Here is the next chapter. Hope you all like it. Hope not too much Shep whump. I actually changed it a bit in places based on some feedback. I hope that for those of you who liked it as it was, it does not change it too drastically, but the poison bullet stays and next chapter will include just a bit more pain for Shep. Thanks to my beta Comanche-Antigo. She saved me from a glaring mistake about ascension.
Chapter 15-Naughty Cousin
McKay was hurrying toward the throne room when he heard foot-steps behind him. Hurried footsteps. He turned and saw Sheppard running down the hall with Ronon and a small guard contingency. "What's going on?" McKay asked, looking horrified at his bloody and dirty friend. Sheppard looked at him intently as he came to a halt.
"You okay?" Sheppard asked him.
"Yeah, fine. I was on my way to check…"
"Did you see anyone?" Sheppard interrupted.
"No, just you," Rodney answered suspiciously. "Look, Carson should really…"
"I'm fine," Sheppard said, staring past him as he moved to open the large wooden doors. Ronon glanced at McKay then quietly followed Sheppard as he opened the doors that led out to the main courtyard, where he had first touched the stone and had been crowned. McKay followed them outside, where it continued to rain.
McKay then realized what was happening. Sheppard stood ahead of his men looking across the courtyard at a man McKay had never seen before.
The man said nothing, but looked at Sheppard with unmasked hatred. How the heck did he still look so clean, unlike Sheppard.
Sheppard took a step forward. "I see that you have managed to keep yourself out of the fight." He searched the man's mind. McKay saw Sheppard cock his head to the side. "Vanitis, is it? That is your name. It seems fitting."
The man looked at Sheppard suspiciously. "Yes, it is, and my plan has played out as I wanted until now."
"Yeah, I figured a coward like you actually would be very willing to send thousands to their death for his own means." Did Sheppard know this guy? Why was he egging him on like he did the Wraith sometimes? Rodney watched fascinated, but he felt a knot in his stomach.
The man glared back at Sheppard. "I am no coward. I had no idea that you were actually here. Just rumors. Perhaps you are an impostor?"
"You will wish that I was."
"Why is that?" The man spat.
"Because I am the only one that could exact vengeance for thousands that died at the hands of your cowardly ancestor and those that died today to serve your vanity. In other words, I am going to kick your ass." Sheppard eyed his opponent curiously. "You'll have to die you know. Can't have another traitor in the family, even if you are my cousin and all."
McKay smiled. Sheppard had a way of getting under people's skin quite easily. He could write a book on the many ways to do it if he wanted. Sometimes he did it to be playful, but McKay had also seen him do it to throw people off guard, make mistakes, do stupid things. Like now.
The man rushed at Sheppard with rage. "I am no traitor, nor was my ancestor."
"Whatever," Sheppard said, bored as he raised a short, thin sword to meet his attacker. McKay watched as Sheppard used one hand to attack with his sword and the other to defend with another thin sword. Where had he learned that?!
The enemy railed for a while as Sheppard toyed with him. After several minutes Sheppard was able to step back while the man stood panting.
Sophistides watched his prodigy from the wings of the courtyard. Yes, tire him. Tire him.
"See you have a bit of a temper," Sheppard quipped. He did not even look tired, but McKay knew better. His friend was hurting. "You know if you just give up, I might let you live after all, in prison, of course. Can't have a self-serving traitor running around the galaxy.
The man's eyes narrowed but he did not say anything. He attacked again, but more methodically. McKay watched in awe. It was like watching Star Wars. He could see that Sheppard was hurt more than he let on, but he just seemed to keep going. The enemy was frustrated and this seemed to feed Sheppard more. The colonel/king looked utterly calm, almost amused.
McKay turned to look at Ronon, who stood quietly watching. He knew Ronon wished it was himself taking care of business. McKay also glanced to his left and saw O'Neill and Caldwell. Everyone was entranced, including the men of this Vanitis guy.
The enemy pulled back again. Sheppard raised an eyebrow as he walked around the man. "I thought this was going to be more work. I mean, I really over-trained. I thought this formal way would be so much harder." McKay wanted to laugh. Sheppard really could be infuriating. "Thought you would prefer this because you waited your whole life to use all that hard training, but you know, I am not really hampered by your way of doing things. Don't think you could hack my style of fighting," Sheppard stopped and turned to look at the man with cold hazel eyes. McKay shivered. Sheppard could also be scary in his intensity. His friend actually looked terrifying, especially with blood and dirt on the side of his face. "I don't think you have the guts for real fighting."
