Fic: Dreams Beneath Our Feet (G) Team
Written for the Team Teyla AU Fest at
team_sga. Fic for April 30th
Title: Dreams Beneath Our Feet
Rating: G (just a couple of swears)
Word Count: 9,500
Pairing: This is Team, but has a bit of a McShep bent
Prompt: friendshipper's Pirates. Yarrrr! She wrote a series of five ways they weren't pirates awhile back -- space pirates, buccaneers on the high seas, sky pirates, etc. If anyone wants to run with one of these ideas. I took the first one "Ronon Dex, Space Pirate." You don't have to read it first, but I would recommend it for background. (and what lovely inspiration it was, too)
Warnings: None really. Gen, pre-slash.
Notes: Smashing beta by
quasar273 - really above and beyond the call. Due to time constraints I did a lot after her beta, so if you find mistakes, they're all mine. The title comes from W. B. Yeats' He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven. Also many thanks to
friendshipper for a wonderful fic to work from.
Summary: "Yes, and how many of those friends would sell their own grandmother for what the Genii will be offering for our capture? Hmm? You know as well as I, soon enough every bounty hunter in three galaxies will be looking for us." His face grew hot and sweat prickled the back of his neck. He held up his hand. "And don't forget about these. We're marked. It would only be a matter of time. And then what-do you think their little fun and games will be enough to keep them occupied?" His voice grew louder. "I did not escape Hell to be thrown back into it.
Dreams Beneath Our Feet
The fully-oxygenated air outside the pod filled the woman's lungs, pulling her from the threshold - that place between worlds - the conscious and the unconscious. Her keen perception and proclivity for self-preservation told her something was wrong. The body she grasped was not the same one she'd clung to for weeks. The strength in the arms that carried her - carried her - fully awakened her.
She turned and blinked at the man who held her. Where was he taking her? Where was she? Who had found them? Was this a dream? Where was-- She immediately tried to right the situation. She fought. They entered the doorway of the Med Bay with her kicking and screaming and the more she fought, the tighter the man held on.
Through her questions, he tried to calm her. His deep voice was soft and tender, as if soothing a child, but firm. Finally, he placed her onto a small bed. He was tall and turned to speak to another man who'd followed them.
"You sure you can handle this one, Doc?"
She turned to the other man, a man with a nice face, a disarming smile and very kind eyes. She decided she would rather speak to him. "Where am I?"
"You've been rescued. You're on a ship, The Sateda."
"Fortunately," the tall man interjected, "we were scanning the area and picked up the beacon from the escape pod."
"Then you are not Genii?" she asked, her body drawn tight, ready to fight or flee.
"No, no. We're uh, well, we're--"
"Salvage," the tall man spoke up. "This is a salvage vessel." When she turned to him, a smile lit his face from his lips to his eyes, making them sparkle and giving him a rather more whimsical look than a threatening one. Oddly, smiling back took no effort.
"Captain Ronon Dex," he announced, extending his hand. She did not take it. "Is that who you escaped from," the Captain asked. "The Genii?"
She nodded, but offered nothing more. She listened as the shorter man explained that he was a physician, Doctor Carson Beckett, and there were some tests he wanted to run. She tried to assure him that she was perfectly fine. In her mind, there was still one very important thing she needed to know. "Where is Do--where is the man I was with?" she asked.
She listened again as Beckett began to speak, then turned abruptly at the clattering of a gurney that wheeled past them and disappeared into another room. She was almost out of the bed to follow, but Beckett stopped her. "He's been a wee bit slower to come 'round, that's all. We'll have him right as rain in no time." He patted her hand. "We just need to assess his injuries--get him some proper treatment."
She nodded vaguely, still staring in the direction of the other room.
"But first, love, will you tell me your name and how your companion received his injuries?"
~~~~
The dim lights cast a phosphorescent glow against the steel-gray walls of the recovery area. The room smelled of stale air and antiseptic, sweat and a whiff of ozone. The Captain and his pilot, John Sheppard, stood looking down at the unknown man they'd hauled from the makeshift stasis pod. The woman had checked out fine. According to Beckett, whoever put them in the pod and launched it had likely saved the man's life.
Sheppard believed it. Lying there, he looked as fragile as Beckett made him sound, like one more touch would break him. His face a shadowed vestige of what surely was once a handsome, vibrant man.
"Who's got the helm?" the Captain asked standing over the stranger.
"Lorne. We're running at sub-light until you say otherwise."
Dex turned to Sheppard, a living, breathing enigma, who was fast becoming the Captain's second and confidant. His thoughts and opinions were hardly ever off the mark and were highly valued. It didn't matter that Dex knew no more about him than when he'd first rescued Sheppard from the edge of the galaxy more than a year ago. He'd actually had the balls to nurse a dying dart to a landing on Utarcias Major and ask for help. Certain to keep trouble at bay, the Captain still used that story in almost every port, every chance he got.
Sheppard had never explained how he'd come by the damn thing or much else about his past for that matter. Even so, if it was capable of flight, he knew about it. He also had intimate knowledge of most of the bad guys in the Pegasus galaxy, and that kind of information was always helpful.
"What do you think?" the Captain asked. "Simpson and Zelenka say escaped prisoners."
Sheppard stroked his stubbly chin. "Not run-of-the-mill prisoners." Dex cocked an eyebrow and the pilot continued, meting out his words in a way that made the Captain want to reach down his throat and pull them out all at once. "Their clothes--they're not standard prisoner issue. Genii make, yes. Not the pod. You can have another look--but I'm pretty sure that's Tyranian salvage. The only places you find that junk used anymore are outposts and prison colonies, and the only Genii post like in this sector is Tartarus 5."
Dex agreed with the assessment. Tartarus 5 was a tough place - one of the worst penal colonies in the galaxy and yes, not a place you were likely to find such a pair.
"This man is special," the pilot said. He hadn't taken his eyes of the man. "He knows something--information someone wanted--and wanted bad enough to keep them separated from the general population. Bad enough to keep him alive when it was obvious he wasn't talking."
The Captain nodded. "They didn't escape on their own, the man's too weak. They had help."
Sheppard finally looked up. "Rough place like T5, what do you suppose they promised in return for that kind of help?"
Before the Captain could answer, the opening of the door whispered across the room. The woman's bare feet made no sound as she approached the bed. Her clipped red hair stood out, bright against the dull gray jumpsuit that hung in puddles at her wrists and ankles.
Silent as an apparition, she was oblivious to anything but the man lying there. She took the lifeless hand in hers, the same hand that was shy a pinky finger. The flesh-colored sealant was grotesque and didn't match the man's pale tone. The woman cradled it as she would an injured bird. She gently lifted it to her cheek and pressed her lips to the palm.
The Captain watched a single tear glaze a curve where the hand had been. Emotion that explained the way she'd clung to the man in the pod with a strength and tenacity that, even when unconscious, belied her bird-like frame. "I see Doc Beckett got you all fixed up," he said softly.
She laid the hand back against the pale green blanket, but continued to hold it as she looked up. "I am Teyla Emmagen, Captain Dex." She turned to Sheppard.
"This is my pilot, John Sheppard. "Can you tell us what happened?"
~~~~
John stood in the dim room, just him and the man who remained unconscious. All the scans were normal; all they could do was wait for him to wake up.
He wasn't surprised that Teyla had refused to name the man, nor that she hadn't told them anything more than they could surmise on their own. Despite her fierce protection, John didn't agree with the rest that the pair were husband and wife. He'd seen those tattoos on their fingers before and knew what they were, if not exactly what these, in particular, meant.
He gazed over the receding hairline, the sallow skin, the dark circles and prominent cheekbones. John stepped back as the man's eyes fluttered then opened. He squinted even in the soft light and cowered from Sheppard.
"It's all right." Sheppard tried his most soothing voice. "You've been rescued. You're on a ship--we're gonna take care of you, and Teyla."
The man's eyes grew wide at that. John winced as the man struggled to speak, his voice as dry and cracked as a weathered leather satchel. "Where's--Teyla? Is she--is she--"
Sheppard took a step closer to the bed, reaching for the water there on the table. "She's fine. The Captain's taken her to her quarters--"
"No, no, no--I need-need to see her. What have you done with her?" The man's agitation increased and John glanced at the monitors as he tried to calm him. Tearing the leads from his body, the man attempted to get up. Sheppard rounded the bed and just managed to catch him before he collapsed. The man was a fighter even in his weakened state. John radioed for Beckett and wrestled the stranger back into bed.
He stood back while Beckett and an orderly reattached the leads and IV's. The man lay still. He'd been sedated and would probably be out for a while. John thought of the fear in those blue eyes. Who had done this? Why had they done it? What were these people hiding? He tapped his communicator. "Zelenka, did you sweep that pod for tracking devices? It is, Jesus! All right, I'll meet you in the cargo bay in five and switch off that goddamn beacon, now!"
~~~~
Sheppard checked with Bates several times during the day to make sure they didn't have unexpected company. He knew whoever had been holding these people weren't just going to give them up. It hadn't helped that during all the activity no one had thought to shut off the rescue beacon, himself included. Silently berating himself, he again sat by the man's bed. He'd stopped by the Med Bay several times to see if the man was awake and was half out of his chair to leave when the man stirred.
"Hey. You wanna try this again?" he asked when the stranger turned in his direction. The man remained calm this time but did not speak. John got out of his chair and edged closer. "You're safe now, Teyla's safe. I'll send for her--everything's going to be all right."
The man watched him. His eyes seemed less fearful, but not by much. He knew the man didn't trust any of them. Why should he? From what Beckett had told them, the abuse had been going on for months. That was plenty long enough for the damage to go beyond the physical. John knew all about that. He understood. "Listen," John said quietly, "if there's anything you need, tell the Doc, or let me know." He smiled. "I gotta get back to the Bridge now, but I'll make sure Teyla gets the word you're awake, okay?"
The man nodded.
"Oh, and I'll be back to check on you later," he said, then turned and left the room.
~~~~
Sheppard made good on his word. He did come back. In fact, over the following few days, he spent many of his off hours in the infirmary, hoping to gain enough of the man's trust to at least learn his name or why he and his companion had been held. Mostly, he talked and the man listened, or at least John thought he listened. He talked of flying, salvage missions and the day-to-day mundane boredom brought on by long stretches of time in space, though sometimes the enthusiasm in his voice belied anything resembling boredom.
With each visit, the man seemed to open up a little more. He still wouldn't give his name or really even talk, but he would meet Sheppard's gaze, nod, grunt or hum to acknowledge something John had said. But he always fell silent when John turned the topic of conversation to the man's wounds. Over the next few days, John used words of encouragement, of knowledge and of understanding when he spoke of what the man had endured. Even though he wouldn't talk, the stranger paid rapt attention. On one of his last evenings in the Med Bay, the man returned a soft "thank you" to Sheppard as he headed for the door.
~~~~
The passage of several days had settled a warm sense of security over the crew. Even Teyla began to relax. The band of misfits seemed to be taking good care of them and the Captain was being remarkably patient with her lack of explanation. Still, it was in her nature to wonder when their luck would run out.
She stood inside the wide expanse of what the crew called the Stellarium, separated from space only by a gossamer force shield. A remarkable design, the shield was so thin the vastness seemed only a breath away. She sat down at one of the consoles and searched for familiar constellations and other markers that would tell her where they were in the galaxy. She turned at the sound of heavy footfall on the stairway.
"Captain?"
