Title: A Matter of Trust

Chapter 04: Dancing with a Blue Slug

Characters/pairings: Nine, Rose, Jack/Golup

Chapter Rating: PG-13- I don't think it's worth a NC-17

Disclaimer: Still not making money out of this. Characters are still belonging to RTD and the BBC.

Plot: From the end of The Doctor Dance and Boomtown, Jack and the Doctor went from hostile suspicion to reliable friendship, how did this happen?

Previous chapters' summary: Jack has surprised the Doctor with a simple but efficient solution to rid a planet of intergalactic drug traffickers, now it's time to make it work.

Warnings: none that I can think of, unless you have real body fluid aversion. (There's a slug involved)

Beta: imzadimylove

Jack had volunteered to destroy crops of maltac while the Doctor and Rose took care of the first harvested crop, already loaded aboard the traffickers' freighter that was still orbiting around Remona.

He'd watched the Tardis leaving with some apprehension. He was quick to pretend having no ties and not needing anyone since he'd ran off from home, shortly before he'd turned fifteen. Of course there was that old man who had taken him in off the street and took him under his protection. As long as Jack had been a time agent, he had made sure to come back to see him after each mission. In fact, to be true, he was a big sentimental refusing to admit it.

Destroying the maltac crops wouldn't be so complicated, but it would be demanding; it had to damage the irrigation system at least temporarily. The maltac was very sensitive to variations in water quantity. Jack with a bit of good will could even afford to do so to save other cultures from being ruined in the process. Jack had set to work very conscientiously. After that, he would go to rendezvous spot they had fixed.

He told the Doctor he would need about 10 hours. Everything was done within 8, but he got himself arrested while he was resting beside the river waiting for them. He was blamed for being inappropriately undressed. He tried to argue that taking a bath wearing clothes wasn't very appropriate, but the locals didn't seem to agree with his point of view.

The fact that he was a foreigner and he couldn't explain his presence in suitable terms had probably not helped. Initially, he considered his detention as a new episode, and faced it with nonchalance and good humour. Then the questions got punctuated by threats which turned into beatings.

A good deed is always rewarded, as his cowhide Aunty used to say. You amaze me! Jack thought. As if Aunty had ever known about good deeds.

Eventually, the guards grew tired of whacking him. Probably because he'd fainted. They left him alone sitting on a chair, hands tied behind his back. They had him put his trousers back on, but the rest of his belongings, including his precious manipulator, were spread out on an adjacent table. For now his pocket knife would probably be more useful if he could manage to get to it.

Before Jack ever had time to try crossing the room on his chair, the door popped open. A huge Bratag entered.

"I bet you're not a local either..." Jack couldn't help but joke.

The huge blue slug was certainly one of the traffickers.

"What are you doing here yourself? How did you get here?" the Bratag barked without preamble, catching Jack by the throat, almost dislocating his head from his spine.

"Eeht wshoud beee sier fsho me to anshwer e you pshout me dowwn," Jack managed to stammer.

Surprisingly the guy seemed to understand and put him down on his feet. He was however still strongly gripping Jack's throat in his huge paw. He examined him from every angle. There were probably not many Humans hanging around here.

"You smell funny."

Why doesn't that surprise me? Jack thought, here we are. There was really not that many species who could resist Kr'ttts pheromones.

"I bet you like it," he replied with a naughty smile.

Needless to try for subtlety, the seven feet tall slug was unlikely to discern the difference between a tempting smile from a disgusted grimace on a human face. Not that slug disgusted Jack. Nope, he had known some charming ones very slobbery of course. That said; it had the advantage of resolving any lubrication issues.

Jack opted for a direct attack and showed him his tongue, sticking it out as far as he could. Although he knew perfectly well he was obviously no match for his moist partner's.

Surprised, the Bratag dropped Jack, taking a step back so as to gauge him. If the Bratag had little chance to read Jack's expressions, the other way around wasn't true. Jack could tell the slug liked what he was offering.

Freed from his chair, Jack now had enough slack to work hard and discretely at undoing his bonds. He had to save time, and anyway he couldn't expect to win his jailer over with brute strength alone. Once again Jack showed him his tongue, waving it in all directions.

"You're a pretty little whore," the Bratag happily laughed. "But that won't help you with this present business. When I'm done with you, I'll give you to my crew to play with."

"That's pretty tempting," Jack replied with a smirk, "But wouldn't you prefer to keep me all to yourself?". Better to be cautious, if he couldn't get out of this mess to get back in time to the Tardis, he preferred to only have to deal with the freighter's captain than the entire crew. He would be more likely to reach the next port alive.

Jack was already late and he wasn't sure the Doctor would be inclined to wait very long for him at the rendezvous.

Jack was rewarded with a big slobbery lick. It was a bit sticky, but at least he didn't smell bad. Jack had managed to free himself but rather than trying to take this opportunity to push the slug away, he grabbed him and dragged him in.

"But, you really do like me," the creature said, taken aback by Jack's move. He slipped one of his big paws in Jack's trousers and under his pants patting the firm buttocks while licking with great delight the pheromones covering Jack's skin.

"Blue is my favourite colour," Jack replied playfully, rubbing his partner's erogenous zones with as much strength he could.

"Oh yes, you're good," The Bratag said salivating more and more. Jack was getting more and more slimy. The slug was rubbing frantically against Jack forgetting his purpose in being there. Jack let him play a moment, long enough for the Bratag to find his release.

Of course, Jack could have shoved a well placed knee into a strategic location, but as he had no guarantee of being able to run away from his new friend, he preferred not to upset him more than necessary. So as not to lose any opportunity to have fun and make things right, Jack guided the Bratag's paw where he wanted it to be. The slug had thick slick fingers, nice and filthy.

"Wow!" Jack commented withdrawing.

"You still have to tell me what you're doing here and how did you come," the slug spitted re arranging himself.

"It's a shame; I don't even know your name," Jack replied flirtatiously, putting his trousers back on, and heading quietly toward the table.

"Hey! Where you think you're going, like that?"

"You know I didn't have any weapon; I just want to get dressed."

"I'm Golup and you are?"

"Pretty name, Oh and don't seek for your weapon. I got it," Jack warned ordering him to stay away. He recovered his manipulator along with his knife and stuck them into his pocket. Then while wiping the slime roughly off of his chest with his T-shirt, he gestured Golup to step away from the door access.

"You must excuse me, but I'm expected."

"You won't get far."

"We'll see about that," Jack said locking the imprudent slug into the room behind him as he left.

Jack didn't have much trouble sneaking out of the improvised prison. Night had fallen, and walking through the village didn't prove to be a problem either. However, he was well overdue and wondered if going back to the rendezvous site was still useful. A knot formed in his throat. He didn't want to admit it. To mislead his anguish, he decided to take the time to check that the farmers hadn't yet discovered his sabotage.

"Nice work."

"You're still here?"

"You look surprised?"

"Well, I am a bit late."

"Jack, oh Lord! But what happened to you?" Rose shouted running towards him.

"I was delayed by a lovely slug."

"You're all ... Slimy."

"That's what you're exposing yourself to when dancing with slugs," the Doctor said.

"Oh, you wouldn't...?"

"I think I'd like to take a shower. May I?" Jack grinned.

"Permission to board granted, Captain."

To be continued...