Those Who Trust By
Leesa Perrie
Written for the sga_genficathon on LiveJournal for the prompt: "I trust you, and that makes you true; I don't care if it isn't the way it is" (The Tragically Hip, "In View")
A/N: This is an AU where Rodney McKay is a Pegasus born native with a slightly altered name. This story starts at the end of 'Poisoning of the Well' (an episode that can handle the lack of Rodney and still have the same outcome). I have borrowed or altered some sentences from 'The Storm', 'The Eye' and 'The Gift' (from transcripts found on GateWorld). This story is written with the understanding that the reader has seen all four episodes. This is not a literal interpretation of the prompt, but hopefully still fits it, albeit loosely.
Title comes from this quote by T S Eliot, "Those who trust us educate us".
Chapter 1 – Mysterious Happenings
Carson was packing away the medical equipment he had brought to Hoff, his heart sore from the loss of Perna, and from all those who had or would die from the serum he had helped create. And although Sheppard had told him he was not to blame, that the Hoffans were the ones to blame, for not listening to him, to them, deep down he couldn't let go of his part in this.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up, expecting to see Teyla and Ford, who Sheppard was sending to help carry his equipment back to the gate and Atlantis, but instead a stranger stood before him. A tall, blond haired man aged in his early twenties.
"Aye, and what do you want?" he asked wearily, presuming the stranger to be yet another Hoffan come to congratulate him on his work. He'd had enough of those this last hour to last him a lifetime, and more.
The man wandered over to a book on one of the lab benches, idly paging through it and avoiding eye contact, before replying in a scathing tone of voice. "The Hoffans are idiots, willing to kill half their population in the hopes of keeping the Wraith away, and yet this serum will draw the Wraith here! They will destroy this world for daring to make such a weapon against them. The Hoffans are signing their own death warrant and don't care to hear it."
"A serum I helped to make," Carson said sourly.
"You hoped to protect humans from their feeding."
"But instead I've killed this world."
"Yes, well, medical science is not a true science. It's full of inconsistencies. The serum is just an example of that; some live, some die. In real science, if you mix the same amount of two chemicals together the result is always the same, if you push the same object on the same surface with the same amount of force, it always travels the same distance. The outcome is always the same, not like in medicine. Still, you are a scientist of sorts, for all that, and you're not the only scientist that's ever made an error of judgement that's led to death and destruction. At least your error was to not realise how fanatical the Hoffans are. At least your intentions were honourable, not like…" the man's bitter voice trailed off. "Well, that doesn't matter. You're not to blame for their decisions."
"Who are you?" Carson demanded, annoyed by the stranger's attitude.
"Does it matter? You're not about to listen to me, any more than those idiots have ever done. I'll leave you to your packing. And to your guilt." The man left abruptly, and Carson watched him go, frowning. Was that rant supposed to somehow make him feel less guilty? Because it didn't.
Teyla was on her way to the medical lab to meet up with Lieutenant Ford and Dr Beckett when she heard Dr Beckett's voice call her into a side room.
"Dr Beckett?" she said in surprise. "I thought you were in the lab?"
"Aye, but I needed to get something from here first," he answered her, approaching closely before grabbing her unexpectedly and injecting her in one swift move. As darkness came over her she heard the doctor mutter, "I'm sorry, but this is necessary. You'll be fine."
"I am sorry that I am late," Teyla said, entering the lab a few minutes after Ford had arrived.
"That's alright, lass," Carson said, lifting the last of the boxes. "There's not that much to carry really, Ford and I can manage."
"Even so, I am sorry for my tardiness."
"Hey, like the doc says, no problem," Ford said, holding two boxes in his hands. "You're here now."
"That I am. Do you need me to carry anything?"
"Nah, we can manage. Besides, it makes sense for one of us to have their hands free, just in case things turn nasty."
"You think it will?" Carson asked anxiously.
"I hope not, but it always pays to be ready."
"Aye, I guess so. Well, we'd better get moving. Major Sheppard will be waiting for us in the exit chamber…"
"Then we should not keep him waiting," Teyla suggested politely.
