Forget Me Not Chapter 4
Here's Chapter 4. Thanks to firedew1 for her beta. Comments keep the kitty happy ;)
The next afternoon, she found herself exploring the team floor. The reasoning had been explained to her and she agreed with it, although something seemed … off. She did not doubt that the Colonel had moved to the quiet residential tower in order to have larger quarters to raise his son and because of his position. She also did not doubt that Dr. McKay and Ronon had moved to the floor in order to keep the team close together. What felt odd were her quarters. The rooms did not feel … lived in. She perused her memories for a reason, but came up blank. Shaking off her musings, she was startled to find herself outside Colonel Sheppard’s quarters. As she stopped to wonder why her feet had brought her hence, the door opened. She poked her head inside, and called out but received no answer. Curious as to why the door had opened for her, she stepped inside. A pace beyond the door, it closed behind her. Moving down the short entryway to the main living area, she paused for a moment, her gaze taking in the room’s warmth and spotting several framed pictures on one wall.
Moving carefully through the room, she approached the framed portraits. One was of Colonel Sheppard as a younger man standing with three other men in front of a strange machine. Another was of the Colonel with a woman that he strongly resembled, wearing a blue uniform and holding a sheet of paper. Several were of the Colonel, Doctor McKay, Ronon and herself taken in different places. One, though, drew her eye. It was a large frame, beautifully made and it had been taken down from the wall, a bare spot proclaiming its former location. Reaching out, she picked it up with trembling fingers, turning it face up then dropped it in shock.
The picture showed herself in a beautiful green dress and Colonel Sheppard in the blue uniform from the earlier picture, although with more decorations. They were both smiling broadly. Above them was a banner that read “Congratulations on Your Engagement!” and it was dated June, 2010.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
John was confused. It was a rare experience for him because, even though he might act it on occasion, it was usually a cover while he thought through a situation.
For the past few days, unless he was in his quarters, he kept encountering Teyla. When they ended up in the same room together or passed in the corridors he could feel her eyes tracking his every move. He wanted to go to her and explain everything, but Carson’s warnings and his desire to have the woman he loved back stopped him.
Too restless to use the private gym on the floor below the team’s quarters, John decided to use one of the public ones. It was a pretty good chance that he’d be able to find a sparring partner. At the very least, he could work out against the practice dummies.
Entering the gym, he was surprised to find it vacant. Shrugging, he dropped his gear bag and started on his warm-up exercises. He was in the middle of his stretches when a hand gently touched his shoulder. He expected it to be Teyla, but instead found himself looking into Larrin’s pouting face.
“You’ve been avoiding me.” She stated as she ran her hand across his back.
He had, but he wasn’t telling her that. “No, I’ve been resting in my quarters. I was injured recently on a mission.” He looked around suspiciously. “Where’s your escort? I know I gave orders that you were to be escorted whenever you entered the city.”
Her hand trailed up his arm, cupping his jaw as she maneuvered to kiss him. Realizing her intent, he slid away from her touch. “Oh, I lost them. It took a bit of work, but it was very easy to distract them with some sleight of hand.”
John made a mental note to find out which team was supposed to be escorting her and show them how unhappy he was that they lost her. “Look, Larrin. You’re a heck of a lady, but I don’t want you like that. You and I together are like oil and water - they don’t mix.”
Larrin was undeterred. “But John, we could make such beautiful babies.”
John shook his head. “The only woman I plan on making babies with is Teyla. I don’t spill my seed without love.”
“You could love me.” Larrin purred as she advanced on him.
John backed away again. “That would never happen. Not even if you were the last woman in this galaxy. You don’t respect me and I trust you about as far as I could throw you with one hand tied behind my back. I’d go back to my ex-wife first and we separated because she wanted me as her trophy and that I could get her into the fancy parties she loved so much.”
Larrin stumbled, her face a mask of anger. Letting out a yell, she tried to slap him.
