1
Ianto couldn't believe it, sitting there at the first read through for the new reality TV series while his agent haggled for more screen time.
"I don't understand" he said softly, "What do aliens have to do with a swat team?"
"It's an Alien Task Force" Jack said happily, flicking through the script, "This is awesome. I love the whole double feint with Suzie."
"Aliens?" Ianto asked again and he looked at those he would be working with.
He still couldn't believe he had been picked from a single screen test. This reality TV Show would be a twist alright, as if the public of Cardiff would believe aliens were amongst them. Still. A job is a job and since the few bit parts on a couple of soaps he had been drifting.
Torchwood.
He liked the name, so did Jack who was crowing to a man called Owen. Owen Harper, a cockney little bastard who seemed to think he was the star of the show. Of course it would be Jack, that was obvious from the swagger and natural poise. Gods, he was gorgeous.
Toshiko was another matter, her English not that good and the speech coach as delicately working hard to get her lines right. Ianto wondered how much she had wanted this part as the screen test had not shown her limited English.
"Still, worked for Bruce Le and Jackie Chan right?" Said Owen, the Twat! Ianto had blinked as Gwen had roared with mirth. He could see a problem there as they eyed each other up.
Ianto was a little relieved that he had such a small role, just a filler really. As far as he could see he was the glorified butler, just one or two scenes for the pilot.
Probably wouldn't even get picked up.
"I want to change one of these lines" Jack called out suddenly and the producers leaned forward as they assured him whatever he wanted.
Ianto remembered Jack from the TV series The Doctor. Jack had played the part of a companion on it and been a hit, hence this spin-off series. Of course they would let him have some poetic licence. This was supposed to be a reality show slash fantasy platformed TV show. Bloody hell, it was bad enough those new ones coming out with the cosplay idiots tromping about pretending to be fairies and goblins in the new reality shows coming out but Aliens? Really?
Ianto found himself wondering what sort of aliens they would introduce. Ones from known TV or movies? Or something new?
"Could be worse" Andy said softly and Ianto turned to his childhood friend and raised an eyebrow, the one who was responsible for the screen test as he had made Ianto drive him to the bloody interview and then got roped in, He felt relieved that Andy didn't mind he had a part, he was that kind of guy. Big hearted, he knew Ianto was running on empty and really needed this break.
"What do you mean Panda?" he whispered, not wanting to draw attention.
"Could have been fucking dinosaurs" Andy replied and Ianto sniggered softly as he agreed.
"Mind." He said gently patting Andy's arm "A pterodactyl would be kinda cool."
"It certainly would be!" Jack boomed and Ianto jumped, glancing down the table at him as he pointed directly at Ianto, "What he said. A big flying one, right? I want one of those. Like, just there overhead. Like, ah…don't mind here that's just Barbara."
"Barbara?" Ianto frowned, "She would be Welsh, surely."
"What?" Jack blinked then roared with mirth, still pointing at him, "I like him, where did he come from. I like him, yes. A Welsh name so he names her. A girl though, a male one would be too testosterone fuelled. Do they have testosterone? Dinos? Or is it something else?"
"Serotonin levels?" Ianto shrugged and Jack grinned.
"I like you" he repeated, "Right, a nice Welsh name for our flying lady."
"Myfanwy" Ianto shot back, "I had a dog called that, a real bitch who chased everybody like Cujo."
Jack slapped the table like he had a judge's gavel and some people scribbled furiously.
"I have a question actually, if that's OK" Ianto said with a resigned grimace, in for a penny in for a pound, right? "The underground facility sounds good, I mean I get the old subway vibe but we can't call it the sub. It sounds too….stargateish."
Jack frowned as he stared at Ianto and it became clear it was something Jack might have named. Ianto struggled to explained, "Sub, means substitute. If out team if to are armed and dangerous they don't want to be subs. They want to be something else. Like an elite team right?"
"I'm listening" Jack said calmly.
"Well, it will be the proverbial Bat Cave. You are Batman, the team at your little minions running around in the background basically giving you something to bounce your ideas of and vocalise your thoughts. I am…Alfred apparently. So, it is a central part of your Torchwood. The hub of the action."
"The Hub" Jack said with a nod, "I like that. Come on kids, back to the Hub. Yes. Hub. Sounds more homely."
Ianto blinked as he wondered why he had spoken up like that, he had told himself to stay out of the politics of the bloody thing and here he was already changing and tweaking.
"Sorry" he sighed, "I don't mean to be rude, I am inquisitive by nature. Me Mam always says I will get a thick ear one day asking the wrong thing."
"No, no" Jack smiled and Ianto felt something stirring, "You are tight about the bouncing ideas thing. We are all going to be flying be the seat of our pants bar a loose script for the day's taping. We all need to learn to speak without fear. If it doesn't work we can retake a scene, but I would rather we were all more…loose."
"Speak for yourself" Owen snorted, "Man whore!"
Jack laughed as he shoved his friend's shoulder.
This was going to be so much fun!