Chapter Forty-One

Up And Around…?

With this immediate crisis past, Doctor relaxed, a small sigh escaping him. A self-conscious smile came to his face as he turned back to the others, slightly embarrassed by his open display of power.

Muriel went to Jason's bedside and looked deep into his eyes. "You've come a long way since I saw you last, PJ," she said sweetly, cupping his face in her hands.

Only Shadra heard his telepathic reply. "A long way! Muriel, I'm supposed to be dead!"

The Mythryn gave an amused smile. "No. You're much too tough to die."

"Especially when you help me the way you did."

Muriel's eyes narrowed. "I can still help a little. But you'll have to give yourself time to heal completely."

Jason closed his eyes, a resigned sigh escaping him. How many times in the last few weeks had he been told this very same thing? Suddenly he heard Muriel's voice within his mind. "Your arm isn't the only thing that's been broken, Jason. Give your mind a chance to heal, too."

Startled, the prince looked up at the smiling Mythryn. Before he could think of a suitable reply, he realized the tight feeling in his throat was gone, the rest of his paralysis fading. Then he found he could move his head without major effort, and his hands and arms slightly. With a weak smile, he said softly, "Thank-you. I'll remember. Time."

Muriel smiled affectionately before standing aside. Shadra was immediately in her place, a small cry of joy escaping her when her husband smiled and spoke her name. Taking his hand, she kissed his palm and sat down beside him. With visible effort, Jason did what he had been aching to do since he came out of his coma. He put his arms around his wife.

"That was fast," the Doctor remarked, looking over at Muriel in amazement. "What did you do?"

"I removed the blocks that were caused or made worse by my energy transfer," she replied. "The ones he produced himself will have to heal on their own."

Amanda was appalled. "Why don't you just remove them all?" she demanded.

"She's not allowed," the Doctor informed. Holding up his hands, he said, "It's all very complicated. I'll explain later."

"Doctor, I must return to my people," Muriel said firmly. She threw a meaningful glance in the corner where the captive Andrea had been. "As soon as I have news for you, I'll be back." With that, she promptly vanished.

Jason closed his eyes and sighed heavily, leaning back in bed and groaning in pain. He opened his eyes to see Dr. Spencer standing over him, scanner in hand. After days of wishing he had his voice back, he suddenly could think of nothing to say.

Not so Amanda. "How do you feel?"

The prince gave her an annoyed look. "Like I've been…shot," he whispered irritably. "Several times."

"Oh, good. I'd hate to think I operated on you for nothing," Amanda quipped. Her tone was suddenly firm, "Seriously, Jason, how do you feel?"

"Seriously?" The prince thought a moment before confessing, "Tired. Very, very tired."

"Yes, you've had a busy day." Dr. Spencer crossed to the house phone, conferring with Roxell for several minutes before returning to the bedside. Holding up a hypodermic, she said in a no nonsense tone, "This is a painkiller. And you are going to get it, whether you want it or not, so don't even try to argue." So saying, she injected the amused Alterran with the very potent drug, ordering him to get some sleep, which was really quite unnecessary, Jason thought, since he was already exhausted.

Looking over at his wife, the prince smiled weakly, squeezing her hand. Perhaps now he would be alright.

The following morning saw Jason leaving his bed for the first time since his arrival at Starbridge. Roxell expected the move to be difficult and was relieved at the ease with which it was accomplished. Jason gritted his teeth as he was lifted from bed and placed in a wheelchair, tolerating the pain from his wounds so he could leave the confines of his bed. He wanted to be taken out onto the porch, even though he knew this would put him at odds with Commander Tolan, who still had the house on Security Alert. Instead, he found himself at odds with Healer Roxell, who said firmly and emphatically, "No." In the end, he compromised and sat in front of the sliding glass door, taking in the view from the safety of the house.

"Tolan, how long will—?" Jason broke off and sighed. The jostling of the move had tired him more than he realized and just the simple act of speaking was an effort.

Shadra gave him a sympathetic smile, asking the question for him. "How long will the house stay on Alert?"

