IDChapter27
Jack and Jon quickly headed back to the main part of the underground compound, and found Isana and Rose inspecting the computer system. After explaining what had happened to Jack's ship, they paused and waited for Isana's reaction.
"It could very well be Koschei," she admitted. "He was not happy at all with me when he left here. I think we have to assume he's going to turn us all in, especially since his family left as well."
"Mummy, look who I found!" Everyone turned to look as Arianna entered the room, with her friend Alia in tow.
"Alia, what are you doing here?" Isana asked, picking the little girl up. Alia had obviously been crying, and looked bedraggled.
"Mummy and Daddy were mad. They said bad things about Aunt Isana, and me, too." The little girl sobbed as Isana held her close.
"Oh no." Isana said in disbelief. "Daneth and Sabilla adopted Alia," she explained. "She's a refuge, her birth parents were kidnaped and sold into slavery. Alia, why didn't you leave with Daneth and Sabilla?"
"They were angry so I hid in a cabinet. They couldn't find me, so they said they'd just leave me here. They said I was just a Galli anyway."
"'Galli' is a derogatory word for us," Isana frowned. "I never would have allowed them to adopt her if I'd known how they really felt. This changes everything. Koschei admitted he passed information along to his sources, now I'm sure he wasn't the only one, his whole family was in on it. Probably how he built his little nestegg," she said bitterly.
"Right, then, we need to warn everyone and get out of here. Voyager was originally built for a crew of 30, we did modify her for family life, but we can certainly take some people in. Jack, do you have any safe houses Koschei didn't know about?" Jon asked.
"Not likely," he looked at Isana for verification and she shook her head sadly.
"Then Isana, I recommend you concentrate on getting people out of the safe houses. They certainly aren't safe where they are now, have them meet somewhere and we'll pick them up with Voyager." Jon stated. "Arianna and I will work on getting Voyager ready for guests. Jack, I need you to get us to Voyager, then make a quick trip to Earth and warn Torchwood about the nature of the Shadow Proclamation. Then be back here quick as you can and help sneak refugees out. I found a spot in the southern hemisphere I think will make a good hideout. Rose, since you've become somewhat familiar with the computer system here, help Isana purge it of anything sensitive. Download anything useful to my sonic," he said as he tossed it to her. Arianna, you're with me," he said holding his hand out to his daughter.
"Can I come, too?" Alia asked. Jon considered it, she certainly would be more out-of-the-way with him and Arianna on Voyager. "Alright then," he smiled, opening his arms. Isana passed the little girl to him reluctantly, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as if holding on for dear life.
"Allons-y!" Jon, the children, and Jack hurried down the exit tunnel, then Jack vortexed them onto Voyager. Alia was scared out of her wits by the trip, but quickly recovered and demanded another. Jack laughingly had to promise her another later, then vortexed to Earth to talk to Pete. Rose and Isana started downloading critical files and destroying all the computers except those for the security system. As they worked, Rose told Isana more stories of the Doctor before she had met him, and Isana was enchanted by his sense of duty. Here, she thought privately, was someone who could truly lead her people out of the mess they were in.
When he arrived on Earth Jack followed Jon's directions and walked to Vitex's headquarters. He introduced himself to the pretty blonde receptionist and asked for Pete Tyler.
"Do you have an appointment?" She asked politely.
"No, I don't, Lori," Jack noted her name tag and smiled with all his charm, "but I'm an old friend of Rose's, and I have some news I think he'd like to hear."
"Alright then, please have a seat over there," Lori gestured toward some overstuffed chairs in the glass-enclosed lobby, "and I'll let him know you're here."
Jack walked over to the chairs, picked up a magazine, and thumbed through it while Lori contacted Pete's secretary.
"He says his name is Captain Jack Harkness," he overheard Lori telling someone, "and he says he's an old friend of Pete's daughter." A few moments later she said, "I understand, I'll tell him."
She got up and walked over to Jack. "Excuse me, Captain Harkness? A car will be picking you up shortly." She smiled brilliantly at him this time. Apparently whoever she talked to had some idea of who he is, he thought to himself. "Meanwhile, can I get you anything? Coffee, perhaps?"
"A cup of coffee would be delightful. Thank you."
As he sipped his coffee he looked up and gazed out the glass ceiling, smiling at the sight of zeppelins gliding sedately across the sky. He fleetingly considered making his home here, but knew he'd never be happy here for long. It reminded him too much of Earth in his own universe, and Gwen, and the tragedy of his life there. If he was going to settle on Earth, it would be the Earth back there, where he still had unfinished business. He wondered about Gwen and Rhys and the baby, if they were happy, and if they would welcome him back. He knew Gwen would, but Rhys... well, that might be quite a different matter. He sighed. He owed so much to so many people. Well, no point in thinking about that now, he had urgent matters to attend to here. At that moment he spied a black limousine pulling up outside, so he rose and strode out to it as a door opened. Getting in, he shook the man's hand.
