The Shepherd and the Scholar by abyssinia4077 (folklore challenge)
Title: The Shepherd and the Scholar
Author: abyssinia4077
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay
Disclaimer: The stargate universes and its characters belong to MGM. I just play with them.
Rating: PG
Summary: John and Rodney never meant to become folk heroes. They just wanted to get out of the damn handcuffs.
The elder sat staring into the fire, smiling at the village children who were slowly creeping out of family huts to join him. He cleared his throat when the littlest ones grew restless and looked at them, fuzzy through the cataracts in his eyes. "What story will it be tonight?" he asked.
"Can you tell us the one about the shepherd and the scholar?" one of the boys begged, nearly bouncing off the rock he had found to perch on.
The old man smiled. The story had been a favorite of his boyhood days and this generation's children frequently asked for its retelling. He cleared his throat again and began the story, in a clear voice as ancient and wise as his many years.
"The shepherd and the scholar lived far away in a beautiful, magical city of glass and light. You would think that no person who lived in such an amazing city would ever want to leave, but the scholar had more curiosity than the city could satisfy and the shepherd could only tend his flock for so many days before he grew anxious for adventure. One day the two convinced the leader of the city to let them travel through the ring of the Ancestors, as they often did when boredom grew too heavy.
"Seriously, Elizabeth, there's something about those ruins." Rodney practically bounced as he followed Elizabeth down one of Atlantis's hallways. "Colonel Sheppard said he'd be willing to go back with me. Just one day."
"Fine, Rodney, you can go."
"It looks like the Ancients were doing some research into developing a new kind of shield that could cloak at the same time." Rodney continued as though he hadn't heard her. "I don't have to tell you how important that could be."
"Rodney, I already said you could go. Just stay out of trouble, okay?" Elizabeth sighed.
"Right, right," Rodney turned down the hallway toward the science labs, listing out loud the equipment he needed to bring.
"Before long the scholar grew entranced with the old ruins, studying them for hours without thought for food or rest. The shepherd was initially curious but grew bored and lay down to nap in the sun while his companion worked. Little did he know that the man in black had been watching them the entire time.
Rodney jumped when he heard the whine behind him - some cross between a Wraith stunner and Ronon's gun on its lowest setting. When he turned to find Sheppard sprawled on the ground, he knew he was in trouble.
"Don't take another step," a calm voice warned when Rodney moved towards Sheppard. "I don't want to have to carry both of you and I assure you this gun may be set to stun but waking up is not pleasant."
Rodney eyed the thigh holster he'd irritably removed earlier and raised his arms in the air. "What do you want?"
"The two of you." A man, dressed entirely in black and giving Rodney flashbacks to The Princess Bride materialized out of the bushes, carefully pointing his gun at Rodney while keeping Sheppard's still form in his sight. "There's quite a fine price on both your heads. I've been hunting you for a while now, waiting for the other two to not be around."
"The two fought bravely but the man in black succeeded in capturing them and marched them through the ring of the ancestors, and for many miles beyond. The scholar grew nervous, for his friend, the shepherd, had been injured in the fight and while he had no doubt they could break free, he knew he would need the help of his companion. As night fell the man led them into a small camp to wait for daybreak and the scholar bravely watched over the shepherd.
Rodney wrinkled his nose at the bowl that was shoved under his nose. It looked a little like porridge and smelled a lot like something had died recently. "Eat," his captor ordered. "You'll need the strength."
"If there's any citrus in this you're going to be down one prisoner," Rodney snapped over the growling in his stomach. The man only shook his head and left the bowl on the ground before exiting the tent he'd stashed them in.
Sheppard was still slumped unconscious and Rodney was beginning to get concerned. If he concentrated, he could see that Sheppard was breathing but the way the man had them each tethered prevented Rodney from reaching Sheppard to check for injuries.
Thankfully the porridge didn't taste as bad as it smelled and Rodney could enjoy hospital food and unthawed frozen dinners. He was mostly through the bowl when Sheppard stirred and groaned loudly.
"Colonel!" Rodney exclaimed. "Are you alright?"
"Not so loud," Sheppard slurred, holding his head in his hands and moaning again. "Did you get the number on the truck that hit me?"
