Fic, World's End, Becker, Lester etc, 15
Jan. 8th, 2021 05:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fredbassettTitle : World’s End
Author : fredbassett
Fandom : Primeval
Rating : 15
Characters : Becker, Lester, Connor, Matt, Abby, Lorraine
Disclaimer : Not mine, no money made, don’t sue.
Spoilers : None
Word Count : 1,200, told in linked drabbles.
Summary : Some say the world will end in fire, but plague plays a part, as well. And so do the predators.
A/N : Written for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
primeval_denial art challenge from many years ago for this artwork by the wonderfully talented ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
clea2011
Even with the benefit of hindsight, Becker still wasn’t sure what was the worst thing about the week the world started to go to hell in a handcart.
It was a toss up between the earthquakes, the legions of future predators swarming through anomalies everywhere and the ever-rising death toll from people dropping like flies from a mysterious illness.
The disease spread so quickly that the hospitals were overwhelmed almost immediately.
The government declared a state of emergency, but the army and the police were already dying in droves as well.
And that was only the start of it all.
*****
To everyone’s surprise many of the ARC personnel didn’t fall prey to the disease.
Connor theorised that maybe they’d picked up some sort of immunity on one of their trips through the anomalies.
Matt had no suggestions to offer. In his time, it had all been past history, most of the records from the relevant time had been sketchy to say the least.
The TV stations went off the air very quickly and spreading the news was left in the hands of bloggers and those parts of the internet that were still functioning.
There weren’t many new cat videos, either.
*****
By the end of the second week, the phrase skeleton staff had started to take on an all too literal meaning.
On Lester’s orders, they gave up the unequal struggle of trying to ensure anyone who died at work got a decent burial and simply started to use the cold storage facility instead.
The disease was no respecter of rank or position. The royal family had mostly gone by the end of the fourth week and Westminster was soon deserted. What was left of the government died when the predators penetrated their bunker.
After that it was everyone for themselves.
*****
Lester shook his head emphatically. “We cannot afford to transmit this disease to the past. We have to stay here and just do what we can.”
“All the anomalies seem to be coming from the future anyway,” Connor said. “Something’s changed and I don’t know what. The anomalies are everywhere, and we’ve got predators coming through all over.”
“What about the earthquakes?” Abby asked.
Connor shrugged. “No idea. There’s seismic activity everywhere as well. If it carries on like this, we won’t the only ones heading for a mass extinction.”
It wasn’t the most comforting statement Becker had ever heard.
****
By the end of the fifth week, the ARC was down to just 40 people: 25 soldiers and the rest civilians.
Anyone else they’d taken in had just died.
They’d managed to scavenge enough supplies from nearby supermarkets to last another month under siege conditions. A mission to Aldershot barracks to bring back more weaponry and ammunition had very nearly ended in disaster, but they’d had no choice.
It was only a matter of time before the predators reached their gates.
And when that happened, Becker didn’t fancy their chances much. He’d seen the mess they’d left behind at Aldershot.
****
They still had power, but not for much longer. Their fuel reserves were already running low. They were now only using the generators for a short a time each day.
Just enough for Connor to check the latest spread of the anomalies.
The picture the detector showed was grim. Anomalies were still springing up all over the country.
And from the sporadic radio contact they had with elsewhere, anomalies were still appearing all over the world, as well.
Soon earthquakes were followed by tsumanis and fires began to rage unchecked, but at least that might halt the spread of disease.
****
Time was running out.
Becker knew it. Lester knew it. Matt knew it. They all knew it.
What they didn’t know, was what to do next.
Their food supplies had almost run out, too.
The remaining fuel allowed them only enough power to run the ADD for five minutes every hour.
Attempts to resupply had invariably ended in disaster and death.
Their choices were stark: remain in their own time and eventually die at the claws of the predators; escape to the past and risk spreading the disease; or go to the future and risk contaminating what remained of humanity.
****
“We have to decide now.” Becker was exhausted, no energy left to argue. “My men can’t defend the ARC against the predators if they attack en masse.”
“We have food for no more than a week, even on quarter rations,” Lorraine added.
“So you’re saying that if we stay, it’s an act of mass suicide?” Lester looked as exhausted as the rest of them felt, but he still wore a silk handkerchief in the pocket of his suit. Some standards had not slipped.
“It looks that way,” Matt acknowledged, his face as expressionless as ever. “We have a responsibility, James.”
****
“We have a responsibility not to let our people be slaughtered,” Lester said. “Connor, can you predict when and where the next anomaly will appear?”
“No, and they’re not like Ubers. I can’t just call one up.”
