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The four watched from afar at the airport just in range to hear the conversation between the Master and the President. "Mister President, sir." The Master saluted grinning.

"Mister Saxon, the British Army will stand down." He ordered. "From now on, UNIT has control of this operation."

"You make it sound like an invasion." The Master groaned.

"First Contact policy was decided by the Security Council in 1968, and you've just gone and ignored it."

"Well, you know what it's like. New job, all that paperwork. I think it's down the back of the settee. I did have a quick look. I found a pen, a sweet, a bus ticket and," he paused seeing the annoyed look on the man's face, he glanced to his left, "er, have you met the wife?"

"Mister Saxon, I'm not sure what your game is but there are provisions at the United Nations to have you removed from office unless you are very, very careful. Is that understood?" He asked. "Are you taking this seriously? To business. We've accessed your files on these Toclafane. First Contact cannot take place on any sovereign soil. To that purpose, the aircraft carrier Valiant is en route. The rendezvous will take place there at eight am." The Master then began to gesture mouthing with his hands, the President then groaned. "You're trying my patience, sir."

"So America is completely in charge?"

"Since Britain elected an ass, yes." He snapped. "I'll see you onboard the Valiant."

"It still will be televised, though, won't it. Because I promised, and the whole world is watching."

"Since it's too late to pull out, the world will be watching me." The President then walked away.

"The last President of America." The Master informed his wife in a whisper watching the man walk away. "We have a private plane ready and waiting. We should reach the Valiant within the hour. My darling." The Master then watched his wife leave and then heard the sirens of a police van.
"Ha ha ha! Hi, guys!" He beamed full of joy as he opened the back doors pulling out the Jones'

"You can't just do this." Martha's father hissed.

"All will be revealed." The Master patted his back.

Martha looked on at her parents gasping. "Oh my God."

"Don't move."

"But the-"

"Don't," Rita warned backing the Doctor up, lashing out would only lead to him possibly seeing and capturing all of them.

"I'm going to kill him." Martha gritted her teeth. Rita looked over at her in fear.

"What say I use this perception filter to walk up behind him and break his neck?"

"Now that sounds like Torchwood." The Doctor remarked.

"Still a good plan."

"The Master is a Time Lord not to mention my cousin meaning that if he was anybody's responsibility it would be mine as his older cousin. "I am not here to kill him, I will not go down to his level." Rita calmly told them her voice flat but serious. "I'm here to save him."

"I've known him almost as long as you have, he's caused you pain Stone, he's my responsibility just as much as he is yours."

"Doctor-" Rita went to protest but was cut off by him.

"No Stone, I know what he has done to you and I will not let you stand there alone against him." He firmly told her.

"Aircraft carrier Valiant." Jack started pressing his vortex manipulator. "It's a UNIT ship at fifty-eight point two north, ten point o two east."

"How do we get on board?" Martha asked watching the Master run around like a dangerous mad man.
"Does that thing work as a teleport?" The Doctor asked.

"Since the Stone revamped it, yeah." He nodded. "Coordinates set." They all placed their hands on his vortex manipulator then disappeared reappearing on the Valiant.

"Oh, that thing is rough." Martha groaned.

"I've has worse nights." Jack stood up cracking his neck as Rita groaned stretching. "Welcome to the Valiant."

Martha looked out a porthole-like window. "It's dawn? Hold on, I thought this was a ship. Where's the sea?"

"A ship for the twenty-first century, protecting the skies of planet Earth," Jack explained.

The four started running the corridors of the Valiant before Rita froze to a stop. The Doctor skidded to a halt as well looking back at her. He then started to listen as well seeing the concentration on her face.

"We've no time for sightseeing," Jack commented going to run again.

"No, wait. Shush, shush, shush, shush." The Doctor hushed him and Martha. Rita then spoke up. 

"Can't you hear it?"

"Hear what?" He asked.

"Doctor, Stone, my family's on board." Martha reminded them.

"Brilliant." The Doctor beamed taking the brunette's hand. "This way." He informed Martha and Jack taking off down the corridor.

"Rita, don't argue, don't say no, but if he gets me go with Martha."

"N-" she went to protest.

"Do it. Please, I need to know your safe."

"Doctor I'm safe with you."

"Not if he's anywhere near you, I know he's your cousin but I don't trust him." The Doctor retorted running down another corridor. They came to end and the Doctor opened the doors. "Oh, at last!" He shouted shouted.

"Oh, yes!"

"Ha ha!" Rita beamed running over to the TARDIS and patting it.

