The Mind of Atlantis - Chapter 18
"Major!" shouted McKay as Sheppard was hurled backwards across the room. By the time Sheppard hit the floor, Nick and Rodney were already moving in his direction. They kneeled down on either side of the Major, tension evident on their faces.
"Major Sheppard? Can you hear me?" Nick asked. Sheppard's eyes were open, but he looked disoriented.
Sheppard moaned and blinked several times, as if trying to focus on his surroundings. "Gee...that was fun...What'd ya call that ride?"
Nick glanced at McKay for direction, not sure if Sheppard was really confused or just joking around. He quickly got his answer.
"Why don't we let you name that one since you were the first customer," replied McKay. "I know it can't beat the ferris wheel, but that's all we have at the moment."
Sheppard seemed to have brought the world into focus and turned to McKay. "You don't mind if skip the next ride, do you? That whole body slam thing at the end kind of knocked me for a loop."
McKay smiled, at least partially in relief. "Oh, and here I thought you were a man of adventure."
"I don't know anyone that adventurous," said Sheppard tiredly. "Help me sit up."
"Not just yet," said Nick, his hand on Sheppard's chest. "I need to check you out before we go to moving you around. Stay put while I get my bag." He stood and moved to retrieve the medical bag at the edge of the room.
Sheppard sighed and looked up at McKay. "You think he brought that stupid penlight?"
McKay laughed. "Oh, I'd bet on it, Major. It'll be just like having Carson along. Just remember, this was your idea."
"Great. Thanks for reminding me."
Teyla stepped in the doorway of the temple. "Are you all right in here? We thought we heard someone yell?" Just then she saw Sheppard lying on the floor. "Major, are you all right?"
Nick was near the door, picking up his medical bag. "Major Sheppard's okay, I think. Some kind of a beam shot out of the pedestal and stunned him a bit. I'm about to check him out, but I don't think he's seriously injured."
"I'm fine, Teyla. Go back to your patrol and we should be finished in a few minutes," Sheppard called across the room.
Nick watched Teyla's face as she looked toward Sheppard. He could see the pull of emotions, part of her wanting to go in and check on his condition herself and part of her wanting to obey his orders. She finally tore her gaze away from Sheppard and looked at Nick. "I will trust you to care for him."
Nick nodded, realizing how important that trust was and that it was not easily given. "I'll make sure he's okay."
She nodded, took one last glance at the Major, and turned and left.
Nick arrived with the medical bag and sat down beside Sheppard. "Okay, Major, let's see what we've got." He picked up Sheppard's right wrist and began taking his pulse.
"Uh, Doc...crap!" The slight panic in his voice was hard to miss. Nick and Rodney both looked expectantly at Sheppard.
"What is it, Major?" asked Nick.
"Doc...I can't feel my right arm."
Nick carefully placed Sheppard's arm on the ground. "Can you move your fingers?"
"No I can't move my fingers! How can I move my fingers if I can't feel my arm?"
"Okay...calm down, Major. We'll figure this out." He reached out and grasped Sheppard by the elbow. "Can you feel that?"
"No."
Nick moved up Sheppard's arm an inch at a time, asking Sheppard each time if he could feel anything. Sheppard was becoming more worried with each question. McKay didn't say anything, but it was obvious from his expression that he was becoming increasingly worried as well. Nick had finally worked his way up to Sheppard's shoulder before he got a positive response.
"Okay, I can feel that. It feels kind of...tingly...pins and needles...like when you wake up from a wraith stunner."
Nick thought about that for a minute. "Okay, let me try something." He touched Sheppard's upper arm, just below where Sheppard said he could feel Nick's touch. "Can you feel that?"
"No."
He began massaging the area around Sheppard's shoulder and upper arm. He worked the area for several minutes. leaving both men to wonder what he was doing. He finally stopped. "Just wait a minute." After a minute, he looked down at Sheppard. "Close your eyes, Major." Sheppard closed his eyes. Nick touched Sheppard's upper arm where he had before. "Can you feel that?"
"Yeah...kind of tingly, like my shoulder was a minute ago." Sheppard opened his eyes. "What's going on, Doc?"
Nick smiled. "Well, the good news is that I think you'll be fine in a few minutes. I believe the beam was similar to a wraith stunner, but with a more localized effect. I was massaging the area to increase blood circulation and speed up the recovery process, if indeed that was what was happening."
