STARGATE ATLANTIS
PRIMIS : THE MISSING
RONON
I know Teyla is watching me; I can feel her eyes on my back, but I have to get some air or risk punching something. This time, I am of no use to her and I have to pretend that I didn't notice her come after me even though I feel guilty for walking away, but I can't be strong for her if it's getting to me. I shouldn't have went to the post-mission meeting in Woosley's office knowing how angry I am anyway.
Dammit, John! Where the hell are you!
Eventually I knew I was on my own, and allowed myself to ease into a jog and then a full out run the nearer I got to the double doors. When I reached there, I didn't stop and battered the doors open; running to the end of the pier; legs pumping out a faster run and allowed the roar that I had smothered for days to come bellowing out of my dry throat.
Somehow, I had unconsciously come to the pier that John and I ran to each morning when in Pegasus. That had not changed, even when we lived on Earth. When we had found water to land on in this new galaxy, we kept up the unsaid agreement. With a jolt, I now thought that John had not seen this stretch of water. Time had passed so very slowly, and today I stood at the end of the pier looking out onto water that I did not share with my friend. Somebody else had landed Atlantis here. It should have been John.
And just how the hell was he supposed to find his way back, if he had no way to find me…Teyla, Rodney…the list went on.
All missing him.
Dammit!
This last mission was supposed to be the one where we found them. When I could safely say to Teyla. 'Hey, we found Torren, your son for you. Your dearly loved son. Oh, and, 'Hey, guess what…here's John…your friend, and lover…"
But somehow I'm sitting down, dangling my legs off the edge now, and I do not remember even bending down, and before you know it the flash-backs that have been haunting me recently, have me pushing the heels of my hands into my eyes.
I just remember the look of abject horror and panic in Teyla's expression when John and Torren vanished through the 'gate. That second of understanding. It could happen to anyone of us at any given time. I was lax in my senses and it happened to them. We had never come across a cloaking device unseen before at the 'gate and it made us all shiver to know that things here were new to us. We should have been more cautious in our explorations. We should have expected to receive the unexpected.
I…I should have expected these things. I can only blame myself, and no amount of Carson or Lorne telling me other-wise will make a difference to me. I should have been there to protect Torren more on his one trip planet side; I should have been the one to throw myself after Torren and left my two friends – who had only just, FINALLY, got together – be there in each other's embrace to face our adversities. John should be here now for Teyla and help support her.
But, no! They are torn apart and have been for months now. Woolsey is even talking about making them 'killed in action'. Teyla looked green when Lorne told us what we had already suspected as time went on.
Missing, yes…killed? Better not be!
Now we trusted no-one, as people had played on our emotions already, coming up empty just to try and rob us. We did not stay around on any part of any plane, as we moved on following lead after lead; sightings on Wraith that were rumoured to have appeared out of no-where. They sounded like the wraith we sought.
Atlantis had become a runner.
In a weird twist, no-one was chasing us, but we were running to follow the next lead; running to restore the family that had been mine at last, and I would not let go of that need to seek them out.
Agitated. That's what I was now. After a distressing two days, and a near miss with some wraith; our current situation dictated we stand down and take stock of our situation.
"Ronon!"
So immersed in my thoughts; and not like me – again! I did not hear Rodney shout out until he was almost at my back.
"What the hell, Rodney? What's wrong?"
I was up and walking fast towards him, all the while suspecting that this was it…they had found them! Dead or alive?
"Rodney?"
"The lead was valid, Ronon. Bloody valid. But there are two 'gates on the planet. That piece of information was not given. Come on, we have to go back once more."
Ronon did not need telling twice, and understood the severity of the time they had wasted when they could have been looking.
"I thought the planet 'went dark' for two days from this evening."
"It does, it's called an eclipse. That's why we need to hurry obviously."
Ronon fizzed, but kept his head. They were all in a state these days. Funnily enough, they were all like Rodney normally is on a daily basis. It must be a lot to keep up such basic sarcasm for so long.
"Dare I ask? Have the co-ordinates been checked. M.A.L.P…"
"M.A.L.P. sent. Yeah, yeah." Rodney snapped once more, but screwed up his face in realisation.
Ronon obviously knew when to back off these days and not wind Rodney up.
"Sorry. It's just…"
"Yeah, Ronon. Got it."
That was Rodney. He did 'get it', for he was uptight with worry also. He seemed apprehensive all the time, nervous about mixing with others, worried and uptight more than usual – and all too like themselves, minus Teyla who also had the gaping hole in her heart.
They both ran towards the puddle jumpers. People moved out their way as they did so, their faces also willing them on to bring the missing home. It was unspoken and never responded to; but they were losing hope each time they came home without them. Ronon knew it. Rodney knew it and Lorne knew it. Obviously Woolsey knew it too – his readiness to mark John and Torren as killed was a black cloud hanging over them.
But not Teyla.
She had everything to hope for, and she would not let go of that.
Ronon dodged another blast and catching sight of Rodney, he pointed to the hut, vigorously shaking his head at the other Rodney had been aiming towards. It was too thin, too easy for a blast to penetrate through to the other side and hit him unawares.
