Act IV
Rodney moved stiffly as he came over to where Teyla sat with John. He paused for a moment, looking longingly at a chair not too far away from them before he turned and placed the items he carried in the crook of his arm down on the floor. He started to gingerly lower himself down beside them when Teyla put out a hand to stop him.
"No, Rodney, please, sit in the chair. It is more comfortable for you. Just because I am on the floor with John does not mean you have to be, too."
Rodney licked his lips and shook his head in a dismissive fashion as he sank down to the floor. "Frankly, I've been sitting in a chair for hours now and I'm tired of it."
She couldn't help but smile when his poorly masked sentiment to remain close to his fallen teammate touched her heart. Unable to shield herself from it, Teyla had been aware of every emotion that had gone through Rodney over the last few hours and sometimes even his thoughts. She knew he was angry and frustrated that he couldn't find a way to fix the defensive device, but how could he be expected to? The equipment had been badly damaged in the explosions.
The only thing that had given Rodney hope was some of the Ancients' logs and research data he'd uncovered. He'd read through them voraciously, though there were times when he'd been stopped short, by the disturbing information he came across, but then he pressed forward despite it.
When Rodney raised his gaze to meet hers, she gave him the best smile she could muster, knowing it wouldn't be much. He returned it with a wan smile of his own. There was just too much pain and concern amongst their group to expect more than that.
Rodney sighed and gestured toward Ronon. "Isn't there some way we can get them to stop for a few minutes? It's almost impossible for me to concentrate when my ribs are killing me from his nonstop and quite frankly futile antics."
Teyla glanced over at them and sighed in agreement. Ronon and Tiebin were attempting to clear as much rubble as they could from the collapsed doorway, in an attempt to see if there might be an opening big enough for at least one of them to squeeze through, to go to the jumper to contact Atlantis, but it wasn't going well.
Teyla gasped, along with Rodney, when Ronon pulled on some splintered wood and it gave way unexpectedly. It was all Ronon could do not to fall backwards. Tiebin grabbed his arm and helped to right him.
"Son of a bitch," Rodney exclaimed as he held a hand to his ribs and exhaled through his mouth. Teyla closed her eyes and held her breath as she, too, worked through the pain.
Ronon looked over at them as he pressed his hand against his ribs. He was slightly bent forward, trying to catch his breath when he shouted hoarsely to them, "Sorry."
"As if that makes it okay," Rodney muttered as Ronon started to go back to work.
Ronon turned back toward him and growled, "Stop your bellyaching, McKay!"
Rodney stiffened, no doubt preparing a withering response, when Teyla said gently, "Rodney."
Rodney rolled his eyes. "Come on, Teyla, there's no way we are getting through that exit without some C4 and a crew of combat engineers."
She couldn't argue with him. "We have to examine all of our options. Besides, it gives Ronon an avenue to vent his frustration."
"I'm going to vent his frustration right out his – "
"Rodney," she said, more forcefully this time. "Close your eyes and focus on what Ronon is feeling right now and tell me what you find."
Rodney tapped his fingers on the floor for a moment. "Will this give me some great insight into the inner workings of our own personal Wookie?"
Teyla gave him a sharp look, then realized he knew what she wanted him to do - he was just avoiding it as long as possible.
"Rodney, while this bonding process is a tremendous burden placed upon all of us, I believe it is in reality a great gift. To truly know the heart of the friend who holds your life in their hands on a regular basis is a miracle – one that should be embraced and revered."
Rodney shook his head. "I don't know about that. There's no privacy. Absolutely no privacy. I'm not an open man. People put up walls for a reason. I'd just as soon not have experienced anything from this adventure, thank you very kindly."
Teyla bent until she held his gaze. "I apologize for all of us. We should not set such high expectations for you on regular basis," she said softly.
Rodney looked deeply touched before he made a face and shook his head. "It's not that bad, not really. If I didn't have the brain I have, things might be different, but you place your trust in me and I do my best to reward that trust. Before Atlantis, no one ever depended on me like that – at least, not where their lives were concerned."
He frowned and glanced her way. "You know, before Atlantis, I – I never understood what was involved in being a part of something like our team. I always stood on the periphery and watched others do what I wouldn't allow myself to do. I was too brilliant to bother with something as trivial as a team, you know, to be involved with other people's lives. It was all about me and my research. It was always about me... "
"Rodney," she began.
Rodney put up a hand and shook his head. "You don't have to say it, I know what you are about to say... literally. Your compassion for others, especially me with all the hell I've put you all through, well, it boggles my mind. You are like the Mother Teresa of Atlantis the way you care about other people. When I look at you, I realize I really know nothing about dealing with people."
He swallowed hard. "My mind contains a wealth of information – data, numbers, equations – but I know nothing about people. Not like you."
Teyla put out a hand in Rodney's direction. "You are wrong. You know more than you admit. You've changed, Rodney, since I first met you – and for the better."
Teyla gasped and put her hand to her ribs. Once again, Ronon had moved the wrong way. When Teyla glanced at Rodney, he was biting his lip hard to avoid groaning aloud.
She heard Ronon curse, but at least he didn't shout "Sorry" like he'd been doing for the past hour. Perhaps he finally realized verbal apologies weren't necessary in their current situation. Ronon paused, looking in their direction, and a sensation with much more impact swept over Teyla and Rodney.
Teyla felt Ronon's steadfast devotion to them and their well being... along with his frustration at being unable to help in any way. He meant to find a way to rescue all of them, even if he had to sacrifice his own life to do it.
"The big galoot," Rodney muttered softly as he rubbed at his ribs, "If he can't shoot it, fight it or blow it up, he's lost."
"Yes, if only there was a foe for Ronon to face here, he would deal with it easier. Having this – this undefined Mordiis presence – working against us with no way for Ronon to get the upper hand infuriates him to no end."
She glanced at Ronon again. He nodded at her and then went back to work.
Without meaning to, Teyla opened herself to experiencing what Ronon felt so that she could send him some comforting response, but she wasn't prepared for the intensity of emotions she felt coming from him. Strength, determination, courage, camaraderie, and commitment greeted her, along with a true sense of knowing oneself and being at peace with where he was in life. It was what made up the heart of Ronon Dex.
Teyla found herself sighing in response, soaking up the flow of emotions and letting herself linger in it for a long moment. It was almost as if it shored up some weakness in herself, and Teyla felt immeasurably strengthened by the bond they now shared.
She felt Rodney's awe-filled silence as he experienced it along with her. He fed on it like he was a starving man who had just found a feast, but everything stopped when Ronon's mood changed and anger flared brightly.
Ronon passed along a terse warning, Stay out of my head, Teyla. There's things there you don't ever want to see.
Teyla swallowed when she realized he was right and she backed away, sending back this thought: Do not worry, Ronon, we did not see anything. We only shared in the strength of your convictions. I am sorry. Without meaning to, we intruded too far into places we weren't invited to share. Forgive us.
She closed her eyes and pulled back, saddened by her transgression. Of course, there were things life had forced Ronon to do and see that he wouldn't want anyone to know of. The same could go for any of them. When she glanced over at Ronon, he shook his head. With that motion, he absolved her of any wrongdoing, yet she felt sorry for what had happened.
