Chapter 15
Giggles and Tea
As plans go, this one was not bad, simple really: walk into the Labyrinth and destroy them all. The little bobble she held in her wonderful pocket could obliterate the entire room including all the computers, all the people and all their equipment. It would leave nothing but ash.
Her father, the collector, had found two of these egg-shaped devices in his many travels. Someone somewhere had altered a Wraith incendiary device and had made it even more destructive. He tested one of the objects out in a barren field with unfortunate consequences. The blast radius was much larger than anticipated and killed three of his employees leaving only a smoldering crater. He hid the last one for an emergency situation. The Wraith invading was just such an emergency, but he died before he could use it.
Lia was sure Papa would not mind her using it to get these people out of her, his house. She had not used it on the Hive ship because the Atlanteans needed to learn the error of their ways. They need to have their planet culled and have their entire family die. With that, she knew her Daddy would agree. Now, he probably understood from wherever he was about their deceit and cowardly ways. He might have protected the Atlanteans in life, but, in death, the truth shined and she knew, he knew.
Her pockets were large and her skirt was full; so the device, which was about the length and width of her hand, remained hidden from view. She ascended the stairwell slowly and held her head high. She would show them what she had lost. She would show them how to face death.
Distracted by her thoughts, she nearly walked into two of the uniformed intruders. The young man recognized her and would not let her pass into the hallway. He asked her questions that she did not care to answer. He tried to put his hands on her to keep her there. The stairwell was not good enough, so she fingered the Genii pistol in her other skirt pocket.
The woman blocking her way to the up stairs also talked at her and fingered her own weapon, which was a very rude thing to do.
"Where's Dr. Hallidy?"
"You're not supposed to be out of bed."
So much unwelcome noise filled her head; it was hard to concentrate on her next move.
Lia knew her simple plan was already forfeit. Through all the vocal clutter in her ears, Lia panicked, pushed the woman to the stairs, and shouldered the man catching him full in the ribcage. If she used the weapon now, the others would know she was there and then her plan would never succeed. He recovered quickly and chased her down the hallway to her father's office shouting for help the entire way.
There would be no help for any of them. She heard yelling and saw more uniforms entering the office from the Labyrinth. She pulled her pistol and started firing it indiscriminately hoping to hit anyone. No one yelled in pain so she figured she missed. All her training with the weapon lost on sheer dumb luck and blind panic.
More raised voices came from the doorway to the Labyrinth and a blow knocked her to the floor from a body crashing into her from behind. This would have to do; she knew she was going no farther.
"Papa!" Lia screamed to the ceiling of the office as her body slammed into the floor. She lay still for just a second until she activated the device that was in the large pocket hidden in the folds of her skirt.
She felt metal and heat shearing her skin off and she heard the screams of those around her and she saw the desperation in their eyes and she laughed merrily until the heat enveloped her.
The pain until the very end was exquisite.
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"Sgt. Welker? Sgt. Welker!" Cadman yelled at the thick door in front of her. She banged her fists on it hoping for an answer. "Sgt. Welker, do you hear me?" He was in charge of the main lab and needed to update her on the situation.
The door had slid into place in the hall leading to the office. By closing, it had cut her off from it. The fire suppression system and/or the emergency protocols must be working. Who knew the Wraith cared for safety so much?
"This is Lt. Cadman, can anyone hear me?"
The girl had shoved her down forcefully enough to momentarily knock the wind out of her. It took her a second or two to regain her wits. When she did, she could not get a shot off because Cavanaugh gave chase…
"Lt. Cavanaugh, please respond!" Royal screw-up, royal freaking screw-up.
Next thing she knew, a fireball was heading straight for her and she pretty much thought of herself as barbeque. You've bought it now, Laura, she told herself. The heat from the blast had been…hot, real hot.
"Lt. Cadman, this is Pvt. Ponds. The lab is sealed off. We're looking for another way out. Everyone in here is fine. Dr. Zelenka and Dr. Haushaur saved what data they could and are following us for the time being."
"Understood." She banged her head on the door. Cavanaugh had saved the day. This was a big, big screw-up.
Cadman wanted to slide down the wall and cry until no tears remained. Instead, she turned around and started for the stairs. She might as well go meet the other Jumpers hightailing it back to lend a hand. The one that was waiting for Cavanaugh and her was trying to contact her now.
