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River Song watched the handsome young mechanic lift a panel and disappear into the bowels of her engine. “It’s just an odd noise.”
“I’m sure we can get this sorted pretty quick,” he called back. “Give me an hour.”
River smiled and leaned on the bulkhead. “How’s Alyssa?”
“Gone again, you know how she is.”
River smiled, remembering. “Well she said her whole family was excellent mechanics, I’m counting on you.”
There was a clang that echoed back. “Lilly’s got sandwiches and tea. Second door on the left.”
“Thank you.” River stepped out of her ship, through the airlock and down the corridor. The door was ajar and she stepped inside. The permeating scent of engine grease eased as she stepped inside. A heavily pregnant woman was working at the computer, but she looked up and smiled, moving to the counter. “Professor River Song. Alyssa told us about you.”
“Good I hope,” River took a seat and sipped the tea Lilly poured for her.
Lilly chuckled. “You certainly made an impression. Astin is certain he’ll never get his sister to stay home again.”
“Good thing he’s here then to keep up the family business. And I see you’ve got another one on the way.”
Lilly patted her ample belly. “Always have to have a few spares in case one or two run off. Someone has to mind the shop. “She set a plate in front of River.
“Thank you.” River dug in, watching Lilly turn back to the work on her computer. She knew it took just as much to work on the business side as it did to be up to your elbows in an engine compartment. Well, from what Alyssa had said, people in her family tended to marry smart, and she’d had nothing but praise for her sister in law. And they’d had time to talk, there on that desolate moon. She took another bite, tasting the familiar hint of banana found in replicated food. Good source of protein.
Suddenly there was a gasp from Lilly. River’s hand automatically went to her gun as she looked across the counter. Lilly turned to her. “Alyssa’s been kidnapped.”
River was by her side in two steps, looking over her shoulder at the urgent message. She put a hand on Lilly’s shoulder. “Where did the message come from?”
Lilly quickly copied the message to River’s pad. River read it and nodded. “Don’t worry, Lilly, I’ll take care of this.” She turned and hurried back down the corridor to her ship, just as Astin was closing up the panel. “Good as new Professor Song,” he said without looking at her.
“Good, thank you Astin. I’ll take care of this, don’t worry.”
Astin gave a confused look as River quickly got into her ship. He retreated through the airlock and ran into Lilly as River took off, momentarily filling the area with noise. Lilly took his arm and when she could speak again pulled him close. “Alyssa’s been kidnapped.”
Astin stared at her a moment, then lead her back into the office. “Kidnapped?”
Lilly nodded and showed him the message. Astin slipped into her seat. “Look, I know what Alyssa said about Professor Song, but I think we might just need Captain Harkness on this.” He pressed a few buttons and in a moment got a sleepy looking man on his line. He broke into a smile.
“Astin Anderson, what can I do ya for?”
“Trouble, Captain.” He forwarded the message.
Jack’s smile dropped. “Thank you for calling me. I’ll take care of this.” Jack disconnected before Astin could say anything else. Lilly looked at him. Astin gave her a worried smile. “Well with both Professor Song and Captain Harkness on the case, we’ll get Alyssa back by morning.”
River parked her ship, checked her hair, then her equipment and cautiously climbed out of her ship. This spaceport looked disused, rusted and pocked where debris had collided with metal. The air smelled dusty and reminded River of some digs she’d been on. She approached the door and it opened at her touch. Drawing her weapon, she took two steps inside. There was movement to her left and she turned automatically. There was an ood blinking at her. “Professor Song, please follow.” He turned and she kept her weapon out as she followed him.
The disused corridors soon gave way to well-kept ones and the air cleared as well. Finally they reached a well-appointed room with plush carpet and apparent wood paneling. A man was seated in one of the chairs, sipping a drink with an angry expression on his face. She would have known who he was, even without the greatcoat spilling down to the floor, after so much time with the Doctor. “Captain Jack Harkness,” she said.
Jack looked up and the anger gave way to a charismatic smile. “That’s usually my line. And who are you?”
“This is Professor River Song .” Another man joined them. He was well dressed and carried an air of control and power. “Please, sit Professor.”
River crossed her arms. “Where’s Alyssa?”
“She’s safe. And will be returned once you’ve held up your end of the bargain.”
“What bargain?” Jack leaned forward and asked, setting his drink on the side table.
“Simple. You two do a job for me, I let Alyssa go.” He touched a panel on the wall, revealing a monitor. Alyssa was in some sort of cell, bound and unconscious, but breathing. “I was aiming for one of you, but both is better. All you need to do is retrieve an item for me.”
