8
"Are you OK?"
Jack looked up from the bed was sitting in to find Ianto in the doorway, his shirt undone, his sleeves rolled up and the look of a concerned man.
"Bad dream" Jack croaked, rubbing his eyes "Did I bother you?"
"Finishing off some reports, shitty job in the middle of the night but the best time to use Mainframe" Ianto walked forwards and that is when Jack saw the tail was loose, a single tie at the nape of his neck letting the hair fall naturally to it's full length. Ianto flicked it back as he sat on the edge of the bed so he didn't sit on it, the hank of dark liquid mooing and Jack watched it with interest.
"you were not kidding… long."
"Heavy too" Ianto smiled. "Nice defection."
"Was just a dream" Jack said reaching out to hook the hair from the man's lower back, pulling it forward to smell as Ianto looked at him with shock, the action so intimate. Tails are sacred things.
He leaned in, the kiss so natural and so was Jack's hand sliding around him to pull him into the bed.
Ianto relaxed into the kiss and let Jack have his way… after all… it was what he wanted too and after so long alone it felt nice to be seen.
And by the gods, this man's tongue should be registered as a lethal weapon.
.
.
Breakfast was a grinning affair, both men unable to hide their satisfaction from the coupling of the night before, even the nanny looking around with a smile as the place seems so light and airy.
A ping had Ianto wiping his mouth and rinsing to head to his office where the energy call was waiting, stopping to close the door and step to the screen, the facial recognition opening the call.
"there you are… we have them" an exited man said as the screen flickered to life "Boris and i… we have made contact with one of the officers and have been invited to one of their secret meetings, by tonight we will have not only face and names of conspirators.. we might even had conformation that the Snake is here."
The Snake. The boss of the underground moment that was trying to undermine the Agency. A splinter group from a Separatist Group that he considered too tame that regularly fucked with things causing major problems so they could crow and point out that the technology man now relied on ws useless. The Snake was also considered to be the one who was currently cutting the Warning System on and off, something happening not only on this planet but others too.
Also… fiddling with shields in a universal basis.
"We know of three other colonies suffering from the sabotage… if we can get an idea where he is... we can make a bold statement" Ianto said with delight "Report it in."
"Me?"
"Your find… your report. You earned it" Ianto assure the man who lit up as he got to be the one to tell the Powers The Be that the mission was proving successful.
Ianto turned to leave and found Jack in the doorway. "You… you should not have heard that."
"The Snake? Did he… is he the reason the Warning System didn't work? Is he the… fuck. Of course he is. Did they claim it?" Jack demanded.
"No. Not officially… there was a claim and that was retracted once the body count was released. He didn't think so many would die, clearly crowed then felt shock and alarm, now publicly condemns it as our fuck up. As per usual, when there are deaths, he deflects the blame" Ianto sighed.
"My brother dies because someone made a decision with no regard for life. Then his sister and children… Christ. Is that what you are doing here? You are hunting?"
"Yes, do not tell anyone.. ANYONE… promise. Especially your friend Hart. He was at my official reprimand hearing, god, he read out the official reason I was placed here, the cover used so I could get into the underground groups. I see the way he sneers… remember… that he knows it the official version.. not the real one. Do not listen to him" Ianto stepped in close so their bodies touched and whispered "You know me now. I am like you.. we are both good men in a land where being good gets you last. Sometimes.. sometimes you have to be bad."
"An Agency Operative. Well… if it gets Intel on the Snake… good luck" Jack agreed, his hand going to Ianto's waist as Ianto went to slide past "Hey… easy there cowboy."
Their kiss was tender.
.
.
John waited until Ianto had left then entered the premises, startling Jack who never heard the doorbell. Of course the was not one, John had broken in with his usual finesse.
"I thought he would never leave" John said as he threw himself in a chair and Jack sighed as he sat as well.
"John, he warned me that you…"
"Did he now!" John roared with mirth "Well… I bet he did. Cut me off at the pass, a real cowboy. So… he told you he was innocent? This is all a rouse for some hidden secret plan? Tell me darling… did he also tell you he was the one who relayed the order to the Reliant? He actually talked to Grey who queried the order? Pointed out that the shields were fluctuating? There is radio chatter.. my friend in coms logistics heard it. That… cowboy… told the captain to fly straight or face a court marshal."
"John…"
"He accepted the punishment, plead guilty at his own hearing. Stood up and said he would take full responsibility for he actions and because he was a Meatstick, they didn't want a firing squad to destroy all that hard work and money… they sent him here. He was dropped a rank, told to stay here for a while so everyone would forget he was the one who killed a ship and here he waits playing games to keep himself amused. We all know… everyone here knows he is a fuck-up with no authority anymore. Jack... he is playing you!"
Jack sniffed as John placed a little cube on the table "Listen for yourself.
Ianto's voice came from the little speaker, tinny but unmistakable with it's vowels.
"I take full responsibility. I knew the shielded were faulty, their fate imminent but I ordered them in for the betterment of the people. The data we gained from this action will save lives… vessels.. wars. They were all low ranks, all company men… the loss was minimal and the time the enemy lost turning all attention to the floundering craft gave us the tactical advantage… the data obtained will ensure the safety of the fleet. They knew their orders… I… told them so myself."
John turned it off as Jack sat there in shock.
He didn't know what to believe anymore.
