CHAPTER THREE

AUDIENCE

After being taken to the throne room, the Doctor and Jason waited on their own for more than an hour. After only a few minutes King Jason, who was already a bundle of nerves, started prowling the room. "I don't like this," he said finally, more to himself than the Doctor. "Something doesn't feel right."

The Doctor was leaning lazily back in his chair and watching his friend through half closed eyes. "You're starting to sound like Leela again," he chided softly.

"I happen to be serious," came the astringent reply. "It's bad enough I'm treated like a criminal on Gallifrey, but here! This is my home world, for pity sake!"

"And you're a King," the Doctor injected quietly.

"And I'm a King!" the royal Alterran repeated.

"And you didn't do anything."

"And I didn't do any—" Jason broke off and turned back to look at his friend. "Now, cut that out!"

At that moment, the Emperor finally made his appearance and the Doctor rose to his feet. Again, he received an angry scowl from the Alterran sovereign rather than the warm greeting he was used to.

"Alright," the Lord Emperor said as he took his place on the throne, "you wished to speak me. Speak."

"Have I done something to offend you, my Lord?" Jason asked in a puzzled tone.

"You bring a Time Lord to the Capital city during a time of war and ask if you've offended me?"

Jason frowned, looking at the man at the far end of the room. Suddenly he realized what it was that had made him uneasy. The Lord Emperor wore the Great Seal in a medallion around his neck, and it was this that gave him his power. Power of such magnitude that it could be felt whenever one was in his presence. Yet Jason felt nothing at all radiating from the man at the end of the room and he instantly knew why.

"What's going on?" he demanded. "Why am I being greeted by a decoy rather than the Emperor himself?"

"Decoy?" the Doctor repeated, looking at the individual he thought to be the Alterran Emperor. "Jason, are you sure?"

"Do you feel the power of the Seal?"

The Doctor blinked, realizing, just as his friend had, that the tangible power that should be radiating from the Emperor was not there.

King Jason turned and stormed towards the exit. "I'm not speaking to a deception," he stated regally, his head high. "And should my Uncle deign to see me, he can—" He broke off when a door just ahead of him opened and the Head of Imperial Security stepped through.

"My Lord," Commander Tolan said calmly, "if you'll come with me, I'll escort you to your Uncle."

The enraged monarch glared at him, refusing to move.

"Please, accept my apologies for the brusque nature of your greeting," Tolan said with a bow.

"Brusque!" The angry lines on Jason's face deepened. "I deserve better than this, Tolan. And so does the Doctor."

"Yes, my Lord, you do," the Commander agreed. "And had I not been detained, you wouldn't have been subjected to it at all."

"And just why did I need to be subjected it at all? Is my Uncle in hiding?"

The officer drew a deep breath and did something he had done on only one other occasion. He called the King my name. "No, Jason, he's extremely ill. He's been unable to carry out even his most basic duties for more than a month. And now…this had to happen."

Stunned, Jason stood staring at the officer, his mouth open. The last time Tolan had called him by name a mutual friend had been on the verge of death, and he feared this might be the case again. Finding his voice at last, he asked, "How bad is he?"

The normally stoic Commander gave a knowing smile, momentarily dropping his usual formal tone. "Even if I tell you, my Lord, you know you'll still want to judge for yourself. King or not, we both know you're a Healer at heart." Turning on his heel, Tolan led the way to the far door. "Please, follow me."

"Wait a minute, that's not the way to the residence," Jason said sharply. "Tolan, just where is my Uncle?"

The reply was not what he expected. "The Sanctum."

"What?" the Doctor gasped, stopping dead in his tracks. Jason had at one time explained the significance of the Sanctum, it being the only place off limits to non-Alterrans. At times, it functioned as a relaxation center for those wishing to escape everyday stresses, but its more common use was as an intensive care unit for the gravely ill. It was also the only place where an Alterran was required to appear in their true form.

"Tolan, I can't go there," the Doctor said at last.

"You know of the Sanctum, Doctor?" Tolan asked in surprise.

It was King Jason who replied. "I told him about it."

The Commander nodded, continuing on. "His Majesty asked to see you both."

"Tolan, you're the last person I thought I'd be saying this to but, it's against your laws," the Time Lord said mildly.

"And allow me to remind you that on Alterrous, the Emperor is the law. If he says you may enter, then you may enter."

The door leading to the Sanctum was richly decorated and the Commander held it open as the Doctor and Jason entered the antechamber. Once inside, the Alterrans returned to their true form before moving into the Sanctum itself. The Doctor stayed very close to the Imperial Officer, uncertain of the greeting he would receive if he were seen within. To his relief, they arrived at the Emperor's room without encountering anyone else.

"I'll remain outside until you're ready to leave, Doctor," Tolan informed.

The Time Lord nodded, glancing at Jason before going in. He stopped the moment he passed through the door, taking in the room in amazement. It was nothing like he expected. Although once he thought about it, he wasn't sure what he expected. The room was large, circular and very dark, the walls covered with illuminated panels displaying a variety of things from medical data to outdoor scenes. There was music playing very quietly in the background, and the Doctor listened a moment, hearing the sounds of birds and running water. It was very soothing, and he found himself relaxing despite his current anxiety. In the center of the room was a large circular platform that was dimly illuminated from above. It was heavily padded and covered with what appeared to be crushed velvet. Upon it was the Emperor, his numerous tendrils spread out and hanging from the edge.

