This chapter is coming a bit earlier thanks to the hard work of my betas, but honestly don't think this is the usual pace. I did not want to hold back since it was done, but please forgive me if I can't post faster than one a week. My betas are meticulous and I dare not post until they scrub this thing!

I don't know why I thought of this particular scene but I always thought it would be cool to see Ronon and Sheppard actually fighting it out on an episode. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 3 David and Goliath

"We must find a way to gain more influence, Mr. Woolsey."

Woolsey let out a sigh. By his own admittance he was a bureaucrat but sometimes he was even outdone on his need to control. He had reported back to the IOA on his meeting with Sheppard or King Armentarius. They were not pleased and of course underestimated the man.

"I think we need to consider what he is saying. He may or may not have much to offer, but the only way we will know that is if we don't make him so angry he won't want to work with us." Woolsey said quietly.

"He is only a Lt Col of your Air Force." He heard in a french accent. Woolsey calmed himself. Just the best freaking Air Force in the world and the Frenchman knew that.

"But he is king of four worlds that have more advanced technology than other worlds of Pegasus. He is now their government."

"Perhaps if we threatened his career, and did not let him go back to Atlantis." The Frenchman said again not looking at Woolsey and obviously not hearing him as well.

"Then that would be kidnapping a head of state and basically not just angering a country, but like I said FOUR WORLDS." Woolsey was fast loosing his patience but thankfully the Frenchman was the least liked on the committee.

"We agree with Mr. Woolsey," Mr. St.John said in a clipped British accent. "We cannot force Sheppard's hand at least at this moment, but we should gather more evidence." Woolsey felt his blood pressure reducing until, "And we charge you to accomplish this task Richard."

Of course they would.

oOoOoOo

Sheppard opened his eyes as he was jostled around and landed on the ground. He realized he was being dragged by his vest. He moaned as his right shoulder protested the rough handling. What the hell? He tried to look up and was confused when he saw Ronon's hair and back. His vest was dropped and he was now completely on the ground. "Hey," he managed to groan. "What the hell is going on?"

He saw Teyla sitting on the right side of the room looking worried. You okay? he mouthed to her. She locked eyes with him and nodded.

"Well?" Sheppard asked indignantly as he pulled himself up against the wall. "Why the hell are we here?"

Ronon turned and glared at him. Sheppard inched back against the wall as Ronon approached him menacingly. Something was really wrong and Sheppard had no idea what that could possibly be.

The Satedan was in his face. "I saw what you did to the Wraith. I thought you were just a Wraith worshipper, but you have power over them. You actually work with them, can lead them. You are a murderer."

Sheppard looked wide-eyed at his friend. Oh shit! Sheppard thought. He was going to respond but Ronon was too quick. His head slammed against the wall as Ronon's fist slammed into his face

"Ronon, I don't know what happened, but I am no Wraith worshipper." Sheppard growled wiping blood off of his lip. Ronon grabbed him by his tac vest and hauled him up. Sheppard heard Teyla scream something as he blocked another swing by Ronon but he then found himself going hand to hand with his friend--and this wasn't practice.

Ronon was on him furiously. Thankfully he must have found this more sporting that just shooting Sheppard dead with his blaster. He landed a punch to Ronon's torso that sent the giant sprawling backward. This surprised Sheppard as much as it did Ronon, and the colonel continued to press forward. Years of kenpo karate were proving useful, but Sheppard was running on adrenaline. His shoulder hurt like crazy and the Satedan did not look at all injured.

"Ronon, stop this! What are you doing?! John is your friend!" Teyla said as she stood up trying to grab him.

Ronon was distracted by her just enough for Sheppard to get in another punch this time on the nose. Blood spurted out and Ronon howled in fury and shoved Teyla across the room. Sheppard felt Ronon's full force on him as he was pushed backwards onto a wooden table. and he realized that Ronon was trying to tie him up. Sheppard struggled and punched with all his might but Ronon got his hands around Sheppard's neck. The pilot gasped as his air supply was being crushed. It hurt like hell, and he tried everything he knew to get his friend off of him, but nothing worked. Eventually, he could not even muster the strength to claw at Ronon's face, but rested his hands on Ronon's. His head was exploding and he felt the world graying.

