"Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move."

Sun Tzu

Whitehall Cabinet Building; London, England

Monday, January 18, 2021

Keara Montfert, the soldier, stopped outside the door to compose herself. She secured the entire building to protect herself and everyone in it if needed. After everything, barging in on the Prime Minister shouldn't have her heart racing. She chided herself and opened the door.

Hazel Bransom sat at an antique table in a small meeting room. The decorations were subtle and regal clashing with Keara's intentions. Government leaders rarely understood reasonable plans and common sense. They needed to believe in their judgment to serve. Often they had high opinions of themselves. Bransom was no exception.

The Prime Minister looked up in puzzlement as Keara crossed the room. "Who are you?"

"I represent a Torchwood faction. When the Institute fell, Captain Harkness believed that Cardiff was the only remaining office. It's not."

Branson reached for her mobile.

"Ma'am, your phone doesn't work. Which is part of the point I came here today to make. Even the prime minister's security is wholly unprepared for the technology available on the planet."

She glanced at her mobile before folding her hands in front of her. "What do you want?"

Keara pulled a chair back from the table and sat. "The Torchwood Institute needs to be rebuilt and funded. As Captain Harkness is the most visible and experienced with the public, he needs to be in charge. I suspect there is already an oversight argument. When Queen Victoria founded Torchwood she wanted to defend Great Britain from alien threats. The current situation is beyond the scope of one small island on a very big planet. The Caribbean and Greenland facilities should illuminate that."

"Why isn't Captain Harkness here?"

"He doesn't know I'm here."

Bransom nodded. "Why would I agree to this?"

"By now you're aware of the alien spaceship that prevented an attack on a Torchwood operation involving the bioweapon in Cardiff. That's my ship. What you don't know is Torchwood, my Torchwood, has an orbiting space station, satellite network, and multiple ships." Keara took a moment. "We're in position to defend the planet, but need planetside resources."

"Prove it."

Keara smiled. Energy matter transfer was simple enough.


Torchwood Global; Earth Orbit

Witnessing Earth through an observation port for the first time was impressive. As expected, the prime minister stared through the clear metal with the awe of a child eying a gourmet candy store for the first time. The bland recreational room made a point without endangering any of the station's secrets.

Bransom turned away from the view and asked, "Why is this necessary?"

"Corporations are making backroom deals with aliens. The bioweapon was created by imprisoning and experimenting on alien sea creatures. It's unknown where they obtained their information. The Caribbean island situation went badly because the same company experimenting on children had a concealed military facility producing genetically modified soldiers." Keara paused. "Torchwood is Earth's defense against aliens and itself."

"The financial burden belongs to the world not just Great Britain."

"Yes. There are ways to make that happen. Currently we're confiscating hidden corporate holdings of companies involved with unwilling experimentation. Moss-Probert and Cattrel Industries are publicized examples."

"Cattrel? They bred alien reptiles in captivity."

"Sentient alien reptiles. When Captain Harkness and an associate arrived on-site, a car-sized dragon was attacking the company. The creature intentionally spared emergency responders. When Torchwood launched an attack to gain access to the building, the dragon understood and helped. When the younger creatures were free, and flying away, the adult left. From what Torchwood has determined from reviewing information on the dragons, the females lay eggs similar to turtles and leave them. The adult responded to some type of SOS and took the actions necessary to free the captives."

"I didn't receive that information." Bransom crossed her arms.

Keara nodded. "What you also didn't receive was the full assessment of the Greenland situation. The facility was using unstable alien technology to harness geothermal energy and had an alien pen underneath. The island was destroyed. The aliens were safely relocated."

"Relocated? Where?"

"Another planet where they are safe from the humans that abused them."

"This…" Bransom shook her head.

"I know. It will take time to process." Keara motioned toward Earth. "Throughout history humans have committed unthinkable acts against each other. Nothing I have mentioned or witnessed hasn't played out in history repeatedly in one form or another."

"I need more information."

Keara opted for the simplest details to understand. "An air strike in the Republic of Ireland destroyed a facility behind the terror attack on Blanchardstown Mall. The former MP facility is currently housing innocent children exposed to the bioweapon and adults involved with exposing children. Both have resulted in The Hague sending investigators." She took a moment. "When you took office, did the possibility of a war crimes investigation in Great Britain or even the region occur to you?"

"No."


Whitehall Cabinet Building; London, England

Keara carried a laptop when they returned. The discussion was far from over, but visuals would help. One of the ironies of time travel is she could easily design Torchwood London as she's already seen the facility. Indications of other time travelers and practicalities resulted in layout changes. It also meant using alternative means of construction. She needed to discuss maintenance bot modifications with John.

"These images are what Torchwood London will look like." She set the laptop on the table facing the chair Bransom used previously

The prime minister sat. "How do you intend to establish a global law enforcement entity with no government oversight?"

"Torchwood is one." Keara returned to the table. "Both the 456 and Miracle Day situations proved the need."

Bransom sighed. "I don't have the authority to do this."

"Rebuilding the Torchwood Institute has already been discussed. We have the technology to build it at minimal cost." Using maintenance bots and Four's replication technology, they could turn a landfill and a couple junk yards into the facility. "Get the construction authorized, and we'll take it from there."

"That could be viewed as treason."

Keara nodded. "Captain Harkness has already proven his capability of doing this without threatening the government or whatever political argument is made against him. Torchwood saved the world's children after the government tried to kill the Cardiff team. Torchwood ended Miracle Day that was designed to make global profits through eliminating the need for prescriptions for medication."

"It's a dangerous amount of power to give one man."

"He already has it, ma'am."

"What do you have?" Bransom asked.

"Enough technology to create an unconventional protection force unlike the world has ever seen." Keara paused. "Torchwood is a strange life. People join for any number of reasons. When the Institute existed, people applied at human resources. Most worked nine-to-five jobs. Currently, agents are discovered during crisis situations and recruited to combat the next crises." Keara paused. "One location is run by a man whose husband sacrificed himself to save the world. Another office was run by a teenager for years after his parents were killed in a failed attack on the facility. An almost inaccessible location is run by a traumatized combat vet that survived a genocide attempt against his own culture. We're overworked, angry and broken. Torchwood London offers an opportunity to change that."

"How do I sell it to Parliament?"

"Our government has been protecting the planet since Victorian times. The world should know that."

Bransom smiled. "Appeal to their arrogance and ego-centrism?"

"Yes, ma'am."