I apologise for the awkwardness of this chapter. I couldn't get it to flow right so I've given up for the moment. I may come back and revise it later. As ever, thank you to everyone who left feedback – you're the reason I don't quit completely.
Chapter 3
Moments after McKay had disappeared, the voice of their unseen captor filled the room, advising them that, as he was to stand for them all, they would be permitted to watch and listen to the trial. One wall glowed momentarily white, and then they could see McKay, his expression unhappy but otherwise unharmed. At the sound of his characteristically sarcastic reply, some of the tension that had gripped them relaxed.
Sheppard winced in sympathy as they learned about McKay's musical history, seeing the lingering pain of that moment in his eyes and Teyla muttered softly about the type of person who would squash the dreams of a child.
Sheppard and Ronon prowled the small room restlessly, their eyes darting back to the screen every few seconds, while Teyla sat motionless, her eyes never wavering from the events unfolding before them. Their attempts to find a way out had proved as futile as Rodney's and shooting at the door had no effect whatsoever beyond forcing them to duck to avoid the ricochet.
As he finally moved to take his place at the sort-of-piano, Sheppard froze, every muscle tensing in a combination of empathy and fear. Knowing it was a harsh thought, he sent out a silent prayer that the scientist was not as bad at this as he believed himself to be. The sound that the instrument made when McKay finally placed his hands on the keys made him cringe and, as he listened to the simple scales that followed, a dozen different scenarios ran though his mind, each worse than the last.
Then he began to play and Sheppard's eyes widened in astonishment. Unbidden, his legs folded beneath him and, without quite knowing how, he found himself sitting not far from Teyla.
In the silence that followed, Sheppard and the others exchanged a speaking glance before the spell was broken by another flash of white light. When their vision cleared, they were atop a stage in front of a vast, silent crowd.
A group of thirteen white-robed figures were the only other people on the stage. One of them, whose face Sheppard recognised from the projection, stepped forwards. He held his hands out, palms up in a gesture of peace as Sheppard and Teyla leapt to their feet and all three of their weapons snapped up as they automatically fell into a defensive back-to-back position.
The robed man bowed deeply to them, his face bright with joy, "I am Keevan, high priest of Cappella. You are most welcome here," he said, "and we thank you for the gift your friend has given us."
Ronon grunted, his eyes continually scanning the crowd for a threat as he said softly, "Not like they gave him a lot of choice."
Teyla nudged him with her elbow, a silent warning not to antagonise them until they had Rodney back but, instead of reacting angrily, Keevan looked momentarily embarrassed and said quickly, "We would not have injured you, you would merely have been banished from this place to somewhere you could do no harm."
The ambiguity of his words was less than comforting and for a moment no one moved, then Sheppard lowered his gun a fraction and said "I take it McKay passed your 'trial'. So where is he?"
"He will return as soon as he is ready."
Sheppard scowled, "What does that...?" He broke off as a faintly translucent, 3D projection of Rodney and the not-piano appeared on the stage and the soft sound of music filled the air. The crowd was utterly still, barely seeming to breathe as they listened reverently to the sound of Rodney's soul.
... ... ...
TBC...
