Chapter Fourteen

"What's Happening To Me?"

In all their previous encounters, the Doctor had been larger in stature than his Alterran friend, but this was no longer the case. Not that it mattered. Whatever his physical size, Jason was incredibly strong and had always been quite capable of killing the Doctor if he so desired. On the other hand, he was still an Alterran, and notwithstanding his occasional flashes of temper, his true nature was repulsed by violence. So why was he currently trying to throttle the life out of his oldest friend? It was this last question that was uppermost in the Doctor's mind as he clawed desperately at the hand that was slowly lifting him from the floor.

"How's that for having a hold on someone, Doctor?" the King said tauntingly. "Why don't I just save Ormril the trouble and kill you myself?"

"Is that…what you…really…want?" the Doctor struggled to gasp out, clinging to the vice-like hand at his throat.

Jason opened his mouth to reply, only to stop. There had been a voice echoing inside his mind for the last few months that he had been dismissing as vague stray thoughts. Now, for the first time, he realized it was distinctly there. It was clear and strong. Deep, malevolent and….

With a jolt, Jason realized the voice was not his. It was someone else, urging him—no, commanding him—to kill. Kill the Doctor. Kill him now!

"No! Not again! Never again!" he said suddenly. Slowly, and with visible effort, he forced his hand open, releasing the struggling Time Lord, who dropped to the floor and lay gasping for breath. Staggering back, Jason put his hands to his head and closed his eyes, concentrating with every fiber of his being to focus his thoughts and force the intruder from his mind. "Get out! Get out!" he said between clenched teeth. "Whoever you are, get out!"

This inner battle went on for nearly a minute before a small sigh escaped the Alterran and he went into a trance, his body suddenly relaxing completely.

From his place on the floor, the Doctor watched all this in astonishment, wanting to kick himself at the same time for having failed to see the truth sooner. It was all too obvious now that his friend had been fighting against a force playing on his emotional, and ofttimes explosive, personality. Rubbing his bruised neck, the Time Lord was grateful that his Alterran friend's true nature had prevailed in time. "Well done, Turlough," he sighed approvingly.

Getting to his feet, the Doctor scrutinized the motionless monarch. "I didn't expect you as well," he said softly, shaking his head. "I should've done, but I didn't. You've been fighting this a long time, too, by the look of you. Now just when did it start? And why did it wait until now to take hold so strongly?"

Turlough appeared at the door, interrupting this one-sided conversation. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the statue-like King.

"Well?" the Doctor demanded, bringing the young man back to reality.

"Everything went as planned," his companion reported. "Juris went just like that the minute I unhooked Kamelion."

"Excellent!" the Time Lord enthused.

Turlough threw a puzzled and questioning look in Jason's direction. "Is he alright?" he asked concernedly.

"He will be."

The young man seemed less than convinced. "Now what?"

"We carry on as planned, of course," the Time Lord replied acidly, apparently insulted that there would be any doubt.

Turlough was certain the Doctor did not have the faintest idea what they should do next and was about to say so when he realized he was none the wiser himself. Deciding to keep this thought to himself, he turned on his heel and left.

"Now, time to get you sorted out," the Doctor said as he returned his attention to the silent Alterran. "Jason?" he said softly. "Jason, can you hear me? Open your eyes if you can hear me."

Obediently, Jason slowly opened his eyes and stared blankly into space. The Doctor snapped his fingers in front of his face and he returned to his senses with a jolt. "No!" he cried out, staggering back against the counter where he had been preparing his medicine. Now completely disoriented, the Alterran looked around, not quite certain where he was. "Wh…what happened?" he asked in a fearful tone.

"At a glance," the Doctor responded blandly, "I'd say you were trying to kill me."

"What!" Putting a hand to his spinning head, Jason said, "Doctor, can't you be serious just once?"

The Doctor studied his friend's puzzled, almost terrified expression and was relieved to see the unnerving shadow of malice had vanished from his eyes. Narrowing his own eyes, he said, "Tell me. How do you feel?"

Jason blinked. "Feel? What do you mean, how do I feel?" He was incredulous that his friend should choose that particular moment to start worrying about his health, especially since he had yet to answer his question.

"Happy, sad, angry. How do you feel?" the Time Lord asked, adding innocently, "Do you still hate me?"

"What? Hate you! Doctor, what are you talking about? I could never..." The Alterran's voice trailed off as the afternoon's events suddenly returned to his mind. He could recall every detail with complete clarity, but it was as if he were watching someone else. How could I've said those horrible things? Why did I let myself get so angry? Why did I listened to…to… Who was that?

Looking up, Jason said shakily, "Doctor, what's happening to me? Am I—?" Swallowing hard, he forced himself to say, "I'm going mad, aren't I? It's finally happened."

"Why on earth would you think that?" the Time Lord asked patiently. He was one of the few who knew the Alterran's morbid fear of totally losing control of his volatile temper and crossing over into madness. He also knew that this was not the case.

"Because—" Jason stopped, afraid the Doctor would only confirm his fears rather than dispel them. He also knew the Doctor would continue to press until he told him what he meant. Taking a deep breath, he said, "There's a voice. Inside my head. And it isn't mine." Pausing, he said firmly, "Now if that isn't crazy, what is it?"

The Doctor's eyes were sparkling, but he did not allow his excitement to come through in his voice. With a ghost of a smile on his face, he replied, "It's Ormril."

Jason did not know if he should be delighted or appalled. "Ormril!" he gasped. "Inside my head? How?"

"I don't know yet," the Doctor admitted. "But it's obvious he's been slowly manipulating your emotions. Twisting them to the point where you're not thinking rationally."

"But…how? How did you know?"

"I didn't. Not about you, anyway. It's a logical assumption, though, don't you think?"

"What do you mean not about me? Who did you—?" The King's eyes grew wide. "Juris! You thought it was Juris!"

"My dear Jason," the Time Lord sighed, "it is Juris."