Easter 2010 Fic Exchange: Into the Rain by stella_pegasi
Title: Into the Rain
Author: stella_pegasi
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: PG-13
Character/Pairing: John Sheppard, Richard Woolsey, Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Evan Lorne
Spoilers: The Return I & II, Inquisition (Story set after Season Five)
Warnings: Whump
Het/Slash/Gen: Gen
Genre: Action/Adventure
Word count: 19,474
Disclaimer: I do not own them, I would have treated them better.
Summary: Written for x_erikah_x for the Easter 2010 Fic Exchange. Prompt at the end of Chapter 5.
INTO THE RAIN
INTO THE RAIN
By stella_pegasi
CHAPTER TWO THE CHASE
The rain was relentless. Lighting was flashing with such frequency that they didn’t need a flashlight. The night-vision goggles he made standard equipment for all vests were useless, the lighting was entirely too bright. Sheppard wished he had considered including earplugs. His ears were ringing from the thunder, which was so deafening they could barely communicate.
The cabin sat on a small amount of flat terrain on the side of a mountain. Looking around through the flashes of light, Sheppard spotted a rocky trail leading down the mountain. In the other direction was another trail that led upward toward a thick grove of trees. Grabbing Woolsey’s sleeve, he motioned for the Atlantis director to take the path up the mountain.
They struggled along the slippery rocks, grabbing onto the bushes and trees for stability. The heavy rain was pounding down on them, and the wind was making it difficult to stand. Sheppard had Woolsey walk ahead of him in case Woolsey slipped; he presumed that he could catch the Atlantis director if he fell. However, Woolsey didn’t fall; he did.
Sheppard slipped on the slick mud-covered rocks. He reached out, managing to grab a thin twig, and thought he was OK until the twig snapped, unable to support his weight. He lost his footing and went down hard onto a pile of rocks. Woolsey had been concentrating on where he was placing his feet, and had continued on for at least fifteen feet before he realized he no longer felt the comforting presence of Sheppard being close to him, pushing him along. Turning, he yelled for the colonel; when he couldn’t see him, he carefully retraced his steps.
Woolsey nearly stumbled over the colonel, who was struggling to get to his feet. Grabbing Sheppard’s arm, he helped him stand.
“Colonel, you OK?”
“Yeah, just cut my arm, keep going, but look for cave or something. We need to stop and get our bearings.” Sheppard cautiously followed Woolsey.
They had climbed for twenty minutes before they came to a rocky out-cropping, about eight feet high and about ten feet deep. Woolsey pointed to it, and Sheppard followed him out of the rain.
They collapsed against the rear of the out-cropping, and neither spoke for a few moments. Sheppard motioned for the rucksack, which Woolsey slipped off and handed it to him.
“Glad you thought to bring this; at least we have water and something to eat.” He pulled out the canteen, and was reaching for a couple of powerbars when his fingers touched the holster.
“Woolsey, you rock.” He smiled at his companion while he pulled the 9-mil from the rucksack. Sheppard took the holster from the pack, fastening it around his hips, and put the extra ammo in a thigh pocket on his pants. “Can’t believe that big idiot didn’t take the time to check inside the pack. At least we have a weapon; that gives us a little advantage.”
Sheppard leaned his head back against the rock, “So, how far are we from Latira City.”
“Colonel, I have no idea.”
“No idea? Well, how far did you walk?”
“I didn’t walk except from the gate to the ship. Once we landed, it was a fairly short walk to the cabin.”
“Ship? Landed? Woolsey, I was unconscious, we were on a ship?”
“Yes, I couldn't see, he put a hood over my head, but we came here on ship. He had flown for about an hour before he landed.”
“Crap. We don’t even know if we're still on Latira, or if he gated off the planet.” Sheppard shook his head. “It’s a sure bet, regardless, that we are a long way from Latira City.”
“What do we do now, colonel?” The thunderstorms had quieted down, but the rain was still falling heavily.
“It’s late, get some rest. I’ll wake you in a couple of hours, and you can take watch for a bit. I doubt our friend will come looking for us before daylight. Here, eat a powerbar then get some sleep.”
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The sky over Latira City still held the soft rose-yellow glow of the rising sun when Kelore knocked on Woolsey’s door, then on Colonel Sheppard’s to no avail. He checked with the inn's reception desk, but no one had seen either of the Atlantians since late yesterday.
Kelore left the inn, walking toward the Coalition building, concern beginning to creep into his mind. He had wanted to inform Woolsey and Sheppard of information regarding Shiana that was uncovered during the night. With the Atlantians not in their rooms this early in the morning, he was becoming very uneasy. He hurried to the assembly hall and through the doors behind the dais to Dimas’ chambers.
