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Jack woke slowly to the sound of surf, to sun and sand. He wondered how he'd gotten to the beach and thought perhaps he was in dino territory. That sort of thing happened from time to time and he wouldn't have been terribly surprised.

But he sat up and looked around and noticed the great city rising in the distance on the spit that jutted out into the sand. The beach before them was wide and bright in the morning sun. It all looked so peaceful on the surface but Jack could see tell tale signs. The scorch marks on the bright white arcology, the pits in the sand from artillery. He was home. The was Boeshane and he was home. And not just that, he was home during the war. He wondered what year it was. 5090 91? Probably around then. The war had been going on for a while and would continue for years from now.

He looked the other way and saw Logan in the scrub on a dune a bit down the beach. The fact that they were out in the open chilled Jack to the bone. They needed to get over the dune and down into the ravine. They needed to sneak into the city and take refuge there.

But then Jack heard the sounds of a battle not far off and he knew what danger they were truly in. The invaders might bypass the battle and come this far up the beach. Jack scrambled over to Logan and grabbed him to shake him awake. They didn't have time for Logan to wake up gently.

"We need to go now," Jack said. "Come on, Logan. We have to get out of the open."

He'd explain why as soon as they were safe.

Comments

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan woke with a start, dusting sand off himself and siting up slowly.

He looked around, taking in the foreign land and squinting at Jack.

"Where the hell are we?" he asked, letting the other man drag him to his feet. "We're not on the island," he realized belatedly.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"We're on Boeshane. Hurry, we have to get under cover," he said, leading Logan down into a ravine and behind a large mound of pampas grass. It concealed them well from the ski and the beach.

Jack was breathing heavily but he stopped to brush sand off Logan's shoulder.

"It's dangerous. It's during the war. I know this is probably one of those island tricks, like when we went to Neptune, but..."

But they could still die and who knew what would happen to them back on the island.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan took it all in, everything Jack said, still looking around, as if it might make more sense of hew just looked a little harder.

"So what do we do?" he asked, looking to Jack to lead the way. After all, this was Jack's world. He knew best here.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack looked toward the city and then the other way at the smoke and nose of the battle. That was definitely closer and there would be weapons. The city would be a long trek through dangerous territory, unarmed and unaided.

"We need to get to the front," he decided aloud. "We need to get some guns. We'll have to fight, though. Do you think you can? Of course you can," Jack said. "You have to. You can do it."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Are you out of your mind?" Logan hissed. "Tell me you aren't serious."

Except Jack was, he could tell. The other man had that look in his eyes, and Logan... Logan knew it was crazy, but he trusted him. He trusted Jack to keep them both safe.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"The city is too far away," he replied, gesturing to the rooftops in the distance. "If we're going to make it we have to join a unit. You know how to shoot...and you can't mistake the enemy. They're the most horrible creatures you can imagine."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Are you sure?" Logan asked. "Are you sure this is the best thing to do?"

He wanted to believe Jack was right- but the other man was making him nervous. He couldn't deny that.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"The most important thing is to stay alive. We need to get to the battle front. I'm sure," Jack said. He gave Logan a reassuring smile and clapped his hand down on his husband's shoulder.

"Don't worry! With the two of us together, what can go wrong?"

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Everything- but I trust you," Logan replied, nodding for Jack to lead the way.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Ok. Come on, and stay low," he said. Jack watched where they were going. The land was so familiar. A landscape he never thought he'd se again, but one that he knew so well. He'd played and explored here as a child. He'd served his tours of duty here protecting the city. Jack didn't even have to think as he took Logan out of the ravine and up across the dunes.

When they got closer to the battle Jack could hear the screams of the wounded and dying invaders. There were no sounds of men...and Jack knew that was because there were rarely any wounded. Just the dead.

"Up here," he said, moving slower. "If anyone asks, you've been sent from the one-thirty-third, okay? That's all you'll need to say."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan nodded, though he still looked unsure as they approached the camp the fighters had set up.

"One-thirty-third," he repeated, making sure he had it right.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack nodded. One thirty third. That would do it. It would explain their lack of weapons, their civilian clothes, Logan's uncertainty. And it helped that Jack was confident it would work.

But it was only one small lie. Once they were in, then the trouble would really begin.

Jack came up on the rear guard and waved. He wished he had his psychic paper. That would have helped.

"Name and rank," a young boy said, he looked younger than seventeen and Jack wondered if he'd lied about his age.

"Captain Jack Harkness. Captain Logan Echolls. We're from the one thirty third, transferring in," he said. He knew just how far confidence and bluster could get a person far. The young kid was convinced with just that much and he allowed Jack and Logan to pass.

"Armory is to the left, mess is to the right. You'll have to see the CO about a bunk," he said, trying hard to sound half as authoritative as Jack did.

Jack beckoned Logan to follow as he walked along with a straight back and squared shoulders.

"You doing okay? Let's go get some guns," he said.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan followed Jack's lead, taking in the campsite and trying not to laugh at the idea that he could be the captain of anything. Jack, sure, Jack was the Captain- But Logan? Yeah. Right.

