CHAPTER 2: IRREGULARITIES
DISCLAIMER: look chapter one
So here the next chapter, I hope you like it.
I´m still not sure where this will go, but its fun and there are so many ideas in my head that want to be become words...
Feedback is always very welcome...
CHAPTER 2: IRREGULARITIES
"Wow, wow, wow. Calm down buddy!" Sheppard only curtly missed Ronon's blow. He took a step back and Ronon let out a deep growl while he twirled one of his banthos stick dangerously in the air.
"Don't make me hurt you!" Sheppard tried with his best wry smile, but he wasn't in the mood for this. He wanted a fight. A good and hard one so he would be too tired afterwards to think about anything else than his aching muscles. After returning from Nagaria he had rushed immediately to the infirmary and had refused to leave until the doctor had seen to strangers wounds. Beckett had assured him that he would do his best, but needed the assistance of his team, which wasn't any use as long as they were scared to the bone by a terrifying enraged Satedaen warrior. Convinced that she was in the best care possible he had left for the gym.
Some marines, from his self –defensive class, had been practising hand to hand combat and were eager for a chance to get an extra lesson.
Four against one. He didn't mind the terms and had blocked each of their attacks effortlessly; after all they were no match for his skills, earned during his years as a runner and back when he had been a soldier in the military on Sateda. An hour later all of his opponents had been lying on the floor totally exhausted and beat up. None of them in the state or mood to dare another round of sparring with him.
Another wave of frustration and anger had hit him and he had started to perform fighting trajectory he had learned during his specialist training. They were complex and demanded a lot of concentration. The continuous repetition of the patterns had somehow managed to release at least some of the fury which still burned inside him.
The time John came in, to ask what had happened, he was almost back to normal. Reporting the mission had raised his anger again and Sheppard, who knew him well enough, had seen the deadly glance in his eyes. So the Colonel did him a favour and asked him for a sparring round. But instead of calming down, every blow seemed to help unleashing the inner animal he locked up so canny.
Two broken ribs. One partially fractured.
His muscles repeated the battle patterns, delivering blow after blow- hard and fast , forcing Sheppard to step back.
A dislocated shoulder. Five dislocated fingers.
He fended John's blows, dodging his attacks with graceful easiness. Taking advantage of a weakness in Sheppard's defence, he landed a direct hit, hard enough to convince the Colonel that this wasn't supposed to be a child's game.
A fissured spleen.
Both of them managed to either parry or dodge the other's attack during the five next rounds.
Several deep infected cuts on her lower backside, judging by form and severity obviously whiplash injuries.
A powerful blow forced Sheppard on his knees- it was only thanks to his own well trained battle reflexes, that Ronon was able to avoid knocking the Colonel out with the banthos stick in his left hand. In that moment he realized, it was time to enchain his inner animal and force it back into its mental cage.
Countless deep cuts, marks and burns.
"Hey big guy, are you okay?" Sheppard asked with a frown, when he realised that his sparring partner would leave it by that.
"Yeah!" He mumbled putting his sticks down.
"It's because of this woman, isn't it? The one you saved on this planet." He hesitated and grated his neck, apparently not sure how to handle him. "She will be okay!" Sheppard assured finally, studying Ronon's expression.
Ronon wasn't sure about his last statement. He had no doubts that the Doc would keep his promise and she would be better soon. Physical.
Despite his inner turmoil he nodded in response; he knew that his friend only wanted to make him feel better.
Sheppard cleared his throat and sheepishly ran his hand through his hair.
"So, she was chained up...and it seems that she has been tortured, right?"
Ronon inhaled deeply but didn't bother to answer his question. It had been a rhetoric one, anyway.
"There has to be a reason for their actions."
He nodded but didn't know the answer. Maybe the other team did, but they had been sent to the infirmary and Mission report was first scheduled in two hours. He had never been the type to just sit around and do nothing, but it seemed that he had no choice in this matter.
"Where are you going?" He heard Sheppard's alarmed voice behind him. His sticks hid to the ground with a low thud and as he let go of them and reached for the door.
"Shower!" Ronon managed to say in a low rumble.
Water. Everywhere she looked, she was completely surrounded by it. An ocean of deep blue water. She twirled around and tried her best to get her bearing. She wasn't able to spot a coastline at the horizon. No islands, no cliffs, no goddamned nothing. Only water. Water, endless water, as far as she could see.