Rodney had been right earlier. People put up walls for a reason. She should have respected that sentiment more.
Rodney cleared his throat as if still dumbfounded by their connection and said, "Conan forgave you... so don't beat yourself up over it. And maybe – maybe you were right. Maybe this isn't so bad after all. You know, what you said about it being a gift and not a curse."
Teyla didn't know how to respond to Rodney's moment of introspection. Then Ronon slipped and fell against a wall, jarring his ribs.
"Son of a bitch!" Rodney exclaimed as he held his ribs. "I'd knock him out to get him to stop, but that would be slightly sadomasochistic – considering if I cause him pain, it would only make me hurt more."
Tierab chuckled from where he lay across from John, who still hadn't awakened.
Rodney's head spun towards Tierab and he glared at him. "What's so funny about this situation, Tweedle Dee? For that matter, where's the humor in any of this?"
Tierab tempered his expression and lowered his gaze. "I am sorry, Dr. McKay. It is only because I have been where you are now for all of my life, feeling what my brother feels and with him feeling what I feel. Over time, we've been able to screen out most of it except pain and emotions. I think it must be much easier to have grown up with such sensations than it is to have them suddenly thrust upon you, without your permission, and in such a dire situation. It does help, if you keep your thoughts focused on a task – the more complicated the task, the better."
Rodney sighed and gestured with his tablet computer. "Well, this material I'm reading is very complicated, but it's not working that well as a distraction. I feel it every time Ronon moves the wrong way and I'm getting pretty damned tired of it."
Teyla noticed the light sheen of sweat on Rodney's brow and how he was guarding the left side of his body, just as she was. Ronon was hurting just as much as they were, but he'd found the fortitude to push through it. She forced her right hand away from her ribs and let out a long breath.
She let her gaze wander over to John where he lay beside her. His fingers whitened as they clenched into a fist for a moment and he moaned softly. He'd been making small movements for a while now, as if he was finally going to wake up. His brow furrowed and he grimaced in pain, holding his breath for a long moment.
Teyla found herself doing the same thing. After a moment, he let out the breath and went slack again. Teyla brushed her fingers over his brow. She knew John was slowly climbing his way out of unconsciousness – she could sense it from some place deep within, but more so when the pain of the team's injuries caused him to react.
Rodney glanced over at her. "Normally, I'd ask how's he doing, but it's rather pointless right now since I can feel exactly how he's doing, and it's not good." He looked down at John again, then back up at her. "You know, maybe that storm is easing up. I'll go outside to look – "
Teyla shook her head. "Stay where you are, Rodney. The storm will not have changed much since the last time you looked."
Teyla felt Rodney's anger rush through her. "Do you really want to sit around here and wait until that damned storm ends, or until the Mordiis kills one or more of us? Which death is worse? I want to know because I have no freaking idea!"
Before Teyla could answer, Rodney closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Damn," he whispered. "I'm sorry. It's this blasted pain that's making me crazy. It just won't let up."
"I know," she said softly. "Try to remind yourself it will not last forever. We will get through this as long as we keep our heads clear."
Rodney nodded, looking slightly chagrined. "I know that, damn it. I know that. Just bear with me, Teyla. I'm doing the best I can."
Teyla nodded. "I know you are. That is all anyone can ask of another and it will be enough."
She let her hand slide down John's cheek as he grimaced again. She paused when she thought she felt him turn in toward her hand a little. She watched him for a long moment, then glanced up at Rodney. "John's bleeding had slowed and his vital signs are growing stronger. If only he would awaken."
Rodney grunted. "If you ask me, he's the lucky one. I'd rather be oblivious throughout this whole ordeal than feel what – "
He caught Teyla's expression and softened his tone. "Well, I would. I don't do pain well. Besides, you know exactly what I mean."
He stopped when he saw Ronon and Tiebin approach them, sweaty and tired. "Oh, thank God," Rodney whispered. "It's about time you came to your senses and stopped."
Teyla sensed Ronon's dark mood, but she waited until Ronon and Tiebin were seated nearby before she said, "At least you tried – "
Ronon shook his head as if he was shaking her away rather than her attempt at consolation. Rodney started to say something in her defense, but Ronon growled, "Don't. Just don't say anything. Especially you, McKay."
When Rodney glanced over at Teyla, he was obviously offended by Ronon's response, but she just shook her head slightly and reached out with a canteen to Ronon. "Here, Ronon, Tiebin, have a drink to cool yourself."
Ronon offered it to Tiebin, who shook his head, so Ronon gave an appreciative nod to Teyla and drank its contents in one long swig.
Rodney took a drink from his own canteen. "You know, I think I'm almost getting used to the nauseating taste of those damned herbs, but it remains to be seen if they actually help or not."
"They help," Tiebin said, "whether you admit it or not. The Ancestors would not have used them if they did not."
Rodney was about to comment when a groan from John stopped all conversation.
John's right hand flopped toward his shoulder wound, then slid down his arm and he opened his eyes to stare at his left side in confusion. His jaw twitched from the strain his discomfort was putting on his system, but he didn't say a word.
His gaze darted over the area, taking in the destruction around him before he noticed the others. "Did I miss something?" he asked softly as he shifted. Then he hissed from the movement.
"Only Armageddon," Rodney said through clenched teeth as he held his own uninjured shoulder tightly in response. After a moment, he lowered his hand and sighed.
With closed eyes, John licked his lips as he tried to settle into a more comfortable position, but he didn't seem to find one. He slowly opened his eyes again and looked around, then he frowned as he held his left hand in front of his eyes in confusion. The frown increased when he squeezed it with his other hand, then let his other hand travel upward only to pause at his wrist.
He stopped again at the shoulder wound and his confusion eased as if he understood why he had that pain. Then, his hand went to his ribs.
"What the hell is going on?" he rasped after a moment.
"You don't really want to know," Rodney murmured.
Teyla looked at John, then gestured toward the defensive device. "The device worked, but a side effect is a bonding between the four of us. We all feel what the others feel and I can tell your shoulder injury is causing you a great deal of pain, so do not down play its severity."
John grunted. "I guess there's no way to bullshit my way out of this," he said softly. His eyes squeezed shut as he exhaled slowly.
Teyla shook her head as she grimaced and rubbed at her shoulder. Letting out a long breath in an effort to push away the pain, she said, "No, do not try to deny it. We all feel it. I only wish there was something I could do to alleviate your discomfort."
John opened his eyes to stare at her, then at Ronon and Rodney, obviously sensing their concern. He blinked a few times and looked uncomfortable as he stared at them, unnerved by the intensity of their emotions. His unease seemed to increase as he realized they could track his feelings just as easily as he could theirs. "This is crazy."
"Tell me about it," Rodney said with a sigh.
It was apparent John continued to sense their deep-seated concern for his well being. Finally, he put up a hand and said, "Easy, guys. I'm not going to die on you, okay? I'll be fine – we'll all be fine, just hang tight."
He smiled a little before his eyelids drifted closed again and he clutched his shoulder tightly. Teyla brushed her fingers across his sweaty temple. "The pain will not be so bad in a few minutes. Just try to screen out as much of it as you can."