Teyla watched in horror as Sheppard struggled for air. He was trying to use his legs as leverage but Ronon held him tight to the table. "Ronon! Please let him go!" Ronon held a now barely struggling Sheppard with one hand while he reached behind him. "No Ronon!!" She screamed when she realized what he was doing.

Sheppard did not understand why this was happening, but he understood he was nearly out of breath. Ronon was still holding his right arm above his head but down against the table when he saw Ronon raise Sheppard's own knife in the air and bring it down. Sheppard tried to cry out in agony but nothing but a harsh hollow whisper escaped his constricted throat as the knife drove through his arm just below his wrist and into the table. Ronon quickly tied his other arm to the knife. Ronon did not bother to tie his legs. He knew Sheppard would go no where.

Sheppard tried to slow his breathing down. It hurt too much to move, but not moving also hurt. "Why are you doing this Ronon?" he managed to get out through pained breaths.

"The Wraith came as always but sooner this time," the Satedan said with quiet fury. "We put up a battle and fought them. One ship crashed, but we had lost so many. Then they came after our people and took them. They came because of you. You do not worship the Wraith. You have dominion over them and you let them destroy us! But you should know all this."

"Ronon," Sheppard rasped, "I am no Wraith dominator or…anything like that. I had never been to Sateda until those villagers gave you up to the Wraith and we went to get you back." His arm was in agony and any movement resulted in a barely contained whimper, but he could also feel anger swirling inside of him.

Ronon looked at him as if he were mad. "Where is Sateda? I am talking about Kildar."

Teyla watched Sheppard's blood drip slowly to the ground underneath the table as she listened to what Ronon was saying.

Ronon was on him again with a knife against his throat. "All I know is that if you can bring a queen to her knees then you could have stopped them. They ones that had crashed fed on the few of us left. They came because of you."

Sheppard felt the knife cut him just enough to make warm blood trickle down his throat. Ronon's breath was on his face. "I could kill you now, but I will make sure that no one can rescue you , and then I will make you suffer."

"Ronon I don…don't know what you are talking about. I have never…"

"Just shut up and let me think."

Teyla cautiously stood up and moved a little closer to Ronon. "Ronon, John would never work with the Wraith like that."

The Satedan glared at her. "I don't know who you are. I was thinking that maybe they kidnapped you, to make you a sacrifice, but why are you defending him?"

"Ronon," Sheppard said, "Something must have happened during that beam when you got too close. I would never have sent the Wraith to harm anyone!"

Ronon stopped briefly as he looked over his shoulder at Sheppard then moved back toward the door to leave. Sheppard shoved the anger down deep and looked up helplessly at the ceiling and sighed. In a way Ronon was right.

"Just let her go then. Let the others go. They didn't do anything. I tricked them and used them the way I did the Wraith." Sheppard whispered. "I controlled their minds too."

"No John!" Teyla cried.

Ronon did stop this time. "I will torture you to avenge my people."

Sheppard looked at him square in the eye. "You already promised that. I don't care. Just leave her and the others alone. They have done nothing. I brought the Wraith to her people too."

"John, that's not true!"

Teyla stood next to Sheppard, surprised that Ronon had let her.

Sheppard did not look her in the eye but instead fixed his gaze on Ronon.

"It is true. The Wraith woke because of me. A lot of people have died because of me. Let them go Ronon."

Ronon studied Sheppard a moment. "If what you say is true then free their minds, and I will let them go." He looked at Teyla briefly then left to see whether the others were able to track him to this location.

Sheppard tried to lift his arm, but cried out as pain spiked down his arm and up into his shoulder. He closed his eyes ignoring Teyla's pained look. She was close to him now wiping the sweat from his forehead with a bandage from her vest.

"John, the attack on my village was not your fault."

"Yes Teyla. It happened because of me and because of this damn gene. Just like right now. Please get away now. Ronon thinks we took you. Go warn the others and get the hell out of here. That's an order."

She glared at him despite the obvious pain in his face.

"You know it is not true John Sheppard. I will not leave you despite your so called order. The Wraith would have come anyway at one point or another, but there would have been no one to fight them. Now there is you John. Please. Do not give up."

He was not giving up, but having her here made it hard for him. He could not bear it if anything happened to her or to his men just as he could not bear to see Ronon this way.

"I can remove the knife John and then we can both go."

He said nothing, but knew she would not leave him.

