Imposter

Part Four

The darkness was the first thing Carson noticed as the gate snapped closed behind him. He had heard the others talk of the inky skies on wraith-controlled worlds, but the imposing blackness, coupled with the painful, vice-grip on his arm threatened to plunge Carson into a depression.

Michael yanked him hard, pulling him off balance as they stepped off the gate dais. Carson struggled to stay on his feet, not wanting to be dragged again by the powerful wraith. His unattended leg still seeped blood, and the bruises had started to ache.

Carson looked around quickly to find his friends. Rodney hung limply between the two masked wraith guards while Teyla stood impassively next to the third. Rodney looked terrible: his lip glistened with blood, while the left side of his face had visibly begun to swell from the blow. His eyes were open but glazed over as he stared out sightlessly towards the surrounding woods.

Teyla also stared out sightlessly. Her face was expressionless as she seemed to be lost in the labyrinth Michael had created for her. She looked beautiful as ever, untouched by the physical violence; it was the mental torture that Carson worried about. Carson could only imagine the horror and self-loathing she would direct at herself for her perceived weakness. Only John and Carson could really understand the pressure of a powerful wraith will directed solely at one's mind.

Nathanial and Seamus took the lead while the others pulled the prisoners along. Carson labored to keep up with Michael. But while the taller, more agile wraith seemed to glide quickly over the uneven ground, Carson stepped in every hole, tripped over every stick, and stubbed his toes on every rock. After what seemed like a couple of miles, Carson gave up trying to stay in step with Michael.

"Stand up! I am tired of dragging you! The more difficult you make this walk, the less likely your 'friends' will survive the night!" Michael snapped, coming to a halt and giving Carson another yank.

"I'm not tryin' to be difficult. I just canna keep up with ya. Please let Rodney and Teyla go, ye don't need them to make me behave!" Carson implored Michael again. Carson got back on his feet only to be pulled off them once more when the wraith started marching again.

"Your pleading will come in better when I have McKay strapped to a chair and am ready to feed on him!" Michael spoke with venom as he continued to pull Carson along.

Carson snapped his mouth shut, determined not to give the wraith any more fodder for their anger. He redoubled his effort to stay upright, concentrating on the ground in front of him in spite of the limited light. As the distance passed, Carson lost track of time. He did not look up until they had reached the hive ship.

The sight of the grounded wraith hive ship brought a new terror to Carson. In his experience, the hybrid-wraiths had kept their distance from the full wraiths, choosing a self-imposed exile rather than live as second class under the wraith. He could recall once coming in contact with a wraith cruiser, and a defiant Michael had actually shot at the cruiser instead of submitting. An alliance between the hybrids and any full wraith meant Michael was not really in control. For Carson, the thought of facing a wraith queen on his own paralyzed him with fear.

Carson kept his head down as they entered the hive ship. In his fear, he unconsciously took a step closer to Michael.

Michael laughed. "Do you think I will protect you? You are stupider than I thought. I have no control over your fate now. I needed help to survive because of your betrayal. You are my gift to her, and she will decide your fate."

As they entered the queen's throne room, Carson began to tremble. He tried again to pull behind Michael, the known threat, rather than face the unknown. When her cold, lyrical voice broke the silence, Carson almost couldn't hear her over the sound of his own heartbeat.

"So this is the Lantean who has caused our people so much trouble." The queen stood and began down the steps to stand in front of Carson who kept his eyes on the ground. The only part of her he could see was her feet and the hem of her silver dress. When her long fingers gripped his chin and forced his head up, he let out a soft gasp before meeting her dark green eyes. Her face was smooth and had a slightly pinkish hue. Her long golden blond hair was streaked with white and tied and braided down her back.

"Are you afraid, Lantean?" She cooed softly as she brought her other hand up to gently stroke his cheek. "Do you believe that I would hurt such a clever human? Do you not think that I perhaps may have use for your particular talents?"

The second stroke across his cheek drew blood as her tone changed to an evil sneer. "Well, I do not! You have caused us much trouble, first with that troublesome and stupid Hoffans and then your mission to eradicate my race by turning us into cattle. Your work is done now, my resourceful human. You will dine with me tonight, and then I will dine on you. Take him and the others to a cell." She turned quickly, her silver gown billowing out behind her as she returned to her throne.

"I am not giving you the other Lanteans. I gave you only the instigator, not the others," Michael said, taking a step towards the queen. Two of the largest wraith guards Carson had ever seen stepped forward placing threatening hands on Michael's shoulder and halting his steps. Michael growled in frustration.

