musik-luvr, thanks for catching the spelling on that.
Thanks to all who reviewed. I combined the chapters to make them longer so there are fewer of them.
--8-8--
When John got to the bridge, Caldwell gave him a glare. They had never really liked each other, but there had been respect growing between them. Now it seemed that Sheppard was encroaching on his territory or something. Or maybe it was the fact that Carter had ordered Caldwell to take a baker's dozen of Atlantis personnel on board.
"It'll take us close to three weeks to get to M25-459. Why don't you all get settled into your quarters and visit the mess." He sent a hard stare towards Sheppard. "And make sure your people don't get in my people's way." Translation: You are unwelcome guests, and this is my ship.
"That's fine, Colonel. We could use a good meal. We'll see you later to start working out a rescue op." I understand, but we're going for my team-mate, my friend. Keep that in mind. With a polite nod, he left the bridge.
A few days later, Sheppard, Lorne and Zelenka were sitting together. All wore grim faces and spoke in quiet tones.
"What's the plan?" Lorne questioned.
"Colonel Caldwell's not telling me. Maybe it'll be simple, you know, beam them out with the Asgard technology." Sheppard didn't think so, though. Nothing really goes easily in the Pegasus galaxy.
Radek was already shaking his head. "No, there is too much interference from power source. Asgard beam will not be able to lock onto them. Also, unless they use a radio, we won't know where they are."
Lorne apparently had absorbed some of Rodney's pessimism, because he had to add, "They might not even be on the planet. It's possible they gated somewhere before the gate went screwy."
"Yes, is also possible the energy source was a ship, and they were taken off the planet that way. There were some readings consistent with residual energy left by hyperspace drive. It's interesting because the interference was not noted in Ancient database, so is something more recent." Radek looked both excited and glum.
John vaguely recalled Rodney saying something about some kind of interference. If the scientist had mentioned a ship, he thought would have heard it. He needed to pay more attention to McKay when he rambled on. "I guess we'll find out more when we get there. And let's think positive, shall we? We'll find them."
"Sheppard," his radio startled him, "I'd like you to come to the bridge."
"Understood." He looked at his friends. "Caldwell wants me on the bridge." He rose, not even questioning when the others followed him. He wasn't surprised to see Teyla already there, nor the Lantean marines hovering in the corridor outside.
"Long range sensors have picked up a hive ship in the area. They're on a course for the same planet we are. And Hermiod says they'll get there first." Caldwell stared hard at John. "We'll do everything we can, but it doesn't look good. I'm sorry."
John stared at the screen. He wanted to smash it, to scream. Instead he leveled a hard stare on Colonel Caldwell. "If we miss them, we'll go to the planet and get whatever information we can. They wanted McKay for something, and I want to know what."
Somehow he knew Caldwell understood what he was really saying: If I don't get my team back, I'm going to find out if the people who took him are still there and if so, I'll make them pay.
--8-8--
"I'm sorry, sir, we've searched the planet, and they aren't here." The marine looked just as frustrated as John felt.
"So they did manage to dial out. Zelenka, any way to find out where they went?"
"The DHD was damaged. They had a Wraith dart, perhaps?" Hair waving slightly as he shook his head, he said, "No, there is no way to tell."
"Dammit! We were so close!" His fist shot out to slam into the wall.
"Here, let me see." Keller gently took his hand. "We'll find him. I know we will."
"What, should we fly up to every hive ship in the galaxy and politely ask if they have our scientist?" John snapped
"The hive ship!"
"What?" Everyone turned to stare at Lorne.
"Well, long range sensors can pick up the ship after the first jump and project a course, right?"
"Yes, but after that? The minute they go into hyperspace again, that's it, they're gone." Zelenka's eyes narrowed in thought.
"I have an idea." Lorne explained as he led them to Hermiod.
--8-8--
"Did I ever tell you I used to play piano? Oh, it's a musical instrument. Anyway, my teacher told me I had no sense of art." He looked down at his broken hand. "I guess it's a moot point now, anyway."
"We'll get out. The doc can fix your hand." Ronon squinted at the hand in his lap.
"If you make it out, make sure Radek remembers to tell Jeannie that I died doing something heroic." He let out a small yell as Ronon set the bones in one of his fingers. "I really don't want her to know what happened here."
"You're not going to die McKay. The Wraith want you alive, you being a genius and all." Ronon smiled a bit. "Unless they get tired of your complaining."
