Chapter XI
The Doctor watched as the smoke slowly slid under the door, entering the dart bay with ease. He hadn't realized until now that he had been wondering what the smoke was and why it hadn't been harder to get away. Now that his body wasn't quite so preoccupied with getting to safety, however, his mind was free to run through everything, puzzling it out.
Once the wraith had been pleasantly distracted by his sonic, the Doctor had taken the opportunity to wriggle out of the ropes. He was thankful for his small physique because it meant that he didn't have as hard a time getting out of them as one might think the Colonel or the big guy – Ronon – would. Still, it wasn't without pain and a bit of blood but he kept that to himself. While he was freeing Carson, he noticed the Scot looking down at his wrists and for a moment the Doctor thought that the Scot would attempt to examine them. But apparently Carson had been in these kinds of situations enough to know when the proper time for medical care was and knew enough to know that this was not it.
The pair were off running before the wraith had time to discern what had happened and they didn't look back. Not long after, the Doctor heard Amara announce that they were free and he felt a shiver run through his spine at the mere thought of the Amara he knew being able to do that. It wasn't right. No less than a minute later, smoke started filling the hallways.
It was a curious thing to see as the Doctor didn't have a clue where it was coming from. He put his hand in the air and activated the sonic, catching readings before he pocketed his beloved device and kept running. Carson's breath behind him began to get more and more labored and the Doctor wondered if they'd have to find somewhere to hide for a few minutes before joining the Colonel in the dart bay. The following stunning blasts soon drove that thought out of his mind, however, and they both kept running.
All throughout their flight, the timelord kept hearing sounds of pain and strain coming from the doctor behind him and it made his hearts pound with sympathy to know that he couldn't do anything to ease the toll it was taking on the Atlantean. Only once they were – relatively – safe within the dart bay did he notice just how tired he was as well and it annoyed him. He was a time lord, after all, he wasn't supposed to get tired this easily. He supposed that the blood loss – though small in comparison to lethal wounds – combined with the physical strain the day had put on his body were catching up to him, but that knowledge didn't make him feel any better.
Boy, he really was getting old.
Whipping out his sonic, the Doctor waved it around the air, focusing mostly on the smoke that accumulated by the door since it seemed to dissipate once it got further into the room. Something about the way the humans weren't reacting to it made him suspect that they knew exactly what it was and so he wanted to find out as well.
Overall, there wasn't much difference between the molecules that were naturally in the air and the molecules in the smoke. There were a few additions in the smoke but it was barely noticeable. It was in how they were arranged that made the smoke molecules more dangerous. As he suspected, nothing in the way the smoke molecules were set up and reacting to everything was harmful to the humans or himself. Going by what he knew of the Wraith, however, he knew that it completely changed the molecular and genetic make-up.
And then it hit him.
This was the retrovirus that Doctor Beckett had developed and used – twice and with limited success – on the wraith named Michael.
He supposed that he shouldn't be surprised. He'd known and helped plan the action. As with most other times, he had talked more than he had listened so chances were he had agreed to doing this without realizing that he had.
Which, now that he thought about it, was why the good doctor had been essentially glaring at him when they'd been in the TARDIS before the mission. As with most things, the Doctor hadn't truly paid much mind to the reaction the Scot was displaying; he merely took it to mean that Carson was upset about something and was taking it out on them. After all, a lot of humans the Doctor had met tended to do that and so Carson wouldn't have been the first.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered to the door, knowing the pain they were going through just for the sake of the humans' survival, albeit, under different circumstances. "I'm so, so sorry."
"Sorry about what?" the Colonel asked as he patiently allowed Carson to examine the laser shot to his shoulder. Although the military man was looking at him, the Doctor also noticed how close an eye the man kept on his friend. His green eyes seemed to take in every single wince or sign of injury and file them away for later use as he knew that he could nothing for the Scot whilst they were still stuck on the wraith ship. That knowledge, however, apparently hadn't been gleaned by the doctor as he continued with his ministrations all while ignoring his own hurts.
The nonchalance with which the Colonel treated what he and his friends had just done to the wraith irked the Doctor. Did these humans truly not see how monstrous they themselves were becoming in their endeavors to keep their party alive?
