DISCLAIMER – Stargate: Atlantis is not mine. It is the intellectual property of MGM/UA and associates. I am not receiving compensation from any source, in any form, for the creation of this story. No copyright infringement is intended.
RATING – This story is rated T
A/N – You people are amazing! I just looked at the stats for this story and I can't believe how many hits it has been getting. Thank you so much to those of you who have left me such wonderful comments, too.
I have no beta. Any mistakes are mine.
All Fun And Games
13. In Deep
Rodney materialized in the pilot's seat of the 'jumper.
The first words out of his mouth were, "No, no, no, no…!"
Not only was he in the 'jumper once again, but a quick look out the forward portal told him that he was also back in the maze. The muffled sound of an exploding mine informed him that he'd been returned to the exact place he'd been in just before entering the diagnostic program. A sidelong glance revealed mini-Radek and mini-Shadow sitting together in the co-pilot's seat. Mini-Shadow still had her plush toy and the orange lollipop John had given her.
Mini-Radek pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose and peered at Rodney. Innocently, he asked. "What's the matter?"
"What's the matter?" Rodney sputtered. "What's the matter?"
"That is what I asked, yes."
"The matter, Radek, is that we are back in the maze!" Rodney said. "You put us here."
"I did."
"Because Sheppard told you to."
"He asked if I could return you to a place where it's possible to exit," said mini-Radek. "I did that. Technically, it is possible to exit from here."
"Yes, technically," Rodney grumbled. "You know, I didn't even get a chance to tell Sheppard what the problem is. He doesn't know why I can't exit."
"Carson will tell him. He is still in the diagnostic program," mini-Radek said. "Are you going to finish the maze? We're almost there."
"Almost where?"
"Level three."
Rodney summoned the heads-up display. Studying it, he saw that they were, in fact, nearly at the end of the maze. He wondered vaguely whether or not he'd make it through without getting virtually killed. Well, if he did happen to forfeit his last chance at the second level, The Game would end. That was something to think about.
He sighed and nosed the 'jumper slowly down the tunnel. "Fine," he said. "I might as well keep going. Maybe Sheppard will have better luck with the diagnostic program than I did. If you ask me, a diagnostic program that doesn't actually help you is pretty pointless, but around here I guess that doesn't m—"
"Rodney."
"What?"
"I didn't ask your opinion about the diagnostic program."
Rodney barely suppressed a growl. "Radek—"
"Yes, Rodney?"
"Shut up."
The little Czech couldn't have looked more wounded if Rodney had physically slapped him. His lower lip quivered, and he slouched down in the co-pilot's chair. In a small, wavering voice he said, "Yes, Rodney."
Rodney fumed in the ensuing silence, frustrated and aggravated beyond reason by the whole ridiculous situation.
With no annoying little voices to distract him, he focussed all his concentration on flying the 'jumper through the remaining twists and turns of the enclosed maze. He was quite frankly surprised not to have encountered any more obstacles along the way. He'd expected a Wraith dart or two, some deadly weapons, or maybe some killer turbulence. What he got was nothing but smooth sailing.
He realized he was waiting for the penny to drop as he flew the 'jumper down the last stretch of tunnel that led to the exit. The proverbial penny, as it turned out, appeared in the form of an active Stargate. Its blue event horizon shimmered invitingly in the distance, practically beckoning Rodney to guide his 'jumper through it.
Rodney sneaked a glance at the two children, hoping for a clue about what he should do next. Mini-Radek offered no help, as he was ignoring Rodney now. Mini-Shadow shot a defiant glare in Rodney's direction and poked out her tongue at him.
What the hell? On to level three, Rodney thought, and gave a mental shrug. How much worse than the second level could the third level be? The 'jumper slid easily through the Stargate's event horizon.
When the 'jumper emerged on the far side of the 'Gate, the little ship was completely surrounded by water.
Rodney's only reaction was to slump in his seat and bury his face in his hands.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
John glared at the basket of peaches until it disappeared.
Somewhat mollified by his ability to make the offending fruit vanish, John took a moment to get his thoughts in order and then turned around to face mini-Carson. The boy gazed back at him with such an innocent expression on his face that the remnant of John's annoyance slipped away before he got a chance to make any use of it. He supposed it wouldn't do any good to get mad at mini-Carson anyway. It wasn't the boy's fault that The Game had issues. John was actually inclined to blame that one on the representation of General O'Neill.
