Remember, Never to Forget---31
Shariel knew it was time to get the others back to her quarters before their anger got the better of them. Ronan's face looked as if he would tear something apart if he didn't find some way to release his pent up emotions, while Rodney McKay muttered angry words that could get them all kicked out if they were not careful. Teyla Emmagan seemed to be the only one with a cool head, yet Shariel knew the woman was far past being angry.
"We must leave now," Teyla suggested as Hawk disappeared with John Sheppard. She knew Ronan and McKay well enough to know that the emotional turmoil they were holding in check would soon explode.
"Follow me and don't do anything stupid," Shariel warned and led the others away from the cages. She knew the other 'guests' were watching them, but she didn't acknowledge any of them as anger made her blood boil. She'd seen Kudrone, but didn't get the opportunity to speak with him and that was something she desperately needed. Once inside her quarters, Shariel engaged the locking mechanism and turned to see the others watching her closely.
"We need to get Sheppard away from that bastard!" McKay snarled.
"There is nothing we can do until after the fights and the Solar Storms have ended…"
"Colonel Sheppard…"
"Doesn't know who you are, Teyla, and to go to him before we set our plans in motion would get not only him killed, but the rest of us as well," Suduko told them.
"We have to wait until the others have left so as not to arouse suspicion," Shariel said and poured glasses of amber liquid that packed quite a punch and would hopefully keep everyone calm until they were ready to act.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
Hawk gently eased the semi-conscious man onto the bed and turned to find Kudrone watching him, anger evident in the set of his shoulders and the coldness of his eyes. He returned his attention to John's injuries and gently probed them, relieved to see that he'd been able to restrain himself enough to keep from doing any serious damage.
"Hawk, let me check him…"
"His wounds are not serious, but they will need to be tended. Give him something to help him sleep and make sure he is ready for his time in the cage."
"You can't be serious, Hawk!"
"I am serious, Kudrone, be silent and do as I say," Hawk warned and reached for the bottle of Arcasian wine he kept by his bedside. He watched as Kudrone grabbed the items he'd need and began to clean the wounds that crisscrossed John's back. The man bucked instantly when Kudrone poured a cleansing liquid directly onto his back.
"Easy, John, I need to get these cleaned up," Kudrone said. The liquid he was using had numbing abilities and should work quickly to ease the burning pain he knew would be there. He felt John trembling beneath his touch and hoped Hawk would change his mind about putting the man in a cage with Glayne. One look at his 'owner' told him that would never happen.
"It b…burns…"
"I know it does, John, but it'll stop you from getting an infection and it will numb the nerves in the area so the pain will ease," Kudrone explained.
"Kudrone will also give you something to make you sleep, John, but I have a couple of questions for you first," Hawk said and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Hawk, he's in no shape to answer any questions…"
"Be silent, Kudrone," Hawk warned and placed his hand flat against the wounds he'd inflicted. "Now, John, I know there are some things you remember whether consciously or unconsciously and I need to know whether you're as helplessly in the dark as you would have me believe."
"I don't remember anything," John whispered.
"That is a lie," Hawk said and pressed on the wounds until his 'slave' cried out. "Who is McKay and why do you call for him?"
"I don't know…God!" John cried out as Hawk kept the pressure on his back. "I don't know who he is…he's in my head…my dreams."
"Is he a friend?"
"I don't know…maybe," John answered, shaking as Hawk traced one of the wounds with his finger. It sent icy talons of pain through his body and he tried to pull away, but the other man pressed him down against the bed.
"Hawk, he can't take much more!" Kudrone warned as Hawk lifted his hand and watched John's blood drip from his fingertips.
"John," Hawk said and leaned close to the semi-conscious man's left ear. "If I find out you're lying to me this will seem like a love tap…do you understand?"
"Yes…God yes," John managed and was relieved when the man stood up and moved away. He soon felt Kudrone's soft touch as he cleaned the wounds once again.
"I'm going to give you something to help you sleep, John," Kudrone explained as he loaded a syringe.
John felt the man swipe something across his hip and then the sharp jab of a needle.
"That should help…"
"Thanks, Carson," John whispered and relaxed as the medication swept through his body.
Kudrone looked up at John's words and saw the anger in Hawk's eyes as he watched him. He knew Hawk hadn't missed John's last words and knew it did not bode well for him. "He should sleep for several hours."
"You may leave…"
"Hawk, he really has no memory of these people…at least not consciously."
"Leave us, Kudrone, but do not go near Shariel's quarters. You are to stay in your room until I summon you," Hawk warned. He waited for Kudrone to leave and stood watching his 'slave' sleep. There was an air of innocence to John right now, but Hawk had no sympathy for him. Something about the way John spoke of 'Carson' and McKay' spoke of a deep friendship and trust that would need to be dealt with severely.
