Chapter 2: You had me convinced
The next morning I found myself once again amidst a worshipful horde of Atlantis personal, all gathered to share breakfast with the great Lucius. Major Lorne practically insisted I sit with him and I tiredly forced myself to keep playing my part. My cold hadn't gotten any better overnight, especially after sleeping in a chilly lab. My nose was blocked and my throat scratchy and I was finding it harder than yesterday to keep up the charade of devotion towards Lucius. I groaned internally when I spotted John striding somewhat angrily over to my table.
"Sabina," John greeted me pointedly. "Where the hell were you last night?"
Glancing quickly in Lucius' direction I was dismayed to see him paying John a great deal of attention. "I ah ..." I tried to think up something suitably adoring, "I was down in the lab planning ... ah planning my ... wedding to Lucius," I said happily. "Did you know he said I had a good chance of being his seventh wife?" I asked, trying to convey I thought that to be a huge honour.
John looked at me with dawning horror, swallowing hard when I just continued to smile up at him vapidly. I tried with my eyes to send him some kind of signal that things were not as they seemed but he didn't appear to be picking it up.
"Did you forget that you live with –" John began angrily.
"Lucius has a number of valuable potions," I interrupted hurriedly. "And he's explored many of the worlds in this galaxy. You should talk to him about what he knows."
"I'm certainly going to talk to him about something," John muttered, frowning at me in frustration. Before he could say any more Lucius finished his breakfast, prompting all of his followers to declare that they too were finished. I jumped up with the masses and hurried to Lucius's side, completely ignoring John's continued presence. I didn't glance at him on the way out because I didn't want to see the hurt and angry look I was sure would be in his eyes.
My act seemed to finally convince Lucius though ... he gazed adoringly at me and declared that if I played my cards right I would be his seventh wife. When I laughed giddily in glee he smiled benevolently at me before being drawn away by Doctor Beckett and Doctor Zelenka. This time I was able to head down the corridor without the inconvenience of a Marine escort. I went through the motions of going back to work just in case Lucius still had someone watching me. After an hour or so I decided it would be safe to make contact with John and Rodney. Hopefully they'd have some kind of plan for what to do about the situation we were now in.
As I approached Rodney's lab I overheard a part of their conversation.
"I can't believe he even got to Sabina," John complained to Rodney somewhat bitterly.
"And well you shouldn't," I said from the doorway as I walked in hurriedly. I glanced behind me to make sure no one was following me before approaching John and throwing my arms around him.
"I'm sorry," I said, pressing my face into his shirt. "Everyone was behaving very strangely – I had no choice but to play along."
John hesitated for a few moments before giving in and hugging me back. "You had me convinced," he admitted reluctantly.
"I'm sorry," I apologised again. "Doctor Weir called Major Lorne and I into her office ... Lucius got all up close and personal with the Major and after five minutes Evan started acting ... weird. Lucius tried to do the same with me but I didn't feel any different. There was no way I was getting out of there without convincing them I was similarly affected though."
"We think it has something to do with this," Rodney held up an empty vial. "Security footage from his room showed him drinking from it."
"What's the plan?" I asked, looking hopefully from Rodney back to John.
"I'm trying to break down the contents of whatever was in the liquid," Rodney said. "If we can prove it does have something to do with this maybe we can devise some kind of antidote."
"I'm heading up to the Gate room to try and talk some sense into Elizabeth," John added.
"What about me?" I looked pleadingly at John, suspecting he was going to ask me to keep playing along.
"Can you ...?" John trailed off when he saw my pained expression.
"John," I complained plaintively. "I know you said I had you convinced but I don't think I can keep this up for another day. Lucius was practically groping me this morning not to mention the fact that he continually talks about his sexual encounters with his six wives. I don't even want to think about what that pervert's been doing with Teyla and Elizabeth. The whole thing is making me sick!"
"Look, just try to avoid him as much as possible," John urged. "Hopefully it won't be for much longer."
"Fine," I said ungraciously. "But if he gropes me I'm not going to be held responsible for my actions."
"Understood," John replied, hugging me again before reluctantly letting me go.
"Just be careful," I told John as he headed for the door. "He's got all the major players eating out of his hand ... I think it would be dangerous to antagonise him openly."
"I'll be careful," John promised before heading off down the corridor.
I turned back to Rodney and asked "can I help?"
Rodney looked tempted to accept but we both knew it'd draw attention if we openly worked together on something. Reluctantly I made my way down to my lab, hoping that Lucius would be too busy to come looking for me.
"
I met up with John and Rodney again a few hours later in Rodney's lab. John was visibly irritated and frustrated after his conversation with Doctor Weir and the others.
"Elizabeth wants to send a team to check out a Gate at a suspected Wraith outpost," John said heatedly.
"What, is she nuts?" Rodney protested.
"Everybody's nuts, Rodney," John reminded him grimly. "Haven't you noticed?"
"Right," Rodney muttered, turning back to his analysis.
"You need to figure out why without drawing too much attention," John urged.
