CHAPTER 11

Alista was jogging with Laura the next day when the call came. They were up in the scaffolding running for distance. Running to keep her mind off of what might happen later. They wanted her down in the East tower. She looked at Laura, eyes wide with fear. They were going to have her go into that stuff. They were really going to ask her to walk through a room full of corrosive acid. Sure she had went to Rodney and Radek and practically volunteered, but that was because she was sure they'd say no. And Rodney had - vehemently. Obviously he had been overruled. She was going to be sick.

Laura looked back at her appalled. "I can't believe they're doing this." She gripped her arm. "You can't do this!"

"They wouldn't if I were normal." Alista said bitterly, grippng the railing hard to keep Laura from seeing her shake.

"I'm sure that's not it. If you weren't here, someone else would have to go in if there's truly no other option." Laura said matter-of-factly. She shook her head. "They haven't had time to dismiss all other possibilites yet. Rodney and Radek are too smart to have that few possibilities."

Alista shrugged. "Maybe they wouldn't. It's just…they don't think about the fact that it hurts me just like it hurts them. They focus in on the fact that I'll survive it."

Laura didn't know what to say so she just gave her a friendly nudge. "Come on. I'll go with you. If you say you won't do it, I'll back you up. I won't let them force you into it without a fight."

Alista gave her a tremulous smile. "Thanks."

By the time they walked into the room, Alista was visibly trembling and pale as a ghost. Carter, Sheppard, Radek, and Rodney were in the room waiting for her. From the tense silence you could tell that a heated argument had been going on.

Rodney was fairly vibrating with anger and worry. As soon as she appeared, he barked, "It's your choice. You don't have to do it! I won't let them force you!"

"Rodney!" Carter called him down.

"No. You will not force her to do this." He yelled, his hand chopping the air. "Do you have any idea how much pain she's going to be in? Do you? Have any of you thought about the agony you're asking her to endure? Go ahead Sam, step inside for a second and find out! I won't even ask you to take a breath."

"Rodney!" Sheppard snapped. "Enough."

"No, Colonel," Rodney said scathingly. "It isn't enough. No one acknowledges she exists until we need her to do something no one else wants or can do. You won't even eat with her! No one eats with her, no one invites her to movies or to play cards or…or anything, but walk through hell? Sure, call Lista. She'll do it even though we treat her like a pariah!" His chin jutted obstinately. "If she says no, we continue to look for other options."

"I thought the seals would hold; that there was time to figure this out." Alista said, confused.

"They will." Radek said softly. "The problem is the excess coolant being pushed through other tubes. They will not take strain much longer."

"There'll be other leaks?"

"Yes, perhaps where people are." Radek replied reluctantly.

"You don't have to do this." Laura said forcefully.

"I think I do." Alista said. "How would I feel if someone dies from another leak?"

"Lista," Rodney stared at her helplessly. "I'll find another way. Just...say no. We have another day before it gets critical."

"Just," she swallowed hard. She was shaking all over. Her whole body visibly trembled. "Just make sure I get the really good drugs while I'm healing." Her terror filled eyes met his.

Rodney nodded. His eyes were glistening when he tapped his headset. "Keller," he barked. "Lista's been guilted into going into the coolant. I want a burn unit down here now!"

Sheppard and Carter frowned at his wordage. He glared back. If she died...if she died from this he'd pack his belongings and leave. If she died because they were so bent on using her because it was convenient, he never be able to work with them again.

"What? Is she crazy?" Keller's shocked voice sounded in everyone's ear.

"Just get down here and bring the best drugs you have." Rodney ordered harshly. He looked at Sheppard and Carter. "If she dies, I will never forgive either of you."

John paled then his eyes hardened and he gave a short nod. They had to do this. They couldn't afford to vent the coolant and they didn't have time to find another way before leaks appeared elsewhere.

"We'll be right there." Keller replied grimly.

"At least suit up." Rodney begged Alista.

"If the suit would protect me, someone else could do this."

"Do you want to die? The suit will…" He trailed off at the flicker in her eyes. He sucked in a breath. "Outside now." He grabbed her and pulled her out into the hall. "Talk."

"Just drop it."

