"A Bad Decision –"Remedy?"

Chapter 5

Author: Lorrie Ellis

Email: lorrieannhotmail

Summary : The team gates to a previously unexplored world and may regret what they find.

Disclaimer: The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Stargate: Atlantis". The characters belong to MGM, The Sci-Fi channel, etc. but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)

Note from the author: I understand that I have Dr. Weir's eye color wrong. Sorry. Also, I'm taking liberty with John's middle name. To my knowledge, they have never mentioned it on the show, so this is my perception.

Dr. Beckett sat in his office. He was studying the images from the Major's MRI so intently that he didn't hear Dr. McKay walk in. "What's that?" McKay asked, pointing to an area on the image that was shown in bright red.

Carson didn't even look up. "That appears to be the root of all of this mess, but I don't know what it is."

Rodney took a seat next to Beckett and began to look at the readings. "It's a mass of energy." He said quietly.

"That much I know." Beckett replied loudly, slamming his fist down on the desk in frustration.

"You don't have to be so snitty about it." Rodney shouted. "I was just trying to help."

"Pointing out the obvious is not helping." Carson replied.

"What's going on here?" Dr. Weir interjected as she heard the two men raising their voices.

"Wise guy here is peering over my shoulder and telling me things I already know." Beckett replied.

Elizabeth shook her head, staring at Rodney and Carson. "Look, our objective right here, right now is to help Major Shepherd. Rodney, do you have anything to contribute?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'd like to look at all of the findings first and then I want to go back to the Ancient Archives. I believe I've seen this before, in one of the hologram messages we reviewed last week."

"OK, Carson, share your findings with Rodney and then Rodney, I want you in your lab reviewing the Archives. As I understand it, the Major may not have very much time left, at least if his temperature keeps rising, correct?" She directed the question to Carson.

He nodded. "That's right. We have to find a way to reduce his temperature."

"Or move him off-world to a cooler location." Teyla said as she entered the small office.

Dr. Weir spun around to face the younger woman. "What?" She asked.

"I know of a planet whose temperature is significantly lower than that of Atlantis. Would it not keep his body temperature down until Dr. Beckett finds a way of helping him?"

Beckett was already nodding. "It would buy us some time Dr. Weir. Right now we're working against the clock to come up with a viable solution. The Major may already have brain damage and allowing his temperature to continue to rise . . ."

"I understand Carson." She turned to Teyla. "You know the coordinates?"

"Yes. I will accompany Major Shepherd to the planet."

"No, I'll go." Dr. Weir replied.

Rodney spoke up. "Dr. Weir, we need you here. There are too many decisions to be made and quite frankly, I don't think any of us are qualified to make them. It makes more sense to send Teyla and Lt. Ford along with Major Shepherd."

Elizabeth closed her eyes, a million thoughts going through her mind. She wanted to be the one there with John, the one holding his hand and wiping his brow, yet everything Rodney said made since. There would be decisions that had to be made, decisions that would affect John and all the others on Atlantis who carried the Ancient gene and those who didn't.

"Very well. Teyla, you and Lt. Ford will accompany a small medical staff and Major Shepherd to . . ." She suddenly realized that Teyla had never mentioned the name of the planet.

"Frena is the name of the planet. It is fifth from the main sun of the Pegasus Galaxy."

"And do the Wriath know of it?" Dr. Weir inquired.

"I'm sure that they know of it, but they have not expressed an interest in it. It is virtually uninhabited, however there are a small group of nomads who still live there."

"Friendlies?" Dr. Weir asked.

"Yes. They have been trading with my people for many years."

"As soon as Dr. Beckett clears Major Shepherd for gate travel, you have a go." Dr. Weir replied and left the office, heading towards John's bedside.

John's thoughts were of his current predicament. "Name, rank and current predicament: Major John Allen Shepherd, royally screwed." He thought sarcastically. His head lulled from side-to-side as he heard someone enter the room. "Who's there?" He mumbled.

Elizabeth took his hand and gently wiped his brow. "It's just me, John." She said quietly.

"Beth?" He whispered.

