Blood Rituals – Dawn Rising
by Angel Ruse

Sheppard, Beckett, McKay and Teyla gate to a world with a deadly secret—will Sheppard and Beckett become the victims of genetic exploitation? Sheppard and Carson whump. No Slash.

Indaali was holding a tube of blood, watching it drip from one end to the other in fascination as he turned it in his grasp. John lay against the bed, weakened by blood loss and drenched in his own sweat. The yuck factor of that didn't seem to deter Indaali, unfortunately. He stood there with symbols cut into his palms, where drops of John's own blood had been poured onto the wounds and mixed with his own. From these hands the Minister drank, taking his fill of what dripped down Sheppard's bloodied chest.

"Give him some time to breathe, Atius," Indaali said softly, drinking from his right hand. "He looks as if he is about to faint and I would like him to remain awake for a while yet."

The scientist obeyed, though reluctantly. He peeled the sticky strip off of Sheppard's lips and removed the bit that had been digging into John's tongue for the past god knew how long. John licked his dry lips and swallowed, trying to get used to having a working jaw again. "Thanks. Now the arms."

Indaali smiled. "You haven't lost your sense of humor. Such strength of character. I taste it in your blood."

"Fascinating," Sheppard growled, shifting on the hard bed. "Where is Beckett?"

The other man seemed unperturbed by his clipped tone. Indaali glanced at the window reflexively and John followed his gaze. "Atius sent him to the Garden of the Dark Ones. He'll not be coming back, I'm afraid."

Sheppard jerked suddenly and a wave of dizziness washed over him. "What did you do to him?" he demanded.

"Calmly," Atius chided as if he were your typical neighborhood doctor. "How do you feel, Colonel?"

It was on the tip of John's tongue to say 'homicidal', but considering his situation he decided not to push his luck just yet. He leaned back and took a long breath, feeling starved for oxygen. "Just tell me what happened to my friend."

The Khon'Suan doctor came to stand in front of Sheppard. "The Dark Ones are our own, Colonel. The danger of genetic absorption is if you take in too much it can corrupt your own genetic coding in the process. Rather than making you stronger it makes you unstable. Still, they are our people and do need feeding."

"What did you do to him!?" Sheppard barked, trying again to jerk his arms out of their bonds. His head spun with the implication of what Atius was getting at. It was monstrous.

The scientist shoved John back hard. It took the last of his fight out of him. Sheppard fell back against the bed, eyes close and lungs struggling for air. The Minister held the vial he had been holding up to the light. "Do you know what this is?"

The Colonel grunted, staring up at him through furious eyes. "Why don't you enlighten me? I know you're just dying to."

The other man's eyes hardened a bit at his sarcasm. He set the vial onto a nearby counter and approached Sheppard. "Your blood. A clean sample. Atius tells me that to drink it could mean death to me."

Grinning spitefully, wishing that fate upon the Minster, Sheppard replied, "Bottoms up."

Indaali smiled cruelly and handed off the bottle to his companion, who in turn laid it on the stone table. "Thanks to Atius, however, to drink of you is not death anymore, but life." Atius tugged the bond around John's right wrist and it fell free. The Minister took up the ceremonial blade he had abandoned and poised to use it. "And now it is time to take my fill." In a protective gesture Sheppard knocked his fist into Indaali's chin, knocking him into the Khon'Suan scientist. The dagger hit the floor.

And then the room exploded with activity.

Indaali whirled towards the main entrance in a rage. The quiet sanctuary was abuzz with the sounds of footsteps and fighters hissing orders to remain still.

Holding his gun pointed at the Minister's head, Rodney said, "Guess who's coming to dinner." When Indaali reached for his knife McKay kicked it across the room and looked as if he was going to shoot the Khon'Suan leader.

"McKay," John breathed, never more grateful to see the man. "Nice…nice." He wanted to express that, but settled for waving his hand once.

"Nice timing?" McKay responded quickly. "Entrance? Eyes? All true." He momentarily let his guard down, but jerked his gun back up when Indaali made a move.

Another form drew both he and McKay's attention, however. Minal Iilara moved to stand before Indaali, eyes blazing and weapon trained on his chest. "It's time for a change, Minister. But first our guests go free."

