CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
WE NEED TO TALK.
The Doctor took his time running through all the system checks to satisfy himself that the TARDIS had not been damaged in the upheaval in vortex. It wasn't until he finished that he realized the room was exceptionally quiet. Ace should be pestering him with a hundred questions. So why wasn't she? He looked up. His companion standing at the inner door where she had been after getting up from the floor. Juris was behind him near the wall and the deactivated Reed was still in his seat connected into the console.
The Doctor scowled, looking over at Jason, who gave him a small smile. Well, at least you're awake, the Time Lord thought. Then he blinked, turning sharply back to look at the others again.
"You certainly can concentrate when you want to, Doctor," Jason observed quietly from behind him. "I suspended them over ten minutes ago."
The Doctor spun around, a stunned look on his face.
"You and I… We need to talk," the Alterran monarch said mildly.
The Doctor stared at his friend in blank astonishment. "You are the successor," he breathed, still not quite able to take it in.
Jason gave a self-conscious smile, lowering his eyes. "I can neither confirm nor deny—"
"Jason, you don't have to! Not after what I've just seen."
"That's just it. You won't remember. I have to take that memory away. All you'll remember is we got away because of the Epsilon sphere. Not this." He placed a hand on the Seal around his neck.
The Doctor found himself irritated to hear this. "Why tell me at all? Why not just take my memories and leave it at that?"
"Because I think I owe you an explanation."
"The Lord Emperor need explain to no one," the Time Lord snorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"True. But I'm not the Lord Emperor."
"You will be and then—"
"My allegiance to you hasn't changed, Doctor," Jason stated flatly. "I owe you my life and my sanity more times over than I can remember. Do you think I've forgotten when everyone else in the universe abandoned me. . .you were there. Misgivings and all, but you were there. How do I repay that?"
The Doctor had no reply for this.
"One day you will remember what really happened here. And I'd like you to know the facts now. The truth now. Not later as part of an apology."
"And I'm to forgive you now, too. Is that it?"
"I hope so." With a knowing smile, Jason said mildly, "Let's just say I wanted to satisfy your curiosity while the events were still fresh in your mind."
The earnest tone was enough to defuse the Time Lord's anger and he relented. "Alright, then I forgive you."
Jason gave a small smile. He explained that when he remained behind to heal the Emperor, he had expressed his own misgivings about the Black Guardian's game being over. It was then that the Emperor finally acknowledged that he was, in fact, in line for the Imperial throne. Jason used the Seal to restore his Uncle to health and was allowed to retain it until the final confrontation. Quinton was certain that the only match for the Black Guardian's power would be that of the Great Seal itself.
"He told me, if I had to use it, I had to erase any knowledge of it from your minds. No one was to know what I did." With a bittersweet smile, Jason added, "Not even me."
The Doctor's mouth dropped open. "He's going to erase it from your mind, too?" he gasped.
Jason nodded. "Do you honestly think I could go on as if nothing happened? Knowing what I know now?" Shaking his head, he said, "That would really drive me mad."
Before the stunned Time Lord could think of a suitable reply, Jason was at the control console checking the deactivated Reed. The computer had finished its analysis of the android's programming, having isolated the anomalous entries made by the Black Guardian. Jason purged these from Reed's systems, going on to check on the self-direction program.
"By the way," the Alterran said as he worked, "how did you know the Black Guardian had reprogrammed Reed?"
The Doctor gave a wry smile. "Something the White Guardian said while the two of them were arguing."
Jason looked up in surprise. "You never said the Black Guardian was there!"
"Ah…" The Doctor gave a self-conscious half smile. It had slipped his mind that he hadn't told his friend about the second encounter. He told Jason what had transpired, seeing an odd look pass over his face, the power of the Seal he still wore flaring slightly. It was going to be very strange indeed when his friend actually came to power, the Doctor thought.
