Hunger Strike, Part 2/? -- Beckett/Cadman
Title: Hunger Strike, (Part 2/?)
Author: Shelby (gateruner)
E-mail: gateruner2000 at yahoo.com
Feedback: yes, please!
Archive: LJ, my website. Any place else, just ask.
Category: Beckett/Cadman, Angst, Drama, WIP
Rating: PG for now, will turn NC-17
Spoilers: Up to the ending of S3, EXCEPT that “Sunday” didn’t happen! No, no way, no how.
Summary: Laura Cadman is abducted off-world and rescued, but her nightmare has only begun as she starts to remember exactly what happened to her and what evil plans the Wraith have in store for humanity.
Warnings: This is darkfic people. Beware! If you don’t want the angst, don’t read on.
Disclaimer: They aren’t mine, I don’t own them, don’t make any money from them, just playing, honest.
Updated: 09/11/2007 - beta'ed and revised.
Part 1
Part 2.
Eight Days Earlier
P4A-562
Laura watched the stone bounce along the gravel road and sighed as she trekked down the worn path. So far the mission had been a bust. No sign of the Wraith, no glorious bits of Ancient technology to drool over, and no signs of civilization.
In fact, Major Lorne was just about to declare it a day when the men stepped out of the woods. They had been skittish at first but turned out to be friendly once they realized they weren’t aligned with the Wraith. In fact, when the locals realized who they were and what they had to offer, they opened right up; something that set Laura a bit on edge. They seemed almost too eager to invite them back home. Not to mention the fact that they seemed particularly interested in their weapons and defense tactics.
And now they were on their way to meet Tobias, the leader of a race of people known as the Ancilli. The sun was beginning to set behind a large mountain, casting a deep shadow across the valley. Laura studied the landscape and terrain, noticing how easily the path seemed to blend in with the scenery. The valley began seemed to narrow and it appeared as though the path was actually a dried-up river bed. It was no wonder they missed it on first look.
“C’mon Lieutenant, don’t look so down. This might be your opportunity to shine.” Major Lorne fell in stride next to Laura as they headed towards the main town.
“Yeah, I can hardly wait.” Laura rolled her eyes at the idea of showing a bunch of uneducated men how to handle weapons and explosives. The last planet they had visited under similar circumstances ended in a miscommunication that her teammates found quite comical. ‘Big Boom’ took on a whole new meaning as she tried to describe the way C-4 detonated. As it turned out the men were more interested in what she was packing on her chest than in her hands.
She had managed to keep things on the up and up and in the end they befriended another group of people that could one day prove useful. Dr. Weir placed the importance of interplanetary relations almost as high as strategic benefits. Something that didn’t always wash with the military but Laura understood that it had saved Atlantis’ ass a few times.
As they moved closer towards the town, Laura began to notice subtle changes in the landscape. Fallen trees and uprooted plants along the old river bank. A small outcropping of rock on one of the mountain slopes appeared to be on the verge of a landslide. Something had happened here recently, but what?
Laura noticed the Major assessing the damage as well, “What do you think, sir? Natural phenomenon? Earthquake maybe?”
“Maybe.” Lorne shook his head, “I don’t know though. If it was, it seems like there’d be more damage than this.”
The group stopped just outside of the town gates. The group of locals greeted the guards and introduced the team. The guards seemed suspicious at first and Laura watched as one of the men, the leader of the group, whispered something into one of the guard’s ears. The guard instantly relaxed and smiled, waving their newfound friends through.
As the gates opened, Laura picked up a distinct buzzing sound in the distance. She turned to speak to Major Lorne as the town gates slammed shut behind them. The first Dart whirled overhead as Laura screamed out, “Scatter!”
The Dart flew by, followed closely by the second. She watched as the beams scooped up a few of the locals as they began to flee into the buildings. Laura was stunned as two men grabbed her arms and tossed her towards the center of town.
She barely had time to register what had happened before the screech of the Dart and the electric buzz of the beam enveloped her.
---------------
“Well, at least there’s no McKay this time,” Laura muttered to herself as she slumped against the wall of the slimy cell. Her head was still throbbing from the initial beam but she was actually herself, sans the irritating scientist. At the moment it was the only bright side she could find. She reached down to radio for any of her teammates, but found nothing but her jacket. Her flack vest was gone, along with all her weapons. “Shit.” The idea of radioing her teammates to find out if she was truly alone had vanished and she was left to wonder if anyone else had gotten scooped up in the culling.
