Soul's Shadow (Doctor Who - SI)

Part X (XIV)

All of us glared at the dead machines, in which the inhabitants of this town lay still and unmoving. The Doctor was fiddling with the straps of one of them, somehow managing to open them. He then held a hand out towards the Master, palm facing upwards.

"Sonic."

It wasn't a plea, but a command and of course the Master took way longer to even move a muscle than it needed. But in the end he did, produced the device from his pocket and handed it over.

"Thanks, Master."

The Doctor snatched the Sonic Screwdriver and let its light whir over the android, tongue in his teeth. Could they really be still functioning after we had drained so much energy? I tossed a glance up at the Master, finding him curious and wearing the strangest, yet incredibly subtle smile.

Once again I wondered how those two even worked together. One moment enemies, fighting their best to defeat the other, the next moment they stood side by side, hyping the same impossible occurrence. I also wondered when I had learned to read the Master so well. With everyone else I still had my usual problems, but he... it didn't even take me any effort most of the time.

"You know," drawled the Master, "that they technically can't be alive. Not in the usual sense anyway."

"And you're the one who gets to decide what the very definition of alive is?" The Doctor's voice was somewhere in the middle of amused and annoyed. "In their very own experience they might be as alive as you and I are."

"What nonsense. They are machines, Doctor. And not even the most elaborate ones. They just keep on repeating the same story over and over again."

"Maybe... You still hurt them."

"Ugh, please! Don't even start like that. I'm not and never going to have a guilty conscience about a toaster."

The Doctor whirled around with the most incredulous look. "They are not toasters!"

"You can't hypnotise a toaster," I unhelpfully tossed in, repeating the thought I had voiced once before, again catching a murderous glare from the Master for it.

"Anyway. Help me there, someone," asked the Doctor, again busy with the straps.

I looked up at the Master. This was his construction, after all, and I wasn't going to let go of the tiny dragon that slept in my hands.

"Like hell I will," he grumbled and turned away. But if you're really going to reboot them... ugh, whatever. You're not even listening, are you?"

The Doctor definitely wasn't, his Sonic wandering over straps and sizzling machine parts. Next, the Master looked at me, let his eyes wander over my closed hands and sighed.

"Why am I even doing this?" he groaned. "You two nudged a bloody dent into me! Just so you know! Insufferable idiots!"

Confused, I blinked at him, the Doctor did too, his attention finally diverted by the sudden outburst.

"Don't stare!" the Master continued, just as sourly. "This thing here was perfect! And you just ruined it. Both of you."

"Wha-haaat?" I protested. "Hold on a second. It was me you threw into the void! It was him-" I nodded to the Doctor- "you locked away with a bunch of android kids. There's nothing perfect about any of it."

"They aren't..." The Master glared glowing daggers at me and threw his hands up. "As if you'd believe it." His hands fell down and he turned on his heels, producing the Vortex Manipulator from somewhere. "Fine, do whatever you want with those tin cans. But I'm not going to let them repeat this mess. And don't you dare leave here without me."