Journey Amongst the Stars
By Lumendea
Chapter Thirty-One: Temple of Truth: Into the Rainforest
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
AN: Hey guys, I normally don't do news in chapters, but please take a moment and check out the news reports on the fires in the Amazon Rainforest. It is really bad and given the setting of this episode, it felt appropriate. There isn't much any one person can do, but if you can donate anything to the Rainforest Trust, that can help to protect what survives. They are a well rated charity according to Charity Navigator and Guide Star and help local groups buys large acreage packages of the rainforest to create conservation areas. If you have another charity in mind, that's great, just please be sure to confirm that they are a legitimate organization.
…
The Doctor hated to admit it, but Jack was growing on him. He'd expected to find the young man's presence on the TARDIS annoying and disruptive, but so far, Jack had proven himself to have good instincts when it came to how far he could push things. Jack flirted with Rose which had irritated the Doctor for only a couple of days before Jack's tone took on a different note that indicated he recognized that Rose wasn't interested and it turned teasing and friendly. Jack had also started flirting with him, which the Doctor found amusing rather than irritating.
Jack was also proving helpful with some of the repairs he and Rose had been working on. While Rose was brilliant and a fast learner, Jack had a better working knowledge and was more than happy to be the muscle and hold sections for him while he worked. Jack wasn't a half-bad cook either, not as good as Rose, but after a stopover at the Belizeten markets, Jack had given Rose a night off from cooking and prepared an impressive meal that had been feeding them for a couple of days.
Rose was happier too. The first couple of days with Jack, she'd been guarded and careful, but she'd bounced back and was teasing Jack and much more comfortable. The Doctor had a suspicion that she'd contacted the older Jack she knew, but he wasn't going to ask. Talking to Rose about her twisting timelines was dangerous on the best of days.
This morning, Rose was seated on the jump seat, drawing in her sketchbook and humming softly. The Doctor was on his back, switching out some wires that were almost burned out. He was smiling as he surveyed the underside of the controls. All of the most damaged areas after the Time War had been fixed and switched out. He was down to reinforcing some more delicate components and doing routine maintenance. And the TARDIS was growing stronger, another year or so and she'd be able to regenerate damaged sections herself.
"So," Jack called as he wandered into the console room. "What's on the agenda for today?"
"Agenda?" Rose scoffed. "We don't need an agenda."
Jack chuckled. He was still dressing mostly in his World War II-style, and the Doctor hated to admit that the classic look suited him. His vortex manipulator was still strapped to his wrist. The Doctor didn't love others having Time Travel, but he wasn't going to start policing it like his dead race had now. Jack seemed fond of Rose and the Doctor had hopes that the other man would help him keep an eye on the trouble magnet.
A sharp ring distracted the Doctor from his long string of technobabble that he'd been testing Jack with. He managed to twist enough to peek out from under the console. Rose glanced at her phone and stood up from her seat. The Doctor watched her leave the console and heard her answer the call. He quickly turned his attention back to his work and told himself not to get distracted. Jack handed him the next tool that he asked for without needing it described like Rose did, and the Doctor sternly told himself not to be dismissive of Rose. She might lack technical knowledge when it came to the TARDIS, but she was the best companion he'd ever had. Even if he'd never tell any of the others that.
Rose was waiting as he slid out from under the TARDIS console. She had that look on her face, a bit excited and a touch worried that told him that the phone call had been important. But she didn't look too worried and hadn't yelled for him to hurry up.
"Jo called," Rose said. "Something was found in South America that she thinks is alien. She wants us to check it out and make it isn't dangerous."
"Ah." The Doctor sat up and rolled his shoulders. His hands had a bit of grease on them, but nothing bad.
"Who is Jo?" Jack jumped to his feet beside them. "And how does she know the pair of you?" He waggled his eyebrows, and Rose chuckled softly at the display.
"Exact location and date?" the Doctor asked.
Rose gave them to him dutifully, and she and Jack promptly took their places around the console. Jack held the lever he indicated down, and Rose pressed the button he told her too. He pumped the bicycle pump and grinned. Driving was a bit easier now that he had another set of hands to help him, but again, he wasn't going to admit that.
"Seriously?" Jack called. "Who is Jo?"
"I'll introduce you," Rose promised. "When we get there."
"No flirting with Jo," the Doctor ordered.
