, or right over his shoulder anyways. She instead looked away and saw the posters for the campaign, "But hold on...if he could be anyone..." she stood up, "We missed the election," she realized and so did with the others, "But it can't be!"
The trio headed for a shop with a television on the display screen, "Mr Saxon has returned from the Palace and is greeting the crowd inside Saxon Headquarters."
They watched Saxon (the Master) walking downstairs with an entourage and a blonde woman, Lucy, at his side. The Doctor scanned every last part of the screen for Renata, but found no other blonde.
"I said I knew that voice," Martha blinked, "When he spoke inside the TARDIS. I've heard that voice hundreds of times. I've seen him. We all have. That was the voice of Harold Saxon."
"He's Prime Minister," the Doctor said in horror, "The Master is Prime Minister of Great Britain," Saxon kissed the woman beside him, Lucy, "The Master and his wife."
He was horrified to realize that while he had been traveling with Martha, the Master had Renata with him there in the 21st century for so long...he only hoped that she was keeping herself good until he got there, because he would get there and he would take her back.
~ 0 ~
Tish Jones was following a reporter down the building of the Prime Minister and was failing rather badly as the woman barged into the room of the Prime Minister himself, "You can't just go barging in!"
The reporter, Vivien, looked around the room and spotted a blonde coming in from a door at the end of the room, "Vivien Rook, Sunday Mirror," she held up an ID card, "You've heard of me, I'm sure, but you are...?"
"Renata..." the blonde swallowed hard, knowing where this was going, "...and you've got to, please."
"Miss Saxon, I'm very sorry for this," Tish apologized and tried getting the reporter out of the room.
"Saxon?" Vivien caught the name, "Miss?"
"I'm his sister," Renata followed the lie the Master had set up for her and practically forced her to go with.
"Funny, you're not known..."
"I like a quiet life," Renata supplied and looked around as she waited for her eyes to dry up. That had been her problem over eighteen months, suppressing her fear and sadness from the public.
"Twenty minutes, that's all I need," Vivien eyed the woman, knowing something strange was going on with her all alone.
"I don't think you want to do that," Renata glanced back at the door she'd come through.
Vivien followed her gaze and definitely concluded that the woman was frightened, "Just ten, if you'd like. I'll be quick."
Renata knew there would be no getting rid of the human until she heard her out. So, she gave a nod for Tish to leave and glanced back at he connecting door as she slowly moved towards the reporter.
As soon as Tish was out, Vivien walked up to the blonde, "You're not his sister, are you?"
"You have to go," Renata whispered pleadingly, the tears fresh in her eyes again, "Forget about all this and just go, please."
"Miss Saxon, it's not just you that's in danger, it's the entire world," Vivien sighed and slowly sat down with Renata on the couch, "And you know this, don't you?"
"I'm not here by choice, but in doing so I serve a punishment," Renata whispered, uncaring if the reporter understood her.
"Your 'brother', is not who he says he is," Vivien reminded her, "Everything's a lie and you know it. All of it. The school days, his degree, even his mother and father. It's all invented."
"You're gonna get yourself killed," Renata tried to stop the reporter.
"Look, Harold Saxon never went to Cambridge," Vivien held up a photo for the blonde to see, "There was no Harold Saxon. The thing is, it's obvious. The forgery is screaming out and yet no one can see it. It's as if he's mesmerized the entire world."
"I know, I know, now I beg you to leave. If you want to help, then you need to be alive first of all," Renata stood up, "Why won't you listen to me?"
"18 months ago he became real," Vivien continued, hoping she'd get through the oh-so-clear terrified blonde, "This is his first, honest-to-God appearance, just after the downfall of Harriet Jones. And at the exact same time, they launched the Archangel Network."
"Stop it, please!"
"Even now they say that the— the Cabinet has gone into seclusion. I mean, what does that mean, 'seclusion'?"
"Same thing that's gonna happen to you if you don't hurry up and leave!"
"What has he done to you, sweetheart?" Vivien stood up.
"Nothing," Renata struggled to not make faces as she felt her sobs coming on, "We are family, and that is a true statement. I thought he would change now that it was just the three of us but...I was wrong," she took a deep breath, "And I'm paying the price for it along with my other betrayals. But you, you can still run. And if you do, you need to go find Torchwood, now they can help you. If I'm lucky they can help me, even."
