I know, I know...

Ok, you got me. No story turned up on Friday and I can only apologise. I will try my best (census filling in permitting) to finish it in the next couple of days and have it up and ready for your consumption mid-week. I appreciate your patience, and to somewhat ease the wait, please enjoy a lovely picture of Leela, who features in said story.

If you've not done so, you could read through any of the previous stories - there are a rather splendid 26 of them already on this here site - and spread the word far and wide to anyone you know who hasn't read them who you think may enjoy them too. The more the merrier!

Also, please feel free to leave comments on the site, as I'm no longer on the GallifreyBase forum - a personal choice and nothing sinister I assure you. I'd be good to hear some feedback, so please do use the comment function if there's something you'd like to say.

Tearing of the Soul is coming...

More news....

Hello again lovely people,

Another quick update - as promised - about the next story. Tearing of the Soul will be available....this Friday! Following that the next one will feature the 11th Doctor and Amy in a tale co-written by myself and Russell Williams (whose 10th Doctor story will appear later in the run). Then comes The Vault of Neverwhile featuring the 8th Doctor and Lucie, following which will be another short break before the second half of the series.

Also, if you're hankering after more of my writing, you could do worse than head over to http://the-third-zone.blogspot.com/, where issue 2 is now up. I've written a great deal of this one, though not the fiction this time! Please do take the time to have a look, as there's a wealth of features over there.

So, until Friday...

Andy

It's coming...

Hi all,

I'm aware it's been a while since the last story, but rest assured, it is coming soon. It's been a bit of a busy time of late, and while I'm scrabbling to get all the bits and pieces together for the next issue of The Third Zone, the story has had to take a bit of a back seat. However, since that's up on Sunday, I'll then be able to turn my attentions back to this here blog and post Tearing of the Soul sometime next week. Oh yes, next week it is! Can't say when yet, but it will appear, I promise you that.

Another update on Monday, with the story following not too long after.

Your patience is much appreciated.

The Labyrinth in the Garden

Another slight shift of story order, so this week it's the turn of Steve F with his take on the Fifth Doctor and...well, read and find out! Hope you enjoy Steve's first venture into the series, as he'll be back for the next couple too!

THE LABYRINTH IN THE GARDEN

 

    Nyssa, a young, pretty, and bright Trakenite, walked the gardens and streets of the Capital of Traken blissfully, taking in the beautiful weather and generally feeling very happy, as was the norm for a lot of citizens. More intelligent than most, she could see what others couldn't and on that day, found something that would change her life. Passing through yet another garden, one she came to regard as her favourite, she sensed something on the grass. Then, through the corner of her eye, she saw it. A grandfather clock.

    "That's new!" She murmured, as she walked along the soft grass past various flowers, stopping right in front of the clock. She stroked it, not knowing quite how to take it in, and not quite wanting to believe it was there. Then, the door opened. She peered in, a dimly lit room before her, bigger than the outside of the clock, with a glowing green column in the middle.

    "What is this?" she whispered. She didn't get a proper answer, but a gloved hand, grabbed her wrist and pulled her.
    "No!" She squealed, struggling against the force. But the arm pulling her was too strong, and she felt herself being pulled in to the oversized room. "Help! Someone help me!" she yelled, but got no answer, nobody nearby, and no saviour. She screamed soundlessly as she was pulled into the clock.
    Silence hung in the Garden.


