CHAPTER NINE
THINGS ARE NOT AS THEY SEEM
Upon seeing the TARDIS, Alex sighed relievedly. "I'm glad to see at least one thing hasn't changed."
The Doctor gave him a disapproving scowl as he turned the key in the lock. He was about to make a suitably biting reply as he opened the door. Instead, he was engulfed in a brilliant white light, vanishing before the astonished Alex's very eyes.
The equally astonished Doctor looked around, finding himself in an enormous expanse of white nothingness. "Now what…?" he wondered aloud. He was suddenly aware of the sound of wind chimes playing softly in the distance and turned in the direction of the sound. Out of the white glare, he could just make out the outline of palm trees. A garden oasis?
"Welcome, Doctor," a calm voice invited from within the glare, "I've been waiting for you. Please, come and join me."
Seeing no alternative, the Time Lord moved closer, the white haze clearing as he did so. A terrace seemed to appear before him and he saw a man dressed in summer clothing seated at a patio table, a tall glass of iced tea before him.
"So good of you to come," the gentleman said urbanely, holding out a hand and inviting his guest to be seated.
The Doctor studied the unassuming individual; his clothing, like the surroundings, completely white. Suddenly he knew who he was and caught his breath.
"Has it been so long that it takes you a full minute to recognize me?" the White Guardian asked with a small smile.
The Doctor bowed slightly. "I'm getting old and slow, sir," he replied, declining the seat. "How may I serve you?"
"In many ways, you serve me already. I'm aware of your current mission," the Guardian informed calmly, "and I feel I should tell you that you'll find it impossible to contact either Gallifrey or Alterrous."
The Doctor scowled. Things were far graver than he feared. If the White Guardian were involved, then invariably the Black Guardian would not be far away.
"You're right, of course," the White Guardian said in reply to the Time Lord's thoughts, taking a sip from his tall glass of tea.
"You'll forgive my impertinence, but how could Teggell have any significance to the Black Guardian now that the Projector's been destroyed?" the Doctor asked reasonably. "Why target a backward planet such as this?"
"The planet isn't the target, Doctor, it's merely a staging ground. The playing field in a much larger game. Already two great races, your own and the Alterrans, stand poised on the brink of war," the White Guardian reminded. "And even the life of the future Emperor of Alterrous is in jeopardy."
The Doctor's mouth dropped open. "What!" he gasped. "I didn't realize the successor had been chosen?"
"The Great Seal makes the potential successor known at any time. They're then guided and molded, as it were, and in many ways tested along the way."
"And if they are harmed or killed?"
"There's always another incase something happens to the first. Especially when they're tested in executing decisions that require the wielding power and authority. If they abuse a lesser power, they will never be given the opportunity manipulate the power of the Great Seal."
The Doctor fell silent, recalling a conversation he had once had with Emperor Quinton during which he was informed that he and Jason had not been thrown together by accident. His Alterran friend was, at the time, a possible danger and the Doctor was given the job of guiding him to a more responsible path. Had he been training the next Emperor? Jason had always been adamant in his desire to have no power or authority whatsoever, yet it always seemed to be thrust upon him. Still, despite his intervention, Jason was much too volatile, in the Doctor's opinion, to be trusted with the Great Seal, which left Juris, the only other Alterran on the planet. Was it possible…?
"But I digress…" the White Guardian said calmly, breaking the Time Lord's train of thought. "You must be vigilant, Doctor. The agents of the Dark are already at work in this arena, and if they succeed, the successor will never again see the Alterran home world. For there will be no home world for him—or you—to return to."
With these ominous words ringing in his ears, the Doctor suddenly found himself standing in the TARDIS console room.
At the Freeland Center, the helicopters Ace had seen landed in the parking lot. The doors flew open and soldiers immediately poured out, surrounding the building. The commanding officer, who was in reality Reed, strode into the building and up to the astonished receptionist informing her that he was there to remove the creature that had been brought in the previous evening.
Before the flustered young woman could protest, the soldiers streamed into the building. It was not until they entered the main tank area that they met with any resistance, this being the Director herself.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded as the soldiers entered. "You have no authority here. This is a private facility."
Reed thrust several papers in her direction. "These give me all the authority I need," he replied tersely. "For security reasons, this creature is to be removed to a secure location."
"That's ridiculous!" Dr. Albert exploded.
"After your last encounter with the fanatics that worship this thing," Reed snorted, "I'd've thought you'd be glad to be rid of it."
The pseudo-soldiers had surrounded the tank during this exchange. Juris, who was taking the activity in from the center of the tank, watched them in bewilderment. Someone fired a tranquilizer dart and he cried out in pain, alerting Frankie, who yelled angrily at the three men who jumped into the water to retrieve the sedated Alterran.
"Stop that!" she protested. "You don't even know how to care for him."
"I'm sure we'll manage…"
Dr. Albert spun around. "Oh no, you won't," she hissed. She was not about to allow Juris to be spirited away from under her nose. How would she ever explain it to Jason? "If you're going to insist on taking him, then I'm going to insist on going with you."
Reed was taken aback by this. "I don't think you mean that," he said slowly.
"Oh, I most certainly do," Frankie spat back.
"Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you."
As the White Guardian had said, the Doctor found he could send no transmissions and set to work finding out why. The technology on Teggell was primitive at best, which meant it was not local jamming. After only a few minutes he found the source, but before going to shut it down he felt it might be best to get his Alterran friends to a safe place.
Alex was bubbling over with questions when the Doctor stepped from the TARDIS, but the Time Lord was in no mood to be giving any answers.
"No time for that," the Doctor snapped. "Things are not as they seem. We must get Juris out of the Center now, it's vital."
"Why?" Alex wanted to know.
The Doctor was already making his way towards the car. "Because the future of the known universe depends on it."
Alex stopped dead. "Oh, is that all?" he remarked dryly, having no idea what the Doctor was talking about. "I thought it might be something important."
"Are you coming or do I have to drive myself?" the Doctor called through the trees.
Unaware of any of the crises developing around him, Jason had gone out onto the beach to soak up some sun and attempt to complete the healing of his battered body.
Ace had attempted the rocks, finding the coral to be much too sharp for her to climb. If she fell, she would be sliced to ribbons. With no alternative, she decided a swim wasn't such a bad idea. Jason had amazed her by doing just as the Doctor had said, changing her own clothing into a swimsuit. He had then gone on to amuse her by doing Frankie's laundry, which he had taken upon himself to complete.
After finishing yet another load, Jason came out of the house, returning to his lounge chair
"Are you sure you're a King?" Ace asked as she came up the beach, sitting in the chair beside him.
The question amused the Alterran and he laughed. "Yes, I'm sure. I have a crown and everything. Why?"
"Well, you don't act like a King, do you?"
"What's a King supposed to act like?"
Ace started to towel her hair off. "Well, I know they don't do laundry," she said, causing the monarch to laugh yet again.
"I wasn't always a King, Ace," he grinned.
"Yeah, I know. You were a Prince first."
"Actually I was the Marquis Krystovan first. I didn't even know I was in line for the throne until I was almost two centuries old." Pausing, Jason said thoughtfully, "Ironic, don't you think? I've never much care for titles. And I was born with a fist full of them. I'm a Healer—a doctor on your planet. That's what I'd rather to be called. Healer."
Ace gave him an impish grin. "I thought you were supposed to be just plain old Jason."
"Plain old Healer Jason, if you please," the Alterran shot back, leaning back to soak up more sun.