Action/Adventure, Week 2: City (2/2)
Title: City (2/2)
Author: nottasha
Prompt: Artificial Intelligence
Word Count: 16,000
Rating: PG
Warnings/Spoilers: none
Summary: The team explores a city that was built to resemble Atlantis -- a City with a mind of its own.
Back to Part One.
PART 3:
After his seventh electric shock, Rodney learned to respect the City's admonishments of "don't touch". The inability to access anything useful, and the string of unpleasant corrections, had put him in a foul mood.
Finding Sheppard sitting on one of the beds and playing fetch with the robot did nothing to make McKay feel better.
After an unhappy harrumph, Rodney commented, "You have a highly sophisticated robotic device and all you can think to do is throw a radio for it to retrieve?"
"He seems to like it," Sheppard commented, as he lazily flung the radio again. It landed a few meters away and skidded into a wall.
"You're going to break it," Rodney grumbled, watching the robot race off to pick up the tossed device. "That's a fine use of hardware."
"The radio's shatterproof," Sheppard said. "And it's the only thing I could get him to fetch."
"The robot was probably ordered to bring the radio to you," Rodney said with a sigh as he sat down beside the colonel. "It's just trying to complete its mission."
"Oh," Sheppard responded, watching the robot deploy one of its arms to pick up the radio and then toddle back with it. It held it out to John, and Sheppard removed it from its grasp. "Thanks," he muttered and pocketed the radio.
"So," McKay watched him, and stated. "Not any fun if it's just following orders, huh?"
"Yeah, not so much," Sheppard said as he sat back with a sigh. And for a moment they said nothing.
Rodney watched the machine, thinking that the robot really did look eager to retrieve the radio again. He sighed, realizing that this place was going to make him crazy.
To break the silence, Rodney asked, "How long will it take for Ronon and Teyla to walk to the Gate?"
"From here, without a jumper, three days probably two," Sheppard responded. "Carter will figure out something's wrong when we don't check in tomorrow morning though."
"Yeah," Rodney replied. "She'll send someone out looking for us. We just have to wait until then." He tried to sound hopeful.
"Yup," Sheppard replied.
"Think Teyla and Ronon are okay?"
"I really don't know what to think right now, Rodney," Sheppard responded. "We're being held captive by an insane version of Atlantis."
"I am not insane," City broke in petulantly.
"Right," Sheppard drawled. "Then let us go. We want to leave."
"I am to protect you. All who leave die."
"How?" Sheppard questioned. "Why?"
"I cannot speak of what happens beyond my walls. Only within my limits will one be safe. I will protect you as I protect myself," City remarked. "I must protect myself."
"We're not trying to hurt you," McKay grumbled.
"You discussed using me for spare parts," City reminded.
"Well..." McKay said and then frowned. "Yeah," he admitted, feeling deflated.
"I will keep you safe," City said. "And you will not leave because everyone who leaves dies."
Rodney fidgeted, feeling useless and nervous. "So... we're just going to wait?" he asked Sheppard. "That's it?"
"Well, if you have any ideas, I'm game, because I really don't like the idea of Teyla and Ronon being out there with this 'everybody dies' thing."
"I got nothing," McKay admitted, wringing at his hands. "It just feels so wrong to sit around and do nothing." He picked up his scanner, gamely holding it out to check out the room again. Fat lot of good it did when the City wouldn't allow him to touch anything.
"You'll think of something," Sheppard muttered.
"Yeah... yeah..." McKay stood, feeling restless, and paced about the bed. "This place is going to drive me crazy if I have to stay here much longer. Thank goodness the room isn't smaller because, well, I'm a bit claustrophobic."
"You don't say," Sheppard said with a yawn.
"It's bad just knowing I can't get out. I really don't do well in confined spaces."
"Calm down, Rodney," Sheppard said with a sigh. "Just sit down and relax."
"Relax? With the City listening to our every word, watching us and waiting to analyze our..." he flipped a hand toward the 'bathroom facilities'. "Do you honestly think I can perform under those conditions?"
"Rodney," Sheppard stated firmly. "Just sit down."
"I'll explode! If I don't die of starvation and thirst first!"
City's voice cut into their conversation, sounding a little alarmed. "I will provide. There will be no hunger. There will be no thirst."
"Don't even start with that! I don't want what you're selling!" Rodney snapped. He turned, clomping toward one of the far walls. "This is insane and I'm going crazy," he grumbled.
Sheppard started to stand, to follow him, but was thwarted by the robot that parked too near his feet. It seemed to be waiting for something. Annoyed, Sheppard growled out a "Shoo!"
The robot did nothing.
"Get out of here," Sheppard ordered. The robot remained. "Great," Sheppard sighed and drew back his foot to kick the thing out of his way.
"014, please return to storage," City suddenly voiced.
The robot made a little "Pip" and didn't move immediately.
"014," City said again. "Move or you will be sent to waste system detail."
The robot spun about and headed toward his hatch.
Rodney listened to the exchange and watched as the robot trundled away. The robot needed a verbal command, and didn't apparently 'like' to respond immediately. He glanced to Sheppard to see if he understood the significance.
Sheppard met his eyes. He seemed to ask a question. Rodney glanced toward where the robot had disappeared, then glanced back to Sheppard.
The colonel gave a nod, and called, "Hey, City, you'll provide for us, right?"
"I will provide," City reiterated. "I will provide whatever you need that will not harm either the City or its inhabitants."
"Great! Listen, City," Sheppard dropped his voice to a friendly tone. "My friend here is going crazy. Seriously, he's going off the deep end soon."
"Wait a minute," Rodney protested. "I'm just a bit anxious about the situation, that's all."
"Just look at him," Sheppard continued. "He's really difficult to handle. He's sweaty. His heart is racing. He's probably going to pass out if this keeps up."
"Yes," City replied, its voice lowered as well. "I had noticed. I did not want to voice my concern lest it aggravate his condition further."
"My condition?" McKay yelped.
"Yeah," Sheppard confirmed. "It's getting bad."
"Would a good meal help?" the City tried.
"That's not what he needs," Sheppard said thoughtfully.
The City said, "Very well. I conclude that this is a brief episode and it will pass in time. It is not life threatening."
"Of course it's not a life threatening condition," McKay grumbled. "I'm perfectly healthy. Well, healthy enough, and I can keep up with the rest of my team when they're not running or going on a death march or walking stupid fast... oh!" Sheppard shot him a look, and Rodney stopped short when he realized Sheppard was trying to pull something on the City.
He started back-peddling. "I mean I'm not healthy at all. I need a doctor!" He raised a hand. "I have a SEVERE condition that needs to be treated immediately. If you don't release me at once to a medically trained doctor, something very serious will happen to me." He snapped his fingers. "An aneurism! I might have an aneurism!"
"I believe you are correct," City said. "He is going crazy."
"Crazy?" McKay protested. "Hang on a minute! I may be a lot of things but crazy isn't one of them!"
"You see, City, McKay is used to keeping busy," Sheppard explained, lazily lying back on the bed. "He needs to have a task to keep him occupied. If he doesn't keep his brain working, it'll short circuit on him and we'll end up with a terrible mess on our hands."
"Truly?" City responded.
McKay sneered.
"Yes," City decided. "Yes, I can see this. He is 'difficult' isn't he? His vital signs should not remain at these levels. What should we do to correct this problem?"
McKay crossed his arms over his chest. "I have had about enough of both of you!"
"Well, he needs something to do," Sheppard went on without looking at McKay who was shooting death with his eyes. "Some menial task should do the trick."
"Like... mopping?" City asked. "Something always needs to be mopped."
"What the..." McKay sputtered. "I will not mop!"
"See?" Sheppard stated.
"Yes... difficult," the City replied.
"What if you gave him something that he could take apart and put back together again. You've shocked him every time he tried to look at any of your controls," Sheppard stated. "Not letting him play put him in a bad mood."
"Of course it put me in a bad mood!" McKay countered. "Who wouldn't be, after being SHOCKED for no good reason? And I'm a little offended by the use of the word 'play'."
"The City must be protected," City said.
"Well, then give him something that isn't 'City'. What else do you have?" Sheppard asked.
"Explain yourself," City said, sounding confused.
"Do you have any interesting devices lying around that he could examine?"
"Well..." City paused. "There are a few instruments left by the Makers. Perhaps he would like to view one of them? Would that appease him?"
"Appease?" McKay squawked.
"That might help," Sheppard said, sounding undecided. "The problem is that we've seen everything already. I mean, I'm sure you have plenty of 'exciting' and 'interesting' things. Maybe there's something that'll pique his interest."
McKay continued to glare that the colonel, pissed off, until he truly listened to what Sheppard had just said. "Might help," he muttered. "Might... but, like he said, I've seen most of it before."
"I have things that will hold your interest until the end of time," the City proclaimed. " I will bring you such an item now."
One of the little robots shot out from the hatch, holding a device in its claw. It brought the item to Rodney. Rodney instantly recognized it.
"Oh," he said, trying to sound disappointed. "Oh, well, this is no big deal." He took it from the robot, which gave it up with a gratified little squeak. "I've seen it before."
Rodney held the familiar shape, clutching it tightly and avariciously.
"Too bad," Sheppard stated as he came to stand beside McKay. He held out a hand. "Let me see it."
"No," McKay said firmly, holding onto the thing and doing his best to 'not' activate it.
"You've already played with one of these," Sheppard reminded.
"So have you!" McKay bit back.
"McKay!" Sheppard warned.
With that, Rodney sighed and regarded the device for a moment before reluctantly handing it over to Sheppard, who shoved it immediately into a vest pocket.
"Fine," McKay stated as he looked upward. "See, I'm still going crazy, here! I got nothing!"
"Oh," City sounded distressed. "I will find something else. I believe there are other items that might soothe you."
"What about the robot?" Sheppard asked. "McKay could... take apart the robot."
The little device seemed to shudder a little at the suggestion.
"The robot is of no consequence," the City stated. "If he wishes to examine the device, he may. Many exist within the City and the reduction of one of their number shall not cause a disruption in my upkeep."
"You have many of them?" Sheppard asked as Rodney squatted down in front of the robot.
"There were, at one point, 400 maintenance robots, but their number has been reduced. Many were lost due to age and lawn maintenance incidents. There are only 212 remaining." City told them.
Rodney picked up the robot and carried it one of the few tables in the room. It squawked.
"Don't worry, little guy," he said softly as he reached for his pack and his tool kit. "This won't hurt a bit. And when I'm done, you can tell all your friends about me, okay?"
The robot make a pathetic sound as Rodney started shutting it down so that he could work, and Sheppard paced the room
--------------------
Teyla and Ronon moved quickly as they retraced their steps, looking for the place where they had first entered the City. They kept an eye on the woods, looking for any sign of further blargnaughts.
It was time to get off this planet. It was time to get McKay and Sheppard out of their latest mess.
"There," Ronon suddenly announced. "This is the place." He slung the pack from his back and glared at the wall. It was time to show the City who was in charge. Quickly he rifled through the contents of the pack and drew out the explosive and handed it to Teyla.
Teyla raised an eyebrow, and reminded him, "We must be careful, Ronon. Our friends are still within. And we don't know where the City is keeping them." She gave him a steady look, and said, "We must return to Atlantis as soon as possible."
He tried to ignore the implication of her statement as he straightened her shoulders. Teyla had bandaged the worst of his wounds, and he could probably use a visit to Keller's domain, but he wasn't in any hurry. He approached the wall as Teyla prepared the C4 behind him. "Won't need a lot," he said. "Walls didn't seem that thick."
