Chapter 4 :
Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Oh heck, you've read it all before.
Author's note: Looking through, I have realised that Lily set this story 2 years after Sunday, however, I also see that it is set around the time of "first strike" when Atlantis had fled her home world and was hiding from the Replicators while they make repairs...so you see, the timeline is a bit out...but can we just imagine it's not? I really need a Beta to make sure I don't make mistakes!
Thanks everyone for your kind words and condolences. Lily had very progressivechronic lymphocytic leukaemia. It's incurable, and her passing was inevitable eventually, and I guess she knew it. Still, how cruel of fate to take a future Doctor, and one of the brightest minds in south East Asia with one of the things no amount of medicine can cure? She was diagnosed a year ago and died just after taking her A levels – she'd be proud to know she made it into med school. She got 4 A's.
Carson jumped – he hadn't seen Rodney when he entered the room, all was black apart from the eerie light cast by the planets above. But he was glad, he decided, that Rodney was here – he wanted to explain himself, wanted to tell him he was sorry. Carson hated having people angry with him, and somehow, he knew that it mattered even more that it was Rodney who was mad at him. We're friends.
"Rodney, I'm really sorry. Whatever I did, I didn't mean ta –". Suddenly, Rodney had him by the shoulders, and was shaking him.
"Stop calling me that! You're not allowed to call me that!" Carson's head flopped around,
"But it's your name –"
"Not to you it isn't! Scared the hell outta me first time – you really had me going, really had me believing you where him –". Abruptly, he let go of the small shoulders and strode to the central pedestal.
"Of course, I know now." He let out a cold bark of laughter that sent a shiver down Carson's spine. "Yes, I must say, it was a nice touch, the story about my scar – you really did your research, didn't you? Almost had me fooled. Tell me now, who is it you work for, hum? The replicators? I wouldn't put it past them to use children. Or maybe the Genii – even I didn't think Koyla'd sink that low, but you know what they say about learning a new thing every day!" He let out another bark, and glared at the boy. "So?" he demanded. Carson, who had been staring at Rodney with growing fear throughout his hurtful accusations, opened his mouth to say "sorry" again, but realised that, right now, Rodney didn't care. God, he wished Fergus was here! He'd explain to Rodney that they'd needed him, they'd.....Someone was driving a spike into his skull, and he sank to his knees whimpering as white figures flashed before his eyes.
"Oh don't you play that card again!" Rodney said angrily, crossing his arms as Carson groaned on the floor at his feet. "You know, you shouldn't assume ALL humans are sympathetic towards children, in fact children annoy me." Carson fell forwards onto his face, blood trickling from his nose. "Well that settles it, Replicators don't bleed". Suddenly, Carson began to scream - high and helpless and it made Rodney falter. Again, the unaccustomed voice of doubt whispered "what if..."in his unwilling ears, and Rodney knelt next to the child, his anger forgotten.
"Carson?" he said, placing a tentative hand on the boy's arm, which was very cold. Without thinking, Rodney drew him in, instinctively trying to warm him up and Carson lay stiffly in his arms, still screaming. Something was wrong – he had to get help! He had to call Sheppard! He reached for his ear piece, and realised he'd left it in his room.
"Hang on Carson, we're going to help." He lifted the child – marvelling at how small and light he was – and headed for the panel into the corridor. Carson whimpered. Rodney froze, feeling the hard, cold barrel of a stunner between his shoulder blades.
"You're not going anywhere," said a soft voice from behind him.
xXxXxXxXx
"Radek, are you sure?" Elizabeth nervously glanced at Sheppard, who stood stony faced behind a technician, staring at the unmistakable image of the Replicator ship that was directly above Atlantis.
"I'm certain. The energy signature that replicator cells emit is very distinctive."
"Why haven't they opened fire?" Sheppard asked. Yeah, Elizabeth thought, they've been looking for us for months –what are they playing at?
"Raise shields." She said, hoping they weren't too late. "And get everyone to the main part of the city."
"Am doing, but power is minimal, and the main conduits are still down – even if we manage a full shield, it won't last for long....ohh..."
"What?"
"I've just received a spontaneous energy reading from the room at the top of this tower – they've beamed someone – or something – into the city!" Elizabeth's heart froze; replicators in Atlantis.
"John get a team and –"
"On it", he replied grabbing his P90 and heading for the transporter followed by Ronon and Teyla. Elizabeth turned her attention to the Technician, and asked: "Can you check for life signs up there?"
"No use, " came Radek's voice in her ear, "they don't show up on life signs detectors, they're not...well...alive".
"I'm reading two life signs. One of them is sort of....flickering..."
"What? I thought you said they didn't show up...."
"They don't! Unless....When did you last see Rodney?" Oh God. Carson and Rodney.
xXxXxXxXxXx
"It's coming from behind here," John said, tapping the panel with the butt of his P90. "Elizabeth? We've got two life signs behind a panel on the top floor. We can't get in,"
"Screw this," said Ronon pulling out his gun, and taking fire at the wall.
"It's Rodney and Carson." Elizabeth replied. John Grabbed Ronon's arm just in time.
"Are you sure?" Suddenly, from behind the wall came the high pitched scream of a terrified child, followed by the unmistakable sound of the techno-babble Rodney was prone to when he was afraid.
"Rodney?" he called, and was answered by a muffled "John?" a thump and then silence.
"Rodney!" No reply came this time, and John, fearing the worst, pushed against the panels and thought furiously I need to get to Rodney! With a soft hiss, they slid apart in time for him to glimpse two outlines in a blinding white flash, before the empty room showed unmistakably that they had failed. Rodney and Carson where gone.
"They've jumped into hyperspace." The Czech sounded perplexed. What? Thought John, how do you go from "Atlantis must be destroyed" to "right, now we're got your resident genius, we'll just be on our way"? Whatever the reason, it didn't bode well. And john was sure it wasn't an accident they took Carson too.
I do realise that was VERY short, but that was pretty much all Lily left (in spider diagram form...) from now on I'm on my own. PLEASE REVIEW!!! And give me ANY new ideas .....also, I can't work out how PMming works...can someone please tell me?
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