Chapter 36
Explanations And Speculations
During the unsettling scan Jason had not only discovered the Doctor's identity, but had also detected the cuts the Time Lord had inflicted on himself when he dove through the courtroom window. The Healer retrieved a medical kit and proceeded to treat the injuries, the ever present time aura reinforcing the true identity of the dark figure now relating the whole bizarre story to him.
After completing his tale The Doctor paused in order to give his friend time to absorb it. "A little overwhelming, isn't it?" he said finally.
Shaking his head, Jason replied, "I think overwhelming might be the understatement of the century, Doctor."
The Alterran's remark brought a startled look to the faces of the Doctor's companions, who were amazed at how he had unflinchingly changed gears and was now calling the Time Lord by name with conspicuous ease. This was something Tegan could not bring herself to do, and Turlough was still finding difficult.
"You know something?" Jason sighed. "Tegan's been right all along, and I've just been too blind to see it."
"Me?" Tegan was baffled.
"Yes, you. You've been saying all along that the Doctor hasn't been himself since you found him yesterday."
"That's right!" cried Turlough.
"I'd say that's probably one of the most astute observations I've ever heard." Jason turned to the Time Lord and could not help adding, "Wouldn't you—Doctor?"
"Indeed, I would," the Doctor replied. "Well done, Tegan."
Tegan received the praise with a glowing smile. "Not bad for a brainless female, eh?" she shot quietly to Turlough, who merely shrugged noncommittally. He was not about to let on how impressed he was also.
"Oh, why am I always so stupid?" Jason moaned, closing the medical kit with a bang.
"My dear Jason," the Doctor began calmly, "this is hardly the sort of thing one expects to come across—"
"Don't you see?" the Prince interrupted. "I should've suspected something more. I know more about the effects of the process than anyone."
"But, Jason," Tegan injected, "you told me yourself that it isn't used anymore. You had no reason to even consider it."
"With the Master around, I should've considered everything. I mean, it wasn't even an hour after I found—" Jason broke off, unable to say Shadra's name. A pained expression swept over his face.
"It's difficult to think clearly when grieving," the Doctor pointed out gently. "Perhaps that was the idea."
Jason chose not to respond, going on with his observations. "Within a few hours, the Master's been arrested, tried and sentenced to death. Amazing! No loose ends to tie up. A nice, neat little package dropped straight into out laps."
"All the facts nicely doctored by a master of deception," the Doctor added mildly.
Jason shot him a sideways glance before rolling his eyes. At the same time, he suddenly realized that this was something else about his friend's character that had been missing. His appallingly bad timing for equally bad jokes. He went on to recount the evidence that, to him, pointing to a conclusion that was now glaringly obvious. The rival Time Lords had been found at almost exactly the same spot along the path leading to the Crystal Cavern. He and his father suspected that "the Doctor" had undergone a psychic attack, which he could not recall. Despite this, the Time Lord refused to allow Jason to scan him. This point alone was significant. Then Tegan and Turlough had started noticing drastic behavioral changes, including violent mood swings and an uncharacteristically secretive demeanor.
"I had no idea I was so predictable," the Doctor remarked.
"I'd say more idiosyncratic," Jason corrected thoughtfully. "And that's another thing. I've never known you to keep your distance. You've always been, if you'll forgive me, a toucher. But ever since this whole farce began, that impostor's been keeping me at arm's length."
"Yes, I noticed that in the detention area."
Jason looked up sharply, suddenly remembering the death threats he had made, as well as the Time Lord's terrified expression in response. He opened his mouth to apologize only to be forestalled by an upraised hand. "This isn't the time for recriminations," the Doctor stated bluntly. "Just remember, you said it. You didn't act on it." He received a weak smile in reply. "You know, it's just possible the Master's kept his distance so you wouldn't try scanning him surreptitiously."
"I wouldn't have to. Try, that is. The Master's a Time Lord."
"I am aware of that, Jason. What has that to do with it?"
"It has everything to do with it," the Alterran replied in a slightly indignant tone. He went on to explain that as a time sensitive, a Time Lord generated a very distinct and abnormally powerful aura that he registered the instant he was touched. This even included the slightest brushing against his exposed skin. In fact, the time aura was so powerful that it gave him a nasty jolt if he wasn't prepared for it. "I don't think I could handle it if everybody threw off an aura like that," Jason observed.
