| "Don't worry, my dear," the Doctor murmured. "I can handle this." He
stepped forward and spoke to the gun-wielding woman gently. "You don't
have to do this," he said. "You don't have to submit to the Master's control.
Your mind is your own. Your own!" The woman stared back at him blankly,
her gun hand trembling. He didn't appear to be getting through to her,
but he kept right on talking gently.
Behind him, Inquirer fidgeted. I do appreciate the force of his personality,
she
thought, but there are times when force of personality simply isn't
the appropriate weapon. You have other skills at your disposal now, Doctor.
Use them! But he paid her no mind. Unfortunately, neither did the woman,
as her finger began to clamp down on the trigger...
Damn!, thought Inquirer, unsure whether she was cursing the Doctor,
the woman, the Master, or herself. I'm going to be too late... But
even as she thought it, she was hastily preparing a spell to fling at the
woman.
...But she never got to complete it, as all hell broke loose. Ragan,
who'd been standing on the Doctor's other side, screamed and rushed at
the woman, apparently trying to grab for her gun. The gun went off, and
Ragan screamed again, in a very different tone. Inquirer saw blood on her
arm, but didn't stop to examine it closely. Instantly she completed her
spell, and the brainwashed woman fell unconcsious at the Doctor's feet.
He looked absurdly startled.
Sigin, who had been standing right behind them, rushed up to Ragan.
"Are you all right?"
She grimaced. "Ow. My god that hurts. I can see what they meant..."
she stopped, grimacing again. "...about wanting to avoid this sort of thing,
immortality or not. I am never doing anything that stupid again."
The others all gathered around her in concern. Betty pulled her sleeve
back and examined the wound. "It's already healing up, I think," she said.
"She'll be okay -- of course -- but I think somebody ought to help her
back into the TARDIS."
"Yes, of course," said the Doctor, sounding concerned and just a little
guilty. "Come with me, my dear." He reached down a hand to help her up.
Betty smacked it away. "Don't be stupid, Doctor. You've got to go and send
that signal, and you don't have much time. I'll take her back in."
"She's right," said Inquirer. "Hurry up and let's go!"
-
 She strode
determinedly forward into the control room, alert for further interference.
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