The Other Side of the Story: John's Point of View
Interlude 11: The question was, guilty of what?
I couldn't recall a day when I'd been through the Gate so many times. First to M2S-181 so that Teyla could pursue her vision ... without success. Then on to Hoff where we discovered that someone had deliberately removed everything to do with their anti-Wraith inoculation. Picking up yet again the subspace signal from the 'thorn in my side' Wraith I'd dubbed Todd had us leaving almost immediately. That's where we worked out that the Wraith themselves weren't responsible for distribution of the Hoffan drug, that they'd been dying indiscriminately across every faction until they'd worked out their food supply was contaminated. Todd believed he knew the culprit and in exchange wanted access to what we knew of the drug so he could counter it with an antidote available only to his allies.
Once the Wraith were out of the picture as the perpetrators we didn't need Todd to tell us who had become suspect number one.
Michael.
I could have hoped that he died along with all the other converted Wraith Sabina had hit with the telepathic expansion device but I guess that was always too good to be true.
Even with Todd's bargaining chip removed he still argued for our research, making it clear he believed he could counteract it faster than us which would be in our interests too because it could help us save our own species from being inoculated too.
It was another 'let's work together' offer that had me cringing as every instinct I possessed yelled DON'T DO IT!
Unfortunately it wasn't up to me so, back on Atlantis without giving Todd an answer, I listened as Rodney gave his reasons for going along with Todd's request. It didmake sense – even if they weaponised the Hoffan drug it wouldn't be smart to use it against humans. What would they feed on? The only thing they could do was use it as another way to fight amongst themselves.
"So, when you put it that way, giving them our research could be a good thing," I commented once Rodney had concluded, getting a shrug of agreement in return.
At that moment the Stargate began a dial in sequence and I had my first active thought of Sabina since I'd told her we were on the way to Hoff, a kind of 'I wonder what she's up to?' internal conversation.
"Incoming wormhole," Chuck announced.
Colonel Carter seemed unusually interested in the arrivals, leaving her office and heading for the stairs down to the Gateroom, so I tagged alone. When I saw it was the military part of Lorne's team I felt it – that first shiver of instinct inside that said trouble was coming.
Lorne walked towards Carter, his whole demeanour shouting out 'I'm guilty!' ... the question was, guilty of what?
"Major, where's Teyla?" Carter asked in concern, which was bad enough until she added her next question. "Where's Sabina?"
Reluctantly Lorne lifted his head and met Carter's eyes. "I'm sorry Ma'am," he said regretfully. "We were following a lead on the Athosians but it turned out to be a trap. On approach to the Gate a lone Dart appeared – I saw our informant deliberately step into the beam with Teyla in tow." Glancing at me for the first time he visibly winced at my expression. "I'm sorry Sir – Sabina threw herself in with Teyla before I could stop her."
"She willingly stepped into the beam?" I asked flatly.
"Yes Sir," Lorne agreed. "Like I said Sir, it was clear when the Dart appeared that it was a trap to capture Teyla. I believe Sabina knew that too – she was the closest, the only one of us in a position to be any kind of help to Teyla." Meeting my eyes squarely, Evan continued. "I'm really sorry Sir ... I should have stopped her."
"I'm sure you did what you could," I excused Lorne of any guilt, knowing how compelled Sabina would have been to stay close to Teyla, no matter the circumstances. Turning I looked at Colonel Carter grimly. "We need a decision on Todd's offer. If this is part of the same plan he might have intel we can use to track them."
"You think Michael did this?" Rodney asked weakly.
"Who else?" I tried not to let my impatience or my anger show but it was difficult. "But we need to act quickly before the trail goes cold."
"Rodney, load up a tablet with just enough information on the Hoffan drug to get Todd started," Carter ordered decisively. "We'll offer him the rest in exchange for information on Michael, including whether he's responsible for taking Teyla and Sabina."
"Thank you Colonel," I said gratefully. The worry was there, bubbling to close to the surface .... focusing on Todd and what he could tell us was the only way I could ignore it for a time. If Todd couldn't help us ... "Don't go there John," I thought firmly.
