Chapter 2 - The Rise of the Master
The blonde man held back a smirk as he was led to the cabinet room. As people around him congratulated his new position, he cheered on the inside as he thought about the future outcome of his plans for Earth. It had been 12 long months since the Timelord had regenerated and subsequently landed on Earth, locked to the 21st Century by the Doctor. His mood dimmed as he thought about the man, and the drumming in his head intensified at the thought of the insufferable alien. Led through a pair of old oak wooden doors, he was escorted into the cabinet room where he met various figures, many he had no recollection of and a few he did. Casting a gaze over the group with a smirk, he wondered on what secrets they were about to tell the newly appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Taking a seat in the middle seat of the long table, he made himself comfy in the hard stubborn chair before questioning the crowd. "What's this about?" He demands, slipping in his hypnotism abilities unconsciously to garner a quick response.
A tall man in a UNIT uniform with a head of gray and dark blue eyes watched on, emotionless, as he was handed a file from his left. "Prime Minister. Let me be the first to congratulate you on your new position. We are all looking forward to working with you throughout your term." The man gritted out, as if he had no trust in the man.
"How kind." The Master, currently known as Harold Saxon, drawled sarcastically as he leaned forward with his elbows on the table. "What's in the file?"
The man from UNIT glared as he waved at a woman at the end of the table to proceed.
"Prime Minister. What I'm about to tell you is a confidential secret of the UK, UN and other heads of state. This must not fall into the public hands." The woman, blonde and stuck up, spoke as he waved his hand at her. "If you'll look at the file being handed to you now, you will see what we call Operation Avalon." The Master opened the file, slightly bored with the dramatics before looking up at the group with wide shocked eyes.
"What is this?" He uttered, head tilting at the information in front.
"This..." The woman spoke before being cut off.
"This is what keeps the population safe from these maniacs." The man in the UNIT uniform announced as he stood and a projector and slideshow was put on the board.
His assistant, a Major Daniel Rowlands, spoke up as he pointed at the photos and videos now playing for the group, "Among us, live a second species. They refer to themselves as benders and these creatures are all capable of manipulating one of four elements." He began as videos of people controlling elements appeared. "These tend to be Fire, Air, Earth and Water, although few have shown different variants of these abilities. Across the global, multiple governments and organisations dedicate valuable time and resources in protecting the public from these people and in stopping their terrorist actions. The 'benders' believe they have magic, and this is what they contribute their abilities to."
"Wait a second." The Master began, pointing an unbelieving finger at the screen as it played videos of impossible feats, "You're telling me. That a whole second race that can control the traditional elements exists and that the government basically hunts them down?!"
The Master couldn't believe what he was hearing. Never had he thought Earth to be... interesting.
"These things are dangerous. They kill, they maim, they hunt us down. They're responsible for many attacks and events that we have been able to explain away but times are changing and their people are growing in hatred for us." The man from UNIT added as he watched Saxon closely. "The removal of them from society is the 21st centuries number one priority."
Saxon watched on silently as Major Rowlands continued. "Benders can only manipulate one of the four elements, apart from her..." On the screen, he watched as a young woman, not even 20, appeared. Her short ginger locks were dirty and her skin was covered in blood and scars but the timelord watched on in shock as her eyes and tattoos lit up, glowing with a supernatural light. "This is Ashlyn Black, known as the Avatar amongst benders. The only person capable of manipulating all four elements. The benders believe the Avatar re-incarnates on the death of the previous and it seems to reincarnate in a cycle of their nations."
"Re-incarnate?" The Master muttered as his eyes were glued on the fight he was watching this 'Avatar' in.
"We aren't sure if it's true but the next avatar is always born into a specific elements people." The woman from earlier added.
"Ashlyn Black is believed to belong to the Air nomads. The Avatar before her was Victor Krasnikov, born in a firebending community in Romania. Before Krasnikov was Cary McDonald, an earthbender. Before him was Natalya, a waterbender and before her was Avatar Kim, an airbender. The pattern repeats consistently for our records of any Avatar." Major Rowlands adds. "The Avatar is seen as a God amongst the benders and they follow whoever it is reverently. Ashlyn Black was found fighting alongside the Cybermen in the Battle of Canary Wharf along with her own personal army of benders. We were lucky to catch her out and she has been kept sedated ever since."
