Chapter four – theories and evil twins

For long moments the only sound in the room was the ticking of the alien-themed clock on the wall. Three occupants of the room were staring at the fourth member. Their thoughts were racing, though on different routes. The dark-skinned woman, by the name of Martha didn't know what to do. She was happy for their friends, but knew, the return of Rose could mean the end of her travels. The tall man, in the RAF coat, named Jack was doing a mental happy dance. While he flirted with her, it was only to maintain his reputation. He always tought of Rose as a sister. He was devastated, when he learnt she was gone, without a chance of coming back. The Doctor was shocked. When they landed, he didn't even notice, that it was another world, the Tardis wasn't unconscious like last time, in fact, she wasn't even damaged; only refused to move. There were no signs; no zeppelins, in the paper he picked up, there was an interview with the prime minister, not with the president. He was thinking about the other things that might've clued him, when a thought hit him like a ton of bricks. Rose. She was here, a couple of rooms away from him. In the past years he was dreaming about this, their reunion. He planned what he'd say and do, that he'd ask her to come back, he thought up reasons for her to come if she said no. And now, when he could tell her everything he wanted, he found his brain totally empty, save one thought, which he voiced,

„Rose…"

„..is in this universe," finished his sentence Vi. She was watching the three with an amused expression on her face, 'cause she literally could read their thoughts—it was written on their faces. The girl was insecure, the Captain wanted to do a victory dance, and the Doctor looked like he was hit by a truck.

When he heard the woman's voice, the Doctor snapped out of his state, and began firing questions, „How did this happen? How do you know who we are? How come you don't arrest us? Is Rose here? Is she all right? Could we see her? And who the hell are you?"

„My name is dr.Violet Black, and I'm Rose's co-worker. She is not here, but you could help us to find her. I don't arrest you, 'cause Rose'd kick my ass if I got you dissected, and I think you are the one who should know what happened, it's your ship."

„What do you mean we could help you to find her? Is she missing?" asked Jack in a worried tone.

„It's a top secret information, so I shouldn't tell it to strangers without the right clearance, " answered Vi, and continued, when the men opened their mouthes to say something, „but I trust you with this, and I can tell the Director, that I got permission from Pete. But firstly, we should move, we are in the middle of the corridor." And with that, she started to walk back to her office.

The trio hurried after her, and entered her office. Vi closed the door after them, then switched on a strange device. She noticed their looks, so she explained, „It manipulates the security cameras. They will show, that I sit behind my desk, and doing paperwork." After they nodded, she started to explain the situation.

„I'll tell you everything, but please don't interrupt, I'll answer your questions later. Today morning an unidentified ship entered the solar system. The Director, Yvonne Hartmann," the men snorted here, but she ignored, „thought, that they were the sycorax; I trust you know them," they nodded. „Some of us disagreed, but she ignored us as usual, then dismissed us. Half an hour later, two of our agents were kidnapped. One of them was Rose, the other was her partner. Right after that, the ship disappeared. We found it hours later;it's on Earth orbit, and has a very good shield, it absorbs everything, so it was very hard to find. While searching for the ship, we got a report, that another 211 person disappeared , all of them were beamed away, probably up to the ship. That's all we know. Questions?"

„Did you try to reach them?" asked the Doctor, and when he received a nod, he continued, „Do you know what they want?" headshake, „what's the common in the 213 abducted?"

„The agents are questioning the witnesses and looking the missing ones' file up right now, but beside that we don't know everything. The senior staff thought the aliens to be the sycorax, so we still have to find an other alternative. In other words, we barely know anything. And that's why I need your help. Rose always described you as miracle-men, who knows everything about all the races out there. I'll give you all the files and readings. Will you help identifying them?"

The three nodded, but Jack couldn't help but add, „Typical Torchwood London. They create a mess, and expect the others to sort it out."

„Shut it, Jack!" snapped three voice. Martha, Jack and the Doctor all turned to Violet.

