Chapter 11

So Let It Go

…because the stupid, moronic, crazy son of a bitch is worth it.

And Elizabeth had to ask herself and Rodney, "Worth what?"

"Trying to cross the barrier between our slices of the pie," he stated as if it was as plain as the nose on her face.

"Couldn't it…oh, I don't know…kill you, Rodney?"

"Sure, why?" Once again, plain as the nose.

This was insane.

"They're working on it, Rodney. They're trying to disrupt the signal." She had to make him understand.

"No! No, they can't. He'll be here all alone. She's taken over. It might…"

She realized his arguments had left cold, hard, scientific logic behind and ventured into pure, illogical, emotional responses.

"Rodney, just wait."

Upon returning to their mental prison, she had not anticipated on finding a suicidal astrophysicist with a hard, unyielding glare.

"No."

Without any more idle chit chat, he walked into the invisible wall and disintegrated--

Elizabeth's heart went into her mouth.

--only for him to reform on his side of the barrier separating the playground and his piece of pie.

"Thought so," he mumbled, dejected. He slumped and slouched and dragged his feet like he had just lost the big game. She supposed he had.

"It's a broadcast like T.V. Since, we aren't really here with each other, there's no substance."

She also realized how dumbed down Rodney explained things. The technical aspects whirred through his mind, but, instead, out of his mouth came Bill Nye the Science Guy. She really appreciated it at the moment because sometimes Rodney thought everyone was a mind reader. And as luck would have it, in this place, they were.

Of course, now she truly understood why he thought of everyone as idiots. They really were compared to him, except for the Colonel. The reason he had never called John by his name was crystal clear…

"Rodney."

"Just don't, Elizabeth." It was the most penitence that McKay had ever expressed and that was with Doranda.

She received a thanks for reminding me glare from him.

"She's afraid of him," Elizabeth said after a long, impregnated pause. "He beat her. He won. She couldn't control him in life so she's doing it now."

"By playing unfair," Rodney whined mournfully. "I don't get it. We're really not that big of a threat-- yet."

"To the whole race, no. Individually, yes. We've stopped them numerous times and I don't think they're used to that."

"Not for a very long time. One of the male Wraiths on the Hive told me that." He gave a rueful smile. "It must really put their panties in a twist. Put their shorts in a wad. Curdle their cream…"

She stifled a giggle while answering, "We are a definite problem to them, Dr. McKay and I can't see them letting us get away with it for very much longer. Especially since we wield the Ancients toys so well." Elizabeth felt pride run through her as she looked at Sheppard again. Well, at least one of us does, she amended fondly. "We're also the doorway to the super-sized, grande meal called Earth."

She was tired of the blame game. This situation was what it was: an unfortunate and ugly affair that they would play out until they ended up on the winning side. She had no doubts about that. It was time the Wraith got a splinter in their collective paw and felt the annoyance turn into a royal, festering pain. She hoped that the expedition continued to act like an infection robbing the Wraith of their strength bit by excruciating bit.

"Yeah, we're that alright…Hey, wait, what am I?" He pouted after processeing her thought about Sheppard and his wielding of Ancient toys.

"You, Rodney, are what my Great-aunt Sudie would call, the brains in the eggs. A special treat hidden in the ordinary." Aunt Sudie had been a Grand Dame of Richmond society and a political barracuda. She was a behind the scenes kind of lady so Elizabeth and she had gotten on well. Too bad Aunt Sudie was not still around to discuss things with the IOA or the Wraith. They would have been picked apart and would have not known which end was up. Or in the Wraith's case, which hand they fed with.

He twisted his face into a disgusted grimace. "My eating habits what they are…I'd rather be chopped liver. But thanks for the nauseating complement."

"You're welcome."

Sitting on the floor, they looked at each other with small smiles and then at the frozen, motionless…

"Maybe he's only been set on pause, Rodney. Maybe all we need is a play button to return him to normal."

"Hmph," he snorted. "Maybe he's stuck in a DVR hell, and has to watch Full House over and over. Serves him right naming all those people after old T.V. show characters."

It was mean spirited and that was good. It meant Rodney would be all right for the immediate future.

"I almost forgot. When I woke up in the infirmary, I said, 'not John.' I still didn't remember anything but my mouth seemed to."

He perked up. "That could be very useful," he said. "We can deliver succinct notes to those on the outside." Rodney scrunched up his face in determined concentration as the wheels started turning.

She had played the blame game and now it was time to move on mentally…and apparently physically. The sensation of falling surprised her since she had not been back that long. Radek must have been successful.

As the falling sensation increased, Rodney sat up even straighter as he started to have an idea. A fantastic, brilliant and learned idea clicked into place. But, it might have been too late.

