Friendship, Week 1: Plowshare (3/5)
Title: Plowshare
Author: liketheriverrun
Prompt: Tools and Weapons/Friendship
Rating: T
Word Count: ~42,100
Warnings/Spoilers: Set a few years in the future so anything and anyone can and do show up.
Summary: The discovery of an alien race that predated the Ancients in Pegasus leads to something no one ever thought they would see-- peace. But is it worth the price they have to pay?
[ Part One] [ Part Two] [ Part Three] [ Part Four] [ Part Five]
* * * * *
March 3, 2012
"Sheppard, get the hell out of there!"
Ronon was close enough that he could hear McKay's voice even without his radio. The panic he heard, quickly followed by the sound of more rubble collapsing, had Ronon running even faster. He didn't bother to check to see if Teyla was still on his heels as he started up the tailings pile from the mine, nor did he notice the way the sharp rock bit into his hands as he climbed. The planet was abandoned except for the small mining party from Allaross who excavated the metal ore. They traded it once they extracted the metal using a process only they knew. Normally, Atlantis wouldn't have cared too much about a small mining operation, but they'd discovered the metal the Allarossians produced was the same that was used for some parts in a lot of the Ancient devices. Repairs had become much easier ever since they'd started trading with the miners.
He reached the top of the pile in time to see Rodney shoving into Sheppard's chest, pushing him away from the collapsed entrance to the mine. "What the fuck were you thinking? The entire shoring nearly collapsed on top of you."
"There are a dozen people trapped in there, McKay," John insisted, starting back toward the pile of rock and wood.
"They're dead!" Rodney yelled as he tried to stop Sheppard.
Dust flew from both of them when Sheppard pushed back to get past McKay. "You don't know that."
McKay was completely oblivious to the trickle of blood running down his cheek. "Uh, yeah, I do know, seeing as I was standing right here when the mine exploded."
Evidently McKay had been close enough when the opening fell that he'd been hit by debris, probably pulling Sheppard out. It went a long way in explaining why he was so pissed.
"You don't know," John stressed, swiping at his own bloody nose.
Rodney waved his arms when Sheppard continued toward the pile. "Oh, and you being one of the dead is going to help them how?"
Teyla reached the top of the pile then, quickly looking thing over. "What happened?"
"There was an explosion," John told them, already starting to pull rocks from the opening. "The entire mining team was in there when it happened."
The pile of boulders shifted and Sheppard fell back. Not that it would have done him a bit of good had the debris not locked and stopped its slide.
McKay threw his arms up in sheer frustration that Sheppard had once again nearly been killed by the falling rock. "Fine. You want to get yourself killed, by all means go ahead and do it. Don't let me stop you."
Teyla wasn't very happy with their teammate's attempt to dig out the opening either. "John, Rodney is right. It is not safe."
Ronon did dare to get close enough to clamp onto Sheppard's arm and pull him to his feet and away from what had been the opening. "There's got to be another way to get in. Maybe another entrance?"
"Malvose said this was a single shaft," John told him, pushing a hand into his hair and sending rock powder flying. "They were chasing a rich vein almost straight back into the mountainside. If we don't dig them out, we need to blow the debris out of the way."
"With what?" Rodney challenged. "In case you've forgotten, all our C-4 was sent back to Earth."
John waved a hand at the collapse. "They were using something to blast in the mine since we can't give them the C-4 they need. They must have been making it themselves. Maybe there's some more around here somewhere."
"Oh, you mean use the same stuff that blew the damn mine in the first place?" McKay shot a glance at the barrels of ingredients sitting around the camp and shook his head.
Sheppard jabbed a finger in the direction of the trapped miners. "Rodney, we cannot just leave those people in there."
"Call in the combat engineers and let them dig them out," Rodney suggested.
"We're over an hour from the gate," Sheppard argued. "Do you really think these people have two hours or more to wait for help?"
McKay glowered, and though he didn't say it, Ronon could see what he was thinking clearly on his face. McKay didn't think there was anyone alive to be waiting for help. And maybe there wasn't, but Ronon knew John, and he knew the man wouldn't believe it until he saw it for himself.
"Perhaps you can make an explosive of your own," Teyla suggested. "Something more stable than what they were using. Given your vast knowledge and the experience you have, it should not be difficult."
"She's right," Sheppard encouraged. "You're a lot smarter than those guys."
"See, I know what you're trying to do," Rodney accused. "You're trying to stroke my ego and goad me into whipping up an explosive."
"Is it working?" Ronon asked.
McKay looked back at the wooden barrels and crates, eventually heading toward them with a grumbled, "Yes."
His three teammates moved to stand behind him and look over his shoulder as he surveyed the components the Allarossians were using to mix their explosives.
"Okay, you guys need to back off so I can work," Rodney snapped, shouldering between them to see what he had to work with on the tables. "Not that any of you have a problem with me blowing myself up, but I do kind of have one with blowing you all up in the process."
John squeezed McKay's shoulder. "That's the spirit." He went to join Teyla and Ronon a good fifty feet away, completely ignoring the way Rodney rolled his eyes at the placation.
"Someone should go back to the gate and bring back a medical team," John suggested. "If we get the mine open, we'll probably need one."
"I'll go," Teyla volunteered and took off at a run as soon as she reached the bottom of the rock pile.
Once Teyla was gone, John and Ronon watched Rodney work? sniffing, measuring, mixing, mumbling to himself? and helped by staying out of his way.
"This would be a lot easier if we could just use C-4," Ronon said out loud. Not that he needed to; he was sure
Sheppard was already thinking it.
"Welcome to a kinder, gentler Pegasus," John responded bitterly, throwing a rock down the tailings slope then standing to stare out across the forest below them.
Ronon stood beside him. "Maybe the Eslaterans will let the Allarossians to use a safer explosive now if they see how dangerous is it using their homemade stuff."
Sheppard shook his head. "Or they might zap them off to Bizarro world with the others who didn't live up to the truce, or at least the Eslateran interpretation of the truce."
They had heard of at least four other worlds meeting the same fate as the Telmacks for not following the disarmament treaty. At least three of them had been trying to hide weapons that were discovered by the Eslateran envoys that were inspecting various worlds. Although the entire Eslateran population had not yet returned, something no one could really understand why and they weren't explaining, they were coming back five at a time, so that a good two dozen or more had returned to take up residence on their home world. The original five still remained in Atlantis. Sheppard was convinced it was to keep an eye on the group of people who had taken up residence in their old nemeses' city, and Ronon had no reason not to believe him. If anything could pose a risk directly to them, Atlantis would be it.
While three of the worlds had been caught legitimately hiding weapons, the fourth, Dellasar, had been questionable. They claimed they needed the explosive compounds they had been creating to power crude space craft they'd been developing. The rings around their planet contained different rare minerals that were first discovered by scientist from Atlantis, including something very similar to the Naquadah used to make the generators and other equipment that came from Earth. The Dellasarians had been working to mine the rings independently to sell to the SGC.
They weren't working to do it any longer, not unless there were rings in the alternate dimension where they had been exiled. The Eslaterans claimed they had found more than simple rocket engines and that the Dellasarians were developing bombs, as well, in clear violation of what was becoming known throughout Pegasus as the Galactic Truce. Punishment, as it had been since the beginning, was swift and nonnegotiable.
"Which is why we keep this whole mess quiet when we get back to Atlantis," John stressed.
When Sheppard looked to Ronon for agreement, Ronon shrugged. "Hey, if I don't have to talk to the Eslaterans, that's fine by me. Those gill things on their face are weird to look at." Not to mention those fishy bastards had made him send his gun and his sword through the gate and back to Earth.
"Sheppard," Rodney called, "find me something bowl shaped, the harder and denser the material it's made out of the better. I'm going to try to make a shaped charge to blow the rock out instead of in."
They rummaged around the small camp until Ronon located one of the metal hats the miners wore underground for protection. "Will this work?"
McKay didn't seem too happy with it as he turned it over in his hands. "It'll have to."
He packed the helmet with a muddy substance, then carried it gently to the blocked opening of the mine. "Dig out a few of those rocks so I can set this as far back in there as I can."
The teammates dug until Rodney was satisfied and placed his crude bomb in the hole, stuck the detonator cord in the muck, then gently placed some large rocks back in place.
"Okay, get down below the lip of the tailings pile," McKay directed, unrolling the cord as they walked.
"How big is this explosion going to be?" John asked as they walked.
Rodney looked at Sheppard like he was a complete idiot. "I just made a bomb out of what I think is dung, algae, and unrefined crude oil. I honestly have no fucking clue what will happen."
Sheppard ignored the look. "But it will explode, right?"
McKay stopped and crossed his arms irritably. "Tell you what, you go stir up a bowl of shit and slime and then you tell me what kind of deflagration properties I should expect."
John took hold of Rodney's arm and pulled him along. "I'm sure it will work just fine, Rodney."
"Yeah, well, that makes one of us," Rodney admitted, settling in beside the rest of his team before asking, "Anybody have a match?" When Sheppard frowned at him, he demanded, "What? I made the bomb. Someone else could at least contribute something to this whole mess."
Ronon pulled one of the Athosian fire starters Teyla had given him from his pocket and handed it over. McKay mumbled, "Thanks," before yelling, "Fire in the hole!" and lighting the cord.
Ronon and John ducked their heads down and covered them; Rodney peeked over the lip of the tailings pile. "It's going to take it a minute to reach the bomb."
Sheppard and Ronon finally decided to have a look, too, and that's when McKay hunkered down in a ball between them. The two other men exchanged an alarmed look to see Rodney's actions, took them as a sign they should do the same, dropped quickly and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Rodney exhaled in frustration and stood. "Damnit, I know I got those proportions right. Why the hell didn't it wo?"
