SGAT

Chapter 26: No Going Back

SGAT

Crouched down beside Sheppard, Carson worriedly inquired, "Does a spike in your adrenaline usually bring on a seizure?" wanted to be prepared, start to clear off an open area on the ground if Sheppard was going to soon have an attack.

"Just my act of breathing can bring on a seizure," John contemptuously quipped as he wearily leaned his head back against the tree.

As Carson studied John's eyes, put the back of his hand against the ill man's forehead, Ronon could only endure to wait another minute of this silent examination before demanding "He doing ok?" Because if John wasn't ok, part of that was on him, for not protecting him better, for having to jostle him as they fled from the attack.

Typical, it was John who brushed off any concerns over his condition. "I'm fine, just ready for a nap. Gotten too used to them on this vacation."

"Vacation?" Rodney scoffed with a snort but then he sniffed the air. "Why do I have a sudden craving for Canada Day burgers on the grill?"

"Because they burned down the house we were in trying to kill us," Ronon matter-of-factly supplied.

Somehow that assault alarmed the circled members of the group way worse than John and Ronon running for their lives in the woods. Carson leaned over to press his ear to John's chest, checking for any lung complications, Rodney sputtered in stunned horror, "They did what?" while Kannar cursed sharply, knowing Olpwen and his followers had crossed a line with that version of attack. Cowardly as it was sadistic. His eyes went to his father's, wondering how they could come back from this as a people.

Sakar had no reassurances to offer his son, only more bad news. "I wasn't there for any of that, I was coming back from checking the forcefield panels when I saw the smoke but then I heard Olpwen's voice in the woods. He wasn't waiting here to ambush Sheppard and his friend, but you." Chose to not stoke his son's fury by also pointing out that Olpwen had plotted his murder too, probably intended to catch him on his way back to the village. But now was not the time for Kannar's love for him to goad him into an emotional reaction. No, they needed as clear heads as they could manage right now, for the future of all their people.

The truth sank in instantly with Kannar. Olpwen had planned to murder Sheppard and he was to be the blood debt for taking that life. Kannar's eyes didn't skate to the man who would have murdered him, instead he kept his focus on his father, knowing this was a terrible day for their people. That it would change everything going forward for all of them because Olpwen and whoever followed his blood thirsty plan had to be dealt with, severely. And it would be his father who would have that burden upon his soul. He hated Olpwen more for that than for his plan to murder him.

Finding John's breathing clear, Carson was about to stand up and interject his suggestions on how best to take care of John at this juncture, but John's hand surprisingly snagged onto his sleeve. The needy physical contact evoked a spike of elevated worry for the man. But John didn't confess to a greater degree of pain, or offer a warning that a seizure was imminent, instead he pointed to Ronon's leg. "Ronon got stabbed in the leg, Carson."

Carson shot Ronon a baleful look for forgetting to mention his own wound, which only brought out an unrepentant shrug from the Satedan. Shifting so he could inspect the knife wound, Carson hated that his medical supplies weren't on him but back in that house Sheppard had been in. Which meant they went up in flames. The wound wasn't too deep, had hit the outside edge of Ronon's leg and didn't appear to have caused any concerning damage. Without a proper bandage at his ready, Carson improvised by ripping his shirt sleeve and tying it around the wound even as he asked, "What happens now?" because even though he'd walked into this unusual hostage scenario only a few hours ago, he knew everything had now changed, not just for his people but Kannar's people as well.

The innocent question ignited a clash of opposing opinions to rent the air. Meanwhile, John remained sitting on the ground feeling a little like he was back in a chair outside his principal's office while his fate was being decided for him, loudly.

"I have to deal with Olpwen and his followers, first," Kannar insisted. "Then I can bring you to Thupr, who knows about nanites."

"I'll deal with your traitors," Ronon's lethal offer accompanied a tightening of his chokehold on Olpwen.

Correctly reading the hatred and an eagerness for retaliation brimming in the Satedan's dark eyes, Sakar stepped close enough to grab hold of Olpwen's arm and told the outsider, "We handle our own justice."

"Do you?" Ronon mockingly challenged. Then his tone turned coldly disparaging, "Because it seems to me there is no justice here…certainly not for anyone not your own kind." And he knew that prejudice too well from his time as a runner, how so many villages counted all outsiders the enemy when they should have only one common enemy: the wraith. He had wondered if, had they all realized that and got on the same side, couldn't they together have defeated the Wraith? Then came along John Sheppard and Atlantis, determined to put that very theory into practice. And they were making some allies…but then again, there were always people like this village, who believed that hated, distrust and death were the only things worthy of those not of their community.

