2
Ianto was walking the walkway along one of the garden bubbles, the Dome actually a series of them. He was using his edidic memory as he paced it out, his eyes closed. He loved this, it was what he used to do during the initial process two years ago. Not much has changed. Apart from the noise and the fact some of the plant life was wilder. Nice.
"Right, as you can see we have chickens and ducks. These help with the gardening aspect, the natural gardeners of the place. Add to that Mari is also a botanist so we have the plant thing ticked off. Mari's husband is a bit of a strange one though" Andy said as he walked alongside him, not even aware that Ianto was walking with his eyes closed "Tony is some sort of heath fanatic who runs the entire place each day like this is some endurance thing."
"Maybe it is" Ianto finally said something, then fell silent once more as Andy continued to talk about things that he already knew. It felt comforting. He now had most of the players.
Owen, Toshiko, Gwen, Rhys, Andy, Mari and Tony, him and Suzie Costello was some sort of mechanic. Then the two others were scientists that were to do experiments to see what the environment would do so certain things. Add the sexy Jack Harkness… fuck. Did he just call him sexy? Oh god. Stop it.
So twelve little nutters gone off to play.
.
.
"So, you seem to be the only one not excited out of his gourd to be here" Jack's voice startled Ianto as he stood there staring at the readouts for the day's water usage.
Ianto knew this one was the leader for a reason and saw more of the classified files than anyone else so he also knew that if Jack had not worked it out, he soon would.
"I was the creator of the run."
"Excuse me?"
"A team of us ran fake scenarios about what might happen to make this a sanctuary. I was the one who wanted to make it an ark. This is my run that is cycling through. I know everything that is happening, should happen and might happen. Also, this is why Owen knew I would be a shoe-in for the position as Archivist as a few of them recognized me despite me using a pen name in the prelims."
"Phoenix." Jack said with sudden clarity "you're Phoenix?"
"That's the name I chose. Yep"
The way he popped the P was kinda cute and Jack grinned wider as he leaned to quietly ask something only to have Ianto lean back and say "Did anyone ever tell you that you wear too much cologne?"
Jack looked surprised "I don't wear anything."
"Really? Wow" Ianto snorted as he tried to understand what that meant.
This might complicate things.
.
.
It was time for the press thing and Ianto was not looking forward to it, settling back to let others talk and take the cameras as he preferred to be an anonymous as possible. Of course, he knew it was only a matter of time before someone recognized him or a comment was made that gave him away as a creator but until then, he would enjoy the cloak of invisibility Jack created when he was around. All eyes on the pretty one folks.
"So, today we are checking the seals one last time. We seal the domes and outside the coloured smoke is gently wafted overhead, the huge fans you see will blow it around the domes like a coloured mist or fog. We will check every seal for any sign of mist entering our atmo, if it comes back with nothing breaching… well… the domes I mean, I don't mind the odd breach myself…" cue some eyebrow waggling and tittering form the crowd as Jack leered, then added "… we are green for go."
"If it comes back in a positive light, when will you lock down for real?" one of the reporters asked and Jack opened his mouth to answer, then closed it to look at their Press handler, the senior reporter there. Ah. He knew when to let someone else have the light too. Good pandering, nice handling over the older man who now stood and talked some waffle-butt for a while as Jack took the chance to head over and then lean over to whisper to Ianto.
"How long do you think it will take? The last one took all bloody day with the equipment failures we encountered." Jack hissed.
"Maybe a couple of hours. We already did the tests, as you say. This is for the media, a little display to show we are prefect. Why there was the dry run the other day" Ianto replied under his breath while typing into his tablet, so only Jack could hear "Imagine if a seal failed… the horror. Stampedes and maybe even a trampling?"
Jack found himself grinning widely at the man who was totally unaware that the smile he had just garnered from their handsome leader now made everyone look at him with interest, wondering who this quiet little mouse was that their larger than life hero was laughing with.
By the time Ianto looked up from his report he was reading all the cameras were firmly on him.
What can ya do?
Ianto smiled.
Ah.
.
.
Ianto was in the command booth, sitting net to Toshiko as they ran the numbers and Toshiko spoke softly into the coms "Please check the lower seal along the floor."
"Sure thing toots" Owen replied as he knelt to sweep the sensor wand for the leak they knew did not exist. It made for good media though, those inside the room with them all waiting with baited breath to see if the experiment was a go.
Ianto was focused on another team and touched his own ear "Jack, can you double time over to the otter house? I can see some sort of commotion there, I think they are fighting over that bloody toy again"
"Toy?" one of the reporters asked.
Ianto pushed a button and the screen behind him lit up, the image of three or four otters all now a ball rolling around on the ground. He explained "Otters like to play, they are naturally childlike creatures and about a month ago they stole some of the couplings tht were left lying around during the installation of some of the extra security cameras. We thought we had it all, but now and then they start this and it will turn out one of them had one squirreled away and brought it out to gloat, causing a riot. They really need some real toys I think, I did suggest it but was told that in the wild they do not have them. I disagree. A favourite rock or pebble is not uncommon. They are known for improvising."
"You could add some crystals to the bottom of their pool then they can dive to play with them? Pretty colours, natural element and possible in the wild? To have pretty stones?" one of the Press asked and Ianto focused on her. He wracked his mind and came up with who she was within the next blink. Not a reporter, a Personal Assistant to the most senior reporter there.
"Why Donna… that is a great idea." Ianto smiled and she blushed, flattered that he remembered her and when they all had intended themselves not three hours ago. All twenty of them. So far he had not missed a name.
One of the camera operators glanced at a college and said softly "No wonder they have him as the Archivist if his mind is that sharp."
"Hmmmm. Definitely more that jut a nice suit" came the soft reply.
Ianto tried to ignore them as he went through the numbers and declared their mission a go down the coms to Jack who stopped his task to stand in his hero pose and address the many cameras following him around.
"I have just had word, we are Green for Go. I repeat… Green for Go. This time tomorrow… we close those doors for real. Last chance for a look around people, before we are chucking you all out."
Laughter as everyone started to gather their gear to check the things on their lists.
Ianto relaxed as Jack took the light back to himself, allowing Ianto to recheck his numbers that he always knew were prefect.
But that's Ianto.
Measure twice, cut once.