Jenny's head was splitting down the middle. There was an annoying sound like nails on a chalkboard disrupting her blissful quiet sleep. A sleep not bombarded by images of time and space and voices. The sound was almost like metal grinding against metal, and it was close.
"I swear to god Foreman, if you pissed off the Sontarans again…" she mumbled. Her pillow was lumpy and uncomfortable too… She tried to adjust it, but it didn't move. Damn pillow. She sat up groggily, locked her fingers together and slammed them down as hard as she could onto the offending lump with three well placed whacks.
Tham's screams of pain sobered her up quickly. He was doubled over, holding his crotch and contorted his face into what she can only assume be the pain of a thousand deaths. He was sitting cross legged, with her pillow on his lap. His boney shins must have been what she was feeling… it better have been his shins.
"What the hell were you doing?" Jenny demande furiuosly. Why was he in her bed. Why was her head in his lap? Jenny grabbed the sides of her head and sat back down. Tham's choking coughs were somewhat satisfying, knowing he was in as much pain as she was. "What was that god awful sound?"
"Oh, you ungrateful harpy!" Tham choked. "I fell asleep…"
"That was YOU?" Jenny asked astonished. "It sounded like the hull was being ripped apart by an asteroid, but slowly… Like… like the titanic when it struck the icebergs… that sick wrenching sound that lets everyone know, 'hey you're about to die a slow and horrible death!'. "
"Yes… It was me, I snore!" Tham sat up on the bed and steadied himself. His knees were as far apart as he could get them and he took some deep breaths, trying to calm down. "Not like you're any better! Foreman!"
Foreman rolled into view, wearing his Fedora and white tie. He looked at the two of them and kept silent.
"Oh Foreman, good buddy! You have any sound recordings of Jenny when she sleeps?" Tham asked with a grin.
"Oh I do NOT make that sound!" Jenny said indignantly.
Brwaaaaaannnnzzzzzzz emitted from Foreman. Jenny looked modified.
"Foreman! I do not sound like that!" She said
"Observational recording, last night 22:00 hours." Foreman said indifferently. Without another word, he spun around and headed back to the cargo bay.
"What's his problem?" Tham asked, and stretched back down on the bed.
"I don't know..." Jenny said thoughtfully. She uncrossed her legs, planted her foot on Tham's shoulder and slid him off her bed. Than gave her a protesting look from the floor. "I don't want you in my bed." With that, she grabbed the covers, threw them over her, and then snagged all the pillows. It was only a second before she was back asleep.
The sound of laser fire startled her awake. Her head still throbbed from her hangover, but not as much as last time. The sounds of scorching explosions came from the cargo bay… again. She was going to just close it, and jettison them both and be done with it. All she wanted was quiet. Peace and quiet.
Jenny got out of bed and stormed down the hall. She pushed the button to enter the Cargo bay and saw Foreman and Tham standing on other ends of the the bay, both behind stacked up empty canisters. Tham was laughing and shooting out from behind the canisters, and Foreman was behind his own fort returning fire.
She was going to kill both of them.
She was about to start screaming when Tham looked up and saw her, probably realizing the look on her face was not a good one. He smiled and waved.
"Hold up, Foreman!" He said with a chuckle. "Hey babe! You sleep okay?"
"Babe? That's a big no right there! And I was sleeping perfectly before a firefight broke out in my cargohold... Again! What is with you two!?"
"Oh, oh! This?" Tham said, holstering his weapon. Foreman came out from behind his cover and rolled next to Tham. "Oh no, Honey." Jenny shot him a dirty look. Tham just gave her a rogueish smile "... Jenny. We're only practicing! If I sit around, my skills get rusty, and Foreman here agreed to help me in a live fire combat situation. He assured me his death ray was turned to it's lowest settings.. He even got me twice!" Tham showed a scorched hole in his shoulder and leg. The skin was blistered underneath but it was superficial. Only a second degree burn.
"And your gun?" Jenny said, crossing her arms and giving them both the universal 'this woman is pissed' look.
"Oh.. um, it doesn't have a setting… but look!" Tham said. She was frozen at the mere speed he drew his weapon and fired off a shot that hit Foreman's dome.
Jenny screamed and rushed over to Foreman. The blast left a scorch mark but his dome was fine. She looked him over and counted sixteen other blasts. If they had his his eyestalk or arms, they could have caused some damage.
Tham stood grinning at how clever he was. The look on his face sent Jenny off the deep end. She turned and slapped Tham but he caught her hand before it struck.
