Disclaimer - "Stargate" and all related characters and images are the property of MGM Television Entertainment.

Rating – T for violence

A/N – Written as a tag for Season 5's 'Tracker ,' it runs on from the last scene. I know Ronon's OOC, but all will become clear later…

May the Best Man Win

Chapter 1 - I'm Not Going to Fight You For Her

Ronon paused and rested his hands on the stick he was wielding. He said gruffly, "Maybe I do... have… intentions ."

Rodney looked across the gym at the Satedan brandishing his quarterstaff. He mumbled and looked away. He sounded a little put out as he uttered a soft, "Oh."

Ronon asked, "Do you have intentions?"

"Yes, well, of course I do. That's why I was asking you."

Ronon swung the stick a little in his grasp as it rested on the floor and asked, "So what are we going to do about it?"

Rodney sighed and said, "I don't know."

Ronon lifted the stick off the ground and swung it towards Rodney, who was luckily standing a little too far away for it to hit him, but he knew a taunt when he saw one.

He eyed the stick and said without any trace of fear, "I'm not going to fight you for her, if that's what you're thinking."

"Great!"

Rodney quickly continued, "I'm not going to step aside, either," he pointed his finger at Ronon as he spoke, "So we're just going to have to let her decide."

"Okay," Ronon said with a smirk barely hidden behind his beard.

"Okay. So..." Rodney walked forward and pulled one of his hands out of his pockets to offer it outstretched to his teammate, "...may the best man win."

Ronon swapped the stick into his left hand so that he could shake Rodney's hand. He grasped the other man's hand with a smile and Rodney barely met his eyes for a moment before he looked away nervously. It was almost like he knew he had already lost.

Ronon suddenly broke the handshake and his smile instantly vanished. He dropped his fighting stick, held his head and groaned.

Rodney narrowed his eyes in concern and asked, "Hey, what's up?"

Ronon rubbed his temples and winced, "I… don't know… just got a headache."

"Suddenly? Did you have it before?"

"No."

Ronon swayed a little as he tried to walk and Rodney had to grab hold of the Satedan's arm to prevent him from falling over. McKay grunted under the pressure of the weight leaning against him and asked in a strained voice, "Do you think you can get to the infirmary?"

Ronon frowned in pain and pushed himself off Rodney with such force that the smaller man staggered across the gym with an indignant huff.

He mumbled, "Yes."

Rodney nodded and tapped his radio, "McKay to infirmary."

Jennifer answered, "Go ahead, Rodney."

McKay stiffened at the sound of Jennifer's voice and he said, "Ronon's got a headache, I'm bringing him over to you now."

Jennifer answered in a worried voice, "Okay, you don't need me to come to you?"

Rodney glanced at Ronon, who was holding his head again and had his eyes shut. "I'll call you again if I have, uh, any problems."

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Rodney staggered into the infirmary with Ronon who had his arm draped heavily across the scientist's shoulders. He shifted himself and Ronon over to one of the beds and deposited the flagging Satedan onto it.

Rodney released a relieved sigh and stretched his back with an audible crack after the weight was finally removed.

Jennifer had spotted them and was already on her way over. She nodded at Rodney and then looked at Ronon as she asked him, "What happened?"

Ronon mumbled, "Don't know. I was talking to McKay and now my head hurts."

Rodney smirked, "Wouldn't be the first time."

Jennifer shot him an exasperated look and then turned her attention back to Ronon. She felt his glands and asked, "Any other symptoms?"

"I feel a little dizzy."

"Hmm, well, it could just be a headache…"

Rodney cut in with his eyes wide and fearful, "Or it may be the first symptoms of a flesh eating parasite and you'll be dead within an hour!"

Jennifer rolled her eyes, "…but as this is the Pegasus Galaxy, it could be anything. I'm going to need to take a blood sample. Hang on…"

Jennifer walked away and left him alone with Rodney again. McKay rocked back and forth on his feet nervously as he buried his hands in his pockets.

Ronon closed his eyes briefly and looked like he was about to fall from the bed. Rodney rushed over to him and grabbed the Satedan's upper arm to try and guide him to lie down.

Ronon swayed a little, but stayed upright as he sat on the bed and resisted McKay's efforts to help him.

Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he glanced at Rodney with a cold and calculating glare. McKay instantly let go of him and flinched backwards like the look had physically hurt him.

"What?!"

Ronon narrowed his eyes at Rodney and then looked around the infirmary like he had never even been there before. His eyes settled on Jennifer as she came back over to him with some equipment.

Rodney frowned at Ronon's gaze as the Satedan looked at Jennifer almost hungrily. He said warningly to his teammate, "Remember what we just talked about…"

Ronon did not acknowledge that McKay had even spoken as he stared at Jennifer. She met his eyes for a moment and her gaze darted to Rodney, before she dropped her eyes to look at the ground.

She drew up to Ronon and was just about to strap the cuff around his arm when he stood up and drew in a deep breath.

Jennifer stepped backwards as Ronon invaded her personal space. He followed her and continued to give her the hungry look as he stared at her in desire.

Rodney had his mouth open indignantly and went over to rescue Jennifer. He muttered nervously, "Ronon, what are you doing?"

Jennifer said, "Ronon, stop! I need you to lie down."

