Aundama - Part Six

Cold. It is cold here too. Much like the mortuary at SG Command. He knows that not all the planet is so disagreeable. But then, why are all the places he has the misfortune to visit so cold?

Quiet. Dark. But like all Wraith, possesses excellent night time vision. Excellent hearing. Excellent sense of smell. Excellent memory. He can, therefore, remember the scent of Rodney. He alone can pass on that information to fellow Wraith. And they alone can hunt out Rodney in this maze of corridors. And Sheppard's memory deficient in recall as to the exact location of the scientist. And the Wraith knows he was correct. That Sheppard and Ronon are of no use on this mission. Chuckles silently at the memory of Sheppard's face showing distaste.

"You're gonna scent him out like you're some kind of hound?"

"Hound?"

"Hunting dog."

"Ah… I and five Wraith will be able to successfully locate Dr. McKay. We have no Life Signs Detector. This is a tried and tested way and perfectly adequate for our purposes. You can stay here and... guard." Meaning the entrance to the complex.

"Guard? We didn't come here to just guard!" hissed Ronon. And Todd had hissed back with equal black threat. He could tolerate Sheppard but not the Satedan quite so readily. The threat was scarcely enough to quieten Ronon but was enough for Sheppard to jab an elbow into his friend's ribs before he could follow with another objection. Sheppard understood. They'd only been permitted on the mission out of sufferance. 'You don't push it' had been Sheppard's words.

"Yeah. We'll stay here and… guard," agreed Sheppard, all too flippantly for Todd's liking. "And how will we let you know if anyone comes? No radios, remember? A warning shot? That's gonna wake up the whole neighbourhood." Todd gave a meaningful look and realisation dawned on the Colonel. "Oh…"

"What?" Ronon looking puzzled from Sheppard to Todd. "What?"

"Trust me, he'll know," heard Todd as he followed his five Wraith companions into the darkness.

One by one, each level checked out. Ten minutes. In his mind. Sheppard.

'You have two guards coming your way. Want us to take care of them? If we do, likely someone is gonna realise they're missing and get all suspicious.'

'No. You are correct. Now is too soon to finish the enemy. We will conceal ourselves and allow them to pass.'

Ronon in the background. 'They might be heading for Rodney.'

'No. They let him sleep at night,' explains Sheppard.

'They did.'

'Hey!'

'Sorry. I just meant… they might have changed the routine…'

The Wraith shuts out the rest of their conversation. Concentrating on quietening his breathing. Concealing himself into the shadows of the dimly lit corridor. Listening for the footsteps that duly come close by. That then recede. The exchange between the guards heard through a fellow Wraith. "Hey, you hear a noise?" "No… Nothing. You must have heard that McKay snoring." The other Wraith holding his breath. The voices and footsteps faint and disappear.

'You are closest then. When you find him, wait for me,' he instructs the second Wraith.

'I'm coming too.'

'Sheppard?' Surprised. 'No. Stay where you are. We still need that guard.'

'I'll leave Ronon.'

'You know that I cannot pick up Ronon's thoughts. Stay where you are. Why are you being so recalcitrant?'

'Recalcitrant?'

'You still do not trust me? I have told you, I will not harm Dr. McKay. I have need of him to disarm this weapon.' All this. All this while he is still walking towards the other Wraith. 'Sheppard?'

'I heard. Staying put. Out.'

With too much mockery, that vexes the Wraith. Sheppard is… playing with him. Wishes he had not so readily acquiesced and permitted the two humans to accompany them. No. Perhaps Ronon is a mistake. A last minute decision. But he may still need Sheppard. When, in all this, was he ever going to be free of that human? Making more demands as a part of the bargain. That Ronon should come...

And Sheppard, though Todd had closed his mind, had sensed the presence of Ronon, deep in the bowels of the ship. The cells. Approached in the semi-darkness. Ronon's anger fiery and instant. Seeing the dress and appearance of Sheppard.

'What have you done to him!?' Ronon would have killed Todd ten times over if it were not for the bars of the cell. 'He was dead! Can't you even leave the dead alone?!' Attempting to reach through and to take Todd by the throat. Punching the bars in fury when thwarted by the force field. If you wanted this man on your side, he would make a good ally. But Todd did not. Ronon was one more complication to consider.

'I am not Michael. There was no experimentaion. Be assured, I have done nothing to him. He is dressed like this of his own volition.'

'I don't believe you! He was dead!'

'And I re-iterate, I have done nothing to him. Except-'

'-It's ok, Chewie. Calm down. Honestly, there was nothing else to wear. And since you asked, yeah, I'm ok and can speak for myself. Todd... ' Was it really so painful for Sheppard to admit it? 'Todd brought me back to life.' Even that explanation had done little to persuade the Satedan.

