Doctor Who: Infection
Chapter 43 - Introspection
Disclaimer - I don't own nothing or nobody you know/recognize. Doctor Who is intellectual property of the BBC, afaik. MATURE CONTENT CHAPTER.
Characters: Gleeson!Doctor, Markham, River, Jack, Ocs
"Is this acceptable?" River asked.
Sam checked his wrist scanner. "Close enough."
She handed him a small pad. "Here. In case you need to adjust it any more?"
"Thank you, River."
"Will this work?"
"I'm not sure, myself?" he replied, looking into the pool at the now near-naked body of euJos floating there.
"You know the way back to the control room?" He nodded. "I'll leave you to it, then," she said, giving his shoulder a brief squeeze, then leaving.
Once alone, Sam finished stripping off the rest of his armor, then shed his boots and clothes, down to his briefs. He slipped into the water, noting the now strange consistency they had adjusted it to. EuJos had told him before he required a certain mixture to fully rejuvenate at least once a week. Sabalom and Mel had gone out of their way to accommodate him on their ship, which is how Sam knew the proper mixture.
He reached out to touch his partner, the body floating limp just below the surface, the softer skin on his belly clammy to the touch, despite the raised water temperature. euJos had always had a lower external body temperature, but Sam had grown used to it. He traced the light body hair along the torso, remembering times past when they were first exploring each other's bodies. Sam ran his hand along the backside, where euJos' spine should have been. It was still that mix of crusty yet flexible.
Sam smiled, recalling his initial aversion, thinking it some sort of skin disease, but euJos had quickly put those fears to rest as they had gotten to know each other better.
He choked down his fear and moved to the top of the body. It had been a clean cut and Sam could see the meat inside, along with strands of nerve bundles. It had surprised Sam to learn that euJos didn't have a skeletal structure, more of a rigid cartilage, not unlike certain Piscean species. Mel had likened it to 'sharks' back on her homeworld when he mentioned it to her. She had always promised to show him Earth one day...
The thought of losing all three members of his family in one day proved too much, and he began crying. River had said that they had grabbed the bodies before they floated away, and would follow whatever instructions he advised, but he couldn't bring himself to accept their loss just yet. He had to know if euJos would survive or-
He forced himself not to think it, as he ran his hands over the body once more. He would only think of the good times, the happy times they shared.
River found the others in the storage hold she had cleared for the colonist pods. They had managed to reverse most of the hibernation cycles, but a few had nearly completed rejuvenation.
"We can't take care of so many for long," she heard the Doctor telling Blake as she entered. "Where did you say you were taking them?"
"That's the problem. I never had a system name, just coordinates, and, well-"
"You didn't memorize them?" Blake shook his head. "I don't suppose any of those waking up would know where they were going?"
"I couldn't tell you, this was all Glitz' deal," he shrugged. "Maybe Sam knows, but the rest of us were grunts."
"I thought you said you were commander?"
"Most of my duties were making sure supplies were stocked and cargo was stowed," he explained. "Charters were up to Glitz to find." He glanced to River. "Did you know where these people were headed?"
"Sorry, we didn't discuss that," she told them.
"How's Sam doing?" he inquired. "I can't imagine losing-"
"He's mourning," she said. "He's got euJos in an environmental bath. I'm not sure what he's hoping for?"
"Is there something I should be aware of?" the Doctor asked.
Blake and River shared a look. "euJos is not human, sweetie."
Blake nodded. "Some sort of fish or something? I've never seen the like? He's got these weird sucker things on his hands-"
The Doctor blanched. "Zygon? This euJos is a Zygon?"
Both shook their heads. "I've heard of them, but never seen one," Blake replied.
"No, he's not a Zygon," she told him. "Although, I wouldn't be surprised if whatever race euJos was, they were related somehow? I've never encountered another like him, either."
"Him? I thought euJos was a- well, Sam and her-?" Blake questioned.
"Does it matter?" the Doctor asked, then thought for a moment. "Wait, didn't Yamamoto say he was to turn the captain or the crew over to his employer?"
