Stargate Atlantis & Predators | It's Coming Closer [John/Elizabeth & Royce/Isabelle]
Title: It's Coming Closer
Author: Mercy
Rating: R
Word Count: 2099
Genre: Action/Drama/(Romance)
Summary: This time it's not some little Wraith trying to suck them dry. Oh, it's there, too, but their bigger problem is tall, dark and predatory down to the bone.
Author's Note #1: Written for the "Fancy Meeting You Here" challenge at stargateland even though there is nothing really fancy about this meeting. O_o
Author's Note #2: Also written for sparktober and the fans of R/I at predators_movie.
Author's Note #3: Again, I am hitting the deadline this close (as in written today), so any mistakes are mine and mine alone. If you find any, please tell me. I have cookies and muffins. xD
Disclaimer: I own neither the show/the movie nor the characters. I don’t earn any money with this piece. I just do it for fun.
FF.Net: HERE
She wakes up in free fall.
For a split second all Elizabeth can do is stare at the ground that's rushing way too fast towards her but then her survival instinct kicks in and she twists, turns, tries to find something to stop her fall.
But there is nothing to hold onto, only this foreign crystals strapped to her chest and a heavy weight on her back. Desperately Elizabeth hits the crystals, over and over again, and without warning they start emitting a shrill sound, red light flashing faster and faster.
Panic sets in, her heart skips a beat, then starts racing uncontrollable, and at the edge of her mind a darkness lurks, wrapping its tendrils around her and she can't shake it off.
She is going to diediedie.
And then the darkness swallows her wholly.
______________________________
"-abeth!"
Darkness. Wraith. Drifting. Light. Falling. John. John.
"Elizabeth, wake up!"
She jerks up, eyes wide and wild, and nearly chokes on the pain shooting through her body at the too sudden movement.
Hands press her back down, fingers caress her cheek, stroke back the hair sticking to her skin. "Easy...easy, it's okay...breathe, Elizabeth...breathe."
Teeth gritted and heels of her hands pressed into her eyes, she does just that, takes deep breaths, ignores the pain and wills her body back under control. Seconds that feel like eternity go by but the military training John put her through over and over again finally pays off.
With his help she slowly sits up and gratefully accepts the water bottle he offers.
"What happened?"
John sighs, runs a hand through his already disheveled hair and surveys the surrounding area.
"I have no idea."
______________________________
They've been walking for some time now, searching for higher ground but so far there is only jungle as far as they can see and endless skies above them. This is not Terthis, the desert planet they were visiting. This place is something else, dangerous and far more alien than any planet in the Pegasus galaxy can ever be.
John cuts his way through the vegetation, always making sure Elizabeth is no more than an arm length behind him.
"Do you think the Asurans have something to do with this?"
"No, this is far to real to be an illusion."
The list of possibilities is long and so far none of their known enemies has ever done something like this before. The last thing they both remember is the Wraith cornering them in one of the caves on Terthis after they had been separated from the rest of the team. Elizabeth tries to recollect more but there is a clean cut between that cave and waking up falling.
And then a horrible thought occurs to Elizabeth, freezing her in her tracks.
"John, what if the Wraith-"
"I know." He stops, turns halfway round and his eyes burn into her. "They did take our radios but they didn't take our weapons."
Elizabeth feels like she is in free fall all over again.
______________________________
Daylight is fading fast and Elizabeth can feel the emotions rolling off John. They haven't found anything yet, no Stargate, no higher ground, nothing that could help them making sense of what's going on - they are still stuck on this alien planet, in this godforsaken jungle and (most likely) hunted by a Wraith.
Whoever did this to them, is one real perverse son of a bitch (if Elizabeth wasn't so tired, frustrated and yes, terrified down to her bones, she would be shocked about her slip of language).
She is about to ask John for a short break when an inhuman scream sounds from behind her and she feels a heavy weight impact with her back, knocking her to the ground and the breath out of her.
In the background she hears John yelling and running towards her. Using every trick he has ever taught her, she bucks, strains, twists against the tight grip the Wraith has on her and then John is there, throwing himself atop the Wraith and Elizabeth can breathe again.
It hurts, cuts through her chest, but she bites her lips, ignores the pain and rolls to her knees. John needs her. With a surprisingly steady hand she works at her right leg, fingers finally closing around the knife stripped to it.