There had to be another way out for those stuck in the lab. She would tell him so a second. She needed to compose herself so she could issue orders and figure the situation out.
She grabbed at her side where it had hit the stairs and slowly climbed the rest of the way up.
This day just needed to end.
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Zelenka clutched the laptop to his chest and coughed. Behind him, Inga whimpered quietly trying to control her crying. He was not too far behind in that aspect either. The lab's eerie yellow emergency lights cast odd creepy shadows through the acrid smoke. The tendrils hung in midair curling around them as they walked- like ghosts trying to grab the living. There must have been a ventilation system pulling some of it out because it was less thick than a few minutes ago. He wished it would hurry up and get the rest of it out.
The heat from the explosion had been intense. Two of the young soldiers (three of them were left) had blisters visible on their faces. Their clothes had protected them somewhat from the rest of the heat when they pushed Inga and him behind the work tables. The emergency doors slammed shut before anything else could happen. The computers shut down when the power was cut so any data on their own computers was it. Overall, it was not as bad as it could have been, but it was nowhere near good.
This reaffirmed his uneasiness about gating off-world. Crazy children thought he was a Barbie head. Scary, see-through lieutenant colonels leered at him. Fellow expedition members get trapped in the matrix of a Wraith dart on a godforsaken, culled world. They expected him to be a hero like Randolph Scott or Cary Grant. Beckett and he would have to start a group to forbid certain members from ever leaving Atlantis, namely the good doctor and him.
Lt. Cadman came across the airwaves again. "It was the girl, Lia. She must have had an explosive device." She paused for a few seconds. "Cpl. Cavanaugh stopped her from going any farther than the office, I take it?"
"Cpl. Cavanaugh?" Radek asked weakly. "He was in there?"
"I'm sorry Dr. Zelenka…she didn't make it into the lab right?" Her voice broke subtly.
Dr. Haushaur sniffed a little more vigorously and the tension increased in Pvt. Ponds' shoulders. The other two also clenched their weapons and pursed their lips tightly.
"She did not make it into the lab. Sgt. Welker, Sgt. Mulrooney and his team went in to assist." Ponds kept walking down the corridor of Wraith cells, weapon at the ready.
"Damn."
"I agree, ma'am."
Ponds stopped at the very end and turned around to face Zelenka. "What about this door? It's not like the others."
"I didn't get to study the schematics long enough to find out where everything leads," he answered apologetically. "I was just getting started when…" He broke off, handed his laptop to Haushaur, and busied himself with the door.
"Do your best, Doc," encouraged the young man.
"Lt. Cadman, this is Korkov. What can we do to help?" Another voice entered the conversation. "Is the fire out?"
"The room is contained. I'm in the stairwell leading to the main entrance hall, I'll join you on the Jumper in a few. If you can, scan the house and help the ones stuck on the lower level to get out."
"This, I will do."
Radek recognized the name from the roster of Russian military attached to Atlantis. Korkov had been in Atlantis for several months. Not an original member, but not a rookie either. He had actually shared a drink or two with the man in a large group. Vodka is never too far from a Russian's grasp and it sure beat that Athosian stout tea.
"Korkov, this is Zelenka. We're in front of door down in the cell holding area. I'm trying to open it now. Please tell me, it's not a broom closet."
"No Radek, you have found secret passageway behind the broom closet," was the reply.
"Good, good," mumbled Zelenka distractedly. "Then, I'll have it open in a jiffy."
"See you when you get up here; I'll have some water waiting."
"It had better be water," scolded Zelenka. "Later, it had better not be."
"Gentlemen," interrupted Cadman. "Better save some of that water for the rest of us."
"Always Lieutenant. Is best water known to mankind. And, only way to remember fallen comrades."
The door slid open to reveal a small compartment. Zelenka entered part of the way and studied the room using a flashlight from one of the soldiers. "Pavel, which wall is entrance to passageway?"
"One to left as you face back."
"Aah, I think I see trigger."
It was a small circular light that, with the power out and a flashlight shining on it looked different from the others.
He pressed it.
Nothing happened.
He pulled it.
Nothing happened.
He turned it.
Nothing happened.
He took his palm, placed it firmly on top, and did all three. It opened to a long narrow shaft with a ladder going towards the surface.
"Well done Doc!" Ponds congratulated him as the others patted him on the back.
