Through A Lens Darkly – Chapter Four
SGA SGA SGA
The next two weeks were the happiest and most secure, Sheppard had ever been in his life. His relationship with Cassie was blossoming and she had accompanied them on several missions with great success; so much so, he had even released Carson from going on missions- much to his delight. Her amiable character was popular among the various allies they knew and she blended in easily. Importantly for Sheppard, Atlantis felt safe; no sign of the Wraith, so he relaxed into his affair with Cassie and allowed it to happen. All missions by his various teams were reporting back on some great trade deals with other planets and no deaths or injuries had been reported to his great relief in several weeks, his team were in fine spirits.
Another glorious day on Atlantis found Sheppard walking the corridors a happy man, seeking out Cassie.
He stopped on the gangway above the Stargate, just surveying the busy scene below him with a slight smile on his face. Cassandra was presently taking some photos of a new group of Marines who were huddled together and obliging her, with some keen smiles, for the shots she was requesting.
Cassie looked up to where Sheppard was leaning over the railing watching her, and took a quick snap of him grinning down at her. Several Marines started to shout at her to hurry, so she turned back her attentions to the job in front of her. When she turned back a few minutes later, and looked up, Sheppard was gone. The loss of his presence, made her want him back so strong, but she; like he, kept a professional barrier between want and work, so met the Marines jokes with equal banter.
Sheppard, his walk as gangly as ever, tore himself away from running down the stairs to join Cassandra at the 'gate and made his way to train with Teyla. He tapped his ear when Rodney's voice invaded his thoughts of Cassie.
"What Rodney? Do you have to shout?"
"I have to get your attention somehow. These days you walk about in a permanent state of happiness, it's driving me mad!"
Sheppard smiled, shaking his head but stopped walking to give the man his attention.
"I'm listening, Rodney. You have my undivided attention!"
"So I should." He joked. "You may want to know that the water had receded on infamous planet purple. I think we should go back there?"
Memories of the disaster that was the tsunami and Cassie and Pyeter's initiation into alien life, flashed into his mind and Sheppard shuddered when he remembered how close Cassie and himself could have come to dying… he could have lost her.
"Sheppard?"
"Yeah…I'm here. So, what are you saying, is it worth it?"
"Yes it's worth it! Or I wouldn't have mentioned it."
"In what way Rodney?" Sheppard started walking again towards Teyla, who was waiting for him at the entrance to the training room, rods in hand.
"Radek and I have discovered a power source; very faint, but it's there. It shouldn't be! The planet was uninhabited – but well, we now know that was not the case, and then there is the small; or very large, matter of a hive ship crashing in the waters near where we were and I don't need to remind you how close to Atlantis that planet is? "
Sheppard mulled it over for all of one second. "I'll speak to Woolsey. Sheppard out."
Teyla twirled her rods and watched Sheppard walking towards her. She knew that look and cocked her head to the side.
"What's up?"
"Who says somethings up?" He said as he went to take the rods from her.
Teyla raised one eyebrow and Sheppard nodded; he knew that look well.
"Ok. Ok. Rodney's just told me that planet purple is now dry again and worth checking it out because they have detected a power source of some description. I'm just wondering if I should take Cassie back there again or not."
Teyla understood his apprehension. "What happened there last time was not your fault John. She is quite capable of handling herself I have noticed, even if we did run into trouble again. Look how fast she ran to get away from that rogue bietin the other day, and she even managed to climb a tree as fast as I have ever seen." Teyla smiled at the memory of the tough photographer and her ever present smile that seemed to double in size when she was with the Colonel. Teyla held his wrist over the rods. "We can train another day. Go, see to Cassie. Speak to her, include her in your thoughts John."
Sheppard bowed heads with Teyla and broke away. "You giving me some counselling or something Teyla." He quipped. Sheppard suddenly looked back from walking away to look at her. "You guys do like her, don't you?" He tentatively asked.
Teyla and the rest of Sheppard's team had been nervous at first, watching their friend fall in love with Cassie, but now that they were used to the relationship, they had all generated warm feelings for her, and realised she was probably the perfect match for Sheppard, and they were very happy for them both, if not worried for their future life together.
"You need to ask!" Teyla told him off with a grin. "Cassandra has been a welcome addition to our Team, we cannot deny it and it is so lovely to see how happy she makes you."
