"Hey, we're still alive. I was pretty sure we were dead after that last quake." McKay thought gloomily 'we're probably dead anyway', but was surprised to hear the latent respect now in Aiden's tone. "If we turn back-to-back, we might be able to work these ropes loose."
McKay nodded. At least it was something to do. After a few minutes of fumbling, the lieutenant hissed, "Got it! Boy Scouts, these guys are not." Rodney found the ropes binding his arms suddenly falling free, and he sighed in relief as he brought his arms around to the front.
"Now you." His first urge had been to spend the next ten minutes massaging his shoulders and complaining about the returning circulation, but self-preservation and those stupid rules kept popping up. Rule #3 applied now, and he quickly managed to untie Ford and Teyla before turning to take care of Sheppard.
"They are true savages," spat Teyla, her first words for over two hours. "At least they left us our supplies." She broke out her canteen and began dabbing the Major's forehead.
"Probably figured we couldn't get at them." Ford commented, matter-of-fact. "How is he?"
As if he had heard the question, Sheppard began to moan and move slightly. Ford knelt next to Teyla, anxiously willing their friend to wake up. McKay went to the window to look at the situation outside. After a seeming eternity, Sheppard's eyes cracked open. He quickly shaded them with a hand, as even the filtered light of the room seemed to hurt his eyes. Staring at the distressed faces hovering over him, he addressed the lieutenant.
"Ford? What's going on?"
"We were captured by the locals, and are being held prisoner. You've been out of it for a while." He kept his voice low to keep from alerting their guards and in deference to the Major's headache.
"McKay?" Sheppard was trying valiantly to catch up.
He turned back to look at the commander; "They attribute the earthquakes to the anger of one of their gods, and currently assume that we are the agents responsible. It could be that the research building is regarded as taboo...I'm not certain yet."
John was confused. "Usually that means they kill us to appease the god. Why aren't we dead?"
Ford grinned as he looked towards McKay. "The doctor put on his best 'I know everything and you're an idiot' expression and managed to throw some doubt on that assumption."
Sheppard looked at the half-embarrassed and half-self-satisfied scientist appraisingly and grinned, "Way to go." Glancing around at the group, he added, "Could someone help me sit up?"
A few minutes of awkward maneuvering, Sheppard found himself sitting against the wall opposite the door, feeling better than he had since the first quake had hit. Fishing around in his pockets, Ford produced a couple of protein bars that the group shared; McKay didn't even feel like pleading hypoglycemia in order to get a larger portion. The group noted the astrophysicist's uncharacteristic silence. Sheppard and Ford exchanged significant looks, then the Major slid over next to their "genius".
"Hey, Teyla, why don't we check out the perimeter?" Ford knew it was a flimsy excuse, but it would give McKay a chance to talk somewhat more privately. The two younger team members wandered over to the tiny window, leaving the older pair to their discussion.
Sheppard's head ached abominably, his stomach was queasy; all-in-all, he still felt too ill to beat around the bush. "What's up, McKay?" he asked bluntly, but gently.
Rodney roused slightly, "Nothing." He spoke a little too quickly, too brightly.
Sheppard rolled his eyes, then carefully placed a hand on the scientist's shoulder. "Come on. You haven't complained once about aching muscles, low blood sugar, or our impending doom." He spread his hands. "Tell me the truth; what's up?"
McKay sighed and visibly deflated. "Things are really messed up. I had no idea that this job was so difficult. I'm just not sure what to do."
Sheppard smiled. "Not according to Ford."
"At this point I don't even want to know any more of your 'rules'. I can't even manage the three." McKay stated despairingly.
Still, he'd managed pretty well up to this point; Sheppard decided to humor him a bit. "Compared to your normal 'doom and gloom' 'we're all going to die' spiels, I think you've made nice progress."
"Listen, I think we ARE all going to die! The situation is desperate and I don't see a clear path out of it. By the time the guards we left at the Jumper realize we're not coming back, we won't BE coming back."
"Well," here he winced as he tried to rise to his feet, "I'd say that the current situation definitely falls under the 'if we encounter trouble' clause of our original arrangement. I'll take it from here." The major wobbled slightly as he straightened, and was steadied by a firm hand on his elbow. Glancing down, he saw that the hand was Rodney's, and met his eyes with a small smile. "Thanks."
"You sure you're up to this?" McKay wanted nothing more than to abdicate the responsibility of leadership, but he was truly unsure that Sheppard was capable of handling it either. He stood up quickly and looked the Major over critically. 'Maybe it's just self-preservation, or maybe I'm learning that 'Your men come first' rule a little too well...'
Major Sheppard was an old pro at that one, though. He could tell how uncomfortable Rodney was with the role of 'leader'; time to reassert control. Pulling out his 'macho' mask, he shot McKay his patented 'all's right with the world, so let me at it' grin and slapped him on the back. "Of course I am. It'll take more than some old crate to get though this skull." He tapped his temple meaningfully. "Solid rock; been told it a hundred times."
Ford and Teyla came back when they noticed the pair standing. "Nice to see you up, sir," commented Ford noncommittally.
"How do you feel?" Teyla wasn't as easily fooled by the Major's bravado; she had dealt with too many injured men in her short life to be taken in by their pretenses.
