Chapter VIII: All goes to hell: Part deux

Stella stared at the Wraith from her hiding place, then she looked at Sheppard and whispered, "What about Bates and Ford? They might need help."

John was now holding his P90 close to him, and he never took his eyes off from the creature, as he replied in the same whispered tone, "Stella, I'm not in the mood to argue with you right now. Bates and Ford can take care of themselves; I have to worry about keeping us alive."

Stella moved now closer to Sheppard. "What about Bates? He could be badly hurt."

John clutched his gun tighter as the creature moved in closer. "Stella, we are the ones in danger now. And if you want some field training, the first thing you learn is to be quiet." Stella was taken aback, but kept quiet.

The creature was now moving closer, an evil sneer on his face. John knew that the Wraith could sense them, and if they didn't move soon they would be within his reach. John hid behind the column, his mind was racing in what to do. Sure, he could just shoot all of his ammunition at the creature, but what if that didn't do it and the thing sprang to life again?

John started looking around, trying to find a way to escape, at least for the time being. Then he saw it: there was a balcony right at sea level towards the center of the city. They would just need to run along the pier. Once there they could just open the door and get inside. If in the process he managed to kill the creature, better yet – no more running.

John took another look at the creature; it was getting closer. For a moment John thought that by the movements the Wraith was making the only thing left to make the scene creepier would be for the creature to say, 'Come out, come out wherever you are.'

Now the sky was growing darker by the minute, and John now took another glance at the balcony he had chosen as an escape route. Then back at Stella, "Stella," he whispered, "Can you see the balcony towards the center of the city? It's right at sea level."

Stella looked down and replied, "Yes, what about it?"

"When I give you the signal, I want you to run as fast as you can."

"What?"

"Can you do that without second-guessing me?"

Stella sighed heavily. "I hate you so much right now."

"I know."

Stella looked toward where she had to run; the pier connecting this section of the city with the central part was a bit narrow. For someone who would walk along it, it was fine, but it didn't look so safe to go running through it.

John now looked at Stella. "I don't think this Wraith will have the same meal specifications as the last one. He's alone, hungry and he'll launch himself at the first human he sees."

Stella now replied, trying to hide her panic, "That would be me!"

"But I will stay behind, and if all goes well he'll be dead before you reach the balcony. Ok?"

"Sure."

John now took another glance at the creature; it was dangerously close now. "On the count of three, Stella."

Stella looked at the balcony, then back at John, and nodded.

John started, "Once you start, don't look back. I'll be right behind you. One... two... three! Go!"

Stella started running with all the strength left in her body, and as she came into the open, she knew the creature had seen her. Suddenly she heard gunfire, then Sheppard shouting, "Stella, keep running!"

Now Stella looked back, but instead of seeing Sheppard right behind her, as she had expected, the Wraith was right behind her and Sheppard was behind the creature. "Shit!" Was the only thing that she could say.

Stella managed to gather more strength; she was now halfway down the pier. Suddenly, she felt as if someone had slammed a bat into her back. That sent her flying forward a couple of feet, but she didn't go in a straight line. When she landed, she hit the ledge of the pier, and the last thing she knew was hitting the water.

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John had given the 'Go' to Stella, and he saw her run towards the balcony. He waited for a couple of seconds to see the Wraith's reaction. At first the creature had stayed still and smirked, then the Wraith had started running towards Stella. John fired a couple of rounds, but the creature didn't even flinch at them. He just smacked John and kept running.

John was dazed for a moment and realized what had happened. He got up and saw the Wraith running right behind Stella, and shouted, "Stella, keep running!"

John was now running behind the Wraith. He didn't wanted to shoot his gun in case that he might hit Stella. The Wraith was now dangerously close to her. John knew that he must do something, but it was too late, the creature had reached her.

Sheppard now saw when the creature hit Stella, and he could only watch helplessly as she landed on the ledge of the pier and fell to the water. Now it was the moment. John started shooting all he had at the Wraith until the creature fell to the floor, dead.

John now knelt near the ledge and looked down. Stella was struggling to keep herself above water. He reached out to her. "Stella, give me your hand!"

She was trying to swim towards the ledge. "I... can't..." Stella extended her hand towards Sheppard, but she was still too far.

John kept trying to get to her. "Come on. Stella, just swim towards me. Give me your hand."

John knew that she was really trying, but her face was screwed up in pain. "I'm trying, but my leg... it hurts."

Stella moved a bit and extended her hand again, and this time she reached him. John grabbed a hold of Stella and pulled her towards the ledge. He had started to pull her up onto the pier, when Stella screamed. John looked back and saw that the Wraith was at his feet. The creature kicked him viciously.

Sheppard had landed on his back, the air was suddenly knocked out of him. He looked up and the creature was staring, he couldn't help himself. "You guys do like to play with your food."

The Wraith sneered, "How did she put it... 'We like to play hunter'.

"How do you know that? You weren't there!"

"What one of us knows, we all know. But I will not be as foolish. Why have one Lantian when I can have two? When I can have more?"

John knew the look the creature was giving him, and it sent shivers along his spine. Before he knew it he was being pinned down to the ground. John wasn't about to give up, but now he had no way to defend himself.

The creature was holding John with one hand, while with the other it ripped open his vest and jacket. The creature's hand receded, it was wide open now. John prayed for a miracle.

Then one moment he was watching death stare at him in the face, then the next, gunfire erupted and the Wraith was filled up again with bullets. John sat up and looked behind him. Lieutenant Ford and Sergeant Bates were there with their guns up, walking in a straight line towards John. Sheppard smiled and nodded, acknowledging their presence.

