What is needed most by Sable_Cain (postée par Valirée)

Sable_Cain est une merveilleuse auteur, une des premières que j’ai lues ! Ces fic sont GEN et centrées sur l’amitié Sheppard/McKay. Peu de violences physiques, mais plein de tortures psychologiques. What is needed most est sa plus longue fic dans l’univers SGA (elle a écrit quatre fic à ce jour).
Pour toutes les lires visitez son site : http://www.geocities.com/sable_cain/SGA.html
Je tenterais de la traduire (50 pages ! ça risque de prendre du temps …)
Initialement en trois parties, je vais la poster en bcp plus, car sinon ça ne passe pas !!!!!!

DISCLAIMERS: The characters, Atlantis, etc, all belong to MGM, Gecko, Showtime, the Sci-Fi Channel.

SPOILERS: Definite spoilers for “Brotherhood” as well as “The Storm” and “Eye” Possibly some for “Underground” and some other early first season episodes.

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“You okay back there, Dr. McKay?” Humor tinged Major Sheppard’s voice as the Atlantian team walked with their Smyrnian escorts through the tall grass of planet MXH-348.

“Ha ha ha, very funny.” Rodney scowled, wiping a thin line of sweat from his brow. “He thinks he’s funny,” he told Radu. The Smyrnian smiled graciously. “We’re fine back here, Major,” Rodney responded to John. “I’m just sharing with Radu the latest test I’ve been running on the life signs detector. He’s quite fascinated.” Rodney stopped himself from telling Sheppard that Radu walked entirely too slowly.

Sheppard rolled his eyes, noting Teyla’s amused expression. “I’m sure he is. Don’t bore the man; we need him for the negotiations.”

“Again…ha ha ha,” Rodney answered, obviously not finding the major at all funny.

“Put the scanner away; you can play later.” Sheppard’s eyes searched the grasses around them, slightly unnerved by the shoulder high stalks. It reminded him of the eerie ambush scene in movie Jurassic Park 3.

Vicily, the Smyrnian leader, nodded reassuringly. “We are almost there, Major Sheppard. The pavilion has been set up for our meeting today.” The tall, thin man moved with a grace that made him appear to glide through the field.

With one more check back on Teyla, Ford and Rodney, who was falling further behind, still pointing to his scanner and rattling off facts to his guide, Sheppard continued after the fair-haired leader. It had been three days since his team had first encountered the Smyrnians as they’d scouted out MXH-348 as a possible ZPM location. After an initially tense introduction, the primitive farmers and gatherers had quickly agreed to meet again to trade. Weir had declared it an excellent opportunity to establish a new ally. So, Sheppard and his team had returned today, hoping to set up a formal agreement for trading. When they’d come through the gate, as scheduled, Vicily and three of his men were waiting for them, ready to lead them into the village.

“I’m hoping, in time,” Rodney explained to Radu. “To program our scanners to be able to distinguish between various life forms, particularly the Wraith of course.” He shuddered unconsciously.

Radu’s eyes, wide with wonder, were fixed on the handheld device. “Never have I seen such a machine,” he said softly.

“No, I imagine not.” McKay turned the scanner on. “See here. This cluster, these eight dots represent the group of us.” He frowned suddenly. Besides the eight dots, more than a half a dozen other dots scattered behind the party. “That’s…” he paused, and stopped walking, looking around them, but the grass was too high and thick to see anything.

“What is it?” Radu asked curiously, glancing around as well.

“Oh, Um…there appears to be at least six, no eight more life signs then our group here.” Rodney pointed to the dots on the screen, double checking the read out.

“I would not worry about it, “ Radu said calmly. “I’m sure it is nothing save my people coming into the village for the meeting, or possibly it is deer. There are many here, they plague our fields.”

“Right.” McKay started walking again, realizing that the rest of the group was quite far ahead of them on the narrow path that cut through the field. “I thought all your people lived in the village,” he commented remembering the intel they’d gathered on their earlier trip.

“Yes, however, they might have been working in the North Field,” Radu explained. “Our harvest is nearing. Come.” He motioned forward. “We’re almost to the village.”

John sighed with obvious relief as the group emerged from the tall grass into an open area set up as a small village. Vicily motioned towards the largest building, which actually looked more like a large animal pen than a pavilion. The roof set high on weight-baring wooden beams, but the walls of the structure were nothing more than roughly weaved wire. Surrounding the pavilion, irregularly spaced, were various sized grass huts. A dozen or so men of Smyrna were already seated on rough-hewn benches that lined the “walls” of the pavilion. Dressed in plain brown pants and colorful flowing shirts, the word Gypsy crossed Sheppard’s mind as he observed the small group. Stepping aside, the Major allowed Vicily, Teyla, Lt. Ford and their two escorts, Vidor and Yakov, to precede him.

“Where are McKay and Radu?” Sheppard asked peering into the grassy field again.

“They are coming.” Vicily pointed as the two men came into view. They were just exiting the field and Sheppard wondered what the delay was before he turned and entered the building.

“Welcome,” Vicily entered, leading the way, escorting them further into the makeshift pavilion, toward the center of the room.

Three Smyrnians stood as if cued and blocked the entrance like guards.

“Major?” Lt. Ford questioned.

Suddenly, it was as if Ford’s voice had signaled the rest of the Smyrnians into action. Instinctively, the three Atlantians raised their P90s but it was too late. They were surrounded and the men, who three days earlier had been toting nothing but knives and bows and arrows, now held them captive with much more modern weapons.

“What the hell is going on here?” Sheppard asked, his voice dangerously low.

“It would be in your best interest to hand over your weapons now,” Vicily explained simply.

“Oh really?” Sheppard backed down.

“Yes, and in the best interest of your friend, Dr. McKay.”

Rodney continued talking to Radu about scanner technology, trying to sum up decades worth of technology in a way he could understand, as they stepped into the village’s clearing. “See, if I can just find a way to interface the Atlantean technology with the limited Wraith technology we’ve obtained, I’m hopeful that…” he stopped, startled by a sudden commotion in the Pavilion. He stared, stunned as the rest of his team were surrounded by the Smyrnians.

“Major?” He started forward, reaching for his firearm but a strong grip on his upper arm stopped him. He stared in shock at Radu and the weapon pointed at him.

“Please cooperate, Doctor. It will go better for everyone that way,” Radu pleaded.

“Cooperate? What the hell is going on here?” Rodney echoed Sheppard’s exact words. He searched for the major again, seeing him in a tense stand off with the group inside the building. Radu pushed him several feet closer to the pavilion. He was close enough to hear the others now. “I don’t understand,” he protested.

“Maybe I can help clear up the situation.”

McKay froze, fear spiking through his mind. He couldn’t turn around to look. It couldn’t be.

John saw him, his anger flaring. “Kolya!”

“Now, Major Sheppard. Once again I seem to have the tactical advantage.” The Genii commander smiled knowingly as he stepped further out of the grass and waved his hand, signaling his men.

Eight stepped out of the field behind Rodney and Radu, while eight more spilled out of the two closest huts to the pavilion; all of them were heavily armed.

Rodney tipped his head back, closing his eyes momentarily. “The extra life signs.” He looked at Radu accusingly, but the Smyrnian looked away.

“What do you want, Kolya?” Sheppard demanded harshly. He knew Kolya was right about having the advantage…again. “There is no ZPM here.”

Kolya smiled again, and walked slowly toward the building. “It’s not what I want, Major. It’s who I want.” The commander turned and looked at Rodney. “We meet again, Dr. McKay.”

Rodney’s eyes grew wide. “No.” He tried to back away, but a Genii soldier was there, pressing his weapon into McKay’s back and pushing him forward again.

John shook his head, Kolya’s intention dawning on him. “Not going to happen, Kolya.”

“Hand your weapons over to the Smyrnians, now.”

“I will not let this happen,” Sheppard repeated, refusing to lower his weapon.

Kolya stared at John a moment, then without looking behind him, raised his hand and signaled to his men. The soldier behind McKay moved quickly, raising his weapon and smashing it viciously into the Doctor’s back, aiming for the kidneys.

Rodney stumbled, tripping forward before landing on his knees from the blow. Pain seared through him and his vision blurred. He put his hands out, catching himself before landing face first in the dirt. On hands and knees, he fought the dizziness and struggled against the nausea.

“No!” John moved, but the Smyrnians stepped closer, raising their weapons higher. He calculated how effective they would be with the unfamiliar guns.

Teyla shifted beside him. “Major,” she spoke softly, assessing the danger.

“I know,” Sheppard conceded, but still held onto his P90.

“The choice is yours, Sheppard,” Kolya reminded.

“You won’t kill him,” John argued, staring hatefully at Kolya. His mind reeled. How the hell could was he going to be able to stop this from happening? Was Rodney okay? “Not if he’s the reason you’re here.”

Kolya’s grin was slow and frightening. “I want his mind, Major. I don’t need him physically whole.” The same soldier who’d hit McKay now aimed his gun down at Rodney’s legs. “One knee at a time.” Kolya shrugged. “Your choice.”

John watched Rodney. The doctor was obviously still dazed by the blow, but had pushed himself up so that he was kneeling now instead of on all fours. His face was a pale mix of fear and pain. Reluctantly, Sheppard lowered his weapon. Unsnapping it from his vest, he handed it to Vicily. He focused on Kolya who was looking smug. “I will kill you,” John promised as Teyla and Ford followed his lead and surrendered their weapons.

“Yes, so you said the last time we met.”

“I mean it.”

“I’m sure you do.” Kolya looked down at Rodney. “Let’s go, Dr. McKay.”

Rodney shook his head, ignoring the throbbing pain. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” he snarled stubbornly.

“Vicily.” Kolya’s voice was sharp.

Immediately, the Smyrnian leader stepped forward and grabbed Teyla by the arm, placing the barrel of his weapon to her temple. Two other guards grabbed Lt. Ford and Major Sheppard to keep them from interfering.

A new fear rushed through Rodney.

“Choose, Doctor. Now.”

McKay’s eyes met Teyla’s and he caught the slight shake of her head clearly, her eyes filling with anger rather than fear, but he couldn’t make that choice. “I’ll go,” he managed.

“Very good.” Kolya nodded and McKay was dragged to his feet. His weapon and radio removed and tossed into the dirt. Kolya turned back toward Sheppard as Rodney was hauled into the deep grass. “Vicily will escort you to the gate in an hour.” His dark eyes narrowed. “Same courtesy you granted me as I recall.” Then he turned and melted into the field himself.


“Damn it,” Sheppard swore as Vicily looked again at the hourglass he’d been using to track the time. “Just let us go now,” the Major demanded. He paced back and forth, two steps one way; two steps back, daring the Smyrnians to stop him. His rage boiled inside. He was furious at everyone. At Kolya for taking Rodney, at the Smyrnian’s for their part in the set up and at himself for letting it all happen.

The Smyrnians watched tensely, already having forced the team to remove their packs and radios. Though some of the men had left the pavilion, the majority had stayed, retaining tight grips on the weapons they kept aimed at the three visitors.

“Soon, we will lead you back to the gate,” Vicily responded smoothly.

“Why have you done this?” Teyla asked, her low voice was laced with anger, but her face remained impassive.

Vicily gave a small shrug. “Commander Kolya came to us days before you. Our loyalty is to him foremost.”

“Why?” Ford shook his head disgustedly.

“He promises protection,” The leader explained without apology.

“Protection from what? The Wraith? He can’t protect you,” Sheppard argued

Vicily nodded, accepting Sheppard’s anger. “We shall see,” he murmured, confidently.

“How will he protect you?” Sheppard pushed. “By taking McKay?” He advanced on Vicily but Vidor stepped in front of him, using his rifle to hold John back. John ignored the cold steel pressing into his chest. “How could you let this happen? McKay never did anything to hurt you or your people…we’ve done nothing to harm you!”

Vicily met his angry stare but didn’t answer.

“What does Kolya want with McKay?” John demanded.

“Its not my place to reveal the Commander’s plans.” Vicily answered.

“Not your place…”Sheppard shook his head. “Right, but you felt fine about setting us up. Damn it!” He turned away before he struck out at the Smyrnian, realizing it would be a futile attempt that could only get them killed. A tense silence settled in the makeshift building as the Major returned to his pacing.

At last, Yakov stepped forward and pointed to the glass of sand. Vicily whispered to him and turned, smiling to Sheppard, Teyla and Lt. Ford. “Your time has come.”

Sheppard shrugged off any attempts to guide him, glaring vengefully at the men around him and bitterly enjoying the fear he could read in their eyes.

The trip back through the field of grass seemed to take three times longer than it had coming in. John tried not to think about what was happening to McKay, but his mind could wrap around nothing else. Where had Kolya taken Rodney? What did he want him for? How badly was the doctor hurt, and would Kolya hurt him any worse? John knew that McKay’s history with the commander was scattered with physical violence, but he also knew that Kolya tended to leave Rodney alone when he wanted the scientist to complete a task. Sheppard hoped that would be enough to keep McKay safe this time.

Finally, they reached the tiny clearing and the stargate. “You are free to return to your world.” Vicily gestured, stepping back toward the field and allowing Ford privacy as he stepped forward to dial the gate.


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TBC

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Rodney stumbled along, tripping over the rough terrain as he was shoved from behind. “Hey!” he protested once, but that only earned him another blow to his kidneys. He hit all fours again, gasping and trying to breath through his pain.

“Get up,” Kolya ordered.

“It’d be a whole lot easier to stay on my feet if your goons would keep their hands and weapons to themselves,” McKay snapped, glaring angrily up at the commander. “I’m of no use to you dead,” he reminded dramatically.

Kolya rolled his eyes and grabbed McKay’s arm, wrenching him up to his feet. “You’re not even close to dead…yet.” The Genii smiled.

Rodney opened his mouth, then closed it, deciding it was time to keep quiet. Another shove and he was in motion again. Behind him he heard Kolya speak sternly.

“Touch him again without my order and you’ll be the one dead.”

Was Kolya actually protecting him now? God, what did the man want from him? He knew where they were, he’d recognized the world the Genii inhabited as soon as they’d stepped through the gate. What surprised him though was that instead of being hustled into their city below ground, he’d been quietly led on this undeveloped path through the woods.

“Where are you taking me?” He forgot his earlier decision to keep quiet.

Kolya sighed almost wearily. “Shut up and keep walking.”

“You at least can tell me why I’m here. Cowen has got to know I won’t make a nuclear weapon for him now.” McKay glanced over his shoulder at the commander, trying to gauge the man’s reaction.

“Cowen has nothing to do with this,” Kolya growled.

Rodney stopped walking. “What? Did Cowen decide he was done with you after you failed to take over Atlantis and then lost the ZPM as well?” he taunted.

Kolya reacted instantly, backhanding McKay hard enough to make the doctor stumble backwards. “Shut up and walk,” Kolya hissed before stalking past.

Rodney bent over, hands on his knees as blood oozed from his split lip, and his back cramped painfully. He watched the commander carefully. “That was stupid,” he mumbled to himself. “You have got to quit spending so much time with the Major.”

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“What do you mean it was an ambush?” Elizabeth Weir’s eyes were wide with shock as Sheppard stormed up the gate room steps with Teyla and Aiden. “Are you okay?”

“No. I’m not okay. That bastard has McKay!” John fumed.

“What? Who? The Smyrnians?” Elizabeth looked from John to Lt. Ford.

“Commander Kolya, ma’am,” Ford filled in.

“Kolya?” the name physically rocked Elizabeth and she reached out to steady herself against the control room’s glass wall. “Kolya?” she repeated. “Please, someone explain this.” The control room was silent as those manning Atlantis’ computers listened intently.

