AMONG THE STARS - by NotTasha
PART 7: GAMES
Rodney tottered, staggering through the doorway and into the hall outside. He dropped the laptop to slap a hand against the control panel, shutting the door. Almost without conscious thought, he grabbed at the panel, pulling loose its covering and yanking one of the crystals from within.
What the hell was that? What was that woman doing?
He fell on his butt, his back to the wall and stared at the crystal in his hand. For a moment, he just panted, looking in disbelief at the way his bloodied fingers left prints on the transparent surface.
So strange, he thought, so very strange.
God, his side hurt. He sucked in a breath. Oh God… He closed his eyes tightly, trying to overcome the horrible ache as he pressed one hand to the wound. Crap! Crap crap crappy crap!
Without looking, he dropped the crystal to the floor and activated his radio. "Colonel Sheppard? Teyla! Ronon!" He opened his eyes and gazed longingly down the hallway, expecting to see Sheppard and Teyla and Ronon. He wanted to see them running toward him – but no one came. The hallway remained empty and quiet. No one returned his call.
"Colonel?" he tried again.
Oh God, this hurts. What sort of twisted game is she playing? What the hell is she doing in that … treasure room?
A collision on the other side of the door broke him from his reverie. He picked up the laptop one-handedly, almost surprised that he still had it. His other hand stayed clutching at his side, as if it could take away the pain that burned there.
Please…
He blinked, trying to sort things out. She's not going to get through that door, Rodney reasoned. She's not! But he could hear her, fiddling with the controls on the other side, and he felt a coldness fill him. He shuddered, honestly chilled. If she knew what she was doing, she'd figure out a way to get that door open – only a matter of time.
"Come on, guys," he whined into the radio. "I need help… I need someone…"
And nothing.
The radio wasn't working, so he shouted, "Teyla! "
She was so close – so close -- just one floor beneath him.
Oh God, he was bleeding… bleeding a lot. He looked down at his side in disbelief.
The woman from the room continued to work at the door. He could hear her efforts, listened to her voice, thick with a stream of curses.
McKay pushed himself onto one knee. Oh God… oh God, his side was on fire. He grasped at fabric and flesh with one hand, feeling the pain only increase as he wobbled to his feet. Staggering, he started forward, pressing one shoulder to the wall to keep his balance. He felt lightheaded and strange as he moved.
Glancing down to his side, he scolded himself, "Haven't lost that much blood. You're being a big baby. Beckett takes more blood from you when he's running his damn tests."
No… no… this is a lot of blood. Oh God, this is bad.
He tried to ignore that he was painting a stripe along the wall.
He kept staggering, trying to keep upright as his side screamed at him. He'd go to Teyla, he figured.
Teyla would help him.
Teyla would help. Oh God…
Stumbling and staggering, he finally caught sight of the doorway to the central core.
I'm not going to make it.
You will, you will make it! Think of it as a game. Just one step. Keep going.
Okay, one step… and one step… and one step… yes… yes… made it.
He smiled in triumph, leaning heavily on the wall, as he fussed at the door panel. After a few hastily entered commands, he opened it. The door whooshed open, and he furrowed his brow at the red smudges he left behind on the control pad. He forced himself to the opening and grimaced at the sight – a one-story drop to the next level. There was nothing to do, except step out onto the ladder.
Great… just great.
He had no choice. He had to find Teyla. He had to get help. She was so close. He only had to go down one floor, right?
He eased his way out, putting one foot onto the nearest rung, jamming his laptop under the arm that clung to the wound. Grasping hold of a rung with his free arm, he brought his other leg out and he was on the ladder. This'd be easy, right?
He looked downward at the distance he had to descend.
Easy. Easy as pie.
Pie's not easy to make though. Someone makes it wrong once and ruins it forever for others. And there was always some wiseacre who thought lemon meringue was a good idea. Pi is easy too, but not for everyone. He tried not to let his mind drift and recall that Pi rhymed with a certain word.
