Health and Safety: Chapter 5 – Law and Order
The wagons circle up into a group, and Ria heads off towards the town, promising she will be back soon.
"Gotta go get Law and Order to give us their good graces and allow this lot passage." She offers in explanation before riding off.
Vastra, Jenny and Strax wander towards us as we wait. Most of the other people have pulled out cards or are settling in for a nap.
"I must say Doctor, I do enjoy having no need for my veil." Vastra says, as she reaches for Jenny's hand.
"It's nice to do that too isn't it Madam?" The chambermaid asks, flushing slightly and looking thrilled.
The older man who was driving our wagon turns to us.
"Just cause we are out in the woods, pardon the term cause their ain't much by way of woods here, but just cause we're out in the middle of nowhere don't mean we can't be civilized like. We don't see off worlders often, but it does happen now and again, we don't mind a t'all."
Vastra smiles thinly, obviously restraining herself from correcting him that she was in fact from earth. After the kind of day we've had I think she's right not to push our luck right now.
The man hops out of the driver's seat, offering Strax a flask.
"In fact, there's gonna be a big off worlder landing in Estevan sometime next week, some energy magnate from somewhere important like. I won't get to see it, but everyone in Bordure is buzzing about either that or the gala that Troves is planning." He grins.
"Name's Icabod by the way, Icabod Irving, please call me Bod. If you're stayin' for a bit you must come to that, the gala I mean. I doubt it'll go as planned but it'll probably be more fun that way."
He pulls out a few blankets from under the wagon's front seat, and throws them out on the ground.
"Ria might be a while, if she's lucky those two will just be hard to find, if she's not lucky, which she usually ain't, she'll have to stop 'em from killing each other before dragging them back out here by their ears. The girl has a knack for managing those two, even if she says otherwise."
"Which two?" I ask curiously, as the Doctor moves to help me get down from the wagon. It's a real relief after being crammed in there all afternoon.
"Walt and Mr. Troves, the Joint Marshals of Bordure and county. They don't get on so well, kind of like chalk and cheese really, both useful on their own, but not much good if you put'tem together."
Bod goes to take a swig from the flask he had offered Strax, only to find it returned empty.
"I'll be right back; don't want to have a dry wait." He says with a mischievous grin before getting up and walking away. Rules about drunk driving have apparently not made it into the future…
"So we are not about 400 years ahead of 2013, we are 398 years ahead, its 2411, the height of the age of joint governance." The Doctor informs us, looking quite chuffed with himself.
"What's joint governance?" I ask.
Some people have lit a camp fire not far away; they must really think we are here for a while.
"It was a response to the failure of governments to address the original energy crisis. Basically you have two people doing one job, well not exactly, more like they are partners actually. They both have titles and responsibilities that compliment and contrast each other, like a check and balance. Ideally the two people challenge the other's notions, but ultimately compromise and work together, however-"
"However sometimes ya get two people with very different ideas and they don't trust or respect t'other's opinions. You end up with a stalemate and nothin' ever gets done." Bod finishes for him as he sits down with us again.
The sun starts to dip under the plains, and we are still waiting. Bod chats happily with the Paternoster residents. Despite myself, I start nodding off a bit. I don't want to sleep, I can't sleep, but it's been a long day, possibly more than a day...
Luckily a curly haired woman breaks out something that sounds vaguely like a fiddle, but has a bit of an electric twang to it as well. Having never heard what that instrument is supposed to sound like I shouldn't be making judgments, but I don't think she has a very good ear for it. Oh well, it's enough noise to keep me from sleeping.
"Oh, here comes their highness' now!" A voice calls out. Several people laugh at that, and start to rouse sleeping friends.
There are three people on horseback leaving the town, two men along with Ria. The three of them dismount when they are just outside of the wagons.
The one on her left his quite tall, walking with a bit of a swagger. He has shorter blond hair and stubble on his slightly rough although not unattractive face. His clothing is well kept if a bit worn, plaid shirt with a spotless vest over it, a well oiled gun belt and long leather riding chaps.
The one on the right is almost marching towards us, quite upright. His face is very clean shaven, contrasting his hair which is longer and pretty curly. His attire is immaculate; it reminds me of a picture of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police I saw on a postcard once.
The straight backed one ties his horse to a post and then clears his throat.
"Attention, would all non-essential personal please present themselves to either myself or my associate to confirm that they have the proper documentation, and then leave the premises while we conduct our inspection of the cargo." He announces.
"Yeah, and get a move on, I was busy beating Betman at poker." The other man adds, bringing a chain of sniggers from several people and a glare from his partner.
Strax inches over so he is speaking right in the Doctor's ear.
"Sir, I do not like either of these human males. The one appears to wish to neglect his duties for poke-her, and the other considers himself to be far too important. What are your orders?"
"Well…" The Doctor says as he dusts himself off and stand up, quickly offering me his hand to do the same.
"I think we are non-essential personal here, considering that we aren't even personal to start with. So I guess we best present our documentation."