Chancellor Druhin had delivered the verdict of the vote to them in the exit chamber, where the gate was situated. Despite further warnings against giving the serum to all of their people, the Chancellor was resolute and unmoving.
Sickened by the events, as much for Beckett as for the people of Hoff, John had told Druhin that they would not be back and not to expect further help from them.
Returning to Atlantis was a relief, even though he dreaded the debrief with Elizabeth. He'd been the one to push this research, more than once, and now… He sighed.
Still, that would have to wait until after the post-mission check-up and, hopefully, also after he'd had chance to grab something to eat. He was starving.
Teyla seemed rather subdued on their way to the infirmary, but he'd put it down to sorrow at how things had turned out. It wasn't until he'd had his check-up that he realised she wasn't in the infirmary. That was unusual, if anyone tried to avoid post-mission check-ups it was Zelenka, one of the scientists who occasionally came offworld with them. Or himself, if he had other, more important things he needed to do.
When his attempts to contact her via the comm failed, he started to get concerned. Checking with the medical staff he confirmed that she hadn't arrived for her check-up, and decided to try and find her. Perhaps recent events had affected her more than he had realised.
An hour later and he was truly worried. No one had seen her since she'd left the gate room, and she wasn't answering her comm. Having reported his concerns to Elizabeth via his radio, he headed to the control room in the hopes that they could locate her with the internal sensors.
"Still no answer?" he asked, coming up to Grodin and Elizabeth.
"No, John. Peter says there's no one outside of the inhabited areas, so we're going to have to ask people to stay where they are and contact us with their locations. Hopefully we'll be able to find her."
"I hope so, this isn't like her."
"No, it's not…" Elizabeth was interrupted by the gate activating.
"Unscheduled activation," Peter said automatically. "I'm receiving an IDC… It's Teyla's," he said in surprise.
"But she came back," Elizabeth said, brows furrowed in confusion. "Did she give her IDC to someone?"
"She wouldn't have done that," John said with certainty.
"Atlantis, this is Teyla. I have not received a response to my IDC. Is there a problem?"
"She didn't go offworld again?"
"No, John, the gate hasn't been used since your team returned."
"Should we answer her?" Peter asked.
Elizabeth looked to John, and then nodded.
"Teyla, this is Sheppard. We need to confirm your identity."
"Why?"
"Well, you came back with us from Hoff so…"
"I am still on Hoff. Dr Beckett drugged me."
"What? Why would he do that?"
"I do not know. Chancellor Druhin was surprised to see me as well, perhaps now I know why. I do not know who returned with you to Atlantis, but it was not me."
"Okay, well, if you're Teyla then tell me what you said to me on Ne'dir when no one was listening?" John asked.
"That there were times when the Ne'dirans could be extremely tedious," Teyla replied swiftly. "You agreed, stating they were more tedious than a group of anthropologists enthusing over their latest discoveries."
"Yep, I did," he said with a small sigh. He had a feeling he would be receiving a lecture from Elizabeth about respecting other people and their interests after this was all over. Turning to her now, he ignored the raised eyebrow pointed in his direction. "There's no reason either of us would have mentioned this conversation to anyone else. It's Teyla."
"Are you certain?" Elizabeth asked.
"As certain as I can be."
"Okay. Let her through," Elizabeth told Peter, who disengaged the shield and sent the message to Teyla's GDO to say that it was clear to come through.
John went down the steps to meet Teyla as she exited the gate.
"Hi. Look, we need to be absolutely certain that you are, you know, you."
"I understand, Major. If I was in your place I would do the same."
"Okay, well, we'll go to the infirmary, get a scan done, take some blood, that sort of thing."
Teyla nodded, removing her tac vest and weapons and allowing herself to be guided to the infirmary by John, along with Stackhouse and Markham, who he'd indicated should accompany them.
