Tuesday 29 March 2016

Come With Me!

Come With Me!

The Evil Eye
Come With Me, Nyssa.



















Over my dead body!


















Not actual canon - my fanfiction mind is responsible - but the looks are real!

Monday 21 March 2016

Not The Kind of Reunion

Not The Kind of Reunion

“Um,” he said, “hello!”
Nyssa turned around at those words and slowly stepped backwardly away from her tormenter whilst shooting him that ice-cold glare that he was afraid of: “Hello?” she said through her teeth working her way slowly to a basic clay pot. Taking a deep breath, she closed her fingers around the body and picked it up: “HELLO!” she yelled throwing it at him, he flinched as some clay wound up on the top of his velvet shoulder, before he had time to clean himself up she picked up another and threw that at him: “HELLO!” she shouted again emphasising the o with a third smashed pot in his direction. “HOW!” smash, “DARE!” crash, “YOU!” clonk! That last sound caught the Master off guard as Nyssa picked up a very nice looking glass object … “YOU!” she was about to throw that too but the Master lunged at her wrist and managed to wrestle it out of her hand before she could. It did not stop her stride though as, with her free hand, Nyssa picked up another clay thing and smashed it on top of his head! The Master buckled but he had managed to save the only beautiful object (Nyssa aside) in this mud hut: “KILLED!” she kicked his shins as he had grabbed her other wrist to stop her from throwing things at him as well as not to land in a heap on the floor: “MY FATHER!” The Master held her wrists gently whilst they clenched around them he pulled her down on the floor and just as the Master thought she was subdued she bent her head and dug her teeth in deep inside his flesh, causing him to release her grip enough for her to break a clay plate. Nyssa picked a particularly lethal looking shard and brandished it as a weapon: “MY PLANET!” she continued yelling. Now the Master tried to stand up but she was not to let that happen with a snarl she aimed for his groin with her knee as her hands held his shoulders down: “and you have the audacity to behave like none of it happened?” she sneered in his ear as she now gazed into his eyes before pushing him on the floor with one last act of contempt as she spat in his face before standing on his abdomen waving his TCE in his face, “and this,” she hissed, “is trash!” she exclaimed making him watch as she threw it at the far wall - a few sparks of electricity sizzled and flashed as it landed on the floor. “Now lets see how big you really are!” she smirked.
Stepping on the Master’s body she walked over him digging her heel where she knew it would cause the most pain to pick up the mangled TCE and walked up to a very stunned Time Lord, “At least this can be fixed!” she hissed as she threw the mangled corpse of a weapon, by his side. Exhausted, Nyssa collapsed on the floor next to his quivering body and stared around the dust and debris surrounding her: “Why did you come?” she sobbed. “Why can you not leave me alone!”
The Master rolled his eyes - being kind was not in his nature but he understood that if he was his usual self more of her meagre supplies would be flung at him - at least she shoots straighter than a Dalek, he thought. Once he realised the crockery storm was over he rolled onto his side, mourned the loss of his TCE and turned towards the sobbing young woman. Helping himself up he stood up to observe where Nyssa was living. Closing his eyes he felt something - no, someone. Why would … not that he was certain but the initial gut reaction made him realise why he had to deal with this rather than the Doctor. Gazing at the sobbing girl amongst the shattered remains of the very few items she held in this galaxy the Master actually felt a small pang of pity well up inside him. Steadily, with confidence the Master stepped around her and, with a sigh, he decided he was not going to leave until Nyssa: Formerly of Traken, daughter of Tremas, probably would have been a Keeper; had much better than this! With a cough the Master hitched up his trousers, bent down and, disdainfully picked up some of the shattered pieces and tossed them aside with another roll of the eyes: Remember, be kind! “My TARDIS told me you were in trouble,” he said truthfully.
“I’m supposed to believe that,” she sniffed.
“My TARDIS likes you, apparently,” the Master said with a grin.
Nyssa stared at the Greco column in her main living quarters: “I don’t believe you!”
From nowhere The Master whipped out a black silk handkerchief. It still bore the monogram T, in silver - this was her father’s, Nyssa smiled, she had sewn in the T, it was her gift to him when she was 9. Closing her eyes and with a smile Nyssa held it to her nose. “Oh father,” she sighed. Carefully, she blew her nose and wiped her eyes.
“I actually told my TARDIS that the Doctor could come and help you instead.”
“I have not seen him since… ” she sighed, “though you could have passed the message on.”
“The TARDIS said only someone like me could help you. So,” the Master smiled, “why did you say goodbye to the Doctor?”
“We landed somewhere called Terminus, it was a hospital ship before it crashed, that held patients that needed me more than he did,” Nyssa said still tracing the T on the handkerchief. “I did get a vision before you were coming but,” she sighed gazing down into her lap, “why you would come I have no idea - and now you say I am in some sort of trouble,” now her fingers were twirling themselves into knots.
“The Universe is,” the Master replied deciding to sit on the floor as she was. Knees up, wrists laying on them and hands joined - their shoulders were touching. Not that he cared if he was standing over her he just felt that she would respond more readily if he was level with her and at this point he would do anything to gain her trust, “what is happening could affect the entire Universe - it’s existence and everything in it!”
Nyssa laughed bitterly through her tears and stared away from him: “Why would you care what happens to the Universe?”
“I care when it is my existence in trouble - when it’s … It’s Gallifrey’s and when it’s the Doctor’s!”
Sharply she turned her head towards his: “The Doctor’s!” she hissed again. The cold glaze stare she shot him was made more frightening through her icy tears that stood in the rims of her eyes painting them an indigo blue. The Master gulped wondering if Nyssa was actually capable of beating someone to death: “The Doctor’s!” she stood up and glared down at him. There was something about her proud Queenly stance that made him squirm where he sat: She may be tiny but, as the desolation surrounding them showed, she was not cowardly. With a throw that could certainly aim to kill. “Since when have you cared about the Doctor’s?” her tone matched the winter of her eyes. Seemingly calm and measured on the surface but the Master knew her heart was broiling deep within her: “As if killing my father was not enough you plotted to kill the Doctor using Adric’s mathematic skills to do so.” The Master used that tone in the past, he fully understood the emotions that went with the clipped tones: “As for Gallifrey - why would a Planet Killer care about another Planet?” the Master was about to answer: “DON’T insult me by calling it your home - TRAKEN was my home - you destroyed it! You who lived there for all my lifetime at least,” with rising anger inside her Nyssa continued as coolly as she could, “you were respected by us! By me,” her eyes were now going so dark The Master actually shivered where he sat, “So why should you care about what happens to the Doctor or to Gallifrey or especially me?”
