MINE CAVE

CHAPTER FOUR

SGA SGA SGA

"R'non."

"Sheppard. You, okay? Do you want something?" Ronon was quick to kneel by his side, hearing his friend's voice slurring slightly.

"No. I'm good. I just wanted to say …sorry again for not telling you about… T'la."

"I understand Sheppard. Go to sleep."

"It was a difficult decision…she could still be in…"

"John...Ssh…Some-one might hear you..." Ronon cut his friend off, "…it was a good decision, we would have acted differently had we know. Now, will you close your eyes and go to sleep. You need to recover."

"You have to ... wake me every two hours."

"You are awake!"

Ronon caught the look in Sheppard's eye and smirked. He tapped the side of his own head where Sheppard had been hit. "Head wound. Makes you confused remember?"

"Oh yeah! Still bleeding?"

Ronon leaned over him to look, but the freshly applied bandage was still white so it had obviously stopped leaking. That aside he was going to have a whopper of a lump and bruise there for a while.

Ronon shook his head. "Nah. I need to sleep myself; I'll wake up Rodney."

"I'm awake."

Sheppard poked him in his thigh. "You were supposed to get some sleep."

"Well, that's rich coming from you flyboy. You were supposed to be sleeping this concussion off."

Sheppard sighed. It was too much to argue with anyone.

He shifted slightly and felt the pull of the metal disc on his neck tug against skin and stilled his head.

"What is this bloody thing?"

Ronon could only shrug – he was none the wiser.

Moving his whole head was agony, but he had escaped lightly with the dreaded sickness and nausea that can come with a concussion, so it must have been a slight one. Still, he did feel exhausted, so it wasn't long before he felt his heavy eye lids close and he didn't fight it any longer.

Ronon and Rodney exchanged a knowing smile and Ronon nodded towards Rodney. "You gonna be good to stay awake for a while?"

Rodney nodded back, "Get some sleep.

Ronon settled down beside Sheppard again and closed his eyes, not wasting the opportunity. This was something he had had plenty of practise at when he had been a Runner. This time, however, his concern for Teyla now tainted his efforts; but eventually he gave into his exhaustion and was out for the count.

Rodney stretched his arms to lessen the kinks in his neck the rough mattress afforded him; how he longed for his own bed back on Atlantis. He watched Sheppard and Ronon fall unconsciousness in sleep and breathed easier when he watched their chests move up and down in a slow rhythm. They both needed it.

Teyla.

She was a worry for them all now. He had thought she was safe in Atlantis. Not able to lie very well – normally a good thing – he would struggle to act differently around her. Rodney chewed a nail, a sure sign of his nervousness. He understood just how dangerous a situation she was in and vowed he would do more than his best at maintaining the story Sheppard had been forced to create.

In the far distance Rodney felt a rumble, caught a glimpse of a flash of orange light and then an animal's screech drifted on the wind to make its way into the mine's caves; the surrounding stone walls beside him amplifying it to larger proportions. Still, it made him uneasy

Don't sit and wonder what it is! He chastised himself. There was no good in that. Signs were the gas underground near them was unstable, everybody knew it, but greed had their captors working them in borrowed time and it was just a matter of a few closer explosions until a disaster struck them. For now, a poor animal had felt the brunt of the last one

The pains of the day hadn't left, just ready to join new ones that the next day would bring. They had no watches; but now used to this planet's light and weather, Rodney reckoned it was only three or four hours until they were to start work all over again.

But what of Sheppard? Rodney turned to look at his sleeping form. What were She'llyn's plans for him tomorrow?

SGA SGA SGA

She'llyn stood on a hill made out of the mined earth as the sun came up. Her silhouette did not go un-noticed, and just about everybody in the mine quickly diverted their eyes; no-one wanted to draw her attention their way. Her wrath was legendary and the fact that she was paying them an extended visit planet side had the rumour mill speculating all sorts.

Another small explosion several miles away, shook She'llyn from her trance. They were getting closer and closer, she realised, but she wasn't worried. Years of mining for several companies had left her a wealthy woman. It had taken decades to mine it to within reach of her hidden cave, but now she didn't care if the mine was lost forever to her by one of these gas explosions – just not yet. First, she had to retrieve the last of her father's artefacts before it was all gone for good and her secret hiding place could go with it. Out of sight, out of mind.

