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'Don't listen to such rubbish,' said the Master. 'You can continue to live, and I shall protect you! With the Doomsday Weapon, I shall protect all the Universe.'

'Against what,' said the Guardian, 'will you protect the Universe?'

The question took the Master off balance. 'Well,' he said, 'against anyone who tries to attack it.'

'But the Universe is all matter in Space,' said the Guardian. 'So what can attack that which is everything?'

'I... I shall protect it against itself,' said the Master, desperately wishing to get out of this discussion. 'I shall protect it against evil-doers.'

The Guardian said nothing for some moments. Then, it spoke again, 'The price is too high, the risk too great. The weapon is too terrible to be under the control of any creature that might use it.'

'Surely it is under your control?' said the Master, who clearly now doubted whether the Guardian actually controlled the weapon.

'No,' said the Guardian. 'I am only the Guardian. I have the power, as you saw, to destroy that small metal weapon with which you menaced your companion, but I have no power to destroy you. The controls of the Doomsday Weapon are at your side, there for you to command.'

The Master looked at the control console. 'Then I am now the master of the Universe,' he said. He strode over to the controls filled with a sense of victory and total power. 'That planet you so favour,' he said to the Doctor, 'the one called Earth, can become a cloud of ashes at my touch. Even the Daleks will tremble when they know my power!'

'But this is not to be,' said the Guardian. It turned to the Doctor. 'This man proves you are right. The Doomsday Weapon is not only evil, but it creates evil in others. It must be destroyed. And therefore I must die.'

The little doll-like figure of the Guardian began to fade hack into the flames. The Master swung round to the open hatch. 'Just a minute,' he shouted, 'you and I can make an arrangement. I didn't really mean to use the weapon, only to frighten a few worlds.' The Guardian was already only half visible in the flames. 'Please come back,' screamed the Master. 'I am very clever. I may be able to restore you to the creature you were before you got so small and lived in those flames.' Only the head of the Guardian was now visible. 'Let's discuss this a little longer! Please don't go away!' But the image of the Guardian had now vanished completely. The Master turned away from the hatch, angry that he had shown himself so upset in front of the Doctor. 'Well,' he said, 'I've still got the Doomsday Weapon. Do you wish to share it with me?'

'I somehow think,' said the Doctor, 'that very shortly there will be nothing to share...'

The Doctor's words were swamped by a terrible roaring sound from within the furnace. A blistering wave of heat swept out from the hatch. Than the first sheet of flame burst from the hatch. The whole room started to tremble! The Master stared unbelieving at the now belching furnace. 'You fool,' he screamed, 'you're destroying yourself! You're destroying the Doomsday Weapon!'

'And it'll destroy us if we don't get out of here,' said the Doctor. Another great sheet of flame burst from the furnace. The room trembled violently and a huge crack appeared down one of its silvery-coloured metal walls. 'If you don't mind, I'm leaving before we get roasted to death. I suggest you do the same.'

The Doctor ran to the doors, then realised the Master was not following him. He turned back to see the Master still staring at the furnace as though mesmerised. 'Come on, man,' he called, 'you'll be killed!' The room trembled again as in an earthquake. Flames were now bursting from the furnace. 'We've got to get away!' called the Doctor.

The Master turned to him. 'The Doomsday Weapon,' he said, 'it will never be mine.' Then he followed the Doctor. As they left the room flames spewed out from the hatch engulfing the control console.

As they ran down the first corridor the floor was quaking, the rock walls trembling. 'Which way?' called the Master.