Storm Warning, Part One
Title: Storm Warning (1/10)
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Torchwood through Exit Wounds, Doctor Who through Journey's End.
Summary: Something amazing and saddening happens at the newly commissioned Torchwood Nash Point station.
A/N: Fourth story within the Something the Starts with "S" AU, specifically the +25 year era. A fic requested by
avon_09 based on a posting by her beta jo02.
It was Wednesday when all hell broke loose at the recently activated Torchwood Nash Point station. Jack was watching ships in the channel when the alarms rang and the security systems locked down the computer core along with two of the high security archive lockers. Jack darted down the spiral staircase towards the main work area where his daughter Branwen was already scanning the tracking systems and had a hand raised to keep Jack from barking at her. "Right, transfer the coordinates to the SUV, then inform Cardiff and get all the systems locked on." She picked up her field kit and started running towards the vehicle with Jack close on her heels, "Oh and let Tad know where we are." As they reached the SUV, much more subtle than the embossed black beast, Jack grumbled when Branwen climbed behind the wheel. She glared at him, "Forget it Captain; you wrecked the last one, this one is mine." He sniffed, then quickly grabbed onto the pull handles as she took the corner a bit too fast.
"Who taught you to drive again? I think my spleen just ruptured." Jack sniped as he was again thrown against the webbing of his safety belts. "Didn't your Tad teach you about road regulations?"
Bran glanced at him and mumbled, "Pot; kettle." She checked the coordinates on the nav system again before burying the accelerator, "Are you going to grouse the entire drive, or do you want to hear about what we're going?"
"Hey, maybe I like surprises. Maybe its father-daughter day at the movies?" Jack rolled his eyes.
"Wow. Sarcasm." Branwen lashed back as she activated a data screen, "Look at those readings, what do they remind you of?" She took tight turn which earned another stream of profanity from Jack, followed by a few moments of silence.
"No way."
Jack and Branwen were standing in the field just staring at the object before them. It looked like a giant pearl; shimmering blues, greens and pinks that shifted and swirled on the surface like water. Randomly the pearl would shift into another shape: a tree, a boulder, a perfect copy of the SUV; but these façades would fade and the pearl would remain. Branwen's equipment was out and scanning the object, but the only word to slip from her lips was "Beautiful."
Apparently Branwen's voice snapped Jack out of his reverie because he took a quick breath and began, "Right. Looks like the chameleon circuit is shot. I've never seen one in polyp form before." Jack pulled an old Yale key from his pocket and saw that it wasn't warm or glowing. "Well, at least we know who it's not." Jack was about to say something when the holographic image of Toshiko Sato emitted from Branwen's equipment pack.
"Emergency override command transmitting now." They watched as a slice of the pearl pulled inward then slid to the side revealing flashing lights and the distinct chime of a church bell. "Cloister bell detected, self-termination system is online." The image of Tosh turned towards Jack, "You need to get inside quickly and hook the scanner pack onto the time rotor. I should be able to make an imprint of its synaptic pathways before its too late- hurry!"
Jack and Branwen moved quickly into the ship, not even commenting on the fact it was significantly larger on the inside. Branwen ran towards the blue-tinged crystal stalactites clustered above a console and dropped the scanner kit on the surface where it quickly deployed stabilizing straps and the image of Tosh reappeared. Jack looked around the interior; noticing finally that there wasn't a person piloting the ship and that the surfaces were pristine. "Must be a newer model." He held his tongue after the visual daggers Branwen aimed at him and they both returned their attention to their mainframe's Tosh avatar when she gasped.
"I am so sorry my sister, you're free now." The room darkened as the hologram shutdown and the scanner retracted its connections, "We need to leave. Now." Jack grabbed the kit and his daughter's hand and pulled them clear of the vessel and they ran towards the SUV just as Ianto arrived with young Franklin.
Ianto was holding their son's hand as they walked towards the now glowing pearl, "It's amazing. Jack, what is it?"
Jack grabbed for Ianto's free hand as Branwen grasped her brother's and they continued back behind the SUV. "No time. Everybody down!"
From behind SUV, the family watched as the pearl seemed to contract into itself, slowing collapsing into a tiny, brilliantly lit spec before pushing a pulse of light out in every direction like a supernova. Once their eyes recovered from the flash, there was no sign of the pearl other than scorch marks on the ground and ashes.
Franklin pulled away from his sister's grasp and ran forward, his eyes wide and scanning the area. He spun around and looked to Jack with awe, "What was that?"
Jack placed a hand on his son's shoulder and looked at the burnt patch of soil, "That was the death of a TARDIS."