Or had it really been a culling? Why did those men toss her in the middle of town like that? It was like they were giving her up, sacrificing her. That wasn’t the way you made new friends, at least not in Laura’s book.
Whatever had transpired, she was now on a Wraith cruiser and was no doubt on the dinner menu. But that wasn’t going to happen. She had a date with Carson that evening and she was going to make it. It was too hard finding personal time on Atlantis for anyone, let alone synchronizing two schedules. Carson could pull more weight as a department head than she could afford as a Lieutenant, allowing him to make allowances in his time for her. Sometimes it was easier than others, but this one had been tough and there was no way she was missing out on the candles, the music, and the after dinner massage that had been promised.
The web-like doors retracted and a Wraith guard stepped forward, jerking Laura to her feet before she could react. He led Laura down a long hallway and into a circular room, dropping her in the center of the floor. She turned to face her aggressor, ready to give him a few choice words on the subject of courtesy but he was gone before she could give him a piece of her mind.
Laura stood up and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. It was cold, much colder than the cell had been. She looked up towards the ceiling at the glistening dome that seemed to radiate light. It was remarkable, almost beautiful in a creepy Wraithlike way.
“Yes. Yes, you are the one.”
Laura jumped at the sound of the voice gasping as she came face to face with the one being she feared the most. The Queen. Laura froze in place as she felt the long, bony fingers traced her cheek.
“Such spirit,” the Queen hissed as she began to walk around Laura. “We haven’t felt such power, such will, in centuries.”
Laura looked away, determined not to give any satisfaction to the bitch. Then it hit her like a wave, consuming her entire body, bringing her to her knees. The Queen was in her mind, talking and tormenting her from the inside out. Laura closed her eyes, forcing her fear down as she mentally challenged the Queen.
“You are fortunate that I found you. Any other queen would have fed upon your flesh and tossed you aside. You should be grateful for the opportunity I am affording you.”
Opportunity? Opportunity! Was she serious? Then it was in her mind, exactly what the Queen had in store for her. This wasn’t opportunity -- this was insanity. There was no way the Wraith could do this and get away with it. When Carson found out…. Laura clinched her fists, her anger and defiance coming forward. But there was more, something the Queen was hiding from her -- what was it?
“Yes, that’s it my dear.” The Queen brushed Laura’s hair from her face, “Let me feel your anger. You know there is nothing that can be done for you. You will serve me, and hundreds after me. Think of it as your contribution to your kind. Even after your death, your life-force will continue to serve for generations to come.”
--------------
“NO!” Laura gasped and bucked against the bed. There were restraints on her wrists and ankles. This was different, not the Wraith. Something was on her face, something foul and plastic. It was hard to breathe and her stomach hurt.
“Laura, love! Please settle down.” A panicked voice floated into her mind and she began to calm down. Not Wraith, human. Male. She was back on Atlantis. Laura slumped back against the bed. Home. Carson. Love.
“Carson?” She wasn’t sure she even spoke his name aloud, but she heard his assurance, a slight squeeze on her restrained hand. “Aye, I’m here love. I’m willing to take the restraints off if you promise to settle down a wee bit.”
Laura nodded, finally focusing on the fuzzy figure that was standing next to her. What was wrong with her? What the hell had the Wraith done to her? She felt the restraints loosen and her arms being lifted free.
“Hey doc, are you sure about that?” Ronon’s voice called out from the other side of the room.
“Aye, Laura’s not going to hurt me,” Carson continued to unbuckle the restraints from her ankles. Laura reached out and grabbed a handful of the white labcoat. She was aware of Ronon and possibly others rushing forward in protest.
Carson merely looked down and grasped her hand within his, “It’s fine, I promise.” He moved a hand closer towards Laura’s face, brushing stray wisps of hair back. “There you go, that’s better. You gave us a bit of a scare, lass.”
“My-my stomach, Carson. The Wraith, they took…” Laura closed her eyes, shaking her head. She couldn’t think about it, didn’t want to think about it.