    The TARDIS wheezed, flying through the time vortex. Stood at the console, the Doctor fiddled with buttons and levers. Tegan entered, smirking, bemused by the busy Doctor zipping around the console.
    It was a difficult time. The Doctor and Tegan had only recently met each other, and had travelled to a handful of places, having a bit of adventure, helping those in need.
    But it was a particularly sad period for The Doctor, as once again, he had suffered the loss of a friend. It was on Tegan's first meeting with The Doctor and Leela, where Leela had willingly sacrificed her own life to rescue The Doctor, by taking a shot for him after a vengeful Uldarian had opened fire on them for ending his plans. The Uldarian died soon after when his craft had blown up, a result of over-ambition and foolishness, but it wasn't justice enough. The Doctor has lost a brave friend. She wasn't the first, and probably wouldn't be the last.
    "Busy there, Doctor?" Tegan said, pondering what he was doing.
    "Yes, I just had an idea," he said, still fiddling at the console.
    "An idea?"
    "Yes. We're going to Traken!"
    Tegan looked confused.
    "Going to tracking? That doesn't make sense, what are we tracking?"
    "No, Traken!" he said, even with a hint of a giggle, something Tegan had barely heard from him. "In the Traken Union. Very peaceful, a place where pacifism is their very life. Rumours say that if evil even set foot there, it would shrivel, or even rot away!".
    Tegan grimaced. "Bad day to be evil!" she said, pondering whether it would be an easier life if they took every nasty villain they faced to Traken to shrivel up. It would certainly save time, if it wasn't so immoral.
    The Doctor then became slightly sadder and lowered his voice. "It hasn't been long since we lost Leela, and by coming here, I was hoping we could have a little break. It's a hectic old life".


    Tegan smiled and patted his arm. "Of course. It will do us some good. Hope it's pretty!"
    The TARDIS stopped wheezing and whirring. "Ah, we're here!" said The Doctor. "And yes, if what I've heard is true, it is rather pretty!" he continued. They then left the TARDIS, hoping for a nice peaceful break.


    In the centre of the capital, Consul Tremas was addressing the Fosters, the City's guardians, who then spread out in different directions. After this, his wife Kassia walked to him, and fell into his arms.
"We'll find her soon, I swear of it" he said, hugging her. "The Guardians are very good, they'll have her back to us in no time".
    She looked up at him. "You should get some rest" she said softly. "You still have the Keeper to attend to, especially if you are to become Keeper yourself someday soon!".
    "We'll take that as it comes. Nyssa is my priority now," he said stoically. "I just want her home. Family is coming first in this dark time".
    Breaking up the talk between man and wife, a Foster came running back. "Consul Tremas, this is urgent, quickly!" the man said, panicking. "Something is arriving!"
    Tremas and Kassia followed the guardian through an archway outside, to see the TARDIS materialising. Another Foster was standing out there, on guard gun trained on the TARDIS.
    "It's just...appeared...out of nowhere!" he said, bemused.
    "I do believe I recognise the technology," Tremas replied. "The Time Lords and other such races can materialise and dematerialise in and out of the time vortex. It's their method of travel or at least that's how the legends would have it!"


    The TARDIS doors opened and The Doctor and Tegan both stepped out cautiously, both immediately noticing and coming face to face with the two gun-wielding Guardians.
    The Doctor smiled nervously. "Hello, I'm The Doctor, and this is Tegan," he said, hoping the men weren't about to blow their heads clean off.
    "Hi!" Tegan yelped, hoping precisely the same thing as The Doctor.
    "Men, you can put your guns down," Tremas said, raising his hand and lowering it, as if they hadn't understood his command. They obeyed and backed off. Tremas extended his hand to The Doctor, who shook it warmly, followed by Tegan.
    "I apologise. I am Consul Tremas, we're going through troubled times at the moment. Our Keeper nears death, and on a more personal level, our darling daughter Nyssa has gone missing".
    "I'm sorry to hear that" said the Doctor sympathetically.
    "Yeah, me too," agreed Tegan. "But we tend to help people on our travels, we could try and help you find Nyssa, right Doctor?"
    "Of course. Ever the have-a-go heroes, whether we like it or not. Of course, on this occasion we'll be happy to help. Has Nyssa been missing long?"
    "Just over a week. She's nowhere to be seen," said Tremas. "She's an intelligent and strong willed girl, but to disappear? It's just not like her".
    "Anywhere she usually hangs out, or spends plenty of time?" enquired Tegan. "Anywhere she was likely to disappear from?"
    "Yes, there's a garden a short walk from here, I'll take you!" answered Kassia, hoping the two new arrivals could actually help find her daughter.


