narrated to voice recognition software, and reformatted by Kenny Davidson
Part of the Fourth Doctor Fiction collection
"I'll be right there I am at the corner now Daryl," Jessica explained into the cell phone as she pulled up outside the building where Daryl worked.
Daryl opened the passenger door of the car, got in and kissed his wife like he did every night after she picked him up from work. "You know Jess, I am really needing a change of pace from this work. All day long all those people I have to walk through with their computers and software problems and glitches. It gets old."
The scene fades with them driving down the street towards their home.
We fade in to a gentleman working hunched over a six-sided console wearing a brown coat. He has curly brown hair, and a multicoloured scarf draped around his neck. A mechanical computerised dog works on computations next to the console...
"Master? The computations you gave me are not consistent with the coordinates you specified."
"Don't bother me with details right now K9, I will figure it out in a minute!"
The entire room they were in lurched and the Tardis came to a halt!
"K9, what happened?"
"I am sorry master, my motor circuits seem to be impaired at the moment."
The Doctor looked about and noticed K9 was on his side. "Well no wonder! That jolt knocked you and I both over."
"Yes master I can see that."
The Doctor set his friend upright and set about trying to figure out what was going on with the Tardis.
"K9, run a diagnostic on the Tardis' circuits and systems please."
The little dog went about his orders and in a few moments he replied with: "Doctor, the computations and the coordinates, which you laid in for navigation, were incorrect. The Tardis could not comply with the said task so a malfunction occurred. I suggest we should materialize as soon as possible so I can make repairs with the guidance system and repair the dimensional stabilizers as well."
"Okay, we'll just set down the closest place then."
***
"Well Daryl, here we are home sweet home."
"I think I will give this garage a new coat of paint this weekend."
With that they pressed the garage door opener and parked the car inside and closed the door. Daryl looked at Jessica and said, "Do you hear that?"
"What is it Daryl?"
"I don't know but I am going to find out!" With that he opened the door to find themselves in what appeared to be a large room with their house nowhere in site. The outside of their garage was still the same, and their car was inside it still but there was no driveway where it once was and the sidewalk they should have been on was now a cement floor.
"Daryl I am frightened!"
"Don't worry dear I am too."
Just then what sounded like an alarm rang out throughout the Tardis!
"What is it K9?"
"Unidentified noxious gas emanating from storage bay 7, thirty second floor corridor C."
"Well we will just have to go and see what is going on there and have ourselves a look. The Doctor headed off to see what was going on when K9 stated: "DANGER! DANGER! Master DANGER!"
The Doctor ran back to K9. "What is it K9?"
"There are two unidentified aliens present in the Tardis master!"
"Where at?"
"Located in same vicinity as the noxious gas."
"Well then you better come along."
***
"Well we can't just wait around here forever. We might as well get moving and see what is up with this room we are in."
"I don't want to move," Jessica said, still frightened. "Lets just get back in the car and wait there where it is safe."
"Well you can do what you want but I am going to get to the bottom of this!"
" Don't leave me alone Daryl!"
"Well then come on Jessica."
So around the room and garage they went and found what looked to be a door, with an L shaped handle - no knob or latch to be opened. So Daryl pushed on it and ... nothing. So he pulled on it, and the door opened to a strangely lit hallway with the most interesting shaped wall decorations he had ever seen.
"Have you ever seen such a strange wall?"
"No, now can we get back to the car?"
"Don't you want to find out where we are?"
"Well yes but I am still scared."
"Well don't be. I am right here to protect you."
***
"Well come on K9... what is taking so long?"
"Master you fail to remember that the lift still does not work, so I will have to remain behind. I am unable to comply with stairs."
"Oh, um I forgot. Sorry about that K9."
"Apologies are not necessary Doctor."
"You're a good dog K9. Good dog!" And off the Doctor kept going, down the flights of stairs winding downward around the still motionless elevator lift that has never worked properly.
About half way down the stairs K9 came over the intercom and said, "the Tardis repairs are completed master, would you like me to take off and go onwards to our destination of Gallifrey?"
The Doctor found his way to one of the com panels and retorted with "yes as soon as possible, we don't want to have to explain to anyone what the Tardis is or who we are you know." And with that K9 set the time and spatial coordinates and once again the Tardis was off within no time.
***
"Daryl, it's that noise again! What is it?"
