STARGATE ATLANTIS

PRIMIS : THE HURTING

SGA SGA SGA

It was as simple as that. Blot out his vision and the Queen could see nothing of where he was or what he was doing. But to John, it sounded way too simple. Far too unsophisticated for a Wraith Queens power and strength – still, here was Teyla and Santana both concurring on that simple fact. With their advice, he would have to agree to being blindfolded every time the headaches began – he could do that; he hoped!

John had never felt so ill and so reliant in others his entire life. He also felt like he did not have control of what was going on around him. Even though he would not admit it to anyone – especially Carson – his ability to make decisions were getting tougher on him. The pain he was in – and his head, goodness his headaches – was highly unlikely to ebb anytime soon, and when the Queen decided to poke around in there, no injection from Carson's wonder supply could dampen it any. She just seemed to be able to turn the pain levels up every time and he was running out of options.

Through lidded eyes coming round to almost bearable levels from the last attack on his mind, John watched this Santana person look around the small ship taking in all that he was looking at. It unnerved him, but there was nothing he could do about yet another strange situation to be in.

"Not quite up to your standards, but they can fly." John said, making him sure his former captor knew he was watching him. "Care to explain how you got past its cloaking abilities though?" John shuffled about until he was leaning against the bulk head as he spoke to him.

"My ship has the technology, but I admit I am no science officer so I do not understand the technologies myself. I…um, acquired it … about a year ago now. I still do not know all that it does – did!"

"Where did you get it?" John pushed. He needed to know. This was valuable information.

Santana, to his annoyance, simply shrugged obviously not wanting to give away his information so readily.

"Answer him!" Ronon stood threating with his teeth bared.

"I don't remember actually." He spouted.

"Look." John ran a slightly shaky hand through his hair. "We've taken you on board when we didn't need to after what you did to me and my men, so I think a little…."

"Colonel Sheppard, they are gaining on us. Wow! That Hive is huge." Grieves shouted from the co-pilots seat.

Santana stood, and John, with adrenalin's help, forced himself up and started to make his way forward, stopping Santana from doing the same with a glower. Teyla grabbed his arm. "Do not let her see the HUD." She whispered quickly in warning.

"She can't I think…not this time. My headache is not severe enough… Teyla?"

Teyla dipped her eyes for a second before looking deep into his. "I can sense her though, John. I can feel when she is near and I try to block her out to help you. But, John, she is very strong and I admit, it's a struggle to keep her away from you the closer she gets. I am failing to be of much use. I am sorry."

John cupped her cheek. "You have nothing to apologise for, Teyla. Without you I would probably be dead by now. You have blocked her …"

"I have ADDED to your pain. Do you not understand? Every time I block her it is because I am also entering YOUR mind to try and keep her away!"

John stood still. He believed he had never seen Teyla so upset before. He allowed her time to continue if she wanted, but she remained where she was with her chin on her chest, breathing fast and gulping for air.

John lifted her chin and smiled into her eyes with all the love he could show in that look. "My warrior woman! So fierce, so strong! I will not let the mind of any queen upset you like this any longer. When we get onto safer territory, I want to let her in and show her a thing or two!"

Teyla cocked her head to the side, wondering at his words. She did not want that to happen above everything – so should he! But it wasn't until she heard Ronon chuckle beside her that she understood he was not being serious. She looked up into his face, his eyes dark and unbelievably at this time, full of mischief. She pretend glowered at him and then relented into a smile. "You…how can you be so…"

"I'll hold up a comic or two for you to look at that will confuse her." Rodney entered into the conversation and also wanting to lighten the mood, immediately understanding what John had meant.

"Silence!" Santana shouted out, bewildered at what was going on.

John would have snappily replied but just then a close proximity alarm blared out and this time he made his way upfront.

"What do we have?"

Rodney forcibly turned his head away to face a bulkhead and then his fingers flew over the HUD to gain the necessary information to relay.

"McKay!" John ground out, thoroughly annoyed at his situation.

"It's bad. It the Hive from Amitiyaz given its size. I'm not sure if it can get past our cloak or not, but you know yourself the weapons it carries."

"They want him alive." Ronon pointed out.

"True, but we are above Santana here's planet still so they could force us down."

