fractured_agent | Lessons for the team [for slayers

April tunes her mind to the people around her. She gently seeks out the strengths and weakness of each person at the table, excluding Jack. She works to leave no impression, mostly to see who can tell that their mind is being searched.

Of the four people she's probing, Ianto's defenses are the best, but only if he's consciously shielding himself. His shields are also flawed, a patchwork of ideas slapped together to shroud his deeper thoughts, but someone with skill like April's can easily force her way into the cracks. But that said, he also is the most successful at clearing his mind, and now that he's watching for it, he can feel the touch of something against his mind.

Gwen is the most nervous, and the worst at trying to clear her thoughts. She worries about what April will hear, that she too will know that Gwen is cheating on her boyfriend with Owen, and well aware that the more she thinks of it the less likely it will be to keep those thoughts private. But she is also the best at paying attention to detail, and once trained, her shields will be among the strongest possible for non-psychics.

Owen doesn't even attempt to keep April out, his attitude more daring her to look deeper. He throws his mind wide open, and though he's as psi-blind as the others, his strengths lie in his determination and stubbornness.

Tosh's thoughts are quiet, something she's adjusted to quickly when she was using the now-destroyed pendant. Aside from Ianto, she is the only other one who can feel April's touch, though she can't quite make it out, like a whisper in the dark. Her mental discipline is almost as good as Ianto's.

"Ianto. Your defenses are currently the best. But your shields are flawed. If I had wanted to... I could force my way into your deeper thoughts. But we can make those shields stronger. Better."

"Gwen... you are the best at paying attention to detail. Right now your mind is clouded with worries and concerns, but once trained your shields would be quite strong."

"Owen... don't dare me to go deeper. You don't know who you are challenging. But your determination is your best defense."

"Tosh, you have the mental discipline is quite strong, and already you have adjusted to stilling your thoughts."

"All of you have the potential to have strong mental shields."

The thought of her forcing her way in rattles Ianto a little, but none of it shows on his face, not even a bit. "I'd be happy for the opportunity, ma'am."

April's words make Gwen worry a little bit more. If she knows Gwen is worrying, that means she must know about the affair. Her poker face is the exact opposite of Ianto's. "...I'm glad to hear it," she says, trying to sound more upbeat about it.

Owen at least takes April a little more seriously, now that he knows she isn't just blowing smoke about her abilities. But now he's starting to wonder who exactly she is, since regular human beings aren't telepaths.

"I've had a bit of practice," Tosh says, looking down into her tea. "It was overwhelming at first... I just wanted to keep them out."

"Jack, I would like to link them to your mind, so they can see your shields."

"And yes, sometimes the best practice is having someone trying to get into your mind... unfortunately."

Jack was expecting her to suggest that, and reinforces his shields so that none of them will be able to get in. He has lots of secrets that he doesn't want any of them to know, and although Mary's pendant tried to read him and came away with the feeling of trying to read a dead man, he isn't taking any chances.

"And where'd you get your training, ey?" Owen asks Jack. "Not Torchwood, if Ianto's aren't good enough."

"Independent contractor," Jack says smoothly. "Kinda like this one."

((Sorry for up and vanishing last night, we had an internet outage due to the cold (-16F/-27C)))

April makes contact with everyone's mind again, and leads them into the surface thoughts of Jack's mind. "If you close your eyes, you will sense his mental shields. Notice what makes his surface thoughts different from your own..."

((glad you are okay. We had -50C temperatures yesterday, with the wind chill...))

Where Ianto's shields were a patchwork, Jack's outer shield is a smooth, featureless sphere, slick and difficult to 'grab onto.' And though that's all they can see, underneath that are several more layers, each one different from the last, combining different strengths to create a vault of sorts that would take some work to force into. They've gotten stronger since April helped him recover his memories, as well.

Gwen frowns a little. "I can't tell what I'm looking at," she admits.

"Is this why I couldn't read you?" Tosh asks.

Jack nods. "I've had a lot more practice with this."

