Act III

By the time Tierab, Tiebin, and Ronon arrived with Sheppard, Sheppard was leaning heavily on Ronon and breathing hard. He was using everything he had just to keep stay on his feet. With Teyla and McKay now in sight, Ronon relaxed a little.

They were alive and well, he thought. Then he corrected himself – they were alive, but with their injuries, they weren't exactly well. There was a bloody screwdriver lying beside Teyla and McKay was wrapping gauze around her hand, hampered by only having one good hand himself. Teyla helped as much as she could, but it didn't appear to be a very efficient process.

Sheppard seemed to get his second wind when he saw Teyla. He pulled away from Ronon and sat down beside her. "What happened?" he rasped.

"I happened," McKay said bitterly.

Sheppard frowned. He glanced at McKay, then Teyla before turning his attention back to McKay. His voice sounded a little stronger, even though he was still breathing hard and cradling his shoulder as he asked, "What's that mean?"

"It means I had one hell of a waking dream! I was about to be skewered by a flying screwdriver, more of that wonderful Mordiis telekinesis in action, when Teyla deflected the screwdriver with her hand."

McKay swallowed hard, guilt apparent in his every move. He glanced at Teyla. "You should have just pushed me aside. Why couldn't you have pushed me aside?"

Teyla shook her head. "There was no time."

McKay closed his eyes and shook his head.

Sheppard looked at Teyla. "What made the Mordiis stop from finishing you or Rodney off?"

Teyla shook her head. "I do not know. The winds were so high, whipping around us in the conduit, and then I was hit by the screwdriver. Fortunately, there was not a lot of material in the confined space of the conduit for the Mordiis to throw at us, but it would not release its hold on Rodney. I called Rodney's name without result – until I remembered what Tierab had said about sound breaking through the waking dreams, so I fired my weapon and Rodney responded. Perhaps the sound itself made the Mordiis lose their hold on Rodney, because everything simply died down after a moment."

"So the Mordiis can attack us in the conduits as well as inside the installation. Damn, I was hoping we could escape them by going into the conduits," Ronon said as he stood with his hands on his hips, frowning at Teyla. "I'd say you were pretty damned lucky that screwdriver didn't go through your heart instead of your hand."

Teyla frowned and lowered her gaze. "It would have hit Rodney's if I hadn't been there," she said quietly.

McKay flinched as if he'd been struck hard by another flying screwdriver, but Ronon knew it was only guilt fueling his reaction. Teyla must have seen McKay move, because compassion was strong in her gaze as she put her hand on McKay's arm.

"This wound will heal, Rodney. If the Mordiis had been successful, you would not be alive now and that was something I simply could not bear."

Instead of being comforted, McKay looked sick and pulled away. He handed Ronon the gauze and gestured for him to take over the bandaging, then stepped away quickly as if afraid Ronon would stop him. After he'd taken several steps away, he froze in place, then spun around, his face twisted with emotion.

"First, Sheppard gets hurt because of me and now you, too, Teyla. I'm like the kiss of death!" He pointed at Ronon as he continued to back away from them, his flair for the dramatic shining strong. "You better watch out, Ronon, because you're undoubtedly next and you might not be as lucky as they've been."

McKay grunted as the words he'd just said sunk in and he shook his head. "Yeah, right, they've been real lucky... that's why they're both bleeding from serious wounds."

Sheppard started to stand and said, "Come on, Rodney, you know better than – "

McKay stopped him with a wave of his hand. "No! I don't – I don't want to talk about this anymore. It's pointless. I know the truth and so do you. I'm – I'm going to access one of these computers and see if I can find anything more useful while you and Teyla rest a little and try not bleed quite so much."

Tierab had McKay's backpack which now held his tablet computer, and he held it out to McKay as he passed by. McKay hesitated for a moment, then took it from Tierab and strode away.

Ronon rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. McKay was damned hard to talk to when he was worked up like this. He glanced at Sheppard. Sheppard always knew how to handle McKay, but Sheppard just shook his head. "He'll be okay in a minute. Just leave him alone and he'll come back when he's ready. "

Ronon finished wrapping Teyla's hand.

"Thank you, Ronon," she said as she tested the bandage. She flinched at the reaction she got from flexing injured muscles, but her focus wasn't on her physical pain – she was watching McKay. "I am still worried about him," she began.

Sheppard nodded. "I know, but he'll be okay. After all, he's still McKay and Rodney is at his best when things are at their worst. Just give him some time."

Ronon glanced around them. "What is all this stuff?"

There were all kinds of tools lying about and canisters filled with something that bore the sign the Ancients used for hazardous materials. It looked like the Ancients had been in the process of building something but stopped for some reason.

John shook his head. "I don't know."

Tiebin came in from the conduit carrying a bucket of water and said, "I saw a release valve on one of the pipes in the conduit, so I thought I'd bring some water for everyone to drink and to clean up a little."

Ronon glanced at the other members of his team. All of them had blood either on their skin or on their clothes. Tiebin's idea was a good one. Sheppard gave Tiebin a nod and a tired smile of thanks, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. The man looked like he was running on fumes and Ronon wondered how long he'd be able to keep going.

Ronon's gaze went to McKay, who was in the process of awkwardly connecting his computer to one of the free-standing computer consoles with only one good hand.

Ronon took in the scene, knowing all of his friends were hurting and that there was very little he could do to help them. Helpless wasn't something Ronon tolerated well at all.

Teyla shivered, as if her pain didn't allow her to remain still. Sheppard watched her for a moment as she seemed to fold her body around her injured hand, then said, "Maybe you should lie down."

Teyla shook her head.

"She needs to be in an infirmary," Sheppard said to Ronon, anger edging his voice.