Dimas was already in his office per his usual habit of rising early. He was alone and motioned Kelore into his inner office.
“Help your to some tea and rolls, Kelore. What brings you so early?”
Kelore poured a cup of tea and sat down. “The Atlantians are not in their rooms at the inn, and I’m concerned for their safety. I have voiced to you my concerns about the Genii. Now, I’m beginning to think that there may be more going on here than I thought.”
“Kelore, you have voiced your opinion on the Genii often, but I have suspected in the past that you were not as vehement in your distrust of them. However, I believe that has changed. Why?”
“Dimas, I have suspected that Shiana has been collaborating with the Genii to take over our security needs, and the military training that Atlantis has been providing. I am not certain that their motives are purely to assist the people of this galaxy. Shiana is determined to wreak punishment on the Atlantians; she does not forgive easily.”
“Do you have any proof that she’s operating for her own interests, and not those of the coalition?”
“Yes, I do.” From an inside pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a folded sheet of paper. “One of the Latiran Security officers intercepted this document last night. A man had gotten a bit rowdy at Severa Tavern and the tavern owner summoned security. While he was being subdued, this fell out of his coat. Security brought the document directly to me.” He handed the one-page note to Dimas.
Dimas read the note, then looked up at Kelore, “If this is true then we have a serious problem on our hands.”
“Yes, Dimas, we do.”
“Let’s see if the Atlantians turn up for the opening session. If they do not, then we will start looking for them.”
Kelore decided not to wait for the session to start before beginning the search. He dispatched Latiran Security to begin looking for the Atlantians, starting with a search from the inn to the gate. By the time Dimas rang the chime to open the session, Kelore was fairly certain that Sheppard and Woolsey were not in Latira City.
Dimas was true to his word; he adjourned the meeting over the objections of both Radim and Shiana. The Coalition chair told them he would not hold a discussion over the future relationship of the Coalition and Atlantis without the Atlantians present. Dimas then requested that the Latiran government initiate a search. Kelore sent Myrus to the gate to inform Atlantis.
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“Colonel, wake up; it’s getting light.” Woolsey shook Sheppard lightly.
Sheppard uncoiled from his curled position, lying on his side, and tried to wake. As he opened his eyes, he saw that the rain was still falling, although not quite as hard as last night. He reached for the canteen by Woolsey’s side and sat up to take a drink.
“Ok…we need to figure out where we are. Richard, eat something; then we need to move. We don’t have any idea how long we have before our big idiot friend comes back.”
Grabbing a powerbar, Sheppard began to pick up any trace that they had stayed there. Woolsey looked like he didn’t want to move, but he took the colonel’s outstretched hand and got on his feet. He started to pick up the pack, but Sheppard grabbed it.
“No, you had it last night; I’ll carry it for a while.” Sheppard turned, walking into the falling rain with Woolsey behind.
Sheppard decided that they needed to keep going west, up and over the mountain. He hoped the ‘Big Idiot’, as he had begun to call him, thought they descended on the east side of the mountain. It was the logical thing for them to do; go down the mountain on the side the cabin was located. What fool would go up, Sheppard thought; then he laughed to himself...he would.
The trail was still treacherous, but the daylight prevented them from stumbling around as they had during the night. They had walked continuously for about an hour and a half before they came to the apex of the mountain. The sight was staggering; everywhere they looked, there were mountains scattered with valleys of varying size. The most disturbing issue was that regardless of the direction they looked there was no sign of civilization. They couldn’t even determine if they were still on Latira.
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Major Evan Lorne was exceedingly unhappy, and had no qualms about showing his displeasure to the Pegasus council members assembled in Dimas’s private conference room. Captain Waters and Captain Isaacs accompanied Lorne to the meeting.
“Just exactly when did you discover that Mr. Woolsey and the colonel were missing?”
Dimas spoke, “Kelore had approached me approximately two hours before the session started with concerns that he had not been able to locate either of your men. We decided to wait to see if they appeared at the session, when they did not I asked Kelore to contact you.”
Kelore tried to appease Lorne, “I assure you that when I left the council chair this morning, I sent the Latiran security guards out to begin a search. We have found nothing to give a clue where they might have gone. However, we’re at your disposal for any assistance you may need from us.”
Lorne stared at the two men for a moment and then replied. “Kelore, I would appreciate it if you would continue to have your men search the city, as well as, the area immediately outside the city proper. We’re gonna take our jumpers up and see if we can spot them from the air. I’ll check in with you in one hour.”
Kelore nodded, and Lorne and his men left the chambers.
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Shiana was pacing in her chambers; she was angry. Standing in front of the window looking out over a recently renovated garden was Ladon Radim, leader of the Genii.