She had never returned there since she left it decades ago, but once she had owned it again; she demanded that no mining be done in that area; and it had remained cordoned off since. Occasionally she thought about entering it once more for old time's sake, but the cold that crept through her body as she walked near it was a physical and mental obstacle, and she always retreated within a couple of feet of it.

She'llyn continued her walk down onto middle ground and signalled the slave called Te'gan over.

"The man, Sheppard. How is he this morning? Will you check and report back to me."

The slave nodded and ran off to Sheppard's designated area. She'llyn watched the young lad go and studied him carefully; there was something different about him – she just hadn't figured out what it was yet.

The slave came running back towards her in record time and suddenly stopped as if thinking about something, but then walked slowly towards her and bowed his head. Ri'shba came alongside, also bowing his head, with a smug smile plastered over his face. She'llyn paid him no attention.

"Well?"

Keeping his head bowed, the lad nodded several times in quick succession and put both his thumbs up.

"What are you doing?"

"My leader, if I may. Perhaps you were not informed earlier; this slave, of the afflicted, is mute. He uses body signs to speak."

She'llyn tipped her head to the side. "I see." She then turned back again. "So, you are telling me that Sheppard is doing well?"

A quick nod from the slave, and She'llyn put her hand in her deep pocket to bring out a small oval device that she knew was connected to the disc embedded in his neck. She then put it back. Later!

"Ri'shba, go back with the slave and tell Sheppard's friends; since this slave cannot." She grunted, "…that he can have the morning to rest up. His head wound alone is probably making him concussed and he is of no use to me like that. I will need him to do something for me soon. He will need to be in good health."

Ri'shba looked put out; he had been hoping for a more important duty this morning; still he walked by the slaves side and She'llyn watched them depart; not without a tinge of trepidation.

She had made a mistake allowing Sheppard to be hit on the head like that. It could have easily killed him and she would be without the gene carrier she desperately needed – all because of the pressure to keep up her reputation as a strong willed woman; one to be feared - it was getting old; time perhaps to start afresh on Lars with a mate. Perhaps she had found the perfect one.

She had discovered the small planet whilst sourcing her latest ship and had taken to the lush green landscape with its calm, bright and warm weather – in total contrast to the barren landscape of her birth that was probably ready to blow up at any given time. She had heard there were undiscovered areas of land on Lars that was crying out to be excavated –exquisite gems were just waiting to be mined. It made her excited to think about it.

She'llyn turned to watch Ri'shba leave the cave and walk back to get in line for his breakfast; the slave did not follow him out, and after waiting a couple of minutes, She'llyn realised that he must have stayed inside with the group of friends. Intrigued as to the relationship these friends seemed to have with one of the afflicted, She'llyn decided to walk over to the caves to see for herself if indeed the young lad was still sitting with them.

Thoughts of Lars were pushed to one side for the moment. She knew she had the employees to take with her there. Her chosen guards were the best; she paid well and they worked well or they were dismissed. They all tended to stay for years, so she knew they would follow her to another planet to start again – the slaves would come to, they had no option.

She reached the wide open mouth of the cave and walked in like the owner she was. Tall and proud.

SGA SGA SGA

Teyla; still recovering from almost speaking to She'llyn before she stopped herself, stood behind Ri'shba as he instructed Sheppard of She'llyn's orders. His eyebrow had raised at that; expecting to be put to work in the mines with no reprieve.

Rodney and Ronon looked delighted that their friend could rest up; as did she. But Teyla had known her friend for many years now and took note of the lines of distrust by his eyes; but they also mingled with pained ones, and when Ronon got up to leave; pushing down Sheppard's shoulder to lie still, Teyla blew out a breath. She had been fully expecting Sheppard to disobey that demand, but with Ronon; and now Rodney joining him in demanding him to take some time to recover, Teyla smiled behind her mask, and bowed expectantly when Ri'shba said no more and stomped away, arching his arm for Ronon and Rodney to follow him.

They were probably going to get extra work this morning to pay for Sheppard's lack of contribution, Teyla thought.

She sat down in Ronon's vacated spot and handed Sheppard some water from her jug, keeping her eyes as low as she could; keeping up appearances.

Sheppard clasped her gloved fingers for longer that he really should have as he took the cup from her, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to convey to her that he really was okay and that he was more concerned for her. It was quite possible that he might even say the words out loud by mistake or need, but at that moment She'llyn came to stand tall in front of him.