John blocked her, grasping her wrist carefully. “Don’t even.” His eyes were dark with his own anger. “Normally, I wouldn’t hit a lady, but for you I’d gladly make an exception.” Releasing her, he shoved her away.
Larrin stood, staring at John in disbelief. No man had ever turned her down, and he had now done it twice. With a huff, she turned and stalked from the gym without a backwards glance.
With Larrin gone, John let out a sigh of relief. He’d meant every word and hoped it would be enough to finally get her off his trail.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Dobie eased out from the alcove he’d ducked into. He’d seen his Captain practically run from the room where the Lantean male was. It bothered him to see her flinging herself at this strange man. He’d stood by when she had kidnapped the man and attempted to get him to join them. After the man left, Dobie put him from his mind. Now, here they were in the City of the Ancestors and his captain was trying the same things again with even less success. It upset him to see Larrin holding back tears, so he decided to teach this arrogant man a lesson for hurting his boss.
Slipping to the door, Dobie crouched so he could watch. The man was dressed in a black shirt and odd-looking grey pants, throwing punches and kicks at a large cylinder hanging in one corner. When he stopped for a drink of water, Dobie moved into the room with an incredible amount of stealth. Silently picking up a discarded staff lying to one side, Dobie advanced on his target. Just as he brought the staff down in a short, hard strike, his target moved as though warned by some sixth sense.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
John had returned to his workout after Larrin left, her advances giving him even more fuel to add to his stress-fueled fire. Taking a break, he grabbed a water bottle, sipping as he toweled off. He’d just capped the bottle when his spidey-sense jangled his nerves, making him shift with the feeling. A hard blow to the shoulder answered the question in his mind. The blow dropped him to his knees, white hot stars of pain shooting down his left side. Shifting quickly, John dropped the rest of the way and hooked his opponent’s feet from beneath him. Taking advantage of the situation, John rolled away before clambering to his feet. His left shoulder was a throbbing mass of pain that hurt worse when he tried to move it so he figured the guy had dislocated it.
Without taking his eyes from his opponent, John backed across the room to the practice dummy and his bantos rods. He’d started his workout with some kickboxing and had planned to switch to the bantos after his break. Now, it looked like the slender rods were going to save his life. Spotting them from the corner of his eye, John spun and threw himself forward, narrowly missing another strike from the stranger.
Tucking and rolling, John came up with the two rods. Transferring one to his injured left, he forced his fingers to wrap around it as he brought the other up. Ducking and dodging, John avoided as many blows as he could while landing some of his own. The whistle of displaced air warned him of an overhead strike coming in. Sliding aside, John spun and landed a hard hit to the side of his attacker’s head, the other rod slipping from his numb left hand. The guy shook his head like a bull with a fly buzzing his ears; blood ran from a cut over his ear as he narrowed his eyes and charged. His strikes grew harder and faster while pain started making John stumble, his shoulder throbbing with each heartbeat.
After sidestepping a nasty figure-eight combination, John stumbled again and almost pitched forward. Even as he tried to regain his balance, John heard a whistle just before he saw the staff coming in from the side and knew he couldn’t avoid it. He blindly launched a last desperate blow to deflect it. He heard and felt a hard crack then the lights went out as he dropped to the floor.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Wandering through the halls, Teyla kept an eye out for Colonel Sheppard. More memories had surfaced after seeing the picture in his quarters of the two of them, but she was still unsure of the nature of their relationship. She desperately wanted answers and felt that Colonel Sheppard was the only person who could answer them.
Lost in thought, she was almost run over by a strangely dressed woman wearing an angry expression upon her face.
Having noticed Teyla, the woman paused in her flight. “Teyla Emmagan, I don’t know what you did, but you’ve ruined any chance I had with John Sheppard.”
Teyla stared at the woman, but no name surfaced. “Excuse me, but do I know you?”
“Know me?” The blond haired woman laughed. “You certainly do! We’ve parried across the table often enough at Coalition meetings.” Seeing that Teyla still did not recognize her, the woman relented. “Larrin, of the Travelers.”