"I will find out who they are, John, and when I do I will take their memory from you," Hawk vowed and reached for the Arcasian wine once more. He looked at the dried blood on his hand and smiled before taking a drink from the bottle and settled in to watch over his property.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Major Evan Lorne hated waiting, but right now that was all he could do as the solar storm raged a short distance away. The Puddle Jumper was buffeted by a blast of heated wind every few hours, but other than that they untouched by the violence of it. He could hear several of his men playing cards in the back, but had no interest in joining them.
Lorne wondered what was happening in the underground chambers and whether McKay and the others had found Colonel John Sheppard. If so was he the man they knew or had he changed since his disappearance? Did he even know who he was or what he did on Atlantis?
Things had changed since Sheppard disappeared, but so far there'd been no sign of a permanent replacement. Now it seemed as if there was a real possibility of Sheppard returning, but again the question would be whether he was fit to return to duty. Lorne had a great deal of respect for Atlantis' military commander and knew Wallace and many others also felt that way. The truth was, even Colonel Steven Caldwell knew Sheppard was well suited as leader of the Atlantis expedition.
Lorne knew Hank Wallace and his team was probably killing time in much the same way his people were, but they were also trying to work out the best way to rescue McKay and the others if there were any unforeseen problems. The hardest part in all of this was the waiting, and that was something he hated as much as not knowing what to expect.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
Kudrone knew Hawk would not change his mind and wished there was some way he could stop John from having to fight Glayne. He had never seen Syngy's new slave, but he had no doubt as to the man's abilities. Syngy was well known for being only her strongest and toughest fighters to the underground fights and Glayne was a big man.
Kudrone glanced at the door and sighed heavily before exiting his room and making his way to Hawk's main chambers. He needed to check John's wounds and make sure he was resting comfortably. He knocked lightly on and door and heard Hawk tell him to come in. He was all that surprised to find Hawk sitting at John's bedside, what did surprise him was the gentle way Hawk seemed to be touching John's right shoulder.
"It is time to wake up, John," Hawk said and nudged the injured man a little harder.
"Tired," John whispered.
"It is time to join the others at the cages. There are two fights scheduled and I wish for you to see what is expected of you," Hawk explained.
"He shouldn't move around too much with those wounds. They could open up again and that could lead to more blood loss and infection."
"That is why I keep you around, Kudrone. Your job is to see that John and my other property are kept healthy," Hawk told him as he felt John move beneath his touch. He heard a soft expletive and reached out to help him, but John shrugged him off as he slid his legs over the edge.
"I brought you some new clothing," Hawk said and motioned to the pants and shirt on the bed beside him. "Let me help you."
"I can do it myself!" John snapped.
"John, do you really think you can fight me?"
"I can sure as hell give it a damn good try," John answered and grabbed the rough clothing. He knew Hawk could easily force him to do what he wanted, but it seemed like his 'master' had decided to let him have his way for now.
Hawk watched as John donned the clothing and slid his feet into the soft moccasins provided. He could tell the man was in a lot of pain, but made no apologies for what he'd done. John needed to learn his place, and until that happened he would continue to be punished for any wrong doings.
"It is time to join the others," Hawk said and quickly added a leash to each 'slave's' collar before leading them out of his chambers and toward the main fighting arena. "Do not worry, John, your fight will not take place today, but you and your opponent will get to meet each other and perhaps you will get some insight into Glayne."
John remained silent during the trek to the cages and tried to ignore the people staring at him. He knew they were all slavers, but that didn't make it any easier for him. He glanced sideways at the small contingent of people on his left and suddenly realized he was staring at the familiar stranger once more. What was it about the man that made him want to reach out and hold on to him as if his very life depended on his touch?
Rodney knew he should turn away from Sheppard's stare, but there was something haunting in the way the eyes saw him, yet did not seem to know who he was. He felt Teyla shift beside him and knew she was watching the arrival of the newcomers with the same anger and distaste he was. How could anyone think they could own another person? How could slavery be right here in the Pegasus Galaxy and no one thought to do anything about it?
"Rodney, you need to stop staring at John," Teyla warned as Shariel moved to stand in front of him.
"I hate seeing him like this, Teyla."
"We all do, Rodney, but it won't be for much longer," Emmagan offered.
"He shouldn't be up and around after what he did to him!" McKay snapped.
"I know, but there's nothing we can do about that now. Carson will take care of him once we get him out of here," Teyla assured him as Hawk raised his hands and began to speak.
"I will take this time to welcome everyone to the fights. I am sure we will all be entertained by our challengers including one of mine. John has agreed to fight Glayne, but that will not happen until late tomorrow. Until then I'm sure the other combatants will keep us interested starting with Piatra's fighter Kinaka who will be joined in the cage this morning by Shariel's newest acquisition Teyla of Jarcusion… "
"Hawk, I did not agree to this," Shariel said angrily.
"Come, Shariel, you brought her here and she is from a warrior race and I'm sure everyone will agree that she and Kinaka are well suited for this particular challenge."
"I have not prepared her for what is expected," Shariel told him.
"She will be fine…won't you Teyla?" Hawk asked.
"I will do what my Mistress tells me to," Emmagan answered and felt Ronan tense up beside her.