Blake and River exchanged looks, realizing what he was asking. "You think euJos might have been the target all along?" she suggested.
"He refused to say who hired him, though?"
"Where did you pick up this euJos?" the Doctor asked. "Is it possible he...she-? was on the run from someone?"
"You'd have to ask Sam," Blake replied. "He's the one who brought euJos on board."
The Doctor started to leave, but River caught his arm. "Leave him be for now. Whatever he's doing with the body, he thinks it will help. We've got more pressing matters to tend to with these colonists."
"That man may have all the answers we're looking for," he countered.
"And that can wait for now," she urged. She glanced over to the row of hibernation capsules. "Looks like Toby is about to open up the first of our colonists?"
He thought about arguing, but she never let him win. He harrumphed and pulled out his sonic to check the person's vitals. The trio approached the opening pod. That's when they saw who was inside. "Oh. blimey."
Two years previous
Sam Bush walked down the avenue, taking in the sights of the latest pitstop planet his parents had landed at. This was one of the nicer ones, he mused, glancing through shop windows. He should have asked his mother along, but she had "recalibrations" to do after his father's last venture nearly cost them their ship and their lives. His father had gone in search of another "potential customer" in the seedier side of this city.
He wasn't sure how long his tail had been there, and cursed himself for not spotting him sooner. Especially since the man was wearing body armor. Local constabulary, he guessed, silently hoping his father had not caused them any more trouble already. Or worse, a previous associate of his father had caught up with them for revenge on a previous con job.
Sam pushed his way into a large group, crouching a bit and trying to blend in. The armored man maintained a steady distance, still following. Sam slipped into a dark alley, readying himself for a fight. The man followed.
"Who are you? What do you want?" he demanded.
"Fyr haar," the man said, pointing at Sam's head.
"What?"
"Haar iz fyr," he said, his voice sounding like he was gargling. This time he pointed at his own head.
"Fire hair?" Sam asked, slowly realizing what he wanted. He gave his head an absent-minded stroke, then over his goatee, tugging on his chin hairs.
"AffUrmAtIv. t0Uch?"
Sam was taken aback. It didn't occur to him this man simply found him...attractive? Interesting? Whoever it was, had simply not -or rarely- seen anyone with naturally red hair before. "you just want to touch my hair?"
"AffUrmAtIv."
Sam had to chuckle, not just because of the unusual request, but also the man's accent. "That's all you want? To touch my hair?" He pointed to his flattop.
The man seemed confused, then nodded. "PlEEz?"
"This isn't some sort of trick?"
"PlEEz?"
"I've had worse offers," he chuckled, then nodded.
The man approached slowly, his hand outstretched. He seemed overly cautious, apparently thinking Sam really did have fire for hair. Sam wasn't sure if it was just a cultural gap or if the man simply had a limited intelligence as he pawed his head, intrigued that his fingers weren't burning.
He looked Sam in the eye, then glanced down. Sam tried to be patient as he ran a rough thumb over an eyebrow, then moved down to his goatee, stroking the longer hairs that ran from above his lip to his chin.
"Are you satisfied now?" he asked.
"TAst?"
Sam barely managed a "What?" before the man's thumb was in his mouth. He fought the urge to bite it, and put his hand on the man to give him a gentle shove back. Something grabbed his tongue.
"TAst gUd."
Sam grabbed the man's arm and pushed it back. The finger stayed stuck to his tongue for a second before pulling free. "What was that?" he spat, making his displeasure clear.
"Ap0ll0gee. TAst gUd." He leaned forward.
Sam grabbed his shoulders, trying to hold him back, then saw his lips were puckered, as if asking for a kiss. "I don't play that way," he warned.
"Yass, plAy," the man said.
"No play," Sam told him sternly. The man pulled back, frowning.
"euJos Ap0ll0gee."
Sam was flabbergasted. He decided this man was of limited intelligence and had simply gone after something he found interesting without thinking of consequences, as a child would. "Listen, I know you meant no harm, but is there somewhere we can go? Where are you staying?"
"Yass plAy?
