Dark Hope Springs Eternal
John Sheppard is a selfish, selfish man, he thought to himself.
He laid there on his right side staring at the little spot on the wall. If he concentrated hard enough on it, maybe the throbbing and muscle clenching pain in his head, neck, back and butt would lessen. Not real likely.
"Hey Dr. Zelenka! Where's McKay? No offense but why isn't he here?"
"He's resting in the infirmary Sir."
Williams had answered because Dr. Z. was too scared. When he saw Radek in the Vestibule, he was genuinely happy. Then he realized McKay wasn't there and McKay should have been there; so disappointment settled in along with mistrust. Oh sure, young Lt. Williams explained he was injured. But McKay should have been there not Zelenka or at least that is what his unstable mind believed.
When he read Carson's and Elizabeth's minds, he saw McKay's self induced exile. John Sheppard could not handle the thought that McKay might not want to return to reality. Or at least that is what his unstable mind- working at full tilt- told him.
"Funny thing is Colonel; I don't remember making the decision to leave my little dream fantasy world. Even if it was a Wraith culling."
Sheppard saw the puzzlement in his face. McKay sat in the little chair trying to figure out what exactly had happened.
"Well McKay, about…about…" A machine went off next to his head and a sharp, acute pain smacked him in the chest.
He saw a wide eyed McKay and then Carson and that blond doctor and a nurse. They seemed none too pleased.
He passed out. He never finished that conversation. A pulmonary embolism interrupted him. A little blood clot kept him from telling McKay his nasty little secret. And McKay did not bring it up again and neither did he.
But now he was somewhere else having another not so boring day. His mind returned to the spot and the Wraith's version of the chair. He hated that chair. The chair of the Ancients did not hurt. The chair just thrummed and lit up prettily. It also fired drones.
"Do you want to play a game?" He asked himself mechanically.
Oh yes, he wanted to play a game. What he wouldn't give to fire a drone right into the Wraith lab. Wraith lab meet drone. Drone meet Wraith lab. He liked that idea…a lot. It almost made him smile.
However, right now all he had was the floor and his little spot on the wall and their version of the hospital gown which was shorter and covered up less. Drafty was a good way to describe it. Of course, they would take it away to sit his naked ass in that chair. The thing liked to poke long needles into his head, back, and neck for goodness sakes. It placed a feeding tube directly into his gut and another tube into a major blood vessel to make sure he stayed alive while it worked through each program. Can't have material getting in the way.
It could not get much more humiliating. He was sure they could find a way though.
He didn't move as the door opened. He was waiting for the gruff hands to jerk him up and take him back to…
Maybe if he just laid there they would go away. Also not likely.
"Colonel?"
If he stayed very still, maybe they would leave him alone.
"Oh God Colonel, come on answer me."
McKay?
Sheppard wanted to roll over but that would really hurt.
"Colonel are you OK?"
Ah man, a worried McKay, that was a problem. A mad McKay would soon follow and say something stupid and the get the crap kicked out of him.
"Huh?" Could've gone better. Try, try again. "McKay?" Better, but it was still a croak.
"Colonel are you OK?"
"No McKay, I'm pretty fucking far from OK." Boy he loved that movie. Too bad he was in a position to use that particular line. In keeping with that train of thought, he wished he had a few marines to go medieval on that fat guy's ass. Or Ronon and his handgun. Either would be sweet.
"Colonel, I'm going to help you get cleaned up and take a look at your wounds."
Perfect. They found a way.
He felt the skimpy little gown get lifted.
Double perfect. More humiliation heaped on top of degradation.
"Sons of bitches," mumbled McKay through gritted teeth. "Bastards."
"Don't you do anything stupid McKay."
"Too late, already got taste the back o' me hand from that bastard. Nothing much else I can do anyway," McKay whispered. "But a man can dream."
Yeah he can. Drones baby…BOOM!
"Thanks." It was weak at best.
