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http://users.livejournal.com/_steelphoenix_/) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
crack_van2012-02-17 12:32 am
http://users.livejournal.com/_steelphoenix_/) wrote in crack_van2012-02-17 12:32 am
Entry tags:
The Second Of Our Reign by cala_jane and noelia_g (NC-17)
Fandom: GENERATION KILL
Pairing: Nate Fick/Brad Colbert, Ray Person/Walt Hasser
Length: 40841
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cala_jane, noelia_g
Why this must be read:
For the first of the AUs, we're going to go with one of the epics of the fandom - a time-travel AU with concepts from the Terminator Series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse. For me, it really helped define the fandom and its relation to AUs, and it remains one of my longterm favourites for how the characters remain true despite the very different situations.
This fic is, on the surface of it, an 'action flick' premise - a small team having to time travel to destroy a vital item being sought by the evil robot force - but it's full of subtleties that you don't get until the second (sometimes third) read-through. The voices are spot-on, and a lot of the interactions - especially between Brad, Ray, and Poke - feel as if they could be straight out the mini. Nate, too, is very recognisably himself, despite the different situation.
"Well," Brad says, drawing out his words, after a moment of silence stretches between them like a piano wire. "I have always been a great admirer of the art of bullshitting your superiors, but it achieves a whole new level of artistry when it comes from one of the officers. I bow down to your skills, sir."
Nate can't quite read the feeling under the tone yet; sometimes it's harder than usual to read Brad's mind. "I needed you to witness this," he mutters and Brad nods.
"I appreciate the entertainment. It's been a while since I caught a good show."
"I needed you here so you'd know the extent of what I'm asking you to do. This mission won't be command-approved, I'm just asking you to trust me."
Brad's gaze is unflinching as it zeroes in on Nate, steady as if he was looking through the scope of a riffle, but infinitely warmer. "We're way beyond the time when you needed to ask for my trust."
Yes, Nate knows that. That knowledge is right there, like a blade, twisting in his stomach. Nate knows he doesn't have to ask for Brad's trust anymore. But this one time, he needs Brad to give it to him anyway.
"I do, this one time," he says slowly. Voicing his thoughts feels awkward, almost alien. He didn't need to do that with Brad in a very long time. It's somehow fitting to lose that connection now, with everything they've been through and with everything he is about to put Brad through.
"Sir?" Brad's voice pulls him out of his own thoughts. He looks at Brad again, realizing the other man is now standing closer. He thinks he can see Brad's fingers twitching slightly, as if he was trying not to move his hand forward. Nothing but wishful thinking on Nate's part, no doubt.
"I need you to assemble a team," he says firmly, deciding that staying concentrated on the mission will be better for both of them. Better for Nate's sanity, too. "Two men. I won't risk more... As far as anybody's concerned you'd be going on a recon mission to try and find out what the Mainframe scouts are looking for."
"But that's not our real mission," Brad looks at Nate intently and Nate just stands there, waiting for the spark of recognition in Brad's eyes. It doesn't take long. "You already know what they are looking for."
Nate knows that tone, even though it was never directed at him. It's perfectly even, stripped of any emotion, and if Nate didn't know better he'd say Brad didn't care he's been kept in the dark.
"Thirty clicks from here, there's an old college campus. Before the D-Day, the scientists there were among the best in the bioengineering field. Based on what Alpha reported so far, I think the machines are looking for something connected to the research done at that lab."
Brad's eyebrows rise a fraction, and Nate can catalogue the emotions that flicker through his eyes, never reaching as far as the rest of his face - surprise, suspicion, curiosity. Brad's interest is picked, and he's working it out in his head, putting the pieces together.
"You could have easily told Godfather that," he says, his head minutely tilted to the left. "What aren't you telling me?" There's no sting in Brad's words, the trust Nate asked for given freely and without hesitation. Nate can't help but wonder if his next words are going to change that.
"There is no way we can send a team through the enemy lines now, the campus is heavily guarded, and we don't even really know where the thing they're looking for is at the moment. But we know where it was in 1998."
"Alright," Brad nods quickly. "And that helps us how?"
Nate smiles, he can't help it. This is going to sound completely ridiculous, but there you are. "After you assemble your team, you'll be going to Dartmouth, to locate and destroy the tech the Mainframe scouts are looking for. Dartmouth in 1998 to be precise."
