m_findlow

Title: Keeping it simple
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 434 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for m_findlow's prompt "Any, any, slingshot" at fic_promptly
Summary: Jack has a simple solution... sort of.

'We're going to die,' Ianto said. 'Out here, in the cold depths of space.' Then he looked at Jack. 'Well, I'm going to die. You'll just keep on coming back. Not sure I know which is worse.'

He stared at the bleak view outside the tiny window. It was black as black could be, with barely the slightest hint of stars. He expected once you got out into space, there'd be nothing but stars. Kind of like when you drove out into the countryside at night and there were way more stars in the sky out there because there was less pollution and other light to block out the view. Instead there was almost nothing. Dying out in space and there aren't even any stars to enjoy. Could life suck any more right now? Well, he suppose could be here on his own. That would suck more. At least he'd die with company.

'You know that your miserable Welsh outlook on life is really not doing you any favours,' Jack said. 'Stop being such a pessimist.'

'I'm not a pessimist. I'm a realist.'

'Same difference. And we're not going to die.'

'Uh, last I checked, A: stuck inside a space shuttle hurtling away from Earth, B: engines not working, and C: slowly running out of oxygen.'

'We'll be fine. All we need to do is burn the spare oxygen tank to create a boost of energy as we approach the moon, calculate the correct angle to burn the fuel load so that we don't send ourselves crashing into the surface of the moon, use its gravitational force to slingshot ourselves back around it, another fuel burn as we hit the point at which Earth is directly in front of us, radio a mayday once we're back in range, and we'll be homebound in no time.'

'Oh, is that all? Sounds perfectly straightforward when you put it like that,' Ianto quipped.

'It'll be fine,' Jack assured him, knowing that Tosh would already be working on a way to get them back without burning up on re-entry. 'When have I ever let you down?'

'Loads of times, actually.'

'Well, let this be the one time I don't. We've still got a wedding to go to, and I'll be damned if I miss it.'

'It would be a shame, since it's ours,' Ianto agreed.

'See, that's the spirit,' Jack grinned. 'Now hand me your shoelace.'

'Why?'

'I'm going to need it to measure out the distance between us and the moon so that we get the angle of burn correct.'

Yep, Ianto thought, they really were doomed.