10
Owen's hands were shaking as he checked Ianto and told him softly that his advanced healing was working, the wound already trying to seal itself.
"Then just leave it" Ianto croaked out, staring into space as he let Owen poke at him "I just needed reassurance that I will not falter in the field."
Owen stepped back and regarded one of his oldest friends. Maybe his only true one. "Ianto… you have a concussion, a hole in your side and you've lost a lot of blood"
"But I will endure" Ianto replied sagely "Owen… in less than four hours I have to lead me team into one of the most dangerous and important raids in Agency History. I just need to hold together for six hours… I need those hours to make sure they cut the head of The Snake off."
"And then?"
"And then I am done, paid the cost of my life to them and the Agency will release me." Ianto sighed, sharp and painful as he grimaced, looking away.
"Ianto. Someone attacked you and cut your tail mere hours before this attack. You know… it might mean they know you are coming and you could be walking into a trap" Owen advised "I really feel uneasy about this one. You are compromised."
"It's OK. This was personal. I smelt him… I know who it was and it has nothing to do with my mission" Ianto slid from the bed and winced, then got himself steady. Squared his shoulders and walked off. Then he hesitated, turning back "Owen… do you still have that folder I gave you for safe keeping?"
"Yeah."
"If I fail … give it to Jack."
Owen looked at him with surprise "What?"
"His brother was on the Reliant… he has been told the official story just… let him read the transcript of what really happened that day, let him decide for himself if I… if the one he loved died well. If the death of a Meatstick comforts him then I died well" Ianto seemed to want to say more then added "Don't let him hear the recording, don't let that be the last memory of his brother… those screams…. Just… just the papers."
Owen sat watching his friend leave and hung his head knowing he would likely never see him again.
Going to war without your tail is like going to a gunfight with a knife.
Without the Gods behind you… you were going to your death.
.
.
There you are"
Jack looked up from his physio to find Owen standing there, a folder in his hand and a look of doom
"I don't want to hear it."
"Good, he said I was not to let you" Owen said as he sat on a piece of equipment and Jack lowered the weights to sit as well, panting from the exertion. "Of course, he said not to give this to you until the body bags are in but I am an impulsive little prick… he should know that by now… This is the …well… the unofficial version of what happened on the Reliant the day the shields failed. This is the last hour of chatter between vessels and within the vessel as recovered by her black box. This transcript is not redacted in any way and is highly illegal to even have… of course… it helps to be Agency."
Jack reached for it and held it in his hands, the almost no weight to it folder and stared "My brother's last moments… reduced to … what… sound bites?"
"Read it… don't read it. Believe the official bullshit they fed everyone to cover Agency Arse and ensure the undercover agents a foot in the door… or read it. Learn how they fought, how they tried… how they died as men on their feet." Owen shrugged "For in the end, that is all we can do. Walk out and face our Gods. Even souless Meatsticks fear the Gods."
Jack nodded as he looked at the folder and sighed "Tell Ianto…."
"Don't. don't give me false words to say to his picture" Owen said as he rose, angry now as he roughly shoved at Jack then started to slide around the equipment to leave "Don't' you fucking dare diminish his final day with empty words with no meaning. I might have been a reject but we were still brothers. I might have been sectioned out as a failed Item but Ianto fought to keep me in his team every step of the way… my brother… my brother is a righteous man you son of a bitch!"
Jack looked up at him with confusion then back to the file, knowing he had to read it… like it or not… he had to know if Gray was afraid… angry… in his head there were so many scenarios… he had to know.
Nothing was making sense now.
.
.
Jack sat in the locked room and read the first page of abbreviations, his eyes lingering on two in particular.
High Captain Jones of the S.V. Formidable … hereby known as HCJ
Lieutenant Gray Harkness of the S.V. Reliant … hereby known as LGH
.
He took a deep breath and opened the file to the page that had a turned corner signifying it was the beginning of the end.
.
LGH: They are not going to rise, I am getting pissed off here Sir
HCJ: What do you mean, the kill switch override will make them even if there is damage to the main coolers.
LGH: We tried that, my men have tried everything Sir. The shields are not rising. We are dead in the water in here.
HCJ: Stay there behind the Defender, let her shield you then, I will order her to assist, if we have to we can abort your mission and evacuate … what? Who! Fuck it… wait a sec… I have an incoming transmission ….
END TRANSMISSION WITH RELIANT
TRANSMISSION WITH AGENCY
Agency: High Captain … we have been monitoring the chatter and must tell you to step back."
HCJ: Madam, they are in danger in there, there seems to be something wrong with their shield and…
Agency: We know.
HCJ: What do you mean, you know. I have some of my undercover cell on that bird, there are close to 400 crew on that bird, what do you mean you know the shields have failed… order it out of there… it is behind the Defender if we try to evacuate, the pods can be snatched up by the Defender right? If we try to…
Agency" High Captain… you have you orders. Step away from the situation, this is not your concern.
HCJ: The hell it isn't. I have a duty to my people, I have brothers on there… a duty to…
Agency: Your duty is to me right now and I am ordering you to leave this the hell alone. Don't fucking argue with me you fucking Meatstick, do not forget you only breathe for my pleasure! The vessel is forfeit!
HCJ: My duty is to the Gods… I will not let them die for this…this… what… who fucked up? Who am I supposed to be covering for eh? Budget cuts? I will not. Do you hear me madam? I will try to save as many souls as I can. I will do my duty for the Gods I serve whom are higher than us both!
Agency: Commander Cornish, are you next to High Captain Jones?
CC: Madam
Agency: Incapacitate him and place him in the brig, assume the chair and await my next orders.
CC: Madam
HCJ: No… you can't do this. We have to save them we have to… get your fucking hands off me….
LGH: High Captain? Are you there? Sir? Is anyone there? The Defender is moving away… why.. they are revealing us, please… you have to order them to help us.. we need to … oh my god… what the fuck is going on… what are you people doing! I have crew on here with families… you can't just…..
Unidentifiable noises….
Silence
END TRANSMISSION
