A/N: Finally! The trade! Yay!
I just want to say that I'm not going to try and make you like the time lady. I don't want anyone to like her. In my POV, the only person the Doctor should ever get with is Rose, and that's final. And also, Rose should never get with Pg. Lol.
xxx xxx
The door swung open.
"Curator!"
The Doctor awoke with a start.
Kermk's planetary body loomed over him, his great frog eyes blinking against the gloom. Morning light strained through the tent, filtered to a fleshy pink by the skins.
"Sorry to wake you, eh? But you got to get up. Today is a big day." Kermk grinned, and stifled a yawn, "We all got to be looking our best for Domo Barter."
"Oh, I must be dreaming." The Doctor said wistfully, "Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?"
Kermk scratched his warty head, "You are a strange creature. How am I s'pose to know what you're thinking about, eh? All I mean is, we're all going to take a bath, scrub up real good for the trade. We just got to hurry before everyone else gets down there."
"I never thought I'd say this to a space pig," the Doctor said, climbing off the skin bed as he spoke, "But I love you, Kermk."
"Yeah, yeah. Maybe I will love you back once you don't stink so bad." Kermk chuckled.
He led the way out of the tent, and through the rest of the camp to the river. At this stage in its meandering journey, the raging Apoda had slowed and divided, branches of smaller rivers fanning out from the central body like the rearing heads of a hydra.
Between these wide rivulets the ground was dark with waterlog. The streams and brooks themselves were coloured rusty orange from the soft clay beneath the sand, and incredibly saline. Fat Rax had no trouble staying afloat on the salty waters.
"This the watering hole, then?" the Doctor wondered, staring eagerly at the nearest rivulet.
Two Rax, both big female guards, were positioned on the steep stream bank. The watched the water warily, eyes peeled for any sign of the dreaded desert worms. Several other Rax splashed about in the murky stream.
"This is the one. Your Rose has already washed herself. She didn't want to wake you, you know." Kermk grinned. His eyes never left the largest Rax guard. It must be love.
"Where is she now?" the Doctor wondered, glancing around for any sight of his companion.
"Hey, don't sound so worried. Pg just took her to get something to eat. Okay? We'll meet up with them at the start of trade." Kermk licked his lips, his eyes set firmly on the Rax guard's sizeable behind, "Don't mope around, anyway. Go wash off."
The Doctor slipped his shirt off over his head, and kicked off his shoes, before venturing into the water. It was early morning, around six thirty, and already the stream was warm. In the distance, the desert sands smouldered. Two more hours, and the heat would be oppressive.
"What is that?" one of the swimming Rax asked of another, pointing shamelessly at the Doctor.
"Time lord." he cut in, before the space pigs could speculate further, "Nothing to be afraid of."
The Rax sniggered. He couldn't blame them, to be honest. Even though most of them were only a foot or so taller than him, they outweighed him by 300 pounds. They weren't exactly creatures he wanted to mud-wrestle with.
"Do you have a name, time lord?"
A voice from the bank took the Doctor by surprise. Waist high in orange water, he turned to see the girl. She was short and lean, her figure almost boyish, and she really seemed little more than a girl. Her face destroyed that image. Her face was hard and cruel, as cold as the notes of her voice. It was the face of a predator, and it chilled the Doctor to the bone.
"What are you doing here?" he narrowed his eyes, careful not to betray his fear, "Why didn't you die like all the others?"
The girl laughed, a harsh bray of sound. Simply, she said, "I ran."
"You ran? Away from the war?" the Doctor wondered, eyebrow raised. None of the time lords had run. None had been allowed to.
"It was a stupid war." The girl retorted.
She seemed content not to say anymore, but just to watch him. Her eyes were an odd amber colour, not entirely pleasant, and they bored into him like they could bypass the physical and skip straight to the soul.
"Why don't they see you for what you are?" the Doctor queried, glancing at the nearby Rax. They were all listening intently, though none appeared to realise what was being said.
"Ultra-violet light projection." The girl said. "They don't see the way we do. Vision based on light and motion, you know the deal. U-V projection simply confuses their eyes, and their brains believe I'm just another Rax."