Shiana stopped and looked at Radim, “You had better be telling me the truth. You swear you didn’t do anything to them?”
Radim flashed a thin smile at the angry woman, “I have told you, I may be ambitious, but I’m not stupid. The Genii have tangled with the Atlantians often enough to know that somehow they always seem to win. I don’t wish to lose again. We’ll beat them fair and square by forcing this vote.”
“Fair and square, Ladon? Let’s see, how many favors have you had to promise over our little deal. From my vantage point, I have made the deals, and given away a lot of what should be mine while you and the Genii reap all the benefits.”
Radim walked over to her, and tilted her face toward his, “Don’t worry Shiana, you are going to have many rewards from our alliance as well as be rid of Atlantis. Whoever took them has done us a favor. Hopefully, the meddling colonel and his boss are no longer a problem, which will make our plan very easy to accomplish.”
She started to reply when her aide, Mischen Vangar, opened the door. “Madame, Chairman Dimas would like to see you in his office.” With a harsh look at Radim, she walked out. Vangar, who served as her aide and bodyguard, followed her, but not before he flashed the same harsh look at Radim.
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Sheppard and Woolsey were making slow progress as they made their way down the mountain. Sheppard had been sport mountain climbing for many years. He had scaled many mountains worse than this one, but never in combat boots, with a driving rain, and Woolsey in tow. Those three things made a difference.
“You doing OK, Richard?”
A slightly out of breath voice answered, “Just fine.”
They had been descending steadily for nearly two hours. Spotting some overhanging rocks along the wider path that would offer them a little shelter, Sheppard told Woolsey they would be stopping to rest. He could have sworn he heard Woolsey mutter, “Finally…”
“My bones are wet from this rain.” Woolsey literally plopped down on the ground, looking absolutely miserable.
Sheppard chuckled at Woolsey’s comment, “Just be thankful it’s warm.” Sheppard sat down as well, a little more gingerly than Woolsey. His body was sore from the blows he had taken from ‘Big Idiot’, and falling earlier on the trail. He pulled his legs to his chest, laying his head on his knees. “I’ve been on a forced march though cold rain. Believe me, this is much better.”
“If you say so, colonel.” Woolsey leaned against the rock wall behind him, “How do we get out of this, John. We don’t even have a clue where we are.”
“If we’re still on Latira, the Daedalus can locate our transmitters’ signals, but she won’t be back in Pegasus for at least another five days. If we're on another planet, then we need to locate the gate; then we’ll gate back. Regardless, Richard, we’re gonna to have to get out of this ourselves.”
“Colonel, do you any suspicions about the identity of our kidnapper?”
“No,” he rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn, “there’re only a couple of planets that we’ve come across that even have the capability of air or space travel. I just don’t know, and without seeing the ship…no way to guess. It didn’t sound like a Dart did it?”
“No, it didn’t but then I’m not certain what a Dart sounds like. The ship hummed more than whined, which I believe is how you’ve described a dart to me. So I suppose a guess as to why we were kidnapped is out the question as well.”
“Yep, unless you’ve got some ideas. My gut’s telling me that the Genii aren’t behind this; I don’t think Radim is this stupid. I know Lorne will suspect him, but he knows as well as I do that the Genii don’t want to tangle with Atlantis. Let’s rest for a few more minutes; then we need to move on.”
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Major Lorne walked out of Kelore’s office an hour later and exited the Latiran government building. Waters and Isaacs were waiting for him at the front entrance. He shook his head no in answer to their unvoiced question.
“Kelore’s men have found nothing so far. Isaacs get back to the gate and request three more jumpers and teams. We’re going to have to search the planet; Waters start working on a search grid. I’m going to find our Genii friend, Radim.”
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Sheppard knew they had only descended about a third of the mountain, but he wanted them in the valley before dark. He needed time to find a defensible position to overnight, and he pushed the pace as quick as he dared considering the weather.
Watching Woolsey, he was surprised at his tenacity; the director hadn’t complained once about being tired or hungry or sore or miserable from the rain or all the walking. This man was stronger than he appeared. Sheppard laughed as he realized that he actually missed Rodney’s whining.
The rain ceased for a bit, and the sun made an appearance about mid-morning; along with rapidly rising temperatures and humidity. Sheppard removed his BDU shirt, tying it around his waist, wishing he had his bandana and his sunglasses. The sweat was flowing down his face, and the sun was glaring in his eyes. They had been walking for about two hours in the hot sun. Sheppard was aware that the effort was beginning to take its toll on Woolsey.
“Richard, we need to rest a bit. Let’s get as far as those bushes, then we can stop for a while,” all he got from Woolsey was a nod.
They sat on the narrow trail next to the bushes, and both took a large drink of water. Sheppard had held the canteen open periodically to collect rainwater so that they didn’t have to ration, at least for the moment.