Sam shook his head. "No play. I just want to see you get home without causing more trouble you can't handle," he explained. "I'm being nice, but if the next person you meet isn't nice, you could get hurt. Understand?"
"AffUrmAtIv," he replied, then frowned. "euJos n0 h0m."
Sam gave him a puzzled look. "I don't understand?"
"euJos n0 h0m."
"You just don't have a home?"
He shook his head. "euJos n0 h0m. hAv rUm."
"You don't have a home, just a room?"
The man nodded. "euJos hAv rUm."
"Okay, then I'll walk you there. Do you have a name?" he asked. He pointed at himself. "I am Sam. You are-?"
"euJos mEE."
"You're just you?"
He shook his head. "euJos mEE."
"You're Joss?"
"euJos." He pointed at himself. "mEE euJos." He was clearly getting frustrated.
"You Joss?"
"gUd."
"Okay, let's take you to your room," Sam motioned back out into the avenue. euJos took his hand and lead him along. Sam was past the point of protesting. He hoped wherever this Joss lived, there was someone to take care of him.
"euJos cUm. Sam tAst gUd."
Sam gave him a puzzled look, then felt something attach to his hand where Joss' fingers touched his. There were apparently suckers on each fingertip, which explained what happened with his tongue, and maybe his strange gurgled pronunciation?
He led Sam back the way they had come. Just past the point where Sam had first spotted him, a shopkeeper ran out to meet them. "euJos! You left your order!" she called out, and handed him a sack. It was moving slightly.
"Wait, his name is yew-Joss?" he asked her.
"Yes, euJos," she smiled, then glanced down at their joined hands. "What are your intentions with hir?"
"I was just walking him home," he replied before catching what she said. "Wait, her?"
"euJos, don't play with the boy if he doesn't want to," she scolded.
The man looked dejected. "tAst gUd. fYr haar."
"Is that all?" she laughed.
Sam looked between the two, incredulous. "You understand him? Her?"
"euJos is, shall we say, an acquired taste?" she winked. "A bit slow on the communication skills, but this is actually one smart cookie." She patted the man on his arm. "Now you two behave yourselves," she winked.
Before Sam could ask further, euJos was pulling him away.
"Smart cookie, huh?" Sam asked.
"euJos smArrt."
"What's in the bag?"
"euJos fUd."
"And what are we eating?"
"tAst gUd. euJos shArr."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Acquired taste, eh?" He was actually curious as to what the lady had meant.
A few blocks later, euJos turned abruptly and led Sam down another block, less traveled. Then he stopped short in front of a door. "euJos room." He held out the bag.
Sam glanced to it, before catching on. "Oh right. I'll hold that so you can open the door," he said, as the man was evidently not willing to release Sam's hand.
euJos punched in a code by the door. The panel flashed blue and the door unlocked. euJos led Sam up to the second floor and pressed a finger into the scanner, unlocking it. "euJos rUm," he announced.
The first thing Sam noticed was the humidity. Not quite stifling, but the air was thick and slightly warmer than the outside temperature. The main room had a kitchenette area to the left, and a large round cushion in front of a panel screen on the right, with a half wall acting the main divider. He recalled his mother made him something similar to the cushion in his youth, calling it a "bean bag chair", although to this day, he still refused to call anything without legs a chair. It lasted about a year, until an impromptu wrestling match with Uncle Dibber broke the seam and spilled it's contents everywhere. His mother brought it up every occasion she could for the next year.
Beyond that, were two doors, one directly back from the entry, and another along the wall dividing the apartment into quarters. Although both doors were closed, a quick calculation of the size of the apartment has Sam guessing the first door was the lavatory, the other the bedroom.
"EEt?"
"What? No, I just had something before we met," he lied.
"tAst gUd," he repeated. He finally released Sam's hand. Sam could see red circles where the man's fingertips had been. Definitely suction, he mused, rubbing the marks.
euJos opened a cabinet and pulled out a bowl. He emptied the bag into it. Sam saw it was a fresh fish and a cephalopod of some sort. Both were now dead and he wondered which had still been alive, earlier?
"tAst gUd," euJos said again, offering the bowl.
