Fic: Destiny Waits Alike (No Precious Time Series, 23/28)
Title: Destiny Waits Alike (No Precious Time Series, 23/28)
Author: The Time Being/SGAtlantisLight
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Genre: Smutty angst, H/C
Rating: NC-17 overall, though some chapters are lower
Author's Notes: Part of the No Precious Time Series. Beta and encouragement from a lot of people, but especially lapislaz, mice1900, and inkscribe.
Warnings can be found here for those who can't read without them. These contain plot spoilers so do not read unless you can't live without knowing.
Disclaimer: I own them all! But, alas, not in this universe.
Previous chapter
"Destiny waits alike for the free man as well as for him enslaved by another's might." - Aeschylus
There was a soft knock on John's door and Carson looked up to see Dr. Cortes there. "What's up, Toni?"
"We just got a call from the Mainland. Amaro's had a severe seizure. They're asking for you specifically."
Carson exchanged worried looks with his two lovers. "That would be..." He calculated. Half hour to get there. Perhaps a half hour to get Amaro secured in the jumper. A half hour to get back. "... doable, actually." The three of them had made love only a little before. If he got held up there, he'd just have to make use of his own hand for a bit, and John would have Rodney. "It would be best if I had a pilot, though, just in case."
Cortes nodded. "Lieutenant Miller is gearing up. Thea and Liles are going with you."
"That's good then. Let me save this and get a few things." Carson saved his work and handed the laptop to Rodney. "If you could be sure that gets back home, love?"
"Sure." Rodney took it and then leaned forward to give him a kiss. "Come back soon and don't flirt too much."
"Don't worry, love. Liles and Thea aren't my type."
"And Miller?"
Carson grinned and then turned to press kisses to John's forehead and lips. John stirred slightly, murmuring, and then appeared to fall back to sleep. "You two don't snipe each other to death while I'm gone."
"We don't fight," Rodney protested.
"Do so," John yawned, clutching Carson's arm.
Carson chuckled. "Goodbye, John."
"Bye, Cars'n." John's breathing slowed, his fingers loosening till his hand fell back to the bed.
Carson gave him a fond smile, winked at Rodney, and then turned and left.
***
"So, what did it feel like, exactly?" Biro asked.
Evan felt like he'd been answering the same question over and over. "Mostly like I've heard heart attacks described-- pain in my chest, just utterly crushing, can't-breathe pain. I started to scream and then... it was like I was on fire and I heard the wraith scream and pull away and then I blacked out. Next thing I knew, Parrish was checking me over." In truth, Chris had been on the verge of total panic.
Biro's eyes were bright, which Evan found more than a little disconcerting. "Fascinating. It sounds just like a wraith draining up till you felt like you were burning. Hm." She wrote down some notes. "Did you happen to notice any signs of aging? For instance, could you see your hands?"
Evan shook his head. "All I could see was the wraith." And my life flashing before my eyes.
"Too bad. Oh, well. Thank you, Colonel. I'd like to take another blood sample, if you don't mind."
Evan sighed and offered his arm. If this kept up, he was going to develop track marks.
***
"He should be back by now," Rodney said, plucking nervously at the sheet on John's bed.
"He's only a half-hour late or so," John drawled.
"But why is he late? Wouldn't he radio?"
"Would you please stop. You're messing up the bed."
"It's just a couple wrinkles."
"Try laying on them for hours at a time," John replied. "You could call the control room and see if they've heard anything."
"Well, I suppose. But they would have called, wouldn't they? I mean, I--" He stopped as there was a clatter out in the main room. Rodney stepped to the door, relieved to see Carson following a gurney and talking rapidly to Cortes as they went, but also anxious as he realised they were headed toward the surgery room with the Ancient scanner.
"What's going on?" John asked.
"I don't know. Hang on."
"Is it Amaro?"
"I don't know. Didn't I already say that?"