I think we'd better get back to the car Jessica."
"Now you are making sense!" Daryl and Jessica proceeded back to the door where their garage and car was, and when they opened the door back into the storage bay, the bay was empty of the garage and their car.
"It can't be, it simply can't be!" Daryl said exasperated. Just then he heard someone walking up behind them. Daryl and Jessica whirled around to find a man oddly dressed for the middle of summer with curly hair.
"Hello and whom might the pair of you be? Hmm?" To which Jessica fainted dead away. "Oh dear," the Doctor murmured.
"My name is Daryl McCormick and this is my wife Jessica."
"Well I guess it is nice to meet the pair of you under the circumstances!"
"What circumstances?"
"Well, first off, how did you get inside my Tardis?"
"What is a Tardis?"
"Hmm, well that is a little bit of a big problem to explain."
"Well start explaining..."
"Well, I am the Doctor, and ... well, you are on, or should I say in my ship called the Tardis." Jessica was coming around. "Well my lady, it is nice to see that you are back to joining us for this conversation."
"Come on Jess let me help you up." With Daryl supporting his wife, the Doctor went on to tell them more about himself and his ship and then, finally, the Doctor came back to the original subject of how they arrived inside his Tardis.
"I don't know. My wife and I were just arriving home; we drove up the driveway and opened the garage, drove in to the garage, and closed the door. Then we heard this strange sound that sounded sort of like a hydraulic press or something like that, and when we went outside of the garage to investigate, we found ourselves inside this room. And of course we went out looking to see if we could find someone to ask how we came to be inside a room when moments before we were in our garage, and then that noise started up again and when we went back to get back inside our garage and in our car, they were both gone! Then you showed up."
"I see, well you both better come with me then."
"Go with you where?"
"Well to the console room of course. I do hope you both can walk. You can can't you?"
"Well of course we can walk!"
"Good then come this way please. By the way what planet do you come from?"
Daryl and Jessica stopped in their tracks. "What did you say?"
"I said, 'what planet do you come from'?"
"What do you mean what planet do we come from?!"
"Well it is a simple question. Maybe too simple for you but still, which planet?"
"Why Earth of course! What other planet is there?"
"Oh dear! Oh no! NO!" the Doctor said, with a look of shock and grief. "Well, we had better get up to the console room fast. Stay with me if you can and we'll see if we can get you back before it is too late!"
***
Upon the Doctors arrival in the console room, the Doctor told K9 who Daryl and Jessica were, and that they are friends. Which the dog returned with "Friends Mrs. Sir."
"What said that?" Jessica said with a start.
"That was K9, my dog. You're a good dog aren't you K9?"
"Affirmative master." And K9 came around from the console where he was hidden from view to examine the two strangers that are now friends.
"Look dear it is a mechanical mutt!"
"I am not a mutt! I am K9, I am far superior to that of a mere mutt!"
"Well Doctor, it is certainly sure of its self, isn't it?"
"His name is K9 if you will."
"Okay then, I am sorry for insulting your well you um.... K9."
"Apology noted but not necessary."
"Well I would offer you a chair, but there is not any in the console room normally. I will try to fetch you up some in a minute or so, so if you would could you please stand over there by the viewer and not move for a moment?"
With that Daryl and Jessica said, "viewer?"
"Yes the viewer. K9, could you show then where I mean please?"
"Yes master." Where the dog set about his simple task, "Sir and Mrs. The Doctor wishes you to stand where I am now positioned please." Daryl and Jessica moved slowly to where K9 was positioned just moments before.
"Master?"
"What is it K9?"
"There seems to be a temporal enigma occurring."
"What do you mean?"
"My sensors indicate we are not on the specified direction of travel."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive Doctor, it is confirmed we are now two light years and unknown time differential from our destination."
"Well, we will just have to see about that then, won't we? Lets see where we are at then." The Doctor flipped a switch and the view screen operated , giving a perfect view of the stars and planets whizzing by at an exponential rate of speed.
"Wow," Daryl said, "great television show, what episode of cosmos is this one?"
"What?"
"Well Doctor, how do you turn up the volume on this set?"
"Television... hum yes... what television?"
K9 started reciting definitions of what a television was.
"Oh hush up K9, I know what a television is. They must think that they are still on earth."
