Life, with a little spice Chapter 21
"I was so close, I swear, Major," Mitchell is telling Major Lawrence who's taken over the kitchens ever since he arrived on board almost a month ago now. "I could understand if Sheppard were to send me back but all he did was stare when I told him. How can the guy remain so cool? It's beyond what I can comprehend. I would go nuts if I were him..."
Lawrence presses his lips together and he looks over Mitchell's shoulder. Cameron turns in his chair and sighs, seeing said guy approach his table. Lawrence stands at attention. "Sir," he greets Sheppard who waves at him tiredly and sits at the table.
"As you were, Major. Good thing you're here. I meant to see you. How's the kitchen?" he asks, motioning for Lawrence to join them.
"Good, Sir, I guess. I mean, the preps do as they're told. Louise trained them well," he replies.
Sheppard does not flinch or give any sign hearing her name hurts. "Good," he only says. "I wanted to thank you for coming to help us on such short notice. I know you'd rather be spending time with your grand kids."
The other man gives him a tentative smile. "That's OK, Sir. I'm glad I can help in any way. And I'm sure you'll soon find her."
Sheppard nods but looks away so Lawrence takes it as his cue to leave and excuses himself. That leaves both Colonels facing each other and suddenly Cam feels like the temperature has dropped several degrees.
"Look, Sheppard. He's right. We'll find her. They're bound to resurface somewhere. He obviously needs her fed well. I'm sure he'll take her with him again." Cam watches him intently but Sheppard doesn't agree nor does he disagree with him. He just stares into the distance. "We've got to have faith this will pan out just fine. Look at Vala. We thought we'd never see her again but she resurfaced and we got her back, though I'm not sure it was in my best interest," he banters, trying to lighten the mood.
John finally looks up at him coolly. "Look, Mitchell, I appreciate you being so positive and all but I beg to differ." He pauses and licks his lips. "I came here to tell you there are no hard feelings. You did what you could. Don't blame yourself. But I don't think we'll get another opportunity. At the moment, I'm pretty sure he's insured she'll never escape from his grasp again."
Cam watches him. "You're worried he's going to punish her for it," he finally says.
Sheppard shrugs despondently. "That's what usually happens when a prisoner tries to escape, right? They're punished. Except it's Louise we're talking about."
"She's survived worse," Mitchell reminds him.
"She's pregnant and obviously not in a good shape from what you saw," Sheppard counters, making Cam wince.
"Look, it means nothing. She's a fighter, that girl. I'm sure the baby's fine," Cam tries to reassure him, seeing how down he looks. He's worried about Louise too but somehow, he thinks she's going to make it.
Sheppard glares at him. "I don't care about the baby," he growls through clenched teeth then he checks himself, realizing the enormity of what he's just said. He sighs. "It's not what I meant," he apologizes.
Mitchell stands and pats his shoulder. "I know that, Sheppard. You're worried about her first and foremost – I get it. If that's OK with you, I'd like to bring in Vala." John looks up at him so he elaborates. "She's good with trading and making new buddies. She could get leads, establish contacts, make sure next time they resurface, we'll be informed in time and not happen to be there. You OK with that?"
Sheppard shrugs to indicate he doesn't care one way or another. Cam pouts but decides to ignore his growing lack of hope. "Good, I'm calling the SGC."
"Ma'am, boss said to bring you your portable fridge and these too," one of the guards tells her the next morning, showing her a couple of blankets.
She's hardly slept at all and has only forced herself to eat last night because, after learning she'd skipped lunch, Ventrell had come down to the brig himself and told her he'd force-feed her if he had to. She'd looked horrified and managed to have an apple and some goat milk with a little sugar and cocoa and then laid down on the hard bench and had not managed to fall sleep until much later – her dreams plagued with visions of women being fed with tubes and funnels like geese.
On top of that, she'd been woken up by someone's low whimpers of pain and had realized then that she wasn't the only prisoner on that ship. Her heart had gone out to whoever was on the other side of the wall – someone who was probably in a far worse condition than hers and she'd berated herself for feeling so low while she was fed and not tortured.
The guards walk into the room and set everything on the floor then one of them returns with her breakfast – nuts and milk and some berries plus a couple slices of coarse bread. "Boss said he'd be down shortly to make sure you've had your breakfast," he tells her, making her know she needs to comply no matter how nauseous she still feels.
She can't help asking. "What about the other prisoner?" she demands. "Is he gonna get breakfast too?"
