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Chapter 11 - Primus Partners Plans

Tony took off his tie as he walked down the ship's hallway with Pepper.

"So, how strange was it?" He asked her.

"I've never had cheese and blueberries together. Especially, in a sandwich."

He took her hand and smiled at her. "It was my favorite when I was young. I've not had it in years. What was your favorite?"

She stopped walking and looked at him, "What is this?"

He smiled at her and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I realize I really don't know a lot about you."

She nodded, "Peaches. Sliced peaches."

"Really?"

She giggled and rolled her eyes, "You asked. Yes. That and grapes."

They started to walk together again, "You sound like Gene. She doesn't like sweet things. Just fruit."

"That was me. I still don't really enjoy candy like some people do."

"Don't worry about it. John eats enough for you, him and Gene, together."

She laughed as they walked into the lift together.

He pressed a button and looked back at her. "I'll take you to see the soccer field. It's actually pretty damn cool. It's bigger than you would expect."

"Have you played soccer?"

He shook his head. "No. I've kicked a ball around, but they actually play. There is one game they play I might try. They always come off the field looking like they have been beat up. It looks pretty good."

She shook her head.

The lift opened and they immediately heard Genie crying. They let go of one another and ran down the hall where Pete sat on the floor, holding both Tony and Genie. Tony stopped, "What's wr-"

Pete waved his hand, "Go! They probably need your help!"

Tony and Pepper ran into the room with the football pitch inside. Pepper looked around in amazement at the stadium sized field that was on the ship. Tony looked around quickly. Spotting the problem, he ran to goal where Lewis was giving the Doctor CPR.

Pepper watched as Tony slid into the goal. "How long as he been out?"

Lewis, covered in sweat and panting, continued to press the Doctor's chest. "I don't know. I'm getting tired."

Tony got on his knees and took over giving him chest compressions. He yelled at him as rocked on his chest. "John! Come on, man. We're not doing this today."

Lewis sat up and wiped the sweat from his face.

Pepper rushed over and knelt down at the Doctor's head. She pinched his nose and blew some air into his mouth.

Tony continued with the chest compressions. "Lewis, call someone with your freaky head th-"

"It's not working! Don't you think I have tried?"

Tony nodded. "Right." He yelled, "Friday! We have an emergency on the football pitch. Announce it in the hanger. Tell them to down here immediately!"

"Right away, sir." Friday said.

Just as Pepper gave the Doctor another breath, he started to cough and rolled over on his side. Tony sat up and sighed in relief. "Oh my God, John. You scared the hell out of us."

Pepper helped him sit up as he continued to cough. "Breathe. You are alright."

Tony sat down and pat his back as he started to catch his breath. "John. Damn." He fell back and lay on the grass.

Lance, Poltious and Legate ran into the room. Exton was right after him. They all knelt around the Doctor to make sure he was alright. He continued to cough.

Pete came back into the room with Genie and Tony. Genie ran to her Daddy and knocked him back down when she wrapped her arms around his neck. He lie on the grass and pat her back. "I'm alright." He mumbled to her.

Tony sat up and pointed at Pete. "Go get Rose. She'll kick all of our asses if she's not told about this."

Pete laughed and nodded his head. "On it." He bent down and pat the Doctor's leg, "Welcome back, son."

Tony Tyler got down on his knees and looked at him. "John? Are you really alright?"

He continued to cough. He nodded his head and said through a strained voice. "Don't I look alright?"

Tony Tyler lay down on his chest and hugged him with Genie.

Tony looked around. "Where's the kid?"

Lewis shook his head. "He ran off after it happened."

Tony looked back at Pepper and sighed, "I'll find him." He stood up and walked with Pepper to the other end of the pitch. Lewis walked with them and looked around.

"He might have gone into the rooms just in here." Lewis offered.

They walked down the hallways opening the doors.

Tony called, "Kid? Where are you?"

Pepper stood at the other end of the hallway, "Is that water running?"

Tony, Lewis and Pepper rushed into the locker room and over to the showers. They found one of the showers running and Velt sitting on a tiled bench. He sat crying, fully clothed, with his arms wrapped around his legs.

"There you are." Tony said in relief.

Velt didn't look at him.

"Come on, man. You're not in trouble."

"But it was my fault."

Tony looked back at Lewis.

Lewis shook his head. "I don't know what happened. John was holding onto the side of the goal and he just dropped. I looked up and his hands were glowing."

Tony nodded his head. "Kid. It was an accident. You're not in trouble."

"But, I've hurt a Primus."

Tony waved his hand, "He's fine. John is made of tough stuff. They don't let just anyone become a Primus."

