A/N: Apologies for the long delay in posting. Something went seriously wrong with my computer and it stopped working.
Its taken a couple of weeks to get the right part to fix it. To compensate, I shall release Chapters Six and Seven together next time I post.
Chapter Five:
Doctor Keller had to look at the results of the neurological scans three times before she could believe the results. To have been caught up in an explosion and left in a coma, she had expected Colonel Sheppard to have a long and difficult road to recovery but with no neurological damage sustained, it was more than likely he would be back to his normal self within a matter of days rather than weeks or months. Given what he had been through, it was practically a miracle.
She wandered over to his beside, ostensibly to check the readings of the various medical apparatus he was still hooked up to, but also to reassure herself this was not some kind of delusion; that the amazing progress he had made in the past few hours was real. Doctor Beckett had checked the readings just before he rushed off to once again assume piloting duties of Atlantis, but being thorough surely couldn't hurt?
"So how am I doing Doc?" asked Sheppard, startling Keller who thought he was asleep.
"Good, great even, considering you were blown up. You should be sleeping though" she replied thoughtfully.
"Got tired of it. When can I get out of here?"
"Not for a few days yet, we still need to monitor you to make sure you're going to be fine"
Sheppard opened his mouth to argue but appeared to think better of it and relented. He had enjoyed success arguing his case to doctors in the past but he also knew when to push his luck. And being caught up in an explosion was enough justification for Keller to keep him in the infirmary for a few days longer he surmised. He may not like the decision, but he sure understood it.
"You're the doc, Doc" he offered politely.
Keller placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, careful to avoid the damaged clavicle he was suffering from. She then returned to her desk to complete the stack of paperwork that had been waiting there since she had got back to Atlantis. She loved being a doctor but if there was one thing she disliked about it, it was definitely the administrative work that went with it. She settled in for a long stretch but before she had chance to open the first file, the door to the infirmary opened to reveal a familiar gaggle of well-wishers for Colonel Sheppard. With a slight nod of the head, she gave them tacit approval to visit the Colonel before returning to her paperwork.
Ronon and Rodney stood on one side of his bed whilst Teyla took a seat on the opposite side. He would have trouble admitting it out loud, but given all he had been through, Sheppard was more than glad of the company. The overriding expression on each of their faces was one of relief but there was something else, something far more unsettling.
"Hey guys, thanks for coming" he offered genuinely and they each nodded and smiled faintly.
"How are you feeling today, John?" enquired Teyla.
"I'm fine, Doc says I should be out of here in a day or so" he offers enthusiastically before continuing. "I hear we have Batman to thank for saving us all from being blown up"
"Batman?..no it was me!" cried Rodney before the realisation set it. "Oh...I'm Batman"
"You got it in two, Bruce. So aside from Rodney saving the city..."
"Again" Rodney mumbled almost inaudibly.
"...what else has been happening?"
An awkwardness permeated the room as Teyla shifted uncomfortably in her chair at the asking of that question. Ronon's eyes fixated upon her, as if silently encouraging her to take the lead in this conversation. She knew that Sheppard deserved to known what had transpired and who was responsible but she could not manage to speak the words that had haunted her since she had first heard them the previous day. Sensing her trepidation, Ronon decided he would once again assume the responsibility and thus began detailing everything that had happened since the explosion.
Sheppard sat in almost stunned silence as Ronon explained how the investigation into the explosion had concluded that it had not been an accident but the result of deliberate and nefarious sabotage by an enemy agent. He could scarcely believe anyone on Atlantis would be capable of such an act. As Ronon finished his briefing, Sheppard had just one question.
"So do we know who it was?" he asked as the room went deathly silent.
"Yes" replied Teyla, her voice shaking with emotion "We do."
- - SGA - -
Several hours had passed since Sheppard had been told of Kanaan's treachery and still he was having a hard time believing it. His friends had all left the infirmary to resume their daily duties, leaving Sheppard with plenty of time to ponder the situation. His mind was constantly taking him back to the before the blast and Kanaan's behaviour, it just didn't fit with the idea that he was a traitor. A disturbing scenario was beginning to emerge in Sheppard's mind and he knew he could not rest until he checked it out. With a certain degree of difficulty, he lifted himself off the rather comfortable medical bed and began to head towards the doorway.
