Chapter 3: Emergency
Toshiko was still in a bit of a huff when Ianto returned with a tray of coffee mugs. He had made some for Owen and Jack too as they would be back any minute. Gwen accepted her coffee gratefully and sat slumped at Owen's desk sipping it contentedly. Ianto tried to recover some ground with Toshiko.
"Is it safe to touch?" he asked, indicating the globe.
"Yes." Toshiko thawed at this sign of interest. "I've handled it without any effect at all." She sipped her drink.
Ianto picked up the globe and looked at it. It was heavier than he had expected and it felt warm. He looked at the other artefact, the disc, and idly picked that up too thinking to insert it in the device, when the cog-door opened and Jack strode through, closely followed by Owen. Ianto looked over at the new arrivals. "I've just made coffee. Thought you might need some," he said as they climbed the steps beside Toshiko's desk.
He had stepped closer to Toshiko's desk to make room for the new arrivals and inadvertently knocked into it. In trying to recover his balance, the disc slid into the globe with a slight 'ding'. He was aware of a humming noise from the globe and when he looked at it saw it was now glowing a light mauve. "Tosh?" he said anxiously.
"It's probably recording," she replied, checking her monitors which continued to scan the object.
"What's going on?" asked Jack, peering over at Ianto.
"I seem to have set this off somehow," he replied, making to set down the now pulsating globe.
Jack quickly scanned the object using is wrist controls. "Ianto, come here," he ordered, backing up to the archway leading to the medical bay. "Come on!"
"Jack, what is it?" queried Owen, alarmed by his boss's concern.
"Stay back, all of you. In fact, get down to the lower level," said Jack, pulling Ianto to him. "Get behind me," he ordered Ianto, pushing Ianto so that he was stood with his back to the archway. He took Ianto's left arm and put it between his own left arm and body so that only the hand holding the globe was in front of him. Jack was using his wrist controls still but only he understood what he hoped to achieve.
"You're really frightening me, Jack," said Ianto, sweat on his brow. He was now standing behind Jack, nervously peering over his shoulder at the wildly pulsating globe.
"What's going on?" demanded Gwen from the top of the steps leading down to the cog-door. Toshiko and Owen were already down at the lower level.
"It's some sort of grenade and it's going to explode," explained Jack. "I'm trying to limit it but I don't think I can stop it altogether." He continued to work at the buttons on his wrist strap. "As soon as Ianto lets go, it'll blow."
Ianto now realised why he was behind Jack: to shield him from the blast. He started to struggle. "Jack, no. I won't let you do this," he said, pulling against Jack's hold on his arm. His movements had the opposite effect to the one he had intended. The globe moved in his sweaty hand and he lost his grip: he dropped it.