Title: Tish's Years.
Chapter 09: How can you be my son?
Character, pairing: Jack Harkness/Tish Jones and Tashan.
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who Universe.
Plot: Jack rescued Tish who, after falling through the rift, had found herself on an abandoned planet centuries in the future.
Summary: The creature from the bag rescued Tish from the Dakonite attack, but Jack is trapped somewhere in a box in the very large ship.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Beta: Orion Lyonesse on ffnet.
...
Finding Jack wasn't an easy task. Jack knew where he was in time and space. In short, he knew his absolute coordinates, but he couldn't tell where that was in the ship. Tashan could localise Jack's and Tish's minds, and where they were compared to each other, but as for the ship, he had some little trouble...
* What is the problem with the ship? * Tish asked.
* Well, it seems it's a problem of connection, compatibility, in short, he doesn't feel it completely, * Jack tried to explain but in fact he wasn't quite sure he'd got it right himself.
* So what do I do, now? * she asked.
* You move straight ahead of you so he can determine if you're going in the right direction or not, and we will correct if you're not.*
* This is going to take awhile, if you ask me. What do I do with the walls?*
* What's the problem? * Tashan asked.
* The problem is, unlike you, Humans are constrained by matter. Tish can move only by using the elevators and hallways... *
* Yes, yes, of course, that might not help... With a little concentration, I should be able to take it into account and determine a path toward you... *
* Fantastic, * Jack said.
* What is fantastic? * Tish asked.
* He thinks he should be able to guide you to me. Through me, of course *
* Eeeh, what was that? * Tish protested
* What? What's happening? Tish? *
* Something touched me, brushing against my shoulder, something cold.*
* It was me, a test ... If she does not mind, I can maybe see if I can get to guide her directly.*
* It was him, Tish, * Jack relayed. * He would like to try to guide you directly—I'm not sure how—and he asks for your permission.*
* That was my right hand ...and that my left shoulder. Tell him it's OK, Jack, I get it.*
* She says it's OK. *
* I already got that. But I warn you, it won't be easy. I don't know who's the crackpot who designed this ship, but the simplicity and beauty of clean lines was clearly not his thing, and added to that, half the lifts are broken.*
* Well, you'll have to deal with it, and preferably quickly, because I really don't like the vector the ship is taking. Unless you can correct it, Tashan? *
* What's wrong with this vector? * Tish asked worriedly. She'd known for long time that Jack could always tell where he was, like he had a GPS in his head or something.
* Well, it's taking us directly to a rift. It could be worse, but I rather not end up lost in time and space again.*
* Nope, I can't take control of the piloting, not the way this ship is designed, it's too archaic... * Tashan replied.
* So you better hurry up! *
* I'll do what I can. How much time do we have? * Tish asked as she ran through the halls.
* Hard to say, speed is not necessarily constant and same for the race, depending on whether it is on autopilot, or if it is just launched in...directorial race *
* What about Tashan. Can't he work out that bit?*
* Tashan? *
* Directorial race, the shields are raised, but obsolete, and there are no repulsive field... *
* Thanks, Tashan. We'll stop there for the good news, please,* Jack told his son.* Let's say we can count on three hours, taking in account that I'll need to reach the bridge and reschedule the race, * Jack replied to Tish.
Tish kept running through corridors, waiting for Tashan's rustling to change direction. When she had to take an elevator, Tashan needed to give the deck number to Jack, and let him tell it to Tish. In the end, she was feeling like a spinning top.
* He says there are many doors and elevators down,* Jack explained.
* Okay. But how can you have a son with the Tardis? *
* Not the Tardis as a ship, but Tashée. She's an entity coupled with it.. * Jack explained.
* Tied would be the right word, * Tashan commented.
* The Tardis' heart, as the Doc used to say. *
* You mean when we were on board the Valiant, there was a similar creature around there with us?*
* Yep.*
* But if so, why didn't she ...I don't know - kind of interfere in any way whatsoever?* Tish asked.
