Disclaimer: I don't in any way own the series Doctor Who. It is the sole property of BBC.
Note: This is set after Boom Town and the Book Stealers of Dreams. This will become an Alternate Universe in the sequel.
The Quest for Damara
Chapter One
Planet Sarkios
Krista Hope was having a lovely holiday. The planet of Sarkios was beautiful, rich in culture and she came at the right time: a Festival would be starting in a couple of days.
Krista eyed her purchases from the previous day. She fingered the material of the robe that all the locals seemed to be wearing. Her friend Shaune back home had said to go native whenever possible. Krista figured that her friend would know as the woman's job happened to be anthropology. Krista laughed, a bubbly sound that lifted her own spirits considering her last break up.
"All right, Shaune, I'm going native." Krista commented out loud to herself. She quickly donned the white translucent robe over a yellow bikini bodysuit. In the mirror the garment flowed over her mocha colored skin producing a healthy glow. It seemed to accentuate not just her body but her face as well, softening the angles of her face and adding a gleam in her rich chocolate eyes.
Krista decided she would most defiantly be going out that night. She knew that her luck in finding someone to love was about to change.
The whine of the TARDIS rotor slowing filled the vaulted coral chamber. The time machine landed with a resounding thud that jolted her partner and his companions.
The tall blue eyed Time Lord grinned maniacally at his ship's easy landing. "Well, here we are."
"And where is here?" the young blonde woman asked. Her loose hair dangled, along with silver hooped earrings, invading the Doctor's space brushing against the console and into his face. She was simply dressed, in hip hugging jeans and a T-shirt with a wolf howling at the moon design, trying to catching the Doctor's eyes.
From his spot the third occupant, sporting black jeans and blue shirt covered by his World War Two greatcoat, smiled at the other two dancing but couldn't help butting in. "Oh, Rosie, half the fun is not knowing until we walk out the door."
The Doctor grinned shifting away from Rose's alluring, if overpowering, scent, leaning his hip against the console and folding his black leather clad arms. "Jack's right. Are you trying to spoil the fun?"
Rose rolled her eyes and thought, 'The Doctor most likely doesn't want to be laughed at if he gets it wrong.' She pranced over to where her red jacket hung over one of the TARDIS struts. Rose ran a loving hand over a coral pillar in a silent thanks. The Tardis gave a hum of appreciation. "Well let's go then."
Pushing away from the console the Doctor strode down the ramp. He held open the door gesturing the two out. Once they were all out he made sure that the blue police box was secured before looking about. "The year four billion, the Planet Sarkios, nearing the end of the soul matches."
"Soul matches. What's that?" asked Rose marveling at the alien scenery. The outer city appeared to be comprised of thousands of large trees with three to four intertwined in the middle creating housing and shops of sorts. The center of the metropolis had huge domed structures that looked like they were constructed of baked bricks. The bright yellow sun shone through the clouds which were a light grey, holding a promise of rain to come.
"Well Soul Matches are just what you would think: a soul bond. Plato called them soulmates, one being split into two. Nice enough chap, but a little stuffy. The Sarkion, about one thousand years ago, found a way to match their people to those that were most compatible physically and mentally. It became all the rage across the galaxies." The Doctor lectured as he took Rose's hand and lead her down to the city limits.
Rose listened intently reaching back to take Jack's hand and pull him along, not wanting to lose anyone in the throng of people that were beginning to grow around them with each step. The Sarkion on a whole were very interesting. They stood about six to seven feet tall, varying shades of colors from black, brown, grey, and everything in between, with the exception of purple. They had slightly elongated noses and mouths, pointed ears like a dogs but further down resembling a human, and a fine fur that covered their bodies; Rose assumed it covered the whole body.
"Hey Doc, is that a sentient garment?" Jack asked observing the people's clothing around them as the material practically moved on its own. The white filmy material, had a solid back panel attached to two other panels at the shoulders which created a front down to the upper thighs, the bottom of the garment changed into serrated strips of cloth. The same fabric also came down from the shoulders only appearing solid when the person's arms were down at their sides. The Sarkion's sides were exposed if left untied. Many cinched in the waist with a belt or sash. The material appeared to caress over arms and legs, sometimes stopping other individuals; to those it happened to, an intense look of joy moved over their faces.
The Doctor looked back at his American companion and gave a shake of his head. He noticed that the ex-time agent eyeing the inhabitants and tourists in his normal manner. "Not quite. It's manufactured, not sentient, though the chemicals in the material are reacting to the pheromones and mental impulses of individuals, making them appear to be sentient."
"Why is it so crowded?" Rose inquired. She pressed herself closer to the Doctor as they moved with the crowd, too distracted by being bustled about to listen properly to the Doctor words, missing the meaning.
The Doctor slowed more from the amount people rather than being tired or the comfort of his companions. "I believe we arrived at the festival for the Goddess Damara." He stated loud enough for both Rose and Jack to hear.
Rounding the next corner, in which had a large circular common area stood a beautiful female statue surrounded by food, flowers and other types of offerings in a large circular common area. "Yep. The Festival of Damara."
"And what kind of Goddess was she?" Rose asked staring up at the statue of a half naked woman carved belly round with child, with another that was feeding from one exposed breast. Rose had a sneaking suspicion that she knew what the answer would be.
"The Goddess of fertility of course;" this was in stereo as both the Doctor and Jack responded at the same time. Jack's laughter was contagious and made Rose giggle, and even the Doctor emitted an amused snort over their combined response.