Sheppard gave Teyla the broadest grin and turned on his heel to quickly walk towards Woolsey's office.
"I'll train next time Teyla." He threw over his shoulder. "Get ready for going to planet purple tomorrow. Give Torren a hug from me!" And with that he was gone from Teyla's sight once again. Teyla's smile dropped and her eyes closed. Any mission had its problems and immediate threat to life. She just prayed this one would go well for everyone.
SGA SGA SGA
The Planet was just as Sheppard remembered it when he stepped off the puddle-jumpers ramp and onto the colourful planet once again. The sky, this time was calm and the pleasant temperature and warm air were the perfect mix to go with the colourful array of plant life that beckoned them. This time they landed further afield from where they set down last time and nearer to where Rodney was picking up a power source.
"So that's where the water should be!" Cassandra remarked when she looked out onto the blue sea in the near distance.
"You've taken me to half a dozen planets now John and I have met some lovely people there, but…" Cassie sighed. "…this one is the most beautiful scenery I have seen yet, it's so varied."
"…and full of hidden dangers probably."
Sheppard glowered at Ronon's observations but let it go. The Satedan had thought it was a bad idea to revisit the planet after the flooding, but he was pleased when he said he would still join the team on the mission.
Sheppard patted his shoulder as he walked towards the big man, but continued walking forward to catch up with Cassie.
The land was so rich, so earth like, but more like a vision of paradise. The temptation to reach out and take Cassie's hand was there as usual, but the pair settled for the occasional brushed pass of one when they could. Sheppard smiled her way, watching as she adjusted her lens appropriately for the blue radiance the sky was full of today.
"I don't think this is working correctly." Rodney came up to him and showed him his readings.
The fluttering data Rodney was keen to show him could not be denied. "That's a higher ZPM reading than we thought. The crashed ship?" Sheppard looked at him, his eyes shining with intensity.
"Could only be." Rodney said, his face screwed up in thought.
Sheppard ran a couple steps to catch up with Teyla who had walked ahead. "Teyla. Can you feel Wraith?"
"No, John. I cannot...do you think?..."
"I am not sure. Everybody remain alert."
"Perhaps, we should leave." Ronon spoke up again, flat and serious.
"Buddy, what is it with you and this planet?"
"Just don't like it. Almost losing you here is enough isn't it!"
The big man stared at Sheppard until he shrugged his shoulders. "Gotta check it out buddy. I'm sure it'll be safe this time."
But, no sooner had he spoken, the light began to vibrate, a fiery pain attacked their heads and they unconsciously moved until they had all backed into each other and a single shared image of a Wraith Queen hovered, quivering in front of them. There was no-one else in sight and no sound escaped her lips. They stood there motionless, just staring at it, hardly able to draw their eyes away.
"Te…Tey'la. You feel…is she Wraith?" Sheppard could only hope his words were coming out as normal and not the strained, garbled and decaying way they felt in his throat.
Teyla could not answer, stuck in limbo and no strength to break free.
Sheppard gathered himself and fought against the piercing image that was destroying his mind. He started to push it back and witnessed the confusion and shared pain that was etched on his team and Cassie's faces; they were slowly hunching over and they couldn't help but stare at her.
Seething bewilderment almost blinded him but he pushed against it and stood on shaking legs, the strain against his refusal to look upon her was telling on his bent posture. His hands curled and he yelled out, groping for clarity in amongst the needles that pierced his head, until, finally, he broke free.
Panting, and blinking to get back his sight, Sheppard took hold of Cassie and turned her face to meet his.
"Breathe through it Cassie and just keep looking at me. I will get you through this."
Sheppard held her arms tight and looked at the others with worry. To his relief, they were all now showing signs of breaking free from the hold that had been on them, so Sheppard allowed time to keep a hold of Cassie, until, with a cry of despair, she fell into his arms, trembling.
This was not the state Sheppard wanted for anybody, far less, his beautiful Cassie, so he held her in his arms whilst she gathered herself and stroked her hair until the shuddering subsided. He rocked her gently and placed his chin on her head.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He whispered to her. She pulled away from him and looked confused. "That was one, wasn't it? A Wraith?"
All Sheppard could do was silently nod and allowed her time to recover. He had not wanted Cassandra to ever see a Wraith, and okay, this seemed to be a projection of one, it was one none-the-less, and the question was, how had it caused the pain they all felt?
