His Lucky Star

VIII. Trouble in Eros

Disclaimer: - see previous chapter -

Author’s Note: ***WARNING!!!*** The rating for this chapter’s moved UP just a notch due to a certain scene somewhere down this chapter. It’s nothing outrageous (I hope), but just to be on the safe side I am issuing a warning now just so I won’t shock anybody reading.

Song Inspiration for Chapter: We Could Be In Love by Lea Salonga & Brad Kane (the singing voices of ‘Aladdin’ & ‘Princess Jasmin’)

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VIII. Trouble in Eros

ASTRA WAS SILENTLY CURSING her luck while maintaining the cover of a lonely jilted bride-to-be vacationing in Eros for the weekend. The Doctor and River were posing as a happy newly engaged couple. The three of them were traveling together in the hopes of helping their jilted companion get over her doldrums. At least that was the story they were going with in case anybody questions them.

     “Are you sure this plan of yours will work?” Astra asked irately for the umpteenth time since they left the TARDIS.

     After they discovered that the so-called Erosians were not really Erosians but a projection of what Erosians should look like, the Doctor quickly took the three of them out of Eros, allowed a couple of weeks to slip by then returned them back, only this time they have a plan. At least a part of the plan; Astra was still a bit weary about this plan-on-the-go the Doctor cooked up, but it was better than nothing she supposed.

     “Aww don’t fret, sweetie,” River smiled that sweet sickening smile that was starting to grate on Astra’s nerves. There was something about this woman and the possessive way she clung on to the Doctor that doesn’t sit well with Astra.

     “I am not fretting,” Astra denied and glared at the other woman.

     River just shrugged off Astra’s annoyed glare and looked back at the Doctor whose arm was wrapped with hers. The three of them were strolling down the busy Main Boulevard where most Eros tourist frolic. It was a good way to immerse themselves with the rest of Eros’ populace, hoping that whoever was watching them a week ago forgot about them already and think they were new arrivals to the planet looking for some fun and excitement.

     Astra donned on a pair of specialized aviator sunglasses that the Doctor converted as a scanning device. Each and every person, thing or being Astra happened to look at during their jaunt on Main Boulevard – and elsewhere on this planet – would be recorded back to the TARDIS and analyzed for later perusal. Also if the person or being Astra saw was hiding under an illusion, its real features would be revealed to her immediately.

     “Seen anything unusual yet?” the Doctor asked. He was wearing a pair of expensive men’s dark glasses converted as a scanning device; the same goes for River who was sporting a female version of the dark glasses the Doctor was wearing. He fitted all three of them with the scanning sunglasses so between the three of them they have a wider range of cover as opposed to letting just one person do the scouting.

     “Nope,” Astra answered. “You?”

     “Nope,” the Doctor answered with a popping sound at the end of the last syllable. He looked at the woman clinging to his side. “What about you?”

     “Same,” River sighed. “Do you think we ought to split up? I mean, after all we,” she gestured at herself and the Doctor, “are supposed to be on our weekend getaway trip while Astra’s looking for a way to forget about her no-good ex-fiancé,” she reminded them.