Hey, so this is my new fic! It's a basically a Torchwood/Doctor Who fic, featuring the 11th Doctor and Amy (not Rory; I feel there's no need for his presence here). I don't know how many chapters it will run for, but I certainly hope people enjoy it :)
I don't own either of these fabulous shows or indeed anyone in them (sadly!) But if I did, Ianto would NOT have died. Simple as. X
Chapter 1 – Pandora's Box
On the planet Rex Vox Jax, deep in the heart of the cityscape, there stood a club. Tall, black and neon pink walls shone through the eons, a sign emblazoned with the club's name: Pandora's Box. Every night lights flashed and music played as the planet's indigenous people – and often other worlders too – enjoyed nothing better than to lose themselves in the thumping bass of the music and forget the demons that they carried around with them. On that note, the club had become a regular haunt for a certain someone who had more demons on his trail than most of the universe put together…
"Hey there. Can I get you something? Maybe something…..tall, dark and handsome?" The invitation was accompanied with a wink and a dazzling grin.
"You sure can. When it turns up, send it over." But the young man grinned; a grin that explained his words were in jest only. He turned around at this point, taking a proper look at this stranger. He was indeed tall, dark and handsome, but he also possessed an air of mystery to him – which was more attractive the young man than his look. However, his look was not to be scoffed at. His skin was a smooth creamy colour, with sparkling eyes that told a thousand stories...and his attire was very peculiar: a long overcoat of military appearance, with a baby blue shirt adorned with braces, and black trousers, ending the ensemble with deep black polished shoes. It all made for rather strange viewing; but more importantly, it was intriguing. In fact, he might just relax and enjoy a drink with this character. Just to ensure he understood the witticism, the tall-dark-and-handsome stranger laughed in return, his grin widening.
"So what can I get you then?" The stranger took the liberty of sitting himself down on the neighbouring glittering silver stool. The young man glanced at what remained in his current glass; not the MOST enjoyable drink.
"Surprise me." He replied, with a hint of flirtation in his voice.
"Well, then barman!" He shouted over the music to a barman who was wiping cocktail glasses with a sparkling white dishtowel. Considering the barman had six tentacle-like arms, that job was done in quick time. Then the barman crossed to where the two esteemed gentlemen were sitting patiently and asked;
"So what can I get you two gentlemen this evening?" His strong Australian accent was not be mistaken as of Earth origin; this man hailed from a planet far out in the Systeen Galaxy, near the Otherworlds of Nightmares. He'd made a lucky escape from his planet; a planet that found itself deep in the throes of civil war. It was his aim to die never having returned to the wretched place.
"Two of your finest cocktails my friend!" The man ruffled a hand through his tufty – yet neatly gelled – hair before grinning that insatiable white tooth grin that made men and women alike weep with pleasure. "Captain Jack Harkness." He offered his perfectly manicured hand for his young drinking partner to shake, which he took in his own.
"Jatheroonultaar Raal. People just call me Jate."
Captain Jack laughed. "Thank god! So much easier to say!"
They let each others hands go just as their drinks arrived. The barman placed the bright coloured cocktails on the bar and put out one of his many hands to receive payment.
Jack smiled at him. "Put it on a tab. We'll pay in bulk before we leave."
The barman nodded. "Sure thing sir. Enjoy." He headed off, ready to serve another customer. Jack took a sip of his cocktail and was pleasantly surprised. For all it's bright green slime-like appearance, it tasted rather like apple cordial, with just a hint of...was that strawberries? Whatever it was made for delicious drinking. Jack glanced at Jate who, similarly, was drinking and enjoying his cocktail. They sat the glasses down and began chatting.
"So, Captain Harkness…"
"Call me Jack." Jack interjected.
"So Jack..." Jate continued. "What brings you out this far. I've been trying to work out what that accent of yours is, and I have it pinned down to either old Earth American or late revolutionary Kroll."
Jack laughed. "Neither. I come from somewhere quite a bit away from here. Eons in fact. Not what people here would consider a holiday destination." He decided not to share the fact that he, in fact, now lived on Earth in the 21st Century. Despite befriending the young man, it wouldn't be the first time Jack had been betrayed. The last thing he wanted was some age-old enemy with a grudge turning up in Cardiff, what with Torchwood blown apart, and Gwen - now with child – being the only one left, he felt it would be disastrous if that were to happen. So he was keeping his cards well and truly close to his impeccably defined chest.
"Me too, although this bar is the best around, so I come out here a lot, mainly for the drinks but..." Jate grinned wickedly at Jack, "...sometimes for the company too." Jack returned his devilish grin, both men enjoying a healthy bit of flirtation. Jack took a final swig from his cocktail glass before placing it back on the bar. He indicated his companion's equally empty glass and asked;
"Another one?"
Jate nodded, as his mysterious friend waved over the barman and ordered two more of their drinks. He then turned to Jate and, for the first time that night, noticed the young man's appearance. He was about 5ft 7, with deep purple eyes and smooth, impeccably cared-for blueish skin. On his head instead of hair was a set of five small spikes, going in a vertical line from front to back. He wore a white suit shirt adorned with some sort of logo on the breast pocket, accompanied by a black suit jacket and matching trousers. Bizarrely, on his feet were a bright red pair of Converse trainers. Jack couldn't help but be reminded of a certain someone when he saw that outfit.
"Couldn't help noticing Jate. What's the logo on your shirt pocket?"
