We Come in Peace-7
Carl Shelling watched as the others cared for Cameron Mitchell and the Gelinytes. There wasn't much they could do for the injured colonel until hey got him onboard the Daedalus, unfortunately he couldn't get close to the man either and it was eating him up inside. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why Mitchell had suddenly become the object of his hatred, but that wouldn't stop him from acting on his plans when the opportunity presented itself.
Cameron Mitchell could feel someone watching him, but he didn't have the energy or inclination to find out who it was. The adrenaline rush that had kept him moving and numb to the pain had left him and he could not find the strength to open his eyes. Pain seemed to be the focal point of his mind and he gasped as each breath seemed to scorch his lungs. He was desperate for it to stop, but not even Vala's presence could ease the agony twisting through his gut.
"Easy, Cam, we'll be on Daedalus soon and the doctors will have something to help you," Samantha Carter told him, but was not sure she'd gotten through to him as his body began to tremble beneath her touch.
"God!" Mitchell cried out, teeth clenched tightly as he tried to ride out the spasms that took control of his body.
"He's having convulsions," Vala said and tried to hold him, but could not keep the injured man quiet.
"Don't try to hold him just keep him from hurting himself!" Carter ordered.
"Colonel, we're about to dock with Daedalus," Woodrow announced.
"Good, tell them we have a medical emergency!" Carter told her.
"I did…the medical team is ready for Colonel Mitchell."
"Did you hear that, Cam?" Mal Doran whispered as he went still and fell back against her. Fear enshrouded her mind when Carter's hand touched against his throat, but she saw the slight nod that said Mitchell was still with them. 'Don't you go dying on me, Mitchell or I'll haunt you all the way to hell and back!' she silently vowed as Carter adjusted the oxygen mask over the unconscious man's mouth and nose. She ran her fingers through his hair and felt the heat emanating from his body.
"Vala, the medical team needs you to move," Carter said and waited for the woman to look at her. She could tell Vala was worried about the injured man and wished she could ease her fear, but right now she had no idea whether Mitchell would live or die. The physical injuries were devastating and worse than she'd first thought and she had no idea about his emotional well being. "I wish Dr. Lam was here."
"I know, but Dr. Ryder is a good man and he'll do everything he can until we get back to Stargate Command," Carter explained. She watched as Ryder and his team worked to get Mitchell on the stretcher and carry him toward the infirmary.
"Colonel Carter, we need to see Colonel Caldwell. Major Woodrow, you are also required to join us," Shelling said, putting on a new face in an effort to keep from coming unglued. He had to keep it together or he'd wind up locked in some small room with only his voice for company.
"Sam, I'll be in the infirmary," Vala told her and hoped Carter understood her need to be close to Mitchell. She strode after the gurney and could hear Ryder telling his team exactly what needed to be done. When she reached the infirmary she tried to go in, but the staff refused her admittance and she had to fight the urge to burst in. It would be some time before they could tell her anything, and she wasn't sure she could wait patiently. She leaned her head back against the wall and tried to figure out when Cameron Mitchell had come to mean so much to her.
SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1
Samantha Carter listened as Carl Shelling gave his report. She glanced at Jackson and Teal'c and could see they were not buying everything the man said. She could not believe how cold the man's voice was as he recounted the disastrous meeting his team had with the Shanderrans. There was no remorse as he spoke of seeing his team fall and he finished his report as if it was a speech, one he'd rehearsed over and over.
"Colonel Carter, do you have anything to add?" Caldwell asked.
"No, I wasn't there. I didn't see Colonel Shelling's team once they left the main entrance," Carter answered. She knew Caldwell was suspicious of the team's death, but they only had Shelling's word for what happened. For now there was nothing she could add to the man's story that would shed light on the tragedy.
"What about you, Major? Did you see what happened to Colonel Shelling's team?"
"No, Sir, I didn't," Woodrow answered. "By the time I returned with the Gelinytes Colonel Carter and Vala Mal Doran had already left to search for Colonel Mitchell. I took my team after them and once I met up with Colonel Carter I knew they needed to get Colonel Mitchell back to the entrance so I took my team and went after Colonel Shelling."
