Haunted Memories

[traken_master]

Who: The Master and Open to All
What: Nightmare
When: During the nightmare plot
Where: The Death Zone on Gallifrey
Rating: PG-13/R Mentions of body-snatching, zombification



The Master believed he was waking and screamed. It was a short sound, quickly and ruthlessly surpressed, but it was telling that the Master made such a noise at all. Even his iron will could only endure so much pain. He looked down at his body and shuddered in disgust. He was still wearing the velvet finery from Traken, but his body...was from before. He was, now, wasted, looking like a rotted corpse. The pain was just as he remembered it and his hatred flared, hot and furious. Life and beauty were vicious mockeries and ones he wanted to punish.

The Master's mental ranting was cut short by voices. Turning, he saw a squadron of Cybermen approach. They were in sad shape. Each of them had burns on their bodies. They looked like they had been electrocuted and, indeed, they had. The Master had used them to get safely across one of Rassilon's traps, had cunningly led them to their deaths, when they thought him their prisoner. It seemed they would get a chance at revenge.

Comments

[traken_master]

"Clever ones. They were designed by the Time Lords, after all. It could be missiles, more lightening, deadly birds, even wormholes."

[cheerupemoborg]

"Wormholes..."

That one doesn't sound good.

"To where?"

[traken_master]

"It depends on who set the trap. Somewhere amusing and deadly, no doubt."

[cheerupemoborg]

"They will be visible though, correct?"

Invisible wormholes. That would suck.

[traken_master]

"What fun would that be?" the Master scolded, impatiently. "The challenge would be to find a way to detect them."

[cheerupemoborg]

"...you seem more irritable like this."

Could Hank really blame him, though?

"I should be able to see them with no problem - I can see into the electromagnetic spectrum."

[traken_master]

"Can you imagine being flayed alive, but remaining alive and aware, even after your skin is gone? Yes, I'm not in the best of moods."

The Master listened with interest to Henshaw's admission.

"Now, that is useful. I suppose there are worse things than being a robot."

[cheerupemoborg]

"Actually, I can imagine. Try having your flesh slowly decay and slough off of you. It's no fun!

Chalk it up to this body's genetics. Interesting species, kryptonians."

[traken_master]

"No, it isn't," the Master agreed, calmly. "Mind you, people's reactions can be rather satisfying. Such horror, even panic, if you're lucky!"

[cheerupemoborg]

"They're not exactly hard to illicit in the first place, though."

They're probably real close by now. Hank eyes the building as they approach, a strange tension mounting between his shoulders.

"There it is. So far, so good."

[traken_master]

The Master chuckled.

"Oh, yes. Now, we get to deal with Rassilon himself. You should be warned. He won't be pleased to see me."

[cheerupemoborg]

His brow furrows slightly in response.

"Rassilon?"

[traken_master]

"The founder of Time Lord society, as it is now. A calculating genius, who held great political power and many dark secrets. Rassilon lies at the heart of the tower, the center of the Death Zone. He is responsible, both for it's being built and it's no longer being used."

[cheerupemoborg]

"So what are we supposed to do? Kill him?"

Sounds a bit too simple to him.

[traken_master]

The Master laughed, long and loud.

"Kill him? Oh, my dear Henshaw, no! You and I combined could not kill Rassilon. Besides, technically speaking, he's already dead and has been for millions of years. No, no, we go to speak with him and discover the nature of this new game."

[cheerupemoborg]

He feels a little insulted by that.

"Then what is he, a ghost?"

Or someone else like Hank?

[traken_master]

"Well, not precisely, though I suppose you could say he haunts the Tower. You'll see. He's achieved a sort of immortality, but is confined."