"Nothing?" Jack Harkness asked.
"Nothing," River Song confirmed. She looked frustrated as she tapped her fingers repeatedly against the pile of notes spread across the table. She wore a pair of wire rimmed glasses that complimented her Professor persona.
Jack and River sat alone in the barracks reviewing information that had been gathered over the past few days. It was now the morning of their fifth day on Earth. The ship's computer was continuing to monitor rift activity in their immediate area, reporting a steady increase since their arrival in Vietnam. However, their excursions had so far proved fruitless in pinpointing where the rift was occurring.
Jack leaned forward on his elbows and rubbed his brow.
"We must be missing something," he said, then glanced back toward River, "Are you sure the computer's readings are correct? Maybe we're in the wrong spot?"
"It's never let me down before," River replied, "Rifts are not subtle phenomenon."
"Which is why..." Jack said, motioning toward the notes, "This whole lot of nothing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. We should have found something by now. And, if the rift reading are correct, and this thing is growing, we're going to have much bigger problems very, very soon."
River nodded and sighed, "Well, I'm open to suggestions."
"I don't know," Jack said, and added after a moment's thought, "We could try using Barnes or Malloy..."
River gave him a skeptical and slightly chastising glare.
"Don't give me that look," Jack responded with a frown.
"No?" River asked sweetly, "How about this one?"
She lowered her glasses to look over them and pursed her lips, looking even more dubious and annoyed.
Jack held his hands up defensively, "Hey, now, you said you were open to suggestions."
River readjusted her spectacles, "Yes, but I know what you're suggesting and it's a bit mad. Using those two to locate the rift before we even know how powerful it is..."
"The closer we get," Jack interrupted, "The more likely the chance their memories would start to return. If that happens, we'll know where to focus our search."
"And you don't think that might lead us to... 'bigger problems'?" she asked.
"Not if we're careful, no," Jack countered, then added hesitantly, "We have ways to subdue both of them if we need to."
River did not respond immediately to that. She knew in the past Jack Harkness had sacrificed people...friends... for a greater good. But she also knew those actions would haunt him for the eternity of his long life.
"Well," she finally said, "Why don't we ask them? Get their opinions about it?"
Looking at her appreciatively, he nodded and said, "That would be fair. We can't tell them about their pasts, at least we can respect them enough to be honest about what we need to do now."
Jack stood, placing a hat marked with the rank of Captain on his head.
"I'll head over to the clerk's office to catch Malloy before lunch," he said, then added with a coy grin, "I'll stop by and talk to that alluring head clerk. He won't mind if I need to take Malloy off duty for a few days..."
"Stop it," River said without looking at him.
Jack blinked innocently, "Stop what?"
River smiled and shrugged, "My husband told me to say that to you if you were getting too flirty..."
"Ha," Jack scoffed, "Too flirty? No such thing..."
Alex and Ink stood at attention as Sergeant Fury paced around his office. Ink had reviewed the telepathic message he intercepted and now they waited for orders on how to proceed.
Fury paused in his stride and shook his head, "It's not much to go on. Are you sure these were thoughts from an outside source?"
"Yes, sir," Ink replied, irritation in his voice, "The sensor will trigger when the mutants are near. That's what it said. I'm near mutants all the time so if I had a trigger it would have..."
"Stow it, Glitter," Alex ordered, cutting him off before Ink got reprimanded by their Sergeant.
Fury glanced between the two men with a frown, then moved behind his desk and looked out small window.
"If what you heard was truly a threat," Fury said, "It's not going to be easy to investigate its origin. Unless you happen to sense some additional information before this sensor is triggered..."
"We can't just let it go, sir," Alex said, "Not when the message seems to describe something like what we found in the jungle."
"That's a fairly big assumption, Summers," Fury replied, turning back toward the two soldiers, "While I agree that this threat should be explored, it's going to be difficult for me to explain to command the need for a shakedown of the whole camp based simply on Glitter's premonition."
Ink shifted on his feet and scowled. Alex could almost hear the other soldier grinding his teeth as Fury continued.