With that Daryl asked, "what do you mean still think we are on earth?"
"Well, you see when I explained what the Tardis is and such, I thought you would have come to realise that you were on a ship that travels through time and space, without any sort of rocket propulsion."
"You can't be serious! I thought that you were kidding!"
"What? You think that all this is a illusion or what? I still don't really know why I like you humans so much. I know it is something that intrigues me but it still eludes me at times."
"Human?" Jessica said softly.
"Yes Jess. May I call you Jess?" the Doctor asked. "Well, you and your husband are both human, an Earthling if you will, while I am from Gallifrey normally. I am a Time Lord, as well. Now with that we are going to stop this little gallivanting around the universe, and see what is going on with where we are at."
The central time rotor, which they both noticed rising and falling the entire time they were standing there, came to a slow stop and rested at the base of its descent.
"Okay Doctor, if we are not on earth, then where are we?" Daryl stated angrily.
"That is what I am trying to figure out. K9 do you have any ideas?"
"The time and spatial coordinates keep changing master. I cannot get a current location on where or when; and we are still moving."
"What! That can't be! I stopped the Tardis. Check again."
K9 clicked and his ears whizzed about back and forth. "It is confirmed. We are travelling still beyond our destination now by more than 193.5 light years, and - calculating - the date is approaching 6943, by earth standards of relative time usage."
With that the Doctor started turning knobs and flipping switches, inputting coordinates, and activated the central column, it rising and falling once again.
"Now this can't be!"
"What is it Doctor?" Daryl asked.
"Well Daryl and Jessica, I am sorry to say this, but I might be a little late returning you to earth. It seems that the Tardis is and or has been hijacked!"
"You mean you are not in control of this machine?" Jessica yelled out.
"I'm afraid so. No matter what I have tried, the Tardis keeps on this heading and will not stray from its course!"
"Well, can't you steer this thing?"
"Well, with some consistency yes Daryl, but this time it is not my fault!"
"What do you mean this time?"
"You mean there have been other times?"
"Well there are always other times... I am at present trying to figure out why we are being dragged through time and space against my will. Especially since it is putting a strain on the Tardis as it is, I will just have to shut down and wait to see where whatever it is taking us is." With that the Doctor shut down the power to the time rotor and just let the unknown force pull the Doctor and his companions through the endlessness of space...
***
The Doctor went away for what seemed a few minutes and returned with a cart with three chairs on it. "I thought we should wait in some semblance of comfort." Jessica and Daryl looked up from where they were sitting on the floor and the Doctor smiled that toothy smile of his. "It is more comfortable than the floor you know. Would you like a sweet my dear?" the Doctor asked Jessica.
With that the Tardis came to a sudden jolting stop, sending the three and K9 sliding across the console room floor.
"Well that was exciting! Anyone injured?" The two newly made companions looked dazed and just as they were about to speak the Tardis lurched again and they slid back against the opposite wall. "K9, what is going on?"
"Unknown master. What has just happened is not possible!"
"What then?" the Doctor asked.
"Our sudden stop was caused by the boundary of the universal cosmos barrier.
"What?!" With that the Doctor leapt from his chair and to the controls. He started flipping switches and typing in things to the main computer. "This is not normally possible!"
Daryl and Jessica were standing across the console from the Doctor and were waiting for an explanation when the Doctor said something that they could not believe.
"We have gone Beyond Normal space and time. And that sudden lurch that just happened a moment ago was the Tardis being dragged through the barrier! Daryl, you and Jessica, K9, and myself and the Tardis no-longer exist in normal space!"
What do you mean Doctor?
"I mean just what I said. Basically when I guess I accidentally materialised around your garage back on earth, in whatever year it was at the time, and dematerialised without knowing that you were out of the garage, and apparently left again before realising that you belonged there. From that point you ceased to exist on your planet, and well now, it is several million years ... or more now since there is no time beyond time boundaries."
"Then what of our children and friends?"
"And my job?"
"Hmm... how do I explain this?... Well, what were the ages of your children?"
"Well they were grown and on their own."
"Okay, then that is one less worry."
"What do you mean one less worry? We are no-where, no-time? And you say that is one less worry!"
"Well let me put it to you this way, if I can figure out what is going on sometime before you well um ..."
"Tell us Doctor, We can handle it," Daryl said with conviction.