Over the course of the 18 months she'd been trapped with the Master and his wife, Renata had done research over the Doctor's tenure in the year. She was up to speed with everything and everyone he'd met up until Martha...and that meant everyone. She was more than hurt to figure out who Rose Tyler was and at times did feel like the Master was right and nearly followed him...but then that small piece of her hearts pinged and made her stop. Because no matter what, she still cared for the Doctor.
"You gotta go," Renata ran a hand through her straight, blonde hair and gestued for the door of freedom, one she could not pass herself, "Please, just go!"
"Oh, I think it's a bit late for that," came the voice that had started giving her nightmares.
Renata spun around and saw the Master leaning on the connecting door she'd come in through earlier, "My unfaithful companion," he eyed Renata with a smirk, "You won't even defend me anymore?"
"She doesn't know what she's saying," Renata quickly stepped in front of Vivien as the Master headed for them, "Please, she's just a human."
"Human, alright, but perfectly right," he pointed at Vivien, "Harold Saxon doesn't exist."
"Then tell me…" Vivien moved around Renata, ignoring the blonde's pleads, "who are you?"
"Please don't do it," Renata looked at the Master with her watery eyes that no longer moved him, "She's only human..."
"I'm the Master and these are my friends," the man held out his hands as four small, metal spheres appeared and floated around him.
Vivien eyed the spheres with confusion, "I'm sorry?"
"Can't you hear it, Mrs Rook?"
"What do you mean?"
"The drumbeat. The drums coming closer and closer," the Master reached over and yanked Renata away from the reporter just as the spheres went towards Vivien.
Vivien stared in horror as the spheres stuck out spikes, "The lady doesn't like us," one of them said.
"Silly lady," went the second sphere.
"Dead lady," went the third.
"No, no, please," Renata begged and struggled as the Master forcefully brought her out of the room just as the spheres attacked the poor reporter.
Saxon went to open the door just a smidge and winced as the loud screams of the human still went on. Quickly, he shut it...then tried it again. Renata slapped his hands from the door, completely furious, "Elek would be very disappointed."
The Master raised an eyebrow, "But who would he be more disappointed of, hm? Me...or you?" he pushed past her and left her to ponder on his words.
Renata swallowed hard and hurried away, somewhere silent and solitary where she could cry once more.
~ 0 ~
Hours later, Renata sat alone in the office holding her small, now tattered, journal in her hands. She was reading it with tears in her eyes and stifled sobs. The journal was the reason for the Master's change with her. She should've burn that thing when she had the chance.
She was approached by Tish Jones with a tea cup in hand. She took a deep breath and accepted it, "Thank you."
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Tish politely asked.
Renata looked around and saw everyone distracted. The Master was making a broadcast to the entire world about the spheres, or 'Toclafane' which were completely false and in reality were an utter heartbreak. She stood up and stuffed her journal into her bag she stilled carried around wherever she went. She took Tish by the arm with one hand and frantically looked around, "There is something you can do for me."
"And what would that be?" Tish asked in confusion, actually a bit concerned with the blonde.
She'd started her job only two days ago and yet she already noticed Renata was always reserved and usually all alone. She knew Renata was the Prime Minister's sister but that was about it. But even she could see there was some tension between the two siblings as they usally always ended up in arguments or Renata would run out the room in tears.
"Your sister, Martha, have you spoken to her today?" Renata quietly inquired, eyeing every person that walked their way.
"Um, no, I left her a message on her machine but that was a couple days ago," Tish shrugged, "Um, how do you know my sister?"
"I know everyone, sweetheart," Renata casually said as she dumped her tea cup in the nearest rubbish can she passed, "You've seen her, though, right? In that Lazarus lab or something?"
"Um, yeah, that was three days ago, though," Tish eyed Renata with suspicion.
"And she was with a man, right? Very tall, brown eyes, big, brown hair?"
"Yeah, yeah, her plus one," Tish recalled the strange man called the Doctor that her sister had recently found.
"I know who he is, who he really is," Renata stepped closer to her and spoke hushedly, "Now please, hear me when I tell you it's time for you to go on your...lunch break."
"Lunch...what?" Tish made a face, "But that's not for another hour."