Sheppard knew he couldn't delude her as easily as he could the rest of the team, but he certainly wasn't going to admit that he felt like death warmed over. He settled for a politic version of the truth. "I'll be all right."
The tough young woman's eyes narrowed consideringly; he looked far from 'all right' to her. Still, if that is what he wanted them to believe, he must have a reason for it...She nodded her acceptance of his statement and turned to McKay. "And you, Doctor? How is your throat?"
Rodney's hand flew to his neck as his eyes widened; he had forgotten completely about the laceration! To his relief, he found the blood had already dried and it was far more minor than he had originally thought. He answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "I'll survive...this."
Sheppard shot Ford a 'What do you know about that?' look; Rodney never dismissed an injury. The slightest scratch was reason enough to head to Dr. Beckett demanding antibiotics and a tetanus booster. Any commentary they might have made was cut off by the door opening.
Their friend Knife-boy entered first, followed by two of his goons from earlier. The team clustered protectively about their concussed commander, even as he tried to push away from the wall without revealing the need for support. Once ascertaining that the prisoners weren't going to attack them, the man leading the hunting party signaled the guards at the door, who bowed obeisance to the lordly woman who swept in. Her haughty gaze took in the group, finally settling on Major Sheppard. "Who speaks for you?" Her tones were regal, and demanded an answer.
Sheppard raised the index finger of his right hand. "Uh, that would be me," he volunteered.
Rodney almost spoke up, but bit his tongue. No use borrowing trouble, as his mother used to say.
The woman was clearly of some importance. Dressed in finely decorated hides, her cloak was almost completely covered with feathers of every hue, as was her headdress. If there was anyone they needed to convince of their innocence, it was this Matriarch.
"Morthon is unable to tell me your intentions. When our Goddess is angry, she shakes the ground. However, Morthon thinks that you might be from the Goddess, sent to help us still the earth. I wish to know which it is."
"That's a little complicated." Sheppard combed his fingers through his hair and winced as he encountered a lump.
"Uncomplicate it," she replied in a no-nonsense voice.
Sheppard pasted on his most charming grin. "Well, it's neither. We're explorers from another world who just happened to be in the ruined city when the earthquakes began. We are not acquainted with your goddess, for good or evil. We have neither angered her, nor brought messages from her."
She regarded them appraisingly. Coming to a decision, she turned to Morthon. "Bring them; we will have trial by Ju-na-ree."
Morthon seemed unhappy that they weren't summarily executed for their prevarication, but bowed his head in obedience. "Yes, Priestess," he replied as she swept out of the room. When she was gone, he raised his eyes, then gestured to his men. Within moments the whole group was again being forcibly marched, this time down a corridor deeper into the building.
After several twists and turns, the four explorers found themselves unceremoniously shoved into yet another converted room. This one seemed more ceremonial than the one that they had been imprisoned in earlier; the walls were lined with furs, with several of the softest scattered on the floor. The Priestess sat enthroned on a raised dais, flanked by two guards on each side, each of whom carried a rather business-like spear. Strong hands on the travelers' shoulders encouraged them to kneel, thankfully on some of the softer furs.
Ford shot a quick glance at Sheppard; clearly he had not recovered from his concussion. The normally-graceful pilot had stumbled several times in their trek from their cell, and now looked almost as pale as he had when they were initially captured. The Lieutenant's attention was drawn back to the priestess as she began speaking, however.
"From ages past, the question has been Truth. 'Did the warrior run from battle?', 'Did the son steal his father's goods?', 'Are the strangers lying?'" She fixed them with a pointed glare. "Then the Goddess gave us Ju-na-ree." She held up a goblet filled with a burgundy liquid, and stood slowly. "This is the Elixir of Truth. He who partakes of it cannot lie, and moreover is compelled to tell all there is to tell. But be warned; there may be consequences."
Sheppard swayed slightly, eyes glazed. McKay, unsure as to whether or not the Major had actually heard the spiel, cleared his throat and asked hesitantly, "What...what sort of consequences are we talking about here?"
The Priestess nodded condescendingly. "The effects last from a few hours to a few days. Side effects include nausea in many, vomiting in a few, and rarely, even death. However, this is the only true way to determine that you have nothing to do with the ground shaking. If the trial is not undertaken, none of you shall leave this chamber alive."
The astrophysicist licked suddenly-dry lips. "Do we all drink the Elixir?"
She smiled at his nervousness. "No, only your leader needs to take the risk. Your lives depend upon his honesty." She stared pointedly at Major Sheppard, who appeared to be on the verge of collapse. She frowned, noting his condition.
"I'll take it in his place." Rodney couldn't believe he'd said that. Clearly neither could Teyla or Ford, who stared at him open-mouthed. Sheppard looked like he was ready to keel over at any moment; McKay's thoughts ran frantically 'If he dies they'll execute all of us anyway, I am the logical choice and our best hope of survival. McKay figured he had better odds with the Elixir.
"That is not your place. However, as he is clearly unwell..." she began.
Sheppard seemed to rouse himself at that. "No!" He fixed Rodney with a meaningful stare. "It's my job; remember the corollary to rule number three."
McKay gulped. He remembered all right. ''The leader is the most expendable member of the team.' But no one else in the expedition had his innate connection with the Ancient technology. That was the whole reason Weir brought him in the first place! However, before he could voice a protest, Sheppard had taken the goblet from the Priestess and downed the contents.