„How did you know his name? We didn't tell you," asked Martha

„Parallell universe, paralell Jack," said Violet, then started towards the door. „We are going to the main labs. If anybody ask, you're with me, and Pete Tyler gave the permission," she said to the Doctor and Martha, then turned to Jack, „I'm going to see Pete. You should come with me. Hung your head, so the agents won't shoot you on sight, I will explain everything on the way." And with that, she went out of the room, with the others in tow.

--

After Violet dropped them off, Martha and the Doctor immediately set to work at the desk of one of the scientists. They checked all the files and scans and readings the technicians did on the ship. After the first two pages, the Doctor could tell, that they're not the sycorax. It seemed, that they're a time- traveller race. The shield they used was invented in the late 61th century. The inventors were the Ardenians, but they were all killed in a war against the humans in the early 62th century. After that, the humans took over the ardenian science projects, and sold the new inventions to other races, who were willing to pay the price. Fortunately for the Doctor and the universe, the prices were so high, that less than a dosen race could allow them, and only three of them were using it to conquer, the others bought them for their defence. Out of the three races only one had the technology of time travel, the draconians.

The Doctor swore under his breath. Martha heard it, and asked, „Do you have something? I read this files, but I can't understand the majority of them."

„Yes, I have an idea, but it's not good. It's right a catastrophe. If I'm right, our lovely little guests are the draconians. They travel from planet to planet, kill the populations, and live up the planets savings. After that, they search for another planet, and repeat the whole thing."

„But that means, that we can fight them. Or are they much more advanced?"

„Yes and no. They're very advanced, but they don't use violence to conquer. You see, they're brilliant scientists. They usually create epidemics to kill off the population. They kidnap people –er..life-forms from the planet, infect, then send them back, and wait. When the coast is clear, they go down, and kill the survivors."

„Nice."

„Yeah. But there is the possibility, that i'm wrong. It's an alternate universe, so maybe it's an other race," said the Doctor, but didn't believe it. In his world only the draconians used this method during the whole history; it was unlikely, that they're that different here. That meant, that the abducted people are most likely are already infected, and they can come back in any minute. He stood, and went up to the the nearest scientist in the lab, and asked, „Who's the boss here?"

„You came in with her," answered the man in a very annoyed tone; he clearly didn't like strangers taking over his desk.

„Violet? Oh. In that case can you tell me where can I find the office of Pete Tyler?"

„Top floor, sixth door on the left from the elevator."

„Thanks," said the Doctor, then turned to Martha , „come on! We're gonna meet an old friend of mine, and hopefully we won't run into his wife." And with that, he took off , and Martha had to run to catch up with him. They got into the elevator along with a blonde woman, and the Doctor pressed the right button, without turning around to ask the woman, where did she wanted to go. After the door closed, he turned to Martha. But before he could say a word, he looked at the blonde woman, and he froze. He just trapped himself in an elevator with a very angry-looking Jackie Tyler.

--

While the Doctor was researching, Violet and Jack made their way to Pete's office. When they stepped out of her office, she told Jack to hung his head down, and now Jack was beginning to get annoyed. His neck hurt, and already bumped into six other people.

„Okay. Would you tell me why am I walking like that? It's a little incomfortable."

„I already told you. This way you won't be recognised."

„Why is it a problem? I know I have a paralell self, but it can't be that bad. Right?" noticing Violet's expression, he continued „What is it? What have the other-me done. Screw over the Intsitute a couple of times?"

„ Try homicide, political assassination, spying, murder and terrorism. Oh, and screwing over Torchwood."

Jack stopped walking and with a shocked expression, he said, „You've got to be kidding. I'd never do that."

„Yeah, you. Your evil twin would. He's wanted in 23 solar system," answered the woman, with an disgusted expression on her face.

„Do you know him personally? In the office you sounded like you did. Tell me!" he demanded, then he tempered it with a, "Please?"

Violet stopped, and entered an empty room, pulling Jack with him. She understood Jack's reaction to the news, years ago Rose reacted the same way. She decided to tell him the short version.