Dex nodded as he strode past her to pluck a beer from the cooler he kept in the corner. Swiped from the Med Bay long ago, if Beckett had ever missed it, he'd never said anything. She declined the proffered bottle and watched as he secured the lid, broke the wax seal on the bottle and thumbed out the cork. "Can't say I'm surprised to see you up here," he said. He made his way to the odd hexagonal platform in the center of the room. Covered in a thick, cushiony carpet, it was the ideal gazing spot. The pale blue light from the force shield washed over him, softening his features as he reclined back onto the platform. The hue of his skin seemed to darken in the glowing light, such a contrast against the crisp white of his tunic.
"Oh, why is that?" she asked.
"Women appreciate beautiful things." He took a drink. "That's about as beautiful as it gets," he said, pointing with his bottle to the vast expanse laid out before them.
Teyla fingered the shorn, uneven layers of her hair. It still felt foreign to her. She smiled and walked to the platform. "Yes," she said, sitting down, drawing her knees to her chest. "It is." She laced her fingers around her knees. In the silence, she could feel his eyes on her. Her unease didn't make sense, this man didn't seem to want anything from her. On the contrary, after the initial disruption of their lives, he and his crew had accepted both of them - no questions asked. Though she was sure the Captain would prefer to know the truth, he had welcomed them into their little family.
More just to break the silence, she asked, "How long have you been in--in the salvage business?"
He stared out into the blackness. "So long I hardly remember anything else."
"This is a most unusual ship for salvage."
"Really? I always thought it was perfect. The cargo bays had been modified when I got her, but she's certainly big enough. Does have some strange features for a ship. Like this," he said, waving his hand.
"Oh, this would be my favorite place."
"Yeah," he replied. "I come up here a lot." He took another drink and they both stared out past the shield.
"So, you bought this ship?"
Ronon turned to her. "In a manner of speaking. I lost enough money that night to have bought two ships." He patted the carpeted platform. "Nah, I won her in a game of chance on Engovan."
"Won it?"
He nodded. "Took a bit of blood to collect--but a bet's a bet.
"The name of your ship, the Sateda--was that your homeworld?"
"Yes." Ronon took another long drink of his beer, then asked quietly, "You know of Sateda?"
Teyla turned to him and nodded. "I know much of Pegasus. I was a teacher on my own homeworld-Athos."
"A teacher?"
"Yes, and historian. The stars, the history of Athos and of the Pegasus galaxy."
He sat up and drained the bottle. "I remember being taught the star stories. Unfortunately, I didn't listen as well as I should have." He got up for another beer. "Never thought I'd need to know those things. Sure you wouldn't like one?" he asked holding out a bottle. She shook her head. "I only remember bits and pieces now."
"I thought those stories fascinated all children," she replied. "Surely you had a favorite." He turned and smiled. Standing there backlit by the shield, he looked like one of the heroes of the stars, larger than life - the way she used to think of her father and brothers.
"There is one. The story of Tannal and her son, but I've forgotten the name of the stars they--"
"That would be the Boralih Major and Minor. Do you recall the fable?"
"I remember the Satedan god Hatroth was said to have fallen in love with a Satedan woman, Tannal. She was very beautiful and Hatroth wanted her all to himself. When Hatroth's mate, the goddess Ceron found out, she followed Tannal and turned her into a photha--that's a Satedan animal, widely hunted for their--"
"Yes," Teyla interrupted, "I am familiar with phothas."
"I'm a little fuzzy on the rest," he said, sitting back down. "Tannal had a son and the stars are supposed to be the two of them."
"Hatroth," Teyla continued, "was broken-hearted but could do nothing to undo the spell of Ceron, so he kept a close eye on the photha to make sure she was safe. One day, Tannal's son, Kelroth, was hunting and spotted a most unusual photha. As Kelroth let his arrow fly, Hatroth intercepted it and before the boy could pull another from his quiver, turned him into a photha as well."
The Captain smiled. "I remember now. To keep them both safe, Hatroth grabbed them by their tails, swung them around and around over his head and threw them into the sky."
"His love for Tannal was so great he wanted it to shine in the sky for all time and in a place where Ceron could no longer harm her." Teyla turned to the Captain. "Can you find them?"
He shook his head. "I haven't tried in so long, I wouldn't even-"
Teyla stood and offered her hand. "Come, I will show you." His hand dwarfed hers as he took it. It had been a long time since Teyla had looked for the stars for fun. She was suddenly overcome with gratitude at being free, at being safe. They spent the rest of the evening lost in myths, stars and stories of fallen countrymen.
~~~~
Captain Dex stood on the Bridge surrounded by Sheppard, Zelenka, Ford and Bates. Sheppard had just taken over the helm. Zelenka was running diagnostics and Bates was in the comm chair. The Captain's attention was on Ford, who was passing out coffee. He mumbled his thanks, taking the cup a bit more forcefully than he'd intended.
"Late night stargazing, Cap'n?" Sheppard drawled, his grin holding steady.
Ronon grunted.
Bates and Zelenka exchanged glances and then a noise drew all eyes to the door. Beckett was escorting the still-nameless man onto the Bridge. He was dressed now in bright red scrubs. Explaining that he'd been released, Beckett said he had insisted on a little tour before going to his quarters. The Captain kept a sharp eye on the man as he left Beckett's side to wander around, peeking over shoulders, humming to himself and touching things. He might have never seen technology before the way he stared wide-eyed at the screens, displays and other instruments. A loud incessant beeping broke the trance.
"Captain, we've got a ship out of hyperspace," Bates stated. "She's just crossed the sensor threshold. Present course, straight for us."
Dex and Sheppard exchanged looks, Ronon knew what he was thinking - had they shut down the beacon in time? Even if the Genii did have ships capable of bringing them this far into deep space, would they be crazy enough to go up against a ship of the Sateda's class?
"Captain," Zelenka interrupted. "It is a Wraith vessel."
"Wraith?" What would Wraith be doing out here? He turned to his comm officer. "Bates, stay on it. I want anything you got and I want regular updates on their lo--"
The man in the red scrubs spoke up. "Why don't you just use the long range bio-scanners?" Everyone turned to the stranger. "They'll tell you right away if the life forms on the ship are Wraith," he stated as if it everyone was expected to know this.
The Captain cut his eyes at Zelenka who shrugged. "Oh for--here," the man said, pushing past Zelenka. A few taps on a keyboard produced a screen from one of the consoles. It seemed to float in mid-air. They all watched data scroll along the left side of the screen and a scanning sequence appeared in the center. The man pointed to the data now beginning to scroll on the bottom right. Genetic sequences, he explained, though it may as well have been Wraith or Asuran for all the Captain could tell. He looked to his science officer.
Zelenka nodded. "They're human," he said.
"Uh, quite possibly someone has made a pact with the Wraith or the ship is spoils of war perhaps," the stranger offered, trying to sound glib, but the Captain noted something in his eyes and the sweat trickling over his temple.
"Bates, Zelenka--we got time to jump?" Dex asked, taking the Captain's chair.
Before his science officer could answer, the man interrupted again - still looking at the screen. "If you do it in the next 45.8, uh 4 seconds."
The Captain nodded to Sheppard. "The outer rim."
When they'd come out of hyperspace, Dex watched as the man ran his hand along the sleek console. He glanced over to his pilot, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange then narrowed his eyes at the stranger. "Who are you?"
The man waved them off. "Who I am is unimportant, let's just say…" But he didn't say anything more before he collapsed.
~~~~
The lights in Med Bay were much brighter when he came around and his head felt like a balloon in a bottle. He glanced around first, then blinked stupidly at Teyla who sat on the edge of the bed. "What happened?"
"Doctor Beckett says you fainted, but you should be fine," she answered.
He groaned. "He's not going to keep me here is he, Teyla? I don't like it in here."
"He just wants to make sure you are all right." She took his hand. He has sent for some food."
"Thank God for that."
"What are we going to do?" Teyla asked. "Doctor Beckett told me what happened on the Bridge. They know. They know where we are."
He lifted Teyla's delicate hand to his lips. "They know where we were. We've made a hyperspace jump, they can't-"
"But they will never stop looking."
The man tried to allay the fear he saw in those beautiful brown eyes. Truth was he didn't want to answer that question, because there was only one answer and it meant that they would run for the rest of their lives. He braved a smile and shrugged. "I've always wanted to go into the salvage business, haven't you?"
She arched an eyebrow. "You know very well what these people are. You have seen the type and I have dealt with their kind many times."
"I don't know, they seem nice enough. The Captain, Beckett's not bad for a doctor and the pilot, that Sheppard is it?"
She eyed him. "Am I to believe you do not recall his name?" She laced their fingers together and sighed. "Will you never learn?"
"What? He seems--they seem trustworthy. I can't explain it, I just--"
"I know very well what you mean and I would think after--"
He pressed a finger to her lips. "I know your feelings on the subject. You do not have mother hen rights." His lips slanted into an unyielding frown. "We agree to disagree, remember?"
"Yes, I remember, but surely you cannot be serious about staying here."
The man sat up and let go of her hand. "Where can we go now, Teyla? There's only one place for us--you know it and I know it. These people are the ones that can finally get us there. I feel it." He spread his arms wide. "This is a Trident M-Class. They have no idea of this ship's capabilities."
Her tone was cautious. "Do you not think that would be dangerous now? That is what they expect us to do. We can go to any number of worlds. I have many friends in the galaxy."
"Yes, and how many of those friends would sell their own grandmother for what the Genii will be offering for our capture? Hmm? You know as well as I, soon enough every bounty hunter in three galaxies will be looking for us." His face grew hot and sweat prickled the back of his neck. He held up his hand. "And don't forget about these. We're marked. It would only be a matter of time. And then what--do you think their little fun and games will be enough to keep them occupied?"
His voice grew louder. "I did not escape Hell to be thrown back into it. I will die first. I promised you that would not happen. And I made a promise to Radim. We can do this Teyla. We can--"
The door to the room creaked. It was Sheppard.
White-hot panic shot up the man's spine as he wondered how long he'd been there. John cleared his throat before pushing the door open.
"Sheppard, is it?" the man asked.
He ambled over to the bed and stood with his hands in his pockets, wearing an innocent grin. John nodded and looked at Teyla. "You know, you could just call me John, and we really need to find something to call you--"
"Yes, yes, am I all done here? Can I leave?"
"That's up to Beckett, sorry. I just came by to see if you were feeling better."
"I'm fine--perfectly fine. Although I'm starving. Don't you people have a regular meal schedule around here? I have a medical condition which requires me to eat regularly. I could become extremely ill--well, you saw for yourself. If I don't eat, my blood sugar drops to dangerously low levels--it could cause a whole host of problems. Why, even in prison, the gruel always arrived on time."
Sheppard grinned. Teyla retrieved her companion's hand that was still waving about and soothed him by offering to see what was keeping his food. "I will be back soon," she said, getting up. She closed the door behind her.
For a few moments, silence hung like an opaque curtain between them. "So," Sheppard broke the spell, "long range biometric scanners, calculating hyperdrive coordinates, you sure know a lot about this ship. Seems kind of unfair, don't you think, seeing how we know virtually nothing about you, not even your name."
The man was preoccupied, backtracking the earlier conversation in his head, trying to figure out just when he'd hit the point of no return. Had Sheppard heard it all, just the last bit? No matter, he really didn't see much point in continuing to keep them in the dark, at least to his identity. It wasn't likely any of this rag-tag bunch would have ever heard of him anyway. And still, there was something about this lanky pilot, this Sheppard. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it just seemed right to trust him.