    Inside the impossibly large interior of the grandfather clock, Nyssa fumbled around in the dim cell she had been kept in, looking for a way out. Then she heard a knocking at the door.
    "There's no way out for you" said the sinister voice. "I can't let you go out there and reveal I've been here, that would be completely stupid!".
    She slumped down against a wall, giving up.
    "How long have I been here? I've lost count," she said quietly.
    "To us, a day, maybe two. To them a week. Time runs differently here than it does where I'm from"
    "Okay. But why keep me here?"
    "Like I said, you stumbled upon me and I can't be found out. When it is time for me to go, I will release you. It won't be long until I'll be refuelled and ready to leave this boring rock."
    "You still haven't told me your name"
    "Oh yes I have"
    "But that's not a name"
    "It is to me, and for as long as you're here, you'll know me as MASTER!"


    Outside in the gardens, Tegan and The Doctor were lead through by Tremas and Kassia , and looked around, taking in the sight.
    "You got your wish," he said, "It's very pretty!"
    "Good!" Tegan said, smiling, looking around at the various flora covering the garden.
    "But I can feel something isn't right here," the Doctor said, concerned, and letting all the possibilities run through his mind.
    "So you think she was taken?"
    "I think she's still here"
    "How?" interjected Tremas.
    "I don't know," answered The Doctor. "It's like there's something that shouldn't be here, but I just can't see it."
    The Doctor stopped, standing face to face with Tegan in front of him. He stared ahead, all the cogs in his head whirring.
    "What is it, Doctor?" Tegan asked, clearly worried about the Doctor, but also secretly worried about what he quite obviously appeared to have worked out.
    "Tegan. Don't turn and look, just keep looking at me," said The Doctor, with quite a sense of urgency. "Now keep looking forward, but look to the right through the corner of your eye. Concentrate".
    She did as instructed, staring at him, but trying to see what she couldn't see. And then she gasped.
"Is that?" she asked, shocked.
    "Yes!"
    The Doctor looked to the left. "You can look at it now Tegan. Now we've seen it, we can carry on seeing it!"
    She looked to her right. They both took it in. The Grandfather clock.
    "But how can a grandfather clock be here, Doctor?" she asked, part confused, part concerned.
    "Perception filter, It hides something but not completely. If someone wants to see it enough, they can."
    Tremas and Kassia tried looking but couldn't see it.
    "Doctor, what are we supposed to be looking at?" asked Tremas. "All I can see is the same garden I always see!"
    "You can probably see it in a moment!"
    "How?"
    "Like this!" The Doctor ran over to it, flung open the door, and it suddenly blinked into view for everyone else.
    "A Time Lord. This is another TARDIS!" he said, disappointed.
    Tegan walked up behind the Doctor and peered over his shoulder.
    "Bit dark compared to yours.. who in hell lives here?!"
    "Hell, an appropriate word if this TARDIS belongs to who I think it belongs to!". The Doctor turned to Kassia and Tremas. "I advise you to stay out here. Tegan and I will investigate!"
    "We'll find her," Tegan said to them, smiling, as the two of them entered the dark TARDIS.


    Deeper inside the TARDIS, The Master just knew that new arrivals had entered the ship. He let out a wry chuckle.
    "Well, Nyssa," he said, "We have new arrivals!".


    The Doctor and Tegan walked through the TARDIS console room which now appeared slightly brighter to them, surveying everything.
    "It really is just like yours, but darker," she said, eyeing up the console.
    "Yes, console rooms tend to be similar. But beyond that, who knows? This could be a trap."
    "But we're still going to look for her, right?"
    "Of course. It just might take a while"
    "So who is this? An evil Time Lord? I thought you were all good guys?"
    "I'd say so...I don't know why they would hide here though. And no, not all Time Lords are good"
    "Who is it? Do you know?"
    "I don't know for sure, there's a bit of a shortlist, even a couple of our more powerful leaders were a bit mad. I've not been back to Gallifrey since my first life. There could be more insane Time Lords about"
    "Wait, first life? How many have you got?"
    The Doctor smiled. "Another fascinating fact about Time Lords! We don't die, we regenerate. The old rule was 13 lives, but I really have no idea where Gallifrey stands on that now. This is my fifth body".
    Tegan was astonished. She learned something new about The Doctor all the time. Her stomach also turned at the realisation that Leela had not needed to protect the Doctor, something she had neglected to mention to him, but could tell he already knew.