He pulls out the psychic paper again.
"You sure that is still working?" I ask him.
"Tell me what you see Bod?" He asks, presenting it to the older man.
"Gadzuks, sorry Mister, I was outta line before about the joint system… I mean ya know I just..."
He looks terrified but the Doctor just shakes his head.
"Not to worry, we appreciate honest feedback, and although this is strictly off the record I must say I do agree with you most of the time, it's a nice idea but it doesn't always work."
The Doctor puts an arm around my waist and steers our little gang towards the two men. They are both checking papers while Ria stands somewhat uneasily behind them, patting her horse.
When we get to the front of the line, the Doctor shows the paper to the rougher of the two of them, who gives him a once over after reading it, like he is sizing him up and finding him wanting.
"Health and Safety? We didn't get any notice bout a couple of Joint Marshals coming out here." He says, prodding the other man in the back sharply to get his attention.
"No, I must agree with my partner, we did not. My name is Daniel, Daniel Troves, Law under the Joint Marshal system, assigned to oversee Canadian and American trade passing through Bordure as well as the maintenance of the justice system. This is my partner, Walter MacEwan, Order under the Joint Marshal system."
"If you're referring to me, call me Walt." The other man grunts.
"I am Doctor John Smith, and this is my partner Clara Oswald. We are Joint Marshals Health and Safety respectively, these are our associates, who are expert investigators and will be assisting us in our highly classified assignment. We didn't mean to be here. Bit of an accident. We are heading to Estevan, but my partner is feeling unwell after a bit of a mishap. Ria was kind enough to take us with her, we hoped to rest here for a few days."
"That was kind of Ms. London indeed." Daniel replies.
"Don't call me that Dan." She says, looking annoyed.
"They were lost, they showed me their paperwork and I figured you wouldn't mind them staying here till they were back on their feet."
She points to the wagon that the TARDIS is hidden in.
"That wagon there contains instruments meant for their assignment in Estevan. If they meet your satisfaction for paperwork I'll take them into Bordure myself. I'm sure Mrs. Shun will put them up for a day or two." She says quickly.
"It's fine by me." Walt says, now glaring at Strax who is returning the look.
Ria pushes past the two of them, moving towards the hidden TARDIS.
"Any of you know how to drive?" She asks.
"Human female, please do not insult me, of course I can handle a horse and cart." Strax tells her indignantly. He climbs up onto the bench and Jenny and Vastra squish in next to him.
Ria looks at the Doctor, then to me. I hadn't even noticed that he still had an arm draped around my waist protectively.
"Up you get then, I'll lead you." She says.
"Making our rescuer walk isn't exactly chivalrous Doctor." I tell him, a little disappointed.
"It's not far." She shrugs.
The Doctor lifts me up into the awkward side saddle position, before swinging himself up and wrapping his arms around me.
Strax gets the wagon going towards the town, or glorified cluster of buildings, and we follow behind him. The horse's gait is a lot smoother than the rocking of the wagon, and I find myself being lulled again as we walk…
Her split lip was stinging even though the blood had stopped trickling from it some time ago. Her whole body ached after having been tied in the chair for hours. Time Agent Osara Capulet had done a lot of things for the agency, things that she questioned the honour and the necessity of, but she had reached her limit. The young man codenamed "the Face of Boe" had done nothing to deserve the agency stealing ten years of his life away from him, losing that much would probably kill him. She hadn't managed to completely save him from her partner, but losing two years was better than ten, she had prevented the worst of it. Of course the Time Agency decided that her actions meant she'd turned rouge and hauled her in for questioning, assuming someone had put her up to the act of gallantry, not believing that she simply had a conscious. The door opened to reveal the hardened face of her inquisitor, and she braced herself for the pain that was sure to follow. The man stalked closer, and raised his hand...
A now all too familiar snap wakes me up. I panic and throw my arms out because it feels like I'm falling.
I hear Ria's horse snort and feel a bit of a jolt beneath me, before Ria's concerned voice fills the air.
"Easy Ardist, steady girl!"
I'm slumped over the horse's neck, clinging to the saddle horn, but the Doctor is no longer behind me. He's in a heap on the ground, looking up and appearing rather perplexed by his current position, Ria kneels down next to him, asking if he is okay.
Oh dear, did I actually knock him off the horse..?
Once his confusion wears off Ria helps him to his feet. His gaze turns to me, looking upset.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to push you off." I say quickly before I try to sit up again.
"I don't care about falling Clara, but why do you keep doing that?"
"Doing what?"
He looks around anxiously; the rest of the gang is watching at us.
"We'd better save that for when we get into town. My boss will already be worried about me; we got in later than expected, and not just because we stopped for you." Ria suggests.
She pulls the reins over her horse's head and climbs up behind me.
"I'll take over Doctor, can't have you coming off again. Wouldn't look so good if we got into town and I had to explain to Troves that Safety knocked Health off of my horse and he broke his arm or something now would it?" She tries to joke as she steers us away from a grumbling Doctor.