The Bribe Book 2 - Part Six
Title: The Bribe Book 2, Part 5
Author: Fenchurch
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Warnings: Slavefic so NC-17
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Beta: My own Goddess47 to whom be all thanks and praise.
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Story so far…
Rodney made one big mistake in his life; one that nearly cost the life of a member of SG-1, and he is now a slave. He was offered to Major John Sheppard as a bribe to influence his decision to go to Atlantis, Sheppard accepted him because he thought Rodney needed saving. In the run up to departure Sheppard has learned that slave ownership is not as easy as it looks!
At the end of Book One, they made it through the gate.
***
Book One starts here
Book Two - part three is here and part four is here
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Apologies all round for the delay - RL, Hubby deciding to 'upgrade' the wireless network (and losing it at the same time!!), babies etc etc. Please forgive and enjoy the next part!
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It has taken me an age to work out how to do this, but finally I can show off the wonderful image that Fanarts made for me - you know you've made it when she offers you a manip! Merci infiniement M-L!
***
On the balcony, Rodney stood between two Marines, one of whom was holding a leash that wasn’t the one John had bought back on Earth. When they saw John through the office window, the one not holding the leash threw Rodney to the ground, where Rodney scrabbled to kneel, his expression bewildered.
Before John had a chance to go to his slave, he was assaulted by the pony-tailed scientist.
“Major! Your slave needs to be taught his proper place! It’s appalling that our Military Commander is unable to command even his own slave and I shall be making a full report as soon as we make contact with Earth again!”
“Dr... er...”
“Kavanaugh!” the man practically screamed.
“Right... Kavanaugh... what exactly do you wish to complain about now?” John asked as patiently as he could.
“Your slave tried to kill me!”
“I... what?” John tried not to laugh at the indignant expression on the scientist’s face. “Tried to kill you? How?”
“He assaulted me and made a whole console explode, nearly killing me!” Kavanaugh spat.
Suddenly it wasn’t so funny anymore. Rodney’s face had gone pale and he was shaking his head, pleading silently with his Master. If Kavanaugh’s allegations were proved, then Rodney could forfeit his life for this.
John’s expression was fierce when he turned back to the scientist and he was pleased to see that the man flinched.
“Be very careful how you answer these next questions, Doctor. Your allegations are deadly serious and I will be very angry if I have to take this to a formal trial. In what way did my slave assault you?”
“He pushed me!” Kavanaugh protested, sure of his complaint.
John sighed. “How did the console explode?”
“That slave triggered it to explode. It nearly took my hand off!” Kavanaugh triumphantly presented Exhibit A - the bandaged little finger on his right hand and John nearly staggered with relief.
“So he wasn’t attempting to kill you, Dr Kavanaugh... if anything, he was attempting to injure your hand.”
“And he succeeded! I demand that he be whipped!”
Things might have been sorted out at this point, but Sergeant Bates appeared and John knew defeat. His position with the Marines he commanded was new and precarious. They thought of him as a weaker man than they simply because he was ‘just a pilot’, but he had the rank and the backing of the Expedition Leader, so for now they tolerated him.
Bates was a Marine through and through and had been Sumner’s man. The men respected him and approved of his appointment as Security Officer. This incident was causing John to go head to head with one of his few officers - and really Bates had that rank whatever the stripes on his sleeve said. Bates would want order and law and would resent preferential treatment for anyone, so John had to be impartial, even though instinct was screaming that Rodney was innocent. Before he even started arguing, he knew that he would have lost this battle, so he was forced to allowed the scene to run its course.
“Sergeant, Dr Kavanaugh has brought allegations against my slave and I need to hear them properly and with witnesses. Will you please take him into custody?” John asked formally and was dismayed when Bates grinned evilly.
“Yes Sir, there will be many friends waiting to renew acquaintance with this one,” Bates returned smugly.
Rodney blanched and John felt fury course through him. Law and order was one thing, but mistreatment of any human being was another thing entirely.
“Listen to me, Sergeant. This slave is private property and he will be treated with all the care and respect you would treat any of my things! If I see even a scratch on him that was not there before, I shall seek retribution! Rodney’s leash will stay in your custody the entire time, untill I demand that he be given back to me, and I shall come for him when I am done with the witnesses. Am I understood?” John commanded fiercely.
“Yes Sir,” Bates sneered and snapped the leash, marching off without giving Rodney a chance to even get to his feet.
Having done what little he could, John turned to the long-haired scientist.
“Please come into Dr Weir’s office, Dr Kavanaugh and we’ll get to the bottom of this.” John held the office door open and gestured, while Dr Weir stood and frowned at the intrusion.
“Excuse me, Dr Weir, but I need your help with this one.”John tried to sound level and professional, but he was afraid that this time Rodney would have to pay a steep price.
“Certainly, Major. Dr Kavanaugh, please be seated and we’ll see what’s going on,” Elizabeth’s face was bland and without expression.
“I’m going to radio for Dr Zelenka as well, Dr Weir, I think we need an impartial judge from the science side of things too,” John suggested, hoping that he wasn’t making things worse.
While John explained the problem to Zelenka, he listened to Kavanaugh denounce his slave again, claiming that Rodney had set up the computers to explode and that Rodney had pushed Kavanaugh into the console, causing him to hurt his hand. Dr Weir’s left eyebrow was raised in surprise and, John thought, scepticism, so he relaxed a little.
“Dr Zelenka? Is it possible to find out if Rodney tampered with the console?”
“I shall see, Major, but I fear not,” Zelenka replied over the radio. “However, I can see what mess Kavanaugh has made of programming. The cause of the explosion may become obvious. I shall come to you with results.”
“Thanks Doc!”