“And what’s the item?” River could tell by Jack’s tone that he was used to being in charge. If they were going to work together he’d have to learn to rein that in.
The other man produced a pair of fancy invitations. “Dar Kelon is having an event to celebrate a new wing of his art gallery on Hadereon. He is in possession of a Grath Diamond.”
River scoffed. “Nobody has seen a Grath Diamond in four thousand years.”
“Nevertheless, Professor Song, he does have one. And you will get it for me.” River’s eyes went to the screen, then to the Captain. The anger had returned to his face, but he was clearly weighing his options.
“You aren’t getting it until we know she’s free and returned home.”
“Well of course I don’t expect you to trust me.” He offered the invitations. Jack took them as he stood, then looked at River. “Your ship or mine?”
Jack swung by his ship to get a few things, but they ended up on River’s. She set the course and regarded the Captain, leaning back in her chair, one foot resting on the console. He gave her a grin and sat. “You’ve heard of me.”
“Oh yes. I have.” She pulled the gun off her thigh and set it between them.
“Hey, that’s mine!”
River took it back before Jack could grab it. “Finders keepers.”
“But I left that on the…” He stared at her, his grin slipping.
“Yes, you did. I do know who you are Captain.”
“Well then you have me at an unfair advantage.”
She hesitated. “Let’s just say we have a mutual friend. And as our apparent employer said, I’m River Song.”
“Professor, I believe he said.”
“Of archeology.”
Jack’s grin was back. “I bet you weren’t asked to come for your archeology skills.” Suddenly the grin froze as River had her gun in his ribs.
“Oh no, there’s a great many other things I’m good at, Captain.”
“Just call me Jack. According to the invitations, you’re my plus one.” She holstered the gun and went to look through her wardrobe.
“So that means he expected you to come, and not me. How do you know Alyssa?”
“I don’t, at least, not her specifically. But I’ve been friends with the Andersons for many years. You’re a friend of Alyssa’s?”
“Yes, we worked together a couple years back.” She pulled out two dresses. “What do you think?” She held up one dress to herself, then the other.
“Mmm, I think the blue one is more your color.”
River nodded and left that one out. “That’s what I was thinking. He give us any more information in that file?”
“Not much, other than Dar Kelon will have the diamond on him.”
River made her way back to the controls. “We’ll be there soon.” She turned around and patted his cheek. “Better put your dancing shoes on.”
The pair mingled easily with the crowd outside the art gallery, more than a few eyes appreciating the humans. Jack was still wearing his coat, but had changed to a tux underneath. He handed over the invitations to a tall alien who gave them a once over and let them in. Both River and Jack smiled as they easily moved through the cocktail crowd, River’s heels clicking on the hard floor. Most of the art was garish and incomprehensible to River, but Jack seemed interested in a couple of the pieces. He started chatting up one of the guests admiring the same works. River circulated the room, watching the guests and making small talk. Most of them were new money trying a bit too hard to fit in, made clear by their clothes and their fixed smiles as they tried to fit into the idea of being the sort that went to events like this. It almost made Jack and River stick out with their practiced ease.
The crowd quieted down as Dar Kelon entered the room. He was a fat, scaly alien, moving with the aid of a gravity harness to help his ample weight and wearing the diamond on a chain around his thick neck. He gave a short introduction and thanked his guests for being there, then the noise picked up again. Three bodyguards followed near him. River met Jack’s eyes a moment before smiling at one of bodyguards. “Hello handsome.”
The bodyguard looked at River, then fixed his eyes somewhere over her left shoulder. “Ah, well…” She heard a noise and glanced over to see Jack kissing another guard and leading him away from the center of the room, while also holding the hand of the third guard and tugging her along. Dar Kelon was busy talking to a Centarun. River abandoned the guard and moved toward Dar Kelon.
He gave an appreciative smile. “I should enshrine you here with the rest of the artwork.”
River smiled and touched his arm. “Can you tell me about this?” She gestured at one of the sculptures.
He puffed himself up and began talking about the piece and where he’d acquired it. River was watching him, but mostly looking for an opportunity. Before she could move there was the sound of a blaster charging and someone pulling Jack out of the crowd. “Dar Kelon, we have thieves and conmen among us, sir.”
Dar Kelon frowned and the bodyguard took River’s arm. “This is River Song, sir, if I’m not mistaken.”
His frown deepened and he looked around for the other two guards. “Arrest these two.” Jack wiped his mouth and River was certain he was removing lip gloss. She didn’t fight as she and Jack were herded out of the gallery and into the basement by the last remaining guard.
