Human Rights 8
Leaving uniform with the task of identifying bodies and contacting relatives, Gene led Jack, Sam, Chris and Ray outside and they headed back to the station.
It was not long before Princep was sitting in the lost property office waiting to be interviewed, and the others were standing outside in the corridor arguing.
“I’m sorry, Gene, but I can’t let you be in the interview.”
“This is my bloody prisoner!”
“Do you really want me to go over your head again?” Jack asked with a sigh.
“You just try it...” Gene growled, squaring up to him.
“Will you two stop it now?” Sam put in. “Look, I don’t know how Torchwood works, but this might be a dangerous criminal and we’re standing out here having a machismo contest! Jack, will you let me come into the interview?”
Initially, Jack was reluctant. But perhaps taking Sam in with him would be the best way of getting Gene off his back. Besides, considering the plans he had for Sam, and what Sam had already seen, it would hardly matter if he were present now. “OK,” he said at last.
Gene was far from appeased, but Sam took him aside for a moment. “He already trusts me. If you back down now, we might find out more in the long run.”
Gene frowned. “You mean you’ll spy on him? It’s not very manly, is it?” Ray and Chris nodded in consensus.
---
Princep’s face was puffy and bruised from the beating Gene had given him, and it was hardly surprising that he was unwilling to speak. Nevertheless, Jack was insistent, and a halting dialogue began to take place as Sam watched.
“We found another one of you,” Jack said.
That made Princep’s eyes light up for the first time. “Another?”
“Oh yes. But what I want to know is how many more of you there might be.”
Sam raised his eyebrows. What was Jack thinking? That Princep had several brothers?
Princep just shrugged. “Which of us have you met?”
“I don’t know his name,” Jack said after a slight delay.
“Because he’s already dead,” Princep finished for him. “He would not hide his name if her were not.”
Jack leaned forward, suddenly angry. “He killed some of our men and women, it was bound to happen. How many times do I have to tell you people that you need to act differently in this world? It isn’t the same as yours.”
Sam frowned, and nudged Jack with his elbow. “Can I have a word?”
---
Jack and Sam were alone in the corridor, but Jack insisted on speaking in a whisper. “What’s wrong? He’s opening up, we can’t lose momentum!”
Sam shook his head. “What exactly are you saying Princep is? An alien?”
Jack put his hands on Sam’s shoulders. “Look, I realise this is difficult for you. You’re only just finding out these things, and it all seems strange and scary and new. But please, Sam, we don’t have time to spare right now. I’ll explain everything later, I promise.”
Reluctantly, Sam nodded. “Later,” he said firmly.
---
For a while, Princep clammed up. Jack asked over and over again whether there were more, whether there was a breeding programme, whether a settlement had sprung up anywhere. The questions puzzled Sam, who contributed little the to conversation for a long time.
Eventually, when Jack was leaning back in his seat in frustration, Sam decided to speak up. “Why did your... brother... kill those people?”
Princep rolled his eyes. “Why should he not?”
“Because it’s wrong!” Sam exclaimed, flustered. “They were people - just like you, whatever world you come from. They had lives, and now they’ve got loved ones who miss them.”
Princep shrugged slowly. “Do you eat meat?”
Sam blinked. “What’s that got to do with it?”
“Do you kill animals and eat them? Or have others kill your animals for you to eat?” Silence ensued, and Princep continued. “Why is that different?”
Sam was lost for a few moments. Was he really debating ethics with an alien? Should he continue with some philosophical argument? Could he make the Princep see the error of his people’s ways? Would it be best to ignore it, rather than acknowledging Princep with a counter-argument?
In the end, Jack saved him from the decision. “We need to talk,” he whispered. “Outside.”
It was not long before Princep was sitting in the lost property office waiting to be interviewed, and the others were standing outside in the corridor arguing.
“I’m sorry, Gene, but I can’t let you be in the interview.”
“This is my bloody prisoner!”
“Do you really want me to go over your head again?” Jack asked with a sigh.
“You just try it...” Gene growled, squaring up to him.
“Will you two stop it now?” Sam put in. “Look, I don’t know how Torchwood works, but this might be a dangerous criminal and we’re standing out here having a machismo contest! Jack, will you let me come into the interview?”
Initially, Jack was reluctant. But perhaps taking Sam in with him would be the best way of getting Gene off his back. Besides, considering the plans he had for Sam, and what Sam had already seen, it would hardly matter if he were present now. “OK,” he said at last.
Gene was far from appeased, but Sam took him aside for a moment. “He already trusts me. If you back down now, we might find out more in the long run.”
Gene frowned. “You mean you’ll spy on him? It’s not very manly, is it?” Ray and Chris nodded in consensus.
---
Princep’s face was puffy and bruised from the beating Gene had given him, and it was hardly surprising that he was unwilling to speak. Nevertheless, Jack was insistent, and a halting dialogue began to take place as Sam watched.
“We found another one of you,” Jack said.
That made Princep’s eyes light up for the first time. “Another?”
“Oh yes. But what I want to know is how many more of you there might be.”
Sam raised his eyebrows. What was Jack thinking? That Princep had several brothers?
Princep just shrugged. “Which of us have you met?”
“I don’t know his name,” Jack said after a slight delay.
“Because he’s already dead,” Princep finished for him. “He would not hide his name if her were not.”
Jack leaned forward, suddenly angry. “He killed some of our men and women, it was bound to happen. How many times do I have to tell you people that you need to act differently in this world? It isn’t the same as yours.”
Sam frowned, and nudged Jack with his elbow. “Can I have a word?”
---
Jack and Sam were alone in the corridor, but Jack insisted on speaking in a whisper. “What’s wrong? He’s opening up, we can’t lose momentum!”
Sam shook his head. “What exactly are you saying Princep is? An alien?”
Jack put his hands on Sam’s shoulders. “Look, I realise this is difficult for you. You’re only just finding out these things, and it all seems strange and scary and new. But please, Sam, we don’t have time to spare right now. I’ll explain everything later, I promise.”
Reluctantly, Sam nodded. “Later,” he said firmly.
---
For a while, Princep clammed up. Jack asked over and over again whether there were more, whether there was a breeding programme, whether a settlement had sprung up anywhere. The questions puzzled Sam, who contributed little the to conversation for a long time.
Eventually, when Jack was leaning back in his seat in frustration, Sam decided to speak up. “Why did your... brother... kill those people?”
Princep rolled his eyes. “Why should he not?”
“Because it’s wrong!” Sam exclaimed, flustered. “They were people - just like you, whatever world you come from. They had lives, and now they’ve got loved ones who miss them.”
Princep shrugged slowly. “Do you eat meat?”
Sam blinked. “What’s that got to do with it?”
“Do you kill animals and eat them? Or have others kill your animals for you to eat?” Silence ensued, and Princep continued. “Why is that different?”
Sam was lost for a few moments. Was he really debating ethics with an alien? Should he continue with some philosophical argument? Could he make the Princep see the error of his people’s ways? Would it be best to ignore it, rather than acknowledging Princep with a counter-argument?
In the end, Jack saved him from the decision. “We need to talk,” he whispered. “Outside.”