Chapter Text
STANDING STILL
FanFiction: Planet of the Apes TV Series
Standing Still: Chapter 1
This story begins following Pete Burke’s capture by the gorilla patrol in Episode 10, “The Interrogation” and intertwines with the original story and script written by Richard Collins. References are also made to Episode 1, “Escape From Tomorrow” written by Art Wallace. Other characters who appear in the series are included either by reference or appearance. The story plotlines and descriptions (with minor deviations) adhere to Canon for the television series only.
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Why is there dirt in my mouth?
Pete struggled through a black fog, but that thought was clear.
Why is there dirt in my mouth?
His jaw twisted and tongue pushed at the grains of sand and dirt pressing against his gums and inner lips. The next thought came almost as quickly: Why can’t I move my hands?
He began to wiggle his numbing fingers, then froze. The black fog was shred by the memory of running, dodging and then struggling against the net that fell over him as the gorilla patrol leapt from their horses and surrounded him, their cacophonous grunts celebrating his capture as he lay on the ground.
He, and his friends, Galen and Alan had been following rumors of an abandoned town that hid artifacts from the ancient past – Well, Al was following rumors…Galen and I were following Al. A gorilla patrol had caught sight of them where they searched for the town that wasn’t, so they ran, hid and ran some more in a new direction. They thought they had lost them until six horses came thundering down the hillside after them.
Running, Pete recalled a lot of running, evading at least four troopers until they snared him and ringed him thinking their prey was trapped. He remembered ripping off the net and lunging forward into a guard throwing him off his feet giving him a path to freedom. He dug his toes in to run, but then…blackness…and dirt in his mouth. And the throbbing in his head. Down and out. Now stay down a little longer and figure out your next move, dummy…
Pete lay still and listened. The jangle of horses’ bits and patient shifting of their hooves was nearby. The crunch of boots on the rough ground drifted to him from at least two directions. He opened his eyes to slits for an up-close view of where the dirt in his mouth had come from, so he tilted his head just slightly to see the tangle of fallen trunks and overgrowth of a withering copse where he had been headed when the gorillas intervened. One gorilla was pushing at the brush with his rifle.
Galen! Alan!
Pete didn’t know where they had run after they followed Alan’s order to split. His attention was fully on the four gorillas on horseback pounding after him. At least one of them remained free or the gorilla wouldn’t be looking for them now. Forget deception, Burke. It’s time for diversion.
Pete released a purposeful moan and lifted his head off the ground. He spit out the dirt caught in his teeth. Not as good as chicken but I’ve had worse. It worked. The gorilla turned away from his search and started in Pete’s direction with the typical swaying motion of an ape gait as bent arms and legs rocked side to side to propel him forward. From his position, he spied three gorillas moving around different areas of the scraggly trees and brushy overgrowth.
“Commander Ataxis,” a young gorilla voice called out from Pete’s right. Four, then. “The prisoner is moving.”
Pete sighed with relief. The prisoner. He was the only one. Now he needed to keep the gorillas focused on him allowing Alan and Galen to stay hidden or keep running.
Inside a large, hollowed out tree trunk a few yards from where the first gorilla Pete had seen was standing, Galen sighed. He could hear the approach of the trooper and knew he would be discovered within minutes as the search continued. When the trio had split, he had taken off to his left straight for the overgrown underbrush. Several fallen trees marked the boundary separating the area from the open field where they had been running. His chimpanzee legs did not run with the speed of his two human companions, but he made up for it in agility. He danced along a thin, fallen tree trunk and moved into the overgrowth when he spied the large trunk, its girth offering a perfect hiding place. He easily lifted himself inside sliding to its spongy base. The musky smell suggested he was not the first living thing to take refuge in the trunk. He hid in the shadows for a moment allowing his breathing to slow. He then pulled himself to the opening, watching just as one of the gorillas pounded the head and back of the neck of his human friend, Pete Burke. Galen had not seen how he was captured as he raced into hiding, but he saw the final blow as a gorilla struck Pete down and he fell to the ground, unmoving while they yanked his hands behind his back. Galen’s nose twitched anxiously as the gorillas moved swiftly to bind him.
