Primeval fic: Aphrodite Rising (Part 3)
Title: Aphrodite Rising Part 3
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~2025 (of 9430)
Characters: Tom Ryan, James Lester, OCs and guest appearances from Fred's SFOCs
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
A/N: For my Primeval bingo card prompt: Rayguns. Prequel for my Unearthing An Anomaly Space AU series. Thanks goes to Fififolle for the beta and suggestions. All remaining mistakes are mine.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5
Lester chuckled. “In an hour or so it will be busy digesting its meal and sleepy. We can move then, carefully.” Lester glanced thoughtfully at the spot the skimmer had been. “Pity, I was hoping we might scavenge supplies from it.”
Ryan followed his glance, the bog looked undisturbed and if he hadn't known the swamp-squid was hidden there... no wonder the bloody things were myth. He glanced up at the sky, peering up at the overcast sky and then into their surroundings. “I don't think so, Lester.” He raised a hand and pushed the spook back down when the man tried to move. “We're both injured and I need to look at your ribs properly. Beside that,” Ryan nodded at the sky. “It'll be getting dark soon and the last thing we want to be doing is blundering around this bloody bog at night.”
Lester looked set to argue before he reluctantly nodded. “Fine, but we need to be on the move back to Nike first thing in the morning.”
Ryan nodded, although he wasn't convinced Lester would be fit to traipse through a bloody bog, even after resting. “Get some sleep, Lester. I'll take the first watch.”
“If you're planning on sleeping here, I suggest we find somewhere more sheltered than this.” Lester quirked an eyebrow. “Most of the wildlife isn't sessile.”
“Ah.” Ryan had been so bloody preoccupied by the swamp-squid that he'd forgotten all about the other wildlife. He took the time to peer around his surroundings, alert now to the slightest rustle. He tensed as the air slowly filled with the croaks and warbles of various animals as the bog returned to normal. He eyed the trees for danger, the bluish-purplish green colour not helping as he wondered what other hazards might lurk unnoticed only yards away under the camouflage of looking harmless.
He shook his head before standing and quickly but thoroughly checked out a couple of sheltered areas, finally finding one he thought was defensible. He shook a dozing Lester gently before helping the spook to his feet and guiding the man to Ryan's chosen spot. “Get your head down.”
“What about you?” Lester asked as he squirmed in search of a comfortable position.
“I'll be fine,” Ryan told him. “I'm used to going without sleep.”
“After being beaten up?” Lester asked in disbelief. “Wake me in a few hours.” Ryan opened his mouth to argue, only for Lester to cut him off. “I'm moving out at first light and I don't need you so sleep deprived you fall into the bog or blunder into a bloody Snaggle-toothed Looper or something equally dangerous and get me killed.”
“Bloody spook,” Ryan muttered but knew Lester wasn't going to budge on that point. Besides, sleep sounded like a good idea to him, but Lester needed it more right now.
“Ryan?”
Ryan almost jumped, he had thought Lester had fallen asleep. “Lester?”
“Take this.”
Ryan turned around and took the blade Lester held out to him. “You're giving me your weapon?” He was surprised the spook would give up the only weapon they had.
Lester smirked at him and shifted slightly, revealing that he had a second blade.
“Bloody sneaky spook,” Ryan muttered as he turned back to watch the night. “Get some sleep.” He smiled when Lester's breathing evened out and he knew the spook had let sleep claim him. He settled himself until he could keep one eye on Lester and the other on their surroundings, swatting at some bloody and no doubt blood-sucking insect that buzzed around him.
Ryan jerked awake, cursing himself for a fool for falling asleep on watch, lulled by the chirping and chittering of the various wildlife. He shook his head, recriminations could come later as he searched for whatever had woken him. Peering into the darkness as he searched for danger and then he heard it. Soft, almost breathless moans coming from behind him and he glanced at Lester, seeing the man twitch in some nightmare. Ryan reached out a hand, pausing as he wondered if it was a good idea to wake the spook before a low, painful moan decided for him. Ryan shook Lester's shoulder gently and moved away quickly when the spook woke abruptly,combat blade in his hand. “Easy, Lester.” Ryan scooted back quickly, his hands raised in surrender, even if he was ready to defend himself with his own blade if he needed to.