As the crowd surged again the three moved forward. The Doctor led them out into the shopping section of the city. Though shops seemed to be doing a brisk business, it appeared less crowded than where they had first entered. Rose continued to hold both of her companions' hands, still not sure that she wouldn't lose one or both of them in the crowd.
The shops were interesting: there seemed to be storefronts, but most had booths out on the walkway. Trinkets, baubles and food were aplenty. They kept moving until something caught the Doctor's eyes.
Seeing the stall he stopped at, Rose gave a resigned sigh and thought, 'Of course the Doctor would find a parts shop.' Rose would have sighed again when Jack seemed just as interested with all the gadgets; instead she stuck her tongue between her teeth and just smiled knowingly. 'Men and their toys,' she thought. She looked around, half wanting to move on and half just enjoying being with her friends.
Friends: that's what they were, but on occasion Rose thought she'd wouldn't mind changing that. Well, not with Jack; he was just too fly-by-night, but the Doctor he was intense, charismatic and lonely. Not the best reasons of course, but she felt like he needed her. It wasn't about being physical either, well, not only about being physical, but Rose didn't know if that could even be a possibility. If it wasn't possible, it really didn't matter; she loved the Doctor. Rose shook her head and spotted something, which she couldn't quite make out at a stall across from where they were standing.
The two men were so engrossed in what they were doing that they barely heard Rose or noticed that neither had ahold of her anymore. "I'll be right back, yeah."
The blonde woman wormed her way over to the stall that had gotten her interest. The booth contained all types of jewelry: rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, armbands and all sorts of things that Rose didn't know the names of. There were three things that stood out to her. The one which originally caught her attention, a pair of long flashy earrings that she just knew her mum would love. Now that Rose stood there a few different pieces also made an impression. One being a wristband that could have been worn by either a male or a female, and really it just screamed Captain Jack Harkness to her. The other was in a velvet type box which held three rings: one large band, definitely meant for a man the other two were smaller, seeming more for a female. They were engraved with circular markings that really grabbed her attention. She had seen similar symbols before but only in one place: on the TARDIS, around the console room and in the library. Rose had no idea what the markings said, for the TARDIS didn't translate the Doctor's native language.
"Hello, my dear. What interests you?" A six foot Sarkion stood on the other side of the stall. His fur had a faint blue tinge to it that appeared to be fading and eyes a warm coffee brown. Rose liked that he appeared to be friendly and wasn't try to push items on her.
"I know what I'm interested in, but I'm unsure about the prices." Rose flushed, wishing she had asked the Doctor about the currency before leaving him and Jack.
The Shopkeeper's smile never faltered as he gestured to a sign, as if not for the first time he'd been asked that question. "It's quite simple. For the Festival of Damara all shops are doing trade instead of currency."
"Oh." Rose said suddenly aware of how little she had on her. She closed her eyes and thought about what she precisely did have, fingering the beaded bracelet that she wore and the two rings on her right ring and pinky fingers. Rose also had a locket that she gotten from her mum the last time she'd been home but that had been a very late gift from her father, a man she'd only met once - she couldn't see herself parting with it.
The Sarkion vendor could see the human female pondering her options. "Miss why don't you show me what you were looking at, and we can see what kind of deal we can make."
Rose gave the man a considering look then nodded. She pointed to the three items that had interested her. She let the shopkeeper handle them, not wanting to get in any trouble. She could just imagine the look on the Doctor's handsome face if she inadvertently caused a commotion: pained and stating quite clearly stupid ape.
"You have varying tastes."
Rose smiled and shook her head. "They're not for me."
The shopkeeper brighten, "You are the first I've ever heard that from."
"Really? I mean I do shop for myself but not as often as some would think." She looked back at where the Doctor and Jack still stood sifting through parts.
"Ah mates can be like that. I should know. Deria does the same." The Sarkion chuckled.
Rose blushed and thought to dissuade the alien keeper but decided it was too much of a bother. "So, um, what..."
He chuckled once again, "So what do you think you could part with for these items."
The blonde quickly reached for her dangling earrings, carefully slipping them off, then looked down at her rings and bracelet and removed them as well. Hesitating only slightly Rose open her hand showing the shopkeeper. "How about these?"
The man took them as if they were the crown jewels and inspected them quite thoroughly. "These seem to be just the right price for trading."
"Are you sure?" Rose seemed a little taken aback by the shopkeeper's instant agreement. They had been manufactured back in the 21st century and were really just trinkets that didn't have any worth. Then again she was in the future where the Earth had become a recreation to watch from a distance; with no one allowed down to the planet itself. It was more than likely that any jewelry or any other type of things would be considered heirlooms - or didn't even exist.
The Sarkion man flashed a brilliant toothy smile. "Quite sure."
He packaged her purchases and handed them over. His smile remained in place as he watched the young woman walk away, but another customer drew him before he saw if she'd made it to her mates. To the Sarkion he thought it unusual occurrence to have two, and, seeing as she was spoken for, he had not warned her of females disappearing in the last year.
Rose left the vendor happy in her trade. The crowd seemed to have become larger since she'd been at the jewelry shop, and she hoped that the guys were still at the parts stall. In a little desperation she called out as the force of the crowd pushed her in the opposite direction. "Doctor! Jack!"
Rose knew it to be useless; she was too far away, and she barely manage not to be trampled, being smaller than most of the people in the street. Rose heaved a relieved breath when she finally found an area that nobody occupied. Standing between two large tree roots that comprised the shops, she realized that she stood in what would be called an alley way back home.
During that time, Rose hadn't noticed that she'd been followed from the shop into the same alleyway. The large figure approached. A light and whirring were the only indication Rose had before her world disappeared into darkness.