"I did not ask you for them, I am taking them. You and I have completed our transaction. Leave now, before I forget that I agreed to let you live. You may take one wraith Dart and are granted one day's head start before I order you to be hunted down and killed for being the mongrel you are," the queen did not even look at Michael as she took her seat, her eyes focusing on Carson as she licked her lips in anticipation.

Michael growled again in defeat before turned and exiting the room, followed closely by Nathanial and Seamus. Carson was left alone to face the wraith queen.

"I said take them to a cell!" The queen screamed, her face contorted in fury. The wraith guards became a frenzy of movement as they ushered the three Atlanteans from the room. Carson was practically picked up by the huge guards who carried him from the room backwards, making him face the queen as he was pulled from the room.

Carson was thrown un-ceremonially unto the floor of a wraith cell, landing on top of the still-dazed Rodney. Carson scrambled off, checking quickly for Teyla, before focusing his attention on his friend.

Teyla stood impassively where the wraith had left her. Carson began to check the scientist for injuries. Then the prone man had begun to make noises indicating he was beginning to wake.

"Rodney, lad," Carson said, pulling back one of his eyelids. "Can ye hear me, son? I need ye to awake. We are in serious trouble here. We are all dead if we don't get out of here now." Rodney moaned in pain, but his eyes began to focus. Carson gave him a gentle tug and with his other hand soothingly caressed his forehead.

"Andrew, keep your voodoo to yourself unless I ask for it," Rodney's voice was only slightly above a whisper. He swatted his hand at Carson's, pushing him away. The scientist sat up, wiping the blood off his lips. When his hand brushed the left side of his face, he winced with pain. "I think my cheek is broken. Do you think I'll need to have my jaw wired? I need to eat – I can't have my jaw wired." Rodney's voice rose as he began to panic.

"Rodney, calm down. Ye didn't break yer jaw. It was only a slap, sure a hard one, but still only a slap. We don't have time for ye to panic, lad," Carson stood up and crossed to Teyla. "The wraith have us. Michael turned us over to a wraith queen, and if we don't get out of here, we will surely die tonight." Carson began to evaluate Teyla, checking her pulse and using his hand to test her temperature.

"Teyla, lass, come back to us. We need you, luv," Carson soothed. He looked her square in her unseeing eyes, before giving her a light slap on the cheek. Her hand snapped up, gripping his wrist before flipping him onto the ground. "Teyla, no!" He yelled just as he hit the floor, and the wind was knocked out of him.

"Andrew?" Teyla said, her gentle voice sounded confused. "Andrew, I am sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"No, luv," Carson lied, but his voice was hardly more than a gasp as he tried to catch his breath. She released him and helped him to sit up. "What are you laughing at?" Carson asked Rodney who was chuckling under his breath.

"That'll teach you to hit Teyla," Rodney laughed, before grimacing as his smile hurt his face. "Andrew I don't remember much, how did we get here? And where is here?"

"I told you: Michael turned us over to a wraith queen. We are on her hive ship, and she intends to feed on us tonight. Well, at least feed on me," Carson added. What plans she had for Rodney and Teyla, the wraith queen had not divulged to him.

"We won't allow that to happen, Andrew," Teyla said, pulling him to his feet. "You are now our teammate and friend, and as Colonel Sheppard has said: we do not leave anyone behind."

Carson for the first time realized that his two friends continued to call him Andrew. They dinna hear Michael. They still think I am Andrew. Now is not the time to tell them, they don't need to mourn me twice. Carson turned around and bit back a cry. He wanted to tell them, to have them hug him and cry along with him. But first they all needed to get out of here, and they didn't have much time.

"Don't worry, Andrew. I'll figure a way out of this, I always do." Rodney stood and walked with a slight wobble to the edge of the cell and began running his hands along the edge. "If I can just reach the control panel, I'll have us out of here in a jiffy!"

It wasn't long before Rodney had his face pressed against the narrow bars, straining to see the controls, while Carson had his arm stretched out following Rodney's direction.

"No, Andrew, you're other left! I know sheep herders don't need to know their right from their left, but I would hope my doctor would be able to tell the difference," Rodney griped impatiently.

"Rodney, I am doin' the best I can," Carson griped back. "It's hard to do this without looking, or ye'd be doin' it yerself."

At the sound of hard footsteps coming swiftly down the hall, froze both men. Carson and Rodney scrambled back from the bars and tried to look innocent.

"Time's up. Your dinner with my queen is at hand," a long haired wraith said, stepping in front of the bars.

TBC
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