Chapter 5

"I killed the man."

"He's only unconscious."

"Yes, only, only bleeding..."

McKay's voice droned off as the heard the return of the footsteps. Who were they going to kill next?

"He needs medical attention now," the Athosian pleaded to Ford.

The young man nodded and turned his attention to the opening door. Ford stood up and greeted the guards and their leader.

"He needs medical attention. We've got to get him back home."

"I understand this, but we cannot let you out because we cannot trust you to move about freely."

"How can we regain your trust?"

"By eating," Dryros said as he extended something that resembled a hotdog to Ford, "And then we shall see."

Ford, nodded and grabbed the hot dog. He swallowed his saliva before he would even get it close to his mouth. Sweat poured down his face. But he would do it. Oh he would do it.

"Wait!" McKay said as he sprung up, "Let me. I got him shot. I ruined everything."

Ford contemplated this for a moment, and McKay sought this opportunity to yank the food, which was to him a donut, from the Lieutenant's hand.

"Are you sure doc?"

"It's food. 'Course I'm sure."

With a scared smile, he bit into it and chewed. And then another bite...then another till it was gone.

Dryos smiled and nodded his head.

"Well done, well done. You are free to go."

"Wait," Tayla asked, "I do not understand. Was this some type of test?"

"Indeed it was. See, we are old enemies of the Ancients. They let us get eaten up by the Wraith, with all their technology they didn't do a thing. There are only a few tribes of my kind left...This food is laced with a poison, don't worry, it's a poison that is only activated by the ancient gene and causes instant death. All our visitors are required to partake in this test."

Rodney paled.

"What's this poison made of?"

"The trees' leaves...The storm is over, we apologize for hurting your man."

"Yeah, well, We're outta here."

"I'm going to die..." whispered McKay, "Death by donut."

Dryos and his men left.

This left Tayla and Ford staring at McKay expecting the doc to keel over at any minute.

...

An apologetic Dryos waved goodbye as the explorers crossed through the stargate. He lent them his camels to help make up for their troubles. They were a peaceful people. For the most part.

On the other side of the stargate, Weir's eyebrow shot up as Ford's code rang through and she gave the command to lower the shield.

Come on! Find a ZPM... let them be ok...Come on...but why did Sheppard not code in? Oh no...Think positive, Elizabeth...What's wrong? Something has to be wrong.

She smiled to herself, that was something Sheppard taught her.

Elizabeth found her answer as Ford and Tayla carried John's limp body through the stargate and set him on the ground.

"Medic!" Elizabeth found herself screaming. Her voice came out more shrilly than expected.

Control. It's John, he'll be ok. He will.

Rodney waddled in behind the others, throwing up. In fact he looked green.

What did he do now?

Weir rushed down the stairs and greeted her team.

"What happened, wait..." her gaze drifted to John as Beckett and the other doctors lifted him onto a gurney and wheeled him away in a flood of controlled chaos, "Ok. Now, what happened?"

"Well, Doctor, the trouble started when we took our first break. We settled down and dropped our bags of food and supplies next to Tayla. It was quicksand ma'am, but we managed to pull Tayla out. But we didn't have but one canteen of water..."

"I nearly died."

Weir nodded, and found her attention drifting away and settling on the corridor where the Major had disappeared.

"Doctor, doctor..."

"Hmm?"

"McKay was poisoned as well."

She eyed the barfing McKay.

That's why he was so quiet.

A nurse was already leading him away, holding a bucket in front of his face. What a thankless job.

Sighing, Weir requested they go up to her office and discuss in more detail what happened and why her leading scientist could not keep anything down and why her chief security officer was gushing blood.

What a thankless job.

a/n No, I don't hate McKay, I think he's funny. It's just he fell victim to being a plot device...