CHAPTER 32

AFTER THE FIRST RAID

The Doctor waited a moment before he spoke, giving the assembled observers time to absorb what they had seen. "It was shortly after this that Telvec's group made their failed raid on Tri Global's headquarters."

"Was this the same raid in which his highness shot you without provocation, Doctor?" the prosecutor injected coolly

To his surprise, the Doctor replied, "It was."

"That got his attention," Jason observed quietly, bringing a grin to his friend's face.

"My lord, at the time the prosecution took my testimony," the Doctor said calmly, "it was my belief that, after I was shot, I was immediately transported to the Sanctuary. Since that was my next conscious memory. I am forced to admit that that was not, in fact, accurate."

Fitzhugh made a strangled noise and the Doctor waited for the question he knew would be coming. He was not disappointed. "Doctor, are you telling this court that your previous testimony was false?"

"No. I'm saying it was wrong."

"I do not see the difference."

"Nor I," the equally confused Eustis chimed in.

"My previous testimony was based on the facts as I knew them at the time," the Doctor said in clarification. "I've since learned that I was in error. Following the instructions of his mission coordinator, Prince Jason created the illusion of enmity and staged the entire incident," he announced grandly as he pressed the button on the console. "These events occurred shortly after my apparent murder."

oOo

Mission Day 46

No one had dared speak to Leader THREE after what happened in the penthouse earlier in the evening. Even the usually bombastic ONE and TWO had kept their distance. No longer considered simply an adviser, his recent act of violence had cemented his place as an equal member of the hierarchy and a man not to be taken lightly.

Jason strode through the corridors of Tri Global headquarters, watching with amusement as the staff scuttled out of his way. He could hear the furtive whispers as he passed, his confrontation with the Doctor passing from person to person, the details embellished with each telling. It'll be an Earth style old west shootout by the day's end, he thought amusedly, imagining himself standing on a dusty street, hand poised, ready to draw his revolver and fire. The truth was far less romantic he reflected as he entered his stateroom and crossed to the communication terminal.

"Security," a bored operated responded. He did not even bother to look at the screen, seeming more interested in the magazine in front of him. "What's you authorization number?"

"Three," Jason snapped coldly, watching in amusement as the operator practically fell from his chair in an attempt to come to attention.

"Yes, sir! Sorry, sir."

"There's a blue box somewhere in the city," the Leader informed. "The exact description will be transmitted shortly. Recent intelligence indicates that it's being used to hide a supply of weapons and high-grade explosives. I'm going to be away for the next four days touring the competitions' operations. I want that box found before I return. THREE out."

"That's the TARDIS taken care of," Jason muttered, adding with a chuckle, "By the time that story gets out, two-thirds of the city will be out looking for the old girl." He pulled out a recall disk and squeezed it between his fingers. A split second later, he was on the flight deck of the ARGO, which was hidden some distance from Tri Global's headquarters. Unlike the transmat in the Sanctuary, Jason had programmed the ARGO to respond only to the signals from his recall disk, thus elevating the possibility of any wayward refugees landing on his own doorstep.

Jason pocketed the disk and turned, his gaze falling on the lights of the Med-computer blinking in the darkness of the sickbay. "Computer, lights," he commanded as he crossed to the flashing panel. He scanned the displays and then looked through the observation port at the motionless occupant, a small smile coming to his face.

"Hello, Doctor," he said softly.

oOo

"After my arrival on the ARGO," the Doctor informed, "Prince Jason repaired my heart in what I can only say is the most extraordinary, if unconventional, piece of surgery I have ever witnessed."

"Just the facts, please," the prosecutor sighed in a bored tone.

The Doctor gave him a dark look. "Well, what would you call localized regeneration?"

"Localized regeneration? I've never heard of it."

The Doctor stepped aside and held out a hand to the console in front of him. "Your highness, if you'd do the honors?"

The Alterran went to the controls and the Doctor watched in some amusement as he switched into "Healer mode." His voice became completely professional and businesslike as the extract jumped from section to section. "While keeping the Doctor's body in stasis, I sectioned off the injured area, removed the damaged tissue and then allowed only the small portion of his anatomy that was damaged to return to real time. Within seconds of doing that, the muscle regenerated. As you can see, a new heart has formed where the damaged one once was."

