Once inside the cage, Beatrice and the Master took the bunk on the right side of the cage and Jo and the Doctor the left one.
"Well, personally I'm quite happy to be going to Draconia, Jo. Perhaps we can convince the Emperor what our friend here has been trying to do." said the Doctor cheerfully. The Master raised an eyebrow.
"You really think he'd believe you?"
"Well, this won't be my first visit to Draconia, you know? Many years ago, I spent quite some time there. I was able to help them through a period of very great difficulty."
"Hmm! Displaying your usual sickening lovability, I suppose?" scoffed the Master.
"Well, people do tend to normally prefer individuals who don't have a track record of starting wars, causing chaos, and killing people," said Beatrice
"That didn't stop you." came the reply. Beatrice simply shot him a glare. She was still annoyed about him threatening Jo.
"So there's a good chance that they'll believe you, huh?" said Jo hopefully.
"Well, it's a long time ago. Things may have changed. But I do understand the Draconian mentality, Jo. It all depends on how you approach them," explained the Doctor.
"So, if they do believe the Doctor, you've had it!" Jo said to the Master smugly.
"We shall see Miss Grant. One never knows what help may be at hand." said the Master in an unconcerned tone before lying down and closing his eyes. Beatrice could have sworn she saw something his hand but it was gone before she could be sure.
"Were you honestly going to open that airlock with Jo inside?" she demanded.
"I had to threaten the Doctor somehow," replied the Master.
"You said after the Daemons incident you wouldn't kill her."
"I won't. I simply intended to get the Doctor to give up the gun," the Master sounded slightly exasperated.
"You'd better hold true to your word on that subject," Beatrice told him firmly.
"My dear, when have I ever lied to you particularly since we began our relationship?" Beatrice sighed.
"Never. But that doesn't stop me worrying for my friends when you threaten them."
"I'll endeavour to do so less often. I swear to you, I shall not harm Miss Grant." Beatrice paused. The Master was right, he had never lied to her. He also knew she would never forgive him if he hurt Jo. She trusted him to keep that promise.
"How is he managing to sleep in a situation like this?" said Jo motioning towards the Master.
"Oh, he's not asleep. He's attempting to appear unconcerned. I also suspect he's been getting a telling off for the past several minutes about his threat with the airlock. Trouble in paradise?" the Doctor asked with a smirk. Beatrice raised an eyebrow.
"Even if I was it isn't any of your business Doctor." The Master also appeared slightly miffed at the comment but didn't reply to the Doctor, instead, sitting up and swinging his legs off the bunk to sit properly. Beatrice took this opportunity to stretch out and settle with her head in his lap. She scoffed at the raised eyebrow she received from him.
"You heard them over the monitor, the Doctor's known for ages and now Jo knows about us. I hardly see a reason to be secretive in front of them. Furthermore, if I'm going to be locked up because of your scheming, I'm going to be comfortable." The Master sighed although there was a fondness to it and instead of answering began casually combing his finger's through her hair. Something Beatrice was aware he knew she enjoyed.
"In answer to your question Miss Grant, as an Earth poet once said, "My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure." Beatrice snorted slightly.
"And how in the name of all that's holy does that apply to you of all people?"
"She's got a point there, old chap," chuckled the Doctor. The Master merely shot the Doctor a withering look.
"Doctor, what did you mean when you said Beatrice was telling the Master off? They weren't speaking," asked Jo.
"Not that you could hear," said Beatrice mysteriously.
"Telepathic conversation Jo. If I'm not mistaken that pendant of Beatrice's allows those two to communicate with their minds." the Doctor explained. A look of realization dawned on Jo's face.
"Wait! Beatrice, is that why you weren't surprised when the Master came to collect us? You did say something about a kidnapping not being out of the question after all."
"Yes," replied Beatrice with a small smile.
"Very good Miss Grant. I informed Beatrice that I was coming to take you out of the custody of those fools back on Earth," the Master said.
"Well, that certainly makes more sense," said Jo. There was a jolt.
"It appear's we've arrived," said the Doctor. Beatrice slightly regretfully sat up properly.
"Let's just hope that they're more reasonable than those idiots on Earth," Beatrice muttered as they all stood to be let to the Emperor.
/
Jo, Beatrice, the Doctor, and the Master, were marched through rather regal looking corridors there were black marble pillars and the wall behind was emerald green.
"Remember what I said about Draconian's not liking females," the Master told her.
"That better not be you just trying to shut me up," Beatrice warned.
"I assure you my intentions on that score are pure," the Master replied as they entered the throne room which had a tall elegant thrown in the centre on which sat a Draconian who Beatrice assumed was the emperor.
The Doctor and Master bowed and Beatrice and Jo followed their example. The Doctor spoke.
