Chapter 12

One And One MakeS Three

When Jason finally arrived, he entered in his own flamboyant style speaking as he came through the door. "Commander, I understand you—" He came to an abrupt halt when he saw the Doctor. Collecting himself immediately, he turned to the Master and said, with a distinct edge of distaste in his voice, "I thought that sort of thing went out with the Inquisition."

"You must think me a fool!" the Master roared. "Did you think I could be so easily duped by a new title and change of clothes?"

Jason was speechless, not knowing how to respond and stood staring at the renegade Time Lord. It was clear the Master knew who he was after all, but had he connected him with the Doctor of the past or the present? Jason gambled on the past.

"Nothing to say, my Lord Krystovan?" the Master asked, emphasizing the Alterran's birth-title.

"What would you have me say? So Master, I see you've regenerated. How've you been since you last tried to kill me?" the Prince spat sarcastically, fighting the urge to glance the Doctor's way.

"Don't try to be clever!" the Master snapped. He went on to recount the day's events, becoming increasingly more agitated as he went. "I know full well you heard me mention the Doctor to that idiot Saunders this morning. Suddenly, neither one of you can be found. It is too great a coincidence that you should both suddenly reappear almost simultaneously!"

Just as the Doctor had, Jason realized too late that he had walked in to a trap. "You knew? All this time?" he asked unbelievingly.

"Of course, you preposterous boy. I am the Master." This statement was issued as if it explained everything.

Slowly, regretfully, Jason turned his gaze to the Doctor, who was now a study in sorrow and torment. He could feel his heart pounding as his mind sought after answers but found only questions. What do I do now? He fought to keep from bolting out the door so close behind him. He couldn't abandon the Doctor, no matter how terrified of the Master he was. But…what do I do now?

"Do not look to the Doctor for assistance," the Master said tauntingly. "He is completely in my power."

The Doctor closed his eyes as if to confirm this statement. He was effectively cut off from his vexed companion, able only to observe. He had made the mistake of underestimating the Master, and it appeared he would pay for it with his life.

Jason could feel his panic being overtaken by rage. After more than two centuries of trying, he still had difficulty controlling his violent temper and Mt. Jason was very close to erupting again. He whirled around, venting his anger on the renegade Time Lord. "You knew! All this time, you knew! Yet you still went on with this whole ridiculous charade. You just can't resist turning the knife, can you?"

"Enough melodrama," the Master snapped impatiently. "You will join the Doctor for transference—"

"Never," Jason stated emphatically. "I'll see you in hell first!" He fixed his eyes on the man he feared above all others. At their last meeting, he had been too afraid to oppose the Master in so steadfast a manner. But with the Doctor's life hanging in the balance, Jason drew on every ounce of courage he had and stood his ground. Inwardly, he was wishing he had gotten closer to the booths. He could smash them open so easily.

The Master was in no mood for a standoff and gestured to Roberts and Parker, who were stationed just inside the door. They had been unable to follow anything that had transpired; only the wave from their Commander meant anything.

Drawing their weapons, the guards advanced and Jason retreated further into the room, seizing the opportunity to get closer to the Doctor. He was also prepared to fight for his life, knowing that if the guards ventured too close, he could easily overpower them. Although human in appearance, his strength was far superior.

Without warning, chaos broke out in the adjoining office, momentarily diverting Jason's attention. Now it was Parker's turn to seize the opportunity. He fired his weapon and the Prince crumpled to the floor.

The Master nearly went mad when the guard struck down the final component to his grand design. "Stop, you fool! I need him alive!"

The only thing that saved Parker from being killed on the spot was the fact that over the past century and a half the Alterran had grown more powerful than the Master realized and could only be stunned by a human weapon set to kill.

The chaos in the adjoining office had been the Doctor's companions being brought, as ordered, to the Master. Tegan was objecting loudly to the rough handling. Saunders entered and thrust Tegan and Turlough into the room ahead of him. They took in the horrifying scene as the Master raged. Turning to the Doctor, they saw him staring fixedly at them. He shook his head admonishingly, turning his gaze to the TARDIS and back. The meaning was clear.