Sheppard sighed in relief. "Wow. Thanks Doc. I was starting to think of all the things I wouldn't be able to do without my right arm, and the list was frightening."
"You should regain the feeling in your arm in just a little while. How are you otherwise?"
"Fine, just a little bruised. Help me sit up."
"In a minute, Major. What's your rush?"
"I just feel...nervous. Lying on the ground is a very vulnerable position. At least if I'm sitting up, I can be a little better prepared if something happens."
"Are you always on alert?"
"24/7," said McKay. "The man never relaxes, not even when he sleeps...the little bit of time he does sleep. It can be very annoying." McKay paused as he and Sheppard looked at one another. "Of course...it's saved our lives a few times, too."
Sheppard began struggling to sit up. "Okay, guys, I can't lie here another minute. The floor is hard and this is making me a nervous wreck."
Nick finally gave in as he and Rodney helped Sheppard into a sitting position. "Okay, Major, you're sitting up. Now you will be still and let me check you out. I promised Carson I would bring you back in one piece and I do not intend to incur the wrath of the Scot."
Sheppard looked at Nick in amazement. "He made me promise to bring you back in one piece. Which is why I need to be on alert. I don't want to face that man's wrath either. I've been there a couple of times and I usually end up looking like a pincushion."
"Well, as much as I'd like to stay for the medical exam and report, I need to check on our ZPM," said McKay, standing and stretching his legs out.
"Go Rodney," said Sheppard. "Just be careful what you touch."
"Oh, I will," said McKay as he approached the pedestal. "Hey...your shocking experience was not in vain, Major. That door opened and I can see the ZPM." McKay stood looking down at the pedestal. The metal door beside the crystal that had zapped Sheppard was open and the top of a ZPM was visible inside the cavity.
"Can you get it out?" asked Sheppard. Nick was having a hard time trying to check Sheppard's vital signs with the pilot twisting around trying to see the pedestal and calling across the room to McKay. He was beginning to understand why Carson hated having Sheppard as a patient. It was like wrestling a crocodile in order to give it an exam.
"Major...could you possible sit still a minute?"
Sheppard looked apologetic. "Oh...sorry, Doc." He looked back toward McKay and the pedestal. "Are you listening to me, McKay? Can you get it out?"
"Patience, Major. I'm trying to figure that out without getting myself knocked across the room. Unlike you, I like to look before I leap."
"Ex---cuse me? I believe YOU were the one who told me to touch the crystal. How is it my fault that you didn't know what you were talking about?"
"Oh, I beg to differ, Major. The crystal DID open the door to the ZPM. It's probably something about YOU that made you get zapped...yet again, I might add. Have you noticed a trend of late? You and Ancient technology have a tenuous relationship at best. You never know if it's going to show you neat things or zap you into the mind of a six-year old."
The banter continued as McKay struggled to get the ZPM out of the slot and Nick tried to give Sheppard a thorough exam. He had heard Carson talk about the unusual friendship that had developed between Sheppard and McKay, but he had not had a chance to really see it in action until now. He had seen them watching over each other in the infirmary, worry etched in their face as they held silent vigil, but this was his first real chance to see them outside of that environment. Part of him wanted to laugh at the sometimes playful, sometimes caustic, but always insulting remarks that flew back and forth. And then again, part of him wanted to smack them both firmly in the back of the head. He quickly decided this would get old if you had to listen to it all day every day. Suddenly he had a newfound respect for Ford and Teyla.
Nick didn't realize he had tuned them out until the sudden silence caught his attention. "Hey, Doc," said Sheppard. "I'm getting the feeling back in my hand."
Nick looked down to see Sheppard rubbing his hand and beginning to move his fingers in and out of a fist. "Good. Just keep rubbing and massaging like your doing. Should be okay in no time. Everything else checks out okay. You've got a bit of a bump on the back of your head from the fall, but you didn't lose consciousness, so you should be okay."
"Thanks, Doc. Help me up so I can check on McKay." Nick got up and grabbed Sheppard's arm, helping to pull him to his feet. Sheppard immediately walked over to the pedestal as Nick began packing his gear back in the medical bag.
"How's it going, McKay? Need help?" Just as he reached the pedestal, The ZPM came loose. McKay lurched backwards as the tension he had been pulling against was suddenly released. He crashed into Sheppard and the two men struggled to remain on their feet. After a few seconds of flailing arms and scrambling footwork, they finally regained their balance.