"As do you, John," Teyla replied, raising her gaze high enough to catch Sheppard's.

Sheppard's head bounced from side to side for a moment and then he said, "I plan on being there at my earliest opportunity." He forced the anger from his face and said, "Fine, just give yourself another minute or two to regroup before we move out."

Teyla shook her head and started to stand. "I am able to – "

She stood, then gasped and put her good hand to her forehead. Sheppard and Ronon helped her to sit down again. "It was just a little dizziness," she said in a quiet voice.

Sheppard nodded. "Yeah, well, here, try to drink a little water and see if that helps. We'll get going in a couple of minutes."

Ronon glanced down at the bucket in front of him and scooped up a handful of water, taking a drink to taste it, and then he smiled. "There must be some type of natural spring coming down from inside this chain of mountains and that's what the Ancients used to irrigate the fields. It's good water. Give me your canteens and I'll fill them up for you."

After finishing with Teyla and Sheppard's canteens, Ronon walked over to McKay. The man wasn't doing well at all. He was scowling over his computer, typing one handed on the keys like they were some type of enemy that could be vanquished by rapid, forceful typing.

"McKay, give me your canteen and I'll fill it for you," he said, not allowing McKay the option of saying if he wanted water or not.

McKay sneered at the interruption, then shook his head. Ronon put his hands on his hips and waited. After a moment, McKay glared at him. "What?" he asked.

Ronon held out his hand. McKay looked like he was going to argue with him, but then he just rolled his eyes and removed his canteen, practically shoving it in Ronon's direction. "Keep in mind I did that in hopes that you'll go away and leave me alone."

Ronon stood there for a moment, hefting the empty canteen in his hand, his gaze darting again over the collection of canisters and building material surrounding them.

Finally, Ronon said, "Don't be so hard on yourself, McKay. All of this has involved stuff beyond your control."

"Easy for you to say, Goliath. You aren't responsible for injuring two of your best friends."

Ronon paused for a second. "My people have a saying: 'What is, is'. You can't change what's happened. Leave it alone and move forward."

McKay puffed out his chest indignantly and gestured with one hand. "What the hell do you think I'm doing? Just sitting here having a major pity party instead of working? I've got the damned schematics up, trying to find the best way out of here via the conduits, which I think I've just found, along with reviewing the Ancients' logs. I'm searching for any clue I can find that might help us."

Ronon smiled and slapped McKay lightly on the back. "Now, that's the McKay I know. You'll get us out of this mess."

McKay gave a harsh grunt, then turned back to his computer, but his demeanor seemed a little lighter. Ronon started to walk away when McKay hung his head and said softly, "It's a little like closing the barn door after all of the cows are gone."

Ronon stopped and turned back. "You'll get us home again and that's all that matters."

McKay didn't look up or say anything, so after a long moment, Ronon turned to walk away again. McKay's quiet voice pulled him back. "You guys haven't felt anything remotely close to what Sheppard and I have, have you?"

Ronon shrugged. "Maybe a little."

McKay glanced over at Tierab and Tiebin as they sat beside Teyla and Sheppard. "I don't think they have even felt that much. I wonder why."

Ronon took a deep breath. "Maybe it's something to do with the fact they are from this area."

McKay nodded. "Maybe. And maybe it's that telepathic link they have with each other. I mean, it's blatantly obvious after watching the way Twin One and Twin Two seem to have entire conversations without saying a word. It's kind of creepy, actually. There's a few references to telepathic twins in the data logs I've read so far. Carson would probably have a field day researching the genetics here."

Ronon nodded, not knowing what else to say. McKay was right. Tierab and Tiebin did share a type of connection that Ronon had never witnessed before. He stared at the large piece of equipment that McKay was currently using as a podium for his tablet computer while he worked on the room's main console. The thing was about twelve feet long, four feet tall, and ten feet wide. It looked like a large rectangular box with no visible inner workings, except for the white control panel on one end near where McKay was working.

When McKay caught him staring at it, he said, "This piece of equipment is mentioned repeatedly as being involved in the defensive measures they took, but the files are difficult to access. Personally, I think the preponderance of urine and animal droppings, probably from those prydewing creatures, on these computers must have led to some file corruption over the millennia."

As if on cue, Ronon heard some screeching echoes and looked up in time to see a pair of prydewings emerge from the ventilation duct high above them, the duct's grate long ago discarded on the floor. After a moment, a few more came out, tentatively, keeping a watchful eye on their team as they came to perch atop a tall piece of Ancient machinery.

"Damned obnoxious birds," McKay muttered.

"I think they're kind of cute," Ronon said with a grin. "Maybe you could take one home as a pet."

"Think again, big guy," McKay said firmly. Then he glanced down at his computer screen. He pointed at it and continued, "At first glance, the device doesn't look like it can do much. Then again, with Ancient tech, I've learned to never underestimate their abilities. And I think the Ancients left in such a hurry when they finally did go, they just didn't shut everything down properly, and that's another reason why I can't access the files I'm looking for more easily."

Ronon walked over to the water bucket and dipped McKay's canteen into its clear water. As he came back to McKay, Ronon said, "There's not much that I know of that ever made the Ancients turn tail and run, except the Wraith."

"And now these hallucination-inducing monsters," Rodney said tersely.

Ronon gestured toward the stacks of supplies and equipment spread throughout the control room. "What is all this stuff for?"

McKay paused to glance around. "They were turning this place into a giant laboratory, experimenting with something called omega waves. This machinery here was to counter the omega waves in much the same way that a radio jammer works. I've got it powered up, but I still can't fully access its control panel."

