Chapter 12
John watched with uneasy eyes as Rodney and Corynn ran from the Daedelus' control room. The woman had a plan, one that Rodney had immediately declared insane…but one that just might work. John had moved to accompany the two to the crystal control room, but Rodney had raised one hand and stopped him. Without a word, the scientist had conveyed his message: this plan was dangerous and would probably end in one or both of them being killed. There was no need for anyone else to get hurt…or dead.
So, against his better judgment, as well as his overwhelming need to protect his friend and the alien woman, John had remained in the control room. Teyla and Ronon had eyed their team-leader cautiously, the minutes slowly ticking by as they watched him pace across the darkened control room floor. Colonel Caldwell had kept his peace, knowing that the lives of both himself and his crew depended upon McKay and this Lorell woman.
"How did he manage to get his hands on a three-oh-two?" John suddenly asked. He had shoved thoughts of a poisoned and dying McKay to the back of his mind, deciding to focus on Tristan…and his escape. He spun and strode to Caldwell, his green eyes flashing.
Caldwell glared back. "We beamed his ship into landing bay two. Each bay holds twenty three-oh-twos. All he had to do was make his way back to the bay, and steal a ship." Caldwell paused, then added, "His ship wasn't going anywhere, so he had no choice."
John didn't answer. In a way, this was good news. The three-oh-twos weren't equipped with light-speed, and had limited life support. All they needed to do was get the power back on, and they would be able to track Tristan.
Speaking of power…John was suddenly aware of a low hum pulsating below his feet. Around them, the lights started to flicker to life, and data started to flow across the computer screens. Relief spread through Sheppard, and he exchanged a quick grin with Teyla and Ronon. McKay. He had done it…again.
"Report." Caldwell's voice was sharp as he took his seat, his face turned towards his first officer.
"Sir. All power restored, and fully functional."
"Excellent. Now let's go and find that bastard." Caldwell's words were directed at the science officer, whose head was already bent over her monitor.
John slapped at his headset. "Rodney? Everything okay down there?" Only static fizzed in his ears, and he felt a shiver run down his spine. He moved to exit the room, his face taut with worry, when the science officer let out a yell.
"Got him! Bearing eight-eight-one, about twenty clicks away!" She quickly activated the hologram, a glowing red blip indicating the escaped murderer.
"Navigation, pursue that ship! And ready the forward weapons – just in case this guy gives us another problem." Caldwell leaned forward in his chair, his face intent. Sabotage his ship, attempt to poison his crew, and steal one of his ships? Not on Stephen Caldwell's watch.
John waited a moment longer, then made a decision: Caldwell obviously had the situation in hand. Rodney still hadn't responded, and John needed to check on the scientist. He nodded his head to Teyla and Ronon, and, with the two warriors by his side, started leaving the control room.
Suddenly, McKay's voice roared through the radio.
"I need help down here!"
Relief flowed through John; obviously, Rodney was okay. But, the tone of his voice indicated something was wrong. Corynn. Something must have happened to Corynn for Rodney to sound so upset. Distracted by his thoughts, John paused as Caldwell reassured McKay help was on the way.
"Sir! Enemy ship just ahead!" The science officer's voice penetrated John's indecision, and he turned to look out the viewing window. The Daedelus was roaring down upon the little fighter ship, looking like a giant bird about to squash a bug. A glance a Caldwell's face told John the analogy was appropriate; the Colonel resembled a hawk, hungry and honed in on his prey.
"Sir! We're getting another signal! And it's…it's huge!" The science officer's voice faded into disbelief as an enormous ship, at least ten times the size of the Daedelus, materialized directly in front of them.
"Evasive action!" Caldwell ordered, his hands gripping the arms of the chair. The Daedelus' engines whined as the reverse thrusters were engaged, and the nose turned sharply starboard. John struggled to keep his footing, reaching out and grabbing at Teyla as she stumbled to floor. Ronon had braced himself against one of the consoles, his eyes never leaving the gigantic ship outside.
Suddenly, the Daedelus lurched. Personnel fell to the floor, followed by papers and equipment. The whine of the engines transformed into a screech, and the first officer looked at Caldwell in sheer panic.
"Sir! We're caught in some kind of…tractor beam! Engines are overheating, down to eighty percent!" Another shudder flowed through the Daedelus, and alarms began their insistent blaring.
"Can we break free?" Caldwell asked. He frowned deeply as the science officer shook her head, her hands flying over the controls.
"Negative, sir. If we don't shut down the engines, they'll overload. As it is, we're down to sixty percent." She paused, her eyes widening. She turned back to her commanding officer. "Sir, we're being hailed."
Caldwell schooled his face into an expressionless mask. It seemed obvious that the other ship could easily blast the Daedelus – and Atlantis, for that matter – into teeny little bits. He was slightly reassured by the fact that they wanted to communicate. Slightly.