Suddenly Jason was his old self again and he straightened, turning to the Doctor with a grin on his face. "I think Reed is all set to become a productive member of society. All we need to do is install the program. But first…" He went to Ace, placing his fingers on her temples. "Remember only this," he said softly.
Ace slowly closed her eyes and then went limp. Jason caught her as she fell, laying her carefully on the floor. He crossed to Juris and repeating the process. Then he turned to the Doctor, who drew himself to his full height, his eyes locking with his friend's. In a few minutes, the last half hour would be gone. Along with it the pride and admiration he felt for his star pupil.
"For you, Doctor, a special memory block," Jason informed.
The Time Lord's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"Because they will never remember what happened. You will. But only after the Seal is mine for good, or is passed on to my Uncle's actual successor."
"Actual successor?"
"I'm not the only one in line," came the evasive reply.
The Doctor rolled his eyes to the ceiling. He had thought the games were over.
"You'll know then," Jason went on seriously, "as you know now, that you will always have my eternal gratitude for being my Guardian." He reached out his hands only to stop when the Doctor raised his. "Oh, no you don't," he said firmly. "You've had your say. Now it's my turn."
The Alterran stiffened visibly. "Alright. Fair enough," he agreed.
The Doctor gave a small smile. "You've come a long way since we first met all those centuries ago," he observed. "And I'm not sure you realize just how far yourself. For someone who never wanted power, authority, or, I dare say, responsibility, you've learned to wield it with remarkable skill and control. I must admit to being very impressed. Perhaps you do have the temperament for the job after all."
Jason lowered his eyes, flushing in embarrassment.
"It appears my job as your guide is done," the Time Lord went on seriously. "Time to pass on the torch. Now you must teach Juris what you've learned about the true nature of his duality before it gets out of control."
"Like mine?"
"I always knew you were destined for greatness, Jason," the Doctor observed. "And from what I've seen here, it's still to come."
Jason looked up and smiled weakly. Then before the Doctor could go on, he touched his temples, erasing the memory of all they had just said.
The Doctor sat up painfully, his head spinning. "Doctor? Doctor, are you alright?" a voice asked close to his ear. He struggled to focus on the blurred face, his eyes finally focusing on Jason's worried features. Getting shakily to his feet, he said quietly, "I agree with Ace, I think I hated that."
A ghost of a smile came to the Alterran's face. "Sorry. Epsilon power is trickier than I remember."
"Apparently," came the astringent reply. The Doctor leaned heavily on the control console, looking over the readings. "We're on Alterrous!" he gasped. "How did we make it back so fast?"
"We didn't. You've been unconscious for half an hour."
The Doctor looked up sharply, then immediately regretted it. His head was still spinning and he had to keep a tight grip on the console to keep from falling. "Next time, I'd prefer if you used another means," he said irritably.
Again, the amused smile flashed across Jason's face. "I'll try. But I'd prefer there were no next times."
By this time, Ace and Juris were struggling back to life, both just as disoriented as the Doctor and sharing his headache.
"I've been checking the readings while you were all napping," Jason was saying, "and it looks like the TARDIS is none the worse for wear after all this."
"How about him?" Ace asked, nodding in Reed's direction.
Jason explained about the program changes and his having purged them from the android's systems. "Now all that's left is to load the new program."
Prince Juris was picking himself up off of the floor, one hand on the wall for support, the other on his pounding head. "Do you really think that's wise, Father?" he asked.
"That's an odd question coming from you," the Doctor said in surprise. "You're the one who plugged him in."
"Yeah, and nearly got us all killed."
"We did give our word," his father reminded.
"To a machine!" Ace pointed out forcefully. The Alterran's face remained unchanged and she turned to the Doctor. "Professor, he's just a machine!"
"No, he's evolved beyond that," the Doctor snapped, his tone surprising even himself. "He was just a machine—once, but not anymore. He can think, reason, and even makes mistakes. He has the right to do so of his own free will."
Before his companion could argue further, the Doctor crossed to the android and pressed the activation switch.