Strange Bedfellows
A/N: I should have explained this earlier, but I didn't want to give too much away. The title of this fic comes from a saying 'politics make strange bedfellows', or at least something like that, lol. Anyway, it means that politics have a tendancy to create unusual alliances depending on what one party or the other needs. Now everyone nod and say "ahhh, I see now!"
Warning: A reminder this fic is rated PG-13 for language. I drop the f-bomb a couple of times in this chapter, so shield your virgin ears…or eyes in this case. ;) Oh, and some of the whumping begins, not too much, but some.
mtee1958: Ok, you get some points for realizing he was a baddie. :)
dark faith5: Thanks! I don't think I've ever been an object of addiction before, lol. I guess that's good...? :)
Joey's girl: I thought I gave too much away, phew!
ur-southern-belle: Leave it to John indeed to figure out who the bad guy was and not be able to do anything about it. Poor John...
Mac2: So encouraging! That's why I'm staying up WAY to late to write the next chapter!
highonscifi:Noooo! You figured it out! Whaaa! Kudos though. "What are you, smart?" :) Btw, I liked the part in Behind the Stargate where Rainbow does his little dance in front of Joe. LOL!
Espiritu: You think that cliffie was bad, you should see this one, haha!
MNTalbert: Just make sure you read this chapter slowly. It's got a lot of info. Trust me, my brain blew up after writing it.
Chapter 8: Ultimatum
"Major Sheppard, Dr. Weir. How good it is to see you again," Hergon greeted callously. The leader of the Klaans strode purposefully through the entrance, followed by another human and two Wraith.
Elizabeth did not attempt to hide her shock. She had initially thought Hergon was taken prisoner just as they were, but his unmistakable control of the situation quickly changed her mind. He was not a captive, he was a captor. Everything about him -- his arrogant posture, his composed gait -- screamed control. It took her several moments to fully process that there were humans standing side by side with Wraith, humans that weren't getting the life sucked out of them. She couldn't fathom how or why this unusual coalition of races existed. 'Unusual' wasn't even the right word. It was wrong; two sworn enemies, dating back to the days if the Ancients, were now allies? How could anyone partner with such vile creatures? she pondered, thinking of the Wraith. But she was now beginning to believe her description of 'vile creatures' applied to Hergon and his people as well.
The mixed party of Wraith and men pushed through the doorway, herding Elizabeth and John to the center of the room. Tiny and the other Wraith took post at the rear of the room while the two Klaans took their places in front. The door shut with a resounding thud, and Major Sheppard and Dr. Weir were now caught between not one but two enemies.
"You know," Hergon began, "when I had told you that I had hoped to see you again soon before you left our village, it was not a lie. Although you must admit now that there was more to that seemingly innocent statement than you realized at time," he said in amusement. Cleary he was enjoying their plight.
John said nothing. He didn't see what was so humorous about the situation.
"Then you departed our town so early that morning that I wasn't so sure we would be meeting again after all. But luckily, for me that is, I had contacted our dear friends the Wraith the previous night, apprising them of my situation. I had guests in my custody from the City of Atlantis, the City of the Ancients. Guests who, according to Dr. Weir, could also operate Atlantis technology. It was too good an opportunity to pass up, you see."
John said nothing. He cocked an eyebrow at Elizabeth. She told them whatIt was bad enough she had let them know they were from Atlantis, but he couldn't really blame her for that. He mentally kicked himself, however, for not leaving the night of the dinner as he had intended. If they had, they wouldn't currently be up shit creek without a paddle.
Hergon continued. "The Darts, as you call them, arrived just in time it seems. I told them that at least one of your people could operate the technology and one of you was Atlantis's leader. I simply described the two of you to them, and here we are," he finished, clapping his hands together once and smiling.
