DISCLAIMER: I do not own Lara Croft or Tomb Raider. I am not making money
with this work of fiction.
Only to be archived at Fanfiction.net and "Lara Croft's Tales of Beauty and Power". All other sites please email me first at siirma6@surfeu.fi to gain permission.
Tomb Raider: Prevail by Heidi Ahlmen (siirma6@surfeu.fi)
Chapter 7
Lara sat on a pile of ropes in the bow of the ten-metres long, slightly rusty fishing boat. Josephine was briefing their captain in the small cabin only housing a broken chair and the helm. The sea raged around them with white-headed waves crashing onto the shore. The boat - despite its quite steady hull - was thrashing in the wind. It wasn't a tempest of any sorts - the waters around Skeleton Coast just were like that, Lara guessed. The sun was giving her a headache she was trying to shake off - she didn't want to take an Aspirin. Any distractions or drugs that might take the edge off her judgement or cautiousness would form a risk. Despite the fact that Josephine withheld all the location information, Lara was in charge. She wouldn't have it any other way.
She stood up for a second to gaze into the depths. They were a good half kilometre away from the beach, but she could still see sharp rocks underneath the boat every once in awhile in the dim waters. She had her doubts about Josephine's diving skills. But if she wanted to get herself killed, she would be free to do just that.
Lara still couldn't understand Josephine. Why go into all this trouble? Her half-mocking, half-admiring attitude also made her annoying in Lara's eyes for she had no idea what waved behind those green eyes. At times the feeling that Josephine was sort of her personal stalker flickered through her mind. She did seem to know a lot about her. At the same time it seemed as if she had deliberately ignored the most important facts.
Lara did not despise of Josephine's way of work. Maybe it didn't bring her interviews or popularity outside the scientifical field, but to Lara those had only given a migraine. She was taken by Josephine's enthusiasm, though. Enthusiasm towards seeing her at work. That was what she was getting, but somehow Lara felt it wasn't exactly what Josephine had expected. It was always so straightforward with men. They usually either thought with their midland section, did what they had been told, or were opportunists only interested in the job. Of course there was exceptions. Like Jean.
Lara hated being poked in the brain by someone who thought a bit like her. Like a woman.
Lara crossed her legs. She secretly envied Josephine's white peaked cap. At least it kept the sun off her face.
Lara somehow stubbornly wished she could tell Josephine about what she'd done in the past. To explain to her why she was who she was. As far as Josephine was concerned, she was a snotty brat with guns blazing and stealing everyone else's credits. Lara wanted to tell her about Set. About the Dagger of Xian - even though she'd written a book about it. She'd understandably left quite a lot out of it. Dragons? You couldn't write that in a book. Lara wasn't really annoyed by the fact that Josephine wasn't very fond of her. She was only disturbed by the fact that she was stuck with so many prejudices she could never truly see what she did and why. It was enough to have intelligent enemies. Stubborn and simple enemies - Larson was enough, thank you very much.
She had never quite understood this side of her. What did she care if Dr. Josephine Ross despised of her? It was just that she liked her slightly. Was willing to put up with her. She was unquestionably intelligent, and Lara was sure it wasn't like her to do unplanned things. Lara was taken by the fact she could make Josephine make such uncharacteristic things. I seem to bring out the worst in her.
The boat stopped, and Lara heard a splash - most likely the anchor. Josephine walked up to the bow, her wraparound skirt dancing in the wind. "Time to strap up, Lara. You look a bit sunburnt."
Maybe because I am sunburnt. "Your tanks full?"
Josephine nodded.
Lara stood up, and grabbed her BCD vest. After attaching it to the regulator and the tanks she strapped it firmly on, checking the inflatable pockets and adjusting it. She had to wiggle it a bit to ensure a pleasant fit around her chest. A Senegalese-looking man in his mid-fourties - their captain, walked to the deck, and picked up Josephine's vest and tank to help her get it strapped on. Josephine then picked up her bag, and passed a flat object to Lara. It was a writing board of some sorts, with a black pen tied to it with a piece of chain.
