The Weapon
Chapter 6
"Where are they?" Elizabeth Weir stood, waiting. The Stargate was open and Teyla and Ford had come through safely, followed by a rain of arrows, and then nothing. That had been three minutes ago. Not a long time in the grand scheme of things, maybe. But when you had already been waiting for two days, every extra minute seemed like an eternity. Especially now, knowing that whatever was happening at the other side of the gate, Sheppard and McKay were under fire and in danger. "If they're not coming through, then why hasn't the gate shut down?" she asked.
That was the kind of question that would usually be answered by McKay. Not this time though. McKay was on the other side of the gate. She just hoped that someone else would have an answer. "Whoever is on the other side must be holding it open somehow," answered Grodin. "Maybe they placed something part way inside the event horizon. That would stop it closing until the object is fully inside."
"Or until thirty eight minutes is up," added Weir, remembering. She stared intently at the open wormhole, "Is there any way we can shut it down?"
Grodin shook his head, "Not from this side, no. And even if we could find a way, it would cut in half whatever is holding the wormhole open. What if it's Major Sheppard or Dr. McKay?"
"Damn it. Okay, forget that idea." She tapped her foot impatiently, "So what can we do, just wait until the gate closes, then re-dial? It could be too late by then."
Grodin shrugged, looking helpless.
"Dr Weir, we've got to get back there!"
She turned around to come face to face with Ford, behind him stood Teyla, followed by a very agitated looking Dr Beckett. "Lieutenant Ford, Teyla. It's good to have you back. Believe me, I want to get Major Sheppard and Dr McKay back as much as you do, but until the gate closes, we can't open it again to go the other way." She sighed, frustrated, "I need to know everything that happened, where were you? Are the planet's inhabitants likely to hurt them?"
Beckett cleared his throat, "While I know you need to have this conversation, Dr. Weir, is there a chance you could have it in the infirmary? I need to make sure they're alright."
Weir nodded and looked to Grodin, "I want to know the instant the gate closes," she said. He nodded, and she followed Beckett and his two patients out of the room.
McKay drifted to consciousness slowly. He was laying on a hard surface, covered by a blanket. Something had been pushed under his head to serve as a pillow and his leg hurt. Really hurt. He shifted his position slightly and bit his bottom lip to stop a cry of pain escaping from his mouth. He wanted to go back to sleep, there had been no pain then, only the blissful lack of awareness that comes with unconsciousness. But it was impossible. With each beat of his heart, the pain seemed to intensify, he could think of nothing else. Especially sleep. Reluctantly, he forced his eyes open.
The first thing he saw was Major Sheppard. He was sitting close by, on the floor, leaning against a wall. "Major," he tried to say, but his throat was dry and the word came out like a croak.
Still, it had the desired effect. Sheppard turned to look at him, he looked relieved. "I thought you were going to sleep forever. How's the leg?"
He stood up, carrying a wooden beaker of water and handed it to McKay, who took it with shaking hands and drank gratefully. "It hurts," he said, when he trusted his voice to make the right sounds.
Sheppard nodded, "Arrows'll do that. I don't think they have anaesthetic, and it went in pretty deep. They've bandaged you up though, and smeared some kind of green sludge all over the wound. Apparently it stops infection." McKay nodded. The description didn't sound very pleasant, but at least he probably wasn't going to lose his leg. "Still," Sheppard continued, "I'll feel better when we're back and Beckett can have a look at it."
"Me too." He looked around the room. It wasn't the hut where they had been kept during their enforced stay in the village. "Where are we? What happened after I…you know?"
"Passed out? They dragged you back to the city. We're three storeys up, so we can't go out the window, and there's a guard at the door. I guess they thought Ford and Teyla would lead the others straight back to the village."
"I thought they were scared of the city."
Sheppard shrugged and turned around to pick up his water, as he did McKay caught a glimpse of the other side of his face. He gasped. "What happened?"
Sheppard touched his bruised eye and winced, "They weren't too happy with us for trying to leave," he said.
"You should have gone through the Stargate," McKay told him, "They won't hurt me. Well, no more than they did already. They think they need me."
Sheppard smiled, "I couldn't have left you. I'd never have heard the last of it when you got back."
"So what now?"
"We wait. Before we left the 'gate, the villagers pushed a tree branch half way inside. They must have known no one could come through and get us while it was open the other. But that was a while ago now. Most likely the team went to the village first, but they're probably on their way here by now. Even if the people don't tell them where we are, they'll guess. There aren't that other many places to hide."
"Yes, but in the city there are thousands of places. We could be in any room in any building. By the time they find the right place, we'll already have been moved. It could be months before they find us."
"That's what I like about you, McKay. Your unwavering optimism."
"I'm a realist." McKay told him, "But if you want good news, the agony from my leg wound means it will be more difficult for the villagers to move us. I'm certainly not capable of walking by myself, or moving quickly."
"Great," said Sheppard, forcing a smile, "so as long as you're in pain, things are looking up. Let me know if it starts to fade, I can always help you out."
"Very funny, but I'm more than capable of faking pain, Major."
Sheppard smiled, genuinely this time, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
McKay scowled.
