A/N: Okay, this is a long shot, but it's something I'm going to try? And possibly putting it in the notes means I'll adhere to it better because fear of failure in the eyes of internet strangers. Anyway, I'm going to shoot for updating one of my stories at least every two weeks. And right now I really only have two that I'm currently working on. So if you haven't seen an update here in two weeks feel free to give me a prod. I'm partial to the cattle variety.
-1933-
-The Dust Bowl-
"It means he's gone feral." Jack said with a sigh. He gestured to put more distance between her and the Doctor. "Sorry about the misunderstanding. Thought you were one of them. It's been an interesting few days."
"If you can consider being locked in a cellar interesting." The Doctor muttered, still straining at the chains that held him just an arm's length away from Calypso. She was struck by how strange the Doctor looked, now that she watched him closely. She'd been so happy to see him, relieved really. She'd missed the subtle differences that were clear even when he didn't open his mouth to speak. This thing that resembled the Doctor moved differently. The way he held himself now reminded her acutely of a predator.
"You're that jumper aren't you?" Jack said suddenly, his face widening into a warm grin.
"The- I'm sorry, what?" Calypso finally did step back from the Doctor, but she moved slowly as to not draw his attention any further than she already had.
"You know, the ravishing companion he's so fond of? Who jumps through time as a result of some kind of spatial anomaly. The Doctor doesn't get real specific with the science when he's got a few Verdun Angels in him. But he's got plenty of nice things to say about you."
"Oh," Calypso felt her face flush and she couldn't quite meet Jack's confident gaze. "I can't really claim to be a companion. We do tend to cross paths."
"Trust me, if you've met him more than twice, you're a bona fide companion. The man can be a real pain to track down when he wants to be. I don't suppose he's mentioned the charming and incredibly good looking Captain Harkness? Captain Jack Harkness?" He winked, which only served to fluster her further.
"Oh do stop," the Doctor muttered as he rolled back on his heels. "Nothing this mind has to offer has depressed me more than reliving your pathetic attempts to procreate with anything that crosses your path with a circulatory system."
"I'm sorry, is the shadow man jealous?" Jack's face turned mournful. "If I'd known you just needed a little love I would have gotten more creative with your restraints." Jack blew the Doctor a kiss and he snarled, straining against his chains once again. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in continuing this conversation elsewhere?"
"I think that would be best." Calypso agreed. It was more than a little unnerving to see the Doctor act in such a way. More so was the way his dark swirling eyes continued to follow her every move.
"Don't you go anywhere, handsome." Jack cooed at the Doctor as Calypso followed him out of the room.
"When I get free, I'm going to cut off your-" The door slammed shut, muting the rest of his words, but the sentiment had been clear.
"You know, I always figured the Doctor might be more fun if he had a bit of a wild streak to him. But this is not what I had in mind."
"Is he the Doctor?" She was fearful of what the answer might be.
"He is, and he isn't." Jack shrugged. "That's what the Doctor is with an Acteonis at the helm."
"And what is that, precisely?" She was desperate for some clear answers and if he didn't provide them quickly, charming or not, he was about to find himself throttled.
"They're a subspecies of the Arctoris. Parasites mostly. It's unusual that they're out here this far. They don't have hunting grounds in the strictest sense, but they tend to keep to one edge-"
"Jack." The tension in her voice was a dagger. "The short version." She knew she wasn't really furious with him. She was furious that she'd found the Doctor, her Doctor. And she'd found him broken.
"Right. Sorry. The Arctoris have a specific physiology that enables them to shift spatially at the molecular level. Normally they use that to snatch up their prey and feed. But the Acteonis are different. They're like cats, they like to play with their food. They use their physiology to capture prey, bring it back to their ship, and then drop the poor suckers on a game reserve for them to get hunted all over again. One of them tried to pick up the Doctor and …well, it didn't quite work out. He seemed to have a handle on it initially, but then-" he shook his head, giving the door they'd just come from a wary look. "Well, the two of them fused and whatever is in that room is the result."
"Fused? That doesn't- that's absurd." Despite having fairly clear evidence that it had happened, her mind refused to believe such a thing were possible. "Perhaps it's just an ailment."
"I watched it. I'm not denying that it's a little insane, but it definitely happened. 'Sides, the sickness is a different thing entirely."
"Well then there must be a way to un-fuse them? You said these Acteonis have a ship. If they have such capabilities, surely they have a way to reverse the process." Her chest constricted sharply as she held her breath, waiting for Jack to give her the confirmation she was desperate for.
"It's possible. They're a level five species, which makes them a bit out of Torchwood's realm. On top of that, we'd need to be able to navigate through these sand storms that they're using for cover. And avoid any of the other Acteonis in the area. There's also the bit about having no idea where the ship is."
"Are you saying there's nothing we can do?"
"Well, no. That is basically the plan. I just wanted you to know how hard it is so you'll be all the more impressed when I pull it off."
"I'll be impressed when you explain exactly how we're going to make it happen."