"Do you have any idea what they are going through thanks to your poison?" he asked, finding his anger rising the more he thought about it all. His teeth were clenched and the question came out as more of a growl but that was just fine with him. He was beyond angry for what had been done to the wraith who had yet to actually do wrong. "Do you know the kind of special hell they are in just because you feel you're in the right?"
"Yes."
The answer was a silent one but it had not come from the Colonel. Although the Scot hadn't been looking at the Doctor, he knew that it was Carson who had answered. No doubt, Carson had meant for it to be so quiet that no one had noticed but the Doctor had heard and judging by the look on the Colonel's face, so had he. The only way the Doctor could find to describe the Colonel's expression was surprised; surprised and stricken. Clearly the man hadn't known that anything so terrible had happened to his friend but he had an idea as to when and he still felt remorse for it.
Not long after having spoken, the doctor swayed a little. The Colonel instinctively flung out an arm to keep Carson from falling. It had barely been enough but it had worked. Carson gave him a nod of assurance and thank you and then he seemed to gather himself up and draw new strength from somewhere deep inside.
"When?" the Doctor asked, not only intrigued but doubtful. "How?"
Carson looked over at him, his normally warm blue eyes tired and dull. For a moment the Doctor believed that Carson would once again put him off or simply not answer at all. But then the Scot spoke. "A long time ago," he said rather vaguely. "And with a synthesized version of my own drug, meant to turn humans into wraith."
"Turning a human into a wraith. That is an interesting concept," the Doctor admitted as he gingerly stepped away from the console and joined the other two as they waited for the rest of the group to join them. Then a thought came to him. "Why would the wraith want to turn a human? The queens normally do all the work in breeding the new wraith and since it takes quite a bit for them to die – or rather it used to before you lot came – there wasn't a burning need for such a drug to be made. Unless it's payback for what Doctor Beckett has done to them, then that would make sense, and what better test subject than the good doctor himself. They were probably hoping to instill a sense of fear into you, wanting to make you think twice about attempting to convert another wraith again. It's a good idea, honestly, if not a bit cruel. But then, you humans haven't ever had much trouble with being cruel, then, have you?"
All of this spilled out of his mouth before the Timelord could think on what he was doing and saying. In all honestly, he was only thinking out loud and therefore didn't have a need to curb his thoughts so they didn't sound quite so harsh. But the moment he'd finished speaking, he'd noticed how angry the Colonel had looked and how pale and saddened Carson appeared and he mentally winced.
He wanted to apologize for his thoughtlessness but there was a small part of him that believed that the Atlanteans had needed to hear what he'd said and so he didn't.
Under it all, the Doctor knew that Carson Beckett was a good man. He was just another human trying to survive in a galaxy where humans were the alien race and the dangers were far worse than anything they had ever encountered in the Milky Way. In the Scot's mind, turning a wraith into a human was more humane. It was, admittedly, better than killing the wraith, which went against everything that Carson Beckett so obviously stood for, but the Doctor doubted that Carson had known at the time just how little that difference had been.
Well, he amended, the Scot knew now so perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing that he had been experimented on.
I can't believe you just said that, an appalled voice said in the back of his mind. The tone had been something that he would have used once upon a time but the voice had been pure Rose, full of shock and disgust. On some level, the Doctor couldn't believe that he'd condoned it either, but there it was.
"Perhaps we should get the darts ready," Carson said when the silence had begun to feel stifling. His voice wasn't steady at all and it grated as though his vocal chords were being shredded by glass. No doubt part of that was due to the fact that Amara had attempted to choke the man to death, but guilt also settled into the Timelord's stomach when he realized that it was also because of the affect his words had had on the human.
Behind him, the dart bay doors opened and admitted Teyla and Rodney. Rose and Ronon's part in the whole mission was to get to the TARDIS and get it down to the planet to aid Major Lorne's team in preparing the Gabrihath for fallout that was more than likely to happen. The two stopped instantly upon sensing the mood within the bay and stared at the other three.
"Are we going to hang around here until they all wake up and try to kill us all or do you think we should, oh I don't know, leave so that doesn't happen?" the physicist, a rather grating if not brilliant man, intoned. "Because I for one don't relish being fed upon, do you?"