"I know a place to land where we can hide."

John turned to face him. "Somehow I knew you'd say that. Can I trust you?"

Santana shrugged his shoulders. "No more than I trust you I suppose."

John was in an impossible situation. With the Hive having the ability to at least wound their 'jumper and force a landing, the last thing he wanted was for everyone to be stuck on this ice planet with no way back to Atlantis whilst he was mind probed and searched for relentlessly, only to be taken by force and possible loss of life within his friends.

Then there was Santana.

John was pretty sure he had a master plan all along. The only problem was he had no idea what it is. Given he already lived a pretty good life when it came to living amongst the Wraith already, why had he joined with them, knowing they were going to be attacking the Wraith if they could do to destroy them all – especially this queen.

He chewed his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood and weighed up the situation.

"Better to be on land just now." John reasoned. "Okay, Santana…give my men the co-ordinates."

SGA SGA SGA

Santana could not believe how his life always played out to be for his benefit somehow. He inwardly smiled; showing an outward one would not be a good idea, especially with the big man with the strange hair watching his every move all the time. As he deliberately stroked his bracelet on his left wrist, he told the military commander of his thoughts – no, his plan.

He had been wondering how he was going to get them to drop him off at his private place, but the Hive played straight into his hands once again. It must be that Van'te'enna was on board this Hive. It would make sense.

Suddenly realising he was being spoken to, Santana nodded and told them where to go to land the ship safely.

Santana licked his lips in expectation of what could be, at last, the end of his quest. If Van'te'enna was on board, it would end decades of what had been his life's goal. Santana sat back down hard on the bench and studied the man in front of him give out his orders as to what they would all do when they landed.

He decided he admired this John Sheppard. The man was obviously in great pain, and growing by the minute if the shakes in his hands and the pained expression on his face had anything to do with it. The queen must be getting closer.

"Better cover your eyes." He said with as low a volume he could muster so as not to sound threatening, but he could not risk being seen by her at this stage, and after all these years.

He could see that the Colonel was stubborn at times, probably brought on by the immense responsibility of looking after so many people in his charge. He got that. He was in the same position, but he had to get him to cover his eyes before decades of work went noticed in the blink of a foreigner's eye.

John turned to look at him as Carson stepped nearer with the long strip of material. "It's just until we land, lad." He spoke softly to soothe the advice. Carson had already noticed the slight sway in his walk, and the hand running through his hair more and more as if dampening the coming intrusion on is mind.

"Teyla?" John asked for her whilst squeezing his eyes shut. "She's here…in…my mind…mind…aargh!"

"Hold on, John." Carson grabbed one of his flailing arms to steady him while Teyla took the material from Carson's other hand and gently wrapped it around his eyes, murmuring private words in his ear as she drew near to hug him still. "Let us sit down."

Carson and Ronon guided their friends down onto the bench and proceeded to sit down themselves to watch both of them suddenly clutch their heads – one in pain and one in concentration. John reached out for Teyla's hand and she took it, holding it tight, even though he squeezed so hard.

SGA SGA SGA

The next few minutes were some of the worst John had ever had to endure.

He knew, and his friends knew just how strong a queen's invasion of a mind could be, but this like nothing else, it was abject horror for him. He hoped no-one would ever have to endure this attack like no other.

Her voice was dominant over everything else, blocking out all the others he knew were present and calling on him. Her endless assault was like some bad horror movie as he felt all the strength he had in his body flow away from him in one go. He knew he was sitting down but it was like he had no control of his own body and he just hovered on a precipice of her taking blow after blow of a mental battering with more and more flashes of terrifying images shrieking all around him. The pain was severe enough to freeze his body in shock and all he had to cling onto was that of Teyla's hand, and even that was not enough to ground him, so he let her go so as to not physically hurt her.

SGA SGA SGA

John walked along the top of the cliff admiring the scenery. The sky above was cloudless, save for one huge puffball of white that morphed into animal shape after animal shape amusing his creative mind. The gently rolling sea below was so beautiful a blue it made him smile a memory of beach visits as a child with his mother and brother. A stone under his foot fell away and rolled down the cliff, gathering more as it went until they fell into the pristine water below with a crashing noise as they had accumulated together for one big fall into the water. John stood watching, annoyed that he had broken the silence of the beautiful day. The cloud, so white earlier, now turned before his eyes into a dark grey, and the first splashes of rain landed on his cheek. He reached up with a shaky hand to wipe his face dry but more and more fell until his hair had soaked up its load and now ran down the side of his face and into his jacket soaking his neck and clothing underneath.