He gulped uncertainly and closed his eyes a moment.
No time for this, he reminded himself. He had to ensure that that shrew couldn't follow him. He had to get help! Leaning into the ladder, he worked on the control panel one handedly. So stupid that he wasn't wearing his pack. There was no convenient place to store the computer and the ladder rungs weren't wide enough to support it if he were to jam it in there.
He shut the door with a quick clattering of keystrokes, and then pried open the panel. Just have to rewire this, reprogram, figure out a way to lock her on that side of the door.
He panted as he worked, easing out one crystal. His hand felt sticky and strange, and he fumbled the piece as it came clear. It fell, and landed with a melodic little clink below.
The airlock above him started to open. Surprised, McKay looked up, his mouth open in disbelief. Another segment of the inner core yawned above him as the doubled doors fully opened.
That wasn't supposed to happen. He turned his head and looked downward despondently at the crystal he'd removed. Damn… damn, damn. In his attempt to disable the hallway door, he'd managed to trigger open the airlock to the next section.
He tried to shut the hatch, but the unit was already disabled. The crystal was one floor beneath him. Great!
He could climb down, retrieve the dropped crystal, put it back in place so that he could shut the airlock above him – disable the control panel again (without opening the airlock above) and climb back down.
He was so screwed.
He pecked at the keypad, trying to get it to accept the command to close the airlock above. "Come on," he muttered. "Come on already. Don't do this to me. You really don't need to do this to me!"
Pie... stupid pie. Nothing is easy.
The keypad made discontented little oinks and the doors remained in their positions.
"Great! Just great!" McKay groused, resting his head against the rail.
Now what?
He was in no state for climbing up and down stupid ladders! He took assessment of himself, releasing his hold on his side for a moment, gasping at the blood that oozed.
Damn it! He cringed as if he could get away from it. God, it hurt like a son-of-a-bitch! He really didn't think he could get down the ladder without losing the laptop. Why didn't he bring his pack?!
With a groan, he leaned against the ladder, touched his radio and tried again. "Colonel? Ronon? Teyla? Respond. Please respond. Man down. Please," he called. He waited a moment, thinking that maybe they were just taking their time. "I could really use some help here. No kidding, okay?"
But only the sizzling sound of a jammed signal was returned.
"TEYLA!" His voice echoed back at him in the space. Pressing his head against the cool ladder he waited, listening, hoping he'd hear her return his cry from below. "TEYLA!"
And nothing. Nothing. He grimaced, straining his ears and wondering if his heartbeat really was audible.
"Teyla," he whispered. "Please…" He held onto the ladder with one hand as the other pressed against the wound, while his elbow trapped the computer. His waited, hoping to hear Teyla's voice.
And he was answered, but by a clatter just beside his head. In a panic, he stared at the door at his level. Someone was right outside. The dark-haired woman had made it through the first door!
With a groan, he looked upward. It was his only choice really. He could close the airlock once he was above it, he knew that much.
But how could he be expected to climb?
He stepped up one rung, and then another, going as far as he could on his ladder, keeping one arm close to his side, in an attempt to keep hold of his laptop and his blood.
Damn, Damn. This sucks. This really sucks!
There was a gap in the ladders where the airlocks closed. He gazed up at the breach, knowing that he'd have to stretch to reach the next bit, and pull himself up a little. He gulped. This would not be easy.
"When have McKays chosen the easy route?" he whispered to himself. "Okay then, just move to the next level. It's like a video game, right? Not so hard."
He tried, he honestly tried, reaching his free arm, as he held the other tightly to him. His fingers grabbed the rung, but now he needed to pull himself up. Releasing his side, took hold of the laptop, and reached, lifting the computer over his head as he tried to also grab hold of the next ladder.
He was pathetic.
He couldn't do it.
He couldn't hold onto the laptop and get to the next ladder.
Damn.
If Ronon hadn't hit him in the arm with the football, MAYBE he would be able to do this.
