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ACT 11
Richard Woolsey and Radek Zelenka waited anxiously for War Minister Dri to make his appearance. Major Grant and his team were also present and it was clear that they were ready to handle any problems. Woolsey walked to the window overlooking the city and was reminded of the skyline of New York City. There were so many similarities that Woolsey thought it could have been designed by the same person. He wondered where Teyla had gotten the story about the Marcosians being a nomadic people, because this certainly belied that rumor.
“Mr. Woolsey, I believe War Minister Dri has arrived,” Zelenka said as the doors slid upward and a tall man dressed in red silken robes walked in.
“War Minister Dri, thank you for allowing us to visit your home,” Woolsey said.
“You are welcome, Mr. Woolsey, but I am afraid I have no news on your missing people,” the war minister told him.
“That is why we are here,” Woolsey said. He had decided not to tell the war minister that they were 99% sure there was a second gate, but that did not mean he could not suggest it and see where it took them. “Is it possible that you have a second gate here?”
“The only gate is the one in the council chambers and no one is allowed access to it without my permission,” Dri explained.
“Have you started a search for Colonel Sheppard and Ronon?” Zelenka asked.
“We saw no reason to search for them since they did not come through the gate. I am sorry.”
“War minister, I would like to request permission to search for Colonel Sheppard and Ronon Dex,” Woolsey said.
“I see no logic in searching---”
“Perhaps if it was a member of your family you would better understand how we feel,” Woolsey snapped.
“Do you really believe we have a second gate?”
“It is possible, yes, but that does not mean you know where it is located. We have seen it happen before.”
“Is there a way to detect it and find out if it is operational?” Dri asked.
“It is possible, Dr. Zelenka may be able to find it if he is allowed access to your gate,” Woolsey offered. “Will you allow him to check the readings?”
“As long as he does not interfere with the operation of our gate.”
“I assure you Dr. Zelenka has never broken anything,” Woolsey said with a grin and followed the War Minister toward their gateroom.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
Rodney flew the Puddle Jumper low over a river in search of the missing men. They’d spotted several people, but it was easy to see they were locals. There’d been no sign of the missing men, but Teyla had spotted a rather large creature that looked like a cross between a T-Rex and a Triceratops. The large animal had stopped chasing whatever meal it was after and stared into the sky. Rodney had reacted instinctively and flew the cloaked Jumper higher.
“It’s strange, but I think those creatures know we’re here,” McKay said.
“It does appear that way,” Teyla said.
“Maybe they remember your scent from the last time you were here, Dr. McKay… Canadian bacon,” Lorne suggested with a hint of a smile.
“Remind me to laugh at that later, Major,” McKay said and continued to follow the river as it flowed southwest. He knew they were also checking for a gate, but so far they’d found nothing to suggest it existed. There were plenty of animals in the area, most looked like predators, and Rodney did not want to get close to any of them.
“Rodney, perhaps if you moved away from the river and followed that trail,” Teyla suggested, and pointed to a trail leading toward the mountains in the east.
“All right,” McKay agreed and turned in the direction she indicated. There were several large bird-like creatures hovering over something hidden from their view and McKay heard a loud screech as if something was in pain. He banked to the left and saw one the creatures, a young one trapped beneath a fallen tree that held it captive.
The creature’s cries were weak and they knew the waiting ‘birds’ would soon swoop down for their helpless meal.
“It seems life is the same on every planet,” Lorne said.
“What do you mean?” Teyla asked.
“Survival of the fittest, or in this case, survival of the vultures,” McKay answered and bypassed the scene as he followed the trail.
SGASGASGASGASGA
John leaned heavily against the wall as they waited for the guards to open the door. Ronon had moved to the hidden spot where the camera couldn’t reach and John knew the guards would check on him soon. They’d done this three times and each time a single guard opened the door and ordered Ronon to move back before leaving them alone.
“He’s coming,” Dex offered and held his ground to the left of the door. For some reason the guard seemed to instinctively check to the right side first and if he stayed true to form, Ronon would have his chance.
John nodded and held his breath as the door was shoved open and the point of a gun was eased inside before the guard entered. The Marcosian spotted him and turned to the right and John smiled as Ronon grabbed the weapon and struck the man in the back with his elbow.
John watched in awe as his friend quickly dispatched the guard and grabbed his weapon before hitting the light above their heads. It wouldn’t be long before more guards were dispatched to check on them, but he planned to be far away from the cell by then. Ignoring the sharp stab of pain from his side, Sheppard allowed Dex to help him stand and leaned heavily on him as they moved toward the exit.
“Which way?” Sheppard asked.
“Left,” Dex answered and steered the injured man toward the shortest corridor. He ignored the rasping wheeze that signaled Sheppard was in pain and suddenly realized the same could be said of him. Between them they barely had a leg to stand on, but they would never give in to people like Prager.
John knew he was a burden to Ronon, but the Satedan was too damn stubborn to leave him behind. He knew they had to escape before Prager sent the others after them and soon heard the sound of cursing that signaled they were already being pursued.