The guards exchange a brief glance. "Not your business, Ma'am," one of them tells her then adds, wincing. "And you'd better not talk about that in front of the boss. I don't think he would take it too kindly."
She sighs and watches them leave her cell then sits on the bed despondently. She wraps one of the blankets around her shoulders, grateful for the little warmth it brings her after the chilly night. She eyes the tray containing her breakfast from time to time until she knows she can't wait any longer. She stands and walks to the only other furniture that's in the room – a stool where they've set the tray.
As she approaches the wall against which it stands, she can't help wondering about the other inmate and after a moment's hesitation, she softly knocks on the wall. "Hey," she calls, "anyone there?"
But she hears nothing so she grabs the tray and walks back to the bed. She starts munching on her nuts and fruit and when she feels this might be a good day – meal wise – she tries a little milk.
"I see you're being more reasonable today," Ventrell tells her as he enters her cell.
She shrugs. "I do what I can. I'm not trying to starve myself just for the sake of pissing you off, you know," she tells him.
He scoffs. "Really? So what was that stunt yesterday? Cause it did piss me off."
She looks away. "You can't expect me to not at least try, for Pete's sake! And it's unfair you're punishing me for that," she adds, training her eyes on him.
He nods slowly and pouts. "Yeah, well, you'll have to face the consequences now. I'm afraid you're gonna have to get used to your new room," he mocks her. "I can't let you go back to our former arrangement," he informs her.
She hangs her head. "How am I supposed to survive, not having anything to do?" she accuses him.
He shrugs. "Well, you'll manage somehow. And we might not have to keep you that long anyway," he adds.
"Why? What is that supposed to mean?" she cries out as she feels scare creep up her spine.
He eyes her despicably. "Not like that," he tells her. "I would never dare hurt a woman with child. I've just received word that our plan is getting ahead of time. You might get lucky and not stay here too long." He turns on his heels to leave.
"What is going to happen to me now?" she wants to know.
He turns to face her. "You stay here. You're not allowed to leave your cell or see anyone unless it's Drake. We've agreed it's safer that way," he replies.
"Why not you?" she wonders.
"Because... I'll be gone the next few days to organize things so he's got custody of you and believe me, he's far from happy about it so try not to get on his wrong side," he advises her.
Back on Atlantis
"Found anything?" Sheppard asks her bluntly as she steps into the gate room. She's been there for hardly forty-eighty hours but has already been on three missions with Lorne and Cam, barely catching a few hours' sleep. Daniel has pressed upon her the importance of making it her priority for the moment and what Daniel wants, Daniel gets. And she has to admit – she likes the little pesky cook.
She refrains from telling Sheppard he could at least have the decency to let her breathe because she sees how hopeful he looks and that scares her because, let's face it, she agrees with him – there's a chance of a snowball in hell they might get Louise back if Ventrell doesn't release her.
She's talked to everyone on three different planets they've tagged as potentially on the pirate ship's path. No one knows anything. Or no one wants to say anything. All they know is what the ship looks like, but if they surmise Ventrell and the Trust have many more ships at their disposal, it's like looking for a hairpin in a huge stack of similar hairpins. Battered salvaged ships from the Goaul'd era used by roguish traders and pilots turned space pirates. And no one knows the Trust around these parts. Or at least, everyone seems to be playing dumb when it's obvious they've taken over part of the former Goau'ld fleet left to rust after the downfall of the last false gods.
It angers her not to have any shred of hope to offer Sheppard but what can she do? Stall and let him harbor false hopes? Or tell him to learn to let go? She's discussed this with Daniel – or rather had a huge fight with Daniel over it – and ended up promising him she'd do everything she can to get the little cook back alive but it may be a promise she won't be able to keep.
She shakes her head at Sheppard who's waiting for an answer, his arms crossed over his chest as he watches her skeptically. His jaw twitches and then the moment has passed and he turns on his heels and walks back to his office. "Gate back to Earth, Ms Mal Doran," he tells her over his shoulder. "Your services will be put to better use there and I'm sure Jackson can't wait to have you back."
She follows him briskly into his office and bangs the door shut behind her, making Cam wince. Sheppard might look unruffled on the surface but Cam knows better. "What is that supposed to mean, Colonel?" she demands, royally pissed. "I haven't had a moment to myself ever since I arrived and it's only been two days and you're sending me back like I'm some poorly trained servant? Have you got any idea how long it takes to establish contacts? Have people trust you?" she yells at him, hands on hips.
