Chapter Forty-Two

Surprise Visitors

At first Roxell was opposed to Jason visiting Fane's bedside, but in the end she found his observations illuminating. Even the most sophisticated sensing equipment could not pick up as much detailed information as he could in a single scan. He was able to suggest two, less stressful methods of bringing the officer through the post-trauma of the misfire.

"I should probably be glad you're not still practicing medicine," Roxell said as she finished taking down the prince's observations. "I'd be out of a job."

"Nonsense, Rox, you were hand picked," Jason smiled. "You'd be my partner."

The Healer smiled back, looking over her notes. "Which of the treatments to do you think he'll tolerate better, partner? The first is probably—" Roxell broke off when she realized the method she had in mind required a blood transfusion from a close relative. Looking up sharply, she gave a quick smile. "No, that won't work, will it?"

Jason's eyes narrowed and he studied her face before saying, "You know, don't you?"

"What?"

"About Fane? You know." Seeing the Healer's startled expression, Jason nodded knowingly. "His mother told you, didn't she? I can't see his father doing it."

Roxell's mouth dropped open, causing the prince to laugh. "You thought he was mine until then, didn't you? I know the rumors that go along with my reputation. Why do you think I made such an open display of raising him?"

With a self-conscious smile, Roxell acknowledged that she did indeed know truth of the Lieutenant's lineage.

"In that case, I'd say Tolan is your best donor. But you'll have to give him a cover story so no one will suspect—" Jason broke off when he saw an odd expression come to Roxell's face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're something else, Healer Jason Krystovan, do you know that?" she said admiringly.

"No. I'm nothing special," Jason said softly. "That young man in the energy bed is the real hero. I couldn't be prouder of him even if he were my own."

At that moment Amanda entered, ending the confidential exchange. Jason leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, sighing heavily. Dr. Spencer threw a conspiratorial look in Roxell's direction before wheeling the visibly fatigued prince out of the office. "That's enough for one day," she stated flatly. "End of consultation. Back to bed for you."

Jason found he was almost relieved to hear this but felt he should put on a show of resistance anyway. "I don't suppose it'd do me any good to argue, would it?" he asked, already knowing the answer would be no.

To their mutual surprise, King Aaron met them in front of the elevator. He expressed his delight at finding his son looking so much better than on his previous visit.

"I was in a coma, Father," Jason said icily. "I don't think I could've looked much worse without being dead." He suddenly wondered why Shadra had not been waiting for him and made a mental sweep of the house. Just as the elevator reached the top floor, he discovered her location and the reason for her absence. He caught his breath and sat bolt upright, his eyes wide.

"What's wrong?" Dr. Spencer asked worriedly.

"The Lord Emperor is here!" came the startling reply. Jason gave his father an amazed and questioning look.

"What!" Amanda was appalled. After all, this was the man who had ordered her arrest.

"I should know better than to try and surprise you when Shadra's around," the king moaned, pushing open the ornate ironwork door. He moved aside to allow the wheelchair to pass. "He's come to see the Doctor, apparently, but I'm sure he'll be up to see you too, once you've rested."

Jason picked up the all too familiar edge to his father's voice and said disapprovingly, "You haven't been arguing with the Doctor again, I hope." Receiving no reply, he looked into the king's stern face. "You have, haven't you?"

The monarch gave him an equally disapproving look. "Not now, Jason."

Amanda entered Jason's room and reached for the house phone, intending to call for assistance in getting her patient to bed. Aaron immediately stopped her. To her amazement, he threw back the bedclothes and effortlessly lifted his son from the chair, gently lowering him into bed.

Jason settled back with a groan. "You haven't tucked me in in a long time," he observed dryly as the blankets were carefully pulled over him.

"I haven't done a lot of things in a long time," his father replied softly. "But worrying about you isn't one of them. What were you thinking? Wearing yourself out your first day out of bed," he then scolded.