Sheppard waved at Ford, gesturing for him to fill Weir in.

“When we arrived on planet, everything was going as originally planned until we reached their village. We were led into a building where more men were waiting and as soon as we arrived, they surrounded us. They were heavily armed. That’s when Commander Kolya arrived. The Smyrnians disarmed us and Kolya took Dr. McKay and left. Evidently he’d made contacted with the group days before we did. They had three days to set all this up with him.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t understand. Why does Kolya want Rodney? What reason did he give?”

“I believe his intention is to use the doctor for his knowledge,” Teyla spoke calmly. “He said he wanted Dr. McKay for his mind.”

“And McKay went with him?” Weir rubbed her forehead.

“He didn’t have much of a choice,” John snapped. He sensed Teyla flinch beside him and caught the anger flash across her face at the reminder that she’d been used against Rodney.

“Did he hurt him?” Elizabeth shuddered as memories of Kolya’s attempt to take Atlantis flooded her thoughts. She could see Kolya angrily trying to push Rodney over the rail at the grounding station, and could feel his arm tightly locked around her waist as he dragged her toward the event horizon.

“I’m going to get him back,” Sheppard avoided answering.

Weir shook her head, her professionalism returning as she took a deep breath. “Do you even know where they took him?” she asked.

“I’m going back to MXH-384 and find out.” He looked at Ford. “Get started, I want all available men,” he ordered.

“Major, you can’t leave Atlantis undefended,” Elizabeth argued.

“Elizabeth, it’s Rodney.”

She nodded, “I know that, but we have no idea where he is or what Kolya wants him for. What if Kolya has a plan to use him to attempt to take Atlantis again? If you’re off world with our entire military force, how are we going to protect ourselves?”

“I’ll leave half,” Sheppard compromised.

“That’s not enough. Rodney knows this city and its functions almost better than any of us. How can we defend ourselves against that kind of inside knowledge?”

John looked at Elizabeth, then at Teyla who gave him the briefest nod as if reading his thoughts. He looked back to Weir, confidently. “Then we trust that Rodney would never let his knowledge be used against us.”


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TBC

Darkness had fallen and still McKay walked, following along the path where Kolya’s men led him. He’d rummaged into his pack at one point, causing everyone around him to overreact. Weapons were cocked and aimed; his arms pulled roughly away from the offending threat…all over an energy bar. Kolya had sworn and barked out an order to keep moving. At least the Commander had let him eat the stupid snack, McKay thought as he plunged further into the thick forest. He was starving, and he was thirsty.

Kolya pushed past him, taking the lead and conferring with his men. Rodney stopped walking. “Are we anywhere near wherever it is you’re taking me?” he questioned, exhaustion swamping him.

“Shut up,” someone commanded behind him. Everyone else ignored him.

“Just saying.” Rodney shrugged innocently. “I can only go so far with no real food or water you know.”

The soldier who’d spoken stepped closer, threateningly. “Shut. Up.” He thrust his fist harmlessly at McKay and the doctor flinched back only to have the man laugh at his reaction.

“McKay.”

Rodney spun around to face Kolya.

“This way.” Kolya took him by the arm and directed him, almost as if giving a tour. “Duck your head,” he instructed.

McKay obeyed and when Kolya motioned for him to straighten up again he was surprised to find they had entered a large cave. The walls of the cave had been shored up against any possible collapse and a crude string of dim electric lights lit the entire area. Somewhere in the depths of the cave, Rodney recognized the hum of a generator. “Nice.” He swallowed back a wave of claustrophobia. “Nice set up.” There were over a dozen men and a few women, all dressed in military garb scattered around the huge cavern.

“It’s a start,” Kolya acknowledged. “When Cowen decided I was no longer an…asset to his operation, I needed a place to run to ground.”

“And you had to be literal about it?” Rodney raised an eyebrow, skeptically.

Kolya’s grunt could have been interpreted as a laugh. “Some of my men,” the commander motioned around the ‘room’, “Decided to join me. We found this place and though we still have a long way to go…we’re making progress.”

McKay bit back a sarcastic comment and simply nodded.

“Rogers will show you to your quarters.” Kolya gestured and a young blond haired soldier barely old enough to shave, stepped forward.

“I have quarters?” McKay asked, genuinely surprised.

Kolya grinned and a chill swept through Rodney. “Of a sort.” He walked away, leaving Rodney with little choice but to follow Rogers deeper into the damp unwelcoming darkness.

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John double checked his life signs detector and signaled for the troops to wait for his lead. They’d arrived on the Smyrnian’s world just after dark and so far no lights had appeared on screen other than those indicating their own lives. The wind stirred the tall grassy field giving it the eerie illusion of being in motion. As unsettling as the field was in broad daylight, it was absolutely terrifying at night.

“Too many horror movies,” Sheppard muttered to himself, as he signaled again for his men to move out in groups of two. He’d wanted to bring the puddle jumpers this time but Weir had been adamant. It was still too dangerous to leave Atlantis defenseless, she’d argued, pointing out that they were already without their best pilot. Sheppard had taken the unspoken but obviously implied guilt and filed it under “ignore,” before walking away from her. Part of him understood her position but the other was too focused on Rodney. Without McKay, he wasn’t actually sure they could ever properly defend Atlantis, and beyond that need…McKay was part of his team, a part that he’d let be dragged away in captivity.

“Major,” Teyla’s voice sounded in his ear piece as the quick moving troops spilled out of the field and into the village…or what was left of it. “There are no signs that any of the Smyrnians remain.”

“I see it,” Sheppard answered. He knew he was grasping at straws, coming back to the Smyrnians, but he had to try.

“There’s no sign of anyone, Major.” Lt. Ford was coming toward him, the light on his P90 bouncing like it was floating in mid air as he jogged. “The place is deserted.” The young man’s voice was filled with disappointment and anger. “What do we do now?”

Sheppard’s eyes scanned the village, watching as his men searched everywhere, just in case, but knowing they’d find nothing. Vicily had insinuated as much when he’d let them go. It was time to pay another visit to the Genii.

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Rodney gaped in horror as Rogers pointed to his “room.” He looked at the young soldier grinning at him and shook his head. “No way. You can’t expect me to go in there.” He gestured to the two foot wide opening that was barely as tall as he was. Inside he could see some kind of dim light. It illuminated enough of the room’s features for him to fear the small space.

Soldier boy shrugged and nudged him forward, pushing him through the hole.

McKay spun around, attempting to push his way back out but the weapon leveled at his head stopped him. Taking a slow shaky breath, he held up his hands in surrender. “Okay. Okay. I stay here.”

Rogers nodded, then turned around, taking up a guard stance just outside the open doorway.

“You’re talkative,” Rodney muttered. “Great.” He shook his head. “Wonderful.”
He looked around, examining his accommodations carefully and fighting his claustrophobia. The room was about eight feet long and four feet deep. A bedroll sat in one corner and a bare light bulb dangled against the wall from a wire. The light played on the dirt walls creating a haunting array of shadows. Glancing at the opposite corner, he wrinkled his nose in disgust to find an empty bucket. “Unbelievable,” he said, sinking to his knees resignedly and unrolling his ‘bed’. He slipped the pack off his back, groaning as a wave of pain raced through him. He could only imagine what kind of bruise he was sporting. Sitting cross-legged on the bedroll he checked to see how much attention Rogers was paying and unzipped his pack.

Pulling out his scanner, the first thing he checked was the surrounding life signs. Disappointment washed over him as the small screen lit up with over two-dozen little lights. He sighed heavily, looking up again at his guard. Even if he could take out the young soldier, there was no way he could feasibly sneak out of the disorienting cave without someone noticing. Fiddling with the scanner, he wondered if there was any way he could program it to send some kind of signal to Atlantis. His head ached and he found it difficult to concentrate on the problem. If only he still had his radio. True, the gate had to be dialed in order to make any contact, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before Sheppard would be on this planet looking for him and with the radio…he could send a signal through the Major’s frequency. That is if the Smyrnian’s had let his team go.

A new fear overwhelmed him, stopping him cold as he remembered watching Vicily hold a weapon against Teyla’s head. What if…. He choked on the sudden lump in dry throat. No, he wouldn’t believe that, he couldn’t…. But even as he tried to convince himself that Sheppard and the others were fine, an indescribable loneliness settled in the pit of his stomach.

Movement outside his tiny prison jerked him to awareness and he quickly shoved his scanner into his pack and pushed the pack itself behind him.

It was Kolya who ducked into the room. He carried a tin plate of food and a canteen of what Rodney prayed was water. “I see you’re making yourself comfortable.” Kolya’s smirk looked evil in the flickering light. He squatted in front of McKay and held out the food like an offering. “My apologies for the delay.”

Rodney took the plate and canteen. “You’re just fortunate I haven’t passed out from hunger,” he snorted. He took a hesitant sip from the canteen, wincing as the cool metal scraped his split lip, and then drank greedily. He ignored Kolya’s amused smile. “What happened to the rest of my team?” Rodney asked, lowering the canteen and recapping it. He picked up a piece of meat from the plate, noting the lack of utensils. He examined the greasy morsel and sniffed it before deciding he didn’t want to know what it was. He met Kolya’s eyes as he took a bite and waited for the Commander to answer.

Kolya’s face lost its smile. “The Smyrnian’s were given orders to escort your team back to the stargate after an hour.”

“But did they?” McKay swallowed the flavorless meat. “I don’t know what you want from me, or why you have me here…but I don’t intend to do anything for you until I’m positive that Major Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan and Lt. Ford were returned to Atlantis safely.”

Kolya shifted and looked down. “You’ll just have to accept my word. They were released unharmed,” he said sincerely, meeting McKay’s challenging gaze again. “Now hand over your pack,” he ordered.

Rodney didn’t move. He lifted his chin slightly, trying to hold his ground.

“Don’t make me take it from you, Doctor.” Kolya’s stare intensified and he stood up, towering over McKay.

Reluctantly, Rodney reached behind him and pulled out his pack. He handed it to Kolya. “I’ll need that,” he said as Kolya turned to go.

“You’ll get it back in the morning.”

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“I’m taking the jumpers,” Sheppard stood his ground this time. “We need to catch the Genii with as much power as possible,” he pointed out.

Elizabeth stood behind her desk, her arms crossed defensively. “They’ll be expecting you.”

“All the more reason to take as much power as we can. It worked last time.”

“And don’t you think they’ll be prepared for it now?” Her eyes flashed between anger and fear. She wanted to help Rodney but to leave Atlantis defenseless….

“Prepared or not, we still have more fire power.” John ran his hand through his hair, his frustration growing. Why couldn’t she understand? “And you won’t be defenseless.”

“Who’s going to fly the other jumper?” Elizabeth challenged stubbornly.

“I will.” The new voice startled both of them as Dr. Beckett stepped into the office, determinedly.

“Carson.” Elizabeth shook her head as Beckett wrung his hands nervously. Then it was like he flipped an inner switch. He stood taller and looked defiant.

“I’m the first one to tell ya I’m not a pilot, I know that.” He looked at John then back to Weir. “But I came up here to tell you both I am going on this mission.”

“We need you here.” Weir glanced at John, expecting him to back her up but he merely shrugged as if there was nothing he could…or would do to persuade Beckett differently.

“No you don’t, lass. There’s plenty o’doctors who can take care of what’s needed ‘til I return, but I’ll not be leaving Rodney out there with no one. We don’t know what’s been done to him,” he reminded in a softer, frightened tone. “I’m going.”

Elizabeth looked at him then at Sheppard again and sighed wearily, sinking into her chair. “Who will you leave in charge here?”

“Bates, and I’ll leave Evans as well.”

She picked up a pen and absently twirled it across the back of her fingers, dropping it. Her hands were shaking. “When are you leaving?” she asked finally.

“Just before daybreak,” Sheppard answered.

The office was quiet for a few moments before Elizabeth spoke again. “You’ll find him,” she said softly, as if she were trying to simply reassure herself.

John watched her closely. He took in the sag of her shoulders and the weary way she slumped in her chair. He didn’t envy her the burden of being in charge. Hell, it was hard enough handling the military side of things and he knew he added to at least half of her burden himself. As angry as he could get with some of her decisions, he understood that she had the entire city to consider. What happened to Rodney was tearing her up more than she would ever let on.

“I will find him,” Sheppard found his voice and tried to sound confident.


It took a moment, but finally Weir nodded in agreement. “Just bring everyone home in one piece,” she requested. “Please.”


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It was just before dawn when the jumpers went through the gate. Weir watched from the control room as a determined Sheppard and a visibly nervous Beckett took off. She hoped and prayed she had made the right decision. Atlantis needed them all and she couldn’t bear the thought of losing anyone else. They’d lost too many lives to this galaxy already. Maybe, in the end, that was why she had let them go. She wasn’t willing to lose Rodney either. Her hatred for Kolya burned as she heard both Sheppard and Beckett confirm they’d made it through the event horizon without any problems. She reached for the radio. “Stay in regular contact,” she reminded, feeling no guilt that she hoped Sheppard really did get the chance to kill the Commander this time.

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Rodney grunted and shifted uncomfortably on the lumpy bedroll. With bleary eyes, he squinted at his watch checking the time…again, and wondered what was in store now that morning was finally arriving. Time had seemed to crawl as the night passed in the dank hole. He had finished his food, used the dreaded bucket and done his best to sleep, but the ground felt more like rock than dirt and the aches and pains in his back made real sleep impossible, not to mention the constant fear and apprehension. He wondered where Major Sheppard was.

“Dr. McKay.” Kolya’s voice startled him and he scrambled clumsily to sit up. A small groan escaped despite his efforts to keep it in. His lip felt like it was four times larger than it should have been.

“What?” he snapped, rubbing his eyes.

Kolya smiled. “Time to earn your keep.”

McKay huffed and shook his head. “Do I at least get fresh water to wash my face or breakfast even?” He struggled to stand but a spasm in his back knocked him onto his butt with an undignified yelp.

Without a word, Kolya held out a hand, offering help. Rodney hesitated, not wanting to accept anything from his captor, but eventually his common sense won the battle over his pride. He grasped Kolya’s hand and allowed the commander to haul him to his feet.

Kolya waited until McKay was steady before releasing him. “Follow me.”

Rodney obeyed, following Kolya deeper into the cave’s depths. He noticed then that a new boy soldier had replaced his guard Rogers.

“You can wash up here.” Kolya gestured to a bench along the dirt packed wall. On it sat a basin filled with water and a pile of neatly folded towels. “Be quick about it.”

Rodney tried not to think of how many others might have already ‘washed up’ with the same icy cold water as he quickly splashed his face and rinsed his hands. At least the towels looked clean, he thought, using one to dry off.

“Better?” Kolya motioned for him to leave his towel there.

“Some,” McKay admitted reluctantly, as they continued down the tunnel.

They had gone no more than twenty feet from the water basin when the tunnel opened up into another wide cavernous room, shored up with wooden supports. There were two other tunnels branching off, one on the right, the other to the left. In the center of the cavern sat an unusual looking device that immediately reminded Rodney of the organ his grandmother used to play every time he visited. Even from where he stood McKay could recognized the language of the ancients carved along the dark paneled sides.

“Is this why I’m here?” He walked past Kolya approaching the device and ignoring the tense reaction as his new guard raised his weapon. “What is it?” He circled the device slowly.

Kolya waved the guard to relax. “That’s what I want you to tell me.” He approached, handing McKay his pack. “I believe it’s possibly a weapon, left behind by the ancients when they fled the Wraith.”

