Free Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord : The Ultimate Foe by Pip Baker, Jane Baker Page B

going near no quill pens again! And that’s final!’
    A scowl distorted the Master’s smooth forehead.
    Murderous wrath was never far below the surface and this idiot was driving his patience to the limit!
    If he didn’t need him...
    But he did. To get back inside that Fantasy Factory.
    And if he wouldn’t do so voluntarily... there was an obvious answer for a practitioner in the hypnotic arts.
     
    The renegade reached inside his jacket and eased out a bejewelled medallion.
    ‘Look at this, Sabalom.’
    He dangled the fascinating stone temptingly before the cowardly minion’s avaricious gaze.
    ‘Yeah! Final!’ The blustering wasn’t ended. ‘I’m not going! I’m staying here till –’
    Glowing... the medallion began to swing...
    mesmerically...
    ‘– I can get back to my –’
    Two greedy eyes followed each swing...
    ‘– own kind – and –’
    Left, right... left, right...
    ‘– and – some – honest – thieving –’ the homily trailed off.
    Eyes and medallion were in perfect harmony...
    ‘Splendid... Splendid...’ lilted the Master. ‘Listen carefully to me...’
    The expression on the rough, tanned face was blank.
    Pinpoint pupils, moving rhythmically, never deviated from the swaying stone.
    ‘Listen only to me...’
    Left, right... left, right... Eyes and medallion were in metronomic accord...
    ‘When you wake, you will do exactly as I tell you...’
    crooned like a lullaby.
    The power he could wield through hypnosis afforded the Master great pleasure. Ascendancy, in no matter how minor a degree, tickled his vanity. His name – the Master –
    was symptomatic of where his desires were aimed. Some day he would become Master of the Universe... the Cosmos... meanwhile, taming this amoeba was a necessity.
    ‘Exactly as I tell you, Sabalom...’ The puppet must be soothed into abject obedience.
    ‘Are you listening... Sabalom... my friend.. ?’ he paused to allow for the slurred ‘Ye-e-es.’
    Nothing.
     
    ‘Sabalom Glitz... are you listening.. ?’ Smooth as silk...
    ‘Not really,’ came the bright and breezy reply. ‘I was wondering how many grotzis that little bauble cost you!’
    Infuriated, the Master tucked the medallion away and opted for a more direct method.
    Lugging a chest from beneath the console, he threw open the heavy lid.
    ‘Perhaps this will appeal to your crass soul!’
    The chest was full to the brim with gold trinkets, gleaming silver goblets, and priceless gems.
    A transformation overcame the acquisitive crook. He could hardly breathe.
    He was overwhelmed by this vision of El Dorado!
    ‘Truly a heart-warming sight for a connoisseur such as myself.’
    Now he was mesmerised!
    Nothing could seduce his gaze.
    A swarm of asteroids could be approaching and Glitz would not stir!
    ‘There isn’t a living creature I couldn’t bribe with that lot!’
    Bribery and corruption were the two gods whom Sabalom Glitz worshipped. Wherever he travelled, he’d managed always to grease the palms of officialdom: civil dignitaries and senators, policemen and lawyers, presidents and dictators, all had been suborned.
    The necklace of diamonds entangled with a lapis lazuli and sapphire tiara, was alone worth a cool million grotzis.
    As for the ruby the size of a plover’s egg..!
    ‘Yours... if you follow my orders.’
    The king’s ransom could have been the widow’s mite for the Master! He was bidding for higher stakes.
    ‘You’re talking the language I relate to.’ Glitz’s paws were itching... aching to touch... to caress...
    ‘Link up with the Doctor. And lead him to the Valeyard.’
    Fear battled with cupidity. ‘Why me? Why can’t you do it?’
    ‘He would not trust me.’ It didn’t take a genius to arrive at that conclusion.
    ‘What makes you think he’d trust me?’
    Like iron filings to a magnet, those rapacious digits were being lowered into the cornucopian chest.
    ‘He’s a sentimental fool. Always had a soft spot for a petty rogue!’
    He slammed shut