CHAPTER 14

RECOVERY

After convincing his companion to get something to eat, the Doctor went to meet with the UNIT liaison, who turned out to be Lieutenant Benton. Like his companion before him, the Time Lord found UNIT's configuration of the buildings intriguing and wondered what their intentions were for them. He was even more curious when he learned no one had been permanently assigned to the Base as yet, despite the fact that the transfer was to take place in only a few months.

Before the Doctor had the chance to tell Benton the Visitor's identity, a messenger arrived with an enormous case of documents from the NASA team. They reported that some of the recovered pieces of the spacecraft had crumbled to dust, just as the remains of the crew had.

"That would be the result of the temporal distortion," the Doctor informed knowingly.

Benton gave him a puzzled look. "Temporal distortion?" he repeated.

"It's what caused the ship to crash in the first place. It was sucked out of time, much like an automobile being picked up and thrown by a tornado. Only this particular tornado threw the ship six hundred years into the past. Now time is catching up with it and it can't take the strain."

The Lieutenant sat back in his chair, giving a low whistle as he realized the implications. "So the whole lot's going to disintegrate." He looked the Doctor in the eye. "I should probably let them know all this."

"I'm not sure that's wise…"

"I won't argue with that, Doctor."

The Doctor gave him a look that was a combination of admiration and inquiry. "Why do you say that?"

"What we've got now is bad enough, Doc. Weapons, I mean. If I tell them, they may speed up the investigation; find something worse. Let the stuff from the future stay there, I say."

Before the dumbfounded Doctor could respond, someone came to inform the Lieutenant that he had an urgent call from Geneva. Giving a quick apology, Benton left the room.

When Mel returned to the Critical Care Unit she found Jason awake and off the ventilator. Dr. Miller had removed it only moments before and was in the process of examining his patient's condition, unable to hide his amazement at the Alterran's level of improvement since he regained consciousness. He attributed this rapid recovery to the reduction in sedatives, which was just as well in Jason's view.

Miller jumped when Mel entered the room, bumping Jason's suspended leg and pulling a cry of pain from him. After glaring at the man, the Alterran heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, he would be able to talk. Of course, his mouth tasted like plastic, his tongue was dry, swollen, and stuck to the roof of his mouth, but at least the wretched thing was out of his throat.

"Water… please," he said quietly to Mel.

"You really shouldn't—" Dr. Miller cut himself off, a small squeak escaping him. "I understood what he said!" he gasped, looking at Mel in amazement.

Mel and Jason exchanged a knowing look. Now that the Doctor was there, Jason's connection with the TARDIS was complete. She brought over a cup of water and placed the straw in his mouth, a smile passing between them.

Miller cautioned her not to give the Visitor more than a few sips at a time. He had not consumed any food or drink in several days and too much too fast could prove dangerous. Jason nodded his agreement. He kept his responses to Miller's inquiries to only a few words, throwing in some gibberish from time to time to make it appear as if he were still having difficulty with the "alien" language. He also hoped it would keep Mel from being sent away.

When the physician finally left, the Doctor's current and former companions silently studied each other. Jason held out his hand and Mel took it, still unaware of his scanning ability and its connection with his gift of total recall. With the scan came the memory of the crash, Mel's appearance at the site, his trip to the base, the events in the Emergency Room and her presence the whole time.

"I'd like to kiss you…" the Alterran said finally, planting a kiss on the back of her hand. "But that's the best I can do. Thank-you."

Mel gave him an amused smiled. "It was only a drink of water."

"That's for being there, for being here, and for saving my life."

Unable to think of a more suitable response, Mel said simply, "Your welcome. You remember the crash, then?"

"Not…entirely," he lied, feeling a twinge in his conscience at the same time. "I remember why I was on that ship now. My mission."

"I don't think you should be talking so much just yet," she cut in quickly. "That thing's been in your throat a long time."

"Feels like…forever."

Mel held up her free hand, wiggling her fingers. "That…spelling thing you did with the Doctor. Can you teach it to me?"

"Sure. What language?" Jason asked with an amused smile.

Mel was about to admit she had not thought of this when she heard the Alterran chuckle softly. "Oh, you!" she chided, giving his left arm a playful slap. "English, of course. And before you say it'll take too long, I think you should know I have a photographic memory. I even have film in today."