Still, he couldn't deny the fact that he felt a slight thrill as he was handed a weapon.

"I'm fine as long as this trip doesn't end with your ex trying to slit my throat," he replied simply, turning the gun over in his hands and then looking at the uniforms that had clearly been peeled off the dead to be handed back out.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I don't think that will be an issue here," Jack replied dryly. He looked through the uniforms and picked out one for himself. They'd fit in better and that could only help. It had been so long since he'd worn this uniform. He'd been seventeen when he'd first put it on. Jack couldn't help but get lost in thought for a long minute as he felt the fabric, looked it over, then finally pulled it on.

"You're going to have to fight," Jack said softly. "We can't slide. We're going to have to fight and it'll be dangerous. I wish I could keep you safe but I can't, Logan. That gun is going to be your best friend until we get back to the island."

He swallowed hard and gave Logan a sideways glance. He looked like he was dreading his time here. There was glory in it but he didn't have the same naive illusions he'd had when he was a boy.

"I'm so sorry, Logan. I have to ask you to be a soldier. Take orders. Fight to kill. And don't get killed yourself. You think you can handle that?"

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"I'm not afraid," Logan replied simply. "I can fight. I can do anything you do, alright? So- let's go get a bunk and see what's going on."

He didn't give Jack a chance to reply. They were here now and they'd be stuck here until the island decided to take them back. That's just how it was. Logan accepted that, and he would do what he needed to to help them both get through it.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

That Logan just took it in stride was a huge relief. He walked along with Logan to the CO's tent to ask about a bunk, but no one was there.

"We can wait," he said, but then there was the boom of artillery and the ratcheting drone of gunfire and Jack looked in the direction of the battle. Everyone still in the camp had grabbed a gun and was running toward the danger.

"Come on," he said. "They'll need reinforcements."

And a battle like this...there wouldn't be any need for a bunk for a long time, he was sure.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan just grinned, pulling on the coat from his uniform and grabbing his gun.

He didn't wait this time, he just took off, heading right into battle. He had no idea what to expect, but as soon as he saw the enemy he leveled his gun and took aim.

He fell in line with a few others who looked around his age, following their movements and doing as they did.

Now and then he'd look around, keeping an eye on Jack to make sure he was alright.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack knew how these went. The gunfire, the bombs, and always there would come an aerial attack. He remembered. He was talking to the head of field operations, ducked down under a mess of netting when the alarm came. He looked over to Logan to see if he was following the rest of the soldiers and getting into a hole. There was nothing Jack could do for him from where he was.

and, he thought, he didn't need to. Logan might not have been trained as a soldier but he was capable. And so Jack ducked down in his own hole and hoped that they'd make it through the attack.

Time seemed to slow. The invaders swooped in and picked off soliders, carrying them off into the distance. There were screams and then strangled sounds as death came. It was a mercy that they died. Jack didn't want to think about what the enemy was capable of when it came to the living.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

When it was finally over, the smile was gone from his lips, and he followed the others out of the hole before starting to look for jack.

He didn't relax until he spotted the other man, and he moved quickly to join him.

"You alright?" he asked.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine," Jack replied. His stoic tone and the tense line of his jaw gave away his lie. He wasn't fine. He was so far removed from his seventeen year romanticized idea of what war was. this wasn't glory. This wasn't exciting. well, it was. He couldn't deny that it was exciting.

"I'll join you on the line. I've been briefed on the strategy for this front. It comes down to 'hold the dunes' and 'don't die'. Simple battle plan," he said as he began to walk with Logan back to where he'd come from. Several soldiers were taking advantage of the post-blitz lull to smoke. They were calm and casual, having seen too much of what the enemy could do.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"We're going to be alright, aren't we?" Logan asked quietly, making sure no one else could hear. "I mean... The island wouldn't let us die, would it?"

He stepped a little closer casually letting the tips of his fingers touch Jack's.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I think it would let us die. Every time this happens to me it gets more and more dangerous. The first time I went to Princeton and faked my way through being a doctor. Then there was Neptune. And John. And now we're in a war," he sighed. "We just have to survive, Logan. We both have to survive. Maybe a day or two. We can do that."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"It's not too late to run," Logan offered, though he knew Jack wouldn't.

Neither of them would. That just wasn't how they worked.

"What happens next?" he asked, checking his weapon and reloading his gun.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"More of the same. We fight, we wait, we hide. We'll rotate out a few at a time to grab food, but chances are we'll sleep in the holes, if we sleep at all," Jack replied. There was another barrage of artillery and down the line there was agonized screaming. The soldiers around them sprang into action and they began to fire.

"Let's get in line. No running," he said. He gave Logan's arm a squeeze, just a small reassurance, and then he was taking his place on the front and leaving enough room for the other man.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Stay with me," Logan said firmly. "No matter what, stay with me, okay?"

And on that note he followed the other man back into battle.