"What's that?" Gwen asked, breathless from embarrassment. She'd let Carys, and the thing inside her, run right past. It was turning into a terrible first day.
"It's a sort of inflatable cell", Owen said smugly, "Power runs out after about an hour though. Battery life's bullocks"
"Who said you could use that?" Jack interrupted. Owen put himself on defense.
"Umm. I just stopped a prisoner escaping", sarcasm dripped from every word, but the captain ignored it.
"You know the rules. None of that stuff leaves the building without my express permission"
"Fine. Don't thank me then", the captain sighed, leaving the issue to rest for the moment, but when Owen caught his eye as he passed the stairs, he knew the conversation was far from over. Groaning, the young man holstered his gun and followed the crew outside.
"Way to go newbie." Owen mocked, clapping his hands. Gwen had been overtaken by the sex aliens hormones and she'd been downstairs having a snog while the crew upstairs watched, "That is what I call a thorough investigation. I can't wait to see you take her particulars"
Gwen rushed towards him and shoved him into the wall by his throat. She was fed up with his snarking. All day he'd been on her arse, and if it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have let the thing out in the first place. She barely even noticed when the captain came up beside them.
"You know, strictly speaking, throttling the staff is my job." The calmness in his voice didn't mask the authority behind the implied order. Gwen released Owen reluctantly and stepped away. Owen went to follow, when Jack stopped him by the shoulder, "Speaking of which, I need to have a talk with you in the conference room"
Owen bowed his head in a mixture of fear and annoyance as he followed Jack down the hall. He catches the prisoner and what does he get in return? A choke and a smacking. What a job.
"You can stop pouting. We just- I mean just had a talk about removing alien technology without permission. Isn't that correct?"
"Yeah, but…"
"Ooo. You seem awfully informal for someone about to be punished"
"Sorry, sir. I meant to say yes sir. You know, before"
"That's better. Now, remind me Owen, when did we have our discussion about removing alien technology without permission?"
"Yesterday, sir", Owen rubbed his bottom without thinking, still feeling the sting of the captain's belt.
"Yesterday." Jack repeated, smiling humorlessly, "So did you somehow think that in the last 24 hours, the policy had changed. That now you could remove alien technology without permission?"
"No sir", he stiffened at the patronizing tone. He'd thought it could come in handy and it had. What was the problem.
"Owen, Owen, Owen… I'm seeing a lot of attitude." The young man looked up and softened his posture. Attitude was the last thing he wanted to hear. He knew how the captain handled 'attitude problems', "I'm afraid you're not getting my point. Seeing that you like alien technology so much, maybe I can use a little bit to get my point across. Why don't you fetch me the P.I.T.A"
"Please, sir", Owen blurted, his eyes watering at the thought of that thing, "Please. I didn't mean any attitude"
"Disobedience is what got you here, Owen. I think it in your best interest to do as I say. Go get the P.I.T.A."
"Yes, sir"
The worst part of it all was that storage was on the other side of the dining room, which meant he had to walk past everyone eating to get the implement, and walk back with it in his hand. The table was buzzing with noise, but when Owen walked by the second time, Gwen found that she was the only one talking. Everyone else grew quiet and Ianto gave him a sympathetic pat as he walked by.
"What? Why's everyone so quiet? Does he play tennis or something?"
Owen hoped they wouldn't tell her what was happening. Not that he cared much what she thought. Daft bitch. If she'd been paying attention, he wouldn't be getting a whacking in the first place. Hell, if she hadn't let the thing out…
He handed the P.I.T.A over to Jack and stuffed his hands into his back pockets, trying not to cry before the beating started. He wouldn't have to fake any tears for this one, that was sure. That thing hurt bad enough on a normal day, but add to that the fact that he still had belt marks on his arse from the day before and he put this on the top of the "Whackings to Remember" list. Right up there with smashing his Mum's television when he was eight and smashing Jack's car last year when he was drunk.
Owen had zoned out in all his thinking, and when he tuned back in he found himself bent over the conference table with his pants and knickers piled up around his ankles.
"Aaaaaaghaaa", the P.I.T.A's sting always started small and then spread, lighting your arse and thighs on fire all over with its electrical charge. It was worse than any paddle humans had ever designed. Owen always felt for whatever alien kids had to go through this. Honestly, he wouldn't wish it on a grown man, especially himself.
"Aaahhhhoow"
"Now, repeat after me. I…"
"Aggghh… I…"
"Owen Harper…"
"Mmmmmmph. Mmmmm. Owen H-Harper"
"Will not remove…"
"Ohhhhh. Please. Will not remove. Please"
"Alien technology…"
"Aa-hmmm-alien tech-nologeee"
"Without permission"
"Without permissiiiiiiion. Alriiiiiiiight. Msoreee."
"Ever. Ever. EVER. Again"
"I woooon't. Ever again, sir"
"You're missing a few evers there"
"Ahhoww. Ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ever ever. Pleeease no more. No more sir, please"
"Alright", Jack stood the young man up and wrapped him in a hug. Owen squeezed back, sobbing into the captain's shirt until he calmed. He wiped his face and pulled up his pants.
"I'm sorry Captain. It was stupid of me. I'm sorry."
"It's all forgiven now. You know that. Now, why don't you go sit with the crew and eat. I'm going to go change my shirt."
"If it's all the same to you, sir. I'll stand"