"I am working on it, but there's not enough of the liquid to work with," Rodney complained. "I need more."
"I'll go back to Lucius' village," John decided. "I'm sure he keeps a stash there. I'll just grab some."
"What, you're leaving us here alone?" Rodney asked, horrified.
"Can I come with you?" I asked at the same time.
"You said you need the liquid," John told Rodney, ignoring for the moment my question.
"Yeah, but the place is turning into a nuthouse!" Rodney pointed out in his whiney complaining voice.
"Can I come with you?" I asked again.
"I'd really like to say yes," John replied, putting a hand on my shoulder, "but Lucius will know immediately if you volunteer to willingly leave his side. He'll apprehend us the second we step back through the gate."
"You're right," I reluctantly agreed, resting my head dejectedly on my hand.
"Just keep away from the nuts," John instructed both of us. "And Rodney - you've gotta disable the DHD as soon as I'm gone to prevent anybody from dialling out, OK?"
Rodney sighed in resignation as John left the lab, coughing audibly from half way down the corridor.
"What are you gonna do to avoid the nuts?" Rodney asked miserably.
"I'm not," I told him. "If I hang around right in their midst then hopefully I won't draw any notice."
"I wish I could do that," Rodney muttered enviously.
"
Things went wrong only minutes after John departed when Rodney was cornered by Ronon and Lucius. I thought frantically for something I could do to help him but nothing came to mind and a few minutes later Rodney became Lucius' newest fan.
All my hopes now rested on John and whatever plan he could come up with. He returned from Lucius' home planet and I could tell from my position within the adoring horde that John was less than impressed to find that Rodney had succumbed in his absence. Lucius held court in the commissary while everyone waited to see the outcome of Teyla, Ronon and Carson's impromptu mission through the Stargate to the reportedly Wraith infested planet, a fact that had John grinding his teeth in suppressed anger.
I took the opportunity to retire back to my lab for a break from all that vapid smiling – I was actually convinced that my facial muscles had been strained by my efforts to make sure Lucius didn't suspect me. A short time later when the Stargate activation alarm sounded I hurried to the Control Room and positioned myself looking down on the Gateroom. John was already involved in a tense conversation by the time I got close enough to hear what was going on.
"You sent them to get an herb?" John was asking Lucius in disbelief.
"We wanted to go," Teyla reassured him with a smile. John returned the smile but where Teyla's was full of happiness, his was full of the fury he was struggling to contain.
"OK," John declared angrily. "I've just about had enough." He walked towards Teyla and Doctor Beckett but before he could get very far Ronon ripped out his blaster and aimed in straight at John.
"Don't touch it," Ronon instructed in his no nonsense voice.
Luckily Elizabeth was there and she gestured for Ronon to lower his weapon before turning to reason with John. "What on Earth is wrong with you, John?" she said in a tone of diplomatic concern. "We were just helping a friend, and there's nothing wrong with that."
"I think there's something wrong with him," Lucius said quietly to Rodney.
"You know what?" John said, finally realising that confronting everyone like that had not been his best idea. "I'm just tired. It's this damned cold." He turned to Lucius and added with as much of a smile as I think he could manage "I apologise."
"Maybe you should get some rest," Doctor Weir suggested, drawing a sweet smile from Lucius.
"You're probably right. I just need a good night's sleep," John agreed, backing slowly out of the group and glancing around uneasily. Turning he walked slowly from the Gateroom while everyone stood frozen in place watching him go.
Waiting only a few minutes I headed after John, hoping that no one would notice my departure.
"John?" I called, entering our quarters in the hopes he'd be there.
"Out here," John called from the balcony.
"That wasn't exactly smart," I admonished him. "Lucius himself doesn't seem like the violent type but he's got every Marine in this place under his influence!"
"I know," John acknowledged. "When I realised he'd risked Teyla, Ronon and Carson's lives for a herb I just ...," John broke off and ran an agitated hand through his hair.
"We need to come up with a plan now that Rodney's one of them," I stated. "Neither of us have the skills to work out how to counteract the Lucius effect."
"I've got an idea," John admitted. "I kidnap Carson and take him over to the mainland. Hopefully with a little time away from Lucius the effect will wear off enough for Carson to be able to work something out."
"Doctor Weir will send teams out after you," I said worriedly.
"I know," John agreed. "I'm gonna have to let myself get captured hopefully after Carson is himself again ... once they bring us back to Atlantis you'll have to give Carson time to come up with a cure. When he's done that I'll need you to get me out of the brig so I can take Lucius away – give Carson time to inoculate everyone."
"How are you gonna get Lucius alone?" I asked. "He's got someone around practically every minute of the day."
"I haven't worked that bit out yet," John admitted.
"The ATA gene inoculation," I said excitedly. "Lucius is fascinated with the Jumpers – he wants to fly one more than anything. Carson could pretend to give him the inoculation with a Jumper flight as the test to see if it 'worked'. You could grab him then!"
"That would work," John agreed with a grin. "Okay, let's do this!"
