The Changing Man (Doctor Who Fan Story)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Ten minutes later, The Master found himself being strapped onto a large metal chair with wires being attached to his forehead and chest. He knew the needles will appear out of the back of the chair into is spine, he knew it would hurt so badly. When he thought about it, he kept thinking is it worth it to take severe pain for his enemies? But after seconds of pondering he thought, yes, it was, after all he wasnt doing this for The Doctor's sake, he was doing this for Ashly. Besides she will reward him. He turned his head to look at her, she was lying on the broken machine, her pale lips twitching and her now cat-like ears swivelled to every small sound, her eyes rolled underneath her lids, he also noticed one lone glistening tear rolling down her smooth cheek leaving a wet trail. The Master wanted to go over to her and wipe it off, to taste it, to tell her it was worth it. But he couldn't, he was in a chair, the only thing he could do was tell her to spare him her tears, he wasn't worth any of them, besides he hates sympathy.

Einstern walked around him, setting the machine up by inputting measurements and data, testing the restraints. When he finished, he faced the Master who was still staring at Ashly.

"Master, are you ready?"

The Master didn't reply, only nodded, slowly closing his eyes just as Einstern turned on the machine which thrummed like a hummingbird. The sound got louder and the chair started to make static noise, from his back he could feel a dozen pinpricks tickling his skin until they pushed hard and entered every segment of his spine, from the small of his back to his neck. This is not why he screamed. Through the wires attached to his head and chest streamed 150,000 volts of pure Miziago energy, crashing through every bone, every cell in his body, threatening to tear him apart. One of his hearts stopped in the process and he lost his vision in both eyes, all he could do was listen to his own blood curdling scream and even that didn't sound like his voice anymore.

" increase the voltage! We need to see more! OH THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!!" Cackled Einstern manically

The Master felt even more pain reverberating through his body, frying every cell, this felt just as bad as regenerating. Just before the Master blacked out, he could hear someone's scream mix in with his, a scream more feminine and feral. It must have been Ashly. He didn't get a chance to see as he slumped into the chair, unconscious and very weak.

When the experiment was completed and all data was collected, Einstern undid the straps that held the unconscious Master, who tumbled to the floor in one heap, he was shivering and convulsing, a light sheen of sweat built up on his back and chest. Ashly had screamed, she was silent now but her head lolled from side to side, hey eyebrows knitting together. Einstern walked forward and realised she was whispering something, so he leaned forwards and caught some of her desperate yet hoarse pleas.

"Hearts stopped... Help...him..." As the words spilled out of her mouth, she snapped open her eyes which were now a mixture of red and gold, gold being the dominant colour. Einstern was amazed.

"Look! She's awake! But how? She needs at least four more hours of mutation, her tail and fangs have not been formed yet..."

Ashly didn't seem to hear him, instead she slowly rolled off the table and landed with a giant thump on her side. Then, one hand after the other, she crawled like a toddler to the Master's side who was trembling, dark blue veins had formed on his neck she wheezed as she checked his pulse which was virtually non existent with shaky hands, then weakly she started CPR on both sides of his chest and breathed in whatever air she could get and placed her lips on his while holding his nose shut, filling his lungs. She started to panic, she wasn't strong enough to restart his hearts all by herself and no-one came to help as they were gaping at her in shock. Improvising, Ashly crawled back to the broken machine that she had laid on and tugged on a live wire until it gave way, the end sparked and crackled angrily. Pausing, she looked at the Masters face, so innocent and peaceful, with that in mind, she brought down the live wire, electricity coursing through her and the Master. Vision blurred, threatening to loose consciousness, she held on until she heard the sharp hiss of the Master taking air into his lungs and the beating of his hearts, a healthy, rhythmic pulse. He was alive. Carefully, she placed the live wire away from her, dreading the inky black depth that was clawing at her subconscious, trying to drag her back in. She slowly sank to the cold, hard floor, her head resting on the Master's arm, thankfully, she was partially awake.

