Fourteen

'I've found a slave collar control.' Ianto re-joined Jack, his arms carrying several stunners across his forearms. 'I'll release Olaf.' Ianto threw the stunners down.

'No, the next phase is critical we can't have someone unproven free,' Jack told him.

'He's not unproven and the man is a slave. Does that mean nothing to you?' Ianto snapped.

Jack refused to react. 'Once we are in full control of the ship then yes. The gravity is returned to normal here that will have to do for now.'

'So you still don't trust my judgement?' Ianto said, crossing his arms.

'This is not about trusting your judgement.'

'Oh yes it is'

'This is about ensuring the safety of our current mission.'

Ianto pushed his face into Jack's 'We are standing here because he risked everything to help.'

Across from the other side of the bridge Olaf listened to the exchange between Ianto Jones with the other man who had introduced himself as the Captain.

'You little arse wipe this is all down to you. And now you think you might gain your escape you little turncoat fuck,' Glogan said.

'This is not as it seems.' Olaf spoke hurriedly and turned his head towards Glogan. 'You've been asking proof of my loyalty so here it is. They think I'm a slave. That will give me freedom to move. If they suspect for one moment I am anything but a slave then any chance I have to turn this situation around is gone.'

Glogan shifted his bulk and stared the man. 'You sold out your own crew and us and now you want me to trust you?'

'All of us here have sold out someone for a share in the profits. I was given the same choice you were, prove yourself and join or be sold. Right now you have nothing. My first guess is they will move this ship and alert Space Command. Within weeks they will be here, guns blazing, and this operation will be over for good. For all we know they have already sent off messages detailing this entire event. I'm your only chance of not spending the rest of your life on some penal prison. At the very least I can keep you safe from any immediate plans these two men might have. All you have to do is let them believe I'm a slave.' Olaf indicated Ianto and Jack who were still arguing by the lift.

'And you are doing this out of the goodness of your heart,' Glogan mocked.

'There's no profit in goodness. I keep you safe and find you an opportunity to get you away across the rift and in return you sponsor me as a full associate of the Cartel.'

Glogan swore at him in another language.

'Swear all you like I'm the only one wearing a slave collar. I might be your only chance,' Olaf reminded him.

'Your head on a spike adorning the walls of the compound is the closest you are ever going to come to being an associate,' Glogan spat towards him.

Smiling, Olaf felt a small glow and allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. He loved it when a plan came together into a win-win for himself. Glogan's antipathy worked to confirm his slave persona. Now all he had to do now was wait for events to unfold.

'Olaf is to remain restrained until we have completed the next stage. Have I made myself clear?' Jack spoke through his teeth. 'Commander Jones, have I made myself clear?' Jack repeated when Ianto remained silent, struggling with Jack's complete disregard of his opinion.

'Yes sir.' Ianto stormed off towards a set of panels to the left then pulled up one of the many swivel chairs and began to work on a series of figures.

The angry burn in his chest appeared to travel up into his arm then down to his fingers as punched up the systems he needed to set up the next stage. Stabbing the pad with his fingers he worked out how to slowly build up an electro-magnetic pulse wave in such a way the approaching ships wouldn't detect. Assuming they couldn't would be a disaster; better slow, steady and cautious ensuring every angle was covered was the plan.

Now he worked to set up the sensor array to blast both ships so that they would be both equally affected. The tugs were small but powerful, no bigger than a large shuttle which meant they could be brought on board. Once on board the crew could be captured.

Ianto felt a degree of satisfaction. At least this way any slaves on board would see their abusers captured and be freed themselves. For this to work the timing and positions of each tug was critical. To ensure success Ianto worked out as many firing solutions possible to cover every eventuality.

'Commander Jones…your figures?' Jack asked his hand out.

Completing the download of his calculations to his pad Ianto checked them over then handed the pad to Jack.

Taking several moments Jack went over the figures then turning his back walked across to the main engineering panel and with a sweep of his hand a large viewer filled with the moon and its leading edge. A few seconds more and this view was reduced to the sector the tugs would enter as soon as they turned to enter their docking run with the Torchwood.