"What's it doing on the Valiant?" Jack asked. The Doctor and Rita ignored him as the Doctor placed his key in the door opening it.

"No, no, no." Rita breathed in horror.

"What the hell's he done?" Jack looked around the TARDIS which held a dark red light, there was wire where the rotor was trapped with metal.

"Don't touch it." The Doctor ordered.

"I'm not going to."

"What's he done though?" Martha asked. "Sounds like it's sick."

"It can't be. No, no, no, no, no, no, it can't be." The Doctor muttered running a hand through his hair as Rita did the same.

"What is it?"

"He's cannibalised the TARDIS." The Doctor said in disgust.

"Is this what I think it is?" Jack asked.

"He made the TARDIS a paradox machine." Rita spat gritting her teeth. "This is too far even for him, he can do all he likes to me but destroy the last beautiful living time travel space ship and now he is in trouble."

"Don't say that." The Doctor looked over to her. "I won't let him near you."

"Doctor you can't promise that." Rita sighed walking over to him and cupping his cheek."

"Yeah sorry to ruin your moment but there are bigger things to worry about." Jack interrupted.

Rita sighed knowing he was right and quickly pecked the Doctors lips before running round to the gauge. "As soon as this hits red, it activates." She informed them tapping it. "I'm going to take a guess here and say that it would trigger at two minutes past eight with the speed it's going at."

"First contact is at eight, then two minutes later," Jack informed.

"What's it for? What does a paradox machine do?"

"More important, can you two stop it?" Jack asked.

"Not till We know what it's doing. Touch the wrong bit, blow up the solar system." The Doctor replied.

"Let's not touch it then," Rita suggested stepping back a little and pulled the Doctor with her.

"Then we've got to get to the Master," Martha said.

"Yeah. How are we going to stop him?"

"Oh, I've got a way." The Doctor grinned. "Sorry, didn't I mention it?"

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They headed towards the flight deck. The Doctor sighed turning to Rita before they entered and looked into her eyes seeing slight fear. He placed his hand under her chin and pulled her gently towards his lips softly yet quickly kissing her. He knew the Master could possibly find them and he wanted to say a somewhat goodbye because he didn't know how far the Master would go this time if they didn't do this.

"What was that for?" Rita breathed out telepathically speaking into his mind.

"I love you, always remember that my dear Stone." He then turned and walked into the room quietly. Jack and Martha shared a glance wondering what the sudden gesture was for. They followed in after the Doctor and Rita.

"For as long as man has looked at the stars, he has wondered what mysteries they hold. Now we know we are not alone."

"This plan, you going to tell us?" Jack whispered to the Doctor as they reached the back of the room.

"No longer unique in the universe." Winters continued.

The Doctor held up his key slightly. "If I can get this around the Master's neck, cancel out his perception, they'll see him for real. It's just hard to go unnoticed with everyone on red alert. If they stop me you've got a key."

"Yes, sir." Jack nodded.

"I'll get him."

The Doctor glanced at Rita who swallowed hard, she promised him even if she never said she did. She had to get Martha out and help her, help her send the message, the story right the way around the earth.

"And I ask you now, I ask of the human race, to join with me in welcoming our friends. I give you the Toclafane." Winters held up his arms and stepped aside as four of the spheres appeared. "My name is Arthur Coleman Winters, President-Elect of the United States of America, and designated representative of the United Nations." He introduced himself to them. "I welcome you to the planet Earth and its associated moon."

"You're not the Master." A male sphere stated.

"We like the Mister Master."

"We don't like you."

Winters stuttered in confusion. "I can be master if you so wish. I will accept mastery over you if that is God's will."

"Man is stupid." The other male sphere spat.

"Master is our friend."

"Where's my Master, pretty please?"

The Master sighed waving his hands about then jumping up out of his seat. "Oh, all right then. It's me. Ta da! Sorry, sorry, I have this effect. People just get obsessed. Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know. It's crazy." He laughed moving to the front of the desk.

"Saxon, what are you talking about?" Winters spat.

"I'm taking control, Uncle Sam, starting with you." He hissed. "Kill him."

A sphere pointed its weapon at Winters and blasted him into pieces. The Master hen laughed and clapped.

"Guards." The Master said moving up to the stairs.

"Nobody move!" They shouted. "Nobody move!"

He then looked at the cameras. "Now then, peoples of the Earth. Please attend carefully." The Doctor then took off his key and attempted to run at the Master, two of the guards grabbed him as one shouted.

