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wintercompanion2008-05-08 08:20 pm
rubychan05: Powerless 1/2 (Ten/Jack, Nine/Jack, Jack/Ianto) [R]
Author: rubychan05
Challenge: Power
Pairing: Jack/Ianto, Jack/Ten, implied Jack/Nine
Rating: R
Spoilers: To be safe, all episodes of DW and TW to date
Warnings: Non-con, torture, character death, heartbreak and angst
Summary: When Jack is abducted by aliens there's only one thing the Doctor can do to save him. And it breaks his hearts.
Inspired by these Kate Winslet quotes;
"Loving someone is setting them free, letting them go." and "Life is short and is here to be lived."
They’re driving back to the Hub with a comatose Weevil in the boot when the beam of light locks onto them. Jack lets out a bark of surprise, the SUV spinning out of control as the steering wheel suddenly locks in place, and Ianto grabs at his arm as they screech towards a wall at 70mph. Jack’s braced for impact, ready for the telltale crunch that will signal his next death and praying that Ianto’s will be a quick one, so when they suddenly slow down and begin to rise into the air his first thought is that maybe religion’s not a flaky hoax after all.
Then it registers that they’re floating, and still going higher, and he starts wondering exactly which of his past mistakes caused the bad karma responsible for tonight’s little debacle.
When the SUV finally enters the spaceship and is surrounded by small green aliens with big black eyes and large heads Jack blinks, realising that perhaps humanity got it right the first time round after all when they started going on about little green men abducting people.
Then he notices the hiss of gas being forced through the air vents and his epiphany is lost in the panicked adrenaline as he and Ianto start hammering on the windows, trying to escape despite the deadlocked doors. It’s pointless – it was Jack himself who designed the SUV to have bullet proof windows after all – but they don’t stop trying, hands bruising against the reinforced glass even as their punches get weaker and weaker.
Eventually Ianto slumps against him, breath coming in small gasps as he tries desperately to stay awake. Jack blinks the sleep from his own eyes and just holds him close, stroking his hair and muttering nonsense words as a fuzzy feeling begins to steal over him. Ianto goes limp, ragged breathing evening out, and as Jack follows him into the dark he swears he can hear their abductors laughing.
His last thought is, bizarrely enough, of the translation programme they left running at the Hub and whether Gwen will remember to turn it off when she leaves tonight.
Then nothing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When he wakes up he’s naked and tied up, two things that would normally mean the start of a good night in any other situation. It takes a huge amount of effort to roll himself onto his knees, made even more difficult by the fact that his hands are tied with the same loop of rope restraining his feet, and as Jack sways drunkenly afterwards he thinks that it’s more than likely that whatever sedative the aliens used are still in his system.
If he were feeling a bit more generous he’d applaud them – it takes more than a bit of luck to concoct a drug capable of staying in his system even with his accelerated healing – but Jack’s not usually inclined to praise alien hoodlums who abduct his partner and him.
A small groan beside him alerts him to the fact that Ianto’s in the same cage as he is, and with a little bit of manoeuvring he manages to help the Welshman onto his knees as well, using the cage bars to steady them both when weak limbs threaten to give way beneath them.
Ianto’s panting with the effort, unhealthily pale, and Jack hopes with all that’s left of his heart that whatever the aliens used isn’t poisonous to humans.
“What…what happened? Did we offend them? Give them a reason to…kidnap us?” Ianto gasps out, and Jack shakes his head, keeping wary eyes on the silhouette of the guard behind the door.
“No. And not to worry you or anything, but I’m guessing we’re not exactly on Earth anymore.” He pauses, glancing out the window at the stars slowly passing by. “Maybe not even in our solar system.”
“But why? There has to be some sort of reason!” Ianto snaps, shifting slightly in an attempt to get more comfortable. “People don’t just randomly kidnap people without some sort of idea why!”
Jack’s about to answer when he feels the ship jolt to a stop, something buzzing a few rooms away. There’s a sudden clamour outside, and as Jack picks out the simpering compliments being paid and the scornful laughter he suddenly realises why they’re here.
“Oh shit.” He mutters, and immediately wishes he hadn’t because Ianto tenses up beside him.
“Jack…?”
The door swings open, a small parade of richly dressed humanoids ushered in by their green captors, and Jack can almost feel the eyes raking over him. One of the females moves closer, her hand reaching through the cage bars as if to stroke Ianto’s hair, and revulsion has Jack instinctively snapping at her hand, determined not to let one so filthy touch Ianto like that.