How did she get here? Where was here exactly? She didn't have the slightest clue and already the choking feeling of panic started to rise within her. It was hard, but somehow she managed to control her breath and her fear. Fear would consume time and precious energy – she couldn't afford to waste any of them. Lifting her head up she scanned the sky for the sun to ascertain the time. It had to be around late afternoon if she wasn't completely mistaken.
Right. Left. Forward. Backward. Whatever. Finally she took the right side. She had always been a good swimmer since early childhood and so the first miles were not a hard task at all. But after some time...she didn't know how much later, she felt a light throbbing pain built up, which continuously weakened her. Again, she scanned her surroundings, but there was no change to the first time. An endless blue surface, stretching from one horizon to the other.
Again fear was knocking against her chest and she swallowed hard to ignore it.
Swim! She had to swim.
Breath! Swim! Breath! Swim!
With this mantra she forced herself to take another mile. Maybe two. She paused weak and exhausted. She gritted her teeth but no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts were driving her mad.
Oh god, what could she do?
The exact moment the question popped into her mind, she suddenly felt something on her leg. A light touch, which turned into an iron like grip, before she was able to do anything.
She struggled and kicked, but instead of loosen the grip she was dragged to the ground. A frightened scream escaped her throat while her hands clapped hectically in the air and onto the water. The next moment she was pulled under the surface and nearly swallowed water before the rest of her rational thought reminded her the fact, that she wasn't a fish. And as long she didn't grow any gills out of nowhere, it wouldn't be a good idea to inhale H2O instead of good old oxygen.
So she kept her mouth shot and struggled with her fear while that something dragged her deeper and deeper with every second. She spun her head around and the view of that something made her heart tighten.
Oh no, no, no! That couldn't be! And than she realized it wasn't only one Thing that tried to kill her. There were other, not yet close at her side, but it wouldn't take too long till they caught hold of her.
She struggled even harder than before but without success. The light faded away and it seemed suddenly as far away as the air. The surface shrank further away with every moment, while she was being dragged down and her lungs screamed with protest for oxygen.
In that moment her dear old friend Mr. Furious awoke. She ought to have a little talk with him later, concerning his lack of good timing! But for now everything that mattered was that he was with her and gave her the strength she needed.
With one last powerful kick, she got herself free and used all her remaining energy to resurface.
Air! She needed air! She broke through the water like an arrow, gasping for air, ready to do whatever was necessary to survive.
Ronon had showered and changed into a new set of clothes, a comfortable shirt and leather pants, but there was still time left till the debriefing. So he decided to pay a short visit to the infirmary. He wasn't far from the entrance, when he heard a loud clank coming from within, which was followed by agitated voices and screams. Without further thinking he pulled out his gun and flounced into the room.
It took him a second to sum up the situation. The woman was no longer unconscious. She stood beside the bed, ripping the tubes out of her veins whilst looking frantically around the room. She was shaking, her eyes wide with panic and she seemed to have difficulties with standing upright. After all he knew, it was a wonder that she managed to stand.
It was only now, that he saw the motionless form of the nurse, lying on the floor beside her, and Carson Beckett's calm voice reached his ear.
"Everything's okay, love. Nobody will harm you. You are safe!"
Her head spun around, she fixed the doc with stormy eyes and for a moment it seemed as if his voice calmed her down, like it did to most people. In that moment one of the injured marines, who had his left arm in a loop, sensed his golden opportunity and tried to overbear her. Big mistake!
That all happened in a fraction of seconds till he entered the room.
"No!" Ronon yelled and rushed up to the end of the room, but it was too late. Her head snapped back, her long brown hair whirling around like living snakes and the next moment the marine hit the floor with a loud bang.
"Please, love, calm down! Everything will be okay." Beckett tried again. His careful approach was in vain. Every further attempt to soothe her was drowned instantly by her screams and the loud burst of medical equipment -syringes, medicine and other things - the woman sketched down with her frantic moves in her anxiety to leave the infirmary.
She wasn't watching her way, only running and the next moment she crushed into him. A painful scream escaped her lips and she gasped for air while her hands rose up to punch him. But before her fist reached its goal he caught her smaller wrist. Her head snapped back and her large hazel eyes grew even wider as she seemed to remember seeing him before.
