Less Than A Minute (Part 9)
Rodney lost all track of time, not that he really cared about it anyway. Visitors came and went, doctors poked and prodded, and the unending relentless streams of questions asked of him never stopped. He gave one-word answers or remained silent, ignoring everything else around him. He was just waiting for the Daedalus to return and then take him back. He was done. Finished. Useless. His leg was a mess and throbbed unmercifully. He could only imagine the hours of brutal physical therapy in his near future. Ha, there's a thought he snarled to himself. Future? What future? A blind crippled scientist was of no use to anyone. They'd never allow him to go off world again. Never let him hold ancient technology. Never…just never. He released the deeply pent up sigh that continually filled his chest. He was so damn alone in this one. There was no magic cure waiting around the next corner. What was he going to do? He released another sigh.
"Rodney?"
He recognized Radek's voice instantly but chose to ignore him.
There was a slow shuffling noise off to his side and then the sound of a chair scraping across the floor. He felt the slight draft created by someone moving nearby and without realizing it, turned instinctively in that direction.
"I know you are awake, Rodney." Radek spoke quietly. "You can not stay still even in sleep and if you keep sighing, you will use up all oxygen in room very soon."
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" McKay snapped before he could stop himself.
"Why do you care if I'm in bed or not?"
"What gave you the idea that I cared? I just don't want to have to listen to Beckett bitch about you messing up his handiwork, and somehow blaming me."
Cautiously reaching out, the Czech laid his hand on the Canadian's arm and gave him a small pat. "If you didn't care, you wouldn't have shoved me away from explosion, or helped me to breathe, or got radio and called for help."
"That was different."
"How?"
Rodney shifted away so that Radek's hand fell from his arm. "It just was."
"Not good enough answer. You tell me why now it is different," Radek demanded, trying to get his friend to show some emotion.
"Because then I didn't…" he stopped and sighed deeply once more.
"Didn't what?" When he didn't receive an answer, he pressed forward. "Didn't know that you were blind? I knew you were blind and still asked for your help."
Rodney's jaw worked back and forth and he turned his head away from the Czech.
"How long will you play this game?"
The wrapped head snapped back in Radek's direction and he could only imagine the piercing blue eyes shooting daggers at him from behind the bandages.
"How long? How long? Well, gee, there's an interesting question. Since I don't even know how long I've been here wrapped up like some escapee from one of Jackson's pyramids, drugged off my ass for days on end, not given straight answers, I don't know how long!"
"Three days," came the quiet answer.
"What?" Rodney huffed.
"Three days since explosion."
It was like the wind suddenly left his sails and he deflated back against his pillow. Three days. He'd been a blind man for three days. Atlantis was still running smoothly without him. That alone made him realize how useless he was.
"I need to get fresh air."
"What?"
"I'm going for walk." Watching Rodney scowl in his direction, Radek allowed himself a small smile. Patting the blind man's arm, he slowly stood up and began to shuffle away.
"You can't go for a walk," the Canadian said in disbelief.
"Like I asked earlier, why do you care?"
"You've got broken ribs. And what about your lungs? For Pete's sake, if Beckett catches you, you'll find yourself packed up on the Daedalus right along beside me."
There was the sound of more shuffling going away from his bed. "Radek? Don't be stupid." The sound stopped and Rodney could only imagine the Czech turning to face him.
"It is middle of night. The nurse is back in dispensary putting away inventory."
"How do you know she won't be back soon?"
"She will return in 30 minutes for next vital check."
Rodney listened to the slow hobble as it continued across the room. "You can't go by yourself."
The noise stopped again. "I'm tired of…" Radek's words halted and Rodney heard the scientist quietly groan.
Pushing himself to sit up straight, he had to wait until the sense of vertigo stopped before shifting sideways on his bed. His leg began to throb harder but he chose to ignore it. "If you're going on this stupid walk of yours, take me with you. I know that sheepherder has a wheelchair parked around here someplace. Just give me directions and I'll hobble on over and get it."
Radek glanced about the darkened room before spotting the needed item in the corner. "It is over by office. I will get it."
"No," Rodney snapped. Grateful to have the dreaded IVs gone, he slowly slipped off the bed and landed on his good leg. "I'll get it." Reaching out, he leaned forward and cautiously stretched towards the empty mattress he knew Radek had just left. When his fingertips brushed the rumpled blanket, he hopped forward and then rested against the bed. Breathing heavily, he then continued towards the next until he found himself stopped by a wall.
Radek's eyes never left the slow moving scientist and he was ready to call for help the second Rodney might fall. When said scientist actually made it to the doorway, the Czech allowed himself to smile in satisfaction, seeing Rodney do the same. "It is on your left," he directed.
Rodney grunted as he pulled the chair open before dropping on to the padded seat. Breathing heavily, he leaned down and felt for the footrest before flipping it down and easing his sore leg up off the floor. With a sigh of relief, he licked his lips and turned his head in Zelenka's direction. "How are we doing on time?"
"Twenty minutes."
"Good, good," he mumbled, using his uninjured foot to push. And with both hands on the wheels, he backed the chair towards where he heard Radek talking, "Tell me when to stop."
"Stop," Radek said in relief. He gripped the handles and leaned forward, taking some of the weight off his sore ribs.
"You sure you're up to this?"
"Yes, yes," Zelenka hissed, grateful Rodney couldn't see the sweat building up across his face from the pain.
Slowly the pair made their way to the doorway and then out into the hallway.
"Which way?" Radek asked standing and staring down the empty corridors.
"You're the seeing eye dog. Just keep us from heading towards any of Carson's henchmen or women."
"Left then."