Renata snatched her arm again and dragged her down the stairs, "Tish, I'm serious. Get out of this building and call Martha, or better yet, go to her."
"Miss Saxon, I don't understand what you're talking about-" Tish flinched as her cellphone went off and when she took out she laughed lightly, "Oh look at the irony, it's her," she waved the phone to Renata.
Renata snatched her phone and quickly answered it, "What's happening!? Tish!?" came Martha's loud voice from the other line.
"Martha, be quiet!" Renata snapped and succedded in stopping the shouts.
"Oh my God, it's Renata! Doctor, it's Renata," Martha started going off again.
"What are you doing?" Tish frowned at Renata.
"Get out, go on!" Renata pushed the young human down the remaining stairs.
"Renata!? Renata, is that really you!?" the Doctor had taken the phone and was going on just as crazy as Martha was earlier, "Are you alright!? Has the Master hurt you? Where are you?"
"SHUT UP!" Renata rose her voice and finally got some quiet on the other line, "God, you know how to talk. Listen to me, I am fine...in what fits," she swallowed hard, "But the humans, they're not. The Toclafane, they're fakes, they're not aliens."
"Yeah, got that much," the Doctor sighed, "But don't worry, I'll get you back, I swear. The Master kidnapped you and I swear I will have you back soon enough."
"Oh Doctor," Renata bit her lip as she sighed, "If you only knew that-"
"What are you doing?" Renata heard Tish's cry and looked to find the human being carried off by two men that clearly worked for the Master.
"It's started," Renata shuddered a breath as the two more men came after her.
"What's started?" the Doctor frantically asked her from the phone, "What's going on?"
"Doctor, Doctor listen to me," Renata tried running, "Just listen to me, run! Do what you do best and run! Because the Master, he's got this awful plan and-AH!" one of the man had snatched her off the ground and forced her to drop the cellphone to the floor, "No! Get off me!" she hit the man who carried her, "GET OFF!"
~ 0 ~
Renata was plopped down across the Master's desk in his office by the two men who had grabbed her outside. The Master stared at her for a moment, his fingers tapping that four-beat drum sound on the desk, "Trying to warn the Doctor, I've heard..." he began.
"You can be angry for what I did, for what he did, but you do not get to take it out on a civilization," Renata said quietly, "These humans, while a bit primitive," she had to admit, "are not at fault for some stupid love triangle. It's all a bit ridiculous, don't you think?"
The Master slammed his hand on the desk and made her flinch, "You betrayed my brother and you call that ridiculous?"
"You've done far worse so don't make me look like the bad guy when you've killed innocent people!" Renata snapped, her anger boiling inside her, "I accept my faults; I loved someone I shouldn't have and I married someone I shouldn't have. But you? Where are your faults, hm? Why should I be punished for my sins when you're doing bad as well?"
"Oh, looks like talking to the Doctor has given you some boldness," the Masther remarked distastefully, "And once again the betrayal surfaces."
"Elek is no longer here," Renata began.
"But you know it happened far before his death, far before the war started," the Master stood up. He moved around the desk until he was behind Renata's chair, "This started before you even graduated the academy, back when we were all just young adults. You betrayed my brother, and you deserve all this."
"I know it was the beginning of everything..." Renata paused, feeling her eyes watering up. "It was my ending. But you don't think I know this is my punishment? That I deserve this?" she glanced back at the Master. "I get it, alright. It's the fault I've lived with my entire lifetimes. But you know what? I was faithful to my husband, to my marriage till the end, I was faithful. It should've been like that from the very beginning, I know..."
"It should've," the Master tapped her head and made her wince in the end, "But it wasn't. I've known the Doctor since we were kids and while we've faught and all, the one thing I could never imagine him doing was infidelity."
Renata shut her eyes as she felt her tears resurface, "He wasn't married-"
"But he was getting married," the Master cut her off, his voice rising as he spoke again, "And you were betrothed! Believe it or not, I recognize my faults, I do," he sat on the edge of his desk and looked down on her, "I'm no good man, not that I care. But my brother, Elek, now he was the complete package. He was kind, he was loving, and he only wanted you," he then reached for Renata's bag and forcefully took her journal from inside, "But in the meantime he was preparing for your marriage you were falling in love with another, the precise friend I thought I had...the Doctor."
