UNDER GLASS
By NotTasha

CHAPTER 5: POP

John crouched below the panel, gazing up in distrust and growing alarm. "Ah," he started. "You're not going to like this."

"What? What?" McKay called.

Sheppard glanced around the panel, sighting McKay within his little glass booth. The scientist wrung his hands, and changed his balance from one foot to another. With an unhappy expression, John commented, "All I'm seeing is Wraith bits."

"Wraith bits?" McKay returned. "Is that your official terminology for a certain type of Wraith Technology, because if it is, 'bits'…" He held out his hands as if to encompass the word, "…is not the sort of precision I was hoping for. I need a little more than that if we're ever going to get out of here!"

"I saw an exhibit in Germany," Sheppard stated once he had an opening.

"Germany? Yeah, okay."

"This guy thought it was crazy cool to take cadavers and plasticize them. He'd take these bodies – already dead."

"One would hope…"

"Well yeah, naturally."

"Naturally? Naturally dead?"

"What? I don't know. Look, he'd take these bodies and peel off their skin, and cut them down to display just their tendons or their blood vessels or organs, and then he'd set them up like gutless mannequins. They'd be playing chess, basketball, or riding a horse, or …"

"Gunther von Hagens," McKay spouted off, cutting him off. "He developed a method of replacing the liquids from the bodies with a polymer, creating a cadaver that he could pose in garish scenarios. Had a traveling show called 'Body Worlds'. He called it 'art'. I called it 'morbid' – quite literally in fact."

"Why would you know that?" Sheppard asked incredulously.

"I have been known to read!" McKay snapped back. "Plus there's the Discovery Channel. And why would you even want to go to the exhibit?"

"Killing time. Plus, I wanted to see what they had in the gift shop. You know, desiccated body key-chains, posters, T-shirts, bobble-heads…"

McKay paused, looking intrigued. "Did they? You know…" he waggled a hand, "…have those sorts of things?"

Sheppard smiled. "I bought a magnet – half a head. It was pretty cool, but someone swiped it before I shipped out."

McKay shook his head abruptly. "What does this have to do with anything?" he asked, irritated.

Sheppard's attention returned to the underside of the panel. "This stuff kinda looks like his stuff."

"What? It looks like flesh?"

"Well," Sheppard drawled. "It looks like that same stuff that's all over their Hive ships."

"Wraith," McKay muttered. He gazed through the door at the footprints that ran all over the floor now. "They must have been in here and would have left footprints or something. That's why they had to clean up." He grimaced, damning himself for not figuring that out sooner.

"Somehow, I can't imagine them on their hands and knees with a bucket and a scrub brush," Sheppard decided.

The idea made McKay smile a little. "Wearing a little apron," he continued the image. "With their hair all tied up in a handkerchief like a babushka."

"I kinda figure they got those Tuweepers to do it for them," Sheppard said with a frown, not able to understand how people could ever be in league with those horrid creatures.

Teyla's voice suddenly popped over the radio with, "Colonel!"

"Teyla?" Sheppard responded as he stood. "What happened? Is Dex with you?"

"They're okay, right?" McKay asked, somewhat sheepishly. "They're coming back now, right?"

"Ronon is with me. We are fine. Ronon was able to destroy the Wraith probe and…"

"Good goin', Dex!" Sheppard responded happily. "For that you get to go to the front of the line next time we're in the mess hall."

"Good for him," McKay groused. "Now they need to head back HERE and get us OUT!"

"We were unable to stop the probe before the Gate engaged," Teyla went on, her voice betraying a reluctance to impart this information.

Closing his eyes, Sheppard tipped back his head. "This just keeps getting better and better," he mumbled, before keying the radio again. "An outgoing wormhole?"

"Correct, Colonel," Teyla replied.

Ronon's voice came on next. "I destroyed the probe before the connection was complete."

"So… there was no time for the probe to download any data…" McKay surmised.

"Yeah, that's kinda good," Sheppard decided.

"Yeah," McKay stated. "Except, what would you do if your favorite probe called home – and left the line open without saying anything?"

"Are you still trapped?" Teyla asked.

"Yes!" McKay shouted. "Yes! I am still stuck in this tiny little alcove and …"

"We're working on it," Sheppard returned, he lifted his gaze toward McKay. "We'll deal with it."

Inside the glassed off section, the scientist folded his arms over his chest and gave him the skunk eye.

"Do we shut down the connection?" Ronon asked.

"No!" Sheppard quickly returned.

"I agree," Teyla's voice came on the com. "The opening of the wormhole will have alerted the Wraith. They will be waiting on the other side. If we end the connection, they will attempt to dial in. Leaving it open will afford you some time to escape from your situation."

"Great," Sheppard sighed. "Just great." He glanced to McKay. "We got 38 minutes."

Teyla and Ronon watched the gate, eyeing the pool of blue. "Do we wait here?" Ronon asked over the radio. "We could try to do something with the time we have."

