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of the volcano, now venting continuous black smoke.
Timanov entered the ruin, gasping for breath, but he
forgot his discomfort as soon as he saw the blue box a most
remarkable object. To his surprise, the Outsider gave the
divine transporter hardly a glance, going directly to a pile
of masonry in the far corner. Beneath that rubble, he
announced, is an object of incomparable value. A gift from
Logar, he added quickly, remembering the orthodox
susceptibilities of his labourers.
Inside his TARDIS laboratory the real Master was busy
bracing his equipment for the lifting of his precious
column.
Outside, the Sarns toiled to move the many tons of
rubble and stone that had collasped on the Master s time-
machine during the earthquake. The children scavenged
the small bricks and debris whilst the women conveyed
away the light stones in a human chain, the men levering
apart the heavy blocks and pillars, to reveal at the bottom
of the heap a yellowing, Corinthian column with a door in
the side.
A pillar of stone? cried Timanov in dismay.
A TARDIS! The Kamelion-Master smiled with
satisfaction. I am most grateful.
Peri was now very worried, for there was still no sign of
the Doctor and Turlough. If she was abducted by this
Master, her chances of seeing New York again were nil.
You realise this creature is about to do a bunk? she said,
trying to stir up trouble between the Master s robot and the
Chief Elder only to wince with sudden pain as the steel
hand of her captor tightened around her wrist.
But Timanov, who was growing more and more
suspicious of the Outsider s strange behaviour, needed no
promoting from the American. The Outsider will not
leave without rewarding his faithful Sarns, he warned.
The metal Master gave him an icy smile. As my word is
my bond, Chief Elder, this is the day of reckoning for us
all. He took a step towards his TARDIS as the strongest
men of Sarn began to haul on the ropes they had attached
around the top of the column.
Inside, the Master clutched the metamorphosis
projector as he felt the whole laboratory shake, then tilt
like a beached yacht yielding to the incoming tide. Slowly
the room revolved until floor, ceiling and floor were, once
more, in their rightful positions.
At last! The Kamelion-Master surveyed the upright
column with immense satisfaction, and tugged Peri
towards the door.
Don t let him escape! screamed the girl.
Where are the gifts? protested Timanov angrily, little
suspecting that both Outsider and stone pillar were about
to disappear into thin air.
Gullible idiots! The robot Master laughed in the face
of the disappointed Elders and dragged the struggling Peri
through the entrance.
We re too late! cried Turlough, running into the ruin
with the Doctor and Amyand, just in time to see the door
of the Master s TARDIS slam shut.
The Doctor was already running towards the blue police
box. I m going to materialise around him, he shouted as
he ran. But he had reckoned without six angry,
disillusioned Elders, who were less than mollified to see
three prisoners from the cave at liberty, and were about to
assault the great box. They rushed to the Doctor s
TARDIS, laser guns at the ready.
Pushing Amyand and the Doctor between himself and
the police box, Turlough turned to face the old men. It is
the will of Logar that you obey me, he announced in a
grave voice. Put up your staves, for I am your new Chosen
One. He raised his arm in a Nazi-style salute to display, on
his underarm, the brand of the Misos Triangle.
There was consternation amongst the Elders. Could the
mantle of the dead Malkon really have fallen on this
heretic? Timanov examined the embossed triangles. It was
beyond doubt the authentic mark of Logar.
What are you waiting for? Turlough nudged the
Doctor towards the TARDIS door.
The box is sacred to Logar, protested Timanov. It may
not be profaned by his enemies.
The Doctor is no enemy, replied their self-appointed
leader. He is the rightful custodian of the box.
The Elders continued to hold the Doctor and Amyand
in their sights, though they dared not point the deadly
lasers at Turlough, for no one dared kill a second Chosen
One.
Who is this Doctor? asked Timanov, still suspicious of
the young man by the box.
He has been sent to help you. You have been cheated by
the false Outsider. Turlough stepped forward in front of
the lasers and pushed Amyand and the Doctor into the
TARDIS. Will you compound the murder of Malkon by
defying your new leader! he shouted, hoping no trembling
finger would pull the trigger.
As Amyand stared in wonder at the interior of the
TARDIS control room, the Doctor hastily replaced the
comparator and set the co-ordinates that would reconfigure
the TARDIS around the nearby column, while Amyand,
via the scanner screen, watched Turlough haranguing the
old men.
The Doctor glanced up and saw his worried look. We
only need a few moments and the TARDIS will provide a
spectacular diversion, he explained as he activated the the
dematerialisation control, whereupon the column shook
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