It's a future League story but it's trying to encompass different interpretations of the Future Leagues, I don't own any of the characters
here. They all belong to their various copyright holders: BBC, Eidos
Publishing & Twentieth Century Fox Television. The Diogenes Club is the invention of Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle and therefore is the property of the
Estate of Arthur Conan-Doyle.
Lady Lara Croft looked at the short dark ugly stranger sitting across from her. He seemed to stare into her soul, she shivered and turned to her host.
The Master looked at the human female with utter contempt. He had been saddled like an assistant, like that infantile fop Theta, to humour and entertain. Still she could be useful; no doubt she had some 'extraordinary' ability, not as 'extraordinary' as he did of course.
Their host was a smartly dressed elderly gentleman with a grey grizzled beard and balding head. He smiled when the attention returned to him. "I am Sir Jason King of Her Majesty's British Government, and you," he gestured to Lady Croft, "are Lady Lara Croft, adventuress and archeologist, and you," he gestured to the Master, "are the Master, a former convict and I am assured a current genius."
Lara snorted, "Master of what...breaking and entering?"
The Master chuckled but his eyes stayed cold, "I am the Master of Time."
"Modest too..." Lara sneered
"Modesty is for fools!" The Master snarled in response, "I thought we were supposed to be 'extraordinary'."
"So what's your 'extraordinary' talent, Master? Being an 'extraordinary' pain in the..." Lara was standing over the table looking down at him.
"ENOUGH!" King had a powerful voice for someone so seemingly frail, and the palms of his hands striking the desk merely punctuated the expression. Lara sat down while the Master turned his attention to King mentally vivisecting him..
"You are the first two members of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, an old order which calls upon individuals with great talent in the name of the safety of the world. Our most famous League was called in 1899. It involved famous individuals that you may recognise such as Mina Harker, Allen Quartermain, Captain Nemo, Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Hawsley Griffin. Characters who well known in classics of biographical literature."
The Master nodded as if he knew all this. Lara assumed he must have been the greasy swot in school who nobody liked. She voiced her opinion. "I thought those were works of fiction."
King smiled patronisingly, "A common misconception that is made by people who refuse to believe that the world is more fantastic than we give it credit for. I believe the Nautilus is rusting at the bottom of the North Sea and Abraham Van Helsing later went onto become a acting manger after resigning his post at the University of Amsterdam. Your mission is this: a crater in Siberia has recently shown signs of activity. This crater appears from visual information to contain the remains of a pre-Hellenic civilisation that existed in the wastes of the Urals. We believe that this crater is the site of the ancient Illumine Citadel or the City of the Light, the home of an artefact of immeasurable power," The Master looked up suddenly, then returned to flicking through files. King continued, "The Triangle of Light."
"The Triangle? I destroyed it!" Muttered Lara. King was insistent, "None the less, you must investigate the crater with the other members of the League."
"Other members?" Lara wondered aloud.
"You expect us to cross icy wastes deux á deux, I really don't wish to go in guns blazing without proper equipment." The Master raised an eyebrow.
King remained oblivious, "We believe this unwarranted activity is linked to one of our new League members: Thomas Quinn, a former agent of MI5."
"In what way?" Lara asked while the Master found one of the files marked 'Thomas Quinn' and flicked through it without apparent interest in the conversation around him.
King smiled his patronising smile, Lara bridled, she imagined his younger days might have been speent seducing young and naïve women. She was not naïve and in her late twenties she was no blushing maiden either. King continued, "Quinn reported to his colleagues before shooting his boss that he had seen a man he knew to be dead: an agent whose daughter had worked with Quinn. This man has been apparently resurrected and maintained a vendetta against Quinn implicating him as a rogue agent. Therefore we want you recruit him..."
The Master smiled, "You believe that this impromptu rising has something to do with the activity in Siberia?"
"Indeed," said King. "Take the files with you, if you need. I have copies and seeing as they don't exist there shouldn't be any problem." He turned to the Master, "I believe we have something belonging to you." Sir Jason stood up slowly, using a stick to support himself, he hobbled over to a set of double doors behind his chair. Lara and the Master stood up as well, following the elderly King. King stopped just in front of the doors, he clapped and the doors swung open revealing a circular antechamber that was equally decorated in marble and mosaic. In the middle of the room sat a Victorian wardrobe which seemed to hum slightly, the Master smiled, "Our Nautilus, I presume?"
King nodded sagely, "Indeed. It took a good deal of persuasion with UNIT but we managed to secure possession of the capsule." King flourished a silver pendant, "Your key, sir."
"Thank you." The Master said without apparent irony. He took the pendant and wrapped the chain around his wrist. They didn't permit him pockets on his clothing.
He stepped towards the wardrobe and opened the door, "Ms Croft?" He half- turned and held the door open for her to enter
Lara refused vehemently, "Oh God! I am not having a C.S. Lewis moment here!"
"A wardrobe? I think not." The Master turned on his glib charming tones. "This is a time and space vehicle called a TARDIS which can take practically everywhere and everywhen. I assure you, you'll be quite safe with me."
Lara raised one eyebrow, sighed and stepped into another world...
To Be Continued...