CHAPTER 5

MORE OF THE UNEXPECTED

The Doctor decided the best, and safest place to talk was back in their suite. He told Jason as much as he dared about the Master; and the more he talked, the more he wondered why his enemy was on Tel-Shye in the first place.

"Why come during this particular event in history?" the Doctor wondered out loud. "Is there anything significantly different about this coronation in comparison to the others?"

"You're asking the wrong person, Doctor. This is the first one I've ever been to," Jason replied, adding helpfully, "I suppose that could be considered significantly different."

The Doctor was not amused and ignored the remark. "He's here for a reason. And I can guarantee it's not to attend the coronation." Thrusting his hands deep into his pockets, he began pacing the floor. "He's after something, that's certain. Now all we have to do is figure out what it is."

"We?" Jason repeated pointedly. "What do you mean we? He's your sworn enemy, Doctor, not mine. I've got enough problems."

"You'll have a great deal more with the Master on the loose, dear boy, I can assure you of that."

"Doctor—"

A knock at the door interrupted the aristocrat's protests. He exchanged a questioning look with the Doctor before answering the door. A Royal Guardsman entered, bowing slightly. "I'm sorry to intrude, Lord Krystovan. I wouldn't've come at all, except that it's an emergency. There's been an accident, sir…in the detention area…"

"An energy barrier?" Jason asked concernedly.

The guard nodded, going on to say, "The infirmary's up to its neck in visitors, and someone remembered that you and your father were expected."

"Yes, yes, yes." Jason waved a hand dismissively and went into his room, returning with his medical bag a few seconds later. "Unfortunately, my father isn't here, so you'll just have to make do with me." Turning to the Doctor, he said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Doctor. I have to go."

"Of course you do," the Doctor replied understandingly. A thought struck him and he asked, "May I come along?"

This unexpected request threw the guard completely and he stammered out an unintelligible reply.

"Sorry, Doctor, not this time," the Healer said firmly as he slung his medical bag on his shoulder. "The detention area will be off limits until after this is sorted out." He took a step towards the door only to stop, turning back quickly. "Oh! This will probably take some time, too, so I'll see you tonight at the ball. And make sure you tell Kyska not to worry!" With that, he was gone.

The Alterran ability to transmute made conventional forms of confinement unfeasible and they had to develop their own, unique form of confinement, known as an energy barrier. The barrier was a force field that produced a specific energy emission blocking the brainwaves necessary for molecular transmutation. It also reduced a prisoner's strength to human levels. The major drawback was the barriers could not be focused at one specific individual. They affected anyone in the vicinity, guards and prisoners alike.

A barrier's energy level was normally set to stun force, but if it changed for some reason, then an accident was waiting to happen. An accident that could prove fatal if the energy level was too high.

Jason knew all this, of course, and moved quickly toward the detention area, oblivious to the presence of his escort until he suddenly said, "No, your Lordship, you're going the wrong way."

Jason stopped dead and looked in the direction indicated and then down the corridor he was about to enter. "No, I'm sorry, Stinson, but you're wrong. The detention area's that way," he insisted, pointing down the other way. He turned back to the guard and stiffened visibly when he saw an energy weapon pointed at him. "What is this?" he asked.

"Change of plan," Stinson snapped, completely dropping the show of respect and etiquette. Shoving the confused aristocrat up the hallway, he snarled, "That way. Now, move!"

Not sure what to make of this, Jason did as he was told, and went down the passage. He knew exactly where it led. At the end was a flight of stairs leading down to what was now the sub-basement, which had not been used for centuries. As a child, he had played there often, yet most of his people chose to pretend it did not even exist. This was because it had originally been the dungeons and torture chambers constructed during a particularly violent era in Alterran history. All the old chambers were pretty much forgotten, making them a perfect hiding place for any criminal element.

Because of the remote location of Starbridge, Jason had encountered more than his share of injured alien criminals seeking medical aid and he assumed this to be the case again. "Look, if someone's hurt, it's my job to help," he said in an even tone. "I don't need to know how they got that way."

Stinson was unimpressed. "Shut up!" he growled, pushing his prisoner further along the corridor. "I only follow orders. They said to get Healer Jason of Krystovan, and that's you."

"Lucky me," the young man muttered dryly as he started down the stairs.

As soon as they reached the bottom of the long, twisting stairway, Stinson indicated a door ahead that was slightly ajar. A light shone from within that should not have been there.

"Inside," the guard ordered, his conversation having deteriorated into one and two word commands.

Pushing the door open, Jason found himself in a kind of makeshift laboratory. There were crates and empty boxes stacked against the near wall, a large, U-shaped computer console on a raised platform standing just across from him. Strewn on benches and tables were various bits and pieces of unfamiliar apparatus.

As the Alterran took in the room the Master appeared in the doorway to his left. "I see we have a visitor," he chirped. "How very nice."

From behind him, Jason heard another voice; harsh and gravely, "Healer Jason; Marquis of Krystovan, Earl of Altrose, Baron of Tara, and the only son and heir of Aaron Krystovan, Duke of Starbridge," the voice growled.

Jason turned slowly to see who had spoken. The man was dark and stocky, giving all the appearances of being a thug, which he just so happened to be. He was wearing what could broadly be described as a uniform (in a gaudy sort of way.) It was black and red, with a splash of blue and green thrown in for bad taste. It was trimmed in gold and had an overabundance of braid and ribbons. Jason took in this insult to the eye before addressing its wearer. "Well, well, well…if it isn't Colonel Payne. Or more accurately, Ex-Colonel Payne," the aristocrat remarked. His tone made it clear that he did not care for the man. "What happened, Colonel? One of your men shoot himself in the foot?"

The Master entered the room, dismissing Stinson with a wave of his hand. "I see you two know each other," he remarked as he approached.

Jason snorted and said nothing.

Payne exploded. "His father destroyed my life and ruined my career!"

"Oh, please!" the young man moaned. He had heard it all too many times before. "Nobody ruined your career but you. It all came out at your court-martial."

"Lies! Lies invented by you high and mighty aristocrats to cover up a rebellion. I did my job like any good soldier."

The young Lord was incredulous. "Good soldier! You! You're a butcher! An abomination to the whole Alterran race," he spat back angrily.

Without warning, Payne lashed out, striking the unsuspecting youth savagely across the face with the back of his hand. The blow caught Jason completely off guard and sent him sprawling.

"I'm no longer Alterran, your Lordship!" the Colonel spat venomously. "Your father made sure of that."

At one time, Colonel Payne had been an honored member of the Imperial Guard's Colonial Task Force, whose job it was to protect the colonies and research outposts along the fringes of the Alterran system. While assigned to one of the more remote planets, Payne had begun terrorizing the human colonists he was supposed to be protecting. When they finally retaliated, he had them brutally slaughtered.

One of the medical advisors called in during the Colonel's court-martial was Jason's father, who also was the one to carry out their judgment. Payne's ability to transmute was irreversibly suppressed by a surgical procedure, imprisoning him in his present form for the rest of his life. He had also been banished from his own people forever. A fact that was only just occurring to Jason, who had not, as yet, picked himself up off of the floor.

The Master took in this interplay with mild amusement, seeing the whole incident simply as light entertainment. "I hate to interrupt this touching reunion, Payne," he said acidly, "but we have work to do."

"Then I'll just be on my way," Jason said, quickly snatching up his bag and making for the door. It was locked.

From behind him, Payne stated coldly, "You're not going anywhere, your Lordship."