'The Sheppard I knew would never agree to the tattoo!'

'The Sheppard you know would, if it gets us to Rodney. And don't you go getting jealous of the tattoo - you're not getting one - we haven't the time.'

'Back away from the door,' one of the Wraith guards had instructed.

'Do as they say, Ronon,' ordered Sheppard.

And Ronon still stood there. Unmoving. 'How do I know? How do I know you're the real Sheppard? How do I know this isn't a trick?'

'A trick to do what exactly? A trick to free your ass?'

And Ronon backed away as the door opened with six stunners trained on him. To be safe. 'You could be a clone.' Still persistent.

'Hey, and I missed you too. I missed that suspicious mind of yours… Now take your damned gun and let's get out of here!' And Ronon had looked down at his gun. This had been proof. This had been proof that he could trust them.

Another one of Sheppard's Team. McKay. Breathing deeply. Asleep on a mattress in a cell. A dark shape in the grey-yellow dimness. The corridor is lit by a single sickly light. The floor stained… with human blood. The Wraith growls low at the wave of stench hitting his nostrils.

"Dr. McKay!" he hisses.

Sheppard. 'You've found him!'

'Yes.'

'We're coming!'

'And I've asked you to remain where you are!' Nothing more follows. Is Sheppard intending to follow? Or not? He must hurry now before Sheppard arrives.

"Dr. McKay!" A groan from the form that now stirs and turns and continues to sleep. His fellow Wraith reaches through the bars with his stunner and gives the recumbent scientist a gentle prod.

"Oh, what now?!!!" demands McKay. A voice too loud. They will be discovered.

"Quiet!" rasps Todd.

"What?! Oh, now I know I've gone crazy!" As he turns again to catch sight of the two at the bars. Then a lower voice as he stands and comes to the door.

"Todd? It… It really is you? Only I thought I had gone nuts or was dreaming… You must have… must have picked up my distress signal… No. No. No. No. You're too far away for that-"

Todd trying to pick the lock with the tip of his knife blade.

"-There is no time for an explanation. I need to release you quickly and to proceed upstairs to disarm the weapon you have been working on."

"How do you know all this? Sheppard told you? He made it back? He's ok? They told me he'd been picked up. They showed me pictures but I didn't think I could believe them..." McKay white and anxious.

Still struggling with the lock.

"I have said. No time to explain."

"If the Marines had come, they can soon break open a mechanical lock. Trained you see. Sheppard can do it before you can blink. And Ronon. Pity you didn't bring any of those with you… not that… not that… I wouldn't look a gift horse… or... or gift Wraith… so to speak… in the mouth…" trailing off and backing away from the snarl at Todd's lips.

"I can assure you that I am quite capable of carrying out this task but only if you were to remain silent!"

The lock gives. But Rodney still remains where he is.

"Quickly!" Todd demands tersely, holding open the door. Quickly as he is certain that Sheppard approaches. And there may be decisions to be made… and it would be best… it would suit his purposes if Sheppard were not there to interfere.

"How do I know… how do I know I can trust you? I mean… why didn't a whole unit of commandos just abseil in?"

A snort of impatience. Why were humans so difficult? They are freed and they display such ingratitude.

"It is, as you say, a long story. Please let us make haste, Dr. McKay. Please accept that it is I who am here to rescue you and that this rescue is sanctioned by your Stargate Command."

The scientist is only half-satisfied. But that is sufficient. McKay leads the way down the corridor. The Wraith's ears do not pick up the noise of approaching footsteps that hurry nor the scent of Sheppard and Ronon. He leaves his fellow Wraith behind to guard the corridor.

"We can't use the lift obviously," explains McKay. They walk past the black gates that Todd has seen in Sheppard's mind. McKay knows where there are stairs. One day the lift was not operational. Hopefully Sheppard can be slowed down here. He also would not dare to use the lift and alert the guards. Must try hard. Must try and close his mind to Sheppard. To close his mind means Sheppard will not discover the stairway quite so readily. To close his mind means Sheppard will not discover what he may need to do… Perhaps… perhaps he senses it… perhaps this is why the Colonel is making such haste. And it is curious… curious that at some point… at what point, did the Wraith telepathy… that he used to probe Sheppard's mind… become… reciprocal?

'Todd! Todd! What are you playing at?!'

Ah, there he is… shut him out… shut him out… More difficult than it seems. A need to concentrate on Rodney. A thought. An order. To other Wraith. Hold them. Hold them back. Do not… hurt them… use the stunners?... only if there is a need… we must not arouse the guards… a battle now on… one…two… three… four fronts? To gain Rodney's trust. To maintain Sheppard's but to keep him at arm's length… for he needs the Colonel to keep Stargate Command at bay… And finally, the last front, with the guards of this complex.