John said nothing. How could he possibly know that one of us has the Ancient gene and that the other is Atlantis's leader? He flashed back to when they were about to leave the town on the planet Klaan. As he was preparing their gear for departure, he remembered Hergon asking Teyla if there was anything they would need before they left. John, ever alert, had heard her reply, "I shall ask our leader." She had then walked over to Elizabeth, who had been standing next to John. They both had taken up his offer, both going to ask him about the Wraith. Son of a bitch… John thought. Hergon, too, had apparently been alert, picking up on every detail of their expedition. From that short, harmless offer he had presented, Hergon had there and then narrowed the list of Atlantis's leader down to two people: John and Elizabeth.
But that didn't answer the question of how he knew which one of the team had the ATA gene. The answer hit John like a ton of bricks. During that same conversation with Hergon, John had told him, "We've got a Puddle Jumper to fly," just before they left. 'We,' not 'I.' Again, Hergon had just narrowed the list of who the possible operators of Atlantis technology down to he and Elizabeth. Unbelievable. The two most valuable pieces of information had inadvertently slipped out during a meaningless conversation.
"It is quite a shame, however, that we have to meet under these circumstances," Hergon went on.
"And why is that?" John asked, speaking for the first time.
Hergon looked at him and simply said, "Because by the time this is all over, someone in this room will be dead."
"My sympathies to your family," Sheppard said without missing a beat.
The other human quickly walked up to Sheppard and brutally backhanded him across the face. The Major's already busted lip began to bleed more freely. He coolly wiped the blood from his mouth and glowered at his attacker defiantly. The human was in his late twenties it seemed with short flaxen hair and dark brown, almost black eyes. As Elizabeth rested a supportive hand on his back, John realized this was the local she had been talking to just prior to their departure. Small world, John thought wryly.
"Quite a sardonic wit we have there, Major," Hergon taunted. He then turned to his underling. "Thank you, Kropol, that will be all for now."
John was tempted to spout a comeback, but the look of concern and warning on Elizabeth's face convinced him otherwise. He decided to remain silent, straightening up and staring straight ahead.
Hergon took note. He thought this soldier's pathetic attempt at bravado was most amusing. "Now that we have all the pleasantries out of the way, what do you say we get onto business?"
Elizabeth snorted at the irony. Less than a week ago, this same man had insisted on adhering to the Klaans' time-consuming trading customs which had cost them several days on the planet. Even their feast had taken five hours. Now when he wanted something he was suddenly the world's most expeditious man. She marveled at the incongruity of it all: this was the polar opposite of the side of Hergon had let them see before. They all had been played. Almost all of us, she corrected herself. She looked at John who was still staring calmly ahead. If I had only listened to him…. Hell, he flat out told me there was something shady about this guy. And I ignored him.
"Tell me something, Hergon," Elizabeth spoke up, her voice steady and even. She hoped it wouldn't betray her true fear. "Why ally yourselves with the Wraith? What's in it for you?" This truly was her field: diplomacy. Despite the current the threat, the political animal in her needed to know.
Hergon smiled as if the answer was obvious. "It is simple, Dr. Weir. The Wraith are the most powerful force in the galaxy. Every world will eventually succumb to their might; they are unstoppable. But we have made a pact with the Wraith, a pact which offers my people exemption from their harvests in return for information that we give them on feeding grounds -- locations, populations and such -- and in your case, on their ancient foe."
Elizabeth couldn't believe what she had just heard. Hergon had just said that they provide the Wraith with information on fellow human villages so the Wraith could feed upon them. She was revolted.
Apparently, John felt the same way. "You sell out your own kind," he stated with an air of disbelief and loathing. "You're one cold son of a bitch, you know that?"
"One does what one must, Major."
"And all that talk about your people praying to your Gods for protection?" Elizabeth asked. "It was all just a front? A lie?"
"Not entirely, no," Hergon answered. "Besides, I prefer the term 'half-truth.' Most of my people do pray to our Gods to keep them safe, only because that is what they believe in. They do not know better. None but a handful of people on our planet know of our alliance with the Wraith."
"You don't think you actually have a genuine alliance here, do you?" John continued. "Let me tell you something about the Wraith: they are heartless, they are unfeeling, and they are unforgiving. And they don't give a damn about you or your people, so don't think for one minute that won't suck you dry if they think you look tasty enough." At this, Tiny hissed at him from across the room, but he continued anyway. John was not one to be intimidated, by either species. "What do you think will happen when their food supply runs out? When you stop finding worlds they can cull?"