The man threw down his sword and took out a short knife. "I will kill you."
Sheppard grinned as he took out a knife of his own. "Maybe, but you'll die first."
McKay gulped. If this were a movie it would almost be funny in a western martial arts kind of way. But it was real and his friend could die. The enemy attacked. McKay could not see much as they were entangled. Sheppard grunted as he took a punch to his side and head. He saw the enemy stumble back then re-engage. There were a flurry of hand movements and the enemy stumbled back again and fell to the floor. He was tired, but so was Sheppard. McKay caught a glimpse of blood on the floor and realized Sheppard was bleeding from his side. Already had been bleeding. He turned to look at Carson, who could not hide his concern, but said nothing.
The enemy stood unsteadily. He now looked bloodied and bruised. The bravado had gone. The anger remained.
Sheppard looked at the man. How could someone he did not know hate him so much? This had to end. Sheppard had put on a mask, irritated the enemy to no end, exhausted him as much as possible to even the odds. But Sheppard was hurting now. He could feel blood running down his leg from the gash on his side. The blood running down his face impeded his sight. Finish him, sire. You must find the strength within you. Use your mind and push the pain away. Soon you may rest.
Sheppard turned to the old man and smiled. He closed his eyes briefly and let the pain and fatigue wash through him and felt the flow of energy rise through to his fingertips.
The enemy watched the quiet exchanged. The old man was important to him. He sensed that. He stood and faced the king, who had now opened his eyes. For a moment the enemy felt fear as he saw the cold determination staring back at him.
Sheppard watched the fear flash in the man's eyes. He had him. Sheppard had caught a glimpse of O'Neill and Caldwell. They met his eyes and nodded curtly.
"Sorry, but your forces have been defeated. Now time for you," Sheppard said quietly.
The enemy looked at the few of his men around him. They did not move, in fact, they had laid down their own arms! He looked back at Sheppard. A commotion caught him and he saw children running toward him with a frantic woman behind trying to steer them away from the commotion. He saw soldiers and others trying to grab them to stop but they were not quick enough.
It happened so fast. Sheppard saw Vanitis look at him just as Sheppard turned and saw the children. What the hell were they doing out of the temple shelter! No all clear sign had been given!! "Shepa, Shepa, " one toddler screeched happily as he awkwardly ran toward his king followed by another. He was the child of one of the attendants that helped Samsus, and always found his way to Sheppard. The colonel closed his eyes when he heard the child call his name. No. It all happened in a split second. With his heart in his throat Sheppard turned to get the child out of harms way.
A smile crept up on the enemy's face as he raised a weapon of sorts and fired. Sheppard watched the child who had called his name drop and the other freeze in place until Sophistides, in a quickness he had never seen, pushed the child down and continued moving toward him. Sheppard was rushing toward the fallen child when he heard another two shots. He felt Sophistides' arms around him as they fell to the ground. His thigh burned and he realized one of the bullets had pierced his right leg. He also felt pain on his left side, but realized it had not penetrated the leather armor. He thought sickly that even thick and hardened leather was not bullet proof, and found that it had not penetrated him because it had made its way through his mentor first, whom he was now holding.
Sheppard eased the old man to the ground. Sophistides! He heard Vanitis laughing. He had been stripped of his weapon and was being held on the ground by Ronon and Sorhan. Sophistides, you must hang on. Yoda, please! I cannot lose you. I need you!
The old man looked up at him and smiled. Go. I will wait for you. Sophistides closed his eyes just as Carson and McKay had arrived to help. Sheppard stood and looked at Vanitis. He felt red hot anger welling inside of him. He felt no pain, no weakness, only fury. He knew that his wounds were serious, but he would finish this business if it was the last thing he did. The enemy was still stupidly laughing. Control yourself to control him, he thought as he pushed away the red fury to just under boiling. He looked at Ronon and Sorhan. Release him. Ronon looked at his team leader, confused, not sure he had heard him or just thought he did, but he let go of the coward and stepped to the side just as Sorhan did.