And this is difficult too. A metal gantry. Moves stealthily as a Wraith can. Eyes flitting, searching the shadows. Ears alert to all dangers. But… McKay… irksome… in his clumsiness… is it too much to ask that he makes some effort to quieten his footfalls? And then… distant voices. Guards. Behind them. Though there is certainly no sense of panic or anger to be distinguished in the voices. No alarm has been raised… yet. But then, he has noted, there has not been a single piece of monitoring equipment. And Rodney is of the same thought…

"Always weird that they have no surveillance," the human whispers too loudly. "Guess they thought they'd never get discovered… let that be a lesson to us all, eh? Never to be over confident."

"No, indeed," he agrees irritably, muttering in a low voice, "though, perhaps it would be wise to be more silent with your observations!"

"Yes. Yes… of course..." replies a deflated McKay.

And it saddens him… a little… that the human is attempting to be… agreeable… when Todd can feel the fear of Wraith emanating from every pore of the human's body… the Wraith feels hunger again too… and is making no endeavour to mask the fact… if it keeps McKay… attentive and ready to perform the duties required of him… so much the better… soon… but soon… he will be able to feed… he is certain of that…

Another dark corridor… another gantry… and they are looking down on the area with the sluice… hesitates… more dark stains… tilts back his head and hisses softly… why?... why should this bother him?... why should he bothered that this is the area where Sheppard had been held during the day?

McKay, once ahead, showing the way, comes back for him…

"What? What is it?" the Lantean asks in a low voice.

"Nothing of importance. Pray, lead on."

"I thought… I thought you'd seen something."

"No. Nothing," he repeats. All of the memories that were Sheppard's… Nothing… Nothing to him…

"They gave Sheppard a rough time down there. Killed two marines too." And Rodney shivers.

"Really?" he lies his surprise. Lies indifference. "Carry on, please."

Though they are soon in the room with the workstations. Rodney fires one screen up. The room blues and flickers.

"Total wipe out, huh? Take, what, ten, fifteen minutes. I've already been installing the virus. It'll just take a while to complete and activate. You think we have that long?" Glances back the way they've come. Voices in conversation can still be heard.

"Do not trouble yourself. Concentrate on the programme. I will deal with any eventualities." McKay's uneasy. Despite assurances.

"When we've finished here… We can go out through the Gate?"

"No. The Gate has been closed down."

"Oh…" and McKay continues to stab keyboard buttons at a rate of knots. But Todd sees… sees that he is also wondering… "You managed to figure out a way to jam the system then?" enquires McKay.

"Stargate Command engineered it." He can, at least be truthful about that. And it will allay any of McKay's suspicions.

"I take it that I'm leaving with you, then?" Todd offers neither affirmation nor confirmation. The scientist wriggles his shoulders and pulls at a sleeve before resuming. "You know, I'm just funny that way… looking ahead… planning… always planning…" Apprehension in a frown.

"You must make haste!" Todd orders.

"Ok! Ok!"

Then, regrets his brusqueness instantly and attempts, instead, to be more conciliatory, for he needs to know, needs to know what he already fears… that… McKay knows too much…

Peers over the scientist's shoulder, with interest in his expression and voice.

"Where is the device itself?"

"Next room," and the scientist waves a hand forward, dismissively, without looking up from the console. Biting a lip. Feigning concentration. Todd knows this. McKay's coughs into a fist. Swallows hard. His nervousness. "Beyond that lies the Gate." His voice squeaks which he corrects with another cough. "So they can ship the weapon through whenever they want, to where ever they want." He hears the faint tremor in McKay's speech as he attempts strength in his tone.

"You fully understand the weapon? In your opinion, it is sufficient to simply install the virus to render it non operational? Permanently? We do not need to plant explosives also… to leave no trace?"

It is the trigger that Todd requires. A litany follows. Of all the complexities. How great and wonderful and all-comprehensive McKay's understanding is of the weapon. Confirming… confirming what Todd has already surmised… that McKay knows too much… once released back to Atlantis… he cannot be released… this cannot happen… soon Todd… soon Todd can feed again… suppresses a snarl… becomes a half-hiss… now suppresses… the need to feed that must be in his eyes… McKay must complete his work first… and then… what is this?... what is this?...

