Chapter 37
Mounting Instability
The Master was startled out of his vigil when a knock came at the door. He whirled around just as King Aaron entered carrying a small tray.
"I'm sorry you're still feeling poorly, Doctor," Aaron said urbanely. "Tegan said you were still experiencing some dizziness, so I took the liberty of bringing you more of the restorative you said helped before."
Although extremely annoyed, the pretender kept his voice light. "That's awfully kind of you, Aaron, but you shouldn't've gone to so much trouble. I'm sure you've more important problems to contend with. Especially with the Master still at large."
"Perhaps," the monarch hedged. The puzzled look he received caused him to sigh heavily. "Doctor, let's be frank. For Jason's sake, we tolerate one another and that's about it."
While intrigued, the bogus Doctor was unable to think of a suitable reply and smiled weakly, inwardly wishing the King would get to the point.
"Jason can be a little emotional…"
Having been nearly strangled by the overwrought Prince at the Institute, the Master scoffed at this observation. "My dear Aaron, saying Jason is a little emotional is like calling a hurricane a nice ocean breeze."
The King cleared his throat. "Then you can appreciate how remarkably in control of himself he's been during this entire, tragic affair."
"Indeed."
Aaron put down the tray and looked meaningfully at the Time Lord. "I attribute this solely to your presence here. Jason values your friendship, Doctor, and I know he'd never forgive me if I didn't do all I could while you were here."
Now the truth comes out, the Master thought. He lowered his head and bowed slightly to give the impression of accepting the explanation and medication offered by the Alterran monarch.
Relieved to have gotten all this off of his chest, the King turned to leave, stopping when the Time Lord called out in a purposely hesitant voice, "If I might make one request, Aaron?" He then asked if it were possible that he not be disturbed for the remainder of the day, pointing out that if he were ever to clear his mind, he needed to meditate in complete solitude.
The monarch happily agreed, stating that he would give orders to that effect immediately.
With this final intrusion ended, the Master dismissed the tray with a glance, turning his attention back to the exterior door. Suddenly another surge from the fluctuating psychic link struck him, sending him down on to his hands and knees. The instability was now crushingly strong and the sensation of being pulled apart clawed savagely at his rapidly depleting strength. When the wave finally subsided, he collapsed to the floor, only semi-conscious and gasping for breath.
The occupants of the TARDIS had watched in bewilderment when the Master stepped away from the doorway. Could he be planning a confrontation? Or was he simply amassing the Palace Guard?
The answer became obvious when the Doctor suddenly reeled back, dropping from the force of the massive jolt of instability. Turlough and Jason caught him as he fell, lowering him gently to the floor. They could feel his body stiffen in their hands as he struggled unsuccessfully to control the imbalance.
Bracing himself, Jason took hold of one of the Doctor's hands, wincing in pain as it clamped tightly onto his. He felt the auras separate: one fading (the Doctor), the other strengthening (the Master.) The stress this induced physically and mentally horrified him and Jason wished there were some way he could reassure his friend that he was not alone, but seriously doubted he was even aware of anyone being with him any longer.
To the Alterran's great relief, the wave subsided and the dual auras returned to their previously overlapping state. He released the Doctor's hand, watching helplessly as the Time Lord convulsed in a final spasm before slumping limply back onto the floor, unconscious and breathing heavily.
Closing his eyes, the Prince sighed heavily before slowly lifting his gaze to the Doctor's companions, his grave expression saying everything.
"Is there nothing we can do?" Turlough asked plaintively.
"I don't know," Jason replied gravely. He took hold of the Doctor's hand again, his eyes glazing over momentarily as he made a thorough scan. He then produced a small notebook and pencil, seemingly from nowhere, and began scribbling down some instructions. "Tegan, do you think you could prepare a glassful of this for me?" he asked, tearing off the paper and handing it to her. "Everything you need is in my old room and clearly labeled."
Going down the list of ingredients, Tegan nodded. She would have attempted anything, no matter what, but was relieved to see the instructions were not extremely complicated.
