I'd like to thank you all for your reviews and comments. They have proven very encouraging and also helpful. The comments I received in the last chapter ended up turning the story in a different direction from what I was expecting. It has made it more fun to write, and hopefully you'll enjoy reading it.

OoOoO

A moment after the doctor collapsed, two figures appeared beside them. It was Ria and Thomat. Ronon again instinctively moved towards them, in a threatening manner. This time, his aggression was met by an invisible wall that held him back.

"How could you?" John asked Ria. "All he did was to offer you kindness. And this is how you repay him?"

"I had no choice," Ria replied. Then, it was as if John's comments suddenly got through to her, and she noticed the crumpled body of Carson on the ground. A look of horror spread across her face, and she dropped to her knees beside Carson.

"You idiot!" she said, looking up at Patra, the leader of the men who had captured them. Her hand reached out to Carson, but was met by a force holding it back.

"Don't try to heal loverboy," Patra said. "You're too soft, Ria."

"And you're too stupid," Ria retorted. "He's the one we need! Of all the ones to hurt, why did you choose him?" She turned on Patra, her eyes blazing with anger. "Was it to hurt me? Because you knew that I cared about him?"

The tall man suddenly looked ashamed, and it was clear to those watching that Ria had hit upon the truth of the matter.

"Well too bad," she continued. "We need him. So let me heal him. And, don't think about doing it yourself. You're so clumsy, you're likely to do more harm than good."

Ria reached out her hand, and this time, she was able to touch Carson's head without any obstacle getting in the way. Her hand was gentle, as she caressed his hair. Within a matter of moments, Carson's blue eyes shot open, and he looked up into Ria's green eyes, a smile on his face.

"Thank you, love," he said softly.

"Don't be so quick to thank her," Rodney said, his voice full of indignation. "She's the reason we're in this predicament. She only saved you because they need you."

Carson looked up at her again, this time his eyes were full of hurt and confusion. "Is that true, lass?" he asked.

Ria's hand still lingered on his head, almost of its own volition. "I'm sorry, Carson," she said, her voice full of regret. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"It's a bit late now," Rodney again interrupted. "You should I thought of that before you dragged us here."

"That's enough," Thomat said. "Take them away, and take the doctor to the laboratory."

The men immediately snapped into action. The team's weapons vanished, to suddenly appear in the men's hands. And their hands were suddenly bound behind their back. Ronon immediately started to struggle, but found that even his strength was not enough to break the bonds.

Carson was dragged to his feet, and swayed slightly. Ria put out her hand to steady him, but the doctor flinched away, as if her touch would hurt him. Ria bit her lip, and let her hands fall to her side. There was a look of supreme sadness on her face.

OoOoO

The team were taken to a cold, dark room. The room had the feeling of being a deep underground, with damp walls and no windows. As soon as they were thrown into the room, they found their hands were free.

John and Ronon immediately started to search the room to see if there was any possible escape. But the walls were solid, almost as if they had been carved out of rock.

"There's nothing!" John said. "It's almost as if we've been sealed in."

"Considering the people we are working with," Rodney said. "That is distinctly possible."

"What do you think they want with Beckett?" Ronon asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," John said, shaking his head.

"I would suspect," Teyla said, speaking for the first time since they had been captured. "It has something to do with his research into genetics."

"That makes sense," Rodney said nodding. "From what Ria told us, they don't have that many people with strong mental abilities. They probably want Carson to do his hocus pocus stuff on their DNA to make them stronger."

"If they use their 'gifts' to retain people against their will, and force them to do what they want, then I hope Carson fails this time."

"But what'll they do to us, and particularly to him, if he does?" Ronon said ominously.

The others just looked at each other, the anxiety very clearly written on their faces.

OoOoO

While the others are exploring their prison, Carson was taken to the scientific laboratory which his captors had prepared for him.

"Well, Dr Beckett," Thomat said. "Here is where you can do your work."

"And what work is that?" Carson asked.

"It's perfectly simple," Thomat answered. "We want you to manipulate our DNA to make us stronger, and to make sure in future, that more of our people have strong telepathic gifts."

"Now let me get this straight," Carson said, a look of indignation on his face. "You want me to help you to make you stronger so you can force other people to do what you want them to, and manipulate them to get your own way. Not bloody likely!"

The doctor had barely finished speaking, before he let out an agonising groan, and fell to his knees clutching his head.

"Stop that!" Ria said, turning on the other man. "Patra can't you get it through your thick skull that we need him, and we need him in one piece."

Almost instantly, Carson's pain subsided. He looked up at Ria, but the look he gave her was not one of gratitude, it held the hurt and betrayal he felt by her actions. Ria took a step back as the look had almost a physical impact on her.

"Whether I'm in one piece and no'," Carson said. "It won't make much difference. I've no intention of helping you. This galaxy has one set of bullies already, in the Wraith, and there's no way I'm helping create another."

"But, Carson," Ria said, dropping to her knees beside him. "We can act as a balance, and help protect you, so the threat of the Wraith is diminished."

"Aye, lass," Carson said, his voice full of sadness. "But whose to say you wouldn't be worse than them. You havenae exactly proven trustworthy so far."

"But it's me we're talking about," Ria said, a plea in her voice.

"Aye, lass," Carson replied. "That's exactly my point."

This time it was Ria's eyes that held the hurt, and brimmed with tears.

"Do you still want to spare him pain?" Patra asked. Ria didn't reply, she simply stared at Carson, letting him see her own pain.

Patra grinned, the smile an evil one, and then with a flick of his mind caused Carson to again collapsed in agony. This time, Ria did not intervene.