Watches the face of the scientist as he works in the blue light… McKay still nervously chewing at his bottom lip… for he has guessed… he has guessed Todd's intention… but this is not… is not… does not concern the Wraith… McKay is no match for Todd in combat… he will succumb readily… no… no… no… sees the face… sees the face… as Sheppard sees… has seen the face… friend… aundama… feels the drive… the power… the energy that drove Sheppard to rescue his friend… the lengths he was prepared to go to for his friend… aundama… he cannot… he cannot be sharing this… this is weakness… this is Wraith weakness… it cannot be tolerated… McKay has to be sacrificed… as much as the crew of the Daedalus had to be sacrificed… later… Sheppard might understand this… what is this… what is this also?... a Wraith's concern what a human may think of him?... this is weakness… this is Wraith weakness… this is weakness that stems from human morality… he must shut this out… must shut out all those memories of McKay as friend that he has witnessed… the sharing of water… the blanket… the care… the bargaining for the life of Sheppard knowing there was little hope of his own release… McKay has to be silenced for the greater good… that is the way of the Wraith…

"That… er… um… that should do it." And McKay looks up at Todd… and he is rubbing sweaty palms together… he knows… McKay knows… the pleading in his eyes… and Todd needs… to feed… and McKay backs away from the console…

"Right… right…" Looking round desperately for a way out… when there is none… pity… pity… pity… this is human… "At least… at least stun me first, huh?" McKay croaks, backing away, down the line of consoles, eyes darting from side to side. "You know, dying man's last request and all that?"

…he needs to feed…

"Todd!" A loud hoarse whisper from the bottom of the stairs. The Wraith freezes. As if struck from behind.

"Sheppard!" McKay's eyes wide. Like the time the hood was removed.

The Wraith spins round.

And Sheppard's eyes… thoughts… full of warning.

Ronon further back, guarding the corridor.

"You don't touch him!" And Sheppard is bounding up the stairs two at a time. He has not used the stunner he carries. It is a mistake that he might live to regret…

"Do not interfere!" And he snarls his own warning at Sheppard. And he moves forward, to block Sheppard's advance. Strong now… strong now as a Wraith should be… The Colonel is compelled to halt at the very top. Both have stunners aimed at each other's chests. And Ronon is tempted to swing round and take a shot. But Sheppard is in the way. And voices below in the corridor are louder, shouting cries of alarm and Ronon's attention is forced back again to the darkness behind him.

"You promised you would not harm him! I trusted you!" Sheppard struggles to keep his voice low with the fury in his eyes.

"There is no alternative! He knows too much and will take that knowledge back to Atlantis! I cannot allow that to happen!"

"Oh, excuse me! 'He' can speak for himself!" puts in McKay.

"Yes?!!!" and Todd snaps back at the scientist behind him.

Who now whimpers… "Promise… I won't breathe a word. Honest. Scout's honour! My lips are sealed for ever!"

"And yes, Dr. McKay, to seal your lips forever was my intention!"

"I'll vouch for him! I give you my word, he won't say anything! You-don't-touch-him!"

"You have nothing to bargain with Colonel! Your thinking is full of anomalies. How do you think you are ever going to leave here without me? There is hardly any point you waving that stunner at me either, is there?"

"You are weak! It wouldn't take so much to finish you!" And Sheppard raises the stunner, even knowing it is ineffectual. Desperate. His eyes are full of desperateness.

"Hah! And what of your word, Sheppard? How much value has your word? When it is you who have agreed that 'all bets are off' after this? Leave me to conclude my business!…" He turns back to McKay who is newly alarmed. Reaches for his beacon button to alert an awaiting dart to beam him and McKay up. As he cannot… will not… do this in front of Sheppard.

Then why the dagger? Why the tattoo? Why the Wraith coat? Nothing to do with honour? Nothing to do with trust? Whose voice? Whose thought? The voice of a Wraith? The voice of Sheppard?

And he turns back again, as Sheppard speaks again.

"We're gonna have to trust you! We're gonna have to trust you not to tell other Wraith about Earth! That's the new bargain! Rodney keeps quiet! You keep quiet! That's the new deal!"

And now Ronon is firing into the corridor. They really must leave now…

"This argument has served little purpose but to alert the guards!" …as he approaches Rodney… as his hand drops from the stunner to the button. He sees Sheppard, reaching for the dagger… to be doubly sure…

"You would kill me with my own dagger, Sheppard? You know that you can't…" a voice half in mockery… half that is uncertain.

"Just watch me try! A new deal or not?!" And the knife is firmly in the Colonel's grip.

Feels confused. And it is not the threat itself that makes him hesitate… the look… the thought… that Sheppard would actually attempt this…

He shifts. Doubting.

"Don't-you-dare-touch-that-button!" yells Sheppard.

And then the confusion… outside of his mind. Shooting pain in both arms and chest… and head. Paralysed. The stunner falls clattering from his hands. Somehow… somehow… he has been shot?... Sheppard has… no… Sheppard is as surprised as he is… Ronon?... no… guards... and rapid gunfire from the other side of the gantry. Pain. Pain too great. Drops to the floor. Partly for cover. Partly… to recover. Will be slow… has not fed… dazed… slow motion… and McKay… unarmed… shouting… his hearing as white noise… then… deaf?… cannot distinguish words… McKay shouting… to pass his stunner?… and the sound of another stunner close by… Sheppard down low… crouched behind railings… returning fire… shouting… shouting to Ronon… Ronon returning fire also… behind and above him… impossible… outnumbered… but three guards down… recovering… must stretch for his beacon… Sheppard's screaming at him…

"Beam us all up, damn you!"

