20
We have reached the six month mark.
Mort made a full recovery out there in the real world and is now a rabid advocate for us, making sure the word gets around about the positivity and future possibilities for this place. I feel that the sour note those terrorists struck has faded out and the native sounds of nature are a cacophony of beauty that helps me envisage a life where one day the entire world might, once more, have such life on it's surface without the need for the domes.
Sorry. I am waxing on a bit eh? Truth is, I've been so happy the last few months. Me and Jack have found a mutual rhythm that makes me feel almost domesticated. I know I do fuss a bit but I never knew it could be this…. Real.
I thought Lisa was the real deal, my forever love but I now know I was a frigging idiot with no idea what love was. This is... consuming. He can smile at me across the room and I feel my bits starting to burn like a deep itch that might never be satisfied.
And here I am, supposed to be writing a report on the morning's fuck up with the baby ducklings almost being eaten by the trout in the lake but instead the sight of Jack tearing off his clothes to rush in and save them keeps filling my mind.
F. Y. I .the ducklings are all accounted for.
So… onto the briefing….
.
.
Ianto had not submitted that gushing pile of stupid, instead committing that to his private files he had titled "CRAPOLLA" before writing a more… professional one that explained the Mama Duck had led the babies to an almost certain doom. They would have to be more careful about leaving Dome doors open. She had never left the bird sanctuary before and with such determination. She must have been able to smell the other water source or something. It was a close call and one little guy did have a chewed foot that Owen was fussing over but assured everyone would recover… if maybe with part of a flipper not growing back. Owen had already named him.
Shark Bait.
I know… but this is Owen so… OK.
Ianto looked at the clock and rose, heading for the conference room and the private room beyond that where the Media scum… er scrum… would be waiting for the personal Q&A session that had developed. Each day they had an allotted time to have to sit and play nice with the public through the Dome wall... his sessions at this precise time were usually short and tempered. But to his surprise, when he got there, he found only some of the Agency men there in their suits and serous moods.
Not good.
Was there a complaint about Jack's half nakedness? The ducklings? Or Owen's mouth that was uncensored. Oh gods, let's get this over with.
"Boys" he said softly as he sat, just the thick Perspex window between them. More than once he had fancifully thought of himself as an inmate and this was his family come to visit once a month. (No, of course Rhia didn't bother now the money had stopped) He tried not to giggle as he gave the wide smile they liked to see, the urge to find an orange jumpsuit to wear all too silly.
"Mister Jones, we would like to start by saying how pleased we are so far with the results this project is showing. TO that end… we are at the halfway point and we not feel confident in discussing the possibility to extending your stay here."
Oh god, no parole? Stop it. Smile.
The fact the spoken voice was through tinny speakers made it all the more funny.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked with a choked smile still in place.
"Well, once you agree, we will send you an electronic contract for you to read and sign, send back and then work with the confidence of knowing that in six months, when you get out… you still have here. We are willing to offer a five year contract to keep you as Master of Operations."
"Wait… what?" Ianto raised a hand and made a grabbing motion as he tried to get a grip on the sensation of excitement here. "Are you saying you will extend my job for another five years?"
"Yes. Now, of course this is something we cannot make public as it might spoil the public perception of you all in this together as a team. After all, you can only keep a handful of the current team. Three or four perhaps. We envisage the next stage of this project to be colonisation."
Ianto did not know what to say to he fell to a default answer "I shall mull that over and get back to you in due course."
"You have 24 hours before the offer is removed from the table"
Ianto left the room in shock.
.
.
Jack was energized, bypassing the nicely set table in their quarters, rushing Ianto to the bed where the sex was… vigorous. Er… wow. As they lay there in the afterglow Jack started talking.
Apparently he was not the only one given a choice, a great and amazing opportunity. A dream job thought unattainable.
"So it will be for twelve months, my dream job. I mean, it's only twelve months right? You and me on the ice? Come with. We can spend the time down there together, you can do some experiments with plants in the cold…. Come on Ianto. The Antarctic. Can you imagine? Twelve months on the last spot in the entire world no one truly owns. Penguins… come on." Jack laughed "Just… don't let on I told you. I was not supposed to tell you. They said no one else is being offered anything like this. Sorry lover, I wish they had offered you something but I guess I made an impression."
Ianto was not sure what to do here, how to react and as he lay there watching Jack bounce about he suddenly felt a deep seated anger.
The fuckers were playing him?