"You should get back here immediately," McKay started to say. "And when I say 'immediately', I mean…"

Sheppard cut him off. "Remain there," he ordered. "We have no idea if that probe programmed some sort of timing system when it dialed. If the gate closes early, I need to know."

Nodding, Teyla responded. "I agree, Colonel."

"The second the connection is broken, try to dial out before they dial in."

"We will do so," Teyla assured.

"And if things start to happen," Sheppard continued, sounding tired. "Let us know. Get the hell out of sight. Do what you can to buy us some time. Don't get hurt."

"We will, Colonel," Teyla replied. "Let us know if there is anything further we can do to help your situation."

There was a pause, and Teyla and Ronon exchanged a look, knowing that a small argument must have been exchanged on the other side of the connection.

"We can handle it," Sheppard finally said.

Staunchly, Teyla declared, "I know that Doctor McKay will find a way."

There was a pause again – undoubtedly more conversation going on.

"You're giving him a swelled head," Sheppard declared. "Not that it isn't big enough already. We got it. Brain Boy will figure it out. From you, I want no heroics, okay? If things start going south, you two better start heading…away. You got it?"

"I understand," Teyla told him.

"Ronon?"

The Satedan, scowled. "We will stop them," he concurred.

"Ronon!"

"We'll do as you ask," Dex agreed.

"Great. We'll let you know how it goes on our end," John finally responded. "Keep us appraised of how you're doing. Sheppard out."

Ensuring that his mic had been turned off, Ronon commented, "If the connection is broken and the Wraith dial in before we can dial out, there won't be much time to get away." Ronon scowled at the buildings that surrounded them. At least they had some cover that they could use, but the wooden structures couldn't hold up to any assault.

Teyla nodded. "We wouldn't be able to get far," she agreed.

Ronon hefted his weapon. "We're not letting the Wraith get further than this point," he declared, pointing with the gun's muzzle to the ground at his feet. "We're not letting them reach the others."

Teyla nodded. There had been no doubt in her mind.

"Okay," Sheppard said, getting down on his haunches again to stare up at the underside of the panel. "What do we do?"

"How can we do anything?" McKay popped off, his voice quieted by the interposing surface. "This location has been utterly compromised! How the hell am I going to figure out what you're supposed to do, especially since I can't see it myself? The Wraith have screwed up all the workings of this site and they know we're here. It's only a matter of minutes before they come charging through that doorway, ready turn us into the latest creation by Von Hagens!"

"McKay…"

"Because there's really NOTHING we can do, is there? Ronon and Teyla weren't able to stop the probe in time and YOU can't do anything about the panel," McKay shouted, his hands moving frantically. "So I'm just going to be stuck here until Bruce the Wraith shows up with his pals to find me here waiting for them – Genius Under Glass. It's the new craze all over Wraithland."

"McKay," Sheppard repeated, his voice like steel. "You're going to calm down right now," he ordered. "And tell me what needs to be done. Neither of us is going to get out of here until you do that!"

"Right! Right!" McKay declared, seeming to calm at this order. "Get us out. Good thought."

Sheppard gestured to the panel. "Any ideas?"

McKay crossed one arm over his chest. He propped an elbow against the arm, and rested a chin on his fist. "Can you see any Ancient Technology under the Wraith bits?"

Sheppard turned his head as he gazed about. "Yeah," he responded. "I guess. It looks like there are crystals beneath this stuff. Yeah, there are! The Wraith just added their tech right on top of what was already here."

"Good, good," McKay replied. "That means we can still figure this out." He furrowed his brow in concentration. "To the far left, on the edge nearest you, you should see a crystal that is roughly the shape of British Columbia, without the islands." He flapped one hand in the general direction he'd indicated.

"British Columbia?" Sheppard grumbled. "You've got to be kidding."

Frustrated, McKay muttered, "Why can't you handle even the SIMPLEST geographic lesson? I swear, you show most of the people in the States a map of the world and they couldn't even pick out their own country."

"It looks like California, doesn't it?"

"No! It does not look like California… it's… okay, it kinda looks like California, but only in the most basic, insignificant way, and only if you moved a major portion…"

"Found it," Sheppard interrupted. "What now?"

"Can you remove it? Without interfering with the overlaying tech?"

Sheppard cocked his head, looking at the device with one eye. "I can try. There are strands of the stuff over it. I may be able to maneuver it out without upsetting anything."

"No upsetting," McKay murmured, holding his arm close to his body. "Wouldn't want to do that."

Sheppard pinched the California-shaped crystal between his forefinger and thumb, and tilted it slowly, trying to get it around the overlaying strands as he eased it from its housing. The problem was, he couldn't quite manage it – and the consequence of brushing against the Wraith tech was instantaneous.

POP!

The electrical snap sounded from all around him. He shot his head up in time to see McKay jerk and jump, letting out a pain-filled shout. Sheppard yanked his hand away from the crystal, letting it fall back in place.

The trapped scientist crashed violently against one of the walls, looking surprised and… shocked.

"Stop!" Rodney shouted, his voice breaking. "Stop!" He took a second to steady himself and then hopped back, pressing himself against the wall.