He swirled about on the spot, suddenly realising he was supposed to be doing something; something important, and he couldn't remember what it was. Panicked, he ran forward but the path kept undulating and he continually lost his footing and was unsure where to go next.

The world spun and he found himself on his back. A sudden spike of pain in his head caused him to cry out and then, there standing above him, was a tall woman he thought, although her cloak was heavily hooded and he couldn't make out her face. He reached out a hand for help, but she just laughed at his struggles to rise. It was menacing and John dug his heels into the now wet ground to push himself back from her but a boulder blocked his path and his heels struggled to find purchase in the sodden ground.

He flopped around until he found himself on his knees and managed to climb the boulder in the hope of getting to the other side but the figure stood on top of that and laughed.

"I almost have you in my possession, John. If you listen to my voice, I can guide you out of here and you can join with me to live a life where you can have what-ever you want."

John was pretty sure he didn't want what she offered, and besides there was some-one with him he didn't want to leave behind – wasn't there?

"John." The figure screeched. "John. John. John." It was relentless.

The more she said his name, the more the pain of her calling became desperate spikes of pain that were carving through his resolve. He was weakening and he knew it.

He started to run back the way he came, but the cliff was no longer there. He was in a field of corn and a fire was eating its way through the crop at a terrifying rate, it would reach him soon. He started to back up; find the people he knew he should be with, but again they had vanished. The pain gnawed at him from the inside now. He was heart-broken that he couldn't remember his friends. Perhaps the figure was offering him a way out of this nightmare after all. Perhaps that's where he should be all along.

But, no!

Surely pain was not something offered to one you loved. John squeezed his eyes shut against the advancing flames, feeling its heat. Having just no idea how to get out of this situation.

"No!" He screamed, and someone agreed. "No!" They shouted back, "no!"

Then he was cold; so bitterly cold. The rain had turned to snow.

His eyes closed and refused to open. He could feel the soft flakes of snow land on his hot skin and instantly melt. He shivered and thought someone moved him as he knew he had no strength to do it himself, and at the same time he felt someone being yanked from his mind and he could not hold on to who it was and why they were now gone. He stopped wasting time wondering who it was and just allowed it to happen without a fight. He was giving in. He could only just hold on to his own sanity and no more. Everything left him in a rush and he tried to concentrate on just holding onto what he could.

SGA SGA SGA

When the first thud hit the side of the 'jumper, Rodney had already shouted to brace so no-one was hurt. Carson, who had been kneeling taking John's pulse, reached out an arm to keep him from falling off the bench. He had been surprised there had been no response from the blind-folded man. Had he not felt that jolt?

A quick worried glance Ronon's way, and he realised he had thought the same.

"Just land this thing already." He shouted and was instantly at Teyla's side as she opened her eyes.

"Teyla?"

"It's gone." She was as white as a sheet.

"What's gone?" Ronon urged.

"John. The queen. The pain of trying to stop her…everything! It's all gone!"

The little ship avoided another blast that came from above them and to the side of them, and it became apparent that the inertial dampeners were damaged.

"It's pot luck." Rodney shouted to them, casting a worried glance towards Carson working on John. "It's not like the first bang. That was a drone from the Hive - these are like a thousand little drones each flying about in space and we just happened to get hit with one. We took damage with the first one though. I need to land to take a look." He pointedly looked at Santana. "How far now?"

"We are here. I hope you like the cold?"

Santana continued his instructions to Grieves and Rodney's next worry about their destination and damaged ship were put aside when he watched Ronon, at Carson's instructions, pull John onto a blanket on the floor of the 'jumper and then place an oxygen mask over his face.

Rodney sighed. Was anyone else very glad to see moisture appear inside the plastic mask?

"What's wrong?" He asked the doc.

"I'm not too happy with things with him just now and he won't wake, even after all that screaming in pain. Teyla, love, are you okay?"

