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seriousfic"Citizens rejoice!" the Master spat happily into the Doctor's face. The old man was handcuffed to a pipe, as he'd had trouble finding a doghouse large enough for him. "Croatia has fallen. Ask nicely and I just might not kill the ruling family as an example."
"Please," the Doctor said wearily. "Please. No more."
"Oops, too late, I think I already did order their execution. Aww well, maybe next time, eh?" The Master smiled cheerily as he sat down at the conference table and put his feet up. His laptop was open to his e-mail account, which he checked. "Oh, and Serbia's down too. That didn't take long. I hope China puts up more of a fight. I'm saving them for later."
The computer pinged, registering a new update. The Master checked it. His eyebrow quirked, his lip tugged to one side. The Doctor noted the classic agitation of a plan unraveling.
"What's wrong, Master? Violence not solving all your problems?"
"Be quiet, old man. Just ran into a spot of bother in the Banat region." He frowned. Then shoved the laptop at the Doctor. "Read that to me."
The Doctor knew it was a test. The Master wanted to know if he had anything to do with this hitch in his plan. If he put a little smugness into his inflection, maybe he could fool the Master into thinking so. But no, best not to chance it. Not with Martha's position still precarious. The Master was too arrogant to think she could harm him, so the only reason he had to go after her was to toy with the Doctor. As long as the Master was happy, Martha was safe.
"It's the Toclafane. As soon as they crossed the Serbian border, a troop of robots... more advanced than yours" (the Doctor savored that) "destroyed them. Then a virus was uploaded into the Archangel Network, temporarily replacing all data with the message 'Nice try'. Signed, Victor Von Doom, Emperor of Latveria."
The Master sighed and ran his hands over his face. "What is it with me and doctors?"
"Please," the Doctor said wearily. "Please. No more."
"Oops, too late, I think I already did order their execution. Aww well, maybe next time, eh?" The Master smiled cheerily as he sat down at the conference table and put his feet up. His laptop was open to his e-mail account, which he checked. "Oh, and Serbia's down too. That didn't take long. I hope China puts up more of a fight. I'm saving them for later."
The computer pinged, registering a new update. The Master checked it. His eyebrow quirked, his lip tugged to one side. The Doctor noted the classic agitation of a plan unraveling.
"What's wrong, Master? Violence not solving all your problems?"
"Be quiet, old man. Just ran into a spot of bother in the Banat region." He frowned. Then shoved the laptop at the Doctor. "Read that to me."
The Doctor knew it was a test. The Master wanted to know if he had anything to do with this hitch in his plan. If he put a little smugness into his inflection, maybe he could fool the Master into thinking so. But no, best not to chance it. Not with Martha's position still precarious. The Master was too arrogant to think she could harm him, so the only reason he had to go after her was to toy with the Doctor. As long as the Master was happy, Martha was safe.
"It's the Toclafane. As soon as they crossed the Serbian border, a troop of robots... more advanced than yours" (the Doctor savored that) "destroyed them. Then a virus was uploaded into the Archangel Network, temporarily replacing all data with the message 'Nice try'. Signed, Victor Von Doom, Emperor of Latveria."
The Master sighed and ran his hands over his face. "What is it with me and doctors?"
