Doctor Who and the Star of Arcadia - Heat Haze at the Obelisk 7/16
Title: Doctor Who and the Star of Arcadia - Heat Haze at the Obelisk 7/16
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, The Doctor (10), OFC, OMCs, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Benton, Johnson
Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine
Summary: In the Citadel of the Time Lords, about 250 million light years away from Earth, a number of elements were protected in case they fell into the wrong hands. If an exhibit was deemed to be powerful enough to corrupt in the wrong hands it was usually destroyed, or if that was found to be impossible, it was split into segments and kept apart from itself in case it were stolen.
Spoilers: Children of Earth
Rating: PG-13
A/N: This is a sequel to Doctor Who’s End Game. The Whole thing starts with Doctor Who and the Cathedral of Light.
Prologue here
Evans saw Jack fall but wasn’t aware of the extent of his wounds. Removing his SIG he flipped the safety off in the same motion and dove for cover. Rolling twice he managed to make it to the hide and then lay motionless. Checking the ground around him he saw only Jack’s unmoving body lying at the base of the obelisk, but not Ianto’s.
Without daring to breathe he scanned the tree line but saw no one. The shots, he knew had come from behind Jack and from only one source. That told Evans that there was only one perpetrator, or at least only one firing. He caught a movement in his peripheral vision and, turning, saw Ianto hiding behind one of the stone plinths. For someone that had just lost his best friend and lover, Evans thought, he seemed cool as a cucumber. Who knew. Ianto to Evans looked more like a gentleman’s outfitter, not the cold hearted killer that he appeared to be now.
As Ianto backed away from the plinth a single shot rang out churning up dirt two inches from Ianto’s left leg causing him to scramble back into his relatively unsafe cover behind the stone. This did two things for Evans, the first told him that perhaps Ianto wasn’t as cold a killer as he’d first thought, and second it told him exactly were the gunman was.
Rolling from cover he forced himself to look through the tree line at the man kneeling opposite him. Knowing his position meant that he could just make out the sniper’s camouflaged form as he took a bead on Ianto levelling his rifle at the Welshman.
As Ianto prepared to make a move for the second time, one that would surely get him shot if not killed, Evans mused, the sniper broke cover and aimed at the point where Ianto would appear. Taking a deep breath Evans levelled his SIG and exhaling he squeezed the trigger twice as he’d been taught in basic training. The double tap of nine millimetre bullets slammed into the head of the sniper almost decapitating him.
Evans had known that, if shot, the sniper could still pull the trigger of his rifle. This would mean that although dead, Ianto would closely follow him to the afterlife. However, shooting him in the brain stem stopped any muscle jerks and immediately paralysed the assailant dropping him to the ground.
Seeing the sniper fall, Ianto stood with his stun gun in his hand, useless at the distance he was at. In the split second it took him to realise that it had been a bad idea to stand, Evans had shouted a warning and a second assassin broke cover and aimed at him, protected from Evan’s SIG by the obelisk. Evans tried to change position as quickly as he could but he knew it would be too late. He’d kill the sniper, that was a done deal, but not quickly enough to save Ianto. Running round the obelisk he stopped, stunned at the sight before him.
Ianto stood, his stun gun aiming uselessly at the sniper before him. The sniper took one step forward, towards Ianto, and then fell to the ground, a third eye appearing on his forehead. That to Evans was incredible in itself, but what stunned him more was the sight of Jack standing behind the fallen sniper, right hand extended, with a world war two Webley clasped tightly in his grip.
Still reluctant to move into the clearing, Evans continued to scan the area for a third or fourth sniper, but none appeared.
‘What kept you?’ Ianto asked as he walked up to Jack, a look of sadness on his face as he noticed the tear in his shirt and the already drying blood on the skin beneath.
‘You know I like an entrance… I always liked an entrance.’ Ianto hugged Jack who held him tightly and smiled. It was always good to save Ianto’s life. He’d quite happily save his life every day until he died of old age. Breaking their hold Jack looked across at Evans and smiled. ‘He must have just creased me.’
Evans nodded, not believing a single word Jack had said. He’d seen the bullet slam into his chest, but no other explanation could count for the fact that he was still alive. If Jack couldn’t die that would explain why Ianto wasn’t overly concerned when he’d been shot. Evans shook his head and after a final check of the area turned to the sniper he’d killed. He knelt down beside him and checked his pockets for identification.
Kicking the dead man at his feet over, Jack noticed the steel collar wrapped round his neck.
‘Robo-men… what the hell…?’ then putting the pieces together he nodded.
‘The Rani must have used them to protect the star points,’ Ianto said as he gazed down at the tracker at Jack’s feet where he’d dropped it. Picking it up, he looked at it and with disappointment as he saw that it was still pointed at the obelisk.
‘I think we should get these bodies out of here before anyone else turns up. That space time continuum and all that.’ Evans added as he began dragging the dead sniper back towards the hide. Jack nodded and taking hold of the dead man before him followed Evans. Ianto checked the area, picked up the discarded rifles, and followed Jack and Evans.
Jack noticed the heat haze in the air just in time as the vortex manipulator told him that the transmat capsule had been activated and was returning. Throwing the bodies into the hide they lay down in the thick scrub and watched.
Moments later, the transmat capsule appeared in the same place the first had disappeared from. This time, as the door opened a tall man emerged wearing, what Jack thought was a cricketer’s outfit. He wore a matching white shirt with red question marks on both collars and carried a silver and black case which he placed on the ground next to the stone plinth. The red haired boy followed, confirming that it was in fact the original capsule.
‘It’s a pity those things don’t have a wider range.’ The cricketer said. It was then that Jack noticed, with surprise, that the cricketer had a stick of celery attached to his lapel. He felt his heart beat faster and what he could only describe as a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hadn’t seen this generation of the Doctor but he knew him by reputation, everyone in Torchwood did.
‘It’s the Doctor… well at least an earlier generation of him,’ Jack said in a whisper.
Ianto nodded as he gazed ahead of him, adding. ‘That’s why the Doctor couldn’t come… worried that he might bump into himself.’