"I really could use Jordanaeh and some of her miraculous healing ability right about now," he whispered as he nodded in Ronon's direction.
Ronon nodded back at him with a knowing grin. "She would be handy."
Teyla could still feel John struggling to control the pain and she closed her eyes, willing him as much peace and serenity as she could. Maybe it wasn't as miraculous as a healing power, but it did seem to help a little, because when Teyla looked at him next, the lines on his forehead weren't as deeply furrowed.
"Thanks," John said finally as he opened his eyes, apparently ready to step back into his role as team leader. "Tell me what I missed."
Ronon looked at Rodney as if he was the one chosen to explain everything. Rodney rubbed a hand over his face. "I guess now is as good a time as any to dive into what I've found. Trust me, knowledge can be a double-edged sword," he said with a sigh.
As Rodney gathered his thoughts, Teyla took another canteen from the ones she'd filled up and removed the lid, putting it up to John's lips. He smiled appreciatively when he saw what she had and drank slowly.
He closed his mouth and Teyla pulled the canteen away as Rodney began talking.
"Okay, your first question is the one on everyone's lips. Why are each of us feeling what everyone else is feeling so intensely? Well, in order to answer that I have to ask another question. Why didn't Twin One and Twin Two here feel any of the effects from the Mordor – no, wait, that's Lord of the Rings. What were they called again?"
Teyla sighed. "Mordiis."
Rodney pointed at her. "Yes, yes, Mordiis. Why didn't the Wonder Twins here feel the effects of the Mordiis like the rest of us?"
Without giving anyone a chance to answer, Rodney plunged forward. "Because, they are twins, but not just that. They share an amazing telepathic link with each other, something that is so extensive in the identical twins born in this area the Ancients had researched the trait in detail, and found these twins actually share similar brain wave patterns. That's what saved them from feeling the same overall creepiness as the rest of us."
He looked at the others expectantly. When no one reacted, he said, "Don't you see it? The evolutionary process of natural selection on this planet, and more specifically in this area, gave them an inherent defense against the Mordiis and the omega wave energy they transmit. The Ancients just came up with a way to use that adaptation as a way to protect themselves against the Mordiis' influence."
"What's this omega wave energy?" Ronon asked.
Rodney nodded as he launched back into his explanation. "It's something the Ancients discovered. It's the source of the effects the Mordiis have been bombarding us with. The energy isn't natural for us, and by us, I mean it isn't natural for our dimension. It wasn't here when the Ancients built this facility, but when the Ancients went to open a new cavern to expand their growing operations here, it caused the omega wave energy to slip from the Mordiis' dimension into ours, as if the dimensional fabric was very thin over this area.
"The type of crystal that is present inside the rock formations in these caverns apparently can concentrate that escaping energy even more."
Teyla frowned in confusion, then saw Ronon and John were doing the same thing. John rubbed his forehead and said, "Dumb it down for us, McKay. What exactly are we talking about here?"
Rodney rolled his eyes, then took a deep breath to rein in his obvious irritation.
"Hmm, maybe I do need to back up a bit and explain the basic processes involved. It's just that all of this is so new to me, I'm still trying to digest it myself. Okay, the omega wave energy the Mordiis release from their dimension affects our normal brain wave activity. It alters things to the point the victim starts hallucinating violent events. In that highly excited state, they are especially vulnerable. It is at that moment when the Mordiis start to feed on the unique form of electrical discharges in the human brain. With a more complex and shared brainwave pattern as in our twin friends here, the Mordiis cannot feed and that's how the bonding process succeeds as a defense."
John raised his head. "They feed on the electrical discharges in the brain?" he asked. He blinked a couple of times. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Maybe that explains what I felt after I was injured. I mean, seriously, it felt like my brain was exploding."
A memory flash from John's intense experience in the storage room whipped through everyone's thoughts and Teyla shivered in response. She was fortunate to not have gone through the same event herself.
Rodney's lips pursed together as his expression darkened. "Yeah, it probably was now that I can feel what you'd felt. You probably just barely escaped that one. Many of the Ancients didn't, once the feedings began."
Rodney paused, and Teyla felt a quick burst of intense panic from him. She leaned forward, already suspecting the reason behind Rodney's fear. "Rodney, this process is temporary, correct?"
Rodney looked away and the knot his accompanying panic had started in Teyla's stomach twisted a little tighter. "In theory, yes. That was the way the Ancients designed it, but... "
He ran a hand through his hair and he stammered a little as he said, "Okay, the Ancients were smart enough to know they wouldn't want to go the rest of their lives bonded like this, with somebody else's emotions constantly flowing through their heads, so the process was designed to be temporary."
He swallowed hard. "But when – when the device was activated and the bonding process had started for us, there was that explosion that basically fried the defensive device's circuitry."
He paused again before he looked up at her. "I think we got a much higher level of exposure to the bonding process than was ever intended to be used. Everything I've read says the bonding process is temporary, but nowhere did it mention that it would be so extensive, so pervasive for each person involved. I mean, we are all experiencing what each of us is going through at a core level. There's – there's a distinct possibility this may not be reversible."
Teyla licked her lips, trying to find something positive in the bombshell Rodney had just dropped on them. "At least we do not have to worry about the waking dreams or the Mordiis trying to feed on us any longer."
Rodney attempted to smile, but failed, so he continued with his explanation. "Without the bonding program, the Ancients were exposed to the full effects of the Mordiis and their omega wave energy, at least until they figured out a way to deal with the energy. Their numbers quickly declined as more and more of them went mad or died, so the surviving Ancients put their coworkers into stasis and made the bonding device part of the safety protocols to protect themselves, at least until they could escape on an emergency transport ship, knowing Atlantis had dispatched one to evacuate them."
"Why didn't they just go through the Stargate?" John asked. "Why hang around when you know you're brain food for another dimension?"
Rodney nodded. "Yes, but remember, this all happened during the Ancients' war with the Wraith. Resources were limited. It didn't help that the Wraith chose that particular time to cull this world. The DHD was damaged in the attack, so there was no going through the gate. Two previous transports had been sent to evacuate them, but they were attacked and destroyed before arriving.
"So the remaining scientists narrowed their focus into stopping the flow of omega wave energy into our dimension. This is one of the proximity alarms they used to detect the presence of omega wave energy." Rodney held up a small unimpressive gadget, then continued, "These alarms would make the activation of the device automatic, so as soon as the omega wave energy levels reached a certain level, the bonding device would activate."
When everyone stared at him again, Rodney paused and gestured with one hand. "You've got to understand. There were over two hundred Ancients here and by the time the Ancients left, there were only a dozen or so still functional. The rest were either dead or in stasis."
John chewed on his lip, then said, "So that's what they must have meant on the inscription to the entrance of this place. All who enter must have a kindred spirit... "
Rodney nodded. "Yeah, unfortunately we didn't have an Ancient Ouija board to warn us about that in greater detail before we became trapped here in this hellhole. The general disarray of the installation is evidence of the telekinesis effect. The Mordiis must have dumped as much omega wave energy in here as they could when they couldn't find anyone else to feed on."