“Come on, Sheppard, move it!”
“Leave me…”
“No! We go together or we go back!”
“Damn it!”
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“Shut up and move it!” Dex ordered and reached the end of the corridor. A musty scent permeated the area and Ronon spotted an opening on his right. It didn’t look very big, but he knew it was their only chance. He pushed Sheppard through first and finally managed to squeeze through as a shot kicked up dirt and stone chips behind him.
John concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other as Ronon helped him move away from the opening. It took him a few seconds to realize they’d stopped and he turned to see Ronon staring at something above the opening. “Ronon, what’s wrong?”
“Are you afraid of the dark?’
“No.”
“Good, I’m going to seal off that opening,” Dex said and aimed the unfamiliar weapon toward the rocky outcropping directly above the opening. It took several well placed shots, but they both breathed a sigh of relief once the rocks formed a barrier and the dust began to settle.
“That bought us some time, but how do we get out of here?” John frowned when he noticed the cavern wasn’t as dark as he expected it to be and reached out to touch his fingertips to the cool stone. “Some kind of natural luminescence.”
“It glows,” Dex said.
“Hopefully it’s natural and we don’t set off the Geiger counters,” Sheppard said and looked around. There were two tunnels leading away from Prager’s cells and he looked to Ronon for a decision on what branch they would take.
“Left?”
“Works for me,” Sheppard answered simply and leaned on his friend as they started toward the tunnel.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
Radek Zelenka examined the dialing mechanism, silently wishing Rodney McKay was there. There was no doubt the man was arrogant and that his ego was bigger than anyone Zelenka had ever met, but when it came right down to it, there wasn’t another man he’d rather have at his side.
“Did you find anything?” Woolsey asked.
“Nothing that would indicate a problem with the dialing sequence from this end, but that does not mean there isn’t anything,” Zelenka said and rattled off several sentences in his native language before realizing Woolsey was looking at him strangely. “Sorry, I forget not everyone understands when I lapse into my own language.”
“I have noticed that,” Woolsey said with a slight smile.
“I wish Rodney was here, but if you tell him I said that I will deny it!”
“Dr. McKay’s ego doesn’t need boosting,” Woolsey told him as the War Minister returned.
“Have you found anything?” Dri asked.
“There doesn’t seem to be a problem on your end, but Dr. Zelenka isn’t finished running his tests yet,” Woolsey answered.
“Is there a second gate?” the Marcosian asked.
“We believe there is, but we need to figure out whether it is operational or not,” Zelenka told him.
“Back to getting a busy signal,” Woolsey observed.
“We’re not even getting that right now,” Zelenka offered. “I wonder if the second gate has a different dialing sequence.”
“Wait a minute… What if there’s a third possibility?” Woolsey asked.
“A third Gate?” Zelenka shook his head at the thought.
“War Minister, are you sure Colonel Sheppard and Ronon Dex did not come through your gate?”
“I have not lied to you,” Dri answered coldly.
“Then Colonel Sheppard and Ronon must have gone through a third gate because Dr. McKay and Teyla certainly didn’t see them when they went through the first time,” Woolsey explained.
“The first time!” Dri spat. “I did not give permission for them to return! You will leave immediately!”
“War Minister, I apologize for not seeking permission, but it was important that we search for the missing men. If there is another gate---”
“I do not care if there is another gate! You will leave immediately!”
“War Minister, you do not want to make enemies of my people!” Woolsey warned.
“Do not threaten---”
“It was not a threat, it was a promise,” Woolsey said softly, with just a hint of anger in his voice. “My people came here at your request and two of them are missing. I refuse to leave until we find out what happened to them!”
“Then you will be placed under arrest!”
“Is that right?” Woolsey asked as Major Grant and his team moved to protect him and Zelenka. “I believe Major Grant will have something to say about that!”
“Major Grant is only one man!”
“His team is well trained and they will not hesitate to use force if need be,” Woolsey told Dri. “Now if you allow us to search for Colonel Sheppard and Ronon Dex, we will be more than willing to help you with whatever problem made you seek us out in the first place.”
“You will help me?” Dri asked hopefully.
“We will do what we can. Why don’t we let Dr. Zelenka continue his work and you explain to me what is happening on your world?”
“My world is in trouble, Mr. Woolsey, that is the reason we asked you to come here.”
“So you have nothing that belongs to us?”
“No, sadly, that was a ruse on my part and I apologize for doing that, but I am desperate for help in fighting my brother. He thinks he should be in charge of our world, but I am first born and it is my right.”
“I was told yours was a nomadic people. What changed?”
“We were, but the discovery of the gate made it necessary for us to build a city around it. We protect it and use it when the creatures from the northern continent travel south. They no longer come into the city and my people feel safe now,” Dri explained.
“When did you and your brother part ways?”
“Part ways?” the War Minister asked curiously.
“When did he decide he wanted to be in charge?”
“Several cycles ago when the discovery of the Stargate gave us the means to travel more freely,” Dri explained. “Prager was my right hand until he decided he no longer wanted to follow my rules. He and several others left the city and moved north where they set up a settlement in the caves and tunnel systems in the mountains.”
