The Arena-21
Vala's thoughts were of Cameron Mitchell and her anger intensified with each passing moment. She knew Carolyn Lam would do everything in her power to bring him through, but she wondered if that was enough. The doctor had spoken to them about Mitchell's injuries, but she'd been extremely worried about the substance in both his and Teal's blood. Her head came up as the door opened and one very disheveled physician stepped through the door. She went to speak, but Lam's hands came up to stop them.
"Surgery went well and we did have to remove his spleen as well as repair a few other things we found once we started. He's in recovery now, but will be moved into SICU within the hour. Now before you ask it's precautionary because he's so weak and because we have yet to identify the unknown substance showing up in his blood work."
"Is it dangerous?" Mal Doran asked softly.
"Extremely, and the fact that it's still showing up is not a good omen. Drugs and other things in our bloodstream are usually removed through our kidneys, but that just doesn't seem to be happening right now. Colonel Mitchell and Teal'c are both infected with it. I've put Colonel Mitchell on life support for now, because he's too weak to fight what's happening to his body," Lam explained.
"Carolyn, is there anything you can do to help get rid of it?" Landry asked.
"Not a damn thing…we just don't have enough information about it," the doctor said, running her fingers through her hair. "There is something you could do to help."
"Name it," Jackson assured her.
"Ask the Viridians what they used," Lam told them.
"General…"
"Colonel, get your team ready and go. The Daedalus is still at PK4-2C and will take you back to Viridian," Landry ordered.
"We'll get you what you need, Carolyn," Carter assured her.
"Good…the antidote is the best thing or a sample of whatever they were given if there is no antidote," Lam told them.
"We'll get it…just make sure they are…they…"
"Vala, I'll do everything I can," Lam vowed.
"Vala, maybe you should stay here," Jackson tried and saw the defiance in her eyes.
"I'm going, Daniel…Rianna and I have unfinished business and one way or the other she is going to give up all claims to Mitchell and Teal'c," Mal Doran said and saw a slight smile on Carter's face. She knew Sam understood how she felt and hoped when the time came she'd stop Jackson or the others from interfering. Rianna needed to be taken down a peg and although she was smaller, Vala had learned a few things in her travels, and she'd be glad to give first hand knowledge to the Viridian warrior.
"Vala is a member of the team, Daniel," Carter reminded him. She was as angry as Vala about what had been done to Teal'c and Mitchell, but she also understood where the Viridians were coming from.
"Get me everything you can ASAP," Lam told them.
"Can we see Cam before…"
"No, Vala, not yet…maybe when you guys get back here," Lam told her. "Look, I want to check on Teal'c and maybe grab a couple of hours sleep, but if you find out anything before then have someone wake me."
"I will," Landry assured her and watched the SG team hurry toward the gate before speaking to his daughter. "Carolyn, what exactly are we looking at?"
"I can't be certain…Dad, but if things continue as they are Mitchell and Teal'c are going to go through something like withdrawal and without knowing exactly what it is I can't do a damn thing to help. The drug seems to be affecting their respiratory system and if Teal'c's condition continues to deteriorate I'll have to put him on life support."
"Is there any way to remove the drug with Dialysis or something similar?"
"I've thought of that, but there's nothing wrong with their kidney function except that it's not purging this substance from their blood stream," Lam said. "Look, I really am beat and I need to check Teal'c and Mitchell before I turn in."
"Go ahead, Carolyn, I'll see that you're kept informed about SG1's progress," Landry assured her and hurried back to Stargate command.
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Carter looked at Vala and back to Jackson and wished there was some way of convincing their friend to let them handle the Viridians. So far their arguments had fallen on deaf ears and the stubborn man refused to see the wisdom in their plans. "Look, Daniel, Chandra's people have no interest in Vala or me and therefore it makes sense to let us take the lead on this one."
"Sam, I can handle myself," Jackson told her.
"She never said you couldn't, but in this case you're a precious commodity," Mal Doran said and saw the slight smile on Carter's face at her words.
"Precious commodity?" Jackson snapped incredulously. "I'll have you know…"
"Daniel, you know we don't see you that way, but the Viridians do and dangling you before their eyes could be too much of a temptation," Carter said.
"Oh, I'm sure you and Vala will protect my virtue," Jackson quipped. He knew they were worried and that the light hearted banter was their way of easing the tension, but there was no way he was staying behind. They needed to convince the Viridians that Carter's suggestions made sense and they'd be fools to continue kidnapping unwilling males when there were those who would come willingly to Viridian. They grew quiet as they closed in on Rianna's compound.
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Rianna and Chandra stood watching as the familiar shuttlecraft descended toward them. A lot had happened since their last visit, and Rianna knew the time had come to make good on her promise to bring Mitchell and Teal'c back to Viridian. By now their people had discovered the marker that had been inserted into the blood streams of both men and without Nadeena's help, Mitchell and Teal'c would die.