"Well I was going to say, before either the Tardis is destroyed, we perish, or else you expire from old age."
Why us? You seem to be older than I am," Daryl stated calmly.
"Well since I am a Time Lord, I will regenerate, where as well humans don't. When I, or this version of myself, dies or gets seriously injured, I regenerate or take on a different personality and or characteristics as well."
"You mean you change bodies?"
"Well basically yes."
"Master, Master!"
"Oh be quiet K9!"
"But we are slowing down master."
The Doctor turned around and looked at the viewer, in which all he could see was still blackness but a very faint shimmer in the far distance. "K9 can you magnify that image?"
"Affirmative." With that the image became larger.
"Any more K9?"
"No master the magnification level is at its maximum."
"Well my friends it seems we are coming to what appears to be a large spherical object. What is the size of that object K9?"
"If my calculations are correct, the same size and mass as our universe which we left 4000 light years behind."
"What?! Everyone brace for impact!" With that Daryl and Jessica held onto the Tardis' console, and waited for impact. "How long till we collide with the boundary of that universe K9?"
"In ten seconds."
Daryl clinched his teeth, while Jessica closed her eyes, and the Doctor kept an eye on the viewer and the controls. "Two,... one,... impact! K9 are your sensors wrong?"
"Doctor?"
"I said are your sensors malfunctioning?"
"No master my sensors are functioning normally."
"But I thought you said that impact was almost a minute ago now?
"It was master."
"But how can that be?"
"Master if you check the transport log, you will find that we dematerialised and re-materialised at the point of crossing the barrier."
"Why K9 your are right!"
"In the moment I totally forgot! Doctor," Daryl asked, "is that thingy in the middle of the controls supposed to be moving?"
The Doctor spun around to see the time rotor rising and falling as if it was doing things like normal. "No, no it is not. I have set no co-ordinates or destination either for that matter! K9, what do you make of this?"
"Undetermined master, Unable to comply with current task. No related data available to draw information upon."
"Uh Doctor! Doctor you better come look at this!"
"What is it Daryl?" The Doctor looked at the viewer and he saw directly in front of him a planet that they were heading directly towards faster and faster, as if they were falling towards it. And before the Doctor could do anything about it, the Tardis dematerialised, passing directly through it and re materialising on the other side continuing its unknown journey. "Well that has never happened before either!"
"What? What has never happened before?"
"I didn't touch anything. Did you K9?"
"No master, the Tardis is taking commands from other source."
"Well then can you tell me what kind of planet we just missed?"
"Affirmative, One third that of earth's mass, three times the gravity, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, no carbon found, no life forms present on planetoid master."
"Well Daryl and Jess I guess it is back to waiting... Well, anyone hungry? Will you both be so good as to follow me please and we will see what we can scrounge up to eat!"
Jessica and Daryl followed the Doctor out of the console room and down what seemed to be a very long corridor to a small room, which the name on the door read "GALLEY" Daryl knew what this meant - the kitchen! When they went in, they found a couple of tables and chairs scattered about from the earlier bouncing around, and while Jessica and Daryl straightened up the room some so that they could sit down to eat, the Doctor asked what they would like.
"Well what is there that we can have?" Jessica asked.
"Anything you would like, I had the galley programmed with human cuisine and other foods."
Jessica said a simple sandwich would do.
"Like what?"
"Ham and cheese on wheat bread with a little mustard if that is all right?"
"Sure."
"One moment please. And you Daryl?"
"How about a T-bone steak with mashed potatoes and gravy and a Caesar salad?"
"Fine just fine... and what would you both like to drink?"
"Just water for me," Jessica said.
"Coffee for me please," Daryl stated.
"Okay. Aren't you going to eat Doctor?"
"Yes but I will do it later."
"We can't eat in front of you we'll just wait as well," Daryl said.
"No I won't hear of it, I will snack on something so you can both eat. It has been several hundred million years by now since your last meal." The Doctor smiled and chuckled and they figured out the joke, and he selected Haggis; something new he thought. With that he brought three plates to the table, and Daryl's coffee, and a pitcher of water with two glasses for Jessica and himself.
Jessica and Daryl both looked stupefied when the Doctor placed the plates before them with two tablets on Daryl's plate, and one on Jessica's. "Is this some kind of joke? I wanted food, not pills!" Daryl exclaimed.
