Remember, Never to Forget---32
John knew Hawk was suspicious of the newcomers, but no matter how hard he tried he could not figure out why he was drawn to them. The one named Teyla was beautiful, but it was the man…the one with the maddeningly serious face that beckoned to him as if they were brothers. Was he a brother…was that why he kept seeing the man in his dreams? Even now he could sense pain oozing from him as if he was plagued by guilt.
Shariel had led the others away as soon as Kudrone had seen to Teyla's injuries, and john was relieved when Kudrone told Hawk there was nothing serious plaguing her. Hawk insisted they stay to watch the final match of the day, but John did not know who won or lost because his mind was elsewhere. He shook himself as Hawk latched onto his arm and pulled him roughly to his feet.
"Come, John, you need to eat and rest. Tomorrow you will enter the cage and be pitted against Glayne. I have confidence that you can defeat him, but you must keep up your strength," Hawk said as he took the leashes and led his 'slaves' toward the door.
"Hawk, do you think you puny slave has a chance against Syngy's Glayne?" Rygilla asked.
Hawk looked at the big male whose body was covered in a dusting of light fur and had eyes the color of the darkest sky. This was the third time Rygilla had been granted an invite to the chambers and Hawk was beginning to detest the man. He would allow him to stay until the solar storms ended, but after that he would no longer be welcome.
"I believe John is a good match for Glayne."
"I was told John did an admirable job in defeating his master."
"Watch what you say, Rygilla, or you might find yourself in orbit without a ship," Hawk warned.
"I was just making an observation, Hawk, unlike those who talk of your defeat behind your back," Rygilla said.
"I do not fear cowards who talk behind my back for they do not have the guts to speak openly…"
"But I do, Hawk, and I believe your defeat at John's hands has weakened your place amongst the other slavers."
"Is that so, Rygilla?"
"Yes it is…"
Hawk moved to stand in front of the newcomer with a hint of a smile on his face as he spoke. "What of you, Rygilla? Do you think me weak?"
"I…"
"Because if you do then I would challenge you to a battle in the cages."
"Fighting is for the slaves…"
"Not when a slaver insults another of his kind."
"I did not insult you, Hawk, I simply made an observation…"
"Observations like that can get you killed…"
"No need to get defensive, Hawk, I'll gladly…"
"Join me in the cage?"
"No, I'm a lover not a fighter," Rygilla told him.
"I doubt you'd be very good at either," Hawk said, turning his back on the angry male and leading John and Kudrone away from the cages. He could feel Rygilla watching him and knew the man was a coward and that there was no way he would agree to a fight no matter who the challenger was.
John glanced over his left shoulder and felt the anger oozing off the male Hawk had just insulted. The man was obviously a coward, but that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous. Rygilla didn't seem the type to forget, and John knew cowardly enemies were sometimes the worst kind.
"What are you thinking about, John?" Hawk asked when he noticed the look on his 'slave's' face.
"You should watch out for him?"
"Who? Rygilla…he's a coward."
"Doesn't mean he's not dangerous," John offered.
"Dangerous men make mistakes, John…cowardly men make stupid mistakes."
"Naïve men ignore those who pose a threat," John said softly as they entered Hawk's chambers. He moved to sit on the edge of the cot, but was stopped when Hawk tugged on his leash.
"I am not naïve, John, nor am I stupid. You will eat and sleep…tomorrow promises to be an entertaining day for everyone involved," Hawk said and finally released both men before making his way toward the table and grabbing a new bottle of wine. Rygilla would have to be dealt with, but right now there were more important things to look forward to and watching John in the cage was at the top of his list.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
Teyla eased her aching body down on the cot and lay back against the pillows as she closed her eyes. She was tired beyond anything she could have imagined, but she needed to hear what the others were saying. With a muffled groan she forced her body up and sat on the edge of the bed.
"You should rest, Teyla," McKay said.
"I am fine, Rodney, or I will be once we get John away from this place," Emmagan told him.
"Sheppard looks like hell," Ronon offered.
"I don't think he'll last in the cage," McKay told them.
"Do not sell him short, Rodney, John is stronger than you think," Teyla observed.
"Normally I'd agree with you, but there's no telling what kind of hell he's been through. I mean the last time we saw him he was being…being torn apart by some creature straight out of your worst nightmare…and he doesn't recognize us," McKay said.
"I know, Rodney, but we have to believe he will remember who we are," Emmagan told him.
"I watched his face…he knows more than he lets on," Ronon offered.
"You really think so?" McKay asked hopefully.
"He was staring at you…like he was trying to remember," the Satedan explained.
"There has to be a way for us to stop Hawk putting him in the cage," Teyla said.
"There is nothing you can do to stop it without revealing who you are," Shariel told them. "We have to stick to the plan and meet with Hawk after everyone else leaves. It's the only way Kudrone and your friend can escape from him."
"I know you're right, Shariel, but seeing Sheppard so…"
"Beaten," Suduko interrupted the Canadian.
"Yes, seeing Sheppard so beaten is hard…I keep thinking…"
"Rodney, you did what had to be done and no one blames you for what happened," Teyla assured him.