"That was a year ago." Saxon says. "How much of a threat is she still?"
"She's escaped before. She's unpredictable and short of sedation, we have no real way to keep her out of the way."
"Why don't we just kill her?" Saxon wonders, as he leans back in his seat in thought at this new information. He had never heard of beings with magic on Earth. And he was sure if the Doctor knew, he'd be making sure there wasn't any left.
"That was what we had done with the previous Avatars, but killing her just ensures a new one is born, supposedly. We are researching a way to break their so-called Avatar Cycle, if it even exists."
"Can I see them?" Saxon blurted out. "These freaks?" The room erupted at the supposed safety concerns and the high risk level to the man but, as he used his hypnotic abilities to ensure he gets his way, the room slowly changed their minds, even the man from UNIT who glared at the Timelord constantly. "Now, tell me the rest..."
The week after...
The Master stood outside Saxon HQ as he addressed the nation after his meeting with the Queen as a part of his ruse as Prime Minister. "This country has been sick. This country needs healing. This country needs medicine. In fact, I'd go as far as to say what this country really needs right now, is a Doctor." He spoke as the crowds around him cheered and he grinned slyly, knowing just who would be out there listening to him. Not long after, he left for Downing Street and it was here that he would bring forward his little friends from his time as Professor Yana.
The timelord walked with his human wife, a petite blonde woman called Lucy, down a corridor whilst aides handed him various unimportant reports. Reports on finance, military protocol, directives and more made their way to his hands but he ignored them as he made his way to the cabinet room. Lucy grabs his arm gently as she turns him to her and smiles, "I'm so proud of you, Harry." She mutters as the Master smiles at her and kisses the woman.
"Bless."
"Sir, if you don't mind me asking. I'm sorry, but it's all a bit new. What exactly do you want me to do?" A young woman asks as she comes up to her new boss, eyes wide in anticipation.
"Oh yes. What was it?" He asked as he watched the woman carefully.
"Tish. Letititia Jones."
He smirked to himself as he watched the sister of the Doctor's little companion. His master plan was going well so far, and now for the fun to begin. "Tish. Well then, Tish, you just stand there and look gorgeous." The blonde man entered the cabinet room, where the full british cabinet were assembled before beginning his little speech. "A glorious day. Downing Street rebuilt, the Cabinet in session. Let the work of government begin." He laughed as he threw the files into the air. "Oh, go on. Crack a smile. It's funny, isn't it? Albert, funny? No? Little bit?" He directed at the members as they looked at him strangely.
"Yes, very funny, sir. But if we could get down to business, there is the matter of policy, of which we have very little." A man called Dumfries mentioned as the Master rolled his eyes.
"No, no, no, no. Before we start all that, I just want to say two things. Just two." The Master announced as he paced the room and his face dropped the act of charismatic prime minister and showed his true colours. "Firstly, the only policy I intend to act on is the stop to any and all persecution of benders by this government, and any government or organisation who carries on doing so, is hereby, announcing themselves as an enemy." He mentions as the room erupts in shock, confusion from the few members of staff not aware of the existence of such people and refusal to follow orders from the ones that do. He holds up a finger, forcing them all to quieten down at his declaration. "Secondly, a thank you. Thank you, one and all. You ugly, fat faced bunch of wet, snivelling traitors."
"Quite funny sir, but I think the matter of benders is one we shouldn't change our stance on." Dumfries mentions before being cut off.
"No. No, that wasn't funny. You see, I'm not making myself very clear. Funny is like this." He makes a strange face which would have pulled a laugh from the group in any other circumstance. "Not funny is like this." He pulls a deep scowl and frown. "And right now, I'm not like..." He grins again before changing to a frown, "I'm like...", almost giving his company whiplash with the rapid changes in expression and emotion. "...because you are traitors. Yes, you are! As soon as you saw the vote swinging my way, you abandoned your parties and you jumped on the Saxon bandwagon. And not only that... but the few of you that are aware of the existence of benders and completely okay with hunting them down like animals... well, you've become a personal enemy to me. So, this is your reward." He places an oxygen mask on his face as they all look scared at his drastic change in personality.
"Excuse me, Prime Minister. Do you mind my asking, what is that?" Dumfries inquires, frightened.
"It's a gas mask." The Master muffles.
"Yes, but why are you wearing it?" He questions quietly.
"Because of the gas."
"What gas?" An aid questions.