"Well this is food," the Doctor stated.
"How can this be food?"
"Well you see in the Tardis and where I come from, all food is capsulated for maximum nutritional value, getting rid of all that unnecessary bulk, and you will find that it is quite filling as well. You can swallow it whole, or you can enjoy it by chewing it and tasting it as it goes down."
Jessica tried it just for the heck of it. "Ooh he is right Daryl, try it! Mine is just perfect! Just like it would be if I was at home."
Daryl took a bite of it and started chewing it up and he was astonished at the great flavour! And the salad was quite good as well. Daryl then asked, "is the coffee and water capsulated?"
"No that is one thing that is not done that way, how would you quench a thirst with something that is kind of dry?" the Doctor smiled. "Well now that that is done shall I show you to your rooms if you would like I can put you both in the same room?" He smiled that grin that only he can do.
They both said sure. "It seems like hours since we left!"
"Well by your earth time, about nine hours ago. That would make it about two in the morning if you say so!"
***
"There is your room, it is the fourth door down on the left from the console room. You will or should find two beds in there, a dressing table, a wardrobe closet with almost an endless supply of clothing - everything should fit - and the door to the back of the room is the bathing facility for you both. Mind you have the choice of a water bathing unit, or a sonic shower unit."
"A what?"
"A sonic shower unit. A device that sends out sound waves to cleanse the body of dirt etc. You stay dry but get clean and no need for what you humans call soap. And most times you can also do it with your clothing on, and it will get your clothes clean as well!"
"So what you are telling us is that we should go to sleep?"
"Well yes. I need very little sleep, and I need to keep watch in case we get back, or wherever we are going to arrive at eventually. I can alert you both when that happens."
"Doctor, I have a question, How does the Tardis keep so clean?" Jessica asked.
"It keeps itself clean through force fields and or similar sonic cleansers throughout the entire Tardis. Now if you need me for anything important please just use the com panel right here by the door, it will announce your voice message anywhere in the Tardis so I will be able to answer you. With that I will say good morning." And with that the Doctor closed the door and left them to sleep.
***
"So K9, found out anything yet?"
"Yes master, we have stopped and landed."
"Why did you not tell me this?"
"I did not think it was important Master."
"Not important?! Well let's see where we are." The Doctor looked at the viewer and saw a large crystalline structured castle which they were just a few feet from. Have you analysed the planet yet, K9?"
"Yes. Planet thirteen, unknown system with two suns. Air Density 0.051. Cool weather with a possibility of drastic weather change without warning. Analysis of the atmosphere - terrestrial with a slight excess of oxygen, Oxygen percentage is 600315 molecules per cubic millimetre."
"Well at least we'll be able to breathe out there."
"Should I go and wake the McCormick's master?"
"No, let them sleep, I will lock the doors and lock down the controls so that they can't get into trouble while we're gone."
K9 did not need another word. He activated the doors, and headed for outside. Where as upon trying to leave the Tardis, K9 and the Doctor encountered a slight problem.
"Now that is odd."
"Master?"
"The Tardis' force-field is still operating... that should not be like that at all. And the other thing is well, did you see what is out there?"
"Affirmative master. Nothing, master."
"I thought you said that there was ..." The Doctor looked about for a moment and realised that K9 was correct in his analysis; however, the Doctor figured out that what was on the viewer screen was not what was actually outside the Tardis at all. "And apparently the Tardis is either somehow aware of this, or else someone else was still in control of the Tardis. K9 come back in here!"
"Yes master?"
"What do you make of the viewer?"
"Master? I do not understand the question."
"What do you see on the viewer? A image of a crystalline structure, resembling that of a sixteenth century earth style castle, master."
"That is what I thought as well. Now why would the Tardis be displaying that picture since I know we have never been there?"
"Unknown master."
"I was not asking you K9. Well we'll just close the doors and wait for whom or whatever is doing whatever it is doing! It will give me some time to catch up on that reading I have been meaning to do."
"Master! Master!"
"What is it now K9?"
"We are in transport."
"But we have not dematerialised!"
"I am aware of that, but we are still underway."
"Where are we going?"
"From what my calculations are, we are moving at a rate of nine feet per second."
"Which direction?"
"Nowhere."
"What do you mean nowhere? We can't be moving nine feet per second if we are not going anywhere!" Daryl stated
"Oh couldn't sleep hmm?"
