Bad Fanfic: 'Rising'. Chapter 4

Rising: Chapter 4. Ian/Anthony (for now; more pairings to come later). Drama/Comedy/Sci-fi. PG-13.
Guest starring: Phil Lester, Dan Howell, Shane Dawson, Melanie Moat (mentioned).

A/N: LOL omg, Shane's so OOC. I couldn't think of anyone who could convincingly play this role okay ._. Phil's pretty OOC here too, lalala.

Chapter 1 + intro: fav.me/d4zomn3
Chapter 2: fav.me/d4zqi3h
Chapter 3: fav.me/d4zvhf8
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Anthony's alarm clock woke him at exactly 7:24 am. He yawned and switched it off. He couldn't help smiling. His first full day in Atlantis.

His smile disappeared when he remembered that he'd be spending the day with Hecox and Howell. His team. The thought send a wave of despair through him. These were the people he'd be spending every day with now. He'd rather spend all his time with Phil. Hell, he'd rather spend all his time with Rasmussen. At least Rasmussen wasn't an idiot.

Look at the positives, he advised himself. At least Howell wasn't a permanent member of their team. He'd be starting his own team soon enough. As soon as Hecox chose the rest of his team members. But who would Hecox choose? More military, for sure. He tried to think of a military officer he could stand. None, except Colonel Moat. And she was a scientist too, so she didn't really count. Besides, she wasn't on Atlantis. She was back on Earth.

Back on Earth… That was starting to sound pretty good to Anthony. Sure, he didn't really have any friends there, but at least he wouldn't have to see Hecox's smug, arrogant, annoying, stupid, gorgeous face every day.

Positives, Anthony reminded himself. Let's see…

He was in Atlantis. He was going to an alien planet later today, to make friends with an alien race. They were taking the spaceship that wouldn't have been usable if it wasn't for his own extraordinary intelligence. And, okay, Rasmussen helped a bit too. But just a little.

Anthony sighed, unable to force himself into a more positive frame of mind. Breakfast would help, he decided. He rolled out of bed and started to pull his uniform on. Why did the scientists get the ugly uniforms, anyway?

His radio crackled to life. "Padilla, you awake?" Phil's voice asked cheerfully.

"If I wasn't, that would have done the job," Anthony grumbled.

"Wanna grab some breakfast?"

"Sure, where are you?"

"Right outside your door."

Anthony sighed. "Just let me put some pants on first, okay?" He wasn't sure he could handle a dose of Phil this early in the morning.

He took his time dressing. Finally, when he could delay it no longer, he opened the door.

"Morning," Phil said, grinning.

"Hmph," Anthony replied.

"Let's go get breakfast. They have blue jello today!"

"They had blue jello yesterday too, Phil."

"But blue jello's good enough to eat two days in a row, right?"

"Sure." Anthony was starting to wish he'd pretended to be asleep.

They were almost halfway through breakfast before Phil brought up the very thing Anthony had been trying to avoid thinking about.

"So… off-world with Hecox and Howell today."

Anthony grimaced. "Yeah."

"Think anything will happen?"

"Well, we're visiting a planet to propose an alliance with a bunch of aliens. I'd say that's something."

Phil rolled his eyes. "Not what I meant. Do you think anything's gonna happen between you and Hecox?"

"No." Anthony said shortly.

Phil's face softened. He leaned forward, lowering his voice so that the people at the neighboring tables couldn't hear.

"Do you like him a lot?" It was one of those rare, serious-Phil moments, the kind that reminded Anthony of why they were best friends.

"I don't know," Anthony sighed. "He's hot, but he's so damn cocky. He turns everything into an innuendo."

"What's wrong with innuendos?" Phil asked.

"I just don't know what he wants. Does he want to get to know me, or is he just after sex?"

"Don't worry. It's not your body he's after."

"How do you know?"

