Section 35: Negotiations
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"Hey, guys!" John called out cheerfully. "What do we have here? A moving out party? And no one invited us?" To their credit, the soldiers didn't flinch but kept their weapons trained on them. One of them licked his lips nervously. "Drop your guns," said John. None of them moved.
"Now!" shouted Aeryn from one knee behind the corner, punctuating her command with a warning shot that sparked nervous glances and cessation of voices from the infirmary.
"Hey, you like this guy or not?" John demanded as another young face popped up behind those between him and the door. "'Cause I ain't holdin' a candy bar here."
"Release Dr. Jackson, you have nowhere to go!" one of the Marines shouted.
"Fine, you want to call my bluff?" John shot the floor at Daniel's feet, making the soldiers jump. Beneath his fingers, he felt Daniel go rigid. "I can take him apart piece by piece. Now move out of my way."
By now they had a captive audience just inside the infirmary door. "Airman," said Jack softly and calmly. "Let him in." The soldiers shot worried looks at each other before obeying and opening a path into the infirmary.
"Ah, ah, bulldogs first," John prompted them before him. He didn't want any guns at his back even if he did have a hostage. Aeryn followed covering his back with the casual air of one who knows her business. Once inside, the soldiers arrayed themselves by the door. The nurses and medics retreated to the right with Dr. Frasier in front nervously eyeing Winona at Daniel's throat. John hated it too but what choice did they have now? He glanced over General Hammond and the General that wanted D'argo, the latter looking angry and confused.
"What is this? Who are you?" the stranger demanded.
John ignored him and regretfully met Jack's hurt gaze. "Sorry," he said. "It's easier when I take myself hostage, but I don't think you really care about me right now."
"John, what are you doing?" asked Jack still calm though his eyes flickered to Daniel.
"Jack, Jack, Jack," John shook his head. "You don't get D'argo. It's as simple as that."
"Let Daniel go, John. You don't want to do this."
John let loose a snort of laughter that held anything but mirth. "You're right Jack, I don't want to do this. But your General Dracula here wants to tear my best friend apart in the name of science. You tell me what I should do."
"We still have your friend in our custody," said the General. "And you are still in the most heavily guarded base on Earth. You'll never get out of here alive."
The sudden sound of pulse fire ripped through the room. With a cry of pain, the interloping General fell to his knees, his right thigh scorched.
Aeryn glared at him over her pulse pistol that was still trained on him. Five guns snapped up in response. "Maybe you won't get out of here alive," she said coldly. "Now give us D'argo and let us go. I'm sick of talking." The stillness of the room broke into controlled pandemonium as Dr. Frasier rushed to help the wounded man and a dozen people started shouting orders, chief among them General Hammond.
"Quiet!" he bellowed above the others and quiet is what he got. The portly General surveyed the scene around him. "Doctor?" he asked.
"He's losing blood but he'll be fine," the doctor reported brusquely, signaling her medical staff to help her get her new patient up and into a bed.
That settled the General turned his eye to Aeryn and John who glared back just as stubbornly. "Airmen, stand down," he said.
"Sir?"
"I said stand down, airmen," Hammond repeated in a tone that brooked no disobedience. The soldiers lowered their weapons warily.
"But, sir - "
"Dr. Rhodes, do not even think about questioning my orders," the General snapped at the man who had spoken. Behind him, Jack was grinning from ear to ear. Watching the scene unfold in its complete reversal made John sigh in relief. His grip on Daniel, while never deadly, nevertheless relaxed. "We have a hostage situation here and General Forge has been shot. I see little choice but to let these people go as they request."
"I can shoot him too if you want," offered Aeryn. John glanced at her sharply, but saw the light dancing behind her eyes, though from the shuffling of the soldiers, they did not.
"Ms. Sun, let's get one thing straight here," the General took a step forward radiating anger. "I may be sympathetic to your situation but I will not condone the shooting of anyone on this base." Aeryn matched him stare for stare.
"You're still standing between me and D'argo," she said quietly.
"And I'm not moving until Mr. Crichton releases Dr. Jackson," Hammond replied. "I give you my word that you will be allowed to leave here unhindered. I assure you that nothing will lose my goodwill more quickly than holding my people at gunpoint."