If Sheppard had tears, he might have cried. This man he had utterly snubbed. This man he had made grovel. This annoying friend and teammate who was cleaning wounds and other stuff…
"Um Sheppard, I draw the line at well…"
"S'okay McKay, I think I can handle a little responsibility here."
"Just so you understand; I don't do well with biological…anything."
This man, who now was biting back every sarcastic jibe and natural inclination to freak out, was doing a thankless job.
Sheppard was wrong.
He might have lost his trust in McKay's common sense, because common sense isn't so common. What he had not lost was his faith in McKay's abilities. Or he would not have put himself in the stasis pod on the Aurora.
"We're screwed McKay."
He heard a heavy sigh, "Yes we are."
Yes, John Sheppard is a selfish, selfish man because this time McKay was here; so John Sheppard was not alone.
McKay was here and John Sheppard had hope.
He also had to ask for forgiveness, just not yet.
Sheppard lay on his side as McKay continued to dress his wounds.
"…Bugs Bunny in that one where Elmer Fudd is the cartoonist," explained Sheppard. "I mean don't you feel like someone's directing all this. Come on, I step through the Gate and a giant eyeball zaps me. How Acme can you get?"
McKay marveled for a moment before he answered. The man looked like a blind anesthesiologist tried to give him an epidural and he was talking about Looney Tunes. "I think it's more Daffy getting tortured by cartoonist Bugs," interjected Rodney keeping up his end of the pointless banter.
Sheppard flinched. "Did you have to say that?"
"Say what? Oh...sorry." McKay finished bandaging the holes in Sheppard's back from being tortured. Sheppard flinched again as he pressed the tape down. McKay scowled at everything in general.
"Hey, wait. You comparing me to Daffy?"
"Never Colonel. I'm going to check your head next," he paused and parted his hair. "Just what you need, another hole in your head."
"Ha, ha. If we're going to be juvenile then…That was so funny I forgot to laugh."
"Clever Colonel." McKay found a large square gauze and placed it on the spot at the base of his skull. He heard Sheppard take a quick intake of air. "Sorry, it's probably bruised like everything else. Last but not least, let's check those damn ports."
McKay moved in front of Sheppard and looked at the two pieces of tubing. "I can't see. Let's roll you over to face the light of the door."
As gingerly as he could, Rodney helped Sheppard roll onto his back. Sheppard's face pinched and he moaned as he rolled. He panted when he finally reached his other side. Anger stood firmly in place as Rodney climbed over his friend's body.
He lifted the tubing gently and Sheppard flinched yet again. "What?" McKay asked.
"They hurt, pinch really."
"Well they're not infected even though our host left you in your own crapulence for- how long is anyone's guess."
"Thank you Monty Burns," huffed out Sheppard still trying to breathe through the pain. "Who do you think Beckett will be madder at- you, me, or them?
McKay sat down in Sheppard's line of vision.
"Them. Don't get me wrong, he'll blame me for allowing you to get in this condition after just getting you healthy again. But he's going to have a few choice phrases aimed at them. I know I do." McKay rummaged through the first aid kit. He found a chemical ice pack, crushed it and put it on his face with a sigh. "That's the stuff."
"What happened to you?" Sheppard asked getting a first good look at McKay's jaw.
'Taste the back o' me hand," he said casually.
"Oh. In that case, I'll tell you again," he stared directly at McKay, "Don't do anything else stupid."
"I'll try my best to remember Colonel. No guarantees though," smirked McKay.
Sheppard snorted as his eyes started closing. "Tylenol must be helping a little."
Bullshit, he thought. Sheppard was already trying to misdirect him from worrying about his health. As a matter of fact, this entire conversation was a deliberate form of misdirection. Sheppard was trying to keep him focused on anything else and not him. And like his favorite X-man, doing it with style.
"Sleep Colonel, I'll try to stay out of trouble."
Bama opened the cell door and motioned McKay out.
Sheppard's eyes popped open with concern and maybe a little fear. It was so brief; McKay thought he might have imagined it.
No, it was there. The misdirection was not only for him. It was for Sheppard too. He let out another heavy sigh.