“Sheppard, I…don’t think that I…uh…can keep this pace up for much longer.” Woolsey’s face and bald pate were glowing bright pink from the sun.
“We’ve got to get to the bottom of this mountain, and find decent shelter before nightfall. We’ll take it slow as we can, I promise. From the looks of those clouds, we’re going to get some relief from the heat and sun shortly.” The sky was turning black toward the west; huge thunderheads were building, the tops of the clouds still glinting in the sun.
They rested a few more minutes; then Sheppard took the lead, and they continued down the mountain.
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With the sessions cancelled as the Latirans and Atlantians combed the area around the city for the missing men, their kidnapper was able to slip away and return to the mountains. He arrived back at the cabin in early afternoon; anticipating several satisfying hours of punishing Atlantians for their crimes.
He walked into the cabin, and it took a few seconds for him to comprehend that his captives had escaped. As he scanned the room, he spotted the splintered remains of the chair where he secured Sheppard. The colonel was as ingenious as he had heard. Walking over he picked up a piece of the wood and threw it as hard as he could across the room.
“They will pay for what they did. Shiana should have never let ‘em go free. They’re gonna die.”
He stormed out of the cabin; his anger raging as violently as the storm around him. Lighting was streaking across the sky, thunder rumbling, and large raindrops beginning to fall. Standing in the small clearing, he pondered which direction Sheppard would take. He was confident the colonel would not go down the mountain on the east side for fear of running into him. No, this man was smart; he would take them up and over the mountain. He would find the Atlantians on the western side of the mountain. He hurried down the path toward his ship.
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The wind and thunder reached them first; then huge bolts of lighting crashed all around them. When the rain started, the wind drove enormous drops of rain into their bodies. Woolsey thought this must be what rubber bullets felt like when they struck flesh. The rain soon turned into a deluge and both men had difficulty maintaining a foothold on the slippery rocks.
Sheppard was trying to keep himself upright and remain stable enough for Woolsey to use him as an anchor. He was struggling to keep both of them on the trail, and was about to tell Woolsey that they had to stop when he felt a tug on his holster belt. Woolsey had been holding onto the belt because the woven webbing gave him better grip. Sheppard tried to stabilize both of them, but he felt Woolsey’s body shift as he lost his footing. As hard as he resisted, Sheppard lost his footing as well, and both of them went over the trail’s edge.
Woolsey’s body remained entangled with his for the first few revolutions down the mountainside; then Sheppard felt Woolsey jerk away from him while he continued to roll. He stopped abruptly; his right side was burning, and he was breathing rapidly. He focused getting his heart rate down and slowing his breathing.
Gingerly, Sheppard moved his arms and legs to determine if any bones had broken. He then pushed his body upright, his shoulder muscles screaming from the effort. He only wanted to lie down again, but he knew he couldn’t. Somewhat unsteady, he managed to stand. Looking around him, he saw that a small, scrubby tree had stopped his forward momentum. Had he gone just another ten feet, he would have fallen over a cliff onto a ledge approximately twenty feet below. Sheppard decided not to think about that.
He could barely see anything in the driving rain, which was blowing directly in his face. Beginning the slow upward climb to the trail, he looked for any indication as to where the director had landed. He felt fear begin to rise in his throat; fear that perhaps Woolsey hadn’t been so lucky, and had gone over the edge. Creeping along, grabbing onto what bushes and tree limbs he could, he made his way toward the natural trail they had been following.
When he reached the area where he thought Woolsey separated from him, he halted, squinting closely at the bushes, rocks, and trees for any sign of his companion. He was about to give up when he saw Woolsey’s glasses, lying against a rock. He retrieved them, slipping them into a pocket. Concentrating on the area where the glasses had fallen, he spotted a piece of torn fabric snagged on a tree. As he looked beyond, his chest tightened; the tree was on the rim of cliff.
Crawling to the edge, he peered over and saw Richard Woolsey lying on his back on a ledge below the cliff. It was then he noticed a humming sound, the engine hum that Woolsey described, and he looked up. Above him was a small rectangular aircraft with a rounded nose and a large windshield. Behind the windshield, he could see a large man with dark hair and a look of vengeance on his face; the Big Idiot. Realizing that he was a sitting duck, Sheppard instinctively rolled beneath some brush.
Sheppard resumed breathing when he realized that Bid Idiot hadn’t fired on him. He was thankful the little airship didn’t come with external weapons as standard equipment. Making eye contact with the pilot, he saw him laugh, then bank the airship away from the mountain. With no place to land, their kidnapper would have to set down in a valley, and track them.
Sheppard muttered to himself, “OK, John. You just need to rescue Woolsey, get down the mountain, and find a place to hide; piece of cake.”