"It's an underwater slate. This way we won't have to use signs all the time."
Lara had to admit it looked useful.
"Hey - I figured a handsign for 'Lara'."
Lara raised her brows. Josephine crossed three fingers, pointed her thumbs upwards and her forefingers forwards - resembling a gun. She laughed, and started pulling on her fins.
Lara shook her head, amused, and clicked on her weights. After that followed the tanks and the regulator, and the mask, which she left on her forehead to see if Josephine was finished. "What's our time limit? I'd guess there are at least average currents."
"Two hours?"
"Sounds reasonable. Could you please explain that to our dear captain?" Lara pointed at the man smoking his pipe at the back of the boat.
Josephine lumbered to the back in her fins - she could have taken them off for a second -, exchanged a few words with the captain, and returned to Lara, who was adjusting her mask on her face. Josephine began with the same maneuver, but soon she flinched, and tilted her head back, turning her backside to Lara. "Shit, I got my hair caught in the buckle." Lara twisted it off. In her opinion Josephine was acting somewhat nervously.
Lara bended down, careful not to let the tank put her off balance, dug her bag and pulled out a pair of fingerless leather gloves and a large metal case. To Josephine's amazement in contained a stainles steel harpoon and a serrated diving knife. Lara strapped the knife onto her calf. The harpoon found its place strapped to her tanks.
"You think we'll be needing those?" Josephine asked in a worried voice.
"You never know," Lara commented, and sat on the railing with her back to the raging sea. She picked up the writing slate. "Ready?"
The captain waited for Josephine's nod, and dropped a net sack witha wooden box, tied to a rope to the depths. Then he started unwinding a 200 metre roll of rope.
"Like a boy scout." Josephine sat down on the railing, Lara counted to three, and they let themselves fall off the boat.
The sky disappeared, and Lara's world filled with tiny bubbles, water- filtered sunlight and muffled sounds. She made sure the netsack was falling right down to the bottom, kicked herself to the surface, checked that Josephine was okay, then pointed her thumbs downwards to indicate going down. No need to use the slate yet, even though it looked inviting.
They left the surface with Lara in the lead. The waves had no effect after a few metres, even though they did play a certain role in underwater currents. A minute later Lara's console read six metres. She turned to face Josephine, pointed in her ears, and they balanced the air pressures in their midears by blowing hard into their noses. Josephine gave Lara an okay sign, and they continued downwards.
Some more minutes Lara stopped to blow off water from her mask, and took a good look around. Josephine was kicking and turning around her like a lost mermaid - Lara had to admit she had a good technique. Lara continued downwards. After a few seconds she saw light flickering strangely off some surface. When you dive, colours disappear one after another, and objects seem bigger and closer than they really are. Everything becomes a murky blue-grey haze until you reach the bottom when you're hitting more than twenty metres.
As they continued their steady dive towards the bottom, Lara saw what had caught sunlight the minute before.
It was a ship. A terribly ghostly sight in the endless ocean. First it was like a rusty shadow that clearly gave the idea of something man-made. The first clear glimpse of it brought to mind Titanic, with its large frontline and height. Of course it wasn't half as large as the infamous cruiser, but still looked as uninviting. Lara stopped to light her diving lamp and Josephine did the same. Lara tried to make out the expression on her face but the mask hid all signs of fear or awe - and also those of excitement. Lara's depth meter on her console read sixty metres. Soon they reached the deck. It was rusty, and looked as if it was about to collapse any minute. There was no doubt about the reason of the ship's sinking - a long, gaping hole in the left side of the deck probably continued all the way down to the bottom. Like so many before and after it, it ran agroung - hit the sharp rocks the coast was famous for.
The ship might've been a terrible sight, but to Lara it was all too familiar and inviting. After all, she had been to the bottom of the Bering sea in a deep-sea suit and nothing could match that somehow helpless, claustrophobic feeling when her tank had clanked on a rock and started to leak. And it hadn't been the least bit of a relief to know that the nearest asylum from the lethal pressure and drowning was a sinking Soviet submarine.