At the word ‘Travelers’, something clicked in Teyla’s head. “You are the one that kidnapped Colonel Sheppard some few years ago.”
Larrin smirked at Teyla. “I did and I’d do it again. The man is absolutely yummy, and that gene of his is very attractive to me and my people.” Her smirk turned to a frown. “Unfortunately, he’s besotted with you and won’t even consider me as a mate.” Her gaze traveled from Teyla’s face to feet and back. “I don’t even know what he sees in you.” She said with a sneer. “Maybe it’s sympathy for the loss of your people or …”
Whatever else Larrin was going to say was lost as Teyla landed a hard slap that made the other woman’s ears ring and split her lip. Recalling a comment Amelia made about any of the Travelers that entered the city had to be escorted, Teyla reached up and keyed her comm. “Teyla to Major Lorne.”
“Lorne here - what’s up, Teyla?”
“Major, I discovered Commander Larrin moving through the city unescorted.”
A string of curses filtered through the mike. “I’ve marked your position, Teyla, and a team is on its way.” She heard a rustling as he covered his mike for a moment. “Teyla, can you stop by the main gym and inform the Colonel? He’s not answering his comm or our hails.”
“Certainly, Major.
“Thanks, Teyla. Lorne out.”
Teyla aimed her best glare at the stunned Traveler. “Do not move until your escort gets here. I must go check on Colonel Sheppard. If I find that you harmed him, you shall receive more than a slap next time we meet.”
Spinning on her heels, Teyla shot off down the corridor Larrin exited from, her recently restored memories supplying that it led to that particular gym.
Arriving at the gym, Teyla peered in, spotting a huge stranger wielding a staff about to land a blow on the dazed and bleeding Colonel. She watched the Colonel launch one final blow even as the staff neared his head, and looked around quickly for something to distract his opponent. She spotted a bantos rod lying nearby. She snatched it up, flew across the intervening space and launched a desperation blow of her own. Her blow landed with a sharp crack on one of the major nerve bundles, causing the brute’s blow to miss landing squarely and instead glance off his skull. The stranger staggered towards the door, stopped, swayed then dropped like a felled tree.
Satisfied that the Colonel’s attacker was down, Teyla knelt at his side. She winced at the misshapen silhouette of his shoulder, guessing it to be dislocated. She was reaching for her radio when a screech rent the air.
“Dobie!” She stalked over to Teyla, visibly angry. “What did you do to him?”
Teyla stood, unruffled in the face of her anger. “I knocked him out. If I had not, he would have killed Colonel Sheppard.”
At the mention of John’s name, Larrin’s anger faded. Seeing a chance, Larrin darted forward and kneeled at John’s side, clasping his hand greedily. “John? John, it’s me. You need to wake up, honey.”
John’s lashes fluttered as a soft moan escaped. “Teyla? Love you, Teyla.”
At his soft words, Teyla stopped in shock.
Larrin, on the other hand, saw her plans thwarted. If she had been able to get Sheppard to admit he loved her, she could have stayed in the city. But no, he had to be in love with the Athosian bitch. Taking two steps, she grabbed a handful of Teyla’s hair and punched her.
The blow snapped Teyla from her daze. She pulled away from Larrin, turned and dove for the floor, coming up with John’s bantos rods.
Seeing Teyla armed, Larrin spotted Dobie’s dropped staff and snatched it up. Staff weaving a fancy figure eight, Larrin advanced on Teyla.
Now armed, she took up a guard position facing the Traveler commander. She thought about calling for security but the sight of Colonel Sheppard lying battered on the floor set her blood boiling. Casting thoughts of security aside, she waded in, sticks flying, to deliver a thorough thrashing. Larrin was taller, and she was an excellent fighter, but her style was suited to the cramped corridors of a spaceship not a wide-open gymnasium. Teyla took advantage of that flaw, ducking and weaving even as she landed blow after blow all while staying firmly between the Colonel and the Traveler.
