CHAPTER EIGHT

The Doctor and Turlough arrived at KGB Headquarters to find it in chaos. The death of Ivanov and disappearance of Iron Klaus had turned everything on its head and the powers that be were scrambling to keep a lid on things as well as cover their political asses.

The Doctor and his companion were taken to the Director Chebrikov’s office to learn that he had already been informed as to the reason for their visit—more or less. The Doctor found it amusing that, in order not to raise the suspicions of the already suspicious KGB, the Director had been informed that the pair had been moles within the British scientific community who had recently been extracted so as not to “rock the boat” in the furtherance of the General Secretary’s new policies.

Then the mess with Iron Klaus had gone and upset the apple cart.

“You’re a day late, Comrade Doctor,” the Director said gravely.

“I don’t understand?” the Doctor replied, exchanging a bewildered look with Turlough.

“The equipment you came to investigate has already been shut down.”

“It has?”

“There was an…accident.”

The Doctor’s eyebrows went up. “Accident? If you could be a bit more specific?”

Director Chebrikov sighed heavily. “There was an agent here. From the West. A guest of the General Secretary, in fact. He was being given a demonstration of the equipment when one of my people…intervened, shall we say.”

“I’m going to assume there was an altercation.”

“To put it mildly. My man was killed and one of the West’s top intelligence officers was pushed into the matter transmitter,” the Director said darkly.

The Doctor’s mouth dropped open. This would not sit too well with the West. And considering the volatile political state… “What was the reaction of the West when…?” His voice trailed off when a disconcerted expression came to the Director’s face. “You haven’t told them yet, have you?”

“No. I haven’t even told the General Secretary yet.”

The Doctor’s eyebrows went up. “You’ll pardon my saying this, but you will have to tell them sooner or later.”

“I am rather hoping for later. After you and your associate have verified that the equipment is faulty and there was nothing we could do to prevent Iron Klaus from—”

“Iron Klaus!” the Doctor gasped. “Major von dem Eberbach, that Iron Klaus?

“Yes. You know his reputation?”

“To say the least.”

“Then you also understand my…concerns.”

“Only too clearly.” The Doctor knew all about the ongoing campaign of the KGB to get hold of the NATO officer. He could not help but wonder at the events that had transpired that would see the Major willingly entering the lion’s den, as it were. “We won’t say anything, Comrade Director,” the Doctor said finally. “The General Secretary wishes that we investigate the equipment. We’ll give our findings to you once we’ve finished and you can pass them on to the appropriate agencies.”

The Director nodded approvingly. “If you would like to get started, I’ll have someone take you to the experimental section.”

“I’m supposed to be having some equipment delivered, too,” the Doctor informed.

“It will be taken to the experimental level when it arrives.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

Hangar Bay 287
Moscow, Russia
November 2620

The journey to the ARGO was not a lengthy one, but it was still long enough to completely exhaust the already exhausted Major. Jason could feel the officer growing steadily weaker as the journey progressed, taking more and more of his weight as they went. The elevator taking the group to the hangar level gave a slight jolt when it arrived at the correct floor, which was all that was necessary for the Major’s knees to finally give way.

“Alright, that’s enough walking for you,” Jason said calmly as he swept the officer into his arms. The doors opened at that moment and he strode swiftly toward his waiting shuttle.

Klaus was almost grateful when he was lifted from the floor and caught himself on the verge of relaxing. No, don’t relax! It’s too dangerous. Don’t relax. The Earl’s a civilian. He won’t know it’s a trick. Don’t let your guard down! Think, dammit!

The Major struggled to concentrate his still scrambled brain. He attempted to protest, but was too weak to manage more than a few growled words before his strength finally failed him and he passed out.

“Major!” Eroica gasped when he saw the Major’s head slump against Jason’s shoulder.

“Don’t panic, Dorian, he’s alright,” Jason said calmly. “Between the trip down the time corridor and the mind probe, he’s completely tapped out.” He threw a quick look over to his pilot. “Sully, the hatch, please.”

Sully jogged ahead, opening the ARGO’s main hatch.

Eroica took in the Prince’s shuttle in an awestruck silence. It was the first alien space ship he had ever seen. Well, yes, he’d seen the Doctor’s TARDIS, but that wasn’t what one would call a normal space ship. After all, it looked like a Police Box, for pity’s sake. And it was bigger on the inside than on the outside—and a time machine. Then again, he had seen the space ship that was trapped in a glacier in Iceland, but that was only large enough to hold a single occupant. The ARGO was enormous by comparison.

If this is a shuttle, what does a normal space ship look like? Eroica wondered as he hesitantly followed Jason inside.

Jason made straight for the sickbay, placing the Major on an examination couch that was against the far wall. He touched a button and a display came to life above the table.

Eroica watched in a combination of fascination and ill ease as Jason checked the Major’s condition. Then the Alterran went to the computer where his fingers practically flew over an entry pad, punching in information faster than Eroica ever thought possible. It wasn’t until a small silver cylinder appeared in Jason’s hand that the thief became suspicious. Is this for real? Or is it as the Major said? A KGB trick.

