Hello again! This is a form of sequel to Big Boots to Fill, involving Becker, though I stress if you haven't read that story it doesn't matter, so long as you read the summary underneath (if you want to go back and read BBTF, then skip the following paragraph). Interestingly (or not), the BBTF story was built backwards from a scene that will appear in this one; it just felt right to write the BBTF story first.

Summary: During Series 2, there were six Captains, none of who lasted long, but the Security's Sergeant Howard, and, to a lesser extent, his makeshift 2nd-in-command Banks took charge of each situation. However, just before Stephen's death, Leek killed Howard because he'd protect the team.

So, I hope you enjoy, but please review whatever. :-)

Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval. Or a supersonic jet.

If the Cap Fits

"Well..."

"I resign."

Lester sighed, but admitted that it was probably simplest to let Banks leave. The men had dealt with the promotion to Sergeant as best he could, especially as he wasn't expecting an actual promotion along with the duties of acting Captain, but the Howard's death, followed by Leek's betrayal, followed by Stephen's death, followed by an anomaly on the day of the funeral... it had mounted up over far too short a time and though the security had acted in an impeccable way, it had taken its toll.

"At least wait until we have a new Captain. I couldn't stand the thought of someone coming in, rearranging the armoury so no-one can find anything and leaving. I need you to keep the first few days in check," said Lester.

"Why? Isn't that how the civil service works? Joked Banks quietly, his heart not in it.

"Yes, but can't security at least be original in their problems." Lester straightened up and pulled his tie neatly. "I'm going to get Jenny to go through the applicants with me, then we'll decide how to pick. I believe she wishes to change the hiring process."

"Don't blame her! It's not her fault they were all nutters," cried Banks.

"I didn't think you were deaf, Banks. I said 'she wishes', as in she wants the change and I don't blame her." Lester sighed again; the past few weeks put years in his life and his scar was still aching. "Look, just calm a little, stay a while and help. I don't need it all falling apart now."

The civil servant left the reluctant Sergeant pondering his options. It was tempting to hang around, but he was worried he'd get sucked back into the world of anomalies, the cause of all his woes at the moment. He'd phoned Sanders, as he remembered Howard singing his praises about his catching cheerfulness, but the happy Captain didn't seem to have the same effect on him.

In the end, though, Banks gave into the temptations.

"ONLY FIVE!" Jenny nodded, presenting the five folders holding their CVs and references. Admittedly all five had some form of class, but this class varied. "We could give them a joint job."

"Hmmm... five Captains in charge of a single security team. Considering having one Captain with a Sergeant caused authority conflict, how do you expect that to work?"

"It was a joke, Jenny," groused Lester, leaning back in his chair. "Heard of them?" The PR woman smiled at her boss' sarcastic nature. "How are we going to sort the good from the bad?"

Jenny rolled her eyes. "That would be what I'm here to ask" Lester groaned and leaned forward in order to pick up the folders and flick through them. A few minutes of silence descended upon the office, occasionally punctuated by a page being turned.

Eventually, the quiet was broken by Cutter, who barged into the room making the pair look up.

"Ever heard of knocking?" enquired Lester. Cutter ignored him.

"Are you busy?" he asked earnestly.

"No, I'm employed to sit around and look pretty. Yes, I'm busy. I'm trying to choose which unfortunate gets the job of protecting you. Poor man," he added under his breath. Cutter smiled and decided this decision was more important than informing Lester Connor needed a cleaner for his lab. Abby could grab a member of maintenance.

Closing the door behind him, Cutter came to sit on the desk.

"So? Who do you have?"

Jenny picked up each file and handed them to Cutter to look through as she spoke.

"Jonathan Wrexham. Just out of army, good record... well, you can read, but I haven't included their photos, due to the colour printer being down again. Wrexham is about six foot and blond. Ben Hill." She paused as Cutter stifled a smirk and Lester rolled his eyes.

"Not to be called Benny," he said pointedly, before allowing Jenny to continue.

