CHAPTER TWO

PARANOIA ALL AROUND

The Doctor adamantly refused to go a step further until King Jason was allowed to enter the High Council Chamber with him. When the Chancellor realized the Doctor would leave if this condition were not met, he grudgingly agreed on the condition that only King Jason would accompany the Doctor. The others would have to remain in the TARDIS.

Once formal introductions were made, the Lord President revealed the reason behind the seemingly inexplicable scene in the hall. As far as the High Council could determine, Alterrous was preparing to wage war on Gallifrey.

"What!" the Doctor and Jason gasped in unison.

"When? How?" King Jason wanted to know.

"And more importantly, why?" the Doctor added. "What could a war gain that the Alliance hasn't? Galactic supremacy?"

"You mean we don't have that already?" Jason snorted sardonically, receiving a withering look from the Doctor.

The Lord President ignored the remark. "Unfortunately, we have been unable to ascertain any satisfactory answers to those, or any other questions."

"I don't understand," Jason said in bewilderment. "I've been in contact with Alterrous several times in the last few weeks. I got no indication that anything of this magnitude was brewing."

"And yet," the Castellan said icily, "you just happen to be with the Doctor when he received the Panopticon summons. And you also just happened to encourage him to come directly here rather than take you to Alterrous."

"Are you accusing me of something, Castellan?" the Alterran asked sharply.

"I am suggesting," the Time Lord went on, "that your being here could simply be a delaying tactic. After all, we all know how adept your race is in the art of deception."

"Delaying tactic? Delaying what, exactly?"

"Our preparations against invasion. Or in the case of your race, infiltration," the Castellan concluded.

"That's preposterous!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Do you have any idea what you're saying? Or to whom?"

"Of course. All the more reason—"

"Castellan!" the Lord President snapped, silencing him instantly. In a more normal tone, he said, "We already know that his Majesty is the Emperor's nephew, Doctor. His ties to the Imperial throne —as well as yours—are well documented. Surely you can see our concern? Can you be certain he isn't just using you to—?"

The Doctor could contain himself no longer. "Using me!" he exploded, going on to vent his anger on the whole High Council. "That's rich coming from you! How long have you been using me to do your dirty work? And now you have the gall to sit there and accuse the one Alterran—who's done more for Gallifrey than all the members of this Council put together, I might add—you dare accuse him of betraying the very friendship you want me to capitalize on!"

"In war, Doctor," the Castellan stated bluntly, "friendship is a fleeting thing." Turning to the glowering and uncharacteristically silent Alterran monarch, he asked bitingly, "Just where does your allegiance lie, your Majesty?"

"My allegiance is and always will be with the Doctor," Jason stated categorically. "Not with Alterrous. And certainly not with Gallifrey. Not after what you lot put me through."

The Doctor could not help but smile at the astonished looks this statement produced. "Incase you've forgotten, my Lord President," he said, unable to keep his amusement from coming through in his voice, "his Majesty isn't just the Emperor's nephew. At one time, he was my traveling companion. In fact, if it weren't for him, I would have no ties to the Imperial throne for you to capitalize on."

There was a long silence as the High Councilors took this in. After several minutes, King Jason finally broke the silence. "I don't think they care, Doctor," he said softly, much to his friend's amazement. "And, quite frankly, at this point in time, I don't think it matters."

"In that," the Castellan replied firmly, "you and I are in total agreement."

The Alterran turned to him, seeing for the first time the grave expression on his face. This man was afraid. Not of him, but of the collapse of his world and the uncertainty of what was happening. In a flash, Jason realized that it was the uncertainty that so frightened those around him. This all-knowing race had been hit with the realization that they did not know everything, and it terrified them beyond reason.

"Lord President," he said calmly, "what exactly has happened to put our people in such a tenuous situation?"

The Lord President drew a deep breath, explaining that some unusual anomalies had been occurring within the Capitol itself. On the surface, they could very well have been faults, but when considered with the newest development, they were suggestive of sabotage and/or possible infiltration.

"Newest development?" the Doctor and Jason said in unison.

The Lord President went on to tell of a signal that had suddenly registered in the security sector some three weeks earlier. It originated from the planet Teggell and utilized a transmission frequency so old it had to be traced. Only when that was done was it discovered the beacon had been put into place as part of an ancient early warning system designed to signal the impending activation of the Epsilon Projector, one of the most destructive devices ever created.

The Doctor and his former traveling companion exchanged an astonished look as the President spoke. They knew all about the existence of the Projector, as well as something else.