The blast that finally came had Ronon's ears ringing and rock debris pelting his bare shoulders and leather-clad back. Then he felt something else on his shoulder; Sheppard's hand as he used Ronon to push up and away. He cracked an eye to see Sheppard skidding down the rocky slope.
Sounds were muffled, distance, but Ronon could just hear John yelling, "McKay!"
Further down the slope, he saw Rodney lying face down in an unmoving heap and Ronon was immediately sliding down the rock pile, reaching McKay a split second after Sheppard did.
"Shit," John cursed, seemingly afraid to touch Rodney, afraid of what he'd discover if he did. "Shit."
A small avalanche of rocks splayed out from the slope and reached McKay. At the touch of stone, his hand twitched. "Did you see that?" Ronon asked in relief at the sight. "He moved!"
It was enough to have John gently rest his hand on the back of Rodney's head. "Rodney? Can you hear me, buddy?"
He was answered by a groan and a flex of McKay's fingers. Sheppard and Ronon exhaled a collected sigh of relief.
"Easy; try not to move too much," John warned. "We need to check you over first."
Ronon was already checking for broken bones along McKay's legs. So far, so good, although Rodney groaned again in response.
Hand still resting on McKay's head, John brushed his thumb reassuringly across Rodney's temple. "You're going to be okay," he promised.
Rodney slivered his eyes open, raised his head slightly, and managed to slur. "Di' i' work?"
"Seems like it might have," John told him. "Don't worry about it now. The medical team from Atlantis should be here soon."
But Sheppard looked to Ronon, silently asking him to climb back up the tailings pile to check on the mine. The entrance was wide open, blown to hell, but open. By the time he reached it, two haggard figures were supporting a third, staggering their way back out into the sunlight. The rescue team would pull a fourth alive from the rubble by nightfall. By then, McKay was back in the infirmary, beaten and battered but alive, just like the miners he'd managed to free. Four out of twelve, not perfect but not bad considering the odds they'd been up against.
McKay's handmade bomb had worked after all. What the Eslaterans would make of that accomplishment remained to be seen.
* * * * *
From: KandJMiller@shaw.ca
Sent: March 20, 2012
To: Rodney.McKay@atl.af.mil
Subject: Airport and Such
Dear Mer,
Everything is set to pick you up at the airport on Saturday. Do I need to make arrangements for a wheelchair? I know you said you're getting around pretty well with the cane now, but it is kind of long walk to baggage claim. Just let me know what you want to do. Are there any basics you need me to pick up for you? I know it will take several weeks for all your things to get here considering your shipping arrangements with the Air Force. We can always go shopping once you're here and settled in.
I know this must be hard for you, to leave your position there, to leave John, Teyla, Ronon, Carson, and all the others. But I also believe you've made the right decision by coming home. Given the situation, it's a very prudent choice. And I am more than willing to step in and help any way that I can. You are welcome here in our home for as long as you need. Madison is actually very excited to have you come. Of course, it may have something to do with you bringing your XBOX with you, but I believe it's more than that, too. Since you mentioned getting back into music, I'm hoping having you here will motivate her to practice her piano a little more. Oh, and Kaleb even emptied a shelf in the extra refrigerator in the garage to make room for a few meat products and your favorite beer. LOL!
Seriously, Mer, we are all happy you'll be coming to stay with us, and I really hope you are, too. At least a little bit (or that you'll at least try to pretend you are). So, just let me know about the wheelchair and anything you need me to pick up and I'll take care of it. Then we'll see you on Saturday!
Love,
Jeannie
March 24, 2012
Amelia was supposed to be off duty almost an hour before, but she'd stuck around today for the dial out to Earth. People came and went from Atlantis all the time. It was the nature of military service that people entered and exited your life. One day you were shaking their hand in welcome, the next you were shaking it goodbye. It always reminded her of those period movies, when people danced and one person passed off a partner to the person on the right, did a few twirls with the person from the left, then passed that partner along, too. It might be fun for the time you danced, but you always knew that time would come to an end and you'd end up passing that person off and accepting a new partner. Eventually, you might end up with the partner you started with if the music didn't stop too soon. Unfortunately, the music had stopped way too soon on way too many people here in Atlantis. She supposed they were lucky Dr. McKay was leaving carrying a duffle bag, although using a cane to do it, instead of zipped up in body bag.
Even after all these years, she still felt odd calling him Rodney. Sure, she'd eaten meals with him plenty of times with Ronon, and McKay had never balked when she did call him by his first name, but he was so much more than a name. Just like Colonel Sheppard was so much more than John. And they were both much more than a title to Ronon.
Chuck walked up behind where she stood looking down on the small group standing near the gate. "I can't believe he's actually leaving."
"Neither can I," she admitted, recalling how shocked she'd been when Ronon had told her the news a little over a week ago.
"It's not going to be the same around here without him." Chuck laughed lightly. "Maybe a little quieter."
Amelia gave him a small smile of agreement before sighing. "It hasn't been the same around here for a couple of months."
With the truce, fewer teams were going out on missions, so there was much less gate traffic. In fact, the SGC had been toying with the idea of withdrawing a big chunk of the staff here in the city. The recent accident with Dr. McKay had only made the possibility of a dwindling population on Atlantis even more probable.
Chuck nodded. "Well, you know what they say? careful what you wish for."
Truer words had never been spoken. How many times had she watched teams filled with people she'd come to care about walk through the gate and wondered if this was the time one of them wouldn't come back? How many times had she wished Pegasus were a safer place? And now? It was so safe it had almost become more dangerous in the process.
Mr. Woolsey had touched on it a little when he had spoken at the going away party last night. He'd presented Dr. McKay with a plaque for his dedication and service to Atlantis, had numerous people give their accounts of all the times Rodney had saved the city, how he had saved their lives an almost disturbing amount. Dr. Zelenka, who was assuming his role as head of science, looked a little sick at the responsibility he was stepping into. Then Woolsey had spoke about the new direction the expedition would be taking, trying to use the technologies available to them to help the inhabitants of Pegasus better sustain their populations. Helping them develop better tools for medicine, manufacturing, and agriculture. Atlantis had just officially become the galactic 4-H office.
That had been last night, with cake and booze and laughter and well wishes. Today, however, there was a more personal goodbye taking place. This one was reserved for those closest to Rodney?his team. Below them, Teyla was stepping in to lean her head against Rodney's in the traditional Athosian salutation. When she straightened, she cupped his face a moment, careful of the large bruise that covered the entire right side of his cheek and jaw. She was smiling even as she blinked rapidly to clear the tears.
"Oh, please don't cry," Dr. McKay begged. "Carson blubbered enough for everyone last night. I swear, you get a few drinks in him at a going away party and you'd think he was going to have to put me down like Ole Yeller instead of just saying goodbye."
"That movie sucks," Ronon chimed in. Amelia knew the opinion was because even battle-toughed Ronon Dex had fallen prey to the emotional manipulation of the film.
Teyla stepped back, managing to control her tears. "We expect regular correspondence."
"Yeah, well, I'm not very good at writing letters," McKay admitted.
"Then you will improve with practice," Teyla warned firmly. "And we will be reminding you with updates of our own."
Teyla looked around for the two other men on her team to back her up and was met with Ronon looking at her like she was nuts. Amelia couldn't help but grin at the thought of Ronon, who hated communication of any sort in general, writing letters to Dr. McKay. Colonel Sheppard stood a little further back, arms crossed, a small frown on his face as if lost in thought, apparently oblivious to what Teyla had said.
Undeterred, Teyla promised, "You will not miss one important moment in Torren's life."
It appeared McKay wasn't sure what to make of that news. "Oh... great."
Rodney glanced in Sheppard's direction, then quickly turned back to offer a hand to Ronon. "With me gone, that means you'll have to step up and take on more of the brute strength protection of the team."
Ronon ignored the joke and the hand and scooped McKay up in a bear hug that had Rodney yelping in pain from his bruised ribs. Even from her vantage point, Amelia could see the large man was being gentle as he set Rodney back down. It was one of these things that had surprised her about Ronon, how he could be gruff and gentle all at the same time. It was the main reason she'd stayed over on her shift today, so she could offer to spar with him in the gym once this was all over. A workout always seemed to make Ronon feel better.
"Don't be a stranger," Ronon mumbled.
"You either." McKay actually took a step back, afraid Ronon might want to hug him again. "If you ever want to see more of Earth than just San Francisco, you can come on up to Canada." Rodney twirled the hand that wasn't white knuckling his cane. "You can play hockey or wrestle a moose or something."
Ronon seemed intrigued by the offer. "Really? They really let you wrestle those things?"
Rodney took another step back, this time more out of concern for the Canadian wildlife. "Sure, I suppose, if you can catch one. Why not?"
Ronon nodded with a small grin of anticipation on his lips, then turned to Colonel Sheppard as if to indicate it was his turn. Amelia had been at the disarmament ceremony a few months earlier. She'd seen the dread and reluctance on the colonel's face when he had climbed the stairs to relinquish his gun to the Eslaterans. It was nothing compared to what she saw on his face now.
McKay took a deep breath and shrugged lightly. "Sheppard?"
John didn't move, stood where he was and shook his head. "Maybe we could work something else out."
"Do you really believe that?" Rodney asked.
"No, but if you walk through that gate..." Sheppard couldn't seem to bring himself to say what the consequences would be.
McKay finished for him. "Everything changes."
The colonel finally took the few steps to close the distance between them and took Rodney's free hand in a firm grip. "Not everything."
McKay held just as tight. "I'll be in touch real soon."
"Don't get distracted by Jeannie's cookies." For the first time, a quirk of a smile crossed Sheppard's face.