Sakar didn't have the chance to defend his people from Ronon's accusation before McKay made his own objection to Kannar's plan. "We've had more than enough of your "hospitality". John's not stepping one foot back into your village of the damned!"

Carson side-barred lowly to Rodney, "But Sheppard needs to be resting, Rodney. Sitting on the damp ground isn't doing him any favors and we can't take him through the Stargate until we've neutralized the nanites. And there were no signs of civilization near the stargate. No water, no protection from the elements. John's immune system is so compromised, even the small time out here could be detrimental to him."

Then everyone began talking at once, trying to make their point, all thinking they knew what was best for John.

Sheppard gave a shrill whistle piercing the clashing voices and bringing a sharp surprised silence as all eyes fell down to him. Having finally regained notice by the gathered crowd, he announced his implacable ruling, "None of my people are going back to that village," because it wasn't just his life that they almost took with the attack but Ronon's too. Now things were freaking personal! "It's time we held up our end of the bargain, gave Kannar the codes for the generator and went home."

"Go home?! We can't! You…You can't go through the stargate! So we can't!" Rodney sputtered, hoped John was just confused and not trying to be some martyr. But he wanted it crystal clear: if John wasn't going home, neither was he, or any of them. No man left behind was Sheppard's numero uno motto so the idiot couldn't expect them to not follow it, even if it was himself that John was suggesting they leave behind.

Meanwhile, Carson had paled at the Colonel's proposed plan, knew John was now asking him to fulfil the promise he'd exacted out of him and take him through the stargate, regardless of the consequences to his health. Felt eviscerated by the look Sheppard was leveling at him. The whole for the greater good edict. But he didn't want to do it, not unless it was the last last resort. "Kannar knows someone knowledgeable on nanites. We need to talk to him before we leave. With their help, we increase our chances to turn off the nanites attacking your system." Seeing John's protest building, Carson rationalized, "These nanites don't just pose a threat to you, Colonel, but possibly to the rest of Atlantis. We now know we have nanites teaming in that second stargate. Presently they do us no harm, but we need more information to safeguard ourselves. We can't go nuclear every time they infect someone. So it's imperative that we obtain more knowledgeable insights into their workings and especially how to turn them off. Now is our chance to gain that."

John wasn't fooled. Yes, Carson's reasonings made sense but presently the nanites only put one life in jeopardy: his. Meanwhile, staying in this politically hostile territory put all three of his people in danger. His gut said, leave, right then. That they should save the research for another trip. Because he knew Carson's arguing to stay wasn't really about the research benefits to Atlantis, was more about Carson wanting to help him.

Though it touched John that his friend sought to save him, he couldn't jeopardize his away team..and maybe Atlantis itself if Olpwen's rebellion spread and another attack on Atlantis became their next goal. "We're leaving, Carson," the Colonel commanded, his decree sharp enough to express there would be no compromise. But at Carson's discouraged look, he offered lightly, "When things stabilize again for Kannar's people, Elizabeth might grant you a field trip here to chat up their nanite expert." Purposefully didn't say he'd be the one granting Carson that liberty, didn't have reasonable hope that he would be in charge of even lunch at Atlantis considering his mental deterioration, let alone green lighting an away team's destination. That was if he was even alive by that point.

As much as Carson wanted to stridently refute the Colonel's order, he knew he wouldn't. He had too much respect for Sheppard's leadership and his instincts. If Sheppard felt their lives were in danger, that Atlantis would be risked if they didn't leave immediately, he had no choice but to go along with the order. Switching mental gears, he began formulating how to stave off the new damage the nanites would cause Sheppard after he walked through another stargate. Wished to God that they weren't being forced to use the 2nd stargate to reenter Atlantis, thereby possibly infecting John further with more nanites. He didn't want to dwell on the odds for John's recovery, let alone survival after that.

Rodney, however, downright refused to be complacent about John's plan, not when he knew full well what John risked. Heck, he had watched John suffer each and every seizure, knew how detrimental another stargate trip would be to his best friend, let alone a stargate that might send more nanites into his bloodstream. It was a death sentence and John damn well knew it. Crouching down to be eyelevel with his best friend, Rodeny bitingly accused, "You're a damn hypocrite, Sheppard! If this were me…or ..or Carson or Ronon in your position, you'd find a way to not drag us through a stargate. So whatever way that is, come up with it! Because I'm not murdering you via stargate!"