For her part, Larrin tried, but against Teyla she was outmatched and she knew it. Sparing a moment, she thanked the Ancestors that the Athosian had not been with Sheppard the first time they met. She had a gut feeling the outcome would have been much different. She spied an opening and thrust Dobie’s staff towards Teyla’s unprotected side only to have the opening close which left her open for Teyla’s hard riposte. Larrin attempted to dodge, but was only partially successful as the blow sent her rolling across the floor.
Frustrated, Larrin rolled to her feet. She took a guard stance and felt something trickle across her lip. She reached up and wiped at her face. When she drew her hand back, it was smeared with blood. Enraged, she threw herself back into the melee.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Lorne came to a dead stop as he entered the gym. The scene before him was shocking. He knew Teyla was a warrior, and had observed her as she worked out against Ronon or the Colonel. That woman was graceful, relentless and merciful. The one before him held little resemblance to the other. The Teyla before him was ruthless, using every trick and twist she could to rain down punishment upon her opponent.
After he asked Teyla to check on Sheppard after she found Larrin wandering unescorted, he’d expected a callback from one of the two. He attempted to contact Teyla via radio, but when he received no answer, he decided to check on them personally.
He made room as Ronon slipped in beside him to watch the battle being waged in front of them. He noticed an oddity in Teyla’s movements then realized she was protecting someone. “The Colonel’s down.”
“I’ll get him. You call Beckett.”
Lorne reached out and grabbed Ronon. “Wait. It’s best we don’t move him. We could injure him further.”
Ronon growled, but stayed put, pacing angrily.
“Lorne to Beckett.”
“Beckett here. What can I do for you, Major?”
“Doc, you’re needed in Gym Three. The Colonel’s injured.”
A sigh filled his ear. “Ach, trouble just finds the lad. Any idea how badly?”
Lorne shook his head then remembered that the Scot couldn’t see him. “No. He’s unconscious. Teyla and Larrin appear to be fighting over him.”
“Oh, my. I’m on my way, Beckett out.”
Without taking his eyes off the unfolding drama, Lorne tapped his com to access the command channel while he watched the best catfight in history. “Major Lorne to Major Teldy.”
“Teldy here.”
“Colonel Sheppard was attacked by one of the Traveler crewmembers. I need you to come to Gym Three and escort the Colonel and Beckett to the infirmary.” He took a deep breath before moving on. “Anne, I want you and your team on guard with Ronon. Use situation code Alpha One.”
Teldy’s voice came back sharp. “Code Alpha One it is. Teldy out.”
Lorne turned back to the fight. Normally, this is something he’d break up, but this was between two Pegasus natives, so he let it be. He also perceived that there was more to the animosity between the two women, and the Colonel was at the center of it.
A racket in the corridor announced Carson’s arrival with a med team.
With medical on site, Lorne motioned for Ronon to move in. He edged around until he was behind Teyla.
Teyla guessed what Ronon intended and became even more aggressive as she forced Larrin away from the Colonel with hard, fast blows.
When the two women were far enough away, Ronon beckoned Carson and his staff to Sheppard’s side.
Carson slid to his knees beside his patient, one hand darting out to check John’s pulse. Pulling out his penknife, Carson checked his vitals, only partially grateful at the results he was getting. He rattled off John’s stats to Kelly as he pulled out a scanner to check him over. “He has a dislocated shoulder, bruised ribs, and most likely other injuries as well, but I need the Ancient scanner to confirm.” Gently touching a knot on the side of John’s head, he checked the integrity of his skin and skull. “The lad’s got a nasty knot here, but the skin’s na broken nor do I feel a skull fracture, but I’ll know more when I run the scans.”
Initial diagnosis made, Carson and Kelly gently lifted John to the gurney while Ronon stood guard. Once they had him secure, they headed for the door at a fast trot. They encountered two more groups of soldiers in the hall. Major Teldy and her team fell in as escort while Lieutenant Reynolds’ team hurried by. Ronon took point; his imposing presence quickly clearing the way to the infirmary.
