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Chapter Six: The End is Nigh

Major Sheppard woke to McKay shaking him gently with his uninjured arm. It was midmorning and the sun was bright even through the slits in the door. That surprised him since he hadn't meant to sleep so long.

"How are you feeling?" Ford asked from the stairs.

John didn't answer for a minute. He tried to sit up, but suddenly felt dizzy and woozy and had to steady himself on Rodney. The scientist hissed as he grabbed the wrong arm. "Careful!" he snapped, but stopped when he got a good look at his friend. "Major?"

"I'm fine," he lied. His head throbbed and his leg felt like it was on fire. He glanced at the injured limb and groaned. It was still bleeding. Granted it was slow and sluggish, but it was still blood loss. He probably didn't have much more to spare. He cursed inwardly; he did not have time for this.

"Someone's coming," Ford called from his lookout.

John tried to nod, but thought better of it. "Help me up." He gritted his teeth and, with Ford on one side and McKay on the other, managed to stand upright. Just in time for Gulah's return through the repaired door.

"Good morning!" he said with a nasty grin. He seemed sickeningly cheerful about their upcoming executions.

"What's good about it?" Sheppard retorted. He tried to stand on his own, but was forced to rely on Ford's support.

"Can't we get some help here?" McKay asked angrily.

"What would be the point? Soon your miserable existence will end." He gestured and a group of strong men came forward. They grabbed the three and began forcing them outside roughly.

"Hey! Watch it!" McKay cried, as one of them jostled his arm painfully. None of them put up much resistance. They no longer had the energy. Two of the guards had to practically drag Sheppard up the stairs. The experience was extremely painful and did nothing to help his headache, either.

They were taken around to the courtyard between the temple and the spring. Three wooden stakes, about six feet high, had been set up. The sight made their hearts sink. Sheppard tried to be cheerful: "Burning, huh? Isn't that a little cliché?"

"Nothing so easy, blasphemer," Gulah smiled evilly and John started to get a truly nasty feeling. Last time he'd checked, burning was not a particularly easy death.

McKay was starting to panic. He had been through too much to restrain himself any longer and started to babble is desperation. "You can't be serious! This is inhuman! Just let us go! We'll believe anything you want!"

"McKay!" Sheppard warned, but Gulah beat him to it.

"It is too late," he cackled. "Far too late." He pointed and the three were each bound to a stake. McKay cried out when his guard yanked his arm out of the sling and tied it behind him. He felt dizzy with pain and soon had to concentrate all his energy to keep himself from fainting. John didn't fair much better. Forced to stand on his own with on the minimal support from the wooden pole, his leg was screaming in protest. He fought desperately to pay attention and ignore the pain and his increasingly pounding headache.

Gulah stood in front of the crowd, proclaiming the glory of the Ancients. "Today," he said. "We cleanse our city of the filth of blasphemy. Today the Ancestors will be pleased with our faithfulness and shower us with their blessings. These traitors will remain before the mercy of the elements until they die. May the Ancestors have mercy and grant you a quick death." Gulah's tone betrayed his lack of real concern for the well being of his prisoners.

"You can't just leave us here!" McKay cried. It was already hot. By midday it would be scorching, though they would die of dehydration long before the sun killed them. It was a slow and terrible way to die, and he knew it.

"Yes. I can," Gulah spat back.

He was about to leave when something unexpected happened. Alaqi suddenly appeared out of thin air. He was dressed in a simple black and white robe. Gulah and his followers were shocked and immediately prostrated themselves on the ground.

"My Lord," Gulah said reverently. "You bless us with your presence. To what do we owe this great honor?"

Alaqi said nothing, but he frowned deeply and crossed his arms in anger. Gulah started to lose confidence. "Have we displeased you, my Lord? Truly we are most devout worshippers."

"Why are these people being treated with such cruelty?" Alaqi's voice was hard; he spoke with absolute authority.

"Please, my Lord. We only desire to honor you." Their was a touch of fear now in Gulah's once commanding voice.

"By killing innocent bystanders?" he asked angrily, his voice rising in volume. "You call that honorable!" The crowd cowered as if they expected to be smitten at any second. Alaqi started to say more, but then his face twisted in surprise. His body began to fade as if pulled by an invisible force.

"My Lord!" Gulah cried in horror.

Alaqi turned to John. "Remember your promise." His voice was soft and almost desperate. Then he was gone.