McKay looked at Sheppard. He did not think his eyes could get any angrier than they had been before, but his friend was completely terrifying now. McKay felt like the room was charged with electricity and the pressure it seemed to generate made him uncomfortable. He was frozen in fascination as he watched Sheppard stride toward the enemy, who suddenly stopped laughing and scrambled up and back after Ronon and General Sorhan had released him. Vanitis was fumbling for something but was too panicked to be effective before Sheppard reached him and grabbed him by the throat and continued walking without slowing toward the wall. McKay thought he would drive the man through it. The man gasped and fought furiously, landing blows on Sheppard's face and body. The enemy looked up wide-eyed at Sheppard, desperately trying to break free. Sheppard raised the knife in his right hand but let the man go. He would kill him fairly.
The blonde man stood. "I have no weapon," he growled after he caught his breath. Sheppard raised an eyebrow, looked down at his hand, then extended it to give him his own knife. The man looked down at the dagger for a moment as it lay lifeless in his own hand, but had glowed in Sheppard's just a moment before. Then he looked up at Sheppard furiously. "This should have been mine!"
"It wasn't in your blood." Sheppard replied with a dark grin.
McKay watched the crazed man rush at Sheppard, who was still as a statue. He watched as the colonel sidestepped the blow, disarmed the dagger from the man as they both fell to the floor, and saw the knife sink into the man's chest.
Sheppard could feel the man's gasping breath. "You fool. You wasted your whole life for something that was stupid 10,000 years ago. It is still stupid. You wasted the lives of thousands of your men, just as your ancestor did years before."
The man looked at him wide eyed, but had a smile. "You will suffer. I shot you and you will die, but only after you suffer."
Sheppard smiled back. "Maybe, but, as I promised, you will die first, and I remain the King." The man looked at him angrily, fearfully, then the life left his eyes.
Sheppard staggered to his feet, looked at Sophistides, and then walked over to the child on the ground being held by the sobbing woman. Carson had moved forward to help Sheppard, but froze with a look from the king's eyes. McKay watched as Sheppard picked up the toddler, who whimpered. Sheppard gently shushed him in comfort as he staggered toward Sophistides and knelt next to him. McKay did not see them exchange any words, but he saw Sheppard put his hand on the child and the old man place his hand on Sheppard. Just a few seconds passed when the child cried. The woman came running up and grabbed him away, then shouted in happy surprise. She moved away quietly and McKay could see that the child now looked unharmed. Carson stepped away from Sheppard and Sophistides. Rodney felt his stomach tighten more. He saw Sheppard try to pull away but Sophistides held his hand.
Sheppard had felt the old man's energy gather with his and flow through him to heal the child. Sophistides knew what it would mean. He would have nothing left for himself. They had talked in a quiet mental symphony, and Sheppard obeyed and brought the child to him. But Sophistides did not let him go and Sheppard felt energy flow through him. His side no longer hurt and he knew that the old man was using his own strength to heal him. Now he knew that his mentor would die having saved the child and now him. That welcome presence in his mind would be gone.
Sheppard ignored the fire starting to burn through his body. Sophistides, please do not do this. He tried to pull away but the old man continued to grasp him firmly. Sheppard could feel the old man getting weaker. Sheppard was tired of people dying. Here was a man that knew the most about him, could help him tame the demons without weakness. He would be alone. It was selfish but he needed him. The old man took his hand away. I have fulfilled my role. I pledged to give my life for you weeks ago. I only regret I cannot heal you completely. You are ready John and you will learn what you need to do. I have fulfilled my role.
Sheppard looked down at him. The burning was harder to ignore and he grunted against the pain. "No, you have not," he said quietly.
The old man smiled. Yes, I have. I am old and tired. I waited for so long to see you. My apprentice will now take my place, and I shall go with the Ancestors.
Sheppard said nothing but held the old man. I will miss you, Yoda.
So will Samsus. Take care of him
I will.
John saw the shimmering light rise up. It no longer surprised him, having seen it before. The light surrounded him for a few moments, then left. He was alone. Despite what Sophistides had told him, he felt completely alone.
He leaned back against the wall, exhausted and in pain. He felt as if electricity was coursing through him.
Carson moved up to him. "Colonel, are you alright?"
Sheppard said nothing as the pain increased and he clutched at his chest, but his head also hurt. He lay down next to where his mentor had been and just focused on breathing, but the pain was becoming unbearable.
