Chapter 36
Beckett couldn't believe it and words couldn't describe how he was feeling right now. He smiled at her. "How?" he asked as he got to his feet, helping Kiki to her own and she looked round her new surroundings. Well, not exactly new but they looked different when you could actually see the detail. "I must confess I do not know," Kiki finally answered turning back to him. "It happened when I came in here." She gestured around the room. "There was a bright light and someone was speaking to me yet I did not understand the language, not at first."
"What did this person say to you?" Beckett asked.
"They told me not to be afraid," she answered bravely. "I didn't fear and then before I knew it, I opened my eyes and found myself staring at my hands. Only this time, they were different."
"Do you think that they somehow healed you?" Beckett said, still remaining extremely sceptical. Kiki offered him a shrug and a smile then it faded slightly. "However I have good news," she answered taking a hold of his arms. "I believe I can find a way to help Doctor McKay. We must return to him."
"That's impossible Kiki, I'm a medical doctor and I'm afraid I've done all I can for him. He's vitals are all over the place, his unresponsive." Beckett looked up at her, taking her by the shoulders. "I'm afraid that he isn't going to make it, regardless of whether we get him back to Atlantis or not."
"I can save him."
"Kiki, I know you mean well but you're just a girl. Doctor McKay has slipped into an unconscious state, it's only a matter of time before he goes into a coma."
"You are wrong," Kiki answered firmly and pulling away from him. "I shall prove it but we must return." She was going to save Doctor McKay, she had inflicted this upon him, it was her who must cure him. "Please."
--
Teyla reached another dead end and looked at the wall in frustration, as if simply glaring at it would remove the obstacle from her path immediately. Her radio crackled to life and she took it with her free hand, pressing the button to talk. "Doctor Beckett?" she asked, listening to the faint tone.
"Aye, Teyla I've found Kiki. She thinks she has something that can help Rodney, we going back to them. Do you want us to wait for you?" he asked, she narrowed her eyes. From what she could tell, there seemed to be some form of interference coming from either the temple or the Wraith. Teyla managed to get most of the message, certainly the part about locating Kiki, helping Doctor McKay and going back.
"Do not wait for me," she said, raising her voice in order to carry her voice better over the radio if for some reason the interference for them was the same. "I am quite capable of making my own way back."
"Okay see you shortly."
Replacing the radio, she took the weapon in both hands and looked at the wall once more. Then turned round in one graceful movement and began the process of backtracking and getting back to her team.
--
The journey seemed to be more pleasant when Kiki could see, even though they were in a hurry to get back to Ford and McKay, she insisted on taking in everything she could about this fascinating building. Beckett tried his hardest to prevent a smile as she walked ahead of him, stopping to stare at something then carried on asking all sorts of questions. "I am looking forward to returning to Atlantis," she finally said soon getting bored of the sightseeing. "And especially seeing what these mice look like."
"You have much to see," Beckett answered as they turned the next corner, he felt more at ease because she was with him, because she could actually see her own way and he didn't have to worry about that aspect anymore. "Atlantis is beautiful. I could ask Major Sheppard if he could take us out in a puddle jumper, you can see if from the air that way."
Kiki's expression became increasingly hopeful and excited. "I would like that."
"But first, we need to get out of here."
"And we will," Kiki replied resting a hand on his arm as they walked, drawing ever closer to their destination.
--
Teyla had made it back before Beckett and Kiki, she found Lieutenant Ford huddled close to the entrance of the temple, staring out to the sky and she felt the ground rumble. "What is going on?" she asked curiously.
Ford turned to her, P90 nestled comfortably under one arm. "The ships have started firing on a position near the gate, I think the major got the message through but as soon as the gate deactivated, it reactivated."
"Major Sheppard? Atlantis?"
"Can't be sure," Ford answered with a look out then back. "I've tried contacting him but there's some sort of interference."
"I have experienced that too," Teyla replied looking beyond him as the ground rumbled some more. "We must help him."
"What can we do?" Ford asked angrily, feeling useless more than anything. "Shoot at them? That's like throwing rocks at an aircraft carrier and expecting it to sink."
"Excuse me?" Teyla asked.
"What I mean is," Ford replied with a softer tone, she wasn't the only he was angry with and she certainly wasn't responsible for this situation. "We're out gunned and we stand no chance." He looked out then to Teyla. "Did you find Kiki?"
"Doctor Beckett has located her, they are on their way and she believes she has found a way to revive Doctor McKay."
"We could do with some good news right about now."
Teyla nodded in perfect understanding. They both glanced to the unconscious McKay then out into the darkness where the ships were bombarding the landscape with powerful weapons. Silently, she said a prayer to the ancestors to grant them all safe passage from this place.
--
The ground shook violently, causing Sheppard to hit the dirt even harder. He placed his hands out in front of him and used his momentum to carry him into a forward roll. There wasn't time to just lie there, he knew he had to get back to his feet and get moving before he became just another crater in the ground. The raiders passed overheard but did not fire, instead bypassing him completely. Dumbstruck he stood up straighter to stare after them, trying to figure out what the Hell they were playing at.
A fourth whine came from behind him and he saw the Wraith dart, then the bright beam. Sheppard glared at it before turning back round and running away from it, in any direction that wasn't the damn beam. He wasn't about to let himself become their next meal.
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