Skewed
Chapter Eleven
It hadn't taken long for the jumper to arrive at the ruins site, load everyone up and rendevous with the Daedulus which had been patrolling the space above the planet. Though not their beloved city, the Daedulus would provide all the comforts of home, including a state of the art infirmary. They would be home soon enough, hopefully with a Colonel and Dr. McKay trusting them a bit more.
Once settled in the ship's infirmary, Carson worked alongside the Daedalus CMO Dr. DeLauria making their three new patients comfortable. While they waited for Rodney and Ankatal to awaken from the stunning, Carson had the Colonel under the scanner to make sure his shoulder was properly aligned and no other injuries were present. The brain scan would tell them if any physiological changes had occurred due to the regression treatment.
The Colonel was unusually quiet throughout, which had Carson quite concerned. The injured man had not resisted when he was unstrapped from the gurney and moved to an infirmary bed and he had not said a word. Carson was disappointed as he thought maybe he had gotten just a wee bit of John's trust.
Little did Carson know that John was feeling very conflicted. Along with dealing with a massive headache that was making him extremely nauseous each time he was moved, his resolve was focused on not showing any weakness by puking all over himself and also processing the images of the obvious torture he had envisioned Ankatal had subjected him to.
Ankatal had told Rodney and him that the armed men were their enemies, but so far, he had been treated well and he hadn't missed the air of familiarity they all seemed to regard him with. Most had referred to him as a kernel..whatever that was..it seemed to be not so bad. Oddly, it seemed they even regarded him with respect. With the images of being strapped down and drugged with Ankatal standing by watching still fresh, John wished he could make sense of it all, but the headache from hell was making everything muttled.
Retrospect apparently deceived him and while he fought hard, the nausea took its toll. Luckily, an attentive Carson was within reach and had him rolled to his side with basin in hand in seconds. John was grateful but was too wrapped up in his miserable existence to thank the healer. He soon became aware of a warm hand wrapped in his own. It was warm and held him firmly, in what John was barely able to perceived to be in a comforting way.
He opened his eyes long enough to take in the sight of an extremely lovely looking woman...the same he had seen with the armed men. He found her presence supportive and comforting and a small smile lit his pale, sweat covered face. But dry-heaving amped up any resolve left and John succumbed to a semi-conscious state, unable to process any further coherent thought.
Teyla had been watching from across the room as she awaited her own post-mission checkup. It took everything in to let the medical team administer to John without being by his side. When John started to gag, she winced in sympathy. She was very happy that Carson was there to help John. She had noticed, with a hint of jelousy, that John was more relaxed with Carson than herself.
Shaking off such a negative feeling, she couldnt stand back any longer. John looked miserable and she could, at least, offer him some comfort...though he wouldn't know who she was. So, she took the iniative, crossed the room to sit by his side, grasping his hand comfortingly. Her heart soared when he acknowledged her support with a small smile.
"Carson, can you not do something to reduce the pain?"
"Teyla, I wish I could...we have to wait for Ankatal to wake to find out exactly what he did to the Colonel and Rodney. I have the lab techs trying to identify just what that damned drug is...but that takes time."
Carson looked apologetically down at John. "I'm afraid ta give him anything stronger than Tylenol at the moment."
John took in what the healer said in waves. Something about Ankatal, something about drugs..but he didn't really comprehend any more than that and gave up trying. Whatever the healer had given him was finally easing the headache a bit. For now, he was content figuring these people didn't seem to want to hurt him.
Rodney and Ankatal woke within a few minutes of one another. Their protests filled the normally quiet infirmary and the guards stationed outside the door moved in, ready to subdue the two men should there be need to.
Dr. DeLauria tended to Ankatal while Carson tried to calm Rodney.
"Where are we?! Rodney looked around at the strange surroundings which were not the ruins. He spotted John lying on a bed across the room and felt a bit of relief.
"Is he alright?! What have you done to him?! Who are you and what do you want?!"
Carson tried to reassure Rodney. "Rodney, everything is okay. The Colonel has a dislocated shoulder and a bugger of a headache, as I am sure, you do too."
Rodney hadn't fully registered the headache until his captor made him aware of it.
"Ugh, ow! Yes, well...where is Wanisi...she said she had medicine to help my headache?! As a prisoner of war and the Geneva Convention it is my right that you treat me with fair and humane medical treatment!" Rodney demanded. "Who are you and where are we?!"
"I am Dr Carson Beckett and you are on the USS Daedulus and we are on our way back to Atlantis...your home."
Rodney immediately recognized the name 'Carson Beckett'...the same one he had thought of when he thought he had shot John dead.
"Do I know you? ...But...why would I know you...I have never seen you in my life!" Rodney was confused. "But, I know your name...why?!"
"Don't listen to them Rodney! They are deceivers! They want to use you and John for evil!" Ankatal yelled, hoping to distract Rodney's attention away from learning the truth. "I demand you release me!"
Rodney looked from the crazed look on Ankatal's face to the kind and comforting look on the man called Dr Carson Beckett. Things were definitely skewed...way off-kilter, and he didnt have John's input right now to help him sort it all out!
Carson rushed to the aid of Dr DeLauria as Ankatal became more aggressive. In seconds the man was subdued and restrained by the two SO's standing guard.
"Calm down Ankatal...we aren't the deceivers here!" Carson's calm temperate had had enough of the obstinate, conniving man, but he kept his calm, knowing he needed his know-how to undo what he had done. "We only want Rodney and the Colonel back where they belong and whole. You need to tell us what that drug was and how to counteract it and then how to reverse whatcha did to them."
Ankatal was obstinate and angry. "What if I refuse?!"
Colonel Caldwell entered the infirmary in the midst of the verbal exchange.
"Dr DeLauria, Dr Beckett...is our 'guest' medically cleared yet? If so, we have a nice little cell in the brig waiting to be filled." Caldwell looked between the two for confirmation.
Carson was going to tell the commander to take the bloody bugger away and throw away the key but he refrained. Every second the man refuse, Rodney and the Colonel suffered. But he also knew that Anatal was too hot-headed and would not offer any help until he had time to cool down and think.
"I think he has sufficiently recovered from the Wraith stunner. It appears he needs some time to cool down..I think a stay in the brig might do him some good." Carson looked disapprovingly at Ankatal. "Do you agree Dr DeLauria?"
"Yes, he is medically sound. He's all yours." Dr DeLauria was glad to see the disruptive man gone from his infirmary. Caldwell nodded to the two SO's who secured Anakatal's hands behind his back after he was unceremoniously hefted from the bed.
Caldwell cautioned his prisoner "Dr Beckett has stated that you have subjected our people to a mind-altering treatment. Its in your best interest to help undo what you did to Colonel Sheppard and Dr McKay as soon as possible. I wouldn't want to be you when we arrive at Atlantis if Colonel Sheppard and Dr McKay aren't on their way to recovery."
TBC. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