He let go of them both as soon as they were all alone. “I know why you’re here. It’s the diamond, right?”
River gave a short nod.
“It’s a fake. He had it made special to pass almost any scrutiny, but it’s not real.”
“Someone hired us,” said Jack. “If we don’t deliver the goods, a friend of ours gets hurt.”
The guard started to speak, but the alien that had pulled Jack out of the crowd stepped out of the lift. “I’ll take these two from here. There’s people who would pay plenty for both these humans.”
River pulled her gun, but Jack was just a hair faster. The alien flickered and vanished.
“See you’re fast on the trigger, Jack,” River muttered, even as she looked around for the source of the projection.
“I can be slow when it matters,” he smiled, automatically putting his back to hers as he looked for more danger. They turned a bit together, covering the room. Without warning the guard crumpled to the floor. River put her sleeve to her nose and mouth, too late realizing there was a gas in the room. It annoyed her that she passed out slightly faster than Jack.
River remembered. She remembered finding a room on the Tardis with various weapons the Doctor had confiscated from people or that had been left behind. The gun had been different and caught her attention, so she’d taken it. It felt comfortable in her hands and she was curious so she’d found the Doctor and asked him about it. He’d stared at it a long moment. “It belonged to a friend,” he said in that tone of voice. River resisted rolling her eyes at him and had instead walked away. The Tardis led her to a room and she hesitated as she looked at the door, knowing it had belonged to one of his past companions. Still, she opened it and looked around. The room had clearly belonged to a man, with a bed made with black sheets. A blue t-shirt had been casually thrown over the back of the chair at the desk. On the desk was some sort of half-finished project next to an empty glass. Whoever’s room it was, they had expected to come back. “Whose room is this?” she asked out loud.
The screen at the desk came to life and she walked over to watch. She’d heard the name Jack Harkness before, but hadn’t seen the Tardis records about him. Handsome devil. She watched her Doctor’s earlier form interacting with him and Rose and wondered just how long ago all this had happened. Her frown deepened as the records reached the desperate battle with the Daleks. That Doctor was much different than the one she knew now, but still, in some ways, all the same. But, Jack had died, and the records went fuzzy for a few moments. When they cleared again the Tardis was leaving, but there was Jack, alive again, desperately watching as he was left behind, heartbreak clear on his face.
She shut the record off. He’d done it on purpose, left Jack there. It made her angry, but there was no point in asking about it. Instead she looked at the gun and went to find a proper holster for it, footsteps echoing on the Tardis floors.
As she opened her eyes she realized the tapping was coming from the wall next to her. She was in some sort of cell, white, with a window high on the door. The thrum beneath her told her they were on a ship that was moving. The tapping stopped, then started again. She focused on it, translating. “Yes, I’m awake, you stupid man,” she grumbled, moving to the wall.
She huffed as she tapped back. This wasn’t my fault.
He tapped that he’d distracted two of the guards, what was she doing?
Being focused on the job, you stubborn man.
Pushy broad.
River put her hands on her hips and took a breath, staring at the wall as if she could kill Jack Harkness with a glare. Instead she just hit the wall.
Silence for a moment, then more taps. I heard that. What do you say we blow this place?
Is that all you think about?
Another pause. Then, Usually.
Before she could muster another response, the door unlocked itself and opened. She looked up and saw Jack grinning at her from the doorway. He offered her a hand up. “How?” She demanded.
Jack gestured at his own cell, where he’d managed to get a panel loose. “G-Hex class starcruiser. They always use the same password and I’ve never known anyone to change it.”
“And what would that be?”
“Buffalo. The password is always buffalo.”
River shook her head. Jack had left the tuxedo jacket and tie behind and had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. “The guard station’s usually up this way.” They moved up the corridor and peeked around the corner. Two guards sat at a table, watching what sounded like a sports game on their monitor. “I got this,” said Jack.
River put a hand on his arm. “Allow me.”
Jack and River stared at each other for a long moment, then Jack took River’s arm as if they were strolling along the Seine and walked into the room. “Love what they’ve done with the place.”
The guards looked up, startled. Before they could reach for their weapons, Jack let go and they moved in tandem to each take out a guard. River got a gun first and held it on the guards while Jack looked for something to tie them up. He found some tape and cable and got to work. River smiled approvingly. “I can see you’ve done this before.”
Jack just gave her that cocky smile before looking back at the guard. “Where’s my coat?” He gestured at a locker against the wall. “Thank you.” Jack slapped tape over the man’s mouth and went to open it. He shook the coat out and put it on before pulling out River’s gun. He looked at it a moment, remembering, then tossed it to her. “Guess it is yours now.”
