The Cosmic Mystery

Chapter 6: The Last of the Timelords (Part 3)

I allow a guard to shove me into the main deck of the master's presidential ship, wincing softly when they grab my arm that's still scraped up from my previous tumble at Docherty's lab. I watch Martha acknowledge her family and I struggle not to let tears flood my eyes at the thought of Zola, and now Tom. God, all the people that I've met this past year that the man before me brutally murdered just because he could. Because it was fun.

               I see the scarily aged Doctor in a cage in the corner of the room. Despite his, let's be honest, horrifying appearance, the emotion in his eyes rage in that moment. Pride, relief, excitement, and fear all glimmer in his now large eyes. I blink back the tears I didn't realize had formed and offer him a small smile, he attempts to do the same.

                "Citizens of Earth, rejoice and observe." The Master announces, and I roll my eyes, finding his voice to be extremely obnoxious after a short while. Akin to nails on a chalkboard, but an unfathomable amount of times more arrogant. "Your teleport device, in case you thought I'd forgotten." I pull it out of my pocket tossing it to the Master. "And now, kneel." Both Martha and I sink to our knees avoiding eye contact in a desperate attempt not to laugh at the megalomaniac before us. It felt like a bad time to laugh, but the relief that flooded our veins in that moment was an extreme high compared to the lows we had faced in the last year. "Down below, the fleet is ready to launch. Two hundred thousand ships set to burn across the universe. Are we ready?" A man's voice confirms, and the Master looks delighted as I and Martha make eye contact, and instantly look away struggling not to laugh once again.

                "Three minutes to align the black hole converters. Counting down. I never could resist a ticking clock. My children, are you ready?" I assume the Master hears a reply because he continues to speak after a second. "At zero, to mark this day, the child Martha Jones, will die." Just Martha? "My first blood. Any last words?" The Master says looking over to the Doctor in his cage. "No? Such a disappointment, this one. Days of old, Doctor, you had companions who could absorb the time vortex. This one's useless. Bow your head. And so, it falls to me, as Master of all, to establish from this day, a new order of Time Lords. From this day forward- "Martha laughs and I, despite attempting to shush her, can't help but laugh with her after a second, mostly out of relief.

                "What. What's so funny?" The Master demands, irritation prevalent in his tone as his eyes snap back and forth between us.

                "A gun. A gun in four parts?" I laugh looking up. Allowing the look of genuine amusement onto my face.

                "Yeah? What about it? I destroyed it."

                "A gun in four parts scattered across the world. I mean, come on, did you really believe that?" Martha says beginning to stand pulling me with her while she grins maliciously at the Master.

                "What do you mean?" The Master says glancing nervously at Martha and I.

                "As if I would ask them to kill." The Doctor states from his cage and looking proud. At least, I think, he looks kind of horrible right now. Emotions don't play out well on his face, but it shows in his eyes.

                "Oh well, it doesn't matter. I've got them exactly where I want them." The Master retorts, clinging to some hope that his plan hasn't backfired miserably. Though I can see the doubt creeping into his demeanor as he starts to become defensive.

                "But we knew what Professor Docherty would do. The Resistance knew about her son. I told her about the gun, so I'd get us here at the right time." Martha explained sighing softly, actually enjoying that the Master was confused.