Ronon smirked at her and then leant over so that his head was near hers. He inhaled the fragrance of her hair and smiled contentedly.

Jennifer frowned and stumbled slightly as her back met one of the beds and she could no longer get any further away from him. Ronon also stopped, but he was so close he was practically touching her.

Jennifer glanced around him at Rodney, who was looking confused and upset. She placed her hand on Ronon's chest in an attempt to move him out of the way enough so that she could escape. She shoved, but he stood firm and leant in even closer.

Rodney walked over right behind him and said calmly, "Ronon, move away."

He ignored the scientist and suddenly clamped his teeth down on Jennifer's cheek.

She cried out in shock as he bit her and Rodney finally decided that enough was enough. He rushed forwards and grabbed Ronon's shoulders roughly.

He said in an alarmed squeak, "Move away!"

He was able to pull Ronon backwards enough for Jennifer to wriggle free. She had her hand over the small bite mark on her face and a shocked and puzzled expression as she watched Rodney desperately grappling with Ronon.

Rodney now had his arms wrapped around Ronon's chest in a tight hug as he tried to stop the other man from breaking free to attack Jennifer again. Ronon brought both of his arms forward and then savagely and quickly moved his elbows back and struck McKay behind him in the stomach.

Rodney lost his breath and grip on the Satedan at the same time and stumbled backwards with both arms on his midsection as he bent double from the force of the blow. When he finally managed to breathe again, he coughed painfully and glanced at Ronon fearfully. A flash of betrayal and a hurt that ran deeper than the physical one he had just received also showed behind his eyes.

Jennifer tapped her radio, "Security to the infirmary," and then backed up to the wall as Ronon ignored Rodney once more and came towards her.

McKay panted and called out to him, "Stop! Please, stop! Ronon?" He grimaced and closed his watering eyes as he remained leaning forwards at the waist with both arms clamped over his belly.

He noticed that Ronon was ignoring him again so he clenched his teeth and steeled himself as he straightened up and walked over to him.

Rodney shuddered and blinked slowly through the pain, but managed to shuffle forwards. He came up behind Ronon as the Satedan pinned Jennifer to the wall with each arm on either side of her head.

Rodney grabbed Ronon's arm, but stayed to the side to avoid another reverse elbow strike. He yanked the man backwards and finally got Ronon's attention. He gritted his teeth as the motion made his body twist and the pain from the bruising flared sharply through his abdomen.

Rodney asked him in a shaky and tiny voice, "What are you doing, Ronon?"

Ronon narrowed his eyes at Jennifer briefly before he returned them to the man challenging him. He chuckled as he back fisted Rodney in the side of the head.

McKay cried out and spun around. He nearly lost his footing, but was somehow able to stand up straight again. He dabbed the side of his face with his hand and winced.

What Rodney made up for in brainpower, he unfortunately lacked in physical strength. At least compared to the burly and aggressive Satedan when he was in the mood for a fight. He therefore did not really stand a chance against Ronon as the taller man towered over him with nothing but menace and ill intentions etching his features.

Rodney stumbled backwards and tried to cower away as Ronon rounded on him with his fists bunched tightly and drawn up in a fighting stance.

Jennifer said in alarm, "Where's that security team?!"

Rodney brought his own small and ineffective fists forwards and furrowed his brow as Ronon started to circle.

Jennifer suddenly stepped in between the two men as they squared each other up. She looked at each of them and said, "Stop what you're doing, both of you!"

Ronon put his hand on her shoulder and shoved her out of the way. She fell onto the floor and was too stunned to move for several minutes.

McKay very valiantly blocked the first punch aimed at his head, but he left himself wide open to an attack. Ronon saw his vulnerability and took advantage of it with a heavy blow to his chest.

Rodney coughed again as his breath was knocked out of him, but did not try to counter Ronon with any of his own attacks. Jennifer looked on in horror as she slowly and painfully picked herself up off the floor.

Ronon suddenly surged forwards at Rodney and used his fists like pistons as he hammered many brutal blows into Rodney's body. McKay yelped in pain as the punches were driven into his ribcage and abdomen. He covered his head with both of his arms and Ronon tried to hit his face, but only managed to bruise his forearms.

Rodney staggered backwards and trembled in shock over the attack. He was beginning to lose his balance as the trauma began to register in his mind and the bruises spread out under his skin. His eyes were tightly squeezed closed and his face was screwed up in pain.

Ronon stepped back a short distance and turned to the side as he delivered his final hit. He roundhouse kicked Rodney in the side with such force that he was flung across the infirmary into one of the beds. He collapsed down onto the floor where blood immediately started to dribble from his slack mouth.

Ronon still had not finished with him though, even though Rodney was now unconscious and seriously hurt. He walked over to the crumpled scientist as he curled up on the floor and a pool of blood slowly formed under his head.

Ronon drew his foot back for another kick, but Jennifer's hand on his arm stayed him. She cried to him in fright, "Ronon, no!"

He hesitated for an instant and Jennifer let go of him. He narrowed his eyes down at Rodney's prone form and he rapidly swung his foot forwards aimed at Rodney's head.

Suddenly, Ronon's body was enveloped in blue light as he was hit by a stunner blast. His foot jerked to the side and missed Rodney by mere inches. He stayed upright until a second stun hit him and he fell down.

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TBC