Starcrossed (A Doctor Who Fanfiction) Book Two

Mesmerus

Beatrice sat on the steps of the consul room working on her sketchbook. She had decided to record her adventures in the book. She was currently working on a drawing of the Master dressed in his vicar's outfit.

 The man himself was busy setting coordinates. He hadn't told Beatrice where they were headed and had simply told her to wear something professional looking. Beatrice was once again thankful for the TARDIS's vast wardrobe where she had found a perfectly tailored navy-blue pant's suit with a peplum blazer and creme blouse. Her hair was put up in a french twist to keep it out of the way.

She glanced up from her drawings to look at the Master. She loved watching him work. The elegant way he moved, the small smirk that he would get on his face when he succeeded in getting what he was working on to work, and the warm look in his eyes when he caught her watching him.

"Well that should do it," he said. Beatrice set down he sketchbook and walked over to him. 

"Are you going to tell me where we are headed now?" she asked arching an eyebrow.

"The planet Mesmerus," he said turning on the scanner. Beatrice saw a blue and purple planet that appeared to have two suns.

"And why are we headed there?" she said as the TARDIS landed and he opened the door. She stepped out and was greeted with the sight of an industrial looking city. 

All around her were tall skyscrapers and office buildings that mostly looked the same. Beatrice might have mistaken it for a major city on earth if it hadn't been for the dark blue and purple clouds in the sky. The Master stepped out next to her and answered her question.

"We're here to look at the presentation of a machine I heard about and am rather interested in." she took his arm and they began walking in the direction of a tall building with a pyramid on top.

"You aren't planning to try and steal it for one of your plans are you?" she asked suspiciously.

"I assure you it is simple scientific curiosity," he said with a chuckle.

"Excuse me for being suspicious of the man who, during the time I've known him, has made at least four invasion attempts on earth."

"Touche my dear. Touche. But you forget I am a scientist as well as a criminal." 

"Only you could sound pleased about admitting that second part," Beatrice said wryly as they reached the building where they were stopped by a guard.

"Passes please," the guard said. The Master held up what Beatrice recognized to be psychic paper.

"Professor Masters and his wife Jane Masters," he said. The guard nodded and they walked in.

"Why do you always use some variation of your actual name. You might not get caught if you used something different. Also, wife?" she said. It wasn't that she was upset by his choice in cover for them, just slightly surprised.

"You object?" he asked.

"Not at all," she said shooting him a smile as they reached their seats and sat down. There was a large monitor the size of one of a TV in Times Square. Beneath it was a large circuit board covered in buttons. Multiple cables connected to a black box roughly the size of a large kleenex box. The box was resting on a short folding table that was set up on the platform. Two thin wires with what looked like electrodes attached at the end trailed from the box and rested on a plain wooden chair. 

"You know this reminds me of the Keller Machine fiasco," Beatrice told the Master.

"How so?" he asked looking slightly miffed at her criticism of his failed plan.