Dark Element
Time's Up

A dark world leads to the discovery of an Ancient long imprisoned by his own people. The team is placed in grave danger when Beckett sets him free.

"Have you run across any sign of them?"

The voice on the other end of the radio sounded pensive. A day had passed since the scheduled check-in was supposed to have taken place. Worried about her missing crew, Dr. Weir sent in a team to rescue the wayward band of Lanteans. It hadn't been the first time Lorne had been sent, and he doubted it would be the last. Going into this he hadn't known what to expect, but his assumption that circumstances couldn't be very dire was being tested just now. He tapped his earpiece to respond to her. "Our scanners show lifesigns within the complex, but our radios won't connect to anything. We would explore, but well, we're kind of stuck at the moment."

There was a pause, then, "Stuck? Can you explain that to me, Major?"

He sighed, sweeping his eyes along the empty room. His frustration mounted as he searched it. "The Stargate appears to open up in some sort of silvery antechamber. There are pillars and well, nothing else, really. Central to the room is some sort of bulkhead construct arranged in a square formation." Lorne shrugged even though Weir couldn't see him. "We don't know what's inside it, but it's big."

"Major!" a voice called from the other side of the bulkheads. Lorne wandered around to where one of his team stood, pointing to an opening in the wall. "Sir, I found this panel in the wall. It appears to be a small terminal, sir."

The Major examined in closely, then tapped his earpiece again. "Dr. Weir, we have what looks to be some sort of control panel here. I request you send Dr. Zelenka to have a look at it."

"Is it safe?" she asked him.

Lorne inhaled a deep breath. "So far it couldn't be safer. No sign of hostiles, no sign of a way out of this place, or anything except for the Stargate. We're gonna need technical help if we're to find the Colonel."

"All right," Weir replied, sounding reluctant to trust the fates of even more of her crew to this planet. Yet one had to do what one had to do. "Keep me informed, Major. Watch your backs. Weir out."

Brow knit, Lorne examined the panel for himself until he heard the Stargate's liquid motion. The blue shining of the event horizon admitting another Lantean made the walls shimmer, then stilled with footsteps heading towards his position. He peered around the bulkhead and saw the Czech scientist head towards him with a grave expression. "Welcome to the fun," he greeted. "And by fun I mean long moments of gazing around you, wondering what in the hell to do with this empty room."

Zelenka smirked as he bent over to look at the panel. "Thank you, Major. At least I will be able to tease Rodney about not being able to figure his way out of this one himself." He glanced up briefly. "Strange. I never tire of that."

"I could imagine."

The scientist prodded the terminal, then crouched. Lorne supposed he was getting comfortable because they were going to be here for a while. He turned towards the Lieutenant that had called him, who was studying an Ancient scanner in his hand. "You say this place is broken up into five different buildings?"

The officer nodded, pointing. "There are four lifesigns here. That could account for 80 of our crew. Where the remaining person is, I couldn't guess. There appears to be several settlements in the area, though."

"Is there any way to tell how thick these walls are?" Lorne peered around. "We may have to resort to digging our way out if we can't find the way out."

"Unfortunately, this chamber is underneath the ground. I would assume behind that bulkhead is some sort of turbolift, or stairs, but without opening it..." He gave Lorne a very serious look. "As far as digging, sir, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but my scanner shows one monster storm going on in this part of the world. And I mean bad, Major. I'm not sure it would be a good idea to venture out into it."

A reply was forestalled by Zelenka's sudden eruption of his native tongue. He waved his arms. "This is ridiculous. I'm doing everything I know to do, yet I get nothing!" He went back to attacking the panel.

His frustration mounting, Lorne gazed at the scanner, at the four dots on the screen that represented four lives. The Czech scientist was working furiously with the panel, but the bulkheads remained steadfastly in the way. This was not going to be a good day. He could feel it in his bones. "Well, storm or no storm, we're going to find a way out of this room and search for our people. Analyze the composition of those walls and let's start thinking about getting some C4 down here. Zelenka?"

The scientist turned towards him after a moment. "Yes, Major?"

"Please, try your best to make explosives entirely unnecessary, would you? I really just want to get through this bulkhead and into the complex." Lorne gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'll give you an hour."

