Remember, Never to Forget---25
Shazzia knew she could not hide here indefinitely, but for now she was safe. Domitar would keep her safe; he would make sure no one found her until she had everything she needed. Shazzia looked around the small chamber in disgust, but she understood it was the only way right now. There was no choice until she had a ship, and Domitar was already searching for such a vessel.
Shazzia thought about the man who'd cost her so much and couldn't help but admire the man, but she would not allow herself to feel anything for him no matter how attractive he was. She now knew that John Sheppard was not only a military prisoner, but he was also Atlantian and carried the Ancient Gene. The information had come from an informant she'd placed in Trazdia's inner circle, plus what she'd learned from Dr. Rodney McKay.
Both men would have made perfect concubines, but McKay was off limits for now and under Suduko's protection. Suduko, now there was another male worthy of her attentions, but he'd proven time and again that he would not be anyone's slave. No, she wanted John Sheppard back in her hands, possibly in her bed if she so chose.
Hawk would be a problem, but she'd dealt with men like him before, most were now feeding the Tar'lek on her home planet…they were the lucky ones. The others she'd simply changed into the creatures that served on her ships. Her ships were gone now, destroyed by the explosions on her fortress, the creatures dead and disintegrated, but she could and would start over again.
"Shazzia…"
"Domitar, old friend, tell me you have found me a new ship?"
"Not yet, Shazzia, but I have friends who owe me and it will take a cycle or two before I hear from them. You are safe here…no one knows of my inner sanctuary," Domitar explained.
"I trust you, Domitar, but they are searching for Hawk's fortress and it is only a matter of time before they find him," Shazzia snapped.
"There is nothing you can do to stop that from happening, but perhaps it is for the best."
"What do you mean?"
"Hawk's fortress is as impenetrable as yours was," Domitar said and saw the anger in her eyes. "We have never come across the Atlantians before, Shazzia, and we were not prepared for their attack. You can rebuild your fortress…"
"Perhaps, but I have lost everything…"
"I do not believe that, Shazzia. You are too smart to keep everything in one place. Besides with what I have been protecting for you is enough to rebuild your fortress and still have plenty left over for the finer things in life."
"You know me too well, Old Friend," Shazzia said with a hint of a smile. "Perhaps when I retrieve John Sheppard I will retire from the slavery business."
"I think you would die of boredom."
"I doubt that…then again you never met John and don't know the things I do," Shazzia said. "Did you bring any news on Suduko?"
"He is in the retreat with Trazdia…they returned late last cycle."
"How was he?"
"Angry…that's how I knew you were safe here," Domitar told her.
"His anger will get him killed."
"Do you still care for him?"
"He was a slave…I do not care what happens to him."
"You are a bad liar, Shazzia; I believe Suduko was the first male to ever get through your defenses."
"You overstep the bounds of friendship, Domitar…"
"I have every right to, Shazzia…I am still your father no matter what you have done."
"No one knows of our true relationship…and it will stay that way if you wish to live," the high priestess vowed, but she could tell the elderly man did not fear her, he was the one man who never had and she allowed him to keep that because of who he was.
"I must get back, but I will return when I have arranged for your ship," Domitar told her and left his daughter alone.
Shazzia's thoughts immediately returned to John Sheppard and how he affected her. Domitar was right about Suduko, but he had no idea how much the Atlantian affected her thoughts…and her body. She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes, a smile forming as she pictured the dark haired man lying next to her. It was an image that followed her into her dreams and haunted her during her waking hours.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Suduko watched Rodney McKay and knew the man was still feeling the accumulated affects of his time with Shazzia. His hatred of the woman intensified with the knowledge that she had escaped punishment again. He'd stayed with Trazdia longer than expected, but it was something he needed to cool his growing anger.
"Suduko, I'm sorry," McKay said when he reached the spot overlooking the spectacular valley far below.
"You have no reason to apologize, Dr. McKay," Suduko said, purposefully using the title he hoped would convey the respect he felt for this man, a fellow prisoner who escaped Shazzia's clutches and lived to talk about it.
"I'm sorry she escaped…"
"It is not your fault. Shazzia is always planning for everything and I merely underestimated her. I assure you it will not happen again," Suduko vowed and the two men were quiet for a long time until McKay spoke softly.
"Sheppard would love this…the view…the solitude." The Canadian smiled as he thought of the missing man and his penchant for introducing sports to the Pegasus Galaxy.
"It is beautiful here," Suduko offered.
"Is that why you chose to live here?"
"Yes…after I escaped from Shazzia I needed a sanctuary. That's what this place is for me."
"I can see why and I hope you'll allow us to bring Sheppard here when we fund him," McKay said and smiled slightly. "I believe he would enjoy introducing you to the game of golf although I always enjoyed Mark Twain's description of the sport."
"Who is Mark Twain?"
"A famous American writer," McKay answered.
"American?"
"It simply means he's from the US…a country on my world. I am from Canada…"
"How many countries are there on your world?"