Then a panicked thought raced through Rodney's head. If a shut down consciousness returned to a brain, what would happen to the body?

The look of shock on Rodney's face mirrored hers because he was fading too and worried what would happen to Sheppard. They knew what their new chant had to be and both hoped it carried enough momentum into the waking world. They also had to hope that the queen was still in control or John might not have a snowball's chance.

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Teyla felt Michael's return from the village and prepared herself to fight for the negotiations, even if there was only a small chance of success. She was unsure of what would happen next. Col. Sheppard being taken over by a queen probably was not on the agenda for the day's activities, even for Michael.

It had taken Ronon quite a bit of time to calm down. She could say with certainty that Stackhouse and his team were not far behind. The Wraith would not let them speak so conversations were kept to eye glances and gestures. The nervous and agitated energy wriggled under everyone's skin. This was a volatile situation and more than they had bargained for when the quest for fruit began.

She moved to sit with Rodney and studied his sleeping face. His distress had been heartbreaking. He had known. Somehow, and she was very sure of this, he had known. She would do her best to make this right.

Michael and the queen's boots sounded on the pathway as they drew nearer. Ronon stood up to greet them as did the team. The Wraith guards even shifted nervously as the pair approached which made the humans even more nervous.

She returned wearing local clothes and carrying Col. Sheppard and Dr. McKay's packs. Once again, the gait and motion of the strides were all wrong. Also, the glint in the queen's eye was unmistakable for anything other than a successful talk with Michael. The deal had changed. Teyla was ready to defend her people because, surely, there was a defense.

Michael started talking before they stopped in front of the termite mound. "The agreement is terminated. You will be allowed to go home, but I need Dr. McKay and of course, Col. Sheppard." The statement landed a figurative punch to Teyla's middle.

It was too much for Ronon. He roared a resounding, "NO!" as he lunged for Michael. A drone struck him down before he could get anywhere near the pair. He hit the drying path with a resounding thud that matched his roar. He rebounded and sat up quickly ready to strike again if need be.

Teyla placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him there.

"I expected as much from you, Ronon. Sometimes, it seems you are the only one I understand." Michael addressed Teyla next, "Not so nice on the other end of a double cross, is it? An unexpected double cross to be sure, but one of my choosing. It is the nature of humanity to fail in their obligations. Something I learned from all of you."

Teyla, schooled in the art of the trade, read that this could go very badly. He spoke of double cross as if it were part of any relationship. It seems the lessons taught and learned during his time on Atlantis were all the wrong ones.

"We are about to get what we want without having to taint ourselves any further. Your assistance is no longer needed."

She also could not believe he would just let them go. She suspected no one in the immediate vicinity did either. Stackhouse and his second stepped forward readying for a fight as his other two men placed themselves between Dr. McKay and any Wraith wanting to take him. A valiant move that would be ultimately fruitless with all of the stunners aimed at them.

Teyla struck her leadership pose, head held high and back straight. "No Michael, you cannot have them so easily. We were negotiating an equitable conclusion for both of our sakes. She cannot be trusted to lead you anywhere. Her agenda is not your own. You have no link to her, except that with which she has influenced you." She had gained this piece of information by eavesdropping on the Wraith stationed near her. They could hear nothing of her thoughts.

The queen sneered angrily when Michael gave an imperceptible, tilted nod of his head. He already knows this, thought Teyla. He was counting on it. He was using her as well as the Atlantians. She feared for Col. Sheppard and Dr. McKay even more now.

"I no longer need your assistance," Michael said again. He stopped and touched his ear. "Atlantis, this is Michael. Dr. Beckett, our deal is concluded. We no longer need your cloak."

Michael flinched from what could only be vehement arguments in his ear. He seemed amused in his reaction.

"We will, however, need Col. Sheppard and Dr. McKay." He abruptly cut the radio.

During the cancellation of talks, the pure hatred rolling off of the queen was tangible and it was all aimed at Teyla. She realized her remarks had hit home. This queen had her own plot underway and when the two clashed, the Atlantians would be the ones to get hurt.

The creature that stared with contempt could continue for all Teyla cared because she was not worthy of the body she wore. Teyla decided to continue her plea for the release of Dr. McKay. She was not sure what could be done for Col. Sheppard, but what could possibly stop her from trying.

"I will not stand by and just let you take…"

The queen gave Teyla her answer. She released a baritone screech and with a swift, fluid movement, she threw Col. Sheppard's knife right at Teyla's heart.

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A/N: Sorry for the delay, but you know how some of these delightful head colds are just knocking people on their keisters. Well, let's just say that Sunday all my eyes saw were the inside of their eyelids. The bunnies held the Kleenex for me and kept the kids at bay. All hail the bunnies.