Jack’s eyes followed the Doctor’s every move. ‘The important thing is that he doesn’t see us. If we interfere in any way with the time line then things wont turn out as had previously happened.’ Ianto silently nodded as he looked on.
Removing a small box from one pocket the Doctor extended the top causing the machine to give off a repeated buzzing noise. ‘Still… at least we’re here in one piece. Transmat capsules can do nasty things to organic structures if they’re…’ he paused for a moment and lowered the buzzing box to the base of the plinth. ‘Not properly maintained.’
Waving towards Turlough he knelt at its base as the black and silver case was brought to him. Pushing one side at the base of the plinth, a door way opened. Reaching in, the cricketer removed a small brown box and placed it next to the case. With his attention clearly on the box Jack and Ianto watched as Turlough walked off as if in search of something. Picking up a large stone he walked up behind the cricketer and raised it above his head as if to smash it down on the Doctor’s unprotected skull.
‘That’s all we need. Doesn’t it ever stop?’ Jack said with a sigh of resignation.
‘W should do something Jack, he’s going to kill him,’ Ianto said, almost pleading and forgetting Jack’s earlier warnings.
Quickly Jack flipped open his vortex manipulator and activated a switch that blocked the sound waves in the small box at the Doctor’s feet causing it to overload. The box exploded throwing him backward into Turlough causing him, in turn, to drop the stone. Evans looked accusingly at Jack.
‘What if that changes his history forever… what happens now?’ Jack looked at Evans, rubbing his hand across his forehead as he thought.
‘Look, he never saw us right?’ Evans nodded. ‘Then perhaps that was supposed to happen. If I’d left it any longer the ginger kid would have killed him… and we know that didn’t happen.’ Evans nodded seeing the logic in Jack’s words. ‘What else could have happened that would have stopped him killing the Doctor?’ Jack asked, almost pleading.
‘Well that shouldn’t have happened,’ the Doctor said as he stood looking down at the smouldering box at his feet. Turning in horror and surprise Jack watched as the TARDIS materialised to his right. He was just about to stand and walk out of cover when it flickered and dematerialised again.
‘What’s happened…? Could it have been affected by a tangential deviation coming out of the warp ellipse?’ Turlough asked as both he and the Doctor approached.
‘Not with a dead-reckoning alignment in the coordinates… this is 1983 and it should be here,’ the Doctor added, looking mystified himself.
‘But as it isn’t, where’s it gone?’ Walking back towards the Doctor Turlough added, ‘Will your friends be safe?'
‘I hope so.’ Kneeling down the Doctor continued to look at the still smoking box, the black scaring of flames showing clearly where it had blown up. ‘Now… what did I do wrong?’
As the Doctor examined the box Jack watched as Turlough walked out of ear shot of the Doctor and produced a small crystal from his pocket. Looking intently at it he said, ‘What do I do now? Say something.’
‘Turlough,’ the Brigadier’s voice floated across the afternoon breeze as distinctive as the wind itself. Quickly he thrust the crystal back into his pocket before the Brigadier saw him. ‘Ah… so there you are Turlough.’
‘Sir,’ Turlough said, looking shame faced at his plea for assistance.
‘What happened with this theory…?’ Ibbotson said, looking more than a little confused.
‘Oh do be quiet boy.’ The Brigadier said and then turning to look at Turlough added, ‘You’re supposed to be in the sick bay.’
‘I was with the Doctor.’
‘Doctor…what Doctor, Runsaman?’
‘No Sir… this Doctor.’ He gestured towards the cricketer who placed the silver case on the ground and advanced on them with a smile of recognition on his face.
‘Brigadier… Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.’ He raised his hand in greeting. The Brigadier looked at him mystified.
‘Who are you? I’m sorry if we’ve met before it’s entirely slipped my memory… and I’ve got to get these boys back to school.’ Turning he faced the two youths and nodded. ‘Come on you two.’ Then turning strode off back towards Brendon, with Turlough and Ibbotson in tow. Smiling, the Doctor headed off after them.
Jack stood, gazing after the Doctor, dying to shout after him but knowing the problems that would cause. Turning back towards Evans he nodded at the two bodies. ‘Right Evans, I want you to check the perimeter fully. I don’t want any more surprises.’ Evans nodded and headed off into the tree line. ‘Ianto, take Evan’s shovel and bury these two and leave no trace.’
Ianto looked at Jack, then down at the two bodies. ‘What are you going to do?’
Jack smiled and looked up at the obelisk. ‘I’m going to figure out how to get the star point down from the top of that before anyone else turns up.’ Ianto looked up and for the first time noticed a small horn protruding from the top of the obelisk.
***
Evans managed to track back along the path the two snipers had taken and found their hide.
‘Good, but mine’s better.’ He said with a smile. Looking out from the hide he had a perfect view of the obelisk and the open area around it. ‘They must have seen us running around and took their time with their approach.’ Evans added with a shiver that ran down his spine.
It was alright him being trained in FOB techniques, but to find others who were not on his side and just as good, gave him cause for concern. Breathing a sigh of relief he realised that it was only a two man hide so he needn’t expect a third sniper, but he would still keep vigilant.
Checking the area around the hide he followed the track away from the obelisk, cutting through the woods to a second clearing. Approaching cautiously he circled the area leaving out the open space where the road joined the clearing and a covered Jeep stood. Satisfied that he was alone he entered the clearing, all his senses alert for danger.
A cursory examination proved that he had nothing to worry about. The two gunmen were working alone and, apart from a few provisions and other kit, the Jeep was empty. Leaving the Jeep where he found it he backtracked his route passed the hide and over to the obelisk.
***
Jack dropped into a crouch, his Webley held out in front of him as Evans came through the tree line, his SIG held above his head to show he was no threat.
‘Bit of a problem Evans, how good are you at climbing?’ Jack holstered the pistol and looked up at the star point on top of the obelisk. Evans followed his gaze and smiled when he saw it.
‘Brilliant,’ he said with a smile. Ianto came out of the tree line behind Jack, his jacket in one hand, dusting off the dirt from his trouser leg.