Lewis started. "Velt-"

"Don't call him that." Tony insisted.

Pepper was shocked his response. "That's his name, Tony."

Tony shook his head as he took off his jacket and handed it to Pepper. "I'll never call him that."

Lewis looked at him, "What are you doing?"

Tony shook his head and started to walk into the shower with the boy. Lewis quickly grabbed his arm, "You can't go in there! He's like a live wire! Are you nuts?"

Pepper grabbed Tony's shoulder. "Stop!"

He waved his hands. "I'll be fine. Sparky. I'm coming in."

The boy looked up in fear. "Don't! I'll hurt you!"

Tony shook his head. "I told you that you can't hurt me."

Tony pulled his arm away from Lewis. He looked at Pepper's frightened face. "Please, don't." She whispered.

He winked at her. "I'll be fine. Trust me."

She let go of him and watched as he stepped into the shower. He walked across the floor and turned off the water. Completely soaked, he then sat down next to Velt and wrapped his arms around him. "It's alright. You are safe."

The little boy held Tony's neck and cried. "I'm really sorry, Tony."

Lewis looked back at Pepper. "How did he do that?"

She looked shocked. "I have no idea."

Tony looked up at them, "Do not come in here. It's not safe."

Pepper put her hands on her hips. "How are you in there? Are you okay?"

He continued to hold the little boy in his arms. "We are fine. He just needs to calm down." Velt continued to hold Tony and cry.

Lewis put his hands on his hips. "This makes no damn sense."

Pepper nodded her head. "Welcome to life with Tony."

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The Doctor lay on the sofa in his suite with his head in Rose's lap. Lewis sat in a chair next to the sofa as Lance finished up using the healing tool on the burns on the Doctor's hand where he had been holding onto the goal.

Lewis sighed, "I couldn't call anyone. It just had stopped. I couldn't even think!"

Rose ran her hand through the Doctor's hair. "Lewis. You're still recovering. Don't-"

He shook his head and sat back. "If Tony and Pepper hadn't came when they did. And how the hell did Tony walk into the shower with that kid and not get electrocuted?"

The Doctor closed his eyes. "This is more than I want to think about at the moment."

Rose smiled down at him. "You feel tired."

"I need to get up and-"

Lance shook his head. "You are staying put. Rose's orders."

Lewis pointed at him. "Ha! She's got you too, now."

The Doctor groaned and rubbed his eyes.

The door to the suite opened and Poltious walked in with Pepper. Poltious declared, "And the children are with the Nanny. That was the best idea ever. Ress has them painting and calm. Samuel and Arles are napping. She is amazing."

Pepper walked over and sat next to Lance on the table in front of the sofa where the Doctor lay. Mistaking his closed eyes for him sleeping, she asked, "How is he?"

The Doctor didn't open his eyes. "I'm fine. I need to go fly the ship."

Poltious leaned on the back of the sofa. "Legate is flying the ship. You are going to lay your bum on this sofa and relax."

The Doctor groaned, "You need to go work on your ship."

Poltious rolled his eyes. "My ship needs new cells. The old ones won't hold a charge. I won't be able to depart until we reach Andromeda."

Lewis threw his hand up, "Just use cells from one of the other ships."

Poltious shook his head. "The only ones that would even fit it are on Legate's ship. And he has a little….registration problem."

The Doctor opened his eyes and looked up, "Registration problem?"

Poltious chuckled and nodded his head. "Yeah. He's my son. He can't help it. It's a small fix."

Lewis laughed and rubbed his face as he swore in Quauhtin.

Rose shook her head. "What are you on about? Registration problem?"

Lance explained, "Legate's ship is suspected of being involved in something illegal. So, he can't fly it because he's on a list now with law enforcement."

Lewis pointed at Lance, "He can't power it up, otherwise it will expose where he is. Oh, that guy. I might need to remind him that his grandfather can only get him out of so much."

Poltious chuckled proudly, "Yeah. That's my boy."

Pepper looked at Poltious, "What did he do?"

The Doctor waved his hand, "Don't tell us. The less we know, the better."

Poltious nodded his head. "I have a program to delete that. I'm running it on his ship now. It won't allow me to use his cells. But, he will be able to fly her."

Rose looked up at Poltious, "Are you guys pirates? I swear, it's always something like this with you two."

Poltious laughed as he stood up and crossed his arms. "I'll never tell."

Lewis propped his chin on his fist. "How is the boy?"

Pepper shook her head. "I have no idea. I've been with Poltious helping him take Genie and Tony to….what was her name?"

Poltious leaned on the back of the sofa, "Ress. She's the children's Nanny."

