Through A Lens Darkly – Chapter Seven

SGA SGA SGA

"Sheppard!"

Rodney was the first to cry out in horror, the rest stunned at what they had just witnessed.

Why had he done that? – As if they didn't already know; his sacrifice so obvious in their anguish.

The dart, containing its prize, veered away with a shriek, only to be jolted by a blast that hit its tail end and it spun for a moment before righting itself and turning to face its foe.

Major Lorne and four marine were in their 'jumper, uncloaked, and firing at the craft to save those they now saw clearly below after a fruitless search for hours. What Lorne couldn't understand was the obvious distress and frantic hand signals for him to stop firing, coming from them so markedly. Suddenly deciding to cloak and survey for a minute, Lorne moved the 'jumper to below the dart, which was spinning about trying to see where he had gone. Lorne, frustrated, tried to contact someone in Sheppard's team below but it was obvious that their radios were missing.

As he spun the craft and watched the faces below, he noticed Sheppard was missing in the scene. The realisation that he had been culled and was in the dart, made him feel nauseous that once again his military commander had been captured by the Wraith. He had to make a quick decision, so prepared to fire a warning shot to the dart. He was only a second away from that manoeuvre, when it was taken away from him. With a noise they knew all too well, the dart took off at an alarming rate, but not before it had fired upon the crowd below.

Lorne saw them raise their P-90s' at the dart but hesitated to fire in case they blew the craft up and killed Sheppard. Their decision not to fire, as dull as it was, caused Lorne to come to the same decision and with a heavy heart he did not chase the dart down as it left, but instead went to land the craft and get all on board as quick as he could so he could get after the it.

He materialised and then landed the 'jumper beside his friends and some others that had joined them.

Lorne and his marines, walked down the ramp with their weapons trained on the ones they did not know.

"Ronon?" Lorne asked as he got nearer.

"They are with us, it's all good. Lower your weapons."

Major Lorne turned round to his men and wafted his hand up and down.

"Stand down but remain alert."

Lorne reached Sheppard's team and grimaced.

"He's in there?"

Teyla briefly closed her eyes and holding on to Cassie's hand she squeezed it tight. "Lorne, we are glad to see you and yes, John was culled. Thank you for not shooting it down, it might have killed him."

"It might have been a quicker death." Cassie said quietly to herself, but Teyla had heard and spun her round, holding tight to her shoulders.

"You mustn't think like that. John is very strong and resourceful. I am sure he will be back with us soon."

"Yes, but in what state?" Rodney said.

Ronon growled at Rodney but did not say anything, as, if they were honest, they all thought the same thing and hated to think about it.

"How did the beam not get you all?" Lorne wanted to know.

It was the pained look on their faces that made Lorne draw a breath.

"He – well, he allowed it to happen. I am presuming the Queen was flying the craft and ever since he received the kaa'lee, he seems to be able to detect the Wraith somehow. Perhaps, she could even communicate with him."

"Queen? kaa'lee – what happened to you guys?"

"Look, stop talking, don't you think we should get after the dart."

"Rodney's correct. Lorne. We will tell you all that happened as we fly." Teyla now looked to Caspva. "Please, you are safe here. Please come with us."

Caspva's admiration for these new friends of his broadened and he ushered his friends on the craft quickly. The ramp was raised and all on board took a seat as they took off to find the dart, and ultimately Sheppard – alive.

"We took too long, didn't we?" Ronon asked, looking straight at Lorne piloting the 'jumper after several minutes had passed and still no sighting of the dart or even on the HUD.

Lorne didn't want to meet his eyes, but his silence spoke volumes to the Satedan and he growled low in his throat.

Eventually Lorne turned to look at him. "We will find him."

Ronon nodded. "We'd better."

SGA SGA SGA

Sheppard was beginning to get the sense that he was lying on solid ground somewhere, although the floating sensation of just being released from the dart's culling beam, persisted enough to make him feel nauseous and he curled in on himself, dragging heavy limbs into a more comfortable position. Just why he felt so ill, he supposed, could only be blamed on the enzyme still running through his system.

