Title: Galapagos Islands – The CSI: Survivor Round Robin
Author: Chapter 1 - Shannon
Category: Humor, Drama, Crossover
Spoilers: Nothing specific, but basic events up through the S4 eps that have already aired might come up.
Disclaimers: CSI's characters (and Survivor's concept) don't belong to any of us. We're just borrowing them. ;-) Some names have been changed to protect the living—i.e. Jeff Prager instead of you-know-who.
Authors' Notes: Well, this round robin fic challenge was posted on CSI-Playing with Fire back in March, and now, it's finally underway. The idea came during one of our PwF chats, when it seemed like it was time to have a little fun with both our CSIs and the ultimate reality show, Survivor. We figured the dynamics among the Vegas crew are certainly worthy of a reality showdown, so why not? After all, when cold hard cash is on the line, knowing how to hide a body adds a whole new dimension to things. G So, let the mind games and backstabbing begin.
Final note: For more details about the challenge, the authors, and the chapter posting schedule, go to csi-playingwithfire.tripod.com. Updates will first be posted there, and then, here at fanfiction.net. Chapter 2 should be posted on PwF by Sunday, 4/11 or Monday, 4/12.
*********
Sara stretched as she surveyed her environment in the early morning sunlight. Standing alone on the beach while the rest of the tribe slumbered, she was certain that this must be the most beautiful place on Earth. It had always been a dream of hers to visit the Galapagos Islands, though she never in her wildest dreams imagined this scenario. She shared a small dwelling, a lean-to really, on the tiny islet with seven of her colleagues, competing against one another for prizes and the chance to remain in the game for one million dollars.
Twenty-five days ago, they had been left on this island with only a small supply of white rice, a knife, a cooking pot, two water buckets and a map to a source of potable water. Over three and a half weeks, they had acquired other items, such as rope, a fishing net, and the blankets under which they slept. They had become fairly well accustomed to seeking guaybillo and Galapagos tomatoes to supplement their staple diet of rice and fish. She was hungry, to be sure, but the physical aspects of survival here were not as daunting as the psychological ones.
Eight people had been voted out by the group. Every time, it was a difficult and emotional decision. One can never be certain whom one can trust with that amount of money on the line, and Sara never felt safe. The vote had been close the previous night, with Archie being banished by a margin of five votes to four. He was now the first official member of the jury and would play a key role in deciding the victor.
"Good morning," Grissom mumbled from behind her. "Looks like the fire went out."
"Hmm…" she responded absently.
"It is an amazing view, isn't it?"
"Gorgeous."
Grissom stared a moment longer, knowing that Sara was unaware that the ocean view was not the one to which he'd been referring. When he had risen from the shelter, and seen her standing there with the sun's glare silhouetting her, he knew he was in paradise. But the need for fire beckoned, and Grissom set out to position his glasses to capture the heat of the sun.
"Whose turn is it to get water?" Hodges asked, emerging from the lean-to.
Sara turned to him with a small smile. "Yours."
"Come on, I'll go with you," Catherine joined, the gaudy Immunity Necklace still around her neck.
The duo picked up the water jugs and disappeared into the jungle. "Well, they're off to plot," Grissom mused.
The day passed uneventfully. Nick had attempted to prove his fishing prowess by returning from his morning excursion with a single fish. Grissom had no difficulty rekindling the campfire, and in short order the water was boiled and the rice and fish were cooked. As afternoon moved into evening, an unexpected visitor surprised the castaways.
"Check out the turtle!" Nick shouted, nearly dropping the stick he was whittling.
Grissom turned to look. "That's a tortoise, Nick."
Sara had already left her seat on the log. She moved slowly, careful not to startle the creature, but she needn't have worried. The indigenous animals were unafraid of humans. The giant tortoise stared back at her, not retreating into the security of its shell. She reached out and touched the shell gently, her smile broadening. "Hi, buddy."
Greg crouched beside Sara and offered the reptile a handful of plants. "That's so cool," he said as the tortoise munched on the greenery.