"No." His hands slid up her arms and stared her in the eyes. "I don't hate you, Ally Kat." He held up a hand to forestall her response. "I know, don't call you that, but that is how I think of you." Now is not the time to tell her I love her. She wouldn't believe it.

Her eyes filled with tears she wouldn't shed. Ally Kat. He would call her that when she was being 'adorably stupid' and he was 'affectionately frustrated' with her. He also called her that when they were making love. She blinked them away rapidly. "I won't die in there….at least not and stay dead. Believe me I know how hard I am to kill. And no, I don't want to talk about it."

I hurt her so bad she tried to take her life? Rodney felt his heart squeeze painfully tight. Regardless of how she would take it, he pulled her into his embrace. "I am so sorry I was a stupid jerk." He whispered into her ear.

Her hands clenched into his shirt momentarily then she remembered that the fact that he was sorry didn't mean he loved her no matter what Radek thought and she tensed and backed away. "I just want to get this over with."

Keller came around the corner with a med team loaded with special gear. They were solemn as the passed by her. Keller stopped and looked at her seriously.

"We need to talk before you do this. I need a better understanding of what's going to happen afterwards."

"It's going to strip me down to the bone in places. My body will automatically regenerate. I don't know which process will be faster. I'm hopefully going to be unconscious." Alista said grimly. "It doesn't matter how bad it looks; I'll heal." She sighed and admitted what she had never admitted to another living soul. "Just keep my head attached. I'm fairly certain that's the only way to kill me permanently."

Rodney flinched at her candid assessment. "Gods! Ally. Please, I'm begging you, don't do this."

"Just load me full of good drugs to numb the pain and keep my energy levels up with glucose so I'll heal faster."

"Tell her to wear the suit." Rodney said gruffly, blinking back tears. "It'll minimize the time she's exposed."

"He's right," Keller said. She was pale and looked like she was going to be sick, but she was still a trained trauma surgeon. "Even if its only effective halfway across the room it cuts your suffering in half. The head gear may even last longer."

"Okay. I'll wear the suit. Now show me what to do before I change my mind."

They reentered the room and Rodney pulled up an image of the room. "The door is here." He pointed to the screen. "The panel is there." He pointed to a spot across the room. "Pull the panel off. It's a simple pull switch. Pull it and get out."

Alista studied the room. "What's on the other side of the wall there." She pointed to the switch panel.

Another room why?" Carter asked from behind them.

Alista shut her eyes briefly. "Hello, I can walk through walls."

Rodney stared at her dumbstruck for a second and then grinned. "I forgot you didn't need to enter through the door."

"No. You are backwards. That is outer wall. She has this wall and far wall. The other two are outer walls. The openings too narrow for jumper." Radek said regretfully.

"Still the other wall will give her a shorter distance." Laura said peering over Rodney's shoulder. "And the coolant seems to be thinner."

"She's right." Sheppard agreed quietly. He hated having to send anyone into that, but sending the woman he knew Rodney loved into it was killing him. He was probably going to lose his best friend over this. The thought kicked him in the gut hard. He wasn't sure what he'd do without Rodney's steady presence beside him.

"Phasing in will let a little into the suit, but I still think its the better choice." Alista said thoughtfully as she studied the distances.

Rodney and Laura went with Alista to the other room to help her done the suit. The suit was loose on her, but thankfully she wasn't short so it fit well enough.

Rodney stepped up with the helmet. "You don't…"

"Kiss for luck?" Alista cut him off with a brazen request she thought for sure he'd brush off. One last kiss. One last time to feel those lips on hers.

Instead, his eyes darkened and he stepped closer, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her. Everything disappeared as sensations swamped her. His lips moved gently over hers until she moaned and then the kiss became hungry and demanding.

With a shuddering breath, he pulled back. "Ally Kat," he groaned leaning his head on hers. Alista was too stunned by the kiss to form a response, she just leaned into him and tried to get her thudding heart to calm down.

"Well," Laura drawled, "a lucky kiss that good should get you through without a scratch."

Rodney and Alista jerked apart, both flushing deeply. Alista jerked the helmet from his hands, slapped it on, and stepped through the wall.