"You?" Her voice was hoarse, barely more than a croaky whisper. "You... you're an illusion." She mumbled weakly while her legs finally gave way.
"I'm real!" Ronon assured with a frown, catching her in time to support her weight, before she hit the floor.
"Help me, please..." She pleaded and went limp again.
He looked up and noticed that everyone was watching him with an uncertain expression, while he was standing in the middle of the infirmary, with the unconscious woman in his arms.
"What?" He snapped and suddenly everyone seemed remember that there were things to be done. Only Beckett looked at him with a gentle smile.
"Do me a favour and take her to her bed, son!" The doc pleaded, after making clear that the nurse and the marine were okay.
For second time this day Ronon lifted the stranger up and carried her to the bed.
Thirty minutes later Ronon entered the conference room. Everyone else was already there, even Sheppard and Teyla, who smiled at him in her usually amiable way, that always gave him the feeling of being welcomed. Something he had to adjust to even after being part of the Atlantis team for over a year. During his years as a runner nobody cared about him and vice versa and it still felt strange that the circumstances of his life had taken such a great turn towards the better.
"Ronon" Dr. Elizabeth Weir nodded and the rattle of her voice made fully clear that she didn't approve of his coming late. Like always.
"Fine. Fine. May we start than?" Rodney asked with his typical indignant voice. "There are more important things waiting for me!"
"Rodney!" Weir sighed, apparently not in the mood to have this usual discussion.
Ronon gave her a small nod and made himself comfortable in his common chair beside Teyla. He noticed that besides Lorne's team; only two members of the rescued team were present in the meeting room. Maybe the injuries of the others had been worse than he thought.
"Forgive me my delay!" Beckett stumbled in, only a minute later. "But I had to make sure that the former episode doesn't recur, while I'm absent." He apologized.
"Of course!" Weir agreed with a smile and waited until the doctor ha taken a seat before she faced Captain Campell, a member of the former missing team.
"Captain Campell, would you please report what happened during your mission on Nagaria?"
"It had been a standard mission. The Nagari are friendly people, exactly like Teyla described them!" The major began with a short look in Teyla's direction, and the Athosean leader nodded in response. "They were interested in establishing trade with us, just as we had hoped for. We left on friendly terms and promised to keep in touch. We were on our way back to the stargate, but before we could get there, we saw her."
"You mean the poor thing in my infirmary?" Carson asked with a frown.
"Exactly!" Campell affirmed.
Weir opened her mouth to ask something, but before she had a chance to interfere again, the major kept on talking. "She was ambushed. Three heavily armed men, the same who captured us later, attacked the woman."
"You let three guys overpower you?" Ronon asked in disbelief and didn't try to cover the contempt in his voice.
"No!" Campell shook his head. "They tried to take her down, but she was no easy victim and gave them a hard time." He let out a small laugh. "In the strict sense she totally kicked their asses!" He cleared his throat and took a quick look at Weir who didn't mind his casual remark, as far as he could tell. "She's a very good fighter, Mam, and before we got near enough to interfere, she had overwhelmed her assailants."
Ronon raised a brown but kept his mouth shot. That part was indeed interesting!
"She didn't even use her guns or her knife." The way Campell spoke of the woman, showed clearly that he was deeply impressed by her attitude.
"The same moment the gate was dialled. A dozen of men, heavily armed with guns and knifes, emerged and before we could act, they used an alien weapon. I don't know exactly what is has been; it might have been ancient technology. Something like a shock weapon." He hesitates. "They initialized the weapon and we were knocked out immediately!"
"Wait a second!" Rodney interrupted the captain with a glint of interest. "A shock weapon? What do you mean exactly?"
Campell shrugged his shoulders. "Something like a stunner, which released energy in quick waves."
"Oh, really? Could you get a little bit more specific?" Rodney snapped.
"Rodney!" Elizabeth's voice reminded him to watch his tongue
"When I regained consciousness we were on another planet. We had been moved to a place near the ruins when the woman woke up. I don't know how, but somehow she managed to break free. She killed two of them before they managed to pull her down again. They knocked her out and locked us up in the cells, where Major Lorne and his team found us. The woman was separated from the rest of us and brought to another place. First we had no idea, what was going on and we weren't sure if they were after us. Atlantis, I mean." He chocked. "They came to fetch Major Rains. I m quite sure that they questioned him and when he didn't cooperate..."
