Chapter Forty-Three

Muriel's News

The Mythryn came out from behind the Doctor, shaking her head. "It would be so much easier if PJ didn't have such powerful friends." This caused everyone to laugh, breaking the unbearable tension that had been building in the room.

"Alright, Muriel, what news have you brought?" the Doctor asked pointedly.

"I found out who hired Legrand," she replied proudly. Seeing he was less than enthusiastic, her smile faded. "Don't you care anymore?"

"Of course. It's just…we rather suspect we know already."

The smile returned to the Mythryn's face. "But you're not sure, are you?"

"Muriel…"

Holding up her hands, she said quickly, "Okay, okay. But you know most of it already. Do you remember the master plan Andrea mentioned?"

The Doctor and his companion exchanged a startled look, having the same thought at the same time. "Master plan!" Turlough gasped.

"She meant the Master's plan," the Doctor moaned. "I'm a fool. I should've realized sooner."

"Why?" Tolan asked pointedly. "He never showed himself."

"Yes. Odd that. It's not his style to stay out of the limelight. Especially in something on this grand a scale."

Suddenly everyone was talking at once. Several theories were thrown out as to whether the Master may or may not have been at the Research Center. Had he really been involved from the start? Or had he taken over when things started to go wrong?

Muriel cleared her throat loudly to be heard over the din. "I found out a bit more, if anyone's interested?" she announced, gaining everyone's attention again. She explained that the Master had, indeed, orchestrated the kidnapping. He had handed the prince over to Legrand and stepped aside, contacting him through Andrea or via the radio link. In this way the Time Lord was able to maintain control and steer the project in the direction he wanted. As soon as the deal for the codes was closed, he had planned on taking over the Center and clearing up loose ends. Meaning, of course, killing everyone involved. The reason he had not done this was due to the fact that the deal was closed the very same day the prince was rescued.

"He wasn't happy when he found out you were one of the Argonauts, Doctor," Muriel informed.

"I'm not in the least surprised," the Doctor said aridly.

"Apparently, you were supposed to be baited into this by the Dalek threat to Alterrous."

The Doctor nodded. "We must've really annoyed him when we kept Jason an Aegis," he remarked. "Did you find out why he never came after him after the rescue?"

Muriel gave him a puzzled look. "But he did. He's the one who sent Jolene Hyde to burn him out on radioactivity."

"Did he send the android, too?" Turlough asked.

"No. Legrand did that," Muriel replied. She had learned that Legrand had continued to struggle with translating the disks even after he escaped. He learned through Andrea that Amanda was among the Argonauts and that Jolene's murder attempt had failed. It was then that he sent the android to further incriminate his daughter, employing Jolene's services to try and find the extraction key. The Master had wanted to utilize Legrand's obsession with destroying Amanda in conjunction with his fixation on Jason, but could not get the deranged scientist to cooperate

"That's why Andrea was at the Center instead of Legrand," Muriel informed sadly. "The Master had given her free reign to make him her tragic hero."

"And just where is the Master now?" Tolan wanted to know.

"He's with Legrand on Elannia."

The Commander stiffened visibly, turning pointedly to the Doctor, who met his gaze steadily. They both knew this meant the renegade Time Lord had escaped yet again.

The deafening silence that followed was broken when King Aaron and Dr. Spencer were shown in. Amanda was introduced to the Emperor, who inquired after the health of his nephew.

"He's sleeping," she replied nervously. Seeing the same, strange expression on everyone's faces, she asked hesitantly, "What's been going on down here?"

The sleeping Prince Jason had scarcely been left alone in his room when he started to dream. He saw himself walking down a seemingly endless corridor lined with display screens, each playing back one of his memories. In his hand he had a large key that fit into a slot beneath each screen. When the key was turned, the screen went blank. He was moving slowly from screen to screen, locking off each memory and ignoring the disembodied voice that was loudly demanding the key.

Downstairs, Shadra put a hand to her head as if in pain. When the others asked if she were all right, she said simply, "Jason's dreaming."

"You never mentioned being able to sense his dreams before," the Doctor remarked.

"I never did before today. He doesn't—he didn't—used to have nightmares."

The Doctor saw a worried look cross Dr. Spencer's face and asked why this disturbed her. She explained that the program she had written to allow the prince access to Legrand's computer was also supposed to purge him of the seemingly endless nightmares.

In his dream, Jason suddenly found himself in front of an enormous door that refused to open. Even the key was useless. Finally he tore it from its hinges in frustration, finding himself face to face with Andrea.

"No! You were captured!" he gasped, taking an alarmed step back. "I saw it with my own eyes!"

"My master released me," the Mythryn smiled, tapping the Master's TCE in the palm of her hand. The Alterran recognized the deadly device instantly and lifted his gaze just as the evil Time Lord appeared behind her.

Muriel suddenly cried out in anguish, her eyes wide. She looked up blindly, seeing Jason's dream as well. "He's trying to kill PJ. In the dream. He wants to kill him."

"Who does?" the Doctor demanded.

"A man. I don't know who. PJ is terrified of him."

Even though Muriel did not know the man's identity, Shadra did. "It's the Master."

The Doctor was aghast, his mouth dropping open. He was prevented from asking more as Muriel went on, "He's dream linked with Jason. I don't know how. He's trying to take control of the dream." She took hold of the Time Lord's arm. "Doctor, if he kills him there, he'll die here!"

The Emperor needed no further prompting. He placed a hand on the Great Seal and in a flash Shadra, Muriel and the Doctor were transported to the prince's room with him.