Chapter Nine

"What Is Going On?"

The Doctor stood staring, apparently unable to take in what he was being told. "No! That's not possible," he said at last.

His old friend scowled. "Why ever not?" he wanted to know.

"Because—" Cutting himself off, the Doctor turned sharply to the main door, recalling how it had been used to shield him. Then the King's puzzling and unusually familiar remarks returned to his mind. Remarks that would be perfectly natural coming from a friend. "Good Lord," he said at last, "that would make sense."

"And I never did before, I suppose?" Jason snorted. "Surely the Time Lords—" He caught his breath as a sudden thought struck him. "They did tell you I sent for you, didn't they?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

The monarch cursed under his breath. "I should've known this would happen, damn them!"

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Even if they had told me, I doubt I'd've found you looking like that."

"Really? Am I so different that even you don't know me?" The King's body shimmered and his appearance suddenly changed, going from the kindly old gentleman to a slightly older version of the young man the Doctor remembered so vividly. "Or do you just prefer the younger me?"

Peri let out a squeal of alarm as the King's snow-white hair abruptly shortened, curled and went jet black. The wrinkled face became smooth, the beard vanishing to reveal the handsome face of a thirty year old. "Doctor, he's another Kamelion!" she gasped in horror, the memory of the shape-changing robot still fresh in her mind.

Jason knew Peri would react to his transmutation, but had not expected abject terror and threw a baffled look at the Doctor, who held up a hand. He explained to his frightened companion that Jason could change his appearance because he was Alterran. Unlike the robot Kamelion, however, Alterrans were made of flesh and blood and very definitely had a mind of their own.

Being familiar with Kamelion and his inability to assert his will against a more powerful mind, Jason snorted indignantly. "I should hope so."

"Alright, Jason," the Time Lord said sternly, "now that the masquerade is over, what is going on?"

"This is part of it," the King replied, nodding toward the hologram. Typing in a few more commands, a second image appeared beside the first. "And so is this."

The Doctor scowled at the new image. "A power station?"

"Not just any power station, Doctor. In a single day, this one is capable of generating enough power to sustain this entire planet for a year."

"It must be huge," Peri gasped.

Shaking his head, Jason replied, "No, that's what's so amazing about it. It gets its energy from the core of the planet."

"A limitless power source," the Doctor observed. "Very impressive."

"What do you need it for?" Peri wanted to know.

"This planet is loaded with mineral deposits that—"

"Aside from the mining operation," the Doctor cut in, "what else is there?"

"This." The Alterran switched on the screen at the end of the table, displaying a series of complex mathematical equations that meant absolutely nothing to Peri. The Doctor, however, recognized them instantly and studied intensely. Frowning, he said, "That's not right. That first set of equations is out of sequence. And you're missing—" The Time Lord broke off and turned accusingly to face his old friend. "Do you mean to say you've brought me all the way here to sort out your calculations in inter-dimensional spatial theory?"

Jason met the Doctor's disapproving gaze steadily. "Those aren't my calculations, Doctor. They're from the power station's internal programming," he informed devastatingly.

"What? In the program itself?" the Doctor gasped, turning sharply back to the screen. "That will make the system extremely dangerous if it ever gets out of control."

"Exactly what I thought. And until I know who put them there, and exactly what's going on, I'm having the authorization to put the station on-line blocked."

"Good."

The Alterran shook his head. "Not good. I've a terrible feeling whoever programmed all that is also the one responsible for the accidents." He went on to explain how, for no apparent reason, a great deal of violent activity had been sweeping the planet.

"Yes," the Doctor injected. "Peri and I came through some of it on the way here." He told his friend of their journey from the satellite and the riot they had passed through.

"That was just a small one, believe it or not," Jason informed sadly. "People are going berserk around here. Anything will set them off. And I mean anything."

He went on to tell how he had been asked (unofficially) to look into it and had planted several agents in certain strategic locations, as well as on each of the Solar Generators. The agents were to report back to his control agent, who just happened to be Bailey. As Chief Technician, he had the freedom to move from the generators to the surface without attracting attention. After Jason was officially assigned to head up the investigation, he was able to continue his covert operation with Bailey being the only other person to know the identities of the other agents.