“What is that?” Eroica heard himself practically demanding.

Jason turned, the Earl’s suspicious tone surprising him. “It’s a deranger drug, if that tells you anything.”

“Deranger?”

“Yes. The Major’s brain chemistry is out of whack, thanks to that horror of modern technology. This will help it get back to normal.”

Eroica hesitantly drew nearer, giving the officer a closer look. He was out cold. “What…?” Looking up, he asked, “What happens if you don’t give it to him?”

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “Dorian, don’t you trust me anymore?”

Eroica met the inquiring gaze. “I trust Jason. I’m…just not sure…”

“—if that’s who I am.” Jason completed with a small sigh. “Fair enough. You’ve had an awful lot thrown at you in the last couple of hours.” He threw a quick glance at his patient. “If I don’t use the medication, nothing will happen. It will just take a lot longer for the Major’s system to get back to normal.”

This seemed reasonable. “How much longer?” Eroica then asked.

“Days instead of hours.” Jason turned to the bed and injected the medication before Dorian could object further. “And I don’t have days.”

Eroica took a small, fearful step back. This could not be the same Jason Krystovan that he remembered. He couldn’t image the mild mannered Alterran with that look of unbridled rage he had seen in the mind probe room. He had seen the Major with that look in his eyes. The look of a man who could kill without a second thought.

Jason started to remove the Major’s jacket, returning Eroica to reality and regaining his full attention. “What’re you doing?” he asked in as even a tone as possible.

“What do you think I’m—” Jason broke off, recalling who he was speaking to. “Check that. It’s not what you think,” he replied. “He’ll be out for a while. I’m just making him more comfortable.” He went on to remove the officer’s tie and loosen his shirt, finishing up by removing his shoes. “That should do,” he said as he covered his patient with a blanket. “He’ll be back to his bad-tempered self as soon as he wakes up.”

Eroica gave a weak smile when the Alterran glanced at him.

Jason hung up the Major’s jacket and turned to face him. “And now you…” he said mildly.

“What about me?”

“Will you at least let me have a look at those bruises on your face?”

Eroica’s eyes grew wide. “What bruises on my face?”

Jason could not help but grin at this. He directed the thief to a mirror, watching in an amused silence as Eroica appraised the damage the Captain had done to his face, which only compounded the damage done by the Lieutenant in the Lubyanka.

“Bloody hell!” Eroica gasped. He looked down at the spots of blood on his suit coat. “This is an Armani suit. And I’m bleeding all over it. Look at me.”

“I have been.”

“James will have a stroke when he sees this,” Eroica said as he tried unsuccessfully to dab up the blood with his handkerchief. He looked up and said accusingly, “Why didn’t you tell me I looked like this before you waltzed me through that building?”

“What would you’ve done? Changed your clothes and put some makeup on?”

“Yes!”

Jason’s eyebrows went up. He knew Dorian was vain, but didn’t realize he was that vain. He shook his head, indicating another examination bed. “Hop up there and I’ll take care of that cut for you.”

Eroica’s eyes narrowed. “How?”

“I have a few tricks up my sleeve,” the Alterran Healer replied with a grin. “I have something I can put on the bruises that’ll conceal them until they heal.”

Eroica considered before agreeing and climbing onto the table. “Alright,” he replied, having to stifle a yawn at the same time. “Oh dear, pardon me.”

“I think after we’re finished here, I should get you to bed.” Jason saw an all too familiar look flash across the thief’s face and quickly added, “To sleep.”

“Spoilsport.”

* * *

The Lubyanka
Moscow, Soviet Union
August 1987

The Doctor’s TARDIS was delivered to the experimental section within minutes of his arrival. It was placed in a room not too far from where the experimental matter transmitter was housed.

“Alright, Doctor,” Turlough sighed. “We’re here. Now what do we do, exactly?”

“First, we take a few readings,” the Time Lord replied as he unlocked the TARDIS and entered. “We need to see if there’s any temporal leakage.”

Turlough scowled. “Temporal leakage?”

“Yes. A device like that can cause all kinds of damage to the—” The Doctor broke off when the communication system gave a beep. “Now what?” He gave his companion a long suffering look. “Go to the workshop and clear my workbench, will you? I’ll meet you there after I’ve seen what they want now.”

“Gladly,” Turlough replied as he vanished through the inner door.

The Doctor acknowledged the incoming hail and then listened in amazement as Jason’s message was relayed to him.

* * *

ARGO Sickbay
Hangar Bay 287
Moscow, Russia
November 2620

As Jason applied the artificial skin to Eroica’s face, he noticed the thief seemed to be relaxing slightly. “Do you still think I’m not the real thing?” he asked mildly.

Eroica gave the Alterran a steady look. “I don’t know what to think. You…look like the Jason I knew. And you certainly sound like him.”

Jason’s eyebrows went up. “But…?” he prompted. “How am I different than before?” he asked, adding quickly, “Other than the clothes, that is.”

“Clothes! Bugger the clothes. You’re a Prince. I don’t remember that ever coming up.”