“Have you tried talking with him now that he has his own people?”
“I have sent several men to meet with him and offer to open talks, but they have not returned.”
“Perhaps they decided to join your brother?”
“No, they would not leave their families without someone to take care of them. Of the six men I sent, five are married and have children while the other takes care of his elderly Frione and Prione. Our people have always been committed to our family and that is why Prager’s betrayal is so hard. He has gone against everything we were taught as children and all the teachings that were passed down by our Pre-Frione and Pre-Prione.”
Woolsey figured the words Frione and Prione meant Mother and Father and quickly made the connection to the man’s ancestors. “What teachings?”
“The mountains to the north are treacherous. Many died there before Prager was able to conquer the creatures that inhabited the caves and tunnels.”
“Why not leave him to his caves and tunnels?”
“I would do that, but Prager would never agree to such a thing. He will not allow our city to grow while he stays in the mountains… We are a warrior race-”
“I understand that, but perhaps it is time to end the wars and find a peaceful solution to your problems.”
“That is not possible. You must understand that our world thrives on war. There are several classes of people and a war is fought at different levels. When one side is vanquished, the surviving members of the second force are declared the winners and an accounting of numbers will show who is the strongest.”
“Then once my people are found, we will leave you to your war-”
“You will not help us defeat Prager?”
“Not at the cost of lives,” Woolsey answered.
“Then you will leave our world now!”
“Not without my people!”
“If my brother has your people, they are already dead!”
“You don’t know Colonel Sheppard or Ronon Dex or you would know they would not be so easy to kill,” Woolsey told him and stood up to face the angry man standing before him.
“You will leave or my men will forcibly detain you in-“
“Major Grant, shoot War Minister Dri if anyone makes a move you don’t like!”
“Understood, sir.” Grant readied his weapon even as the other members of his team did the same.
“You can’t do that!”
“I can and I will,” Woolsey said as Grant and his team moved to protect him and Zelenka. “I assure you I have no intention of staying here longer than absolutely necessary. As soon as my people are found we will leave you and your brother to your war, but I hope your people are smart enough to realize they are the ones doing the fighting while you sit safely in your office and count your winnings by how many have died!”
“Mr. Woolsey, I believe the second gate can be accessed, but there is a malfunction in this dialing mechanism,” Zelenka offered.
“Can you figure out why Major Sheppard and Ronon were sent to another address and why Teyla and Dr. McKay wound up in a completely different location?”
“I can, but it will take some time. There is a second gate, but someone has reprogrammed this gate so that it can be diverted when a certain signal is sent.”
“Prager must have done something to it!” Dri said
“Perhaps your own people are not as loyal to you as you might think,” Woolsey offered.
“My people would never go against me.”
“I’m sure you thought the same thing about your brother,” Woolsey snapped. He walked away from the Marcosian and stood next to Zelenka, wishing he could help the man figure out what was happening with the gate.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Evan Lorne flew the Puddle Jumper low over the treetops until they reached the base of a mountain that extended high above the clouds. Large birdlike creatures took flight as if they sensed the craft’s presence, and Lorne managed to maneuver the Jumper out of their haphazard path.
“Rodney, is there anything showing up on the sensors?” Teyla asked from behind the two men.
“Plenty, but most of the signals are too big to be Sheppard and Ronon. I have a feeling we’ve found the creature’s feeding grounds,” McKay answered.
“Are you---”
“Wait a minute, what’s this?” McKay interrupted.
“Find something, McKay?” Lorne enquired.
“Maybe-“
“Colonel Sheppard and Ronon?” Teyla asked hopefully.
“Hard to say. There are a lot of signals and most of them seem to be concentrated in an area just east of here,” McKay answered.
“Are you sure you’re not reading more animals?” Lorne observed.
“No, I don’t think so. These signals are definitely not animals,” McKay said and pointed to several areas that seemed to show a high concentration of inhabitants. “It looks like there’s a village or city or something inside the mountain itself.”
“Is there any way to tell if Ronon or Colonel Sheppard are amongst those people?” Teyla asked.
“No,” McKay told her. “There are too many and the readings are all the same. You would think with the ATA gene, we’d be able to differentiate between Sheppard and the others, but not even the Ancients thought that one out.”
“Maybe we could ask them if they’ve seen the colonel or Ronon,” Teyla suggested.
“Not without more Intel on who these people are,” Lorne warned.
“Just how do you expect to get Intel without talking to them?” McKay asked exasperatedly.
“We contact Atlantis and see if Mr. Woolsey found out anything from War Minister Dri,” Lorne answered.
“That will take time and something tells me that’s something Sheppard and Ronon don’t have much of,” McKay observed.
“Then the faster we check in with Atlantis the faster we get back to the search,” Lorne told them and turned the craft toward the second gate.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Ronon continued to support Sheppard as they made their way along the narrow tunnel. The air was musty and humid, making him dizzy and lightheaded as the ground became uneven and treacherous. They’d hidden in a deep recess when the distinct sound of angered voices reached their ears, but had stayed just long enough to be sure they weren’t being followed.
