Even with the perception filters it hadn't been an easy task to get into the place where Harold Saxon was meeting President Winters, but now they were there, the Doctor, Jack and Martha could watch the proceedings. Find out what was going on. As the scene in front of them unfolded, the Doctor couldn't help but be slightly amused at the ease with which the Master managed to wind up the president. He always had known exactly what would wind someone up. Exactly how far to push it. Plotting and scheming as ever. What was he up to? Something devious no doubt. It usually was. It was the words he heard emerge from the other Time Lord's lips which the Doctor felt confirmed that he had to stop him. As Winters left, the Master turned to Lucy who was stood by his side.

"The last President of America," he almost whispered to Lucy. His wife, the Doctor's brain reminded him, with a pang of jealousy. He wished things were different. He wished he could be as free as Lucy was to be with the Master. HIS Master. Or if that were not possible, he wished he could forget those days from long ago. Those feelings he had felt, and still felt deep down inside. Wished he could be free to stop the Master purely as enemies, with no complications. It had been no easier for his previous regenerations, when they… he… had encountered the Master. Or maybe it had. He had spent so much time with humans over the years, that he had gradually become more human. And it hurt, all those emotions, as one by one he lost all those he truly cared about. Not being able to be with the only one he would ever truly love. When he'd found Rose, he'd thought, hoped, longed that she would fill the gaping hole that the absence of his Kos had left. But he realised no one ever could. Not really. And he really did love Rose, even if he hadn't ever managed to tell her. And he missed her so much. So wished he could be with her again. But even the immense pain that losing he had left him with was nothing compared to the heartbreak he'd felt when he thought he'd lost is Koschei forever. The feelings he now felt as his hearts still yearned for the other Time Lord, standing so close. So near, yet so far. Longing to be together once more but knowing they couldn't.

As he looked on, hearts aching, the Master turned around. Looking directly at the spot where the three of them stood, before turning his head slightly. It was almost as if… But no. Of course he couldn't see them. Not with the perception filters. He continued to watch the Time Lord stood before him. Someone so familiar in a body so strange. He longed to be able to forget everything the Master had done. To be able to rush over to his old lover. To embrace him. To kiss him once more. To feel the touch of another Time Lord's mind. To share that intimacy once again. His thoughts turned once again to his younger self. To all the time he had spent with his Koschei. The passion between them. The nights spent together. All those wonderful times. A blush spread across his face as he remembered all they had done together. Rassilon he was glad it was dark. He mentally slapped himself for the direction of his thoughts. That was hundreds of years ago now. Why did it have to come flooding into his mind at this precise moment? When he knew he could never let anything happen. Not now. Not with everything the Master had done and was doing and was planning to do. The sound of a siren brought him back to reality as a police van pulled over. The Master laughed and ran over to it as the Jones family were bundled out. He greeted them as though they were old friends, here to visit, not the prisoners of a madman.

"Hi guys!" he called to them cheerfully, still laughing. "All will be revealed!"

The Doctor turned to look at Martha, noting the distress at the thought of what was happening to her family.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, her voice so full of disgust at the Time Lord who was doing all this. It was obvious to the Doctor that she was about ready to run over them. To try to rescue them.

"Don't move," he told her firmly, placing a hand gently on her arm. If she gave them away now, that would be it. The Master would have all the cards, and the Jones family would have suffered for nothing. Although, he supposed they were anyway.

"But…"

"Don't," he said again, even more firmly. They couldn't be noticed just yet. They watched on, unseen, as the Jones family were forced into a Land rover.

"I'm gonna kill him," Martha whispered spitefully. The Doctor held back this slight amusement. So many had tried and failed to do just that. The Master had even managed to cheat death upon reaching his final regeneration. Taking over another's body. What human could stop him? But even so, were she to try, it would still break his hearts. Despite all the terrible things he'd done. As bad as they were, somewhere deep down inside, his Koschei was still there. He had to be. And he couldn't bare to lose him again.

"Say I use the perception filter to walk up behind him and break his neck?" Jack suggested. The Doctor turned and glared for him. Deep inside a voice that was so rarely noticeable was screaming. Screaming for them to leave Kos alone. That little part of him that was still Theta. The part of him that reminded him of how the Master had been before. When he was purely Koschei, nothing more.