Yes, this tip-off had been correct. Wraith were there at the far side of the planet, as they had been told. But their behaviour had been odd. They were not there to cull – although there was hardly anybody living left anyway. No, they seemed to be on some sort of manoeuvres. Ronon hadn't waited on Lorne to think this out any further but to just stealthily creep on the wraith in the hope to capture one; knowing this had been a thing they needed to do.
Ronon wove; ducking, kneeling to the ground and firing as and when needed, as the wraith noticed the advance and fired. The 'gate too far away for them to escape, they had spread out, but surprise had been on Lorne and his marines side and they quickly brought them down to just two – they just wanted one alive to interrogate.
A sphere of blue light hit Teyla and she collapsed in a heap exactly half way between Ronon and the wraith. His heart beating like nothing he had felt before, Ronon launched himself in her direction, committing himself to death if he had to, to protect her further from harm.
Blasts whined past his ears but Ronon was focused. Rodney, he could see was bent over, hands on his knees with the abused pain of an overexerted burst of speed. Lorne covered him, and his marines retreated back towards their commander. The second last one had been killed.
Ronon had to take this one alive; but first, Teyla.
Arms swinging, chest out, Ronon reached Teyla first and slammed his fist into the wraith's face as he reached her at the same time. They parried for a good few seconds; Ronon holding back just grudgingly; as he knew the importance of getting information from this wraith also. He grimaced through the pain of the hits the wraith was planting into him, and returned each strike with his own until Lorne could help. The both knew that they were fighting to survive.
"Ronon!"
Ronon heard his name being called
"Aside!" Lorne shouted, and it was the nudge he needed to know that he wasn't in the right frame of mind for this, as he could feel his blood boil; feel the urge to exact judgment. He supposed he would always feel that way with wraith.
So he moved back after hearing Lorne shout, and after the wraith had landed a pretty serious upper cut to his jaw. He involuntarily took two steps back.
A blue light surrounded the wraith and he went down with the help of one of his own races weapons.
Ronon panted, swaying slightly, but ever so focused now on Teyla. He fell to his knees beside her only to watch Rodney grab her wrist and sigh with relief - she had a pulse. She would only be out for a few more minutes probably.
He rolled back on his ankles before coming to join Lorne at the wraiths side. His marines were zip-locking his wrists to ankles.
"Ronon. Leave him!" Lorne had to reprimand as he watched Ronon curl his fists and stoop over the wraith.
Ronon just stood straighter, but glowered at Lorne.
"Time, Lorne, is wasting. We need information, and we need it now."
"I am aware of that, Ronon. We will take him back to the brig and quest…"
Just as Teyla woke up from her stun and took in the scene of the downed wraith lying not far from her; and hope rose in her chest that they could maybe find out more about John's disappearance, the wraith started a deep, rumbling laugh that would forever remain in their memories.
"I smell ancient blood. There are more of you!" The wraith laughed and laughed until Lorne, surprising himself, kicked him hard into his abdomen.
But he had given them a clue – a large clue!
He spoke of 'others', so he must know about John. They had a valid lead at last – and straight from the enemy's mouth.
The wraith coughed and grinned. "That one is finished – my Queen will love to feed on its replacement!" The wraith bit down on something in his mouth and in an instant, his body relaxed against its bindings, his eyes rolled back in its head and then it was still.
Dead.
Ronon landed hard on his knees beside the body and prised his mouth open, hurriedly reaching in to see what the wraith had bitten down on.
"Stop!" Teyla cried. "It may be poisonous, Ronon."
Reluctantly, Ronon withdrew his hand, knowing she was right. He punched the ground beside him and stood up quickly; almost knocking over Rodney, who had come to stare at the now dead wraith in disbelief.
Teyla gripped Lorne's arm. "Search him. There may be something of use."
Lorne nodded and pointed two of his marines to the search.
Ronon put an arm around Teyla's shoulder before giving her a squeeze.
"He's not dead; they are not dead, Teyla. Don't listen to what the wraith said. He was playing mind games with you."
"I hope you are correct, Ronon."
"He is." Rodney, said. "John being alive I meant!" Rodney turned to face his two friends, and holding a small black box.
"That's a tracker box." Ronon said in disgust.
Rodney smiled a broad smile. "Yes, but not only that, it has ancient symbols on it – no ordinary tracker this one."
"Do you think they have turned John into a runner then?"
"Looks that way. Perhaps they had not come across anybody remotely 'ancienty' before, until John came their way."
Ronon turned it over in his hand before handing it back to Rodney. "And Torren will be with him, I know."
Teyla had allowed tears to start running down her face and silently looked up at Ronon.
"I know he will try everything to look after him, but what if they separated them? That's my worry."
Ronon gulped and looked at Rodney and back to Teyla, before squeezing her shoulder again. It was all their worries.
It was Rodney that spoke up. "He will fight tooth and nail to keep Torren safe, Teyla. In fact, I wouldn't want to be a wraith when John's in a protective frame of mind!"
His slightly jovial way of handling the awkward thought had the desired effect, and they all smirked at the thought of John's eyes lowering to dangerous levels. Nobody wanted to be on the receiving end of that glare.
The three friends watched as Lorne's men picked up the dead wraith and made their way to the parked 'jumper.
"Come on." said Rodney. "Let's see what we find."
To be continued…..