Chapter Text
The latest TARDIS stop off was at Beijing to refuel near a rift, so the Doctor said that they were free to roam for the day. Saazbaum’s preference would have been to meander aimlessly in the lower parts of the TARDIS or amuse himself with programming arrays than mingle with filthy Terrans on an alternate Earth.
Unfortunately, there was only one kitchen on board the TARDIS and it was located at a distance from the central console and he risked running into Slaine, Asseylum and Inaho on the way there. And the Count preferred not to exist on tea and chocolate all day. The food machine, Saazbaum decided, was worth rearing his head from the antisocial existence spent lurking on the ship on the rare days when his life wasn’t put in any immediate danger.
The Count went to breakfast, but Inaho ambushed him first.
‘We’re going shopping,’ the boy butted in breezily. Inaho was wearing a beanie, gloves and a thick muffler was wrapped around his mouth and neck, clearly prepared for the midwinter outside. He held up a list containing a variety of items that the Count had never even heard of. Seeds. Gardening equipment. Food supplies.
‘Take Slaine instead.’ He intoned crisply.
The Count was about to stalk off but Inaho had a firm grip on the back of his coat and with a shove he sent the Martian sprawling, taking the man by surprise. He got one booted foot over Saazbaum’s neck, but the Count kicked the boy’s shins. He wasn’t Cruhteo by any distance, but this time Inaho had gone too far. He grabbed the boy by the collar, eyes blazing.
‘You insolent fool, don’t you have any respect for your elders?’ Saazbaum snarled.
‘Do you have a suitable explanation in mind if the Doctor finds out about this little incident?’ Inaho responded. Despite the fact he was dangling a little and Saazbaum had both hands around his neck, his eyes were as wide and clear. ‘Keep in mind that he knows exactly what kind of person you are.’
Looking at Inaho’s eyes was like looking at a deep lake with a mirror at the bottom. The Count dropped him in disgust. It rankled him to look at his own hatred.
Inaho landed lightly on his feet, brushing the incident off in mere moments. ‘If a hypothetical person started off an unprovoked attack, isn’t it morally right if they start making reparations?’
‘You provoked me first in this instance.’
‘Well, I wasn’t the one who started a genocide. What about assisting with the rebuilding effort?’ He was still holding out the shopping list. This time, Saazbaum reluctantly accepted it.