    "Anyway" he said, breaking the silence, "It's time we go looking for young Nyssa!"
    They walked through the far door, heading down a corridor which lead down to other rooms and areas of the TARDIS. The Doctor sighed.
    "This could take a while," he said to Tegan, slightly apprehensive about their task. "Each TARDIS is likely to be unique, they change to the preference of the person driving them, though I dare say that if this kidnapper wanted to keep her hidden, he'd make sure she wasn't found".
    "She won't be dead, will she, Doctor?"
    "I hope not. I doubt she'd be killed. I'd say that she is probably being kept here to keep this place a secret. This TARDIS isn't running at full power, and may not be able to fly through the Vortex at the moment!"
    "So, it's just convenient to keep her here to stop her blabbing?"
    "I'm not a gambling man, but yes, I'd bet that's why she's not returned. As Tremas said, she's intelligent and strong willed, she'll have noticed this TARDIS easily. Maybe it's those positive traits that'll help us find her!"


    Back at the cells, Nyssa began to feel hopeful. Was it her father that had come to rescue her? The Fosters? All she yearned for was to see her home again, and be free.
    Her thoughts were disturbed by The Master.
    "Our guests have left my console room, I must depart my dear, and play a little game with them! Bye for now!" he said, and she could hear his footsteps get further away.
    She put her head into her hands, despairing.


    The Doctor and Tegan walked further down the long corridor, not stopping to open any doors. The Doctor put his head against them, trying to find any sound or movement.
    "I don't know if I want to open any of these doors, Doctor. I'm not sure I want to see what's behind them!" whispered Tegan, disgusted at the drab, dark interior.
    "I'm not keen to, either, even being here is dangerous. I still don't know who this place belongs to," he replied. He went to carry on speaking, but was interrupted.
    BANG.
    BANG.
    BANG.
    "Down there!" he yelled, running along the corridor and stopping at the door from where the banging came. "In here!"
    He cautiously opened the door, and inside there was nothing. Apart from a banging sound.
    "An illusion, they know I'm here!".
   

    In her cell in the dark TARDIS, Nyssa smashed her fist 3 times against the wall in despair. Then to her surprise, a few seconds later the door opened! But nobody was there. She was about to walk out but then was surprised to hear a distorted, but clear statement. A male voice, coming from behind her.
"An illusion, they know I'm here!".
    She was taken aback but immediately replied. "Hello? Is someone here? Speak to me!".


    In the cell, The Doctor and Tegan nearly jumped out of their skins to hear Nyssa.
    "She's in here! He's using perception filters everywhere, keeping us from her and her from us," said the Doctor. "Tegan, remember what we did before, outside? The corner of your eye!"


    They concentrated, focusing in front and side-wards at the same time, until beside them, slowly, Nyssa appeared.
    "Is that her?" asked Tegan "Is that Nyssa?"
    "Yes it's me! It's Nyssa! Where are you, who are you?" came her reply.
    "Listen to me carefully, Nyssa. You'll be able to see us, but you need to concentrate," said the Doctor, authoritatively. "You need to look via the corner of your eye, you saw this place like that, you'll need to do that again".
    She stood there, for a moment, and as they had done with her, she found them. Then suddenly, she jumped. She had seen them! She sighed, as she grabbed them and held them tight. "I thought I would be here forever".
    "Your father has been so worried, everyone has," said Tegan, hugging her.
    "Yes, and it's about time we got out of here. But first I want a word with whoever's keeping you prisoner" said The Doctor.
    "I don't even know his name, he knows I'm Nyssa but I don't know who he is"
    The Doctor walked out of the room, followed closely by the two girls. "I don't suppose he'd reveal his name," he said, wondering what he'd do if and when he found Nyssa's kidnapper.
    "No, he just demanded I call him Master", Nyssa continued.
    The Doctor stopped dead, Tegan and Nyssa catching up with him. He stood there, frozen, a look of concern etched across his face. "Master," he sighed. "So he's still mad enough to call himself that."
    "He's mad indeed!" said Nyssa exasperated. "Keeping me in a dark horrible room, demanding to be called the Master, and this strange, eerie, old place!"
    "He has always been mad. No-one knows why, but he has been mad since a young age. I never expected that I'd see him again after leaving Gallifrey!"
    They walked on, beginning their journey back to the console room, and back out to Traken.