Teyla sensed something more dire in Rodney's thoughts and had a chance to brace herself before he gestured widely with one hand and said, "But we've got a much bigger problem at hand."
"Bigger than what we have right now?" Ronon asked incredulously.
"Oh yeah. Listen closely, the omega wave energy that is coming into our dimension is causing an imbalance of some sort. The more that comes through, the weaker the boundaries separating our dimensions become. If we don't find a way to stop the passage, we won't be worrying about this installation – hell, not even this galaxy. The problem would be on a much, much wider scale, one almost beyond imagining."
John sat up a little straighter. "So you're saying this rift between our dimension and theirs could grow?"
Rodney paused in thought, then nodded. "Think of it as a thinning of the barriers between the two dimensions that allows these energy beings enough leeway to leech off of us and the Ancients before us – a bleed-through of energy, if you will, and from what the Ancients were able to discern, this is the only location where such leakage was seen.
"The mineralogy and geology of the caverns inside this mountain intensifies the thinning phenomenon for some reason. There are extensive files of research done by the Ancients documenting the whole thing. The bottom line is the setup inside of these caverns is ideal for retaining and concentrating omega wave energy. Only by interfering with the transmission of that energy can this imbalance be stopped. If it isn't stopped soon, the damage to both dimensions could be beyond imagining."
John shook his head. "But why didn't the Ancients do that before they left? I mean, why did they do all that research without following through on the measures designed to stop the energy transmission before they left here?"
Rodney held up a pointed finger. "Excellent point. The Ancients actually did follow through and they left such a device here expressly for that purpose. It's sitting over there." He paused as he pointed to a dark green machine taking up the top of a nearby counter, then continued, "It was supposed to counter the omega wave energy, much like the way a jamming device can prevent radio messages from being received, neutralizing the effects of the energy and the risk to our dimension. They left it running when they evacuated."
Teyla asked, "So what went wrong?"
"I'm not sure, maybe the neutralizer didn't counter the omega waves sufficiently. I did read the Ancients were planning to come back with a larger contingent to ensure the bleed-through would be permanently disabled, but something must have happened to their transport because the communication logs show repeated attempts by Atlantis to contact the Ancients here long after their departure date. Maybe they met up with an attacking Wraith ship or something else happened in transit. The bottom line was nobody ever came back to check on things.
"The Ancients thought they had found a way to close the dimensional breach by neutralizing the effects of the omega wave energy, as I just mentioned. That device I pointed to was built expressly for that purpose, but I have to examine it more closely to see why it isn't working as they'd planned." He strummed his fingers lightly on his leg for a moment. "I turned it up a little more to protect us from the omega wave energy, but I'm a little afraid to play with it anymore until I see what untoward effects it might have on us."
Rodney scratched his eyebrow and said, "I believe the theories behind the Ancients' plans were sound. I just need to examine some specifics to get everything working in the right way."
John's gaze narrowed. "Can you do that?"
"Hello, who are you talking to? Of course, I can do that. I just have to find out what's wrong with the omega wave neutralizer to get it working properly again."
Rodney set down the proximity detector and picked up a larger device.
"What's that?" John asked as he shifted, then grimaced for a moment.
"It's the detonator for another approach the Ancients had devised to prevent the passage of omega wave energy. Using a high frequency pulse, this would shatter the crystalline component in these rock formations that helps to concentrate the omega wave energy. That would make it harder for the energy to pass into our dimension. I came across it when I found some other research material. I think the Ancients stopped working on everything else once they decided the omega wave neutralizer would be enough, especially when the transport arrived. The sad thing is it looks like there are only a few connections left to finish and it will be operational."
John reacted to Rodney's comment and frowned. "Shattering? That doesn't sound like something we want to be around for. By shattering the crystalline component in the mineral make up of the rock here won't that destroy the mountain?"
Rodney shook his head, taking on a defensive manner. "No, not exactly."
John pressed forward. "Well, what will it do, exactly? Remember we can't leave this installation until that storm outside dies down."
"Yes, I'm well aware of that fact." Rodney licked his lips, then hemmed and hawed for a moment before he said, "That frequency won't destroy the surrounding rock. It will just shatter the crystalline part of it, so at worst, there will be some settling."
John shook his head. "Settling – I still don't like that idea. I mean, look up. What if something settles above us? It could all come crashing down."
"We may have no other option," Rodney said with a sigh. "We've got to use every defense possible there is on the off chance the Mordiis do try to send more omega wave energy through. We've got the bonding process, the omega wave neutralizer and the crystal shattering frequency. Hopefully, that will be enough."
John asked, "Do you think the Mordiis are even aware of what they are doing to our dimension?"
Rodney shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. That doesn't really matter. What does matter is that we get that breach sealed before it becomes more prominent, which is what it looks like it's doing when I compare the data the Ancients had to what I'm seeing now."
Teyla frowned. "Why do they continue their activity when they must sense there is no one here to feed on any longer?" Teyla asked.
"Think of them as giant anteaters, sucking up ants and other tasty grub as they disturb the rock and plant life around them. They get a taste of something good and they just keep rooting around until they find it again or give up."
Rodney almost dropped the crystal-shattering detonator when the proximity detector beside him started flashing, and a series of alarms rang out in the large room.
"Oh, crap, the bleed-through effect is happening again," Rodney whispered.
John gestured to Ronon and Teyla. "Spread out. We don't want to find ourselves all boxed together, especially with the effects the omega wave energy can have on us."
Rodney shook his head. "No, you don't understand. You don't have to worry about that anymore. With the bonding process, the Mordiis can't make us hallucinate."
An ominous wind started blowing and John got to his knees. "No, but they can still make things fly through the air. I, for one, don't want to play a human shish kabob again."
Ronon pointed around them. "There's all kinds of dangerous material that can be used against us."
"Stow away as much as you can before things really get going," John said as he nodded and everyone got to their feet.
Rodney bolted for the omega wave neutralizer and turned the dial up a little more. He chewed on his lower lip, then turned it another notch. Backing away, he shook his head and went to join the others. Injuries or not, if they didn't put away as much as they could, the odds were some or all of them wouldn't make it through this alive, so they all pitched in and put away as much loose material as possible.
"Oh my God, this is excruciating," Rodney whined in a small voice as he picked up one of the small type of canisters that exploded so violently earlier and put it inside a storage locker. The winds continued to increase.
Rodney stopped, licking his lips as his gaze darted around the room. "There's way too much here for us to pick up in time. We're dead."
Ronon shook his head and muttered, "Here we go again."
Rodney's expression took on an angry cast. "Well, I'm sorry if the thought of dying is somewhat alarming to me."
Teyla was near Rodney. She paused to put a hand on his arm and said, "Rodney, try to remember that what you feel, we all feel, so you must work harder to keep your negative emotions under control."
Rodney sighed. "I know, but – but it just isn't easy being me."
"I know," Ronon said, shaking his head. He stopped and stared at Rodney. "You can do this."
Rodney looked a little alarmed when Ronon took hold Rodney's right arm, holding it loosely, but there was little wiggle room left for Rodney. Ronon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A long moment later, Teyla began to feel a swell of courage and bravery radiating from Ronon.