"Until I hear from my agents, Highness," Tolan replied mysteriously. The radio at his belt suddenly crackled, and Lieutenant Bowen's urgent voice came over, saying, "Commander, you have a priority message coming in on the security channel."

"This may be them now," Tolan remarked and acknowledged the message. He strode across the room, getting as far as the door before stopping and turning back. "There is one thing I'd like to know, my Lord," he said slowly.

Jason was intrigued. "Yes?"

"The message you sent from the satellites. It was on my private security frequency."

"Yes…" The prince was at a loss as to where this was leading.

"How did you know it? I changed frequencies when I formed the Argonauts."

Jason raised an eyebrow, having thought Constance to be the one who founded the group. He did not remark on this, however, chuckling in amusement instead. Throwing Shadra a quick glance, she smiled and passed on the reply. Apparently the Commander had used his private frequency to link the computer at Legrand's Research Center to the one at the Foundation. At the time, Jason had been surprised to see it, since he thought he knew everyone's sign-ons. He later realized, if he did not know the frequency, neither would the invaders, since they were relying on his own knowledge. As was he. He knew the Commander would not be unable to stay away from the Outer Boundary, his loyalty to the Empire outweighing his loyalty to one "Royal." It was this sense of duty the prince was banking on, and was the sole reason he aimed the transmission specifically at Tolan.

The logic involved in this stunned the Commander, who even now had been uncertain of the Crown Prince's mental stability. There could be no doubting Jason was, and always had been, in full possession of his faculties. "Thank you, my Lord. And, might I add, brilliant," Tolan said admiringly. With a curt bow, he turned and left.

A minute later Amanda arrived, scanner in hand. "Where's Tolan off to in such a hurry?" she asked, trying not to sound as apprehensive as she felt.

"Security call," Jason said simply.

Amanda smiled briefly and then began checking him over. She scowled at the readings on the screen, asking, "How do you feel this morning?"

Her patient gave her a dark look. Notwithstanding the fact that he was still recovering from his kidnapping, he had no energy, a broken arm, the remnants of several residual blocks and more than half a dozen bullet wounds. How did she expect him to feel? He chose to ignore the question entirely. "They told me about the break-in, Andy," he said softly, his voice still lacking its usual power. "How do you feel?"

Startled, Amanda looked up sharply, seeing the searching look on his face. "I'm fine," she said unconvincingly.

"Talk to me, Andy," Jason said in as firm a tone as he could manage. "My brain does work."

"Jason, I'm fine." Amanda then told him how Tolan had even given up his own room for her, moving into the adjoining one so as to be close at hand. "He told me, if I got scared for any reason during the night, I should call him. He'd come no matter what time it was." Shaking her head at the irony, she said, "Up until then, I was afraid of him. Now I'm just afraid. I'm sure I'll get over it."

"It's no fun, is it?" Jason observed softly.

Seeing the knowing look on his face, Amanda finally understood his intense reaction when he saw her clearly for the first time. It was more than anger. It was betrayal, which is just how she would have felt in his place. She could also appreciate a part of what he must have endured during his captivity, the fear and utter helplessness. "No," she said at last, "it's no fun."

After a long, awkward silence, Jason asked to see Lieutenant Fane, a request that startled Dr. Spencer. "I'm not so sure that's such a good idea. I know he's your ward, but…"

"Amanda, you don't understand," Shadra broke in. "It's not just an honorary thing, Jason practically raised Fane. He's known him since he was a child."

Jason could not help himself and laughed. "A bit longer than that, Shadie. I delivered him."

Amanda looked over at the equally astonished princess, who scolded, "Jason, you never told me that!"

"You never asked," came the evasive reply. "You only asked another related question."

Turning to Amanda, Jason said seriously, "I couldn't love him more if he were my own, and now he might die because of this. Because of me. I have to see him before…" He sighed and left the sentence unfinished.

"No, Jason," Amanda said, "it's my fault he got hurt."

With a small smile, the prince said, "Then perhaps we both should see him."