"Gotta go. Don't worry I'll be back." McKay stood up and turned towards Bama. "Lead on." He took one more look back at Sheppard who was watching him leave. He gave him a nervous nod and was out the door.
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After they left the cell, Bama grabbed him by the upper arm and McKay was escorted quickly down the hallway.
"…Don't do anything stupid…" McKay sneered under his breath. He was going to take that as a, "Be smart McKay." Whether that's what Sheppard meant or not, he was not going to take it any other way.
"…We're screwed…" Translation, "McKay don't wait for Atlantis." And a lesser extent for Sheppard himself. Well duh Colonel, he thought to himself. The Colonel was out for the count. He had just spent the last hour doing a job he definitely had not signed on for. He would do it again in a heartbeat if necessary. He allowed himself a mental cringe at that thought.
His mind turned to the situation. They were not on the apple people's planet- the sky was a slightly different color. They were definitely somewhere else and he did not know how they had arrived here. Was it the Stargate or other means? He did not see a Gate on the property so maybe other means. He was already looking and formulating. Unfortunately he had a whole lot of nothing right now. That would change.
Bama led him into Papa Jae's Wraith office, where the big man was waiting.
"Dr. McKay! How's Col. Sheppard doing?" He leaned back in his chair with his hands clasped on his oversized belly. He oozed insincere concern. The Great Pumpkin would not be visiting his pumpkin patch anytime soon.
"Much better than he was. Thanks so much for asking, even though you kept tabs via those monitors," said McKay pointing to a bank of screens behind the desk.
"Too right," he answered. "It's time I showed you why you're here."
He stood up from his desk and walked out into the hallway opposite of the lab. They made their way to the stairs and started going down farther into the complex. A similar door to the one that led to his office was at the end of a similar hallway.
They entered another lab that was about half the size of the one upstairs. In the middle, was a device of obvious Ancient origin and design. Any other time, Rodney would have reacted like Christmas had come early. His reaction was more of a lesser holiday- glad you have the day off but not much more. He knew exactly what this thing was.
"My little pets found this for me and brought it home. And by the look in your eyes, you know what it is." Papa Jae smiled as he smugly talked.
"It's a shield generator," said Rodney walking up to it with just a smidge of awe, "And it's portable."
"Yes, that's what I…my people guessed. But as you can see, it's missing a power source." Papa Jae stepped up behind him. "That's what we want/need you for. Your people have been living in the City of the Ancestors coexisting with their technology. Plus, I'm guessing, you've encountered Wraith technology."
"You want me to figure out how to connect the two. To connect the generator to whatever's powering this lab." Rodney circled the device again never taking his eyes off of it.
"Very astute doctor. An assistant will be down very shortly and Bama will remain with you. Let them know what you need. Doctor, Col. Sheppard will remain in his cell for the remainder of the evening unless you try something foolish. Is my meaning clear?"
"Hmm?" Rodney said absently until the words connected with his cogitating brain. "Yes, perfectly clear." Rodney shot him an irritated scowl. This was fascinating but anger and resentment were firmly in place.
Papa Jae left.
"OK, first I need my data pad…too bad I left my laptop on …" He stopped and caught himself. This was a great find that almost distracted him enough to let certain things slip. "…At our new home."
A second jailer floated into the room along with an assistant. He studied the orb. Possibilities started formulating. Scenarios played out. Routes of escape formed and collapsed on themselves. But an inkling started to take hold.
"The data pad is the flat screen device in my gear. I also need access to the Labyrinth's database. Oh and…" he started snapping his fingers, "my tool kit. Well, what are you gaping at? Go!"
The assistant ran quickly out of the room. Rodney smiled to himself, he could make any lowly subordinate panic and scurry. Even one that he was technically a prisoner of.
Don't worry Colonel, the proverbial tunnel is still very dark, but the pinpoint of light at the end should start appearing very soon.
McKay continued smiling and started tinkering.
A/N: What are you up to McKay? Should I say it...What's up doc? Sorry. John, baby, it's all right. I'm sure someone out there will volunteer to kiss your boo boos.