Chapter Eight
The Doctor groaned and rolled to his feet. The Master, in his new body stood over him arms raised meekly in surrender. Behind the Doctor stood River, her Alpha Meson blaster aimed at the Master's chest. The Doctor shook himself and his back clicked, causing instant relief. He stared into the Master's eyes and was overcome with a realisation. He turned to Gandalf who, along with Aragorn and several soldiers, had crossed the gap between them and formed a ring around their prisoner.
"Gandalf, my friend, does this man look like the Pallando you know?" he asked.
"My memory of him is shady to say the least, Doctor, but yes, I think this man is an Istari," replied Gandalf. The Doctor stared at the man before him, and then gestured at the guards. Two stepped forward at his bidding and seized the Master, pulling his staff from his grip. They then proceeded to lead him away, heading for the dungeons. The Doctor sighed before addressing Aragorn.
"Is there a room I can talk to him in? I need to know how this is possible?" he asked.
"Of course," replied the King. "I'll send him to you."
Two hours later and the Doctor perched on the edge of the table in his room, staring at the Master, who was chained to the bed. In the corner of the room stood River Song, blaster at the ready. The Master wore a devious grin, his eyes dancing with sparks of evil. However, the closer the Doctor looked the more he could see another part to the man before him, one that reminded him of Gandalf.
"Tell me how you got here and how you took this man's body. The last time I saw you, you were trapped on Galifrey, inside the time lock," said the Doctor, questioningly. The Master's grin widened and he blinked several times in the minute of silence that followed the Doctor's word, giving him the look of a startled lizard.
"Very well Doctor. I shall tell you. I was trapped, as you say, in the time lock. The body I was in had not been healed properly by the gate, so it was still dying. So I regressed back, into childhood, like my old friends, the Toclafane. As you know, Time Lord children grow using regeneration energy, meaning in theory I couldn't die. My body, however, thought different. It went to war with itself, and there could only be one winner. I would either live or die."
"I don't know how long it took before I became aware again, but when I did, I had achieved the dream of the President. I had ascended to a being of consciousness alone. At least, that's what I thought. However, I now existed as pure regeneration energy, which meant I could escape the time lock. I flew into the untempered schism unprotected. That was my first mistake. We are children of the time vortex, Doctor. It was too powerful for me. I was absorbed by it. I existed at every point in time and space simultaneously, even in alternate universes."
"It was hell. It took all my concentration not to be ripped apart. Soon, however I discovered weak points in the time vortex, places I could break through. After this revelation, I immediately pulled myself together as best I could and forced my way through one of the very weak points. I emerged into Middle-Earth and immediately possessed an Easterling. It was too much for him. He burned up within seconds. But as luck would have it, a stronger body was passing. Pallando the Blue, keeper of one of the five rods of power, strode by carelessly. I possessed him instantly. He still fights you know. That is what keeps the body alive. However, once I overpower him, I can use my excess regeneration energy and become a fully fledged Time Lord once more!" His voice rose to a shout at the end of his speech, spittle flying from his mouth. The Doctor took one look at him, disgust mingled with understanding on his face.
"You will never have his body. I will force you out and destroy you forever," he said, in a deadly whisper. He nodded and River seized the Master by the arm before leading him from the room. The Doctor sighed. For now, the immediate threat was defeated. But until the Master was removed and Pallando restored, Middle-Earth wouldn't be truly safe.