Title: The Chronicles of an Affair
Author: enchanted nightingale
Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood/Doctor Who or the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
/ Alien mental conversation /
Chapter 11 - Of Feathers and Eggs
It was a typical Wednesday morning. Ianto had been back for a week and he was walking to the lifts with one very excited Lisa recounting the night before.
"... and then Janice decides to go for it..."
"Was this Janice from Human Resources or Janice from Logistics?" Ianto interrupted.
"Logistics," Lisa promptly replied.
"That poor sod," Ianto commiserated. "She once smacked my arse when we were in the lift together."
A snicker escapes Lisa.
"With Yvonne," Ianto adds and his co-worker bursts into laughter. With a small smile Ianto presses the button for sub level 10. Lisa eyes the floor with a bit of a wince.
"They had a bit of a trouble yesterday. Amorphous smoke mass caused a mess," Lisa informed him. "One of the retrieval teams lost an operative."
"Yes, I got the memo," the Welshman told her. "Along with the circular on the new tests management wants us to take."
Lisa rolled her eyes. "I get it, we hunt aliens. But ESP? Bit of a stretch. What's next? Mediums? Wizards?"
"I know a good tarot reader if you're ever in Cardiff. She's disturbingly accurate and she usually favours that new age vibe," Ianto tells her as the lift comes to a stop. "She'll give you a discount."
"Thanks," comes her half heartedly reply. As usually she has a bit of trouble discerning whether he is joking or not. His sarcasm makes it hard to tell when he is telling the truth.
Ianto in turn ignores her eye roll and punches in his code, then he and Lisa enter an empty white corridor. The lights flicker to blue, just long enough to scan them, and then turn regular again. Passing the biometric scanner is the first of two more doors they need to cross. Inwardly Ianto is calming his nerves for what he is going to see in a few minutes. Because Sub Level 10 is just one more reason that Torchwood London makes his skin crawl. His position had many responsibilities and they kept adding as time went on and Yvonne Hartman seemed to trust him even more. It was not something he enjoyed all that much. Seeing proof of how Torchwood treated aliens made his stomach turn and had him itching to call the Doctor and have him put a stop to all of this.
"Sub level 10," Lisa muttered just before the last door opened.
At the same Ianto's mind thought 'torture chamber' but did not dare utter it out loud. He made sure his face was blank and stepped out.
They both walked in a brisk pace, past the armed guards stationed by the doors, ignoring the various labs all around them. Lisa entered one of them half way through but Ianto kept walking. After all, he was supposed to see a new arrival today. Further down was the prison, were various cages containing all manner of creatures. The Welshman knew that whatever they kept alive, for as long as they wanted was only for the purpose of studying it. Once the various aliens outlived their usefulness, or proved unmanageable, were killed.
Currently, Ianto was supposed to help one of the scientists determine what species their newest arrival was, but as he passed one particular cage, he felt a small probe at his shields, almost gentle. A bitter smile formed on his face as his feet came to a stop. Soon he could hear his name called in Universal Galactic, echoing only in his mind from the occupant of the cage.
/ Ianto Jones/ the alien that was inside looked so familiar the Welshman felt his throat tighten.
/Voela/ he greeted the male, trying to stop any emotion showing on his face. He was a humanoid alien with orange-ish skin and feathers covering the upper body. He had come across this kind before in a market place with the doctor. Their species was naturally telepathic as their spoken tongue was too much like bird trills and hard to communicate with other species. The Doctor had nicknamed them 'Harpies' but without the tragedy and mayhem. Their species were usually merchants, dealing in space fabrics. Ianto had been there when his space ship had crashed. That was two months ago and he had thought the man had fixed the ship and was back out there. It was the first time Ianto came face to face with someone he knew in these cages.
/You are him. I felt your consciousness but did not dare think it really was you/
Ianto swallowed the lump in his throat. /How are you holding up? What happened? Last I saw you.../ He trailed off. /You never contacted the number I gave you. I thought you fixed the ship/
/The ship is fixed/ Voela confirmed. /I was gathering supplies when I was found/
/What of your clan? / Ianto asked, dreading the answer.
