Thank you so much to everyone for the wonderful reviews! Go trekie for figuring out that the title 'Last, Best Hope' was indeed cribbed from Babylon 5… (which I also love by the way)
Chapter 20 – The Last Open Door
Teyla nodded sadly at Sheppard as she spoke to Rodney. John had nothing to feel shame about. She knew how close he and McKay were and she did not want to think about what an effect the death of Rodney could have on the Colonel.
She vowed to keep the man alive no matter what it took. She was leaning in more closely and was about to speak into Rodney's ear again when the sensors in the cockpit beeped loudly.
Sheppard lifted his hand off Rodney's chest and walked over and sat in the pilot's chair. His face broke into a relieved grin and he turned slightly in his seat to call out to the people in the rear compartment, "The Daedalus is here!"
Ronon smiled as he put his hand on Rodney's chest and leaned over the unconscious scientist's face and spoke gruffly, "Told you you'd be alright McKay."
Ronon frowned as he kept his hand over Rodney's heart, "Uh Sheppard? He's not breathing."
"Oh crap!" Sheppard muttered as he hastily tapped the comm, "Colonel Sheppard to Daedalus."
"This is Colonel Caldwell."
"We have a medical emergency. Please lock on and beam all occupants other than myself directly to the Infirmary." He paused for a moment and then settled his eyes on Newall, "Oh and have a security detail meet them there."
"Acknowledged."
Sheppard silently thanked Caldwell for not asking him why or what had happened on the planet. He knew that he would have to recount the tale several times to Dr Weir and in his report and probably to half of Atlantis. He also knew in the back of his mind that he would not be able to stand explaining it even once if his friend were to die.
Sheppard quickly cut the ropes binding Newall to the chair next to him and then watched as everyone else on board evaporated in a mist of white stars.
He felt a deep sense of worry for Rodney. How long had he not been breathing? Was his heart still beating? Did he have any time left or was it now too late for the Daedalus medics to do anything for him?
Sheppard tried to shake the thoughts as he felt a lump forming in the back of his throat. He steeled himself, swallowed thickly and set his face in as stoic an expression as he could manage. He then guided the Jumper into the open hanger bay and hastily parked it in an empty space next to the F302s.
He grabbed the rucksack holding the ZPM and dashed out of the rear hatch towards the infirmary. He wished the precious and powerful device could do something to help Rodney.
He continued to think as he ran between the startled crew members of the Daedalus. He had been through so much with McKay, sure they had butted heads on more than one occasion, but always came out on top with their friendship intact.
McKay had saved Sheppard's life and the lives of everyone on Atlantis too many times to count. They had survived Wraith attacks and fought so many battles with the humans of the Pegasus Galaxy. He hated the idea that Rodney may die from a human attack carried out by a man from Earth. They were all supposed to be on the same side.
Teyla kept hold of Rodney's hand even after they were fully materialised in the Daedalus' infirmary.
As the medical staff quickly approached and checked him over efficiently she still held onto the scientist's bandaged fingers.
She felt a firm hand drawing her away and turned her face from Rodney's pale features to look up at Ronon who had her upper arm held gently in his hand. "Come on. They've got him. There's nothing more we need to do."
She nodded slowly and allowed herself to be pulled away to the side of the infirmary.
One of the Doctors came over to them and asked, "What happened to Dr McKay and Dr Newall?"
Teyla pressed her lips together in a thin line while Ronon spoke, "McKay's been shot in the side and leg. Newall…" He spat the name with as much venom as he could muster, "Dunno. Don't really care."
Teyla frowned as Ronon turned away and she had to continue, "We are not sure what happened to Dr Newall, but he seemed dehydrated when we got to him."
The Doctor nodded and went over to both of his patients.
Newall was swiftly hooked up with IV lines, but Rodney's condition was a lot more serious. There were so many people around him it was difficult for Teyla and Ronon to see what was happening and neither of them could comprehend the medical commands being flung between the staff.
All that they knew was that there was a beeping heart monitor, which could only be good news.
Sheppard ran into the room and joined them a few seconds later. He just caught a glimpse of Rodney before he was wheeled away into the operating theatre. He was sure that if McKay was conscious the man would have greatly protested at the lack of Carson's presence with him.
