Chapter 6 – Pain-in-my-ass-acus.
Ronan had returned just as the scientists sat down to work in the main tent. The small device sat innocently in the large glass container Lorne and his men had set up the other day. Radik touched the Ancient Pad and looked up at the device, cocking his head. Rodney became agitated by his questioning stare and gritted his teeth.
'Are you willing it to do the Macarena or something?' He snapped. Radik looked up. 'Get to work.'
Radik scowled at Rodney and walked over as the man started tapping on his laptop.
'I was merely thinking that it is strange that such a device, so small and so believably harmless in appearance, can generate so much power.' He explained.
'Yes, well, we'll see.' Rodney replied, not really listening, his attention focused on the computer screen.
'Considering the size of the last power source, this one is really quite remarkable.' Radik looked back at it with a feeling of admiration.
'Yes, let's bring that disaster up now, mh? Nice way to start the day.' Rodney said angrily. 'Pass me that.'
Rodney held out his hand for the Ancient pad and Radik handed it over gently. Mckay snatched it from his hand and his fingers swept across it, his eyes flicking between the screen and the Pad. He moved to the device's interface and confirmed the code.
There's a lot to do and he's just standing there – and everything has to be exactly right, or we're dead. He thought, noting the fact that Radik was watching him.
'Radik, make yourself useful. Go find the two new guys and bring them here, I need the help.' He ordered. Zalenka glared, but complied with the command, leaving the tent. It's not like it's difficult or spectacularly amazing, I mean, hello! We're living in another galaxy with aliens that suck the life out of you with their hands – what could possibly be more astounding than that? But then I guess we've been here for a while, and this whole thing does tend to get a little old…living in another galaxy, not so special when you've been doing it nearly three years…
Rodney heard a rustle behind him. 'Good. Now, the two of you need to adjust the generators to the right frequency, and don't take you're eyes off them for a second, they could fluctuate quickly and then we would all explode-' He paused when he turned to see not the two new scientists, but Chase and Sheppard, watching him with blank faces. 'Oh, it's you.'
'We're not actually going to explode, right?' Sheppard asked with a frown.
'No.' 'Yes.'
Chase frowned at Rodney's negativity.
'Not if we get it right.' She explained, looking up at the Colonel.
'Which I'm fairly certain we won't.' Rodney said firmly.
'Positive mind McKay, try working in the belief that we're not going to die – that would be a wonderful start.' Chase crossed over to Rodney's laptop and tapped some of the keys. Rodney rushed over and glared at the screen.
'What are you doing?'
'Seeing where you got to.' She said, scrunching her face, painfully aware how close Mckay was to hers. 'So that I can help.'
'I don't need help.' He turned the screen away from her and she stood with a frown.
'Well, what can I do?' She asked. Rodney looked away from her, folding his arms.
'I'm sure Ronan could use a hand in securing the camp or something.' He said defiantly.
'What? I'm not military McKay, I'm a scientist.' She said waspishly, knowing full well what he was trying to do.
'It's her job Rodney, let her do it.' John leaned on the desk and gave the scientist an encouraging look. 'Besides, there's a lot of stuff in here – you need the help.'
'I do not need any help.' He said indignantly. 'I am quite capable of doing it on my own.'
Zalenka entered with Troy and Griffin. 'We're here.' Troy said tiredly. 'What do you need us to do?'
'Nothing.' Rodney glared at the Ancient Pad.
Radik frowned. 'But you said you needed help-'
'Let me make this quite clear. I do not need any help-' Rodney said firmly, glaring at them.
'Who needs help?' Ronan entered with a puzzled expression, Teyla at his side.
'No one!' Rodney yelled.
'Help! Colonel!' A voice bellowed outside.
The group frowned. Rodney hung his head. 'Okay, so maybe some one needs help.' He raised his head as the tent emptied. 'But it's not me!'
Sheppard led the group out of the tent, searching for the source of the noise. He saw Captain Wallis being held up by Carson as they hobbled toward the group. Lorne and Lieutenant Harding emerged from the food tent and rushed over to their injured team mate.
'Carson!' John ran to them just as Captain Wallis stumbled to the ground, his leg torn to shreds. 'What happened?'