“Can you guess?”
“Anyone can guess.”
“So take an educated guess, please. Captain Becker, load your weaponry and ammunition into the vehicles. Mr Anderson, get everyone ready to leave immediately.”
“And our research?” Matt’s expression betrayed neither surprise nor disapproval.
“Take whatever you can.”
“Are we going to be picky about where we go?” Connor asked.
“Can we afford to be, Mr Temple?”
****
As it turned out, they had to be picky.
The first anomaly that appeared near enough to reach led to the middle of a Devonian sea.
The second appeared on the slope of an active volcano and the sun that hung low in the sky over a barren world was almost impossibly huge and shone an ominous fiery red.
Every time they made a run for an anomaly, someone died.
So many deaths that it had become impossible to grieve.
The predators multiplied like cockroaches and the earthquakes were becoming more frequent.
They all knew that time was running out.
****
“Anomaly in Bracknell Forest!” Connor yelled. “Thirty minutes away.”
“We leave now,” Lester ordered.
If he was religious, James Lester would have sent up a fervent prayer. As it was, he simply changed into a set of combat fatigues, strapped on his weapons and made his way to the vehicles.
The small convoy reached the anomaly in an hour, hindered by roving predators and the effects of the most recent earth tremor.
The anomaly hung in the air, holding both promise and threat.
Connor watched as he stared at his dating device.
A sudden, wild hope flared in his eyes.
****
Towering ferns surrounded them, and the air was alive with chittering insects.
The warm air was humid but perfectly breathable.
The mountains that dominated the skyline showed no signs of volcanic activity.
Lester liked this place already.
“The Cretaceous,” Connor announced. “No people to infect.”
“And we know how to survive here,” Abby said with quiet determination. “We can build a life here.”
Lester smiled. “I do believe you and Mr Temple can lead us now, Ms Maitland.”
Abby threw her arms around Lester and hugged him tight, then turned to Becker and ordered, “Lock the anomaly, please. We’re staying.”
Author : fredbassett
Fandom : Primeval
Rating : 15
Characters : Becker, Lester, Connor, Matt, Abby, Lorraine
Disclaimer : Not mine, no money made, don’t sue.
Spoilers : None
Word Count : 1,200, told in linked drabbles.
Summary : Some say the world will end in fire, but plague plays a part, as well. And so do the predators.
A/N : Written for the
primeval_denial art challenge from many years ago for this artwork by the wonderfully talented clea2011Even with the benefit of hindsight, Becker still wasn’t sure what was the worst thing about the week the world started to go to hell in a handcart.
It was a toss up between the earthquakes, the legions of future predators swarming through anomalies everywhere and the ever-rising death toll from people dropping like flies from a mysterious illness.
The disease spread so quickly that the hospitals were overwhelmed almost immediately.
The government declared a state of emergency, but the army and the police were already dying in droves as well.
And that was only the start of it all.
*****
To everyone’s surprise many of the ARC personnel didn’t fall prey to the disease.
Connor theorised that maybe they’d picked up some sort of immunity on one of their trips through the anomalies.
Matt had no suggestions to offer. In his time, it had all been past history, most of the records from the relevant time had been sketchy to say the least.
The TV stations went off the air very quickly and spreading the news was left in the hands of bloggers and those parts of the internet that were still functioning.
There weren’t many new cat videos, either.
*****
By the end of the second week, the phrase skeleton staff had started to take on an all too literal meaning.
On Lester’s orders, they gave up the unequal struggle of trying to ensure anyone who died at work got a decent burial and simply started to use the cold storage facility instead.
The disease was no respecter of rank or position. The royal family had mostly gone by the end of the fourth week and Westminster was soon deserted. What was left of the government died when the predators penetrated their bunker.
After that it was everyone for themselves.
*****
Lester shook his head emphatically. “We cannot afford to transmit this disease to the past. We have to stay here and just do what we can.”
“All the anomalies seem to be coming from the future anyway,” Connor said. “Something’s changed and I don’t know what. The anomalies are everywhere, and we’ve got predators coming through all over.”
“What about the earthquakes?” Abby asked.
Connor shrugged. “No idea. There’s seismic activity everywhere as well. If it carries on like this, we won’t the only ones heading for a mass extinction.”
It wasn’t the most comforting statement Becker had ever heard.
****
By the end of the fifth week, the ARC was down to just 40 people: 25 soldiers and the rest civilians.
Anyone else they’d taken in had just died.
They’d managed to scavenge enough supplies from nearby supermarkets to last another month under siege conditions. A mission to Aldershot barracks to bring back more weaponry and ammunition had very nearly ended in disaster, but they’d had no choice.
