Remember, Never to Forget--12
Drakar had cursed Suduko every step of the way back to the retreat. It took nearly half the day to reach the outskirts and make his way to Suduko's home. The man's ship was parked nearby and Drakar could hear voices from the house as he knocked on the door. He smiled at the pretty woman who answered.
"What do you want, Drakar?"
"Kierra, is your brother at home?"
"He is, but he's busy consoling his guests. Why did you not tell them about Shazzia's cruelty?"
"So it was their friend," Drakar said, fighting to keep his emotions in check.
"Yes, it was and we don't need the likes of you around here right now!" Kierra snapped and tried to close the door.
"They owe me for helping find him," Drakar told her.
"Get out of here, Drakar, before I let them question you on how you found him?" Suduko said as he joined his sister at the door.
"We had a deal…"
"Perhaps you did, but I doubt you'll be paid since John Sheppard is dead. Leave my home, Drakar, or I will let Ronan speak for his people," The large man said, smiling when the grumbling merchant turned and hurried away.
"We need to watch him," Kierra told her brother.
"I know… I left word with Lakishe and he has arranged for several people to watch Drakar while he is at the retreat," Suduko advised and closed the door.
"Did he believe you?" McKay asked hopefully.
"I think so…if I'm correct in my assessment Drakar will head straight to Domitar and contact Shazzia," Suduko told them. "Domitar is an old man, but he is dangerous when crossed. He and I have had our disagreements in the past, but we have also worked together when it benefited both of us. I will speak with him today and see if he has any information about John Sheppard's 'death'."
"Why are you doing this, Suduko?" Ronan asked.
"I have my reasons, but for now I'll just say we're on the same side…and I don't like slavery," Suduko spat disgustedly.
"My brother was a slave of Shazzia at one time. He still wears the scars she marked him with," Kierra explained when the big man left the room.
"Slavery should be abolished everywhere," McKay said and reached for a piece of the fruit Kierra offered. He walked toward the window and stared outside as Suduko lifted a heavy axe and began splitting the chunks of wood for the fire place. The man's muscles rippled with the effort he put into his work and Rodney was glad the man was on their side.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Domitar didn't trust Drakar, but right now he knew Shazzia wanted news of their ruse. He nodded for the younger man to enter and motioned for him to sit down before speaking. "Did they believe it is John Sheppard's body you discovered?"
"Yes, at least that's what Suduko told me."
"Suduko is a smart man, Drakar," Domitar said. "He is not easily duped and if these people are from Atlantis then they have the means to verify whether or not it is John Sheppard. You need to make sure that does not happen."
"There is nothing more I can do…Suduko took the body to them and I am not welcome in his home."
"Then you must find a way to destroy the body before they can leave," Domitar warned.
"I can't…"
"You will find a way…or face Shazzia's anger," Domitar told him.
"I did what she wanted and I need to be paid so I can get back to the marketplace," Drakar said.
"I will speak to Shazzia about it, but you know Shazzia does not like to be told what to do."
"I…look, I'll see if I can find a way to destroy the body, but Suduko will be angered if he thinks I had anything to do with it."
"Find out where the body is being held and I will provide you with the means to destroy it," Domitar said.
"I will do what I can," Drakar said and hurriedly left the room.
Domitar leaned back, gnarled fingers crippled by years of hard work reached for the stub of a pipe and placed it between cracked lips. He drew deeply of the strong tobacco and smiled at the woman who stepped through the hidden door. "He is a loose end that could cost you everything, Shazzia."
"Perhaps we can be rid of him at the same time he destroys the body," Shazzia told him.
"Have you found a way to get John Sheppard back?"
"Not yet…Hawk's world is still under the solar storm and it looks like it could be several cycles before it passes," the woman answered.
"Hawk is not going to give Sheppard up easily…and he doesn't need Shoclaws," Domitar told her.
"No, he doesn't, but Hawk has enemies and if it comes down to it I will kill him to get my property back."
"He is not your property any longer, Shazzia."
"I expect it will come to that…tell me why you are so anxious to get Sheppard back when I know you have more Shoclaws than you could spend in three lifetimes," Domitar said.
"It is not the Shoclaws, Old Friend…it is the fact that John Sheppard could be the key to making new alliances or strengthening old ones," the woman told him.
"The Genii?"
"Amongst others," Shazzia told him. "Arrange for Drakar to meet with an accident at the same time he destroys the body."
"I will do what I can, Shazzia," Domitar said, taking a deep breath of the strong tobacco as he watched her leave. He could easily wash his hands of this matter, but High Priestess Shazzia and her family had been long time friends and allies to him and he owed her a debt of untold proportions.
