Another Master On Board

[crazy_mastery]

The Master dressed in his personal quarters on the Valiant, leaving... hell, he couldn't keep their names straight! - leaving his shag-of-the-day sprawled in the bed as he strode out the door, straightening his tie

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[unit_girl]

"Hello." Having heard the shouting Jo came into the console room and smiled at the new arrival. "Are you all right?"

[crazy_mastery]

He watched her warily, sliding the laser screwdriver out of his pocket and holding it down against his leg. He paced, keeping the console between her and him. But she wasn't a Time Lord. There was nothing Time Lord about her.

"Who are you?" he snapped. "This isn't your ship." Statement of fact. He closes his eyes very briefly and turned his face up towards the ceiling. It was a TARDIS, alright. Unmistakeable. He looked at her again. Only the Doctor took human companions. It was one of the reasons why he had gathered his own. And some of the Doctor's friends to boot.

"Where are the Time Lords?" he pressed.

[unit_girl]

"I'm Jo Jones." She kept still and watched him pace. "It's safe here, I promise." He really didn't look happy to be here, but walking into something that was bigger on the inside could unnerve people.

She frowned when he mentioned the Time Lords and wondered where he'd come across them. "I don't know about most of them. Were you expecting any Time Lords in particular?"

[crazy_mastery]

"Most of them?" He pointed a finger at her across the console. "This is a TARDIS. I know when I'm in a TARDIS. Whose is it? It's not his, so it must be one of theirs. But he told me they're gone. He told me they burned," he snarled.

"WHOM DO YOU SERVE?" he shouted.

[unit_girl]

She couldn't answer all of those questions when he asked them all at once. "I don't serve anyone. I don't know whose TARDIS this is, but the Guardian controls it." Despite his shouting, she was calm. She'd dealt with far worse.

[crazy_mastery]

All his frantic little movements stopped and he looked at her, his eyes narrowing. The Guardian?

"Which Guardian?" he asked in a dark but controlled tone.

[unit_girl]

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. Have you met them?"

[crazy_mastery]

"I know of them," The Master told her without really answering the question. He glanced around the console room again. "What do they want with me?"

[unit_girl]

"I don't really know," she admitted. "But they keep sending us places to help people."

[crazy_mastery]

That made him laugh. For a little too long. Then he looked at her.

"Help people," he repeated indulgently. "Help what people?" he asked. "Help them how?"

[unit_girl]

Jo frowned at him. "Whatever way they need help. We've just been on a planet invaded by Daleks. A while ago we went to a village where there was a plague."

[crazy_mastery]

"Daleks and the plague. My two favourite things." He spun around, looking at the ceiling. "Is this a joke? When did you get a sense of humour!" he shouted at the Time Lords who must have been behind it all.

He looked at Jo again.

"He said they were gone. Do you understand? He said they burned. How are they here?"

[unit_girl]

She shook her head, not knowing what he was talking about. "Who?"

[crazy_mastery]

"The Time Lords, you silly cow," The Master said impatiently. "They're the only ones who can summon us against our will. But he said they were gone."

[unit_girl]

Jo hadn't brought up seven children without learning something. She stood up straight, put her hands on her hips and in a tone that showed she was not to be trifled with said, "Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?" She wanted to know what he was talking about with the Time Lords gone, but asking about that could wait.

[crazy_mastery]

"I'm the Master," he informed her matter-of-factly. He leaned towards her, looking her over, sizing her up. "Have a problem with my tone, do we?"