"Where do you think you are going?" came a familiar voice just as Sheppard was about to exit the medical bay.
"Doc, I've gotta check something out, its urgent" replied Sheppard, turning to face Doctor Keller.
Keller looked Sheppard up and down, silently deliberating whether he was in any fit state to leave the infirmary. But when she reached his eyes, she saw the steely determination that would render her assessment pointless; he was going to do it anyway. After letting out a weary sign of resignation, she silently nodded to the Colonel, granting him the permission to leave.
"But...you will report back here tomorrow for a full evaluation" she said firmly.
"You got it Doc" said Sheppard, agreeing to the compromise arrangement.
With that he turned and left, heading straight for his quarters and a much needed change of attire. He passed several personnel who cast curious glances at his battered body, dressed only in a hospital gown. He smiled faintly at each of them as he finally reached the sanctuary of his quarters. Despite the pain coursing through he body, he managed to slip into his BDU before heading out once more, straight towards the control room. Despite a growing sense of light-headedness forcing him to move at a far slower pace than he was accustomed to, Sheppard reached the control room and settled into the seat next to Alex, a control room technician.
"Can I help you sir?" asked Alex politely.
"I hope so Alex. Can you replay a security vid for me?" replied Sheppard.
"Yes...sir" he said hesitantly
"Something wrong?"
"Well sir, I'm not sure showing you a vid of yourself getting blown up is a good idea" he offered genuinely. Sheppard smiled warmly.
"Thanks for your concern. But that's not the video I was looking for."
- - SGA - -
Rodney wiped the sleep from his eyes as he entered the conference room, summoned by a rather serious sounding Sheppard. He looked around to find Teyla, Ronon and much of the senior staff gathered there, each of them wearing the same look of uncertainty on their faces. A slight apprehension began to build within Rodney though he fought to keep it in check as he made his way towards his friends.
"What's going on?" he asked inquisitively.
"No idea" said Ronon succinctly.
Sheppard then entered the room alongside a rather sombre-looking Woolsey. Sheppard's face failed to betray any of the emotions that were currently bubbling beneath the surface and with a calm demeanour, he invited everyone to take a seat before continuing. Everyone shared a rather unsettled look before complying with the invitation to sit. Without a word, Sheppard pressed play on a remote control and a security feed began to play on the screen.
"This is where you got blown up, so what?" said Rodney bluntly. He had tried to forget that horrendous incident as best he could.
"So my question is why would Kanaan still be there just seconds before the bomb went off?" said Sheppard.
"Maybe he made a mistake" replied Ronon, not liking where Sheppard was going with this.
"Sorry Chewie, but trained saboteurs don't make mistakes like this" replied Sheppard coldly.
Sheppard then pressed play on the control again and another security feed began to play.
"That's the primary power regulator." said Rodney.
"Watch" said Sheppard.
The entire room sat in silence as they watched a shadowy figure approach the primary power regulator and place a small device inside the regulator. Sheppard hit fast forward and the tape jumped several minutes before returning to normal speed to watch the device send an electrical discharge through the power system, disabling it in a most effective manner. No one dared speak as the Sheppard turned off the tape to face the room.
"That was not Kanaan?" said Teyla, half question and half statement.
"Not unless Kanaan can make it from the primary power regulator to the storage area in less than five minutes" said Sheppard firmly.
"So what does this mean?" asked Ronon.
"It means that someone else was responsible for disabling Atlantis."
"Do we know who?" replied Ronon.
"Security feed in this room doesn't get a clear shot of the saboteur's face. But the camera from the adjacent corridor had more luck" said Sheppard, bringing up a still frame image on the screen.
The whole room stared at the screen, too shocked to speak. Everyone began looking at each other for confirmation that what they were seeing was real and not some figment of their collective imaginations. It was one thing for an alien to try and destroy Atlantis, hell they had been doing that for five years. But this was one of their own, and that was an entirely different and far more disturbing crime.
"It can't be" said Ronon, breaking the uneasy silence.
"I know, big man, I had the same reaction" said Sheppard reassuringly.
"I have issued an alert for all personnel to remain where they are for the time being" said Woolsey, getting the briefing back on track.
"What about Andrews?" asked Major Lorne, addressing the identity of the saboteur.
"That bastard's mine" said Sheppard.