fandomweekly | [#105] Ready For Anything (Torchwood)

Theme Prompt: #105 – Pirates
Title: Ready For Anything
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating/Warnings: PG / None
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 1000
Summary: On a routine rescue mission, Jack and Ianto find themselves up against some apace pirates.

When they came across the battered hulk, drifting without power only a few lightyears from its last recorded location, Jack swore and muttered something under his breath.

“What was that?” Ianto asked without looking away from the readouts in front of him. He was busy using the Happy Wanderer’s sensors to check for life signs aboard the other vessel.

“They’re getting bolder, coming so close to sectors under the jurisdiction of the Shadow Proclamation.”

“They?”

Jack made a disgusted sound. “Space pirates. Raiders, looters, thieves, and renegades, out for anything they can get their hands on. There’ll always be criminals, people who’d rather take what they want than work for it.”

Ianto sighed. “And here I thought alien races were supposed to be more enlightened than humans.” There was no doubt in his mind that the pirates were of some other sentient race since there were very few humans out in space.

“Many of them are, but not all.” Jack glanced towards his lover. “Not much point checking for life signs; there won’t be any survivors. They never leave any, just kill everyone aboard and take anything of value. That ship will have been stripped clean.”

“So what do we do now?”

Ianto and Jack had taken on the task of locating the missing ship under the assumption that it had probably suffered some kind of accident or mechanical malfunction. The thought that it might have fallen under attack in such a civilised and law-abiding sector of space hadn’t crossed their minds. Out on the rim, where inhabited worlds were more spread out, they might have considered that a possibility, but not so close to galactic centre. Around here, even war was a thing of the past. Disagreements were settled over the negotiating table.

“The only thing we can do; grabble on and tow it home so the crew’s families can carry out whatever funerary traditions are appropriate.”

“What I don’t get is why the crew never called for assistance. Surely they would have seen the pirate ship approaching.”

“I’m sure they tried to, but I think you’ll find the local communication relay satellites have all either been disabled or destroyed. Either that or the pirates have jamming technology at their disposal and prevented the distress call from going through. The engines were probably hit first so the ship couldn’t make its escape. They probably weren’t carrying much in the way of armaments; most cargo ships don’t, they’re not designed for warfare.”

The big cargo ships were bulky and relatively slow, efficient at what they were built for, the transporting of heavy loads over long distances, but designed for endurance rather than speed and manoeuvrability. As much space as possible was given over to cargo, leaving little to spare for weapons.

The Happy Wanderer was a different matter, a mid-sized cargo ship with every possible kind of added extra Jack thought might come in useful. Although it didn’t show from the outside, she was well armoured and in possession of defensive shields, as well as some very impressive weaponry. She was probably better armed than most pirate ships, and likely in a better state of repair too. Pirate ships couldn’t exactly put in for a service at the nearest space station. There’d be too many questions.

“Okay then; setting grapples.” Ianto reached for the controls to bring the Wanderer into position to lock on.

“You might want to hold off on that,” Jack said quietly, a tense note in his voice.

Flicking his gaze to the one of the screens, Ianto saw what Jack had already spotted; another ship was closing on their position, moving fast.

“Well, would you look at that. Seems the pirates might have stuck around. How convenient.”

“Isn’t it?” Jack dropped into the pilot’s seat, flicking controls, bringing the engines fully online, while Ianto, in the co-pilot’s position readied weapons and targeting lasers. They strapped themselves into their seats.

“Do we blow them apart or just disable them and turn them over to the Shadow Proclamation?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Jack turned the shields on. “Let’s see what they do first. We don’t know for sure that they’re the pirates. They’re not exactly flying the Jolly Roger.”

“Mm, they probably wouldn’t want to advertise by painting a skull and crossbones on the hull,” Ianto agreed.

“Could be a passing ship coming to see if they can offer assistance.”

“How likely is that?” Ianto directed sensors at the approaching ship.

“Nat particularly, but you never know.”

“They’re trying for a weapons lock, so I think we can forget about that possibility.”

“Unless they think we’re pirates.”

The other ship couldn’t get a lock on the Wanderer; she had some very efficient technology onboard that messed with most targeting systems. Still, whoever was aboard the other ship opened fire without replying to the hail Jack sent out. They missed, but the explosion still rocked the ship.

“Return fire?” Ianto asked.

“Well, it would only be polite. Target engines and weapons systems, see if you can disable them.” Jack held the Wanderer on a steady course while Ianto’s hands flew over the weapon controls, locking on target and firing.

The port engine exploded, and Ianto’s next shot took out one of the other ship’s laser cannons.

Turning sharply, Jack brought the Wanderer around for another run. “Are they waving a white flag yet?”

“Not that I can see. Oops, looks like they’re firing another missile.”

“Well that’s downright unfriendly. Get rid of it, would you?”

Ianto fired, exploding the missile before it got anywhere near the Wanderer, then sent out another laser blast, making sure the other ship wouldn’t get a third missile off.

“They’re trying to make a run for it,” he reported.

“On one engine? Like that’ll work.”

Ianto’s next shot went right up the other ship’s metaphorical tailpipe. The explosion was spectacular, but short-lived.

“One less pirate ship to worry about,” he murmured.

“Let’s get what we came for and go home.”

“No argument from me.”

The End