And so we start the Taragrea plot! This is, like... the third time I've tried to write an original Doctor Who plot line? Like, not where episodes/bookes/comics are copied or edited and such. The first time, it's an unpublished OC story, and the second one, it was supposed to be a 'Christmas' episode for 13 where she has to enlist her previous companions' help to stop something from erasing them from her history.

The Jabberwocky High Priestess said: Great job with this story. Its always wonderful to read something unique.

Ohma said: Thank you! Sorry there was a stall between updates. Life decided to throw curveballs at me D:

LittleAngel2292said: Great chapter I loved it so much omfg

Ohma said: Thank you so much! I'm happy to hear that you loved it.

Trigger warning for this story arc: Mentions and acts of Kidnapping/Slavery; tl;dr's will be available at the end of each chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any affiliated books

Chloe could only watch in a pained horror as the TARDIS was taken one way and she was hauled off in another, the Doctor looking between them in desperation.

Perhaps some context is needed.

35th-century Taragrea was, as humans once said, hell on Earth. Hair color meant everything, as did style. Planetary travel was not normally allowed, and slavers ran free among the once peaceful planet.

At first look, Taragrea was a wonderful, city-planet filled with markets and beaches, but upon closer inspection, you could see the corruption and crime everywhere. As the Doctor's companion, it's required for you to be extra vigilant; because you're nowhere as smart or strong as they are. You are very breakable, so you have to be aware of any dangers that may try to break you.

Chloe Nightingale was not very watchful the three hours they had spent planetside, and that, dear readers, is where we begin.

"Here," Chloe glanced at the emerald scarf that was getting handed to her and looked at the Doctor in bemusement as she took it. "Use it to cover your hair and face since you haven't gotten the natural filter just yet."

"Perception filters can come in naturally?" She asked, wrapping her hair up in the scarf. "Is that why you get away with never changing much?"

"Right in one! You'll get one within the next year or so if you keep this up." He glanced over at her and frowned. "You've messed it a bit. Here," stepping forward, she let him undo the scarf, doing her best to memorize how he twisted it into a rose-like knot, her throat tightening at the thought of their common friend.

"What does it mean?" she asked after clearing her throat.

"That you're a traveler and not interested in anything special," for some reason, special seemed more like than it really was.

"And the color?"

"That you're boring," she didn't have to even fake her affronted look as he laughed. "That's the traveler bit, Chloe."

"How was I supposed to know?" she grumbled, but her mouth quirked to the side in a smile. As they walked towards the doors, he stopped before reaching them, motioning for her to open them.

Unable to stop the childish excitement from showing, she grinned and reached out, her fingers just barely grazing the door as it popped open. Pushing it open, her breath caught as she could see a crystal white beach of sand, with such a vivid blue color of water, it almost hurt to look at, but at the same time, it was completely transparent.

And best of all?

It was empty.

Laughing, she ran out about twenty or so feet, turning around a few times, trying to take in everything.

"Well?" the Doctor asked, leaning against the TARDIS, looking to be nonchalant, but…

"Doctor, this is amazing," she breathed. "The water is so different, and the sand is clean and the sky- the sky is violet!" She couldn't stop her laugh as the time lord grinned and walked up beside her.

"Let's go exploring then. Should be a settlement about, oh, 500 meters that way?" He pointed down the beach, and excitement bubbled up in her again.

"Sounds fantastic," the two shared a grin and started to walk.

The settlement in question was a fish market, and while the smell was horrible, she hadn't been able to stop her laugh at the Doctor's confused face when he said it should've been a scrap area.

"Your driving can be pretty off," she said, shaking her head. "You once aimed for Rio."

"Where did I land?" He asked back, looking around, as if he wasn't really listening.

"Britain, in the winter," she answered. "What're you looking for?" Just once, she wanted a boring adventure where she wanted to go. Get a couple of parts, fix the TARDIS, then pick up Rose and get Jack.

Jack. God, she missed that man. "Tell you what, still got that credit chip? Go get something nice," He began to walk away, making her huff, but glance around a bit more closely. Something nice huh?

The market was in full swing, and it was hard not to bump into people, but for the most part, she was managing. At least, up until she came to a halt in front of a jewelry stall, which had a necklace with a singular pearl on it. The pearl itself was shifting colors, and something about it called to her.

"Like it? Humans, they call it the Siren's Gem," the merchant in charge of the stall (a green-skinned alien with several cyborg implants) said, motioning her closer. Without thinking, she stepped forward, hissing a bit as she was roughly bumped, but her headwrap was still on, so she shook her head and walked up to the stall.

"It's very beautiful," she answered. "Why does it shift colors like that?"

"It's sensitive to certain electro currents," he replied. "Emotions, better put."

"It's a mood ring," she half laughed in surprise. "Rose would love this. How much is it?"

"2,000 credits," he said, making her frown. "Pearls like these, they're rare and hard to collect intact." She squinted at him but shrugged.

