Just Imagine...

Color Coded

It fascinated Gwen how Tosh always seemed to know what tool, what writing utensil, what computer monitor to use without giving it a glance. They didn't have labels that Gwen could see, or any identifying features besides size, location on the desk, etc. Gwen spent a lot of time wondering how Tosh did it. 
She got the opportunity to find out when Tosh asked her for help while taking apart a piece of alien tech that had come through the Rift earlier that week.
"The scans I did last night show that there could be some kind of organic matter inside this device," Tosh murmured, lifting up the white, melon-sized object and peering through the slots in the side, "but I can't see what it is from the outside, so I'll have to try and take it apart."
Gwen took a good long look at the object. It almost a kidney shape, though what she presumed to be the top part was smaller and narrower than the bottom, which had a flat bit, though the back of the object was also flat. One side had a series of groves in a spiral shape, which were a reddish-pink color. There was a faint rustling, fluttering sound as Tosh moved it, reminiscent of the sound of pigeon wings when a flock of them took to the air, but much quieter. Gwen didn't see anything that resembled a screw or a hinge or any means of opening it up, but if there was something inside there had to be, right?
"What do you think it is?" Gwen asked.
"I'm not exactly sure," Tosh replied, still inspecting the object, "it doesn't seem to do anything, so my guess is it's a decoration of some kind. A trinket, a collectible even."
"What do you think is inside?"
"Only one way to find out. Could you pass me the yellow tool over there?"
Gwen stared at the pile of Tosh's tools in confusion. Aside from the fact that they didn't look like they came from Earth, none of them were yellow.
"Umm..." Gwen began, "which one is the yellow one? I don't see it here. Did you lose it?"
"Oh God," Tosh sighed, slouching, "I did it again, didn't I? Sorry Gwen, I meant that one."
She pointed to one of the objects on her desk, with two flat prongs, one slightly longer than the other.
"Did what again?" Gwen asked, handing the tool to Tosh.
"It's difficult to explain," Tosh murmured, looking slightly embarrassed, "I associate different colors with my tools, it helps me tell them apart. Sometimes I accidentally ask for the color instead of the tool, I did the same thing to Owen and Sam last week." She giggled self consciously.
"Oh, so that's how you do it!" Gwen exclaimed, perking up, "I've always wondered how you just know what thing to use."
"It's called synesthesia," Tosh explained, "I've always used it to help me remember things. It's easier to remember the color than the name of the tool."
She slid the longer of the two prongs into one of the slots in the alien object and wiggled it tentatively, and a small, straight split appeared along its side.
"Looks like it opens." Tosh murmured, smiling.
"So how'd you find out you have synesthesia?" Gwen pressed, "if you don't mind me asking.
"Not at all," Tosh replied, "Sam explained it to me. She has synesthesia too."
Gwen glanced across the hub and made eye contact with Sam in the break area. Sam perked up slightly, then smiled and waved.
"Almost got it..." Tosh said under her breath, still working on the object. The split had widened, so now Tosh almost had two identical halves in front of her.
"What're you working on today, Tosh?" Jack asked, walking up behind Gwen and placing a hand on her shoulder just as Tosh finally got the object open.
There was a soft fluttering as a collection of dried leaves, stems, and petals fell out of it and onto Tosh's desk. There were faint stains on the inside of the device that looked as if there had been water in it at one time.
"Flowers?" Tosh said, sounding mildly confused yet fascinated at the same time.
"Oh, wow," Jack murmured, grinning in awe as he picked up a few of the dried specimens and examined them, "I haven't seen one of these since I was a boy. It's called a xilqol, but really it's a type of vase. They're made by the Saegoih but were sold all across the universe in my time. We had them all over the house when I was growing up."
A look of nostalgia came over Jack's face and Gwen felt a twinge of warmth and affection towards him. He was so cute when he got like this, and she was sure Ianto would attest to that more than any of them.
"What kind of flowers were these?" Tosh inquired, gingerly examining the crinkled, brown petals of the long-dead plant.
"Aurora lilies," Jack said, "my favourite flower on the Peninsula."
"Were they purple?"
"Yes. They were purple... How did you know that?"
"I dunno. Just a feeling."