Bounty Part Five
Notes: I do apologise for the extreme wait…betcha can't remember what this is about, can you? (giggles) Well, I hope you still read and enjoy it. Big thanks to Dr Azaria for all her help. I've been picking her brain somewhat because the next few chapters will be difficult for me. I have extreme writers block AND I've got to somehow bridge the gap between Rose and the Doctor and Jack. (Dr Azaria: Who cares about Jack? Eevee: I care about Jack!) Yay. So I want lots of sympathy in review form please.
Of course, I can't to review responses here anymore, so from this day forward I will be making use of that dinky little 'review reply' feature. I'm not saying I like it, but a response is better than no response. So, any new reviews will get 'review replies'!
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Rose bit her lip ferociously and scowled as she felt the TARDIS land. Jack watched her silently, wondering what she was thinking. The Doctor didn't look at her at all.
"Let's go," he said, avoiding her glare, but feeling it on the back of his neck as he marched for the door.
Dust. Dust had settled everywhere on this rock, untouched and undisturbed due to the lack of wind. There was a domed clear roof above them, and beyond that, far-off stars. There was no atmosphere to get in the way, so they blazed down on them as they looked around.
"Sack the decorator," commented Jack. The building was bare and empty where it wasn't covered in grime and the occasional bone.
Suddenly a klaxon screeched out, seeming to emanate from the walls themselves. Rose's tracker decided to give a painful twinge, making her clutch her head automatically. Whilst Jack tried to comfort her, the Doctor stared straight ahead as Praztofs filled the room.
"Take me to Mert," he demanded. The nearest Praztof grinned slyly.
"Of course," he said, licking his lips as he watched them, his eyes resting on Rose as she swatted Jack away. "This way."
As they followed, the Doctor finally allowed himself to look at Rose. She was white, completely white, as if all the colour had drained from her face. She chewed her lip, then caught him staring.
"Stop it," she muttered.
"Are you alright?" he asked patiently.
"Never been better," she said, spitting out the words. Jack rolled his eyes.
"God Rose, let down some defences already," he said before he could stop himself.
"Silence!" commanded one of the Praztofs. Unsurprisingly, none of them paid any attention. Rose quickly retorted.
"You shouldn't have come," she hissed. "You're both idiots. You'll be killed. It's me he wants."
"On the contrary," drawled a slow voice. Rose stiffened. They had reached the throne room. "Your usefulness has just about ended. It's him I want," said Mert, extending a gnarled finger towards the Doctor, who just stared stonily back.
"I've come to negotiate," he announced. "Remove the tracker."
"And what will I gain from that?" he asked, looking highly amused.
"You won't be turned in to the Time Agency," said the Doctor coolly. "You won't be charged for the murder of your associates, I presume those are their bones?" He paused, but Mert didn't reply; he was watching him carefully. "You won't be taken back to your people for punishment. Which I gather would be rather more severe than exile."
A flicker of worry passed across Mert's face, but he quickly composed himself. "I care not. We…I…simply wish to see you punished for your injustices."
"Rose, are you OK?" muttered Jack. She was sweating, her eyes never leaving Mert. He reached out a hand to her and she didn't push him away, just stood there, transfixed by…fear? Was she afraid? He laid a hand on her arm. She was trembling.
"Against who?" challenged the Doctor.
"Against usss!" screamed two inhuman voices as Mert's demons lost their patience.
Mert's mouth was open and working, but it was clearly not he who spoke. Rose screamed as his mouth grew wider, exposing layers of gleaming, blood stained teeth. Jack looked alarmed at this sudden change in her as she abandoned all pretences and cowered in his arms.
"Doctor!" he called out, trying to draw his attention to the clearly distressed girl who was shaking violently in his grasp. But the Doctor stood his ground, staring right into Mert's eyes…
There were creatures in them…writhing, screaming, reaching out to him…
"Who are you?" he called out harshly.
"We are the Tamathans," they said calmly, assuming a more pleasant voice that implied they were trying to keep their fierce temper in check. They barely managed it. Kyishi and Phnom felt they had a lot to be angry about. Mert's face shrank back to normal proportions, but his eyes still seemed to hold swirling demons. He stood, in some sort of trance, as the Tamathans used his body. The Doctor thought back to the Gelth and wondered what these new shadows wanted. "And we very much owe you something, Time Lord."
"Owe you what?" asked Jack, looking baffled. He stared at the Doctor, who had all his attention fixed on Mert.
"Revenge for our imprisonment," they said. "The Time Lords…they banished us, our whole race. We are the only two left, and you are the only one. It stands to reason Doctor…you will be punished…"
"Remove the tracker!" yelled the Doctor.
