Chapter 8

The meeting had not been going at all like she had hoped.

"Terrorists?" Weir asked the Proconsul fighting the urge to call bullshit.

"Malcontents are a better term Dr. Weir. They see your people as an intrusion in our beliefs and values. They have isolationist views. They have made demands." Amon had the utmost concern carefully included in his voice.

"What sort of demands?" The man was enjoying the game way to much. If there was a way, she was going to make him regret this ploy.

"Some demands that do not concern you, such as release of prisoners, removal of certain leaders and so on. The one that does concern you is for medical equipment. It seems even though they find your people and other off-worlders objectionable; your technology and medical supplies are acceptable." Amon shook his head in disbelief. "Such irrational thinking."

Weir made herself the picture of authoritative: a calm yet serious exterior. "Do you have any idea where they could be holding them?"

The Proconsul also had many years of practice at presenting the exterior he wanted: worried and apologetic. "We are of course still searching and making inquiries but we do not have any trails to follow."

"Whether you think it or not, the other requests do concern me. Those are my people and I will do whatever I need to, to get them back. I hope you understand that we do not leave any one behind."

She was hoping he would capitulate and try to save face. She did not want to openly threaten them, but he was not playing nice.

"There is a list of supplies they want. Medicines including: an-te-bi-o-tics, bandages, salves, syringes, and a de-fri-ber-a-la-tor.?"

Weir's head shot up at the last item and met the uncertain expression of Amon.

"A defibrillator?"

"Ah, yes." Amon looked at her expectantly.

Weir was really exerting a lot of effort not to snatch the eyes out of the man's head. These "terrorists" had specifically asked for a defibrillator. This was maddening because she was fairly sure why Beckett and Sheppard had been taken. And fairly sure this little weasel knew exactly what was going on.

"Thank you, Proconsul, I will see what I can do. And I will do whatever I need to and get my people back. I hope I have made myself clear."

"As crystal, Dr. Weir." He stood up with his sad smile and showed Weir to the door. "We will keep trying, but these people can be ruthless."

"I am beginning to see that. When do they want the supplies?"

"By the time the sun peaks at the great spire."

"So high noon," some things translated across galaxies, "Or about one and a half hours our time." She made a final nod and left the office.

Amon closed the door and smiled.

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"I don't understand, First Mender. You can't possibly use a defibrillator indefinitely. They need to be recharged periodically or plugged in. Your society does not have the electrical capacity to do that. Besides, where are you going to get someone to let you put one of those things on them?" Beckett asked as she led him and his armed escort down the corridor.

"Well, since it worked for him once, I thought you could do it again." Gezble opened a curtain to a window in a wall.

Beckett was pushed up to the glass.

"Colonel? What the hell is wrong with you people!" He shouted. "This isn't medicine; it's the bloody Spanish Inquisition!"

"I believe we are following the scientific method. It is an experiment. We will watch, wait and learn."

Beckett looked into the room again. Sheppard sat in a chair with his hands, legs and arms strapped down. He did not see the creature attached to Sheppard in the jumper but from the descriptions this one was twice its size. It was creeping slowly up Sheppard's torso with its top legs already hanging over his shoulder.

For his part, Sheppard had his eyes closed and was taking deep breaths in through his nose and exhaling out his mouth.

"You don't have to do this, I can show you how to use the machine on a dummy, a doll," stated Beckett trying to get free of the guard holding him. "It's not even a guarantee. We lucked out; we could have fried him and just made the bug deal the death blow!"

"Dr. Beckett, we did not think you would voluntarily agree to this. I can assume by your reaction; we were correct. Why risk one of our own when your people are available." She turned back to the window. "Your people have taken faith in the Menders away. We will return that faith by finding a cure or treatment for those creatures. I will be revered once again."

"Jealousy? You are doing this because you are insecure about your standing in the community?" Beckett was astounded.

"You have taken away something very important from me…" She narrowed her eyes as she studied the scene more closely. "Interesting."

"What?" Carson looked closer as well. "Hunh."

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