"That's remarkable," Fitzhugh muttered in awe.

Jason accepted the praise with a small smile and nod of the head before going on. "I then repaired the additional damage caused by the bullet. At the time, I was worried the Doctor still might regenerate prematurely, so after the surgery I had the computer shut down the stasis field incrementally to alleviate the possibility of that happening."

When no questions were asked, Jason returned to the prisoner's dock and the Doctor returned to the controls. "Thank you, your highness," he said, his tone of voice carrying more meaning than a simple show of courtesy. "It was after this and while I was still unconscious that I was transported to the Sanctuary."

"Why?" Fitzhugh asked pointedly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Why transport you anywhere?" the prosecutor asked, turning to address the Prince. "Your highness, what was your reasoning behind this elaborate charade?"

"Didn't we cover this already?" Jason replied frostily.

"I'm not entirely clear on why you chose to shoot the Doctor?"

"I did it to save his life."

Fitzhugh gave a small laugh. "Then I hope never to have occasion to have you save me," he remarked, turning as if to take a bow for this remark.

Jason drew a deep breath and fought the urge to reply, "Don't worry, you won't." Instead, he simply glared at the man across the room.

"Isn't it a fact that you staged this incident simply as a means of bolstering your position in the Triad?" the prosecutor asked.

"That was a by-product, not my intent."

"Your intent was to save the Doctor by very nearly costing him his life, is that what you would have us believe? Did it never occur to you that you might trigger a regeneration?"

"My lord prosecutor, at the time I stated that if the Doctor were shot, he would regenerate and that I knew how to stop that happening. That was the literal truth, as you've just seen."

"Are we to believe that this was due to skill and not just luck?" Fitzhugh asked condescendingly.

The Doctor saw outrage flash in Jason's eyes. He had never been one to take lightly having even the most basic of his extraordinary skills brought into question. This time, the Time Lord chose not to intervene, thinking the prosecutor needed to be put in his place. It might also do him some good to see exactly who and what he was up against.

"Luck?" The Alterran Healer drew himself to his full height. "In the past three centuries, I've spent more than thirty years on Gallifrey studying Time Lord physiology and Gallifreyan medical techniques," he stated proudly. "I've been the leading authority on the subject on Tel-Shye for the past two centuries. If I can't stop a premature regeneration, no one can."

There were murmurs from the gallery in response to this and Fitzhugh cleared his throat nervously, choosing a different tact. "So, you chose to save the Doctor while sacrificing those who were with him," he stated bluntly. The Prince stiffened upon hearing this, the arrow finding its mark. This was exactly what he had done. "If, as you say, you wanted to save the Doctor from certain death, weren't you sending those who had accompanied him to their certain deaths?"

To the amazement of all save the Doctor, Jason replied, "Yes."

"Why not save all of them? Why, as the Doctor asked, spare him alone?"

Jason paused, choosing his words carefully. "I'd seen the group the others left outside and hoped they'd be able to intervene before the entire group was killed, which, thankfully, they did. I singled out the Doctor because I didn't want to risk his being killed before the others could stop it." He threw a quick glance in his friend's direction before saying, "He's too important."

"Indeed." the prosecutor said sarcastically. "Yet, after you'd whisked him out of harms way, you then sent him to the Sanctuary. Why send him anywhere at all? Why not just keep him safe and sound in your sickbay?" he asked logically.

There was an even longer silence and the Inquisitor exchanged a questioning look with the Doctor, who held up a hand. He already knew the answer and the reasons behind it. He also knew how difficult the decision had been for his friend to make.

Jason's answer finally came in a subdued tone. "Because…if I failed, I knew, of all people, he would be able to stop the Glyateven from destroying the planet."

"But that didn't happen, did it, your highness?"

The Prince closed his eyes, the destruction of the planet returning vividly to mind. "No."

"Was it by your failure? Or by design?" Fitzhugh asked savagely.

"Objection!" the Doctor snapped.

Fitzhugh gave a small smile and waved a hand. "Withdrawn. No further questions."

Eustis gave opposing councils a reproving look before saying, "Proceed."