"Now that sounds like Torchwood," he stated with a further glare, that would undoubtedly be interpreted as further hatred of Torchwood after the events of Canary Wharf, rather than the idea of killing the Master.

"Still a good plan," responded Jack, raising his eyebrows slightly.

No. That was never a good plan. 'Especially when it's Kos,' whispered the Theta part of his mind. No. It wasn't even an option. Not ever.

"He's a Time Lord," he said aloud, looking ahead to the goings on. Avoiding Jack's eyes. Knowing Jack, if he saw into the Doctor's eyes now, he would be able to see a flicker of the conflict going on inside. He would work out that there was more to their… relationship… than he was letting on. "Which makes him my responsibility. I'm not here to kill him." And never would be. "I'm here to save him." Save him from himself. From the darkness. From the insanity. And if possible, the drumming. Because maybe if he was freed from them, his Koschei could return to him. Even though he had barely known Koschei without those drums. Only for a matter of minutes. An hour or two at most. But surely he would be better without them. Or failing that, maybe he could quieten them. Make it bearable for his love. And if he could save him. Well, maybe then they could finally be together again. Together forever. Lovers for eternity, as they had always promised one another they would be. They could once again be the inseparable Theta and Koschei. As his thoughts once again threatened to overwhelm him, Jack was working on his vortex manipulator.

"Aircraft carrier Valiant," he was saying, as the Doctor dragged himself from his thoughts. "It's a UNIT ship at twenty eight point two north and ten point oh two east" Martha looked across at him.

"How do we get aboard?"

The Doctor glanced at Jack.

"Does that thing work as a teleport?" he asked hopefully. Now they knew where the Master was headed, they had to get there too. Find him. Stop him. Save him. He just… had to. All the while plans were forming in his head. The Master always had plans for every eventuality. Plans and back up plans. He plotted and schemed and was ready, and for once he wanted to be ready too. Ready to face the Master and win.

"Since you revamped it, yeah," Jack responded. "Co-ordinates set."

The Doctor took hold of Martha's hand and placed it on the manipulator, making sure all three had contact before activating, carrying them away from that place and to the Valiant, each of them groaning as they landed roughly on board.

"Oh, that thing is rough!" commented Martha from where she had landed on the floor.

"I've had worst nights!" came the response from Jack. So typical of him, thought the Doctor as he straightened and took at a look around at the ship. "Welcome to the Valiant," added Jack.

"It's dawn," stated Martha, sounding slightly confused as she stood and walked across to the porthole to look out. "Hold on, I thought this was a ship. Where's the sea?" she said, gazing out of the porthole, trying to make sense of it.

"A ship for the 21st century," explained Jack as he joined Martha at the porthole. "Protecting the skies of planet Earth." The three of them gazed out of the porthole. It was impressive, the Doctor had to admit. Something that had been designed very well by the humans. Very well indeed.

Elsewhere aboard the Valiant, the Master and Lucy were arriving in the room where contact with the 'Toclafane' was to take place. The room was full of activity – camera crews setting up, military personnel and more. To any watching Harold and Lucy Saxon's arrival, it seemed that Harold Saxon was bored, unimpressed and not really wanting to be there. Lucy on the other hand was looking around in awe and wonder at the ship around her, taking in every little detail. And while Lucy genuinely was in awe of her surroundings, her husband was merely putting on a show – something he was well practiced at – while inside he was running over all his plots, plans and schemes. The many different variations, dependant on all of the uncontrollable variables – how Winter's behaved. How the different people would respond to the forthcoming events. And the Doctor. The most unpredictable of all the variables. But even then, he knew the Doctor well. Had known him for many hundreds of years. He had changed a lot in his regenerations, yes, but really, in essence, he was still Theta. The compassionate little boy who cared too much about everything for his own good. His Theta. He had heard the longing in the Doctor's voice when they had spoken. A longing which was hidden when it came to any one else. Anyone who didn't know the Doctor as well as he did. And let's face it, no one knew the Doctor as well as he did. Except perhaps that old TARDIS of his. She knew him very well. A consequence of their years travelling together. But he could see what the Doctor had hidden from so many others. The Doctor had long ago learned how to hide his feelings. But not from his Master. He held back the grin which would otherwise have spread across his face. It would be so much easier to break the Doctor knowing those emotions were still there. But even so, the Doctor was stubborn. He would try to stop him before ever letting any feelings interfere. He had seen it so many times before. He knew it from the past. But everything was in place, and his plans had been set into motion, and there were things in place for every eventuality. He had toyed with the idea of further embarrassing the Doctor with a kiss before the next phase of his plan was carried out. But no. As enjoyable as that would be for him, in more ways than one, the Doctor would probably take it as a sign that there was still hope. And he couldn't have that. Besides, he couldn't risk the affection he had once felt for his rival returning. Because in the same way that he could read the Doctor, the Doctor could read him better than any other. And as much as he had suppressed it, somewhere in the back of his mind, a small part of him was still Koschei. And Koschei still loved Theta, as he always had. He had long since mastered the art of suppressing that part of himself, but deep down he was still there. And as long as he was, the Doctor could not discover it.

