Collateral
By AntaresStar
Chapter 5: Reinforcements
Rated PG-13: For some character whumping, blood, ickiness, and language.
Summary: A trade mission to a planet turns into a kidnapping when rebels capture part of the SGA team as collateral for their cause.
A/N: You guys are so wonderful! Thank you for your support during my recovery. I feel much better now and will even go off those brain-fogging painkillers tomorrow, yay! You are the best!
Thanks for reviewing Chapter 4: M.N.Talbert, Laura, TJ, nebbyJ, cpc439, prepare4trouble, Katie, ellex, Pike2, fenestrae.
The rebels lighted candles around the dark church to ward off night's creeping blackness. They seemed concerned about their leader, who had begun to cough harshly and admitted to an upset stomach. Two rebels watched the door while the others rested and guarded the prisoners. There was no chance of escape.
Sheppard had wanted to stay awake and watch over his team, but was exhausted and fell into a light sleep. Rodney sat awkwardly, closing his eyes only to snap them open whenever a guard passed by. Honestly, he felt like crap. He was shivering, his arm was aching and his cheek smarted whenever he spoke. He was acutely aware of dried blood coating his face, but had been unable to scrub all of it off. Carson's blood covered his hands, drying unreachably in the creases of his fingers and palms.
Rodney turned to Beckett and slipped a finger onto the man's neck to check his pulse. It felt too quick, but Rodney couldn't be positive. He sighed and checked the bandage, carefully lifting the edges and peeking underneath. The wound had stopped bleeding but was an ugly, unhealthy color. Carson shifted uncomfortably in his sleep, trying to push Rodney's hands away. Rodney gently clasped Carson's arms and laid them firmly at his side. "Sorry, I'm just trying to help. I don't really know what to do," he admitted.
Leaning back against the wall, McKay rubbed his arms shakily. He noticed another prisoner staring at him from the adjoining corner. She was a young woman who glanced away quickly when Rodney caught her eye. She was alone and dressed in denim pants and a leather jacket. With white hair and round, green eyes she looked out of place and terrified. Her pale skin seemed luminescent in the candlelight. She glanced up again while McKay was still watching her. He motioned her over hesitantly. She looked around nervously but got up and crept towards him.
"I am sorry; I did not mean to stare at you." She whispered to McKay. Her eyes apologized as she placed a hand on her chest. "I am Mili, from the planet Grea. I came here to teach the Talvins about electricity. It is a newly discovered wonder on my home world and my government wished to share it with our longtime trading partners." She was speaking quickly, stumbling nervously over her own words. Her eyes closed in despair.
Rodney took a deep breath. "I'm Dr. Rodney McKay, that guy asleep is John Sheppard." He placed a gentle hand on Beckett's shoulder. "And this is Carson. We are here peacefully as well."
She looked at Beckett sadly. "He does not look well. It is lucky that you are a here to help him, Dr. Rodney."
McKay did not lose the irony of that statement. He smiled tightly. "I'm not that kind of doctor Mili. Unfortunately, Carson is our medical doctor."
She glanced up in surprise. "Why would they injure one so valuable? He may be in need soon." She looked around fearfully. "What do they plan to do with us?"
McKay almost snapped a sarcastic answer, but curbed his pessimism. "I suppose they will use us to get the Talvins to listen to them. Then, they'll either send us back through the stargate, or keep us here after they bury it." He did not list the third option, dispose of us in the easiest way possible.
An uncomfortable silence followed. "I am sorry," she broke in. "I will leave you to rest and care for your companion Dr. Rodney." She began to rise.
"No, wait." McKay reached up and grasped her arm, forgetting his usual awkwardness around women. "You, uh, you're alone. If you want, you can stick with us." She looked at him gratefully and sunk down beside him. He smiled tightly. "Tell me more about your world's electricity."
Ford and his men had stopped at the hill overlooking the village. Everything looked quiet and he wanted to keep it that way. He had no idea where the Major was or what condition he was in. After trying to raise his teammates on the radio, he concluded that their receivers had been taken from them.
"Ok guys; Teyla." He faced them. "We're gonna take refuge in the hospital for the night. Wait until morning and figure out where the hell everyone is." Everyone nodded. "Low profile; no one knows we're even here. Got it?" Teyla locked eyes with Ford, telling him silently she was ready to do whatever she must to free their comrades.
