Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or Assassin's Creed Rogue.

This chapter will also reveal the changes brought about by Edward's actions after hearing the Master's predictions of his death. It had an impact on events and changed the path of some characters. And there will be significant changes to the canon of Assassins Creed due to the Master's actions.

On with the story…

The Master Chronicles 9 - Stabilisation

University of Urbinia, 51st Century…

Graduation Day, a day all students hope for.

Jaime was sitting in the front row, having spent three years studying a large number of subjects the Master had ordered her to study. If not for her not needing as much sleep not to mention the incredible program and learning machines they had here it would likely have taken her most of a decade to cover all the subjects the Master had told her to study otherwise.

Temporal Theory, Quantum Physics, Astrophysics, Biology, Tribophysics, Geoscience, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Robotics, Engineering, Medicine, Biomodelling, Higher Dimensional Physics, Quantum Engineering, Mathematics and Physics.

The amount of information she had to assimilate was truly insane and she had almost driven herself nuts with all the studying she had to do. The learning machines they used had been her only saving grace as they made it possible to do it all in the allowed time.

The exams had been some of the hardest she had ever imagined but she had passed and gotten her qualifications! She beamed with pride as weirdly she had finally gotten to go into higher education and received the student experience that she had been denied again and again back on Earth.

All thanks to the Master.

Her Master she thought with a smile, her eyes astonished as she approached the stand to receive her degrees and she saw him sitting there in the front row. He smiled at her and she was actually amazed he had come.

He had actually come to see her graduate!

She would have teared up if she had the emotion to manage it although she would rather die than actually appear so weak, she thought with disgust at the mere thought of it. The Master certainly would end her for such a display so she kept on smiling and accepted her degrees. He politely joined in the applause and as she left to return to her seat. Smirking as despite having now tasted being a student, she was eager to get back out there and have some fun.

- x -

The Master's Tardis, A Day Later…

Jaime was standing at the controls of the Tardis, just doing to some basic checks while she waited for her Master who eventually entered the room with a slightly dazed look on his face.

"Jaime…would you be able to tell me, exactly what happened last night?" He asked her with confusion as he wasn't able to remember most of it which was quite disconcerting. Jaime smirked a little as she told him, enjoying that for once she was the one in the know.

"Well, you tried some Urbinia wine. Seemed to hit you rather hard as you started acting a little drunk sir. I took you back to the Tardis and then you started us off. You went to Skonnos, a nasty little empire and started a civil war just for fun." Jaime said with a wider smirk. "And then you took us to Messaline and infected the mission commander of a joint Hath-Human terraforming project with Byzantine Fever. It killed him I think." Jaime said, not knowing for sure since they had left before seeing it all play out. Since Byzantine Fever was not contagious and usually fatal, she guessed he would have died but the colonists would likely have been left untouched, but what that would mean for the colony in the long run who knows? She thought with a shrug, it hardly mattered and if it bothered them, they could always look it up later.

"Urbinia Wine? Tasted more like Ginger beer to me." The Master said with the echo of a headache, not wanting to admit to his servant that Ginger beer had some quite undesirable effects on Time Lord physiology. If drunk in moderation it wasn't too bad but too much of it and it would be the equivalent of an all-night drinking binge of vodka and whisky for a human.

Wanting to put this incident out of mind he smiled at his companion and told her his next scheme, making sure the subject changed and they would never speak of this again.

"Well, I located a prize that would be of great benefit to not only me but the Timelords in general while you attended university. It lies on Earth in the middle of the eighteenth century and once more we must enter the world of the Assassins and Templars." The Master said with a smirk.

"It's a bit close to when we were there last time sir. Are you sure no-one will recognise us?" Jaime asked, worried as they had already been to the earlier part of that century before and it was close enough that people might remember them.

"Of don't worry yourself. Life expectancy in that day and age was much shorter so no I don't think anyone will recognise us. Now before we go, there are one or two things we need to pick up first. Also, you may want to fashion yourself a special outfit, you'll need it where we're going." The Master said, setting the co-ordinates for 1755. The days of sail and blood, of this was going to be fun the Master thought with a vicious smirk that Jaime shared as they prepared themselves for another adventure.


Davenport Homestead, North America…Earth…May 1756…

Achilles Davenport was mindful, not sure if getting involved in this new war between the British and the other European powers over the Colonies was a good idea. There was a reason to get involved, namely for the support and influence it would get for the Brotherhood, especially if they helped the French gain the advantage but Achilles himself was not sure this was the best course of action for his branch to follow. The others were all for it, eager to take the fight to the Templars who were now he believed backing the English.

Another reason for him and the others to support the French.

A gentle knock on the door made him look up and he bid them to enter, seeing Hope arguably the most loyal and trusted of his friends he smiled and told her.

"Good morning, Hope. I hope your work with Mr Franklin is proving useful?" He asked her and she smiled warmly before telling him.

"Oh yes Achilles. He is most learned and a good ally to the Brotherhood." Hope told him before finally getting around to telling him just what she had come in to say. "A message just arrived, two of the British Brotherhood will be coming here to meet with us and assist us against the Templars. If the tides are right, they should be here within the week." Hope told him with some sadness still in her face, as if remembering that unfortunate event on the cliff with Shay some weeks back.

"Strange, but welcome. The War will stretch our forces thin and the extra help would be useful." Achilles said and asked her, suddenly becoming serious. "Any sign of the manuscript?"

Hope didn't seem to want to answer as she had been hoping to find more than the manuscript but ever the professional, she answered his question with calm and poise.

"No, afraid not. Sir…some of the things that Le Chasseur has been bringing in…poisonous gas. No assassin should use a weapon so indiscriminate." Hope said, really not liking to use a weapon that could endanger many innocent people but Achilles waved her concerns aside.

"I don't think we shall need it but a weapon in our arsenal is better than a weapon in theirs. Now let us make ready for our guests." Achilles said with a smile, banishing his own concerns in the face of new developments.

- x -

One Week Later…

Achilles had gathered his people here to greet their new arrivals, he was keen to gain some additional help in the struggle to come and two trained assassins would be of great value to him.

However, when their ship appeared in the early morning sun, he was quite surprised.

A Man O War appeared and was flying the flag of the Assassins quite clearly. That shocked him that they would be so open as to their allegiance but still if the ship was to stay around, he thought with a smile, it would be useful to their small but powerful navy.

"I think its Portuguese built." Louis-Joseph said as he peered through a telescope to examine the ship while it was still at a distance, knowing the most about ships of all of them. "Well constructed too and with a lot of modifications. Must have cost a fortune."

"Unless they took it from someone else." Liam said with a smirk that let them all know what he was thinking.

"Regardless, let us hope it is a useful vessel for us in the times ahead." Kesgowaase said with his usual to the point attitude.

The large ship when close enough anchored itself and lowered a small boat so its passengers could come ashore. Achilles was there to meet them as were his people and was surprised by the two people that got out of the boat the moment it touched the sand.

The first out was a young dark-haired woman of fair complexion, nothing wrong with that he thought as she was clearly a member of their Order by the robes she wore. A white shirt but with a dark purple waist coat with black breeches and boots. Over this was a long black coat with purple highlights. Around her waist was a belt with the symbol of their order, two swords and a pair of pistols not to mention some pouches for presumably smoke bombs, extra shot for the pistols and darts for the dart pipe on her back. Her sleeves slid back slightly for a moment letting them all see the glint of steel tips underneath.

The second was very different, fair skinned like the woman but much older. Much older than Achilles himself with white hair and a wrinkled face. He wore much finer clothes than they all did with expensive looking materials and elaborate stitching, he also looked rather frail as he needed the woman's help to get out of the boat and a walking stick at least a little as they came up the beach towards them.