"You must be Pete Tyler."
"I am. I'm very pleased to meet you, Captain Harkness." Pete gave the driver instructions to drive out of town. As they rode, Jack filled Pete in on Jon and Rose's adventures. "Best not tell Jackie about that," he advised when Jack got to the part where they used the Krillitane oil to transform themselves into Time Lords. "In fact," Pete emphasized, "best tell Jackie as little as possible. But don't lie to her, she can smell a lie a hundred miles away." The rest of the trip consisted of Jack telling Pete about the state of the Shadow Proclamation and its paranoia, and advised that Earth spend a lot of resources on defense, and building alliances with other planets.
"I have some specific recommendations for you there," he finshed as the limo turned into a driveway. As they pulled up to the Tyler mansion and got out of the limo, Jackie came flying out to meet them.
"Jack!" She exclaimed, grabbing him in a fierce hug as he laughed and whirled around with her in his arms. "Can you stay for awhile? At least for dinner? Bet you could do with some good Earth-style cookin'!"
"I sure can, Jackie, and I'd love to, I want to meet Tony! I've heard a lot about him!"
During dinner Jackie cross-examined him closely about Jon, Rose, and Arianna, and he carefully avoided telling her anything that would upset her, smoothly guiding the conversation to safer areas. Eventually, after Tony was put to bed, Jack had briefed Pete some more in his den, and Jack was preparing to leave, Jackie looked him in the eye and demanded, "OK, Captain, what aren't you telling me? Those two attract trouble like moths to a flame, I know it can't be as smooth sailing as you're sayin', so what gives?'
Jack looked at her stubborn jaw set, and sighed. "I'm sorry, Jackie, you're right, but I'd rather let them tell you themselves. I can tell you that they are alright, and once they grow their TARDIS they'll be back."
"A TARDIS? Really? You've got to be kiddin' me – but you're not, are you?" Jackie searched his eyes in disbelief. "Please tell me you're serious. But how?"
"I don't know," Jack admitted, "I don't even know if or when they were going to tell me, Arianna actually let it slip."
"Oh, my Araianna, she's a plum one, she is!" Jackie laughed with delight. "At least I know they'll be back in my lifetime if they have a TARDIS. Well, thank you, Jack, for coming to visit me with news of my Rose and her family. God bless you, Jack." With that she stood on tiptoe and kissed Jack's cheek. "Take care, and give them my love," she said, wiping a tear away.
"Jack," Pete reached and pumped Jack's hand vigorously. "Come back anytime, and try to bring them with you, if you can."
"I will try, Pete, Jackie. Take care." With that Jack walked out to the yard, programmed his vortex manipulator, and arrived back at the tunnel shortly after he'd left. He started making his rounds, making sure everyone knew to either leave, or gather in the dining hall and wait to be transported. He found Rose and Isana busy at work with the computers.
"Question: How are we getting folks to Voyager? I don't think we want to let anyone know about this," he indicated the vortex manipulator on his wrist, "and I don't feel comfortable walking everyone there, so how are we going to handle this situation?"
Isana thought about it for a moment, then said, "I don't think we have any choice. The Doctor will have to bring Voyager here, and we'll board as quickly as we can and get out of here."
"I don't like it. Voyager's not a war ship from what little I saw, I don't think she'd be much help if we do get attacked."
"I don't see any way around it, though," Rose spoke up. "I agree with Isana, it's pretty much our only choice."
Jack sighed. "Then we'll be sitting ducks." He brightened. "You Mom sends her love. She makes a mean chicken and biscuits, by the way."
Rose smiled. "You saw Mum! How is everyone?"
"Missing you. Especially Jackie. You really need to get that TARDIS growing, or I'm afraid she'll come looking for you. Wouldn't be the first time, you know."
"I do know," Rose nodded, grinning. "Um... you didn't tell her anything about my... 'adapted' physiology, did you?"
"Nope, I was under strict orders from Pete not to." Jack assured her.
Just then Jack's communicator cracked and Jon's voice came over. "Captain? You back yet?"
"Yep. Voyager ready?"
"As ready as she'll ever be. I assume I'll have to park her outside the tunnel?"
"Unfortunately I can't think of a more discreet way to get everyone on board."
"Right, then. I'm on my way. See you at the end of the tunnel!"