The Doctor watched as Carson idly rubbed his chest before he began to move away from the supporting arm of the Colonel.
"Rodney is correct," Teyla added, if not more evenly than the scientist. "We should be leaving."
"Aye," Carson agreed, seeming to have more presence of mind than the other two. Or maybe it was because the Doctor was waiting for some sort of reaction from the Atlanteans and the Colonel looked just about ready to leave him on the ship. "We should at that. Teyla, help support the Doctor, he'll need it once he's been dematerialized."
"Dematerial-what-now?" Rodney asked, disconcerted. "I thought we were all just going to grab a dart or something and fly down that way."
"Rodney, you know as well as the rest of us that no two people could fit in one of those things," the Colonel said, evidently choosing now to break out of his trance. "So just stand with the others and wait for me to come back."
While the physicist was still trying to decide what his comeback would be, his mouth flailing like a person lost at sea, the Colonel jogged away to grab a spare wraith dart. Teyla, doing as her friend suggested, came over to where the Doctor was standing and silently slipped under his left side, not bothering to ask him if he wanted her help.
"Carson, are you alright?" Teyla asked, apparently having noticed that something was amiss with her friend and evidently not paying any attention to the man that she supported.
"Aye, I'm alright, love. You? Did ye encounter any troubles while attempting to infect the ship?"
"It was nothing that we could not handle," the Athosain assured. Her eyes swept to the side, eyeing Rodney and daring him to say more. The scientist was too busy pounding on his table to pay attention, however and did not even appear to notice that she had said anything to begin and so he spoke no argument to the opposite.
"It really is a shame that you lot had to do that," the Doctor grieved while keeping a smile which he didn't feel on his face. "This ship is pretty remarkable in its own right. I would love to study her." His brown eyes traveled around the gargantuous dart bay as he spoke, his voice carrying in the empty space around them. "Perhaps I can sneak onto another one and get a look at her that way. I'll have to wait for a time when Rose isn't with me, of course, but that's no matter." He waved a hand, dismissing it as easily as smoke in the air. "She won't be with me too much longer at any rate."
"Does she know that?" Doctor Beckett asked with little to no emotion in his voice. Something in the way the man had said it, however, made the Doctor focus on him and not the ship any longer. Brown eyes met blue and the Timelord saw a bit of protective anger where there hadn't been anything before.
"Not yet," the Doctor conceded. "But she will soon."
If the others were going to make a comment, none of them knew it. For it was that precise moment that Colonel Sheppard chose that moment to sweep them up in the dart ship, dematerializing them and storing them for a later date.
oOo
John jogged away from the group to find the closest dart that he could. There weren't many left which meant that they had been dispatched down to the planet the minute the alarm from earlier had begun to sound. Well, at least Lorne and his men will be kept busy, though John knew that they didn't technically need that distraction right now since getting the Gabrihath to not arrest them on site would be hard enough.
The Doctor had explained that since it was his ship that had allowed them all to understand one another, those who went to the planet wouldn't be able to understand a word of what was being said. He'd agreed to teach them a few key phrases to say so that they wouldn't be killed or taken prisoner but the rest, he'd said, would just have to wait until he or the TARDIS got there.
Awfully cocky bastard, John thought with a grimace. The man apparently believed that everything would turn out perfectly right and that if something went wrong, he would be able to fix it in a hurry. Not that he didn't trust Chewie to get the girl to the ship, mind you, but still!
He now understood why the man, or Timelord, or whatever, mainly chose to work with one other person. There was a less chance of getting everyone killed or taken when it was only just the two of you and full disclosure wasn't always a necessity when it came to getting everyone out safe and unharmed.
John tried to reign in his disgust, knowing full well that it had mainly formed because of the words the Doctor had spoken aloud when Carson had admitted to being tortured by Michael, though the Doctor hadn't known by whom.
And while on that subject, why hadn't Carson told any of them that's what Michael had done to him? As he fired up the ship, John tried to imagine what it must have been liked to have been tied down and then experimented on with whatever sort of serum that Michael had created. Whatever it was that came to his mind, he knew that it probably didn't come close to how it had actually been or felt. God, what Carson must have gone through!