"You think you can get it working? Because I'd rather keep Sheppard and Teyla off their feet than drag them through the conduits. It won't be an easy trip for them."

McKay shook his head. "I don't know. It has something to do with getting rid of the Morons – or whatever their damned name is – but I really haven't read that far yet. Give me a break. I just sat down here."

"Well, don't get too comfortable. Sheppard's gonna be ready to go in a couple of minutes."

McKay glanced at Sheppard and Teyla, then back at Ronon. "They won't make it very far very fast," he said quietly.

"Anything that gets us further away from danger works for me."

Ronon handed McKay his canteen. Tierab approached Rodney with a vial of herbs. "Here, mix this with the water and drink it."

McKay's quiet demeanor shifted in that instant and he shook his head adamantly. He seemed to channel all of his frustration at Tierab and his herbs as he shook a pointed finger at the Ioninian. "You just – just get the hell away from me with that crap! Those damned herbs were supposed to stop the waking dreams from happening, but they didn't do a blasted thing except give me a terrible case of indigestion. They just don't work!"

Tierab took a deep breath. "Perhaps it needs a second dose."

McKay sneered. "And perhaps it doesn't work at all!"

"McKay, play nice," Sheppard called from where he sat with Teyla.

Tierab folded his arms in front of him. "The Ancestors used them, according to legend, in their fight against the Soul Drinkers," he said defiantly. Then all his bluster faded as he added, "But if the Ancestors could not defeat the Soul Drinkers, what can we do against them?"

"We don't have to beat them," Sheppard said, standing slowly. "We just need to get out of this place while the getting is good."

McKay straightened. "The Ancients did find something that had to do with this device – at least something that could fight them off long enough for them to evacuate. The answer is here in the database, I just know it."

"The answer may be in there, Rodney, but we don't have time for you to read it. Pack up."

McKay nodded. "You don't have to tell me twice. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

He began to disconnect his tablet computer. Sheppard turned to give Teyla a hand up, but she really didn't appear to need it. She seemed to have recovered a little over the past few minutes. If only Sheppard could recover as quickly, but he was still pale and on the shaky side, no matter how much he tried to play down his condition.

McKay grunted as he stowed away his computer. "It was such a simple mission when we first started out. We're just going to fix the irrigation system. No, don't worry about that storm brewing. We'll be out of there long before it turns bad. Well, Colonel Sheppard, that's the last time I'm letting you decide if a mission is a go or not."

"Yeah, like you have such a great sense of impending doom. Weren't you the one who nearly drowned while trying to save a cat?"

McKay gave him a withering glare. "Why do you have bring that up at a time like this? It has nothing at all to do with the conversation at hand."

"I'm just saying sometimes innocent actions can have life-threatening complications that can't be foreseen."

McKay sputtered for a moment, probably trying to come up with a sniping response, but he stopped when the prydewings startled everyone by squawking loudly and then taking wing. They flew around for a moment before turning to leave via the route they had come, into the ventilation duct, moving as fast as they possibly could.

A moment later, a sudden wind whipped around them without warning.

"Ah, crap," Sheppard whispered. Then he stiffened and looked at the others in alarm. "The hair on the back of my neck just stood up and I think – "

Just as unexpectedly, the device under McKay's backpack started issuing alarms. McKay looked at it excitedly, then frowned when he apparently saw something he didn't like in its readings.

After a moment, McKay stiffened and put out a hand, staring at a place between him and the wall, a spot well away from the others. He shouted with deep apprehension, "Stay back! All of you stay back! I must warn you I am well trained in the art of self defense and I will protect myself if need be."

Ronon was just taking a step in McKay's direction when McKay reached for his handgun, then found it gone. It didn't faze him much, because he started mumbling to whoever he saw near a distant wall. Then he began to inch himself backward, away from any perceived danger.

At the same moment, Sheppard's expression darkened as he put up his hands in a placating move and stepped forward in another direction. "Look," he said, "You wanted me here and I came. You've got me. I can take the place of the others and you can let them go."

The lights on the piece of equipment McKay had been working on began to flash – for what purpose Ronon had no idea, but he prayed it meant something was about to work in their favor. The equipment hummed with ever-increasing volume as the winds around them began blowing harder.

Ronon glanced around, remembering how the others had spoken of high winds the Mordiis used with their telekinesis to catapult things at their victims, like the metal rod that went through Sheppard's shoulder and the screwdriver through Teyla's hand.

Ronon drew in a sharp breath. The room was filled with things that could be used as projectile weapons. Damn it, they were in trouble in a big way this time. Ronon stopped short and his gaze narrowed as he looked around. Now, he was sure someone was watching them.

Teyla looked at Ronon, dread filling her expression. "They are both dreaming now," she said nervously as her gaze darted around the room.

Ronon nodded as Sheppard continued, talking to empty air, "You don't have to do this. Just step away from the others and we can leave."

Ronon's heart pounded with sudden adrenaline in a way that was very unlike him, and he turned to Teyla. "What do we do?" he asked quickly, his voice almost breaking with fear.

Teyla's facial muscles were tight with tension as she fidgeted for a moment. He could tell she was feeling the effects of the Mordiis, too. "We must protect them as best we can," she said.

"I'll go with Sheppard," Ronon said as he walked away. Teyla and Tierab followed behind him.

"Be careful," she warned. Then she swayed. Tierab turned back toward her and put a hand to her back when she came to a stop. She extended a hand in Ronon's direction and added, "Remember, John is an especially dangerous adversary when he feels he needs to be."

A heartbeat later, Sheppard screamed, "NO!"

Pain flashed across Sheppard's face, but it wasn't from physical pain. Whoever he'd been trying to save had just been killed and it was obvious it was someone Sheppard cared about. A murderous gleam came into Sheppard's eyes as he stepped forward.