The effect Ronon's actions had on Rodney were amazing. Instead of cowering in fear, Rodney smiled and nodded at Ronon when he released him. "Okay, okay, I see it now, we can do this! Bring it on, Mordiis scum! Prepare to be unleeched!"
He started picking up other possibly dangerous objects at a much faster pace.
"Thanks," John said quietly as he patted Ronon on the back. "Okay, guys, the sooner we finish, the better."
Teyla looked around and smiled as she said, "We are making a lot of progress. Much more than I thought we'd be allowed time to do."
John rubbed his forehead as he paced in the direction of the blocked entrance to the conduits. "I agree, but can't you turn off that obnoxious alarm, McKay? We know the omega wave energy is here already."
Rodney nodded. He took a few steps to a console and typed in something, then flipped a switch. The alarm stopped and everyone seemed to relax a little, at least until John groaned. When Teyla looked over at him, there was a light halo effect around John's head.
"Rodney?" Teyla said as she glanced in Rodney's direction.
Rodney straightened as they watched the halo effect grow more intense, and then each of them felt John's pain. "Damn it. The Mordiis must still be trying to feed on us again."
Teyla inhaled sharply, feeling helpless to assist John and unsure what they needed to do next. "But you said the bonding process prevented them from feeding on us."
She glanced at Rodney, her head pounding with John's pain. She hoped Rodney would know what to do, but his expression was taut with tension, indecision, and rampant anxiety.
"They aren't supposed to be able to do that. The bonding should prevent any feeding, but it's almost like the Mordiis are trying to break through the bonding."
John groaned again and Teyla started to move toward John, praying to the Ancestors for guidance, not sure what to do, only knowing that something had to be done or John would die.
oOoOoOoOo
John dropped to his knees as Teyla rushed forward. Rodney stopped her by grabbing her arm as she went by him. "No, Teyla, you can't. You might be caught in the same way. We need to keep our distance, if possible."
Teyla's voice cracked as she said, "We cannot just stand by either!"
Ronon nodded. "No, we can't."
Rodney felt a wave of concern sweep over him from Teyla and Ronon and knew before Ronon even started moving what he was going to do. He put out a hand in Ronon's direction anyway and said, "Wait, Ronon!"
He dropped his hand when he saw there was no point in trying to stop Ronon. He didn't need any psychic link to know Ronon would do anything for Sheppard. Ronon was ignoring everything Rodney had just said to go to John's side, no matter the risk to himself.
A moment after Ronon arrived beside John, he groaned and the halo effect grew to encompass him, too. Ronon pushed through the pain, put his hands under John's arms and began dragging him toward Rodney and Teyla.
"No," Rodney whispered as he shook his head. "Do it and we'll all be doomed. Just stay there, I'll think of something."
Ronon must have felt Rodney's sincerity because he stopped, trusting Rodney to follow through on his promise. Then Ronon groaned again. He dropped down to his knees just as Rodney had predicted.
Rodney pounded a clenched fist against his thigh and turned in Teyla's direction. "Damn it, why couldn't Ronon follow a simple direction?"
He paced for a moment, not bothering to look at Teyla, knowing she would sense his overflowing worry for Ronon long before she felt his anger.
Rodney picked up the proximity alarm from the floor and held it out in front of him as he slowly moved his arm back and forth and walked in a cautious circle around his two teammates, keeping a safe distance away.
"Oh, God," Rodney whispered as he saw how extensive the area with the omega wave energy was now encompassing.
Rodney put a hand to his forehead. His head had started pounding the moment Sheppard had been attacked and the effect was doubled when Ronon fell prey to the same dilemma. The throbbing wasn't letting up. In fact, it was getting worse the longer John and Ronon struggled to escape.
Rodney tried very hard not to extrapolate what might happen to the rest of them if Ronon or Sheppard died while they were bonded together, because frankly that would send him into a major panic attack and they just didn't have time for that right now.
Teyla's gaze went from John and Ronon to Rodney and grew more demanding. "Rodney, we have to do something!"
Rodney nodded and opened his mouth as his mind ran several possible scenarios, but nothing useful came to him. "Wait a minute," he exclaimed and started snapping his fingers.
He looked around and found the omega wave neutralizer right where he'd left it. He ran to it with Teyla at his heels. "What is it, Rodney?" she asked breathlessly.
"If I can amplify the output of the neutralizer a little more, I might be able to disrupt the effects of the omega wave energy on John and Ronon."
He licked his lips and put his fingers on the neutralizer's dial, slowly turning up the amplification. He couldn't shake the feeling there might be some danger in what he was doing. After all, the Ancients hadn't used it at full power for a reason and Rodney prayed that reason wouldn't wind up killing them.
Rodney glanced over at John and Ronon, but they were still ensnared in the grip of the Mordiis' effects.
"Damn it," Rodney whispered as he turned the dial another notch, then waited to see what effect the change had on Ronon and John.
He was chewing on his lower lip without mercy when he felt Teyla's hand on his shoulder. "Take a deep breath, Rodney, and just do what you need to do."
Rodney stared at her for a moment and shook his head. "You don't understand, this might cause us to jump from the frying pan right into the fire."
When Teyla's expression crinkled in confusion, he shook his head more adamantly. "I meant that this might just make things worse. Look, never mind about that. I'll handle this. Go get the crystal shattering detonator for me – and hurry."
He watched the others as the seconds ticked by with agonizing slowness. This should be working, he told himself, it really should work.
Closing his eyes, he turned the dial another click, then heard Teyla beside him again. When he glanced over at her, her gaze was on John and Ronon. There was no change, not even a hint that change was even possible.
Rodney looked at the dial. There were only a couple of rotations left before the dial would hit its maximum setting. Shaking his head, Rodney moved his hand away and pointed at the dial. "Keep turning, but slowly, one click at a time. And watch them as you do. I'd rather not hit the maximum setting if I can avoid it."
He took the detonator that Teyla had set on the console and began to work on the remaining connections that needed to be completed. Teyla swayed and Rodney reached out toward her, almost dropping the detonator in the process. Damn her dizziness anyway.
"I am fine," she said breathlessly. "But I have reached the maximum setting."
Rodney realized precious minutes had passed and he still wasn't done with the detonator yet. Rodney felt a rippling through his connection with the others. When he looked up, he saw Teyla felt the same thing. They both cringed and turned toward John and Ronon, just as John collapsed.
Teyla swayed widely this time and held onto the console as it was the only thing keeping her on her feet. Rodney blinked, trying to maintain his own equilibrium, but he wasn't doing a very good job of it. He could sense Teyla was ebbing closer to unconsciousness, but for the moment, she was still on her feet. Tiebin wrapped an arm around her, then put out a hand to steady Rodney when he wavered.
"Come on, can't we get one damned break?" Rodney asked aloud as he tried to shake off his dizziness.
Now, with Sheppard unconscious, the winds started again.
"Great, that's just great," Rodney muttered as he worked faster and raised his voice. "Well, I'm not going to let you win, you damn Mordiis! You will not drink from our souls, that's for damned sure!"