Rodney watched the surgery doors anxiously, sighing as Carson stepped through.
Carson looked worried and helpless as he walked toward John's room. Rodney stepped back and let him in, noting the grim set of his mouth.
"How is he?" John asked.
"Not good," Carson answered. "He hit his head when he went down and several times during the seizure. By the time I got there, he was vomiting and slurring his speech and couldn't walk. Before we could get him into the jumper, he had another seizure." Carson shuddered.
"And what's the diagnosis?"
"Subdural hematoma. Doctor Cortes is operating."
John sagged back into his pillows, eyes closing as he shook his head. Rodney looked between Carson and John, his heart in his throat when he realised something like that could happen to either of his lovers. John had already had one seizure. How long before he suffered another? How long before Carson suffered his first?
Carson stepped over and gave Rodney a hug and kiss, then turned and gave John a kiss as well, squeezing his hand, then returned to his seat, and grabbed his laptop.
Cure, Rodney thought. He has to find a cure before it gets so bad he can't.
***
Elizabeth stepped out of her office, looking to her gate tech. Lenoir was pale and shaking, but obviously trying to put a brave face on things. "Sergeant," she said quietly.
He started. "Y-yes, ma'am?"
"Why haven't you asked to go down to the infirmary?"
His eyes met hers. "I... We're not together anymore." He looked away, down at his hands. "I didn't think I had the right."
She sighed. As much as his relationship with Amaro had bothered her at first, she didn't like seeing her people in pain, and it was obvious this hadn't been a fling, at least to Lenoir. "This isn't about rights, though." She laid a hand on his shoulder. "Go. Sergeant Wen can cover for you. Call me when you know anything."
He heaved a sigh of relief, nodded to Wen at the next console over, and stood. "Thank you, ma'am."
She watched him leave and then returned to her office, where she was considering a memo from Dr. Biro about the pathologist's concerns that Doctors McKay and Beckett might be taking advantage of former Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard's fragile mental state to coerce him into a relationship he would otherwise not have sought. It was a difficult subject. In truth, any relationship with a virus carrier could not be considered entirely consensual. The only one that might be argued would be Rodney's with Carson, since they'd been lovers before Carson had been infected. From that standpoint, it was certainly true that John never would have gotten involved with the two men otherwise. But, truthfully, the paths that brought people together were often fraught with turmoil and pain. Was that taking advantage or merely finding gold among the dross?
She thought about her own loveless life. She'd given up so many opportunities because it wasn't the right time, the right place, because it might be controversial, it might compromise her neutrality or leadership. Maybe there was something to be learned from three men who took such turmoil and found strength, friendship, love, a reason to go on with each other.
She reached up and hit her radio. "Weir to Ronon Dex... Ronon? I was wondering what you might be doing for dinner."
***
"I'll raise... fifty," Rodney said.
John shook his head. "You really can't bluff, can you, McKay. Call."
Rodney sighed and looked over at Carson. "Maybe we should have thought of this before we invited him in."
Carson chuckled. "I don't think his facility at poker was much on our minds, love."
"True. Chess, now..."
There was a knock on the doorframe and they looked up to see Radek standing there. "Am I interrupting?"
Rodney and Carson both looked at John, who sat dumbfounded for a moment, just blinking at Radek. Carson coughed pointedly. "Ah. No! We were just, ah, passing the time. Come in. What's up?"
Radek shrugged. "Just bored, I suppose."
"Oh. Well, hey, um, why don't you join the game? We'll deal you in on this next hand."
"Thank you. I would like that." Carson stood and sat on the end of John's bed, surrendering his chair to Radek. "What are you playing?" Radek asked as he sat.
"Five card stud," John answered. "None of this lame-ass Texas hold 'em for us."
He looked up, meeting Radek's eyes. Radek smiled.
***
"I hate these beds," Rodney complained, leaning over the narrow bed to kiss John.
