(no subject)

[im_torchwood]

Jack raced after the blowfish and caught him in an aley behind, of all places, a fish and chip place.

"Give it up," Jack said.

"Pay me, fucker," the fish said clearly in English.

Jack reached into his pocket as if for a gun, but pulled out a thick stack of notes.

"Alright," he shrugged.

The blowfish came closer and took the money, then handed Jack a wrinkled paper sack. Then he ran off, keeping out of sight until he got his hood up.

Jack opened the bag, looked inside, and smiled.

"Well , hello beautiful."

Then he heard a scuff just down the way and he looked to see who it was.

"Oh. Hi there," he said.

Comments

[quartermaster_q]

Bond had told him not to poke Torchwood any more. Eve had said something similar the last time she'd noticed him poking through files he wasn't supposed to have eyes on.

Q was stubborn though, and he didn't like the idea of anything being out of his reach. As much as Torchwood was a threat- The things they had were just too interesting to be ignored.

"I do hope that's not taxpayer money," he said blandly.

[im_torchwood]

"Oh, sure...I won it in a poke game," Jack quipped, rolling his eyes. Torchwood's money may have come from the taxpayers, but not all of it. Some was simply in trust after the century of operation. Surely Q knew that much.

"Why are you here?" he asked then.

[quartermaster_q]

"My appearance on this street corner happens to be an instance of pure coincidence," he lied, not making even a polite effort to make it sound genuine.

"What's in the bag?" he asked curiously, stepping closer and pushing up onto his toes to try and peek.

[im_torchwood]

"Dogan twelfth eye," Jack said. "The sixes are more common but everyone knows how dangerous the twelfths are."

He wasn't sure Q would know what he was talking about- and part of him was afraid Q would know exactly the energy potential of the twelfth eye.

[quartermaster_q]

Q said nothing. After their last run in, he was cautious not to show what he knew and didn't know. He only nodded his head, then tilted it slightly to admire Jack's vortex manipulator.

He'd give his left kidney for an hour with that device.

"Since you're here, and I'm here, I don't suppose I could try and tempt you into giving me a tour of Torchwood? No touching, no borrowing things... Just a tour. You could name your price even."

[im_torchwood]

"I'm not giving you a tour," Jack scoffed. "I don't let U.N.I.T. in unless it's by direct order from Liz herself," he added. "No way."

[quartermaster_q]

"I see. Perhaps I should ask your husband for a tour instead," Q mused. "Well, the man you call your husband that is, since you and young Mr. Echolls aren't legally wed. Odd that a man who you met only last year is now your 'husband'. Perhaps that's worth further exploration on my part."

[im_torchwood]

"It's really not," Jack said lightly, though there was a tone of warning in his voice.

"Are you really trying to back door your way into the vaults? Can't you just have one of your double-o's figure it out?" he said with a roll of his eyes.

[quartermaster_q]

"The only double-o I'd trust to do such a thing has told me, repeatedly, to stay away from you. If I recall correctly, last time I had the pleasure of seeing you the double-o in question threatened to 'chain me up'. Though honestly, that's a terrible threat. I quite like chains, and I'm very good at picking locks," Q shrugged.

[im_torchwood]

"As much fun as chains a a couple lively six agents sounds, we weekend's just booked," he replied. But then the compulsion to show off was too great and he offered Q a peek at the wet looking black orb flecked with red in the bag. It vibrated with power.

[quartermaster_q]

Q eagerly took the offered peek, studying the object curiously, and wishing he could snap a photo- Though Jack was playing nice right now, and Q didn't want to push too hard just yet.

"What do you plan to use it for?" he asked, speaking as casually as his curiosity would allow.

[im_torchwood]

Jack reached in and pulled it out. Slimy though it looked it was rock solid and warm to the touch. As he turned it a strange pupil opened and inside glowed amber. It seemed to be vast inside the eye, as if the glow was coming from a very far off place and the pupil just a peephole.

"Like most things it'll probably go into the archives, never to be seen again," he admitted honestly.

[quartermaster_q]

Itching to touch it, Q reached out with slender fingers.

"What a waste- So much wonder locked away and forgotten," he sighed.

[im_torchwood]

"If it wasn't a twelfth and you talked a good game I might just give it to you, but this kind of power? In your hands? God only knows what mischief you'd get up to," Jack chuckled.

[quartermaster_q]

"What makes you so sure I can't be trusted, Jack?" Q asked. "I've seen your history, you often invite strays into Torchwood all the time- People less trustworthy than me, certainly. Mr. Echolls, for example. Terribly unstable- Downright volatile, really."

[im_torchwood]

"You don't know him like I do," Jack said. "And I wouldn't call them strays. I mean, okay, some. Ianto adopted me, though, not the other way round..."

[quartermaster_q]

"If you say so.." Q shrugged, looking Jack over, then raising a bow. "You're understaffed tonight though, clearly- Perhaps I could be of assistance," he offered.

[im_torchwood]

"Do you have a gun?" Jack asked, brow arched. "Because if I need help at all, that's what'll come in handy."

[quartermaster_q]

"I don't usually carry a weapon- I was thinking I could help you catalogue- Office work," Q replied.

[im_torchwood]

At that Jack gave him a queer, skeptical once over.

"You want to have access to the files. But points for trying to be a pal," he replied. "But, really, Q...you're not getting into Torchwood."

[quartermaster_q]

"Don't be like that- Surely there's something I could offer you that's worth access. ...Supervised access even. I just want a chance to see some of those hard drives you've recovered," Q pressed.

[im_torchwood]

Jack gave some serious thought to the deal at hand. He had a device he was working on, a sort of improvement on the scope-surgical-extractor Owen had had. It had worked but not perfectly and Jack liked his tech to be perfect. He...could use some help. And he wasn't foolish enough to completely discount Q...

"If I give you the specs do you think you can help me build something out of alien tech?" he asked. "Strictly hush hush.

[quartermaster_q]

Q took a moment to consider that, then nodded his head.

"I could certainly make an attempt."

[im_torchwood]

"Then I think we have a deal," Jack said and offered to shake on it to show he was earnest.

[quartermaster_q]

"Really?" Q asked, offering Jack a suspicious look as he took the offered hand. "You're not going to let me do the work and then lock me up in a cage somewhere? ...Because, honestly, I'd be a bit cross if you did."