Author: stella_pegasi
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: PG-13
Character/Pairing: John Sheppard, Richard Woolsey, Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Evan Lorne
Spoilers: The Return I & II, Inquisition (Story set after Season Five)
Warnings: Whump
Het/Slash/Gen: Gen
Genre: Action/Adventure
Word count: 19,474
Disclaimer: I do not own them, I would have treated them better.
Summary: Written for x_erikah_x for the Easter 2010 Fic Exchange. Prompt at the end of Chapter 5.
INTO THE RAIN
INTO THE RAIN
By stella_pegasi
CHAPTER TWO THE CHASE
The rain was relentless. Lighting was flashing with such frequency that they didn’t need a flashlight. The night-vision goggles he made standard equipment for all vests were useless, the lighting was entirely too bright. Sheppard wished he had considered including earplugs. His ears were ringing from the thunder, which was so deafening they could barely communicate.
The cabin sat on a small amount of flat terrain on the side of a mountain. Looking around through the flashes of light, Sheppard spotted a rocky trail leading down the mountain. In the other direction was another trail that led upward toward a thick grove of trees. Grabbing Woolsey’s sleeve, he motioned for the Atlantis director to take the path up the mountain.
They struggled along the slippery rocks, grabbing onto the bushes and trees for stability. The heavy rain was pounding down on them, and the wind was making it difficult to stand. Sheppard had Woolsey walk ahead of him in case Woolsey slipped; he presumed that he could catch the Atlantis director if he fell. However, Woolsey didn’t fall; he did.
Sheppard slipped on the slick mud-covered rocks. He reached out, managing to grab a thin twig, and thought he was OK until the twig snapped, unable to support his weight. He lost his footing and went down hard onto a pile of rocks. Woolsey had been concentrating on where he was placing his feet, and had continued on for at least fifteen feet before he realized he no longer felt the comforting presence of Sheppard being close to him, pushing him along. Turning, he yelled for the colonel; when he couldn’t see him, he carefully retraced his steps.
Woolsey nearly stumbled over the colonel, who was struggling to get to his feet. Grabbing Sheppard’s arm, he helped him stand.
“Colonel, you OK?”
“Yeah, just cut my arm, keep going, but look for cave or something. We need to stop and get our bearings.” Sheppard cautiously followed Woolsey.
They had climbed for twenty minutes before they came to a rocky out-cropping, about eight feet high and about ten feet deep. Woolsey pointed to it, and Sheppard followed him out of the rain.
They collapsed against the rear of the out-cropping, and neither spoke for a few moments. Sheppard motioned for the rucksack, which Woolsey slipped off and handed it to him.
“Glad you thought to bring this; at least we have water and something to eat.” He pulled out the canteen, and was reaching for a couple of powerbars when his fingers touched the holster.
“Woolsey, you rock.” He smiled at his companion while he pulled the 9-mil from the rucksack. Sheppard took the holster from the pack, fastening it around his hips, and put the extra ammo in a thigh pocket on his pants. “Can’t believe that big idiot didn’t take the time to check inside the pack. At least we have a weapon; that gives us a little advantage.”
Sheppard leaned his head back against the rock, “So, how far are we from Latira City.”
“Colonel, I have no idea.”
“No idea? Well, how far did you walk?”
“I didn’t walk except from the gate to the ship. Once we landed, it was a fairly short walk to the cabin.”
“Ship? Landed? Woolsey, I was unconscious, we were on a ship?”
“Yes, I couldn't see, he put a hood over my head, but we came here on ship. He had flown for about an hour before he landed.”
“Crap. We don’t even know if we're still on Latira, or if he gated off the planet.” Sheppard shook his head. “It’s a sure bet, regardless, that we are a long way from Latira City.”
“What do we do now, colonel?” The thunderstorms had quieted down, but the rain was still falling heavily.
“It’s late, get some rest. I’ll wake you in a couple of hours, and you can take watch for a bit. I doubt our friend will come looking for us before daylight. Here, eat a powerbar then get some sleep.”
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The sky over Latira City still held the soft rose-yellow glow of the rising sun when Kelore knocked on Woolsey’s door, then on Colonel Sheppard’s to no avail. He checked with the inn's reception desk, but no one had seen either of the Atlantians since late yesterday.
Kelore left the inn, walking toward the Coalition building, concern beginning to creep into his mind. He had wanted to inform Woolsey and Sheppard of information regarding Shiana that was uncovered during the night. With the Atlantians not in their rooms this early in the morning, he was becoming very uneasy. He hurried to the assembly hall and through the doors behind the dais to Dimas’ chambers.
Dimas was already in his office per his usual habit of rising early. He was alone and motioned Kelore into his inner office.
