CHAPTER 6

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

Jason spun around to see an energy weapon aimed straight at him. His heart missing a beat as he realized he had not been abducted to treat a wounded criminal. He fell back against the door and looked helplessly over at the Master, who seemed to be the one holding Payne's leash.

"We don't want to frighten our young friend, Colonel," the Time Lord cooed softly. "We need his help." The Master's dark, compelling eyes locked with those of the terrified Healer. "You will help us, won't you, Jason?" he asked hypnotically.

Jason suddenly relaxed in spite of himself, the medical bag slipping from his hand. His eyes glazed over as he stared, unblinking, into the eyes of the renegade Time Lord. He felt himself being drawn into the black void, swept away on a tide of gentle, soothing tones. "Help you…" he echoed dreamily.

"That's right. And you will obey me." The Master's voice hardened as he repeated, "You will obey me."

"I…will…obey…"

Suddenly, somewhere deep inside Jason's mind, an alarm went off, calling to him, screaming at him, that something was drastically wrong. He immediately stiffened and came out of his trance, wrenching his gaze away from the Time Lord's hypnotic stare with visible effort. He wavered on his feet, a hand going to his head. "What am I saying?" he muttered dazedly.

The Master was furious that the Alterran had been able to overcome his control. This was something only a person with a will equal or greater than the Time Lord himself could do.

The Master's eyes narrowed in anger, yet he remained almost unnaturally calm. He needed the infuriating youth to achieve his ultimate goal. The fact that Payne sought revenge against his family was merely an added bonus, something to amuse him while his scheme took shape. "We'll have to do this the hard way," he growled between his teeth. "Payne, take care of his boy. I have preparations to make."

Payne smiled evilly, causing Jason to press himself harder against the door. "With pleasure, Master."

Kyska returned to the suite to find the Doctor apparently dozing in a chair. She looked in the other rooms and then started to tiptoe quietly out, nearly jumping out of her skin when the Doctor suddenly sat bolt upright. "Of course! What a fool I am!" he exclaimed, striking his forehead with his hand. "He won't know me from Adam since I've regenerated." Looking up at the perplexed young woman, he asked, "So why am I hiding, I ask you?"

"Doctor, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"What?" The Time Lord looked at Kyska as if she had just appeared out of thin air. "Oh, hello, my dear. Are you enjoying yourself?"

Relieved the Doctor had finally asked her something she understood, Kyska smiled brightly. "Yes, I'm having a marvelous time. Anon and I came to see if Jason was still up here."

"Someone from security came to get him a short time ago," the Doctor informed. "There was some sort of an accident in the detention area, and apparently the palace staff is swamped."

"Oh, good," the young woman beamed, receiving a horrified look in return. Realizing how she must have sounded, she quickly explained that her cousin was always happier when he was working instead of standing around talking nonsense.

The Doctor knew just how he felt and nodded understandingly. A sudden thought struck him and he asked, "Kyska, have you ever met a Lord Masters?" Her reaction surprised him. She stiffened visibly and there was a distinct edge of hostility in her voice when she replied, "Yes, I have. Why?"

"What do you think of him?"

"Do you want the truth?"

"My dear girl, I always want the truth."

Kyska paused a moment to compose her thoughts. "I think he's an arrogant, condescending, egotistical phony whose only interest in life is the advancement of his own status."

The Doctor was momentarily stunned. This was quite possibly the most succinct description of the Master he had ever heard. He almost burst into laughter when she asked, "Is he a friend of yours?"

"We're acquainted with one another, but I'd hardly call him a friend."

"Good. I've been doing my best to avoid him."

The Time Lord breathed a sigh of relief. There was no point in frightening the girl about the Master if she was already keeping her distance.

"Are you going to stay up here all day, Doctor?" Kyska asked politely. "It's so beautiful out today. And the gardens are just magnificent now that the leaves have all changed color."

"Perhaps I'll go have a wander. Would you care to join me?" he asked, a broad smile spreading across his face. "Perhaps show me around, since Jason's unable to."

"Can Anon come?" Kyska asked sheepishly, shooting a quick glance over to the door. "I left him waiting in the hall."

"Certainly. The more the merrier," the Doctor boomed cheerily, offering her his arm.

The young woman beamed and took the proffered arm. "I know just where to start."

In the makeshift lab, Jason was in what appeared to be an alcove set in the far corner of the room. He was spread-eagled against the wall, his hands and feet in shackles. On a bench a few feet away sat a small black box, a blue light dancing across its opening. The tiny device was a miniature barrier generator that would prevent the captive youth from escaping the chains. Colonel Payne was in the process of attaching electronic leads to him. He tore open his shirt, quite unnecessarily, Jason thought, as the last of the leads were attached to his chest.

