Chapter Fifty Three
I'm not afraid (I'm not afraid)
To take a stand (to take a stand)
Everybody (everybody)
Come take my hand (come take my hand)
We'll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just lettin you know that, you're not alone
Eminem – Not Afraid
The infirmary was quiet as both Carson and Cass stood in the sheltered area of their shared office space trying to process the information that had just been thrown at them. Privacy was important for this conversation and she had been surprised that she had been brought in on this mission until she'd heard the requirements.
Cass was already dressed in her charcoal grey field uniform, her black tactical vest was in her hands as she regarded the three people in front of her with a mixture of bewilderment and suspicion. As far as she could tell it had started off as a simple trip to collect some vegetation for their botanists to study and it had quickly gone downhill.
"Tell me this is a really bad joke." Cass stated, shaking her head as she recounted the course of events in her head.
A few hours ago Major Lorne's team had been escorting a botanist onto a planet with a severely high radiation level when the sun came up. The team had found a Wraith body with the enzyme pouch removed and reported it to Elizabeth. It was the first creditable lead they had received on Ford's location in months and at the first possibility of their friend being alive John's team were in a Jumper and on route to the planet to join Major Lorne's team in the search.
Several hours later John and Lorne had returned with a request for their most skilled field medic, unfortunately for Cass that just happened to be her. As it had turned out there was someone else on that planet evading the Wraith, someone who was also very desperate.
"You want me to go to an alien planet and preform surgery on an armed man who is holding Teyla hostage?" Cass recapped back to them as John took the black tactical vest out of her hands and held it open for her to shrug into.
This plan seemed idiotic to her but she understood that it was the best they had at the current moment considering how dire the circumstances were. This Ronon Dex character was dangerous. If he managed to get the drop on a skilled militarist like John and an exceptional tracker like Teyla she couldn't see what more they could do than bargain with him. If it helped save Teyla's life Cass would do whatever she could in a heartbeat.
"That's not even the best part." Elizabeth submitted as Cass tilt her head towards the other woman , her sapphire eyes wide in disbelief.
"There's more?" she questioned un-tucking her hair from the collar of her vest.
Already John's fingers were reaching out to help her, he grasped the zipper and drew it up to the middle of her chest as she tied her hair back using the elastic band on her dainty wrist. The two of them worked in tandem with each other and it was intriguing to watch from the outside.
"The Wraith could show up at any moment." Lorne informed her, spine straight, his hands behind his back in a military stance. "So we need to move quickly."
Cass liked Lorne, she found him good natured and proactive. Over the past few weeks she had been working with his team when they went off world. The Major appeared to be an excellent leader respected by his men and kind to the locals that inhabited each planet they ventured. He was nothing if not savvy. That boy next door, sweet smile hid a sharp strategic mind.
"Wonderful." Cass stated in a monotone voice as Carson set a metal briefcase by her feet, along with her field kit and a fitted light kit."Have they found Ford yet?"
"No and we believe McKay's been captured by the Lieutenant Ford which obviously complicates matters." Elizabeth explained with a sigh.
It couldn't be easy being in Elizabeth's position but Cass had to admit the other woman took everything that came her way on the chin. Her logic was always sound and she was entirely reasonable.
According to the rumour mill she had been a negotiator for the U.N in her life before Atlantis and Cass could see those defining qualities when she thought about it. Elizabeth Weir was both diplomatic and fair. She saw the larger picture that other people did not and Cass was more than glad that she was the leader of their expedition. If she was standing here with Major Lorne and John, Cass knew that there were no other options available.
"What would Ford want with Rodney of all people?" Carson asked, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "The two of them were hardly close."
It was true, Cass thought Ford had only tolerated Rodney due to his ability to get them out of insanely complicated situations. That coupled with the fact it was his honour bound duty to protect everyone on this expedition. In fact Rodney and Zelinka had taken great pleasure in winding up Ford with their intellectual games and the other man had never appreciated the fun they'd had at his expense.
"Who knows?" Lorne responded with a shake of his head. "Maybe he saw a familiar face and decided he needed a friend."
Cass admitted she had to agree that may have been part of the reasoning behind Rodney's abduction. Ford had been unstable and paranoid the last time he had crossed paths with any of them, seeing a familiar face may have given him some stability. She just hoped that Rodney wasn't his usual obnoxious self otherwise Ford's patience would run very thin, very quickly.
"Your priority is to get the transmitter out of this Ronon Dex guy." John informed her.
