14
The gossiping whispers started almost as soon as Ianto's coughing and Jack was first aware of a problem when his daughter came into the corner crying, "Daddy, they say I can't play with them coz I'm affected."
"Affected?" Jack said with confusion then a man entered the doorway with a cloth over his face, glaring in at them.
"Infected. You keep that man away from us, keep his diseases to yourself" he snarled and Jack blinked as Owen swung to shove the man in the chest.
"Oi, you get the fuck out of here and stop making a fool of yourself ya plonker, Ianto is allergic to the dust down here. He doesn't have strangles, only been on-world a couple of days" Owen roared, "How dare you scare everyone for nothing!"
Ianto coughed weakly, covering his face with his arm as he turned away from the conflict and Alice slid onto the bed next to him for a cuddle, her fear raw.
More voices were rising as Ianto's coughs echoed and Jack stepped into the doorway of their cubicle then reached into his pocket, pulling out an antique Webley.
"See this?" he held it up, "This is a gun. A weapon from Old Earth so ancient the weapon scans don't detect it but I assure you it is in good working order and I will put down anyone who threatens my family."
"He's not yours, not even betrothed yet!" the man laughed, "I remember those. Limited projectiles, right?"
"That's right. But powerful enough to cleave your fucking skull and the first one fired will have your name on it" Jack grinned maniacally at them all, "How about we stay here, you all fuck off over there then. Yeah? Fuck off!"
"I not want me woman with the bab!" a man said as he roughly thrust the newborn at Jack, "That man yours touch this. I not want."
Jack looked at the baby with shock as Owen exploded with anger, "What the fuck. It will die then. The second death will be the newborn because its mother cannot feed it, is it? Right? You wanna register your name and all of you agreeing register your vote as well then. Yeah? Fucking arseholes."
"Stop it" Ianto demanded as he moved to stand behind Jack and several people moved back, "Please. Two or three days and we are all out of here. We can surely survive not speaking to one another like thugs. Please. There are children here. Madam, thank you for helping the poor wee orphan but my friend is right, he will die. Can you express the milk? Leave it by the door? We need not touch or interact. Please, I beg of you. Do not condemn this baby because of fear."
"I do that" she nodded as her mate made a noise of annoyance and she turned to him, "My body, my baby share. You share. I not look our family and say I ashamed of you. No?"
He nodded angrily and stomped off as she nodded to Ianto again and followed him to soothe or threaten, Ianto wasn't sure which. That species are volatile but the baby was assured a good milk supply.
"Come on" Jack said as he moved Ianto back to the cot and Owen stood seething a while longer then spat, "Fuck this. Help me Tosh!"
Jack watched as Owen moved the curtained wall out and pulled two more cots in followed by extra bedding and pillows from empty beds near them, "Right. Jack, come help me pull all the supplies in here from your room and me and Tosh's allowance. They can go fuck themselves. We are quarantining ourselves from their negative bullshit. Yeah?"
"What if they need you" Ianto asked with concern.
"They can fucking die" Owen muttered, "I only treat people, not fucktards."
"Fucktard" Alice whispered and Owen snorted as Jack frowned at him.
Soon there was a nice wee area for the five of them…er…six? Owen had placed the four containment boxes together to form a table in the middle and he even laid a blanket across them to cover and hide them. Ianto knew there were medical supplies and extra food in there as well, conflicted that they were essentially turning their backs on the others.
A scream rent the air and Owen moved to pull the curtains closed as something happened down the other end of the bunker, followed by yelling and crying, then another scream.
"What happened?" Ianto whispered with fear followed by another soft cough.
"What I thought was going to happen. They are starting to fight over the resources" Owen sighed, "Here we are with enough to last a month, only gonna be here a couple of days and they are going to kill each other for a bottle of water."
"Do you think she will keep her promise about the milk?" Ianto asked with concern as he looked at the baby in Jack's arms still, "Shit. What are we going to do?"
"If we have to give him boiled water we will" Owen said angrily, "He will suffer but survive until we are out of here. A couple of days, we can make it, so can he. Poor wee bean."
Ianto leaned against Jack and sighed softly as he felt the warmth of the man.
Thank Pete he was here.
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Those of you asking why Tosh and Owen are there…Owen did say in an earlier chap Jack worries about him when he flies. They have a lot to do with each other and it would stand to reason that Owen would jaunt between planets in his capacity as a doctor for different clinics and symposiums such. On this occasion he was doing clinic work when they got caught, you will read in later chaps that he is Boeshanninan like Jack but now recognises Old Earth as his planet because he married Tosh.
After all, he and Jack had known each other for years…stands to reason they are of the same place right? Tosh was Lisa and Ianto's friend, Old Earth.
I have written over 30 chaps of this story so far and would like this story to continue as a Verse if possible. I will confuse you at times and you must remember I love those hidden traps and rabbit holes to shove you down but never doubt my desire for the two main characters to always be true to one another.
I would say trust me I know what I am doing but we both know I'm as interested as you to see what is happening next …
SNORT