Genetic Drift4
John strode down the hallway, fingers folding into his palm, still feeling the press of Moira's. Her earnest, desperate words. The emotions. The pain. The trust. Passions normally under control racing. Thoughts scattering one after the other. He calmed himself, climbed the stairs and stepped into Elizabeth's office. Coughed to get her attention. "Hey. We need to go back," he announced without preamble.
Elizabeth looked at him, taking a moment to decipher his meaning. "Excuse me?"
"We need to go back. To that planet. Moira and Lorne need to recover their full memories. Now. Before it tears them apart. I can't have a team hampered by a hidden time bomb that could go off at any moment. Especially off-world. It would compromise them, their teammates, the mission, maybe even Atlantis," he argued smoothly, realizing it was the truth.
"I'm sorry, John, but no. We can't risk losing any more people to those experiments. Especially as they are targeting ATA gene carriers. Like yourself. Like McKay. I won't send a team, any team to a planet full of Wraith worshipers and a Wraith queen conducting experiments on humans. On our own people."
John smiled briefly, hearing his own argument thrown back at him. Moira would have appreciated the irony. Picturing her distress, her trust his smile faded. "We don't have a choice, Elizabeth. We have to know what happened as well as they do. To guard against any future experimentation. I'm taking Ronon and Teyla. And I will need McKay. Once we find the Wraith area I will need his skills to deactivate any devices. We'll be back ASAP."
"John," Elizabeth stood, hands on her desk, "I can't allow–"
"We need to do this, Elizabeth. For them. You know it. Consider it a personal favor to me. Please."
Elizabeth stared at his earnest expression, his absolute gravity. "All right...but if you're not back in one hour–"
"Consider us compromised and lock the address," John finished for her. "We go in ten. I'll get the team." He headed out, turned back. "Thanks."
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Moira stood nervously, in clean clothes, waiting in the 'Gate room. She watched Evan head towards her, stop a few inches awkwardly from her.
"Well...let's hope it's not deja vu," he said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Let's hope not,"she sincerely agreed. "Carson?" She stared as the doctor approached.
"Don't argue, Moira. Did you really think I was going to let my patients return and possibly suffer a violent episode without my supervision?" He shook his head at them. Then his finger. "I don't like this, but I do see the necessity."
"Carson, you can't go! They are targeting people with the ATA gene!" she exclaimed. "You–"
"He's going and that's final," John said, leading his team to the 'Gate. "Sargent, dial it up!" The chevrons began to glow blue, one by one.
"Colonel Sheppard, you can't allow Doctor McKay to go either!" Evan stated. "For the same reason!"
"As much as I would like to agree with you, major, we may need him when we encounter Wraith tech and–"
"You know, that's really not my exact speciality," Rodney offered. "Zelenka would be more–"
"Are you suggesting that Zelenka is more qualified than you are?" John tested, knowing full well the answer and response.
"Well, no, of course not! I just...oh clever. Very clever," Rodney glowered.
Moira shook her head. "Only Evan and I need to go, colonel! We can't risk all these other people! Just, just let us have Ronon, in case we need help."
"Fine by me," Ronon agreed, nodding.
"No. We all know the terrain, know what we're going against. Everyone here is necessary–"
"Exactly, John!" she argued. "That is my point! We can't risk all of these people who will be specifically targeted! John, you most of all! You will be targeted because–"
"Of my ineffable charm, I know," he sighed, deflecting her concern, her worry, "but I'll take the risk. Let's go. We have one hour, and one hour only." The wormhole shimmered into being, casting ripples of light upon them. "Ronon, on point. Teyla, the six. You three in the middle, ahead of me. Go."
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The rolling meadows looked peaceful. Green grass. Blue sky. A gentle breeze blew. The air was comfortable. "Did you feel anything, Carson? Just now?" Rodney tested, running his hands over his body again. "As we went through the 'Gate?"
"Aye...now that you mention it...a little tingle actually."
"You've been scanned. As a gene carrier." Rodney's proud announcement gave way to worry as he realized the import. "And that is not a good thing here."
"If they know we're here where is the welcoming committee?" Carson asked.
"There wasn't one. We met them in the village," John explained. "Let's go. Head out. Major Lorne, take the lead. Moira, you too. Guide us to that...temple."
Moira and Evan glanced at each other, began to lead the team.
"Teyla, anything?" John asked, eyes everywhere as he studied every tree, every brush, every motion of the wind on the grass. The gait of Evan and Moira ahead of him.
"No. I do not sense the Wraith. But I did not sense them before we reached the crops."