***
Rodney scrambled after the Sergeant and tried to avoid falling. There was no point in breaking his neck before they whipped him to death. He had no concept of where he was being taken and really didn’t care, all he could think was that this was it. This was the end and he had no idea what he was supposed to have done.
Why did Kavanaugh hate him so much? Surely all scientists were used to the back stabbing and squabbling that filled all labs? Was he really so awful a person that so many people seemed to hate him so much?
Bates dragged Rodney to an oddly shaped room where there were boxes of ammunition and various types of explosives. In the centre there was a table that was covered in forms and Rodney realised that this must be Bates’ office. There were two computer consoles and several screens with the distinctive map of the city traced on them, as well as a large screen showing the Gateroom and the various people currently assigned there.
Bates yanked on the leash and Rodney was pulled to his knees in front of a chair, which the sergeant then occupied, playing with his end of the leash. He was smiling, but it wasn’t a pleasant one.
“You and I have unfinished business, Ego,” Bates told Rodney softly. “You are in my custody and you will obey me now.”
“Yes Sir,” Rodney mumbled, looking down at the sergeant’s shiny boots. There was no point in fighting any of this as Bates had been given his leash and even his Master had agreed to this.
“You can start by relieving me and then we’ll see what you can do to help my men!” Bates continued and Rodney tried to prepare himself mentally for what he knew would be an ordeal.
***
As John joined the expedition leader and the scientist, he noticed that Kavanaugh seemed less sure and a lot more angry.
“He pushed me! Dr Weir, that slave is a liability and he pushed me into the console!” he ranted.
“Are you absolutely certain, Dr Kavanaugh?” Dr Weir asked seriously, her frown obvious. “Are you sure that Rodney didn’t push you away from the console?”
“Away? No! How do you think I hurt my hand? He pushed me into danger!”
“Why would he do that, Dr Kavanaugh?” Dr Weir asked coolly and John was impressed that she could keep so calm and professional. “It seems to be that it would be a very evil and calculating act for anyone and a suicidal one for a slave. Why should anyone wish to harm you in such a way?”
“I... I don’t know! He just does! He is always trying to do something like this! He’s a menace and he’s a slave... I demand that he be punished!” Kavanaugh’s voice rose in indignation again.
“Do you wish him to be destroyed, Dr Kavanaugh?” Dr Weir asked with a distinct chill in her voice.
“Destroyed? I want him punished!” Kavanaugh retorted, with a slightly puzzled tone coloring his voice.
“Then I shall schedule his execution for tomorrow. Major...” Dr Weir stated baldly.
“Dr Weir!” John shouted in fear, trying to work out what on earth had just happened. “You...! You can’t...”
“Major Sheppard, you will be silent! If you can not be quiet then I shall demand your removal!” Dr Weir commanded, giving him a look that seemed to convey that he should have confidence in her. So John sat back down slowly, only just realising that he had leaped to his feet. Balling his fists tightly, he waited to see what was going on.
“You wish to speak Dr Kavanaugh?” Dr Weir’s eyes bore into the scientist’s.
“When you say... execute... do you mean that you are going to... to kill him?” Kavanaugh asked.
“Yes Doctor. By tomorrow morning the slave will be dead. Do you wish to watch?” Weir picked up her tablet computer and started searching for something on it.
“W... watch?” the scientist squeaked.
“Well, yes... after all you are the man who is sending him to his death. Here, if you will just sign here I’ll do the rest of the paperwork for you.” John marvelled at the woman’s skill and breathed again.
“But... I only want him punished for...” Kavanaugh babbled.
“For saving your life?” an accented voice demanded from behind John, who was startled enough to jump.
“Ah, Dr Zelenka, would you give us a moment?” Dr Weir asked calmly. “Dr Kavanaugh was just about to sign Rodney’s death warrant.”
“No!” Kavanaugh squeaked. “No! I’m not signing that! I... you tricked me!”
Weir turned even colder as she fixed the scientist with her eyes. “No Dr Kavanaugh, you came in here telling me that a slave pushed you into danger and caused you physical harm. That slave has no voice against you, so he can’t argue his case, therefore your complaint is upheld. The penalty for such an act by a slave is death. Please sign here and Rodney will be killed tomorrow at 0900.” She held out the tablet and John could see that the form was actually the sentencing form that really would send Rodney to his death.
Kavanaugh stood and backed away from the form as though it would bite him.
“No... I only wanted him... he is a slave and he is always finding fault with my work! He thinks he knows it all, but he’s just a slave! He told me that my work was all wrong and then the console blew up! I saw him rewrite the code and he... he’s a slave!” he wailed.
“Dr Zelenka?” Weir turned to the head of the sciences.
“Dr Kavanaugh was rewriting the code and because of his mistakes the console exploded. Rodney made it all safe again. I have here the security tape in that lab and the logging codes. Rodney had no access to the code before Kavanaugh messed it up, but was able to make it safe again afterwards with the general login. Rodney saved this worthless man’s life, Dr Weir.”
“Do you wish me to sign this document for you, Dr Kavanaugh, or shall we reward Major Sheppard’s slave for his timely action which saved your life?” Dr Weir held the tablet out again and Kavanaugh fled the office.
For a long moment no one said anything, then John exploded.
“How did you know he would react like that? He might have just signed the warrant and Rodney would have been executed!”
“I knew that Radek would come with evidence that would save Rodney, but I wanted Kavanaugh to stop doing this to Rodney all the time. He’s had some kind of vendetta against your slave for a very long time and we can’t have this kind of pettiness in this community.”
“But what if he had insisted?” John asked desperately.
“Major... John, I never would have allowed it to go so far, but I was 99.9% sure that Dr Kavanaugh would not go that far... and I was right. Go and fetch your slave and reward him for his quick action.” Weir smiled.
“You are very scary lady, Dr Weir,” Zelenka understated and John left the office quickly.
Part Seven