Title: Crossing the Divide
Chapter: 5
Author: squeezynz@free.net.nz
Universe: Land of the Giants
Rating: PG, Adventure
Archive: be my guest, just let me know where, please.
Feedback: treasured and adored
Disclaimer: never mine, all IA's, and the actors who brought them to life, can't thank them enough.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" I'm going to have to call the manager again, that air conditioning has been making the oddest noises today, I even swear I heard a scream," Peta Shuan told her fellow office worker as they sat sipping their lunchtime coffee.

" I thought you already reported funny noises from the vent last month,"

" Oh I did, maintenance even took a look but they found nothing, just some odd bits and pieces, the guy that came thought maybe rats were getting into the ducts and making nests."

" I didn't think they could get in there, isn't it all sealed ?" said her friend, looking uneasily up at the grills set into the walls above their heads.

" It is, for the most part but you know rodents, they seem to get into everywhere,"

" That's the truth, we had the pest controller around only last week, at home. Half the time I don't think they know what they're doing."

" Oh I agree, anyway I think I'll call Mr.Salan and report it, maybe there's something wrong with the fans or stuff, I'll see you later."

Peta waved goodbye and took her cup back to her office, on her way down the hallway to her second floor rooms she eyed the gratings above her head with concern.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" What are we going to do with them Steve ?" Dan asked, casting a glance towards the bound captives sitting on the floor.

" First we confirm that they are who we think they are, then make a decision," said Steve, nursing his arm. It had taken a knock during the scuffle and ached.

Steve turned to observe the men, noting that Bishop was watching where Mark and Valerie were standing, further down the corridor. Valerie had recovered quickly from her ordeal and told them what she had seen and heard. It didn't amount to a great deal but Steve was impressed with Peter's behaviour, going up against his Captain in Valerie's defence.

" Dan, take the gags off, lets see what they have to say,"

Dan knelt down and removed the gags from Rich and Cody.

" Thanks, got any water ?" said Rich, running his tongue over his dry lips. Dan held out a canteen and he took a long swallow.

" First, lets have your names, I know Bishop, met him at the Academy, but the rest of you are new," Steve ordered.

" I'm Richard Bryant, that's Cody Shaw and the woozy guy is Peter Ellis, Bishop was our Captain when we crashed here, nearly three years ago now,"

" You're the crew of the Windsifter, aren't you," Dan stated, pleased to see the look of amazement that crossed Bryants face.

" Yeah, how did you know that ?" Bryant asked.

" Small world, excuse the pun. We found your ship," Dan explained.

" But it was buried, how did you get it out ? We gave up any hope of being able to get her flying again," Bryant exclaimed, gazing up at Dan and Steve in bewilderment.

" We had some help," Steve informed them, cryptically, " the main thing is, she's operable and flying again, we've been using her for a couple of months now ."

" So you know who we are, who are you ?" Bishop asked, deciding to join the conversation.

" We crashed here a few months before you, in the Spindrift, similar but older model to your ship. I'm her Captain, Steve Burton and this is my co-pilot Dan Erikson."

" Captain Burton, we're all civilised men, how about taking the cuff's off and lets discuss our options," said Bishop, holding out his bound hands.

" You're kidnapping of Valerie wasn't the action of civilised men, what were you hoping to achieve ?"

" We've been stranded in this shopping centre for over a year, she was the first person our size we've seen since arriving here, it was a mistake, we're sorry, now free us !"

" I don't think so, I would need your word of honour as a Captain not to try and escape or cause more trouble...are you prepared to give it ?"

Bishop slumped back, his eyes sliding away from Steve's, anger simmering close to the surface.

" Captain, I think I can speak for Cody and Pete when I say we'll take that oath," said Bryant, interrupting the deadlock. He held out his bound hands.

Steve turned to regard Bryant, then he looked at the expectant faces of Cody and Ellis. He exchanged a glance with Dan, seeing his nod of agreement.

" Okay, I accept your word, Dan take off the ropes,"

" Steve, do you think that's wise ?" Fitzhugh blustered, stepping up to where Steve stood watching Dan undo the ties.

" We can't leave them bound, if we have to move fast they'll do so better without being tied, Captain Bishop only has to give his word and we'll untie him as well,"

" Fine words, but how do we know we can trust them," Fitzhugh hissed in an aside, turning his back so the men couldn't see him speak.