"Father, I—"

The king shushed him. "I said not now. You get some rest. We can talk later." With a grin, he added, "I understand that's a novelty these days."

Jason gave him a sour look, holding up a hand when Amanda came over with a painkiller. "No more drugs, Andy, please," he implored. "I've had enough."

Dr. Spencer exchanged an apprehensive look with Aaron. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright. But if you change your mind, you let me know."

Jason smiled weakly, and watched longingly as his father and his doctor went out onto the rooftop porch. They sat in the shade of the canopy he had built himself and he wondered what they could possibly have to talk about? Him, probably.

As he lay watching the conversation outdoors, the weary prince eventually drifted off to sleep.

In the downstairs living room, the Emperor and Shadra were also having a conversation about the convalescing prince. The Doctor and his companion entered a few moments later, the Time Lord breaking into a broad smile when he saw the Alterran monarch. He was bewildered when Quinton turned to Turlough and asked if he had something for him. The young man nodded, leaving the room and returning with his bulging portfolio.

Suddenly his companion's strange compulsion to illustrate everything made perfect sense. "Why drawings?" the Doctor asked as the monarch paged through the sketches. "And why Turlough?"

"Suggestion is easily placed in an untrained mind," the Emperor replied, going on to apologize to Turlough for having used him in such a manner. "It's pictures like these that tell me what others think I don't want to hear." He turned the pad around displaying the graphic depiction of the captive Jason as he had been when discovered in the extraction room.

Turlough was appalled, reacting as if seeing the drawing for the first time. "I didn't draw that, did I?" he gasped.

Before the Emperor could reply, Constance arrived to be followed almost immediately by Tolan. The monarch was surprised to see the officer alone and asked, "Where's Dr. Spencer?"

"She's taken HH—uh, His Royal Highness—upstairs with King Aaron, Majesty," the Commander replied, receiving an amused smile at his hurried correction of the prince's nickname.

"Perhaps we should wait for her."

The Imperial Officer bowed slightly. "With respect, sir, I think it best she not be here for this." He went on to explain that the agents he had sent to arrest Legrand had reported back only moments earlier, this being the reason for his delay. They had found the location that Amanda's would-be abductors had provided and searched the building. Tolan paused at this point, annoying Constance, who cried, "Well don't keep us in suspense. Was he there?"

"He was there alright," Tolan said darkly. "Murdered." He gave the Doctor a knowing look when he said, "They said his body had been compressed down to less than thirty centimetres."

Only Constance did not understand the significance of this statement and was baffled by the horrified looks it produced. "Tolan, what does it mean?"

"The Master," the Doctor replied, turning to the Emperor. "It would appear you were right all along."

Again the monarch's reply was forestalled by the arrival of another person. This time it was a breathless and excited Muriel. "There you are! Doctor, I've been looking everywhere for you. I have news—"

"What are you doing here?" the Emperor demanded angrily.

Whirling around, Muriel's delighted expression dissolved into one of horror. An alarmed cry escaped her and she took refuge behind the Doctor, who was not in the least surprised by either of their reactions. "It's alright, your Majesty. Muriel's a friend," he said quickly.

"Friend!" the sovereign thundered, glaring at the cowering Mythryn. "You? A friend?"

"Yes. I tried to tell you once we're not all out to make trouble," Muriel replied shakily. "Prince Jason gave me the chance you never would."

Emperor Quinton's face turned to stone. "I don't believe it," he said coldly. "Jason—and a Mythryn?"

The Doctor quickly intervened. "Majesty, the only reason Jason is alive today is because of Muriel's intervention."

Seeing the obvious question on the monarch's face, she said simply, "I owed him one, Quinton. He'll have to tell you why. I promised I wouldn't."

The Doctor was already wondering at the circumstances that would have caused the Emperor and Muriel's paths to cross. He was all the more intrigued when she called him by name, something no one normally dared do lest they incur his wrath.

The deafening silence that followed was broken when the Emperor inclined his head. "Then …you are welcome, Muriel."