A PICNIC AT THE START OF THE WORLD
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Kismet
Rating: Open
Disclaimer: Not mine; they belong to RTD and to the BBC
Warnings: Soppy sentiments are expressed
Summary: Jack decides that Ianto deserves a picnic. Written for the Day Sixteen challenge for horizonssing.
"Between an immensity of land and an immensity of sky they sat there, incomprehensible, smiling at a continent."
- Douglas Adams,
Last Chance to See
After a long moment, Ianto stirred and half-turned to give Jack a small smile. "I have to say, when you say that you want to take me for a picnic with a view, you certainly know how to deliver!"
Just behind them hovered the sleek deep green and silver arrowhead of Kismet as she dreamed and sang of the places and times she would take her two darlings next unless they had a definite destination in mind. Ianto spared her an affectionate glance before turning back to gaze at the view in front of him.
"I sort of liked the idea of bringing you to the original Avalonia," Jack said mildly as he used some bread to scoop up a healthy dollop of potato salad.
"Devonian Earth," Ianto said in awe as he stared.
They were resting on a natural ridge that was about halfway up an impressive mountain range that extended in either direction until it was lost in the haze of the horizon. Directly in front of them, the moss-covered land dropped away in a series of stepped ridges until the land finally merged with the sea. Further down the slope Ianto could see trees and other plants of some kind, but this high up there was only the jewel-bright, plush moss and some reeds that started out green but gradually flushed to a rich garnet colour. The only signs of animal life were swift-moving centipedes that looked like they were made out of burnished silver with jet inlays. Jack had assured him they were harmless and Ianto was inclined to take him at his word. Besides, the nanites Kismet had pumped him full of once she'd worked out how fragile he was in his natural state meant that Ianto could now give Jack a run for his money in the tough-to-kill stakes.
"Is this really called Avalonia?" he asked, accepting the champagne flute that Jack offered him.
"Ye gods, are you telling me there's something you don't know?" Jack teased.
"I didn't pay close attention to the Earth until the Carboniferous Era," Ianto said with dignity.
"Tch, we'll have to do something about that," Jack said reprovingly before grinning. "And to answer your question: yes, this part is called Avalonia. If we were to climb over these mountains behind us, we'd find ourselves looking out over either Baltica or Laurentia. Somewhere out past that horizon, the continent of Gondwana is heading towards us at a spanking pace. We'll be long gone before it heaves its lazy carcass into sight, though." He offered up his glass to Ianto and Ianto obediently clinked their glasses together. "What shall we drink to?"
Ianto went back to staring out over the sparkling blue ocean, with a cloudless sky overhead. "To Earth," he decided. "In all her bloody-minded, disaster-prone glory. And to whichever mindless vertebrate out there that will found the line that eventually leads to the two of us."
"I'll drink to that," Jack agreed and suited action to words.
They lay back and looked out over the immensity of sea, mountains and sky. It was a little strange to know that they were still on Earth but they were also the only humans around.
"So where shall we go next?" Jack asked idly as he decided he couldn't actually manage another salmon and cucumber sandwich.
Ianto shrugged as he nibbled on a fruit tart and sipped his champagne. "Let Kismet choose. She deserves a turn of her own."
"That's us screwed then," Jack observed cheerfully and waved an apology at the contralto chord of disapproval that earned him from their ship. "C'mon, darling, you know you have a talent for finding us hotspots!"
"And you love it," Ianto observed in amusement, loving the sparkle that was in Jack's eyes these days.
"Love us," Jack corrected with a flashing smile, and decided that maybe he could find a corner for another sandwich, after all.
OOOOO
Rating: Open
Disclaimer: Not mine; they belong to RTD and to the BBC
Warnings: Soppy sentiments are expressed
Summary: Jack decides that Ianto deserves a picnic. Written for the Day Sixteen challenge for horizonssing.
"Between an immensity of land and an immensity of sky they sat there, incomprehensible, smiling at a continent."
- Douglas Adams,
Last Chance to See
After a long moment, Ianto stirred and half-turned to give Jack a small smile. "I have to say, when you say that you want to take me for a picnic with a view, you certainly know how to deliver!"
Just behind them hovered the sleek deep green and silver arrowhead of Kismet as she dreamed and sang of the places and times she would take her two darlings next unless they had a definite destination in mind. Ianto spared her an affectionate glance before turning back to gaze at the view in front of him.
"I sort of liked the idea of bringing you to the original Avalonia," Jack said mildly as he used some bread to scoop up a healthy dollop of potato salad.
"Devonian Earth," Ianto said in awe as he stared.
They were resting on a natural ridge that was about halfway up an impressive mountain range that extended in either direction until it was lost in the haze of the horizon. Directly in front of them, the moss-covered land dropped away in a series of stepped ridges until the land finally merged with the sea. Further down the slope Ianto could see trees and other plants of some kind, but this high up there was only the jewel-bright, plush moss and some reeds that started out green but gradually flushed to a rich garnet colour. The only signs of animal life were swift-moving centipedes that looked like they were made out of burnished silver with jet inlays. Jack had assured him they were harmless and Ianto was inclined to take him at his word. Besides, the nanites Kismet had pumped him full of once she'd worked out how fragile he was in his natural state meant that Ianto could now give Jack a run for his money in the tough-to-kill stakes.
"Is this really called Avalonia?" he asked, accepting the champagne flute that Jack offered him.
"Ye gods, are you telling me there's something you don't know?" Jack teased.
"I didn't pay close attention to the Earth until the Carboniferous Era," Ianto said with dignity.
"Tch, we'll have to do something about that," Jack said reprovingly before grinning. "And to answer your question: yes, this part is called Avalonia. If we were to climb over these mountains behind us, we'd find ourselves looking out over either Baltica or Laurentia. Somewhere out past that horizon, the continent of Gondwana is heading towards us at a spanking pace. We'll be long gone before it heaves its lazy carcass into sight, though." He offered up his glass to Ianto and Ianto obediently clinked their glasses together. "What shall we drink to?"
Ianto went back to staring out over the sparkling blue ocean, with a cloudless sky overhead. "To Earth," he decided. "In all her bloody-minded, disaster-prone glory. And to whichever mindless vertebrate out there that will found the line that eventually leads to the two of us."
"I'll drink to that," Jack agreed and suited action to words.
They lay back and looked out over the immensity of sea, mountains and sky. It was a little strange to know that they were still on Earth but they were also the only humans around.
"So where shall we go next?" Jack asked idly as he decided he couldn't actually manage another salmon and cucumber sandwich.
Ianto shrugged as he nibbled on a fruit tart and sipped his champagne. "Let Kismet choose. She deserves a turn of her own."
"That's us screwed then," Jack observed cheerfully and waved an apology at the contralto chord of disapproval that earned him from their ship. "C'mon, darling, you know you have a talent for finding us hotspots!"
"And you love it," Ianto observed in amusement, loving the sparkle that was in Jack's eyes these days.
"Love us," Jack corrected with a flashing smile, and decided that maybe he could find a corner for another sandwich, after all.
OOOOO