“What happens if it’s a dead end?” Sheppard managed between clenched teeth.
“Then we go right,” Dex answered.
“Ronon, I need to… need to stop,” Sheppard said, groaning as he was lowered to the ground. He held his arm tight against his right side and closed his eyes as nausea churned through his gut. He felt Ronon slide down beside him and turned toward him, worried about Ronon’s pale skin that was bathed in the eerie light cast by the strange luminescent walls of stone.
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“You okay, Sheppard?”
“Think so… just need to catch my breath.”
“Same,” Dex told him.
“Head okay?”
“Is it still attached? Feels like I lost it back in that last tunnel,” Ronon answered.
“Pick it up later,” Sheppard offered.
“Sounds good, you read to move?”
“No, but staying here’s not an option,” Sheppard said.
“Want a hand up?”
“Might be a good idea once you’re on your feet,” Sheppard answered with a grin.
“That could be a problem,” Dex told him, but ignored the stabbing pain in his head as he tried to stand.
“Are you vertical yet?”
“Think so… which way is up?”
“Hell if I know,” Sheppard answered and soon felt a hand on his arm. He forced his eyes open and looked at Ronon with pain glazed eyes. “You could bring back help.”
“We already talked about that, Sheppard.”
“I talked - you didn’t listen.”
“Do I need to carry you?”
“Damn it, Ronon,” Sheppard cried out as the bigger man pulled him to his feet and wrapped his left arm around his shoulder.
“Quit grumbling and start moving!”
“Easier to grumble,” Sheppard groused.
“You sound like McKay,” Dex said, taking as much of Sheppard’s weight as he could while forcing one foot in front of the other.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Prager’s anger was evident as he strode along the corridor toward the end of the row of cells where prisoners were kept. The man who’d allowed Sheppard and Dex to escape had paid for that mistake with his life. Prager trained his people well and the fact that the Atlantians had escaped showed that his training was faulty. That was something he needed to rectify before others saw it as a weakness and tried to take what belonged to him.
He thought about his brother and wondered what kind of deal he’d made with the Atlantians. It really did not matter because sooner or later it would come down to a battle between him and Dri. He wanted John Sheppard back because he was Atlantian and possessed the gene of the Ancients. That made him something special and his scientists could discover the secrets of the technology hidden deep in the tunnels if given the opportunity to study him.
“Prager, they closed off the tunnel entrance!”
“Then find me another way, Sobon, or you’ll find yourself being studied in the lab!” Prager warned.
“I have men ready to blast their way through, but there is a danger of collapsing the tunnels,” Sobon offered.
“We can always dig a new tunnel, but I need John Sheppard. He is of the Ancients and my scientists need to examine him to find out how the technology hidden in the caverns works. My brother does not know how to run the city and I must find a way to take it from him before he destroys everything that is sacred to us. He had no right to bring in off-worlders, but his mistake will give me the edge I need.”
“Are you sure Sheppard is an Ancient?”
“Shrienna tested his blood several times and compared it to what we know of the Ancients and he has a strong connection with those who once inhabited our world.”
“If that’s true then people might think he is the rightful leader of our city,” Sobon suggested and found a hand tightening around his throat even as strong fingers dug into his flesh and cut off his air supply.
“Do not ever speak of that to me again, Sobon, or I will cut out your tongue and make you eat it!” Prager warned and released his grip on the other man’s throat. He heard the sound of an explosion and hurried to the end of the corridor as dust and debris began to settle, revealing a narrow opening.
“We have broken through, Prager,” Durelli explained.
“I want John Sheppard found!”
“Yes, sir,” Durelli answered and gave several commands to the men around him. There would be six teams of four going through the tunnel system, each one taking a branch and following it to the end. There was no other exit from the tunnels except the one in front of them, but something about the prisoners told him they’d find a way out or die trying.
Prager forced his body through the narrow opening and stood just inside the wide cavern. He knew these tunnels inside out and could find his way through them without the aid of the bioluminescence, but now he would use that to his advantage. Sheppard and Ronon Dex were here, probably somewhere deep in the tunnels, but he would find them and when he did, Dex would watch as the scientists experimented on his friend and then he too would die.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Rodney McKay was never a patient man and he paced in front of the Puddle Jumper as Lorne and Teyla contacted Atlantis for any new information they might have. He knew it was a waste of time, but it was SOP that they check in every four hours. He sighed exasperatedly when he heard Lorne speaking to whomever was in charge of communications on Atlantis.
“We’ll contact you again in four hours… Lorne out,” the major said and turned to find McKay watching him anxiously.
“Well, that was a complete waste of time and energy!”
“Rodney, Major Lorne is simply following Colonel Sheppard’s orders,” Teyla observed.
“Right now Sheppard’s life depends on how fast we find him and Ronon! Checking in with no new information is wasting time!” McKay groused.
