STARGATE ATLANTIS

PRIMIS : THE MISSING

A/N … Apologies for quite the delay on this chapter...real life at its best gets in the way! Also, thank you for all your reviews, including the ones I cannot respond to.

SGA SGA SGA

THE PAST

JOHN

John woke to the unexpected sight of his left arm floating up above him and being held up on a rudimentary pole within a loose, linen type material encasing it like a cocoon. Quite a thick bandage of the same material was wrapped around it, and the only evidence of skin he could witness were his fingers poking out into the cool evening breeze.

Wait. Evening!

He sharply rose from his supine position; wary of his aching arm, only to be gently pushed back down by Arla.

"Be still, John."

"What happened? Torren?" John croaked out.

"Here, drink this. We need to get as much fluid into you as soon as possible now that you are awake."

John took the offered cup of water with his right hand and downed it quickly. His throat was dry like a desert and he smacked his lips as he handed the empty vessel back to Arla who refilled it from a jug that sat beside her.

This time, John took his time drinking the cool liquid, but his eyes danced over the rim all around him until he caught sight of Torren eating with some of the other children by a fire and he relaxed.

"What happened?" He repeated his question to Arla, who smiled sadly as she patted his foot.

"You lost a lot of blood, John. The tracker was terribly intertwined within your wrist and…well, let's just say it turns out Vari is not the most delicate of surgeons!"

"Oh." John muttered. "I understand. But surely I did not bleed out enough to lose consciousness?" A noise startled John and his eyes moved from Arla's, back to Torren, before returning to Arla's when he realised he was being just a tad jumpy.

"The children are excited to be free, but they have finally settled now that they are eating happily." She reassured him before continuing on. "You lost a fair amount of blood, but the tracker is like nothing we have seen before, John. As soon as it was touched, it tried to bury in deeper and just as Vari finally pulled it free, it released something into your vein and you convulsed and then fell asleep…until now. We were very worried."

John's eyes had grown wide by now, wondering what had been injected into him. "Did you blast it like I asked?"

Arla nodded.

"Probably a good idea, although it sounds to me like it wasn't just a tracker. They do not usually contain harmful liquids." John gulped more water down, before wiping his mouth.

The air was clean and inviting, and John drew in several breaths before smiling and trying to reassure Arla that he felt ok. "Nice to be outside again."

He tried to shift up further and waited patiently for Arla to slowly bring his arm down to sit on his lap. "I think we can dispense of that now. I see no more blood spots and you are awake enough now to keep drinking in fluids. Does it hurt?"

"Nah. I've had worse."

Arla studied him. "It saddens me to understand that that is probably the case with you. You must regale me of your adventures more, John."

John allowed a smirk. "They would give you nightmares, Arla." He said on a smile to soften his words.

John looked around again. "Where is everyone?"

Arla sighed. "Some took off immediately and never returned. Some are out hunting."

"It would have been best if we stayed together. I think I'd better fly everyone out of here tomorrow."

That startled Arla. "What? Where?"

John took another gulp of water. "You said this was an island. You will never escape the wraith here. I think I should beam you all up again and fly you to another planet. Somewhere free of wraith. Do you know of one to go to?"

"But…we were all born here. Where would we go?"

"Somewhere safe. It is better to be alive and thriving somewhere else is it not?"

"Ye…yes. I suppose." Arla studied him. "Of course, I forget. You are not from here. Not even the other side of the planet. You will want to leave us soon to find your friends?"

"Only when I know I have left you safe somewhere."

"It is good to see you awake once again, John." Vari said, as he and Blu sat down to join them. "Has Arla got you up to speed? I am sorry I hurt you, John."

John waved him off with his good arm. "No. Thank you for getting it out. I was just explaining to Arla that I would like to fly you all some place free of wraith so you can start again." His head jerked up when Blu called on Torren to come over.

"I am tired playing with him. You can have him back." He explained, although the huge smile on his face betrayed the fact that that was not the case.

Torren ran full throttle into John's chest where he sat on the ground and rocked him onto the hard ground. John grimaced with pain in his left arm, but quickly entwined his right with that of the small child and for a moment John just relished the close bond that was now between them and hung on tight. Soon, though, Torren squirmed away and ran back to his friends to enjoy their meal before bed.

"What does that say of my life that Torren expects me to be unconscious all the time so it is not even a big deal to him when I wake up?"

