Chapter 7
A few days had passed and nothing had been said but Rodney was finally cleared fit for duty by Carson and his first mission was a routine visit scan the planet search for anything interesting and come back to report, however that wasn't the final outcome as Aidan Ford and his so called followers ambushed the team and slipped the a nice little drug... Wraith enzyme. They sat around the oblong table
"Ford you put wraith enzyme into my food, excuse me my brain is fragile and a small microlitre of anything will lose me vital brain cells and information!"
"Hey Hey McKay calm down, wraith enzyme will increase your brain power, you may be a genius but with this you'd be on the list for the, how'd you put it 'Nobel peace prize' months or weeks after taking it."
Rodney just stared "Ford don't kiss my butt, it don't suit you! Sheppard what do you have to say about this?"
"Oh he isn't drugged" Ford added
Rodney's head shot up
"Why? Were we all but him drugged?"
"McKay I'd thought you'd be happy to have it, but the reason I got all you here is well, we have acquired ourselves a wraith dart and we wanna use it to take it to a hive ship and destroy from the inside and I knew the only one to rig it was you McKay and the best pilot I knew was well you guessed Sheppard."
"And may I ask what Ronon and I are for?"
Teyla politely asked, Teyla and Ronon both off worlders were fitting into Atlantis quite well and seem to fade into the background
"I'm sorry Teyla, Ronon I guess you guys are quite the warriors with the enzyme you both would be better, maybe you could teach the guys some of your moves"
Teyla looked over to Sheppard
"This is a possibility; another hive ship destroyed is in everyone's interest."
And so they thought their plans were going well until Aidan changed his mind at the last minute and forced McKay to stay behind as a cost if anything went wrong, as the drug wore off Rodney began to become paranoid
"Guys, it's been 2 hours and they aren't back, all they had to do was blow it up how hard could that be?"
The two guys just looked and laughed,
"Shut up and go sit and play with some formulas!"
in fact Rodney was right, there was a slight technical hitch and the wraith dart had caused an alarm to signal and when Sheppard dropped the guys off inside using the dart, they lost a few people falling off the platform, but were now separated into two different cells and their enzyme was also wearing off.
Rodney pouted and did as he was told, his mind wandered to what Carson would be doing bacon on Atlantis, most likely reading an old journal of his or trying to look further into his retrovirus, he made a mental note to ask Carson how tings were progressing with that as he hadn't listened to his presentation of it, an idea hit him, he strolled to the lab area, his reflection shimmered in the cabinets glass door. The vials of wraith enzyme crimson coloured unnerved him
"I have to, no other choice"
He reached inside and grabbed two vials and drew the liquid into the syringe
"Just think of Carson, he'd understand he really will"
Rodney again whispered to himself for reassurance, the nib of the syringe began to bore further into his skin and pierce into his vein, Rodney froze for a moment as he drew the syringe back forcing a droplet of blood to mix with the enzyme to then gradually push the liquid into his vein and be pumped around his body in a matter of seconds.
"Incredible hulk eat your heart out!"
Rodney threw the syringe down and with each second he became more confident and the enzyme was taking effect
"Let's teach these guys a lesson"
"Rodney stormed to them and began his rant while hurling one of them which landed on a box
"When I say there is a problem, I mean there's a bloody problem!"
He swung and his knuckles made contact with the other mans cheek, he grabbed an empty beer bottle and smashed it against the mans head, the final straw was his power kick
"That's what you get when you mess with a genius!"
Rodney stopped for a moment
"Uhhh what next, what next, errr, oh crystals, yes lovely lovely crystals, make the DHD work, tell Weir, must tell her."
He grabbed the crystals and jogged to the gate, he noticed even though he felt fine the perspiration stained his t-shirt but he had over the years toned up while on Atlantis. His biceps bulged slightly out from his t-shirt
"Man I look good and a brain to match"
The wraith enzyme continued to flow through his veins and caused slight hysteria eventually Rodney got the DHD working.
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Back on Atlantis Carson paced Weirs office
"Elizabeth they've been away for days, can't we send a search party or do something."
