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weaselettTitle: No Grand Arena
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
weaselett
Prompt: Serenity
Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, slight Owen/Tosh
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Some mention of injury, minor character death and some mild swear words.
Spoilers: No real spoilers for Torchwood, but many for Serenity - characters from all three series of Torchwood appear
Disclaimer: I own neither Torchwood nor Serenity they belong to their respective owners
Summary: Jack Harkness had something that the Alliance wants.
Author's Notes: Beta'd by the lovelycharlies_dragon - I did two fics for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
reel_torchwood (of which this is the second), and went with two completely different approaches. In this case I pretty much took the script of Serenity and dumped the Torchwood lot, with some Doctor Who guests, into it *g* (feel free to call me a lazy ass - or you know - give concrit)- charlies_dragon says it's a fushion (*bows to superior* ;)) - I do also however intend, at some point in the next month, to post the alternate fic (set in canon Torchwood verse) which I knew I would never be able to finish in time.
Masterpost here
Hera was nothing like the worlds that Ianto remembered from his childhood, but that had never been the point. He’d made a choice, years ago now, to leave all of that behind and he wasn’t about to start regretting that now.
He sighed, leaning back against the pillar, staring out into the valley, watching as the sun started its slow descent. The students here were enthusiastic and more than willing to listen to whatever advice he had, to the point that he almost dreaded walking into the classroom. He can still remember his own years of training, the calm indifference that had fallen over him early on and never quite left, it’s strange not to see it reflected back at him here.
There hadn’t been any place for enthusiasm in his duties, or at least not that kind of enthusiasm. Ianto smiled lifting his cup to take a quick sip of his now cool tea, he’d been out on the balcony longer than he’d realised.
“They love you, the girls…and most of the boys as well,” Yvonne, his old friend and the mistress of the Training House, stepped out onto the balcony, a glass of wine in hand, as always, “they’ve learned more from you in the past months than the rest of us could teach them in two years.”
Ianto smiled automatically, the picture of an interested conversationalist.
“They’re very sweet, but they’re not Companions.”He told her.
Yvonne’s eyebrows rose and she paused to examine the contents of her glass idly before she took a sip.
“You’ve no hope for them?” She asked.
Ianto shook his head, “On Sihnon we started training when we were twelve. Years of discipline and preparation before the physical act of pleasure was even mentioned.” Ianto stopped, shaking his head again and taking a sip of his tea. “Most of these…”
“They’re all of good family, the highest academic standards…” Yvonne said, interrupting Ianto mid-sentence.
“Control,” Ianto continued as though Yvonne hadn’t interrupted, “was the first lesson.” He smiled to himself, “and the last, and these worlds aren’t like the Central Planets. There is barbarism dressed up in the most civil weeds. Men of the highest rank who don’t know the difference between a Companion and a common whore. It’s unsafe.” He turned away from her, fixing his gaze on the mountains rising up on the other side of the valley, remembering his own experiences.
There wasn’t a one of these students that he could see handling such things, with the calm required. They would panic, act insulted, dig themselves into deeper hole than the society of these planets had already dug for them. Ianto shuddered faintly, the number of times he’d had to use his training to get himself and others out of difficult situations. It had been a test of even his calm.
“All the more reason that they look to you.” Yvonne argued, her tone remaining civil even as her eyes gave her away.
“You came out here alone, before the Alliance even thought to establish a House this remote. You’ve seen so much. You’re a figure of great romance to them.” She continued.
Ianto fought not to snort at the very idea of himself as anything of the sort. “Great romance has nothing to do with being a Companion, Yvonne. You should know better.”
Yvonne smiled crookedly, leaning back against another of the pillars, quietly smug. “I’m not the one who had a torrid affair with a pirate.”
Ianto stared dumbly at her for a moment, all of his hard learned lessons lost in his disbelief. “A who? With a what?”
Yvonne’s smile widened and she shrugged casually, clearly enjoying the moment. “It’s the talk of the House. They all trade stories in the dorms at night.”
Ianto frowned, more than a little insulted at being the source of such gossip in a Training House of all places. “I didn’t…have a pirate…” He stuttered out, composure temporarily lost.
“In one of the stories you make love in a burning temple,” Yvonne added, taking a leisurely sip of her wine, “I think it’s my favourite.”
Ianto shook his head, moving to sit on the bench set to one side of the balcony, “This is…unbearable. Captain Harkness is no pirate, he’s a petty thief. And he never laid a finger on me. All he ever did was rent me a shuttle and be very annoying.” He ranted softly, before muttering a choice selection of curses under his breath. Trainee Companions gossiping about one of their teachers having some romanticised tryst with some renegade, it was almost worse than the fact that they thought he’d had some kind of relationship with Jack Harkness; besides the business one that they’d had.
Making love in a burning temple? Ianto shook his head again, downing the rest of his tea in one go under Yvonne’s amused gaze.
“A year on his shuttle and he never laid a finger on you. No wonder you left.” She teased. He should never have told her anything about his time on Serenity, damn her and her love of winding him up. She’d always known just what to say to get him worked up and it had taken him years to learn to control himself against such ribbing, a control that any mention of Jack Harkness seemed able to shake.
"I left because…” He stopped, irritated that he couldn’t even form a decent explanation that wouldn’t make it sound like he’d had a torrid affair with a pirate that had ended badly.
“Go away, we’re no longer friends. You’re a stranger to me now.” Ianto said.
Yvonne smiled, moving to sit beside him and pat him on the knee gently.
“I do so love to watch you boil. Don’t worry. The stories will fade. And your Captain Harkness has probably got himself blown up by this time.”
Ianto groaned, looking away.
“Yes, that would be just like him.”
--
Ianto stood rigidly in front of the vid screen, fighting the urge to look back over his shoulder at the woman standing in the far corner of his chamber. Jack would see this for what it was, Ianto was certain of that, but he still hated the fact that he was doing it at all.
Whatever it was that this operative of the government was after, whatever trouble that Jack had managed to get himself and his crew into, Ianto didn’t want any part of it. It had been one of the reasons he’d left Serenity. He was a licensed Companion and a well respected one at that, he hadn’t wanted to be linked to Jack anymore.
Hadn’t wanted to be used in his schemes anymore.
Ianto took a deep breath, keeping his composure. He wasn’t going to let the Operative see anything worth questioning. He would talk to Jack, ask for help that he would never ever ask the other man for, and then the Operative would leave, her prey still on the loose, far away from Ianto and the calm of the Training House.
“Ianto.” A bedraggled looking Jack appeared on the screen; a topless and barely awake Jack.
“I, er, is this a bad time?” Ianto swallowed, averting his gaze as Jack pulled on a shirt, feeling just a little bit like the awkward teenager he had never been.
“No,” Jack shook his head, clearly making an effort to look more awake, “it’s as good as any.” There was a long pause while they stared blankly at each other, Ianto’s purpose forgotten in the face of seeing Jack again. After a moment Jack cleared his throat, straightening slightly.
“How’s your world?”
“Cold, it’s autumn here.” Ianto answered, more or less automatically.
“Still at the Trainin’ House?” Jack questioned, as if that was somehow in doubt.
Ianto nodded awkwardly, fighting the urge to make a sarcastic remark. He wasn’t going to argue with Jack in front of the Operative. He was going to be completely civil, polite and considerate, the picture of a Companion contacting a former business associate.
“So, what occasions the wave, not that to see you ain’t, well you look very fine.” Jack rambled, as he tended to whenever they weren’t arguing.