"Rodney?"
"Nothing, just like before," the scientist sighed. "Hmm."
"Hmm?" Carson inquired.
"That's odd. No life signs. Yet."
John held up his hand, halting them. Moved ahead of Evan and Moira. The village was empty., Eerily empty. Quiet. Even the fountain had ceased to bubble. Stood silently. The pink flowers floated listlessly on the still waters.
"Where is everyone?" asked Teyla.
"Probably worshiping their Wraith," Ronon darkly noted. Clasped his gun securely.
"They greeted us before. Oh." John turned, hefted his P90 as the head man approached. Smiled. Seemed completely unperturbed.
"Greetings, friends. You are dressed as our first visitors were. Do you come from the same village?"
"Uh...you said that the last time," John replied, brows furrowing in puzzlement.
"Your friends suggested a trade agreement. Our crops and corn for better land tillers and medical supplies. Are you here to ratify the accord?"
"Okay, this is just weird. Don't you remember saying this before? Uh, Rodney," John prompted.
"The only life signs are ours," Rodney stated. Looked up in astonishment. "Wow."
"What?" Teyla circled. "He looks real! Sounds real!"
"Let's see about that." Ronon reached out to touch the man. His hand went right through him, rippling the image. "What the–"
"It's a simulacrum! Why didn't I realize this?" Rodney berated himself.
"A simulacrum?" John asked, circling the figure as well.
"Yes! A virtual realization of an actual image, implanted in our minds by the scan at the 'Gate! Of course! To our minds it appeared completely real, completely animate!"
"Enforced by the Wraith's uncanny mind powers," Carson added. Shook his head.
"If it is not real why does it remain?" Teyla asked.
"Of course!" The man clapped his hands. "Bring our new friends a welcome feast!"
"Can you turn him off? I hate re-runs," John complained.
"Hang on...I think I can. Here...I can detect the scan so I can modify the subsonic signal to–"
Rodney adjusted his scanner.
"We have been fortunate this last year," the man continued. "The Wraith have not." He vanished.
As did the buildings. Leaving ruins. Piles of stones. As did the green grasses. Leaving stubbled ground, untilled for years.
"Turned off! I just interrupted the...oh." Rodney looked around. "Wow."
"It was so realistic! How could they hold those images in our minds for so long?" Teyla wondered, staring round.
"The temple is this way. At least it was. It seemed real enough," Evan commented. He led them across a burned field. Boots trampling ash and charred plants. Moira followed, staring round.
"Look. The crops are gone too," Ronon commented.
"As are the sheep. And the cows," Teyla agreed. "It was all an illusion."
"But not the temple," Evan said. Paused, pointed. The structure loomed out of the ground. Jagged, triangular in shape. An ugly building, disjointed, built of stones and bricks. An opening yawned darkly.
"We didn't see that on our first trip here. Has it changed at all?" John asked, stepping next to Moira. Alarmed at her silence.
"No, sir. It looks the same." Evan was staring uneasily.
"Moira?" John prompted.
But Evan answered. "They stunned us here. I remember. Took us there. I'm sure those people were real. Not holograms."
"Subsonic transmissions, actually," Rodney corrected. "No life signs yet. No Wraith either."
"I do not sense them either," Teyla confirmed.
"Great. Let's move out. Same as before. Go." John decided. Glanced at Moira.
Quickly they crossed the field, entered the temple. The long room was empty. An altar stood, a great slab of stone. Brown stains revealed dark deeds. Beyond a flight of stairs led downwards, until reaching a wall. Straps hung from the ceiling. Manacles. A vivid stone carving of a Wraith loomed.
Moira moved to the altar, touched it. She closed her eyes. "Here. It was here. Through here." She touched her head, moved to the head of the stairs. "The lab."
"The lab," Evan echoed, wincing at recalled pain. He joined her at the stairwell. "The samples. Samples of human tissue."
"We have to get in there," Carson agreed.
"Whoa, wait!" John caught Moira's arm before she proceeded down the stairs. "Rodney, can you open that wall?"
"Of course. Oh." He moved past them, down the steps. Touched the wall. Ran his fingers along until he pried open a panel. He pulled some crystals, tapped the buttons. "Here. Ronon, would you like to do the honors?" he asked, stepping back up the stairs as the wall slid aside.
Ronon smiled. "Yes." He led them down the steps. Winding into the gloom. Intermittent light flickered from sporadic orbs set into the walls. They entered a large room. Niches were carved along the walls holding jars. Jars of specimens. Tanks of water bubbled. Equipment lined one wall. Long surgical instruments glinted.