    In the console room, The Master stood at his controls, turning dials, and pressing buttons. He let out a little chuckle to himself.
    "Oh, Doctor, never in a million years did I expect we'd be reunited. Well, maybe we still won't be reunited, "he said, as he finished using the controls on the console. "You might never make it back to the console room. Let the challenge begin!"


    When The Doctor, Tegan, and Nyssa reached the door to the console room and opened it, the sight they saw wasn't what they expected. Instead of the room they'd entered the TARDIS by, there was a curved wall, heading off in two directions, before them. The Doctor was angered, and ran a hand through his hair, trying to think.
    "Where has the console room gone? Oh, he's changing the place around us!"
    "We're trapped?" gasped Tegan, now showing the slightest hint of panic.
    "Not necessarily, there can be a way out somehow, we just need to figure it out!".
    "Perception filters again? Can we use the same trick we've used before?"
    "I don't think so. This is going to take logic and a lot of thinking! He's trapped us in a labyrinth!"


    Outside the Master's TARDIS, Tremas had gathered more armed guards, waiting for anyone to emerge from the craft. Kassia was concerned though.
    "Are you sure you need all these men?" she asked, eyeing the group, wondering if bloodshed was the answer.
    "Kassia, our only daughter has been taken by a madman, I need to make sure he's stopped whether it means arrest or death!"
    "But that's not our way!" she said, beginning to yell.
    "I know, but if he's here, who else could arrive?!"
    "That doesn't make it right," she said, upset, and she walked off, leaving Tremas to stand vigil and wait for the others to leave the TARDIS.


    "A labyrinth?" asked Tegan, as she, the Doctor and Nyssa followed a curved wall round.
    "It's like a maze, one that's incredibly difficult to escape" The Doctor said as he followed the wall with his hands, hitting the wall as he went. He got to a part that wasn't hollow and had a wall behind it. "Ah, this way is wrong, there's a dead end behind here. Quickly, let's head the other way."
    They walked quickly along the other way, looking to make their next move through the labyrinth. "Doctor why would they have a labyrinth on board one these...TARDISes, was it?" asked Nyssa, trying to keep up with The Doctor and Tegan. "I mean, there isn't any logic to it, they could get lost themselves!"
    "The labyrinths aren't a normal part of the TARDIS, the Master put this here to trap us. I just hope he doesn't refuel before we get out!" he replied, looking around constantly for something in particular. "The fact this TARDIS isn't running on full power may help us. There will be a crack in the construct of the labyrinth, and we can exploit it! He can't risk burning up all the energy keeping it here!"
    "That's positive, sort of" commented Tegan, also looking up, frowning and trying to figure out what the Doctor was looking at. "What are we looking for then?"
    "Like I said, cracks", replied The Doctor. "Or any sort of sign that we can find our way out of here, there's got to be something, because the chances are we'll get to the outer walls of the labyrinth, and there'll be no door."
    "Right then, cracks, weaknesses.." Tegan murmured, as she kept a keen eye out.
    "When I was in the cell, I heard a lot of creaking," chimed in Nyssa, hoping she was being helpful. "Can that be a sign of weakness? That the place is unstable?"
    "Yes, it could!" said the Doctor, interested but apprehensive at the same time. "It could also mean this place could fall apart at anytime. Maybe the atmosphere of Traken is fighting it!"
    "Then we ought to get out of here!" said Tegan, voice rising. "We can't stay here when it falls apart!"
    "I know. Nyssa, Tegan, we have to move fast!" he said, as he ran, Nyssa and Tegan following him.