"Oh it's a big deal, alright. The amount of time he spends looking out for you when he thinks we are not looking." Blu said. "He watches everything ….almost as much as you do with him."

John smiled at that and took a plate of food from Blu. "It's not much, until we can get more meat tomorrow…if we can find anything."

"Exactly!" John said.

"We will have a meeting tomorrow and see what everyone that's left wants to do." Vari said. "Some of Taan's relatives took off fast. I think they thought we thought they were wraith worshippers also. I can't believe that man!"

"Maybe they were. And if that was the case, we have to move swiftly or they will give up our position." John pointed out.

"But we know of no-where else." Arla said, entwining her arm through Vari's.

"Then we will find somewhere." He said, kissing the top of her head. He nodded towards John's arm. "Is it sore?"

"It nips, but I'm okay. Whatever knocked me out that first time back in the cave must have been released further when you took the tracker out."

"Makes sense." Blu agreed.

"Let's just hope that's it all depleted now." John spoke almost to himself, with the others giving quick glances of worry.

A silence fell through the friends as they all relieved past events. John excused himself and was pleased to find his legs were strong and able to support him. Last thing he wanted was to fall down – again!

A sliver of hope with the escape from the wraith gave him a rush of euphoria. He was a step closer to making his way back to his team, and Torren to his mother. The problem was where were there? They would had to have moved around quite a bit because he already knew that food and supplies were hard to find in this system, where it was not as populated as Earth or the Pegasus galaxy. Added to the fact that he knew they would be searching for him as well, made John just that little bit eager to get going… to be reunited.

With a pang of horror, John just realised that the hive would probably try to track the dart at first light, even though Blu said the mountain had always been safe before and no wraith seemed to have attempted culling's here.

That piece of news he mulled over now. Could it be that there was some shield left behind by the ancients here? It didn't matter, he was not staying long.

His stretch of legs took him back to the camp and he accepted the bundle of blankets another of Arla's friends handed him with a hug, mindful of his sore arm.

John called Torren over and helped the sleepy boy out of his boots. "Wash first?" Torren asked before giving John an eyeful of his tonsils. He laughed and gently rubbed the top of his head. "Not tonight, sport. Let's just crash, eh?"

"You are always sleepy." Torren said, making John laugh harder. "That's all over with now buddy."

John tickled him awake long enough for another cuddle, but soon Torren was snuggled into his chest and they fell asleep.

SGA SGA SGA

John cracked opened his eyes and blinked a few times until he relaxed again; remembering for now they were safe. The morning was pleasantly warm and he lay still, allowing a few minutes to enjoy watching the sun rise through the trees and hear the odd bird calls from breeds he did not know. Something he never did get used to.

Torren was fast asleep and lying on his back; his small hands intertwined across his stomach. The very image of him reminded him of himself in miniature as that is how he slept and which he found strange since he wasn't the boy's biological child. Perhaps he was starting to pick up his habits.

Deciding to leave him sleeping, he slipped back and away from him, stretching as he did and pulling his injured wrist into a tight hold afterwards. He inspected the bandages and was pleased to see the bleeding had stopped. He would get Arla to check it later. He hoped there was no more repercussions of the overdose later.

John reached for a bucket and made his way to the meandering stream a short distance away. He leaned over into it and filled it to the brim. This he did a few times with many of the buckets, still amazed that his new friends had managed to grab so many items as they stood waiting to get beamed up into the dart. Their trust of him touched him in so many ways, but still he knew many were wary and he did not assume that he was out of trouble with any of this planets resident's.

The hunting teams had only managed to secure a small deer like creature last night, John noticed, as its skin now hung on one of the huge trees. Still, it looked like there was just enough meat to go round, and he was just contemplating on cutting it up when one of the elder members of this breakaway group came forward.

"I will do it." He said rather curtly, so John just bobbed his head in acknowledgment and made his way over to get Torren up and dressed. So, he was right. It did look like some folks were not best pleased with him still.

"Ignore him." Blu said as he came walking towards him.

"What's his problem?" John asked.

"It's not just him. Last night when you were sleeping, a few got together to discuss leaving; I overheard some of it; although they did not ask for my opinion as I am friends with you, obviously. They are worried the dart…or yourself…will bring unwanted attention sooner rather than later. You understand?"

He did. "I do. Like I said, I want to fly us ALL out of here as soon as somebody tells me where to go."