"This gas." The conference telephone sets pop up from the table and gas pours into the Cabinet room as the group shouts in fear at the man. Dumfries calls the man insane as the alien smiles and gives a thumbs up, watching in glee as his colleagues die and unknowingly starts tapping out the 4 beat rhythm playing in his head on the table as he sits there, surrounded by gas.
The next day...
TV's across the country come on with an emergency broadcast on all channels, hosted by the Prime Minister. Harold Saxon appears on screens nationwide as he addresses his 'people'. "Britain, Britain, Britain. What extraordinary times we've had. Just a few years ago, this world was so small. And then they came, out of the unknown, falling from the skies. You've seen it happen." Clips are played of alien attacks as Saxon speaks over them. "Big Ben destroyed. A spaceship over London. All those ghost and metal men. The Christmas star that came to kill. Time and time again, and the government told you nothing." Lucy Saxon crosses her fingers behind the camera as her hypnotised gaze watches her husband. "Well, not me. Not Harold Saxon. Because my purpose here today is to tell you this. Citizens of Great Britain, I have been contacted. A message for humanity, from beyond the stars."
A sphere appears on the screen beside him, made of metal and floating in the air. "People of the Earth..." The sphere speaks in a female voice. "We come in peace. We bring great gifts. We bring technology and wisdom and protection. And all we ask in return is your friendship." The sphere declares to the nation, and the world.
"Oooh, sweet. And this species has identified itself." The Master mentions. "They are called the Toclofane. And tomorrow morning, they will appear. Not in secret, but to all of you. Diplomatic relations with a new species will begin. Tomorrow, we take our place in the universe. Every man, woman and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. Oh, I don't know, every medical student? Earth will take its rightful place and the Tocolofane will be our guides." The Master announces before the cameras switch off, and the phones to the office all begin ringing.
It's not long after that a phone is passed to him as his people listen in on the Doctors companions conversation with his family. The Jones' had all been rounded up so far apart from the little student, Martha Jones and her brother, Clive and his family. As a phone is handed over, he grins, sending a chill down his teams backs at the sight. "Oooh, a nice little game of hide and seek. I love that. But, I'll find you, Martha Jones." He utters darkly into the device. "Been a long time since we saw each other. Must be, what, one hundred trillion years?"
"Let them go, Saxon. Do you hear me! Let them go!" The girl screams down the phone as the man chuckles slowly.
"I'm here." Another voice from Marthas end joins the conversation as the Master tightens his grip on his own device.
"Doctor." He names the other timelord, almost growling at the man.
"Master." The voice mutters.
"I like it when you use my name."
"You chose it. Psychiatrist's field day." The Doctor quips, causing the Master to roll his eyes at the Timelord that was once his childhood best friend.
"As you chose yours. The man who makes people better. How sanctimonious is that?"
"So, Prime Minister, then."
"I know. It's good, isn't it?" The Master grins, as he thinks of the little Toclofane surprise he had planned.
"Who are those creatures? Because there's no such thing as the Toclofane. It's just a made up story, like the Avatar or magic." The Doctor utters, catching the Master by surprise at the mention of an Avatar.
Choosing to ignore the mention for now, he carries on, "Do you remember all those fairy tales about them when we were kids back home? Where is it, Doctor?" He wonders, having not known of the planets fate after he ran away from the battle of Meridia.
"Gone."
"How can Gallifrey be gone?" He questions disbelieveingly.
"It burnt."
"And the Time Lords?" He wondered darkly.
"Dead. And the Daleks, more or less. What happened to you?"
"How much do you know? About the war. the early days..."
"I heard you were killed by a Dalek fleet in the North. By the time I joined, you were supposedly dead." The Doctor mentioned, wondering at how the man had survived the destruction of Gallifrey.
"I forget you weren't there in the early days of the war..." The Master whispered, remembering them as if it were yesterday. "Do you know who Reyash was?"
"Reyash? Wasn't he a Gallifreyan? Some rebel to Rassilon or something..." The Doctor trailed off as the Master scoffed.
"Some rebel... Reyash was the strongest Gallifreyan in centuries. The Gallifreyans, led by Reyash, Navira and I, rebelled against the Time Lords and Rassilon." He mentioned, as the drums grew louder in his head suddenly before falling back to their constant thudding.