"Greetings, you must be the Mentor, Achilles Davenport. My what a lovely setting to base yourself." The old man said in a cultured and intelligent voice, English accent. "I am Giles Thynne, British Brotherhood of Assassins. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Giles Thynne said with a smile. "This is my protégé Miss Teresa Hanson." He said introducing the young woman that had helped him. She nodded respectfully to Achilles which surprised him as even those that saw past the colour of his skin rarely treated him with deference.

"It is rare for us to receive members of the British Brotherhood here. May I ask what it is you are here for?" Achilles asked and Giles just smiled before saying.

"Oh, the reason for my presence is fairly simple. I am here to help you establish the Brotherhood as a stronger presence here by offering not just my skills but also my ship. The Maestro del Mar." Giles said with a smile, gesturing almost grandly to the large ship now anchored off the shore.

"Master of the Sea?" Louis-Joseph translated from Spanish. Giles seemed pleased with the name and nodded.

"Indeed, it is an apt title though. Sixty-four cannons, thirty-two aside and all of very good quality. Six forward chase cannons, and two sets of twin mortars. Puckle guns on the deck and all cannons with a good amount of varying ammunition. I have made some modifications to the bow and sails to increase her speed. Teresa is the one who commands her and does so very well if I can be so proud as her teacher." Giles said with a proud look at his student who smirked a little. "The ship is at your disposal and while I myself am far too old for field work these days Teresa is quite capable as a member of our order." Giles said, clearly very proud of his student.

"And what use are you?" Liam asked rather rudely but Hope jumped in.

"Liam! I am sorry for him, Mr Thynne! He has yet to master the art of good manners." She told him with some embarrassment, Liam still being in a bad mood over what happened with Shay just grunted in response. Giles didn't seem insulted though but did acknowledge her.

"It is quite alright my dear…sorry what is your name if you don't mind me asking?" Giles asked with a warm smile.

"Hope, Hope Jensen." Hope introduced herself and Giles nodded.

"Well thank you. Such a polite young woman. To answer the previous question my dear while I am unfortunately past doing field work, I have devoted myself to other activities that will aid the Brotherhood to grow stronger. I have made contacts in many different ports and have considerable skill as a merchant and trader. Not to mention I have considerable knowledge of various sciences. I am willing to put those skills to use in building up the Brotherhood here." Giles said and the mention of science seemed to excite Hope who eagerly asked him.

"Would it be possible for us to discuss some of the more up to date theories Mr Thynne? I would love to hear what they have been thinking of in England." Hope asked him and Giles gave a slight chuckle before telling her.

"But of course, my dear. It would be nice to discuss things with such an enquiring mind." Giles said and then turned back to Achilles. "If you wish it, I can show you some of my ideas and Teresa can demonstrate her skills?" Giles offered and Achilles nodded.

"Very well show us."

Giles turned to Teresa who nodded and ran forward and quickly scaled a tree before disappearing into the branches faster than any of them could follow. She barely made any noise as she moved and soon, they had completely lost her. Then while they were distracted, she appeared behind Liam who was closest to the trees and made the motion but didn't extend her hidden blades out so to not kill him. Liam jumped in shock and nearly lashed out with his fist but she easily parried the move and punched him in the gut.

"Impressive." Kesgowaase admitted which was rare for him to admit, she moved quickly and silently. Clearly well trained she would be a useful asset, especially with the loss of Shay Achilles thought with anger at the late man's actions. The loss of the manuscript was preventing them from continuing their research but Teresa was a potentially useful replacement for Shay.

"I should hope so. I never accept anything less than perfection." Giles said with a firmness that seemed out of character with the gentile man from a moment ago. "I as you can clearly see am not a young man and when I go, I intend to leave a worthy successor. I have been training Teresa since I found her as a girl, she has come a long way under my tutelage." He said with some pride and Teresa smirked a little before saying.

"And enjoyed every moment sir."

"That's the spirit." Giles said with a big smirk himself and the Assassins could clearly see the strong bond between them. "But before we settle in, I have some information that might be of value to you. It seems that a member of the Prussian Rite of the Templar Order is here to support the British's efforts with money. At present he is in New York; I can send Teresa to eliminate him and bring his assets back to us." Giles said with a cunning smirk.

To some of the Assassins like Hope it reminded them of a shark, a predator that was sizing up his prey and given his age if he had been an assassin since he was a young man and survived to this age, then he would be a formidable figure indeed. It made some of them uncomfortable and Achilles himself was reminded of some of the slave masters he had seen. Cruel and harsh people who enjoyed what they did to those they controlled.

That made him distrust the pair of them at first but he was right, they needed the extra help and if this hurt the English it was a move well made since the Brotherhood was more inclined to help the French and their allies.

"Very well, she may go but Liam will accompany her." Achilles said, wanting to keep an eye on them for now. Liam too nodded, taking his lead from his teacher and mentor.

"Splendid." Giles said not put off by this at all even if Teresa did pout at little at having an overseer on a mission with her. "I don't suppose you could spare a horse or two? It might be quicker than using the ship." Giles asked and Achilles nodded. "Good, then you can use the time to get to know your new colleagues my dear." Giles told her which she didn't look completely happy with but she respectfully nodded and turned to Liam.

"As you wish. Come we have work to do. I've already been briefed and I'll fill you in on the ride to New York." She said and started running up the hill a fairly brisk pace while made Liam run to keep up with her. Achilles and Giles watched them go and Giles smiled before saying.

"I just hope your man can keep up. She isn't one to suffer fools." Giles said with a chuckle. Achilles meanwhile couldn't help but feel nervous around him although he wasn't sure why.

- x -

North America Frontier, On Route to New York…

Seeing wild and untamed wilderness of North America before it was built over and changed was a strange experience for Jaime. She had not been back to America since she had joined the Master in his travels and it was something of a strange experience to be…home. But long before she knew it.

Weirder still to be riding on a horse towards New York with an Assassin at her side. The man already had her rolling her eyes. He was easy to read, traveling with the Master had taught her to read people and she was ready for him.

"So, who is the target?" Liam asked her as they made their way forward. The blatant suspicion in his voice was annoying but she pushed past that to get them in with the Brotherhood which they needed to do for their plan to work.

"Albert Reubilline. Apart from his association to the Templars he is a seller of precious stones. Quite a few mines here and there, but he also makes jewellery for many of the royal families and nobility around the world. Makes him a tidy profit while also giving him ears and influence in many high circles." Jaime told him, trying to keep up her friendly 'Teresa' act.

"So, he is arguably one of their greatest voices." Liam asked, understanding how he could acquire influence that way.

"Indeed. Taking him out would serve the Brotherhood well. Cut off the influence they gain through him and a fair source of funds in the process. He's staying at the Portside Inn." Jaime told him. Thankfully they reached the hill facing New York at that very moment and Jaime who had seen New York during her time was shocked at how different it was…now or was it then? She thought with some confusion at what pronouns to use.

It was strange as they rode into town, and it was more of a town than what she would call a city. Seeing history was something she had done before but it was a real treat to see America before it had even become a nation in its own right.

The smells, they weren't something history books didn't mention she thought with disgust. Wishing briefly that her sense of smell wasn't enhanced like her hearing and sight but put that aside as they approached the inn where the target was staying.