Lara decided to use the writing slate.
HANDSOME, ISN'T SHE?
Josephine replied with her slate. ARE YOU SURE IT'S SAFE?
Lara was surprised. She hadn't been too sure if she believed that Josephine had experience in wreck diving. On the other hand, even the best can panic. She didn't seem to be panicking, though. She probably just needed a spiritual kick in the bottom.
WELL, WE CAN'T TURN BACK NOW THAT WE'VE COME THIS FAR, Lara's slate soon read.
With everything necessary said, Lara put down the slate, and started approaching the deck. Josephine had no other alternative than to follow.
It was a freighter, no doubt about it. There were no remains of safety railings on the deck, there were no cannons or other armoury, and two enormous latches closed the cargo doors. A shoal of silvery fishes swam past Lara as she touched a barrel secured on the deck with long-gone ropes. Josephine kept behind her like a wailing ghost. Somewhere further the living quarters shimmered behind the murky waters. Lara checked her watch. They'd been underwater for twenty minutes.
Lara scribbled a message on the slate. COULD YOU GO AND CHECK FOR THE NAME?
Josephine nodded slowly. She didn't look worried, Lara noticed. It felt relieving that Josephine was holding up. Lara was used to challenging dives and loved them. Not that this one had been of any challenge so far.
Josephine disappeared below the deckline, and a slight worry crossed Lara's mind. This was what she hated about diving in pairs or with a team. When they're in your sight they annoy you, and when they're out of sight, you get worried.
Josephine returned after a few minutes. Lara had managed to keep herself from taking a look down from the deck to ensure that she was alright. Josephine turned her slate towards Lara.
DAKOTA. IT'S THE RIGHT ONE.
Lara gave her a thumbs-up. This was getting interesting. She took a last look to make sure the netsack rope was somewhere nearby. It continued down to the bottom near the left side of the deck. Lara hoped that it didn't tackle into anything. She dug out her slate again.
She pointed towards the living quarters. LET'S GO.
Josephine gave her a thumbs-up, feeling a lump developing in her throat. Quickly, she started swimming after Lara, who had already taken a sprint towards the back of the ship.
Josephine had to admit she wasn't comfortable in the environment she had gotten herself in. The ghostly site of the ship had first almost made her return to the surface. True, she had a diving instructor's certificate, but she'd always considered sunken ships such terrible sights she had never wanted to go near one. It was like she had never wanted to dive under ice. She didn't want to be trapped inside anything that might collapse.
Lara seemed to be the complete opposite. She seemed to be enjoying herself.
She had to admire the Croft woman. She really knew her fins, so to say. She moved gracefully, swimming like a dolphin even with the extra gear - including the harpoon - strapped to her BCD. Josephine had carried a harpoon thrice, on a diving holiday to Baja California when they - she and her ex-husband Ray - had went deepsea-fishing. He'd taught her most of what she knew about diving. He'd been a navy SEAL, and always away from home unlike Josephine, who took care that she never worked too much overtime with her research. Lara probably didn't even recognize the concept of overwork. She seemed to work around the clock.
As she followed Lara, she let her lamplight wander on the deck. It was empty, except for some crabs, and some ropes thick enough to resist decaying and hungry marine life. Josephine could imagine what sounds the corroding steel might've made if water carried such voices. Wailing, creeking, ghostly cries and clanks.
She shook her head free from such disturbing thoughts and continued.
Lara was waiting for her near a doorway, with an enthusiastic smile visible on her face even behind the mask. Together they carefully dragged it open, to avoid it tagging onto their gear, and so they entered the dark corridor. The living quarters weren't usually very large in cargo ships. An angry- looking light-orange eel swam past them at the doorway.
All kinds of rubble floated inside the ship. It was hard to tell whether they were the remains of crewmen's belongings or just seabottom detritus. All signs of human life were long gone. Only fish now inhabited the freighter.