The pair continued in silence, each enjoying their momentary freedom, even if they knew it was to come with a price. The minute Beckett discovered them gone, all hell would break loose.
SG: A
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Go away," Sheppard mumbled into his pillow, pulling it tighter around his ears to block out the insistent pounding on his door.
"Colonel Sheppard," called the unmistakable voice of one mighty P.O.'ed Scottish physician, "Wake your lazy arse up, son, and open this bloody door!"
That did it! Sitting straight up, he blinked several times to clear away the remaining vestiges of sleep before staggering over to the door and preparing himself to lay into the intruder. When the door slid open and he opened his mouth to let Beckett know how unhappy he was to be awoken in such manner, he instead found himself dragged unceremoniously out into the hallway.
"They're gone!" Carson snarled, glancing up and down the hallways as if someone might appear.
Not quite sure what had the Scot's knickers in a twist; Sheppard glanced back and forth also and then scratched his head. "Who's gone?"
"Those two bloody fools from my infirmary."
The colonel grinned at the thought. Even in pieces, those two could cause a small riot. "McKay and Zelenka?"
"Do you know of another two? Stop smiling, it isn't funny."
Sheppard grinned even larger. Somehow Zelenka must have finally broken through Rodney's wall and got the Canadian moving. Good going, Dr. Z! "Where do you think they went?"
"Well, if I knew that now, why would I be down here dragging your scruffy-haired self out of bed in the middle of the night?"
"You're not really an early morning person, are you, Doc?"
"Shut up and help me find them."
"Mind if I get dressed first?"
Beckett stared at him in contempt before nodding, "Just hurry up."
This time, wisely hiding his smile, Sheppard slipped back in his room and pulled on a pair of pants and his shoes. With his earpiece in place and running a hand over his messy hair, he joined the pacing Scot in the hallway. "Which way?"
Carson just shook his head in disgust and stalked off down the hallway towards the dining hall, leaving Sheppard to trail unwillingly after him.
SG: A
"Stop!"
More than ready to take a breather, Radek complied and leaned against the back of the chair to rest. "What is it, Rodney?"
The blind scientist held up his hand, signaling the Czech to be silent, while tipping his own head to the side to listen. Something wasn't right. Stretching out his hand, he reached out to touch the cool walls of Atlantis. "Where are we?"
Radek glanced about, "Just outside of gateroom. Why? What is wrong?"
Not able to come up with a decent explanation, Rodney shrugged. "It feels wrong. Can you help me make it to the gate?"
Blowing out a steadying breath, Radek nodded and gripped the handles to the chair. Carefully guiding Rodney into the large open room, he glanced about and didn't spot anything out of the ordinary. He did notice the night tech on the upper deck spotting them so he held up his hand, giving a curt wave as if this was nothing out of the ordinary. But it was too late, for he spied the man tapping his earpiece. "I think we have been found out."
"Hmm," McKay grunted, listening intently to the room surrounding him.
When a sharp twinge of pain gripped the Czech's ribs, he let go of the chair and made his way over to the stairwell to sit on the steps. The sound of running feet echoed from the hallway and Radek knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Beckett would find them. Waiting for the inevitable, he watched the Canadian sit quietly with his head tipped to the side before the gate. Rodney was on to something; hopefully they'd get the chance to find out what.
"What the bloody hell do you two think you are doing, sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night like a couple of errant schoolboys?" Carson snapped with fury, instantly descending upon Radek and leaving McKay to Sheppard. When the Czech held up his hand to stop the physician from helping him to his feet, he was confused, "Lad, you shouldn't be out of bed."
"No. Rodney is listening to something," Radek whispered and the Scot spun around to see Sheppard pushing McKay closer to the gate.
"Colonel?" Beckett called, his eyes darting between his two patients and the officer, but he was clearly being ignored.
Sheppard stood beside the chair and waited for Rodney to tell him what was going on.
"There's too much power," Rodney mumbled to himself before spinning his chair around and facing the tech above. "Run a diagnostic," he began to say but stopped when he got an idea. "Has anyone been working on the gate today?"
"Yes, sir," the tech called down. "Dr. Kavanaugh's team was in here earlier."
"Oh, good lord," Rodney groaned under his breath, "What has that imbecile done this time?" Turning his head back to the upper deck, he banged his fist on the armrest. "Is there a team out right now?"
"Yes."
"Have you had any contact from them?"
"No sir, they are overdue by two hours to report in, but Dr. Weir said to give them until 0600 before sending over another team."
Rodney spun his chair back around, before locking the brakes and trying to stand.
Sheppard instantly stepped in front of the scientist, pushing him back down in the chair. "McKay, what the hell are you doing? Where do you think you're going?"
Rodney's jaw stiffened as he attempted to push back. "Don't you feel it?" he snapped. "I need the latest readings. I need to know what Kavanaugh did to the gate. Radek?" he called out blindly towards the staircase.
"Give me moment," the Czech replied, looking hopefully to Beckett for help up to the control area.
Carson looked questioningly to Sheppard. "Colonel?"
"McKay, are you sure about this?"
"Yes! Now move! I think the team is trying to access the gate."
Radek and Carson cleared the top step with the Czech breathing hard, tightly clutching his ribs. Making their way over to the panel, Radek stared at the readouts and began to swear in a language the Scot was unfamiliar with.
"Zelenka, are you going to tell me what I need to know or are you going to continue with the lineage history of every bastard relative you can think of?" Rodney shouted up from the floor below.
"He's back," Radek whispered to Carson before snapping open the nearest laptop, finding what Rodney needed, and then having the Scot relay the information.
TBC
