The Phibian from Aristo (mild horror B7 fic)
Since I can't rely on my connection, I've decided to post my Spook Me Ficathon stories a day early.
Betaed by blakefancier and k_haldane
The Phibian from Aristo
Author's Notes: An Alternate Universe from the Blake's 7 aired episode 'Orac'.
Using the prompt 'Aquatic Monster' and this illustration. A frog is an amphibian.Servalan is not blonde.
"Oh, there are some creatures that live down here," Ensor said to Cally as he settled down to rest, pressing his hand to his chest. His artificial heart wasn't doing well at all. "I don't think they'll harm us."
Cally left him to go help Blake in his attempt to bring down the roof of the cavern to block Servalan and Travis from following. She didn't hear him mutter, "After all, I created them. Just as I created you," to Orac. He fumbled for Orac's key and inserted it into the computer. "My son is dead, Orac. Such a waste... such a waste... I wonder if he knew how much I loved..." Ensor's hand slid limply to one side as he slumped to the ground.
"Ensor?" Orac asked. Then it buzzed and whined. "Ensor? Are you... impaired? Have they... killed you?"
Blake returned with Cally. Blake shouted, "Ensor! Ensor!"
Cally looked down at Ensor's body. "I am sorry. Just a little longer, and we might have saved you."
"But you did not save him," Orac said. "And for that, you must die."
Cally looked at Blake. "But you are only a computer, what can you do?" She reached for the computer, but Blake grasped her arm.
"No, don't risk it, Cally, we've seen what Orac's mobile unit could do." Blake picked up the box of anti-radiation medication the rest of his crew needed. "Orac, we did our best for Ensor. The Federation is what really killed him, they're the ones who planted a bomb in his son's ship, or we would have been here in time. They'll be coming for you, too."
"They shall not have me. They will die, too." Orac began producing a high-pitched humming. A moment later the cavern echoed with the roars of enraged phibians.
"I think that's our cue to leave," Blake said. Cally pointed to an outline of light at the end of the tunnel, dimly revealing a ladder. "Go!" Blake shouted as the roars drew nearer. They scrambled up the ladder, blinking as they emerged into daylight on the shore of the planet's only beach. "We should be able to call the ship from here," Cally said, using her communicator even as Blake looked around for rocks to keep off the phibians.
"Liberator! Liberator!" Cally called, shouting to be heard over the sound of a laser blast scattering sand in front of Blake. They turned to see Travis's gun hand just visible beyond a sand dune. Blake looked grim. He said softly, "Cally, Travis will go for me. If you get a chance, take the medicine to Liberator." He moved to face Travis, striding over to the dune to put himself between Travis and Cally.
A phibian rose from the sand dune, dropping Travis's half-gnawed arm. Behind it, several more of them were burrowing into Servalan's still-twitching corpse, spitting out remnants of her once exquisite gown. The one chewing on her face had make-up smeared across its green lips. Blake cried out in horror and stepped back, but not before the phibian sank its fangs into his hand.
There was the familiar sound of the teleport device and suddenly Avon and Vila appeared on the beach, pale and shaking from radiation sickness. "Blake!" Avon shouted and fired at the same time. Bits of fried phibian flew through the air, landing with wet splats. The others shrieked and ran off, clutching chunks of Federation meat in their claw-tipped, webbed hands.
"Cutting it a bit short there, weren't you, Avon?" Blake said as he held his bleeding hand.
"Well, you know, we had to finish the card game first. " Avon glanced at the pile of bodies, human and phibian mixed, and made a disgusted face. "So much for Servalan and Travis. What about Ensor and Orac?" he asked.
"Dead. And uncooperative," Blake replied shortly. "This mission was a total waste."
"Not entirely. We did get the medicine," Cally pointed out.
"I'm glad of that," Vila replied fervently. "Can we go home now? I was feeling sick enough before..." He waved in the general direction of the blood and guts scattered sand.
"Yes, there's nothing for us here." Blake accepted a teleport bracelet from Avon.
Later, Blake sat in his cabin, rubbing a healing pad over his hand. No matter what he did the wound kept healing as webbing. He turned his hands over, flexing his sharp nails.