Jate glanced down at his shirt, almost as if needed reminding of what it looked like.
"That one there? It's the logo for my planet's inter-space ambulance service."
Now Jack was surprised; he hadn't put Jate down as a paramedic. Mind you, he wasn't sure what he thought the guy did to begin with. Just then, the barman returned with two more cocktails, red in colour this time. Seemingly, they changed colour each time they were poured. Kept some variety in things.
"So you're a paramedic then? Good choice of career; admirable." He smiled at Jate, who scoffed.
"Yeah right. Don't get me wrong, I do like my job. It's just...the hours. I work 35 hours a day, with one break in the middle. It's tiring."
Jack was shocked, but only because he knew that on Earth people considered 9 to 5 gruelling enough. They obviously had no idea.
"Wow. That's tough. That's why you come out here then: to blow off some steam?"
Jate nodded. "Yep, when I get the chance. A lot of my workmates go to some place called Harlow's. I think it's supposed to be a mock-up of an Earth pub. Not really my thing." He perked up again and took a sip of his newly-arrived drink, before placing it down and smiling. "What about you Jack? What do you do?"
The question came as no surprise to Jack, and so he offered the same answer that he offered to anyone that ever asked him.
"I work in finance. A money-making company back home. Means I travel a lot though." He left it there, however adding; "Not in the finance sector like the old Earth bankers. Disaster area right there. Caused a lot of trouble for humans financially, becoming hate-figures amongst the planet's inhabitants." He laughed inwardly, remembering a rather 'colourful' rant from Gwen Cooper, upon hearing that her application for a loan to pay for her wedding had been denied. He remembered it well...mainly because at one point objects were thrown and he thought that Ianto was going to have a brain haemorrhage at the sight of it all.
"Yeah. Nasty business. I remember tales of the wretched 'Earth Bankers' when I was a child. All the kids heard stories; fairytales. We used to thank our lucky stars that we never met one."
Jack found it hilarious that stories of the bankers had spread across galaxies. He'd have to tell Gwen and Rhys that one someday. He downed his cocktail before looking around the bar. He hadn't even paid much attention to what the place was like inside. Tall gleaming black walls were adorned with silver frame mirrors and pink showbiz lights. The ceiling wore a giant pink chandelier. All the people there were either dancing wildly to the vivacious dance music being pumped from unseen speakers, or they were sat round the three different bars in the place. It reminded him of another similar club he'd visited on the outskirts of the Varr Galaxy, next to the Thousand Harbours. Ah, he remembered how much he'd loved those harbours: bright blue water as far as the eye could see, with sparkles of red and green that resembled water-born diamonds. Jack had spent many a night just standing staring at that water, long before he'd found himself any friends. In fact, it was just after he'd left the Boeshane Peninsula, shamed in the eyes of everyone he'd ever grown up with, but if they had only known what he'd been forced to go through...
"Jack?"
Suddenly, his nostalgic bubble broken, Jack blinked and remembered where he was in the here and now. He turned to smile at Jate, to stop himself before his armour slipped.
"Yeah sorry, miles away." He downed the remainder of his red cocktail and rested the fine, gleaming glass on the bar. "Want another one?"
Jate stared regretfully at his now empty glass and shook his head.
"'Fraid not. First shift starts in, oh, about 5 hours, and I better sleep off these few drinks. But thanks anyway."
He stepped up and prepared to hand over the credits to settle their drinks tab when Jack placed up a halting hand.
"I'll get these."
But Jate had already handed his credits over to the unassuming barman and grinned at Jack.
"Hell no. If you can sit there and listen to my moaning for all this time then the least I can do is pick up the tab."
Jack just smiled at that, aware that further argument would prove pointless.
"Besides..." Jate added, "I never let a handsome stranger pay. Means he owes me." He winked, drawing a sly grin upon Jack's face. The pair couldn't help but be attracted to each other, and if it hadn't been for Jate's oncoming shift then maybe something might have happened.
"Well then Jate, I think it's important to tell you that I ALWAYS repay my debts." Now it was Jack's turn to wink, and the pair shared a look that suggested the simmering passion that was cemented between the pair. Luck would have made Jate's shift the only obstcale in the way of their enjoyable evening, but as it happened luck was not in abundance that night.
Ring. Ring.
Jate's fluffy blue brow furrowed in confusion.
"What's that?" He asked as he watched Jack pull a slim line black device from his pocket and stare at it with what could only be described as bewilderment.
"It's my phone, and it's ringing."
The tone of his voice suggested that he was less than pleased with developments. Jate picked up on this.
"And that's...bad?" This 'phone' thing was a foreign concept to him; they didn't have them where he came from, and so he had no clue what you did with one. This led him to wonder what would happen next. Jack, meanwhile, was still staring at his phone; worry lining his forehead.
"Jate, I'm afraid I'm going to have to love ya and leave ya." He stood up and swooped his jacket off of the chair, having it on in seconds. "Thanks for the drinks and I advise that you get some sleep in before your shift tomorrow - you look pretty worn out." He planted a quick kiss on the confused man's head and headed for the door. Then, he turned around for a brief second to answer Jate's question.
"Oh, and you asked if my phone ringing was bad?"
Jate nodded.
"Well put it this way: When your phone rings, and it says 'Gwen Cooper' on the screen, then it's never good!" He winked before rushing off, and within seconds it was like the tall handsome stranger had never been there.
End of Chapter 1.
R+R please :) x