"Okay Teyla," he finally whispered.

She placed her hand on his shoulder and her forehead to his. She untied his one hand then grabbed the hilt of the other. She began to pull all the while keeping her forehead on his--but stopped when he grabbed her shoulder with his free hand. She looked down at him and noticed his eyes were glazed over. He began convulsing again. Not now, her mind screamed. She focused on keeping still the arm that was spiked to the table so that he would not hurt himself, but the sound of his struggling body against the table distressed her. She kept her forehead on his as he strained against her, and her tears sell freely on his face. She could feel his breath on her, and although she could not see his thoughts, she felt a smothering darkness trying to reach her mind.

Bend his mind heir of Evander. Control him. Control him and make him do your will. He will kill you and all that you care for and then you will fail. Bend his mind to your will! Sheppard became still after nearly two minutes, and she saw his pained unfocused eyes looking at her. His breathing was rapid and shallow.

"It's okay John," she whispered to him as she wiped the blood from his nose and lip. There did not seem to be as much as the last time. She was going to say something more when the door burst open and Ronon came in.

oOoOoOo

Lorne got up off the ground groggy and apparently hearing voices. "Sir? Major are you okay?"

"Yeah, Yeah. What the hell happened?" He turned around and watched the others get up with the help of the other three marines. Oh yeah. Ronon. "Damn it. Team's of two. McKay what does the life signs detector tell you?"

"Nothing," McKay said angrily. "There is shielding here, I guess. It's the only explanation right now."

"Let's move out and be careful. Check back in 10 minutes. Rendezvous here in 30 if no contact."

oOoOoOoOo

Ronon came back into the room and shoved Teyla to the ground. He moved up to Sheppard and the dazed pilot tried to fend him off weakly with his free arm. Ronon swatted it aside "Are you still controlling their minds?"

Sheppard grimaced. He had no idea what the Satedan was talking about. His mind felt strange and the fog had not completely lifted. "Wha…what?"

Ronon grabbed his neck again and squeezed. "I said…are you still controlling their minds?!"

Sheppard could not breathe much less speak but he nodded his head in the negative then the affirmative confused as to what the right answer would be. Ronon did not release his grip and seemed oblivious to Sheppard's struggles.

"Well, they must be in league with you then, because they are looking for you instead of running for their freedom."

Ronon grasped the blade and slowly pulled the knife out Sheppard's arm and ignored the pilot grasping at Ronon's tunic. Teyla saw Sheppard trying to grab hold of Ronon't tunic as he struggled in pain. She rushed at the Satedan trying to pull him off Sheppard who could only try to gain leverage with his legs but to no avail.

"Ronon, stop it or you will kill him!"

Tears streamed down Sheppard's face as he choked on his own bile and for lack of oxygen. Then the hands were gone, and he sucked in a breath. He was gagging and his throat and lungs ached with each breath.

Ronon grabbed him roughly then said in his ear, "If you cry out, I will kill her." Sheppard grunted as Ronon then tied his hands behind his back before hauling him to his feet. "I am going to kill your followers, but I need to get you somewhere else first. You better not slow me down," Ronon said as they moved toward the door.

Teyla followed behind when suddenly Ronon stopped and clutched his head. Sheppard was looking at Ronon with near hatred and a focused darkness that Teyla had only seen during moments of survival. But his look was slightly wild this time.

"Stand down Satedan and untie me…now."

Ronon was nearly to his knees now but was trying to resist Sheppard. Teyla watched in stunned silence as Sheppard moved closer to Ronon speaking in a manner that was far from the care-free pilot.

"I have ordered you to untie me now…it would be a shame to have to kill you."

Ronon cried out and clawed at his head. Teyla could feel a thick dark tension in the room that was oppressive. No John. "John, NO!" she shouted at Sheppard urgently. "Please stop!"

Sheppard looked at her angry for one a second then his expression changed to completely baffled.

"Teyla?" He looked at Ronon and then fell to his knees, "Ronon…I'm, I'm sorry…I…really."

Ronon looked up at Sheppard and stood up angrily. "I knew that you were with the Wraith! You traitor!"

Sheppard looked at Ronon weakly--almost despondent--as he realized what he had done to his friend. Ronon grabbed Sheppard. "I am going to make your death hell!" Apparently he was not concerned about Sheppard hurting him again.

