THREE
Aaron and his guest were in the library when Jason finally made his appearance. "I understand we have another guest," the Elder Healer said as his son entered. "Serious?"
"No, not really," Jason replied vaguely. "Cuts, bruises, and a mild concussion." He then dropped the subject altogether, turning his attention to the Premier, whom he observed to be a very distinguished looking individual. Perhaps he really was a influential as the rumors made out.
"Your father mentioned these unusual occurrences," Magnus remarked, his voice rich and deep, "but I hardly expected one on my first visit."
"We have all kinds of surprises here, Excellency," the young man replied, shaking the outstretched hand. As he did so, a startled look came to his face—one his father knew all too well. Jason had just scanned the Premier. His ability to scan anything he came in contact with had proven an affective tool for him in more than just their joint medical practice.
"Are you alright, Lord Krystovan?" the statesman asked, bringing the Healer out of his trance.
"What? Yes, I'm alright, Excellency." Jason realized his voice had an almost bitter quality and said quickly, "I'm just a little preoccupied."
"Yes, of course, your patient. And here I am forcing you to indulge in social pleasantries. Please, forgive me."
"Not at all," the young man replied. "I must confess, I was rather looking forward to meeting the man who had so enchanted my father and cousin." He wiggled his fingers at Kyska as though he were casting a spell on her. She, in turn, gave him a sour look.
"I'm sure you'll have a chance to chat later," Aaron observed. "The storm has knocked the transmat off-line again, so it seems you'll be staying as my guest for the night."
Magnus opened his mouth to reply but was prevented by Aaron. "And don't worry about your aide. I've already had someone contact him so he knows why he was prevented from arriving."
"Your Grace is too kind," the Premier purred, bowing slightly.
Jason went to check on his patient's condition, finding him still out cold. The servant keeping watch reported that the Time Lord had scarcely stirred since being put to bed. The Healer nodded approvingly, returning downstairs for more "social pleasantries." He dismissed the servant upon his return, taking up the vigil himself. There was some activity in the hall and he went to investigate, finding the housekeeper making up the room directly across the hall. She told him the Premier would be staying the night. Something he told her, somewhat impatiently, that he knew already. The equally forceful housekeeper went on to tell him she had also left him something to eat, since he had gotten into the habit of raiding her kitchen at night and she was tired of cleaning up after him.
"You know me too well," the young Lord remarked sardonically.
The housekeeper replied with an indigent snort before returning to her duties.
There was a low moan from the room across the hall, and Jason turned, going back to find the Doctor struggling to return to his senses. The sedative proved too strong for him, however, and he sank back into sleep.
"No, not yet. Another hour or so, perhaps," the Healer muttered, a wry smile coming to his face. He glanced over to the door and decided a little snack might not be a bad idea, making for the kitchen and leaving the Doctor unattended.
On the Tel-Shye the Doctor had left behind, the Jason he had left behind sat staring at the spot where the TARDIS had been. What have I done? If I hadn't been in such a hurry to learn inter-dimensional theory—!
The sight of the TARDIS flickering back into existence broke Jason's train of thought. He jumped to his feet and dashed into the console room, stopping dead in his tracks when he found it empty. "No!" he cried. "Doctor, where are you?"
The room flickered and faded a moment as if in reply. Then the Alterran was certain he was seeing things when the Doctor entered. The Time Lord was completely transparent and Jason watched in silent awe as he crossed to the console, flipped a few switches and then left, the door closing behind him. The spectral Time Lord gave no indication of having seen his companion, and after he had gone, Jason discovered, to his shock, that he could not open the doors. Nor could he reset any of the controls.
"No! Dammit, Doctor, what did you do?" Jason moaned. "How am I supposed to—?" He caught his breath and turned sharply to the inner door. "Of course! K-9! He'll know how to fix this." So saying, he dashed through the inner door.
The alternate Jason was halfway through his meal when his father came into the kitchen. "There you are. How's your patient?"
"He's a Time Lord," Jason replied bluntly.
"What!" Aaron gasped. "Are you sure?"
Jason gave him a dark look as if to say he were the stupidest man on the planet. "Am I sure? Really, Aaron."
"Sorry. Why is he here? Alone?"
"I don't know. I was trying to find that out when you got back. I didn't want his being here to interfere with the Premier's visit, so I sedated him."
Aaron's face darkened. "This is going to cause quite a stir in the Royal Security Ministry, you know."
"You don't know the half of it. He says he's from another dimension and came here by mistake."
"What? That's a new one."
"Yes…" Jason's voice took on a mocking edge as he went on to say, "So is masquerading as a human."
Aaron gave him a baffled look. "Is that what he told you?"
