Chapter Text
Jack poured himself a cup of coffee, taking a big gulp. Instantly he regretted it, making a disgusted face as he tried to swallow. The Doctor must have made this slop, it tasted like dishwater. Putting his mug in the galley sink of the Tardis, he glanced around the ship. He hadn't noticed till now that he was alone. Strange, they hadn't told him they were going out anywhere. Well, it's not like he would have been awake enough to understand after that night of shore leave he'd just had.
Grinning to himself, he toyed with the idea that they were somewhere lying together, finally admitting they loved each other and getting the — tension — out of their systems. Hardly likely, he shrugged, but the mental images of his two favorite people, naked and twisting together like silk and steel made Jack pause for a moment. Maybe if he was very good, they would invite him in to watch. Or record it for his personal collection. Or join in.
Shaking the images out of his mind he wandered off into the library to find a movie suitable for his improper thoughts. Popping in a video, he stretched his long legs out in front of him and watched the wonders of "Sex without Gravity". Intriguing, he thought to himself, spinning a woman slowly around an erection like a propeller.
"And we have lift off" he laughed settling in for some well deserved viewing pleasure.
The Doctor was angry, really really angry and he would not be shy telling Rose just how incredibly angry he could be at her. Stupid ape, thinking that she could go and just stop a fight with real guns and desperate slave traders wanting to run off with a Scotian princess. Who knew that there would be a parade that day and the Scotians' version of security would be signs warning people to stay away from the princess — or else. If Rose hadn't been involved in this mess, he would have almost laughed at the idiocy of the whole situation.
How did she manage to drag him into having to save her from herself every time they went out for a quick shopping trip? She'd flung herself between the princess and the slavers' nets, meaning of course they got her too. And he'd been behind throngs of parade goers thinking she was right by his side. But no — she'd wandered. Damn it, he would buy a collar and short leash for the little imp when he got her back, and give her a stern talking to about her need to drive him insane. He could just imagine her pout and the way her hand would reach for his as she tried not to giggle. It almost made him scream with frustration, how did she manage to make his life more complicated in a way he actually enjoyed? Any other companion would have been left behind ages ago with no regrets and a firm handshake. Maybe a hug. That got him to thinking about her hugs, all soft and fluffy and his totally inappropriate need for those hugs. No time for that now, he thought grimly and again almost laughed at the absurdity - no time.
The Scotian guards were of no help - they thought the signs would deter the kidnapping attempts. They were very forcefully written signs, the guard captain had explained to the Doctor. At the Doctor's incredulous look the guards had wandered back to the destroyed float arguing about who was going to tell the King that his fifteen year old daughter was grabbed by slavers. He could see them bickering about the broken signs and he closed his eyes for a minute to focus. What if they hurt Rose before he could find her, or send her off to some god forsaken planet, or - he would not think about the possibilities as he ran through the crowds.
He would never find her just running around like a lunatic, he headed towards the Tardis and cursed for the hundredth time since he'd seen them drag Rose and the princess off into the crowd. The slavers couldn't have gotten too far, someone would know where they were. He'd just have to persuade that someone to tell him what he needed to know. As he ran into his ship he fought back tears of rage and loss.
"Rose, where are you?" he silently asked. But of course, there was no answer.
Rose Tyler was screaming - loudly. She was screaming, swearing, threatening, and being quite ignored in the dark, cold cell. Princess Milley watched the human female in silent wonder. Females on her world never raise their voices in such a fashion. It was not dignified.
After kicking the door of their cell for the tenth time in as many minutes, Rose turned around and slid down the door, plotting and swearing under her breath. He hadn't stopped them from taking her, she thought peevishly. The little voice in the back of her head that reminded her that it was her own fault he was ten rows of people away at the time was decidedly ignored. She stared up at the ceiling and groaned.
"Miss - are you well?" the princess asked, her green eyes regarding Rose somberly. Rose shot a disbelieving glance at the girl. Young, dark hair and large innocent green eyes - and not in the least concerned that they were being held in a dark, smelly holding cell. Rose could swear she heard rats scurrying just beyond the walls. She hated rats even worse than she hated being locked up without the Doctor. He always made a game of it, making her laugh and saying something just short of flirting with her. She took a deep breath. No Doctor today, missy, she reminded herself. He wouldn't have a clue where she was so she was on her own for now.
"Well? No I'm not well - we've been kidnapped. How are you so calm?"
"This is the way it has always been. The slavers take who they can grab and our government pays the ransom. I'll be returned within hours. Really, there was no reason for you to get involved." The girl stared at Rose like this was the most normal conversation to have with the cold chill of evening seeping into the little cell. Rose shivered and started back at the princess.
"This has happened to you before?" Rose asked bluntly.
"Oh yes, many times. They won't hurt me, my father pays very well. But you - you don't seem to be royalty. They may decide to just kill you since you are of no value to them."
"Kill me? Not bloody likely. I'm getting out of here just as soon as he -" No. Wait. Will not wait for him to come get the stupid ape out of this stupid situation. Just this once, Rose thought smugly, I'm gonna get myself out of a mess. The voice that reminded her that this mess was her own fault was again ignored. But just barely.