Sheppard tried to think about what to do, without letting the dark voice win out again and hurt his friend, but it was all he could manage to concentrate on just staying on his feet as Ronon found an exit out into the storm. He tripped and fell in some mud. Ronon grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him up while pushing Teyla forward. It came to Sheppard what to do. He tried to project his thoughts to his men. Outside, he thought. Outside now!

oOoOoOoOo

Lorne looked around the corner. They had to go this way, he thought when McKay's voice interrupted his thoughts "It was the beam. Something happened when Sheppard was in the beam and Ronon got too close."

"Can we reverse it?"

McKay looked down at his computer. I think so. We just need to get them back together. The information is stored in some sort of Ancient recording device. The Ancients high and mighty voyeurs that they were, recorded the day to day events of these people, studying them like they did on other worlds." And the way we do primates he thought to himself. "That recording was activated when Sheppard put the stone in the carving and the information relayed to him. His mind can process that information now but it was not meant for Ronon. The images may have flooded to Ronon just before the beam cut off and got jumbled with reality."

Lorne entered the room cautiously. There were signs of a struggle and blood. He eyed the table angrily and saw the small pool of blood.

"Oh no," he heard McKay rasp. Lorne moved around the room and noticed small drops of blood leading to door. He was going to step through when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. "Damn that hurt," he said gripping his head. He turned to McKay who was also gripping his head. "Major, he is outside!"

That confirmed Lorne's suspicions. That was Sheppard in his head. He tapped his radio as he followed the trail of droplets.

"Everyone out! They're outside." They can't be too far, he thought as he raised his P-90.

oOoOoOoOo

Sheppard could feel them coming. They were getting closer. Ronon did not sense anything as he pulled and pushed Sheppard forward toward who knows where. The gate was too far. Sheppard stumbled and fell. Ronon growled as he grabbed Sheppard's injured arm and hauled him up. He was slowing the Satedan down, and he knew Ronon was by no means in his right mind because he should have sensed or heard or smelled the marines flanking him on either side. The dark voices were loud in his mind. Bend him, destroy him or he will destroy you! Sheppard shoved the thoughts aside but the urge to act was strong in him. He could not harm his friend despite that fact that his friend was hurting him; there had to be another way. His head was splitting and his arm was a bleeding misery of pain, but he tried to focus on his surroundings.

oOoOoOoO

Fuentes had no idea what had transpired over the last hour or how Ronon suddenly wigged out and took the CO. He liked the big guy, but there was no way in hell that anybody was going to hurt Sheppard, not even Ronon. The sergeant looked at the major and nodded at the second's signal. Fuentes, Pierce and Casoff cut to the left and quickly covered the rough ground even in the dark. They had nearly flanked Sheppard, Ronon and Teyla. Honestly, Fuentes was surprised Ronon had backtracked. Sheppard was on the ground now as Ronon hit the CO across the face. Damn! Fuentes blood was boiling. It would be sad to kill Ronon, but Fuentes would not hesitate.

oOoOoOoOo

Sheppard felt Ronon's blaster across his cheek for the second time and Sheppard fell face first into the mud once again.

"I told you not to slow me down!" he heard Ronon growl. No by all freakin' means. I meant to have a mud facial, Sheppard thought. They had been on the run for 30 minutes but Ronon must have been confused because they had doubled back again then moved once more back toward the general direction of gate. Maybe Ronon is looking for the puddle jumper Sheppard thought. Nevertheless, this uncharacteristic error by Ronon had allowed Lorne and the marines to catch up to him.

Ronon reached down and grabbed Sheppard by the back of his shirt when he heard, Lorne's voice. "Don't. Back off now Ronon."

Ronon looked around furious at himself. He had allowed himself to be distracted. How had they caught up so quickly? He let go of Sheppard. Teyla knelt beside the colonel and turned his head to the side. She worked furiously to loosen the bindings on his wrists as he coughed out mud, but she made little progress.

"Everything is fine," she whispered as she looked up at the Satedan who had his blaster pointed at them. Lorne and the marines had moved in closer.

"I will kill them both if you come closer," Ronon growled.

"That is not going to happen Ronon. We don't want to hurt you but we will if we have to," Lorne said with unwavering authority.