“I may be a renegade but I am still a Time Lord with two hearts!” the Master replied and was about to continue but Nyssa snorted.
“Are you sure they are hearts - I thought yours were hardened balls of poison slowly releasing chemicals into your brain making you more evil by the minute!”
Wow, the Master was surprised at how Nyssa had changed. The TARDIS promised no harm would come to him: “Look, Nyssa, I have not the patience to discuss with you the whys and wherefores!” the Master rose to his feet, it was unnerving being looked down upon like he was dirt beneath her feet. “I came here because you seemingly are in trouble and my TARDIS assured me I was the best Time Lord to help you out of it,” he held up his hands in surrender, “but if you wish me to leave. I shall leave. Let you get on with what little is left of your life and not get in your way. It was a smashing time reuniting with you!” he gazed around the broken clay and kicked some of his shoe disdainfully and swept the dust out of his hair and clothes. “This is me going!”
“Fine,” Nyssa sighed. “Do one favour for me!”
“Gladly!” the Master sneered.
“Make sure you find the nearest black hole - get sucked into it - and never plague the Universe with your foul stench again!”
The Master bowed as he stepped inside his TARDIS and sat down flicking his viewing screens on: “AND STOP WATCHING ME!” Nyssa yelled at him as she kicked the Column.
The Master giggled as he switched on his brakes - the TARDIS only moved to a small hallway and the cloaking device switched on to disguise itself as an item much like a Welsh Dresser and he continued to watch Nyssa through his viewfinder.
He sat up immediately as, again, there was that strange feeling creeping inside him. Whilst Nyssa was tidying up some of the debris - there was another knock on the door and Nyssa answered it, the Master noticed, to a Monk. Hmm, something odd about that Monk, the Master zoomed in on him and turned the volume up.
“Sister, I heard most ungracious yelling from your hut may I offer some peace to your tempestuous soul?”
“The nuisance has gone now,” Nyssa said to the Monk. The Master immediately pressed record, he wanted to research this Monk. Bizarrely, The Master felt as if he should have known this person.
“My oh my, one has had a fit of some sort,” the Monk observed the mess.
“I am well, Brother, a nightmare is all.”
“Well, in that case take some of these,” the Monk handed Nyssa something that looked like tea bags, “a medicinal herb I have found on this Planet enwrapped in a gauze material I managed to pulp from the trees - brew it for three to five minutes and drink with care. You should be sleeping peacefully within the moment the last drop has been swallowed.”
Ruefully Nyssa stared around the chaos; “I will if I can find a vessel to drink it from.”
“I shall set some patients to it immediately,” the Monk bowed to Nyssa and turned to leave but then smiled and laid a hand on Nyssa’s arm, “if you do not mind my saying so, your father must have been an extraordinary fellow.”
“He was,” Nyssa smiled at the kindly Monk. “Most wonderful man in the entire Universe,” with a sigh she hugged the Monk before thanking him for the drink bags, “You were right before, I do need a rest. Can I trust you for a few hours with the medicine and vaccinations?”
“I will do my best,” the Monk smiled stroking her cheek, “my dear Sister, please hope that when thy chastity is tested that thou doth not give into temptation. Please, stayeth the perfect flower thou already art.”
The Master scoffed: “Nyssa is a perfect flower,” he sighed, “and like a rose she has thorns and,” he gazed regretfully at the dishevelled TCE, “uses them to good effect!”
“There is no one around that can tempt me, brother Monk!” Nyssa said truthfully. The Master zoomed in on her eyes.
“Oh you want to be tempted though!” The Master chuckled.
“Good to know,” The Monk squeezed her bicep. “Any other problems I can help with?”
The Monk took his farewell. Once he had gone Nyssa walked around the corner and saw the Welsh Dresser. Strange, she thought, I must be tireder than I thought I was. I do not remember a cabinet here… with a shrug she took a mug off the shelf and walked to her little kitchen where she put a steel pan hammered out of broken ship to boil water in. Following the instructions of the Monk carefully she instantly felt soothed and becalmed as the scent wafted up her nose. Waiting the time she could she stirred the bag and threw it on the ground out of the window and turned her back to the sun sipping the brew. Oh, it tasted delicious. Now in a more relaxed frame of mind she walked past the dresser and to her room.
The Master watched her go to her small but functional bedchamber to a serviceable bed with itchy blankets. He frowned. That won’t do for a start, she must have a decent room with a proper bed. He was sure there was one somewhere in his TARDIS he could spare. After all, there was only one use he had for a bed, and he rarely used it for that. Not that he did not sleep but he did not need hundreds of beds. Quite frankly he could offer her a lot of things from this TARDIS that would improve her situation.
See, you can be nice.
“Shut up!” the Master said as he switched off the screens as she began undressing.
That’s not like you!
“Be quiet!”
You genuinely do like her, don’t you?
“Grow up!” he snapped.
My Time Lord and Nyssa Up A Tree …
I even pick up an adolescent TARDIS, the Master sighed to himself as he crept out of the TARDIS and decided to see if he could tidy up some of this mess. Then he would go to the kitchen and see if there were any remnants of those herbal tea bags in the kitchen. He may not be the best scientist Gallifrey ever had, being more into Political Manipulation - but he could do some and he wanted to know that Nyssa had not ingested something that could harm her. If I did, the Master sighed, I doubt even the good Doctor would not avenge her death.
“She must have allowed Tegan to rub off on her for that I am thankful at least,” he sighed, “Tegan may have had her faults but at least she has the caution of a snake and the temper of a Norse God!” with a tut he swept past the debris back to his TARDIS and found a broom and a dustpan. As quietly as he could he swept up the broken pottery allowing it to become some sort of random feature at the back of her hut. Somehow she had already managed to tame it into something like a garden. He forgot Traken was a particularly florabundant Planet.
Tiptoeing he went back to the Kitchen and picked up a teabag. That herb was definitely not any sort of tea he had smelled. The Master put a bag in his pocket. Once back in the TARDIS he made his way to his little laboratory to begin dissecting the components in the herb. There was something about that Monk that disconcerted even him. If he disconcerted the Master then why was Nyssa so trusting of him? He picked up a dry bit of leaf with some tweezers and dropped it in some acid.
Immediately it puffed up and turned the acid blue. Hmm, he thought, I wish if I could remember if that was good or bad? This was the rare time he could do with the RANI - she knew what was what with these matters. Even the Doctor excelled at this sort of thing more than he ever could: “All right,” he sighed, “let me think rationally - maybe the best way is if I drink some myself!”