She swallowed hard as his unseeing eyes stared straight through her. "John, your temperature is still on the rise. The MRI revealed some type of energy source inside your brain and Dr. Beckett said that he no idea how to remove it."

"Hashlana." John whispered, remembering the words of the voice inside his head. "Maylan."

Dr. Weir didn't quite get his meaning. "Yes, it appears that the energy source was placed inside your brain when you were on Hashlana."

He shook his head. "Maylan . . . only one . . . remove it." He paused. "Hurts."

His face showed his pain.

"Why would you think Maylan would remove it. Wasn't he the one who put it there?" Elizabeth asked.

John nodded. "Ancient . . . gene. Confused. Not an Ancient. Not what he thought."

"Shh." Elizabeth took a cool cloth and dabbed at his forehead again. "Teyla and Ford are going to take you through the gate to a planet called Frena. Teyla said that it's quite a bit cooler there than here and hopefully they can keep your body temperature down until Dr. Beckett and Rodney have time to figure out what to do."

"The voice of the Ancient said Maylan, Hashlana . . . only answer." He whispered softly and drifted off again.

Elizabeth brushed her hand softly against his sleep. "Just hold on John. Hold on until we come up with the answers."

Dr. Beckett stood directly behind her. He had heard every word passed between she and John. It startled her somewhat when he cleared his throat. "Dr. Weir, we need to move him now. Teyla and Lt. Ford are ready to depart."

She nodded briskly. "OK."

"Doctor, forgive me, but I heard most of your conversation with the Major. Could he have heard a voice from the Ancients?"

"I don't know Carson. Stranger things have happened. But if he did, I don't understand why the Ancients would want to send him to certain death by having him return to Hashlana."

Thirty minutes later, Teyla, Lt. Ford and a small medical team wheeled the Major through the gate. "Godspeed." Dr Weir announced as they started through. "Be safe."

Immediately after their departure, Rodney's voice was heard on the speakers. "Dr. Weir to Lab 2, please."

"What now?" Elizabeth whispered, turning toward Rodney's lab.

"Oh good, you're here." He said, taking his finger from the button on the intercom system. "I found it. I found the hologram." He played it.

A voice accompanied the hologram.

"This is an image of Vloyton's brain. We have been attempting to isolate the energy that was transmitted from Maylan by means of three metal posts inserted into his brain.

It appears that a residual energy is still active near the brain stem and along the temperal lobes. We do not have the power to remove it and will meet with Maylan and Landiv to discuss the terms of removal.

Please note, Vloyton's energies are not as strong as most of our race. His mother was of Hashlana, his father of Atlantis. Because he is not fully of Atlantis, we feel that this is why he is unable to absorb the energy as the majority of us can do.

To date, his body temperature is extremely high, he is in and out of consciousness. If these conditions continue to persist, Vloyton will die within a few days."

"Sound familiar?" Rodney asked.

"So, the only option is Maylan?" Elizabeth asked.

"Maylan or Landiv. We met Landiv when we were on Hashlana the first time. He's the one who took us to a place to rest."

"According to your debriefing, he's also the last one you saw on Hashlana."

"Did John mention him?" Rodney asked.

"I haven't had a chance to debrief John. He passed out the last time we started to talk about Hashlana. When we last spoke about an hour ago . . ." She paused.

Rodney looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"He said that the voice of the Ancient's told him that Maylan and Hashlana were his only hope."

"The voice of the Ancients?" Rodney questioned and then paused. "At any rate, it seems correct. We need to go back to Hashlana . . . with John."

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. We need to convince Maylan or Landiv to go to John on Frena." She looked at her watch. "Give me a few minutes to suit up. I'm going with you. I want to meet this Maylan."

Rodney followed Dr. Weir down the corridor, "Ah, Dr. Weir, I don't think that's such a good idea." He stopped just short of following her into her private quarters as she slammed the door in his face. He gently knocked. "Ah, Dr. Weir. We have no idea what we're going to encounter on Hashlana or how Maylan will react when we ask him to save the Major, I don't think . . ."

The door suddenly opened. "There's nothing to think about. My decision is made, now let's go!"

To be continued . . .