Fic: Valiant 16/38
Title: Valiant Chapter 16/38
Author: MeiLin
Characters/pairing in this chapter: Martha, Jasper (OC--don't be scared!)
Rating for this chapter: PG
Summary for this chapter: Martha walks across North America telling the story.
A/N for this chapter: Original to the novella.
Valiant Central Page
I travelled across the world. From the ruins of New York, to the fusion mills of China, right across the radiation pits of Europe...
"You never really understand just how big America is until you have to walk across it," said Martha, sinking gratefully down to the soft grass near a small apple orchard. "It's taken me two days to walk here from Cleveland."
"Well, Wooster is proud to host you, Martha," said Jasper Brenneman, shyly smiling down on her. "I imagine you wanna rest now."
"Oh yes, please!" she moaned, throwing herself back onto the grass, then sighing and sitting back up. "No. First I need to get under cover. You need to get under cover! I don't want you to be seen with me. Then rest." She struggled back to her grumbling feet, waving aside Jasper's attempts to help her up.
Jasper hoisted her small rucksack onto his broad shoulder. "Here. Let me at least take this."
They walked through the abandoned orchard. The apples were still unripe and the grass was thick with early drops like so many green marbles. Insects buzzed in the early evening, and the air was sweet. "It's beautiful country here," Martha said, breathing in deeply. They came to open road and headed toward the county fairgrounds.
"Mmm. My family's lived here since the early 19th century. Wouldn't live anywhere else. Came back right after college last year." They walked on in silence.
Jasper looked sideways out the curtain of his rough-cut brown hair and studied the woman walking beside him. He didn't know many American black folks, and here was a black woman from England. He hadn't even thought about there being black folks in England, but he wasn't going to tell her that. She sure was brave, and pretty. "We're almost there," he said warningly.
"Right," said Martha, reaching into her pocket for her TARDIS key. "Do they know you're out?"
"No," Jasper admitted. "I snuck out at first light this morning and hid until you came."
"All right then." Martha slipped the key chain over her head. Immediately she began to flicker in Jasper's vision. She took his hand and the distortion ended. "Stay close, stay quiet and keep hold of my hand. If we see any guards or Toclafane, just get as close to me as you can and don't make a sound. My perception filter should cover us both." They started walking again.
Jasper tapped Martha's shoulder and pointed up ahead. She could see the bright lights of the Wayne County Fairground complex, now an agricultural work camp producing food for the factory workers in Akron and Canton. They walked toward it, though they both knew the wisest thing to do would be to run the other way.
Suddenly, Martha heard a familiar whirring sound and slowly sunk to the ground, pulling Jasper with her. He recognized it, too: Toclafane.
Martha and Jasper lay side by side in the long grass, holding hands as the silver globes whistled and chattered through the field above their heads. He felt the fear he'd been fighting for so long begin to take over. Jasper began breathing shallowly, the whites showing all round his wide blue eyes as he edged toward panic.
Martha reached out and sternly grabbed him by the chin. With her other hand she gestured with two fingers: Eyes on me. She took deep, soft breaths, nodding her head for him to follow her lead. She kept her eyes on his as he began to calm down.
"Something here! Something here!" called a Toclafane, far too close by. Jasper let out a whimper and began to twitch with fear. When it looked as if he'd try to make a break for it, Martha rolled her eyes briefly, took his head in both hands and kissed him.
Immediately he quieted. His body relaxed and his hands came to rest at Martha's waist. When the kiss ended, his heart was pounding but his head was once again clear. He listened. The Toclafane had moved on.
"Sorry," said Martha with a small smile. "I had to get your attention."
"Lady, you got it," said Jasper, pulling her closer. She was so small in his big hands. If it were any other girl her size he'd worry about breaking her in two, but not this girl.
"Jasper," she said sadly, putting her fingers on his lips.
"No," he said, taking her hand in his. "I'm sorry I let it get to me. It's just--everyone's so afraid, and I'm so afraid so much of the time but I can usually deal with it. It's much worse tonight." He studied the little hand in his, then looked into her face, but she was already a thousand miles away.