Lara took the lead once again, and they continued diving.
Only to be archived at Fanfiction.net and "Lara Croft's Tales of Beauty and Power". All other sites please email me first at siirma6@surfeu.fi to gain permission.
Tomb Raider: Prevail by Heidi Ahlmen (siirma6@surfeu.fi)
Chapter 7
Lara sat on a pile of ropes in the bow of the ten-metres long, slightly rusty fishing boat. Josephine was briefing their captain in the small cabin only housing a broken chair and the helm. The sea raged around them with white-headed waves crashing onto the shore. The boat - despite its quite steady hull - was thrashing in the wind. It wasn't a tempest of any sorts - the waters around Skeleton Coast just were like that, Lara guessed. The sun was giving her a headache she was trying to shake off - she didn't want to take an Aspirin. Any distractions or drugs that might take the edge off her judgement or cautiousness would form a risk. Despite the fact that Josephine withheld all the location information, Lara was in charge. She wouldn't have it any other way.
She stood up for a second to gaze into the depths. They were a good half kilometre away from the beach, but she could still see sharp rocks underneath the boat every once in awhile in the dim waters. She had her doubts about Josephine's diving skills. But if she wanted to get herself killed, she would be free to do just that.
Lara still couldn't understand Josephine. Why go into all this trouble? Her half-mocking, half-admiring attitude also made her annoying in Lara's eyes for she had no idea what waved behind those green eyes. At times the feeling that Josephine was sort of her personal stalker flickered through her mind. She did seem to know a lot about her. At the same time it seemed as if she had deliberately ignored the most important facts.
Lara did not despise of Josephine's way of work. Maybe it didn't bring her interviews or popularity outside the scientifical field, but to Lara those had only given a migraine. She was taken by Josephine's enthusiasm, though. Enthusiasm towards seeing her at work. That was what she was getting, but somehow Lara felt it wasn't exactly what Josephine had expected. It was always so straightforward with men. They usually either thought with their midland section, did what they had been told, or were opportunists only interested in the job. Of course there was exceptions. Like Jean.
Lara hated being poked in the brain by someone who thought a bit like her. Like a woman.
Lara crossed her legs. She secretly envied Josephine's white peaked cap. At least it kept the sun off her face.
Lara somehow stubbornly wished she could tell Josephine about what she'd done in the past. To explain to her why she was who she was. As far as Josephine was concerned, she was a snotty brat with guns blazing and stealing everyone else's credits. Lara wanted to tell her about Set. About the Dagger of Xian - even though she'd written a book about it. She'd understandably left quite a lot out of it. Dragons? You couldn't write that in a book. Lara wasn't really annoyed by the fact that Josephine wasn't very fond of her. She was only disturbed by the fact that she was stuck with so many prejudices she could never truly see what she did and why. It was enough to have intelligent enemies. Stubborn and simple enemies - Larson was enough, thank you very much.
She had never quite understood this side of her. What did she care if Dr. Josephine Ross despised of her? It was just that she liked her slightly. Was willing to put up with her. She was unquestionably intelligent, and Lara was sure it wasn't like her to do unplanned things. Lara was taken by the fact she could make Josephine make such uncharacteristic things. I seem to bring out the worst in her.
The boat stopped, and Lara heard a splash - most likely the anchor. Josephine walked up to the bow, her wraparound skirt dancing in the wind. "Time to strap up, Lara. You look a bit sunburnt."
Maybe because I am sunburnt. "Your tanks full?"
Josephine nodded.
Lara stood up, and grabbed her BCD vest. After attaching it to the regulator and the tanks she strapped it firmly on, checking the inflatable pockets and adjusting it. She had to wiggle it a bit to ensure a pleasant fit around her chest. A Senegalese-looking man in his mid-fourties - their captain, walked to the deck, and picked up Josephine's vest and tank to help her get it strapped on. Josephine then picked up her bag, and passed a flat object to Lara. It was a writing board of some sorts, with a black pen tied to it with a piece of chain.
