A/N – Thanks for the reviews! Here's the third option… Oh and my medical knowledge is minimal ;)

Chapter 11 – Seven Stars

Rodney's eyes slowly slid shut as the pain broke through his defences and wore him down. He could feel himself weakening through blood loss and his tired mind whispered negative thoughts to him, "Oh my, I really am going to die aren't I? What a way to go, skewered by some crazy Ancient who stands like a statue forever stabbing me!"

He snapped his eyes open as he felt himself drifting and floating away. He furrowed his brow as he looked up at Rorkan and continued to shake. His breath was coming in shallow gasps as it felt like there was a pressure in his chest and it was restricting his breathing. He wondered if he had a punctured lung from where Rorkan had hit him or if it was due to the spike slicing through his internal organs and blocking his diaphragm.

He turned his face to the side and looked around at the frozen people. He saw Sheppard standing over the leader of the thugs who had attacked them. It looked like he had only just taken him down after Rodney had been knocked out.

Rodney pressed his hands in the centre of his torso around the point of the metal digging into him and he tried to push his belly down so that he would be able to roll away from the spike. It hurt him so much that his eyes watered and he whimpered. He relaxed and the weapon was driven back under his skin where it had been before.

He felt himself being lost to despair and he thought darkly, "This is utterly hopeless." He looked across at Sheppard again, "Oh, I wish you or someone else could help me…"

The prolonged pain and blood loss soon caught up with him and his eyelids fluttered closed. He did not know whether he was just going to pass into unconsciousness or the welcoming arms of death. He was afraid of sleeping in case he did not wake, but he was not strong enough to fight against the inevitable. He knew he was going to die either way and would rather not draw it out for too long much longer.

Rodney was at the edge of awareness when he heard a voice. He also felt something touching his forehead and then it rested on his chest for a few seconds before moving back up to pat his cheek.

"Rodney? You are still breathing... Rodney? Can you hear me?"

McKay narrowed his eyes and squinted up blearily at the owner of the voice, "Solian?" He mumbled quietly.

He rested his hand on McKay's shoulder as he knelt down next to the scientist, "Do not speak. You are gravely hurt."

Solian's face was pinched in worry as he looked along Rodney and his eyes lingered on the location where he was pinned immobile to the ground by the spike.

Rodney had to disobey and asked through clenched teeth, "How?"

Solian looked down into his face and furrowed his brow as he said, "Followed you through the stargate. This planet is familiar. The lab is close."

Rodney felt himself losing consciousness again and Solian patted his cheek to rouse him, "Do not sleep. I can help you."

McKay frowned at him in confusion as Solian grasped one of his trembling and blood soaked hands. Solian moved up into a crouch and placed his other hand firmly against Rorkan's arms where they were holding the spike.

He turned to look down into Rodney's pain filled and slightly glazed blue eyes. "Do not move yet. Only when I say."

Rodney nodded at him and steeled himself for what Solian was about to do. "This is it," he thought, "That spike will either be torn out or be driven so deeply into me that I'll die instantly."

Solian suddenly removed the second layer of frozen time and Rodney cried out as the spike was pushed down a little further before Solian shoved Rorkan away from him.

The weapon was pulled out of Rodney's abdomen and Solian let go of his hand and shouted, "Now!"

Rorkan had managed to free himself from Solian's unexpected deflection of the spike and swung the weapon up and down towards Rodney again. McKay was able to roll over a few times and lay panting as he curled up on his side a few metres away. When the weapon missed him, Rorkan stood up straight.

Rodney pressed his hands against the wound and found that his breathing, although fast, was easier as the blood leaked out and relieved the pressure. He looked around and located Rorkan and Solian struggling with each other a short distance away.

They were both fighting to gain ownership of the spike and it looked like Rorkan was winning. His face was twisted in exertion and menace as he smiled slightly. Rodney shivered and grimaced when he saw a few centimetres of the pointed end of the spike were coated in dark red and shining blood.

Rorkan wrenched the spike out of Solian's hands and Rodney knew the man was in big trouble. He also knew that he was the only one around who could help Solian in his fight.

McKay gritted his teeth as he rolled over onto his knees. He clutched his bleeding midsection tightly as he staggered up onto his feet. He flinched as he fully straightened up and his surroundings tipped drunkenly before he regained his balance and focus.

Rorkan swung the spike round in an arc and struck Solian's upper arm. He cried out and stumbled sideways as Rorkan approached him and readied the weapon for a stab.

McKay moved stiffly trying to prevent himself from splitting right open from the puncture wound just beneath his ribcage. He walked as fast as he could manage and calculated his next move as Solian and Rorkan stared at each other and Rorkan stood poised ready for his next attack.

Rodney had no weapon apart from the gun. An idea flashed across his mind and he unholstered his sidearm while his other arm remained wrapped around his torso and kept up the pressure on his injury.