Carson looked over Sheppard quickly to assess his wounds, then grabbed his pack that he had been carrying. "Hold his arm, General!" He said to O'Neill, who was now kneeling next to Sheppard. He was about to start an IV when he heard Sorhan yell, "STOP!!"
Carson face turned toward the general, who was running up to him. "What is it, man?!" he said impatiently as Sheppard groaned beside him.
"This projectile weapon was banned over a century ago! It is not meant to just kill, it is meant to hurt and ws used for torture. The projectile releases a poison that affects the nervous system, attacking pain receptors. If you inject him with anything, introduce anything foreign to his bloodstream it will send a lethal dose meant to overload the heart. You must remove it. I have sent for the antidote. We have kept small supplies as we have seen it turn up despite it being banned, but it must be removed as quickly as possible."
"What?" Rodney cried, "You mean just cut it out of him with nothing to help!"
Sorhan looked at Carson sadly and said quietly, "Dr. Beckett, if you give him anything before you remove it, he will die. I have witnessed this. The antidote will work, but the more poison is allowed to enter his system, the longer it will take to work. He will suffer longer if we wait for the antidote to take effect."
"Bloody hell!" Carson cried out angrily. "Is this world, this galaxy intent on torturing this man?! How much does he have to suffer for you people…for all of us?!"
Carson tried to think of what to do. He felt a warm hand touch his. He looked down at Sheppard. "It's okay, Carson. Just take it out. I trust you," the colonel said clearly through pained hazel eyes.
Carson felt the lump in his throat. Damn this man for caring even more now for him than for himself. "Okay, John." He let the lump go and focused on helping his friend.
Sheppard grimaced, but nodded his understanding. Carson looked around and pointed to a soldier. "You, go to the infirmary and get me some sterile bandages and a gurney or whatever you call them here."
"Now, Carson," Sheppard hissed, "Please...can't take..."
McKay looked on horrified. Please just pass out he willed to his friend.
Carson looked around again. "Ronon, you hold his legs. General O'Neill you hold his left arm and shoulder. Colonel Caldwell, you hold this arm and shoulder. You will need to put your weight into it. Quickly!"
O'Neill and Caldwell placed themselves next to Sheppard and leaned into him as they held down his arms and shoulders. The king cried out softly as O'Neill placed his weight on the shoulder. O'Neill could hear his raspy breath. He was close to his head so whispered. "Come on, Shep. Hang in there, son. It will be over soon." Sheppard nodded. He had been trying to use his mind to control the pain, but it was overwhelming and different than what he considered normal pain, and he could not get on top of it. He groaned and tried to move against the misery, to try to find comfort, but the three men held him tight.
"Okay, son. I will work as quickly as I can," Carson said as he cleaned the wound and around it. It had missed the artery thank God but was deep in the muscle. Carson could not believe that he was doing this. Damn bastard!
"Hang in there, Sheppard," Caldwell said quietly to him. The Air Force colonel was fuming at the stupidity of this whole mess. A good officer was in danger of losing his life because of some selfish idiot.
O'Neill whispered to the pilot, "Almost over," he hoped. "Just hold on." He wanted to freaking hit something as he heard and felt Sheppard's pained breath on his cheek. Beckett was right. Enough was enough.
Sheppard cried out in fury. He tried to focus on the anger, but it did not help. "Please General, make him stop. Just...just please make this...stop." He struggled against his captors for as long as he could. McKay saw his neck muscles strain against his captors, but he grew fatigued. "Please."
O'Neill watched him as he suddenly stopped struggling. The colonel's eyes were watery as he stared up at the ceiling. O'Neill looked up and saw two glowing figures…Ascended Ancients. They hovered, and one tendril of light reached down and stroked Sheppard's cheek. "Adda," he heard Sheppard whisper. A few seconds later, another tendril touched him. "Ama." He almost sobbed. "Ama...Ama." His voice was hoarse and weak.
"I almost got it," Carson said oblivious to what was going on above him. McKay however, was very aware. Glowing Ancients rarely meant anything good as far as he was concerned.
O'Neill heard Sheppard whisper something else, but his own Ancient was rusty to say the least, and he could not think of what it was. Don't you dare take him!
Sheppard felt no pain. He was no longer in his body as he looked at the two smiling figures. He grinned to himself. Hey, Harry Potter, meet your grandparents.