"Let me guess," the Doctor interrupted. "Owen Newgate is your agent on Generator 4."

A troubled look came to Jason's face. "Is he that obvious?"

"Well, it's difficult to hide an Alterran in a mob of murderous humans," the Doctor replied reasonably.

"I don't get it?" Peri said in bewilderment. "He was just nice, that's all."

"Only to the untrained eye," the Doctor said almost smugly. "Violence is contrary to every thing the Alterrans hold dear."

"It's contrary to our very nature," Jason corrected sharply. The Doctor gave him a knowing look, causing him to clear his throat. "Well, with the odd exception or two, I'll admit. I'm not the only contradiction in terms, Doctor."

"Speaking of that," the Doctor said pointedly, "just what are you, an Alterran, doing involved in all this, anyway? This planet isn't anywhere near the Empire."

To Peri's surprise, the now young King blushed vividly before saying, "I…eh, was borrowed, actually. I've gotten a bit of a reputation as being able to sort out all kinds of unusual problems—which is entirely your fault, by the way—and since my—"

A knock at the far door interrupted the conversation and Jason quickly switched off the displays. He waved his hands in a gesture the Doctor understood immediately. He took Peri by the arm, taking up a position in the book corner as the Alterran returned to his guise as the amiable old monarch.

As he was reaching for his cane, Jason noticed a look of amazement and fear on Peri's face and he smiled engagingly, giving her a quick mischievous wink before turning to the door.

"Enter."

Commander Daniels came through the door carrying a thick orange binder. Two servants pushing carts heaped with covered dishes followed after him.

"Ah, Commander, you've brought us breakfast!" the Alterran King chirped brightly. "Splendid. Now we can continue this tedious business in a more civilized manner. Especially if you've managed to bring me a proper pot of coffee this time. I've yet to have one since I arrived on this culinary challenged planet." Jason turned to the Doctor, who was trying very hard not to let his amusement show. "I ask you. Is it too much to ask to have a simple cup of Columbian style coffee in the morning?"

By this time the King's eyes were dancing with delight, and the Time Lord could not resist responding in a serious tone. "I'm sure their doing their best, your Majesty."

The King snorted indignantly, continuing to whine as the servants placed the dishes on the conference table. They gave the Commander a long-suffering look before giving a polite bow and departing.

The door had no sooner closed than the Doctor burst into laughter. His friend turned to face him, smiling broadly. "They all think I'm a Royal basket case who hasn't the slightest idea what's going on," he informed.

"Well, you do it so well," the Doctor shot back smoothly.

Suddenly Jason was all business. "What news, Daniels?"

The officer did not reply, throwing a meaningful glance in the Doctor's direction.

"Commander, the Doctor is here at my request," King Jason said firmly, returning to his younger self as he spoke. "You are to treat him as you would me."

Daniels' steady gaze did not change and the Doctor found the silent giant disquieting to say the least. Throwing an uneasy look in his old friend's direction, he said nervously, "I hope he likes you, Jason."

"Doctor, I trust Daniels with my life," Jason replied, his tone making it quite clear he was not joking.

A ghost of a smile passed across the Commander's face and he inclined his head. "You honor me, my Lord," he said humbly, adding with a sigh, "Which is more than the people of this planet do you."

"Now what?"

"I did as you instructed and informed Mr. Farrell that his escaped prisoners had been located and brought to you." Throwing a quick glance in Peri's direction, he added, "I won't repeat his reply."

"I can imagine. Go on."

Daniels held out the binder. "These are Mr. Anderson's notes on all the incidents that you re quested." He pulled a computer disk from his pocket. "And this is the extract you requested from the computer on Generator 4. It contains the original program and the altered one."

His curiosity piqued, the Doctor held out a hand. "May I?"

Jason nodded and the documents were surrendered to the Doctor, who immediately set to work on the disk. The monarch watched him pour over everything as Daniels continued his re ort. He's hooked, Jason thought relievedly. At the same time, he felt a twinge of guilt. He had been exploiting his knowledge of the Time Lord's personality rather shamefully. Of course, he had asked for his help, but he also knew that all he had to do was arouse his insatiable curiosity to be assured of unreserved assistance.