Odyssey

a Torchwood & Stargate story

by RoadrunnerGER

Disclaimer: I neither own Torchwood nor Stargate. I just thank their creators for

Summary: Abducted away from Earth and sold into slavery Team Torchwood has to fight for survival. Being left behind Tosh works with the Stargate team, going on a frantic odyssey across the universe in order to save her friends. Crossover, set s2

Chapter 8

In his cage Jack was the only one who was awake right now. He did not allow himself to sleep. As he usually did not need much sleep that was not a problem yet. His gaze drifted through the cell, over the men who were locked up with him, and out to the other cages.

He had tried to listen to what little he could understand of Gwen and Owen's conversation. It was obvious that the shock had subsided. They would slowly settle into the new situation before they would realize what was going on and try to get out.

Jack did not believe that they could get out.

Even if we could make it out of the cages there's a whole ship with its Tebr'ox crew left. We'd have to overpower them, without weapons and no idea about the ship's construction. It would be highly unlikely if not impossible to take over the ship. And even if we could do that, how would we get back to Earth?

Only now Jack recalled memories he had not needed for a very long time, those of being a spaceship pilot.

Once we have access to the bridge I should be able to fly the ship. Its navigational system should give me the information we need to set a course.

That is if we can get there. With only the four of us, imprisoned and unarmed, there's barely a chance.

During his service for the Time Agency as well as later, after they stole two years' worth of his memories and before he joined Torchwood, Jack had been in worse situations. Still he was clueless. So far he had no idea what they could possibly do, other than trying to stay together.

Together.

That was another part of the problem. Until he had started travelling with the Doctor, he had never had to worry about anyone but himself. He could take any risk he deemed necessary, and only he would suffer the consequences. Now, he was asking others to take risks, too, and whatever mistakes were made, whatever happened to his team, ultimately, if anything went wrong, it would be his fault.

He could just about handle the responsibility on earth when they were fighting to defend their own planet. Ironically, out here in the weightlessness of space where he was the only one with any experience, that burden weighed much heavier on his shoulders. He just wanted to keep his friends safe. He wanted to keep them alive. They might live in slavery, but at least they would live.

If we try to escape and are not successful we won't get a second chance. We will be separated for sure and then I won't be able to help the others when we're taken to be sold. On the other hand it would be better to not let it get that far. Our best chance would be to escape before we even get close to the market or wherever they are taking us.

It might as well be our best chance to get killed.

Subconsciously he tightened his hold on Ianto who leaned against his right side, his head resting on Jack's shoulder. Absently Jack stroked his arm the whole time. When he now turned his head and looked at the young Welshman a loving smile played around his lips.

If nothing else, I'll have to protect Ianto.

Unexpectedly Ianto raised his head and met Jack's gaze with his own intense blue eyes. Then he kissed him.

One of the other men stirred. "Hey!" he protested. "Do you have to do that? That's… disgusting."

Jack backed out of the kiss and wanted to reprimand the man when Ianto spoke.

"You know, we're in a potentially life-threatening situation here," he said. "You could get killed at any time just because you said the wrong thing. So get over your prejudices and shut up."

"Are you threatening me?" the man challenged.

"No, I'm not," Ianto replied calmly. "I'm stating a fact. Look, I'm sorry that you have nobody to lean on right now. Don't begrudge us that we have each other. Okay?"

Jack stared at his lover with astonishment. Their way from being enemies to being lovers had been a very long and rough one. What had started as physical attraction became a deeper bond after Jack's return from his travels with the Doctor. They recognized the kinship of their broken souls, developing a close relationship that was hard to understand for those who knew their violent history. Now they were an established couple, and it was no problem for Ianto to show his affection with the team present, but when he and Jack went out for dinner or to the cinema or something the young Welshman still was reluctant to show his true emotions. That he now told this man off surprised Jack.

Obviously it surprised the man as well. For a moment he looked as if he wanted to explode, but then he sat back, grumbling something unintelligible, and left them alone, trying to get back to sleep.

Having successfully shut the bigoted jerk up, Ianto settled back against Jack. It was comforting to sense Jack's breathing, hear his heartbeat, and smell his exotic future scent. The arm wrapped around his shoulders conveyed a sense of security. And he simply enjoyed Jack's caresses.

Still Ianto could not stop thinking about their hopeless situation. He did not see a way out. All he could do was to trust Jack to know what was to do. I don't even know who those Tebr'ox are and what they want from us. Jack was rather evasive, supposedly to protect me. I don't need protection, though. I need to know what is going on. I need to know how to deal with this!

"Jack?" he murmured.

"Yeah?"