The darkness, held back with his eyes, ebbed away as he slowly cracked them open and light began to seep in. It was enough to make him slam them shut again as it felt like a thousand sharp needles had stabbed him and pierced his brain. Sensations of moving, although he knew he was lying flat, would not give up and he held his hands down on solid rock to try and brace himself.

Sheppard felt something run from his ears and nose but did not want to lift a hand to wipe it away for now, so left it to run down his face and jaw. He coughed and was dismayed when a coppery taste added to the vomit he was already holding back. He rocked slightly, trying to get his body to obey his mind that he was still, until he eventually managed to open his eyes again and the world stopped spinning enough for him to focus on, what looked like, the cell he had not long escaped from. He sighed.

Damn.

The Queen, or someone, had obviously fixed the shield and he was back in the cave system again.

Weakly, he finally wiped his nose and looked at the blood that was brought away with his hand. He shakily put it back down from its stabilising job on the ground, but not before wiping off the blood on his trousers. This Queen had done a number on him if she could induce blood to flow from his nose and ears like that. He remembered her voice invading his mind and shuddered. With a jolt, he had a vague memory of Teyla's going through the same thing. This, in turn, allowed Sheppard to then feel guilty at having allowed himself to be captured, leaving his team behind. He knew they would annoyed at him and he thought of Ronon, in particular, pacing and growling until a plan to rescue him had been started.

Having stared at the same spot for a several minutes, Sheppard weaved his way back from his altered state to some sense of awareness. His vision, still a bit blurry, finally cleared and a black object, morphed into the shape of someone standing uncomfortably across from him; it did not seem like a comfortable position to be in, and then, when his eyes finally cleared, he could not help but gasp at the sight of a man, bound and gagged to the cave wall, with a mixture of chains and leather, their length holding him in an awkward and obviously painful position; his bindings cutting painfully into his body.

Sheppard licked his lips, wishing for some water and sucked in a painful breath, when he pulled himself up and into a sitting position.

"Who…?" He tried to ask, but a coughing fit silenced him for now.

Sheppard placed a hand on his chest and pushed his body back to stretch his aching back and allow more room for breathing through the pain in his chest the cough induced. In painful grunts, he forced himself to stand; swaying and closing his eyes until he adjusted enough to try opening them again.

The light was dim in the cave, as he remembered, and he was at least thankful for that as his head pounded. He walked, as if drunk, cautiously towards the man being held so painfully tight against the wall. Aware this might be a trap, for some reason - any reason, Sheppard, none the less, was not about to ignore the man and stepped forward with a placating hand forward. Sheppard blinked. The man seemed familiar and with a start, he realised the battered man, with old and new blood stains marking his face and clothes, was Korr.

"Leave him!" The Queen bellowed.

Sheppard stopped, head high and eyes dangerous, he turned to face her.

"Colonel John Sheppard, so glad you agreed to be my guest."

"Yeah, whatever! Let him go."

The Queen laughed and then her face was all business.

"Where is it?"

Tired of her games before they even got started, Sheppard cocked his head to the side. "What?"

The rumble that started in his brain and then his whole body, caused him to put his hands on his head and want to fall down. He didn't. He used all the strength he could muster to put up a fight against the onslaught of her power and shrieking voices, and gradually the pain subsided enough for him to breathe and he broke free although he panted for a few seconds with the effort.

"Such will power. Perhaps you are worthy of your reputation. No more just now, Sheppard, will I enter your mind, but I will look forward to a session with you very soon. First, you will answer my question and see if it agrees with what your friend has already told me. I hope you don't mind but I had to gag him so he wouldn't give you a hint!" The Queen threw back her head and laughed again, making Sheppard wrinkle his nose.

"The only thing I could gag him with, it seemed, was the remnants of my former assistant - whom this thing deemed it necessary to skin and gag me with – retribution is a marvellous thing is it not?"

