Time Immemorial

Chapter 14: Toss of the Dice

July 16th
2306 Hours

John stalked in front of his seated comrades. His pacing was confined to several steps in either direction. Had he tested those bounds he suspected a few Lacedami's rifles would be used to subtly dissuaded him. He knew they would have preferred him seated on the floor with the others, submissive, but he didn't care. He was not about to just sit calmly through what was occurring. Despite the careful watch several of Antigonos' cronies kept on him, Sheppard knew the majority of their attention – and weaponry – was focused on another expedition member in the room.

John watched carefully as Elizabeth spoke quietly with Kyros in the center of the cafeteria. Minutes prior, she had picked a guard at random and marched boldly toward him, demanding to speak with Antigonos. Unsure of how to handle this foolish woman's audacity, and sensing the issue was way above his pay grade, the shocked guard had called in Kyros. It was here Elizabeth had spent the last several minutes speaking hurriedly with the young Lacedami. Several soldiers still aimed their rifles in her direction. She ignored them. She wasn't about to be deterred.

John continued to pace. Elizabeth was as tough as any battle-hardened general he'd known, he'd give her that. His watchful eyes flicked from her to Kyros and back again, distrust registering in his gaze.

"Would you sit down already?" McKay asked from his spot on the floor. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor."

John ignored him. "I don't like this," he voiced aloud. "This is stupid."

"She knows what she's doing."

"Dr. Weir was trained for this," reminded Teyla.

Sheppard knew they were right. Still, their words did nothing to quell his trepidation. He cursed his role in this, sentenced to watch and wait. If there was one thing he was not good at, it was that. He shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to stalk, a caged lion behind invisible bars.

Suddenly, Elizabeth and Kyros both nodded, coming to some agreement John wasn't privy to. The young soldier turned and began to exit the mess hall. Turning Sheppard's way for a brief moment, Dr. Weir threw the slightest of nods in his direction before following Kyros out. He could read a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. She had done it, convinced Kyros to grant her an audience with Antigonos.

Somehow John wasn't overjoyed at the victory.

His eyes trailed her all the way out of the room. He expelled a lungful of air he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He really hoped she could pull this thing off.

"Now what?" Rodney posed.

Joining his teammates at the wall of the cafeteria, John leaned back against the cool tiles, still refusing to sit. He folded his arms. If the last several minutes had been difficult to endure, the coming ones would be excruciating.

"Now we wait."

Elizabeth allowed herself to be led down the maze of hallways. Her City felt so foreign now, occupied by these malicious intruders. The power outage exacerbated the sinister pall cast over the eerily silent corridors.

Kyros marched on, winding left, right, and downward to a destination that remained untold to Elizabeth. His mastery of navigating the City was impressive for someone who had never set foot in it. With certain transporters inoperable, they were forced to hike to their destination on foot.

The two had been trekking for ten minutes now, mostly in silence. A short call on Kyros' radio had been the only interruption. She had been unable to overhear the topic. Kyros had definitely picked up the pace since.

Clearing her throat, she sought to break the uncomfortable quietude. "I appreciate you not cuffing me."

"I did not think it was necessary," Kyros replied, almost apologetic.

"Thank you." She fought to keep the conversation going. "Where are we going?"

"I am to leave you on the bottom level. The commander will meet you there."

"You're leaving?" she asked, apprehension creeping into her voice. She remembered John's warning.

"I have other duties throughout the City," Kyros replied quickly. Elizabeth noticed his eyes dart away, avoiding direct contact with hers. She heard something in his voice, something she couldn't put her finger on. It made her even more nervous.

"What does Antigonos want with us?" she demanded.

"You know I cannot say-"

"Yes, you can. The more you tell me, the more I can help you. The quicker we come to a resolution the better, for both our peoples. Now you said he was looking for an object, something he thinks is here in Atlantis."