'Sir, something jumped out of the bushes and bit me.' Wallis informed him through clenched teeth.
'It was large and damned fast – the size of a small bear, except with bigger teeth and a hell of a lot more attitude.' Carson rushed. 'Wallis got a few shots off before the thing ran off, seemed to scare it. He couldn't get a clear shot though.'
John nodded and turned to the group. 'Separate scouts, Ronan and Teyla, Lorne and Harding. Stay in radio contact and don't go too far. If you find it, shoot first.'
The group split. Ronan and Teyla heading in one direction with Lorne and Harding heading in the other. John turned to the scientists. Chase jogged to help Carson with Wallis while Radik, Troy and Griffin exchanged nervous glances. 'Everyone get into the main tent and stay there, don't come out for anything.' He paused. 'Are you sure it was the size of a bear?'
Carson nodded. 'Aye, a small bear, but big enough to do damage. The Captain's lucky he didn't get his leg torn off.'
John nodded grimly and jogged to the tree line, apparently searching for the beast on his own. The group watched him go before heading inside. 'Wait! I need my med kit.' Carson exclaimed.
'Where is it?' Chase asked.
'It's in the food tent, under the buffet table.'
Chase nodded. 'Radik.' She allowed Radik to take Wallis off her hands. The scientists headed to the main tent and Chase jogged to the food tent.
She swept the material aside and headed for the buffet table, swerving behind it and kneeling, she moved a few boxes and packs with supplies in and found a medium-sized grey case with a red cross on the side. She snatched it from its snug little resting place and stood quickly. She froze, looking around the tent.
What is that? She heard a shuffle. A rustling. She couldn't locate the source of the sound. Where is it coming from?
She waited, her breathing fast, her heart pumping furiously against her ribcage. She could smell the fresh odour of the grass, could hear the gentle flapping of the tent in the breeze – but the noise she was focussed on was distinctive. It moved of its own will. Her immediate thought was Carson?
'Carson?' She walked along the buffet table. The noise was outside. She heard it again, it was closer. She stopped. 'Radik?'
She jumped as the noise sounded close to her, outside the back of the tent. Her eyes darted across the material and she took a step back, her hip hitting the buffet table.
Then she saw it – a shadow. Tall and broad, moving gracefully across the back of the tent. Without meaning to she whispered. 'Ronan?'
The form stopped and Chase knew that speaking was a mistake. The tent imploded, it rushed toward her, tearing with ferocity. She yelled with surprise as the form scraped through, claws flashing and biting at her skin. She was thrown back, over the table, landing hard on her arm and losing the med kit. She knew immediately that she was bleeding across her chest where it had swiped her, but she didn't have a moment to think on it as the thing pushed through the material towards its prey.
Dazed by the fall she looked up and saw it clamber onto the table with its front legs, snarling at her.
Carson hadn't been far off calling it a bear; it was large and furry with small black eyes and a snout. But its face resembled a dog – an ugly dog. The first thing that flew into her mind was a werewolf. A mouth full of teeth bared at her, drool glooped onto the ground at her side.
She watched it for a moment, body numb. Its shoulders moved dangerously, it was preparing. Chase suddenly found her senses and kicked the table leg; it gave way under the force of her boot and collapsed. The creature fell side ways onto the ground and Chase stumbled to her feet, swiping the med kit from the floor and rushing to the exit. But it was too fast; it rolled to its feet just as she had found hers and bounded across the space growling in frustration. An evasive prey was, apparently, not what it had been looking for.
It pounced onto her back and she fell under its weight, the med kit rolling under a table. It sliced her back and she cried in pain. It was so heavy; she could feel its hot fetid breath on her neck and jabbed her elbow into its face – once, twice, a third time. Finally the force of her blows forced it off her back. It shook its head stupidly whilst Chase clambered under the table with the med kit, grabbing it and emerging from the other side. She stood shakily in time to see it pounce, soaring through the air toward her, claws out stretched. She ducked, and the beast crashed into the table on her other side, a chair flying into her hip. Winded, she found that the few precious seconds she had that she could be running were spent fighting for air. When she finally stood, the beast had also recovered and began creeping toward her. One massive paw slowly placed in front of the other, stalking her as she moved around, trying to understand its next move. Its unnatural alien eyes pinned her with the knowledge that it wanted to tear her to pieces.
