Dark Element
Into Battle

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

The first time for an easy end to any given mission Lorne was handed was not today. The end of the hour he had given Zelenka had come and gone with assurances from the scientist that he could figure this out. It wasn't until half past that, with strange hissing noises made in a tongue other than the Major's native one, that something hopeful had happened. "Ha!" Zelenka shouted, lifting his hands in victorious celebration.

Lorne perked up from where he was sitting, leaned against the wall. "You get the bulkheads figured out?"

The Czech shook his head with a glance over his shoulder. "Well, no. But I did finally get it off this stupid utility screen it got stuck on. It's been bugging me for at least a half an hour now."

"Dr. Zelenka," Lorne groaned, pushing himself off the wall. He didn't have the stomach for such a disappointment.

Zelenka tapped the console a few times, lifting a finger to forestall any hasty decisions. "Give me just a…just a…yes." He turned around.

The bulkheads shuddered and began to lift. Lorne gaped in shock. "Doc?"

"I did it!" Zelenka said with a smile that faded almost as fast as it had appeared. "Well, at least I assume I did it."

"What?"

The scientist shook his head. "Nothing. What matters is that they are gone." He pushed his glasses up his nose and watched the bulkheads move to reveal an empty platform. Zelenka moved to stand in the new patch of floor, looking surprised as he directed his gaze upwards. "Look at this. Transport rings." He scratched his cheek.

"Just where is this going to send us?" Lorne asked, consulting his scanner.

Zelenka shrugged. "I couldn't tell you."

The Major looked at him. "Couldn't you have found a map? Just what were you doing all this time, anyway?" he asked suspiciously.

Raising his hands in defense, the Czech replied, "It was a complicated process. I assure you that you would not understand."

Suddenly Lorne swore, watching the dots on the scanner move. "There are two more life signs," he murmured gravely. "That makes our team, plus one more."

"Yes, well, good luck," Zelenka told him just a little hastily. He backed away from the transporter. "I will activate the controls once you step onto the pad, then remain and guard the Gate."

Lorne considered it, then shook his head. "I might need you on the other side. There's no guarantee McKay's in any condition to help us get back if we should run into another problem."

A little crestfallen, but resigned to the inevitable, Zelenka joined the team with a sigh. They gathered together and white light engulfed them at the push of a button. Much to everyone's collective relief there was no one on the other side that posed a threat. There wasn't much of anything save shelves lined with books and hardware. Lorne glanced at his scanner. "No one's in this part of the complex. Dr. Zelenka, can that transporter take us anywhere else?"

"Unfortunately, no," the scientist replied. "It is only set to a single location. Given time and the right equipment I could make it go elsewhere, but…"

"Yeah." Lorne pointed to a terminal across the way. "Why don't you take a look at that."

The Czech was already on his way, however, even as the Major completed his sentence. Zelenka assumed the position and after a little banging around looked up. "You're not going to like this."

He hadn't expected to. "What is it?"

"The power is off in the section my scanner is showing the life signs." He shook his head. "There is another set of transport rings on the other side of the hallway behind me, and it may take you where the others are, but I doubt it will bring you back without power."

"Can you get the power back?"

Zelenka pursed his lips. "I don't know. If the storm physically cut off the link between the ZPM and the building, I doubt it. I may be able to send power through the rings themselves."

Lorne let out a breath, then glanced at the Ancient device in his hand. He watched the dots on the screen speculatively. One had remained stagnant for as long as Lorne had watched. Two headed in that direction. Two more that had been part of four were now holed up in one area, one still and the other pacing. That left one last life form. This one had been separate from all the rest for the longest time and had remained unmoving until a moment ago. Now it was closing in on the two that were waiting. "Things are going on over there, Dr. Zelenka. It's a chance we're going to have to take." He looked up gravely. "Stay here and work on it."

Zelenka nodded once. "Good luck, Major." This time he said it in all sincerity.

That was good because Lorne had the nasty feeling they were going to need it.

The window at which Carson was seated overlooked the sea. He did not count this a good thing at this particular moment in time. Not when he could see said sea heaving back and forth, each forth bringing it uncomfortably closer. When a particularly hard gust of wind sent a splash of water crashing against the window he accidentally let out a squeak that he was very glad Rodney hadn't been there to hear.

"Ah, lass," he said, shifting in the chair as he watched a tree limb narrowly miss crashing into the glass. "I don't know about you, but this is makin' me a wee bit nervous."

Teyla shared his worry; he could see it by the expression she wore. "Ronon and I saw evidence there is a shield protecting the building, which would make sense if this place as been here for ten thousand years. However, if this one has no power…" She trailed off somewhat ominously.

"Then we're in a spot o'trouble, I'd say," he finished for her, blinking as a barrage of lightening flashes assaulted his eyes. "I wonder if Rodney and Ronon got to John a'right."

"Was John hurt as well?"

Carson nodded. "Aye, lassie. Seems our new friend had pain ta hand out ta us all three. If you and Ronon had been there…honestly, I'm not sure who woulda won the battle. I'd like ta think Ronon woulda knocked his head off, but Aerien…" He let out a breath, then decided to change the subject. "So, what happened ta ya both, anyway? Rodney said ya were trapped in some sort of bunker?"