"I shall do my best." Zelenka gave him a dark little grin. "Believe me, if for no other reason than to rub Rodney's nose in it."

The Major laughed. "I like your thinking." He turned towards the rest of the rescue team. "All right, people. We've got ourselves a situation here. I want solutions, so any idea, no matter how remote it seems, please bring it to either my attention or that of Dr. Zelenka." He activated his radio again. "Lorne to Weir."

"Weir here," he voice responded hopefully over the signal. "Tell me you have good news, Major."

He shook his head with a sigh, hating to have to disappoint her. "No such luck, Dr. Weir. Dr. Zelenka is working on our little panel problem, but I'm starting to wonder if a little brute force might be necessary towards getting us out of this room."

"Brute force? Can you use brute force and keep the Stargate safe?"

Lorne looked around him. "There are some distant areas in this room. I think if we controlled our efforts we could accomplish our goals, however I'm giving Zelenka the benefit of an hour to figure this out before we start thinking of other measures. However, Lieutenant Darren informs me there's some sort of storm going on topside. Of the distinctly violent type, apparently. Given that we don't fully understand what we're walking into at this point, I recommend you send a few medics through the Stargate to remain on standby just in case."

"All right, Major. I'll send the appropriate equipment through momentarily." She paused for a second, then said, "Be careful. Weir out."

Rubbing his forehead, Lorne turned towards Zelenka and watched in quiet expectation. He supposed 'easy' was a lot to ask for, but there was always a first time for everything.

A scream startled Rodney out of his somewhat fuzzy sleep. He drew his heavy eyelids open halfway, murmured, "Not now, Cynthia," then curled against the cold, stone wall. A shiver caused the physicist to reach for the blankets. At that time a great problem chose that moment to make itself known. There were no blankets. He fumbled around and came up with nothing. And why was he in pain?

Another scream forced him out of his semi-conscious state. Not that that was saying much. McKay opened his eyes and sat up quickly, only to be forced back down by a massive wave of dizziness. Oh, he thought, looking at the depressingly dingy white ceiling above him. He wasn't at home and Cynthia—an old girlfriend who had been known to scream in bed with him once in a while (though it wasn't nearly as glamorous as it sounded, seeing as she suffered from night terrors)—wasn't trying to prod him out of his repose.

McKay sat up again, this time taking things slowly. The lights were back on, but oh how he wished they weren't. And where was Carson? He grabbed the bars nearby and looked into the cell for his friend. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach when he recalled last night. The doctor couldn't be… McKay shook his head, unwilling to even think it. Carson was alive. A moan filtering through the air testified to that much, making the physicist heave a sigh of relief.

Aerien was out and about, it seemed. Upon rising Rodney could see the Ancient standing with his back towards the cell. The physicist thought with great fondness of the idea of tossing a dagger Bond-style into that back. Their host was up to no good, that much was certain, and McKay was going to find out just what was going on. He took a step, had to wait out another blood loss related dizzy spell, and then sort of lurched his way towards the window. At least he thought he was lurching, but he couldn't be totally sure on the technical aspect of that.

What the hell am I thinking? he growled mentally at himself, stopping when he realized his thoughts had wandered. He shook his head and focused on his footsteps.

Peering out the small window showed him a view that filled him with panic again. Carson was convulsing on a nearby table. Sheppard was stretched out near him, fully conscious and cursing at the Ancient that was hovering above. All thoughts of sarcasm flew out of McKay's brain. "What the hell is going on?" he hissed, throwing a hand towards Carson. "What's wrong with him?"

"Shut up, McKay," Aerien responded coldly. He went on with scanning Sheppard.

"He's letting Carson die!" the Colonel growled, trying fruitlessly to pull at the bonds around his wrists. "Damn you, Aerien, what do you want?"

The Ancient did not reply. Ignoring the writhing doctor and his two flustered friends, he stood by with a dark expression on his face. Meanwhile Carson was shaking so hard Rodney worried he would fall off the gurney he was on.

He wanted to break out of his prison, wanted to go to the aid of his friend, wanted to murder Aerien without so much as a 'by your leave', but could do nothing as he watched Carson thrash. Rodney rubbed the stubble on his chin, his eyes wide and locked onto Carson's deathly pale face. God, this is really it, he caught straying through his thoughts, after which he quickly admonished himself. No. He wasn't going to give up on his friend. "Do something!" he yelled at the Ancient. "Carson, can you hear me?"

