Fic: Torment 14/20
Title: Torment
Author: chokolaj
Rating: T
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: The title sums it up pretty well. Shep whump!
Got an extension on the freelance project and whumped by a cold. But glad to say we’re back on track with this fic and it should be drawing to a close soon. Then I can concentrate on a few other projects, yay!
--//--
“Wake them up! We have to leave!” L.Cpl. Andrews ordered, raising his weapon towards the increasing noise and light.
Snapping and hissing noises were announcing the presence of something sinister just down the corridor.
Elizabeth shook Dr. Keller’s shoulder, glancing across to Dr. Row’s equally frazzled expression. Dr. Row’s assistant began to shift under the doctor’s persistent nudging. Elizabeth felt a shift and looked down to see Dr. Keller doing the same. A quick glance to the awakening Sergeant and Elizabeth felt a flood of relief.
The threatening sounds were growing louder, the dark corridor now penetrated by flashes of light from beyond.
The three on the floor were not moving fast enough. They were awake, but confused and slow, their movements uncoordinated. They would definitely need assistance to get to safety.
“What happened?” Dr. Keller’s voice was weak. She blinked blearily up at Elizabeth before taking in her surroundings. A moment later, her instincts kicked in and she was reaching for the other two lying beside her. Elizabeth stilled her actions.
“Can you walk?” The look she gave Dr. Keller left little in the way of accepting any answer other than yes.
“Dr. Weir!” L.Cpl. Andrews’ voice shook.
The light from his P90 was joined by that of Sergeant Withers’ P90 as the marine gingerly lifted himself off the floor to join Andrews’ side.
“Get up!” L.Cpl. Andrews shouted, backing up into the queue of those he was supposed to protect.
Slithering into the faintest reaches of artificial light came a mass of tiny elongated bodies. Light danced off their skin, casting off an impressive firework-like display. Their hissing was shrouded by the sound of sparks.
Elizabeth swallowed back a scream. She had never seen anything like it. And she had seen a lot of strange things in the last few years.
The group edged closer together, lifting those weaker to a standing position.
The worms slithered closer: they were half a length of the corridor away now.
“Don’t fire!” Dr. Row slammed her hand down upon Andrews’ raised weapon.
Their pace quickened as they backed away: the light of the P90 lighting up the horror approaching them.
“Why not?!” Sergeant Withers asked in a rough voice. He hadn’t fully recovered yet.
“You fire on them and you run the risk of harming Doctors Yi and Keller as well as yourself!” Dr. Row explained in a rush.
“Explain!” Elizabeth raised her voice as the angered hissing grew in intensity. The corridor was long, but they had no idea how far it reached or if it ended at nothing but a wall.
“I need to…never mind that now…run!” Dr. Row demanded and headed the group off down the opposite direction of the threat.
Lights from the P90s danced off the walls, barely lighting their way.
Dr. Keller was the first to trip and not the last. The three whom had been affected were still weak. They were pale and shaky, needing the guided assistance of the others to keep up the pace.
By now they were all covered in the grime that coated the floors.
Blue sparks and flashes lit from behind. Hissing echoed in their ears in perfect cadence to their racing heartbeats.
Then a different noise met their ears.
Ronon’s blaster.
They stopped in their tracks and turned.
Brilliant light reflected off the slick floor. Slithering bodies scattered into the darkened corners of the corridor.
A rather loud snap was followed by a Satedan curse then another brilliant flash. The marines raised their P90s, preparing to fire, even if Dr. Row did not wish them to.
A moment later, Ronon came into their light, smiling from ear to ear. Worms scurried around his feet, one brushing so close it lit off a spark that had the Satedan twitching slightly. His smile never faltered.
“Need some help?”
“Thank god, Ronon.” Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief.
“Don’t fire on them, fire above them…scares the hell out of ‘em.” Ronon suggested and the group took little time in heading his advice.
Amid P90 fire and Ronon’s blaster, the group scurried away down the corridor. A few worms slithered across their path, but only to flee from the noise and light of the firepower.
“What about the others?” Elizabeth shouted back to Ronon between bursts of firepower.
“What’s the quickest way out of here?” Ronon responded, ignoring her question.
Elizabeth barely had time to take notice as she struggled to remember the layout of the corridor in their harried flight. She nearly came to a halt when she saw what awaited them up ahead.
A mass of dripping blue strands dangled down from the ceiling. Another trap.
The group skidded to a standstill.
Worms slithered over their feet in their haste to reach those strands, as if those strands were the only refuge.
Breathing heavily, the group glanced at one another wearily. Doctors Yi and Keller were still leaning heavily upon Dr. Row and Elizabeth. Sergeant Withers was barely holding himself up as well.
The worms began to take up defense, slithering around the group in a circle. They kept a close perimeter, barely an arm’s width away from their grime-stained feet.
Ronon snarled, pointing his blaster in one direction, then the next. Something soft dripped onto Elizabeth’s shoulder causing her to glance up. What she saw made her stomach drop in despair.
Thousands of dimly glowing strands of blue hung like sheets of rain frozen in time. The strands were slowly stretching downwards.
Elizabeth did not want to find out whether those strands were harmless or not.
Ronon exchanged a look with her and maintained his defensive stance. He would go down with everything he had to protect them.
Unfortunately, it seemed this time even that wouldn’t be enough.
--tbc--
Now I know why we don’t see too many ensemble scenes on Atlantis - too difficult to get everyone into motion and maintain the plot! Same with fanfics. Argh! Hope I didn’t get you too confused.