"No. That's what your friend Magnus is doing," the young man said startlingly. "He's a Time Lord, too. And don't ask me if I'm sure about him, either."
"I'm…well, I'm sure there's a logical explanation for it," Aaron stammered out. Seeing an all too familiar look of anger come to his son's eyes, he held up his hands. "Just because he didn't tell us doesn't mean he didn't tell Royal Security. Every time I've seen him he's accompanied by an escort. The only reason he isn't now is because the transmat went off-line."
"I think we should check, just to make certain," Jason hissed coldly. "We wouldn't want him starting a war, now, would we?"
After being shown to his room, the visiting Premier gave his accommodations a cursory glance before looking out the window. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, turning the outside world momentarily to day. Magnus frowned and squinted out the window, trying to see the seemingly familiar shape at the edge of the woods. Turning off the lights, he waited for the next lightning flash, seeing the Doctor's TARDIS clearly illuminated. The sight made him stiffen visibly and he glanced over to the door and then back out the window. "No…" he whispered. "It's not possible."
Crossing to the door, Magnus looked out into the corridor, seeing it empty. The door to the room across the hall was ajar and he could see a dim light coming from inside. He crept silently to the door and peeked in, seeing an apparently sleeping figure on the bed across the room. He studied the unfamiliar face as he moved noiselessly into the room. "It's not possible," he breathed.
Apparently sensing the intruder's presence, the Doctor stirred uneasily in his sleep. His eyes fluttered open and he struggled to focus on the form looming over him. A lightning flash suddenly illuminated the face, a thunderclap punctuating his recognition of it. It was the face of his most deadly enemy—the Master.
"You!" the Doctor gasped. He struggled to sit up but was unable to find the strength and fell back onto the bed.
The Master took a step forward, stopping dead when a voice suddenly snapped, "What do you think you're doing in here?" He turned to see Jason glaring at him from the doorway.
"Lord Krystovan, do you know who this man is?" the Master asked suddenly.
"Yes. He said he was called the Doctor."
The Master turned in surprise to his rival. "You used your own name? You are getting bold."
"Excellency, what are you—?"
"This man is a wanted criminal," the Master announced. "One of the most evil minds ever let loose on the cosmos."
"Are you talking about me or yourself?" the Doctor asked.
Jason was momentarily speechless.
"He must be placed under arrest and restrained immediately," the Master went on. "He mustn't be allowed to escape."
Aaron appeared at that moment and took in the scene in bewilderment. "Magnus, there's no need for hysterics. My son is a capable Healer and already knows he's a Time Lord. We've taken precautions against his escape."
"Don't underestimate him, my Lords. He's a criminal who's already been convicted by his own race. Do you think he cares about keeping the peace when he doesn't even care what his own people think?"
The Doctor took this in with an odd sense of admiration. "Brilliant as ever," he muttered.
"Criminal or not," Jason said finally, crossing to the Doctor's bedside, "he's still my patient and in need of medical attention, not a legal confrontation."
"Aaron, please, reason with your son," the Master said imploringly.
The Elder Healer looked at his son and shook his head. "Not when he's like that," he said in a fearful tone." Besides, none of us can go anywhere until the transmat is back on-line and that won't be until morning." So saying, he led the Master from the room, closing the door behind them.
"Thank-you," the Doctor said softly when Jason turned to look at him.
"For what?" came the stinging reply. "Aaron's right. I can't do anything with you until morning."
The Doctor scrutinized the boy's cold and angry expression. "So alike, and yet so different," he observed.
Jason gave him a dark look. "What? Me? Don't tell me there's another me in this other dimension of yours?"
"Yes. In fact, he travels with me."
"An Alterran and a Time Lord? Together! This is ludicrous."
"Why?" the Doctor asked pointedly. "Your father and the Master seem to get on pretty well?"
Jason stiffened visibly, his eyes narrowing. "What does that—?"
"Because you already know the Master's a Time Lord. You'd've discovered that as soon as you touched him."
"How? From a secret handshake?" Jason snorted, waving a hand in the air. "Sorry. We don't—"
"Didn't you scan him?" the Doctor asked innocently.
"Who told you about that!" the Alterran demanded fiercely. To the Doctor's astonishment, Jason grabbed him by the throat and pressed him down onto the bed. "It was Aaron, wasn't it? The weakling. Tell me! Who told you!"
"You did. The other you. Jason—"
"Lord Krystovan to you, Time Lord!" the young man snarled, releasing his grip on the struggling Time Lord.
"Alright, have it your way, Lord Krystovan," the Doctor gasped, rubbing his bruised neck. "It's the Master who's your enemy, not me."
"The way I see it, you're both my enemy."