With a sigh Teyla paced a few feet in front of the doctor, then turned back. "He was not wrong. We were trapped in the dark for what seemed forever. Dr. McKay had opened an air shaft that led to the surface, fortunately, or we would probably still be down there."

"How did ya manage ta escape, then?" he asked her, eyebrow quirked.

She motioned towards the window with a decidedly less than thrilled expression. "The storm flooded a nearby stream. In turn it flooded our bunker until we could swim through the shaft and make our way to safety. It was a very wet, very nervous experience."

The doctor widened his eyes, shuddering in his seat. "Love, that's terrible!"

"Yes," she agreed readily. "If I never have to swim again I will not be saddened, I think." Teyla crossed her arms and looked outside. "There are people here, you know. It is how we found you. A villager brought us."

A well of fear opened up in Carson's stomach. If there were people here then that meant Aerien could have a whole host of victims to murder in the name of science. The idea horrified the doctor. "I had no idea," he murmured, mostly to himself.

Teyla nodded. "They call your Aerien the 'dark one'. Apparently there are local legends about him stealing souls."

It was uncomfortably accurate and Carson looked away from her. "Aye. That's about the way of it."

"Are you all right?"

The question made him close his eyes as if he could hide. But he couldn't hide from her friendship any more. He nodded slowly, forcing himself to meet her worried gaze. "I'll be a'right. He jus' showed me things about meself I didna want ta see."

Teyla's eyes took on a familiar understanding light. "We all have flaws. It is the bane of our existence. Yet we show our true strength of character when we decide those flaws will not stop us from doing what is right."

"Thank ya, love," he replied gently, touched by her words of wisdom. It would be a while before he could convince himself of that truth and stop beating himself up for his faults, but through his friendships he was starting to really believe it was possible, no matter what Aerien had shown him.

Thunder roared outside as if angry with his realization that peace was possible. The Athosian moved to the window and pressed her hand against the glass as if it would impart some sort of understanding about the storm to her. "I have never seen such violence in the weather. It is as if the world itself is angry."

How close to the truth could that be, Beckett wondered, as he watched a single drop fall down the window two inches before being swept into five hundred others.

He wasn't the only one that agreed. "Perhaps the world is angry." The voice was soft, thoughtful, and so close chills ran up through Carson's spine. The Ancient was there at his right shoulder, having entered without either of the Lantean's knowing.

Teyla whipped around with wide eyes, but her surprise did not stall her reflexes. As Aerien reached for her she swept his arm off to the side, then threw her knee towards his stomach. The Ancient was quick, though, and dodged most of the blow, taking it to the hip instead. As Aerien flipped off to the side he grabbed Teyla by the arms, knocking her off balance. She tumbled and he sent the back of his hand into her cheek.

Carson pushed himself up at her cry of pain, determined to not stand on the sidelines while his friend was hurt. Anger pulsed through him, but unfortunately that was not enough to overcome his weakness. Aerien saw him move and was quick to throw the doctor down to the floor where he hit hard, letting out a gasp.

His companion was on her feet already, and successfully landed a kick in the Ancient's turned back. Aerien fell over Carson's legs, hit the floor, then rolled to his back with a vicious snarl. The doctor yanked himself out of harm's way as Teyla rushed to finish the job she had started.

There was just one problem. Her gun was on the floor. Carson saw it and made for it, relief flooding through him when his warm hand met the cold metal. He twisted and took aim, but Aerien was onto him. He kicked the weapon out of the doctor's hand, winning a shout of pain. The gun hit the ground and bounced, landing at Aerien's feet. The Ancient kicked Teyla as she lunged for the weapon, then swept it into his own hands.

The storm outside faded away from his thoughts as Carson watched in horror as Aerien drew his leg back and kicked her so hard she flew back a few feet. She screamed and the doctor's heart constricted. All breath left his body as he tried to see how she was. He had heard something crack, and panic fused him as he wondered what it was. "Teyla?" he asked, barely able to put voice to it. She was curled in a ball, favoring her left arm. Aerien knelt by her side, touching the side of her face gently as she shivered. "Don't you touch her!" Carson hissed, dragging himself up on hands and knees.

Aerien ignored him as he tangled her hair into his fingers and slammed her head against the floor, stealing her consciousness away. Then he straightened and jerked Carson up the rest of the way. Shoving him towards the door, he growled, "Move," and took aim at the doctor's head.

"I can', ya bloody fool!" he yelled, turning to meet his fate head on.

The Ancient would have none of that. He took hold of Carson's shirt, entwining it around his fingers as he shoved his victim forward on stumbling feet, saying, "Then I'll drag you."

Somehow in the pitch hallways outside the room they had just left Teyla in Aerien knew where to go. Carson had no idea what was going on or where they would end up. He could barely see, could barely think straight as he focused on keeping himself moving. His body ached in protest, but a cold nose of a gun at the base of one's skull had a way of making one do things he couldn't otherwise do. So he suffered the Ancient's mad drive towards their ultimate goal as best he could.