‘You’re telling me you can climb up there and retrieve the star without any equipment?’ Evans looked up at the obelisk and nodded.
‘I was in mountain troop… but I’d prefer to use the ropes I found in the back of their Jeep.’ He added gesturing towards the hide where Ianto had buried the two snipers.
Smiling Jack nodded then turned to look back at the school. Three figures were visible walking up towards them, and Jack would put money on the fact that one of them was the Doctor. Jack, Ianto and Evans ran back towards the tree line and dove for cover.
Nodding back the way Evans had come Jack whispered, ‘Get back to the Jeep and pick up everything that you’ll need for the climb. We’ll keep watch here.’ Evans nodded and slowly headed off into the bush, disappearing from view in seconds.
‘He’s good,’ Ianto added, ‘very good.’
***
The Doctor strode back towards the obelisk, with a rather out of breath Brigadier bringing up the rear.
‘Quickly,’ the Doctor shouted as he disappeared into the cylindrical transmit capsule, with Turlough in tow.
‘What are they doing?’ Ianto asked a little mystified at the proceedings.
‘That’s a transmat capsule and I think they’re trying to get it to work but I’m not sure.’
Moments later the Doctor again walked out of the capsule with Turlough close behind him. As the Brigadier looked on they both knelt by the box that had previously exploded. After pressing a few of the buttons the box began emitting beeping sounds again.
‘What will that do?’ Turlough asked.
‘Reflect the beam back off the ship,’ the Doctor said with an air of authority that Jack immediately recognised.
‘So the warp ellipse will absorb the time differential?’ The Doctor stood and walked back towards the capsule.
‘That’s right’
‘Will it work?’ the Brigadier added, managing to get his breath back and causing the Doctor to turn and face him.
After a moments thought the Doctor turned back and headed into the capsule without a word. The Brigadier and Turlough followed him inside. Jack and Ianto made the most of their time and slithered back into deeper cover so they weren’t noticed. From their new vantage point they saw Turlough walk out of the capsule moments later and kneel next to the box. Again the box exploded when he touched it. Ianto looked across at Jack who shook his head.
‘Not me this time.’
‘Doctor,’ Turlough shouted. As the Doctor emerged from the capsule he looked crest fallen.
‘Oh no.’ Shaking his head he nodded to Turlough who looked innocent of the crime he was being accused of. After a moments none verbal confrontation they both turned and headed off back towards the school with the Brigadier reluctantly following.
***
Evans emerged from the tree line carrying a set of climbing ropes and a back pack. ‘I came as soon as they left.’
Jack nodded, ‘Right we can’t have much time. Evans, set that up as quickly as you can.’ He thought for a moment then added, ‘Do you need a hand?’
Evans smiled, he might not understand why a man can be shot one minute and be running around the next, but ropes were his game. ‘I’ll not be long. I’m going to use the lumberjack method.’ He was pleased to see the puzzled look on Jack’s face for once and not his own.
Walking forward Jack watched as the Doctor and his companions disappeared into the school. With them gone he decided to check out the transmat capsule. Ianto took Evans’ water bottle and after taking a refreshing mouthful washed his hands free of dirt.
Jack entered the capsule and stopped as he took in the technology all around him. He’d seen nothing like it since he’d worked for the Time Agency. The control panel was fairly obvious to spot and on close examination he realised that it had not only travelled in space but also in time.
Looking at his vortex manipulator he checked the dates and they matched with the ones he’d read earlier when they’d first arrived, nineteen seventy seven and nineteen eighty three. Then it hit him. The Rani had placed the star point in a place that was inaccessible to anyone living in the area, or so she had thought.
The Doctor had said that the star points had power in their own right. Placing it at such a high point had affected the time line’s normal flow causing this anomaly. Hopeful, Jack mused, removing the star point from this particular time would fix the problem and everything would return to normal, or as normal as it could under the circumstances.
Leaving the transmat capsule Jack looked down at the vortex manipulator on his wrist and shook his head. The time differential wouldn’t stabilise and alternated between nineteen seventy seven and nineteen eighty three with annoying regularity.
‘Jack,’ Ianto whispered as he gestured towards the school. Jack looked back over his shoulder and noticed three figures walking purposefully towards them, in the distance. The Doctor was returning and for the moment, he couldn’t see them. Running towards the obelisk he looked up, noticing Evans half way up and advancing at a slow rate.
‘Hurry up… they’re coming back,’ Jack said in as restrained a voice as he could manage. Evans looked at the task before him and shook his head. His view of the Doctor’s approach was obstructed by the obelisk itself so he’d had no warning of his impending discovery. ‘Then come on down. We’ll try again later when he’s gone.’
Again Evans shook his head. ‘It’ll take me five minutes just to get low enough to jump, if I don’t fall and break my neck first.’ Jack shook his head and almost screamed in frustration. Looking back at the Doctor’s approach he quickly picked up Evans’s climbing equipment and threw it into the bushes behind the capsule. Then turning, he nodded towards Ianto, who cut through the tree line and out of sight.
Walking up to the rear of the obelisk, Jack looked up at Evans. ‘You’ll have to stay there… perfectly still… hopefully they’ll not see you.’
‘What if they do?’ Evans asked but Jack was out of ear shot and ensconced into the bushes.
Without a word the Doctor, the Brigadier and Turlough walked back into the clearing. Evans couldn’t see them but he could hear them. Carefully he moved his head round the concrete pillar to see if he could get a better view. As he moved he felt the rope begin to slip. With all the strength he could muster he gripped the obelisk with both legs, momentarily preventing him from falling to the concrete ground below. Sweat ran down his face as he clung on. As he gripped the rope he could feel it slip through his hands. The harder he gripped the more friction his hands created causing the rope to burn into his exposed flesh.
Despite his best efforts the rope continued to slip, cutting into his hand, which was the only thing stopping him from falling. The more it cut into him the more the blood lubricated his grip, causing the rope to slip further. Desperately he fought to hold on but he knew that his battle to stay aloft would end in him falling eventually. Even now he wouldn’t be capable to continuing his climb even if he wanted to. Without the ability to climb, he knew it was going to be impossible to retrieve the star point.