"Hand on a minute," Turlough broke in. "Do you mean to say, if I touched you now, you'd register nothing?"
"Initially, yes."
"But you do whenever he does?" Turlough waved a hand in the Doctor's direction, adding, "Every time?"
"Yes…well, no, now that you mention it. When a Time Lord withdraws, mentally retreats as it were, the power throwing off the aura is drawn in as well."
The Doctor took this all in, marveling. If only he had known about it sooner. It would have spared him the exhausting process of convincing Turlough who he was.
"At the Institute," Tegan said softly, "that's why you thought the Doctor was dead. There was no instant aura."
"Strange, isn't it? There there was no aura, and now, there are two. And two Time Lord, at that!" Turning to the unusually silent Doctor, Jason said, "Now, all we have to do is get yours back where it belongs."
"Well, you don't have to go far," Tegan snorted. "Since yesterday, that's been the balcony."
Jason caught his breath. "The balcony! Good Lord, Tegan, we came out under the balcony!"
The Doctor was already activating the scanner when the Alterran turned to him. He focused on the balcony, zooming in on the shaded area where his enemy had been spending most of his time. The chairs were empty, and Tegan explained that she had checked to see if the impostor was there before dragging Jason into the TARDIS. She was positive the Master was elsewhere.
The Doctor was not so easily convinced and began punching a complex entry into the computer. The image on the viewer changed into a mass of colorful blobs in a swirling parody of a photographic negative. After a few careful turns of the dial, the image came into focus; the distinct reddish-orange outline of a man standing motionless in the shadow of the doorway.
"There's someone there!" Tegan gasped.
"But…it could be anyone," Turlough said unconvincingly. "It could be—"
"It's me," the Doctor stated despairingly.
Instinctively, Jason reached over to him, catching himself when his hand was within inches of his shoulder. Compassion overrode self-preservation, however, and he put a consoling hand on his friend's arm, being relieved to find the thick velvet clothing shielded him from the dual aural identities. "Doctor…?" the Prince ventured gently.
"I programmed the computer to detect my biological makeup," the Doctor informed somberly.
"Now what do we do?" Turlough asked of no one in particular, throwing a glance in Tegan's directions. "Don't look at me!" she exclaimed. "All this is making me dizzy."
"Oh, Tegan," the Doctor groaned, "please, don't mention dizziness. I've had quite enough to last me—"
"Dizziness!" Jason gasped. "You, too? That's the onset of the instability when you both—" Cutting himself off, he said in an urgent voice, "Doctor, we've got to get you to the Crystal Cavern immediately."
"What?" The Doctor was taken aback by this sudden and violent change in mood.
"To reverse the process."
"My dear Jason, at the rate it's going, the instability will sever the link and reverse the process very soon."
"No! You don't understand!" Tegan cried, suddenly remembering why she had dragged Jason to the TARDIS in the first place.
"Doctor, the process can only be reversed in the Cavern," Jason informed. "The only thing the growing instability will do is kill you."
The Doctor received this devastating piece of information in silence. Well, that definitely changes everything.
But Jason had not finished. "And I'm afraid the Master has the advantage. When the lethal surge of instability hits, it'll probably trigger a regeneration for him. And you don't have that option any…" His voice trailed off as he realized that he had just, in effect, read the Doctor's death sentence. Lowering his eyes, he said regretfully, "I'm sorry. I didn't put that very delicately, did I?"
The Time Lord smiled affectionately. "My dear Jason, I fear the time for delicacy has long past us by." He put a reassuring hand on his friend's arm. Unfortunately, the light summer clothing the Prince was wearing was poor insulation against the powerful dual auras and he recoiled without thinking.
"Sorry. I just wasn't expecting—" Interrupting himself, Jason said, "This is exactly what I meant about your not being distant."
"A toucher, I believe you said," the Doctor observed mildly, looking thoughtfully at the hand that had twice caused his friend undue distress. "For your sake, I think I'd best become distant. At least until after this process is reversed, anyway."
The Alterran nodded, giving him a weak smile.
"Great. Now, how do we convince the Master?" Turlough asked pointedly.
All eyes turned to the spectral image on the viewer.
"Any ideas?" asked the Doctor.