A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Glad ya'll are enjoying the story. So, on with the show.

Chapter 13

With the warning siren still blaring, another sound rose above it. It was a voice. She was about to give the command to shut the alarm off, when it did so on its own. She looked back over the balcony at the group. They looked tired. No, they looked weary. And Sheppard was drowning everything else out.

"Command, directive, creator…reroute pathways…connect alternate power source…We're underwater…pathways identified…reroute…Eew, that looks like it smarts…Main power source located…need physical reconnect…no…too much…" He tried to remove his eyes again. Dex and Stackhouse held his arms down.

"I've never asked this of you…trust me…alternate crystal…section 109 panel 0019008-Alpha…I am the Alpha and the Omega." His back arched and his eyes dashed from side to side. His breathing increased. "Rerouting pathways at panel…crystal now accessible…I don't deserve this…Deserve has got nothin' to do with it."

Weir was transfixed to her spot. He switched from jargon to random statements at a frenetic speed. She was already getting tired watching him. She was not the only one watching in quiet fascination. Staff lined the balcony. The technician at the main control recalled her attention.

"Dr. Weir, the malfunctions created by Dr. McKay are either fixing themselves or getting rerouted. I think it's Col. Sheppard." The tech looked bewildered, ecstatic, and fascinated all at the same time. "He even located replacement crystals. We can reconnect the ZPM!" The young man beamed.

Weir redirected her attention back to the team. Her face was also a mixture of emotions: concern, fear, and confusion. Sheppard was still being restrained by them as he rushed head long.

Beckett's team arrived all decked out in HAZMAT gear. Stackhouse started relaying information.

"He's trying to gouge out his eyes. He's come into contact with something to make his eyes turn metallic. He also started screaming when we dialed the Alpha Site and then when we dialed here. He has not stopped since we came through!" Stackhouse yelled to the closest doctor.

Weir could barely overhear the conversation because of Sheppard's continued ravings about systems checks, over riding commands, and creator directives. Then something not related to anything would come out.

"Alien power source compatibility check complete…Okey dokey…I think I'll go make myself a sandwich."

The medics tried to check him over, but his constant flailing kept them at bay.

"Sending procedure to main console." He looked frantically around. "All I want to do is talk…reinitialize when repairs completed…should have brought my decoder ring."

As he spoke, consoles blinked, systems powered up and down until the last command. Then everything powered by the ZPM, went dark except for the main console.

"Somehow he's kept this console working…" The tech looked at his laptop and back at the main console. "He used the naquada generators. He also sent the information on finding the replacement crystals." His smile widened. "We should have everything back online in about two hours. The substitute crystals are only about a 30 minute walk from here.

Weir did not know whether to cheer, cry, scream, tear hair or stare blankly. Staring blankly seemed to be working for her right now.

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He passed out once again after the last command was given.

"Thank God," said Stackhouse under his breath. They were all beyond simple fatigue. It was more like bone numbing weariness. He looked at Kusinagi and Simpson. They would probably never want to step off world again. Couldn't blame them after today. Come to the Pegasus Galaxy! Enjoy our cullings, our dermal peeling monsters and our crazed, computer jargon spouting, military leaders.

The medical team was escorting them to a holding area just off the infirmary. He presented them a sample of the gauze, which they immediately put into a baggie. They were stripped and decontaminated, beginning with Sheppard. Blood was taken the old fashioned way, once again starting with Sheppard. He was then hooked up to monitors for his heart and his brain. They just sat or laid on the gurneys placed in the room. They were waiting for whatever came next. Why not? That was the name of the game today.

After a while, Dr. Beckett maneuvered his way into the holding area.

"This material cured third degree burns?" His voice muffled by the helmet.

They all nodded.

"Now his eyes have turned a silver color except for the pupil?" He went over and checked them.

They all nodded again.

"I need you to run me through everything that happened and how long he was wrapped in this stuff."

Each in turn, relayed everything that happened from the moment they stepped out of the Jeffries tube, until they stepped through the Stargate on Atlantis.

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McKay watched as the rescue team from Parcini was whisked to decontamination. He also noticed Sheppard was not walking.

"Good." He relished the simple, malicious statement as it escaped his lips.

After about 30 minutes, Beckett returned. Heweaved his way through the infirmary after shedding the bulky suit.

"Carson! How's Sheppard? Feel like original recipe or extra crispy?"

Beckett walked past him and up to the two marines guarding him. "You can take him back now. I'm through with him."

"What? No turn your head and cough? You're losing your touch Carson!" McKay shouted, obviously delighted.

"Take no chances with him. Stun him." Beckett did not even try to make eye contact with McKay. He went back the way he came to check the results of any tests.

The sneer turned to a glower. He realized he had let revenge cloud his judgment. Could also be these extraneous emotions; it did not matter. He was capable of adapting. He was formulating a new plan. Instead of waiting for the Wraith, he would go to them. He would let them know exactly where Earth is. And- surprise, surprise- he would let them know Atlantis is still floating. He gave the marines a superior smirk as they stunned him. He was secure in the knowledge that they would wheel him back to his little patch of heaven. Once there, he would have time to plan.

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A/N: Oh that evil Rodney, now I'm glad Teyla stunned him. What's going on with Sheppard, you ask? Oh, we will see, won't we? Tell Rodney what you think of his badness. Send messages of encouragement to Shep and the rescue team. Please review!