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‘Mr Hasjat! The Master happens to be one of the most dangerous criminals in the entire Universe! Who aided the Autons in their second attempt to invade Earth? Who evoked the fury of the Daemons? Who aroused an entire colony of Sea Devils in an attempt to cause an inter-species war on Earth? Who orchestrated the tyrannical reign of Pope John Paul Georgian Ringo IV in the 14th Century?' The Doctor was exasperated, realising that his arguments made little sense to Hasjat.
Jo looked at the little security man through the bars of the cell. 'Please, Mr. Hasjat. We've done nothing wrong, really. The Master's a bad man. You've got to let us go!' she pleaded.
'D'you mind? Madam, I have a job to do, and by golly I will do it! I'm not unfeeling, but...well...there you are...'
'Yes,' agreed the Doctor, 'here we are, and here we are likely to stay. How can you ask Mr. Hasjat to commit sacrilege, Jo? This is Min Terr. Remember all that business with Dracula? These people believe the Master to be their god!'
'How dare you, Madam, I mean, sir!' Hasjat snapped, 'We all love and respect the Master - I don't deny it! - but, even though I don't go to church as often as I should, and further more, nay, in short - what was I thinking about? - yes; I must warn you, before you speak further, that I am a man with clear cut convictions!'
'Oooh!' said Jo, 'My Auntie Nelly had those. when's the operation?'
'D'you mind? And I say again, that the Master is a highly respected man around here - no doubt about it. But, my word, we don't worship him! Dear me, no! You've got it all wrong, chum. No, the dearly beloved creators of this beautiful land of Min Terr, are known to we, their 'umble mortal servants, as the...'
Conveniently, before Hasjat could expound his triumphant deification, the lighting in the cell-block was suddenly and completely shut off. Hasjat gave a gasp of surprise and began to fumble for his torch and his "birthday" present - the gun!
'What's the matter now?' he grumbled, 'I was just saying to old Harry the other week," 'arry" I said, "that lot needs rewiring," I said, but nobody ever listens to me. I'll just 'ave to do it myself. I'll only be a h-h-h-half hour. Don't do anything I wouldn't do, eh? Ha ha! What a life! Dear me...'
He was once again interrupted - this time by a high-pitched repeating alarm. The Doctor and Jo watched the light of his torch vanish into the uncompromising darkness as he stumbled down the corridor to answer the alarm. For a few seconds, the couple sat in the dark nothingness, and then light began to gradually reaffirm its existence. In the glowing light, they watched their cell-door, electronically controlled, swing slowly open.
'Come on, Doctor!' cried Jo, 'we're free!'
'Are we?' he asked in reply, 'The lighting failure, then the alarm of a coincidence, don't you think?'
'Oh, come along, Doctor. Anything's better than hanging around here for Mr. Hasjat to come back!'
He did not share her impulsive naivety, but neither could he resist a challenge, not like to stay in one place for too long. They vacated the cell, and hurried along in the opposite direction to that taken by Mr. Hasjat.
Smack! On racing round a bend in the corridor, they at once found themselves sprawled on the floor and seeing stars.
'Oi! You'd better watch where you're goin' mate, or I'll fetch ya a punch up the bracket!' exclaimed the fellow into whom they had bumped. Like Hasjat, he wore a steel-grey uniform; he also had tightly-cropped wiry black hair, proboscis askew, and a cauliflower ear; his I.D. badge said, "Security officer Simes".
'Awfully sorry, old chap,' said the Doctor, helping Simes to his feet, 'I wonder if you wouldn't mind directing us to the interrogation centre? You see, we seem to have mislaid a tall blue box!'
'Oi!' said Simes, 'Ain't you the geezer me and the boys brought in today?'
'That's right,' said the Doctor, smiling.
'Ere! Wasn't Hasjat s'posed to be wif you?'
'Yes, he was,' said Jo, 'but he went off to see what the alarm was about.'
'The alarm? Bloomin' great twit! That was me set that off! Oh yeah! Everybody's scarpered!'
'Scarpered?' asked the Doctor.
'Yeah! Done a bunk!'
'Why? What's going on?'
'We've been cheated mate. Took to the cleaners by "them that must be obeyed"! Typical! 'Ere, I'm off to look for old Hasjat. If you wanna get out, then go down that way. All 'ell's breakin' loose 'round 'ere!' And off he went.
 
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