"Foolish child," he growled, holding his palm up. "I have already begun the blood feast."

Rodney inhaled sharply, then looked at Sheppard's wounds. "We don't have time," Sheppard wheezed urgently. "The Wraith are coming. Get me out of this."

"Coming?" His eyes widened as he and Ronon started removing the Colonel's bonds. "Not here, I hope." Sheppard nodded, wishing fervently he were wrong or Indaali had lied. Once free, he would have collapsed off the metal bed if Teyla had not braced him back against it. He leaned back and looked up at Indaali. "How long until they come?"

The Minister refused to answer, instead saying only, "You will not escape this planet alive."

Minal thrust her hand towards Teyla, angrily pointing at the Athosian. "She is Chosen!" she hissed, and John shook his head, not understanding.

"You lie," Indaali retorted disinterestedly.

Iilara whirled to face Teyla. "The Wraith…"

"They will not answer to me. I am no less a means of sustenance than you or any other in this room."

For a long moment Iilara paused, eyes moving and gears turning in her head. Sheppard could identify with that expression. A meeting with the Wraith was never planned and was certainly never easy. "We've got to hide," she said softly. "We don't even have time to harvest the Rose of Ienarna or find catalyst."

John lifted his hand and weakly pointed at the stone table. An array of needles were sprawled on a tray Atius had brought into the room. It included a needle filled with catalyst. "There," he breathed and she followed his gaze immediately. When she lifted the vial her expression darkened.

"So that's the stuff, huh?" Rodney asked, breaking the silence. "I'm telling you it can be neutralized. Don't give up on it. Your people need you and Syren now more than ever."

Sheppard leaned against Teyla's offered aid to stand and nearly fell again until one of the Khon'Su rebels took up his other flank. "It can be neutralized," he said, picking up on the implications of the conversation. "That's what that scientist was doing, wasn't it? The one that was running away."

Minal looked up at him. "It is hopeless now."

The Colonel shook his head. "It isn't." He reached for the vial of his own blood. The Minister looked panicked when he handed it over to Minal. "The Ancient gene neutralizes it just fine."

Indaali stared in horror as Iilara pocketed it. "Now the Wraith will destroy us all," he whispered.

No one replied. The sense of urgency was bearing down on them all. "They may," Iilara whispered, pointing the nose of her crossbow at Indaali's head. "But at least I will die knowing you never completed the sacrifice. And tomorrow the noble fathers and mothers will be gone to the Wraith, and the sacrifice for their sons and daughters will be stopped."

And then Rodney drew the attention away from that morbid truth to a new one. Looking around, he asked, "Where's Carson?"

Sheppard swore.

The rain was like a torrential downpour. Thunder crashed and in the distance a tree fell to the ground. In the path of glow lamps ran McKay, Ronon and Usani in search of the doctor. Time was of the essence, judging from what Minal had said about the garden Beckett had been sent to. Rodney's mind shuddered back from what they might find. He could hear howls in the dark and it frightened him for his friends and for himself. The calls were feral and inhuman.

The scientist looked up at the skies through the occasional clearing in the trees. He had not seen any Wraith Darts, nor heard any yet, but he was mindful of the impending doom on their heels. Back at the compound Minal was securing Sheppard, Teyla and the remaining rebels into an underground cell where they would presumably be safe.

They could take one comfort in this sick, strange world. The nobles willingly gave themselves to the Wraith, standing on the rooftops and streets with arms raised and exalted expressions. Stupid on their part, perhaps, but convenient in that it would hopefully keep the Wraith from looking for stragglers in every nook and cranny of the planet. Assuming, of course, that enough nobles sacrificed themselves to sustain their hungry gods.

The small party entered a clearing and Rodney lifted his flashlight. "Carson?" he called. His eyes fell upon the block in the center. It was empty. The shackles had been busted. He swept the light along the mud in case his friend was lying unconscious.

Ronon lifted something dark and Rodney examined it, saying, "Jacket. Great." He put the light in Usani's face. "What now?"