She didn't speak, instead she just dismounted her horse and tied it up with Liam doing likewise before they disappeared down a nearby alleyway. Once out of sight of people they both started scaling the walls till they reached the roof and seeing the 'city' stretch out around her was a sight that brought a smile to her face. But they had work to do and so they leapt across the rooftops to avoid being seen till they reached the inn. He was supposed to be in the top room with had a window large enough for them to get through. Jaime wasted no time in carefully slipping in to the room. A wealthy looking man sat at a small desk in the room which was covered in documents. Practise made her move silently across the room and impale the man with her hidden blades, he gasped but she held his mouth closed and stayed there till he stopped making noise. Taking a look at him she knew he was the right man from the images the Master had shown her in preparation for this operation. She looked at the documents and quickly grabbed as many of them as she could as they might be useful but then saw a letter addressed to him in elegant script.

"This is from Haytham Kenway himself." Jaime told Liam who had finally joined her in the room. Liam took the letter as she held it and read it carefully.

"So, he's coming back. Bad news for us." Liam said as Haytham had quite a reputation and they would need to be careful against him.

Jaime meanwhile was actually wondering just what Haytham was like? Was he his father's son or perhaps a different animal? She would enjoy the chance to find out.

Once they had quickly searched the room and made sure to leave nothing that was actually useful behind, they slipped out the same window they had come through. Back onto the roof and away the same way they had come just in reverse. Dropping down onto the alley below and then retrieving their horses and riding back out of New York to return to the Homestead.

Hours later when they returned to the Homestead and handed the documents over Achilles was impressed and nodded in approval.

"This information will be very useful. Good work." Achilles said with a distracted voice as he looked though the documents. At the other end of the table Giles/The Master sat with a smirk.

"Indeed, now I take it you are more willing to consider my proposals?" He said and Achilles nodded.

"If your apprentice is as good a sea captain as she is an assassin. Then by all means let us begin." Achilles said, keen to see if his ideas bore fruit. Giles smirked as did Teresa, knowing it was all falling into place.


Davenport Homestead, North America…December 1757…

The cold of North America as winter came in at this point in history was something to behold.

Jaime and the Master looked out at the snow-covered landscape and warmed themselves by the fire. Sipping hot chocolate that the Master had in his Tardis which was carefully concealed close by.

"How many ships did you sink this time my dear?" The Master asked her, eager to hear if she had been as successful as her last expedition. Jaime smirked as she boasted.

"Seventeen, all warships. No survivors." She added with a cold look in her eyes. "Four good ones captured though, to add to your trading fleet."

"Good. Needed some new ones." The Master said with a smile as he took a good sip of his hot chocolate.

One of his first moves when he had been accepted as a member of the Colonial Brotherhood of Assassins, as much as that made him laugh, had been to use ships Jaime took in her raids on British shipping to set up a trading fleet of his own and develop a network of resources to trade further abroad. This of course doubled as a communication and information network for the Assassins and for him in particular which delighted Achilles. It also swelled their coffers with a large amount of money that was being used to expand the Brotherhood and the network further. Also purchasing a fair number of businesses around the Colonies to fund the Brotherhood and expand their network of information.

That wasn't to say that they didn't spend all their time working, no the Master had used his own free time to enjoy some hobbies. He had built up a rather nice collection of first edition books and then tried his hand at writing, painting and sculpting and he was becoming quite good at it. This latest world, a landscape of the winter scene in front of them hanging nearby while the paint dried.

Even Jaime had tried her hand at writing, making a detailed account of the Voyages of the Red Wind when she had been its captain back during the Golden Age of Piracy.

He and Jaime had occasionally snuck off for some side adventures of their own including a recent trip into the Land of Fiction after nearly being caught stripping down Daleks. That had been an experience Jaime thought with amazement that something like that could exist. She had helped the Master as he wiped out the Greek Gods and conquered Mount Olympus, met many fictional characters and plundered incredible items before they had decided to leave and return here to finish their business.

For now, they were hip deep in the Seven Year War, knowing this would lead to the American War of Independence and the establishment of the United States of America was something of a heady feeling to Jaime, to be a part of such important history, even if she no longer really felt like she belonged in one place and time. Being rootless, constantly on the move and seeing all the amazing things she did was far too much a life to give up and she had grown far beyond what she was before.

All the same, Jaime thought with confusion. Sometimes she had echoes of feelings that shouldn't be possible, felt her old morals rising up for a short time from where she had left them dead and buried. She wanted to say something to the Master but dared not as she knew he would kill her or worse if he felt her loyalty was suspect. She was doing her best to suppress it but it kept on happening she thought with anger at her own weakness. The last thing she wanted was to go back to that stupid, simple, boring Jaime Sommers again! She thought with revulsion.

Achilles came barging in looking angry as they finished their drinks and told them shortly.

"It's confirmed! Shay Cormac is alive! And he's working for the Templars! He killed Kesegowaase and its only thanks to Liam that we got Monroe. The only good thing is we have the manuscript back." Achilles said with fury making his eyes seem to burn. The Master and Jaime blinked at his reaction and eventually the Master more out of amusement than anything else asked.

"Was there something you wanted?"

Achilles seemed to collect himself and realised how much of a fool he was making of himself and then came in to give the order he had wanted to give.

"I have received word the British intend to massively increase their naval forces in the area. We need to thin out their numbers and decrease their moral, Teresa must get out there and start cutting down their numbers." Achilles said sternly as part of him still felt uneasy around these two.

Jaime/Teresa was annoyed at the order and the Master knew full well it was pointless as the Battle of Louisberg was fast approaching when the British would send a massive fleet they couldn't hope to defeat. No matter what Achilles thought the war was lost but still he and Jaime had yet to complete their work so he turned to Jaime and told her.

"Well, my dear, it seems you must go hunting for the British Fleet again. Take care and do be careful with the ship. I do so hate having to repair it. They never get it exactly as it was." The Master told her which made her smirk and she replied.

"Of course. I'll see if I can find you anything nice while I'm away." Jaime told him with a glint in her eye.

Neither they nor Achilles noticed someone listening nearby, years of experience with the Assassins having made him an expert at moving quietly.

Adéwalé listened, not able to believe his ears as he had never thought to hear those familiar voices again, peaking briefly around the corner hoping dearly he was wrong his breath caught in his throat, seeing them both there.

The Master…and Christina Cunningham or whatever her real name was.

How in the depths of hell had those two not aged? He asked himself, he was a great deal older than he had been when he met those two for the first time and yet they looked exactly the same. Like for them no time had passed at all. He quickly fled the Homestead, wanting to tell Achilles what he knew but knew better than to say it with the Master around. That man's silver devilish tongue would wrap itself around Achilles and twist everything he said. No, he needed to see if he could find someone else in the Brotherhood who might listen to him and gain help to stop whatever it was those two devils were up to now.

He moved as quickly as his old bones would allow, down to the small dock where he barely managed to wave to Robert Faulkner and rushed to the Experto Crede, getting underway as fast as possible and setting a course for New York. He needed to see Hope Jensen as fast as possible and discover as much as he could about what those two had been up too. She was easily the most reasonable of all the Colonial Brotherhood and hopefully the smartest too, smart enough to under the danger they might be in.


Fort Arsenal, New York…April 1758…

Shay Cormac was taking a much-needed break from all the missions he was being given, he ran himself ragged moving all across the fronts of the war not to mention wherever he needed to be to stop his former brothers and sister in the Brotherhood. It saddened him to have to kill some of those he had fought alongside but so far, his friends Hope and Liam had yet to cross his path and he hoped they never would as despite the rest of the Brotherhood being absolute pricks, those two were not.

He sat back at his deck in the Fort's sitting room and looked at the documents that had reached him concerning the investment he had made in improving New York. Things seemed to be going well he thought with some satisfaction. But then he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps and looked up to see the Grand Master himself Haytham Kenway striding into the room in a rather urgent way.

Seeing the frustrated look on his face Shay knew something was wrong and stood up as this would likely involve some long-distance mission.

