CHAPTER 42

John Sheppard stood in the doorway of Carson Beckett's office lost in thought. He heard the footsteps behind him, their soft, yet stalwart tread he immediately recognized.

"Hey, Teyla," he whispered, not bothering to turn to greet her.

"John."

"Did Elizabeth tell you what happened with Carson?"

"Yes," she replied, unable to hide the pain in her voice. "She said a blood vessel burst in his brain."

"Yeah, its called an aneurysm."

"I don't understand this. Carson just had his physical assessment. We all did. How come they didn't find anything?"

Turning to Teyla for the first time, Sheppard's face filled with determination.

"Exactly. Teyla -- I mean, I'm no doctor, and I understand that sometimes these things can go undected, but that's with Earth quality equiptment. We're talking Ancient grade medical diagnostic equiptment failed to pick up something like an aneurysm -- It makes no sense!"

"The Ancients were far from perfect John, in the years we have spent on Atlantis we have had our share of equiptment malfunctions. And how are we to tell that this condition didn't develop sometime after his exam."

"Its been a little over a week since the assessments, and with the exception of a severe head injury, he couldn't have developed something that serious that fast. The docs can't explain how it happened. And as equiptment failure, the ancient diagnostic device found that pin sized hole in Rodney's heart. You know the one he almost gave himself a heart attack over until Carson managed to sit him down and explain it to him that he's had it since birth and it was completely harmless?"

"Yes, I remember that week fondly. Rodney spent most of it walking around, talking at great lengths about funerary arraingements."

Teyla caught the glint in Sheppard's eyes. One she had seen him wear many times before.

"You believe someone did this to Carson, don't you?" she spoke in a suspicious tone.

"Right now, I don't know what to think. All I know is that something isn't sitting right with me."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Remember how I told you about that mission we were going on once Daniel Jackson arrived at Atlantis?"

"I remember fondly every detail of your proposed suicide mission and how neither Ronan or myself were allowed to go."

"Now's not the time to be snippy, Teyla."

Teyla opened her mouth as if to speak, when Zelenka appeared right behind her, flustered and out of breath.

"Radek, what did you do, run a marathon?" John asked more than happy to change the subject.

"Practically. We just recieved a message from Colonel Mitchell."

"What did it say?"

"It asked if anything strange or unexpected had occured since the last time we made contact."

John and Teyla exchanged suspicious glances before turning their attention to Zelenka.

"Who else knows about the message?"

"So far, only the three of us Colonel."

"Inform Weir, but no one else, got it?"

Zelenka nodded.

"Now, Radek, I need another favor from you. Now I know that there aren't any security cameras in the infirmary or Dr. Becketts office because of the whole Doctor/Patient confidentiality bullcrap, so we can't see what exactly happened to him. However, is there anyway to find out what he may have been doing or working on prior to his 'incident'?"

"Carson doesn't like using the Ancient database to store his research or patient information. He uses his laptop. I could hack into it, pull up the last files he accessed."

"You don't mind invading his privacy?"

"If invading his privacy saves his life, I'll deal with whatever reprecussion comes with it."

"Good. Now what did you do with the message from Mitchell?"

"I have it stored on the hard drive in my office."

"Any chance I could see it?"

"I'll have it qeued up to the laptop in your quarters in about five minutes."

"Thanks, Radek."

"Don't mention it Colonel."

Sheppard watched as Zelenka walked away, waited until he was out of earshot before turning and walking into Beckett's office. Anger ridden on his face.

"Okay, playtime's over. Show yourself. Now."

Teyla looked to Sheppard with confusion, until a bright light eminated just a foot before him. A familliar figure stood warily.

"Chaya?" she asked looking to John. "How did you know?"

"I just knew."

"Hello John," Chaya replied with a simpled nod. "Teyla."

"You're the one who told me that something was wrong with Beckett?"

"Yes."

"Did you have anything to do with what happened to Beckett?"

Chaya did not respond. Sheppard knew his answer.

"I want you to tell me everything," he said trying desperately to contain the anger boiled inside of him.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"From the beginning."

With a reluctant sigh, Chaya began to speak.