As soon as he was finished with his prisoner, Payne went over to the equipment to connect the other end of the leads.

Jason silently watched all this in fear and bewilderment, having to fight to remain calm. He had been unable to stop trembling and drew a deep breath, looking up at his hands. He pulled at the shackles, rattling the chains slightly. This only served to infuriate the unstable ex-Colonel who spun around in anger, snatching his gun from it holster and aiming at the terrified Healer who could hear the power pack charging up.

So could the Master.

"Payne!"

The mercenary whirled around to see the Time Lord standing in the far doorway glaring angrily at him.

"He's no use to me dead!"

Jason breathed a sigh of relief at this timely intervention and fell back against the wall.

"Have you finished?" the Master snapped as he crossed the room.

"Almost, Master," came the submissive reply as the Colonel busied himself with the wires.

The Master put a piece of apparatus on a cart and wheeled it in front of Jason, who studied the rather ordinary looking box intently. It was only about a half-metre square with a dish-like antenna pointing in his direction. Looking up, the Time Lord saw his prisoner scrutinizing the equipment. "No questions?"

Jason shot a quick glance in Payne's direction before answering. "Plenty," he said shakily. "I'm just not sure I want to know the answers."

The Master was amused by this response. "You are a very wise young man," he remarked. But his enormous ego demanded the awe of an audience, and it was obvious his prisoner possessed significantly more brains than did Colonel Payne. With a smile, he said, "I shall tell you, anyway. This equipment is designed to induce a state of total suspended animation—TSA, if you will."

"Why? The trance inducer on the energy guns does essentially the same thing," Jason said reasonably.

"Essentially, but not exactly," the Master said pointedly. "I require total suspended animation, not a hypnotic trance, to achieve my purpose."

"And just what is your purpose? Why are you doing this? And why to me? It can't be to help him—" Jason nodded in Payne's direction. "He's a thug."

The Time Lord's face darkened considerably, his eyes narrowing in to angry slits, and for a single, terrifying moment, Jason was certain he was about to die and shrank back as best he could in his bonds.

Controlling himself with visible effort, the Master snapped, "Don't get too curious, boy. Remember, I hold your life in my hands."

Jason opened his mouth to ask another question, thought better of it and stopped himself. This did not go unnoticed by his captor, who found his show of good judgment amusing.

"You're wondering why I'm even bothering to tell you this," the Time Lord said congenially, receiving a hesitant nod in reply. "You're also wondering why I need you alive."

The fettered youth remained silent. He could see Payne glaring at him over the Master's shoulder and had no doubts that the mercenary would kill him without a moment's hesitation. He would not learn until later that the Master would do exactly the same thing.

Oblivious to this by-play, the Master explained that the equipment had been designed for carbon-based lifeforms. Since Alterrans were silicon-based, the equipment needed to be recalibrated. Then, of course, it would have to be tested, adjusted, fine tuned, etc….

"On me," Jason breathed in horror.

"Unless you help me otherwise," the Time Lord said coldly. "I've studied your credentials, Healer Jason of Krystovan, and I must admit to being impressed. If anyone can help me, you can."

"How can I possibly help you when I don't understand what you're trying to do?" the captive Healer protested.

"Then it seems you're in for a very long and educational afternoon." The Master strode over to the computer on the raise platform, checking over the systems. "Payne, are those connections finished yet?"

"Yes, Master. Everything's on-line," Colonel Payne replied, glancing quickly over the equipment one last time.

"Excellent. Then we're ready for the first test."

The Time Lord sat down at the console and went down his checklist. Jason, in the meantime, broke into a cold sweat. The Master waved a hand in the direction of the barrier generator. "Turn that thing off," he ordered. "I don't want it interfering with the readings."

The instant Payne complied, the Master stabbed a button and a red beam fired from the antenna in a short burst, striking the unsuspecting Jason in the chest. He cried out in alarm, then in pain as his muscles constricted, his nerve endings feeling as if they were on fire. The effects lasted only a few seconds but were enough to leave him dazed.

The Master sat pouring over the sensitive equipment as it analyzed the results of the first test. Muttering to himself, he did a number of complex calculations with astonishing speed and then went over to the box on the cart where he made some adjustments.

Jason took this in in silence. He braced himself when his captor returned to the console, knowing another assault was forthcoming. The beam fired again, knocking him helplessly back against the hard stonewall where he fought to keep from crying out. When the source of his torment faded, he sagged, clinging to the chains to stay on his feet.

Watching as the Master pour over the readings, Jason knew it would be only a matter of time before the damage to his system was severe enough to prevent him from transmuting, even if an opportunity to escape presented itself. Without medical attention, he would be trapped, not only in his present form, but also in the chains anchoring him into place.