... the whine of the dart above the building… why?... it should not be so close… he has not called it as yet… too close… it will be brought down… why has the pilot behaved so stupidly?... the whine… is… wrong… fast approaching… louder… unless… it has been brought down already… louder… louder… screeching… shrieking… crashing, exploding through the ceiling… splintering concrete slabs like… autumn leaves… slow motion… black dart shape grinding… rumbling… banging… twisting… girders twisting… like storm blown trees… dust choking… he has recovered but the dust now choking his lungs… coughs… coughs until the tears come… blinding... noise deafening… so he hears no other thing… a strange silence that isn't silence… where… where to go… in this silence… this silence that preludes death… remain still… quiet… calm… accept this… accept this is the end… this is the end of all the years… the gantry shudders as finally the dart comes to rest… nose down… the canopy lifts… but the pilot is dead… the dart smoking ominously… smoke mixing with thick grey dust… it would be expedient to move now… where… where are the others?… no movement further on the gantry… the guards there all dead ?… the dust settles quickly as it is heavy… one guard hangs by his legs… odd that he is headless… a fragment of roof larger than the dart lying to his left… the spot where McKay has last been seen… noises coming back… Ronon still shouting, still shooting down the corridor… Sheppard… has fallen, slipped down, thrown down the stairs…

"I'm…"

…half-sitting, half slouching, back to the railings…

"I'm…"

…he is pale… a splinter of debris in his shoulder… blood glistens there… the stunner motionless in his lap… he moves towards the Colonel… to help… though there is still pain across his own shoulders…

"Sheppard…"

"Let's go! Let's go!" Ronon… screaming… running to the stairs to scoop up Sheppard by the one good shoulder…

"Rodney," says Sheppard feebly… and Ronon glances up to the Wraith… with a face grimed and sweaty and desperate… understands in a look what has befallen the scientist…

"We go now," and Ronon says no more… no more than that… and drags Sheppard to the corridor that Ronon has just cleared of guards… Sheppard rallied now and yelling back…

"You got what you damn well wanted, Todd! Hope you're fucking glad! Hope you're fucking glad!"

…crying back…

"Damn you, Todd! I'm gonna kill you!… I swear I'm gonna kill you!"

...would do it now... there... then... but Ronon is urging him on... "No time! Later!"

…swiftly follows the pair… what else can he do?... picking up the two stunners… and... why should he be… hurt by Sheppard's words?… the truth... he has got what he wanted… Rodney is dead... but he did not want… to be hurt by Sheppard's words…

...running into the darkness… a siren madly waaing… will soon draw in more guards… this is futile… there is no where to run to… nowhere for a rescue… he needs to send a message to his hive… another dart… but a mind that is too full… too full of… human hurt… he has been the cause of osaundama… and that in turn… has caused his own osaundama… he has lost a… friend… hah… Wraith have no friends… fellow warriors… not friends… no... no... lost a friend…

...soon… the courtyard… the siren has stopped its wailing… still in the moonlight… frost in the air… this is dangerous… this is an ambush… sniffs the cold still air… humans in the shadows…

"Ronon Dex," he warns, careful to keep his voice low… fearful that even his breathing and the beating of his Wraith heart will alert the guards.

"Yeah, where?" …the Satedan senses them too…

"North-west… the window and the doorway."

"We go back?" hisses Sheppard.

…they find another doorway and enter… he has alerted them to danger… they are a team…

… I won't forget Rodney. I won't forget what the bastard tried to do to Rodney…

…but knows that Sheppard has not forgotten… there's only one way they can go now…

…crap! Can you believe all these dead ends?!

…the thought… the sensation they have simply gone in a circle…

…have we just gone round in a goddamned circle?...

…this is foolish…

…this is stupid, how could we have done this?...

…face death… turn and face death…

…last stand… like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid…

…into a larger room… a skylight allows in the moon… a single white beam catches the turquoise… the Stargate… breath taking…

…takes your breath away…

…senses it is… untouched for millennia…

…hasn't been touched for thousands of years…

…and now touched by this iniquity…

…touched by these fucking people…

… so, so wrong…

…wrong…

…ha!… you think so too?... Sheppard's morality?…

…get out of my head…

…movement… Sheppard!...

…hits the ground… weight of Todd on his back… breath out of his lungs… Todd… has… saved him?... again?!