"The lab," Carson needlessly announced. He moved to examine the strange things in the jars. "These are...animal embryos...different kinds..."
Moira and Evan crossed to another door, halted. "The, the room," she whispered, touching his arm. Drawing back to touch her head as remembered pain flared. Was gone. "The room is there, right?"
"The room...I can almost remember the room, the..." Evan sank to his knees, doubling over in sudden, real pain.
"Carson!" John called, moving to them.
Moira sank to her knees, holding her head. "No! It's the memory...just the memory!"
"Let it come, Moira, Evan. Let it come and the pain will pass," Carson urged, looking from one to the other. "Don't fight it. Don't fight against it!"
John turned. "Ronon, Teyla, go back up and watch our backs. Rodney, go with them."
"Where are you, Evan?" Moira asked, voice strained. "The, the room?"
"Yes, the room!"
"Go past it! To the end...the unseen point afterwards, force your mind!" Moira urged through gritted teeth, moaned.
"Can't! Trying," Evan grimaced, forcing himself to remember, to ignore the pain, the mental block in his head he struggled to get past.
"I'm a biologist! This won't work!" Moira cries, struggling past the pain.
"So am I," the Wraith queen cackles. "We will harvest. Mate, or he dies!"
Moira flings herself over Evan's contorted body. "No! No! Then I will kill myself and you will lose your brood mare!"
"Let me die, Moira," Evan insists, sick at the thought of what the Wraith want.
"No!" Moira is flung off him by unseen hands. She lands hard on her back, knocking the breath out of her.
"Such obstinance! I have never had such trouble breeding humans before," the Wraith complains. "Is this easier?"
Moira rolls over. Pain blurs her vision. When it clears she stares at Evan, on his knees. Except now John was there, in the same position. "John?" she croaks weakly. A rush of sexual memories floods her body, her senses, nearly overwhelms her.
"No! It's me, Evan..." Evan stammers, realizing what the Wraith is doing. Appalled. "No! I won't do that to her! I'd rather die! No!" Evan lurches to his feet, defiant, determined, but the Wraith knocks him back easily.
Moira struggles to her knees as the image wavers. John. Evan. John. Evan. "Evan..." she whispers, fighting the impulse, the longing, the need.
"The one I pulled from her mind. The same one that has the strongest gene. The one who was here before, but escaped. John Sheppard," the Wraith's voice slows, grating over his name.
"She will mate with him," another Wraith agrees.
"The harvest will be strong, stronger."
"Bring him to us."
"Bring him to us!"
"John Sheppard. John Sheppard. John Sheppard," Evan and Moira said in unison, on their knees. Trapped in the memory, in the trigger of a name. A command. A summons.
John stared, grip on his P90 tightening. He looked around uneasily. "Not again. That is creepy. Way too creepy. Doc?"
"Moira! Evan!" Carson snapped, clapped his hands. "It's a trigger. An autonomous device to control them, their minds!"
Moira gasped. Evan gulped. They blinked, stared at each other. Breathing deeply as the pain receded. Memories flooding back in full now.
"We...we didn't," she said, relieved.
"Not then," Evan agreed, still uncertain.
"That's how we escaped! We didn't escape. They let us go!" Moira realized.
"To bring in new breeding stock–"
"To complete the experiment."
They stood, turned as one. "John! John, you have to get out of here now!" Moira exclaimed, horror on her face. "Now! And Carson!"
"She's right, sir. You are specifically targeted," Evan agreed.
"You are strong in the Force, John," she weakly jested, causing a smile, a warmth to fill John's eyes as he watched her.
"Fine by me," John agreed. "Let's–"
"Wait!" Moira looked round at the room, as if noticing its horrors for the first time. "I still don't know what the harvest is. I have to know."
"We don't have time–" John began to argue.
"I think I know, Moira," Carson said, touching her arm. "Trust me, you don't want to remember any of that."
"Sheppard! We've got movement! On the ridge!" Ronon shouted.
"I have to know, Carson! I..." She whirled, touched the wall. Smelled a sickly sweet odor that sent a shiver down her spine. "I have to remember..." she strained.
"Don't force it," Carson advised, but Moira fell to her knees, wincing.
"Damn it! We have to go, now!" John argued, not knowing what to do.
"You have to get out of here, sir!" Evan urged. A weird noise pulsed. Just below hearing range but could be felt along their nerves, their muscles.
"Colonel! I sense the Wraith!" Teyla called over the radio until it crackled with static.