They had arrived at their destination, an unassuming stock room on Atlantis' bottom floor. The entire floor actually sat below the City's waterline, completely submerged. Luckily this level was still lit, at least for the time being. Judging by the equipment and printouts in the windowless room, she guessed this space served a nearby marine laboratory. This was where she would be meeting the Lacedami commander, to plead her case and hopefully strike an accord. As they entered the small room, she noted it was empty. Antigonos was yet to arrive.

Kyros arrived at the same conclusion. He stuck his head back out into the hallway, making sure they were indeed alone. The soldier looked at her with haunted eyes, almost shameful, before he answered her. It was as if he felt he owed her this one kernel of information as an apology for some sin not yet committed.

"The object, it is a powered device," he finally offered nervously.

"You're looking for a device," Elizabeth repeated, hoping to prompt Kyros into offering up more information. This was more than they had gleaned all evening. "What kind of device?"

"I am not certain."

"What is its purpose?"

"I do not know."

Suppressing a sigh, she asked gently, "Is there anything, anything at all, that you can tell me about this device?"

Kyros hesitated, feeling the risk of continuing. "Only what our people have heard from legend. It is of what you call Ancient design. It is supposedly very beautiful, made of a strange metal and colored glass. The user of this device is to be granted great power."

"Great power..." Elizabeth repeated to herself. "Lume..."

"Yes, light," Kyros translated, looking at her in surprise. "It is an object of divine light. How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," Elizabeth said dryly. She couldn't believe where this was heading.

"He who dons the device is given a gift of the Ancients: the power of the enlightened, of those who have ascended to a higher plane of existence." He spoke the words in a monotone drone, almost like a chant. She guessed she had just heard a piece of Lacedami lore recited verbatim, passed down for generations.

Truth be told, he needn't have said anything; Elizabeth had already drawn several critical conclusions. The first she had already suspected: the object from Nicolas' stories, the one thing that had allowed the Athenians to make a stand against the superior Spartan forces on Earth over a thousand years ago, was indeed an Ancient device, though it hadn't been one of a kind. Another was here in Atlantis, and it was the reason the Lacedami had invaded.

What was a surprise, what she had realized only moments ago as Kyros had described its physical appearance, was that her team was already acquainted with this object. It was even in the possession of one of her scientists. It was the latest obsession of one Rodney McKay, his gizmo of the week, discovered only yesterday.

She tried to recall what Rodney had said about the device. The first step in artificially simulating ascension. The astrophysicist had assumed that meant inducing a non-corporeal state on the user as a means of studying the ascended form first hand. The few Ancients they had encountered in Pegasus had exhibited some potent powers, to be sure. One of those powers had apparently been deadly enough to defeat Spartan troops. If this was the purpose of the object, or even a side effect of the device's use... Elizabeth knew she could not let it fall into Antigonos' hands.

"What's he planning on doing with it?" she asked gravely, unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

Kyros looked over his shoulder, as if he was afraid that Antigonos was listening from behind. "I do not know. Truly."

Looking into his blue eyes, she knew he was speaking the truth. "Kyros, listen to me. I know you have your orders, and I know how badly you want to make your commander proud. But you must help me convince him that this device is not something to be trifled with-"

"So you have it here then?" the young soldier asked eagerly, eyes lighting up.

Dr. Weir sighed. This wasn't going the way she had intended. "That's not the point. This thing can cause a lot of damage. It can take a lot of lives." Which I'm sure is why Antigonos wants it, she added silently to herself.

His brow crinkled, not understanding. He adopted a defensive tone. "The commander is a fine soldier. He is more than capable of making the right decisions regarding where and when to wield its powers."

"And if he wielded it on innocent people?" Elizabeth knew the boy was young, but certainly not that naive. The culpable look on his face as he averted his gaze confirmed her suspicions. She had no doubt Kyros had witnessed horrible atrocities committed by his commander, and perhaps had even had a hand in executing them. Elizabeth hated Antigonos for stealing the young man's innocence.

"I'm not letting him leave Atlantis with that device," she said evenly. "I will not allow him to use its powers unscrupulously, without reserve, to whatever end. I know you're not like him. I know you want to do the right thing, I can see it. You may be a good soldier, but more than that you are a good person. Trust me when I say we have too few of those in this universe." Elizabeth noticed him stand just a bit taller, preening at the praise, and perhaps blush a bit, too.