Jack pouted. There was no other word for it. "That's no fun."
"She's happily married." The Doctor narrowed his eyes at Jack, but there was no heat in the look, and Jack knew it.
"Jo would enjoy it," Rose said. She was smirking at both of them. "This is the woman who had the UNIT boys eating out of her hand thanks to short skirts and go-go boots."
"Don't remind me," the Doctor groaned.
The TARDIS landed with a soft bump. One of the smoother landings lately and Rose grinned at him, indicating that she fully understood the source of the better landing. The Doctor ignored her, and Rose grabbed her shoulder bag from the back of the captain's seat.
"Should I grab a jacket?" Rose asked.
"It's the jungle, right?" Jack asked. "Early 21st century, this is the tropics."
"Yeah, but nighttime is still a thing," Rose said. She decided against waiting for an answer and dashed back to her room. Inside her wardrobe was a light hoodie that Rose tied around her waist. Jack might come to regret wearing his button-down and suspenders in the tropics, but she'd be ready for anything.
"Rose!" the Doctor called.
"I'm here." Rose returned to the console room and went straight to the door. "Not all of us have your superior temperature regulation, you know." She rolled her eyes at the Doctor and heard Jack snort.
They stepped outside, and a way of heat hit Rose in the face. The air was hot and humid, reminding her of her trips to Bolivia and India. Hopefully, it would be more peaceful than those trips had been. They were parked under a thick canopy of trees that almost completely blocked out the sky. It was wild, but there appeared to be a path to their right. It wasn't very wide, maybe just wide enough to get a narrow heavy-duty vehicle through.
"How smokes," Jack laughed. He touched a nearby tree and looked around in awe. "I've been a lot of places, but never this far off the beaten path."
"Well," the Doctor said. "If Jo was going to find something long forgotten by humanity, this would be the place for it."
"Uh?" Rose looked around as Jack and the Doctor followed her out. "Any idea which way?"
"Doctor!" the shout echoed through the forest, and birds went flying. "Doctor! Rose!"
The three time travelers turned towards the voice. Jo Jones came marching through the jungle with a wide smile and wearing beige clothing that looked out of an adventure movie. Pleasure at their arrival radiated off of the former companion.
"Oh, Darling," Jo cheered. She swept towards Rose and threw her arms around her. "How are you?"
"I'm great, Jo," Rose answered. She couldn't help but smile. There was always such a warm aura around Jo that made it hard not to be happy. "How are you?"
Jo released her and smiled. "I'm lovely, Rose. Staying busy, you know me. I've gone a whole six months without being arrested though, so I'm not sure what to make of that." She looked past Rose, and her smile only widened. "Doctor!"
The Doctor smiled and stayed still as Jo advanced on him. The old woman threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Rose laughed when the Doctor hugged her back gently. Jack was beside the Doctor and smiled at the display of affection with sparkling eyes.
"Jo, this is Jack Harkness," Rose said. She gestured to Jack and tried to remember if Jo had ever met Jack. Maybe she'd seen in passing, but Rose wasn't sure. Another side effect of complicated timelines. "He started traveling with us a few days ago."
"Oh a newcomer," Jo said. Her eyes glinted with glee. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Jo Jones."
"The pleasure is mine." Jack raised Jo's hand so he could kiss it.
"You're a charmer, aren't you." Jo chuckled warmly. Her eyes went over to the Doctor. "The manners are a touch familiar."
The Doctor scowled, but Rose could tell that he didn't mean it. Judging from Jo's smile, she knew it too. Jack released Jo's hand, and she patted his cheek.
"Hope you can keep up with this pair," Jo said. "They're both experts at finding trouble and danger."
"I've been holding my own so far, ma'am."
"Jo used to work with the Doctor at an agency here on Earth that dealt with alien threats," Rose said, providing some information. "And she's a good friend of ours."
"You're so sweet," Jo cooed. She grabbed the Doctor's arm with both hands and tugged. "Come on. You've got to see this!"
Rose almost tripped twice, but Jo moved like a gazelle over the rough terrain. There was no hesitation in her stride even when the Doctor almost toppled over. She cast an amused look over to Rose and grinned. That helped Rose relax; this might not be anything if Jo was so calm.
