SHINE

Chapter 6

We're All Just Pushing Along

They carefully made their way back to the Archive, the corridors strangely deserted.

Jack blew out his cheeks. "Is it me or is it a little chilly in here?"

"I believe the temperature has dropped by several degrees since we arrived, sir," Ianto expressed, rubbing his hands together to alleviate the chill from his fingers.

Jack grinned. "So, what d'ya reckon?" He looked at the Welshman.

Ianto paused for a moment, tucking his hands into his jacket pockets. "I'd say minus six?"

Captain Harkness pressed a few buttons on the watch-like device around his wrist. "Close," he exclaimed, sucking air through his teeth, "minus five, point five."

"And falling," Ianto informed him with in involuntary shiver.

The device bleeped; Jack nodded his head, "and falling."

"What are you like barometer boy now?" Martha asked ironically, wrapping her arms about her body.

"It's a gift, miss," the Welshman blandly enlightened.

"Martha!" The medical student added brusquely under her breath.

"Well, I say we get out of here before things start to really freeze," the Time Lord exclaimed, pushing passed them all.

Both Martha and Jack looked at each other. "Doc, something you forgot to mention?" The Captain posed.

The Doctor turned on his heels and frowned at them both. "Ah…" He cried out, looking from one to the other. "Didn't I mention…?"

"No," Martha stated with a weighty sigh.

His grin broadened and he dug deep in his pockets, producing a Ping-Pong ball. "I knew this would come in handy one day."

He held the ball between his thumb and forefinger and made a fist with his other hand. He indicated to the white sphere. "Okay this is the Earth and my other hand's the sun."

"O-kay," Jack stretched, his breath warming the air in swirls of white.

He angled the ball. "The Earth's axis is tilted by approximately twenty-three point five degrees."

"Great a science lecture." The Captain exclaimed, focusing the weapon on the remaining corridor. "Do you think you could hurry it up a bit Doc, you know, in case the bad guys decide to come out and play."

The Doctor moved his two hands further apart and tipped the ball so that his finger and thumb were horizontal. "Uranus, as it is pronounced nowadays to stop the stifled giggles of thousands of school children…."

"Doc!" Jack reminded

The Time Lord frowned and spoke a little louder. "As I was saying, Uranus tilts by ninety-eight degrees and has a surface temperature of minus two hundred and thirteen degrees Celsius."

Ianto took a step towards the Time Lord his gaze concentrated on the sphere.

The Doctor brought the ball closer to his fist and inclined it a little towards his clenched hand. "Vobis has a tilt of fifty-two degrees and only two seasons, Gelidus and Frigus."

"Which means?" Martha requested, rubbing the chill of her arms.

"It's going to get cold, bloody cold," Ianto whispered; his eyes still fixed on the ball.

The Doctor smiled and nodded, tossing the globe to the Welshman. Ianto caught it, rolling it between his fingers a while before depositing it in his pocket.

"And just how cold is bloody cold Doc?" Jack invited, signalling for them to advance up the corridor.

"Oh, I'd say about minus one hundred and seventy give or take." The Time Lord placed his hands back in his pockets.

"And you didn't think it was a good idea to mention this when we were cooped up in the cupboard," Jack hissed.

"I didn't want to worry you and anyway, look, we've been rescued." The Time Lord replied with an impish grin.

The American shook his head. "We're still not out of the woods yet." He stated.

"What about the Vobians?" Martha asked, walking alongside the Time Lord.

"Ah, now they go into hibernation." The Doctor responded. "Surely you noticed how rotund the all were." He made a circle with his arms in front of his stomach. "It's quite interesting really…" He paused to take a deeper breath.

Martha delayed the summation with a raised hand. "Doc as interesting as all this is, some of us here aren't immortal." She reminded, shivering slightly against the penetrating air.

"Yes of course." The Doctor retorted, putting a comforting arm around her. "Where did you say you left the TARDIS?"

"She deposited us under the archive." The medical student answered, with a gesture of her head.

"That would be a left at the next juncture, Captain," Ianto informed the American, looking down at his PDA. Jack nodded gripping the weapon as he led the way.

"You know, I bet he was a boy scout." The Time Lord added as he followed the Welshman.

Martha laughed, burying herself in the Time Lord's warmth. "And you Doc? Were you ever a boy scout?" She asked.

He smiled. "I still am Martha," he whispered, much to her amusement but the Doctor's focus was still on the Welshman.

"What is it?" She enquired.

The Doctor planted a light kiss on the top of her huddled head. "Oh nothing."

He looked up aware that Ianto was observing him again, those penetrating eyes boring into his soul. Something dark flared within their limits and then it was gone as he turned his attention back to his Torchwood colleague.

Martha elbowed him, drawing his attention back to her. "Come on, what is it?"

He stopped and sighed. "It's just I can't help thinking that boy reminds me of someone."

Martha raised a dark eyebrow at the term 'boy'. "Yeah, I get that feeling too."

The Doctor frowned. "You do?"

"Uh-huh." She carried on walking.

He shook his head and hurried after her. "Who?"

She smiled sweetly. "He kind of reminds me of you."

"Really?" The Doctor replied, taken aback.

"Uh, huh," Martha added playfully. "Only you don't look that good in a suit."

The Time Lord frowned and looked down at his attire.