Rodney drew back to the rear of his cell. The sound of footsteps grew louder as someone approached. As he listened, he could make out two distinct sets of footsteps. His auditory detective work proved correct when two uniformed guards rounded the corner. They wore the same bright green uniforms of the Vorash security forces.
"What the hell is going on?" McKay demanded of them. "Our people and yours have formal diplomatic relations. That means that you can't do stuff like this without involving the proper channels. I demand that I be allowed to speak to a representative of my government!"
The guards paid him no attention, and pointed their guns at him as they opened the cell door.
"Walk forward," one said.
McKay stared down the barrel of the weapon nervously. He couldn't find the words to argue. "Okay," he said as he put up his hands and walked forward.
He tried paying attention to the layout of the place. They took him up one set of stairs, turned left, and walked ten yards into a large room that was better lit than the cell. There were shelves lining the periphery of the room, stacked with various wraith and Ancient artifacts.
McKay immediately honed in on a pedestal in the center of the room of a design he found familiar. Beside it sat the control panel that went with it.
This was the DNA alteration device from the wraith laboratory. McKay recognized the design as Ancient. The device thankfully remained inactive. If it turned on, anyone near it could be in serious danger.
The last time he'd been near a device like this, it nearly killed him. He took a tentative step back and stared at it.
"No need to be afraid," someone said. The voice sounded familiar, but the cadence and accent were both wrong.
McKay waited until the source of the voice walked out from behind a shelf full of wraith artifacts.
His jaw dropped to the ground upon seeing Carson Beckett.
"Carson!" McKay shouted. "What are you doing here?"
Beckett approached in a slithery, unusual manner. "I'm afraid the good doctor is not able to speak right now. I must remain in control of his body until my plan is complete."
McKay took two steps backward. "Carson, what the hell is going on? You're scaring me."
Beckett smiled. "It is good to see you again Doctor McKay."
Someone or something was in control of Beckett. This wasn't his friend at all.
"What do you want?" McKay stammered through a gulp.
Beckett paced up to the device. "I believe this device is key to a great many problems, and I want you to repair it."
McKay understood that he'd been brought here for technical support.
"Okay," McKay said. "But you know this thing is dangerous, right?"
Beckett smiled. "Oh, I'm counting on it."
McKay vaguely recognized the tone of voice that Beckett used. It was like he was trying to imitate someone — someone they both knew.
"I have the others who were with you held prisoner. If you do not help me, I will kill them, and you as well." McKay knew that these security forces attacked the facility with about eight armed soldiers, but only two escorted him to the jumper and forced him to fly it. Perhaps they managed to capture the others as well?
McKay felt the blood drain from his face. "All right," he stammered. "What do you want me to do? Turn it on?"
"I need to re-program this device from its original function, which is to alter Wraith DNA, and make it alter human DNA in a specific way."
McKay pondered on the problem. "All right, but I'm not a geneticist. I can put it in a mode to accept new commands, but I can't do anything with DNA."
"That is all I will need." Beckett said.
McKay approached the control panel and activated the device. He could see the text written in Ancient. It was a DNA profile of the last individual to use the device.
He almost choked on his tongue when he saw the subject's name, 'Aceso,' written in bold in the profile's description, along with a variety of physical characteristics and technical jargon that he couldn't understand.
She was right. This was the device that altered the DNA of her and her hive members. It had been here all along.
McKay stalled, looking between Beckett and this device. His mind began to form critical questions. Beckett was acting unlike himself, but what purpose could involving the Vorash security forces serve?
"Why didn't you just wait until we brought this back to Atlantis? I mean, it's not like we'd keep this from you."
"I needed privacy, and a ready supply of test subjects."
The way he said 'test subjects' made McKay's skin crawl. Very few people had ever been able to induce that feeling.
"So what are you going to do?" McKay said, feigning the appearance of re-programming the device.
"You will see, soon enough. I need you here to fix any problems that may arise."
"What deal did you make with these people?" McKay asked conversationally. "I mean, they didn't just volunteer to help you, did they?"
"I promised them access to the laboratory and all associated knowledge and technology within—I also know that you're stalling."
"McKay quickly brought up the diagnostics and programming screen on the console.
"I don't know what you mean." McKay said.
"Just so we are clear," Beckett said. "I will not hesitate to kill your companions if you try to trick me."
McKay focused in on his work. That's what he did best when under stress—work.
"If we don't report in tomorrow, Atlantis will send someone," McKay warned.
"They won't be able to dial the gate," Beckett said. "I instructed the authorities to close their stargate."
McKay looked to Beckett, his intuition picking up on something. There was more going on here. Beckett wasn't just not himself—he was actually someone else entirely.
Okay, who are you?" McKay asked. "I might believe that Beckett would snap under the right conditions, but he would never go this far."
Beckett smiled. "You know me Doctor McKay. I may not have the same face or voice, but you must recognize something of me."