"I thought Colonel Shelling's team was supposed to rescue Colonel Mitchell," Caldwell stated.
"Yes, we were and we tried to find him, but the Shanderrans had us cut off. My team laid down covering fire, but they were cut down so fast I didn't have time to give the order to fall back," Shelling lied. "They didn't have a chance…I need to compose letters to their families."
"It can wait until we're back at Stargate Command," Caldwell told him.
"I'm going to the infirmary to check on Colonel Mitchell," Carter advised, standing and heading for the door. She could feel Caldwell watching her and wished she could tell him how she felt about Shelling, but without proof it was only her word against his.
"If you need us for anything you know where to find us," Jackson said as Teal'c stood and joined him. The two men hurried after Carter and hoped there'd be some news on Mitchell.
SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1
Vala looked up at the sound of footsteps and recognized Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, and Teal'c hurrying toward her. She wished there was something she could tell her, but so far there'd been no word on Cameron Mitchell.
"Vala, have you spoken to Ryder?"
"No, they've been in there so long, but no one's come out to tell me anything," Mal Doran told her.
"It's only been half an hour," Carter said. "We both saw what was done to Cam, Vala, and half an hour is not enough time to clean the wounds let alone treat him."
"I know…my mother always said to be patient, but I'm afraid that's a virtue I've never had."
"I don't think I've ever met anyone who knew how to be patient, Vala," Jackson said, and knew there was no way to ease her fears until Ryder came out of the infirmary, hopefully with good news.
"Indeed," Teal'c said simply.
SG1SG1SG1SG1SG1
Darius Ryder looked at the man who now lay amidst a jumble of machinery that would help keep him alive. There were more bruises and contusions covering Mitchell's body than he'd ever seen on another human being, but that was only a small part of his problems. Ryder adjust one of the IV's so that the antibiotic cocktail would flow into the colonel's right arm, and hopefully knock the hell out of the infection raging through his body.
Ryder pushed open the door and stepped out, holding up his hands when Mitchell's team mates swarmed around him.
"How is he?" Vala managed before the other's had a chance to speak.
"Hold on and I'll tell you what I know," Ryder said, feeling every bit of his fifty eight years. He was normally an active man, but when faced with someone in Mitchell's condition his mind and body kicked into overdrive, at least while he was working to save his life. He moved to a chair and sat down, rubbing at his eyes as the team gathered around him.
"Doc," Carter said and knew how hard this was on the man.
"Well, he's alive and right now we should all thank God for that miracle alone. How the hell he managed to live through what they did to him I'll never know."
"Cameron Mitchell is a stubborn man," Teal'c told them. He'd had several opportunities to witness Mitchell when he was down and had stood by him when he'd lost the use of his legs after a mission to SP244.
"Good, I just hope he's going to use that trait to help him through the next few months because it'll take at least that long to get him back on his feet. Aside from the bruises there are several deep wounds to his shoulders, legs and abdomen. He's lost a lot of blood and there are burns on his upper body. I haven't even gone into the internal damage and the fact that he's been given some kind of injection that's wreaking havoc with his nervous system," Ryder explained.
"He is going to live," Vala stated, but there was very little strength in her words.
"I hope so, but right now I don't know. I'll be happy when we get him back to Stargate Command and Dr. Lam can take over. She knows his background better than I do," Ryder explained.
"Can we see him," Mal Doran asked.
"Yes, but be warned he has a lot of equipment keeping him alive and he's unconscious," Ryder explained and led them into the infirmary. He motioned them forward, but they did not get far when the alarms sounded and Ruder rushed to the bed while ordering them out.
Vala's heart was in her throat when she heard the words spoken sharply from one of the medical staff helping Ryder.
"We're losing him!"
"God, no, Cam…not now! Don't you leave…" Mal Doran whisper and leaned heavily against the wall as the sound of the alarms continued behind the closed doors.
Alarms that told them Cameron Mitchell was dying.