The next afternoon, she found herself exploring the team floor. The reasoning had been explained to her and she agreed with it, although something seemed … off. She did not doubt that the Colonel had moved to the quiet residential tower in order to have larger quarters to raise his son and because of his position. She also did not doubt that Dr. McKay and Ronon had moved to the floor in order to keep the team close together. What felt odd were her quarters. The rooms did not feel … lived in. She perused her memories for a reason, but came up blank. Shaking off her musings, she was startled to find herself outside Colonel Sheppard’s quarters. As she stopped to wonder why her feet had brought her hence, the door opened. She poked her head inside, and called out but received no answer. Curious as to why the door had opened for her, she stepped inside. A pace beyond the door, it closed behind her. Moving down the short entryway to the main living area, she paused for a moment, her gaze taking in the room’s warmth and spotting several framed pictures on one wall.
Moving carefully through the room, she approached the framed portraits. One was of Colonel Sheppard as a younger man standing with three other men in front of a strange machine. Another was of the Colonel with a woman that he strongly resembled, wearing a blue uniform and holding a sheet of paper. Several were of the Colonel, Doctor McKay, Ronon and herself taken in different places. One, though, drew her eye. It was a large frame, beautifully made and it had been taken down from the wall, a bare spot proclaiming its former location. Reaching out, she picked it up with trembling fingers, turning it face up then dropped it in shock.
The picture showed herself in a beautiful green dress and Colonel Sheppard in the blue uniform from the earlier picture, although with more decorations. They were both smiling broadly. Above them was a banner that read “Congratulations on Your Engagement!” and it was dated June, 2010.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
John was confused. It was a rare experience for him because, even though he might act it on occasion, it was usually a cover while he thought through a situation.
For the past few days, unless he was in his quarters, he kept encountering Teyla. When they ended up in the same room together or passed in the corridors he could feel her eyes tracking his every move. He wanted to go to her and explain everything, but Carson’s warnings and his desire to have the woman he loved back stopped him.
Too restless to use the private gym on the floor below the team’s quarters, John decided to use one of the public ones. It was a pretty good chance that he’d be able to find a sparring partner. At the very least, he could work out against the practice dummies.
Entering the gym, he was surprised to find it vacant. Shrugging, he dropped his gear bag and started on his warm-up exercises. He was in the middle of his stretches when a hand gently touched his shoulder. He expected it to be Teyla, but instead found himself looking into Larrin’s pouting face.
“You’ve been avoiding me.” She stated as she ran her hand across his back.
He had, but he wasn’t telling her that. “No, I’ve been resting in my quarters. I was injured recently on a mission.” He looked around suspiciously. “Where’s your escort? I know I gave orders that you were to be escorted whenever you entered the city.”
Her hand trailed up his arm, cupping his jaw as she maneuvered to kiss him. Realizing her intent, he slid away from her touch. “Oh, I lost them. It took a bit of work, but it was very easy to distract them with some sleight of hand.”
John made a mental note to find out which team was supposed to be escorting her and show them how unhappy he was that they lost her. “Look, Larrin. You’re a heck of a lady, but I don’t want you like that. You and I together are like oil and water - they don’t mix.”
Larrin was undeterred. “But John, we could make such beautiful babies.”
John shook his head. “The only woman I plan on making babies with is Teyla. I don’t spill my seed without love.”
“You could love me.” Larrin purred as she advanced on him.
John backed away again. “That would never happen. Not even if you were the last woman in this galaxy. You don’t respect me and I trust you about as far as I could throw you with one hand tied behind my back. I’d go back to my ex-wife first and we separated because she wanted me as her trophy and that I could get her into the fancy parties she loved so much.”
Larrin stumbled, her face a mask of anger. Letting out a yell, she tried to slap him.
John blocked her, grasping her wrist carefully. “Don’t even.” His eyes were dark with his own anger. “Normally, I wouldn’t hit a lady, but for you I’d gladly make an exception.” Releasing her, he shoved her away.