"And what if we do?" they asked slyly, still in unison, although it was just about possible to separate a female voice from a male voice.
"I'll tell you what'll happen if you don't," he said, bringing out one of Jack's lasers (which had not recently been retrieved from a certain part of Jack's anatomy…it had been on his bedside table. So there).
"Hey!" Jack yelled indignantly.
"Seize him," said the Tamathans, sounding positively delighted that the Doctor had given them a good reason to do so. The Praztofs still surrounding them sprang into action.
"Oh no you don't," warned the Doctor. "You need Mert's body. Destroy it, and you go back to your own slimy little dimension."
"And what if that is true? Not to sound clichéd, but you know full well you won't escape from this rock," they said, laughing at him.
"Prepared to make a gamble?" he asked them, aiming the weapon. Jack took a moment to wonder when exactly the Doctor had stopped loathing guns, and started using them. "Remove the tracker."
There was silence for a moment. Rose looked on, terrified. This was a nightmare, but it was one she was glad she wasn't facing alone. She watched the Doctor carefully, who showed no signs of bluffing.
"Hold your fire," they said at last. "We will destroy the tracker."
"How?" he asked suspiciously, but Mert's hand had already signalled to one of his henchmen, who approached Rose, a distinctly sharp tool in hand. "No, it can't be cut out, I already checked."
"It cannot be cut out in its solid form," explained the Tamathans. "Our technology will make it a liquid. It is without doubt more advanced than your pathetic tools. Still using chisels Doctor?" He ignored their goading, watching Rose carefully.
Rose gritted her teeth as the Praztof thrust the instrument into her scalp, biting her already swollen lip to stop herself crying out. The device buzzed much like the sonic screwdriver but in a less friendly way, and Jack was half amazed, half horrified to see a metallic silver liquid seeping from Rose's head. The wound was closed, and the Praztof resumed his former, watchful position.
"You OK Rose?" whispered Jack.
"That hurt," she said, drawing deep breaths. "A lot."
"Thank you," said the Doctor politely. "We'll be going now."
The Doctor was surrounded and grabbed before he could react, a hand crushing his wrist and forcing him to drop the weapon. Jack tried to somehow will it his way, but of course, it remained stationary.
"Your debt just keeps on growing Time Lord," said the Tamathans. Mert gave a little whimper, and for a moment he seemed to look around for an escape route. Then he froze again.
"Sssshhh," said the Tamathans soothingly. "You've been a good boy Mert. Hold on a little longer."
The Doctor and Jack exchanged glances, but nothing more as Mert's demons regained control.
"We will destroy the humans," they announced.
"Leave them out of this!" snarled the Doctor, trying to break free.
The Tamathans laughed, a high, cold shriek that betrayed their true natures, their pleasant voices discarded. "Not just them. All humans."
The Doctor froze, terror etched onto his face. "No," he said in a strangled voice. "I won't let you."
They laughed again. "And it will be your fault."
They dragged him away, the remainder taking hold of Rose and Jack, who had started to protest. Rose sank her teeth into one of the hands holding her and almost managed to wriggle free, but was caught again by her hair. She screamed in pain and shock, forced to do a sort of trot to keep up with the marching Praztofs. Jack tried to reach one of his weapons, hoping to somehow surprise them and gain the upper hand, but his arms were well and truly pinned.
The Doctor flashed a grin at his companions, hoping to comfort them. His attempt fell rather flat though, his eyes betraying his anxiety. But he'd starting planning. The Tamathans had a weakness, and he could exploit it.
It was his ability to do so that had made him a good bounty hunter.
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"Ahhh, money," said Jack happily. "I could roll around naked in a big room of it."
"You don't need money as an excuse to roll around naked," commented the Doctor, who was checking their various bank accounts.
"You know you're tempted to join me," teased Jack. "This job is so easy!" He stretched. "Easier than being a con artist was, now that I've got all this lovely technology." He gestured at the TARDIS.
"Don't get cocky Jack," said the Doctor. "This lovely technology will always be mine, and mine alone. I could chuck you out whenever I wanted to."
"Ahh, but you won't. You must admit my flair for charm and fashion, and my innate sense of humour come in handy," he replied.
"You have your uses." The Doctor scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. Our next man hasn't been paying his bills, despite the large sum of money he nicked."
"Time for a little visit from the repo man," guessed Jack correctly. "And I've found a mark who will definitely fall for the Harkness charm. I'll go get changed." The Doctor didn't want to ask what he would be changing into.
As Jack passed, he grinned at the Time Lord. "Me and you Doc. We make a fabulous team."
The Doctor forced a grin. They did make a fabulous team. In fact, they were excellent at their job. And that's what scared him the most.
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So…enough for some reviews? Hope you liked it.