Fic: Chase the Morning {17/37}
Part Four: Heart’s Fire
Chapter One: Blade
Date: January 29, 6 A.I [2006]
Location: Hawk’s Flight Village, Colorado
The past few months had been quiet, almost abnormally so. Life in Atlantis continued to be calm, though there was the occasional accident or minor catastrophe, but those were few and far between. The Wraith had been rather quiet as well, and that had been worrisome. It wasn’t like the Wraith to be quiescent when it came to somewhat-open rebellion; they preferred to squash it before it had gotten too far off the ground. The small but usually steady trickle of refugees into Atlantis hadn’t slowed, but those saved had been coming from farther afield than ever before.
Extra people meant needing more food and other supplies, so runs to the mainland were stepped up to twice a week. People were put on a rotating schedule to help with the bartering teams that were one of the few ways Atlantis could obtain food during the winter months, regardless of whether or not they were military, scientists, or civilians. Radek had been tapped to go on a trade mission to a small village that was hidden in the forest a few miles away from Atlantis. Hawk’s Flight was one of their best trading partners and the two communities enjoyed a healthy relationship with one another, helping each other out in their times of need.
The people of Hawk’s Flight welcomed the five Lanteans with open arms, the leader of the small community greeting them personally. Radek went off with Sergeant Ruiz and Corporal Tanner to peruse the selection of root vegetables and clothing, while Doctor Warren and Lieutenant Martinson stayed behind and chatted with the Mayor, Robert Hayes. Pulling his coat tighter around him, Radek followed after Tanner, his boots making sharp imprints in the scattered snow that lay on the ground. Radek usually enjoyed winter, but he supposed he was far too spoiled by living in Atlantis to appreciate the cold weather too much.
Besides the needed supplies the trading team had been sent out for, Radek wanted to get something special to bring back home to Anora and Jess. Over the past four and half months since they’d become mates, the connection between them had deepened greatly. Radek had been hesitant about telling people about the progression in their relationship, but all that Rodney had said when Radek had mentioned it late one night as they were working in one of the Engineering labs was that it was about time, and had promptly returned to his work.
He wasn’t sure what, exactly, it was that he wanted to get his mates, but Radek knew that it should be something special. It was what Jess and Anora deserved, and Radek honestly liked doing things like that. Being able to make them happy and to see that megawatt smile that seemed to be reserved solely for him was just an added benefit.
He was browsing at a stall that sold fine fabrics when a cry of alarm sprang up from nearby. Radek turned to see a band of swiftly moving men with cloths shielding the lower portions of their faces coming his way, armed with daggers and staffs that they were using to incapacitate any who got in their way.
‘Bandits!’ the stall keeper, a broad fellow with short blond hair, bellowed, his eyes narrowing in anger. Radek was barely able to retrieve his gun when three of the bandits came rushing over, swiftly overwhelming him and the stall keeper. He tried to fight back, but all he got for his troubles was a blow to the head and a stab wound in his left bicep.
Staggering back, he searched for something to defend himself with. Nothing came to hand, so he ducked behind the stall and began to run, trying to escape the chaos that filled the market. Where the hell had the rest of his team gotten off to? Tanner and Ruiz had been a few hundred feet away from him when the bandits had come, but in the ensuing madness, Radek had lost sight of them. Now he was alone, left with a throbbing head and a bleeding arm. He tried to staunch the blood, but having little more than his coat and shirt, he was hard pressed to stop up the wound.
Radek was just about to try for the clearing where the Jumper was parked when Lieutenant Martinson suddenly stepped out of the shadow of a cottage and grabbed his arm. Luckily, it was the uninjured one, and Radek followed him into the cottage, Martinson shutting and locking the door behind him. The rest of the team was there as well, along with what Radek could only assume were the owners of the house and their daughter. The shouting outside died away after what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was probably only twenty minutes or so. Tanner had bandaged up Radek’s arm, saying that it would have to do until they got back home. When everything was quiet once more, the Lanteans stepped out into the cold, weapons at the ready. The smell of smoke and burning wood drifted on the breeze, and Radek could see the ravaged remains of the small market when he exited the cottage.
Debris was scattered everywhere, and the smoldering skeletons of what used to be stalls littered the ground, sending thin spirals of smoke up towards the grey sky. Radek swore softly under his breath, taken aback by the scene before him. People were starting to emerge from their homes by now, picking through what little remained of the market. ‘We should help them,’ he said, turning to Martinson, who nodded.
‘We’ll help; you’re injured, Doc. Stay here with Lightman and his family, and we’ll pick you up on the way back.’ The Lieutenant told him. Radek opened his mouth to protest, but the look on Martinson’s face made him rethink that decision. Sighing, Radek turned back to his brief hosts.
‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ he asked resignedly.
Once the Lanteans had helped as much as they could, they made their way back to the Jumper, smelling of wood smoke. Luckily, the only injuries had been a few people who had been knocked out from a staff blow and a small collection of knife wounds, all shallow and none too serious. The Jumper ride back to Atlantis was quiet, which Radek appreciated. His headache had gone down some, but there was still the residual soreness from where the staff had hit against his head to contend with, not to mention the now-dull pain from his knife wound.
When the team got back to Atlantis, they all trooped off to the infirmary for their post-mission checkup, as was procedure. Carson took one look at their dirty clothes and had them change into scrubs, not wanting his domain to become any more unsanitary than needed. Radek followed his instructions, feeling far too tired to do anything more than accept the dark red scrubs that were handed to him and change into them, leaving his clothes in the small room he had ducked into to change. Once he’d changed, Radek took a seat on one of the beds, leaning against the wall in an effort to stay awake. His arm was starting to throb, and he was beginning to feel lightheaded. His eyes fluttered shut as he slumped against the wall, his body going limp and nearly succumbing to gravity’s whim as he briefly fell unconscious.