PART TWO
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Torchwood through Exit Wounds, Doctor Who through Journey's End.
Summary: Something amazing and saddening happens at the newly commissioned Torchwood Nash Point station.
A/N: Fourth story within the Something the Starts with "S" AU, specifically the +25 year era. A fic requested by
avon_09 based on a posting by her beta jo02.
It was Wednesday when all hell broke loose at the recently activated Torchwood Nash Point station. Jack was watching ships in the channel when the alarms rang and the security systems locked down the computer core along with two of the high security archive lockers. Jack darted down the spiral staircase towards the main work area where his daughter Branwen was already scanning the tracking systems and had a hand raised to keep Jack from barking at her. "Right, transfer the coordinates to the SUV, then inform Cardiff and get all the systems locked on." She picked up her field kit and started running towards the vehicle with Jack close on her heels, "Oh and let Tad know where we are." As they reached the SUV, much more subtle than the embossed black beast, Jack grumbled when Branwen climbed behind the wheel. She glared at him, "Forget it Captain; you wrecked the last one, this one is mine." He sniffed, then quickly grabbed onto the pull handles as she took the corner a bit too fast.
"Who taught you to drive again? I think my spleen just ruptured." Jack sniped as he was again thrown against the webbing of his safety belts. "Didn't your Tad teach you about road regulations?"
Bran glanced at him and mumbled, "Pot; kettle." She checked the coordinates on the nav system again before burying the accelerator, "Are you going to grouse the entire drive, or do you want to hear about what we're going?"
"Hey, maybe I like surprises. Maybe its father-daughter day at the movies?" Jack rolled his eyes.
"Wow. Sarcasm." Branwen lashed back as she activated a data screen, "Look at those readings, what do they remind you of?" She took tight turn which earned another stream of profanity from Jack, followed by a few moments of silence.
"No way."
Jack and Branwen were standing in the field just staring at the object before them. It looked like a giant pearl; shimmering blues, greens and pinks that shifted and swirled on the surface like water. Randomly the pearl would shift into another shape: a tree, a boulder, a perfect copy of the SUV; but these façades would fade and the pearl would remain. Branwen's equipment was out and scanning the object, but the only word to slip from her lips was "Beautiful."
Apparently Branwen's voice snapped Jack out of his reverie because he took a quick breath and began, "Right. Looks like the chameleon circuit is shot. I've never seen one in polyp form before." Jack pulled an old Yale key from his pocket and saw that it wasn't warm or glowing. "Well, at least we know who it's not." Jack was about to say something when the holographic image of Toshiko Sato emitted from Branwen's equipment pack.
"Emergency override command transmitting now." They watched as a slice of the pearl pulled inward then slid to the side revealing flashing lights and the distinct chime of a church bell. "Cloister bell detected, self-termination system is online." The image of Tosh turned towards Jack, "You need to get inside quickly and hook the scanner pack onto the time rotor. I should be able to make an imprint of its synaptic pathways before its too late- hurry!"
Jack and Branwen moved quickly into the ship, not even commenting on the fact it was significantly larger on the inside. Branwen ran towards the blue-tinged crystal stalactites clustered above a console and dropped the scanner kit on the surface where it quickly deployed stabilizing straps and the image of Tosh reappeared. Jack looked around the interior; noticing finally that there wasn't a person piloting the ship and that the surfaces were pristine. "Must be a newer model." He held his tongue after the visual daggers Branwen aimed at him and they both returned their attention to their mainframe's Tosh avatar when she gasped.
"I am so sorry my sister, you're free now." The room darkened as the hologram shutdown and the scanner retracted its connections, "We need to leave. Now." Jack grabbed the kit and his daughter's hand and pulled them clear of the vessel and they ran towards the SUV just as Ianto arrived with young Franklin.
Ianto was holding their son's hand as they walked towards the now glowing pearl, "It's amazing. Jack, what is it?"
Jack grabbed for Ianto's free hand as Branwen grasped her brother's and they continued back behind the SUV. "No time. Everybody down!"
From behind SUV, the family watched as the pearl seemed to contract into itself, slowing collapsing into a tiny, brilliantly lit spec before pushing a pulse of light out in every direction like a supernova. Once their eyes recovered from the flash, there was no sign of the pearl other than scorch marks on the ground and ashes.
Franklin pulled away from his sister's grasp and ran forward, his eyes wide and scanning the area. He spun around and looked to Jack with awe, "What was that?"
Jack placed a hand on his son's shoulder and looked at the burnt patch of soil, "That was the death of a TARDIS."
PART TWO