She turned the conversation to something that had been on her mind since Atlantis had been invaded. "If my team gives Antigonos that device, we will instantly be worthless to him." Elizabeth struggled to get out the next words. "Once that happens... Antigonos is going to kill everyone here, isn't he?"

Kyros' face hardened, as if he was personally determined to stop that from happening. "No. He has assured me that only if your people do not cooperate will-"

"What is the meaning of this?" boomed a voice behind them.

The two spun in unison and found the hulking Straton standing in the doorway. He eyed the pair suspiciously.

If Kyros' cheeks hadn't been red before, they were now. He wondered how much Straton had overheard. Opening his mouth to speak, he tried his hardest to force words out, but his guilt lodged the words in his throat.

Jumping to the rescue, Elizabeth allowed consternation to creep back into her voice, again playing the part of the tenacious leader. "Kyros has taken me here to meet with your commander." She raised an eyebrow expectantly, as if to ask Straton, Well, where is he?

In response, Straton shot a look at Kyros. Elizabeth could tell there was no love lost between the two men. To his credit, Kyros had recomposed himself, but eyed Straton oddly, as if the large man's sudden arrival implied something. Straton then looked her way, eyes wandering up and down her body. Her own cheeks grew flushed with anger.

Kyros didn't care for the man's disrespectful behavior and cleared his throat in protest. "Where is the commander?" he asked suspiciously.

Straton finally tore his eyes off of Elizabeth's form and met Kyros' demanding look. "He will be along soon," he replied coolly, showing no respect to the younger man. Antigonos' goon resumed his inspection of Elizabeth's person, like she was some sort of prized piece of meat hanging in the window. "The commander ordered me to come in his stead, to keep Dr. Weir... company until he arrives."

Elizabeth recognized the less-than-subtle threat in Straton's voice and instinctively took a step backward. She looked at Kyros for help. What she saw on his face terrified her even more than Straton's words. He had gone completely pale. He could only stare back disbelievingly at his fellow soldier.

Straton noticed the shock on the boy's face and relished it. He was aware of Kyros' affinity for Atlantis, especially for its leader. Not only was he going he savor his victory in the City of the Ancients, but he was going to enjoy crushing everything that useless boy held dear.

"Straton, a word," Kyros said suddenly, finding new resolve. He was a Lacedami officer. It is time I start acting like one, he thought. He stepped into the hall. Straton let out a low grumble but followed, clearly perturbed at the delay. The door closed behind them.

Elizabeth forced herself remain calm. Her idea had been a bad one. Wringing her hands together, she took a deep breath and compelled herself to focus. She knew she needed to escape somehow, but now wasn't the time to do it with two Lacedami positioned outside the door. Perhaps she could learn something about her fate that she could use to her advantage.

Leaning in toward the door, Dr. Weir strained to make out the conversation occurring outside the room. She recognized the youthful voice of Kyros, as well as the baritone growl of Straton, but she was unable to discern any specific words. The conversation was a heated one. Both voices were raised, yelling, arguing over something. She was surprised - she didn't think the kid had it in him.

Elizabeth continued to listen, gleaning nothing from the muffled voices, before she realized her time alone could better be spent searching the room for a makeshift weapon. She quickly sprinted over to a nearby console, but she was too late. The doors opened once again and the Lacedami reappeared in the room.

The look on Kyros's face said it all: whatever battle had just transpired, he had lost.

Kyros swallowed and delivered her fate in as detached a tone as he could manage. But his hunched figure said what his voice did not. "Dr. Weir, you are to remain here with Straton. Commander Antigonos will be here shortly."

Elizabeth looked at him in dismay, recognizing a lie when she heard one. Though she didn't entirely understand the subtleties of what had just occurred, she did come to an important realization: her fate had been sealed the moment she had left the cafeteria. Antigonos intended to kill her... but only after Straton was done using her for his own amusement.