"We meet at last, Doctor. Oh, ho. I love saying that."
The Doctor gritted his teeth trying to get out of the guard's grasp. "Stop it! Stop it now!"

"As if a perception filter's going to work on me." He scoffed. "And look at that. It's my dearest cousin." He grinned at Rita. "I knew you wouldn't be far away."

"Family don't go and put their family against themselves because of jealousy!" She shouted. Jack pulled her back as she tried to run at the Master.

"Always thinking it's personal with you." The Master snapped then looked over at the two beside her. "Oh look, it's the girlie and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which one's which." Jack let go of Rita and sprinted forward. The Master pulled out a device and zapped Jack who then fell to the floor dead.

"Laser screwdriver. Who'd have sonic? And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again!" He laughed.

"Master, just calm down. Just look at what you're doing. Just stop. If you could see yourself-"

"Oh, do excuse me." He looked at the camera. "Little bit of personal business. Back in a minute. Let him go." He ordered.

"It's that sound." The Doctor pleaded. "The sound in your head. What if I could help?"

"Oh, how to shut him up?" He looked at Rita laughing. "I know. Memory Lane." He sat on the steps in front of the Doctor. "Professor Lazarus. Remember him and his genetic manipulation device? What, did you think that little Tish got that job merely by coincidence? I've been laying traps for you all this time. And if I can concentrate all that Lazarus technology into one little screwdriver?But, ooh, if I only had the Doctor's biological code. Oh, wait a minute, I do."

"You wouldn't!" Rita hissed.

The Master ignored her comment walking over to a metal case. "I've got his hand. And if Lazarus made himself younger, what if I reverse it? Another hundred years?" He rhetorically asked then looked at Rita dead in the eye. "Oh but my cousin, I am" he then pointed the screwdriver at the Doctor who cried out in pain being made older and older. Rita's eyes became glassy filled with tears watching helplessly. Jack then became alive again as Martha pulled Rita down with her to talk to Jack as she squeezed her eyes shut hearing the cries of the Doctor.

"Teleport," Jack told them handing the vortex manipulator to Martha.

"I can't."

"We can't stop him," Jack whispered. "He would want you to go, especially you, Stone." Jack turned to her. "Get out of here the two of you. Get out." He ordered them.

The Master finished zapping the Doctor who fell to he ground. Rita ran over and caught him holding him tightly. "Oh, sweetheart." She swallowed thickly tightly hugging him.

Martha ran over as well. "Doctor we got you." She held his other side.

"It looks like my cousin doesn't live up to her name, your heart isn't as cold as stone anymore."

"You know just as much as anyone why I picked my name." She spat at him. Her eyes glanced to the Doctor before she narrowed them at the Master.

The Master made a disgusted face then turned to look at Martha. "And she's a would-be doctor. But tonight, Martha Jones, we've flown them in all the way from prison." He pointed to the back of the room as Martha mother, father and sister were brought in.

"Mum." Martha cried.

"I'm sorry." Marthas mother shook her head violently.

"The Toclafane." The Doctor said clutching on to Rita for support. "What are they? Who are they?"

"Doctor, if I told you the truth, your hearts would break." He told him.

"Is it time? Is it ready?" A sphere asked.

"Is the machine singing?"

The Master checked his watch grinning. "Two minutes past." He jumped up the stairs and looked into the camera. "So, Earthlings. Basically, er, end of the world. Here come the drums!" He shouted and ran around the room.

Rita looked at the Doctor who looked unbelievably weak. A tear rolled down her eye. The Doctor gently raised a shaking hand and wiped it away she smiled softly at the gesture even when she knew he was hurting, she kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry."

"Shush." He told her. "It's not your fault."

"I love you" she blinked back her tears, a couple managing to stray, rolling down her cheeks.

"I love you too my dear. Go with Martha." Rita slowly nodded hearing the Master whispering to his wife. "How many do you think?"

"I, I don't know."

"Six billion. Down you go, kids!" He shouted at the spheres as they flew down to Earth.

"Shall we decimate them?" The Master asked. "That sounds good. A nice word, decimate. Remove one tenth of the population!" He then shouted to the sphere.

The Doctor looked at Rita who nodded already knowing what he was going to say to the girl beside her. He then whispered to Martha who then stepped away with Rita holding Jacks vortex manipulator. Martha and Rita held on and then disappeared from the Valiant.

They both fell to the grass London in the distances with millions of spheres burning the city. Both standing up the stared in horror. "We're coming back." Martha gritted her teeth as the Stone nodded before they both turned and left running into the woods.