Blu shook his head. "That is the problem. We do not fly the stars as you do. We are from here." Blu flourished with his hand. "We do not know of any other planet to go – and to be quite frank – many are scared of moving on...I am scared of moving on." Blu stabbed his chest.

John quickly looked to check on Torren, but he was still asleep. He turned back to Blu and put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed slightly. "That is all understandable. Until only a few years ago, I was in the same situation." John laughed calmly, and not without a few flashbacks to the time he had first met Teyla and the rest of the Athosians – aliens to him, as they were then!

Torren stirred, so John made to move forward to be with him. "After breakfast, we should all talk about this situation, and what to do next."

"I agree. I will wake everyone." Blu took off with a slight jog.

John smiled down at Torren as the little boy stretched his small arms up into the air. "Mama?" He said, half asleep.

John cringed and felt sad. "You will see her soon, Torren. You are stuck with just me at the moment. Hope that's okay?" He asked, cocking his head to the side awaiting an answer. Torren jumped up and they shared a hug that had John holding just slightly longer and tighter this morning.

SGA SGA SGA

"So, we go?"

Blu had taken on the role of unofficial spokesperson for the group of now only twelve: not including John and Torren.

The last hour, whilst they had shared breakfast, true feeling came forth and many arguments had been battered back and forth, but the majority now decided they wanted to stay and try and integrate with the people already living in the area. This made sense to John in so many ways. They had family and friends living here…if they could find them, and if, they had not already been taken or died.

John sat on a boulder with Torren on his knee just leaning back into his body and remaining still and quiet, realising some big decisions were being made in front of him.

Occasionally, Arla, Vari or Blu or one of the twelve who wished to leave, would look at him with pleading eyes to enter into the conversation and try to persuade the others. He could not anymore. He had made his case for leaving and finding somewhere better for weeks now; so now was the time to decide.

Things had grown quiet and there was an unease building.

John's wrist stung, but it was a distraction from all the verbal fighting in front of him. Still, he needed to see if an infection had settled as he was feeling warm. He subtly raised it in front of Arla and she took the hint. Gathering her bag beside her, she moved over to kneel beside John.

"Does it hurt?" She asked, whilst rummaging in her bag.

"No. Itchy."

"Then that is a good sign. No?" She asked, puzzled by his worried look as his eyes now searched the sky.

John studied her for a minute. "I am fine." He said. "Look, Arla. We have to leave. If the wraith can trace that dart here..."

As if on cue, the screech of a dart could be heard. The resulting scramble into the dense foliage began in earnest. Peoples' faces were grim and expectation of a cull were high in the agenda. Their facial expressions spoke of intense disbelief at their supposed bad luck. Most looked at John as he stood and held Torren close, his once bandaged wrist remaining uncovered.

The dart was hidden by branches. Crude and effective by any visual standards. But, John knew the technical capabilities of the wraith and their darts. This was also a queen's dart. No doubt the capabilities of this search was pushed to the extreme to detect the missing craft and their prize that had flown it.

John motioned for Blu to get some people back further under cover that from his angle were asking for trouble. They complied, but John noticed their disgruntled looks and how they seemed to blame him for this – their possible near capture.

Perhaps now, John thought, they would understand that they could never be safe here.

He motioned towards Vari with a spinning finger and then pointed towards himself. It was the only thing he could do, and then to Arla to come closer.

Torren seemed to sense he was leaving him to Arla's care and started to cry. John cradled his head and kissed it quick, handing him over to Arla who had snuck close beside him.

"I have to go for a moment, Torren. But I will be back soon. Arla will take good care of you." He nodded towards her and then swiftly left his hiding hole with Torren before he could change his mind.

Blu shadowed him. John didn't like it and then got even more annoyed when he turned around to see Vari and an older man named Crone, come to follow him also. Crone grabbed his arm to stop him moving and John grabbed the trailing bandage on his other arm; wrapping it quickly as he spoke.

"Look, I am going to shoot them down, and then come back for everyone that wants to leave. We have to go."

"I get that." Vari thundered. "But are you mad? They could shoot you down and then what?"

"Not before I get them first. But I must go. Vari, if anything happens to me..."

Blu stepped in front of him, reaching out for his shoulder, suddenly concerned. "We will be safe here. Just wait for them to go." He pleaded.

"You will get yourself killed." Crone argued. "Your son will be without a Father!"