"uh, thanks, but no thanks," Sam said, holding up his hands.
He set the bowl back on the counter. "plAy n0w?"
Sam shook his head. "No play. I just wanted to make sure you got home okay."
"n0 euJos h0m, rUm."
Sam sighed. "You live here, right?"
"yass."
"So this is your home?"
"n0 euJos h0m. RUm," he repeated.
This wasn't working, he decided. "So where is yew-Joss home?"
He frowned. "euJos nut n0. N0 h0m."
"You don't know where you're from?"
"euJos nut n0."
"I'm sorry. I don't have a home, either. I live with my parents on their ship. I don't have a home world."
"StAy hErr?"
Sam shook his head. "Sorry, I can't stay."
"tAst gUd," he implored.
Sam glanced to the bowl. "Sorry, not hungry. Look, I really just wanted to make sure you got h- uh, here, to your room," he explained. "I should be going." He edged toward the door.
euJos frowned. "euJos l0ne. euJos n0ne."
Sam hesitated. Big mistake. "I'm sorry." Bigger mistake.
euJos grabbed his hand. He could feel the suckers dig in. "euJos stAy."
"I can't," he begged, trying to pry euJos' hand off his.
euJos grabbed the other hand with his. "plEEz."
"I can't. No," he was adamant.
"fYr haar tAst gUd," he begged. "euJos lYk."
"My name is Sam, and I can't stay, Joss," he told the other man, still trying to pull free.
euJos' let his hands drop. He stumbled to the large cushion and dropped into it. "euJos l0ne. euJos n0ne."
Sam felt bad. EuJos wanted him to stay, but he couldn't. "I-I'm sorry. I'm just passing through," he told the man. "Can't you be friends with your neighbors here? What about the lady from the shop?"
"TU euJos mEEn. N0ne lYk," he said. "euJos hUmmerr."
It took Sam a second to realize what he meant. "They're mean to you? Laugh at you?" he asked, then made the mistake. "Why?"
The man looked at him with the saddest expression Sam had seen in years. Not since Uncle Dibber left had he seen such sadness from his father. "euJos nut lYk yU. euJos nut rYt."
Sam was puzzled. "They don't like you? Not right?"
EuJos rose and began taking off his armor. "euJos sh0."
Sam hesitated. The man had obviously been rejected by everyone else, but why? Curiosity won out.
He finally took off his helmet, revealing slicked back hair to his shoulders. Sam didn't think anything of it. He had already decided this man wasn't that handsome, but he'd seen worse pull plenty of lovers.
After shedding his armor, euJos began undoing his boots. Once they were off, Sam noticed euJos' feet had a slight scaly appearance on top. He briefly wondered if it was some dermatological condition? That was soon answered.
He began taking his shirt off next. Sam cringed, but kept watching, trying to be patient. He didn't notice anything unusual as yet. EuJos had a slightly hairy torso, and was a bit on the pudgy side, almost doughy, but nothing out of the ordinary.
When he pulled off the shirt and turned to lay it on top of his armor, Sam noticed the same scaly appearance on his skin, most of his back and down his arms. He would later notice the same texture down his legs. "Is that-Is that what they make fun of?" he asked.
"parrt."
Sam noticed euJos' hair wasn't as flat anymore. It slowly rose as the man began to undo his belt. Sam glanced away, not really wanting to see the man fully naked, but then noticed when euJos bent over to step out of his pants, his flabby chest was hanging lower than he expected. When he stood up, he realized that it had indeed grown larger.
The words were out of his mouth before he realized it. "you're a hermaphrodite?"
EuJos looked at him strangely. "nut n0 wyrd?"
"Hermaphrodite," he repeated. "It looks to me like you have both binary basic genders?" He motioned to euJos' enlarged chest and then down to his crotch, where something in euJos' undershorts was quickly expanding. Sam balked at the realization that euJos was apparently turned on by stripping in front of another person. Or just Sam. Was he that desperate?
euJos looked down at hirself. "euJos iz?"
"Do you not know what you are?" Sam asked, actually concerned.
euJos shrugged. "euJos nut n0 h0m."