"We're not in range of the TARDIS here, I presume." The Doctor said. It was strange to know that was switching between languages without so much as noticing. English, Rax, and now Gallifryan.
"No."
And that was it. End of conversation. After a while, when the Doctor was satisfied that he was clean, he climbed out of the stream. The girl watched him keenly, her stare never lessening in intensity.
"Not many people knew the co-ordinates to Beta." He said as he pulled his shirt back on. He didn't bother to look at the girl. He knew she would be listening.
"No."
"But you do."
"Indeed."
Kermk watched this exchange with mild interest. The female Rax guards had been exchanged with males, and now his priorities were shifting back to the morning's trade. Of course, the shimmering Rax girl on the bank was receiving her due amount of attention.
"Hey, Curator," Kermk said, in the lazy, self-satisfied fashion that females found attractive, "You found a pretty female that speaks your language, eh? How's your luck!"
"Bad." The Doctor replied flatly, "Very bad. Don't we have trading to do?"
"Your lose, eh?" the Rax chortled.
"Not really."
Kermk stared ponderously at the girl for a moment. He shot the Doctor a sideways glance, and a big, down-turned grinned crept across his face.
"Curator, why don't you run along to trade? Domo Barter's tent, you know the one. I just want to ah, discuss a few things with your female." He said, doing his best to sound amicable.
The Doctor glanced at the girl. Was she real? Or was she just a dream?
He found himself suddenly longing for Rose, for her hand around his. He wanted to touch her, face and lips and hair, wanted to hear her voice and breath her perfume. With the TARDIS gone indefinitely, Rose was the only thing he could be sure of. Good old earth shop-assistant Rose.
"I'll see you there." He agreed, and turned back towards the camp.
The girl stared after him, filled with a hunger and longing she couldn't express. Like all members of her race, with the one notable exception, she feared and hated change. Her first impression was to strike the Doctor down, before he did the same to her.
"Later." She consoled herself, "When we're alone."
Eavesdropping, Kermk said, "Sorry, I didn't catch that."
"Just thinking aloud." The girl smiled pleasantly, "What was it that you wanted to discuss?"
xxx
Domo Barter's tent was a hive of activity. Rax bustled about, with arms full of tradeable goods, each vying for a optimal position close to the chief.
The Doctor spotted Rose and Pg in a corner, a short distance away from the other Rax. Rose was combing her hair with her fingers, in a futile attempt to untangle the knots and clumps.
"You want some help with that?" the Doctor wondered, approaching her.
"It's no use!" Rose squealed, "I need conditioner! Look! Look at these knots!" she held out a lock of blonde hair for the Doctor to inspect. "I'm going to have to get it all cut off at this rate. I'll look like bleedin' Missy Higgins!"
Yikes. "It'll grow back." He replied, patting her shoulder.
Obviously, this wasn't the right answer, because Rose let out a yowl and buried her head against his chest.
"It's not fair." She cried, letting out a muffled sob.
He hugged her briefly, enjoying the feel of her against him much more than he would ever admit to himself. This side to Rose secretly relieved him, particularly after dealing with the stoic girl from Gallifrey.
"Curator, Rose!" Pg whispered urgently, "Hush now. Trading is starting, okay?"
Rose turned in the Doctor's arms, and pressed her back against his chest. There was no sign of tears or pending tantrums as she watched Domo Barter climb onto his tower of junk, in the centre of the tent.
"Traders, merchandise, quiet!"
Even through Rax eyes, Domo Barter was unimpressive to look at. He was absurdly fat, in the stereotypical Roman emperor way, but otherwise un-noteworthy. His voice however, was as dark and rich as Nile silt. It was a voice that, in another life, could have convinced a thousand men to give their lives to war.
"Before we commence," Domo Barter continued, eyeing the Rax in the room one by one, "I have two announcements. One, in ten days we will move back down the river, to the Forest of Ghosts. Two, the barter of the sky rock to Odjya and Nya is being suspended. There are new developments that will be discussed in today's session."
A few of the Rax muttered amongst themselves, but the conversation was mainly directed at the move, and not the sale of the TARDIS.
Before Domo Barter continued speaking, Kermk slunk into the tent, with the girl by his side. Kermk skulked to Pg's side, whilst the girl disappeared amongst the dense press of Rax bodies.
