Doctor Who: The Sea-Devils Read Online Free PDF Page A

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 his TARDIS is?’
    ‘Not really,’ said the Doctor without turning. ‘He’s defeated, and knowledge of its location is the only thing he’s got to cling on to.’
    ‘Then why,’ she asked, ‘did we come all the way down here?’
    The Doctor was evasive. ‘I thought a trip to the seaside might do us both good.’
    ‘You’re really sorry for him, aren’t you?’ she said. ‘You wanted to be sure he was being treated properly.’
    ‘We used to be great friends,’ said the Doctor. ‘Hundreds of years ago, when we were both young Time Lords, we were inseparable. After all, we had a lot in common.’
    ‘What, for instance?’
    He turned to her. ‘You know the Golden Rule of the Time Lords—just to sit and watch, but never actually do anything? He and I are different. We wanted to get out into the Universe, to meet other species, to explore.’
    ‘One for good and the other for evil?’ said Jo.
    ‘Yes, you could say that.’
    The door opened and Trenchard marched in, all smiles, removing his little pork-pie hat. ‘Ready for off then? I’d better stamp the passes.’
    Jo produced their passes and Trenchard read them all again as though he had never seen them before, then produced a rubber stamp and an ink pad and stamped them. ‘Satisfied with how we look after him?’
    The Doctor was buried in thought again, but even so turned. ‘What? Oh, yes. Just one thing, though, that made me curious...’
    Trenchard was