Rodney had just finished the last connection when he had to grab the console in front of him or he'd nose dive face-first into the floor. He didn't even bother to look in Ronon's direction. He knew what was going to happen and he braced himself as best he could.
"Tiebin," he blindly called out.
A moment later, Ronon dropped to the floor, too. It was only a heartbeat later, and so did Teyla. Luckily, Tiebin was there to lower Teyla to the ground. It was all Rodney could do to take in big gulps of air and stay conscious. He turned to Tiebin who had returned to his side when done with Teyla. He felt his equilibrium take a dangerous shift toward the ground and his fingers fumbled until they found Tiebin's hand.
"Take this," Rodney whispered. When Tiebin complied, he rasped, "Lift the lever, then press the button hidden underneath it." It was all he could manage before he started falling, too.
Tierab was kneeling at Teyla's side and helped to buffer Rodney's fall, but the motion cost him dearly, because Rodney slid down on top of him. Tierab grabbed his side and groaned loudly as he pushed his way out from under Rodney.
Tiebin groaned and his coloring paled as he struggled to recover. He dropped to his knees but stayed upright.
"Tiebin," Rodney said as he tried to raise his head. "Do it."
His brother's pain caused a tear to run down Tiebin's cheek, but he nodded and did as Rodney had ordered. There was a deep rumbling in the mountain the moment Tiebin pressed the button and Rodney could hear a constant stream of pops and crackles as the crystals were shattered.
Oh, God, Rodney worried as he glanced upward, maybe Sheppard was right. What if the ceiling collapses on top of us?
In the midst of everything else, the power went out. Emergency lighting came on a moment later, but the rumbling continued. He heard Tiebin collapse beside him. Despite everything in him screaming to stay awake, Rodney closed his eyes and waited for the end to come.
oOoOoOoOo
Rodney stirred, then cringed and rode out the wave of pain enveloping him. He shook it off as best he could and raised his head. He sighed with relief when he saw the others on the floor around him, but he didn't have the strength to check on them. Deep down, he could sense they were all still alive, so he didn't push himself any harder.
He lowered his head, then sighed. And we're still bonded, for better or worse.
He lay there for another minute, trying to push away the pain he felt from the others, so he could gather his resources to get up. "Damn," he cursed, unable to get comfortable.
He was just starting to sit up when he saw Tiebin rise to his feet. Tiebin looked very relieved as he helped Rodney sit up. "I thought I was the only one awake. How are you doing?" Tiebin asked as he looked Rodney over.
"I hurt like hell," Rodney responded. He pushed himself to get to his feet with Tiebin's help and glanced at Tiebin. "How are you doing?"
Tiebin winced a little as he put a hand to his side. "I still feel the pain of my brother's injury, but it doesn't seem as strong as it was, so that must mean that Tierab is doing better."
He paused, looking at Rodney, apprehension and relief blending together in his expression. "I was sure we were all dead."
Rodney nodded. "So was I."
Tiebin knelt down and felt Teyla's pulse. He looked up and smiled. "Her pulse is strong and her breathing is steady. I believe she is merely unconscious."
Rodney nodded in agreement as Tiebin went to Sheppard and Ronon, performing the same tests on each of them. Rodney didn't bother to follow Tiebin around. He knew his teammates were okay, though having it confirmed did make him breathe a little easier.
Rodney went back to the omega wave neutralizer. "At least, this survived intact," he said to himself as he looked at it closer. "And what do you know, it's still working."
He typed some information into the computer console beside the neutralizer and smiled when he got a favorable response. Tiebin had followed him and asked, "What is it?"
Rodney pointed to the screen. "This says that using a higher setting on the omega wave neutralizer isn't harmful to us – well, at least not very harmful. Everything is relative. At least we're still alive. The Ancients just thought they had an adequate setting, so they didn't move it any higher."
Rodney walked back to the areas where he'd seen such high levels of omega wave energy and stared for a moment before he bent to pick up his proximity alarm. Holding his broken wrist close to his chest, because the thing ached like crazy, Rodney continued.
Tiebin looked a little alarmed as Rodney started to walk towards Ronon and John. "Are you sure it's safe to go back over there?"
Rodney nodded as he continued in that direction. "If we still have omega wave energy in the area after we've exhausted all of our fixes, then we are in deeper shit than I even want to consider."
After Rodney had covered the entire area, he smiled broadly. He didn't get a single beep from the alarm. Things were looking up. "Thank God," he said finally with a sigh.
He examined the extensive slurry of small debris and tiny bits of crystals spread across the floor and equipment, but when he glanced up at the rock formations above them, they were basically intact. Tiebin gestured toward the exit leading outside. "I think I will check on the storm," he said as he turned to go.
"Hold up," Rodney said as he sped up to join Tiebin. "I want to see it, too."
Rodney sighed with relief when they went outside and he saw the storm was passing. It was still very windy out there, but not deadly. By some miracle, they had survived long enough to send for help.
As they reentered the installation, Rodney sensed Ronon was awake and cursed as he felt Ronon was about to get up. Rodney leaned against a wall for a moment as he waited for Ronon's pain and dizziness to pass, then walked to a point where Ronon could see him. He gestured toward the door with his thumb. "The weather outside is improving."
Ronon nodded at him. "Good, let me get something to drink and I'll head out."
"Oh, right. Go directly from unconsciousness to walking through a sandstorm. Yes, that makes perfect sense to me – not! Just relax and give yourself a chance to recover."
Ronon shook his head. "Sheppard and the rest of you need medical attention. I can go to the jumper and get help."
When Rodney realized Ronon wasn't about to be dissuaded, he waved his hand and said, "No, listen, there's another reason why you need to wait."
Ronon paused, staring hard at Rodney. "What's that?"
Rodney swallowed hard. "If we leave the confines of the cavern without knowing more about the process, we might never be able to reverse the bonding. We have to stay here until I figure out a way to fix it."
Teyla sat up slowly, awakened by their conversation right beside her.
"Hey, Teyla," Ronon said as he squatted down beside her. "Good to see you up."
Rodney was still alarmed and he wanted the others to understand why. "Ronon, I know this bonding is driving you as crazy as it is me. We have to figure out all the dynamics involved before anyone leaves this installation."
Ronon paused as he considered Rodney's plea, and Rodney felt a stirring of apprehension. Smiling, he thought Ronon was actually about to agree with him until Teyla dashed Rodney's hopes by shaking her head.
"Ronon was right when he said we need medical attention, Rodney, especially John. He will need surgery for his shoulder. We have no choice."
Rodney put a hand to his forehead as he blinked, trying to come up with a response that would satisfy her concerns. "No, no, no, we can have Carson bring everything he needs here to treat us. I mean, good God, I had brain surgery with a power tool in some godforsaken cave. Carson surely can do a little shoulder surgery here if he needs to. You see, if we leave – if we leave now, we may doom ourselves to stay like this forever."
Teyla just looked at him for a long moment, but Rodney couldn't get past her resolve. "He needs surgery, Rodney, in a proper medical facility."