'Sensor array?' Jack asked.

'I've set up an algorithm that allows the pulse to build on the same wave length as the background radiation. Only if the approaching tugs scan the Torchwood will they discover the sensor array is building a charge. I've set the angle of the pulse so once the wave has passed through each tug it should deflect off the moon and hit both tugs for a second time. Any systems unaffected or recovering from the first blast will fail on the second,' Ianto reported.

'Thank you Commander.' Jack moved to the navigation panel and stood in in front of the main viewer. Together they watched as first one then the second tug travelled passed the edge of the moon then began to move steadily towards the Torchwood.

'Ready on your command,' Ianto called out.

A voice distorted by the Perdian System's background radiation filled the silence. 'This is Odessa One. Odessa One making final approach to captured vessel please acknowledge.'

Ianto glanced across at Jack who was staring transfixed at the two vessels on the screen.

'Captured Vessel this is Odessa one seeking permission to come alongside.'

Several long moments passed as the message was repeated.

'Odessa One to Odessa Two, no reply from captured vessel. Move to vector 42 point 23 and hold position.'

'Odessa Two moving to Vector 42 point 23 to await instructions.'

Jack turned to see Ianto furiously working the panel to adjust the firing vectors of the pulse.

'Odessa One to vessel. If communicator is malfunctioning please send single pulse.'

Jack leaned forward and sent a single pulse.

'Message received you can hear us but we can't hear you. Making approach. Odessa Two move to vector 73 point 4 Distance to captured vessel 32 parsecs.'

Another voice cut in. 'Steady Odessa Two go to right flank vector 35.'

'Odessa Two receiving,' a voice replied. 'Correcting vector alignment.'

Ianto readied himself. 'Tug one in range in three parsecs. Tug two is now moving to secondary approach vector in range in five parsecs,' Ianto said then quickly adjusted the firing angle of the array as both tugs came within range of the required co-ordinate. His eyes were fixed on the screen before him. His hand hovered over the controls to enact the sequence. Ianto's mouth went dry as the tugs inched towards the trap.

'Computer, enact 'Harkness One override code 682581 Yankee, Zulu, Oscar, Alpha' You will now obey my voice command only,' Jack's voice suddenly boomed out.

The board under Ianto's fingers immediately went dark under his fingers. 'Sir my board's gone dead.' His heart pounding Ianto scooted across on his chair to the panel next to him but it too was shut down.

'Bring propulsion and navigation systems on line then map approach vectors for the two vessels I now mark as targets one and two,' Jack commanded and with a flick of his fingers on the navigation panel in front of him ringed the two approaching vessels in red.

Ianto stood and turned towards Jack. 'What are you doing? They could have sensors! Timing and position for the pulse are vital. The approaching tugs will sense something is up and move out of range.'

The main screen now filled will figures and outlining of the two vessels. Ianto's eyes widened as he recognised the lines as projected courses for the Torchwood.

'Raise forward shield to maximum,' Jack instructed loudly.

'Computer, belay that order.' Ianto moved to stand directly in front of Jack as the realisation dawned to Jack's intentions.

'Do not recognise voice print,' the computer told him.

'I am Commander Ianto Jones, command code 2378 Delta, Romeo, Beta 4.'

'Do not recognise voice print or verification code.'

Ianto pushed Jack aside and now began to work the navigation panel but found it was also dead and he punched it in frustration

'At my command sub-light speed factor 2 heading 001 point 32,' Jack stated in a calm but deadly tone.

'Chosen vector is occupied by smaller vessel,' the computer's gentle voice filled the room.

'Maintain speed and heading,' Jack resolutely commanded.

'Warning. Warning, correct current course and heading, chosen vector is occupied by smaller vessel, collision imminent,' the computer spoke in its maddeningly calm voice.

Ianto grabbed hold of Jack's clothing just as the radio now sprung into life again.

'Vessel what the hell are you doing? Captured ship you are heading right for us. You are on a collision course. Change course,' the voice now began to shout, 'change course for the love of the universe you are heading right for us, change course!'