"Open a channel, Lieutenant," he ordered brusquely. "If these folks want to talk, then we'll talk."
oOo
"What the hell was that?" Dr. McKay barked. He was standing next to Corynn's gurney, alternately watching the medical staff as they administered first aid to the alien woman, and keeping an eye on Corynn, who had finally started breathing easier. Her coughing now only came in short spurts, and her shivering had been reduced to an occasional tremor. Her lips remained pale, however, and her eyes were blood-shot and red-rimmed.
The ship lurched again, causing some equipment to topple off a small, portable table. Corynn blinked open her eyes, a look of comprehension dawning on her face. She glanced up at Rodney, who had remained by her side.
"Rodney. I need to get to the main control room." Her voice was no more than a whisper. She struggled to sit up, tossing off the warm blankets. If her suspicions were correct, then the sooner she made her presence known, the better.
Rodney moved to stop her, then took a look at her face. Sighing in resignation, and muttering to himself, he reluctantly helped her to her feet, wincing at the cold that still radiated from her body. He reached back, grabbed a blanket, and wrapped it around the shivering woman.
"You do realize that if Carson ever finds out that I helped you escape the sick-bay, he'll find some ungodly way to torture me. You do know that, right?" Rodney's voice sounded tight, but, as she placed her cold hand on his arm, she could sense the relief that flowed through McKay. Biting back a smile, wondering if she would make it to the control room, Corynn only nodded silently at McKay's rantings as they slowly made their way out of the sick bay.
oOo
"This is Lt. Colonel Stephen Caldwell, commander of the Daedelus. Please respond."
A long moment passed, and then a voice, speaking in a foreign tongue, resonated through the room.
"Tau cho muni essra moorati! Indero myoni set!"
"Well, that clears things right up," Caldwell remarked, and John stifled a bark of laughter. Who knew that old by-the-book Caldwell had a sense of humor, anyway?
The commander turned to Ronon and Teyla. "I don't suppose either of you understood that?" He sighed as they both shook their heads. Now what? Hermiod, their Asgard emissary, had disembarked the Daedelus at Earth, returning to his people for a short while. While the temperamental alien could be vexing at times, Caldwell found himself wishing the little gray guy was at his post. Still, if wishes were horses…
"Run his speech through the translator. And find McKay. Maybe he can figure out what this guy is saying," Caldwell ordered.
"Mestan jybri hun deri crast!" The voice rippled through the radio, anger detectible in the tone. John winced; it was obvious that they were running out of time.
"Yeah, yeah. And your mother wears combat boots," Caldwell mumbled. He sighed. It was turning out to be a hell of a day.
A commotion at the transporter caused him to spin in his chair. Rodney McKay and the alien woman – Corynn – were staggering into the room, the woman shrouded by a blanket. She looked ghastly; blue-tinged lips, white face, red eyes. Rodney seemed to be almost carrying her, one arm wrapped around her small body. He was distracted by the sight of the immense ship hovering just outside the viewing window, and momentarily paused, his blue eyes widening. Moving like lightening, Ronon and Teyla hurried to help Corynn, taking the woman's weight from the scientist.
"Gofrit vertio mut!" This time there was no doubt that the voice was pissed. Caldwell turned, knowing that answering was a complete waste of time. He opened his mouth, but slammed it shut as Corynn's weak voice, speaking the stranger's tongue, answered.
"This is Corynn Lorell, leader of the family Lorell. With whom am I speaking?" She struggled to make her rasping tone authoritative, doing her best to prevent whoever commanded the warship from firing. She made her way to John's side, leaning her weight on one of the consoles. He glanced down, horrified by her condition, but she only gave him a wan smile.
"Corynn! It's Dillon! Are you all right?" The suddenly familiar voice of her youngest brother sounded like music to her ears, and joy sprang into her heart.
"I am fine," she lied. She would be fine, with a week in a warm bed and some of those french fries. She braced herself on the console, suddenly weary. "These people are allies, Dillon. Release their ship. They mean you no harm." A moment later, the whine of the Daedelus' engines was abruptly diminished, and Corynn nearly sagged with relief. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and glanced back to see John's concerned gaze. Just a couple of more things, then she could fall down.
"Tristan escaped on one of their small fighter ships. He attempted to destroy this ship. Do you have him?" She waited for what seemed like forever, hoping with every fiber of her being that they finally had captured her cousin.
"Yes. We have him. Your orders, Sudanii Lorell?" Corynn blanched at her brother's use of her title; all familiarity had left his voice, leaving only the professional demeanor of a soldier. Stifling a sigh, Corynn merely nodded sadly.
"Hold him until further notice. These people now have a claim against Tristan, and have a right to judge him for his crimes. I will speak to their leader once we return to their city, and determine our next course of action. Please follow us with the Gladiator. Sudanii out." She vaguely heard Dillon acknowledge her orders, then turned to Colonel Caldwell.
"My brother has released your ship. He has also managed to capture Tristan, and will hold him until we return to Atlantis. Agreed?" She waited until Caldwell gave a brief nod, then the blackness that had been threatening her finally overwhelmed her. She sagged towards the floor, her fall broken by Colonel Sheppard's quick arms.
TBC