"Don't get distracted by the new family farm," Rodney countered.
Sheppard snorted. "All I need is a tractor and Eva Gabor."
"Damn," McKay mocked, "if I'd known that was a possibility, I might have stuck around."
Neither man had let go of the other's hand, but that was about to change.
"Time to dial the gate," Chuck reminded.
Amelia dialed in the address, taking her time pushing the tiles to give a few seconds more to the people below. Eventually, however, the event horizon whooshed out from the gate.
Dr. McKay looked behind him. "Guess that's my cue."
The two men reluctantly let go, and Sheppard quickly grabbed McKay's bag and handed it to him, reaching out a hand to his shoulder to steady him when Rodney stumbled with the weight.
"This is the right thing I'm doing." He hadn't asked it as a question, but the way Rodney looked to his teammates, it definitely was one.
"It's the right thing," Sheppard assured with a hint of reluctance in his voice.
Rodney's eyes went to each of them. "Be careful."
John gave a sharp nod as he patted the shoulder he'd been gripping. "You, too."
Colonel Sheppard released his hold on his partner, passed him off to the right like everyone in the military did at one time or another. Then he watched as Dr. McKay limped his way to the gate, gave one final look back, before he stepped through the gate and was gone. And while the music hadn't ended early for McKay, there still wasn't anyone new coming in from Sheppard's left.
* * * * *
March 29, 2012
To: Major General Henry Landry
United States Air Force
Stargate Command
From: Carson Beckett, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Atlantis Expedition
Subject: Official Protest of Order to Provide Classified Medical Data to Eslateran Allies
In response to your order to provide the Eslaterans with all medical data related to my development, testing, and distribution of the Wraith retrovirus in the Pegasus galaxy, I must register my official protest. As you and all members of the IOA are well aware, use of this retrovirus has led to numerous negative outcomes as recorded in the mission reports detailed below. In addition, the Eslaterans have not been forthcoming in exactly how they plan to use this information, and it should be noted this data could just as easily be manipulated and used against the expedition and the human population of Pegasus as it could be used against the Wraith on a widespread basis.
We have already bore witness to what Michael was capable of doing with a bastardized version of this retrovirus. Hundreds of thousands lost their lives either directly from the tests Michael conducted or in retaliation by the Wraith on those worlds Michael exposed to the virus. I am deeply concerned and troubled that the SGC and IOA have apparently not learned the hard lessons earned in our struggle with Michael, and I fear similar results, either intentional or accidental, if we provide the requested information to the Eslaterans.
I ask that the SGC and IOA take my professional and personal concerns into consideration and carefully reevaluate their orders and the implication of providing this data, even to an ally. I shall await your final decision on this matter before turning over any data to the Eslaterans.
April 19, 2012
Teyla watched as John subconsciously reached around and checked the sticks in the small of his back. Not the same as checking his P90, but habits are hard to break, even when you have to adjust them somewhat. If nothing else, John's hand-to-hand fighting skills had improved vastly in the months since they had lost their guns. Although she was not sure if his extra time in the gym had been more out of worry for his team's safety in the field or that Rodney was no longer on Atlantis to play video games or chess or race small toy cars through the hallways.
Rodney's absence was felt daily, and much more strongly than any of them would have imagined. From the lack of comment about the shortage of a particular muffin at breakfast, to the nonexistent rants they all expected when a particular piece of technology was not working properly, their missing teammate was an almost palpable presence in their life for the sheer fact that he was not there. And while they all missed him terribly, it was John who was most affected by it. Rodney had managed to provide emails on a regular basis, which sometimes helped and other times seemed to make it all the harder to know he would not be joining them for dinner or a movie or a mission. Rodney's presence had become so much second nature over the years that Teyla had caught John to catch himself more than once tapping his radio with the scientist's name poised on his lips, and he was not the only one to do it.
Although, as much as they all missed him most days, today was the rare exception when Teyla was glad he was not here to join them on this mission. Rodney had never excelled in combat situations, even with a gun, and the thought of him going into one armed only with sticks would have been laughable if not so terrifying to consider the probable outcome. John had yet to replace Rodney on the team, using the lack of firearms as the excuse for not wanting to bring someone like Radek into the field. While there was truth in his reasoning, Teyla knew there was much more to it than that. A secret meeting, like the one called today by Todd, on a world long abandoned was exactly the sort of situation an unarmed scientist would want to avoid. Of course, the fact that the world was Sateda was a situation Ronon wished to avoid, too.
Todd had sent word through Major Lorne's team to meet him on Sateda in the old barracks. Teyla could not say which was more disturbing, Todd wishing to meet secretly away from the Eslaterans or that he had chosen Sateda on which to hold the meeting. Ronon had led them silently through the ruins of his once majestic home to the military barracks where he had spent a great deal of his time during his service in the Satedan military.
"We're here," Ronon announced needlessly when they reached the spread of overgrown lawn in front of the partially destroyed building. "Where's Todd?"
"Waiting for you to arrive." Todd stepped out of the wreckage of the building. "I was about the think you had decided not to come."
Teyla scanned the area, looking for any additional Wraith and surprisingly saw none, although there were no doubt more in the building.
"We didn't want to change our normal mission schedule," Sheppard explained. "Lorne said you made it pretty clear you didn't want the Eslaterans knowing we were meeting you."
"Yes," Todd agreed. "It would be prudent that they knew nothing of this visit considering the topic I wish to discuss."
John crossed his arms. "So do you plan to tell us the topic or do you want to play twenty questions?"
Todd's lips curled to see he was grating on John's nerves. "You are all probably wondering why I chose Sateda for this meeting."
"I figured it was to piss me off," Ronon told him.
"While that is always an added bonus to anything I do, Specialist Dex." Todd seemed to relish the way he stressed Ronon's old title. "It is not why I chose this location. You are aware that the Eslaterans found and destroyed an old Satedan weapons storage unit here."
"Yeah," Ronon nodded. "A few weeks ago, but most of the weapons didn't even work anymore."
Todd simply grunted in acknowledgement of the information, as if it was of no consequence. "You are also aware that two more human worlds were banished recently for noncompliance with the treaty."
John's jaw tensed at the reminder. "We're aware."
Todd studied John for a moment before turning to Teyla. "Surely you and the other humans in this galaxy find this trend disturbing."
"Oh, and now suddenly you do, too?" John scoffed, obviously thinking of the Wraith's help in finding the Traveler's vessel.
Todd ignored him and continued to stare at Teyla, still waiting for an answer.
Teyla was somewhat taken aback that Todd was addressing this question to her and she chose her words carefully. "The Eslaterans have made it very clear what the consequences are for those who do not comply."
"The Eslaterans also made it clear that they would help the Wraith with a way to sustain ourselves without feeding on the human population in the manner that we have for thousands of years." Todd's humorous undertone turned to anger. "With the help of Dr. Beckett's research, they have put this plan into effect, and the results have been more devastating than you can ever imagine."
This information was surprising to everyone. The SGC had ordered Carson to turn over all his medical information on his retrovirus to the Eslaterans, but no one had heard anything about the outcome of their work until now.
"What happened?" John asked. "They turn you human and no one likes the solid food they're eating now?"
"Just the opposite," Todd informed him. "They have stripped all human genetic material from their test subjects, so that they have reverted back to the original form from which we evolved."
Teyla's stomach twisted at the news. "The Iratus bug?"
"They're turning you back into bugs?" John asked in disbelief.
"We discovered this on a Hive that had gone into hibernation when the Eslaterans arrived," Todd explained. "It appears the Eslaterans went aboard and released the retrovirus while they slept. It would also appear that the taint of humanity has doomed us as a species."
Ronon shrugged. "Why should we care what they do to you?"
"Have you forgotten why they created the Iratus bug in the first place?" Todd reminded. "Millions of Wraith converted to creatures whose sole purpose when they were created was to eradicate the human population and you with no weapons to defend yourselves."
John frowned at the implications before shaking his head. "So what do you think we can do about it? Even if we wanted to help you? and just to be clear, we don't ? but like you said, we don't have any weapons."
"But I do," Todd told them.
"And so do we."
The new voice came from an unlikely source stepping out of the building? Ladon Radim.
"What the hell are you doing here?" John demanded of the Genii leader.
"Todd approached us for our help. He knows of our weapons stores on other worlds," Ladon explained.
"Your operative cells?" John crossed his arms irritably. "The ones you supposedly shut down years ago after you seized power from Cowen."
Radim shrugged, more proud than abashed to have found out. "More like we realigned the leadership of the cells to be more in step with the new government."
"So the whole peaceful farmers routine is still a front for what you're really up to?" John accused.
"No more than the farms Atlantis is attempting to establish are a cover for you." The curve of Ladon's mouth suggested he believed that's exactly what they were.
Teyla ignored the political ramifications of the confessions and accusations to concentrate on what was important now. "Surely you are aware of what will happen if the Eslaterans find you have been hiding weapons."
"Of course I am, which why I'm here," Radim admitted. "We have weapons, so do the Wraith. What we don't have is way to transport them without detection to a safe location. One of your jumpers would meet that need."
"What safe location?" Ronon inquired.
Ladon spread his arms wide. "What better place to hide something than one that has already been searched?"
"So let me get this straight," John started. "You want us to break the treaty, risk having Atlantis zapped off into some other dimension, and fly your weapons here?"
"Or provide a ship to us for our use," Ladon offered as an alternative. "The choice is yours."
John shook his head even as he started to walk back in the direction of the gate. "You people are nuts."
Teyla and Ronon fell into step behind him.
"Tell me, Colonel Sheppard," Ladon called. "Why haven't the Eslaterans already gotten rid of Atlantis?"
