CHAPTER 44 – SUFFER HIS PRIDE

While his fingers itched to simply reach out and take that gun off her, he did his job. Moved back up to where the General waited for him to catch up, and plastered a smooth smile on his face. Play nice with the guests. Hmmm. He'd be sure to play nice with her later. To within an inch of her life.

The foreman of the mine met them at the extraction area. Mining our here in the Pegasus galaxy, was simplistic compared to the giant mining corporations and comglomerates found on earth. Likely, the reason why the people of this planet had been able to mine this particular mineral for hundreds of years without decimating the planet. Lack of greed. Pure and simple. They produced what they needed for their own use and trade, and no more.

Earth would do well to take a little field trip out here and look at how far they have come over the years. How far forward, and how far back. It was a fine line, in John's opinion.

John let the voices drift over him. He was not interested in what earth wanted to do out here. It was not going to happen. Not on his watch. Yes, they had taken the mineral back to earth for testing at Area 51 – and yes. It would be used in some of NASA's space applications for ships – but in the long run? Their needs would be small and it would done through correct trade channels. What this group was proposing was taking the mineral in massive quantities for weapons use. John would not allow that to happen, but he had to go along with the charade for now.

He saw the puzzled look that the foreman had sent John's way. A game was being played out here, and unfortunately the Lantien's had not been able to forewarn the people of Paledia. He watched as the foreman had shaken his head at the General, and seen the angry set of his shoulders. It appeared that this meeting was not going well.

His turn to step up. He looked across at Nicole and she was busy taking photos. Not so much of the mining process itself, but of the people, the ones working the mine. Distracted a little now, he watched her moving with easy grace amongst the people. Long dark swinging at her waist, stopping to talk first with one person, then another – and saw the easy comraderie that sprung up immediately. He watched as she gently touched the shoulder of a man who wore his arm in a sling of sorts, saw the sympathy in her eyes as well as the admiration. He would still work, even with his injury. Loyalty. Something she respected.

Again and again her camera clicked and then finally she swung it around and her attention was focused on the group of visitors. General Summers, Director of NSA and two IOA officials, both of whom John had assumed were members of the group. Sam had unobtrusively added them to the third line of the pyramid. At Nicole's suggestion.

Then his eyes were drawn back to the weapon at her thigh and he groaned and hoped that she'd not have the opportunity to use it.

He watched as she sauntered over to the group of visitors, camera dangling a little negligently from her hand. Her body movements caught his eye, almost too casual – and he narrowed his eyes slightly. She was up to something, and not able to fully trust her, he got his own feet moving quickly, attempting to intervene before she inserted more than just her foot into her mouth.

The General watched her with frank curiousity, following her movements as she photographed and his eyes remained on her as she moved toward him now, all feline grace and sexuality. John saw the spark in the General's eye and wanted to plant a fist squarely in his face – General or not.

"Miss Harmon. I look forward to seeing your photographs on display – one day." His voice held no inflection whatsoever and when she looked into his face, she found his eyes were cold, flickering only with one small emotion. Frank interest in her.

"I doubt these photos will ever be displayed, General. It seems the world is not ready for any hard truths, just yet. Not these sort of truths, anyway."

"Oh, I think you might find that exceptions will be made... they always are, my dear."

Her gaze sharpened as she looked at him. "Exceptions are often made when one wields more power than one has a right to... General."

Her voice was soft, and Sam, who had been standing beside the General, started slightly at the turn the conversation was beginning to take. She slanted her eyes to John, who was rapidly closing the distance, attempting to get him to intervene. Nicole was sparking, Sam could see that. And short of physically gagging the woman, Sam was trying quickly to think of something to diffuse the escalating tension.

"Power, Nicole? I think everyone craves power of some sort... if the right incentives are there. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about."

Again, those veiled messages and Nicole felt her temper crackle and burn, along with John's hand clamping rather uncomfortably on her wrist. She saw the General's hand flicker a little uncertainly to that hand and Nicole threw caution and common sense to the wind.

"Those incentives you talk about General – would they include blackmail?"

She heard Sam's sharp intake of breath and heard John groan. In a flash, the General had surged forward and had her in a headlock, pulled back hard against his body, her own weapon removed from it's holder and pushed into her side. Her wrist had been ripped from John's hand and he had little time to react. Pulling his own weapon, he brought it up, centering it on the General, while flicking glances from Nicole to the General.

The others had reacted a little slower. Ronon and Teyla pulled their own weapons, keeping these centred of the two IOA officials, who had not had time to react. Sam backed away, giving Ronon and Teyla a clear line of vision and motioned for the mining people to move away and give her people some room. They did not look inclined to put up any form of argument.

"Let her go, General. There's nowhere for you to run out here. No where to go. This isn't earth – you have no allies out here."

John kept his weapon up, his finger tightening a little on the trigger.

"Give us passage back to earth. I'll take her with me, and she'll be free once I arrive. I have to continue with the plan – it's imperative. All things will come to pass in less than a week. Nothing can stop what we have put in place now. If you kill me? I am but one person. There will be others who will step and continue what I have started."

"We know more than you think we do – we know the players and we have a little plan of our own to surprise you with. So no, General. Going back to earth is not an option right now. And when you do? You'll see the inside of a jail cell – for a very long time."

He saw something close to fear bloom in that madman's eyes. He conveyed a message to Sam and she nodded once. She would go back to the stargate and get Atlantis to send an urgent message to General O'Neill. Time to light the fuse under the players. It was time to bring the house of cards down. Because time had suddenly run out.