The Beginning of the End (Doctor Who)

Chap. 58

The maze will play with their human minds, spinning them around and around, just on the cusp of freedom, but never close enough. The thought makes you smile.

"How's our mutual acquaintance?" You question Missy as she guides the TARDIS through the Vortex.

"Quite held up in an extravagant paralysis field of my own making." She takes a deep breath, slightly shaking. You dismiss it. Turning to you she says, "Breaking the crystals won't be enough to destroy the Universe, love."

"It might work." You argue, "the Paradox it would create-"

"No, she's right." The Master interjects, gliding a hand over your shoulder. "Time will keep moving, in an endless loop. It might collapse after a while, it might fix itself. The Universe is clever like that." She growls.

"I dismissed Time." You sigh, closing your eyes and letting out an angry sigh. How old are you, yet you dismiss the one, the one constant variable anywhere you go. Time! "Proposals?"

"There's a myth, where I'm from, at least, regarding the Temple of Atropos. There lie the Mouri, from which all Time flows in balance. Eliminate them, eliminate Time." She rigidly paces, hands behind her back, face tense.

"I've heard that, too, back at the Academy. Time is a very delicate, yet very stubborn thing." The other Time Lady confirms.

"Then there we go." You softly say.

You all pilot the TARDIS, very carefully maneuvering it to a very glitchy sector of the Universe you weren't even aware of. It'd been hidden under layers of Vortex energy and wormholes. The turbulence is nearly unbearable, even with the Stabalisers. Sometimes you hear one of the humans scream.

Something is trying to keep you out, desperately. That much is clear, but it doesn't work. You even manage to make quite a smooth landing.

Outside the TARDIS lies a dusty hall. It's not fully what you expected for a planet called Time. Before you close the door, the Cloister Bell rings out four times.

"That sounds supportive." You mutter.

"We're ending the Universe, dear. Of course she's a little grumpy." Missy rations.

"I don't think the TARDIS is our only problem." The Master calls out.

You shut the door and take a few steps, only to find force itself is acting up. Walking, even breathing, takes twice the effort. In a moment your respiratory bypass has kicked in. A floating cube flies past your head, pulsing a furious red.

"Intruder - Alert - Intruder - Alert!" It cries out. Missy stares it down, then fires with her umbrella. The cube sparks and dies out, but continues to angrily flash at you.

"Such a warm welcome." She tightly smiles.

The Master scans the area with her pen, rolling her eyes at the result.

"I don't think it's just this planet," She grimly notes

"Cyber Darlings!" Missy shouts, knocking on the TARDIS door, which has disguised itself as a dusty support beam. The squad marches out, always at attention. "Find and execute the Mouri." She orders.

"Find and execute. Target: Mouri." One says, blinking a brilliant blue as it turns in a circle, scanning and searching. "Target Mouri located."

"Find. Execute. Find. Execute." They march in a line. Even they appear to struggle with the simple act of marching. The three of you follow, noticing how the air condenses, the lighting dims, and gravity increases in strength.

"The Mouri are trying to reverse time." Missy realises.

"They can't do that." You firmly say, "Time only moves forward, from now until the final days of the Universe."