“You found it here?” McKay asked skeptically, taking his pack and immediately checking that everything was still there. Why would the ancients leave a weapon here? He wondered to himself.

“No.” Kolya’s tone made it clear he wasn’t going to tell McKay where he’d found it.

“Why would the ancients leave a weapon behind if it was effective?” The device was mesmerizing; the top panel slanted from the front up to the back, and was covered with rectangular shaped, colored crystals.

“Maybe it’s programmable and the ancients used it to hold off the Wraith while they escaped. I don’t know, that’s why I’ve got you,” Kolya explained.

Rodney looked up from the machine. “So you expect me to just make this work so you can use it against whomever you feel like?”

Kolya nodded. “That’s my plan.”

“What if I refuse?"

“You won’t.”

“There’s no one here to hold at gun point in order to coerce me this time,” Rodney reminded.

Kolya was silent, his congenial expression turning to stone. “No…only you.”

The implication was clear. Rodney swallowed nervously, his throat suddenly very dry. “Shooting me defeats your entire purpose.”

“Who said anything about shooting anyone?” Kolya snapped his fingers and two more guards emerged from the side tunnels. They moved quickly, grabbing McKay’s arms.

“Hey!” Rodney struggled but they held him immobile as Kolya advanced. “You need me,” McKay insisted, his eyes darting around the room frantically searching for any escape.

Kolya stopped in front of him, nodding. “I do need you, Dr. McKay. Don’t abuse that.” The blow came quickly, solidly, pounding into Rodney’s gut and knocking the air out of him. His knees gave out as he focused on breathing, but the Genii soldiers held him upright. Kolya leaned in close, his mouth almost brushing McKay’s ear. “You will get this machine to work,” he hissed. “And don’t try to tell me you can’t. I’ve seen your work, doctor. I know your capabilities.” He pulled back and nodded to the guards to release McKay.

Rodney swayed but managed to stay on his feet, glaring at the Commander.

“Get to work,” Kolya ordered. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

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TBC

The raid on the Genii had worked exactly like Sheppard had planned…almost. The jumpers had flown through the gate just before dawn and the teams had caught Cowen and those closest to him completely unprepared. Most of the underground city was oblivious still to the invasion as Sheppard, Ford, Teyla and Beckett led the others in their group in a stealthy attack. Now, though Sheppard’s confusion and anger was about more than he could handle as Lt. Ford held Cowen under guard and John realized the Genii leader was just as confused and angry as he was.

“What the hell do you mean?” Sheppard demanded. “Where’s McKay?”

Cowen scowled but shook his head as two of his men tried to struggle out of Teyla and Stackhouse’s grasps. The Genii stilled at Cowen’s unspoken command. “I have no idea where Dr. McKay is. What is the meaning of this, this invasion?”

“This is how we tend to respond when we’re ambushed and our people are taken against their will.” Sheppard’s voice got louder.

“I told you I have no idea…” Cowen started to repeat himself.

“No, of course not. Commander Kolya just took Dr. McKay under his own volition, no orders from you? Are you going to try and tell me that you didn’t order him to take Atlantis either?”

Cowen stilled instantly, a new look of outrage coming over him. “Kolya?” The animosity was clear to everyone.

John lowered his weapon. “What?”

Sighing wearily, Cowen shook his head. “I removed Kolya of his command after his failures and his obsessions became evident. His attempt on Dagan against the Quindosim was unauthorized. He has become a liability.”

“You removed him, did you?" John rolled his eyes.

Cowen continued. “Kolya and a small contingent of our military have split off and formed a resistance. We believe he is planning an attempt to overthrow our current governing leadership.”

“And replace you,” Teyla filled in. “What would he want with Dr. McKay?”

“I have no idea.”

Sheppard tapped his trigger finger against the side of his P90 as he tried to figure out his next plan of action. “We’ll do a search.” He looked at Cowen. “Kolya’s still on this world?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Cowen nodded. “We believe so, but we haven’t found his headquarters yet. We think they’ve taken up deep in the far side of the forest.”

“With our sensors, it shouldn’t take us long to find them,” Lt. Ford spoke up.

Cowen’s eyes narrowed at the lieutenant, then he nodded. “I’ll give my permission for you to search on the condition you share all your information with me.”

Sheppard grinned, shaking his head. “See, here’s where I don’t think you understood me.” His smile slipped into a fierce scowl. “I’m not asking your permission and as for sharing information…Kolya is mine.”


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Rodney waited until Kolya was gone and the guards had backed off before he tried to regroup and think about the task at hand. He took a deep breath, rubbing his aching stomach tenderly, then knelt beside the ancient device. The lighting in the open cavern was slightly brighter than in the tunnel, but the shadows still unnerved McKay. He couldn’t tell how many other guards were lurking in the darkness. Shaking off the uneasy ‘watched’ feeling, he focused on the machine. It was truly amazing. He was tempted to run his hands across the top crystals, just to see what would happen, but knew better. First, he needed to translate the carvings and try to ascertain the machine’s functions. If it was a weapon…he knew that no matter what threats Kolya threw at him or what ways the commander concocted to push him, he could not allow the man to use the device against anyone.

Rodney reached for his pack, swallowing his fear as he dug for his scanner and diagnostic equipment. He heard the guards shift but ignored them as he pulled it out and turned the scanner on. Even though there were no energy signatures coming from the device, he ran his fingertips tentatively over the carvings at first. When nothing happened, he relaxed a little more and brushed the dirt away from the lettering, clearing it off so he could translate it. His fingers lingered over the carvings as translations ran through his mind. He isolated symbols and sounds until they came together smoothly and he was certain. “I will sing,” he whispered, following the lettering. “Even with my soul. I will awaken the dawn.” He smiled, then flinched when his lip split open again. He dabbed the oozing wound distractedly, his thoughts swirling. Relief warred with renewed fear. He was fairly certain he knew the machine’s purpose, but what would he tell Kolya?

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Cowen watched as Sheppard ordered half of his men to remain with the Genii, keeping them under a general guard, then split the remaining group into two smaller teams that would take the ships to search. Cowen knew that the Major really didn’t fear any kind of uprising or revolt. It wasn’t that Sheppard was arrogant, or that the Atlantian team outnumbered the Genii; in fact, they numbered less than a third of the Genii forces, but Sheppard knew as Cowen did. The Atlantians held the power…for now.

Cowen smiled inwardly as the two small ships took off, and motioned discretely for his new commander, Ballard, to come closer. “Organize a small contingent,” he whispered his orders. “Send scouts to follow the ships. I want to know exactly where and when they find Kolya,” he instructed.

Ballard knew better then to ask questions, and simply slipped away without attracting anyone’s attention. Cowen sighed contentedly once he saw his commander was gone. Now, there was nothing to do but wait and plan. If Kolya was so anxious to get his hands on Dr. McKay that he’d risk the wrath of Atlantis--then there must be a use for the scientist other than his ability to build them an atom bomb. Maybe it was time to check the good doctor out further and hopefully-- he smiled for real this time--hopefully, he could take Kolya and the annoying Major Sheppard in the process.

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Sheppard tried to pay attention to both his flying and the life sign readouts from the jumper’s scanners, but eventually gave up and let Ford handle the readouts. Flying low and in stealth mode was complicated enough.

“Anything?” he questioned, seeing Lt. Ford lean closer to the monitor.

“Nothing. A few scattered life signs to our right but I’m guessing it’s field workers,” Ford answered.

“We should check, regardless.” Teyla leaned against the back of Ford’s seat. “We do not want to rule out any possibility.”

Sheppard nodded, answering by directing the jumper toward the coordinates. In the back section of the ship, he could hear Private Wells shoot down the flirtatious joking of Corporal Wilmington with mastered ease. Chuckling to himself, he radioed Dr. Beckett in the second jumper.

“Find anything, Carson?”

“Nothing but fields and trees, Major.” The Doctor’s brogue sounded warped over the static. “You?”

Sheppard followed Teyla’s gesture to the small group of men farming a field. “Nothing so far. We’re heading toward the forest now. There’s some hilly terrain coming up. Maybe we’ll find something there.”

“I’ll be letting Dr. Weir know what’s going on then.”

“Thanks.” John keyed the radio back to standby, thankful that Beckett was willing to answer Weir’s questions. All he wanted to do now was concentrate on finding McKay.

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“What do you mean you lost the ships?” Cowen hissed at his second in command.

Ballard shrugged helplessly. “My men had them in sight, heading for one of the east fields and suddenly they were gone. Into thin air, Mayes said.”

“You should have remembered they’re capable of going invisible and planned for that contingency.” Cowen watched a tight-lipped, serious guard look their way and tried to be casual about eating the breakfast before him. “Keep heading in the same general direction. Get some of your men here to stick close to the guards and see what they can overhear. They’re out there and we gave them a place to start looking. Just find them.”

“Yes sir.”

It took a few minutes for Ballard to slip away, but he left Cowen frustrated. How could his men have neglected such an important fact about the Atlantian ships? “Damn it,” Cowen whispered under his breath. He was not going to lose this opportunity. He stabbed his fork at his meal. He would not fail against the Major again.

TBC

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Scooching around to the front of the device, Rodney easily located an access panel and pried it open, relieved to find the circuitry was similar to what he’d worked with before on Atlantis. The setup looked like that in the puddle jumpers, though these crystals were dark and currently powerless. Pulling himself up, Rodney examined the top panel crystals again. Gently, he touched one cool green tinted crystal. He tested it, trying to remove it from its slot. It rose in the slot but didn’t come free.

“Hmm,” McKay huffed, pushing the crystal back into its original position and trying again with a blue one. Same result. The whole thing reminded him of a toy his sister had when they were young, what was it called again? Oh yes, Simon. His sister loved it and had guarded it from him vehemently until one day when she was off at dance lessons and he’d managed to sneak into her room. At first it’d been fun, following the lights and keeping up with the machine’s patterns, but he’d bored quickly, his curiosity drawn instead to how the toy worked. His sister had gotten home before he’d managed to put the entire thing back together again. He could still hear her indignant screams…bringing his father into the mix.

Rodney shuddered and pushed the memory out of his mind as he knelt back down in front of the access panel again. If he moved some of these crystals around, then possibly….He stopped. His mind suddenly changed directions. He recognized another small panel inside the machine, similar to the one he’d seen often in the puddle jumper’s control panel. Quickly, after a peak at his guards, he went to work. It shouldn’t take long or be too complicated, his mind raced as his fingers trembled, connecting his scanner to the machine. First, he had to get the power going, then, if he could…. He had pulled out one crystal, trading it with another from a different slot when he saw the lone crystal laying at the base of the inner panel. He picked it up, his eyes searching for the right slot. “There,” he said out loud, forgetting where he was for a moment. The crystal slipped easily into place and suddenly the control panel lit up. He checked quickly, the top crystals were still dark and none of the guards seemed to be paying close attention to what he was actually doing, just staring blankly in his general direction. Something to be thankful for, he thought. McKay’s fingers moved rapidly, hooking up his scanner to the device’s inner panel. If he could interface the technology…. He keyed commands into the scanner and waited, holding his breath.

There. The statistics on his screen blinked. Slowly three times, fast three times, then slowly again three more times. Three long, three short, three long. Rudimentary but he prayed it would work. If Sheppard was anywhere on the same world…the signal should be getting through.

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“Uh, Major?” Lt. Ford sounded concerned.

“What?” John glanced at the younger man. Ford’s eyes were focused on the screen before him.

“There’s something going on here, I’m…”

Sheppard frowned. “You find them?” He called Ford’s screen up so they could all see it. Instead of the large cluster of life signs he’d expected to find, the screen itself seemed to be malfunctioning. The radio beeped.

“Major?” Carson’s voice filled the jumper. “Is your scanner acting…?” Beckett was obviously searching for a word to describe the problem.

“Like there’s something wrong? Yes. Yours too?” Sheppard watched the readouts blink almost steadily.

“They are,” Carson confirmed. “What do I do?”

“Keep flying. We’ll see what we can figure out.” He turned to Ford and Teyla. “Any ideas?”

Ford shook his head. “It just started…blinking. I didn’t touch a thing.”

“Maybe it is a systems problem?” Teyla suggested.

John thought carefully, trying to get the jumper to respond to his questions and run a systems check. The stats he requested scrolled up the screen…blinking. “Damn.” This was not the time for a malfunction, he thought with frustration. None of them knew the jumper’s systems like Rodney. Why hadn’t he thought of bringing Zelenka with them? Because Elizabeth needed him on Atlantis, he argued inwardly. What in the world could be causing this?

“Maybe we should set down until we know what’d going on,” Ford suggested.

“There is nowhere to land,” Teyla pointed out. “The forest is too dense. We will have to go back to the settlement.”

“I’m not going back yet.” Sheppard shook his head, “We have to be getting closer.”

“If Dr. McKay is even on this world,” Aiden reminded softly.

Sheppard ignored him.

“Could it be a kind of…interference designed by the Commander in order to keep from being found?” Teyla asked. Her eyes scanned the statistics scrolling up the screen as she spoke.

John raised his eyebrows, glancing over his shoulder at the Athosian. “Possibly. Does he have that kind of technology? If he does, where the hell did he get it?”

“We don’t know where he’s been or what he’d been doing since we left him with the Kwendoza.” Ford pressed another button and frowned when it did nothing to stop the blinking. Sheppard noticed the man had said ‘we’ instead of ‘you’. He had been the one to decide to leave Kolya alive. “Besides,” Aiden went on. “It’s not really interfering,” he shook his head. “It’s just…annoying.”

“Annoying?” Sheppard and Teyla spoke together.

“It’s a pattern, Sir,” a voice stated from the rear compartment.

“What?” Sheppard spun in his seat, looking at the tall, mustached Corporal.

“A pattern?” Ford stared. “Okay, I see it, three long, three short…”

“Morse code.” Private Wells stepped up beside Wilmington.

“Morse Code?” Sheppard looked back at the blinking screen, seeing the pattern finally. “SOS, it’s a damned SOS signal!” Why hadn’t he seen that sooner?

“It’s got to be McKay.” Ford grinned.

“You said it was annoying,” Sheppard laughed. “Leave it to Rodney to let us know he’s here by driving us nuts. See if you can zero in on the signal’s origin. I’ll let Beckett know what’s going on.”

Neither of the men noticed Teyla’s confused expression as she tried to figure out what an SOS or a Morse was and how it suddenly related to Dr. McKay.


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Sheppard exited the lead jumper ahead of the others, searching the surrounding area for any visible sign of Kolya’s men. Ford had tracked Rodney’s signal and followed the SOS to its point of origin. The grouping of small hills looked to be as deserted and unpopulated as the rest of the forest, but the life signs detector had lit up like a Christmas tree as soon as they’d flown over. Sheppard managed to find a clearing just large enough for both puddle jumpers and directed Carson to follow him.

“What do you think?” Ford asked, glancing over the barrel of his P90.

“I think we’re looking for a cave entrance.” John lowered his weapon and studied the handheld device again. “I’ve got at least thirty life signs other than ours here.” He pointed. “We’re right on top of them…literally.”

“How are we gonna take on thirty Genii?” Ford looked around at their small group. Other than Teyla, Wilmington and Wells, Carson was exiting the second jumper with only six others.

“Hopefully, we have the element of surprise.” John checked his vest, making sure he had extra clips, grenades and flash bangs. “Plus, a hell of a lot of fire power. Load up.”

Beckett joined him, looking uncomfortable with his weapon, but determined.He held up his own life signs detector. “Where do we start?” the doctor asked.