“Oh, thank you.” Ianto forced a smile, ever the Companion.
“So, what was the, erm…” Jack stuttered to a stop and Ianto took over automatically, remembering what the point of the wave had been in the first place.
“Oh, I, guess we’re having something of a problem here with the locals and I thought maybe…”
“You could use a gunhand.” Jack was all business now, all traces of the hesitant man gone, replaced by war hardened Captain.
“I’m hoping not, but, if you happen to be close at all, you, the crew, could take your ease here for a while. There’d be payment.” Ianto added the last quickly, wincing mentally at how he sounded. So much for presenting the picture of the calm collected Companion.
“Well, we’d be, er, I mean I’d like to…” Jack trailed off, the awkwardness returned to his demeanour, “Gwen’s been missing you something fierce.” He leapt on the idea, as though it would somehow be enough to distract Ianto from what he had been about to say.
“I miss her too,” Ianto agreed, playing along, allowing a faint smile to touch his lips, “I even miss my shuttle occasionally.”
“Yeah, you left a, got some of your stuff in a trunk, I never did a chance to…”
“Oh, I didn’t mean to leave stuff.” Ianto said as his eyes widened, he’d been so sure he’d taken everything.
“I didn’t look through the stuff, I just, just sundries I expect,” Jack stopped, shifting in place awkwardly, his gaze darting around the room, never once looking directly at Ianto, “So, I’ll send you a wave, soon as I can.”
Ianto forced another smile, making sure to make it appear as real as possible, “Thank you.”
The screen went blank, leaving Ianto to stare at it for a long moment, composing himself, before he turned to face the Operative.
“There, will that be all?” He said to her. The woman stepped out of the shadows, her gaze assessing Ianto.
“That was quite the show Mister Jones.”
Ianto smiled; the polite smile that he had learned especially for situations such as this. “I do my best.”
The Operative watched Ianto for a moment longer before she inclined her head. “Now it is just left for us to wait and see if Captain Harkness takes up your offer.”
“I’m sure you and your men are welcome to stay in the Training House, though of course you understand, all within these walls must be left to continue undisturbed.”
The woman smiled serenely, “Of course my men and I will behave ourselves Mister Jones. We fully comprehend the rules of civilised people.”
Ianto inclined his head, remaining silent as he watched the woman stalk from the room, his smile vanished the moment the curtains fell back into place across the doorway. There was something about that woman that made him uneasy and more than that, he worried just what it was that she wanted from the crew of Serenity, because whatever it was, he doubted it was either good or civilised.
-
Ianto knelt in front of the Buddha, the sense of dread that had been building in his stomach reaching its peak. It had been just over a day since he had contacted Jack and he had hoped that the other man would have had the sense not to come. However, the red garbed individual that Ianto had spotted entering the Training House suggested otherwise. Someone really needed to teach that man about subtly.
Ianto stiffened for a moment before continuing his motions as the figure knelt beside him, lighting the incense stick carefully before blowing out the flame and fitting it into one of the holders.
“Dear Buddha,” Jack’s voice came from beside him, not even faintly muffled by the fabric covering his face, “please bring me a pony and a plastic rocket and…”
Ianto gritted his teeth, “Jack, what are you doing here?”
Jack gave Ianto an offended look, only partly obscured by his red veil, “Well, you invited me.”
Ianto shot him a disbelieving look, “I never for a moment thought you’d be stupid enough to come.” He hissed, glancing over his shoulder towards the door, expecting to see the Operative at any moment. The woman hadn’t been far from him since her arrival at the Training House, there was no way that she would have left at such a convenient moment.
“Well that makes you kinda a tease doesn’t it?” Jack teased, grinning.
Ianto glared at Jack, his hackles raised, “You knew my invitation wasn’t on the level.”
“Which lead me to conclude that you must be in some kind of trouble.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, mentally cursing Jack’s saviour complex, like he’d ever been the one needing saving, “I’m fine, I’m, giddy.”
Jack snorted, “For a man schooled in telling a person just what they want to hear, you ain’t much of a liar.”
Ianto stiffened, hearing movement outside the door. He dropped all pretence, desperate for Jack to just leave before something bad happened. “Jack, you can not handle this woman.”
Ianto stood and tried to push Jack towards the other exit, only it was already too late. The door swung open, allowing the slight woman who referred to herself as the Operative and nothing else, to step into the room. She ignored Ianto, focusing on Jack instead, her expression faintly amused.
“I have to say Captain, I’m impressed that you would come for him yourself,” she paused, eying Jack’s outfit, one eyebrow quirking slightly, “and that you would make it this far in that outfit.”
Jack took a step closer to the woman, his customary cocky grin in place, “I can be very graceful when I need to.”
Ianto winced, moving back to the Buddha and kneeling again, his hands finding the tube of incense sticks easily, the action automatic.
“I’ve no doubt.” The Operative commented, still completely focused on Jack.
“What are you doing?” Jack moved closer to Ianto as he placed another smouldering stick into a holder, his attention split between Ianto and the Operative.
“I’m praying for you Jack.” He ground out, annoyed that Jack still wasn’t recognising the danger that he was in. Stupid pig headed man he was.
“He’s very thoughtful,” Ianto gritted his teeth slightly at the tone of voice the woman used, but he remained focused on his own task, “but I mean it when I say I’ve got no intent to harm you.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly and he straightened, focused on the woman once more, “Speak your piece.”
“I think you’re beginning to understand how dangerous Toshiko Sato is.” The Operative spoke, keeping her tone infuriatingly reasonable.
Jack shrugged dismissively, “She is a might unpredictable, mood swings of a sort.”
“It’s worse than you know.”
Jack smiled, “It usually is.”
“That girl will rain destruction down on you and your ship. She is an Albatross Captain.”
“Way I remember it, Albatross was a ship’s good luck ‘til some idiot killed it,” Ianto looked up startled and Jack grinned down at him, “yes I’ve read a poem, try not a faint.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, forcing himself to remember that neither of them could afford to argue right now, not when danger was sharing the room with them so happily.
The Operative moved a little closer, intent on Jack and just as disturbingly sincere as ever, “I’ve seen your war record. I know how you must feel about the Alliance.”
Jack bristled, “You really don’t.”
The Operative shrugged, taking his anger without a moment’s pause, “Fair to say, but I have to hope you understand that you can’t beat us.”
“I see no need to beat you, I just want to go my way.”
“And you can do that. Once you let me take Toshiko Sato back home.”
Ianto sighed faintly, she really had no understanding of just who she was dealing with, everything she said, she was just making him more and more convinced that he was right and that the only option was to fight. The hole being dug was just getting deeper and he was all too aware of the fact that he had already been dragged into it, through no fault of his own. Well, apart from choosing Serenity all those years ago rather than some other ship, with a slightly less reckless captain.
“No, no, you’re workin’ this deal all crabbed, you gotta open with payment.”
The Operative snorted, “That is a trap, I offer money, you’ll play the man of honour and take umbrage. I ask you to do what is right, you’ll play the brigand…I have no stomach for games. I already know you will not see reason.”
Ianto stiffened, glancing once towards the still burning incense before turning back to the combatants, maybe she did have a slightly better idea of just who she was dealing with than it had seemed for a moment then, but still, not enough of one.
“Alliance wanted to show me reason they shouldn’t have send an assassin.”
Ianto watched, witnessing the moment when Jack’s words changed the Operative’s entire bearing. She clearly hadn’t been expecting Jack to know that about her.
