A CASE OF PERSPECTIVE

A Visitor from the Past

"I think, we have a problem, Jack", Ianto said.

Jack Harkness took a look out of his office and recognized at once, what Ianto meant. Right in the middle of the Hub stood a man. He wore a kind of uniform and a long dark coat. His look and his manner reminded Jack on a bygone time.

"Who is he?" Jack shouted to Ianto. "What did he want?"

Ianto answered with a shrug. "I don't know. He just appeared from second to another."

"Je suis Javert, inspecteur de la police parisienne ", the stranger said.

"He speaks French", Ianto called out.

"Yeah, I recognized it." Jack disappeared into his office and returned with a cube in his hand. "This is a Sybillian universal translator. Maybe it's able to transform French into a proper language."

"Hope, it won't translate it into Slitheen", Ianto commented dryly.

Jack ignored this remark and activated the cube.

Their visitor tried again to get some attention. "Je suis Inspecteur Javert et je demande to know, where I am and what happened."

"It works", cheered Jack.

"You suddenly speak French?" Inspector Javert looked surprised. "Are you from France? You speak without any accent." He paused. "I do not speak French anymore. My voice sounds different, even though I understand every word I say. WHAT have you done? I demand an immediate responds."

"Something is wrong with this cube", Ianto suspected. "His R sounds strange."

Jack shook his head. "No, no, this is his normal way of speaking. So, Monsieur L'Inspecteur, what brings you to this place?"

Javert listened to the words. The phrase sounded familiar, but he rejected the idea soon. "I was after one of the most dangerous convicts… But, before I tell you my story, I would like to know, who you are and where I am."

"Of course, Monsieur L'Inspecteur, of course." Jack jumped down the stairs. "I am Captain Jack Harkness and you are in Cardiff."

The visitor scrutinized him in-depth. This guy was very suspicious and never a soldier.

"And I am Ianto, Ianto Jones." While Jack tried his disarming smile, Ianto became nervous. Javert's stern look, the wild expression of his eyes frightened him. Automatically he moved closer to Jack.

Meanwhile Jack screened the stranger. He wasn't sure, but he might have seen this police uniform a long time ago. Obviously the rift brought the stranger from the past of the earth. They had to check it in the database.

"Morning", Gwen's voice echoed through the Hub. "How are you, boys? Ready to hunt down stupid aliens?"

All three men turned around.

"We have got a visitor." Gwen was surprised. She had a long close look at the stranger. "From the rift?"

"From Paris", Javert answered. Then he turned his attention back to Captain Harkness. "Cardiff, you said. Where is this exactly?"

"Wales." Gwen replied quickly.

"Wales like England?"

Ianto thought this would be the right moment to disappear. "Anyone a coffee?" he asked and decided not to wait for answer. Jack however decided to introduce Gwen and their visitor.

"Monsieur Javert, this Gwen Cooper, member of our team. And this is Inspector Javert, a French police man."

"I like his coat", Gwen said.

"Is it better than mine?" Jack spoke with a childish voice.

"Different only", she answered. "Just different."

"Excuse me you are woman, aren't you?" Javert was irritated. Not even the worst women, he had met during his police career, had ever worn trousers.

"Yes, I am", Gwen replied. "A policewoman actually."