„I met Jack Harkness five years ago on a peace-conference. We tried to end the war between Callixus II and Dallia. He was there too, but unlike us, he tried to sabotage the deal. He tried to kill the dallian ambassador, while making it look like a callixian terrorist group was responsible," explained Violet, nodding at Jack's 'shit' comment. „It's not everything. Because he was you, Rose refused to believe, that he is an assassin. He tried to talk to him, and ended up with a knife at her throat. The Captain managed to steal a little ship, and tried to take her with him. We could save her, but Harkness escaped," she finished, and started to walk out

„ It's not everything you know, is it?" Jack called after her, noticing the woman's hesitation at the 'end' of her story. She looked like she wanted to tell something, but wasn't sure she should. „I'd like to know, why would everybody in this tower be glad to shoot me."

Violet sighed, and continued, „The other agent's, -who's disappeared with Rose-, name was dr. Benjamin Harkness."

„Harkness? Is he..,"

„….his son? Yes, he is. He has huge family issues and never talks about his father, but I managed to drag some info out of him. Apparently our Jack is not only an assassin, but a devoted member of the Brotherhood too. Do you know about them?"

„I do. But how can he be a member? I'm not pure human, and I assume, neither is he. Aren't the members pure humans?"

„Looks like they made an exception. With Jack in their club they gained power. You have to understand, that while he is a criminal, Harkness has a lot of supporters. There are a lot of people, who support him and his friends' ways. They don't care about their background and goals, while they're doing what they're paid for. The most of the supporters are the ones who lose markets with peaces like the one between Callixus and Dallia. For example, Dallia used to pay more than the actual price for weapons to the garrians, and for that, they didn't sell anything to Callixus. With the war gone, the prices dropped, and Garr lost a lot of money. They payed Harkness to kill the ambassador, and altough he failed, the garrians still employ him, and sell everything to the Brotherhood for a low price. So the puritists made a good deal. " At the end of her monologue, she stepped out of the room, motioned to Jack to follow and they walked away in the direction of Pete's office. On the way there he was trying to drag more information out of her, mostly about Ben, but she stayed silent. After five minutes, they reached the door, and Violet knocked.

While Pete Tyler wasn't the head of the institute, he had almost as much power as the Director, which irked her to no end. The ministers didn't forget his part in the war against the Cybermen, so Pete became the second highest ranking person in Torchwood. Because he could overrule Hartmann's decisions, the director developed the nasty habit of not informing him about the meetings and other events; that happened that morning too. During a long discusson with the french prime minister, he received a call from his histerical wife about his elder daughter being abducted. He quickly excused himself, and flew back to London. He just arrived back to his office and was on the phone with Jackie again, when somebody knocked on his door. He asked the newcomer to come in, and told Jackie that he had to go. But his wife was a very stubborn woman, and decided, to come to the Institute. He tried to reason with her, but Jackie didn't listen

„Look Jacks. Don't come here, we're doing everything we can……I know Rose is Your eldest, mine too, but it won't solve anything, if you come here.Who will stay with Lily?...I know, that the girls in the safehouse love her, but….." he was cut off, and even Jack and Violet could hear Jackie's screaming about being a mother and that she will go whether Pete wanted or not. „Okay Jacks, I'll be waiting for you. Love you, bye."

After he ended the call and turned to his guests, he was shocked to find himself face-to-face with an intergalactic terrorist in the company of the head of the science department. He was reaching for his gun, when dr.Black started to talk.

„Look boss, it's not what it's like." It was lame, Violet knew, but it bought her some time „He's not the Jack Harkness we want dead, he is another.He is..," she started to explain, but was cut off by Jack.

„My name is Captain Jack Harkness" he was cut off too, by Pete's 'i know who you are' comment. but continued, „No, you don't know me. I'm Rose's friend from the other Universe."

„It's impossible. The Doctor said that he sealed up the gaps. Nobody can cross the void again to enter this universe."

„I know what he said, but we're here."

„We?"

„Yes. The doctor, me and a woman, Martha Jones."

Pete was staring at the man, and Violet choose this moment to back up Jack's story, „It's true. I met the bloke, and I believe them. They know about Rose. The Doctor is in the main lab right now, I gave him the reports to look over."

„Who gave you the permission? Somehow I doubt it was Yvonne."

Violet opened her mouth to give an explanation, but was cut off by a very loud and very angry screech from the hallway.

„DOCTOR"

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