“Dr. McKay, Colonel Sheppard’s orders are there for a reason. What if something happened and Atlantis wasn’t expecting us to check in? How long would they wait before sending out a team to search for us?” Lorne asked. He understood exactly how McKay felt, but he was military and also understood the need to follow procedure.
“Don’t tell me you’ve never disobeyed an order? I thought that was a prerequisite for duty in the Antarctic,” McKay snapped.
“Rodney, you need to calm down,” Teyla warned and stood in front of the angry man.
“I am calm… God help you if you ever see me angry!”
“I believe I have seen you angry, Rodney, and it did not help then and is not helping now. Mr. Woolsey sent word that Dr. Zelenka believes there is a malfunction in War Minister Dri’s gate that sent us to one location while Colonel Sheppard and Ronon were sent elsewhere,” Teyla explained.
“Does Radek know what caused the malfunction?” McKay asked as his anger deflated.
“He is not sure, but he believes it was tampered with. He is working to find out where Colonel Sheppard and Ronon were sent,” Teyla assured him.
“I can guarantee they are somewhere in that system of tunnels and caves beneath the mountain,” McKay offered.
“You’re probably right, Dr. McKay, so why don’t we head back there and see if we can pick up their signals,” Lorne suggested. He led them back to the Jumper and took the pilot seat again as the rear hatch closed. It wasn’t long before they were airborne again and headed back to the search area.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Ronon touched his fingers against his forehead and frowned as he rubbed his eyes. He forced them open and looked around, wondering why everything looked like it glowed. He felt something warm beside him and turned his head, wincing at the pain the movement caused.
“Sheppard,” Ronon said, wondering why his voice sounded like he’d been chewing on crushed glass.
“Ronon, where are we? Are you glowing?”
Sheppard’s voice sounded worse than his own and Ronon realized they both must have passed out at some point in time. His thoughts were jumbled, but he knew someone was chasing them and that Sheppard was hurt. He shifted until he could see the other man’s face more clearly and hoped Sheppard’s pallor was a result of the glowing walls and not something more deadly.
“Ronon, are you with me?”
“Think so, we need to move before Prager finds us,” Dex said.
“Help me up,” Sheppard ordered. He knew there’d be no point in repeating his earlier order because Ronon was just stubborn enough to throw him over his shoulder and carry him.
“Need to check your side,” Ronon said.
“It’ll keep… Prager won’t,” Sheppard warned.
“You’re bleeding again,” Dex observed.
“Crap,” Sheppard spat and allowed Ronon to check his wound.
“You need Keller!” Ronon said and swayed dangerously.
“I’m not the only one,” Sheppard said and placed his hand on Dex’s arm. “It’ll keep for now, Ronon.”
“Keller’s going to-“
“Kill us,” Sheppard chuckled, but it changed to a strangled cry as Dex pulled him to his feet.
“I can carry you.”
“I don’t think so… Which way?”
“Left?” Dex asked with a grin.
“It hasn’t steered us wrong so far,” Sheppard said and the injured duo moved along the path that had a decidedly upward slant to it.
SGASGASGASGASGA
War Minister Dri could feel Woolsey watching him, but he remained standing at the window overlooking his city. He knew he’d lost face with those who’d been present and seen how the off worlders had taken control and made him back down. Sooner or later word of his weakness would get back to Prager, and when that happened his brother would make his move. Somehow he had to regain control and get Woolsey to help him defeat Prager.
The idea of a second gate made sense and if he could gain control of it, he would have more power than he’d ever thought possible. He would control not only the people of this city, but those who live near the second gate. He turned away from the window and found Woolsey’s attention completely fixed on Zelenka as if they’d discovered something while he’d been busy thinking of a plan of action.
“Mr. Woolsey, did you find the second gate?”
“I’m not sure, but Dr. Zelenka is checking the settings to see if we can find its location,” Woolsey answered, keeping his explanation as vague as possible. Zelenka had found where the gate was, but they did not want to give Dri the information until they were sure he would not do anything to interfere with the search for the missing men.
“I must insist that you leave now,” Dri ordered.
“We will leave as soon as we find Colonel Sheppard and Ronon,” Woolsey countered.
“I do not believe you will find them anymore than you’ll find a second gate,” the War Minister told him and watched Woolsey’s eyebrows rise in disbelief. “You are no longer welcome here and I have more important things to do than watch over Dr. Zelenka.”
“Then go about your business!”
“This is my business! The gate belongs to my people and this is your last chance to use it and return to your world!”
“If we leave here now…”
“Mr. Woolsey, I believe we have everything we need,” Zelenka said. He held his laptop in his arms and nodded toward the dialing mechanism.
“Did you find the second gate?” Dri asked.
“No, I don’t think there is a second gate,” Zelenka lied as one of Grant’s men dialed the sequence for Atlantis. He met Woolsey’s eyes and hoped the other man would not question him further.
“I told you there was no other gate, now leave my world unless you are willing to help me defeat my brother. He is cruel and will kill many in order to get what he wants.”
“It sounds like you were both made from the same cloth,” Woolsey said as the gate activated and the swirling wormhole connected with Atlantis. “Major Grant, we are leaving.”