"Being cared for well I see, Sheppard."

Sheppard shifted until his back leaned against the wall. Teyla was stuck between making a run for it, and just rising to continue on with her morning duties. In the end the choice was taken away from her when She'llyn pointed at the exit and slightly bent her head in that direction. Teyla took the hint and scurried off; forcing down the need to look back towards Sheppard and find out just why She'llyn had come to see him herself.

Sheppard put a hand to his head and grimaced at the pain the movement had caused him. "I did not expect to get the morning off." He simply said.

"I did not expect to give it. One of my men was too violent with you yesterday. I am afraid Ri'shba hit you too hard. I have a use for you and need you to recover." She fingered the small object in her pocket. "Tell me, how are you?"

"I will live – no thanks to Ri'shba."

A slave he was though; so She'llyn bent down close to Sheppard's bruised face. "I do not need you to comment Colonel Sheppard, just answer my question." She raised her voice slightly.

Once again, Sheppard was taken aback by her.

Up close her skin was flawless; like alabaster. Her dark eyes, in stark contrast, didn't quite sparkle. Her grey hair moved in the breeze like fine silken grey thread, and she whipped it out of her face in frustration at the growing draft. But when her face turned into a half snarl in front of him, her ugliness of spirit and mind took over her like an opaque mask that no words could pierce or change. Sheppard almost moved away out of surprise at the malice written there; but kept his head still, unwilling to bow down to her supposed superiority.

"I am feeling better." He relented. And then, thinking about it. "Thank you for giving me time to rest."

She'llyn stood tall again. "I will expect you to work in the afternoon. I suggest you lie down and get some extra sleep – I do not offer these conditions freely, Sheppard, so I expect you to get better fast and make up for your lack of work this morning."

Sheppard felt a witty reply coming, but bit it back quickly; he didn't want to push his luck, After all, some more sleep would go down very well, given his present condition, so he wasn't about to endanger that.

"One more thing, Sheppard."

Here it comes. "Yes?"

"Te'gan. What is he to you?"

"Te'gan? Nothing. Just feel sorry for him."

She'llyn seemed to study him in depth for a long time and it was all Sheppard could do not to look awkward at the question that was asked of him. His unspoken question to her was though "Why do you want to know that?"

"He is always here with you. I was curious in case you are hiding anything from me and my men."

"He is also here with my friends, with a few others he is also close to and his family." Sheppard hoped his voice had sounded light and not as croaked as he felt as he extended the lie.

"He did not know you before coming here?"

"No. I am of Atlantis. He is from Shoana."

"Hmm. Somehow, Sheppard, I feel you are lying to me, but I will try not to think too much into this. Just know that I will be watching."

Sheppard started to speak, but then shut his mouth, He knew that no matter what he said, she would probably know it to be a lie; she seemed to be very astute.

She'llyn grabbed her hair in annoyance and wound it round and round in her hands until finally tying it into a high ponytail, using strands of it as a band and she paced back and forward. This style made her look younger and Sheppard felt a pang of hurt for her; wondering what had happened in her life to make her so hard and brutal.

He, at last, put out a hand; raised at the wrist in a stopping motion. "What could we be possibly hiding from you in here?"

"I have yet to work that out, but I am not a fool. Do not think that I have not run this mine by myself for decades without understanding human frailties and behaviour, Colonel Sheppard."

"I would not think otherwise."

She'llyn smiled a devious smile. "Good! Rest up for now. I expect you back in the mines later." She turned on her heel and almost ran to her childhood cave. The need to cry, for some reason, was burning up her throat and threatening to appear in her eyes. It would be familiar there, a place that no-body would see her cry – but, she shook her head of that idea and slowed her pace.

Damn this man.

Why was he affecting her like this? He was making her feel like she needed to explain herself in everything she did and had done in the past. He was looking at her in a way that made her want to fall onto her knees in front of him and confess all her horrors and explain what made her the way she was today. His eyes had bored right through her and made her breathe faster. He was a strikingly handsome man and she had noticed immediately that he walked with an air of authority that was making her men wary and the other slaves admire. In truth, he was dangerous to her in every way. Only the fact that he had the ATA gene, was keeping him alive. His friends would keep him in line; so for now they were safe also.

She'llyn slowed her walk; she was in charge after all, and caught Ri'shba's eye in the distance as she exited the cave. Instantly, Ri'shba understood her facial expression and swiftly made his way to her tent. He didn't need asking twice.