"You are going to die for killing them," he said in a low, dangerous growl as he circled an invisible foe. Even injured, Sheppard looked formidable.

Ronon nodded back at her. He pointed at McKay as he closed the distance between him and Sheppard, saying, "Tiebin, help McKay."

Ronon was almost to Sheppard when one of the many canisters he'd noticed earlier was vaulted high into the air by the high winds. It missed them but collided with the rock formation above the doorway into the conduits and erupted in a huge explosion.

As debris rained down all around them, Ronon shielded Sheppard with his body. With the deafening explosion, Sheppard collapsed to his knees. Tierab bent over Teyla and Tiebin covered McKay. Luckily, most of the debris was small.

Ronon glanced at the smoke and dust stirred into the air by the explosion and shook his head. Damn, the canisters must have contained a volatile gas of some sort. The blast was quickly followed by another, only this one knocked Ronon off his feet. He landed hard, groaning loudly when his ribs collided with some of the debris on the floor. The breath was knocked out of him, and it took him a minute to shake it off.

He heard the others shouting around him. With their exit into the conduits now blocked by fallen debris, they were forced to regroup. Tiebin motioned at him, but Ronon's attention was solely on Sheppard. Sheppard was alone as he slowly rose up from where he'd fallen to the floor, looking very confused and seemingly oblivious to the danger around him.

Ronon couldn't leave Sheppard alone like that, so he pushed away his pain, got to his feet, and stumbled back toward Sheppard. Sheppard's confusion was growing, but at least it seemed the thunderous sound of the explosions had pulled him out of his Mordiis-induced hallucination.

Ronon hugged his injured ribs as he crouched down beside him and said breathlessly, "You and McKay had another waking dream, but you guys didn't do this."

Sheppard seemed relieved by the information as he nodded. The man looked bad. He was hunched over, his hand cradling his shoulder, and very pale. "We need to get out of here," Sheppard rasped, still sounding dazed.

Ronon shook his head. "Can't. The way to the conduits is blocked." He pointed to the rubble where the entrance used to be.

"Outside then," Sheppard said and started to get to his knees. Ronon rose with him.

When Ronon glanced over at McKay, it seemed he had recovered, too, because he was headed toward his computer with Tiebin's arm around his back to help steady him.

"Move it," McKay told Tiebin, "We don't have all day! In fact, we might have no time left at all! I need to get back to that equipment!"

As soon as McKay and Tiebin arrived at the huge black defensive device, he started playing with the buttons on its control pad.

"Activate, damn it, you're supposed to have an automatic activation sequence!" McKay cursed at the device as he continued to press buttons.

Suddenly, more alarms began sounding, but in a more urgent way this time, obviously heralding some sort of trouble. Tiebin pulled McKay down to protect him from the objects flying in the winds whipping around them, but McKay pulled out of Tiebin's grasp.

"No, no, no, no," McKay said, completely ignoring Tiebin's concern for him as he shouted at the device. "You were designed to help! Come on, this just isn't fair at all!"

His fingers flew over the keys, but he stopped suddenly when more of the lights on the equipment began to flash ominously in rapid succession.

"What is it, McKay?" Sheppard shouted to be heard over the wind.

McKay shook his head. "I think I finally got the automation of that defensive device online, but whatever this is, it's activating everything – and I'm saying every damned thing. I don't know if that's good or not, but whatever's happening, I can't stop it!"

Ronon put up a hand against the brilliant flare of light that came from several recessed portals in the device, and then he felt himself drop to the ground as sensations slammed into his head --sensations that just weren't his. He rolled into a fetal position to protect himself from the onslaught. A frenzied rush of emotions and thoughts cascaded through his mind. Teyla. Sheppard. McKay. He felt what they felt and he knew they felt what he was going through.

He forced his eyes open and saw the others were struggling just as he was. Ronon froze when he saw another canister fly up into the air. There was a loud explosion as the canister exploded nearby. Ronon tried to crawl over to Sheppard to help him, but Sheppard was unconscious. So were the others he realized as he glanced around.

He moved to get up, but then he cried out instead. Terrible pain from other parts of his body kept him from moving – his hand, his wrist, his ribs, and his shoulder were all aflame, sending more fiery pain impulses to his brain than he could tolerate.

Damn it, someone needed to watch over the others, but all he could do was slump to the floor. His last thought, something which didn't seem to be entirely his own, but rather an assortment, all with one central theme – to protect the others – ended with him unable to protect anyone, not even himself.

oOoOoOoOo

Ronon groaned as he slowly came to. He'd known extreme pain before. When he'd been a runner, he'd dealt with one sort of pain or another on a fairly regular basis. It had rarely stopped him from doing what he had to do, but this was an entirely new level of intensity.

He rolled from his right side onto his back, then groaned again. Damn, but he hurt. His hand, his wrist, his shoulder, his ribs – they all throbbed with an agonizing ache.

It took a while for him to come to full awareness. He'd never felt so groggy, except for the times he'd been gassed or drugged. Something was definitely slowing down his thinking. As he became more aware, he began to realize that something very strange had happened to him.

He felt an unexpected hand on his left shoulder that he prepared to counter with a defensive action. Instead, he flinched, expecting more pain to come from the physical contact, because the hand was right over the area where his shoulder throbbed the most. When no more came, he opened his eyes and followed the hand up to see Tiebin hovering over him. The man's gray eyes were watching him with deep concern.

Tiebin had a laceration at his hairline above his right eye and blood trailed over part of his intricate tattoo artistry and ran down his throat. The twins. Tiebin. Tierab. The Ancient installation and its faulty irrigation system – those were definite memories that he could grab hold of.