John smiled up at him, hair plastered to his head with sweat, still breathing hard. "Can't wait to get out of here and into a normal bed."
Carson kissed the palm of John's hand, looking equally wrecked. Rodney was sure he looked much the same. "We can't wait to get you there, too."
There was a knock at the door. "It's Veza and Ri," Veza's voice called out.
"Hold on!" John yelled. Rodney and Carson quickly began righting their clothes and then helped John do the same. "Okay. Come in!"
The two former slaves entered the room. Ri sniffed and then gave them all a knowing smirk. Rodney felt his face go hot. Veza stepped to the bed around Rodney and dropped a peck on John's cheek. Rodney caught Carson's face, eyes narrowing slightly, looking possessive.
"How are you?" Veza asked.
"I've felt better," John answered. "What are you two doing here?"
"We came for Amaro," Ri answered.
"Ah. Yeah. That makes sense. He okay?"
"Doctor Cortes says he'll be well," Veza said, sitting in Rodney's chair. She shifted back, looking exhausted and Rodney caught sight of the curve of her belly.
"His Remy is in there with him now."
"I thought they split up," Rodney blurted.
Carson and John both glared at him, but the two former slaves merely shrugged. "They're trying to work it out, apparently," Veza said.
"Oh, that would be lovely," Carson said, nodding. "I've hated to see the poor lad so downhearted these last few days."
Ri snorted. "We'll see if it works this time."
"You don't think they will?" Carson asked, curling his hand into John's.
"None of them have so far," Veza said, looking pensive, then smiled at the three of them. "Perhaps Teyla should talk to Remy and he could seek a relationship like yours."
Ri shook his head. "I don't think it would work. There is no one that Amaro and Remy are yearning for and who yearns for them as well."
Rodney felt himself blushing again and looked over to see John shifting uncomfortably. Carson, however, was smiling gently at his lovers, squeezing John's hand. Rodney couldn't help but smile back.
Veza stood, grabbing Ri's hand. "Well, we just came to see how you were."
"Yeah," Ri said. "We'll see you again tomorrow."
***
Biro was bouncy, which was somewhat disconcerting. Rodney shifted uncomfortably in his seat as she clicked through images on her computer. Carson leaned over and peeked.
"I think it would be better to summarise a wee bit more, Carole."
Biro sighed, looking at the pictures. "But they're so interesting and really make the point..."
"But not to a non-medical person and you can show me later."
She perked up at that. "Oh! That would be good. I'll do that."
Carson exchanged a longsuffering smile with Rodney.
Teyla and Ronon walked in, followed by Colonel Lorne. Rodney felt a pang of regret that it would never be John walking through that door again.
"How is John?" Teyla asked, sliding into the seat next to Rodney.
"Tired from the new drug they've got him on," Rodney answered.
"More drugs?" Ronon asked.
"We've started prescribing anticonvulsants to all the virus carriers," Biro said, "since it appears to be a common problem."
"You, too?" Ronon asked, looking at Carson.
Carson nodded. "Aye. Me, too."
Elizabeth walked into the conference room then, nodding to everyone. "Good morning. I understand there are some developments in the study of the virus, which is the primary reason for this conference." She sat down and nodded to Teyla. "If you would start, Teyla."
Teyla inclined her head. "Once we learned the name of the people who inoculate others with this disease, I began asking my information sources about the Escans. Ronon and Colonel Lorne did the same among their own intelligence channels. The information returned to us was confusing. Some had heard of the Escans in association with the slave trade and the creation of pleasure slaves. Others, however, told stories of an elite group of warriors, who are known to sneak onto Hives and larger ships and disable them, killing many of the Wraith. These warriors are almost legendary on certain planets. At first, we all believed there were two groups of people with the same or similar name, but in light of what happened with Colonel Lorne, we have reconsidered."
"Thank you, Teyla." Elizabeth turned to Biro. "Doctor Biro?"