" It's not in their best interest, we have the ship, and we alone know where it is, they need to co-operate if they want our help," Steve told him, keeping his voice low, for Fitzhugh's ears only.

Barry had taken the ropes from Dan and repacked them into one of the back-packs, keeping a wary eye on the men as they stretched their cramped limbs. Bishop watched them with a jaundiced eye, a grin splitting his face.

" Didn't take you long to defect, did it Bryant, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, you always did want my job,"

" You're wrong, I supported you, but I didn't always agree with your methods, this is one of those times."

" Well, as far as I can see you're just swapping one Captain for another, is that what you want ?" Bishop asked, fixing Bryant with a cynical look.

" Bishop, I don't care, I've had enough of living like a rat, scurrying around these air ducts, maybe we'll have a chance of returning to Earth, maybe not, either way we'll get out of here, that's good enough for me."

Bryant and Bishops debate was interrupted by a loud clang, the noise reverberating down the duct, echoing around.

" What was that ?" Fitzhugh asked, his head whipping back and forth, trying to pinpoint where the sound was coming from.

" It's maintenance, opening the access hatch, they check the duct's on a regular basis," said Bryant, looking nervously down towards where the duct turned the corner.

Mark and Valerie had drifted over to join them, looking back as more sounds, like hammering and scratching percolated back to where they stood.

" Steve, we need to leave," said Mark, another loud clang making them all jump.

" I agree, Bryant, do you have another way out of here? we can't go back the way we came," Steve asked.

" There is another way, it's a long climb but it should bypass where the Maintenance people usually work. It gets a bit close to the fan, but they will have shut that down," said Bryant, starting to edge away from the wall of the duct.

" Bishop, it's now or never, do you swear not to cause any more trouble, or do we leave you here ?"

Bishop looked at the faces, seeing fear and trepidation on some of them.

" Captain Burton, what can I say, you've already won over my crew, so what choice do I have. I promise not to cause any trouble, on my honour as a Captain of the Vortex Corporation Fleet, there, good enough ?"

" It'll have to be, Dan untie him and lets get out of here."

Bishop had just got to his feet when they heard another loud crash and saw a beam of light shining down the far end of the duct, accompanied by more clanging.

" Let's move, Bryant show us the way," Steve indicated for Bryant to take the lead, looking back to make sure Fitzhugh and Barry didn't lag behind. Cody helped Pete to his feet, the bruise from Bishop's right hook showing up starkly despite the mans growth of scraggly beard. Bishop followed behind Steve, herded by Dan carrying the hatchet. Mark and Valerie gathered Fitzhugh and Barry together and hurried along after Dan. Behind them the light continued to bounce off the end of the duct, the reflection casting strange shadows.

Bryant reached another side duct and signalled for Steve to follow. This area had no gratings to let in light so Dan broke out the torches, the light bouncing off the metal walls like laser beams.

They travelled for half an hour, ducking down branches, getting further away from the unsettling noises behind them. They reached a series of vertical vents, a rope hanging down one of them. Bryant started up, followed by Dan. Steve followed, taking much longer because of his injured arm, then Bishop and the others. When they reached the upper level they saw, at the end of the duct, a huge fan, the blades not moving, covered by a wide mesh. Bryant pointed to another passageway, directly opposite from where they stood, across a vast expanse of floor.

" We need to get in there before they restart the fan,"

" Let's move, on the double people," Steve instructed, jogging towards the darker patch in the gloom. They kept together, they feet drumming on the metal, echoing like a distant roll of thunder. They had nearly reached the entranceway when the fan next to them started to slowly turn.

" Hurry, they've switched on the air conditioning, HURRY !" yelled Bryant as he picked up his pace, Cody and Pete pounding beside him, the rest strung out as they neared the opening. The whine of the fan was becoming a scream as the blades picked up speed, the air starting to get forced out of the fan. They reached the cross passage just as the air flow reached hurricane force, the sound of the blades making speech impossible. Steve bunched his group together, holding on tight to Barry, and hustled them further into the dark vent. Bryants light bobbed up ahead, silhouetting Cody and Pete. Steve waved on Fitzhugh and Barry, checking on Mark and Valerie as they entered the circle of his torches light.