He had only taken one bag and he could not risk creeping out again as Nyssa may wake up any moment due to a medical emergency. Sighing again he decided to just risk something for once in his life and he boiled some water in the laboratory - found a little sieve and poured the boiled water into the tub with the leaves. Immediately he felt light as a feather like he had no care in the world. Blinking he tried to resist that feeling. The Master followed the Monk’s instruction and let the leaves brew for the minutes the Monk said to. Relaxing aromas wafted up his nasal passages causing the Master to yawn and rub the sand from his drooping eyes. No, he must resist, The Master blinked hard to resist the dust clouds of exhaustion in his eyes as his jaw was breaking trying not to express the aching urge to sleep that he suddenly had. Minutes up he strained through with the sieve into another pyrex pot and cautiously held some to his lips and sipped gently, his feet - where were his feet? Another sip - shins? What? The more he sipped the less he could feel of his muscles, his joints - there were about five more sip’s to go when he suddenly stopped by throwing it against the wall. How much of this had Nyssa had in her time here? Suddenly, he recognised what it was! That was impossible though, he tried to shake some feeling back into his lower body - as from his hips down they felt lead like.
He could not go and wake her up - as he sunk to the floor of the lab as he had inhaled it in a puff of smoke and drunk it too. Right now it had coursed through enough of his system for him to fall to his knees then on his back in a slumber.
Nyssa - his last thought - Nyssa save me from this clock! With the sound of ticking ringing in his ears he went to sleep. Ominously the sound of a Grandfather Clock rang inside the Master’s head: Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock! Tick! To-o-o-ock! Ti-i-i-ick! Nyssa, help me - a warm, kind, bearded face floated in front of the Master - help meeee! The face and the clock became one in a swirling vortex as the sounds and images haunted his mind. In a weird kind of ghostly way the Master sat bolt upright and blinked, drenched in cold sweat, before flopping back on the floor his arms spread out like he was a fallen Angel … Tremas was his last conscious thought!
🌸🌸🌸
The TARDIS decided to continue to watch Nyssa - she was tossing and turning in her bed: “No, Doctor, do not leave me. Do not leave me, Doctor. Stay here. Help me. Tegan can too, Turlough - all of you, stay. Stay, stay please, stay!” her thin sheets had become transparent due to the heavy sweat, showing every curve of her body. “DOCTOR, PLEASE, PLEASE DON’T - ADRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIC!” she screamed sitting bolt upright clutching onto her sheets. Breathing heavily she stared wildly around before suddenly flopping on her back her arms spread out, blank eyes stared up at the ceiling: “Adric.” she murmured before sleeping in the position of a fallen Angel.
🌸🌸🌸
The Monk mopped his brow and smiled as he looked at his stock of the herbs he held in his own kitchen. Behind his own hut he had a good crop growing and had bunches drying up from the roof in a small square building. Shame, he sighed, Nyssa was a sweet young girl. Too sweet and far too young. Still, something had to be done. Something had to be unfixed. He had seen the future and he did not like it. So he had to do this. There was no other choice. She had good memories - ones that helped in his endeavour.
After he had cut some of his precious crop, he used a strong bendy fresh twig from a nearby tree and bound the stems together before going to the hut to fasten it to the roof inside his preparation area just adjacent to the kitchen. With a smile he brought down a few bushels that were already dried and he walked to his little kitchen to prepare more ‘tea’ for his little Nurse.
Suddenly he heard a sound that made him catch his breath a little bit as he peered around the back of his house and looked aghast as something familiar landed within ten feet away from him.
A very well-dressed woman stumbled out in a cloud of smoke coughing and spluttering: “What did I ever do to you!” she yelled at the tree she stumbled out of. The Monk arched an eyebrow: “I asked you to take me to Nyssa, where is she?”
The Monk pressed his back against the wall of his house: “At least this one may help me,” the Monk sighed pouring his frustration into chopping the herbs. “Though how do I get her too?” mind you, I do not recall someone like her. Through his open window he could hear her still yelling cuss words in what seemed to be an Earth Scottish Accent to the tree: “Such language is not becoming of such a Lady,” the Monk tutted to himself carefully sewing the gauze bags up with the thinnest twine. “Dear, dear, dear.”
He heard the woman growl with disgust as she stormed off: “What do you want with Nyssa anyhow?” the Monk questioned as he was about to see where she had got to from the relative comfort of his own home the door demanded his attention. Gulping he yelled: “Who is it?”
“It is I,” said a familiar voice, “Lynard!”
The Monk sighed with relief: “Come in, Lynard, you do not have to be shy. All are welcome at my house.”
A tall, almost skinny man walked in with floppy dirty blond hair and brown eyes: “I was wonderin where Miss Nyssa was?”
“She is having a well earned rest, dear boy? Would you like a drink?”
“Yes please, I’m parched!”
“I will put the kettle on then, shall I?”
Lynard smiled in reply as he looked at the humble surroundings of the hut: “What do it take to become a Monk?” Lynard asked.
“Oh just dedication, humility and the belief that there are many more important things in the Universe than you yourself?”
“Like Miss Nyssa?”
“Yes, Lynard, like Miss Nyssa!” the Monk smiled, “your tea will be with you shortly. I need to read up on something. You can stay here for as long as you please,” the Monk bustled ready to go to his secret door: “Here Lynard, and be sure to drink every last drop!”
“Oh I will, Brother Monk. I will!” Lynard started to drink, the more he drank the more tired he became and the more his limbs felt like lead.
When the Monk had been satisfied the once sick peasant had supped every last sip of the beverage he hurried down his secret passageway.
🌸🌸🌸
The Master woke up with a fuzzy head and an even fuzzier tongue. What happened? He stared at the experiment: Oh, now he remembered. Ouch. His head ached. Slowly he got up and swayed and shuffled his way to his console unit where the TARDIS had kept an eye on Nyssa. She was lying flat in a paralytic shock. He wanted to get there to wake her up but his legs kept collapsing beneath him: “Wha - TARD - RD - ARD!” he could hear the word in his head but could not say it out loud. “Ne-eeeeee! Neeeees!” again he could hear the name in his head. The Master felt as if fur was growing on his tongue that was stopping his speech.
“Neeeeeee … Neeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssss!” blurble, drool was falling down between the corners of his mouth - he felt really odd, there were thoughts clear as day in his mind yet his tongue could not articulate them: “TAR-RD-RDDDDDRDDDDD!”
The Master was losing his grip on reality! To save Nyssa he had to get it back but how? His thoughts were clear as crystal why could he not voice them properly. He had gone perfectly senile it seemed!
The Master’s hands slipped off the control unit as his legs flailed beneath him again, “Neeeesssssssssssssaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” he gasped as he slumped on the floor. Nyssa, he breathed out mentally, as everything slowly grew dark around him with her beautiful smiling face blurring into the sharp contrast of … of … her