Grant and his men aimed their weapons at Dri and his guards and backed slowly toward the Gate. Once Woolsey and Zelenka were through, they followed and Dri was left staring at the silent circle of symbols.
“What do you want us to do?” the head guardsman asked.
“Gather my advisors and tell them to meet me in the war room. It is time to take my brother down and perhaps we will find a way to make the Atlantians sorry they refused to help us,” Dri ordered and returned to the window. Now that Woolsey and his team had returned to their world, he knew they would not come to his aid. It was up to him to take Prager down and show his people that he was the stronger brother and deserved their undying loyalty.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Richard Woolsey watched as Radek Zelenka worked with several others to download the information he’d brought with him from the Marcosian world. The Czech had muttered something in his own language before making his way toward the lab where he generally worked with Rodney McKay and had quickly initiated a search in order to correlate the information he had with anything in the Atlantis database.
There was a second gate they knew that for certain now because Major Lorne had checked in so it wasn’t just some kind of malfunction. The problem was there had to be a malfunction somewhere because Ronon and Sheppard were still missing. Zelenka had several people working with him and Woolsey knew he would just be in the way if he stood looking over the man’s shoulders.
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With a heavy sigh he turned away from the team of scientists and headed for the control room to take care of anything that might have come up while he’d been on Marcosia. He made it to his office and was not surprised to find several items that needed his attention.
He leaned back in his chair and thought about how much his life had changed since accepting the position offered to him by the IOA. How many times had he been forced to make decisions that could have cost the life of one or more of this expedition? How many letters had he been forced to write informing family members of a ‘training accident’ that had taken the life of their loved ones?
He thought about the people he’d met since coming to Atlantis and how many of those could now be considered allies while others like War Minister Dri were definitely hostiles who coveted war and measured their victory by how many lives they’d taken.
He looked out over the control room and suddenly realized that these people, virtual strangers when he’d first arrived, were now his extended family. A family formed because of distance, but shaped because of the need to be a part of their world. Even Teyla and Ronon and so many others had proven themselves worthy of his respect.
A soft knock brought him out of his reverie and he looked up to see one of the communications experts standing in the open doorway. “Yes, Chet.”
“We just received word from Major Lorne.”
“Did they find Sheppard and Ronon?”
“Not yet, but they have discovered a settlement of some sort in the mountains to the north of the city. They’re searching for Colonel Sheppard and Ronon, but so far they can’t differentiate their signals from those of the Marcosians. Dr. McKay says there are several larger signals that indicate the Marcosians aren’t the only ones in the area,” Chet explained.
“When is their next scheduled check in?”
“Two hours and forty-eight minutes,” Chet answered.
“Very well. Keep me informed of any new developments,” Woolsey told him.
“Yes, sir,” Chet said and hurried away.
Woolsey leaned back in his chair and wished there was something he could do, but for now he had to sit back and wait for word from Zelenka or McKay. Either way it was shaping up to be a long wait.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Teyla knew what she was about to suggest would not go over very well, but so far an aerial search had turned up nothing that could give them Sheppard or Ronon’s location. The cloaked Jumper was undetectable, but it could only go so far, leaving them to guess as to what lay beneath the ground. There was a system of tunnels and caverns leading deep into the mountains and only a few were uninhabited.
“This is getting us nowhere!” McKay snapped impatiently. “We need to get inside there and search for Sheppard and Ronon!”
“What good would that do, Dr. McKay?” Lorne asked.
“We’d be able to search the caverns-”
“Yes, but how long do you think it would take the Marcosians to discover our presence?” Lorne asked.
“We can use the life signs detectors and stay away from them,” McKay answered. “At least we’d be doing something more than just flying around in circles.”
“Major, I believe Rodney is right,” Teyla offered. “We are wasting time out here…time the colonel and Ronon don’t have.”
“Maybe we got this all wrong and Colonel Sheppard and Ronon are enjoying the Marcosian hospitality,” Lorne added.
“I can’t believe you said that,” McKay griped. “Even Sheppard would have found some way to contact us if he was not a prisoner!”
“Look, McKay, going in there without backup is a rookie mistake,” Lorne spat.
“No, it’s not!” McKay snapped. “If we go in there with back up then the Marcosians will easily detect us, but if we… meaning the three of us go in there we just might find Sheppard and Ronon and escape before the Marcosians realize we’re here.”
“Rodney has a point, Major,” Teyla said. “Sometimes less is more… I believe I have heard Colonel Sheppard say that on several occasions.”
“We should get clearance from Atlantis,” Lorne suggested.
“Again that’ll take time,” McKay said and snapped his fingers. “You could drop Teyla and me off and go back to the gate-”
“That’s not going to happen,” Lorne vowed.
“Then we have to go together…now!” McKay said.
“You’re not giving the orders here, Doctor,” the major snapped.
“Stop!” Teyla ordered. “This is not helping. We need to decide on the best course of action and work together or we’re of no use to Colonel Sheppard and Ronon.”