"Rodney, I'm giving an order!" John gritted back, hated when Rodeny thought he outranked him.

It was Ronon who made a comeback, his eyes lancing uncompromisingly into John's, "Yeah and we're disobeying it." Turning to Kannar, he gave an order of his own, "Get your nanites expert here. Then you're going to fly us all to the stargate and we're going to figure out how to get Sheppard back to Atlantis without killing him."

Olpwen, regardless that Ronon's forearm still pressed against his throat in a chokehold, found the air to protest, "Sakar, you have to kill them, send the message to their people to never try to find us again. You heard them, he's infected by nanites! They've been lying to us, saying he couldn't infect us."

Sakar, missing a large chunk of the knowledge his son had gathered, turned to Kannar. "Is he a risk to our people? I want the truth, son."

"No," Kannar defiantly answered. "We can't be harmed by these nanites, only those who are ancients or have boosted their ancient genes like Sheppard did, are in any danger." Then Kannar directed the next to Olpwen, "And the nanites you're so worried about being infected by, our people put them in the 2nd stargate in Atlantis. To kill any Ancients who tried to follow them and return them to their servitude in Atlantis." He purposefully didn't mention that he and his team would have been exposed to the nanites when they entered Atlantis through that 2nd stargate. He certainly didn't need more ways for Olpwen to turn their village against him.

"Sounds like Sheppard's getting what he deserves," Olpwen muttered, wasn't prepared for Ronon to kick at his legs and send him crashing to his knees and the arm braced across his throat to press hard enough to snap his neck with an ounce more of pressure. "Don't! Don't!" he wheezed out a plea for his life.

"Ronon, no!" John shouted, trying to come to his feet but couldn't manage to do more than lean off the tree trunk before collapsing back against it. Though Ronon's dark expression begged to give him permission to terminate the cold-blooded man, John shook his head. He wasn't a fan of Olpwen but for Kannar's sake, he didn't want any more bloodshed between their people, still wanted to honor their agreement.

Though he tightened his hold for an oxygen starving count of seven, Ronon ultimately released Olpwen.. with a shove that had the traitor sprawling full out into the muddy forest floor. Putting his boot on Olpwen's back, he ensured the man didn't slither off like the snake he was. Tuning back into the decision-making process, he glared at Kannar. "John has put his trust in you, if he comes to regret it, you'll pay dearly. In blood."

John wanted to roll his eyes, Ronon sure sucked at being a peaceful negotiator, though he knew it was all because of his friend's loyalty to him. "No one's paying with blood anymore."

"Including you," Rodney defiantly threw in that rider. Absolutely wasn't going to allow John to sacrifice himself to save them. The recklessly honorable man had done that one time too often in the past and Rodney knew the odds of John surviving this time were far from optimal. Like in the negative percentile.

Looking at all the set faces ringing around him, even Sakar's and Kannar's, John knew he was outnumbered, and his rank didn't mean diddly squat when it came to these people being protective of him. "You all have no respect for authority!" but none of their expressions changed so he huffed out a sigh, "Fine. Kannar, can you convince or kidnap your nanites expert to meet us at your ship? We need him to enlighten us on nanites 101."

It was Sakar who offered, "I'll bring Thupr to the ship. He usually can be found in the western gardens this time of day, so I'll have no need to enter the village and alert anyone of our actions."

Kannar, clapping a warm hand on his father's shoulder, advised anxiously, "Be quick and do not trust anyone into your confidence. We do not know how deeply Olpwen has poisoned our people against us." Sakar gave a grim nod before loping off through the woods. Turning his grim attention to the man under Ronon's boot, Kannar crouched down beside the pinned man, drawled, "You just had to make a power grab. You've been hoping for a reason to discredit my father, turn the village against him…and me. But you couldn't come up with anything all these years… until you helped planned the Atlantis raid, insisted lives must be taken so Atlantis would fear us, would not attempt to follow us. And when that blew up in our faces, when Sheppard and McKay ended up on our doorstep, it was the spark you needed to claim my father didn't have our people's best interest at heart."