“I have a warship in deep orbit Captain. We hit onto Serenity’s pulse beacon the moment you hit atmo’. I can speak a word and send a missile to that exact location inside of three minutes.”
“You do that.” Jack tossed a mass of wiring and parts to the woman, unmoved by her threat, “You’d best make peace with your dear and fluffy Lord.”
“Pulse beacon.” The woman ground out, grip tightening on the object in her hands.
“Advice from an old tracker, you want to find someone, use your eyes.”
“How long do you think you can really run from us?”
“I never accredited the Alliance with an over abundance of brains and if you’re the best they’ve got…” Jack ignored the question, as smugly cocky as ever and still an idiot.
“Captain Harkness, I should tell you so that you don’t waste your time, you can’t make me angry.”
Ianto stood, taking the chance to draw a little of the woman’s attention, “Please, spend an hour with him.”
“I want to resolve this like civilised people, I’m not threatening you, I’m unarmed.” She continued ignoring Ianto, unsurprisingly, choosing to deliberately open herself to Jack, who of course took the opportunity offered.
“Good.” He pulled his gun, firing a shot dead centre into the woman’s chest and Ianto cursed his stupidity for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Though at the same time, the whole situation had been headed in this direction the minute Jack had walked into the Training House. He’d never been much of one for talking his way out of a situation.
He tended towards shooting and when that failed, hitting and when that failed, making a strategic retreat. And then, typically, the cycle would start again until the first one took.
“I am of course wearing full body armour, I am not a moron.” The woman pulled herself up off the floor, glaring at Jack. Clearly she was at least a little annoyed, contrary to her earlier comment.
Ianto held up his hands, moving towards the woman, “Wait, just let me…” The Operative didn’t even hesitate, punching Ianto in the face and then kicking him in the midsection, throwing him to the floor, winded.
He lay on his side, watching as Jack and the Operative exchanged blows, the Operative clearly having the upper hand as she ducked and wove, landing more strikes on Jack than he managed to land on her.
Jack stumbled to one side, somehow managing to smile mockingly despite the beating that he had taken, “What, no back up, making an awful ruckus.”
She smiled at him coolly, back to her previous serene state, “They’ll come when they’re needed.”
“I’d start whistling.” Jack taunted just before the woman landed another blow, bringing Jack down hard.
“Captain, what do you think is going to happen here?” She questioned, standing over him.
Ianto struggled, somehow managing to pull himself upright, his ribs throbbing in complaint, glancing between the Operative and Jack’s downed form, silently counting down the minutes as the woman turned to look at him.
“Nothing is as it seems,” The Operative spoke, addressing Ianto directly for the first time since she’d walked into the room, “he isn’t the plucky hero, the Alliance isn’t some evil empire, this is not the grand arena…”
Ianto smiled, nodding towards the still smouldering incense sticks, “And that’s not incense.”
Ianto took great pleasure in the shock that crossed the woman’s face as the flash bomb went off, throwing The Operative across the room.
-
“I had her.” Jack complained as Ianto led him down into the depths of the Training House, his words slightly slurred. “Just a few moments longer and I’d have finished it.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, reaching for the hidden lever that would open the trap door that led into the escape tunnel. “Of course you did.”
“I was winning.” Jack continued, not hearing a word of what Ianto had said.
Ianto shook his head, muttering one of the many choice phases that described Jack Harkness under his breath as he grabbed a torch and hurried Jack down into the tunnel, pausing to seal the entrance behind them before slinging one of Jack’s arms over his shoulder. They made their unsteady way down the short length of tunnel to emerge on the side of the mountain, both of them blinking hard against the sudden light.
It was a short stumble down the slope to the outcrop sheltering a familiar shape. Ianto hesitated, catching sight of movement close to the shuttle, holding out a hand to stop Jack’s progress. He nodded meaningfully and Jack frowned at him for a moment before leaning sideways to look his shoulders tensing as he caught sight of the men by the shuttle.
Jack reached into his coat, pulling out a grenade, or at least a device that looked a lot like a grenade. Ianto smiled faintly and nodded his understanding. Jack activated the device, tossing it down to land beside the guards. Predictably the men scattered, giving Ianto and Jack the chance to get into the shuttle. Pausing only to pick up the toy.
-
Ianto slid automatically into the familiar chair behind the shuttle’s controls, ignoring Jack’s half expressed objections. “You should hang on to something.” Ianto warned as he stared the shuttle up.
“Are you sure you remember how to…” Jack’s sentence cut off as he grabbed the doorframe to stay upright, the shuttle shifting as Ianto eased it off the ground and into the air.
“I told you to hang on to something.”
Jack grunted, stumbling into the control room and dropping into the second chair, “You need to head east.”
Ianto nodded, his understanding, “I don’t suppose you feel like filling me in?”
“On what?” Jack questioned and Ianto glanced his way, frowning.
“The Alliance wants Toshiko, why I don’t know, I thought maybe you would know.”
“And why would that be?” Jack asked, keeping up the innocent act.
“Because you’re the one who ‘rescued’ her.”
Jack stiffened, “be that as it may, don’t mean I have any ideas as to why they want her so bad as to send an assassin.”
Ianto sighed, “Nothing’s happened recently?”
“She’s still crazy.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, muttering a curse, “I’m not an idiot.”
“She went a little bit extra crazy, after a job, may have killed a few people, but that’s it.”
“That’s it?” Ianto stared at Jack, mouth hanging open in disbelief.
“Eyes on the sky,” Jack commented pointedly, “and don’t you worry your pretty Companion head, she’s secure in the storage locker off the kitchen on Serenity. She ain’t a threat to no one but the food in there.”
-
Ianto settled himself onto the sofa that was tucked up against the wall in Serenity’s passenger area, accepting a cup of tea from Martha with a faint smile as they waited for the others to join them. He liked Martha, she was a nice counter to Jack’s slightly manic style and more often than not she served as the voice of reason aboard ship.
Jack had promised that he’d fill Ianto in on what had happened, on exactly what it was that the Alliance wanted so bad that they’d sent the Operative after Serenity and her crew, or more specifically, Toshiko. In return Ianto had promised to tell them what little he knew, though he doubted it would make much difference to whatever Jack decided. His opinion rarely had before.
It took a little while for the others to filter in, Owen, the ship’s medic, coming in with Jack, followed by John and Gwen who crossed the room to give Ianto a hug in greeting, careful not to get any of the grease off her overalls onto Ianto’s shirt. Rhys was the last to appear, nodding to Jack in confirmation that the Serenity was set to continue to whatever destination it was that Jack intended.
John was the first to speak, his gaze fixed on Jack as he stood stiffly in the doorway, clearly still feeling the beating he’d received, “Who beat up Jack?”
“The Alliance Operative.” Ianto provided, ignoring the look that Jack threw his way. He didn’t see the point in holding anything back, it wasn’t like the fact that Jack had taken a beating wasn’t obvious.
John grinned, “You got beat up by some Alliance pansy?”
“No, I didn’t, I beat her up. I won.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, “Actually, she beat you, my flash bomb went off and we ran while she was down.”
“I won.” Jack repeated, glaring at Ianto, clearly still not aware, or at least not prepared to admit that they were in serious trouble.
“Jack, be realistic, you saw what she was like, we are in serious trouble here.” Ianto reasoned. Under different circumstances he wouldn’t have been quite so outspoken against the other man in front of the crew, but this time they were in just as much danger as their Captain was and they deserved to know.
“Don’t you go gettin’ everyone worried…”
“We have every reason to be afraid.” Ianto interrupted, locking gazes with Jack.
