Fabula
S9E24 · The Time Monster Part 4

Master escapes into TARDIS under fire

Ruth

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

The Master escapes into his TARDIS, leaving Ruth, Stuart, and Benton frustrated and foiled.

frustration to desperation ['Newton Institute Laboratory']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

5

Alert and commanding, Benton maintains cold precision despite the tension mounting around him.

Benton enters through a back window, pistol drawn and pointed squarely at the Master. His commanding presence and sharp orders impose military discipline on the chaotic scene, aiming to neutralize the threat and regain initiative.

Goals in this moment
  • To secure the Master’s compliance and prevent his escape
  • To ensure the safety of the laboratory and personnel
Active beliefs
  • Military protocol ensures control in crisis situations
  • Direct confrontation is sometimes unavoidable to prevent greater harm
Character traits
Authoritative Composed under pressure Methodical
Follow Benton's journey

Externally composed and taunting, masking any internal frustration with bluff bravado as the plan unravels.

The Master stands with a clipboard in hand, exuding arrogant amusement as he monitors readings but is caught off guard by Benton’s armed intervention. Unfazed by the confrontation, he taunts Ruth and Benton while continuing to prepare for escape, displaying supreme confidence despite the desperate odds.

Goals in this moment
  • To complete the activation of the TOM-TIT and neutralize pursuing forces
  • To escape via the TARDIS to continue his temporal conquest
Active beliefs
  • His intellect and temporal mastery ensure no situation is truly irreversible
  • UNIT and their allies are obstacles to be circumvented or eliminated
Character traits
Arrogant Opportunistic Calculating Verbally manipulative
Follow The Master's journey

Focused on regaining control of the situation, her tone is calm but assertive, masking underlying tension with rational precision.

Ruth Ingram strides in with urgency, challenging the Master’s authority with a mix of professional defiance and tactical awareness. Her directive for him to look behind him underscores her strategic mindset as she attempts to reassert control over the volatile scene.

Goals in this moment
  • To neutralize immediate threats posed by the Master's temporal device activation
  • To secure the laboratory and prevent the Master’s escape
Active beliefs
  • Scientific authority must prevail over reckless experimentation
  • Collective action is necessary to counter the Master’s schemes
Character traits
Determined Competent Unintimidated
Follow Ruth Ingram's journey

Surprised by the escalation and caught between duty and fear, his confidence wanes as physical threats grow imminent.

Stuart Hyde bursts into the room with Ruth, quickly placing a large spanner on the TOM-TIT apparatus before positioning himself between Benton and the Master. His actions reflect impulsive engagement and immediate intervention, though confusion and reaction dominate his posture.

Goals in this moment
  • To physically obstruct the Master's actions before they worsen
  • To align himself with Benton and Ruth's effort despite limited understanding of the stakes
Active beliefs
  • Following orders may prevent catastrophic outcomes
  • Intervening directly is necessary even if only briefly
Character traits
Reactive Anxious Hesitant but willing
Follow Stuart Hyde's journey
Supporting 1

Tense and reactive, clearly unsettled by the outside threat and the Master’s urgency.

Krasis paces nervously near the window, alerting the Master to the arrival of UNIT vehicles before being directed into the TARDIS. Though present in the scene, her involvement is brief and reactive, primarily triggering the Master’s preparations for escape.

Goals in this moment
  • To assist the Master in escaping imminent detection
  • To fulfill her role as collaborator despite misgivings
Active beliefs
  • Obedience to the Master ensures self-preservation
  • Exposure to advanced time technology heightens her awareness of danger
Character traits
Responsive Anxious Subordinate
Follow Krasis's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

3
Hardiman's Large Spanner

Hyde wields the large spanner as an improvised tool, first placing it atop the TOM-TIT then using the weighted shaft to intervene physically by positioning himself between Benton and the Master. Its industrial weight becomes an extension of his conflicted resolve.

Before: Resting on a workbench or floor, a utilitarian …
After: Gripped by Hyde, now bearing the marks of …
Before: Resting on a workbench or floor, a utilitarian remnant of maintenance work.
After: Gripped by Hyde, now bearing the marks of hasty use and tension as he is shoved by the Master.
Benton's Newton Institute Pistol

Benton draws his standard-issue pistol and holds it steady, aiming to force the Master into compliance. The pistol becomes a symbol of UNIT’s coercive authority, embodying the immediate threat of armed intervention. The Master brushes aside its authority with a swift strike.

Before: Holstered on Benton’s uniform, ready for deployment.
After: Brushed aside by the Master’s forearm, falling to …
Before: Holstered on Benton’s uniform, ready for deployment.
After: Brushed aside by the Master’s forearm, falling to the floor as Benton is momentarily incapacitated by the Master’s physical takedown.
TOM-TIT Apparatus (with Temporal Circuit Boards)

The TOM-TIT apparatus is active at the center of the room as a distraction tool. Stuart Hyde places a large spanner on its controls, potentially sabotaging or disrupting its function. The Master continues to manipulate it despite the confrontation, using it to delay pursuit and prepare his escape.

Before: Activated and emitting dangerous temporal energy to immobilize …
After: Temporarily disrupted by the spanner but still operational …
Before: Activated and emitting dangerous temporal energy to immobilize pursuing forces.
After: Temporarily disrupted by the spanner but still operational enough for the Master to use as a delaying mechanism before he flees to the TARDIS.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Newton Institute - Main Laboratory

The high-security Newton Institute laboratory serves as the volatile stage for the confrontation. Its clinical illumination and cluttered consoles underscore the urgency of the crisis, while emergency exits remain sealed by temporal lockdown. The TOM-TIT hums dangerously at the center, and the TARDIS materializes nearby, providing both sanctuary and escape for the Master.

Atmosphere Tense and urgent with undercurrents of desperation, technological peril, and imminent violence
Function Conflict zone and point of no return where scientific arrogance meets military enforcement
Symbolism Represents institutional overreach and the collapsing boundary between intended scientific progress and catastrophic temporal misuse
Access Restricted to authorized personnel only, with sealed exits reinforcing containment
Overhead fluorescent lighting casting clinical glare across steel benches and monitors Pulsating radiation readings and scorched equipment from recent temporal backlash

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

1
UNIT Global Command Unit (Strategic Intelligence Taskforce)

UNIT manifests through Benton’s armed intervention, asserting military authority to neutralize the Master’s temporal threat and secure the Newton Institute. The organization’s rapid deployment and operational discipline are demonstrated as Benton assumes command in the chaotic scene.

Representation Through Sergeant Benton leading the confrontation with armed authority and tactical precision
Power Dynamics Exercising coercive force against a rogue temporal operative to enforce institutional and planetary safety
To neutralize immediate temporal threats endangering Earth To apprehend the Master and prevent the activation of his temporal device Direct armed confrontation by authorized military personnel Imposition of physical and psychological control through threat of force

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