The Price of Freedom - Part 7
Rodney stared at the mirror and blinked. The face that stared back at him was hardly recognisable as his. He peered closer and touched his cheek. Was that truly him?
Majel smiled at his reaction. "I told you Sati was a master in the art of disguise."
"Yes, yes, you did but I didn't quite expect to look so … so … old."
"What would you have preferred? A younger look? Unfortunately, beards and white hair tend to make one look older. I think it is very good, and it had to match the description on your pass paper."
Rodney turned towards her and grumbled. "Yes, I know that but I'll never live this down when I get back home."
Majel looked saddened by his words. "Is that all you are worried about, what your people will think of you for looking like this? I would have thought getting away from here would have been your main concern."
Rodney suddenly felt like a jerk for having said anything in the first place but at least he had the decency to look ashamed. "Yes … you're right," he said. "Forget I said it. It's just my nerves getting the better of me and making me … err … selfish."
"I understand. Now let us go over the plan once again."
"Yes, yes, all right. My name is Helm. Sal Helm. I am a distant uncle to Bernard Ramo's wife. Ramo is a leading citizen as well as a trader in woven cloth and rugs. Today we are travelling to Lucia to deliver a special order of material and a Boltan rug for one of their citizens."
Majel looked pleased. "Yes, that is fine. Now as long as you do not say too much then there should not be any trouble. Do not forget that this is your first time through the great ring, so act a little nervous. The slavers who guard the ring are not usually the brightest but they are very vigilant."
"So don't get too cocky or too smart with them."
Majel nodded emphatically. "Yes, and please Rodney, above all, do not answer them back with your usual sarcasm as that could lead to much trouble. Ramo is putting his cover on the line for you. Please do not let him down."
"I'll certainly try not to. I want to get home and---" Rodney wanted to say, bring back an army to rescue Sheppard but it wasn't going to be as easy as that. For one thing, they had no idea where Sheppard was currently being held. He could be in the fortress or in the mine some thirty kilometres south of the community. Therefore, whatever form a rescue took it would have to be mounted with the utmost care and stealth.
The woman by his side knew it was hard for him to leave without his friend, so she lightly rested her hand on Rodney's arm. "It is for the best. I am sure your people will welcome you back but once again, I ask you to consider our safety before you come rushing back here with weapons and soldiers. We wish for change but not at the cost of many lives."
Rodney looked at her earnestly. "And I can reassure you that our leader wouldn't allow it." Neither would Sheppard, Rodney thought, but he didn't voice that. Although, he had told Majel and her husband quite a few things about himself and the colonel, he had not told them that they were from the legendary city of Atlantis.
With nothing more to say, Majel lead Rodney out of Sati's house in order to meet up with the trader who was waiting for them at a secure location.
A short time later after Rodney had been introduced to Ramo and he'd said his goodbyes to Majel, he and his travelling companion started out on the long trek back towards the Stargate.
Ramo had left Rodney to carry the Boltan rug, which thankfully turned out to be more like a finely woven mat, not unlike the handmade silk rugs of oriental Earth. It wasn't very heavy but Rodney had still expressed a groan anyway, just for the sake of it.
By the time they reached the wonderful sight of the Ancient portal, Rodney's feet were absolutely killing him, even though he was wearing a pair of sturdy and comfortable shoes. He wasn't a good trekker at the best of times, although, his exaggerated hobble would now help in his disguise as a senior citizen. He certainly felt like one as they approached the waiting sentries standing warily before the deactivated gate.
Ramo did all the talking, as being a privileged one, he often travelled through the Stargate and the guards knew him well. As their pass papers were handed over, one of the slavers started making derisive comments. "Were did you dig up that old relic, citizen Ramo? He looks fit for the Wraith feeding grounds to me."
Rodney felt his blood boil and was just about to send back some scathing comment when Majel's words echoed in his head. So tongue in cheek, he settled for giving the slaver a dirty look.
However, Ramo was quick to defend him. "Mind your tongue, Baldock, and a little more respect for your elders. My wife will come after you with a cooking pan if she hears you call her great uncle an old relic."