Ronon firing… Todd rolls over and is firing… his own hand whips up one of the stunners and he is firing also… yelling, crying because of the pain… bastards!... yelling and crying because of Rodney… bastards!... yelling and crying because of all the things that have happened here… bastards!... for Adams… for Norton… for Hendrick… for Paulo…

…flashes of gunfire… blue and yellow… light up the Stargate… break up the moonbeam… iniquity… and he is firing also… face death… soon the stunner batteries will fade… soon even Ronon Dex's gun will fade… face death… like this Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid… and Ronon grins… yeah… and he has saved Sheppard just to face death… it matters little… this is death with honour… this is death with comrades… perhaps with friends?… no... Sheppard will never forgive him... and suddenly the room is flashed with turquoise light as the Stargate activates…

…what the hell?...

…is it O'Neill who has done this?... the foaming shoots out and recedes… a bang above the gunfire… an explosion behind the guards… a hard percussion in the air that makes them flinch and lower their heads... the guards are running with panic…

…what the hell is going on?...

…running in panic to the gate… straight into the line of fire…

…sitting ducks…

…why are they running?… two make it through the gate… then... rumbling… shuddering at their feet… what is this?...

…what now?...

"Run!"

…What is this?....

"Run!"

…and McKay is running… skittering sideways to shout as he passes…

"Run!"

…wildly pointing towards the Gate… running towards the Gate…

"Rodney!" Somehow, he is still alive…

"No time… Colonel… Run!"

"Rodney!"

…all running…

"Pressed the self-detonate on the dart… got the Gate open… problem is-"

-oAo-

"My superiors aren't too pleased with this." And O'Neill wasn't exactly too pleased either. As he studied footage of aerial reconnaissance just in.

"Well, you just tell them that losing five square miles of pine forest is a whole damn sight better than a solar system!" And an afterthought. "And it's not like we had anything to do with this!" And another afterthought. "Nor that it was done intentionally." Well… he hoped not.

Another assistant. At another console. "No evidence of radiation, sir, so we're moving in units for a ground search."

O'Neill acknowledged his thanks with a nod.

"Not that they're going to find anything," muttered Cameron under his breath.

"No. Don't think Sheppard…" could have survived this time, pursing his lips, rubbing a cheek, hating it when he had to admit to stuff like that. And he'd said it too many times before, about too many good people.

"The… 'hive' ship has hailed us, sir, and is requesting a search for their… 'men.'" The technician still couldn't get his mind round the fact that he was dealing with actual aliens.

"That's a no," said O'Neill without a second thought. "Tell them to leave before we blast them out of the sky."

"Sir?" Cameron a little concerned at his general's hasty judgement. Low, under his breath, careful not to allow the Norwegians to hear. "I don't think we can actually physically do that… sir. Even if we are all a little pissed off at the moment. They are cloaked, and the Daedalus is halfway between here and Atlantis. It's not like it was their fault either."

"That's still a 'no.' I'm not letting them anywhere near Earth." hissed back O'Neill. "And you can bet your bottom dollar, they're not looking for Todd but for remains of this weapon."

"The same as us, you mean?" Raising an eyebrow. O'Neill grunted a sort of agreement. "Look," pointed out Cameron, "we've only got Todd's word that these guys won't go off and tell every Wraith in the Pegasus about Earth's location and it's looking like Todd's dead… I think we should be more… amenable… let them land even… make them land even… and then we can take them on the ground and get ourselves a hive ship to boot."

"They'll be ready for that, you know that… and we could lose a lot more men." Receptive to the suggestion, nevertheless.

"Better this way, than let them go."

A cough. The Norwegian technician. O'Neill scowls in his direction. He hates being interrupted - even by a cough. Even by one of those… discreet coughs.

"A message from Cheyenne Mountain, sir." The Norwegians and any Nato allies have not been told what SGC stands for. All they know is that its top secret. Very.

"Well?" He asks a little irritably, peering over Cameron's shoulder, who has turned to face the tech.

"They've had a message from… Atlantis? Yes. That it what it says. Atlantis." Obviously the guy must think it's a code word for somewhere. Something. Someone. "Medics and a unit have been sent to Valdeenan? To assist Colonel Sheppard, Dr. McKay and Ronon Dex. And there is a gentleman with them who requires the return of his ship?"

Cameron turns round, and he and O'Neill stare at one another.

"They made it through the Gate!" They say simultaneously.

- oAo -

Slowly.

Slowly does it.

Though he knows it's going to hurt.

Dust and gravel scrape at his face as he lifts his head.

Oh crap!

Not good. And the pain shoots round his neck and up the back of his skull. And he sees white. And the world, already at an odd angle, tilts and slides. Whooa… Slowly. With his cheek back on the dirt, he re- focuses his eyes at the movement that had woken him. A black shape in the mist. Concentrates harder with a frown. Todd. He mumbles. As he knows its Todd.