"What you've heard gels completely with what I'm seeing in my examination of the Wraith corpse Colonel Lorne's team brought back with them." The pathologist leaned forward, eyes shining. "One thing that surprised us when we examined and interviewed the rescuees was actually their level of health. This was a group of people who had been having unprotected sex with multiple partners several times a day, some of them for years, with compromised immune systems and yet the only infection any of them carried was the virus. Several proposals were put forward, but it turned out to be the virus itself, which we determined when Carson determined that the virus was modified with the DNA of the subject before being injected. Put simply, the virus is greedy."
Elizabeth arched her eyebrows. "Greedy?"
"Exactly," Carson said. "It won't share with other organisms."
Biro nodded. "Foreign DNA- and RNA-bearing cells are immediately attacked, infected by the virus itself and converted. We surmised that this might have been the initial intention of the virus creators, a sort of pan-immunity."
"Initial intention?" Lorne asked.
Biro nodded. "Based on our studies of the virus, we believe it's been modified to increase its neurological impact and its response to endorphins."
Rodney felt the hair on the back of his neck rise at the thought that what had undoubtedly been an unexpected side-effect of the virus had become its primary and intentional purpose.
"However, given my examination of the wraith corpse, I believe more than pan-immunity was intended," Biro continued. She looked at her computer screen and sighed and Rodney wondered what gruesome horror of a graphic she'd wanted to show them at this point. "What I found was a massive internal cellular break-down. The wraith body was full of the virus-- Colonel Lorne's virus, specifically."
"I thought Lorne was cured," Ronon said.
"Viruses aren't really alive in the way we understand life. They aren't often eliminated entirely. Instead, they go dormant. A perfect example of this is the herpes family of viruses that cause chicken pox, shingles, genital herpes, and cold sores. Someone who had a case of chicken pox as a child can come down with a case of shingles decades after that initial infection-- the virus has simply lain dormant all that time. Likewise with cold sores and genital herpes outbreaks."
"So the colonel could suffer further... outbreaks?" Teyla asked.
Biro nodded. "Quite likely. The virus will never gain a permanent foothold, but he could suffer some sort of outbreak, likely neurological in nature like the initial infection, but it's difficult to guess."
Rodney had known that about viruses, but hadn't really considered it in the colonel's case. He glanced at Lorne, who was merely nodding. Apparently, this had already been explained to him. "And when we find a cure?" Rodney asked.
"It will cause the virus to go dormant," Carson said, meeting his eyes, "but like as not won't eliminate it."
"So, they'd be deadly to wraith, too, once they're cured?" Ronon asked.
"They're deadly to wraith right now," Biro said. "A wraith feeds through injecting a bacteria-like organelle into its victim's body. That organelle, among other things, breaks down the mitochondria to draw out the energy and returns to the wraith. There are other factors are work as well, but that's the process relevant to this discussion. In Colonel Lorne's case, the virus attacked the wraith organelle and converted them. Rather than attacking the colonel's mitochondria, they returned to the wraith in modified form and began attacking his cells instead. It was destroyed by its own feeding mechanism."
Everyone sat in stunned silence for a moment.
"And you believe this to be the initial purpose of this virus?" Teyla finally asked.
Biro nodded.
"That makes more sense for the Escans, then," Ronon said.
"How do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.
"With the threat of the wraith, making pleasure slaves seems pointless. But, creating elite warriors who are immune to wraith feeding and actually kill the wraith in the process?" Ronon nodded. "That's a worthy undertaking."
"Even when it creates so much misery?" Carson asked.
Ronon shrugged. "It must seem a small price to pay if the wraith can be eliminated."
"Some would disagree," Teyla said.
Ronon nodded. "But it only takes one group in control of this virus to think it's a good idea for it to happen."
"The Escans aren't in the pleasure slave business," Lorne said, nodding. "That's secondary to their real purpose of defeating the wraith, any way they can."