Ianto's question came somewhat hesitantly and his voice wavered with anxiety, "Some of them are what?"

"What do you mean?" Jack asked back, uncertain what Ianto meant.

"We were interrupted. You said earlier that they are nomadic and some of them were… were what?"

Do you have to ask? Jack thought miserably. He did not want to tell Ianto the bitter truth, but he knew as well that he had no other choice and that it did no good to put it off.

Ianto felt Jack shift his position and turned as well until they faced each other. Then Jack pulled the young Welshman back into his embrace. His voice was low and hoarse when he finally answered Ianto's question.

"They are slave traders."

In a split second Ianto tensed up with shock, his grip on Jack tightening so much that Jack felt nearly crushed. Ianto's eyes grew wide and his breath hitched in his throat.

"I'm sorry, Yan," Jack murmured close to his ear. "You shouldn't have been there. I should've protected you."

"Nonsense," Ianto hissed, feeling anger well up inside of him. "We only knew that it was something big, so we all were needed out in the field. It's not your fault that we got caught."

"That's not true, Yan," Jack argued. "I'm responsible for you, for the whole team. It was my fault."

"It wasn't. Just like it wasn't your fault that you had to let Jasmine go."

Now it was Jack's turn to tense up. Jasmine! The memory almost made him sick. Ianto had not been present when he had not really a choice between saving a little girl and condemning the world to unimaginable suffering or letting the girl go with a force that was older than anything else he knew. Still Ianto had been more understanding than the other team members. So perceptive. Like now.

"Shhh," Ianto soothed. Worriedly he noticed that Jack turned a bit green around the gills and he wished he could take his words back. All he wanted was to reassure Jack that it was not his mistake, that the Tebr'ox were solely responsible, but it seemed to backfire. He let his fingers trail through Jack's hair and kissed the side of his neck.

How did he end up comforting me, Jack thought miserably. I should take care of him. He hasn't the slightest idea about what awaits him. None of the others do. Oh, I wish I knew a way out!

For a moment they just sat there, hugging each other, until Ianto finally asked, "So what's the plan?"

"There is no escape plan, if that's what you mean," Jack murmured back. At once he felt Ianto tense up again, struggling with the intensity of the truth. "This ship is huge and even if I did manage to get out of the cage I couldn't fight the whole crew."

"You did before, didn't you?"

"Ianto…"

"When you were with the Doctor you fought all kinds of aliens. You could do it, couldn't you?"

"No, Yan," Jack said. "Not this time."

"Why?"

"Because all it would achieve would be that we'd get separated, Yan. We can't risk that."

"Can you call the Doctor?"

"How would I do that?" Jack asked, almost panicking at the amount of faith his young lover had in him.

"With your wrist strap. Can't you contact him somehow?"

"Martha can," Jack mused, absently rubbing Ianto's back and ruffling his hair. "Unfortunately you're the only one whom I told about her."

"Tosh doesn't know her?"

"I don't think so. Why Tosh?"

"Cause she's not here?" Ianto said.

Jack broke out of his embrace. "You're right!" he gasped. "She's not here. She'll contact UNIT. Somehow Martha will get to know about what happened and will call him." Jack smiled almost happily. "Whatever happens, though, Yan, we'll have to stay together," Jack became earnest again. "I'll do whatever I can to stay with you."

"Really?" Ianto asked hoarsely. That he had pulled himself together for their talk did not mean that he was completely over the shock of the abduction. New tears threatened to fall.

"I promise," Jack shushed, caressing Ianto's cheek. "Though, there's something else I need to talk about."

"What is it?" Ianto asked miserably. Fresh tears left trails on his dirty face.

"If we should get separated…"

"No!" Ianto gasped, panic lighting up in his blue eyes.

"Ianto, we need to talk about it. Listen," Jack insisted. "Listen, Yan. If we should get separated I want you to comply with what they demand of you."

Ianto opened his mouth to protest, but Jack silenced him with a kiss before he continued, "Don't be stubborn. Don't give them any reason to hurt you or worse. If we get separated I'll find a way to escape." He did not mention that that might include getting himself killed in the process to get away when they thought he was dead. "And then I'll find you. Do you hear me? I'll find you and get you out."

"Not a good plan," Ianto choked.

Jack wrapped him up in a crushing embrace, kissing the side of his neck and up along his jaw to his mouth where he claimed his lips in a heated kiss.

"It's the best one I have in case we can't manage to stay together, Yan. I promise you, whatever happens, no matter how far I have to travel… I'll find you."

Ianto could not be comforted. Tears were running unstoppably. Still he lost himself in Jack's embrace and caresses, knowing that at least this promise would never be broken.

tbc…