Cadman entered the Puddle Jumper and immediately ordered the pilot to dial up Atlantis. "Dr. Weir, we have a problem." She waited for the reply.
"What have they done now?" Tense exasperation bled through the connection.
"According to the assistant to the mayor and the Advisory Body, Col. Sheppard's team has been locked in the room with the Dormi and the mayor. We haven't been able to establish communication with them, so I sent a detail down there with some of the locals to try again but, nothing so far. I'll let you know as soon as I have anything on that." She paused before continuing, "Ma'am as I reported earlier, this is'nt just an underground colony in a hillside. The structure's a large intergalactic ship. I'm sending the intel we have on it now." She typed a few directions into her laptop.
"Data received Lieutenant." There was a pause on the other end. "Do you require anymore assistance?"
"Not yet Doctor."
"Understood, just keep me informed."
"Will do Doctor." Before she cut her connection, the HUD blinked on. Warning symbols and sounds flashed and echoed in the small craft. "Oh no."
"Lieutenant?"
"Ma'am, the ship is powering up." The pilot called up a few more graphs and displays. "It appears it's just primary systems…" The HUD image wavered. "Is that us or the ship?" She asked the pilot.
"Outside interference from the ship."
"Hold on ma'am. Go ahead and locate all life signs within that ship. Look for the chamber and any other life signs apart from the main living areas."
The HUD wavered again and totally blinked out. "Ma'am do you still read?"
A badly garbled response buzzed in her ear piece.
"The ship's wreaking havoc with the Jumper's systems. We'll report back in thirty minutes, Cadman out." She turned to the pilot. "Hope they got that."
She leaned over the Jumper's console, squinted and looked out the windowshield, "Rodney, what did you get yourself into now?"
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Rodney sat in the same position he had been in for what seemed like days. He kept waiting for any movement from Ronon or the little guy. So far, nothing. He really did not expect there to be, because the truth was slowly and painfully becoming clear. He was metaphorically entombed in a crypt.
He kept waiting for Sheppard and Teyla to return and charge to the rescue. The bravado and quips flying, "Just lying around McKay? Why Rodney, cat got your tongue?" A good chuckle could be had by all at his expense.
He would love to answer with a simple, "Shut up Sheppard." So far, nothing. He frowned at their P90's laying on either side of his feet. They mocked him, 'You can't get us! You can't get us!' He wanted to scream at the injustice of actually having a weapon left at his disposal and not being able to use it.
Hell, he'd even be happy to see Cadman right about now. He squeezed his eyes shut and made the wish. One eye peeked open and looked around the room. More nothing.
Aw, come on! Even she had to know there was a problem. They must be overdue by now. He could not check his watch because he could not lift his arms…Damn it! Intolerable, and he was getting hungry. Could this get any worse?
He would just have to wait and boy did that suck. If he and the other male members of his team had anything in common, it was their impatience. They were all fast food generation personalities, even Ronon who did not know a McDonald's from a Taco Bell. They were a must-have-answer-now kind of team.
Would you like a hot apple pie with that? Yes, yes I would.
There was that hunger thing again.
Instant gratification was the name of the game. Except Teyla, she could wait them out and enforce her tranquility until they sheepishly agreed. Well he had weathered situations like this before. He had placed his trust in others to save him- reluctantly- but he did it- alone. So what if he had conjured up a partner to help with the crisis? Maybe he did not listen to her/ himself per se. Right now he had no choice. He had to rely on the other members of the team. He could do it. He could wait.
Maybe he could conjure up another Carter. Might be harder this time since technically he did not have a head wound...
The sound of the ship changed. The sounds of systems coming online, the lights brightening and a thrum of life reaching his ears, made his eyes widened.
Crap. It was worse. He could not wait. They needed to hurry because the ship was powering up and going to take him with it. It was time to save the poor bastard- again- now- as in right now. Banging his head on the bulk head was not even a option for him.
He was insanely screwed.
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"Rel?" She whispered the name with the reverence it deserved.
Teyla awoke first. And since Orodi stared intently at her just a few feet away, it was on purpose.
"Ah no, little sister," he said, "all I want is a word before I awaken the other." He tilted his head in the direction of the Colonel sleeping next to her. "Your abilities are strictly directed at the Wraith? You can influence their decision making and eavesdrop?"
"That is correct." She did not know what to make of this.
"You can't use these gifts on any others?"
His expression revealed nothing but a simple question. She could not shake the feeling that there was underlying importance to it.
"You are a mind reader; can you not answer your own questions?" Teyla kept her composure serene. She envisioned herself as a glassy lake. Her quick peeks to the Colonel belied her true state of agitation. Orodi was not fooled.
"He's fine, but he'll not awaken unless I allow it. Right now, it's best for me that he sleeps." Orodi shifted closer. "Answer my inquiries or that sleep may become restless."
Sheppard twitched and began mumbling. She could not understand what he was saying but then, she did not need to. It was a bad dream and Orodi had done it on purpose.
This being was cruel. He had peeled back a memory where the emotions had been confronted and resolved long ago. Yet he reopened them fresh and raw as if no time had passed. It disturbed her that these emotions had been toyed with so easily.
Moreover, Orodi dealt the blows simultaneously. The look on the Colonel's face betrayed the grief revisited upon him. At some time during their experience, they had latched onto each other looking for consolation. The act reinforced their trust in each other. Her extended family strengthened her. This was something Orodi may not understand or even be aware of.
She scrutinized his black eyes. A theory formed in her mind. She would seek out an opportunity to test it. For right now, she would answer the question.
"No, only the Wraith."
"That's all I needed to know." The Colonel returned to a peaceful slumber.