"We have a new problem." Haytham said with frustration as their efforts against the French and the Assassins had been hampered in recent months despite initial success. "It seems the Assassins have unleashed some new devil to strike at our ships. A Man O War named The Maestro del Mar commanded by the Assassins has been raiding the shipping lanes and sinking any British ship it comes across. It had become too much of a nuisance to ignore any longer and I am assembling a fleet to take it and her captain down. You will be leading it." Haytham said, clearly not in the mood for argument or debate today Shay noticed with annoyance at having to go out again.

"A little more information would be useful Haytham." Shay said with annoyance clear in his Irish accent. Haytham nodded and realised his own frustrations were getting the better of him. He took a breath and added.

"I am sorry but this is rather important Shay. It's probably the deadliest ship in these waters and is hurting not only our trade but also any military campaign the British are trying to wage. If it keeps up this strangle hold on us then the war may well turn in the French's favour. I've managed to pull two frigates, three brigs and a dozen gunboats to join us with the Morrigan at its head. All under your command." Haytham said with an expectant look and Shay who was an experienced sailor but not at leading fleets raised an eyebrow and spoke.

"I've not led before Haytham. Do we even know where she is?" He asked and Haytham nodded.

"But you know the sea and have more experience at sea than anyone else in the order. As to where she is right now, somewhere in the area of Nantucket." Haytham told him. Shay nodded, before asking.

"Do we know who is commanding the ship?" He asked, dearly hoping it wasn't one of his friends and Haytham nodded.

"A new recruit apparently, a woman surprisingly named Teresa Hanson. Anyone you know?" He asked and Shay was relieved at that as it wasn't one of his friends.

"No, best get the ship ready then." Shay said knowing he was going hunting.


Off the Coast of Nantucket, Two Weeks Later…

The Morrigan led the formation of English and Templar ships that Haytham had managed to pull together for this mission. The Grand Master himself stood alongside Shay and Christopher Gist as Shay steered the vessel on its course.

They had moved around the island, scanning for any sign of the ship they were hunting frustration grew in all of them. It was such a big ship; how did they keep missing it? They asked themselves as crewmen scanned the horizon looking for it.

To make matters worse the fog the area was notorious for was starting to come in and if they didn't find it soon, they were going to have to put into port for provisions. All of them were getting sick of waiting for some sign of this elusive ship.

Then finally on the last day, they got lucky!

"THERE SHE IS!" A voice from the crow's nest called out and they all looked up to see just where he was pointing and there emerging from the island in the distance was the Maestro del Mar.

It was a nice-looking ship Shay supposed with a fair bit of decoration but the number of cannons on the side made him feel very outgunned for a moment as he considered just how much firepower that ship had but when he considered the fleet that he had along with the Morrigan they could take her Shay thought with his confidence returning and changed course to intercept.

- x -

On board her own ship Jaime saw the Templar fleet approaching and smiled, wondering if they had a single clue just what she had in store for them.

You can't go about assembling a fleet without someone noticing and the Master had alerted her to the build up against her the moment he learned of it. That allowed her time to plan a response and more importantly, choose the battlefield which would make things more in her favour she thought with a cruel smirk.

She turned the helm quickly and aimed her ship straight into the fog and called out for full sail. The crew thinking that she meant to run did as she commanded but her next command surprised them all.

"Load all cannons. Green stripes! Dose the deck lights!" She called out which they did wondering just what she had in mind. Green stripes referred to the special cannon balls that had a variant of napalm in them to help burn enemy ships without blasting clean through the wooden hull. They were already hollow and broken but stuck back together with a mild adhesive and then break on contact with the special napalm that burned intensely and was very difficult to put out. Something she had cooked up to help in the war.

- x -

"If she gets in there, we'll never catch her!" Gist said with frustration seeing the enemy ship heading straight towards the fog bank. Despite having some of the quickest ships in these waters with them the enemy had a good head start on them and didn't seem to be lacking for speed.

"We have to try Mr Gist." Haytham said not wanting to let this menace escape again. Shay had a bad feeling about this but then decided to carry on and called out.

"FULL SAIL!"

The crew trusted him and did as he commanded, letting the Morrigan come up to her true speed as did the ships behind them but not fast enough as the enemy disappeared into the fog bank and with considerable reservations about this, Shay and the Templars went in after it.

- x -

The fog was so thick that it was impossible to see more than thirty feet, scaring many of the sailors who were superstitious and had all kinds of legends running through their heads.

Jaime however was calm and altered her course the moment she was sure and brought her ship around in a partly wide half circle. The ship responded and turned painfully slow but in the thick fog, just as she planned, she had the room to move and not be seen by her pursuers.

After a short wait, Jaime was calculating the distances in her head and she estimated that she must be close to the flank of the enemy fleet. She closed her eyes and listened, using her bionic hearing to pick up all the sounds around her. The creaking of the wood, the gentle ebb of the waves, the slight movement of the rigging.

There, she thought with a smirk as she found one of the enemy ships nearby. A large one too, probably one of the frigates she thought and with her incredible sense of sound she manoeuvred her ship into position, quietly getting ready so as to not alert them till she was ready.

Then at just the right moment, she struck.

"PORT SIDE CANNONS! FIRE!" She ordered and made all of her crew who were tense, jump before they did exactly as she commanded.

The port side guns erupted a massive wall of cannons balls just when she needed them too, sending their deadly wall of lead towards the enemy. Jaime was right as one of the frigates and a pair of gunboats were caught in the salvo. The balls shattering on impact, tearing into the wooden hull and the napalm setting it on fire. Puckle gunners on the deck let rip now they could see them and sent more flame causing ammunition into the other ships. Flames ripped into the ship while Jaime, smirking with satisfaction altered her course to avoid retaliation from the others till she had reloaded.

Moving deeper into the fog while she reloaded and searched out more of her prey.

- x -

Shay was now really getting nervous as he had no idea just where they were and where the rest of the fleet was. They had all quickly become lost in the fog bank and separated, worse he wasn't sure if they had been shooting at ghosts or each other as brief flashes in the fog not to mention the sounds of cannon fire let him know someone was shooting but it was hard in the thick fog to know just where it was coming from.

"Can't see anything now. Haven't heard anything either." Haytham said, now as worried as Shay and Gist were. It had been almost an hour since the last shot had been fired but not a single one of the other ships or the enemy had come close enough to be seen.

But then they noticed the light from the sun was getting brighter and the fog was thinning, finally breaking.

"Thank god." Shay said as at last, they could see just where they were going and what was around them. He watched carefully until the fog at last cleared and then what greeted their eyes shocked and horrified them.

All their fleet except the Morrigan itself was now sinking and on fire! Both frigates, the brigs and the gunboats all blazing wrecks that were slipping deeper into the sea.

"What the blazes!?" Haytham said in complete shock at their fleet being decimated.

"Nothing human could do this." Gist said never having heard of anything like this in all his days.

Shay meanwhile was just contemplating just what kind of person had Achilles brought into the Brotherhood that could do this?! He thought with horror, none of the ones he had known where this capable.

He was about to turn and see if there were any survivors to pick up when he got a warning from the lookout up in the crow's nest.

"SHIT! SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND US!"

Shay, Haytham, Gist and the rest of the crew all turned to look and saw the enemy ship was coming up behind them fast! A moment of complete shock rippled across the deck before chase cannons and mortar fire started falling all around them.

"SHIT!" Shay said as he firmly gripped the wheel and started taking evasive action. "FULL SAIL!"

"We are getting out of here! We can't take that monster alone!" Shay said loudly to Haytham not caring what the man said, he knew they were outclassed and outgunned. Haytham gritted his teeth, hating to admit defeat but knew Shay was right and just prayed they made it as they dodged the enemy fire as best that they could until finally they got out of range.