His unnerving capability to go on when to do so would seem futile to others, had got him into the SAS in the first place. What he had to do now was to dig deep inside himself and find that determination that had helped him win through in the past.
Taking a deep breath he gripped the rope as tight as he could and tried to take as much of his weight as he could on his legs, which were beginning to shake under the strain. Blood from his hands began to run down his wrists and he could feel it clotting on his arms and dripping off his elbows. Slowly he felt the rope begin to slip a second time and knew that this would be the end. He couldn’t hold on any longer. Taking another deep breath he prepared himself for the inevitable. Looking down he saw Jack just in time waving up at him.
‘They’ve gone… you can keep going.’ Trooper Evans almost smiled. The pain was unbearable; the skin on his palms was torn right down to the muscle and bleeding profusely. His shoulder and leg muscles were screaming out to him to relax and Jack wanted him to continue his climb.
Looking up at the top of the obelisk he came to a decision. This was not going to beat him. Gripping the rope he tried his best to ignore the pain and continued moving up. Fresh blood filled his joints and the pain was throbbing but manageable now he was moving again. Keeping his mind focused on the top of the obelisk he continued to move upward until the edge tapered so thin that he could push himself up with his feet.
A foot from the top he stopped and braced himself by thrusting his feet down against a small concrete out crop. For the first time he gazed out across the land and felt a little giddy. The cool breeze that high up refreshed him and gave him added strength to continue.
Slowly he managed to take the rope in one shaking hand as he tentatively reached out with his free hand. The star point was lying sideways on, resting on the top of the obelisk as if it had been casually laid there by a passing giant.
As his hand wrapped around the star point he felt his legs slipping. Frantically he tried to brace himself further but to no avail. Despite his mental strength and fortitude his body had given up and could hold on no more. Using his feet and legs to slow his decent he tried to pull the rope tight against the obelisk but found it impossible. Without warning the ground accelerated up to meet him. His training took over and he relaxed himself and prepared for the collation with the ground that would, he knew, break both his legs if not his back in the process.
Both Jack and Ianto stood beneath the obelisk watching Trooper Evans. From their vantage point below they never saw the pain on his face or the blood dripping from his hands and couldn’t appreciate what it had taken for him to get as far as he had. Their first sign that something was wrong was the slipping of the rope after he had reached the top.
‘Come on… Evans you can do it.’ Turning towards Ianto, Jack looked a bit mystified. ‘What’s his first name? Seems strange just calling him Evans or Trooper Evans.’
Ianto thought for a moment and shrugged. ‘I think it’s Steven but I’m not sure.’
Turning back they both looked up just in time to see Evans fall. Pushing Ianto out of the way Jack ran to the base of the obelisk and held out his arms. Evans slammed into him like an express train, with a sickening, bone breaking thud that sent them both sprawling on the ground.
Leaving Jack where he fell, Ianto quickly dragged Evans away from the obelisk and checked him for injuries. Apart from his hands and a few scratches on each leg he was surprisingly well for a man that had fallen as far as he had. Passing him a water bottle Evans drank deeply, pouring some on his hands that still burned and stung.
Jack, on the other hand, didn’t fair as well. Leaving Evans to sort himself out and wonder at Jack’s sacrifice, Ianto knelt by his friend and waited. His ribcage and been crushed by the fall, puncturing both his heart and lungs and his right leg lay at a strange angle.
Turning the leg so it looked straight, Ianto watched Jack for any signs of life. He felt Evans standing behind him and was about to ask him to leave when Jack sat bolt upright gasping in a deep breath as he did so. The steadfast SAS Trooper Evans almost shouted out in shock and surprise, feeling ridiculous when he realise that he was involuntarily about to turn and run.
Ianto took the water bottle from him and passed it to Jack, who, with a smile, took a much needed mouthful. Evans was just about to say something when Jack looked at the space behind them and immediately jumped to his feet.
‘They’re coming back.’ Was all he managed to say as the sound of the TARDIS arriving filled the air. Pulling the ropes free they dove into the undergrowth behind the obelisk. Slowly the three turned and watched as the blue police communication box fully materialised.
***
The Brigadier and the Doctor emerged from the TARDIS and shook hands. Two other females joined them standing either side of the entrance.
‘Goodbye.’ The Doctor said with a smile that gave Jack shivers up his spine.
‘Goodbye Doctor… if ever you’re passing.’ Looking around, the Brigadier added, ‘Where’s Turlough?’
‘Turlough… he left in the capsule,’ one of the females said, looking a bit mystified.
‘He can’t have done. If the Brigadier was still in the ship he can’t have used the transmat system,’ the Doctor added trying to figure out what had happened. He knew that there was more to Turlough than met the eye, but deep down he knew he wasn’t bad at heart.
Leaving the Brigadier to walk back to the school the group entered the TARDIS. Jack looked on as that familiar sound again rocked the clearing. Standing he watched as the TARDIS eventually faded from sight.
He missed the Doctor… he missed them all, Rose, Donna, Sarah Jane… all of them. Turning back towards his two companions, he looked on as Ianto bandaged Evans hands with one of his field dressings.
Gazing up at the obelisk, Jack knew that Evans would never be able to make another attempt at the climb and Ianto wasn’t capable. It would be up to him to make the climb, something he’d never done before. In the back of his mind he wondered how many times he would fall and die before he managed to retrieve the star point.
Shrugging he turned back to Evans and noticed his bandaged hand clutching something as if afraid to let it go. Breathing a sigh of relief Jack smiled and nodded as he recognised the star point. Now Evans was definitely one of the team, but there was one thing he had to know.
‘Tell me Evans, what’s your first name?’ Evans smiled back at Jack as he answered.
‘It’s John… John Llewelyn Evans, born Aberystwyth nineteen eighty four.’
‘Come on John Llewelyn Evans, let’s get out of here,’ Jack said as he took hold of the star. Ianto placed his hand around the top half and closing his eyes thought of the main conference room back at UNIT headquarters. The last thing he heard before they disappeared was Jack’s voice.