The Doctor covered his eyes and relaxed more on the sofa. "Space Nanny." He teased and laughed.

Rose rolled her eyes at him.

Pepper grinned, "I'm glad you are alright, John. You scared the hell out of us."

He uncovered his eyes and looked at her. "I frightened the hell out of myself. I'd prefer not to regenerate for a while. That took a while to get back from. Thank you."

Lance asked him, "Do you need any pain medication? How's your chest?"

The Doctor covered his eyes again. "No. I'm alright."

Rose moved her hand to his chest and continued to play with his hair with her other hand.

Lewis pointed at Pepper, "John has no idea how Tony was able to walk into that shower either. Do you know how he did it? It should have killed him."

"Water and electricity." Poltious nodded.

Rose continued to play with the Doctor's hair as he spoke, "He's managed to ground himself, somehow."

"The boy is with Tony in the Control Room. He seems alright." Poltious told them.

The Doctor didn't uncover his face. "Legate says Tony is installing that, thermal vision sensor."

Pepper shook her head. "Velt was very upset. Tony has insisted he will never call him that. Isn't that his name?"

Lewis shook his head. "No, it's not. We shouldn't call him that either. But, I don't know what to call him, otherwise. His other name is forbidden for him to really say."

Rose teased, "Give him a title then."

The Doctor uncovered his face and smiled at her. "Cheeky."

Pepper smiled, "Tony is calling him Sparky."

Lewis chuckled, "That works for him. Granted, it's better than some of the nicknames Tony has came up with. Like you, Lance. What was he calling you?"

Lance looked confused, "Jackass? I don't know."

The Doctor laughed, "Card Shark. It's because you keep kicking his ass at Peducko. Now, Rose will get an interesting nickname I'm sure."

Rose giggled, "Oh, I'm sure."

Pepper smiled, "You're sure you're alright, John?"

He rubbed his eyes. "I'm fine. Please tell Tony, 'Thank you'. And tell the young man I'm not cross with him. Not at all. It was an accident."

She smiled and stood up.

Poltious smiled at her. "May I walk you to your suite, Miss Pepper?"

She nodded, "That would be great. I don't know if I could find it otherwise."

Rose asked her, "So, we'll try the yoga later?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No. Go do it now."

"You are hurt."

"I am fine. I'll stay here on the sofa and rest."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Dream on! You'll be in the Control Room as soon as I leave."

He groaned and rubbed his eyes again.

Lewis smiled, "Let me stay and watch him. I'd be happy to."

Rose looked at him, "Sure?"

He smiled, "Oh yes. This guy? Who won't let me get up to do anything for a week? Yes. Let me watch him for you. I'll break his leg to make him remain on that sofa."

The Doctor looked at him, "Are you serious, Lewis? You're a bit violent, you know."

Lewis laughed, "Go on. It's fine."

Rose looked up at Pepper. "Yoga then? There's also this amazing treadmill you have to see."

Pepper nodded, "Sure. I just need to change."

Poltious held out his arm to escort her to her room.

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Rose walked to the doorway of the suite. She was wearing her work-out clothes. She turned and pointed at Lewis. "Lewis, is in charge."

The Doctor groaned, "Rose. I'm fine."

Lewis chuckled, "Go. I've got him."

Rose left and the door slid shut behind her. The Doctor looked back at his friend.

Lewis smiled, "You said it takes her 76 seconds to get to the lift?"

The Doctor sat up and nodded his head. "Yes. Let's give her three minutes though, that will get her into the work-out room. I love that you can talk to me in my head again, mate."

Lewis laughed, "I want to go see what Tony is doing in the Control Room. I know she won't let me up there, either." He spoke in a high pitched voice, "Lewis. You are off duty."

The Doctor laughed.

Lewis held up a finger. "Perfect. Poltious is going to the work-out room with them. He'll tell us when they get there."

The Doctor rubbed his hands together in excitement. "I love it when a plan comes together."

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Tony sat next to an open panel on the wall in the Control Room of the ship. Timon and Velt sat with him. He pulled out some wires and looked around inside of the panel. Tony and Velt both wore clean, dry clothes. Their hair had begun to dry.

Legate sat at a console to the side, looking at the streaks of stars that flew past the large window. "Are you sure you should be mucking with that while we're in flight?"

Timon shook his head. "It's totally alright. He's only in the sensors and the screen display."

The door slid open and the Doctor and Lewis walked in.

Legate laughed at him. "And these two-"

Lewis pointed at Legate, "We were never here."

"Never saw anything." Legate laughed.

The Doctor walked over to where Tony was working and knelt down on the floor. Velt's eyes became huge and he hid behind Tony. Tony looked behind him at the boy.