"Very funny, colonel," Rodney said. "Look, we've been abducted by some Hollywood reject and you've been unconscious for hours. But now that you're awake we should escape." Rodney stopped when Sheppard ignored him in favor of crawling into a corner of the tent to throw up before curling into a fetal position. "Uh, Sheppard? That doesn't look like a brilliant escape plan."
"Rodney," Sheppard's voice was hoarse. "I feel like I have the worst hangover in the history of hangovers and while I was drunk I thought it would be a good idea to let Ronon beat me up. So if you aren't going to kill me, can we please wait until morning to escape? Quietly?"
"The following morning their captor bound them together and led them along a dusty road. Frequently the scholar tried to distract their captor with logic, claiming that holding them would only bring him trouble or insisting they take breaks to rest or eat because a dead captive would not be useful. The shepherd had recovered from his sickness and carefully watched for a chance to break free. When they paused for water by the edge of a cliff, he took his chance.
Rodney leaned over the cliff edge and winced each time the body bounced against a rock outcropping before smashing on the boulders at the bottom. "Well, that was a good idea," he commented sarcastically.
"Hey, I got rid of him, didn't I?" Sheppard told him.
"Yes, but need I remind you he had the opening device?" Rodney held up his right hand, dragging Sheppard's left arm, and the strange handcuffs binding them together, with it. "And now it's down there with him, rather than near us.
Sheppard shrugged. "So we'll get them off. You can pick locks right?"
"Not without any tools, which, need I remind you, were all confiscated by the man you so usefully pushed over the cliff," Rodney snapped. "Also, not when there aren't any visible locks." Rodney had to admit the cuffs were intriguing. Some vine-like substance encased both their forearms, joining them together with a braid of about four inches attached at the wrist. It grew tighter when he tried to wiggle it off and had proved impervious to the sharp rock Sheppard found. Their captor had used some mechanical device Rodney thought might emit a specific frequency of sound waves to get them on and off.
"Okay, then we find the stargate," Sheppard said, "and get them off when we're back at Atlantis."
"I spent all of yesterday blind-folded and you were unconscious," Rodney snapped irritably. "Do you have any idea where the 'gate is?"
Sheppard shrugged, indistinctly waving his free hand behind them. "Over there somewhere. I think."
"You know, colonel, you just pointed to approximately half the planet."
"Well, we know it isn't here," Sheppard said, tugging at the rope between their arms. "Let's go, McKay
"The two walked for miles and though tired, were bravely determined to find their way home.
"Uh, Colonel?" John looked back to see McKay hopping from foot to foot.
"What, Rodney?"
"I have to, uh, you know," Rodney mumbled, tilting his head to the bushes on the side of the road.
John sighed. "I told you not to drink so much at the stream back there."
"Oh, right," Rodney snapped, dragging John toward the bushes. "Because it would be so much better if I passed out from dehydration and you had to carry me."
John turned his back as Rodney edged up to the bushes. When his arm was tugged toward the scientist he pulled it back. "You'll have to manage that one-handed."
Along the way they encountered many obstacles and eventually came to realize that they were hopelessly lost. Somewhere on the planet was the ring of the ancestors, but they were unable to locate it. They hadn't realized that the ancestors had brought them to this place, as had been foretold for generations, and they would not find the ring before accomplishing their task.
Rodney had stepped in a hole and was limping heavily on what John suspected was a sprained ankle. There was no way for John to support him without twisting one of their arms behind a back so he simply bit back any comment at the scientist's frequent complaints and eventually found a fallen tree limb for Rodney to use as a crutch.
He was about ready to make another useless attempt at attacking the damn vines with a rock when the boy rounded the bend ahead of them, running full tilt with knees and elbows and too-big feet flailing in every direction. He ran full force into Sheppard, knocking all three of them to the ground.
The kid looked at them, wide-eyed and began shouting something that sounded like "Webatu! Webatu!" while pointing down the road.
"Rodney," John asked. "What's he saying?"
"I don't know, Colonel. Funnily enough I forgot to study native Pegasus languages when I was getting all my other degrees," Rodney snapped. "Uh…Colonel?" Rodney's eyes got wide as the animal charged from the same direction as the boy.
