Double Drabble Pair: Surprise Assignment – Parts 1 and 2
location: My Desk
mood: 
tired
tiredAuthor:
badly_knittedCharacters: OFC Meredith Hughes, Ianto Jones, Nosy, OCs.
Rating: G
Written For: Challenge 568: Privilege at
tw100.Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: The Torchwood Institute’s newest recruits are about to learn where they’ll be working.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
A/N: Double drabble pair.
Part 1
Having just completed six gruelling weeks at the Torchwood Academy, involving among other things firearms training, hand-to-hand combat, assault courses, lessons in Galactic Standard, alien identification, and computer studies, Torchwood’s latest recruits were eager to begin their new careers. Several of their classmates had flunked out at various points during the course, but these seventeen had made it through and were about to be told where they’d be assigned. It was an exciting moment.
Meredith Hughes had scored the lowest of the class in several subjects. She was good at language and computers, but nervous around weapons, and being small and slight, had frequently struggled with the assault courses. Obviously she wasn’t cut out to be a field agent, unlike Tony Bellows, who was as loud and confident as his name suggested. She was sure she’d get assigned to the remote communications post in the Outer Hebrides, which would be interesting but so far from her family.
She listened to the names and assignments being called out, and when Director Jones got to her…
“Meredith Hughes: The Hub, Cardiff.”
Her jaw dropped; surely she didn’t deserve the privilege of working at Torchwood’s main branch!
Her classmates looked green with envy!
Part 2
“Director Jones, Sir,” Meredith gasped, scurrying after him towards Torchwood’s imposing official vehicle for the journey to Cardiff. “Surely there must be some mistake!”
“Why would you think that? Are you unhappy with your assignment?” The director sounded amused.
“No Sir, not at all, but… Why me, Sir? I didn’t do as well as the others in training. I’m not sure I deserve such an honour.”
The Director smiled at her as he unlocked the SUV. “You have more potential than you realise, Agent Hughes. In fact you were singled out during your initial interview as having some very particular and very rare talents. Even if you’d flunked all your classes you would still have been offered employment on the strength of your other abilities.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’re an empath, untrained obviously, but that’s easily fixed.” He opened the car’s rear door and a green, furry head poked out.
“HUM!”
Meredith found herself smiling at the friendly alien that had mooched around during the interview sessions.
“Meet Nosy, your new instructor. It’s considered quite a privilege to work with a Fluff.” Director Jones gave a wry grin, adding, “Just be ready for all the jokes about being Nosy picked.”
The End
Thank you!