13
"I started like any other drop" Ianto said as everyone settled back in their chairs, Jack and John sharing a look of confusion as Ianto started to speak in a softer voice than they had ever heard, almost like he was singing it was so lyrical "Lisa was lead. A per. I was in the jump seat as co-pilot and as we lowered the landing gear, she suddenly told me to stay behind on the shuttle."
.
.
"Why?"
"Because we both know Gorman here is a shit pilot in the dark" she replied, swinging to look at her partner with undisguised annoyance "Ianto, just do as I say, yeah?"
"I know... but… OK."
"Ianto, it' OK. We scanned the planet surface, we have the coordinates of the terraforming site… we drop the supplies and come back. You sit here and do your nails or something lover" Lisa quipped, turning to motion the other four members of the group to move out.
Soon the huge Hover was rolling down the gangplank with the supplies for the colonists strapped down on the back and Ianto was left to sit back in the pilot's seat, raising the gangplank to do checks and balances for no good reason.
But she was right.
He was the best pilot for night flying. His night vision was… well… amazing.
He was sitting there for a good hour or more, his internal clock… which is never wrong…. Telling him they should be there. He clicked the coms and listen for the return click.
Nothing.
He frowned. Clicked it again.
Nothing.
He canted his head, then did the one thing he knew would piss her off. He opened the coms.
Screaming.
Chaos and screaming.
Gunfire.
Ianto's boots left the console to slam to the floor as he reached forward to hit buttons, firing up the shuttle in less than half the time it usually took rising her while she was still compiling his requests and he flew towards the coordinates, listening to the battle over the tinny speakers with horror.
Stay she said.
No big deal she said.
Ianto flew into chaos as he saw two of the team running towards him with … something chasing them. They appeared humanoid but their skin was red, flayed like some ad taken a razor blade to them, flapping back as their screaming mouths split right back to their jaw hinges. It was like something out of a horror movie.
He was transfixed.
Then Lisa's voce came over the coms "IANTO!"
He swung the shuttle between the two team members and the chasers, the blasters doing their job as they seared the flesh of the things, then he swung back to one side, lowering the gangplank as he simultaneously scoped the two into the vessel, Lisa clutching at her side while held up by Gorman as Ianto glanced between the seats, back into the cargo hold where they gasped or air.
"Where are the others?"
"In there" she gasped, her hands slipping as her gloves tried to find traction on Gorman and Ianto cursed lifting the shuttle to about fifteen feet before hitting the pause button so it would stay there like it was in suspended animation with the thrusters stabilizing constantly, removing his safety belt to clamber back and pull their gear off to check them over.
Gorman had a nasty bite to his arm, but it had not penetrated the suit, just mad bruising of the flesh already starting to show. He was covered in blood, his face and hair like he had dunked for apples in a barrel of blood. He was weeping softly as he repeated over and over again "We had no idea… we had no idea man… we had no idea…"
Lisa was silent, her own suit removed as she stood shivering and Ianto pulled her into a hug, her face burying in his neck as she clung to him. Then she pulled back "The others… I don't think they are alive."
"We can't leave them without knowing for sure" Ianto groaned, turning to look back at the entrance of the facility "You know that."
"No, Toto… stay here" she sobbed, sitting on a side seat with obvious confusion.
"Lissy, I have to. You know I have to. I will be back" Ianto said as he pulled on his black flight jacket and then he walked to the side door by the cockpit, looked back at her and smiled softly "I will be right back love."
He punched the panel to lift the door and he stepped out, falling effortlessly in only the way one with Catkind in their DNA can, then he started to run towards the facility and the three missing crewmates.
One was outside the door, what was left of him and Ianto scooped up his Ident tag as he passed entering to find silence. Eerie silence. He felt his hair standing up on the back of his neck as he slowly walked the permitter of the huge room, one of the crew members on a high table making a high pitched keening noise as he swung his useless pulse gun at hands reaching for him.
The other one was in the crowd, his own face peeling back as half of his lower jaw was gone.
.
.
"Crap on a cracker" Andy said softly as he rubbed his face "What did you do?"
"I ran."
"You left the one who was on the table?" Owen asked with horror.
"No Owen … not away… I ran towards him" Ianto smiled softly at him "I ran to save him."
"And did you?" Owner asked leaning forward, "You saved him… right?"
Rogg finally spoke "And I will never be able to repay you."
Ianto shrugged as Owen's eyes slid between them, dawning realization as Owen sat up and stared at the huge man "Tell me. He won't, tell me. What did he do?"
"He danced!"