Hello there everyone, so here is my first fanfic from the movie "The Core". For a part of it, it is going to follow somewhat along what happened in the film (bar a few changes… ok more then a few but its called being creative), but later in the story, what happened after "The Core" is going to come into play. So there is going to be action, adventure, and of course most importantly romance.

I do not own any of the characters from The Core, although I quite often wish I do. Some of the characters are creative genius. Anyway I do own Miss Beth Markell so don't nick her.

Read, enjoy and review.

Lots of love – Arien

When Man Comes to Know Himself

Chapter 1: One Hell of a Day

Beth stumbled as the "goons" as she so affectionately nicknamed them took her by the arms to escort her, so to speak, into the room at the end of the corridor. She cursed under her breath and reprimanded them.

"Hey guys, this really is no way to treat a lady".

"Lady, huh, yeah" Goon one snorted at her and gave her some gentle encouragement into the room in the form of a shove. "Bloody Government officials" she grumbled to herself before taking a look around the room before her. Beth was not in a good mood, in fact she was in a damn pissed off mood. She had been so rudely interrupted when out having some fun at her favourite club as a celebration on finding some really interesting information about the history of the earth, whilst on a dig in Egypt. And due to being manhandled and shipped onto a plane without being told anything, she was quite up for an argument and acting as stubborn as hell, so she snapped the first sarcastic little phrase which reached her mouth, it also happened to be a pathetic excuse for an insult.

"Nice décor" she shot at the military looking guy in front of her before taking checking out the other people stood in the room.

"Thank you Miss Markell" replied military guy, both humour and sarcasm lost on him. Beth took little notice.

There were nine people in the room, The Goons, Mr Half Bald Military Guy, Little Miss Uniform, and Mr Uniform, Mr Guy Next Door, Mr Hermit Looking guy, Mr French and Finally someone she recognised right away – The man she had always referred to as the Arrogant Bastard – Conrad Zimsky, she had been to his conventions, that man really was up his own ass. Last time she had seen him, he had totally snubbed her, she very much doubted he would even remember.

Snatching her arm from Goon one and with as much authority and dignity she could muster in a mini skirt, she spoke in her perfectly refined English accent.

"Do you mind telling me what the bloody hell is going on!"

Goon one turned to Goon two grinned and whispered "Real lady like".

"Miss Markell" the military guy began to speak "Please allow me to introduce myself, I am General Thomas Purcell and you are on our temporary base on the Utah salt flats".

Beth raised an eyebrow "I would never have guessed what those big flat salty things were out there, thank you so much for informing me General, now do you mind telling me exactly what I'm doing here?"

Beth straightened her skirt, pulling the hem down a little before placing her hands on her hips and pursing her mouth in a frown. She looked up as the aristocratic voice of Conrad Zimsky started to address her.

"I'm sorry are you talking to me" she queried.

"No I'm talking to myself" replied Zimsky with a sarcasm matching her own.

"You know that's the first sign of madness!" Beth retorted. Zimsky sighed apparently more then slightly frustrated before trying to communicate with the argumentative woman again.

"Miss Markell, you have been asked here to be part of a top secret mission and we would like to inform you of the details, firstly I would like to introduce you to everyone here of the people here…. I am"

"So I'm not in trouble?" Beth cut in.

"Gosh no!" Miss Uniform jumped in with before warmly introducing herself. "Hi, I'm Major Rebecca Childs, everyone just calls me Bec – so feel free to do the same" Bec shook her hand and then stood back. After this Zimsky's idea of taking the lead in introductions was soon passed right out the window as Josh Keyes, Serge Levesque, Commander Robert Iverson and Ed Brazzleton moved forward to introduce themselves to the newcomer. Zimsky, exasperated at his dismissal put up his hands then moved off to sit at a desk and lit himself a cigarette.

Half an hour later of introductions and information, Beth slumped down on the nearest chair.

"This is impossible, the core can't have just stopped spinning" She put her head in her hands and groaned.

"Yeah I felt like that too" Josh added somewhat unhelpfully.

"Can't we just kind of wait for it to restart?" Beth asked hopefully.

"Don't be so stupid" Zimsky burst out with, somewhat unhappy with not being the centre of attention for five minutes. "I told you she only had a second rate level of scientific understanding". He turned to General Purcell "Thomas I told you that, you never take good advice" He turned back to Beth – "The core is not going to restart itself". Everyone was silent. Beth's mouth opened and closed a few times at this before she suddenly stood up.

"Who are you calling stupid, you arrogant stuck up piece of work?" Zimsky stood still for a second at her outburst before a look familiar to the entire group crossed his face.

"Oh Zimsky don't start that again! Warned Braz.

