Chapter 4

The team surmised that the foods that appeared to them were what they desired. The Major smashed some peas on his plate, he didn't know he liked peas that much...sure, he always got them at the mess hall, but all along he though it was habit.

Well you learn something new every day. I like peas.

He stopped his musings and looked up as he heard Dyros's footsteps.

The man was covered in dust and let out a few choking coughs.

"You are free to go. You are not prisoners here, but there is a great sandstorm out, and anyone that is not accustomed to this land will surely get lost and perish. I have a spare room if you would like to stay."

"How long do these storms last?"

"No more than a day."

Nothing else to do but bunker down for the night.

Sheppard nods.

"Thank you," Tayla coos, "We are honored by your hospitality."

"Yes, the feast was completely unbelievable."

Dryos beams and leads them to an empty room off the dining hall.

The spare room was more like a cement dome. Sheppard laid down on one of the blankets provided to them. At least it was cooler in here, and he noticed the marked relief on his team's faces.

Ford tested the door, it was indeed unlocked, and once again Dryos's people were true to their word.

"Some time for a sand storm. We were lucky they found us."

How lucky were we? It was entirely possible we could have made it to the stargate before the storm would have hit.

"So, what are we going to do?" Mckay asked as he claimed the rounded corner as his napping spot, "Play I spy? I spy with my little eye-Oh,uh, CONCRETE. Concrete, concrete and not a thing to eat or-"

"Rodney, we are going to shut up- conserve our energy and take a nap. Once the storm's over we still have a bit less than a mile to go. I'll stay up, Ford, when an hour or so passes you'll take my place...Let's just rest, okay?"

The Major watched his people lay down and close their eyes, knowing that they were not truly napping; who could sleep on a strange planet? It was hard enough to get to bed at Atlantis. Still, from his experience, and from his readings, particularly Robert Ludlum books, he did believe, "Rest is a weapon."

By morning, they may have been rested, but their stomachs growled and throbbed in hunger, their lips had valleys of dry, red cracks, and their mouths were so dry it seemed it was shrinking in and wrinkling up. They had to get out of there. But the whirl of the winds and the coughing noises from outside told them the storm persisted.

"Sir, I'm starving, I don't think even if the storm was gone I could make it to the stargate. Least not without water," Ford said slowly, as if unsure he could speak at all.

"I am impaired as well."

"All we have to do is ask for some food."

"No. We don't know if it's poison, or if our body systems can even digest it."

"We can't digest lettuce or gum and we still..."

"No."

For the first time, his team glared at him. A mutinous glare. John knew hunger could twist people's mind, especially if food was so close, and yet so unattainable. Did they not understand he was suffering as much as they were?

"Look, guys," he added to his order, "It's not like I'm not thirsty and all," he wiped blood off his lips as if to prove his point, "But we just-can't-risk-it. It's only been a couple of days without food and water. You know that we can survive seven days without water, and 14 without food. So it's not like we're gunna die."

"..sure feel like it."

"Ford," The major then sighed and told his Lieutenant that it was his turn once again to stand guard. Fatigue was ebbing at the major, and he could think of nothing other than curling up in the burlap-like blanket and falling asleep...blissfully unaware of his thirst...or so he hoped.

Once the Major was asleep, the others drew into a tight circle around McKay's blanket.

"He is asleep," Tayla whispered.

"Look, we gotta eat. I don't think the Major's thinking right."

"McKay, I don't know...orders are orders. I'd die for food right now, but..."

"You'll die without it."

"The longer we persist without food, the more our bodies will get used to it and I believe the hunger pains will stop. I have been without food before."

As their hushed voices battled back and forth, soft footsteps approached.

"We should just ask. Just ask and see if the food is poisonous, or what it's made of."

"Major Sheppard told us to hide what we knew as to not appear rude."

Dryos threw open the door and smiled down at his visitors. Two armed guards stood behind him, with pillar straight posture. They reminded McKay of the British guards.