‘There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.’ For some strange reason Ianto had no urge to click his heals together three times.
The Cave of the Silurian 8/16
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, The Doctor (10), OFC, OMCs, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Benton, Johnson
Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine
Summary: In the Citadel of the Time Lords, about 250 million light years away from Earth, a number of elements were protected in case they fell into the wrong hands. If an exhibit was deemed to be powerful enough to corrupt in the wrong hands it was usually destroyed, or if that was found to be impossible, it was split into segments and kept apart from itself in case it were stolen.
Spoilers: Children of Earth
Rating: PG-13
A/N: This is a sequel to Doctor Who’s End Game. The Whole thing starts with Doctor Who and the Cathedral of Light.
Prologue here
Evans saw Jack fall but wasn’t aware of the extent of his wounds. Removing his SIG he flipped the safety off in the same motion and dove for cover. Rolling twice he managed to make it to the hide and then lay motionless. Checking the ground around him he saw only Jack’s unmoving body lying at the base of the obelisk, but not Ianto’s.
Without daring to breathe he scanned the tree line but saw no one. The shots, he knew had come from behind Jack and from only one source. That told Evans that there was only one perpetrator, or at least only one firing. He caught a movement in his peripheral vision and, turning, saw Ianto hiding behind one of the stone plinths. For someone that had just lost his best friend and lover, Evans thought, he seemed cool as a cucumber. Who knew. Ianto to Evans looked more like a gentleman’s outfitter, not the cold hearted killer that he appeared to be now.
As Ianto backed away from the plinth a single shot rang out churning up dirt two inches from Ianto’s left leg causing him to scramble back into his relatively unsafe cover behind the stone. This did two things for Evans, the first told him that perhaps Ianto wasn’t as cold a killer as he’d first thought, and second it told him exactly were the gunman was.
Rolling from cover he forced himself to look through the tree line at the man kneeling opposite him. Knowing his position meant that he could just make out the sniper’s camouflaged form as he took a bead on Ianto levelling his rifle at the Welshman.
As Ianto prepared to make a move for the second time, one that would surely get him shot if not killed, Evans mused, the sniper broke cover and aimed at the point where Ianto would appear. Taking a deep breath Evans levelled his SIG and exhaling he squeezed the trigger twice as he’d been taught in basic training. The double tap of nine millimetre bullets slammed into the head of the sniper almost decapitating him.
Evans had known that, if shot, the sniper could still pull the trigger of his rifle. This would mean that although dead, Ianto would closely follow him to the afterlife. However, shooting him in the brain stem stopped any muscle jerks and immediately paralysed the assailant dropping him to the ground.
Seeing the sniper fall, Ianto stood with his stun gun in his hand, useless at the distance he was at. In the split second it took him to realise that it had been a bad idea to stand, Evans had shouted a warning and a second assassin broke cover and aimed at him, protected from Evan’s SIG by the obelisk. Evans tried to change position as quickly as he could but he knew it would be too late. He’d kill the sniper, that was a done deal, but not quickly enough to save Ianto. Running round the obelisk he stopped, stunned at the sight before him.
Ianto stood, his stun gun aiming uselessly at the sniper before him. The sniper took one step forward, towards Ianto, and then fell to the ground, a third eye appearing on his forehead. That to Evans was incredible in itself, but what stunned him more was the sight of Jack standing behind the fallen sniper, right hand extended, with a world war two Webley clasped tightly in his grip.
Still reluctant to move into the clearing, Evans continued to scan the area for a third or fourth sniper, but none appeared.
‘What kept you?’ Ianto asked as he walked up to Jack, a look of sadness on his face as he noticed the tear in his shirt and the already drying blood on the skin beneath.
‘You know I like an entrance… I always liked an entrance.’ Ianto hugged Jack who held him tightly and smiled. It was always good to save Ianto’s life. He’d quite happily save his life every day until he died of old age. Breaking their hold Jack looked across at Evans and smiled. ‘He must have just creased me.’
Evans nodded, not believing a single word Jack had said. He’d seen the bullet slam into his chest, but no other explanation could count for the fact that he was still alive. If Jack couldn’t die that would explain why Ianto wasn’t overly concerned when he’d been shot. Evans shook his head and after a final check of the area turned to the sniper he’d killed. He knelt down beside him and checked his pockets for identification.
Kicking the dead man at his feet over, Jack noticed the steel collar wrapped round his neck.
‘Robo-men… what the hell…?’ then putting the pieces together he nodded.
‘The Rani must have used them to protect the star points,’ Ianto said as he gazed down at the tracker at Jack’s feet where he’d dropped it. Picking it up, he looked at it and with disappointment as he saw that it was still pointed at the obelisk.
‘I think we should get these bodies out of here before anyone else turns up. That space time continuum and all that.’ Evans added as he began dragging the dead sniper back towards the hide. Jack nodded and taking hold of the dead man before him followed Evans. Ianto checked the area, picked up the discarded rifles, and followed Jack and Evans.
Jack noticed the heat haze in the air just in time as the vortex manipulator told him that the transmat capsule had been activated and was returning. Throwing the bodies into the hide they lay down in the thick scrub and watched.
Moments later, the transmat capsule appeared in the same place the first had disappeared from. This time, as the door opened a tall man emerged wearing, what Jack thought was a cricketer’s outfit. He wore a matching white shirt with red question marks on both collars and carried a silver and black case which he placed on the ground next to the stone plinth. The red haired boy followed, confirming that it was in fact the original capsule.
‘It’s a pity those things don’t have a wider range.’ The cricketer said. It was then that Jack noticed, with surprise, that the cricketer had a stick of celery attached to his lapel. He felt his heart beat faster and what he could only describe as a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hadn’t seen this generation of the Doctor but he knew him by reputation, everyone in Torchwood did.
‘It’s the Doctor… well at least an earlier generation of him,’ Jack said in a whisper.
Ianto nodded as he gazed ahead of him, adding. ‘That’s why the Doctor couldn’t come… worried that he might bump into himself.’