-----------------
“Her bloodwork is a mess. Hormone levels are off the charts. Progesterone, estrogen, sodium, potassium. You name it, it’s sky high. I even ran the tests a second time, just to be sure.” Carson rubbed his eyes. He was tired, more than he wanted to let on. Ever since Laura had gone MIA he’d been on edge. Now, instead of being relieved at her return, he was growing more concerned by the moment.
“So what does all that mean, exactly?” Dr. Weir had assembled the usual group for a standard mission debrief, consisting of herself, Dr. Heightmeyer, Colonel Sheppard, Major Lorne, and Dr. McKay. Dr. Beckett had insisted that the debriefing consist of key personnel only. The other members of the rescue team had been excluded from this part of the meeting.
“Over the past 3 hours, her abdomen had become distended and she’s been in an incredible amount of pain. I performed an ultrasound and based on the findings, as well as the bloodwork, I concluded that she’s suffering from a severe case of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome.” Carson looked away, not wanting to face the questions he knew were about come.
“And what does that mean for the Lieutenant?” Elizabeth was starting to get an idea but it wasn’t one she wanted at the moment.
“Basically, her body has gone into a sort of metabolic overdrive and she’s releasing an enormous number of eggs. This isn’t the sort of thing that happens unless the woman undergoes fertility treatment or has a pre-existing medical condition that would have made her susceptible to it.”
“Doctor Beckett, are you saying that the Wraith were performing some sort of fertility experiment on Lieutenant Cadman?” Weir demanded.
“I don’t know, but based on the findings, I’d say yes it’s a very real possibility. Her hormone levels are off the chart. They are unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” Carson didn’t want to disclose what he’d discovered during the pelvic exam either. He was still trying to keep his emotions in check. But when he found that bloody Wraith… Carson continued, “Her ovaries are enlarged, which is causing her the pain and a large number of cysts and fluid are adding to the abdominal distension. This puts her at a great risk for an ovarian torsion or worse, a rupture.”
“How serious is her condition, Doctor?” Lorne asked.
“Her blood chemistry should resolve on its own, given time. Unless there are any complications with cysts that arise or a gross amount of peritoneal fluid, we will monitor her fluids and watch for any indication of any secondary issues such as tachycardia or hypotension. But at the moment, I’m more concerned with her mental well being. Which is why I asked Dr. Heightmeyer to join us. Laura seems to be suffering from a great number of flashbacks, and given her physical condition, she needs to remain calm before she does any serious damage to herself.”
---------------
The hallways were confusing, a maze that seemed to have no end, a design that was meant to keep people in, not to let them out. Laura struggled to keep her legs steady, brushing against the slimy walls as she forced herself not to think about where she was or what had happened.
Priorities. Laura had to prioritize. Get off the Wraith cruiser, find a safe world, and dial Atlantis. Everything else had to wait. She couldn’t afford to think about what had happened, and what she feared was coming.
Light. There was a light at the end of the tunnel. She laughed inwardly at the cheesy metaphor. No doubt it was symbolic as it shed the tiniest ray of hope. A few more steps and she would be there....
~~~~~~~~~~
“Carson?” Laura mumbled, trying to wet her parched lips. She wanted water and something to eat. But there was an even greater hunger growing inside her, something she couldn’t quite identify.
“He is not here, but I will get him for you.” Teyla arose from her chair, gesturing towards Ronan.
“No, no it’s okay. I just wondered if he was here.” Laura turned to face Teyla, “I’m sorry.”
“There is no need to apologize. You’ve been through a great ordeal.” Teyla knew the fear the Wraith could impose, she was no stranger to it. For the past hour she’d been watching Lt. Cadman in a restless sleep, no doubt plagued by the nightmares she had endured. Teyla felt useless sitting by her side, unable to assist. When the time was right, the young marine would talk, but she would not push her.
“No. Really, I am. Because of me they have what they need.” Laura grimaced, curling up against the pain in her abdomen.
Have what they need? What was she talking about? Teyla stood up, reaching out her hand in comfort, “You are safe now, back in Atlantis. No one will harm you here.”
“You don’t understand,” Laura looked up, her eyes blurring with tears. “He’s coming. For you, for Carson, for all of us.”
“Who is coming?”
Laura shook her head as the tears slid down her cheeks, “Michael.”
End, Part 2.