"Oh, hardy-har. Make fun of the dying man." Another finger, another yell. "God, why does it hurt just as much to fix a broken bone as it did being broken?"
"Don't think about it."
"Yes, right, try to distract myself from the agony of you yanking my broken fingers around. OW! Did I ever tell you that the CIA- that's an American spy organization- tried to recruit me when I was in sixth grade? This was after I built an atomic bomb for the science fair." He gazed off into nothing. "I wonder how my cat is doing. Cats are the- Ahh! OW! Cats are the perfect pet. The love you but don't require nearly as much care as a dog."
"I wouldn't know." Ronon was beginning to feel sick. Every time they took McKay, he was afraid they'd bring back a corpse. He knew the Wraith wanted him alive, but that didn't mean the humans wouldn't go too far and kill him. He kept straightening the bones in Rodney's hands as best he could. If they were rescued, he hoped he could prevent the scientist having to have them all re-broken.
"Ronon?" I'm not getting out of here alive, am I?" Rodney's voice was soft.
"Yes, you are." Ronon slid a piece of candy into the man's mouth. "Shut up and eat this. It's the last one."
"If you see a chance, take it. Don't worry about me."
"Shut up, McKay. I'm not going anywhere."
"You should. I think when we first met you, you might have left me. Maybe not Sheppard or Teyla, but you'd have left me."
"Probably."
"Hmm. I don't really blame you. Most people think I'm oblivious to the fact that few people like me. Most people would rather leave me somewhere. I know what I'm like."
"You're not that bad- when you're quiet."
They sat in silence. Then, "McKay? I don't really mind when you talk." The only answer was a small snore.
--8-8--
Rodney hated this place. He cracked his eyes open, looking for Ronon. It was pretty dark, barely enough light to make out the door. He immediately panicked when he didn't see anyone else. He didn't want to die alone. He'd rather not die at all, of course, but in the current situation, he was pretty sure it was a given. Either Barney and Cliff would enjoy their work too much, or the Wraith would feed upon him. Whichever way it went, it was better to be with Ronon. He just hoped the big man didn't get all weird when it happened. The door opened and something large was hurled forward. Oh, there he was.
"Hey, you alright?" Rodney struggled to sit up. "Ronon?"
Worried when Ronon simply writhed on the floor making odd noises, Rodney managed to drag himself over, grunting in pain. He reached a shaking hand towards the former runner and felt his face. Ah, a gag! That explained the noises. He pulled it down over the former runner's chin. Ronon's curse absurdly made him feel better. He was so grateful that he wasn't alone and that Ronon was talking he barely understood what Ronon was saying.
"McKay! Hey, McKay!"
Snapping his eyes up, he tried to focus on the man's face. "Yes, yes, what?"
"Think you can give me a hand?"
"Uh..." Ronon didn't need help. Wasn't that why he carried all those knives? His brain wouldn't seem to work. "OK? But I only have the one, you know. They broke the other one all up. That's right, you know that, don't you?"
"McKay! Look at me!. Focus, think about helping me out of these ropes. Got a knife in my boot I can't reach. Grab it for me."
Rodney obediently slid his hand along Ronon's leg towards the boot. It was pretty slimy, or... Suddenly more alert, he realized it was blood. Oh my God! "They did kill you! Oh God, how bad is it?"
"What?"
"The blood, you don't feel it? Shock, that's what it is." Sweating heavily, the physicist began feeling his way up from Ronon's leg to his waist. "Hold still, I'm trying to find the gaping hole in your body before you bleed to death."
"McKay, it's not mine."
"Huh?"
"It's not my blood. It's yours. It's dripping all over."
"Oh. Well, then, that's still not good. Well it is kinda." Clumsily, he patted Ronon's shoulder. "I might, well, miss you some, a little. I mean, I don't have many friends. I guess you'd be one of them. At least from my side of things. From your side, I'm probably a rather irritating amusement."
"Uh, McKay, the knife?" Ronon had stilled while Rodney was speaking. He'd been listening, growing more worried with each word. He could still understand what the smaller man was saying, but he was speaking more slowly every second and slurring his words. He needed to see what more they'd done to him.