"Hey!" she shouts, the Wraith whipping its head around, snarling at her, his grip on John loosing for a moment. And that's enough for John and he reaches for his sidearm.
A shot rings out and the Wraith slumps down to the side, the back of his head blown out.
John's dark eyes lock with Elizabeth's.
It isn't him who has fired that shot.
In less than a second John is back on his feet, down in a crouch, his P90 pointed at the invisible and without having him to say anything, Elizabeth knows what she has to do. She unclips his sidearm, turns around, presses her back to John's and scans the jungle in front of her.
"Do you-?"
"No."
Elizabeth's free hand reaches out, brushes the side of his vest and John grasps her fingers, giving them a reassuring squeeze.
Rustling to his left/her right alerts them to a presence and in one smooth move John lets go of her hand and straightens up to his full height, moving in front of Elizabeth, shielding her.
A man steps out of the bushes, an automatic shotgun trained on them, watching them silently. His hair is cut short, traces of mud here and there on his face and body and the vest he's wearing is definitely Earth military.
What are the chances...?
The bushes move again and this time a young woman emerges, holding a sniper rifle, also clothed in a similar style and covered in splashes of mud.
The silence is tense but no one makes a move to pull the trigger, so Elizabeth dares to step around John who instantly presses his forearm to her chest, holding her back.
"Eli-" his whisper is harsh but full of concern.
"Let me, John. Look at them. Look at their clothes," she urges him.
And he lets her go. Slowly she kneels down, places the gun on the ground and puts both hands up.
"We mean you no harm. We are- are you from Earth? Is this Earth?"
The woman and man share a look, communicating silently with each other in a way that's reminding Elizabeth of John and her own way of communication.
"Yes, we are," the woman finally speaks. "But no, this is definitely not Earth."
______________________________
It is night when they reach the cave Isabelle and Royce, as the two introduced themselves, chose as their hideout. The women sit near the fire while the men keep guard at the entrance, alternately watching the darkness and each other warily. Neither John nor Royce say much but Elizabeth and Isabelle exchange every bit of information.
In the end they have this:
This planet (game preserve as Royce calls it) is part of a minor solar system located at the edge of the Pegasus galaxy (John recognizes the constellations in the night sky right away). It is the Predators' hunting and training ground, filled with captured aliens and humans from every known galaxy.
"And there is no way off this planet?" Elizabeth asks.
Isabelle shakes her head. "We tried to find a way but all we've come across is some sort of machine with two concentric circles around a central red button with foreign symbols on them."
"Is there another object close by? A big stone-like ring with similar symbols?" The hope in Elizabeth's voice is tangible.
"No, there is only that machine."
"Damn it!" John springs up and hits the wall of the cave with his fist.
Elizabeth is instantly on her feet, crosses the short distance between here and there with a few steps and closes her fingers carefully around John's bruised hand.
"John..." This one word holds so much and John forget rules and regulations for the moment, pulling Elizabeth in a tight hug.
She can feel Isabelle's and Royce's eyes on them but she doesn't care. The Gate was their last chance of escape and with it gone...
Elizabeth closes her eyes at that thought and turns her head into John's chest, returning his embrace without hesitation.
______________________________
In the first few days Elizabeth stays with Isabelle who's still recuperating from her last encounter with a Super Predator and makes use of the time she has to give Elizabeth more shooting lessons.
Royce and John scout the area, scavenge whatever they can. Food, weapons, clothes and most importantly medical supplies.
And each of them always has an eye on the sky.
______________________________
On day nine the time finally has come. They watch from the entrance of the cave as a Predator ship lands in the jungle.
Hands intertwine and silent promises are made. Not only by John and Elizabeth.
______________________________
On day twelve Elizabeth lures the youngest Predator in the open and is shot in the left arm. John kills it with his knife.
That night Elizabeth does not sleep alone.
______________________________
On day fifteen Isabelle plays bait and nearly looses her right hand. Royce has no mercy with the second Predator.
That night Isabelle is wrapped in strong arms.
______________________________
On day seventeen they have their first confrontation with the last and most dangerous Predator. The leader learned from the mistakes of his team mates.
They barely escape with their lives.
That night John and Royce form a plan. It's now or never.
______________________________
"Go, Liz, let me-"
"Not without you, Isa, come on!" She's panting, her muscles burning with every step and yet she keeps going, drags Isabelle with her. "Remember? Either all of us or no one."
