Time
Major Lorne looked up to the heavens and rejoiced. A crisp clear communication from the Daedalus announced its arrival. He was immediately beamed up to the bridge to deliver his report in person.
"Major, glad to see you in one piece and solid," greeted Caldwell with a tongue-in-cheek lilt in his voice.
"Yes Sir," he returned an acknowledging nod to his superior officer.
"Where do we stand Major?"
"We have a diagnostic repair program running on the cubes. We repelled a small attack on the monastery by the local Gestapo. And now Sir, we have to steal a relic from the head of the local Gestapo, Chancellor Refra."
"Is that all?" The Colonel seemed slightly amused yet concerned.
"Oh, we have a time frame. Apparently, the cubes are going to evict Col. Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon within the next twenty-four hours. According to our last communication with Atlantis, their bodies are…well…defrosting."
"Yes, I received that report as well." Caldwell stood up from his captain's chair. As absurd as the situation was, he would not forget its graveness. "What do you need us to do?"
Lorne grimaced and squinted at Caldwell. "A little B and E…Sir."
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Zelenka sent the information on the Caen to the Daedalus. Hopefully, they would be able to use his research with ease. Hermoid would definitely be able to use it, easy or not.
He had been studying the Caen while the cubes recharged and the repair program ran. A mechanism similar in design to the ones on the vessels was attached. Once again, he came to the conclusion whoever designed this was very clever.
The instrument itself injected a compound similar to the Wraith enzyme to prepare the body for the extraction. It was different because if the person did not chose this honor it would preserve the body until they could be returned. Once again a mental component in Ancient technology that Sheppard had activated.
He also figured out how Sheppard could control it without any DNA. Well that was not exactly true. The DNA had been attached to the blades on the scepter. When the Venerable inserted the scepter into the cube, it recognized the ATA gene. He guessed that the scepter was not cleaned between each Sacrifice and it contained a little Sheppard DNA mixed in with Teyla's and Ronon's. Or it registered since Sheppard had already declined that they would too. This was all speculation though. It was just a good thing it registered their refusal too or they would not have bodies to return to.
He took a bite off a Power Bar and stared at the prayer candles. The vessels themselves reminded him of Jell-O cubes except they did not jiggle or wiggle. That would have freaked him out even more than when he saw Teyla and Ronon for the first time. Their ghostly forms were mind boggling enough. He did not think he would have been able to handle such a predicament.
He studied their power utilization on and off the rack. He extrapolated that they could last about 70 minutes without the charging base. Sheppard's would be less due to damage that could not be repaired. As long as they remained where they are, it would be fine until the inevitable occurred.
They could not leave by the Daedalus which was obvious from the start. The Stargate was the only way of salvation for the team. Homecoming one way or the other would not be long now.
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Lorne saluted Caldwell as he was beamed from the ship and directly into the High Abbot's apartments. Even though he expected Major Lorne's entrance in this manner, the High Abbot wore a surprised expression on his face. It did not stop him from asking the question of the hour.
"Can you do it?"
"Oh yeah. We need to wait until the cubes can travel then we can get out of your hair," replied Lorne. He sucked in his top lip in contemplation. "Can we use two of the Protectors when we visit Mina? I think they may help to get our point across a little better."
The High Abbot nodded in agreement before answering, "I know who to take."
A knock at the door halted the conversation.
"Enter."
A novice entered and held up a small piece of paper. "High Abbot, a note has come from Chancellor Refra."
The older man let out a deep aggravated sigh. "Thank you novice."
The young woman left and the High Abbot opened the paper. He snorted and shook his head. He handed the note to Lorne.
He read it and chuckled indignantly.
To the High Abbot and Invaders,
We are reasonable people. A bargain must be reached. You need the Aeble and I need the Protectors.
I will exchange the scepter for 3 Protectors. It is an equal trade. We will meet outside the western gate at midnight.
Chancellor Refra
"Is he serious? This asshole thinks he can blackmail us?" Lorne was angry. He was tired of this planet. He was tired of being on the defensive. He was tired of the Pegasus Galaxy making them its bitch. "You realize he won't stop there. He needs the base."
"Yes."
"Dr. Zelenka, let me know as soon as Col. Sheppard is ready to be moved."
"Of course Major."
"Daedalus this is Major Lorne."
"Go ahead Major."
"Can you scan the Stargate?" Lorne paced around the abbot's apartments. He was going to make sure that when it was time to go, there was nothing in the way.
"Seems they have four large guns placed around the Gate and about 50 troops stationed there."
Son of a bitch.
"Yeah, thought so. We just received a note from the Chancellor. He wants to make a trade. Sir with your permission, I'm not negotiating with the bas…gentleman. We will remain on the original plan."
"Granted Major. We'll lend any support necessary," Caldwell answered.
"Thank you Sir. We'll be in touch."
Lorne turned to the High Abbot and excused himself. He stalked down the corridor. He was past angry and into livid. He was going to take that note and shove it up Refra's…
"Sir!" Lorne stopped short and watched Stackhouse approach.
"Jumper's packed just waitin' on the rest of the luggage." He grinned for the first time in a while.
Lorne forced a grin back. Stackhouse had taken the condition of Sheppard's team particularly hard. If anything made the young man smile then he was not going to deny him that.
"When Zelenka gives the go, we're retrieving that fork and hitting the friendly skies."