Shock stole the breath from his lungs. His mind put the pieces together in the background as he remembered Beckett's history and the fact that this version of Beckett was a clone. "Oh my god," he wheezed. "You're Michael."
(0)
"Give me the necklace!" the farmer said.
Aceso backed up against the wall.
"No!" she yelled, clutching the necklace. "It's mine, you can't take it from me!"
"As long as you live with us, you don't own anything," the farmer said. "I realize that it's sentimental, but our food has been stolen. We will starve if we don't sell that."
Aceso knelt into the corner, curling up in a ball, protecting the necklace. She couldn't let them have it. She couldn't let them see her real face.
The farmer lashed out in anger, throwing a chair at her.
"You selfish bitch!" he yelled. "You are useless as a servant. You can't till the fields, can't cook, and you don't seem to know anything useful. What value do you provide this household?"
Aceso covered her ears, sobbing. She couldn't answer for herself. She had never learned those things, and this world was unfamiliar and strange to her.
The farmer rushed at her fighting her for the necklace. He managed to grasp it and pull it away from her neck.
"No!" she shouted. She felt the holographic illusion dissipate. Leaving her in her natural state.
The man stood there, staring at her, unusually still. He clutched the necklace loosely, examining it.
All she could do was weep. Slowly she stood, covering her face as she ran out the door into the cool evening.
Aceso led the group on following a stream along its bank. The river began to gradually pick up width and depth as they walked.
So far, it was only a trickle of water at ankle depth, but she knew that it would widen out downstream. The main city on Vorash had a large river flowing straight through the middle of it, and this stream likely served as a main tributary.
Her and Adams still debated how close they wanted to risk getting to the city. She knew that even if they couldn't make it to the stargate undetected, it might be possible to get closer and reduce the area that the rescue teams from Atlantis would have to search. Adams agreed that staying farther from villages was preferable.
"It's coming up on eleven-hundred hours," Adams said. "Atlantis is expecting our check in now."
"Good," Aceso said. "They will start searching soon. Our locator beacons will lead them right to us."
The group had already mostly run out of water already, but the river provided a ready supply. She had to compromise on her insistence on no fires so that they could boil water. It wasn't ideal, but they had no choice but to boil the water in steel bottles placed in the fire before drinking it.
She could drink the water without issue, but her human companions might be sickened or killed by things living in this water. She couldn't risk that, and so instructed them to boil it.
"Are you ready to go?" Adams said. He was referring to their scouting mission of the nearby village. They needed to figure out what was there, and how many people were out looking for them.
Aceso nodded. She turned and walked over to Isobel who tended the fire intently.
"While we're gone, I need you to look after fire," Aceso instructed.
Isobel looked to her with a scathing glance. "I can take care of it." Isobel's attitude oozed with contempt. Aceso needed Isobel to trust her. Contempt could lead the group to making rash decisions.
"Everyone must remain quiet and inconspicuous."
"I understand," Isobel said, allowing a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Aceso scowled, but didn't say anything. She knew of Isobel's veiled resentment, but also knew she could tend the camp in her absence. She wasn't sure about the reason for these feelings, but hoped they wouldn't interfere in everyone's safety.
Adams addressed his SG team. "Keep watch of the camp, eyes and ears open."
Adams team confirmed they understood, and he set out to lead the way to the village.
She turned away from the camp and followed Adams into the dense forest.
They only had to walk around five minutes before reaching the periphery of the village.
Adams found a dense bush to wait under as they observed the village and the people going about their business.
The buildings consisted of huts of thatched roof and log construction. There were scant signs of industrialization here, obviously meaning that technological progress didn't spread evenly over this world.
"There aren't any soldiers here," Adams said after around fifteen minutes.
"Good," Aceso said. "That probably means they stopped searching."
"Or they just don't know where to look," Adams countered. "We still don't want to show our faces. It can be pretty dangerous to show up unannounced in these isolated communities."
Aceso nodded in agreement.
"Look over there," Adams said, pointing to a house. A man opened the door and walked inside while carrying a leg of some kind of animal. The rest of the hut seemed to be some kind of storage for preserved meat.
"That meat would be pretty good right now," he said.
Aceso had to agree, as her own appetite had been bothering her, leaving her slower and grumpier.
"We could probably steal it," Adams said.
The visceral reaction to stealing something bothered her.
"No," she said. "That family probably needs that."
Adams looked over at her. "You know these people tried to kill us, right?"
"These people are poor farmers," Aceso said. "It is the military who tried to kill us. Don't forget that."
Adams sighed. "Fine, but if we have to stay here any longer, I want to at least consider it."
"Atlantis will find us within hours," Aceso said. "We only have to wait."
(0)
McKay worked silently and slowly, trying to gauge Beckett's—Michael's intentions. So far his instructions had only been to put the device into a mode to accept new instructions.