"Take to the trees and hope we find him alive," the Khon'Suan said low. He whirled as one of the creatures screamed in the woods. The sound stopped abruptly. "Something's wrong. I used to stake this place out. I've never heard them make that noise."

"Well, good," McKay said hopefully. "Maybe Carson's kicking the crap out of them or something."

Usani didn't appear to agree, but he said nothing. Lifting his hand, he motioned the other two on and they crept into the trees, on the hunt. They doused their lights and deliberately followed the wretched sounds coming from the north. Without thinking Rodney held his breath until they came to another stop. He nearly ran into Ronon's back, hissing, "What?"

The Khon'Suan knelt and turned his glow lamp on. On the muddy floor was a figure and Rodney swallowed uncomfortably. He let out a long breath when he saw it wasn't Carson. Usani pulled the body onto its back and long, black, wet hair fell away from a pallid face. The creature's eyes were open and glowed like a cat's.

"Dead," Usani confirmed, though he didn't sound too comforted. "No blood. No wounds."

"We can figure it out later," Rodney replied, spooked by moaning sound coming from very close by. He whipped his light around, trying to see what it was making the noise.

Instinctively Ronon moved, tracking the cry. Usani and McKay followed close behind, guns ready. They came to a stone wall and leaning against that wall was a form, sitting and rocking back and forth. Rodney jumped, startled by the sudden discovery. He aimed his gun. It made no move to protect itself or attack, merely sat there in misery with its arms around itself. It trembled violently.

"Shoot it," Usani growled and Ronon was quick to reply. The creature writhed and fell dead in seconds. The Khon'Suan stepped over it, making for a hole in the wall. It led to a small room, Rodney saw, stepping in behind him. "Storage shed," he said, echoing what the physicist had been wondering.

A noise whirred overhead. Ronon shot his head up and hissed, "Wraith!" He shoved both the scientist and the rebel away from the opening and ordered them to shut their lights down.

And then Rodney heard something coming from a hallway behind him. He turned and followed the sound, hoping that if it was dangerous it was already dying. A moan tipped him off. "Oh my god," he breathed, picking up the pace. The other two men followed him to a small room. The vision within filled McKay with disgust.

Beckett was on his chest, arms strapped behind him and cheek shoved against the cold, hard floor. He was being held down by a creature straddling his hips. It was leaning over the prone doctor, running its tongue across bare skin that had been abused and shredded. Rodney covered his mouth, watching in stunned silence.

Ronon did not watch. He kicked the creature's head, sending it flying back into a basin that crashed and spread water all over the room. It let out a piercing cry. "Doctor?" he called softly. They were all relieved when Carson moaned.

"Get them off me," he pleaded, shivering as Ronon put his hands on his wrists. He ripped at the thin ropes.

The creature snarled and pounced, but before it could fall into its prey Ronon jerked his gun out and blasted it. The warrior pulled Carson onto his knees and said, "They're off."

McKay crouched down and looked into Carson's bleary blue eyes. "You all right?" he asked. He put his hand on the other man's shoulder to reassure him. "God, this is gonna take you a lifetime of therapy to overcome, huh, buddy?"

Carson rolled his eyes and he might have been doing it in annoyance, except he then collapsed into the large man's arms. Ronon pulled him away from the water on the ground and helped him relax elsewhere.

"They're dead," Usani said from the doorway. "I don't understand what's killing them."

"Yeah, well, we can thank our lucky stars or god or whoever when we get out of this alive. Wanna go watch the Wraith?" Rodney knelt down beside the spilled water, gathering some of it on his shirt. He then moved to where Carson was sprawled and started to clean some of the mud and blood off his back. "They did this to him?" he hissed, shaking his head. "Remind me to relieve myself on Indaali's corpse if we pass that sanctum again."

Thirty minutes passed with Carson fading in and out of consciousness. They took comfort in that, for it meant the doctor was still alive and fighting to remain so. Usani returned then and said, "I haven't heard a Dart since I went out to keep watch. I think the culling is over. We should go find the others."

Ronon picked Beckett up and slung him over his shoulder. The trio and their sleeping quarry made a rush for the front of the grove and the main entrance.