DRDRDR
Jack was feeling good, watching videos and remembering the night before. Lovely boys that he'd met had taken him for a few drinks at the local nightclub. Ah, Errok and Ardplace — twins were always so much fun to drink with especially with names like that. All it took was Jack asking to be put between "Errok and a Ardplace" and the night had taken on so many more shades of nasty. Licking his lips at the memories, he let one hand wander down to his belt buckle and sighed.
"JACK!" a voice shouted hoarsely causing Jack to jump off the couch and bump his leg into the table, spilling his drink. He looked down at it and sighed. So much for relaxing. At least the bottle hadn't fallen off the table.
That voice. That damned loud no nonsense voice was getting closer and Jack would have to determine if something was indeed wrong - or if the Doctor had found the entry form Jack filled out in the Doctor's name for the "Sexiest Geriatric Alien" contest on Tevron III. It was just a joke really. Sort of. Okay, not really, but the guy really needed to loosen up a little.
The Doctor stormed into the library and started yelling some more, cold blue eyes glittering like icy flames. Jack just stood there and listened. Yes, okay — Rose, slavers, nets. Typical Rose, trying to rescue someone without thinking it through, made her even more beautiful to Jack, really. He pulled his boots on and asked the Doctor what species the princess was.
"What difference does that make?" the Doctor thundered, kicking the table again. Jack watched silently as his bottle of 400 year old Saurian brandy just fell off the table and shattered. He turned back to his furious host and sighed.
"Well, if we knew what she was, we could figure out who would want to take her," Jack answered calmly.
"Scotian. I'm not too familiar with their customs since they really keep to themselves."
"You aren't familiar with their customs because you tend to stay away from cultures that like to have a good time," Jack shot back, suddenly irritated. He ran to the console room with an urgency that worried the Doctor, stopping only to grab his jacket and the sonic blaster in its holster that was hung outside the library door. As they ran, Jack explained the situation.
Scotian royals liked getting kidnapped, it was like a game to them to see who could fetch the biggest ransom. Usually they'd pay the kidnappers off and the slavers would use the money buying supplies and helping the economy. Quite respectable all things considered, even if the slavers were really only highly paid servants of the royals. All would be well till the next time - unless an off worlder got caught up in the fun - they would scare them a bit and tell them they were about to be killed, then the unsuspecting idiot would be stranded miles away with no help in getting back to their ship. It was all pointless stupidity, but occasionally, people did not find their way back. He'd be willing to bet, Rose was never a British Girl Scout.
"And of course there are the Vertaks," Jack mumbled. The Doctor glared at Jack as he remembered Vertaks from other adventures - huge 10 foot beasts with twenty rows of sharp teeth. Like a giant grizzly bear with three eyes and foot long claws. Apparently they thrived here. The Doctor would really need to pay more attention to where he landed the Tardis, all he had been thinking is that Rose wanted some pretty jewelry and this planet seemed to have some good bargains. He wondered, as he often did lately, if he should just take Rose home and keep her from getting killed. He seemed to not be able to think when she was near him and that bothered him more than he let on to her. He must really be getting careless as he aged, he thought bitterly.
"So all we have to do is get to the caves where the off worlders are abandoned before Rose wanders off into the night and breaks a leg or something," Jack finished saying as he fed the correct coordinates into the Tardis. The Doctor didn't even ask Jack how he knew to do that as the ship decided to start up and dematerialize.
"And how is it you know so much about this - custom?" the Doctor asked, voice low. Jack didn't meet his eyes.
"Um. Well, might have heard a few things, done - a few things. Does it matter? The important thing is to get our Rose back before she gets herself lost in the mountains and comes across some Vertaks."
Rose was forcibly taken from the cell and marched into a room that was even darker and smellier. A lone hooded figure stood in the middle of the room, face hidden in shadows. It seemed humanoid but Rose could not really tell in the darkness. It came nearer and spoke in low raspy tones.
"You - are human," the voice accused.
"Yes, I am." Rose did her best Doctor impersonation and her voice came out strong. Well as strong as it could be since she was shivering from the cold. How did these people stand it at night?
"Usually we kill off worlders. We don't like them getting involved in our games. Do you know what a Vertak is, my dear?" The figure hadn't moved, but the rasping voice seemed to circle around her like a floating venom. She shivered again, this time not entirely from the cold. She looked down at the floor, thinking.
"No, but I'm sure you're gonna tell me," she spat out, defiant. The figure laughed as it told her how the creatures slowly ripped strips of flesh from its prey, delighting in the slow torture that could last for hours before death claimed the victim.
"Are you fast enough to outrun that kind of danger, Rose?" the figure asked. Her head shot up and she moved closer to the hooded figure. Instantly strong arms encircled her waist and she struggled to free herself as the figure darted back into shadow. Whoever was holding her knew how to restrain prisoners.
"Let me go," she shouted. The arms were immobile and like steel. The figure was at a window now, glancing out. Rose could see that it seemed to stare off into the distance, searching for something, before turning back to her.
"The little fool thinks that her daddy's servants kidnapped her and that she is going home soon. This world is so easily conquered, pity you won't be around long enough to see our triumph," the voice sneered at her as the figure came closer. Removing its hood, Rose gasped as she saw just who had captured her and the princess.
It was the captain of the guard detail assigned to protect the float. And he was aiming a big gun right at her.