"What the hell. He told me to get something pretty, and it's a big chit," she pulled out the stick and handed it over, grinning as she got the little familiar box and it back once it scanned through.

"Anything else then?"

She glanced around at the stall, nothing else really catching her eye. "No, sorry. I should probably be heading back to my friend though. He doesn't like waiting."

"Hmm, shame. You sure there's nothing?"

The redhead frowned. "I'm sure," she went to turn, but the man spoke again.

"Say, where did you say where you were from again?"

Chloe was getting tenser and tenser at the merchant's attempts to keep her attention. "I didn't," she answered. "Y'know, I think I'll come back another day. My friend is waiting for me."

The merchant let out a hum, his red, robotic eyes looking at her headwrap. She forced herself not to reach up and pull it down more, instead walking away, breathing in relief as she saw the Doctor walking back to where he had left her. "Did you find anything?" she asked.

"No, they wouldn't have the part I need for another four months," he answered. "What about you? Get anything pretty?"

"No, uh, the merchant was acting weird," she answered with a shrug. "So are we jumping forward a couple of months then?"

"Don't see why not," he replied, but then froze, staring at her. Or, rather, her forehead. "Did you touch your headwrap?"

"No, why?" she asked, looking at him with wide eyes as he grabbed her by the shoulders and began to all but pull her towards the TARDIS.

"Hair is showing," his tone was clipped, but she knew panic anywhere and began to move faster.

"Well, what does red hair mean?" She asked.

"That you're happy," he replied.

"So why is that an issue?"

"It's the way your hair curls, especially in the back. In the exact Taragrean terms, it means you're a slave." She frowned, but when she glanced back-

"Doctor, they're following us." He didn't say anything, but his grip on her hand tightened a bit and their pace picked up. As they rounded the corner, she crashed into his back. Stomach sinking, she peered around his other arm, where she could see several locals surrounding the TARDIS, which was on a cart. She could hear people running up behind them and barely suppressed a yelp as his hand went from her hand to around her waist, pulling her closer as he stayed facing the group who was holding the TARDIS hostage. "Doctor… what slave would they do this over?"

"You're not a slave," he clipped out.

"I'm not," she agreed instantly. "But they don't know that. So what type of slave would they pull this for?"

"The physical one." She wanted to give him a look, to argue that all types could be considered that, but didn't, instead staring warily at the merchant, who was leading the ones behind them. "Why wait until we met up? Why not do it when she was alone?"

"Give us the girl," someone, who, according to the TARDIS feeding her information, was the closest thing to a police officer, snarled. "And we'll let you go peacefully."

"No," the Doctor instantly shot back, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "She's not a slave."

"Isn't she?"

"She isn't."

Chloe turned to see what was happening, and it seemed like the second she did, something yanked on her head, causing her to shriek as she went flying back, ripped away.

Time seemed to go slow motion as she could see the scarf slowly fluttering down to the ground, and the Doctor's grim, determined expression as their eyes met. Several of the people came up behind her, and she didn't resist as they pulled her to her feet, toes barely touching the ground as she began to weigh her chances. "You don't want to do this," he began. "Taking Chloe, that's one of the worst things you can do,"

"You can't intimidate us," one of the aliens behind the Doctor scoffed, and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm not the one you should be worried about,"

She barely had time to see the time lord nod at her before she threw her elbow back as hard as she could, cringing slightly as he was launched about twenty feet back through the crowd. But she couldn't focus on the fact that she had just injured someone like that, not yet. She had to get to the Doctor, and then they had to get to the TARDIS-

One of the android's arms caught her arm, and the sickening crack that followed had her freezing, looking at her now useless arm in shock… before the pain set in and she screamed.

"Chloe!" She heard the Doctor yell, but it seemed so far off...

As a construct, only two things can properly hurt you. Other Constructs and Time Lords

"Not so tough now are yah? Nice little shipment from a good friend of mine," they grinned as she clutched her arm. "Wonder how much Glom would want for you."

"Fuck you," she gritted out, glaring at the crowd. "I'm no one's slave."A different android (who at least had the decency of looking ashamed when they looked at her arm) pulled her up, and through the tears, she could see the Doctor, being held back by two more androids.

"Chloe, you'll be fine," he was saying. "I'll get you back to the TARDIS and fix you up in no time." For some reason, 'no time' felt as if it were never to happen, especially as the android holding her began to step away, dragging her with them.

Chloe could only watch in a pained horror as the TARDIS was taken one way and she was hauled off in another, the Doctor looking between them in desperation. "Go," she forced herself to grit out. "Get the TARDIS. I can wait."

Something on his face softened. "Chlo-"

"Doctor," she had to raise her voice a little, getting a grunt of annoyance from the driver. "Go! Just… come back for me…"

TL;DR - Chloe and the Doctor land on Taragrea IV, where they walk on a beach and find a settlement. Chloe learns that how she styles her hair isn't the best of ways on this planet, and as a result, she and the TARDIS get taken.

If you see something wrong, have a question, or just want to let me know what you think, please, leave a comment!