Friday 18 March 2016

Prologue

The Prologue

Oh she thought she had done well, chosen a mixed up human.  One who loved to be in control . One who seemed to love having separate lives - certainly not one that would end up being loyal to him.  WHY HAD IT ALWAYS GONE WRONG?  No matter what form, no matter what she did! WHY?  Finally, she thought she had it right.  Deliberately she turned herself into this form, one that she felt sure the Doctor would have found attractive but NO, he had to choose Earth again.  Flippin, bloody Earth! Argh!

She thumped the controls and stormed around her TARDIS control unit and kicked the walls - she had just about resisted taking her hat off and jumping up and down on it.  Of course even the Brigadier had to show up and blast her! Even in death the Brigadier was loyal to the Doctor.  Some people were just too bloody-minded for their own good.  Why had it ALWAYS gone wrong?

“TARDIS,” she growled, “what has happened to some of his past companions!”

The TARDIS obliged and flashed data: Susan - married, architect - “Not her!” Ian Chesterton and Barbara Chesterton - Alive still teaching managed to stay young. “Lucky them!” Polly, Steven,, Dodo, Victoria… all Missy dismissed with a swipe of her hand as she picked up an apple and crunched into it allowing some juice to dribble down her chin a bit: Jamie McCrimmon - Clan Cheif - “Show me a picture?” she arched an eyebrow in appreciation - “no, not him!” A couple more names zipped by until Jo Grant.  “Tell me about her?” Married, grandma, great grandma - still adventuring with her husband, “no!” Missy sighed.  Children - she shuddered, Leela and Romana were on Gallifrey, wherever that was, Sarah-Jane had died.  “Come on,  TARDIS throw me a bone here!” Adric - Dead: “Oh for gods sake, I know that!” Tegan Jovanka: Alive - never Married, Missy arched an eyebrow, promising she remembered Tegan as an angry woman: - Human Rights Campaigner - oh bother, even SHE had to be goody goody.  “Anymore?” Perpugilliam Brown - Queen - Dead.  Melanie Bush - Back on Earth, Married to a Sabalom Glitz.  Missy was twirling the apple stem between her fingers sucking in her cheeks impatiently; “TARDIS!” she hissed.  Dorothy McShane - Alive Owner of Charity ACE.org: “Shame, she had Fenrir blood in her - if only I had known that at the time!”  Missy flipped through the information: “TARDIS you forgot one!” All Are Present.  “You forgot one - if I can remember her you should to!” the TARDIS seemed reluctantly to bring up the name of the one companion it did miss: “Nyssa - last Maiden of Traken,” Missy read.  “Oh yeah, that was a good day!” she grinned. “Companion to the Fifth Incarnation of the Doctor - wonder what his reaction would be to me? Nurse cured the Universe of Lazar’s now working on Rickters disease - quite ambitious little bint aren’t ya!” she scrolled down: “Ship she once commanded was called Terminus and was once used as a Time Travel ship!  Clever too,” Missy was about to bite into her apple but stopped when she saw a picture of Nyssa. “oh you were a pretty one - surprised the Doctor did not kiss you - oh look, he did!” the TARDIS had bought up a video of their goodbye.  Little did the Doctor know that the reason for Missy kissing him was to steal some of his memories.  She had too.  That and because she could.  She watched the goodbye scene over and over again: “Aw poor wee babbie!” Missy sighed, “it took you to get out of yer clobber to get him to kiss ya.  Mind you, you were pretty!” Missy sighed again.  Well, she had to get out of Earth for a little while.  Nyssa was kind - she would always say something nice.

🌸🌸🌸

The Master angrily flipped his TARDIS switches after the Doctor had, yet again, foiled his plans.  Nothing he ever did seemed to impress the Doctor or the Council of Gallifrey enough to let him lead them.  There had to be a way for him to win.  Had to be! That bloody Australian standing in the way, he growled flicking his cloak off and sat on the chair: “TARDIS,” he rubbed his forehead, he had a headache, “what happened to Nyssa?” for some reason, despite who she was and what he had done to her Planet the thought of Nyssa was enough to calm and soothe him down.  His screen computed and processed the name: Not Known!

“Oh come on, TARDIS, you must know who Nyssa is? You were there throughout all her life!”

Name not Known!

“Oh for goodness sake!” the Master hissed.  He typed the name in personally after taking off his gloves with his teeth: “Nyssa - NY-SS-A!” he typed: “TRAKEN!” the computer seemed to sigh: “Nyssa - Nurse on Terminus - Curing Lazar’s disease!” the Master read.  “Interesting,” he sighed, “she was trained for such a life, pity though!” The Master stroked his face and gazed into the nearest reflective surface, ANOMALY: The computer flashed up: “What sort of Anomaly?”

Trouble, the computer said.

“I gathered that,” The Master sighed, “well maybe the saintly Doctor can sort it out.  I am not tidying up after his emotional messes!”

Doctor does not know.

“Oh come on, at least ONE of his Future selves must be wondering what has happened to Nyssa?”

Always too busy with other villains.

“I’m not a villain!”

I beg to differ!

“I am not!”

Sulking won’t get you anywhere, I saw what you did to TRAKEN too, I happened to like that planet!

“Oh did you!”

Prove me wrong.

“In what way?”

The Computer flashed the nature of the problem: “So what if I do go there,  I can confidently say that I am the last person Nyssa wants to see and would quite happily go the rest of her life without me in it,” Negative, “You are intolerable.  Why say that?” You are just what she needs: The Master was doubtful: “What makes you think I can succeed where someone else would fail?” Devious is your middle name, “what motive do I have for …” Your future, his future - her future - everybody’s future is in jeopardy.  “Why?” If I could bonk you on the head I would right now… “just give me an analysis for success!” Nyssa will sense you coming. the computer sighed.  Just do it, instead of sulking.  “You’re starting to sound like Tegan!” I like Tegan.  “Trust you!” in truth the Master did too.  Nyssa is empathic with TARDIS and I will convince her, “oh will you?”