“You’ve been using that one a long time, haven’t you?” She asked as Jack checked his revolver.
He looked at her, as if wondering just how much she knew. “Yeah, quite a while. Come on, I can find my way around one of these starcruisers blindfolded. Have.”
“I bet you loved it.” River yanked the shoes off of one of the guards and switched out of her heels.
Jack gave a wink and pocketed his gun, leading the way out of the room.
“We’re lost.” River leaned against the bulkhead and watched Jack with a smile.
“Yeah, I see that,” he groused. “They’ve upgraded this ship, it’s got a different layout.” He found a terminal and started poking at the keyboard with two fingers. “So who are you, River Song?”
River watched the corridor. “That’s a loaded question, and I could ask you the same, Captain.”
He glanced at her, then back at the keyboard. “You’re a companion?”
“In a way.”
He grumbled. “A mystery wrapped in a sexy enigma.”
“Thank you,” River smiled. “Figure out where we are?”
“On a ship in space.”
River shook her head and walked back down the corridor. That man was infuriating at times, but she also knew she could trust him. They had to get off this ship, and either get the diamond that may or may not be a fake, and/or rescue Alyssa. There was noise down the corridor and she retreated back to where Jack was still poking at the terminal. “Jack…”
Jack looked up just as a dozen soldiers came around from either side. There was no hesitation as she pulled her gun and fired. Jack did the same, pressing his back against hers. She heard him grunt, but was too busy to notice until they were all dead. Then she felt Jack sag against her and turned, catching him as he slid to the floor. “Lucky shot,” he grumbled as red bloomed on his white shirt. River moved to try and stop the bleeding but he shook his head. “Just…give…a minute….” His eyes closed and after a moment he was still, leaving River staring down at him. She knew what the video had shown, but that wasn’t the same thing as seeing Captain Jack Harkness dead at her feet. Unsure of what else to do she started going through the pockets of the nearest soldier until she heard a gasp and hurried back to Jack’s side.
Jack smiled up at her. “See, told you I’d be all right.” He accepted her hand up as he got back on his feet, a little shaky.
“We’ve got problems, Jack,” she quickly turned back to business, figuring that’s what he would prefer. “Look familiar?”
Jack took the badge from her. “Same as the logo on Alyssa’s ransom note. So it’s our employer that’s after us.”
“Maybe the diamond wasn’t the target after all, it was us.”
He gave her that smile again. “Well who could blame him?”
“Later.” She patted his cheek and straightened his coat. “Think you can find those escape pods now?”
“Better,” his leg hitched a bit as he made his way back over to the screen. “Ship’s carrying a couple scout vessels.”
“Let’s go then.”
River slid into the pilot’s seat. Jack looked amused as he took the other chair. “So now we go rescue Alyssa?”
“Now we go rescue Alyssa,” she confirmed, hitting switches and dropping away from the starcruiser.
Jack looked over the panel, checking for weapons systems and making sure they weren’t being followed. “You know, we work well together, seems like.”
River smiled, even as she kept her eyes on where they were going. “We do, don’t we? Let’s rescue Alyssa, then we can talk.”
He chuckled and watched his own screens. River relaxed in her seat, knowing they’d get Alyssa free and back to her family. After a little while it was clear they weren’t going to be followed. “We’re still a ways out, I’m going to catch a little sleep.”
“Go on, I don’t sleep,” said Jack.
River got up and Jack caught her arm. “What….has he said about me?”
River smiled at him, seeing the pain and fear in his eyes.
“He said you were a friend.”
Jack visibly relaxed and nodded, perhaps mostly to himself. “I’ll wake you up when we get there.”
River woke before Jack came to get her. She got them both some food and coffee and brought it back to the front. Jack smiled at her. “Thank you.”
“Welcome. So, do you think Alyssa’s being held the same place he met us?”
“Yeah, I did some research while you were gone. Tasven Hollis. He owns the planet, but most of it is uninhabitable. So his not so secret base is the best place to start.” Jack made a face as he sipped the coffee.
“Best the computers could do,” said River.
“Oh I know, but once you’ve had amazing coffee, the machine stuff is always awful. And I never did learn to make it right.”
“You seem pretty handy with machines, bet you could convince it to program a better cup.”
Jack’s eyes got distant for a moment. “Not that good. And besides, we’re only going to be on this scout a little bit longer.”
River knew what loss looked like, but she didn’t speak to it. “Don’t suppose you found floor plans?”
“Yeah, right here.”
“Good. Let’s make a plan, then.”