John winced, covering his ears as the noise grew more audible. Carson leaned against the table. "We have to get out of here now!" he shouted, about to grab Moira but she shook her head.
"Go! Go! I need this!" She held up her hand, fingers splayed.
"What's that?" Evan asked, shoulders hunched against the increasing vibration in his bones.
"Five? Five minutes! Then we go!" John interpreted, clutching his gun. He looked round the room, searching for the source of the awful noise.
Moira was on her hands and knees, eyes shut tightly as the pain skipped along her body. But also unblocked her mind, her memory.
Moira kneels over Evan's semi-conscious form. "This won't work! You can't breed humans like animals! Are you really going to wait nine months for your experiments?"
"No. We do not need a living, fully-developed offspring. Only the genetic material to fuse with our own. You will mate, become impregnated, then the fetus will be harvested when it achieves the full genetic code. Then you will mate again. And again. Each harvest will be more ATA genes for us. Once we have enough of the male we will feed upon him. Except for the strong one. Him we will harvest repeatedly until he dies."
Moira jerked, fell to the floor. Held in the scream. Forced back the bile. She became aware of her surroundings. The lab. The room. The piercing, subsonic pulse wracking her. It stopped suddenly as a hail of gunfire erupted above her.
"Sheppard! I've got it switched off but it's only temporary!" Rodney shouted into the radio.
"Understood!" John shouted into his radio, relaxing his stance, his hold as the noise faded ,the pain faded. He approached Moira as she moved to her feet. "Moira?"
Moira turned to him, swallowed. Her eyes were wide, face pale. Horror glinted, then a sorrow, a wash of warm concern almost palpable hit him. "Give me a gun," she said tersely. Anger.
"I...I don't think that's a good–" Carson began to caution worriedly, half suspecting what she had just remembered.
John wordlessly handed her his 9mm, sliding it out of his holster. He turned. "Let's go, now! Rodney, we're heading up to you!"
"Copy! Hurry!" Rodney's voice shouted.
"Moira!"
John whirled at Carson's shout. Moira had sprinted across the lab, opened another door. Was gone. "Crap! Join the others, now! All of you! Ronon," John barked into his radio, "Beckett and Lorne are on the way! Advance to the ridge, then the 'Gate!"
"What about you and–"
"We'll follow! That's an order, Lorne! Go!" John sprinted after Moira, cursing in his head.
Carson and Evan exchanged a glance, then ran out of the lab, up the stairs. Towards Ronon who was standing at the doorway, scrutinizing the ridge, the odds.
"Let's go! Where are Sheppard and Moira?"
"He went after her! Down in–"
Carson's words were broken by the resumption of the piercing noise.
"Come on! The Wraith are close! Below us!" Teyla shouted, appearing from the other side of the room. She herded the scientists into a run out of the building. "Ronon?"
"I'll go get them! Go, to the ridge!" Ronon headed back into the temple as Teyla led the rest at a run towards safer, higher ground.
Evan sped ahead of the rest, swinging his P90 in his grip as he reached the ridge, hastily backed down into a crouch, motioned the others to do likewise as they reached him. "We've got company," he warned. Groups of people were walking towards them. All smiling.
"Oh, that's just the simulacrum," Rodney reasoned, peering over the ridge to view the villagers.
"Let me turn if off again. It's just a simple adjustment to interrupt the programming." He fiddled with his scanner. "Now?"
"No," Carson said, watching as the people moved in a line. Closer. All smiles. Men. Women. Even a few children. Eerily silent.
"At least we cannot hear that pulse. But the Wraith are near," Teyla warned. "Their power is very great. More than I have felt before. They have a way to shield themselves from me until they are very close."
"Because it is a queen," Carson explained. "Which is unusual in itself, isn't it? To find a queen on a planet, not on a hive ship."
"Yes," Teyla agreed. "That is most unusual."
"Now?" Rodney sighed as Evan shook his head. "Now? Well, it's just a simulacrum! We can walk right through them and–"
A very real bullet struck the grass near his head. Then a blast of a laser. "Down! I thought you said they were illusions?" Evan shouted.
"They were! The ones in the village were! There!" Rodney scrambled with the controls. Carson yanked him down as another bullet flew.
"These are real enough! What do we do?" Carson asked.
"For now. Hold the line. We wait for Colonel Sheppard and the rest," Evan decided. "Let's lay ground cover. That should hold them off for a little while."
"And then?" Rodney asked, glancing back at the temple. "Don't forget the Wraith are behind us!"
"Below us," Teyla corrected, aiming carefully to spray the ground with bullets.
"One thing at a time, McKay!" Evan grumbled.