Sheppard could only try to maintain the composure of bravado he was desperately trying to carry off believingly – so he remained stoic.

Feeling a slight pressure in his head, he shook it and concentrated on keeping her sneaky probe in his head at bay. Presuming she had been quizzing him about the interface with hundreds of Wraith inside; which he had already hidden, Sheppard quickly tried to blank what he had done from his mind.

Sheppard looked from the Queen and back to Korr. The man's eyes were huge, fear pouring off him along with the sweat he was soaked in. Sheppard couldn't help but glance at the soaked gag in his mouth and his stomach did a flip. The enzyme's withdrawal was acting unlike anything he had experienced before – he just wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not, but unpleasant things like that, he didn't need. Still, the shakes were present and he went from hot to cold in seconds. He, like Korr, sweated enough to know that he needed water soon or he would drop, regardless of what Queenie – he just had to name her - had in store for him.

Queenie stepped closer until she was standing just outside the cell door. Sheppard's body, with her powerful control, was unable to move and he was forced to maintain his rock-solid position against his will. He could only stare at Korr and wonder what the Queen had in store for his enemy of a different kind.

"My ship crashed a few weeks ago and before I was held against my will and tortured,"

"Sounds familiar." Sheppard grumbled. The Queen raised her hand and the small teeth from it, quivered in the air but she did not allow Sheppard to goad her, so shook her head in annoyance before continuing, "…my Wraith were taken into an interface which THIS…" she pointed to Korr, "…thing decided to steal from me and taunt me with it until he hid it - I even co-operated with him to enable his new puny devices. I broke free, Sheppard, and I want it back. Do you hear me Sheppard? I want it back." She repeated.

"And what does this have to do with me?" he asked, trying to look innocent.

"Your friend says you took it off him."

"He is no friend of mine. He captured me too. You should know, you were there."

"Pah. Enough, Sheppard! I think you humans would stick together, given a choice and do not think I have forgotten the little matter of my Wraith performing a kaa'lee on you- a very unusual thing Sheppard, that has me puzzled as to why he would do that - I know of no other humans that this has been performed on – indeed why would we? Yet, it has made me curious, I would like to know what happens to humans after it? I already know you can understand me at times without me even speaking."

"Nothing else is happening to me." Sheppard said purposely.

"I do not think it is as simple as that, Sheppard."

"What happened to the other Wraith?" Sheppard felt it was the first time he could get a hint as to where Todd was?

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason, other than curiosity."

Queenie moved her head from side to side, trying to puzzle out why Sheppard was interested in the other Wraith, and the whole time - which felt like years, but was probably only seconds, Sheppard's sweating just kicked up a notch.

"He is near-by." She indulged him finally, "I have decided to keep him just now to interrogate, but for now, Sheppard - go to him." The Queen then pointed to Korr and Sheppard found his rebelling legs carry him to stand in front of Korr.

Sheppard grinned inwardly. For now, Todd was safe. He suddenly had a bit more energy with the relief. He needed him to help Cassie – Cassie; no, now was not the time to think of her, or his team and get distracted.

The pungent aroma of Korr's sweat attacked his nostrils and his stomach recoiled and he tried so very hard not to look at the dead man in waiting's eyes. Men like these he encountered in an almost monthly basis, but torture of another human being was still revolting to him and he inwardly cringed.

Without warning, Korr's body started to twitch and his eyes squeezed shut in agony. Sheppard watched, unwillingly, until he managed to raise a hand and shouted, "Stop!"

The Queen smiled. "Do you remember now, Sheppard?"

Sheppard had never been in this position before. The Queen had been correct, humans do generally look out for each other and even though Korr had been responsible for so many hardships against him, his team and others; the fact was, he could not stand still and watch his death without trying to do something to stop it. A flicker of surprise flashed out from Korr's eyes at Sheppard's obvious attempts to help him out, but then blood poured from his nose, both ears and with Sheppard watching intensely; both eyes, until the sight of it also pouring out from his mouth, caused Sheppard to dip his head to his chest with a pang of sorrow at the ghastly, murderous sight of Korr suspended in death.