Not far from his position, he had a good view of Pete, prone on the hard ground, his face buried in the dirt, hands tied roughly behind his back. And he waited nervously as he continued to lay still for longer than Galen thought he should. The observant chimpanzee was relieved when he saw Pete begin to push back into consciousness with small movements of his head and fingers. He also realized Pete was aware enough to let the apes think he remained unconscious when his movements suddenly froze.
The sounds of the approaching trooper drew the chimpanzee’s attention. He looked into the darkness of the trunk. He could squat down to avoid a passing glance but one look inside the trunk would give him away. Any attempt to leap out and run would have all the patrol surrounding him in moments. He swallowed hard. He resigned himself that he’d be joining Pete in custody any moment.
Galen couldn’t help but feel a flood of gratitude for his friend when he suddenly sprung into life causing all gorilla eyes to turn his way. The chimp heard the cracking of the sticks as the trooper left the underbrush and joined the circle forming around the groaning Pete. Galen didn’t know how Pete knew where he was, but there was no doubt he “awoke” on purpose to protect him.
Galen thought their other friend, Alan Virdon was somewhere across the open field from where they were now. When they split and ran, he and Alan had gone opposite directions each headed for the tangle of the brush, but the gorillas had targeted Pete from the beginning with several horses galloping directly toward him. Pete had been running in a different direction when Galen last saw him, so he had to have evaded the chase long enough to fall near him.
The chimp took a deep breath trying to quiet the pounding in his chest and concentrated on keeping his anxious chirps silent. He sunk into the log, his face twitching as he watched.
Across the field, snuggled in a dirt cranny roofed by a fallen tree, Alan Virdon watched. He was too far away to hear anything but the drift of voices, but he also sighed with relief when seeing Pete trying to pull himself up. Alan had a bleacher seat view but saw the entire, gut-wrenching spectacle when the gorillas surrounded his friend. Pete had initially dodged the pursuit but was headed into an area that would have trapped him and darted through when the horses tried to pen him there. He took off headed toward the area where Galen had run. A burst of speed gave him a slight lead but even Pete Burke’s quickness was no match for the full gallop of horses. The gorillas eased next to him and threw a net which had drifted as gently as gossamer over his head then dropped with the deadly snare of a web causing him to tumble hard to the ground.
Pete had managed to pull himself free from the net as the gorillas left their mounts and circled him on the ground. Pete barreled forward with force throwing the guard in front of him to his back and continued his desperate flight to escape. Alan had winced as another trooper chopped at Pete’s head with an angry fist and he slammed, motionless onto the ground. It quickly became obvious that the gorilla who clubbed Pete was the troop leader as he began gesturing and in moments, Pete’s arms were jerked behind his back, wrists wrapped with leather straps. Alan could still feel where he had bit at his inner lip watching Pete unconscious and helpless, but he could do nothing to intervene. Alan couldn’t make out most of what was being said but the shouted, “Tell them Virdon and Galen got away and tell their local police to find them! Move!” reached his ears clearly. Two gorillas spun their horses around and galloped southwest probably grateful to put some distance between themselves and their agitated commander.
Alan’s expression deepened from concern to worry. This troop wasn’t just chasing stray humans; somehow these gorillas knew who they were – Enemies of the State sought by The High Council under the orders of Council Chairman Zaius, an orangutan, the highest-ranking representative of the government, and Chief of Security Urko, the gorilla commander-in-chief of these apes who had unspoken orders to kill them should any opportunity arise.
He pulled himself deeper into the camouflage of his shelter and watched as the gorilla leader yanked Pete’s head up by his dark hair, gesticulated at the watching troopers, then let go allowing his face to thud against the ground. He swallowed hard. This gorilla knew the names Virdon and Galen which meant he knew that they had captured Burke – a prize worth favor in the eyes Urko. The High Council wanted them alive, for now, to learn about them, two humans stranded from another time and the chimpanzee who had come to their aid. His mouth grew dry as he struggled with the notion that this field commander may prefer the preferences of the Security Chief over the mandates of the Council.