"Hey, the accident this morning is one thing, you don't want to…" Tham said, before Jenny grabbed his arm with her other hand and proceeded to toss him over her shoulder. He landed with a thump and Jenny proceeded to kick him in the ribs a few times.
"Don't you ever fire another gun in my ship again! Don't hurt Foreman! And don't act better than me in my own SHIP! This is MY world and you are alive because of me! Because I decide so!" Each syllable was driven home by one kick to the ribs or stomach. Tham could only ball up and keep her boots from kicking his face.
Jenny gave him a final kick in the stomach with all her might. The blow landed right in the diaphragm, causing Tham to exhale some blood. He couldn't speak, just coughed up blood onto her deck.
"Clean this up. You're restricted to the cargo bay until I say otherwise." She spun and walked out. "Come on Foreman, leave him. I need to clean you up."
Foreman rolled over to the hatch where Jenny stood. He paused and moved over to a corner, grabbed a yellow traffic cone and rolled back to the still incapacitated Tham. He gently put the traffic cone on his head, and silently rolled to meet Jenny.
"I can't believe you let him talk you into this!" Jenny said scrubbing Foreman's chassis. There were scorch marks everywhere! She dipped the sponge in the water bucket and proceeded to scrub him. She could use a sonic device, but she was mad, and wanted to use force on something, and if she took it out on Tham anymore she may kill him.
"Do you like Tham?" Foreman asked. Jenny stopped mid scrub at the question.
"Why would you ask that? He's kind of a jerk." She continued scrubbing.
"Do you… like Foreman?" the Dalek asked, Jenny smiled and kept scrubbing.
"Foreman, you haven't asked me to escape for weeks. Could it be you like it here?" Jenny said with a grin and squeezed a sponge of soapy water over his dome.
"I… do not wish to escape. I … like Jenny. You did not answer my question."
"And what question was that?" Jenny asked. She finished scrubbing one of the blaster scorches when there was a sketch on the intercom.
"Jenny? You there? The door's locked…" Tham said over the intercom.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm to be addressed as Captain." Jenny said snidely "And I know you're locked in, I turned the key. Foreman programed it so that any tampering will open the airlock. Don't even think about jimmying it!"
"I did?" Foreman asked.
"You will now." Jenny said with a smile.
Foreman made a noise suspiciously like a chuckle. That was the first time she's heard any sort of response like that! "Done."
"I umm, think you broke a few ribs there Doll...er.. Captain" Tham said. "Need medical attention."
"You know where the medkit is." Jenny said and turned off the intercom. She started working on another scorch mark and muttered to herself how much of an incompetent idiot Tham was. "Oh, I'm sorry Foreman, You asked me a question."
"It is… nothing." Foreman said. He remained silent until Jenny was done, and left without a word. Jenny wondered what was wrong with him.
Jenny left Tham locked in the cargo bay for the rest of the night. He quit trying to use the intercom and proceeded to knock in morse code. She stopped listening and went to lay down. Foreman has been busy with systems updates and calibrations. He's such a busy body. She asked if he wanted to play a game, but he let her know the gravity setting may have been affected when he tampered with it last and he wants to double check on things.
Was he avoiding her?
She lay awake in bed, staring at her ceiling. She was bored, her back was stiff, and her head hurt. She didn't want to think about that bastard's massages but she never felt the touch of anyone else before. She did enjoy the attention. How would that work? She let him out and order him to do what he's done of his own free will the other times? You can't just tell someone to do that if they don't want to, and she really did treat him horribly.
She started to feel guilty about kicking Tham's ass. He was only having fun. Foreman was not hurt. She got so scared when he shot Foreman in the dome that she snapped. Was he horrible for doing that? Tham may be an arrogant bastard, but he was still nice.
Jenny replayed the events over and over in her head and came to two conclusions; he was indeed an arrogant bastard and needed to have his ass kicked, and that she felt bad leaving him locked up like that. He needed to know who was in control. It was her ship and her life. He kept trying to take that away by his acts of chivalry and kindness.
That's right. She's in control, and it doesn't matter what happens, it's her responsibility and no one elses.
With a newfound confidence, she got out of bed, sauntered to the cargo bay and opened the door. Tham sat on one of the smaller empty containers, polishing his sidearm. He glanced up at Jenny and gave her a dejected look.
"What do you want… Captain?" Tham asked.
"I can't sleep. I just want to say that I feel bad kicking your ass, but it needed to be kicked." Jenny said with a final tone.
