1.2 million years ago…
"Surprised to see me?" the Master asked, circling his prey. His eyes hungry, like a feral cat.
"Surprised? No, not really." The Doctor gave a mock-yawn. "Sun orbiting a black hole on a dimensional instability. Gigantic power stations set up around it. It was only a matter of time before you showed up."
"I could say the same of you, my dear Doctor," said the Master. He glanced back at the spotlight, illuminating only empty space. "When I heard a champion had presented himself as a benevolent savior to the people of this Empire, I naturally assumed it was you. Imagine my surprise… when I arrived. Found the living statue. And realized… it was someone else."
"It seems we both were fooled," the Doctor said.
"Driven like moths to a flame," said the Master.
The Doctor's face bent into curiosity. Gestured to the plinth. "Who was she?"
"No one important," the Master replied. "Not even a Time Lord. I could tell." His eyes drifted to the empty plinth. "They'd been keeping her around as a trophy, but I felt… your living death would make a far more fitting trophy."
"You're too kind," said the Doctor, with mock-lightness. Then, his voice lowering, a bit, added, "What did you do with her body?"
"Threw it into space," the Master replied. "Not sure where. Why? Was she a friend of yours, Doctor?" He gave a feral grin. "Forgive me. I didn't even give her a second glance, before I tossed her out like the rubbish she was."
The Doctor leaned against his umbrella. "So you gave up the Great Warrior to play a game of cat and mouse with me." Then, with a wider grin, added, "Oops, sorry — I forgot. Cats are still a bit of a sore subject with you, aren't they?"
"For the moment," the Master replied, his eyes flashing yellow. "But not, I hope, for much longer. You fixed the machinery in the Power Generation Plant, didn't you, Doctor? Finished her work. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist."
The Doctor felt a chill run through him.
Glared at his old enemy.
"What have you done?" the Doctor demanded.
"Yes, the Empire was desperate for my help," the Master mused. "They couldn't understand what the Great Warrior had done to their systems, or how to undo her changes. So I offered them my generous… assistance."
"You saw what she did," the Doctor reasoned. "Tweaked and altered it to suit your own twisted ends. Then made sure your plan would activate the moment I completed her alterations and stabilized them."
The Master clapped, slowly.
The Doctor felt himself seething. "Do you have any idea of the risks?" he shouted. "Whatever you're here for, whatever twisted game you're trying to play, I won't let you do it! Already, you've begun ripping holes in the fabric of space-time, all across this ship! I can't—"
"I think that's been enough time," the Master cut in. "Interesting thing about this so-called 'stasis technology', Doctor. It convinces you that you're still moving, still conversing. Even when the stasis has already struck, and stopped you in place. You only notice you haven't moved the moment it's too late. And the trap snaps shut."
The Doctor looked around himself.
Suddenly realizing… that he hadn't moved for the past thirty seconds.
Hadn't even opened his mouth to speak.
The stasis technology in the walls was humming. It was already active.
The Master chuckled. Turning away. "Goodbye, Doctor."
"No, wait!" the Doctor tried to shout.
But that was when the trap swung shut.
And nothing happened after that.
For a long time.
The Master left the Stasis Chamber room, waving his hands at a number of guards he'd hypnotized, earlier. "Place the Doctor into the spotlight," he instructed. "A fitting end for one of my more amusing adversaries, I think."
The guards nodded.
Then ran off, to do as the Master said.
The Master, meanwhile, retreated into the control room of the ship. Admiring the display of small, doll-sized figures of the crew, scattered across the floor. And the ones he'd put on display, on a nearby book shelf — every government official in the Empire. All dead, by his hand.
He smiled, looking out through the windshield at the sun that orbited the black hole.
And the dimensional fissure opening up, just behind it.
"Only a matter of time, now," the Master said. Looking down at himself. The body he'd stolen from Traken, then claimed as his own. Now infected and contaminated with the cheetah virus.
But he'd fix that.
"Energy enough to make me immortal," the Master decreed. "And to roll back time on this body, restore it to a point before cheetah virus. And afterwards…" The Master stroked his chin, thoughtfully. "An entire galaxy in my hands. Just what can I do with that, I wonder?"
A shocked gasp sounded just behind him.
The Master spun around. But no one was there.
"Hello?" The Master crept around the room. His every step soft, stealthy, a cat sneaking up on its prey. His ears, sensitive to any little noise, picked up on the sound of breath from nearby. His nose picked up a faint scent. "I know you're here. You cannot hide forever."
He rounded the corner.
Then pounced.
And landed on only empty air. As the sound and smell faded from existence.
The Master peeled himself up off the floor. Annoyed. "Holes in time and space." His eyes scanned the room. "No matter. They can't possibly… stop…"
The Master trailed off.
Frowned.
Every single one of the tissue-compressed government officials… had disappeared.