OTA

[im_torchwood]

After John Hart, after Gray, Jack couldn't be in Cardiff. He was Torchwood now, not just what he did but who he was, and he had a small crisis and had to get away. Although he'd broken with London's Torchwood after the incidents at Canary Wharf (which it seemed the population had either forgotten or written off) Jack found himself in England's jewel. He was ready to make a new start. And, he reckoned, the Doctor would probably visit London before Cardiff if truth be told.

He'd settled into the subterranean Hub that Alice and Emily had worked in. It had been long forgotten in favor of the building of steel and glass that had been built atop it. Bloody Torchwood...they were supposed to be secret. He'd made his contacts and had put himself to work. But even Jack needed to eat.

He had all of the city to choose from and rather than just go to a pub Jack stood on the sidewalk looking at his mobile reading Yelp reviews. There was a place just down the block and around the corner. Yelp was good and all but he kind of wanted a real opinion so he looked up from his screen and he smiled at the first person whose eye he caught.

"Excuse me...do you know if this place is any good?" he asked, showing the screen. His American accent immediately marked him as a tourist, even though he wasn't.

Comments

[quartermaster_q]

When you spent as much time around double-o's as Q did, you became numb to that sort of thing, and Q only shrugged.

"True- I am very memorable," he replied blandly. "We haven't met before though, no, despite how dreadful you are at staying off six's radar."

He paused a beat, then offered his hand. "I'm Q."

[im_torchwood]

"You're Six's new Quartermaster?" he asked, huffing a soft laugh. "Aren't you a little young?"

The jibe at staying off the radar washed over him. He didn't give a fuck what Six knew. Or Five. Or U.N.I.T.- or any one.

[quartermaster_q]

"I'm certainly young compared to you, captain," Q replied in that crisp and calm tone he always defaulted to. "Age is no indicator of one's skill level though, is it?"

[im_torchwood]

"Aren't you cheeky?" he laughed. "Q, huh? All right. Want to get dinner with me somewhere better than this?"

[quartermaster_q]

Q nodded, then decided to push his luck a bit.

"Perhaps we could get take away, and I'll show you exactly how easily I hacked your systems this morning."

[im_torchwood]

"My own systems? Or Torchwood One?" he asked, jutting his head forward and then starting to walk.

[quartermaster_q]

"Both," Q replied pleasantly. "You're not properly implication the safe guards, and your firewall is set up all wrong- A sharp decline from previous security measures that had been set in place."

[im_torchwood]

"Well I don't have Toshiko here," he replied. "It's just me. But I'll work on the safeguards. Thanks."

He was dry in his delivery. Flat. Unimpressed with the young boffin's confession.

[quartermaster_q]

"Or, I could set them up properly for you," Q countered. "...In exchange for a small favour."

[im_torchwood]

"I don't know if I want to be owing Six favors so soon after I arrived," Jack said suspiciously. "What is it you want?"

[quartermaster_q]

"You've got some technology that could help expand digital storage capacity and cpu speed. ...I was hoping to have a peek at it." Q replied. "You wouldn't owe Six anything, this is purely for my own interests."

[im_torchwood]

"That's alien tech. Alien tech that hasn't been completely cleared. I can't do that, Q and you know it. But you've got a lot of balls asking," he chuckled.

"I'll set up my own computer system. Thanks."

[quartermaster_q]

"Cleared by who, Jack?" Q countered. "Who are you even working for now?"

[im_torchwood]

"I work for the Queen, Q, just like you. Don't take the piss," he scolded, the phrase sounding odd with his accent. "If I say it's not cleared, it's not cleared. I'm Torchwood and what I say carries some weight."

[quartermaster_q]

"I could dismantle Torchwood with a few keystrokes, don't get cocky with me, Captain," Q countered.

[im_torchwood]

"No you can't. You can try, but it won't happen," he replied. "You wouldn't be the first to try, anyway. Now...back to the matter at hand. Where to eat."

And with that tart dismissal he began to consult his phone again.

[quartermaster_q]

Q sighed, then shrugged. "There's an Indian on the next block that's quite good."

[im_torchwood]

"Indian it is," he said with a nod. He slowed a bit and looked at Q. "If I feed you are you going to lay off threatening my livelihood?" he asked.

[quartermaster_q]

"Feed me and find out," Q shrugged, sounding as posh and pleasant as ever.

[im_torchwood]

Jack was fairly certain that the worst that could happen was he'd have to slip Q a pill and wipe this all from his memory so he decided to take the chance. It might prove useful.

And he did like talking to someone who had some technical knowledge. Maybe not fifty-first century, but a solid mind nonetheless.

Jack lead the way into the Indian restaurant and was immediately choked by the freshly lit incense. Everything was bright and white and clean and he smiled. He spoke to the woman who seated them in flawless Punjabi, which amused her to no end.

It was obvious despite any language barrier that he was flirting with her. Color touched her cheeks and she went off to get them tea. Jack turned his smile to Q.

"Butter chicken?"

[quartermaster_q]

"Please," Q replied, nodding a bit, and looking completely indifferent to the other man's behaviour. ...He really was far too accustom to this sort of thing.

[im_torchwood]

He did take time to look at the menu and when the woman came back he ordered butter chicken and masala and rice and naan. When she left he poured the tea.

"You're too young to have all the fun of life sucked out of you. What's the stick up your backside, Q?" he asked.

[quartermaster_q]

"I'm not sure what you mean," Q replied. "I'm being perfectly pleasant."

[im_torchwood]

"You've got manners like a butler," Jack chuckled. "And balls of steel for even thinking you can take down Torchwood. But I don't get the feeling you've got delusions of grandeur. So what's the story?"

[quartermaster_q]

"No story, I'm just very good at what I do," Q shrugged. "Six doesn't tend to hire amateurs."