Thankyou, for my review Choaspayne. Made my day. Hopefully it will entice others to comment. Section 2 :
Sheppard walked along the corridor, pushing back his shoulders, steeling himself for this. He was nervous, the last time he had spoke one on one to Landry it was to disobey a direct order to return to SGC base from the midway station. Although it turned out well he was surprised he didn't get court-martialled for it and he hoped Landry had not been forced into 'no action' or it may go against him today.
He slowed his pace, giving himself time to ensure his emotions were now in place and steeling himself for what was coming. He stood just outside the office seeing Landry taking papers form a woman in uniform. He knocked on the door and they both turned to look at him "Can I have a word, General?"
Landry nodded to the woman and she put the file on the desk and walked out passed Sheppard. Landry indicated to a chair in front of his desk "What can I do for you?"
Sheppard entered the room and shut the door behind him watching Landry as he moved to the chair. He noticed how Landry's eyes had flicked to the door as he closed it and watched his back straighten slightly and his lips purse thoughtfully and he hoped he was just steeling himself in-case Sheppard had brought bad news and that Sheppard had not already blown it in the first five minutes.
He took the seat and leaned forward, elbows on his knees and hands clasped, (opposite of his normal relaxed position that seemed to agitate the military so). No time he thought to himself. He glanced down at his hands. Straight in he thought and glanced up to see Landry looking at him thoughtfully. "Rodney just asked me to let the wraith feed on him"
He saw Landry's brow furrow, his brain trying to process the unthinkable. Then he glanced down at the desktop and then glanced back up "I assume you declined his offer?"
"Yes, and I took his access card from him" Sheppard said. Landry nodded. "But this is Rodney Mackay we are talking about, his sister is dying and he isn't military. He will find a way to make this happen regardless of any orders I give him"
Landry raised an eyebrow "Yes, its annoying when your orders are ignored isn't it?"
The corners of his mouth twitched in what could have been a hidden smile but Sheppard didn't know him well enough to be sure and he didn't want to waste time on other matters. He lent back, putting his palms flat against his thighs.
"You've read the reports, without Rodney we wouldn't have lasted beyond the first day in Atlantis and he saves the same city on a regular basis and makes breakthroughs that help both of us in our fight defending this planet" He had wanted to say more but he could here the steel starting to creep into his voice, mixed with a bitterness that Rodney never seemed to get the respect he deserved when he came to the SGC. He was battling for Rodney's life and he couldn't afford to take a single risk, to make a single mistake would be deadly.
Compassion entered Landry's voice and the cold calculating part of Sheppard saw this as a chink, a step towards his goal. "We're not going to loose him Sheppard. You've taken his access card and I will alert the guards to keep him away from the wraith".
"And what about Jeannie, Mrs Mackay" Sheppard replied. "She will die without the wraiths help. Do you think Rodney will continue to work for us when doing so got his sister killed? I know him sir, even Atlantis couldn't keep him and I cant stress the danger we would be in without him and there is one other thing you're forgetting sir" Sheppard glanced down and then leaning forward, looked back up into the face of Landry.
"Don't tell Mackay I said this, but the mans a Genius, while we are thinking of our two or three options Mackay has thought of and discarded fifty. He is 10 steps ahead when it comes to thinking Sir, I've seen it in action and its speed is awe inspiring coupled this with the fact that we are speaking of a man who was able to re-programme Replicators, decipher and Upgrade Wratih technology better than the Wraith and put right experiments the Ancients left for failures. Do you honestly think you will be ale to lock him and of an earth based computer system? Also, bearing in mind"…Sheppard hesitated momentarily and had the decency to look suitably sheepish…"He did it once before and like I said, Mackay thinks ahead. I would not be surprised if he had created back doors last time he was in your system just in case he may need it again in the future" He raised his eyebrows and watched Landry.
He watched him mentally run through Mackays achievements, watched as Landry remembered just how easily Sheppard and his team had passed all security procedures. Landry picked up the phone and dialled an extension "I want Mackays username and password frozen – Do it now"
Inside Sheppard smiled.
Outside Sheppard pursed his lips and sat back, "All you will do is slow him down"
"I could lock him in the brig" suggested Landry. Sheppard could see Landry was still processing everything Sheppard had said and knew he had to strike quickly.
"Lock him up while his sister dies, Sir? There is more than one way to loose a man, General"
Landry looked at Sheppard and he saw Landry assessing him and knew he had to move carefully.
"You have a suggestion to make Colonel?"
Sheppard paused. He still wasn't sure how to proceed. He wanted to proceed gently but time was against him
"Wallace"
"Wallace?" Landry repeated
"I want to ask Wallace if he will volunteer himself, Sir"
"Volunteer himself" Landry repeated slowly. Sheppard had an overwhelming urge to ask if he was going to repeat everything he said but that was a Rodney thing, Landry would not appreciate it.
"Let me talk to him, if he agrees freely then you can get the President to sanction it" He could see Landry was at least thinking it through. "We need Macky in Atlantis, Sir. Wallace started this, so lets give him a chance to put it right"
Sheppard paused and then continued. "If Wallace says no we will go with the cell option till we think of something else, if Wallace agrees then everybody gets what they want"
"At the cost of a dead body" Landry said, voice flat.
Sheppard flinched back as if he had been slapped and he fell silent. Landry just watched him. Sheppard just realised that Landry had become on of the few to realise what he was capable of, but Sheppard had changed and he didn't like people to see that side of him. He bit his lower lip, still looking down and then he moved forwards, elbows again on knees, head hanging.
He looked up at Landry and when he spoke, he spoke from the heart. "I'm here because of Rodney. He's not just part of my team, we are friends" Sheppard hung his head, shaking it, and then looked back up at Landry. "No, it's more than that, my team are closer to me than any family member could be, with the things we have experienced together even Brothers in arms doesn't cover it. They've saved my life more times than I can count and they've helped me in more ways than I can mention. I can't imagine stepping through the gate with anybody else. It's not just Atlantis that desperately needs Rodney. Me, Teyla and Ronnon need him too and in order for Rodney to return I need his sister to live". Sheppard dropped his head. When he raised it he had a tentative grin "and if you repeat any of this I will deny everything"
Landry's mouth quirked in a quick grin and then his face became serious. "I've read the reports and I had realised that, you can't accomplish all that you have without that"
Sheppard raised his eyebrows in surprise and Landry suppressed another smirk. "Of course, if you repeat that I shall deny everything"
Sheppard dropped the grin. "Wallace is my last chance" he said quietly.
Sheppard paused. It felt now was the time to ask. "So?" he asked quietly.
Landry sighed. "If Wallace says no, it's a one shot deal and you walk away" Landry locked eyes with Sheppard "You just talk to him"
Sheppard nodded once. "Just talk" He repeated quietly.
Section 3 To Follow.