He turns to her slowly and sits at his desk cautiously. Cam takes it as his cue to join the show. He pushes the door open and walks into the room. "Look, Vala," he offers, "I know you're tired and you've work hard so why don't you take some rest... Have a bath, a decent meal, catch a good night's sleep. We'll discuss this again tomorrow." He glances towards Sheppard for approval but the other man is looking into the distance. "Colonel?" Mitchell insists.
Sheppard looks up and nods tiredly. "Yes, why don't you, Ms Mal Doran? I didn't mean to offend you. Just offer you the possibility to return to Earth. There's not much you'll be able to do here anyway," he tells her.
She shrugs and walks out the door. It's only when Cam has closed the door again behind her that he addresses Sheppard. "You're not going to give up, are you?" he demands.
John shrugs. "I don't know what I should do, Mitchell. My guts tell me we don't leave our people behind..." He pauses and bites his bottom lip. "But my conscience tells me to heed Louise's advice. The first time was obviously a trap to keep us from doing the right thing. " He leans his elbows on the table and combs his hands through his hair tiredly.
Cam knows it takes a lot of worries to make a man like Sheppard look so down. "Look, Sheppard," he tells him as he sits in front of him. "It's not the first time you've had to make a decision like this. Pondering what's best or what's right... You can't possibly be thinking about giving up on her!" Sheppard pouts. "And you and I know damn well there are moments when Louise is not being rational or making the right decisions either. You know she'd gladly sacrifice herself for the good of this City. Don't let that get to you."
Sheppard winces but nods. "Yes, she would but even she must know it's not only about her anymore. She can't possibly want me to sacrifice her and the baby. That would go against everything she believes in."
"But she'd also fight anyone who'd want to harm this City in any way," Mitchell adds, voicing out Sheppard's own troubling thoughts. "Tell you what. We let Vala investigate for a couple more days and if she doesn't find anything of interest, you let her go."
Sheppard silently nods and turns his attention to his computer, making the other man know the conversation is over so Mitchell nods too and leaves the room quietly, closing the door behind him.
Drake drops by her cell in the evening and brings her a tray then sits on the bench next to her while she eats. The silence between them is pregnant with Ventrell's word of advice.
She finally turns to him. "Look, I promise to finish it but I need time. And it doesn't help that you're watching me like a mother hen," she tells him, hoping to shake him off. Surely, he's got other fish to fry and all she wishes right now is to be left alone.
He narrows his eyes at her and the corner of his mouth turns up in what she's long identified as a grin of disdain. "Ventrell said to baby-sit you so I'll do as ordered but don't mistaken it for concern. I couldn't care less if you died," he warns her, making her shudder. "Either way, we'll get what we've come here for."
"You would defy your boss?" she challenges him, knowing how ruthless Ventrell can be under the veneer of a poised leader.
He gives her a grim smile. "I would never dare do that, Ms Léger, but accidents happen. Of course, it would be a shame but in a sense, I think it would make everyone a favor, don't you think?"
She feels panic grip her insides. Her breathing becomes uneven, giving her fear away though she tries to keep a brave front. She stands and lays the tray on the bench and stares him down. "You wouldn't survive, should I die under your guard," she warns him in return. "Don't you think for a moment Ventrell would forgive you. And as for anyone's best interest, you should think about your own and the one of your little roguish organization. I die, you lose the little leverage you have on Atlantis." She knows she was never good at playing poker and he can probably see through her, see how desperate and scared she is, but the hell she will cave in and give him the satisfaction of seeing her giving in to hopelessness.
He stands and towers over her. "I'm not gonna waste time arguing with you but know this, Ms Léger. We're anything but a 'little' organization as you say. We only want Sheppard to believe it. When he and your people realize how deep it goes, it will be way too late."
He points at the tray. "Finish your food, Ms Léger. I was not joking about feeding you to the Wraith," he adds ominously. "Accidents, as I said… A door unfortunately left ajar, you know… You may not die but you could very well lose the baby..." He sniggers on seeing her retreat to the farther end of her cell.
The next morning comes on Atlantis. Vala is sitting in the mess hall and having breakfast with Cam. At least, he's wolfing down his steaming stack of pancakes he's generously ladled with whipped butter and maple syrup and she is waving her fork in the air that seems to follow her own train of thought. Up and down, up and down it goes, sometimes making large circles until Cam gets tired of it and grabs it from her hand and lays it on the table with a clang.