Larrin stood, staring at John in disbelief. No man had ever turned her down, and he had now done it twice. With a huff, she turned and stalked from the gym without a backwards glance.
With Larrin gone, John let out a sigh of relief. He’d meant every word and hoped it would be enough to finally get her off his trail.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Dobie eased out from the alcove he’d ducked into. He’d seen his Captain practically run from the room where the Lantean male was. It bothered him to see her flinging herself at this strange man. He’d stood by when she had kidnapped the man and attempted to get him to join them. After the man left, Dobie put him from his mind. Now, here they were in the City of the Ancestors and his captain was trying the same things again with even less success. It upset him to see Larrin holding back tears, so he decided to teach this arrogant man a lesson for hurting his boss.
Slipping to the door, Dobie crouched so he could watch. The man was dressed in a black shirt and odd-looking grey pants, throwing punches and kicks at a large cylinder hanging in one corner. When he stopped for a drink of water, Dobie moved into the room with an incredible amount of stealth. Silently picking up a discarded staff lying to one side, Dobie advanced on his target. Just as he brought the staff down in a short, hard strike, his target moved as though warned by some sixth sense.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
John had returned to his workout after Larrin left, her advances giving him even more fuel to add to his stress-fueled fire. Taking a break, he grabbed a water bottle, sipping as he toweled off. He’d just capped the bottle when his spidey-sense jangled his nerves, making him shift with the feeling. A hard blow to the shoulder answered the question in his mind. The blow dropped him to his knees, white hot stars of pain shooting down his left side. Shifting quickly, John dropped the rest of the way and hooked his opponent’s feet from beneath him. Taking advantage of the situation, John rolled away before clambering to his feet. His left shoulder was a throbbing mass of pain that hurt worse when he tried to move it so he figured the guy had dislocated it.
Without taking his eyes from his opponent, John backed across the room to the practice dummy and his bantos rods. He’d started his workout with some kickboxing and had planned to switch to the bantos after his break. Now, it looked like the slender rods were going to save his life. Spotting them from the corner of his eye, John spun and threw himself forward, narrowly missing another strike from the stranger.
Tucking and rolling, John came up with the two rods. Transferring one to his injured left, he forced his fingers to wrap around it as he brought the other up. Ducking and dodging, John avoided as many blows as he could while landing some of his own. The whistle of displaced air warned him of an overhead strike coming in. Sliding aside, John spun and landed a hard hit to the side of his attacker’s head, the other rod slipping from his numb left hand. The guy shook his head like a bull with a fly buzzing his ears; blood ran from a cut over his ear as he narrowed his eyes and charged. His strikes grew harder and faster while pain started making John stumble, his shoulder throbbing with each heartbeat.
After sidestepping a nasty figure-eight combination, John stumbled again and almost pitched forward. Even as he tried to regain his balance, John heard a whistle just before he saw the staff coming in from the side and knew he couldn’t avoid it. He blindly launched a last desperate blow to deflect it. He heard and felt a hard crack then the lights went out as he dropped to the floor.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Wandering through the halls, Teyla kept an eye out for Colonel Sheppard. More memories had surfaced after seeing the picture in his quarters of the two of them, but she was still unsure of the nature of their relationship. She desperately wanted answers and felt that Colonel Sheppard was the only person who could answer them.
Lost in thought, she was almost run over by a strangely dressed woman wearing an angry expression upon her face.
Having noticed Teyla, the woman paused in her flight. “Teyla Emmagan, I don’t know what you did, but you’ve ruined any chance I had with John Sheppard.”
Teyla stared at the woman, but no name surfaced. “Excuse me, but do I know you?”
“Know me?” The blond haired woman laughed. “You certainly do! We’ve parried across the table often enough at Coalition meetings.” Seeing that Teyla still did not recognize her, the woman relented. “Larrin, of the Travelers.”