Ronon rubbed his fingers across his forehead. Damn, his thoughts were clicking together way too slowly. Tiebin said something to someone else, then looked back down at Ronon, patting Ronon gently as he murmured words of comfort.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Ronon blinked a few times and started to rise. Tiebin stiffened and held him down. Tiebin raised his voice so Ronon could hear him speaking this time. "No, not yet, Ronon. Give yourself a moment."

Ronon frowned. Something was very wrong, but his thoughts were just too muddled to figure out what. He looked around from his reclined position. There was a fire burning in one corner of the room, but the installation's fire suppression system was dealing with it, though the air was heavy with a screen of smoke and fine debris still floating through it. Whatever had happened around him hadn't happened very long ago.

Tiebin coughed, holding his side as he did. Ronon couldn't see any blood, but the man was obviously injured. Tiebin's voice was husky as he patted Ronon's arm again and said, "I am going to check on the others. Stay here until I get back."

Ronon tried to remember why he was on the floor. Memories of the waking dreams, the explosions, and the mental assault of brilliant lights and high-pitched whines of the defensive device blasted through his mind. He bolted upright in one motion, surprising Tiebin with his speed, then his injuries caught up with him in the next instant, and he had to grind his teeth together to keep from groaning aloud as he slumped against Tiebin.

"Where are the others?" Ronon rasped when he could speak again, guarding his left side as much as possible as he pulled away from Tiebin's hold. He looked around, then answered his own question.

All of his team was lying on the floor, unconscious and injured. Tierab was leaning over Sheppard, patting Sheppard on the cheek in an attempt to rouse him. Ronon looked at Tierab more closely. Tierab appeared injured, too, but unlike Tiebin, there was actual blood staining his clothing on his side. Just whose blood it was, Ronon wasn't sure, but there was a lot of it.

Tiebin put a hand on Ronon's right shoulder in an attempt to stop him from moving further, but Ronon just sloughed off the concern and physical contact and forced himself to concentrate on standing until he was up on his feet. Tiebin tentatively rose with him, ready to catch him if Ronon collapsed. Ronon took a drunken step forward, then had to lean heavily against a nearby console for a moment until his dizziness passed. He would gather his strength, then go to the others.

Tiebin stayed right beside him. Ronon licked his lips and looked over at him as he tried to steady his breathing. "How are they?"

Tiebin's gaze went to the fallen, his expression worried and pained. He swallowed and nodded, glancing back at Ronon. "They are alive. Somehow, we all survived the explosions. It is a miracle."

Tiebin paused as he studied him with a discerning eye. "Are you sure you're well enough to be up, Ronon?" he asked.

"Yeah," Ronon said automatically. His dizziness and nausea were actually better now, but before he moved forward, he took a moment to assess Tiebin's condition. "You okay?" he asked, glancing at Tiebin.

Tiebin nodded, though it was without enthusiasm. Ronon didn't blame him. He felt pretty damned shaky himself. Ronon began to move toward Sheppard since Sheppard was the closest. "I've got to check them for myself," he told Tiebin, still more than a little breathless.

Tierab glanced up from Sheppard as Ronon and Tiebin approached them.

Ronon knelt down beside Sheppard. From the periphery of his vision, he watched Tiebin go to Tierab's side, his expression tight with worry for his brother as he moved awkwardly, his hand still pressed against his side.

"You must lie down," Tiebin said once he reached Tierab.

Tierab shook his head. "No, you and Ronon see to the others. I can stay with Sheppard."

Ronon shook his head. No one was going to stop him from checking on Sheppard's condition. Tierab looked at Ronon as Ronon moved forward and placed a hand on Sheppard's chest. "Sheppard is alive, Ronon. I haven't had a chance to check him for additional injuries yet, though it's obvious his shoulder is bleeding heavily again."

Ronon saw the spreading stain of crimson from Sheppard's shoulder wound. More blood trailed down from his chest to the ground and it was starting to pool there. Ronon paused to check Sheppard's breathing, then put his finger against Sheppard's wrist to feel for his pulse. Both were rapid and faint. Tiebin tore fabric from his tunic and he moved to press it hard against Sheppard's shoulder in an effort to stanch the bleeding.

As Tiebin applied the pressure to Sheppard's shoulder wound, Ronon gasped and clutched his own shoulder. For a moment, he thought he would pass out from the pain.

Sweat misted on his forehead and Ronon closed his eyes as a groan escaped his lips. The pressure on Sheppard's shoulder continued and knowing the pain Ronon felt was Sheppard's and not his own made no difference. It still hurt like hell.

Tiebin eased off the pressure a little when another groan escaped Ronon's lips. He looked up at Ronon, worried. "What is it, Ronon?"

"Nothing. Keep it up," Ronon rasped as he waved off Tiebin. "We've got to get that bleeding under control."

Ronon bit his lip when he realized Sheppard hadn't reacted at all to the burning ache in his shoulder. That wasn't good at all. Ronon pulled out a field dressing from Sheppard's tac vest and handed it to Tiebin, then glanced over at Teyla and McKay.

"Keep the pressure on both sides of the wound and watch him closely," he said as he started to get up. "I'll be back after I check on – "

Without warning, Tierab moaned and slumped forward a little. Glancing at Tiebin, Ronon realized he'd heard Tiebin moan, too. Tiebin had a hand on his brother's shoulder to keep him from falling face-first onto the floor, though he didn't look much steadier himself. Ronon reached over and supported Tierab's other shoulder, grinding his teeth together from the flare of pain the movement caused.

He glanced at Tiebin. "Is he okay?" Ronon asked, knowing that the twins' telepathic bond would give Tiebin an added advantage when the other twin couldn't speak for himself.

