23
John was in awe as he stood on one of the oldest relics he had ever seen, and her pristine self was beautiful.
"Wow, they don't make 'em like this anymore" he breathed sheathing the Katana to walk over and admire the hand painted depiction of wood sprites on the stair rails. Think of a pirate ship that had once been a King's own ship. She was so pretty.
"Come on kids, to the shuttle" Rhianon ordered "If we have to, that's the escape pod."
"Yes, she's right" John shook himself from the fugue "Everyone, follow Rhiannon to the shuttle. Until we are deemed free from the attack, that is your safest place. Engage secondary shields on her as well, it means if we take a hit, you will be able to be jettisoned by the Firefly even if the vessel is dying."
John then headed after Ianto.
"What about you?" Andy called after him.
"Andy. They need someone who can fly. You are a good man, you've flown the shuttle before… they need you at the helm in case we have to separate" John said, ignoring him as they both knew his place was beside Ianto now as they had to fight to get free of the Reaver line waiting to attack them up there.
By the time John jumped into the other seat in the cockpit, the old girl was already rising through the atmo, Ianto's face one of consternation as he checked the gauges "He's fucked about with her by Goram."
"But she's flight worthy?"
"And some" Ianto smiled softly, never feeling so at home. "OK, let's rise sweetheart while you fix yourself, take Tadda to the stars."
As the vessels all fought to get to outer atmo, even knowing Reavers were about Ianto grinned widely and for the first time John wondered what the hell they were about to fly into.
.
.
"Take the bridge" Ianto said softly, rising from the seat as John looked at him with confusion, seeing him reach for another chair that was smaller and to one side like a child's chair.
"What are you doing?" he asked nervously.
"Waking up my baby" Ianto replied, settling in and then to John's confusion, strapping himself in with a large harness before he started hitting buttons on the chair. It rose into the air as a screen flicked to life and a part of the console swung out into his lap.
"OK mother-humpers" Ianto snarled as he took a joystick in his hand "Time to learn that not all of us are sheep."
John felt something shift in the throttle and turned to ask if they were dragging something only to see Ianto snarl as he hit a button on his joystick and…. Oh my.
This was an original Elite Firefly. She had guns. She had fucking guns!
John finally realized what Ianto was doing and swung the bird around so he could get better shots in, and they managed to clear the way for those behind them to follow them through the small corridor up into the black, beyond the Revers still fighting in orbit.
By the time they reached the Cardiff everyone's blood was pumping and John said softly "So what now fly boy?"
"Now we have to work out who is up here, how long they can be out here and if they need to get into the Cardiff. I know I would prefer the kids be in the big bitch with her security guns and seven layers of forcefields." Ianto replied, reaching out to flick a switch "Myfanwy calling Torchwood, Myfanwy calling Torchwood, come back lover."
"Ianto, are you OK?" Jack's voice came through loud and clear, "Did you see that red bitch eat the Reavers? Wow, that was bloody epic. Goram, I need to buy that Captain a drink!"
"You are not the only one Captain Harkness" another voice cut in and Ianto groaned. They were on Ships Wide Band. All the vessels could hear the conversation and he was glad he had not cursed back at his silly mate.
"Who is flying the Red Queen? Identify yourself!"
"Admiral Lowe. This is Ianto Jones." Ianto said calmly "You know the one… you demoted me and confiscated this Red Queen for my little temper tantrum."
"Temper tantrum? Tam Jones… you repeatedly stabbed the man in his goolies until you rendered his manhood inoperative!" the man spluttered.
"Well, he insulted my wife."
"Yes, and you insulted his mother."
"How was I to know that was his mother and not his side piece the way she kept clinging to him" Ianto argued back "And anyway… that is history."
"And now you have her back. I should have recognized a Tam Attack." The man's amusement thrummed "Well… Captain Tam Jones, welcome back to the table. What is your next move?"
"We need to check with the others, who has fuel, who is low, who is overloaded and who is really not even supposed to be out here and is about to implode if they don't get into the Landing Dock." Ianto replied.
"The problem is the Reavers amongst you, if we lower the Docking Bay shields they come in too Captain Tam Jones" the Admiral pointed out.
"You demoted me."
"And now I've done a backsie. Come on boy… what now?"
Ianto sighed deeply "Well… I need someone to take my shuttle, the moment it leaves me it's a target for them, if someone out there can take them into their shields before I engage, I will go in and clear the way again."
"Now, that's something I gotta see" the old man chuckled softly.
"Ianto…"
"Jack, the kids are here. I need to get them on that big boat" Ianto said softly, "There are vessels up here already experiencing Hull Shift, if I don't secure that bay, we are going to lose souls. Let's focus and you can shout at me later, OK my lover?"
"What do you suggest?"