Teyla could only fold one of John's cold hands into her own clasped ones.

"No. I am not okay, Carson. I've lost my connection with him. She …uh, she took it!"

"What do you mean, Teyla?" Ronon put a large hand on her shoulder.

"Just what I said. Oh, Ronon, she got past me. I'm so sorry. She got past me!"

Ronon hauled Teyla into his chest for a long embrace before letting her go and she faced three worried faced. "The queen managed to break down his barriers, that's all I know. I felt them go. He struggled, but he was no match for her superior strength… I was no match, I couldn't stop her."

"What does this mean for Sheppard?" Rodney was almost panting by this point. "Carson?"

"He is very weak. Hardly enough oxygen in him, hence this help. His pulse and blood pressure is low one moment and high the next. I can't get him to settle somehow. He's…"

"Lost." Teyla whispered and allowed a tear to leak down her cheek.

"Nah. Not our John. Now get that thought out of your head right now, young lady. You should know not to give up on him already. He's one tough bugger isn't he?" He poked her leg. "Isn't he?" He pushed with a small smile.

Teyla let more years fall. "I fear for him this time, Carson. She is strong."

Then John moaned slightly on the floor and everyone breathed out.

"Besides, his eyes are bandaged, she …"

"John?" Teyla lifted his head onto her knees. She wiped the tears away and hesitated but then took off the restricting bandage around his eyes to gasps of shock from all around.

A small rivulet of blood from both eyes leaked from where the cloth no longer soaked it up. Carson's gasp was the loudest and he quickly prised open each lid and shown his pen light in them.

"Her connection was strong enough to make his eyes bleed?" Rodney roared.

"I can't explain it, but there is no damage to his eyes, as far as I can see, thank goodness." Carson announced, I can only think of the pain and pressure that would been to have caused that. It's stopped now it looks like."

John groaned again, louder this time and brought his legs up into a protective curl before flopping into silence again.

Carson pushed his fingers into his neck and breathed out. "Good. Just sleeping. Let's leave him be until we are settled."

SGA SGA SGA

Once landed at Santana's hide out, it became apparent that only he had appropriate outside clothes to venture out into the white and blue frozen land. The area was a mountainous region of sharp cut white mountains again, but - blink and you miss it, the artificial white metal overhang protected a deep area that the small 'jumper was able to fit into to hide effectively from any radio transmissions – in and out. A smugglers den – or in Santana's case – a small area he liked to use as his own private hiding place from the rest of his clan.

The door was lowered, and they all looked out into the frozen wilderness. The air was filled with the fine powder of snow from landing and danced with the ever present blue powder, but less than before. Any other time it would have been beautiful to admire.

Bolts of lights streaked across the sky, and Rodney explained that they were the tine drones sent out to find them.

"They are not something I have come across before but they look like they have a short shelf life, so to speak, and are just imploding after a certain amount of time. But by the looks of it, unless I get theses dampeners fixed, we have a bumpy road back."

"Can you fix it?"

Rodney tutted at Carson's question and brushed past him muttering.

"Good one, Doc." Ronon smirked.

Carson shook his head and made his way back to Teyla and John on the floor of the 'jumper.

"Best pile more blankets on him. Don't want him getting pneumonia on top of everything else."

Teyla stood and reached for some wool blankets with Ronon unfolding emergency blankets for John and everyone else too. He looked at Santana, but he just made a show of pulling his cosy coat further to his chest. Ronon groaned and sent him a look that promised a 'meeting' together soon.

SGA SGA SGA

McKay was exasperated. He had speedily fixed the problem and they had sheltered for a good few minutes, enough for the Hive to lose them, but Santana said they could not leave yet.

"Sorry to bother you, Santana, but care to explain why?" Rodney asked sarcastically.

Santana spun away from Rodney's question to look outside. He was so close now. All he had to do was signal Van'te'enna that he was here by pressing the button that would only work once he had been told, but enough to equal the favour spawned so many years ago. His fingers slid over the hidden compartment that he had almost pressed several times throughout the decades. This was it. He was close; so close. He just needed to remain calm and try and ignore the irritating man that kept asking him question after question, and try and not lose his temper. Not at this stage in his life, not when Van'te'enna was in his vicinity and instead of always missing the wraith after a cull when they had left the planet on the off chance he saw him, this time he could actually call for him to come get him – to repay that favour.