Jim Brass and Warrick looked at Grissom, then glanced knowingly at one another. Grissom's eyes were glued on Sara's interaction with their guest.
"Lindsey would love that turtle," Catherine began. "She keeps trying to talk me into getting her a pet, but it's too hard to take care of one when I work so much. I hate having to deprive her like that."
*********
"We've got Tree Mail," Greg exclaimed, catching his breath after his run from the mailbox. He handed the scroll to Warrick, who read aloud the goofy poem.
"Sounds like a test of recall," Warrick observed.
"It does," Grissom agreed.
The castaways filed into the area designated for the reward challenge. "Welcome," Jeff Prager said in greeting. "Pick a podium, take your places. Today's challenge is a memory match game. Each of you has four items in your podium. Your job is to find matching items by asking your tribe mates for them. No two podiums have the exact same items. We'll go in turn. The first person to get all four items matched wins. Want to know what you're playing for?"
Seeing the nods of the CSIs, he continued. "The winner will be taken to a yacht anchored off shore for a feast. And the yacht has facilities for showering and shaving. Let's play. Greg, you're up."
Greg peeked into his podium and quickly shut the lid. "Catherine, do you have a rock?"
"Nope," she answered.
Nick was next. "Catherine, do you have an egg?"
"Nope."
Sara turned to Greg. "Greg. The rock." She held out her hand. She removed the rock from her podium and placed it into her basket along with Greg's rock.
"Sara has one match." Jeff announced.
"Gil," Catherine asked, "got a leaf?"
With a deep sigh, Grissom handed Catherine his leaf. She adjusted her Immunity Necklace proudly.
"Sara one, Catherine one." Jeff announced again.
"Give me your egg, Nick," Warrick scored his first match.
"Catherine," Brass smirked. "You look like a slingshot kinda gal."
"Damn! You got me." She surrendered the item to him.
"Sara? Do you have a shark's tooth?" Hodges queried.
"Nope. Try again."
"Sorry, Hodges, I have a shark's tooth," Grissom said. Hodges handed over his shark tooth for Grissom's first match.
"That's the end of the first round," Jeff updated. "We've got Sara, Catherine, Warrick, Jim and Gil all tied at one."
"Um, Grissom!" Greg made another attempt to score. "Got a feather?"
"Go fish."
By the end of the fourth round, Jim Brass emerged the victor with four matches. "Congratulations, Jim. Now since it wouldn't be a party without a guest, I'm going to let you choose one other person to take with you."
Jim pondered a moment, then made a strategic decision. "Sara."
The yacht was luxurious. The pair enjoyed a buffet style feast, complete with an open bar. Sara chose to shower before eating. Never before had a hot shower felt so marvelous to her as she soaped up her dirty hair. Being provided with a toothbrush and toothpaste was the icing on the cake. She felt refreshed when she headed back out on deck to enjoy the meal.
"I'm just going to cut to the chase," Brass stated. "Grissom and I kind of have a pact, and we think you and Warrick are the only other people on the island that we can trust."
Sara swallowed a bit of Caesar salad and washed it down with a swig of her margarita. "Uh huh."
Jim poured steak sauce on his porterhouse. "Anyway, if you vote with us, you're guaranteed final four. After that, all bets are off."
That evening the group again gathered around the fire. Jim and Sara answered questions about their reward, careful to omit crucial details. The night air always held a slight chill, causing Sara to put a long-sleeved shirt and long pants over her one-piece bathing suit and shorts. Catherine remained in her string bikini.
Nick stared at the two women, sitting side by side. How did I get lucky enough to work with two such fine-looking women? And now on a tropical island with them?
Warrick sat next to Nick. Catherine's bikini is about two sizes too small. No complaints here.
Grissom leaned back against the log. Why is she smiling like that? Doesn't she get it? One glimpse of that gap-toothed grin and I'm gone.
Greg glanced back and forth between Grissom and Sara. What's he got that I ain't got? Wait, don't answer that.
