The Master's Game (Doctor Who)

Into dark minds

Her orientation was lost long before they reached the lowest floor. Since the device didn't need more modifications, acquiring the catalyst seemed to be outsourced and Roka couldn't do all too much cause of her eyes, the two had started to get bored. Really bored. And boredom was an enemy they both hated. So now they were heading downwards to see 'the most amazing place in here', as the Master had called it. All Roka knew about though, was that it got darker and colder the further down they went.

The Master handed her a flashlight with a clip. "The electricity down there doesn't work quite well." He pushed a button on the wall and two big metal doors opened into a gaping black maw. Roka stepped inside and saw literally nothing. Then a very dim light flashed somewhere in the distance. In the far distance. Another one. They weren't bright enough to really illuminate something. Especially not when your eyes weren't functioning properly.

But as all the available lamps had turned on, she could make out at least a few things. The first was, that the hall had to be gigantic. Several hundred meters in each direction. The second thing was, that it was filled with huge metal structures that probably had been some kind of machinery at one point. But they looked strange and... alien.

"Is that a factory of some sorts?" she asked towards the Master while rubbing her arms. It really was freezing down here.

"Must have been. No clue what for though. But definitely alien." He sounded happy. "But the best part about this... It seems this was a hideout for scavengers."

She inspected her immediate surroundings and really, the place was littered with... stuff of all shapes and sizes. Like the hall was some sort of huge junkyard. And as far as she could tell this continued far into the darkness, where she could make out vague piles below the distant lights.

"This. Is. Amazing!" she exclaimed and heard a laugh behind her.

"Thought you would like that. I spent days down here and haven't even scratched the surface. Most of my stuff upstairs is from here."

"So... are we looking for something specific? Or just gather everything that looks special?" She could barely keep herself from running into the darkness, although she was still shivering from the cold.

"Just passing time. Guess you're clever enough to recognize interesting things. Even with your sight." He glanced down to her. "Bring everything to the front part of the hall. I'll sort through it later."

Roka looked around excitedly, unsure at which end she should start. The Master moved passed her and some cloth dropped on her head. She took it down and saw that it was his jacket. Perplex she looked at it, but the Master was already out of sight, so, after some more seconds of staring at it in confusion, she just put it on. It was way too big, but at least she didn't freeze anymore.

The hall really was gigantic. It took her around ten minutes to walk from one end of it to the other. Maybe a bit less when she subtracted the time needed to climb over piles of... things. And all around arose huge metal structures into the dark. Like the arms of ancient long forgotten metal giants. They looked strange and some even outright creepy. Especially in the spare light. It was still almost pitch black in here. The few lamps and her torch didn't help much with it. Additionally loud creaks and moans filled the blackness around, and here and there other sounds, probably from still functioning devices somewhere.

She decided to not stray too far from the Master for now, who was throwing stuff around and occasionally jumping up and down some piles. This place was so big she easily could get lost in it. Which in itself was an absolutely exciting thought. Somewhere around she spotted a rope lift, that lead up one of the structures. As she looked up she saw thick metal scraps and junk leaned against it. Big enough to walk on them or climb them up even. But the rope lift would be faster and she already had spotted the button to activate it. There was a metal bar attached to the rope on which she put her feet before hitting the button. Slowly the rope began to move upwards and Roka couldn't for the life of her suppress a happy giggle as she rose farther and farther up.