John wasn't sure if it was more dog, lion, or kangaroo but he was sure it didn't look friendly. "Rodney, give me the stick. Now," he said, climbing to his feet and pulling the scientist behind him, trying to remember what Teyla had taught him about fighting one-handed. Unfortunately she'd never included lessons on what to do when a brilliant and terrified scientist was attached to your other arm.
With the Wetabu-beast defeated the boy excitedly led the scholar and the shepherd back to his village. Being brave explorers they followed him without apprehension. The villagers greeted them warmly after the boy eagerly told them of the defeat of the beast. But they were especially excited because this was the night of the annual sacrifice and these two brave warriors had come from distant lands to offer themselves in place of two villagers.
"Um, Rodney, don't you think this is a little weird?" Sheppard asked, waving his free hand at the village. "It's not that I mind the free food or the dancing girls but this seems extreme for getting rid of a dog…kangaroo…thing." He distractedly patted the back of the woman who rushed up to hug him, an event that had been happening all too frequently. Rodney was pretty sure Sheppard had gotten twice as many hugs as he had.
Rodney shrugged, dipping his spoon into the bowl of stew in front of him. "Seem friendly to me. Have you tried this? It's delicious."
Rodney looked up when all the villagers started chanting at once. Something that sounded like "On-na-wray-ka" and several of the elders came towards them. "Uh, they just want to express their gratitude, right? Sheppard?"
Sheppard looked at the villagers and backed away from the bench, dragging Rodney with him. "It's been nice meeting you folks and we appreciate the gratitude, really, but it's time we get moving. Got friends waiting for us." Rodney felt Sheppard stiffen next to him and heard the colonel mutter, "Rodney, get ready to run," before a sea of bodies crashed into them, lifting them off the ground and carrying them somewhere.
"The villagers brought the heroes to the entrance to the catacombs. Somewhere inside the beast slept. For generations the villagers had kept the beast at bay by following the ancient customs. Each spring two villagers were sent into the catacombs bound together at the wrist as sacrifice to the beast. In exchange, it protected the village for another year and death once again did not come from the skies.
"Something tells me I'm not going to like this," John muttered as he slowly picked himself off the ground. The villagers had dumped them into a hole in the ground and the fall wasn't far enough to hurt, but he didn't think they could climb out. "You okay, Rodney?"
"No!" Rodney muttered, rubbing his ankle as he sat up. "I thought they liked us. We rescued their kid from that thing." He looked around the cave and then grabbed John's arm. "Uh, Sheppard?" he asked, pointing toward the wall.
John got up, dragging Rodney behind him and ignoring the scientist's mutterings about his ankle. The cave wall, illuminated by some weird moss, showed cave paintings. Two stick figures, bound together and brought to cave. Later the figures were shown wandering through tunnels and then, Sheppard winced, being torn apart by something that looked like a minotaur. "This doesn't look good."
A low growl echoed down the caverns and John's arm was wrenched when Rodney jumped. "Ah, Colonel, I don't suppose you were Theseus in a past life?"
"He had an endless ball of string and a magical sword," John muttered, searching the room they'd been dropped in which was disgusting clean of any potential weapons - not even rocks to throw. "Let's go, McKay," he said, dragging the scientist in what he hoped was the opposite direction from the growl.
"The two bravely faced their task, and began exploring the caverns. After walking for many hours they were tired and nervous for they could hear the beast in the distance but had gotten lost in the twisting hallways. The scholar was beginning to lose hope that they would ever make it out.
"This might go faster if we just let it eat us," Rodney snapped, flopping down to the ground and wincing as he rubbed his ankle, not caring the Sheppard was pulled down beside him.
"C'mon, we've escaped worse," Sheppard muttered, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. "I'd offer to scout ahead, but I know how attached you are," he smirked.
"Very funny."
"If we only knew the layout of this place," Sheppard said, reaching a hand back to rub his neck. As his fingers grazed the wall something lit up briefly. Rodney grabbed Sheppard's hand and pressed it against the wall. "Hey, what're you…"
With Sheppard's hand in contact with the wall light had begun to glow, showing the outline of a map. "Okay, that's cool," Sheppard remarked. "I wonder where we are…" Thoughts became deed and two dots appeared in one hallway and a third, larger dot moved two hallways over.