"Geez, McKay. Knock me down again."
"Well, if you had some meat on you, maybe you wouldn't be so easy to knock down. Besides, I didn't actually knock you down. You're still on your feet. By the way...nice catch. Thanks."
"Any time, McKay. Good job on getting the ZPM out. Can you tell if it's charged?"
Nick shook his head at how easily they moved between sarcastic insults, gratitude, and compliments. Strange friendship indeed.
"I need to get it back to the lab. Then I'll know more. But...the energy readings look positive. We may have us a ZPM."
"Why is it a different color than the other one?" asked Sheppard.
McKay looked at the ZPM in confusion. "What do you mean? It's the same color as the other one."
Sheppard shook his head. "No it's not. It's similar...but it's not the same...shade. It definitely looks different."
McKay looked dismayed. "Look, Major...I don't know what you are talking about. I'll just have to show you when we get back to Atlantis. And I'll be sure to add color blindness to your list of deficiencies."
Sheppard remained expressionless. "Whatever. But I'm telling you...that ZPM is different. Pack it up and let's move out."
They gathered their gear and left the temple, picking up Ford and Teyla outside. They took up the same positions for the return to the gate as when they had been heading for the temple, with Sheppard in the front and Ford in the rear. They reached the somewhat clear area around the gate without incident, walking in a somewhat tired silence. Sheppard suddenly stopped and looked up.
"Oh, crap!" he said as the gate activated and two wraith darts flew through. "Wraith! Run for cover and keep out of the path of those beams." Sheppard turned and grabbed Nick by the arm, propelling them both toward the cover of some trees. As a culling beam passed near them, he pushed Nick to the ground to one side and landed on top of him. The beam passed inches from their side.
"You okay, Doc?" he asked.
Nick tried to catch his breath, certain that his stomach was somewhere in his throat. He could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest and it wasn't just from running. He felt wired, distinctly aware of the adrenaline pumping through his veins. "I'm okay, Major. Thanks."
"It's my turn to live up to my promise. We will be getting you home in one piece."
Nick had no idea why, but he believed the man. And he felt better for it. Sheppard jumped to his feet and pulled Nick to his feet right behind him. They could hear the whine of the darts overhead as he pushed Nick up to a tree. "Hug that tree, Doc. You are now part of the trunk. And try not to breathe." Sheppard scanned the area, making sure the team was safe. "Stay put unless you have to avoid a beam. I'll be back in a minute."
Sheppard ran to Ford's position with Teyla, a few trees from where he and Nick had been. Nick saw Sheppard take a pack from Ford and pull out what looked like a larger, heavier weapon than the P90. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he got the idea that Ford didn't want Sheppard to do whatever he had planned. Sheppard talked to Ford for a second, and motioned toward Nick and over toward McKay. Ford didn't look happy, but nodded in agreement. As the Major moved away from them, he saw Teyla put a reassuring hand on Ford's arm and they exchanged a worried look. Nick was beginning to understand the deep level of care and respect each member of this team had for the others, as well as the confidence and loyalty they placed in their commanding officer.
Sheppard ran toward the clearing, the whine of the darts coming closer. As one of them made a run toward Sheppard, the culling bean running along the ground, Sheppard stood firing the weapon at the dart, firm determination on his face. The beam was only a few feet from Sheppard when the beam broke off and the dart began smoking and losing altitude. They watched as it dipped below the treeline and a plume of smoke and fire shot up in the air. They could still hear the other dart in the distance, but it wasn't close enough to see.
"Get to the gate!" yelled Sheppard, motioning the team forward. Ford appeared beside Nick, urging him forward and toward the gate. Sheppard stood his ground, watching the sky until the rest of the team had passed him. McKay dialed the gate as Sheppard backed toward them, gun still trained to the sky. "Hurry! Incoming!" he yelled as the dart appeared just above the treeline, making a beeline for the group.
As the wormhole opened, the group headed for the gate. "Ford, get them out of here!" shouted Sheppard as he stood firm and watched the approaching dart.
Ford pushed Nick ahead of him. "Get through the gate, Doc!" Nick hesitated, taking a last look at his charge as Ford pushed him through the event horizon. Sheppard had started firing at the dart. Teyla pulled McKay through the gate next, followed by Ford. Sheppard continued to fire at the dart until he was sure everyone was through. He then turned and dove through the event horizon just seconds ahead of the dart.
TBC