Phil couldn't help grinning. "If all he cared about was attractiveness, he'd be hitting on me instead." He stood up and picked up his tray. "I gotta go. Have fun on your trip!"

Anthony rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help smiling a little.

-------

"How much further to the settlement?" Anthony asked. It was hot inside the Puddle Jumper, and Howell was starting to drive him crazy. How did someone who couldn't sit still for more than three minutes end up in the military?

"About another fifteen minutes," Hecox replied from the pilot's seat.

"Do the Athosians know we're coming?"

"Of course not. How would we contact them?"

"Well, what if we scare them? What if they blast us out of the sky?"

"They're a farming society, Padilla. I don't think bows and arrows will do much damage to this baby." Hecox lovingly caressed the control panel of the Jumper. Anthony rolled his eyes.

"Fine. So when we meet these aliens, what will we say to them?"

"Can we not call them aliens?" Howell interjected. "It makes me think of, you know, little green men with big heads."

"But they're from another planet. That qualifies them as aliens."

"I know, but they're people. Can't we just call them people?"

"But -"

"It should be just past these mountains," Hecox interrupted.

"Thank goodness," Anthony muttered.

Ten minutes later, the Puddle Jumper touched down at the edge of a clearing. Several hundred meters away was a camp made up of dozens of tents.

"Is that the Athosian settlement?" Anthony asked.

"Yup, that should be them," Hecox replied.

Anthony frowned. He'd be hoping for a society that was more advanced than campfires and herbal medicines.

Hecox noticed Anthony's disappointment and grinned.

"Come on, Padilla, not all of the planets will be technologically advanced. Don't you have enough new technology to play with back on Atlantis?"

"Hmph," Anthony said. Ian clapped him on the shoulder and set off toward the camp at a brisk pace.

As they neared the camp, a figure emerged from one of the tents, heading toward them. Anthony clutched his machine gun nervously.

As the figure got closer, Anthony could see that it was a man.

"Lower your weapons," Hecox whispered. Anthony, who hadn't even raised his, awkwardly held it behind his back. Howell lowered his gun, but looked like he was ready to raise it again at any second.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

"We're from Atlantis," Hecox said.

The man looked puzzled. "The city of the Ancestors has been uninhabited since the war ended."

"We only got here yesterday. We come from another galaxy. We came through the Stargate."

"Do you come to trade?"

"Yes."

"I am Shane Dawson. I am the leader of the Athosians. We would be delighted if you would stay and share our afternoon meal." Shane smiled warmly at them.

"We would be honored," Ian said, smiling back.

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After clearing away the last of the dishes from dinner, Shane sat down across from Anthony, Hecox, and Howell.

"Now," he said pleasantly, "what is it you wish to trade?"

"Actually, we're not really here to trade," Hecox replied. When Shane looked confused, he continued, "We're looking to negotiate an alliance between our people and yours."

"I see. What do you have to offer?"

"Well, we have weapons and ships created by the Ancients…"

Anthony lost track of the conversation for a few minutes, allowing himself to watch Ian's face. All traces of smugness and laughter had vanished; his face was a mask of respect, seriousness, and… concern? Anthony pulled himself back to reality to hear what Ian was saying.

"…no protection at all?"

"There is nothing we can do."

"Can't you fight them?"

"Wraith are difficult to kill. We cannot stop the cullings."

"So they just show up and kidnap your people? What happens to them?"

"They feed upon those who are taken."

"How often does this happen?"

"A large culling has not happened in many years. Most of the Wraith are hibernating."

"Hibernating?"

"Yes. They sleep for many years at a time. However, some stay awake to protect the sleeping Wraith. They hold small-scale cullings to keep their strength up."

"Do you have any way of telling when they're coming?"

"Yes. Myself and some other Athosians can sense Wraith when they are nearby."

"Look," Hecox said. "Maybe next time they come, you can evacuate your people to Atlantis."

"That is very generous," Shane replied. "What do you ask in return?"

