CHAPTER 15

EVIDENCE

The Doctor and Jason were shown into a large storage area where the documents from the Foundation had been secured. In one corner was an office like area containing a large table with chairs set around it, a computer station situated directly behind. All the boxes from Aegis were brought over and placed on the table. Then the time travelers were left on their own.

One set of boxes contained diaries, files, technical logs, and the like. The remaining boxes contained laser recordings of what appeared to be some sort of medical data along with their corresponding logbooks. The Doctor set to work on the first set of boxes while Jason tackled the second, he being better suited to decipher the language they contained.

The Time Lord settled down at the table and pulled open the first box, beginning work on a project he felt certain would take several days. His companion had similar thoughts as he settled down in front of the disk reader, slipping on a set of headphones so as to not disturb the Doctor's concentration. He leaned back in his chair and paged through one of the notebooks, the seemingly forgotten K-9 gliding under the table to take up a position near his young master's feet.

Jason discovered that the disks were a visual log of the fugitive Changelings' activities following their flight from Alterrous, their numerous attempts, and failures, in finding a cure having been meticulously cataloged. The Healer marveled at their attention to detail. Within the box were several smaller ones, each of which contained a dated and detailed notebook that coincided with an individual log indicating the contents of each numbered disk. In one batch the contents of every disk was listed save one. It was labeled only PRESTON.

Intrigued, Jason played the disk, discovering to his horror that the extraction of the vital hormone from the group's Time Lord benefactor had actually been recorded. He watched in frozen horror as a man identifying himself as Preston benignly described for posterity the torturous procedure he was performing on his bound and writhing victim.

Jason turned to look back at the Doctor, who was totally engrossed in the papers in front of him and oblivious to everything else. Turning back to the screen, the Alterran's mind flashed back to Tobias Black's private surgery and his discovery of the securely bound and gagged Time Lord lying helpless upon the operating table; no more than a heartbeat away from a similar fate as the poor unfortunate in the recording who now lay dead upon Preston's operating table, a distorted mass of flesh barely discernible as humanoid.

Finally, mercifully, the disk finished playing. Jason pulled off the headphones with a trembling hand and sat staring into space, repulsed, nauseated and as white as a sheet.

"Alert, Master!" K-9 announced suddenly. "Young Master is in distress. Unconsciousness imminent."

The Doctor was on his feet and at his companion's side just in time to catch him as he slid from his chair. He laid the boy gently on the floor and looked up anxiously. "What happened, K-9?"

"Sudden loss of blood from brain resulting in unconsciousness," K-9 reported. "All other bodily functions within acceptable range."

The Doctor grunted, pulling out a bottle of smelling salts, which he waved under the Alterran's nose. Jason stirred, coughed, and then pushed the bottle away, blinking up at his friend in bewilderment. "What happened?"

"You fainted." The Doctor helped the young man to sit up and then got him a glass of water. "I think you'd better stop for a while…"

His companion shook his head. "I've found the proof we need to clear Constance of the murder charge. You said she didn't know about the murder until it was too late, and that disk proves it." He pointed to the recording still in the reader as he got shakily back into his chair.

"How? What's on it?"

"A man named Preston. He took it upon himself to test his theory about the effects of the Gallifreyan regenerative hormone on crystalline lifeforms. Meaning, of course, the Changelings." Jason gave way to an involuntary shudder before going on to say, "He recorded everything so that—Oh, I don't know. It's as if he expected to get the Nobel Prize in genetic research or something. The important thing is, he specifically states that he wasn't going to tell the others about what he'd done until he was absolutely certain it was effective."

"Really?" The Doctor was now bursting with curiosity and reached for the player, only to have his wrist caught in an iron grip. "No, Doctor, please. It's…it's horrible," Jason warned shakily. "He recorded everything."

In the detention area, Constance and Leela had just finished lunch when Commander Tolan suddenly appeared at the door. Leela wondered if this meant she was going to be told to leave.

Constance stiffened the instant she saw him. "What do you want now, Commander?" she asked coldly.

Tolan switched off the energy barrier and stepped back. "I've been ordered to release you from confinement, Miss Sorenson. Corporal JoHanna is one of his Majesty's personal guards and will remain with you at all times."

Constance gaped at him, unable to take it in. Then she was immediately suspicious, thinking he might very well shoot her for trying to escape. "I don't believe it," she said at last. "Why would you, of all people, let me go? I'd've thought you'd be too busy lining up the members of my execution squad."

Commander Tolan ground his teeth, his annoyance only showing for a brief instant in his eyes. "You've been granted limited movement throughout the Palace," he informed, returning her disbelieving look with an icy stare. "It isn't my decision, Miss Sorenson. Now, do you want to leave or should I put the barrier back up?"

Leela took hold of the reluctant woman's hand and pulled her towards the door. "Come on before he changes his mind." She was not about to let the opportunity to leave the gray box pass her by.

Corporal JoHanna was waiting just outside the door and as soon as the women were in her custody, Tolan turned to leave.

"Commander Tolan…" Constance called.

The officer stopped, stiffened and turned slowly back to face her. "Yes, Miss Sorenson?"

With an apologetic smile on her face, she said, "I'm sorry I snapped. I realize this hasn't been easy for you. You've been straightforward with me from the beginning, not cruel like the others."

Although his expression did not change, the Commander's eyes flickered. "You won't be bothered while you're with Corporal JoHanna, I can assure you of that," he said firmly. "Conversely, I must warn you, if you try anything while you're out—"

"You have orders to shoot me," Constance completed darkly. "Ye-es, thank-you, Commander, for brightening my day."

"I'm merely being…straightforward, Miss Sorenson," the Commander replied. With a smile of feigned congeniality, he bowed slightly. "Good day to you." With that, he departed.

Notwithstanding his companion's warnings, the Doctor chose to view Preston's disk, his reaction, like Jason's, being one of revulsion and disgust. Unable to watch a second time, Jason sat with his back to the screen. When the recording finished the Doctor sat back in his seat, silently star ing at the screen. His companion watched him uneasily, wondering what was going through his mind. The Doctor suddenly seemed to return to reality and pulled off the headphones. He looked over to his companion, seeing the anguished expression on his face.

"Thank you for rescuing me from that," the Time Lord said quietly.

Jason gave him a weak smile. Then he almost jumped out of his skin when the Doctor suddenly jumped to his feet bubbling over with enthusiasm. "Well, don't just sit there, come along," he boomed cheerily. "We've a damsel in distress to rescue!"

Slipping Preston's disk into his pocket, the Doctor went to the table, shuffling through the files and pulling out the ones he felt worth presenting as evidence in Constance's defense.

"Where are we going?" Jason asked as he got to his feet.

"Well…I'm going to present this lot to the Chancellor and/or the Emperor. You, on the other hand, are going back to your room to get some rest."

His companion opened his mouth to protest only to be cut off. "Not another word. You've done quite enough for one afternoon. And you're going to need all your strength if it becomes necessary for Constance to stand in judgment."

"Oh, very well," the Alterran sighed, giving the Doctor a dark look when he added, "And I don't want you passing out on me again."