CHAPTER 14

IMPERIAL REQUESTS

There was a stunned silence as Jason took in this dark portion of his family history of which he was completely unaware. Running his fingers through his hair he sat down. "You must've had a coronary when you heard my name the first time," he remarked quietly.

Leela wasn't sure what to think, her loyalty strangely divided. "Jason, is this true?"

"I don't know…" the youth muttered dazedly, gazing at the incriminating message in his hands.

There was a fire in Constance's eyes as she glared down at him. "So, now I'm not just a murdering Changeling, I'm a liar as well," she spat contemptuously.

"What…?" Jason came out of his daze and looked up. "No, of course not. Why would you fabricate something I could disprove so easily? It's just…I never knew…"

"I thought you were supposed to know a little bit about everything," Constance said sarcastically.

Jason's temper was as unstable as his health and he jumped to his feet in a rage. "Will you stop feeling sorry for yourself! For pity sake, woman, I'm here to help you! I owe you my life. Don't you think that counts for anything with me? Just what kind of a man do you think I am?" He received a stunned look from the thunderstruck Constance.

"Fine. Don't answer me," the young Lord roared on. "Just tell me one thing. If you were so sure I was such a double-dealing snake who'd turn you in anyway, why did you even bother trying to save me? All you had to do was stay in the shadows and all your problems would've been solved!"

"Jason, that's enough!" the Doctor snapped from the door. "You're not going to win her over by badgering her to death."

The Alterran aristocrat scowled back at him but had the good sense to remain silent.

"How are you and Leela getting on, Constance?" the Time Lord asked cheerily. "Better than you and Jason, I hope."

An amused smile came to Miss Sorenson's face. "Leela told me you asked her to stay, Doctor. Thank you. I was feeling so desperately alone."

"So I'd gathered," the Doctor replied mildly. "Leela's a good listener, aren't you, Leela?"

"All I've been listening to is shouting," Leela said aridly.

Jason shot her an angry glance and dropped indignantly into a chair, folding his arms and scowling down at the floor.

Constance could not help but smile at this performance and turned to the Doctor. "Jason and I have been…eh, airing our differences, and I'm afraid you caught us when it was his turn."

"Ah, I see," came the thoughtful reply. The Doctor's tone brightened and he smiled broadly. "Can anyone join in? Or is this an Alterrans only confrontation?"

This remark had its desired effect. Jason chuckled and then laughed, looking over to the door with a grin on his face. "I think I'll pass, Doctor. It was our last Alterran-Gallifreyan confrontation that got us into this mess in the first place."

"In a general sort of way, I suppose that's true."

Constance listened in amazement as they bantered on, reflecting on how steadfast they had been in their determination to save each other. She then thought of something else and her eyes glazing over. She sat down on the bed staring into space.

The Doctor and Jason exchanged a mystified look.

"Constance?" the Doctor said gently. "Is something wrong?"

"No…" Coming out of her trance, Miss Sorenson looked up, slightly embarrassed. "It's just that…listening to you both, I suddenly realized how far into the future I was brought when I es caped. So much has changed here."

"That is the nature of time," the Time Lord said sagely.

"No, you don't understand. In my time, there was so much suspicion and distrust between your people and mine. Our escape was engineered for the sole purpose of breaking the Alliance. The very same Alliance the two of you have been raised to cherish and defend at all costs."

The Doctor and Jason exchanged glances. This obviously had never occurred to either of them.

"When I left Alterrous, it was so different," Constance went on, a far away look in her eyes. "We were a deceptive, tempestuous society in the infancy of reform. And now I come back to find the infant is a mature adult."

"Constance, what are you trying to say?" Jason asked in a concerned tone.

"I don't belong anymore. I've only just realized it." She looked from one to the other. "I'm how it used to be. You—both of you—are how it is now. Either of you would willingly die to save the other. That never would've happened in my time."

"Now you're getting maudlin," Jason observed.

"Constance," the Doctor said firmly, "we're not going to just stand idly by and let you be executed. Your being taken out of time is quite beside the point."

"But it is the point, Doctor. Surely you can see that?" she countered. "Melnacon took us out of time to wreck the Alliance. And now he's doing it. After all this time, he's actually doing it."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," the Doctor and Jason said in unison.

The Doctor and Jason left Leela with Constance and went to Emperor Quinton, who was at work in his private office.