“Wells and Daniels, stay with the jumpers. Be ready for anything and keep radio contact open on channel two.” Sheppard pressed his GDO remote and the jumper closest to him vanished, then continued as Carson did the same. “Maintain radio silence unless absolutely necessary. We’ll go in pairs and keep this as simple as possible. We’re here for McKay. Beckett, you’re with Ford.”

John and Teyla led the way as the group slipped into the dense forest. The others spread out but, still in sight, followed stealthily behind them. The trees were thick, making the going slow and complicated.

“Is it true, what you said back there?” Teyla’s question caught Sheppard off guard.

“What do you mean?” he whispered, casting a glance at the Athosian as he climbed over a thick root.

“You said we were keeping this mission simple.” Teyla whispered. “Looking for Dr. McKay.” She grasped Sheppard’s offered hand and allowed herself to be hauled over the menacing root, not taking offense to his help, though they both knew she could outpace him.

“Yeah, that’s the plan.” Sheppard’s eyes darted around the area, keeping steady watch for any signs of Genii soldiers or a cave entrance. The hillside began to slope slightly and he put out his hand to warn Teyla to slow down.

“What about Kolya?”

Sheppard stopped.

“I thought you wanted to get Kolya,” Teyla explained.

“I do.” Sheppard almost spit the words, his hatred for the Commander obvious. He looked around them, checking on the teams before starting down the hill again. “That’s MY plan.”

TBC

Rodney could hear the approaching footsteps as he worked and knew his hour was long gone. He tried to ignore the nerves wreaking havoc in his stomach as he experimented with another arrangement of the programming crystals. He’d gotten half of the upper lights to come on but was actually stalling with the rest trying to figure out what he was going to tell Kolya.

“How’s it coming, Dr. McKay?” Kolya’s gravely voice shattered the silence in the cavern and made Rodney jump despite the fact he’d been expecting the Commander.

“Fine. It’s coming along just fine,” he answered testily.

Kolya grinned, amused by Rodney’s grumpiness. “What is it then?”

“I don’t know yet.” McKay focused on his work, trying to ignore Kolya’s hovering presence behind him. He plugged another crystal into place and the rest of the top panel lit up.

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Kolya lost his casual tone.

“I mean exactly what I said.” Rodney pushed himself to his feet, moving stiffly, his back and stomach aching. He was so tired and hungry and thirsty. Damn he wished he’d remembered the canteen. Wearily he gestured to the device. “I don’t know. It could be anything really. I only just got the thing fully powered up and you know it can take time to run tests and check its programs for glitches in order to make sure I’m not going to cause some kind of….”

His rant was cut off in a sharp yelp as Kolya grabbed him by the collar and jerked him closer. McKay flailed, trying to scramble away but Kolya’s grip only tightened.

“Hey!” Rodney tried again to pull away as the Commander held him uncomfortably close.

Kolya’s eyes seemed to bore into him as if searching for the truth. Rodney tried to look away but Kolya jerked him roughly. “What. Does. It. Do?” he growled.

“I don’t know,” McKay answered too quickly. “Really, I don’t…” He didn’t see the knife until Kolya pressed the sharp tip of it against the side of his face, tracing it teasingly up to the edge of McKay’s eye. Rodney shivered, fear surging through him. His heart began to race uncontrollably. He opened his mouth trying to protest but his voice failed him.

“How effective will you be if I take your eye?” Kolya whispered with terrifying calmness.

Rodney trembled in spite of himself, feeling only the stinging prick as Kolya slowly began to apply pressure. Reason told him it was an empty threat, but his mind betrayed him, flashing back to Atlantis and the feel of cold steel slicing into his arm. Kolya twisted the knife slightly, digging it into the skin at the edge of Rodney’s eyebrow and dragging it sadistically toward the scientist’s ear. A thin line of blood appeared behind the tip, tracing his temple. Rodney gasped. “Please.” His hands fluttered around Kolya’s arms suddenly, pulling at them, trying to make him stop. Kolya merely twisted the knife again, digging it deeper. Rodney inhaled frantically as he felt the blood began to drip down the side of his face, tickling his ear. “Okay, okay, okay,” his voice rose. “It’s a musical instrument of some kind, I swear, that’s all.”

Surprised, Kolya pulled back, lowering the knife and letting go of McKay. “What?”

“The device.” Rodney touched his own face, feeling the shallow cut and the blood, touching the corner of his eye, and reassuring himself that everything was still where it should be. He took a deep breath, trying to gather himself together again and ignore the feeling of self-loathing that crept up, reminding him that once again he’d given into the Commander without so much as a fight. “It’s some kind of musical instrument. I believe it was used like what we would call a piano, possibly in the mornings to awaken the community.”

Kolya stared at McKay then at the machine, then back to Rodney again. “Do you think I’m stupid?” he demanded angrily, shoving McKay further away from him.

Rodney stumbled, shaking his head, sprinkling droplets of blood. Oh God, how could he explain it? “I’m serious. It’s similar to a piano or an organ possibly. You press the top crystals like keys and musical tones should come out of it.” He moved his hands, mimicking playing a piano.

“Show me,” Kolya ordered.

“It’s not fully functioning yet,” Rodney protested, taking an instinctive step backwards, trying to put as much space between him and the Commander as possible.

“What’s all this then?” Kolya waved at the lit crystals and open access panel. “What have you been doing?”

McKay’s own anger flared back. “It’s barely been an hour. Contrary to what you seem to believe, that’s not enough time,” he shouted. “It’s a lengthy process to go through the circuits and test their viability. If I skip one or go out of order….”

“But you’re certain it’s just an instrument,” Kolya cut him off.

“Well, yeah. No. I’m not positive, no. I won’t know for certain until you let me finish my testing.”

Kolya’s eyes narrowed. “So it still could be a weapon of some kind?”

Rodney swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing Kolya wouldn’t like his answer but doubting he could pull off a believable lie at this point. “That possibility is highly unlikely. No. It is not a weapon.”

“Damn it.” Kolya stared at he machine as if it had betrayed him. “What does that do?” he asked suddenly, pointing to the inner panel and attached scanner.

“It’s my diagnostics and programming interface.” Rodney waved at it. “Don’t touch it or it’ll shut the whole machine down and I’ll have to start over.” He was frantic as Kolya squatted and looked closer at the blinking screen.

“You brought this from Atlantis.” Kolya looked up suspiciously.

McKay nodded, unconsciously twisting his hands in front of him, praying that the Genii had never developed any similar coding system. He couldn’t let Kolya figure it out or interfere with the signal…it had to stay working in order for Sheppard to find him. It was his only hope. “Yes. Of course I did. It was in my pack. You took everything else, my vest, the radio. You gave me that earlier, I need it to keep the device functioning until I can get its power source working again.”

Kolya reached out and tapped the screen. “Why is it blinking this way?”

“Don’t. Don’t touch it.” Rodney panicked, lunging toward Kolya, instinctively trying to protect the signal and, so focused, he forgot about the surrounding guards.

There was no real warning. No one yelled ‘halt’ or ‘stay back.’ There was just a sharp shout and the deafening explosion. Rodney saw Kolya look at him in shock. Abruptly, a fiery pain tore through him, spinning him violently. Confused, he stumbled, trying to maintain his footing, but his body betrayed him. He fell, landing hard in the dirt, his arms failing to catch or support him. He heard Koyla’s shout, a rage-filled ‘no’, but his senses were suddenly overwhelmed by noise and pain and darkness…and the clinging thick scent of the damp earth beneath him.

Partie 2

Cowen meandered slowly around the sunlit room, thankful the guards had finally moved outside. He knew that Ballard would be finding a way to check in soon and didn’t want any of the Atlantians around to overhear any radio communication. Confidently, Cowen took his radio receiver out of an ornately carved cupboard and was rewarded almost immediately by the static covered voice of Ballard, identifying himself.

“Report,” Cowen said simply, keeping his eyes on the door.

“Sheppard and his party set down in the eastern clearing, third hilltop. The ships came out of hiding in order to land and enabled us to get a lock on their location. According to my scouts, Sheppard left the ships under minimal guard, though they’re invisible again so we’re not certain. The rest of his force went into the forest.”

“Follow him,” Cowen ordered. “I believe the Major has found Commander Kolya for us.” He paced to the window and stared out at the almost harvest ready fields. “If he makes a move on Kolya, I want you following him in. Bring Kolya back to me, as well as McKay and Sheppard.”

“And the rest of the Atlantis team?” Ballard questioned.

“I really don’t care what you do with them.”

There was a pause. “Won’t they fight for Sheppard and McKay?”

Cowen frowned. “Possibly. But the way Sheppard’s intent on apprehending Kolya…we should be able to catch them when they’re most distracted. They’ll have to return to Atlantis to regroup and by the time they return…it’ll be too late.” He sighed contentedly as Ballard signed off. He knew his Commander had more questions, but they could wait. If the Atlantians sent more forces back for Sheppard and McKay, he’d simply tell them the two were already dead. True, he might have to relocate on another world but it would be worth it. Then, McKay would build any weaponry the Genii needed to defend themselves against any threat…and having Major Sheppard along would be the perfect motivation to keep the Doctor working.

Cowen slipped the radio back into the cupboard, closing the door with satisfaction. It was a perfect plan. Sheppard would do the hard work…removing Kolya’s threat and the Genii would reap the benefits of McKay’s knowledge. Perfect.

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TBC

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“Oh God. Oh God,” Rodney moaned, pressing his face into the ground, tasting dirt and trying to command his arms and legs to cooperate with his efforts to push himself up…but nothing was working. He couldn’t concentrate on anything but the pain searing his body.

“That was stupid, McKay.” He heard Kolya moving beside him but there was no warning before strong hands grabbed him and flipped him onto his back. He cried out, writhing as agony jolted through him. He wanted to escape it, to push it away, to scratch it out of him. His hands moved toward his side but Kolya caught his wrists and held him. “Be still. Help is on the way.”

“You shot me,” Rodney gasped the words, his voice hoarse and raw as he squinted up at the commander, trying to focus. “You son of a bitch.” He tried to pull away but Kolya’s grip tightened.

“I didn’t shoot you.” Kolya shook his head. “Your guard did.”

“Same thing.” Rodney grimaced, biting his already abused lip.

Kolya looked at him with genuine concern. “What were you thinking anyway, coming at me that way?” He released McKay’s hands and tried to check the wound. Rodney hissed as the material of his shirt was pulled across the injury. “Is that thing even worth it? I mean, you said it yourself…it’s nothing more than an….” He stopped talking suddenly and Rodney sensed him move away.

McKay strained to watch him, to look where he was going.

Kolya was staring at the blinking screen, realization dawning. He looked back down at McKay, his expression turning from concern to rage. He grabbed the scanner and ripped it violently away from the control panel, connections popping, the screen going dead in his hands. Kolya held the device up, making sure Rodney could see it was no longer functioning. “You didn’t want me to look to closely at this.” He waved it in front of McKay’s pain ridden face.

Rodney reached for the scanner, flailing aimlessly as Kolya pulled it back out of his reach and hurled it across the cavern into the shadows. “It was a signal wasn’t it?” He crouched beside Rodney, waving off the medic who’d just arrived. “Did you really think it’d work?” he asked.

Rodney licked his lips. “No. No. It’s not.”

Kolya lashed out, slamming his fist into the torn flesh just above McKay’s hip.

Rodney screamed, his fingers clawed into the dirt, his heels kicked, trying to gain purchase to push himself away from the torture.

“Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out?” Kolya snarled, keeping the pressure constant.

Rodney’s voice died, his cries turning to harsh desperate gasps as he squirmed and twisted trying to free himself.

“I had so much in store for you.”

McKay could barely hear Kolya over the roaring in his head. “No,” he begged. “Please.” The pain, it went beyond overwhelming…it was consuming him.

“Oh yes, Doctor. I put faith in you and you in turn, betrayed that trust.” The fist twisted.

Tears filled Rodney’s eyes. Waves of nausea washed over him and he swallowed compulsively, somehow commanding himself not to throw up. Breathe, he reminded himself. Breathe. He tried to lash out at Kolya but his fist bounced clumsily against Kolya’s forearm.

Kolya actually chuckled. “You think you have all the answers, don’t you McKay? Those brains of yours always working on something new?” Suddenly the skewering pressure was gone but the throbbing torture continued in its absence. “Who did you think would find your signal?” Kolya kept talking. His words fading, and then growing louder again.

Rodney shivered. He felt so cold and yet…his body burned, the fire spreading up and down the length of his body.

“Did you think Sheppard would come for you?”

Sheppard. “Major,” McKay whispered. He needed Sheppard. John would help him. John would crack a joke, blame him for getting himself shot then assure him that everything was going to be okay. He’d help. He’d kill Kolya.

“Major Sheppard isn’t coming for you,” Kolya’s voice was low and sinister.

John? No, he’d come. Rodney wanted to protest, to tell Kolya differently but all he could do was grunt.

“Did you honestly believe that John Sheppard would leave Atlantis undefended to come back just for you? They don’t even know for certain what world you’re on.”

“Commander?” Another unfamiliar voice cut in. “He needs care.”

“Shut up and get away from him,” Kolya answered.

“Acastus.”

“NO!” Kolya roared. “He. Gets. Nothing.”

‘He’s going to let me die.’ The thought came instantly as Rodney shook. He struggled to move his arms again. He had to do something, try and stop the bleeding. He could feel it, seeping out of him, turning the dirt beneath his fingers to a ghastly muddy mix.

“That’s right.” McKay could feel the commander’s hot breath on his face. “You get nothing. After all you’re efforts, all your work. No one’s coming for you,” Kolya whispered nastily. “You might be a genius, but you aren’t the only intelligent man on Atlantis and certainly not the most enjoyable to work with, I’m sure. Why would they come for you?”

“Team,” Rodney managed to grit the words out between clenched teeth. “My team.”

“Your team?” Kolya scoffed. “You’re only on Sheppard’s team for your brains and those, dear Rodney, are replaceable. You might be good at figuring out ancient technology but how often do you really contribute? When I raided Atlantis, you’re the one who readily revealed the plans to save the city. You gave up your precious power source by spilling too much information to the Daganians. Oh yeah, I heard all about that.”

“No, no, I didn’t mean to, I…” Rodney stuttered.

“Yeah, yeah.” Kolya stood, towering above him. “What else have you done wrong? What other missions have you messed up for Sheppard? Whatever your intent, McKay, you are not an asset to anyone…especially the Major. You screw things up. You couldn’t even fix this one simple device or even keep your desperate signal hidden from me for long. Hell, you even got yourself shot. Face it, McKay. I’m doing Sheppard a favor just by taking you out of the picture.”

Rodney gazed through watery eyes up at Kolya, blood running into his eyes from the previous cut. He shook his head, denying the words that pounded into his mind. Kolya merely smiled maliciously…and kicked him.

Hell exploded through Rodney and dragged him, screaming, into the dark.

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Sheppard pulled up and signaled for the others to stop. The late morning sunlight provided just enough light to see by through the canopy of trees. Below them, the hill dropped sharply. Signally again, John waved at Ford to accompany him and dropped to the ground. “Stay here,” he commanded in a short whisper when Beckett moved to follow.

Carefully, stealthily, the two soldiers crawled across the forest floor and peered down the steep embankment. Two guards stood on either side of what John could only guess was a hidden entry. They’d found the cave.