"Damn it, Vala! It's barely six and you've already used up all my patience for the day. Stop talking! I can't concentrate on what you're saying anyway," he growls.
She looks offended. "Daniel can," she counters. "You should try eating less and listening a little more, you know."
He snorts. "That's because you two are two peas in a pod. You talk two hundred miles an hour and expect everyone to follow you!"
She grins at him. "Well, thank you, Mitchell," she answers in that low, sugary sweet tone of hers that she uses to flirt with most men – out of habit.
He rolls his eyes and tucks in his breakfast once more.
She huffs. "You've not listened to a word I said, have you?"
"You're pissed because Sheppard is shipping you back to Earth," he mutters, his mouth full. "Nothing you haven't told me already."
"She's right, Mitchell," Ronon says, sitting next to Vala. He sets his tray on the table, grabs his fork and points at Mitchell. "You're not listening to her."
"And you are?" Cam mocks him.
Dex ignores him and chooses to turn to Vala. "You're saying Louise's disappearance is the tree that hides the forest, right?"
She sighs with content. "Finally someone is listening! Yes, absolutely! Why so few men listen to what women have to say?" she reflects, mostly for her own sake.
Mitchell snorts, earning himself a glare. "It's not me, stupid, I'm talking about. It's our precious little cook!" she chides him.
He looks at her nonplussed. "Louise said to not repeat the same mistakes but we are!" She waves impatiently. "We're concentrating on finding her – or her abductors – and while we do, we're forgetting to think about the whys."
Mitchell shrugs. "Simple enough! They're keeping Louise for leverage."
"You're not listening!" she groans. "What is their ultimate goal should be our concern. Stop trying to overrun the white rabbit! You get to the heart of the problem, you'll ultimately find Ms Léger."
She turns to Dex. "You understand me. You know we can't find her that way. They're always one step ahead. I'm sure their constantly changing locations to evade us. And I'm sure they have support. You and I, we're good trackers," she tells him.
He nods. "The best!" he grunts.
Rodney, who's sat next to Mitchell snorts. "Full of yourself, aren't we?" he sniggers.
Vala stares him down. "Shut up, McKay. You're one to talk!" She rolls her eyes then adds. "I say we're up against much more than we think. It's time to change our strategy and start asking the right questions if we want the right answers..." She nods to herself and gulps down the last of her coffee. "Or you can send me back to Earth and keep on running around in circles and telling yourselves you're doing the right thing..."
Dex stands and slaps her shoulder with the back of his hand. "Come with me," he grunts, grabbing his untouched tray. "It's time someone talked some sense into Sheppard."
When they reach Sheppard's office, Rodney and Mitchell have joined them, their attention pricked.
Sheppard is conversing with Lorne. Dex doesn't bother to knock. "Sheppard, we need to talk," he tells the other man bluntly.
John trains a tired gaze on him and the rest of party filing into his office. "We're working here, Dex. I'm sure it can wait until we're done," he tells him sternly.
"No, it can't. Vala has a theory – a good one," Ronon counters him.
"We all know Ms Val Doran's wild imagination," Lorne scoffs.
She makes a face at him and turns to Sheppard. "Or it could be my expertise talking here," she counters his 2IC. "And if I remember correctly, I was brought here precisely for it."
John ponders it and motions at her to sit across his desk. He glances at Mitchell and McKay. "And you're here because…?" he prompts.
"Because, though I hate to admit it, I think she's got a point," Rodney grants reluctantly. Vala's grin is as wide as the Cheshire cat's. He makes a show of ignoring her look of triumph.
Sheppard motions for them to take a seat and Cam takes charge, recounting briefly their earlier conversation.
"Look, Colonel," Vala says, "what I'm saying is this. Ventrell can tell you he's holding Louise hostage in exchange for something he wants you to do but I'm sure there's more to it. It's a smoke screen."
She ticks her theories on her fingers as she goes along. "One, why doesn't he simply say what he wants? Two, why can't we get leads from anyone, friends or foes alike? Three, how come no one wonders what the hell this Trust is doing in this part of the universe, far from their own turf? Four, how come no one is spooked by the fact Ventrell had so easily murdered all those people at the SGC?"
Sheppard stops her with his raised hand. He closes his eyes and rubs his fingers on them. "Don't you think we haven't asked ourselves the same questions?" he counters tiredly.
