HOME | DD

Description
int. entryway

Stephan comes down the hall and opens the door.

OVER THE SHOULDER: Messenger boy on stoop

The messenger is a private, wearing his uniform, and holding a telegram.

messenger

Telegram for Captain S. Broom.

STEPHAN

I'm Captain Broom.

The messenger hands him the telegram. Stephan opens it and reads.

Capt. Broom

Come to the War Office. Stop. That's an order. Stop. Tonight.

Col. Brent

Stephan sighed, crumpling the note.

STEPHAN

You have a jeep?

MESSENGER

Yes, sir. The colonel told me to bring you back. He also told me to use force if necessary, sir.

The privates shows him a gun.

STEPHAN

Fine. Wait here.

Stephan goes back inside. Nancy is walking down the hall towards him.

NANCY

Who is that?

STEPHAN

(putting on his jacket)

Telegram. I have to go to the War Office.

NANCY

The War Office? Why?

STEPHAN

(sarcastically)

Orders. I am a soldier, after all.

NANCY

(disappointed)

You're gonna miss supper.

Stephan tries to look disappointed.

STEPHAN

(relieved)

It can't be helped. I'll be home for dinner tomorrow night, I promise.

NANCY

Supper.

STEPHAN

Supper. Anyway, don't wait up.

Stephen takes his hat and goes out.

STEPHAN

(to the messenger)

Come on, Private. I have all night. Any chance for a sandwich?

int. colonel brent - later

It's a tiny office, filled with maps and a picture of the Queen right behind the desk so you feel as though the Queen is giving you your orders. It's disconcerting, considering the Colonel's voice is exceptionally deep.

Colonel Brent is a short, rotund man with shiny medals on his chest and a cliche handlebar mustache. He's going bald, but he has a comb-over, well oiled. He is pristinely groomed. Stephan, in contrast, is sitting, quite unkempt, in the chair before the desk.

brent

(bravado)

I finally found you, Captain. We've been sending messengers to your house for a few days now. You were never in somehow.

STEPHAN

I was in, actually. I just chose not to answer the door.

BRENT

I could have you arrested for dereliction of duty.

STEPHAN

(sassily)

You can have me any way you want me, Colonel, but let's not do anything dirty until tomorrow.

BRENT

(coughing)

This is a serious matter, Captain. You're being transferred to a top secret organization. Your work on the Camden Mission makes you imminently qualified for this assignment.

STEPHAN

(sarcastically)

You mean my silence about the Camden Mission makes me qualified.

BRENT

(coughs)

It's known as Torchwood. Other than that, I don't know much about it.

STEPHAN

What much do you know then?

BRENT

They have a lot of pull. Took over a few of our investigations and there was nothing we could do about it. They were awful secretive, too. It all smells fishy to me.

STEPHAN

Are they part of the army?

BRENT

(disdainfully)

No, no. Leastwise not any regular army. And they've got women, too.

STEPHAN

Most of us have women, sir, but in what context?

BRENT

They've got women working for them. I went down to the site to protest them taking over and this one little girl told me off. You can bet no woman under my command would talk to a man like that, or I'd give them the boot.

STEPHAN

(sarcastically)

Your chauvinism notwithstanding, however, what was your opinion of their work?

BRENT

I didn't get to make an opinion. I was escorting off the premises by my own M.P.s. I never saw any reports or dossiers, nothing. I'll tell you one thing, though, it's not the way I'd run it, you can be damn sure.

STEPHAN

I'm sure. Colonel, correct me if I'm wrong, but what you're telling me is that your sending me off to an organization that you don't know anything about, dislike most intensely, and have reason to mistrust?

BRENT

Exactly.

STEPHAN

Nice to know you love me. And in that case, sir, I must respectfully refuse to accept this assignment.

BRENT

(slyly)

There may have been one thing I forgot to mention, Broom. You don't get to refuse. I was instructed to inform you that should you try to get out of your duty, that there would be certain unspecified consequences.

STEPHAN

Unspecified?

BRENT

Consequences.

STEPHAN

(nodding)

When do I start, then?

BRENT

I don't know. I was told to give you this. All the information you need should be in there.

Colonel Brent hands him sealed envelope. It has a special key ring looped in one corner that looks suspicious. It holds one key. The front merely says "Capt. S. Broom, c.o. Colonel T. Brent." The Torchwood logo is stamped on the back.

BRENT

(vindictively)

I have to say, I'm not necessarily sad to see you go.

STEPHAN

And I have to say that I'm not necessarily sad to have you watch me go. This has been a most enlightening conversation, Colonel.

BRENT

Clear as mud, Broom. Clear as mud. Dismissed.

Stephan stands. The colonel's salute is crisp and exact. Stephan salutes lazily as an after thought. Brent takes a parting shot as Stephan leaves.

BRENT

It's probably best you take this post, Broom. You'll never cut it in this man's army.

STEPHAN

Then I guess I'm glad that you don't own the army, Colonel. Cheers.