"No I could not. What does he mean? That we're going nowhere fast?"
"Well basically that is what it means."
"That is nonsense!" Daryl stammered out.
"Well would you like to go to the doors and look out and see?"
"I think I would." And with the flick of the switch the doors slowly opened and he saw what was going on. The Tardis was just flipping and spinning in a torrent of wind and water. The only thing keeping the torrent from sweeping Daryl away was the force field just inches away. "But I can see the sun ...well, suns! How can we be spinning around like this and not feel it?"
Well the Tardis' gravity is self sufficient in non-gravity situations such as this. I did not realise it when we landed, but apparently we are on, or in, a gaseous planet, with no solid structures aside from ourselves in it at the moment."
"Well can't you do anything about it?" Daryl asked.
"Until I figure out what or where we are I can do nothing."
***
Jessica was awakened from her sleep by Daryl sitting on the bed.
"What is it Daryl?" she asked.
"I am not sure anymore. Everything we knew is gone and when I said I wanted a change of life I didn't mean this kind of change!"
"Well come to bed and we'll figure out what to do tomorrow."
"If there is a tomorrow," Daryl said sadly.
***
After what seemed like hours the Tardis came to a halt. The doors opened on their own and with a brilliant light that filled the console room, something happened that startled the Doctor.
"So how do you like my little universe away from home?"
"I should have known it was you!"
"Intruder! Intruder!"
"I would silence your pooch if I were you Doctor."
"K9 be quiet! That's better."
"So what diabolical plan are you cooking up now?!"
"Why my dear Doctor, what would make you think that I have a plan?"
"I know you and your ways, to destroy everything and anything."
"Usually yes, but this time I mean you no harm."
"Doctor?"
"Hush K9."
"But master!"
"Well what a nice gesture, having your dog know my name! This is an unexpected thought. Now Doctor if you will follow me please..."
"As if I have a choice?"
"No, not really but discretion is the better part of valour."
"VALOUR? WHAT VALOUR?"
***
Jessica and Daryl heard the loud Talking through the com system, and apparently the Doctor had locked it on so that they could hear everything but not be heard themselves.
"Who is that Daryl?"
"I don't know Jessica, I am as lost as you are, but lets go and find out."
***
"Please Doctor bring your puppy if you feel the need, I might like having a dog call me Master!"
"K9 I want you to stay here and watch the Tardis and other things."
"But master-"
"Yes?"
"Not you I was referring to the Doctor."
"Oh, yes K9, what is the name of the intruder?"
"The Master."
"So for the time being until I say otherwise, call me Doctor only, and refer to him as the master."
"The master of what?" Daryl said, with Jessica following behind.
"Well Doctor I am surprised. It is not like you to not introduce guests! So let me, I am the Master and you are the McCormicks. So Doctor another one of your blunders?"
"It was not my fault I was having trouble with the Tardis-"
The master cuts him off. "Yes this old relic! It should have been done in several billion years ago. But then again maybe just maybe..."
"Leave the McCormicks out of this."
"Very well, I will leave them out of it!"
"Doctor I think we should come with you."
"No I need you here just in case... K9 take care of them okay and wait here." The Doctor headed off following the master out of the Tardis.
When he emerged from his Tardis he found himself on what appeared to be solid ground, and the air was sweet and fresh... "What is it?"
"What do you want?" the Master replied. "Please sit."
"Have some lemonade?"
The Doctor tipped his glass over and let the liquid spill out over the table to the ground.
"Really Doctor you should be more careful with what you do, here let me get you some more."
"Let's cut to the chase Master! What do you want? You did not drag me from a universe through a nothingness void into this whatever universe you have created for what purposes. Now what do you want?"
"Well Doctor since I guess I have to I will. I have created this universe to be its god. However, I can't quite fulfil my role as god unless I have people to be godly over."
"And where do I fit into all this?"
"Well you don't, but your Tardis does."
"What?"
"Well you see my Tardis is spread kind of thin right now."
"Oh I see. You are using it to create this fiction."
"Sort of. I need your type 40 because of its dimensional stabiliser you see. My Tardis' dimensional stabiliser is unable to cross the threshold of the two universes and the great void between. However, unfortunately for you, I was able to, how you say, clamp down or redirect yours to come here, and to test my theory of the time spatial barriers to see if your Tardis could cross it."