The TARDIS jolted harshly.  “All right, I am going,” the Master snapped. “What disguise shall I use?”

No disguise necessary.  “Do you want me to be killed?”

Nyssa won’t harm you!

No, the Master thought, Nyssa may not harm me.  She will just give me one of her ice cold glares.

I liked Nyssa, the TARDIS said.

You would, the Master growled. trouble was … so did he!

🌸🌸🌸

Nyssa’s eyes drooped down but she could not sleep yet - whilst she had managed to get the Lazar’s disease under control this past year or so she had not completely beat it.  Although she knew it was ridiculous to not take a rest in  turn she could not stop - people were coming from all over the place.  More patients came than went even amongst the ordered chaos of a crashed spaceship in a forest Planet.  It had become clean, she had seen to that.  The place looked nothing like it did when she first arrived.  She made sure of that.  People were treated with compassion and kindness rather than with fear or loathing.  Nyssa made damn well certain of that!
The fruits of this planet helped revive some who had only just got the illness: “I am going for a nap,” Nyssa told a young man just cured,. his hair was growing back and he smiled at her: “you look much better.”

“Thank you!” the man said with a bow. Nyssa smiled back before walking to her quarters set inside the jungle -  her oasis of peace it was an unwritten law that no one could disturb her once she was home. A kindly Monk approached her just a few feet away from her hut: “what now, brother?” she sighed.

“The spiritual needs must be seen to - not only of the patients but of the nurses too,” the Monk sighed.  “I see you are tired of your secular activities for now.  Let us talk of your childhood and allow your mind to think of happy times!”

Nyssa liked the Monk, his warm fatherly face was sweet and his voice gentle: “What has my childhood memories got to do with anything?” she asked as a bird cuckooed above.  “They were very happy years - my childhood was only marred by the shadow of the Melkur, an evil God,” Nyssa sighed.  “Listen, dear Monk, I am tired.  I need to go to my chamber.”

On the Monks previous advice she had actually made a little home for herself using wood and fashioned it the way her father’s house was.  She was almost tempted to rename this planet TRAKEN but felt that was silly.  After washing her face in a stream she walked to the wooden round hut and opened the door.  Suddenly, her brain prickled and she felt breathless - instead of fighting it she now welcomed it.  Allowing the EMPATH take over her Nyssa closed her eyes, gulped - opened her arms and her eyes snapped open: “MASTER IS ON HIS WAY - HE MEANS NO HARM -” Nyssa shook her head and tried to resist now but her breath became laboured and almost asthmatic.  But it was too late: “MASTER MEANS NO HARM!” she collapsed on the floor in darkness.

Knock knock - Nyssa turned her head and brushed down her simple skirt: “Coming!” she exclaimed.  Knock! Knock! “All right, I am tired you know!”

At the same time as the knock a whoosing vworping wind blew her away from the door and she turned around to see a Greco column standing in her living room.  “Oh no, no, no!” she scowled at the column and especially so as the occupant stepped out and, rather suavely, he leaned against the column and smiled at her, “Oh great!” she sighed.  Nyssa rolled her eyes before peering out of her window to see no one standing there.  If she ignored him he might go away.  

Oh no you don’t, The Master scowled, I am not going to be ignored by you!  Slowly, he walked right behind her and, he grinned, her flesh formed goosebumps as his breath fell on her, momentarily he gazed at her intent profile, Nyssa huffed out a sigh and glared at him disdainfully: “Um,” he said, “hello!”

Thursday 18 February 2016

The Princess and the Pirate

The Princess and the Pirate

The Master was desperate, the plea was real.  Leela’s arms were pinned to her sides and the beast’s fingers were long and strong enough to keep Leela against Firsha’s loathsome flesh.  Jamie was now being held in one of Glax’s arms whilst gripping onto Ace’s hair with the other.

“They are feisty these humans, are they not?” Glax slurped.  “I must admit I likes this one!” he yanked Ace’s hair harsh as he pulled her to his side.  “Something different about this one that is not quite Human!”

The Time Pirate glared down at the Master who was visibly quivering with fear: “You are pathetic!” he said plainly.

With a sigh, the Time Pirate closed his eyes.  Concentrating but with little effort the leaves flew in the air despite there not being a breeze.  Everyone watched in awe as Nyssa rose from the ground her feet dangling six feet above the ground and the Time Pirate opened his eyes and used his finger to beckon her over to his side and made her land on the beach on her knees.  Before she had a chance to tighten the knot of her scarf he twiddled his fingers in an untying motion and the scarf flew off and Nyssa glanced up as he caught the scarf in his hand.  

Using her hand as a shield against the harsh sun all she could deduce was that the Time Pirate was a tall man and he stood in front of her - darkened against the sun.  Gently he picked her up.  Jamie and The Master noticed Nyssa wore her hair completely down and the sea breeze whipped it up and, in what she was wearing she looked like an exact copy of a Desert Queen.  

“Here we have a maiden from Traken, to all men’s hearts should hearken, she can beguile with a sweet and sad smile,  who’s beauty should always be remarked on!”
Firsha gazed down on the ground.  Glax was right, it was her feeling all in her heart - never in his!  She pushed her anger onto Leela by pinching into her skin. Causing Leela to scream in agony.  The Time Pirate glanced at Firsha and, without pity, remorse or any kind of flicker of emotion he got Jamie’s knife out of the tree using his power and, even to the Master’s shock, the Time Pirate dug the knife into Firsha’s gullet: “You have always been an annoyance,” he stated, “do you want to join her, Glax?”

Firsha’s brother watched in horror as he saw his sister kneel down and die in front of him.  Leela took the opportunity to dash to Nyssa’s aid but the Time Pirate stopped her with just a slight amount of willpower alone!  The Master closed his eyes and tried to counter it but the effort knocked him on his back and the Time Pirate shook his head as he gazed back at Glax: “You can do what you want with that human girl,” he said.  “She is your reward for staying loyal to me.”

Nyssa still could not get a good look at the Time Lord before her: “What of the human male?”

“Leave him,” the Time Pirate smiled.  “After all, the Master has got to talk to someone - we cannot have him go completely mad, now, can we?”

Glax pushed Jamie to the ground and angrily stepped on his back and pushed him into the sand!  He picked Ace up and tipped his head to the Time Pirate.  Truth be told, he was getting fed up with his bossy and stupid sister!  He liked it here and now he had a slave he was going to enjoy it even more!

