I can't believe how long it took me to find time to write and upload this thing. Not to mention I have dozens of plot bunnies running crazy in my brain... I think they want to eat me.
Well, I have it finished! Don't forget to tell me what you think, I love the feedback!
Part
8
"Be quiet." A strange voice hissed. Rodney struggled harder, trying to make his feet and arms make contact with anything that resembled flesh. Suddenly, Rodney started to stumble as he was dragged backwards deeper into the forest. The hand was still clasped over his mouth so he couldn't voice the anger and uncertainty he was feeling. Deeper and deeper into the woods he was dragged, and still backwards. 'What was the point of walking backwards?' He wondered. Suddenly his captor stopped, and Rodney continued to back-pedal. He tripped over his captor's feet and landed flat on his back.
"What the hell!" Rodney yelled, "Why did... What?"
"Rodney." Finally, a familiar voice.
"Teyla," Rodney asked, "What's going on? What happened?"
"I am unsure." She replied. Wondering what the cause of her short reply was he looked up. Oh... Teyla and Ronon were sitting with their backs to a large rock with John lying still unconscious between them, and in front of them were three people standing with guns. 'Oh crap, Rodney thought, not again!'
"What do you want with us?" Ronon growled. Judging by the anger and annoyance in his voice, this was not the first time he'd asked.
"Now that you are all together I will tell you," The tallest man said, he took a deep breath before beginning, "There is much at stake in the government at this time. Our once greatly supported leaders are throwing aside important issues to increase their own personal wealth. Essentially the very fabric of our humble existence is falling apart. We don't know what we can possibly do."
"Yes, we've been hearing a lot of that lately. Have you been talking to Teram?" Rodney asked, "You seem to have a lot of the same material."
"That slim-sucking, keltock-kissing son of a whore?! That man is psychotic, he will bring about the destruction of our entire planet given the chance! How dare you associate me with him!"
"You do not feel that attacking the leaders of this planet is the appropriate course of action?" Teyla inquired.
"They must not be allowed to continue their leadership," The man replied, "but there are better and more successful plans of action to be had than his ignorant stupid one."
"You don't want to hand us over." Ronon said.
"No, it would be stupid. Attacking the government buildings the way Teram planned would be useless. Even the combined forces of the rebellion would be easily overthrown by those still loyal to the commanders."
"So, are you letting us go?" Rodney asked, hoping that he would just say yes so that they could get out of this horrible nightmare.
"Possibly, we do not know your intentions. You are not from around here."
"No, we're from 'a galaxy far far away.' We'd be more than willing to just leave if you'd let us."
"I've heard that you came through the ring of the ancestors, and that you possess many valuable weapons. Is that true?"
"Yes, look your rebel 'buddies' have done enough damage to us that there is no way in hell that we're going to trade with you now. You should just let us go and finish your little civil war on your own." Rodney practically screamed.
"You are unwilling to help us?"
"No, so you might as well..." Suddenly a loud crashing noise rang out from all around them.
"I've found them, over here! Hurry!"
Rodney felt a strong hand on his shoulder and whirled around in fear. It was one of the other rebels.
"Run, take you friends and escape! Run, RUN!" Rodney didn't need to be told twice, he got to his feet and started running as fast as he could. What about Sheppard? He spun back around and saw Teyla and Ronon sprinting toward him, Ronon was carrying John.
"Run you idiot!" Ronon said as he passed him.
As soon as his legs started moving there wasn't any way that Rodney could stop them. He was functioning on his 'don't get killed by insane rebels' instinct. The threesome pounded through the forest, with no idea where they were going. They weren't even sure if they were heading toward the Stargate. They could be heading toward the village for all they knew. But it didn't matter, getting away from Teram was their first priority. Arrows whizzed by them in increasing quantities as they ran.
"We are being followed." Teyla yelled.
"No, really?" Rodney shouted back, "What was your first clue?" Teyla stopped and bent down, at first McKay thought she'd been hit. Then, she straitened up with a pair of sticks in her hand.
"Take John back to the Stargate with Ronon," She instructed, "I will hold them off."
Rodney didn't have much room to complain. He worried that she'd get hurt, but their choices right now were limited. He continued to run as fast as he could after Ronon. The arrows stopped zooming past them, but they still ran like there was no tomorrow. Faster and faster they ran until Rodney felt like he was going to collapse. Finally, Ronon stopped next to a large boulder and waited for a huffing and puffing McKay to catch up.
"I think we lost them." Ronon said, not the least bit out of breath.
"We've only been running for 6 miles," Rodney puffed sarcastically, then dropped to the ground breathing hard.
Ronon put John down and took a seat next to McKay. He really needed to 'suck it up' as Sheppard would have said. That man was going to get killed by a mob of angry villagers one of these days if he continued to run like a little girl. Or maybe he'd end up as Wraith bait... He looked up and noticed that Rodney had resumed his normal skin color and was starting to breath a little easier. Time to go. Ronon got to his feet and started to pick up Sheppard.
"What are you doing!" McKay demanded.
"We got to get back to the 'Gate," Ronon replied.
"What? Shouldn't we be waiting for Teyla?"
"No time," Ronon answered, "we gotta go now, before the rest of the rebels catch us."
"I don't mean to pull a Sheppard, but we shouldn't just be leaving her here," Rodney tried to argue.
"We aren't. Once we get to the 'Gate we can sent Sheppard through and I'll go back for her."