It was only a matter of time before the predators reached their gates.
And when that happened, Becker didn’t fancy their chances much. He’d seen the mess they’d left behind at Aldershot.
****
They still had power, but not for much longer. Their fuel reserves were already running low. They were now only using the generators for a short a time each day.
Just enough for Connor to check the latest spread of the anomalies.
The picture the detector showed was grim. Anomalies were still springing up all over the country.
And from the sporadic radio contact they had with elsewhere, anomalies were still appearing all over the world, as well.
Soon earthquakes were followed by tsumanis and fires began to rage unchecked, but at least that might halt the spread of disease.
****
Time was running out.
Becker knew it. Lester knew it. Matt knew it. They all knew it.
What they didn’t know, was what to do next.
Their food supplies had almost run out, too.
The remaining fuel allowed them only enough power to run the ADD for five minutes every hour.
Attempts to resupply had invariably ended in disaster and death.
Their choices were stark: remain in their own time and eventually die at the claws of the predators; escape to the past and risk spreading the disease; or go to the future and risk contaminating what remained of humanity.
****
“We have to decide now.” Becker was exhausted, no energy left to argue. “My men can’t defend the ARC against the predators if they attack en masse.”
“We have food for no more than a week, even on quarter rations,” Lorraine added.
“So you’re saying that if we stay, it’s an act of mass suicide?” Lester looked as exhausted as the rest of them felt, but he still wore a silk handkerchief in the pocket of his suit. Some standards had not slipped.
“It looks that way,” Matt acknowledged, his face as expressionless as ever. “We have a responsibility, James.”
****
“We have a responsibility not to let our people be slaughtered,” Lester said. “Connor, can you predict when and where the next anomaly will appear?”
“No, and they’re not like Ubers. I can’t just call one up.”
“Can you guess?”
“Anyone can guess.”
“So take an educated guess, please. Captain Becker, load your weaponry and ammunition into the vehicles. Mr Anderson, get everyone ready to leave immediately.”
“And our research?” Matt’s expression betrayed neither surprise nor disapproval.
“Take whatever you can.”
“Are we going to be picky about where we go?” Connor asked.
“Can we afford to be, Mr Temple?”
****
As it turned out, they had to be picky.
The first anomaly that appeared near enough to reach led to the middle of a Devonian sea.
The second appeared on the slope of an active volcano and the sun that hung low in the sky over a barren world was almost impossibly huge and shone an ominous fiery red.
Every time they made a run for an anomaly, someone died.
So many deaths that it had become impossible to grieve.
The predators multiplied like cockroaches and the earthquakes were becoming more frequent.
They all knew that time was running out.
****
“Anomaly in Bracknell Forest!” Connor yelled. “Thirty minutes away.”
“We leave now,” Lester ordered.
If he was religious, James Lester would have sent up a fervent prayer. As it was, he simply changed into a set of combat fatigues, strapped on his weapons and made his way to the vehicles.
The small convoy reached the anomaly in an hour, hindered by roving predators and the effects of the most recent earth tremor.
The anomaly hung in the air, holding both promise and threat.
Connor watched as he stared at his dating device.
A sudden, wild hope flared in his eyes.
****
Towering ferns surrounded them, and the air was alive with chittering insects.
The warm air was humid but perfectly breathable.
The mountains that dominated the skyline showed no signs of volcanic activity.
Lester liked this place already.
“The Cretaceous,” Connor announced. “No people to infect.”
“And we know how to survive here,” Abby said with quiet determination. “We can build a life here.”
Lester smiled. “I do believe you and Mr Temple can lead us now, Ms Maitland.”
Abby threw her arms around Lester and hugged him tight, then turned to Becker and ordered, “Lock the anomaly, please. We’re staying.”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2021-01-08 05:56 pm (UTC)Fantastic.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-08 06:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-08 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 12:37 am (UTC)Well done.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 06:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 11:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 12:25 pm (UTC)Makes our situation in the world at the moment look easy peasy.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 05:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 09:10 pm (UTC)Tbh, the 'no new cat videos' hit me harder than expected. On the other hand, Abby hugging Lester had the opposite effect so thank you for that. Great fic!
no subject
Date: 2021-01-09 09:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-15 08:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-15 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-19 09:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-20 11:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-01-23 10:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-02-07 08:44 pm (UTC)Hurrah for a happy ending!
no subject
Date: 2021-02-07 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-02-07 09:28 pm (UTC)I still have some art I want to write for! It's always great to get more!