As he walked into the room, he let a smile spread across his face as he spotted the President. He continued to scheme in the back of his mind as he spoke, easily annoying the American.

"Anything I can do? I could make tea or isn't that American enough? I don't know, I could make grits. What are grits, anyway?" he rambled in a way that he knew would irritate Winters in just the right way. Winters raised an eyebrow at him.

"If you could just sit," he demanded as though talking to a disobedient dog. Saxon rolled his eyes and turned away, his face contorting into a look of disgust.

"Misery guts," he intoned to Lucy. "What do you think?" he asked his wife as they headed towards the central conference table. "It's good, isn't it?" he continued, pulling out a chair for her to sit on.

"It's beautiful!" she breathed, looking around the room in wonder as she lowered herself into the seat offered.

"Some of my best work," he said as he bent down, whispering in her ear. "Ministry of defence." He straightened again, moving round to take his own seat. "I helped design this place," he informed her, sitting down beside her and leaning in closer. "Every detail." He straightened his tie and smirked. Oh the Doctor was in for a big surprise when he arrived. And he would. Very soon, if he wasn't already here. After all these years, the Doctor still thought he was clever enough to outsmart his Master. But the Master worked at his plans, carefully constructing them. Every detail. Whereas the Doctor… well the Doctor just blundered into situations and then blundered his way back out again. Well blundering wouldn't help the Doctor out of this one… Not this time.

Elsewhere aboard the Valiant, the Doctor was, as predicted, already there, running down corridors with Jack and Martha in close pursuit. Suddenly he heard a sound. A familiar sound. He came to a halt, putting his full attention to the source and location of that noise. Jack and Martha stopped too, slightly annoyed.

"We've got no time for sightseeing!" said Jack, slightly exasperated. The Doctor held up his hand as a signal to be quiet.

"No, no. Wait. Shh, shh, shh. Can't you hear it?" he asked them. It was her. He was sure of it. She was onboard somewhere very close.

"Hear what?" asked Jack, somewhat confused. Oh he'd forgotten how poor human's hearing was.

"Doctor, my family's on board," stated Martha, as she strode past, annoyed. He ignored this. Oh yes, it had to be her. Definitely. A broad grin spread across his face.

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed. "This way!" he added, before heading off in a different direction, following those, oh, so familiar sounds around the corridors, before throwing open a set of doors. "Oh, at last!" he sighed as his beloved TARDIS came into view. Oh he'd missed her.

"Oh, yes!" said Martha, laughing as she saw the familiar blue box standing ahead of them.

"What's it doing on the Valiant?" Jack asked, voicing the silent question in the others minds. Well obviously the Master had some plan for her, but what it was, was yet to be determined. The Doctor strode forward and pushed the doors of his TARDIS, somewhat surprised to find them left open. As soon as he stepped inside however he knew that there was something drastically wrong with his poor TARDIS. A red light bathed her interior, giving it a menacing look. Her console had components removed and was caged, like a wild animal. So this was why the Master had seen fit to leave the TARDIS doors unlocked. Besides the fact that she couldn't go anywhere in this state, he suspected it was to break his hearts once more as he saw what had been done to his wonderful ship. His only constant companion throughout all the long years. Seeing how she hurt, feeling her groan in pain was almost enough to make him hate the Master. Almost. But there was still that little niggling in the Theta part of his mind that even now stopped him. That, despite everything that the Master had done, and was doing, still couldn't forget Koschei and the bond between them. For the time being at least though, Theta was crammed right to the back of his mind as his worry for his TARDIS's well being set in and pushed out everything else.