Still gripping Jack's clothing Ianto watched as the first slaver tug fired its huge engine to dip under the front edge of the Torchwood in a desperate attempt to escape.

The screams of the crew ended and the leading front edge of the Torchwood swiped the first ship into fragments. Seconds later the screen filled with swirling debris.

'Navigation, intercept second vessel bearing 003 point 45,' Jack ordered, his voice like steel.

'Jack, this was not the plan.' Ianto shook Jack in desperation.

Jack pulled forcefully away and checked the navigation boards.

'There could be slaves on board. We could still save them. We agreed we would save them!' Ianto shouted as he watched the screen in horror as the second act in the deadly drama unfolded.

The other tug, aware of the fate of the first, was trying to reverse its course. It was a futile gesture; the vessel was as doomed as a rowing dingy being swept under the bows of a super tanker. Analysing the vector Jack realised they were not trying to escape but were headed towards the edge of the proto moon in an effort to send a warning signal.

'Odessa Two to base. Under attack. Captured ship compromised. Odessa one destroyed. Odessa Two to base.'

'Increase speed to sub-light four and change course to match vessel,' Jack instructed as the lines on the screen intersected.

'Warning. Warning, correct current course and heading, chosen vector is occupied by smaller vessel, collision imminent' the computer repeated its earlier warning.

The screen filled with debris and the terrible screams of the crew on the second tug went silent.

'You bastard.' Ianto spun Jack around. 'You never gave them a chance.'

'This is to the death,' Jack shouted back. 'Us or them. I did what I had to do to take the bastards out.'

Ianto threw a look of fury as Jack used his own words against him.

'The odds against us are twenty seven to two. More slavers on board would have shortened those odds?'

'But you condemned the innocent with the guilty!' Ianto railed.

Jack took Ianto by the upper arms, a desperate edge to his voice. 'Do you think I wanted to do this? In an ideal world we wouldn't be in this situation. It's two of us against all of them. Using this ship as a weapon was the only option.' Jack pulled away.

'There could have been tech slaves on board and you didn't give them a chance,' Ianto repeated shaking his head at the shock of events.

'You didn't argue in the storage room to my using deadly force. Need I remind you there is a man lying down there with his skull smashed in.'

'That was different. Using deadly force on someone who attacks you is self-defence. This situation is not the same and you know it,' Ianto pointed out.

'Sometimes hard decisions have to be made.'

'Even in a war there are rules. You should have given them an opportunity to surrender,' Ianto told him his eyes flaring with anger.

'These people have no rules. You are either a predator or prey,' Jack spat back.

'We don't have to become them to win.'

'I didn't put a single slave onto any of those ships. If there were slaves on board it was because the slavers put them there,' Jack said and they both watched the field of debris grow as the second swirling mass began to intermingle with the first.'

'Nice justification. I killed a whole bunch of people because they just got in the way.'

Jack flared, jabbing his finger at Ianto to emphasize every word. 'My responsibility is to this crew, this ship and Space Command.'

Ianto stared Jack down. 'We sat there and worked this out for hours. We agreed…

'Commander Jones, I'm not commanding this ship by committee. I listened and took the plan under advisement then made a command decision.' Jack held out is hand out in appeasement 'You know I'm right.'

'Yes sir, no sir, and three bags full sir.' Ianto saluted, his words dripping with sarcasm and turned to release Olaf.

Using a small cutter, Ianto cut the ties holding Olaf's hands and feet, then put out his hand.

'I knew you wouldn't let me down.' Olaf allowed himself to be helped to standing then shook the man's hand in gratitude.

'You should know he is a traitor,' Glogan shouted out. 'He willingly helped sell his entire crew into slavery.'

Ianto curled his lip in disgust. 'I heard what you did. You shocked him because he dared close a door and then you threated to sell him to someone ever crueller than yourself.'

'Don't let that slave collar fool you. It is mandatory; you have to prove yourself in servitude for two years if you want to join even the lowest ranks within the Cartel.'