Carson approached them worriedly as they entered the infirmary, clearly having been forewarned of their arrival by Elizabeth. "Teyla, lass, I didn't drug you. I was in the medical lab until you came in, or at least who we thought was you came in, that is, if you're you," he said, looking confused as he came to a stop and sighing.
"I believe there is more to this than we know," Teyla said simply, sitting on one of the beds as a nurse took a blood sample.
"Aye, that there is. Let's run the scanner over you, then."
During the scan, they were joined by Ford and Zelenka.
"Sir," Ford said, "Is this Teyla?"
"I reckon so, the scan will hopefully confirm it," Sheppard replied.
"But how could someone fool us into thinking they were Teyla?"
"Perhaps they are not human," Zelenka suggested. "Or perhaps they have a cloaking device, such as the SGC has encountered, one that projects an image."
"I haven't read that report yet," Sheppard admitted, and Zelenka went into a short summary of the situation regarding aliens, cloaking devices and foothold situations, before being interrupted a few minutes later by Carson.
"Well, having compared this scan with a previous one taken a few weeks ago, this is Teyla. The blood tests are a precaution, but I'm sure they'll confirm it too."
"Well, that's good," Sheppard said, relieved that Teyla was back with them. "But that means we have an intruder on Atlantis. One who it would seem has the ability to look and sound like other people."
"Ach, how are we supposed to we find someone like that?" Carson asked.
"If it is a device, perhaps I can configure the internal sensors to detect it," Zelenka suggested, pushing his glasses up his nose nervously.
"Who are you?" Teyla asked suddenly, her eyes on one of the nurses in the room.
"That's Marie. You know her," Carson replied, casting anxious eyes to Sheppard and using a calming tone.
"No. One moment I saw Marie and then the image faded. Now, I see a man."
Sheppard pulled his gun, not pointing it directly at Marie as yet, but making sure it was ready in case it was needed. He noted that Ford, along with Stackhouse and Markham, had followed suit.
"I don't know what you're seeing," Marie said, licking her lips nervously. "I'm me. You can see that, can't you?" she asked Carson.
"Aye, I know what you look like, but that doesn't mean anything." Carson opened his comm. "Nurse Holden, could you tell me your whereabouts please?"
A moment later, Marie answered her comm, telling him that she was in the mess hall and asking if he needed her in the infirmary. "Hang on a moment, lass, and I'll let you know." He turned to Sheppard. "She's in the mess hall, or at least someone claiming to be her is."
Sheppard's eyes narrowed dangerously, bringing his gun up to cover the nurse-possible-intruder before him.
"Yesterday, Marie and I were talking about the pet she left back on Earth," Carson said, turning his attention to the possible interloper while reopening his comm. "Long story, but could you remind me the name of your dog, Marie?"
The eyes of the person in front of him widened in panic, as Marie answered the question over the comm in surprise. "Yes, his name was Frisbee."
"Thank you, lass, I'll explain everything later." He looked at Sheppard. "That's not Marie, she's in the mess hall."
"Okay, I think you need to come with us," Sheppard said to the… boy of about ten looking at them with big frightened eyes.
"Don't hurt me," the boy said piteously.
"Do not be fooled, Major, he is not a boy but a man, in his mid to late thirties," Teyla warned.
"You can still see him?"
"No, I see a boy now, but I saw a man earlier and believe that was the true person."
The boy's eyes clouded with anger, before widening in realisation. "You can sense the Wraith, can't you? You're one of those Gifted ones, with Wraith genes spliced into them."
Teyla looked shocked and then angered by his words. "I am not Wraith," she stated hotly.
"You think you're not, but my people found a lab where a Wraith was conducting experiments to make humans more 'tasty'," the boy/man grimaced over that word. "The other Wraith stopped him, but some of his experiments lived. They were left with the ability to sense Wraith, and my people believe they can also tap into the Wraith telepathic network too, that's why the other Wraith didn't like what he was doing."
"Is it possible?" Sheppard asked Carson.
"I suppose it is, but the DNA must be a small fragment or else I'd have picked up on it by now," Carson replied thoughtfully.