"May I have permission to address the Emperor?" the Emperor nodded and the Doctor stepped forward before being blocked by the Emperor's son.
"Wait!" said the Emperor. Holding out his hand. The Prince let the Doctor pass and the Doctor took the Emperor's hand bowing his forehead to it.
"My life at your command sire." The Prince looked outraged.
"How dare you address the Emperor in a manner reserved for a noble of Draconia?"
"Ah, but I am a noble of Draconia. The honour was conferred on me by the fifteenth Emperor." Beatrice really hoped the Doctor had his dates right unlike his slip up about General Nelson back during the Sea Devil's incident.
"The fifteenth Emperor reigned five hundred years ago." said the Prince mockingly. The Master laughed.
"Your majesty, do not be taken in by this ridiculous story...!" But was cut off by the Emperor's shout.
"Be silent! There is a legend among our people of a man who assisted the fifteenth Emperor at a time of great trouble when we were almost overwhelmed by a great plague from outer space. But you could not be that man. No Earthman lives so long."
"Your Majesty, this man that you speak of - was he not known as the Doctor? And did he not come to this planet in a spaceship called the TARDIS?" said the Doctor hopefully. The Emperor nodded.
"He did."
"Well, I am that man, sire. And I come from a race of people that live far longer than any Earthman." The Emperor looked skeptical.
"Even if I accept your claim, you have broken our law. Why did you violate Draconian space?" Once again the Master attempted to intervene.
"Your majesty, this man was, and still is, my prisoner." the Doctor interrupted him.
"It is true, your majesty. I did come here as a prisoner, but I...I came willingly - in order to warn you that this man is plotting a war between Earth and Draconia!" The Prince scoffed.
"All Earthmen are determined upon war."
"Ah, but the Master is not an Earthman. I'm sorry to have to admit it, but he's a renegade of my own race,"
"Ouch," Beatrice told the Master with a smirk who pointedly ignored the comment although Beatrice could tell the insult had ruffled his feathers. The Doctor continued.
"He's using creatures called Ogrons to attack your spaceships and those of the Earthmen."
"The Earthmen who attacked our spaceships - they have been seen many times." said the Emperor.
"I'm sorry, but there you are in error, sir. Your people have seen Ogrons, but they appear to them as Earthmen because of a hypnotic device." Now Jo spoke up earnestly,
"It's true, your majesty. When Ogrons attacked the Earth ships, the Earthmen saw them as Draconians."
"Silence!" snapped the Prince. "Females are not permitted to speak in the presence of the Emperor." Beatrice glanced over at Jo. It looked like the Master had been telling the truth about Draconian's not liking females.
"Your majesty, do not be deceived by the pathetic ravings of two criminals trying to evade justice." said the Master.
"If what you say is true, it would explain much. We lived at peace with the Earthmen for many years, then suddenly they began to raid our spaceships. When we protested, they said that we were attacking them." the Emperor said pensively.
"In order to cover up their own attacks!" Protested the Prince. "This is simply a plot of the Earthmen to lull us into false security." A messenger entered.
"Your majesty, a spaceship from Earth seeks permission to land in the palace spaceport. They say they're on a special mission from the President of Earth."
"This is a trick! You must not allow them to land!" insisted the Prince but the Emperor shook his head.
"We are not yet at war with Earth. I shall hear what their President has to say. I give my permission." The messenger bowed and left.
"A wise decision, your majesty. For only by Earth and Draconia working together can we hope to arrive at the truth." said the Doctor.
"I too welcome your wisdom, your majesty. Nobody could be more devoted to the cause of peace than I." Beatrice, Jo, and the Doctor looked at the Master as if he had grown a second head.
"As a commissioner of Earth's interplanetary police, I have devoted my life to the cause of law and order. And law and order can only exist in a time of peace." The Doctor put a hand on the Master's shoulder.
"You feeling alright, old chap?"
"Who are you and what have you done with the Master?" asked Beatrice. The Master ignored both comments.
"Only during a period of social stability, can society adequately deal with criminals such as this man and this unfortunate girl." suddenly the whirring sound from the cargo ship could be heard again.
"Doctor, listen! That sound!" said Beatrice.
"Silence, female!" the Prince said.
"Quiet! It's the same noise that we heard on the cargo ship," said Jo. Everyone paused to listen. Beatrice guessed it must be the Ogrons and was about to say so but Jo beat her to it.
"Doctor, it's the Ogrons!"
"Your majesty, I beg of you to be cautious. Something is seriously wrong here. This ship that has just landed - I beg you, place it under guard immediately." said the Doctor urgently. Suddenly Ogrons burst into the room blasting away. The Master grabbed Beatrice's arm before she could avoid him and pulled her towards Ogrons
"Back you idiots! Back to your ship - all of you!" he shouted as he pulled Beatrice with him.