Olpwen's baleful look to Kannar proved how powerfully he hated the man hoovering over him who thought he had the right to pass judgement on him. "I did what I thought was best for our people! You and your father..you will have us servants to the Ancients or dead by their hands."

Rodney snorted. "That would be a cool trick considering the Ancients bailed from this galaxy ten thousand years ago."

Looking up to Ronon, Kannar ordered, "I'll take him," jerking his head down to Olpwen.

But Ronon was reluctant to trust the treacherous man's fate into Kannar's hands, didn't know if the soldier had the backbone to do what was needed. "And do what with him?" he challenged. "Give him more lectures? Make him pledge to repent?" scorn dripping from his words.

Kannar's features darkened, not with anger at Ronon's audacity but with the grimness of what lay ahead. "He will be banished…or killed. I prefer banishment, for if I take his life…our code says that another life must be taken to assuage the bloodshed."

"Yeah, it's this warped version of an eye for an eye but it kept them from out and out killing Sheppard and me," McKay supplied, hadn't thought he'd ever have an occasion to praise some feudal justice system for saving his life and the life of his best friend.

Understanding for Kannar's difficult position grew in Ronon's eyes as he removed his boot from Olpwen, let Kannar roughly jerk the traitor to his feet. "That's what your father meant when he asked what lives would be taken if they killed Sheppard and me." Ronon tilted his head to Olpwen. "He planned those lives to be you and your father. He can not be trusted…or forgiven."

Kannar's jaw clenched as his belief was confirmed that Olpwen had also targeted his father. He cheerlessly accepted the soldier-to-soldier advice unrefutably, "I know." Hated the catch that came from him with that the one word, so he cleared his voice to make the next declaration sound not so conflicted. "I must decide his fate…as well as the others who joined his cause." Ronon's expression could have almost been categorized as sympathetic, but it definitely resonated with respect. "I'm going to take him into the west woods farther from our village, tie him up and gag him until I can deal with him later. Meanwhile, you should all head to the ship, wait for me there. Sakar will bring Thupr, who has that nanite knowledge for you." Then Kannar was none too gently yanking Olpwen through the woods.

Bending down beside John, Ronon quietly asked, "You up for walking or should I…"

"Walking," John shut down the very idea of being carried again by Ronon. It was one thing to resort to that when his slowness could get Ronon killed, it was another thing when they were just taking a stroll in the woods. With his answer, Rodney and Ronon each took one of his arms and pulled him to his feet. John's head swam and he sagged a moment against Ronon, but his two friends didn't let him fall.

A few moments later, his equilibrium returned. Straightening off Ronon, he managed to stand, mostly on his own. That didn't mean Rodney and Ronon removed their respective supportive holds on him. "I think we have a rendezvous point to make before the rest of the villagers try to lynch us. Let's move out." It felt good to give an order, to feel like he had some say in his own life again. Felt better to bask in the surety that he had the respect of these people, that they followed his orders, even when he had not a lick of strength to coerce them to follow it, did so out of loyalty to him.

It made him mortified at his dustup with Rodney and Ronon on their previous away mission. Having the two men so loyally beside him now, it was an undeserved gift. Not knowing how things would turn out for him, if this was his best and last chance to make amends with the two men closer to him than his own flesh and blood brother, he extended his apology to each man as he looked across to them in turn. "Ronon, on our last mission, I should have allowed you to seek out your people..the other surviving Satedans. And Rodney…it was pretty ridiculous them using invaluable power cells as dinnerware."

"Right?!" Rodney readily welcomed John coming to his side in the matter.

But Ronon better understood what prompted John's verbalizing his apology and it made his hold around John's waist tighten. "Any surviving Satedans, they are not my people anymore," he corrected Sheppard, which got John's head swiveling over to him in confusion. "You're my people" Ronon declared intently, needing John to understand that, even as he had come to know it in his own heart. "The only ones I need. So don't go counting yourself as lost because I won't accept that, Sheppard. I came here to bring you home, not your corpse. And I'm pretty good at keeping my word."

"I know you are," John agreed with a small smile, even as he knew that his fate wasn't up to Ronon…or him. His body was in charge, and it felt like it had been waving the flag of surrender for a while now.

SGAT

TBC

SGAT

Thanks for the wonderful people taking the time to review this story and I also value everyone still reading silently at home. I know my updates have been too slow in coming but take heart, I plan that it will only be three more chapters before the story wraps up.