Sheppard looked over to Ronon. "Guess you were right. We should never have come here. Sorry, big guy. You okay?"
"I'm fine, but what the hell was that?" He asked whilst looking at Teyla.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know. It was not real I believe."
"Rodney, you okay?" Sheppard looked to his friend, knowing he didn't handle things like this well and would want answers.
"My head hurts. Was that a Wraith projection? That' new!"
Teyla interrupted. "It felt like a Queen's control of my mind, but it wasn't. I cannot explain it."
Sheppard fumbled with his life signs detector whilst holding onto Cassie's arm as she now stood with the others.
"You managed to break free from the hold. How did you do that?" Rodney quizzed.
Sheppard now scratched his head. "I have no idea. Anyway, you guys weren't far behind me."
"You can always hold off mind control, it's not … Oh hell, Sheppard!" Rodney alerted him to what he was seeing.
"We are getting out of here." Sheppard announced, pushing Cassandra behind him and noticing Ronon purposely step in front of her also.
Appearing in front of them, and also, now behind them, were several men, walking with hungry eyes and malicious smirks on their faces.
Ronon growled low and Sheppard turned to see if his judgement was the same as his. He met his eyes and they spoke volumes – they could be Wraith worshippers. He nodded an unspoken word of agreement. Same demeanour, same look of urgency, just a different planet. Unfortunately, it was a planet that had now, twice, disappointed him to the extreme and he was now regretting his decision to come back.
Sheppard nodded for Teyla and Rodney to now look after Cassandra and decided to meet their malefactors face on and walked slowly to meet the advancing band of a dozen or so humans with Ronon only a couple of steps behind him.
"Gentlemen!" He mocked. His P90 halfway between raised and firing, his finger hovering and ready for squeezing.
"Who are you?"
Sheppard gave nothing away at this stage. "You first?"
"Not so, gentle…men!" The lead man brought his arm around, but it was a decoy, as someone to Sheppard's right fired and his drawn blaster's shot hit Sheppard in the head and neck and he went down in a white haze.
Ronon closely fired several shots from his blaster, twisting his body to accommodate both assailants, but its powerful force bounced off an invisible barrier that protected the advancing men. Teyla grabbed Cassie and pushed her to the ground, out of firing range, as she and Rodney raised their weapons also.
The leader held out his arm to stop further shots being fired. "Hold off from shooting. You cannot penetrate our shields. Put your weapons down and step away from your colleague."
Ronon stood his ground and glared a look that could kill towards the two men. "Who are you?" He bellowed.
"Who we are is of no concern to you. Do as I ask? Refuse and you can join your friend."
Ronon threw a quick glance Sheppard's way, but could not ascertain if he was dead or alive. It unsettled him so he remained where he was.
The man who had shot Sheppard sighed loudly and made a show of lifting his blaster and waving it about.
"Just say the word and I'll shoot him." He called to his friend.
"John!" Cassandra suddenly found her voice and shrieked. She pulled from Teyla's grasp, running towards the downed man.
The leader looked on with a grin and watched as Cassandra fell to her knees beside Sheppard. He allowed it to happen, but when Teyla and Rodney also made a run for his position, they were stopped in their tracks by warning shots in the ground in front of them.
"Let us get to our man!" Rodney shouted, feeling brave but his bravado vanished when, once again, the other guy lifted his blaster and pointed it in their direction.
They stilled. "How is he?" Teyla dared to shout towards Cassandra as she pulled him over from his side to his back.
Cassandra dug her fingers into his neck and the breath she had been holding was finally expelled. He was alive. Deeply unconscious, but alive. Cassandra put her hand to her mouth at the sight of him out cold, but turned to the others and nodded. Her eyes showing the relief.
"He is merely unconscious. Why would we kill him?" The leader said.
"Well, seeing as we don't know who you are or what you want, we have no idea of what you are capable of." Rodney said.
"I could say the same thing about you. What are you doing here? This planet is not your home?"
"Nor is it yours." Ronon pointed out. Feeling like this could swing back and forward for ages and desperate to see Sheppard was okay for himself, Ronon decided to move things on slightly and carefully started to walk the few steps left towards his fallen friend, regardless of the man's command to stay still.
"I am Sataden. Come to explore this planet." He said as he walked. "We did not know you were here."