"It's an underwater slate. This way we won't have to use signs all the time."
Lara had to admit it looked useful.
"Hey - I figured a handsign for 'Lara'."
Lara raised her brows. Josephine crossed three fingers, pointed her thumbs upwards and her forefingers forwards - resembling a gun. She laughed, and started pulling on her fins.
Lara shook her head, amused, and clicked on her weights. After that followed the tanks and the regulator, and the mask, which she left on her forehead to see if Josephine was finished. "What's our time limit? I'd guess there are at least average currents."
"Two hours?"
"Sounds reasonable. Could you please explain that to our dear captain?" Lara pointed at the man smoking his pipe at the back of the boat.
Josephine lumbered to the back in her fins - she could have taken them off for a second -, exchanged a few words with the captain, and returned to Lara, who was adjusting her mask on her face. Josephine began with the same maneuver, but soon she flinched, and tilted her head back, turning her backside to Lara. "Shit, I got my hair caught in the buckle." Lara twisted it off. In her opinion Josephine was acting somewhat nervously.
Lara bended down, careful not to let the tank put her off balance, dug her bag and pulled out a pair of fingerless leather gloves and a large metal case. To Josephine's amazement in contained a stainles steel harpoon and a serrated diving knife. Lara strapped the knife onto her calf. The harpoon found its place strapped to her tanks.
"You think we'll be needing those?" Josephine asked in a worried voice.
"You never know," Lara commented, and sat on the railing with her back to the raging sea. She picked up the writing slate. "Ready?"
The captain waited for Josephine's nod, and dropped a net sack witha wooden box, tied to a rope to the depths. Then he started unwinding a 200 metre roll of rope.
"Like a boy scout." Josephine sat down on the railing, Lara counted to three, and they let themselves fall off the boat.
The sky disappeared, and Lara's world filled with tiny bubbles, water- filtered sunlight and muffled sounds. She made sure the netsack was falling right down to the bottom, kicked herself to the surface, checked that Josephine was okay, then pointed her thumbs downwards to indicate going down. No need to use the slate yet, even though it looked inviting.
They left the surface with Lara in the lead. The waves had no effect after a few metres, even though they did play a certain role in underwater currents. A minute later Lara's console read six metres. She turned to face Josephine, pointed in her ears, and they balanced the air pressures in their midears by blowing hard into their noses. Josephine gave Lara an okay sign, and they continued downwards.
Some more minutes Lara stopped to blow off water from her mask, and took a good look around. Josephine was kicking and turning around her like a lost mermaid - Lara had to admit she had a good technique. Lara continued downwards. After a few seconds she saw light flickering strangely off some surface. When you dive, colours disappear one after another, and objects seem bigger and closer than they really are. Everything becomes a murky blue-grey haze until you reach the bottom when you're hitting more than twenty metres.
As they continued their steady dive towards the bottom, Lara saw what had caught sunlight the minute before.
It was a ship. A terribly ghostly sight in the endless ocean. First it was like a rusty shadow that clearly gave the idea of something man-made. The first clear glimpse of it brought to mind Titanic, with its large frontline and height. Of course it wasn't half as large as the infamous cruiser, but still looked as uninviting. Lara stopped to light her diving lamp and Josephine did the same. Lara tried to make out the expression on her face but the mask hid all signs of fear or awe - and also those of excitement. Lara's depth meter on her console read sixty metres. Soon they reached the deck. It was rusty, and looked as if it was about to collapse any minute. There was no doubt about the reason of the ship's sinking - a long, gaping hole in the left side of the deck probably continued all the way down to the bottom. Like so many before and after it, it ran agroung - hit the sharp rocks the coast was famous for.
The ship might've been a terrible sight, but to Lara it was all too familiar and inviting. After all, she had been to the bottom of the Bering sea in a deep-sea suit and nothing could match that somehow helpless, claustrophobic feeling when her tank had clanked on a rock and started to leak. And it hadn't been the least bit of a relief to know that the nearest asylum from the lethal pressure and drowning was a sinking Soviet submarine.