Teyla heard the safeties go off but Ronon did not put down his blaster. She held Sheppard close and heard his rattled breath. He was shaking but she felt him trying to get himself up. He grunted as he finally pushed away from her then slowly got up and stood face to face with Ronon. His hands were still bound behind his back and he was leaning slightly forward and looked small against the giant. The Satedan stared at him but backed off. He grimaced a bit and wavered slightly. She saw Sheppard's lips moving then finally heard him whisper weakly, "Dormate amici…". Sleep my friend. His hazel eyes were eerily reflected when the lighting flashed and she could not take her eyes off of him as he continued to whisper. "Dormate amici." She realized that he was talking to Ronon.

The colonel seemed to grow and suddenly looked ten feet tall to Lorne. Bloodied and bruised their commander was putting the giant to sleep or something like that. All he knew was that Ronon was about to drop.

Teyla looked at the Satedan's eyes as they began to glaze. His blaster was hanging loose as when Dr. Beckett had first removed the tracking device from him, just before he passed out. "Dormate," Sheppard said again barely audible but the blaster dropped and Ronon fell to his knees then to the ground. The marines were on him in a flash.

"John it is okay. We have him," Teyla said as she supported him when he staggered slightly.

"Don't hurt…him. Not…his fault," she heard him whisper.

She held him close against her as McKay cut the tight ropes on his hands. "John? John we must get back to the temple. We can help Ronon there." And you too.

He muttered something but she did not understand him. Lorne stood by his CO's side. His pulse was fine surprisingly and his breathing was okay except a little raspy. Look like he went ten rounds with Ronon though so the guy is probably exhausted.

"Colonel, can you walk sir?" It wasn't fair. They were going to have to carry Ronon and ask the colonel to walk. "Sir?"

"I'll make it," Sheppard whispered still leaning forward on Teyla. Sheppard's head hung and he was almost dead weight. It was a long mile to walk in the gusty wind. They had made it before it started to rain hard again. Thank God Ronon had not gotten very far, Lorne thought. They laid Sheppard gently on the floor. Teyla cleaned his wound then re-bandaged it. She shuddered at the memory of Ronon driving a knife through his arm. It did not appear that he had caught the artery and the bleeding was under control. She undid his tac vest and jacket so she could clean the mud from his face and neck. Davies and Pierce had gone underneath to a storeroom they had found to retrieve blankets and whatever else they might need. Lorne did not want to haul the colonel downstairs then back again if they needed to try to reverse the process that made Ronon act this way. He looked over at Sheppard as Pierce and Fuentes made a pallet of blankets and then gently moved him. He was mostly still wet from outside, but Lorne did not have extra clothes. He knew he should get his CO out of the wet uniform, but time was limited before Ronon woke up, or at least he thought so.

"Okay Dr. McKay. Looks like we are here for a while. I really would like to get Ronon back to normal before he wakes up." He watched Teyla helping Sheppard who was now completely unconscious. "Even tied up I don't like having him in that state."

Teyla removed Sheppard's jacket and noticed that his neck had a cut and she wiped away the blood. Then she gasped as she got a closer look at his bare neck. She knew what Ronon had done, but she did not expect to see the dark bruising in the shape of fingerprints.

"What?" McKay said anxiously as he looked around then down at Sheppard. "Oh my God."

Teyla gently removed the mud from Sheppard and was careful around the bruising on his neck, but he moaned in discomfort. She felt McKay's hand on her shoulder and she quickly wiped away tears as she remembered him struggling and gasping for breath. Lorne came by to check on Sheppard while McKay worked. Teyla saw anger flash in his eyes when he saw the bruising, and he turned and glared at an unconscious Ronon. "Ronon would never had done this himself Major."

Lorne turned around. Pierce handed him a blanket and Lorne covered his commander. He knew it was true, but it still pissed him off.

Lorne then looked at McKay who understood this unspoken message. Hurry up!

--

All the usual disclaimers as I just do this for fun and get nothing but satisfaction for completing it and hopefully knowing others enjoyed it.

Okay, hope it's not getting too dark, but honestly more ahead. I was watcing SGA the other day and during commercial they showed an advertisement for Atlantis I think or maybe just ScFi but anyway, Sheppard is standing alone looking VERY intense. That is how I imangined Sheppard when he has Ronon on his knees. He looks very good in intense mode I think.

Thanks so much for your feedback and encouragement.