Baldock actually went a little pale, giving Rodney the impression that Mrs Ramo must have quite a reputation. The slaver threw a comment to his companion in their own language, which wasn't commonly shared with the people of Tandara. The other laughed but quickly suppressed it when Ramo gave him a scornful look. Wanting you more trouble, the trader quickly gathered up his packages and requested dialling access.
"Sure, citizen Ramo," replied Baldock. "Here let me do it for you." So Rodney and the trader stood by as the slaver dialled up the address to Lucia.
Rodney watched as the event horizon established with mixed feelings. He was nearly in the clear but as he stepped into the puddle a few minutes later, his throat suddenly felt tight and painful with remorse. He would be home soon, yet Rodney couldn't suppress the feeling that he was letting Sheppard down.
Leaving this planet was proving to be one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. Just knowing that Sheppard was out there, going through god only knows what, left him feeling almost physically sick. It certainly sucked to have friends.
-SGA-
"You miserable little worm!"
How many times had John heard that screeched since he'd been made to work in the dreadful mine? Only this time it wasn't aimed at him, but rather at poor Seth who was currently taking a beating just because he had inadvertently caused a minor rockslide.
It was just a mound of stones but the way the guard was ranting on, anyone would think the tunnel was blocked by a ton of boulders. However, the guard wasn't satisfied with just using his oversized mouth. In his rage, he pulled Seth away from the rock fall and started beating the kid with the wooden rod that this particular guard loved to carry around and use on any hapless slave for hardly any reason at all.
The sound of thrashing wood against soft skin and the boy's screams echoed around the tunnel and John couldn't listen anymore.
Adrenaline surged through his veins as he stood up. Holding his shovel firmly with both hands, John shouted. "Leave the boy alone!"
"Get back to your work, slave, or you will be the next to feel my rod."
"Not until you leave the boy alone!"
The guard grabbed Seth by the hair and gave John a sneering look. "You miserable little worm!"
John pulled a face and frowned. "You know your vocabulary is terribly limited. Probably goes along with that minute pea you call a brain."
The guard may not have understood what a pea was, but the meaning was clear enough. His face went bright red, livid with rage, which probably killed off the last of his brain cells. Without a warning, he pushed the boy side and went after John like a rampant bull.
Sheppard anticipated such a move from the idiot and as the brute charged, he held his shovel firmly before him so that the tip of blade was angled up slightly.
When the guard struck, the impact nearly knocked John backward into the rock face, but he managed to keep his footing as the guard tumbled to the ground.
Regaining his balance, John stared down at the guard and winced at the sight of the shovel's dusty blade, which had cut through the man's clothing and had partially penetrated his abdomen. The guard appeared to be in shock as he stared down and blinked at the sight of the shovel.
Somewhere in his tiny mind, the man's fury must have still raged and without so much as a thought, he yanked the blade out of his stomach and made to rise on shaky legs. It took several attempts but once the brute had regained his footing, he narrowed his eyes and started to advance menacingly towards John with the bloody shovel held firmly in his right hand. John hastily backed away until there was nowhere else to go other than the low tunnel leading back to the sleeping area.
John kept his ground and winced again at the sight of the growing bloodstain on the guard's clothing. "You know, you shouldn't have done that. You should always leave the object in the wound until a doctor can look at it. That's what my good friend Dr. Beckett always tells me. It looks like you're bleeding out to me."
"We will see who is bleeding out after I am done with you," growled the guard.
John swallowed hard. He knew that he was screwed. Once the other guards arrived, he was probably done for. Seth was off whimpering in one corner, muttering, "No, John," repeatedly. While the other slaves had all found hiding places, so John was left on his own, yet again.
With nothing to lose, he slowly inched closer to a shovel that he'd spotted left abandoned on the dirty floor. The guard didn't seem to notice until John stooped down to pick it up.
