CHAPTER 39

"WE'RE ON YOUR SIDE."

"What?" The Doctor was incredulous and stared in amazement at the dark-skinned youth's bruised and bloodied form.

The young man stirred weakly as Jason started to clean his wounds, the pain bringing him back to his senses. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, looking around groggily, his eyes resting on the Doctor. "Who…?" he said quietly.

Jason gave a wry smile, throwing a sideways glance in the Doctor's direction. "That's what we'd all like to know," he remarked aridly. He put his hands on the boy's shoulders to keep him still. "Don't try to move just yet. You've had a bad bang on the head and your arm is broken." His patient nodded weakly. "My name's Jason, by the way. The Doctor tells me yours is Percy."

"No, that's just what the others called me. My name's Pr'Ce'el."

Jason rolled his eyes. "What is it with the Wieonol and apostrophes?" he moaned.

Pr'Ce'el caught his breath, his eyes growing wide. He immediately tried to rise, only to fall back in pain.

"There's no need to panic, we're on your side," the Doctor stated gently. His face darkened as he added, "Your people's side, that is."

Understanding his misgivings, the injured Wieonol was suddenly embarrassed. "I thought I could do it, mix in and find our people. I didn't realize…" His voice trailed off and he gave way to an involuntary shudder.

"Blending in takes a bit more than a haircut and change of clothes to accomplish," the Doctor remarked sagely.

Before the youth could reply there was a loud crackle of static in the air followed by SorRell's voice. "SorRell to HRH, respond please."

Jason jumped and straightened, searching his pockets. "I forgot all about that thing," he muttered, pulling out the communicator. "HRH here. Go ahead, Commander."

"Your royal highness, I thought you should know that we've run into a serious delay in our rendezvous with the Doctor," the Commander informed, explaining about the blocked tunnels and what was being planned for them and why.

Upon hearing this, Pr'Ce'el interrupted, telling Jason that the hostages were further beyond the tunnels and were being held in an enormous subterranean cavern in the heart of the mountain. The tunnels had been sealed to cut off surface access, leaving the power plant as the only way in or out.

"No wonder Buckley was so surprised when we said we'd been in the tunnels," the Doctor said to no one in particular.

Jason relayed the new information to SorRell, assuring her that the Doctor and his companion were safe. He also told her of the presence of the Gres-Fa-Raayn mercenaries. "I don't know how many there are yet," he said calmly, "but the ones we've encountered so far are…extremely unpleasant."

SorRell's response was instantaneous. "Sir, are you in danger?"

"No, Commander. Not immediately, at any rate."

"What's your present location?"

"I'm in the decontamination room of Reactor Three. The Doctor and Grant are with me. And Pr'C'el—the Wieonol who was good enough to give us the location of his people—is in need of medical attention. The other's are still in the TARDIS with orders to wait for your troops."

The Commander acknowledged. "For your own safety, sir, please stay where you are. We'll come for you as soon as we secure the building. SorRell out."

"Acknowledged, Commander. HRH out." As he was putting the communicator away, Jason noticed an awestruck expression on Grant's face and rolled his eyes. "Go ahead, say it," he said with a sigh.

"You're Royalty?" Grant gasped.

"Oh it's much worse than that," the Alterran replied. "I'm—" He broke off and scowled, holding up a hand for silence. "I think I heard something." He went quickly to the door and vanished into the next room.

"Wait here," the Doctor instructed sternly and followed, finding Jason at the main door with his ear at the crack. "Well?" he whispered.

Jason shook his head. "I'm going to have to take a look. I think those thugs are coming back. They're not the quietest group in the world. But they could be a level up, down or somewhere that carries sound, I'm not sure."

"You'd better have a look then," the Doctor agreed.

The Alterran gave a knowing smile. "Be right back." With that he immediately changed into a vapor cloud and slipped through the crack under the door.

"Just stay away from the ventilation system!" the Time Lord called after him.

After fleeing from Jason's presence, the mercenaries had gone straight to the command center to regroup. Buckley put out a call for the nearest team of men to assist as backup and then went to the weapons store, issuing laser rifles to replace the ineffective hand weapons.

The backup troops were dubious to say the least when they were apprised of the situation. Had the story come from Delaney instead of their commanding officer, they would have said it was the result of too much drinking and not enough thinking.

The commanding officer took stock of his backup troops and sighed heavily, wishing for the hundredth time that he had been given a squad of Gres-Fa-Raayn regulars rather than this pack of misfits. They were good as guard dogs, but when it came to actual combat they were worse than useless.

"Alright, men, let's do a little monster hunting." Buckley turned to lead the way only to realize that no one was following. He rounded angrily on the men. "Come on, you pack of half wits!" He raised his weapon in an obvious threat and the men fell in, this time ahead of him, reluctantly marching toward Reactor Room Three. The closer they got, the more nervous everyone got, especially those who had already seen what lay in wait for them. Delaney's palms started to sweat profusely and, as they were climbing a set of metal stairs, he dropped the weapon he was carrying, which was the sound that Jason had heard.

No one saw the cloud of mist hovering near the ceiling as they moved through the building. Jason, however, saw more than enough. He also knew he needed to buy some time and opened a nearby valve. It had been closed for a very long time and made an eerie squeak as it was turned. Below him, the men stopped in their tracks, all but Buckley being seriously spooked.

"What was that?" Tommie gasped, squinting into the gloom. "It's that thing! It's got out!"

"Don't be an idiot," Buckley admonished sharply, unable to resist the urge to take a nervous glance around the room.

Delighted his diversion had worked, Jason opened a few more valves, rattling a pipe or two before returning to the reactor room at speed.