The leader seemed to study him for a minute before replying. "Do you think I care? Stop walking, you will now follow my men."
Ronon noticed how they were being subtly rounded up tighter together, fire power jabbing in their ribs and he reluctantly threw his blaster to the ground, noticing the others following his lead. He was searched and they laughed at the quantity of knives they had now stripped him of. The last laugh was on Ronon, however, as he knew they had not found them all.
"Was that a Wraith Queen?" Teyla asked suddenly.
The leader smiled secretly. "Another guest of ours. Perhaps you would like a private audience with her?" He laughed so loudly that the others joined him, only rousing Ronon's anger more. Cassandra hung onto Sheppard's head and wouldn't let go, her eyes whipping back and forwards from Sheppard's team to the leader standing off to her left, wondering what to do next.
Ronon noticed Cassandra's fear so remained calm, although his body was wired to defend his friends; almost to the point of personal pain. He relaxed his balled up fingers; Sheppard was all that mattered at the moment, and, as he reached his prone body, he gently smiled towards Cassandra and reached down to pick Sheppard up.
"Leave him!"
Ronon froze and straightened up, tall and angry. He needed to carry Sheppard. The white blast that had hit him was different from the usual colour his blaster discharged, so he was worried as to what had actually happened to him.
The leader waved his arm back and forward and soon his men had them all in metal restraints, including Sheppard.
Ronon lifted his bound wrists and shook them at the leader.
"I'm asking you nicely, if you will let me carry my commander!"
"No, is the simple answer." The leader walked up to Ronon and looked him up and down. Ronon stiffened, ready to head-butt the man who stood almost as tall as him, and right in his face.
"My men can do that just fine." He snapped his fingers and one of the burliest men, none too gently, hoisted Sheppard up and over his shoulder, his limbs held in place by the man's thick wrists and huge hands. Sheppard's head lolled on his broad shoulder, completely unconscious. At this stage, Ronon was actually glad of that. He would hate for him to wake up now, all disorientated and half numb and unable to do anything to allow their escape. He was still worried about the effects of the blast and watched him constantly as they were forced to walk for a few minutes towards an outcrop of caves nearer the sea.
Once there, they were struck speechless to witness the mix-match of broken pieces of metal and materials stashed in the caves. Most importantly, there was a huge chunk of hive ship filling the cavernous surroundings and even more men and woman appeared from the depths of the caves to glower at their new prisoners.
The leader spun on his heel, his arms out wide and shouted out to everyone so that they could hear him.
"Today, we do not need to sacrifice one of our own!" The crowd nodded and murmured.
"Today, we have food for our Queen!"
The growing crowd clapped and stomped their feet and Ronon's heart sunk. They were Wraith worshippers.
"Be strong." Ronon said to Casandra when he saw her face drain of colour. Damn. He should have looked after her better for Sheppard. If anything happened to her now whilst he was unconscious…well, Ronon could not even think about how upset his friend would be. He did not want that for him.
But Cassandra, was made of strong stuff, so raised herself higher and managed to give him a weak smile back. The photographer in her, even patted her pocket in her vest to check if her slim camera was still in place, and sighed with relief. They had taken her larger one, thinking it a weapon, but if she could not get it back, she would endeavour to take pictures with her other one to record the kidnapping and hope against hope, she would live to be able to take them back to the SGC.
The leader walked towards them. He lifted up Sheppard's head by his hair and laughed when he noticed he was still unconscious.
"Put them in the cells. Leave them cuffed. Tonight she will pick one and feed, for she is starving."
The leader looked Ronon in the eye again. "I wonder which one of you she will choose."
Ronon couldn't help but show his teeth in a feral growl, but his protective instincts, especially towards the naive Cassandra, kicked in, and he followed the rest of the team as they were pushed into their carved out cell in the caves.
Sheppard was dropped, like a bag of grain, on the ground and Cassandra and Teyla were instantly by his side.
"Oh no ... John, wake up! Wake up! Cassandra cried.
Teyla felt Sheppard's face with the back of one of her restrained hands and looked up at Ronon and Rodney, who were looking down beside them.
"He is so cold. I can't get a response out of him."
"Is he just stunned? I have never seen a blast that colour before." Rodney voiced Ronon's thoughts.
"Nor I. We will just have to wait and see what he is like when he wakes up?"
"This is normal?" Cassandra gasped.
