Anythingdrabble Challenge 62 - Pilgrimage

[m_findlow]

Title: Pilgrimage
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack, Gwen, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 62 - Profound at anythingdrabble
Summary: The team have some devout visitors on their way to planet Earth.

'You say they want to come here?' Gwen asked, giving Jack a curious look as he gave her the news.

Jack folded his arms, leaning casually back against the edge of her desk, accidentally dislodging the neat pile of research Ianto had set there earlier this morning. 'Is that a problem?' he asked, his eyes glittering with some unbidden knowledge. There was something about that look that challenged her to show him she knew more than he did.

'I only mean to say that, well... not that I've been anywhere else, but why would aliens want to come to Earth?'

Jack smiled. 'Normally I'd agreed with you. Not that Wales isn't a lovely little country,' he added, knowing that somewhere along the way the comment would filter back to Ianto. 'They're on a pilgrimage,' he explained.

Gwen listened as he told her about their history and culture; how it was fundamentally important to them to make the journey to ensure their passage into the afterlife. 'The purpose is to teach them wisdom and humility by seeing the rest of the universe and how its people live, and not to be consumed by the natural beauty they possess. I've never seen one myself, but people say they are the most beautiful beings in all of the universe.'

'But why here?'

'Because Earth just happens to be at an intersection of stars that is considered holy. It's one of over a hundred such intersections they have to travel to on their pilgrimage, and one of the first. It'll take them years by the time they finish it.'

The three of them drove out to the coordinates where the ship would land, waiting to meet them. The ship was small, just four of them aboard. Jack greeted them, offering them food and shelter for the duration of their stay. They thanked the team and immediately knelt on the grassy hilltop, where they proceeded to pray for ten days and ten nights with barely a break in between. It was exhausting just taking turns to come and check on them, bringing food and water. Finally they declared they were done, thanked the team again, boarded their ship and departed.

'I guess all the rumors were true,' Jack stated. 'They were sure as hell the sexiest looking aliens I've ever seen. A shame they're celibate.'

Gwen frowned as watched their captain, standing there staring up at the glittering, star  covered sky. She turned her attention to Ianto who was standing there next to her. 'You know, I was expecting him to say something profound, like the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.'

A small smile crossed his lips as he admired the night sky himself. 'It's Jack were talking about. Inappropriate was the far more likely outcome.'

'Maybe he needs to go on a pilgrimage of his own,' she suggested.

'Unless it incorporates the bakery, Jubilee Pizza, the shower and his bed, then I don't think there's much chance of that.'

Comments

[jo02]

Lol, who says baked goods, hot water, and a snuggly bed aren't the most important things in the universe ?

Maybe they are the secret to the universe ?

[m-findlow.livejournal.com]

And because Ianto is very humble, he neglected to add himself to that list, which would have made it complete IMHO. :)

[bk_forever]

Ianto knows Jack so well *grins* In fact he should take Jack in that very pilgrimage first chance they get!

[m-findlow.livejournal.com]

Guaranteed on an almost daily basis! :)