Lessons for the team [for slayers_desire]

[fractured_agent]

Every now and again, Jack stumbles over something else about being a leader that he doesn't know, and today is one of those days. While he'd known that Torchwood One trained their operatives in psychic shielding, he wasn't qualified to teach it himself, and psychic aliens are rare enough that it didn't occur to him that it might be necessary, especially with the high turnover rate of Torchwood Three personnel.

But today has reminded him that it's a very real danger, and necessary to shield against those sorts of intrusions.

He's in a bit better mood than last time as he calls the one person he feels is best qualified to teach this skill.

Comments

[slayers_desire]

A little boy beats mommy to the phone, picking it up in his usual cheerful self, "Hello?"

[fractured_agent]

"Hey there, little Jon," Jack says, breaking out in a smile. "It's Uncle Jack."

[slayers_desire]

"Jack! Momma! Momma! It's Jack!"

"Okay buddy, you are such a good helper. Give mommy the phone." Jack can hear the phone being exchanged. Then April picks up, "Hello Jack."

[fractured_agent]

"Hey there gorgeous," Jack replies. "How're you doing?"

[slayers_desire]

"I am doing pretty good. And yourself?" She smiles, it is always nice to be complimented.

[fractured_agent]

"Not bad. We did have a bit of an incident yesterday though, and I was wondering if you'd be willing to help us prevent it from happening again."

[slayers_desire]

"What kind of incident?"

[fractured_agent]

"One of my team was seduced by a telepath, and was given a pendant to let her read minds. Caused a fair bit of trouble before we got it sorted. But a lot of it could've been avoided if they'd had decent shielding. Ianto has some, but he was taught by nontelepaths. I figured you'd have a better idea of how to train them than anyone else, if you're willing."

[slayers_desire]

"It is always important to have some sort of psychic shielding. I am sure I could arrange training."

[fractured_agent]

"When would be a good time for you?" he asks, looking down at his desk calendar. "Rift permitting, I should be able to schedule you in."

[slayers_desire]

"Let me just check with Clark's availability to watch the children."

[fractured_agent]

"All right," Jack agrees.

Clark is on Superman business at the moment. But she will be able to find an alternate babysitter in the form of Bart, someone who can be there at any time.

[slayers_desire]

Returning to the phone, April gives Jack her reply. "I have an alternate babysitter on his way."

And yes, there is a knock on the door as she says that.

"Just give me a few minutes to give him all the details, and I will PINpoint right over."

[fractured_agent]

"I'll be waiting for you," Jack says, nodding a little even though she can't see him. "You've got the coordinates."

[slayers_desire]

It doesn't take long to give Bart a few directions, most of them would be handling the care of the newborn moreso than Jonathan. And he gets emergency numbers too, just in case.

Then April heads out, PINpointing to Jack's world.

[fractured_agent]

The coordinates take her to the secret paving stone again, and at Jack's command, the lift takes her down into the Hub.

On her first visit the base was mostly empty, but not now. Four other people are in the Hub, and they look up curiously at their unexpected (to them) visitor.

Jack emerges from his office to greet her. "April, glad you could make it."

[slayers_desire]

"Hi Jack!" April smiles friendly at him. Already she is tuning her voices to the four others in the Hub. Waiting for Jack to make introductions.

[fractured_agent]

"Jack, who's this?" a young Welshwoman asks, smiling but inwardly wondering what on Earth is going on.

"I'd like to introduce you to April Kent, a friend of mine and an expert telepath," Jack replies.

The mousy-looking short man bristles at that. "God, Jack, haven't we had enough of that already? Now you're bringing another one in?"

The Japanese woman at her desk looks down in embarrassment. She was the one who let in the last telepath, which almost led to disaster.

The last member of the team, a young Welshman in a suit, hangs back and says nothing, just silently observing.

[slayers_desire]

"Jack felt that I could help you all establish mental shields, to aid you next time you do face someone with abilities."

[fractured_agent]

The Japanese woman looks even more embarrassed by that. As far as she can tell, her attraction to Mary was purely human, with no psychic persuasion behind it at all. And she herself was the one prying.

Jack ignores the rudeness of his one teammate, and so do the others, clearly used to it. "If you want to skip out, Owen, you're welcome to do so but you'll be leaving your mind open to attack. If you want to keep your secrets secret, you have to do this."

Owen scoffs and looks away, but he hears the wisdom of Jack's words.

Jack nods towards each of his teammates in turn. "April, this is Gwen Cooper, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, and Ianto Jones. Ianto's the one with existing training."

[slayers_desire]

"I would like to get started by seeing where your strengths exist. Do to that, I request a surface touch to your all your minds."

[fractured_agent]

"Why don't we take this up to the briefing room?" Jack suggests.

Owen still looks wary about this whole thing, especially since he'll have to let someone else into his head, and he's very protective of his privacy. Gwen's rather nervous about it too, but she does a better job at hiding it.

Tosh doesn't quite meet anybody's eyes as she follows the group up to the briefing room, where they can sit at the large table comfortably. Ianto is already moving to fetch some tea for everybody on autopilot, although he knows that he'll likely need assessment as well.

[slayers_desire]

She can sense their unease with this exercise. And she brushes a lock of hair out of her face, behind her ear.

"I want to let you all know, that my own moral code is to go no further into a person's mind then they wish me to go. I will only glance at your surface thought, to see how strong your mind is, so I know what works best for each one of you. And what teaching methods you learn best from."

"I know you all must feel like your secrets are going to be seen. I want to assure you that I won't do that."

[fractured_agent]

"Surface thoughts can be plenty," Tosh says quietly. She got to see her teammates' thoughts when they had no idea they were being heard, and she learned a lot more than she wanted to know. Although the pendant did allow her to do some good, stopping a man from killing his family and himself when she heard him psyching himself up for it.

Ianto returns with the tea, placing a mug in front of each person at the table. Everyone has a different mug brought from home and claimed as their own, making it seem like a more casual workplace. There are spare mugs as well, and for April, Ianto has chosen one with plain text for April. "How do you take your tea, ma'am?"

[slayers_desire]

"Most people don't think about protecting their surface thoughts. A good psychic is able to do the most good by sensing what is needed to be heard," April wants Tosh to think about the good she had done. Not what she learned about her teammates that is making her feel awkward.

"Lightly sweetened... please." April smiles at Ianto's offer.