Swinging the ship around, John went to the landing where he'd left everyone and gathered them up before departing the ship and heading to the planet. He'd noticed that they were apparently huddled close together, with Rodney paying them absolutely no attention while the other three conversed. What they were talking about was impossible to know but since they seemed to be getting along, he couldn't find it in him to care.
The ground below opened up into a field not far from where the underground city was said to have been established and John released the occupants from the ship before landing the ship and climbing out himself. His shoulder sent a throb of pain through his arm as he used it to lift himself up and out of the dart. He tried to ignore the injury as best he could since he didn't really have the option to do otherwise but it didn't necessarily work. Holding the gun alone would be difficult and both he and Carson knew it.
Where the Scot had gotten the gumption to confidently grab the dropped weapon and just start firing, John will never know, but he was grateful for it all the same. The doc's quick actions and attempt at leadership were what had gotten them all through the doors to the bay with relatively minor injuries. No doubt the doctor had picked up a few things whilst exploring the wild villages of Pegasus but still, John was impressed.
"You couldn't have parked us closer?" Rodney griped the instant they'd started walking, or hobbling as was with John, Carson and the Doctor's cases, towards the entrance that the alien had assured them was there.
"I got you as close as I could without announcing to the entire planet where we were located," John answered somewhat impatiently. Normally he could handle Rodney's acerbic wit but right now was not one of those times. He was annoyed and wanted to have words with the Doctor to clear the air so they could all move on and continue with the mission. Since hiccups were bound to happen, it was best not to leave things to fester. That was how loyalties were divided and people were betrayed and John wasn't about to let that happen within his team.
"Actually, you probably could have parked a wee bit further away," the Doctor said, his English accent thick and a welcome break from the normal American. "But all in all, Colonel, I think you did quite well with what you had to work with."
Letting the compliment slide off his back, John didn't respond. His mind was too busy processing what his eyes scanned as he kept an eye out for potential attackers. A flash of movement to his right had John instantly alert and looking more closely over there. Since trees skirted the clearing it wouldn't be hard for someone to sneak up on them and that made the Colonel more than a little uneasy.
"John," Teyla said, her tone telling him that she, too, had seen the movement and wished that she was in a better position to do something about it. The Doctor had released her of her assigned position as his crutch, claiming that he could very well manage on his own, and so she was currently doing all that she could but John knew that she felt it was not enough, even though she would never say as much.
"I know," he said, eyes still searching and ears more alert by the minute. "I saw it."
"Colonel Sheppard, come in," Lorne's voice broke through on the comms.
In spite of himself, John jumped. "This is Sheppard," he acknowledged.
"Try not to shoot me, sir. I come in peace."
The joking tone in his 2IC's voice made John chuckle, a sound that he heard repeated by Carson and the Doctor. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Teyla give a small smirk to show her amusement while Rodney merely rolled his eyes and grumbled something about having sciatica.
"Roger that," he said to show Lorne that he'd gotten the message. "Did Ronon and Rose make it?"
"Yeah, they arrived about twenty minutes ago, sir." From out behind the tree near where John saw the flash of movement, Lorne appeared, McGinnis and Bybee at either shoulder as backup. "What took ya so long?" he called, effectively halting their progress and drawing the group close to him.
"Well, you know how it goes," John returned. "The wraith are stubborn little vampires. They don't like letting their prey go."
He had actually been about to say something about how long they seemed to take to drop from the virus but he chose not to in the end. The Doctor seemed unusually touchy about the whole affair and for the moment it was best to let sleeping dogs lie until they were more alone and protected.
Lorne unconsciously rubbed his shoulder and it was then that John noticed that the man had been hurt. "I hear that," he agreed. His head flicked back and to his right as Lorne motioned with it. "Come on, the others are waiting and I don't think the inhabitants are much more patient."
"No," the Doctor said, this time taking for as spokesperson for the company. His eyes held a mournful look in them but why, John hadn't a clue. With intent and resolve at whatever he had just decided, the alien finished his thought with, "I don't suppose they are."
oOo
Within the relative safety of Gabhr, Rose paced. She and Ronon had stepped out of the TARDIS only to be greeted by the most unfriendly of escorts which comprised of many warriors and the same person who had enjoyed beating the Doctor when they had been there earlier. Both she and Ronon had eyed that one warily and the bigger man seemed to be doing so still while she had ceased caring the later the Doctor had become.