"Major Sheppard, I can assure you their food supply will not run out anytime in the immediate future. In fact, that is where you come into play." He addressed the both of them now. "You have some information we need, and you will give it to us or you will become the Wraith's next meal." He said it plainly as if it was inevitable.
While Hergon spoke, John studied Kropol, the man who had hit John. He stood smugly behind his superior and eyed Elizabeth from head to toe. He was actually leering at her with a look in his eye John didn't take to kindly to. It disgusted him. Right now John just wanted to slam Kropol up against the wall and wipe that look off his fucking face--
Hergon's words snapped him back to the present. "Now of you don't mind, I would dearly love to know which one of you has the Ancient gene and which one of you is Atlantis's leader."
Elizabeth and John remained silent, eyes fixed on a spot they had each picked on the opposite wall.
Elizabeth figured that there was something more they wanted than just information. Why else would they need the ATA gene? Whatever the case may be, she wasn't about to volunteer that John had it.
John guessed that Hergon and his men must believe the leader of Atlantis knows the most about the city, which was probably the case. They were hungry for intel -- and Atlantis had plenty of that on various subjects -- and the Wraith… well, the Wraith were just hungry. He theorized that as long as they didn't know which one of them was Atlantis's chief executive, they wouldn't get any information from them. With any luck, they'll think because I'm military that I'm the city's commander and hopefully Elizabeth can be left out of this.
Hergon pursed his lips in annoyance. He didn't like not getting what he wanted, but he could be patient if he had to be. "I will ask you again: who has the gene and who leads Atlantis?"
Again, he was met with silence.
Hergon walked slowly over to Elizabeth, moving at a leisurely pace to heighten her anxiety. "What about you, Dr. Weir? I had thought we had built up quite a trusting relationship over the past few days."
John watched, sickened as Hergon trailed a finger down her cheek. She visibly shivered under his touch but kept a brave face, determined not to let them see her distress. His finger moved slowly down her neck to her shoulder…. Chivalry demanded that John do something before Hergon's finger wandered any further, but before he took more than one step in her direction, Elizabeth fist came flying from behind her back and connected squarely with the Klaan leader's face.
Nothing happened for the next few moments. Hergon fell to the floor from the force of the blow, blood splattering outward from his newly-broken nose. The remaining two Wraith and two humans stared at the downed man in disbelief, John included. He didn't think she had it in her. He admired her composure and outright ballsiness during that unpleasant scene but was jealous he didn't get to hit Hergon. Remind me to never piss her off again, John mentally noted. He cocked an eyebrow her way and mouthed "nice shot" to her.
"Thanks," she mouthed back with a smile. It had felt good to floor the bastard. Now everyone was staring at her, shocked and silent. Even the Wraith had looks of confusion on their faces, which was quite comical to Elizabeth. She had never seen such self-important creatures look so unsure.
The next events happened seemingly at once, a stark contrast to the lack of activity of the last few moments. The looks of shock turned to those of fury, most notably on the face of Hergon. He jumped to his feet the same time the Wraith began to hiss. The whole room was in an uproar. It seemed if everyone was closing in on Elizabeth.
John stepped in front of her, using his arm to push her behind him and to the side. He had hoped to deter anyone from attacking her. He technically got his wish when Hergon's hand grabbed hold of his neck and slammed him into the nearby wall. He began to squeeze, cutting of John's air supply, when John kneed him in the groin. Hergon dropped his grip on John's neck and stumbled back in a half-crouched position.
John turned to his right in time to see and avoid Kropol's incoming fist. He ducked under it and crash-tackled Kropol to the floor. He heard something metal hit the floor, and as Kropol rolled to the side, he saw what it was. The man had Sheppard's 9mm tucked in his waistband behind his back. Son of a bitch! John thought as he delivered a blow to the Klaan's head to keep him subdued. The Klaan being a simple people, John doubted that Kropol knew how to use his gun. He was probably just keeping it as a souvenir because he thought it looked cool.