"And how do you know if we're going in the right direction?"
"I know," the runner replied and lifted John into his arms. And with that short statement Ronon started walking (thankfully not running, thought Rodney) through the forest.
Rodney groaned and painfully got to his feet, every muscle in his body hurt like he'd fallen down a mountain from their stupid run. If he ever got his hands on Teram... lets just say pointy needles and Carson's voodoo would be involved in the most painful way possible. He let his vision fall on the head of John as he started walking, a bad idea for someone so prone to overreacting. Although Rodney was pretty sure he wasn't overreacting this time. Sheppard looked like crap. It had been over six hours since he had really looked at him last, and apparently, things had gone steadily downhill since then. His complexion, that, last he looked, was waxy had changed to pure white. 'A person shouldn't be that pale,' Rodney thought. He watched as Ronon stepped over a log and John got jostled around. His face contorted in obvious pain.
"Stop." Rodney commanded. Much to his surprise, the former runner obliged.
"He needs to rest," Rodney continued.
"He's unconscious." Ronon interrupted. How could someone unconscious need to rest?
"So? He's still in pain, we need to take a break."
Deciding that, with it still so dark out, there wasn't much point to hiking any farther now, Ronon put Sheppard down. Maybe McKay had a point. He saw Sheppard's face relax a little when he stopped getting jostled around. He knew they had to get him back to Atlantis, and fast. Ronon had seen many chest and stomach wounds while on the run, and none of the victims had survived. Some had hung in for a day or so, but eventually they had all died. But Beckett could preform his own fair share of miracles, Ronon reminded himself, he had pulled a great number of Atlantis's team members back from near death. Maybe Sheppard did have a chance.
"I'm going back to look for Teyla," Ronon decided, "McKay, you stay with Sheppard."
"What? Stay here! Are you crazy?" Rodney stuttered, "With all of the crazy rebel goons and ,not to mention, the random flesh-eating forest creatures out here!"
Ronon ignored him, "I'll be back in a little while." Then he ran off.
Great! Now Rodney was alone. Alone with the emptiness of the forest. In a funny way, he wished there were some sort of danger lurking in the trees, that way he wouldn't have to be so paranoid about every sound. But, eventually, he started to let his guard down and turned his attention to the still form of John Sheppard. He was still as pale as a sheet. Rodney reached out and touched his shoulder hoping to get at least a feeble bat of an eyelash. No such luck. Man, were they screwed.
A few minutes passed, then a half-hour. What was taking Ronon and Teyla so long? Had they been shot? Or worse, captured? They were probably fighting in the hands of the rebels being dragged to where he was hiding Sheppard right now. Their hiding place had been discovered, Rodney thought. Now what was he going to do, he couldn't carry John. Suddenly there was a rustle of leaves behind him. They've found us! Rodney panicked, we're dead for sure now!
"Anything happen while I was gone?" Ronon asked looking at a ashen-faced McKay. Teyla came around them and sat down heavily on the ground.
"Are you hurt?" Rodney asked, watching her grab the side of her leg.
"It is just a graze," Teyla replied, "I will be fine. How is Colonel Sheppard?"
"Not good," Ronon answered.
Teyla leaned over and lay the back of her hand on John's forehead. Frowning, she withdrew it.
"His fever is still very high," She reported, "too high."
"We need to leave now," Ronon said.
"Now? But..."
"Look, later might not be an option for Sheppard," Ronon retorted, "And those rebels aren't far behind us. We're leaving, now."
With a defeated spirit, Rodney got to his feet and reached out a hand to help Teyla. She accepted it gratefully. Ronon bent down and lifted Sheppard into a fireman's carry, and they set out again. This time hopefully for home.
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The lack of a path to follow made their travel seem even longer than it was, and all were happy when they reached the edge of the forest. It seemed Ronon was right again, this was the right direction. Now, that they had traveled back the to the Rebel's base they had only to make it back to the small village. And from there, to the Stargate. They avoided the main rebel base easily given it's size, and quickly headed on toward the village. Time was of the essence, for Sheppard, and for them all.
A few hours ago Ronon had noticed the recent footprints of a troop of rebels heading the same way they were going. No doubt sent to head them off at the Stargate. But, as Sheppard would say, 'they'd cross that bridge when they came to it.' Right now they had to concentrate on making it that far. They had been traveling without food, sleep, and very little water for two days strait. Ronon was the only one who appeared not ready to fall over.
"How do you even stay conscious?" Rodney asked on the evening of the second day. It had been miles since they had passed the rebel base, but they had no idea how far they were from the village.
"Used to go for days without sleep when I was on the run," Ronon replied, "you get used to it."
"Well I'm not," Rodney said, and Teyla had put an arm around him to prevent his collapse.
"We're almost there, Rodney," She reassured, "Within the next day we will have reached the Stargate."
Despite what she said Rodney was sure he wouldn't make it that far. His feet hurt and he had nearly passed out twice from 'manly hunger.' He was convinced the were like mice in a cage, doomed to run in circles for the rest of their lives and never get the cheese... Suddenly the sound of a trumpet could be heard in the distance.
"Signal," Ronon said and started to shift gears into a run, "they know where we are."
TBC
Whew! I promise I'll try to wrap it up in a chapter or two. Honestly this was meant to be a reasonably short story. Oh well, it's still fun to write. Hope you liked it!