"It must be Ancient," Rodney muttered, rising up to take a better look, trying to trace the wall with his finger. He snorted in disgust when he tried to pull his right hand up, "Look, both hands would be useful right now."
"The two studied and explored the labyrinth, searching for any advantage they could find against the creature. With each minute the monster loomed closer and closer and the moment of confrontation drew near.
"Rodney," John hissed as McKay poked at something he thought might be a control panel on the wall. "I'm pretty sure it's getting closer."
"Just one more minute, Colonel," McKay muttered. John warily watched the doorway. The growls were close enough he thought the monster should be in sight by now. He started toward the doorway, intending to check the way ahead but was pulled back by the vines at his wrist. "You know, Colonel, it's had to do this with you constantly yanking me around."
"You haven't seen yanking yet," John snapped. "Would you prefer the monster sneak up on us?"
"No, of course not…" John turned the direction McKay was staring to see what had managed to tongue-tie the scientist. Yep. Minotaur in the doorway.
"McKay! Run! Now!" John shouted, taking off in the other direction and pulling hard at the backwards tug on his wrist so the McKay had no choice but to stumble into a run behind him.
"They ran and ran and ran down dark corridors, through puddles and over boulders that obscured their path. Always the monster seemed close behind and the tunnels forever twisting until both realized they were hopelessly lost. Even if they managed to defeat the great beast, they had no hope of finding their way out of the labyrinth. Eventually the scholar could run no further and fell to the ground, dragging his companion with him.
Rodney fell to the ground, pulling John with him, ignoring his protests. "Can't…run…any…more," he panted, struggling to catch his breath.
"Okay, Rodney, then what do you suggest. See any weapons lying around?" John snapped, frantically search the tunnel for anything useful. He found a few rocks, pulling McKay with him as he stretched to reach them. When his fingers brushed the wall, the entire area lit up.
"This…might be something," Rodney gasped, struggling to his knees and examining the wall. "Maybe there are force fields I can activate. Let's see, this control looks like life support…" John let Rodney examine the interface. At least if the scientist was focused on something else, his panic wouldn't distract John from the task at hand. Judging by the growls echoing down the hallway, he wouldn't have to wait long.
"McKay…"John said warningly as the minotaur stepped into the light. "That thing's really ugly and really big."
"I'm working on it," Rodney snapped.
John shrugged and threw a rock a the minotaur's head, mentally thanking their captor for leaving his right arm free.
The rock went right through the minotaur's head.
John blinked and threw another rock, this time a bit lower. The minotaur seemed to shimmer like one of the Atlantis holographic images and the rock sailed through, hitting the wall behind the monster.
"The fight was difficult and several times the scholar barely managed to avoid the horns of the charging beast. Each rock the shepherd threw created a new roar within the creature, a new depth of anger and several times the two feared the battle lost. Finally, working together they managed to subdue the creature, slaying the great beast and freeing the village from its curse forever.
After turning the hologram off, Rodney managed to find a map of the area and discovered they were very close to an exit, which was good because now that they were no longer fleeing an imaginary beast his claustrophobia was beginning to kick in.
As they exited the tunnels and Rodney blinked at the sudden bright sunlight he heard Sheppard mutter "Oh no," beside him. Rodney looked up to find a mob of villagers looking in confusion and amazement.
"No, no, put us down!" Rodney tried slapping the hands away but they were too many and again he had the disconcerting experience of being carried by a mob of villagers while still attached to Sheppard's arm, constant tugs on his already sore shoulder.
"The village threw a great feast in honor of the warriors who had faced the monster and survived, freeing the village from it's wrath forever. There was food and music and dancing and several of the village women offered to take the warriors to their beds but they chose to remain tied together, bonded as true warrior-kin. The following morning they were led to the ring of the ancestors and went home, never to be seen again. But their deeds will never be forgotten which is why, every spring, warriors of the village bind their arms together in pairs and venture into the forest to undertake the true test of a warrior."
Rodney never thought he'd be so glad to see Atlantis's gate room. Though he'd be gladder when they reached his lab and managed to get the damn handcuffs off.
Elizabeth met them with a relieved look that turned to amusement when she saw their predicament. "I realize missions can be a bonding experience," she said with a wicked grin, "but aren't you two taking it to extremes?" Behind her Teyla placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. Rodney only glared at them and dragged Sheppard toward the hallway that led to his lab.
