Author Topic: Tales of the Galactic Empire: Survivor (Gen Veers Fic) [UPDATED 10/07/06 - CH 20.1 Added!]
CmdrMitthrawnuruodo  18056 posts
Registered: Jul '00
44424_Roan Fel
Date Posted: 10/7/06 3:43pm Subject: RE: Tales of the Galactic Empire: Survivor (Gen Veers Fic) [UPDATED 10/07/06 - CH 20.1 Added!]
Chapter XX – Unlikely Ally

“Maximilian!” he heard his name and turned his head toward the shore.

“Lana!” Veers cried.

“Hold on!”

“Easier said than done!” He answered and tried his best to hold onto the slippery rock. He had tried to go around to the other side where the river would press him into the boulder rather than try and pull him away from it. But most of his strength had already been spent on fighting Jaxon and the river. He did not believe he had any more left in him to hold on for much longer. He watched as Lana ran down the river bank and disappear around a bend, his grip slipping centimeter by centimeter as he waited for her to come and get him out of the water. How she was going to do that without getting caught up in the current too, he was not sure, but he knew she would figure out a way.

After a minute or two had passed and his grip slipping another centimeter, Lana reappeared with a thick vine, several tied together in fact, in her hands. The rebel tossed the makeshift rope to him but it came up several feet short, well beyond arms reach. She tried again and it came a little closer and Veers dared to reach out with one hand in the hopes that he might catch it. But it was quickly determined that the makeshift rope was too short.

“Forget it! You’ll have to find another way!” Veers shouted over the roar of the river.

“I’m not giving up and neither shall you!” She shouted back at him. Determined to rescue him and ignoring the threat of the river, Lana jumped into the water and got as close as she could before the current began to get too strong for even her. Lana tossed the rope once more and Veers could see that it would be a couple feet short again. Despite its shortness, he had a chance and shouted to her to throw it again.

The rope came at him again and Veers took the chance and launched himself off of the rock to close the last couple feet between him and the incoming rope. Immediately the river began washing him away and for a moment he feared he would miss the rope, but at the last second his hand wrapped around the prickly vine. Quickly he struggled to gain a firm grip on the vine, fighting with every ounce of remaining strength he had to pull himself to shore and stay above the rushing water.

To make sure he did not lose his grip, he tangled his arm in what little vine he had, wincing as the thorns dug into his flesh. Were he to lose consciousness, Lana would still be able to pull him to shore before the vine untangled itself from his body. A threat that he could feel coming nearer every moment as the fresh water sloshed into his face and mouth each time he took a breath.

Over the water he heard Lana shout at him as she pulled her end of the makeshift rope. He could not make out what she was trying to say with the water rushing into his ears. At the last second he glanced in the direction she was pointing when it became apparent he had not heard and saw something large coming down river. Immediately Veers recognized it as a tree log that placed him directly in it’s path. He took a quick breath and dove under and through the murk he watched as the shadow of the log pass over him before resurfacing.

He did not even have the chance to take another breath when he felt the vine suddenly jerk and pull him downriver. Surprised and realizing what had happened, Veers’s attempted to untangle himself from the vine before he was swept downriver faster than he wanted to be. No matter how hard he tried, in his panicked state he could not free himself of the vine. The only thing he could do was catch up to the log and hold on for dear life.

But the Fates seemed to be dealing against him as he quickly learned. When he attempted to catch up to the log, he suddenly found it coming up fast. Confused, he had no time to react before he slammed into it and went underneath. Dazed from the impact, he found himself still caught on the log but the current was keeping him under the surface. He struggled with all his might to reach the surface and even pull himself to the log for leverage. As the black spots of running out of air began to form around his vision, he saw a shadow cross overhead and stand to his right.

Before Veers could understand what was happening as an arm reached down toward him, his body worked against him and let go of the breath he was holding. Instead of air rushing into his depleted lungs, ice cold water filled it’s place instead. He choked on the water and struggled in vain to surface. He could feel his lungs protesting against the foreign substance, burning in pain as it tried to push the water back out and suck in the correct element. He did not feel the hand that grabbed onto the vine wrapped around his arm, nor did his mind register the fact that he was now above water and could breathe in air again. His lungs had decided to stop working and as he could no longer breathe, he began to loss consciousness.

So this is what it is like to drown? It is funny what people think when they are dying. He thought just before the world turned dark.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

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"Dyin' be the day worth livin' for!"
--Captain Hector Barbossa
PotC: Amuletum Angiti
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3635826/1/
http://s12.gladiatus.com/game/c.php?uid=48046
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neila_nuruodo  4871 posts
Registered: Aug '02
49344_Chiss (912092)
Date Posted: 11/5/06 6:25pm Subject: RE: Tales of the Galactic Empire: Survivor (Gen Veers Fic) [UPDATED 10/07/06 - CH 20.1 Added!]
Tense... grin

 

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.E.v.i.l. My antidrug. devil
Is that an uzi or are you just happy to see me?
When life gives you lemons, squeeze them into the wounds of your enemies.
~*~
English regularly jumps out of dark alleys and mugs other languages for all their good words. -Anyara
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Spike2002  18773 posts
Title: Former FF-UK RSA
and Arena Manager

Registered: Feb '02
46077_Jar Jar Kicked
Date Posted: 11/6/06 12:35pm Subject: RE: Tales of the Galactic Empire: Survivor (Gen Veers Fic) [UPDATED 10/07/06 - CH 20.1 Added!]
I will catch up with this story, I promise!

 

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"It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him." - Arthur C. Clarke peace
I agree with halibut whistling
Master to Louis_Skywalker cowboy
Proud Recipient of the Golden Elegos™ devil
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Nacilme23 
Registered: Aug '06
18196_AT-AT View
Date Posted: 12/30/06 12:44pm Subject: RE: Tales of the Galactic Empire: Survivor (Gen Veers Fic) [UPDATED 10/07/06 - CH 20.1 Added!]
I have just re-read this entire story. i had forgotten how good it is. please update soon

Nacilme

 

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"I find your lack of faith disturbing"
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