Tiebin stared at his brother for a long moment, then shook his head.

"He is injured," Tiebin said grimly. His expression was tight with pain and he held his side for a long moment before staring at the blood on his brother's clothing. "He must lie down before he collapses completely."

Tiebin started to move into a better position to help Tierab. Without looking at Ronon, he said, "Help me please."

Ronon nodded and shifted to get closer, even as Tierab shook his head, pushing aside their concerned attention, and said, "No, I will be fine – "

Ronon glanced down at Sheppard's tac vest and quickly pulled out another field dressing from one of Sheppard's vest pockets. "Use this," he said as he handed it to Tiebin. Then he put his hand on Tierab's back to help lower him to the ground.

Tierab's face was pasty white as he settled on the floor. Then he tried to get up. He groaned with the pain that followed the movement, eliciting a corresponding groan in Tiebin. Ignoring his brother's protests, Tiebin raised Tierab's tunic high enough to see a ragged wound in his side. Ronon glanced up at Tiebin and wasn't surprised to see his coloring was just as bad as his brother's.

"You should lie down, too," Ronon said firmly.

Tiebin licked his lips, then shook his head. "Our bond causes us to feel whatever pain the other is feeling. I am not actually injured. I can manage."

He handed the dressing to Tierab and said, "If you can keep pressure on your own wound, I will see to Sheppard's wound."

Ronon placed a hand on Tiebin's shoulder. "Is he – are you both going to be okay for a moment while I check on my other friends?"

Tiebin nodded. "Yes, I will watch over my brother and Sheppard. Go to them, if you think you can without collapsing. I'm not sure I'll be of much help to you until I have my brother's condition under better control."

Ronon nodded and got to his feet. He was reluctant to leave Sheppard and the twins alone, but he had to attend know McKay and Teyla's conditions before he could settle down beside the twins and Sheppard again. He staggered forward, then hissed when he felt Tiebin press down harder on Sheppard's shoulder wound. The effect made him sway more than he wanted to acknowledge.

McKay was closer, so Ronon went to him first. He put a hand on McKay's chest after he dropped down to one knee, then to his wrist as he had done with Sheppard, and was relieved to find McKay's vital signs were strong.

Good, he thought as he got to his feet again. Hopefully, Teyla will be okay, too. Ronon almost stumbled on some of the rubble but recovered quickly. He kept a hand on his pained limb and ribs to keep them as immobile as possible while he took the few steps separating him from Teyla.

Once he got to her, he was glad to see her coming back to consciousness. Her eyes had trouble focusing on him as he settled on his knees beside her. "Hey, Teyla, how are you doing?"

She seemed to react to his presence, but her movements were stilted. With her increased awareness, she rolled to her right side and held her injured hand close to her chest. Ronon inhaled sharply, feeling the same agony she did. He surprised himself by holding his left hand open in front of him, as if it too was injured.

He gaped at it in disbelief, then glanced over at Teyla's bandaged hand. It felt as if her injury was his – damn, what the hell was going on here?

He looked down at Teyla again. He could see – no, he could feel her confusion, knowing it was because she was just as groggy as he'd been when he first awakened. Ronon lowered his uninjured, yet throbbing hand, down to his thigh and leaned a little closer to her. "Don't try to talk yet. Just hang tight."

He took her good hand with his, still reluctant to move his throbbing left hand for fear of awakening some greater discomfort. This is crazy, he told himself and he summoned all the willpower he had, forcing himself to ignore the pain that wasn't his own.

He squeezed her hand tightly, and she responded by inhaling slowly and squeezing back. She rolled onto her back again. A moment later, she let go of him and put her hand to her shoulder. Her expression was tight with pain as she opened her eyes.

Ronon bit his lip as he watched her, knowing exactly how she felt. Finally, Teyla's gaze focused on him. She put her hand on Ronon's arm and whispered, "What – "

She drew a shallow breath as she battled to overcome her discomfort. Ronon wasn't doing much better. What was causing this to happen, he wondered.

Teyla opened her mouth and stammered, "I do not – I do not understand – "

"Easy," Ronon said softly, placing a hand on her right shoulder.

After a few more moments, she grew stronger and asked, "Ronon? What is happening?"

He wondered how much detail he should go into, but before he could speak, she nodded and said, "I remember the explosions, but – "

Her right hand went back to her left shoulder and down to her wrist before lingering at her hand. She brought the injured hand up to look at it before she pressed the side of it against her waist, and then she moved her right hand to her ribs. She blinked several times and finally found her voice again. "Why? Why do I – "

Ronon shook his head, then squeezed her arm. "I don't know," Ronon said honestly.

She was about to say something else to him, but then he felt her push away her pain as her eyes widened and she raised her head to look around. "Rodney and John? Where are they?" she asked in a rush.

The shift from worrying about herself to worry about the others came upon him so strongly, it made his breath hitch. No, worry seemed to be inadequate to describe what Teyla felt. It involved deep concern and close friendships, apprehension and good memories, being apart yet acting as one, and caring more about her teammates than herself.

Ronon pushed her back down easily, mostly because she had little reserves left to fight against him, and brushed away the errant locks of her hair on her face. He gestured with his head. "They're over there, not far from us. They are alive, as are Tiebin and Tierab. Just give yourself a second before you try to get up."

He watched Teyla's expression. It told him so much without even a word from her lips. Years of being a part of their close-knit team gave Ronon lots of experience in reading Teyla's facial expressions, but at the back of his mind, he now realized he had another way of knowing – because he could almost hear her thoughts whispering inside his head.