Jason chuckled again, wincing in pain this time. "I have a…strange kind of…total recall myself." The woman beside him looked up sharply and turned towards the door. "Drives him crazy, doesn't it?" he remarked, knowing she was thinking about the Doctor

Now it was Mel's turn to laugh. "The Doctor's idea of a joke is to say I have a memory like an elephant. Do I look like an elephant?"

This made Jason laugh and then groan in pain. "Oh, don't…make me laugh."

"Sorry, Mr. Ambassador."

"Jason, please. My friends call me Jason." The Alterran gave her a sideways glance. "You are my friend, aren't you?"

Mel smiled, squeezing his hand. "You're right. Jason."

After a pause, he asked seriously, "How are the others? My crew?" The look on Mel's face, along with her silence was answer enough and he closed his eyes in sorrow, leaning back onto his pillows.

"I'm so sorry," Mel said gently.

"All of them?" he asked mournfully.

"Yes." She did not tell him what state they had been in when found. That graphic piece of news could wait until he was stronger—and for someone else to reveal. "You should be resting, not talking. Remember what the Doctor said. Give that thing he gave you a chance to work."

"It's been working the whole time, actually," Jason informed quietly. "Here, I'll show you." He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, letting it out slowly, a peaceful look coming to his face at the same time. For a split second, his face and neck glowed.

To Mel's amazement when the Alterran spoke again his voice was strong and clear. "Does this sound a little better?" He laughed at the look on her face, wincing as he did so. "Oh, it still hurts to laugh."

"The Doctor wasn't kidding about a little bit of magic, was he?" she said in astonishment

"It's not magic. It's molecular transmutation."

"Sure it is."

"If you have a spare decade, I can explain it in detail. Suffice it to say, that little miracle is supplying the energy my body needs to repair itself." Jason paused. "It's…radioactive. That's why the Doctor didn't want anyone getting hold of it."

"Radioactive?" Mel gasped. She tried to take a step back but Jason would not let go of her hand. "Don't worry you're perfectly safe," he reassured. "It's activated by my body chemistry. But if a…um, human decided to open it and broke the seal, they'd get a very nasty surprise—a lethal dose of radiation."

"I understand." Mel was becoming more fascinated by the minute. "The Doctor said something about you being able to repair yourself. Repair as in broken bones?"

"In a manner of speaking. Until I have enough energy stored, I can't change back to—" The Alterran broke off, giving her a thoughtful look. "Mel, how long have you been traveling with the Doctor?"

Thrown by this sudden non sequitur, Mel blinked. "What?"

"Has it been very long?"

"A few months. Why?"

Jason continued to study her. "It's just…I'm not sure how you'll take what I'm about to tell you. I tend to frighten humans, you see." The serious edge to his voice made Mel stiffen involuntarily. "I've frightened you already. Now, that was brilliant."

"No, no. Whatever you have to say, just go ahead and say it. I can decide for myself."

Jason considered. "Fair enough." He went over his explanation in his head and realized it would be far too intricate to deal with at that particular point in time. He put his hand to his head and confessed, "I think I'll go into it later. It's very complicated." Glancing at his suspended arm, he added, "And I can't exactly draw diagrams."

Mel smiled. "Okay. When you're stronger you can tell me your life's story."

"You must suffer from insomnia," Jason remarked aridly, causing the woman beside him to laugh. In a serious tone, he said, "You were angry with the Doctor when he told me about my leg, weren't you?"

"Yes. And, to be honest, I was amazed you weren't more upset."

"Mel, you're sweet and kind and very, very human." The Alterran leaned back and smiled. "I'm…adorable." (Mel giggled.) "And very, very not human. The Doctor knows that. In fact, he knows more about me than any outsider I know. But I suppose…after close to two centuries, he should do," he added thoughtfully.

"Two centuries?" Mel repeated in amazement. "Jason, just how old are you?"

"I'll be two hundred and ninety-four on my next birthday." With a grin, he asked, "You still want to hear my life's story?"

"You wear it well."

"That's just it. I don't really look like this. I know how that sounds, but it's true." Jason looked up at the contraption keeping his arm and leg suspended. "And once I have enough energy to get out of this badly disguised torture device, I'll be able explain it better. In fact, I'll show you something really amazing."

"Then you'd better save your energy," Mel said practically. "Don't waste it talking to me."

Settling back on his pillows as best he could, Jason acknowledged defeat. "Okay, you win."

"I usually do," she grinned.

In a serious tone, the Alterran said, "One thing though. Don't let that fool Miller know about my being stronger. In fact, don't let anybody know." An evil smile passed over his face as he said, "I want it to be a surprise."