Jack’s eyes followed the Doctor’s every move. ‘The important thing is that he doesn’t see us. If we interfere in any way with the time line then things wont turn out as had previously happened.’ Ianto silently nodded as he looked on.
Removing a small box from one pocket the Doctor extended the top causing the machine to give off a repeated buzzing noise. ‘Still… at least we’re here in one piece. Transmat capsules can do nasty things to organic structures if they’re…’ he paused for a moment and lowered the buzzing box to the base of the plinth. ‘Not properly maintained.’
Waving towards Turlough he knelt at its base as the black and silver case was brought to him. Pushing one side at the base of the plinth, a door way opened. Reaching in, the cricketer removed a small brown box and placed it next to the case. With his attention clearly on the box Jack and Ianto watched as Turlough walked off as if in search of something. Picking up a large stone he walked up behind the cricketer and raised it above his head as if to smash it down on the Doctor’s unprotected skull.
‘That’s all we need. Doesn’t it ever stop?’ Jack said with a sigh of resignation.
‘W should do something Jack, he’s going to kill him,’ Ianto said, almost pleading and forgetting Jack’s earlier warnings.
Quickly Jack flipped open his vortex manipulator and activated a switch that blocked the sound waves in the small box at the Doctor’s feet causing it to overload. The box exploded throwing him backward into Turlough causing him, in turn, to drop the stone. Evans looked accusingly at Jack.
‘What if that changes his history forever… what happens now?’ Jack looked at Evans, rubbing his hand across his forehead as he thought.
‘Look, he never saw us right?’ Evans nodded. ‘Then perhaps that was supposed to happen. If I’d left it any longer the ginger kid would have killed him… and we know that didn’t happen.’ Evans nodded seeing the logic in Jack’s words. ‘What else could have happened that would have stopped him killing the Doctor?’ Jack asked, almost pleading.
‘Well that shouldn’t have happened,’ the Doctor said as he stood looking down at the smouldering box at his feet. Turning in horror and surprise Jack watched as the TARDIS materialised to his right. He was just about to stand and walk out of cover when it flickered and dematerialised again.
‘What’s happened…? Could it have been affected by a tangential deviation coming out of the warp ellipse?’ Turlough asked as both he and the Doctor approached.
‘Not with a dead-reckoning alignment in the coordinates… this is 1983 and it should be here,’ the Doctor added, looking mystified himself.
‘But as it isn’t, where’s it gone?’ Walking back towards the Doctor Turlough added, ‘Will your friends be safe?'
‘I hope so.’ Kneeling down the Doctor continued to look at the still smoking box, the black scaring of flames showing clearly where it had blown up. ‘Now… what did I do wrong?’
As the Doctor examined the box Jack watched as Turlough walked out of ear shot of the Doctor and produced a small crystal from his pocket. Looking intently at it he said, ‘What do I do now? Say something.’
‘Turlough,’ the Brigadier’s voice floated across the afternoon breeze as distinctive as the wind itself. Quickly he thrust the crystal back into his pocket before the Brigadier saw him. ‘Ah… so there you are Turlough.’
‘Sir,’ Turlough said, looking shame faced at his plea for assistance.
‘What happened with this theory…?’ Ibbotson said, looking more than a little confused.
‘Oh do be quiet boy.’ The Brigadier said and then turning to look at Turlough added, ‘You’re supposed to be in the sick bay.’
‘I was with the Doctor.’
‘Doctor…what Doctor, Runsaman?’
‘No Sir… this Doctor.’ He gestured towards the cricketer who placed the silver case on the ground and advanced on them with a smile of recognition on his face.
‘Brigadier… Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.’ He raised his hand in greeting. The Brigadier looked at him mystified.
‘Who are you? I’m sorry if we’ve met before it’s entirely slipped my memory… and I’ve got to get these boys back to school.’ Turning he faced the two youths and nodded. ‘Come on you two.’ Then turning strode off back towards Brendon, with Turlough and Ibbotson in tow. Smiling, the Doctor headed off after them.
Jack stood, gazing after the Doctor, dying to shout after him but knowing the problems that would cause. Turning back towards Evans he nodded at the two bodies. ‘Right Evans, I want you to check the perimeter fully. I don’t want any more surprises.’ Evans nodded and headed off into the tree line. ‘Ianto, take Evan’s shovel and bury these two and leave no trace.’
Ianto looked at Jack, then down at the two bodies. ‘What are you going to do?’
Jack smiled and looked up at the obelisk. ‘I’m going to figure out how to get the star point down from the top of that before anyone else turns up.’ Ianto looked up and for the first time noticed a small horn protruding from the top of the obelisk.
***
Evans managed to track back along the path the two snipers had taken and found their hide.
‘Good, but mine’s better.’ He said with a smile. Looking out from the hide he had a perfect view of the obelisk and the open area around it. ‘They must have seen us running around and took their time with their approach.’ Evans added with a shiver that ran down his spine.
It was alright him being trained in FOB techniques, but to find others who were not on his side and just as good, gave him cause for concern. Breathing a sigh of relief he realised that it was only a two man hide so he needn’t expect a third sniper, but he would still keep vigilant.
Checking the area around the hide he followed the track away from the obelisk, cutting through the woods to a second clearing. Approaching cautiously he circled the area leaving out the open space where the road joined the clearing and a covered Jeep stood. Satisfied that he was alone he entered the clearing, all his senses alert for danger.
A cursory examination proved that he had nothing to worry about. The two gunmen were working alone and, apart from a few provisions and other kit, the Jeep was empty. Leaving the Jeep where he found it he backtracked his route passed the hide and over to the obelisk.
***
Jack dropped into a crouch, his Webley held out in front of him as Evans came through the tree line, his SIG held above his head to show he was no threat.
‘Bit of a problem Evans, how good are you at climbing?’ Jack holstered the pistol and looked up at the star point on top of the obelisk. Evans followed his gaze and smiled when he saw it.
‘Brilliant,’ he said with a smile. Ianto came out of the tree line behind Jack, his jacket in one hand, dusting off the dirt from his trouser leg.
‘You’re telling me you can climb up there and retrieve the star without any equipment?’ Evans looked up at the obelisk and nodded.