Rodney couldn't help shivering. It did make sense. And it bothered him that such inhumanity could.
Next Chapter
Author: The Time Being/SGAtlantisLight
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Genre: Smutty angst, H/C
Rating: NC-17 overall, though some chapters are lower
Author's Notes: Part of the No Precious Time Series. Beta and encouragement from a lot of people, but especially lapislaz, mice1900, and inkscribe.
Warnings can be found here for those who can't read without them. These contain plot spoilers so do not read unless you can't live without knowing.
Disclaimer: I own them all! But, alas, not in this universe.
Previous chapter
"Destiny waits alike for the free man as well as for him enslaved by another's might." - Aeschylus
There was a soft knock on John's door and Carson looked up to see Dr. Cortes there. "What's up, Toni?"
"We just got a call from the Mainland. Amaro's had a severe seizure. They're asking for you specifically."
Carson exchanged worried looks with his two lovers. "That would be..." He calculated. Half hour to get there. Perhaps a half hour to get Amaro secured in the jumper. A half hour to get back. "... doable, actually." The three of them had made love only a little before. If he got held up there, he'd just have to make use of his own hand for a bit, and John would have Rodney. "It would be best if I had a pilot, though, just in case."
Cortes nodded. "Lieutenant Miller is gearing up. Thea and Liles are going with you."
"That's good then. Let me save this and get a few things." Carson saved his work and handed the laptop to Rodney. "If you could be sure that gets back home, love?"
"Sure." Rodney took it and then leaned forward to give him a kiss. "Come back soon and don't flirt too much."
"Don't worry, love. Liles and Thea aren't my type."
"And Miller?"
Carson grinned and then turned to press kisses to John's forehead and lips. John stirred slightly, murmuring, and then appeared to fall back to sleep. "You two don't snipe each other to death while I'm gone."
"We don't fight," Rodney protested.
"Do so," John yawned, clutching Carson's arm.
Carson chuckled. "Goodbye, John."
"Bye, Cars'n." John's breathing slowed, his fingers loosening till his hand fell back to the bed.
Carson gave him a fond smile, winked at Rodney, and then turned and left.
***
"So, what did it feel like, exactly?" Biro asked.
Evan felt like he'd been answering the same question over and over. "Mostly like I've heard heart attacks described-- pain in my chest, just utterly crushing, can't-breathe pain. I started to scream and then... it was like I was on fire and I heard the wraith scream and pull away and then I blacked out. Next thing I knew, Parrish was checking me over." In truth, Chris had been on the verge of total panic.
Biro's eyes were bright, which Evan found more than a little disconcerting. "Fascinating. It sounds just like a wraith draining up till you felt like you were burning. Hm." She wrote down some notes. "Did you happen to notice any signs of aging? For instance, could you see your hands?"
Evan shook his head. "All I could see was the wraith." And my life flashing before my eyes.
"Too bad. Oh, well. Thank you, Colonel. I'd like to take another blood sample, if you don't mind."
Evan sighed and offered his arm. If this kept up, he was going to develop track marks.
***
"He should be back by now," Rodney said, plucking nervously at the sheet on John's bed.
"He's only a half-hour late or so," John drawled.
"But why is he late? Wouldn't he radio?"
"Would you please stop. You're messing up the bed."
"It's just a couple wrinkles."
"Try laying on them for hours at a time," John replied. "You could call the control room and see if they've heard anything."
"Well, I suppose. But they would have called, wouldn't they? I mean, I--" He stopped as there was a clatter out in the main room. Rodney stepped to the door, relieved to see Carson following a gurney and talking rapidly to Cortes as they went, but also anxious as he realised they were headed toward the surgery room with the Ancient scanner.
"What's going on?" John asked.
"I don't know. Hang on."
"Is it Amaro?"
"I don't know. Didn't I already say that?"
Rodney watched the surgery doors anxiously, sighing as Carson stepped through.