Part 3
x-posted at beckett_cadman and atlantisfic
Author: Shelby (gateruner)
E-mail: gateruner2000 at yahoo.com
Feedback: yes, please!
Archive: LJ, my website. Any place else, just ask.
Category: Beckett/Cadman, Angst, Drama, WIP
Rating: PG for now, will turn NC-17
Spoilers: Up to the ending of S3, EXCEPT that “Sunday” didn’t happen! No, no way, no how.
Summary: Laura Cadman is abducted off-world and rescued, but her nightmare has only begun as she starts to remember exactly what happened to her and what evil plans the Wraith have in store for humanity.
Warnings: This is darkfic people. Beware! If you don’t want the angst, don’t read on.
Disclaimer: They aren’t mine, I don’t own them, don’t make any money from them, just playing, honest.
Updated: 09/11/2007 - beta'ed and revised.
Part 1
Part 2.
Eight Days Earlier
P4A-562
Laura watched the stone bounce along the gravel road and sighed as she trekked down the worn path. So far the mission had been a bust. No sign of the Wraith, no glorious bits of Ancient technology to drool over, and no signs of civilization.
In fact, Major Lorne was just about to declare it a day when the men stepped out of the woods. They had been skittish at first but turned out to be friendly once they realized they weren’t aligned with the Wraith. In fact, when the locals realized who they were and what they had to offer, they opened right up; something that set Laura a bit on edge. They seemed almost too eager to invite them back home. Not to mention the fact that they seemed particularly interested in their weapons and defense tactics.
And now they were on their way to meet Tobias, the leader of a race of people known as the Ancilli. The sun was beginning to set behind a large mountain, casting a deep shadow across the valley. Laura studied the landscape and terrain, noticing how easily the path seemed to blend in with the scenery. The valley began seemed to narrow and it appeared as though the path was actually a dried-up river bed. It was no wonder they missed it on first look.
“C’mon Lieutenant, don’t look so down. This might be your opportunity to shine.” Major Lorne fell in stride next to Laura as they headed towards the main town.
“Yeah, I can hardly wait.” Laura rolled her eyes at the idea of showing a bunch of uneducated men how to handle weapons and explosives. The last planet they had visited under similar circumstances ended in a miscommunication that her teammates found quite comical. ‘Big Boom’ took on a whole new meaning as she tried to describe the way C-4 detonated. As it turned out the men were more interested in what she was packing on her chest than in her hands.
She had managed to keep things on the up and up and in the end they befriended another group of people that could one day prove useful. Dr. Weir placed the importance of interplanetary relations almost as high as strategic benefits. Something that didn’t always wash with the military but Laura understood that it had saved Atlantis’ ass a few times.
As they moved closer towards the town, Laura began to notice subtle changes in the landscape. Fallen trees and uprooted plants along the old river bank. A small outcropping of rock on one of the mountain slopes appeared to be on the verge of a landslide. Something had happened here recently, but what?
Laura noticed the Major assessing the damage as well, “What do you think, sir? Natural phenomenon? Earthquake maybe?”
“Maybe.” Lorne shook his head, “I don’t know though. If it was, it seems like there’d be more damage than this.”
The group stopped just outside of the town gates. The group of locals greeted the guards and introduced the team. The guards seemed suspicious at first and Laura watched as one of the men, the leader of the group, whispered something into one of the guard’s ears. The guard instantly relaxed and smiled, waving their newfound friends through.
As the gates opened, Laura picked up a distinct buzzing sound in the distance. She turned to speak to Major Lorne as the town gates slammed shut behind them. The first Dart whirled overhead as Laura screamed out, “Scatter!”
The Dart flew by, followed closely by the second. She watched as the beams scooped up a few of the locals as they began to flee into the buildings. Laura was stunned as two men grabbed her arms and tossed her towards the center of town.
She barely had time to register what had happened before the screech of the Dart and the electric buzz of the beam enveloped her.
---------------
“Well, at least there’s no McKay this time,” Laura muttered to herself as she slumped against the wall of the slimy cell. Her head was still throbbing from the initial beam but she was actually herself, sans the irritating scientist. At the moment it was the only bright side she could find. She reached down to radio for any of her teammates, but found nothing but her jacket. Her flack vest was gone, along with all her weapons. “Shit.” The idea of radioing her teammates to find out if she was truly alone had vanished and she was left to wonder if anyone else had gotten scooped up in the culling.