He straightened in surprise and saw Teyla gasp at the same time. "Ronon?" she asked, putting a hand on Ronon's arm. "What is happening?"

Ronon shook his head, his mouth dropping open for a moment before he rubbed the back of his hand across it. He didn't know what to say, mostly because he had no idea himself, but something had happened to them, something extraordinary.

Teyla found her words first. "Rodney might be able to tell us when he's conscious," she said softly. Then she brought her good hand to her forehead and grimaced in pain, just as Ronon grimaced, too.

A loud, extended groan stopped all conversation and they both turned toward McKay. He was a part of what they were feeling, too.

"Oh – my – God, I am dying!" McKay exclaimed with a wheeze as his entire body seized up in pain. "Medic!" he shouted with whatever air he had left. Then he writhed on the floor and whispered, "Please, somebody help me!"

"McKay isn't going to deal with this well at all," Ronon muttered.

Teyla shook her head and sighed. "No, I do not think so."

Ronon chewed on his lower lip and exhaled slowly, making sure he didn't irritate his painful ribs. "Stay here. I'll go talk to him."

She put a hand on his arm before he got up. "Be patient with him, Ronon."

Ronon nodded. He could deal with the pain McKay was feeling, because he was dealing with it, too, along with Teyla, but what he couldn't handle was the whirlwind of drama he felt being generated from McKay. It was just not Ronon's way to feel so panicked and disconcerted. Ronon forced himself to clamp down on his emotions, using every bit of control he possessed to accomplish it.

McKay was curled into a fetal position when Ronon got to him.

"Oh, God, if no one is going to get me a doctor, then just shoot me now and save me from suffering any more!" he whispered loudly.

Ronon knelt down and put a hand on McKay's shoulder. "Easy, McKay, easy. I'm not gonna shoot you, though the thought has crossed my mind. Trust me, stunning you would be a whole lot easier than dealing with you in the next few moments. Try to take some slow deep breaths."

McKay grunted, then spoke with an extended wheeze, "Yeah, you try doing that with the injuries I have! I'm in agony! Oh God, it feels like everything on my left side is broken. Get Jennifer! Get Carson! Get somebody here ASAP – "

Ronon squeezed McKay's right shoulder. "McKay, shut up!" he said forcefully enough to temporarily silence him.

McKay's mouth closed for a moment, but there was no masking the pain in his eyes. Ronon softened his expression. "I know, it hurts. We'll take care of that as soon as we can."

"Oh God," McKay whispered, a tear running down the side of his cheek. "I don't do pain well, Ronon. You know that."

Ronon nodded. "Yeah, I know, but we need for you to keep yourself together long enough to figure out what happened."

McKay shook his head. "You don't understand. I can't figure out a damned thing in my condition. I don't even know why I'm hurting so badly – " he said, then stopped in mid-sentence. "Wait a minute... "

He looked around frantically. Ronon followed his gaze as it stopped first on the blocked entry to the conduits, next to the rubble from repeated explosions, then to the dying fire in one corner, finally to Sheppard and Teyla. Slowly, understanding started to dawn in his eyes. "The Mordiis attacked and set off the Ancients' defensive device – "

He glanced at Ronon in bewilderment and curled up tighter. "But how – why – geez, this pain is incredible... "

Ronon chewed on the inside of his cheek as he ignored the pain he felt and tried to sound compassionate, but he knew McKay didn't need compassion right then, he needed facts. He pointed at McKay's left shoulder. "McKay! Look for yourself, are you bleeding there?"

McKay's eyes swept over the area and he put a hand to his shoulder tentatively at first, then with more force. "But – " McKay whispered, his expression scrunched in confusion. "It hurts – and yet doesn't hurt. What the hell?"

Knowing McKay still wasn't up to speed, Ronon picked up McKay's left hand. McKay flinched and turned his head away from the pain he expected to have when Ronon pressed against the center of his palm. When it didn't, McKay glanced back down at his hand, then at Ronon as Ronon asked, "Do you see any blood there?"

Again, McKay shook his head, but was still bewildered.

Ronon ground his teeth together for a moment – the patience Teyla had mentioned earlier was almost gone. For somebody who was supposed to be a genius, McKay was pretty damned slow to catch onto what was happening. Ronon sighed and rolled back to rest on his heels. "We don't have time for this, McKay. The shoulder pain is Sheppard's, the hand is Teyla's, the ribs are mine, and the wrist is yours. We need for you to ignore that pain for a moment and concentrate on why this is happening and how to fix it."

McKay's eyes went wide as saucers now as he brought his right hand back to his shoulder, wrist, hand and ribs in disbelief.

"Son of a bitch... " McKay said, but at least he sounded a little more in control this time.

Ronon patted him on the arm. "That's it, McKay. Get angry. We need for you to figure this out."

Ronon heard a noise beside him and turned to see Teyla kneeling down slowly beside them. She met McKay's gaze and said, "Rodney, something is very wrong for all of us to be feeling each other's pain as well as our own."

McKay nodded, slowly at first, then more adamantly as he stared at the defensive device looming nearby. "It's got to be related to that monstrosity," he said quietly before he made motions to rise.

Teyla went to help McKay up, but Ronon beat her to it by getting to his feet before she could.

"I've got him, Teyla," Ronon said as he reached down to take McKay's arm. He had to swallow hard as he waited for the dizziness that came with his sudden change in position to abate.

McKay slapped a hand over his face and whined, "Oh, for God's sake, Ronon, stop moving!"

Teyla put a hand to Ronon's leg and closed her eyes. "Slowly," she said. "If one of us gets dizzy, we will all feel it."

Ronon nodded and gently helped McKay to stand, then Teyla – all with only a few gasps and groans from the collective group. McKay put a hand on a nearby console as he battled with some residual dizziness and whined, "This really sucks."