"John, come up to my office while Rodney's doing that," Carter invited casually, turning and expecting me to follow. Once inside she turned to me in concern. "We can't afford to make this personal," she warned me. "I understand you want to find Teyla and Sabina as quickly as possible but we have a bigger mission here too – those 200,000 humans who will perish if we don't stop the distribution of this drug."
"The two motives aren't mutually exclusive," I argued. "If Michael's behind this then progressing one should help us with the other."
"And if he isn't behind this?" Carter asked quietly.
"He is," I insisted, sure to my gut that I was right.
"Very well," Carter nodded once, "go see Todd, find out what you can."
"Thank you Colonel," I said again, making my exit quickly before she could change her mind.
oOo
When we got to the derelict cruiser there were Wraith guards shifting the dead bodies we'd seen before. Todd appeared just as I was aiming my weapon in preparation for taking them down.
"Ah, don't mind them," Todd dismissed in his creepy 'jovial' Wraith voice. "They're just here to help with the clean-up."
I motioned for Rodney and Ronon to lower their weapons and stepped aside for the guards to drag the body away.
"I assume you've agreed to my terms," Todd commented casually.
"Not exactly," I admitted.
"You do not wish to know who is responsible for these unfortunate events?" Todd queried in surprise.
"We already know – at least, we have a pretty good guess," Rodney supplied.
"We call him Michael. Don't ask why," I continued. "He used to be a Wraith. Now he's a ... I'm not sure what the hell he is."
"I know the one of whom you speak, and I believe you are correct," Todd revealed.
"Confirmation without us giving you anything," I acknowledged. "That's very generous."
"Obviously there's more you want from me, or you would not have come," Todd said complacently.
"Maybe we just came to kill you," Ronon suggested, his feral grin firmly in place.
"Did you?!" Todd returned without fear.
"Unfortunately, no," I let him off the hook on that score, sending a glance Ronon's way that said 'tone it down'.
"Well, there's always next time," Todd seemed amused at the thought.
"Two of our people – Teyla and Sabina – were taken by a Dart today," Rodney explained at my urging.
"Your ... mate?" Todd pinned me with a sharply interested look. I must have looked surprised that he knew that detail because he added "I met her during my most recent stay on Atlantis."
"My wife," I confirmed, my voice tight with a host of emotions I wouldn't have been able to name individually.
"I am sorry John Sheppard," Todd did seem genuinely regretful as he made the comment. "Under normal circumstances they would have already become a meal for their captors."
"This was no culling," Rodney looked at me in concern as he disagreed with Todd's assessment of Sabina and Teyla's circumstances. "Teyla was targeted. Someone set a trap."
"And you suspect this ... what do you call him? Michael?" Todd concluded.
"Well, if not, the timing's a hell of a coincidence," I returned impatiently. Todd acknowledged the logic of that so I went on to what I wanted from him. "I need you to tap your intel sources, find something useful."
"This tablet," Rodney reached around for the computer he had strapped to his back, "has the address of an off world relay station. If you leave a message for us, we'll get it. It also has our research on the Hoffan drug."
Todd took the tablet and immediately activated it with apparent ease. Teaching him about Earth based technology had been another one of those 'not a good idea in hindsight' mistakes we'd made lately.
"Just enough to whet your appetite," I pointed out. "You find something we can use, we'll give you the rest."
"Well, I'll see what I can do," Todd smiled one of those unpleasant toothy Wraith grins that had us glaring back at him in annoyance.
There was nothing else we could do but wait for him to find us something ... no choice left but to return home with our figurative fingers crossed.
oOo
"Colonel?" I turned to see Major Lorne striding quickly down the corridor to catch up with me. We'd been back in the city only a few minutes so he hadn't wasted any time.
"Major," I acknowledged, slowing so that he call fall into step beside me.
"Have you got a minute Sir?" Evan asked. I glanced at him, noting the blank expression on his face that didn't match the misery in his eyes. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear what he felt compelled to tell me but I knew Sabina would have my head if I didn't give him the chance.