There was no response, save for the soft moans he made as the pain wracked his body.

"If he dies, so help me, Aerien," Sheppard whispered in dark tones. McKay saw the Colonel's fists clench and unclench. His friend did not have the strength to continue his threat, however. Sheppard's chest heaved with labored breathing.

It wouldn't have mattered if he had completed the death sentence on the Ancient or not. Aerien paid him no mind, focusing on other matters as he lifted a needle into the light. He examined the quantity of the dark liquid within, then turned back towards Beckett with a grim expression. "What are you going to do to him?" Rodney growled, reaching through the bars to no avail. He kicked the wall separating him from the infuriating Ancient. Was he going to finish the doctor off finally? The scientist shook his head at the surreal situation he was in. Why was this happening to them? They were the heroes, the good-guys in white. They weren't supposed to die.

The doctor's hands tightened around the sheet beneath him. Sweat poured down his skin. As Aerien pressed the needle into his arm, Carson let out a groan. The sound was excruciating to listen to. Rodney closed his eyes, trying to blot out the sounds coming from his friend as he lay beneath the Ancient's ministrations.

The Ancient tossed the needle away when it was emptied into Carson's veins, then held him by the shoulders to keep him still. Carson jerked against the hands keeping him pinned. Unable to keep his eyes off the drama going on, Rodney looked again and could see his friend's lashes fluttering open and shut. He had no way of knowing whether or not Carson was completely conscious of what was happening to him. He prayed not. He prayed if he had to go, it would be peacefully.

Carson threw his head back and let out another agonized cry like that which had awakened McKay. Sheppard had his eyes shut, but the tension in his body revealed he was still awake, still listening to everything. "Another moment," the Ancient muttered, still holding the doctor to the gurney. Rodney could do nothing but watch wordlessly.

After an eternity of waiting he began to notice something, though. Carson's shaking was dying down. The physicist covered his mouth, hoping beyond hope this wasn't a bad sign.

"That's it," Aerien said gently, pressing his hand to Beckett's forehead when the doctor went moderately still. He stared at his captive with an emotionless expression. "That's better, isn't it?"

"It hurts. I c-can't…" Carson whispered as if begging for an end to it. McKay felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. Leaning his hand against the wall for support, he gazed out of the cell window. Sheppard had opened his eyes to look as well.

The Ancient continued speaking in sinuous, soft tones. "I can do nothing for the pain. Dr. Beckett, time is running out for you. I may have saved you from death now, but I won't continue to let you live if you refuse to serve."

"What the hell are you doing to him?" Sheppard asked, trying to hold in his anger for the time being. McKay recognized that expression, those tight lips and that pensive brow. "What did you just give him?"

Aerien looked up tiredly. "Dr. Beckett's body is giving up, I am afraid. I gave him the antidote to the drug that affected him so terribly. I had hoped by now to use him. Unfortunately, the body cannot handle the stress of energy modification as well as I would like. I have tried to make my subjects strong enough to withstand longer experiment periods, but," his expression went dim, "it never seems to work."

McKay felt his pulse rate increase an unpleasant notch. "Well, maybe that's because you don't have the faintest idea of what the hell you're doing!" he snapped at the Ancient viciously. "Seriously! Believe me when I say you are never going to be a god! Get over it!"

"Be quiet," Aerien groaned, rubbing his forehead. He watched Carson shiver with the emotional attachment of a stone. "Won't you surrender yourself, Beckett? With the knowledge I could gain from you, we could save so many lives. Don't you understand?"

"Ya want ta kill me," Carson responded weakly. "I'm no fool."

The Ancient laughed lightly. "What is death compared to understanding the building blocks of life?" He shook his head. "You will die sooner or later, if not by service than by vengeance. But if you give yourself to me, if you commit yourself to this, I can stop death for millions! Don't you see that? If I understand the manipulation of energy I could even rebuild you!"