"The device dates back to the Great War," the Lord President was saying. "As an Alterran, you no doubt already know of its history, your Majesty. The sole purpose for its construction was to obliterate Gallifrey and any trace of the Time Lords."

"No! That's Impossible!" Jason gasped. "It was destroyed!"

"Perhaps not," the Doctor said thoughtfully, his eyes fixed in the distance.

"Perhaps!" the Alterran exploded, taking his friend by the shoulders and turning him around. "Doctor, we both saw it! The computer room was a twisted lump of metal and plastic. There's no way anyone could possibly reactivate it."

"Then you admit it!" the Castellan said triumphantly. "You know of the activation of the Projector."

King Jason looked steadily at him and then back at the Doctor. "What do I say? It's all going to come out wrong. It was so long ago."

The Doctor gave a wry smile, holding up a hand. "Perhaps not," he repeated. "Do you remember where the event took place in your timeline?"

"You know I don't," Jason moaned, turning away. Suddenly he realized what his friend had already concluded and caught his breath, turning sharply back to face him, his eyes wide. In all likelihood, the events he was recalling were taking place at that very moment. "Is it possible?" he whispered.

"My Lord President," the Doctor said quietly, "if I may, I believe we can shed some light on this present crisis." He went on to explain of his visit to Teggell, which, in his opinion, was the reason for the warnings that were currently being received.

"What does my—eh, the Lord Emperor have to say about all this?" Jason asked finally.

"I have been unable to reach your Emperor for some time," the Lord President responded. "However, before communications broke down completely, your Chancellor informed me that he had no knowledge of any official activity on Teggell. The Projector had not been visited in centuries, and Imperial Security reported receiving no signals. In short, they deny everything despite the evidence to the contrary."

Jason's mouth dropped open. "No signals at all? But…they should've received something."

"Precisely," the Castellan injected pointedly.

"Why was it I was sent for, again?" the Doctor cut in sharply, deflecting the accusations that he was certain were about to erupt yet again.

The Lord President met his accusing gaze steadily. "As I said, Doctor, because of your long friendship with the Alterran Emperor, the High Council requests that you go to Alterrous as their representative and contact him personally to ascertain the true nature of the current state of affairs."

After their disquieting interview with the High Council, the Doctor and his royal companion returned to the TARDIS, immediately setting course for Alterrous. The Doctor explained the situation to the others, asking that they remain in the TARDIS when they reached their destination.

"I still don't understand why I can't come with you," Ace protested as the Doctor made to leave. "We've been to stranger places than this."

"Yes, but now is the time for diplomacy, not demolition," the Time Lord replied tersely. "You and your Nitro-9 stay in the TARDIS with Asta and Juris."

Before his companion could argue further, the Doctor followed King Jason through the double doors. The Alterran looked around, got his bearings and then set off across the room in which the TARDIS had materialized.

"Do you think your Emperor will be any more receptive than the High Council?" the Doctor asked conversationally.

His friend came to an abrupt halt and turned sharply to him. "My Emperor? Since when is it my Emperor and not my Uncle? Don't go Time Lord on me now, Doctor. I'm probably the one who set that alarm off in the first place."

"I don't know," the Doctor replied vaguely. "It was so long ago. It could've been either one of us."

They came out of the room, moving down the corridor leading to the administrative offices, their intention being to set up an audience with the Emperor. Instead a squad of Imperial guardsmen immediately surrounded them.

"Great. Paranoia all around," Jason moaned aridly.

"Don't tell me, let me guess," the Doctor said to one of the officers. "You've been trying to reach Gallifrey but your transmissions are no longer being acknowledged? Am I right?"

From the end of the hall, a voice replied, "You are."

It was Emperor Quinton.

The Doctor and Jason turned to see the Lord Emperor standing just outside his office door. To their mutual bewilderment, he seemed angry to see them rather than pleased.

"Uncle, we came to—" Jason was immediately cut off.

"You will address me in the proper manner!" the Imperial sovereign snapped.

The King returned the verbal slap in the face with a stricken look. "Since when?" he said under his breath.

"Majesty," the Doctor called, "I'm here as an emissary from the High Council of Time Lords. I was hoping we could sit down and talk this over like reasonable adults rather than squabbling like bureaucrats."

The Emperor drew himself to his full height and studied him a moment before agreeing. He then ordered "the prisoners" brought to the throne room, the designation stunning them. Something was seriously wrong on both of their home worlds