Sam realized what s/he was saying. "You have no idea where your home is or where you came from? What race you are?"
euJos shook his head. "euJos iz euJos."
Sam didn't know what to say. He could only feel pity for this lost soul. Without thinking, he went to give the man a hug. euJos was stiff for a moment, then relaxed into Sam's grasp. He looked up into the other man's eyes. "euJos lYk?"
"You're not bad, just in need of a friend," Sam admitted.
"fYr haar tAst gUd."
"Does that mean you like me?" he chuckled.
It was an innocent question. euJos responded by kissing Sam. He fought it for a moment, having been taken off guard, but decided what the hell, and returned it. He tasted like salty brine. Sam could feel euJos' hands roaming over his still clothed body, while his felt the rough texture of euJos' back. Before he realized it, euJos had stuck his tongue in Sam's mouth. Sam let out a soft chuckle, realizing the man had had some experience. Then he had to fight his gag reflex, as the tongue suddenly went deeper than he expected. Sam slapped his shoulder and pushed away.
"What was that?" he coughed.
"euJos tAst?"
"How long is your tongue?"
The other man shrugged. "euJos nut n0."
"Tongue?" Sam pointed, sticking his out. "How long?" He held his hands apart.
euJos nodded, then opened his mouth. Hir tongue extended, reaching past hir chin, then kept going down hir torso. Then it twisted back up on itself, like a snake probing for food.
"Seriously? You should have all the ladies wanting that," he laughed, then realized how that could have been taken. Except euJos didn't get it.
"euJos nut n0?" he finally said after swallowing his appendage once more.
Sam glanced down. "I'm almost afraid to ask?"
The other man glanced down at hirself again, then back up to Sam. "euJos lYk?"
Sam sighed. He had seen some of Uncle Dibber's vids, and even caught him several times with various...associates. Including once with his father, which the men denied to his mother before they sent him to his room. He couldn't make out all the words, but it was clear she was angry with them, again. Sam wondered if Uncle Dibber had meant to be caught?
What the hell, he told himself. "Anatomy lesson," he said. "I am a human man. That was a woman who gave you your food. Understand?"
"n0?"
"Man and woman, in human binary gender couplings, make children. You know what children are?"
"Lil wuns?"
"Little ones, yes," he nodded. "Women have babies, which most feed with these," he caressed euJos' still enlarged breasts. His thumb slipping over the hardening nipple.
"nut n0?"
Sam sighed. He glanced to the vidscreen. "Does this work?" euJos shrugged. A quick fumble and he found the power switch, a holo-keyboard appeared. He typed in a quick search and soon had the vid he wanted. "Okay, we're using this for educational purposes," he informed his new friend.
euJos sat on his cushion as Sam explained what the couple on the screen were doing to each other, noting what was performance for the viewer and what would likely happen in real life. Without thinking, Sam sat down next to him to point out certain things, forgetting euJos was practically nude.
He would later blame what happened next on several factors: the intimacy, the video, the heat of the room, even later finding out the euJos had his own pheromones that may or may not have affected him. In the end, it didn't matter, as the pair began caressing each other. Sam saw euJos' hair was standing tall, from the top of his head down his neck, as if some sort of mating plumage.
euJos tried to mirror Sam's actions, but Sam still had all his clothes in the way. They finally broke apart and Sam pulled his boots off, then stood to strip. euJos watched intently, seeming to marvel at Sam's leaner, muscular build, thanks in part to his mother's diets and physical exercise regimen. Sam took a moment to explain the basic differences as he had pointed out on the man in the video, and also that the partner had to be willing, which was why Sam had rebuffed him before, as Sam had no intentions toward him earlier.
"euJos lYk n0w?" he had asked.
"Sam like now," he answered, then pulled down his shorts, fully revealed for the first time to his new friend. euJos stood and did the same. Sam smirked the sight, but curious as to one thing as euJos reached out to touch him. "One more difference," he noted. He reached down to grab his testes. "These are my reproductive glands. Are yours internal?" He grabbed himself. "Mine external, outside." He pointed at euJos' crotch, "yours internal, inside?"
