Farscape fic: Left Behind, chapter 1 (pg-13)
So that I can have all of my fic on LJ, I've been slowly posting my old Farscape stuff here on my LJ. Some of you have seen this before, but whether you have or you haven't, feel free to read and, if the spirit moves you, comment. You *know* I'd love to hear what you think. :)
Title: Left Behind
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 996
Characters: John, Chiana
Spoilers: everything up through season 3's "Eat Me"
Disclaimer: Alas, none of them are mine. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made.
Author’s note: Unbetaed, so all mistakes are my own. This started out as a one-shot, but I was convinced by my readers that there was more story to tell, and by gumby, they were right. ;)
“Oh, God.”
John Crichton watched in shock as the transport pod shot away from the disintegrating Leviathan as if all the hounds of hell were in swift pursuit. “I can’t believe they just left me…” He slumped back against the crumbling doorway, not even flinching as a chunk of something heavy fell with a ponderous thud to his left, narrowly missing him.
In fact, pieces of the dying Rohvu were falling all around him. Smoke obscured his view as his eyes traveled randomly from one bright shower of sparks or flame to the next in the burgeoning inferno that had once been a Leviathan’s hangar.
The realization came to him that he was going to die here. “You left me.” An animal cry tore from his throat.
“Crichton! Is that you?”
“Chi!” The terrified sound of her voice broke through his momentary despair. Chiana? He had just watched her leave on the transport pod!
He whirled around, stepping out into the corridor outside the smoke-filled hangar, and saw her just a few feet away, clutching at one of Rohvu’s ribs as if her life depended on it. There was blue blood on her stomach - still wet, from the way her tunic glistened in the weirdly strobing light - and a dark bruise on her jaw. Her eyes were wide black pools.
She took a tentative step toward him, her left hand still maintaining contact with the Leviathan, the right reaching toward Crichton, pointing at the hangar. He didn’t see the weapon she had been carrying earlier.
“Did I…Did I just see the transport leave?”
“Yup.” He didn’t feel particularly eloquent at the moment, so he just left it at that.
“Those fekkiks left us?” Her voice became a little louder. “They frelling left us here to…die?”
Looking back at the hangar, knowing that there was no other way off the Leviathan, who was still struggling to starburst past the interference of the control collar, he said, “We are not gonna die, Pip.” His voice carried a bitter determination. Closing the gap between them, he grabbed her by the arm which was still pointing toward the hangar. “C’mon.”
She stumbled as he pulled her along behind him, but he didn’t slow down. If they didn’t get back to the Pilot’s den and stop Rohvu from starburst, then they were done. We’re probably dead already, he thought, as another piece of pus-covered bulkhead skittered across the floor in front of them as they ran. Hell, at least there was no sign of those pitiful - but way-too-dangerous - Xarai.
Chiana was uncharacteristically silent as they skidded to a halt, their passage blocked by one of the Leviathan’s ribs. It had actually broken away from the wall and lay at an angle over the door to the den, a thick, wet coppery liquid oozing from the parts that had once been attached.
“Frell.” He let go of Chi’s hand and, hesitating for just an instant, gagging, grasped the obstruction, attempting to at least move it away from the door controls. They had to get that door open…
It was too heavy. “Chi, honey, gimme a hand here.” She just looked at him from empty black eyes, uncomprehending. “Chiana!” he shouted. “Help me move this thing!”
Moving as though in a dream, Chiana planted her shoulder under the upper edge of the rib and heaved, letting loose a squeal composed of equal parts anger and fear as she did so. Combining his efforts with hers, Crichton shoved for all he was worth. The rib moved. They were unable to lift it entirely out of the way, but they did move it enough that it slid the rest of the way to the floor under its own weight.
They heard wordless voices behind them as a group of three Xarai came toward them, hunger etched into every line of their bodies.
“Crichton…”
“I see ‘em, Chi.” Reaching over the rib, he slammed one hand into the door control and aimed Winona at them with the other, firing. The door opened as one of the Xarai fell, her companions pausing and then apparently deciding that the meat suddenly at hand was easier than that which scrambled over the blockage and into the room beyond.
Chiana, looking a bit wild-eyed, pounded her fist on the door control inside the den as Crichton dashed across a catwalk toward the dead Pilot and the controls to the ship. He ignored the heap of cloth and…other things…just beyond the control console. It was harder to ignore the half-dozen or so Xarai, loudly devouring something nearby.
“Chiana! Get over here and take Winona!”
One eye toward the preoccupied Xarai, he vaulted up onto the console, trying to reverse the starburst sequence before the ship completely fell apart around them. They could worry about putting out fires - literally and figuratively - once starburst had been aborted.
Several things happened at once. Crichton hit the last control in the reverse sequence and they could hear the welcome sound of starburst winding down. Chiana squeaked, startled, as the Pilot jerked upright when she jumped up onto the console, reaching for Crichton’s pulse pistol. The sound of pounding and scratching came to them from at least two other entrances to the den.
The Human and the Nebari looked at each other. Not a word was said as Chiana opened fire on the Xarai huddled over their feast. Crichton reached toward the harpoon sticking out of Pilot’s carapace. He had to make sure the creature he had thought was dead didn’t die on them now. He had to get through to him, make him understand that they could help each other.
“Pilot, are you with us? Can you hear me?” Their only hope was to get Pilot to seal the den and vent the rest of the ship into space.
Pilot focused his terrified eyes on Crichton.
Fists pounded on the doors, not yet having found their way to pounding on the door controls.
“Oh, God.”