Rodney McKay took a deep breath and knew Teyla was right. He apologized to Lorne, but he knew he was right about changing the search pattern for Sheppard and Dex.
“Let’s say we do it your way… what do we do if we’re wrong?” Lorne asked.
“We go back to searching from the air,” McKay answered.
“We’ll need to check in with Atlantis in less than two hours,” Lorne said.
“We can cover a lot of ground in two hours,” Teyla replied.
“All right, but whether we find them or not, we keep our scheduled check in with Atlantis,” Lorne vowed and aimed the Puddle Jumper toward a clearing devoid of any signs of human or animal life.
SGASGASGASGASGA
John Sheppard silently cursed the stubborn man he leaned on because every move he made sent daggers through his side. Several times he’d slid to the floor and felt the darkness reaching out to claim him only to feel Ronon’s strong arms pulling him upright again.
The fact that Ronon was hurt made it hard to keep moving, but every time he tried to call a halt to it, the bigger man reminded him that they were not splitting up. It didn’t seem to matter that John had used up the last of his strength hours ago, because Ronon wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Sheppard concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, his feet making shuffling sounds as they stayed in contact with the uneven ground. He’d lost count of how many times they’d turned left and hoped they would not end up back where they started. The walls still glowed, but it seemed the color was decidedly crimson as if the walls were streamed in veins of blood.
John stumbled and would have fallen, but for the strong arms supporting him. He heard Ronon’s breathing as if from a distance, but there seemed to be a new sound that intruded on their solitude.
“Something wrong, Sheppard?”
“Not sure, do you hear that?”
“All I hear are bells,” Dex answered tiredly.
“We need to find a place to hide,” Sheppard warned and looked around frantically.
“Trouble?”
“No thanks… already got as much as I can handle,” Sheppard said with a slight smile.
“There’s an opening up ahead… could be a place to hide out,” Ronon told him.
“How far?”
“Don’t know… hard to tell. Come on, Sheppard… one foot in front of the other-”
“And soon we’ll be walking cross the floor-”
“What?”
“Sorry… some song I heard. Just trying to think on something else.”
“I think McKay would say not to give up your day job,” Dex quipped.
“Very funny… God,” Sheppard gasped and fought to stay conscious as the sound of raised voices reached their ears.
“Come on, Sheppard, keep moving!”
“Easy for you to say,” Sheppard said, but did as Ronon ordered. He found it hard to concentrate, but he knew they would both die if he gave up. Taking shallow breaths, he allowed Ronon to half drag him through a narrow opening before finally giving in to the darkness swirling around him.
Ronon grunted as Sheppard suddenly became a dead weight leaning against him. He managed to stay on his feet and dragged the unconscious man inside until his back came up against a stone wall. He hoped whoever was following them didn’t realize this place was here, and slid down beside his friend. Ronon closed his eyes and wished whoever was hitting his head with a hammer would leave him the hell alone.
Ronon felt Sheppard shudder beside him and reached out to settle the colonel against him. It wasn’t long before he too lost the ability to stay awake and darkness claimed a second victim.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Prager knew John Sheppard could mean the difference between victory and defeat, and that if Dri truly understood what the man represented, he would have been searching for him a lot harder. The stories about the Atlantians were widespread, yet most of the people did not believe they were true.
Prager wasn’t like most people of his world and had always gone after what he wanted. He’d known he was destined for greatness, had known it from the first day when his brother had been declared ruler of Marcosia, because Dri was weak. The sooner he defeated his brother, the sooner he could make Marcosia the world it was meant to be. Once that happened he could take what he wanted from other worlds, especially once he had John Sheppard under his control.
“Prager, we believe the Atlantians are headed toward the storage chamber,” Sobon explained when he noticed the tunnel they’d been following.
“Good, it will be easy to capture them once they enter the chamber,” Prager told him.
“Do you want them stopped?”
“Yes, but do not kill them. The Atlantian has much to teach us.”
“Are you sure he will be able to make the technology work?”
“If my scientists were telling the truth then he has the ancient gene the technology requires.”
“What if he refuses to make it work?”
“That’s why I want the other one alive as well,” Prager said and began moving along the tunnel when he heard movement ahead. “If John Sheppard refuses to help then his friend will suffer.”
Sobon knew exactly what the man meant and felt a little sorry for the Atlantian and his friend, but that was something he would never admit to. To do so would mean he’d made an enemy of this man and that was the same as signing his own death warrant. He’d grown up with Prager and Dri and had often wondered why Dri had been given the leadership when it was obvious Prager was smarter and stronger than his brother.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Rodney McKay knew he’d changed since his days before Atlantis and vowed never to return to his old ways, but there were times when his ego seemed too big even for himself. John Sheppard had been a big part of what made him change, and for that he was grateful and he had coveted the man’s friendship. He needed the colonel to remind him that false bravado did not always mean hiding behind others.
“There seems to be an opening ahead.”
Teyla’s voice cut through his reverie and he hurried to join her and Lorne at a narrow opening in the cliff face. It didn’t seem big enough for any of them to fit through, not even Teyla, but at least it was something. “We can’t get through that!”