"Sure," I replied, changing direction and leading the way to the nearest balcony.
"My team ... I need to be a part of any mission to rescue Sabina and Teyla ... Sir," Lorne rushed out quickly, thankfully skipping repeating the apologies he'd already uttered in the Gateroom.
"You don't think I'd assign you?" I asked curiously.
"I'm not sure I deserve the chance to help make this right Sir," Evan admitted grimly. "I should have realised it was a trap ... us finding that guy so easily after your team found nothing only hours before. Him agreeing to show us where he found that necklace. It had set up written all over it and I should have seen that."
"Easy to think so in hindsight Major," I said lightly, leaning on the balcony with my back to the ocean. "Was Teyla suspicious? Or Sabina?"
Lorne winced when I spoke Sabina's name. "No," he admitted. "Not that they mentioned anyway. I can't believe I let her get taken in a culling beam again," Evan looked down at the ground for a moment before meeting my eyes again. "It all happened so fast."
"It usually does," I returned wryly, "and Sabina has a mind of her own ... a strong mind. You wouldn't have stopped her even if you'd had prior warning."
"No Sir," Lorne replied, relaxing just a little, although his eyes still showed how upset he was. I knew he and Sabina had formed a strong friendship - it was inevitable with team mates, particularly those who'd been through what Evan and Sabina had together. So I found myself in the odd position of feeling the need to reassure him ... most of that was because to do otherwise would disappoint my wife ... not a position I wanted to be in at any time, but especially not right then.
"We'll get them back," I said it with firm surety. "Request accepted Major ... when we hear from Todd, you and your team will be included in the mission."
"Thank you Sir," Lorne said gratefully.
Nodding, I turned and left him standing on the balcony. It was hard to control my own emotions, even harder to allow for the emotions of others, to allow that others had a claim on Sabina's affections too and would therefore be feeling some of what I was feeling. Having nothing else to do, I went in search of what was left of my team.
oOo
A short while later I sat with Ronon and Rodney in the Mess Hall, watching Rodney shoving food in his mouth like he'd been starved for a week.
"How can you eat right now?" Ronon asked with a hint of distaste in his voice, even though Rodney's capacity to think of his stomach even during a crisis was well documented.
"Kidding?" Rodney talked through a full mouth. "It's the first decent meal I've had all day. Besides, we're not gonna help Teyla or Sabina at all starving ourselves. I'm just trying to keep my strength up. I suggest you two do the same."
My face went blank at the mention of Sabina's name ... the worry and anger a constant presence not quite at the back of my mind.
"Hey," Ronon looked at me in concern. "We'll find them."
"This sitting around waiting is driving me nuts," I ground out. "I've gotta do something."
I looked up and saw Sam approaching our table ... something had happened.
"Colonel," she greeted me.
I was standing before I registered the movement ... bracing myself as I waited for her next words.
"Looks like Todd came through for you," she continued.
"He did?!" Rodney asked incredulously.
"We just got a message from the relay station," Sam explained. "Apparently there's a rumour going around amongst certain Wraith-worshippers about our people being held captive. We've got the coordinates."
"All right," I was all business as I quickly worked out what we'd need. "I want to take Lorne and his team."
"Agreed," Sam replied. "You'll gate to the nearest planet where the Daedalus is en route to pick you up."
"Let's go," I urged, not waiting for Ronon and Rodney to get up before I was striding from the Mess Hall.
oOo
Arriving on the Bridge of the Daedalus I watched as we approached the target coordinates, dropping out of hyperspace near a small planet. We moved to stand in front of the view screen, my incomplete team and Lorne's forming a circle ready for beaming down. I knew I was imagining it but it seemed I could almost see the gaps where Teyla and Sabina should have been standing.
"We've already scanned the surface," Caldwell reported. "We were unable to get a lock on Teyla's subcutaneous transmitter. Sabina's either."
"Well, there's no surprise there," Rodney commented. "I'm sure Michael got rid of those."
"Guess we'll have to do things the hard way," I added grimly.
