4

"We're stopping off at Beta Prime" Jack said as he sat at their table, making Rhiannon jump with surprise. Clearly David had seen him coming though, and he kept eating.

"Beta Prime" Ianto repeated "Gods. I will spend the day in my quarters lest I smell the stench."

Jack grinned "come on. It can be liberating to see the place. Post-war it really transformed. It's a tourist trap now."

Ianto shook his head as he hissed "It will always be a war zone for me."

"You served here?"

David was now paused, the spoon halfway to his mouth as he stared at Ianto as Ianto answered "I served three years on that rock."

"I did two" Jack nodded.

David's eyes slid between the two men as he straightened up "You are a… solider too?"

Jack smiled softly as he answered "Yes. I am of the generation before your … Ianto's Gen."

"Oh. So… Alice…"

"My daughter. We say sister because it's easier to hide. Not everyone likes the fact we were relived of duty and allowed to live like real people. Some think we don't have souls, we are not real people because we are bio engineered. It's easier to lie"

"That's what Gee sez too. Best hide some stuff from the Norms." the boy nodded, and then started to eat again. Case closed. Moving on.

Rhiannon watched silently as Ianto's eyes slid to Jack and then back to his meal, the discomfort clear bit also the… well. Comradery. She had seen this before, how she knew others were like him. In a line at the store, he might turn and look at someone, then both nod at other at the same time. Like they can smell each other out.

It was comforting to see that he had found another on the vessel.

Not the only freak, as he called himself.

.

.

"Can I go with Steven?"

Ianto glanced over to find David and Steven together, by the doors of the eatery.

"OK, don't step off the walkway marks though, you know…"

"I know Gee. The yellow stripe" came a bland reply, all eyes rolling at him as the kids knew full well they were supposed to keep to the assigned areas.

"So rude, both of you are so rude. Go on, take off before I decide you need to help clean up" he followed the words with a hand flap and both boys took off. Ianto was a the trolley for the returns.

Jack was approaching and saw the boys leave, slowing as he came alongside with his own dishes to add to the trolley Ianto was quietly filing from empty tables even though it was not his job. Militarial, trained to help and serve… can't help himself, "those two seem as thick as thieves."

"The other kids are afraid of them a bit. I think they did inherit our natural sense of justice. Steven especially holds himself like a soldier and David has my mean streak for haymakers."

"Oh is that right?" Jack asked.

"Hmmm. Someone made a comment about Mica and her hair before yanking on it. David put the fucker on his arse while Steve stepped between her and then to defend. Apparently, so the teacher tells me, they both seemed bigger all of a sudden." Ianto reached for more dishes so Jack reached for the glasses and mugs to help. "Of course, Rhia told me to stand back and not intimidate anyone too."

"I try to instill a sense of duty. I don't mean to, I never want my blood spilled anywhere again, to see one of my offspring harmed would be the death of me but… I do know how to seethe and he has seen me toe to toe with arseholes, his own father included. That bastard has felt my fist." Jack admitted.

"I did not approve of her choice of mate, made it known so the little cow married him in secret. Already knocked up and wed before telling me. I wanted to kill him." Ianto sighed as he stooped walking and looked down at the dishes cart "But she loved him. I gave in. Another baby later and he still was no better in my eyes. His death would not cut me as it would her. My only pain would her tears, why I resisted the urge. This is his last chance, this was what she wanted."

"My pain in the arse son-in-law is still alive. Relentless and I did want to kill him bit she warned me that he was connected and they were watching my every move. So, this was the backup plan. See the fucker find us now" Jack snorted.

"So, a fresh start all around" Ianto laughed "For Ten Credits. Wow, are we not blessed?"

Jack laughed along with him, feeling lighter as he had not only a friend that knew the past they had staggered from, but was looking in the same direction to move their families forward to a safer, quieter life.

Two war horses looking for green pastures.

.

.

"He seems… nice."

"My departed sister called him complex." Rhiannon answered Alice "sometimes pig headed and once… only once… she called him fucking terrifyingly astute."

"My mother called mine an arsehole mostly, a man-child sometimes and the rest of the time… she called him impossible" Alice laughed. Then sobered as she softly admitted "I was scared being an only child but… I did fear another sibling that might have his gifts, me left behind. It sucks so much that we will die and leave them behind, but…. Our kids will have them right?"

Rhiannon winced at the too close to the bone comment but did not respond, instead choosing to change the subject "I am glad our boys get along. David does not make friends easily, he has our knack for intimidating others"

"Same. Comes from that Militarial blood. I know any women's group will quickly have other plans if I try to join" Alice laughed, "say… let's be the Militarial Offspring Club. Or… the Soldier Survivor Club."

And the two women laughed as they came up with more names for what they both were.

Princesses lovingly watched over by bone crunching monsters.