CHAPTER 19

"DIE, CHANGELING!"

In spite of the fact that her troubles were nearly over, Constance was still apprehensive and asked Jason to stay a while. He wondered if she were experiencing nerves or just didn't want to be left alone again.

"Jason, you never did answer me last night," Constance said as she sat down. "Can you ever forgive all the horrible things I said to you?"

The young man smiled and sank wearily down onto the sofa. "My dear Constance, of course, I forgive you. How could you possibly think otherwise? Did you think I did all this just to make up for what one of my ancestors did millennia ago?"

"No, no. I know you risked losing everything because of me. But…"

"There're no buts about it," Jason replied calmly. "Like I told his Majesty, if it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be here to be risking anything at all."

Miss Sorenson smiled self-consciously. "I've already told you, the Doctor's the one who saved your life."

"He's not the one who operated the energy bed, you are."

"True. Still…I owe you both so much. I just don't know what to say."

"How about good-night?" Jason suggested helpfully as he stretched out on the couch. "I'm so tired I could sleep for a week."

"Didn't you get enough sleep already?" Constance asked playfully, referring to his lengthy stay in the energy bed.

"Very funny."

"You've been overdoing it, Jason."

"Hey! Who's the Healer here?"

K-9's sensor ears suddenly started whirring noisily and he abruptly announced, "Hostile life form approaching, Young Master."

Jason sat bolt upright. "What?"

"Sensors detect high energy weapon present."

"That would be a security guard, I should think."

"Insufficient data to determine identity," K-9 replied, adding, "Weapon is now primed."

The Alterrans were now on their feet. "That's no guard!" Constance gasped.

"Constance, get over here behind K-9," Jason commanded.

The words were barely out of his mouth when Dru burst into the room. "Die, Changeling!" he snarled and fired the weapon. The same instant, Jason grabbed Constance by the arm to pull her clear. The shot caught her a glancing blow, knocking her to the floor. K-9 fired a split second later, stunning the homicidal Ex-Chancellor who dropped to the floor in an undignified heap.

Constance moaned and turned over onto her back. Even though the shot had only grazed her shoulder, the damage to her system was clearly evident. The white stain caused by the shattering of her crystalline lattice stood out in stark contrast to her long black dress.

"No convenient…energy bed for me," she said weakly as Jason knelt down beside her.

"Don't bet on it," he countered. Now in his element, Healer Jason knew exactly what to do. He touched her hand and scanned her, being relieved to discover the shattering of the lattice was not moving as rapidly as it had with him. He still had to do something about it and looked up. "K-9, over here, stat!"

K-9 obeyed, trundling over to the Healer's side.

Constance caught her breath as the cracking suddenly spread further. "Oh, Jason…" she groaned, "it…hurts."

"Tell me about it," he muttered darkly as he hefted K-9 into position just above her damaged shoulder. "Alright, K-9, give me a low energy spread around the wound."

"Young Master," K-9 acknowledged. A stream of energy came from the laser in his snout and danced around the white stain on Constance's shoulder.

"Continue irradiation as long as possible," Jason ordered.

"Affirmative, Young Master. Current energy level available 1.34 hours."

"I don't think we'll need it that long."

To her amazement the injured woman felt the incessant pain subside and she looked up in bewilderment. "What did you…? How did you…?"

The Healer shushed her. "K-9's temporarily suspended the progress of the lattice damage." He suddenly felt very dizzy and wavered a moment, sitting heavily back onto the floor. "You'll still feel…the affects of…shock, though," he added slowly.

"Caution, Young Master," K-9 interrupted. "Current demand depleting energies to minimum level."

"What?" Constance had no idea what K-9 was talking about.

"He means I'm tired," Jason translated irritably. He leaned back against the sofa and closed his eyes. "K-9, you just keep your mind on your job. Whatever happens, do not stop the energy flow. Understood?"

"Understood, Young Master," K-9 replied.

Jason grunted in satisfaction, glancing over to where the downed Chancellor Dru still lay in a crumpled heap. "I think I'd better get that gun, and some help," he sighed heavily He tried to stand, but his head started spinning and then he felt his strength drain away. "Oh, no…" he muttered in annoyance. "Not now. Not now!"

"Are you alright?" Miss Sorenson asked worriedly, touching him with her free hand.

"What...?" the Healer looked dazedly down at her. "No, I'm not, actually," he replied faintly. "I can't…I can't…get up. Isn't that ridiculous?" Jason put a hand to his head in a feeble attempt to stop it spinning. "Lord, I feel so…dizzy."

"I told you you'd been overdoing it."