"See, Shariel, she is eager to please you. Perhaps she will even defeat Kinaka," Hawk said as Piatra brought Kinaka forward. The female was two inches taller than Teyla, but seemed to be the same build as she was positioned in front of Emmagan.
"Thank you, Hawk, I believe this should be rather interesting," Piatra said with a smile as Kinaka growled low in her throat.
John watched the scene unfold and wondered why he detested the idea of the woman called Teyla fighting in the cage. Why was she having such an effect on him? He'd seen fights before, but this woman should not be here…she was free wasn't she? He tried to think, but pain exploded through his head and he closed his eyes until the sickening nausea eased. He felt a hand on his arm and turned to look at Kudrone.
"Are you all right, John?"
"I don't…my head hurts," John answered softly.
"Try keeping your eyes closed and don't think about anything," Kudrone told him.
"Trying…hate this."
"I know, but there's nothing we can do about it."
"Come, John, Kudrone, we must get to our seats before this match begins," Hawk said, eagerly anticipating a long, drawn out fight between the two female combatants.
John sat on the seat beside Hawk and closed his eyes, only to snap them open as a loud war cry sounded from inside the cage. The woman named Teyla ducked below Kinaka's arms and drove her fist into her opponent's abdomen. She doubled over and Teyla brought her right elbow down across the woman's shoulders. John smiled and wondered why he was so anxious for her to beat her foe.
Rodney could only watch in disgust as Teyla was forced to become part of the challenges. He knew she could handle herself, but he'd never really seen her in action…at least not close up like this. Teyla dodged to her right, but not fast enough to escape her attacker's fist. Her head snapped back as Kinaka pressed forward, but Teyla quickly recovered and kicked out with her left leg, driving Kinaka backward with enough force to slam her body into the bars of the cage.
"She's very good, Shariel," Hawk said, admiring the woman's physique and her prowess in hand to hand combat.
"She will be even better with the correct training," Shariel told him and felt Ronan's body tensing in the seat next to her. She knew she had to keep him from doing anything stupid and placed her hand on his leg, but did not look at him.
"Only if she survives this challenge," Hawk said seriously.
"Teyla can handle herself," Ronan said softly.
"Is that so?" Hawk asked sizing the man up. "What about you, Big Man?"
"What about me?" Dex asked.
"Do you think you could handle yourself in the cage?"
"Hawk, my property is mine and I will decide if and when they fight. Ronan…"
"I wonder how he would do against John?" Hawk asked.
"I could take him," Ronan said.
"You have already promised a match with Syngy's slave, Hawk," Shariel said.
"Perhaps we could make a compromise…John against Ronan and Kudrone against Glayne…we could even make it a double match," Hawk offered.
"No…I am not prepared…"
"You mean you could not watch Kudrone go into the cage?" Hawk said. "What if I offered his freedom in exchange…"
"I'll do it!" Kudrone said, and silently cursed as Hawk's laughter echoed through the chambers.
"I'm afraid that was not really part of this, Kudrone, although maybe someday I'll take you up on the offer," Hawk said with a hint of a smile.
Teyla had eyes only for her opponent and she delivered several well placed blows to Kinaka's upper body before turning and kicking out with her left leg. Kinaka could not stay on her feet as the devastating blows left her out of breath and gasping for air. Teyla continued to fight, not letting up even as Kinaka hit the ground and tried to roll away.
"Shariel, have you thought about selling her?" Hawk asked, intrigued by the beautiful warrior.
"No," Shariel answered simply.
"Too bad…I might have been tempted to sweeten the deal. She would make a good mate for John…I imagine their coloring and physique would have made for an interesting child," Hawk observed and watched John closely. There was something about the way he stared at Shariel's female slave, but he couldn't quite place what it was.
John could not keep the admiration from his face as he watched the fight taking place in the cage. Both combatants had been able to deliver several hits to their opponent's bodies, but it was the woman named Teyla he silently cheered for. Why it would matter to him, he had no idea, but her movements were quick and lethal as she drove her fists into the other woman's body until Kinaka landed on her back and didn't move.
"I do believe the victory is mine," Shariel said and smiled as Teyla exited the cave and walked toward them. There were a couple of small cuts on he left side of her face and a thin stream of blood trailed down her neck as she held her head high. She seemed to be breathing heavily, but that was normal when someone fought a grueling battle in the cage.
"Congratulations, Teyla, you fought well," Hawk said as the next combatants were led into the cage.
"Thank you," Teyla said, and turned away in an effort to keep herself from slugging the man.
"Teyla, it is time we went back to my quarters and you rested," Shariel offered.
"I am okay…"
"Are you sure…"
"She is fine, Shariel, just let Kudrone take a look at her wounds," Hawk said. There was something about Shariel's new acquisitions he found intriguing and as he watched John he sensed there was something the man was trying to remember. 'Don't lie to me, John…it will not go well for you if you do," he thought and pulled slightly on the leash in a show of ownership.
TBC