"I blame myself…"
"Don't…Sheppard knew what he was doing when he ordered you to blow the ship," Ronon explained and saw the sadness in McKay's eyes before he turned away.
"Rodney, we will get John back…the way he was…"
"I hope so, Teyla, because anything else is just…just not acceptable," the Canadian said seriously.
"I know you are all worried about your friend, but we must remain calm until the time is right. If Hawk sees anything suspicious he will take both John and Kudrone and disappear before we know what's happened," Shariel told them.
Teyla knew the others understood what Shariel was saying and wished things were different, but right now they had to wait, or chance losing their only contact with John Sheppard. She lay back down and closed her eyes as the others continued to talk in hushed tones.
SGASGASGASGASGA
John lay awake long after Hawk had fallen into a deep sleep. He couldn't understand why he was being drawn toward another slave owned by another slaver. Who were they and where had they come from? Did he know the stranger with the familiar face or was he just grasping at straws?
John closed his eyes as images flashed faster than his mind could process and yet there were two faces that seemed to be a constant for him. 'Who are you?' he thought and turned on his side, fighting to stay awake even as sleep beckoned to him. His dreams were filled with creatures that sucked the life from his body while others sought to tear him apart. He moaned deep in his throat and curled into a ball on the small cot as he reached for the stranger who'd come for him.
"Rodney…help me…"
SGASGASGASGASGA
There'd been a couple of matches early in the day, but for the most part his guests were here to watch this challenge. Hawk knew John was stronger than most of the slavers thought, but even he had doubts about whether John could take Glayne. Syngy's slave was well built and had a natural strength and agility to him. From what he'd seen of the man he could take down anyone he faced, but John had already surprised him once…could he do it again?
"Hawk, there's still time…"
"Kudrone, be silent or I will have you muzzled," Hawk warned and turned to John. "Are you ready?"
"Would it matter if I said no?" John asked.
"No…"
"Didn't think so," John said and shrugged out of the rough shirt. He could feel people watching him and turned toward the group who seemed to be watching the proceedings with distaste. He turned to face Kudrone who whose eyes were filled with sadness and wished he could do or say something to show how much he appreciated everything Kudrone had done for him.
"It is time," Hawk said and led the 'slave' toward the opening where Syngy and Glayne waited for them.
"Are you sure your slave is able to fight, Hawk?" Syngy asked.
"Don't let his looks deceive you, Syngy, John might just surprise you," the big man said and motioned for John to enter the cage. "John, just do what comes naturally."
"Glayne, take him down and I will set you free," Syngy said, desperately wanting to defeat Hawk's slave and humiliate the bigger man. She knew Glayne did not want his freedom, but it was something she wanted John to hear because she knew from talking with other slavers that John coveted the idea of freedom.
John could hear the people shouting out wagers and sought out the familiar stranger as if he alone represented salvation. His eyes locked with the other man's and he felt a touch of familiarity before being forced to face his opponent.
John took a deep breath, hoping that Glayne was clumsy, yet he knew Syngy would never put someone in this position if she didn't think she could win. He could feel Glayne watching him as the door to the cage was closed, signaling the start of the challenge.
John moved on the balls of his feet, ducking to the left when Glayne pretended to reach for him, and barely managed to escape the man's outstretched hands. John drove his right hand up into his foe's abdomen, while making a sweeping motion with his legs that nearly brought Glayne to his knees. Unfortunately the bigger man was more agile than John realized and managed to escape his sweeping leg.
Rodney could only watch as the fight began and wished he could do something to stop it, but like Teyla's fight the day before he was forced to watch and pray. He couldn't even show any sign of excitement when John managed to get in a powerful blow to his opponent's lower back. He heard a low guttural sound from beside him and knew Ronon was fighting to stay where he was.
"John can handle himself," Teyla told them softly, but kept her attention on the cage.
Glayne was surprised and amused at Hawk's slave. The man knew some fighting moves that were not known to regular fighters, and he wondered whether he'd underestimated the man's abilities. He moved quickly, dodging left and right in an effort to get closer to the man he knew only as John, but received several blows to his own body as a result of mis-stepping. He knew he could defeat John, but it was going to take a lot more than he expected.
John acted quickly each time Glayne tried to get too close, but there were times when even his instincts were not fast enough to escape the man's fists. He knew his ribs had broken under one well placed blow, and tried to ignore the knifing agony in his right side. He kicked at Glayne with his right foot and connected solidly, sending his opponent against the opposite side of the cage. There were shouts from those watching, but John knew Glayne was far from finished. Syngy's 'slave' was quick to recover and managed to land two solid punches to John's chest.
John staggered backward and found himself jammed against the wall of the cage as Glayne pressed his advantage and brought his right knee up into John's groin. There was white hot pain throughout his gut, but he couldn't let that stop him as Glayne struck his face several times before John managed to dislodge him by using the cage as leverage. He pushed off with all his strength and was rewarded when Glayne lost his balance and fell sideways.
