Waiting On A Rival

Chapter 5

A/N very sorry for the short chapters! Almost forgot to thank TimeLadyAlly for the cover and I highly suggest listening to the song on the side!

"What have you done to my TARDIS!?" Celeste roared. He shrunk back. Four months later and her rage only intensified. It was handy with setting examples, but when it was directed toward a living person, the person might just want to stay away.

The Master cleared his throat and regained his posture. "I've made it into a paradox machine with the Doctor's for the Toclafane." He decided it would be best not to mention the chameleon circuit.

She glared intensively and stalked out. While the Master threatened the Doctor, Celeste listened in to the Jones. They planned their scheme and she smiled widely when she realized the fatal flaw.

The flight deck was silent. Celeste called, "Come on, people! What are we doing? Launch Day in twenty four hours." She ignored the three fingers against the Doctor's thigh and the fact that the Jones passed it on. Celeste just smirked smugly at everything around her.

The Master's massage was interrupted with blaring alarms. "What the hell?" Ms. Jones threw the Master's jacket to Tish. She gave it to the Doctor who took the laser screwdriver from the pocket and pointed it at the Master. He sighed, "Oh, I see."

The Doctor wheezed, "I told you. I have one thing to say." He fumbled with the screwdriver, but couldn't get it to work. Celeste cackled, "Isomorphic controls." She grabbed it from his weak hand and pushed him to the ground.
"Which means they only work for him," she smirked and tossed it to the Master, "Like this."

He aimed the laser to Ms. Jones. "Say sorry!"

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." She shuddered.

He smiled evilly. "Didn't you learn anything from the blessed Saint Martha? Siding with the Doctor is a very dangerous thing to do. Take them away."

The guard took them away. The Master continued as he helped the Doctor into a chair, "Oh boy. There you go, Gramps. Oh, do you know, I remember the days when the Doctor, oh, that famous Doctor, was waging a Time War, battling Sea Devils and Axons. He sealed the rift at the Medusa Cascade single handed. And look at him now. Stealing screwdrivers. How did he ever come to this?" He paused. "Oh yeah, me."

The Doctor looked pleadingly at Celeste. "I just need you to listen," he insisted, "Your abilities are out of control."

The lights flickered. "No, it's my turn!" Celeste shrieked, "This is because you didn't find me immediately!" Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Revenge! Best served hot. And this time, it's a message for Miss Jones." She turned to the Master. "Give it."

He started the camera. "My people. Salutations on this, the eve of war. Lovely woman. But I know there's all sorts of whispers down there. Stories of a child, walking the Earth, giving you hope," he sarcastically said, "But I ask you how much hope has this man got?" The camera turned to the Doctor. "Say hello, Gandalf. Except he's not that old, but he's an alien with a much greater lifespan than you stunted little apes. But what if it showed?"

He walked closer to him. "What if I suspend your capacity to regenerate? All nine hundred years of your life, Doctor. What if we could see them?" The Master retuned the laser screwdriver and zapped the Doctor. The old man convulsed and Celeste felt her stomach twist, but shook it off.

The convulsions stopped and a pile of clothes remained. A tiny creature with big eyes, rather Gollum-like, peered out. Celeste noticed the vulnerability, but also the big brown eyes full of defeat.

The Master asked, "Received and understood, Miss Jones?"

Celeste left the room to go to her own. The lights did their usual flickering until something new happened.