John then turned where he had left Stella, and she wasn't there.

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After the Wraith knocked John aside, Stella tried with all her will to keep holding on to the ledge. She was definitely sure of something, her leg must be broken. The pain was so bad that it was now overtaking her. Stella tightened her grip on the ledge, but she started to feel sleepy, tired and her eyes started to drop.

Stella felt herself floating – maybe it was the water. But there was no more pain… with a sudden jerk, she realized that for a moment she had forgotten about Sheppard and the Wraith.

Now Stella saw the Wraith hovering above her. She wanted to push him away, the creature was now closer. Stella felt her chest tighten up, and she was short of breath. She wanted to breathe, breathe and smack that evil smile off the damned creature.

Stella started to move her hands, trying to smack the creature right in the face. And she did. When she opened her eyes, Stella was now dripping wet, sitting on a pier with three soldiers looking at her with worried expressions. She was now gasping for breath, looking around her. Ford was there, Bates had now, gashes across his neck and Major Sheppard was climbing into the pier.

Then just as sudden she had woken up, the pain in her leg exploded. She cried out, holding the leg, and Bates closed in on her and pushed her back down. "Lie down Stella."

Stella was on the verge of tears. "Oh God! It hurts so much."

She saw Sheppard kneel at her side; he was dripping wet too. John took Bates's radio, and the last thing she heard before she succumbed to the pain was Sheppard asking for Dr. Beckett.

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John had decided it was best to ask the doctor before moving Stella any further. He now heard Carson's thick accent over the radio, "Major? What's the situation?"

John followed to explained what had happened to Stella. Carson ordered John to make sure if the leg was broken and the exact place of fracture. The doctor started giving instructions, and John paused and looked at Bates. "Do we still have an emergency kit?"

Bates now looked through his vest and found a small pack with basic emergency items. John looked through the items. "I need scissors."

Bates found a pair and handed it to the Major.

Following Carson's instructions, John cut the side of Stella's trousers, right along the leg. But he didn't have to search for the fracture point. Stella had a big bruise in the form of a line on the side of her thigh. John followed to informed Carson of his find, and the doctor replied, "We need to make sure, Major. Try to find the point of tenderness."

"And that is?"

"The exact point of fracture." Carson followed to explain and give instructions, and Sheppard started to gently press his fingers into the bruised area.

Because of the pain, Stella suddenly awoke with a groan.

John kept going until he found what Carson was asking for. He relayed the information to the doctor and Carson replied, "Realign it and make sure she has a strong pulse on the rest of her leg. I'll tell you how to splint it, and we'll finish up in the infirmary."

"Ok, just give me the instructions and we'll be good to go."

John signaled Bates to help him, while Ford stood over making sure that the Wraith wasn't going to wake up again. Carson started giving off the instructions to realign Stella's leg. The two men took their positions, Bates was holding the knee and John was holding the upper thigh. They pulled, and Stella screamed.

Concern shot across Bates's face. "Can't we do something for the pain? I think..." Bates now started searching the small bag and found what he was looking for. He looked at Sheppard. "We have some morphine, that might help."

John spoke with Carson about Bates's idea, and the doctor replied, "I don't think it'll be a problem. I think that 5mg should be enough."

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Stella couldn't believe how much her leg was hurting. She didn't even want to know what they were doing. Now she stared at the now black sky. Stella felt when Bates and Sheppard were grabbed her thigh, and the next thing she knew, she was screaming out in pain.

Breathe, breathe! And the pain will go away. That was almost her personal mantra when she felt a sharp jab on her other leg. She quickly looked up and saw Bates taking out a needle. "Ouch! What the hell are you doing? I already have one injured leg, I don't need you to damage the other!"

Bates put out the needle back into the pack and replied, "Calm down, Stella. I just gave you something for the pain. You will be ok."

Stella didn't stopp glaring at Bates until her world began to spin and she lay in a semiconscious state.

Sheppard and Bates now followed to finish the setting and splinting of her leg. They knew that Stella didn't even noticed when the bone fell in place or when they tried to immobilized the leg as best as they could or when Bates carried her out of the pier.

Stella was beginning to regain consciousness but felt incredibly groggy; by then they were finally inside the city and Bates placed her on the floor. Her back was resting on the wall.

John now informed control that they were moving out. When he finished he heard Stella talking to Bates. "Hi Colin..." Her voice was clearly slow and drugged, and she continued, "What's gonna happen if we don't return to Earth... and all of our soaps, deodorants and razors supplies run out?"

John smiled at the drug induced question, but chuckled at the answer Bates gave. "We're gonna be a big, hairy, stinky group."

John saw that Bates and Ford smiled at the comment. John moved towards the group, "Ok, time to move out."

Bates slowly stood up and went to reach for Stella, but Sheppard stopped him. "Don't worry Sergeant. I'll take her."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm the least banged up. It's only fair." John now reached for Stella. "Come on, Stella, it's time for a ride."

Carefully John picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Holding her carefully, not wanting to mess her leg further. She groaned a bit but then she was silent.

They were now reaching the transport doors when they heard Stella say, "Hey Bates! I have a VIP view of Major Sheppard's butt."

Silence. Nobody said a word.

John didn't know if he should laugh or remain still when he felt something, no it can't be. He felt it again… did she just pinch my butt? Then she did it again. John looked at Bates, "Sergeant, she's pinching me."

Bates was confused for a moment, then he looked at Stella. That confirmed what the Major had said. Bates grinned at Sheppard. "We're almost there sir."

But Ford couldn't control his laughter anymore when Stella suddenly shouted, "Oh! I know! Let's make a booty contest!"