Rodney opened his mouth and started to gesture with one hand. He lost his urge to debate when he glanced down at John, who was still unconscious and finally nodded. He looked at Ronon. "Have them bring food. Lots of it. I'm starving."
Ronon shook his head with a hint of a smile on his lips. "Yeah, I know, McKay. You're hungry enough for all of us."
As Ronon grabbed a canteen, Rodney stepped closer. "Well, I have a higher metabolism is all. You're hungry, too. I can tell, you know."
Tiebin approached Ronon, then bent to pick up another one of the canteens. "I will go with you. I know a shortcut."
Ronon nodded and they turned to go out the door. Rodney straightened and put out a hand in Ronon's direction. "For God's sake, Ronon, take it easy! I don't need another painful condition to deal with, thank you very kindly!"
Ronon grunted and nodded. Teyla called out, "Be careful."
Ronon winked at her and then they were gone, out the door and into the storm.
Teyla struggled a little as she got to her feet, and Rodney bent down to help her up. "While Sheppard's out, you might think about catching a few winks yourself," he said once she was upright.
She shook her head slightly. "I know, but I want to be close in case he needs anything when he does awaken."
Rodney felt the depth of her commitment to her teammates, and it made his breath catch a little. It was something Rodney knew was always there, something inside of each one of them, something rarely spoken of, but always present. Feeling it shine so strongly in her spirit caused Rodney to blink to dissuade a sudden swell of moisture in his eyes.
Rodney knew he needed to get busy before he started blubbering like an old fool. He got Teyla a canteen of water, then gestured toward the computer console he'd been at. "I'm going to see if I can find any more information on the bonding process. Maybe there's something I missed the first time through that tells how to reverse it."
He tried to ignore the way his voice broke with emotion. Teyla nodded at him with a knowing smile. There was no to escape any embarrassing emotions with this damned bonding process. Her voice was soft as she said, "That would be welcomed."
Rodney helped her make her way over to where John was lying on the floor, then again as she sat down beside him. Rodney could tell she was exhausted and that her hand throbbed with sharp daggers of pain every time she moved it. He wished there was something more he could do for her, but all he could do was commiserate.
Once she was settled, he sat back down at the console and got to work without another word. He had to find a way out of this mess. Hopefully, it was a quick fix.
oOoOoOoOo
Teyla felt Ronon's presence long before she saw the door to the installation open. She knew Rodney did, too, because he stood from his seat at the computer and ambled toward the entrance, muttering, "It's about damn time. A person could starve to death waiting for Ronon to bring food."
But there was a lighter bounce to Rodney's step as he reached the open doorway. The wind outside blew in, but the wind was much tamer this time, and it was nothing compared to the whirlwinds the Mordiis had thrown at them.
Rodney nodded at Carson as he came through the door with his hands full of equipment. Carson's gaze darted around the disheveled control room before it came to rest on Teyla and John.
"Rodney," Carson said amiably, "I'll see to you in a minute."
Rodney nodded with a hurrying motion. "Certainly, Carson, but I have something to take care of first."
"Yes, I know. Don't worry. There were meatloaf sandwiches in the mess hall today and Ronon brought you two of them. He spoils you, you know."
"Yeah, right, you're a funny guy, Carson. A very funny guy. Imagine, Ronon spoiling me. Like that's ever gonna happen."
Rodney waved him on with his fluttering fingers and looked out the door. Ronon appeared next, and he slapped a lunch bag against Rodney's chest as Tiebin slipped past them, moving to check on his brother. "And I don't think you have to worry about dying of starvation, McKay. Not with all the extra blubber you pack."
Rodney sneered back at him, then glanced at Carson. "Please notice the derisive comments and obvious lack of spoilage to support my supposition."
Then Rodney opened the bag and inhaled the mouth-watering aromas inside. He licked his lips in anticipation and stepped out of the way of Lorne and Zelenka, who were right behind Ronon. Rodney pumped his hand in the air and said, "Yes! Carson wasn't yanking my chain! These meatloaf sandwiches are to die for."
Zelenka gave Rodney a strange look and said, "Only you could rave about mess hall food like it's nirvana from heaven, especially after surviving an ordeal like you have."
He sighed, meeting Rodney's gaze with a more serious expression. "I hear you have had quite a time of it."
"You haven't heard the half of it. We could have died five different ways from Sunday, but we made it through. And wait until you see what's in this database. It's going to set the dimensional physics people on their asses. Go on ahead and make yourself at home while I eat."
Radek nodded and started to walk away when Rodney turned to him and added, "But don't touch anything until I get there."
Radek rolled his eyes and kept on walking. Rodney was already munching on his sandwich by the time Ronon, Carson, and Lorne approached Teyla and John.
"How's he doing, love?" Carson asked her as he knelt beside her and opened his medical kit. He pulled out his stethoscope and looked into her eyes closely, then put a hand to her wrist, checking her pulse. He patted her on the leg when he was done and said, "I heard about your hand injury. Sounds ghastly. I'll check out it as soon as I'm done assessing the colonel."
Carson turned to his medical team as they arrived. They set down their equipment and went to work. "Start an IV for Teyla, James, lactated ringers and get a complete set of vital signs, then see about starting a line for the colonel."
The corpsman nodded and went to work as Carson directed his attention to John.
"We are all lucky to be alive," Teyla said a fragile smile. "John has been weakened by our ordeal, especially with his significant blood loss, but I believe he is merely sleeping at the moment and should rouse easily."
"Consider him roused," John said, opening his eyes.
With his wakeful state, Teyla felt John's pain move from simmering to overboiling. She frowned and wondered how John could tolerate such discomfort without letting it show in his expression, and she wondered how often she'd misread his actual condition in past times.
John gave Carson a slight smile and said, "Carson, it's good to see you."
Carson smiled at him as he placed his stethoscope on John's chest. "And you, too, Colonel. So, what have you done to yourself this time? Remember, I'm just a medical doctor, not a bloody magician," he said softly as he opened John's shirt.
John grunted and looked up at Rodney. "McKay said you'd say that," John said hoarsely. "Not verbatim, but close."
"It's the brainwashing Carson does on a regular basis," Rodney said, looking at Carson. "You always miss the indoctrinations, because you are usually the one with the injuries."
"Enough of that for now," Carson said as he took John's blood pressure. "Well, you've certainly done it this time, but it's probably nothing that can't be fixed up with a little surgery."
John grunted again. "Teyla said you'd say that, too."
Carson shook his head without looking up at them. "What? The lot of you have been putting words into my mouth, eh?"
He chuckled and nodded, then said, "Do me a favor, be quiet for a moment, son, while I check your heart rate and respiration. Then you can tell me all about your adventures."
Ronon squatted down beside Teyla and handed her a bag. "Brought you something to eat and drink, too."
"Thank you," she said softly, but she didn't open the bag right away.
He paused for a moment, then frowned at her. "Oops, you aren't very hungry right now, are you?"
He looked at her closely, then over at Rodney as he stood behind them. Rodney had just taken a big bite of his sandwich when Ronon glanced up at him and said, "You know, I can't read Teyla as well as I did when I left."