((Our wind chill was somewhere in the -40s, not sure where exactly since the internet was out. We're still under a wind chill warning actually, I plan to stay inside all day))

April projects a visual impression of Jack's shields, so they will actually see the featureless sphere, with some color only so they can identify it as such. "His shields are not only difficult to get past, but underneath there are several more layers, each one different from the last."

"That is one nice thing about mental shields, you can create as many as you feel is necessary."

((me too!))

"Wait, how can you do that?" Tosh asks, her technologically-oriented mind latching onto this new thing right away. "You're not using any devices to display that."

Ianto, meanwhile, looks surprised that Jack's shields are so extensive and intricate. Someone with something to hide would have that many. But that part isn't entirely unexpected; they all know Jack likes to keep the mystery around him.

"I am powerful enough of a telepath I can create visual and audio impressions in another persons mind." April demonstrates by 'bringing' all five of them into one of her standard mental imageries, an old oak tree surrounded by farm land.

The four contemporary humans react with surprise, and a little bit of alarm. "Where did the briefing room go?" Gwen asks.

"It didn't go anywhere," Jack tells them. "We're still in it. But we're also inside a telepathic projection."

April sweeps her hand over the projection, revealing the briefing room just behind it. Hoping to ease their alarm.

"This place is my focus point for creating my mental shields. It is my safe haven..."

"Lemme get this straight," Owen says. He may be rude, but he's also very perceptive, and he's been paying close attention since April proved she's the real deal. "Right now we're inside your head?"

"That is correct. My own mental shields are currently in place," she replied.

"It looks real," Tosh says, impressed.

"This took years of experience with my abilities. In the field, I am able to create psychic images to confuse our enemies."

"But mostly, this is to help you all find your own focus place. A starting point."

"Starting point for what?" Gwen asks, confused. She's still only been on the job for a few months, and while she's getting used to aliens, telepathy is totally beyond her realm of experience. Before yesterday she didn't even know that was a real thing.

"To creating your own shields. You need to start with your own safe place, and use strengths and comforts to balance a good shield." The leaves on the oak tree start to lift off the branches, moving through the air to where April's shields are. The leaves weave together to create a new shield, right in front of them.

"But we're not telepaths," Gwen says, still puzzled.

"You don't have to be," Jack tells her. "You have to have an innate ability to reach out, but as far as keeping people out of your head, any psiblind human can learn to do that. It won't keep out a hundred percent of all attackers, but it'll make it a chore for them to get in."

"It is better for you to have your own control over the controls that you do create. I am strong enough that I could create mental shields in your minds, but they would be under my control. Not yours."

"Perhaps it's best to start with the basics," Ianto suggests. The others need to learn, and he wonders what he'll have to unlearn.

"Okay the first step is to clear and focus your mind." April removes her psychic imaginary, so they will have an easy time doing this in their own minds. "I want you all to imagine your safe place. Where you feel most comfortable."

"Well that's a tall order," Owen grumbles. But he does try to decide where he feels the most comfortable, and settles on the Torchwood autopsy room. There, he's in his element, studying any new lifeform they find and fixing up the team's wounds. In that place, he rules the roost, and he know where everything is.

For Ianto, his safe place is in the tourism information office at the waterfront, the Hub's other disguised entrance. There, he can sit behind the desk and monitor the area in peace, and perform his other duties to his own satisfaction.

Tosh also chooses the Hub, working at her desk with her gadgets and gizmos, finding safety and security in technology. Even the completely unknown can be understood, with enough study, and that is where her strength lies.

Gwen has a tough time settling on one specific image. Normally she'd choose the apartment she shares with her boyfriend, but her affair makes it seem less secure a place to focus on.

"Good, concentrate on those places and concentrate on how they make you who you are..."

April silently projects her voices into Gwen's mind, since she is struggling right now, not wanting to call attention to the struggles. Gwen. Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Visualize yourself as a tree. As you breathe out, push the roots of the tree down deep into the earth. As you breathe in, extend your branches higher and higher into the air, until you are connected to both heaven and earth. Your safe place can be anything in your imagination

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