Chapter 3
The steady drumming of the ball and the squeaking of shoes on the gym floor were like music to Lorne's ears. He could almost believe that they were back on Earth, until he looked out the window and saw the sea. Atlantis was beautiful, but sometimes he longed for home.
Turning his mind back to the game, Lorne crouched into his ready stance; eyes locked on the marine in front of him. The marine feinted, made a bob to the right; then swung around to the left. Lorne stayed with him, mirroring his every move.
The marine passed the ball forward and Lorne spun around. The marine started to shoot the ball. Lorne jumped, hands held high to block the shot. Another marine jumped as well, hoping to block Lorne and crashed right into him, bumping his hip. The force of the blow knocked Lorne to the floor and he landed on his butt. The game stopped.
"Sorry, sir." The marine said. "Didn't see you there."
The way that he said it, Lorne knew that he had done it on purpose. The marine held out his hand and Lorne took it, the marine helping him to his feet. "Just watch where you're going next time." Lorne said in a friendly way.
"Half-time." Fachetti quickly called out from the sidelines. He was the referee today, due to a sprained ankle that he had received a few days ago on a mission off-world.
The court quickly emptied, Marines and Air-Force personal alike going for their water bottles. Lorne grabbed his and drank half of it in one gulp. He looked around at the gym and grinned as he saw Cailean peeking around the door frame into the gym. He winked at her and she smiled back at him, stepping further into the room.
Fachetti glanced towards the door and hobbled closer to Lorne on his crutches that Dr. Beckett had insisted he use. "Cute kid."
"Yeah." Lorne agreed. "If only she could tell us what happened to her family."
"Seems like she's getting along alright." Fachetti commented. "Maybe she'll just have to stay here."
"Maybe; but for how long?" Lorne asked. "It's not good for her to be without parents."
"I don't know about that." Fachetti said with a sly grin. "I think you make a pretty good dad."
Lorne swiped at him with the towel around his neck.
"Hey!" Fachetti protested moving out of reach. "Watch the ankle, sir!" He grinned as he hobbled away.
Lorne watched him go and then glanced back to Cailean. By now, she was fully inside the room and in the corner with the spare basketballs. Someone had sent a whole crate full from the SGC a while back and now they had more then they needed. Not that they minded. A frown marred her pretty face and Lorne wondered if she ever seen a ball before.
One of his men walked past Lorne and stumbled. Lorne caught his arm. "Baker, you alright?"
Lt. James Baker nodded, though his face told another story. Baker was grey, and his face had sweat on it, more then from his ten minute stint on the court should have produced. "I'm feeling a bit tired, sir. I think I'm done."
"You sure?" Lorne asked. "I think you better go to the Infirmary and have Dr. Beckett take a look at you."
"I'll be fine with some rest, sir." Baker protested.
Lorne hesitated, but let go of Baker's arm. "Alright. I let the Colonel know. You have the morning off."
"Thank you, sir." Baker said. He took a couple steps towards the door and then collapsed onto the floor.
"Baker!" Lorne ran over to the fallen man. Others joined him; even some of the marines came over.
"Someone call Beckett!" Lorne shouted feeling for the unconscious pilot's pulse. He heard someone talking on their radio and then Fachetti dropped to his knees beside him, mindful of his ankle. Fachetti was the field medic for SG-7 and he quickly looked Baker over.
"Baker, can you hear me?" Fachetti asked tapping the unconscious man's cheek. No response. They all looked up as an alarm sounded and then the door to the gym slammed closed.
o0o
Sheppard and McKay had been bantering back and forth about something that had been important an hour ago, but now neither of them could remember what it was, when Carson came running into the control tower, his white lab coat trailing behind him.
"Have you seen her?" He asked breathlessly.
"Again?" Sheppard asked turning towards the flustered doctor. He had a pretty good idea who Carson was talking about. "Cailean?"
Shamefaced, Carson nodded. "I just turned my back for a moment!"
Sheppard groaned. They had all agreed that the people that Cailean felt comfortable with would take turns watching her and today it had been Carson's turn. Cailean had escaped from other people as well. It was getting to be a regular occurrence around Atlantis, almost like a game: search for Cailean.
"Come on." Sheppard gestured to Beckett. "We better start…..." He was interrupted by an alarm. Sheppard and Beckett both looked over to McKay. The display behind him, the one showing the entire map of Atlantis, one of the doors was blinking red.
"What is it?" Sheppard asked walking back to look at the screen.
"The room just went into lock-down. Quarantine procedure." McKay explained touching the red highlighted door. The alarm continued to sound as he spoke.
"Look! There goes another one." Carson pointed out. Another red door had appeared on the screen and as they watched, two more doors turned red.
"This shouldn't be happening." McKay muttered to himself. "I mean, I just tweaked the protocols myself. Hang on a second." McKay walked over to his computer and fiddled with it for a moment. Then he looked up at Sheppard concern written on his face. "Oh, no."