"Stupid honor code you have."
Elizabeth's smile is grim. "You can berate me later for it, okay?"
They are too slow, their injuries leaving a trail for the Predator to pick up without any problems and it is coming closer and closer.
The Predator did exactly what they hoped to avoid - separating them from each other.
Hopefully John and Royce picked up the trail as well and maybe, maybe they will find them before their hunter does.
In the near distance Elizabeth spots a stone structure, different from what they've seen so far and yet she somehow recognizes it but before she can point it out to Isabelle, the ground collapses under them.
Their screams are stuck in the throats, their hands scramble for something to hold onto but there's nothing.
______________________________
The leaves and branches whip across their bodies and faces, cutting and bruising them but they don't care.
All they can think about is finding Elizabeth and Isabelle before the last remaining Predator does.
They speed up their steps, break through the last line of trees and come to an abrupt halt.
Where once has been a flat surface is now a hole the size of soccer field.
There's a sound, voices calling their names and as they look over the edge they find their women, grinning and waving at them.
Standing next to a puddle jumper.
But there is no time for rest or elation. Only seconds after John and Royce, the Predator bursts through the jungle on the other side of the hole, firing everything it got.
There isn't much time to figure out how they are going to get down there and so they jump. The landing is less than perfect but they survive it.
Unfortunately so does the Predator. Its steps and weapon fire shaking the ground as it attacks them full force.
John and Royce push and pull each other towards the jumper and as soon as they reach it, John opens the hatch and the four more or less fall into the cargo bay.
Even before John is back on his feet and running to the control console, he has already given the mental command to activate the drone weapons and heads up display
As he takes aim, he feels Elizabeth, Isabelle and Royce stepping up behind him, watching silently.
He fires.
Even a Predator can't survive an Ancient drone weapon.
______________________________
They don't waste time leaving the planet.
This time they may have won but they know that there are more of the Predators out there and they are a far more formidable enemy than the Wraith could ever be.
It will take the combined forces of every galaxy the humans have ever visited to defeat them.
It is a challenge that John and Elizabeth are willingly to take on. As are Royce and Isabelle.
No matter how long it takes.
- END -
Author: Mercy
Rating: R
Word Count: 2099
Genre: Action/Drama/(Romance)
Summary: This time it's not some little Wraith trying to suck them dry. Oh, it's there, too, but their bigger problem is tall, dark and predatory down to the bone.
Author's Note #1: Written for the "Fancy Meeting You Here" challenge at stargateland even though there is nothing really fancy about this meeting. O_o
Author's Note #2: Also written for sparktober and the fans of R/I at predators_movie.
Author's Note #3: Again, I am hitting the deadline this close (as in written today), so any mistakes are mine and mine alone. If you find any, please tell me. I have cookies and muffins. xD
Disclaimer: I own neither the show/the movie nor the characters. I don’t earn any money with this piece. I just do it for fun.
FF.Net: HERE
She wakes up in free fall.
For a split second all Elizabeth can do is stare at the ground that's rushing way too fast towards her but then her survival instinct kicks in and she twists, turns, tries to find something to stop her fall.
But there is nothing to hold onto, only this foreign crystals strapped to her chest and a heavy weight on her back. Desperately Elizabeth hits the crystals, over and over again, and without warning they start emitting a shrill sound, red light flashing faster and faster.
Panic sets in, her heart skips a beat, then starts racing uncontrollable, and at the edge of her mind a darkness lurks, wrapping its tendrils around her and she can't shake it off.
She is going to diediedie.
And then the darkness swallows her wholly.
______________________________
"-abeth!"
Darkness. Wraith. Drifting. Light. Falling. John. John.
"Elizabeth, wake up!"
She jerks up, eyes wide and wild, and nearly chokes on the pain shooting through her body at the too sudden movement.
Hands press her back down, fingers caress her cheek, stroke back the hair sticking to her skin. "Easy...easy, it's okay...breathe, Elizabeth...breathe."
Teeth gritted and heels of her hands pressed into her eyes, she does just that, takes deep breaths, ignores the pain and wills her body back under control. Seconds that feel like eternity go by but the military training John put her through over and over again finally pays off.
With his help she slowly sits up and gratefully accepts the water bottle he offers.