When he was free, Ronon gently dragged Rodney back over to the wall. He was still talking about being friends. There was a bit of light here from the crack around the door, but not much. It was pretty late in the day. Staring intently through the dimness, he could see fresh bruising. He tilted his head, seeing the marks on the Lantean's neck. Looks like they'd tried to hang him today. He was pretty surprised by how long Rodney'd held out so far. He was a mass of bruises, cuts, tears and breaks. They'd electrocuted him, hung him, subjected him to near drowning, extreme cold and barely fed him. Yesterday, he'd come back with many shallow cuts across his chest and arms. His blood sugar had to be really low- what blood was left in him.
He tore the little left of his shirt into makeshift bandages. The wound on the physicist's leg was infected and he tried to keep it as clean as possible. They had started leaving water, so he used a bit of that to wipe away some of the blood from Rodney's neck. When the smaller man stopped talking, Ronon began. He spoke of his family, his friends. He talked until his throat was dry and his voice was barely a whisper. He kept going, though, because Rodney hated silence. He talked constantly when he wasn't totally absorbed in something, and even then he made noises. He was making noises now, but Ronon thought he was weeping.
He felt rage once again. They never did anything to Ronon. Twice, he'd been taken to a room, tied up and brought back here. He knew they did it just to show him who was in charge. He thought of planning his escape for that time, but they always took Rodney first, and he didn't know where they took him. He wanted to kill the two men who took Rodney. Slowly. They didn't bother trying to hide their enjoyment. He wouldn't though, not yet. It might be that Sheppard would yet come for them, and he knew the Colonel would want to do it himself.
Looking back down, he wondered whether it would be in a rescue attempt or revenge that Sheppard would do it.
--8-8--
"Dr. McKay! Wonderful news for us. The Wraith have come! We are near our reward!" Barney looked at them with insanity shining in his strangely purple eyes. "Get up and meet your Gods!" He grabbed Rodney by his arm and yanked him upright. Rodney staggered and would have fallen if Ronon hadn't taken his other arm.
With only Barney there, Ronon thought now would be a good time to get out of here, but his half-formed thought faded as two Wraith entered the cell.
"I won't co-operate in any way." Rodney said it just as he had repeatedly stated it to Barney and Cliff, but now it was less certain.
"Our gift to you: Dr. McKay of the Lanteans." Barney swallowed. "We were unable to gather the information requested, but I'm sure you can do that."
"Yes." The Wraith answered slowly. "You would think that."
"And will you bestow our reward?" Cliff squared his shoulders, but kept his eyes down. "We have done as you've asked. We lured these men to our planet with the device you gave us and captured them."
The Wraith did that creepy head tilt-and-roll thing. "He appears to be damaged. Perhaps he will die before I get what I want. Was this what you were to do?"
"No, lord. But, he was resisting, and he refused to give us information..." Barney's voice dropped as the Wraith turned his gaze on him. It was full of nasty satisfaction. Barney started to whine, "No, No, we did as you asked! We captured the Lanteans! Please!"
Ha, Rodney thought, serves you right. Wraith always have their cake and eat it, too. This struck him as funny and he started to giggle. Ronon gave him a light nudge, enough to send pain shooting down his arm. He missed part of what the Wraith was saying, but heard the last two words clearly.
"Kill him."
Rodney and Ronon both stiffened, Rodney in panic, Ronon in preparation for battle. But the Wraith only grabbed them and took them outside. The last thing they saw before leaving the cell was a Wraith with his arm drawn back. Barney's screams echoed through the halls as they walked away.
Outside, several Darts whined above them. The sky's light hurt the prisoner's eyes. It'd been weeks since they'd been in sunlight. The sounds seemed too loud. They had been led (pulled) a good distance from the prison when Ronon made his move. Pulling his knife, he stabbed it into the eye of the closer Wraith. He grabbed McKay and dragged him towards the dense trees.
As he half-ran, half-carried McKay, he knew the escape was probably doomed. The gate was in the open, the scientist was half dead, and he had no weapons. Alone, he could fight them. He'd be alone if he didn't find somewhere to rest for a minute; McKay wouldn't last running this way. But maybe it was better to die this way than at the hands of the Wraith. No, there was no maybe. It would be better.
He kept going as long as he thought they could, and they were again in a small clearing. He looked with longing at the small brook, wishing they had time to drink. Both were slightly dehydrated from the barely sustaining amounts of water their captors had allowed them.
When he heard Rodney cough and gasp before going limp, he knew they were out of time. He still tried to avoid the culling beam, but with the heavy weight of McKay and his own weakness, he wasn't fast enough. Everything disappeared in a glow of bright light.