"My name is Rodney McKay, Doctor Rodney McKay." He extended his hand and John shook it.
"There now, see. That wasn't so hard. Physician?"
Rodney snorted. "Good God no, I hold doctorate degrees in astrophysics and aeronautics engin-"
McKay watched Sheppard's lips draw back into a wide grin and from the gleam in his eye Rodney knew he'd said too much.
~~~~
The soles of his boots made a dull, almost metallic sound as he climbed the steel circular stairway to the Stellarium. Now that his shift was up and they were out of danger for the moment, all John wanted was a cold Asuran brew and a nice long look at the edge of the galaxy. He fished an amber bottle out of the cooler. As he twisted and prodded the crude cork, he turned to look out at the star-stippled blackness. Off in the distance was a blur of swirling space debris that formed one of the most colorful nebulas in this sector - a gathering of muted violets, greens and grays. If they were closer, he'd see the fiery scarlets and purples that cut through the dust and shone in the center. He raised the bottle to his lips.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
John whirled around, spewing the fiery rich liquid. He let go of his beer and dropped his hand to his thigh in a move that was as ingrained in him as his own DNA. The only sound, save his galloping heart and rapid breathing, was the bottle rolling away from him, spinning and spraying foam over the floor.
Rodney arose from his chair and stepped out into the pale light of the force shield. "It's all I've ever wanted to do you know--travel through space."
"Jesus, McKay! You scared hell out of me. Fuck!"
Rodney patted Sheppard's arm as he walked past him. "I see I'm not the only one with a secret. Good thing for me there wasn't a weapon strapped to your thigh." He pulled a couple more beers from the cooler and handed one to John. "Hmm, wish I'd known this was here."
John stared at him a moment before taking the bottle, his heart still pounding. "Well, you should have thought of that when you designed her."
Rodney smirked. "I knew you were too smart for your own good." He uncorked his bottle and tipped it toward John. "I like smart," he said before taking a seat on the center platform. "Still, it's beautiful, isn't it? You know, this observatory, Stellarium as you guys call it - I like that by the way - it wasn't in the original plans for the TM6.
"No?" John sat down beside him.
Rodney took a long pull from his bottle. John watched his throat work. Rodney shook his head. "The prototypes didn't have it. It was Teyla's idea and the beauty of this room and the beauty it can provide was my gift to her. I drew up the plans and sent them back to Earth. Since the government was none too happy with me, I had no way of knowing if the design would be included when the ship went into mass production. After that, I was, um, unavailable for consultation."
John drank silently, not sure what to say. After not talking for so long, it seemed the floodgates had opened. McKay was on a roll, so Sheppard just let him go.
"Teyla was--is, my assistant. She's Athosian, by the way. Intelligent, schooled in Pegasus astronomy. She's also traveled the galaxy extensively and so she became my right arm, so to speak. Has a gift for languages--speaks any language in the Pegasus system. In my, um, travels, that's been quite important to me."
The sweating bottle grew warm in John's hand. He began to pick at the wax that covered the long neck. "You two must be very close," he mumbled softly.
There was a long exhalation and a few moments before Rodney spoke. "Teyla gave up a lot to come with me. She left a life, left her people--all for a whim, some eccentric idiot's brilliant plan to--" Rodney paused and took a sip of his beer. "She's done more than I can ever repay her for."
John turned to him. "Now, I'd have to disagree with that." He held McKay's gaze until Rodney dropped his eyes, began to fidget and pick at his own bottle. "You saved her life."
McKay shrugged. "Yeah, big hero. If the Genii hadn't wanted what I know so badly, we'd both be--"
Sheppard froze, his bottle half way to his mouth. Anticipation licked at his insides. He held his breath. He wasn't sure McKay was talking about spacecraft design anymore.
"You're--you're from Earth, right?"
John nodded. With a deep sigh, he took another sip of his beer.
"Yeah, me too--obviously. When things got so bad there, I decided to do what I've always wanted to do and explore the stars. Got a couple government contractors in a bidding war to build a couple of these ships for me and then promptly hijacked one."
John smiled. The man couldn't be all bad with priorities like that.
"Thought this might have been it, actually, until I saw this. I wish is was--had a stash of extra clothes, among other things," he said pulling at the gunmetal gray jumpsuit. "Anything would be better than this."
"Oh, I don't know. It's not that bad."
"Yeah, I see you don't wear one."
John grinned. "Why Pegasus?" he asked.
"Why not? My research showed it was comprised of cultures similar to our own, if not a bit behind the curve."
John snorted. "A bit?"
"Hey, there was nothing in the brochure about life-sucking aliens being the only technologically advanced race in the galaxy, you know?"
John laughed loudly at that.
"I can assure you, had I known--"
"Why'd you stay?" John asked, glancing over to see McKay watching him.
Rodney narrowed his eyes and took another drink before asking, "So, how did you end up here?"
John grinned at the misdirection; talking with McKay was like mental chess, infuriating but stimulating. "Secret government project," he replied. "They recruited me out of the Air Force. I screwed up--big time. They were more than willing to leave me here--the Air Force and the government." He shrugged. "I suppose after all I'd seen, life on Earth kind of lost its luster for me too. So, to save my family the disgrace of a court martial and dishonorable discharge, I stayed."
"Better for them to think you were dead or missing?" Rodney asked.
"You don't know my family."
"Do you ever wish you'd changed your mind?"
John looked at him. "Not anymore."
They drank silently. The only sounds for a long time were their breathing, the sloshing of the Asuran brew in the bottles, and the sound of swallowing.
"So, what do you think of her?" Rodney finally asked and John caught the hint of pride in his voice.
"She's a helluva ship, McKay. Flies like a fucking dream. It's like she knows what I want--like she can feel my intentions, knows what I want to do even before I do. How'd you do that?"
He watched Rodney watch him gush about flying his ship. It sent shivers down his spine when Rodney beamed and told him that was exactly the way the Trident had been designed to fly.
They passed the next few hours drinking and gazing. Rodney occasionally pointed out certain types of stars, or the two of them would easily slip back into picking apart the ship - John wanting to learn all he could.
~~~~
Sheppard chuckled to himself sitting in the galley, his hands wrapped around a thick, cream-colored ceramic mug full of hot, dark coffee. He'd helped McKay to his quarters - a very sleepy and a bit intoxicated McKay. John could still hear the wonder in Rodney's voice as he'd talked about his ship. He breathed in the aroma of the fresh brew and took a sip. He hoped it would head off the headache he would likely wake up to. It was late, John knew, but he'd be back on the Bridge in too few hours and he'd need all the help he could get. He closed his eyes and sipped at the liquid inspiration.
As he opened them again, he was surprised to see Teyla taking a seat in front of him. "Thank you for helping him to bed," she said. She fingered the string of the teabag in the cup before her, working it up and down in the steaming water.
John blinked. "I--I just helped him to his quarters."
She smiled thinly. "The two of you have grown quite close in a very short time. He trusts you." She took a sip of her tea.
John shifted in his seat. He wasn't sure what to say, so he slurped another mouthful of coffee. He didn't think McKay trusted him enough to tell him everything and looking at Teyla, John's curiosity got the better of him. The words tumbled out, direct and unadorned. "Just what is your relationship with McKay?"
She set her cup down and looked at him. "I love Rodney. I feel I have been in love with him my entire life."
John blinked again and dropped his eyes to the table. "He said you gave up a lot to go with him."
"That is correct," she answered. "But I did so willingly--for the sense of adventure, for the chance to travel with someone like him, learn from him. You think me foolish?"
He looked up. "No--of course not. Sense of adventure, learning new things--that's right up my alley--I totally understand."
"That is not what I meant. I am sure he has told you what our relationship is. I am his assistant, his 'right arm.'"
John couldn't quite look her in the eye. "Yes, well, he still thinks very highly of you." Then he remembered something and did look at her. "He suffered for you, he saved your life."
She nodded. "Yes, he did, but he does not love me--not the way--he cannot. He…"
John waved his hand between them. "I get it."
"Does it make me a fool to continue to follow him to the ends of this galaxy, to follow him on a--"
John shook his head. "You care for him. That's important. It really does seem to mean a lot to him."
She smiled again and reached out to take his hand. "Rodney lost someone very special to him years ago. I have tried to fill that void in his life, I wanted to. I see you beginning to fill it instead. I cannot be sure if his trust in you is well placed, but--"
John opened his mouth to say something, but she talked over him. "I have not seen him smile in so very long and for that, I am willing to forgo a lot, like not knowing anything about you or what your intentions might be." She gripped his hand as her voice changed. It weighed like iron behind her smiling eyes. "I do not care how special Captain Dex or the others on this ship think you are, John Sheppard. If you do anything to hurt Rodney, you will answer to me."
John nodded mutely. Teyla let go of his hand and stood up. He watched her walk away then turned back to his cup. His neck burned and his heart slammed it's rhythm up through his ears. "Jesus," he muttered.
~~~~
Despite his good intentions, John needed more than his alarm and one cup of coffee to get started. As he neared the ready room on his way to the Bridge, balancing a third cup in his hand, he heard loud whistles, hoots and catcalls coming from inside. The main attraction did more than the coffee to jolt him awake.
His mouth gaped as he watched the blur of golden brown and red, and the sharp silver flashes as Teyla had the Captain pinned, knife at his side before he could get fully set. McKay stood just inside the door, beaming at her. "I trust she's satisfied your curiosity, Captain," he remarked when Teyla relaxed her hold.
John elbowed McKay and nodded in the Captain's direction, as if to say, "what's up?"
Dex made his way over to them and grunted when Rodney repeated himself. "I told you, all you needed was a little demonstration," McKay said, then turned to John. "The Captain here was a bit dubious that Teyla would be able to assist them on a salvage mission. She wants to do something to repay everyone's kindness and Captain Dex made the mistake of telling her the mission might be dangerous." Rodney made quotation marks in the air.
John looked up. "We got a mission?"
The Captain nodded. "Bates found her this morning. No life signs, but the organic and base metal scanners say the ship's loaded. Big one, too--frigate class. I'll need to you to dock us." He turned to leave then stopped. "Oh, and I told Teyla she could come--so, get her some gear, huh?"
John scrubbed his hand over his face. Great. He was wide awake now.
~~~~
The team made their way onto the derelict through the docking tunnel. The scanners indicated the bulk of the cargo was located in a huge bay to the right as they entered the ship. As they walked inside, they fanned out to inventory the large piles of scrap metal and other cargo. The Captain radioed the Sateda. Zelenka would need to get a fix on the coordinates in order to beam the larger cargo aboard.
The transfer was accomplished without incident and there the salvage mission should have ended. But it was a large vessel and Dex didn't think a quick look around could hurt anything and might prove a bit more lucrative. The team split up into pairs, with the Captain and Lorne heading across the corridor to search the east cargo bay. Bates and Ford made their way forward and Sheppard took Teyla to find the Bridge. The ship might be flight-worthy after all and would bring a sizable chunk of change in itself.
~~~~
"Have your men made it onto the ship?"
"Not yet, Commander. The woman has come aboard with the salvage party."
"What? Are you certain?"
"Yes sir," the young soldier answered. "She's with one of the men--they've split up, searching the vessel."
The Commander turned to his Lieutenant. At over six feet, he was an imposing figure. Gravel-voiced and ruggedly handsome, he had dead eyes - eyes that rarely showed emotion. Those eyes were ablaze as he processed the information.