"yass?" euJos seemed to concentrate, shifting his feet, then hir own appendage slowly expanded outward, matching Sam's in length.
Sam gave a sigh of relief, the momentary awkwardness passed. He reached for euJos' member as euJos reached for his. He mirrored the other man, feeling the turgid length for a moment. Sam thought his felt slightly odd, it was already wet with anticipation, he thought, as euJos rolled the skin back on his. What happened next surprised Sam.
There was a tremor from inside euJos' as he gently stroked it. Sam assumed he was merely flexing it at first. Then it began to separate in his hand, revealing five tentacles (for lack of a better word) reaching out, attempting to interlace each tendril with his fingers.
Sam stumbled back to see what was happening as the suckers held his hand fast. "What's going on?" he demanded.
euJos grunted and Sam's hand fell free. He watched as euJos' groin tendrils folded back together, forming a single appendage once more.
"W-what-?"
"euJos iz," he said simply. He turned away, obviously embarrassed. "iz nut rYt."
Sam stared at him a long moment, more examining the rough skin on his back than anything else. "No, I'm not mad," he finally said. "I just didn't expect, well, that."
"euJos nut rYt."
Sam grabbed his shoulder, turning him around. "Who says any of us is right? Listen, I pointed out the man's, er, appendage on the video. I showed you mine-"
"fYr haar tAst gUd."
"So you keep saying," he chuckled, then went serious. "You should have said something about yours being, ah, different?"
"iz nut rYt?"
"Not telling me to expect something different than what I already showed you was not, well, not 'not right', but not upfront?" he stumbled. "If you had said yours could, I don't know, do this?" He motioned with his hand, opening and closing it, bringing his fingers to a point. "Then I wouldn't have been as shocked when you did it to me. Understand?"
"iz mEEn?"
"No, not mean of you-"
"nut, iz mEEn lAdEE?"
"You've been with a lady before?"
He pointed to the sink.
"Yeah, we should really put that away before we continue."
"nut, iz mEEn lAdEE?"
Sam looked between euJos and the sink, trying to understand. "I really hope you're telling me you were with the lady who gave you that food?" The other thought was: that cephalopod may not have been for dinner?
"lAdEE tAst gUd."
Small sigh of relief? "Well, now, that depends on the lady," he snickered. "But yes, what she said earlier does make more sense to me now," he admitted, thinking to himself that euJos' limited vocabulary was also making sense to him.
"fUd tAst gUd?"
Sam looked back to the sink. "If you want to eat before we continue?"
"fUd gUd," euJos said, getting back up and waddling naked into the kitchen, seemingly oblivious to his appearance. Sam, curious, got up and followed. "iz gUd?" he offered a tentacle to Sam.
"You don't cook it first?"
"iz gUd lYk," he said and bit into the tendril. Sam wasn't sure if there was still some life in it or it was simply he bit into a nerve that caused the tendril to curl up.
"ex-excuse me," he mumbled and went back into the rear room, hoping to find a lavatory. He backed up and tried the other door, and found what he was looking for. He tried not to hurl, but still rinsed his mouth of the briny taste of euJos. He stared at himself in the mirror a moment, mentally asking himself if he was ready for this.
"iz gUd?" euJos was at the door, slurping up another tentacle.
"uh, I'm fine?" he answered, trying not to look. "Just washing my face, is all."
euJos held out the fish.
"Maybe later? Have you tried cooking it?" he asked. "I'll show you how."
euJos shook his head, then stumbled forward, cocking his head toward Sam.
"How about you clean up your dinner, then brush your teeth first?" he suggested.
euJos looked at him, the fish, then turned back to the kitchen. Sam followed him out and watched him simply drop the fish into the mini-fridge in the wall. He then turned and entered the other room. Sam followed him in and watched as euJos stuck his head in the large aquarium, gargle some water, some of which came dribbling out of neck gills Sam hadn't noticed earlier. euJos spit the remaining back into the tank.
"iz gUd?"
"What-what is this?" he stammered.
"iz euJos."