Ronon could barely contain his rage at seeing John Sheppard being forced to fight when it was obvious he was in no shape to do so. He wanted to step into the cage and kill Glayne, and a hand on his arm and a glance at Teyla told him he wasn't alone in his thoughts.
"Teyla…"
"I know, Ronon, but to do so would do him no good. We must wait until we are secure in the knowledge that we can help him escape from Hawk," Teyla observed and turned to see the look of hatred cross Rodney McKay's face as he watched the fight taking place before them.
Rodney could not understand how John Sheppard not only stayed on his feet after the devastating blows he'd received, but continued to deliver several well placed ones of his own. Oh, he knew Sheppard could kill, hell, he'd seen him do so on more than a few occasions, but he'd never been so beaten…so frail looking. 'God forgive me,' McKay thought as flashes of horrific images invaded his mind. He closed his eyes and wished he could take Sheppard's place, but right now that would just get them all killed and John would remain a slave to the smug sonofabitch sipping some kind of liquid nearby.
John continued to fight with everything he had left and soon had Glayne staggering away from him. Blood dripped into his right eye and he quickly swiped at it, while keeping an eye on his nemesis. God, he hurt…more than he ever remembered hurting before and yet he could not quit, not when they…not when he was watching him. Glayne's rage was easy to see as the man straightened and lashed out with his right foot.
John sidestepped, but didn't quite escape as the man changed tactics and drove his right fist into John's abdomen. The air was driven from his lungs as Glayne pressed forward, striking several devastating blows to John's body and head. John tried to shake the effects, but once again was forced against the cage as Glayne renewed his aggressive attack. John's head snapped back, but he refused to quit as he brought his left knee up into his opponent's groin at the same time shoving his upper body until he overbalanced on his left leg.
John took advantage of the other man's mis-step and hit him several times until Glayne went down hard and lay still. John remained in place, waiting to see if Glayne was faking or if he was really down for good this time. He could hear Syngy cursing him, and turned to see Hawk watching him with a half smile before opening the door of the cage.
"It is done, John, you have done well," Hawk told him.
"I…he…will he be o…okay?" John asked as Syngy knelt beside her slave.
"He is not your concern," Syngy said and reached into a scabbard at her side. She pulled a long dangerous looking knife from it and lifted it with an angry cry.
"No!" John screamed and threw himself at the slaver before she could kill him. John cried out as the knife was buried deep in his upper chest and stared down at the handle protruding from his body.
"You bitch!" Hawk raged and shoved Syngy away as John's legs gave out and his eyes began to close. "Kudrone, Get in here!"
"She…she would have…have killed h…him…"
"That is her right, You Fool!" Hawk snarled angrily.
"Can't let her kill…helpless…"
"Yes, you are helpless here…"
"Not me…him…defend him…self…"
"Do you think he would have defended you if I decided to take your life?"
"Don't know…don't care…" John said and frowned when he noticed the man standing at the door. 'McKay,' he thought as consciousness deserted him.
"Hawk, we need to get him out of here," Kudrone ordered, reaching out to stop Hawk from pulling the knife from the wound. "Leave it until we get him back to your chambers."
"All right," Hawk agreed and lifted John into his arms, cradling the unconscious man against his chest. "The challenges are over…collect your people and leave as soon as the solar storms are over."
Kudrone pushed past the people who stood outside the door and reluctantly ignored Shariel as he led Hawk away from the cages. He knew John's life was in danger, knew how much damage could be hidden below the surface and prayed he had enough training to save the man.
Rodney, Teyla, and Ronon could only stand by and watch as John was taken from them again. Before they'd had a chance to move against Hawk, Shariel had told them that Kudrone had the ability and training to save their friend, but the irate trio wished Carson Beckett was here.
McKay knew there'd been too much blood and felt his legs buckle as John was carried past him. No matter what happened now, McKay knew he was the one responsible for putting John Sheppard in the bastard's hands and vowed that he would be the one to kill Hawk when the time came.
"We should get back to my chambers and wait for Hawk to send for us," Shariel suggested.
"Do you think he'll still agree to meeting with us?" Teyla asked.
"He enjoys seeing me grovel, so yes, he will," Shariel vowed and listened while the other slavers exited the area of the cage. She hoped John Sheppard lived, but her priority was to get Kudrone away from Hawk for good this time.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
Hawk eased the unconscious man onto his bed and turned to see Kudrone rush forward with his pack of supplies. John was paler than he'd ever thought possible and he wondered if letting him fight had been such a wise idea after all.
"Hawk, I need to get that knife out, but he's losing so much blood."
"Can you replace it?"
"If we had someone from his species we could, but there's no way of knowing…"
"I'll find out if one of the other slavers has anyone that matches his DNA…"
"And blood type…we need to make sure they have the same blood type or he'll die anyway!" Kudrone warned. "This wound is bad, Hawk, and we don't even know what other damage was done during the fight!"
"Keep him alive, Kudrone; just keep him alive until I find another like him!" Hawk said, reluctantly leaving the injured slave in the Kudrone's care.
TBC