'What yer doing?'

Just gotta know what he's doing. And why is the bastard always so goddamned lucky? Todd's on his feet already… couldn't have healed that quickly… then… he's just fed... Ronon! Rodney!... pushes himself off the ground… where are they?!!!... Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!… falls, collapses, rolls over to his back… and that only makes it worse, coz, damn, its his back that's hurt… from the blast… a blast… one of the blasts… groaning… tears coming to his eyes… fuck!... and rolls back to his stomach, gasping… must have caught a ton of shrapnel in his back when that thing exploded…

'You are awake?'

'No!... No, I'm not!... Just pretending!...'

'Sheppard?'

'Nothing… What yer doing?'

...Blearily opens his eyes again… panting with the effort… hell, just panting to breath!... oh… as Todd stoops to feed on the second of the two guards who'd also made it through the gate…

"Where's Ronon and Rodney?" he asks out loud, biting back the pain hard on his teeth… he'd better had not fed on them… he'd better had not fed on them…

"Here," says Ronon… and a movement… to his right… behind his head… and then Ronon comes into view… half crawling, dragging two bloodied legs behind him… wincing… a lot less than he ought to be… and why is this bastard always so goddamned brave…

"You ok?" slurring a stupid question… coz… how could he be?...

"Been better."

"Me… too… Rodney?"

"Still out cold." And Ronon squints over somewhere near Todd, " though doesn't look hurt, perhaps he just fainted."

"Ronon!"

"What?" A what-have-I-done-now-sort-of-what… and they manage a laugh… though it hurts… coz… somehow its good to be alive…

"I thought… I thought Todd had fed on him…"

"Wouldn't dare…" and Ronon looks down at the gun he's still miraculously carrying… then Todd is near Rodney… and Ronon is more serious… more alert… and Todd bends down…

"Move away from him!" warns Ronon… and Todd looks up surprised…

"I merely wish to check his pulse, Colonel…"

"It's ok, Ronon."

…but Ronon doesn't lower his gun…

"If the Satedan wishes to tire his arm, so be it," says Todd… and its true, that Ronon arm shakes… not fury… not anger as you'd expect… the guy is hurting badly.

…but Todd now stands anyway…

"Your Dr. Mckay lives… I will dial the gate for Atlantis now?" ...he peers through those silver trellises of his… from Ronon… to Sheppard… almost subservient…

'Todd?...'

'Colonel?...'

'There's no need to be like this…'

…for he remembers now… he remembers the last thing that happened before he launched himself through the Gate… he remembers the first explosion… he remembers that Rodney tripped and fell… he remembers Todd's swift movement towards Rodney… he remembers the second explosion… the explosion out of hell… the searing heat of a fireball… his back seeming to explode also… but he only falls to his knees because he knew he had to get through that Gate…

...and he could see it… the faint shimmer of turquoise through the smoke… but seeming so far away… so far when you... still... had... to... get... up… through the dust and the smoke and choking heat… but Rodney was still on the ground… and it must have saved him from the second explosion… that and the fact that Todd had thrown himself over Rodney… and Todd had stood and staggered and healed… a little… before hauling Rodney to his feet and pushing the dazed scientist through the event horizon… and then the third explosion… and Sheppard fell to his hands… and then began to crawl, because it was the only way he was ever going to do this thing… and Todd had turned to pick up Ronon but Ronon had pushed him away, calling back to Sheppard… Sheppard was back there… left alone… left behind… crawling now on his belly, dragging forward with his elbows… another explosion and he wouldn't make it… and choking now on the dust… and losing all sight of the gate… heat and red dust and red smoke swirling above him… and the loud crackle of flames nearby… and Todd there… like… like… some devil in hell…

...and hauls him to the gate… but a fourth and a fifth explosion… and they're both hitting the ground again… and Todd hurt bad… really bad… not even a Wraith can get over that… he has taken the full impact… 'come on…' and he takes Todd round the chest… this is impossible… how can he do this?... 'leave me… leave me…' Todd says... and God he's so tempted… this is a Wraith after all… a Wraith who, only half an hour earlier had tried to kill Rodney… but this… Wraith has just saved Rodney and probably Ronon… and Sheppard… twice… and somehow… 'we never leave anyone behind, you know'… there's only inches to go… inch by inch… inch by inch he hitches the weight that is Todd and his own wracked body towards the gate… 'leave me… the Gate will not survive another explosion… you will never get through…' 'I told you… I told you… we never leave anyone behind…' 'Sheppard's morality?'… 'what?...' and wormhole travel… and blue sky… and blackness that he can fall into…

'Todd?'