Renata looked up at him with shame, "I tried, I swear I tried to-"
"If you were 'trying' you would have sent him to another foundation, to another group, but no, you, you kept the Doctor working for you until he too fell in love with you..."
"Stop, please," Renata sniffled.
"And now part of your punishment is knowing the Doctor is in love with another, and just anyone but a human," the Master spat the last word venomously, "He traded you in for a lousy human, ha!"
Renata tried to glare but couldn't as she felt her hearts break into pieces, "Y-you're married to a human..." she tried to argue but her voice broke.
She knew he was right, the Doctor had fallen for a human. But then again, the Doctor didn't know who she was and was more than free to love who he wanted. Now he was unmarried and single, his entire family was dead and...
She shut her eyes and put her hands over her head, "I don't wan to think about it anymore, please. It hurts, really hurts."
"And how do you think Elek would've reacted if he found out?" the Master questioned her.
"I've heard the story millions of times from you and then another billion from my conscience. I get it, alright?" she opened her eyes, "I'm not a good woman and no matter what I do nor say is going to make you think it. Kill me already and get it over with. Cos I know that's what you deem right as a punishment for me and the Doctor. Do it and get it over with already."
The Master stared at her then looked down at the journal and threw it at her, making her wince with the hit. He stood up and headed for the doors, "You try to escape one more time and I'll make regeneration number 11 happen," he warned and walked out.
Renata hugged her journal tight as she sniffled louder and louder. As her mind replayed the story of her life she felt the journal to be part of the problem and threw it across the room. She leaned back on her chair and picked up her legs, bringing them to her chest and resting her head over her knees, quietly crying to herself.
~ 0 ~
The Doctor, Martha, and Jack stood in the airport where Saxon and his wife were greeting the President of the United States. They each had perception filters thanks to bits of TARDIS keys amplified by the sonic screwdriver which enabled them to stay among the hidden from anyone, simply unnoticed. They watched Saxon bid goodbye to the President just as police van pulled over. The trio watched as Martha's entire family except her brother were hauled out of the van.
"Hi, guys! All will be revealed!" the Master ran over to greet them ever so cheerfully.
"Oh my God," Martha clenched her fists.
"Don't move," the Doctor warned her.
"But..."
"Don't."
"I'm gonna kill him," Martha resolved as her family was brought to the Land Rover.
"Say I use this perception filter to walk up behind him and break his neck?" Jack considered the chances of succession.
"Now that sounds like Torchwood," the Doctor remarked and was gonna go further into it when a fourth prisoner was taken out the van.
It was Renata, handcuffed by the wrists, and with a lot more guards struggling to get her out. She wasn't a Time Lady without strength. They needed a lot more humans to bring her down.
Renata kicked and fought as her feet landed on the floor, "Are you really doing this?" she demanded from the Master, "Me?"
"Punishment extends, darling," the Master waved for the men to bring her to the other prisoners.
"You can't do this to me!" Renata shouted as she was dragged away, "I'm the only family you have left!" she struggled against the guards, "Let go!"
"What did she say?" Jack inquired and glanced at the Doctor.
The Time Lord had been far too focused on the fact Renata was being hauled off like some random prisoner by his friend/enemy. She was stuck in the middle of Time Lord trouble and it was all his fault. Who knows what the Master had done with her for the past 18 months?
Jack pulled out his manipulator and started punching in coordinates, "Aircraft carrier Valiant. It's a UNIT ship at 28.2N and 10.02E."
"How do we get onboard?" Martha looked at the strange device on his wrist.
"Does that thing work as a teleport?" the Doctor questioned.
"Since you revamped it, yeah," Jack nodded, "Coordinates set."
The trio appeared in an engine room, on the floor. Once again, the manipulator was no easy ride amd had the group groaning of pain.
"Oh, that thing is rough," Martha made a face as she sat up.
"I've has worse nights," Jack commented and helped her stand, "Welcome to the Valiant."
"It's dawn," she judged by the lack of light coming in from a porthole. She walked over and peered out, "Hold on, I thought this was a ship. Where's the sea?"
"A ship for the 21st century. Protecting the skies of planet Earth," Jack said as they all gathered to look out into the cloudy sky.