 

    The Master followed their progress from the console room and laughed. "Dear Doctor, you'll be down there for a very long time! Now to make things more interesting," he said, turning dials on his console, ignoring the increasingly loud thumping of Traken guards on the door.


    Down in the labyrinth, The Doctor stopped running as he felt rumbling. He held his arms out wide to stop Nyssa and Tegan.
    "Can you feel that?" he gasped, fighting for breath.
    "What?" said Tegan, bent double, trying to regain energy and some composure.
    "I feel it too!" said Nyssa, looking around, attempting to figure out where the rumbling was coming from. "What is it?"
    "I don't know, whatever it is, it's probably not good!" replied the Doctor, now more composed.
    And then they got their answer. From slits in the ceiling, water seeped through, faster and wider, starting to shoot through as if from a tap.
    "He's trying to drown us!" yelled The Doctor, as the water level rose. "Keep close to me, we can try to float on the surface!"
    "What about when we hit the ceiling? We can't keep floating when we reach the top!" yelled Tegan.     "Then we really will drown! Besides, I thought this place was massive! Why is it rising to fast?"
    "I don't know, maybe he's closed this little area off.."
    They huddled together, staying afloat as the water lifted them from the ground. The water was coming thicker and faster now, the ceiling getting nearer and nearer.
    Tegan then noticed that between herself and the wall, bubbles were rising.
    "Doctor!" she yelled, waving her arm frantically towards the bubbles. "Bubbles! It might be a way out!"
    "Excellent, Tegan, well done!"
    The Doctor took a deep breath, and went underwater, looking in the direction of the bubbles. In the wall, was a small crack with light shining out. He put his head back above the surface again.
    "There's a crack, small, but I think I can break it open!"
    He went back under and swam over, pulling at it and kicking, not doing much damage thanks to his leg not moving fast enough under water.
    "He's not going to drown is he?" sobbed Nyssa, as Tegan hugged her and pulled her close.
    "Of course not, he's the Doctor! He'll be fine. I think he just likes to make us panic a little!" she replied, smiling, but not completely sure herself.
    The Doctor carried on pulling at the crack, until it crumbled and opened further. He carried on at it, then the wall eventually started to break by itself, the hole getting bigger. He swam back to the top.
    "Here we go!" he yelled, the hint of excitement in his voice
    Suddenly, The Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa all found themselves being pulled towards the hole, sucked underwater and through!


