Hard choices leave you with nothing [for slayers_desire]

[fractured_agent]

It's been a while since Jack needed a stiff drink, and he usually abstains in case the Doctor picks that moment to return. But after a day like today... sometimes he can justify letting himself slip a bit.

The rest of his team is sent home, and the Hub is empty, save for Jack and the pterodactyl roosting in her eyrie. Leaving him alone with only a drink and his memories for company.

He looks down at his wristcomp. Very few times has he been able to call anyone for help, since his time at Torchwood began. And it still doesn't quite work... but he's spent too much time with only his thoughts for company. He's terribly lonely, in the way that only the immortal truly know, and right now his heart is aching for the loss of Estelle.

He calls up April's number, before he can talk himself out of it.

Comments

[slayers_desire]

"It is trying to reach out to me..." April whispers, approaching the cell cautiously.

[fractured_agent]

The cell is concrete and stone, with a heavy door on the back side of it, and on their side, all glass with air holes about at head height. The glass is dirty and streaked with years of filth, but it's clear enough to see inside.

The Weevil is humanoid, dressed in a silver-blue boiler suit, but it cannot be mistaken for human. Its deep, sunken eyes peer suspiciously at the approaching strangers, and its lips curl back from sharp teeth in a snarl of warning, its flat nose wrinkling as it sniffs the air.

Jack nods slightly at April's comment, unsurprised. "We've suspected they might be mildly telepathic - some kind of hivemind, I figure - but we've never been able to communicate with them."

[slayers_desire]

"A hivemind can be a dangerous thing." April notes softly. She can tell that it is reacting in primal instinct.

[fractured_agent]

"There's a whole bunch of them living in the sewers, feeding on... well, you can guess. But every now and then, they come to the surface. Usually at night. It's been happening more and more lately, and we have no idea why." Jack leans against the concrete support at the edge of the glass, arms folded across his chest. "We captured this one a few days ago."

The Weevil slowly approaches the glass, baring its teeth in an attempt to intimidate them, while it gets a sense of what they are. Jack, it recognizes by scent. But April is different. Something new.

[slayers_desire]

April is not going to judge another creature based on what they eat. Especially since there is a lot in familiar to how they hunt.

Her eyes turn red when the Weevil attempts to intimidate her.

"Maybe something is driving them to hunt."

[fractured_agent]

The Weevil was snarling softly, but it suddenly ducks its head and backs up, making a moaning sound. A noise of submission... and perhaps fear.

Jack looks fascinated, straightening in surprise at its reaction. "Well that's never happened before."

[slayers_desire]

"It recognizes a stronger predator in its presence."

[fractured_agent]

It's not her eyes turning red that provoked this response, but her scent. The Weevil can smell what she is, and it's afraid. It continues to moan, crouching down next to the bench seat in the cell, making itself look smaller so the greater hunter doesn't want to hunt it.

"It sure does," Jack says, watching its behavior carefully. They've been studying Weevils for decades and still don't know much about them, and any new information could be important. "They've never behaved this way in response to anyone that I've ever seen."

[slayers_desire]

"Did you want to learn more about the creatures?"

[fractured_agent]

"We could spend lifetimes studying them and still have a hell of a lot to learn. They're one of the biggest repeated threats to the people of Cardiff. Anything that might help us is more than welcome."

[slayers_desire]

"Perhaps I can sense why they are attacking more frequently." April places her hand on the cell. Reaching out to the hivemind of the creature, carefully.

[fractured_agent]

The Weevils aren't intelligent enough to communicate with her in words, or any kind of conscious attempt to educate her. But they are also primitive enough that they don't have mental shields, leaving them open to study by any telepath powerful enough to tap into the invisible web of connections between every Weevil in the city.

The bulk of the hive is located in the sewers, just as Jack said, running beneath the city. Some colonies are in abandoned properties on the outskirts, but they're all connected.

The Weevils are restless, knowing that something is wrong. They can feel it, the invisible power running through the city and its surroundings, that brought them from home long ago and led them here, to the new home.

[slayers_desire]

"They are restless. They know something is wrong. There is a power that brought them here..."

[fractured_agent]

"They can sense the Rift?" That's news to Jack, and just as fascinating as the captive Weevil's reaction to April. "They could be time-sensitive."

[slayers_desire]

"Do they attack every time the Rift opens?"

[fractured_agent]

"Not every time, thankfully. We'd be neck-deep in Weevils if that was the case. But the Rift has been more active recently too. If it's being disruptive to them, that could explain why they're so disturbed that they're coming out in such force."

[slayers_desire]

"They don't even know why they are so restless. All they know is that something doesn't feel right."

[fractured_agent]

"Pure animal instinct is a powerful thing. Sounds like we'll just have to step up our game for managing them until the Rift settles down." If it does happen. For all they know, this level of Rift activity could be the new normal.

[slayers_desire]

"Instinct is powerful. Right now they are reacting to a calling... and I am not sure what else could prevent them from attacking."

[fractured_agent]

"Can't expect to have all our answers in one day," Jack says with a shrug. He's learned more about Weevils today than he expected to, and that's important enough to him. "We have a system in place for dealing with them, we'll just need to use it more often."

[slayers_desire]

April backs away from the cell, so that the Weevil can stop cowering. "I am glad that you have a few answers."

[fractured_agent]

"Me too." He leads April back out into the main area of the Hub, letting the Weevil enjoy not being stared at once more. "Weevil hunting's a pretty regular part of our job. You ever want to chase aliens through dark streets and take them down before they can hurt people, you know who to call."

[slayers_desire]

"It has been so long since I have been on a chase." April gives a slight purr.

[fractured_agent]

He grins at her. "Thought you might like that. Does it matter to you if you don't get to sample the goods at the end of the hunt?" He has no problem with killing Weevils if necessary, but he prefers to subdue them and take them alive, and release them back into the sewers once they're not as aggressive. And he doesn't know if Weevil blood would be safe or palatable for her to drink, anyway.

[slayers_desire]

"I don't always drink the blood of the creatures I hunt." April chuckles lightly. She would treat the Weevils like they were criminals that she used to hunt. Catch, subdue and release to the proper authorities.