"You went against Rassilon? Why?" The Time Lord murmured as the Master laughed.
"You know full well why..." He laughed off, expecting the Doctors usual hesitance to broach that part of the Masters past. "We would have won too. If Rassilon hadn't murdered Navira and a large part of our army, we could have beat you. But, when Navira died, Reyash broke. He lost control. You see... Navira was his mate. The most sacred person to a Gallifreyan or Time Lord, and rarer than anything known in the universe. Their bond was sacred, and Rassilon destroyed it. Reyash broke down, and in his grief and desperation, he unleashed his abilities on the planet and locked Gallifrey and the Dalek and Time Lord armies in a Time Lock. Not long after, both sides called war on the Gallifreyans, and lost without their leader, they were quickly hunted to extinction. Rassilon himself killed me, just after Reyash created the Time Lock..."
"It wasn't until at least a century later, when the Time Lord resurrected me because they knew I'd be the perfect warrior for a Time War. I had no people, no allies. I was a mindless soldier for the side that destroyed me. I was there when the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform. I saw it. I ran. I ran so far. Made myself human so they would never find me, because I was so scared."
"I know."
"All of them? But not you, which must mean..." The Master trailed off as he pieced the puzzle together.
"I was the only one who could end it. And I tried. I did. I tried everything." The Doctor begged, looking for the acceptance and forgiveness he had been wanting for years after Gallifreys destruction.
"What did it feel like, though? Two almighty civilisations burning. Oh, tell me, how did that feel?" The Master taunted suddenly, eager to know how it felt to end the Time Lords.
"Stop it!" The man begged.
"You must have been like God."
"I've been alone ever since. But not anymore. Don't you see? All we've got is each other." The Doctor claimed, causing the Master to grit his teeth at the thought.
"Are you asking me out on a date?" He laughed.
"You could stop this right now. We could leave this planet. We can fight across the constellations, if that's what you want, but not on Earth." The Doctor begged, making the Master grin as he proclaimed it was too late. "Why do you say that?"
"The drumming. Can't you hear it? I thought it would stop, but it never does. Never ever stops. Inside my head, the drumming, Doctor. The constant drumming." He taps the beat on the table.
"I could help you. Please, let me help."
"It's everywhere. Listen, listen, listen. Here come the drums. Here come the drums." He slaps his hand on the table then, the sound ricocheting off the cabinet walls.
"What have you done? Tell me how you've done this. What are those creatures? Tell me!"
"Ooo look. You're on TV." The screen in front of him shows three faces; The Doctor, Martha Jones, and Captain Jack Harkness.
"Stop it. Answer me."
"No, really. You're on telly. You and your little band, which, by the way, is ticking every demographic box. So, congratulations on that. Look, there you are." The screen says Nationwide Hunt for Terrorist Suspects as it shows their faces to the nation with an emphasis on them being armed and dangerous. "You're public enemies number one, two and three. Oh, and you can tell handsome Jack that I've sent his little gang off on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas, so he won't be getting any help from them." He switches the screen to a live CCTV feed of the three in an open space. "Now, go on, off you go. Why not start by turning to the right?" He hangs up the phone then as he watches the trio and laughs as the man in the brown trench coat points his trusty sonic screwdriver at the camera and the feed is lost. "Oh, you public menace. Better start running. Go on, run... Run, Doctor."
"Run for your life! I said, run!" The Master shouts before settling back down, taking a 360 turn in his mood.
The next day, the day of the Toclofanes broadcast to the world.
On the flight deck of the Valiant, the American President and his staff run around as the Master sits quietly in a chair, annoyed at the UN for choosing the American to lead them into this. "Two minutes, everyone." The President announces as his staff go over him and ensure his appearance for the broadcast is perfect. As he heads up the stairs to the podium, he speaks, "According to the treaty, all armed personnel are requested to leave the flight deck immediately. Thank you."
The tannoy overhead counts down from five as the Master offers a jelly baby, not missing the glare on the Presidents face. "Broadcasting at seven fifty eight with the arrival timed for eight hundred hours exactly. And, er, good luck to all of us…" The president says just as the cameras begin rolling and he begins his address to a global audience. "My fellow Americans, patriots, people of the world. I stand before you today as ambassador for humanity, a role I will undertake with the utmost solemnity. Perhaps our Toclafane cousins can offer us much, but what is important is not that we gain material benefits, but that we learn to see ourselves anew." The Master watches silently, noticing the Doctor and his two companions come in at the back of the room. "For as long as man has looked at the stars, he has wondered what mysteries they hold. Now we know we are not alone...No longer unique in the universe. And I ask you now, I ask of the human race, to join with me in welcoming our friends. I give you the Toclafane."
