Chapter 28
The Plan Unfolds
In the darkened room into which he had bolted, the Doctor stood peering cautiously through the French door windows, his black clothing allowing him to blend into the darkness. He reflected on the irony of the fact that his utilizing the Master's own camouflage against him. It took him a few minutes to catch his breath and for the first time he appreciated the stamina his own body possessed. "You're out of condition, Master," he remarked aridly.
It was at that moment the Master wavered unsteadily on his feet and the same sickening wave of dizziness flooded over the Doctor. He grabbed at the wall to steady himself, taking deep breaths when the instability passed. He shook his head to clear it and was partially successful this time, finding it easier to concentrate. It's amazing how adrenaline and blind panic can clear the senses. Now for the next step. Finding a safe place to hide until the way to the TARDIS was clear. Safe? But where? Everyone thought he was the Master. The Doctor went down his list of possibilities. Aaron had just signed his death warrant and, well, they never did see eye-to-eye anyway. Jason was inconsolable, and despite his admirable show of self-control, would probably try to kill him if he got anywhere near him. Tegan would very likely scream the house down as soon as he showed himself. That left only Turlough.
The Doctor considered his brooding young companion. Turlough had always been a mystery and was unpredictable at best. It would be difficult to gauge how he would react in any situation, let alone the one the Time Lord was about to present.
After a cautious peek out the door to make certain the hall was empty, the Doctor made his way to Turlough's room, ducking out of sight as more guards rushed passed on their way to join the search of the grounds. A smile of irony came to his face as he recalled how he had strolled unchallenged through these very same corridors just hours before.
"So much for moving about unaccosted," he sighed before continuing on his way. He reached his destination without incident, slipping in and breathing a sigh of relief. "So far, so good," he muttered, adding darkly, "Said the man as he fell from a skyscraper."
After a quick glance around the room, the Doctor turned his attention to the handcuffs. In less than a minute he had picked the locks and removed them, dropping them into the drawer of a table near the door. The light control panel was set into the wall just above the table and he pulled it open, setting to work on disconnecting all the lights in the suite.
The Master was furious at the ease with which the Doctor had escaped. His anger had not cooled when he materialized in the transmat in his hidden computer center behind the Crystal Cavern.
Shadra had abandoned her cries for help and had been trying to concentrate on something positive. After all, she must have been missed by now. Her heart sank into the depths of despair when the Master informed her that, as far as the world was concerned, Lady Tostine was dead. He then went on to tell her, in intricate detail, how he had used Cedric as her substitute.
"An insipid nonentity, your assistant," he observed unkindly. "So far, no one seems to have missed him."
"That's the most evil…heartless…cruel thing I've ever heard!" the Baroness spat bitterly.
"Thank-you, my Lady," the Master purred having taken great pleasure in deflating her hopes. Tormenting his helpless prisoner had done wonders in cooling his anger. A small chuckle escaped him as he turned his attention to the computer. He adjusted the controls, going on to check the numerous dials, comparing the readings to those in a notebook.
Shadra fell silent in grief and anger. As her captor continued manipulating the controls, she became aware of a change in the power flowing through her by way of the ensnaring web. She knew the computer was artificially realigning her molecular structure but why this was necessary had yet to be revealed. Perhaps now might be the time to get some answers.
"Would you answer one question?" the Baroness said in as even a voice as possible. "Why is all this necessary? You have all this technology. Why do you need me?"
The Master turned and smiled. "That is two questions," he said arrogantly before obliging her with a reply. "The fact that you are not a piece of technology is precisely why I need you. Your crystalline cell structure…sings. Once it's in harmony with the symbolic resonance of the Crystal Cavern, it can be harnessed and directed through this." He lifted an exquisite, intricately crafted gold collar from a box near the console.
Shadra did not recognize its figure-eight design as the seal of Rassilon. She did, however, notice the unusual gemstone gleaming in the medallion attached to it. He's going to harness the power through that?
"To do what?" she asked sheepishly, not liking the maniacal gleam that had returned to her abductor's eyes. As helpless as she was, she was glad the energy barrier was separating them.
"To amplify the power of my mind, of course. You Alterrans have let your telepathic abilities go dormant almost to the point of atrophy," the Master said condescendingly. "Not so we Time Lords. With this as a focal point, I'll have all the power I need to control anyone I choose simply by implanting my will into their minds."
"Implanting? You mean like…subliminal control?"
"Precisely, my Lady. I'm glad you grasp the significance of your role. We'll start with the High Council of Time Lords. Those broken down excuses for intelligent life have no idea what power rests within their grasp."
"The Time Lords! No, you can't!" The captive Alterran was appalled.
"Oh, but I can, thanks to you, my dear Lady Tostine."
"No! I won't help you! I won't!" she cried defiantly, resuming her fruitless struggle within her metal prison.
"You have no choice!" the Master snarled forcefully, dropping the casual manner and fixing his prisoner with a look that made her shudder and shrink into the wires fearfully. "I require you alive and that's all." With this pronouncement, he slowly turned a dial and Shadra gasped as a painful flow of low energy pulses assaulted her. The dial was returned to its original position and the dull aching throb ceased.
"Disobedience will not be tolerated," the Time Lord stated flatly. He placed the gleaming collar gingerly upon the console, stroking it reverently. "I look forward to a very long and productive association. Whether or not this is a pleasant experience is entirely up to you."
Lady Tostine looked sadly at the face of her tormentor. Oh, Doctor, what has this monster done to you? Turning a good and decent man into a murderer! Grief, anger, and hatred suddenly swallowed her fears and Shadra flew into a rare blind rage. "I'll never serve you!" she spat. "I'd rather die first!" Later she would realize how very foolish this statement had been.
"You will obey me," the Master commanded.
"Never!"
"As you wish," the Time Lord replied coldly and turned the dial to its maximum setting. An explosion of power shook the enclosure, electricity arching through the wires and sparking against the metal sides. Shadra screamed in pain, writhing in the center of the storm, straining desperately against the bonds anchoring her into place.
The Master dispassionately watched the helpless Alterran's torment. "You will obey me," he said to his thrashing captive.
"Stop! Please, stop!" Shadra screamed.
"You will obey me," he thundered again. "I am the Master. And you will obey me!"
"Yes, anything!" came his prisoner's tortured scream. "Just turn it off! You're killing me!"
The Time Lord obliged and Shadra sagged limply into the web, unconscious, her crystalline eyes completely dark.
The Master stood chuckling in satisfaction. While such an open display of defiance usually would have enraged him, he found he was actually quite pleased by it. A strong will was an asset to the occupant of the cage as it reduced the chances of death occurring when final connection was made with the Cavern Matrix. He actually would have preferred to have Jason as his helpless captive, and not just for the purposes of revenge. He was well acquainted with the young man's explosive nature, which was also the reason he had been forced to reject him. The Master needed his victim conscious when the connections to the web were being made. After seeing the volatile Prince's emotional display in the detention area, the Master decided that he was going to stay as far as possible from the Alterran's coiling tendrils.
Lady Tostine, on the other hand, was unschooled in defending herself and had proven easy to coerce. The Master knew she had some spirit, and this last stand of defiance verified that she had been an excellent choice as the occupant of his inescapable metal creation.