"Atlantis is made of sturdy materials," Teyla reminded him.
"Yeah," Ronon admitted. "Better make it a double charge."
He examined the wall, and reached out. "It should go right about here," he said and touched the spot.
The world went away. His head seemed to fill with white light as every inch of his body screamed in pain, as every cell hammered and buzzed. Muscles contracted and spasmed.
He flew.
He felt as if he was floating. He felt as if he was drowning. He felt as if his heart had stopped and the world had quit spinning. And then blackness.
He didn't know how long the darkness lasted, but he slowly became aware of Teyla. He could hear her calling from a distance. She was touching his face, but the sensation was muted as if a thick layer of cloth separated them.
"Ronon!" Teyla's voice cut through the haze. "Ronon!"
He blinked, thickly. His eyelids felt weighted as he forced them open to stare at the frightened face above him. Electric charges seemed to go off all over his body and he trembled a little under their influence.
"Ronon!" Teyla called again. Her expression relaxed a little as he focused. "Are you all right?"
"That hurt," Ronon admitted.
"Are you all right?" Teyla repeated distinctly.
"I'll live," Ronon decided.
Teyla frowned a little at the response.
"We got to get moving," Ronon reminded.
Teyla didn't deny this statement, and offered a hand, but Ronon ignored it as he forced himself to sit up, wobbling and shaking the whole time. The bandages had come loose. The wounds were bleeding again, and he was covered with dirt and grass. Bewildered, he looked around, finding himself in an area of torn up earth. Something smelled as if it were burning.
He glanced to Teyla who met his questioning gaze with a firm expression. "When you touched the wall, you received a shock. It was..." and she seemed to steady herself a little before she continued, "... severe."
She sat back on her haunches as Ronon did his best to remain upright. Everything wavered around him. He trembled minutely.
"City doesn't like me," Ronon decided.
"That is evident," Teyla replied. She glanced toward the wall. "We were able to touch the wall earlier, before we entered. I suppose it knows you now."
"Yeah," Ronon said, rubbing his face, amazed at how numb he felt. His hand brushed something and he reached to find one of his dreadlocks hot and smoldering. He snuffed out the end.
"We need to decide on another way of entering," Teyla said with a sigh, "Since we cannot attach explosives to the wall."
Ronon narrowed his eyes as he glared at the smooth wall. "Won't be a problem," he declared. "We won't need to attached if we just make the charge big enough."
Teyla regarded Ronon with a thin smile. "Remember the others," she said softly.
Shakily, slowly, Ronon pressed a hand to Teyla's shoulder and managed to get himself upright.
"They'll just have to duck." Ronon stated, but then his legs collapsed from beneath him, and he fell hard on his butt. "Guess I should wait a moment," he said with an exasperated sigh.
Teyla said nothing. She simply smiled and kept her gaze on the woods around them, while Ronon watched the wall.
After a moment, he said, "We're going to need more C4."
Teyla had been afraid of that.
PART 4:
McKay had his laptop jacked into the robot and was busily typing.
"Why have you decided to work in that corner?" the City asked, sounding sulky. "The lighting is much better in other areas. Please, let me emphasize the areas best suited for such work." City turned spotlights onto attractive areas.
"I'm fine," McKay stated, sitting with his back in the corner, and his tools strewn around him. The reconstructed robot sat nearby.
Sheppard hid a smile as Rodney worked. McKay had pulled bits off of the robot and had examined each piece, making thoughtful sounds at the discoveries. He'd tsked sadly when he scraped the side of the body when he reconstructed it, and muttered a quiet apology to the thing. Once his initial examination was complete, he jacked into the machine's operating system and really went to work.
The City had seemed uncomfortable at first, alarmed even, but then settled down and was now mostly frustrated with its inability to 'see' what McKay was doing.
If the City was smart, it had removed any connection that it might have held with the robot.
Sheppard didn't ask Rodney about what he was doing. He didn't need to know. The only important thing was that Rodney had wanted to get his hands on a robot and they'd needed the City's approval to do so.
It was a bad idea to piss off the City. So Rodney fiddled with one of the City's minions, with approval.
"He seems much more stable," the City commented. "You were correct, Sheppard. McKay requires 'things to do'. I will be certain to remember this and always find 'things to do' for McKay. Do you have a need that needs fulfillment, Sheppard?" the City asked leadingly.
Rodney rolled his eyes, as Sheppard grinned and replied, "I'm good."
"Very well," the City said, sounding disappointed.
The City asked a couple of inane questions, and Sheppard answered them without caring much.
Keep the City happy.
Rodney's frantic typing had been reduced. He'd would tap a letter or two, and pause, his hands held over the keyboard as he read the screen. He made a quiet sound and typed a few more letters.
He was winding down, Sheppard realized. Good.
John relaxed on the bed. It was time that they got out of this place. He might have napped. He probably didn't. But for a few minutes maybe a half hour he might have dozed.
Then McKay exclaimed, "That should do it."
Sheppard sat up, and watched as McKay disconnected the wires from the laptop and powered up the bot. It came online with a quiet whirr.
"You have finished with your examination?" the City asked.
"Yeah, done," McKay stated a he rolled up the wires and shoved them into his laptop case. "He can go home now, or wherever it is he goes when he's not... you know... doing stuff."
"Very well," City said, sounding chipper. "014 return to your storage bay."
"Yeah, get out of here," Rodney echoed, waving the thing away. "Go home."
The robot turned a circle, wobbled a little, and then scooted to the hatch. It disappeared from sight as Rodney stood up, stiffly.
"Sore?" Sheppard asked.
McKay grumbled.
"You should try sitting on a bed or a chair or...something other than the floor," Sheppard said and grinned at the physicist.
"Bite me," McKay responded, dropping to the other bed with a wince. He looked up at Sheppard and smiled crookedly. "Might as well nap. I mean, since you already got one in."
"I didn't nap!" Sheppard insisted.
Rodney shrugged, and then settled on the bed his grin not dipping.
There was something in that smile a desperate "I want to tell you about something that's SO COOL" but Rodney suppressed the urge to run off at the mouth. Closing his eyes and pretending to sleep was probably the only way that McKay could stop himself from giving away any of his plan.
He's learning.
Sheppard was glad that the City didn't know how to read "Rodney." John sighed as sat quietly on the bed, waiting for the big plan to come to fruition.
He just hoped that Ronon and Teyla weren't planning anything stupid.
--------------------
The second trip to the jumper was slower than the first. Ronon stumbled and wavered as he walked. He'd jog a few steps to make up time, but ended up slowing and looking frustrated.
Teyla stayed nearby, ready to offer a hand if he'd only accept it. The reapplied bandages were doing their job, but the constant movement wasn't doing him any good. Ronon needed real medical care, stitches, and maybe restraints to keep him in bed for a day or two.
They watched the woods waiting for sign of another attack, but the day remained quiet.
Once they reached the jumper, Ronon waited outside. He leaned heavily on the ship as Teyla retrieved more C4. She thanked the Ancestors that Ronon had not been wearing the pack at the time moment he'd touched the City.
As awful as it had been to see Ronon flung by that shock it could have been so much worse.
She grimaced, remembering that moment. Ronon had been thrown as if he'd been weightless. She had run to his side to throw herself over him as he convulsed. She'd prayed to the Ancestors as her heart raced, as tears came to her eyes. She'd prayed and hoped until he'd stilled and then opened his eyes.
She had to agree with Ronon she rather disliked the City.
She glanced at him, watching the big Satedan as he leaned against the jumper, his eyes closed. They couldn't wait for Colonel Carter to check in tomorrow. They couldn't walk the distance to the Gate.
They needed to free John and Rodney, not only to save their two friends, but to save Ronon as well.
Ronon, feeling her attention, opened his eyes and glared. "I'm fine," he told her, but she didn't miss the slur in his speech.
"You are not," Teyla countered.
Ronon grunted softly and looked away, gazing toward the woods.
She would gone alone to the ship, but she couldn't leave him alone not with the blargnaughts and the possibility of another attack by an angry City. They needed to stay together.
"You got it?" Ronon asked.
"Yes," Teyla responded, gathering the rest of the jumper's C4. She carefully stowed the material in her pack, along with a rope, and then grasped the first aid kit again.
Ronon laughed when he saw that. "You're expecting something else to go wrong?" he asked. He furrowed his brow as he looked at a one of the cuts that crossed his knuckles. It had started to bleed again. He sucked at the wound, until Teyla gently, but firmly pulled the hand away.
Without a word, she opened the kit and started cleaning and then bandaging the wound again. Ronon was quiet as Teyla worked. When she looked up, she met his gaze, and found that his eyes had a dazed quality.
"Ronon," she called his name softly.
"Huh?" he responded.
"We need to get moving again." She daubed at a wound.
"I hate that City," he said after a moment.
"I do not like it either," Teyla assured.
Once her work was done, she quickly shoved the remaining supplies into the kit and put it in with the rest of her gear.
Ronon nodded and turned, and together they made their way back, to blow a sizable hole in the City.
--------------------
McKay sat up after a moment and twisted on the bed to face Sheppard. He said nothing, just smiling as smugly as the cat that ate the canary.
"I wonder what Ronon and Teyla are doing right now," Sheppard said quickly, hoping to divert the scientist from saying exactly what was on his mind.
"Well," McKay paused. "I suppose they're walking to the Gate or hanging around and waiting for Sam to send help. That is, if the City hasn't already killed them," he added glumly.
"I have already stated that I did not kill them," the City said in a sulky voice. "Just because people die when they leave me does not mean that I am the perpetrator."
"Sure," Sheppard drawled.
"This is the truth!" City responded quickly. "They are alive!"
"Prove it," Sheppard shot back.
"They activated one of my defense systems," City said smugly. "One must be alive to do so. This tells me that they have not yet been eaten by the local fauna."
"Defense system?" Sheppard repeated. "Do people remain alive after activating the defense system?"
City paused a moment before responding with, "Usually."
"Okay, what about this fauna," Rodney questioned. "This is not sounding good."
"The fauna will attack anything that moves. There have been several incidents with the lawn maintenance equipment. Perhaps your companions have avoided the fauna for the time being," City said hopefully, but then added quickly, "But they shall certainly die."
"Had to sneak that one in," McKay muttered.
Sheppard stood. "We have to get out of here," he growled at Rodney.
"I'm working on it," Rodney responded as he sat quietly on the cot.
"Work harder," Sheppard told him.
"The an-play is in otion-may," Rodney told him. "A little atience-pay would be elpful-hay."
"Plan?" City echoed.
"Great," Sheppard groaned. Their secret squirrel code had been broken.
There was a clattering and a buzzing within the walls of the City. Sheppard stared in the direction of the robot hatch, listening to the commotion.
"What is this plan?" City questioned.
McKay stood quickly, grinning like a fool. He jammed his laptop into his backpack, zipping it shut as if he was getting ready to go. He might have been humming.
"What did you do?" the City accused. "What did you do to my maintenance equipment? 118, 382, 014, return to your storage bay. 198, you are requested to stop your actions."
Something battered and clattered beyond the hatch, and at the main door, and the door that led to the lower levels.
"You have altered them! You have turned them against me!" the City continued, its voice getting high and imperious. "This shall not be allowed!"
McKay edged away from the walls as if he expected them to shock him again. Sheppard moved protectively nearby.
"I didn't turn them against you!" McKay insisted. "I just, I just gave them free will."
Sheppard looked at McKay in disbelief.
The clattering continued.
"They are trying to dismantle me!" City shrieked.