"What is it?" Sheppard asked walking closer to study the computer screen.
"We have a virus." McKay stated grimly.
"What? How'd it get in?" Sheppard asked sharply. His radio crackled and he touched his ear, quickly and a little annoyed at the interruption. "Sheppard."
"Colonel Sheppard, Lt. Hendricks; we have a man down in the gym and the doors just closed on us. Any chance on letting us out of here?"
"McKay?" Sheppard asked looking at the physicist.
"I can't do anything!" McKay protested. "I have to rewrite then entire program and then maybe it'll let me open the doors."
"I'll take that as a no then." Sheppard said. He touched his radio again. "Hendricks, the room you're in just went into quarantine lock-down. We're working on the problem right now. I'll send some medical personnel to you. We'll get you out of there as soon as we can. Just sit tight."
"Thanks, Colonel." Hendricks sounded relived.
"Sheppard out." Sheppard dropped his hand and turned to McKay and Beckett. Concern was evident on his face. He now had two very big problems to deal with. "McKay, work on getting the doors open." He ordered and then turned to Beckett. "Carson, why don't you get as close as you can and see if you can do anything to help?"
"Right." Beckett said and then hurried away.
Sheppard turned back to watch McKay work and sighed. Why did these things always happen when he was in charge of Atlantis? He touched his radio. "Sheppard to Barnes. I need you to look for Cailean."
o0o
Hendricks clicked off the radio and stood by Lorne, waiting until his CO acknowledged him. Lorne stood by Baker's side, letting Fachetti care for the man. "Sit-rep." He said.
"Sir. Colonel Sheppard, says this room is in quarantine lock-down. They are working on the problem. Medical personnel are on the way. He says sit tight and we'll be out of here soon."
"Good." Lorne said. He glanced down at Baker and hoped that soon was soon enough. Quarantine might because of an contagion and he had a sneaking suspicion that Baker might be the one causing it.
"Quarantine?" A Marine asked. "Does that mean that there's some kind of virus in here?"
That started the murmurs and it quickly grew into worried conversation that filled the entire room.
"Hold it!" Lorne shouted above the noise. "Now everyone just calm down. The Colonel's working on it and I'm sure that we'll get more information soon. In the meantime, we just need to be calm and keep our heads."
"Who made you in charge?" One of the Marines asked sharply.
Lorne turned to the marine and noticed as he did that the Air-Force personal and the marines had separated into two groups. This was not good.
"Colonel Sheppard did." Hendricks replied. "Major Lorne is the Colonel's second in command. So just shut up."
"You want to come over here and repeat that?" The marine challenged.
The friendly tension during the game of basketball which had risen when the doors had closed came to a head. Hendricks, one to never let a slight pass, rose to the bait and launched himself at the marine. Lorne controlled his impulse to grab for the man. Several other air-force personal grabbed Hendricks and held him back. Marines did the same for their buddy.
"Cool down, Faulks." One of the older marines ordered. He walked towards Lorne and stooped right in front of him.
"Gunnery Sergeant Gerald Brooks, sir." He said respectfully. "Faulks doesn't speak for all of us. I do."
"Good to know, Gunny." Lorne said.
Brooks nodded and stepped back into the knot of Marines. He grabbed Faulks by the shoulder of his shirt and hustled him into a corner. Lorne didn't want to hear what the big Marine was saying to him.
He bent down beside Fachetti. "What do you think about this quarantine?" He asked in a low tone.
"Best guess? It's whatever Baker has." Fachetti said looking up from the unconscious Lt. "I'll have to talk with Dr. Beckett to make a more precise diagnosis."
"Ok, you do that." Lorne said. They both looked up as a shout came from the Marines. "Hey, it's a kid!"
The soldiers parted as Cailean ran through them and straight for Lorne. Lorne felt little arms smack his thighs and he almost fell over with the force that Cailean launched herself at him.
"Whoa!" He said placing a hand on her little shoulder. "It's ok, Cailean."
In the excitement he had forgotten that she was even in the gym. He better radio Sheppard and let him know where Cailean was. The colonel wasn't going to be too happy about it.
o0o
Three hours later and three more people had come down with whatever virus was in the air. Beckett had been trying to find the cause of it, but so far he was having no luck. Fachetti had tried to help Beckett, but in the end had to bow to the doctor's experience. Fachetti was only a field medic with a passing knowledge in viruses.
The latest casualties were Gunny Brooks and Hendricks. Both of them had just gotten tired, shivering from a fever and then passed out on the floor. Fachetti had directed two of the marines to move the victims into a corner of the room where they had made pallets out of mats they had found lying around.
To make matters even worse, the virus seemed to be spreading. Fachetti had been the next to go. One minute he had been kneeling beside Brooks and then the next passed out of the floor.