“Well, that’s because I wasn’t a Prince then.” Jason drew a deep breath. “My planet has a very strange act of succession. Our King died rather suddenly, and without issue. Unlike your country, where they just pluck up the next available relative, on my planet, the oldest member of the Royal Bloodline is successor. Unfortunately, that happened to be my father.”

Eroica’s eyebrows went up. “Unfortunately?”

“I make a lousy Crown Prince.”

Eroica could not help but laugh at the downcast expression on Jason’s face.

“My God, Dorian, was that an actual laugh?”

“I haven’t been that serious, surely?”

“You haven’t exactly been flouncing around the room, either.”

“Jason, I did get beaten up,” Eroica pointed out darkly. “That Captain hit me. In the face!”

“Jason!” the Alterran squeaked. “Finally.”

Eroica sat up and made a show of pushing his blond curls over one shoulder. “I can’t exactly call you ‘Hey, you,’ can I?”

“No, but if you really thought I were someone else, you’d call me ‘your highness,’” Jason pointed out.

“Perhaps…”

Jason flashed a broad smile. “Hop down from there. You can sleep in the guest cabin.”

Eroica stiffened slightly. “Can’t I just…sleep here?” he asked nervously.

“Here?” Jason replied guardedly. He threw a meaningful glance at the peacefully sleeping Klaus across the room.

“It’s not like that!” Eroica said defensively. “I just… I’d rather not be alone.”

“Why?”

Eroica shifted uncomfortably. “It’s a bit embarrassing, actually.”

“Dorian, if you want me to leave you alone, in the same room with the Major while he’s incapable of killing you should you decide to crawl into bed with him, you’d better give me a damn good reason why.”

“Christ, you really are Jason, aren’t you?”

“Yes. And you’re avoiding the question.”

“Alright.” Eroica drew a deep breath, explaining about his encounter with a statue that seemed to move on its own.* Its subsequent disappearance after apparently saving his life. How this was followed by his inability to sleep alone, fear of the dark, of shadows, of…practically everything.**
* Eau de Cologne: Seduction On The Rhine
** Emperor Waltz

Jason was taken aback by this admission. “When did all this happen?”

“A few months ago.”

“And you still—”

Eroica held up his hands. “No, no. I’m cured. Well…for the most part.”

“For the most part?”

“What good is a thief who’s afraid of the dark? Anyway, when the opportunity to act as a legitimate art appraiser came my way, I jumped at it. Just in case I relapsed or something.”

“Uh, huh.”

“You don’t believe me,” Eroica said sulkily.

“I might…” Jason countered. He pulled a small pouch from his pocket. “If you hadn’t been carrying the pocket dimension the Doctor gave you in Iceland. Complete with a false lining and loaded with some very impressive trinkets.”

“I’m not retired yet.”

Jason gave him a disapproving sideways glance.

“Anyway,” Eroica went on defensively, “the Doctor said I could keep everything I stole.”

“I don’t recall his including this in the deal.”

“He didn’t not include it, either.”

Jason rolled his eyes, accepting defeat. There was no way he would win a logical argument against Dorian’s convoluted logic. He held out the pouch. “Okay, here. You might as well have this back.”

Eroica grinned and quickly pocketed the pouch. “So, can I stay here, then?”

“Dorian, if you don’t behave yourself, I’ll take the concealer off your face and make you walk around—”

“I promise to behave myself,” Eroica said quickly, holding up his right hand. “Swear on the Bible, cross my heart, whatever you say.”

Jason gave him a steady look and finally relented. He already knew that it would be impossible for Dorian to get near the Major. He had placed an energy field around the officer to assist in the healing process. It was only a matter of pressing a few more buttons to turn it into a force field. If Dorian did try to touch the Major, he would be in for a very nasty shock. Which would serve him right for lying to me, Jason thought, a knowing smile coming to his face.

“Give me your jacket,” the Alterran said suddenly. “I’ll have it cleaned while you’re sleeping.”

“You’ll never get the blood out,” Eroica pouted as he removed the stained garment.

“Oh, you’d be surprise.”

Eroica gave the Alterran a steady look. “After all that’s happened, I doubt it.”

“Touché.”

Jason exchanged a blanket for the suit coat. “I have to contact a few people. I’ll be back to check on you both in a couple hours.” He watched as Eroica wrapped himself in the blanket and kicked off his shoes before laying back on the padded surface. He received a nervous look and gave a small smile. “You will be safe aboard the ARGO, Dorian. I hope you believe that.”

Eroica nodded but did not reply.

Jason chose not to press the issue. He headed for the door, turning down the lights in the room before he left, the door closing noiselessly behind him.

Eroica pulled the blanket tighter around himself. He looked across the room where the Major was still sleeping soundly. It was strangely comforting being this close to him, knowing he might awaken at any moment. Of course, he would probably yell at him for being in the same room, not that that mattered. At least it would be something familiar in the midst of so much alien technology, Eroica thought as he lay watching the lights flashing on the panel above the Major’s bed. Within a few minutes, and without even realizing, he dozed off.

* * *