/The ship is safe/ Voela confirmed, making the man outside the cage just a tad more relaxed. /However the supplies must be running low. The eggs must be ready to hatch if they have not yet/
/Eggs?/
Ianto was then assaulted with memories and emotions.
/I understand/ he told Voela when the alien stopped sending him information. The Welshman could see that the mental link was taking a toll on the already tired alien because Voela was now trembling and looked like he had trouble breathing.
/Please. It is far too late for me/ the male said and Ianto knew exactly what he was saying.
/I will take care of them/ the Welshman promised. He saw one of the guards coming his way, looking curious.
"Mister Jones, something the matter?"
"No, just ... Impressive specimen," Ianto commented and prayed his composure did not slip. "Best get going; Doctor Fletcher said he had something even more special." He forced his face into a bland smile and walked away briskly, already planning on how he would keep his promise.
Tension was running high in Torchwood three, and more specifically in the medical bay where all the members except for Toshiko were gathered around Jack's latest find.
"Could you please, stop with the creepy smile?" Owen Harper demanded of his boss. "Especially seeing as I'm about to dissect a corpse."
"You're not usually so spirited," Suzie added, her eyes firmly on the body on the autopsy table. "Especially after the Summit. You usually whine for days."
"If it isn't obvious," Doctor Harper muttered, "He got laid."
Suzie groaned. "Jack!"
"What? Would you rather have me whining?"
"Just promise me it was no one from the PM's office," his second in command pleaded. "Last time we had to use ret-con to get rid of your stalker."
"She was not a stalker..." Jack tried to deny but both Owen and Suzie glared him. The former Time Agent sighed. "Fine! No, no one from the Minister's office. Or UNIT," he added before Suzie could add that organization into the list about 'Jack Harkness' Disastrous Dalliances'. He paused, briefly amused that such a list actually existed (Toss kept an electronic copy on the server). He also pondered whether he should tell them to include dalliances he remembered from his stint as a Time Agent and later a con artist.
"Good," the brunette told Jack, breaking him from his thoughts. "Now let's allow Owen to tear into his cadaver lest he gets snippier."
"It's like a kindergarten," the doctor muttered as he set about performing an autopsy.
Jack grinned. "Well, you kids have fun!"
"Don't go pestering Toss! She's working on an encryption!" Suzie called out.
Jack did not reply, just climbed the stairs to the main area of the Hub. He passed Toss's station where the young genius had her eyes glued to the screen, her fingers moving fast over the keyboard. He toyed with the idea of distracting Toshiko (she could really use a break, some sun perhaps and fresh coffee) but then he recalled Suzie's words and went on to his office. He was just inside when his phone rang and he pressed his wrist device to answer.
"Captain Jack Harkness," he said.
'Hello Jack. It's Ianto.'
A smile crossed Jack's face as a familiar voice reached him.
"Well, good day to you too, my dear Welshman. Are you perhaps in my area? Or even had Yvonne approve of a transfer?"
'Nothing quite so pleasant I'm afraid,' the Welshman said and had Jack frowning.
The former Time Agent closed his office door and walked to his desk. "Anything I could do to help?" he asked, curiosity piqued. He did not know Ianto Jones well enough for the young man to be asking any favours. He also toyed with the idea that Hartman actually had him call, but another look at the screen, and a brief search at the unregistered number calling him (which got him nowhere), and he quickly squashed that train of thought.
'Word in the street is that you're the man to talk to about search and rescue missions.'
"Do you need saving?"
Ianto's snort echoed in the office. 'No, but I know of a couple of eggs that need it.'
Jack blinked. "Did you say eggs?"
Jack pulled his car up; in front of the address Ianto gave him merely two and a half hours later. He rang the doorbell and when the door opened he took the stairs. Toshiko followed behind him, looking exasperated.