The Time Pirate watched them go and then turned his attention back towards Nyssa, with his hand he reached out for a rope and tied it around them and swung them both up on the ship, once on wooden flooring he released Leela from her entrapment with a flick of his fingers.  He then took Nyssa to his Private Quarters!

Leela shook her head and decided to help Jamie up first and they both helped revive the Master: “Didn’t she fight?” he asked.

“She did not say anything!” Leela replied, “or do anything!”

“This is what I feared, that limerick served to charm.  In another manner!”

“I thought there was no such thing as magic?” Leela asked.

“No, there is not, just words.  Words are magic in themselves.  He chose his very carefully.  They were meant to stun her mind.”

“Wha’ stopped him from taking her completely?” Jamie asked.

“A distraction!”

“Is tha’ why he killed that beastie?” Jamie nodded to Firsha.

“That was cruel and cowardly act!” Leela said with tears in her throat, “she should have had a chance to fight!”

The Master got up with Jamie’s help and dusted himself down then gazed up at the ship in front of him.  Imposing and evil.  More evil in its sentient mind than his own TARDIS.  “We cannot be sentimental over an enemy!” the Master said to Jamie and Leela.  “Come on,” he sighed turning on his heel.

“We can’t jus’ le’ Nyssa stay there we have to go and get her?”

“How do you propose we do so, Mr McCrimmon?” The Master marched back to the impulsive man.

“We could climb up the ladders and …”

“The Time Pirate would anticipate such a move.  If you want Nyssa to remain safe we had best think up of something very devious indeed!”

“What of Ace?” Leela asked.

“Precisely, Leela,” The Master turned to Jamie.  “We have two to rescue - Glax is a beastie, as you call them, but he is still a male beastie and Ace is not entirely human!”

“Wha’ do you mean she’s no’ entirely human?”

Shaking his head The Master just walked on ahead back to the TARDIS.  Leela took Jamie’s knife out of Firsha’s throat and patted her frozen head.  “Meet you on the great Battle one day my foe!”  

The Master clicked his fingers and the TARDIS doors opened, immediately he pressed in the code so that he could update the Doctor.  Commander Maxill was on the other end.  

“Commander Maxill, I need to talk to The Doctor!”

“Who is this speaking?”

“It’s the Master you feather hatted moron!”

“I am the Commander of the Gallifreyan Elite I do not take kindly to being spoken to with such insolence!”

“Either you get the Doctor, Maxill, or you wish you never regenerated!”

A huge sigh and moments later the Doctor turned up: “What’s wrong?”

“Oh nothing wrong, Doctor!” the Master sneered, “the Time Pirate showed up that is all.  Because you all seemed to forget that the Time Pirate STEALS CO-ORDINATES JUST BY POWER OF THOUGHT!”

“So?”

“By beaming the Scottish Pup into Nyssa’s bedroom The Time Pirate now knows her - not only that; he chose a limerick to charm her, literally. Now she is in his private quarters and his henchthing has taken Ace!”

“You still have Jamie and Leela?”

“Yes, but Nyssa is… “

“The reason you are there, Master, is to use your energies to connive and plot against Time Lords like him!”

“He is too strong for me!” The Master sighed.  “If he can knock me out, Doctor, just think what he could be doing to Nyssa’s EMPATH mind?”

The Doctor sighed: “The Consulate provided five bedrooms for a reason and I cannot send in any more help!”

“But, Doctor, this is Nyssa!”

“I KNOW!” The Doctor roared.  “I HAVE SEEN NYSSA BEATEN UP BY THUGS.  I HAVE SEEN NYSSA ALMOST TURNED INTO A CYBERMAN.  I HAVE SEEN NYSSA FAINT INEXPLICABLY AND I HAVE SEEN NYSSA BROKEN DOWN AND IN TEARS!   DO YOU THINK I DO NOT CARE FOR HER?”

Silence rang around the room and the Master rubbed his face: “I tried, Doctor, I tried to hide her but someone gave her a bottle of perfume made from Gallifreyan fruits and spices and the wind blew the scent in his direction!”
“Can you remember the Limerick?”

“Why?”

“It might have words that can counter it!”

Jamie and Leela looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.  “Can you, Master?” Leela asked.

“No, not yet!” he sighed.  “I need to go to my room and meditate on what exactly happened and try and remember.”

“I think it started with …” Jamie said but suddenly stopped.

“It sounds like you have come to like Nyssa,” the Doctor said.  

The Master snarled back: “Who wouldn’t!” he snapped before switching off the communication hub.

“We’ll ge’ her back!” Jamie said, “we will figh’ this cove!”

“How?” Leela asked walking close to Jamie taking his hand.  “He is strong!”

The Master turned both his hands into fists and thumped the TARDIS walls and kicked his shoes against the panels.  “I am going to my room!” he snarled, “you two amuse yourselves whilst I’m gone!”

With that he left the Control Room and to his bedchamber, leaving a very bemused Jamie and Leela glancing at each other: “Well, he did say to amuse ourselves?” Jamie winked.

“I am engaged to be married!” Leela said.

“Aye, can’t blame a guy for askin’!” Jamie smirked.

Leela blushed and shook her head.  “Besides,” she sighed when he had left the room, “I know you would have preferred me to be with that vagrant than the Lady Nyssa!”

Leela also decided to regroup - to do that she thought to practice her knife throwing skills.  That ship had plenty of wood to dig them into.  Then she thought of how they had lost two.  The Master may not care about her but the Doctor did.  For once she chose to stay inside and went to her room and sat on her bed.  One glance was all it took to convince Leela that this Time Pirate had less than honorable intentions.  This one would not let anything get in his way.  After all, if he was more than a millennia in this Universe then Nyssa’s innocence was only going to encourage him in his litigatious intentions than stop him.  Morals do not apply to those sorts of Time Lords she had learned from her teachings in the Academy.

Why was he not mentioned in any of the books and tomes she had read? this thought crossed her mind as she passed the Master’s bedchamber.  Tentatively she knocked on the door and the Master gave her permission to enter.

It was a mess!

“You were releasing frustrations rather than meditating, were you not?” she asked.

“Maybe I prefer chaos?”

“I think you are not used to caring,” Leela said, “and, somehow, despite your history with her - you care for Nyssa!”

“I kissed her earlier.  I cannot remember the last time I was swept up in that sort of … feeling!”
“How did the Time Pirate freeze Nyssa like that, surely words are not that powerful?”

“Has the Doctor never told you that the pen is mightier than the sword?”

“He may have done at some point, it sounds like something he would say!”