Rorkan's eyes darted over to McKay and he narrowed them when he saw the gun. He suddenly vanished and Solian's eyes widened.

Solian ran over to Rodney and took his hand and pulled them down into the second and deepest layer of frozen time so that Rorkan would lose his advantage.

"Ugh, he's such a cheater," Rodney mumbled softly as Rorkan reappeared a short distance away. Rorkan's expression was a little startled that he now had to fight without his ability to sneak up on his victims by manipulating time.

He spun around to look at the two men squaring up to him and frowned as he curled his upper lip into a snarl. He growled as he ran at them.

Rodney raised his gun and waited for Rorkan to get close enough so that he would run into the bullet before it was pulled into normal time. He increased pressure on the trigger as his hand shook and the barrel wavered in the air.

Rorkan released a roar as he brought the spike back ready for a fatal blow. Rodney fired the gun and watched as the bullet tore through Rorkan's shoulder. Blood flew out behind the attacker as he was forced backwards from the shot.

His arm fell down and hung limply down by his side, but he instantly recovered and continued to approach Solian and McKay at a run. He grasped the spike one handed and swung it in a sweeping sideways motion. He smacked it into Rodney's forearm and he yelped as he dropped his gun. He placed his damaged arm over his chest while his other hand remained pressed against the bloody stab wound. He hunched over and closed his eyes in pain from the latest attack.

Solian quickly caught the gun just before it was wrenched out of the timeless place. Rorkan was more interested in finishing off McKay as he was the one who had been able to hurt him. He was just about to hit Rodney in the side of the head with the spike, when Solian moved up close to him and fired a few more bullets into him from Rodney's gun.

Rorkan screamed and the spike slipped from his fingers as he fell down. He shook violently for a few seconds as he bled out into a large pool. He then relaxed and released a long breath before becoming completely still.

Solian looked down at him in disgust and then frowned at the gun in his hand. He quickly tossed it away and walked over to McKay.

Rodney was still standing, but only just. It looked like he was about to crumple and was bent at the waist and gasping. Solian helped him to sit down and then joined him on the ground. They sat facing Rorkan so that they could make sure he did not mysteriously resurrect and attack them again.

Rodney had his eyes closed and his face was lined with agony as he trembled. He whispered, "Bandage, in my tac vest…"

Solian went through the pockets until he found it and helped Rodney unzip his vest. He grimaced when he saw the amount of blood soaked into McKay's clothes. He peeled away the sodden shirt and wrapped the pressure bandage around the injury.

Rodney winced and hissed through his teeth while Solian worked and he asked, "Your arm, you got hit as well. How is it?"

Solian carefully tested his limb and frowned, "It is bruised, but not broken. What about yours?"

"It's pretty bad. I haven't been able to move it yet."

Solian narrowed his eyes as he looked at Rodney's arm hanging by his side while McKay tugged his shirt back down and placed his other hand against the bandage underneath.

Rodney quickly said, "There's a lab nearby? Maybe you could point me in the right direction. We think we might be able to use it to get these bands off."

"Can you stand?"

"I don't think so," Rodney grimaced and protested as Solian grabbed his uninjured wrist and pulled him upright anyway. He muttered, "And here was me thinking that Rorkan was evil…"

McKay flagged and threatened to collapse onto the ground, so Solian drew his uninjured arm over his shoulders and supported him to keep him upright. He turned around and tried to get his bearings and remember the location of the lab in his distant memory.

After a few minutes, he pointed away from the village, further down into the valley and said, "It is close to the river, hidden in the rocks."

"I need the others to help me," Rodney said. "If we find a way, how would you feel about finally getting out of this place and coming back to the real world?"

Solian frowned in confusion and then his face lit up, "The real world? That would be a wonder after all this time, Dr Rodney McKay."

Rodney smiled and shrugged off the supporting arm. He said, "I'll come back for you before we do it. That is if we can find the lab and find a way."

Rodney closed his eyes and concentrated on his teammates and the band around his neck giving him the power he needed to leave the timeless place. He furrowed his brow as the pain in his middle and the dizziness distracted him so he tried to block it out.

He sighed as he felt his legs shaking under the strain of keeping him standing and they threatened to give out on him. He gritted his teeth and focused.

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Sounds soon returned to Rodney's ears and his eyes flew open.

All the men who had attacked the team were either unconscious or moaning on the ground. John looked shocked at Rodney's sudden jump in space and his dishevelled appearance.

He glanced down at the man he had defeated before he came over to Rodney and checked him over. "What happened to you, McKay?"

Jennifer and Radek saw that the coast was now clear and they walked over to join them. Keller quickly spotted Rodney's pale and sweaty face and bloodied hands and gestured for him to sit down. His tac vest hung open and his shirt underneath shone with blood.

