They both of them knew that the Master didn’t give a damn about
rivers and sunsets. Didn’t even take much pleasure in the deaths of stars
or planets any more. Not like he used to when she was there to watch them
with him, and — no. No. Had to focus, didn’t he? The man — if man was the
word — before him was clever. There was no doubt about that. Clever, and
he saw things no one else did or could, if his far-off gaze was any indication.
It was when he pulled his gaze away and focused it on the Master that the
raven-haired Time Lord knew he might be in trouble. He had a feeling that
the man did not pull his gaze off the horizon often.
❝Can’t say as I have, mate. Was thinking maybe
you could help me with that. Reckon it would be
easy enough for you to let me through into Asgard,
yeah? Probably I could make it worth your while.❞
The question was, what does a man like that want? Clearly not the sort to
be swayed by material things. Held his duty and his loyalty to his king and
his realm above all else. A man like that was often frustratingly difficult to
manipulate. But every man has his price, doesn’t he? And the Master
would learn what Heimdall’s ( it was Heimdall, wasn’t it? ) was.
He would get into Asgard at any cost. You see, on the other side of this gate
lived a race of strong, powerful creatures, so powerful that the humans who
had encountered them had believed them gods. That kind of power was, the
Master hoped, enough to distract him for a time, to help him to forget what
he’d done, what he’d lost. Or, failing that, with any luck it would be enough
for Odin the Allfather and his son, the mighty Thor, to destroy the Master.
Then, he would never have to remember anything, ever again.
If he had felt this one to be someone to be wary of before, Heimdall
now found him to be outright suspicious, if not one to be considered an enemy.
For what reason would he need to barter with the watchful gatekeeper, if
he meant well? Such reasoning gave the golden watcher pause, and his
keen eyes remained upon the form of the stranger, studying him carefully.
Just what did this form, slight in comparison to that of Heimdall, hide from
him? He could only guess even Heimdall could not see into the mind of
another being, mortal or otherwise. Even as he looked hard upon the other,
as if he could discern even minute details just by looking upon him, he
found very little much to his annoyance. Heimdall did well to mask his dis-
pleasure. He knew not of what this one would do with such knowledge, tiny
as that bit of information regarding the Gatekeeper himself might be.
❝ For what reason do you wish to be allowed within the gates of Asgard? ❞
He had dealt with many intruders before and, should this man possess
malevolent intent, Heimdall was sure of his ability to repel such danger.
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