Sam sighed. "I know it's yours, but why do you have this in your- Is this your bed? Is this where you sleep?"
He looked back to the tank, which looked to Sam in desperate need of a cleaning, at least several months back. "iz euJos?"
Sam mimed the question again. "Is this tank where you sleep?"
"yass?"
Sam sighed. He turned back to the other room. "Okay, another video. This one is called 'basic hygiene'."
euJos stared at it blankly. Then at Sam. "euJos iz?"
"In need of a real shower?" he asked. "Yes, and I see you have real water shower. I haven't had one of those in ages." He grabbed euJos' hand and led him back into the lavatory, pulling hir into the stall with him.
The actual scrubbing took only a few minutes. They didn't leave it for a half hour. Sam was slightly annoyed that euJos kept adjusting hir body size, inflating and deflating hir breasts, but he more than made up for it in other ways. The least of which was euJos would swallow water then squirt it out over their bodies through hir gills. Sam actually found this to be quite hilarious. He almost didn't mind euJos didn't have any towels -or blankets- to dry off with, but they didn't really need any over the next few hours.
The pair finally collapsed in exhaustion. Neither would admit they had had a sexual experience quite so exhilarating in their lives. They started to doze off, euJos resting hir head on Sam's torso, he muttered "euJos lYk fYr haar."
Sam didn't think anything of it other than a compliment. Then his wrist comm sounded. He had tossed it into his pile of clothes earlier. EuJos seemed annoyed that it ruined their moment of relaxation as Sam slipped free of his grasp and went digging for it in his clothes.
"Sam? Where are you?" his mother's high-pitched whine came out of the device.
"Just making a new friend," he mumbled.
"Your father has stirred up some trouble, again," she informed him. "We're leaving in an hour. I don't want to leave you behind, again."
"I'll be there as soon as I can," he promised. One glance to euJos was all it took.
"n0 lyk."
"After what we just did? I think I do."
"n0 stAy."
Sam sighed. "I'm sorry. I have duties. Don't you have duties? A job or something?"
euJos shrugged. "euJos fix. pr0tek."
"You fix things? Like what?"
"0ll fix."
"Mechanical? plumbing? Electronic?"
"0ll fix."
"And your armor? You protect things? People? Places?"
"0ll fix. 0ll pr0tek."
Sam eyed him a moment. "Have you ever been to another planet?"
"euJos iz?"
"Of course you don't know," he chuckled. "Get dressed. Get any personal items. You're coming with me."
The pair were ready to leave in ten minutes.
"What about that mess in the tank?" he pointed to the back room.
"euJos nut lYk g0."
"You don't want to go with me now?"
"yass g0. Nut lyk g0." He began scrounging in the cabinets, and pulled out several empty bottles. "go." he said again, handing Sam several, carrying more into the backroom. Sam followed and found him scooping the contents of the tank into the bottles.
"Is this really necessary?"
"iz euJos, euJos iz," he said matter of factly.
Sam shrugged and began stuffing the bottled liquid into hir duffel. He tried to pick it up after stuffing the last bottle in, but the liquid made it difficult for him.
"We're going to have to tag-team this back to my ship," he said, straining to lift.
euJos simply said "iz EEzEE" and took the bag with no problem. Sam cursed under his breath as he led his new friend back to the shuttle docks. euJos gave no sign of tiring as he followed close behind.
The shuttle was locked tight when they arrived. Sam banged on the door to get their attention. "Who is it?" came a singsong voice over the comm.
"It's Sam, open up!"
"What's the password?"
Sam sighed. "Doctor Blue."
"I'm sorry, that was last week's password."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Mother!"
"Oh let the bloody boy in, already," he overheard his father say as the door hissed open.
"phew! What's that smell?" Mel asked as they entered.
"I hope you don't mind I brought a friend?" Sam asked them as he locked the door behind them.
"Did you bring the whole bleedin' swamp?" Sabalom griped, pinching his nose.
"See what I was saying about hygiene?" Sam told his friend. "Mother, father, this is euJos. He's good at fixing things and protection."
"Wot kind of things?" Sabalom asked.