Jess and Anora made their way to the infirmary, knowing that Radek would probably still be there, getting his post-mission checkup. They were in a good mood and couldn’t wait to see their mate. When they entered the infirmary, however, it was to find Carson inserting an IV into Radek’s arm, a slight frown on his face as he attended to the Czech physicist. Radek was shirtless at the moment, and Jess could see a gently stained field bandage wrapped around his left bicep. A nurse was preparing to change the bandage as Jess walked up, and gave her a nod of recognition.
‘What have you done to yourself this time, Radek?’ Jess asked, a hint of resigned amusement in her voice. ‘I thought this was supposed to be a simple trading mission.’
Radek blinked blearily at her, his eyes foggy and unfocused. Jess frowned and then turned to Carson. ‘What’s wrong with him?’ she wanted to know. ‘His eyes are odd.’
‘From what I can tell, it’s a mild concussion.’ Carson replied, taking a penlight from his lab coat pocket and shining it in Radek’s eyes. He flinched violently, screwing his eyes shut against the sudden light. Carson sighed. ‘Aversion to light is one of the more common symptoms.’ He explained.
‘Is there anything we can do to help?’ Anora asked, switching off with Jess. ‘I noticed that there aren’t any Tok’ra on shift at the moment, and thought that perhaps a short time with a healing device might at least help alleviate his symptoms, at the very least.’
‘Aye, it might.’ Carson agreed. ‘It would save some stitches, which I’m sure would be welcome. What do you say, Radek?’
Radek blinked sluggishly and then nodded mutely. ‘Good,’ Carson said, turning to the nurse, who had held off on taking Radek’s bandages off for the moment. ‘Would you get the healing device, love? It’s over in the cupboard near the painkillers.’
The nurse nodded and then left, the sound of her footsteps fading as she walked away. Carson continued to do a few more preliminary tests on Radek while they waited, noting down the results on his datapad as he finished each test. When the nurse returned, she handed the healing device to Anora, who took it with a nod and a smile. She slipped it on and then had Radek hold still, as while the healing device would be helping his body recover the blood it had lost, among other things, the healing process was draining on both parties involved, seeing as it used both the injured person’s and the Tok’ra’s natural healing capabilities to effectively knit the injuries back together. Anora centered the healing device over Radek’s chest as she had been taught, closing her eyes to focus better.
Before she had been barely begun to heal him, Radek lashed out, pushing Anora away and grabbing a wickedly sharp knife from a nearby tray in one swift motion. He continued the movement, surging to his feet and bringing the knife up in a defensive manner. Anora moved forwards, intent on calming her mate down, but he wasn’t having any of it. He struck out, stabbing Anora deep in the side. She cried out and staggered back, eyes flaring gold in pain and confusion. She tripped, turned sideways, and hit the wall behind her. The others in the infirmary stared at Radek in shock as Anora slid down the wall, her eyes wide. A slender hand dazedly touched the rapidly darkening fabric of her Science Team shirt and came away glistening crimson.
Jess, coming to the fore, frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion; she looked up at Radek, who was standing there, his eyes emotionless and cold, the bloody knife dripping onto the once pristine floor of the infirmary. ‘You stabbed me!’ she said, her voice going ragged with pain and confusion. ‘You fucking stabbed me!’
Carson and one of the nurses pushed past Radek to staunch the flow of blood coming from Jess’ wound. The two Marines who were also still getting their post-mission checkups grabbed hold of Radek, Lieutenant Martinson carefully taking the knife away from him.
‘He stabbed me,’ Jess murmured as Carson held down a pressure bandage. ‘Why?’
‘We’ll find out, love, don’t worry.’ The Scot told her as Martinson called Sheppard and Weir over the radio. ‘For now, I need you to be quiet, and let Anora and us take care of you.’
John came in at a dead run, followed by Rodney and Elizabeth. They came to a halt a few feet into the room, Elizabeth’s eyes widening at the macabre tableau in front of them. ‘What the hell just happened here?’ Rodney snapped, his voice breaking the silence that had descended since Carson last spoke.
‘Doctor Zelenka just went crazy, sir.’ Martinson replied. ‘He- Whoa!’ He and Corporal Tanner had to catch Radek just as his eyes rolled back into his head and he fell unconscious. ‘He- unh- he attacked Doctor Connor while she was trying to heal him with the healing device.’ Martinson and Tanner hefted Radek so that he hung between them. ‘What do you want us to do with him?’
‘Is he patched up already?’ John asked, glancing at Carson, who was busy trying to stabilize Jess. Two of the nurses wheeled a stretcher over to where Jess lay and then helped Carson get her safely onto it.
‘For right now, yes.’ Carson replied, his tone distracted. ‘I’m sorry I can’t help you at the moment, Colonel, but I really need to get Jess into surgery. Jennifer can take care of you.’ He nodded at his helpers. ‘Let’s go.’
They wheeled Jess away, hurrying towards the O.R. at a brisk run, leaving only a bloody swathe running down the wall and a small pool of blood on the floor where Jess had come to rest as evidence that something had happened. Elizabeth turned to John, Rodney, and Jennifer, who had come up while Carson was talking. ‘Find out everything you can about what just happened,’ Elizabeth said. ‘I want all of you to work together on this.’
‘And Zelenka?’
Elizabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in a gesture of weariness. ‘Jennifer, please take a look at him, and then have him handcuffed to a bed in here. I want a guard on him 24/7. We’re going to figure out what happened, and why.’