John snorted derisively, “Why because he beat up Jack, that ain’t so hard…”
Ianto shook his head, breaking eye contact with Jack to address the crew at large, “Because she’s a believer. She’s intelligent, methodical and devout in her belief that killing Toshiko is the right thing to do. I honestly think the only reason we haven’t been blown out of the sky is because she needs to see her.” He admitted, glancing unconsciously towards the storage locker.
“Needs to see her,” Owen echoed, “Why?”
Ianto shook his head, sighing, “I’m uncertain. I would say to be sure of the kill, but…I just know she’ll kill us all to get to her.”
Silence reigned for a moment, Rhys reaching out to squeeze Gwen’s hand gently while Owen shifted his weight and exchanged a look with Martha. John pulled out a knife and toyed with it, seemingly focused on it rather than the tension that was building in the room.
“So no hope of reward.” John spoke, looking up at Jack meaningfully, unmoved by the hostility in Jack’s eyes.
“Did he mention a deal of any kind?” Martha broached, though it was clear that she found the idea distasteful, but it was all of their lives on the line. They needed to know what options they had besides being stubborn and getting killed.
“Give her up, let us ‘take her home’ and we’ll let you go peaceable like.” Jack answered, crossing his arms over his stomach, his voice laced with sarcasm.
John’s leg bounced impatiently as he glared across at Jack, “Sounds like a deal to me.”
“I’m not handing that girl over to them to kill.”
“No, course you ain’t.”
“Did she say anything about a ‘Miranda’.” Gwen jumped in before the two men could continue, focusing her attention on Ianto as if it could somehow separate her from the tension that was building.
Ianto shook his head, “No, she didn’t really mention anything. Does it mean something?”
“Don’t know who or what but it’s on Toshiko’s mind.” Martha answered.
“Conjure it might be the reason he’s after her.” Jack added, ignoring John’s snort of derision.
Ianto frowned, leaning forward, “You think maybe it poses some kind of a threat to the Alliance?”
“Do we care? Are we caring about that?” Rhys jumped in before anyone could answer Ianto’s question, his eyes wide. Ianto couldn’t help but smile faintly, it was nice to know that, no matter the circumstance, Rhys’ first concern was always the people close to him, never what he could gain from or because of them.
“You dumbass hogs the only people she’s a threat to is us on this boat We take a shuttle, we drop her off and we get ‘em off our backs…” John jumped in, his voice raised and his grip on the knife tightening. He was the polar opposite of Rhys and it still amazed Ianto that Jack continued to keep the man as a part of his crew, despite the fact that he could turn on them at any time, given the right price.
Or at least, in theory.
“You think it stops there? What if they keep coming?” Martha interrupted.
“And what if she pops again?” John threw back, standing and pointing towards the storage locker with his knife. “You ain’t gunna be able to keep her in that storage locker forever.”
Silence fell as they all considered John’s last words, all too aware that on that point at least, the mercenary was right.
“Look we get back to Haven in a few hours time.” Jack spoke when no one offered any new comments, his voice softer. Ianto wasn’t surprised to learn that they were heading to Haven, they needed time to think, though Ianto couldn’t help but wonder if the Operative would allow them that time.
“Hiding under the shepherd’s skirts, that’s a manful scheme.” John muttered darkly, drawing Jack’s anger.
“You wanna run this ship?”
“Yes.” John stood tall, his gaze fixed on Jack, watching he deflated a little, surprised by John’s reaction. Ianto on the other hand, wasn’t, nor were any of the others, if the expressions on their faces were anything to go by. He’d been present on other occasions when Jack had been missing and John had always shown a desire to run the ship himself. His only problem was that there wasn’t a person among the crew that would ever be willing to follow him.
They all knew that as far as John was concerned, everyone but him was expendable.
“Well you can’t.” Jack answered, somewhat unsteadily.
“Do a damn sight better job than you, getting us lashed over a stray you decided needing rescuing. She’s not exactly helpless so where’s it writ that we gotta lay our lives down for her, which is what you’ve steered us toward.”
“I didn’t start this.” Jack was back to yelling and Ianto winced, both at the tone of Jack’s voice and at the words themselves. Jack hadn’t exactly made friends with the Alliance when he’d ‘saved’ Toshiko from where ever it was that he’d found her, he’d never actually told Ianto the details.
There was a chance, considering the fact that Toshiko was the reason that they were all being hunted by the Alliance, that Jack had started all of this.
“No, of course you didn’t,” John sneered, “that’s not the way it goes is it? The way it goes is, the Alliance starts the war and volunteer. Battle of Serenity Jack, besides Martha how many…”
Ianto stiffened at the same time as Jack started to turn away and Martha’s knuckles turned white. There were things that nobody talked about; subjects that went untouched. The Battle of Serenity was one of them and for very good reason.
“I’m tallkin’ at you.” John crossed the distance between himself and Jack, grabbing the other man’s arm and forcing him to turn towards him, “how many men in your platoon came out of there alive?”
Jack didn’t even hesitate, punching John hard across the jaw and knocking him to the ground before he’d taken another breathe, the knife that John had been holding clattering to the floor. John barely managed to stop himself from landing face first, rolling himself onto his back to glare up at Jack, blood trickling down his chin.
“You wanna leave this room.” Martha said grimly from her position against the wall alongside Ianto, her expression hard.
John grunted, hauling himself upright, no one moving to help him, “You’re damn right I do.”
Ianto watched John stalk out of the room towards his quarters. It didn’t seem like they were going to decide on any course of action now, besides ‘keep our heads down and take shelter’.
Gwen was leaning into Rhys, not looking at anyone while Owen had edged closer to Martha and away from Jack who was staring grimly at the floor. The silence was more than a little stifling.
After a long moment Jack moved, heading out of the other door, in the opposite direction from John, towards the cargo bay and Ianto stood to follow, he wasn’t going to challenge Jack in public like John had, but he had questions that needed to be answered.
-
“Jack.” Ianto caught up to Jack just as he reached the entrance to the cargo bay and he was careful to keep his voice low, mindful of how well sound travelled inside the corridors of the ship.
“Now ain’t the time Ianto.”
Ianto reached out, echoing John’s earlier movement as he caught hold of Jack’s arm, preventing him from escaping, “This isn’t the war.”
Ianto regretted the words, almost as soon as they’d passed his lips, but it got Jack’s attention.
“Are you telling me that because you think I don’t know.” Jack questioned, voice pitched low and dangerous.
Ianto shook his head and sighed, “You came to the Training House looking for a fight.”
“No, I came looking for you.” Jack countered.
“I just, want to know who I’m dealing with. I have seen too many versions of you to be sure.” Ianto pressed, lowering his gaze as he let his hand drop from Jack’s arm. He didn’t want to trap him into anything.
“I starting fighting a war, I guarantee you’ll see something new.” Jack’s voice was softer, and there was an odd mix of anger and regret in it as he spoke.
“Jack…” Ianto shifted closer and Jack shook his head, moving away.
“I’ve got no answers for you Ianto. I got no rudder. Wind blows northerly, I go north. That’s who I am. Maybe that ain’t a man to lead, but they have to follow, so you wanna tear me down, do it in your mind.”
“I’m not trying to tear you down.” Ianto countered, only for Jack to ignore him, continuing as though he hadn’t spoken.
“You fog things up, you always have. You spin me about.” Jack paused shaking his head before adding under his breath, “I wish to hell you were elsewhere.”
Ianto flinched, letting Jack go. “I was.”