"The same thing. We'd like to evacuate here if we're attacked."

"My people and I will discuss your offer, Major Hecox. I see no reason that we should reject it."

"Thank you." Hecox smiled.

"Would you like -" Shane stopped in mid-sentence.

"What's wrong?" Hecox asked.

"The Wraith!" Shane hissed. "They are nearby!"

"How many?"

"Not many. A dozen."

"How soon will they be here?"

"Soon!"

"Get everyone inside," Hecox ordered. "We'll take care of them."

"We will?" Anthony asked nervously.

"Yes, we will," Howell said firmly. He got up and led the way out of the tent. Anthony followed him reluctantly, after Hecox prodded him in the back with his machine gun.

As they waited in the dark, Anthony clutched his gun nervously, eyes darting around the clearing. An excruciating seven minutes had passed before Hecox whispered, "over there!" He nodded toward a section of the forest where shapes were moving among the trees.

Suddenly, a beam of blue light shot out of the trees, narrowly missing Anthony.

"Open fire!" Hecox shouted. Anthony clumsily raised his gun and began shooting at the shapes. The shapes left the cover of the trees, and Anthony gasped, almost dropping his gun. There were twelve Wraith. The creatures were tall and vaguely human-shaped, with several noticeable differences – such as the green skin, the sharp teeth, and the claws. They had guns, which were shooting more ominous-looking blue beams.

Anthony hadn't stopped firing at the Wraith closest to him, but it still hadn't fallen.

"They won't die!" he shouted.

"They've gotta die eventually!" Hecox replied. "Keep firing!"

Anthony saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head, expecting more Wraith, but he was relieved to see Shane and another Athosian.

"We have come to help you!" Shane called.

"Perfect! Take this!" Hecox said, grabbing his hand gun and tossing it to them. Howell reached for his hand gun too, but as he stopped firing, one of the blue beams hit him square in the face. He collapsed to the ground.

"Dan!" Hecox shouted. Howell didn't move. Anthony grabbed his own hand gun and tossed it to the second Athosian. He heard Shane yelling hurried instructions for using it.

The Wraith Anthony had been firing on had finally collapsed. He turned his gun to the one that was shooting at Hecox.

Suddenly, there was a horrible scream from behind them. Anthony turned and gasped in horror. The creature had sunk its claws into the second Athosian's chest. The man's face was twisted in pain and, as Anthony watched, his face grew older and more lined, his hair became dry and gray, his skin shrivelled. When the Wraith finally let go, he was nothing but a corpse.

"Anthony!" Something heavy crashed into Anthony, knocking him out of the way of another blue beam, and landing heavily on top of him. As he struggled to free himself, he found himself looking up at Ian.

"Pay attention, Padilla! You almost got hit!"

"I -"

Ian fired his gun, alarmingly close to Anthony's head, and finished off a Wraith that had been approaching them.

"That's the last one," he said, breathing heavily. He got to his feet and pulled Anthony up with him.

"More will come," said Shane's voice. "They were merely scouts. They will come with ships next time."

"Well, we'll evacuate your people to Atlantis before that happens. Tell them to pack their belongings and get to the Stargate. We'll go with them in case any more Wraith show up.

"Thank you," Shane said. He knelt on the ground next to the dead Athosian.

"I'm sorry," Ian said softly.

Shane pretended not to hear him. "Your friend should be examined by a healer," he said, gesturing to Howell. "A Wraith Stunner to the face may have caused some damage."

"We'll get him to the Jumper," Ian said.

"I will start evacuating my people," Shane replied. He stood up, leaving the corpse behind, and entered the main tent. Ian and Anthony lifted the unconscious Howell and began carrying him back to the Jumper, not talking.

"That was horrible," Ian said finally. Anthony nodded.

"Yeah. It just… drained the life out of him."

They laid Howell on the floor of the Jumper. At least it would be a quiet ride back to Atlantis.