He motioned once and together he and the lieutenant inched backwards until they could safely stand again. Then they hurried back to meet the others, now in a group, hovering over the remaining life signs detector that Carson held. John studied the blinking screen of his life signs detector carefully. “The two main guards are here.” He pointed on the screen, whispering, to the group. “But there’s a large concentration here.” He indicated a cluster of more than a dozen dots. “Ford and I will take out these two quietly, but the rest, we’ll need to use something big.”

“I can handle that,” Wilmington spoke in a low, easy voice, patting the munitions on his vest lightly.

Sheppard nodded. “You, Bohnsack and King will go in first, taking out as many as possible…any way possible.” He turned pointing, “Min, Steiner and Allen. You’re the second wave. Clear a path for Ford, Teyla and Beckett. When you have the group contained, you three will stay behind as guards. The rest of us will keep going.”

“What about the rest of the Genii?” Carson asked.

John met the Doctor’s worried gaze. “They’ll know we’re coming from the commotion but this,” he held up the scanner, “this will give us the edge we need. Let’s go.”

“Major,” Teyla’s voice stopped him.

“What?” he asked sharply, frustrated by the delay.

“The screen.” The Athosian pointed to the detector in his hand, her face filled with concern. “It has stopped sending the signal from Dr. McKay.”

Sheppard’s eyes dropped to the screen. The life signs still shone brightly but the staggered SOS blinking had stopped. “Crap.” He looked up. “We need to go now.” He waved to Ford, “Wait for our signal,” he ordered over his shoulder.

Slithering back to the edge of the hillside, John’s thoughts raced. Had the SOS simply stopped working? Had Rodney stopped it because Kolya was about to find it…or had Kolya found it himself? Fear gripped him, coupled with renewed anger, fueling his determination. Rodney had to be okay, the Commander needed him. We’re coming, McKay, he promised. Just put up with Kolya a few more minutes and we’ll have you out of there.

With one last glance, he checked that Lt. Ford was in place. Ford nodded once, waiting for his lead. Sheppard held up his fist, counting one finger at time. One. Two. Three. They were in motion.

Silently, the duo moved with a frightening efficiency, flipping over the drop off and easily taking out both of the unsuspecting and inexperienced Genii guards. Sheppard keyed his radio once, sending the signal and only moments later, Corporal Wilmington was leading the way into the cave.

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TBC

Kolya stared down at McKay with disgust, his rage continuing. Not only had the Doctor been unable to produce anything worthwhile out of the ancient machine, he’d actually had the audacity to try sending a signal for help.

Shaking his head, Kolya held back his desire to lash out again. McKay was laying there, his pathetic face covered with dirt and blood. He was half curled, protectively around his injured side, blood seeping into the dirt and pooling beside him. The man was going to lie there and die, that was enough. He turned, catching the pleading look his medic was giving him.

Seeing the commander meet his gaze, the medic pleaded. “Commander, please. Let me at least…”

“No,” Kolya cut him off. “He made his choice when he defied me.”

The medical officer backed away without another word, but Kolya could see the frustrated helplessness in his eyes…and ignored it. Turning away, Kolya’s gaze settled on the device. The crystals were still lit…mocking him. Cautiously, he pressed down on a blue crystal the way he’d seen Rodney imitate. A clear, pleasant tone filled the room. He pressed the green crystal, and a lower tone joined the first, blending beautifully. Abruptly, he pulled his hand back. “A musical instrument.” He glanced back at McKay, seeing no signs of life from the doctor other than pitiful gasps for air. The arrogant know-it-all HAD managed to fix the damn thing. He’d been stalling with all the convincing gibberish about needing to take things slow and careful. The whole time, even after all the threats and intimidation, the bastard had been lying.

Suddenly the ground trembled. “What was that?” Kolya demanded, already knowing the answer. It’d been an explosive. Gunfire echoed through the cave’s tunnels. “Go!” He waved his men forward, casting another look at McKay’s still form before following them. “Sounds like he came for you after all,” he muttered, listening to McKay’s struggling breaths. Unfortunately for you…he’s too late.”

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Sheppard made his way through the open cavern, aware of everything happening around him, despite the chaos of smoke and noise. He’d seen Bohnsack go down early, but the rest of his men, he confirmed visually, were still in the mix. To his left he saw Ford and Teyla had gotten Beckett through the thickest fighting. Ford leading, Teyla following, both covered the doctor, but Beckett held his own against the onslaught as well.

John fired at motion to his right, taking out another young Genii soldier and advancing forward. Behind him, he could hear the fight calming, the Atlantians quickly gaining control. Checking the life signs detector he could see more Genii were moving toward them from deeper in the cave.

“Ford,” he signaled for the lieutenant to advance with him, indicating how many there were coming their way. “The cave narrows, there.” He pointed to where the cave turned into a narrower tunnel. “Not enough room for them to gain any advantage with their numbers. We’ll take them out as they come at us.”

“Yes, Sir.” Ford was ready. Together, the two of them started forward, Teyla, Beckett and King at their flank. The tunnel proved to be the Genii’s undoing, for even as they outnumbered Sheppard’s group by more than half, only a few could come through the passage at a time. With the life signs detector, Sheppard was able to predict exactly where and when the Genii were coming and combined with the advanced firepower from Atlantis, the Genii didn’t have a chance.

The passage curved sharply, the dust and smoke thick, as chunks of earth were knocked free by stray shots. Sheppard held up the scanner, showing Aiden the two life signs just around the bend. Ford indicated he’d take the one on the left and then motioned for Teyla and Beckett to hold up with King.

With a sharp nod, John and Ford rounded the corner, simultaneously firing. One Genii went down instantly, the other staggered and spun, running the opposite direction but not before Sheppard had gotten a clear look at his haggard face.

“Kolya!”

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The wind and rain lashed brutally at Rodney as he fought, pushed back against the balcony rail. “You still need me!” he protested trying not to think of the sea raging hungrily below him. He scowled angrily and struggled to keep his footing, but the pressure…Then, horror filled him; the rail was suddenly gone and he was falling, flailing, screaming.

“You still need me!” he cried desperately slamming into the sea; the waves swallowing him as John Sheppard watched from above…smiling.

Rodney came aware with a harsh shout, gasping for air and struggling to sit up. Agony tore through him and instinctively his body curled tighter as he flopped back to the ground with another tortured cry. He took a deep breath, trying to chase the vision of John grinning above him from his mind. He knew it wasn’t real, it couldn’t be. He wasn’t in the water, John hadn’t pushed him. John would never do that and yet…he could remember…John and a railing and falling.

No, he struggled, trying to get his thoughts to work. It was Kolya who’d kidnapped him. Kolya who’d hit him; Kolya who’d shot him. NO. He’d gotten himself shot…. He’d screwed up and… and…

A wave of pain swept through him again. Shot. He’d been shot and Kolya had found the scanner, the signal. John wasn’t coming because there was no more signal. Kolya had left him…to die.

Fumbling, Rodney tried to move, tried to make his hands obey his commands and work. He needed to do something, to stop the bleeding, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t twist in the right direction, God, it hurt. His arms and hands felt like lead. He couldn’t do it right…couldn’t do anything right.

He turned his head, trying to see if anyone was still in the cave. Was he really alone? He saw nothing but empty shadows. Dark, scary shadows. He was alone. His eyes settled on the ancient device, the top keys still glowed. Their colors were bright- red, green, yellow, blue-not dull and dark like his sister’s broken game.

“Rodney!” He could hear her outraged screech again. “You broke it! You…you idiot!” She came at him, tears in her eyes, grabbing the parts from his hands and ignoring his protests.

“I can fix it.” He reached out but she batted his hand away, glaring angrily.

“Don’t touch it, you jerk,” she screamed. “I’m telling. DAD!”

“NO! Don’t tell.” He tried again but she pushed him back, shoving him into her pink dresser.

“Why do you have to screw everything up?” she cried. “You. Screw. Up. Everything!”

His father had dragged him from her room into his own, and then took away everything. His tools, his science kits, his books…everything. Rodney had tried to reason with his father, tried to explain that he could fix the toy. He tried to make his father understand - he just wanted to see how it had worked, but in the end, his father had just looked at him with that look. That look he’d seen so many times before. The look that said ‘you’re a disappointment, Rodney.’ ‘You screwed up again, kid.’ ‘I really don’t care, so leave me alone,’ and then he had turned and walked away leaving Rodney with the sudden awful realization. It wasn’t that that his father couldn’t understand him…he just didn’t want to bother to try.

Rodney turned away from the device, pushing the hazy memory away, straining to see further into the depths of the cavern. His teeth chattered and he realized he was cold. The burning fire in his side had faded and now, a deep, numbing cold settled over him. This was not good. He stared up at the dirt ceiling. He was already in the ground. He was dying…already in his grave. He clenched his jaw, trying in vain to still his teeth, and wondered if Sheppard would ever find his body. Would John keep looking, searching worlds with known Genii spies in an attempt to find out what had happened to him? Was John even looking now? Maybe Kolya was right, maybe…

Rodney closed his eyes. It didn’t matter. The signal was gone, he’d screwed that up, he thought blearily. His eyelids felt heavy as he blinked them closed and strained to open them again. He was so cold, so tired. It was hard to take a breath; it hurt to breathe deeply. The room was closing in on him. He didn’t want to be alone. His heart raced, he didn’t want to die this way. He didn’t want to die at all, not like so many that he’d let down already. Abrams, Gall, Dumays, Peterson…so many he couldn’t think straight to remember them all. He’d let them all down, just like he let everyone down. He always had, somehow.

He felt so heavy, so very heavy, like he was sinking into the dirt and it would swallow him: his grave. He’d always been afraid of graves, every since his great-grandmother’s funeral when he was five. Terrified at the idea of being lowered into the ground, buried under all that dirt…alone.

He didn’t want to be alone, it just always seemed to work out that way. For years, he knew he’d pushed everyone away, not letting anyone get too close, not letting anyone see the real Rodney McKay. It was safer that way. You couldn’t let anyone down if they didn’t care, and when they turned their backs on you and walked away…they couldn’t ever see how much it destroyed you inside. But now, on Atlantis, he’d thought maybe…

His eyes watered, and a tear rolled across his temple, stinging the open, oozing cut and burning, before it pooled in his ear, tickling him. He giggled as another tear followed, and another, until he didn’t care anymore that he was crying. It didn’t matter…he was alone and he was dying.

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Sheppard took off after Kolya, knowing that Ford would follow. Carson had the other life signs detector for Teyla and the others to use. He followed the tunnel, watching Kolya’s life sign and straining to see any sign of the man as the commander stayed just far enough ahead of him to be out of range. He wanted to shoot the bastard down, but knew he needed to find out where Rodney was first. He had to find Rodney.

The passage opened suddenly into a huge cavernous room with some kind of machine in the center. John pulled up with caution. Surprisingly, Kolya slowed, almost pausing in the opening of another tunnel that branched off to the left. He looked at Sheppard, unphased by the Major’s angry pursuit. He merely looked at something beyond the device, then looked up at Sheppard again, smiling knowingly before he disappeared into the depths of the new passage.

“Kolya!” John shouted, confused by the commander’s strange behavior. He ran through the room, wishing Kolya had paused long enough for him to get a shot off instead of just glancing at…

Sheppard’s eyes followed instinctively to where Kolya had looked. He raised his weapon, fully expecting an ambush or bomb or anything but what he actually found. He stopped cold, changing directions so fast he stumbled, lurched and ended up on his hands and knees scrambling to McKay’s side. Rodney was unconscious. His face was slack and covered with dirt and blood.

“McKay? Oh God, Rodney?” He dropped his weapon and the life signs detector, forgetting its function and reached for McKay, holding his breath as his fingers trembled against Rodney’s neck, searching, feeling and praying for a heartbeat.

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TBC

Sheppard pressed his fingers tightly against McKay’s neck, searching frantically for a pulse. He couldn’t find it. “Come on, McKay,” he demanded. This wasn’t happening. This was not going to happen. He was not going to let Rodney die. His eyes swept over McKay’s face, taking in the pale stillness of his features, lingering on the dark bruise and split lip, the bleeding cut stretching from Rodney’s eyebrow to his ear and the drying line of tears. He was going to kill Kolya.

“Come on, Rodney,” he pleaded again, moving his fingers, searching and finally…there. He found it, the soft flutter of life…struggling. “Damn it!” He keyed his radio, leaving the channel open. “Beckett, I need you. Now!”

“I can’t get to you, Major. What’s wrong?” Carson answered immediately.

“What do you mean you can’t get to me?”

“We are trapped by enemy fire, Major,” Teyla reported. “It will take us time to get past them.”

John heard Lt. Ford enter the cavern behind him. “Major?” Aiden questioned.

“Go back and get Beckett,” Sheppard ordered, his eyes roaming over Rodney again, checking for any other injuries and settling on the growing pool of blood beside him. “Shit. Hurry!” he yelled, trying to find where the blood was coming from.

McKay was half-curled into a fetal position, twisted awkwardly as if he’d tried to move and just didn’t have the strength to see it through. Sheppard was afraid to move him, but knew he had to find the source and stop the bleeding. Gently, but quickly he turned Rodney all the way over onto his back.

“Oh God, McKay.” He fumbled for the field dressing packed in his vest, shaking it loose and pressing it down on the wound. Rodney moaned, struggling against the renewed pain.

“Good, McKay. Come on. Fight me, damn it, fight! Beckett where are you?” he yelled, his helplessness feeding his rage.

“I’m coming as fast as I can!” Carson shouted back. “Tell me what’s wrong with Rodney.”

John took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “He’s been shot…in the side. He’s lost a lot of blood already.”

“Is he conscious?”

“No, not really. He moaned once.”

“Keep pressure on the wound.”

“I’m doing that!” John yelled.

The gunfire on Carson’s end of the conversation increased suddenly. “Is the bullet still in him? Where’s he hit?” Beckett’s voice was thick with worry.

“Ah…” John tried to focus. “His side, just above his hip, along his waistline and,” Carefully he rolled Rodney toward him, checking his back. Blood seeped between his fingers. “Crap. It must have gone straight through, there’s an exit wound.”

“Get pressure on it, too.” Carson ordered.

“With what?” John scowled, trying to think. He didn’t have a pack, they’d left them in the jumpers so they could move easier and faster through the forest. Carson was the only one carrying his. Quickly, John supported Rodney against his legs, letting go just long enough to undo his vest, slipping it off and then peeling off his shirt. Wadding it, he clamped the black cloth against McKay’s back and rolled him down onto it, applying pressure again to the entry wound.

Rodney’s eyes shot open and he gasped loudly, surprising Sheppard. “Easy, McKay. I’ve got you,” John tried to reassure as Rodney’s eyes darted wildly. John could read the panic, fear and pain there.

Rodney struggled. “No,” he rasped, pleadingly. “Stop, please.”

“I have to, McKay. We need to stop the bleeding. You’re gonna be okay.”

Rodney heard Sheppard’s voice but continued to struggle, weakly. It was Kolya who’d pinned him to the ground…not John. John wasn’t here. His confused thoughts swarmed. Kolya had left him.

“Talk to me,” Sheppard ordered, his concern growing. Rodney seemed to lose more color, as his struggling grew weaker.

“You’re not real,” McKay whispered.

“Like hell I’m not,” John argued. “Beckett?” The gunfire had ceased.

“We’re coming.” Carson sounded breathless, like he was running.

Rodney stirred beneath Sheppard’s hands, groaning. Tears filled his eyes again.

“Beckett’s coming,” John told him gently.

“You’re not here.” McKay shook his head, his words barely audible. “Dying alone,” he managed.

“You are not!” John yelled. “Look at me, Rodney.”