~~~~
McKay stared at the readings on the bio-scanner. "Zelenka, are you seeing this?" Three additional life signs appeared on the screen, just appeared near a section of the ship that showed no readings of any kind. "Did you send anyone over?" Before he could answer, two more dots appeared and moved off in the opposite direction. Rodney turned to the other scientist. "Shielded compartment--on a frigate class?"
Zelenka shook his head and pushed his glasses higher on the ridge of his nose. "Oh my God," he said. "This is no derelict." He reached for his communicator as McKay continued to stare at the screen.
~~~~
"What? You sure about that, Doc?" The Captain turned and motioned to Lorne, who had heard the report as well. "How many?"
Lorne moved to the bay doors. He raised three fingers and moved off into position behind a hulking piece of twisted metal.
~~~~
"We've got company," Sheppard whispered.
Teyla's chest tightened and she momentarily struggled for air. Her stomach sank at the import of his words. "Rodney," she gasped with the last bit of air left in that single breath. She didn't even try to hide the fear.
"Zelenka, this is Sheppard--McKay with you?" He nodded to Teyla. "Shut down the docking tunnel…yeah, I know--just do it. Then have Simpson and the others do a sweep for intruders. Sheppard out.
"We've been set up," he said to Teyla, moving his hands over the controls of the ship. "This bird's no derelict. Systems are fully operational." He looked up. "We may have to shoot our way out of here--you okay with that?"
"I am no stranger to trouble," she answered. "Is it the Genii?"
He ignored her question. "You sure you can handle that thing?" He nodded at the gun she held. "It could be shoot to kill, you know."
She pulled herself up and squared her shoulders. "It would not be the first time I have killed in my defense," she said.
"Yeah, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?"
"As are you." She inclined her head. "How did they find us?"
"Before we made the jump, they were most likely scanning us too. UF guidelines mandate registration of all salvage vessels--"
"But you are little more than pirates. Your operation is--"
"Listen, just because we occasionally operate below the radar of the Unified Federation's enforcement protocols doesn't make us 'pirates.' If we want to sell or trade what we salvage, if we need to get our ship repaired or serviced when necessary, we gotta be registered, and everything out there--even Wraith ships are capable of deciphering registration signatures."
"So this is a--"
"A trap, yes. Probably dozens of ships just like this out there, one in every sector. Whatever it is they're after must really be important."
She shifted her gaze to the floor.
"Sure you don't wanna let me in on it? I'd kinda like to know what I'm risking my life for--what we're all risking our lives for."
Teyla swallowed hard. They heard the first gunshots as they stepped out into the corridor.
~~~~
Crouched behind one of the consoles, Dex heard the heavy footsteps echo inside the cargo bay. A loud, sharp whistle and he and Lorne surfaced, their guns drawn and trained on three Genii soldiers. "Drop your weapons," Lorne barked. The men seemed shocked, but did not lower their guns.
The cords in one of the soldier's neck stiffened and Dex saw the barest glint of metal in the light of the bay as the same soldier's grip tightened on his weapon. "Lorne!"
A hail of gunfire later, he and Lorne stood over the three. "If I was a betting man," Lorne said, "I'd say this party ain't over yet."
The Captain hummed his agreement. They confiscated the weapons and ammo and left the bay.
~~~~
Bates and Ford heard the initial radio chatter and began to make their way back down from the second tier of the huge ship. Upon hearing the weapons fire, they double-timed it back to the point of ingress - mindful that they were not alone.
~~~~
The message from the Captain crackled through his communicator - everyone was to fall back to the west cargo bay. Taut anticipation hummed through Sheppard as he and Teyla picked their way through the dimly lit corridor. He welcomed it; it helped keep his mind on his objective - to get himself and the others off this bucket without anyone being injured, or worse. Index finger poised against the cool, hard trigger of his Wolper semi-automatic, his actions were mechanical, born of instinct, as two Genii soldiers materialized in the corridor. The two fell as quickly as the report from his weapon, silent now as the hallway.
~~~~
Ford nodded and followed Bates through the doorway that led to the west bay. He swept around to check his left flank and came face to face with more Genii. He knew in his gut Bates was facing the same thing. Aiden was forced to lower his gun and, along with Bates, move to the center of the room, where they joined Lorne and the Captain.
~~~~
The trek back to the appointed meeting place had been uneventful after the run-in with the soldiers, too quiet for Sheppard's liking. He chanced a transmission back to the Sateda as they continued through the corridor. Risky, yes, but it might be their only hope.
Nearing the west cargo bay door, John could hear voices - his Captain and the voices of strangers. One voice above the others was more forceful, authoritative. He turned to Teyla and held out a raised open hand, hoping the look in his eye was enough to convey his order.
Sheppard took a deep breath and vaulted through the doorway, immediately thrusting him into a classic standoff with the Genii foot soldiers. Calling on training that had never failed him, he instantly assessed the situation. "Gentlemen," he drawled. "I'm certain there's a way we can work this out. We thought this was a derelict--we're only here for the salv--"
The Commander spoke up. "You anticipated quite a dangerous salvage mission." He pointed to their weapons.
John slowly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Old Boy Scout motto--be prepared," he replied. "What can I say, it's always worked for me."
The sickly-sweet smile on the Commander's face disappeared and the dead eyes darkened as they locked with Sheppard's. "I don't care who you are or why you're here. I want the woman and the doctor." He spread his hands apart. "And don't bother telling me you don't know what I'm talking about. We know your ship rescued two escaped prisoners in a stasis pod several days ago. These are very dangerous prisoners. I'm surprised you haven't discovered that yourselves."
John resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Well, you just wasted a perfectly good fifteen seconds. We have no idea what you're talking about. Now," he stated, inching a little closer. "If you'll just be kind enough to let my Captain and these men go…" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the Genii raise his weapon just a tick. "We'll be on our way--since this is obviously a misund--"
A blaze of steel from behind him tagged the corner of his vision the instant the air around his ear displaced with a buzz. One of the Genii fell and John instinctively opened fire. The Captain and the others hit the deck. Another flash of metal pierced his field of vision. He heard a dull thud just as something white-hot tore into his knee, like the sting of one hundred bees. He lunged in front of the others, struggling to stay on his feet. Someone pulled the 9mm from his back holster as he finally hit the floor.
The sound of gunfire was all around him. He looked up to see Teyla firing at the remaining Genii, then just as quickly as it began, all was silent. He motioned for Teyla to join them and when she'd taken a few steps closer, John slammed his communicator. "Now, Zelenka. Now."
~~~~
John knew he'd seen enough of the flat gray walls to last him for quite a while. This was his first time as a patient in the Med Bay and he didn't like it at all. Rodney had promised to bring a laptop with him later and maybe they'd play chess or watch a movie. Just returning the favor, he'd said. John closed his eyes and smiled. He was right at the edge of a nap when the door banged open.
The Captain strode in carrying two glistening amber bottles. "Ah, no rest for the weary, Sheppard."
"At least not as long as you're around, Cap'n." He sat up, punched his pillows and leaned back against the steely wall.
"How's the knee?" Ronon asked, handing out one of the bottles.
John declined. "I don't want to piss off Beckett, at least while I'm still in here." He shrugged. "Doc says it could have been worse. Hurts a little."
Ronon pulled up a chair and sat down. He set the extra bottle on the floor, thumbed out the cork of his own and took a drink. "You'll be out in no time. I expected to see McKay, Teyla."
"They were by earlier. We had a long talk."
"Yeah, they talked to me, too."
John grinned. He knew this wasn't purely a social, glad to see you're all right call. "She saved your life," he said. "Hell, she probably saved us all."
The Captain grunted and took another drink.
"She sure surprised me--handled herself real well." John couldn't stop grinning.
"Hmm--she did okay."
"You like her." It wasn't a question.
Dex looked up. "You like him."
"I--yeah. Does it bother you?"
"No, should it?"
"No. I'm just sayin'."
"Christ, Sheppard, I don't get more than half a dozen words out of you at time since you sign on here, and since McKay's been here--I don't know, you seem different--for the better. I'm not complaining, and I'm not judging." He stood up. "You're the best damn pilot I've ever seen and you've been a good friend. Whatever else you are is none of my business."
John let that lie a few minutes. "So what do you think of this story of theirs?"
"Too far fetched to be real. Sure, I've heard of the lost city of the Ancestors--every kid in Pegasus grew up on those stories." Ronon emptied his bottle and pried the stopper out of the other. He quirked a brow at Sheppard, one last chance to claim the beer, but he waved him off again. "Stories of how they fought the Wraith. Some differ on who actually won--"
John snorted. "I think that's kind of obvious."
"All that talk of ascension--how the Ancestors fought a good fight and instead of incurring any more losses, they submerged their great city and ascended. To them, they were the winners."
"Still," John asked. "You don't think there's any chance? McKay sounds damn convincing."
Ronon eyed him up and down. "Think about it Sheppard, number one, he knows the location of the lost city of the Ancients--it's under the ocean on a planet he can't name--"
"But he has the coordinates," Sheppard cut in.
Ronon made a face. "Two, we can get there in this ship. Three--" He ticked off each claim with his fingers. "He thinks he can bring the city back to the surface, power it up--even has a way to utilize the Ancient technology. And on top of that, he's made some pact with a Genii officer for assistance in a coup attempt that'll ultimately give humans superiority over the Wraith?"
John nodded coolly. Somehow, he didn't doubt for a minute Rodney could accomplish all of that, and more.
The Captain shook his head. "Where I come from, there used to be a group from a neighboring village--traveled around challenging villagers to see who could tell the biggest lie--McKay could best them all. All he's got is what you call pie in the--"
"Yeah, yeah," John waved him off. "Well, the Genii certainly think the claims are valid. That's the information they tortured McKay for, the information that could have gotten him and Teyla killed. I don't know, we need to think about this. Besides, if it's true, it could be a great life for us."
"Hmm."
"And, we'd still be able to take off anytime we wanted. Not to mention the added bonus of maybe getting to kick some Wraith ass every now and again."
A low, gruff noise came from the back of Ronon's throat.
"And if things work out, we might have an ally in the Genii. Hey, there might even be rogue Genii to fight…you'd like that."
The Captain smirked. "You just want to see what this thing can do underwater."
John reached for the Captain's beer, took a long pull and rolled his shoulder. "Yeah, well, there's that too."
~~~~
"Ready when you are, Cap'n."
The course was set. Rodney and Teyla spent several long hours charting and plotting. Rodney had supplied him with the data and had helped upload it all into the ship's central computer.
Captain Dex stood behind Sheppard. "Initiate sequences."
Sheppard began dialing in the coordinates McKay had provided. The Captain put a hand on the back of Sheppard's seat and leaned in close. "Think you and McKay can skip the Stellarium tonight?"
John swiveled in his chair and looked past Dex. Bates and Ford grinned back at him. Dex turned his head. "Is there a problem--you guys got nothing to do or what?" The grins straightened out and each man returned to his task. "So, how 'bout it?"
"Sure. You got some stargazing planned?"
"Maybe. Maybe I've got something else in mind."
"Careful with that one," Sheppard said, inputting the last of the data. "She can kick your ass, you know?"
A big smile lit up the Captain's eyes. "Worth the risk," he said, standing up straight.
John smiled at that. Yes, it was worth the risk. McKay was worth the risk. What they were doing was worth the risk. He shivered as his hands moved to the controls. Hope burned a hole in his stomach. They were going to do this; they were really going to do this.
"Cap'n?" The ship came alive beneath him, just as it had so many times before, but this time with such a compelling purpose, nothing had ever felt so right to him. He looked up.