"Why did you do that?" He managed at last.

"Because your answer was never going to be the same as his, was it Sheppard?"

"You tell me."

Sheppard felt his body release from the Queen's strong hold and he felt like flopping onto the floor and sleep, but his stubbornness won him over and he stepped right up beside the Queen.

"I don't know where your interface is."

"Hmm. Do you know, he said you would say that and then he told me something else quite interesting?"

"Oh yeah?"

"He witnessed a man called Caspva run and take it, and that seemingly he also helped you to escape?"

Sheppard felt himself go very cold.

"I am imagining you know where he is? Perhaps you have even seen my interface?"

"Several men aided us in our escape, I did not ask for their names." He lied.

A tight feeling banded around his head and he winced but fought against the mind probe. The Queen screamed in his mind, trying to get what information she wanted out of him. Sheppard felt himself drop to his knees as she probed, but resisted her and was surprised at the strength he had to hold her back.

Eventually, with a screech, she pulled back and considered him for the longest time before leaving him with a swish of her coat, without saying another word.

Sheppard's head felt too heavy to lift now; withdrawal was starting to play, a day on from the kaa'lee, but he forced himself to look at his dead cell-mate and grimaced when he saw all the blood on the floor. He had seen some horrible things in his time in the Pegasus galaxy, but this one would imprint in his mind for a long time, he thought.

If the stench in the cell and the thought of having to stay with the corpse wasn't bad enough, Sheppard was now desperate for some water and food if he was to be strong enough to get through the withdrawal from the enzyme. He felt his whole body shake from it leaving him. The need for wanting more of it, was beginning to be a constant and irritating buzz in his thought process. He imagined Queenie knew this and would hold out long enough for him to probably beg her for some. Even now, he realised, he could quite easily have answered any of her questions, without a mind probe – she only would have needed to offer him more of the enzyme and his mouth would be loose.

Sheppard groaned in pain and dug his nails into the palms of his hands with frustration. Where was his rescue? What were his team doing to achieve it? - They were taking too long.

Sheppard slammed his fist down without due thought and jarred it on the floor. He yelped and brought it up and put it under his armpit and grimaced. The pain helped. It was something else to concentrate on, other than the near fatal mistake he had just had of allowing the withdrawal to play with him and make him turn against his own truths of the matter. Of course, his team were doing their very best to find him … and Todd.

Todd?

They wouldn't bother about him! Ronon wants to kill him. Don't they know Cassie needs him for goodness sake!

Stop!

Sheppard panted fast and sweated - crap!

The enzyme's withdrawal caused derealisation – Sheppard knew that, but it was hard to differentiate which one was the dominant truth as it was happening. Only strength would see him through it, as without no support from Carson and his team in sight; his true condition was alluding him at the moment, but he fought against it and awareness came back; that, and the unbearable sight of Korr's body bound in death.

Unwilling to be so near to him, Sheppard crawled into the furthest part of the cave's cell and curled up tight and shut his painful eyes against the light that hurt them. Shivering and shaking, he tried to sleep but flashes of the Queen's face merged with Cassie's, then Teyla's, until he jerked awake, gasping for air.

Surely his imaginings had reached epic proportions, when the next one had Todd, right in front of him, holding out a bowl of food and some water. Sheppard gawked stupidly and waited on the image to disperse, but there was no denying the soft touch that landed on his shoulder next.

"Shep-pard?"

"What…r..you..doing…here?" Forgetting he should be happy to see him.

"Bringing you some food and water. I would have thought that was obvious. Are you alright?"

Sheppard nodded and then shook his head. "Truthfully, I do not know. How did you get in here?" His situation was starting to come back to him, so he raised himself up into a sitting position."

"You are shaking." Todd pointed out.

"Yeah? Well, having being fed on will do that to you. Where the hell did you go? I needed you to save my friend's life, damn you!"