"
John's plan went like clockwork. He kidnapped Carson and they were gone a few hours before Ronon, Teyla and Rodney found them. I made a point of welcoming Carson home as a fellow Lucius worshipper and felt relief when he nodded faintly to let me know he was himself again. He retired to the infirmary while John was carried unconscious to the brig. It was very hard for me to watch John being taken away without being able to express any concern. My heart jumped when I looked back and discovered that Lucius was watching me intently. I smiled sweetly at him, walking over and taking his arm fondly.
"Are you still interested in the Puddle Jumpers?" I asked enticingly.
"I really am," Lucius appeared to be distracted from whatever he was thinking moments before.
"That's good," I smiled like I had a really good secret, "'cause I have the best idea!"
I led Lucius away as I explained how, now that Doctor Beckett was back, he could give Lucius the ATA gene therapy ... with Lucius' luck he'd surely be one of the 47 percent of people it worked on. Lucius was very excited and allowed himself to be scheduled for a morning trip to the infirmary.
I almost gave myself away before I could get myself clear for the night. I was still struggling with John's cold and had the worst coughing fit as I walked Lucius out of the Gateroom, Rodney and Doctor Weir following behind.
"I don't believe that's an allergy," Lucius said thoughtfully.
"She's probably got Sheppard's cold," Rodney jumped in, eager to please. I glared at him reproachfully and he looked at me in surprise. "What?" he demanded innocently.
"So you and the Colonel are close?" Lucius narrowed his eyes at me as if trying to see through my smiling facade.
"We were," I admitted freely. "But that was before I met you Lucius. Really there's no comparison. Colonel Sheppard's so ... moody and ... angry – not like you. I'm still hoping to be your seventh wife!"
"So you say," Lucius preened in spite of his continuing suspicions.
"Look," I offered reasonably. "If you don't believe me ask Doctor Beckett – he'll be able to confirm my allergy."
"I just might do that," Lucius agreed, clearly having no doubts about Carson's loyalty.
The next morning I arrived in the infirmary and watched as Doctor Beckett greeted Lucius like a long lost friend, giving a very credible performance of still being under his spell. As he distracted Lucius with medical talk he motioned for me to disappear for my part in the grand plan - releasing John.
The good thing about most of the Atlantis personnel being under the influence of Lucius' addictive personality was that most of them were being very lax about doing their jobs. It was an easy mission for me to visit the armoury and grab myself a Wraith stunner. Hiding it in my jacket I proceeded down to the brig, giving the Marines a smile as I approached.
"I just wanted to spit in the face of the man who dared to betray Lucius," I told them. When they looked at each other in confusion I took the opportunity to quickly stun the pair of them.
"About time!" John complained, shifting impatiently as he waited for me to open the cell.
"Hey," I protested. "You're lucky I got here at all – Lucius got suspicious because of this damn cold you gave me!"
"That cold saved you from becoming a member of the 'I love Lucius' fan club," John drawled, stepping out of the cell and grabbing my arm to pull me up next to him. "Lucius came down here for a visit a little while ago gloating about how people like 'helping' him – that slimy bastard deserves to have us dump him back on his planet for whatever punishment those people feel like dishing out."
"You won't get any argument from me," I replied.
I accompanied John to the Jumper Bay, hiding with him in one of the other Jumpers until Carson and Lucius appeared and settled themselves in Jumper One. John ran out and quickly disarmed Lucius. Once he'd successfully cleared the Bay doors I accompanied Doctor Beckett and assisted him in inoculating everyone with the neutraliser for the pheromone.
Of course they were all sheepish at their behaviour which unfortunately for them everyone clearly remembered. Once John returned and his team escorted Lucius back to his planet things finally settled back to normal. John took delight in continually pointing out that only the two of us hadn't succumbed to the Lucius effect.
"You guys were just lucky you had a cold," Rodney tried to cut off another round of teasing at lunch a few days later. "Otherwise you would have been just as affected as the rest of us."
"Who would have thought there'd be an upside to the common cold?" John smiled across at me conspiratorially.
"You still haven't told us how you managed to catch a cold in the first place," Rodney remarked. "Weren't you on the Pegasus equivalent of planet Riviera?"
"That's a story all in itself," John replied smugly, wincing when I kicked him under the table.
"Yes John," I said warningly. "A story we'll save for another time."
"See now, you gotta tell me after that!" Rodney complained, never one to handle an apparent mystery.
"No we don't Rodney," I said firmly. "Isn't that right John?"
"Sorry Rodney," John put on an apologetic look. "I'd really like to tell you but ... Sabina can make my life miserable in ways you don't want to imagine ..." he trailed off suggestively.
"Oh – too much information!" Rodney looked faintly sick. "Fine – don't tell me."
John and I smiled at each other, watching as Rodney gathered up his tray and practically stomped away from the table.
"It was almost worth the cold to get Rodney so riled up," John commented. I laughed, glad to finally be able to put the whole Lucius thing behind us.
Authors Note:
Thanks for the reviews guys ... welcome back to Sabina's world! Settle in for a long ride 'cause this is gonna take a while!