“Help your to some tea and rolls, Kelore. What brings you so early?”
Kelore poured a cup of tea and sat down. “The Atlantians are not in their rooms at the inn, and I’m concerned for their safety. I have voiced to you my concerns about the Genii. Now, I’m beginning to think that there may be more going on here than I thought.”
“Kelore, you have voiced your opinion on the Genii often, but I have suspected in the past that you were not as vehement in your distrust of them. However, I believe that has changed. Why?”
“Dimas, I have suspected that Shiana has been collaborating with the Genii to take over our security needs, and the military training that Atlantis has been providing. I am not certain that their motives are purely to assist the people of this galaxy. Shiana is determined to wreak punishment on the Atlantians; she does not forgive easily.”
“Do you have any proof that she’s operating for her own interests, and not those of the coalition?”
“Yes, I do.” From an inside pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a folded sheet of paper. “One of the Latiran Security officers intercepted this document last night. A man had gotten a bit rowdy at Severa Tavern and the tavern owner summoned security. While he was being subdued, this fell out of his coat. Security brought the document directly to me.” He handed the one-page note to Dimas.
Dimas read the note, then looked up at Kelore, “If this is true then we have a serious problem on our hands.”
“Yes, Dimas, we do.”
“Let’s see if the Atlantians turn up for the opening session. If they do not, then we will start looking for them.”
Kelore decided not to wait for the session to start before beginning the search. He dispatched Latiran Security to begin looking for the Atlantians, starting with a search from the inn to the gate. By the time Dimas rang the chime to open the session, Kelore was fairly certain that Sheppard and Woolsey were not in Latira City.
Dimas was true to his word; he adjourned the meeting over the objections of both Radim and Shiana. The Coalition chair told them he would not hold a discussion over the future relationship of the Coalition and Atlantis without the Atlantians present. Dimas then requested that the Latiran government initiate a search. Kelore sent Myrus to the gate to inform Atlantis.
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“Colonel, wake up; it’s getting light.” Woolsey shook Sheppard lightly.
Sheppard uncoiled from his curled position, lying on his side, and tried to wake. As he opened his eyes, he saw that the rain was still falling, although not quite as hard as last night. He reached for the canteen by Woolsey’s side and sat up to take a drink.
“Ok…we need to figure out where we are. Richard, eat something; then we need to move. We don’t have any idea how long we have before our big idiot friend comes back.”
Grabbing a powerbar, Sheppard began to pick up any trace that they had stayed there. Woolsey looked like he didn’t want to move, but he took the colonel’s outstretched hand and got on his feet. He started to pick up the pack, but Sheppard grabbed it.
“No, you had it last night; I’ll carry it for a while.” Sheppard turned, walking into the falling rain with Woolsey behind.
Sheppard decided that they needed to keep going west, up and over the mountain. He hoped the ‘Big Idiot’, as he had begun to call him, thought they descended on the east side of the mountain. It was the logical thing for them to do; go down the mountain on the side the cabin was located. What fool would go up, Sheppard thought; then he laughed to himself...he would.
The trail was still treacherous, but the daylight prevented them from stumbling around as they had during the night. They had walked continuously for about an hour and a half before they came to the apex of the mountain. The sight was staggering; everywhere they looked, there were mountains scattered with valleys of varying size. The most disturbing issue was that regardless of the direction they looked there was no sign of civilization. They couldn’t even determine if they were still on Latira.
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Major Evan Lorne was exceedingly unhappy, and had no qualms about showing his displeasure to the Pegasus council members assembled in Dimas’s private conference room. Captain Waters and Captain Isaacs accompanied Lorne to the meeting.
“Just exactly when did you discover that Mr. Woolsey and the colonel were missing?”
Dimas spoke, “Kelore had approached me approximately two hours before the session started with concerns that he had not been able to locate either of your men. We decided to wait to see if they appeared at the session, when they did not I asked Kelore to contact you.”
Kelore tried to appease Lorne, “I assure you that when I left the council chair this morning, I sent the Latiran security guards out to begin a search. We have found nothing to give a clue where they might have gone. However, we’re at your disposal for any assistance you may need from us.”
Lorne stared at the two men for a moment and then replied. “Kelore, I would appreciate it if you would continue to have your men search the city, as well as, the area immediately outside the city proper. We’re gonna take our jumpers up and see if we can spot them from the air. I’ll check in with you in one hour.”
Kelore nodded, and Lorne and his men left the chambers.
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Shiana was pacing in her chambers; she was angry. Standing in front of the window looking out over a recently renovated garden was Ladon Radim, leader of the Genii.
Shiana stopped and looked at Radim, “You had better be telling me the truth. You swear you didn’t do anything to them?”