"Carson I know, but I can't allow another team through as me may lose them as well"
"But Teyla, Ronon, John even Rodney are valued people are they not, how can you accept the possibility of losing them so flippantly?"
Weirs face became stern "Carson! I know you are worried and so am I, don't think for one minute I like losing valued occupants and friends of Atlantis!"
Carson's face flustered "'Lizabeth I'm terribly so'ry I didn'a mean anything I jus' wish they would come home."
The alarm began to echo through Atlantis
"Unauthorised gate activation!"
"Bates do we have an IDC?"
"Negative Dr. Weir, what shall I do?"
Elizabeth stood there, her breathing intensified scared this could be a trap or in fact her team
"Och they coulda lost the bloody thing, canna ya put guards and pray it's them?"
[Note to Jackie – I highlighted some of the words I know you will say are spelt wrong but due to Carson's accent I wanted to change them]
Elizabeth agreed "Put guards on standby in the gate room, drop the shields"
A couple of minutes went by, and then a lone figure appeared in mid-sentence
"Yes yes I knew it; I'm a genius I fixed it I fixed it!"
Rodney had started to circle Weir
"Others, ship, enzyme, Ford, merry men, wraith, oh I'm a genius, yup yup."
Weir grew concerned "Rodney calm down, take it easy what's happened?"
Rodney points to his arm
"Enzyme, drug, fight, Ford, Merry men, wraith dart, ooo I'm too good"
Rodney halted and fell unconscious
"Carson med kit now!"
Carson was already running half flying down the steps of the gate room he had watched from the balcony waiting for his knees to regain strength
"Rodne' Rodney my god what 'ave you done lad?"
Elizabeth managed to quickly remark while they lifted Rodney onto a gurney
"He said something about wrath enzyme"
"Aye, I think he may have taken a large dose of wraith enzyme, I'll let you know."
Samantha and Daniel rushed into the gate room as Rodney was wheeled out, Sam's face grew pale
"My God, Dr. Weir what happened will he be alright?"
"Why don't you both come to my office."
The three slowly walked up the steps to Weirs office
"Please take a seat, all I could get off Dr. McKay was incoherent words, but what we do know is that he took a large dose of wraith enzyme…"
Daniel questioned "Dr. Weir, exactly what is wraith enzyme? I know the wraith are the goa'uld of these parts but enzyme? Do you mean the retrovirus Dr. Beckett is working on?"
Weir smiled "Oh, I'm sorry I thought this would have been explained to you, when the wraith feed they inject an enzyme into the victim, which increases they strength slightly to make the victim last longer and they take as much of the nutrients as possible. During the attack a wraith was present on Atlantis and Lt. Ford was attacked by a wraith but during the 'feed' the area they were was hit and they fell into the sea, once retrieved it was clear they were still attached and Aidan Ford became addicted to the drug and we believe he was on the planet that Dr. McKay and the team were on. Dr McKay collapsed in the gate room and so we will know more when he has recovered."
"Thank you for the explanation, I take it we can only sit and wait for this to pass."
Weir nodded
"When can I see him?"
Samantha blurted out; she had been silent while numbness spread her body.
"I believe that would be up to Dr. Beckett, I will ask him to call you when you can, in the meantime go rest and pray."
"Thank you."
They all rose and Elizabeth left for the infirmary, Daniel and Sam went to their temporary accommodation, she curled herself on the bed and Daniel sat on the sofa
"You ok?"
"Daniel do you think this could be a sign of some kind?"
"What kind of sign?"
"A sign of how much pain I've caused and so their punishing me, my penance?"
Sam brought her knees up and held her head in them, a soft whimpering came from her, and Daniel kicked his boots off and clambered next to her
"Sam this isn't your fault, you weren't there, if you weren't here you wouldn't have known and you don't know the situation. Rodney chose to inject himself with the enzyme; you didn't push it into him did you?"
"N…No" she whispered
"Exactly come on Sam don't do this to yourself, Rodney wouldn't want you to do this to yourself."
Daniel hugged her and her arms wrapped around his chest and she leaned into him further
"Thank you."
"Ah come on I didn't do anything, let's snuggle down a bit and have a nap, then check on Rodney"
Daniel slipped down on his back, Sam lay half on him half on the bed, she kissed his forehead
"Night."