They made their plans and Jack went back to change into a shirt he’d found. River gave an appreciative smile as Jack came back out buttoning it. Jack smiled back and River turned to the console to make final adjustments. Jack slid into the other seat, making final checks as River landed the ship smoothly. They moved quickly out of the ship and into the building, River once again trusting Jack to know where they were going as they moved deeper into the building.
These parts of the complex were utilitarian and cold. River recognized some of the technology and style, but kept it to herself, focusing on the job. They started around another corner and River touched Jack’s elbow, nodding at a camera. He followed her gaze and moved to avoid it, River just behind, covering his back. There were more lights here and the passage opened up into a round room with a thick column in the center. She felt Jack tense and automatically followed his lead. Three guards dropped dead. Jack met River’s eyes and they split apart, moving in tandem around the room, searching. “Here, Jack.”
River removed a panel, which opened onto a passage. “Sorry, this is pretty narrow, you better stay here.”
Jack opened his mouth, then nodded, moving to guard the entrance as River climbed inside. The space was almost too tight for her, let alone Jack’s broad shoulders. The tunnel grew darker and the air stale. She paused and found the light she’d grabbed from the ship. A few more feet and then…there. River reached up and got the panel above her free. She lay it carefully down and climbed up. There was one more panel she lifted and pushed to the side, finding herself in a dim hallway with a light at the end.
There was a commotion in the distance and three figures stepped into the light. Alyssa was between a man and a tall alien, her hands cuffed in front of her. She was struggling and cursing in a way that made River proud as she slipped into the hallway. Alyssa managed to kick the tall alien, making them stumble back around the corner.
“You are not going to escape again,” growled the human guard, punching Alyssa in the gut and making her double over.
River moved in a flash, punching the guard and knocking him clean out. Alyssa got her breath back and straightened. “Just like old times,” she smiled as River got the key and freed her from the cuffs.
The alarms sounded and River smiled back. “Come on.”
Alyssa didn’t hesitate to drop down the hole, River close on her heels. “Hurry up, ladies,” called Jack as alarms echoed through the complex. He reached in and pulled Alyssa out and onto her feet. River came just behind, climbing out on her own. “This way,” he said.
River was glad for Jack’s sense of direction as they ran through corridors that all looked the same utilitarian gray, making occasional turns as Jack glanced at numbers on the walls. They were nearly out when a rather large alien appeared behind them. “Get Alyssa to the ship,” ordered River. Jack took Alyssa’s hand as River turned to face the guards, firing and slowly retreating, buying them time to get to Jack’s ship. She ducked behind some equipment and listened to them getting closer. She pulled a grenade and threw it, turning to run down the corridor and throwing herself into the sand just as the explosion rocked the base.
River raised her head and picked herself up as Jack’s ship dropped down next to her. The door opened and Jack offered a hand up. River accepted it and Jack wrapped her against his chest as he closed the door.
Stepping away from Jack, River shook the sand from her hair and looked around. Alyssa was at the controls. “Thought it would be bigger.”
Jack chuckled. “Believe me, it’s got power where it counts. You can get cleaned up back there. Third door on the right.”
River nodded and headed to the cabin. It was clearly set up for a guest. A look in the mirror confirmed that her dress was ruined. She opened a locker and found clothes that would fit men, women or several other species. River picked out an outfit and headed for the shower.
She felt much better when she came out again. Jack was at the controls, feet kicked up on the console. “Alyssa went to get cleaned up and take a nap. We’ll be at Anderson Station in a few hours, then we can go get your ship.”
“Sounds good,” River sat in the other chair and stretched. “We did work well together.”
Jack watched her. “Been a while since I worked with anybody.” He had the computer produce a couple of drinks and passed one to River.
River sipped it. “Can’t imagine a man like you being too lonely.”
Jack gave a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. River knew that look too. Jack looked away, out at the stars. River settled back into the chair, watching both the scenery and Jack Harkness.
“Alyssa!” Astin pulled his sister into a tight hug. “Captain Harkness, Professor Song, I can’t thank you enough.”
“Don’t mention it,” said River, petting Alyssa’s hair.
Alyssa smiled and looked at River, then her brother. “You know this isn’t going to keep me at home.”
“I wouldn’t imagine so,” said River.
Astin sighed.
“Give my regards to your parents,” said Jack.
Astin eyed him. “Believe me, Captain, Mom and Dad have never forgotten you.”
Jack chuckled. Lilly spoke up. “Actually if you two are looking for work, I heard there’s some trouble in the Brigga System.”
River looked at Jack. Jack offered his arm. With a smile, River took it and they headed back to his ship.