"I think we'll have a good deal." Kermk muttered to his brother, who merely nodded.
"First item of trade, this dazzling skin travel cloak." Domo Barter announced, holding up a parched scrap of yellow skin, "From Nya of the trading camp. Never be exposed on your travels again, eh?"
Rose tuned out as the trades continued. She watched enough to know that whenever someone traded with Domo Barter for one of the hundreds of items in his pile, that the chief always go the better deal. Always.
"How do you know she's a time lord?" Rose wondered suddenly, lifting her face to stare at the Doctor, "She could be an ordinary person, just like me. Maybe she's just pretending?"
"She's not pretending."
"But how do you know?" Rose queried, trying in vain to catch his eye.
For once, the Doctor was at a loss for an explanation. How does a computer think? How do newts know to migrate back to their swamps of birth? How does a penguin recognise its mate?
Because it just does, and because, to a large extent, it doesn't. No newt has a road map. No penguin has a name tag. A computer doesn't have a brain.
"Just a feeling." The Doctor replied quietly.
From across the room, the girl stared at him.
"Hush, eh!" Domo Barter snarled over the commotion building in the tent, "Last item!"
Rose realised with a start that she and the Doctor were that last item. She elbowed him to make sure he was paying attention.
"Although I haven't inspected these items personally, our Ilium Neocort brother Kermk assures me they are of the highest quality. Beautifully crafted, genuine er-" for the first time that morning, Domo Barter faltered in his speech, "What did you call them again?"
"They are called Rose and the Curator." Kermk said, after clearing his throat. "Noisy creatures that live in a rock the colour of a stormy sky."
"There you have it, my Rax brothers and sisters. The proclaimed owners of the sky rock, here in the flesh. Can you tell us some of their features, Kermk?" Domo Barter arched one arm in a graceful, swooping gesture, which ended with his long middle finger pointed at the Doctor and Rose. Two dozen sets of Rax eyes followed the movement.
"Well, uh," Kermk licked his lips, and threw Pg a helpless glance, "They, uh. They can speak."
"Pray, speak for us." Domo Barter chuckled, directing the question at Rose.
"Nice to meet you all." Rose said. She smiled at the assembled Rax, who muttered in approval.
Encouraged, Kermk continued, "The Curator has the knowledge to fight off the desert worms, and Rose can cure terrible injuries with her mind. They know the secrets of fire, and can conduct simple conversations."
"Simple?" the Doctor fumed.
"Shush!" Pg hushed him, "You want to be useful, not threatening, eh?"
"They seem very talented." Domo Barter mused, his voice rising over the hubbub, "But what about times of peace? What about the days and weeks where there are no desert worms attacking us, and no terrible injuries. What else do these creatures do?"
"Uh." Kermk's eyes bugged out, "Well. Nothing, really."
"They consume food, and precious water, though." Domo Barter said.
"Well, yes."
"Are there only two of them?" one of the assembled Rax called, "Or are there more?"
Rose was a little confused. As far as she had been told, they weren't actually supposed to be traded. They were there to get the TARDIS back, and that was that. So what was up with all the questions?
"Yes." Kermk nodded, "As far as I know. But these two are male and female, a breeding pair. Come wet season, there will be twenty, thirty more of them."
At this point, the Doctor made a valiant attempt to cover Rose's mouth. He had never got around to telling her that the Rax assumed they were a breeding couple, and that it was important not to dissuade them from that untruth. Too late.
Rose brushed him off, and took a step closer to Kermk. "Breeding pair?" she demanded, "What in the universe gave you that bloody idea?"
Wordlessly, Kermk pointed to the Doctor.
"You!" Rose exclaimed, turning on him, "But you can't…I mean, it's impossible, isn't it? Why did you tell them that? And thirty children? I don't think so!"
"Ah, well. That was an assumption on their behalf." The Doctor said quickly, "I never said thirty. I didn't say any, actually. They just assumed. You know, Rose, that's the danger of assumption. It's based on assumption."
He prattled on a bit more, with Rose staring murderously at him, and the Rax just plain staring at him. He heard a giggle from across the room, and realised it was the girl.