SGASGASGASGASGA
John opened his eyes and winced as he shifted and the blankets touched up against his raw back. He blinked several times until the room came into focus, but there was something wrong, something that plagued him, yet he couldn't make sense of the pain or the sense of loneliness that threatened to swallow him whole. He shifted on the bed and swung his legs over the side, staring at the length of chain that ran from his neck to a locked hook set in the wall next to the bed.
John hated the feeling of being a prisoner and reached up to touch the collar encircling his neck. Their seemed to be no way of opening it and he silently cursed as he grabbed the pitcher off the table and threw it across the room. Pain flared in his back as the ravaged flesh opened and blood seeped from the wounds. He closed his eyes as a wave of nausea washed over him and threatened to drown him in its intensity.
"You should not be up, John," Hawk chastised upon entering the chamber. It was a testament to his slave's strength that he was even awake, let alone trying to move about after the medications he'd been given. He placed a tray on the table and moved to ease the injured man down on his side, but John had other ideas and moved away from him.
"Don't touch me!" John snarled, breathing through tightly clenched teeth in an effort to stay upright.
"John, you are not in charge here and it's time you realized I can do anything I wish where you are concerned," Hawk warned, reaching out and forcing the injured man to lie down on his side. "Now, how is the pain?"
"How do you think it is, Hawk? It hurts like a sonofabitch because some madman decided I needed to be taught a lesson!" John snapped, fighting to get away from the hated man's touch.
"John, you should heed my warning and hold your tongue or I will find another way to punish you that will make you behave," Hawk warned his eyes deadly as he stared at his 'slave'. John reminded him so much of himself, but he could not, would not allow him to disrespect him in front of his friends.
"Look…I don't belong to you…I'm a free man and I…I…"
"You what?" Hawk asked, watching as John's eyes filled with fear and his hand went to his chest. "John, what are you remembering?"
"Pain…God it hurt so much," John ground out clutching his chest as if he was in agony.
"John, there's nothing there," Hawk said, pulling John's hands away so he could see what was causing such pain.
"The wraith…it fed on me…God…"
"The wraith," Hawk whispered and noted the scar where his slave had touched. "You were fed on by a wraith and survived?"
"Gave me back the life it took…still hurt," John said, smiling as a face appeared in his mind. "Rodney said it made me look younger than before…Rodney…God…"
"Who is Rodney and what does he mean to you, John?"
"I don't know…a friend…I think…talks a lot…smart…says eh a lot," John answered, lying on his side as Hawk slowly applied salve to the ravaged skin of his back. Whatever Hawk was doing, it was making John sleepy and he closed his eyes as his 'owner' made small circles on his shoulders and the salve eased the pain to a more bearable level.
"I believe your memory is returning, John, and I promise that if you hide it from me I will punish you far worse than what happened today," Hawk vowed and felt a small shudder run through the lean frame. "Mark my words, John, because I value my property and I will not allow anyone to interfere in my plans."
John heard him leave and sighed tiredly as flashes of memory raged through his mind. There were many faces, some devoid of emotions while others seemed to be filled with sympathy and fear. Yet through it all one face…the face of reason…the face of sadness seemed to call to him and John latched on to the memory and prayed the man would find him and help him escape Hawk's ownership.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Rodney stood looking up at the strange sky high above the mountains. The dark sky was lit with tiny dots of twinkling lights and McKay wondered if somewhere out there his friend was looking up at the same sky and hoping someone was looking for him. The Canadian had come outside while the others made plans to find out where John Sheppard really was. "Where are you, Sheppard?" he asked softly while staring at a 'star' that seemed to be moving across the sky.
There felt like there was a hole in his world, one that was opening onto a deep abyss that threatened to swallow him up. Never before had anyone impacted his life the way Sheppard had and Rodney missed the banter and teasing that seemed so easy when he was with the colonel.
"Rodney…"
"Over here, Teyla," McKay answered.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just thinking…"
"About John?"
"Yes…he's out there somewhere and he's alone, Teyla. I know we're doing everything we can to find him, but it's taking so long," McKay told her.
"I know, but Suduko thinks he can find out more by speaking with Domitar…he says it's dangerous and if word gets back to whoever has John it could get him punished or killed," Teyla explained.
"Then we better make damn sure we find him fast," McKay said angrily.
"We'll find him, Rodney," Teyla said and watched the emotions warring for dominance on McKay's face. 'We have to for both your sakes,' she thought.
"Thanks, Teyla," McKay said and starred up at the sky once more before following Teyla into their hosts home.
TBC