The team remained quiet, unwilling to upset Cassie with details of past missions that Sheppard had maybe kept to himself, not wanting to alarm her.
Cassandra bowed her head to her chest but spoke up again quietly. "I do not really know the full facts about the war against the Wraith, do I?"
"Cassie…" Teyla started, her hands trying to grasp the shocked woman's knee.
Cassandra hugged Sheppard's upper body tighter to her chest and slightly rocked him, trying to warm him up.
"No. Stop. I do not need to hear. It is okay. I understand war. On Earth, it is something I am used to all too well. I had not pressed John for the facts of war in Pegasus, waiting on him to tell me in his own time. It is neither his fault nor yours that I was not fully aware of what really happens in the Pegasus Galaxy…"
"It is not all bad." Teyla was quick to intervene. "It is just that we all face a terrible enemy in the Wraith…and well, some choose to join them for protection instead of fighting against them. Unfortunately, Cassie, this is not the first time we have been in these situations, but know that John will get us out of here, once he wakes up. He always does." She said with a proud smile on her lips.
"Yes, and usually with a good dose of my help!" Rodney added, not entirely without a smirk.
Ronon pushed him gently in the shoulder and Rodney made a show of falling over, but really, he wanted to see to his downed friend for himself, so used it as a decoy to sit beside Sheppard. Cassandra pursed her lips and started stroking John's hair and trying very hard not to shed the tear that was threatening to escape. Teyla held Sheppard's hand as best she could with her wrists tight together, pleased when Cassandra did not object. Cassie knew how close a team they were and didn't want to spoil their repartee.
"He is very white." Rodney said after a few minutes of everyone watching him, willing him to wake.
"We don't know what that blast did to him. Let's hope he wakes up soon." Teyla said and squeezed Cassandra's shoulder. "He will be okay." She assured her. "Just give him some time."
SGA SGA SGA
Time moved on and the light went from dim to almost dark, until the worshippers lit up various candles dotted around the enclosure, and they felt a change in the air coming into the caves. Night was upon them.
They continued to look after Sheppard, who had remained unconscious for far longer than any blast he had received before, they grew more and more worried, but Sheppard was in his own darkness, until finally, he started to become aware of his surroundings.
Dimly, he could hear people talking and then soft touches on him that felt like icy daggers glide over his skin and hair, but he found it hard to tell them to stop.
He fought to open his eyes but eventually managed an unnoticeable slight slit with one eye and he could make out man-shaped shadows. Voices squawked within, echoing off the cave walls and adding to his perspective as to where he was. The hollowed out caves were an ideal hiding place for Wraith worshippers, he thought out in his jumbled brain. Just how many were there though, got him worried. And his team? …and Cassie? Realisation dawned on him about their predicament. They had obviously been captured whilst he was out of it. He needed to move, to hear…hell, to see anyone, especially Cassie; he had to know if she was uninjured.
Sheppard attempted to move his body and wake up fully but he struggled against the stunner blast's effect, which was turning out to be stronger and more severe in paralysis than he had felt before. Pain, like a low continual electric shock, coursed through his entire body and a soft groan must have escaped his lips because he then understood that one of the shapes blurring in front of him was urging him to open his eyes and talk to them. Sheppard was confused as he thought his eyes were open, but he strived to find his way up to the surface and groaned again with the effort. This was proving to be very hard to do and he felt himself quiver with the effort.
"That's it John. Open your eyes for me, please. We are all waiting to see if you are okay?" Cassie?
"John?" Another voice, Teyla.
Sheppard's head shook as he tried to follow her voice, but he felt so weak that his brief rise to the surface resulted in too much of a strain and the pain of the blast sunk him again until his eye closed, even with everyone's urgings for him to remain awake.
"Sheppard?" Rodney added his voice but Teyla shook her head and brought her fingers back from his pulse point. "He is asleep again but his pulse is strong. It is just a matter of time."
"He is trying." Ronon said. "He will make it next time."
"He'd better." Rodney mumbled to himself and worriedly looked out of their cell's door. "There is people stirring out there and looking at us and pointing. You don't have to be a genius to know what they are talking about."
Someone cried out and a deep crash rolled out in the caves. It was deafening. Suddenly there was the noise of footsteps and a look of fear and possibly concern were on the faces of all that they could see.
