Chapter 46
Mistaken Identity
The Palace Guards were also barring the way, standing just inside the Cavern entrance. Having heard the Master's TARDIS dematerialize, Captain Devron had wrongly assumed he was hearing the Doctor's TARDIS materialize. Possessing neither the skill nor the technology required to break into the Gallifreyan craft, he chose to simply wait until the occupants of the Police Box came out on their own. His patience was rewarded when the Doctor finally emerged.
Thinking his companions to be behind him, the Time Lord left the door ajar and sauntered towards a rock formation that jutted from a nearby wall. He was so intent on giving the crystals a closer look that he failed to notice the presence of the Palace Guards and jumped when Devron suddenly thundered, "Stop where you are! You're under arrest."
"Oh no, not again," the Doctor moaned. "This is getting to be a habit. Couldn't you arrest someone else for a change?"
Devron bristled. The sheer insolence of the man! "His Majesty has ordered the immediate arrest of the Master who has—"
"Just left," the Doctor interrupted. "You'd've caught him had you arrived sooner." So saying he continued toward the polished stonewall. He had his heart set on examining it and this untimely interruption only served to irritate him.
Captain Devron was becoming rather irritated himself, and had had quite enough. "I said stop, Renegade!" Drawing his weapon, he fired an energy bolt that exploded at the Time Lord's feet, stopping him in his tracts.
The Doctor heaved an exasperated sigh. "Marvelous," he grumbled. "This is all I need, reverse mistaken identity." He did not much care for the menacing look of the Captain either, and shot a quick glance over to the open door of the TARDIS trying to judge whether he could cover the distance before Devron could get another shot off.
"I wouldn't try it," the officer warned threateningly, "or I'll be forced to shoot you."
"Well, since you put it so nicely," the Time Lord said urbanely. Considering the power of the weapon in the officer's hand, it would very likely kill him, even on the stun setting. The Doctor also had the distinct impression that, given the right provocation, Devron would willingly overlook the innate abhorrence to violence common to his race and shoot him down. The Master certainly could bring out the worst in people, he thought uneasily. Had the Doctor known of the brutal murder of Baylore, he would have readily understood the Captain's actions and the vengeful looks upon the faces of his fellow guardsmen that bore down on him carrying the chains with which they planned to drag him, none too gently, back to their sovereign.
The Doctor's companions had been trying, unsuccessfully, to translate what Jason had told them when the sound of the exploding energy bolt came through the open door. For a single frozen moment, they stood staring at one another.
"The Doctor!" Tegan gasped, breaking the silence and galvanizing Jason into action. He pushed past his friends and dashed from the control room.
Bursting from the TARDIS, Jason took in the Doctor's plight in a glance. The guards were almost upon the cornered Time Lord, and their demeanor was anything but amiable. At the entrance, Captain Devron stood with an energy weapon in his hand. The proverbial smoking gun, Jason thought as he slid to a halt, putting himself between the Doctor and the advancing Palace Guards. "Stop! I command you!" he snapped with an authority that surprised even himself and brought the guards to an immediate halt.
"Your Royal highness, please, stand aside," Devron requested politely, his weapon still aimed unwaveringly at the Doctor. "His majesty has already explained what happened. I've been ordered to arrest the man calling himself the Doctor and return him to the Palace immediately."
Upon hearing this, the Doctor groaned audibly, causing Jason to turn to him with an amused smirk on his face. "It was your idea to alert the Palace Guard in the first place, Doctor," the Alterran reminded in a low voice. Tegan and Turlough had followed him from the TARDIS, and were also having difficulty keeping a straight face.
The Doctor, however, was anything but amused. He did not care for weapons to begin with, and he especially did not care for being on the wrong end of one. "Jason, I would appreciate it if you'd tell this…person who I am. I really don't fancy the idea of jumping through another window."
"We haven't fixed the last one yet."
The Doctor glared murderously back at the Prince, wiping the smirk off of his face instantly.
"Right," Jason said seriously and then turned back to the Palace Guard. "Captain Devron," he began firmly, "this isn't the Master. This is the Doctor—the real Doctor. The process that caused the exchange was reversed, but the Master escaped—" Jason suddenly felt the words stick in his throat. He had been so busy with everything else that it had not sunk in that the evil Time Lord had managed to escape yet again. Taking a deep breath, he said, "It's all over, Captain. Put up your weapons and return to the Palace."
Confused, Devron scowled. How was this possible? He had heard the TARDIS materialize when he arrived, and the Prince was last seen in the company of this person. Being familiar with the Master's ability to control others, and not really understanding how the Time Lord's had managed to exchange places to begin with, Devron remained exactly where he was, gun in hand. To him, it appeared as if the Crown Prince was being manipulated.
In an almost condescending tone, the Captain suggested, "Sir, if you'll accompany me back to the Palace, perhaps we can get this—"
"Are you arresting me?"
"No, no, of course not. I merely thought—"
"Well, don't," Jason snapped. He drew himself to his full height, and Tegan was sure the crown on his head blazed even more brightly when he said, "I am the Crown Prince, am I not?"
"Yes, highness."
"Then you will obey my commands, Captain! Put up your weapons, and these ridiculous fetters—" Jason waved at the chains held by the halted guards. "—and withdraw immediately. Your presence is no longer required."
"My Lord, please, by reasonable," Devron insisted.
The Prince finally lost his patience. "Captain, I've ordered you to withdraw, and I suggest that you do so. Or I may not overlook the fact that you've just taken a shot at the Lord President of the High Council of Time Lords!"
There was no questioning the authority behind the voice or the implications behind the threat. The officer bowed quickly, signaled to his men and beat a hasty retreat.
"So much for the Cavalry," Jason sighed as he turned back to the greatly relieved Time Lord, who gave a courtly bow. "Thank-you, your Royal highness," he said, stressing the title ever so slightly.
"You're very welcome, my Lord President," the Prince grinned back, returning the bow. He turned to the Doctor's companions, who suddenly seemed to view him with greater respect. "That, my dear Tegan, was an act. And another first! I think I've finally learned how to wield power."
"Don't let it go to your head," the Doctor snapped in a tone that was much harsher than he intended. He had seen more than his share of men consumed by power. Even Jason himself did not know the full extent of his own powers, and those he had already mastered were formidable. He had struggled with his duality all his life, being compassionate and gentle-mannered, yet possessing a dangerously violent temper. When Jason first traveled with the Doctor, the Emperor had warned him of the danger the boy could pose were he not to receive proper guidance. Guidance the Doctor was expected to provide. Had he fulfilled that mission? Or had he failed utterly? the Doctor wondered, thinking back on how completely Jason had lost control of himself at the Institute.
The sudden, harsh rebuke took Jason completely off guard and he turned to the Doctor to protest. The distressed expression on his friend's face made him stop. He had seen that look too many times before not to know what the Time Lord was thinking—Again! "Now don't start that again, Doctor!" he reproved with a laugh. "I haven't even come close to losing my temper."
Shaking off his dark thoughts, the Doctor put an arm around Jason's shoulder. "In that case, my friend," he said expansively, "might I suggest we start looking for that dear lady you intend to marry?"