From the moment he had stepped on to the disco dance floor, he was locked in place. He was never...ever...ever going near another temple, shrine or open secret bunker again. He was also going to swear off any religious ceremonies, even if Elizabeth was suffering from leprosy. She could collect all her body parts and enjoy the native hospitality herself.
A voice began to murmur softly inside his head. It was somewhat pleasant but unnerving; it was inside his head after all. "We have been waiting for your return. We have missed you."
He cringed mentally. "Sorry? I am afraid you have me confused with someone else. Who are you?"
"Forgive me, it has been so long. I am the Pavilion of Acquirement, protector and sister of the Archive. I withdraw and assimilate information, data and knowledge to be used for the greater good," replied the disembodied voice. "There has been no mistake. Prepare yourself, I will now withdraw any knowledge, data or information you have obtained."
He panicked. "What? No! Wait!" Sheppard did not have time or any idea really how to mount a defense. Warmth spread throughout the inside of his skull. Quickly, the sensation changed to a hook pulling on his brain and unraveling it like a skein of yarn.
His life flashed before his eyes. Memories of Atlantis from security codes to flushing the toilets streamed past him. Flashes of childhood, teenage angst, his first solo flight: everything was being slurped out like spaghetti. It was more than just images too; he was experiencing the physical and the emotional reactions that went along with every memory. Complete overload.
The Pavilion sent a ripple of glee through him. "So much new information. I need more."
The Pavilion continued to download his knowledge as it extended its search. Out of his peripheral vision, John saw Rodney walk up to him. The smorgasbord of information had arrived. The Pavilion's next succulent target served up with a side of fries and a Coke. 'Oh no,' was all he could think. Involuntarily, Sheppard grabbed McKay's wrist.
Sam Carter-ZPM's-Siberia-University-cat-certain doom: all sped by too fast for him to see clearly. He could feel the intensity of each emotion. All of it heaped right on top of his experiences: more overload.
'Geez Rodney, no wonder you are always in overdrive,' he thought, as the scientist's memories became his own for just an instant.
"MORE!" The computer pleaded.
'Oh God, it's insane,' John realized as the computer searched for another.
McKay's gaze fell upon Ford. Raising his right hand, he sent an arc of energy that hit Ford in the chest.
Grandma's apple pie-explosives training-losing his virginity at Prom- energy beast burning him: the last memory, if Sheppard and McKay could have screamed, they would have. Actually, they wanted to scream at the one before that too.
"You live on the home world. I need more, must have more." It gasped in the throws of ecstasy.
Aiden grabbed Teyla.
Wraith attacks-father's death-becoming leader-Jinto's birth-captive with Col. Sumner-puddle jumper-necklace…
His brain was unraveling into nothing as all four sets of experiences, memories, information and emotions now flowed over, through and out of him.
Then, the sweet murmurings stopped abruptly. The glee turned to confusion, and then rage. The Pavilion shrieked in his head, "Tainted! Defiled! Contaminated!"
The Pavilion was no longer so ecstatic at their union.
"What? Defiled? I don't understa…"
"Betrayed."
Sheppard frantically thought, "Off."
"Must eliminate."
"Exit."
"Terminate Abominations!"
"Can anyone hear me? I need suggestions!"
"Think Picard…Sleep." Sheppard could not help but smile inwardly- Rodney. He had seen that episode too. It still did not work.
"Control-Alt.-Delete." Now McKay was grasping at thin air. Still worth a try though.
The unraveling stopped. Sheppard wondered if that had actually worked, when a new sensation replaced it. It started out like the warmth he had first felt but was mutating into something much bigger, more powerful. It visualized in his mind like a large spike ready to skewer all four of them at once. No doubt, anything that represented itself like that, would kill them all.
The human brain, being a complicated organ, subscribes to self-preservation like anything else. John's brain had had enough; it short-circuited, throwing up a wall to block the sensory onslaught. The spike of energy, with no pathway to follow, rebounded back at the Pavilion. Lights flickered, circuits and conduits burned and then the entire chamber dropped into darkness. The only lights were those provided by the Parcini faithful.
"Betrayal!" the Pavilion screamed as it shut down. The arcs of energy linking the team dissipated leaving Teyla, Ford, and McKay on their knees panting. Sheppard fell straight backwards as the floor plate released him. He cracked the back of his head on the edge of the steps then started to slide down the pyramid. Groggily, Rodney's hand shot out and grasped Sheppard's pant's leg to keep him from going any farther.
From beginning to end, the entire encounter had taken only one minute.
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"Oh God, he's seizing!" McKay shouted. "Ford help me!" He was losing his grip on the pant's leg.
Ford staggered up the steps. He grabbed Sheppard by his arms and hauled him up to the top of the pyramid. Ford dropped to his knees and cradled his CO's head in his lap so it would not hit the floor. McKay held Sheppard up on his side.
"Do we need to time it? Because if we do my watch isn't working," said Rodney looking at his useless timepiece. He was still gathering his own wits about him.
Ford appeared just as dazed. "Sorry Doc, mine isn't working either."
"Doctor McKay! Lt. Ford! I have sent for Sgt. Stackhouse. He should be here soon," cried a very distraught Mirandau.
He glanced back at the Matriarch. She was weeping and scolding the team, "Bad children! Naughty children!" She tried to collapse to the floor but was firmly held by the members of the Parcini council. "She will be so cross with you!"
Trying to ignore the wailing from behind them, Ford tapped his radio, "My radio's not working. Is yours Doc?"
McKay tried his. "No, nothing."
"How about you Teyla?" Ford called down.
"Mine either." She was just pulling herself off the floor.
"Teyla can you go meet them?" asked Ford. "And send for Dr. Beckett."
"Yes!" There was no argument, just her answer and her footsteps on the floor.
"Come on Major, please stop. There be no dragons here," McKay softly whispered.
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"Sgt. Stackhouse!" Teyla called out. "We need a medical team at the temple!"
"Larin told us there's a problem," the Sergeant replied as he jogged up to her.
"Major Sheppard is injured. He is having some sort of fit," she reported.
"OK, Dennison are you still at the Gate?"
"Yes Sergeant."
"Contact Atlantis, we need a medical team to…" He turned to look at Teyla.
"The Temple of the Protector. We need Dr. Be…" She stopped and stared into space.
"Ma'am, ma'am?" Stackhouse waved his hand in front of her face. "Get that team here now Dennison!"
"…ckett." Teyla finished and blinked.
"Are you OK ma'am?" asked Stackhouse eyeing her up and down.
"Yes. Why do you ask?" She eyed him right back.
"You stopped mid-sentence and zoned out."
"I do not understand," responded Teyla mystified.
"We'll worry about it later," he motioned for her to lead the way.
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Sgt. Stackhouse's team, lead by Teyla, hastily entered the sanctuary.
"Where's the medical team? What are they doing; taking in the sights?" McKay screamed. "The Major is in real trouble!"
"I know sir. They are on their way." Stackhouse ran up the steps behind Teyla.
Sheppard would swap between convulsions and catatonia. In the catatonic state, he would stare into space displaying ever shifting facial expressions: a frown, a smile, a silent scream. It was eerie.
A clattering of wheels on the hard floor averted everyone's attention.
"Oh thank God! Did you think that we were at EPCOT and stuck on the ride in Mexico?" Rodney snapped. "He's having seizures, one after the other."
"Thank ya Rodney. Let us take care of him." Carson helped McKay to his feet and directed him towards Teyla.
A med tech relieved Ford from cradling his CO's head and he walked over to the rest of his team. All they could do now was watch and wait.
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A/N Thanks for reviewing. Still getting my feet wet and love to know what you think.