The torches cast an eerie light around the room as the team fanned out.

At first, nothing in particular could be seen, it was just a dingy room, filled with pipes of vastly different sizes: some tiny, the size of straws, interweaving like spaghetti; others large enough for the whole team to walk through side by side.

In the middle of the room, surrounded by many others, lay an incandescent pipe two feet width-wise, whistling as gushes of hot steam escaped tiny holes.

"Sheesh," remarked Jack, "I should have someone take a look at that, I'm surprised it didn't show up on the system, Tosh are you sure nothing peculiar's come up?"

Tosh looked at Jack impatiently.
"If it had come up I would've told you."

"Yeah, I know. Just asking, bit strange, that's all."

"Is that where the noise is coming from?" Gwen asked, looking dubious that such a small pipe could be causing such a loud noise.

"Nope," Jack smiled brilliantly, "My bets is that it's coming from that big one up there."

The team inclined their heads simultaneously, peering upwards. There among all the other pipes, lay a pipe that did not particularly stand out – it was no wider, no smaller, no different from many of the others.

It was dark grey, and only wide enough to fit perhaps Tosh or Owen inside if they were prepared to crawl around on their stomachs. As if on cue, the pipe preceded to make a gurgling noise, before emitting another loud CLANG.

"It's a bit boring," Owen complained, a scowl overcoming his features, "Is that really where all our...you know,"

Ianto gave Owen a rather scornful look.

"What?"

"Do you realise how often..?"

"Would you both shut up already," Gwen sighed, "We're trying to FIX a problem, not cause another one."

"Well if you'd keep your big gob out..."

"Gwen, Owen, that's enough," Jack uttered, frustrated, "Tosh, give them the lowdown."

Tosh pulled a handheld computer out of her pocket, tapping at the screen a couple of times with a stylus which slid out the back, displaying blueprints of the hub, then zooming in on the pipe.

"That pipe used to contain a rather interesting bacteria which Jack confiscated, erm, a long time ago?"

Tosh turned to look at Jack, "You really could be more accurate with your reports you know."

"And spoil your fun of guessing? Never."
She sighed, "Anyway, to sum up, Jack decided that a pipe was a good place to put it despite the fact that, you know, it kinda gets hot in there and it can be rather moist, which are the known things bacteria needs to grow. So basically, thanks to Jack, there's some alien creature or bacteria or whatever in there which Jack failed to contain or notify us, creating just one more job for the team. It's a good thing it's a slow week, isn't it?"

"Yup," Jack smiled, still appearing to be nonplussed, "Saved for just this circumstance."

"He likes to pretend he knows everything about the future," beamed Ianto.

"We'd noticed..."

"So, any volunteers?"

"Volunteers? For what!" Gwen asked.

"Yeah, I don't exactly fancy sifting through some alien bacteria and getting some weird illness nobody knows how to cure," Owen muttered.

"Action man to the heart," Gwen teased, "What happened to wanting some action?"

"He chickened out," Ianto laughed, "Common occurrence to Torchwood."

"Shut up."

"I'll do it!" Tosh offered.

"You what?" Owen said, "As if Tosh, you're scared of getting a cold, you love this job so much."

"I think it would be a fascinating opportunity to see how bacteria develops in an alien environment."

"Well, that pipe's certainly something," Jack frowned, "Are you sure about this Tosh?"

"Course I am, I wouldn't volunteer if I wasn't. Besides, it's not big enough for anyone else, bar maybe Owen, and since he's too scared..."

"I am NOT too scared..."

"Alright then," Jack smiled, glancing up "Tosh, suit up and take the front, Owen I want you to help her up there, the ladders are kind of tricky,"

"I'm sure they'll have a brilliant time exploring their pipes," Ianto offered.

"Ianto...?"

"Yes Owen?"

"Remind me to kill you later."

"A little play on words never hurt anyone, and besides which, action man, you wouldn't have the muscles anyway."

Ianto, Jack and Gwen retreated, leaving Tosh and Owen alone in the dark.