Alan’s anxiety continued to grow as time passed slowly – one minute, two – and Pete never moved. Concussion, brain injury or worse, Alan gnawed at his lip and held his breath. Then sighed. Pete started to sit up causing all four of the remaining patrol to move toward him away from the nearby brush. Alan frowned until he realized Pete’s intentions. Pete was purposefully pulling the gorillas away from the area where he had seen Galen disappear in the scrub.
He nodded to himself proving that once again he was right to select this junior officer for his team engaged in exploration and study through ANSA, the American National Space Administration. Several advised against it; Major Burke – Captain, then - had a reputation for being reckless and headstrong even while excelling in the skills needed to advance in the hyper-competitive ANSA program. Some argued that he didn’t belong at all and seemed to go out their way to force mistakes that would boot him from the program. They failed. Burke was unconventional at times, exasperating at others, but despite the obstacles thrown at him, he succeeded even when more experienced candidates crumbled. When it was time for Colonel Virdon to finalize his team, Burke was an easy choice. Alan had no regrets. From early on, he saw past the smart mouth and impulsivity to a man driven to succeed, passionate about the protection of the mission and the team. He watched him now, kneeling in the dirt demanding the attention of the gorilla troop to shield Galen and him. Alan couldn’t help but feel proud of his junior officer, a half-smile on his face.
Pete finally managed to get his torso off the ground and slumped back on his legs. His head was pounding, and he was losing the feeling in his hands. He glanced around to get his bearings. Four black horses, their reins hanging loose to the ground looked his way and then returned to grazing with disinterest. Their four riders garbed in the dark maroon sleeves and trousers with black leather vests and gloves of Urko’s guard all gathered around him.
Good, only me. No Alan. No Galen.
Using his shoulder, he attempted to wipe away the dirt stuck to his chin. A black boot kicked at his leg as if to verify he was alive…or maybe just to kick him. Gorillas, after all. Pete peered back at the offending boot and choose to spit again. The shadow of a gorilla loomed over him.
“So, you are awake,” he stated gruffly.
Pete squinted upward into the dark face of the ape glowering down at him.
“Well, I kinda keep hoping that this is the nightmare and I’m gonna wake up later, but so far that hasn’t worked out for me.”
“Get him to his feet,” the gorilla gestured toward two of the troopers. They obliged by maneuvering to either side of him and yanking him roughly to a standing position. Each grabbed an arm tightly and squeezed as the troop leader spoke.
“Cason,” he said waving at the remaining gorilla standing off to the side, his eyes wide. “Mount up and come over here.” The young gorilla hastened to obey. The commander turned his gaze back to the prisoner.
“So, you are the one called Burke.”
“Burke?” Pete cocked his head. “This is the second time a patrol has confused me with that guy. Who is he anyway?”
The gorilla scowled. “I am Commander Ataxis. You are the criminal Burke.” Pete shrugged and raised his eyebrows in resigned acknowledgement.
“My patrol and I will be responsible for taking you to Central City. While under my command, you will obey my three rules.”
“I have to be honest,” Pete shook his head, “I’ve never been much of a rules guy.”
Ataxis felt his impatience boil at the audacity of this human creature and his voice began to rise. “Rule One. When you were captured, you struck my trooper.” The ape commander unexpectantly punched Pete in the stomach. He doubled over with a grunt, only the hold of the two gorillas keeping him on his feet. “If you touch another ape, your punishment will be much more severe.”
Pete sucked in air as he pulled himself upright aided by his guards. He choked out, “Apes… can… hit …humans. Humans cannot …hit apes. And you keep telling me… we’re the violent ones.”
In the nearby tree trunk, Galen grimaced, covering his mouth to stifle his own groan. The strength superiority of the gorillas was well established, and they never failed to use force as a reminder of that advantage. That the prisoner was bound made little difference. Galen wanted to look away but felt a need to stay aware in hopes Pete would know he was not alone.