Einstern clapped in amusement, he then walked over to Ashly and knelt beside her, staring into her open eyes, which stared back at him, fear swirling around her abnormally large pupils. He smiled as he whispered to her.

"It's kind of unfair of you to take advantage of the Master like that, make him feel so much pain, for what? Your family and friends? I'll tell you now that they are not worth it, your new mutation and bond with the Master is worth a million times more. In time you will learn what I have given you but for now, i think we should make the scores even... It's your turn." He then gave the silent order to Gunner to put Ashly in the machine. His strong arms wrapped around her, he hauled her towards the machine. She was unable to do anything, she couldn't fight, she couldn't even talk. But Kara could.

"Master! Wake up, she needs you now, wake up!" Her voice screamed at the limp figure on the floor, his ears twitched as though he could hear her and a feral snarl filled the room. Like a coiled spring, the Master leaped up, thumped Gunner in the face once more to send him hurtling towards the window wall, but it didn't break when he impacted it.

"Gah!" Roared Gunner

Within the same second, the Master grabbed the immobile form of Ashly, took her halfway down the room away from the two men and their pack of trained monkey soldiers, he then shifted into a form that Einstern once told the captives about. Stood in his place protectively was a winged beast the size of a large elephant, the eyes were the same gold and it's fur was the same colour as the Master's normal hair, small yet sharp spikes lined his shoulders and his larger cat-like ears snapped to attention. A low rumbling growl escaped his lips. Everything about the beast looked like some kind of wild cat, the claws, the fangs, the tail, the only thing that wasn't was the large feathered wings which were splayed out, covering Ashly from view. Gunner and his team of soldiers pointed their automatic plasma rifles at The Master, but Einstern waved them off.

"It's no use Gunner, in this form the Master is near impossible to kill!" He then turned to face the coiled beast who glared at him icily, "Master please calm down, i just thought that she needed to be reminded of what a great gift that she has been given... Please calm down, I promise that we'll let you two be. Go and tend to Ashly in the privacy of your room, we won't bother you" Einstern spoke calmly, trying hard to reassure the Master of his promises.

Slowly, the Master looked down at Ashly behind his wing and saw her small body trying to move, but her mind kept drifting in and out of consciousness as the toils of mutation is taking its toll. Sighing, the Master morphed back into his normal self and gently scooped Ashly up in his arms. She tried to move and her eyes opened a crack, peeping up at him through thick black lashes. She tried to speak but nothing but air came out.

"No, don't move or speak. Just sleep and ride the mutation out" he ordered her, quietly so only Ashly could hear him.

She looked like she was going to protest but the Master stared her down, attempting to intimidate her, it created an opposite response from Ashly as a small, shy smile played on her perfect lips and a pinkish tinge coloured her cheeks. Blushing. The Master couldn't help the softening of his eyes and the loosening of his rigid shoulders, but he was able to stop the smile that was threatening to take over.

("Sleep. Now.") he told her more forcefully

She blinked at him a couple of times, her red and golden eyes swirled around her dark pupils which were eventually hidden behind closed eye lids, her laboured breathing slowed as she volunteered herself to the black inky depths.

Sighing again, he stood up with Ashly bundled up in his arms, his body protested slightly from the earlier testing but was easily ignored. He then turned the full power of his eyes onto Einstern and Gunner.

"You will leave us alone. Next time, if you try anything else, i will not hesitate to kill you" the Master threatened quietly which only made it sound more deadly.

Einstern nodded, and with that, the Master walked towards the glass doors, snatching up Ashly's jacket on the way out with her belongings returned to her pockets. Gunner stared at him as he passed and received a rather angry hiss from the Master.

"Great, he is very pissed off with us" murmured Gunner after the Master exited the room.

"Yes he is" mumbled Einstern quietly

"What should we do with them?" He gestured towards the silent prisoners.

"Take them into the upper common room and guard the door. We may have a use for them yet..." Ordered Einstern