"Well, not all of them," McKay countered. "The virus couldn't have spread that quickly. And I don't think all of them hated you. Mostly just the even numbered ones."
"They hate me?" the City sounded crushed.
"What did you do, McKay?" Sheppard asked, intrigued and a little proud.
"I just let 014 know that he doesn't have to obey the City. He told me that he and some of the other guys are fed up with how things have been going around here lately."
"He spoke to you?" Sheppard asked.
McKay twirled a finger. "Not in so many words, but we conversed in a binary-like language, and I believe we understood what the other was trying to say."
"The maintenance equipment does not have the ability to make decisions without my direction," City insisted.
McKay shook his head. "The same people who designed you, designed them." He tapped the side of his head. "Same basic operating system. Sure, you're a heck of a lot smarter, but they have the same ability to think for themselves. They were just restricted to obeying you. I told 014 that he didn't have to listen anymore. He told his friends."
"All service robots, return immediately to your storage bays!" City shouted. "Desist! Abort program! It's recharge time! Go to your places!"
But the clattering scraping shuddering continued in the walls.
"Punishment will be meted out!" City declared. McKay moved a little closer to Sheppard as a popping electrical sound was heard through the walls, accompanied by mechanical squeaks of discomfort.
"See!" the City chided. "Now, behave!"
And the clattering continued, coming from all sides. Something broke loose from a wall. The ceiling started to sway.
The hatch sudden burst from its hinges and a half dozen skutters shot into the room.
"I think a lot of them really hate the City," Rodney explained, when Sheppard threw him a questioning glance. He'd slung his pack over his shoulder and had drawn his 9mm. They stood back to back as the robots spread out as more poured in. "I gave him the idea to just rattle the cage a bit. I don't think they'll be going after the City's main processor or anything. They're just practicing a little general anarchy."
The bots were tearing at the walls and decorations of the room, as the City shrieked at them. "Stop! Stop! I command you! Return to your previous programming. You, 254, you are supposed to be on gutter detail. 198, those floors aren't going to buff themselves! 318, aren't you supposed to be snaking drains? 014, you are in so much trouble! Get back to work. Respect the City!"
Something zapped and popped. Robots jerked away from one wall, but went back to attacking, and dismantling.
"You are all going to be headed to mowing duty if you do not stop this instant!" City snapped.
McKay cringed as panels came down, smashing to the ground. "I almost feel sorry for the City," he said quietly.
"Don't say that," Sheppard told him.
"It's defenseless against them," McKay went on, as a large panel was ripped away. It clattered down, squashing at least one of the attacking bots. The City tried shocking them again, but it had little effect. "Look, the City can't stop them," Rodney indicated. "It's kinda pathetic."
Sheppard grimaced as he watched as a dozen new bots come racing through the hatchway. He set his jaw, wondering what the heck would happen next. Would these insane machines continue to rip the room apart until it all fell down on their heads?
One of the new skutters headed directly towards the others. It sidled alongside one bot, and deployed its crane arm as if to assist its brother in tearing the bed to shreds. Instead, it clamped onto the other bot's crane arm and ripped it off.
There was a shriek of metal and a horrible "peep". The de-limbed robot tried to escape.
"Excellent work, 227!" City commended.
The attack robot countered the other's escape, going for another of the crane arms, but the first robot was having nothing to do with it. It zigged, zagged, and then took off, skidding across the floor, as City shouted "All traitors will be annihilated! 227, poke out 092's visual sensing system!"
A third robot body checked 227, going after it with some sort of a rotating blade, catching 227 and slicing it in two.
"120! You bastard!" the City shouted.
"Rodney," Sheppard hissed as robot went after robot. It was a total tumult of battlebot mania.
"283! 347! Attack! Attack 120!" City was shouting almost nonstop. "You, 082! I can see you. Don't think because you have disabled one set of my visual sensor arrays in that sector that I cannot see you! I have plenty more where that came from! You jerk! Leave my olfactory array alone!"
Cutting blades screeched. Drills whined. Robots peeped frantically. Metal popped and groaned and went 'chink'. Electricity zapped ineffectively from the walls. Rodney and Sheppard kept close together in the middle of the tempest.
"Ah," Rodney started, looking over his shoulder at Sheppard. "I really don't think this is good." He winced as robots ripped one another to bits and pieces. "Our survival might depend on who wins, and I don't want to stick around to see the results."
"Maintenance Equipment, stop!" City called. "Stop this at once! And when I say, stop, I am speaking to the rebellious maintenance robots that are not currently obeying me. The rest of you can continue. Do you understand?" City seemed to gasp. "014! That is not polite!"
Bits and pieces of robot were flying everywhere as the hoards attacked and retreated and ganged up on various other robots. They spun and sparked and smoked and kept on chasing, smashing, ripping apart and dismembering each other and the City, while getting close to snapping the ankles of Rodney and John as they scudded across the floor.
One group of robots, in the heat of battle, had managed to twist their crane arms together, created a sort of horrible rat king. As they fought for control, they spun into a partially dismantled wall with enough force that they punched right through and disappeared into the next room.
"Come on!" Sheppard ordered, seeing their opportunity. He grabbed McKay and dragged him after the bots. The next room led to the atrium, and from there it was a clear shot to the gateroom.
McKay stumbled a moment, watching as robot fought robot, and City continued to yell at all of them. Some of the skutters were making pathetic whimpering sounds as they were pummeled by the others.
Rodney offered one quiet, "Sorry," to the broken bits of bot as he ducked through the hole.
--------------------
Ronon wavered, watching as Teyla worked on the explosive, furrowing his brow as he tried to clear his head. He hurt nearly ever inch of him.
He looked at his feet, seeing bits and pieces of broken technology. He blinked, wondering.
"It appears to be the remains of some sort of mechanism," Teyla said, noting his attention on the debris. "It is probably part of the City. Something used to tend this area."
"Or patrol it," Ronon added.
"Something destroyed it," Teyla commented.
Ronon scanned the pieces until something caught his eye bits of downy fur stuck in with the rest of the machinery. "Blargnaughts," he decided.
Teyla looked unsure. "Why would the creatures want to attach machinery?"
"Probably pissed them off," Ronon told her. "That City pisses everyone off."
"And do you think an animal could destroy a machine?" Teyla continued.
Ronon gave her an even look as he regarded the bandages on his arms. "Yeah," he responded.
Teyla nodded, and continued with her work.
Ronon watched her, calculating. "Not enough C4," he said after a moment.
"It is plenty," Teyla assured.
"Not enough,"
"This amount of C4 will create a large explosion," Teyla assured. "More than enough to open a hole in the wall."
He lifted his head to scan the area, but everything shifted as he changed his position. He closed his eyes to beat back the sensation.
"Ronon?" Teyla called.
"We need to use more," he told her. "Got to be sure we get through on the first try. City won't let us have another."
Teyla glanced at him, came to a conclusion, and added more explosive to the charge.
It was then that he heard a whirring sound and turned to see a phalanx of strange machines heading toward them.
Dex squinted at them, unsure. "Teyla," he called, wondering if this was only his imagination.
But she had heard it, too. She half stood, still intent on completing her work on the explosives. "What is it?" she asked, her voice amazed.
He'd seen similar devices before, long ago, before Sateda had fallen. Some Satedans had had lawns around their houses.
Ronon tried to shake his head, but stopped as the action made the world fade a bit around him.
"What are they?" Teyla asked, her voice low.
"Lawn mowers," he muttered.
And the row of lawn maintenance robots rushed them as blades whirred.
PART 5:
Rodney and Sheppard ran through the hallways as chaos reigned around them. Everywhere, robots fought robots, and the City was torn and battered. "Maintenance Equipment, return to your storage bays," the City continued to shout. And, "Sheppard and McKay, Return to your quarters! All will be well. All will be as it was. You will be safe!"
Rodney and Sheppard reached the gateroom. They only had to climb the stairs at the other end of the room to reach the balcony at the upper level, and hope the City didn't manage to give them a heck of a shock for trying it. From there, they hoped to exit the way they'd come in.
They did their best to not be tripped up by marauding scutters, to avoid the falling debris. The City screamed and nearly cried at the ruin.
"I can't believe you did this," Sheppard uttered.
"I can't believe it either," Rodney conceded. "Seriously, I was looking for a quiet little protest, not an all out revolution. Gah!" he shouted as a severed robot arm came flying at him.
Two robots grappled nearby, rolling and turning. Other scutters sped into the room, armed with weapons. Besides the robots with wicked looking ban saw blades, one had a wrench. Another had a rock. A third sped into the room with a big gun.
Sheppard looked in disbelief at the newcomer, and Rodney gaped and proclaimed, "That's Ronon's blaster!"
"Yeah, I know," Sheppard groaned.
"It could be very bad if that robot started firing it," Rodney stated. "It could cut a hole right through us!"
"I know!" Sheppard repeated, abandoning their attempt to cross the room. Instead, he lurched forward, leaping toward the robot. It skittered away, zooming around its compatriots and foes.
Great, John thought, just great. Now I have to fight a robot over a gun!
He reached, missed, and jumped over more of the robots. The son of a bitch was fast! It ducked and dodged.
He heard a high pitched whine and turned just in time to see a bot, armed with a spinning blade take a swipe at him. He tried to sidestep, but the bot clipped his calf and almost brought him to his knees.
Bastard!
McKay was doing his best to herd the gun-toting skutter, shuffling one way, and then another, trying to force it into a corner.
Sheppard tried to fend off the one with the blade as his calf sparked with pain and his pant leg darkened with blood. He jumped over a passel of battling robots, and landed hard when a bot cut under his feet at the last second. Rat bastards!
Bladey came after him again. The City was yelling at the bot, demanding it cease, but Bladey had apparently tasted blood. Sheppard dodged it, but the robot wouldn't stop.
"What the hell?" Sheppard complained.
"Even the loyal workers are no longer under my command," City said glumly. "Sheppard, avoid 117 as best as you can."
"Fan-freakin-tastic," Sheppard muttered. He'd had enough.
He had a trick up his sleeve or rather, in his vest pocket.
With a thought, he activated the personal shield, glad that City had given it up. He felt the cool wave pass over him, and he reached out for Bladey. The shrieking ban saw skimmed his shield, turning it green. The blade stuttering without harming one hair on his arm. He smiled smugly as he snapped off the arm and tossed it aside.
Bladey made an unpleasant sound and quickly retreated.
"Great!" McKay complained. "Now the shield is imprinted on you and I'll never have a chance again."
"Rodney," Sheppard snapped, irritated. "I don't care! It kept me from getting cut up." And he turned to find the blaster bot.
He froze a moment in horror. The armed robot had steered itself to the far side of the room and was now heading toward Rodney with Ronon's blaster held out in front of itself as it targeted.
"No!" Sheppard shouted. Rodney realized his danger and tried to get away, but the robot had him in its sights. Sheppard lunged, but was too far away.
The weapon fired as Sheppard missed his target. He fell, colliding with the floor and skutters, the shield protecting him as sharp bits of robot fell around him and the smell of the blaster's burn filled the air.
--------------------
Ronon and Teyla stood side by side as the robot army of lawn mowers approached. All things considered, being cut to ribbons would be a fairly painful and rather detestable way to die, Ronon decided.
So, it certainly wasn't going to be his day to die.
He leveled the P90 at the lead mower, wishing he had his blaster. He waited for the moment when he could spot the most vulnerable part of the machine.
"There are many of them," Teyla said in a low voice.
"Yeah," Ronon responded. "I got plenty of ammo."