"They killed him!" Sheppard finished for him.
"Yes, Sir!" Campell nodded. "But after killing Major Rains, our captors didn't seem to have much interest in us. Some short visits now and then but nothing special. So after a while, it was clear, that it was all about the woman. She seemed to posses knowledge of some special treasure the men were after. Sometimes we heard them speak about it."
"Treasure?" Sheppard asked.
Again the Captain shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know any specific details. Only snippets of some conversations I overheard." He choked before he went on. "The woman. The first time, we heart her scream, was four or five days after we imprisoned. We heard her scream three or four times afterwards. But after all I'd seen when Ronon brought her out of the ruins..." He shook his head and faced his other team member. "I have now idea how she could bear with all that."
"She's a fighter!" Beckett interjected.
"She is definitely!" Campell agreed. His facial expression showed that he was likewise impressed and concerned.
"How is she?" Teyla asked softly and everybody faced Beckett, who let out a deep sigh before he apprised the others of her state and the little episode in the infirmary a few minutes ago.
"Sounds painful!"
"Rodney!" Sheppard and Weir hissed at the same time.
"What? I mean..." The scientist started again but kept his mouth shot after Ronon shot him a deadly look.
"Even despite her worse state she brought a marine down and nearly escaped out of the infirmary?" Lorne asked puzzled.
"If it hadn't been for Ronon she would have made it." Beckett assured.
"Seems as if Ronon does have quite an influence on this woman." Sheppard smirked and gathered a warning glance from him.
"I gave her a sedative, after this little incident. She will be asleep for a while."
"What is with Dr. Daniels?" Campell's second team member asked.
Ronon remembered the scared doctor. A linguist if he did remember correctly.
"Well!" Beckett sighed. "Physically he's all right, lad. But it seemed that the continuous darkness in the cell has left him with some...well, problems. He suffers from a severe case of anxiety state."
Campell nodded. "He's a good man, but ever since Rains died and the uncertainty of what will come and the screams of the woman..." He hesitated. "It drove him mad!"
"Understandable!" Weir assured. "He will be released from duty for now and is ordered to have some sessions with Dr. Heitmeyer." Her eyes met Campell's and than these of his partner. "And you, too!" Her voice left no doubts. It was an order and the marines complied.
"Yes, Mam!" They obeyed but the glint in their eyes showed too well, what they thought about Mindfuck-Sessions as Sheppard used to call them.
"So, is that all for now?" Rodney snapped impatiently but everybody ignored his remark.
"There's another serious aspect, Mam." The Captain started and the uneasy tone of his voice served to gain the attention of everyone. "I think...we think" He corrected himself. "That they were Wraith worshippers."
Ronon felt Teyla tense beside him, the same way his body responded to this suspicion.
"How do you know?" He growled.
Campell looked unsure. "The way they talked about this treasure. It has to be something powerful, but they didn't sound, as if they were locking forward to use it against the Wraith. More the other way round."
"You are clear about that?" Weir asked.
"No, actually not. We don't have any proof. Just assumptions- and the fact, that they were willing to torture that woman to get the information they needed."
"Maybe it would be best if we asked her?" Teyla proposed and got an according nod from Dr. Weir in respond.
"I agree with Teyla. Carson, when do you think she will be ready for this?"
"It's hard to say, at the moment. She went through some really terrible things. She will need some time to recover. I will let you now immediately when she can be questioned!" He promised and Dr. Weir didn't push him further.
"I'm fine with that. The meeting is closed!"
"May I join you, Ronon?" Teyla asked with a warm smile and he nodded slightly. He watched her taking a seat before he focused on his food again. Truth to be told, he wasn't really hungry, which was odd enough for him, but after the report he had to do something. Anything that kept him away from the infirmary. Away from the woman, who had this strange effect on him. With nowhere else to go he had went to catch some food..
He had to figure some things out for himself. Mostly about this overwhelming unreasonable urge to insure her safety and kill everyone who tried to harm her.
That was strange and it wasn't like him.