"And what would have happened if it was an unsuccessful attempt?"
"Well your Tardis and everyone aboard would have been destroyed. But I am glad to see that you are still in one piece."
"Okay then how did you cross the barriers?"
"Getting from your universe to create mine was easy, however, I have no way to bridge the gap between the two universes."
"So you are wanting me to let you use my Tardis as a dimensional doorway, right?"
"Basically Doctor."
"And if I refuse?"
"Let's just say, I will have to see if your Tardis can make it back to your universe without either any power or force fields."
"I see. So what you are needing is my dimensional stabiliser right?"
"That and a few other essentials."
"Like what?"
"Well, your console room for one, and the main power drive for your Tardis as well."
"That would maroon us here!"
"Well if you would like I could put you and your friends back in the Tardis out of my misery."
"No, no that will be quite all right," the Doctor said.
"I will give you the day to figure out what you want to do, with everything. You are free to leave at your leisure."
***
When the Doctor arrived back at the Tardis, the McCormicks were waiting and wondering what he was going to do.
"So I expect K9 watched the whole thing on the viewer?"
"Yes Doctor and we did too, and heard it all as well. So what are you going to do?"
"Well I will probably have to comply with his wishes."
"Wishes nothing! He is a madman!" Jessica stated quite strongly.
"If I don't then he does have the ability to destroy us and then take what he wants, you know."
"But don't you have spares you could use and trick him?"
"Well yes and no. I have spare or auxiliary console rooms, and or dimensional stabilisers as well, but the main power-drive ... well without that the Tardis goes nowhere."
"What kind of fuel does this machine of yours take?"
."It is a kind of crystal that powers the entire Tardis, and can only be found in or on one planet in our universe."
"Don't you carry replacement energy crystals?"
"No Jessica, there is usually not a reason to do so. Usually when the power starts to fail, there is enough power left to do one last emergency jump to either my supposedly home world, or that planet where the crystals form naturally. But if the power source is removed from the Tardis, then there is not any reserves left because they go along with it."
"Well what are you going to do?" Daryl asked intently.
"For now nothing. We have all day so I will do nothing right now, however ..." The Doctor trailed off. "However I might have an idea... K9 do you remember that project we were working on last week?"
"Yes Doctor."
"How close to completion are you on that?"
"I am finished with the open ended transmat site jump station Doctor."
"Good, good, very good K9. I am sending you on a little mission then K9."
"Awaiting instructions Doctor?"
"What I want you to do is..."
***
The Doctor along with Daryl, Jessica, and K9 walked down the hallway towards the jump station transmat site while K9 was given instructions.
"But Doctor do you think it will work?"
"Well we will not know until we try it. Now off you go and good luck K9!" As the Doctor said that the machine came to life, and K9 disappeared.
"But Doctor, how will your dog get back?"
"He has a auto return he can activate when he is done with his tasks. Now to set about my work... I will need both of you to assist me in this if it is to work."
"You can count on us Doctor!" said Daryl and Jessica in unison. They proceeded to the workshop where the Doctor went into action of replicating the Tardis' console in every degree with all the lights circuits and everything including an exact copy of the dimensional stabilisers.
"Doctor?"
"Hmm?"
"What is the purpose of making all this stuff if we are going to be trapped here?"
"I did not say that."
"What?"
"That we were going to be trapped here."
"Well then, what are you doing all this for?"
"Well you see the Master may be hell bent on the destruction of everything in our universe, however, he is also obsessed with being the ruler of everything. So if we give him what he wants hopefully I can bargain with him about getting us safely back across the barriers. Since he will have the makeshift ability to bring things, planets and or people, from one universe to the other via the dimensional stabilisers and a few other bits of technology from here and there, I am assuming he will try to make a stable threshold between the two universes using some major power."
"And your Tardis is capable of making this happen?"
"Well, lets just say it will for what the Master wants to do with it..."
***
As K9 materialised in what appeared to be the main power source of the Tardis, he set to work on removing the main power source and left just enough Crystal in the reactant chamber to supply power for all the major needs of the Tardis. He then activated the return function and was in a flash transported back to the same place he left only moments before.
As K9 made his way through the corridors to the workshop, he passed the shielding room, and picked up some shielding for the new reactant chamber he would have to produce.