'It's not true. You have to believe me,' Olaf said his voice trembling. 'When they take a ship they always keep one or two slaves for themselves. They forced me to do terrible things,' Olaf said almost in a whisper.

'It's okay,' Ianto said gently seeing the man's distress. 'You're safe now.'

'Don't believe him!' Glogan screamed out. 'He's a slug. He tried to make a deal with me if I would keep quiet. He'll sell you out faster than a snake down a rat hole.'

'I was praying you would find a way to free me, all I want to do is go home,' Olaf said sincerely.

'You saved my life, getting you home is the least I can do,' Ianto told him. As they both turned away Olaf threw a look back and smiled at the man on the floor. Glogan struggled and swore in to the floor.

Olaf followed behind the man he now knew as Commander Jones. He almost ran into the back of him when Jones stopped and stared at the man who called himself Captain Harkness.

He was free. Being free was a matter of perspective. When Space Command turned up - he was sure they would - and they found out who he was he would be free to spend the rest of his life on a penal colony or in a four by four cell. Helping the one called Jones might seem counter-intuitive but message or no message the ship was too important for Space Command not to investigate. Sebol was a fool whose rash act would guarantee the end of the slaver operation on this side of the rift for now and the foreseeable future. When Space Command came calling Olaf planned to be long gone. Once on the other side of the rift he could make up any narrative that would put him in favour in the cartel, even make Glogan the villain in all this and have his head on a spike. Stranger things had happened.

He looked up from his musings to observe Jones still boring his eyes into the back of his Captain's head. From the drama it would appear there was dissention amongst the ranks. His rescuer had come close to total insubordination; at one point he thought Jones was going to hit the other man. Olaf's mind went back to Harkness's pronouncement that the two had unfinished business. Maybe he could exploit this in his favour. Nothing like the present.

'Did your Captain really use this ship to destroy the tugs?' Olaf asked.

'Your assistance Commander. I've re-instated your access codes,' Jack interrupted any reply Ianto might give.

'Yes sir,' Ianto snapped and saluted in the most sarcastic manner he could envisage.

Jack pointed towards the same board Ianto had been working on earlier. 'Monitor engineering and the main power core while I move the ship into a geo-synchronous orbit.'

'Can I help with anything?' Olaf offered. Ianto pointed to one of the low-backed engineering swivel chairs still scattered about. Olaf wheeled it next to Ianto and sat down.

'Can you run a level three diagnostic on the main power core?' Ianto pointed at the panel to his left. Olaf's face lit up with a huge smile as if there was nothing more he wanted in the entire universe he would rather do.

Seconds after Olaf began to work an authorisation window popped up. 'I'm blocked.'

'Computer, Commander Ianto Jones command code 2378, Alpha, Beta, 4 release engineering panel three Yankee.' The small pop up disappeared and Olaf went back to work.

Olaf heard a ping and a list of icons flashed down in a long list. The core had a multitude of common abbreviations, disrupting its flow. Under normal operation one or two could form any given time as part of standard core function. The operating system would then adjust conditions in the core to dissipate any forming. With the core locked down via an auto system it had meant this correction system had been off line. The sheer number was an indication of the neglect of the last days. Now each abbreviation would be have to be checked first in case the number of abbreviations were a symptom more serious than neglect.

Categorising the abbreviations was the easy part now all he had to do…Olaf typed in the sequence he needed to neutralise the anomalies and increase the flow of the core, nothing. He tried again.

'My access is blocked again,' he said looking up. 'Trust me I can stabilise the core flow. It's more advanced than the Tsiolkovsky but the core is the same design.'

Ianto looked up from his panel and bit his lip, thinking about how he would reply. The man was and had been a slave, one had saved his life. Ianto trusted him implicitly. However Ianto did recognise that having a slave free was one thing; giving them full and free access to the ship's system was another.

To disguise the dilemma exposed by Jack's argument Ianto reasoned he would treat Olaf as one of his students and allow the man to earn access to the main system.