Author: abyssinia4077
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay
Disclaimer: The stargate universes and its characters belong to MGM. I just play with them.
Rating: PG
Summary: John and Rodney never meant to become folk heroes. They just wanted to get out of the damn handcuffs.
The elder sat staring into the fire, smiling at the village children who were slowly creeping out of family huts to join him. He cleared his throat when the littlest ones grew restless and looked at them, fuzzy through the cataracts in his eyes. "What story will it be tonight?" he asked.
"Can you tell us the one about the shepherd and the scholar?" one of the boys begged, nearly bouncing off the rock he had found to perch on.
The old man smiled. The story had been a favorite of his boyhood days and this generation's children frequently asked for its retelling. He cleared his throat again and began the story, in a clear voice as ancient and wise as his many years.
"The shepherd and the scholar lived far away in a beautiful, magical city of glass and light. You would think that no person who lived in such an amazing city would ever want to leave, but the scholar had more curiosity than the city could satisfy and the shepherd could only tend his flock for so many days before he grew anxious for adventure. One day the two convinced the leader of the city to let them travel through the ring of the Ancestors, as they often did when boredom grew too heavy.
"Seriously, Elizabeth, there's something about those ruins." Rodney practically bounced as he followed Elizabeth down one of Atlantis's hallways. "Colonel Sheppard said he'd be willing to go back with me. Just one day."
"Fine, Rodney, you can go."
"It looks like the Ancients were doing some research into developing a new kind of shield that could cloak at the same time." Rodney continued as though he hadn't heard her. "I don't have to tell you how important that could be."
"Rodney, I already said you could go. Just stay out of trouble, okay?" Elizabeth sighed.
"Right, right," Rodney turned down the hallway toward the science labs, listing out loud the equipment he needed to bring.
"Before long the scholar grew entranced with the old ruins, studying them for hours without thought for food or rest. The shepherd was initially curious but grew bored and lay down to nap in the sun while his companion worked. Little did he know that the man in black had been watching them the entire time.
Rodney jumped when he heard the whine behind him - some cross between a Wraith stunner and Ronon's gun on its lowest setting. When he turned to find Sheppard sprawled on the ground, he knew he was in trouble.
"Don't take another step," a calm voice warned when Rodney moved towards Sheppard. "I don't want to have to carry both of you and I assure you this gun may be set to stun but waking up is not pleasant."
Rodney eyed the thigh holster he'd irritably removed earlier and raised his arms in the air. "What do you want?"
"The two of you." A man, dressed entirely in black and giving Rodney flashbacks to The Princess Bride materialized out of the bushes, carefully pointing his gun at Rodney while keeping Sheppard's still form in his sight. "There's quite a fine price on both your heads. I've been hunting you for a while now, waiting for the other two to not be around."
"The two fought bravely but the man in black succeeded in capturing them and marched them through the ring of the ancestors, and for many miles beyond. The scholar grew nervous, for his friend, the shepherd, had been injured in the fight and while he had no doubt they could break free, he knew he would need the help of his companion. As night fell the man led them into a small camp to wait for daybreak and the scholar bravely watched over the shepherd.
Rodney wrinkled his nose at the bowl that was shoved under his nose. It looked a little like porridge and smelled a lot like something had died recently. "Eat," his captor ordered. "You'll need the strength."
"If there's any citrus in this you're going to be down one prisoner," Rodney snapped over the growling in his stomach. The man only shook his head and left the bowl on the ground before exiting the tent he'd stashed them in.
Sheppard was still slumped unconscious and Rodney was beginning to get concerned. If he concentrated, he could see that Sheppard was breathing but the way the man had them each tethered prevented Rodney from reaching Sheppard to check for injuries.
Thankfully the porridge didn't taste as bad as it smelled and Rodney could enjoy hospital food and unthawed frozen dinners. He was mostly through the bowl when Sheppard stirred and groaned loudly.
"Colonel!" Rodney exclaimed. "Are you alright?"
"Not so loud," Sheppard slurred, holding his head in his hands and moaning again. "Did you get the number on the truck that hit me?"