(PART TWO) (part three)
-
Author:
weaselettPrompt: Serenity
Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, slight Owen/Tosh
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Some mention of injury, minor character death and some mild swear words.
Spoilers: No real spoilers for Torchwood, but many for Serenity - characters from all three series of Torchwood appear
Disclaimer: I own neither Torchwood nor Serenity they belong to their respective owners
Summary: Jack Harkness had something that the Alliance wants.
Author's Notes: Beta'd by the lovely
charlies_dragon - I did two fics for reel_torchwood (of which this is the second), and went with two completely different approaches. In this case I pretty much took the script of Serenity and dumped the Torchwood lot, with some Doctor Who guests, into it *g* (feel free to call me a lazy ass - or you know - give concrit)- charlies_dragon says it's a fushion (*bows to superior* ;)) - I do also however intend, at some point in the next month, to post the alternate fic (set in canon Torchwood verse) which I knew I would never be able to finish in time.Masterpost here
Hera was nothing like the worlds that Ianto remembered from his childhood, but that had never been the point. He’d made a choice, years ago now, to leave all of that behind and he wasn’t about to start regretting that now.
He sighed, leaning back against the pillar, staring out into the valley, watching as the sun started its slow descent. The students here were enthusiastic and more than willing to listen to whatever advice he had, to the point that he almost dreaded walking into the classroom. He can still remember his own years of training, the calm indifference that had fallen over him early on and never quite left, it’s strange not to see it reflected back at him here.
There hadn’t been any place for enthusiasm in his duties, or at least not that kind of enthusiasm. Ianto smiled lifting his cup to take a quick sip of his now cool tea, he’d been out on the balcony longer than he’d realised.
“They love you, the girls…and most of the boys as well,” Yvonne, his old friend and the mistress of the Training House, stepped out onto the balcony, a glass of wine in hand, as always, “they’ve learned more from you in the past months than the rest of us could teach them in two years.”
Ianto smiled automatically, the picture of an interested conversationalist.
“They’re very sweet, but they’re not Companions.”He told her.
Yvonne’s eyebrows rose and she paused to examine the contents of her glass idly before she took a sip.
“You’ve no hope for them?” She asked.
Ianto shook his head, “On Sihnon we started training when we were twelve. Years of discipline and preparation before the physical act of pleasure was even mentioned.” Ianto stopped, shaking his head again and taking a sip of his tea. “Most of these…”
“They’re all of good family, the highest academic standards…” Yvonne said, interrupting Ianto mid-sentence.
“Control,” Ianto continued as though Yvonne hadn’t interrupted, “was the first lesson.” He smiled to himself, “and the last, and these worlds aren’t like the Central Planets. There is barbarism dressed up in the most civil weeds. Men of the highest rank who don’t know the difference between a Companion and a common whore. It’s unsafe.” He turned away from her, fixing his gaze on the mountains rising up on the other side of the valley, remembering his own experiences.
There wasn’t a one of these students that he could see handling such things, with the calm required. They would panic, act insulted, dig themselves into deeper hole than the society of these planets had already dug for them. Ianto shuddered faintly, the number of times he’d had to use his training to get himself and others out of difficult situations. It had been a test of even his calm.
“All the more reason that they look to you.” Yvonne argued, her tone remaining civil even as her eyes gave her away.
“You came out here alone, before the Alliance even thought to establish a House this remote. You’ve seen so much. You’re a figure of great romance to them.” She continued.
Ianto fought not to snort at the very idea of himself as anything of the sort. “Great romance has nothing to do with being a Companion, Yvonne. You should know better.”
Yvonne smiled crookedly, leaning back against another of the pillars, quietly smug. “I’m not the one who had a torrid affair with a pirate.”
Ianto stared dumbly at her for a moment, all of his hard learned lessons lost in his disbelief. “A who? With a what?”
Yvonne’s smile widened and she shrugged casually, clearly enjoying the moment. “It’s the talk of the House. They all trade stories in the dorms at night.”
Ianto frowned, more than a little insulted at being the source of such gossip in a Training House of all places. “I didn’t…have a pirate…” He stuttered out, composure temporarily lost.
“In one of the stories you make love in a burning temple,” Yvonne added, taking a leisurely sip of her wine, “I think it’s my favourite.”
Ianto shook his head, moving to sit on the bench set to one side of the balcony, “This is…unbearable. Captain Harkness is no pirate, he’s a petty thief. And he never laid a finger on me. All he ever did was rent me a shuttle and be very annoying.” He ranted softly, before muttering a choice selection of curses under his breath. Trainee Companions gossiping about one of their teachers having some romanticised tryst with some renegade, it was almost worse than the fact that they thought he’d had some kind of relationship with Jack Harkness; besides the business one that they’d had.
Making love in a burning temple? Ianto shook his head again, downing the rest of his tea in one go under Yvonne’s amused gaze.
“A year on his shuttle and he never laid a finger on you. No wonder you left.” She teased. He should never have told her anything about his time on Serenity, damn her and her love of winding him up. She’d always known just what to say to get him worked up and it had taken him years to learn to control himself against such ribbing, a control that any mention of Jack Harkness seemed able to shake.
"I left because…” He stopped, irritated that he couldn’t even form a decent explanation that wouldn’t make it sound like he’d had a torrid affair with a pirate that had ended badly.
“Go away, we’re no longer friends. You’re a stranger to me now.” Ianto said.
Yvonne smiled, moving to sit beside him and pat him on the knee gently.
“I do so love to watch you boil. Don’t worry. The stories will fade. And your Captain Harkness has probably got himself blown up by this time.”
Ianto groaned, looking away.
“Yes, that would be just like him.”
--
Ianto stood rigidly in front of the vid screen, fighting the urge to look back over his shoulder at the woman standing in the far corner of his chamber. Jack would see this for what it was, Ianto was certain of that, but he still hated the fact that he was doing it at all.
Whatever it was that this operative of the government was after, whatever trouble that Jack had managed to get himself and his crew into, Ianto didn’t want any part of it. It had been one of the reasons he’d left Serenity. He was a licensed Companion and a well respected one at that, he hadn’t wanted to be linked to Jack anymore.
Hadn’t wanted to be used in his schemes anymore.
Ianto took a deep breath, keeping his composure. He wasn’t going to let the Operative see anything worth questioning. He would talk to Jack, ask for help that he would never ever ask the other man for, and then the Operative would leave, her prey still on the loose, far away from Ianto and the calm of the Training House.
“Ianto.” A bedraggled looking Jack appeared on the screen; a topless and barely awake Jack.
“I, er, is this a bad time?” Ianto swallowed, averting his gaze as Jack pulled on a shirt, feeling just a little bit like the awkward teenager he had never been.
“No,” Jack shook his head, clearly making an effort to look more awake, “it’s as good as any.” There was a long pause while they stared blankly at each other, Ianto’s purpose forgotten in the face of seeing Jack again. After a moment Jack cleared his throat, straightening slightly.
“How’s your world?”
“Cold, it’s autumn here.” Ianto answered, more or less automatically.
“Still at the Trainin’ House?” Jack questioned, as if that was somehow in doubt.
Ianto nodded awkwardly, fighting the urge to make a sarcastic remark. He wasn’t going to argue with Jack in front of the Operative. He was going to be completely civil, polite and considerate, the picture of a Companion contacting a former business associate.
“So, what occasions the wave, not that to see you ain’t, well you look very fine.” Jack rambled, as he tended to whenever they weren’t arguing.
“Oh, thank you.” Ianto forced a smile, ever the Companion.