A moment paused and stilled and then the people carried on with their dismantling of the hive ship. To everyone in the cell, it looked like a tragedy had been averted as they went about their business in a hurried way, probably before the big show of the Queen's arrival to feed on their prisoners.
Someone showed a red, sweaty face at their door and nodded with his blaster, pointing at them to step back from the door. They mostly complied, knowing now was not the time to make a bid for freedom with Sheppard being out of it as he was. Cassandra recoiled against the back wall with Rodney holding on to her elbow, but Ronon paused for a second longer than the others to stand with one leg over Sheppard and crossed his arms; ultimately goading anyone who would stoop down near him, to a fight.
"Just water and some oatmeal, I'll put it down here." The rather large man pointed to the floor beside the door and not waiting on an answer from Ronon, placed their water and food down before turning to leave, laughing as he went. He closed the metal door and peered through the bars.
"She is just going to love you." He sang in high pitch and then almost skipped away.
"What a strange man." Teyla said, looking at Rodney, who closed his eyes and shook his head in disdain.
Ronon left Sheppard and walked over to the jug and sniffed it. "Smells funny, could be poisoned."
Teyla joined him. "Smells sweet, but I do not think they would need to poison us, Ronon. Not with these blasters they all seem to have. They have no need."
"Perhaps. Rodney, you'd better eat some of this…food, before you get ill."
Rodney took the bowl and swirled the food around with the spoon.
"Gad…I, can't eat that!"
"You have to Rodney. We will as well, but you first." Teyla said.
Yet another deep cry rang through the caves at some distance, it sounded like someone in deep agony and Ronon looked that way, wondering if the Queen had fed on somebody else instead of them.
Another groan came from Sheppard and all three fell to their knees beside him, willing him to wake.
When he didn't make another sound or move, Cassie started to shake slightly.
"Do you think he is in pain?"
"I do not know Cassie, but John is one of the strongest people I know. Trust in him that he will awaken soon." Teyla reassured her and wrapped an arm round her shoulders.
The time, as it darkened to night outside, was spent alternating between drinking water and eating the oatmeal, to taking turns walking around the cell to keep from getting cold and stiff and sitting beside Sheppard.
It took some hidden reserves, but finally Sheppard managed to regain consciousness and open his eyes. That done, he found he could hardly move his limbs or speak. There was warmth by his left leg and he could smell the perfume of Cassie. He sighed in relief that she was alive and by his side. He found he could slightly move his arms and hands, so he let them fall to his side and stroked her leg to get her attention.
Cassandra fairly jumped to attention and shifted over his body when she felt his touch. She grabbed onto his shoulder and looked down at him. "John! You are awake, speak to me. Oh my goodness, are you okay?" This time the tears did fall. She looked towards Sheppard's team. "He is not speaking!"
Sheppard wanted so much to reply to her, but found he was incapable of making a sound. Soon Teyla was there also and looked worried.
"John, we are happy to see you awake. Can you tell us how you feel?"
Sheppard frowned. He managed to move his head and tried to calm the fears in all the faces that were peering at him. He could feel the effects of the stun lessen as time went on. Not long to go now.
Ronon grinned at him, suddenly understanding what he was trying to say with his eyes.
"C'mon Sheppard, less of the lying about!"
Sheppard closed his eyes and then snapped them open again and even managed to pull a slight smile.
"If I said that, I would get in trouble!" Rodney said, not all together lying.
Teyla stroked his hair away from his forehead, whilst Cassie continued to hold his hands, as best she could.
"John. You need to drink some water." Ronon is going to hold your head up whilst I pour some water in your mouth." Teyla said gently.
Cassandra looked on as she watched Sheppard's team care for him. She had learned over the weeks she had been on Atlantis, just how much he was admired and respected, but to see his team in action, looking after him, was really uplifting, so she stayed out of their way and let them care for him.
Ronon pulled Sheppard into a sitting position and held him against his chest whilst Teyla gently poured some of the water into his mouth, holding the jug awkwardly with her bound wrists and then wiped his mouth afterwards with her sleeve. Sheppard blinked at her.
"Your welcome!" She said, softly smiling.
"Do you wish to sit up?"
Sheppard did, so blinked a couple of times for yes and felt Ronon's big hands under his shoulders and pull him to the wall, where he gently pushed him back against the cold wall with Rodney's rolled up jacket as a pillow.
