Chapter 11
Too Close A Look
The Doctor waited until the door was closed and he was alone with the Master before he spoke again. "Your sudden concern for my physical wellbeing is admirable. What're you up to now?"
The Master chuckled at how his rival had gone straight to the point. "Doctor, what a suspicious mind you have. And after I've gone to all this trouble to bring you here."
"Next time send a postcard," the Doctor said sardonically, rubbing his bruised wrists.
Rising to his feet, the Doctor took in the room in a glance, his view from the air duct having been obscured by the grating. His eyes fell on the twin booths in the far corner opposite the TARDIS. They were clear oval cylinders containing a table set at an angle. All the wires and cables connected to the tables ran into a square box set between them and the Doctor reasoned it to be an interface junction controlled, presumably, from the podium that stood several metres away.
The Master watched with an odd sense of pride as the Doctor absorbed the transference unit. He could almost hear the wheels turning as his rival analyzed each component. Crossing to the podium, he gave it a gentle pat. "Well, Doctor? What do you think of my little toy?"
"I think it looks decidedly unhealthy," the Doctor replied blandly, taking a tentative step forward.
"Oh, do come closer, Doctor," the Master invited. "I'm sure you'll find it interesting."
Still wary of his adversary, the Doctor drew closer to the podium, the Master taking a few steps back as he advanced.
Examining the podium, and in spite of himself, the Doctor's curiosity took over. He was fascinated. Obviously Professor Turner had completed his work with the aid of the Master, just as Jason surmised. The Doctor reflected on the genius that had gone into the creation of such a device, the Professor apparently having utilized the data he had obtained from Jason's scanning ability to perfect the flaws in the process. A process the Master would use to rob him of that self same ability. A process the Doctor knew he must stop from ever being used. Somehow, he had to destroy the insidious machine.
"Intriguing, don't you think, Doctor?" the Master asked, breaking into his rival's train of thought.
"It has some…minor points of interest," came the seemingly disinterested reply. "I didn't think biogenetics was your field."
"I try to stay abreast of all scientific research."
The Doctor finally lost his temper. "At a cost to how many scientists? How many lives have been forfeit in your quest for knowledge?"
"I'm not in the mood for your infernal moralizing, Doctor!"
There was a knock at the door and Saunders sheepishly peeked in. "Excuse me, Commander. I thought you'd like to know, Prince Jason has been located."
"It's about time! Where is he?"
"On his way from the floor below, sir."
"Excellent. Send him in the moment he arrives. And send those two fools in from my office," the Commander ordered.
Saunders disappeared and two others came through the door. Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum, the Doctor thought unkindly. The guards identified themselves as Roberts and Parker and the Doctor recognized Roberts as being the one who had struck him earlier. An unstable chap, he thought.
"So, my dear Doctor," the Master purred, "it would seem we've found our missing Prince after all." His tone suddenly put the Doctor on his guard. There was more to it than a bland statement of fact.
The Master crossed to one of the booths and opened it. "And now, Doctor, you have the chance to get a closer look at the transference chamber."
"I think not. I find this control center far too interesting. Perhaps you might be good enough to explain the function?" The Doctor was rambling, something he often did when he needed time to think. His mind was racing. He had to find a way to stall to give Jason enough time to arrive.
"That wasn't a request," the Master said firmly. He motioned to the guards, who immediately drew their weapons.
The Doctor stiffened but stood his ground, knowing it was pointless to resist. The guards would simply stun him and he needed to remain conscious. He allowed himself to be led to one of the transference chamber, where he was placed on the table and secured with restraints.
"I assume there's a reason for all this?" he said contemptuously, inwardly wishing he did not know the reason.
"Naturally, Doctor," the Master replied coolly.
Once satisfied the Doctor was unable to move, Roberts turned to his superior. "The prisoner is secure, sir," he reported.
"Excellent," the Commander replied. "Gag him."
Roberts gleefully thrust a gag into the mouth of the helpless Doctor, silencing all protests. Then, with a final sadistic tug on the straps, he and his partner exited the booth and sealed the door.
The Doctor pulled at his bonds, testing their strength. The leather was stiff and unyielding. Encased in the booth, he felt like a fly in amber.
Tegan and Turlough set to work as soon as Jason left them, being glad to be able to do more than just sit and wait, as usual. Unfortunately, initiating the program proved easier than either of them expected. The most difficult part had been sneaking from room to room in search of a computer terminal. Once the program was running on all levels, they returned to their original hiding place—and waited.
Tegan was currently pacing in the same manner as the Doctor earlier. Turlough was watching the display of the level being sterilized. A pulsing red dot turned green as each chamber was activated, the dot moving along a grid.
"Just like dominoes," Turlough muttered under his breath.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just thinking."
Tegan was about to express her opinion on that when the door suddenly opened and a security guard entered, gun in hand.
The Master emerged from the storeroom and crossed to the control podium where he had been making his own final checks on the equipment. Above the podium was an odd bell-shaped dome the Doctor had assumed to be a light. It was not until his rival checked several internal connections that he realized it was actually a part of the transference unit itself.
"You and your bothersome companions have been a thorn in my side one time too often," the Master was saying. He had become unusually chatty, enjoying the one-sidedness of the conversation. He paused thoughtfully before continuing in a tone that could almost be described as reminiscent. "It occurs to me, Doctor, that you've had so many companions. I wonder if you even recall them all. I'm thinking in particular of an obscure individual, an Alterran by the name of Jason Krystovan. Do you, by any chance, recall him?" Noting the look of genuine surprise on his rival's face, the Master grinned. "Yes, I see you do."
The Master fell silent as he finished his work on the dome. He made a check on the connections inside the podium and grunted in satisfaction, closing the inspection panel. Looking up, he smiled. "It my surprise you to learn," he purred on, "that the young man in question is actually here at the Institute, and on his way here at this very moment. Unfortunately, since your regeneration, the young man won't have any idea who you are. And in your present, er, condition you'll be unable to inform him." The Master could contain himself no longer and started to laugh. Tormenting the Doctor was always such a delight.
The Doctor was anything but amused, clenching his fists and biting hard on the gag that so effectively silenced him. He had to fight to keep himself from thrashing in anger and frustration, an action he knew would only further delight his tormentor. Even so, the daggers in his eyes caused the Master to laugh all the more. Even silent, his face spoke volumes.
The Doctor finally had to concentrate to calm down, knowing it would be counter-productive for him to fly into a blind rage. He needed to keep a cool head and hope that Jason could somehow find a way to free him. At the same time, he couldn't shake the terrible sinking feeling that it had all been an ingenious trap.
And he had walked right into it.
Even worse, Jason was about to walk right into it and there was absolutely nothing he could do to prevent it.