"All is well I trust? I would like to discuss why you come through the stargate and where you are from, now that you are fed."

The voice woke John up, and he peeped an eye open. Slowly, he scrambled to his knees.

Why did they have to come on his break? Ugh, I'm so tired. I'm tired of being tired in fact.

"Actually, about the food thing...What is it? Some sort of hologram, a fixed projection that somehow interacts with our perception, because-"

What was McKay saying?

"You mean you did not eat it?"

"Um, no?"

The guards raise their guns.

"Why not?"

"It...it.."

"McKAY! Shut-up!"

They all turned to see John heading towards them.

"Can't a man nap? Sheesh."

"I repeat, why did you not eat?"

McKay looked pleadingly at the Major.

He shrugged.

"You got us in this mess, go ahead."

McKay nodded slowly, it was beginning to dawn on him that food was a touchy subject and he should have never mentioned anything.

"I...I...thought that maybe our systems couldn't di-i-gest it."

"Why?"

"It all looked different to each of us."

"You figured that out?"

"I did-well, w-"

"You do not trust us? We cannot be friends with people who do not trust us. How can we trust them?"

Dryos gave a curt nod after finishing his speech.

John watched as the guards' fingers tightened on the trigger and aimed their nozzles at McKay. Ford and Tayla dove for the corner as McKay stood like a deer in the headlights. His brain was mush, and his eyes were vacant with fear.

Oh noo...Why it always me? Helloooo Carson...

With no more than a sigh, Sheppard dove for McKay, knocking the scientist out of the way. The bullet found a new victim as it drilled itself into Sheppard's stomach; the other passed overhead and lodged itself in the cement wall.

"That should teach you to trust us."

With that the men left, and a click of the door told them that they were locked in.

The Major rolled off of McKay and clutched his hands onto his gushing stomach. At first there was nothing, pain that is. Slowly a shiverous wave of icy cold surged through his body, followed by a burning current pulsing in his veins. It was as if thousands of killer bees had plunged their stingers into his side. A wave of nausea overcame him, and he leaned over hurling up bile, then blood.

"This does not look good."

Thank you, Tayla. My side...Oh God save me. My team needs me. Oh God, the pain.

He had been shot before. Ok, he had been shot at least once a month. Yes, he did have a bed permamintly reserved for him at the infirmary. But this was bad...this was worse that ever before. Blackness edged at the corner of his eyes, and his breath came in labored pants.

Oh noo, I'm not falling asleep. I'm not.

But he knew he would. This was too much for him.

"Ford...Ford," he gasped, "You're in charge."

"Come on Major Sheppard, you'll be okay," a panicked Ford said as he laid his CO across the ground.

Tayla and him immediately began cleansing and applying pressure to the wound.

The only person that might have looked worse than the Major was McKay, who was sitting beside their leader, squeezing his hand. Rodney was unnaturally pale and clammy, a normal side affect for anyone nearly shot down, but it was the guilt riddled conscience that took his sweats and shivers to a whole new level.

"John, John, I'm...I'm...so...so..."

"Is there such thing as a hearing astigmatism?" the injured man asked, as he forcibly placed a smile on his face, "I'm hearing everything twice."

"Shh. Save your strength."

Jokes are my strength. It's all I have left after being bled dry. It's the only thing left as my mind goes blank.

"John," Rodney continues, "I am so sorry, it was allmyfaultIoh...I GOT YOU SHOT!"

Rodney begins to shake and repeat over and over his apologies.

John's eyes were fixed on McKay, but his thoughts floated to Wier. Her smile, her laugh, the eyebrow...it physically ached as he realized he'd never see her again.

Huh, another thing I've learned today...Peas and Weir...Whodda thought.

The blackness came in clouds over his eyes.

"'sokay-Mckee-...."

He sighed, he never shouted or groaned. The screams were internal as he submitted himself into the black fog.