Over in the infirmary it was a different matter
"I need a little more, their in a ship, yup yup a ship, Ford and his merry men, I'm a genius and the enzyme flowing, flowing through my veins."
Weir looked over Rodney as the sedative took effect
"Dr. Beckett what's happening?"
"Rodney is going through withdrawal symptoms of the wraith enzyme, all I could get is that Ford has gathered a group of some sorts and they had a plan, which isn't clear, however he needed the team for it and then the sedative took effect."
"Not much to go on."
"Aye, I'm sorry but his health is my main concern, he is basically having to do this cold turkey, we 'ave no enzyme here since Lt. Ford took it the last time."
"You need your rest doctor."
"Aye I know, I'll jus' keep an eye on him."
Elizabeth nodded and left, Carson ushered the nurses away from Rodney's bed, he pulled a curtain around, and he sat by the side of the bed holding Rodney's hand
"God Rodney what have you done, you need to get over this, don't you dare let this take you, I will murder you, if you let this take ya, ya hear me I need you and I shoulda told you sooner, you stubborn fool."
"MMM… Beckett that you?"
"Aye Rodney it's me, how you doing?"
"Yeah, just need some more; I'll be fine, just a bit to take the edge off this."
"Awww Rodney, lad I don't have any I canna give you anything, I can give something for the nausea, and you need to get over this, Rodney what happened?"
Rodney began to plead.
"Carson please, just a little, err Ford and his followers needed us to try and blow up a hive ship and get more wraith enzyme but but it took to long and I was getting worried they didn't listen to me so I had to show them!"
"So you injected yaself with enzyme"
"Yeah there isn't anything we can do but wait, Carson can I have that drug I feel sick."
"Aye lad."
After injecting it into the I.V bag that was connected to the drip in Rodney's hand, the sweat continued to pour down his face, Carson used a cold compress to soothe his neck and face, Rodney soothed with every touch of Carson's hand and of the coolness of the compress. Carson sat there and watched over Rodney
"I liked it when you held my hand" Rodney mumbled
Carson smiled "You big softy"
Rodney smiled slightly and Carson held his hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the clammy skin
"Not long, your doing well Rodney keep it up"
Carson's other hand brushed Rodney's cheek and a soft hum expelled from Rodney's lips.
In the end, the team managed to come back alive and their first question was had Rodney made it out as he was missing when they got back to the cave, the situation had been explained and Rodney had managed to overcome the enzyme unlike some of Ford's followers who had died from the experience. As he sat in bed, Samantha came and visited
"Hey."
"Hi"
"How you feeling?"
"Oh you know, near my usual self, I don't want to know the amount of brain cells I killed during that escapade."
Sam smiled "Well you sound like Rodney, Daniel and I are heading back to Earth on the Daedulus tomorrow, just thought I'd stop by and say my goodbyes and to apologise for all the pain I caused you, I never meant to hurt you and I hope you'll be happy."
"Sam, it wasn't just you, I brought some of it on myself and people change we all have and thank you, but please don't tell anyone I'd like to keep my grumpy persona a bit longer."
"What that you do have a sensitive, caring side, I'm sure your secret will come out sooner or later, but it won't come from me."
Rodney smiled and watched Sam leave, Carson Beckett sat in his office smiling happily to himself, Rodney had overcome the enzyme and Sam was leaving he couldn't help but overhear their conversation. He waited a minute or so then walked in
"Time for your stats to be checked, you may even get released today."
"What my own medicated mattress, that sounds good"
Carson smiled and continued with the tests
"One last thing before I can release you…"
"Yes?"
"Would you, errr like to go to dinner with me tonight?"
"As in date, kind of dinner?"
"No, of course not, as a doctor and his patient. Of course as a date I think you have killed one too many brain cells Rodney."
"Ha-ha" Rodney sarcastically quipped
"Yes I would love to go to dinner with you Carson."
Carson smiled and his hand brushed Rodney's which lay to his side as he sat on the bed, his grin became wider as he lifted his hand and entwined his fingers with Carson's
"I can't wait."