Turlough waited until she had gone before asking, "Just how bad is he?"
Jason sighed, shaking his head. "Pretty bad. I don't know if he's strong enough to withstand another jolt like that."
"I was afraid of that. Every time is worse than the last. And they seem to be getting closer together."
"Yes, that's the instability's pattern. What I don't understand is how it's advanced so quickly. The deterioration of the link should take weeks to get to this stage, yet it's happened overnight."
"Weeks? Are you sure?"
"Positive. In fact, I think Tegan stumbled across you two just in time. If you'd left him in the Crystal Cavern—"
"I never should've left him in the first place!" Turlough exclaimed, feeling an uncharacteristic pang of guilt. "This never would've happened if I hadn't left him alone."
"I doubt that," the Prince said softly. "Do you really think your being around would've stopped the Master? He'd've waited for another opportunity—or just killed you outright."
Turlough was aghast, the latter having never occurred to him. He had been going on the assumption that the Master needed both of the Doctor's companions for his impersonation.
"Shadra's murder must've been part of the stratagem to get the Doctor captured and executed right away," Jason went on. "If you were killed along the way…well, what's one more death to the Master?"
Nothing compared to what it is to me, Turlough thought uneasily. He glanced over to the viewer. "Well, at least we've one consolation. Wherever he is, the Master's probably no better off than the Doctor right now."
Jason followed his gaze, seeing the spectral image of the Master had not reappeared. He nodded his agreement, but knew his friend to be wrong. When he had scanned the Doctor, he had also detected traces of the drugs the Master had administered that were still faintly present in his system.
As Jason suspected, the Master was already picking himself up off of the floor, having the added advantage of the Doctor's amazingly resilient constitution. He got tenuously to his feet and shook his head as if to dislodge any effects that might still be lingering. The first thing he saw when his vision cleared was the rejected tray containing Aaron's miraculous herbal restorative.
Tegan returned, glass in hand, and came to stand beside Jason. "How's he doing?"
"Still very weak," he told her, "but he's stabilized and seems to be breathing easier. Thank goodness."
Tegan nodded absently and went over to the control console where she stood shifting uncomfortably on her feet. There was something curiously reassuring about the Doctor and she always felt safe in his presence. (Well, most of the time, anyway.) Yet, in spite of what she knew to be the truth, she could find nothing reassuring about the dark figure stretched out on the floor and was very glad Jason and Turlough were there with her, notwithstanding the questioning looks they were now giving her.
"I can't help it!" she burst out finally. "I feel so guilty. It's like…I'm betraying the Doctor somehow."
"But, Tegan—"
Turlough's reproof was cut off by a restraining hand and shake of the head from Prince Jason. "You've had all night to get used to the idea," he reminded firmly. Rising to his feet, he went over to the console. "Tegan, you mustn't let what you're feeling upset you. It's a perfectly natural human reaction—"
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Tegan snapped back caustically, and for a split second Jason thought he might end up wearing the drink he had sent her to prepare. "You don't seem bothered by any of this." Angry more with herself than anyone else, she turned away, putting the glass on the console. "Right now…I could kill him with a good heart!"
"Oh, so that's it…" Jason muttered. "My dear Tegan, in case you've forgotten, I'm not human. And I happen to be a bit more familiar with people changing their appearance."
Tegan looked at him and lowered her eyes, feeling ashamed of her outburst. This caused Jason to feel a little ashamed of himself for the harshness of his reply. With a heavy sigh, and in a gentler manner, he went on to confess to the fact that he, too, had been finding it difficult to control the burning hatred he felt for the Master. He looked sorrowfully down at the defenseless Time Lord who so desperately needed their help.
"It's ironic," the Prince said softly. "When I walked through that door, and saw that face, all I wanted was to see him dead. And now…now, I'd give my eyeteeth to keep him alive."
From the floor, a weak voice drifted up. "Alterrans don't have eyeteeth."