"What the hell's he done?" asked Jack, looking at the TARDIS. At the Master's handiwork.

"Don't touch it," he instructed the others. Oh this wasn't looking good at all.

"I wasn't going to," Jack responded.

"What's he done though?" asked Martha as the Doctor moved up closer to examine the caged console. "Sounds like it's… sick." SHE thought the Doctor. SHE'S sick. Oh his human companions never seemed to understand that his TARDIS was so much more than just a piece of machinery used purely as a tool to travel time and space. That she was alive. He'd given up trying to explain how she was a sentient being as well long ago. But Martha was right. She was definitely sick.

"It can't be," he stated, knowing full well that it could and was. "No, no, no, no, no, no, it can't be, " he said again as though repetition of it might undo what the Master had done to his precious TARDIS. Return her to her usual healthy self.

"Doctor, what is it?" asked Martha, concerned, although more by the Doctor's expression and the fact that the TARDIS was no longer an option for helping them to get out of this mess than for the ship herself.

"He's cannibalised the TARDIS," the Doctor almost literally spat the words out, allowing his rage at the Master's actions to expose itself, to push down even further those feelings deep inside which could ruin everything for both himself and all the billions of people on the planet below if they were set loose now, and allowed to grow once more as they had back on Gallifrey when there had been no reason to suppress them. Nothing in the way. A look of realisation had dawned on Jack's face.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked the Doctor.

"It's a paradox machine," he informed them bitterly. As he continued to examine the TARDIS and the damage done another memory rose unbidden to mind.

Theta and Koschei were in the library reading. Theta was reading about the one subject that could capture his attention for more than about a minute, even when in Koschei's company – the planet Earth. For some reason it had always fascinated him and stories of it always caught his imagination. Meanwhile Koschei had chosen a tome on the workings and construction of paradox machines, as well as why they were completely illegal. They sat there studiously for a while, each engrossed in their chosen subject. Theta was, as usual, the first to lose interest. Even Earth could only provide a distraction from his Koschei for so long. He turned to glance at the one he loved who was still engrossed, apparently oblivious to Theta. He leaned so he was resting against Koschei's arm and rested his head on the other boy's shoulder, glancing down at the text being read.

"Good book?" he asked in a whisper, breaking the silence. Koschei looked at Theta, a smile playing across his lips making Theta's hearts flutter in a way that no one else could ever have achieved.

"Oh yes," came the reply as he purposefully ignored the look of adoration that was now on Theta's face. "A most insightful read, although why anyone would want to make one is beyond me!" he continued with a grin. He looked into his lovers eyes for a moment, before leaning and planting a kiss on him, causing an adorable blush to spread across Theta's cheeks as he returned it.

The Doctor shook himself. Stop it, he scolded himself silently. He had no doubt that it was from that very book that the Master had learned how to turn his TARDIS into a paradox machine. He inspected a gauge in front of him, tapping on it.

"As soon as this hits red, it activates," he stated in an attempt to return his thoughts to the present. "At this speed," he continued, looking at the watch on Jack's wrist. "it'll trigger at two minutes past eight." So they knew when everything was going to kick off, but they still had no idea what was going to happen. Knowing the Master, it would be very dangerous, but absolutely spectacular.

"First contact is at eight and then two minutes later…" said Jack ominously.

"What's it for? What's a paradox machine do?" asked Martha, confused. Unlike the others she had only recently discovered the worlds beyond Earth, and so knew next to nothing about this, part of the Doctor's universe.

"More importantly, can you stop it?" asked Jack. He knew how dangerous these things could be. Knew they had been banned long ago for a reason.

"Not until I know what it's doing. Touch the wrong bit and blow up the solar system," the Doctor stated. Probably not a good idea. If he only had longer then he might have been able to figure it out, but with mere minutes…

"Then we've got to get to the Master," said Martha. Yes. They did, time to stop him.

"Yeah. How do we stop him?" asked Jack. And for once he had planned. For once he had considered how the Master might be thinking and had come up with something clever. Something which might work.

"Oh, I've got a way. Sorry, didn't I tell you?" the Doctor responded grinning cheekily but unwilling to share any further. Oh he had a way, and if he was careful, no one would have to get hurt. Not this time.