- x -

Jaime on the deck of her ship smirked as she saw the last ship, the Morrigan she believed flee with its tail between its legs. Even though she and the Master didn't give a damn about their politics it was satisfying to turn the tables on someone and send them packing she thought with a smirk.


Davenport Homestead, America…A Week Later…

"Well, it seems that the despicable Shay Cormac has fled with his tail between his legs." The Master said proudly to Achilles who nodded.

"That should see him off for a while, but I think we need to capitalise on this. I just wish Adéwalé would make contact. If he and Teresa launched a combined strike, we could decisively turn the war in our favour." Achilles said with an irritated sigh.

"Indeed, why he has been avoiding contact and for that matter so has Miss Jensen. Strange." The Master said with mock concern. "But I had to send Teresa out on patrol again since we had a large number of Templar ships coming in from Europe to replace the ones lost at Nantucket."

"And she won't be easy to find till she finishes." Achilles said with frustration, wishing he knew why Adéwalé and Hope had stopped communicating with him. Liam had confirmed they were both alive but they even seemed to be avoiding him too. What was going on? He thought with anger at the Brotherhood seeming to fall apart at the worst possible moment.

The Master didn't tell him that the supposed 'Templar' ships were not real and he had in fact sent Jaime to do some of the work towards their mission here. It was one of those rare occasions when he was unable to do it himself so he had to have Jaime do a good amount of the work on this one. It meant at least that he had more time to work on his plans and all were taking shape nicely.

It amused him that both of these supposedly great organisations had no idea they were both nothing more than pawns in his game.


Vieille Carrière, River Valley…1758…

The deserted settlement originally created by the French was hardly what Adéwalé had thought would be his final battleground but he had known after the defeat he and the French had suffered at the Battle of Louisbourg that the Templars would come after him. He had just hoped maybe for more time in hopes of finding out just what the Master wanted.

Seeing Edward's son, a Templar just like the Master had taunted at them all those years ago made him sick. He knew his old friend had died on the date he had been told which only made the hurt greater. But if he knew Edward he would not have gone down without a fight, so neither would he Adéwalé thought to himself.

Knowing Haytham's hunting dog Cormac must be close by, Adéwalé realised he could not escape but then remembered something Edward had told him that he would do before he had left for England. Something that might just give him an ally against the Master now Adéwalé thought with hope and just prayed Edward had done as he said he would.

"Haytham." He called out, not sure if appealing to his father's memory would get him anywhere but maybe this might. "Did father ever tell you of a man known as 'The Master'?"

Haytham on the platform opposite and above him froze at the mention of words he had not given thought to in years.

"Stories! That is all he said of him! A demon to scare me and my sister in our beds." Haytham said with confidence but those warnings his father had given him still stuck in his mind.

"No boy! He's real! He told your father what day he would die! He told him what would happen to you and it has come true. I was there! A man who infiltrated the Templars to get what he wanted and now he has returned!" Adéwalé shouted out to Haytham.

Haytham was shocked, not sure if he wanted to believe what the old Assassin was telling him. He saw Shay from his hiding place look over to him for instructions and against his better judgement, Haytham told him with his hand to stop. Shay looked confused and wondered just what the Grand Master had in mind only to be shocked when Haytham stepped out from his hiding place and shouted out.

"Very well. You tell me what you know." Haytham demanded and surprisingly Adéwalé did the same before saying what he had learned.

"He and his woman, the one I knew last as Christina Cunningham have joined the Colonial Brotherhood posing as members of the British Brotherhood. Ones that I now know are false. They have been building up much of the Brotherhood but also disappearing to go on 'missions' that do not come from Achilles. They study the Manuscript and the Box and have made note of several locations. His woman is the one that plagues your ships, the one who destroyed your fleet at Nantucket. I saw them both with my own two eyes, it is them. I know not how they have not aged but they are here again and seeking the sites for their own purpose." Adéwalé said, telling him what little he and Hope had managed to find out.

Shay was confused at what the old man was going on about but Haytham seemed to be genuinely thinking about it, clearly knowing something Shay didn't much to his annoyance. But what shocked both of them was when Haytham slid his pistol into the holster and nodded to Adéwalé and Shay.

"Then it seems there is much to discuss. If he is the man my father warned me about, then we have best talk." Haytham said knowing it was a threat to everyone, bigger than the Assassins and Templars.

- x -

Around a fire a short time later Haytham and Adéwalé both sat on barrels while Shay stood close at hand, unnerved at this unexpected truce. Haytham was speaking now and letting Adéwalé know what his own father had discovered and made of the threat to his life.

"After he left for England and settled with my mother, he would occasionally look through the history records and take voyages to other parts of the world to see what he could learn of him. He even opened a dialogue with the Templars of England to see just what they might have on him." Haytham said, impressed really that his father had been willing to go to such lengths to find out about the Master.

"He found mentions of his actions throughout the history of the world, warnings left by those that witnessed the Master's cruelty. He is said to have brought about the downfall of Atlantis, tried to stop the signing of the Magna Carta, raided Egyptian tombs and several other times across history. Mentions of him stick out like warnings to future generations. Well, he took those warnings seriously, he told me and my sister all he learned of him." Haytham said, wondering just what kind of man could live all these centuries.

"He trained me and my sister in how the Assassins do the things they do. He said he wanted us both to be prepared in case something happened to him and so we could take care of ourselves. He did what no Assassin before him managed to do which was make a truce with the Templars and it stuck. Neither order in Britain at least was fighting for the first time. Until Reginald Birch violated it and killed him exactly to the day the Master predicted." Haytham said with a bitter anger at the man who had tried to befriend them all just so he could kill the Kenways. He had succeeded in killing not only his father, but his mother too.

"He tried to sell my sister Jennifer to Turkish slavers but she was a trained Assassin so she escaped and went off on her own to see the world after renewing the truce. The outbreak of violence that resulted from Birch's actions killed many Templars and Assassins and derailed many plans of both groups so Birch was cast out of the Templars. He spent years in hiding before myself and Jennifer caught up to him." Haytham said, glad to have delivered justice on the man that had killed his father and mother but also destroyed much of the work the Templars in England had been working towards.

"And who raised you if not your sister?" Adéwalé asked, not sure why Jennifer hadn't been involved in her younger brother's life. Haytham smiled a little as he answered the questions.

"At the time she thought I was dead. But when she learned I was alive she quickly re-established contact. I was brought up by the Templar that helped my father arrange the truce, Sir Walter Salvanyer. He was as much a scholar as a scientist and a historian. A highly intelligent man that took me to many places around the world for the benefit of my education. He allowed me contact with my sister and while disappointed I joined the Templars; she and I still send each other letters. She had quite a few adventures I gather before she settled down and had a family. I believe her daughter is in line to marry the new Lord de Souza." Haytham said, wondering just what his sister would think of this when he had the time to convey it to her. She would likely have been here like a shot he thought, to see for herself but she was getting older now and busy no doubt with her daughter's wedding. Something he would sadly miss, Haytham thought with a slight mourning.

"That…would make your father happy. He worried deeply for both of you should the predictions of his death come true." Adéwalé said with some relief. Haytham nodded, not sure what to make of this unusual situation but had to ask.

"Has any other member of the Brotherhood realised the truth? Or have you not shared your suspicions with them?" Haytham asked, wondering if the Master now had control of the Brotherhood or not.

"Hope Jensen is the only one that seems to accept what I have said. The others are simply too much in his thrall to listen." Adéwalé said with regret. They couldn't be sure about Liam but he followed where Achilles led and Achilles was simply too dependent on the Master now for them to risk it. And Louis-Joseph Gaultier was far too much of an arrogant fool to listen.

