21

They searched the ship from bow to stern, all eight levels. Ianto wanted to be sure, his heart still pounding as they calmly told everyone it was to search for the woman that they knew was deep in the water beneath them. They were concerned that she might have fallen overboard in the night.

No more were detected thank fuck.

Small comfort but there were no more surprises waiting and they now stood back at the bow in the crew area, watching the moonlight dapple across the water like it was just another serene evening on a cruise or something.

"We are about another half hour to where I want to drop anchor" Jack said as he turned to rub at his face "I know what you want to do, I know but right now we need to take a knee and think this over."

"No we don't. That village had children Jack, it had a good system working with their crops and if the corn can affect her like that, how might it affect them when they harvest it? Come on, they will start harvesting any day now, and it will react. They will react. We have to warn them. Can we at least radio them or something? Ask them to stay out of the field? Better still, burn the entire fucking thing to the ground?" Ianto begged.

"I agree" Jack assured him "When we drop anchor, we can fire up the communications then, we have to be careful. The Uglies key off sound, they also seem to key off frequencies. Why the cell phones all died, why we have to be careful."

"I did wonder about the cell carries all dropping off like that. The Uglies?"

"UNIT in their wisdom thought that by blocking all the frequencies they might confuse or control the Uglies, it just made them more focused." Jack sighed "If not for the old radios, we would have nothing at all."

"I could hear you but not answer, the closed channels impenetrable." Ianto agreed "But it is possible to send out warnings on that same channel, right?"

"We will" Jack promised him letting him know with a stern look that he was done with the conversation. He wanted quiet now, he wanted to think.

Ianto left him to it, heading for his child and a much needed cuddle in their room.

What a shitty day.

Ianto did not like this boat at all.

Tainted.

.

.

"So, when was the last transmission?"

"I don't know Jack, maybe five hours ago" Toshiko said as she fiddled with the instruments, the bank of lights blinking softly "Their last communication was to say that they were going to call it a night. The evening meal was being dished up and the place was calm. Maybe they are all asleep. I don't think there is much more we can do until morning when the morning crew is up and about to hear the pings of the radio."

"I don't like it" Ianto argued and Jack sighed, turning back to him with that look again. Ianto felt a flare of anger. Things have not changed at all, have they. Jack is still acting like he holds all the cards and we are only allowed to see the two the dealer has turned face up. Ianto was not in the mod for that and he nodded "Right. Whatever."

He left the room with his blood boiling, going to the room his daughter was in with other kids to watch her shine. Her smile wide as one of the women signed back to her. Thank god. Someone else that knew how to do that. Alice. Of course. Jack taught his daughter this method.

"Alice?"

She looked up at him with surprise "Yes?"

"Can you possibly mind my little girl there while I go off on something?" Ianto asked gently "Jack is gonna be pissy and I really don't want her to see one of his tantrums. I am sure you know what I mean."

"You know him well" she said dryly.

"Oh yes. I think we can both agree that loving him means imagining a pike up though his chin into his brain now and then" Ianto rolled his eyes and she found herself smiling at him.

"You do what you have to do, same here" she nodded "Emma is safe with me."

"I know she is, you have his moxie." Ianto nodded, and then headed off with determination.

.

.

"So, were you going to even ask?"

Ianto ignored the man who had followed him into the skiff, preparing to cast off as he checked the bay doors were opening.

"Ianto?"

"You knew I would go back, why you came down here to the boat bay, you knew full well I would get on one of these and head back to the village." Ianto said calmly without looking at him "So why act like this is some huge betrayal. Get a grip Jack, this is not about you."

"I just got you back, now you want to rampage into a possibly hostile situation?" Jack asked with anger.

"You make it sound so…scary or something. Poor little delicate me might be scared… oh my… Torchwood remember? We train for this shit right? We are elite and this is another walk in the park" Ianto flicked some switches and fired up the engine, the boat humming to life. "I got fond of some of those people ya know."

"Right then, we better move it" Jack said as he took the helm and Ianto tried not to roll his eyes at Captain Fucking Obvious.

They started to skim the water back towards the village.

And what they both knew they would find.

Ianto hated being right.