At the word ‘Travelers’, something clicked in Teyla’s head. “You are the one that kidnapped Colonel Sheppard some few years ago.”
Larrin smirked at Teyla. “I did and I’d do it again. The man is absolutely yummy, and that gene of his is very attractive to me and my people.” Her smirk turned to a frown. “Unfortunately, he’s besotted with you and won’t even consider me as a mate.” Her gaze traveled from Teyla’s face to feet and back. “I don’t even know what he sees in you.” She said with a sneer. “Maybe it’s sympathy for the loss of your people or …”
Whatever else Larrin was going to say was lost as Teyla landed a hard slap that made the other woman’s ears ring and split her lip. Recalling a comment Amelia made about any of the Travelers that entered the city had to be escorted, Teyla reached up and keyed her comm. “Teyla to Major Lorne.”
“Lorne here - what’s up, Teyla?”
“Major, I discovered Commander Larrin moving through the city unescorted.”
A string of curses filtered through the mike. “I’ve marked your position, Teyla, and a team is on its way.” She heard a rustling as he covered his mike for a moment. “Teyla, can you stop by the main gym and inform the Colonel? He’s not answering his comm or our hails.”
“Certainly, Major.
“Thanks, Teyla. Lorne out.”
Teyla aimed her best glare at the stunned Traveler. “Do not move until your escort gets here. I must go check on Colonel Sheppard. If I find that you harmed him, you shall receive more than a slap next time we meet.”
Spinning on her heels, Teyla shot off down the corridor Larrin exited from, her recently restored memories supplying that it led to that particular gym.
Arriving at the gym, Teyla peered in, spotting a huge stranger wielding a staff about to land a blow on the dazed and bleeding Colonel. She watched the Colonel launch one final blow even as the staff neared his head, and looked around quickly for something to distract his opponent. She spotted a bantos rod lying nearby. She snatched it up, flew across the intervening space and launched a desperation blow of her own. Her blow landed with a sharp crack on one of the major nerve bundles, causing the brute’s blow to miss landing squarely and instead glance off his skull. The stranger staggered towards the door, stopped, swayed then dropped like a felled tree.
Satisfied that the Colonel’s attacker was down, Teyla knelt at his side. She winced at the misshapen silhouette of his shoulder, guessing it to be dislocated. She was reaching for her radio when a screech rent the air.
“Dobie!” She stalked over to Teyla, visibly angry. “What did you do to him?”
Teyla stood, unruffled in the face of her anger. “I knocked him out. If I had not, he would have killed Colonel Sheppard.”
At the mention of John’s name, Larrin’s anger faded. Seeing a chance, Larrin darted forward and kneeled at John’s side, clasping his hand greedily. “John? John, it’s me. You need to wake up, honey.”
John’s lashes fluttered as a soft moan escaped. “Teyla? Love you, Teyla.”
At his soft words, Teyla stopped in shock.
Larrin, on the other hand, saw her plans thwarted. If she had been able to get Sheppard to admit he loved her, she could have stayed in the city. But no, he had to be in love with the Athosian bitch. Taking two steps, she grabbed a handful of Teyla’s hair and punched her.
The blow snapped Teyla from her daze. She pulled away from Larrin, turned and dove for the floor, coming up with John’s bantos rods.
Seeing Teyla armed, Larrin spotted Dobie’s dropped staff and snatched it up. Staff weaving a fancy figure eight, Larrin advanced on Teyla.
Now armed, she took up a guard position facing the Traveler commander. She thought about calling for security but the sight of Colonel Sheppard lying battered on the floor set her blood boiling. Casting thoughts of security aside, she waded in, sticks flying, to deliver a thorough thrashing. Larrin was taller, and she was an excellent fighter, but her style was suited to the cramped corridors of a spaceship not a wide-open gymnasium. Teyla took advantage of that flaw, ducking and weaving even as she landed blow after blow all while staying firmly between the Colonel and the Traveler.