'For now can you forward those to my station? I've set up an elimination protocol and then can you run a structural integrity scan.'

Olaf could hear Glogan growling a laugh in the back ground at the exchange. Olaf cursed. Maybe his rescuer was not as naive as he first thought.

For the next two hours Ianto worked without pause to stabilise the core. As always working at a complex issue helped move him into a calmer mood. With a final flurry of commands the core stabilised. Not only that from the scans Olaf had been running and forwarding to him; the ships integrity field was running just over seventy percent efficiency. Not surprising considering the stresses 'Operation Chaos' had put on the vessel. Once they returned to space dock the actual structure of the ship would need a major inspection before it entered back into full service. The ship's current status would be fine for the normal operations the ship was designed for however now a foot step inside the Perdian system it was a matter of conjecture whether the ship could hold together if it ran into any of the gravity wells or was asked to do any difficult manoeuvres without leading to serious damage.

Leaning back Ianto stretched out his aching back and rubbed his neck. Olaf was still hard at work compiling the results of the diagnostics Ianto has asked him run.

Jack was walking back and forth checking the ship's systems and ensuring that none of their captives managed to wrench themselves free. Little good it would do them except for the bridge the gravity on all other decks had been adjusted to five times earth normal.

Jack was moving in a strange gait, leaning his weight against the panels then moving foot to foot in discomfort. A question of how long Jack had remained on his feet came to Ianto. He tried to think back over the past hours. Jack had been up and down each level single-handedly trying to keep the vast and complicated systems functional now they had regained control. The answer was he was sure Jack had not sat down once.

Standing Ianto moved across to where Jack was moving between panels. 'Sir'

'Report,' Jack ordered with a twisted grimace as he limped to the panel to his left, read down the information on the read outs and made adjustments.

Seeing the look on Jack's face Ianto hesitated. Jack spun round, his lips pursed. 'Report.' The tone of his voice indicated he was not going to take no for an answer.

'The core is stable, running at eighty-five percent efficiency. There are indications that the structure has been stressed. I would recommend the ship return to space dock. The structural integrity field has reduced to seventy percent and holding. The counter worm programme I created is currently removing any remnants of 'Operation Chaos' and should be clear in another five hours.'

'Carry on.' Jack turned his back.

'Sir,' Ianto said to Jack's back.

Ianto tried again; this time he put his hand on Jack's arm. Jack spun round. "I am in no mood for another round of you arguing over my command decisions. You have made it clear exactly what you think about me. I'm the lowest form of life in the universe because I failed to meet whatever high standards you have that would rate me as a human being.'

Jack turned his back and continued to move between panels. Ianto moved to the side and pulled up one of the swivel chairs.

'What I think is you're in pain and should get off your feet.' Ianto slid the chair behind Jack

'I don't have time for this. We have to neutralise the slavers on board, and when I mean make harmless. I don't mean throw them out the airlock,' Jack said almost as a hiss.

'Jack I don't think you do.'

Jack look startled at the use of his first name and for the first time saw Ianto's hand on his arm.

Easing Jack who sat with a thump Ianto then kneeled. With a gentle tug he attempted to remove the boot from what had been Jack's most injured foot. Jack shuddered and went pale. Ianto tried the second boot; same result. 'Not good,' Ianto reasoned. 'I need to get you to sick bay.'

'Security, the slavers, Engineering…' Jack started to say.

'The slavers are not going anywhere. The ship is now up and running. I suggest we lock down the core and system back to auto and get any updates sent to sick bay in case we have to get back here in a hurry.'

'We have to secure the slavers that means walking the entire length of the ship then moving them to a secure location,' Jack said, exhaustion and pain clearly etched onto his face.

Ianto interrupted and handed Jack a pad. 'That might be so but I've got an idea about where to move them.'

Jack held out the pad back to Ianto not sure where this was going.

'So here's the deal. We set everything back to auto, get you to sick bay, I check your feet then I tell you what I've come up with and you can use the opportunity to express in no uncertain terms what a complete hypocrite I am.'