John didn't stop walking. "Because we've upheld the treaty and haven't posed a threat to them."
"You live in the city of the Ancestors," Radim countered. "The race of people who banished and trapped them for over a million years. Chances are the technology that did that is still in the city somewhere. If you were in their position and could send the source of the technology away, wouldn't you?"
John stopped walking but said nothing. Teyla followed suit, waiting to follow John's lead. Of course they had thought of that and come to the same conclusion that there must be something that made it impossible to send Atlantis to an alternate dimension. And yes, they had been looking for any information in the database that could tell them what it was and how the Ancients had managed to trap the Eslaterans the way they did. There was a very good chance the Eslaterans knew the same thing, which was why they had established a presence on Atlantis, and why they were taking as many precautions as they could.
The question was, did they want the Wraith and the Genii to know such a thing?
"You have been looking for such a way to stop them, have you not, Sheppard?" Todd did not wait for an answer. "Even if you find the way to keep the entire Eslateran population from returning, there are still nearly one hundred here already. Everyday their numbers grow. Not to mention the human worlds who have to practically worship the Eslaterans. You will need weapons and fighters to wield them when you do find the information you seek. We are offering you both, but only if you help us keep them hidden."
John looked over his shoulder at the Wraith and Genii standing there, waiting patiently for an answer. "You're asking us to risk a lot."
"No more than we are risking ourselves," Ladon responded.
Teyla studied John's face, could see him weighing the risks and the benefits. She could see the battle between finally having allies in their search for a way to defeat the Eslaterans and making allies of the two groups who had been the greatest risk to Atlantis over the years. They were risking a great deal as it was, and Teyla was just as concerned as John about whether these two could be an asset or weakness.
"We'll be in touch," he told them finally, before continuing on to the gate without a look back.
* * * * *
From: Einsteinsheir@mckaysbatcave.net
Sent: April 24, 2012
To: John.Sheppard@atl.af.mil
Subject: Old McDonald Had A Farm
Hey, Old McD, how's farm life treating you? Managed to break any plowshares yet? Maybe during the next mail run I'll send you an RC tractor to practice with unless, of course, you already bought one from Mr. Haney.
Things here are moving along at a pace to be expected living in a house full of vegetarians in Vancouver. In other words...Zzzzzz. I guess there's something to be said for having plenty of time to catch up on my sleep and the additional fiber in my diet isn't half bad. I had no idea how regular bowel movements could improve a person's outlook on the entire day. On the plus side, my music is improving. I'd forgotten how good a piano player Jeannie is, which just motivates me even more. Although I just can't seem to find any sheet music that truly interests me. Madison has been practicing some Czech folk dances. Radek would no doubt love it. I, however, am about to pull my hair out (and yes, before you make a smart ass comment, I do have hair to pull out.) Not to mention I would kill for a cheeseburger, even one that was made from the meat of that funky longhaired kangaroo looking thing.
Hey! Maybe you guys should consider ranching instead of farming. That way I could call you Tex. Think you could saddle up one of those kangaroos, Tex, and ride the prairies rounding up stray joeys? See? It has a nice ring to it.
Happy trails, Tex!
McK
From: John.Sheppard@atl.af.mil
Sent: April 27, 2012
To: Einsteinsheir@mckaysbatcave.net
Subject: RE: Old McDonald Had A Farm
Farming sucks. Mr. Haney sucks and so, btw, does Arnold the pig. Try putting up with them on a daily basis and I guarantee you'll be thanking your lucky stars all you have to contend with is tofurkey and piano lessons. Have I told you what a bastard you are for deserting me to deal with them on my own? I'm sure I have, but it bears repeating... you, Rodney McKay, are a no good bastard and owe me big time. Which is why I'll take you up on the RC tractor offer, but only if you soup it up the way you did my Vette. And where the hell are my cookies? You said I should have them by now. If you're not going to be here to race tractors with me, the least you can do is send baked goods.
Sorry to hear about the music lessons. I'll check with Zelenka and see if he can find you any sheet music Madison might like. That's just the kind of giving guy I am. As for the kangaburgeroos, I can put one of those in the mail for you if you want. After three weeks it should be nice and inedible just the way you like them. Oh, and in the future, please feel free to keep all bowel-related information to yourself.
J
p.s. Send the goddamn cookies! Things are getting desperate here.
p.p.s Call me Tex one more time, and the next time I see you, I swear to God I will kick your ass.
May 10, 2012
One look on the colonel's face and Richard Woolsey knew something had happened. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"The Eslaterans caught the Genii cell stashing weapons on Galeson," was the tense reply.
Richard was on his feet immediately, moving toward the door of his office to join Colonel Sheppard, who was already heading toward the control room. "The Genii were still there when it happened? Were they punished?"
"The Genii troops and the entire cache of weapons are now residing in a new dimension," Sheppard informed him as they started down the stairs.
"Do they know about Sateda?" Richard lowered his voice. "Do they have any idea of our involvement?"
John shook his head. "As far as I know, they believe this was an isolated event and we came out of it clean. Radim, however, is a different story."
"Please, don't tell me Ladon was there when this happened." Richard stopped in his tracks, dreading the news.
"No, he was on the Genii home world when it went down," John told him. "But it's just like we thought would happen if the Eslaterans found out about the Genii's weapons. They don't believe the cell was working outside the bounds of the Genii government. They're holding Ladon responsible for the actions of the troops. I offered to send Lorne and a couple of marines to get him and bring him back here for judgment, and they took me up on it."
"Good," Richard approved. "If things don't go well, maybe we can limit the number of those found guilty just to Radim." Ladon being blamed was to be expected, but if they lost others working toward their cause, it could mean a huge delay in their plans at the very least.
"Let's hope they go well," Sheppard told him as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Do you think we can keep them from banishing him to the other dimension, too?"
If Ladon was sent to the other dimension, their plans could easily be ruined. Dr. Zelenka had made a breakthrough just a few days before in the search for information in the database on how the Ancients had defeated the Eslaterans in the first place. When the expedition had thrown in with the Genii and Wraith, they knew it was a dangerous gamble. Their own plans relied on a great deal of stealth that had to take place quite literally in the presence of the enemy. If the Eslaterans were to suddenly suspect the Atlantis expedition of plotting against them, especially with a newly discovered threat like the Genii, all their work to date could be for naught. It made what Richard had to do next to try to keep Ladon from being sent to another dimension all the more critical.
The colonel slapped Richard on the back. "That's up to you, oh mighty negotiator."
"Your confidence in my abilities is encouraging, Colonel," Richard responded dryly, tugging at his uniform jacket to straighten it when the Eslateran delegation arrived in the control room with their translator.
Todd's second in command, Kenny, had been assigned as the translator for the Eslaterans residing on Atlantis. Although he wasn't Todd, Kenny was the next best thing... or next worst thing depending on your opinion. Whereas having a Wraith residing in the city wasn't the most optimal situation, having one that was supposedly working toward the same goal as you was better than one that wasn't. Since the Eslateran's arrival, Atlantis had become the very definition of strange bedfellows.
Kenny walked a few steps further than the Eslaterans and bowed his head slightly in greeting. "The delegates wish to express their gratitude for your assistance in bringing the traitors to the Galactic Peace to justice."
Richard had become accustomed to speaking to the Eslaterans through the Wraith over the past months. He addressed them directly, knowing Kenny would translate his words through their telepathic link.
"As you are well aware, we have been willing to help support the peace process in any way that we can. However, I cannot help but be concerned about any plan to punish a leader because of the actions of his people."
"To be a true leader, one must take responsibility for the actions of those who follow," Kenny translated.
"Wise words," Richard conceded. "However, perhaps there is another way we can address this particular issue. As you have seen, the Genii are a far reaching people in this galaxy. Why, Ladon Radim's sister even serves on the council of the Coalition of Worlds. I fear banishing someone as well known and influential in Pegasus as Ladon might anger those residing here and lead to more rebellion by the populace as a result."
"Those who rebel will also be punished," he was told by Kenny.
Richard fought to control a shudder at the simplicity and certainty of the words. He managed to maintain his composure, although he could feel a drop of sweat slip between his shoulder blades.
"But if there was a way," Richard offered, "another way to punish Radim while not angering the humans here, wouldn't that be better for everyone?"
The delegates tilted their heads toward one another, as if conferring on the option, before Kenny said, "They will hear your suggestion."
"Perhaps instead of banishment to another dimension, he can be sent to Earth," Richard suggested. "That way, he could still be in contact with his people when necessary, but his communications could be safely monitored. He would no longer pose a threat to this galaxy. That is your ultimate goal in banishment, is it not? To protect the peace you've established."
Again the delegation tilted their heads. "And your galaxy would be willing to accept such a dangerous man in their midst?"
Richard cleared his throat to cover his amusement at the irony of the question and the creatures asking it. "I would have to confirm this with my superiors, but I believe we would be willing to accept the risk and could arrange for his exile on Earth."
Another consultation and the Eslaterans straightened. "This is an acceptable compromise. Please make the necessary arrangement so that Ladon Radim leaves this galaxy before nightfall."
The Eslaterans turned to leave and Kenny followed, but not before he gave a sly, complimentary grin to Richard.
Colonel Sheppard moved to stand at Richard's shoulder and watched them go. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
"Let's just hope it was worth it and they don't start to suspect anything now."
The chevrons began spinning on the gate, and Chuck announced Major Lorne's IDC had been transmitted. A minute later, Lorne's team escorted Ladon and Dahilia Radim through the wormhole and into Atlantis.
"Where's my jury?" Ladon asked in confusion when there were no Eslaterans in sight.