She moves back, blue lips quirked in a smile, reaching into the pouch at her side and drawing out a fistful of coins.
“I like this one…he has life in him. He’s unbroken?”
One of their captors rushes forward, bowing eagerly, and Jack feels sick at the greedy look he sees on the other’s face as their eyes lock.
“Yes, Mistress Ghanji. The two of them were captured only hours ago, and are untouched. But are you sure an untrained slave is the best option for you? We have several cattle remaining, already broken for your pleasure.” The alien’s voice is oily, enough to make Jack feel dirty just listening to it. He hopes that it will choke on that same oil one day.
“Jack…they can’t be serious…slaves?” Ianto’s voice is weak, and Jack shifts closer, pressing his thigh against Ianto’s in comfort. Ianto may have toughened up over the last few years, but he’s still in no way prepared to face a situation like this. Jack doesn’t think anyone from the 21st century is – the planet’s still about twenty years off official first contact with alien life forms, and slavery’s been abolished too long for anyone to really know what it means.
“No. I have…need…of an unbroken slave. Is 300 Skira enough?” The woman asks, and the slaver falls over himself in his eagerness to reply.
“Oh, more than enough Your Eminence, more than enough! I’ll just get the sedatives and leash…”
The slaver bustles off, and Jack swallows hard as he looks his new owner in the eye. She’s pretty; much prettier than any Earth woman could ever be. But her eyes are cold and flat, and make him think of frozen deserts. They ruin her.
She shifts, elegant robes swaying about her body, and Jack takes his chance.
“Please!” He begs, jerking his head towards the shivering Ianto and willing her to take pity. “Please…”
She hesitates, diamond hard eyes sweeping over the Welshman and narrowing. Taking in the way Jack’s leg’s pressed against Ianto’s she pauses, a slow smile spreading across her face. When the slaver returns she pushes another handful of coins into his eager hands, gesturing briskly at Ianto without even looking at him.
“And the other one two. I expect there is a discount for the pair?”
Her tone allows no argument, and as the green man shrugs and mutters something under his breath before gassing them, Jack wonders whether he’s saved Ianto or doomed him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The planet they wake up on is so different to Earth that Jack can only be thankful that the atmosphere is suitable for humans. He guesses that an educated woman such as Ghanji would have thought to check before shelling out a small fortune for them, but you can never tell with royalty – Jack’s known some who’ve barely been able to pronounce the name of the planet they were supposed to rule over.
They’re given clothes, or as close to proper clothes as they’re likely to get. Loincloths would be a better description, but Jack can’t really complain. He gets to watch Ianto walk around in next to nothing all day and besides, the planet’s incredible heat (like Ragnoss 5 and India rolled into one and multiplied by ten) is more than enough to make the prospect of wearing more off-putting.
For the first few days, they’re ignored. Something resembling fish and chips is shoved through what looks suspiciously like a cat flap three times a day, and they spend the time dozing or playing Jenga with the pile of small jewellery boxes Ianto found in the corner. Night means curling around each other on the huge mound of pillows and blankets in the middle of their room, and every time Jack feels Ianto’s heart beat he knows he made the right choice.
And then Ghanji decides to visit.
The guards jeer as they roughly pull Jack and Ianto apart in the morning, forcing them to their knees in front of their new owner. She trails painted nails across their faces, pauses to slash a bloody line into Ianto’s cheek when he flinches at the touch. Jack’s lip curls, ready to snarl something very un-slavelike, but Ghanji just smiles and focuses her entire attention on him, lifting his face and inspecting it, chuckling at whatever she sees.
“You have much fight in you.” She breathes, eyes hungry and dark. “Your children will be fine warriors, every one, strong and ready to strengthen the empire. You will make a fine breeder.”
She gestures at the door and two more guards enter, lightly guiding a young girl into the room. Her bared breasts and skimpy skirt mark her as one of Ghanji’s slaves, and when she drops into a bow Jack’s suspicion is only proved right.
“I am ready to serve, Mistress Ghanji.” She murmurs, voice soft and shaking, and Jack’s stomach drops.
“No…” He whispers, eyes wide with horror. “Oh Hell no!”
She can’t be more than fourteen. And Ghanji expects him to mate with her like they’re animals on a breeding farm. Maybe they are, to her.
“You will do it.” Ghanji snaps, eyes flashing, and Jack spits at her, feeling satisfaction at the disgust she shows as she wipes it off.