***
"Well what kept you K9?"
"I performed the required task Doctor."
"Yes I see that. Daryl and Jessica, I will need you both to leave the room for the moment. I will call you back when it is safe." Jessica and Daryl left, returning to their room. "K9, now go to the supply room and bring back a random fluctuating coupler and my sonic screwdriver please." The dog went out to follow his masters orders.
While K9 was off doing that task, the Doctor was busy working on the console room. "There! Just a little more...." And with a small shove and a sharp click, power returned to the console, brighter and stronger than ever. "Okay K9, could you go and get Daryl and Jessica and bring them here?"
"Yes Doctor."
K9 whizzed away to get the McCormick's.
Just as the McCormick's arrived, the doors to the Tardis opened as if on cue, and the Master walked in. "Well Doctor, have you come to a decision?"
"Yes, I have, but I must ask, one thing. Before you take the main power source and console, would you agree to sending us with my disabled Tardis intact for the most part back through the dimensional portal you are about to create?"
"You want me to agree to this?"
"I think it only fair since I am about to give up everything to spare the McCormick's what about yourselves?"
"Well if we arrive back and eventually get hopefully picked up by someone or are able to send out a distress signal we will still need assistance to get back to their own planet."
"I don't see why I should do it, but since I can see you are being honest about this transaction, I will agree to your terms... now Doctor come with me and assist me in getting the transport co-ordinates properly coded."
"Very well." In a matter of minutes the Doctor was back, and shortly upon his return the console that was so alive with energy vanished. Then the doors closed and on only battery power for life support, the master kept his part of the bargain. The Tardis was silent when leaving this time. No de-materialisation sound at all.
"Well that is just terrific! You let him take the only thing that could get us home! I hope you are happy with yourself Doctor!"
"Just wait," the Doctor said quietly.
"Well Doctor I finally got you where I want you: out of my hair! And it is too bad that your Tardis or should I say coffin in space will do you very little good! Time and spatial co-ordinates are set, the portal is opening Fantastic it is working. Goodbye Doctor Hello Master of the universe!"
Jessica started to weep, and Daryl comforted her as best as he could under the circumstances. "What are you smiling about Doctor? You have signed us all to death so what is so funny?"
"Come with me and you will see!" He left the room that they were in, walked down the hallway and went in the left hand door to ... the main console room!
"Wha... how...?"
"Did you really think I would let him have my baby?"
"But we saw the other controls vanish..."
"You saw a console vanish... with a small bit of power source made up to look like a lot of power... now if my calculations are correct, shortly we should be back in our own universe."
"And what about the master?"
"Remember when I sent K9 on that little transmat hop? Well I had him transmat in to the Masters Tardis, get enough of the power source from his Tardis, leaving enough to keep his universe running for about ten minutes from now. So in nine and a half minutes we should be back in our universe, and then one of two things will happen, either his power supply reactant chamber will implode, or else his universe will."
"You mean ..?"
"Yes! My Tardis is fully intact and functioning. And I also had K9 put the rest of the Masters power crystals in the main reactant chamber in this Tardis, so we can take over anytime... powering up now!"
***
"What is this? My power reserves are failing... well no matter with the power source from the Doctors Tardis I will have no problem... just turn on and couple his to mine, and wallah! The power, where is the power that...? DOCTOR! I will get you for this Doctor!"
And with that the replica of the Doctor's console faded in power, and the Master's faded as well.
***
"Doctor, look at this the viewer... it appears the Masters universe ... what is happening?"
"I do think I may have miscalculated for the first time this week!"
"What does that mean?"
"Well his universe is collapsing faster than I expected."
"What about us?"
The Tardis Slammed into what seemed a brick wall. "Here is the great barrier... how do we get through it... like this?"
With the flip of a switch Daryl heard that machinery sound and the Tardis dematerialised on one side of the barrier and re-materialised on the other side. As it did they just had time to see a great explosion, and the faint trace of an image of a Ionic pillar come close and then fade from sight!
"Well, K9 will you see to the needs of our guests while I try to see if I can get them back to their proper time and place? And so we can get on with our business!"
"Yes Doctor."
"Oh and by the way, K9 you may call me Master..."
The scene fades with the Tardis travelling through the cosmos on its way to who knows when... or where!