Lester blinked several times before he seemed to realise where he was and who he was with. “Bloody hell, Ryan.” He sheathed the blade again. “Get some sleep, I'll keep watch.”
Ryan took a moment to really look at Lester before nodding, understanding sleep would be elusive to the spook now. “Fine. Wake me in a few hours.”
***
Ryan woke in the dim light of dawn and frowned when he realised Lester hadn't woken him. “You were supposed to wake me.”
Lester shrugged. “You needed the sleep and I wasn't going to get any.”
Ryan nodded, he knew Fielder had nightmares like that. “What's your plan?”
“I thought it was your plan?” Lester muttered before adding, “I was planning on making my way to Nike and, since they think we're dead, surprising them.” He smiled evilly. “McKenzie's not the only spook who can commit sabotage.”
“You, Lester, are a devious bastard.” Ryan informed him.
Lester grinned. “It's why you like me.”
Ryan rolled his eyes at the smirk on the spook's face. He fought down the momentary urge to thump the look off Lester's face and then had the harder task of fighting his next urge. The bloody man was hitting all of Ryan's buttons - resourceful, useful and attractive amongst them. He shook his head and turned his attention back to their current situation. “Where do you think we are?”
Lester shrugged. “Nike is on the eastern edge of Aphrodite and I doubt they'd have flown us across it, so my best guess would be we're somewhere to the east of that highland.”
“Which covers a lot of ground.” Ryan looked up towards the slowly moving sun, for once visible through the clouds. “If we head into the rising sun we should find Nike, or at least hopefully get near enough to Aphrodite to see it.”
Lester nodded before attempting to stand up, his arm wrapped protectively around his ribs. “On your feet, soldier.”
Ryan bit back his response, knowing he needed the spook's cooperation, and grabbed Lester's arm instead. “Not until I've had a look at those ribs.”
Lester quirked an eyebrow. “You do seem desperate to get your hands on me, Lieutenant...”
Ryan snorted. “In your dreams, spook.” Ryan was gentle as he examined Lester, and he fought down his reaction to having his hands on the spook. Fuck! And not a good word to use, the spook had obviously noticed Ryan was attracted to him and was using that knowledge to mock him. He really didn't need to give the man any more ammunition than he already had. “Looks like you've been lucky and they're only severely bruised, although I wouldn't rule out some being cracked.”
“Good to know, Dr Ryan.”
Ryan smiled when Lester snarked and pulled away from his hands... it was a pity the spook had made it clear he didn't want him. Not that knowledge stopped Ryan eyeing up the spook's arse when Lester stood up before shaking his head and clambering to his own feet. “Come on then, Lester.”
***
Ryan had been relieved when the bog finally gave way to swamp, they might have to wade through shallow water and even more insects but at least the mud wasn't about to open up and swallow them whole. Even if with each step he felt his boots sink a little into the swamp bottom and he had to tug his boots free of the clinging mud. He almost changed his mind when he noticed the bubbling water off to one side, tensing as he waited for an attack before screwing his nose up as the stench reached him. Bloody swamp gas, he doubted he'd ever eat another egg even if it was part of a bloody fry-up.
He spotted a hummock and smiled, the thought of resting on what passed for dry land in the lowlands beckoned him to wade faster.
“Ryan!” Lester called from behind him where he was leaning heavily on a bog-pole. “Slow down.”
Ryan turned back towards Lester, wondering if the man needed a hand, when he felt his foot miss the swamp floor and he was pitched backwards into the swamp. He flailed before spluttering and coughing when he surfaced, feeling something grip his jacket firmly and he struck out, only to find himself back in the water.
“For fuck sake, Ryan.” Lester growled at him before holding a hand out and Ryan realised it had been Lester who had been holding him.
“Sorry.” Ryan found himself having to tread water before he managed to get his feet back under him. “Damn scour.”
Lester didn't reply, his eyes narrow as he stared at something and Ryan swore when he followed the spook's gaze. Something was rippling the water as it moved fast and directly towards them. He glanced at the hummock and knew whatever creature was coming towards them would reach them first. “Stay still.”
Lester rolled his eyes at him. “I had figured that out, but then, I wasn't the idiot who decided to call the bloody thing towards us.”