Teyla placed her hand on his hip and closed her eyes. Orodi's own grief might be his weakness, but then it might also be his greatest weapon.
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That was the day he had almost cried. This was the day he wept.
Crying denoted tears and sadness. Weeping denoted intense emotional reaction to the sorrow. He had called his father, the General, to let him know that for seven weeks and two days he had almost been a father. His father answered with, "That'll remind you to use protection whenever you want to dip your wick." It sent a strong message home. He truly had no blood family left. His mother was dead, no siblings, no aunts, uncles, his grandfather gone...and now his father…
He hung up the phone and wept for the first time in his adult life. He had come to terms with this long ago. He so did not want to live in this place again. His father never liked him for whatever reason and that was that. Some parents were not meant to be parents. The sentiment had been summed up best when Todd in Parenthood said, "You need a license to drive. Hell, you even need a license to fish. But any butt reaming asshole can be a father."
It was the last time they spoke.
He could give Orodi a swift kick in the balls- if he had any and that was not a given- for dredging this up.
Awareness of the drool pooling around his face was an unpleasant way to wake up. Awareness he was still on this ship with a grief stricken, alien sadist was also an unpleasant way to wake up. Awareness of Teyla's hand on his hip sliding down to his butt was not unpleasant, just amusingly disturbing.
"Good morning to you too, Teyla."
He felt the hand jerk away as she shifted. "Sorry Colonel…I…I was preoccupied."
"Right."
She hit him in the thigh as he tried to sit up. Without the use of legs, it was not as easy as one would think. Teyla grabbed his arm and helped him upright.
"Are you alright Colonel? Orodi lead me to believe he had influenced your sleep."
Well, that explained the dream. "No, but I will be. You?" He looked at her and noticed she too was not 100 percent.
"No, but I will be." She gave a small sad smile. "He has brought things to the surface that I have already resolved."
"Yeah, right there with you."
He looked over at the front of the room and Orodi was doing the ignoring thing again. That suited him just fine. He needed a moment to put that game face back in place.
All too quickly, the ignoring thing was over as Orodi turned around and looked Sheppard over. "Rise Colonel, it's time for you to be useful." Orodi walked closer never taking his eyes from Sheppard.
There was a warm tingle in his head and a shift in his lower back as feeling returned to his legs. He looked at Teyla for what seemed to be the hundredth time as he bent one knee and pushed off the floor.
"Come," Orodi beckoned while gesturing at the chair and moving towards it, "I need to test the apparatus."
Adrenaline spiked as he realized this chair- even without needles- may not be very friendly or comfortable. "Test?" Doubt and deep concern were evident with the single word. He looked back at Teyla for the hundred and first time.
"I salvaged the mechanism and installed it before…the Ancients?" He questioned searching for the correct name of the race he had borrowed from.
Sheppard nodded.
"Before I could request the Ancients to confirm operational status…My ship left me to slumber for so long…" He looked up at the ceiling and talked to it, "And that, we will discuss later." His frustration and annoyance leaked out of his tone. He returned his attention to Sheppard. "I must find out if it works."
Sheppard looked at the ceiling and then at the chair. He knew nothing about the Control Chair except it turned on when he sat in it and of course, it shot drones. But that was only if there was a power source.
"That's all I need you to do," said Orodi as he stood next to the chair and looked up at monitoring device. "Sit Colonel or I can use other means of persuasion."
Teyla let out a gasp as Sheppard looked at her for the hundred and second time. Her face betrayed her surprise as she placed the palm of her hand to her head.
Sheppard rounded on him, "Stop." He wished the coldness in his voice was a weapon, and that he was fast enough to land a punch. He finished the trip to the chair and sat in it. He scowled at the pink skinned man. "Happy Peppy?"
Nothing happened -- at first. Then Orodi turned the power on. He felt it immediately. This chair was not working like the others he had triggered.
"S-something's wrong." His voice wavered.
"No, it's working exceptionally well. My ship's power source is too much for the mechanism, so you are a conductor, a regulator, and a filter to keep the chair from overloading. You complete the circuit."
He could not let go of the chair. He could not think. Even worse, he could not shut the chair down. Oh this was way too close. "Can't breathe," he grunted out quietly.
"Panicking? I can make you more comfortable so you can concentrate on your task."
Whatever Jedi mind trick he played, it worked. The pain was blocked and it allowed concentration again. He relaxed but the contracting of his muscles remained a dull ache.
"Now, think of ammunition."
An image of a drone appeared above him as well as a large inventory number- worthy of the drool on the floor.
"Excellent," stated Orodi. "I knew I salvaged more than enough."
"We have ships that can use those," Sheppard huffed out. "We can help each other out."
Anger. And John could physically feel it crushing him. It squeezed his head and body.
"I don't need help from subspecies in fighting my battles."
OK, what do you call this dill-hole? What am I doing in this chair then?
"I'm helping…" Sheppard started.
"I heard you the first time. No, you are just a part of the machinery. We…are…not…equals." Orodi leaned over and his breath was in Sheppard's face. Now he could see that anger.
Sheppard smirked in return. I'm just nuts and bolts getting screwed. Story of his life.
The weight continued to press down as the chair pulled on him. He was trapped in a sandwich press, a yummy pressed Cuban. Hopefully, something would not impersonate the Swiss cheese and ooze out of him.
With the pressure came a little clarity. Obviously, good ol' Orodi here had super powers- why could he not use them on the Wraith?
"I did." The anger intensified.
The chair returned to an upright yet slightly reclined position as the power was cut. The muscle contractions ceased, but the crush remained. Unable to breath or move, his eyes fluttered. Another question entered as he heard Teyla pleading with Orodi- what happened to make this guy so volatile?
Well, besides being pink.
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A/N: It's just not easy being pink.