Rodney closed his eyes.

“No.” John shook him slightly, eliciting a pain-filled gasp. “Open your eyes, McKay.”

Rodney’s eyes opened sluggishly, still not seeing clearly. “I screwed up,” he muttered, his voice sounding stronger.

“No you didn’t.” John adjusted his hand on Rodney’s side, trying not to think about the warm, sticky blood coating it. “We got your signal just fine. Led us right to you.”

“Stupid idea,” Rodney protested. “Don’t even know where I am.”

“We found you. We’re here.” John glanced over his shoulder, willing Carson to hurry.

“Let you down. I always let you down.” Rodney went on, deliriously. “Didn’t mean to…I, I, didn’t mean it. Don’t leave me, please…”

“Damn.” John’s head dropped. What the hell was going on in McKay’s head? What had Kolya done to him? “I’m here, Rodney. I’m not going anywhere without you,” he said without looking up.

Rodney’s breathing hitched. “Major?”

John’s head snapped up. “You with me?”

“You came.”

Sheppard was stunned by the surprise in McKay’s voice. “Hell yeah I came.”

“Hurts.” McKay tried to shift from under John’s hands.

“Be still.” John smiled weakly. “You are a stubborn, stubborn man.”

Rodney laughed shortly then hissed in pain. His eyes closed again.

“Stay with me, McKay.”

“You came,” Rodney repeated as his voice faded.

“Rodney? John panicked. “Beckett!”

“I’m here. I’m here!” Carson came running into the cavern, Teyla and Ford with him.

“Thank God.” Sheppard nodded to McKay. “He’s been in and out, mostly delirious, but was clear for a second. Knew who I was.”

Carson nodded, dropping to his knees and shrugging off his backpack. He opened it quickly, pulling out packets of sterile gauze bandages. “Open this and put it on top of that dressing,” he indicated the soaked field dressing. “Keep pressure on it, hard,” he ordered. “Teyla, I need your help.” He handed her another packet without waiting for an answer. “Open that.”

With fast, sure hands, Beckett opened a package himself. “Help me roll him.” Carefully, the three rolled Rodney onto his good side. Carson added his dressing and Teyla’s to the shirt pressed against McKay’s back. “Grab me that,” he barked instructions, concentrating only on Rodney. He grabbed McKay’s wrist as Teyla and John gently resettled the scientist.

John watched the concern deepen on Carson’s face.

“Get his feet up on something.” Carson motioned for Sheppard to do that while he took over applying pressure. “He’s going into shock, I’m afraid.” His eyes swept over McKay, settling on his abused face. “Teyla, grab another pack of gauze. See if you can clean up that cut.” He looked at John who was propping McKay’s legs up on the discarded pack he’d found by the ancient device. “Good, that’s good.” He lifted his hands, checking if any fresh blood had oozed through the top layer of gauze. “The good news is, from where the wound is situated…it looks like it caught his flank. Lots of skin and muscle. I’ll know more after I can do a real exam.”

“And the bad news?” John swallowed the lump growing in his throat.

“He’s lost an awful lot of blood and I don’t know what other injuries he’s got.” He looked at Teyla. “How’s he doing, lass?”

“The cut is rather shallow, but it continues to bleed.” She didn’t look up from gently pressing the dressing against Rodney’s temple. “He has not stirred.”

“We need to get him home.” Beckett looked at John. “Now.”

TBC

Sheppard glanced at Ford who was standing guard at the main entrance of the cavern. “What’s our status?”

“We’re stable for the moment, but don’t know how long we have before they might try to regroup.” Ford let his worried gaze settle on McKay. “Can he be moved?”

Carson nodded. “Bleeding has slowed now, almost stopped. I’ll get him wrapped up tight. Won’t be pretty or recommended under normal circumstances, but I can’t see any other way to get him out quick.” He sounded more confident than he looked.

“Okay.” John patted Rodney’s leg absently. “Ford and Teyla will lead us back to the entrance. We’ll use the scanners to make sure no one’s following. I’ll carry McKay.”

“Just give me a few minutes to get him ready,” Carson said.

“Ford, tell Wilmington we’re coming. We don’t want to get shot by …” He stopped, hearing movement behind him and turned, pulling his gun from his hip holster and aiming it at the terrified young Genii soldier emerging from the same tunnel Kolya had escaped down. “Take another step and you’re a dead men,” Sheppard threatened harshly.

Nobody moved, even Carson and Teyla froze, watching the stranger warily.

The young man slowly raised his hands into the air, his bag slipping off his shoulder and jerking him off balance for a moment. “I- I just came back to help…him.”

“Ford.” John turned, sliding forward and taking a more defensive posture in front of Rodney, Carson and Teyla. “Search him.”

Ford hurried toward the Genii, patting him down efficiently. “He’s clean,” he reported, moving to the bag. “It’s all med supplies.”

“I couldn’t leave him like that,” the soldier tried to explain as Ford escorted him closer.

“What’s your name?” John asked.

“Kendrick,” he answered. “I’m trained in medicine.”

“Help me then,” Beckett ordered. “And be quick about it.”

Kendrick looked nervously at Sheppard as if checking for permission.

“You heard the doctor,” John said, none too pleasantly.

Kendrick hurried forward, taking the bag that Ford offered and handing it to Beckett. “There’s more bandages in there.”

Sheppard watched the two doctors work together to wrap up Rodney’s wound so he could be carried out of the cave. “What’d Kolya want with McKay?” he asked suddenly.

“The Commander was hoping that Dr. McKay would be able to fix the ancient device we found here. He thought it was a weapon or the means to defend against one.” Kendrick talked as he worked.

John glanced at the glowing machine. “McKay fix it?”

“I’m not sure. He said he didn’t, but Commander Kolya is angry that he was deceived.”

“Is it a weapon?” John asked, his brow furrowing.

“No, McKay told us it was only a musical instrument.”

“Music, huh?” John watched Rodney’s unresponsive face as Beckett, Kendrick and Teyla worked on him. “Bet that pissed Kolya off.” He paused, realizing that Rodney had borne the brunt of Kolya’s rage. “Where is he now?”

Kendrick looked up sharply, meeting Sheppard’s fierce stare. “He’s gone.”

“Where?” John pushed wanting to go after the Commander to seek his own personal vengeance when suddenly the radios crackled to life.

“Major!” Wilmington’s voice was almost drowned out by gunfire. “We’ve got more Genii moving in on us.”

Sheppard stood quickly, looming over Kendrick. “More of Kolya’s men?”

“No,” Kendrick answered. “We are small in number and we scattered when you arrived. It would take much longer to reorganize.”

“Who the hell…” John exchanged a look with Lt. Ford. “Cowen.” He turned to Kendrick again. “There’s another way out of here?”

“Yes, through the tunnels.” Kendrick nodded. “I can lead you.”

“How nice of you to offer,” John answered sarcastically. “Wilmington, retreat through the main tunnel.” He grabbed the life signs detector he’d discarded earlier. “The way is clear and we just happen to have our own personal guide out of here.” He squatted down next to Kendrick and leaned close, his voice dropping low and threatening. “If you lead us anywhere but out of here…to safety. I will kill you.”

Kendrick gave an almost imperceptive nod as his eyes flicked up from Rodney to meet John’s. “I assure you, I mean you no harm.”

The gunfire was growing louder now and Sheppard could see the life signs of his men approaching followed by a growing group of pursuers. Man there were a lot Genii coming after them. “Wells?” Sheppard tapped his radio, trying to reach the jumpers.

“Yes, sir?” The young private’s voice responded.

“We’re on our way back to you.”

“Yes, sir. We’re ready for you.”

“We’ll be coming in hot. Get the med supplies ready on one jumper.”

“Understood.”

“Ford.” He waved Aiden over to him. “Raise Stackhouse on the radio and make sure he’s not having any trouble with Cowen at the settlement. Let him know what’s happening and tell him to get his men ready to get the hell out of here as soon as he sees the jumpers.”

John scowled. If he had his way, he’d like to have a heart to heart with Cowen, but unfortunately, like Kolya, the Genii leader was going to have to wait for his attention. “You’ll both pay,” John muttered under his breath. He’d get Cowen for trying again to get the upper hand in a miserable situation, and then he’d hunt down Kolya and tear him apart for everything he’d done to Rodney.

“Major?” Ford’s voice pulled him back from any thought of trying to stay and track down Kolya. “I think you ought to take Rodney and go with Kendrick here now. Carrying McKay is gonna slow you down a good bit The rest of us will follow.”

“I’m not leaving anyone behind,” John argued.

“Lt. Ford is right, Major.” Teyla looked up at him. “You will be able to monitor our progress and direct us over the radios. You are not leaving us behind,” she smiled reassuringly. “You will be leading the way.”

Sheppard arched an eyebrow, liking the way Teyla thought. He still didn’t like the idea of going ahead, but he knew McKay was not going to be easy to carry. “Beckett, I want you with us.”

“Kendrick will be with you.” Carson shook his head. “Someone needs to be capable of using the life signs detector to keep track of the Genii coming after us.” He shrugged. “I’m the only other option.”

Frowning, John cast a dubious look at Kendrick before relenting. “Is McKay ready?”

“As ready as he can be.” Carson waved Sheppard closer.

Quickly, John donned his vest, ignoring the discomfort of the scratchy material against his bare skin. He shifted his P90 out of the way and allowed Beckett and Kendrick to help drape McKay over his shoulder. McKay, for his part, remained unresponsive and John found himself wishing worriedly to hear Rodney’s indignation at being hauled around so unceremoniously. Wrapping his left arm tightly around McKay’s leg and holding the scanner in that hand, he took his revolver in his right and looked at Kendrick. “Let’s go.”


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TBC

Sheppard ran, staggering, off-balanced as he carried Rodney through the almost dark tunnel and thankful for the scattered, dim lights flickering along the way. The passage narrowed dramatically once they’d gone about 100 yards from the main cavern. Sheppard checked the life signs detector constantly to reassure himself that he wasn’t being led into an ambush.

Kendrick looked back at him with concern. “I could….” he started, but John cut him off.

“I got him.”

“You need a rest,” The Genii medic tried again.

“I said I got him,” Sheppard snarled. He blocked out the growing numbness in his left shoulder and the prickly pains running to his fingertips. He ignored the cramping protests in his back and the shaky weakness in his legs. He was not giving Rodney to anyone.

He no longer needed his radio to hear the others moving up quickly behind them, still chased by Cowen’s forces. Once they caught up, it’d be all he could do to maintain pace. “How much further?” he grunted, hating that he sounded like a small child on a long trip.

“We’re almost there,” Kendrick assured.

John didn’t answer, just kept running, one step after another, after another, after another. He wondered where this cave was going to spit them out and how far it would be to the jumpers.

“Here.” Kendrick motioned to a sharp turn and John checked the scanner again before following.

With no warning, the dark dank passage spilled them into the sun-streamed light of the forest. John squinted against the sudden brightness, but reveled in the fresh breeze teasing his overworked lungs. He paused and braced himself against a tree as he tried to get his barings. McKay continued to hang limply over his shoulder, showing no sign of coming around. Finally, Sheppard looked at Kendrick who stood studying him without any expression.

“There’s a clearing,” John panted, sucking in deep painful breaths. “It’s above the cave’s main entrance.”

Kendrick’s eyes lit up. “I know the one. It’s not far.”

“Lead on, then.” John pushed off the tree, worried that if he rested too long, he’d never move again. “Ford.” He was quickly relaying the tunnel’s exit and which direction they were headed in when Beckett’s voice cut in.

“Be careful, Major.” There was something different about Carson’s tone, but John didn’t have time to dwell on it as he struggled over the uneven, unfamiliar terrain.

Sheppard’s concentration was torn as he tried to focus on following Kendrick, on Rodney’s struggling breaths, on keeping his feet moving and on checking the scanner and their surroundings for signs of any lurking Genii. “Where’s Kolya?” he asked breathlessly when Kendrick looked in his direction again.

“I don’t know.” Kendrick was unphased by the question.

“What about you? You going back to him?”

“He is my commander.” Kendrick nodded.

John scowled. “Won’t he be pissed at you for coming back to help McKay?”

Kendrick turned again, his dark eyes meeting John’s gaze. “We split up in the forest. He doesn’t know I came back.”

Curious, John thought of Kendrick’s split loyalties, but didn’t comment again, thankful the man was there to lead them to safety and away from Cowen’s grasp.

“Here,” Kendrick pulled up and looked at John with obvious confusion. Before him the trees ended abruptly at the edge of an empty field. “There’s nothing….” Kendrick frowned at him. “You said….”

“Shhh. Hold up.” Sheppard watched the scanner and then peered across the small field, being careful to stay behind the trees.

“What is it? Have your ships left you?” Kendrick watched worriedly.

“No, but Cowen’s men haven’t either.” He turned quickly, hearing the other’s approach. Ford appeared first, followed closely by Beckett, Teyla and the rest of the small contingent.

“We lost them for now, I think, but chances are it won’t take long for them to find us again,” Ford informed.

“We’ve got four unknowns there and there.” Sheppard nodded to the life signs detector.

“Do we take them out first or just run for it, using the jumpers for cover?” Aiden asked.

“How long for you to take them out?”

“We don’t have time for that.” Carson spoke up, unintimidated when both men turned their frustrated glares at him. “Look.” He held up his own scanner, showing how a new array of dots had appeared, forming a loose line moving closer to their own location.

“Damn.” John looked across the field again. “Okay, Ford, Teyla, you two lay down cover for the rest of us. Wilmington, Allen cover our six. Wells? Daniels?” he waited for them to acknowledge him. “You’re on.”

He gave the signal and the group moved at once. Ford and Teyla led the way, providing cover fire, but the Genii staking out the field quickly deserted their posts when the two jumpers suddenly appeared in the field.

Kendrick gaped as he ran, but managed to keep up.

Sheppard reached the first Jumper and stumbled at the ramp. Kendrick reached forward to help with McKay when Beckett grabbed the young Genii and slammed him against the side of the ship’s entrance. “You don’t lay yer hands on him, you hear me?” Carson was livid.

“Beckett,” John was confused by the doctor’s reactions. “He was trying to help.”

“He’s got no help we’re a wanting.” Beckett’s hand moved to Kendrick’s throat. “Daniels, get out here and take Dr. McKay inside.”

Kendrick’s eyes widened, fearfully, but he remained silent.

Daniels, obeyed Carson’s order without question, moving to ease Rodney off of John and carrying him into the back of the jumper.

“We don’t have time for this.” Sheppard reminded. “Get in the jumper.”

“Ask him about this.” Carson held out the hand not squeezing Kendrick’s neck dangerously, revealing a primitive looking syringe filled with a clear liquid.

John took the syringe, turning it in his hand and looked up at Kendrick who closed his eyes.

“What is it?” Carson demanded harshly.

“It’s- It’s just something to ease his pain.” Kendrick admitted hoarsely, struggling to speak.

Sheppard reached out and gently pulled Beckett toward him, surprised when Carson so readily released Kendrick. He could still feel the straining tension in the muscles of Beckett’s arm. “Rodney needs you,” he reminded softly.

Carson glared. “You,” he pointed threateningly and then moved past John into the jumper.

Kendrick looked remorsefully at John. “I couldn’t let him suffer there and die like that. I didn’t know you were coming. Kolya said….”

“Kolya said what?” John stared down at the needle in his hand.

“He told McKay you weren’t coming, that you wouldn’t come for him. I thought he knew that. I didn’t have any place to hide and heal him, but I couldn’t bear the thought of him suffering alone.”

