THE DOCTOR'S TRIPLE TROUBLE

Chapter Twenty Nine

Bazz led the Doctor and Rose into the barn. The inside was dark and musty and straw covered the wooden floor. On either side of them were stables and Rose noticed one of the ox creatures was in one of them. Bazz led them to the back of the barn and checked to make sure they were alone before he addressed the Doctor and Rose.

"Okay, what's this all about?" he said to them. "One Eye's asked me to do many things but not to perform a wedding. Will you tell me what's going on?"

"Gladly," the Doctor said before he briefly explained the situation to him.

When he was finished, Bazz shook his head.

"I'm sorry, mate. I'm sorry you lot got caught up in his latest scheme," he said with a sympathetic look. "I used to work with him but I got tired of the smuggler's life and wanted out. That's why I agreed to look after my parent's farm when they died. I did some bad things in me time but nothing compared to what he does. My sympathies."

"Can you help us then?" Rose said. "He wants to kill us. He's making me wear this suit that controls my body and he wants me to cut up the Doctor into tiny pieces."

"Doctor? You're the Doctor?" Bazz said to him.

"Yes, I'm the Doctor and this is Rose. The red haired woman is Donna and the blue skinned woman is Mara."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Bazz. He told me about both of you. Fancied you," he said to Rose. "And you, he told me one time he wanted to cut you up in a meat grinder and turn you into sausage."

The Doctor rolled his eyes while Rose giggled.

"So, do you lot wanna get married. Because I am licensed to do it," Bazz said.

"Well, I wouldn't mind it, I s'pose but I was wondering if there was a way you could disable her suit so he can't control her anymore," the Doctor said, pointing to the black suit just visible through the opening in the top of the kimono.

"Well, I can't guarantee anything but I'll have a go. Better bring her into an empty stable since I need a torch. Don't want One Eye seeing the light and coming to investigate. Go in that one," he said, pointing to the stable off to their right.

The Doctor squeezed Rose's hand as Bazz went into another part of the barn.

"See, there's always hope," he said to Rose before they shared a kiss.

They walked over to the stable and the Doctor opened the door. The air inside smelled faintly of manure but the floor was clean with fresh straw on it. Bazz returned a moment later with a black toolbox and a torch. The Doctor untied the sash and helped Rose out of the kimono as he sat the toolbox down on the floor and turned on the torch. Using the torch, he opened his toolbox and fished out a small screwdriver.

"Now, let's have a look at this, yeah?" he said, walking over to Rose.

He shined the light on the metal collar and the Doctor stood off to one side while he walked around Rose examining it. He got over to her right side and then nodded.

"Yup, I see some screws here. Hold still," he said to Rose.

Rose stood still and the Doctor took the torch from Bazz, holding it up to the collar while Bazz worked on the screws.

"If you ask me, you should keep this on her for the moment," Bazz said to the Doctor. "I can shut it down so he can't operate it but if you're trying to escape from him, perhaps it's best to keep up appearances for the moment."

"I agree," the Doctor said.

"I'm thinking that also means having the wedding. Unless you aren't a couple."

"Oh, we are, we're very much a couple," the Doctor said.

"Would you object to a wedding? You can always get it annulled later on," Bazz said.

"I wouldn't mind, like I said. Rose? Would it kill you to be married to me?"

"No, I hate your guts, burn in hell."

Bazz gave the Doctor an amused look when Rose giggled at the Doctor's raised eyebrow.

"Sounds like she's a bit of a spitfire, mate."

"Oh, she is, trust me," the Doctor said.

"Just kidding. I'd love to be married to him," Rose said.

"Well, I'd be happy to perform the wedding for ya. Let's seeee, I believe I can disable it with this wire here…and what I was saying to One Eye about payment. He mentioned the rights to shag Rose here. I might be able to use that to our advantage if you play along with me."

"Anything you can do to help us escape is fine by me," the Doctor said.

"Well, let me make a few phone calls after the wedding. I have friends that can take you to safety if you can make it to the woods behind my house. They're also former smugglers and they have secret hiding places that they used to hide themselves and goods from the authorities. They can harbor you and help you get away."

"Thank you, we'd be grateful for that," the Doctor said.

"Ah, I think that's done it," Bazz said, disconnecting a wire. "Now I'll close this and put the screws back and he should be none the wiser unless he tries to turn it on."

"How can we ever repay you for this?" Rose said to him.

"Eh, don't worry about it. Unlike One Eye, I will be happy to work for free for you. Now, better get your outfit back on so we can get out of here. One Eye isn't known for being patient."

"Tell me about it," Rose said.

"By the way, is that what you're wearing to the wedding?" Bazz said to the Doctor as he pointed to his outfit. "I know One Eye doesn't like you very much but I would have humiliated you some other way."

"This is the robe my people wore during their weddings," the Doctor said in an annoyed voice while Rose laughed.

"Sorry, mate, I don't know much about your people," Bazz said, holding up his hands. "Just I would have chosen something more comfortable for my wedding day."

"Well, I'm not the one that came up with this," the Doctor said while Rose chuckled and drew near to him. "It's not my idea of comfort either, especially since I kept my normal clothes on underneath it so I wouldn't lose them."

Bazz nodded.

"Well, we better go back to the house before One Eye cottons on. Follow me. And don't let him intimidate you. He might be a brute but I'm bigger and stronger than he is and he's not going to torture or kill you while I'm around."

The Doctor and Rose thanked him. The Doctor took Rose's hand, gave it a squeeze and they followed him back to the house.

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