This hit a nerve with John and he lowered his eyes in a way that left nothing of his anger to the imagination.

"I..." He stopped for a long second to stare at Crone. "…would never jeopardise my son's life – or anyone else here for one second. Do you understand that?"

Crone scratched at a spot on his neck, and nodded. "All I ask is that you give it a minute. We should be sheltered here."

John sighed. Perhaps there was a shield of some sort.

It was the Crone's sincerity that won out in the end. Going against everything that had been built into John in the past years … mainly to fight, John held still with the rest for a few minutes and waited until the whine noise evaporated and everybody could breathe again.

SGA SGA SGA

"It is proof, John. They did not detect us. We will stay."

For more than two hours now, the escapees had chopped and changed their minds, until the only ones that wanted to leave were Vari, Arla and Blu.

"I am flying us out of here in five minutes." John directed at the small group, pleading with them on a one to one basis; desperately imploring Crone to come along as he had a calming influence on the others. But in the end the small group remained fast in their ways and wanted to stay.

Arla shifted a sleepy Torren on her other hip and moved forward to hug the nearest to her that happened to be Crone. "Take care, my friend." She said, before moving on to the next, handing off Torren to John's waiting arms, she hugged every one there individually, with Vari and Blu following shortly behind with hand-shakes.

John stayed discreetly back; surprised when Crone came forward to shake his hand. "We will not forget what you did for us, John."

His grip was strong and John nodded his thanks. "Could you do me a favour?"

Crone crossed his arms. "Sure."

"My friends. For any reason they come here looking for me. Tell them…tell them I will find them. Crone smirked. "Will do." Was all he said in reply and he ruffled Torren's head.

"Going to miss you, young lad. Take good care of your daddy here."

Torren nodded, and John felt the biggest lump in his throat, but he knew the best thing to do was to find his way home and let his friends start a new one.

John was surprised to see all the others haul the branches off the hidden dart to help him. Soon it was uncovered. Arla, Vari and Blu, after saying their goodbyes, were standing together with some supplies, their arms interlinked in a united bond.

John kept hold of Torren and looked for a minute to wonder if he should be beamed up with the others but Arla held out her hand. "No, John. Just in case something happens, keep him with you at all times."

"Now, nothing is going to happen. You will be safe."

"I know." Arla grimaced. "But it is still a thought to be beamed up again, and then appear in a strange new world."

John hugged her and walked purposely towards the dart and sat down in it, placing Torren on his knee. He pulled over the protective glass overhead and raised the dart from the ground before doing a three sixty and smiling softly towards the remaining group below.

But his huddle of friends waited on him.

John bit his bottom lip. He was torn. He knew he could make a quick escape from this planet in the queen's dart and get off this Island to find somewhere else to go. That wasn't the problem. The problem was, he hadn't told anybody, but he wanted to go back to blow the hive to pieces; but the threat of getting into a battle with the other darts and perhaps damaging the queen's dart and putting them in danger could not be denied.

Vari, Blu and particularly Arla had been so very good to him; they did not deserve to get hurt any more…and then there was Torren.

So the time to fight was not now. He would try and get back here another day to dispose of the wraith once and for all here.

SGA SGA SGA

John's perception of the surrounding mountain had been that if was very steep and covered in trees. His flight, now that he had reached the top, and had a good view down, was disturbing. He was perturbed to see how many of the trees had now disappeared, and a feeling on unease threatened to overwhelm him. His new friends he had had to leave behind did not realise how much would have gone and he worried for their survival.

John thumped the dashboard and then regretted his outburst in front of Torren.

"Sorry." He said. "Try and have a sleep."

Torren sucked his thumb harder. He seemed very aware of the change in the air and remained calm. Something John was extremely thankful for.

Not knowing where to go, or how long it would even take to get to another planet, John did the only thing he could do.

He went up.

And up.

Pretty sure he was in now in the vast blackness of space with only iridescent pinpricks of light to make him feel not alone, John had a go at trying to understand the readings the dart was displaying in a frenzied pattern.

His left arm throbbed; Torren leaning against it. But with no room to move really, John had to suffer the twinges that grew stronger and stronger. He felt hot; his hand from his brow came away wet with sweat. John hoped it was just adrenalin leaving his body as he tried to calm his heart, but now was not the time to think the wound in his arm was infected. The time was to find a liveable planet and rematerialize his friends.