Sheppard stepped forward and unlocked the handcuffs on Radim's wrists. "Mr. Woolsey was able to negotiate a plea bargain before you arrived. You're going to Earth."
"They really aren't going to send me to another dimension?" Ladon seemed as shocked by the news as Richard was that the Eslaterans bought into the idea.
"After some convincing, they agreed it was in the best interest of the Pegasus galaxy for you to leave," Richard told him. "Fortunately, they also agreed to an alternate destination from the one they originally intended."
"You need to make any arrangement for succession of power pretty quick," Sheppard informed him. "You leave in an hour."
"Dahilia has already assumed the leadership of the Genii. She will act as Chief in my stead until I can return."
"If you return," John stressed. "We're nowhere near the end of this race yet."
Colonel Sheppard was right; Richard knew it. Hopefully, however, they were one step closer to the finish line.
* * * * *
Continued in Part Four
Author: liketheriverrun
Prompt: Tools and Weapons/Friendship
Rating: T
Word Count: ~42,100
Warnings/Spoilers: Set a few years in the future so anything and anyone can and do show up.
Summary: The discovery of an alien race that predated the Ancients in Pegasus leads to something no one ever thought they would see-- peace. But is it worth the price they have to pay?
[ Part One] [ Part Two] [ Part Three] [ Part Four] [ Part Five]
* * * * *
March 3, 2012
"Sheppard, get the hell out of there!"
Ronon was close enough that he could hear McKay's voice even without his radio. The panic he heard, quickly followed by the sound of more rubble collapsing, had Ronon running even faster. He didn't bother to check to see if Teyla was still on his heels as he started up the tailings pile from the mine, nor did he notice the way the sharp rock bit into his hands as he climbed. The planet was abandoned except for the small mining party from Allaross who excavated the metal ore. They traded it once they extracted the metal using a process only they knew. Normally, Atlantis wouldn't have cared too much about a small mining operation, but they'd discovered the metal the Allarossians produced was the same that was used for some parts in a lot of the Ancient devices. Repairs had become much easier ever since they'd started trading with the miners.
He reached the top of the pile in time to see Rodney shoving into Sheppard's chest, pushing him away from the collapsed entrance to the mine. "What the fuck were you thinking? The entire shoring nearly collapsed on top of you."
"There are a dozen people trapped in there, McKay," John insisted, starting back toward the pile of rock and wood.
"They're dead!" Rodney yelled as he tried to stop Sheppard.
Dust flew from both of them when Sheppard pushed back to get past McKay. "You don't know that."
McKay was completely oblivious to the trickle of blood running down his cheek. "Uh, yeah, I do know, seeing as I was standing right here when the mine exploded."
Evidently McKay had been close enough when the opening fell that he'd been hit by debris, probably pulling Sheppard out. It went a long way in explaining why he was so pissed.
"You don't know," John stressed, swiping at his own bloody nose.
Rodney waved his arms when Sheppard continued toward the pile. "Oh, and you being one of the dead is going to help them how?"
Teyla reached the top of the pile then, quickly looking thing over. "What happened?"
"There was an explosion," John told them, already starting to pull rocks from the opening. "The entire mining team was in there when it happened."
The pile of boulders shifted and Sheppard fell back. Not that it would have done him a bit of good had the debris not locked and stopped its slide.
McKay threw his arms up in sheer frustration that Sheppard had once again nearly been killed by the falling rock. "Fine. You want to get yourself killed, by all means go ahead and do it. Don't let me stop you."
Teyla wasn't very happy with their teammate's attempt to dig out the opening either. "John, Rodney is right. It is not safe."
Ronon did dare to get close enough to clamp onto Sheppard's arm and pull him to his feet and away from what had been the opening. "There's got to be another way to get in. Maybe another entrance?"
"Malvose said this was a single shaft," John told him, pushing a hand into his hair and sending rock powder flying. "They were chasing a rich vein almost straight back into the mountainside. If we don't dig them out, we need to blow the debris out of the way."
"With what?" Rodney challenged. "In case you've forgotten, all our C-4 was sent back to Earth."
John waved a hand at the collapse. "They were using something to blast in the mine since we can't give them the C-4 they need. They must have been making it themselves. Maybe there's some more around here somewhere."
"Oh, you mean use the same stuff that blew the damn mine in the first place?" McKay shot a glance at the barrels of ingredients sitting around the camp and shook his head.
Sheppard jabbed a finger in the direction of the trapped miners. "Rodney, we cannot just leave those people in there."
"Call in the combat engineers and let them dig them out," Rodney suggested.
"We're over an hour from the gate," Sheppard argued. "Do you really think these people have two hours or more to wait for help?"
McKay glowered, and though he didn't say it, Ronon could see what he was thinking clearly on his face. McKay didn't think there was anyone alive to be waiting for help. And maybe there wasn't, but Ronon knew John, and he knew the man wouldn't believe it until he saw it for himself.
"Perhaps you can make an explosive of your own," Teyla suggested. "Something more stable than what they were using. Given your vast knowledge and the experience you have, it should not be difficult."
"She's right," Sheppard encouraged. "You're a lot smarter than those guys."
"See, I know what you're trying to do," Rodney accused. "You're trying to stroke my ego and goad me into whipping up an explosive."
"Is it working?" Ronon asked.
McKay looked back at the wooden barrels and crates, eventually heading toward them with a grumbled, "Yes."
His three teammates moved to stand behind him and look over his shoulder as he surveyed the components the Allarossians were using to mix their explosives.
"Okay, you guys need to back off so I can work," Rodney snapped, shouldering between them to see what he had to work with on the tables. "Not that any of you have a problem with me blowing myself up, but I do kind of have one with blowing you all up in the process."
John squeezed McKay's shoulder. "That's the spirit." He went to join Teyla and Ronon a good fifty feet away, completely ignoring the way Rodney rolled his eyes at the placation.
"Someone should go back to the gate and bring back a medical team," John suggested. "If we get the mine open, we'll probably need one."
"I'll go," Teyla volunteered and took off at a run as soon as she reached the bottom of the rock pile.
Once Teyla was gone, John and Ronon watched Rodney work? sniffing, measuring, mixing, mumbling to himself? and helped by staying out of his way.
"This would be a lot easier if we could just use C-4," Ronon said out loud. Not that he needed to; he was sure
Sheppard was already thinking it.
"Welcome to a kinder, gentler Pegasus," John responded bitterly, throwing a rock down the tailings slope then standing to stare out across the forest below them.
Ronon stood beside him. "Maybe the Eslaterans will let the Allarossians to use a safer explosive now if they see how dangerous is it using their homemade stuff."
Sheppard shook his head. "Or they might zap them off to Bizarro world with the others who didn't live up to the truce, or at least the Eslateran interpretation of the truce."
They had heard of at least four other worlds meeting the same fate as the Telmacks for not following the disarmament treaty. At least three of them had been trying to hide weapons that were discovered by the Eslateran envoys that were inspecting various worlds. Although the entire Eslateran population had not yet returned, something no one could really understand why and they weren't explaining, they were coming back five at a time, so that a good two dozen or more had returned to take up residence on their home world. The original five still remained in Atlantis. Sheppard was convinced it was to keep an eye on the group of people who had taken up residence in their old nemeses' city, and Ronon had no reason not to believe him. If anything could pose a risk directly to them, Atlantis would be it.
While three of the worlds had been caught legitimately hiding weapons, the fourth, Dellasar, had been questionable. They claimed they needed the explosive compounds they had been creating to power crude space craft they'd been developing. The rings around their planet contained different rare minerals that were first discovered by scientist from Atlantis, including something very similar to the Naquadah used to make the generators and other equipment that came from Earth. The Dellasarians had been working to mine the rings independently to sell to the SGC.
They weren't working to do it any longer, not unless there were rings in the alternate dimension where they had been exiled. The Eslaterans claimed they had found more than simple rocket engines and that the Dellasarians were developing bombs, as well, in clear violation of what was becoming known throughout Pegasus as the Galactic Truce. Punishment, as it had been since the beginning, was swift and nonnegotiable.
"Which is why we keep this whole mess quiet when we get back to Atlantis," John stressed.
When Sheppard looked to Ronon for agreement, Ronon shrugged. "Hey, if I don't have to talk to the Eslaterans, that's fine by me. Those gill things on their face are weird to look at." Not to mention those fishy bastards had made him send his gun and his sword through the gate and back to Earth.
"Sheppard," Rodney called, "find me something bowl shaped, the harder and denser the material it's made out of the better. I'm going to try to make a shaped charge to blow the rock out instead of in."
They rummaged around the small camp until Ronon located one of the metal hats the miners wore underground for protection. "Will this work?"
McKay didn't seem too happy with it as he turned it over in his hands. "It'll have to."
He packed the helmet with a muddy substance, then carried it gently to the blocked opening of the mine. "Dig out a few of those rocks so I can set this as far back in there as I can."
The teammates dug until Rodney was satisfied and placed his crude bomb in the hole, stuck the detonator cord in the muck, then gently placed some large rocks back in place.
"Okay, get down below the lip of the tailings pile," McKay directed, unrolling the cord as they walked.
"How big is this explosion going to be?" John asked as they walked.
Rodney looked at Sheppard like he was a complete idiot. "I just made a bomb out of what I think is dung, algae, and unrefined crude oil. I honestly have no fucking clue what will happen."
Sheppard ignored the look. "But it will explode, right?"
McKay stopped and crossed his arms irritably. "Tell you what, you go stir up a bowl of shit and slime and then you tell me what kind of deflagration properties I should expect."
John took hold of Rodney's arm and pulled him along. "I'm sure it will work just fine, Rodney."