"0ll fix, 0ll pr0tek," euJos answered.
"That's an interesting accent you've got there," Mel noted, holding out her hand. "Where are you from?"
"iz euJos," he replied, taking the hand.
"Remember what we talked about?" Sam warned.
"tAst gUd," he replied.
"What tastes good?" she asked before trying to pull her hand back. "Oh? Oh!" She rubbed it where his suckers had attached.
"That's euJos' way of saying hello," Sam explained, pulling euJos' hand down.
"Not from around here then?" she asked, slightly miffed.
"euJos iz," he said, then turned to Sam. "fYr haar n0?"
"Hers used to be," Sam answered.
"fYr tAst gUd."
Mel gave a confused smile. "Fire tastes good?"
"Long story, I'll tell you later," he explained.
Sabalom called back from the pilot seat. "Will you get 'im stowed? I'm ready to skedaddle!"
"Aye-aye, cap'n," Sam said and ushered euJos into a seat.
"He can bunk with you for now," he added.
"iz gUd."
"I don't think that's going to be a problem," Mel whispered to her husband as Sam instructed his new friend on seatbelts.
"What tipped you off? 'fire taste good'?" he sneered.
"I can hear you both," Sam reminded them, turning back to the front and sliding past his mother into the co-pilot seat in the cramped shuttle.
"Yeah, and?" his father replied, then leaned over. "Tell me the truth, was it Uncle Dibber or Jack that, y'know-?"
Sam shook his head and punched in take-off procedures. "Only half an hour of this until we reach the ship. Great."
"Longer than that, me boy, if he's going to be new crew," Sabalom laughed. "Blake! Glitz! We're coming up, and we've got a stowaway! Let's give 'er a proper greeting, eh?" he laughed over the comm, adding a muttered "and a proper airing out."
"Sitting right here."
Sam smiled at the memory. His parents had given him a rough time, but accepted euJos fairly quickly. His mother and Dana ensured euJos' "bath" was up to his needs, and he adapted fairly quickly to the work. Only Ray didn't care for him, but Estevez didn't care for much. It didn't surprise anyone that he turned on them for a profit, which turned out to be for nothing, in the end.
Now, Sam was left adrift. His parents killed in the mutiny; his lover beheaded, possibly dead; and his inherited crew? They had to deliver the colonists, first. Karabraxos Bank had already accepted their deposit, with the remainder waiting for confirmation of their arrival. His parents' shares were his now, he could buy a new ship or retire. Whatever he wanted.
What he wanted was his family back.
"Pardon, master?" came a robotic voice, shaking Sam from his reverie. Sam looked around and saw a red glow at one end of a box-like shape on the deck. He briefly wished the lights were a few candela brighter.
"What?"
"Unit nomenclature is K9 Mark V. Master wishes to speak with you," it informed him.
"The Doctor?"
"Affirmative."
"He couldn't come down himself?"
"Mistress River forbid it. He has sent me instead with a radio communication link."
"What?"
"Is this thing on? K9? Can you hear me?" came the voice from the box's back.
"Affirmative, Master. Captain Glitz is present."
"My name's not Glitz," Sam corrected, moving to the pool deck. "It's Bush. Sam Bush."
"Did he say ambush?"
"Sam Bush," he corrected. "Solomon Bush. Sam for short," he explained. "What do you want?"
"I was talking to your Commander Blake. We need to know where your colonists were headed," he explained. "Some of them are waking up and it's crowded enough in here."
Sam sighed. "Fine, I'll be right there. Control room?" he asked as he climbed out of the pool.
"Yes, we can meet there," the Doctor replied. "And warn a person next time!"
Sam looked down at the boxy dog and saw that he had a camera component to the comm device, not just audio. He shrugged and wiped some of the confection off his body and back into the pool.
"Showers are to your left, Master," K9 informed him.
"Understood," he said, reaching down to slip off his shorts and wring them back into the pool, as well.
River and Blake looked at the Doctor as he flipped off the monitor. "You're not going to tell him?" he asked.
"He'll find out soon enough," the Doctor answered, looking across to the first colonist awake.
1.29.16