Normally being separated from him wasn't too bad as she normally had something else that she should be or could be doing. But this waiting thing was killing her. She wanted to be doing something to further help them all but without knowing how things went in the air, she didn't dare for fear of breaking whatever peace treaty the Doctor had managed to form. If he'd been able to do so at all.
From what she'd been told, both from the Atlanteans and the Gabrihath who had been willing to speak with her, the wraith weren't ones for peace. They seemed to believe that it was not needed since they were only trying to keep themselves fed. On the surface, Rose understood that and she didn't doubt that had she not been a part of the race that was nothing more than cattle in this galaxy, she probably wouldn't have a qualm about it all. But the fact of that matter was that she was human and that she didn't think it was right how often these wraith seemed to want to eat.
It was in that that she differed from the Doctor. Her friend sided more with the wraith. He empathized with them and so had tried to get the Atlanteans to see things from their point of view. But while, theoretically at least, they seemed to rationally understand it, the defense mechanism that is born into every free human was kicking in and was pushing them to defend themselves at all costs.
After the TARDIS had finished explaining why Doctor Beckett was so angry, Rose had found that she couldn't decide whom she sided with – the Doctor or the humans. Like the Atlanteans, she could see and on some level understand the wraith's side of all this. But the plain fact was that she is human and therefore she also revolted against the idea of being killed. Especially since it was just so cruelly and painfully done. Besides, evidently some of the wraith were really quite smart so couldn't their scientists come up with a way to make the feedings last longer or perhaps come up with some sort of synthesized way to do it? Or did they like the pain they caused? The suffering? Did they view the cullings like a hunt and relish in them when they were finished?
The answers to such questions never seemed to come and so she was left to ponder them once more as she proceeded to spin on her heel and being another turn around the room.
The hall in which they were gathered reminded her something out of the Lord of the Rings. It was deep underground and built out of the stone which formed the foundation of the planet. But while the Mithril Hall had been beautiful carved and cavernous, this was relatively small and roughly done. Clearly the Gabrihath didn't care for things that were pleasing to the eye. Things served their purpose or they didn't; there was no need to do more to them.
Fire lamps burned in the corners of the hall, the light flickering constantly as drafts swept silently through cracks and openings. If she hadn't been so preoccupied within her own mind, Rose could easily have gotten lost in watching them.
A sudden burst of air exploded into the room as the main door was swung inwards, allowing entrance to the people on the other side. To her relief, Rose saw the Doctor among the group but the tightness around his eyes and the limp with which he was walking told her that he was not alright. As patiently as she could, she allowed them all to enter before hurrying over to her friend, hugging him out of sheer relief.
"Thank God you're alright," she said. She knew that she was being a bit overdramatic but she couldn't stop herself. Her worry had escalated past the point where she could react normally.
"Of course I'm alright," he answered, though he returned her hug.
Behind him, Doctor Beckett huffed but he didn't say anything. Clearly he didn't believe the Timelord and Rose didn't either. But both let him continue with his lie, not really having any choice in the matter.
She released her friend and stepped back so that the Doctor could go and converse with the leader of the Gabrihath who, coincidentally, was in another, more secure room. Knowing that she wouldn't be allowed entrance – apparently because the Gabrihath were stuck in the dark ages and believed that women had no place in war – Rose stayed behind with the nonessential of the Atlanteans.
Rose frowned a bit. It wasn't really fair to call Carson or Rodney unessential. It demeaned them and it wasn't true. But then again, the Gabrihath didn't seem to care. Only warriors and leaders would be allowed to discuss the plans for the rescue and as a scientist, a doctor, and a companion were none of those things, they all stayed behind.
As Doctor McKay was busy doing God only knows what on his tablet – seriously, how did he even have power? He was on that thing constantly! – Rose went over to Carson who was gingerly lowering himself to the ground.
"Are you alright?" she asked after noticing how stiffly he was moving. Now that she looked, he also seemed a bit pale but that could very well have been the lack of proper lighting.
"Aye, I'm fine," he said, dismissing her unconcern as best he could. His eyes traveled over her with the skill of a doctor and then he said, "It seems you and Ronon got the TARDIS here alright. Did ye have any trouble with the Gabrihath once you'd landed?"