Surely, he would do anything necessary to protect his friends. His team, which had become something like a family to him, even Rodney. But she wasn't part of it. He'd never seen her before, he was sure of that. She wasn't the type of person you could forget that easily. For more than one reason.
Damn, he didn't even know her name!
He shook his head and let out a quiet rumble of frustration.
"It isn't your fault what happened to her!" Teyla's firm voice interrupted his thoughts.
He respond to that. Didn't even bother to look up. Of course it hadn't been his fault, and Teyla knew bloody well that he wasn't blaming himself. And she didn't expect him to respond to that, it was only her careful way to start a discussion. One of the comforting ones, which he tried to avoid, if he had the chance to do so.
But this was Teyla after all, so he tried to relax and lent back.
"Will you tell me, what really happened down there?" She asked suddenly and he raised one brow in an inquiring manner.
She smiled, but he noticed the short hesitation.
"There are few people who have gone through as much as you and it's surely not the first time you to deal with...abused people. But what happened to this woman seemed to concern you deeply." She held his gaze easily and it was the first time he could remember that he wished to be able to look away. But that was nothing he could allow himself, not even with Teyla.
In the end she just gave him a slight smile and turned her attention towards her own food. She picked up a piece of bread and slowly broke off little pieces. She didn't push him and gave him enough room to feel comfortable.
He had to hide a smile and shook his head lightly. Teyla was the only person he knew who could make someone comfortable with unpleasant questions.
"Her eyes!" He told her and was amazed that talking to her was so surprisingly easy. Teyla's eyes snapped back to him but his answer didn't seem to catch her off guard her.
He cleared his throat and decided to go on. "She was chained up against the wall and the man in there tortured her with the knife, when I entered the room."
She nodded lightly, a wordless invitation to go on.
"The moment before she lost consciousness she looked at me..." He shrugged his shoulders, struggling for the right words. "Locked eyes with me. That unleashed..." He swallowed the next words quickly, as he realized what he had nearly admitted to her.
For a moment they both fell silent but the way she looked at him made clear that she understood fully well. Suddenly he felt very unsure of himself. Maybe it had been a mistake to tell her. A fault to have said it loud. Now the whole strange matter seemed to be only more...fixed.
Before he could say anything to worsen the situation he heard Sheppard's laughter.
"Why are you laughing?" Rodney's voice snapped in. "I told you, she had a crush on me!" He assured the Colonel, struggling with his absolutely glutted tray.
"Oh, yes, sure!" Sheppard smirked while he stepped closer and took the seat beside Teyla, ignoring Rodney's muttering sounds.
Teyla gave Ronon a final look and turned around.
"Who are you talking about?" She asked.
Sheppard laughed again. "Rodney had the theory that one of the new female doctors only comes to his lap to spent time with him."
"That's not a theory- that's a fact." The scientist snapped back while also taking a seat.
"Which one's that?" Ronon asked, not really interested but happy to chance the subject.
"The small one with the long red hair and the many freckles. The new archaeologist." John explained.
"Well yes, nobody is perfect!" Rodney agreed in his usual arrogance. "But I think I will ask Alyssa out for dinner. Finally she gave me the hint."
Suddenly Teyla let out a small chuckle. "Are you two speaking about Dr. Biggelow?"
"You know her?" Sheppard asked and raised a brown.
"Yes, she's in my self-defence class. She is a very kind person and one of the few who really seem to enjoy the training; she even asked me for some extra lessons."
Ronon only had a vague idea of who this doctor was. The only redhead scientist he remembered, was a petite -almost fragile woman with shy eyes.
"She didn't look like she would enjoy fighting!" He threw in; as he was sure they were talking about the same person.
"No." Teyla smiled. "It surprised me too, but she's astonishing tough under the surface." The way the athosean woman spoke about the small earth doctor, let him know that she liked her very well.
"Okay, so it would be better not to bother the little doctor, right?" John asked and grinned in Rodney's direction, who ploughed his food into his mouth, as if someone might steal it.
"Very funny, Sheppard!" He grumbled full-mouthed.
"As we speak about that, why did you chuckle, when you mentioned who we were talking about?" He smirked. "Beyond the obvious reason, I mean!" Sheppard teased him.