Carson looked worried and helpless as he walked toward John's room. Rodney stepped back and let him in, noting the grim set of his mouth.
"How is he?" John asked.
"Not good," Carson answered. "He hit his head when he went down and several times during the seizure. By the time I got there, he was vomiting and slurring his speech and couldn't walk. Before we could get him into the jumper, he had another seizure." Carson shuddered.
"And what's the diagnosis?"
"Subdural hematoma. Doctor Cortes is operating."
John sagged back into his pillows, eyes closing as he shook his head. Rodney looked between Carson and John, his heart in his throat when he realised something like that could happen to either of his lovers. John had already had one seizure. How long before he suffered another? How long before Carson suffered his first?
Carson stepped over and gave Rodney a hug and kiss, then turned and gave John a kiss as well, squeezing his hand, then returned to his seat, and grabbed his laptop.
Cure, Rodney thought. He has to find a cure before it gets so bad he can't.
***
Elizabeth stepped out of her office, looking to her gate tech. Lenoir was pale and shaking, but obviously trying to put a brave face on things. "Sergeant," she said quietly.
He started. "Y-yes, ma'am?"
"Why haven't you asked to go down to the infirmary?"
His eyes met hers. "I... We're not together anymore." He looked away, down at his hands. "I didn't think I had the right."
She sighed. As much as his relationship with Amaro had bothered her at first, she didn't like seeing her people in pain, and it was obvious this hadn't been a fling, at least to Lenoir. "This isn't about rights, though." She laid a hand on his shoulder. "Go. Sergeant Wen can cover for you. Call me when you know anything."
He heaved a sigh of relief, nodded to Wen at the next console over, and stood. "Thank you, ma'am."
She watched him leave and then returned to her office, where she was considering a memo from Dr. Biro about the pathologist's concerns that Doctors McKay and Beckett might be taking advantage of former Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard's fragile mental state to coerce him into a relationship he would otherwise not have sought. It was a difficult subject. In truth, any relationship with a virus carrier could not be considered entirely consensual. The only one that might be argued would be Rodney's with Carson, since they'd been lovers before Carson had been infected. From that standpoint, it was certainly true that John never would have gotten involved with the two men otherwise. But, truthfully, the paths that brought people together were often fraught with turmoil and pain. Was that taking advantage or merely finding gold among the dross?
She thought about her own loveless life. She'd given up so many opportunities because it wasn't the right time, the right place, because it might be controversial, it might compromise her neutrality or leadership. Maybe there was something to be learned from three men who took such turmoil and found strength, friendship, love, a reason to go on with each other.
She reached up and hit her radio. "Weir to Ronon Dex... Ronon? I was wondering what you might be doing for dinner."
***
"I'll raise... fifty," Rodney said.
John shook his head. "You really can't bluff, can you, McKay. Call."
Rodney sighed and looked over at Carson. "Maybe we should have thought of this before we invited him in."
Carson chuckled. "I don't think his facility at poker was much on our minds, love."
"True. Chess, now..."
There was a knock on the doorframe and they looked up to see Radek standing there. "Am I interrupting?"
Rodney and Carson both looked at John, who sat dumbfounded for a moment, just blinking at Radek. Carson coughed pointedly. "Ah. No! We were just, ah, passing the time. Come in. What's up?"
Radek shrugged. "Just bored, I suppose."
"Oh. Well, hey, um, why don't you join the game? We'll deal you in on this next hand."
"Thank you. I would like that." Carson stood and sat on the end of John's bed, surrendering his chair to Radek. "What are you playing?" Radek asked as he sat.
"Five card stud," John answered. "None of this lame-ass Texas hold 'em for us."
He looked up, meeting Radek's eyes. Radek smiled.
***
"I hate these beds," Rodney complained, leaning over the narrow bed to kiss John.
John smiled up at him, hair plastered to his head with sweat, still breathing hard. "Can't wait to get out of here and into a normal bed."
