Warning : see chapter 1
January 8, 2007
A new year has started for everyone. Kendra was already six months pregnant. She continues to work with the exploration teams, replacing Kate from time to time. Despite the complications of recent weeks. Carson Beckett died while operating on Watson. The latter was contaminated by an explosive tumor because of an ancient device. A funeral was held to pay tribute to him. Two weeks after Carson's death, the SGC sent Dr. Jennifer Keller as its new chief medical officer.
Kendra had welcomed him kindly despite the distance from the other staff members. The foreboding the assistant felt was still present. A worry that only grew. She had managed to get Michael out of her thoughts. Bright sunlight caressed her skin as she read outside the window. She hadn't dreamed of Michael in recent weeks. Dressed only in a long white shirt, dark pants and boots. Her hair was tied into a long braid.
After an hour, she finally took a nap. She clenched her fists as she started the same dream again as before. She stood up, her hands trembling. It was at this same moment that Kate entered. The psychologist saw her assistant, displaying a panicked face.
"Kendra, are you okay ?" Kate asks.
His assistant nodded.
"What can I do for you ?" Kendra asks.
"I would like you to accompany Colonel Sheppard's team. They have lost contact with the Taranians and I would like to recover the files of the patients we consulted on their planet" explains Kate.
"I'll see if Donna is there," the young woman said, getting up.
"Donna is not a Taranian psychologist to be taken lightly" says the psychologist.
"I was his assistant for a week. I know what to expect," Kendra explains with a smile.
Kendra joined Sheppard's team in the control room. She wore a simple leather coat. Having two daggers on his thighs and one hidden on his arm. She walked through the door following the colonel. His bad feeling suddenly grew stronger.
The team searched the offices and Kendra retrieved the files in question. Kate wanted them analyzed. Kendra looked at the office of Donna, the Taranian psychologist. She had worked with her, during a week of exchange with the city of Altantis. Donna had brought him her vision of psychology based on spirituality.
"It looks like they've all been abandoned," comments Rodney.
"They may have found somewhere else to live," says Ronon.
"Why would he leave and leave their stuff ?" Teyla asks.
"And even, they would have warned us" adds Kendra with concern.
The detector showing signs of life was activated.
"Oh, it looks like someone is there," Mckay comments.
"Where ?" Teyla asks.
"Under our feet" indicates the scientist.
"Colonel" Kendra calls.
John turned to her.
"I have a feeling of déjà vu" admits the young woman.
"What do you mean ?" asked Sheppard.
"On my planet... The same thing happened. People started disappearing one by one. Until Nirrti's spaceship was discovered. She finally sent her jaffa to massacre us before capturing the survivors" says Kendra.
John listened to him without blinking. Teyla and Rodney exchanged a look while Ronon didn't look up.
"Okay, you can come with us, but I'm warning you, at the slightest sign of danger, you get out of here," he said.
Kendra nodded.
They found the entrance to an old underground complex. The place was deserted showing many corridors and pipes rusted by time. The team moved forward, exploring. The detector still indicated the points of light. Kendra stays behind Teyla, while Ronon watches the other passages, on guard. The Athosian opened a door, attracting the attention of her teammates.
"Wait !" Teyla shouts.
John rushed to search the room. Ronon approached while Kendra remained outside.
"It looks like a cocoon," says Teyla.
"What is inside ?" Ronon asks.
"No idea. In any case, he's gone," he comments.
John looked at the cocoon in disgust. The thing inside was gone. Elizabeth cut off the communication, specifying that she was going to send reinforcements. The team turned a corner and Ronon noticed a strange door.
"Keep quiet and group together," John orders, turning around.
He frowned when he saw Ronon and Kendra were missing. Kendra looks worried, her worry growing.
"Ronon !" John shouts.
"I am here" declares the warrior.
They entered the room seeing lifeless bodies, those of the taranians. The smell had hit Kendra hard. She put her hand on the wall, looking at the bodies. Her other hand slid to her lips, as she recognized some of the patients she met during her week of exchange. She panted, choking back tears.
"God damn it," Rodney whispers.
"The Taranians," Teyla mutters sadly.
"Neck bites, they've all been bitten," Sheppard remarks.
Kendra teared up as she recognized Donna's face. She approached, leaning into his face. She bit her lip as she caressed his cold skin.
"It was Donna Ragan. We had worked together during the exchange week" reveals Kendra.
"Who did this to them ?" Rodney asks.
John and Teyla looked at Kendra.
"Can you look into his memory ?" John asks.
Kendra simply nodded before exhaling and concentrating. She went into a trance as she saw Donna's memories. Kendra experienced Donna's memories, she saw the young woman tied up, being bitten by the ectoparasite. A dark, familiar figure revealed itself to her. Kendra opened her eyes realizing that she had heard the screams of the taranians and not those of her people.
The evidence jumped out at him. The young woman withdrew her hands as she stood up, silently. She turned to Sheppard, looking serious and hateful.
"It's Michael" admits the young woman.
The news hit like a bombshell.
"I thought he was dead," says Rodney.
"Teyla" calls Kendra.
The Athosian woman turned towards her.
"I heard their cries in a dream I had a few weeks ago. I thought it was the memories of my people," she confides.
"It's our fault if they died. Micheal was created by us" says Teyla with a sigh.
They exchanged a hug. Ronon has discovered a wraith laboratory. The team discovered an ectoparasite. The other sign of life alerted Rodney to his location. Kendra stayed in the lab looking around. She winced as she smelled a familiar and disturbing odor. It was definitely Michael's. Memories never lied.
Ronon moved towards the door, remaining on guard. He saw the inert bodies, waiting silently. Kendra clenched her daggers as they remained on guard. John jumped when he heard Lieutenant Negley. The Colonel quickly dismissed him while Rodney looked at the detector.
"It's no longer moving forward" specifies Mckay.
"For what ?" John asks.
"How would I know?" asks the scientist.
"Where is he ?" Sheppard questions.
"He's probably in the hallway," Rodney guesses.
John looked at Kendra.
"Don't move," he orders.
Kendra nodded in compliance. They left to look at the scene. After a minute that seemed interminable. Kendra jumped when she heard a shrill scream, gunshots, and Ronon's scream. She ran out, seeing Sheppard on the ground while Ronon was clutching his gun. Kendra approached them worriedly.
"Are you doing well ?" asked the young woman.
"Yeah, that's fine," Ronon replies.
"What was that monster ?" asks the scientist, horrified.
Ronon picked up the monster's severed hand. Kendra winces as the arm falls again.
Rodney continued to look at the detector. They continued exploring by entering another corridor.
"He's moving further and further away from us," comments Mckay.
"Let's hope he's slowed down by his injuries," John hopes.
"We should finish him off," Ronon suggests.
"I agree," the colonel agrees.
"And how do you plan to kill him? The bullets didn't do anything to him" reminds Rodney.
"His back shows a shell" assures Teyla.
"As soon as we see him, we kill him," adds Sheppard.
John tried to contact Lt. Negley's team. Total silence. He insisted without any success. Rodney patted the colonel's arms.
"He's behind that door," he says.
The door opened, revealing cocoons in several numbers. Kendra frowns knowing it was Michael's doing.
"He used them," she whispers, leaning back.
Ronon looked at him suspiciously.