"Sometimes I think there are too many, but my world is pretty diverse and we have many nationalities…even on Atlantis," McKay said. "There are also many languages spoken on each continent."
"What is a continent?"
"It's a land mass. There are seven continents on Earth."
"All of them speak different languages…that must make it hard to communicate."
"Actually there are more languages than there are continents…some countries, mine included have several languages. You should hear them all talking at once when they meet for discussions about trade and policies. It's enough to give a sane man a headache."
"So what did he say?" Suduko asked after the silence stretched between them.
"Who?" McKay asked.
"Mark Twain…"
"He said 'Golf is a good walked spoiled'," McKay said.
"Do you agree with him?"
"Yes…I prefer intellectual games like Chess," the Canadian told him. "It's hard to find anyone who can challenge me on Atlantis…except Zelenka."
"Zelenka?"
"He's smart…smarter than even I care to admit."
"What about Sheppard? Is he smart?"
"He passed the MENSA test…that makes him smarter than most people I know," McKay said. "But he's not just book smart, Suduko, he's street smart…military smart…he knows how to think and plan things so fast he leaves the rest of us behind."
"You admire him…"
"Hell, yes, but I'd never admit that to him," McKay said.
"Why? I thought you were friends."
"We are, but there's more to it than friendship. I don't know how to explain it, but Sheppard and I see things differently. I use brains where he uses brawn…"
"How can you be so sure? Perhaps you are more alike than you think. He is smart and you have already told us how smart you are…"
"I do have a bit of an ego," McKay admitted sheepishly.
"A bit?" Suduko asked with a grin.
"Okay…a big ego, but Sheppard…well he calls me on it and most of the time he's right," McKay said.
"Suduko, Kierra told me I would find you here!" Trazdia said as he hurried toward the two men.
"What's wrong?" McKay asked when he noted the look on the newcomer's face.
"I believe we have news of Hawk's Fortress," Trazdia answered. "It is on one of the smaller planets in the outer rings of Nervula."
"Nervula? Where the hell is that?" McKay asked.
"It is a days' travel from here by one of your jumpers," Suduko explained.
"I'll get Lorne…"
"Wait, Dr. McKay, we need to come up with a plan," Trazdia warned. "If we go in there without one we're all dead and what good does that do your friend."
"Dammit!" the Canadian spat. He knew Trazdia was right, but that didn't put him any closer to finding John Sheppard.
"Doctor…Rodney, get the others and tell them it's time to make a plan," Suduko said. "We'll be there in a couple of minutes."
"All right," McKay said and hurried toward the house.
"Is there any word on Shazzia?" Suduko asked.
"Not much…I've had men watching Domitar's place, but there's been no sign of her. He did manage to give my men the slip early this morning, but they picked him up on the outskirts of the retreat."
"He's hiding her," Suduko snapped.
"I know, but until we can find out exactly where he's hiding here there's nothing we can do…we'll find here, My Friend, and when we do you'll be able to rid yourself of that nightmare once and for all," Trazdia offered.
"I hope so," Suduko said and strode toward his home.
SGASGASGASGASGA
John knew he had little to no chance of defeating Hawk in hand to hand combat, but he would do his damndest for Tyrel. The young male should have been back on his own world and enjoying his life, instead he'd been sold into slavery. God, he hated that word, hated what it did to a person's soul. He stood up as Kudrone entered the room and wished he could make the man help them, but he seemed loyal to Hawk.
"I need to check your wrist before we leave," Kudrone said.
"My wrist is the least of my worries," John spat.
"You are a fool to agree to this fight."
"Perhaps, but I have to try…for Tyrel and for myself," John vowed as he lifted his right arm and allowed the other man to check the cast.
"Hawk is doing this because he wants you to bow your stiff neck…"
"So he said, but I'm hoping my reasons are stronger," John told him, wincing when the man pressed his fingers beneath the edge of the cast.
"John, you do realize you could do more damage to this wrist by fighting him?"
"Hell, I've been fed on by a wraith…how much worse could fighting Hawk be?"
"A lot worse…he does not like to lose."
"Neither do I," John vowed and wondered if that was a true statement of who he really was. Something told him that he would never back down for a fight, especially when it was something he believed in.
"John, don't be afraid to back out of this one…"
"I can't…Tyrel deserves a chance to go home."
"Not at the cost of your life."
"It won't come to that…Hawk doesn't want me dead," John said with a grin. "He just wants me to bow my stiff neck and I'm just not ready to do that."
"Perhaps it would be best if you did just that before you leave for the underground chambers."
"I can't," John said, relieved when the man stopped probing his wrist and released it. "When do we leave?"
"Hawk wants to leave at first light so I'm guessing it will be an early night tonight. Would you like something to help you sleep?"
"No thanks, I've never had a problem sleeping…the problem comes from the dreams," John said and wondered if Rodney would come to him in his dreams and if he would ever be able to remember those dreams when he woke up.
GWGWGWGWGW
Just wanted to say a special thanks to the people at GateWorld for the wonderful encouragement…thanks guys…..
TBC