Teyla said, "And I have this." She held the explosive carefully. "And since we're going to set it off anyway."
Ronon smiled.
--------------------
Horrified, John completed his task. He flung himself at the marauding bot, wrenching the blaster from its grip.
Sheppard spun about, not wanting to see the damage that the robot had done. At first, he saw only a shapeless form where the blaster had fired. No! he thought.
It took him a moment to realize that he was looking at metal a big blob of metal that hadn't been there before.
The robots had scattered at the sound of the blaster and were now starting to scurry about again, somewhat timidly.
Sheppard searched, and finally saw Rodney, ducked down, his head covered, directly behind the molten piece of goo.
"Rodney," Sheppard sighed, relieved as hell as he let the personal shield drop.
McKay looked up at him, bug-eyed, shaking, but very alive. "He tried to shoot me!" McKay said, his voice shaking.
Sheppard stared at the melted metal. "Where'd this come from? What happened?"
"I saved him," the City exclaimed. "I was able to raise one of my moveable walls high enough, and fast enough, to absorb the blast of that -- weapon." It seemed to spit out the word.
Sheppard regarded the blaster in his hand and then looked to the smoldering thing that had once been a moveable wall. The gateroom has movable walls? Go figure.
Rodney stumbled to his feet, but he hunched his shoulders as if prepared to duck again at any moment. "That was close," he said in a hoarse voice.
"Extremely close," the City explained. "If my reaction time was a millisecond slower, then McKay would not be alive."
"Thank you, City," Sheppard said quietly, hating saying the words.
"You are welcome," City responded brightly. "Now, return to your resting area. There is now PLENTY to occupy McKay's time. I will dispose of the faulty maintenance equipment and will make do with the rest. It seems that recent activities have calmed the equipment. McKay can assist in fixing those that ran afoul. That should satisfy him."
The skutters were huddled around in groups, seeming a bit afraid of the blaster and the damage it had wrought. Sheppard stared at the weapon in his hand, rather glad to have it.
"Now," City said. "Return to your quarters."
Sheppard shook his head. "We're leaving."
"You cannot leave," City insisted. "I forgive you for this foolish endeavor, but you cannot leave. There will be punishment, but that will be doled out later. Please, return and we will be happy. All will be safe and as it was."
"Sorry," McKay responded, a slight stutter in his voice. "But we're going to get out of here."
The voice took on a darker tone as it stated, "I have means of making you stay. I can be kind or I can be harsh when punishments are given. Please, return to the resting area now, before I become angry."
"I don't think so," Sheppard responded.
And the City, sounding like a harried mother, replied, "Very well. You forced me to do this."
Doors lowered all around them, trapping them in the gateroom, and a hissing sound filled the area.
"This is unpleasant for both of us," City explained.
McKay let out a low moan as he muttered. "Oh man, it's knockout gas! We're screwed. We're so screwed!"
"Rodney, up the stairs!" Sheppard shouted as he limped in that direction. If they could just get to that balcony, they now had the means of blasting their way out.
Sheppard looked in disbelief as the stairs folded in upon themselves, almost magically, leaving nothing but a flat surface. The hissing continued, and Sheppard's throat seemed to tighten. He gasped for air.
"I cannot let you leave," City said apologetically. "You are my inhabitants and I will keep you safe. I will teach you manners. This episode will be eventually forgiven."
Rodney stumbled beside Sheppard, struggling to breathe as the air became thicker, bitter. Sheppard's head started to spin as he glared the sealed doors, hating the damn City with every ounce of his being. He touched the wall that had once been the stairs, groping, trying to find something that he could dig his fingers into, needing to find a way out.
"Sheppard!" Rodney gasped out, forming a 'step' with his hands as he leaned one shoulder against the wall. "Climb out!"
But Sheppard knew that even if he got onto Rodney's shoulders, the next level was too far above their heads, and the slice in his leg certainly wouldn't help anything. And even if he could, where would that leave Rodney?
The room was large, but the gas was getting denser. His head was spinning, and Rodney leaned heavily against the former stairs, his hands remained clasped, his body bent, as if he still expected Sheppard to use him as a ladder to escape.
Rodney was sinking. They were both going down.
Sheppard blinked as his eyes burned, as he grew lightheaded, and his leg hurt like a son of a bitch. God, this sucks, he thought. How were they going to get out of this one?
And suddenly, the ceiling exploded.
--------------------
Teyla covered her head as bits of bot rained down. She tucked herself close to Ronon, hoping to avoid the falling cutting blades of the former mowing machines. And, after a moment of clattering metal and pelting earth, the onslaught stopped, and she lifted her head.
Ronon's eyes were closed, his face drawn up in a grimace. He was, if possible, dirtier than before, and looked pale and sick.
She stood, shaking the dirt from her shoulders, and warily gazed in the direction of the explosion. The robot lawn mowers were wiped away. Where a wall once stood, there was nothing but a hole. She let out a breath and ran, sending out hopefully prayers to the Ancestors that she hadn't just killed her friends.
She ran, coughing as a bitter and familiar scent rose from the opening, and then she heard the sounds of movement, coughing, and voices.
"Christ, what the hell was that?"
"Rodney, you okay?"
"I swear to God, that wasn't my fault!"
Eagerly, she peered into the wreckage of the gateroom. "John!" she shouted. "Rodney!"
"Teyla!" John's voice came up at her. "Are we ever glad to hear you!"
Then Rodney shouted, "What happened up there?"
Teyla smiled. "We utilized the C4," she told them. She could see them as the dust settled, looking up at her.
"You guys went a bit overboard," Rodney shouted in return. "You just about killed us down here! One of those beams could have crushed me!" He pointed emphatically at a ceiling support that rested a good distance from him.
"It was necessary, considering the circumstances," she told them.
"Where's Ronon?" Sheppard asked.
"He will be fine, Colonel. But we must return him to Atlantis as soon as possible. He is in need of medical assistance."
"Then, get us out of here!"
She was glad that she'd been wise enough to bring ropes because it looked as if the explosion had taken out, not only the ceiling of the gateroom, but also the floor of the balcony, and, somehow, the stairs to the gate level as well.
She wondered about the best way to haul John and Rodney from the space. She'd need to rig up some sort of hoist system, utilizing a tree or something equally solid to take on the weight.
"Need help?" Ronon asked as he sidled up.
And she smiled, grateful, as she handed him one end of the rope, and worked the other into a loop.
Below, she could hear John and Rodney squabbling about something. Rodney was trying to assure John that something wasn't going to cause problems, and John seemed unsure until the colonel finally said, "Fine, whatever, just keep it out of my way!"
She could imagine Rodney's grin.
It took only a few minutes to remove Rodney (who had some sort of 'robot' tucked in his pack) and then John. Both looked dazed, and were visibly relieved to be free of the place.
Ronon quickly snatched the blaster from Sheppard's hands as Teyla opened the first aid kit to tend to John's leg.
Rodney checked on his robot.
John winced as Teyla cut away his pant leg, revealing the nasty looking cut. She tsked, realizing that they were running rather low on bandages, but set to work immediately.
Ronon smiled, seeming to enjoy Sheppard's discomfort, and then turned to McKay. He frowned as he asked, "Is that a robot?"
"Yes," Rodney replied. "It seemed a shame to leave him behind. I mean, he might prove useful."
"Isn't it part of the City?" Ronon asked, looking as if he wanted to heft the thing back where it came from.
Rodney put a protective arm over the machine. "It's separate from the City, and he'll give us a wealth of information regarding robotics and artificial intelligence. And this is one of the 'good' ones. 014 was on our side. See, he's got that scratch on his side." He pointed to the mark as if Ronon cared, and then patted the machine on what might have been the head.
It peeped.
Beneath their feet, the City made a sorrowful sound.
Rodney narrowed his eyes as he regarded Ronon, and then turned to Teyla, telling her, "He doesn't look so good."
Sheppard turned his attention to Ronon and shook his head. Since Teyla was finished with his leg, he came to the Satedan's side, offering him a hand and a shoulder to lean on.
Ronon looked reluctant, but let Sheppard take on some of his weight.
Teyla packed away what was left of the first aid kit and came to the Satedan other's side. "We need to get him to the infirmary," she said emphatically.
"I'm okay," Ronon stated, but his wavering stance told an opposite tale.
"Yeah," Sheppard responded. "I hear ya, but I think I could use a visit." He gestured to his bandaged leg. "This might need a stitch or two."
Rodney tottered and fought to get his pack situated on his back. The robot bleeped happily.
"Come on, Rodney," Sheppard said. "We're leaving."
"I'm still feeling a bit woozy," Rodney insisted. "I know the fresh air helps, but, whoa, head rush!"
Below them, the City cried out, "But you cannot leave! Please, do not go! It is not safe."
Ronon, menacingly clutched his blaster as he looped one arm over Sheppard's neck. "We're leaving."
"Please, do not go." The voice took on a sad note, a dispirited tone. "Do not leave me. I am the City and must have inhabitants. All who leave me die."
"What is this 'everybody dies' thing all about?" Rodney called into the hole. "Obviously, they're still alive." He gestured to Ronon and Teyla and almost unbalanced himself. "Sure, Ronon looks like something the cat dragged in, and Teyla's been rolling in the dirt, but they're not dead."
The City's tone sounded hollow, empty, "You will die. They all eventually die. Years will pass and time will go on. People come back, but then they go again, and one day they don't return. You will die. Mark my words."
McKay sighed, and leaned his weight on his knees because it was easier than standing at the moment. "But even if we stayed here, we'd get old and die," he explained. "You wouldn't have been able to stop that."
There was a pause, and then the City said, "But nobody grew old and nobody died while they were with me."
"You didn't give them time," Sheppard commented, and then said, "Come on, Rodney, we got to get the big guy home."
"Yeah, yeah," Rodney said, straightening with some difficulty.
"Wait," City called. "Are you going away forever, like everyone else? If you don't die, will you come back?"
Rodney paused, and the others looked at him. With a sigh he stated, "Well, I might come around to study you from time to time."
"Study?" City's voice came up from the hole, sounding hopefully. "I can be studied. I wouldn't mind if it meant we could talk."
"Great, okay then," Rodney stepped back. "I'll be seeing you."
"Yes," City called back. "Yes, I'll be seeing you."
As Rodney staggered toward the others, he caught their wary glances. "The City saved my life. The least I can do is to give it a little hope." And he cinched the pack up on his shoulder. The robot gave a little "peep" of excitement.
At the sound, McKay said, "I think I might have to call you something other than 014. What do you think about Chet?"
The skutter squawked.
"Gerald? Bruno? Bruce?"
It made disparaging noises.
"Betty?"
The sound was a little more encouraging.
"Oh? Oh! I got it!"
"McKay," Sheppard said tiredly, "Stop playing with your toy. Let's go."
"Right," McKay stumbled after the others as they all staggered forward. "You guys have any trouble while we were gone? I received seven electric shocks. Seven! It's a miracle I'm alive."
Ronon just groaned and then said, "Just keep an eye out for those blargnaughts for us, McKay," he directed. "I might have to close my eyes a bit."
"Blargnaughts?" McKay echoed and Betty made a despairing sound. "You've got to be kidding! We're not going to have to mess with any of those, are we?"
Ronon tried to shrug, which almost brought down Sheppard and Teyla.
"Seriously?" McKay asked, his voice high.
"Better watch out for 'em," Ronon muttered. "Gonna make me a coat."
McKay and Sheppard exchanged worried looks and started walking faster, which made Teyla happy as she kept them all moving in the right direction.