"And they are studying the box? And the manuscript?" Shay asked, knowing full well what messing with those sites would mean. Adéwalé nodded with a grim look on his face, knowing now given all he had seen that Shay might well be right that the Temples were holding back earthquakes, thinking on all he had seen in his long life it was hardly impossible.

"But why? What can they possibly hope to gain?" Haytham asked, not sure if it was just pure destruction on a scale they had never witnessed before or something else they had in mind.

"I know not. But whatever it is, it must be stopped." Adéwalé said with a finality and Haytham with a small smile said.

"At last, something we can agree on. If you and Miss Jensen can learn anything more of his plans then maybe we can make sure whatever mischief he is up to it is stopped in its tracks." Haytham said and shocked both Adéwalé and Shay with what he was prepared to do in the face of a possible greater threat.

"You'll…let me live?" Adéwalé said with shock as he knew what happened when Templars gained the upper hand on Assassins but Haytham nodded.

"If the Master is planning something with these temples, then it must be stopped. Learn what you can and send word when you have something. Till then, we must go our separate ways and pretend to be enemies." Haytham said with a note of finality. Adéwalé nodded and told him.

"Your father would be proud of you for that. Doing what is best for the people."

The old Assassin then left quickly and was soon out of sight. Haytham and Shay watched him leave and Shay asked him.

"Is the right thing? Letting him go?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. But if he is half the man my father described him as then we can trust his integrity. Not to mention I wasn't lying Shay when I said what I did about the Master. If he is as bad as my father's tales say then we need to be ready." Haytham said with a frown.


Davenport Homestead, America…1759…

The Master was finally ready to put the final pieces of his plan into action. It had been delicate and tiring work but would soon bare the most tender fruit. He thought with satisfaction and he would be glad to get back out in the universe after time spent here. It had some nice points he conceded and the clothes were far better he thought except for the Edwardian era which he thought the most fashionable.

Now though he had some bad news, it seemed that some of the fools had decided to ally themselves against him. Assassin and Templar together? He thought with a scornful laugh. It was almost like Timelords and the Daleks teaming up.

While this was hardly a concern as he already prepared for them, he knew a distraction could be an irritation and so he told Achilles and Liam his plan.

"The Artic Expedition is ready to go but if the Templars interfere it could be placed in jeopardy. So, it might be wise to send Mr Gaultier on a separate expedition to distract them. I have a plan worked out that should ensure we make it to the Artic Temple before they realise the truth if Mr Gaultier is willing to try." The Master said and Achilles who was now desperate after the losses in the war and the English now had more or less won the war with the French. He needed something incredible to turn the situation around and when he had it, he was going to find out just what Hope was doing deserting the cause like she had. She had always been one of his most loyal and whatever had possessed her to do this needed answering.

"He'll do it. I will make sure of that. Ready your ship, we have a long voyage ahead." Achilles said with a confident look on his face and the Master nodded eager to fix this in his mind so he could really see the change when he realised just what the Master had in store for them.


Docks, New York, Late 1759…

The Morrigan sat in its berth, provisioned for the journey ahead. Shay was nervous as he waited for his unexpected allies to arrive. Haytham was already present and ready to go, looking somewhat impatient as they waited but Shay himself was unsettled.

As one of their two guests was someone he cared about. Adéwalé looked as much the same as when they had last seen him but the woman at his side was who Shay had really been hoping for and worried about. She looked exactly the same as when she had last seen him, just as beautiful and just as proud. Her eyes caught his and they shared a look, not sure just what to say to each other. They were on opposite sides of the war now and he had been destroying her network of gangs in New York. Until recently she had been blindly loyal to Achilles and endangering countless lives.

Both sinners and in their way both saints too.

She opened her mouth to talk but couldn't seem to find the words and neither could he, the tension between them was honestly palpable and when Adéwalé spoke it was almost a relief for them both.

"Captain Cormac. While we were delayed by Louis-Joseph's deception but thankfully it was only for a moment. We have the expedition's true heading now." Adéwalé told him and Haytham, impatient to get going said.

"Well, then we had best get a move on." Haytham said and Shay nodded, glad the Morrigan was one of, if not the fastest ships in these seas as it gave them the chance to catch up.


The Artic, One Month Later…March 1760…

The bitter cold was harsher than any of them had ever experienced before. The seas were mercifully calm as they moved towards the temple but the amount of ice around them was almost frightening. The size of some of the bergs that could crush the small Morrigan in an instant loomed all around them.

On deck, Shay was at the wheel giving it his full attention with Haytham and Gist on one side, while Adéwalé and Hope stood on the other. It had been awkward to say the least, all of them sharing the ship for a month while they made their way after Achilles and the Master. But at least no one was killing each other. It almost made them think that perhaps a peace might be possible.

When at last they saw the mast of the Master's ship come into sight Shay, Haytham and Gist felt an awful sense of foreboding as they recognised it as the ship that almost killed them some time ago and sank most of the Templar's limited fleet in the Atlantic. It was an anchor some distance away but made no moves to indicate that it had noticed them.

"That's his ship alright." Hope said as she peered at the ship through a telescope. "He calls it 'Maestro del Mar'."

"The Master of the Sea'. He's toying with us." Haytham said being fluent in Spanish he knew what it really meant. They managed to find a space nearby and set themselves at anchor near the path to the temple. Haytham, Shay, Hope and Adéwalé all disembarked before beginning the long trek up the hill.

"So, what do you think the temples are really for?" Hope asked, her face puzzled as they made their way up the hill.

"What do you mean? Clearly, they stop earthquakes." Shay said with frustration at the difficult terrain and this conversation.

"But earthquakes happen all over the world and while powerful, they surely aren't worth a temple especially in a place like this." Hope said as she moved forward with difficulty, her arm gesturing around at the remote and harsh conditions.

"I must admit you have a point." Haytham said with a curious look on his face. "They must have some other purpose or did at some point. Wonder what?" Haytham asked almost absentmindedly.

"Whatever it is or was could please remember that another earthquake might be triggered any minute if we don't reach Achilles and the Master soon." Adéwalé said with annoyance at them being distracted. Shay hummed in agreement, hardly able to believe he and the old grizzled assassin were on the same page about this.

They all fell silent as they finally reached the steep cliff face and all had to climb it, they then had to sneak past the Assassin encampment. If Hope or Adéwalé had shown their faces maybe they would have allowed them all through but it was not worth the risk and would have slowed them down. So, they all made their way forward as quietly as they could.

A sudden unexpected ice fall suddenly separated the group in half, Shay and Hope made it across safely but Haytham and Adéwalé were left behind and separated from them by a gorge.

"Go on Shay, we'll find another way." Haytham called out. He and Adéwalé both frowned at each other, not trusting each other in the slightest.

They looked around and found a ledge that they could climb and soon made their way up, the two men gave each other suspicious looks but stayed focused on the task at hand until they could find their own way.

Shay and Hope on the other hand, as they made their way along the path were unable to speak due to the tense silence. It was hard on both of them but neither was sure just what to say, but finally Hope managed to say two words.

"I'm sorry." Hope told him with nervousness.

"Sorry for what?" Shay asked her, unsure of what she meant and Hope swallowed before adding to it.

"For not believing you! I should have. I mean…I read science all of the time and still I did not see what was right in front of my eyes. I know you were never a liar or a fool. I should have listened to you." Hope said with depression, thinking her word might have helped prevent a great deal of pain and misery for a lot of people.

"I know, it's hard to believe. This is almost realm of gods here and now we find ourselves in their games." Shay said with some depression at having to do all that he had done. "I know you must be disappointed that I joined the Templars." He said with sadness but Hope surprised him with a shake of her head and told him what she really thought.

