06 August 2009 @ 11:09 pm
Torchwood Fic: Fallout, Part Nineteen  

Title: Fallout, Part Nineteen

Author: Emma

Characters: A whole bunch of folk.

Rating: Starts PG, but hey, it’s got Jack in it!

Disclaimer: Oh, please. If I owned them, would I let some of those idiots write the scripts? And if I were making any money off them, would I be where they could find me?
Author's Note: This fic is CoE compliant

Part One is here; Part Two is here; Part Three is here; Part Four is here; Part Five is here; Part Six is here; Part Seven is here; Part Eight is here; Part Nine is here; Part Ten is here; Part Eleven is here; Part Twelve is here; Part Thirteen is here; Part Fourteen is here; Part Fifteen is here; Part Sixteen is here; Part Seventeen is here; Part Eighteen is here


           “You know why you are here, professor Docherty.”

 

            “Doctor Jones explained.” The woman’s voice was weary. “If I can help you, I will, Captain Harkness, but you must understand that I was just her assistant. Half the stuff she had me build I couldn’t even understand.”

 

            “What we are interested in is the methods she used to wake the Ianto personality up.”

 

            “Ah.” Her hands twitched in the gesture of a smoker desperately in need of a cigarette between her fingers. “That wasn’t… well, the first time it was. I didn’t even know it could be done. But once the personality was awake, it was a simple matter to let it come to the fore. All it was needed was for the Yan personality to be dormant.”

 

            “Jack turned to Martha. “Can we do that?”

 

            “Yes. A hypnotic drug used to treat sleep disorders will do the trick. Do you know if she used one?”

 

            “Several, I think. There should be information in his files.”

 

            Martha refilled the coffee cups. “Is there anything else you can tell us, professor?”

 

            Doherty clutched hers. “She terrified me. I went to work for her because she offered me my son back. I would have done anything for that. But as I learned… as I saw what she was doing… I couldn’t stomach it.”

 

            “Why didn’t you run?”

 

            “I told you! She terrified me! There was something about her that froze your breath. Even her pet psychopath cowered when she went by.”

 

            “Her pet…”

 

            “Dr. Woolf. That man was evil. I give thanks to God every night for Captain Hart’s temper.” She smiled at their surprise. “People talk, and there are such things as surveillance tapes, which I am sure didn’t get into circulation accidentally. To those of us at Lazarus that survived the purge the night raid into the nineteenth and twentieth floors has acquired a kind of legendary quality. Believe me, I’m not the only one who gets on their knees every night. If good wishes alone could get a man into heaven, Captain Hart is safe.”

 

            Martha and Jack burst into laughter. “I am sure John will be very grateful.”

 

            “Not as grateful as I am. Have you ever gone so utterly mad that when you finally resurface into sanity your mind refuses to accept it was you doing whatever it was you did?” At Jack’s nod, she offered a bitter little smile. “Yes, of course. If anyone ever has had a reason, you have. Well, when I finally regained my sanity I was trapped in hell. You freed me, Captain, and for that I thank you.”

 

            She stood up, knowing the interview was over. “One last thing, Captain, for what it’s worth. She had friends in high places. There was a man who visited regularly.” She pointed in the general direction of Whitehall. “Imagine my surprise when I saw the new Shadow Home Secretary being interviewed by the BBC after the recent party reorganization. I think Torchwood’s last sweep through missed some rats.”

 

 
 
( Post a new comment )
[identity profile] luvinthe88and20.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 04:22 am (UTC)
Oh interesting, there are always members of gov't that are tied up in no good shit.



Edited 2009-08-07 04:23 am (UTC)
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 01:32 pm (UTC)
Members, yes. There's always someone... But it was one of the things that bothered me about CoE. EVERY member of the government, including the Shadow Government, was in on it; or was too lazy to look at the actual govrenment... it was literally unbelievable.
[identity profile] luvinthe88and20.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 01:41 pm (UTC)
EVERY member of the government, including the Shadow Government, was in on it; or was too lazy to look at the actual govrenment... it was literally unbelievable.

I agree it was ridiculous.
[identity profile] xennie-b.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 04:32 am (UTC)
Great Update! Bloody Government is always causing problems...
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 01:33 pm (UTC)
Not the government. There might be someone IN the government...
[identity profile] hab318princess.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 09:45 am (UTC)
oh, government now as well... and loved that John's a hero!
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 01:34 pm (UTC)
I think he would be amused to find himself so. And it's only ONE person in the government... as I've said above, one of the things that made CoE unbelievable for me was the utter acquiescence of every member of the government.. of EVERY government...
[identity profile] hab318princess.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 01:50 pm (UTC)
we had a similar situation with Saxon... and the Slitheen taking over 10 Downing Street - to be honest you have more faith in people than I have then because, much as I hate a lot of stuff in CoE - the spin doctor and Denise were so much more representative than I think we want them to be: easy way out and let's believe what they tell us
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 02:13 pm (UTC)
Faith? Me? My nickname among family and friends is 'miss cynical'. I just don't believe that everyone would be quiet, simply because speaking out would give them a political advantage -- and you still run into the odd honest man here and there. But can you imagine a member of the opposition finding out that the government has been covering up a heinous crime for over 40 years and not getting hot and bothered over the headlines and by-elections and no-confidence votes? And being cynical enough to make the calculation that the resulting mess would be worth it? Or for that matter, can you visualize the government of China just bowing down to the British because 40 years before the British had lost 12 children to some aliens????