"Jack!" Alona's voice was tight at the head of the stairs. Her boots were heavy on the wood as she descended. "I need your help." Her eyes flashed in Calypso's direction, but whatever was going on was obviously of more concern to her than the stranger that had arrived in the midst of the storms.
"My lady," Jack bowed in an exaggerated fashion. "I am at your service."
"Good, because I need you to talk some sense into Akando. He seems to think he's fit to go out in this mess."
"Boy, they used to put some good stuff in that cough syrup." Jack muttered. "He's still sick, he needs rest."
"I know that, but he's a damned fool."
"Well, we all have our faults. Is there any particular reason he's determined to go for a walk?"
"Nita's out there. Think she went to the Garcia's."
"Nita?" Jack's easy grin had turned serious.
"She slipped out the kitchen door. Emmy Garcia is one of the sick ones. Has a favorite doll that she left behind when everyone headed this way."
"So little ten year old Nita thought she'd just run out and fetch it." Jack ran a slow hand over his face and then he paused. "Akondo is determined to go because you're planning on going. You do know what a terrible idea that is, right?"
"She's my daughter, Jack. Terrible idea or not, I'm going."
"Of course you are," Jack sighed. "Well, at least it'll be easy to talk Akondo out of it."
"Will it? He's particularly stubborn for an old man."
"Sure, because I'm going with you instead."
"Jack, that's not necessary. This isn't your fight."
"Course it is," he brightened up again, although how much of it was a brave façade, Calypso couldn't be sure. His eyes searched the pantry in the nearby alcove as he spoke. "Defender of the people. I've got a patch with that stitched into it. Give me just a sec- Ah! Here we go." He pulled a large slab of wood from one of the shelves and held it out with a grin.
"A cutting board?" Calypso offered in the following silence.
"More importantly, a wooden cutting board." He patted it against the palm of his hand where it gave a satisfying thud. There was more silence that followed.
"Because of the porch." Jack offered. But neither of the women understood what he was trying to allude to. "The people who are getting snatched, they're all out in the fields. If you make it to the porch, you only get sick. And they haven't been able to get into the house. Think it's something to do with the substance. Wood, in this case."
"You think?" Alona raised her eyebrow.
"Well, it's just a theory so far. No time like the present to test it out." He thrust the board into Alona's hands.
"Shall I just swing it at their heads?" Alona was still unimpressed with Jack's theory and Calypso didn't really blame her.
"If you like. Hopefully they'll be too busy chasing me to notice you." Jack waggled his eyebrows at Calypso. "I make excellent bait."
Alona rolled her eyes. For a moment it looked as though she might try to argue with Jack further, but he was busy cleaning dust from his weapon to ensure it would fire when needed. "I'm going to make a small pack. In case we get stuck."
"Clever thinking, I'll be up in a moment." Jack said as he blew a short burst of air across the barrel of his gun.
"Jack, what can I do?" he had holstered the gun and was now fiddling with an oversized wristwatch, tapping it a few times with a frown.
"You," he fished around in his shirt pocket and pulled out a small ring with two keys on it. "Can keep an eye on sunshine until we get back." He tossed the keys and she caught it with a start.
"You expect me to stay behind?" Despite her fear of returning outside, she was a little offended. "Did the Doctor lead you to believe I was some useless maid who likes to sit about and wait for the danger to pass?"
"No ma'am." He said quite seriously. "But one of us needs to stay behind. No one else is going to know what they're up against if they let him out. If I go missing, you're the only chance he's got."
"Jack," the fear was back and it was palpable. "I don't even know how to begin finding this ship, much less curing the Doctor."
"I know, that's why I'm not going to go missing." He grinned at her, surprisingly cheerful for a man who was about to plunge into a sandstorm where alien predators lurked. "Plus, of the two of us, I'm the one that isn't sick."
"I'm not sick." Calypso scoffed. It was one of the few benefits of her unusual circumstances. Neither cold nor plague could touch her. "I never get sick."
"Well, then maybe you won't. But that burn on your arm?" He nodded to her forearm where there was a darkened patch of skin where the creature had gripped her. It didn't sting, but it was tender as her fingers drifted across it. "Every single one of the people upstairs who have gotten sick has one exactly like it."
She felt an uncomfortable pricking at the back of her throat.
"Plus, call me old fashion, but the Doctor would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't do my best to keep you safe when he wasn't able to." He smiled but Calypso didn't return it. "Don't look so worried, it'll be fine. This here will mark my fourteenth trip in a week. I'd have to have a string of real bad luck to get stuck out there with my vortex manipulator. It's the only way to travel." He held up his wrist confidently.
"That's not especially reassuring, Jack." She knew there was no argument she could make that would convince him to change his mind.
"I know," he grinned. "Make sure he stays out of trouble." He nodded toward the closed door behind them. "And wish me luck!" He bounded up the stairs without waiting for her to reply.
"Good luck." She said weakly, with only herself to hear.