"Shay, I have never thought any less of you for being on either side of this conflict." Hope said with a small smile which shocked Shay. "I only wish that you would live up to your potential. Whatever that might be. You are capable of being so much more than just hired muscle, your work in New York and the rest of the colonies to improve things there and your impact as fighter in the war too. You could be a leader of men and women Shay; you can inspire them and do more. I only wish you could see what I see in you." Hope told him with complete honesty as she saw greatness in him.

Shay himself was completely speechless at Hope not hating him for joining the Templars and seemed to believe so much of him. He personally didn't think he had the right to lead or to control anything but then again, he had some issue with the Templars way of doing things too, he thought with annoyance. He realised that they were just as corrupt as the Assassins as their desire for 'order' was really just for control. To be honest he was starting to wonder if he could really trust Haytham the way he had trusted George Monroe?

They finally after making their way around the harsh ice caverns they finally started seeing the tell-tale structures of the temple and making their way around the interior before at last meeting up with Haytham and Adéwalé who thankfully hadn't killed each other and made their way into the heart of the temple.

There was a vast chamber with a pointy central stone which had three long bridges leading to it. The foursome made their way across and there in the distance they saw Achilles standing there with Liam and the Master too. What worried them was that there was no sign of Teresa or whatever her name was. Nevertheless, there was little chance of her ambushing them so they kept on moving forward.

Ahead of them Achilles and Liam were studying the large stone pyramid shape and feeling around it with their hands before it partly slid down into the ground and revealed a familiar star shaped object hovering in the centre. Achilles and Liam were so caught up in what they were doing that they failed to notice them approach but the Master did and he smirked, not seeming to care about the four-armed people approaching.

"It seems we have company gentlemen, two traitors it seems as well." The Master said without a single care in the world. The remark about being traitors made Adéwalé and Hope grit their teeth as they approached. Achilles and Liam turned to face them and their faces looked disgusted at the sight of two of their own order walking towards them at the side of two Templars.

"Hope, I had thought better of you." Achilles said with disappointment that pained Hope a great deal.

"And so much for the legendary Adéwalé, when you stand alongside Templars don't you think something is wrong." Liam said with anger.

"Or perhaps he realises a greater threat stands not five feet from your side." Haytham said calmly as he was now face to face with the man that his father had warned him about. He didn't seem like much, hardly the most intimidating threat but then he looked into his eyes and even the hardened Templar Grand Master shivered in fear.

His eyes seemed to gleam with an almost demonic energy and the intelligence there was almost frightening it how much it seemed to swallow up.

"Achilles!" Hope said eager to try and get her mentor and friend away from the Master. "I've been in touch with the British Brotherhood! They've never heard of him! Or Teresa! They don't exist! They're not Assassins!" She told him desperately.

"Nor are they Templars." Haytham said as he walked forward, staring the Master down. "My father met him and ensured that I and my sister would always know of his evil. The one they called the 'Master'." Haytham said with a guarded look in his eyes.

"The Master?" Achilles said with confusion, remembering his own teacher Ah Tabai had warned him of the man that had tried to take the Observatory.

"Who the fuck is 'The Master'?" Liam asked with anger, looking between them and the man in question who no longer felt any reason to keep up the ruse turned to speak to Haytham.

"Well, how is your father? Oh of course he died so easily. My mistake." The Master said to Haytham with a cruel grin on his face that now made Achilles and Liam step back from him. The Master then turned to Adéwalé and stared at him for a moment before a flicker of recognition drifted across his face. "Oh, I remember you now, the side kick."

"Adéwalé." The man said with anger and looked ready to kill the man in front of him.

"Why are you here?" Shay demanded, now wondering if the man was just trying to destroy both orders but the Master just smirked before admitting his real reason for being here.

"It has amused me greatly watching the petty little struggles of you Assassins and Templars. It really has but you see I have a much bigger struggle to return to soon. A war that is being fought for all reality and I have need of these Isu temples."

"Isu?" Hope asked, not sure what he was referring too.

"The ones you call the 'Precursors' or 'the ones who came before' or whatever." The Master said with an irritated rolling of his eyes. "I must confess my dear you are rather dim right now. It is most disappointing." He told her with a vicious edge to his words that despite her trying to ignore it stabbed deep at her.

"Leave her alone!" Shay said with anger at the insult to Hope and the Master seemed amused by that and laughed a cold and sharp chuckle. Almost 'Romeo and Juliet' he thought with amusement.

"An Assassin and a Templar? Didn't think I would see that anywhere but the French Revolution." The Master said with cold humour although what he had meant by the 'French Revolution' they had no idea. The Master however was in the mood to talk and none of them had realised yet that the absence of his 'side kick' might be significant.

"What do you want the Temples for?" Liam asked, finally understanding what the others were trying to tell him. The Master turned to him and smirked.

"Well, you see there was a huge disaster many thousands of years ago that nearly wiped all of you pathetic apes from the face of this planet. Shame it didn't really but the point is that the planet was left a burnt cinder and shook violently afterwards for a long time. The few Isu that survived build these temples to stabilize the planet after the disaster, not to mention help restore the biosphere and there is a need for that now elsewhere. The Isu were enemies of my people, their world was destroyed by our war and they came to Earth in hopes of escaping it, but it didn't save them from extinction." The Master said with amusement at their fate.

"What are you doing here?" Achilles demanded angrily, hating the fact that he had been manipulated by this 'creature' that looked like a man and from the way he described himself wasn't even human.

"What? Me? I am distracting you of course." He said with smirk that made the demonic glint in his eyes glow.

That statement made all of them stop as they didn't know just what he meant and the Master now loving the moment that he finally revealed his plan told them with eagerness.

"The Isu built safeguards in their technology that prevent me or any of my people from using their equipment, a rather annoying little obstacle but thankfully I have a servant that has no such restriction. While I was working on some other things, she was preparing the technology for transportation under my guidance. I will warn you however that when we are done it is likely that the areas affected with significant seismic activity in the years to come." The Master said with a cruel laugh as the ground beneath began to move. "While we have been talking, my associate has been removing key elements of the temple's mechanisms, parts I needed from here, from the destroyed Lisbon and Port-au-Prince temples and finally another one from the South China Sea. Farewell, enjoy the quake." The Master said with a cackling laugh as a large cylinder started fading into existence around him before disappearing again, taking him with it.

The Assassins and Templars present where left standing in the temple as the earth moved violently beneath them, huge chunks of ice fell all around them as they scrambled for the exits, all trying to escape while they had the chance or be crushed. Achilles and Haytham went one way while Shay, Adéwalé, Hope and Liam all ran another, any past hurts or political issues now forgotten as survival took over.

As they ran the temple was collapsing around them, its security system as it might be known to future generations was going mad! White sheets of light lit up the temple as they ducked around them, knowing to avoid such things even with their limited understanding but a falling rock knocked Liam back and he fell into one. He barely had a moment to scream before being turned into dust by its intense light.

Shay and Hope were horrified at the sight but had no time to mourn their friend as they had to keep running or die themselves but worse was to come as a large block of ice fell from above them and crushed the walkway they were about to cross, Adéwalé however who had been ahead of them was not as lucky as them and it sent him and the walkway plunging down into the depths.

But as much as they wanted to see if he was alive, they couldn't as they simply had no time and had to quickly find a way out of the temple, darting across over walkways that were still standing. Finally, they made their way to the exit and out on to the ice. Dashing forward to make sure they were well clear of the temple they didn't stop until they were at the water's edge. Once there though they both fell to their knees.

