Adventfic Day 4 - Egg-nog
Dec. 5th, 2011 12:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silkendreammaidTitle: Egg-nog
Author: silkendreammaid
Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Torchwood or the characters within.
Rating: PG13
Warning: Language
Characters: Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness
Note: Written for the 2011 Advent Challenge. Prompt #18 taken from the 2010 prompt list.
Author's Note: Fourth in the series that started in Cold
Summary: December is starting off unseasonably cold. Torchwood has one dead alien and another one missing. There’s also the sudden disappearance of Cardiff’s rats.
In this chapter Owen has autopsy results, Tosh has rift results. All with eggnog accompaniment. Egg-nog Ianto Jones tapped lightly at the frame of Jack’s office and entered carrying a tray bearing two steaming mugs. “Owen’s getting impatient,” he announced as he approached the desk. Jack sniffed the air. “That’s not coffee,” he accused. “No it’s not,” Ianto acknowledged with a small nod. He placed one cup in front of Jack and handed the other to a much calmer Gwen. “Egg-nog. In deference to the season,” he informed them with a small smile. “Now this is how I know Christmas is coming,” Jack said happily as he picked up his mug and took an eager sip. A wide smile spread across his face. “Almost as good as your coffee,” he praised. “It’s delicious,” Gwen told him, colour re-appearing in her cheeks. “And I’m sorry about the tree, Ianto. I didn’t know she would react like that. I’m glad you were able to calm her down.” “It’s alright, Gwen. Trees and plants fascinate her. She often stands outside the greenhouse tapping at the windows,” Ianto replied easily. “Some chocolate and she soon settled down.” He paused. “Perhaps if you want to decorate something, I usually decorate the Tourist Information Centre. You’re welcome to do that instead,” he told her and she thanked him with a smile. “You’ve made a jug of this, haven’t you?” Jack asked with a wave of his mug and Ianto nodded. “Get Owen and Tosh and the jug and we’ll move to the boardroom.” Ten minutes later saw them all settled in the boardroom with full mugs of luscious egg-nog and a plate of biscuits Ianto had rustled up from somewhere. “Owen? The autopsy results?” Jack asked. “It’s definitely dead,” Owen said with a shrug and received several disapproving expressions in return. “Time of death would be sometime yesterday morning. Hard to be precise when I don’t know their usual body temperature and it’s been rather cold lately. There’s no singular cause of death, so it could easily be the cold that finished him off. Some broken bones, signs of internal trauma, the lacerations and bruises all appear to be caused shortly before death. Possibly from falling through the rift or crashing to Earth, however he got here.” Owen took a sip of egg-nog. “They’re delicate creatures. The bones are thin and fragile. It wouldn’t take much to cause serious damage, but I don’t think the injuries were severe enough to cause death by themselves. The cold could have been the deciding factor.” “There was no Rift activity yesterday morning,” Tosh said. “But there was an unpredicted small meteor shower around midnight the night before. They could have arrived during that.” She sipped delicately at her egg-nog. “It’s possible,” Jack agreed. “Can you find out if any meteors or debris landed in or near Cardiff, Tosh? That second Coelsi has to be here somewhere and there was no sign of it near its mate. The bonds between them are strong, they’re rarely more than a few meters apart. If they were together when he died then the other would have sat there and died with him.” “There were several satellites that tracked the shower. I’ll go through their systems and find out.” “That’s my girl,” Jack smiled appreciatively. “I did some checking too. This unseasonable cold. There’s been no recognizable weather disturbances recently. So, fortunately it doesn’t seem to be caused by anything… supernatural. However it is strange, so Gwen, I want you to check with the meteorological stations or departments and see what they’re saying is causing this.” “Okay Jack,” Gwen nodded. Ianto sat quietly and took notes. His head still ached and he wondered if he should make more egg-nog. The others were quickly working their way through the jug. “There’s also the rat bites on the body,” Owen said. “They’re not by any rat I’ve ever come across.” Everyone turned to look at him. “What do you mean?” Jack demanded. “I mean, that I think there’s possibly a new species of rat out there.” Owen picked up his file and slid it across the table. “See the photos in there. The bite marks all look like they were made by a rat. But the teeth marks are a little too big to be a normal rat, and I found saliva traces in the marks that, again, is similar but not quite the same as a rat’s. I’m running DNA tests on it now.” “You said there was a lack of rats lately,” Jack commented with a small frown. “Yeah. I don’t know why yet but they seem to have disappeared and with this possible new kind of rat…” Owen trailed off. “Like the weather. Something’s strange but what it is, is anyone’s guess.” He shrugged but there was an uneasy expression on his face. “Ring around the pest control people too, Gwen. See what’s happening with the rat population lately,” Jack ordered as he looked at the pictures. “You’re sure it’s a new kind of rat and not another animal altogether?” Jack asked Owen. “No, it has been a rat. It’s not a cat or feral dog. They don’t match the bite pattern.” “Something from the rift?” Jack speculated. “Possibly but I doubt it.” “Something to consider though,” Jack said thoughtfully. “Tosh, could you…?” She nodded. “Yes, Jack, I’ll look for any traces of rift rats as well.” Jack grinned. “Brilliant. Let’s get to work then. Ianto, more egg-nog first? Please?” Jack held up the empty jug and smiled pitifully at the Welshman.
Continued in Ice