"Oh yeah, you may laugh, Mr. Charming!" Rodney snapped in an offended tone. "Do I hear a hint of jealousy? It's not my fault, that she's got a crush on me and not on you!"
He switched a quick look with Teyla, who shook her head because of their childish behaviour.
"I'm sorry Rodney, but I think you are wrong! Whatever her intentions were to come to your lab, I'm pretty sure, it isn't because of you." She said with a regretful smile.
McKay opened his mouth, but before he could do anything, John grinned wildly at her.
"And why is it, that you know that? What did you hear?" He didn't even try to hide the nosy sound of his voice.
"What do you mean?" Teyla asked innocently.
"Oh, come on! You said that you trained her and you are pretty sure, that she isn't after Rodney!"
"Like you!" She smiled back.
"Yes, of course!" He teased. "So who is it?" He didn't let it go.
"Excuse me?" McKay snapped. "Only because I'm not Mr. Nice Guy or behave like our He-man here, it does not mean..."
"McKay!" Sheppard hissed.
"Who's He-man?" Ronon asked with a frown.
"A character from a movie!" Sheppard explained before Rodney could answer his question, which would have definitely brought him straight into hell's kitchen.
"Like this Conan guy?" He growled questioning, while he shot the scientist a warning glance. A while ago McKay had named him so often, that at last he had squeezed Sheppard to show him that movie. The next day he had had a little talk´ with Rodney. He had never used that name since that again.
"Uhm...yeah, well, not exactly." Sheppard mumbled, who tried to avoid trouble.
"Uhm. I see... I mean it's late." MacKay stuttered and fumbled with his tray. "I have to return to my lab." He shot him a nervous glance and Ronon tried his best to restrain his amusement. Apparently McKay hadn't forgotten the little talk.
"Yeah, go and bother Lorne a bit. " Sheppard smiled obviously eased to change the subject.
"Major Lorne?" He heard Teyla's puzzled voice.
"Yes, his new lab rat." John smiled brightly. "Some strange ancient stuff. And the Major has the gene naturally, so Weir ordered him to help McKay."
"That may explain it..." Teyla mumbled quietly but he had heard it and Sheppard, too. It took the Colonel a moment, but than his eyes widened in realization.
"She has a crush on Lorne?" He grinned at her wildly and nearly burst into laughter because of McKay's facial expression.
"What?" Rodney's voice was a little bit too high pitched, as always when he was stunned. "On Lorne?" He snorted the name as if it was an unbelievable thought that someone could consider the Major more attractive than him.
Everyone was looking at Teyla who had blushed a little. Obviously she was embarrassed that she had accidentally slipped the remark.
"I haven't said that. And it would be nice, if you don't let it get a rumour!" She pleaded firmly, with a voice that made fully clear what would happen otherwise.
Sheppard quickly lifted his palms in a peace keeping gesture. "Hey! You know me. I won't say anything!" The Colonel assured her with a smile, which brought him a why-me glance from Teyla. Ronon only shrugged his shoulders and remained silent.
McKay was muttered something strange about Lorne, while he was in the act of leaving the table.
That was the moment Carson called them.
"There you are." The doctor greeted and from the look in his eyes, Ronon was able to tell instantly that there was something seriously wrong.
"What's with her?" He heard himself ask and he felt his muscles tense against his will. The next moment he felt Teylas gentle hand on his own and he had to force himself, not to pull away from her. It wasn't her fault, that he was angry with himself, because of his strange reaction to this woman.
But Teyla knew him too well and the next second she withdraw her hand on her own.
"What's wrong, doc?" Sheppard asked with a frown.
"I've made some standard test. Among other things, some blood tests." He hesitated before he continued. "I've checked it three times, but..."
"What?" Ronon growled menacingly.
"She has the ancient gene. But I've never seen it so strong in somebody. It's a multiple stronger than in Colonel Sheppard. There are also some other irregularities...I must test this a second time, but it seemed..."
"Irregularities in what?" Rodney interrupted him, with his hands crossed impatiently in front of his chest.
"Her DNA!" Beckett informed them
Thx to my beta and source of inspiration Metelmuffin, I worship you :-)
Also thx to Winter Celchu, Penguinopus and HeavenlyKitten. Even a few nice words seemed to made it all more easy.