John turned his head to see Elizabeth kick a hunched over Hergon in the face. She was near enough to the door…. John's plan was to grab his pistol and make for the door with Elizabeth. After that, he had no idea. He supposed they would have to find a hiding spot. John reached for his Beretta, but wasn't able to pick it up before large hands wrapped around him and hoisted him off the floor.
Tiny slammed John down back-first on the table so hard that he was surprised it didn't break under the force of the impact. The wind was knocked out of him and he heard something crack in his side. He grimaced from the pain but refused to give the Wraith the satisfaction of hearing him cry out. Tiny's hand remained firmly on John's chest, pinning him down. The only thing keeping the Wraith from feeding on him -- the only thing keeping John alive -- was his thin, mud-caked, black shirt.
The second Wraith -- John had decided to call him Wraith Number Two -- now had Elizabeth in a firm hold in front of him with her arms pinned behind her back and his hand around her throat. She strained to get free but the grasp on her was too strong.
John struggled, too, also in vain. He pushed with his hands against Tiny's arm but he could not dislodge the Wraith's hand from his chest. He kicked out with his legs, but Tiny was positioned so that he connected with nothing but air.
Hergon rose once again from the spot on the floor where he had landed when Elizabeth had last kicked him. His face was a mess: blood flowed from his lip and nose, which was bent at an unnatural angle, and one eye was beginning to close. Elizabeth had apparently done some real damage. Serves him right, John thought. He had just wished he had been able to get his hands on the fucker before the Wraith caught up to him.
Kropol had awoken, too, and had gotten to his feet. He looked dazed and confused but was aware enough to pick up Sheppard's pistol from the floor and tuck it back into his waistband. For a long while, no one spoke or moved. The only sounds were John's heavy breathing and his occasional struggle to get free. Even Elizabeth had given up and now stood scared stiff in Number Two's clutch.
Hergon finally broke the silence. "I will make this very simple for you. Dr. Weir, you will tell me what I wish to know or I will let the Wraith feed upon Major Sheppard."
Elizabeth's eyes widened at Hergon's words. As if to solidify the threat, Kropol walked over to where John was lying on the table. Even against his backlashes, Kropol was able to unzip John's shirt. His upper chest was now completely exposed to the Wraith. If Tiny decided to move his hand up a few inches farther….
Elizabeth stared in horror at the table where John was restrained. He had stopped struggling and was now looking at the ceiling.
"You have ten seconds to decide, Dr. Weir."
Shit. Hergon had just issued her an ultimatum, and she didn't know what to do. She, the master thinker, the expert at finding solutions to outwardly unsolvable situations, was torn.
"Eight seconds."
"Liz, don't," John urged calmly but squarely.
"You will not speak, Major Sheppard. Six seconds," Hergon informed her. Once again, he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.
Elizabeth's heart was split. On one hand, she could spare the lives of countless humans by denying the Klaans the information they sought, but in doing so condemn John to death…
"Four seconds, Dr. Weir."
…or she could tell them she was the leader of Atlantis and John was the one with the gene, thus saving John's life -- at least temporarily. But then the information they would no doubt force from her would kill thousands upon thousands of innocent people…
"Three seconds."
"Liz, I mean it." It was John again.
"Do not speak!" Kropol warned.
Elizabeth's head spun as voices swirled all around her. Which one should she trust?
"Don't tell them anything. Nothing, you hear me?" Major Sheppard asked her.
"Two."
"I said do not speak!" Kropol screamed angrily, pulling John's gun from his waistband and holding it above him menacingly.
"Not a goddamn thing, Elizabeth!" John warned.
"One."
"Liz, don't--" The last thing Major Sheppard remembered was the sight of his own gun being pointed at him beforehis world went black.
TBC
Oooohhhh, I'm so evil! So what happened? I could really be mean and have you wait two more chapters to find out if I make the next one about Ford, Teyla, and Rodney….hmmmm….. Review if you please! ;)
PS: Has anyone noticed that I really like those '…' things? Ellipses are they called? They're so fun!