For her part, Larrin tried, but against Teyla she was outmatched and she knew it. Sparing a moment, she thanked the Ancestors that the Athosian had not been with Sheppard the first time they met. She had a gut feeling the outcome would have been much different. She spied an opening and thrust Dobie’s staff towards Teyla’s unprotected side only to have the opening close which left her open for Teyla’s hard riposte. Larrin attempted to dodge, but was only partially successful as the blow sent her rolling across the floor.
Frustrated, Larrin rolled to her feet. She took a guard stance and felt something trickle across her lip. She reached up and wiped at her face. When she drew her hand back, it was smeared with blood. Enraged, she threw herself back into the melee.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Lorne came to a dead stop as he entered the gym. The scene before him was shocking. He knew Teyla was a warrior, and had observed her as she worked out against Ronon or the Colonel. That woman was graceful, relentless and merciful. The one before him held little resemblance to the other. The Teyla before him was ruthless, using every trick and twist she could to rain down punishment upon her opponent.
After he asked Teyla to check on Sheppard after she found Larrin wandering unescorted, he’d expected a callback from one of the two. He attempted to contact Teyla via radio, but when he received no answer, he decided to check on them personally.
He made room as Ronon slipped in beside him to watch the battle being waged in front of them. He noticed an oddity in Teyla’s movements then realized she was protecting someone. “The Colonel’s down.”
“I’ll get him. You call Beckett.”
Lorne reached out and grabbed Ronon. “Wait. It’s best we don’t move him. We could injure him further.”
Ronon growled, but stayed put, pacing angrily.
“Lorne to Beckett.”
“Beckett here. What can I do for you, Major?”
“Doc, you’re needed in Gym Three. The Colonel’s injured.”
A sigh filled his ear. “Ach, trouble just finds the lad. Any idea how badly?”
Lorne shook his head then remembered that the Scot couldn’t see him. “No. He’s unconscious. Teyla and Larrin appear to be fighting over him.”
“Oh, my. I’m on my way, Beckett out.”
Without taking his eyes off the unfolding drama, Lorne tapped his com to access the command channel while he watched the best catfight in history. “Major Lorne to Major Teldy.”
“Teldy here.”
“Colonel Sheppard was attacked by one of the Traveler crewmembers. I need you to come to Gym Three and escort the Colonel and Beckett to the infirmary.” He took a deep breath before moving on. “Anne, I want you and your team on guard with Ronon. Use situation code Alpha One.”
Teldy’s voice came back sharp. “Code Alpha One it is. Teldy out.”
Lorne turned back to the fight. Normally, this is something he’d break up, but this was between two Pegasus natives, so he let it be. He also perceived that there was more to the animosity between the two women, and the Colonel was at the center of it.
A racket in the corridor announced Carson’s arrival with a med team.
With medical on site, Lorne motioned for Ronon to move in. He edged around until he was behind Teyla.
Teyla guessed what Ronon intended and became even more aggressive as she forced Larrin away from the Colonel with hard, fast blows.
When the two women were far enough away, Ronon beckoned Carson and his staff to Sheppard’s side.
Carson slid to his knees beside his patient, one hand darting out to check John’s pulse. Pulling out his penknife, Carson checked his vitals, only partially grateful at the results he was getting. He rattled off John’s stats to Kelly as he pulled out a scanner to check him over. “He has a dislocated shoulder, bruised ribs, and most likely other injuries as well, but I need the Ancient scanner to confirm.” Gently touching a knot on the side of John’s head, he checked the integrity of his skin and skull. “The lad’s got a nasty knot here, but the skin’s na broken nor do I feel a skull fracture, but I’ll know more when I run the scans.”
Initial diagnosis made, Carson and Kelly gently lifted John to the gurney while Ronon stood guard. Once they had him secure, they headed for the door at a fast trot. They encountered two more groups of soldiers in the hall. Major Teldy and her team fell in as escort while Lieutenant Reynolds’ team hurried by. Ronon took point; his imposing presence quickly clearing the way to the infirmary.