"He stopped breathing during the last seizure. Luckily, he restarted on his own. We need to get him to the planet and treated as soon as possible," reported Beckett to Weir. "The information we brought back has to have something."
"Eureka! It does!" Rodney exclaimed and just as quickly deflated.
Weir knew his expression well. It was his expecting cataclysmic doom look.
"What is it Rodney?" Weir cajoled.
He frowned and mumbled, "Oh he is not going to like this. Oh, this is so not good. He is going to kill."
"Rodney, what have you found?" Beckett looked over his shoulder.
"Can you read Ancient Carson? Then please back off." Rodney swatted at him.
He tried his best to compose himself. "We have to finish the download."
"Excuse me, we have to turn that lunatic of a computer back on?" Beckett asked incredulously.
"Yes. We have to let it…convince it to finish the download." Rodney stated. " And as you remember, it was not real happy with us."
"To say the least," scoffed Carson.
"That is only part of the solution. There is also fixing the damage done by the HAL 9000 wannabe. On the upside, the Health Pavilion has already provided the cure. You will be needed for that Carson."
Carson blanched, "What do I have to do?"
"Well I'm not sure yet. I haven't read that far. But when I do, you'll be the first to know." Rodney stopped and went back to studying the laptop.
Weir and Beckett just stared at each other. Rodney was right, John was not going to like this.
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"It is beautiful Father," she said.
"I traded for it on the Genii homeworld. They said it was a good luck charm. I like it better as a necklace for my very special daughter."
She beamed at him.
"I will keep it with me always."
Teyla shook her head. That necklace had been a treasure and a curse. Such a little thing had caused so much grief. Yet, she still had cherished it. Her father had given it to her.
She sat up a little straighter in the chair next to the Major's bed. Something the Pavilion had called them- abominations. That name was not new to her. A coarse merchant found out about her gift. She could not remember where they were, but her father stepped in swiftly and removed her from the place. He was furious and forbade anyone to trade with that particular merchant ever again.
He gave her the necklace soon after the incident. The machine had called them abominations. Maybe it had detected her gift through one or more of the visions.
She looked at Dr. McKay sitting across from her on the other side of Major Sheppard's bed.
"Dr. McKay," she called softly. "Dr. McKay, I may have a theory on why the Pavilion rejected us."
McKay looked up. "What? Did you say something?"
"Yes. I have a theory why the Pavilion saw us as a threat."
"You do? You have a theory?" McKay peered at her surprised.
She took a deep cleansing breath searching for her infinite stores of patience. "Yes. I believe it is because of my gift."
McKay pursed his lips. "I think your partially right. I think there maybe one more factor." He hitched his head at Sheppard. "Him."
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He hung over the railing on the upper level of the Gate room and watched McKay fall. At the same time, he was hitting the floor exhilarated the impact had not hurt. The little glowing turtle was really cool.
The next one was not cool.
"Dr. McKay, what is your plan?" He could see the young officer brandishing a lethally sharp knife. "Once again Dr. McKay, what is your plan?"
"There's no plan, just making sure everyone left safely." He all but whimpered keeping an eye on the knife.
Kolya motioned for his man and took the knife himself.
"Last chance Dr. McKay." Kolya was definitely in his self imposed ring of personal space. The panic, the abject terror and the knowledge that he was about to let everyone down. The knife hovered over the material of his jacket then plunged into his arm. He heard, felt, and was the scream.
"Sorry Sheppard," he whispered. Then he spilled his guts.
John went on to the next matinee.
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"What is the plan?" Weir asked opening up the briefing.
"We have to return to the Archival Pavilion and ask if it will help us reinitialize the psycho Pavilion," answered Rodney. "From what I've learned, they're interconnected. They relay data back and forth. Maybe it will also convince HAL to allow us to finish the download. We have to do the download first. "
"Why?"
"Because Elizabeth, we don't want to take a chance and corrupt the data. The procedure at the Health Pavilion could possibly damage the data cycling in his head." Rodney tried his best not to look annoyed.
"After the download, we need to take Major Sheppard to the Health Pavilion immediately. It should be able to heal the damage done by its sister once the visions are gone." Beckett looked at each face in the room, confidence was severely lacking. "I know it's risky but it's the only option we've got."
"Who is going to interact with the Archive?" Weir asked.
Carson tentatively raised his hand, "I've got a rapport built-up with it," he shyly answered.
She raised an eyebrow. "A rapport?"
"It likes Carson better than Dr. Kusinagi. It insulted her genetic lineage and demanded the previous scholar," smirked Rodney.
"I will politely explain that I must be elsewhere and will come back for a visit when I can," answered Beckett very flustered.
"Way to let a girl down eas…" Rodney's eyes widened and a small gasp escaped his lips.
"I can't hear you threaten to suck the life out of me, if you don't pick up the radio."
Oh hell no.
It had come across his radio as he ran to help Sheppard. His heart was already beating out of chest. He was in shock from Gall killing himself in order for him to come to the rescue. He was also on the jumper knowing full well that they might be too late for whatever was going on. Despair, impotence, terror, and anger bombarding him.
When he came to, his head was in Elizabeth's lap and Carson was holding his hand.
"I'm checking your pulse you fool! Stop trying to jerk it away!"
"Oh I really hope he isn't going through that every hour," murmured Rodney. "Because if he is…that really sucks."
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A/N: One of my reviewers mentioned HAL. Already had this written down at the time. Great minds must think alike. ; -)
Please review.