And The Fight Begins.
Everyone was in position. The sharp shooters were in their positions, rifles focused on the right target, each of them ready to protect the their own member of Torchwood. The Doctor was hidden away with the TARDIS, not wanting to attract attention to it as a major power source, the Doctor standing by to do what he was meant to do. The British Army troops, two waves of 25 all stood ready with weapons in hand, wave one to go first and then when they retreated, wave 2 ready to take over. In front of them were U.N.I.T. Special Ops, Captain Matthews men with Captain Matthews heading up his team, ready for the nod from Phoenix.
In front of them was Torchwood, all five of them, Jack in the centre and slightly ahead of Owen, Ianto, Gwen and Toshiko. And then there was Phoenix, at the front, the first line of defence. She could smell it in the air. She could smell that they were coming, the air had changing, the scent of death hanging in the air. The sickening stench in the air that only she, Jack and the Doctor could smell but she smelt it worse. She had smelt it before, the stench lingering in the air after The Devourer and it's minions had killed everything in sight.
They were coming closer, whispering amongst the soldiers confirmed it but Phoenix knew it without the whispering. Phoenix knew that all 65 people standing there waiting were about to walk into hell. They were all nervous, all full of fear, Phoenix could feel it all baring down on her but she took it all on, she had put them there. Phoenix turns and looks at the sharp shooters, nod at them to tell them to get ready and then she looks at the rest of the troops and addresses them.
"I can't imagine exactly how you are all feeling at this moment but I imagine that you are all scared but today is to save the planet, to save Earth. We are all stood shoulder to shoulder in this, all scared, all wondering if we are going to make it through, even I am scared. There isn't much that I can say to make you feel any easier, any less scared but remember why you are here. We are here to show The Devourer that this planet will not take an invasion lying down. We will not be walked over, we will not bow and we will not give up without a fight. The human race is the strongest race in the universe and we stand strong ready to defeat anyone who threatens us. Today, you make a stand, draw a line in the sand and say enough. Now, who is going to show The Devourer that the human race is stronger than it can possible imagine?" Phoenix barks out in a way that everyone can hear here, even the sharp shooters.
Everyone, the Army, U.N.I.T. and even Torchwood raise their weapons and cheered, almost a battle cry as Phoenix smiles but one person doesn't cheer, one person doesn't smile, one person just looks at Phoenix. Jack. She can't stand to see the look in his eyes so she turns away from him.
"You can't look at me can you? You can't look at me for fear of changing your mind?" Jack asks her quietly but he knows that she can hear him.
"They are coming Jack. It's far too later to talk about this now. Concentrate on your team. Concentrate on Ianto," she tells him looking to the skies.
Phoenix takes her gauntlets off of her belt. Now was the time for them. She slid them over her gloves and fasted them, making sure that they were secure. They would soon get word that the minions had broken through the atmosphere and would soon be here. Phoenix tightly grips the hilts of her swords and slowly pulls them out of their sheaths, holding them out to her sides and then she turns to Jack and the team.
"They are nearly here Jack. Thank you Torchwood. Thank you Gwen and Owen. Tosh, thank you and you understand better than most. Ianto, thank you and you know what for. Before this begins, I had better tell you. On the roofs behind you are 5 sharp shooters. Each sharp shooter is covering one of you, giving you each extra protection. I don't want you to think that you are being shot at. If when you are fight you feel a tingling sensation, it's just me giving you some protection too. You lot, Torchwood Cardiff, you are important. Be careful out there and think fast. Allow your weapons to do the work and to end, it has been a pleasure," Phoenix finishes and bows to them, all of them thinking it strange but it was Phoenix.
Phoenix leaves the team, turning away from them and walking ahead of them. This was the last part of her ritual, what she did before every battle. When far enough away from everyone, she kneels on the ground on one knee and places her swords behind her. She says a silence prayer and then placing one of her swords on the ground, she runs her hand across the ground.
"What is she doing Jack?" Gwen asks him as he turns to them.
"It's just part of her ritual. She is saying a prayer. She does this at the beginning of every battle," Jack tells them, not able to look at her as he knew this would be the last time he saw this ritual.
Jack goes down the line of his team. He pats Owen on the shoulder with a smile, hugs Toshiko, hugs Gwen and he stands in front of Ianto.
"This is it Ianto. Are you ok?" Jack asks him, putting his hand on the side of Ianto's face.
"I'm ready Jack. We can't let her down, not when she is giving everything today. We have to do our bit and it isn't as though we haven't come up against aliens before," Ianto tells him.
"Your terrified aren't you?" Jack asks him with a smile, reading Ianto.
"Bricking it but I can't be bricking it as much as she is," Ianto tells Jack looking at Phoenix knelt on the ground and Jack's head drops slightly.
"Your always thinking about someone else Yan," Jack tells him and leans in and kisses him gently and then pulls away.
"Public shows of affection Jack? You hate that," Ianto tells him with a broad smile.
"If I can't do it now then when can I?" Jack asks him and Ianto sees the sorrow in his eyes, sorrow that he was going to lose Phoenix and sorrow at the fact that Ianto could get hurt or worse though he knew that Phoenix wouldn't let that happen.
"Go and say goodbye to her because I know you haven't, not really. Your still hoping that she is going to come back from this," Ianto tells Jack knowing him better than anyone.
"I can't Yan. It's not fair on you," Jack tells him, not looking at him.
"It is fair on me. After this, we will be together and for a long time. You need to face it Jack that she isn't going to be here when this is over. Go and say goodbye Jack because it will tear you apart if you don't," Ianto tells him and deep in his heart, Jack knew that what Ianto was saying was true.
Jack turns from the team and starts to walk to Phoenix who was getting up from the ground. She feels someone behind her so she turns around and sees Jack right behind her.
"Ianto said that I should come and say goodbye," Jack tells her looking at the ground.
"Then say it Jack. Say goodbye. For once Jack say it," Phoenix tells him but he still doesn't look at her.
"I can't because it will mean that you are really going," he replies, the sadness almost choking him.
"I am Jack either way so just say it, say goodbye to me," Phoenix almost begs him.
"Goodbye Phoenix," Jack replies and he lifts his head up and there are tears running down his face.
Phoenix pulls him close and puts his head on her shoulder, her hand stroking his head as she holds him close with the other hand.
"It's ok Jack. It won't hurt me. I'll be ok. You have your team. They need you now more than ever and you need to look after them. You also have Ianto and he loves you more than anything else in his life. Like you say Jack, the 21st Century is when it all changes and now you are ready," Phoenix tells him, whispering in his ear.
He lifts his head and looks at her, putting his hand on the side of her face.
"Your scared, I can feel it," Jack tells her and she smiles at him.
"I'm always scared Jack. I wouldn't be human if I wasn't," she tells him and they both smile.
Jack closes his eyes and kisses her gently, both of them knowing deep in their hearts that this was the last time. Phoenix kissed him back, only to aware of the fact that this was the last time. They stood there for a minute, losing themselves in each other, just for a moment and then the hairs stand up on the back of her neck and she pulls away.
"Their here Jack. Go to your team. Get ready and I will protect them," Phoenix tells him stepping back from him.
"I'm not ready yet. Just one more minute," Jack tells her and as he steps back, he can see the ships.
"We don't have time Jack. Goodbye Captain Jack Harkness," Phoenix tells him as she gets ready.
Jack runs back to the Torchwood team and they can all see his tears and his heart breaking. Gwen and Ianto but their hands on his shoulders and he sighs.
"Their here," Jack tells them as they look to the skies and see the ships coming.