Radim flashed a thin smile at the angry woman, “I have told you, I may be ambitious, but I’m not stupid. The Genii have tangled with the Atlantians often enough to know that somehow they always seem to win. I don’t wish to lose again. We’ll beat them fair and square by forcing this vote.”
“Fair and square, Ladon? Let’s see, how many favors have you had to promise over our little deal. From my vantage point, I have made the deals, and given away a lot of what should be mine while you and the Genii reap all the benefits.”
Radim walked over to her, and tilted her face toward his, “Don’t worry Shiana, you are going to have many rewards from our alliance as well as be rid of Atlantis. Whoever took them has done us a favor. Hopefully, the meddling colonel and his boss are no longer a problem, which will make our plan very easy to accomplish.”
She started to reply when her aide, Mischen Vangar, opened the door. “Madame, Chairman Dimas would like to see you in his office.” With a harsh look at Radim, she walked out. Vangar, who served as her aide and bodyguard, followed her, but not before he flashed the same harsh look at Radim.
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Sheppard and Woolsey were making slow progress as they made their way down the mountain. Sheppard had been sport mountain climbing for many years. He had scaled many mountains worse than this one, but never in combat boots, with a driving rain, and Woolsey in tow. Those three things made a difference.
“You doing OK, Richard?”
A slightly out of breath voice answered, “Just fine.”
They had been descending steadily for nearly two hours. Spotting some overhanging rocks along the wider path that would offer them a little shelter, Sheppard told Woolsey they would be stopping to rest. He could have sworn he heard Woolsey mutter, “Finally…”
“My bones are wet from this rain.” Woolsey literally plopped down on the ground, looking absolutely miserable.
Sheppard chuckled at Woolsey’s comment, “Just be thankful it’s warm.” Sheppard sat down as well, a little more gingerly than Woolsey. His body was sore from the blows he had taken from ‘Big Idiot’, and falling earlier on the trail. He pulled his legs to his chest, laying his head on his knees. “I’ve been on a forced march though cold rain. Believe me, this is much better.”
“If you say so, colonel.” Woolsey leaned against the rock wall behind him, “How do we get out of this, John. We don’t even have a clue where we are.”
“If we’re still on Latira, the Daedalus can locate our transmitters’ signals, but she won’t be back in Pegasus for at least another five days. If we're on another planet, then we need to locate the gate; then we’ll gate back. Regardless, Richard, we’re gonna to have to get out of this ourselves.”
“Colonel, do you any suspicions about the identity of our kidnapper?”
“No,” he rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn, “there’re only a couple of planets that we’ve come across that even have the capability of air or space travel. I just don’t know, and without seeing the ship…no way to guess. It didn’t sound like a Dart did it?”
“No, it didn’t but then I’m not certain what a Dart sounds like. The ship hummed more than whined, which I believe is how you’ve described a dart to me. So I suppose a guess as to why we were kidnapped is out the question as well.”
“Yep, unless you’ve got some ideas. My gut’s telling me that the Genii aren’t behind this; I don’t think Radim is this stupid. I know Lorne will suspect him, but he knows as well as I do that the Genii don’t want to tangle with Atlantis. Let’s rest for a few more minutes; then we need to move on.”
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Major Lorne walked out of Kelore’s office an hour later and exited the Latiran government building. Waters and Isaacs were waiting for him at the front entrance. He shook his head no in answer to their unvoiced question.
“Kelore’s men have found nothing so far. Isaacs get back to the gate and request three more jumpers and teams. We’re going to have to search the planet; Waters start working on a search grid. I’m going to find our Genii friend, Radim.”
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Sheppard knew they had only descended about a third of the mountain, but he wanted them in the valley before dark. He needed time to find a defensible position to overnight, and he pushed the pace as quick as he dared considering the weather.
Watching Woolsey, he was surprised at his tenacity; the director hadn’t complained once about being tired or hungry or sore or miserable from the rain or all the walking. This man was stronger than he appeared. Sheppard laughed as he realized that he actually missed Rodney’s whining.
The rain ceased for a bit, and the sun made an appearance about mid-morning; along with rapidly rising temperatures and humidity. Sheppard removed his BDU shirt, tying it around his waist, wishing he had his bandana and his sunglasses. The sweat was flowing down his face, and the sun was glaring in his eyes. They had been walking for about two hours in the hot sun. Sheppard was aware that the effort was beginning to take its toll on Woolsey.
“Richard, we need to rest a bit. Let’s get as far as those bushes, then we can stop for a while,” all he got from Woolsey was a nod.
They sat on the narrow trail next to the bushes, and both took a large drink of water. Sheppard had held the canteen open periodically to collect rainwater so that they didn’t have to ration, at least for the moment.