/
The Master grabbed Beatrice as the Ogrons entered and dragged her with him back to the safety of the ship. He didn't want her in the crossfire or left back to add credibility to the Doctor.
"Let me go!" she snapped at him as they entered the bridge finally managing to jerk her arm free.
"I'm afraid not my dear," replied the Master. One of the Ogrons came up to him.
"One of our people was left behind injured," it said. The Master swore.
"Great lumbering idiots! Now you tell me that you've left one of your fellows in the palace! Do you realise what this means? As soon as the sound of the hypno-effect wears off, the Draconians will know who it really was who attacked them. You've ruined everything!" He noticed a small smirk on Beatrice's face.
"Guess things did work perfectly after all," she said.
"What shall we do now?" asked the Ogron.
"Do? There's only one thing we can do - make sure that the Doctor and his evidence is never allowed to reach Earth." replied the Master. He turned to the guards, "Take the woman and lock her up. But don't hurt her, or you'll have me to deal with." Beatrice glared at him and in the back of his mind, the Master wondered what the consequences for taking her would be.
He shook his head. He had other things to worry about like making sure the Doctor didn't completely destroy his plan. The Master despised relying on unintelligent species to do his work. They were easier to control but could also as Beatrice might put it "bollox things up."
/
After a while, one of the Ogrons let out an exclamation and pointed to his screen which showed a spaceship nearby.
"That must be them. No other ship would be on a course for Earth at a time like this." the Master said stepping closer. The Ogron looked puzzled.
"We are on a course for Earth!"
"Well naturally, because we're chasing them a...! shouted the Master losing his patience for a moment. He paused taking a deep breath in order to regain his composure. "Keep quiet and let me think!" Soon they would be within striking distance.
"What will you do, Master?" asked the Ogron
"Ah, I...I'd like to try and take the Doctor alive if possible. If not...I'll blast him out of space! Pity though... " The Master muttered this last part more to himself. He was annoyingly feeling slightly conflicted.
"You do wish to kill him?" asked the Ogron.
"Of course I do! I don't know - rocket fire at long range, it's... I don't know, somehow it lacks that personal touch!" if the Doctor was to die the Master would prefer to do it himself face to face with the infuriating man. Either way he needed that ship to slow down so they could attack it. Suddenly a call came through on the radio.
"Earth police spaceship two, three, nine, o on a special mission to the President of Earth. Do you read me, do you read me? Over." The Master took the microphone.
"This is Earth police spaceship number one, four, two. Your ship is one that has been reported as stolen. You will please reduce speed so that we can board you."
Fortunately, the Doctor took the bait and the ship ahead of them slowed.
"They're within range," said the Master as he steadily watched the scanner. "Fire the missile...now!" The Ogrons fired a missile that shook the ship ahead.
"Get your people on board and try and take the Doctor alive," ordered the Master as the Ogron leader left.
The Master went back to looking at the scanner and waited for the ship to signal it had been taken.
Fifteen minutes later the ship still wasn't taken.
"What is happening? They should have taken that ship by now!" the Master let out a groan.
"Must I do everything myself?!" suddenly another ship appeared on the scanner. The Master's eyes narrowed.
"An Earth battlecruiser. You'd better recall the boarding party. I'll take over here." he couldn't have the Earth police finding the Ogrons. He took over the pilot's chair.
"As soon as they're back on board, we unlock."
/
The Master awaited the return of the Ogrons hoping they had the Doctor. Instead, he was greeted by the sight of a struggling Miss Grant being dragged onto the bridge. He set the ship to unlock from the ship the Doctor was on as it was boarded by the other ship. He wasn't happy they hadn't gotten the Doctor but at the very least it would delay him.
"Poor Doctor! Enmeshed in the throes of...bureaucracy. Ah, it'll take him a long time to talk himself out of that one."
"But he'll get to see the President eventually," said Miss Grant.
"She won't believe him," he replied.
"Oh yes, she will - when she sees the Ogron prisoner. He's our evidence," the Master pointed behind her and watched with pleasure as dismay crossed her face.
"Your evidence is standing right behind you."
"The Draconian Prince knows the truth and he's with the Doctor," she said desperately.
"My dear Miss Grant - in the climate of opinion that I have created, do you think that any Earthman is going to believe the word of a Draconian?" he laughed.
"Take her and lock her up with the other female," he ordered the Ogrons. He glanced at Miss Grant.
"I'm sure Beatrice will be happy to see you."
With that Miss Grant was dragged away and the Master returned to setting the flight coordinates for the home of the Ogrons.
Author's Note: There we go, another chapter. I should update again within the next day or so. I'm guessing we have probably one or two more chapters left in Frontier in Space. Thanks for reading. Please like and COMMENT. I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Until next time Whovians.