"I guess we can agree on that." Tham said. "I know sometimes I deserve it and I can't seem to tell when myself, so I rely on those around me to point out when I need a good beating."
"Stop that!" Jenny yelled. "Stop that… charming… roguish thing you do!"
Tham grinned and winced as he stood up "You think I'm charming and roguish?"
"No! I just want you to stop trying to be!" Jenny said. She looked into his eyes and felt herself start to drift. There was that connection again, that feeling deep in her chest that she knows this man. "I… I only let you out to say that. If.. you're not busy, I need some help going to sleep. That thing you did with my shoulders…"
"Say no more, Captain." Tham grinned and gave her a dramatic sweeping bow. "My fingers are yours to command."
Jenny laid down on her bed and made room for Tham to sit next to her. He looked around her sparse room for a moment and spied her medicine cabinet. Without asking, he opened it up and pulled out a bottle of lavender lotion she would apply on her hands when they were getting dry. She just raised an eyebrow in question.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way." Tham grinned. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, so if you have some shorts and a tank top, I can give you a better massage."
Jenny eyed him suspiciously. He shrugged and grinned. Taking a deep sigh, she opened her top drawer and grabbed the requested garments. Moved to the bathroom and changed. It was better than sleeping in a jumpsuit.
She lay down on her bed and moved her hair to the side to expose the nape of her neck.
"Don't get any ideas…" She said warningly.
"I never do." Tham said cooly and applied his hands to the nape of her neck. The sensation sent chills down her spine and released a euphoria she could not describe. His fingers sought out bundles of nerve ending down her spine and back, into her legs and feet and moved back up the other side. Her arms and hands were not saved from the assault on her senses and she was like putty. She felt opened and exposed, slightly anxious and scared, but calm and serene.
Her mind was swimming, and she couldn't make out what Tham was saying, all she knew was she didn't want him to stop.
Tham said something, more of a whisper in her ear. She strained to hear it.
"Roll over." Tham whispered. A twinge of fear shot through her when his soothing voice asked… or commanded again. Clutching a pillow to her chest, she obliged, almost shaking. She kept telling herself she was strong, and she was the captain. She just had to order him to stop.
Tham worked on the hands and arms again, slowly numbing them away. They fell away from the pillow, leaving it defenceless on top of her. His fingers moved over her eyes, eyebrows, following up around her hairline and temples.
Her body was paralyzed, she felt the pillow slide away and the fingers move down her neck and to her upper chest.
"No…" she whispered "I… haven't.."
"Shhh, Captain ordered a massage, that's all this is." Tham said cooly, there was a hint of a smirk in his tone. His fingers ran down to her stomach, and over her hips and thighs, back down to her feet. She didn't think it could be even better, when he changed the pressure and his fingers barely touched her skin and moved up her body and touched her lips.
"Umm.." was all she could say as his finger trailed over her lips, robbing her of any protest. He spoke, just under a whisper. She couldn't hear what he was saying. Just wave after wave of sensation bombarded her.
All she could think was that she was in control.
She was in control.
She was… wasn't she?
Strong warm arms wrapped around Jenny as she slowly woke up. She's never felt anything like last night, and she didn't want to move. Every bit of tension she had was gone, in more ways than one. She grabbed Tham's arm and wrapped it closer, feeling his large form wrap around.
"Good morning Captain." Tham whispered into her ear.
"Mmmm... shut up." Jenny said, feeling Tham kiss the nape of his neck. "Don't make me lock you in the cargo hold again."
"So, what's on the agenda?" Tham asked with a grin.
"What do you mean? What agenda?" Jenny groaned.
"Well, like… I don't know. What do you actually do all day other than rescue space trash and roguish time police?" He chuckled. Jenny jerked an elbow back into his cracked ribs. "Ow! What was that for!"
"Foreman's not space trash" Jenny said sleepily, and wrapped back in his arms. "I'll court martial you if you say anything like that again."
"So… You and Foreman just sit out here in space all day?" Tham asked.
"Pretty much. If I need credits or supplies, I do a couple deliveries. I have some clients I can contact and run some cargo. Most of the time it's on the up and up, but I've had a few hot items if the price is right. Having time jumping capabilities is useful for running blockades, and our deliveries are never late."
"Wow… that's so bohemian." Tham chuckled. Jenny rolled over and laid her head on Tham's chest.
"You're… weird" Jenny said, still half asleep. "Heartbeats off, do you have a murmur?"
"I have Situs Inversus, my heart and lungs are mirrored, so my heart os on the right side, and not the left." His fingers trailed over her ear and temple, she heard him talking softly again, and felt herself slowly falling bacl to sleep.