"Jack?"
"His word's good, Aeryn," said Jack with a nod at Hammond.
Aeryn slowly lowered her gun. "Alright. But we're not disarming."
"I'm afraid I can't allow that," said Hammond. "I need a guarantee that my people will be safe."
"Jack can have them," John spoke up. The others turned their attention from Aeryn to him. He let go of Daniel's collar and offered him Winona, butt first. Daniel looked first at the gun, then at John with sad eyes. "Sorry about all this," John looked away, ashamed for treating a good man badly. When he met his eyes again though he held them and said, "But I'd do it again." Daniel blinked then nodded, taking Winona and retreating to Jack's side.
"Thank you," said General Hammond. "As soon as Dr. Frasier clears Mr. D'argo for gate travel, you may leave anytime you wish. I'm afraid I'll have to keep you under guard. Dr. Rhodes, Dr. Dendron, if I might see you in my office." With a sharp glance at Jack, the General left and the infirmary cleared out of extraneous people leaving John and Aeryn under the wary watch of SG-1 and the five Marines.
"That was your back-up plan?" Daniel quietly broke the uncomfortable silence.
John shrugged, a mixture of embarrassed and defiant. "Yeah. More or less. Worked pretty well actually." He was thankful for that at least. Damn, he was tired. The adrenaline rush of the past ten minutes was draining away leaving him feeling like he'd just run a marathon.
"Some plan," said Jack.
"Well, yours didn't work."
"But did you have to take Daniel hostage?" Jack's eyes flashed dangerously and another stab of guilt washed through John. He glanced at Aeryn but she still held rigid control over her features.
"Jack."
"Daniel. He held a gun to your head."
"I wouldn't have hurt him," John broke the staring contest impatiently.
"You were bluffing?" Jack sounded like he didn't quite believe him. John nodded anyway. "And what if we'd called your bluff?"
"I would have killed that General," said Aeryn. The men just looked at her. Without another word, she stepped around the humans to get to D'argo's bed. With a last nod, John followed.
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"Hey, guys!" John called out cheerfully. "What do we have here? A moving out party? And no one invited us?" To their credit, the soldiers didn't flinch but kept their weapons trained on them. One of them licked his lips nervously. "Drop your guns," said John. None of them moved.
"Now!" shouted Aeryn from one knee behind the corner, punctuating her command with a warning shot that sparked nervous glances and cessation of voices from the infirmary.
"Hey, you like this guy or not?" John demanded as another young face popped up behind those between him and the door. "'Cause I ain't holdin' a candy bar here."
"Release Dr. Jackson, you have nowhere to go!" one of the Marines shouted.
"Fine, you want to call my bluff?" John shot the floor at Daniel's feet, making the soldiers jump. Beneath his fingers, he felt Daniel go rigid. "I can take him apart piece by piece. Now move out of my way."
By now they had a captive audience just inside the infirmary door. "Airman," said Jack softly and calmly. "Let him in." The soldiers shot worried looks at each other before obeying and opening a path into the infirmary.
"Ah, ah, bulldogs first," John prompted them before him. He didn't want any guns at his back even if he did have a hostage. Aeryn followed covering his back with the casual air of one who knows her business. Once inside, the soldiers arrayed themselves by the door. The nurses and medics retreated to the right with Dr. Frasier in front nervously eyeing Winona at Daniel's throat. John hated it too but what choice did they have now? He glanced over General Hammond and the General that wanted D'argo, the latter looking angry and confused.
"What is this? Who are you?" the stranger demanded.
John ignored him and regretfully met Jack's hurt gaze. "Sorry," he said. "It's easier when I take myself hostage, but I don't think you really care about me right now."
"John, what are you doing?" asked Jack still calm though his eyes flickered to Daniel.
"Jack, Jack, Jack," John shook his head. "You don't get D'argo. It's as simple as that."
"Let Daniel go, John. You don't want to do this."
John let loose a snort of laughter that held anything but mirth. "You're right Jack, I don't want to do this. But your General Dracula here wants to tear my best friend apart in the name of science. You tell me what I should do."
