8
"So, it's been a little while and you are still sloping along separately." Jack startled Ianto out of his daze and he squealed as he jumped, dropping the plant he was holding. Jack immediately rushed to help pick up the mess "Shit, sorry."
"No, I was miles away in the clouds" Ianto laughed softly "Thinking about me Gran actually."
"Yeah?"
"She is the one who got me into plants. When this place started up I was curious, had no idea how invested I would become. She would have loved this" Ianto sat back on his heels and Jack looked at him closer, seeing the lines around his eyes.
"You're exhausted. What is going on? Not sleeping?" Jack asked with genuine concern.
"Too much going on, I still need to settle into a routine. I thought it would be easier than this but it's the unknown factors now" Ianto shrugged "More people means more files… more archiving."
"Of course" Jack nodded, seeing the problem. Ianto had to report on everyone.
They were about to head towards the main hub when one of the reporters stopped them "Hi, sorry to bother you but you did mention the press packs. I had mine with me and I have sat and read it thoroughly and… I see a mistake."
"OK" Ianto said slowly.
"It says here, there are the four main Domes and the central Hub. But reading it, counting in my head… there should be another Dome that's not in there. The West Dome and there is the Western Dome. Is that a typo. I mean... the West dome is plants, we are in it but… the Western Dome is plants too. Same Dome?"
Jack was about to explain the fourth Dome when he caught the true words and turned to gape at Ianto. A fifth one? What? He said this fourth one was his baby… and it had… what… a baby of its own? Is Ianto Jones still holding out on him? Jack was not sure how to feel about that.
Ianto considered his answer as Jack shrugged and looked at the woman's findings. Then Ianto said softly "Good find there. You are correct, there is a fifth Dome that is off the West Dome. It is not one that was on the specs and therefore, fell through the cracks a bit. No one seems to have realized it."
"Oh my god, seriously?" she lit up with delight.
"Yes… Donna right?"
"Yes. Donna Noble" she replied with a wide grin "I work for Wales on Radio …I am a temp worker actually, a secretary. Sent to follow the great Mort around while he does his memoirs. Most boring assignment yet, if ya ask me."
"You're not a reporter?" Jack was stunned, now thinking about the fact some on the tour were actually not part of the main project, just collateral damage.
"God no, I am too … what did my teacher say at school… brassy" she replied, then roared with mirth.
Jack and Ianto both decided they liked her a little more.
"Come on Donna the Temp… I will show you my secret and then it will be yours too" Ianto winked "all these so called professional press people have no idea where their own arses are, so used to someone else wiping it."
Donna laughed as she followed him to the West Dome and he looked around, and then opened a door that was not even visible.
"Well… bugger me!" she said good-naturedly and stepped through it with wide eyes. "From the outside you can't even see this puppy… wow. This place still amazes me. Like… it's bigger on the inside. An optical illusion?"
"Wow" Jack said softly as he looked around at the Dome that was slightly smaller than the other four but still quite spacious. It had many plants and some birds flew past to show it also had animals in here. Jack inspected the place and found what he suspected.
Tunnels.
At the base of the Dome were some popes, like sewer pipes just sitting there. He turned to Ianto who nodded as he answered the unspoken question as he picked up a small bell and rang it "It connects to the South Dome so the animals can traverse the pipe system to here. Once a week I feed them in here, different days so they must listen for the little bell ringing through the pipe system to know a rare treat if being placed about for them. All the animals from their respective Domes can race for here if they want the treat."
"How many do?" Jack asked as he watched a rabbit appear from one, running to sit on Ianto's foot expectantly.
"Over three quarters." Ianto replied pointing up "and the birds come out the ones near the top."
Donna was walking around not listening now, the exotic butterflies taking her attention and Jack leaned against a bench to watch Ianto crouch to feed the rabbit some treats. More coming from somewhere to rub against him like long eared cats.
"It's a lifeboat" Jack finally said, more of a statement than a question "Isn't it. This is the last defense if the Domes start to fail. Why it's hidden, like so many other things you created and secreted into the walls. This is the escape pod, the last bastion of safety before the entire place is compromised. Tell me… those pipes can be sealed?"
Ianto did not answer but Jack knew he was right as the man shrugged and then sat on the ground so a little squirrel could clamber onto his leg to chatter into his face in a companionable one sided conversation about something.
Jack was impressed.
"You've thought of everything"
"Not everything" Ianto replied sagely "there are more people in here than expected. It's causing a strain on the filtration system. I will have to recalibrate some of the programs to allow for the extra waste… also… someone has a secret cache of bloody candy bars and they are leaving the wrappers everywhere like some sort of serial killer leaving clues for the cops. It's driving me insane. This is supposed to be our last chance of survival and someone is littering. Rubbish constantly there to be picked up, some of it recyclable. Someone does not care."
Jack did not like the sound of that "I will look into that, everyone knows we have to pull our weight. Seriously Ianto, I will sort that."
Ianto nodded but doubted it.
He had allowed for a certain amount of arsehollery but seriously… some of these unwanted extras were starting to piss him off.
And they were not even a month in.