Doctor Who_ The Sea-Devils - Malcolm Hulke [9]
Jo studied the Master’s face intently to see his reaction to this vital question. When the Master last came to this planet he had concealed his TARDIS, and at his trial refused to say where it was hidden. The Master smiled.
‘So that you, Doctor, could use my TARDIS to leave the planet Earth?’ he asked.
Jo had not thought of this. She knew that the Doctor’s TARDIS only seemed to work when it wanted to, and that the Doctor had little or no control over it, She looked now to see how the Doctor would react.
‘No,’ he said firmly, ‘we want to know where your TARDIS is so that you can’t leave the planet Earth.’
‘But to be logical,’ said the Master, ‘would it not please the authorities on Earth for me to take off and fly far, far away, where I could not possibly do them any harm?’
Jo cut in: ‘I thought you said you had changed your mind about doing bad things any more?’
‘Indeed I have, Miss Grant,’ said the Master, flashing his most charming and sincere smile. ‘But it seems that the authorities will never be convinced of that. All I am hinting at therefore, is that if I were far from this planet, everyone on Earth would be able to sleep in their beds more soundly!’
‘My dear old friend,’ said the Doctor, ‘you know as well as I do that if you were released from here, and had access to your TARDIS, Earth would never be safe from the possibility of your returning to it, maybe bringing with you all sorts of unpleasant allies—Ogrons, Daleks, Cybermen, or even more dreadful entities.’ He leaned forward to the Master with an earnest expression. ‘Believe me, I hate to think of you cooped up in here. It is faintly possible that I could persuade the Government to give you limited freedom, but only if you reveal the whereabouts of your TARDIS—because only then could we really keep an eye on you. Now then, what do you say?’
The Master stroked his beard thoughtfully. Then, slowly, he shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, Doctor, it’s too much to ask.’
‘But what use is your TARDIS to you while you’re in here?’ Jo asked:
‘It would be difficult for you to understand,’ said the Master, ‘but my TARDIS is my proudest possession.’
The Doctor laughed. ‘You don’t even own it! You stole it from the Time Lords!’
‘As you stole yours!’ retorted the Master. ‘Now please, let’s not start to get all moral. I’m not going to render up my TARDIS to anyone.’
‘I see.’ The Doctor rose to his feet. ‘Jo, can you tell the guard we’re ready to go, please?’
Jo went to the door and rapped on it.
‘Is there anything you need?’ asked the Doctor.
‘I have most of the necessary comforts,’ replied the Master, also rising to bid them farewell. ‘But I’d appreciate an occasional chat, if you ever have the time. Trenchard is a decent fellow but his conversation is somewhat limited.’
The prison officer opened the door.
‘I shall try to visit you again soon,’ said the Doctor. ‘In the meantime, if there is anything you want, you know where you can drop a note to me—at UNIT Headquarters.’
‘That’s most civilised of you,’ said the Master. He shook hands with the Doctor, then extended his hand to Jo. ‘I appreciate your visit immensely, Miss Grant. You have shown great mercy and compassion towards a defeated enemy.’
There was such sincerity in the Master’s voice that Jo felt quite overcome with emotion. ‘At least we’re not enemies now,’ she said a little huskily.
‘We are victor and vanquished,’ said the Master, ‘and I stand humbled before you. Perhaps, in time, the others will come to realise that all I seek now is forgiveness for my sins. Goodbye, Miss Grant, and may God be with you.,
As they left the room, Jo noticed the Master wipe a single tear from his eye.
Back in Trenchard’s office, the Doctor stood it the window gazing silently out at the rolling green lawns of the château’s estate. He seemed lost in thought.
Jo said, ‘Did you really think the Master would tell you where