The Captain clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a wink. "Let's do it."
team_sga. Fic for April 30th
Title: Dreams Beneath Our Feet
Rating: G (just a couple of swears)
Word Count: 9,500
Pairing: This is Team, but has a bit of a McShep bent
Prompt: friendshipper's Pirates. Yarrrr! She wrote a series of five ways they weren't pirates awhile back -- space pirates, buccaneers on the high seas, sky pirates, etc. If anyone wants to run with one of these ideas. I took the first one "Ronon Dex, Space Pirate." You don't have to read it first, but I would recommend it for background. (and what lovely inspiration it was, too)
Warnings: None really. Gen, pre-slash.
Notes: Smashing beta by
quasar273 - really above and beyond the call. Due to time constraints I did a lot after her beta, so if you find mistakes, they're all mine. The title comes from W. B. Yeats' He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven. Also many thanks to
friendshipper for a wonderful fic to work from.
Summary: "Yes, and how many of those friends would sell their own grandmother for what the Genii will be offering for our capture? Hmm? You know as well as I, soon enough every bounty hunter in three galaxies will be looking for us." His face grew hot and sweat prickled the back of his neck. He held up his hand. "And don't forget about these. We're marked. It would only be a matter of time. And then what-do you think their little fun and games will be enough to keep them occupied?" His voice grew louder. "I did not escape Hell to be thrown back into it.
Dreams Beneath Our Feet
The fully-oxygenated air outside the pod filled the woman's lungs, pulling her from the threshold - that place between worlds - the conscious and the unconscious. Her keen perception and proclivity for self-preservation told her something was wrong. The body she grasped was not the same one she'd clung to for weeks. The strength in the arms that carried her - carried her - fully awakened her.
She turned and blinked at the man who held her. Where was he taking her? Where was she? Who had found them? Was this a dream? Where was-- She immediately tried to right the situation. She fought. They entered the doorway of the Med Bay with her kicking and screaming and the more she fought, the tighter the man held on.
Through her questions, he tried to calm her. His deep voice was soft and tender, as if soothing a child, but firm. Finally, he placed her onto a small bed. He was tall and turned to speak to another man who'd followed them.
"You sure you can handle this one, Doc?"
She turned to the other man, a man with a nice face, a disarming smile and very kind eyes. She decided she would rather speak to him. "Where am I?"
"You've been rescued. You're on a ship, The Sateda."
"Fortunately," the tall man interjected, "we were scanning the area and picked up the beacon from the escape pod."
"Then you are not Genii?" she asked, her body drawn tight, ready to fight or flee.
"No, no. We're uh, well, we're--"
"Salvage," the tall man spoke up. "This is a salvage vessel." When she turned to him, a smile lit his face from his lips to his eyes, making them sparkle and giving him a rather more whimsical look than a threatening one. Oddly, smiling back took no effort.
"Captain Ronon Dex," he announced, extending his hand. She did not take it. "Is that who you escaped from," the Captain asked. "The Genii?"
She nodded, but offered nothing more. She listened as the shorter man explained that he was a physician, Doctor Carson Beckett, and there were some tests he wanted to run. She tried to assure him that she was perfectly fine. In her mind, there was still one very important thing she needed to know. "Where is Do--where is the man I was with?" she asked.
She listened again as Beckett began to speak, then turned abruptly at the clattering of a gurney that wheeled past them and disappeared into another room. She was almost out of the bed to follow, but Beckett stopped her. "He's been a wee bit slower to come 'round, that's all. We'll have him right as rain in no time." He patted her hand. "We just need to assess his injuries--get him some proper treatment."
She nodded vaguely, still staring in the direction of the other room.
"But first, love, will you tell me your name and how your companion received his injuries?"
~~~~
The dim lights cast a phosphorescent glow against the steel-gray walls of the recovery area. The room smelled of stale air and antiseptic, sweat and a whiff of ozone. The Captain and his pilot, John Sheppard, stood looking down at the unknown man they'd hauled from the makeshift stasis pod. The woman had checked out fine. According to Beckett, whoever put them in the pod and launched it had likely saved the man's life.
Sheppard believed it. Lying there, he looked as fragile as Beckett made him sound, like one more touch would break him. His face a shadowed vestige of what surely was once a handsome, vibrant man.
"Who's got the helm?" the Captain asked standing over the stranger.
"Lorne. We're running at sub-light until you say otherwise."
Dex turned to Sheppard, a living, breathing enigma, who was fast becoming the Captain's second and confidant. His thoughts and opinions were hardly ever off the mark and were highly valued. It didn't matter that Dex knew no more about him than when he'd first rescued Sheppard from the edge of the galaxy more than a year ago. He'd actually had the balls to nurse a dying dart to a landing on Utarcias Major and ask for help. Certain to keep trouble at bay, the Captain still used that story in almost every port, every chance he got.
Sheppard had never explained how he'd come by the damn thing or much else about his past for that matter. Even so, if it was capable of flight, he knew about it. He also had intimate knowledge of most of the bad guys in the Pegasus galaxy, and that kind of information was always helpful.
"What do you think?" the Captain asked. "Simpson and Zelenka say escaped prisoners."
Sheppard stroked his stubbly chin. "Not run-of-the-mill prisoners." Dex cocked an eyebrow and the pilot continued, meting out his words in a way that made the Captain want to reach down his throat and pull them out all at once. "Their clothes--they're not standard prisoner issue. Genii make, yes. Not the pod. You can have another look--but I'm pretty sure that's Tyranian salvage. The only places you find that junk used anymore are outposts and prison colonies, and the only Genii post like in this sector is Tartarus 5."
Dex agreed with the assessment. Tartarus 5 was a tough place - one of the worst penal colonies in the galaxy and yes, not a place you were likely to find such a pair.
"This man is special," the pilot said. He hadn't taken his eyes of the man. "He knows something--information someone wanted--and wanted bad enough to keep them separated from the general population. Bad enough to keep him alive when it was obvious he wasn't talking."
The Captain nodded. "They didn't escape on their own, the man's too weak. They had help."
Sheppard finally looked up. "Rough place like T5, what do you suppose they promised in return for that kind of help?"
Before the Captain could answer, the opening of the door whispered across the room. The woman's bare feet made no sound as she approached the bed. Her clipped red hair stood out, bright against the dull gray jumpsuit that hung in puddles at her wrists and ankles.
Silent as an apparition, she was oblivious to anything but the man lying there. She took the lifeless hand in hers, the same hand that was shy a pinky finger. The flesh-colored sealant was grotesque and didn't match the man's pale tone. The woman cradled it as she would an injured bird. She gently lifted it to her cheek and pressed her lips to the palm.
The Captain watched a single tear glaze a curve where the hand had been. Emotion that explained the way she'd clung to the man in the pod with a strength and tenacity that, even when unconscious, belied her bird-like frame. "I see Doc Beckett got you all fixed up," he said softly.
She laid the hand back against the pale green blanket, but continued to hold it as she looked up. "I am Teyla Emmagen, Captain Dex." She turned to Sheppard.
"This is my pilot, John Sheppard. "Can you tell us what happened?"
~~~~
John stood in the dim room, just him and the man who remained unconscious. All the scans were normal; all they could do was wait for him to wake up.
He wasn't surprised that Teyla had refused to name the man, nor that she hadn't told them anything more than they could surmise on their own. Despite her fierce protection, John didn't agree with the rest that the pair were husband and wife. He'd seen those tattoos on their fingers before and knew what they were, if not exactly what these, in particular, meant.
He gazed over the receding hairline, the sallow skin, the dark circles and prominent cheekbones. John stepped back as the man's eyes fluttered then opened. He squinted even in the soft light and cowered from Sheppard.
"It's all right." Sheppard tried his most soothing voice. "You've been rescued. You're on a ship--we're gonna take care of you, and Teyla."
The man's eyes grew wide at that. John winced as the man struggled to speak, his voice as dry and cracked as a weathered leather satchel. "Where's--Teyla? Is she--is she--"
Sheppard took a step closer to the bed, reaching for the water there on the table. "She's fine. The Captain's taken her to her quarters--"
"No, no, no--I need-need to see her. What have you done with her?" The man's agitation increased and John glanced at the monitors as he tried to calm him. Tearing the leads from his body, the man attempted to get up. Sheppard rounded the bed and just managed to catch him before he collapsed. The man was a fighter even in his weakened state. John radioed for Beckett and wrestled the stranger back into bed.
He stood back while Beckett and an orderly reattached the leads and IV's. The man lay still. He'd been sedated and would probably be out for a while. John thought of the fear in those blue eyes. Who had done this? Why had they done it? What were these people hiding? He tapped his communicator. "Zelenka, did you sweep that pod for tracking devices? It is, Jesus! All right, I'll meet you in the cargo bay in five and switch off that goddamn beacon, now!"
~~~~
Sheppard checked with Bates several times during the day to make sure they didn't have unexpected company. He knew whoever had been holding these people weren't just going to give them up. It hadn't helped that during all the activity no one had thought to shut off the rescue beacon, himself included. Silently berating himself, he again sat by the man's bed. He'd stopped by the Med Bay several times to see if the man was awake and was half out of his chair to leave when the man stirred.
"Hey. You wanna try this again?" he asked when the stranger turned in his direction. The man remained calm this time but did not speak. John got out of his chair and edged closer. "You're safe now, Teyla's safe. I'll send for her--everything's going to be all right."
The man watched him. His eyes seemed less fearful, but not by much. He knew the man didn't trust any of them. Why should he? From what Beckett had told them, the abuse had been going on for months. That was plenty long enough for the damage to go beyond the physical. John knew all about that. He understood. "Listen," John said quietly, "if there's anything you need, tell the Doc, or let me know." He smiled. "I gotta get back to the Bridge now, but I'll make sure Teyla gets the word you're awake, okay?"
The man nodded.
"Oh, and I'll be back to check on you later," he said, then turned and left the room.
~~~~
Sheppard made good on his word. He did come back. In fact, over the following few days, he spent many of his off hours in the infirmary, hoping to gain enough of the man's trust to at least learn his name or why he and his companion had been held. Mostly, he talked and the man listened, or at least John thought he listened. He talked of flying, salvage missions and the day-to-day mundane boredom brought on by long stretches of time in space, though sometimes the enthusiasm in his voice belied anything resembling boredom.
With each visit, the man seemed to open up a little more. He still wouldn't give his name or really even talk, but he would meet Sheppard's gaze, nod, grunt or hum to acknowledge something John had said. But he always fell silent when John turned the topic of conversation to the man's wounds. Over the next few days, John used words of encouragement, of knowledge and of understanding when he spoke of what the man had endured. Even though he wouldn't talk, the stranger paid rapt attention. On one of his last evenings in the Med Bay, the man returned a soft "thank you" to Sheppard as he headed for the door.
~~~~
The passage of several days had settled a warm sense of security over the crew. Even Teyla began to relax. The band of misfits seemed to be taking good care of them and the Captain was being remarkably patient with her lack of explanation. Still, it was in her nature to wonder when their luck would run out.
She stood inside the wide expanse of what the crew called the Stellarium, separated from space only by a gossamer force shield. A remarkable design, the shield was so thin the vastness seemed only a breath away. She sat down at one of the consoles and searched for familiar constellations and other markers that would tell her where they were in the galaxy. She turned at the sound of heavy footfall on the stairway.
"Captain?"