"Five foot ten and black head. Charlie Derby. Fills every tick box for tall dark stranger. Julian Barnet. Red head and six foot five. And finally, one Becker."

"Just Becker?" asked Cutter, frowning.

"There is a first name, but I decided I wouldn't embarrass him by putting it on his file; his parents must have been having a weird 'phase' or something. You can ask him if you want. Black hair, five foot ten again."

"High standard. Quality, not quantity," put in Lester, getting up to come around his desk. He reached across and took the files back, as Cutter was engrossed in reading them and not listening to him. "The question is: How do we pick?"

"Well, why can't you put a bung in it or something?" sighed Banks, watching the chaos unfold in Connor's lab as the young scientist busied himself with trying to clear up the mess. Unsuccessfully. Banks felt he was actually just making it worse, but the lad needed something to take his mind off Stephen, as they all did, and the work, which was rapidly bearing the hallmarks of painting the Forth Bridge due to something overflowing, was taking up most of Connor's time at the moment.

"Ah, yeah, I tried that," answered Connor. "Something in it reacts with the rubber." He quickly picked up the mop again and attempted to stop the liquid from spreading any further. In doing so, he knocked the bench and the glass beaker that held the offending substance sloshed around, before settling.

"Careful!" cried Abby, but Connor wasn't paying any attention to her. Instead, his concentration was taken by the new fizzing sound that could be heard now that the concoction was properly mixed by shaking.

"Erm... Abby?" asked Connor worriedly.

"What?"

"I think I may need Cutter back," he said, just as the liquid started to overflow again more rapidly and fumes were billowing out."

"What was wrong with how we did it before?" asked Cutter, innocently, slightly annoyed he couldn't finish his reading he took the top folder back and opened it again, much to Lester's chagrin. Jenny let out a frustrated huff.

"I have brought in four out of the last six Captains and it's always been a disaster! They want the job, so they sound great over the phone, listing their CVs and their awards, etcetera etcetera, and then they turn up, are shown one clip of a dinosaur and are then sent out with the expectation of being a genius at dinosaur control. It's... It's ridiculous, it's stupid and it's..."

"A very government way to go about it," interrupted Lester. "But they aren't dinosaurs, no matter how they act. We need to think outside the box a little more."

"That's a very Government way of putting it. Look, you need to meet them. Though reading this, I'd say Becker isn't up to much, first name or not," stated Cutter. "Judge them with how they react with dinosaurs and the security men."

"Ahh, Einstein has landed," griped Lester. "Look, I know what will happen. They turn up. They spend an hour with security pretending to get along, then Banks corners them, then Connor invites them to have a lecture in his theory on anomaly colours and then something else and something else and, by the end, I have no chance to ask them things."

"Then, bring them in for two days. One to see how they like people, the second to interview them. Or vice versa. Gives them more chance to see the work we do," suggested Cutter.

"What if there's an anomaly?" asked Lester, tiredly. He could see problems.

"Then, they could watch how it works. Gives them experience," put in Jenny. "I agree with Cutter; we need to meet them."

Lester pondered this for a few minutes. It would provide the chosen Captain some time to create links with everyone while not being paid and while he wasn't expected to be doing something else. However, it would also mean Lester would have to spend his time shepherding them around, so they didn't see anything too classified. Also, he'd have to draw up secret contracts before they entered. When it came down to it, it would be a logistical nightmare.

However, it was sound and solid and he couldn't see another solution. It was stupid to just rely on Jenny's judgement of a man on the phone. This job needed to be shared and, what's more, shared by the people who had to work closely with the man.

"Fine," he declared and the other two let out their breath. Now all they had to do was organise it.

"Well, if that's settled, I'll contact them," said Jenny, with audible relief, and picked up the files.

Just then, Abby came flying into the room.

"Cutter. Connor's lab. It's spreading!" she panted, having run up. The professor leapt up and raced downstairs to help, with Abby on his heels and Jenny preparing to investigate.

Lester sighed. Somehow, he knew he'd be the one that ended up organising the interviews.

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