The jungle opened a little, but only just. Rose found herself standing at the base of a low hill that was covered in thick vegetation, but the tree coverage was thinner so that the sunlight could finally reach her. Tents were pitched around the base of the hill, and there were two small trucks with large wheels that looked even more serious than the gear that UNIT used.
"This is it!" Jo gestured at the hill.
"Overgrown pyramid?" the Doctor asked. His blue eyes were bright with glee. "Really?"
"We came across it a few days ago." Jo shrugged. "Long story short, some of the vines were pulled away and exposed the stone underneath." She waved her hands to hold off questions. "You don't need that story, but we started digging it out. I'll admit I was hoping for an archeological find, that can help in getting an area deemed protected."
"Interesting," the Doctor said. "But it isn't the first pre-colonial structure found in the jungle. Not even close, so why call us."
"Some of the artwork we found put me on alert. Come and take a look," Jo said. "I'm not an expert, but I've been in the area for decades. There's something very out of place about it."
Rose was officially interested now. Her knowledge of pre-Columbian art was very limited. She could recognize the region, but not the exact culture from her time in Bolivia and various museums. Jo motioned them forward, and once they got around the tents, they could see a large section of exposed stone that had been cleared off. It was at least six feet tall, and even at a distance, it was very clear and sharp which made Rose a bit suspicious.
"How old is this?" Rose asked. She walked forward and leaned forward to better see everything. "It's in good condition."
"That's not too surprising," Jo said. "The dirt actually helped protect it from water and wind erosion."
Rose was still frowning as she studied the pictures. There was a stylized landscape with humanoid figures. Most interestingly, though was the ship in the sky above them. It was a long oval shape with almost horns on the sides. She really hoped that it was only a rough likeness. Jack and the Doctor walked up beside her.
"That's interesting," Jack said. "Aliens."
"Likely," Jo said. "I'm not an archeologist, none of us are." Rose paused and looked around more closely at the camp. There were four large tents and only a couple of people in view. She didn't see any jeeps or vehicles and was suddenly very sure that Jo had been traveling by river again. Jo shrugged and Rose turned her attention back to her friend. "I learned some caution in my time as your assistant."
"How do you plan to explain us?" the Doctor asked. He looked far too amused.
"Nearby expedition." Jo just smiled. "I can make it stick if I have to explain how you got here so fact. Though if someone wanders off, the police box might be a bit of a challenge."
"I'm sure you'll manage," Jack said smoothly. "You certainly seem calm and in control."
"Oh, you are a charmer." Jo swayed closer to Jack and straightened the collar of his shirt. "If only I wasn't married and about forty years younger."
"I'm flexible."
That got Jack a warning look. Jo tapped his nose. "Behave." Then she turned to the Doctor. "What do you think?"
"There's no writing for the TARDIS to translate." The Doctor was examining the ship. "It wouldn't be surprising that this culture was visited by aliens."
"Aliens aren't unknown now," Jo said. "So, I'm not worried about that. Other than people not giving the indigenous people any credit." She shook her head in irritation, and Rose wondered what she'd missed. "What I need to know is if it is dangerous?" Jo pointed to a section further down. "This part we only uncovered this morning, but it seems to show something being put into the pyramid."
They all moved over. Rose wasn't sure, but there was a clear step pyramid and the ship above it. There was something between the ship and the pyramid, but it was only a square shape that meant nothing to Rose.
"Did you alert UNIT?" Rose asked Jo.
"No," Jo admitted. "I didn't want to alert them until I knew it was dangerous." She gestured around them at the thick jungle trees and vegetation. "We're in the heart of the rain forest. Getting all their equipment in would mean cutting back the jungle and having troops stomping around. They're good folk, but their operations aren't exactly subtle."
Rose nodded to herself, understanding Jo's reasons. "If you tell me that it's dangerous and urgent then I'll alert them," Jo promised. She even made an x shape over her heart. "Promise."
The Doctor studied her for a moment but nodded. "Fair enough. But if I tell you get moving, get moving," the Doctor said seriously.
"I will." Jo rolled her eyes a bit. "I can't run or crawl through vents as well as I used to."
Rose held back a giggle, and the Doctor's lips quirked into a smile. Jack was valiantly holding back laughter as the small woman beamed up at the Doctor.
"Alright," the Doctor said. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver. "Let's find the entrance and see what these aliens left behind."