Doctor Beware [OPEN]

[traken_master]

The Master will admit he's pleased to find himself back in his TARDIS, right as the Cheetah world disintegrates. Nasty place, he is delighted to be free of it! Though, the kitlings were fantastic henchmen, he had to admit. He almost regrets not being able to keep one or two.

What the Master will not admit is being relieved or anxious. Naturally, the universe has grander plans for him, than for him to die on that backwater. As for the Cheetah virus, well, the Master is an extraordinary scientist, a genius almost without measure! He will find a cure.

The Master maneuvers his TARDIS through the time vortex, but something goes wrong. He feels himself being pulled off course, as he heads for Earth, planning to create some new mischief for the Doctor. Warning bells go off and the Master fights to keep his systems stable. The Master materializes and the warnings go quiet.

Sighing, the Master examines his instruments. They read New York, America, Earth, on January 29, 2013. He chuckles. That isn't where he intended, but he's safe and on Earth. He feels good! He feels...like himself. The Master finds a mirror and looks. He is whole again. His eyes are blue, his teeth those of an omnivore. He laughs heartily. Oh, the universe does love him! Opening the doors, he steps outside and takes a deep breath of the air.

Comments

[alwaysalright]

The Doctor's on his way down through the park, just heading across Bow Bridge, when suddenly something makes the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end, and beeping in his pocket confirms his feelings. Something substantial just came through the Rift, probably pretty close to him.

He pulls out the beeping homemade device and jogs along, searching for what or who came through. He should be able to find it, or them, although this close to the center of the Rift there's a lot of interference. But there's something else, too... And it turns out he could've just used his eyes. The moment he spots the Master, stepping out of a tree that the Doctor is pretty sure wasn't there five minutes ago, he stops dead in his tracks. Bugger.

Should he go talk to him? Might be a really bad idea, given their different points in time. But then it's probably a worse idea not to. He could be planning anything, and the Doctor won't have anyone harmed at the Master's hand while they're here. And he's pretty sure he can't hide from him forever anyway. Perhaps best to get it over with.

He pulls out his phone and quickly texts a message to the TARDIS. He's might still be close enough to just talk to her mentally, but this way is more reliable, without the message getting bundled up in all the messy feelings. He pockets both devices, then strides over towards the Master with determination. "Oy!" he shouts to catch his attention.

[traken_master]

The Master turns, almost without meaning to. He spots a young-looking man, walking towards him. He grins, almost missing the elongated incisors, now. Oh, he knows who this is. Who else would it be?

"Why, my dear Doctor! You've regenerated it seems. Surely not a result of our last encounter?"

[alwaysalright]

"Got bored of the old body," he lies, pretty obviously. He needs to be careful about revealing information about his past. Sure, he more or less trusts himself not to use sensitive information, but he doesn't trust the Master.

Now he's reached him, he's suddenly not sure what to say. So he goes with scolding him. "Listen, under no circumstances are you allowed to harm anyone here, you got me?" he says sternly, pointing a finger at him.

[traken_master]

The Master throws back his head and laughs, delighted.

"Oh, my dear Doctor, I understand you completely. In fact, I understand you far better than you understand me. Do you think my plans have changed?"

[alwaysalright]

"Well, you're not allowed to try to rule them, either," he clarifies, and he's pretty sure the Master doesn't understand him at all at this point, given what he's gone through since the last time the Master met him. "Or try one of your crazy schemes," he adds, trying to work out exactly when the Master is from. He had that particular body for ages, so the Doctor might have to actually ask.

[traken_master]

"Why, my dear Doctor, are you issuing commands, setting rules? What happened to domination being an unattractive prospect?" the Master taunts, chuckling with glee. Oh, he loves this side of the Doctor. It's so delicious to exploit!

[alwaysalright]

"This isn't domination, this is protection," he answers moodily. "You don't start trouble, you can do what you like." Though he has no idea what exactly the Master would do to amuse himself if he's not allowed his usual exploits - annoying the Doctor, probably. And he's still not sure if he wants to see more of the Master while he can, or steer clear of him completely because it's too painful.

[traken_master]

"Ah, but in order to enforce this protection, as you call it, you must dominate me! How else will you enforce your little rules for me?" the Master taunts. "Starting trouble, my dear Doctor, is what I like. Well, your definition of starting trouble. I call it establishing order."

[alwaysalright]

"It's not your right to establish order here," he argues. "If they elect you - of their own free will, none of your hocus-pocus, then I might be prepared to let you establish order as you call it. People should govern themselves." He's probably lying about the letting the Master take over even then - he'd be too suspcious there was foul play.

[traken_master]

The Master tilts his head, chuckling fondly.

"Oh, my dear Doctor, you are so brilliantly naive. Of course taking over is my right! I'm a Time Lord and a genius, whose intellect is far above these wretched children you try to shelter," he corrects. "People probably should govern themselves, yes, but sadly they are incapable of it."

[alwaysalright]

The Doctor shakes his head, giving up on this conversation. They've had it before - the Doctor a few times more than the Master, given where they are in their timelines. It never really goes anywhere.

"Well, no point asking you why you're here, I expect you got sucked through by mistake like the rest of us," he says, grumpily changing the subject. "When are you from?"

[traken_master]

The Master willingly allows the change in conversation. He knows too well how entrenched they each are in their beliefs.

"I believe I did, yes," he agrees. "I just left you on the Cheetah planet. I don't suppose you'll be willing to tell me much about your own point in the timelines."

[alwaysalright]

The Doctor shakes his head. "Too risky, sorry," he answers. As much as he might like someone to share his burdens. He's got the TARDIS, that has to be enough, and most of the time it is. Speaking of that.

"How's your TARDIS? How's she dealing with being here?" he asks.

[traken_master]

"Of course, my dear Doctor," the Master agrees, chuckling. He has no intention of letting the matter go, of course. He will simply find other means to the information.

"My TARDIS?" he asks, cautiously. "Why do you ask? What would she need to 'deal with,' as you say?"

[alwaysalright]

"Well, mine wasn't happy. Different universe," he answers. "Can't you feel it? That taste in the air? Time's all wrong, and there's no way back through that rift. We've not just been sucked through, we're stuck."

Though he seems remarkably calm about the situation. Clearly he's had some time to adjust.

[traken_master]

The Master shifts his stance a little, disturbed. Now that the Doctor has called attention to it, there is something a bit off to the feel of this world.

"You have tried to return then? And failed?"

That...is not good news. The Doctor never fails, so far as the Master can tell. Oh, he has setbacks and, occasionally, things don't quite the way he wants, but that is more others failing and the Doctor living with the consequences! If the Doctor actually can not find an answer he seeks, then the situation is dire indeed.

[alwaysalright]

The Doctor nods a bit. "Not that I've given up. But I've been here over two weeks now, and, well, progress is slow, and the TARDIS barely has power here. No time travel. Haven't really risked space travel yet either, because she gets power from the rift."

Should be safe telling the Master this, if only because he'll be in the same situation. He doesn't want the Master to try taking off and accidentally hurting his TARDIS.

[traken_master]

The Master frowns. Even in an alternate universe, a TARDIS should be able to draw energy from the Eye of Harmony. The vessels are designed to be able to function in every time and place imagineable!

"I will check on her, of course. She should't have any trouble drawing energy from the Eye of Harmony," he predicts. "Two weeks is a long time, Doctor. I wouldn't have expected a simple engineering problem to take you more than two days."