“He’s not alone.” John hurled the syringe against the side of the jumper where it exploded.

Kendrick jumped aside. “I know that now.” He looked pleadingly at John. “What would you have done?”

John looked down, then checked the scanner, noting how close Cowen’s troops were now. “I can’t offer to take you with us.” He looked back up at Kendrick, ignoring the medic’s question.

Kendrick smiled. “I wouldn’t accept.” He looked out across the field. “I’ll be fine. You must go.” He turned to leave, but John snagged his upper arm in a steely grip and pulled him closer.

“This is not over.” He glowered. “You be sure,” he shook Kendrick hard. “You make damn sure that Koyla believes McKay is dead. You hear me? Rodney died before I got to him.”

Kendrick nodded slowly. “I understand.”

Sheppard released his grip and the medic scurried away, using the jumpers for cover before dashing into the woods.

“Should you have let him go?” Teyla asked softly. He hadn’t heard her approach.

“I don’t know,” John admitted wearily before glancing down at the scanner again. “But we don’t have time to think about it now. Let’s get out of here and get Rodney home.”


TBC

Partie 3

Sheppard guided the jumper easily up and over the trees, quickly going back into stealth mode. “What’s the status on Stackhouse?” he questioned Lt. Ford as he called up the display and searched out life signs. The Genii were concentrated back at the caves, but scattered signs showed the hillside was now crawling with people. John wondered which one of the dots on screen belonged to Kolya. He pushed the thought from his mind, fearing he’d accidentally trigger the jumper’s weapons with his thoughts.

“Stackhouse is reporting a sharp increase in activity in the area where Cowen is under watch. Lots of men coming and going with no apparent reason,” Ford filled in.

“Troops,” John frowned.

“We have more fire power,” Ford reminded.

“Yeah, with the Jumpers, but we’re too far away to help if Cowen starts something now.” John gnawed his lip. “Tell Stackhouse to get out of there. Get back to Atlantis and let Weir know what’s going on. We’ll be coming in fast and need emergency medical staff ready in the jumper bay.” He paused, checking to make sure communication was open between the two jumpers. “You get all that, Carson?”

“Aye. What about us? How’re we getting past Cowen’s troops at the gate?” the doctor asked. “We can’t afford any more delays. Rodney can’t.”

“How is he?” John asked, his worry growing.

“Not good, Major. He’s still unconscious and still losing blood. We can’t wait any longer to get him real help,” Carson insisted.

“By the time we activate the gate and come out of stealth, it’ll be too late for Cowen to do anything but watch us fly by, and if he actually tries…I’ll obliterate him.”

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Cowen couldn’t suppress his grin of delight any longer as he watched the soldier Sheppard had left in charge give the signal to fall back. Every thing was going just as he planned. He hadn’t even started the full scale fighting on this front and already Sheppard’s ‘show of force’ was beaten and on the run. Commander Ballard had reported less than two quarters of an hour ago that his men had Sheppard and Kolya trapped in the caves. Cowen was certain he would be hearing any minute now that Sheppard and McKay were his.

His smile widened. He already had the perfect world in mind for his new prisoners. Yes, it was a desolate land with a very short daylight cycle, horrific weather patterns and sustained very little life, but with enough workers—he could have a lab and barracks up and running in no time. He would dispose of Kolya immediately, he thought as he watched the last group from Atlantis move through the gate. Major Sheppard and Dr. McKay would be stubborn at first, but he was certain that he could convince both to cooperate just by using them against each other.

Cowen’s radio crackled, bringing him out of his little future fantasy. “They. Escaped. Ships. Lost.” The words were broken and drowned by static, yelling and gunfire.

“Say again,” Cowen ordered, his smile slipping.

“Escaped!” was the only clear word in the next transmission.

“No!” Cowen shouted in outrage and began waving to the troops nearby. “Guard the gate!” he screamed the order even as he began to run towards the inactive gate.

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Sheppard could see the settlement already and the troops scrambling to try to get to the gate and set up guards. “Beckett, you’re going through the gate first,” he warned the doctor.

“Pardon?” Carson sounded terrified.

“Just dial Atlantis, send your IDC and go. Don’t stop for any thing or any one. Your priority is to get Rodney back to Atlantis.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll create a little diversion. You just concentrate on your flying. When you get through the gate, you hurry up and get the hell out of my way because I will be right behind you.”

“Aye. Bloody ships.” Carson’s voice faded as he continued to curse about having the damned ATA gene and being forced to fly ships he wasn’t qualified to look at.

John grinned in spite of the situation. “Ready?” he asked Ford.

“Let’s do it.” Aiden nodded, his eyes lit up with the excitement of battle.

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Cowen was nearly to the gate when he saw the first ship appear suddenly at the outskirts of the small settlement. The second appeared right behind it. The first ship swerved sharply off course, flying low over the fields and sending his men to the ground with fear. Sharp bursts of fire chased any remaining troops in search of fast cover. He heard the gate activate. “NO!” There was nothing he could do but watch as the second ship slipped easily through the gate.

The first ship continued to fire as it buzzed the harvest fields three more times and circled the entire settlement. Cowen watched bitterly as it flew past, taunting him. He had no weapons strong enough to bring it down and there was nothing he could do but watch as it suddenly streamlined and disappeared into the gate after the other one.

They were gone. Cowen looked around at the burning fields, the destroyed buildings and the men picking themselves up off the ground, and let out a primal scream of rage. One day, he swore, one day he would make that cocky bastard Sheppard pay for all the wrongs he’d perpetrated against the Genii. Until the day he died, that would be his mission: Major John Sheppard would pay.

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Rodney could hear voices and none of them were familiar to him. Fear coursed through him. Kolya had come back. He was going to hurt him again. Pain speared his side and he knew, he knew he had to fight. He couldn’t just lay there and let Kolya abuse him, not again. John, John would come. He had, hadn’t he? Had Sheppard really been there in the grave with him? Had he dreamed it all, like his sister and father? Where was he now? Sheppard wouldn’t want him to just give up. He had to fight. He had to get away from Kolya and all of Kolya’s men. Just until Sheppard came, he had to.

“Dr. Beckett!” Daniels hollered for help as his unconscious patient suddenly came to life, fighting and clawing to get away from him. McKay’s strength was amazing, as Daniel’s struggled to keep the wounded scientist still. “He’s trying to get up.”

“Keep him still,” Carson ordered trying to keep the jumper steady as they entered the jumper bay.

“I can’t.”

Allen moved to help Daniels, but the more they tried to still him, the more McKay struggled, his breathing growing harsher and harsher.

Once the jumper was securely in place, Carson was out of his seat. “Get off him!” he ordered sharply. “Get the medical team in here, now.” He knelt beside McKay and grabbed a flailing wrist. “You’re okay, Rodney,” he murmured over and over, his concern growing as he checked McKay’s vitals. “Where’s my med team?” he shouted over his shoulder. Rodney struggled under his hands, trying to twist free. “Easy, Rodney,” Carson leaned closer, placing one hand in the center of McKay’s chest and whispering in his ear. “Yer safe now, lad, I promise. Yer safe.”

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John ran down the hallway, following Carson and the med team as they steered Rodney toward the Med. Lab. The wheels of the stretcher clanged noisily on Atlantis’ floors, echoing over the voices. The clickety clacking rhythm drowned out everything for John, growing louder and louder until he thought he’d never get the sound out of his head.

That was until he heard Carson’s desperate voice.

“We’ve lost his heart beat.”

The medical lab doors were already open and the team rushed through them. Rodney’s pale, unmoving form was oblivious to all the hands on him at once. They tore at his clothing, prepping his chest for the defibulator.

“Clear!”

John didn’t remember entering the room himself, but there he was suddenly watching as Carson placed the paddles strategically on Rodney’s chest. McKay jerked under the charge, writhing for a second after Beckett had pulled away waiting for any sign of life.

“Again.”

John stared, the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach growing as Rodney lurched on the table one more time. Nausea swept over John; his own heart beat rapidly; his mind reeled. This could not be happening.

“There.” He didn’t know who said it, but by the reactions around the table, Rodney’s heart was beating again.

Sheppard couldn’t feel relief, not while the team still worked so frantically. Someone was hooking McKay up to an oxygen line, replacing the mask they’d put on him in the jumper bay. Someone else was starting an IV. John didn’t see anything but the still, unexpressive face of his friend.

“You need to go, John.” Beckett stepped in front of him, blocking his view of Rodney. “Just for now. I’ll take care of him.”

“I can’t.” John shook his head.

“Yer in the way.” Beckett pushed him gently back out of the room and let the doors close, blocking his way.

Sheppard kept backing up, staring now at the closed doors, but still seeing Rodney. Bleeding, beaten…lifeless. “Shit.” His back hit the wall and his legs buckled. He slid to the floor, closing his eyes as the sickening sound of clacking wheels and electric charges echoed in his head. “Shit. Shit. Shit.”

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TBC

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“What happened?” He’d heard her coming, knew she would.

He didn’t know how long he’d been sitting on the cold, hard floor, his head resting back against the wall, but he ached all over. He opened one eye, squinting up at her. The lights of the hall backlit her form; he couldn’t see her face. “I don’t know,” he managed, his voice scratchy from disuse and emotion.

He could imagine she had that look, concern mixed with anger, covered by a cool façade of control. “I really don’t know.” John opened the other eye.

“Did you get Kolya?” Elizabeth asked, crossing her arms in front of her, defensively.

“No.”

“What about Cowen?”

“No,” he gritted between clenched teeth. He hated the way he could picture her watching him, judging him and he was thankful he couldn’t see her face.

She glanced at the medical labs closed door. “Any news?”

Sheppard shook his head. “No.”

“You brought him back, John,” she reminded quietly. “Thank you.”

He ignored her, not wanting her thanks. What he wanted was an update. What he wanted was Carson telling him McKay was going to be fine. What he needed was to see Rodney awake and complaining indignantly about the medical staff.

“You should get rest,” Elizabeth said with concern.

“I’m not leaving.”

“John.”

He glared at her, cutting off any further arguments she might try. “I am not leaving.”

He lost track of time after she left. Minutes crawled by, followed by hours that flew past. His body grew numb from sitting in the same position so long. His legs cramped. Ford and Teyla came and waited with him for part of the time before wandering to more comfortable places to wait and worry. He didn’t want comfortable; he didn’t deserve it.

John played the last two days over and over in his mind, wondering where he could have changed it all. From the meeting with the Smyrnians, to hauling Rodney out of that cave and flying home. The events cycled through his head over and over, each time ending the exact same way. There was nothing he could have done. He had to go back further, days further, back to Dagan. Back to another hole in the ground where he’d left Kolya alive. If he had killed Kolya then, when he had the clear chance, then this…none of this would have happened.

The Med Lab’s door opened suddenly and Sheppard jerked his head up, unable to make his body move as he watched Carson standing there, peeling bloody gloves off his hands. Throwing the trash into a bright red bin, Beckett looked up and met John’s intense gaze.

John swallowed slowly, fear choking him until Carson let out a long slow breath. “He’s still with us.”

“But?” John slowly pushed himself off the floor, ignoring the cramping protests of his legs and back.

Carson shrugged. “He’s in a bad way,” he admitted. He ran his fingers through his messy hair. “Lost a lot of blood, he did, almost too much. I got him on meds to help that and he’s getting a transfusion now. He’ll need another, I believe.”

Beckett looked down at the floor, then looked back at Sheppard again. “Bruises, cuts. I still need to take care of the cut by his eye.” He went on, “His back is pretty messed up, possibly a bruised kidney. I’ll run a full scan after the transfusion. For now, I’m just concentrating on getting him stable. The wound, it was….” He shook his head.

“What?” John prodded, sensing more.

“It wasn’t just a simple gun shot,” Carson explained. “It was bad enough on its own, but there are signs of additional trauma.”

“Like what?”

“Like tearing and bruising that shouldn’t’a been there!” Carson snapped at him.

John shook his head, still not understanding. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that, on top of everything else, McKay was hit or kicked or what have you AFTER he was shot, damn it. The trauma was directly to the wound itself.”

Sheppard’s vision faded even as his eyes grew wide. His anger flared as the meaning of Carson’s words finally registered. He turned away and started down the hall at a near run. He knew what he needed to do.

“Major!” Beckett called after him, but he kept going.

Carson ran, catching up to John quickly. He grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop. “Where the bloody hell are you going?”

John tried to pull away, but Carson held tight. “I’m going,” Sheppard said slowly. “To kill Kolya. Let go of me,” he demanded.

“No.” Beckett shook his head. “You aren’t. We left the Genii buzzing like a hive of angry hornets. You’d be dead the minute you stepped through the gate, regardless of the fact we don’t even know where Kolya is.”

“I’ll find him,” John snarled, jerking his arm free.

Beckett immediately scooted in front of him. “I’ll ground you,” he threatened seriously, ignoring the fact that they were chest to chest and Sheppard seemed to tower over him. He could see the anger, the rage, boiling inside John, but under it all, he saw fear and pain. His voice softened but he didn’t back down. “You’re gonna turn around, get back to the med lab, wash up and let me look at you.”

“I’m fine!” John protested. “Rodney’s the one hurt. Go help him.”

“I will, but you need to be there.”

“I need,” John shouted. “To go after the bastard who did this to him.” He advanced, forcing Carson to back up a step.

“No, Major,” Beckett disagreed softly. “You heard what Kendrick said, what Kolya told Rodney. Rodney needs to know you came for him. He needs to hear your voice, he needs to see you when he opens his eyes. He. Needs. You.”

John pulled back from Carson, his anger so consuming he swore he could taste it. Everything that Kolya had done to McKay bombarded him again. The bruises, the cuts, the gun shot wound, the torture, the words used to make McKay think he was going to die alone…all of it. All of it was his fault. He’d let it happen. He looked down at his hands, seeing Rodney’s blood, staining them and exploded, lashing out and driving his fist into the uncompromising wall of Atlantis.

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Rodney pressed the blue crystal, then the red. The tones were pure, beautiful and sustained. He smiled and pressed the yellow crystal. Nothing happened. The panel’s crystals went dim. He pushed them again, trying all the colors, but the machine no longer worked.

“You screwed it up!”

He looked up sharply. “Jeanie?” His sister’s hurtful sneer faded and morphed until Kolya stood before him again, the ancient device vanished. Kolya aimed his gun at Rodney.

“No.” Rodney raised his hands as the Genii commander cocked the weapon and raised it higher. Rodney couldn’t move. Kolya pressed the barrel against his forehead. Cold metal cut into his skin.

“He won’t come for you,” Kolya whispered softly, almost apologetically as he slowly, purposefully began to pull the trigger.

“No!” Rodney fought. It wouldn’t end this way. It couldn’t. Sheppard would come. Struggling, Rodney suddenly felt like he was in jell-o, thick, black, rubbery, cold jell-o. It covered him, clogging his nose, filling his ears, blocking his eyes. It held him in place, smothering him and he knew he had to fight it. If he didn’t fight to break free… Kolya would win. He had to get out; he had to fight. Sheppard would come and he had to be ready. He would not let John down, not this time.

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TBC

John shifted on the exam table and tried to concentrate on not moving his throbbing fingers.

“Be still,” Carson demanded as he tended to the hand and wrist, wrapping it securely in warm black fiberglass material that would eventually harden into a protective cast. “Yer lucky, you know,” he started ranting again. “You could have crushed yer hand instead a just cracking a few bones.”

“Is the cast really necessary?” John asked for third time since Carson had started the whole process.

