Beatrice sat on the steps of the consul room working on her sketchbook. She had decided to record her adventures in the book. She was currently working on a drawing of the Master dressed in his vicar's outfit.
The man himself was busy setting coordinates. He hadn't told Beatrice where they were headed and had simply told her to wear something professional looking. Beatrice was once again thankful for the TARDIS's vast wardrobe where she had found a perfectly tailored navy-blue pant's suit with a peplum blazer and creme blouse. Her hair was put up in a french twist to keep it out of the way.
She glanced up from her drawings to look at the Master. She loved watching him work. The elegant way he moved, the small smirk that he would get on his face when he succeeded in getting what he was working on to work, and the warm look in his eyes when he caught her watching him.
"Well that should do it," he said. Beatrice set down he sketchbook and walked over to him.
"Are you going to tell me where we are headed now?" she asked arching an eyebrow.
"The planet Mesmerus," he said turning on the scanner. Beatrice saw a blue and purple planet that appeared to have two suns.
"And why are we headed there?" she said as the TARDIS landed and he opened the door. She stepped out and was greeted with the sight of an industrial looking city.
All around her were tall skyscrapers and office buildings that mostly looked the same. Beatrice might have mistaken it for a major city on earth if it hadn't been for the dark blue and purple clouds in the sky. The Master stepped out next to her and answered her question.
"We're here to look at the presentation of a machine I heard about and am rather interested in." she took his arm and they began walking in the direction of a tall building with a pyramid on top.
"You aren't planning to try and steal it for one of your plans are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"I assure you it is simple scientific curiosity," he said with a chuckle.
"Excuse me for being suspicious of the man who, during the time I've known him, has made at least four invasion attempts on earth."
"Touche my dear. Touche. But you forget I am a scientist as well as a criminal."
"Only you could sound pleased about admitting that second part," Beatrice said wryly as they reached the building where they were stopped by a guard.
"Passes please," the guard said. The Master held up what Beatrice recognized to be psychic paper.
"Professor Masters and his wife Jane Masters," he said. The guard nodded and they walked in.
"Why do you always use some variation of your actual name. You might not get caught if you used something different. Also, wife?" she said. It wasn't that she was upset by his choice in cover for them, just slightly surprised.
"You object?" he asked.
"Not at all," she said shooting him a smile as they reached their seats and sat down. There was a large monitor the size of one of a TV in Times Square. Beneath it was a large circuit board covered in buttons. Multiple cables connected to a black box roughly the size of a large kleenex box. The box was resting on a short folding table that was set up on the platform. Two thin wires with what looked like electrodes attached at the end trailed from the box and rested on a plain wooden chair.
"You know this reminds me of the Keller Machine fiasco," Beatrice told the Master.
"How so?" he asked looking slightly miffed at her criticism of his failed plan.
"The set up with the chair. Just the whole presentation seems similar," she snickered slightly. "The Doctor and I kept annoying Professor Kettering by interrupting and contradicting him." The Master chuckled.
"I can see both you and the Doctor doing that."
"Well, I still don't know how anyone bought that ridiculous story about removing negative impulses and still leaving a well-balanced individual," she said in a slightly derisive tone.
"People can be convinced of practically anything if they want to believe it," answered the Master.
"Yes, I believe you've more than proven that. Sometimes I marvel at the gullibility of my own species," said Beatrice. Humans could be quite ingenious but she wasn't too proud to admit that her species could be rather foolish at times.
The Master was prevented from replying as a tall man with sharp features and brown hair took to the lectern on the platform. He smiled although the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Something about him seemed to set off alarm bells in Beatrice, though she didn't know what. Perhaps she was just getting paranoid.
"Good day, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Doctor Harold Sommeil. I'm so pleased that all of you have come to see the presentation of Project Morpheus. A personal triumph of mine. Though many of the upper class have already tried this machine I wish to bring it's usage to the masses." Doctor Sommeil paused for effect.
"But some of you may be wondering what this device actually does and how it works. You see Project Morpheus is designed to give people what their hearts desire." A young woman stepped onto the platform and sat in the chair technicians attached wires to her temples. Once they were attached the woman appeared to go unconscious.
"I hope this doesn't end up like the Keller Machine. The man they tested it on ended up losing who he was," she said telepathically to the Master.
"The mind is a fragile thing," she heard the Master reply in her head. Beatrice quickly tuned back into Doctor Sommeil's speech.
"The machine here will read this woman's thoughts and find out her greatest desire. Then it will put her to sleep and she will experience a virtual reality version of her desire. This can go on for as long as the client wishes. This large screen will show us what is going through my dear assistant's mind."
Doctor Sommeil walked over to the box and pressed a button. Over at the circuit board, one of the technicians flipped a switch and the large screen came to life. The screen showed the woman sitting on a blanket in a sunny park with an elderly couple.
"She sees herself reunited with her deceased parents. Happy as can be. But not only does she see it. She is experiencing it. The wind on her face, the warmth of the sun, everything. And just as soon as it begins it can end." the technicians removed the wires and the woman gasped. She appeared to be slightly drained but otherwise was fine.
"And there you have it. A simple and harmless procedure. Thank you for attending the demonstration. My assistant and I will be more than happy to answer any questions." People began to get up and depart while other's approached the podium. She and the Master stood.
"Well, that was interesting. Though I've got to say I think I've had enough of people meddling in my head," she shivered slightly remembering the War Chief's invasion of her mind. The Master must have noticed because he placed a hand on her arm.
"I won't let anything hurt you again. At least not if I can help it," he told her once again using telepathy. She gave him a small smile her heart warmed a little at the Master's protective tone.
They re-entered the TARDIS and the Master moved to the consul.
"What now?" asked Beatrice.
"I want to examine that machine more closely. Without the interference of Sommeil and his technicians. I'm going to jump forward in time a few hours so we can break inside."
"Why am I not surprised," Beatrice said with a wry smile. It would have been foolish to expect this to be an uneventful trip. Then again, where was the fun if there wasn't a bit of risk?
Author's note: Finally another update. Sorry for the delay. Schoolwork can get in the way as it does have to come first. For the record, from now on if the words are just in italics they are an internal monologue. But if the italics have quotes around them it is the two of them talking telepathically. I'll try and update again soon. Also, Sommeil is French for sleep so the guy's name is technically Doctor Sleep though it has no relation to the Stephen King novel/movie. Project Morpheus is also not the same thing as the Morpheus Machine is the 12th Doctor episode Sleep No More. As usual, I don't own Doctor Who. Please like and COMMENT. I love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!