“So, what was the, erm…” Jack stuttered to a stop and Ianto took over automatically, remembering what the point of the wave had been in the first place.
“Oh, I, guess we’re having something of a problem here with the locals and I thought maybe…”
“You could use a gunhand.” Jack was all business now, all traces of the hesitant man gone, replaced by war hardened Captain.
“I’m hoping not, but, if you happen to be close at all, you, the crew, could take your ease here for a while. There’d be payment.” Ianto added the last quickly, wincing mentally at how he sounded. So much for presenting the picture of the calm collected Companion.
“Well, we’d be, er, I mean I’d like to…” Jack trailed off, the awkwardness returned to his demeanour, “Gwen’s been missing you something fierce.” He leapt on the idea, as though it would somehow be enough to distract Ianto from what he had been about to say.
“I miss her too,” Ianto agreed, playing along, allowing a faint smile to touch his lips, “I even miss my shuttle occasionally.”
“Yeah, you left a, got some of your stuff in a trunk, I never did a chance to…”
“Oh, I didn’t mean to leave stuff.” Ianto said as his eyes widened, he’d been so sure he’d taken everything.
“I didn’t look through the stuff, I just, just sundries I expect,” Jack stopped, shifting in place awkwardly, his gaze darting around the room, never once looking directly at Ianto, “So, I’ll send you a wave, soon as I can.”
Ianto forced another smile, making sure to make it appear as real as possible, “Thank you.”
The screen went blank, leaving Ianto to stare at it for a long moment, composing himself, before he turned to face the Operative.
“There, will that be all?” He said to her. The woman stepped out of the shadows, her gaze assessing Ianto.
“That was quite the show Mister Jones.”
Ianto smiled; the polite smile that he had learned especially for situations such as this. “I do my best.”
The Operative watched Ianto for a moment longer before she inclined her head. “Now it is just left for us to wait and see if Captain Harkness takes up your offer.”
“I’m sure you and your men are welcome to stay in the Training House, though of course you understand, all within these walls must be left to continue undisturbed.”
The woman smiled serenely, “Of course my men and I will behave ourselves Mister Jones. We fully comprehend the rules of civilised people.”
Ianto inclined his head, remaining silent as he watched the woman stalk from the room, his smile vanished the moment the curtains fell back into place across the doorway. There was something about that woman that made him uneasy and more than that, he worried just what it was that she wanted from the crew of Serenity, because whatever it was, he doubted it was either good or civilised.
-
Ianto knelt in front of the Buddha, the sense of dread that had been building in his stomach reaching its peak. It had been just over a day since he had contacted Jack and he had hoped that the other man would have had the sense not to come. However, the red garbed individual that Ianto had spotted entering the Training House suggested otherwise. Someone really needed to teach that man about subtly.
Ianto stiffened for a moment before continuing his motions as the figure knelt beside him, lighting the incense stick carefully before blowing out the flame and fitting it into one of the holders.
“Dear Buddha,” Jack’s voice came from beside him, not even faintly muffled by the fabric covering his face, “please bring me a pony and a plastic rocket and…”
Ianto gritted his teeth, “Jack, what are you doing here?”
Jack gave Ianto an offended look, only partly obscured by his red veil, “Well, you invited me.”
Ianto shot him a disbelieving look, “I never for a moment thought you’d be stupid enough to come.” He hissed, glancing over his shoulder towards the door, expecting to see the Operative at any moment. The woman hadn’t been far from him since her arrival at the Training House, there was no way that she would have left at such a convenient moment.
“Well that makes you kinda a tease doesn’t it?” Jack teased, grinning.
Ianto glared at Jack, his hackles raised, “You knew my invitation wasn’t on the level.”
“Which lead me to conclude that you must be in some kind of trouble.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, mentally cursing Jack’s saviour complex, like he’d ever been the one needing saving, “I’m fine, I’m, giddy.”
Jack snorted, “For a man schooled in telling a person just what they want to hear, you ain’t much of a liar.”
Ianto stiffened, hearing movement outside the door. He dropped all pretence, desperate for Jack to just leave before something bad happened. “Jack, you can not handle this woman.”
Ianto stood and tried to push Jack towards the other exit, only it was already too late. The door swung open, allowing the slight woman who referred to herself as the Operative and nothing else, to step into the room. She ignored Ianto, focusing on Jack instead, her expression faintly amused.
“I have to say Captain, I’m impressed that you would come for him yourself,” she paused, eying Jack’s outfit, one eyebrow quirking slightly, “and that you would make it this far in that outfit.”
Jack took a step closer to the woman, his customary cocky grin in place, “I can be very graceful when I need to.”
Ianto winced, moving back to the Buddha and kneeling again, his hands finding the tube of incense sticks easily, the action automatic.
“I’ve no doubt.” The Operative commented, still completely focused on Jack.
“What are you doing?” Jack moved closer to Ianto as he placed another smouldering stick into a holder, his attention split between Ianto and the Operative.
“I’m praying for you Jack.” He ground out, annoyed that Jack still wasn’t recognising the danger that he was in. Stupid pig headed man he was.
“He’s very thoughtful,” Ianto gritted his teeth slightly at the tone of voice the woman used, but he remained focused on his own task, “but I mean it when I say I’ve got no intent to harm you.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly and he straightened, focused on the woman once more, “Speak your piece.”
“I think you’re beginning to understand how dangerous Toshiko Sato is.” The Operative spoke, keeping her tone infuriatingly reasonable.
Jack shrugged dismissively, “She is a might unpredictable, mood swings of a sort.”
“It’s worse than you know.”
Jack smiled, “It usually is.”
“That girl will rain destruction down on you and your ship. She is an Albatross Captain.”
“Way I remember it, Albatross was a ship’s good luck ‘til some idiot killed it,” Ianto looked up startled and Jack grinned down at him, “yes I’ve read a poem, try not a faint.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, forcing himself to remember that neither of them could afford to argue right now, not when danger was sharing the room with them so happily.
The Operative moved a little closer, intent on Jack and just as disturbingly sincere as ever, “I’ve seen your war record. I know how you must feel about the Alliance.”
Jack bristled, “You really don’t.”
The Operative shrugged, taking his anger without a moment’s pause, “Fair to say, but I have to hope you understand that you can’t beat us.”
“I see no need to beat you, I just want to go my way.”
“And you can do that. Once you let me take Toshiko Sato back home.”
Ianto sighed faintly, she really had no understanding of just who she was dealing with, everything she said, she was just making him more and more convinced that he was right and that the only option was to fight. The hole being dug was just getting deeper and he was all too aware of the fact that he had already been dragged into it, through no fault of his own. Well, apart from choosing Serenity all those years ago rather than some other ship, with a slightly less reckless captain.
“No, no, you’re workin’ this deal all crabbed, you gotta open with payment.”
The Operative snorted, “That is a trap, I offer money, you’ll play the man of honour and take umbrage. I ask you to do what is right, you’ll play the brigand…I have no stomach for games. I already know you will not see reason.”
Ianto stiffened, glancing once towards the still burning incense before turning back to the combatants, maybe she did have a slightly better idea of just who she was dealing with than it had seemed for a moment then, but still, not enough of one.
“Alliance wanted to show me reason they shouldn’t have send an assassin.”
Ianto watched, witnessing the moment when Jack’s words changed the Operative’s entire bearing. She clearly hadn’t been expecting Jack to know that about her.
“I have a warship in deep orbit Captain. We hit onto Serenity’s pulse beacon the moment you hit atmo’. I can speak a word and send a missile to that exact location inside of three minutes.”