Ronon hunkered down in front of him. "So, two blinks are for yes, then. Sheppard, are you in pain?"
Sheppard wished Ronon had not asked him that question, especially in front of Cassie, as he did not want to worry her. But there was a potential to convey that touching him was causing him pain so he blinked twice and made a cringing expression, hoping they would understand.
Thankfully, Teyla did understand. "Oh John, I'm sorry. That blast must feel like electric shock still. Is that what you are feeling?"
Sheppard blinked twice.
"Worse by touch?"
Sheppard quickly blinked twice and Teyla withdrew her hand from knee and Cassie reluctantly let go his hands, putting her own cuffed hands to her mouth in shock.
"No, no. I am sorry, John. I have been holding you this whole time."
Sheppard managed to shift his head slightly to look at her and blinked once – it was okay.
She understood and smiled at him. "Please stay with us for longer this time."
Sheppard blinked twice.
Ronon knew the man and sat down beside him.
"You awake enough for a sit rep?"
"Goodness, Ronon, you sound like Lorne."
"Shut up, Rodney. Sheppard needs to know what's going on."
"I know that Conan, but…oh whatever!"
Ronon threw Rodney a look and then turned his attention back to Sheppard as Rodney stomped off to look out at the people walking about. "One of us is to be fed to their captured Queen any minute now. Glad you are awake to witness that little horror show."
Sheppard rapidly blinked and found that he could move his arms, so he made a show of brandishing them in the air, wanting to know what Rodney meant.
His earlier smile switched off as Ronon filled him in on the events of the day. That it was now night time, disturbed him that he had been unconscious for so long, but he was also aware that a long enough period of time had passed to have Atlantis wondering where they were as they would have missed their allotted check in time.
As if reading his mind, Rodney hunkered down. "Looks like they have a shield in place at the front of the cave. Even if Lorne was here now, he probably wouldn't see us. They must be using a ZPM to be using all this power."
Sheppard struggled with his body and mind – both wanting to win out first against the other. So busy with Sheppard waking up, no-body noticed the leader of the men now standing by their door.
"Ah, awake, are we?"
Ronon almost made it to the door in one stride.
"Easy there big man. Just asking a simple question."
"You've seen he is, now go."
"You, boss me?" He shifted his feet and gazed at Ronon. "He will not have much use of his limbs yet, but aware enough to know what's going on. Our Queen requests the company of one of you and today I am in a good mood. I will let you decide which one of you is to meet her. You have one hour."
The leader pushed off from the door and left them staring at the empty space he left behind.
Weariness came on Sheppard's limbs and he continued to sit still, although his mind was fighting back and swirled with unspoken requests and orders. Eventually his legs began to yield and he could slightly move them, just not enough to sit upright by himself or even walk. He was frustrated and it came out from him in one large strangled grunt.
Cassandra almost touched him again until she remembered and withdrew her hand sharply. Sheppard witnessed her behaviour and risked movement again by gently prodding her side with his fingers. Even that small touch brought a stabbing pain so he quickly shut his eyes against it. He was going to find every one of these blasters and destroy them.
He opened his eyes to Cassie looking at him and this time he smiled at her so warmly she let out a sigh and sat back on her heels.
"You are going to get one hug out of me when you are feeling better." She exclaimed and Sheppard's cheeks were suddenly pink in colour.
SGA SGA SGA
The people were gathering in a ring outside their cell and they realised that the show was to be a shared event. A spectacle. One in which they were expected to choose between them, who was to go to their death.
The people swarmed about in a state of happiness and Ronon wondered if they were slightly high. They wore jewellery made out of bones and Cassandra queried if they were actually human bones – to which Ronon refused to answer. Woman and men alike, even some children, squealed with delight when clapping could be heard in the depths of the cave and a jangle of chains added to the chilling scene.
Sheppard thrashed about like a fish out of water on the ground but failed to find purchase on his legs, so felt himself slide down the wall until his body landed on Cassie's shoulder. It didn't hurt so much this time, so when she looked round at him horrified, he nodded he was okay and she gave him a quick smile before turning her attention back to the unfolding scene in front of her.
"R'on…" Sheppard eventually stuttered.
Ronon was there in an instant. "Sheppard. Whoa – can you speak? Move?"
"Only …just…bloody hurts!"
Ronon straightened him up from leaning on Cassandra and watched him wince. "Sorry, thought you looked uncomfortable."