He glanced down to the doorway where the dark-haired woman was still fiddling about. If she got through the first door…
Damn. Oh damn…
With a sigh, he held the bloodied computer to his chest, thinking of the wealth of data currently stored on it. This was the stuff of dreams!
He hugged the laptop, for a moment longer, wondering exactly how shock resistant the thing was. He was a full story off the ground – that was a long drop.
With a morose sigh, he pulled the laptop from the protection of his chest, and grasping it with one hand, let the arm fall to his side. So much data was collected here. People – people like him -- would pay any price to get their hands on it.
He had to climb. He had to keep going. He had to let loose of his deadweight. He couldn't let her win this one.
He let the computer slide, slowly, through his fingers as he stifled a sob.
It was a dream to have this data... but he'd had to let go of so many dreams in his life.
One moment he had hold of it, his fingers tacky and trying to stick to the surface, and the next moment – he'd let it go.
The laptop landed beneath him with a heartrending BANG and a clatter.
He couldn't look down at it. He couldn't bear to see if the construction held tight or if the circuits were now spread across the lower airlock.
He reached upward, grabbing the rung and pulling himself up, gasping in pain as the muscles at his torso pulled.
"Oh! Oh! Oh God… oh God! This is so unfair! This is so unfair!" he yelled as he scrambled, pulling himself up and settling his feet onto the upper rungs as quickly as possible. "Injured parties should NOT be forced to... ugh!"
He reached the next control panel and he entered the command to shut the airlock behind him. It sighed closed just beneath his feet.
For a moment, he rested. Tears and sweat ran down his face, and he swiped at them, awkwardly, with the back of his hand. He regarded the panel, wondering what to do next, how to lock out the woman who seemed bent on killing him.
How do I lock it so that no one can get through?
But then Sheppard and the rest won't be able to come after me if I lock down this door, he reasoned. Because they will come. I need their help – I need them.
But that harpy will only be able to follow me all the sooner if the door isn't disabled! She got through the first door...and once I close this one...
He contemplated a moment, pressing a hand to the hole in his side, grimacing against the pain and the puzzle. Finally, with a frown, pulling the cover off the keypad, and moving one crystal out of the way – holding it in his teeth as he fiddled with another. It only took a few seconds, but he was already weary of the work. He replaced the first crystal in its new position and slapped the panel back in place – the airlock beneath him would slow her down, no doubt, but it would open for her – eventually.
That was the genius of his plan. The airlock would open, once, and then shut -- never to open again – not without his help -- and not for Sheppard and the others.
It felt a little like losing, a little like giving up on his friends. He was essentially trapping himself along with the woman, but he had to keep ahead of her -- he had to keep her from getting any further – and he had to restrict her from going downward too – because for her to go down through the central core where she'd meet up with Teyla – or Sheppard and Ronon.
He couldn't stand the fact that she'd surprise them and it'd be all his fault if anything happened.
He had to go up, and he strained forward, grasping his side with one hand. Using his elbow for leverage, he climbed.
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Teyla stood and walked around in the confined space of the Ironspot. Rix still dozed on the bench, and Teyla hoped that McKay would return shortly. She didn't like this.
Something felt strange – something wasn't right, and now she worried about her decision to remain here to watch Rix while Rodney went off by himself.
But everything would be fine. Sheppard and Ronon had their eyes on Zeno. She was watching Rix. What trouble could McKay get into?
And she grimaced at that thought.
She should have gone with him. She should have awakened Rix and dragged him along, even though the man would have slowed their progress, asked questions, demanded answers regarding the work on the Ironspot. They should have gone together.
She blew out a breath. With any luck, Rodney would be back before Mills even knew he had gone. All things considered, it would probably be for the best if the residents of this space station didn't know that one of their guests was now wandering alone through the facility. It would allow McKay to complete his task and return quickly.
She stretched and waited. If everything went well, they'd be able to leave in a matter of a few moments. The Ironspot was repaired -- she had no doubts about Dr. McKay's work. If the download was complete and the buffer charged, then they could go.