“Rule Two.” Ataxis backhanded the prisoner across the face knocking him back a step even in the grip of the gorillas. “You are not to speak without permission.”
Shaking his head to clear it, Pete spit out the blood in his mouth toward the feet of the gorilla. “Technical point. How do I get permission to speak if I can’t speak to get permission?”
Across the field, Alan tasted blood, too as he bit down on his lip in frustration. He couldn’t hear what was happening but could see it and knew his junior officer all too well. “Oh, Pete, quit talking,” he muttered, both hands in knotted fists.
“Rule Three. So, Rule Three is not so much a rule as it is a problem. I won’t have a mount for you until we return to the garrison.” Pete eyed him warily, his head cocked to one side. The troop commander punched the human in the gut causing him to bend forward with a groan and then drove both fists into the back of his skull. Pete dropped limply between the gorillas holding him in place.
“I liked it better when you were not moving.”
“Cason,” Ataxis gestured for the young gorilla to pull his horse towards them. Ataxis motioned and the troopers slung Pete’s flaccid body on Cason’s lap at the horse’s neck. “As the youngest, you are responsible for the care of the animals. Add this one to your duties until we reach Central City.”
“Yes, Commander,” Cason used one hand to grip the back of the woven blue shirt worn by the prisoner to prevent him from slipping headfirst to the ground. He could feel steady although shallow breathing and gave a quiet exhale. He didn’t want the human to die on his watch. Cason tried to slow his breathing as well. It wouldn’t go well for him if the commander suspected his nervousness.
“Yagger, ride ahead to the garrison and have the signal operator alert Central City of Burke’s capture. Ask if they have any specific orders. Go! Now!” the commander jerked his arm toward the trooper. He was galloping away in moments. “The rest you, move out,” Ataxis ordered as he swung onto his horse and jerked its head toward the northwest following the lingering cloud of dust left by the departed trooper. The trio of horses climbed the hill at a slower pace and disappeared.
Alan waited an agonizing eight to ten minutes, his eyes glued on the horizon where the apes had gone making sure they did not double-back in hopes of catching the other two fugitives. He whispered aloud to Galen hoping he would follow his lead and remain out of sight until they were sure it was safe. As Alan finally drug himself out of his burrow and brushed the leaves and sticks from his rough-spun clothing, he spied Galen heaving himself out of a large hollow stump – Alan released a hard breath. He hadn’t realized just how close the trooper had been to finding his friend. Alan trotted across the field and met Galen’s stricken eyes. He pulled him down so that they were squatting in the brush away from casual observation.
“You saw,” Galen blinked rapidly, his narrow chimp nose twitching. Alan nodded. Galen absently removed a thin, crooked twig clinging to his friend’s blond hair.
“Were you able to hear anything?” Alan asked, his eyes scanning the area.
“Mmmm,” Galen’s gaze moved in the direction Pete was taken. “They were going to the garrison but plan to take Pete to Central City.”
“Do you think we can get there in time to get him out?” Alan’s mind was racing through options and having trouble determining the best one available.
“Central City is 30 hours away from here on foot. The garrison is a few miles in the wrong direction. If we go there first, there’s no way to know if they would still be there and we would add several hours to our travel. I think we can get help in the City, and we know where to look for Pete once we’re there.”
“Okay. We will go straight to Central City.” Alan gently gripped Galen’s arm assuring himself that he was all right. Galen responded with a slight nod and gentle pat to Alan’s hand. They were together absent one and needed no discussion to know that they needed to get him back.
“We need to stay under cover until we’re sure we’re clear of the gorillas,” Alan talked over their silent communication. His face was set, the first decision made. “It’s a long walk. Let’s go.” Galen’s nose crinkled rapidly giving way his own worries. They both began to slink through the brush warily watching for any movement and listening for hoof beats. Neither wanted to talk about their friend last seen draped unmoving over the back of a black horse nor when, or if, they might see him again.