Primeval fic: Aphrodite Rising (Part 5)
Title: Aphrodite Rising
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~1296 (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
Ryan swore when he noticed Lester limping, leaning slightly on Blade's arm. He grabbed the spook and forced him to lean against the wall, barely hearing Blade's muttered sorry as the soldier slipped away. “Let me look at that,” Ryan muttered as he sank to his knees to examine the wound.
“I could get used to that view,” Lester murmured.
Ryan glanced up from his task before rolling his eyes as he realised his position, but he still couldn't resist saying, “We'll see, maybe I'll want you on your knees.”
Lester huffed before wincing when Ryan's fingers probed a little too firmly.
“Sorry,” Ryan muttered as he re-secured the field dressing around Lester's thigh. “Think you can walk back to triage?”
Lester scowled at him. “I can still fight, Lieutenant.”
“McKenzie's not worth dying over.”
“Good to know you've change your opinion of me, Ryan,” Lester drawled, “but I'm not about to let that bastard get away.” He looked Ryan straight in the eye before adding, “Would you if it had been Fielder?”
Ryan swore softly before straightening and pressing a hard kiss to Lester's lips. “Die on me and I'll kill you.”
Lester quirked an eyebrow before nodding, tugging Ryan back when he moved away. “Don't die on me either.”
“Wouldn't dream of it,” Ryan murmured before striding away, pausing when he turned a corner to find Blade fingering one of his knives. “Look after him for me.”
“Yes, sir.” Blade smiled in a way that had Ryan thankful the soldier was on his side.
***
In the end, the fighting had been over quickly, the cartel's men not used to fighting trained foes, and with the added forces of the freed Nikers, they had soon surrendered. Ryan had ordered the thugs locked up under guard - his own men - and he'd been relieved when he was informed that reinforcements would be arriving within a day. All he needed to do now was secure the base and clear up the mess left by the cartel - but all that was forgotten when he found out Fielder was in the medbay.
Ryan paused in the doorway and stared at his CO. Fielder looked deathly-pale and had appeared to have lost significant muscle mass in the few days since Ryan had last seen him. If that hadn't been enough to worry him, the mask over Fielder's face would have been, that and the man's harsh, wet sounding breathing. “Boss?” Ryan's voice was soft, he had no wish to wake Fielder if the man was resting.
Fielder's eyes blinked open and he slowly focused his pain and drug-fogged gaze on Ryan. He managed a weak smile before beckoning Ryan closer. His voice was a pale ghost of his normal tones as he managed to say, “Got the bastard?”
“McKenzie?” Ryan asked, continuing when Fielder nodded. “Lester took him down, it seemed right to let him.” Besides, Ryan wasn't a cold-blooded killer but looking at Fielder's broken body... he almost wished he'd taken the shot.
“Good.” Fielder coughed, wet and nasty sounding, before rubbing his chest. “You're in charge.”
“Sir?” Ryan held Fielder's hand as the man's eyes closed and he sank into slumber, knowing that sleep was the best thing for him. He glanced up at a hiss and watched as a pale green mist filled the mask before Fielder inhaled it, relaxing slightly when whatever drug it was eased his painful sounding breathing. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he turned to find Lester leaning on the doorway with a look of regret on his face. “Lester?”
“Ryan.” Lester acknowledged as his gaze moved from Fielder to Ryan. He beckoned to Ryan to follow him as he turned and limped from the room and into the corridor.
Ryan paused for a moment, fear for his CO in his heart as he put together Lester's expression and his desire to talk elsewhere. He squeezed Fielder's arm before murmuring, “I'll come back later, sir.” Stepping out into the corridor, Ryan glanced around before striding after Lester, grabbing the spook's arm and steering him back into his own room. “Should you be walking around?”
“He just winged me,” Lester muttered before yelping when his leg buckled beneath him.
“Yeah, that's why Ditzy's got you on bed rest,” Ryan muttered as he half-carried Lester back to his bed and sat him on it before carefully swinging Lester's legs up and pulling the blanket over him. Ryan glanced up before leaning in for a kiss. “Be good and rest.”
“You only want me healthy for one thing.” Lester waggled his eyebrows.
“That would be good too.” Ryan's smile faded as he remembered Fielder. “What did you want?”
Lester took a deep breath, his fingers playing with the blanket. “I wanted to apology for what happened.”
Ryan frowned, he thought Lester was happy with... ah. “McKenzie wasn't your fault.”
“I should have realised.” Lester refused to meet his eyes. “How many people have died because I didn't? How many will suffer?”