The young man gave her a disapproving sideways glance. He then closed his eyes and swallowed hard, shaking his head in a futile attempt to clear it. Constance watched helplessly as he fought to regain his strength, a sudden wave of panic rising up inside her. Here she was, gravely injured, unable to move, and now Jason, the only thing keeping her calm, was clearly over whelmed by the strain on his already weakened system.

"Constance," Jason said faintly, "you must…you must…" He never completed the sentence. His eyes rolled back into his head and slumped to the floor.

"No!" Constance was now frantic. "Jason, this isn't the time to pass out on me!"

"Please remain still, Miss," K-9 requested calmly, causing Miss Sorenson to jump. She had completely forgotten the little robot was there just above her shoulder.

"K-9, is…is Jason alright?"

"Current condition non life threatening," K-9 chirped. "No external action necessary."

"In other words, just let him come to on his own?"

"Affirmative."

Suddenly feeling very cold, Constance shuddered. Just as Jason predicted, she was going into shock. She started to shiver and closed her eyes, wondering what would happen first, someone finding her, Jason coming to, or Dru recovering and finishing her off.

It ended up being the first choice. Less than a minute later, Commander Tolan appeared in the open doorway taking in the scene in astonishment. The Chancellor lay unconscious near the door, Lord Krystovan was in a crumpled heap beside the sofa, and Miss Sorenson was stretched out on the floor like a corpse with an extraordinary thing just above her obviously damaged shoulder.

Tolan drew his weapon and slowly crept into the room. The floor creaked under his feet and Constance opened her eyes just in time to see him leveling a gun at her. "K-9, he's going to kill me!" she cried out, covering her eyes with her arm.

The astonished Commander lowered his weapon slightly. "No, I'm not!" he protested. "I thought…well…"

Seeing him motion to K-9, Constance said softly, "He's not…hurting me, he's…helping me."

Tolan grunted, holstering his gun. He made a quick check on Jason to satisfy himself that the aristocrat was unharmed. Then he turned his attention to the trembling woman beside him, pulling a quilt from the back of the couch to cover, leaving the area K-9 was treating exposed.

"Why…are you…here if not…to kill me?" Constance asked through chattering teeth.

"I came to secure the room," Tolan replied tersely. "Quite frankly, I didn't think you'd be here." His voice hardened as he added in an almost offended tone, "I'm only doing my job, Miss Sorenson."

"I'm sssorry. I thought…I thought…you wanted me dead," she said softly. Suddenly her already frayed nerves let go and she started to cry, the tears flowing freely. "Everyone…wants me…dead," she sobbed.

Stung by these words, the Commander finally realized he had been totally wrong in his attitude. Constance wasn't merely a Changeling who should be destroyed without question. She was a living, breathing, vulnerable individual who was just as afraid of dying as anyone else. Taking hold of her trembling hand, he tried to calm and reassure her.

"Oh, Tolan…I've never done anything…to hurt anyone," she whimpered. "Wh…why do you…all…want me dead?"

The Commander felt another twinge of guilt, recalling his harsh words to her during the journey from Aegis. He then felt his heart in his mouth when her hand went limp and he quickly checked her over, relaxing when he saw she was slipping into unconsciousness.

With a rare show of emotion Tolan's face softened and he gave a small smile, wiping the tears from Constance's face and gently stroking her cheek. "I don't," he whispered tenderly. "I honestly don't."

The officer was suddenly snapped back to reality when he realized he hadn't called for assistance. He was reaching for his communicator when Leela appeared at the door, the Doctor at her heels. "What happened?" the Time Lord asked as he strode in the room, crossing to the semi-conscious Constance and kneeling beside her.

"I don't know. I just got here my—" Tolan blinked. "Wait a minute, how did you know?"

"I didn't. Leela did," the Doctor replied succinctly. "She sensed something was wrong and followed the feeling here."

The Commander blinked again, turning at Leela in amazement. She wasn't listening to either of them, being too interested in the stunned Chancellor Dru. She picked up the gun from beside him and prodded him with her foot. "I told you this one wanted blood, Doctor."

Now it was the Doctor who wasn't listening. He was at Jason's side checking his condition. The Healer was already beginning to stir and the Time Lord helped him up onto the couch.

"Oh, my head is…spinning," Jason groaned, holding his head with one hand and the Doctor with the other.

"Just lie down and rest a bit," the Doctor instructed.

His companion muttered something, and then his head cleared enough for him to recall what had happened. "Doctor!" he gasped. "Constance. Dru tried to kill her!"

"It's alright, Jason," the Doctor soothed. "The Commander has everything under control."

The young man looked over at Tolan and nodded approvingly before lying down.

The Doctor got down opposite Tolan and had K-9 give him a report on Constance's condition, after which he asked, "How fast can you get us some help, Commander?"

From across the room, Dru's angry voice snarled, "Not fast enough!"