He had been offered this one chance when he had been younger. Knew it was just the once, so he had to pick the time very carefully when everything would be perfect.

This was it, and not only could he get on the Hive ship – he also had a bargaining chip to raise his position with Van'te'enna even further – John Sheppard, a wanted man.

Santana stared into the vast white space that could turn many mad with its brightness, before they could even think about freezing to death.

John Sheppard.

The man had been his captive just hours before. His manner was that of a man of authority, he would never have been turned to work for his Clan, so Santana had hoped to induct him in the circle where several people were getting together to make a greater power. Within minutes of that idea, Santana had also thrown it out of the window and now he knew why. He was as powerful a being as any in the galaxy just now – and he was his for the taking!

"Well?" He heard behind him and he cringed at the grating voice. How did John Sheppard put up with him?

Santana turned around slowly and pushed aside the hidden compartment easily, his finger hovering in place.

"Are they within range? You said they were doubling back?"

"Yes, they are! That's why I asked you why we couldn't leave. I've fixed the ship. If we go now we have a chance to…"

"Then slowly ease yourself out." He spoke deadpan and pressed the button on his wrist as he turned to face him.

Ronon stood up and mimicked Rodney's open mouth. "Why now?" He growled.

"It's time. They would have found you next pass."

Ronon barged passed everyone until he was in front of Santana. "What? You have absolutely no idea what you are doing, do you?"

"Oh, indeed I do!" Santana could not help the smile that had started on his face.

Ronon shouted out without even turning to look up front. "Get us the hell out of here now. Sergeant, wrist restraints, please?"

The marine was there in an instant and didn't query Ronon's command, just handed him the click bracelet and watched as he started forward towards Santana's wrists.

"Ronon, what's going on?" Carson worriedly asked.

"Just a feeling, doc. Make sure John's secure."

Ronon stepped forward to handcuff Santana, but he had other ideas and stepped backwards out of the craft and kept going until he was out in the snow.

"We are closing the door. You'll die out there, regardless of your coat. I can wait until you decide to step in again in 10 seconds or I can shoot you where you stand. Makes no difference to me." Ronon had to shout over the winds outside that were starting to build up. Why?

"Ronon, Teyla…the Hive …it's here!"

"What?" cried, Rodney. "It can't be, I checked what Santana said – obviously, and it was true. We could not be detected here!"

"Well tell that to…that!" Radek now joined in.

It was all white through the billowing snow, but the shape and size of the undetected - until now, Hive appeared from the winter sky, right in front of their shocked eyes. No dart followed it down – or the equivalent here in Primis. No landing party. It just floated beside them; taunting and dismaying several hearts that thought they had been safe.

Santana grinned, and finally remained still, raising his arms in greeting at the spectacle in front of him. His heart raced with the thoughts in his head.

"You see, my tall and shaggy friend." Santana turned and shouted back into the small craft. "Your commanding officer should never have attempted to outsmart me. I was always one step ahead."

John stood there instead of Ronon. Standing still in defiance at his words and sent a look that actually made him stop talking and his arms dropped to his sides like deadened weights.

But then Santana laughed to himself when he felt a presence walk up behind him. Physical contact would soon be enough to convince Van'te'enna he had earned this favour. He turned to him and almost took a step back at the intensity of the Wraith's look.

"I had hoped you would never call on me?"

"Yet, here I am. After this one contact, as promised, you will owe me no longer Van'te'enna. Surely you can take some solace from that. Besides I have a prize for you as well."

"A prize?" The tall Wraith inquired.

Santana stepped to the side to allow the Wraith to see John Sheppard standing behind him.

He didn't know which one looked more shocked to see the other.

There standing with his heavy black leather coat billowing behind him in the fierce snow was the white, long haired Wraith that had caused John so much pain and suffering. His hair was as long as he remembered and John could not stay upright any longer. He fell to his knees with Teyla and Ronon supporting him as much as they could to break his fall; upset to see their friend stagger upright one minute, yet only to fall the next.

Van'te'enna stepped closer, now flanked by several drones.

"Ah, Sheppard. I knew we would meet again."

TO BE CONTINUED….