Once there they saw their party waiting at the gate. Sheppard was draped between Teyla and one of the Khon'Suans. When he saw Carson draped over Ronon's shoulder his face went grave. "Is he all right?" he asked quietly.

Ronon returned his gaze with a sedate expression. "He's alive."

"Poor Carson," Teyla breathed. "If I had known…"

"Hey, don't even think it." Sheppard shook his head firmly at her. "Let's just get the hell out of here. How long of a walk do we have?"

It was Rodney who replied, looking thoughtful. "Well, see between here and the Stargate I estimate about an hour on foot. Maybe two with you and Carson as banged up as you are."

John knit his brow and groaned. "Tell me you're kidding. I feel like complete sh—"

"Oh, I'm not kidding," McKay interrupted almost cheerfully. "Which is why I say we should fly." He lifted his radio to his mouth and said, "Ready. Due north of the gate. Maybe a little to the left. You'll know what to do." He gave a half-smile. "Watch out for Wraith."

Sheppard could have collapsed in joy right then and there. "McKay, you are my personal hero."

The other man nodded impatiently. "Of course I am. But you can thank me later."

But they weren't out of danger just yet. "We've got another problem, though," Sheppard confessed. He pointed beyond the gate.

The puddle jumper McKay had called for was well on its way; they could see it sailing over the trees in the distance. And just as he was preparing to sink himself into safety and warmth McKay's radio sprang to life once more. "You've got hostiles heading in from the southeast!"

Even as the 'jumper shot at the ground some seventy yards away a crossbow bolt whizzed past McKay's head. With a startled gasp he hit the ground and whirled, pointing his gun towards the shadows ahead.

"Back into the forest!" Ronon roared, handing Beckett off to one of the rebels and blasting at the Khon'Suans heading in their direction. Teyla already had Sheppard behind one of the trees in the grove. She let him go and he leaned against the bark, taking a gun McKay handed off. He peered around the tree and though it tore at his injured flesh, he shot at the nearest target he could see. Another bolt flying by made him jerk back.

The 'jumper whizzed overhead and descended down into the compound. "Let's move," Sheppard ordered. Before they could start a bolt struck Ronon's arm, causing the warrior to yell out. It was nothing to worry about, however. Ronon snapped the bolt at the neck near the entry point with a growl, then shot at the offending sniper. When a strangled cry hit the air the large man took Carson with his good arm and dashed off towards the 'jumper.

"That man just isn't natural," McKay observed matter-of-factly as he took up the Colonel's aid. Teyla watched their backs as they slogged their way through the mud. It was considerably slower going than their warrior friend, but before a minute passed the 'jumper was accepting both Lanteans and Khon'Suan rebels alike.

When Sheppard, McKay and Teyla boarded John sank down gratefully after scanning for his friends. Ronon was seated with Beckett, keeping him stable and off his back. "I never thought I would want to kiss an inanimate object before, but at this point I'm almost willing to drop my pride," the Colonel breathed.

"Yeah, well, just don't drop anything else while I'm in the 'jumper, okay?" McKay retorted with a scrunched expression.

Sheppard grinned. "I said almost." He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "Let's drop our friends off and get home."

The sensation of someone crouching in front of him made him open his eyes. Minal Iilara looked into his face softly. "I'm sorry for what you and Dr. Beckett suffered, but by giving us this sample of your blood you've…you've changed the course of our history."

Sheppard blinked and coughed a bit uncomfortably. "Yeah, well…all in a day's work," he told her, uncertain what else to say. He smiled when she kissed his cheek lightly.

"I swear to god," Rodney groaned, rolling his eyes. "I pull this heroic maneuver off, having told none of you my secret plan of having a 'jumper ready, and he's still the one that gets the girl fawning over him."

Teyla put a consoling hand on McKay's arm. "Do not worry. We are all very impressed."

"Yeah right."

A/N: Here be the last, save an epilogue which I'll post asap. :-) Thank you all for your kind reviews +hands out happy warm cookies+

Email: angelruseATgmailDOTcom
Archive: Go for it.
Disclaimer: Don't own the fine hineys of Shep or Beckett. Don't mean I can't imagine I do.