The thought of being abandoned, locked up alone with the lecherous Straton in the deepest bowels of the City turned her stomach into a knot. She felt Straton's eyes on her once again, could feel him leering at her. The hairs on her arm stood on end; a chill ran up her spine. Her eyes begged Kyros to do something to help her.

The boy's own gaze could only say one thing. I am sorry. He backed out of the room and allowed the door to close.

The moment it had shut, however, he turned on his heel and began sprinting back in the direction he had come, full of resolve.

So, his people had made their position clear regarding the fate of the Atlanteans. It was position he did not share. But he wasn't out of options just yet.

There was only one person now who could still possibly save Dr. Weir.

The soft click of the storage room door closing made Elizabeth jump, her nerves already frayed. She eyed Straton uneasily. The large soldier stalked slowly toward her, forcing her to retreat further and further into the room. A sick grin formed on his thin lips.

He wouldn't kill her, at least not until he was finished with her. With his marred faced, few women gave him more than a second look, except in revulsion. Fewer still satisfied him, unless at knifepoint. This one's misplaced courage would make it all the sweeter. He had known he had wanted this one ever since she had shown her fiery impertinence earlier in the mess hall.

"Antigonos isn't coming, is he?" she asked flatly, already knowing the answer.

A metallic ring resonated outward as Straton removed a six inch blade from a sheath on his belt, excruciatingly slowly, enjoying the taunt.

Elizabeth stepped quickly, putting a console between her and the advancing Lacedami. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, unable to prevent the fear from cracking her voice.

This time, the soldier responded. "Because your people, like the original occupants of this City, do not deserve to live."

"I don't take too kindly to threats to me or my own," she answered defiantly.

"Not a threat, a promise," the normally laconic man continued. "And there is not much you can do to stop it."

"What does that mean?"

"It means," Straton began, growing more irate with her, "that as leader of your people it is only appropriate that you are the first among them to die... but rest assured, every single one of them will be following your path."

He closed the distance between them quickly with speed that belied his size. Straton grabbed her by the arm, pinned her against the console and pressed the blade against her throat. He traced the tip of the blade slowly down her neck to her collar bone and brought his lips in close to her unmarred skin. She could feel the repugnance of his stinking breath on her.

Roughly, he spun her over so her back was now pressed to him and her front bent over the desk. Elizabeth's mind reeled. Fearing the worst she began to wrestle against him.

"Struggle and this will only become more painful for you," he promised, slicing the collar of her crimson shirt with his blade. He lightly traced the knife's tip across her exposed shoulder blade, admiring her unblemished skin as it trembled. Then without warning, he pressed the sharp metal into her flesh.

Elizabeth screamed out at the unexpected pain. The searing fire radiated through her entire shoulder. She could feel the blade tracing a shape into her skin, blood beginning to pool and dribble down her bicep. Instinctively, she shirked away from her torturer but Straton held her fast. Her eyes welled as the excruciating torment continued, herself powerless to do anything but wail in agony.

Straton pulled her up rashly by her hair as he finished. He spun her around to face him again. "Now you are marked," he boasted. He pointed to the letter lambda that adorned his right forearm greave.

She hated that tears of pain were streaming down her face, but she focused on what the soldier had just said. She recalled that cultures often branded their conquered foes with the symbol of their nation, like a rancher branding a new cattle herd. She remembered seeing other expedition members being similarly marked when she had been brought into the mess hall. Hers throbbed greatly.

"Now this," Straton went on, licking the blood from the tip of the blade, "this is the part I will enjoy the most, and you the least."

Feeling the blood drain from her face, Elizabeth struggled against the monster to no avail. "Please, you don't have to-"

"Silence!" shouted Straton. He pressed tightly against her, threatening, relishing his prize. "If you thought that last part was painful-"

Then this is really going to hurt, you bastard, she finished in her head. With her free arm, she grabbed hold of the flatscreen monitor atop the workstation - the monitor she had been furtively unplugging from its power source while she had gotten the soldier talking - and swung it wildly at the man's head. It connected with a dull thud, sending the Lacedami sprawling to the ground. Under no illusion that a single hit, as heavy as the screen was, was enough to knock the giant out, Elizabeth swung again as the man rose to his elbows. The second blow impacted just behind his ear. This time, he stayed down for good.

