Vegas in Red: I Won't Back Down4
"The cell structure is unlike anything I have ever seen! The human and bug DNA strands are so interwoven as to be nearly impossible to separate for long. Carson, look at this! The basic body development is mostly human, except for these startling insect and even reptilian features!"
Carson moved to stand next to Moira as she was staring at a monitor. A three-dimensional scan of the corpse filled the screen, areas in different colors highlighting the different species found so far. All in the same body which was amazing in and of itself. "Yes, love," he agreed, removing his gloves. He glanced back at the now empty slab. The body was in cold storage for further study. "I suspect we'll find all sorts of proteins that we have never seen either. But it is getting late and we should call it a day. That thing's not going anywhere, you know."
"I know, but this!" She shook her head. "Even the bone structure, Carson! The curious ridges on the spine! What purpose could they serve? I need to study a live specimen in order to understand their genesis properly."
"That won't be happening any time soon." Evan joined them, shaking his head. "Your boyfriend just had a lovely torture session with Todd. Dick and his guys are in an uproar over it, although Todd is alive, just sort of injured. They've got that blond doc tending him now."
"Tortured?" Carson asked, glancing at Moira. "Was that necessary?"
"Yes. Look, doc, I don't like it either, but we need answers from this thing. It's not like aliens from space are covered under the Geneva Convention, right?"
"Still, it is a sentient being."
"Tell that to the people those things have killed so far," Evan retorted. "Besides, for some reason Todd will only talk rationally to Sheppard."
"Even so, torture?" Carson was clearly disturbed.
"He had no choice," Moira defended.
"You ready to go? I think they want us cleared out of here sooner rather than later."
"Yes. Moira?"
"Go on, Carson. John will give me a ride home. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yes, love. Let's go, Evan. After this I need a drink."
"You're not the only one. Know anyone who owns a bar?" He smiled at Moira.
"Funny. Moira, you're sure?"
"Yes, Carson, go on now. I'll be fine. Goodnight."
Richard slammed his palm onto the table. Winced at the pain but glared at the man standing on the opposite side of the table. "I knew this was a bad idea! I knew it! If you had killed him what then? He is our only link, the only Wraith left on this planet and we need him!"
"I wasn't going to kill him," John said soothingly, glancing at Rodney who was standing nearby. "I got the intel we needed. You have to play rough with this kind."
"I can't believe I sanctioned this," Richard muttered.
"Yet you sanctioned other means, and those were ineffective. Yet you sanctioned the use of volunteers to feed that thing. How can you sleep at night?" John taunted.
"Every one of those people went in there of their own accord and are—"
"Well, I didn't! So don't you dare take the moral high ground with me when you do stuff like that and call it for the good of the planet! Can't you see that thing is toying with us? It knows a lot more than it's telling us, and I will get it to tell us everything if you'd let me take off the kid gloves!"
"That was taking off the kid gloves?" Rodney asked. "Shit. John's right, as much as I hate to admit it. But you went too far, John. You could have caused serious injury."
"So? It's not an endangered species, it's a fucking Wraith that feeds on humans!" John was having a hard time keeping his temper.
"Get out! You won't be talking to Todd anytime soon! In fact you probably made him become even more non-cooperative and we will have to starve him into submission again!" A vein was throbbing in Richard's forehead as his fury was rising, rising.
John smiled. "Fine. Do it your way and see where it gets you. Rodney, the eclipse?"
"I checked. A full lunar eclipse will take place on June 15th. Only a few weeks from now. We still don't know what's going to happen, if anything. A communication, or contact, or what was it? Information?"
"We'll find out. Our way," Richard said.
"Call me if you need to really find out," John quipped. Left the room before either man could comment.
Moira turned back to the microscope. Hearing footsteps she began talking again. "The tissue regeneration is remarkable! The bone structure, the development from humans to this new species…retaining many of the human traits but expanding on them. No, evolving from them into something else. Evolving past our human needs and limitations. How did they ever come to be in the first place?" Moira's voice was full of wonder, excitement as she stared into the microscope.
"Beats me. You're the biologist."
She froze. She whirled. John was lounging in the doorway. "Oh. I thought you were Carson coming back."
"He left with Lorne. Saw them on the way out. You ready to go?"
Moira stared a moment. Tension rode every hard line of his body, despite his languorous pose. She turned back to the microscope. Uncomfortable after her emotional outburst and hearing about what he had done to the prisoner. Although she didn't know the details. "No. No thanks. I can find my own way home and I need to finish this."
John smiled. He moved to her. "Can you? We're a little far from a cab service. Come on, Moira. Let's go. I want a drink." He touched her shoulder. Fingered the white lab coat. "You heard."
She tensed under his touch. "Yes. You, you tortured it?"
"No. I questioned it rather aggressively, is all. I didn't hurt their pet. Much. I suppose that Lorne thinks I'm worse than them now?"
"No. Carson might. Evan defended you, actually. Your actions."
"Really? Wow. Huh. And you?"
She shut off the microscope. Slowly she turned to him. Met his inquiring gaze. "Me too. I mean, you, you did what you had to do. Right?"
"Yes." He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "I don't like it either, but we need the intel this thing has. By any and all means possible. It's not human."
"I know." She stepped past him. Removed the lab coat. "Give me a few to clean this all up and we can go."
"Okay. Don't take too long. Like I said, I need a drink. Several, actually. And you sure as hell could use a stiff one."
Moira smiled. "Are you still talking about a drink, sweetie?"
John smiled. "We'll just have to find that out, won't we, baby?"