Ryan bit back his response when the ripple disappeared, holding his breath as he waited for it to attack. He watched as Lester tensed before feeling something brush past his own legs. He drew his blade as his eyes searched the swamp for any trace of the creature but he could see nothing. He had the horrible suspicion that it was lying in wait for them and that as soon as they moved, it would strike and sink its teeth into them. “Now what?”
Lester didn't reply and Ryan glanced over to see the spook was also checking for signs of their unwelcome guest.
“Lester?” Lester turned and met Ryan's gaze and he saw determination in the spook's eyes. What the fuck was the man planning now? “Lester?”
“When I say move, move.” Lester smiled before turning his attention back to the water and carefully pulled his bog-pole from the water, the flat plate on the end dripping with swamp weed. “Move, Ryan.” Lester called out as he threw the pole as far as he could into the swamp, causing a large splash.
Ryan felt something brush past him as it headed straight for the commotion. He shook his head before grabbing the insane spook and towing him towards the hummock, fighting the urge to race and knowing the pole would only distract the creature for a short while, especially when he heard a loud snap. He expected to feel the creature's teeth in his leg at any moment, or worse, feel Lester pulled out of his grip.
The water grew more shallow but Ryan didn't stop, most life on Venus was amphibious and even being on the hummock might not protect them from whatever the creature was, not unless it had evolved into being truly aquatic. He stumbled as the somewhat firmer mud of the swamp bottom turned into sticky boot-hugging gloop at the edge of the water, his hold on Lester faltering as he tried to keep his own balance. He felt Lester grab his arm and together they half-staggered out on the foul smelling mud. He collapsed, his heart pounding, when he reached the highest point of the hummock, his gaze once more on the water as he watched for the creature to haul itself onto land.
Lester had collapsed on his back and was panting hard, a hand pressed against his ribs. “Fuck!”
“Are all spooks mad?” Ryan couldn't help ask, the spook had bloody scared him with that action. “I mean, first McKenzie betrays us and then you...” He never finished the sentence, suddenly finding himself against the nearest tree with Lester's blade pressed against his throat.
Part 4
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~2025 (of 9430)
Characters: Tom Ryan, James Lester, OCs and guest appearances from Fred's SFOCs
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
A/N: For my Primeval bingo card prompt: Rayguns. Prequel for my Unearthing An Anomaly Space AU series. Thanks goes to Fififolle for the beta and suggestions. All remaining mistakes are mine.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5
Lester chuckled. “In an hour or so it will be busy digesting its meal and sleepy. We can move then, carefully.” Lester glanced thoughtfully at the spot the skimmer had been. “Pity, I was hoping we might scavenge supplies from it.”
Ryan followed his glance, the bog looked undisturbed and if he hadn't known the swamp-squid was hidden there... no wonder the bloody things were myth. He glanced up at the sky, peering up at the overcast sky and then into their surroundings. “I don't think so, Lester.” He raised a hand and pushed the spook back down when the man tried to move. “We're both injured and I need to look at your ribs properly. Beside that,” Ryan nodded at the sky. “It'll be getting dark soon and the last thing we want to be doing is blundering around this bloody bog at night.”
Lester looked set to argue before he reluctantly nodded. “Fine, but we need to be on the move back to Nike first thing in the morning.”
Ryan nodded, although he wasn't convinced Lester would be fit to traipse through a bloody bog, even after resting. “Get some sleep, Lester. I'll take the first watch.”
“If you're planning on sleeping here, I suggest we find somewhere more sheltered than this.” Lester quirked an eyebrow. “Most of the wildlife isn't sessile.”
“Ah.” Ryan had been so bloody preoccupied by the swamp-squid that he'd forgotten all about the other wildlife. He took the time to peer around his surroundings, alert now to the slightest rustle. He tensed as the air slowly filled with the croaks and warbles of various animals as the bog returned to normal. He eyed the trees for danger, the bluish-purplish green colour not helping as he wondered what other hazards might lurk unnoticed only yards away under the camouflage of looking harmless.
He shook his head before standing and quickly but thoroughly checked out a couple of sheltered areas, finally finding one he thought was defensible. He shook a dozing Lester gently before helping the spook to his feet and guiding the man to Ryan's chosen spot. “Get your head down.”
