Chapter Seven

The flat line blared from the monitors around Elizabeth, her limbs falling into relief only as her heart stopped. Carson Beckett could not believe his ears. Only seconds ago, the brain waves had been separating and her conditioning improving. He burst into action.

"She's crashing! I need one milligram of adrenaline stat!"

He pulled the tangled sheets from her and reached for the paddles presented to him, already swabbed. He never let a patient go without a fight, especially not the leader of Atlantis. They needed her.

Radek stared at the now still body that lay on the ground below. The rain was starting to pour heavily and mud sloshed through the tower, suddenly cascading around him. Disorientated, he quickly shut his eyes, opening them once more to reveal the surroundings of PX2-448.

The green containment mixture from his capsule was crushed underfoot and he could feel rain beating down on him. His breath caught in his throat as he saw a body only a metre away; lying like the person from his memory, like Elizabeth…only it wasn't her. It was Frung.

"Charge to 100!" commanded the Scot, watching the erratic lines of the heart monitor.

"Clear!"

He placed the paddles onto Elizabeth's chest and released the shock and her body jerked, but the beating of her heart remained as jagged lines on the monitor.

"Charge it up to 200! We're not going to lose her! Come on Elizabeth!"

Radek just stared in shock as reality hit him. He'd shot a living, breathing creature, an alien that was trying to use his mind as an energy source. He slowly lowered his weapon and looked at the capsules holding his colleagues. The green containment mixture was slowly melting, freeing them with each drip. Radek dropped the gun and started to walk over to Frung, but froze as a shock swept up his torso.

He fell to the ground as the electricity blasted through him. No sooner had he collapsed, he jolted awake. Momentarily dazed, he lay there in confusion until he realised he was still in his capsule, floating in the jelly.

He had only dreamed that he killed or hurt Frung. Yet the dream had been so vivid, so real and then he remembered the electric shock that had awakened him. He stiffened, temples throbbing with an overwhelming sense of danger – Elizabeth. She's in danger.

Zelenka could feel her. He squeezed his eyes shut, concentrating on the buzzing within his skull. It was hurting her; he knew that somehow was happening to him was hurting her. If only he could reach out and assure her, send her a message.

He sensed Frung was unaware that the intensity of his dreams was because of his connection with Elizabeth. Radek believed that love in its early stages was one of the most powerful feelings between two people and it was going to be pretty hard to break. Elizabeth had sent him a message - he didn't just dream it, he felt it with all his heart. What was it she had said? "Once the bond was broken, we will die." He had to make sure Frung did not become aware of their physical connection. Had he revealed too much back during the dream when he had been on the border and shot...?

Can't think about that now. Have to get a message to Atlantis...

Elizabeth had stabilized and was breathing normally again. Carson chose to stay with her instead of getting some sleep himself.

Suddenly Elizabeth took hold of Carson's hand weakly. She moved her head slowly and came face to face with the surprised doctor.

"Elizabeth! You're awake. Oh, I thought I'd lost you, lass."

"Carson..." she whispered, and squeezed his hand.

"Yes. It's all right, I'm here."

She shook her head tiredly. "No... I need to tell you..."

Carson squeezed her hand back, blinking at her, willing her to find the words this time.

"Tell Lorne... he needs to... there's a way... Radek is telling me..." Elizabeth closed her eyes, and her hand went limp.

Carson quickly checked her pulse and the other monitor readouts, and sighed in relief. She seemed to be stable, but he didn't want to waste any time.

He fumbled with his radio, "Major Lorne, Dr Beckett here."

"Go ahead, Doc."

"Elizabeth was awake for a minute, Major. Don't ask me much, lad, I don't know a lot, but I think you need to go back to that planet that Radek and the others are on. There's something right strange going on here, but I think Elizabeth knows some of the answers. If you can just find the team, maybe she'll be able to tell us more."

"My men and I are all set to go Doc. Dial it up, Chuck."


"Oh... good. Right then, Major, keep in touch."

"Yes sir, Dr Beckett."

Carson let out a deep breath, and put his head down on his arm. He mumbled to himself, "Oh, Elizabeth, what's going on? Radek is somehow connected to you, isn't he? I hope to God he's the man I think he is, or we're all in deep trouble."