"Good. Let's do it." Ronon was as eager for action as I was.
The transporter beam swept us up and deposited us in the only building on the planet's surface. Doing a quick check of our surroundings revealed no immediate threats so I turned to Lorne with orders.
"All right. Stay in touch."
"Yes, sir," Lorne looked at Parker and Brown. "Let's move out."
They went one way as we went the other, beginning a search of the facility. We came across nothing as we walked down corridors until we came to a junction with a closed door.
I opened it and stepped inside with Rodney beside me.
A sudden stun blast slammed into the wall between Rodney and I – a couple of inches left or right and it would have hit one of us in the head. We each dived for cover as Ronon leapt across the corridor and fired his blaster in the same direction as the shot.
Taking position I opened fire where the guard had been. The shooter leaned out from around the corner, getting off a couple of shots before ducking back again.
'Not Wraith', my brain catalogued that detail as I continued to fire. Ronon twirled his blaster so it was facing backwards, bent his arm around the corner and shot blind. We heard the shooter cry out, saw him stumble back from cover. I fired rapidly until the man fell to the floor, no longer a threat.
Distant fire announced that Lorne and his team had also run into resistance. Moving cautiously forward we passed the man I'd just shot, not dead and trying to drag himself away across the floor.
"Sheppard, this is Daedalus," Caldwell's voice issued over the radio. "We've been engaged by a Wraith cruiser."
"How's it going?" I queried.
"We're more than holding our own," Caldwell replied. "Just thought you might want to pick up the pace."
The injured man was still trying to get away and it suddenly occurred to me that he could be useful.
"Who's your boss?" I demanded, standing over him.
He didn't reply. Kicking him over onto his back I squatted beside him and put my pistol to his chest. He was in pain but I didn't let that concern me ... just stared menacingly with the pistol threatening his quick demise if he didn't cooperate.
"You're too early," he groaned out.
"And what the hell does that mean?" I retorted angrily.
"We're expecting him back," the guard replied. "He's on his way with important prisoners."
Crap! He was talking about Teyla and Sabina! The possibility that they were on the Wraith cruiser slammed into me and I activated my headset urgently.
"This is Sheppard. Come in. Daedalus, do you read?"
"Sheppard, this is Daedalus," Caldwell replied.
"Do not destroy the enemy ship. I repeat: do not destroy the enemy ship. Sabina and Teyla may be on board." They didn't acknowledge my message so I tried again. "Did you hear me? Sabina may be on board."
"We heard you," Caldwell finally replied.
Leaving the injured guard behind, we waited to hear their progress as we continued towards Lorne's position, where gun fire was still echoing. We could see a guard had them pinned down – Ronon ran forward and gunned the guy down from our flanking position. Lorne peered out at the abrupt cease fire and relaxed when he saw it was us.
"Bad news, Sheppard," Caldwell reported in grimly. "The Cruiser made the jump to hyperspace. It's gone."
DAMN IT!
Now Michael would be all the more cautious, aware that we had intel enough to get to him, closer and faster than he would have expected. Resisting the urge to put my fist through the nearest wall at being so close without success I waited for Major Lorne and his team to walk towards us.
"Any sign of them, sir?" Lorne asked hopefully.
"They're not here," I ground out blankly.
"Are you sure?" Evan asked in surprise. "That guard was protecting something."
We turned and looked at the closed door – he was right, something had to be behind it for such a level of resistance. The door was bolted and locked – making sure everyone was well clear I fired a single shot at the lock, blowing it out. Rodney turned back to the door and quickly pulled back the bolt.
Stepping clear Rodney gave me the room I needed to kick the door open. As one Ronon, Rodney and I stepped into the doorway with weapons ready.
What we found inside was so completely unexpected, so impossible on the surface that it had us frozen in stunned disbelief.
A man sat on a bunk inside the room, dressed in grey.
I watched his face shift into an expression of relief ... his familiar face.
"Finally. It's about bloody time!" Carson Beckett exclaimed, standing up. "What took you so long?"
Authors Note:
Next Up? Fortunate Journey Season 4 Chapter 55