Or had it really been a culling? Why did those men toss her in the middle of town like that? It was like they were giving her up, sacrificing her. That wasn’t the way you made new friends, at least not in Laura’s book.
Whatever had transpired, she was now on a Wraith cruiser and was no doubt on the dinner menu. But that wasn’t going to happen. She had a date with Carson that evening and she was going to make it. It was too hard finding personal time on Atlantis for anyone, let alone synchronizing two schedules. Carson could pull more weight as a department head than she could afford as a Lieutenant, allowing him to make allowances in his time for her. Sometimes it was easier than others, but this one had been tough and there was no way she was missing out on the candles, the music, and the after dinner massage that had been promised.
The web-like doors retracted and a Wraith guard stepped forward, jerking Laura to her feet before she could react. He led Laura down a long hallway and into a circular room, dropping her in the center of the floor. She turned to face her aggressor, ready to give him a few choice words on the subject of courtesy but he was gone before she could give him a piece of her mind.
Laura stood up and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. It was cold, much colder than the cell had been. She looked up towards the ceiling at the glistening dome that seemed to radiate light. It was remarkable, almost beautiful in a creepy Wraithlike way.
“Yes. Yes, you are the one.”
Laura jumped at the sound of the voice gasping as she came face to face with the one being she feared the most. The Queen. Laura froze in place as she felt the long, bony fingers traced her cheek.
“Such spirit,” the Queen hissed as she began to walk around Laura. “We haven’t felt such power, such will, in centuries.”
Laura looked away, determined not to give any satisfaction to the bitch. Then it hit her like a wave, consuming her entire body, bringing her to her knees. The Queen was in her mind, talking and tormenting her from the inside out. Laura closed her eyes, forcing her fear down as she mentally challenged the Queen.
“You are fortunate that I found you. Any other queen would have fed upon your flesh and tossed you aside. You should be grateful for the opportunity I am affording you.”
Opportunity? Opportunity! Was she serious? Then it was in her mind, exactly what the Queen had in store for her. This wasn’t opportunity -- this was insanity. There was no way the Wraith could do this and get away with it. When Carson found out…. Laura clinched her fists, her anger and defiance coming forward. But there was more, something the Queen was hiding from her -- what was it?
“Yes, that’s it my dear.” The Queen brushed Laura’s hair from her face, “Let me feel your anger. You know there is nothing that can be done for you. You will serve me, and hundreds after me. Think of it as your contribution to your kind. Even after your death, your life-force will continue to serve for generations to come.”
--------------
“NO!” Laura gasped and bucked against the bed. There were restraints on her wrists and ankles. This was different, not the Wraith. Something was on her face, something foul and plastic. It was hard to breathe and her stomach hurt.
“Laura, love! Please settle down.” A panicked voice floated into her mind and she began to calm down. Not Wraith, human. Male. She was back on Atlantis. Laura slumped back against the bed. Home. Carson. Love.
“Carson?” She wasn’t sure she even spoke his name aloud, but she heard his assurance, a slight squeeze on her restrained hand. “Aye, I’m here love. I’m willing to take the restraints off if you promise to settle down a wee bit.”
Laura nodded, finally focusing on the fuzzy figure that was standing next to her. What was wrong with her? What the hell had the Wraith done to her? She felt the restraints loosen and her arms being lifted free.
“Hey doc, are you sure about that?” Ronon’s voice called out from the other side of the room.
“Aye, Laura’s not going to hurt me,” Carson continued to unbuckle the restraints from her ankles. Laura reached out and grabbed a handful of the white labcoat. She was aware of Ronon and possibly others rushing forward in protest.
Carson merely looked down and grasped her hand within his, “It’s fine, I promise.” He moved a hand closer towards Laura’s face, brushing stray wisps of hair back. “There you go, that’s better. You gave us a bit of a scare, lass.”
“My-my stomach, Carson. The Wraith, they took…” Laura closed her eyes, shaking her head. She couldn’t think about it, didn’t want to think about it.