"Not really," she said, sitting down beside him on his left side and scooting closer for a bit of body heat. Being underground as long as she had was beginning to take its toll and she was getting truly cold. She had entertained the thought of going back to the TARDIS to get some warmer clothes but she hadn't wanted to miss the Doctor's arrival.
She nodded to where the guards stood clustered together and showing on expression on their dog-like faces. "They were under orders not to harm us, which was good because I don't think we could have taken them otherwise."
Carson chuckled, his face pinching a bit as he did so. "I think you underestimate Ronon," he said as he eyed the doorway through which the others had gone.
"Maybe," she conceded, now curious about how good the bigger man was at fighting. "How did things go on your end?" she asked, hoping to find out more about what had gone on and where they were likely headed.
"Well, she didn't take the deal," Carson said on a sigh. "Though I didn't actually expect her to." He sighed again, this time almost remorsefully. "Rodney and Teyla were able ta release the virus in time to save both your friend and myself from being fed upon." He paused for a beat and then amended, "Or myself, rather since the Doctor isn't human. I dunno what Amara would have done to him instead."
Rose shivered at the thought. Thankfully she hadn't met the wraith queen yet but given how both the Doctor and Colonel Sheppard had looked after their visit with them, she knew that she never wanted to meet them and that they had a penchant for causing pain.
"Are ye cold?" Carson asked, apparently having noticed her shiver.
"A little," she admitted with a shrug. "I'll be alright, though."
"Are ye sure?" he asked, looking a bit doubtful. "I can give ye m'coat," he offered. "Though I'm afraid it will be a bit big on ye."
Knowing that she would be foolish to refuse such an offer, especially since she didn't know how long she would be stuck here, Rose said, "Alright."
Carson immediately began to unzip his vest. His movements were slow and careful and his face seemed to curl into a grimace every time he had to lift his arms but he didn't ask for help or say a word. She helped him as much as she thought he would allow and pulled the vest off his arms so that he wouldn't have to do it himself. As he unzipped the jacket and began to take it off, she noticed a hole on the right side.
"Were you shot?" she asked, now more than a little concerned.
He finished taking the extra layer off and then examined the tear in the leather. It wasn't very big but it was obvious what had caused it since the fabric around it was cauterized.
"It's just a scratch," he said as he handed the garment over for her to use.
Rose took it and slipped it on, grateful for the warmth it instantly provided. She pivoted a little so that she was able to see him easier and then she began to lift his shirt.
"What are ye doin'?" he asked sounding both curious and appalled in one. His breath hitched as the cold air hit his skin and his stomach jumped in time to the sound.
The wound was relatively small in size but it was not what she would have categorized as a scratch. It wasn't deep by any means and it wasn't bleeding, thankfully, but it looked angry and painful. Her fingers reached out to probe it but before she could, Carson lowered his shirt as though that could actually hide the injury.
"Shouldn't you disinfect it or something?" she asked. She didn't see the point in arguing over whether or not she was allowed to further inspect the wound. They both knew that she was no medical professional and so she was forced to defer to his expertise.
"Aye, I probably should," he conceded while not sounding like he was going to. This time he lifted the shirt of his own will and looked down. His right hand came up to feel the injury as well as the area around it and soon stopped with a hiss. "Thankfully the heat from the bloody laser cauterizes the area so I'll be fine until we can get back to Atlantis."
Rose wanted to say something more, do something more, but she didn't know what and so she remained quiet.
Before he could lower the shirt entirely, the door to the room opened again and the others entered. As though checking to make sure their friends were safe, three pairs of eyes swept the area, going from Rodney to Carson in seconds. When they noticed that the doctor had his vest and coat off and his shirt slightly up, they came over with the Doctor in tow behind them.
"Finally checking to make sure you're alright, eh Doc?" the Colonel asked with the hint of a smirk on his face.
Rose rolled her eyes, recognizing an act when she saw it. She could tell from the man's eyes alone that he wasn't only teasing Carson but that he was relieved there was truth in his words. Behind him the Doctor frowned, apparently not having noticed that the Scot was injured.