McKay pushed her away with a hiss and said, "I know where the lab is."

Jennifer put her rucksack down and took Rodney's shoulders firmly to hold him up. She met his eyes and said, "Let me help you."

Rodney stepped backwards away from her and Radek had to grab him to stop him from tipping over onto the ground. Rodney huffed out an annoyed breath and said, "The only help I need is to get rid of this ridiculous necklace. Once it's off you can poke and prod me all you like."

A flicker of a smile passed across Jennifer's face before it returned to an expression of serious concern.

John rolled his eyes in exasperation at the uncooperative and clearly seriously hurt scientist, "Common McKay, we've still got three hours before our deadline's up."

"Maybe, but I don't think I've got that much time before I lose what little control I have over this thing and then I'll be gone forever."

Jennifer crouched down and rummaged in the rucksack. She pulled out a bandage and pointed at Rodney's midsection. "At least let me take a look. Won't do you any good if you die on us before we find out how to remove the band around your neck."

McKay screwed up his face in pain as Jennifer pressed the bandage over the other one under his shirt and wrapped it tightly around his torso. She had her face set in a grim line and John was standing nearby, ready to catch Rodney it he collapsed.

Rodney flinched as she finished tying it off and he clenched one of his fists. Jennifer straightened up and eyed him critically, "Anything else you want to tell me about?"

McKay took stock of his many injuries, his ribs, back and arm screamed out at him equally for his attention. He shook his head, "Not really, it can wait."

Jennifer narrowed her eyes and nodded, "We must hurry, you've got serious bleeding from whatever happened to you. In fact, if you're too stubborn to let us take you back to the infirmary, I really need some more equipment from Atlantis to help you."

Rodney muttered, "I had a final run in with Rorkan."

John widened his eyes in shock and then gestured at Rodney as he said, "I take it this is you winning the fight this time."

"Yep, it was quite a match."

John turned to Ronon and said, "I want you to go back and dial the gate so that we can send out a radio signal."

Ronon nodded and stalked off back the way they had come.

Rodney looked around at the ground and got a fright when he saw that Rorkan's spike had shifted into normal time after it had slipped from his cold dead fingers. McKay pointed down at it and asked, "What is it? Is that writing around the base?"

Teyla frowned down at the weapon and reluctantly picked up the bloodied piece of metal. She held it out in front of Rodney and John narrowed his eyes at the fresh blood evident on the sharp point. He asked, "Did Rorkan use that on you?"

Rodney shuddered and pressed his hand against his middle with a groan. He gasped, "It is writing. I think it may be important. Keep hold of it until we get to the lab."

The villagers were all looking at them in alarm, so they decided it was time to leave.

John took Rodney's uninjured arm and draped it across his shoulders. McKay protested, "I think I can walk, Sheppard!" But he promptly stumbled as he moved his feet, even with John's support.

Radek rolled his eyes behind Rodney's back and Jennifer shouldered her rucksack while Teyla followed the group and kept her eyes sharp just in case any more villagers decided they did not like them anymore.

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After twenty very slow and agonising minutes of stumbling and shuffling footsteps, the team finally reached the edge of a wide river.

Rodney was getting weaker as he lost more and more blood from the stab wound. He leant heavily against John and he was becoming difficult to hold upright.

They stopped on a beach and Rodney looked over at a rocky wall nearby and said quietly, "It's in a rock face. Don't know how it works."

Radek pulled out his normal hand scanner and waved it around in the air. He frowned, "There is nothing."

"It must be shielded," Rodney said tiredly, "Why don't you try it?

John passed Rodney to Teyla and went over to the wall. He ran his hands over the surface without touching it. He then pressed against it and his hands disappeared into the structure up to the wrists.

"Ancient gene," Rodney murmured.

John walked back over to Rodney and shouldered his arm again. "You can shut it down on the other side."

Rodney nodded and John manoeuvred them both through the shield. The lights in the short corridor where already lit as they came through the wall on the other side. John propped Rodney up against the wall and pulled a scanner from his tac vest and tried to hand it to him.

Rodney found that he could not lift his injured arm to take the device. "I'm sorry," he uttered in a sad whisper, "I need to sit down."

John carefully lowered him onto the ground and he leant back against the wall and took the scanner in his working hand. He waved it up at the opposite wall and mumbled, "Panel. Pull it off and remove the third crystal."

John did as he was asked and the shield wavered for a moment before it vanished.

He retrieved the scanner from Rodney and helped him to stand again as the others came into the facility.

They walked along the short corridor and John waved his hand over the control panel. The single door opened for them into a small round room.

All around the edge there were seven alcoves, not unlike the stasis field chambers back on Atlantis. In the centre of the room there was a large control panel and Radek went over to it and quickly interfaced his computer and started to work.