"Rianna, perhaps it's time to listen to reason," Chandra told her.
"I am not giving up my property, Chandra. They will be returned to us or they will both die," Rianna told her. The compound had been cleared away and the fallen warriors given a proper burial while the traitors had been disposed of and the creatures of the Caul-der-hoan had been driven back into the wastelands.
"Rianna, Goran's people are no longer willing to let us use their planet's natural resources. We can't travel the same distance to search for trainees."
"Then we take what we need!"
"We tried that before, Rianna," Chandra told her. "The device would not allow us access without their permission and now that these Earth people have interfered Goran will find it easier to refuse us."
"Then we find another way!" Rianna's anger at losing the two males was evident in her voice and even more so in the lines that creased her face. "I will get Mitchell and Teal'c back…they were the best trainees I've seen in my life."
"I agree they were, Rianna, but there comes a time when we need to bow out gracefully."
"Not this time, Chandra. Nadeena gave them the injections and they must be returned before the substance solidifies and stops the blood flowing through their veins. The females will return my property."
'Somehow I doubt that very much,' Chandra thought as the trio exited the shuttlecraft and strode toward them. Two others, both male stood behind them, their weapons pointed in their general direction.
"Chandra, thank you for agreeing to speak with us," Carter stated upon reaching the two warriors.
"You left us little choice as I recall, Colonel," Rianna snarled.
"What did you give Mitchell and Teal'c?" Mal Doran snapped and stood toe to toe with the taller female.
"Ah, you have discovered my little surprise," Rianna said with a slight smile. "It is something Nadeena derived from the Water Shams and once given there is no cure. Mitchell and Teal'c must be injected with it every few cycles or they will die."
"Why?" Jackson asked angrily and could feel Chandra watching him. The woman was at least a foot taller than he was, but she didn't intimidate him.
"Because we have the right to survive," Chandra answered.
"Men are not property to be forced into a fight to the death…"
"On Viridian they are," Rianna told him. "It is the way of our people and the challenges are done to insure that our strength doesn't weaken."
"My daughter is right and I can assure you that the male or males who prove victorious in The Arena are happy with their lives once they understand their role in society," Chandra answered and turned to Daniel as if seeing him for the first time. "Perhaps you would enjoy being a kept male, Dr. Jackson?"
"No…no, that's something I could never enjoy and neither would Mitchell or Teal'c. A man has the right to choose who he wants to spend the rest of his life with," Jackson told her.
"I disagree," Rianna said. "It does not matter what you think, Dr. Jackson…if Mitchell and Teal'c are not returned to us then they will both die. I'm sure they would prefer life on Viridian to death…"
"I'm not so sure about that, Rianna," Carter told her. "Mitchell and Teal'c are free to choose their paths."
"Not any more," Rianna snapped. "I will have what is rightfully mine!"
Vala had heard enough from the female warrior and understood there was only one way to make her listen. She stared into the cold eyes and spoke clearly, hoping the Viridian had some form of code that would make it impossible for Rianna to back down. "They are not and never were yours, Rianna. Mitchell and Teal'c are…"
"Yours?" Rianna asked incredulously before bursting into laughter. "I doubt that very much…they are too much for someone like you!"
Carter watched the scene before her as Rianna tried to turn away, but Mal Doran reacted instinctively and stood directly in her path. Sam had seen Vala angry before, but there was something dangerous about the stance she'd taken and for an instant Carter felt sorry for the Viridian.
"Out of my way!" Rianna snarled.
"No! I challenge you to fight for them."
"You dare challenge me?"
"I do…and I will win."
"I should accept your challenge just so the others can see how easy it is to defeat you," Rianna stated, chuckling softly as she bypassed the smaller female.
"A challenge has been given, Rianna," surprisingly this came from Chandra.
"You can't be serious?"
"Rianna, she is within her rights to challenge you for ownership…or are you afraid of…"
"How dare you, Mother! I believe you and I were going to test each other in the Arena once the challenges were over and I believe it is high time we did so!"
"I believe you're right…"
"No!" Mal Doran snapped and placed herself between the two females. "I will meet you in the Arena!"
"I could take you both…"
"You could try, Rianna, but I am not willing to share victory with another. You and I will meet face to face and if there is anything left then you can face your mother!" Mal Doran told her and there was no mistaking the set of her shoulder and the gleam in her eyes. She would face Rianna, and when all was said and done she would walk away with the antidote for Mitchell and Teal'c.
"Vala…" Carter tried, but there was no answer from the irate woman.
"The challenge has been issued…do you accept, Rianna."
"I accept," Rianna said.
