m_findlow | Anythingdrabble Challenge 63

Title: Probing questions
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Owen, Ianto, Jack
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 63 - Probe at anythingdrabble
Summary: Owen and Ianto are speculating over their latest rift find.

'What d’you fancy it is?' Owen asked, holding up the device with a gloved hand. It was long and shiny, a burnished copper colour and made of some unusual metal that their scanner couldn’t identify. One end was clearly made to be gripped, but the other end was long with a rounded end.

'Medical device,' Ianto quickly replied.

'Nah, too obvious,' Owen said, turning it over in his hand.

'Says the medical expert,' Ianto teased.

'Wanna bet?' Owen dared him.

'I’m game if you are.'

'Probably something ridiculous like a giant cake decorator.'

'Did someone say cake?' Jack’s voice filtered down to where they were gathered in Owen’s autopsy bay.

'Trust you,' Owen sighed, rolling his eyes.

'We were debating our latest rift find. Ever seen anything like it?' Ianto asked.

Jack nodded. 'Sure.'

Owen huffed. 'Well, don’t keep us in suspense. What is it?'

'It’s a probe,' Jack replied, unable to keep the grin from his face, watching as Owen quickly dropped the long coppery device.

Ianto grinned. 'You owe me twenty quid. Told you it was medical.'

Owen cringed. 'That’s disgusting.'

'I never said what it was a probe for.' Jack gave a dramatic sigh. 'And you tell me I’m the one with a dirty mind.'

'Only because it’s true,' Ianto quipped, hoping Jack didn’t remind him of just how filthy minded he could be when they were alone. He certainly gave Jack a run for his money when no one else was around.

'Well, on this occasion you’ll be disappointed. Owen gets to keep his money, too.'

Ianto looked crestfallen, not because he’d lost his winnings, but because according to Jack he wasn’t right. He hated it when he wasn’t right. 'But you said it’s a probe.'

Jack pulled a face. 'Okay, so maybe probe is not quite the right word. A diagnostic tool, let’s say.'

'For what?'

'Quantum crystal-based technology. Specifically spacecraft. See, when you have a machine with lots of metal parts, it’s pretty easy to tell when something isn’t working; a broken part, overheating cause by friction, not enough lubricant...'

'Keep it clean, Harkness,' Owen warned.

Jack ignored him. 'You get the picture. When you rely on crystal drives it’s a hell of a lot harder to diagnose a problem. This thing provides a resonance against the ionic crystal bonds to identify cracks or damaged areas. Very high-end tech, but since we don’t have anything powered by crystal drives, not much use.'

Ianto picked it up and studied it. 'It seems so mundane now that you’ve said that.' He couldn’t help but think it was much more exciting before they knew what it was. Speculating was half the fun.

Jack took it back from him. 'Never mind. Perhaps later I can show you something from my personal collection that’s much more useful in, shall we say, exploration of hard to access spots?'

Owen gagged and left, muttering under his breath. Ianto quickly followed him, bright red and wishing he’d kept his big mouth shut.

Anythingdrabble Challenge 63 - Probing questions

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