~ 0 ~
Renata was pushed into the conference room with the Master and his wife, handcuff free yet still imprisoned, "I don't understand, why am I here?" she hissed at the Master as they were forced to sit down at a table while he and his wife stood.
"You're the one who said you were family, I'm just doing the nice thing and allowing you to see the show," the Master patted her head and moved over to the president.
Renata scowled and glanced up at Lucy, "By 'show' you know he means to kill right?" the blonde human looked away, preferring, as always, not to have conversation with her husband's sister-in-law.
Renata huffed and looked away as well. She could now understand what she'd been like to the Doctor and Martha during her first two weeks in the TARDIS with barely any conversation. Now she wished the only other Time Lord to be around and do something like he always did. Her mind was blank on any ideas and even of she tried improvising she would either be shot down or worse, she would get someone else killed. She had to have confidence that the Doctor would make an appearance and save the day.
The Master walked back to the women with a face, "Misery guts," he remarked of the president, "Misery guts. What do you think? It's good, isn't it?" he pulled out a chair for Lucy.
"It's beautiful," the human remarked in awe as she looked around the room.
"Some of my best work," the Master cockily said and whispered, "Ministry of Defence. I helped design this place," he sat between Lucy and Renata, "Every detail."
Renata fearfully looked at go before turning her head away, wondering how the hell she could ever stop any of this happening.
~ 0 ~
The Doctor, Martha and Jack were running fast down the maintenance corridors when the Doctor came to a stop at an intersection.
Jack noticed first and forced Martha to stop, "We've no time for sightseeing!" he scolded the Time Lord.
"No, no. Wait. Shh, shh, shh," the Doctor placed a finger on his lips, "Can't you hear it?"
"Hear what?" Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Doctor, my family's on board," Martha reminded, "And Renata," she made sure to add knowing that it would likely trigger his haste again. He'd been going crazy with her kidnapping all day and of he was choosing to stop just when they were closest he must be losing his mind.
"Brilliant!" the Doctor cheered and ran down one of the oter corridors, "This way!"
He had found the TARDIS and that would make it all the easier to get Renata back. He quickly opened the doors to reveal the blue box behind and ran up to it, "Oh, at last!"
"Oh, yes!" Even Martha ran excitedly towards it.
"What's it doing on the Valiant?" Jack had to question as the Doctor opened the
doors to reveal a very different console inside, "What the hell's he done?" Jack asked in horror.
"Don't touch it," the Doctor quickly warmed and went around the console which had been taken apart on some of its sides and was trapped in a cage.
"What's he done though?" Martha listened to the noise they could hear, "Sounds like it's… sick."
"Renata, she tried to warn me," the Doctor breathed, remembering the quick words of the blonde he'd managed to grasp from her fast call over the phone.
"Doctor, what is it?" Martha dared to step closer to the caged console.
"He's cannibalized the TARDIS," the Doctor explained.
"Is that what I think it is?" Jack had made his assumption based off the certain way the console had been worked on.
"It's a paradox machine," the Doctor swallowed hard.
~ 0 ~
"Two minutes, everyone!" the president announced as he climbed tried steps in the conference room, "According to the treaty, all armed personnel are requested to leave the flight deck immediately. Thank you."
The Master and Lucy watched the area like it was some show they were both fascinated with. The Master held up a small bag to Renata, "Jelly baby?"
Renata wasn't up for any of his teases and so smacked the bag down, "Don't confuse my stillness for acceptance," she spat. The Master glared at her but said nothing.
"Broadcasting at 7:58 with the arrival timed at 0800 precisely. And, uh, good luck to all of us," the president declared to the group with a nervous smile. As soon as the cameras went on, the 'show' started up, and the president was the star...for the moment, "My fellow Americans, patriots, people of the world…I stand before you today as ambassador for humanity, a role I will undertake with utmost solemnity. Perhaps our Toclafane cousins can offer us much, but that is important is not that we gain material benefits, but that we learn to see ourselves anew."
The Doctor, Martha and Jack entered try conference room in time for the airing. The Doctor spotted the blonde he'd been searching for sitting right beside the Master.
"For as long as man has looked to the stars, he has wondered what mysteries they hold. Now we know we are not alone…"
"This plan, you gonna tell us?" Jack whispered to the Doctor.