Realizing that the others would like to know their status, she tried her radio again, hoping for the interference to be resolved. "Colonel Sheppard. Ronon." She frowned at the feedback that was returned to her. No luck. It unnerved her, and she glanced upward, realizing that Rodney was alone.
She felt something – a strange unsettled feeling. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
A frown creased her forehead as she realized she might have made a mistake.
A sudden beeping filled the air – only audible because there was no other sound to hamper it. She spun around, seeing Rix shoot upright.
He grasped at something in his collar and looked about wildly. He caught Teyla's eyes and kept scanning. He frowned as he realized that she was the only person with him.
"Where is Rodney?" he questioned.
Teyla watched him, guardedly. "He has gone to check on the status of the download," she responded truthfully.
With a groan, Rix scrambled to his feet. "Alone? He went there alone?"
Teyla felt her heart sink. "What has happened?" she asked, trying to not let her thoughts run to the thousand different troubles McKay might have found.
"Zeno went with him?" Rix cried. "Right? Zeno escorted him?" He jumped to his feet. "No, no, because then those other two would be here. Crackers! You weren't supposed to go up there alone! He was just supposed to fix the ship and you could get the stuff you wanted. Why didn't you stick to that?"
The wiry man rushed out of the Ironspot. He came to a sudden stop, looking about as if hoping to find McKay still in the room. Looking more sad than upset, Rix asked, "You don't think he'd touch anything, do you? He wouldn't try to open things that… that weren't supposed to be opened?"
Teyla said nothing, but her expression explained it all. Rix keyed open the door and rushed from the room with Teyla right behind him.
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The three men relaxed in the mess hall, easily hefting the football, one to another. There was little to say. Sheppard at times tried to open a conversation, but neither Zeno nor Ronon seemed open to speaking. So the football went around, and around again.
The colonel wasn't sure if he should be relaxed by the quiet, or put on edge by it. Ronon kept his steely gaze on Zeno, as Zeno watched them both. With some sense of jealousy, Sheppard noted that the big man paid more attention to Ronon, offering Sheppard only a momentary examination from time to time.
Hell, Sheppard thought, I'm not harmless.
They tossed the ball, getting a solid SMACK with each reception. Gone was the laidback feeling that had existed while they had Rodney for a target. They threw the ball like they meant it.
WHACK, it was in John's hands again. Sheppard nodded to Ronon as he passed it off to Zeno. The big man caught it without any effort and shot it at Ronon, who caught it with equal ease, and jetted it back to Zeno.
Zeno rocketed the pigskin back to Ronon, hitting him hard in the numbers. Ronon deployed it with enough force to flatten most men.
WHAP and BANG, the ball went back and forth between the two until Sheppard cleared his throat, and Ronon, almost reluctantly, sent the ball in his direction.
"Thanks," Sheppard offered, and without looking at him, flung the ball toward Zeno.
Zeno needed to reach to catch it, giving Sheppard a disgusted grunt as he made contact with the ball, and without much of a pause, sent it back to Ronon hard enough to down a gorilla.
Of course, Ronon caught the ball without much trouble and propelled back to Zeno with the same power used by a grenade launcher.
Sheppard had to admit that he was rather glad that he hadn't revealed to Zeno the whole 'tackling' and 'blocking' and 'sacking' possibilities that came with the game. Ronon, undoubtedly, was contemplating it.
The ball came back to Ronon, as Little Boy might have been delivered to Hiroshima. The Satedan, just narrowed his gaze at Zeno. As Dex drew back to deliver his own Fat Man, Zeno suddenly stiffened, and touched a button at his collar. A quiet but insistent alarm was silenced.
Zeno turned stiffly and made his way through the door without a word.
Sheppard paused a moment to look to Ronon, but the Satedan was already on Zeno's tail and the three men wordlessly hurried out of the room, heading toward the central core.
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TBC -