“Sheppard, I…don’t think that I…uh…can keep this pace up for much longer.” Woolsey’s face and bald pate were glowing bright pink from the sun.
“We’ve got to get to the bottom of this mountain, and find decent shelter before nightfall. We’ll take it slow as we can, I promise. From the looks of those clouds, we’re going to get some relief from the heat and sun shortly.” The sky was turning black toward the west; huge thunderheads were building, the tops of the clouds still glinting in the sun.
They rested a few more minutes; then Sheppard took the lead, and they continued down the mountain.
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With the sessions cancelled as the Latirans and Atlantians combed the area around the city for the missing men, their kidnapper was able to slip away and return to the mountains. He arrived back at the cabin in early afternoon; anticipating several satisfying hours of punishing Atlantians for their crimes.
He walked into the cabin, and it took a few seconds for him to comprehend that his captives had escaped. As he scanned the room, he spotted the splintered remains of the chair where he secured Sheppard. The colonel was as ingenious as he had heard. Walking over he picked up a piece of the wood and threw it as hard as he could across the room.
“They will pay for what they did. Shiana should have never let ‘em go free. They’re gonna die.”
He stormed out of the cabin; his anger raging as violently as the storm around him. Lighting was streaking across the sky, thunder rumbling, and large raindrops beginning to fall. Standing in the small clearing, he pondered which direction Sheppard would take. He was confident the colonel would not go down the mountain on the east side for fear of running into him. No, this man was smart; he would take them up and over the mountain. He would find the Atlantians on the western side of the mountain. He hurried down the path toward his ship.
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The wind and thunder reached them first; then huge bolts of lighting crashed all around them. When the rain started, the wind drove enormous drops of rain into their bodies. Woolsey thought this must be what rubber bullets felt like when they struck flesh. The rain soon turned into a deluge and both men had difficulty maintaining a foothold on the slippery rocks.
Sheppard was trying to keep himself upright and remain stable enough for Woolsey to use him as an anchor. He was struggling to keep both of them on the trail, and was about to tell Woolsey that they had to stop when he felt a tug on his holster belt. Woolsey had been holding onto the belt because the woven webbing gave him better grip. Sheppard tried to stabilize both of them, but he felt Woolsey’s body shift as he lost his footing. As hard as he resisted, Sheppard lost his footing as well, and both of them went over the trail’s edge.
Woolsey’s body remained entangled with his for the first few revolutions down the mountainside; then Sheppard felt Woolsey jerk away from him while he continued to roll. He stopped abruptly; his right side was burning, and he was breathing rapidly. He focused getting his heart rate down and slowing his breathing.
Gingerly, Sheppard moved his arms and legs to determine if any bones had broken. He then pushed his body upright, his shoulder muscles screaming from the effort. He only wanted to lie down again, but he knew he couldn’t. Somewhat unsteady, he managed to stand. Looking around him, he saw that a small, scrubby tree had stopped his forward momentum. Had he gone just another ten feet, he would have fallen over a cliff onto a ledge approximately twenty feet below. Sheppard decided not to think about that.
He could barely see anything in the driving rain, which was blowing directly in his face. Beginning the slow upward climb to the trail, he looked for any indication as to where the director had landed. He felt fear begin to rise in his throat; fear that perhaps Woolsey hadn’t been so lucky, and had gone over the edge. Creeping along, grabbing onto what bushes and tree limbs he could, he made his way toward the natural trail they had been following.
When he reached the area where he thought Woolsey separated from him, he halted, squinting closely at the bushes, rocks, and trees for any sign of his companion. He was about to give up when he saw Woolsey’s glasses, lying against a rock. He retrieved them, slipping them into a pocket. Concentrating on the area where the glasses had fallen, he spotted a piece of torn fabric snagged on a tree. As he looked beyond, his chest tightened; the tree was on the rim of cliff.
Crawling to the edge, he peered over and saw Richard Woolsey lying on his back on a ledge below the cliff. It was then he noticed a humming sound, the engine hum that Woolsey described, and he looked up. Above him was a small rectangular aircraft with a rounded nose and a large windshield. Behind the windshield, he could see a large man with dark hair and a look of vengeance on his face; the Big Idiot. Realizing that he was a sitting duck, Sheppard instinctively rolled beneath some brush.
Sheppard resumed breathing when he realized that Bid Idiot hadn’t fired on him. He was thankful the little airship didn’t come with external weapons as standard equipment. Making eye contact with the pilot, he saw him laugh, then bank the airship away from the mountain. With no place to land, their kidnapper would have to set down in a valley, and track them.
Sheppard muttered to himself, “OK, John. You just need to rescue Woolsey, get down the mountain, and find a place to hide; piece of cake.”