Double Drabble: Mostly Harmless

[badly_knitted]

 


Title: Mostly Harmless
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Jack, Owen.
Rating: G
Written For: Challenge 647: Harmful / Harmless at tw100.
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: The latest Rift Gift is a bit baffling.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
A/N: Double drabble.
 


 
Ianto studied the greyish lump that sat on the park bench where the Rift had dropped it, managing to appear completely innocuous despite being totally alien. It was small, no bigger than a tennis ball, a flattish ovoid, the surface of which was veined and slightly wrinkled. It wasn’t moving and the more keenly he watched it, the more it failed to do anything at all.
 

“Looks harmless enough,” he said at last.
 

“Appearances can be deceptive,” Jack reminded him. That was one of the first lessons anyone learned on joining Torchwood.
 

“My scans aren’t picking up anything dangerous. Readings indicate it’s organic, but not alive.”
 

Jack shrugged. “Well, a lot of things here on earth can prove toxic to the more sensitive alien species. Maybe it arrived here, took one breath of air, and died.”
 

“A sad fate if that’s the case. Can’t leave it here though.” Ianto carefully scooped the thing into a containment box. “Owen should be able to figure out cause of death.”

 
Back at the Hub, Owen examined the deceased before stalking up to Jack’s office.
 

“Think you’re hilarious, don’t you?”

 
“What d’you mean?” Jack looked puzzled.

 
“It’s the alien equivalent of a turnip.”
 

“Ah.”
 

 
The End