And when he fell Aerien made good on his word. Reaching down, he took Carson's arm and pulled him along the blackened halls, keeping him moving like some sort of animal on a leash. For a few feet Carson couldn't keep up; his hands and knees scraped along the floor painfully as he was forced forward. When he could finally force himself back to his feet a wave of dizziness threatened to knock him back down, but Aerien kept him walking even then.

He was barely aware of his surroundings until Aerien let him drop to the floor to jerk open a glass exit. Carson fell to his knees as freezing wind and rain washed over him. He threw his head back and looked out at the torrent awaiting him.

Aerien did not care. He was beyond insanity it seemed, for his destination lay out in the blustery wild. He pulled the doctor up again and forced him into the elements. Carson wrapped his arms around himself as the rain pounded down on him. It took mere seconds for him to get soaked to the bone.

At the end of a muddy path they came upon a small building near what appeared to be a dead garden. Aerien hurled Carson into the darkness inside, then closed the glass behind him. "It is time, Dr. Beckett, for your final gift to me. I will have your energy whether or not you choose to give it to me, I promise you that. But if you do not cooperate," his pale eyes flashed as lightening brightened the room momentarily, "then so help me I will torture your friends unto madness."

Carson ran his hands through his wet hair as Aerien went about the room lighting a few of his large candles. So this was it. This was to be his last stand or last sacrifice. He swallowed hard, knowing his strength would fail him if he tried to escape now. "How did a find us?" he whispered, trying to keep Aerien talking so he could think, do anything to stall the final moment until something could stop it. He looked up at the Ancient from where he sat on the floor.

"Are you implying the transport rings were not the first obvious place?" Aerien snapped in distaste. He shot a look at the doctor. "If you wish to know, however, I will tell you. I could sense you." He smiled. "A fortunate side effect of our interesting link. I knew when you left the infirmary and I felt when your surprise when your friends found you. I feel the fear that is causing you to shake even now."

"And where is this?" Carson continued, ignoring the implication. "Why did ya bring me here?"

Aerien turned with a finality about his expression that made Carson shiver. "These were Aila's quarters. I brought Sheppard here to give him life. I bring you here to die."

"Can' we talk about this?" Carson said, backing away as Aerien approached him. A wall against his back stopped any further retreat. "Killin' me isn' goin' ta bring her back, Aerien. Ya know that, don't ya?"

The Ancient laughed, kneeling before the doctor with shining eyes. "You have no idea what I am capable of." He reached for Carson then, moving his palms towards his temples.

Carson shoved his hands against Aerien's shoulders, forcing the Ancient back, causing him to fall to the side. He wasn't going to let this happen without a fight. Not ever again. Rodney and John believed in him. It was time he fought for that, even if he died protecting that belief.

And so he threw himself at the gun that Aerien had pocketed, tearing at the long coat in an attempt to take it back. The Ancient had the audacity to grin at this sudden ferocity. He kicked Beckett in the side, sending him sprawling to the floor, but in an instant Carson made ready to defend himself. Rolling onto his back, he caught Aerien as he attempted to pin him down, taking his jacket and throwing him off to the side. Aerien fell from being knocked off balance.

"There is no escaping this!" the Ancient shouted at him, picking himself up off the floor. He looked down at Carson. "Don't you see what we could do together?"

On his knees, water dripping down him, lungs fighting for every breath, Carson glared darkly at the man standing over him. "You're not goin' ta do this ta me, Aerien. I'm not goin' ta let ya."

Aerien let out a shriek of laughter, then drew his leg back. Before Carson knew what hit him he was on the floor, pain throbbing through his jaw and radiating all through him. He was dimly aware of being rolled onto his back, then of a sudden weight on his midsection as the Ancient held him down like some sort of vampire getting ready to feed.

Hands smoothed his hair back, then pressed against his temples. "You're going to help me get her back," Aerien growled low.

"No, lad, I won't," Carson whispered. He groaned as the familiar waves began throbbing through his head. With every last ounce of strength he pushed his hands against Aerien, trying to get him off. It wasn't going to be enough. Carson knew it even as he lifted his hands, but he was determined to fight until the end. He let what the Ancient was doing to him fade away and became aware of the little things, like the sound of the rain, slowing of his heart, the blood trickling down his jaw.

And he was aware of Aerien's wearing down. He had no conduit and was subject to the exhaustion of trying to steal energy from a victim that was fighting him every step of the way. The Ancient hissed angrily when he noticed just how hard the doctor fought the mental assault. After a long strong of moments he pulled away, gasping.

They shared eye contact in a private battle of wills until finally Aerien knew he was not going to frighten Carson into giving in. He looked almost hopeless for a second, closing his eyes as he hovered there above the doctor. And that's when Carson slammed his fist into the side of his head.

Aerien fell long enough for him to tear the gun out of his pocket. He sat up as Carson, now on his knees, aimed for his forehead with shaking hands. The Ancient laughed. "Are you going to kill me, bright creature?" he asked sarcastically.

Carson nodded once and fingered the trigger. "Aye."

As always, thankies:-)