The program seemed familiar, and McKay recognized some of the code from the data they'd already collected describing this device and what it did.
He winced when he had to erase large segments of the base code, but he knew that he could restore it if needed. One thing he did notice is the power core within the device was nearly depleted. The device could be used a handful of times but had a risk of shutting off.
"Okay," McKay said. "I overrode its primary functions. Now you'd just need to input your own functions."
Michael strode closer, and one of the guards pulled McKay away from the console to let Michael look.
"Very good Dr. McKay. Your prowess with Ancient technology is not overstated. Michael interfaced a handheld wraith data device into one of the crystal ports.
"What are you doing?" McKay asked again. "I could help." He really intended to look over his shoulder and get a sense of what the heck he was doing.
"Stay back Doctor," Michael said.
McKay stayed firmly planted.
The device chimed, and seemed to indicate that the new commands were accepted.
"What did you do there?" McKay asked.
Michael turned. "It is time to find our first test subject." He nodded to the guards, who signaled their friend by the door. The soldier turned away, and returned a minute later with a person with arms chained behind their back and their ankles chained. The man had a bag over his head, and the chains dragged along the ground giving a soft clanging with each step.
"Wha… wait, that's not such a good idea," McKay said. "We don't know what it'll do to a human."
"That is what I endeavor to find out," Michael said.
The soldiers led the man up to the platform, and positioned him on top of it.
McKay's heart raced. "You're going to change him," he said in a panic. He remembered the experiments that Michael had performed, turning humans into bizarre hybrid creatures. The aftermath of that genetic manipulation program had plagued them ever since.
"This machine is like a scalpel," Micheal said. "It performs precisely what you tell it to, with no guessing and no chance for unexpected changes. It is the perfect machine to manipulate living beings in real time."
A field of energy enveloped the man in a bright flash of light. In the blink of an eye, it stopped.
Another man walked into the room. He wore a uniform and strode with authority. McKay recognized him as someone who had been in the periphery of the Vorash government, perhaps some kind of secretary or cabinet member.
"When will we see results?" the man asked.
"Secretary," Michael greeted. "We will know very soon. We just have to monitor his condition." The soldiers led the prisoner away with the clanging of chains.
"Good," the man said. He glanced disapprovingly at McKay. "Is this the Atlantean?"
"It is," Michael said.
"I remember you," The secretary said. "You are Doctor McKay."
"And you are…Well I don't remember your name," McKay floundered.
"Secretary of Security Kellim," the man said.
"Right, right, right, I remember you," McKay said. "We met during our visit here the first time."
"Yes," Kellim said.
"So what did he promise you?" McKay asked, referring to Michael.
"An army," Kellim said. "One of great power and stealth, easily controlled."
McKay knew that this could only spell trouble. "An army for what?"
The secretary locked eyes. "We have lived in a perpetual state of scarcity. Our world is not naturally abundant in easily mined metals, the things out of which a thriving, advanced civilization is built. To obtain metals, our people must trade their labor, or their food to other worlds.
"So you want to take things by force?" McKay surmised.
"It is a necessity. Another world with which we had an alliance broke their treaty with us and withheld vital resources for themselves. I need the means to take back what rightfully belongs to us."
McKay rolled his eyes. "It's always the same old story and same old justifications."
The secretary did not react to his snark. "I suppose thanks are in order. You are helping to make this possible."
"When Atlantis sends our people to rescue me, they'll find out about all of this," McKay said. He was bluffing at this point, but anything that gave him an advantage could be useful.
"Atlantis can't get to us now," Kellim said. "I have blocked the stargate, and I know from Dr. Beckett that your nearest star ship is still weeks away from arriving."
"This isn't even Beckett!" McKay said. "Well, I guess it is, but, he's somehow been taken over by Michael—a wraith."
"I know of your doctor's condition," Kellim said.
McKay choked. "You know that he's a wraith?"
"I daresay that I'm not the only one here who is willing to work with the wraith. There are rumors that Atlantis has worked with many wraith, including a wraith queen. Beckett, or Michael, as you refer to him, confirmed it."
"Well, at least we try to help people," McKay shot back.
"I'm trying to help my own people," Kellim said. "This army will help me do that."
"That's another thing," McKay said, pointing his finger. "What are you doing to that man?"
Michael answered. "With any luck, we are turning him into the perfect killing machine. A creature with superior strength, and a mind pliable to those with the authority to control them."
"Creature?" McKay wheezed. "Oh no,"
"In return for my help," Michael said, "the government on this world has generously given me access to this device, as well as access to the wraith lab."
McKay began to regret his cooperation in helping Michael program this device. "Please don't tell me I've just helped you create another Lovecraftian horror."
"Take him to the cell," Kellim ordered.
The soldiers grabbed and led McKay down the hallway. "He's using you!" McKay shouted. "Michael doesn't do anything for anyone but himself!"
"He is well guarded," Kellim said. "He can't hurt us."