Chapter 11: Into the Lion's Den
"Take a seat. Refreshment?"
Ronon shook his head as he sat down in the guards rec-room. There were one or two others there, who had immediately tidied the place up as their superior officer entered. He was a good man, Ronon judged. He had let on that he was not happy with the idea of imprisoning so many children, but they were criminals and Ronon found he couldn't sympathise with the hard eyed children they had seen on their tour of the lower levels. The interrogation rooms had been the most unpleasant. He'd seen a young woman being fed on and then having it forced back into her, her questioner continuing to asked her the same question over and over.
And that was when he saw Chancellor Meterin. The man was watching with delight at the torture of Siric. He'd seemed very pleased with the capture of a spy, though whether he knew who Siric really was yet Ronon wasn't sure. One good thing had come out of the incident though; he now knew that Sheppard and Teyla were alive and where they were.
"Something troubling you Ronon?" asked Commander Caltracka.
"Nah, I'm cool," replied Ronon, settling back.
"So tell me more about your homeworld," continued Caltracka. "I'd love to have more like you by my side."
Ronon thought back to his recent return to his homeworld, the destruction he had seen. He was loosing hope that any of his people had escaped the wraith.
The sound of a siren blared through the room, startling them.
"I knew it was too quiet," growled Caltracka. "Dex, I want you to find Captain Nerak and inform him we've got trouble. You two, with me!" Grabbing weapons that looked suspiciously Genii-like in origin, the commander and the other guards in the room ran out. Ronon saw his chance and took it, heading for the Sheppard and Teyla.
***
Siric was much better at the locks than Teyla had been, though whether it was a lack of skill or just tiredness, he hadn't been able to open the cell after releasing Chan. The four of them were working out an escape plan. Well, he was trying to with Teyla's help, but the two Guild-members seemed reluctant to.
"Have you two got a better idea?"
"Your plan relies too much on coincidence and luck," snarled Siric. The wraith was only getting more tetchy the longer they waited in the cell.
"If we wait," reasoned Teyla, "Ronon will no doubt come to our rescue."
"Would this be the same Ronon Dex that is the new member of the guards by any chance?" drawled Chancellor Meterin. "I knew there was something about the oaf I didn't like. He had the reek of Guild scum about him."
They backed away from the cell door as it was opened and the Chancellor came in. He looked over them all. "Pathetic," he spat. "Nothing more than third rate amateurs, worse! Common criminals! Your kind are not even worth the effort of housing. But, the deal must go through."
As he gloated to them, his attention on Sheppard, Teyla and Chan, Siric used the wall as an aid to stand up. The guards did nothing, they couldn't. At least, not with a tall and armed Satedan pointing a gun at them and ordering for silence. The young spy-master took a strange vial from the lining of his shirt and threw it at the Chancellor. The man turned in time for the vial to smash on his chest. In the damp air of the cell, thin creeper-like tendrils snaked and grew on his chest. Panicked, the Chancellor tried to bat them away, but on contact with his flesh, the creepers clung and grew all the more vigorously. In the shocked silence, the creepers began to engulf the man; where they touched his skin, they withered it away to dried skin and bone.
"Only you," croaked Chan as the ex-chancellor fell to the ground in his death throes, "would carry wither-vine as a weapon. You're more dangerous than I ever would have believed…"
"Time to be going," said Sheppard as the vines started to sluggishly explore the floor of the cell, its initial prey consumed. Edging carefully around it, the former prisoners headed for the cell door. The guards had now fled. "Which way?" he asked Ronon.
"This way," he replied, taking point. They followed after him as quickly as they could. Sheppard was sure Chan use the word 'suicidal' and Siric growling back at him as they moved, but he was otherwise distracted. Up ahead, was the sound of fighting.
"What the-?!" exclaimed Sheppard as they came across a battle scene. People dressed in black were fighting the guards, while other prisoners did their best to keep away from the fighting. He could only watch as the group in black systematically disarmed, decapitated or took out any and all in their way. One spotted their group and thrust John's P-90 into his hands and did the same to Teyla.
"Don't just stand about gawping," ordered Genik, a dark mask obscuring the lower half of his face. "Clear a path and get the prisoners out."
Sheppard looked to the liberated prisoners. Many looked to be under eighteen. A glance to Teyla confirmed his decision.
"Chan, Ronon, lead us out. We'll give you cover fire."
The thief nodded and started to hurry up one of the corridors, Ronon close on his heels. Teyla followed a few moments later, while Sheppard waited to direct the others on and guard the rear. The Fatals followed close behind as well.
"Where's Siric?" Genik asked when he got close.
"He's right-" He looked back. "He was right here a moment ago!"
"I haven't seen him at all."
"That is because you don't look correctly," snapped the wraith in question, appearing out of nowhere. Sheppard opened his mouth to ask where the heck the wraith had been, but a piercing yellow glare reminded him of the man he had killed only a few minutes ago. John let the question drop and continued to provide support and backup to their escape.
***
There were a lot of reunions taking place. Not everyone who had been a prisoner had been members of the same Guild. In the streets on the way back to the Guild of the Ancestors Gate, groups would break off, often with a Fatal or person in a coloured cloak, and vanish away into the oncoming night.
"Quite a time you've had, Sheppy," said Nerisha to him as they walked. She was sporting a new cut over her left eyebrow but she seemed all the more jubilant for the fighting. "Not many would have caused such a palaver on - what is this now? You up to two days yet in the Guild? Or is it three now, I've lost count."
"It's not that we're not grateful or anything," started Sheppard uneasily.
"We had no intention of remaining here. There will be a transport along soon to return us home," finished Teyla.
"In one of your sky ships?" piped up Chiss from beside Ronon's elbow. Her eyes looked apologetically over her face mask as the three faction leaders glared at her. "Oopsie."
Sheppard looked accusatorially at Rodney, who looked only mildly battered. "Rodney..."
"What? Jasieen was in my head for crying out loud! I didn't tell them on purpose!"
"So how long you got before then?" asked Genik pleasantly.
"Day, at most," answered Ronon.
"Long enough for a party then..."
Please R&R. You know you want to...
*returns to the Guild party*