"Son of our son. Ihoannes…John. We are very pleased to finally meet you." The man said. Sheppard looked at him. Frankly, he kind of looked like him except the hair was tamed. The blonde woman smiled at him. "It pleases us greatly to see our heir."
Sheppard said nothing. He was looking at 10,000 year old grandparents that weren't dead! Adda and Ama came to mind. He had called his grandparents that.
"Hi," he finally uttered to them.
They approached him and Illian embraced him holding him for a long time, then placed a hand on his cheek and stepped back. Evander stepped up to him, placed his hand behind his neck and brought him close to him with a smile. "I am so proud of you, Ihoannes. You are everything we imagined. All our hopes and efforts realized in you." He embraced him as well.
"Well that is the most hugging I have gotten in a long time, I mean from family anyway."
Illian smiled and looked at Evander. "I see personality is carried through genes."
He looked at her innocently. "A sense of humor is important."
"If that is what you call it," she quipped.
Sheppard watched the exchange in fascination. Jeez, he was like both of them. "Well, I for one am really curious about that gene. I mean really, I feel kind of engineered now. Thanks by the way for all the pain from gaining the Ancient Holy Grail."
Illian looked sympathetically at him, but Evander answered. "I am sorry, Ihoannes. You came later than we thought. We were afraid the humans would never discover our galaxy and that you would not come at all. You were not engineered, but the hope for your existence and the means by which we hoped to achieve it were…purposeful. You did not have as much time to train before the traitor tried to ruin all that remained of our kingdom and hope for defeating the Wraith."
"Yeah, well in the nick of time seems to be the way we do things," Sheppard mumbled.
"We don't have much time to talk to you, child." Illian said. "We already chance anger from the others by coming here, but your...grandfather...can be quite persuasive and stubborn."
"Why did you come, then?
"Ihoannes. There is great knowledge and potential in you. It may take your lifetime, but you will be the one with the knowledge of two galaxies that will defeat the Wraith. You may not want to be king, I am sorry for this burden, sorry that I could not finish the job during my lifetime so that it would not be yours. I am sorry for how you have suffered and may suffer. You must not be afraid."
Sheppard looked at him quizzically. "I am not afraid," he said truthfully.
"That is good. With that said, you alone have the knowledge that has been stored, and you alone can combine 10,000 years of knowledge learned on Earth by your ancestors with that of the knowledge that you have gained from us. You are not expendable, so do not be careless with your life, and do not ever give in to the temptation to not fight for your own survival."
Sheppard frowned. "I don't usually quit."
Illian smiled. "He gets that from me."
Evander shook his head with a smile. "Ihoannes. You are special amongst your people. You did not know it, they do not know it, but you are. Our people of this system, however, know that you are special. Do not dishonor them in their attempts to help you fulfill your mission. You will need them as well."
Sheppard was getting kind of angry now. "Is this some sort of pep talk, or did you come by to just lecture me? Okay. I get it already. I need to figure out how to make this work. I know that I am the king here. I know that I can't just shirk my duty to them, but I also have a duty to Atlantis and to Earth."
Illian stepped forward. "No, my child. Your grandfather is just...worried. He suffered greatly before he left for Earth, then we were apart and I had to wait until the ascension of my son to see him as a man and no longer an infant. We just wanted to see you. We saw you crowned and my tears did flow as you have returned. But I am afraid for you. You tend to believe that your life is not as important for those under your command. It is. We cannot help you, cannot save you, and yet we have burdened you. You will feel alone, but you are not alone, Iohannes. We were with you when you were born, as we will always be with you, and we will wait for you until it is your time to join us."
He realized then that they were afraid for him. Afraid like parents were afraid. He also knew that despite them being with him, he really was alone. The Ascended Ancients could not intervene. He smiled. "Okay. I get it. I promise to do what you asked." Was he just agreeing to something to his 10,000 year old grandparents? "But I will not take myself out of harms way just to save my hide. I don't work that way."
Evander had his hand on his shoulder and eyes like Sheppard's looked back at him. "I know you won't, and I did not mean for my worry to come across as chastisement. It will not always be easy for you to obtain the knowledge given to you, but be patient. Never blame yourself if you cannot and never give up. And do not blame yourself for those that will die for you either. That is what I meant. Although he did not have the strength to remove all the poison, Sophistides gave himself to save you. He of course is now one of us. I am sorry for this burden. I understand this mysefl as many died so that our plan and hopes could come to fuition. Know that we are so very proud of who you are."
