The Changing Man (Doctor Who Fan Story)

Chapter 8

AUTHORS NOTE:

Hey so what do you all think so far? Is there anything you think can be improved? Feel free to comment! :P

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CHAPTER 8

The lab was silent for a good five minutes, Einstern busied himself on the computer looking at his previous results from Ashly when she was normal, Gunner set about himself by taking apart his pistol and cleaning every part of it with his shirt. The Master however rummaged through Ashly's jacket which had been removed from her when she was thrown in the room with him. He pulled out her sonic screwdriver which had been stepped on and the blue bulb was cracked, probably when he fought her, putting that aside he delved further, finding bits of scrap paper, a pair of blue socks, a mobile phone which was in sleep mode and an iPod Touch with a purple case. He turned the iPod on and searched through her music, finding some familiar artists that were popular on Earth, but at the end of the playlist, he found some tracks, music that she made, that she sang and played her guitar too, her voice was silky and smooth, it was blissful, the guitar was a light twinkling, sugar to his ears. She is a talented musician, normally he would think that Tine Lords and Time Ladies were gifted in the science and time lore, but not music.

"It's probably because she has never lived or even seen Gallifrey..." Thought the Master.

He was interrupted by a quiet voice, he looked towards Kara and realised she was talking to him. She repeated the question, knowing he didn't hear her the first time.

"I want answers"

"We want answers... Right from the beginning, from where you disappeared into the light when the Time Lords invaded" the Doctor asked too, his deep brown eyes stared at him intently.

That acid taste returned on the tip of his tongue, the raw instinct to lash out at the Doctor, to torture him was strong. He swallowed, unsure of what to do, he didn't have to answer his enemies questions, besides, they were the captives, not him. In his mind, he felt Ashly's mind shift, becoming slightly more alert as though she wanted to know answers as well, so he felt like pretending to answer only to her instead of his enemies. He sighed deeply.

"When i disappeared into the light, i thought i was returning to Gallifrey, i was so...eager to see home again, to see the bright orange sky but... For some reason, Time knew i didn't belong so i was thrown into a space loop and ended up here on Mercer" he paused to lick his dry lips "when i realised what had happened, I started to make my way to the space dock in the south... But i took a rather dangerous route"

Gunner chuckled at this moment, knowing the story as well as the back if his own hand.

"Yeah it was a dangerous route, everyone knows not to go there... Asshole" he muttered under his breath, the Master smirked for a second but then it disappeared.

"I went through the Carnivore infested forest, full of hungry creatures that would gladly bite my head off, but i could handle them, the only thing that got me was that giant crevice that gave way when i stepped on it. I fell into the hole and disturbed some ore-historic gas that bonded itself to my DNA. The mutation followed soon after" his eyes were distant as he remembered the past, his voice was slow and measured.

"Were you feral when you mutated?" Asked Donna, she constantly flicked her hair back as a stray strand kept falling on her nose.

"No, i only started being feral after a whole year, 6 months ago, i was put in that room for mine and everyones safety (not that i cared) until Einstern finds a suitable female, throws her in and see if my feral self takes her, they all died" he said that as a matter if fact.

"What's going to happen now?" Kara wondered, her voice regaining the strength she once lost.

The Master was about to reply when Einstern cut him off.

"Ashly will be fully mutated in a few hours. But for you five, i have no further use for you so you are going to the slaughter house for trespassing. Gunner, take them!" Gunner obeyed and marched towards them, signalling his men to come forth, as they did, Ashly started to hiss and growl in her dreams, her mind was begging the Master to do something, anything. He wanted them all to die, they were his enemies and he wanted revenge on them.

("Please, please help them!") Ashly's mental voice rang through his mind like a crystal bell as she begged him.

("What would you have me do!? I want them to die!") he was aiming for harsh and angry, but he couldn't bring himself to do it, he could only make his voice deep and stern.

("Please... I'd do anything...stop them!") her voice grew weak and small as the mutations inky black depths grabbed hold of her once more to drag her back down.

He wanted to ignore her words, he wanted them to die but she needed him badly, and just like before that inner voice won again,

("I'll hold you to that promise") he growled back at her, he knew that she barely heard him from the black depths.

The Master did the unthinkable, an action which he found nauseous. He jumped to his feet and stood in between the advancing soldiers and his most hated enemies. Everyone stopped and blinked in surprise, Einstern managed to choke out a sentence.

"Master, what are you doing!?" He asked, his voice rising an octave higher than usual

"I cannot let you do this" the Master replied, his voice hard and dangerous, yet restrained.

"It' Ashly isn't it? She's taken control of you or something..."

"No, she hasn't. I am in control of my body. It's just she doesn't want any harm done to them..." He explained slowly

"But what about you Master? Do you want them to die?" Asked Einstern

"If Ashly wasn't linked to my mind then yes, i would have wanted them to die a horrible, painful death but... Ashly has convinced me that she'd 'do anything', and i would like to hold her to that... So please, let them live" the last words were incredibly hard for him to say and it made the bitter taste over-powering.

Behind the Master, The Doctor and Kara exchanged a quick glance at each other, they too felt this was out of the ordinary, especially for the Master, maybe Ashly had a stronger effect on him than thought possible. Einstern brushed his non-existent beard, trying to work out why the Master was behaving this way. Eventually he sighed and took a step forward, he had his hands up as though he was surrendering.

"Fine then Master, have it your way... Or Ashley's way, i don't care who's way it is... But, there is one condition" Einstern said, his voice deep and measured.

"What is the condition?" The Master seemed to regret what he said but still went along with it.

"I would like to do more testing, but unfortunately, the least pain inflicting machine is broken by your kind self, so i would have to use the next best thing. So, what would it be?" There was a long pause as the Master hesitated, he felt Ashly's weak mind press against his.

("Let him do it to me... As long as they are safe...") And yet again, she was dragged back down, the fight gone from her mind.

He shook his head at himself and her, closing his eyes he answered.

"You can test me, not her" Both Einstern and Ashly were about to protest, so he continued quickly "I don't see why it matters Einstern, we are both linked to each other, and I think it's best because if any harm comes to her, I will go berserk..." He let Einstern think about it, to let the images swirl in his mind of the Master going into a violent rage, breaking things and killing people. Eventually, he nodded in defeat.

"Fine then Master, it's your choice, if you want pain then i will give you pain. Gunner, bring in the Tescelector!"