“What about you?” Lester asked as he squirmed in search of a comfortable position.
“I'll be fine,” Ryan told him. “I'm used to going without sleep.”
“After being beaten up?” Lester asked in disbelief. “Wake me in a few hours.” Ryan opened his mouth to argue, only for Lester to cut him off. “I'm moving out at first light and I don't need you so sleep deprived you fall into the bog or blunder into a bloody Snaggle-toothed Looper or something equally dangerous and get me killed.”
“Bloody spook,” Ryan muttered but knew Lester wasn't going to budge on that point. Besides, sleep sounded like a good idea to him, but Lester needed it more right now.
“Ryan?”
Ryan almost jumped, he had thought Lester had fallen asleep. “Lester?”
“Take this.”
Ryan turned around and took the blade Lester held out to him. “You're giving me your weapon?” He was surprised the spook would give up the only weapon they had.
Lester smirked at him and shifted slightly, revealing that he had a second blade.
“Bloody sneaky spook,” Ryan muttered as he turned back to watch the night. “Get some sleep.” He smiled when Lester's breathing evened out and he knew the spook had let sleep claim him. He settled himself until he could keep one eye on Lester and the other on their surroundings, swatting at some bloody and no doubt blood-sucking insect that buzzed around him.
Ryan jerked awake, cursing himself for a fool for falling asleep on watch, lulled by the chirping and chittering of the various wildlife. He shook his head, recriminations could come later as he searched for whatever had woken him. Peering into the darkness as he searched for danger and then he heard it. Soft, almost breathless moans coming from behind him and he glanced at Lester, seeing the man twitch in some nightmare. Ryan reached out a hand, pausing as he wondered if it was a good idea to wake the spook before a low, painful moan decided for him. Ryan shook Lester's shoulder gently and moved away quickly when the spook woke abruptly,combat blade in his hand. “Easy, Lester.” Ryan scooted back quickly, his hands raised in surrender, even if he was ready to defend himself with his own blade if he needed to.
Lester blinked several times before he seemed to realise where he was and who he was with. “Bloody hell, Ryan.” He sheathed the blade again. “Get some sleep, I'll keep watch.”
Ryan took a moment to really look at Lester before nodding, understanding sleep would be elusive to the spook now. “Fine. Wake me in a few hours.”
***
Ryan woke in the dim light of dawn and frowned when he realised Lester hadn't woken him. “You were supposed to wake me.”
Lester shrugged. “You needed the sleep and I wasn't going to get any.”
Ryan nodded, he knew Fielder had nightmares like that. “What's your plan?”
“I thought it was your plan?” Lester muttered before adding, “I was planning on making my way to Nike and, since they think we're dead, surprising them.” He smiled evilly. “McKenzie's not the only spook who can commit sabotage.”
“You, Lester, are a devious bastard.” Ryan informed him.
Lester grinned. “It's why you like me.”
Ryan rolled his eyes at the smirk on the spook's face. He fought down the momentary urge to thump the look off Lester's face and then had the harder task of fighting his next urge. The bloody man was hitting all of Ryan's buttons - resourceful, useful and attractive amongst them. He shook his head and turned his attention back to their current situation. “Where do you think we are?”
Lester shrugged. “Nike is on the eastern edge of Aphrodite and I doubt they'd have flown us across it, so my best guess would be we're somewhere to the east of that highland.”
“Which covers a lot of ground.” Ryan looked up towards the slowly moving sun, for once visible through the clouds. “If we head into the rising sun we should find Nike, or at least hopefully get near enough to Aphrodite to see it.”
Lester nodded before attempting to stand up, his arm wrapped protectively around his ribs. “On your feet, soldier.”
Ryan bit back his response, knowing he needed the spook's cooperation, and grabbed Lester's arm instead. “Not until I've had a look at those ribs.”
Lester quirked an eyebrow. “You do seem desperate to get your hands on me, Lieutenant...”