"We still have your friend in our custody," said the General. "And you are still in the most heavily guarded base on Earth. You'll never get out of here alive."
The sudden sound of pulse fire ripped through the room. With a cry of pain, the interloping General fell to his knees, his right thigh scorched.
Aeryn glared at him over her pulse pistol that was still trained on him. Five guns snapped up in response. "Maybe you won't get out of here alive," she said coldly. "Now give us D'argo and let us go. I'm sick of talking." The stillness of the room broke into controlled pandemonium as Dr. Frasier rushed to help the wounded man and a dozen people started shouting orders, chief among them General Hammond.
"Quiet!" he bellowed above the others and quiet is what he got. The portly General surveyed the scene around him. "Doctor?" he asked.
"He's losing blood but he'll be fine," the doctor reported brusquely, signaling her medical staff to help her get her new patient up and into a bed.
That settled the General turned his eye to Aeryn and John who glared back just as stubbornly. "Airmen, stand down," he said.
"Sir?"
"I said stand down, airmen," Hammond repeated in a tone that brooked no disobedience. The soldiers lowered their weapons warily.
"But, sir - "
"Dr. Rhodes, do not even think about questioning my orders," the General snapped at the man who had spoken. Behind him, Jack was grinning from ear to ear. Watching the scene unfold in its complete reversal made John sigh in relief. His grip on Daniel, while never deadly, nevertheless relaxed. "We have a hostage situation here and General Forge has been shot. I see little choice but to let these people go as they request."
"I can shoot him too if you want," offered Aeryn. John glanced at her sharply, but saw the light dancing behind her eyes, though from the shuffling of the soldiers, they did not.
"Ms. Sun, let's get one thing straight here," the General took a step forward radiating anger. "I may be sympathetic to your situation but I will not condone the shooting of anyone on this base." Aeryn matched him stare for stare.
"You're still standing between me and D'argo," she said quietly.
"And I'm not moving until Mr. Crichton releases Dr. Jackson," Hammond replied. "I give you my word that you will be allowed to leave here unhindered. I assure you that nothing will lose my goodwill more quickly than holding my people at gunpoint."
"Jack?"
"His word's good, Aeryn," said Jack with a nod at Hammond.
Aeryn slowly lowered her gun. "Alright. But we're not disarming."
"I'm afraid I can't allow that," said Hammond. "I need a guarantee that my people will be safe."
"Jack can have them," John spoke up. The others turned their attention from Aeryn to him. He let go of Daniel's collar and offered him Winona, butt first. Daniel looked first at the gun, then at John with sad eyes. "Sorry about all this," John looked away, ashamed for treating a good man badly. When he met his eyes again though he held them and said, "But I'd do it again." Daniel blinked then nodded, taking Winona and retreating to Jack's side.
"Thank you," said General Hammond. "As soon as Dr. Frasier clears Mr. D'argo for gate travel, you may leave anytime you wish. I'm afraid I'll have to keep you under guard. Dr. Rhodes, Dr. Dendron, if I might see you in my office." With a sharp glance at Jack, the General left and the infirmary cleared out of extraneous people leaving John and Aeryn under the wary watch of SG-1 and the five Marines.
"That was your back-up plan?" Daniel quietly broke the uncomfortable silence.
John shrugged, a mixture of embarrassed and defiant. "Yeah. More or less. Worked pretty well actually." He was thankful for that at least. Damn, he was tired. The adrenaline rush of the past ten minutes was draining away leaving him feeling like he'd just run a marathon.
"Some plan," said Jack.
"Well, yours didn't work."
"But did you have to take Daniel hostage?" Jack's eyes flashed dangerously and another stab of guilt washed through John. He glanced at Aeryn but she still held rigid control over her features.
"Jack."
"Daniel. He held a gun to your head."
"I wouldn't have hurt him," John broke the staring contest impatiently.
"You were bluffing?" Jack sounded like he didn't quite believe him. John nodded anyway. "And what if we'd called your bluff?"
"I would have killed that General," said Aeryn. The men just looked at her. Without another word, she stepped around the humans to get to D'argo's bed. With a last nod, John followed.
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