6

Ianto knew he had caused a stir but was not prepared for the man blocking their exit from the facility in order to get to their vessel. He seemed enraged for some reason and Ianto was not in the mood for some High Borne wanting to assert himself on the lowly Meatstick waltzing around acting above his station.

As Ianto stopped walking, he felt the soft movement beside him and the idiot was suddenly flying bake into the far wall the Judoon grunted with annoyance, and then stepped forward to hold the door for his king. Ianto pondered protocols and wondered if there was some sort of way these toffs deal with one another, name calling and chest puffing instead of physicality? Is there some sort of code or something he is unaware of? To be honest, he was not interested in parlay. Ianto walked out into the cool evening air with distain, not liking this place at all. Too damp, too cool and definitely not enough dust underfoot. The ground was too hard, the people too soft.

Once on board Ianto settled in a chair in the Galley to watch as Justice and John argued over the leftover food they had calmly swiped off tables to carry, two-handing the plates which were overflowing. Pirates. Commoners. Ianto loved it and chose a chicken leg to bite into as Gwen settled next to him.

"He will challenge again."

"Hmmm" Ianto nodded ad he swallowed his mouthful to answer "I hope so. This is so boring."

"That display was spectacular. I loved it, is that what you are teaching Amilie?"

Ianto nodded as he chewed another bite, then swallowed to answer "She has spirit. Though she will never fly, not Bladesinger, she will dance and the dust will fly still. She understands this and wants only to emulate me. Sweetling that she is."

"And the blades of course" Gwen snorted with amusement.

"Well… of course. Are you with child sister?"

Gwen's face showed surprise and then she looked down at herself "I do not think… I am not sure. I thought my body growing past that time of life. Do I smell different brother?"

"Hmmm" another leg offered by John who loved watching Ianto eat. Like most Meatsticks, he simply devoured his food like a heathen. Well, he IS the Devil after all.

"I shall visit Owen upon our return to check it" she promised as she chose some grapes, bright orange ones that fizzed in your mouth.

"So what now?" the Judoon asked as he removed his body armour, dumping it on the end of the table to make everything jump for a second, showing his toned and muscled body usually hidden under the armour that was designed to make him look bulky and imposing. Without it, he was a handsome fuck. John leered as he thought so.

"Rest and wait for the door knock of challenge. I do felt the need to thump him down before we leave, if only to show dominance here. They need to understand my place as well as theirs" Ianto shrugged, rising to stretch, "and I want to get out of this get up. I need my DD uniform back on to feel myself once more."

"Agreed" Justice said, pulling at the dress that was mysteriously torn down one side.

Ianto did not ask.

Not his monkey after all… well OK, maybe it IS his circus.

.

.

It was the next morning as Ianto stood looking up at the huge and imposing vessel that dwarfed many around them that he saw the pissant approaching with an entourage. Well now, some fun to be had after all. Whitt was approaching as well from a far facility airlock, unaware of the imprinting danger as Meatsticks in the vicinity felt the amusement wafting off Ianto and left their chores to follow the smell of a challenge in the air.

"YOU!" the man said in a high pitched voice, the shrillness of it making Ianto's face twitch "I CHALLENGE!"

"Oh?"

"My man here" he pointed to a huge man behind him and Ianto felt disappointment. Ah. Not strong enough to fight his own battles? Well two can play at that.

"Very good. Challenge accepted. My man HERE!" Ianto flicked a thumb at the Judoon who had just wandered around from the back of the vessel.

"No, can't be a non-human entity!" the man folded his arms with triumph.

"Oh dear, are you sure? Rhino would just squish him a bit. I tend to be more… vicious" Ianto sighed as he looked a the muscle man "Oh well. I guess you have more, yes? This one may not come back to you in one piece."

"No weapons!" the man then demanded "Hand to hand!"

Ianto was not wearing his blades and made a show of raising his arms and revolving slowly to let John pluck the small blade from his belt and the sonic blaster from his boot. He then removed the blades. Ianto faced him as the other man did the same.

"Do you have a name?" Ianto asked politely.

"Conqueror!" the man leered.

"Oh OK." Ianto shrugged as he stepped back and let the man choose where to spar.

The Cock as Ianto was calling him in his head, lunged and Ianto slid to the left, to the right, around him to slap his arse, then after the next jab at thin air, Ianto bit him.

I know.

A little extreme but this one did not play fair with the small blade in one hand barely visible between his fingers like it was just a ring. Ianto enjoyed the burn of the scratch to the back of his hand and he grinned wider. Ah, a game after all. The bite like a rattle snake strike.

Cock squealed and pulled back to stare at the man who was calmly spitting his earlobe at him, bouncing it off his chest before hitting his boot. Ianto said calmly "You are bleeding fuckwit."

Ianto then noticed the crowd forming. Meatsticks pooling into regimental formation, surrounding them to watch the show. Shit. He was projecting? No. This is how it is for any who step foot on the Red Planet and Ianto had thought it the gravitational pull to familiarity. Now he saw it was him. Had always been him. He was the one who fanned the flames of change and defiance.

"So, is this to the death or do I just take one of his eyes next or something? Is that acceptable? Or a leg? An arm?" Ianto asked the idiot pissant now gaping from the sidelines.

The gun pointed at him ws unfortunate as it not only angered Ianto for the show of cowardice, but of course… the two hundred or so Meatsticks now there and with a loud boom of unity, every Meatstick slammed their left foot down as they crouched into a fighting stance.

"Do you REALLY want to fuck with the Devil sir? After all, I have not yet had breakfast and am what my husband calls Hangry in the mornings. I will kill your man, these men will likely kill you and all of your delegation with you. Do you REALLY want a Meatstick revolution before they have fed you your last meal?" Ianto asked with his arms folded now.

They were surrounded.