" Where's Bishop ?" he asked, shining his light past them, the wind whipping Valerie's hair into her face.

" He was right behind us," Mark answered, looking back the way they'd just come. Steve searched the empty corridor, his light not reaching the far side. He made to go back towards where the fan was blowing the air out at an impossible force, Mark grabbed his arm and halted his progress.

" Don't, you'll be blown to pieces in seconds. If he's taken off, there's nothing you can do...we need to get to the ship,"

Steve gave one last look, an expletive inaudible over the roar of the fan, then turned and slapped Mark on the shoulder.

" Let's get out of here,"

Together they ran along the duct, reaching the others who waited a hundred yards further on. Steve explained that Bishop had left. Bryant, Cody and Pete exchanged a look before turning as one and continuing on their way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Betty, we're not that far away, we'll be there before dark, keep the coffee hot,"

" Are you sure Val's okay ?"

" Positive, she'll tell you all about it when we get back, Steve out."

They were resting in a duct just under the roof access tunnel. Bryant had brought them full circle back to where they had come in. Bishop hadn't made an appearance, but Steve was betting the man was trying to beat them to the ship. He'd primed Betty to expect a move from Bishop and she was not going to get lured by any ploy. Steve's arm was aching like the blue blazes from all the climbing and he was looking forward to one of Betty's patented shoulder massages when he got back to the ship. He looked over the group of people resting with their backs to the metal wall. Most of them looked on the point of exhaustion, only adrenaline keeping them going this far.

" One more climb and we're on the roof, Captain Burton," said Bryant, passing Steve the water bottle.

" Let's hope that we've beaten Bishop to the punch," said Cody, absently rubbing his ribs where the bruise from the kick was coming out.

" Sitting here won't get us there any faster, lets move on," Steve looked at the others, " everyone ready ?"

A chorus of replies confirmed that, if not enthusiastic about the next climb, they were more than ready to finish this particular adventure.

Thirty minutes later and Mark was pushing open the mesh covering the grating they'd cut open on the way down. He gave a hand to Fitzhugh, Barry and Valerie, the latter turning her face into the setting sun to catch the last of its warmth. The wind had picked up and was cutting across the roof, making Valerie shiver in the fading light. Mark took off his jacket and enveloped her in its warm folds.

Steve led them across the expanse of roof, keeping an eye open in case Bishop launched an ambush. The stairwell loomed over them, blotting out the last of the sun, casting a deep shadow where the ship lay, it's landing lights blinking. Steve halted the group before they reached the ship, taking out his radio and thumbing the switch.

" Steve to Betty, come in please,"

" Betty here, how are you doing Steve, are you nearly back ?"

" Betty, are you all secure ?"

" Sure, nothings been near the ship, the radar's been quiet as a mouse,"

" Great, put on the exterior lights, we're nearly home, Steve out."

They watched, while Steve tucked the radio back into his jacket, as the ships main floodlights suddenly blazed into life. Steve grinned back at Mark and Dan and started walking towards the ship, the new members of the group hanging back slightly.

" I don't believe it, they really did fly her here," Bryant murmured, trudging towards their former ship.

" We might actually get a shot at leaving this planet, afterall," said Cody, grinning from ear to ear.

As they approached, Betty opened the hatchway, Marna crowding behind her to see the rescuers return. Betty jumped down as Steve reached the ship, throwing her arms around him in a joyous hug. Fitzhugh and Barry pushed past them to go inside, passing Marna, still standing in the doorway. Mark and Valerie also went aboard, Valerie nearly dropping with exhaustion. Dan turned to wave the other three aboard, finding them hanging back slightly, watching Steve and Betty's reunion and ogling Marna where she stood on the step.

" How many women have you got on this ship ?" asked Cody in awe, his mouth hanging open. Steve and Betty finally untangled and went up the step, Marna following them into the cabin.

" Gentlemen, your ship await, please get on board so we can blow this joint," Dan stood back to let the three men climb aboard, before taking one last look around the rapidly darkening roof. Then he turned, jumped the step and shut the hatchway behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cabin seemed incredibly small with the extra people aboard. Betty and Marna were handing out food and drink to the hungry travellers, the three newcomers falling on the hand outs gratefully.