Four metallic spheres appear beside him as he turns to address the beings. "My name is Arthur Coleman Winters, President Elect of the United States of America, and designated representative of the United Nations. I welcome you to the planet Earth and its associated moon."
"You're not the Master." One of the spheres speaks with a distinctly male voice.
"We like the Mister Master." Another sphere states, a female voice emanating from the metal object.
"We don't like you." A third sphere adds.
Looking confused, the president looks at his team and the audience aboard the valiant before continuing his address. "I can be master, if you so wish. I will accept mastery over you, if that is God's will."
"Man is stupid."
"Master is our friend."
"Where's my Master, pretty please?" The fourth sphere asks, looking around the room for the Master himself.
"Oh, all right then. It's me. Ta da! Sorry, sorry, I have this effect. People just get obsessed. Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know. It's crazy." Saxon jumps up, throwing his hands in the air as he makes his way on camera.
"Saxon, what are you talking about?" The president wonders angrily as the Master smiles sadistically at him.
"I'm taking control, Uncle Sam, starting with you. Kill him." One of the spheres points its weapon at President Winters, and he breaks into little pieces as guns are drawn and shouts are heard from around the room. The Master laughs at the scene and begins to applaud. "Guards."
"Nobody move! Nobody move!" The guards shout as they force the guns drawn on them down, the Masters little gang of hypnotised guards staring everyone down.
"Now then, peoples of the Earth. Please attend carefully." The Master adds just as the Timelord makes a break for it and runs forward as he takes off his key.
"Stop him!" A guard shouts just as two men in black grab him.
"We meet at last, Doctor. Oh, ho. I love saying that." The Master grins as he watches his old friend turned enemy.
"Stop it! Stop it now!" The Time Lord shouts, trying to shake the guards off him.
"As if a perception filter's going to work on me. And look, it's the girlie and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which one's which." The Master mentions as Jack then runs forward just as the Master shoots him down with his little contraption. "Laser screwdriver. Who'd have sonic? And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again!"
"Master, just calm down. Just look at what you're doing. Just stop. If you could see yourself…" The Doctor begins as he tries to talk the man down from his long-awaited plan.
"Oh, do excuse me. Little bit of personal business. Back in a minute." He speaks to the cameras, well aware of the global audience still watching. "Let him go."
"It's that sound. The sound in your head. What if I could help?" The Doctor questions desperately.
"Oh, how to shut him up?" The Master wonders, ignoring the Doctor's help, knowing full well that if he knew why the noise was there, he'd leave it there himself. "I know. Memory Lane. Professor Lazarus. Remember him and his genetic manipulation device? What, did you think that little Tish got that job merely by coincidence? I've been laying traps for you all this time. And if I can concentrate all that Lazarus technology into one little screwdriver? But, ooo, if I only had the Doctor's biological code. Oh, wait a minute, I do." An assistant hands him a metal briefcase as he opens it up, pulling out a hand suspended in liquid. "I've got his hand. And if Lazarus made himself younger, what if I reverse it? Another hundred years?"
He aims his screwdriver at the Doctor then, forcing him into rapid convulsions. Jack takes a large gasp as he comes back next to Martha.
"Teleport." The Captain whispers towards Martha Jones, who looks on at the Doctor in fear.
"I can't." She whispers helplessly.
"We can't stop him. Get out of here. Get out." Jack demands as he pushes his vortex manipulator into her hands.
As the Master stops the aging of the Time Lord, Martha Jones rushes to his side as he falls, now appearing at least a hundred years old. "Doctor? I've got you." She whispers as he looks down at the ground.
"Ah, she's a would be doctor. But tonight, Martha Jones, we've flown them in all the way from prison." The Master announces dramatically as the Jones family are bought in one by one, wrists fastened together tightly with cable ties, and blood dripping from the lacerations on their skin.
"Mum." The medic student whispers as her mum apologises, tears in both their eyes.
"The Toclafane. What are they? Who are they?" The Doctor grumbles, his voice sounding as old as he looked.