"When did that happen?" the Timelord asked, curious.
"My guess would be while he was providing cover so that we could get into the dart bay," the Colonel answered. His tone made it sound as though that should have been obvious, and perhaps it should have been, but Rose didn't understand the undercurrent of hostility in there was well.
"Did something happen between you lot?" she asked out loud as her mouth ran away without her brain's consent.
The answers she got from each man varied depending on personality but the gist of it was that they weren't willing to tell her, which told her that something had happened and they didn't want to talk about it with her. Fair enough, she silently granted as though she could actually make them change their minds. Trying to get the Doctor to give a little was hard enough, she wasn't really looking forward to adding a military leader and a Scot to the mix.
"Why did you not say anything?" Teyla asked as she knelt beside her friend. She was gentle about it but she did push Rose out of the space, taking her place with such grace that Rose didn't even mind the change of position. Her fingers appeared to be doing a light dance over Carson's pale skin as she examined the wound for herself and Rose saw that she was much gentler than Carson himself had been.
"Isnae too bad," Carson assured while doing his best to get everyone's attention off himself. "As I told Rose, I'll be fine until we get back to Atlantis."
At that statement, Rose saw the Colonel and the Doctor smirk as one. "What?" she asked, curious as to why they both looked like that cat that ate the canary.
"As it so happens, we are about to go back right now," the Colonel answered, looking quite satisfied with himself. Evidently he didn't get the opportunity to give Carson payback very often and he looked ready to sing the Scot's sins when they were both in the infirmary.
"So soon?" Doctor McKay asked, making quite a few of them jump in surprise. A round of grimaces went through the group as the Doctor, the Colonel and Carson started but none of them let the expression stay for long.
"I'm surprised to hear you say that, Rodney," the Colonel pouted. "I would have thought you ready to leave long before now. Wasn't it you complaining about your sciatica on the way here?"
"For your information Colonel Smarty Pants, I wasn't complaining, I was merely stating the fact that all that walking was going to make my sciatica act up. And as it so happens, I think I may have found an Ancient device buried somewhere down here and I haven't finished reading the scans from it yet."
"What kind of Ancient device?" Ronon asked as Carson's eyes narrowed in suspicion and John's did the same out of focus and attention.
"Did I not just finish saying that I haven't finished reading the scans yet? Or are your ears so plugged from all that hair that you're slowly going deaf?" the scientist returned, annoyed and clearly out of patience which was always in short supply with him.
"Could you not read your scans while back at Atlantis?" Teyla interjected, clearly used to being the peacekeeper of the group. "Since the Doctor, Carson and John are injured, I believe it best to get them back to the city while we have the opportunity."
The men in question grimaced at the intonation she gave but they didn't argue either; although they looked to be about two seconds away from arguing that they were fine.
The effect worked, however, as Doctor McKay looked up from his device and looked at his two friends. For once his expression softened into one of well-disguised concern and he stammered a bit before finally admitting that they probably should go back while they could.
"What about the Gabrihath?" Carson asked as Teyla lowered his shirt and helped him to stand up.
Rose noticed the way the Athosian kept a hold on him while he got his bearings. Her grip was strong but not hurtful and Carson seemed to instinctively know that he could lean on her until he was ready not to. She wished the Doctor trusted her as much as this group did one another. Shaking her head, Rose dispelled the thought, knowing that it would never happen as that kind of trust had to built up over several years and by the time she and the Doctor ever got close enough to that, he would probably find a way to get rid of her. It hurt but she knew it for the truth that it was.
"We will be coming back very shortly," the Doctor said. "We're only going back for a few things and to revise the plan."
"Since the wraith will be preoccupied by the hive ship being incapacitated, we have a bit of leeway before they begin their attack on the planet," Colonel Sheppard added.
"And with the time difference it will be long enough for everyone to recuperate a little before the real work begins," Rose reasoned out loud as she caught on to what was happening.
"The real work," Carson repeated, sounding a bit baffled by the statement. After looking around the group and spotting the Doctor's wide grin, he shook his head and sighed. "I hate ta think what your idea of the real work is."
"Don't worry, Doc," the Colonel said, coming forward and giving the shorter man a gentle pat on the back. "You'll be back at Atlantis for this round."
TBC