Another hour passed and she woke up by herself. She didn't like it. She's always by herself and it was nice to have someone to keep her warm. She reluctantly pulled herself out of bed to the smell of something delicious. She walked back to the cargo bay and saw Foreman wearing a tall white hat with an apron that says Kiss the cook and Tham cooking over a hot plate next to him There were some crates pushed together to make a table and a few folding chairs set out.
Tham looked up at her entry and gave her a wave. Foreman watched him flip an omelet he was making and plate it. Jenny walked over to the chair and quietly sat. She felt so happy to see Foreman and Tham getting along.
"So what's all this?"Jenny asked as Tham sat a plate in front of her. It had an omelet with onions, green peppers, and garlic with a squiggle of ketchup on top next to sausage and bacon.
"This…" Tham said with a flourish, "is an homage to my earth ancestors. We call it breakfast of champions!"
"And where… did we get the ingredients to these?" Jenny said with suspicion.
"Hey! I didn't touch anything! Foreman so kindly piloted us to 1990's America where I popped out and grabbed some supplies from an Alpha-Beta." Jenny gave him a scolding glower. "No one saw us! Foreman drove, so we don't have to worry about the natives seeing a Dalek grocery shopping. You seriously have some bare cupboards by the way… who lives on meal bars?"
"I did until you came in and started spoiling me with things like dinner... ' Jenny took a bite and moaned. "Oh god, that's good."
"The secret is Ketchup." Tham grinned and sat down with his plate. They took their time and ate. Foreman stood at the end of the table, watching.
"Captain! I'm bored!" Tham said from the desk seat in her room. Jenny was writing in her notebook when she slammed it shut and gave him a coy smile. "Yes, that's entertaining and fun and I love it, but don't you want to get out of here? Go and explore! Look at new stars, visit planets or meet new people?
Jenny sighed. It has been two months since Tham… joined? Did she officially invite him to stay? He kind of just showed up and… stayed. Jenny was going to have to clarify that sometime. Her ship was not some halfway house for derelicts.
She liked him, but didn't fully trust him yet. She's not going to tell him any secrets, and she talked to Foreman about holding off on their mission until they both agree to let Tham in on the secret. It had crossed her mind that he was still a Time Agent, and could have been placed there to stop whatever she would be doing with Foreman.
"I don't like doing that… That's not me. I'm happy here, in between the stars, just floating on."
"Well Captain, that's rather… I don't know. I know it's not healthy." Tham spun in the chair a few times, tossing a ball in the air and catching it. "Why don't we go visit some friends or family? I'd love to meet your mother and father!"
'They're not… well, it's hard to explain" Jenny said.
"That's what you always say. With anything I ask you!" Tham bemoaned.
"A girl's gotta keep her secrets." Jenny grinned. Tham gave her a sad, puppy eye look "Ohh fine. Where do you want to go?"
"Hrmm…Have you been to Xeros? I heard they got a great museum there. It's a nice date spot." Tham said with a grin
"Oh, a date huh?" Jenny chided. "Are we going to sneak in with your psychic paper? Because that really makes a girl feel special."
"Well, I did pay for dinner last time, We're progressive in the 54th century, and believe in equality of everything, love and otherwise. So I believe it's your turn to foot the bill!" Tham grinned. He stood up, kissed Jenny's cheek and headed to the cockpit.
"You break David and it will be more than ribs I crack!" she shouted out the door.
"And I will love every moment!" Tham shouted back.
Foreman rolled up and looked up at her silently.
"What's up Foreman?" Jenny asked.
"... Jenny… " He whispered and rolled off to the cargo bay. Jenny wondered what was going on and followed him.
"What's wrong Foreman?" Jenny asked, patting his dome.
"It is… when will Tham be leaving us?" Foreman asked.
"Why do you want him to leave?" Jenny wondered. "Did he do something to you? You can tell me I won't be mad."
"It is… not that. He is nice, like Jenny." Foreman said, looking down. "Does Jenny like Foreman?"
"Jenny! We're here!" Tham shouted from the doorway. Tell Foreman to wear his favorite tie! I like the Dalek one! I radioed ahead and let them know he's coming, so the mass hysteria should be at a minimum."
"Already?" Jenny shouted back. "I need to shower and change!"
"Well, so do I… we could.. save water." He said with a sly smile.
"Oh, you wish. Go get Foreman dressed, I'll be done in ten minutes!" She stormed by him, but not without giving Tham a quick peck and headed to the showers.