Ryan snorted. “In your dreams, spook.” Ryan was gentle as he examined Lester, and he fought down his reaction to having his hands on the spook. Fuck! And not a good word to use, the spook had obviously noticed Ryan was attracted to him and was using that knowledge to mock him. He really didn't need to give the man any more ammunition than he already had. “Looks like you've been lucky and they're only severely bruised, although I wouldn't rule out some being cracked.”
“Good to know, Dr Ryan.”
Ryan smiled when Lester snarked and pulled away from his hands... it was a pity the spook had made it clear he didn't want him. Not that knowledge stopped Ryan eyeing up the spook's arse when Lester stood up before shaking his head and clambering to his own feet. “Come on then, Lester.”
***
Ryan had been relieved when the bog finally gave way to swamp, they might have to wade through shallow water and even more insects but at least the mud wasn't about to open up and swallow them whole. Even if with each step he felt his boots sink a little into the swamp bottom and he had to tug his boots free of the clinging mud. He almost changed his mind when he noticed the bubbling water off to one side, tensing as he waited for an attack before screwing his nose up as the stench reached him. Bloody swamp gas, he doubted he'd ever eat another egg even if it was part of a bloody fry-up.
He spotted a hummock and smiled, the thought of resting on what passed for dry land in the lowlands beckoned him to wade faster.
“Ryan!” Lester called from behind him where he was leaning heavily on a bog-pole. “Slow down.”
Ryan turned back towards Lester, wondering if the man needed a hand, when he felt his foot miss the swamp floor and he was pitched backwards into the swamp. He flailed before spluttering and coughing when he surfaced, feeling something grip his jacket firmly and he struck out, only to find himself back in the water.
“For fuck sake, Ryan.” Lester growled at him before holding a hand out and Ryan realised it had been Lester who had been holding him.
“Sorry.” Ryan found himself having to tread water before he managed to get his feet back under him. “Damn scour.”
Lester didn't reply, his eyes narrow as he stared at something and Ryan swore when he followed the spook's gaze. Something was rippling the water as it moved fast and directly towards them. He glanced at the hummock and knew whatever creature was coming towards them would reach them first. “Stay still.”
Lester rolled his eyes at him. “I had figured that out, but then, I wasn't the idiot who decided to call the bloody thing towards us.”
Ryan bit back his response when the ripple disappeared, holding his breath as he waited for it to attack. He watched as Lester tensed before feeling something brush past his own legs. He drew his blade as his eyes searched the swamp for any trace of the creature but he could see nothing. He had the horrible suspicion that it was lying in wait for them and that as soon as they moved, it would strike and sink its teeth into them. “Now what?”
Lester didn't reply and Ryan glanced over to see the spook was also checking for signs of their unwelcome guest.
“Lester?” Lester turned and met Ryan's gaze and he saw determination in the spook's eyes. What the fuck was the man planning now? “Lester?”
“When I say move, move.” Lester smiled before turning his attention back to the water and carefully pulled his bog-pole from the water, the flat plate on the end dripping with swamp weed. “Move, Ryan.” Lester called out as he threw the pole as far as he could into the swamp, causing a large splash.
Ryan felt something brush past him as it headed straight for the commotion. He shook his head before grabbing the insane spook and towing him towards the hummock, fighting the urge to race and knowing the pole would only distract the creature for a short while, especially when he heard a loud snap. He expected to feel the creature's teeth in his leg at any moment, or worse, feel Lester pulled out of his grip.
The water grew more shallow but Ryan didn't stop, most life on Venus was amphibious and even being on the hummock might not protect them from whatever the creature was, not unless it had evolved into being truly aquatic. He stumbled as the somewhat firmer mud of the swamp bottom turned into sticky boot-hugging gloop at the edge of the water, his hold on Lester faltering as he tried to keep his own balance. He felt Lester grab his arm and together they half-staggered out on the foul smelling mud. He collapsed, his heart pounding, when he reached the highest point of the hummock, his gaze once more on the water as he watched for the creature to haul itself onto land.
Lester had collapsed on his back and was panting hard, a hand pressed against his ribs. “Fuck!”
“Are all spooks mad?” Ryan couldn't help ask, the spook had bloody scared him with that action. “I mean, first McKenzie betrays us and then you...” He never finished the sentence, suddenly finding himself against the nearest tree with Lester's blade pressed against his throat.
Part 4