Lara decided to use the writing slate.
HANDSOME, ISN'T SHE?
Josephine replied with her slate. ARE YOU SURE IT'S SAFE?
Lara was surprised. She hadn't been too sure if she believed that Josephine had experience in wreck diving. On the other hand, even the best can panic. She didn't seem to be panicking, though. She probably just needed a spiritual kick in the bottom.
WELL, WE CAN'T TURN BACK NOW THAT WE'VE COME THIS FAR, Lara's slate soon read.
With everything necessary said, Lara put down the slate, and started approaching the deck. Josephine had no other alternative than to follow.
It was a freighter, no doubt about it. There were no remains of safety railings on the deck, there were no cannons or other armoury, and two enormous latches closed the cargo doors. A shoal of silvery fishes swam past Lara as she touched a barrel secured on the deck with long-gone ropes. Josephine kept behind her like a wailing ghost. Somewhere further the living quarters shimmered behind the murky waters. Lara checked her watch. They'd been underwater for twenty minutes.
Lara scribbled a message on the slate. COULD YOU GO AND CHECK FOR THE NAME?
Josephine nodded slowly. She didn't look worried, Lara noticed. It felt relieving that Josephine was holding up. Lara was used to challenging dives and loved them. Not that this one had been of any challenge so far.
Josephine disappeared below the deckline, and a slight worry crossed Lara's mind. This was what she hated about diving in pairs or with a team. When they're in your sight they annoy you, and when they're out of sight, you get worried.
Josephine returned after a few minutes. Lara had managed to keep herself from taking a look down from the deck to ensure that she was alright. Josephine turned her slate towards Lara.
DAKOTA. IT'S THE RIGHT ONE.
Lara gave her a thumbs-up. This was getting interesting. She took a last look to make sure the netsack rope was somewhere nearby. It continued down to the bottom near the left side of the deck. Lara hoped that it didn't tackle into anything. She dug out her slate again.
She pointed towards the living quarters. LET'S GO.
Josephine gave her a thumbs-up, feeling a lump developing in her throat. Quickly, she started swimming after Lara, who had already taken a sprint towards the back of the ship.
Josephine had to admit she wasn't comfortable in the environment she had gotten herself in. The ghostly site of the ship had first almost made her return to the surface. True, she had a diving instructor's certificate, but she'd always considered sunken ships such terrible sights she had never wanted to go near one. It was like she had never wanted to dive under ice. She didn't want to be trapped inside anything that might collapse.
Lara seemed to be the complete opposite. She seemed to be enjoying herself.
She had to admire the Croft woman. She really knew her fins, so to say. She moved gracefully, swimming like a dolphin even with the extra gear - including the harpoon - strapped to her BCD. Josephine had carried a harpoon thrice, on a diving holiday to Baja California when they - she and her ex-husband Ray - had went deepsea-fishing. He'd taught her most of what she knew about diving. He'd been a navy SEAL, and always away from home unlike Josephine, who took care that she never worked too much overtime with her research. Lara probably didn't even recognize the concept of overwork. She seemed to work around the clock.
As she followed Lara, she let her lamplight wander on the deck. It was empty, except for some crabs, and some ropes thick enough to resist decaying and hungry marine life. Josephine could imagine what sounds the corroding steel might've made if water carried such voices. Wailing, creeking, ghostly cries and clanks.
She shook her head free from such disturbing thoughts and continued.
Lara was waiting for her near a doorway, with an enthusiastic smile visible on her face even behind the mask. Together they carefully dragged it open, to avoid it tagging onto their gear, and so they entered the dark corridor. The living quarters weren't usually very large in cargo ships. An angry- looking light-orange eel swam past them at the doorway.
All kinds of rubble floated inside the ship. It was hard to tell whether they were the remains of crewmen's belongings or just seabottom detritus. All signs of human life were long gone. Only fish now inhabited the freighter.
Lara took the lead once again, and they continued diving.