Brad doesn't even move a muscle, his expression impassive as he holds Nate's gaze. "James Cameron is going to sue," he says finally.
The Second Of Our Reign
Pairing: Nate Fick/Brad Colbert, Ray Person/Walt Hasser
Length: 40841
Author on LJ:
cala_jane, noelia_gWhy this must be read:
![[info]](../../img/userinfo.gif?v=r88.10){kind=small}
For the first of the AUs, we're going to go with one of the epics of the fandom - a time-travel AU with concepts from the Terminator Series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse. For me, it really helped define the fandom and its relation to AUs, and it remains one of my longterm favourites for how the characters remain true despite the very different situations.
This fic is, on the surface of it, an 'action flick' premise - a small team having to time travel to destroy a vital item being sought by the evil robot force - but it's full of subtleties that you don't get until the second (sometimes third) read-through. The voices are spot-on, and a lot of the interactions - especially between Brad, Ray, and Poke - feel as if they could be straight out the mini. Nate, too, is very recognisably himself, despite the different situation.
"Well," Brad says, drawing out his words, after a moment of silence stretches between them like a piano wire. "I have always been a great admirer of the art of bullshitting your superiors, but it achieves a whole new level of artistry when it comes from one of the officers. I bow down to your skills, sir."
Nate can't quite read the feeling under the tone yet; sometimes it's harder than usual to read Brad's mind. "I needed you to witness this," he mutters and Brad nods.
"I appreciate the entertainment. It's been a while since I caught a good show."
"I needed you here so you'd know the extent of what I'm asking you to do. This mission won't be command-approved, I'm just asking you to trust me."
Brad's gaze is unflinching as it zeroes in on Nate, steady as if he was looking through the scope of a riffle, but infinitely warmer. "We're way beyond the time when you needed to ask for my trust."
Yes, Nate knows that. That knowledge is right there, like a blade, twisting in his stomach. Nate knows he doesn't have to ask for Brad's trust anymore. But this one time, he needs Brad to give it to him anyway.
"I do, this one time," he says slowly. Voicing his thoughts feels awkward, almost alien. He didn't need to do that with Brad in a very long time. It's somehow fitting to lose that connection now, with everything they've been through and with everything he is about to put Brad through.
"Sir?" Brad's voice pulls him out of his own thoughts. He looks at Brad again, realizing the other man is now standing closer. He thinks he can see Brad's fingers twitching slightly, as if he was trying not to move his hand forward. Nothing but wishful thinking on Nate's part, no doubt.
"I need you to assemble a team," he says firmly, deciding that staying concentrated on the mission will be better for both of them. Better for Nate's sanity, too. "Two men. I won't risk more... As far as anybody's concerned you'd be going on a recon mission to try and find out what the Mainframe scouts are looking for."
"But that's not our real mission," Brad looks at Nate intently and Nate just stands there, waiting for the spark of recognition in Brad's eyes. It doesn't take long. "You already know what they are looking for."
Nate knows that tone, even though it was never directed at him. It's perfectly even, stripped of any emotion, and if Nate didn't know better he'd say Brad didn't care he's been kept in the dark.
"Thirty clicks from here, there's an old college campus. Before the D-Day, the scientists there were among the best in the bioengineering field. Based on what Alpha reported so far, I think the machines are looking for something connected to the research done at that lab."
Brad's eyebrows rise a fraction, and Nate can catalogue the emotions that flicker through his eyes, never reaching as far as the rest of his face - surprise, suspicion, curiosity. Brad's interest is picked, and he's working it out in his head, putting the pieces together.
"You could have easily told Godfather that," he says, his head minutely tilted to the left. "What aren't you telling me?" There's no sting in Brad's words, the trust Nate asked for given freely and without hesitation. Nate can't help but wonder if his next words are going to change that.
"There is no way we can send a team through the enemy lines now, the campus is heavily guarded, and we don't even really know where the thing they're looking for is at the moment. But we know where it was in 1998."
"Alright," Brad nods quickly. "And that helps us how?"
Nate smiles, he can't help it. This is going to sound completely ridiculous, but there you are. "After you assemble your team, you'll be going to Dartmouth, to locate and destroy the tech the Mainframe scouts are looking for. Dartmouth in 1998 to be precise."
Brad doesn't even move a muscle, his expression impassive as he holds Nate's gaze. "James Cameron is going to sue," he says finally.
The Second Of Our Reign