And I don't think you can count aliens! I think that only reinforces my complaint: The only time it worked was when aliens did it. Saxon was a time lord with technology from the end of the world and he had to start by blowing up the president of the United States! And the slitheen only took over London, not the world.

Edited 2009-08-07 02:16 pm (UTC)
[identity profile] hab318princess.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 02:33 pm (UTC)
You know, I think the opposition wasn't informed, had no chance to do anything - after all it only plays over 5 days... and then Denise quietly took over being government - add to that the threat of all or 10% of children

And, much as I hate it, most people will give in eventually when the threat is some for all and UNIT is worldwide, they had their fingers in a lot of pies... and most politicans will try and hold on to power

And now I stop because I can't believe I'm that cynical
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 02:49 pm (UTC)
Actually you're not being cynical enough... you're being fatalistic :D. Not to mention believing that governments are more competent than they really are! :D :D

Even in a fictional world I will not buy the chinese being afraid of UNIT. They have no respect for their own people's lives, having so many of them, why would they care if a few thousand soldiers died in a confrontation? The chinese philosophy is that the state is more important than the individual.

And though I agree with you that politicians will try to hang on to power politicians out of power will do anything to get back into it and that includes shaking the tree. The opposition would have been over it like white on rice.

The thing about conspiracies is that the more people involved the more likely it is to go pear-shaped. Old saying: three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead. CoE marches out of X-Files territory into the vast unkown without proving that there is a road....

Edited 2009-08-07 02:51 pm (UTC)
[identity profile] hab318princess.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 03:02 pm (UTC)
Hey, I can be as cynical as I want to be - I can't vote in general elections - have to accept what I get given

Re the Chinese - yes, but as they don't value the individual they also might be much more prepared to sacrifice the children and then... tighten the screws on the UK and UNIT afterwards - they are not stupid

that's why Jack and the others got blank paged... to keep the secret :D
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 03:48 pm (UTC)
ell, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I don't think ALL the governments in the world wuold cave in -- some just out of sheer bloodymindedness... And the Chinese are notorious for not liking to be told what to do by European powers... Or for that matter... Can you see some mullah not blowing the whistle? HAH!

But even if everything you said is true, it was never shown. We were supposed to take on faith that the UK has so much power in the world that every country would take their word for it that this terrible aliens (whose existence they have kept secret) are coming, and last time they traded 12 kids for a medicine that saved thousands, but this time they are EEEEVVVVIIIILLLLL and you must trust us on it...
Double HAH!

Edited 2009-08-07 03:50 pm (UTC)
[identity profile] hab318princess.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 04:18 pm (UTC)
ok, I give you that...

and is now a good time to point out its fiction???? and Torchwood which normally has a few plot holes, usually big enough for Jack's Chula warship to fly through?

and you mean the Brits don't have that kind of clout?
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 04:23 pm (UTC)
Yes, IF IT HAD BEEN TORCHWOOD I would have given it a pass -- but it was supposed to be ZEEERIIIUUSSSS DDDDRRAAAMMMMAAAAA... so it doesn't get the benefit of the doubt.

I'm bloodyminded that way :D
[identity profile] hab318princess.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 04:31 pm (UTC)
*giggles* sorry, not sure what to say now... I loved it (yes, despite everything and the plot holes) once I got ove the shock

and bloody minded can be good!
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 04:44 pm (UTC)
Hey, de gustibus non disputandum -- especially with one of my readers! :D
[identity profile] hab318princess.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 04:50 pm (UTC)
If my Latin hasn't left me after 20 years.... you can't argue about taste? and to be honest, wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same - I love variety
rhianona: donna doctor detox[personal profile] rhianona on August 7th, 2009 07:39 pm (UTC)
oh more political intrigue! How fun...
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 07:40 pm (UTC)
Well, political... yeah, I guess...
[identity profile] sarahjane6.livejournal.com on August 7th, 2009 11:55 pm (UTC)
There will be St. John medals issued presently:)
[identity profile] merucha.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2009 12:02 am (UTC)
I'm thinking of St John of the Testy Temper :D
[identity profile] sarahjane6.livejournal.com on August 8th, 2009 12:29 pm (UTC)
Oh a much better name!

I can just hear his comment on this subject.