"He wants us to leave him behind!" Tegan gasped, aghast at the very idea.

The Doctor shot a glance in the Master's direction.

"I think we'd better do what he wants," Turlough said close to her ear.

"Turlough, we can't just leave him."

"There's nothing we can do," Turlough insisted.

Tegan stared at him in amazement, then turned defiantly to the Doctor, who returned her gaze with a harsh, reproving glare. After a moment, Tegan lowered her head in resignation.

"Alright, Doctor," Turlough mouthed and nodded his understanding.

Watching the exchange between his companions, the Doctor prayed that for once Tegan would not argue and do as she was told. Seeing Turlough nod, the Time Lord breathed a sigh of relief. His only hope now was that his companions could somehow reach the safety of the TARDIS, which stood so tantalizingly out of reach.

During the course of this nonverbal exchange, the stunned Jason had been placed inside the empty booth beside its twin imprisoning the Doctor. He, too, was secured to the table and sealed inside. The stage was set, and the Master was already taking his bows.

Roberts was put in charge of guarding Tegan and Turlough and his partner was dismissed. They were apparently considered of little consequence and not worth two guards. Saunders joined the Master near the control podium where he was already reveling in victory. The evil Time Lord was drinking in the moment, savoring it as one does a vintage wine. This was his complete and ultimate triumph over his most worthy, and most hated, opponent.

The Master touched a button on the podium and the unit came to life. He then began speaking to the Doctor's companions like a science teacher explaining a common, bland lab experiment. "It's so nice of you both to join us. The Doctor is about to make a significant contribution in the realm of scientific research." He flipped a switch and the junction box started to glow, throbbing with power. The Doctor felt his extremities begin to tingle.

"It's quite simple," the Master said, continuing with his lecture. "The information—so generously donated by the Doctor—will be stored in the transference junction where it will be joined by the information from our young Prince."

The Master flipped another switch and a light came on in both booths. The bell-shaped dome above his head also came on, bathing his body in an eerie glow. Suddenly the Doctor realized it function. The dome created an energy field that would pour all the combined genetic information directly into his enemy's body. He could hear the junction box humming like a swarm of bees beside him. The power was building very fast.

As if to confirm the Doctor's suspicions, the Master said, "Once the scanning is complete and the information combined, it's transferred here…" He raised his hands to the dome, adding with relish, "To me."

Tegan and Turlough were overwhelmed. How could everything have gone so terribly wrong? The Doctor's plan to stop his sworn enemy had been horribly transformed into this nightmarish specter playing out before them. And they too were powerless to stop the hideous procedure from taking place.

"I probably should mention there is only one…flaw," the Master said, giving the knife a final turn. "Because of the constraints of time, Professor Turner wasn't able to completely perfect the scanning process. It may be a bit…uncomfortable." With that, he struck the activator.

The same instant, the Doctor gave a muffled cry of agony as a surge of power shot through him, threatening to tear him apart.

Tegan screamed, burying her face in Turlough's chest.

The Doctor strained against the restraints, trying desperately to concentrate as he fought the energy tearing though his body. The junction box was now alive with power. The flow of energy increased to such an extent that it started to paralyze the Doctor's muscles, the buzz of energy filling his head until he thought it might explode. Without warning his strength suddenly drained away and his body locked in a rigors of agony. A muffled cry of pain escaped him, then everything went black.

Jason wasn't sure if it was the cry from the Doctor, Tegan's scream, or the tingling in his fingers that finally brought him to his senses.

"I'm so glad you could join us, my Prince," the Master purred. "It's nearly time for your contribution to science."

"My what?" the Alterran asked dazedly. He had missed the Master's science lecture. Catching sight of the Doctor, the realization of what was happening hit him and he struggled wildly against the straps that bound him.

"Resistance is useless, boy," the evil Time Lord stated flatly. "Victory is mine."

"Never!" Jason screamed.