"Okay." Domo Barter said, once the Doctor had talked himself out, "So essentially, what we have is two very noisy creatures, which aside from two phenomenal talents, do nothing but consume our resources. And they cannot breed, so there is no potential for expansion."
"If it's any consolation, I can live forever." The Doctor added helpfully.
"I think I could take or leave that." The chief Rax frowned at him. "Besides, you are both quite small. Not as strong as a Rax, I don't think."
"Maybe not with arm wrestling." Rose admitted. Her anger was fast fading. It was dawning on her that there was a very good reason the Doctor had let Kermk believe what he had.
"Look, we're really only here for the sky rock." The Doctor said, "Maybe you could just tell us where it is, and we can go."
Domo Barter growled. "I don't think so, Curator. The way I see it, there had already been an enormous expenditure of Rax effort on your behalf. Bringing your sky rock here, for instance. Bringing you two here. It is a dangerous journey from Ilium Neocort, and not one made lightly."
"There's probably something in the TARDIS we can repay you with. How do you feel about jelly babies?" the Doctor wondered. He had that all-too familiar sinking feeling.
The chief Rax ignored him. "I have two suggestions for your use. Kermk mentioned you knew how to fight the desert worm. Is this true?"
"Uh. Yes?" the Doctor guessed.
"Very well. You shall go into the desert, and bring back a desert worm. Dead or alive, though I will recommend dead. The skins and meat from an adult worm will be payment for our troubles. If you do this, then I, and the Rax of Gymnophiona, will return to you the sky rock, and you will be free to do as you will."
"And what if we can't?" Rose demanded, "Those desert dragon things are huge. What if we can't bring one back?"
Domo Barter stared at her. His expression was contemptuous. "Then I will trade you to the first Rax who wants you. And I suspect you shall be eaten. Fresh meat will be a welcome change, eh?"
His tone was nonchalant, as if he'd said, nice weather, not we're going to eat you.
"Hey, wait!" Pg protested, "Rose belongs to Kermk and I. So does the Curator. Maybe we don't want to send them into the desert, or have them eaten. Hey?"
"It is not for you to worry about." Domo Barter said, gesturing irascibly, "I hereby buy them from you directly. You can have free choice of the tower items."
The Gymnophionan Rax seemed to think this was a fair trade. Some begun to lick their fat lips whenever they glanced at the Doctor and Rose.
Kermk, who had been watching on anxiously, spoke up suddenly. "No." he said, "You can't buy them off us. I sold them already."
"To who?" Domo Barter scoffed, "What foolish Rax would want these noisy creatures?"
"Me."
The Doctor knew instantly who it was. His sinking feeling was great enough that he felt he might be sucked down into the bowels of the planet.
When Domo Barter spoke next, his voice contained a threat of hurt. "Odjya? You would really disobey me like this?"
Rax shuffled away from the girl, until she stood alone to face the chief.
"I did." She replied.
"Then you shall be the one to guide them into the desert. My word is law." Domo Barter snarled. "No one, not even a female, will go against me."
Rose glanced up at the Doctor. She felt like she was being left out of her own life.
"We're doomed, aren't we?" she mouthed.
He nodded in reply. The noise level in the tent had risen to shouting. None of the Rax were happy, not with Domo Barter, and not with the girl. The girl herself simply stood, and stared at the Doctor once more. He felt her gaze as a physical itch on his face, his neck, his spine. Whenever he turned, she was there.
"It is decided!" Domo Barter roared. "They will leave today!"
Pg had been arguing frantically for the chief to change his mind. He fell back from the centre of the tent, face stricken. There was nothing more he could do. Rose was going, to live or die. Eat or be eaten.
Rose clutched the Doctor, desperate not to loose him to the stream of massive bodies pressing passed them. Everyone was in a rush to leave.. The Doctor kissed Rose's forehead, and turned back to the crowd. He wanted to know what the girl thought of all this. Did she want to go? Was she afraid?
He caught her eye, and her expression sent shivers down his spine.
She smiled.
xxx xxx
Guess where I got employed? The abattoir! Or however you spell it. Yay for me.
Next chapter soon. Review if you like it, or you hate it, or you have any suggestions.
References to 4th Doctor and Fight Club here, don't know if anyone picked them up. Oh well.