She shakes her head impatiently. "You have but you've not connected the dots!"
He raises his eyebrows. "Meaning?" he demands.
She huffs. "Meaning you're seeing each event separately. I'm seeing them as all part of a grander scheme."
"Think of it as a chess game, Sheppard," Rodney butts in. "Ventrell – or whoever he's working for – is patiently organizing his pawns, one by one. Louise is not the first strike. She'll be the last. He's not revealed yet what he wants in exchange for her freedom because it would give him away. We took for granted that Ventrell was the Trust's new leader. We said it. He didn't. We don't even know if it's the Trust."
Lorne, who's been deep in thought until now, interrupts him. "Ventrell said he wanted us to move Atlantis to another destination. To what end? We're already on the edge of the Pegasus galaxy. If they were the Trust, they would want us as far from Earth as possible…" He looks up at his CO and pouts. "Just thinking out loud here, boss," he says apologetically.
Sheppard wets his lips. "No, go on, you all. Anything can help at this point."
Vala raises her hand. Sheppard nods at her. "Sorry to insist but they clearly have support in these parts. Who could benefit from Atlantis being weakened or even inoperative?"
"Wraith?" Cam ventures and sighs in exasperation when Vala gives him a withering look. "Alright, guess that's not a good guess."
"The Wraith would not pair up with these guys and I guess they wouldn't either," Ronon replies.
Cam makes a face. "Again, assumptions!" He turns to Vala. "Taking your advice," he amends.
She nods in agreement. "That guy you released… Todd. Can't you try and have some intel from him. Prod a little to see if he knows something?" she asks Sheppard.
He shakes his head and sighs tiredly. "We've tried to contact him. Haven't had any contact with him for the last three months."
"Come to think about it, Sheppard," Rodney chimes him, "we haven't had much contact with any of the Wraith since then either..."
"Maybe they're all dead," Dex banters and winks at Vala. She doesn't take the bait but remains pensive. "What?" he asks.
She traces patterns on John's desk, thinking. "Maybe they are..." she finally replies.
John leans towards her and eyes her worriedly. "You're joking, right?"
She shakes her head slowly. "From what I understood, Dr Keller hoped he would help her improve the serum. Maybe he didn't wait and did his own experiments..." she offers.
Rodney shakes his head. "No way. Jen said he's good at what he's doing but not that good. She was hoping they'd collaborate on more research when she'd brought in new scientists into the project."
"Why hasn't she?" Vala wants to know.
He shrugs. "Bad timing with Louise's disappearance and all. Plus she did try to contact him but he did not reply. We thought it was not our top priority." Vala raises her eyebrows. "With all that happened prior to Atlantis' return to Earth, it seemed that most Wraith ships chose to return to hibernation. Ask Teyla. Even she can't feel their presence and it's true that none of the ships we're monitoring on our own long-range sensors seem to have any suspect activity."
"That's what Dex and I were saying – dead," she replies adamantly.
He rolls his eyes and looks at John. "What do you think, Sheppard?"
His friend sighs and shakes his head. "It's not our priority but if you all think it is, then I guess we could check it out..."
He sees Rodney's eyes widen and can't help smirking. "Wow, wow, wait! That's not what I said," Rodney protests, making the rest of the team laugh. He turns to them exasperated. "Stop acting like I'm a damn coward, people! I'm not. But I still have a vivid memory of my last foray onto a Wraith ship… Not something I intend to repeat if that can be helped, you know."
Cam looks at John expectantly. "It's your call. If you think it's important to eliminate that lead or confirm it..."
"I do," Sheppard replies. He stands. "Rodney, find us the closest Wraith ship and determine a trajectory."
"I want to come with you," Jen says to him as she enters his office a little later on.
"And I have nothing against it, doc'. Of course you're in," he agrees. "With a little luck, it might bring light to a few of the questions we have and I want you there in case we discover Todd has tried to brew his own serum."
She crosses her arms over her chest. "Why would he do that? Even he had agreed it was too difficult to work on that project alone."
Sheppard shrugs. "Don't know. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it but I sure would like to lay my hands on him. We had a deal and he's obviously breaking it by flying under the radar."
"Don't you think it's possible he can't contact us because something happened to him?" she counters.
He shakes his head. "Knowing Todd, he'd find a way. He's a survivor after all."
A few hours later, the City has finally reached its destination – a cluster of Wraith ships that by the look of it seem in hibernation.