The people wailed in lament. A few even began to proclaim that it was end of them all. Gulah, however, stood transfixed. His perfect little world had suddenly shattered. Everything was crumbling out of his control and he could not seem to stop it. A burning anger welled up in his heart. It wasn't fair! He had everything planned! He collapsed to the ground in despair. Why did it all have to go so horribly wrong?

X X X

Beckett, Teyla and Ree'an were riding in one puddle jumper, while Bates and his team rode in another. As they cruised over the city, they could make out a crowd surrounding the central spring. There, tied to three tall poles, were their missing friends. They looked terrible and, for a moment, Ree'an thought they had come too late. Then she saw them moving and she let out a breath in relief. The people around them were crying and wailing as if they thought it was the end of the world.

"What're they doing?" Beckett asked with some surprise. "We're still cloaked, aren't we?"

"I do not believe it was us," Teyla said. "Something else is going on."

One man near the front of the group rose up and began shouting. His hands flew about in wild gesticulations. Some of the people looked up and watched him.

"What's he saying?" Beckett asked. The whole scene was started to make him nervous and he desperately wanted to reach his friends.

"I do not know," Teyla said. "But I do not like it."

"I don't think we should wait to find out," Ree'an said "We need to get them out of there."

"Agreed," Teyla said. "Sgt. Bates? Can you distract the crowd while we rescue Major Sheppard and the others?"

"Will do," he responded. "But be quick."

The second jumper appeared and was instantly spotted by several people below. They screamed and soon the entire crowd was turned in its direction; away from the prisoners.

Carson frowned in concentration and gently landed the jumper behind the stakes with its rear hatch facing them. As soon as it was down, the three rushed quickly outside. Now they could hear the terrified screams of the gathering. Teyla could see Gulah nearby. He was trying desperately to regain control of the crowd and failing.

Teyla, Beckett, and Ree'an went quickly to their friends' sides and started to cut them loose. Ree'an had Lt. Ford free in no time and the two started to retreat back to the jumper. Teyla took a bit longer to release McKay because she was struggling not to distort his broken arm any further. Rodney made a few painful noises, which thankfully were drowned out by the crowd.

Dr. Beckett had gone to Major Sheppard, but the man was almost completely out of it. The stress had caused his leg to bleed freely again and he had started to lose consciousness. Carson had to practically carry him as they made their way slowly back to the jumper.

It wasn't fast enough. As Ree'an and Ford disappeared into the jumper, Gulah turned and saw them. "The traitors are escaping!" he screamed. "Kill them! They betrayed the Ancestors!" Almost at once the crowd rose up and roared with anger. Spurred by fear and anger they rushed towards the escaping prisoners. Gulah himself, to his shock, was swept up in the mob as they charged forward. No one had any control anymore; it was complete chaos.

Teyla and Rodney just managed to reach the jumper, but Carson and John were quickly buried under the tide of angry men, women, and even children. "Major! Dr. Beckett!" Teyla cried, but they had both disappeared in the swelling mass of bodies.

Ree'an stood frozen in horror. Her mind worked feverishly. They'd be killed! She had to do something! But what? Ford and Teyla tried to push their way through the crowd but kept getting pushed back. The people didn't even seem to noticed the invisible jumper.

The jumper! That was it! Ree'an rushed to the control panel and sent a rapid order to the machine. The jumper decloaked, but that only caused some of the nearby people to stop. Many were too distracted to see even this sudden appearance. Ree'an felt her anger rising. How could they be so stupid! They should be trying to fight the Wraith, not each other. In sudden fury, she fired two drones up into the air. The yellow missiles rose above the mob and started down towards the mob.

"What are you doing!" Ford shouted at her. "You'll kill the Major!"

Ree'an snapped back in panic. The drones changed direction in midair and struck each other instead. The impact exploded with a loud boom and a shower of sparks only a few feet above the heads of the crowd. People screamed and fell back in terror. Teyla and Ford ran back out and pulled their friends to safety. "Get us outta here!" Ford cried, when they were safe aboard.

Ree'an took a deep breath and cloaked the jumper again. Then she took off. The jumper soared smoothly at her unspoken commands. This was better than the Wraith dart...much better. The jumper seemed to feel which way to go. It was truly amazing.

Major Sheppard barely noticed the movement. He was rapidly losing his grip on reality. He heard concerned voices, but could no longer discern what they were saying. As his world faded, his last thoughts were: 'Oh no. Not again.'

TBC

AN: I know, I know. Shameless use of a Hitchhiker's quote. I just couldn't resist! One more chapter to go! Many thanks to Vilya, Janet, Jedi, Snow'sCat, and everyone else who left me reviews. Your support has meant a lot to me. Thanks so much!