Sheppard was just glad that his friend was finally getting the proper help he had so desperately needed for the last few hours.
A nurse rushed over to Sheppard and studied his face and arms, "Colonel? If you'd just like to take a seat over there on that bed; I'll be with you in a moment."
Sheppard blinked slowly at her, "What?" He was infuriated that there was anyone left in the infirmary who was not helping Rodney.
Ronon leaned over with a tight smile, "Didn't want to say anything."
Teyla joined him, "We thought you were too preoccupied with Rodney to have noticed and would not have liked any attention for yourself."
Sheppard looked down at his arms and cursed himself for always wearing a short-sleeved shirt on away missions. His arms were covered in nasty red scratches and the bandages still wrapped around his hands from the fateful morning were coated in Rodney's blood.
As he examined himself, the cuts began to throb and sting. He could now feel similar smarting sensations across his face.
The nurse came back and she studied Sheppard in concern, "Colonel, over here please."
Ronon raised his eyebrows at Sheppard, but the nurse saw, "You too please."
Ronon's face suddenly dropped into a puzzled expression and he looked at Teyla. She pointed down at his chest and Ronon followed her gaze to look at himself.
"Uh" he grunted noticing he had blood all over the front of his shirt from where he had carried Rodney to the Jumper, "It's not mine."
The nurse looked at him sadly and nodded. She then put a hand firmly on Sheppard's shoulder and guided him over to sit on the bed.
He still had the rucksack with the ZPM inside and hoped that its close proximity to his friend as he fought for his life would somehow make him stronger. A superstition and a tiny spark of a hope perhaps, but Sheppard figured that Rodney had only been kept alive by the unerring faith and hope of his friends while on the Jumper. Now his life was in the skilled hands of the medical team on the Daedalus and he still needed anything to give him the strength to live.
He passed the bag to Ronon as he reluctantly shuffled over and sat on the bed to be cleaned up and rebandaged by the waiting nurse.
Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon pulled up chairs in one corner of the infirmary out of the way as they waited for news on Rodney's condition. There had not been so much as a peep from the closed door behind which Rodney was still being operated on.
A nurse was adjusting Newall's IV lines and two marines stood close by keeping watch over the scientist.
The nurse frowned at them, not liking having weapons in the room which was a place of healing for all people equally, even criminals.
As she picked up Newall's right hand to make sure the IV line was alright she jumped and dropped it. She carefully lifted it once more and turned the palm over so that she could see the source of the slight shock she had just received.
She pinched her features together as the marines came over to find out what the source of her alarm was.
Sheppard watched warily with Teyla and Ronon from the other side of the room.
One of the marines leaned over and noticed the faint glow through the skin in the palm of Newall's hand. "What is it?"
The nurse frowned and looked up at him, "I'm not sure."
"Best wait until we get back to Atlantis. Their Doctor will be able to run that medical scanner over him."
She nodded and rested the scientist's hand back down gently on the covers.
Sheppard put his hand in his pocket and drew out the device he had retrieved from P3X-778. He looked at it more closely. There was some Ancient text on one side and a triangular indentation on the other.
He pushed himself out of the chair and made his way over to Newall.
One of the marines took his eyes off Newall to track Sheppard's progress towards them, "Colonel?"
"Stand down. I'm just going to test a theory."
Sheppard held the device in his right hand and turned Newall's right palm upwards. He moved the circular piece of metal closer to the glowing palm and frowned when he saw a bright white and growing light shining through the man's hand as the device got closer.
Sheppard suddenly pressed the circle of metal directly onto Newall's hand and there was a slight noise followed by a dull metallic clunk.
Sheppard kept hold of the circle until the sounds stopped and then turned it over to see what had just happened. He saw that there was another object inside the once empty triangular indentation. His eyes widened and he rushed over to a table in the infirmary and put the device down.
He then walked back to Newall where the nurse was once again checking him and looked down at the scientist's hand. There were no marks on the skin and Sheppard narrowed his eyes as a faint splutter came from the man lying on the bed.
He moved his gaze up to meet Newall's tired eyes. The man's mouth twitched open and he gave Sheppard a furious glare when he realised that the Colonel had just stolen the device in his hand. His face then softened and went slack as he fell asleep again.