"Doctor, if I told you the truth, your hearts would break." The Master announces with a straight face as the spheres then come back to question him.
"Is it time? Is it ready?" "Is the machine singing?" The spheres begin to ask as they fly about the room near the Master.
"Two minutes past. So, Earthlings. Basically, er, end of the world. Here come the drums!" He shouts as Voodoo Child by Rogue Trader begins playing through the speakers in the room. They all watch as a tear appears in the sky above and thousands of Toclofane pour out of the rip.
"How many do you think?" The Master asks his wife as he drags her to the window.
"I, I don't know." She wonders fearfully.
"Six billion. Down you go, kids!" He laughs maniacally as the spheres head to major population centres and open fire. "Shall we decimate them? That sounds good. A nice word, decimate. Remove one tenth of the population!" He shouts as he laughs gleefully.
"Valiant, this is Geneva. We're getting slaughtered down here. Valiant, report. Help us. For God's sake, help us! They're everywhere!" Other reports begin flooding in, hundreds of different languages begin talking over each other. "This is London, Valiant. This is London calling. What do we do? They're killing us! The Toclafane are all around. They're killing us."
Martha teleports away out of the corner of the Masters eye and he grins as he throws Lucy to the side and goes to grab the ancient looking Doctor, pulling him up to the glass so he can watch, first-hand, the slaughter of the human race. "And so it came to pass that the human race fell, and the Earth was no more. And I looked down upon my new dominion as Master of all, and I thought it good." He whispered reverently in the ears of the Time Lord.
"Take them to the cells." He calls to a guard as they drag the Jones family and Jack away again, and he turns to the Doctor as he puts him in a wheelchair one of his guards had bought forward.
"You know... Doctor... Earth happens to be very similar to Gallifrey after all. I see why you like it so much now. No response?" He wonders as the doctor watches him in confusion, unsure at where he was taking this new train of thought. "Ah no need. I'll just spell it out for you, shall I? M-A-G-I-C. It seems this planet is full of it." The Master whispers happily before his expression drops again and a cold look of fury crosses his eyes. "Or it would be if those humans you're so fond of ever stop slaughtering any magical being they come across. Nothing, no words to say?" He taunts the silent man. "Huh. You know, on Earth, their magic is different to Gallifrey. We had telekinesis, telepathy, teleportation and even temporal manipulation. Without the use of a TARDIS, might I add." He adds on cockily. "But on Earth, they can manipulate the elements. Fire, Air, Water and Earth. Isn't that just... remarkable?" He questions as he kneels before his old friend.
"You never learn do you." The Doctor questions in a raspy voice.
"Learn what?" The Master wonders, frowning.
"Is that why you're doing this? Vengeance for what happened on Gallifrey? Move past it Master." The Doctor tells him, causing the blonde to scoff as he looks deep into the mans eyes.
"Move past it? The Time Lords took everything away from me and instead... turned me into this." He spits out with a growl. "But no. This has nothing to do with that."
"Malum Energy is dangerous." The Doctor tells him, eyes imploring him to understand.
"Malum energy... call it what it is already, Doctor." The Master adds disapprovingly, not shocked by the mans insistence that the gifts these people had were anything but magic. "Anyhoo, I've decided to let them live. Magic can live on Earth in peace, nothing will be hunting them down. They can have the chance at life the Gallifreyans were always denied." He admits as the Doctor and other officials around the room look on in shock at the announcement.
"Why? So they can be a part of your little army? Toclofane and benders, fighting side by side." The Doctor mocks.
"No, they won't have to fight. Just thrive. Just live." He says with a smile, turning his head to look down towards the earth.
"You let them live, they'll hunt down the rest of the humans. They'll kill them." The Doctor states, worried what this newfound balance on earth will mean for his beloved humans.
"And? Let them. After millennia of it being the other way around, it'll be a nice change. Anyway, I'm sure the old man needs a nap about now. Keep an eye on him. I have someone I need to see." The Master as he suddenly teleports away, leaving the doctor to be wheeled away by guards as he watches forlornly at the spot the Master previously stood.
Now on Earth, the Master stands with two Toclofane at the gates of a highly classified UNIT base, watching as people are killed around them, screams emanating all around them. "Is this where our new friend is?" A sphere questions, flying around the mans head.
"She's in there." The master says before he grins widely. "Let's go get our new friend, shall we?"