Rodney tried to go over and help him but it pulled his bruises and he released a breath in an, "Oh," just before his legs gave out and John could no longer hold him up.

His impact on the floor was softened by John guiding him down slowly and he lay flat on his back and closed his eyes.

Jennifer said to them, "I called a full medical team and a Jumper while you were deactivating the shield. I know it's not that far to the gate, but…" she gestured down at Rodney's prone form.

"Good call," John replied.

Jennifer placed her rucksack down close to Rodney and knelt down beside him. He narrowed his eyes at her briefly before turning his face away. He mumbled, "There's still one thing I need to do. I promised..."

He screwed up his face in concentration for a few seconds and then abruptly vanished.

John only had a moment to share a confused look with Jennifer and Teyla looked on while she covered the door to the lab.

Rodney suddenly reappeared on the other side of the lab and collapsed heavily onto the ground. Jennifer ran over to him with John and grabbed hold of his shoulders to try and steady him as tremors ran throughout his body.

Jennifer said soothingly, "The medical team will be here in a minute. Just hang on a little longer, Rodney."

John accidentally took hold of Rodney's damaged arm and McKay shuddered and pulled it away protectively. Jennifer quickly grabbed a pair of scissors from her medical kit and cut away his sleeve before he could recover enough to realise what was going on.

McKay's forearm had a very dark purple and black bruise completely covering one side. Jennifer gently took his hand and asked, "Can you move your fingers for me, Rodney?"

He managed to partially clench his fist and winced.

While Jennifer worked on Rodney, John went over to check on Radek's progress. "How's it coming?"

"I am having trouble activating the systems. There is a lockout in place which I cannot breach."

Rodney had been listening and he called out weakly, "The spike. The writing on the spike…"

John retrieved the weapon from Teyla as she handed it to him and returned to Radek. The scientist took the spike and shivered when he saw the rusty blood coating the entire weapon. He narrowed his eyes in concentration and turned it over in his palms as his eyes tracked along the characters.

After a few seconds he glanced down at the console in front of him and lifted the spike up before he carefully drove it down into a small hole in the centre of the main control panel.

A quiet hum instantly filled the room as the spike activated the systems, like a key had just been turned in the ignition.

Radek tapped on his tablet for a moment and then smiled at John, "This is incredible! The power is being channelled through this lab and out into subspace. There is a massive underground structure beneath us."

John asked, "What, do you mean ZPMs?"

"I do not know. According to these readings there is an unusual mineral in this planet's core and that is where the power comes from."

John waved his hand around at the alcoves, "Can you figure out a way to remove the device around McKay's neck?"

"Oh, yes, that part is easy. It is unusual to me that it would be so. I have also found more data in this console."

John said, "I don't care about anything other than removing the metal band at the moment, Radek."

The scientist typed on his computer for a few more seconds and then looked across the room at Rodney lying on the floor. Jennifer was pressing against the bandages around his middle where blood had already started to leak through the second one. He then looked at the alcove nearest to the two of them and said, "I am ready. Rodney needs to stand in the alcove, then I will activate the program."

"Okay, on my mark."

Radek sighed sadly and glanced down at the code on the computer screen.

John helped Rodney to stand, but he was barely conscious and difficult to move. He half carried him over to the alcove and propped him up inside the chamber. As he tried to leave, Rodney crumpled and John had to catch him before he fell right out. "Come on! Help me out here, McKay!"

Rodney's lips parted as his mouth hung open and he drew in a shaky breath. He opened his eyes and gazed at John blearily. He visibly steeled himself and winced as he forced muscles to work again and hold him upright.

"That's more like it! Just wait like that for a moment and we'll have that thing off you."

Rodney gave John a brave but very small smile as he stepped away from the scientist.

John called out across the room, "Go ahead, Radek."

"I will have to activate all seven alcoves, so stand back." Zelenka tapped a few keys on his computer and brilliant white lights suddenly lit up inside each alcove.

Rodney whispered, "Seven stars…" as he was enveloped in the glow. He felt the cold metal around his throat come apart and fall down onto the ground where it became innocuous for a moment before it disintegrated into useless dust. He felt something warm dribbling down into his mouth and running across his jaw line.

The cycle was soon complete and the lights dimmed and turned out. Rodney's nose was bleeding heavily and what little colour there had been remaining in his pale face had now left. The blood stood out starkly and was almost black against his skin. He pitched forwards from the alcove and John caught him before he landed and laid him down carefully on his side.

On the other side of the room another man had appeared in one of the alcoves and also fell forwards with a bloody nose. There was no-one there to catch him as he crumpled onto the ground.

Teyla was still watching the entrance to the lab in between glancing at the situation behind her. She announced, "The Jumper has arrived!"

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TBC