They started down the hill, keeping off the main road and in shadows. Ford knocked quietly when they reached the hospital.
"Who goes there?" a man whispered fearfully.
"Aiden Ford. Uh, friends of May Jennings."
"Move, let them in!" a female voice ordered.
The door swung open to reveal Jennings and an older Talvin, dressed alike in long silk robes. "You don't know how glad I am to see you!" She gasped.
Everyone entered, crowding into the healing house. "How did you manage not to get caught? What happened to Major Sheppard?" Ford asked urgently.
"I'll tell you everything. You may want to sit down."
Sheppard awoke to find quite a commotion going on. Several Talvin rebels were crowded around their leader who was wiping his mouth with a sleeve. The acrid smell of vomit in the air gave away the leader's condition.
Sheppard leaned forward and poked Rodney in his side. "Hey get up, we got a situation." Sheppard nodded toward Blith. "Poor guy, I feel for him, I really do." An evil smirk.
Rodney shook the sleep from his eyes and focused on Sheppard, glaring. "You woke me up for that? How special. He's been puking for the last two hours, for your info-"
"Who's that?" Sheppard interrupted, staring curiously at the slumbering Mili.
"Ah, that would be Mili." The Major stared at him expectantly. "From the planet Grea." Rodney continued. "They have electricity." A small smile. "She's a scientist."
"Well, that explains everything." Sheppard replied.
McKay rolled his eyes. "There's nothing more to tell. She is a prisoner like us, who was alone and afraid. I figured we may need some friends right now."
"Right. Friends." Sheppard drawled, barley containing a smirk.
He would have continued teasing Rodney, but a nearby guard bent over double, holding his stomach and retched loudly. "They appear to be ill." Mili commented sleepily, raising herself into a sitting position.
"Things are finally going our way." Sheppard agreed.
The rebels huddled together, talking furiously. Two were ordered to go to the medical tent and fetch a healer. They left but returned quickly.
"Greni! There are foreigners in the medical house! Many of them, with weapons such a that." They pointed to Sheppard's confiscated gun, lying in a pile of other stolen items.
Greni glanced sharply at Sheppard and McKay. He stormed over to them, bending down and dragging the major up by his shirt. Hands on Sheppard's shoulders, he roughly shook the major. "What is this? There are more of your kind? Where have they come from?"
Sheppard felt hope rise in him. If Ford and Teyla had managed to set up camp close by, their chance of rescue was real. "Yes, many more. A whole lot. They're here to make sure every single prisoner is released safely, or they'll kill you all."
"No!" Greni shouted pushing Sheppard roughly away from him to the ground. He lunged at Mili and pulled her close, knife flashing in his hand. She whimpered.
"No!" He repeated loudly to the rebels. "You will go back to the house and tell the foreigners this woman dies if they do not allow a healer to come." Mili sobbed, trying to pull away from him. "Hold still, woman!" She jumped away. He slashed at her, grazing her back. She fell to the floor, gasping brokenly.
"Now wait just one second-" Sheppard yelled picking himself off the floor.
But Rodney beat him to it. He had jumped up at her first cry. Now he rammed into the rebel shoulder first, surprising even himself with his brashness. They both went flying and hit the floor, sliding several feet.
"You'll pay for that!" Greni kicked McKay savagely in the back. "Take him." Several guards grabbed Rodney and three more cornered Sheppard.
Greni wiped some blood from his mouth and spat on McKay, who tried to sneer back but only managed a grimace. Then turning he placed his dagger directly over Mili's heart. "You prisoners need to learn a little respect."
"Stop!" She sobbed. "I-I can help you. Anything you want. I have been talking to these men, I know much about them and their companions in the Healing House that may be important." McKay and Sheppard exchanged incredulous looks.
"So much for friends," Sheppard hissed at McKay.
Greni hesitated at Mili's words, but did not look completely convinced. Mili's eyes widened in fear. "A doc-doctor! You said you required a doctor. Do not risk going into the Healing House again. He is one, right there!" She pointed at Beckett, who was lying deathly still in his bloodstained corner.
"That does not help us." Greni growled. "He is as good as dead."
"Wait!" she shouted desperately. "H-He is also a doctor. He told me so himself!" She pointed at McKay who stared at her, eyes panicked and wide.
"No, I'm not a medical doctor! You don't understand. Mili!" But no one was listening. A sobbing Mili scurried to the other side of the house, and McKay was dragged forward in her stead.