"Is time to go home and have stiff drink and listen to moody, horrible music," he said as he stared up at the dark passageway.
"Amen Doc, amen," solemnly agreed one of the soldiers behind him.
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Her eyes were so deep brown that they looked black, the pupil barely visible even in good light. Infinite was a good way to describe them and he was completely lost in them.
"We should go to the Carado Flower Festival and formally declare our intentions," she whispered across his chest as her head lay on it.
She felt so real curled up next to him on the bed, but he knew this was a dream. A dream he did not want to wake up from.
"But so many do it; it's not very intimate. Plus, I think everyone and their neighbor already know our intentions," he replied with a seductive leer.
She lightly smacked him on the belly and giggled.
He had pushed this back so far in his mind and he had done it so long ago…he had done it to survive. Even though he did not want to wake up, he was not real sure if he liked or loathed the dream/memory.
"We can use your making Specialist as an excuse and invite everyone. Then, surprise! Look we decided to join! Let's all go down to the Festival!"
He laughed into her hair as it tickled his nose. His response was interrupted by a loud argument.
"BECKETT SAID I COULD HAVE IT!"
He looked down into her dark eyes. That insistent voice did not belong here. It really did not belong here.
"…I am your still doctor!" was the curt and forced response. "HAND…IT…OVER!"
Gishon disappeared and darkness filled the void until he opened his eyes. Teyla sat next to his bed and watched- quite amusedly- the otherside of the room. A game of tug-o-war played out between McKay and Biro over his laptop. Each held one side until Biro let go. McKay snapped back in the bed and groaned loudly. He twisted in pain from the impact and tried to get off his back as quickly as possible.
She snatched the laptop as soon as he let it go to tend his many pains.
"See you can't even concentrate because of your injuries," Biro jubilantly scolded. "I'll talk to Dr. Beckett about undermining my orders!"
"Pain? I wasn't in pain until…"
She walked a little ways away and turned around, "You can have this tomorrow when Dr. Beckett resumes his duties."
The glare she received was pure McKay annoyance. He winced and looked at Lorne, Teyla and Ronon. "Whaddya lookin' at?" McKay hissed and closed his eyes to let them know he was not entertaining any conversation at this time. He rolled onto his side, shut his eyes, and feigned sleep.
With a half-smile, Teyla turned her attention to Ronon. "You are feeling better?"
"Much."
"Still the master of conversation, I see," chided Lorne from his bed on the other side of Teyla.
Ronon ignored him. "What's the next move?"
Rodney's eyes opened, "To stop them, of course."
"Of course," said Ronon.
If he was ever trapped on a Hive ship again, he wanted McKay there with him. Through the complaining, through the whining, through the refuting and through the loud snorting of disapproval, some outrageous idea would hatch to thwart the enemy. For all his pessimism, McKay was a closet optimist.
Lorne and Teyla snorted in agreement with Ronon's answer.
Teyla patted his arm before speaking, "Col. Caldwell is holding a brainstorming and information session tomorrow afternoon. We are waiting for Lt. Cadman, Dr. Zelenka and Dr. Haushaur to return from the planet…"
"Wait, where's Cavanaugh?" Ronon interrupted while surveying the room. "Wasn't he supposed to come back with Cadman?"
He knew right away by the look on her face and then by the looks the others had in turn what had happened. "How?"
"Lia, that crazy little…"
"Rodney." Teyla warned him off. "She had an explosive device, Cpl. Cavanaugh and others stopped her from reaching the lab. Unfortunately, it destroyed the office instead."
"Zelenka and the others are on their way now," added Lorne.
"I'll be at that meeting," Ronon stated.
"Not physically," reprimanded Biro as she reappeared and walked up to his bed.
Ronon started to protest.
"We'll be linked by radio," said Lorne with mock cheerfulness.
He nodded back and Teyla patted him on the arm again.
Biro looked at the empty bed next to McKay's. "Is Dr. Weir still…"
"I'm coming!" Weir called from around the corner. "You'd think on Atlantis, there wouldn't be a line for the Ladies room. But, there it was."
She saw Ronon's half-lidded eyes and smiled genuinely. "Ronon, good to see you awake."
His nodding was getting a workout.
Biro abruptly stopped checking him over and stood straight up. "Yes Colonel. I understand. Thank you, my teams should be there already."