"Yeah, well, that makes one of us," Rodney admitted, settling in beside the rest of his team before asking, "Anybody have a match?" When Sheppard frowned at him, he demanded, "What? I made the bomb. Someone else could at least contribute something to this whole mess."
Ronon pulled one of the Athosian fire starters Teyla had given him from his pocket and handed it over. McKay mumbled, "Thanks," before yelling, "Fire in the hole!" and lighting the cord.
Ronon and John ducked their heads down and covered them; Rodney peeked over the lip of the tailings pile. "It's going to take it a minute to reach the bomb."
Sheppard and Ronon finally decided to have a look, too, and that's when McKay hunkered down in a ball between them. The two other men exchanged an alarmed look to see Rodney's actions, took them as a sign they should do the same, dropped quickly and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Rodney exhaled in frustration and stood. "Damnit, I know I got those proportions right. Why the hell didn't it wo?"
The blast that finally came had Ronon's ears ringing and rock debris pelting his bare shoulders and leather-clad back. Then he felt something else on his shoulder; Sheppard's hand as he used Ronon to push up and away. He cracked an eye to see Sheppard skidding down the rocky slope.
Sounds were muffled, distance, but Ronon could just hear John yelling, "McKay!"
Further down the slope, he saw Rodney lying face down in an unmoving heap and Ronon was immediately sliding down the rock pile, reaching McKay a split second after Sheppard did.
"Shit," John cursed, seemingly afraid to touch Rodney, afraid of what he'd discover if he did. "Shit."
A small avalanche of rocks splayed out from the slope and reached McKay. At the touch of stone, his hand twitched. "Did you see that?" Ronon asked in relief at the sight. "He moved!"
It was enough to have John gently rest his hand on the back of Rodney's head. "Rodney? Can you hear me, buddy?"
He was answered by a groan and a flex of McKay's fingers. Sheppard and Ronon exhaled a collected sigh of relief.
"Easy; try not to move too much," John warned. "We need to check you over first."
Ronon was already checking for broken bones along McKay's legs. So far, so good, although Rodney groaned again in response.
Hand still resting on McKay's head, John brushed his thumb reassuringly across Rodney's temple. "You're going to be okay," he promised.
Rodney slivered his eyes open, raised his head slightly, and managed to slur. "Di' i' work?"
"Seems like it might have," John told him. "Don't worry about it now. The medical team from Atlantis should be here soon."
But Sheppard looked to Ronon, silently asking him to climb back up the tailings pile to check on the mine. The entrance was wide open, blown to hell, but open. By the time he reached it, two haggard figures were supporting a third, staggering their way back out into the sunlight. The rescue team would pull a fourth alive from the rubble by nightfall. By then, McKay was back in the infirmary, beaten and battered but alive, just like the miners he'd managed to free. Four out of twelve, not perfect but not bad considering the odds they'd been up against.
McKay's handmade bomb had worked after all. What the Eslaterans would make of that accomplishment remained to be seen.
* * * * *
From: KandJMiller@shaw.ca
Sent: March 20, 2012
To: Rodney.McKay@atl.af.mil
Subject: Airport and Such
Dear Mer,
Everything is set to pick you up at the airport on Saturday. Do I need to make arrangements for a wheelchair? I know you said you're getting around pretty well with the cane now, but it is kind of long walk to baggage claim. Just let me know what you want to do. Are there any basics you need me to pick up for you? I know it will take several weeks for all your things to get here considering your shipping arrangements with the Air Force. We can always go shopping once you're here and settled in.
I know this must be hard for you, to leave your position there, to leave John, Teyla, Ronon, Carson, and all the others. But I also believe you've made the right decision by coming home. Given the situation, it's a very prudent choice. And I am more than willing to step in and help any way that I can. You are welcome here in our home for as long as you need. Madison is actually very excited to have you come. Of course, it may have something to do with you bringing your XBOX with you, but I believe it's more than that, too. Since you mentioned getting back into music, I'm hoping having you here will motivate her to practice her piano a little more. Oh, and Kaleb even emptied a shelf in the extra refrigerator in the garage to make room for a few meat products and your favorite beer. LOL!
Seriously, Mer, we are all happy you'll be coming to stay with us, and I really hope you are, too. At least a little bit (or that you'll at least try to pretend you are). So, just let me know about the wheelchair and anything you need me to pick up and I'll take care of it. Then we'll see you on Saturday!
Love,
Jeannie
March 24, 2012
Amelia was supposed to be off duty almost an hour before, but she'd stuck around today for the dial out to Earth. People came and went from Atlantis all the time. It was the nature of military service that people entered and exited your life. One day you were shaking their hand in welcome, the next you were shaking it goodbye. It always reminded her of those period movies, when people danced and one person passed off a partner to the person on the right, did a few twirls with the person from the left, then passed that partner along, too. It might be fun for the time you danced, but you always knew that time would come to an end and you'd end up passing that person off and accepting a new partner. Eventually, you might end up with the partner you started with if the music didn't stop too soon. Unfortunately, the music had stopped way too soon on way too many people here in Atlantis. She supposed they were lucky Dr. McKay was leaving carrying a duffle bag, although using a cane to do it, instead of zipped up in body bag.
Even after all these years, she still felt odd calling him Rodney. Sure, she'd eaten meals with him plenty of times with Ronon, and McKay had never balked when she did call him by his first name, but he was so much more than a name. Just like Colonel Sheppard was so much more than John. And they were both much more than a title to Ronon.
Chuck walked up behind where she stood looking down on the small group standing near the gate. "I can't believe he's actually leaving."
"Neither can I," she admitted, recalling how shocked she'd been when Ronon had told her the news a little over a week ago.
"It's not going to be the same around here without him." Chuck laughed lightly. "Maybe a little quieter."
Amelia gave him a small smile of agreement before sighing. "It hasn't been the same around here for a couple of months."
With the truce, fewer teams were going out on missions, so there was much less gate traffic. In fact, the SGC had been toying with the idea of withdrawing a big chunk of the staff here in the city. The recent accident with Dr. McKay had only made the possibility of a dwindling population on Atlantis even more probable.
Chuck nodded. "Well, you know what they say? careful what you wish for."
Truer words had never been spoken. How many times had she watched teams filled with people she'd come to care about walk through the gate and wondered if this was the time one of them wouldn't come back? How many times had she wished Pegasus were a safer place? And now? It was so safe it had almost become more dangerous in the process.
Mr. Woolsey had touched on it a little when he had spoken at the going away party last night. He'd presented Dr. McKay with a plaque for his dedication and service to Atlantis, had numerous people give their accounts of all the times Rodney had saved the city, how he had saved their lives an almost disturbing amount. Dr. Zelenka, who was assuming his role as head of science, looked a little sick at the responsibility he was stepping into. Then Woolsey had spoke about the new direction the expedition would be taking, trying to use the technologies available to them to help the inhabitants of Pegasus better sustain their populations. Helping them develop better tools for medicine, manufacturing, and agriculture. Atlantis had just officially become the galactic 4-H office.
That had been last night, with cake and booze and laughter and well wishes. Today, however, there was a more personal goodbye taking place. This one was reserved for those closest to Rodney?his team. Below them, Teyla was stepping in to lean her head against Rodney's in the traditional Athosian salutation. When she straightened, she cupped his face a moment, careful of the large bruise that covered the entire right side of his cheek and jaw. She was smiling even as she blinked rapidly to clear the tears.
"Oh, please don't cry," Dr. McKay begged. "Carson blubbered enough for everyone last night. I swear, you get a few drinks in him at a going away party and you'd think he was going to have to put me down like Ole Yeller instead of just saying goodbye."
"That movie sucks," Ronon chimed in. Amelia knew the opinion was because even battle-toughed Ronon Dex had fallen prey to the emotional manipulation of the film.
Teyla stepped back, managing to control her tears. "We expect regular correspondence."
"Yeah, well, I'm not very good at writing letters," McKay admitted.
"Then you will improve with practice," Teyla warned firmly. "And we will be reminding you with updates of our own."
Teyla looked around for the two other men on her team to back her up and was met with Ronon looking at her like she was nuts. Amelia couldn't help but grin at the thought of Ronon, who hated communication of any sort in general, writing letters to Dr. McKay. Colonel Sheppard stood a little further back, arms crossed, a small frown on his face as if lost in thought, apparently oblivious to what Teyla had said.
Undeterred, Teyla promised, "You will not miss one important moment in Torren's life."
It appeared McKay wasn't sure what to make of that news. "Oh... great."
Rodney glanced in Sheppard's direction, then quickly turned back to offer a hand to Ronon. "With me gone, that means you'll have to step up and take on more of the brute strength protection of the team."
Ronon ignored the joke and the hand and scooped McKay up in a bear hug that had Rodney yelping in pain from his bruised ribs. Even from her vantage point, Amelia could see the large man was being gentle as he set Rodney back down. It was one of these things that had surprised her about Ronon, how he could be gruff and gentle all at the same time. It was the main reason she'd stayed over on her shift today, so she could offer to spar with him in the gym once this was all over. A workout always seemed to make Ronon feel better.
"Don't be a stranger," Ronon mumbled.
"You either." McKay actually took a step back, afraid Ronon might want to hug him again. "If you ever want to see more of Earth than just San Francisco, you can come on up to Canada." Rodney twirled the hand that wasn't white knuckling his cane. "You can play hockey or wrestle a moose or something."
Ronon seemed intrigued by the offer. "Really? They really let you wrestle those things?"
Rodney took another step back, this time more out of concern for the Canadian wildlife. "Sure, I suppose, if you can catch one. Why not?"
