"I am Sora. I am here to see Eesle and Deriam. Their son was brought in today with a serious bug bite." Lying was not something she did easily. But there were always exceptions. If Teyla Emmagan came to visit, then who ever had taken Col. Sheppard and Dr. Beckett might get nervous. Of course, a spy might recognize her but she would take her chances.
"Are you family?" A young woman asked as she peeped through a hole in the door.
"Yes, we are cousins by marriage. Mender Dela said they were here."
"Come to the common room. I will see if they are available." The young woman opened the door and allowed her to enter.
She was led to a large room where other families were visiting with loved ones.
"Please let them know that Mender Dela told me where they were. It has been many days, too many." The young woman nodded and left.
Within five minutes, Eesle walked tentatively into the room.
"Eesle! I was so sorry to hear of your child's illness. Forgive me; I do not remember his name." Teyla made her way quickly to Eesle.
"Ganil." Confusion was evident on the woman's face and in her body language.
"Dela sent me. She wanted to know how you were. Where is Deriam?" Teyla gave Eesle her best reassuring smile.
"He is working." Eesle's eyes kept raking the room as if the furniture was about to strike.
"Will he be home later? I would enjoy seeing him again."
"Yes. After his work day ends and his visit with Ganil."
"I had a friend with me the first time we met. He was supposed to be in the town." Teyla led Eesle to a couch. "I have not seen him since our last visit. Did he come back for another?"
Eesle kept scanning the room nervously. She tensed and grasped Teyla's hands in her own. "No, but Deriam might have."
Teyla smiled warmly as if they had known one another for years. "That is good to hear. I hope Ganil will make a full recovery. When my friend comes home, I know he will want to know about him. Tell Deriam I am sorry I missed him, but will catch up later." Teyla stood up from the couch. "I must go and conclude business. Stay well."
"Thank you for the visit and stay well." Eesle turned to the door, where she had entered, and cast one last glance a Teyla.
Teyla quickly made her way out of the building and rejoined Sgt. Stackhouse.
"We may have a lead. We need to speak with Deriam."
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"Damn, they do grow 'em big here!" Sheppard exclaimed, watching the two guards enter the room. They would have given Shaq a run for his billion dollar self.
"Get up," commanded guard #1.
"Where are we going? I kind of just thought I would hang out here all day."
"Get up," guard # 1 stepped closer while putting his hand on the weapon in his holster.
"No."
Carson had been watching the exchange with a mixture of fascination and uneasiness. He was truly wondering if Sheppard had lost it. He then saw a total change in Sheppard's face. Elizabeth had told him about the man that had aimed a gun at Kolya and her. She had said she almost did not recognize the person as John Sheppard. It was the focused, calculating soldier that had come to the rescue. As soon as she was released, his affable demeanor returned as if a switch had been thrown. She had said it was scary. Carson realized that he was in the room with the soldier right now and she was right. It was scary. That face may very well be the last thing that this guard would ever see.
The guard drew his pistol and pointed it at the colonel. He stood up and started to walk. He stopped abruptly, making the guard run into him. Before the man could grunt, Sheppard spun, tripped the startled guard and knocked the man forward onto the floor. Sheppard somehow ended up with the gun. The second guard was dead with a bullet in the brain before he could move for his weapon.
'Or maybe the last thing he sees,' amended Carson to himself.
"Now, you are going to lead us out. If you don't, you will end up like your friend over there." Sheppard pressed the gun into the back of the guard's head.
"Damn," Carson said under his breath. "Colonel…"
Beckett stopped talking as First Mender Gezble shot Sheppard with a stun gun. He collapsed on top of guard # 1. She then shot Beckett.
"I will not underestimate you again, Col. Sheppard. Take him to treatment room one. Leave him here," she said to two other guards while pointing at Beckett. "I will need to talk to him later."
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