“You do that.” Jack tossed a mass of wiring and parts to the woman, unmoved by her threat, “You’d best make peace with your dear and fluffy Lord.”
“Pulse beacon.” The woman ground out, grip tightening on the object in her hands.
“Advice from an old tracker, you want to find someone, use your eyes.”
“How long do you think you can really run from us?”
“I never accredited the Alliance with an over abundance of brains and if you’re the best they’ve got…” Jack ignored the question, as smugly cocky as ever and still an idiot.
“Captain Harkness, I should tell you so that you don’t waste your time, you can’t make me angry.”
Ianto stood, taking the chance to draw a little of the woman’s attention, “Please, spend an hour with him.”
“I want to resolve this like civilised people, I’m not threatening you, I’m unarmed.” She continued ignoring Ianto, unsurprisingly, choosing to deliberately open herself to Jack, who of course took the opportunity offered.
“Good.” He pulled his gun, firing a shot dead centre into the woman’s chest and Ianto cursed his stupidity for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Though at the same time, the whole situation had been headed in this direction the minute Jack had walked into the Training House. He’d never been much of one for talking his way out of a situation.
He tended towards shooting and when that failed, hitting and when that failed, making a strategic retreat. And then, typically, the cycle would start again until the first one took.
“I am of course wearing full body armour, I am not a moron.” The woman pulled herself up off the floor, glaring at Jack. Clearly she was at least a little annoyed, contrary to her earlier comment.
Ianto held up his hands, moving towards the woman, “Wait, just let me…” The Operative didn’t even hesitate, punching Ianto in the face and then kicking him in the midsection, throwing him to the floor, winded.
He lay on his side, watching as Jack and the Operative exchanged blows, the Operative clearly having the upper hand as she ducked and wove, landing more strikes on Jack than he managed to land on her.
Jack stumbled to one side, somehow managing to smile mockingly despite the beating that he had taken, “What, no back up, making an awful ruckus.”
She smiled at him coolly, back to her previous serene state, “They’ll come when they’re needed.”
“I’d start whistling.” Jack taunted just before the woman landed another blow, bringing Jack down hard.
“Captain, what do you think is going to happen here?” She questioned, standing over him.
Ianto struggled, somehow managing to pull himself upright, his ribs throbbing in complaint, glancing between the Operative and Jack’s downed form, silently counting down the minutes as the woman turned to look at him.
“Nothing is as it seems,” The Operative spoke, addressing Ianto directly for the first time since she’d walked into the room, “he isn’t the plucky hero, the Alliance isn’t some evil empire, this is not the grand arena…”
Ianto smiled, nodding towards the still smouldering incense sticks, “And that’s not incense.”
Ianto took great pleasure in the shock that crossed the woman’s face as the flash bomb went off, throwing The Operative across the room.
-
“I had her.” Jack complained as Ianto led him down into the depths of the Training House, his words slightly slurred. “Just a few moments longer and I’d have finished it.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, reaching for the hidden lever that would open the trap door that led into the escape tunnel. “Of course you did.”
“I was winning.” Jack continued, not hearing a word of what Ianto had said.
Ianto shook his head, muttering one of the many choice phases that described Jack Harkness under his breath as he grabbed a torch and hurried Jack down into the tunnel, pausing to seal the entrance behind them before slinging one of Jack’s arms over his shoulder. They made their unsteady way down the short length of tunnel to emerge on the side of the mountain, both of them blinking hard against the sudden light.
It was a short stumble down the slope to the outcrop sheltering a familiar shape. Ianto hesitated, catching sight of movement close to the shuttle, holding out a hand to stop Jack’s progress. He nodded meaningfully and Jack frowned at him for a moment before leaning sideways to look his shoulders tensing as he caught sight of the men by the shuttle.
Jack reached into his coat, pulling out a grenade, or at least a device that looked a lot like a grenade. Ianto smiled faintly and nodded his understanding. Jack activated the device, tossing it down to land beside the guards. Predictably the men scattered, giving Ianto and Jack the chance to get into the shuttle. Pausing only to pick up the toy.
-
Ianto slid automatically into the familiar chair behind the shuttle’s controls, ignoring Jack’s half expressed objections. “You should hang on to something.” Ianto warned as he stared the shuttle up.
“Are you sure you remember how to…” Jack’s sentence cut off as he grabbed the doorframe to stay upright, the shuttle shifting as Ianto eased it off the ground and into the air.
“I told you to hang on to something.”
Jack grunted, stumbling into the control room and dropping into the second chair, “You need to head east.”
Ianto nodded, his understanding, “I don’t suppose you feel like filling me in?”
“On what?” Jack questioned and Ianto glanced his way, frowning.
“The Alliance wants Toshiko, why I don’t know, I thought maybe you would know.”
“And why would that be?” Jack asked, keeping up the innocent act.
“Because you’re the one who ‘rescued’ her.”
Jack stiffened, “be that as it may, don’t mean I have any ideas as to why they want her so bad as to send an assassin.”
Ianto sighed, “Nothing’s happened recently?”
“She’s still crazy.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, muttering a curse, “I’m not an idiot.”
“She went a little bit extra crazy, after a job, may have killed a few people, but that’s it.”
“That’s it?” Ianto stared at Jack, mouth hanging open in disbelief.
“Eyes on the sky,” Jack commented pointedly, “and don’t you worry your pretty Companion head, she’s secure in the storage locker off the kitchen on Serenity. She ain’t a threat to no one but the food in there.”
-
Ianto settled himself onto the sofa that was tucked up against the wall in Serenity’s passenger area, accepting a cup of tea from Martha with a faint smile as they waited for the others to join them. He liked Martha, she was a nice counter to Jack’s slightly manic style and more often than not she served as the voice of reason aboard ship.
Jack had promised that he’d fill Ianto in on what had happened, on exactly what it was that the Alliance wanted so bad that they’d sent the Operative after Serenity and her crew, or more specifically, Toshiko. In return Ianto had promised to tell them what little he knew, though he doubted it would make much difference to whatever Jack decided. His opinion rarely had before.
It took a little while for the others to filter in, Owen, the ship’s medic, coming in with Jack, followed by John and Gwen who crossed the room to give Ianto a hug in greeting, careful not to get any of the grease off her overalls onto Ianto’s shirt. Rhys was the last to appear, nodding to Jack in confirmation that the Serenity was set to continue to whatever destination it was that Jack intended.
John was the first to speak, his gaze fixed on Jack as he stood stiffly in the doorway, clearly still feeling the beating he’d received, “Who beat up Jack?”
“The Alliance Operative.” Ianto provided, ignoring the look that Jack threw his way. He didn’t see the point in holding anything back, it wasn’t like the fact that Jack had taken a beating wasn’t obvious.
John grinned, “You got beat up by some Alliance pansy?”
“No, I didn’t, I beat her up. I won.”
Ianto rolled his eyes, “Actually, she beat you, my flash bomb went off and we ran while she was down.”
“I won.” Jack repeated, glaring at Ianto, clearly still not aware, or at least not prepared to admit that they were in serious trouble.
“Jack, be realistic, you saw what she was like, we are in serious trouble here.” Ianto reasoned. Under different circumstances he wouldn’t have been quite so outspoken against the other man in front of the crew, but this time they were in just as much danger as their Captain was and they deserved to know.
“Don’t you go gettin’ everyone worried…”
“We have every reason to be afraid.” Ianto interrupted, locking gazes with Jack.