"We can't be too careful," Sheppard tells the different teams he's assembled in the jumper bay. "We get in, we get out. We stay in constant contact and if anything should happen, we fall back. No maybes. We just return to the jumpers immediately. I don't want to lose anyone on a simple recon mission, especially when we're flying blind."
He turns to Teyla. "Feel anything now we're closer?" he wants to know.
She shakes her head, looking worried. "I should by now."
He points at her and Lorne. "You two, man the ship while we're gone. If anything should happen, protect the City at all costs." He gets curt nods in agreement with his orders.
He turns to his teams. "Let's get this show on the road. Remember. Be quick and quiet."
"That can't be!" Jen exclaims then drops her voice to whisper level when he glares at her. "Who are those people?"
They're standing in the middle of what normally serves as the many hives on board but the pods are void of Wraith. They've had to step over bodies of seemingly sleeping people to reach the middle of the room – ordinary people who are suspiciously sporting Wraith clothes.
He eyes her impatiently. "I suggest you start working now, doc'. Get samples so we get a move on. I have no intention of being still there when they wake up," he whispers back to her. He walks out of the room and taps his headset. "McKay, what have you got?"
"Bodies lying around. Human. At least they look like it," comes the worried voice of his chief scientist. "You?"
"Same here," John replies. "Keller is getting samples from the bodies. Can you do the same and some from the air too?"
"I already have, Sheppard," Rodney replies a little too curtly. John can't help smirking. Rodney is always one step ahead – or ten – and is always pissed that people might think he's not.
"And..." he wants to know.
He can almost see Rodney rolling his eyes. "The air's been tempered with but no, before you ask, it's not dangerous to us. And I don't need to study it to tell you that it's not our own doing. So clearly not Todd's creation either, except if the guy's suddenly turned super intelligent," he sniggers.
In other circumstances, John would probably argue with him but there's no time for that. "Get whatever you need and return to the jumpers," he orders him. "I'll check on the others and join you when Doc's done here too."
"Same sight everywhere," Radek tells them. "Mr Dex and I visited several rooms. Bodies of obviously turned Wraith. I can't say I'm unhappy about it..."
They're back on Atlantis after visiting all Wraith hives and everywhere it seems the serum given to them has had the same effect – to turn them into humans.
"Are we sure they're fully humans and not a trick to deceive us?" Ronon wants to know.
Jen shakes her head adamantly. "Whoever did this did it well. I ran all the tests I had prepared for our experiments with Todd. I can state that they're a hundred percent human."
"How come they didn't wake up?" John wants to know.
She pouts. "Why they're not waking up, I can tell you. To what end is the only mystery that remains to be solved." She elaborates. "The gas that probably contained the serum and which Rodney found traces of contained a powerful sedative."
Rodney takes it from there. "There's no way it was a by-product of the serum. Whoever did this wanted them human and asleep. Probably so they wouldn't have to worry about baby-sitting them."
"When will they wake up?" Teyla wants to know. "Or maybe I should ask if they will ever wake up..."
"They will," Jen says. "Rodney determined that they've been like this for less than a week. I chose a sample group in several hives and checked their constants and they're good. They're in a sort of coma but everything leads us to believe they will soon wake up."
"What will happen to them when they do?" Vala wonders.
"Don't tell me you worry about them?" Rodney exclaims. "They're Wraiths, for Christ's sake!"
She shakes her head. "Actually, I do, and no, they're not Wraiths. Technically speaking, they're human now… But if you wanna know, McKay, I'm mostly worried about what they could do with the technology they have at hand..."
"Which is why Rodney's downloaded a virus in all the hive ships' main drives so they won't be able to move them for a long while," John replies.
Cam smirks. "Oh, that's why you guys insisted on getting a little tour of the ships… Well thought, you guys! Better safe than sorry," he agrees.
John nods at him. "But that doesn't answer the question of who is behind this? Someone who's capable of coming up with such a powerful airborne virus is a potential threat to us as well."
"Todd?" Cam ventures.
Sheppard shakes his head in disagreement. His whole team seems to agree with him. "Not the Todd we know anyway. My next question is – does it have anything to do with our other problem? I was not under the impression Ventrell's little organization could do such things. Are we deluding ourselves?"
He turns to Cam. "Colonel, could you return to the SGC and work on your end to gather as much intel as you can on the Trust and its potential ramifications? I think it's high time we started connecting the dots before it's too late."
TBC