"Very funny, colonel," Rodney said. "Look, we've been abducted by some Hollywood reject and you've been unconscious for hours. But now that you're awake we should escape." Rodney stopped when Sheppard ignored him in favor of crawling into a corner of the tent to throw up before curling into a fetal position. "Uh, Sheppard? That doesn't look like a brilliant escape plan."
"Rodney," Sheppard's voice was hoarse. "I feel like I have the worst hangover in the history of hangovers and while I was drunk I thought it would be a good idea to let Ronon beat me up. So if you aren't going to kill me, can we please wait until morning to escape? Quietly?"
"The following morning their captor bound them together and led them along a dusty road. Frequently the scholar tried to distract their captor with logic, claiming that holding them would only bring him trouble or insisting they take breaks to rest or eat because a dead captive would not be useful. The shepherd had recovered from his sickness and carefully watched for a chance to break free. When they paused for water by the edge of a cliff, he took his chance.
Rodney leaned over the cliff edge and winced each time the body bounced against a rock outcropping before smashing on the boulders at the bottom. "Well, that was a good idea," he commented sarcastically.
"Hey, I got rid of him, didn't I?" Sheppard told him.
"Yes, but need I remind you he had the opening device?" Rodney held up his right hand, dragging Sheppard's left arm, and the strange handcuffs binding them together, with it. "And now it's down there with him, rather than near us.
Sheppard shrugged. "So we'll get them off. You can pick locks right?"
"Not without any tools, which, need I remind you, were all confiscated by the man you so usefully pushed over the cliff," Rodney snapped. "Also, not when there aren't any visible locks." Rodney had to admit the cuffs were intriguing. Some vine-like substance encased both their forearms, joining them together with a braid of about four inches attached at the wrist. It grew tighter when he tried to wiggle it off and had proved impervious to the sharp rock Sheppard found. Their captor had used some mechanical device Rodney thought might emit a specific frequency of sound waves to get them on and off.
"Okay, then we find the stargate," Sheppard said, "and get them off when we're back at Atlantis."
"I spent all of yesterday blind-folded and you were unconscious," Rodney snapped irritably. "Do you have any idea where the 'gate is?"
Sheppard shrugged, indistinctly waving his free hand behind them. "Over there somewhere. I think."
"You know, colonel, you just pointed to approximately half the planet."
"Well, we know it isn't here," Sheppard said, tugging at the rope between their arms. "Let's go, McKay
"The two walked for miles and though tired, were bravely determined to find their way home.
"Uh, Colonel?" John looked back to see McKay hopping from foot to foot.
"What, Rodney?"
"I have to, uh, you know," Rodney mumbled, tilting his head to the bushes on the side of the road.
John sighed. "I told you not to drink so much at the stream back there."
"Oh, right," Rodney snapped, dragging John toward the bushes. "Because it would be so much better if I passed out from dehydration and you had to carry me."
John turned his back as Rodney edged up to the bushes. When his arm was tugged toward the scientist he pulled it back. "You'll have to manage that one-handed."
Along the way they encountered many obstacles and eventually came to realize that they were hopelessly lost. Somewhere on the planet was the ring of the ancestors, but they were unable to locate it. They hadn't realized that the ancestors had brought them to this place, as had been foretold for generations, and they would not find the ring before accomplishing their task.
Rodney had stepped in a hole and was limping heavily on what John suspected was a sprained ankle. There was no way for John to support him without twisting one of their arms behind a back so he simply bit back any comment at the scientist's frequent complaints and eventually found a fallen tree limb for Rodney to use as a crutch.
He was about ready to make another useless attempt at attacking the damn vines with a rock when the boy rounded the bend ahead of them, running full tilt with knees and elbows and too-big feet flailing in every direction. He ran full force into Sheppard, knocking all three of them to the ground.
The kid looked at them, wide-eyed and began shouting something that sounded like "Webatu! Webatu!" while pointing down the road.
"Rodney," John asked. "What's he saying?"
"I don't know, Colonel. Funnily enough I forgot to study native Pegasus languages when I was getting all my other degrees," Rodney snapped. "Uh…Colonel?" Rodney's eyes got wide as the animal charged from the same direction as the boy.