"The Jumper from Ixion is back. We'll bring them here." She explained to the eavesdropping group staring at her.
Weir took her turn to nod and looked at each person in the immediate area. With passion, she informed them, "We will stop them. We will retrieve John. Too many have died for us to fail their sacrifice now."
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Even as a child, she was uncommonly good at playing with her food. Then, as she grew up and the food became more interactive, she took it to new levels.
This morsel truly amused her. As she sauntered by, her claw might rake across his exposed upper chest gouging a line in his skin. With each pass, the cut reopened, deepened and bled a little more. She liked to keep him guessing, confuse him. Will I take a day off or just scrape the skin off? She would mix in a taste here and there, just an instant of flesh to flesh contact to refresh her as she casually passed by him. She had it down to a science.
Just to antagonize him further, she would walk close enough to let the fabric of her clothes brush against his skin and do nothing else. If he did not see her coming, he might yelp. If he did, the defiant stare would meet her hungry one.
If he was completely prepared-- and this was the greatest delight of them all-- he would bite back a scream and turn red in the face holding it in when she did feed for that glorious second. He was a true adversary and a delicious snack. She had been right- definitely worth the wait. She would have to find others with the Lantean gene or the arrogance or both when she reached Earth.
He was providing her with the most entertainment she had had in a very long time. She had perfected this game over the eons through trial and error. Too much, the snack would die too quickly. Too little, she would not get a satisfying taste and kill the snack too quickly in her greed. Other factors weighed in as well. Keeping the defiance strong enough for the enjoyment and not breaking the morsel so she grew bored and, once again, killed it too quickly. It was a tricky balance and one she enjoyed trying to achieve with him.
Nothing demanded her attention at the moment, so she could play her game with the utmost care and deliberate slowness. She could further feel him out, find his limits. Walking around the room, staying within eyesight, brushing him with her sleeve, and, finally, scratching him in the same spot over and over- those were the small tests to find the thresholds. He was proving a challenge.
She would wait for the taste, though. Deny herself that which she craved so when the time came; it was just that much sweeter. She loved the heartbeat racing under her palm and the little squirt of blood that preceded the pure life energy. Then at the end, the gasping and hard breathing were a thrill all their own. She had almost a full lunar cycle to do this to him. She was in a state of pure bliss.
He offered nuances no other had before. Take what he was doing now, singing.
"I am the very model of a modern Major-General…"
He sang badly from what she gathered from overhearing the other humans' comments.
"…vegetable, animal and mineral."
It was such an animal trait. But, humans had perfected it with such intricacies. The different songs seemed to elicit different emotions. Emotions were such a bother, but interesting. He sang silly inane songs and ones that seemed to carry more meaning, at least to him.
"I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical…"
There was one about a ring of fire. She was sure it must have been some superstitious twaddle about the Rings built by the Lanteans. Those rings however, looked more like liquid and not like a flame. She decided to go ahead and ask him about it.
"With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse…"
He stopped singing and gave her that defiant grin along with his answer, "It's a love song written by the singer's wife. But, you wouldn't know anything about love would you?" He looked her right in the eye when he said it.
She could deny herself no longer when the defiance was so very naked.
"No," she answered approaching him slowly. "We have no need for such base emotions," she concluded the conversation and leaned in to press her feeding hand hard enough to feel the give in his skeletal structure, but not enough to break his fragile ribs.
She took in a mouthful of air as she hemorrhaged just a little more life from him. The savory treat screamed deliciously in her ear as their cheeks almost touched. Her acute hearing protested the proximity to his loud vocal and physical distress, while her nerve endings did not mind at all. She ignored the pain.
Without pain, there is no life.
Aah, there was the gasping for air. Her hand dropped and she left her face close so he could feel the quick warm breaths tickle the fine hairs on her jaw and neck. The sensation was unreal.
Playing with your food presented many rewarding experiences and, yes, she was very good at it.
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A/N: Here bunny, bunny. Here rabbit! Oh they have found the tall grass and the Jacuzzi. Relax my little ones and enjoy. You have been working so hard.
The opening line for John and the Queen's part is the inspiration of this story. What would happen if…sort of thing. The original plot I had for it just did not work so it morphed into this one and I had to keep that line because it was the catalyst for everything else. Plus, the Wraith females fascinate me to no end. Just thought you might like to know.