“The meaning is that you may be able to kill a man’s body with a sword - but with a pen you can write lies, create scandals and; if enough people believe them, that man may start out being respected, but will end up being despised and hated.  It would seem like you have killed what was most important to them!”

“Which is?”

“Their reputation,” the Master sighed.  

“Can we not ruin this Time Lord’s reputation?”

“You forget,” the Master sighed, “the Time Pirate has become his reputation!”

“We can destroy it still, can we not?”

“How did you ever manage to travel with the Doctor?”

“He landed amongst the lands of my tribe and offered me a jelly baby,” Leela said, “his face was carved into a mountain.  He explained that the TESCH were actually Technological Experts and my tribe name, Sevateem, was mashed up with two words - Survey Team.  The tribe had killed my father and I was outcast as a blasphemer.”

“So, the Doctor sorted out your little tribal dispute and invited you on board?”

“Not quite,” Leela blushed, “he was about to say goodbye but I did not want to live amongst them anymore,” she smiled, “the Doctor was brilliant.  I wanted to learn Science - not live in superstitious fears anymore. The Doctor showed me a better way!”

“Superstition is due to the power of words, Leela!” The Master tilted his head, “on Earth a black cat is unlucky.  So is the number 13, as are left handed people, men seeing women the night before they get married, stepping on cracks in the pavements, walking under ladders ... “

“Why?”

“The power of words,” the Master sighed sitting on his bed, “tales told by grandmothers of grandmothers of grandmothers generations back - each new generation passes these myths on!”

“So, the Time Pirate has harnessed the power of words?”

“What worried me was, how did he know where she was from?” The Master frowned, that was the only part he could remember.

“Are you sure Nyssa was not just playing along?”

The Master gazed up at Leela and shook his head despondently: “There is nothing mischievous, playful or deceitful within Nyssa, she would not know how to lie.  Stealing is foreign nature to her and deception completely against every fibre of her being.  She has barely started to hate!”

“Ace and I tried to explain the science and biology of manhood but…”

“I destroyed her planet and even I could not destroy that part of her innocence,” the Master said, “she was so beautiful in that oasis,” he looked at Leela, “so much like … like …”
Leela walked up to the Master: “I am supposed to hate you,” she said sitting next to him and put a hand to his knee, “you hate the Doctor and wish to kill him.  For that I despise you!” the Master wondered where she was going with this, “but you are genuinely scared for Nyssa and wish to gain her back innocence intact!  For that, you have my sympathies!”

“I need the words of his little dittie more than your sympathy!”

Nodding Leela patted the Master’s knee once more and got up.  “Do they need to be the exact words!”

“Exact inflection of words including the right pauses!”

“Thank you!” Leela said, “just need to make sure,” suddenly she dashed to the Master and opened his hand: “a janus thorn,” she explained, “they are extremely poisonous.  Get close to his hearts he won’t have time to regenerate!”

“Shame Nyssa does not have one!”

“We have to trust that Nyssa is safe!”

The Master watched Leela depart from his room and decided to have a very strong word with the Doctor about his companions in the future.  If one of them is as pretty as Nyssa then KISS HER FOR GOODNESS SAKES, he heard the yell in his own head.  His own private communications systems buzzed and the Master hit the response button.

“Yes!” he exclaimed.

“Look,” it was the Doctor, “I am sorry for yelling earlier!”

“This is not like you!” the Master said, he was too exhausted to sum up sarcasm.  “What do you want!”

“What do you mean if they are as pretty as her, kiss them for goodness sake?”

“You heard my own private thoughts?”

“It woke me up!”

“You slept with the knowledge Nyssa is in his clutches!”

“If I could turn up I would but the Time Lords won’t allow me to work with you on this, I stood aside believing, for once, you were the better Time Lord for the job.”

“Do you know that Nyssa is not even aware of the fact that she is a woman?”

“So?”

“I would have thought even you would have noticed that about her?”

“I have but we are too busy righting wrongs and…”

“Spare me the justification for your ignorance, Doctor!” the Master sighed, “you should have at least told her that she was beautiful!”

“Nyssa does not think of that as important?”

“Really?” the Master sneered, “then how come when my eyes bulged out at an outfit she was wearing she thought that something was wrong with it.  Or with her? How come she thought she had done something bad?”

The Doctor sighed down the communice and the Master heard his fingers tapping on the side: “I assumed it was not important to her!” he conceded.

“Now you know it is, IF you get her back treat her with the attention she deserves!”

“What would the Time Pirate do to her exactly?”

“It would be easier to ask what he wouldn’t do to her!” the Master sighed, “this is a Time Lord that managed to knock me out with the power of his mind whilst he had Miss Leela in a state of paralysis.  He had killed a hench Alien.  Nyssa did not even bother to put up a fight,” the Master sighed, “she fought against me to begin with.  I did not shut her mind down.  I let her yell at me!”

“Just because of a limerick?” the Doctor scoffed.

“I did not think I had to explain the power of words to you, Doctor!”

“How are you getting on with the others?”

“Miss McShane is captured and she hates me too but she adores Nyssa,” the Master sighed, “Mr McCrimmon is a puppy!” the Doctor was about to say something, “but I like Miss Leela, she has something bordering on intelligence.”

“What else is worrying you?” the Doctor asked.

“The Time Pirate knew where she came from.  She did not even have to introduce herself!”

The Doctor continued tapping his fingers: “All right, I will see what I can come up with that rhymes with Traken,” he sighed, “I care about her, have done since the moment I met her as well you know!”

“She refuses to hate me, Doctor, she is angry but she refuses to hate me! She even said that she would be my friend if I meant an apology,” the Master rushed his hands through his hair, “nobody can be that forgiving!”

“She is,” the Doctor said, “that is her wonder!”

“It is what makes her beautiful,” the Master sighed.  “She reminds me of Jo in lots of ways.  If your third self actually acted on those feelings with her - Nyssa would have been the result!”

“Jo did not think of me like that.”

“Really?” the Master scoffed.  “And you are going to tell me next that Nyssa only sees you as this lonely traveller?”

“Yes, though lately not too lonely!”

“She described to me her type of man,” the Master smiled.  “Well, when you worked out a limerick and I have, Leela is working on it too,” the Master felt the janus thorn by the side of the communice, “I am sure the three of us can come up with its approximation and we will go on from there!”

“Over and out!” the Doctor said switching off his end, the Master reminded himself not to shout at himself in the future.  He forgot that the Doctor could sometimes pick these things up quickly.