"Doctor, I can appreciate your feelings in the matter," the Emperor was saying, "but if I do as you ask, it'd be breaking the Alliance myself. The premeditated murder of a Time Lord at the hands of an Alterran is punishable by death. Even without the decree, the sentence would be the same."

"Your Majesty, if I may make so bold," the Doctor began politely, "Miss Sorenson told me the murder was committed without her knowledge, and in light of her actions towards Jason and myself, I believe her. She could've killed us a dozen times over the night Jason was shot. And considering the enormous threat we were to her, I must confess, I'm still amazed she didn't."

"Doctor, I require proof," Quinton said firmly. "I'm afraid your personal convictions are quite irrelevant."

The Time Lord threw his hands in the air, but was prevented from making a remark he later would have regretted when his companion intervened. "My Lord, have the documents mentioned in the first message been located?"

The monarch told him that they had, having arrived shortly after themselves. The Doctor's eyes lit up as a glimmer of what the boy was driving at came to mind, a broad smile spreading across his face.

"With your permission, may we examine them?" Jason asked. "It's just possible, instead of being evidence of her guilt, they're proof of her innocence."

Now it was the Emperor's turn to break into a broad smile. "Permission granted."

Turning to the Doctor, Quinton said mildly, "As Lord Emperor of Alterrous, I must demand cold, hard facts, not intuitive insight before I'm able to stop an execution." His expression softened, his voice becoming gentler as he said, "But as Quinton, the man, I'm perfectly willing to accept and agree with your logic. I don't want to send Miss Sorenson to her death, Doctor. Please help me find a way to prevent it."

Moved by this plea, the Doctor suddenly realized that the better he got to know the Emperor, the deeper his respect and admiration grew. Bowing, he said firmly, "I'll do my best, your Majesty. For both of you." He turned to leave, stopping short when Jason ventured hesitantly, "If…I may make one other request, my Lord Emperor?"

"And what might that be, my Lord Krystovan?" the Emperor responded playfully.

"I…I wish to request that Miss Sorenson be released from confinement," Jason said in a tentative voice.

"What?" the monarch gasped.

"With an armed escort, of course," the young Lord added quickly. "I'm worried about her. You've no idea the kind of abuse she's being subjected to down there."

The Emperor was incensed. "Abuse! In my Palace!"

Jason held up his hands. "I mean psychological abuse, Majesty. Some of the guards have been tormenting her disgracefully and…" Looking the Emperor in the eye, he said forcefully, "Well, we're supposed to be an advanced society, but when I see that sort of thing going on, I wonder if we're not just kidding ourselves."

"You're a man of deep moral convictions, Jason," the Emperor observed. "And I fear, even in an advanced society such as ours, that's still a rare commodity."

"Is it really possible for you to release her, Majesty?" the Doctor wanted to know.

"Oh, yes. But it would require an enormous surety."

Without a word Jason unfastened his family insignia from the collar around his neck and held it out to the astonished sovereign. "Is this surety enough, my Lord?"

"Jason, you can't be serious!"

Seeing his companion nod, the Doctor could contain his curiosity no longer. "Why? What does it mean?"

"It means," Jason replied calmly, "I pledge all I possess as assurance for Constance's re lease."

"And," the Emperor added pointedly, "if anyone is harmed by her or she escapes after being released, Jason must forswear his birthright to his noble House and the Royal Bloodline."

The Doctor blinked. "What?"

Still standing with the medallion in his outstretched hand, the young Lord pointed out, "If it hadn't been for that lady, I wouldn't be here to forswear anything." Crossing to the Emperor, he got down on one knee, his voice suddenly formal. "My Lord Emperor, I pledge all I possess through my lineage in the House of Krystovan as surety for the release of Miss Constance Sorenson. Do you accept my pledge?"

The monarch sandwiched the young man's hand between his own. "Yes, Lord Krystovan, I accept your pledge."

"Thank you, Majesty."

Drawing the young man back to his feet, Quinton's voice was normal once again. "I'll speak with Commander Tolan about the abuse you mentioned. He'll put a stop to it. In fact, I'll have him assign one of my personal guards as Miss Sorenson's escort." He then called for a page to have the Doctor and Jason taken to where the documents from the Foundation had been stored. Just as they were leaving, he took hold of Jason's arm to stop him, placing his family insignia in his hands.

"You're a man of honor, my Nephew Jason. I don't need to keep this in my possession. I know whatever the outcome, you will keep your word."

Lowering his eyes, Jason blushed. "Thank you…Uncle."