‘I was in mountain troop… but I’d prefer to use the ropes I found in the back of their Jeep.’ He added gesturing towards the hide where Ianto had buried the two snipers.
Smiling Jack nodded then turned to look back at the school. Three figures were visible walking up towards them, and Jack would put money on the fact that one of them was the Doctor. Jack, Ianto and Evans ran back towards the tree line and dove for cover.
Nodding back the way Evans had come Jack whispered, ‘Get back to the Jeep and pick up everything that you’ll need for the climb. We’ll keep watch here.’ Evans nodded and slowly headed off into the bush, disappearing from view in seconds.
‘He’s good,’ Ianto added, ‘very good.’
***
The Doctor strode back towards the obelisk, with a rather out of breath Brigadier bringing up the rear.
‘Quickly,’ the Doctor shouted as he disappeared into the cylindrical transmit capsule, with Turlough in tow.
‘What are they doing?’ Ianto asked a little mystified at the proceedings.
‘That’s a transmat capsule and I think they’re trying to get it to work but I’m not sure.’
Moments later the Doctor again walked out of the capsule with Turlough close behind him. As the Brigadier looked on they both knelt by the box that had previously exploded. After pressing a few of the buttons the box began emitting beeping sounds again.
‘What will that do?’ Turlough asked.
‘Reflect the beam back off the ship,’ the Doctor said with an air of authority that Jack immediately recognised.
‘So the warp ellipse will absorb the time differential?’ The Doctor stood and walked back towards the capsule.
‘That’s right’
‘Will it work?’ the Brigadier added, managing to get his breath back and causing the Doctor to turn and face him.
After a moments thought the Doctor turned back and headed into the capsule without a word. The Brigadier and Turlough followed him inside. Jack and Ianto made the most of their time and slithered back into deeper cover so they weren’t noticed. From their new vantage point they saw Turlough walk out of the capsule moments later and kneel next to the box. Again the box exploded when he touched it. Ianto looked across at Jack who shook his head.
‘Not me this time.’
‘Doctor,’ Turlough shouted. As the Doctor emerged from the capsule he looked crest fallen.
‘Oh no.’ Shaking his head he nodded to Turlough who looked innocent of the crime he was being accused of. After a moments none verbal confrontation they both turned and headed off back towards the school with the Brigadier reluctantly following.
***
Evans emerged from the tree line carrying a set of climbing ropes and a back pack. ‘I came as soon as they left.’
Jack nodded, ‘Right we can’t have much time. Evans, set that up as quickly as you can.’ He thought for a moment then added, ‘Do you need a hand?’
Evans smiled, he might not understand why a man can be shot one minute and be running around the next, but ropes were his game. ‘I’ll not be long. I’m going to use the lumberjack method.’ He was pleased to see the puzzled look on Jack’s face for once and not his own.
Walking forward Jack watched as the Doctor and his companions disappeared into the school. With them gone he decided to check out the transmat capsule. Ianto took Evans’ water bottle and after taking a refreshing mouthful washed his hands free of dirt.
Jack entered the capsule and stopped as he took in the technology all around him. He’d seen nothing like it since he’d worked for the Time Agency. The control panel was fairly obvious to spot and on close examination he realised that it had not only travelled in space but also in time.
Looking at his vortex manipulator he checked the dates and they matched with the ones he’d read earlier when they’d first arrived, nineteen seventy seven and nineteen eighty three. Then it hit him. The Rani had placed the star point in a place that was inaccessible to anyone living in the area, or so she had thought.
The Doctor had said that the star points had power in their own right. Placing it at such a high point had affected the time line’s normal flow causing this anomaly. Hopeful, Jack mused, removing the star point from this particular time would fix the problem and everything would return to normal, or as normal as it could under the circumstances.
Leaving the transmat capsule Jack looked down at the vortex manipulator on his wrist and shook his head. The time differential wouldn’t stabilise and alternated between nineteen seventy seven and nineteen eighty three with annoying regularity.
‘Jack,’ Ianto whispered as he gestured towards the school. Jack looked back over his shoulder and noticed three figures walking purposefully towards them, in the distance. The Doctor was returning and for the moment, he couldn’t see them. Running towards the obelisk he looked up, noticing Evans half way up and advancing at a slow rate.
‘Hurry up… they’re coming back,’ Jack said in as restrained a voice as he could manage. Evans looked at the task before him and shook his head. His view of the Doctor’s approach was obstructed by the obelisk itself so he’d had no warning of his impending discovery. ‘Then come on down. We’ll try again later when he’s gone.’
Again Evans shook his head. ‘It’ll take me five minutes just to get low enough to jump, if I don’t fall and break my neck first.’ Jack shook his head and almost screamed in frustration. Looking back at the Doctor’s approach he quickly picked up Evans’s climbing equipment and threw it into the bushes behind the capsule. Then turning, he nodded towards Ianto, who cut through the tree line and out of sight.
Walking up to the rear of the obelisk, Jack looked up at Evans. ‘You’ll have to stay there… perfectly still… hopefully they’ll not see you.’
‘What if they do?’ Evans asked but Jack was out of ear shot and ensconced into the bushes.
Without a word the Doctor, the Brigadier and Turlough walked back into the clearing. Evans couldn’t see them but he could hear them. Carefully he moved his head round the concrete pillar to see if he could get a better view. As he moved he felt the rope begin to slip. With all the strength he could muster he gripped the obelisk with both legs, momentarily preventing him from falling to the concrete ground below. Sweat ran down his face as he clung on. As he gripped the rope he could feel it slip through his hands. The harder he gripped the more friction his hands created causing the rope to burn into his exposed flesh.
Despite his best efforts the rope continued to slip, cutting into his hand, which was the only thing stopping him from falling. The more it cut into him the more the blood lubricated his grip, causing the rope to slip further. Desperately he fought to hold on but he knew that his battle to stay aloft would end in him falling eventually. Even now he wouldn’t be capable to continuing his climb even if he wanted to. Without the ability to climb, he knew it was going to be impossible to retrieve the star point.
