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Stargate Atlantis - The Dark Side of McKay
Chapter 2 - The Dark Path
McKay sat, waiting on an infirmary bed. Sheppard and Weir stood nearby as Beckett approached with a concerned look on his face.
"I did find an increased activity in his limbic system. But as far as I can tell, he's fine." Dr. Beckett explained. "But it doesn't appear to have any lasting effect."
"I was hit by a mysterious energy pulse. How can that possibly be fine?!"
"I've run every test I can. Blood work, M.R.I.s, X-rays, the lot. Other then the increased activity. I found no other anomalies in any of the results."Beckett reiterated.
"Okay, one more time—mysterious energy pulse! From a device created by the Ancients?! I mean, who knows what kind of long-term effects I could be in for." McKay started.
"I mean, there's gross mutation, giantism, invisibility…?" Rodney suggested.
Sheppard was paying limited attention, and replied simply. "That would be cool. I turned into a bug."
McKay stares at Sheppard, unable to believe his friends' calm, unconcerned reactions.
"All right, like I said, as far as I can tell, he's as healthy as a horse. I'm clearing you for active duty. But I want to get another MRI, and re-run your blood work every twelve hours."
McKay couldn't believe how callous, and unphased everyone was being.
"Are you insane?! Look, I need to be put under guard. Who knows what I could become!"
Elizabeth looked at Beckett. "What are the chances it could make him more pleasant?"
Elizabeth only batted an eye at Rodney. But looked at
Rodney at the end of her question.
"Oh, thank you." Rodney sarcastically responded.
"I'll keep an eye on him." Sheppard volunteered.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said then left
McKay's apprehension turned to blatant worry. "Can you still see me?"
Ancient Lab
Zelenka and McKay are working to get the lab operational. Sheppard sat nearby, reading a magazine. Everything is powered down.
Rodney let out an exasperated sigh.
"What are you saying?" Rodney demanded.
"Oh, that you were showing off." Zelenka chuckled. "Normally if Doctor Esposito weren't around, I doubt you would've been as reckless as you were.
"Are you insane?!" McKay shouted, almost infuriated by the insinuation.
"Which one's Esposito?" Sheppard wondered aloud, as though names weren't important.
"Oh, the-uh, the long dark hair?" Zelenka replied.
"Oh, right." Sheppard remembered. "The one with the perfect little—"
McKay was annoyed, as usual, and he cut off Sheppard "Do you mind? We're trying to work here."
"For the record, I was going to say "smile." Sheppard said, his tone betrayed nothing to convince Rodney.
"Yeah, sure you were, Kirk!" Rodney dubiously replied, then turned to Zelenka.
"What have you got?"
"Nothing. Whatever you did fried all the power conduits leading into the room." Zelenka replied
"Whatever I did?! Look, up until very recently, this lab was entirely underwater, quite possibly for over ten thousand years. How is that my fault?
"Well, that part of it isn't." Zelenka grudgingly agreed.
"Okay, that's it. I'm going for lunch." Rodney snapped, he was tired of hearing the discussion, and needed a break.
Atlantis - Mess Hall
McKay sat alone at a table, eating a sandwich and a variety of fruit. After a few moment he could hear his team's voices behind him.
"How is he doing?" Teyla asked.
"Same ol' Rodney." Sheppard replied.
"Are you sure? He looks a couple pounds heavier to me." Ronon teased.
"Ronon." Teyla scolded
"What? He eats all the time. It's not like he exercises." Ronon innocently defended.
McKay stopped chewing and looks down at his tray self-consciously.
"He's just feeding his unhappiness." Sheppard explained.
"Hello, I'm right here. I can—" McKay turned around to see the rest of his team sitting at a table at the far side of the crowded room. They were too far away to hear his response, but glance over when they see him looking at them.]
"I can hear you. Huh." McKay finished as he realized what was happening.
Geting up to join the others, he blindly reaches back for his tablet computer as he moves, and doesn't see it slide across the table telekinetically into his hand.
As McKay approached his comrades he began chastising them.
"For your information, I am exactly the same weight I've been since I got here. I need to eat regularly, otherwise I become hypoglycemic. And I am generally a very happy person."
McKay's rant was cut short by a technician over the intercom.
"Colonel Sheppard, please have your team report to the control room immediately. Colonel Sheppard."
The team stow their remaining comments and head for the control room.
Atlantis - Control Room
Joining the team in the control room, Weir begins.
"We received this transmission six minutes ago from Major Lorne's team."
"Atlantis base, repeat, we are under attack and cut off from the gate. I counted at least twenty, maybe more. Request backup immediately."
The message ended, Sheppard looked up, relative to the terminal.
"Where are they?" Sheppard asked.
"M72-656." Weir reported.
Sheppard wasted no time.
"Have a team of marines meet us in the jumper bay."
Atlantis Gate room - several minutes later.
A jumper lowers into the Gate Room. From the balcony, Weir watches it leave.
Ancient Lab
Zelenka continued his work on the panel as Weir entered.
"Doctor Weir? Any word?" Zelenka asked, concerned.
"Not yet. It has only been an hour. You wanted to see me." Weir Replied.
"Yes. I could use your help. Um, er, I managed to get power to part of the console to access the lab's research logs." Zelenka replied.
"Well, that's good news." Weir commented, with a minor sigh of relief.
"Well, I'm not so sure. Uh, I could use a second opinion." Zelenka said directing Weir to a display showing a lot of Ancient writing. Weir moved next to Zelenka at the console to take a closer look.
"It seems much of this refers to different elements of…human physiology."
Weir commented reading the display.
"It mentions the mutation of base genetic coding." Weir added
"I realize that Doctor Beckett said that there were no "evident" effects from Rodney's exposure to the device, but…it seems—" Zelenka started.
"It's meant to manipulate human DNA." Weir determined, and Zelenka finished.
It might also effect higher brain function, as a result." Zelenka warned.
The read was interrupted by a call over the intercom.
"Doctor Weir to the jumper bay. The rescue team has returned."
"Let's go." Weir directed.
Atlantis - Jumper bay
Weir and Zelenka arrive just as Sheppard's jumper door opens.
"What could I have done?" Rodney asked.
"You could have acted faster." Sheppard said defeated.
"What are you talking about?" McKay snapped.
"That thing you did, just before everyone else ran away." Sheppard snapped.
"Colonel?" Weir asked
"We lost two of Lorne's men."
As you may have noticed, this is where things stray down . . . "The Dark Path". Thank you for reading please leave a review on your way out to other good reads.