Ronon nodded with a small grin of anticipation on his lips, then turned to Colonel Sheppard as if to indicate it was his turn. Amelia had been at the disarmament ceremony a few months earlier. She'd seen the dread and reluctance on the colonel's face when he had climbed the stairs to relinquish his gun to the Eslaterans. It was nothing compared to what she saw on his face now.
McKay took a deep breath and shrugged lightly. "Sheppard?"
John didn't move, stood where he was and shook his head. "Maybe we could work something else out."
"Do you really believe that?" Rodney asked.
"No, but if you walk through that gate..." Sheppard couldn't seem to bring himself to say what the consequences would be.
McKay finished for him. "Everything changes."
The colonel finally took the few steps to close the distance between them and took Rodney's free hand in a firm grip. "Not everything."
McKay held just as tight. "I'll be in touch real soon."
"Don't get distracted by Jeannie's cookies." For the first time, a quirk of a smile crossed Sheppard's face.
"Don't get distracted by the new family farm," Rodney countered.
Sheppard snorted. "All I need is a tractor and Eva Gabor."
"Damn," McKay mocked, "if I'd known that was a possibility, I might have stuck around."
Neither man had let go of the other's hand, but that was about to change.
"Time to dial the gate," Chuck reminded.
Amelia dialed in the address, taking her time pushing the tiles to give a few seconds more to the people below. Eventually, however, the event horizon whooshed out from the gate.
Dr. McKay looked behind him. "Guess that's my cue."
The two men reluctantly let go, and Sheppard quickly grabbed McKay's bag and handed it to him, reaching out a hand to his shoulder to steady him when Rodney stumbled with the weight.
"This is the right thing I'm doing." He hadn't asked it as a question, but the way Rodney looked to his teammates, it definitely was one.
"It's the right thing," Sheppard assured with a hint of reluctance in his voice.
Rodney's eyes went to each of them. "Be careful."
John gave a sharp nod as he patted the shoulder he'd been gripping. "You, too."
Colonel Sheppard released his hold on his partner, passed him off to the right like everyone in the military did at one time or another. Then he watched as Dr. McKay limped his way to the gate, gave one final look back, before he stepped through the gate and was gone. And while the music hadn't ended early for McKay, there still wasn't anyone new coming in from Sheppard's left.
* * * * *
March 29, 2012
To: Major General Henry Landry
United States Air Force
Stargate Command
From: Carson Beckett, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Atlantis Expedition
Subject: Official Protest of Order to Provide Classified Medical Data to Eslateran Allies
In response to your order to provide the Eslaterans with all medical data related to my development, testing, and distribution of the Wraith retrovirus in the Pegasus galaxy, I must register my official protest. As you and all members of the IOA are well aware, use of this retrovirus has led to numerous negative outcomes as recorded in the mission reports detailed below. In addition, the Eslaterans have not been forthcoming in exactly how they plan to use this information, and it should be noted this data could just as easily be manipulated and used against the expedition and the human population of Pegasus as it could be used against the Wraith on a widespread basis.
We have already bore witness to what Michael was capable of doing with a bastardized version of this retrovirus. Hundreds of thousands lost their lives either directly from the tests Michael conducted or in retaliation by the Wraith on those worlds Michael exposed to the virus. I am deeply concerned and troubled that the SGC and IOA have apparently not learned the hard lessons earned in our struggle with Michael, and I fear similar results, either intentional or accidental, if we provide the requested information to the Eslaterans.
I ask that the SGC and IOA take my professional and personal concerns into consideration and carefully reevaluate their orders and the implication of providing this data, even to an ally. I shall await your final decision on this matter before turning over any data to the Eslaterans.
April 19, 2012
Teyla watched as John subconsciously reached around and checked the sticks in the small of his back. Not the same as checking his P90, but habits are hard to break, even when you have to adjust them somewhat. If nothing else, John's hand-to-hand fighting skills had improved vastly in the months since they had lost their guns. Although she was not sure if his extra time in the gym had been more out of worry for his team's safety in the field or that Rodney was no longer on Atlantis to play video games or chess or race small toy cars through the hallways.
Rodney's absence was felt daily, and much more strongly than any of them would have imagined. From the lack of comment about the shortage of a particular muffin at breakfast, to the nonexistent rants they all expected when a particular piece of technology was not working properly, their missing teammate was an almost palpable presence in their life for the sheer fact that he was not there. And while they all missed him terribly, it was John who was most affected by it. Rodney had managed to provide emails on a regular basis, which sometimes helped and other times seemed to make it all the harder to know he would not be joining them for dinner or a movie or a mission. Rodney's presence had become so much second nature over the years that Teyla had caught John to catch himself more than once tapping his radio with the scientist's name poised on his lips, and he was not the only one to do it.
Although, as much as they all missed him most days, today was the rare exception when Teyla was glad he was not here to join them on this mission. Rodney had never excelled in combat situations, even with a gun, and the thought of him going into one armed only with sticks would have been laughable if not so terrifying to consider the probable outcome. John had yet to replace Rodney on the team, using the lack of firearms as the excuse for not wanting to bring someone like Radek into the field. While there was truth in his reasoning, Teyla knew there was much more to it than that. A secret meeting, like the one called today by Todd, on a world long abandoned was exactly the sort of situation an unarmed scientist would want to avoid. Of course, the fact that the world was Sateda was a situation Ronon wished to avoid, too.
Todd had sent word through Major Lorne's team to meet him on Sateda in the old barracks. Teyla could not say which was more disturbing, Todd wishing to meet secretly away from the Eslaterans or that he had chosen Sateda on which to hold the meeting. Ronon had led them silently through the ruins of his once majestic home to the military barracks where he had spent a great deal of his time during his service in the Satedan military.
"We're here," Ronon announced needlessly when they reached the spread of overgrown lawn in front of the partially destroyed building. "Where's Todd?"
"Waiting for you to arrive." Todd stepped out of the wreckage of the building. "I was about the think you had decided not to come."
Teyla scanned the area, looking for any additional Wraith and surprisingly saw none, although there were no doubt more in the building.
"We didn't want to change our normal mission schedule," Sheppard explained. "Lorne said you made it pretty clear you didn't want the Eslaterans knowing we were meeting you."
"Yes," Todd agreed. "It would be prudent that they knew nothing of this visit considering the topic I wish to discuss."
John crossed his arms. "So do you plan to tell us the topic or do you want to play twenty questions?"
Todd's lips curled to see he was grating on John's nerves. "You are all probably wondering why I chose Sateda for this meeting."
"I figured it was to piss me off," Ronon told him.
"While that is always an added bonus to anything I do, Specialist Dex." Todd seemed to relish the way he stressed Ronon's old title. "It is not why I chose this location. You are aware that the Eslaterans found and destroyed an old Satedan weapons storage unit here."
"Yeah," Ronon nodded. "A few weeks ago, but most of the weapons didn't even work anymore."
Todd simply grunted in acknowledgement of the information, as if it was of no consequence. "You are also aware that two more human worlds were banished recently for noncompliance with the treaty."
John's jaw tensed at the reminder. "We're aware."
Todd studied John for a moment before turning to Teyla. "Surely you and the other humans in this galaxy find this trend disturbing."
"Oh, and now suddenly you do, too?" John scoffed, obviously thinking of the Wraith's help in finding the Traveler's vessel.
Todd ignored him and continued to stare at Teyla, still waiting for an answer.
Teyla was somewhat taken aback that Todd was addressing this question to her and she chose her words carefully. "The Eslaterans have made it very clear what the consequences are for those who do not comply."
"The Eslaterans also made it clear that they would help the Wraith with a way to sustain ourselves without feeding on the human population in the manner that we have for thousands of years." Todd's humorous undertone turned to anger. "With the help of Dr. Beckett's research, they have put this plan into effect, and the results have been more devastating than you can ever imagine."
This information was surprising to everyone. The SGC had ordered Carson to turn over all his medical information on his retrovirus to the Eslaterans, but no one had heard anything about the outcome of their work until now.
"What happened?" John asked. "They turn you human and no one likes the solid food they're eating now?"
"Just the opposite," Todd informed him. "They have stripped all human genetic material from their test subjects, so that they have reverted back to the original form from which we evolved."
Teyla's stomach twisted at the news. "The Iratus bug?"
"They're turning you back into bugs?" John asked in disbelief.
"We discovered this on a Hive that had gone into hibernation when the Eslaterans arrived," Todd explained. "It appears the Eslaterans went aboard and released the retrovirus while they slept. It would also appear that the taint of humanity has doomed us as a species."
Ronon shrugged. "Why should we care what they do to you?"
"Have you forgotten why they created the Iratus bug in the first place?" Todd reminded. "Millions of Wraith converted to creatures whose sole purpose when they were created was to eradicate the human population and you with no weapons to defend yourselves."
John frowned at the implications before shaking his head. "So what do you think we can do about it? Even if we wanted to help you? and just to be clear, we don't ? but like you said, we don't have any weapons."
"But I do," Todd told them.
"And so do we."
The new voice came from an unlikely source stepping out of the building? Ladon Radim.
"What the hell are you doing here?" John demanded of the Genii leader.
"Todd approached us for our help. He knows of our weapons stores on other worlds," Ladon explained.
"Your operative cells?" John crossed his arms irritably. "The ones you supposedly shut down years ago after you seized power from Cowen."
Radim shrugged, more proud than abashed to have found out. "More like we realigned the leadership of the cells to be more in step with the new government."
"So the whole peaceful farmers routine is still a front for what you're really up to?" John accused.
"No more than the farms Atlantis is attempting to establish are a cover for you." The curve of Ladon's mouth suggested he believed that's exactly what they were.
Teyla ignored the political ramifications of the confessions and accusations to concentrate on what was important now. "Surely you are aware of what will happen if the Eslaterans find you have been hiding weapons."