John wasn't sure if it was more dog, lion, or kangaroo but he was sure it didn't look friendly. "Rodney, give me the stick. Now," he said, climbing to his feet and pulling the scientist behind him, trying to remember what Teyla had taught him about fighting one-handed. Unfortunately she'd never included lessons on what to do when a brilliant and terrified scientist was attached to your other arm.
With the Wetabu-beast defeated the boy excitedly led the scholar and the shepherd back to his village. Being brave explorers they followed him without apprehension. The villagers greeted them warmly after the boy eagerly told them of the defeat of the beast. But they were especially excited because this was the night of the annual sacrifice and these two brave warriors had come from distant lands to offer themselves in place of two villagers.
"Um, Rodney, don't you think this is a little weird?" Sheppard asked, waving his free hand at the village. "It's not that I mind the free food or the dancing girls but this seems extreme for getting rid of a dog…kangaroo…thing." He distractedly patted the back of the woman who rushed up to hug him, an event that had been happening all too frequently. Rodney was pretty sure Sheppard had gotten twice as many hugs as he had.
Rodney shrugged, dipping his spoon into the bowl of stew in front of him. "Seem friendly to me. Have you tried this? It's delicious."
Rodney looked up when all the villagers started chanting at once. Something that sounded like "On-na-wray-ka" and several of the elders came towards them. "Uh, they just want to express their gratitude, right? Sheppard?"
Sheppard looked at the villagers and backed away from the bench, dragging Rodney with him. "It's been nice meeting you folks and we appreciate the gratitude, really, but it's time we get moving. Got friends waiting for us." Rodney felt Sheppard stiffen next to him and heard the colonel mutter, "Rodney, get ready to run," before a sea of bodies crashed into them, lifting them off the ground and carrying them somewhere.
"The villagers brought the heroes to the entrance to the catacombs. Somewhere inside the beast slept. For generations the villagers had kept the beast at bay by following the ancient customs. Each spring two villagers were sent into the catacombs bound together at the wrist as sacrifice to the beast. In exchange, it protected the village for another year and death once again did not come from the skies.
"Something tells me I'm not going to like this," John muttered as he slowly picked himself off the ground. The villagers had dumped them into a hole in the ground and the fall wasn't far enough to hurt, but he didn't think they could climb out. "You okay, Rodney?"
"No!" Rodney muttered, rubbing his ankle as he sat up. "I thought they liked us. We rescued their kid from that thing." He looked around the cave and then grabbed John's arm. "Uh, Sheppard?" he asked, pointing toward the wall.
John got up, dragging Rodney behind him and ignoring the scientist's mutterings about his ankle. The cave wall, illuminated by some weird moss, showed cave paintings. Two stick figures, bound together and brought to cave. Later the figures were shown wandering through tunnels and then, Sheppard winced, being torn apart by something that looked like a minotaur. "This doesn't look good."
A low growl echoed down the caverns and John's arm was wrenched when Rodney jumped. "Ah, Colonel, I don't suppose you were Theseus in a past life?"
"He had an endless ball of string and a magical sword," John muttered, searching the room they'd been dropped in which was disgusting clean of any potential weapons - not even rocks to throw. "Let's go, McKay," he said, dragging the scientist in what he hoped was the opposite direction from the growl.
"The two bravely faced their task, and began exploring the caverns. After walking for many hours they were tired and nervous for they could hear the beast in the distance but had gotten lost in the twisting hallways. The scholar was beginning to lose hope that they would ever make it out.
"This might go faster if we just let it eat us," Rodney snapped, flopping down to the ground and wincing as he rubbed his ankle, not caring the Sheppard was pulled down beside him.
"C'mon, we've escaped worse," Sheppard muttered, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. "I'd offer to scout ahead, but I know how attached you are," he smirked.
"Very funny."
"If we only knew the layout of this place," Sheppard said, reaching a hand back to rub his neck. As his fingers grazed the wall something lit up briefly. Rodney grabbed Sheppard's hand and pressed it against the wall. "Hey, what're you…"
With Sheppard's hand in contact with the wall light had begun to glow, showing the outline of a map. "Okay, that's cool," Sheppard remarked. "I wonder where we are…" Thoughts became deed and two dots appeared in one hallway and a third, larger dot moved two hallways over.
"It must be Ancient," Rodney muttered, rising up to take a better look, trying to trace the wall with his finger. He snorted in disgust when he tried to pull his right hand up, "Look, both hands would be useful right now."
