The Master's Companion

The Master’s Companion

The Master had offered Nyssa the silver tea caddy and she took it: delicately placing four teaspoons of leaves in the warmed pot.  Once the water had settled down the Master poured and they stood waiting for a few moments to let it seep.  

“The Doctor is correct,” the Master sighed looking into Nyssa’s eyes, “The Time Pirate is a Time Lord worse for the Universe than I am.  I may have killed your people but if the Time Pirate was there he would have been much worse. Think, Nyssa, would you have liked to have seen your father in chains?  Would you have liked to have seen your step-mother taken to be a serving wench to the first mate and if I shudder at the thought of what could have happened to you, Nyssa,” here he stepped closer towards her and tucked some hair behind her ear then tilted her chin up, “then you have to believe in his villainy!”

“I just find it hard to accept that you would be afraid for me,” though her tone was clipped it was soft, “as for seeing my father shackled to chains, I feel he is!” the Master arched an eyebrow, “Kassia, was a handmaiden to the first mate!”

“I will explain further!” The Master sighed as he found the sieve to catch the leaves, “the Time Pirate is older than the Doctor and I,” Nyssa nodded, she had tilted her head and leaned her hip against the cabinets arms hung down by her sides, “he still has not regenerated and he has not even changed in looks from the time I last ran into him!”  

“That sounds awfully close to Immortality!” Nyssa exclaimed.

“He has seemingly found some sort of cure and he guards it well!”

“You tried to take it from him?”

“It was only fair!” the Master said, “after what he did to me!”

“Now you lost me?”

“Information for another time,” the Master sighed, “back to what he would do to you if he were on Traken - after making your father slave for the jewels and resources on your Planet - you would be alone, defenceless and that is when he would swoop in.  Oh, you would be his type,” the Master had shuffled close to her and a hand and somehow landed on her hip: “beautiful, lonely, unhappy!” the Master sighed, “he would wait until you were very vulnerable then he would swoop in all charm and smiles - tell you every little thing is going to be well, promise you your father’s freedom,” Nyssa realised the Master was extremely close to her, “then he would take you.  Literally, seduce you! The man collects wives and children like Adric would have collected stamps if he were a boy on Earth!”

Gulping Nyssa gazed up staunchly into the Master’s eyes: “I would have said no!”

“Really?” the Master arched an eyebrow, “what if I offered a similar promise to save your father in another Universe and you were happy to be reunited but all you saw,  when you got there was a man who did not know who you were from Adam!”

“Who from whom?”

“Imagine your father looking at you like you were a complete stranger!”

“My father,” Nyssa began warmly, “would accept me no matter what Universe I went to. In fact, if he had not his own daughter he would accept me as his daughter!”

“So he would!” the Master agreed.

“The teas should be ready by now,” Nyssa gulped down her fears, she dodged around the Master and placed the delicate sieve over the fine china cups and began to pour.  “So, where are we exactly?”

“We are on the latest spek TARDIS,” The Master smiled, “on loan by the high Consul,” Nyssa closed her eyes as she felt him close to her again, “I assure you the TARDIS is very well equipped!”

Nyssa finished pouring the last cup, “Could you please get the milk, manuka honey and sugar please?”

“You are uncomfortable with my attentions,” the Master murmured darkly in her ear, “think about what the Time Pirate would do!”

“Oh, come on, Master, I am just a girl!”

“You are a young woman, Nyssa, and someone libertine as he is would think of nothing but offer you your dreams then plunder your hopes.  A Pirate is just another fancy word for a thief!”

“Well, if they are that unsavoury I shan’t have anything to do with them!”

“You are right!” the Master turned around and started placing various items on a silver tray, “you are not!  In this you are to be my companion,” Nyssa stared at him in shock, frozen to the spot the Master took the cups out of her hands and carried on, “the other two I feel would be able to fend for themselves!”

Shaking herself out of her stupor Nyssa glared at the Master: “I can look after myself!”

“Really?” the Master sighed as he placed some dainty cucumber sandwiches he had made, “against me, maybe.  I do not think you are entirely understanding quite what a rogue this particular Time Lord is!”

“Seemingly,” Nyssa sighed, “it appears I have no choice!”

“You told those two out there, Leela and Dorothy, not to look into my eyes!” Nyssa nodded, “this Time Lord reads hearts, Nyssa! A far superior skill,” Nyssa shook her head as if in disbelief, “he also has telekinetic powers!”

“So was he banished or…”

“Ran away!” the Master muttered.  “the High Lord Consul has confiscated all my weapons from me!”

“No TCE?” Nyssa asked.

“No, this has to be done with as little bloodshed as possible,” The Master’s voice had become quiet, pensive, as he was fighting within himself to tell Nyssa everything but decided - eventually - to wait, she did not need to be overloaded with input.  “The Doctor also thought, in his infinite wisdom, that you would work with me more if I did not have the weapon on me!”

“The Doctor thought well,” Nyssa said, “when you say this TARDIS is equipped … with what exactly?”

“Clothing for every occasion,” the Master explained, “a beautiful sleek Consul Unit,” Nyssa, he noticed, was not excited by either of these things, “there are tool kits filled with all sorts of alien technology, and an extraordinary room; well provisioned with Scientific Equipment, and five bed chambers with en suite bathrooms, and libraries,” the Master noted the excitement in her eyes when he had mentioned Libraries and Laboratories, “swimming pool, aerobic centres, and,” he leaned over, “beautiful gardens with all sorts of flora and fauna - ones you would wish to keep pure for the rest of it’s life!”

The thought of beautiful gardens almost tipped the edge for Nyssa: “This is your TARDIS, again?”

“No, I said,” the Master sighed, “this is on loan from the High Lord Consul, on the advice of the Doctor!”

“Oh, yes, right!” Nyssa mumbled, “I will inspect the tool kits.  I should be able to fashion a laser gun even if it is a rudimentary one,” the Master arched an eyebrow, “what? I can use a gun, you know!”

Marry me! The Master thought.  “Well, if you need help, just yell!” Nyssa picked up the tray and walked out of the Kitchen awaiting the Master to show her the way back.  This TARDIS was definitely smoother and silkier than the Doctor’s.  The telepathic hum inside her mind was like having honey inside her head.  All right, she thought, I suppose the four of us have to make the best of it! “Nyssa,” he sighed stopping her just before she walked out of the door and she turned to look at him, “I mean it, this Time Lord can seduce with a wink and kill with a smile, I would hope you can be as wary of him as you are of me!”

Bowing her head Nyssa hid a smile: “You should try to care more often!” was her response, “it becomes you more.”

They walked out of the kitchen together and the Master decided to carry the tray for her: “Do not tell the other two, yet.  I need to see how they work things out.”

“We can tell them we are in an assigned TARDIS!” Nyssa said, “and to be careful!”

“I think the Savage knows that!”

“The ‘Savage’ is called Leela!” Nyssa responded tartly, “the other is Dorothy,” the Master smirked, he loved to rile her up, a pretty flush came to her cheeks when she was defending others, “and if this cur is the brigand you claim he is then we had all better watch our step.  No matter what our training or instincts claim we can do!”

“Wisdom in youth,” the Master sighed, “I could almost like you!”

Nyssa tutted and walked on to hold the door open for him: “I wish I could say the same!” she retorted in a whisper.  The Master winked as he walked past her: “and don’t think this means we’re friends!”

“No,” he said tilting his head, “but we have an understanding?”

They walked in the room to prepare their strategy over their refined tea.