Jack couldn't sleep. The Doctor's warning repeated in his mind. "Threats have been made. Keep them safe." It was bad enough that the Captain had made enough enemies in his time, but now their unborn child had to take on the Time Lord's adversaries too. "Threats have been made." Jen turned slightly in her sleep resting her head against his shoulder. He gazed at her long eyelashes and the tangled silk of her blonde hair spread across the pillow. "So beautiful." He reached out and lightly touched her abdomen where their baby lay, feeling a slight kick. The time was near. He smiled. It had been a long time since Captain Jack Harkness had felt the stirrings of new life, his child's life.
The TARDIS was still in night cycle. All lights were dim except for the ever-vigilant navigation and communication systems in the central console. Jack kissed her forehead lightly before he slowly extracted his body from their bed without waking her. He dressed quickly: trousers, blue shirt, laced brown boots, and braces. An old-fashioned military great coat hung on a hook in a corner of the room. He strapped on his wrist strap and looked back at the sleeping woman. After shutting the door quietly to keep the room dark, he made his way to the central navigation system to review the incoming communications that would gather during the night.
No new messages shown on the screen. While Jack had continued training search and rescue teams for the Interstellar Nature Conservancy, the Doctor insisted that his daughter refrain from active duty once the pregnancy was confirmed. Jen angrily resisted his suggestion until the Time Lord's argument to minimize toxic exposure convinced her to stay back and handle the paperwork as the Captain worked in the field. Her pregnancy was already accelerated compared to the Gallifreyan patterns, and there were too many unknowns in the genetic pairing of the human Time Agent and the daughter of the Time Lord. Jack had finished his commitments two weeks ago, and now was fully focused Jen's health and the birth of their child.
"Couldn't sleep?" Jen rubbed her eyes as she walked towards Jack. She was dressed in a dark blue Caputian robe embroidered with flowers from the oasis. The fitted flight suits were long abandoned in search of comfort.
"No," replied Jack, too much on my mind." He opened the observation panels and looked at the planet below. The TARDIS moved among the fragments of the asteroid belt encircling the planet, the remnants of a shattered moon. The planet itself was a blend of land and sea reminding Jack of Earth. The difference was that the landforms twisted like spirals from a peeled apple.
Jen stood beside the Captain watching the Rhean sun Helios edge over the eastern horizon. She put her hand to her back arching her spine.
"I feel like such a cow," she complained.
"You look gorgeous," Jack smiled then kissed her on the cheek, playfully patting her swollen stomach. "Both of you." He adjusted the controls and plotted in the coordinates. "Shakira, take us down," he ordered.
The planet was classified by the Shadow Proclamation as a Level 6. The third planet in the Titan System, Rhea had fully evolved ecosystems with a united civilization; however the occupants had chosen to close off their world to most space travel with the exception of the designated members of a merchant guild who bartered for necessary goods and services. The Doctor had done the occupants a favor long ago deflecting a Sontaran invasion. He had sent word of their arrival in advance, knowing his friends and family were welcome visitors on Rhea.
The TARDIS landed in a clearing near a small, forested hamlet on the banks of a clear water lake. A simple dirt path encircled a small cluster of farmhouses surrounded by carefully tended fields. Two Rheans emerged from the shade of an olive tree, and approached the TARDIS as they emerged. The squat, blue skinned couple bowed. They were dressed in homespun white wool robes
"Welcome, my name is Trai," the woman gestured towards her companion. "This is my husband, Alec."
The man addressed Jack first, "Captain, we have been expecting you. We are happy to do what we can for the Doctor, he is a great friend." He then bowed to Jen, "Lady, we will escort you to your quarters. The midwife will meet you there."
As they started down the path, Jack pulled his great coat tighter against the crisp autumn air; carefully observing the area. "Threats have been made. Keep them safe." Seeing nothing, he relaxed and followed them to the village.
In the distance a lone figure hidden in the shadow of a Rhean pine, watched the small group make its way to the village. After they passed out of sight, it turned and ran in the opposite direction.