    Then they were back in the corridor, riding the wave towards the end door.
    Above the crashing of the water, Tegan tried to yell.
    "Is that the console room?" she bellowed at the top of her voice.
    "I hope so!" the Doctor yelled back.
    They hurtled down the corridor at high speed until they hit the door, The Doctor kicking at it until it opened, sending the three of them flying through!
    They landed in the console room, with a crash, the door closing swiftly behind them. As Nyssa and Tegan coughed and spluttered, the Doctor grabbed the console, pulling himself up.
    He glared straight at The Master, who smirked at him. The Master didn't look too different from the last time The Doctor had seen him. A bit shorter than the Doctor, Mediterranean looking, bearded, dressed sharply, all in black with leather gloves to match. Every inch the evil Time Lord.
    "So," began the Master, a menacing tone to his voice. "Hello Doctor. Oh, it's been a very long time!"
    "Not long enough," he retorted. "Why are you here?"
    "Crash landing. I got lucky though. The air on this planet has hints of Artron energy in it, fuel for my TARDIS. I could have refuelled and flown way without them knowing, if it wasn't for Nyssa finding me!"
    "If it wasn't for those meddling kids, eh? But while you've been here taking the energy, the atmosphere has degraded. This place isn't a safe haven anymore. You've polluted it!" said the Doctor, beginning to yell.
    "Just like everywhere else in the universe then!" The Master laughed. "The concept of a safe haven anywhere is null and void!"
    Whilst they argued, Tegan had edged around to the door with Nyssa. They opened the door and ran out, Nyssa, running to her father's arms.
    Tegan turned back to The Master's TARDIS.
    "I'm going back in!" she yelled running in, but followed by two Traken guards.
    Alarmed by the sudden intrusion, The Master pulled out a black cylindrical object.
    "Would you like to know what this is?"
    Tegan shook her head. "No, but I suppose we're about to find out!"
    "Well, this is what I like to call a 'Tissue Compression Eliminator'. Would you like to know what it does? I'll tell you. It does precisely as its name says. It literally compresses you. If I were to use this on you, which I probably will, you will shrink to the point of death. Your organs will fail, you will suffocate, and the one small mercy is that it'll be over almost as soon as it begins"
    He aimed it at a guardian.
    "Let's try it, shall we?"
    He triggered it, and to the horror of The Doctor, Tegan, and the other guard, the guard shrunk to death!
    The Doctor lunged at The Master, who triggered the eliminator again, now pointed at the console. Suddenly, the whole TARDIS shook, starting to shrink.
    Tegan shoved the surviving guard out of the door to Tremas, who tried to enter, but was stopped by Tegan.
    "No, this place is falling apart, you'll be killed!" she yelled, trying to keep him out.
    "He kidnapped my daughter!" Tremas raged, glaring at the Master who gave him an eerie, sinister, and knowing grin.
    "And now you have her back! Now get out of here!" she yelled at him, finally overpowering him and dragging him away.
    The Doctor ran to the door. He hesitated for a moment and turned to the Master.
    "You can survive this, just come with us!" he yelled.
    The Master just laughed. "And be imprisoned forever, you must think I'm stupid Doctor!" he yelled. "Goodbye!"
    He pulled the lever, and his TARDIS started to dematerialise, the Doctor diving out of the door before it went.


    The Master's TARDIS dematerialised, leaving the shocked group behind. The Doctor stared up from the ground, angry, but relieved he had rescued Nyssa.


    Hours later, after the pandemonium, Nyssa sat in the garden again. Although still a bit shaken by all that had happened, she felt a rising sense of peace within her once again. She sighed happily and leaned back, resting on her arms.
    "Right, that's that", Nyssa heard the Doctor say as he and Tegan approached from behind. "He won't be back here again".
    "Would he have survived?" Tegan asked as they passed Nyssa and went to the TARDIS.
    "Probably. Dematerialising his TARDIS would probably have cancelled out the compression, and regenerated his console room. Those machines have so many ways of saving their pilot!".
    "Where do you think he is?"
    "I haven't the slightest idea, I don't know if I'll see him again"
    "Would you want to?"
    "Maybe, I think I can help him"
    The Doctor glanced at Nyssa and smiled. He walked over, holding out his hand.
    "Goodbye Nyssa", he said sadly. "It was a pleasure to meet you".
    "Likewise," Nyssa said, smiling and shaking his hand. "Thank you, Doctor. For everything."
    She looked over at the TARDIS and sighed. "Looks like a good life, travelling in your machine. I think I'm confined to Traken for now, father's orders!"
    He smiled. "Perhaps not. It's a time machine!"
    "Oh I know, don't tease!" she huffed, crossing her arms.
    He chuckled at this, raising his eyebrows. "It's a TIME machine!".
    Then the penny dropped for her and she smiled more widely than before! "You mean...I can come with you and Tegan?" she said excitedly, about to explode! "Through time and space?"
    Tegan flung the door open and finally yelled, "Yes, come with us!".
    The Doctor reiterated this. "You are very welcome to join us," he said, now grinning.
    Nyssa hugged him, then Tegan, then ran into the TARDIS. The Doctor just smiled at Tegan, who laughed as they walked into the TARDIS, to the next adventure.