“Bloody right it’s necessary. You move these bones the wrong way and we’re scheduling you for surgery and, if it comes to that,—I’ll make damn sure you’re awake through the whole blessed thing.”

“You will not,” Sheppard mumbled, shaking his head at Beckett’s threats, knowing full well that Carson would never inflict pain on purpose, not on his friends anyway. His eyes caught movement across the room and he turned to get a better view of the bed where Rodney was.

The tall, dark skinned doctor sitting beside McKay’s bed was gently attending to Rodney’s hands. Sheppard watched, fascinated by the gentleness as the doctor gracefully washed dirt and blood from Rodney’s limp and pliant fingers. John’s thoughts drifted to Carson again and he wondered if such tenderness was just born in some people or was it something that always needed to be learned.

“There you go.” Carson drew his attention back to his own hand. “I’ll get you something for the pain and then you can head to your quarters if you’d like.” Beckett’s statement sounded more like a question than a suggestion. John could see his mind working. Was Sheppard planning on staying or leaving? Carson was making it clear he wasn’t going to ask him directly again.

“I’m staying here,” John said simply, his eyes met Carson’s briefly and the Scot nodded, his relief obvious.

“Right then. I’ll be right back.”

Sheppard turned back to Rodney. The other doctor was gone, but John’s eyes settled again on McKay’s hands. They were so still, too still. McKay’s hands should be moving. They were always in motion, whether gesturing wildly as Rodney jumped from one subject to another or moving with determined purpose as he worked on ancient technology. The only times John had ever noticed Rodney’s hands being still were when the scientist dozed off and even then his fingers tended to twitch occasionally. John let his gaze travel up to Rodney’s battered face. The cut on his temple had been cleaned and taped. The bruising on his face had spread and turned dark purple and yellowish around the edges. Another wave of guilt swept over Sheppard. He could feel his anger growing again and he pushed it away. He had to stay in control, he thought, glancing down at his encased hand. He took a deep breath, a calming breath before looking up at Rodney again.

McKay moved.

“Carson!” John shouted, hopping off the table and ignoring the vice-like pain that exploded in his hand.

Rodney’s hand twitched, gripped the sheets and then flailed. An alarm began to go off, beeping insistently.

“McKay?” John hurried across the room, catching Rodney’s hand before it smacked the IV monitor beside the bed.

Rodney’s breathing sped up and he began to shake his head back and forth against the pillow. His body tensed, his slack face contorted into a pain-filled grimace. He was struggling…fighting.

“Rodney.” John tried to keep his voice calm. “You’re okay.” He looked frantically for Carson. “Beckett!”

Rodney’s other hand lashed out and caught him in the chin.

“McKay,” Sheppard growled, shaking off the surprising blow. “Come on, Rodney, listen to me. You’re safe. We’re back on Atlantis. Stop fighting me or you’re gonna hurt yourself.” John talked, rambling the same thing over and over, praying that Rodney would hear him.

Carson arrived holding a syringe and quickly checked the lines before injecting a sedative into Rodney’s IV. Rodney flailed one last time, connecting solidly with John’s cast.

“Damn it!” Sheppard eyes watered as the pain shot through his hand. “Rodney.”

McKay’s eyes opened wide, darting wildly.

“McKay.” John leaned cautiously closer, speaking softer this time. “Look at me, Rodney. You’re okay. You’re safe now.”

Somehow, through the panic, Rodney managed to focus on John. As his body reacted to the drugs and he stopped struggling, McKay’s attention stayed on Sheppard. “John?” he whispered hoarsely.

Sheppard smiled and squeezed Rodney’s hand lightly, relieved and heartbroken to see the recognition and question in Rodney’s eyes. “Yeah, I’m here,” he reassured as McKay’s eyes slowly closed again. McKay’s words back in the cave resounded through his head again. “You came.” He could still hear the surprised, shocked tone.

“I’m staying right here,” John said determinedly. “Right here.”

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Rodney heard John’s voice as he struggled, felt the hand on his and managed, somehow to open his eyes. He had to see that it was real, that John was real and then…There he was, Sheppard, leaning over him, his hair a wild mess. His chin sporting a red mark where it looked like someone had whacked him, his eyes sincere and comforting. He was here.

Kolya was wrong. John had come. Even if he had screwed everything up, John had still come for him. He let himself relax, another force pulling him back into the dark, but this time he wasn’t afraid. The blackness wasn’t smothering. It didn’t trap him. He wasn’t alone anymore. He could rest.


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Elizabeth crossed her arms and watched quietly as Carson covered Sheppard’s legs with a light blanket.

John lay in the bed next to Rodney’s, dressed in maroon scrubs. His injured hand was propped on a pile of pillows and he snored softly.

“How’d you get him to go to sleep?” Weir asked in a whisper.

Carson glanced at her and waggled his eyebrows mischievously. “His pain medication packs a wallop.” His smile faded as he fiddled with the edge of the blanket. “That and he’s bloody exhausted.

Elizabeth nodded. “The entire team is.” She looked over at McKay, who also slept soundly. “I ordered Teyla and Aiden to get rest, too. Neither of them wanted to stray far from here until we had more positive news about Rodney.” She sighed softly, her face still grave with concern. “He will be okay won’t he?”

“Aye, it’ll take time and some creative ways to keep him resting, but yes. I believe he’ll recover fully from the physical wounds.”

“Physical?” She looked at Carson.

“He went through a lot, lass. They both did.” Beckett looked from one patient to another. “You weren’t there in that cave with us. We don’t know how long he suffered there alone thinking no one was coming for him and you didn’t see John’s reaction to finding him in such bad shape.”

Elizabeth bit her lip, her gaze resting on Sheppard’s black cast. “What exactly happened?” she questioned.

“He had a fight with his guilt and anger,” Carson frowned.

“And?”

“His anger won.”


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John dreamed of running through tunnels. Dark, earthen tunnels that pressed in on him as they twisted and curved like a giant maze. He couldn’t find the way out. Just when he thought he was to the end—another turn would send him down another dark passage. Then, abruptly, it all ended. He was watching Carson, placing the paddles on Rodney’s chest, shouting “Clear!” The jolt changed the scene again and John screamed. The defibrillator paddles now became a single wraith hand sucking the life out of Rodney’s writhing body.

Sheppard came out of the dream with a harsh shout, reaching for his sidearm and coming up with a handful of blanket instead. He breathed heavily, trying to shake off the dream’s effects. His heart raced and he felt like the sweat was pouring off of him.

“Did ya sleep well then, Major?” Beckett stood beside his bed, making notes on a chart. Despite his amused smile, there was concern in his eyes.

John snorted as he sat up and reached to scratch his head…only to whack himself with his forgotten cast.

“Oh,” Carson winced in sympathy as Sheppard hissed and flopped back on the pillows again, his eyes scrunched tightly closed.

After a moment, John sat up. “How long?”

Beckett glanced at his watch. “You’ve slept about 12 hours now.”

John’s eyes widened. “Twelve?”

“You needed the rest. You were about to drop.”

“How’s Rodney?” Sheppard asked, ignoring Carson’s comment.

Carson nodded to the next bed.

Sheppard raised his eyebrows, shocked to find McKay staring blearily up at him. “You’re awake.”

McKay licked his split lip gingerly. “Yeah, well…you snore,” he complained in a weak whisper. His complexion reminded John of the paste he used to secretly eat in kindergarten. Rodney breathed slowly but smoothly and, despite his drug-glazed blue eyes, Sheppard noted the tight grimace and creased brow as McKay tried to manage his pain.

“I don’t snore,” Sheppard denied, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “I breathe deeply.”

McKay snorted, stopping short and then moaned, “Oh, don’t do that.”

“Sorry. Sorry.” John smiled as he met Rodney’s eyes. “My bad.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s all your fault.”

John looked down, Rodney’s words cutting at him.

McKay cleared his throat. “Water?” he requested softly.

“I got it,” Beckett offered, already heading off to get it.

“John,” Rodney’s voice was raspy and Sheppard slid off his bed, moving closer to McKay so he could hear him better.

“Yeah, what do you need?”

McKay shook his head slightly. “Was joking,” he tried to explain but he was tiring quickly.

“I know.” Sheppard put on a casual grin.

McKay studied him carefully, despite his obvious struggle to stay awake. “Liar,” he accused, his eyes finally drifting closed.

John chuckled, both chagrined and relieved to hear McKay’s normal biting tone. Some how it reassured him—Rodney really was going to be okay.

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TBC

“Are you certain about this, Major?” Teyla asked for the third time as she swung her fighting sticks around her.

The late afternoon sun bathed the gym in burnt orange as Sheppard circled the Athosian, defensively.

“As long as you don’t tell Dr. Beckett,” Sheppard answered, swinging forward with his weapon. He could only hold one, the cast on his injured hand prevented him from gripping the second.

Teyla blocked his blow and followed with an offensive strike that caused John to stumble but not go down.

“You’re holding back,” he stated, shaking the sweat from his brow. “I told you not to do that.”

“Yes,” Teyla admitted honestly. “You did.”

He came at her again, but she blocked and parried, spinning quickly and smacking his upper thigh before backing off.

“Then why are you?” he asked through clenched teeth, hopping a step on one leg.

“Because.” She attacked, whipping the sticks at him with a grace and accuracy he knew he’d never attain no matter how long he practiced. He blocked everything he could but, one-handed, it wasn’t enough. Stick cracked against stick and, with a painful blow, Teyla had stripped his weapon from his hand. It flew up, catching him in the brow before flipping over his head and clattering against the far wall.

They stood there in tense silence, John breathing heavily and rubbing his forehead with his good hand before Teyla finally spoke again. “Because, Major. I believe you are merely here to punish yourself and I choose not to assist you in doing so.”

Sheppard lowered his hand and stared at her, surprised at the concern he saw in her eyes. “What?”

“You believe,” she pointed with one weapon, “that you are to blame for what happened to Dr. McKay.”

“Who told you that?”

Teyla smiled wryly and shook her head. “No one. I see it.” She stepped closer. “You carry it like a heavy burden meant only for you.”

John turned away, stalking to the window, staring at the stained glass without seeing it.

She moved beside him and sat on the bench, looking up at him. “What happened is not your fault,” she said simply.

He scoffed. “How exactly do you figure that?” he demanded angrily, looking down at her, trying not to focus on the compassion he saw in her eyes. “If I had killed Kolya when I had the change, none of this would have happened at all. THAT makes it my fault,” he whispered fiercely.

“No, Major.” Teyla stood slowly and placed her hand on his shoulder. “That makes it his fault. The blame lies with Kolya, no one else.”

John shook his head, his anger receding as grief overwhelmed him. “Tell that to Rodney,” he said thickly.

Teyla squeezed his shoulder gently. “It is not Dr. McKay who needs most to hear the truth.”

He stood there, letting her words wash over him as she moved away. Was she right? He didn’t know if he could let go of all the blame. He still felt it, so deeply…but maybe, possibly, he could let go of the anger he’d directed so intensely at himself. “Teyla.” He looked up as she reached the gym’s doorway.

“You are welcome.” She smiled. “Next time however, when you are fully healed,” her eyes drifted to his cast and then back to his face with a glint of mischief. “I will not hold back.”


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“I can’t believe it.”

“Will you stop already?”

“Well, really. You’re supposed to be a highly trained military officer and you can’t even smuggle a laptop in here? It was a simple mission,” Rodney ranted, his hands gesturing at the room. “Not exactly high security,” he pointed out.

John rolled his eyes and slumped lower in the chair beside McKay’s bed. “Have you tried to sneak something past Carson?” he defended himself. “The man’s a freaking bloodhound.”

It’s been two full days since he’d woken in the Med Lab to find McKay conscious and starting to improve. Under Beckett’s watchful and strict, very strict eye, Rodney was consistently gaining strength. The problem was, however, that McKay was bored out of his mind.

Rodney pulled at the loose threads of his blanket, already having managed to unravel a large section of it, only to braid the threads back together. Sheppard had kidded him about finding knitting needles somewhere on the base. “You tried to hide it under your shirt. Under your shirt. What kind of stupid plan was that?”

“I’m handicapped here.” John waved his cast at McKay. “Give me a break.”

“Looks like you already had one,” McKay sneered his pun as John groaned loudly.

“I walked right into that, didn’t I?”

“Oh yes, very much so.” McKay grinned. “Serves you right for failing your mission.”

“Hey, I did the best I could.” John raised both hands in surrender. “I tried.”

McKay nodded, his face suddenly growing serious. His fingers stilled on the blanket and he leaned back deeper into the pillows.

“You okay?” John asked, noticing the change.

“Fine, I’m fine. Just tired. I get tired so easily. Frustrating really,” Rodney rambled.

“That’s why Carson won’t let you have the computer,” John pointed out, seriously.

McKay nodded and sighed heavily. “I know.”

“What’d you want it for anyway?” Sheppard questioned, sticking a finger under the edge of his cast and wiggling it in an effort to reach an itch.

“I just wanted to get some notes down about the device Kolya had.” He tripped slightly over Kolya’s name. “Damn shame, leaving that behind. It was intriguing really. I’d have liked to have a chance to see if it really worked.”

“Yeah well, it was you or it.” John shrugged. “I’m sure it worked fine.”

Rodney looked at him. “Why do you say that?”

“You were fixing it, weren’t you?” John grinned teasingly.

“Ah yes, my knowledge of ancient technology and all.” McKay gestured absently. “The all important brain behind the machines.”

Sheppard caught the slight edge to Rodney’s voice and sat up straighter in his chair. “Rodney.”

“Hmm?” McKay’s thoughts were obviously elsewhere.

“You are important.”

“Oh, of course I am.” Rodney nodded. “Why else would Kolya kidnap me and drag me underground to fix an ancient organ?” he asked bitterly.

“McKay.” John leaned forward. “You don’t actually think that I tracked you across two worlds, pissed off the Genii—again—and hauled you out of that damn hole in the ground while under fire just because of your brains, do you?” He waited, watching Rodney open and close his mouth unable to find an answer, before he continued. “I didn’t come after you just because you understand ancient technology, or because you’re the smartest man in the Pegasus galaxy,” his voice rose as he went on. “And certainly not because we both passed the God damned Mensa test. You’re a part of my team, McKay, and more importantly, you’re my friend.”

John made sure Rodney was still looking at him before he went on. “I might need a scientist and I might need your skills on my team, but what I need most, Rodney, is you. A friend I know I can depend on. Someone who’ll back me up in the face of near certain death and someone who’ll annoy the hell out of me when he thinks I’m making a mistake, and then kick my ass for not listening to him. I need someone who trusts me as much as I trust him. That’s you, McKay…you.” He stopped, letting his words sink in.

There was silence for a few minutes as he watched Rodney process it all. “What if I let you down?” McKay finally asked, hesitantly.

John leaned back in the chair, settling in, and grinned. “Well, then I get to kick your ass and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

McKay laughed shortly, his features finally relaxing again. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.” John sneered evilly, paying back McKay’s earlier pun.

“Ha ha. How’d you really hurt your hand?”

John shrugged. “I punched a wall.”

“Now that was just brilliant,” Rodney pointed out sarcastically, closing his eyes and trying to suppress a yawn.

“Yeah, see, you’ve already got the whole ‘annoy the hell out of me’ concept down. No need to practice.”

“Oh, but practice makes perfect. Soon I’ll even be good enough to kick your ass, too.”

“Go to sleep McKay, you need the rest.”

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When Beckett returned to the room later to check on Rodney, he found both men sleeping soundly and snoring a duet that would wake the dead.

The End !