The three make their way deeper into the UNIT base, and the Master laughs as he misses the stray gun shot of the odd human not yet killed by his little friends. It takes them about twenty minutes to find where the person they're looking for is and he quickly hacks into the systems to give him access and as the doors open with a loud rush of air, he looks on in shock at the girl lying in front of him.
Hooked up to an IV line pumping her full of sedatives, the girl lies on the floor, arm bent at an unnatural angle. Her skin is dirty and covered in bruises and blood and he struggles to make out her hair colour from what he'd seen from photos as its caked with a years worth of dirt and blood.
"This is her?" He asks his two companions as he walks closer.
"Yes, Master." A sphere says before the other adds.
"We found her like this. The sedation the humans were using is only just wearing off." The second sphere announces as the drugs drip onto the floor, most likely broken in the staffs rush to leave.
"What is she, Master?"
"My dears, she is something else. They call her the Avatar." He whispers to them as he looks on in shock at the creature before him.
"Is she an enemy?" They wonder as he makes it clear that she is a friend.
"No, she's a friend. Like all the humans with what you identify as malum radiation on your scans. All but Jack." He tells them as they begin to shout in happiness.
"Friend! A new friend." "We like our friend."
"Yes. Now, leave us..." He tells the spheres as they leave, going to kill the rest of the staff. "Time to wake you up properly I think." He rips the IV out and waits a few minutes as the drugs wear off and the girl begins to stir.
"Uh... what... where..." She moans, grunting in pain as she hits her arm against the floor harshly.
"You must be confused." The Master adds on from his seat a few feet away, watching her carefully.
"Huh... Wait... This is..." She begins to come to as her bright blue eyes clear up from the haze of the drugs. "This is UNIT!" She whispers before growling, struggling to stand for a second. "Let me out now or I swear to..."
"Calm down, I'm gonna let you go. You just need to be stable first, yeah?" He offers her a hand as she watches him carefully, recognising the man from somewhere.
"You... you're Harold Saxon." She states suspiciously, realising just who had let her out of the drug-induced coma UNIT had kept her in for a year.
"You've heard of me! Did you vote?" He cheers on as she looks at him, perfectly arched ginger eyebrows raised in confusion.
"I was locked up by UNIT and sedated for months on end, I just missed the election." She sarcastically adds, pushing his hand away as she drags herself up, gaining her balance back.
"Ah, shame. Well, I'll have you know. There is no more UNIT now." He announces as she whips her head around to him.
"What?" She demands before wincing, a major headache coming from the base of her head.
"Careful there…" He says as he hands her an ice pack he'd found and she just shrugs it away. "Yep, I'm releasing you. You and every magical being on Earth. I hear you call yourselves benders?" He questions as he turns then and begins leaving the depths of the UNIT base. "Come on, let's get out of here."
"I..." She speaks slowly, incredibly confused at the turn of events taking place.
"It's a long story. But, I'm the Master. I've taken over the planet, and started my slaughter of humanity." He cheers as she goes to follow the man.
"Are you on something?" She wonders, staying further back, unsure of how quick the mans moods can change.
"No." He states as he catches her hands start to burn, flames sprouting from her fingertips until her whole fist is clenched with a burning red flame. "Oh, there's no need for that. I'm already releasing you. Come on, follow me."
"I could just kill you." She adds as she decides to trust the man for now, after all… he did release her.
"You could." The Master watches her closely before continuing. "But I'm a friend. An ally. I want nothing more than for magic to exist freely." He admits as a longing enters his eyes.
"Why?" she questions, watching him like a hawk.
"Follow me." He demands as they make their way out of the base and she watches as around her blood seeps the ground and spheres fly around, shooting any human down. "I'm not from this planet." He admits as he watches her eyes light up in glorious retribution, happy to see the destruction of her captors around her.
"What are they?" She wonders, glazing over the fact that he himself was an alien for now.
"Is this our new friend, Mister Master?"
"These are the Toclofane. It's complicated but they're helping me with the human problem here." He says as she waves towards one of the spheres and laughs as it does a little twirl in the air for her.
"Okay..." She trails off in shock.
"Give us a minute dears." He asks nicely to the spheres, giving the two a little privacy. "Earlier, humanities 'first contact' with aliens was televised globally. The US president was given the lead to address the alien species, my Toclofane, but they didn't want him. I took over, and killed him on air. Then, the sky cracked and they came down in hordes, slaughtering 10% of the human population."