She'llyn knew she was attractive and had no problem getting men to follow her about. She needed a release sometimes and it looked like Ri'shba was only too eager to oblige, so she watched him walk quickly towards her tent. Perhaps she could pretend he had thick black ruffled hair instead of his dirty blond/grey hair; like somebody else had and that somehow was making her feel like she was a woman, and not the dictator she knew her reputation advertised.

That same man was lying down on his hard mattress, confused. Sheppard had seen in her eyes somebody who looked like they regretted their actions, had many secrets and was willing to share if only she could let go.

He would have smiled, felt sorry for her; but for the cries that came through from the depths of the mine when another person had been hurt by more of the unstable ore. He turned his head to look at She'llyn when the cry would have reached her ears. He was dismayed, though to see her only slightly move her head in recognition of what had happened, but then she instantly shrugged it off and disappeared behind the canvas door. Ri'shba was in there already Sheppard had noted. He sunk back down on his mattress, eager to get some free sleep.

His eyelids quickly fell, thoughts of Teyla mixed with that of She'llyn until he chastised himself for thinking he could reach She'llyn's kinder side somehow. The woman was behind the deaths of many men in her greed to mine this cave to its extinction. He had better not make the mistake of thinking he could change her or reach her inner kindness somehow. He just had to think back to how she had treated him yesterday, to know she was a force to be reckoned with.

Sheppard did realise one thing, though, She'lynn was out to investigate Teyla's true identity, and he, more than ever, wished Lorne would hurry up and find them before it all went wrong fast.

SGA SGA SGA

Sheppard came out of the depths of sleep to find Teyla leaning over him, gently shaking his shoulder. The ever present urge to speak her name had to be swiftly brought under control as he woke up. His sleep had been deep and restorative and he felt better for it. Blinking away the vestiges of sleep, he sat up and noticed the small bowl of some sort of meaty soup, Teyla held out for him.

Keeping up their scenario, Teyla offered the bowl towards him and waited until Sheppard took it, and then sat down at his feet, cocking her head to the side. Sheppard took the bowl, sniffed it and was glad to find his nausea was non-existent. He nodded towards her in thanks and was glad that his headache had not rebelled either.

"Thanks, Te...gan." He said, his bottom lip slipping to the left slightly.

Teyla/Te'gan slowly nodded her head and nudged his foot. Sheppard looked up from consuming his meal in record time and mid-spoon realised she was asking after his health.

He brandished his spoon in the air and licked his lips. "Well, as you can see. I am feeling much better. Amazing what a few extra hours of sleep can do for you. Now, if only it had been on my bed back on Atlantis or even the infirmary with Carson sitting beside me; then it would have been even better…" Sheppard stopped and looked about at the amount of people moving about with a start. "…not that you know what I am talking about."

Teyla was wincing under her mask at Sheppard's attempts to cover his verbal indulgence. It soon turned to a smirk as she listened to him correct it with more babble. This was an unusual way to see Sheppard, she thought. He must be feeling much, much better to be in such high spirits, given their situation. She next picked up her jug and filled his cup with it. Again, she watched him. This time he smacked his lips in satisfaction and stretched out his hands and arms. No grimace, she noticed; good! It was only when he carefully prodded his head and then felt around the disc on his neck that his face fell a tad.

Sheppard looked at her eyes through their slits and made his eyes go big at her, almost causing her to laugh. She covered it by getting up and going towards where they kept the clean bandage they had been supplied with. Sheppard sat up straighter as she turned back to him, already starting to unravel the dirty one. Teyla took it from him and then knelt at his side and checked over the wound. It was clean, dry and starting to close up already. Still, to safeguard against infection, she handed him the new bandage and he placed it over the wound and started to wrap the length of material around his head with her help, although they realised that really she should be no-where near touching him. For this help, she had to get quite close to him, and she felt his breath come through her mask as he held his head still for her.

"Teyla!" Sheppard whispered so softly she could easily have missed it. The urge to grip her waist as she stood there beside him was so strong.

"John?" A whisper in the wind.

"I miss hearing you speak. Always so dammed annoy…"

"Ssh. Please do not speak to me and make me answer you. What if someone heard us? You promised not to give me cause to answer you. You…"

"Teyla, I'm sorry. I'll stop. It's just…well, you don't see; there is no-one beside us, I promise."