Chase looked to the exit of the tent, only glancing at it, and then turning her attention to the beast. She was sure that she saw figures running toward the tent - whether or not they would get here in time was a question about to be answered.
Gently, she dropped the med kit at her side, her hands straying slowly to her back. The animal paused, snarled, and leapt. Chase shouted with anger and brought a chair up from behind her and knocked the beast from the air. It fell to the floor immediately trying to upright itself, but Chase smashed the chair into its head, dropped it, picked up the bag and turned to the exit. Her hopes dropped through the floor. The beast blocked her exit, she had tossed it in the direction she needed to run out of.
The creature began to upright itself and Chase was tired. She was very tired. She hurt everywhere; sweat and blood sped down her front and back. There was no way to get out unless she moved it, but she couldn't see how. It was too fast and she was already past exhausted. She stumbled back as it stood and fell over a chair leg, landing hard on her back. Her eyes strayed to the back of the tent and she scolded herself. The thing had torn a great big hole in the back. Idiot!
She rushed to her feet, knowing she had wasted time, it was coming to its senses and it was not best pleased with her. She ran to the exit with the med kit flung over her shoulder, limping as she went, it roared after her, tearing across the tent. She turned the corner the moment she was outside and the beast skidded to a halt to follow her after it had leapt out into the open.
Chase ran as fast as she could, but even without her injuries, she could not out run the animal on open ground. It caught up with her easily and she looked back. It pounced, pinning her onto her back and sending the med kit flying. Chase put her hands underneath its chin and pushed, keeping the teeth away from her face. It roared and growled its protest, trying every way to get past her desperation to live.
The Scientists emerged from the tent fearfully and Carson rushed back inside. He came out a moment later with Wallis's side arm and hurried over to Chase. He raised the weapon.
A bright red blast hit it in the back followed quickly by another. The beast cried out in pain, but did not fall. Three blasts into its back closed its eyes and made it tumble to the ground. Chase was breathing heavily while the beast pinned her to the floor. For a moment, she could smell its odour, but it was not unpleasant. The beast smelled like flowers – it confused her, but only for a second. Ronan and Sheppard tore over and thrust the creature off of her, both of them helping her to her feet, taking an arm and practically lifting her off the ground to drag her into the main tent.
Captain Wallis watched as the two deposited her in a chair and Carson rushed in with the med kit at his side. 'Move please.' He immediately kneeled in front of her and looked into her eyes, checking the pupils. 'Sluggish, but responsive none the less. Ronan, pass me the bandages and the surgical spirit.'
Ronan obliged. All eyes were on Chase, covered in dirt and blood, the world around her nothing more than a blur.
John squatted by her side, inspecting a large gash in her arm. It was bleeding heavily, enough to make him worry. He looked up into her face. Her green eyes were blinking, as though she were too tired to remain conscious. Her head lolled onto her chest.
'Doc.' Sheppard warned. Carson turned from instructing Ronan what to do with the spirit and immediately checked her pulse. 'Rapid. She's not going anywhere Colonel, she's just tired. She's lost a lot of blood; also the adrenaline that was keeping her going is leaving her system, making her feel the pain and exhaustion. This – ' He took the top off of a needle and sucked a clear fluid out of a small bottle. ' – should help with the pain.' He gently pushed the needle into her arm.
Teyla and Zalenka watched on with frowns whilst Rodney gaped. Lorne and Lieutenant Harding jogged into the tent. 'Sir, the animal is secure – ' Lorne stopped when he saw Chase and surged forward. 'My god, is she gonna be okay?'
'She'll be fine. A few stitches here and there, one or two nasty scars for a few weeks, but she'll live.' Carson informed them.
Ronan stared down at Chase expressionless; Teyla couldn't tell what he was thinking. She saw his hand twirling his weapon absentmindedly, just watching. Then he looked to the floor and moved away to the back of the tent, concentrating solely on his weapon. Teyla frowned.
John lingered on inspecting her arm, fingers brushing her skin with a care. His hand took her shoulder gently and he stood, holding her protectively. 'Major.' He paused waiting for Lorne to respond, but he didn't, he only stared at Chase with a frown. 'Major.' Lorne snapped out of the trance and shifted his stance uncomfortably.