Panicked, the man suddenly found a reserve of strength and picking up speed, he rushed towards John with the bloody shovel held high. Once again that was all John needed as he brought the shovel up to meet the oncoming brute.
This time, the blade met with no resistance as it cut deeply into soft tissue, severing arteries and causing further untold damage. The guard looked down his body in shocked disbelief before silently falling to the ground with a thud to lay motionless at John's feet as the last of his life left his body.
John looked down at the brute feeling no remorse at all, thinking, No great loss there but what price would he have to pay? He didn't have to wait long as the pounding of trampling feet echoed loudly up the tunnel. There was nowhere to run, so he stood motionless and silent as he listened to Seth's soft crying. Maybe, the boy had witnessed something like this before, John didn't know.
Dread surged through him when six guards rushed into the chamber and John braced himself ready for the inevitable. Should he try to defend himself or go down lightly? he wondered, but John knew that he was hopelessly outnumbered. So without a sound, he let the bloody shovel slip from his fingers to clatter noisily onto the stony ground.
Taking in the scene before him, the head guard also remained silent as his eyes travelled from the corpse over to John. Then suddenly without a warning, he and his companions rushed the defenceless colonel, tackling him brutally to the ground. What happened next was a free for all as John was kicked and pounded until his body was black and blue.
He tried to protect his head as best he could while waiting for the killing blow. This was not how he expected his life to end. Of all the scenarios that could have been, dying as a slave had not been one of them. Yet his life since coming to the Pegasus Galaxy had been full of the unexpected, so it came as a bit of a surprise when the beating suddenly ended and he was left alive.
Although, John felt like he'd been put through a meat grinder, he still had the strength to look up.
The head guard glared down at him with absolute hatred and what he said next sent a chill through John's abused body. "You will not get away with murder that easily, scum. The Master will no doubt have a special treat in store for you and by the time he has finished, you will be begging for your death." Saying no more, he signalled his guards to drag John away.
John's last view of the mine was the frightened expressions of his fellow slaves and Seth's tear streaked face before he gave into the waiting darkness.
-SGA-
"Unscheduled gate activation!" Chuck shouted loudly before a look of surprise crossed his face followed by a big smile, as he announced. "It's Dr. McKay's IDC."
Elizabeth could hardly believe her ears as she rushed down the stairs. A look of disbelief and absolute joy fell across her face while she waited with baited breath for the boys to come home.
Her countenance changed rapidly to one of mistrust when a single figure emerged from the gate, one she didn't recognise. The loud clicking of weapons being readied echoed around her as the Marines rushed to take up a defensive stance.
The stranger suddenly raised his hands. "Woe, woe! I didn't come all this way to have my head blown off! Lower your weapons, it's me!"
Elizabeth may not have recognised the face but the voice was clear enough. "Rodney?" she questioned.
"Well who else do you think it is? Father Time?"
It was Rodney all right. Only he could come home after a six weeks absence and use a tone laced with pure sarcasm.
Elizabeth tore her eyes from the old man and looked beyond him in anticipation, but the gate shut down. "Where's John?" she questioned.
McKay's eyes clouded with what Elizabeth thought she would never see him show, unshed tears. Her heart began to thump loudly as Rodney began to explain. "He's not with me. It's a long story and we need to talk. First though, I want to get out of this horrible disguise."
"You're no going anywhere, Rodney. Not until I've had a chance to examine ya." The much loved and welcome brogue of Rodney's doctor friend declared from the top of the stairs.
Rodney may have restrained himself from hugging Elizabeth but he welcomed the friendly hug that Carson gave him once he'd joined them.
"Okay," Rodney conceded, "but I really need to get out of this. I feel like a hundred and ten years old."
"Aye and ya look it too." Carson said, before he began to lead Rodney in the direction of the infirmary.
Elizabeth started to follow but not before she sent, one more sad and disappointing glance towards the Stargate. As she turned away, she noticed Caldwell standing on the balcony staring down at her. He gave her a brief nod and indicated that he'd liked to be debriefed. However, she chose to ignore him and quickly made her way to the infirmary.
tbc
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