Sheppard shot to his feet and crossed the distance that separated them, calling, "McKay!"

Rodney's eyes were wild. He stood on tiptoe, pressing his arms against the walls as if he might be able to lift himself from the floor. He glanced about, frantic. "Stop! Stop!" he continued to moan.

"I've stopped!" Sheppard shouted back. "I'm not even near that thing anymore. What happened?"

McKay didn't answer, his eyes still searched, as if he hoped to find some sort of exit from his small prison.

"McKay?"

"Shock," Rodney cried. "Hell of a shock." His gaze kept moving. "Came from the floor and the walls—mostly the floors, but the walls, too. Made my fillings ring. Don't do that again. Just, don't!"

"I won't," John assured.

"Seriously!" McKay shouted. "Don't do that again! The tech must be interfering with the crystals. Don't touch any of them!"

"I won't, Rodney!" John reiterated. "I won't."

"Could have KILLED me. Oh, God, that was one hell of a shock. One hell of a…" He kept pressing himself into the corner as if he might disappear into it. "Almost got hit by lightning once. Don't want to have that happen. I don't … I don't think I could handle that. Don't do it again, okay? Okay?"

"Rodney!" Sheppard shouted, pressing his hands against the glass. "Listen to me! Listen to me, would ya? I'm not going to touch that crystal again!"

McKay's vivid gaze finally met his, and Rodney crumbled a little. "Get me out of here," he whispered.

"I'm tryin', buddy," Sheppard replied, his voice softening. "I'm tryin'."

"We should shut it down," Ronon declared, leaning over Teyla's shoulder as she stood over the DHD.

The blue puddle yawned beyond them as Teyla shook her head. "We shall not," she responded as she stood with one hand over the first two symbols of the necessary address.

Ronon replied, "If we're the ones that shut it down, we'll be ready for it. We'll catch them by surprise."

Teyla turned her head to look at him. "And if they are faster?"

"They're waiting for the 38 minutes to pass," Ronon tried to reason.

"The Wraith are fast," Teyla concluded. "And they will not be surprised."

"We got a good chance," Ronon went on. "You're fast." And he smiled at her, hoping she took it as a compliment.

She returned her gaze to the Gate. "I do not trust myself to be faster in dialing than the Wraith. Certainly, there is a technician on the other end of this connection. Certainly, he is standing ready, as I am, for the connection to be severed."

"We can do it now," Ronon argued. "Got a 50/50 chance either way."

"Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay have not freed themselves from the outpost. We shall not gamble with their lives." She lifted her head to fix Ronon with a narrowed gaze. "We will give them as much time as possible. When the connection disengages…" She glanced to her watch, checking the time set on the bezel. "… we shall dial Atlantis and see who will be faster."

Ronon frowned, and paced away from the DHD, not liking the stillness of their situation. He much preferred the pursuit of the probe to the agonizing wait at the Gate. Would it disengage before the threshold time period? Would it wait the full 38 minutes? The second the wormhole shut, it would be a matter of who could dial faster.

"I don't like just standing around," the former runner admitted.

"I agree," Teyla responded. "You do not like to just stand around."

Giving a scowl, he gazed up at the poles that stood at the entrance to the Gate. Why had the Wraith left them in place? Certainly it would have been easy to remove the structures. They seemed fairly substantial and would interfere with any flying craft that came through here.

He reached out for one of the poles and shook it. Above, bones rattled. There was something strange – just above eye level. He frowned as he tried to see it.

Teyla glanced at him, but said nothing as she turned back to the Gate.

He grappled with the pole, hugging onto it and pulling himself up an inch or two – and then a foot. Teyla watched him, curious, but holding her tongue. He climbed, relatively quickly, reaching the point he sought. He sucked his teeth a moment and hiked himself up another foot or so. The pole waggled under his weight.

"Ronon," Teyla spoke softly, watching the pole bow as pressed his feet against the pole, arching like a feline on one side. The pole bent further. The Wraith who'd decorated the top of the structure danced like a puppet.

Ronon pulled down at the bowed pole, releasing his feet to hold on with just his hands and letting his feet dangle. "Watch out." As he shifted his weight, further stressing the wood.

POP

The wood shattered, sending slivers of wood flying. The top of the pole fell loose, and Ronon dropped a foot or so to the ground. He jumped back as the upper section hit the ground. The bottom of the pole sprung back up, wobbling before it stilled.

Enraged, Teyla shouted, "Why have you done this? They will be able to enter with darts if you remove the poles. These structures were the only things barring their way."

Ronon stepped to the corpse of the Wraith. He kicked it over, looking annoyed. "Wouldn't have even slowed them down," Ronon declared. He pointed to where the broken pole now ended. "The pole was fractured, designed to break right there." He nodded to the others. "They are all purposefully damaged." Scowling, Ronon declared. "The darts will slice right through."

At this news, Teyla sighed. They shouldn't be expecting an attack on the ground, she realized. It would come by air. Unconsciously, she raised her gaze as she stared at the Gate.

TBC - ...shocking