'Sounds interesting. And no holding back?' Jack double-checked.

'It's a doozy and after I let rip at you, it's only fair you have first dips on informing me what an evil, nasty, two-faced bastard I am.'

Jack thought for several moments. 'Promise?'

'Promise,' Ianto told him.

'Okay, on the condition I walk to sick bay.'

'Deal,' Ianto agreed, indicating to Olaf he come forward and support Jack so he could stand.

Using a cutter Ianto cut away the anti-grav boots. As soon as he reached the ankles they began to leak a thick clear liquid. Removing the boot Jacks feet looked raw and swollen. The swelling went from ankle to mid-calf.

It was an anxious wait for the scanner to report back the damage done. While waiting Ianto handed Jack a tall drink.

'I don't need a scanner to tell me you may be dehydrated due to fluid loss.'

Taking a tentative sip Jack and was surprised it was not hot or salty.

'What makes you think I'm not punishing you with slightly sweet and tart?' Ianto told him seeing the surprise on Jack's face.

'How bad?' Jack asked as Ianto read the scanner print out

'The fluid is the body's response to it trying to heal an open wound. That's one of the drawbacks of speed healing: it takes a while for the body to realise you're healed then overreacts when you get re-injured especially if it's just afterwards. The good news is the small bones in your feet are healed but need time to consolidate which explains the deep core ache you are most likely feeling. The swelling is due to you standing for such a long period of time. A few hours with your feet raised and it should subside.'

Moving to the replicator two bands appeared which Ianto stretched then pulled them over Jack's feet to just above his ankles. Pressing a small nodule on the side of each Jack felt the pain melt away with some relief.

'These will block most of the pain. After a couple of hours of rest you will be able to walk around but unless necessary you must remain seated.'

Jack then yelped as Ianto sprayed some healing jell onto his feet.

'Sorry about that I should have warned you.'

'Just a bit tender. Now you promised I could shout at you,' Jack said after taking another drink.

'First you need to tell me why you used my name and date of birth as your authorisation codes and 'saucy goose'?'

'That was not part of the deal to get me here,' Jack pointed out.

'Well I thought before things got heated I would ask before I forget.'

'Was it true what he said that your fingernail is worth more than this ship? Olaf interrupted.

'That was an exaggeration,' Ianto told him

'So what is it then?' Jack smiled and took another sip of the drink in his hand.

'A finger.' Ianto held up his middle finger on his right hand.

'Seriously?' Olaf checked wide eyed and felt as surge of disbelief.

'Meet Ianto Erasmus Jones,' Jack told him. 'Son of Senator Arthur Jones, Nephew of Charles Jones who together make up the controlling interest in Space Industries. This ship and all other Space Command vessels are built in their space docks and...' Jack indicated with free his hand towards Ianto.

'And I have ten percent stake,' Ianto said so quietly Jack and Olaf almost missed it.

'You are winding me up.' Olaf looked at Ianto who ignored Olaf's stare and put some more jell on both Jack's feet.

'What are you doing in Space Command?' Olaf said, staggered at the revelation as he tried to calculate the worth of the man before him.

'I know,' Ianto said in a long suffering voice. 'Why am I not at some luxurious beach resort with some blonde complete a vacant look on her face holding on my arm fawning all over me, drinking myself to death?'

'Well yeah,' Olaf agreed.

'I don't rate a person by their wealth. I rate each person by their actual ability and you sir haven't told me why you used my name and date of birth?' Ianto directed his question to Jack.

'I told you. I never want to forget what I did,' Jack told him seriously.

Olaf looked between the pair. One moment they were screaming at the other then the next they were helping each other. The antipathy was real but…he couldn't figure this out. What were they? Old lovers who now hated each other but somewhere the flame…no Harkness had said something about 'mistaken identity'. What the fuck was that about? Olaf narrowed his eyes and began to recalculate his odds.

'Now what's your idea that will allow me to call you can complete hypocrite?' Jack said.

'Let me take that cup from your hand,' Ianto offered.

'I'll let you know if you need to duck," Jack said.