FIC: Access Denied; Torchwood, Jack, Suzie

[such_heights]

Access Denied
Torchwood; Jack, Suzie
PG, 1200 words
Summary: Here lie sundry records and conversations pertaining to the changing situation of Torchwood Three circa the turn of the 21st century.
Notes: Spoilers for 'Fragments'.

---

CLASSIFIED

PERSONNEL FILE
JACK HARKNESS
[PAGE 1 OF 2,835]

PROFILE: Harkness (pseudonym: real name indeterminate) has been a field operative at Torchwood Three for over a century. A stranded time traveller (for details see pp. 85-95), Harkness is unable to die (pp. 204-378) and thus a unique asset to the Institute. A known former associate of 'the Doctor', Harkness has on several occasions attempted to make contact; each instance has been successfully neutralised. Nonetheless, this connection may prove valuable in the future.

When making contact with Harkness for the first time, it is advisable to consult his psych profile (pp. 2103-2199) so as to be adequately prepared for his distinctive approach to interpersonal relations.

Harkness has been recommended for promotion to a position of leadership on seven separate occasions. These have all been declined.



"Torchwood, Jack Harkness, 105713."

"Please wait while you are connected to a secure line." Click. "This is Torchwood One, what is the nature of your call?"

"Reporting the deaths of four Torchwood employees, shot and killed in the line of duty. Medical officer Mark Eliot -- "

"Harkness -- "

" -- field operative Elizabeth Wyman, technical advisor -- "

"Jack. Jack, please, just wait, let me get my supervisor, hold on."

"Harkness! Harkness, what in God's name is happening over there?"




Fax received 31/12/99, sent by Alex Hopkins, Cardiff.

RECOMMENDATION FOR PROMOTION
Jack Harkness has given more years of service to the Torchwood institute than most of us will live to reach. His loyalty and dedication is beyond question, and his numerous skills and areas of expertise have been of immense value to myself and my team on more times than I care to count.

Jack's knowledge of both alien technology in general and the vagaries of the Cardiff Rift in particular are unparalleled, leaving him uniquely qualified to oversee the activities of the Torchwood Three base. An effective combatant who has proved his bravery in the line of fire time and again, Jack is a natural-born leader and there is no one I have encountered in my thirty years at Torchwood who I consider more worthy of my command.

For pity's sake, London, the man has died for us a thousand times. He's earned this more than any of us.



"No, absolutely not. We're sending someone in, Harkness."

"Then they'll be answerable to me."

"Unacceptable."

"Hey, you want someone who knows the first thing about operations here? Without me, you can't possibly hope to handle the Rift or know how to deal with the junk that floats through. Hell, you're not even going to be able to get in through the front door unless I say so."

"Harkness, listen to me."

"No, you listen to me now. I am finally through with you people. You want to send someone along? Fine - if they're good, I'll keep them, and they'll be doing well to have got away from you. I'm taking command of this base, and you can't stop me."

"Jack Harkness, I am ordering you to stand down."

"What are you going to do, shoot me? Oh, and by the way. That's Captain Jack Harkness to you."



RECOMMENDATION STATUS: ACCEPTED



"Suzie Costello."

"Ah, and you're Captain Harkness."

"That's right. So, you're the one Canary Wharf sent?"

"Yes I am. I'll be monitoring your activities, no doubt assisted by a small dose of my own espionage, as well as helping you out with that pesky Rift you've got here."

"Knock yourself out. As far as I'm concerned, London's powerless here."

"That's what I tried to tell them before I came. Still, Captain, you never know - play your cards right with me and they might not completely cut your funding."

"Don't need their money, I get by just fine here."

"Well, sure. Still, it might be nice to have a bit of extra cash round the place - you really ought to have guidebooks here published later than 1987, you know. Anyway, are you going to let me come in any time soon? Oh, and I could murder a coffee, had a hell of a journey getting here…"




TO: Hartman, Y
FROM: Costello, S
SUBJECT: Report on Captain Jack Harkness

Attachments contain my findings of the situation at the Torchwood Three, including mission reports, CCTV images, email logs, and personal observations.

It is my recommendation that we allow Harkness to retain control of the Cardiff base, and continue to support the work that goes on here regarding the various salvage and rescue operations resulting from the activity of the Rift, a phenomenon Harkness seems to have a thorough understanding of.


TO: Costello, S
FROM: Hartman, Y
SUBJECT: re. Report on Captain Jack Harkness

I say, are you sleeping with him already, Suzie? We might be able to use that to our advantage - get as close to the man as you can.

