LeapGate! - A Stargate Comment Ficathon
Chevron seven is locked and LeapGate is open for business. Sam and Rodney agree that some magic of science will allow the 'gate to be open much longer than the usual 38 minutes and you have until March 3rd to write comment!fic.
1) The (incredibly long - thanks everyone!) prompt list can be found at this post. Go there to pick a prompt to write ( ( Read more... )
1) The (incredibly long - thanks everyone!) prompt list can be found at this post. Go there to pick a prompt to write ( ( Read more... )
Her loss meant they were one team member down and they really needed a four person team - Sam was still in Atlantis - had been ordered in fact to stay away from Earth completely. The problem was that this was a suicide mission in all but name. Cam had had the misfortune of having to inform Captain Harkness of their need.
Flashback “With Vala… dead, we need one more if we’re going to have any chance of destroying that Ori ship.” He locked eyes with the Captain, who slowly nodded, his arms folded.
“So one of ours,” he commented.
Daniel watched as the Torchwood team avoided looking at each other in they eye - sidelong glances only. Interestingly they kept moving between the Captain and the young archivist, Ianto Jones. Ianto met the Captain’s eyes. Daniel saw anger, resentment, hurt, and resignation flash through his blue eyes, before, with a bitter twist of a smile, he said, “I see. Of course Captain.” Standing from his chair, he turned towards SG-1. “Excuse me while I gather the appropriate gear. I shan’t be overly long.”
The pretty technician - Toshiko Daniel’s mind supplied - choked back a gasp, throwing a glare at the Captain before hurrying out to follow Ianto. The doctor shook his head as he stared at the Captain. “You’re a right bastard Jack.”
Daniel thought it interesting that the only ones not to say anything were the Captain and the former police officer, Gwen. The air was thick with tension, the Torchwood team clearly unhappy with the decision and SG-1 hating to ask but needing that additional person. It wasn’t relieved when Ianto reappeared, fully outfitted, the change from suit to casual clothes so different. He paused to give the doctor a handshake and a quiet word. Toshiko received a hug and more words. He didn’t make a move towards the Captain or Gwen, instead moving towards Cam. “I’m ready when you are sir.” Daniel thought it interesting that the Captain flinched at the words.
“Ianto…” he said into the silence. Beyond the stiffening of the shoulders, Ianto didn’t move. Cam looked at Daniel and Teal’c before shrugging. They needed to go.
“All right. Let’s go,” Cam ordered, Teal’c taking the packaged weapon in hand and shifting it to his back. Teal’c lead the way, followed by Ianto and then Daniel. Cam stood in the doorway for a moment. “Thanks.” He hesitated as if he wanted to say something more to the devastated group of people sitting in the room. He sighed and shook his head. “Thanks,” he said again and turns and joins the others waiting for him.
And so now Daniel finds himself looking at Ianto who sits with a gun in his lap, keeping watch before they make their move. Teal’c and Cam have gone to scout the area ahead of them before they move out. Where once his mind never stopped working, looking for solutions and questions and answers, he finds it very hard to focus on anything but what is ahead of them. It’s not that he’s given up hope but that he doesn’t see any. He’s been going through the Stargate for over a decade and some time ago, he resigned himself to dieing because of it. He thinks that this time, death will be permanent and he can’t help but be slightly pleased by that thought.
“Why?” Daniel abruptly asks, wanting to know why Ianto came with them without protesting.
“It’s my duty sir.”
“Duty?”
“Yes. For Queen and Country.” Bitterness twists his face, belying the calm expression. Ianto turns deadened blue eyes towards Daniel. “Torchwood has asked me to do my duty and I shan’t fail.”
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Ianto looks at him silently. “I am the tea boy sir. Owen is a doctor and that is needed. Tosh is the tech person - she can’t be spared. Jack… Jack can’t leave the Hub, he’s needed to coordinate after… well after.” He pauses for a moment. “That leaves Gwen and Jack won’t allow her hurt, not when he can prevent it.”
“But… why?”
“Jack needs Gwen to remind him of humanity.”
Daniel blinked. His reasoning was so… completely illogical. “I don’t understand.”
“Torchwood recruited me straight from University. Helped fund my Ph.D and Masters. I suppose they don’t matter now - never got to finish the dissertation. At any rate, I’ve worked for Torchwood for the entirety of my adult life - I am a product of it. I’ve survived… so much. One of 27 to survive Canary Wharf. Jack took me in after that. But you see, he didn’t take me for my humanity - in his eyes, I lost that years ago. But when Gwen started, she was so innocent and believed in the world and that we could make a differed. So empathic. He needs that. He needs a doctor and a tech. He doesn’t need a tea boy or an archivist.” So simple in laying out the truth - as he perceived it. Didn’t matter that Jack shagged him senseless more nights than not. When it came down to it, Ianto would always lose to Gwen and he knew it. He smiled at Daniel. “This I can do though. My duty and in performing my duty, I get to save the world. And that can’t be bad.”
Before Daniel could reply, Cam and Teal’c came back. “It’s time.” Ianto nodded, shouldering his pack without question and following Teal’c out into the darkness. Daniel followed suit, Ianto’s words echoing in his mind. “For duty…”
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The great thing about this, btw, is that I now have an idea for a fic that will expand on this.
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At the time this was written none of Ianto's educational history was known. If I ever do decide to expand on this idea, I will likely take the information revealed in Fragments into consideration. The ficlet mainly grew out of my desire to have Daniel and Ianto in the same universe. As this was a comment fic, I did not have the time to get it betaed or britpicked. Again, should I ever decide to expand on this idea, it will be greatly revamped and go through a thorough beta and britpick process.
Again, thank you for commenting and your constructive criticism.
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a lot of the impetus for this was my dissatisfaction with the Gwen-Jack relationship as portrayed on the show/in the audiobooks. And honestly? even now, I'm not sure whether Jack wouldn't sacrifice Ianto if it meant saving Gwen. And yes, very, very bitter. Which was the point, I think.
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