"If I can get this," the Doctor motioned to the key around his neck, "Around the Master's neck…cancel out his perception, they'll see him for real. It's just hard to go unnoticed with everyone on red alert. If they stop me…you've got a key."
"Yes, sir, Jack gave a small salute.
"I'll get him," Martha promised.
"And I ask you now, I ask of the human race, to join with me in welcoming our friends. I give you the Toclafane," the president looled as the Toclafane appeared around him, "My name is Arthur Coleman Winters, President-Elect of the United States of America and designated representative of the United Nations. I welcome you to the planet Earth and its associated moon."
"You're not the Master," one of the spheres picked up.
"We like the Mr Master," the second declared.
"We don't like you," the third spat.
"I… can be Master, if you so wish," the president said in confusion, "I will accept mastery over you if that is God's will.
"Man is stupid."
"Master is our friend."
"Where's my Master, pretty please?"
"Oh, all right then. It's me," the Master graciously stood up, "Ta-da! Sorry. Sorry, I have this effect. People just get obsessed. Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know. It's crazy!"
"Saxon, what are you talkin' about?" the President wasn't amused and demanded to know.
"I'm taking control, Uncle Sam. Starting with you," the Master pointed at him, "Kill him."
Renata couldn't take it and stood up with a small of her hands, "Everybody RUN!" she ordered just as the president was shot and disintegrated by the Toclafane.
Everyone followed Renata's order after the scene but it was too late as the Master called for the guards and stopped them, "Now then, peoples of the Earth, please attend carefully."
The Doctor broke into a run and headed for the Master, but the guards were there, "Stop him!" the Doctor was forced to kneel on the floor.
"We meet at last, Doctor," the Master laughed, "Oh, ho! I love saying that!"
"Stop this! Stop it now!" the Doctor pleaded.
"As if a perception filter's gonna work on me," the Master frowned, "I'm not you," he cast discreet glance to Renata.
"Please..." Renata stepped forwards, she wasn't quite sure what the ideal plan was for the Doctor anymore, besides having his age in the hands of the Master. Her identity was still a powerful thing the Master was considering using.
"Oh, and look, it's the girlie and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which one's which," the Master had taken a look over to Martha and Jack. As soon as Jack started running towards him, the Master shot him down with a laser, "Laser screwdriver, who'd have sonic? And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again!"
"Master, just calm down," the Doctor tried again, " Just look at what you're doing. Just stop. If you could see yourself…"
The Master took a dramatic sighed and glanced to the cameras that were still on air, "Oh, do excuse me, little bit of personal business. Back in a minute," he motioned to the guards, "Let him go."
"It's that sound, the sound in your head. What if I could help?" the Doctor insisted, only making the Master laugh.
"Oh, if you really knew," the Master remarked and looked at Renata, his playfulness vanishing "This doesn't compare to some stupid sound. This time it really is...personal," he took a seat in one of the steps facing the Doctor, "Now how to begin, hm? Ren? Any ideas?"
"Don't, please,' Renata cautiously stepped towards them.
"Memory Lane time!" the Master suddenly cheered, "Professor Lazarus. Remember him?" he asked the Doctor, "And his genetic manipulation device? Did you think that little Tish got that job merely by coincidence? I've been laying traps for you all this time. And if I can concentrate all that Lazarus technology into one little screwdriver…But, ooh, if I only had the Doctor's biological code. Oh, wait a minute, I do!" he ran to a silver case and pulled out a screwdriver from it, "I've got his hand! And if Lazarus made himself younger, what if I reverse it? Another hundred years?" he aimed the screwdriver at the Doctor and activated it
"No!" Renata cried and ran for them but was held by one of the guards.
Jack revived and looked at the happenings, "Teleport," he handed Martha his manipulator.
"I can't," she shook her head.
"We can't stop him. Get out of here. Get out."
Once the Doctor was left free, he had the body of an aged man. Renata angrily pushed the guard from her and ran towards the two Time Lords.
"What do you gain from this?" she spat at the Master. She helped the Doctor sit up and sighed, "This is all my fault."
"How?" the Doctor asked, managing to be amused even at a time like this, "You were only kidnapped."
The Master barked a laugh, "You think I kidnapped her? That's gold!"