Shocked her own self, Elizabeth brought a hand to her mouth. She stood in stunned silence for several heartbeats before gathering her wits about her. She wasn't sure how long Straton would remain unconscious, but she was sure she didn't want to be around to find out.

Focus, Elizabeth. Focus. Step one: get out of here.

Taking a step toward the door, Dr. Weir caught one last glance of Straton's prone form lying on the floor. She did a double take, noting something that just might be of use to her. Creeping quietly, as if the slumbering soldier could still somehow hear her, she reached his position and knelt astride the man's head. She gingerly plucked his earpiece and mic from his right ear before affixing it to her own. It was U.S. military standard-issue, clearly taken by Straton as either a trophy or a means of monitoring any at-large expedition members who dared communicate over the open airwaves.

Lastly, Elizabeth awkwardly picked up Straton's combat knife from where it had fallen on the floor. She didn't know what the hell she could possibly accomplish with a combat knife, but she tucked it underneath her belt anyway. At the very least, she would guarantee Straton would not have it upon his awakening, and that thought alone comforted her. She checked for any other weapons on his person. There were none.

Satisfied, she dashed out of the room and into the corridor.

Unable to stand still any longer, John resumed his pacing.

McKay rolled his eyes. "What did that last for, a grand total of five minutes?"

John glared at him. It had been exactly - John checked his watch - forty-six minutes since Elizabeth had left with Kyros to meet Antigonos god-knows-where. He hadn't heard how her attempts at negotiations with the Lacedami commander were progressing, nor had he really expected to. But he didn't see any changes in their guards' behavior that might indicate bad news, and so he was content with that little kernel for the moment.

That moment ended exactly as Sheppard spotted Kyros storm into the room. The young Lacedami marched across the middle of the mess hall, aimed straight at the pilot. And he looked furious.

Sheppard felt his muscles instinctively tense up, anticipating a quarrel. Something was wrong.

Kyros strode directly up to John, grabbed the taller man by the shirt with one hand, and pointed a pistol in his face with the other. "With me!" the young man shouted. "Now!"

John held his hands out to his side obediently. He wasn't about to argue with an armed teenager. Until he understood exactly what was happening, he knew it was best to cooperate fully.

"Move!" Kyros commanded, shoving John roughly in front of him. He pressed the pistol into the middle of John's back. "Walk!"

The major did as he was told, casting a puzzled look at his teammates before setting off. They, too, shared in his confusion. He could tell Teyla didn't like the situation at all. A frown creased her delicate features as she rose to her feet, concerned.

John's view of the cafeteria vanished as he was forced out of the main entrance and down one of the hallways. He could hear Kyros' rapid breathing behind him, almost as if he was nervous. Two left turns later they arrived at a t-junction. Kyros immediately lowered his weapon, suddenly uninterested in his captive, and hurried over to behind a ten-thousand-year-old dead potted plant.

Letting his hands clumsily down to his sides, John stood baffled. He watched Kyros dig around behind the pot. With Kyros' back to him, the major toyed with the idea of making a break for it but discarded the thought immediately. No, he sensed there was some other purpose to their march out here.

John cleared his throat. "Hey, not that I don't appreciate the absence of a gun aimed at my back..." He trailed off as his caught sight of the boy's flushed face. His forehead gleamed with sweat, as if he had been running wind sprints all morning.

John felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. "Where's Elizabeth?" he asked, a hint of a threat in his tone.

"Major Sheppard, I am sorry for the ruse," Kyros began hurriedly. "It was necessary, to get you out here without the rest of my people knowing."

"Knowing what?"

Kyros looked down and answered quietly. "Knowing that I am about to betray them."

John looked at the young troop, unsure of what to say, and recognized the look on his face. It was a look he had seen in the mirror one too many times: the look of failure.

"Please, sir," the Lacedami begged, his eyes wide and brimming with moisture. "You are the only one who can help now."