'Sir.' He replied.
'Take the Lieutenant and Ronan, secure the perimeter, I want to know if there are any more of those things in the area.' He ordered. Lorne nodded, looking back at Chase before exiting. Ronan followed without looking back. John glanced down at her and then at the rest of the group. 'Okay, for the moment we're gonna proceed with the belief that there aren't anymore of those things. So, Docs, get to work.' Troy, Griffen, Zalenka and Rodney merely stared at him.
'Just get back to work…? She's been torn to shreds! We need to get back to Atlantis!' Rodney exclaimed.
'That won't be necessary; I have the right equipment to deal with these injuries right here.' Carson said, applying a bandage to her arm. He looked up at the worried face. 'She's going to be fine. It looks worse than it really is.'
'Sir, we're gonna stay here with those things running around?' The Captain asked, wincing at his throbbing limb.
'Things? We're not talking plural yet, and we're also not talking about leaving until there are plural things.' John told him, inspecting his weapon before hastily holstering it and kneeling in front of Chase.
'So when we're all torn to tiny little pieces by an armada of evil alien bears – would that be the time that you say we can leave?' Rodney asked waspishly.
'How about you consider the possibility that there was only one of those things and that therefore moving the entire facility because of only one is not necessary.' John said pointedly.
Rodney paused. It took ages to set up this facility…if we moved, we'd have to start all over again…and I'd have to help with the heavy lifting. 'No, you're right, probably just one of them…a curious animal checking out the Earthlings…'Rodney said with a falsely bright voice. Carson rolled his eyes and John ignored him completely.
Radik put a hand on Rodney's shoulder before heading to a computer, Troy and Griffin followed. Rodney lingered with a slightly worried expression on his face before shaking his head and turning away, muttering. Teyla crossed to the Captain and smiled warmly, taking his hand and inspecting his wounded leg.
'I'm afraid the Captain will have to return to Atlantis, he's got a broken ankle and there's nothing I can do for that here – except keep it elevated and give him painkillers.' Carson informed Sheppard, cleaning the blood on Chase's chest.
'Don't suppose I could have some.' Wallis said through gritted teeth.
Carson did a double take. 'Oh, I'm so sorry Captain.' He crossed over with another needle. 'Don't know what I was thinking.'
'Don't worry about it; you got your hands full.' He said, looking at Chase unconscious on her chair. Sheppard stood by her and made sure she didn't fall off.
Suddenly, Chase opened her eyes and surged forward in her chair. John immediately dropped to the floor in front of her and held her fast. She breathed heavily, eyes darting around the room. She stopped when John looked up at her with a questioning eye – a caring eye.
'You okay?' He said gently.
She looked at the others in the room and nodded. 'Yeah. You did kill it, right?'
'Mostly Ronan did the killing, but I was there.' He said with a smile.
She smiled weakly. 'Can't feel anything – which by the look of me is a good thing.' She glanced down at her lap and saw the state of her clothes.
'I've brought a collapsible table with me; it's in the main tent. I'm going to sedate you and see to some of these wounds, alright?' Carson said kindly. Chase was in no state to argue and nodded wearily.
Teyla stepped forward. 'We heard the commotion and returned as quickly as we could.'
'Thanks, I'm pretty sure if you guys hadn't shown up, I would have been that things dinner.' She paused. 'What was it? Do we have a name for it yet?'
John shook his head. 'This planet is unpopulated by humans, so I guess we get to name 'em.' He said brightly.
'Good, well, since I nearly got eaten by the damn thing, I'm calling it a pain-in-my-ass-acus…has a nice ring to it, don't you think?' She began to stand from the chair shakily and John surged forward. She put a hand on his arm and when she had got her balance, she gently pushed him away. 'I'm okay, just a little shaky.'
Carson walked back into the tent with a collapsible table and smiled, setting it up toward the corner. 'Okay, Chris, would you hop on here for me?'
