Torchwood/Dr Who - fic - For I Witnessed Splendour, Jack, Alex, PG
I’m doing my usual trick of expanding on a line in a fic. From Padawans:
They reached the Rift Manipulator. “This is the most important piece of equipment in the whole base,” Jack said, running a hand over it. He smiled, adding, “Other than Ianto’s coffee machine, of course.”
“Time Rotor,” Luke said, looking from it to Jack. “Mum has drawings in the attic.”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I based it on, when Alex and I designed it. Hell, that was twenty years ago.”
So this is that story.
Title - For I Witnessed Splendour
Author - laurab1
Characters - Jack, Alex Hopkins, the Doctor, the TARDIS
Rating - PG
Length - 450 words
Spoilers - 2.12 Fragments
Summary - In 1988, Torchwood Three have a terrible week, but Jack knows what to do.
Disclaimer - alas, none of these people are mine
Feedback is loved and appreciated :) Enjoy!
For I Witnessed Splendour
by Laura
In the summer of 1988, after a week in which the Rift was so active, almost uncontrollable with existing machinery and computers, that none of Torchwood Three had seen their own beds, and neither Alex Hopkins nor he had got any proper sleep, Jack Harkness made a decision.
“We need something better to deal with the Rift, Alex,” he said to his boss, sitting opposite him, late on Saturday night. They’d resorted to Alex’s Welsh whisky. “This week was hard as hell. Don’t think I’ve ever seen it quite this bad.”
“I know, Jack, I know,” Alex replied, looking and sounding completely exhausted. He sipped his drink. “You got any bright ideas?”
“I just might,” Jack bragged. Placing his glass on the desk, he flipped open his Vortex Manipulator. Firing up the holodisplay, he looked the other man right in the eye, and pleaded, “We could make something like what I’m gonna show you. For sweet goddesses’ sake, though, Alex, please never tell London where the design and idea came from.” The TARDIS and her secrets were far too precious, and what they could build, down there, with all the resources and tech they had, didn’t bear contemplating.
“Okay, okay, I promise, Jack,” Alex said, hands up, surrendering. “Let’s see, then.”
Satisfied, Jack nodded, and pressed the last button. A blue image of the TARDIS’ console and Time Rotor blinked into sight, with the central tubes slowly moving up and down, up and down. There were a few coral branches in view, as well. He’d taken the scan about a week after he’d started travelling with the Doctor and Rose. “Alex, this is what we need,” he whispered.
“What is that, Jack?” Alex asked, watching.
“The control panel of the girl who’s still the most beautiful ship I’ve ever seen.”
“You mean…?”
Oh, he got it. Good. “Yeah. That’s why we can’t tell One. I love her too much to see her tech abused, which is what they’d do, given the chance.”
“Him as well?” Alex asked.
And Jack understood that. “Yeah, him as well, Alex, goddesses help me.” He chuckled, and turned the display off. Standing, Jack said, “Right, let’s go and join the kids in the dorm. The Rift’ll just have to wait until morning.”
Alex rose from his seat, and stood by Jack. “Rift Manipulator,” he said, voice a little slurred.
“What?” Jack asked, puzzled.
“That’s what we’ll call this bit of tech we make, Jack.”
Jack smiled. “Good name, Alex. Fitting. C’mon, now, bed.” Switching off the lights, he slung an arm over Alex’s shoulders, kissed his hair, and shepherded him from the office. “Plenty of time to start saving the world a little better tomorrow.”
-end-
They reached the Rift Manipulator. “This is the most important piece of equipment in the whole base,” Jack said, running a hand over it. He smiled, adding, “Other than Ianto’s coffee machine, of course.”
“Time Rotor,” Luke said, looking from it to Jack. “Mum has drawings in the attic.”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I based it on, when Alex and I designed it. Hell, that was twenty years ago.”
So this is that story.
Title - For I Witnessed Splendour
Author - laurab1
Characters - Jack, Alex Hopkins, the Doctor, the TARDIS
Rating - PG
Length - 450 words
Spoilers - 2.12 Fragments
Summary - In 1988, Torchwood Three have a terrible week, but Jack knows what to do.
Disclaimer - alas, none of these people are mine
Feedback is loved and appreciated :) Enjoy!
For I Witnessed Splendour
by Laura
In the summer of 1988, after a week in which the Rift was so active, almost uncontrollable with existing machinery and computers, that none of Torchwood Three had seen their own beds, and neither Alex Hopkins nor he had got any proper sleep, Jack Harkness made a decision.
“We need something better to deal with the Rift, Alex,” he said to his boss, sitting opposite him, late on Saturday night. They’d resorted to Alex’s Welsh whisky. “This week was hard as hell. Don’t think I’ve ever seen it quite this bad.”
“I know, Jack, I know,” Alex replied, looking and sounding completely exhausted. He sipped his drink. “You got any bright ideas?”
“I just might,” Jack bragged. Placing his glass on the desk, he flipped open his Vortex Manipulator. Firing up the holodisplay, he looked the other man right in the eye, and pleaded, “We could make something like what I’m gonna show you. For sweet goddesses’ sake, though, Alex, please never tell London where the design and idea came from.” The TARDIS and her secrets were far too precious, and what they could build, down there, with all the resources and tech they had, didn’t bear contemplating.
“Okay, okay, I promise, Jack,” Alex said, hands up, surrendering. “Let’s see, then.”
Satisfied, Jack nodded, and pressed the last button. A blue image of the TARDIS’ console and Time Rotor blinked into sight, with the central tubes slowly moving up and down, up and down. There were a few coral branches in view, as well. He’d taken the scan about a week after he’d started travelling with the Doctor and Rose. “Alex, this is what we need,” he whispered.
“What is that, Jack?” Alex asked, watching.
“The control panel of the girl who’s still the most beautiful ship I’ve ever seen.”
“You mean…?”
Oh, he got it. Good. “Yeah. That’s why we can’t tell One. I love her too much to see her tech abused, which is what they’d do, given the chance.”
“Him as well?” Alex asked.
And Jack understood that. “Yeah, him as well, Alex, goddesses help me.” He chuckled, and turned the display off. Standing, Jack said, “Right, let’s go and join the kids in the dorm. The Rift’ll just have to wait until morning.”
Alex rose from his seat, and stood by Jack. “Rift Manipulator,” he said, voice a little slurred.
“What?” Jack asked, puzzled.
“That’s what we’ll call this bit of tech we make, Jack.”
Jack smiled. “Good name, Alex. Fitting. C’mon, now, bed.” Switching off the lights, he slung an arm over Alex’s shoulders, kissed his hair, and shepherded him from the office. “Plenty of time to start saving the world a little better tomorrow.”
-end-