There was a light that slowly flickered from when he had taken off. He watched it occasionally, as he flew deeper in space. It had started off as a pale white, moved to a faint amber colour, and now it was definitely taking on the appearance of a bright ruby red.

It didn't matter what country or planet you were on – red meant danger.

John felt the first blast a second before a warning klaxon threatened to deafen him. The dart pitched left, but just ever so gently.

It was a warning shot.

John told Torren to get down at his feet and curl up tight. His voice was commanding and the small child moved; once again obeying him without question.

"Crap." John whispered, whilst physically searching the darkness.

There. Flanking him on each side now were four to six darts. They wanted the queen's dart …most probably they wanted him back also.

John braked, in good old movie fashion, and he was soon behind their craft; that took a second to wonder what had happened to him.

Soaring and spinning to confuse their trackers, John was soon speeding away downwards in the hope that another symbol he had been following was that of another planet.

Slam. Another blast, stronger this time, shuddered the frame work and sparks flew on the glass next to his face. John involuntarily jerked his head away, and followed up with the same manoeuvre, but this time flying underneath them on his return to let off a volley of fire, taking two out as he did so.

The remaining darts seemed to group together and flew towards him in desperation as he was nearing the planet's surface. Two broke off, showered him with fire after fire, but he ducked and he dodged and managed to evade; knowing they were toying with him until he was nearer land. They did not want their prize to be broken in space if they could help it.

Where to go?

The planet, half golden, half blue with only pockets of green, looked quarter the size of Earth and, if he was right with the readings: breathable, liveable; perhaps escapable.

John flew at top speed straight down; hearing all the time in his mind, and in truth, the awful screeching noise the dart's slim-like body made in the air.

"Ahh." John cried as another bolt shook his hand off the controls with the speed in which it had come. They were gunning for him now. His fast descent had made the dart enter the planet probably faster that the wraith would have liked for safe capture. It was obvious that this queen's dart was a faster and leaner model than the others. John smirked. Good!

John wiped away more sweat, his shaking left hand held the controls for a moment. He also wanted to shield his eyes against the bright blue of a lake that the sun was hitting against. Seeing an opening he thought he might take to confuse those behind him. He avoided two more blasts that followed him down and chinked a mark into a sandstone looking structure, and flew low and fast along the banks of an obvious lake until he entered a desert looking land.

Nowhere to hide there.

John flew up and over, several times. He was the prey, but the attackers could not keep up with his piloting skills and John couldn't help but allow himself a smirk every so often.

He saw it then. A space to let his friends go. A space so tight and yet wonderfully camouflaged. John flew it twice, three times to make sure he could do this. Materialise his friends at just the right moment. Also, not trusting his limited knowledge of the dart's readings, and with a quick squeeze of Torren's shoulder, John let the canopy disappear until he was breathing the air of their new planet. It was clean, breathable right enough. He tried to get the canopy back up again, but sparks flew and his stomach flipped to realise one of the hits had caused it to be inoperable again. That meant no more space travel for now.

For the release of his friends - it had to be now or somewhere else.

John spun the dart around again, seeing the wraith trackers a ways in front of him, and just hovering as if waiting on a command. They had lost him.

John briefly closed his eyes and prayed that the beam function had not been damaged. He went as low as he dared and quickly flew over his chosen area. He pressed the controls and breathed a sigh of relief when three dazed friends materialised on the ground. Not wanting to draw attention to the area if he had been spotted, John memorised certain landmarks and flew further away towards an outcropping of rocks that had caught his attention.

He made it there; it did not take long. He looked for a spot to land near it. Almost on top of the water beside it, John felt the fatal blast that cut off the engines and his heart sunk. They were going down in a dart that had turned to a heavy weight of metal and nothing else.

Lights out, no controls whatsoever, John was a wounded bird taken out in flight.

They twisted down in dizzying speed, and John desperately wanted to hold Torren to him, but it was like moving his body in treacle and his face was being whipped with the open air that threw brush, stones and other materials at him; scoring him and making him bleed.

"AArrghh." He screamed. Angry at the way he was going down. Angry that Torren might die when they hit the ground. Angry that he had had no way to land – so he turned the guns on them that followed and watched as one then two were taken out also as he spiralled. Together they fell.

But only John and Torren's dart landed in water.

SGA SGA SGA

To be continued ….