Soul's Shadow (Doctor Who - SI)

Part X (XV)

The Doctor was clearly on his way to find the children again, but when we entered the house we didn't only find it wide open it also was as empty as a house could be.

"I wonder what he wants to do with them," I murmured. "Maybe they were too weak for the machines, but..."

"Oh, I think this is something else. I'm just not sure, yet, if I like it or not. And if I'm right. But might be, should be. Would make a lot more sense, you know."

"Ehhhh..."

The honest answer would have been a clear no, albeit this wasn't the most pressing thought in my mind. I wanted to know where everyone was and what the Master had done since we had left. The machines outside were untouched and there was no trace of... anything at all, actually. It felt as if we were stumbling through a broken doll house.

Outside we walked through the deserted town, peeking inside empty houses. We passed the center where the round symbol still lay uncovered from the sand, reminding of a summoning circle instead of a machine part.

"Do you hear that?" the Doctor asked eventually. "I think they are nearby."

I strained my ears and really could hear something like voices, laughter? I tossed a questioning glance at my companion but got no answer. Instead he sped up his steps, making it hard for me to follow. Damn his long legs!

We rounded a corner, got behind one of the houses and... froze. The scene was so utterly unexpected and impossible that I simply couldn't move a muscle.

The children were there, some running around, trying to catch others, one was sleeping in a tree that stood next to a stone well. And under that tree... sat the Master, surrounded by a group of other children, all intently listening to whatever he told them in excited words, gesturing about and making a real scene. Here and there one of the children winced, or gave off a surprised squeak. And each time there was a reaction like that I saw the Master's eyes crinkle with joy.

Puzzled, I looked up at the Doctor. His mouth hung open, eyes glued to the scene ahead. Eventually we came closer, but the Master ignored our presence in favour of finishing his story. One about how he had been part of a galactic war and had sneaked into the main base of the emperor's fleet to steal a highly valuable crystal from one of the ships' cores. He did his best describing how he stealthily invaded the base, hypnotised guards, had fights with surprising attackers and, finally, managed to get to the core and even flee with his treasure. Unintentionally he had ended the entire war with that act. Only to start another one on a distant planet instead.

When he was done with the story, and only then, did his eyes wander towards us and his look was challenging, provocative even.

The children, however, cheered and begged for more and when they saw us the excited screams got louder. I saw the girl that had confronted the Master in the house sitting at the edge of the crowd, not looking as concerned as she probably should.

Another girl, not older than seven or eight, ran towards us and grabbed my hand. "It's alright, you can come closer," she said, smiling widely.

"What in the universe is going on here?" the Doctor asked, unable to hide his confusion. "What have you done with them?"

"As always, you draw the wrong conclusions, dear Doctor."

The Master got up from the ground, dusted his clothes off and stepped closer, gracefully avoiding a small boy who was chasing another. The Time Lord's grin was wide and also weirdly... calm.

"Have you reprogrammed them?" asked the Doctor incredulously. "That's... that's... I don't even know what to say."

"You obviously don't even know what to think." The Master laughed and rubbed his hands, enjoying himself way too much. His eyes wandered to me, but when I shrugged he pursed his lips. "Och, no one?"