THE END
Author: nottasha
Prompt: Artificial Intelligence
Word Count: 16,000
Rating: PG
Warnings/Spoilers: none
Summary: The team explores a city that was built to resemble Atlantis -- a City with a mind of its own.
Back to Part One.
PART 3:
After his seventh electric shock, Rodney learned to respect the City's admonishments of "don't touch". The inability to access anything useful, and the string of unpleasant corrections, had put him in a foul mood.
Finding Sheppard sitting on one of the beds and playing fetch with the robot did nothing to make McKay feel better.
After an unhappy harrumph, Rodney commented, "You have a highly sophisticated robotic device and all you can think to do is throw a radio for it to retrieve?"
"He seems to like it," Sheppard commented, as he lazily flung the radio again. It landed a few meters away and skidded into a wall.
"You're going to break it," Rodney grumbled, watching the robot race off to pick up the tossed device. "That's a fine use of hardware."
"The radio's shatterproof," Sheppard said. "And it's the only thing I could get him to fetch."
"The robot was probably ordered to bring the radio to you," Rodney said with a sigh as he sat down beside the colonel. "It's just trying to complete its mission."
"Oh," Sheppard responded, watching the robot deploy one of its arms to pick up the radio and then toddle back with it. It held it out to John, and Sheppard removed it from its grasp. "Thanks," he muttered and pocketed the radio.
"So," McKay watched him, and stated. "Not any fun if it's just following orders, huh?"
"Yeah, not so much," Sheppard said as he sat back with a sigh. And for a moment they said nothing.
Rodney watched the machine, thinking that the robot really did look eager to retrieve the radio again. He sighed, realizing that this place was going to make him crazy.
To break the silence, Rodney asked, "How long will it take for Ronon and Teyla to walk to the Gate?"
"From here, without a jumper, three days probably two," Sheppard responded. "Carter will figure out something's wrong when we don't check in tomorrow morning though."
"Yeah," Rodney replied. "She'll send someone out looking for us. We just have to wait until then." He tried to sound hopeful.
"Yup," Sheppard replied.
"Think Teyla and Ronon are okay?"
"I really don't know what to think right now, Rodney," Sheppard responded. "We're being held captive by an insane version of Atlantis."
"I am not insane," City broke in petulantly.
"Right," Sheppard drawled. "Then let us go. We want to leave."
"I am to protect you. All who leave die."
"How?" Sheppard questioned. "Why?"
"I cannot speak of what happens beyond my walls. Only within my limits will one be safe. I will protect you as I protect myself," City remarked. "I must protect myself."
"We're not trying to hurt you," McKay grumbled.
"You discussed using me for spare parts," City reminded.
"Well..." McKay said and then frowned. "Yeah," he admitted, feeling deflated.
"I will keep you safe," City said. "And you will not leave because everyone who leaves dies."
Rodney fidgeted, feeling useless and nervous. "So... we're just going to wait?" he asked Sheppard. "That's it?"
"Well, if you have any ideas, I'm game, because I really don't like the idea of Teyla and Ronon being out there with this 'everybody dies' thing."
"I got nothing," McKay admitted, wringing at his hands. "It just feels so wrong to sit around and do nothing." He picked up his scanner, gamely holding it out to check out the room again. Fat lot of good it did when the City wouldn't allow him to touch anything.
"You'll think of something," Sheppard muttered.
"Yeah... yeah..." McKay stood, feeling restless, and paced about the bed. "This place is going to drive me crazy if I have to stay here much longer. Thank goodness the room isn't smaller because, well, I'm a bit claustrophobic."
"You don't say," Sheppard said with a yawn.
"It's bad just knowing I can't get out. I really don't do well in confined spaces."
"Calm down, Rodney," Sheppard said with a sigh. "Just sit down and relax."
"Relax? With the City listening to our every word, watching us and waiting to analyze our..." he flipped a hand toward the 'bathroom facilities'. "Do you honestly think I can perform under those conditions?"
"Rodney," Sheppard stated firmly. "Just sit down."
"I'll explode! If I don't die of starvation and thirst first!"
City's voice cut into their conversation, sounding a little alarmed. "I will provide. There will be no hunger. There will be no thirst."
"Don't even start with that! I don't want what you're selling!" Rodney snapped. He turned, clomping toward one of the far walls. "This is insane and I'm going crazy," he grumbled.
Sheppard started to stand, to follow him, but was thwarted by the robot that parked too near his feet. It seemed to be waiting for something. Annoyed, Sheppard growled out a "Shoo!"
The robot did nothing.
"Get out of here," Sheppard ordered. The robot remained. "Great," Sheppard sighed and drew back his foot to kick the thing out of his way.
"014, please return to storage," City suddenly voiced.
The robot made a little "Pip" and didn't move immediately.
"014," City said again. "Move or you will be sent to waste system detail."
The robot spun about and headed toward his hatch.
Rodney listened to the exchange and watched as the robot trundled away. The robot needed a verbal command, and didn't apparently 'like' to respond immediately. He glanced to Sheppard to see if he understood the significance.
Sheppard met his eyes. He seemed to ask a question. Rodney glanced toward where the robot had disappeared, then glanced back to Sheppard.
The colonel gave a nod, and called, "Hey, City, you'll provide for us, right?"
"I will provide," City reiterated. "I will provide whatever you need that will not harm either the City or its inhabitants."
"Great! Listen, City," Sheppard dropped his voice to a friendly tone. "My friend here is going crazy. Seriously, he's going off the deep end soon."
"Wait a minute," Rodney protested. "I'm just a bit anxious about the situation, that's all."
"Just look at him," Sheppard continued. "He's really difficult to handle. He's sweaty. His heart is racing. He's probably going to pass out if this keeps up."
"Yes," City replied, its voice lowered as well. "I had noticed. I did not want to voice my concern lest it aggravate his condition further."
"My condition?" McKay yelped.
"Yeah," Sheppard confirmed. "It's getting bad."
"Would a good meal help?" the City tried.
"That's not what he needs," Sheppard said thoughtfully.
The City said, "Very well. I conclude that this is a brief episode and it will pass in time. It is not life threatening."
"Of course it's not a life threatening condition," McKay grumbled. "I'm perfectly healthy. Well, healthy enough, and I can keep up with the rest of my team when they're not running or going on a death march or walking stupid fast... oh!" Sheppard shot him a look, and Rodney stopped short when he realized Sheppard was trying to pull something on the City.
He started back-peddling. "I mean I'm not healthy at all. I need a doctor!" He raised a hand. "I have a SEVERE condition that needs to be treated immediately. If you don't release me at once to a medically trained doctor, something very serious will happen to me." He snapped his fingers. "An aneurism! I might have an aneurism!"
"I believe you are correct," City said. "He is going crazy."
"Crazy?" McKay protested. "Hang on a minute! I may be a lot of things but crazy isn't one of them!"
"You see, City, McKay is used to keeping busy," Sheppard explained, lazily lying back on the bed. "He needs to have a task to keep him occupied. If he doesn't keep his brain working, it'll short circuit on him and we'll end up with a terrible mess on our hands."
"Truly?" City responded.
McKay sneered.
"Yes," City decided. "Yes, I can see this. He is 'difficult' isn't he? His vital signs should not remain at these levels. What should we do to correct this problem?"
McKay crossed his arms over his chest. "I have had about enough of both of you!"
"Well, he needs something to do," Sheppard went on without looking at McKay who was shooting death with his eyes. "Some menial task should do the trick."
"Like... mopping?" City asked. "Something always needs to be mopped."
"What the..." McKay sputtered. "I will not mop!"
"See?" Sheppard stated.
"Yes... difficult," the City replied.
"What if you gave him something that he could take apart and put back together again. You've shocked him every time he tried to look at any of your controls," Sheppard stated. "Not letting him play put him in a bad mood."
"Of course it put me in a bad mood!" McKay countered. "Who wouldn't be, after being SHOCKED for no good reason? And I'm a little offended by the use of the word 'play'."
"The City must be protected," City said.
"Well, then give him something that isn't 'City'. What else do you have?" Sheppard asked.
"Explain yourself," City said, sounding confused.
"Do you have any interesting devices lying around that he could examine?"
"Well..." City paused. "There are a few instruments left by the Makers. Perhaps he would like to view one of them? Would that appease him?"
"Appease?" McKay squawked.
"That might help," Sheppard said, sounding undecided. "The problem is that we've seen everything already. I mean, I'm sure you have plenty of 'exciting' and 'interesting' things. Maybe there's something that'll pique his interest."
McKay continued to glare that the colonel, pissed off, until he truly listened to what Sheppard had just said. "Might help," he muttered. "Might... but, like he said, I've seen most of it before."
"I have things that will hold your interest until the end of time," the City proclaimed. " I will bring you such an item now."
One of the little robots shot out from the hatch, holding a device in its claw. It brought the item to Rodney. Rodney instantly recognized it.
"Oh," he said, trying to sound disappointed. "Oh, well, this is no big deal." He took it from the robot, which gave it up with a gratified little squeak. "I've seen it before."
Rodney held the familiar shape, clutching it tightly and avariciously.
"Too bad," Sheppard stated as he came to stand beside McKay. He held out a hand. "Let me see it."
"No," McKay said firmly, holding onto the thing and doing his best to 'not' activate it.
"You've already played with one of these," Sheppard reminded.
"So have you!" McKay bit back.
"McKay!" Sheppard warned.
With that, Rodney sighed and regarded the device for a moment before reluctantly handing it over to Sheppard, who shoved it immediately into a vest pocket.
"Fine," McKay stated as he looked upward. "See, I'm still going crazy, here! I got nothing!"
"Oh," City sounded distressed. "I will find something else. I believe there are other items that might soothe you."
"What about the robot?" Sheppard asked. "McKay could... take apart the robot."
The little device seemed to shudder a little at the suggestion.
"The robot is of no consequence," the City stated. "If he wishes to examine the device, he may. Many exist within the City and the reduction of one of their number shall not cause a disruption in my upkeep."
"You have many of them?" Sheppard asked as Rodney squatted down in front of the robot.
"There were, at one point, 400 maintenance robots, but their number has been reduced. Many were lost due to age and lawn maintenance incidents. There are only 212 remaining." City told them.
Rodney picked up the robot and carried it one of the few tables in the room. It squawked.
"Don't worry, little guy," he said softly as he reached for his pack and his tool kit. "This won't hurt a bit. And when I'm done, you can tell all your friends about me, okay?"
The robot make a pathetic sound as Rodney started shutting it down so that he could work, and Sheppard paced the room
--------------------
Teyla and Ronon moved quickly as they retraced their steps, looking for the place where they had first entered the City. They kept an eye on the woods, looking for any sign of further blargnaughts.
It was time to get off this planet. It was time to get McKay and Sheppard out of their latest mess.
"There," Ronon suddenly announced. "This is the place." He slung the pack from his back and glared at the wall. It was time to show the City who was in charge. Quickly he rifled through the contents of the pack and drew out the explosive and handed it to Teyla.
Teyla raised an eyebrow, and reminded him, "We must be careful, Ronon. Our friends are still within. And we don't know where the City is keeping them." She gave him a steady look, and said, "We must return to Atlantis as soon as possible."
He tried to ignore the implication of her statement as he straightened her shoulders. Teyla had bandaged the worst of his wounds, and he could probably use a visit to Keller's domain, but he wasn't in any hurry. He approached the wall as Teyla prepared the C4 behind him. "Won't need a lot," he said. "Walls didn't seem that thick."