Ronon had to nod in agreement.

With great effort, McKay swallowed back his discomfort and stared at the defensive device, then started talking. Once he did, he began to pick up speed and sounded more like himself, "No, no, this – this situation can't be the defensive measure – the damned defensive measure that was meant to save our lives!"

He shook his head as he stepped forward. "Something's gone wrong – very, very wrong. There has to be some way to reverse this – whatever it is. Think, think, think," he said, bringing his palm to his forehead. "But – but I can't," he exclaimed after a moment. He pulled his hand from his head. "I – I can't possibly think when every inch of my body – no, everyone's bodies – hurts like they do."

McKay froze in place as apparently another thought struck him. "Wait, what if – what if I can't reverse this – Oh, God, do you, do you think this might be permanent?" He shook his head and waved his hand frantically as he paced a few steps. "No, no, I simply cannot be brilliant with all of you tromping around inside my head."

Ronon found his own breathing was coming fast, along with a crushing wave of anxiety that threatened to envelop him, and he forced his hands into fists. "McKay!"

When McKay stopped and spun around, Ronon continued to growl, "Stop freaking out!"

There was an edge to Ronon's voice that was unfamiliar, even to himself. Apparently, McKay and Teyla both heard it, because they turned to face him. Ronon made his fingers relax and spread out as he lowered them deliberately in a forced show of calm.

Teyla nodded, took McKay's hand in hers, and squeezed it. Her voice was controlled, but just barely. "Rodney, Ronon is right. You cannot let your emotions run rampant, because it will negatively affect all of us."

McKay's mouth opened and closed a few times and his eyes widened. "But – but I'm not very good at controlling my emotions, never have been, actually. In fact, I suck at it – have most of my life. I feel what I feel and there's no – "

Teyla took another controlled breath and said, "Rodney, close your eyes and listen to my voice."

Although he was obviously little leery of her request, McKay finally did it, and she said, "Take some slow deep breaths. We will figure this out. You must remain calm if we are to get to the heart of our situation. If you need help from Ronon or myself, just ask for it. We have to work together to resolve this matter."

Her gaze went to Sheppard, who still hadn't moved a muscle. "For John's sake, we must do this quickly. Do you think you can manage it?"

McKay started to shake his head no, then opened his eyes and looked Teyla. He seemed unable to turn down her request, even though Ronon knew that was exactly what he wanted to do. "I'll – I'll try," he said finally.

She nodded and leaned forward, placing her forehead against his in the traditional Athosian way, and she flooded her mind with thoughts of peace, calm, serenity and strength. Ronon felt McKay begin to relax a little, and then he sensed Teyla going further than that. She focused on her memories from past missions when it looked like they were going to die, how they had trusted McKay to get them through it, and how he had come through for them time and time again.

Ronon let out a long breath at the same time McKay did, in awe of the intensity of the shared experience. McKay didn't move away from Teyla, and Ronon could sense McKay's emotions were in flux. Suddenly, Ronon could see – no, feel – the tremendous burden they placed on McKay's shoulders on a regular basis without considering its impact on him. A part of McKay usually ate up that kind of challenge as a way to show the world the natural brilliance he possessed, but there was also another part of him, a darker part, something he usually kept buried deep inside that was full of terrible, gut-wrenching doubt.

McKay's worst fear was to fail his teammates – not because that would make him seem less the genius that he was, but more because he couldn't fail them when they needed him, depended upon him so much.

As their emotions blended into a swirl of one, Ronon saw that same burden for McKay could easily be transformed into pure inspiration, helping McKay to see an entirely different way of thinking, something far beyond what McKay would normally consider, and that the team's steadfast trust in McKay's abilities almost always bolstered his resolve. In fact, that weight was often a source of accomplishment and satisfaction and Rodney rarely resented it being placed upon his shoulders when everything was said and done.

Ronon's breath hitched for a moment as he tried to process the deep emotions he felt coming from McKay and Teyla. Team was more than just a word for any of them. It meant family. It meant trust. It meant being a part of something so much bigger than they were on their own.

When Teyla finally pulled away from McKay, Ronon saw tears rolling down her cheeks.

"That is good, Rodney," she whispered as she put a hand to his chest and smiled. "I know you can do this. Now, what can we do to help?"

McKay wiped a hand over his face, maybe wiping away a tear of his own. There was a vulnerability about McKay now that Ronon had never seen before, but there was also great determination and strength.

McKay looked around. He pointed back to the equipment he'd been working on before everything went to hell. His voice was a little rough as he said, "This all happened after that damned defensive device went off, so it has to be related."

McKay approached the device, eyeing its scorched control panel. He punched on its buttons without a response, then looked around to where a big chunk of its back side had been blown up by one of the explosions.

"Oh, crap, we are so screwed," he said in a hoarsely whispered rush.

Ronon closed his eyes and went to take a deep breath, knowing the inevitable backlash of McKay's angst that would come, only it hit him sooner than expected. Another tide of anxiety washed over Ronon's mind and body. Then McKay began sputtering some gibberish about this whole thing not being his fault and why did it always come down to what he did to save the day anyway. All the inspiration, good feelings and sharing of common experiences were gone in a flash.

He heard Teyla speaking to McKay again with the type of measured patience Ronon knew he'd never possess, trying to get McKay calmed down. Ronon rubbed his forehead as McKay babbled on about how much he was hurting.

Ronon knew McKay wasn't over-exaggerating his discomfort, because Ronon felt it, too, but he couldn't stop McKay's sentiment that flashed across his own mind – We are so screwed.

oOoOoOoOo

TBC in Act IV