Part 03 - Chapter 43 - Rest & Relaxation
“What’s with the odd shape?” I ask as I indicate the walls.
With a mischievous grin, he grabs my hand and we head out of the room. As we enter the hall it is obvious by it’s curving that we are in a circular building. Moments later I am delighted as the Doctor shows off an elaborate fish tank that seems to run up the building's core. Most of the species inhabiting the tank only vaguely resemble fish that I have seen back on earth, something about form following function he states, but I can't help the smile that appears as the Doctor begins to rattle off their names as he points to fish.
A moment later, a buxom young mermaid swims into view clad only in a pale blue swim top that perfectly matches her eyes. As she waves, I can't help but stare in amazement as I wave back. "Doctor... Mermaids... I didn't know... Doctor that's a mermaid!"
"Actually she is a Tezarain. They don't get around much, but every so often you will see one out traveling," he says with a big delighted grin, knowing he has surprised me. He then waves back to the woman as well earning him a coy smile.
"Does that mean that the mermaids on Earth were just some visiting aliens?"
"Possibly, with all that water Earth has it's the right kind of planet for them to visit, may also have been a survey team or just some who crashed. Makes more sense than the silly Manatee story you lot came up with to explain them." Shaking his head in disbelief he states, "Humans! You lot, find a way to explain everything."
Grabbing his arm, I lean against him. "Awww, you know you love us."
"Some a bit more than others," he states quietly with unexpected tenderness, kissing the top of my head were it rests on his shoulder.
When we continue, we get to a lift that's clear at the rear and abuts the tank giving the passengers an impressive view of the various levels. As we move down, I notice there are areas we pass where, instead of hallways on the other side, there is just a silvery black glass. "Doctor, what are those?" I ask pointing out one of dark areas.
"Rooms with one way glass, so that the occupants can observe the tank without being seen."
"Nice! So where are we going?” I ask as we reach the lobby.
“Not we Rose, you.” He states tapping me on the nose.
“Okay then where do you think I’m going.” I ask giving him a look that states ‘This had better be good if you think you're leaving me behind'.
His smile is mysterious and full of mischief. “You’ll see.” With that, he takes my hand and leads me across the lobby. Pausing momentarily before opening an elegant set of opaque glass doors done in an intricate colored fish pattern. “Ready?”
I have no idea what he’s up to but I suspect with this elaborate build up it’s something he thinks I will love, so I nod for him to proceed.
What the doors open up to is a large airy room filled with a multitude of different aliens all being pampered in some manner. One bird-like being is having her claws done in a complicated pattern of multi colored stones. Another being looking like some great werewolf is having their fur carefully groomed and colored. A blue humanoid woman wearing little more than a skimpy bikini is standing having delicate flowers painted on a vine like pattern weaving about her body. Over in another corner is a handsome man having his hair styled. Lining the walls is a multitude of doors mirroring the fish pattern motif of the main doors. Suddenly I am aware of an odd bell like noise repeating off to the right and a moment later a handsome male tree comes rushing up to greet us.
Bowing almost double in his distress, he begins apologizing. “My most humble apologies sir, madam, but the auto detection service has been unable to determine your species correctly. It is imperative for us to know this so that we may provide only those services that will be most beneficial and desirous. My deepest…”
Before he can say anything further, the Doctor cuts him off. “Not a problem I’m not staying.”
“My apologies sir but the results for madam also are suspect.”
Looking a bit less consolatory the Doctor states, “The lady is human.”
“and?” he asks looking even more embarrassed.
“It’s okay Doctor, he's just doing his job and I don’t need…”
Cutting me off he states firmly, “No, Rose you deserve a proper day of pampering.” Looking at the young tree his look says that is exactly what he expects them to provide me.
“The lady is human and?” comes the tree’s timid reply and I give him my most encouraging smile as it is obvious he is terrified.
“Just human.”
If anything the poor tree looks even more flustered by this statement and I watch as a couple of small leaves float to the floor.
“Oh my, it is an honor mam, I appol…”
I cut him off before he can launch into another round of apologies. If Cassandra's attitude was anything to go on he has probaly not had the best experiance if he has met any 'pure' humans before and I want him to know were not all that way. “Perfectly all right, and Rose is just fine.” I state as I put my hand on the flustered clerks arm at his continued look of distress. “It's okay really.”
Giving the Doctor my best reassuring smile I reach out and touch his hand. ‘It’s fine Doctor’ I think to him and he noticeably relaxes and I know he has heard me.
With a cheerful grin he states, “Well then, have fun Rose. I will be back in four hours. Oh yes and...” He pats down his pockets obviously looking for something. A moment later, he pulls out a bright green crystalline fish on an equally bright green cord engraved with their equivalent of the number 639 in an elegantly curved script. "Put it on our room bill," he states handing it to me and giving the clerk a pointed look. With that, he hurries off leaving me with the flustered tree.
“So what's your name and what do you got.”
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Things were going so well, and then I started to get a very bad feeling when the tree came up spouting the need to know our species. I have no intentions of telling him mine, most likely that he wouldn't believe me anyway, but then I wasn’t planning on staying so that isn’t an issue. I know that pure humans are unusual in this century but something about his reaction doesn’t sit well with me. Suddenly I wish I had never come up with this idea. In spite of Rose’s reassurance I wish I could just grab her hand and run. She has had such a rough time of it these past few weeks first with the disastrous trip to the shopping planet then with her traumatic decapitation and her heads subsequent reattachment.