"For now, discrete monitoring may be the best course of action," Fury said, "If there is a rat in our nest, he doesn't know Glitter heard him squeak. I'll brief the Colonel asap and pass on his orders. In the meantime, keep your third ear open, Glitter, and report anything else you pick up to me immediately. Does Professor Song's team have an excursion planned for today?"
"No, sir," Alex replied and Fury nodded.
"Fine. Then keep to scheduled duties and keep your speculations under wraps," the Sergeant ordered before dismissing them.
Malloy was having a good morning as she enjoyed breakfast in the mess hall with Irene. By some miracle, a shipment of doughnuts had made it to camp. After a week of army rations, the pastries were manna from heaven. She was stuffing her face cheerfully when Irene leaned close to her.
"Have you noticed..." the blonde nurse whispered, "...those Privates have been staring at us since they sat down..."
"Whaa?" Malloy said, finishing her latest bite. She glanced over to where Irene was looking and spotted two familiar faces seated at a table on the other side of the hall.
"Oh, those guys," Malloy said with a grin, "They're in the squad assigned to my team."
She gave the duo a quick wave. Haze returned it and her grin while Toynbee seemed startled by the acknowledgment.
Irene's eyes widened, "You're working with them?"
"Yeah..." Malloy responded, stretching the word out with confusion, "But you're making it sound very dramatic."
"Oh... well..." Irene stammered, then apologetically, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. It's just... not many people in camp are comfortable working with... well... with..."
"Mutants," Malloy finished, "Do their mutations bother you?"
Irene suddenly looked insulted, "Absolutely not. Mutations are a perfectly normal aberration of human genetic structure."
The pairing of 'normal' and 'abberation' made Malloy grin as the army nurse continued.
"It's like... having haemophilia... or red hair..."
"Gee thanks," Malloy replied, saluting her friend with the end of her auburn braid.
"What are they like?" Irene asked in a low voice, leaning in with wide-eyed interest.
Malloy regarded the other woman, feeling amused at Irene's ardor. She really did not understand the stigma against mutants in this world. Maybe working with holograms, super soldiers and a man who could not die made extraordinary powers just plain ordinary.
"Come on," Malloy replied, standing with her food tray, "I'll introduce you..."
"Oh...oh..." Irene stammered again, glancing around uncertainly before following, "Alright..."
As the ladies approached the other table, Haze greeted them with another broad grin.
"Morning," Malloy said, "Mind if we join you guys?"
"Not at all," Haze responded, waving a hand in the direction of the benches across from him and Toynbee.
"Thanks," she responded, then began pleasantries, "Irene, this is..."
"Johnson Smith," Haze finished quickly, extending out a hand toward the blonde.
Irene gave him a quizzical look as she shook his hand.
"Of course, I know that already," she said, and then reprimanded Malloy, "Rebecca, I am assistant to the head nurse. I know the names and details of nearly everyone in camp. I met Private Smith and Private Toynbee when they first arrived in Saigon. Though I suppose they may not remember me..."
"I do," Haze added as the two women sat down, "You told me my hair reminded you of an Asian Lady Beetle."
Malloy raised a curious eyebrow as the nurse's eyes lit up with unexpected delight.
"Yes, indeed! I do so enjoy the fauna of this area. Particularly the insects. Such a spectrum of colors and textures."
"I thought girls didn't like bugs," Toynbee spoke for the first time.
"I suppose..." Irene responded, "But I find some species quite fascinating."
Malloy watched the conversation unfold silently. This was going better than she had hoped. Irene chattered on about jungle bugs and Haze listened as a dreamy smile passed over his face. Malloy wondered if she may have inadvertently reconnected him with a long forsaken crush. Irene's manner was so matter-of-fact, Malloy doubted the other woman noticed Haze's expression.
A short time later, their meal was interrupted as another soldier walked up to their party, the chevrons of a Corporal on his shoulder. Two Privates stood on either side of him, each with a vicious sneer. Malloy narrowed her eyes as the Corporal addressed them in a tone she immediately disliked.
"Excuse me," the Corporal said, "Are these men bothering you?"
Haze and Toynbee visibly tensed as the man leaned forward on the table across from Irene. The nurse frowned with innocent confusion and shook her head.