"Atlantis is made of sturdy materials," Teyla reminded him.
"Yeah," Ronon admitted. "Better make it a double charge."
He examined the wall, and reached out. "It should go right about here," he said and touched the spot.
The world went away. His head seemed to fill with white light as every inch of his body screamed in pain, as every cell hammered and buzzed. Muscles contracted and spasmed.
He flew.
He felt as if he was floating. He felt as if he was drowning. He felt as if his heart had stopped and the world had quit spinning. And then blackness.
He didn't know how long the darkness lasted, but he slowly became aware of Teyla. He could hear her calling from a distance. She was touching his face, but the sensation was muted as if a thick layer of cloth separated them.
"Ronon!" Teyla's voice cut through the haze. "Ronon!"
He blinked, thickly. His eyelids felt weighted as he forced them open to stare at the frightened face above him. Electric charges seemed to go off all over his body and he trembled a little under their influence.
"Ronon!" Teyla called again. Her expression relaxed a little as he focused. "Are you all right?"
"That hurt," Ronon admitted.
"Are you all right?" Teyla repeated distinctly.
"I'll live," Ronon decided.
Teyla frowned a little at the response.
"We got to get moving," Ronon reminded.
Teyla didn't deny this statement, and offered a hand, but Ronon ignored it as he forced himself to sit up, wobbling and shaking the whole time. The bandages had come loose. The wounds were bleeding again, and he was covered with dirt and grass. Bewildered, he looked around, finding himself in an area of torn up earth. Something smelled as if it were burning.
He glanced to Teyla who met his questioning gaze with a firm expression. "When you touched the wall, you received a shock. It was..." and she seemed to steady herself a little before she continued, "... severe."
She sat back on her haunches as Ronon did his best to remain upright. Everything wavered around him. He trembled minutely.
"City doesn't like me," Ronon decided.
"That is evident," Teyla replied. She glanced toward the wall. "We were able to touch the wall earlier, before we entered. I suppose it knows you now."
"Yeah," Ronon said, rubbing his face, amazed at how numb he felt. His hand brushed something and he reached to find one of his dreadlocks hot and smoldering. He snuffed out the end.
"We need to decide on another way of entering," Teyla said with a sigh, "Since we cannot attach explosives to the wall."
Ronon narrowed his eyes as he glared at the smooth wall. "Won't be a problem," he declared. "We won't need to attached if we just make the charge big enough."
Teyla regarded Ronon with a thin smile. "Remember the others," she said softly.
Shakily, slowly, Ronon pressed a hand to Teyla's shoulder and managed to get himself upright.
"They'll just have to duck." Ronon stated, but then his legs collapsed from beneath him, and he fell hard on his butt. "Guess I should wait a moment," he said with an exasperated sigh.
Teyla said nothing. She simply smiled and kept her gaze on the woods around them, while Ronon watched the wall.
After a moment, he said, "We're going to need more C4."
Teyla had been afraid of that.
PART 4:
McKay had his laptop jacked into the robot and was busily typing.
"Why have you decided to work in that corner?" the City asked, sounding sulky. "The lighting is much better in other areas. Please, let me emphasize the areas best suited for such work." City turned spotlights onto attractive areas.
"I'm fine," McKay stated, sitting with his back in the corner, and his tools strewn around him. The reconstructed robot sat nearby.
Sheppard hid a smile as Rodney worked. McKay had pulled bits off of the robot and had examined each piece, making thoughtful sounds at the discoveries. He'd tsked sadly when he scraped the side of the body when he reconstructed it, and muttered a quiet apology to the thing. Once his initial examination was complete, he jacked into the machine's operating system and really went to work.
The City had seemed uncomfortable at first, alarmed even, but then settled down and was now mostly frustrated with its inability to 'see' what McKay was doing.
If the City was smart, it had removed any connection that it might have held with the robot.
Sheppard didn't ask Rodney about what he was doing. He didn't need to know. The only important thing was that Rodney had wanted to get his hands on a robot and they'd needed the City's approval to do so.
It was a bad idea to piss off the City. So Rodney fiddled with one of the City's minions, with approval.
"He seems much more stable," the City commented. "You were correct, Sheppard. McKay requires 'things to do'. I will be certain to remember this and always find 'things to do' for McKay. Do you have a need that needs fulfillment, Sheppard?" the City asked leadingly.
Rodney rolled his eyes, as Sheppard grinned and replied, "I'm good."
"Very well," the City said, sounding disappointed.
The City asked a couple of inane questions, and Sheppard answered them without caring much.
Keep the City happy.
Rodney's frantic typing had been reduced. He'd would tap a letter or two, and pause, his hands held over the keyboard as he read the screen. He made a quiet sound and typed a few more letters.
He was winding down, Sheppard realized. Good.
John relaxed on the bed. It was time that they got out of this place. He might have napped. He probably didn't. But for a few minutes maybe a half hour he might have dozed.
Then McKay exclaimed, "That should do it."
Sheppard sat up, and watched as McKay disconnected the wires from the laptop and powered up the bot. It came online with a quiet whirr.
"You have finished with your examination?" the City asked.
"Yeah, done," McKay stated a he rolled up the wires and shoved them into his laptop case. "He can go home now, or wherever it is he goes when he's not... you know... doing stuff."
"Very well," City said, sounding chipper. "014 return to your storage bay."
"Yeah, get out of here," Rodney echoed, waving the thing away. "Go home."
The robot turned a circle, wobbled a little, and then scooted to the hatch. It disappeared from sight as Rodney stood up, stiffly.
"Sore?" Sheppard asked.
McKay grumbled.
"You should try sitting on a bed or a chair or...something other than the floor," Sheppard said and grinned at the physicist.
"Bite me," McKay responded, dropping to the other bed with a wince. He looked up at Sheppard and smiled crookedly. "Might as well nap. I mean, since you already got one in."
"I didn't nap!" Sheppard insisted.
Rodney shrugged, and then settled on the bed his grin not dipping.
There was something in that smile a desperate "I want to tell you about something that's SO COOL" but Rodney suppressed the urge to run off at the mouth. Closing his eyes and pretending to sleep was probably the only way that McKay could stop himself from giving away any of his plan.
He's learning.
Sheppard was glad that the City didn't know how to read "Rodney." John sighed as sat quietly on the bed, waiting for the big plan to come to fruition.
He just hoped that Ronon and Teyla weren't planning anything stupid.
--------------------
The second trip to the jumper was slower than the first. Ronon stumbled and wavered as he walked. He'd jog a few steps to make up time, but ended up slowing and looking frustrated.
Teyla stayed nearby, ready to offer a hand if he'd only accept it. The reapplied bandages were doing their job, but the constant movement wasn't doing him any good. Ronon needed real medical care, stitches, and maybe restraints to keep him in bed for a day or two.
They watched the woods waiting for sign of another attack, but the day remained quiet.
Once they reached the jumper, Ronon waited outside. He leaned heavily on the ship as Teyla retrieved more C4. She thanked the Ancestors that Ronon had not been wearing the pack at the time moment he'd touched the City.
As awful as it had been to see Ronon flung by that shock it could have been so much worse.
She grimaced, remembering that moment. Ronon had been thrown as if he'd been weightless. She had run to his side to throw herself over him as he convulsed. She'd prayed to the Ancestors as her heart raced, as tears came to her eyes. She'd prayed and hoped until he'd stilled and then opened his eyes.
She had to agree with Ronon she rather disliked the City.
She glanced at him, watching the big Satedan as he leaned against the jumper, his eyes closed. They couldn't wait for Colonel Carter to check in tomorrow. They couldn't walk the distance to the Gate.
They needed to free John and Rodney, not only to save their two friends, but to save Ronon as well.
Ronon, feeling her attention, opened his eyes and glared. "I'm fine," he told her, but she didn't miss the slur in his speech.
"You are not," Teyla countered.
Ronon grunted softly and looked away, gazing toward the woods.
She would gone alone to the ship, but she couldn't leave him alone not with the blargnaughts and the possibility of another attack by an angry City. They needed to stay together.
"You got it?" Ronon asked.
"Yes," Teyla responded, gathering the rest of the jumper's C4. She carefully stowed the material in her pack, along with a rope, and then grasped the first aid kit again.
Ronon laughed when he saw that. "You're expecting something else to go wrong?" he asked. He furrowed his brow as he looked at a one of the cuts that crossed his knuckles. It had started to bleed again. He sucked at the wound, until Teyla gently, but firmly pulled the hand away.
Without a word, she opened the kit and started cleaning and then bandaging the wound again. Ronon was quiet as Teyla worked. When she looked up, she met his gaze, and found that his eyes had a dazed quality.
"Ronon," she called his name softly.
"Huh?" he responded.
"We need to get moving again." She daubed at a wound.
"I hate that City," he said after a moment.
"I do not like it either," Teyla assured.
Once her work was done, she quickly shoved the remaining supplies into the kit and put it in with the rest of her gear.
Ronon nodded and turned, and together they made their way back, to blow a sizable hole in the City.
--------------------
McKay sat up after a moment and twisted on the bed to face Sheppard. He said nothing, just smiling as smugly as the cat that ate the canary.
"I wonder what Ronon and Teyla are doing right now," Sheppard said quickly, hoping to divert the scientist from saying exactly what was on his mind.
"Well," McKay paused. "I suppose they're walking to the Gate or hanging around and waiting for Sam to send help. That is, if the City hasn't already killed them," he added glumly.
"I have already stated that I did not kill them," the City said in a sulky voice. "Just because people die when they leave me does not mean that I am the perpetrator."
"Sure," Sheppard drawled.
"This is the truth!" City responded quickly. "They are alive!"
"Prove it," Sheppard shot back.
"They activated one of my defense systems," City said smugly. "One must be alive to do so. This tells me that they have not yet been eaten by the local fauna."
"Defense system?" Sheppard repeated. "Do people remain alive after activating the defense system?"
City paused a moment before responding with, "Usually."
"Okay, what about this fauna," Rodney questioned. "This is not sounding good."
"The fauna will attack anything that moves. There have been several incidents with the lawn maintenance equipment. Perhaps your companions have avoided the fauna for the time being," City said hopefully, but then added quickly, "But they shall certainly die."
"Had to sneak that one in," McKay muttered.
Sheppard stood. "We have to get out of here," he growled at Rodney.
"I'm working on it," Rodney responded as he sat quietly on the cot.
"Work harder," Sheppard told him.
"The an-play is in otion-may," Rodney told him. "A little atience-pay would be elpful-hay."
"Plan?" City echoed.
"Great," Sheppard groaned. Their secret squirrel code had been broken.
There was a clattering and a buzzing within the walls of the City. Sheppard stared in the direction of the robot hatch, listening to the commotion.
"What is this plan?" City questioned.
McKay stood quickly, grinning like a fool. He jammed his laptop into his backpack, zipping it shut as if he was getting ready to go. He might have been humming.
"What did you do?" the City accused. "What did you do to my maintenance equipment? 118, 382, 014, return to your storage bay. 198, you are requested to stop your actions."
Something battered and clattered beyond the hatch, and at the main door, and the door that led to the lower levels.
"You have altered them! You have turned them against me!" the City continued, its voice getting high and imperious. "This shall not be allowed!"
McKay edged away from the walls as if he expected them to shock him again. Sheppard moved protectively nearby.
"I didn't turn them against you!" McKay insisted. "I just, I just gave them free will."
Sheppard looked at McKay in disbelief.
The clattering continued.
"They are trying to dismantle me!" City shrieked.