"What happened?"
John sighs, runs a hand through his already disheveled hair and surveys the surrounding area.
"I have no idea."
______________________________
They've been walking for some time now, searching for higher ground but so far there is only jungle as far as they can see and endless skies above them. This is not Terthis, the desert planet they were visiting. This place is something else, dangerous and far more alien than any planet in the Pegasus galaxy can ever be.
John cuts his way through the vegetation, always making sure Elizabeth is no more than an arm length behind him.
"Do you think the Asurans have something to do with this?"
"No, this is far to real to be an illusion."
The list of possibilities is long and so far none of their known enemies has ever done something like this before. The last thing they both remember is the Wraith cornering them in one of the caves on Terthis after they had been separated from the rest of the team. Elizabeth tries to recollect more but there is a clean cut between that cave and waking up falling.
And then a horrible thought occurs to Elizabeth, freezing her in her tracks.
"John, what if the Wraith-"
"I know." He stops, turns halfway round and his eyes burn into her. "They did take our radios but they didn't take our weapons."
Elizabeth feels like she is in free fall all over again.
______________________________
Daylight is fading fast and Elizabeth can feel the emotions rolling off John. They haven't found anything yet, no Stargate, no higher ground, nothing that could help them making sense of what's going on - they are still stuck on this alien planet, in this godforsaken jungle and (most likely) hunted by a Wraith.
Whoever did this to them, is one real perverse son of a bitch (if Elizabeth wasn't so tired, frustrated and yes, terrified down to her bones, she would be shocked about her slip of language).
She is about to ask John for a short break when an inhuman scream sounds from behind her and she feels a heavy weight impact with her back, knocking her to the ground and the breath out of her.
In the background she hears John yelling and running towards her. Using every trick he has ever taught her, she bucks, strains, twists against the tight grip the Wraith has on her and then John is there, throwing himself atop the Wraith and Elizabeth can breathe again.
It hurts, cuts through her chest, but she bites her lips, ignores the pain and rolls to her knees. John needs her. With a surprisingly steady hand she works at her right leg, fingers finally closing around the knife stripped to it.
"Hey!" she shouts, the Wraith whipping its head around, snarling at her, his grip on John loosing for a moment. And that's enough for John and he reaches for his sidearm.
A shot rings out and the Wraith slumps down to the side, the back of his head blown out.
John's dark eyes lock with Elizabeth's.
It isn't him who has fired that shot.
In less than a second John is back on his feet, down in a crouch, his P90 pointed at the invisible and without having him to say anything, Elizabeth knows what she has to do. She unclips his sidearm, turns around, presses her back to John's and scans the jungle in front of her.
"Do you-?"
"No."
Elizabeth's free hand reaches out, brushes the side of his vest and John grasps her fingers, giving them a reassuring squeeze.
Rustling to his left/her right alerts them to a presence and in one smooth move John lets go of her hand and straightens up to his full height, moving in front of Elizabeth, shielding her.
A man steps out of the bushes, an automatic shotgun trained on them, watching them silently. His hair is cut short, traces of mud here and there on his face and body and the vest he's wearing is definitely Earth military.
What are the chances...?
The bushes move again and this time a young woman emerges, holding a sniper rifle, also clothed in a similar style and covered in splashes of mud.
The silence is tense but no one makes a move to pull the trigger, so Elizabeth dares to step around John who instantly presses his forearm to her chest, holding her back.
"Eli-" his whisper is harsh but full of concern.
"Let me, John. Look at them. Look at their clothes," she urges him.
And he lets her go. Slowly she kneels down, places the gun on the ground and puts both hands up.
"We mean you no harm. We are- are you from Earth? Is this Earth?"
The woman and man share a look, communicating silently with each other in a way that's reminding Elizabeth of John and her own way of communication.
"Yes, we are," the woman finally speaks. "But no, this is definitely not Earth."
______________________________
It is night when they reach the cave Isabelle and Royce, as the two introduced themselves, chose as their hideout. The women sit near the fire while the men keep guard at the entrance, alternately watching the darkness and each other warily. Neither John nor Royce say much but Elizabeth and Isabelle exchange every bit of information.
In the end they have this:
This planet (game preserve as Royce calls it) is part of a minor solar system located at the edge of the Pegasus galaxy (John recognizes the constellations in the night sky right away). It is the Predators' hunting and training ground, filled with captured aliens and humans from every known galaxy.