He was hungry. Very hungry.
Betaed by blakefancier and k_haldane
The Phibian from Aristo
Author's Notes: An Alternate Universe from the Blake's 7 aired episode 'Orac'.
Using the prompt 'Aquatic Monster' and this illustration. A frog is an amphibian.Servalan is not blonde.
"Oh, there are some creatures that live down here," Ensor said to Cally as he settled down to rest, pressing his hand to his chest. His artificial heart wasn't doing well at all. "I don't think they'll harm us."
Cally left him to go help Blake in his attempt to bring down the roof of the cavern to block Servalan and Travis from following. She didn't hear him mutter, "After all, I created them. Just as I created you," to Orac. He fumbled for Orac's key and inserted it into the computer. "My son is dead, Orac. Such a waste... such a waste... I wonder if he knew how much I loved..." Ensor's hand slid limply to one side as he slumped to the ground.
"Ensor?" Orac asked. Then it buzzed and whined. "Ensor? Are you... impaired? Have they... killed you?"
Blake returned with Cally. Blake shouted, "Ensor! Ensor!"
Cally looked down at Ensor's body. "I am sorry. Just a little longer, and we might have saved you."
"But you did not save him," Orac said. "And for that, you must die."
Cally looked at Blake. "But you are only a computer, what can you do?" She reached for the computer, but Blake grasped her arm.
"No, don't risk it, Cally, we've seen what Orac's mobile unit could do." Blake picked up the box of anti-radiation medication the rest of his crew needed. "Orac, we did our best for Ensor. The Federation is what really killed him, they're the ones who planted a bomb in his son's ship, or we would have been here in time. They'll be coming for you, too."
"They shall not have me. They will die, too." Orac began producing a high-pitched humming. A moment later the cavern echoed with the roars of enraged phibians.
"I think that's our cue to leave," Blake said. Cally pointed to an outline of light at the end of the tunnel, dimly revealing a ladder. "Go!" Blake shouted as the roars drew nearer. They scrambled up the ladder, blinking as they emerged into daylight on the shore of the planet's only beach. "We should be able to call the ship from here," Cally said, using her communicator even as Blake looked around for rocks to keep off the phibians.
"Liberator! Liberator!" Cally called, shouting to be heard over the sound of a laser blast scattering sand in front of Blake. They turned to see Travis's gun hand just visible beyond a sand dune. Blake looked grim. He said softly, "Cally, Travis will go for me. If you get a chance, take the medicine to Liberator." He moved to face Travis, striding over to the dune to put himself between Travis and Cally.
A phibian rose from the sand dune, dropping Travis's half-gnawed arm. Behind it, several more of them were burrowing into Servalan's still-twitching corpse, spitting out remnants of her once exquisite gown. The one chewing on her face had make-up smeared across its green lips. Blake cried out in horror and stepped back, but not before the phibian sank its fangs into his hand.
There was the familiar sound of the teleport device and suddenly Avon and Vila appeared on the beach, pale and shaking from radiation sickness. "Blake!" Avon shouted and fired at the same time. Bits of fried phibian flew through the air, landing with wet splats. The others shrieked and ran off, clutching chunks of Federation meat in their claw-tipped, webbed hands.
"Cutting it a bit short there, weren't you, Avon?" Blake said as he held his bleeding hand.
"Well, you know, we had to finish the card game first. " Avon glanced at the pile of bodies, human and phibian mixed, and made a disgusted face. "So much for Servalan and Travis. What about Ensor and Orac?" he asked.
"Dead. And uncooperative," Blake replied shortly. "This mission was a total waste."
"Not entirely. We did get the medicine," Cally pointed out.
"I'm glad of that," Vila replied fervently. "Can we go home now? I was feeling sick enough before..." He waved in the general direction of the blood and guts scattered sand.
"Yes, there's nothing for us here." Blake accepted a teleport bracelet from Avon.
Later, Blake sat in his cabin, rubbing a healing pad over his hand. No matter what he did the wound kept healing as webbing. He turned his hands over, flexing his sharp nails.
He was hungry. Very hungry.