*Tashee could do nothing; the Time Lords literally tied these creatures to their Tardis. Tashee is trapped and dependent on the Tardis, that's why in the Times Lords' minds they are one... *
* Yep, as good a way any to deny that they've enslaved one of the most advanced intelligent life forms, * Tashan added for Jack.
* But why? * Tish asked.
* Because these creatures are from the Time Vortex, they are part of it, linked to it,* Jack replied.
* Because the Time Lords, as they proclaimed themselves, had never mastered time travel by themselves, but they found a way to trap our kind,* Tashan explain.
* And the bag? * Jack asked.
* Yep, it's the same technology, except the bag was never designed to hold one of us, it's just a travel bag * Tashan replied.
* But where were you all this time? And the Doctor, does he know? And then as Tish said, how is it possible? I mean, I know the Doc has always been a little jealous of the affection your mother showed me, but still, I don't understand how I can be your father.*
* Let's look at this in order, if you will, * Tashan started. * I was born from the symbiosis caused by Rose at the Game station. When you died and she wanted to revive you with my mother's help. In fact, I've got three parents, you, Rose and Tashee, or if it's easier for you to grasp: you and the Badwolf. *
* Awesome! * Jack said flabbergasted.
* What? * Tish asked.
* I think I'll summarize for you when he's finished, because he is just beginning his story and it's getting—well, complicated.*
* The Doctor was very upset by what Tashée and Rose had done. He separated them and broke the symbiosis at the cost of his life. Tashee took advantage of the difficulty of the regeneration to hide me in the bag. The Doctor was never to know about me.*
* Don't tell me you were in that bag all this time? *
* What time are you talking about, time traveller? * Tashan noted.
* Yes, yes, of course... How old are you? *
* I am much older than you, and yet I'm not really an adult yet... *
* In short, you're a rebellious teenager. Still, you didn't say your age,* Jack concluded.
* It's a little complicated, just let's say it's counted in millennia... *
* Not in the bag, I hope! *
* No, not in the bag. Whenever the Doctor turned his back, I used to come out of the bag ... And then come the day at the Medusa Cascade, with the Daleks and Davros.*
* Gosh! That's true. You must have been there too,* Jack gasped, remembering the Tardis and Donna thrown into the pit of fire.
* My mother was tied to the Tardis and even though she couldn't survive it, she forced me to run away, sending me into the vortex... But I was a child, and I got lost.*
* I'm sorry,* Jack replied. He'd come a long way to imagine he could have a son trapped in there, or even having a son at all. Still, the idea of having a son was growing in his mind. He had a son, a son from Tashee...and Rose: Wow!
* I travelled awhile before finding my mother again, then I spent some time with her in the Tardis, but the bag was beginning to get a bite confining and she was afraid the Doctor would found out about me.*
* So she found a way to give Tish the bag. *
* Yep! *
* But why didn't you get out of it earlier? *
* Because your ship was ridiculously small, of course. *
* Are you're saying this bag is bigger than my Chula ship? *
* Five of them could be stored in that bag. In it there was at least enough room for me to stretch a bit.*
* I would have thought only Gallifreyan technology could restrain you.*
* Oh. The Chula ship won't have been a restraint of any kind, and that was the main problem. I would have overflown it with the potential risk of interfering with your external sensors.*
At last, Tish found Jack. She had to use a hoist to remove the two boxes placed on top of him before she could release him from the storage box in which he was confined.
"Looks like they intended to sell you for your meat," she said disgustedly when she realised what kind of storage container he was in.
"There're no small profits and there are amateurs, I'll remind you," Jack commented.
"Yep. But I can't get used to it."
They sprinted to the bridge, where Tish collapsed from fatigue while Jack went to work correcting the ship's race.
"Why does it take so long?" she finally asked.
"Uh, no! It's good! I'm just checking that flying pan's status. Making sure we're not running into other unpleasant surprises. Get a rest."
"I'm hungry and I feel dizzy."
"I think the kitchen is not very far."
"Well, that's good news. Let's hope there is something comestible for us."
To be continued.