A chilling thought crossed his mind, if the Doctor could hear his thoughts and he was on Gallifrey then The Time Pirate most certainly could.  It was not from Nyssa he got the information from.  By not being able to shut down his feelings the Time Pirate got it from him.

The Time Pirate saw that Nyssa was another young woman that he cared for.  It was his fault! He had forgotten what it was to be the Master and had reverted to being whom he once was.  The one time Nyssa needed him to be The Master and he failed.  Failed because the Time Pirate made the Master feel like a tiny ant inside.  Failed because he was scared! Scared, again, for another person and not for his own flesh.

“I will get you back, sweet Nyssa, and I will be your friend who shall always be watching you.  Keeping your memory alive and, if I can, I will marry you!”

Little did he know that Jamie was sitting on his own bed: “I go’ the message!” he said aloud.  “I will destroy the TARDIS!” Jamie blinked and shook his head.  “Strange position to be dreamin’ in,” he said.  “Am a bit trauchled. Ah me heid!” with that he took off his shoes and lifted the blankets up, snuggled in and rested his head and slept on.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

The Time Pirate watched her as she bent her knees to the floor giving him a good view of what was to come, he laid his fingers to her and observed her as she tenderly filed his nails, blowing the debris off the flesh and making sure that one was done perfectly before moving onto the next one.  The Traken Maid was still silent.  He wished it so, when he felt like hearing her voice he would kiss her mouth free, but only her mouth.

“You know,” he whispered to her, “your friends are going to come to rescue you,” he leaned over to smell her again, “but I am not going to let them.”

Nyssa looked up and tilted her head to one side and smiled: “You know why I am not going to?”

The Pirate waited for her to finish shaping his nails then he took her hand in his and walked her through the wardrobe and showed her the TARDIS interior.

“Do you know what this is?”
Nyssa shook her head.  “This can take us to any place, any time, how about - my sweet Princess Nyssa - we find a nice spot.  Secretive, private, the only place no one can find us!”

The Time Lords won’t be able to find him where he was about to go.  A place of his own dimension.  A place where he was cloaked away from the Universe!

“Come here,” he beckoned with his finger.  Nyssa walked up to him, “let us become,” his eyes glowed, “more acquainted with each other, shall we?”

They walked through the door straight into a bedroom: “Ya see, my Princess,” the Time Pirate unbuttoned his shirt, then tilted her chin up.  “I need you - right now!” he kissed her sweet lips and Nyssa felt like she had been given life.

“What do you need me to do?” she said.

The Time Pirate used his telekinetic touch to unpick the front fastenings of her corset.  With no will power, Nyssa swooned and he caught her in his arm: “I need us to sway to the rhythm of the time winds and dance together to the beating of our own passionate hearts!”

Nyssa smiled as the Time Pirate kissed her passionately over and over again, “Oh my, Captain!” she murmured breathlessly.  “I am yours, Captain, to do with what you will!”

The Time Pirate picked her up and laid her on the bed.  He kissed down her arm and then he sauntered to the end of the bed, knelt on the floor and started kissing her toes and massaging her legs: “Believe me, Nyssa,” the Pirate grinned to himself when he was petting one leg with his lips: “that’s what I intend to do!”

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

The Master was tired, so exhausted his eyes looked red.  Could he go back and save Tremas? He was the only person Nyssa could trust, the only person to bring her back to herself? But how would that work? If he stopped Tremas from touching that clock, he would not be here and that would cause a whole other conundrum!

All he had of Nyssa now was that memory of her perching on a tree, looking like a Fey Gypsy and adoring the beauty of the secluded pool.  “Oh, Nyssa!” the Master sobbed, he felt both his hearts twinge in a cosmic energy that almost knocked him out, “it has happened, I know it has!” he continued crying, “just like it did with ... “ even now he could not utter it.  The word that could help him and give him the confidence and the strength he needed to face the Time Pirate.  One thing he could do though was wipe the tears away and stand up: “One thing is for certain!” he growled.  “If I find her in exactly the same state as I found …” he squared his shoulders, “there. will. be. a. reckoning!” The Master narrowed his eyes, “when I find her, she had better be alive!”

Images haunted his mind.  Images of her mangled corpse.  A once ethereal beauty trashed to unrecognisable state of ugliness.  A face left in such twisted agonies that he could not even comprehend what she had suffered.  What she had seen before she drew her last breath, the only vital clue left to indicate whom she was, was a pendant he had given her for her 200th birthday, gleaming amongst the blackened flesh of her chest.

He could never forget how no one had bothered to find her for him.  How he was let down by his best friend.  Eyes stared wide open as the image of the Skull and Crossbones left imprinted on her irises.  The pupils became the shape of the heart shaped beard!
“We do have a score to settle,” the Master muttered, “and if you so much as pinch Nyssa I shall visit the upon you all the seven secrets of the tortures of hell!” The Master glanced in the mirror, “she was my trusting, gorgeous sister and you callously spit her out!  Now it is time I do what I am really best at!”

He stormed out of his bedchamber to the Control Unit and typed in his own co ordinates: “It is time,” he swung down the lever that jump started the TARDIS into action, “that I broke the rules!” he connected with Ace’s mind and managed to find out where she was.  “Some music!” with the loud tune in the background The Master danced, in time to the melody, around the Unit, pressing in more buttons to the beat, “Time I took control!” he pressed down another lever to activate the materialisation circuits the TARDIS vworped in time to the chorus, “Time I actually lived up to my name!” he punched in the last button as the TARDIS apparated out of the jungle. Only to appear on a darkened beach where Ace stood looking with fear over her shoulder.  Relieved to find it was the TARDIS, Ace smiled.  The Master beckoned her to hurry and pushed her in gently with his hand.  Questions could be asked later how she managed to escape Glax.

“What’s going on?” she shouted, she thought she had her music loud.

“It is time. my dear Miss McShane,” the Master’s eyes twinkled with plots and intrigues that made Ace breathless with excitement, “that I become the Master!”

With that he plotted another course and Ace helped him by following his commands.

“Where are we going?” she yelled over the noise of the Master’s music.

The Master’s smile spread chillingly across his features: “To a place where there will always be a yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!” he said, “we are going to Jamaica 1760 - the place and time where Piracy was at its height of popularity!”

“Will Nyssa be okay?” the music woke up Leela and Jamie and they appeared in the control unit, rumpled from sleep, immediately both hugged Ace.

“Let’s just say that if she is not,” the Master turned the volume up making Jamie and Leela cover their ears and scowl with the pain as the heavy bass beat into them, “it will literally be his pain and my thrill!”

End of Part One