Zimsky walked directly over to Beth and lowered he face to make eye contact with her. "Do you… do you even know who I am?" Beth was totally un-intimidated by this and replied cockily.

"Yes despite the fact that you have so rudely refused to introduce yourself I'm quite acquainted with who you are thank you very much." She sniffed once in mild defiance before turning her back on Zimsky, leaving him totally gobsmacked and turning to the General who was trying to keep a straight face along with Josh and Serge.

"General, I need to call some people, you have just practically kidnapped me – my friends will be worried" The General nodded.

"Of course, I apologise Miss Markell, go right ahead, you can use this phone." He handed it to her and she sat in the place which Zimsky had previously occupied and proceeded to start to make phone calls.

"Lets give Miss Markell some space shall we people"

Everyone proceeded to file out of the room. Josh patted Zimsky on the back before saying "Come on Man" and ushering him out of the room.

Twenty minutes later, Beth strolled out of the room and was met with a corridor with several doors. She pulled a face before leaving the room and heading off along the corridor. "Hmmm", she said to herself. "And what could be behind door number one", she turned the handle and pushed open the door to find a corridor which led to yet another door. She walked up to the door and quietly opened it. On the other side of the door was a huge hanger Beth poked her head in, had a look around before stepping in. On the table was some kind of model. It looked like a sort of train type thing, Beth strolled over to get a closer look, not realising anyone was behind her.

Zimsky silently sulked to himself. Whey did they have to send him off to find her; she shouldn't have left the room in the first place. He was a scientist, not a babysitter. He was broken out of his conversation with himself when he heard a noise coming from the hanger. He went to investigate and pulled his trademark frown as he saw the cause of the noise. Zimsky leant against the doorframe watching the annoying woman. He inwardly snorted as she poked the delicate model with her index finger. He continued to watch as she picked the model up and began to examine it. Suddenly, one of the compartments of the model fell off and he chocked back the chuckle at the expression on her face as she cursed when she realised she had broken it. God the military has gotten bad at making decisions, he thought to himself.

"Bugger, bugger, bugger!" Beth exclaimed as she repeatedly tried to reconnect the model mentally praying to any gods that would listen to make the air stick it in place. When it didn't work she placed the model back on the table and looked at it for a few seconds. She then had a brainwave. Taking her chewing gum out of her mouth, she stuck it to the main part of the model and then stuck the broken bit back to it. Then just for good measure she covered it up with a nearby cloth. "There – good as new" she said out loud.

It was at this point Zimsky decided to reveal himself; he rolled his eyes and coughed. Beth jumped back from the table like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar, and looked sheepishly at him.

"Dr Zimsky, fancy seeing you here" she stuttered out mildly flustered.

"Mmm, yes well perhaps its time to go find the others" was his only answer.

Beth nodded and proceeded to catch up with Zimsky who had already started walking off. Double bugger Beth thought to herself. Of all the people who could have walked in on me looking like an ass. Beth just knew Zimsky has seen everything, and she also knew this probably wasn't a good thing.

"Ah, Dr Zimsky I see you found Miss Markell." The General addressed him.

"Yes, can we get on with the meeting now please" replied Zimsky.

"Of course", answered the General. "Miss Markell, if you would take a seat please, we would like to explain exactly what we need you for."

Beth sat down at a spare seat next to Bec and motioned for the General to continue.

"Miss Markell", "Beth. Please" she interrupted. The General nodded. "Beth. I would like to explain why we want you here. We looked all over and it turns out that you are the perfect candidate for this mission. We would like you to go aboard the ship with the others as our prediction specialist".

"Prediction specialist?" questioned Beth.

"Predictions specialist" confirmed Josh. "You see it turns out", he continued "That the earth has experienced something similar to this before, and you and your team are the only ones who discovered this. We need you to warn us of any changes in the core stability which may jeopardise the mission, before it actually happens. Using the information you discovered and hints which lead up to each event in the past, which you found on those tablets in Egypt, with Dr Zimsky's help and mine, between us we should be able to build a prediction machine which you will run whilst on the ship".

"You heard about that huh." Beth said then stopped and thought for a moment "What do you mean we are the only ones to discover it, we never discovered anything about the core stalling."

"No" replied Josh "But you did discover conditions on the earth which directly link in with the conditions which are happening at this very moment" Beth nodded her understanding, it having suddenly dawned on her that what was written on those tablets almost mirrored what was happening at the moment.

"So are you in?" said General Purcell.

Beth looked at the expectant faces around her and found her mouth speaking before her brain had time to kick in.

"I guess."

Ok well there you go. Here is the first Chapter. Please review!

XxX

Arien.