John imagined a chair for himself and sat down to think. He had an aversion to sitting on the Infirmary beds. He spent enough time on those things in actuality that he didn't want to park himself on one in virtual reality.
Mini-Carson watched him curiously. "John, what are you doing?"
"Getting comfortable," John said.
"Most players don't use the resources of The Game this way."
"I guess I'm not like most players."
With the tail of his oversized lab coat trailing along the floor, mini-Carson wandered over and inspected John's chair. He asked, "Is it big enough for two?"
All it took was a thought to transform the chair into a small sofa. John smiled at the wide-eyed look mini-Carson gave him.
"There," John said. "Now, it's big enough for two. Come on up. We need to have a chat, and we might as well both be comfortable while we're at it."
"What do you want to talk about?" mini-Carson asked. He clambered onto the sofa and settled into the corner with a contented little sigh. "You were right. This is comfortable."
"Glad you like it."
"You should visit the diagnostic program more often."
"I don't think so," John said. "Look, I need to ask you some important questions, okay? I need you to tell me why Rodney can't exit The Game. Can you do that?"
"Aye, of course I can," mini-Carson said.
"So, why can't he exit?"
"There's a malfunction."
"Carson, you're not helping me, here," John said.
"You asked me why the other player can't exit, and I told you," said mini-Carson. "Do you need more information than that?"
"Yes, I do," said John. "I need lots more information than that. I want to know exactly what's wrong with The Game, and if there's some way we can fix it."
Oh. Well, I can show you what's wrong," mini-Carson said.
The little boy passed his hand through the air in front of himself, and a book with brightly-coloured Ancient text on the cover appeared in his lap. Moving closer to John on the sofa, mini-Carson opened up the book and held it so John could see. The first page was printed with a picture of the game device. The opposite page had a drawing of the device as well, but the second device was missing the side panel, revealing the crystals inside.
"This is…interesting," John said.
"This is what the device is supposed to look like."
"Okay."
Mini-Carson turned the page, and pointed to the next drawing. "This picture is what it looks like right now. One of the crystals has been removed. See?"
John certainly did see, and he had to say he didn't really care for the view. He failed completely at stifling the groan of exasperation the memory provoked when his mind's eye envisioned Radek pulling one of the crystals from Rodney's machine.
"Can this be fixed?" John asked.
Mini-Carson nodded. He turned another page in his picture book, and John found himself looking at his own likeness. The colonel in the drawing held an object that looked suspiciously like a control crystal. A bright green arrow traced a path from the crystal to the machine.
"You can fix it, John," mini-Carson said.
'Oh no," John said.
"Reinserting the crystal is a simple procedure. A child could do it. Look." He touched the page of his book, and the image of John transformed into an image of mini-Carson. "The device won't function properly without all the crystals."
The idea of messing around with any kind of technology made John nervous. He'd learned a long time ago that he and machines did not mix, unless of course the machine happened to be capable of flight. Still, he reasoned, he was probably the only person who could fix the device at the moment. Neither Rodney nor Radek were in a position to do anything, and John didn't like the idea of anyone else being exposed to whatever might be lurking in the Ancient room. Rodney needed help, and if that meant John had to do things with crystals, then so be it.
"Okay," he said to mini-Carson. "If I put the crystal back in the machine, will Rodney be able to exit?"
"No," mini-Carson said. "The malfunction is preventing that. You will have to deactivate both devices."
"Can I do that?"
"Not from here."
"So, I'll have to go back to the room with General O'Neill? Back to the beginning of The Game?"
"Yes."
"Will the general be able to tell me how to shut the devices off?"
"He is the user guide."
"All right," John said. "I'm going to have to exit The Game so I can reinsert that crystal. Can you send me back to a place where I can exit?"
Mini-Carson nodded. "Do you want to go now?"
"Yes, I want to go now."
John might have been imagining it, but he thought mini-Carson looked a wee bit sad to see him go. As his vision blurred and the diagnostic room began to dissipate, he saw the little boy waving farewell.
TBC
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