Transcript from the logs of Dr. Elizabeth Weir, July 8, addendum
Finally! Some good news! The MALP made contact with the planet called Lygell an hour ago. The Lygellan Stargate is well guarded by their government's military, but they are essentially a peaceful people. We were wise to approach them cautiously and politely and as such, they were willing to tell us that a single man came through their 'gate around 18 hours ago, following one of their trading parties. The Portal Guard, as they call themselves, detained the man, who fits Colonel Sheppard's description, and turned him over to their local civilian authorities. They are checking now to see where he is being held, and we have been invited to come through in another hour to meet with their minister of security.
The guard we spoke with was pleasant enough, but he mentioned that Colonel Sheppard, if indeed it was him, had injured two of the guards in the process of being detained, and I fear there may be some diplomatic delicacy needed in arranging for his release. As such, I am joining Major Lorne, Teyla, and Dr. McKay on the away team. With any luck we will be able to negotiate for the Colonel's release and be home by supper.
That, of course, seems too good to be likely.
Another hour, perhaps, passed and John paced with almost frantic intensity. Sweat dripped in his eyes, and he kept rubbing his palms on his pants, scratching at the tender scrapes on the palms, then rubbing them down his thigh again.
He was dead. He was alone. They'd taken his dog tags because he was already dead. No one from Atlantis was coming. No one knew where he was. The desperately abandoned voice repeated itself over and over in John's head, and he fought the paranoia with one thought alone: he could get out. He knew how to do it. He just needed the chance.
His fingers rubbed against his belt buckle, then he ran one hand through his sweat-soaked hair. Deciding that surely they would be coming for him any moment, he unfastened the buckle and tugged the canvas belt out of its loops. He eagerly pulled the pin away from the metallic U and thumbed the pointed end, testing for sharpness. It was a sturdy, standard issue belt. The pin was satisfyingly solid, and while not razor sharp, the thin point could be usefully threatening, if used properly. And John knew how to use weapons properly.
As if he had foreseen it, there was a sudden gathering of voices and shuffling feet just outside his cell door, and John hurriedly twisted the length of the belt around his wrist and forearm, looping his middle fingers through the U, and positioning the pin in his palm. He then retreated to his usual spot in the center of the room, took a shuddering deep breath, and clasped his hands behind his back to hide his preparations.
The voices muttered on, and John twitched, blinking the fog out of his eyes – or was it sweat – and shifting from foot to foot. Some part of him realized that he was too nervous, too edgy, and he rolled his head in frustration at his lack of control over himself. He blinked again. The door rattled, then swung open.
Keep it together, John.
To his surprise, the woman doctor entered first, followed by the usual pair of grunts (still no friend Julan). She looked rather tired, but remarkably pleased. John returned her reserved smile cautiously. He was going for calm and cooperative, after all, and it wasn't hard to fake an exhausted, glazed look.
"Colonel," the woman began, almost cheerfully. "Are you feeling better, now?"
"Um, yeah. Sure." John fidgeted a bit, then stopped himself. He wasn't sure how zombie-like they were expecting him to be, so he just took a stab at it, went on with little expression at all, "Thanks for the food and stuff." Real witty conversation there, John, he thought, but the woman didn't seem to mind or care.
"Of course, of course. We have some good news for you, Colonel. We have made contact with your people. They will be arriving on the planet soon. If you are able, we will escort you to the ministry of security, then you can be released into their care." She stood beaming and watching him closely for his response.
But John frowned, his mind racing. What kind of game was this? Was it some ploy to get his hopes up? A ruse to get him to give up his address, hoping he was pliable enough from the drugs to fall for it? Or worse…was some part of the message true, and Atlantis was indeed in contact with these people. If that were the case, then this meeting with the security guys was sure to be a hostage negotiation, and he was needed to make an appearance as appropriate bait.
The woman was still watching him expectantly so he choked out a hasty and hopefully acceptable answer, "That's great. Really great. I'm ready to go home."
"I'll bet you are. If you're ready, we can go now."
"Of course we can."
The woman cocked her head just slightly, then still cheerful, she held out her arm in a gesture to beckon him through the door.