"I am sorry Shep-pard, I did not have time. I could only think to save you and then I had to retrieve something before the Queen got it back."

"The interface?" Sheppard asked, as he took the water Todd handed him and almost drunk it all in one go; he was that thirsty.

"Yes, the interface - but it was already missing when I got there." Todd felt the tremors in Sheppard's arm as he reached out to grab it. "We must get out of here Shep-pard, the Queen will not be long in knowing we are – friends.

"We must go then."

"No time. I can tell you, that I know how to leave my cell unknown to her, so when an opportunity arises, I will come for you again. For now, I must go Shep-pard. My ability to escape may depend on that secret soon. Eat what I have brought you. She will return soon enough to interrogate us both."

Sheppard wolfed down the sickly tasting food. He listened to what Todd had to say but his mind was still confused and distracted by pain and the need for enzyme.

"I cannot protect you if she finds out we are allies. She will kill me immediately." Todd kept advising him.

Sheppard just stared at him.

"Shep-pard!"

"What is a kaa'lee?" He asked, memories returning to the proper state.

"No time to explain. Shep-pard, try and resist her when she questions you."

"I know that!" He snapped, getting angry with him. "Do you think me stupid?"

"I think you are not your usual self." Todd made to go, taking the empty bowls with him. He pointed towards Korr. "She will not hesitate to do the same to you."

Sheppard calmed and nodded, pulling his top lip into his mouth.

"Thanks for the water. Don't worry, my team will come before she sees me again."

"Your faith always pleases me, Shep-pard. I hope they do."

Todd now slipped out of the door and Sheppard stood on shaky legs. "Where is she? Will she not notice you are missing?"

"She is …questioning some other humans she captured." He bowed his head before seeking out his eyes. "I am sorry Shep-pard, I must leave you now and get back to my cell, she is coming."

Sheppard gulped and then laughed. "I know! … Don't suppose you can give me some enzyme? – never thought I'd say that!"

Todd pulled back his lips. "I'm sorry my friend, I cannot."

Sheppard watched him go before he could get some answers to his difficulty handling the kaa'lee, but he was relieved to know that the Wraith was still alive.

The enzyme was leaving him, but the strange connection he felt with the Queen, told him that she was on her way to his cell, so he backed away and prepared himself, mentally, for the next round.

SGA SGA SGA

Everyone on board the 'jumper was silent, lost in their own thoughts. Teyla continued to watch the aged Cassie look at the skin on her hands and arms and her heart felt weighed down in grief for her that she was having to endure such a life changing event.

Then they had lost Sheppard.

Cassie's eyes could not hold back the tears anymore and they silently fell down her cheeks. Teyla reached up for a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders and held her.

Ronon watched and caught Teyla's eye for a moment. He looked at her with worry when he noticed a single tear run down her face as well and he bit his lip. Sheppard should have been enjoying his new relationship with Cassie just now, not the prey of some Wraith Queen again.

They had searched for a good amount of time but the HUD and Rodney's tablet could provide no readings as to where the dart had gone and nothing visually, gave any clues.

Cassie whimpered once more and Teyla made a decision.

"We must go back to Atlantis, Cassie needs Carson."

"Are you mad? Sheppard is out there some-where." Rodney, as ever, not thinking about the bigger picture.

"Yes, yes – we must find John." Cassie was near panicked.

"And we will Cassie, but you need medical assistance. We will take you to Atlantis and then come back for John."

"Atlantis!" Caspva all but shouted.

Teyla realised that they hadn't even spoken to Caspva about who they all were and where they lived, so she could tell by the four friends, it had come as a huge surprise.

"Forget you heard that!" Ronon stood and towered over them.

"We have no-one to tell." Caspva looked at his friends, knowing they were as excited as he was. "Please, take us there for us to see it and then we will leave you."

"Just take them Lorne; they did help us escape and then another team can drop them off at a 'gate." Rodney urged.

"Please, take us to Atlantis and we will tell you where another Hive ship is hiding."

SGA SGA SGA

TO BE CONTINUED….