Not at all, Corporal Rand," she replied, "Malloy and I were just having an interesting conversation with these chaps about..."
"Because," Rand cut in, "They are bothering me. So I though they must be bothering you two... lovely ladies."
"Sorry, sir," Haze said evenly, "No bother meant. The ladies asked to join us and we..."
"Did I give you permission to speak, soldier?" Rand hissed. Haze swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure. Malloy guessed this was not his first run in with the obnoxious smeghead.
"Now, really," Irene said, "Is that necessary, Corporal? I think it's quite apparent that these men were not doing anything to disrupt your morning."
"Well," Rand sneered again, "Maybe... I just don't like them, or mouthy women who hang out with muties."
Toynbee jerked as if to get to his feet but Haze restrained him with a firm grip on the other mutant's arm. Rand laughed and then turned his eyes toward Malloy.
What about you?" he asked, "You like fraternizing with muties? Or do you wanna spend some time with some real men?"
The covert fire starter gave him a slow insolent smile, "No thanks. I only like fraternizing with men who aren't obviously complete assholes."
Her vulgar response seemed to catch the Corporal off guard. She spotted Haze give her a quick, warning shake of the head. Rand stood up straight and glared at her.
"Fine," he said, "You dumb broads wanna associate with freaks, that's your problem. At least the freaks know their place... right, Private?"
"Whatever you say, sir," Haze responded, not rising to the other man's bait.
"Always cool as a cucumber, huh, Smith?" Rand said, "Here... why don't you keep this on ice..."
Rand snatched Irene's cup and, before the nurse could protest, dumped the water over Haze's head. Toybnee again looked like he wanted to leap to his feet but his compatriot's hand still had a firm hold on his forearm.
As Rand and his two cronies laughed, Irene stood, her eyes blazing with indignation. The normally mild English nurse's anger was a stunning sight to behold.
"You...sir..." she said to Rand, "...are repugnant!"
She made her final word sound like the most insulting term in her arsenal and Malloy was tempted to applaud. The 'repugnant' men continued to laugh as they walked off, not at all fazed by the nurse's criticism.
Irene's ire faded as quickly as it appeared and she moved around the table toward Haze.
"Oh, dear," she said with care, "Private Smith... you are utterly soaked."
Haze wiped a hand over his face and gave her an embarrassed smile, "That's okay. It's gonna be hot today anyway."
"Nonsense," Irene said, tugging his arm, "Come with me and I'll get you sorted with a new shirt."
Haze, looking surprised by her consideration, allowed himself to be pulled along toward the mess hall exit.
Malloy watched them go and then turned back to Toynbee. The remaining soldier's visible face was flushed with both rage and humiliation, his fists clenched against the table. She had never seen him like his before. Their only interaction prior to this meal had been while he was on duty with the squad. The intensity of his anger was as unexpected as Irene's had been.
"That happen a lot?" Malloy finally asked.
Toynbee took a long, controlled breath before answering her question.
"Just when Fury and Summers aren't around," he said, not meeting her gaze, "It usually just Rand, though he always brings along one or two other twonks with 'im."
Malloy did not reply as the young man spoke, though she did note a change in his accent as he vented.
"He makes up things to report about us too," Toynbee continued, "... And nobody ever believes us over 'im or his men. They just lie and get away with it."
"Do they?" Malloy asked, "You'd think...smart guys like that... should know what happens to liars..."
Toynbee raised his goggled eyes up to her uncertainly. Malloy looked over his shoulder and he turned around toward where Rand stood with his men. The Corporal leaned against another table, looming over a new female target with a smarmy grin. Malloy narrowed her eyes.
The rear of Rand's trousers started smoking and he yelped as a small flame erupted on his posterior. He spun in a panicked circle before falling to the floor and rolling to extinguish his burning pants. Malloy controlled the heat easily, not wanting to do more than give the smeghead a scorched ass.
Toynbee whipped his head back around and gaped at her. Malloy sat back, holding a finger in front of her lips and winking.
For the first time since they met, Malloy saw Toynbee's face break into a real smile.