John moved slowly towards her, expecting the other shoe to drop any second, but the guards moved aside, one behind and one ahead a step into the hallway. In a moment, he was next to the woman and he paused, fighting the urge to glance down the hallway or simply bolt like a scared rabbit. Instead, he paused at the door's threshold, forced a cocky smile and gallantly gestured with his own arm.
"Ladies first," he said.
Elizabeth stepped out of the Stargate and quickly looked around for whoever had been sent to meet them. The 'gate sat in a rather large stone courtyard, surrounded by an enormous complex of buildings on all sides and occupied by at least a dozen armed soldiers in crisp black and tan uniforms – The Portal Guard. Teyla, McKay and Lorne quickly joined her, and the guards nearest them approached with casual confidence. Elizabeth was so puzzled by the lack of any delegates stepping forward that she continued to scan the enclosure, a frown creeping across her face.
"Welcome to Lygell, ma'am," a guard finally spoke to her with great politeness. "Security Minister Torvik is expecting you. A page is waiting outside the courtyard to escort you to his offices once you have relinquished your weapons." The guard's eyes slid to Elizabeth's companions who were shifting uneasily at the courteous command. All except McKay, that is, who shrugged and immediately began to tug off his holster. Teyla stopped him with a warning nudge.
"Will Colonel Sheppard be with Minister Torvik?" Elizabeth wasn't going to let these people dictate all the terms without gathering some assurances in return.
The guard just shrugged. "I just relay the messages, ma'am. I don't really have any idea what's going on."
Elizabeth frowned again, and watched the man's face for a long moment. All the guards around them were serious, bordering on severe. But they didn't seem to be hiding anything that she could tell. Nodding unconsciously with her decision she said, "Very well. I can assure you that we have no agenda other than retrieving the Colonel. Please show us to your escort." She nodded at Teyla who slowly began to unholster her own weapons, McKay doing likewise as soon as he'd confirmed with a glance that it was OK for him to do so too.
Major Lorne stood smiling for a moment longer, then crossed his arms over his chest, resting one hand lightly on the butt of the P-90 he carried clipped to his vest. "If it's OK with you, ma'am. I'd rather hang onto mine. Would you mind if I stayed here instead? I'm not good at the whole diplomatic thing anyways. I fidget."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, then smiled at Lorne for finding a polite way to regain some control over the situation. "It's fine with me, Major. As long as these gentlemen agree?" She turned her smile on the guard who seemed surprised for a beat, then nodded slightly in grudging respect.
"I wouldn't mind the company, ma'am. I think the Major probably has a lot in common with the rest of us." Lorne beamed at Elizabeth who couldn't help but chuckle. There was more going on that met the eye, but she trusted Lorne to keep his head and play the diplomat, whatever he said about not being good at it. Maybe he would even get some information out of these men who were peers that she could use later.
"Good. Then that's settled. Please lead the way." Elizabeth more than trusted Teyla's ability to defend them within the complex itself so she nodded again at Rodney and Teyla who handed their – obvious -- weapons over to Lorne, to the further amusement of the guards. They both then joined Elizabeth in following another soldier across the smooth stone towards an arched entrance in one of the enclosing buildings.
Elizabeth drew back from their escort a few paces and quietly leaned her head towards McKay who was fiddling with his palm scanner. "Do you see him, Rodney?"
Rodney replied, his voice equally low and quiet. "Yes, his subdermal transponder is still transmitting. Sheppard is definitely here, about 3 Kilometers to the southwest of us. He's just sitting there at the moment, so they must have him confined."
"Thank God we've got the right place at least," Elizabeth murmured, then quickened her pace at the curious look from their guide. The soldier led them through the entrance, then waved them towards a crisp and proper young man who eagerly beckoned them further into the cool stone building.
At the first intersection of wide and gleaming hallways, they took a sharp turn towards the East and Elizabeth sighed. They weren't being taken directly to John after all. Steeling herself for the negotiations to come, she was rapidly beginning to think she would forgo the hug once she had him back and would skip straight to solitary confinement.