"Very well…when the twin suns dip below the horizon Rianna and Vala Mal Doran will meet in the Arena and fight as we did before the dawn of our time. There can only be one victor…the other will meet their death as is befitting a warrior," Chandra told them.
"Now wait a minute!" Jackson stepped forward. "No one said anything about a fight to the death!"
"It is the way of our people and insures that the loser cannot challenge the victor again," Chandra explained. "Do you wish to reconsider, Vala Mal Doran?"
"She does…"
"No, Sam, I don't. Mitchell and Teal'c's lives depend on me and I won't let them down!" Vala snapped.
"Then we meet in the Arena at sundown," Rianna said and stalked away, angry at her mother's interference, and thinking about the fight ahead of her. It would be a simple task to kill the smaller female, but first she would toy with her and even let her taste victory just before she snapped her neck.
"Rianna is one of our strongest warriors…you should have taken the opportunity I gave you," Chandra warned.
"I can handle myself," Mal Doran assured her.
"I hope so…for both our sakes. It seem Rianna is set in her ways and unwilling to change. If you are victorious then I will speak with the other tribal leaders about changing the way we choose our mates. If you lose then I will meet her in the Arena…"
"You would fight your own daughter?" Carter asked.
"It is our way when a challenge is issued and accepted," Chandra told her.
"Chandra, there are other ways," Jackson said. "You don't seem to agree with Rianna's opinion and if I'm not mistaken you want to change the way things are done here."
"I do…there are several tribal leaders who agree with me, but we have never been sure we would have the following we need to change things. Rianna has a mind of her own and she has always been a strong believer in a show of strength instead of straight talk. If I beat my daughter I will have several tribal members who would be willing to speak on my behalf and perhaps we could change things."
"Chandra, would you be willing to listen to a proposal by my government as well as several other planetary officials we have spoken with?" Carter asked.
"What kind of proposal?" Chandra asked.
"Is there somewhere we could talk without being interrupted?" Jackson asked.
"My quarters," Chandra said and led them toward the compound. "Tell me of the proposal."
"It was Colonel Carter's idea and it seems it has taken hold on several planets. There are men who would be more than willing to visit your world and perhaps even stay if given the chance to make up their own minds," Jackson explained.
"We know of no other way, but the challenges," Chandra told him.
"I know, but we have spoken with Goran's people and have set up a preliminary site at the Ancient's base. They are no longer willing to let you take from them anymore," Carter said.
"We did what we needed to in order to survive," Chandra said.
"There were other ways. You could have asked for help," Mal Doran told her.
"We are a proud race," Chandra said simply as they reached her quarters. "Please tell me more about this proposal."
Carter and Jackson sat at the table while Vala stood watching. Her mind was on the fight that would take place that afternoon and she knew she would have to defeat Rianna if Mitchell and Teal'c were to have a chance of survival.
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Carolyn looked at the semi conscious Jaffa and knew there was little choice, but to place him on life support. The substance in the blood stream was causing the blood to thicken and she was being forced to resort to anticoagulants in an effort to keep both men alive. Teal'c's breathing had grown worse and he was growing weaker by the minute.
"Teal'c, I know you'd rather not, but we don't have a choice now. We need to put you on life support to give your body a chance to grow strong," Lam explained and reached for a cloth to wipe away the beads of perspiration that formed on her patient's forehead.
"Mit…Mitchell?"
"He's holding his own, Teal'c," Lam told him as they moved the table and equipment closer to the bed. She'd already explained the procedure and had hoped the medication would keep him under, but the Jaffa was awake and coherent. She expertly performed the procedure and looked at the monitoring equipment to make sure everything was as it should be. By the time she was finished, Teal'c was sleeping and she moved to check on her second patient.
Colonel Cameron Mitchell's condition was deteriorating faster than Teal'c's and she knew it had to do with his injuries. Surgery had also taken its toll on the injured man, but she knew it was the unknown substance that was attacking him from the inside. Lam looked up at the clock and realized nearly forty eight hours had passed since the SG team had left and yet they had no word. Pulling up a chair she sat down and placed her elbows on her knees and rubbed at tired eyes.
"Carolyn, have you eaten?"
"I had a sandwich…"
"I mean lately," Landry asked.
"No, but I had a few things I had to do first," Lam explained.
"I can see that. How are they doing?"
"Teal'c condition is stable now that he's on the ventilator. Mitchell's condition is slowly getting worse and there's not a damn thing I can do to change that! He's dying…and I feel so helpless!" Lam said, her head snapping up as she felt a change in the readings just as the alarms sounded. "You have to leave!"
"I'll be right outside the door!" Landry told her and moved out of the way as a crash cart was pushed into position beside Mitchell's bed. The last thing he saw as he left the door was the blankets being thrown off the bed.
TBC