John recognized that look, too: the need for redemption. "Kyros," the major began as gently as he could, "tell me what happened to Elizabeth." He knew that this was about her, he felt it in his bones. His heart caught in his throat, and he found himself unable to breathe.

Kyros paused, unsure of how to tell the major. "Antigonos is going to have her killed."

John felt as if he had just been sucker-punched. He fought for air. "What? When?"

Kyros looked to the ground once more. "Now."

"Jesus Christ..." Sheppard breathed, fists clenching. A range of emotions ran though his body: dread, worry, anger, fear, anxiety, hate. His mind swam.

Kyros must have read the pain on the major's face. He spewed forth his own role in the story, spilled his share of the blame. His words gushed out, hardly time for a breath between them. "I am sorry, Major Sheppard, I truly am. Believe me when I say that for the first time in my life I am ashamed to have Lacedami blood in my veins. I wanted to come to you sooner, but I did not know this was to be her fate, not for certain. The commander never intended to negotiate, this much I knew. He was going to interrogate her, torture if necessary... and I knew about it, knew the whole while, but did nothing! I was taking her right to her end! But the commander, he must have found whatever information he wanted elsewhere because Straton... it was only when I saw Straton appear that I realized the commander's intent. Straton is only good at one thing: killing. The commander always sends him in his stead to do his dirty deeds. In return, Straton is allowed... free rein with his victims."

At this, John's head snapped up. "She's with Straton now?"

"Yes, sir, but-"

"Where?"

"In a storage room, lower level, here in the center section of the City." Recognizing that John was ready to bolt, the young man tugged on the sleeve of his expedition jacket. "Wait," he said, leading Sheppard over to the ancient plant. On the floor nearby sat a collection of items recently recovered by Kyros from their hiding spot behind the pot.

"Take these," Kyros said, handing them quickly to the major. The collection consisted of an Atlantis radio set, recovered by Kyros from the Lacedami's loot, and Kyros' personal Lacedami knife and pistol.

"I am sorry I did not have time to retrieve your weapons, Major," Kyros said. "Please, take mine instead."

John nodded curtly, far from being able to thank him. He wanted desperately to turn and run for all he was worth, but he sensed there was more from Kyros. He allowed the soldier to continue as he secured his newly acquired gear to his BDUs.

"You should know that this is a common tactic of the commander," Kyros explained darkly. His tone was rife with warning. "He first removes the leadership of the opposing force, through however many levels he sees fit. Then he demolishes any remaining opposition either out of necessity or... simply for his own amusement."

John understood the message. Elizabeth was targeted first as the leader of the Atlantis, a move no doubt intended to demoralize the expedition. He would be next, as the City's military commander. His removal was meant to throw the military into disarray, leaving whatever was left of Atlantis completely vulnerable. It was a common tactic, John knew, one that had been used by forces for millennia, simply because it worked.

"Anything else you feel I should know?" he asked Kyros somewhat bitterly. He was practically stamping his foot, eager to get a move on. He tugged definitively on a strap, securing the knife to his belt.

Kyros withered at the major's disapproval. "Only one thing more, sir. My intent was to stage this as an escape from my watch. In order to do so properly, we will need to make it appear... convincing."

John furrowed his brow, not following.

"You will need to hit me," Kyros explained, "to ensure your escape appears real-"

Kyros was cut off by a brisk punch to the side of his face. John didn't needed to be told twice.

Kyros took a step back, in part from the force of the blow and in part because of its suddenness. He felt a rivulet of blood begin to trickle from his temple down his face. Good, he thought. A small penance for the sins he had committed.

John shook his smarting hand. He had held back. He had been a split-second away from pouring all of his hatred for Kyros' people into that punch before he had caught himself at the last moment. Kyros was the one Lacedami trying to help him - John just prayed it wasn't too little too late. Still, Kyros had known of the harm intended for Elizabeth during this incursion, and still he had remained complacent. John could never forgive him for that.

"Sorry, kid," was all that the major offered before taking off down the corridor. He ran for all he was worth.

TBC