Sheppard said nothing. He felt them embrace him again. Then he felt Ilian'ssadness as he entered his body and felt all the pain again.
Sheppard sighed, eyes still staring up at the ceiling. O'Neill looked at the pilot angrily. "Don't you dare pull a Jackson on me," he snarled.
"Got it!" Carson exclaimed as he held up a small piece of metal.
Sheppard's eyes were still transfixed to ceiling as the glimmering beings started to fade. O'Neill had grabbed him by the top of his leather cuirass, raising him slightly and shook him. "Sheppard! You are not allowed to die, colonel!" He pulled him to almost a sitting position so that Carson could remove the leather cuirass.
The younger man blinked and grimaced. His eyes were glassy with pain filled tears. "Ama," he rasped. A fading tendril reached down and touched his cheek before disappearing completely. Then O'Neill felt him go limp, the pilot's head against the general's chest. Thank God.
"I don't understand." Carson said as he examined Sheppard's back and then side and stomach. There was bruising but the wounds looked mostly healed. He had assumed that Sheppard had a deep wound but there was only blood on his clothes as evidence. A cut on his head still oozed some blood and his leg still needed care, but was not as serious a concern for him. He looked up at O'Neill who was still supporting him. "Sophistides must have healed him as well or at least mostly, but I won't know until we get a full scan." He heard footsteps behind him as Sorhan approached two men and took a vial from them and then handed it to Beckett.
"Here is the antidote doctor. It will break down the poison but it will take possibly several hours. It is recommended that you do not enter anything into his bloodstream as this will prolong the process ."
Carson said nothing as he administered the antidote. He did not bother to ask when he would know the poison was washed from his system. He assumed the pain in his friend's face would also be gone.
O'Neill and Caldwell helped to lift Sheppard to the stretcher and watched as the medical team, Ronon and Rodney made a mad dash through the corridors.
O'Neill looked down at his hands and wiped Sheppard's blood off on his shirt. Caldwell looked at him, then at his own hands, and did the same. Although he had been so long in the Air Force, he had never, fortunately most would say, come face to face with the suffering of an injured airman. Not this intimately, and he was still amazed that Sheppard was for the most part healed.
"Good lord," he said, looking down at the blood on the floor, some of it Sheppard's, some of it the infernal enemy and some of it Sophistides' and even the young child whom they had saved.
O'Neill put his hand on Caldwell. "We need to help Shep wrap this up."
Caldwell nodded as O'Neill swung around. "General Sorhan?"
"Yes, General O'Neill," came the immediate reply.
"Why don't we get things in order again?"
"Yes. We should. The king would expect as much."
"Yes, he would," O'Neill said quietly as Sorhan began giving orders.
He knew Sheppard had called for his mother or some sort of mother like figure. Perhaps that had been one of those ascended beings. He had never wanted to hear that again. He had heard it too much while he was Special Ops. O'Neill also knew what maybe the others did not. Sheppard would carry the burden of someone saving his life by giving his own, ascension or no ascension, the wise old man was no longer here and Sheppard would blame himself. This was a heavy burden that O'Neill knew too well.
"You okay, general?"
O'Neill turned around. "Yeah Steven. Just, damn, what the hell happened today?"
Caldwell nodded knowingly. "That was intense."
O'Neill nodded. Wasn't that the truth? "Come on. Looks like they got things under control. Lets go check on Shep."
They paused next to Samsus, who was kneeling next to where his brother disappeared. O'Neill knelt and put a hand on him. "I am so sorry, Sam."
The older man looked up at him. "I will miss him, general, but he gave his life for his king and his people. He was old and had fulfilled his role, and he is not dead but now with the ascended. I will miss him, but I cannot mourn him since he is not dead."
O'Neill understood, but he also knew that you could mourn for the ascended. He squeezed the old man's shoulder and left. Bye, Yoda.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Next Chapter, Sheppard still suffers from the affects of the poison, but comfort will come as well. I did not mean for this whole fic to have as much whump as it does, but guess it turned out that way. Guess maybe I lean a bit that way more than I thought. I do hope it is at least in line with the story.