“We don’t know until we try, Rodney,” Teyla said and removed her pack. She pressed through the narrow opening and was glad she’d thought to remove the flashlight first. She turned it on, the bright beam illuminating the interior of the cave and ducked as several dozen bats flew over her head.
“Teyla, are you okay?” Lorne asked.
“I am fine, Major,” Teyla replied and panned the light around the area.
“What do you see?” McKay asked.
“It is a cave, but there are a couple of tunnels leading deeper into the mountains. Can you fit through?”
“I’m trying,” McKay snapped and nearly fell as he finally slipped through the opening. “Damn it! Next time we find a bigger opening.”
“Quit griping, McKay, you’re the one who suggested searching for the Colonel and Ronon. Let’s get moving,” Lorne said once he joined them.
“That’s easy for you to say, Major, you’re not the one who suffers from claustrophobia. I really do hate these places and never wanted to be a spelunker.”
“A what?” Teyla asked.
“A spelunker is someone who explores caves,” Lorne answered.
“Exactly and I’m not one of them,” McKay told her.
“Rodney, if it bothers you so much, why did you suggest it?” Teyla asked.
“I thought that was obvious,” McKay said and saw the frown on her face. “Sheppard would do the same for me.”
“Yes, he would and so would I,” Teyla vowed.
“Thank you, Teyla,” McKay said.
“There are two tunnels here… Any idea which one we should take?” Lorne asked.
“The biggest one,” McKay answered seriously, shuddering at the thought of squeezing through more narrow openings and getting stuck somewhere deep in the mountain, never to see the light of day again. A small smile formed at the thought that he had indeed changed because at some point in time he’d grown a backbone and turned away from the egotistical scientist he’d once been. ‘If my colleagues could see me now,’ he thought as he followed Lorne into the tunnel on the left.
McKay thought about Brendan Gaul and remembered his words before he died. Gaul had told him he’d changed, but at the time Rodney hadn’t believed him. Now those words finally made sense and he lifted his head as he ignored the chill he felt at making his way deeper into the tunnels. Sheppard’s and Ronon’s lives depended on all of them doing what needed to be done and he was not going to let them down.
SGASGASGASGASGA
Ronon moved slightly and knew they were no longer alone as movement sounded just outside the area they’d found refuge in. He felt Sheppard move, and prayed the man would not make a sound that could betray them. He knew it had to be Prager’s people, but so far they hadn’t discovered this small recess in the cave walls.
“Ronon-“
“Quiet, Sheppard,” Dex ordered softly and felt the other man shift slightly.
“Where are we?”
“In a cave… Prager’s out there.”
“Damn,” Sheppard managed and grew quiet when he heard voices nearby. The pain in his side was a reminder of how much danger they were in and he knew if Prager or his people caught them, they’d be in deep trouble. Hell, they already were, but at least they were alive and that gave them a chance.
Ronon had no idea how long they remained quiet, but he could hear Sheppard’s harsh breathing and wondered how it went unheard by those who came so close to their hideaway. He knew they couldn’t stay here forever, but he wasn’t sure he could move, let alone Sheppard. His head was ready to explode and his chest felt tight, reminding him of the blow he’d received from one of Prager’s guards.
“We need to find a way out.” Sheppard’s voice was weak, yet there was a strength hidden within the words.
“Think you can move?”
“No, but I’ll move anyway,” Sheppard managed with a slight chuckle that quickly changed to a grimace as pain lanced through his side. He climbed unsteadily to his feet and felt Ronon do the same until they stood side by side in the darkness.
“Hold on, let me check the tunnel,” Ronon ordered.
“Be careful,” Sheppard told him and leaned back against the cold stone wall. He closed his eyes and rode out the nauseating agony in his side, but gasped when a hand touched on his shoulder.
“They’re gone.”
“Good, you ready for this?”
“Not by a long shot,” Dex answered and eased out of their hiding place. He waited until Sheppard joined him and steered him toward the left corridor. They stumbled along, finding ways to lean on each other without giving in to their bodies’ need for rest. John was shocked that he’d been able to stay on his feet as long as he had, but sooner or later he knew he would run out of luck.
“Ronon?”
“Yeah?”
“Are we done yet?”
“Don’t think so,” Dex told him.
“Then why’d we stop?”
“Didn’t know we had,” Ronon said and suddenly realized he was no longer on his feet. “Damn.”
“My sentiments exactly,” Sheppard said and did his best to help the other man up. “We’re not going to get very far at this rate… I’d carry you, but-”
“Don’t make an offer you can’t keep, Sheppard,” Ronon sniped and grew quiet when he heard a sound nearby. “Someone’s coming.”
Sheppard knew he was right, but there didn’t seem to be anywhere to hide this time. They were out in the open and Prager’s men were closing in on them. John knew he could not fight, but he’d be damned if he was going down without one. He could see Ronon’s shadowy shape and knew the Satedan felt exactly as he did. If they were going to die, they’d damn well die on their feet.
