43

The huge calipers clipped to the hull of the vessel looked like a child's toy from a distance. As the three cargo ships in the outer limits of space started to rise, the long ropes went taut and started to lift the vessel up.

Everyone's eyes instantly went up, their head tipping back as they watched it rise, only Ianto's eyes remaining on the spot it had sat. After a moment or two Alice's eyes lowered to the same spot and she whispered, "What is that?"

"I don't know" Ianto replied, walking confidently (more than he felt) towards the spot and he looked up to see the vessel being swung out into the Badlands before being lifted more, like someone on board had felt his unease. He felt loving thoughts which he sent to Jack for that.

He stood on the area it had landed hard, the impact zone like a small crater and he turned slowly, looking at the edge of the crater, the crust. Alice slid down to stand beside him "Tad?"

"I know… it feels like something is still here" He replied, "Maybe it's latent energy from the dead, maybe it's just me having the heebie-jeebies but… you feel it too, right?"

"Yes, I do and I don't like it" Archie's voice said behind them and Ianto turned to find more of the Faculty of Mutants committee in the crater with him "It feels like the air is crackling."

Ianto looked at his feet and frowned "No… I don't either. I think we need a containment bubble over this area, one that goes around the underground section as well, totally clipped."

"You can do that?" Alcie asked with interest.

"All of us together can, we have to visualize it like a large ball that goes into the ground, around and connects like… it's a half-buried ball." Ianto assured her "I want it transparent. In case my fears are real."

"Agreed" voices chimed in, more coming to peer down at them.

They all got out and Ianto made a sweep of his arm, "Right. I want the outer edge of the ball to be two meters from the crust edge and I want it to be half in and half out, totally competed and sealed. Air as well."

They all moved back and lowered their heads like they were praying and Ianto took a deep breath, flinging up his arms as he started to push his powers. Ianto felt it start and watched as the ball became, the containment bubble shimmered as others whooped and clapped with amazement.

Once done, Ianto let his hands fall and everyone stepped back form him, all looking around with shared congratulations and shared comradery. They felt so empowered and as they were all laughing and talking Ianto made a noise in his throat, everyone turning to look a the newly minted prison as small green shiny insects slammed against it, their mouths most of their bodies, the teeth biting at the bubble like they might eat their way out.

Like apples with teeth. Andy crewed his face up as he said softly "Appleaters?"

"What the fuck!" someone called out as everyone looked to Ianto who did not step back, rather stepped forward and crouched to examine the things.

"What are they?" Alice asked as she stepped closer, settling next to Ianto in the dirt.

"Claritons" her mother replied as he sat as well "Ianto, these are…"

"Bad news. Anything biological will be eaten… fuck… did we contain all of them?"

Everyone looked at their feet, then came the concern as some of them started stepping away from the bubble and Ianto cursed softly. Then after considering he called out "I want everyone up on the road. Go."

No one questioned him, everyone walking up to the paved street and stood on the asphalt as Ianto knelt and placed his hands in the dirt, one more look around to make sure everyone was clear then he let out a roar and expelled power down his arms into the earth.

Worms wriggled up to the surface, some little bugs too then… then to the horror of those watching, three of the Claritons that had clearly been outside the bubble as it was created.

Ianto moved swiftly to another spot and kept going, those with their work boots on stomping the Claritons as they surfaced until Ianto was satisfied that no more existed.

"OK" Rhys said firmly as he helped Ianto from the ground "I am officially freaked the fuck out."

"Tad? IS that the end of them?" Alice asked.

"No, as long as that vessel is there we are in danger. It will have to be towed out to one of the moons and dumped there so the gravity holds it and we don't have it re-entering atmo at a later stage" Ianto explained.

"So… Dad…"

"No darling. John has already volunteered, in the black only one is needed due to the weightlessness out there. Once the moon's gravity locks in he will disengage the grapplers and let it fall into the surface of the moon chosen" Ianto assured her "Your father is already on his way back to me… to us."

"Ianto, once again you have saved us" the police commissioner said, his hand reaching out to shake the hand of someone he called friend, as well as Boss behind his back.

Ianto nodded, still rattled but sure things were going to be OK.

Lucia held Stephen against her and stiffened at the thought of what might have happened, and he saw once again that she had landed on her feet at last.

It was good to live in Ianto's world.