"You will help us, or you will die." Greni ordered.
"Look, I don't know if this means anything to your pre-technological ears but I'm a doctor of science, not a medical doctor." Rodney tried to pull back but was dragged inevitably forward by two rebels. "What, you're gonna trust her over me?"
Greni ignored him. "Are you deaf? I do not care about the differences between these 'scientists' and these 'medicals'. Do you need an incentive greater than your life to help my leader?" Greni strode purposely over to Beckett and slapped the sleeping man across his face, hard. "Wake up Doctor!" Beckett groaned, turning his face away, but cracked his eyes slightly. Greni faced Rodney again. "If you do not help, then he will be forced to in your place."
Rodney glared at the man. "All right! Just leave him alone." Greni nodded shortly and returned to Rodney's side.
Rodney approached Blith and tried to look professional. "You wouldn't happen to have any food would you? I mean, its difficult to concentrate on an empty stomach." Greni glared. "Oh well, worth a try. Ok, the first thing is a diagnosis. Uh, outwardly color appears, um, normal…"
A sigh of relief went up in the entire house. Greni seemed content to watch McKay tend to the leader. Another trader had approached Mili and was helping her. Sheppard glared in her direction, but didn't pursue her. He had enough to worry about without chasing down some terrified girl.
Sheppard noticed Beckett stirring, absentmindedly rubbing his cheek.
"Hey, how you feeling?" Sheppard bent over him, trying to smile encouragingly.
"Like I've been stabbed with a bloody knife." Beckett winced. "And had my face walloped."
"Sorry Doc. These guys really like to push people around." Sheppard placed a hand on Beckett's forehead. "You feel hot, or is it just me?"
Carson sighed, nodding miserably. "Aye, I feel hot. Either I have a fever or your hands are extremely cold, Major." He shifted painfully and Sheppard helped him sit so his back was resting against the wall. "Care to fill me in on what's happenin'?" Sheppard noticed how thick the doctor's accent had become and how his words slurred together, like he was having trouble speaking clearly.
"Not much really. Bad guys." Sheppard pointed to the rebels. "Good guys." He motioned to himself. "Bad guys want the town, and are using good guys to get what they want."
Carson tried to smile at the major's lightness but couldn't quite manage it. He could feel the heat from his wound radiating upwards. He felt very sick and altogether wretched. He wiped an arm across his brow but it did little to relieve his discomfort. Carson was also aware of the coppery taste of blood in his mouth, not a good sign. He felt a cough well up inside his chest and attempted to quell it but it bubbled to the surface. He felt like his body was being torn apart. Sheppard placed a supporting hand behind Beckett's neck but couldn't do much else for him.
When the coughing fit finally ended Beckett was gasping for breath and had covered his hands and chin with blood. Sheppard pulled his sleeve over his palm and wiped Carson's mouth with it.
Beckett was aware of the major speaking to him, but didn't understand what the man was saying. He focused with difficulty on Sheppard's face. "Sorry lad, what did ya say?"
John looked at him strangely and repeated himself slowly and clearly. "Ford and Teyla are at the hospital with reinforcements and they're gonna have a plan to get us out of here. You just gotta hold on." He placed his arms on the doctor's shoulders encouragingly.
At that moment Rodney was thrown down next to them in an undignified heap. He glared at the retreating soldiers.
"Carson, good to see you awake." The doctor just nodded tiredly back at him. "I told them I would be unable to help the sick without medicines from the Healing House. Greni seemed content with that, and he didn't want to risk a run-in with the 'foreigners' in there. I think he just wants to play leader while Blith is out." Rodney ran a shaky hand through his hair.
Beckett squinted at him, not missing the pale color of the Canadian's face, or the way he was trembling. "Rodney, when was the last time ya ate?"
McKay shrugged. "This morning. They haven't offered food or anything since we've been captured." Carson looked extremely worried. "Look Carson, worry about yourself, not me, ok?" Rodney's voice was soft and full of concern. He couldn't disguise his anxiety for his friend. The man was burning up, and Rodney could feel heat radiating off him. Carson was also obviously having trouble staying awake; his eyes kept sliding shut. The pain from his wound was evident in his strained face and slurred speech. They had to get him out of here, soon.
A/N: More after the holiday. MERRY CHRISTMAS! (or whatever you celebrate!)
Next chapter isthe escape! (More or less).