"Spark. John's not angry with you. You're not in trouble, man." Tony looked at the Doctor, "Don't growl at him. It was an accident."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to growl at you, Velt-"

"And don't ever call him that." Tony insisted as he pointed at the Doctor with a tool.

The Doctor propped his arm on his knee as he sat down on the floor. "You're right." He looked at the small boy. "What would you prefer we call you? Tony has forbidden the use of the name we knew you by."

The little boy looked at Tony. "Why?"

Tony sat down his tool and looked at the little boy. "Because, it's not you. It's something someone was calling you because they felt you were less than a person. And you're not. You're not filth, and you're not less. You matter. I won't let anyone call you that. I won't let you believe that about yourself."

Lewis stood with his hand on his hips and nodded. "Good man, Tony."

Tony shook his head and went back to work in the panel. "So, it's up to you. We can call you Soler if you prefer."

The boy looked at the Doctor. "I'm not supposed to use that name."

"Tell me why." The Doctor asked.

"My father says it helps to keep me hidden. He doesn't want anyone to know who I am. It will keep me safe."

Tony sat back out of the panel and looked at the boy again. "I can't get that damn bolt loose, Timon. See what you can do with it, man."

Timon took the tool and continued to work.

Lewis asked the boy, "This father of yours, I'm right in saying that he's not your actual father. Right?"

The boy looked confused, "He is. That's what he said."

"But, you had another one before then. Tell me about him." Lewis asked.

The boy sighed, "I don't remember a lot about him. He was nice. He…..ummm… put his arms around me. Like Tony did."

Tony smiled, "Hugged you. That's it?"

The boy smiled, "Yes. He did that."

The Doctor asked, "Why aren't you with that father?"

The boy looked at Tony, who nodded encouragingly. "He didn't want me. My father tells me he sold me to him."

Tony shook his head. "I don't believe that. Why would he do that?"

The little boy shook his head. "That's what he told me. I don't know. Other parents did that. That's where all of those children came from."

Lewis asked, "What other children?"

"The ones on the ship with my father and his crew. He takes them and sells them on other planets. Then, gets more from parents who don't want them. My father didn't want me, so I was sold."

Tony shook his head and took the boy's hand. "That's not it. Listen, man. I know that's not it."

The little boy shook his head. "You don't know that, Tony. This is what happens."

Tony pointed at him, "I do know that. Let's do this. Let Lewis find your original father, and let me talk to him. See if what you think is true."

The boy sighed.

Lewis nodded his head. "This is very similar to what happened before. All of those children that were taken were told they were unwanted. It kept them from fighting back against the people who took them."

The boy looked back at Tony. "Do you really think he didn't sell me?"

Tony shook his head. "We should ask him to make sure. I can tell you something though, if he did…you won't be going back to that other father of yours. The one that has hurt you so bad."

"Then what will happen to me?"

Tony pointed at himself. "You'll stay with me."

Velt smiled and threw his arms around Tony's neck. He held him tightly.

Tony rubbed his back. "I meant it when I said I wasn't going to let anyone hurt you again."

The Doctor smiled, "You are safe with Tony. We're sending someone to find Mageer."

The little boy sat up and looked shocked, "Mageer. That's his name!"

Tony pointed at the Doctor. "See, he's pretty smart. He already knew that."

Lewis smiled, "We'll get all of this sorted out. Don't worry about this. But, the question I have now is, Tony?"

Tony looked at Lewis, "Yes?"

"What are we calling him? He needs to have a name." Lewis looked at the Doctor and grinned, "Or a title."

The Doctor rolled his eyes back at Lewis. "Easy."

Tony laughed and looked at the boy. "You're not going back to the father that forbid it, so you are welcome to use your proper name if you like."

The boy smiled at Tony. "Soler. Yes. Alright. I've not been called that in a long time. But, are you sure I'll remain safe?"

Tony shrugged his shoulders, "Sure, Sparky. It's not like we're announcing you are here to the galaxy."

The Doctor quickly turned and pointed at Lewis. "Do you hear this?"

Lewis waved, "We have to go. Bye! Good chat!"

They both rushed out of the room together.

Legate laughed at them. "That is some funny shit."

Tony asked, "What was that about?"

Legate sat back at the controls, "Our Primus Partners have to get back to John's suite before Rose does. They were not supposed to leave."

Tony laughed and looked at Soler. "Remember when you said a Quauhtin isn't frightened of anything?"

He nodded.

Tony smiled, "Apparently those two Quauhtin are frightened of John's wife."

Soler relaxed and laughed.

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