Bryant had his eyes glued to every move that Marna made, his hands bringing the food to his mouth, but Fitzhugh reckoned he wouldn't have known what he was eating, so consumed with watching the girls' every gesture. Marna for her part wasn't unaware of the appreciative audience and made the most of every opportunity to preen. Barry had dozed off as soon as he'd sat in one of the chairs. Dan picked him up and carried him to his bedroll, tucking him in and letting Chipper curl up beside him. Mark and Valerie had retreated to their corner, Valerie almost out on her feet. She didn't care how hard the floor was, she was just glad to be able to shut her eyes. Mark watched over her until she was sleeping soundly, then returned to the gathering near the front of the cabin. Fitzhugh was telling his version of events, making Steve and Dan smile at his outrageous exaggeration of the days events. Betty was sitting on Steve's lap, an arm around his neck, happily smiling at Fitzhugh rendition of their adventure. Mark came to stand next to where Dan leaned against the doorframe, sipping his mug of hot soup.

" The way Fitzhugh tells it, he rescued the damsel and fought the pirates, as well as slaying the Giant, all by himself,"

Dan smiled at Mark's observation, thinking something similar himself. He was watching the reaction of the three men as they looked around the passenger cabin, noting the supplies and extra seating.

" I wonder what happened to Bishop, think he still means to cause a problem for us ?" asked Dan quietly.

" Who knows, I'm not going to lose sleep over it," Mark replied, folding his arms over his chest.

" We still have a problem with our supplies," Dan continued," with three extra mouth's to feed we need to restock even more urgently,"

" I'm sure Steve's aware of that, Dan. I don't somehow think we've finished with this place yet."

" At least we now have the benefit of local knowledge, those guys should be able to take us straight to where the supplies are," said Dan, " plus we can get what supplies they left behind, if Bishop hasn't already cleaned them out."

" I imagine we'll be covering all that ground tomorrow, for now, I'm beat. I'm going to join Valerie and hit the sack. Wake me when it's my turn on watch, okay ?"

" Sure Mark, sleep well."

Mark pushed away from the wall and threaded his way through the bodies still standing, saying goodnight to Steve and Betty then going to the back where his bed, and Valerie, waited. Dan made his way over to where Steve sat with Betty, Fitzhugh still holding the floor.

" Steve, I'm gonna sack out," said Dan.

" Oh sure, I suppose we should call it a night, we need to get you guys organised with bedding. Betty, can you break out the extra blankets, there should be enough seating for you all to stretch out on." Betty hopped off Steve's lap as he made to get up.

" Steve, I'll take the first watch, Marna can help out too, we didn't exactly have a hectic day today," Marna nodded in agreement to Betty's suggestion,

" In fact, why not let me take the first watch, I can wake Betty when it's her shift, I'm sure you two would like some time together," said Marna, coyly casting a glance toward Bryant.

" That's very thoughtful of you Marna, thank you....I sure could use one of your shoulder rubs," said Steve, looking up into Betty's serene face. Betty just smiled smugly and added her thanks to Steve's.

" Don't hesitate to wake me if anything happens," said Steve, finally getting to his feet and draping an arm around Betty before heading towards the back of the cabin.

Bryant, Cody and Pete took the blankets and pillows handed to them, finding a chair each and getting comfortable. Fitzhugh had retreated to his favourite chair and already lay, with his mouth open, gently snoring. Marna waited until the men were settled then left the cabin, switching the main light out as she went, leaving only the subdued recessed lighting to provide illumination. Shutting the door she made her way to the cockpit, settling into the Captains chair after checking the radar screen. She didn't think she'd be alone for long, if the look on Bryants face was anything to go by. Marna had three hours on watch, then she'd hand over to Betty. Despite her animosity for the girl, Marna had come to accept that the delicious Captain Burton was simply not for her, and now that she had the pick of the newcomers she was more than happy that the other men wouldn't be interfering with any of her future plans. True to her prediction she had only been on watch for about fifteen minutes and the door to the cabin slid open and the form of Richard Bryant appeared, shutting the door behind him and walking over to where Marna swivelled in the chair.

" I couldn't sleep," he said, sitting himself down in the co-pilots seat.