"Don't listen to him," Sheppard interjected, his jaw set and his hands curled tightly. His patience had run dry. Contempt colored the glare he had fixed on the Antient. "He's insane, Carson. You think he cares about you enough to rebuild you? Bull. Don't give him what he wants."

Carson closed his eyes. "I'm so tired."

Aerien gave Carson's shoulder a friendly rub that made Rodney what to tear his arm off. "You can rest, Carson. But I want you to think about it. Do you honestly think if I could stop death I would keep this knowledge to myself? I want to remake Aila. I need to. And if I can do that, I will bring you back to repay your selfless sacrifice. I could stop this deadly disease we call time right in its tracks! Would that not give your life the meaning you so desire?"

"Aye," the doctor breathed distantly, as if he were half asleep.

"You're confusing him," Rodney realized aloud, staring at Aerien. "You're trying to get him to give in. You're a damn liar. What did you put in that drug?"

"All I said was true, McKay," the Ancient retorted sharply to the contrary. "From he and Sheppard I am trying to learn the secrets of creating energy. I would bring him back to you."

McKay shook his head, shock and fear making the tips of his fingers grow cold. "Create energy? No, no, no. The Law of Conservation of Matter, which any Ancient kindergartener probably knew back in the days of yore, states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only modified. You're not going to be creating anything, pal."

Aerien watched him a moment, then his lips twitched. "You really like to hear yourself talk, don't you?"

"Funny, I could say the same about you," McKay spat back at him. "So what about Sheppard, then? Is he dying too, or what? I'd like to know what to expect and while I'm at it, when are you going to kill me?"

Aerien smiled at the Colonel. "He is not dying, McKay, though it will be some time before you are useful to me again, my friend. The transfer of energy wore you completely out." He stopped to take Carson's pulse a moment, then turned back to Rodney with a speculative look. "You, however, are in prime condition."

"Y-yeah, if you call being starved until your sugar goes out of whack um…prime condition," Rodney stammered nervously. He didn't like the look in Aerien's eyes. As the Ancient approached his window, the scientist backed off. "I could drop dead any minute you know. Don't look at me like that."

The Ancient cocked his head. "Why?"

McKay glowered. "Because your damn ugly face is making me queasy." He jerked back in alarm when Aerien put his hand on the windowsill.

Aerien laughed, however. "I need a new conduit, unless you would prefer I use Sheppard again. However, that will ensure he will die, sooner rather than later." He threw a glance over his shoulder. "I'll make you a deal, sugar boy. Serve as my conduit this final time and Sheppard will not only live, but I will feed you both. Do not serve and I will be forced to use the Colonel again, and then turn my attention on energy-matter creation and destruction upon you."

As Aerien turned away, McKay fought the urge to reach through the bars and grab hold of the Ancient to throttle him. He went to Carson's bed and whispered a few things the scientist just couldn't make out no matter how hard he tried, then departed with another glance in his direction.

The door shut with a heavy clang. Sheppard looked over at the doctor between he and McKay gravely. "Doc? How ya feeling?"

"I wasn't cut out for this, John," he whispered weakly. Rodney sighed at the response and leaned back against the bars, too tired to look out. "I been feelin' it for the longest time. S'why he's doin' this ta me. 'Cause he knows I'll break."

"Stop it, Carson," Rodney heard the Colonel respond firmly. The physicist glared at the wall, hoping whatever inspirational speech his friend was going to give would help him too. "Don't you let him convince you of that, Doc. That's an order." So much for the universal pep talk, Rodney thought cynically.

"I'm no' military," the doctor reminded Sheppard gently, his voice trailing off.

"The order still stands and don't you think I won't enforce it." Rodney, who had assumed he was forgotten and had started for his bunk, stopped short when Sheppard called, "Hey, McKay!"

He turned back. "What?"

The Colonel gave him a grave expression. "I think now would be an awfully good time to get that lock figured out, don't you? Wanna try again?"

Rodney rolled his eyes, but obediently shoved his arm out of the window, fingers seeking the lock. "I can try, but I'm telling you this computer is as crazy as he is. I wouldn't be surprised if he configured it to unlock to the command to lock it. Hey, wait a minute…" He touched the keypad with a brand-spanking-new theory.

A few moments later the latch came undone and the door jarred open. "My god, he is so stupid!" McKay said gleefully. "I could almost love him for that."