"Oh god!" Hope said with her head in her hands, distress at what had happened tearing at her, Shay himself was mournful that he had been unable to prevent a repeat of Lisbon. Both felt wretched at that moment and broken in spirit even if their bodies were still intact.

Hearing noise behind them they saw Haytham had managed to reach them, looking rather exhausted from his own flight to freedom and Achilles who was limping towards them with a leg that had been impaled with a sharp piece of debris.

The four survivors were broken in spirits, they had failed and who knows how many people would perish this time. Shay, seeing Haytham with his hand near his pistol frowned and told them all.

"No more killing. There's been enough blood shed today. We both head back to colonies aboard our own ships. We can fight again another day." Shay said sternly, determined that no more people died from this. Hope actually looked at him with some small pride in her eyes as she saw him stand up to Haytham who had been using him in the same way Achilles had before.

Haytham looked to Achilles's leg and with some reluctance nodded. He was himself angered and bitter at their failure. He had lost the site and worse the Master had escaped, causing who knows how much damage in the process. He and Shay would make their way back to the Morrigan while Achilles and Hope use the ship the Master had left behind as their own.

Hope and Shay shared a look, not sure of what to say but knowing they would not be parted for long.

- x -

The Docks, New York, Two Months Later…

The docks were quiet as Shay waited for his fellow passenger. It had only been a short time since the Artic and yet Haytham was already planning more schemes and plots. Shay honestly wasn't sure if the man ever knew how to take it easy and just leave things be, some of the things he was coming up with sickened Shay. It seemed he was now considering starting an insurrection to free America from British rule that would likely kill as many as he had accidentally at Lisbon. All so he could establish his pet Charles Lee as its leader and be all the more powerful Shay thought with disgust.

But back at the Homestead, Achilles despite his injury was now having his recruits trained up and hidden across the colonies.

His peace was already starting to break down…and Shay had become fed up with it all.

And to his great surprise he was not alone, he thought with a smile, seeing a distinctly female figure approach in hooded robes. She lowered her hood and he saw Hope's smiling face. She walked up to him and accepted his hand they walked up the gangplank.

Later as the ship left port and headed who knows where Shay and Hope stood together, Hope standing there leaned back against him, feeling some comfort as he wrapped his arms around her.

They had both for now had enough of Assassins and Templars and had mutually decided to head out into the world on their own. They both needed to find out exactly what it was they wanted and whether it was worth being a part of this eternal war that was going to outlast all of them.

And they were doing it together, Shay thought pulling her gently against him which she accepted with a smile. Whether this thing between them would truly deepen into something more or not they didn't know but they would now have the time and space to find out.


The Planet Sarn…Earth Year 2653…

The rocky and volcanic planet of Sarn was for the first time in many centuries stable, the tectonic and seismic stresses on the planet had rendered it unliveable with an atmosphere constantly clogged with dust and gas.

But now, the Master thought with some pride he had finally corrected the ridiculously stupid error of his past self. He had used the Isu technology to stabilize the planet and restore the atmosphere, he looked around the hot and rocky planet with pride. The planet's incredible reserves of Numismaton Gas would be incredible resource for the Timelords during the war as the Daleks had weapons that could stop regeneration, the incredible healing properties of the gas would be essential in combating that.

The Master honestly wondered if his past incarnation had been hampered by the Trakenite body he had stolen or had he really been that short sighted and incompetent? The Master didn't really want to think about it as he had been a very different person in those days and far too unbalanced as the Rani herself had said. He was far too obsessed with the Doctor at that point in his life he thought with a look of distaste in his eyes. He was just glad he had improved with time he thought with pride and did his level best to avoid meeting those earlier and more foolish incarnations.

"The information you requested." Narvin said from the side, the Master having been ignoring him but accepted the files he had wanted. Files that were key to some future plans of his and would be useful in the days ahead, not to mention it had gained him some useful leverage against the Timelords as he had safeguards in place that would let him cut off the gas at any time of his choosing.

"Yes, this will do." The Master said absentmindedly and then without a single word of acknowledgement showed his distaste for Narvin by walking back to his Tardis without a backwards glance. He was sure he could feel Narvin's eyes burning into his back but he didn't care and smirked quietly before reaching the Tardis.

Outside Jaime was sitting on a deckchair she had managed to find somewhere and was sipping some lemonade she had found for them. She offered him a glass and he gratefully accepted and sipped to cool down from the intense heat.

"This planet reminds me of Lanzarote." Jaime said with a look around, having been there during her pirating days. The Master looked around himself and hummed in agreement, finding that a bit strange but it was hardly important.

"Well my dear, I think a celebration is due for a job well done. I was thinking that perhaps we shall visit the Sapphire Waterfall of the planet Midnight. It's not really made of sapphires but it looks just like it. An enormous jewel the size of glacier that stretches all the way to what they call the Cliffs of Oblivion before shattering into sapphires which then fall down a 100,000-foot-deep ravine made of crystal. It is very spectacular from what I have heard." The Master said with a strange wistfulness in his voice. He was actually looking forward to a leisure trip, fancy that he thought to himself.

"Sounds incredible." Jaime said with a voice filled with awe, impressed again at the places he took her. One thing she had realised about the Master early on in their time together was that he loved to show off. Having her around just gave him someone to show off too and tell him how incredible he was. "What will you do with the box you took from the Assassins?" Jaime asked, referring to the Precursor Box that the Master had picked up on Earth, the Templars having taken the manuscript. The Master who had the thing in his pocket, felt it briefly and then told her.

"I will drop it off with the French Assassin Charles Dorian, it has a part to play in his future and that of his son." The Master said with a cruel look, knowing it would lead to the man's death when the Templars discovered he had it.

As they got back in the Tardis and he set the co-ordinates for Midnight, Jaime and the Master both grinned at each other and Jaime told him.

"Travelling with you? Is the greatest thing in the universe!" Jaime said honestly, all the incredible things she had seen and done in her time with him. The Master seemed to like the compliment and nodded in acceptance.

"I should hope so. At least when I get involved it's because I always meant too rather than go blundering around like the Doctor." He said with scorn towards his mortal enemy.

"Well, you are the Master sir. The Master of all." Jaime said with a sinister grin that he returned.

"Indeed, my dear. Indeed I am." The Master said with a look of sadism in his eyes.


Haytham Kenway's Home, New York…1761…

Haytham Kenway sat at his desk, deep in thought as he considered the fact that the Master had caused untold damage. Messages to other Rites in that South China Sea had revealed that a massive disturbance of the ocean had sunk countless ships and done considerable damage to coasts around the area. Not to mention more earthquakes had happened in the areas where other temples had been like Lisbon. He was disappointed in himself that he had been unable to prevent this and wondered if he should have even tried to tangle with the Master.

Clearly, he thought with some concern the Templars and indeed the world had enemies far beyond the Assassins and he doubted he would be able to do enough in his lifetime to protect it.

Fortunately, the Order to which he belonged was eternal he thought with pride and he took his quill and started to write a missive, one that he would send around to every Rite of the Templar Order in the world. They would keep watch for the Master and seek out information on him, and if he ever should return Haytham thought grimly, the Order would be waiting. He said to eliminate him whatever the cost and hoped that a future generation could do what he had failed to achieve.


There we are, hope you all enjoyed it. Please review and let me know what you thought.

In the Big Finish Audio Story 'The Kingmaker' Shakespeare gets the Fifth Doctor drunk on Ginger beer. So, I thought it might a good idea to use it here.

The effect of what Haytham does will not be apparent for a while yet but it will have an impact although not in the way you might expect. The next chapter involves the Terminator franchise.

Next Chapter = The Master is forced to deal with an errant time line caused by the Time War and Jaime has a surprising experience of her own.