Dex nodded as he strode past her to pluck a beer from the cooler he kept in the corner. Swiped from the Med Bay long ago, if Beckett had ever missed it, he'd never said anything. She declined the proffered bottle and watched as he secured the lid, broke the wax seal on the bottle and thumbed out the cork. "Can't say I'm surprised to see you up here," he said. He made his way to the odd hexagonal platform in the center of the room. Covered in a thick, cushiony carpet, it was the ideal gazing spot. The pale blue light from the force shield washed over him, softening his features as he reclined back onto the platform. The hue of his skin seemed to darken in the glowing light, such a contrast against the crisp white of his tunic.
"Oh, why is that?" she asked.
"Women appreciate beautiful things." He took a drink. "That's about as beautiful as it gets," he said, pointing with his bottle to the vast expanse laid out before them.
Teyla fingered the shorn, uneven layers of her hair. It still felt foreign to her. She smiled and walked to the platform. "Yes," she said, sitting down, drawing her knees to her chest. "It is." She laced her fingers around her knees. In the silence, she could feel his eyes on her. Her unease didn't make sense, this man didn't seem to want anything from her. On the contrary, after the initial disruption of their lives, he and his crew had accepted both of them - no questions asked. Though she was sure the Captain would prefer to know the truth, he had welcomed them into their little family.
More just to break the silence, she asked, "How long have you been in--in the salvage business?"
He stared out into the blackness. "So long I hardly remember anything else."
"This is a most unusual ship for salvage."
"Really? I always thought it was perfect. The cargo bays had been modified when I got her, but she's certainly big enough. Does have some strange features for a ship. Like this," he said, waving his hand.
"Oh, this would be my favorite place."
"Yeah," he replied. "I come up here a lot." He took another drink and they both stared out past the shield.
"So, you bought this ship?"
Ronon turned to her. "In a manner of speaking. I lost enough money that night to have bought two ships." He patted the carpeted platform. "Nah, I won her in a game of chance on Engovan."
"Won it?"
He nodded. "Took a bit of blood to collect--but a bet's a bet.
"The name of your ship, the Sateda--was that your homeworld?"
"Yes." Ronon took another long drink of his beer, then asked quietly, "You know of Sateda?"
Teyla turned to him and nodded. "I know much of Pegasus. I was a teacher on my own homeworld-Athos."
"A teacher?"
"Yes, and historian. The stars, the history of Athos and of the Pegasus galaxy."
He sat up and drained the bottle. "I remember being taught the star stories. Unfortunately, I didn't listen as well as I should have." He got up for another beer. "Never thought I'd need to know those things. Sure you wouldn't like one?" he asked holding out a bottle. She shook her head. "I only remember bits and pieces now."
"I thought those stories fascinated all children," she replied. "Surely you had a favorite." He turned and smiled. Standing there backlit by the shield, he looked like one of the heroes of the stars, larger than life - the way she used to think of her father and brothers.
"There is one. The story of Tannal and her son, but I've forgotten the name of the stars they--"
"That would be the Boralih Major and Minor. Do you recall the fable?"
"I remember the Satedan god Hatroth was said to have fallen in love with a Satedan woman, Tannal. She was very beautiful and Hatroth wanted her all to himself. When Hatroth's mate, the goddess Ceron found out, she followed Tannal and turned her into a photha--that's a Satedan animal, widely hunted for their--"
"Yes," Teyla interrupted, "I am familiar with phothas."
"I'm a little fuzzy on the rest," he said, sitting back down. "Tannal had a son and the stars are supposed to be the two of them."
"Hatroth," Teyla continued, "was broken-hearted but could do nothing to undo the spell of Ceron, so he kept a close eye on the photha to make sure she was safe. One day, Tannal's son, Kelroth, was hunting and spotted a most unusual photha. As Kelroth let his arrow fly, Hatroth intercepted it and before the boy could pull another from his quiver, turned him into a photha as well."
The Captain smiled. "I remember now. To keep them both safe, Hatroth grabbed them by their tails, swung them around and around over his head and threw them into the sky."
"His love for Tannal was so great he wanted it to shine in the sky for all time and in a place where Ceron could no longer harm her." Teyla turned to the Captain. "Can you find them?"
He shook his head. "I haven't tried in so long, I wouldn't even-"
Teyla stood and offered her hand. "Come, I will show you." His hand dwarfed hers as he took it. It had been a long time since Teyla had looked for the stars for fun. She was suddenly overcome with gratitude at being free, at being safe. They spent the rest of the evening lost in myths, stars and stories of fallen countrymen.
~~~~
Captain Dex stood on the Bridge surrounded by Sheppard, Zelenka, Ford and Bates. Sheppard had just taken over the helm. Zelenka was running diagnostics and Bates was in the comm chair. The Captain's attention was on Ford, who was passing out coffee. He mumbled his thanks, taking the cup a bit more forcefully than he'd intended.
"Late night stargazing, Cap'n?" Sheppard drawled, his grin holding steady.
Ronon grunted.
Bates and Zelenka exchanged glances and then a noise drew all eyes to the door. Beckett was escorting the still-nameless man onto the Bridge. He was dressed now in bright red scrubs. Explaining that he'd been released, Beckett said he had insisted on a little tour before going to his quarters. The Captain kept a sharp eye on the man as he left Beckett's side to wander around, peeking over shoulders, humming to himself and touching things. He might have never seen technology before the way he stared wide-eyed at the screens, displays and other instruments. A loud incessant beeping broke the trance.
"Captain, we've got a ship out of hyperspace," Bates stated. "She's just crossed the sensor threshold. Present course, straight for us."
Dex and Sheppard exchanged looks, Ronon knew what he was thinking - had they shut down the beacon in time? Even if the Genii did have ships capable of bringing them this far into deep space, would they be crazy enough to go up against a ship of the Sateda's class?
"Captain," Zelenka interrupted. "It is a Wraith vessel."
"Wraith?" What would Wraith be doing out here? He turned to his comm officer. "Bates, stay on it. I want anything you got and I want regular updates on their lo--"
The man in the red scrubs spoke up. "Why don't you just use the long range bio-scanners?" Everyone turned to the stranger. "They'll tell you right away if the life forms on the ship are Wraith," he stated as if it everyone was expected to know this.
The Captain cut his eyes at Zelenka who shrugged. "Oh for--here," the man said, pushing past Zelenka. A few taps on a keyboard produced a screen from one of the consoles. It seemed to float in mid-air. They all watched data scroll along the left side of the screen and a scanning sequence appeared in the center. The man pointed to the data now beginning to scroll on the bottom right. Genetic sequences, he explained, though it may as well have been Wraith or Asuran for all the Captain could tell. He looked to his science officer.
Zelenka nodded. "They're human," he said.
"Uh, quite possibly someone has made a pact with the Wraith or the ship is spoils of war perhaps," the stranger offered, trying to sound glib, but the Captain noted something in his eyes and the sweat trickling over his temple.
"Bates, Zelenka--we got time to jump?" Dex asked, taking the Captain's chair.
Before his science officer could answer, the man interrupted again - still looking at the screen. "If you do it in the next 45.8, uh 4 seconds."
The Captain nodded to Sheppard. "The outer rim."
When they'd come out of hyperspace, Dex watched as the man ran his hand along the sleek console. He glanced over to his pilot, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange then narrowed his eyes at the stranger. "Who are you?"
The man waved them off. "Who I am is unimportant, let's just say…" But he didn't say anything more before he collapsed.
~~~~
The lights in Med Bay were much brighter when he came around and his head felt like a balloon in a bottle. He glanced around first, then blinked stupidly at Teyla who sat on the edge of the bed. "What happened?"
"Doctor Beckett says you fainted, but you should be fine," she answered.
He groaned. "He's not going to keep me here is he, Teyla? I don't like it in here."
"He just wants to make sure you are all right." She took his hand. He has sent for some food."
"Thank God for that."
"What are we going to do?" Teyla asked. "Doctor Beckett told me what happened on the Bridge. They know. They know where we are."
He lifted Teyla's delicate hand to his lips. "They know where we were. We've made a hyperspace jump, they can't-"
"But they will never stop looking."
The man tried to allay the fear he saw in those beautiful brown eyes. Truth was he didn't want to answer that question, because there was only one answer and it meant that they would run for the rest of their lives. He braved a smile and shrugged. "I've always wanted to go into the salvage business, haven't you?"
She arched an eyebrow. "You know very well what these people are. You have seen the type and I have dealt with their kind many times."
"I don't know, they seem nice enough. The Captain, Beckett's not bad for a doctor and the pilot, that Sheppard is it?"
She eyed him. "Am I to believe you do not recall his name?" She laced their fingers together and sighed. "Will you never learn?"
"What? He seems--they seem trustworthy. I can't explain it, I just--"
"I know very well what you mean and I would think after--"
He pressed a finger to her lips. "I know your feelings on the subject. You do not have mother hen rights." His lips slanted into an unyielding frown. "We agree to disagree, remember?"
"Yes, I remember, but surely you cannot be serious about staying here."
The man sat up and let go of her hand. "Where can we go now, Teyla? There's only one place for us--you know it and I know it. These people are the ones that can finally get us there. I feel it." He spread his arms wide. "This is a Trident M-Class. They have no idea of this ship's capabilities."
Her tone was cautious. "Do you not think that would be dangerous now? That is what they expect us to do. We can go to any number of worlds. I have many friends in the galaxy."
"Yes, and how many of those friends would sell their own grandmother for what the Genii will be offering for our capture? Hmm? You know as well as I, soon enough every bounty hunter in three galaxies will be looking for us." His face grew hot and sweat prickled the back of his neck. He held up his hand. "And don't forget about these. We're marked. It would only be a matter of time. And then what--do you think their little fun and games will be enough to keep them occupied?"
His voice grew louder. "I did not escape Hell to be thrown back into it. I will die first. I promised you that would not happen. And I made a promise to Radim. We can do this Teyla. We can--"
The door to the room creaked. It was Sheppard.
White-hot panic shot up the man's spine as he wondered how long he'd been there. John cleared his throat before pushing the door open.
"Sheppard, is it?" the man asked.
He ambled over to the bed and stood with his hands in his pockets, wearing an innocent grin. John nodded and looked at Teyla. "You know, you could just call me John, and we really need to find something to call you--"
"Yes, yes, am I all done here? Can I leave?"
"That's up to Beckett, sorry. I just came by to see if you were feeling better."
"I'm fine--perfectly fine. Although I'm starving. Don't you people have a regular meal schedule around here? I have a medical condition which requires me to eat regularly. I could become extremely ill--well, you saw for yourself. If I don't eat, my blood sugar drops to dangerously low levels--it could cause a whole host of problems. Why, even in prison, the gruel always arrived on time."
Sheppard grinned. Teyla retrieved her companion's hand that was still waving about and soothed him by offering to see what was keeping his food. "I will be back soon," she said, getting up. She closed the door behind her.
For a few moments, silence hung like an opaque curtain between them. "So," Sheppard broke the spell, "long range biometric scanners, calculating hyperdrive coordinates, you sure know a lot about this ship. Seems kind of unfair, don't you think, seeing how we know virtually nothing about you, not even your name."
The man was preoccupied, backtracking the earlier conversation in his head, trying to figure out just when he'd hit the point of no return. Had Sheppard heard it all, just the last bit? No matter, he really didn't see much point in continuing to keep them in the dark, at least to his identity. It wasn't likely any of this rag-tag bunch would have ever heard of him anyway. And still, there was something about this lanky pilot, this Sheppard. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it just seemed right to trust him.
"My name is Rodney McKay, Doctor Rodney McKay." He extended his hand and John shook it.