"Come on," she said, standing up warily and looking around. "I have a story to tell."
Author: MeiLin
Characters/pairing in this chapter: Martha, Jasper (OC--don't be scared!)
Rating for this chapter: PG
Summary for this chapter: Martha walks across North America telling the story.
A/N for this chapter: Original to the novella.
Valiant Central Page
I travelled across the world. From the ruins of New York, to the fusion mills of China, right across the radiation pits of Europe...
"You never really understand just how big America is until you have to walk across it," said Martha, sinking gratefully down to the soft grass near a small apple orchard. "It's taken me two days to walk here from Cleveland."
"Well, Wooster is proud to host you, Martha," said Jasper Brenneman, shyly smiling down on her. "I imagine you wanna rest now."
"Oh yes, please!" she moaned, throwing herself back onto the grass, then sighing and sitting back up. "No. First I need to get under cover. You need to get under cover! I don't want you to be seen with me. Then rest." She struggled back to her grumbling feet, waving aside Jasper's attempts to help her up.
Jasper hoisted her small rucksack onto his broad shoulder. "Here. Let me at least take this."
They walked through the abandoned orchard. The apples were still unripe and the grass was thick with early drops like so many green marbles. Insects buzzed in the early evening, and the air was sweet. "It's beautiful country here," Martha said, breathing in deeply. They came to open road and headed toward the county fairgrounds.
"Mmm. My family's lived here since the early 19th century. Wouldn't live anywhere else. Came back right after college last year." They walked on in silence.
Jasper looked sideways out the curtain of his rough-cut brown hair and studied the woman walking beside him. He didn't know many American black folks, and here was a black woman from England. He hadn't even thought about there being black folks in England, but he wasn't going to tell her that. She sure was brave, and pretty. "We're almost there," he said warningly.
"Right," said Martha, reaching into her pocket for her TARDIS key. "Do they know you're out?"
"No," Jasper admitted. "I snuck out at first light this morning and hid until you came."
"All right then." Martha slipped the key chain over her head. Immediately she began to flicker in Jasper's vision. She took his hand and the distortion ended. "Stay close, stay quiet and keep hold of my hand. If we see any guards or Toclafane, just get as close to me as you can and don't make a sound. My perception filter should cover us both." They started walking again.
Jasper tapped Martha's shoulder and pointed up ahead. She could see the bright lights of the Wayne County Fairground complex, now an agricultural work camp producing food for the factory workers in Akron and Canton. They walked toward it, though they both knew the wisest thing to do would be to run the other way.
Suddenly, Martha heard a familiar whirring sound and slowly sunk to the ground, pulling Jasper with her. He recognized it, too: Toclafane.
Martha and Jasper lay side by side in the long grass, holding hands as the silver globes whistled and chattered through the field above their heads. He felt the fear he'd been fighting for so long begin to take over. Jasper began breathing shallowly, the whites showing all round his wide blue eyes as he edged toward panic.
Martha reached out and sternly grabbed him by the chin. With her other hand she gestured with two fingers: Eyes on me. She took deep, soft breaths, nodding her head for him to follow her lead. She kept her eyes on his as he began to calm down.
"Something here! Something here!" called a Toclafane, far too close by. Jasper let out a whimper and began to twitch with fear. When it looked as if he'd try to make a break for it, Martha rolled her eyes briefly, took his head in both hands and kissed him.
Immediately he quieted. His body relaxed and his hands came to rest at Martha's waist. When the kiss ended, his heart was pounding but his head was once again clear. He listened. The Toclafane had moved on.
"Sorry," said Martha with a small smile. "I had to get your attention."
"Lady, you got it," said Jasper, pulling her closer. She was so small in his big hands. If it were any other girl her size he'd worry about breaking her in two, but not this girl.
"Jasper," she said sadly, putting her fingers on his lips.
"No," he said, taking her hand in his. "I'm sorry I let it get to me. It's just--everyone's so afraid, and I'm so afraid so much of the time but I can usually deal with it. It's much worse tonight." He studied the little hand in his, then looked into her face, but she was already a thousand miles away.
"Come on," she said, standing up warily and looking around. "I have a story to tell."