Sara grinned nervously. Why is he looking at me like that? Do I have spinach in my teeth? How can he be so handsome even when he's making me feel like one of his specimens?
Catherine pulled her shoulders back proudly, propelling her chest forward. Oh yeah, they want me.
Brass watched Grissom with fascination. How does he do it? How can he sit there in love with her and not do anything about it? Why did Catherine just stick out her boobs and block my view of Sara and Grissom?
Hodges shifted anxiously. Did I leave my kitchen light on?
*********
"First things first," the host began as the tribe arrived for the immunity challenge. "Catherine, I'm going to need that back."
Catherine looked almost pained when she removed the Immunity Necklace and returned it to him.
"You've each been assigned a color," Jeff explained. "You also have a map. Use your map to run through the jungle and find five keys, color-coded for you. When you get all five keys, come back to this spot and use the keys to open your treasure chest. In the treasure chest you'll find a flag. The first person to find all five keys, open the chest, get the flag and place it on the flag stand wins immunity. Survivors ready? Go!"
The eight contestants darted off into the trees, maps in hand. Brass was proud of his map-reading skills until he came upon a key, only to find it was blue instead of his assigned orange. As he stood studying the map again, Warrick grabbed the blue key and looped its string over his arm with his other key.
"Warrick in the lead with four keys. Nick, Sara, Hodges all with three," Jeff's voice cut through the foliage.
Minutes later, Warrick successfully placed all five keys into the locks of his treasure chest, grabbed the blue flag and placed it into its notch. The closest castaway was Nick, with four keys located.
Jeff Prager draped the Immunity Necklace over Warrick's head. "You are safe from the vote tonight. The rest of you are not. I'll see you at Tribal Council."
Once they arrived back at camp, the wheeling and dealing began. Catherine, Hodges and Nick went off together, ostensibly to find some guavas and tomatoes for dinner, while Greg and Warrick tried their luck with the fishing net. Grissom tried to force himself to keep his attention on the game rather than on the freshly showered and sweet-smelling Sara.
"Catherine," Sara proposed. "She's a threat."
"I'm more inclined to go with Nick," Grissom said. "He's physically strong. He could start winning immunities and then where are we? Jim?"
"I'm thinking Nick's the bigger threat right now." Brass replied as he stirred the fire.
After dinner, the entire group gathered around the fire, preparing to head to tribal council. Nick pulled Sara aside. "We need to get rid of Brass. He doesn't do anything around camp. Vote with Cat, Greggo and me and you'll get to the final four."
*********
"So, Warrick," Jeff asked, "immunity is obviously very important. Are you keeping it or do you want to give it to a teammate?"
"I'll keep it," Warrick answered simply.
"Not feeling too safe?"
"You can't feel very safe in this game, Jeff."
"What are you basing your vote on tonight?" Jeff prodded.
"Strategy," Warrick replied, not elaborating.
"Catherine," Jeff turned to the blonde woman. "What about you? What's your vote about tonight?"
Catherine's response was candid. "Whatever's going to get me farther down the line."
"Okay, let's vote."
One by one, the castaways approached the podium and penned their votes on the parchments. Brass held up his vote, which read Nick. "It's not personal, Nicky, you're a great guy. It's a game."
Catherine's scribbled her choice on the paper and carefully folded it in half. "You made the wrong decision."
When all had voted, Jeff retrieved the urn and lifted the lid, removing and reading the votes.
"Nick." The Texan appeared surprised to receive a vote.
"Sarah." If Nick had been surprised, shocked would more adequately describe Sara's reaction. They can't even spell my name correctly, Sara groaned inwardly. That one must be from Hodges.
"Nick. Nick. That's three for Nick, one for Sara. Sara. Sara. Nick. Four Nick, three Sara." He read the eighth vote to himself, then said aloud "The ninth person voted out of CSI Survivor: Galapagos Islands is Nick. Bring me your torch."
Nick did as directed. Jeff snuffed the torch ceremoniously. "The tribe has spoken. It's time for you to go."
TBC