"There now, see. That wasn't so hard. Physician?"
Rodney snorted. "Good God no, I hold doctorate degrees in astrophysics and aeronautics engin-"
McKay watched Sheppard's lips draw back into a wide grin and from the gleam in his eye Rodney knew he'd said too much.
~~~~
The soles of his boots made a dull, almost metallic sound as he climbed the steel circular stairway to the Stellarium. Now that his shift was up and they were out of danger for the moment, all John wanted was a cold Asuran brew and a nice long look at the edge of the galaxy. He fished an amber bottle out of the cooler. As he twisted and prodded the crude cork, he turned to look out at the star-stippled blackness. Off in the distance was a blur of swirling space debris that formed one of the most colorful nebulas in this sector - a gathering of muted violets, greens and grays. If they were closer, he'd see the fiery scarlets and purples that cut through the dust and shone in the center. He raised the bottle to his lips.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
John whirled around, spewing the fiery rich liquid. He let go of his beer and dropped his hand to his thigh in a move that was as ingrained in him as his own DNA. The only sound, save his galloping heart and rapid breathing, was the bottle rolling away from him, spinning and spraying foam over the floor.
Rodney arose from his chair and stepped out into the pale light of the force shield. "It's all I've ever wanted to do you know--travel through space."
"Jesus, McKay! You scared hell out of me. Fuck!"
Rodney patted Sheppard's arm as he walked past him. "I see I'm not the only one with a secret. Good thing for me there wasn't a weapon strapped to your thigh." He pulled a couple more beers from the cooler and handed one to John. "Hmm, wish I'd known this was here."
John stared at him a moment before taking the bottle, his heart still pounding. "Well, you should have thought of that when you designed her."
Rodney smirked. "I knew you were too smart for your own good." He uncorked his bottle and tipped it toward John. "I like smart," he said before taking a seat on the center platform. "Still, it's beautiful, isn't it? You know, this observatory, Stellarium as you guys call it - I like that by the way - it wasn't in the original plans for the TM6.
"No?" John sat down beside him.
Rodney took a long pull from his bottle. John watched his throat work. Rodney shook his head. "The prototypes didn't have it. It was Teyla's idea and the beauty of this room and the beauty it can provide was my gift to her. I drew up the plans and sent them back to Earth. Since the government was none too happy with me, I had no way of knowing if the design would be included when the ship went into mass production. After that, I was, um, unavailable for consultation."
John drank silently, not sure what to say. After not talking for so long, it seemed the floodgates had opened. McKay was on a roll, so Sheppard just let him go.
"Teyla was--is, my assistant. She's Athosian, by the way. Intelligent, schooled in Pegasus astronomy. She's also traveled the galaxy extensively and so she became my right arm, so to speak. Has a gift for languages--speaks any language in the Pegasus system. In my, um, travels, that's been quite important to me."
The sweating bottle grew warm in John's hand. He began to pick at the wax that covered the long neck. "You two must be very close," he mumbled softly.
There was a long exhalation and a few moments before Rodney spoke. "Teyla gave up a lot to come with me. She left a life, left her people--all for a whim, some eccentric idiot's brilliant plan to--" Rodney paused and took a sip of his beer. "She's done more than I can ever repay her for."
John turned to him. "Now, I'd have to disagree with that." He held McKay's gaze until Rodney dropped his eyes, began to fidget and pick at his own bottle. "You saved her life."
McKay shrugged. "Yeah, big hero. If the Genii hadn't wanted what I know so badly, we'd both be--"
Sheppard froze, his bottle half way to his mouth. Anticipation licked at his insides. He held his breath. He wasn't sure McKay was talking about spacecraft design anymore.
"You're--you're from Earth, right?"
John nodded. With a deep sigh, he took another sip of his beer.
"Yeah, me too--obviously. When things got so bad there, I decided to do what I've always wanted to do and explore the stars. Got a couple government contractors in a bidding war to build a couple of these ships for me and then promptly hijacked one."
John smiled. The man couldn't be all bad with priorities like that.
"Thought this might have been it, actually, until I saw this. I wish is was--had a stash of extra clothes, among other things," he said pulling at the gunmetal gray jumpsuit. "Anything would be better than this."
"Oh, I don't know. It's not that bad."
"Yeah, I see you don't wear one."
John grinned. "Why Pegasus?" he asked.
"Why not? My research showed it was comprised of cultures similar to our own, if not a bit behind the curve."
John snorted. "A bit?"
"Hey, there was nothing in the brochure about life-sucking aliens being the only technologically advanced race in the galaxy, you know?"
John laughed loudly at that.
"I can assure you, had I known--"
"Why'd you stay?" John asked, glancing over to see McKay watching him.
Rodney narrowed his eyes and took another drink before asking, "So, how did you end up here?"
John grinned at the misdirection; talking with McKay was like mental chess, infuriating but stimulating. "Secret government project," he replied. "They recruited me out of the Air Force. I screwed up--big time. They were more than willing to leave me here--the Air Force and the government." He shrugged. "I suppose after all I'd seen, life on Earth kind of lost its luster for me too. So, to save my family the disgrace of a court martial and dishonorable discharge, I stayed."
"Better for them to think you were dead or missing?" Rodney asked.
"You don't know my family."
"Do you ever wish you'd changed your mind?"
John looked at him. "Not anymore."
They drank silently. The only sounds for a long time were their breathing, the sloshing of the Asuran brew in the bottles, and the sound of swallowing.
"So, what do you think of her?" Rodney finally asked and John caught the hint of pride in his voice.
"She's a helluva ship, McKay. Flies like a fucking dream. It's like she knows what I want--like she can feel my intentions, knows what I want to do even before I do. How'd you do that?"
He watched Rodney watch him gush about flying his ship. It sent shivers down his spine when Rodney beamed and told him that was exactly the way the Trident had been designed to fly.
They passed the next few hours drinking and gazing. Rodney occasionally pointed out certain types of stars, or the two of them would easily slip back into picking apart the ship - John wanting to learn all he could.
~~~~
Sheppard chuckled to himself sitting in the galley, his hands wrapped around a thick, cream-colored ceramic mug full of hot, dark coffee. He'd helped McKay to his quarters - a very sleepy and a bit intoxicated McKay. John could still hear the wonder in Rodney's voice as he'd talked about his ship. He breathed in the aroma of the fresh brew and took a sip. He hoped it would head off the headache he would likely wake up to. It was late, John knew, but he'd be back on the Bridge in too few hours and he'd need all the help he could get. He closed his eyes and sipped at the liquid inspiration.
As he opened them again, he was surprised to see Teyla taking a seat in front of him. "Thank you for helping him to bed," she said. She fingered the string of the teabag in the cup before her, working it up and down in the steaming water.
John blinked. "I--I just helped him to his quarters."
She smiled thinly. "The two of you have grown quite close in a very short time. He trusts you." She took a sip of her tea.
John shifted in his seat. He wasn't sure what to say, so he slurped another mouthful of coffee. He didn't think McKay trusted him enough to tell him everything and looking at Teyla, John's curiosity got the better of him. The words tumbled out, direct and unadorned. "Just what is your relationship with McKay?"
She set her cup down and looked at him. "I love Rodney. I feel I have been in love with him my entire life."
John blinked again and dropped his eyes to the table. "He said you gave up a lot to go with him."
"That is correct," she answered. "But I did so willingly--for the sense of adventure, for the chance to travel with someone like him, learn from him. You think me foolish?"
He looked up. "No--of course not. Sense of adventure, learning new things--that's right up my alley--I totally understand."
"That is not what I meant. I am sure he has told you what our relationship is. I am his assistant, his 'right arm.'"
John couldn't quite look her in the eye. "Yes, well, he still thinks very highly of you." Then he remembered something and did look at her. "He suffered for you, he saved your life."
She nodded. "Yes, he did, but he does not love me--not the way--he cannot. He…"
John waved his hand between them. "I get it."
"Does it make me a fool to continue to follow him to the ends of this galaxy, to follow him on a--"
John shook his head. "You care for him. That's important. It really does seem to mean a lot to him."
She smiled again and reached out to take his hand. "Rodney lost someone very special to him years ago. I have tried to fill that void in his life, I wanted to. I see you beginning to fill it instead. I cannot be sure if his trust in you is well placed, but--"
John opened his mouth to say something, but she talked over him. "I have not seen him smile in so very long and for that, I am willing to forgo a lot, like not knowing anything about you or what your intentions might be." She gripped his hand as her voice changed. It weighed like iron behind her smiling eyes. "I do not care how special Captain Dex or the others on this ship think you are, John Sheppard. If you do anything to hurt Rodney, you will answer to me."
John nodded mutely. Teyla let go of his hand and stood up. He watched her walk away then turned back to his cup. His neck burned and his heart slammed it's rhythm up through his ears. "Jesus," he muttered.
~~~~
Despite his good intentions, John needed more than his alarm and one cup of coffee to get started. As he neared the ready room on his way to the Bridge, balancing a third cup in his hand, he heard loud whistles, hoots and catcalls coming from inside. The main attraction did more than the coffee to jolt him awake.
His mouth gaped as he watched the blur of golden brown and red, and the sharp silver flashes as Teyla had the Captain pinned, knife at his side before he could get fully set. McKay stood just inside the door, beaming at her. "I trust she's satisfied your curiosity, Captain," he remarked when Teyla relaxed her hold.
John elbowed McKay and nodded in the Captain's direction, as if to say, "what's up?"
Dex made his way over to them and grunted when Rodney repeated himself. "I told you, all you needed was a little demonstration," McKay said, then turned to John. "The Captain here was a bit dubious that Teyla would be able to assist them on a salvage mission. She wants to do something to repay everyone's kindness and Captain Dex made the mistake of telling her the mission might be dangerous." Rodney made quotation marks in the air.
John looked up. "We got a mission?"
The Captain nodded. "Bates found her this morning. No life signs, but the organic and base metal scanners say the ship's loaded. Big one, too--frigate class. I'll need to you to dock us." He turned to leave then stopped. "Oh, and I told Teyla she could come--so, get her some gear, huh?"
John scrubbed his hand over his face. Great. He was wide awake now.
~~~~
The team made their way onto the derelict through the docking tunnel. The scanners indicated the bulk of the cargo was located in a huge bay to the right as they entered the ship. As they walked inside, they fanned out to inventory the large piles of scrap metal and other cargo. The Captain radioed the Sateda. Zelenka would need to get a fix on the coordinates in order to beam the larger cargo aboard.
The transfer was accomplished without incident and there the salvage mission should have ended. But it was a large vessel and Dex didn't think a quick look around could hurt anything and might prove a bit more lucrative. The team split up into pairs, with the Captain and Lorne heading across the corridor to search the east cargo bay. Bates and Ford made their way forward and Sheppard took Teyla to find the Bridge. The ship might be flight-worthy after all and would bring a sizable chunk of change in itself.
~~~~
"Have your men made it onto the ship?"
"Not yet, Commander. The woman has come aboard with the salvage party."
"What? Are you certain?"
"Yes sir," the young soldier answered. "She's with one of the men--they've split up, searching the vessel."
The Commander turned to his Lieutenant. At over six feet, he was an imposing figure. Gravel-voiced and ruggedly handsome, he had dead eyes - eyes that rarely showed emotion. Those eyes were ablaze as he processed the information.