“Hey.” Ryan slid his fingers along Lester's jaw and gently tugged until the spook met his gaze. “He's a spook, they're trained at lying.”
“And trained at spotting people lying.”
Ryan almost sighed, Lester seemed determined to take the blame. “Bloody hell, man, it wasn't your fault. What do I have to do to make you understand that?”
Lester looked down. “Fielder, I've seen what he's got before.”
Ryan blinked, wondering what the hell Lester was on about now. “Which is?”
“Swamp rot.”
“That doesn't sound nice.” Ryan replied, not liking the tone Lester had used to make that comment and remembering his earlier remark about it, back on the skimmer.
“A lot of the original colonists suffered from it before they found a cure,” Lester began and Ryan released a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. “It's not cheap, which is why most of the sampling and collection from the swamps stopped in spring.” He gave a wry smile. “Or did before the corporations started sending convicts here instead of long jail sentences. Poor bastards don't understand that a few years on Venus could damage them for life.” Lester paused. “I've seen what it does to men who don't get treated in time. I've heard them choke as they cough up their own lungs as red and bloody globules of tissue. Coughing and choking until they die from either drowning in their own blood or suffocate when they can't absorb enough oxygen.”
“Fielder?” Ryan had to know. “But he's getting treatment, isn't he?”
Lester nodded. “He is, but the damage is still there.”
Ryan closed his eyes. Fuck! Knowing military life could be short was one thing, but... it was Fielder's life. “Fuck! Is the damage permanent?” Fielder loved active service and would hate to be stuck behind a desk, but Ryan supposed it had to be better than the alternative and he just couldn't imagine Fielder being retired; the military was in his blood as much as it was in Ryan's. He wondered if he should return to Fielder's side...
“I'm sorry, Ryan.”
Ryan opened his eyes to find Lester's hand half-stretched towards him and reached out to grasp it firmly. “It's not your fault, Lester.” He stayed with the spook until Lester closed his eyes and slipped into much needed sleep. Ryan paused for a moment before he felt a wave of tireness wash over him. A few moments rest wouldn't hurt and he kicked off his boots to curled up against Lester, holding the spook tightly and soon felt himself drifting. The days of stress taking their toll on him and he barely felt the blanket draped over him or Ditzy's soft voice telling him to rest as he slipped into slumber.
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~1296 (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
Ryan swore when he noticed Lester limping, leaning slightly on Blade's arm. He grabbed the spook and forced him to lean against the wall, barely hearing Blade's muttered sorry as the soldier slipped away. “Let me look at that,” Ryan muttered as he sank to his knees to examine the wound.
“I could get used to that view,” Lester murmured.
Ryan glanced up from his task before rolling his eyes as he realised his position, but he still couldn't resist saying, “We'll see, maybe I'll want you on your knees.”
Lester huffed before wincing when Ryan's fingers probed a little too firmly.
“Sorry,” Ryan muttered as he re-secured the field dressing around Lester's thigh. “Think you can walk back to triage?”
Lester scowled at him. “I can still fight, Lieutenant.”
“McKenzie's not worth dying over.”
“Good to know you've change your opinion of me, Ryan,” Lester drawled, “but I'm not about to let that bastard get away.” He looked Ryan straight in the eye before adding, “Would you if it had been Fielder?”
Ryan swore softly before straightening and pressing a hard kiss to Lester's lips. “Die on me and I'll kill you.”
Lester quirked an eyebrow before nodding, tugging Ryan back when he moved away. “Don't die on me either.”
“Wouldn't dream of it,” Ryan murmured before striding away, pausing when he turned a corner to find Blade fingering one of his knives. “Look after him for me.”
“Yes, sir.” Blade smiled in a way that had Ryan thankful the soldier was on his side.
***
In the end, the fighting had been over quickly, the cartel's men not used to fighting trained foes, and with the added forces of the freed Nikers, they had soon surrendered. Ryan had ordered the thugs locked up under guard - his own men - and he'd been relieved when he was informed that reinforcements would be arriving within a day. All he needed to do now was secure the base and clear up the mess left by the cartel - but all that was forgotten when he found out Fielder was in the medbay.
Ryan paused in the doorway and stared at his CO. Fielder looked deathly-pale and had appeared to have lost significant muscle mass in the few days since Ryan had last seen him. If that hadn't been enough to worry him, the mask over Fielder's face would have been, that and the man's harsh, wet sounding breathing. “Boss?” Ryan's voice was soft, he had no wish to wake Fielder if the man was resting.