It was early morning on Wednesday when the Daedalus left hyperspace and cautiously approached Atlantis. The Lantean sun glinted brightly off the ship as it glided through space.
Caldwell took no chances this time and instantly raised the shields in case the Puddle Jumpers were still on the attack.
As they got closer to Lantea he called Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon up to the bridge. They had understandably been reluctant to leave the infirmary, but Rodney was still in surgery and it would take time before he was out of the woods and released to intensive care.
Sheppard looked through the viewing window at the tiny blue and green orb in space in front of the Daedalus.
Caldwell leaned slightly in his seat and spoke, "Try hailing them again."
The helmsman shook his head, "Sorry Sir, still no reply."
Teyla turned around and asked Caldwell, "How long has it been since the last contact with Atlantis?"
Caldwell set his face grimly, "Many hours ago. Dr Weir asked us to fly to P3X-778 and we've not been able to raise them since."
She turned back to watch the rapidly growing planet as they got closer.
Sheppard looked to either side of himself at his team-mates and felt a pang of emptiness as he noticed that one of their number was still missing. He then spun around to look at Caldwell. "Can you beam us into the Gate Room?"
Caldwell studied Sheppard's face and narrowed his eyes as he considered the question.
"Yes, but I'm going to send a squad of marines with you."
Sheppard nodded in agreement.
Zelenka sat cursing and muttering in Czech in the science lab on Atlantis. He had already assigned a team to rig up a communicator to try and get in touch with the Daedalus, but everyone was tired and they all had varying degrees of hurt from the previous day's events.
As such, not much progress had been made even in hours of work. Zelenka silently wished that McKay was there to rally the troops. The sarcastic and rude remarks he snapped at everyone in the science department always made them produce their best work even on a ticking clock.
Zelenka poked at one of the crystals lined up on the desk and lifted it up to examine it with a scanner.
He had already made several such trips up and down from the Gate Room to get the required tools and components he needed when yet another crystal was fried in the damaged DHD.
He held the scanner closer to his face to study the readings and nodded in satisfaction. He clutched the crystal tightly in his hand as he wearily stood up and walked quickly back to the Control Room holding a torch to light the way in the dark corridor.
He frowned as he passed a window and saw a thin line of light breaking across the horizon. He rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand. He had not realised how long the Daedalus had been gone and that it was now so close to dawn without him even noticing.
He pounded up the stairs and into the Gate Room, which was almost completely clear of debris now. The hole in the wall which the drone had blasted several hours ago afforded a better view of the Lantean sky as the darkness lightened at the edges to a dull grey.
He was just about to walk up the Gate Room stairs when a loud swishing noise behind him made him jump and spin around to face the gate in alarm.
He widened his eyes in shock and held up his hands foolishly as Sheppard quickly pointed his gun to the ground and relaxed.
Ronon looked around the dim and scorched Gate Room and said to the room in general, "What the hell happened here?"
Zelenka shrugged and sighed, "Drone attack after you left."
Dr Weir trotted down the stairs and over to Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon with the contingent of marines. She looked apologetic, "We're glad to see you Colonel. The drone took out the communications and the gate."
Sheppard nodded and started towards the stairs.
Weir looked around at Sheppard's team and frowned, although she knew a civilian scientist would not normally be included in a preliminary strike force into an unknown and potentially hostile situation she asked anyway, "Where's Dr McKay?"
Sheppard looked at her sadly, "He's been seriously injured and is still with the medical team on the Daedalus. Can you ask if Dr Beckett is available to beam up and offer assistance?"
Weir nodded and looked concerned as she turned away and tapped her radio.
As Sheppard's team fanned out around the Gate Room; John walked over to Zelenka who was still standing at the side of the room looking very sad and lost at the news about Rodney.
He noticed that Sheppard had a rucksack on back and was slowly swinging it forwards as he approached. He put it on the floor in front of the bewildered scientist and unzipped the top.
He then looked up at Zelenka and saw a strange expression like a fight between sorrow and hope passing over his face when he saw the ZPM.
Sheppard stood up again and patted Zelenka's shoulder, "Come on Radek, let's see what we can do about the power. I'll fill you in on the way down."
TBC