Chase obliged. John and Teyla stood by each other and watched Carson fill another needle. 'This is a heavy sedative, you'll be barely conscious. It'll allow you to feel what I'm doing, but there won't be any pain.' He paused and looked to Sheppard. 'I think she should go back with the Captain and get some x-rays to check for internal bleeding, I can treat her here, but I'd rather she get some rest in the safety of Atlantis. After that, I can't see any reason why she can't come back- unless, that is, we all go home and find somewhere else to do this experiment…a place where there aren't any man-eating werewolves.' He said lightly.
John nodded. 'Yeah.' He smiled at Chase and then turned to Teyla. 'I'm gonna check on Lorne – make sure he's not being eaten by a…pain-in-my-ass-acus…' He grinned at the group and left the tent.
Lorne had promptly secured the perimeter and then marched straight back to the main tent where Carson was finishing up the last of Chase's wounds. He checked in with the Captain and then set his sights completely on the unconscious form of Christina. He looked down at her face with a guilty expression, an expression which Carson pitied.
'Not to worry Major, she'll be fine.' He said kindly. 'Up and about in no time.'
Lorne nodded, but still, something haunted his face. Carson frowned. 'What is it?'
Lorne paused, unsure whether or not to tell the good Doctor for fear that it would reach Sheppard's ears. Carson immediately sensed this and firstly, he preened at the fact Lorne thought he and Colonel Sheppard were so close, and secondly he wanted to scold the Major for thinking he might leak something told to him in confidence. 'Major, I'll keep my mouth firmly shut, I promise.'
This seemed to be good enough for Lorne, and he spoke. 'When that thing attacked, we were ordered to go out and find it, no one stayed with the civilians.' He said guiltily.
Carson looked to the floor. Questioning orders was something he would never completely understand, all he could do was quell the mans concerns, and as a Doctor, he had a great deal of experience in doing that. 'It all happened so fast, and there was no reason to even consider that the beast would sneak back into the camp, not once there were people hunting for it – it was just a dense creature, Major, a dangerous one, but a creature none the less. Besides, we're not completely helpless.' He said confidently, wrapping up some spare bandage and packing it away. Lorne stared.
'Tell that to Chase.' He stated.
Carson paused. 'Aye, I suppose, but given the situation, she handled herself pretty well, didn't she?' Carson asked light-heartedly. Mr glass half-full, as always.
'Well? I can't believe she survived.' The Captain exclaimed, sitting up with a wince. 'Did you see the size of that bastard? I was lucky not to have my head taken off, let alone my foot.' He nodded at Chase. 'She did bloody well.'
They took a moment to look at her face as she slept – the stray blonde hairs, the high cheek bones, the curvy, pink lips –
'Yes, yes, yes! That's very nice – can you all be quiet now? I'm trying to work.' Rodney complained, throwing them looks of disgust. Lorne looked up with a frown and Carson continued packing.
Rodney, Radik, Griffen and Troy had continued the experiment throughout the morning, Rodney pushing them mercilessly. Radik had already gone through three flasks of coffee before the creature had attacked. Anymore and I'll be awake for Christmas, New Year and Easter. He thought bitterly.
Lorne walked forward with a slight swagger, his gun hanging over his shoulder with a relaxed position. Rodney could really push his buttons at times, and those were the times he was glad to have a very large gun by his side to intimidate the pipsqueak with. 'Okay, Doc, how long until all this is done?'
Rodney scoffed. 'Done? It's an extremely large and extremely dangerous scientific experiment, Major, it could take months to complete – if we ever complete it at all. I mean, all we're doing at the moment is setting the device up for testing and that's going to take days-' He rambled, Lorne held up a hand.
'Right.' He snapped; weary of the arrogance the man exuded. 'Don't let me keep you.'
'Well, if we could just have some silence – mh?' He said with a nasty eyeball.
Lorne glared before turning and nodding his respects to the Captain and Carson. He took one final look at Chase and left the tent. The Captain lay back down and shut his eyes whilst Carson shut his med kit, casting Rodney a weary look.
'We'll all be out of your hair soon Rodney. As soon as she's awake, I'll be taking the both of them back.' Carson stated coldly, and left the tent. Rodney glared at the exit and turned to his minions. Griffen and Troy hastily got back to work while Radik gave him a stern look over his glasses. What is his problem?
'What?' Rodney snapped. Radik turned back to his computer.