Fielder's eyes blinked open and he slowly focused his pain and drug-fogged gaze on Ryan. He managed a weak smile before beckoning Ryan closer. His voice was a pale ghost of his normal tones as he managed to say, “Got the bastard?”
“McKenzie?” Ryan asked, continuing when Fielder nodded. “Lester took him down, it seemed right to let him.” Besides, Ryan wasn't a cold-blooded killer but looking at Fielder's broken body... he almost wished he'd taken the shot.
“Good.” Fielder coughed, wet and nasty sounding, before rubbing his chest. “You're in charge.”
“Sir?” Ryan held Fielder's hand as the man's eyes closed and he sank into slumber, knowing that sleep was the best thing for him. He glanced up at a hiss and watched as a pale green mist filled the mask before Fielder inhaled it, relaxing slightly when whatever drug it was eased his painful sounding breathing. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he turned to find Lester leaning on the doorway with a look of regret on his face. “Lester?”
“Ryan.” Lester acknowledged as his gaze moved from Fielder to Ryan. He beckoned to Ryan to follow him as he turned and limped from the room and into the corridor.
Ryan paused for a moment, fear for his CO in his heart as he put together Lester's expression and his desire to talk elsewhere. He squeezed Fielder's arm before murmuring, “I'll come back later, sir.” Stepping out into the corridor, Ryan glanced around before striding after Lester, grabbing the spook's arm and steering him back into his own room. “Should you be walking around?”
“He just winged me,” Lester muttered before yelping when his leg buckled beneath him.
“Yeah, that's why Ditzy's got you on bed rest,” Ryan muttered as he half-carried Lester back to his bed and sat him on it before carefully swinging Lester's legs up and pulling the blanket over him. Ryan glanced up before leaning in for a kiss. “Be good and rest.”
“You only want me healthy for one thing.” Lester waggled his eyebrows.
“That would be good too.” Ryan's smile faded as he remembered Fielder. “What did you want?”
Lester took a deep breath, his fingers playing with the blanket. “I wanted to apology for what happened.”
Ryan frowned, he thought Lester was happy with... ah. “McKenzie wasn't your fault.”
“I should have realised.” Lester refused to meet his eyes. “How many people have died because I didn't? How many will suffer?”
“Hey.” Ryan slid his fingers along Lester's jaw and gently tugged until the spook met his gaze. “He's a spook, they're trained at lying.”
“And trained at spotting people lying.”
Ryan almost sighed, Lester seemed determined to take the blame. “Bloody hell, man, it wasn't your fault. What do I have to do to make you understand that?”
Lester looked down. “Fielder, I've seen what he's got before.”
Ryan blinked, wondering what the hell Lester was on about now. “Which is?”
“Swamp rot.”
“That doesn't sound nice.” Ryan replied, not liking the tone Lester had used to make that comment and remembering his earlier remark about it, back on the skimmer.
“A lot of the original colonists suffered from it before they found a cure,” Lester began and Ryan released a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. “It's not cheap, which is why most of the sampling and collection from the swamps stopped in spring.” He gave a wry smile. “Or did before the corporations started sending convicts here instead of long jail sentences. Poor bastards don't understand that a few years on Venus could damage them for life.” Lester paused. “I've seen what it does to men who don't get treated in time. I've heard them choke as they cough up their own lungs as red and bloody globules of tissue. Coughing and choking until they die from either drowning in their own blood or suffocate when they can't absorb enough oxygen.”
“Fielder?” Ryan had to know. “But he's getting treatment, isn't he?”
Lester nodded. “He is, but the damage is still there.”
Ryan closed his eyes. Fuck! Knowing military life could be short was one thing, but... it was Fielder's life. “Fuck! Is the damage permanent?” Fielder loved active service and would hate to be stuck behind a desk, but Ryan supposed it had to be better than the alternative and he just couldn't imagine Fielder being retired; the military was in his blood as much as it was in Ryan's. He wondered if he should return to Fielder's side...
“I'm sorry, Ryan.”
Ryan opened his eyes to find Lester's hand half-stretched towards him and reached out to grasp it firmly. “It's not your fault, Lester.” He stayed with the spook until Lester closed his eyes and slipped into much needed sleep. Ryan paused for a moment before he felt a wave of tireness wash over him. A few moments rest wouldn't hurt and he kicked off his boots to curled up against Lester, holding the spook tightly and soon felt himself drifting. The days of stress taking their toll on him and he barely felt the blanket draped over him or Ditzy's soft voice telling him to rest as he slipped into slumber.