~~~~
McKay stared at the readings on the bio-scanner. "Zelenka, are you seeing this?" Three additional life signs appeared on the screen, just appeared near a section of the ship that showed no readings of any kind. "Did you send anyone over?" Before he could answer, two more dots appeared and moved off in the opposite direction. Rodney turned to the other scientist. "Shielded compartment--on a frigate class?"
Zelenka shook his head and pushed his glasses higher on the ridge of his nose. "Oh my God," he said. "This is no derelict." He reached for his communicator as McKay continued to stare at the screen.
~~~~
"What? You sure about that, Doc?" The Captain turned and motioned to Lorne, who had heard the report as well. "How many?"
Lorne moved to the bay doors. He raised three fingers and moved off into position behind a hulking piece of twisted metal.
~~~~
"We've got company," Sheppard whispered.
Teyla's chest tightened and she momentarily struggled for air. Her stomach sank at the import of his words. "Rodney," she gasped with the last bit of air left in that single breath. She didn't even try to hide the fear.
"Zelenka, this is Sheppard--McKay with you?" He nodded to Teyla. "Shut down the docking tunnel…yeah, I know--just do it. Then have Simpson and the others do a sweep for intruders. Sheppard out.
"We've been set up," he said to Teyla, moving his hands over the controls of the ship. "This bird's no derelict. Systems are fully operational." He looked up. "We may have to shoot our way out of here--you okay with that?"
"I am no stranger to trouble," she answered. "Is it the Genii?"
He ignored her question. "You sure you can handle that thing?" He nodded at the gun she held. "It could be shoot to kill, you know."
She pulled herself up and squared her shoulders. "It would not be the first time I have killed in my defense," she said.
"Yeah, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?"
"As are you." She inclined her head. "How did they find us?"
"Before we made the jump, they were most likely scanning us too. UF guidelines mandate registration of all salvage vessels--"
"But you are little more than pirates. Your operation is--"
"Listen, just because we occasionally operate below the radar of the Unified Federation's enforcement protocols doesn't make us 'pirates.' If we want to sell or trade what we salvage, if we need to get our ship repaired or serviced when necessary, we gotta be registered, and everything out there--even Wraith ships are capable of deciphering registration signatures."
"So this is a--"
"A trap, yes. Probably dozens of ships just like this out there, one in every sector. Whatever it is they're after must really be important."
She shifted her gaze to the floor.
"Sure you don't wanna let me in on it? I'd kinda like to know what I'm risking my life for--what we're all risking our lives for."
Teyla swallowed hard. They heard the first gunshots as they stepped out into the corridor.
~~~~
Crouched behind one of the consoles, Dex heard the heavy footsteps echo inside the cargo bay. A loud, sharp whistle and he and Lorne surfaced, their guns drawn and trained on three Genii soldiers. "Drop your weapons," Lorne barked. The men seemed shocked, but did not lower their guns.
The cords in one of the soldier's neck stiffened and Dex saw the barest glint of metal in the light of the bay as the same soldier's grip tightened on his weapon. "Lorne!"
A hail of gunfire later, he and Lorne stood over the three. "If I was a betting man," Lorne said, "I'd say this party ain't over yet."
The Captain hummed his agreement. They confiscated the weapons and ammo and left the bay.
~~~~
Bates and Ford heard the initial radio chatter and began to make their way back down from the second tier of the huge ship. Upon hearing the weapons fire, they double-timed it back to the point of ingress - mindful that they were not alone.
~~~~
The message from the Captain crackled through his communicator - everyone was to fall back to the west cargo bay. Taut anticipation hummed through Sheppard as he and Teyla picked their way through the dimly lit corridor. He welcomed it; it helped keep his mind on his objective - to get himself and the others off this bucket without anyone being injured, or worse. Index finger poised against the cool, hard trigger of his Wolper semi-automatic, his actions were mechanical, born of instinct, as two Genii soldiers materialized in the corridor. The two fell as quickly as the report from his weapon, silent now as the hallway.
~~~~
Ford nodded and followed Bates through the doorway that led to the west bay. He swept around to check his left flank and came face to face with more Genii. He knew in his gut Bates was facing the same thing. Aiden was forced to lower his gun and, along with Bates, move to the center of the room, where they joined Lorne and the Captain.
~~~~
The trek back to the appointed meeting place had been uneventful after the run-in with the soldiers, too quiet for Sheppard's liking. He chanced a transmission back to the Sateda as they continued through the corridor. Risky, yes, but it might be their only hope.
Nearing the west cargo bay door, John could hear voices - his Captain and the voices of strangers. One voice above the others was more forceful, authoritative. He turned to Teyla and held out a raised open hand, hoping the look in his eye was enough to convey his order.
Sheppard took a deep breath and vaulted through the doorway, immediately thrusting him into a classic standoff with the Genii foot soldiers. Calling on training that had never failed him, he instantly assessed the situation. "Gentlemen," he drawled. "I'm certain there's a way we can work this out. We thought this was a derelict--we're only here for the salv--"
The Commander spoke up. "You anticipated quite a dangerous salvage mission." He pointed to their weapons.
John slowly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Old Boy Scout motto--be prepared," he replied. "What can I say, it's always worked for me."
The sickly-sweet smile on the Commander's face disappeared and the dead eyes darkened as they locked with Sheppard's. "I don't care who you are or why you're here. I want the woman and the doctor." He spread his hands apart. "And don't bother telling me you don't know what I'm talking about. We know your ship rescued two escaped prisoners in a stasis pod several days ago. These are very dangerous prisoners. I'm surprised you haven't discovered that yourselves."
John resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Well, you just wasted a perfectly good fifteen seconds. We have no idea what you're talking about. Now," he stated, inching a little closer. "If you'll just be kind enough to let my Captain and these men go…" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the Genii raise his weapon just a tick. "We'll be on our way--since this is obviously a misund--"
A blaze of steel from behind him tagged the corner of his vision the instant the air around his ear displaced with a buzz. One of the Genii fell and John instinctively opened fire. The Captain and the others hit the deck. Another flash of metal pierced his field of vision. He heard a dull thud just as something white-hot tore into his knee, like the sting of one hundred bees. He lunged in front of the others, struggling to stay on his feet. Someone pulled the 9mm from his back holster as he finally hit the floor.
The sound of gunfire was all around him. He looked up to see Teyla firing at the remaining Genii, then just as quickly as it began, all was silent. He motioned for Teyla to join them and when she'd taken a few steps closer, John slammed his communicator. "Now, Zelenka. Now."
~~~~
John knew he'd seen enough of the flat gray walls to last him for quite a while. This was his first time as a patient in the Med Bay and he didn't like it at all. Rodney had promised to bring a laptop with him later and maybe they'd play chess or watch a movie. Just returning the favor, he'd said. John closed his eyes and smiled. He was right at the edge of a nap when the door banged open.
The Captain strode in carrying two glistening amber bottles. "Ah, no rest for the weary, Sheppard."
"At least not as long as you're around, Cap'n." He sat up, punched his pillows and leaned back against the steely wall.
"How's the knee?" Ronon asked, handing out one of the bottles.
John declined. "I don't want to piss off Beckett, at least while I'm still in here." He shrugged. "Doc says it could have been worse. Hurts a little."
Ronon pulled up a chair and sat down. He set the extra bottle on the floor, thumbed out the cork of his own and took a drink. "You'll be out in no time. I expected to see McKay, Teyla."
"They were by earlier. We had a long talk."
"Yeah, they talked to me, too."
John grinned. He knew this wasn't purely a social, glad to see you're all right call. "She saved your life," he said. "Hell, she probably saved us all."
The Captain grunted and took another drink.
"She sure surprised me--handled herself real well." John couldn't stop grinning.
"Hmm--she did okay."
"You like her." It wasn't a question.
Dex looked up. "You like him."
"I--yeah. Does it bother you?"
"No, should it?"
"No. I'm just sayin'."
"Christ, Sheppard, I don't get more than half a dozen words out of you at time since you sign on here, and since McKay's been here--I don't know, you seem different--for the better. I'm not complaining, and I'm not judging." He stood up. "You're the best damn pilot I've ever seen and you've been a good friend. Whatever else you are is none of my business."
John let that lie a few minutes. "So what do you think of this story of theirs?"
"Too far fetched to be real. Sure, I've heard of the lost city of the Ancestors--every kid in Pegasus grew up on those stories." Ronon emptied his bottle and pried the stopper out of the other. He quirked a brow at Sheppard, one last chance to claim the beer, but he waved him off again. "Stories of how they fought the Wraith. Some differ on who actually won--"
John snorted. "I think that's kind of obvious."
"All that talk of ascension--how the Ancestors fought a good fight and instead of incurring any more losses, they submerged their great city and ascended. To them, they were the winners."
"Still," John asked. "You don't think there's any chance? McKay sounds damn convincing."
Ronon eyed him up and down. "Think about it Sheppard, number one, he knows the location of the lost city of the Ancients--it's under the ocean on a planet he can't name--"
"But he has the coordinates," Sheppard cut in.
Ronon made a face. "Two, we can get there in this ship. Three--" He ticked off each claim with his fingers. "He thinks he can bring the city back to the surface, power it up--even has a way to utilize the Ancient technology. And on top of that, he's made some pact with a Genii officer for assistance in a coup attempt that'll ultimately give humans superiority over the Wraith?"
John nodded coolly. Somehow, he didn't doubt for a minute Rodney could accomplish all of that, and more.
The Captain shook his head. "Where I come from, there used to be a group from a neighboring village--traveled around challenging villagers to see who could tell the biggest lie--McKay could best them all. All he's got is what you call pie in the--"
"Yeah, yeah," John waved him off. "Well, the Genii certainly think the claims are valid. That's the information they tortured McKay for, the information that could have gotten him and Teyla killed. I don't know, we need to think about this. Besides, if it's true, it could be a great life for us."
"Hmm."
"And, we'd still be able to take off anytime we wanted. Not to mention the added bonus of maybe getting to kick some Wraith ass every now and again."
A low, gruff noise came from the back of Ronon's throat.
"And if things work out, we might have an ally in the Genii. Hey, there might even be rogue Genii to fight…you'd like that."
The Captain smirked. "You just want to see what this thing can do underwater."
John reached for the Captain's beer, took a long pull and rolled his shoulder. "Yeah, well, there's that too."
~~~~
"Ready when you are, Cap'n."
The course was set. Rodney and Teyla spent several long hours charting and plotting. Rodney had supplied him with the data and had helped upload it all into the ship's central computer.
Captain Dex stood behind Sheppard. "Initiate sequences."
Sheppard began dialing in the coordinates McKay had provided. The Captain put a hand on the back of Sheppard's seat and leaned in close. "Think you and McKay can skip the Stellarium tonight?"
John swiveled in his chair and looked past Dex. Bates and Ford grinned back at him. Dex turned his head. "Is there a problem--you guys got nothing to do or what?" The grins straightened out and each man returned to his task. "So, how 'bout it?"
"Sure. You got some stargazing planned?"
"Maybe. Maybe I've got something else in mind."
"Careful with that one," Sheppard said, inputting the last of the data. "She can kick your ass, you know?"
A big smile lit up the Captain's eyes. "Worth the risk," he said, standing up straight.
John smiled at that. Yes, it was worth the risk. McKay was worth the risk. What they were doing was worth the risk. He shivered as his hands moved to the controls. Hope burned a hole in his stomach. They were going to do this; they were really going to do this.
"Cap'n?" The ship came alive beneath him, just as it had so many times before, but this time with such a compelling purpose, nothing had ever felt so right to him. He looked up.
The Captain clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a wink. "Let's do it."