...this telepathy is good… no need to breathe out words that cut… though his mind is not nearly clear enough… and the Wraith is on his knees beside him… he can't move… all that is in his vision is the black blur of Todd's coat…

'Todd? You don't have to do this… to see after us… ouch!...'

…Todd has touched his back…

'Checking your wounds, Colonel. They are… numerous.'

…if he could see Todd, he knows the Wraith would be shaking his head…

'Tell me about it!'

'If you had not been wearing the Wraith coat…'

'I'd be dead… yeah, probably…'

Todd's attention is drawn to Rodney who is waking. And Ronon, pushes with his arms to stand, grunting with the effort, pausing for a moment before staggering over. Rodney raises a hand to his forehead, groaning.

"I'm dying!"

"No, you're not," says Ronon, slumping down heavily at his side.

"And how would you know?" and Rodney peers through his fingers at Ronon, about to contradict him and for a moment shocked at the state of the tall guy.

"Oh, you'd just about do anything to get into one of Jenny's beds, wouldn't you?!!!"

Todd turns back to Sheppard, a flicker of a smile on his face, and speaks aloud so that the others might hear.

"I have contacted Atlantis, Colonel and requested assistance for you and the others, which will arrive presently. I have chosen to leave now… another alliance ship will pick me up once I have passed through the Gate…"

'Why? Why leave?'

'Oh, there appears to be more reasons than moons around Galixtis' …no, even Radek had lost count at 2304… 'I have no wish… to be accountable for everything that has happened… I do not feel I wish to face the questioning that will be inevitable… and the longer I am away from my alliance… the more distrust my absence will be in the eyes of my brethren… I would not wish them to know that I did not complete my task and take the life of Dr. McKay… it would indicate a certain… weakness on my part… at least… not for the present… and I must leave before I change my mind and decide I cannot trust you after all to keep the weapon a secret…'

'Seems like enough reasons… but what… what made you change your mind?... about… killing Rodney?'

'And what made you change yours?... about killing me?'

'You've saved my life, again… would be impolite of me, wouldn't it? But before then… you changed your mind before then…'

'You saved my life also...'

…no, even before then... he'd saved Rodney first... coverin up… the Wraith was covering up… no… no… the hurt in the Wraith's eyes… Sheppard had seen it… on the stairs… running with Ronon... Todd couldn't conceal it… Sheppard had been witness to the raw hurt that was in the Wraith's eyes…

... no… no… it had been the hatred in Sheppard's eyes… made savage with the black tattoo... the Wraith hoped never to see that hatred again and be so hurt by it…

… and both turn away from those thoughts…

…and neither admit the truth…

…and the ancient says it is aundama that makes good men do these things…

'Good-bye, Colonel, till we meet again… I believe it is customary to shake hands at a time like this…' and Sheppard sees a hand offered… hesitates… and Todd chortles… it is an old joke with him that never wears thin… and simply pats Sheppard on the shoulder before rising…

"Hey!" ...and Sheppard takes a deep breath and rolls over… yeah… it's going to do some damage… and holds out his right hand… he knows that Todd didn't have to do half the things he has done… didn't have to save his life… didn't have to try and destroy the weapon… didn't have to not kill McKay… even now… even now… the Wraith could take all three of them as they lay on the ground…Todd stoops down… grunting and nodding his approval as they grasp and lock arms…

"I've… I've" and it hurts to talk like this so he swallows hard. "I've sorta lost count…" and he has to take a breath already. "Who owes what? I guess we're quits?"

A wry smile. "If you could get my ship back, I would consider it so."

Sheppard collapses back over to his front again and it's a whole lot easier so he resorts back to telepathy, to hell with the odd looks it's gonna earn him from Ronon and Rodney. 'Is that the ship with all the data on board about the location of Earth and the new super quick way of getting there? That going to be a 'no' probably… at least... not until we've looked at said data… I'll see what I can do…'

'It is not good enough!' Feigning anger.

'What?!…oh… another joke… full of them, eh?… but I still think we're quits… I'd be doing this…' Go on, John, force it out, force it out… 'I'd be doing this as… a favour…'

'A favour? To me?'

'Yeah…' Why did the Wraith have to be quite so damned surprised?

'But I have no wish to be indebted to anyone…'

'Then… you're going to have to learn to live with it… you know, this could go on forever, until we agree we are quits.'

'Then it is agreed… We are… quits.'

'Yeah… agreed…'

'And all bets are off again?…'

'Yeah…' and he nods, which hurts like hell…

…and the Wraith looks back before going through the Gate, and murmurs a word that only Sheppard hears…

"What was all that about?" asks Rodney, when the Gate stills again. "And, um, what's with the tattoo thingy?"

"…tell you… one day…" perhaps… meanwhile… he was… for now… just going to lay down his head… wait... and try not to die… again...

End