Yvonne Hartman,
"If it's alien, it's ours."



"So what are you, the Lone Ranger of Cardiff?"

"Something like that."

"You should have a team."

"Why? Worried I'll be lonely?"

"Nothing so trite. A team keeps you grounded, they're your checks and balances - a place like this, left to your own devices, might go completely to your head. And there's more in this city than one man, however talented he might be, can handle."

"I'm not watching anyone else die."




TORCHWOOD THREE
PERSONNEL FILE
CAPTAIN JACK HARKNESS
[PAGE 1 OF 13]

Harkness has worked for the Cardiff base for a number of years, first joining the Institute under the leadership of Alex Hopkins...



TO: Hartman, Y
FROM: Costello, S
SUBJECT: Document request

Harkness seems to have erased a lot of the data stored in the database here, mostly pertaining to his history in the organisation. Request access to central archive.


TO: Costello, S
FROM: Hartman, Y
SUBJECT: re. Document request

Request denied. Sorry, Costello, we want you to look at Harkness with a fresh eye, I'm sure you'll understand.

Yvonne Hartman,
"If it's alien, it's ours."


TO: Hartman, Y
FROM: Costello, S
SUBJECT: re. Document request

That's as may be, but I still feel I will be able to conduct my investigation more effectively with some additional information - I've attached a file indicating the major gaps in the Cardiff base's records and where I need more data.


TO: Costello, S
FROM: Mailer Daemon
SUBJECT: Failed Delivery

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification

Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:



"You're blocking emails now?"

"Well, it's not as though they were getting you very far."

"What are you hiding, Jack?"

"Oh, all sorts, you've no idea. And that's the way it's going to stay if you want to keep working for me."

"I didn't know I was."

"Your choice - stay here, let me keep my secrets and screw London, the lot of them, we'll do our own thing now. Or you can go back, dig up the archives, do your research, answer your questions, and there'll be no going back from it, you'll never get in here again."

"You drive a tough bargain, you know."

"But the pay off's worth it, don't you think?"



TO: Hartman, Y
FROM: Costello, S
SUBJECT: Resignation

This is my official resignation from Torchwood One, and acceptance of a full time position as a field operative at Torchwood Three under the command of Captain Harkness.

It's over, Yvonne. Cardiff's lost to you now.

Suzanne E. A. Costello



"I still think you need a team."

"All in good time, Suzie, all in good time. Right now, we've got work to do."

---

Comments

[justinej.livejournal.com]

Great back story here. Exactly the right tone and characterisation.

[such_heights]

Thanks very much! The new Torchwood backstory we have now is awesome win, I couldn't resist.

[purplefringe.livejournal.com]

ABSOLUTELY.

[such_heights]

:D Woo!

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

OMFG, BRILLIANT.

This works on so many levels; it feels so... canon. You've nailed Yvonne's voice perfectly, in particular.

[such_heights]

Oh, thanks so much, I'm really pleased it worked for you! :D And how I love Yvonne, the slightly psychotic imperialist.

[qaffangyrl.livejournal.com]

This is BRILLIANT!!!

OMG! I was hoping someone would address Suzie. (and it fits with canon b/c in your fic he did recruit her in a manner of speaking as she said in TKKS.

I offer you a challenge. Please reply and let me know if you accept. Take this tidbit When making contact with Harkness for the first time, it is advisable to consult his psych profile (pp. 2103-2199) so as to be adequately prepared for his distinctive approach to interpersonal relations. and use it as the basis of Ianto's strategy to infiltrate TW3. I'd love you to pieces.

[such_heights]

Thank you so much, I'm glad this worked for you! And yup, I was a bit gutted we only got that one mention of Suzie in this episode, because she's all kinds of cool.

And well now. That is quite the awesome idea you've got there! I shall most certainly stick it on the to-write list. :D

P.S.

[qaffangyrl.livejournal.com]

Oh and the thing you did with the fonts was genius!

[snorkackcatcher]

Heh. Great and very convincing bit of backstory there. Especially liked Yvonne's sig. :)

[such_heights]

Haha, thanks very much!

[larielromeniel.livejournal.com]

This is great. You really paid attention to the detail, and that makes it canon for me!

[such_heights]

Thanks very much indeed, I'm glad this worked for you!

[rainshadowsfic.livejournal.com]

liked it =)

[such_heights]

Thanks a lot! :)

[lorannah.livejournal.com]

Hee!!

Absolutely fantastic. I love Suzie (Indira Varma is an amazing actress).

You are fantasticawesomesauce

:D :D :D

[such_heights]

Isn't she just? Suzie is my very favourite undead evil genius.