Author: chokolaj
Rating: T
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: The title sums it up pretty well. Shep whump!
Got an extension on the freelance project and whumped by a cold. But glad to say we’re back on track with this fic and it should be drawing to a close soon. Then I can concentrate on a few other projects, yay!
--//--
“Wake them up! We have to leave!” L.Cpl. Andrews ordered, raising his weapon towards the increasing noise and light.
Snapping and hissing noises were announcing the presence of something sinister just down the corridor.
Elizabeth shook Dr. Keller’s shoulder, glancing across to Dr. Row’s equally frazzled expression. Dr. Row’s assistant began to shift under the doctor’s persistent nudging. Elizabeth felt a shift and looked down to see Dr. Keller doing the same. A quick glance to the awakening Sergeant and Elizabeth felt a flood of relief.
The threatening sounds were growing louder, the dark corridor now penetrated by flashes of light from beyond.
The three on the floor were not moving fast enough. They were awake, but confused and slow, their movements uncoordinated. They would definitely need assistance to get to safety.
“What happened?” Dr. Keller’s voice was weak. She blinked blearily up at Elizabeth before taking in her surroundings. A moment later, her instincts kicked in and she was reaching for the other two lying beside her. Elizabeth stilled her actions.
“Can you walk?” The look she gave Dr. Keller left little in the way of accepting any answer other than yes.
“Dr. Weir!” L.Cpl. Andrews’ voice shook.
The light from his P90 was joined by that of Sergeant Withers’ P90 as the marine gingerly lifted himself off the floor to join Andrews’ side.
“Get up!” L.Cpl. Andrews shouted, backing up into the queue of those he was supposed to protect.
Slithering into the faintest reaches of artificial light came a mass of tiny elongated bodies. Light danced off their skin, casting off an impressive firework-like display. Their hissing was shrouded by the sound of sparks.
Elizabeth swallowed back a scream. She had never seen anything like it. And she had seen a lot of strange things in the last few years.
The group edged closer together, lifting those weaker to a standing position.
The worms slithered closer: they were half a length of the corridor away now.
“Don’t fire!” Dr. Row slammed her hand down upon Andrews’ raised weapon.
Their pace quickened as they backed away: the light of the P90 lighting up the horror approaching them.
“Why not?!” Sergeant Withers asked in a rough voice. He hadn’t fully recovered yet.
“You fire on them and you run the risk of harming Doctors Yi and Keller as well as yourself!” Dr. Row explained in a rush.
“Explain!” Elizabeth raised her voice as the angered hissing grew in intensity. The corridor was long, but they had no idea how far it reached or if it ended at nothing but a wall.
“I need to…never mind that now…run!” Dr. Row demanded and headed the group off down the opposite direction of the threat.
Lights from the P90s danced off the walls, barely lighting their way.
Dr. Keller was the first to trip and not the last. The three whom had been affected were still weak. They were pale and shaky, needing the guided assistance of the others to keep up the pace.
By now they were all covered in the grime that coated the floors.
Blue sparks and flashes lit from behind. Hissing echoed in their ears in perfect cadence to their racing heartbeats.
Then a different noise met their ears.
Ronon’s blaster.
They stopped in their tracks and turned.
Brilliant light reflected off the slick floor. Slithering bodies scattered into the darkened corners of the corridor.
A rather loud snap was followed by a Satedan curse then another brilliant flash. The marines raised their P90s, preparing to fire, even if Dr. Row did not wish them to.
A moment later, Ronon came into their light, smiling from ear to ear. Worms scurried around his feet, one brushing so close it lit off a spark that had the Satedan twitching slightly. His smile never faltered.
“Need some help?”
“Thank god, Ronon.” Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief.
“Don’t fire on them, fire above them…scares the hell out of ‘em.” Ronon suggested and the group took little time in heading his advice.
Amid P90 fire and Ronon’s blaster, the group scurried away down the corridor. A few worms slithered across their path, but only to flee from the noise and light of the firepower.
“What about the others?” Elizabeth shouted back to Ronon between bursts of firepower.
“What’s the quickest way out of here?” Ronon responded, ignoring her question.
Elizabeth barely had time to take notice as she struggled to remember the layout of the corridor in their harried flight. She nearly came to a halt when she saw what awaited them up ahead.
A mass of dripping blue strands dangled down from the ceiling. Another trap.
The group skidded to a standstill.
Worms slithered over their feet in their haste to reach those strands, as if those strands were the only refuge.
Breathing heavily, the group glanced at one another wearily. Doctors Yi and Keller were still leaning heavily upon Dr. Row and Elizabeth. Sergeant Withers was barely holding himself up as well.
The worms began to take up defense, slithering around the group in a circle. They kept a close perimeter, barely an arm’s width away from their grime-stained feet.
Ronon snarled, pointing his blaster in one direction, then the next. Something soft dripped onto Elizabeth’s shoulder causing her to glance up. What she saw made her stomach drop in despair.
Thousands of dimly glowing strands of blue hung like sheets of rain frozen in time. The strands were slowly stretching downwards.
Elizabeth did not want to find out whether those strands were harmless or not.
Ronon exchanged a look with her and maintained his defensive stance. He would go down with everything he had to protect them.
Unfortunately, it seemed this time even that wouldn’t be enough.
--tbc--
Now I know why we don’t see too many ensemble scenes on Atlantis - too difficult to get everyone into motion and maintain the plot! Same with fanfics. Argh! Hope I didn’t get you too confused.