" Well company is always welcome, it gets boring watching the instruments for hours on end,"

" Yeah, I remember," Bryant muttered, recalling his own stints on nightwatch.

" So, are you sure you're going to stay with us ? Steve can be a little overbearing, takes his job as Captain very seriously," said Marna, a small smile playing about her lips.

" I've dealt with worse,"

" And Mark can be a little overbearing as well, they tend to play off each other, sometimes it's hard to tell who the leader is," Marna continued, her voice dreamy. Bryant shot her a quick look, not sure if he was reading the signs correctly.

" Is there something between you two ?"

" Me and Mark ? oh no, not any more, he's completely involved, too far beyond my reach now,"

" Oh...so how long have you been with them ?"

" Only a few months. They really do believe they will leave this planet, you know,"

" You don't ?" Bryant regarded her with disbelief, not quite understanding her thinking.

" Oh I imagine they will try, but in all the fifteen years since I disappeared with my parents, had you ever heard of anyone returning from this planet ?"

" Well, no...now you mention it,"

" Don't you think, given all the ships that have disappeared, supposedly into this 'anomaly', that atleast one would have been able to try a return trip,"

" I guess,"

" And if they did, don't you think their arrival back on Earth would have warranted a huge amount of interest ?"

" Well....yes, but I never heard of anyone returning,"

" You see....even if they are able to pinpoint the location of the space warp, if that is what it is, then there are still no guarantees that it will return them to the Earth they so long to see again,"

" Marna, why are you talking this way, don't you want to return ?"

Bryant looked at Marna's face as she lifted her eyes to his. Her bottom lip trembled and he was surprised to see tears welling.

" No," she whispered, " no, I don't want to go back, what is there for me, I don't have any family there, I've been gone too long," she buried her face in her hands and wept. Bryant looked on awkwardly, not knowing what to do for the distraught girl.

" Have you told the others how you feel ?" he asked gently, feeling out of his depth.

" N-o...they're so busy trying to return to their lives, they assume I want to return as well, but I liked my life here, I was hoping to go back to it, I even had a plan to do that, but something went wrong," Marna wiped at her brimming eyes, " I don't want to live in this ship, with these people," Bryant listened as Marna poured out her true feelings, unknown to him, for the first time. " I want to go back to my house, and the Giants that looked after me,"

" You lived with Giants ?" Bryant asked, dumbfounded.

" Y-e-s...they cared for me, looked after me, I was happy,"

Bryant was finally struck dumb, Marna's outpouring sinking in slowly.

" Do you know how to contact these Giants, to return to them ?" he asked, his mind trying to wrap itself about the idea he was going to propose. Marna hiccupped and fixed a bewildered gaze on the man sitting next to her.

" Yes, I most probably could, they gave me a number to call, if something happened and I needed to contact them,"

" Marna, do you truly want to leave and return to your old life ?"

" Why are you teasing me, I've just told you I would if I could," Marna was starting to get cross with Bryants change in questioning.

" Would you consider having someone return with you, would your Giants want you to bring someone along ?"

Marna looked at Bryant as if he'd gone mad.

" Are you saying you'd come with me, come and live with me, if I left ?"

" Marna, there's nothing for me on Earth, I left no wife, no family, I was a loose cannon, it's why I signed up for the test flights in the first place, no ties...nothing to lose,"

" But....but you don't even know me, why would you help me ?"

" Marna, your a beautiful woman, any man would jump at the chance to spend time with you, even spend his life with you, its not so strange or unusual,"

" Would you really spend your life with me, even if we can't contact my Giant friends ?"

" Yes....yes I would."

Marna looked at Bryant with a new understanding and respect. Here was a man prepared, after only a few hours acquaintance, to be everything she wanted, everything she'd hoped to have with Mark.

" What about your friends, Cody and....and the other one ?"

" We shipped out together, and spent the next three years running for our lives. I, for one, am more than happy to experience some down time, plus, I couldn't think of a lovelier person to spend it with, than you Marna," Bryant reached across and took Marna's unresisting hand and carried it to his lips, watching her eyes for any sign of displeasure or distrust. He saw none, only a glow that lit up her face with hope.

" How soon can we leave ?" she asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~