Fic: Out of Time? (3 of 4)
Laura paced the infirmary by her bed. She was supposed to be resting, but she simply couldn't. If she sat down, she'd think of Rodney. Rodney on a Hive ship. It didn't bare thinking about, so she paced and tried not to.
Carson came out of his office and she stilled. He looked at her, his expression gentle, regretful, but he didn't say anything about her being out of bed.
“You alright, love?” he asked her. She shook her head, feeling tears burn her eyes. Carson went over to her, gathering her into a tight hug. “Ah now, don't you worry. It'll be okay, you'll see.”
“I'm sorry,” she said, her voice cracking. “I swore I wouldn't... but... God, Carson, Wraith.”
“I know love, but the Daedalus has found the ship. They're going in shortly and they'll be back. He'll be back, annoying you before you know it.”
Laura laughed softly. She looked at Carson. “I'm sorry,” she said again.
“Now you stop that. It was nice, we had fun. You're a little lively for me anyway.” Laura laughed again and looked down.
“I didn't mean to... You know? It just... kind of happened.”
“These things do,” Carson said. “I just hope... I hope everything works out Laura.”
She looked up then and he caught the fear in her eyes. “So do I,” she whispered. “So do I.”
The Hive ship had stopped. Rodney could tell this because the engines had stilled. He supposed this was where he came in. Footsteps told him he'd reached the right conclusion.
The door opened to allow a Wraith male to enter. He just stared at Rodney, who got up with a curt nod. He followed the Wraith down a rabbit warren of corridors until they reached the engine room.
Rodney gazed round, his scientist's mind wondering at the sight even as a different part of his brain was screaming that he was on a Wraith ship. He glanced at the Wraith.
“I had a... pad about this size?” he told it, hands indicating. “And the Ancient device. I need them both.”
The Wraith inclined his head. “We are to assist you in any way you require,” he said. His eyes ran Rodney up and down. “And not to feed from you.”
“That would be nice,” Rodney said faintly. The Wraith smirked and walked off.
Rodney slumped against the wall. He stared at the engine. Hyperdrive. Just like that. Well he had to pull this out of his... head somehow or he was a dead man. The memory of Laura reared in his mind and he closed his eyes tightly, breathing through the cramping pain that spread through his chest. He had to focus, had to get through this. He already had a plan in mind and if it worked... If it worked, this ship would be in so many pieces. He smiled grimly.
“For you,” he murmured aloud.
It was the least he could do.
John Sheppard stood by the display and looked at the group gathered in the room. Elizabeth stood at the back, her face pale and grave. He looked at her and she nodded slightly, his eyes went to Colonel Caldwell.
“Okay people,” he said then. “This is where the Daedalus tracked the Hive ship to. It's stopped at the moment, probably so the Wraith can feed. We're going to fly out and attack, with three jumpers going in. Teyla?”
The Athosian stood and faced the room. “I believe that the Wraith purposefully singled Doctor McKay. They will have information about us now, they probably know he is very clever. I do not know why, but they wish for better engines. For this reason, I do not believe they have simply feed off Doctor McKay but are coercing him to work on their drives.” She looked at John.
“This people, is what we're operating under. Our mission is simple; we're going to pull McKay out of there and then blow the damn thing sky-high. If they have gotten information out of him we cannot allow them to have it, or to pass it onto other Hive ships.”
“Okay, let's get this show on the road,” Caldwell said, standing. He walked out of the room, leaving John and Elizabeth alone. She looked at him.
“I hope Teyla is right, Colonel,” she said, her eyes expressing her concern.
“Ah you know McKay - we'll turn up and the Wraith'll be begging us to take him back.”
Elizabeth smiled slightly, then she sighed. “How is Lieutenant Cadman?”
“She seems to be okay; Carson said he should be able to release her later today.”
“That's not what I meant.”
John sighed. “She was pretty upset.”
“I think I'll go and see her.”
“Yeah, do that. She needs a fair bit of support right now.”
Rodney tapped a series of numbers into his datapad and watched the outcome scroll across the screen. Okay, so that wasn't it. Maybe... He chewed at his thumb and looked over the specifications of the engine again. He sniffed in derision; the Wraith might be powerful, sentient beings but their design... Geez, really - he'd built better stuff when he was a kid.
Putting the pad down for a moment, he leant against the wall and took a drink. The Wraith had played host pretty well so far. One, possibly the same one who'd shown him here, had turned up about ten minutes later with food and water. The food was mainly fruit, but he wasn't going to complain.
He picked the pad up again and ran another series through. He smiled slightly; he was getting closer. He lifted his eyes. There was always the possibility that Sheppard was mounting a rescue. Actually on second thought, it was a definite.
Rodney shook his head. It didn't matter. There would be nothing of the ship left by the time any rescue appeared. He narrowed his eyes and turned his attention back to his pad.
Elizabeth walked into the infirmary. Laura was in bed, resting. Her face was incredibly pale and there were dark patches under her eyes. Elizabeth felt a wave of sympathy for this young woman who'd been through so much since her arrival on Atlantis.
She went to Carson who was looking over some paperwork.
“Carson,” she greeted him softly.
“Doctor Weir,” he responded, smiling at her.
“How is she?”
“She was improving, but the stress is starting to wear on her.”
“The Daedalus has set off,” Elizabeth said quietly. “I would expect we'll have news within a few hours.”
“I'll have a team prepped and ready.”
“Thanks, Carson. Can I have a word with Laura?”
“Aye. I'll leave you to it.”
Elizabeth went to her bedside. “Laura?”
She eyes fluttered open. “Doctor Weir,” she said. Her eyes grew wide with fear. “What-”
“It's okay,” she told her soothingly. “I just came to tell you the Daedalus has set off - we're doing everything we can.”
“I know,” Laura replied in a small voice.
“I won't lie to you, Laura. We know the information we're working to is a long-shot. But it is a shot.”
“Yes, I understand,” she said, looking down at her hands. “I'm know...” she choked and closed her eyes.
Elizabeth put a hand on hers. “Don't write him off yet Laura. He's got out of worse situations.”
She smiled at that. “I know. Kind of jeopardy-friendly isn't he?”
“Just a little,” she smiled back. “This is what you're letting yourself in for.”
“I know,” Laura said, her voice firm. “I've always known. Can't really expect anything else can I? Not since we were thrown together literally and that was the first time we'd spent any time together.”
“It's definitely different,” Elizabeth agreed. “Is it really worth it?”
Laura looked at Elizabeth, her expression becoming determined. “Yes. He is.”
Elizabeth could do nothing but nod.
The numbers scrolled round and this time they added up. Rodney looked up from his datapad. He had it. He could manipulate the Hive ship's engines so they had more power. He began to change the settings on the display. The note of the engine began to change, becoming higher and louder.
Grinning slightly idiotically, Rodney consulted his pad again. He glanced up to see the Wraith male return again.
“Tell your... um.. whatever she is, I have it. You should have hyperdrive within five.”
The Wraith actually looked impressed. “I shall inform the Queen,” he said and spun on his heel.
“Yeah, you do that,” Rodney muttered. He glowered at the Wraith's retreating back, then smiled wolfishly. The Queen would want the new specifications broadcast to any other Hive ships nearby. They should get to quite a few before the new drive overloaded the engine and blew the ship into pieces.
He checked the output. The overload went up minute degrees, impossible to discern unless you knew exactly what you were looking for. The Wraith wouldn't have a clue until it was too late.
Rodney set the timer on his watch to twenty minutes.