Thanks so much - and for the record, I am finding many ways in which this is all your fault, you and your thinky comments and ramble-enabling. Horrid influence all round.

[lorannah.livejournal.com]

And there is little better in the world than an undead evil genius.

LOL - everything's my fault. Of course, now I shall have to continue as clearly I'm doing an important public service.

[such_heights]

There really, really isn't. Course, now she ought to face off against my very favourite undead snarky medic.

*weeps quietly* Oh dear, farewell, brain.

Fic: Access Denied

[secondsilk.livejournal.com]

This is marvellous.
Excellent story for Suzie and that gap in Jack's Torchwood timeline. And dealing with Yvonne.

Re: Fic: Access Denied

[such_heights]

Thank you very much! This is a very fun gap to contemplate if you ask me.

Also, I shall get round to responding properly soon, but you filled my inbox with so much happy win this morning, thank you! ♥

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

I like the story as it unfolds in the communiques. It makes Suzie's later betrayal all the more poignant because she stood up for him.

[such_heights]

Thanks, I'm glad that worked for you! And mmm, yes, Suzie just endlessly fascinates me.

[collada.livejournal.com]

wow!
This is an interesting back story, I found myself thinking after Fragments "Right, we know about Gwen allready, now we know about Jack, Ianto, Toshiko and Owen, all we need is Suzie which will probably be covered in season 3" but this fics sufficient enough XD Fantastic background story for Suzie, I was allways a little miffed at RTD for not telling us where they came from!
Thanks for sharing :)

[such_heights]

Thank you so much, I'm really glad the idea worked for you! I know, I was really hoping for a guest spot from Suzie, but alas.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

...where's Indira working right now, and how large a net do we need to drag her back for a flashback ep?

[such_heights]

imdb tells me she's not working on anything right now - to the Batmobile, Robin! (Or, to the SUV, Ianto, as you prefer. :D)

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

oooooo. Oh, that's great stuff to build on Fragments.

[such_heights]

:D Thanks very much!

[kitbiscuit.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, fantastic. Perfect answer to the "why so long to get a promotion?" question -- of course even a maverick organization like Torchwood saw Jack as a maverick. You've got all their voices down cold -- your Yvonne is scarily focused and Machiavellian, Suzie prickly and independent, Jack always a step ahead of everyone else.

You gave me the shivers with Jack's line to Suzie about how he didn't want to watch anyone else die. Very ironic considering later events. Great fic!

[such_heights]

Yay, thanks so much! I'm very pleased all of that came across for you. Mmm, I really like how we got glimpses into Jack's less than perfect position within Torchwood, I hadn't really thought about it like that before but it makes a lot of sense.

[ivy-b.livejournal.com]

Oh I love this! I really do. Email formats are interesting and you've conveyed a lot with barely any content.

[such_heights]

Thanks so much! This was a bit of experiment, stylewise, so glad to hear it paid off. Torchwood just cries out for more of this sort of thing, really.

[crooked.livejournal.com]

omg i love this. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. the format is brilliant, switching between the emails and documents and the snippets of conversation. also, Suzie! i would've loved to see her backstory covered but alas.

anyway, eeee you're awesome. ♥♥

[such_heights]

Invisible Suzie was most saddening, most saddening indeed. But yay, thanks so much! :D And you're awesomer. *squishes*

[oursoliloquies.livejournal.com]

Wow. This is brilliant; you've provided such plausible backstory here. And nailed the characters. Great job.

[such_heights]

Thank you very much, I'm so glad it worked for you!

[lannamichaels]

This is excellent. I love the way you constructed the backstory here.

[such_heights]

Thanks very much indeed!

[onehundredmoons.livejournal.com]

This is fantastic. You've used the journal/email/letter format really well, interspersed with the real-time scenes. My favorite bit was the nearly 100 pages of psych profile on Jack!

[such_heights]

Thanks so much! And hee, I would pay any amount of money to get my hands on that. What must London have made of him, I shudder to think!

[laurab1.livejournal.com]

Oh, very clever :) Well done!

[such_heights]

Thanks very much indeed!

[phibetafunkay.livejournal.com]

This rocks so hard. I've always wanted a little more background on Suzie. Well done.

I'd pay money to see that psych profile, though. :D

[such_heights]

Thank you very much indeed! Not gonna lie, a tiny bit of me is still holding out for moar Suzie in the future, heh.

[greenapricot.livejournal.com]

This is wonderful and feels totally canon to me.

[such_heights]

Thanks so much, I'm really glad it rings true!

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