"I… do not wish to believe it," Teyla said, looking grief-stricken at the thought of it.
"It's like the Ancestral gene that a few of my people have, small and seemingly insignificant, but there."
"Look, whoever you are…"
"He looks like the man I saw earlier again," Teyla said suddenly.
"Seems he can only fool you for a short while then," Sheppard said. "Which is good."
"It's because she has the Gift," the intruder muttered sourly. "The Wraith see through my… ability, within seconds."
"I'd like to know more about your ability," Carson said eagerly. "Is it hereditary? How does it work? Do you change shape or project an image?"
"Do you have technology or is it natural?" Zelenka added.
"I don't change shape, that's impossible," the boy/man answered scathingly.
"Then it is an image you project?" Zelenka said, fascinated.
"Yes. And yes, it's natural, no technology, and no I'm not telling you any more than that." The boy/man crossed his arms and glared at them.
"Why did you come here? What do you want?" Sheppard asked suspiciously.
"The Hoffans were about to commit mass suicide and I decided it was time to move on. Seeing as they guard the gate I had to disguise myself. They don't just let anyone come and go, unfortunately. Besides, you live in Atlantis! The technology here, the knowledge…" The boy/man's eyes shined with avarice. "I'm a scientist and this place… My people can only dream of living in a city like this."
"And are your people waiting for you to contact them?" Sheppard asked, his voice dangerous.
"What? No! I haven't had anything to do with them for years!"
"You know, we only have your word for that," Sheppard pointed out, "And I'm not sure I'm inclined to believe someone who drugged a friend of mine to gain entry to our home."
"I had no choice! I couldn't stay on Hoff and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to come here. It's not like anyone got hurt. Your friend even managed to get back here, unharmed. I just, I hadn't realised how few people there would be here, and I certainly didn't realise she had the Gift."
"This isn't the way to make friends," Sheppard pointed out.
"It's the way things have to be for me. I have to hide amongst the crowd, to survive. If anyone knew what I could do…" His eyes widened again, this time in fear. "Oh no, you… What are you going to do to me?" He looked around the room, frantically searching for a way out. "Torture me until I agree to use this ability for your purposes, whatever they might be? Study me like some interesting specimen? Both?"
"We don't torture people. But we do need to be sure you're telling the truth."
"He'll want to study me," the boy/man pointed to Carson. "It's what medical scientists do, not that medicine is much of a science, really…"
"You!" Carson said suddenly. "You were the man who talked to me before Ford turned up! You disparaged my profession and then told me I wasn't to blame for what the Hoffans are doing."
"I needed to see you so I could use your image to approach her." He pointed at Teyla. "And, well, it's stupid to think you're to blame for the insanity of the Hoffans. Though you'll be to blame if you turn me into some sort of experiment and hurt me," he finished with a defiant lift of his chin.
"I have no intention of doing anything like that."
"I only have your word for that," he said, flinging Sheppard's words back at them vehemently.
"Look, just settle down," Sheppard said sternly. "Yes, we'd like to know more about you, your people and your ability, but right now I just want to make sure you're not a danger to the city or the people in it. So, you're going to come with us to the holding cells for the time being. I assure you that we will not hurt you or experiment on you."
The boy/man shut up, scowling.
"And one more thing, quit it with the boy image. Let us see you."
The scowl deepened, but the boy was replaced with a man in his mid to late thirties, with short dark receding hair, piercingly blue eyes and a slightly crooked mouth. "Happy?" the man asked darkly.
"Ecstatic," Sheppard answered in the same tone, looking to Teyla. "Is he who you saw?"
"Yes, except that he has a scar down the right side of his face."
"Vanity?" Sheppard asked the man, raising his eyebrows.
"Is that a problem?" the man grumbled defensively.
"Not really. Come with us, and please don't try anything. Teyla is coming with us and you know you can't fool her."
Carson watched as Sheppard, Ford, Teyla, along with Stackhouse and Markham, escorted the intruder out of the infirmary.
It occurred to him suddenly that they hadn't thought to ask the man his name.