They continued down the hall shoulder to shoulder. Yep, that note was getting shoved right up Refra's ass. Too bad they needed to take the dinner fork with them.
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Radek watched the monitors and the console. It finally indicated the program was complete. He smiled proudly and reached for his earpiece to call Major Lorne.
"…OUT!"
Radek was so frightened by the sudden outburst; he spun around, tripped backwards and fell into the wall. Williams came running into the room with his gun raised and searching for the intruder.
Before them stood Col. Sheppard, his eyes shifting wildly from object to object in the room. After two or three seconds he gave a demented giggle. To Williams and Zelenka, his behavior was alarming.
The smile that curled across his features was of one possessed. Sheppard could have been a pasty, demonic clown beckoning to passersby at a sideshow carnival. All that was missing was the red hair and bulbous nose. Alarming was swiftly twisting into frightening.
"Sir? Col. Sheppard?" Williams cautiously said while remaining very still. He shot Zelenka a warning glance that commanded don't you dare move.
Williams kept his P90 raised as he watched his ghostly superior continue to take in his surroundings. Sheppard's gaze finally fell on him.
"Lieutenant?" Then he caught Zelenka out of his peripheral vision. His total demeanor changed into a jovial Casper.
"Hey Dr. Zelenka!" And just as quickly, Sheppard's face shifted from happy recognition to uncertainty to fearful concern. "Where's McKay? No offense but why isn't he here? Is he OK?" Concern contorted into menace.
Zelenka kept his back to the wall unsure how to answer.
Williams spoke up instead.
"He's resting in the infirmary Sir. The last time Maj. Lorne and I saw him, he was recuperating from his injuries."
Sheppard faced Williams and narrowed his eyes at him. The Lieutenant kept his face emotionless and returned the Lt. Colonel's stare. He knew what this man could do in this form. He saw Arna Gezble's body after Sheppard protected Brother Mede. He saw the smear of blood that trailed down the wall where her head met it- the back of it completely caved in. He saw how the rest of her body was distorted from the numerous broken and crushed bones- not unlike the colonel's own body back on Atlantis.
Zelenka finally found his voice. "Col. Sheppard, we're under a time constraint. Rodney's safe. Dr. Beckett's taking care of him. You, Teyla and Ronon, however, aren't. The cubes are preparing to release you whether you've a place to go or not. We must get you back home as soon as possible."
Radek slowly picked himself up off the floor as he kept his eyes squarely on the phantom in front of him. "Your cubes are ready to be transported and we'll be retrieving another one of the scepters very soon."
Apparently, Sheppard had no clue what Zelenka was talking about. Confusion now ruled supreme on his face.
Williams stepped tentatively into the room and lowered his weapon. Realizing Sheppard had been out of the loop for a while, he decided to get right to the point.
"Sir, the Daedalus is here; we have a Puddle Jumper; and we know how to get you back into your body. So Sir, let's get this show on the road."
"Oh, OK. Thank you Lieutenant." His reply was remarkably light compared to the unstable mental patient he portrayed just a few seconds ago. Sheppard relaxed, nodded and returned to his confinement. No argument, no questions, he just acquiesced. They were back to alarming.
Zelenka and Williams stared at each other for a good 15 seconds before Zelenka tapped his earpiece.
"Major Lorne, it's time."
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D.C. was in full bloom and dying.
"Darts, darts everywhere and I see something to drink." Rodney was energized; she was running down the steps of the Capital.
"Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, it's nice to see you!" He walked with a purposeful gait right up to her. He grabbed her in a bear hug and gave her a good Russian hello with an exuberant kiss on each cheek.
"Dr. McKay," she said his name like an expletive. "What are you doing? Don't you see what's going on?" She frantically tried to pull away from him.
"Oh you don't have to worry about that much longer," he said softly while gesturing towards the sky. He leered at her hungrily.
"What? Why?" Her eyes searched his face obviously not liking what she saw.
"You won't be here."
His hand planted firmly between her breasts and he fed.
He cradled her like a baby as they dropped slowly to the sidewalk. This was sweeter than Lorne. He trembled with the anticipation and the inexorable fulfillment. She withered and screamed until her voice turned just as dusty as her skin. The sweetness left and a new feeling snaked into his being. His satiation ruined by it.
"No, no, no, no, it couldn't be."
Remorse sucker punched him in his conscience and in his heart.
"No, no, no, no. I don't care. I don't care. They mean nothing to me."
He stood up and just stared at the corpse.
Revulsion.
Despair.
Attachment.
Guilt.
Confusion.
Sheppard snuck up behind him. "Let's move on."
"No."
"Let's go see Jeannie."
"NO!"
"McKaaay, come on, let's go see L.A. or Miami or London or Moscow or Dublin…" He basically whined as he ticked off each name.
"Shut up!"
Sheppard turned him around so they could face each other. "Pleeease. Pretty please with a cherry on top." Sheppard's eyes darkened and bore into Rodney, his voice losing any hint of a whiny tone.
"We need to talk," replied Rodney shaking.
"Then let's go have a seat and a good ol' fashioned heart to heart, buddy." Sheppard put his arm around Rodney's shoulder.
The invitation was chilling and definitely unfriendly despite the familiarity in the gesture.
"Yes let's."
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A/N: All aboard! Let's get our Jack-in-the-boxes home. And tell Refra what he can do with that note! Sorry Sam, couldn't miss an opportunity to make you Wraith yum yums.