Lorne had reached him first and after looking him over, declared that anyone who had come in contact with Fachetti, Brooks or Hendricks in the last couple hours was now in quarantine. Except for him no one else hadn't touched the sick men.
He tried to make Cailean go with one of the female marines, but she was having none of it. Finally, Lorne had given in. It was probably for the best anyways since she had been in contact with him.
The remaining Marines and Air-Force personal had retreated to the far side of the gym, hopefully out of reach, but Lorne knew it was only a matter of time before they came down with it as well. At least the rest of Atlantis would be safe, thanks to the quarantine protocols.
Lorne looked over at Cailean from where he sat cross-legged on the floor beside Baker. She was kneeling beside Fachetti, who had taken a liking to the young orphan girl. Cailean looked worried, but she had been quiet as if she had sensed that something was wrong.
He turned to check on Baker and found that the Lt wasn't breathing anymore. "Baker?" Lorne asked, knowing that it was useless. Baker was dead. With a lump in his throat, Lorne grabbed a towel from the bench and laid it over the young man's face.
"Sir?" A female airman asked noticing his actions.
"He's dead." Lorne managed to say.
The airman's face fell and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. They now knew what the virus did in the end; it killed. Lorne settled back into his place on the floor and pulled himself together.
After a moment, the radio beside him crackled and looking at his watch, Lorne found that it was time for the hourly update from the Colonel and Dr. Beckett. He sighed and picked up the radio. There was no good news to report. He could only hope that Sheppard had some. Lorne pressed the talk button.
o0o
Over the last three hours, Sheppard had been in a meeting with the other heads of Atlantis, trying to find their best options. McKay had continued to work at the computer with one quick restroom break and more cups of coffee then Sheppard had wanted to count. It was already late, and he knew that it was going to get even later if they didn't find a solution to the problem fast.
Putting his head into his hands as he listened to the science heads yell at each other, Sheppard decided that he had finally had enough. "Enough." He said loudly, but firmly.
Everyone turned to look at him and Sheppard raised his head. "Enough." He said again. "Bickering is not going to help our people, so for pity's sake, stop. Stevens, you still here?"
"Yes, sir." The Air-Force captain looked as tired as Sheppard felt. "Though I think my ears might have walked off."
Sheppard grinned through his fatigue. He liked people with a sense of humour. That was why Stevens was his third in command. Lorne liked the man too even through the brass disagreed. Stevens wasn't going to be the poster child for the Air-Force anytime soon, but he was a good man and Sheppard respected him.
"What's your take on this?" He asked.
Stevens leaned forward in his chair, looking more alert. "I would say C-4, sir. But as I gather that would only make the situation worse. It is the best option for getting our people the medical attention they need, but it's too dangerous for the rest of the city."
Sheppard nodded. He had already come to the same conclusion.
"The vents could be a good option, but then again that would be a breach of quarantine." Stevens continued. "There isn't a whole lot of options left, Colonel."
They all looked up as McKay walked into the conference room, laptop in hand. "I can't do it." He announced to the group and then stopped, considering what he had just said.
"Excuse me?" Sheppard asked not sure he heard right.
"I mean I can do it." McKay corrected himself. "I meant that I can't do it in a way that is safe for everyone else. I can open the doors, but that means that the virus will be able to travel through the rest of the city."
"And without knowing what caused it, we can't make a cure or even guarantee that there is one." Beckett's relief doctor said. Carson was with his medical team by the quarantine area and Nick had taken his place at the meeting.
"So we're just going to let our people die?" Someone asked.
Sheppard scrubbed at his face.
"I don't think we have a choice." McKay said quietly. "Unless we can come up with some miracle cure in just three minutes."
Sheppard stared at the tabletop for a moment and then spoke. "Thanks for your time everyone. You're dismissed."
The people at the tables started to stand and gather their things.
"Not you, Stevens." Sheppard said calling the captain back. "I want you here."
Sheppard reached for this radio as soon the room was empty and pressed the talk button. He didn't want to have to say this in front of the others.
o0o
Lorne pressed the talk button. "Lorne." He answered.
"It's Sheppard." The colonel sounded tired and his tone didn't bode well. "We're not going to be able to get you out of there, Lorne. I'm sorry."
Lorne sat in silence for a moment and then pressed the button again. "Baker's dead."
Silence on the other end. "I'm sorry. He was a good man."
"The best, sir." Lorne automatically corrected Sheppard. "If the pattern is correct a marine gunny is next, then Hendricks and Fachetti. And me." The last part he added in a lower tone. "We also have five more people who have come down with a fever."
The radio hissed in his hand. "I don't know what to say." Sheppard admitted. "Keep talking to me."
"Will do." Lorne forced a cheerful tone. "Lorne out." He laid the radio back on the floor beside him and automatically looked for Cailean. She was still kneeling beside Fachetti.