His unnerving capability to go on when to do so would seem futile to others, had got him into the SAS in the first place. What he had to do now was to dig deep inside himself and find that determination that had helped him win through in the past.
Taking a deep breath he gripped the rope as tight as he could and tried to take as much of his weight as he could on his legs, which were beginning to shake under the strain. Blood from his hands began to run down his wrists and he could feel it clotting on his arms and dripping off his elbows. Slowly he felt the rope begin to slip a second time and knew that this would be the end. He couldn’t hold on any longer. Taking another deep breath he prepared himself for the inevitable. Looking down he saw Jack just in time waving up at him.
‘They’ve gone… you can keep going.’ Trooper Evans almost smiled. The pain was unbearable; the skin on his palms was torn right down to the muscle and bleeding profusely. His shoulder and leg muscles were screaming out to him to relax and Jack wanted him to continue his climb.
Looking up at the top of the obelisk he came to a decision. This was not going to beat him. Gripping the rope he tried his best to ignore the pain and continued moving up. Fresh blood filled his joints and the pain was throbbing but manageable now he was moving again. Keeping his mind focused on the top of the obelisk he continued to move upward until the edge tapered so thin that he could push himself up with his feet.
A foot from the top he stopped and braced himself by thrusting his feet down against a small concrete out crop. For the first time he gazed out across the land and felt a little giddy. The cool breeze that high up refreshed him and gave him added strength to continue.
Slowly he managed to take the rope in one shaking hand as he tentatively reached out with his free hand. The star point was lying sideways on, resting on the top of the obelisk as if it had been casually laid there by a passing giant.
As his hand wrapped around the star point he felt his legs slipping. Frantically he tried to brace himself further but to no avail. Despite his mental strength and fortitude his body had given up and could hold on no more. Using his feet and legs to slow his decent he tried to pull the rope tight against the obelisk but found it impossible. Without warning the ground accelerated up to meet him. His training took over and he relaxed himself and prepared for the collation with the ground that would, he knew, break both his legs if not his back in the process.
Both Jack and Ianto stood beneath the obelisk watching Trooper Evans. From their vantage point below they never saw the pain on his face or the blood dripping from his hands and couldn’t appreciate what it had taken for him to get as far as he had. Their first sign that something was wrong was the slipping of the rope after he had reached the top.
‘Come on… Evans you can do it.’ Turning towards Ianto, Jack looked a bit mystified. ‘What’s his first name? Seems strange just calling him Evans or Trooper Evans.’
Ianto thought for a moment and shrugged. ‘I think it’s Steven but I’m not sure.’
Turning back they both looked up just in time to see Evans fall. Pushing Ianto out of the way Jack ran to the base of the obelisk and held out his arms. Evans slammed into him like an express train, with a sickening, bone breaking thud that sent them both sprawling on the ground.
Leaving Jack where he fell, Ianto quickly dragged Evans away from the obelisk and checked him for injuries. Apart from his hands and a few scratches on each leg he was surprisingly well for a man that had fallen as far as he had. Passing him a water bottle Evans drank deeply, pouring some on his hands that still burned and stung.
Jack, on the other hand, didn’t fair as well. Leaving Evans to sort himself out and wonder at Jack’s sacrifice, Ianto knelt by his friend and waited. His ribcage and been crushed by the fall, puncturing both his heart and lungs and his right leg lay at a strange angle.
Turning the leg so it looked straight, Ianto watched Jack for any signs of life. He felt Evans standing behind him and was about to ask him to leave when Jack sat bolt upright gasping in a deep breath as he did so. The steadfast SAS Trooper Evans almost shouted out in shock and surprise, feeling ridiculous when he realise that he was involuntarily about to turn and run.
Ianto took the water bottle from him and passed it to Jack, who, with a smile, took a much needed mouthful. Evans was just about to say something when Jack looked at the space behind them and immediately jumped to his feet.
‘They’re coming back.’ Was all he managed to say as the sound of the TARDIS arriving filled the air. Pulling the ropes free they dove into the undergrowth behind the obelisk. Slowly the three turned and watched as the blue police communication box fully materialised.
***
The Brigadier and the Doctor emerged from the TARDIS and shook hands. Two other females joined them standing either side of the entrance.
‘Goodbye.’ The Doctor said with a smile that gave Jack shivers up his spine.
‘Goodbye Doctor… if ever you’re passing.’ Looking around, the Brigadier added, ‘Where’s Turlough?’
‘Turlough… he left in the capsule,’ one of the females said, looking a bit mystified.
‘He can’t have done. If the Brigadier was still in the ship he can’t have used the transmat system,’ the Doctor added trying to figure out what had happened. He knew that there was more to Turlough than met the eye, but deep down he knew he wasn’t bad at heart.
Leaving the Brigadier to walk back to the school the group entered the TARDIS. Jack looked on as that familiar sound again rocked the clearing. Standing he watched as the TARDIS eventually faded from sight.
He missed the Doctor… he missed them all, Rose, Donna, Sarah Jane… all of them. Turning back towards his two companions, he looked on as Ianto bandaged Evans hands with one of his field dressings.
Gazing up at the obelisk, Jack knew that Evans would never be able to make another attempt at the climb and Ianto wasn’t capable. It would be up to him to make the climb, something he’d never done before. In the back of his mind he wondered how many times he would fall and die before he managed to retrieve the star point.
Shrugging he turned back to Evans and noticed his bandaged hand clutching something as if afraid to let it go. Breathing a sigh of relief Jack smiled and nodded as he recognised the star point. Now Evans was definitely one of the team, but there was one thing he had to know.
‘Tell me Evans, what’s your first name?’ Evans smiled back at Jack as he answered.
‘It’s John… John Llewelyn Evans, born Aberystwyth nineteen eighty four.’
‘Come on John Llewelyn Evans, let’s get out of here,’ Jack said as he took hold of the star. Ianto placed his hand around the top half and closing his eyes thought of the main conference room back at UNIT headquarters. The last thing he heard before they disappeared was Jack’s voice.
‘There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.’ For some strange reason Ianto had no urge to click his heals together three times.
The Cave of the Silurian 8/16