-----------------
“Her bloodwork is a mess. Hormone levels are off the charts. Progesterone, estrogen, sodium, potassium. You name it, it’s sky high. I even ran the tests a second time, just to be sure.” Carson rubbed his eyes. He was tired, more than he wanted to let on. Ever since Laura had gone MIA he’d been on edge. Now, instead of being relieved at her return, he was growing more concerned by the moment.
“So what does all that mean, exactly?” Dr. Weir had assembled the usual group for a standard mission debrief, consisting of herself, Dr. Heightmeyer, Colonel Sheppard, Major Lorne, and Dr. McKay. Dr. Beckett had insisted that the debriefing consist of key personnel only. The other members of the rescue team had been excluded from this part of the meeting.
“Over the past 3 hours, her abdomen had become distended and she’s been in an incredible amount of pain. I performed an ultrasound and based on the findings, as well as the bloodwork, I concluded that she’s suffering from a severe case of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome.” Carson looked away, not wanting to face the questions he knew were about come.
“And what does that mean for the Lieutenant?” Elizabeth was starting to get an idea but it wasn’t one she wanted at the moment.
“Basically, her body has gone into a sort of metabolic overdrive and she’s releasing an enormous number of eggs. This isn’t the sort of thing that happens unless the woman undergoes fertility treatment or has a pre-existing medical condition that would have made her susceptible to it.”
“Doctor Beckett, are you saying that the Wraith were performing some sort of fertility experiment on Lieutenant Cadman?” Weir demanded.
“I don’t know, but based on the findings, I’d say yes it’s a very real possibility. Her hormone levels are off the chart. They are unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” Carson didn’t want to disclose what he’d discovered during the pelvic exam either. He was still trying to keep his emotions in check. But when he found that bloody Wraith… Carson continued, “Her ovaries are enlarged, which is causing her the pain and a large number of cysts and fluid are adding to the abdominal distension. This puts her at a great risk for an ovarian torsion or worse, a rupture.”
“How serious is her condition, Doctor?” Lorne asked.
“Her blood chemistry should resolve on its own, given time. Unless there are any complications with cysts that arise or a gross amount of peritoneal fluid, we will monitor her fluids and watch for any indication of any secondary issues such as tachycardia or hypotension. But at the moment, I’m more concerned with her mental well being. Which is why I asked Dr. Heightmeyer to join us. Laura seems to be suffering from a great number of flashbacks, and given her physical condition, she needs to remain calm before she does any serious damage to herself.”
---------------
The hallways were confusing, a maze that seemed to have no end, a design that was meant to keep people in, not to let them out. Laura struggled to keep her legs steady, brushing against the slimy walls as she forced herself not to think about where she was or what had happened.
Priorities. Laura had to prioritize. Get off the Wraith cruiser, find a safe world, and dial Atlantis. Everything else had to wait. She couldn’t afford to think about what had happened, and what she feared was coming.
Light. There was a light at the end of the tunnel. She laughed inwardly at the cheesy metaphor. No doubt it was symbolic as it shed the tiniest ray of hope. A few more steps and she would be there....
~~~~~~~~~~
“Carson?” Laura mumbled, trying to wet her parched lips. She wanted water and something to eat. But there was an even greater hunger growing inside her, something she couldn’t quite identify.
“He is not here, but I will get him for you.” Teyla arose from her chair, gesturing towards Ronan.
“No, no it’s okay. I just wondered if he was here.” Laura turned to face Teyla, “I’m sorry.”
“There is no need to apologize. You’ve been through a great ordeal.” Teyla knew the fear the Wraith could impose, she was no stranger to it. For the past hour she’d been watching Lt. Cadman in a restless sleep, no doubt plagued by the nightmares she had endured. Teyla felt useless sitting by her side, unable to assist. When the time was right, the young marine would talk, but she would not push her.
“No. Really, I am. Because of me they have what they need.” Laura grimaced, curling up against the pain in her abdomen.
Have what they need? What was she talking about? Teyla stood up, reaching out her hand in comfort, “You are safe now, back in Atlantis. No one will harm you here.”
“You don’t understand,” Laura looked up, her eyes blurring with tears. “He’s coming. For you, for Carson, for all of us.”
“Who is coming?”
Laura shook her head as the tears slid down her cheeks, “Michael.”
End, Part 2.
Part 3
x-posted at beckett_cadman and atlantisfic