AN: Just a short chapter this time.
Chapter 38
Three months after Jack gave his taped evidence, Oduya and Stamford came to trial. As their crimes were interrelated, and much of the evidence would relate to both, they were to be tried by General Court Martial individually, but with the same Judge advocate and jury. As members of the British Armed Forces, on secondment to UNIT, they were to be tried by UK Armed Forces Law. This was not a trial which could be held in anything but the greatest secrecy. Though the events of the Master's destruction of the Earth would not be part of the trial, the immortality of Jack Harkness could be. No public record would be made. The jury were several of the most senior members of the UK armed forces.
Jack was required to attend both trials. On each occasion he was ensconced in a private room, with a video link to the main trial. After many hours of waiting, when he was called to the stand, TV footage of the courtroom was piped to this room so he was able to see and hear everything that was occurring.
In both cases, the prosecution had saved Jack as the last witness. Peterson's evidence had been given earlier. Many of the soldiers involved in abuse had turned Queen's evidence and had also given their evidence. That evidence, along with Jack's taped testimony, was extremely damning for the defendants. The case against each of them was so strong that Jack was only needed to clarify a few points over the video link.
Stamford and Oduya both received a severe sentence: dishonourable discharge, and life in prison.
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Jack had arranged a session with Charlotte for the day after he gave his final evidence. He gave her a run down on how things had gone at the trial.
Charlotte was pleased and impressed at how Jack had come through it. "You did very well," she opined. "And, thanks to being able to give taped evidence, you've come through the trials without too much trauma. I'm so happy for you."
"And even better," he exclaimed. "The judge advocate has said that there will be no need for me to answer any questions in the trial for the lower ranked soldiers. Apparently, they were all falling over themselves to turn Queen's evidence and implicate Oduya, Stamford, and each other. They've all rolled over and admitted all the charges."
Charlotte smiled. "That's wonderful Jack. Now you can put it all behind you and carry on rebuilding your life."
"The Queen has said that there will be prosecutions of prisoner abuse cases in other high security UNIT prisons. I'm glad I won't have to be involved with those. It does seem to have been an endemic problem."
"Did you manage to keep to your scheduled heroin dose?" Charlotte asked. "You have done so well getting down to less than 75% of the original dose. I was worried that the trials would set you back."
"It was a near thing," Jack admitted. "When I did the taped evidence, I needed the heroin desperately. It was luck that it was time for my regular dose. And I just shot up with what was there waiting for me, without thinking about what dose it was. Owen had left the right amount ready for me."
"It is going to take you years to get down to a minimal dose," Charlotte pointed out. "Do you think you can keep the self control going that long?"
Jack nodded. "I don't think that will be a problem, as long as I live a normal life. And what seems like a long time to most people, isn't to me. I can afford to be patient."
"Ah, yes. The normal life," interjected Charlotte. "How is that going?"
"I was promoted to chef de partie. Only two steps below the head chef," Jack explained proudly. He had progressed very quickly, no doubt due to his long experience with cooking. "Things are going really well. I'm happy in my job, happy with Tosh. I'd rather neither of us had anything to do with Torchwood, but you can't have everything."
"Would Tosh be willing to leave it?"
"Perhaps," Jack answered, thoughtfully, "if we had somewhere else to go."
Charlotte had never seen Jack so calm and happy. It boded well for the future. "Well Jack," she said, "I think we have covered everything that you needed to cover in these sessions."
"I think so too," Jack agreed.
"So, I think that we can discontinue our weekly sessions, but of course if there is anything that comes up that you want to discuss you can always call on me. I could be up here from London within a day if you needed me."
"Thanks Charlotte, I really appreciate everything you've done for me." And he truly did. On impulse he moved towards her and hugged her hard.
Charlotte blushed. It wasn't often that she was hugged by such a handsome man.
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Two months later, The Queen personally invited Jack to the Palace. She knew that humanity owed a great debt to Jack for creating the EMP device that allowed the Master to be defeated. She presented him with the Victoria Cross, the highest award for extreme valour in the face of the enemy that the UK could bestow. Usually this would be presented as the first of all honours being given at a major investiture. But the confidential nature of what happened on the Valiant precluded this. Jack was relieved. The last thing he wanted was to be the centre of unwanted attention. Tosh was the only guest at the ceremony.
Afterwards, as Jack and the Queen chatted privately, she informed him, with some embarrassment, that since he had been falsely imprisoned, and his rights had been violated by UNIT, he was also to receive monetary compensation. The money would come out of the budget that the UK contributed to UNIT.
"You know, Jack," the Queen disclosed, "The position of Head of Torchwood is yours if you say you want it."
Come back and save people, save the Earth, Jack thought with dismay. Look at where saving people got me. I'm done with that.
"I don't want it," Jack demurred, not letting on how much horror he felt just at the idea of it.
The Queen held up a hand. "You think that now, but who knows how you will feel in five or ten years. I may not be around then, but I will ensure that procedures are in place so that you could be reinstated at any time, however long that might be."
Jack nodded, although in his heart he could not conceive of a time when he would wish to lead Torchwood again.
AN: We'll have a change of pace next chapter