"Why?"
"They remind me of Time Lords. They slaughtered my people on my planet too. I'm the last one left now." Grief seeps through his voice and the girl watches on as he loses himself in memories for a second.
"I'm sorry." She says quietly but he ignores it, knowing it didn't change a thing.
"Well, I couldn't see it happen again. But, a week ago, once I made my cabinet and the UN aware of my interaction with an alien species, they briefed me on people like you. Benders. People who can manipulate the elements. UNIT and the UN said it was time I knew. That most heads of state aren't made aware. Well, my plans changed soon after that. I decided to let Elemental Benders live." He said, and the girl was confused at the mans quick change in moods.
"Kind of you." She sarcastically added as he grinned.
"Oh, I know. But what shocked me the most is you." He watches her then closely, eyes falling over her before he continues. "On my planet, Gallifreyans with magic were the same. Same powers, just different strengths but that was more a matter of learning how to use our gifts. Here, it manifested in different styles. Fire, earth, water and air."
"Actually, that would be Fire, Air, Water and Earth. That's the correct cycle." She adds on as he grins knowingly.
"Yes, of course. Anyway, not only did magic here exist in 4 different ways, but there was you." He walks closer as he begins to circle her for a second, taking everything about this girl in and wondering how she had made the whole worlds governments fear her very existence. "The Avatar. A being capable of mastering all 4 elements. A person who was supposedly reincarnated into each new nation, following the cycle as you call it. And I must say, I am intrigued." He stops right in front of her, a foot between the two.
"Really?" She questions in shock, wondering how she was that impressionable on a literal alien.
"The stories I've heard of you. It's incredible."
"Thanks, I guess." She throws out off-handedly.
"Yes, well... I couldn't allow for this treatment any longer." He states.
Eyeing him up with suspicion, "What's the catch?", she wonders as she knows no-one ever does this much without wanting something in return.
"No catch."
"I find that hard to believe. Everyones got a hidden agenda."
With a sigh, he begins to explain. "On my planet, there was a war fought. Between the Time Lords and a race called the Daleks. The Daleks weren't bothered with us. It wasn't our war, but one rose up against our oppressors, and almost won. But something happened. We lost, and both races wiped us out then... Point is... I fought for the chance for people like me to live freely, and to never go through what I went through."
"Your magic... what happened to it?" She asks the question that's been nagging at the back of her head.
"You know it's gone?" He wonders, unsure if she could actual sense his lost magic.
"It's not gone... It's just... locked away." She explains as she seems to look straight through him for a second.
"Exactly what do you mean by that?" The master questions as Ash is in deep in thought.
"I can sense it, almost. But it's like there's a wall around it, blocking it. And there's this sound... like..." She trails off as she sees his eyes widen.
"Drums?"
"Yeah." Ash admits, "Can you hear that in your head?"
"Always…They put it in my head, somehow it stops me using my gifts." He grieves as he mentions this and Ash can't help but hate the people who did this to him.
"I'm so sorry."
"I wouldn't wish it on anyone else." He tells her before grinning madly. "It's made me a bit insane."
Ash smiles at him before questioning him again, "So, no catch?"
"No. None."
"So, what now?" She asks him as the two look over the toclofane as they slaughter humans.
"You gather your people, build a home for them. Let them live happily. No humans will bother you."
"And if they do?" Ash says as she worries.
"Tell me, I'll send the Toclofane down." He reassures her.
"No."
"No?" He looks at her strangely as the Master thought she'd be for the idea.
"I'm the protector of my people. Sworn to save them. I thought to do that I'd have to show the humans a better way... They aren't capable of changing. For months, they've tortured me, cut me open. No more trying to change them. Now, we'll take what we want. No more pain, no more suffering." Ash tells him, her gaze hardening at the future ahead. This avatar had had enough of being pushed around by humans.
"I completely agree." The blonde says as he wickedly grins at his new partner in crime.
"Avatar Ashlyn." She sticks her hand out to him, sealing this deal.
"Call me Koschei."
This is chapter 2, it took me a while but I accidentally deleted everything and then life got in the way. chapter 3 is already written, it just needs editing but please, leave a review. I'm hoping this is going to be a long one and it'll be a while yet until Ash and the Doctor meet.