Carson kissed the palm of John's hand, looking equally wrecked. Rodney was sure he looked much the same. "We can't wait to get you there, too."
There was a knock at the door. "It's Veza and Ri," Veza's voice called out.
"Hold on!" John yelled. Rodney and Carson quickly began righting their clothes and then helped John do the same. "Okay. Come in!"
The two former slaves entered the room. Ri sniffed and then gave them all a knowing smirk. Rodney felt his face go hot. Veza stepped to the bed around Rodney and dropped a peck on John's cheek. Rodney caught Carson's face, eyes narrowing slightly, looking possessive.
"How are you?" Veza asked.
"I've felt better," John answered. "What are you two doing here?"
"We came for Amaro," Ri answered.
"Ah. Yeah. That makes sense. He okay?"
"Doctor Cortes says he'll be well," Veza said, sitting in Rodney's chair. She shifted back, looking exhausted and Rodney caught sight of the curve of her belly.
"His Remy is in there with him now."
"I thought they split up," Rodney blurted.
Carson and John both glared at him, but the two former slaves merely shrugged. "They're trying to work it out, apparently," Veza said.
"Oh, that would be lovely," Carson said, nodding. "I've hated to see the poor lad so downhearted these last few days."
Ri snorted. "We'll see if it works this time."
"You don't think they will?" Carson asked, curling his hand into John's.
"None of them have so far," Veza said, looking pensive, then smiled at the three of them. "Perhaps Teyla should talk to Remy and he could seek a relationship like yours."
Ri shook his head. "I don't think it would work. There is no one that Amaro and Remy are yearning for and who yearns for them as well."
Rodney felt himself blushing again and looked over to see John shifting uncomfortably. Carson, however, was smiling gently at his lovers, squeezing John's hand. Rodney couldn't help but smile back.
Veza stood, grabbing Ri's hand. "Well, we just came to see how you were."
"Yeah," Ri said. "We'll see you again tomorrow."
***
Biro was bouncy, which was somewhat disconcerting. Rodney shifted uncomfortably in his seat as she clicked through images on her computer. Carson leaned over and peeked.
"I think it would be better to summarise a wee bit more, Carole."
Biro sighed, looking at the pictures. "But they're so interesting and really make the point..."
"But not to a non-medical person and you can show me later."
She perked up at that. "Oh! That would be good. I'll do that."
Carson exchanged a longsuffering smile with Rodney.
Teyla and Ronon walked in, followed by Colonel Lorne. Rodney felt a pang of regret that it would never be John walking through that door again.
"How is John?" Teyla asked, sliding into the seat next to Rodney.
"Tired from the new drug they've got him on," Rodney answered.
"More drugs?" Ronon asked.
"We've started prescribing anticonvulsants to all the virus carriers," Biro said, "since it appears to be a common problem."
"You, too?" Ronon asked, looking at Carson.
Carson nodded. "Aye. Me, too."
Elizabeth walked into the conference room then, nodding to everyone. "Good morning. I understand there are some developments in the study of the virus, which is the primary reason for this conference." She sat down and nodded to Teyla. "If you would start, Teyla."
Teyla inclined her head. "Once we learned the name of the people who inoculate others with this disease, I began asking my information sources about the Escans. Ronon and Colonel Lorne did the same among their own intelligence channels. The information returned to us was confusing. Some had heard of the Escans in association with the slave trade and the creation of pleasure slaves. Others, however, told stories of an elite group of warriors, who are known to sneak onto Hives and larger ships and disable them, killing many of the Wraith. These warriors are almost legendary on certain planets. At first, we all believed there were two groups of people with the same or similar name, but in light of what happened with Colonel Lorne, we have reconsidered."
"Thank you, Teyla." Elizabeth turned to Biro. "Doctor Biro?"