"Jack! At least wait up," she called out. "I think I'm still car sick. If it was so urgent why did you not have a helicopter take us to London? For that matter why use your own car?"
"Sorry Toshiko," he sheepishly told her. "Hopefully all will be explained better soon."
The young woman rolled her eyes and started walking again.
Ianto Jones was waiting for them, door open, when they reached the third floor. He was dressed in a suit, obviously worn all day and he looked just as attractive as the last time Jack saw him. He toyed with the idea of greeting him with the kiss, but held back, since apparently the Welshman had called him here for a rescue mission.
"I don't even want to know how you're still in one piece. How fast were you going?" Ianto asked.
"Too fast," Toshiko answered before Jack could open his mouth.
Ianto smiled and motioned for them to step inside. Jack smiled and went in first, Toshiko following behind. Once inside, Ianto offered them seats on the sofa.
"Would you like some coffee? You are probably going to need it," the Welshman told him.
"Yes, please," Toshiko nodded eagerly.
"Jack?"
"Yes, and then you can tell me how even though you're under Yvonne you want to lead a search and rescue for alien eggs."
Ianto shrugged. "Not that difficult to believe, is it?" he asked as he busied himself making three mugs of coffee in the kitchen adjacent to the living room.
Jack stood instead and started perusing the room around him. "Nice place you have here."
"Torchwood pays well," was Ianto's come back. "You can snoop all you like Jack!"
Toshiko smiled. "How do you two know each other?"
"The 'Anti-Alien Summit' or if you prefer the 'Annual Posturing Summit'," Ianto answered her. "Through in politicians and alien catching organizations and you get a very prissy and explosive mix."
Jack and Toshiko laughed.
Ianto stepped back into the room. "Your coffee," he said and extended the mugs."
Jack arched an eyebrow.
"I've heard rumours on how Three distributes retcon, but worry not. I need you."
"So we're safe," the ex Time Agent muttered and took a tentative sip. Then he took another, letting out a rather suggestive moan.
"Jack!" Toshiko exclaimed, shocked.
"It's the coffee," the Welshman said, looking smug.
Toshiko eyed her mug before tasting hers. Her eyes closed and she took a deeper gulp of the scalding hot liquid.
"Oh, gods please marry me," she moaned.
Ianto snorted while Jack gave her a glare.
"I've known him longer," the leader of Torchwood Three told her. "I've got dibbs."
"Dibbs?" Ianto asked.
Jack gave him a roguish smirk. "And don't you forget it Mr Jones."
The younger man laughed.
Toshiko watched the by play with interest, as well as the small talk the two made. She had never before seen Jack as relaxed around one of Torchwood London's people. This man was something special to them. She already had some suspicions about the person that managed to make Jack drive like a maniac from Cardiff to London.
"So, Jack said we were on a rescue mission," Toshiko hedged.
"As you may both know, Torchwood London in particular has a very, lets say possessive, attitude regarding all things alien to this planet."
Jack's derisive snort and Toshiko's disbelieving stare are fun to take in. Usually Ianto would continue with his sarcastic comments and wordplay but he needs help and they have a time limit to reach. The longer they wait the lesser the chances that the eggs will go undiscovered. So the Welshman sums how he met Voela. He does not gloss over the holding area of Canary Warf, even though he sees how Jack's face becomes a mask of cold rage. Toshiko looks obviously shaken as Ianto recounts how Voela will probably not last the week.
"Where was the space ship last sighted?" Jack asks. "And are you certain those vultures at One have not found it yet?"
"Positive," Ianto replied.
"What do you need," Jack asks and Ianto feels the tension he felt in his gut uncoil. He had already concocted a plan to help the eggs. Now that he has two sets of extra hands and two more brains to help him, Ianto feels much less afraid of what he is about to do. It is not the first time he has undermined Yvonne Hartman and Torchwood London's decree, but it is the first time he has decided to do so on the fly. And the first time he has accomplices.
End of chapter