She has more than earned some rest and relaxation and a lot of pampering, which is what this specific hotel is noted for, well that and its sea life and food.
Also with all the assistance Jack has provided he deserves this just as much - Rassilion knows I don't deserve the loyalty the man has shown.
'Theta, Jack is in trouble.'
'Verity? What, where?' I stare for a moment surprised at her unexpected contact. It is very unlike her to track even me once I have left the ship, though I have for long while suspected she has been doing that much more since the war. But for her to keep track of a companion is almost unheard of unless I have specifically ask it of her.
Shaking off my surprise I ask, 'Where? What's going on?' When she doesn't answer immediately I feel a cold chill run up my spine 'Verity?'
I feel a rush of relief as I hear her distracted mental voice, 'Checking.'
I begin to chafe with impatience, pacing and wondering why it is taking her so long; her next words explain the delay. 'Down. He has been drugged and he is being move in and out of shielded areas.'
Even as she is speaking, I am heading for the elevators. I will need to be quick and careful. If he has been drugged, I am unsure how long Verity will continue to be able to track him as already I can no longer sense his presence and I quit trying, much as I am loath to do so. It's bad enough that Verity is stretching out her thoughts to track him and is at risk. If something happens she is one of the few psychic beings I know of that can hold her own against virtually anyone. However, if something were strong enough to overpower her I can't risk us both being incapacitated.
**************************
As I leave the Doctor and Rose, I can't help the smile that I am sporting. The two of them looked so sweet snogging like teenagers and what they were wearing was beyond hot. Many times over the course of his recovery, I have seen the Doctor partially clothed but he was so ill it was hardly a turn on but those two together. After everything they have been through these past few weeks, it is good to see them happy.
I wish they were not exclusive in their affections. I feel a soft comforting caress of understanding from Verity and I know suddenly that I am not the only one on the outside looking in these days. 'Interested in keeping me company for awhile beautiful?’ I feel her amusement and I know without her saying a word that she has no intentions on taking me up on my offer so her reply doesn't surprise me.
'No, dear Jack, I'm not what you need right now. Go find a nice humanoid to woo. You will feel better for the time off playing.'
'But what of you?’ I ask. I feel somewhat bad for this beautiful giving lady that takes such good care of us all the time and seems to get so little in return.
'I will be fine Jack. Now go have some fun, that's what were here for after all.'
Reluctantly I head off to find some company, but as I do I can't quite shake the feeling she is still with me and I kind of hope she is, everyone needs some comfort occasionally. I pause for a moment looking back at the front door of TARDIS then move out. As I pass the tank I wink at the young Tezarain and watch as she smiles and waves. Moving down in the lift, I enjoy the wide variety of water life that inhabits the aquarium. It really is amazing the variety of animals and beings that inhabit the universe and as I reach the ground floor and head for the local bar. I remember again why it is that I enjoyed this place so much. The majority of the people here wear very little when they go out to party. Looking about I spot quite a few very attractive prospects - a Caxtarids with her fiery metallic red hair done in a delicate looking braided creation that is piled high on her head. Nearby are a couple of Kapteyns, the young woman fluttering her large butterfly like wings as she dances and her companion, a beautifully plumed avian, is strutting his stuff in perfect time. A young Jadoon is chatting up a young humanoid with prominent forehead ridges and truly impressive quantities of leather. There are a dozen other races I can pick out as I look about the room and many more that I don't.
Now this is more like it.
Looking about I spot a glorious specimen of femininity sitting by the end of the bar attired in a smile and a bikini, which is in no way concealed by her translucent filmy skirt. She is a perfectly proportioned humanoid but it's her brilliant yellow hair that first attracts my attention. Her eyes are a piercing purple and are as arresting as her lemon meringue shaded skin, the purple bikini perfectly accenting the shade of eyes. Her hands are fine and slender I note as she waves gracefully to the barkeep that is distracted at the other end. Sculpted muscles flow into shapely curves and I bet she would be a divine to dancer. Other than her coloring she could well passed for one of the supermodels that frequent the pages of Rose's magazines. Strolling over I notice her only other glaringly non-human characteristic which is a delicate set of hoofs painted the exact same shade of purple as her fingernails. I imagine they can't be any worse in bed than a pair of high heels. As I come up to the seat next to her give her a bit of the Harkness charm, and her response is a big smile in return.
"Hi, the name's Jack, Jack Harkness. Is this seat taken?"
As she gestures me to sit I am arrested by the silky tone of her voice, which speaks of all kinds of wonderfully sinful things. "Nice to meet you Jack Harkness, Maressa De Sade. Do you want to keep a lonely girl company?"
"If you want. What kind of company were you looking for?"
With that she gives me a radiant smile and sliding from her stool she leans in close placing her hand high on my upper thigh she states, "How about we move this back to my room and I'll show you?"
"Best offer I've had all day," and I can't help the grin I am sporting at her obvious intentions.
With that, she loops her arm around mine as we head for the doors. As we enter the lobby, she heads for the lift located on one of the exterior walls.
"So Jack," she almost purrs "tell me what brings a handsome fellow like you to town?"
"Just passing through, just doing a bit of traveling. Better question is what brings you here?"
As we enter the lift, she presses the button for the next floor up and a moment later, the doors close leaving us alone.
I turn to look to see what her response is and feel the jab of a needle as her voice goes hard and cold. "Funny you should ask that Jack, you see I have been looking for you."
Chapter 44 - Double Trouble Moving Forward Index 1