"The two studied and explored the labyrinth, searching for any advantage they could find against the creature. With each minute the monster loomed closer and closer and the moment of confrontation drew near.
"Rodney," John hissed as McKay poked at something he thought might be a control panel on the wall. "I'm pretty sure it's getting closer."
"Just one more minute, Colonel," McKay muttered. John warily watched the doorway. The growls were close enough he thought the monster should be in sight by now. He started toward the doorway, intending to check the way ahead but was pulled back by the vines at his wrist. "You know, Colonel, it's had to do this with you constantly yanking me around."
"You haven't seen yanking yet," John snapped. "Would you prefer the monster sneak up on us?"
"No, of course not…" John turned the direction McKay was staring to see what had managed to tongue-tie the scientist. Yep. Minotaur in the doorway.
"McKay! Run! Now!" John shouted, taking off in the other direction and pulling hard at the backwards tug on his wrist so the McKay had no choice but to stumble into a run behind him.
"They ran and ran and ran down dark corridors, through puddles and over boulders that obscured their path. Always the monster seemed close behind and the tunnels forever twisting until both realized they were hopelessly lost. Even if they managed to defeat the great beast, they had no hope of finding their way out of the labyrinth. Eventually the scholar could run no further and fell to the ground, dragging his companion with him.
Rodney fell to the ground, pulling John with him, ignoring his protests. "Can't…run…any…more," he panted, struggling to catch his breath.
"Okay, Rodney, then what do you suggest. See any weapons lying around?" John snapped, frantically search the tunnel for anything useful. He found a few rocks, pulling McKay with him as he stretched to reach them. When his fingers brushed the wall, the entire area lit up.
"This…might be something," Rodney gasped, struggling to his knees and examining the wall. "Maybe there are force fields I can activate. Let's see, this control looks like life support…" John let Rodney examine the interface. At least if the scientist was focused on something else, his panic wouldn't distract John from the task at hand. Judging by the growls echoing down the hallway, he wouldn't have to wait long.
"McKay…"John said warningly as the minotaur stepped into the light. "That thing's really ugly and really big."
"I'm working on it," Rodney snapped.
John shrugged and threw a rock a the minotaur's head, mentally thanking their captor for leaving his right arm free.
The rock went right through the minotaur's head.
John blinked and threw another rock, this time a bit lower. The minotaur seemed to shimmer like one of the Atlantis holographic images and the rock sailed through, hitting the wall behind the monster.
"The fight was difficult and several times the scholar barely managed to avoid the horns of the charging beast. Each rock the shepherd threw created a new roar within the creature, a new depth of anger and several times the two feared the battle lost. Finally, working together they managed to subdue the creature, slaying the great beast and freeing the village from its curse forever.
After turning the hologram off, Rodney managed to find a map of the area and discovered they were very close to an exit, which was good because now that they were no longer fleeing an imaginary beast his claustrophobia was beginning to kick in.
As they exited the tunnels and Rodney blinked at the sudden bright sunlight he heard Sheppard mutter "Oh no," beside him. Rodney looked up to find a mob of villagers looking in confusion and amazement.
"No, no, put us down!" Rodney tried slapping the hands away but they were too many and again he had the disconcerting experience of being carried by a mob of villagers while still attached to Sheppard's arm, constant tugs on his already sore shoulder.
"The village threw a great feast in honor of the warriors who had faced the monster and survived, freeing the village from it's wrath forever. There was food and music and dancing and several of the village women offered to take the warriors to their beds but they chose to remain tied together, bonded as true warrior-kin. The following morning they were led to the ring of the ancestors and went home, never to be seen again. But their deeds will never be forgotten which is why, every spring, warriors of the village bind their arms together in pairs and venture into the forest to undertake the true test of a warrior."
Rodney never thought he'd be so glad to see Atlantis's gate room. Though he'd be gladder when they reached his lab and managed to get the damn handcuffs off.
Elizabeth met them with a relieved look that turned to amusement when she saw their predicament. "I realize missions can be a bonding experience," she said with a wicked grin, "but aren't you two taking it to extremes?" Behind her Teyla placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. Rodney only glared at them and dragged Sheppard toward the hallway that led to his lab.