"Don't tell me you commanded that thing to lock," Sheppard said with an incredulous expression.

McKay waved his hand, moving to Carson's side. "Don't be silly, Colonel. No. See, I've noticed sometimes the Ancients would use specific mathematical equations as pass codes to different things. There have been quite a few of them that repeated, suggesting a certain standard used for different purposes. I had cycled through a few of those the first try I made to no avail. But then that little remark I just made… I'm so smart I astound myself sometimes."

Sheppard rolled his eyes. "Get to the point before my strength comes back or you'll be sorry, I promise."

"Anyway, I just tried some of those sequences backwards, and voila! Even as his mind, so are his passwords. Can you believe that?"

"Yeah, I'm shocked." Sheppard's voice was significantly dryer than usual.

Rodney didn't care. His adrenaline was pumping now, despite how awful he felt otherwise. They were going to get out of here. "Carson, how are you?" he asked gently, looking down into his friend's crystal eyes.

"Proud o'ya," Carson breathed, reaching up with a pale smile. He touched Rodney's hand. "Get John an' go."

The physicist shook his head. "Don't be stupid. We're all getting out of here."

"Don't waste yer time. I'm dyin'." He took a shuddering breath.

"Then you'll die on Atlantis," McKay retorted with a note of finality. "Probably when I give you more of my chicken. After you recover, don't worry. I swear, Carson. You're gonna suck the melodrama right to the last drop, aren't you?"

Carson glared up as Rodney clumsily tried to ease him into a sitting position. "And yer gonna get my fist in yer jaw if ya don't shut it, son." He nearly fell forward into his friend. "S'no good. I canna go on."

McKay eased him back onto the gurney. "Okay, walking is out. So I'll roll you out on this gurney. Both of you. Colonel?"

Taking a breath, Sheppard grinned. "I could see it now. When we pass Aerien's quarters we could wave as he looks up from his memoirs because the sound of the squeaky wheels drew his attention."

"Funny. It's better than nothing," Rodney defended himself.

The Colonel nodded in concession, then looked down at his wrists. "Get me out of this thing. I've got another idea."

The cuffs were a different story than unlocking the cell door had been. With Carson he had lucked out; Aerien had left the doctor unbound, probably seeing him as too weak to escape. With Sheppard McKay could only fall back on his lock-picking skills, which were significantly lessened with one arm out of commission. He frantically searched the drawers for anything even remotely useable and settled on a strange little pick that reminded him uncomfortably of the dentist.

A few clicks later Sheppard was free. He was not exactly brimming with energy, but he did manage to get to his feet before falling against the gurney.

"Crap," McKay hissed, scratching his head. "Well, get on the gurney."

Sheppard shook his head. "Find me a weapon."

"A what?"

"You heard me."

"Great," Rodney muttered, riffling through the drawers. He found one locked and used the same backwards command password to open it. What he saw made him whistle. "This is a good day." He reached in and pulled out the P-90 that was on top of a stack of other weapons, probably from other victims. Taking another gun out of the drawer for himself, one of the Colonel's smaller ones, he handed over the P-90 and asked, "What's the plan?"

Sheppard checked his ammo and made sure the safety was off. "The plan is you get Carson the hell out of here. I'm staying behind to have a little word with Aerien."

Rodney's jaw dropped. "You're not serious. He'd kill you before you get that word out."

The other man shook his head. "No. Because I don't mean a word, exactly, as much as I mean I couple dozen bullets to the brain the second I see him. We can't let this guy live, Rodney. Think about it. So we get back to Atlantis. Then what?"

"But…"

"No buts." He pointed towards the door. "You'll have to come back for Teyla and Ronon anyway, so don't think I'm pulling a Doc and saying my goodbyes. You're gonna come back for me, 'cause if I have to crawl back to the gate I'm going to be very unhappy. Got it?"

McKay frowned. He got it all right. He just didn't like it. But he recognized the expression on Sheppard's face. "Good luck," he said, moving back to Carson.

The Colonel nodded once. "You too."

Oh no! The humans are loose! ;-) Thanks all for the lovely reviews from last chapter. +sniffles+ Shall I hand out Ronon cookies this time?