John snorted derisively, “Why because he beat up Jack, that ain’t so hard…”
Ianto shook his head, breaking eye contact with Jack to address the crew at large, “Because she’s a believer. She’s intelligent, methodical and devout in her belief that killing Toshiko is the right thing to do. I honestly think the only reason we haven’t been blown out of the sky is because she needs to see her.” He admitted, glancing unconsciously towards the storage locker.
“Needs to see her,” Owen echoed, “Why?”
Ianto shook his head, sighing, “I’m uncertain. I would say to be sure of the kill, but…I just know she’ll kill us all to get to her.”
Silence reigned for a moment, Rhys reaching out to squeeze Gwen’s hand gently while Owen shifted his weight and exchanged a look with Martha. John pulled out a knife and toyed with it, seemingly focused on it rather than the tension that was building in the room.
“So no hope of reward.” John spoke, looking up at Jack meaningfully, unmoved by the hostility in Jack’s eyes.
“Did he mention a deal of any kind?” Martha broached, though it was clear that she found the idea distasteful, but it was all of their lives on the line. They needed to know what options they had besides being stubborn and getting killed.
“Give her up, let us ‘take her home’ and we’ll let you go peaceable like.” Jack answered, crossing his arms over his stomach, his voice laced with sarcasm.
John’s leg bounced impatiently as he glared across at Jack, “Sounds like a deal to me.”
“I’m not handing that girl over to them to kill.”
“No, course you ain’t.”
“Did she say anything about a ‘Miranda’.” Gwen jumped in before the two men could continue, focusing her attention on Ianto as if it could somehow separate her from the tension that was building.
Ianto shook his head, “No, she didn’t really mention anything. Does it mean something?”
“Don’t know who or what but it’s on Toshiko’s mind.” Martha answered.
“Conjure it might be the reason he’s after her.” Jack added, ignoring John’s snort of derision.
Ianto frowned, leaning forward, “You think maybe it poses some kind of a threat to the Alliance?”
“Do we care? Are we caring about that?” Rhys jumped in before anyone could answer Ianto’s question, his eyes wide. Ianto couldn’t help but smile faintly, it was nice to know that, no matter the circumstance, Rhys’ first concern was always the people close to him, never what he could gain from or because of them.
“You dumbass hogs the only people she’s a threat to is us on this boat We take a shuttle, we drop her off and we get ‘em off our backs…” John jumped in, his voice raised and his grip on the knife tightening. He was the polar opposite of Rhys and it still amazed Ianto that Jack continued to keep the man as a part of his crew, despite the fact that he could turn on them at any time, given the right price.
Or at least, in theory.
“You think it stops there? What if they keep coming?” Martha interrupted.
“And what if she pops again?” John threw back, standing and pointing towards the storage locker with his knife. “You ain’t gunna be able to keep her in that storage locker forever.”
Silence fell as they all considered John’s last words, all too aware that on that point at least, the mercenary was right.
“Look we get back to Haven in a few hours time.” Jack spoke when no one offered any new comments, his voice softer. Ianto wasn’t surprised to learn that they were heading to Haven, they needed time to think, though Ianto couldn’t help but wonder if the Operative would allow them that time.
“Hiding under the shepherd’s skirts, that’s a manful scheme.” John muttered darkly, drawing Jack’s anger.
“You wanna run this ship?”
“Yes.” John stood tall, his gaze fixed on Jack, watching he deflated a little, surprised by John’s reaction. Ianto on the other hand, wasn’t, nor were any of the others, if the expressions on their faces were anything to go by. He’d been present on other occasions when Jack had been missing and John had always shown a desire to run the ship himself. His only problem was that there wasn’t a person among the crew that would ever be willing to follow him.
They all knew that as far as John was concerned, everyone but him was expendable.
“Well you can’t.” Jack answered, somewhat unsteadily.
“Do a damn sight better job than you, getting us lashed over a stray you decided needing rescuing. She’s not exactly helpless so where’s it writ that we gotta lay our lives down for her, which is what you’ve steered us toward.”
“I didn’t start this.” Jack was back to yelling and Ianto winced, both at the tone of Jack’s voice and at the words themselves. Jack hadn’t exactly made friends with the Alliance when he’d ‘saved’ Toshiko from where ever it was that he’d found her, he’d never actually told Ianto the details.
There was a chance, considering the fact that Toshiko was the reason that they were all being hunted by the Alliance, that Jack had started all of this.
“No, of course you didn’t,” John sneered, “that’s not the way it goes is it? The way it goes is, the Alliance starts the war and volunteer. Battle of Serenity Jack, besides Martha how many…”
Ianto stiffened at the same time as Jack started to turn away and Martha’s knuckles turned white. There were things that nobody talked about; subjects that went untouched. The Battle of Serenity was one of them and for very good reason.
“I’m tallkin’ at you.” John crossed the distance between himself and Jack, grabbing the other man’s arm and forcing him to turn towards him, “how many men in your platoon came out of there alive?”
Jack didn’t even hesitate, punching John hard across the jaw and knocking him to the ground before he’d taken another breathe, the knife that John had been holding clattering to the floor. John barely managed to stop himself from landing face first, rolling himself onto his back to glare up at Jack, blood trickling down his chin.
“You wanna leave this room.” Martha said grimly from her position against the wall alongside Ianto, her expression hard.
John grunted, hauling himself upright, no one moving to help him, “You’re damn right I do.”
Ianto watched John stalk out of the room towards his quarters. It didn’t seem like they were going to decide on any course of action now, besides ‘keep our heads down and take shelter’.
Gwen was leaning into Rhys, not looking at anyone while Owen had edged closer to Martha and away from Jack who was staring grimly at the floor. The silence was more than a little stifling.
After a long moment Jack moved, heading out of the other door, in the opposite direction from John, towards the cargo bay and Ianto stood to follow, he wasn’t going to challenge Jack in public like John had, but he had questions that needed to be answered.
-
“Jack.” Ianto caught up to Jack just as he reached the entrance to the cargo bay and he was careful to keep his voice low, mindful of how well sound travelled inside the corridors of the ship.
“Now ain’t the time Ianto.”
Ianto reached out, echoing John’s earlier movement as he caught hold of Jack’s arm, preventing him from escaping, “This isn’t the war.”
Ianto regretted the words, almost as soon as they’d passed his lips, but it got Jack’s attention.
“Are you telling me that because you think I don’t know.” Jack questioned, voice pitched low and dangerous.
Ianto shook his head and sighed, “You came to the Training House looking for a fight.”
“No, I came looking for you.” Jack countered.
“I just, want to know who I’m dealing with. I have seen too many versions of you to be sure.” Ianto pressed, lowering his gaze as he let his hand drop from Jack’s arm. He didn’t want to trap him into anything.
“I starting fighting a war, I guarantee you’ll see something new.” Jack’s voice was softer, and there was an odd mix of anger and regret in it as he spoke.
“Jack…” Ianto shifted closer and Jack shook his head, moving away.
“I’ve got no answers for you Ianto. I got no rudder. Wind blows northerly, I go north. That’s who I am. Maybe that ain’t a man to lead, but they have to follow, so you wanna tear me down, do it in your mind.”
“I’m not trying to tear you down.” Ianto countered, only for Jack to ignore him, continuing as though he hadn’t spoken.
“You fog things up, you always have. You spin me about.” Jack paused shaking his head before adding under his breath, “I wish to hell you were elsewhere.”
Ianto flinched, letting Jack go. “I was.”
(PART TWO) (part three)
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