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crack_van2004-01-22 03:19 pm
thassalia.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2004-01-22 03:19 pm
L,G&M 3.5; Bend at the Break by Sunshiner (PG-13)
Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: none. exactly
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sunshinercj
Author Website:?
Why this must be read:
L,G&M 3.5; Bend at the Breakpicks up where Liars, Guns and Money, Part 3 leaves off, John descending into madness, the chip in his brain at war with him.
The story opens ambiguously, with John apparently back in the clutches of Natira, and barrels on from there, leaving the reader breathless, wondering if this is an AU, if this is John's what if no one had come for him.
And then things get worse, strange and off balance and what we find instead is the mental meanderings, the fears and panic and uncertainty that John know has to live with since he can't trust in anything, least of all the sanctity of his own mind.
The language is tight and taut and the construct of the story holds through to the end, even when we know the truth, we still ache for John, alone, terrified and shifting, changing, and merging with his nightmare.
Scorpius circled around Natira and placed the muzzle to the back of her head. Her pleas grew more intense, more demanding. She stared at John, begging him to do something, anything, to save her.
And he tried. If for no other reason than to avoid witnessing the execution. "Wait. Don't-"
"I do not suffer betrayal well," Scorpius interrupted.
Natira's head exploded under the blast, spraying milk sap blood across John's face, leaving salt on his lips. Bits of meaty blue flakes spattered his chest and sprinkled in his lap like crumbs.
He squeezed his eyes shut and listened to his pulse thunder against his eardrums.
When he dared to look, Scorpius stood before him, hovering too close. Pallid flesh stretched tight over a jagged skull, shark's teeth grinning near enough to bite. "You have a visitor."
The chair jerked and elongated, reclining suddenly as the restraints snapped open. John was left to gape at the ceiling, blinking into harsh overhead light. A familiar form leaned over him.
"Zhaan?"
"Yes, John?" The Delvian dipped a piece of brown cloth into a bowl Scorpius held. Gently, she cleaned Natira's blood from his face.
John's tongue felt thick against the roof of his mouth. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm tending to your injuries. Do you need anything for the pain?" She finished her work and dropped the cloth into the bowl. Scorpius carried it to the back of the room.
"Pain?" He watched the Scarran Hybrid until it would become necessary to turn his head, but he didn't want to look away from Zhaan. "You talking past or future tense?"
She reached slowly to his forehead, lightly prodding a tender spot just over his eye. "It doesn't appear to be severely bruised."
Scorpius remained out of sight. The cell was empty except for the other chair and its grisly occupant. Blood dripped from the ruin of Natira's head, hitting the floor with heavy drops. The smell of burnt flesh overpowered.
"Where'd he go?" He tried to sit up, looking around the cell for lurkers in the dark.
Zhaan's brilliant blue eyes narrowed. She touched John's shoulder, gently pushing him back down. "You shouldn't move, John. You need to rest."
He shrugged off her hand and suggestion, watching the door as he swung his feet to the floor. The guards were gone, leaving the exit unwatched.
Dizziness came in a tidal wave as he stood, spilling him forward into Zhaan's arms.
"John!"
He steadied himself within her grasp, head bowed against disorientation, keeping his eyes closed only long enough to know which end was up. "We need to get out of here."
Sunshiner's L,G&M 3.5; Bend at the Break
Pairing: none. exactly
Author on LJ:
sunshinercjAuthor Website:?
Why this must be read:
L,G&M 3.5; Bend at the Breakpicks up where Liars, Guns and Money, Part 3 leaves off, John descending into madness, the chip in his brain at war with him.
The story opens ambiguously, with John apparently back in the clutches of Natira, and barrels on from there, leaving the reader breathless, wondering if this is an AU, if this is John's what if no one had come for him.
And then things get worse, strange and off balance and what we find instead is the mental meanderings, the fears and panic and uncertainty that John know has to live with since he can't trust in anything, least of all the sanctity of his own mind.
The language is tight and taut and the construct of the story holds through to the end, even when we know the truth, we still ache for John, alone, terrified and shifting, changing, and merging with his nightmare.
Scorpius circled around Natira and placed the muzzle to the back of her head. Her pleas grew more intense, more demanding. She stared at John, begging him to do something, anything, to save her.
And he tried. If for no other reason than to avoid witnessing the execution. "Wait. Don't-"
"I do not suffer betrayal well," Scorpius interrupted.
Natira's head exploded under the blast, spraying milk sap blood across John's face, leaving salt on his lips. Bits of meaty blue flakes spattered his chest and sprinkled in his lap like crumbs.
He squeezed his eyes shut and listened to his pulse thunder against his eardrums.
When he dared to look, Scorpius stood before him, hovering too close. Pallid flesh stretched tight over a jagged skull, shark's teeth grinning near enough to bite. "You have a visitor."
The chair jerked and elongated, reclining suddenly as the restraints snapped open. John was left to gape at the ceiling, blinking into harsh overhead light. A familiar form leaned over him.
"Zhaan?"
"Yes, John?" The Delvian dipped a piece of brown cloth into a bowl Scorpius held. Gently, she cleaned Natira's blood from his face.
John's tongue felt thick against the roof of his mouth. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm tending to your injuries. Do you need anything for the pain?" She finished her work and dropped the cloth into the bowl. Scorpius carried it to the back of the room.
"Pain?" He watched the Scarran Hybrid until it would become necessary to turn his head, but he didn't want to look away from Zhaan. "You talking past or future tense?"
She reached slowly to his forehead, lightly prodding a tender spot just over his eye. "It doesn't appear to be severely bruised."
Scorpius remained out of sight. The cell was empty except for the other chair and its grisly occupant. Blood dripped from the ruin of Natira's head, hitting the floor with heavy drops. The smell of burnt flesh overpowered.
"Where'd he go?" He tried to sit up, looking around the cell for lurkers in the dark.
Zhaan's brilliant blue eyes narrowed. She touched John's shoulder, gently pushing him back down. "You shouldn't move, John. You need to rest."
He shrugged off her hand and suggestion, watching the door as he swung his feet to the floor. The guards were gone, leaving the exit unwatched.
Dizziness came in a tidal wave as he stood, spilling him forward into Zhaan's arms.
"John!"
He steadied himself within her grasp, head bowed against disorientation, keeping his eyes closed only long enough to know which end was up. "We need to get out of here."
Sunshiner's L,G&M 3.5; Bend at the Break