Unlike his Time Lord friend, Jason knew exactly what lay beyond the door. The first thing he did was consult the panel displaying the Emperor's medical data, the Healer within him taking over just as Tolan said it would. After a few minutes, he went to the bedside, touching one of the limp tendrils and scanning his gravely ill Uncle.

Quinton's crystalline eyes glowed dimly, reminding the Doctor of someone opening their eyes. Which was absurd, of course. The Alterran's powerful sensors would have registered their presence the instant they entered the room.

"Well?" the Emperor said softly, "Am I going to live?"

"You already know the answer to that," his Nephew replied gently, his tone unusually evasive.

"And am I forgiven for the deception?"

The Doctor could imagine his friend's expression just by his tone when he replied affectionately, "You know the answer to that, too."

"And you, Doctor?" Quinton asked as the Time Lord came up to the bedside.

"With no offense intended, none was taken, Quinton," the Doctor said mildly.

"Good."

The Doctor bowed slightly, his tone one of concern, "Majesty, the High Council asked me to contact you personally, but I doubt they realize how ill you are. Are you strong enough for this?"

The sovereign shifted his position slightly, his eyes glowing slightly brighter. "Thank-you for your concern, Doctor. I believe it's more than your High Council would give. Still, I think I'm strong enough to listen to whatever you have to say."

Sighing heavily, Jason said, "I wish we didn't have to bother you with this."

"It's never a bother to avert a war. Or retain an ally," the Emperor stated weakly, his eyes continuing to grow brighter. "Now, Doctor, what does the High Council want me to know?"

Once their story was complete, the Emperor agreed that the best course of action would be for them to return to Teggell. He went on to inform them that the information passed on to the High Council was correct. There had been no signals of any kind from the planet in centuries. This fact alone, that Gallifrey should receive a signal and Alterrous should not, was reason enough unto itself to warrant an investigation.

"My Ministers believe this story of a signal to be a ploy on the part of the High Council. A delaying tactic," Quinton said in a quiet, serious voice. "Some have even gone so far as to suggest that my suddenly being struck down with so serious an illness was intentional."

"What! That ridiculous!" Jason blurted out.

"I agree, but we seem to be in the minority."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Wonderful. You were right, Jason, paranoia all around."

"I only hope it doesn't turn into hysteria before you can clear this up," Quinton said in a fast weakening voice. "If hostilities should begin, I fear I don't have the strength to stop it."

The Doctor and King Jason returned to the TARDIS badly shaken by the Emperor's words. They told the others of their plan to go on to Teggell, and Jason was surprised when his son announced he would be coming along.

"No, Juris, and that's final," the King stated emphatically.

"You accuse me of having Mother's cautious spirit, but when I try to do something adventurous, you say no," Juris protested.

"He has a point, Jason," the Doctor remarked mildly.

"You stay out of this, Doctor," the monarch snapped. "You're not helping matters."

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met," the Time Lord said sarcastically. "Did you say your name was Aaron?"

Jason stiffened visibly when his own father's name was mentioned. "That was below the belt."

"No, that was to get your attention," his friend corrected. "Now be honest. Why are you really saying no? It's for the same reasons he did, isn't it?"

"Ye-es," came the resigned sigh.

The Time Lord gave Prince Juris a victorious grin. "Welcome aboard, your Highness," he said happily, adding, "Of course, from now on, you're no longer Prince anybody. It's just plain old Juris, you understand?"

"He will," Jason injected darkly.

"Well, I think you're mad for wanting to go at all, Juris," Asta said coolly, as she headed for the exterior doors. "You don't belong."

"Why do you say that?" the Prince wanted to know.

"Because you're not a part of this unique alliance," Asta stated astutely. "Your father and the Doctor have obviously been singled out to represent the two opposing powers. Where do you fit in?" Not waiting for an answer, she breezed out the door.

Breaking the stunned silence Asta had left in her wake, Ace said impatiently, "Okay, now that's settled, let's go."

The Doctor hit the dematerialization switch and the time rotor lit up, rising and falling as the time machine took flight. He looked over at Jason, who seemed lost in thought. The adventure on Teggell had been difficult for him; a defining moment in his life when he learned how truly dangerous he might actually be. For the first time he had seen his own duality in stark contrast and had been badly shaken by it.

"Jason," the Time Lord said gently, "you alright?"

The Alterran drew a deep breath and gave him a weak smile. "We'll have to see," he said evasively. Looking the Doctor in the eye, he asked seriously, "What do we do if we find that…well, you and I are still there?"

"You won't get sick again will you, Professor?" Ace wanted to know. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of the previous adventure with her own Doctor the victim of crossed time streams.

"I shouldn't worry about that," the Time Lord replied airily. "The beacon's been operating longer than we were on the planet. I'm sure we'll be long gone before we arrive."

Jason rolled his eyes and groaned. "I hate to admit this, but that actually made sense."

"Now I am worried," Ace injected.