But Teyla remained silent. His voice had sounded so plaintive; so wistful, it actually made her stop for a minute stunned. Had she read into that wrong, or did he really miss her…as in REALLY miss her…HER!

Teyla, fingers fumbling; tucked the ends of the material under the edge of his head and patted it gently, satisfied it would remain secured, and stepped away.

Sheppard moved his head back and forwards, finding it felt good.

"Thanks." He spoke as ordinarily as he could, then. "You have to pause your words with me, Teyla, just now, but no-body is going to take that away from us for much longer, I can promise you that."

Sheppard coughed then and Teyla understood that somebody was in their close vicinity. She stepped away further and reached for her jug, but her hands shook. His words had a sense of security about them and she briefly wondered if he had a plan to escape. She never got the chance to see if he would tell her anything further, as M'atra appeared at that moment and jerked a finger towards Sheppard.

"Right, sleepy time over. Get to work, Sheppard."

Resigned, and now losing his earlier enthusiasm for life swiftly, Sheppard stood on strong legs, he was glad to find out, and followed the guard over to the mine. A long, hot and painful afternoon awaited on him there. His grief at leaving Teyla behind made his fists bang against his thigh as he walked.

He was annoyed at how he had handled himself back there with her. He had almost endangered her life by provoking her into speaking several times. A stupid mistake. He was going to make this whole experience up to her, he decided. How, he didn't know, but he was going to think of something darned wonderful. She deserved it.

As he walked, Sheppard's mind done a montage of her in different situations of talking, laughing and singing and before he knew it, they had reached the mine. He made his way over to Ronon and Rodney and clapped both of their shoulders as he stooped down to take Rodney's bucket off of him.

"Get some water. I'll take over just now." He ordered.

Ronon stood and stretched out his back, giving Sheppard a huge grin.

"Hey, you look better?" Rodney remarked for the both of them.

"Yeah. I'm good. Te'gan re-bandaged my head."

"How is it?"

"Not bad really. Go!"

Ronon held onto his bucket's handle for a moment. "Call out, if you need us back here."

"I'm fine, Ronon. Honestly, I'm not about to pass out or anything!"

"How's…Te'gan?" Rodney asked, looking worried.

Sheppard whipped his head round to look at Rodney. "He's good." And then came away from him as, for some strange reason, his face was starting to flush hot. He ducked away and started mining the ore to cover himself. Next time he looked up, Ronon and Rodney had gone. He breathed out. He had to start admitting to himself that his feelings for Teyla ran deeper than he thought, but they were in a dangerous situation just now and he had to stop thinking about her just now. He had almost blown her secret and he wouldn't put her in that situation again, if he could help it.

He gangly walked over to the container and dumped his load and continued back to mining totally oblivious to the fact that at the other end of the camp, Teyla stood watching him with concern under her mask, and quite possibly something more. She'llyn stood outside her tent watching him also – with what, she was fighting to understand.

In the camp, and between these two women, was an area called middle ground. These two woman stood at either sides of it, individually staring at Sheppard work. One of them; unknowingly, was heading towards hurt in their quest to catch his attention. Trouble was, she did not know that. She'llyn let down her long grey hair, letting the wind pick it up and whip it around her face until only her eyes peeked out; ironically in similar fashion to her rival.

Sheppard felt a sudden sense to turn round and at once his eyes caught Teyla watching him, he quickly turned away in a half arc and in doing so, caught hold of She'llyn staring at him also, but from the opposite distance. He dropped his pick and scrabbled for it in the dust.

"Crap!" Sheppard said under his breath as he picked it up again. He began hammering on the ore. He knew just what had happened at that moment. "Crap!" He repeated to himself. "Rodney will just love this if he finds out!"

Sheppard worked up a sweat quickly and only relaxed slightly when Ronon and Rodney returned and looked at him strangely, knowing they had missed something. Looking quizzically at him, Rodney went to open his mouth but Sheppard shook his head. "Don't even ask!" He warned.

One of them might have perused it further, but at that moment, a huge, thundering explosion rocked the mine. Dust reached the sky and covered it in a cape that hid the large burning, rock pieces that littered the ground at great speed from the depths of the mine.

The long dreaded gas explosion had happened at last, and with it came chaos, death and destruction.

SGA SGA SGA

TO BE CONTINUED ….