Cass could see the Colonel stepping forward and coming into play and she yielded to it. When they worked together John was always completely in control unless her medical expertises were required and she was used to seeing his other alter ego take charge. She was one of his team for the time being and she could live with that. She trusted John's instincts even with his knack for finding trouble. There hadn't been a situation he hadn't found a way out of yet and she prayed that there never would be.
"I will be hiding on the ridge just above the cave he's taken shelter in with the sniper rifle. At the first sign of trouble I'll take the shot." John tried to reassure her as he picked up the metal case and gestured for Cass to move towards the Jumper Bay.
"I take it that's your way of telling me your an excellent marksman." Cass responded, arching an eyebrow before bidding goodbye to Carson and Elizabeth.
"Well I don't like to boast..." John responded as he flashed her that disarming smile.
Lorne slung the long bag for the light kit over his shoulder with ease as he flanked Cass's other side. It made her feel strangely important being escorted down the corridor with these two military men. Both had determination fixed upon their faces and Cass understood from their tightly wound muscular structure that they were priming themselves for anything that could tossed in their direction when they got back in the field.
As with everything they did there was a degree of risk. They had come to expect that from their lives and they were constantly prepared for it. John had long ago accepted that locking Cass up in an ivory tower wasn't going to save her from everything the Pegasus galaxy had to throw at them. His wife made her own choices and that was one of the reasons he had fallen in love with her.
Yet when it came down to it he would protect her with everything he had. The Colonel in him was honour bound by the duty to his team and The Man in him to the duty of his wife. He trusted her to do her job efficiently and safely, the same way she trusted him. Still it didn't hurt to watch over Cass from time to time just to make sure she wasn't getting herself into any more danger than she needed to.
They were silent until they climbed into the Jumper. John automatically assumed his position as pilot as Lorne took up the counter seat as co-pilot. Cass came to sit in the seat behind John, her hands fixing the seat belt over her waist and drawing it even tighter to secure herself.
John glanced back at her, checking her seatbelt was adequately fitted before focusing on the rest of the take off. Cass settled back in her seat before allowing her thoughts to take over and process the information at hand.
"I'm guessing a Runner is like a fugitive back on Earth?" Cass said into the silence as the two men reviewed the empty Stargate in front of them.
They were waiting for the portal to be activated by the Atlantis Personnel, it would only take a few more seconds before the event horizon appeared and they'd be away to the planet. John raped his fingers impatiently upon the control console.
"From what I can gather it's when the Wraith decide to hunt you instead of feeding on you. Maybe for sport or for training, I'm not really sure why." John told her distractedly.
Which made sense as to why they put a transmitter in this man's back. They needed to keep track of him in order to hunt him especially when other planets and Stargates were involved. She wondered how long he had been on the run, if Ronon Dex had family or friends to return home to. John had said the man was utterly alone when they had woken up in that cave, there was no one with him to keep him company or boost his spirits, just his survival instincts.
"I can't imagine what that must be like." Cass said quietly as the bright blue event horizon flashed up before them.
There was sympathy in her voice and he found that endearing if not worrying. No doubt what this man had been through was barbaric and cruel but if Cass let herself get caught up in the compassionate side to this so quickly she was putting herself at risk. Then again John thought Cass was far from stupid, she wouldn't be letting her guard down for a second with Teyla as a hostage and Ronon Dex waving round his firearm the way he had been.
John paused for a second allowing his mind to drift to what would happen if the Wraith ever decided he was more than just a Happy Meal to them. He would have responded in the same way as Ronon Dex, running from planet to planet alone, never staying long enough to put anyone else in danger.
"Let's hope for all our sakes what we never have to." John said into the silence as the Jumper surged through the Gate.
Hey guys, introducing Ronon Dex in the next chapter! Thankies very much for all of your kind words as of late. I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you!
Shippo: lol if only Cass was a ninja, it would be hilarious to see her do that. I love the fact he put the ring on her finger too, it makes me grin that he wanted to mark her as his own. Thanks very much for the review!
Lady: Cass is a tad more inventive in the later chapters. Which makes me laugh. Thanks for the review.
Brn: lol I like doing the whole domestic thing with the two of them and I know John kinda likes it too, which I think surprises both me and him. He's never been that type of guy. I love the fact they want to mark each other. LMAO Thank you very much for the song and of course your hilarious reviews.
Joey: Well you know how the two of them like to roll in terms of their bedroom time. As you said, best laid plans and all that jazz, they've got time to decide. I could just see John being that humorous and the two of them have always been about having a little fun together. It frightens me how far along we are in terms of the season lol! Thanks for your wonderful kind words, they so mean the world to me!