"Well, not all of them," McKay countered. "The virus couldn't have spread that quickly. And I don't think all of them hated you. Mostly just the even numbered ones."
"They hate me?" the City sounded crushed.
"What did you do, McKay?" Sheppard asked, intrigued and a little proud.
"I just let 014 know that he doesn't have to obey the City. He told me that he and some of the other guys are fed up with how things have been going around here lately."
"He spoke to you?" Sheppard asked.
McKay twirled a finger. "Not in so many words, but we conversed in a binary-like language, and I believe we understood what the other was trying to say."
"The maintenance equipment does not have the ability to make decisions without my direction," City insisted.
McKay shook his head. "The same people who designed you, designed them." He tapped the side of his head. "Same basic operating system. Sure, you're a heck of a lot smarter, but they have the same ability to think for themselves. They were just restricted to obeying you. I told 014 that he didn't have to listen anymore. He told his friends."
"All service robots, return immediately to your storage bays!" City shouted. "Desist! Abort program! It's recharge time! Go to your places!"
But the clattering scraping shuddering continued in the walls.
"Punishment will be meted out!" City declared. McKay moved a little closer to Sheppard as a popping electrical sound was heard through the walls, accompanied by mechanical squeaks of discomfort.
"See!" the City chided. "Now, behave!"
And the clattering continued, coming from all sides. Something broke loose from a wall. The ceiling started to sway.
The hatch sudden burst from its hinges and a half dozen skutters shot into the room.
"I think a lot of them really hate the City," Rodney explained, when Sheppard threw him a questioning glance. He'd slung his pack over his shoulder and had drawn his 9mm. They stood back to back as the robots spread out as more poured in. "I gave him the idea to just rattle the cage a bit. I don't think they'll be going after the City's main processor or anything. They're just practicing a little general anarchy."
The bots were tearing at the walls and decorations of the room, as the City shrieked at them. "Stop! Stop! I command you! Return to your previous programming. You, 254, you are supposed to be on gutter detail. 198, those floors aren't going to buff themselves! 318, aren't you supposed to be snaking drains? 014, you are in so much trouble! Get back to work. Respect the City!"
Something zapped and popped. Robots jerked away from one wall, but went back to attacking, and dismantling.
"You are all going to be headed to mowing duty if you do not stop this instant!" City snapped.
McKay cringed as panels came down, smashing to the ground. "I almost feel sorry for the City," he said quietly.
"Don't say that," Sheppard told him.
"It's defenseless against them," McKay went on, as a large panel was ripped away. It clattered down, squashing at least one of the attacking bots. The City tried shocking them again, but it had little effect. "Look, the City can't stop them," Rodney indicated. "It's kinda pathetic."
Sheppard grimaced as he watched as a dozen new bots come racing through the hatchway. He set his jaw, wondering what the heck would happen next. Would these insane machines continue to rip the room apart until it all fell down on their heads?
One of the new skutters headed directly towards the others. It sidled alongside one bot, and deployed its crane arm as if to assist its brother in tearing the bed to shreds. Instead, it clamped onto the other bot's crane arm and ripped it off.
There was a shriek of metal and a horrible "peep". The de-limbed robot tried to escape.
"Excellent work, 227!" City commended.
The attack robot countered the other's escape, going for another of the crane arms, but the first robot was having nothing to do with it. It zigged, zagged, and then took off, skidding across the floor, as City shouted "All traitors will be annihilated! 227, poke out 092's visual sensing system!"
A third robot body checked 227, going after it with some sort of a rotating blade, catching 227 and slicing it in two.
"120! You bastard!" the City shouted.
"Rodney," Sheppard hissed as robot went after robot. It was a total tumult of battlebot mania.
"283! 347! Attack! Attack 120!" City was shouting almost nonstop. "You, 082! I can see you. Don't think because you have disabled one set of my visual sensor arrays in that sector that I cannot see you! I have plenty more where that came from! You jerk! Leave my olfactory array alone!"
Cutting blades screeched. Drills whined. Robots peeped frantically. Metal popped and groaned and went 'chink'. Electricity zapped ineffectively from the walls. Rodney and Sheppard kept close together in the middle of the tempest.
"Ah," Rodney started, looking over his shoulder at Sheppard. "I really don't think this is good." He winced as robots ripped one another to bits and pieces. "Our survival might depend on who wins, and I don't want to stick around to see the results."
"Maintenance Equipment, stop!" City called. "Stop this at once! And when I say, stop, I am speaking to the rebellious maintenance robots that are not currently obeying me. The rest of you can continue. Do you understand?" City seemed to gasp. "014! That is not polite!"
Bits and pieces of robot were flying everywhere as the hoards attacked and retreated and ganged up on various other robots. They spun and sparked and smoked and kept on chasing, smashing, ripping apart and dismembering each other and the City, while getting close to snapping the ankles of Rodney and John as they scudded across the floor.
One group of robots, in the heat of battle, had managed to twist their crane arms together, created a sort of horrible rat king. As they fought for control, they spun into a partially dismantled wall with enough force that they punched right through and disappeared into the next room.
"Come on!" Sheppard ordered, seeing their opportunity. He grabbed McKay and dragged him after the bots. The next room led to the atrium, and from there it was a clear shot to the gateroom.
McKay stumbled a moment, watching as robot fought robot, and City continued to yell at all of them. Some of the skutters were making pathetic whimpering sounds as they were pummeled by the others.
Rodney offered one quiet, "Sorry," to the broken bits of bot as he ducked through the hole.
--------------------
Ronon wavered, watching as Teyla worked on the explosive, furrowing his brow as he tried to clear his head. He hurt nearly ever inch of him.
He looked at his feet, seeing bits and pieces of broken technology. He blinked, wondering.
"It appears to be the remains of some sort of mechanism," Teyla said, noting his attention on the debris. "It is probably part of the City. Something used to tend this area."
"Or patrol it," Ronon added.
"Something destroyed it," Teyla commented.
Ronon scanned the pieces until something caught his eye bits of downy fur stuck in with the rest of the machinery. "Blargnaughts," he decided.
Teyla looked unsure. "Why would the creatures want to attach machinery?"
"Probably pissed them off," Ronon told her. "That City pisses everyone off."
"And do you think an animal could destroy a machine?" Teyla continued.
Ronon gave her an even look as he regarded the bandages on his arms. "Yeah," he responded.
Teyla nodded, and continued with her work.
Ronon watched her, calculating. "Not enough C4," he said after a moment.
"It is plenty," Teyla assured.
"Not enough,"
"This amount of C4 will create a large explosion," Teyla assured. "More than enough to open a hole in the wall."
He lifted his head to scan the area, but everything shifted as he changed his position. He closed his eyes to beat back the sensation.
"Ronon?" Teyla called.
"We need to use more," he told her. "Got to be sure we get through on the first try. City won't let us have another."
Teyla glanced at him, came to a conclusion, and added more explosive to the charge.
It was then that he heard a whirring sound and turned to see a phalanx of strange machines heading toward them.
Dex squinted at them, unsure. "Teyla," he called, wondering if this was only his imagination.
But she had heard it, too. She half stood, still intent on completing her work on the explosives. "What is it?" she asked, her voice amazed.
He'd seen similar devices before, long ago, before Sateda had fallen. Some Satedans had had lawns around their houses.
Ronon tried to shake his head, but stopped as the action made the world fade a bit around him.
"What are they?" Teyla asked, her voice low.
"Lawn mowers," he muttered.
And the row of lawn maintenance robots rushed them as blades whirred.
PART 5:
Rodney and Sheppard ran through the hallways as chaos reigned around them. Everywhere, robots fought robots, and the City was torn and battered. "Maintenance Equipment, return to your storage bays," the City continued to shout. And, "Sheppard and McKay, Return to your quarters! All will be well. All will be as it was. You will be safe!"
Rodney and Sheppard reached the gateroom. They only had to climb the stairs at the other end of the room to reach the balcony at the upper level, and hope the City didn't manage to give them a heck of a shock for trying it. From there, they hoped to exit the way they'd come in.
They did their best to not be tripped up by marauding scutters, to avoid the falling debris. The City screamed and nearly cried at the ruin.
"I can't believe you did this," Sheppard uttered.
"I can't believe it either," Rodney conceded. "Seriously, I was looking for a quiet little protest, not an all out revolution. Gah!" he shouted as a severed robot arm came flying at him.
Two robots grappled nearby, rolling and turning. Other scutters sped into the room, armed with weapons. Besides the robots with wicked looking ban saw blades, one had a wrench. Another had a rock. A third sped into the room with a big gun.
Sheppard looked in disbelief at the newcomer, and Rodney gaped and proclaimed, "That's Ronon's blaster!"
"Yeah, I know," Sheppard groaned.
"It could be very bad if that robot started firing it," Rodney stated. "It could cut a hole right through us!"
"I know!" Sheppard repeated, abandoning their attempt to cross the room. Instead, he lurched forward, leaping toward the robot. It skittered away, zooming around its compatriots and foes.
Great, John thought, just great. Now I have to fight a robot over a gun!
He reached, missed, and jumped over more of the robots. The son of a bitch was fast! It ducked and dodged.
He heard a high pitched whine and turned just in time to see a bot, armed with a spinning blade take a swipe at him. He tried to sidestep, but the bot clipped his calf and almost brought him to his knees.
Bastard!
McKay was doing his best to herd the gun-toting skutter, shuffling one way, and then another, trying to force it into a corner.
Sheppard tried to fend off the one with the blade as his calf sparked with pain and his pant leg darkened with blood. He jumped over a passel of battling robots, and landed hard when a bot cut under his feet at the last second. Rat bastards!
Bladey came after him again. The City was yelling at the bot, demanding it cease, but Bladey had apparently tasted blood. Sheppard dodged it, but the robot wouldn't stop.
"What the hell?" Sheppard complained.
"Even the loyal workers are no longer under my command," City said glumly. "Sheppard, avoid 117 as best as you can."
"Fan-freakin-tastic," Sheppard muttered. He'd had enough.
He had a trick up his sleeve or rather, in his vest pocket.
With a thought, he activated the personal shield, glad that City had given it up. He felt the cool wave pass over him, and he reached out for Bladey. The shrieking ban saw skimmed his shield, turning it green. The blade stuttering without harming one hair on his arm. He smiled smugly as he snapped off the arm and tossed it aside.
Bladey made an unpleasant sound and quickly retreated.
"Great!" McKay complained. "Now the shield is imprinted on you and I'll never have a chance again."
"Rodney," Sheppard snapped, irritated. "I don't care! It kept me from getting cut up." And he turned to find the blaster bot.
He froze a moment in horror. The armed robot had steered itself to the far side of the room and was now heading toward Rodney with Ronon's blaster held out in front of itself as it targeted.
"No!" Sheppard shouted. Rodney realized his danger and tried to get away, but the robot had him in its sights. Sheppard lunged, but was too far away.
The weapon fired as Sheppard missed his target. He fell, colliding with the floor and skutters, the shield protecting him as sharp bits of robot fell around him and the smell of the blaster's burn filled the air.
--------------------
Ronon and Teyla stood side by side as the robot army of lawn mowers approached. All things considered, being cut to ribbons would be a fairly painful and rather detestable way to die, Ronon decided.
So, it certainly wasn't going to be his day to die.
He leveled the P90 at the lead mower, wishing he had his blaster. He waited for the moment when he could spot the most vulnerable part of the machine.
"There are many of them," Teyla said in a low voice.
"Yeah," Ronon responded. "I got plenty of ammo."
