13
Ianto stood on the ramp with a gun at his hip watching the Bot as it flew around the hull seeking the small tear.
"Nice now its daylight" Toshiko said as she came to stand hear him, looking out over the grass that seemed to dance in the light breeze.
"For however long it lasts" Ianto muttered, "you smell that in the breeze? Sulphur."
"That was not on the specs" she said, turning to push her glasses up her nose as she looked behind them. She could not smell it but she was not of his elk. Her all too human nostrils could not detect the same things one with a drop of Catkind can.
"Just started to whip up… must be a mine somewhere here. To join the spec shelters with underground systems so they can escape these topside storms. You know… they seem to have been drilling all over the place, see over there? Drill holes."
She frowned "but… they were not here to drill. They have their humidifier for water, why drill? The tunnel Mole drills sideways… not these."
"We don't know that, what were the orders of the Collective, not that they would admit they sent them here to seek something, to terra-form." Ianto said so softly it was almost snatched by the breeze and she shared a look with him that could not be heard over any listening devices then they both went back to watching the Bot weld a patch.
They might not be of the same elk but they were both of High Blood. Their unspoken conversation chilling them both as they stood closer together, his warmth comforting her.
Did they find something that enhances the nasties?
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"OK, I will be the one to say it" John finally broke the silence "Do we go into the basement where the monster is? Ripley style?"
"No. We have come, we have looked and now we retreat" Jack said as he considered the silence of the place "there is no one alive here. No signs of life and the longer we are here, the sooner the things realize we are here and another food source is available."
"I agree" John moved towards the others, calling to them that they were going to retreat as Jack took one more look around, helping Suzie scoop the medical records and rip out the mother boards from the back of computers that would no doubt tell the story.
They double timed it back to the vessel to find it being flown into the hanger of the larger vessel remotely, Ianto standing there with the small control pad showing great skill.
"Look at that… he flies like one of us" John said softly as he patted Jack on the shoulder and Jack grinned, then sobered as he smelt the same thing in the breeze Ianto had, both men looking at one another as John caught it too. "Sulphur."
"Right… we are out of here. Fuck" Jack started to run, calling out that they need to lift off ASAP and Ianto nodded, walking up the ramp as the crew rumbled up on the Flat Bed and the ramp closed, sealing the vessel once more.
"Sulphur" Ianto said softly and Jack nodded, the unspoken fact that this smell heralded the monsters. Now detectable to humans, it was thick in the back of Ianto's throat. Jack and his team ran for their seats as Ianto secured the Bots and Spark.
Ianto took off without fanfare, punching it as some yelped in their seats and John whooped with glee. Jack grinned as he clung go this seat, laughing at his husband for showing off. Of course… they were also getting out of Dodge as quickly as possible.
They knew no one was left alive.
The smell confirmed it was overrun.
Time o go home and report.
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"So what is your recommendation?" the Collective looked down at the Away Team with mild interest.
"We move our arses as far from the planet as we can before they decide to migrate" the General barked, tried of their posh ways in the face of a crisis "We do not want them to come this way."
"Agreed."
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Ianto walked with Jack to their berth where the kids were waiting with the minder, lighting up as their parents entered and they rushed to them, full of questions.
"Yes, it was fun. No, nobody died and no there were no trophies" Jack lied, laughing as he hugged both kids then turned and gathered Ianto into his arms for a soft kiss "And I am so glad you were there with me."
"I am just glad we got off there without passengers we didn't want" Ianto shuddered then frowned "You think they found it? The one in the walls?"
"Probably cleaned it all up while we were dirt side, right?" Jack surmised "I will ask around and see if the Skin Walkers found anything in the shaft."
"I hope so" Ianto nodded "Or all our plans are dust."
"Well… Sulphur" Jack said softly to himself as he shook off such fear, watching the kids gather their pictures they had drawn for them, Tommy's little face shining with delight as even Alice said he was a great painter.
Both men were tired, dirty and the smell of sulphur clung to them like wet clothing.
They stumbled into the Cleaning Box (like a large shower room) and washed without a second thought, used to sharing space with other crew members and it was a surprise to Ianto when he turned to grab the hair wash to find Jack handing it to him, "Apple right?"
"Yes. Thanks."
"I like your hair smell" Jack said as he pulled his own spicy one from the shelf "comforting."
Ianto smiled as he stepped into Jack's arms, surprising the man with a kiss as he replied "You comfort me too."
Then Ianto was gone, the soap from his hair still running down the drain as Jack blinked and then smiled slowly.
Well, well, well.
A sneak attacker is he?