Chapter Twelve
The Android

The Doctor looked at the gun and the man holding it. “And if I refuse?”

“I wouldn’t advise it.” This was Eroica, who knew the Major far better than anyone. He knew the cold look of determination in his dark, green eyes. If he had to kill to achieve his goals, he would, without a moment’s hesitation.

“Are you saying he’d actually shoot the Doctor?” Jason gasped, not quite able to take this in.

Eroica looked from one to the other. “In a heartbeat.”

“There’s loyalty for you,” Jason said derisively.

“What do you know of loyalty?” the Major spat back. “You come and go as you please. Never having to stay to clean up the mess he’s made.” He shook the gun in the Doctor’s direction to make his point.

Jason gave him a stricken look but could think of nothing to say. The Major was right, and he knew it.

The Major’s eyes narrowed. “After you left, I had your file sent to me, Herr Doctor,” he informed coldly. “You’re very good at fighting aliens, but not very good at taking responsibility. You leave that to others while you go off in your fabulous machine.” He held out his free hand to take in the console room.

Before the Doctor had the chance to respond one way or the other, the android suddenly juddered and emitted a number of buzzes and clicks. It was as though it were coming awake as its body moved to stand erect, its eyes glowing a dull yellow. It swiveled its head to take in its surroundings before fastening its attention on the nearest person, this being the Doctor.

“Identify,” it said a flat, mechanical tone.

The Doctor’s eyebrows went up. “Well, I’m the Doctor,” he said happily. “And this is Jason, Dorian and the Major.”

The android latched onto the military rank and turned to the Major. “You are in command?” it asked tonelessly.

Before the stunned officer could reply, Jason broke in sharply, “No. The Doctor’s in command.”

The android turned to the Alterran, its eyes flickering as it did so. “Silicon based genetic structure, confirmed. Classification: Alterran. Confirmed. Identify faction.”

Jason blinked, exchanging a mystified look with the others. “Faction?”

“Anti-Royalist division. Identify faction.”

“Anti-Royal…” Jason’s mouth dropped open as he realized what the android was and he felt his heart miss a beat. “You’re an Anti-Royalist drone. A seeker!” he gasped, still not quite believing it himself. He took an alarmed step back, finding himself against the control room wall.

“Confirm,” the robot stated flatly before repeating, “Identify faction.”

The others had been listening to this exchange in some bewilderment. “Jason,” the Doctor said mildly, “if you could enlighten us?”

Jason shot a quick look over at the Doctor before returning his attention to the robot. “It’s almost too incredible…” he replied, shaking his head in disbelief. “This thing dates back to before the Empire. Before Krystos. Before the Great Seal! When all the different houses were fighting amongst themselves.”

“What was—is—its function?”

Jason met the Doctor’s inquiring gaze steadily. “To seek out and eradicate the members of the Royal Bloodline.”

“What?” The Doctor threw a horrified look in the android’s direction. This was not what he expected to hear. It did, however, explain his companion’s obvious terror. Jason was a member of the Alterran Royal Bloodline, a trait identifiable by his sapphire blue eyes, which was the only thing he could not change when he transmuted.

“What does that mean?” Eroica wanted to know, now completely lost.

Jason closed his eyes and swallowed hard, pressing himself against the wall as the android turned to face him squarely. “Identify faction,” it repeated.

“I don’t have a faction!” the Alterran practically screamed back. “That ended millions of years ago!”

The robot buzzed as it analyzed this statement. “Insufficient data. Genetic traits, confirm. Royal Bloodline, confirm.”

“Doctor, shut it off!” Jason shouted as the chest of the robot started to open.

A split second later, a small box attached to a wire shot from within the automation’s chest, attaching itself to the terrified Alterran. The instant the object latched on to him, Jason screamed as ultrasonic pulses shot through his body.

The Doctor had no idea how he had even activated the android and was prevented from even trying to shut it off when it roughly knocked him to the floor.

Another scream was torn from Jason’s throat and he sank to his knees, his body shaking violently. To the horror of those watching, he suddenly turned completely white, small fractures appearing on his skin and clothing.

“K-9!” the Doctor called. “Destroy that android!”

“Master.” K-9 glided forward, firing his laser. It had no effect.

The Doctor cursed under his breath. “It’s shielded against lasers.”

Suddenly the Major was holding his gun against the android’s head. “I doubt it’s shielded against this,” he stated flatly and pulled the trigger, blowing the robot’s head into pieces and instantly ending the Alterran’s torment.

Jason let out a low moan and collapsed into an unconscious heap on the floor. The Doctor was instantly at his side, turning him onto his back. He yanked the offending box attached to the wire from the boy’s chest and threw it across the room.

“K-9, status report. Quickly!” he ordered.

K-9 glided over to him and extended his sensor disk in Jason’s direction. “Scanning.” After a few seconds, he reported, “Sensors detect thirty-five percent lattice damage. Energy levels and life signs at critical levels, Master.”

Jason was completely white from head to foot and covered with the fine fracture lines, both of which were telltale signs of the damage to his crystalline cell structure and the lattice holding it together. He was breathing in small, shallow gasps, his body shuddering from time to time.

The Doctor rose to his feet and crossed the room pressing a button on a wall panel. A bed silently slid out from behind it. When he turned back to his companion, he saw the Eroica had already lifted him from the floor and was carrying him to the bed.

The Major came over and watched in silence as the Doctor checked his companion again, covering him with a blanket. When the Time Lord looked up at him, he met his accusing gaze steadily. “You still wish to destroy the capsule?” he asked calmly.

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Yes.”

The Major nodded. “Then I suggest you get on with it.”

“And the android?” Eroica asked. “What of that?”

“I say blow it back to hell,” the Major replied as he lit a cigarette.

The Doctor exchanged an amazed look with Eroica. “You’ll forgive me, Major, but…what’s the catch?”

The officer gave him a steady look, blowing smoke into the air. “Catch?”

“Yes. A few minutes ago you were willing to kill of avoid going back empty-handed? I can’t believe you’d just change your mind for no good reason.”

The Major met his accusing gaze steadily. “Did I say I didn’t have a reason?” he snapped defensively. “I’ve seen what this boy—this Alterran—can do. Like you, he has incredible power, but doesn’t use it.” He threw a glance in the shattered android’s direction. “If that…thing can do this to him in less than a minute, what could it do to the people of this planet? I’d be an idiot to give that kind of technology to the imbeciles in Bonn.”

The Doctor blinked, stunned by the validity of the Major’s argument. “And your superiors?”

The Major gave a derisive snort. “This time, Doctor, it’s my decision to return empty-handed. If my superiors don’t like it, they can go to hell along with that android.”

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