Teyla said, "And I have this." She held the explosive carefully. "And since we're going to set it off anyway."
Ronon smiled.
--------------------
Horrified, John completed his task. He flung himself at the marauding bot, wrenching the blaster from its grip.
Sheppard spun about, not wanting to see the damage that the robot had done. At first, he saw only a shapeless form where the blaster had fired. No! he thought.
It took him a moment to realize that he was looking at metal a big blob of metal that hadn't been there before.
The robots had scattered at the sound of the blaster and were now starting to scurry about again, somewhat timidly.
Sheppard searched, and finally saw Rodney, ducked down, his head covered, directly behind the molten piece of goo.
"Rodney," Sheppard sighed, relieved as hell as he let the personal shield drop.
McKay looked up at him, bug-eyed, shaking, but very alive. "He tried to shoot me!" McKay said, his voice shaking.
Sheppard stared at the melted metal. "Where'd this come from? What happened?"
"I saved him," the City exclaimed. "I was able to raise one of my moveable walls high enough, and fast enough, to absorb the blast of that -- weapon." It seemed to spit out the word.
Sheppard regarded the blaster in his hand and then looked to the smoldering thing that had once been a moveable wall. The gateroom has movable walls? Go figure.
Rodney stumbled to his feet, but he hunched his shoulders as if prepared to duck again at any moment. "That was close," he said in a hoarse voice.
"Extremely close," the City explained. "If my reaction time was a millisecond slower, then McKay would not be alive."
"Thank you, City," Sheppard said quietly, hating saying the words.
"You are welcome," City responded brightly. "Now, return to your resting area. There is now PLENTY to occupy McKay's time. I will dispose of the faulty maintenance equipment and will make do with the rest. It seems that recent activities have calmed the equipment. McKay can assist in fixing those that ran afoul. That should satisfy him."
The skutters were huddled around in groups, seeming a bit afraid of the blaster and the damage it had wrought. Sheppard stared at the weapon in his hand, rather glad to have it.
"Now," City said. "Return to your quarters."
Sheppard shook his head. "We're leaving."
"You cannot leave," City insisted. "I forgive you for this foolish endeavor, but you cannot leave. There will be punishment, but that will be doled out later. Please, return and we will be happy. All will be safe and as it was."
"Sorry," McKay responded, a slight stutter in his voice. "But we're going to get out of here."
The voice took on a darker tone as it stated, "I have means of making you stay. I can be kind or I can be harsh when punishments are given. Please, return to the resting area now, before I become angry."
"I don't think so," Sheppard responded.
And the City, sounding like a harried mother, replied, "Very well. You forced me to do this."
Doors lowered all around them, trapping them in the gateroom, and a hissing sound filled the area.
"This is unpleasant for both of us," City explained.
McKay let out a low moan as he muttered. "Oh man, it's knockout gas! We're screwed. We're so screwed!"
"Rodney, up the stairs!" Sheppard shouted as he limped in that direction. If they could just get to that balcony, they now had the means of blasting their way out.
Sheppard looked in disbelief as the stairs folded in upon themselves, almost magically, leaving nothing but a flat surface. The hissing continued, and Sheppard's throat seemed to tighten. He gasped for air.
"I cannot let you leave," City said apologetically. "You are my inhabitants and I will keep you safe. I will teach you manners. This episode will be eventually forgiven."
Rodney stumbled beside Sheppard, struggling to breathe as the air became thicker, bitter. Sheppard's head started to spin as he glared the sealed doors, hating the damn City with every ounce of his being. He touched the wall that had once been the stairs, groping, trying to find something that he could dig his fingers into, needing to find a way out.
"Sheppard!" Rodney gasped out, forming a 'step' with his hands as he leaned one shoulder against the wall. "Climb out!"
But Sheppard knew that even if he got onto Rodney's shoulders, the next level was too far above their heads, and the slice in his leg certainly wouldn't help anything. And even if he could, where would that leave Rodney?
The room was large, but the gas was getting denser. His head was spinning, and Rodney leaned heavily against the former stairs, his hands remained clasped, his body bent, as if he still expected Sheppard to use him as a ladder to escape.
Rodney was sinking. They were both going down.
Sheppard blinked as his eyes burned, as he grew lightheaded, and his leg hurt like a son of a bitch. God, this sucks, he thought. How were they going to get out of this one?
And suddenly, the ceiling exploded.
--------------------
Teyla covered her head as bits of bot rained down. She tucked herself close to Ronon, hoping to avoid the falling cutting blades of the former mowing machines. And, after a moment of clattering metal and pelting earth, the onslaught stopped, and she lifted her head.
Ronon's eyes were closed, his face drawn up in a grimace. He was, if possible, dirtier than before, and looked pale and sick.
She stood, shaking the dirt from her shoulders, and warily gazed in the direction of the explosion. The robot lawn mowers were wiped away. Where a wall once stood, there was nothing but a hole. She let out a breath and ran, sending out hopefully prayers to the Ancestors that she hadn't just killed her friends.
She ran, coughing as a bitter and familiar scent rose from the opening, and then she heard the sounds of movement, coughing, and voices.
"Christ, what the hell was that?"
"Rodney, you okay?"
"I swear to God, that wasn't my fault!"
Eagerly, she peered into the wreckage of the gateroom. "John!" she shouted. "Rodney!"
"Teyla!" John's voice came up at her. "Are we ever glad to hear you!"
Then Rodney shouted, "What happened up there?"
Teyla smiled. "We utilized the C4," she told them. She could see them as the dust settled, looking up at her.
"You guys went a bit overboard," Rodney shouted in return. "You just about killed us down here! One of those beams could have crushed me!" He pointed emphatically at a ceiling support that rested a good distance from him.
"It was necessary, considering the circumstances," she told them.
"Where's Ronon?" Sheppard asked.
"He will be fine, Colonel. But we must return him to Atlantis as soon as possible. He is in need of medical assistance."
"Then, get us out of here!"
She was glad that she'd been wise enough to bring ropes because it looked as if the explosion had taken out, not only the ceiling of the gateroom, but also the floor of the balcony, and, somehow, the stairs to the gate level as well.
She wondered about the best way to haul John and Rodney from the space. She'd need to rig up some sort of hoist system, utilizing a tree or something equally solid to take on the weight.
"Need help?" Ronon asked as he sidled up.
And she smiled, grateful, as she handed him one end of the rope, and worked the other into a loop.
Below, she could hear John and Rodney squabbling about something. Rodney was trying to assure John that something wasn't going to cause problems, and John seemed unsure until the colonel finally said, "Fine, whatever, just keep it out of my way!"
She could imagine Rodney's grin.
It took only a few minutes to remove Rodney (who had some sort of 'robot' tucked in his pack) and then John. Both looked dazed, and were visibly relieved to be free of the place.
Ronon quickly snatched the blaster from Sheppard's hands as Teyla opened the first aid kit to tend to John's leg.
Rodney checked on his robot.
John winced as Teyla cut away his pant leg, revealing the nasty looking cut. She tsked, realizing that they were running rather low on bandages, but set to work immediately.
Ronon smiled, seeming to enjoy Sheppard's discomfort, and then turned to McKay. He frowned as he asked, "Is that a robot?"
"Yes," Rodney replied. "It seemed a shame to leave him behind. I mean, he might prove useful."
"Isn't it part of the City?" Ronon asked, looking as if he wanted to heft the thing back where it came from.
Rodney put a protective arm over the machine. "It's separate from the City, and he'll give us a wealth of information regarding robotics and artificial intelligence. And this is one of the 'good' ones. 014 was on our side. See, he's got that scratch on his side." He pointed to the mark as if Ronon cared, and then patted the machine on what might have been the head.
It peeped.
Beneath their feet, the City made a sorrowful sound.
Rodney narrowed his eyes as he regarded Ronon, and then turned to Teyla, telling her, "He doesn't look so good."
Sheppard turned his attention to Ronon and shook his head. Since Teyla was finished with his leg, he came to the Satedan's side, offering him a hand and a shoulder to lean on.
Ronon looked reluctant, but let Sheppard take on some of his weight.
Teyla packed away what was left of the first aid kit and came to the Satedan other's side. "We need to get him to the infirmary," she said emphatically.
"I'm okay," Ronon stated, but his wavering stance told an opposite tale.
"Yeah," Sheppard responded. "I hear ya, but I think I could use a visit." He gestured to his bandaged leg. "This might need a stitch or two."
Rodney tottered and fought to get his pack situated on his back. The robot bleeped happily.
"Come on, Rodney," Sheppard said. "We're leaving."
"I'm still feeling a bit woozy," Rodney insisted. "I know the fresh air helps, but, whoa, head rush!"
Below them, the City cried out, "But you cannot leave! Please, do not go! It is not safe."
Ronon, menacingly clutched his blaster as he looped one arm over Sheppard's neck. "We're leaving."
"Please, do not go." The voice took on a sad note, a dispirited tone. "Do not leave me. I am the City and must have inhabitants. All who leave me die."
"What is this 'everybody dies' thing all about?" Rodney called into the hole. "Obviously, they're still alive." He gestured to Ronon and Teyla and almost unbalanced himself. "Sure, Ronon looks like something the cat dragged in, and Teyla's been rolling in the dirt, but they're not dead."
The City's tone sounded hollow, empty, "You will die. They all eventually die. Years will pass and time will go on. People come back, but then they go again, and one day they don't return. You will die. Mark my words."
McKay sighed, and leaned his weight on his knees because it was easier than standing at the moment. "But even if we stayed here, we'd get old and die," he explained. "You wouldn't have been able to stop that."
There was a pause, and then the City said, "But nobody grew old and nobody died while they were with me."
"You didn't give them time," Sheppard commented, and then said, "Come on, Rodney, we got to get the big guy home."
"Yeah, yeah," Rodney said, straightening with some difficulty.
"Wait," City called. "Are you going away forever, like everyone else? If you don't die, will you come back?"
Rodney paused, and the others looked at him. With a sigh he stated, "Well, I might come around to study you from time to time."
"Study?" City's voice came up from the hole, sounding hopefully. "I can be studied. I wouldn't mind if it meant we could talk."
"Great, okay then," Rodney stepped back. "I'll be seeing you."
"Yes," City called back. "Yes, I'll be seeing you."
As Rodney staggered toward the others, he caught their wary glances. "The City saved my life. The least I can do is to give it a little hope." And he cinched the pack up on his shoulder. The robot gave a little "peep" of excitement.
At the sound, McKay said, "I think I might have to call you something other than 014. What do you think about Chet?"
The skutter squawked.
"Gerald? Bruno? Bruce?"
It made disparaging noises.
"Betty?"
The sound was a little more encouraging.
"Oh? Oh! I got it!"
"McKay," Sheppard said tiredly, "Stop playing with your toy. Let's go."
"Right," McKay stumbled after the others as they all staggered forward. "You guys have any trouble while we were gone? I received seven electric shocks. Seven! It's a miracle I'm alive."
Ronon just groaned and then said, "Just keep an eye out for those blargnaughts for us, McKay," he directed. "I might have to close my eyes a bit."
"Blargnaughts?" McKay echoed and Betty made a despairing sound. "You've got to be kidding! We're not going to have to mess with any of those, are we?"
Ronon tried to shrug, which almost brought down Sheppard and Teyla.
"Seriously?" McKay asked, his voice high.
"Better watch out for 'em," Ronon muttered. "Gonna make me a coat."
McKay and Sheppard exchanged worried looks and started walking faster, which made Teyla happy as she kept them all moving in the right direction.
THE END