"I just said…it hurts!" He grumped.
Ronon nodded and let him get his bearings before speaking again.
"Think you will recover soon?"
Sheppard knew what he was getting at. They needed to escape and they could do that quicker if he was up and mobile.
"Dunno…buddy...just, ah!"
The pain that travelled though him then, was like a train leaving the tracks and smashing into him. He heard the swoosh in his ears that usually heralded unconsciousness, but he closed his eyes and bit his lip against it and eventually rode out the encompassing torture that was the after effects from the blaster shot.
"John." He heard softly and opened his eyes. Cassie was there again watching him with worry.
"Cassie. I'm … better. Give me a minute."
"Awe how sweet. Seems to me, though, you only have a minute left."
Rodney was indignant. "You said we had an hour. It's not been that."
"Did I? Sorry, seems our Queen is on her way already with her guards. I wouldn't want to disappoint her now, they have not fed on anyone but our volunteers for a while and they would like to share on some defiant spirit. She tells me it means so much more to her. I cannot wait for you to meet her."
"Yeah, well, we've met already in that sort of projection thing you have got going on. What was that anyway?" Rodney spat.
"Just a little something my Queen and I thought up. You were the first to partake in our little experiment and I am pleaded to say it was quite impressive." The leader moved to look down at Sheppard past Ronon's protective stance. "Why you managed to break free is interesting though, and something I will want to investigate – so that means you are free to live for tonight."
Sheppard growled and tried to stand once more, only to be kept in place by Teyla.
Chanting, that had started in the back of the cave, had now caught up with the crowd in front and the people holding blasters, pointed to the middle, and they all stepped into the ring together with the Queen's entourage made up of a drone and a male Wraith. Their features they could not see from the distance they were at but it was beginning to get very obvious they were facing a disaster any minute now.
"Wraith." Cassandra whispered to herself. Sheppard breathed fast and loudly, drawing the attention of Rodney.
"Breathe slower Sheppard. You will hyperventilate."
Sheppard threw him a glower but then relaxed his breathing. Rodney was right, so he nodded his thanks when Rodney smiled back.
Sheppard put out his hands to soothe Cassie, regardless of how much pain it cost him, and she lightly grasped them.
The rattle of chains grew louder as the crowd cheered on the Queen to pick her victim from their cell. The light of the candles flickered with altering light until she stood in front of the door and Cassie gasped, unprepared for what she was witnessing. For a second she thought of her hidden camera, but their enemy was so close, they would have noticed the motion.
The Queen stood with a very superfluous lot of men surrounding her. A pair of men gripped her bound wrists so tightly in front of her, her bones were almost popping out of her skin. She snarled but did not speak, only shifting her head from side to side as if sizing up her prey. Her feeding hand was encased in leather and she flexed it tauntingly.
She was not alone with her human guards. The drone remained at her back, his guards gripping him with the same amount of due respect for their superior strength.
"Are you brave enough?" The leader questioned Ronon. "To sacrifice yourself for the lives of your friends?"
"Then what…you let them go?" Ronon sneered.
"Ah, you have been in a situation like this before…"
"Many times."
The leader stared at Ronon for a while and Cassie sucked in a breath as she felt the Queen stare at her and a pain began to appear in her head.
"S…stop…it!" Sheppard managed to shout.
The Queen hissed and stepped forward once more. It was then that they could all see the grey leather mask that surrounded her mouth and stopped her from speaking. At Teyla's look, the leader turned to her. "You like it? Her mask? I made it myself out of the last personal guard she had. She liked him too, but he well, died."
The Queen met Teyla's eyes and growled with contempt at the man's rather meagre explanation of events.
"Still, she has another personal guard now. We allow her that. A Queen needs to be served well from her own kind." He motioned for her guard to join her at the door of the cell and he started forward in the dark light.
"Why are you doing this?" Teyla asked. "… and how are you harnessing her power?"
"So many questions I do not need to answer. Come Wraith, pull out your Queen's choice."
The Wraith followed the leader's pointed finger and stepped into the light.
Sheppard fell back down from his attempt to stand with shock at the sight of the Wraith now in front of them. His legs flopped weakly and splayed out in front of him, with his mouth open in shock.
It was Todd.
A low groan came from the Wraith and he slowly shook his head.
SGA SGA SGA