Left Behind, chapter 2
Those of you familiar with my writing will probably notice that my style has changed a bit since this was originally written back in 2004 (I think I started it in February and finished it in December). Then again, maybe my style hasn't changed at all. I dunno. Anyway, enjoy! :D
Title: Left Behind
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 996
Characters: John, Chiana
Spoilers: everything up through season 3's "Eat Me"
Disclaimer: Alas, none of them are mine. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made.
Author’s note: Unbetaed, so all mistakes are my own. This started out as a one-shot, but I was convinced by my readers that there was more story to tell, and by gumby, they were right. ;)
“Oh, God.”
John Crichton watched in shock as the transport pod shot away from the disintegrating Leviathan as if all the hounds of hell were in swift pursuit. “I can’t believe they just left me…” He slumped back against the crumbling doorway, not even flinching as a chunk of something heavy fell with a ponderous thud to his left, narrowly missing him.
In fact, pieces of the dying Rohvu were falling all around him. Smoke obscured his view as his eyes traveled randomly from one bright shower of sparks or flame to the next in the burgeoning inferno that had once been a Leviathan’s hangar.
The realization came to him that he was going to die here. “You left me.” An animal cry tore from his throat.
“Crichton! Is that you?”
“Chi!” The terrified sound of her voice broke through his momentary despair. Chiana? He had just watched her leave on the transport pod!
He whirled around, stepping out into the corridor outside the smoke-filled hangar, and saw her just a few feet away, clutching at one of Rohvu’s ribs as if her life depended on it. There was blue blood on her stomach - still wet, from the way her tunic glistened in the weirdly strobing light - and a dark bruise on her jaw. Her eyes were wide black pools.
She took a tentative step toward him, her left hand still maintaining contact with the Leviathan, the right reaching toward Crichton, pointing at the hangar. He didn’t see the weapon she had been carrying earlier.
“Did I…Did I just see the transport leave?”
“Yup.” He didn’t feel particularly eloquent at the moment, so he just left it at that.
“Those fekkiks left us?” Her voice became a little louder. “They frelling left us here to…die?”
Looking back at the hangar, knowing that there was no other way off the Leviathan, who was still struggling to starburst past the interference of the control collar, he said, “We are not gonna die, Pip.” His voice carried a bitter determination. Closing the gap between them, he grabbed her by the arm which was still pointing toward the hangar. “C’mon.”
She stumbled as he pulled her along behind him, but he didn’t slow down. If they didn’t get back to the Pilot’s den and stop Rohvu from starburst, then they were done. We’re probably dead already, he thought, as another piece of pus-covered bulkhead skittered across the floor in front of them as they ran. Hell, at least there was no sign of those pitiful - but way-too-dangerous - Xarai.
Chiana was uncharacteristically silent as they skidded to a halt, their passage blocked by one of the Leviathan’s ribs. It had actually broken away from the wall and lay at an angle over the door to the den, a thick, wet coppery liquid oozing from the parts that had once been attached.
“Frell.” He let go of Chi’s hand and, hesitating for just an instant, gagging, grasped the obstruction, attempting to at least move it away from the door controls. They had to get that door open…
It was too heavy. “Chi, honey, gimme a hand here.” She just looked at him from empty black eyes, uncomprehending. “Chiana!” he shouted. “Help me move this thing!”
Moving as though in a dream, Chiana planted her shoulder under the upper edge of the rib and heaved, letting loose a squeal composed of equal parts anger and fear as she did so. Combining his efforts with hers, Crichton shoved for all he was worth. The rib moved. They were unable to lift it entirely out of the way, but they did move it enough that it slid the rest of the way to the floor under its own weight.
They heard wordless voices behind them as a group of three Xarai came toward them, hunger etched into every line of their bodies.
“Crichton…”
“I see ‘em, Chi.” Reaching over the rib, he slammed one hand into the door control and aimed Winona at them with the other, firing. The door opened as one of the Xarai fell, her companions pausing and then apparently deciding that the meat suddenly at hand was easier than that which scrambled over the blockage and into the room beyond.
Chiana, looking a bit wild-eyed, pounded her fist on the door control inside the den as Crichton dashed across a catwalk toward the dead Pilot and the controls to the ship. He ignored the heap of cloth and…other things…just beyond the control console. It was harder to ignore the half-dozen or so Xarai, loudly devouring something nearby.
“Chiana! Get over here and take Winona!”
One eye toward the preoccupied Xarai, he vaulted up onto the console, trying to reverse the starburst sequence before the ship completely fell apart around them. They could worry about putting out fires - literally and figuratively - once starburst had been aborted.
Several things happened at once. Crichton hit the last control in the reverse sequence and they could hear the welcome sound of starburst winding down. Chiana squeaked, startled, as the Pilot jerked upright when she jumped up onto the console, reaching for Crichton’s pulse pistol. The sound of pounding and scratching came to them from at least two other entrances to the den.
The Human and the Nebari looked at each other. Not a word was said as Chiana opened fire on the Xarai huddled over their feast. Crichton reached toward the harpoon sticking out of Pilot’s carapace. He had to make sure the creature he had thought was dead didn’t die on them now. He had to get through to him, make him understand that they could help each other.
“Pilot, are you with us? Can you hear me?” Their only hope was to get Pilot to seal the den and vent the rest of the ship into space.
Pilot focused his terrified eyes on Crichton.
Fists pounded on the doors, not yet having found their way to pounding on the door controls.
“Oh, God.”
Left Behind, chapter 2
Those of you familiar with my writing will probably notice that my style has changed a bit since this was originally written back in 2004 (I think I started it in February and finished it in December). Then again, maybe my style hasn't changed at all. I dunno. Anyway, enjoy! :D