"And there is no way off this planet?" Elizabeth asks.
Isabelle shakes her head. "We tried to find a way but all we've come across is some sort of machine with two concentric circles around a central red button with foreign symbols on them."
"Is there another object close by? A big stone-like ring with similar symbols?" The hope in Elizabeth's voice is tangible.
"No, there is only that machine."
"Damn it!" John springs up and hits the wall of the cave with his fist.
Elizabeth is instantly on her feet, crosses the short distance between here and there with a few steps and closes her fingers carefully around John's bruised hand.
"John..." This one word holds so much and John forget rules and regulations for the moment, pulling Elizabeth in a tight hug.
She can feel Isabelle's and Royce's eyes on them but she doesn't care. The Gate was their last chance of escape and with it gone...
Elizabeth closes her eyes at that thought and turns her head into John's chest, returning his embrace without hesitation.
______________________________
In the first few days Elizabeth stays with Isabelle who's still recuperating from her last encounter with a Super Predator and makes use of the time she has to give Elizabeth more shooting lessons.
Royce and John scout the area, scavenge whatever they can. Food, weapons, clothes and most importantly medical supplies.
And each of them always has an eye on the sky.
______________________________
On day nine the time finally has come. They watch from the entrance of the cave as a Predator ship lands in the jungle.
Hands intertwine and silent promises are made. Not only by John and Elizabeth.
______________________________
On day twelve Elizabeth lures the youngest Predator in the open and is shot in the left arm. John kills it with his knife.
That night Elizabeth does not sleep alone.
______________________________
On day fifteen Isabelle plays bait and nearly looses her right hand. Royce has no mercy with the second Predator.
That night Isabelle is wrapped in strong arms.
______________________________
On day seventeen they have their first confrontation with the last and most dangerous Predator. The leader learned from the mistakes of his team mates.
They barely escape with their lives.
That night John and Royce form a plan. It's now or never.
______________________________
"Go, Liz, let me-"
"Not without you, Isa, come on!" She's panting, her muscles burning with every step and yet she keeps going, drags Isabelle with her. "Remember? Either all of us or no one."
"Stupid honor code you have."
Elizabeth's smile is grim. "You can berate me later for it, okay?"
They are too slow, their injuries leaving a trail for the Predator to pick up without any problems and it is coming closer and closer.
The Predator did exactly what they hoped to avoid - separating them from each other.
Hopefully John and Royce picked up the trail as well and maybe, maybe they will find them before their hunter does.
In the near distance Elizabeth spots a stone structure, different from what they've seen so far and yet she somehow recognizes it but before she can point it out to Isabelle, the ground collapses under them.
Their screams are stuck in the throats, their hands scramble for something to hold onto but there's nothing.
______________________________
The leaves and branches whip across their bodies and faces, cutting and bruising them but they don't care.
All they can think about is finding Elizabeth and Isabelle before the last remaining Predator does.
They speed up their steps, break through the last line of trees and come to an abrupt halt.
Where once has been a flat surface is now a hole the size of soccer field.
There's a sound, voices calling their names and as they look over the edge they find their women, grinning and waving at them.
Standing next to a puddle jumper.
But there is no time for rest or elation. Only seconds after John and Royce, the Predator bursts through the jungle on the other side of the hole, firing everything it got.
There isn't much time to figure out how they are going to get down there and so they jump. The landing is less than perfect but they survive it.
Unfortunately so does the Predator. Its steps and weapon fire shaking the ground as it attacks them full force.
John and Royce push and pull each other towards the jumper and as soon as they reach it, John opens the hatch and the four more or less fall into the cargo bay.
Even before John is back on his feet and running to the control console, he has already given the mental command to activate the drone weapons and heads up display
As he takes aim, he feels Elizabeth, Isabelle and Royce stepping up behind him, watching silently.
He fires.
Even a Predator can't survive an Ancient drone weapon.
______________________________
They don't waste time leaving the planet.
This time they may have won but they know that there are more of the Predators out there and they are a far more formidable enemy than the Wraith could ever be.
It will take the combined forces of every galaxy the humans have ever visited to defeat them.
It is a challenge that John and Elizabeth are willingly to take on. As are Royce and Isabelle.
No matter how long it takes.
- END -