Lorne got to his feet and walked over to her. "Cailean, come on. Let him sleep." He told the girl moving to gently take her away from the Lt.
Cailean moved away from him. "Helping." She insisted.
"I know you want to help, but the best things you can do for him is to let him sleep." Lorne told her.
"Helping." Cailean said again. Lorne looked down at where her hand rested against Fachetti's arm and blinked. Her hand had a yellow glow around it. "What the…" He muttered.
As he watched the glow became bigger, expanding to cover Fachetti's chest. Then as quickly as it had started, it stopped and Cailean removed her hand. A few seconds later, Fachetti's eyes opened and groaned. "Sir?" He asked hoarsely.
"I'm here." Lorne told the Lt kneeling down beside him. "How are you feeling?"
Cailean stood beside him and walked over to Brooks.
"Like I got hit by a Marine." Fachetti joked. "What happened?" He frowned. "My ankle doesn't hurt, sir."
Lorn didn't reply. He turned to see Cailean kneeling beside Brooks and giving him the same treatment at Fachetti. He turned as the door to the gym opened and Dr. Beckett with his medical team walked in.
"What's going on?" Beckett asked looking around at the people. "The doors just opened."
"It was Cailean." Lorne said. There was no other explanation for it.
Beckett looked for Cailean and saw her stand from beside Brooks. Next to him, the big marine sergeant was just starting to sit up. Beckett stared in shock. Lorne knelt down in front of Cailean so that their faces were level. She looked tired.
Lorne remembered how his bruise had vanished when she had touched his arm and knew. He knew what had happened. "You're an Ancient, aren't you?" He asked.
Cailean just smiled and touched Lorne's cheek gently, as if saying good-bye. "No. But I know of these Ancients that you speak. Long ago, my people were allies with the ones you call Ancients. We learned from one another."
Her voice was musical and light; like water tinkling. She sounded older as well, not like the six year old child that she appeared to be.
Lorne felt the tiredness leave him and knew that she had healed him too. He also knew that she was leaving. "Wait!" He called as Cailean turned towards Beckett. He climbed to his feet. "Why did you come here? To save us?"
Cailean shook her head. "No, it was a test for you; a test that all of you passed. You are clearly suited to live in the city of the Ancients. If you take in a child, then you truly have the kindness of the Ancients."
Beckett stared in shock, not just at hearing her speak, but at the omission that their little monkey was something just as old as the Ancients. She looked to Beckett, who bent to her level. She breathed in, her skin taking on a white glow. "Take me to the control tower?" She asked.
o0o
"What happened, Rodney?" Sheppard asked impatiently as the other man typed as fast as he could on the keyboard in front of him.
"I don't know!" McKay said distractedly. "It was just there one moment and gone the next. As far as I can tell there never was a virus in Atlantis. This doesn't make any sense."
Sheppard turned away from the screen and towards the doors as Carson walked in, Cailean's hand clasped in his. She looked tired. So did Beckett.
"There you are!" He exclaimed. "We've been looking all over for you, monkey."
"Colonel."
Sheppard looked at Beckett. Something was off. "What's wrong? What happened in the gym? Rodney can't seen to figure it out. Did you find a cure?"
Beckett shook his head at the rapid fire questions. "No. Cailean has... Well she is..."
"Leaving." She finished for him.
Sheppard bent down to her level and looked her in the eye.
"She's an Ancient." Beckett explained. "Or as close to one as I can figure. They used to be allies. She's the one who cured the virus. Everyone in that gym is fine. No trace of any pathogen. I'm having my staff double check just to be sure, but I'm sure we're out of the woods now."
Cailean touched Sheppard's cheek, just like moments before. "I'm leaving." She said again. "Tired."
"I think she's used up all her energy healing everyone." Beckett said quietly. "She's fading, Colonel. She's not going to last long."
Sheppard looked up at Beckett. "Is there anything you can do?"
Beckett shrugged. "I might be able to slow down the rate of decay, but I have no way of knowing how this is happening to her. We don't ever understand how the Ancients physiology works yet."
He looked back at Cailean. "Why me?" He asked. "Why?"
"Because you are kind." Cailean replied softly. "People trust you to lead them. You are worthy." She smiled. "Good-bye." She sounded sad to be leaving them.
She reached out and took his head in her tiny hands. She kissed his forehead and then stepped back. With one last look at him, the child was bathed in a white light that engulfed her body until only her face remained. She smiled once last time and then she was gone, disappeared, their little angel in disguise.
Weeks later, the Atlantis expedition would uncover an ancient lab hidden behind a panel in the room they had designated as the gym. One of the experiment containers had failed due to a lack of power and an ancient strain of what Beckett equated to the flu had escaped. No one could have seen it coming.
-Fini-