"Shut up!" Renata snapped and stood up, "Don't you dare," she warned.
"Yeah, alright, it'll be far more hurtful if it comes through your lips," he smirked and moved around, "Tonight, Martha Jones, we've flown 'em in all the way from prison..." he began his newest act of evil.
The Jones' family, save for Leo, we're brought into the room l, cuffed and with guards.
"Mum," Martha gasped.
"I'm sorry," Francine sobbed.
"The Toclafane, who are they? Who are they?"the Doctor asked, mostly looking at Renata knowing she would answer.
"This time, I really think your hearts would break," she knelt in front of him. Martha moved over and soon enough the Doctor started whispering something into her ear.
The spheres swarmed around the Master, each speaking out in their childish tones.
"Is it time?"
"Is it ready?"
"Is the machine singing?"
The Master hurried up the steps to where Lucy was, check I his watch, "Two minutes past," he declared and looked at the cameras, "So! Earthings. Basically, um, end of the world. Here…come…the drums!"
The paradox machine was activated and out broke hell, Toclafane firing anywhere and anyone on Earth.
"Remove one-tenth of the population," the Master had the decency to order.
Not a minute later did messages from all over the world start transmitting into the Valiant.
"Valiant, this is Geneva! We're getting slaughtered down here!"
Renata sniffled to herself, "My fault, it's my fault," she repeated and was taken into a hug by the aged Doctor.
"Help us, for God's sake! Help us! They're everywhere!"
"This is London, Valiant! This is London calling! What do we do?!"
Renata slowly pulled away from the hug when she felt something cold pressed to her hand. She looked down and saw the TARDIS key on her palm. Instantly, she looked at Martha, knowing the idea that had sunk into the Doctor's head. She shook her head silently, she couldn't just leave the Doctor at the mercy of the Master, especially when he was in no condition to fight back.
As if reading her thoughts, the Doctor cupped her face and stared at her in the eyes, mouthing 'go' to her. She could see in his eyes, he just wanted her to be okay, like Martha. She felt a hand on her arm and was promptly pulled up by Martha. Renata took a deep breath and nodded for Martha to activate the manipulator and with a flash disappeared from the Valiant.
They appeared and rolled to a stop on green grass, now on Earth. Renata lifted her head and looked up at the sky, imagining what the Master would (and now could most certaintly do) with the Doctor above.
"Why did you say it was your fault?" Martha asked the blonde as they stood up.
Renata didn't answer right away and looked over the edge where they both saw the destruction of London still ongoing, "Did you ever figure out who my husband's brother was?" she looked at Martha helplessly.
Martha's eyes widened and raised a finger to the sky, Renata silently nodding for an answer. Martha's mind suddenly made the connections and found the necessity to go back to the Doctor and her family. Renata placed a hand over the manipulator to stop the human from going.
"Tell me what the Doctor told you," Renata gently pulled Martha away from the edge, both turning together as theys started walking.
"It's a plan, a plan that could just work," Martha began and eyed the TARDIS key necklace that was the Doctor's now resting on Renata's palm, "Aren't you going to wear that?"
"I have to infuse it to my own filter or it'll cancel out my own perception filter," Renata shuddered a breath, "And right now, that would be the worst thing I could do the Doctor. I won't be his demise, that'd have to happen over my own corpse first, even if it's at the hands of my brother-in-law, nearly brother," Renata gritted her teeth and walked ahead, vowing to return with a plan that would assure the safety of the Doctor.
She got it wrong the first time round, she would not put anyone above him ever again.
Author's Note:
Sooo...now we know more of what happened to Renata & the Doctor! It's going to be more talked about and explained in the further chapters!
For the Reviews:
speedy-skye: Yeeeah that's coming soon I promise! It's quite the moment! And now you've been answered; Renata married the Master's brother on Gallifrey so they are sister-and-brother-in-laws!
LittleQueenx: Well this theory is actually quite interesting .-. the love triangle part is true just with the Master's brother instead lmao. But this theory can be used for another story actually!
Wolf and Leopard: Thanks so much! Hope you liked this chapter too!
Guest: Thanks! It's been a while since I updated but here you go!
SlytherinHolmes: Thanks! I hope you continue to like it with every new chapter!