“Never. There is no way you can make me do something like that.” He snarls, and Ghanji laughs shrilly.
“No way? Why do you think I bought your little friend, hmm? He’s only good for second-class breeding, slave stock. No, the real reason I bought him is to control you.” She hisses, and Jack’s vision goes red.
“Don’t you touch him!” He barks, fighting against the guards’ grasp even as Ghanji claps her hands and orders Ianto to be tied to the pillar in the middle of the room. There’s the sound of a whip cracking across flesh coupled with a stifled cry and Jack fights harder, kicking out wildly.
“Again.” Ghanji orders, and Ianto bellows in pain. “Keep going until his heart stops.”
The guards laugh, the smack of the whip against Ianto’s bare back the only other sound in the room. Jack hangs between his two watchdogs, trembling. He can’t break loose. He can’t do anything…
“You can stop his pain, slave. Just couple with the child.” She whispers, and Jack turns his head away in helpless defiance.
“No.”
“It won’t be her first time. She’s had many chances to practice her duty. We have been using her since her body reached readiness.” Ghanji murmurs, stroking Jack’s cheek reassuringly. “If you do not mate with her I will let your pretty little friend die and beat the girl for being so repulsive. If you perform your duty your friend will get salves for his back and the girl will be rewarded.”
Jack shivers, feeling a desperation he hasn’t felt for centuries, not since he ran through a satellite filled with death only to see a blue box disappear right before his eyes. He hasn’t got enough choices…the only way to save Ianto and the girl is to damn himself, damn Ianto with guilt, damn the little future the girl has left for her. But the consequences are too high…too much…and when he looks back at Ianto there’s blood dripping off the whip to splatter on the floor, the Welshman’s face flushed red in agony.
“You’ll…you’ll get him help?” He asks brokenly, and Ghanji smiles, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.
“The best my palace can offer. I give you my word…breeder.”
Jack shudders all over, tuning out Ianto’s desperate protests as he turns towards the girl and allows her to guide him to the bed he shared with Ianto only last night. Her eyes are wide and trusting as he thrusts into her, and when he moves he sobs the same words over and over again.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry…”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ghanji is true to her word, and Ianto gets medicine for his back while the girl gets a night in the royal guest quarters.
Jack’s sleep is twisted with pain and bloodshed, a sharp vice squeezing the life out of him, and when he wakes to the darkness he’s all alone, curled in a mess of sheets whilst Ianto dozes fitfully on the chaise.
He falls back into an uneasy rest, but the next time he stirs Ianto’s wrapped around him with a hand over his heart and Jack knows he’s forgiven.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
At first he keeps trying to rebel, to prove his power and get the upper hand. But it’s Ianto who pays for it every time, in fear and pain and blood, and Jack chokes on his own bile every time he hears Ianto scream because of him.
The second time Ghanji brings a girl for him and he refuses Ianto is stripped and whipped again, his back a mess of broken flesh and sores before Jack gives in.
The third time results in the cat ‘o’ nine tails being brought out. It takes Ianto two days to recover consciousness.
Jack’s escape attempts also find only pain. A stolen knife results in Ianto’s little fingernail being ripped out. A knocked out guard has Ianto beaten with a stick, whilst a rope of knotted bedclothes dangling out the window causes Ianto to be dosed with hallucinogenic drugs and left to flail alone in the banquet hall as a source of amusement.
The attempt on Ghanji’s life results in Jack’s secret being found out after a guard stabbed him through the heart only for him to wake up again, and Ianto comatose in the medical facility after being turned over to the guards for their amusement. Jack saw blood on his thighs when they brought him back out at the end of the night, and he screamed into his pillow for everything he couldn’t stop them doing.
When Ianto wakes up Jack can hardly recognise the frail, damaged creature before him, and he weeps tears of bitter grief as he holds Ianto to him and promises over and over that he’ll protect him, that nothing will ever happen to him again.
The next time Ghanji comes Jack addresses her as Mistress and does his duty without question.
Ianto watches with tired, broken eyes, and when the deed is over they cling to each other silently, no words between them as Ghanji smiles and leaves.
Jack was never able to understand why the slaves he encountered on missions for the Time Agency never fought back or questioned their fate. Pity turned to disgust, almost hatred, and he remembers the scorn he felt seeing them bow to their master’s every whim, their own free will forfeit. He only understands now.
Sometimes, it's easier not to fight.
Part Two
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You're breaking me with this.
Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you!!
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