"What you've heard gels completely with what I'm seeing in my examination of the Wraith corpse Colonel Lorne's team brought back with them." The pathologist leaned forward, eyes shining. "One thing that surprised us when we examined and interviewed the rescuees was actually their level of health. This was a group of people who had been having unprotected sex with multiple partners several times a day, some of them for years, with compromised immune systems and yet the only infection any of them carried was the virus. Several proposals were put forward, but it turned out to be the virus itself, which we determined when Carson determined that the virus was modified with the DNA of the subject before being injected. Put simply, the virus is greedy."
Elizabeth arched her eyebrows. "Greedy?"
"Exactly," Carson said. "It won't share with other organisms."
Biro nodded. "Foreign DNA- and RNA-bearing cells are immediately attacked, infected by the virus itself and converted. We surmised that this might have been the initial intention of the virus creators, a sort of pan-immunity."
"Initial intention?" Lorne asked.
Biro nodded. "Based on our studies of the virus, we believe it's been modified to increase its neurological impact and its response to endorphins."
Rodney felt the hair on the back of his neck rise at the thought that what had undoubtedly been an unexpected side-effect of the virus had become its primary and intentional purpose.
"However, given my examination of the wraith corpse, I believe more than pan-immunity was intended," Biro continued. She looked at her computer screen and sighed and Rodney wondered what gruesome horror of a graphic she'd wanted to show them at this point. "What I found was a massive internal cellular break-down. The wraith body was full of the virus-- Colonel Lorne's virus, specifically."
"I thought Lorne was cured," Ronon said.
"Viruses aren't really alive in the way we understand life. They aren't often eliminated entirely. Instead, they go dormant. A perfect example of this is the herpes family of viruses that cause chicken pox, shingles, genital herpes, and cold sores. Someone who had a case of chicken pox as a child can come down with a case of shingles decades after that initial infection-- the virus has simply lain dormant all that time. Likewise with cold sores and genital herpes outbreaks."
"So the colonel could suffer further... outbreaks?" Teyla asked.
Biro nodded. "Quite likely. The virus will never gain a permanent foothold, but he could suffer some sort of outbreak, likely neurological in nature like the initial infection, but it's difficult to guess."
Rodney had known that about viruses, but hadn't really considered it in the colonel's case. He glanced at Lorne, who was merely nodding. Apparently, this had already been explained to him. "And when we find a cure?" Rodney asked.
"It will cause the virus to go dormant," Carson said, meeting his eyes, "but like as not won't eliminate it."
"So, they'd be deadly to wraith, too, once they're cured?" Ronon asked.
"They're deadly to wraith right now," Biro said. "A wraith feeds through injecting a bacteria-like organelle into its victim's body. That organelle, among other things, breaks down the mitochondria to draw out the energy and returns to the wraith. There are other factors are work as well, but that's the process relevant to this discussion. In Colonel Lorne's case, the virus attacked the wraith organelle and converted them. Rather than attacking the colonel's mitochondria, they returned to the wraith in modified form and began attacking his cells instead. It was destroyed by its own feeding mechanism."
Everyone sat in stunned silence for a moment.
"And you believe this to be the initial purpose of this virus?" Teyla finally asked.
Biro nodded.
"That makes more sense for the Escans, then," Ronon said.
"How do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.
"With the threat of the wraith, making pleasure slaves seems pointless. But, creating elite warriors who are immune to wraith feeding and actually kill the wraith in the process?" Ronon nodded. "That's a worthy undertaking."
"Even when it creates so much misery?" Carson asked.
Ronon shrugged. "It must seem a small price to pay if the wraith can be eliminated."
"Some would disagree," Teyla said.
Ronon nodded. "But it only takes one group in control of this virus to think it's a good idea for it to happen."
"The Escans aren't in the pleasure slave business," Lorne said, nodding. "That's secondary to their real purpose of defeating the wraith, any way they can."
Rodney couldn't help shivering. It did make sense. And it bothered him that such inhumanity could.
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