He looked relieved, yet there was a certain element of disappointment in his expression as he looked back at Teyla. That surprised her, but she understood why. The dilemma of curse versus gift was waging a war inside Ronon's heart.
McKay's eyes widened as he tried to talk around the food in his mouth, but failed. He set down his sandwich and gulped his drink. When he could speak again, he said, "Oh, thank God, maybe that means this nightmare is finally drawing to a close."
Rodney closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and concentrated on John. John chuckled after a moment, despite his pain and weakness. Teyla echoed his laughter with soft chuckles of her own. John said, "No, Rodney, you can't play my new DS game no matter how hard you beg."
Rodney opened his eyes and frowned. "It still feels the same to me with Sheppard and Teyla." Rodney paused as he stared at Ronon. "But you... "
Rodney closed his eyes again and focused on Ronon. "Yeah, it's you, Ronon, because I can't read you as well as I did before you left."
Teyla nodded when she attempted the same thing. "Ronon's connection is much attenuated."
Rodney shook his head. "Yeah, yeah, it makes sense. He's been the only one to leave us. Maybe it's a matter of proximity."
"Or time," Carson said as he finished checking John's vital signs.
Teyla had watched John closely during his interactions with Carson and she was almost fooled by his easygoing ways – until she looked into his eyes. There, in the way the skin around his eyes crinkled, she could see the telltale signs of his pain. Yes, he kept his shoulder carefully cradled and hissed every once in a while when he moved the wrong way, but the way John could shield such discomfort from others disturbed her.
John caught her watching him and winked at her. "It's not that bad," he said. Then Carson began to pull away his field dressing and there was no masking the misery he felt at that.
Teyla bit her lip as she tried to avoid groaning aloud, then heard Rodney swear under his breath. "Use a little compassion, Carson. You're practically killing him with what you're doing!"
Carson looked up in surprise. "All of you felt that? I mean, when I removed the colonel's bandage, you all felt it?"
The four of them nodded and Teyla noticed the way John, Rodney, and Ronon were all looking a bit more frayed. She wondered how she appeared in their eyes. There was no arguing the fact they all needed to be off their feet and in the infirmary.
"Very interesting," Carson said, "I'd like to explore more of that concept with you all later, but right now, this needs to be done, Rodney, one way or another. Best to get it out of the way early on."
He paused as he looked down at John. "But perhaps Rodney is correct. A little morphine would go a long way about now."
"By the way, Carson," Rodney said. "John's started to shiver and feel hot at the same time. He might be developing a fever. Better cover him up. Lying on that cold floor can't help anything."
"Aye," Carson said as he nodded. "He already has a slight fever."
He stopped, pausing as his gaze darted up at Rodney in surprise. "You can sense that? Aye, this is a most interesting development."
"Maybe for you," Ronon muttered.
He nodded. "We'll be moving Colonel Sheppard soon enough. First, let's make him a little more comfortable."
John shook his head. "You do know John is listening here, right? I'm fine, Carson, go ahead and do what you need to do."
Carson chuckled as he held up a vial and syringe, measuring out the medication, then bent to inject. "What I need for you to do is not squirm too much while I examine the wound, so this will help all of us," he said with a wink. "Besides, it will also make the trip back to Atlantis a little easier to bear."
He administered the medication, then looked up at Lorne. "You have the litters ready to transport them back to the jumper?" he asked as he peered at John's wound more closely.
Lorne nodded. "Yes, sir, whenever you're ready."
It was only a matter of seconds when Teyla's vision blurred a little, and then she let out a long breath, relieved that her pain – no, their pain – was easing. A few feet away, she heard Rodney sigh more heavily, no doubt feeling the same relief she felt coming from John.
Carson glanced in Rodney's direction just in time to see Ronon catch him as he collapsed. Teyla felt pretty woozy herself. Once Lorne's people took Rodney from Ronon's arms, Ronon plopped down heavily on the floor and grunted. "That must have been a whopping dose you gave Sheppard, Doc, because I can barely see straight."
Carson looked confused for a moment, and then his eyes lit up in surprise. "All four of you felt the effects of that injection?"
Teyla nodded as she settled back against the wall behind her and yawned.
"That's bloody amazing!" Carson chuckled. "Well, I could save all kinds of time and expense if I could get this type of response on a regular basis."
Ronon put a hand to his head and said, "Funny" in a way that sounded like Ronon thought it was anything but.
Teyla heard noises coming from up above them, then saw two prydewings emerge from the ventilation shaft, looking down on them with curiosity and caution.
"They always knew when the Mordiis appeared," Teyla said, watching them.
Ronon nodded. "They don't seem too scared right now. Maybe that's a good sign that the omega wave energy problem is really fixed."
"Okay, Teyla, it is time for us to get moving," Carson said as he knelt beside her.
She glanced over at John as he was being carried out of the installation. She wondered how they'd moved so quickly to prepare John for the trip. Carson smiled when he saw her confusion. "You were dozing a bit, love, and missed out on part of the action. Come along, you will be carried out, too, and don't argue with me on this point."
Teyla just nodded in agreement. Lorne and Carson helped move her to a litter.
Radek walked over to them. "There is some amazing technology here... or at least there was. The device that caused the bonding process is completely fried. There won't be anything useful to get from it, but the omega wave research and neutralizer will keep our scientists intrigued for some time to come."
He looked down at Teyla. "I hope you are not too uncomfortable," he said as he squatted down to be eye level with her. He smirked as he watched some soldiers carry Rodney out of the installation and winked. "But after spending hours sharing Rodney's emotions, I imagine you'll be needing a very long vacation away from him."
Teyla noticed Lorne grinning in silent agreement with Radek.
Ronon grunted aloud as he got to his feet and swaggered his way over to them. "You'd think that... " Ronon said as he came to a stop beside Radek, his expression indiscernible as he met Radek's gaze. "But you'd be wrong."
Radek swallowed hard, apparently afraid of saying something that would upset Ronon. He nodded meekly and said, "I was only joking."
Ronon slapped him on the back and smirked. "So was I."
Radek looked relieved as Ronon grunted, then said, "Being with McKay was hard, but he's the only man who could of gotten us out of this alive. He's worth putting up with."
Radek smiled knowingly. "Yes, he is, unfortunately," he said, mischief returning to his expression.
Teyla smiled. "It was an ordeal for all of us, probably worse for Rodney, because our presence made it more difficult for him to think clearly, and we dearly needed his clear thinking in order to survive."
Carson nodded in agreement. "Sorry, everyone, but we need to postpone this discussion until we get them back to Atlantis. Then I will be all ears to hear about what happened."
Radek smiled and said, "Well, I better get back to work, too. I'm sure Rodney will want a full report about our findings when he awakens. I will see you all back at Atlantis."
"Come along, people," Carson said, urging them along. "Next stop, my infirmary."
Teyla watched Radek and the others turn back to work, then stared at the rock ceiling above their heads. It really was a miracle they were still alive. Then they were out in the wind, but even that was welcomed, because it brought her closer to home and Torren and Kanaan, and her team safe and taken care of.
She sighed with weariness and when her eyelids started drifting closed, she didn't fight to keep them open.
oOoOoOoOo
TBC in the Epilogue