"Of course I am, which why I'm here," Radim admitted. "We have weapons, so do the Wraith. What we don't have is way to transport them without detection to a safe location. One of your jumpers would meet that need."
"What safe location?" Ronon inquired.
Ladon spread his arms wide. "What better place to hide something than one that has already been searched?"
"So let me get this straight," John started. "You want us to break the treaty, risk having Atlantis zapped off into some other dimension, and fly your weapons here?"
"Or provide a ship to us for our use," Ladon offered as an alternative. "The choice is yours."
John shook his head even as he started to walk back in the direction of the gate. "You people are nuts."
Teyla and Ronon fell into step behind him.
"Tell me, Colonel Sheppard," Ladon called. "Why haven't the Eslaterans already gotten rid of Atlantis?"
John didn't stop walking. "Because we've upheld the treaty and haven't posed a threat to them."
"You live in the city of the Ancestors," Radim countered. "The race of people who banished and trapped them for over a million years. Chances are the technology that did that is still in the city somewhere. If you were in their position and could send the source of the technology away, wouldn't you?"
John stopped walking but said nothing. Teyla followed suit, waiting to follow John's lead. Of course they had thought of that and come to the same conclusion that there must be something that made it impossible to send Atlantis to an alternate dimension. And yes, they had been looking for any information in the database that could tell them what it was and how the Ancients had managed to trap the Eslaterans the way they did. There was a very good chance the Eslaterans knew the same thing, which was why they had established a presence on Atlantis, and why they were taking as many precautions as they could.
The question was, did they want the Wraith and the Genii to know such a thing?
"You have been looking for such a way to stop them, have you not, Sheppard?" Todd did not wait for an answer. "Even if you find the way to keep the entire Eslateran population from returning, there are still nearly one hundred here already. Everyday their numbers grow. Not to mention the human worlds who have to practically worship the Eslaterans. You will need weapons and fighters to wield them when you do find the information you seek. We are offering you both, but only if you help us keep them hidden."
John looked over his shoulder at the Wraith and Genii standing there, waiting patiently for an answer. "You're asking us to risk a lot."
"No more than we are risking ourselves," Ladon responded.
Teyla studied John's face, could see him weighing the risks and the benefits. She could see the battle between finally having allies in their search for a way to defeat the Eslaterans and making allies of the two groups who had been the greatest risk to Atlantis over the years. They were risking a great deal as it was, and Teyla was just as concerned as John about whether these two could be an asset or weakness.
"We'll be in touch," he told them finally, before continuing on to the gate without a look back.
* * * * *
From: Einsteinsheir@mckaysbatcave.net
Sent: April 24, 2012
To: John.Sheppard@atl.af.mil
Subject: Old McDonald Had A Farm
Hey, Old McD, how's farm life treating you? Managed to break any plowshares yet? Maybe during the next mail run I'll send you an RC tractor to practice with unless, of course, you already bought one from Mr. Haney.
Things here are moving along at a pace to be expected living in a house full of vegetarians in Vancouver. In other words...Zzzzzz. I guess there's something to be said for having plenty of time to catch up on my sleep and the additional fiber in my diet isn't half bad. I had no idea how regular bowel movements could improve a person's outlook on the entire day. On the plus side, my music is improving. I'd forgotten how good a piano player Jeannie is, which just motivates me even more. Although I just can't seem to find any sheet music that truly interests me. Madison has been practicing some Czech folk dances. Radek would no doubt love it. I, however, am about to pull my hair out (and yes, before you make a smart ass comment, I do have hair to pull out.) Not to mention I would kill for a cheeseburger, even one that was made from the meat of that funky longhaired kangaroo looking thing.
Hey! Maybe you guys should consider ranching instead of farming. That way I could call you Tex. Think you could saddle up one of those kangaroos, Tex, and ride the prairies rounding up stray joeys? See? It has a nice ring to it.
Happy trails, Tex!
McK
From: John.Sheppard@atl.af.mil
Sent: April 27, 2012
To: Einsteinsheir@mckaysbatcave.net
Subject: RE: Old McDonald Had A Farm
Farming sucks. Mr. Haney sucks and so, btw, does Arnold the pig. Try putting up with them on a daily basis and I guarantee you'll be thanking your lucky stars all you have to contend with is tofurkey and piano lessons. Have I told you what a bastard you are for deserting me to deal with them on my own? I'm sure I have, but it bears repeating... you, Rodney McKay, are a no good bastard and owe me big time. Which is why I'll take you up on the RC tractor offer, but only if you soup it up the way you did my Vette. And where the hell are my cookies? You said I should have them by now. If you're not going to be here to race tractors with me, the least you can do is send baked goods.
Sorry to hear about the music lessons. I'll check with Zelenka and see if he can find you any sheet music Madison might like. That's just the kind of giving guy I am. As for the kangaburgeroos, I can put one of those in the mail for you if you want. After three weeks it should be nice and inedible just the way you like them. Oh, and in the future, please feel free to keep all bowel-related information to yourself.
J
p.s. Send the goddamn cookies! Things are getting desperate here.
p.p.s Call me Tex one more time, and the next time I see you, I swear to God I will kick your ass.
May 10, 2012
One look on the colonel's face and Richard Woolsey knew something had happened. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"The Eslaterans caught the Genii cell stashing weapons on Galeson," was the tense reply.
Richard was on his feet immediately, moving toward the door of his office to join Colonel Sheppard, who was already heading toward the control room. "The Genii were still there when it happened? Were they punished?"
"The Genii troops and the entire cache of weapons are now residing in a new dimension," Sheppard informed him as they started down the stairs.
"Do they know about Sateda?" Richard lowered his voice. "Do they have any idea of our involvement?"
John shook his head. "As far as I know, they believe this was an isolated event and we came out of it clean. Radim, however, is a different story."
"Please, don't tell me Ladon was there when this happened." Richard stopped in his tracks, dreading the news.
"No, he was on the Genii home world when it went down," John told him. "But it's just like we thought would happen if the Eslaterans found out about the Genii's weapons. They don't believe the cell was working outside the bounds of the Genii government. They're holding Ladon responsible for the actions of the troops. I offered to send Lorne and a couple of marines to get him and bring him back here for judgment, and they took me up on it."
"Good," Richard approved. "If things don't go well, maybe we can limit the number of those found guilty just to Radim." Ladon being blamed was to be expected, but if they lost others working toward their cause, it could mean a huge delay in their plans at the very least.
"Let's hope they go well," Sheppard told him as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Do you think we can keep them from banishing him to the other dimension, too?"
If Ladon was sent to the other dimension, their plans could easily be ruined. Dr. Zelenka had made a breakthrough just a few days before in the search for information in the database on how the Ancients had defeated the Eslaterans in the first place. When the expedition had thrown in with the Genii and Wraith, they knew it was a dangerous gamble. Their own plans relied on a great deal of stealth that had to take place quite literally in the presence of the enemy. If the Eslaterans were to suddenly suspect the Atlantis expedition of plotting against them, especially with a newly discovered threat like the Genii, all their work to date could be for naught. It made what Richard had to do next to try to keep Ladon from being sent to another dimension all the more critical.
The colonel slapped Richard on the back. "That's up to you, oh mighty negotiator."
"Your confidence in my abilities is encouraging, Colonel," Richard responded dryly, tugging at his uniform jacket to straighten it when the Eslateran delegation arrived in the control room with their translator.
Todd's second in command, Kenny, had been assigned as the translator for the Eslaterans residing on Atlantis. Although he wasn't Todd, Kenny was the next best thing... or next worst thing depending on your opinion. Whereas having a Wraith residing in the city wasn't the most optimal situation, having one that was supposedly working toward the same goal as you was better than one that wasn't. Since the Eslateran's arrival, Atlantis had become the very definition of strange bedfellows.
Kenny walked a few steps further than the Eslaterans and bowed his head slightly in greeting. "The delegates wish to express their gratitude for your assistance in bringing the traitors to the Galactic Peace to justice."
Richard had become accustomed to speaking to the Eslaterans through the Wraith over the past months. He addressed them directly, knowing Kenny would translate his words through their telepathic link.
"As you are well aware, we have been willing to help support the peace process in any way that we can. However, I cannot help but be concerned about any plan to punish a leader because of the actions of his people."
"To be a true leader, one must take responsibility for the actions of those who follow," Kenny translated.
"Wise words," Richard conceded. "However, perhaps there is another way we can address this particular issue. As you have seen, the Genii are a far reaching people in this galaxy. Why, Ladon Radim's sister even serves on the council of the Coalition of Worlds. I fear banishing someone as well known and influential in Pegasus as Ladon might anger those residing here and lead to more rebellion by the populace as a result."
"Those who rebel will also be punished," he was told by Kenny.
Richard fought to control a shudder at the simplicity and certainty of the words. He managed to maintain his composure, although he could feel a drop of sweat slip between his shoulder blades.
"But if there was a way," Richard offered, "another way to punish Radim while not angering the humans here, wouldn't that be better for everyone?"
The delegates tilted their heads toward one another, as if conferring on the option, before Kenny said, "They will hear your suggestion."
"Perhaps instead of banishment to another dimension, he can be sent to Earth," Richard suggested. "That way, he could still be in contact with his people when necessary, but his communications could be safely monitored. He would no longer pose a threat to this galaxy. That is your ultimate goal in banishment, is it not? To protect the peace you've established."
Again the delegation tilted their heads. "And your galaxy would be willing to accept such a dangerous man in their midst?"
Richard cleared his throat to cover his amusement at the irony of the question and the creatures asking it. "I would have to confirm this with my superiors, but I believe we would be willing to accept the risk and could arrange for his exile on Earth."
Another consultation and the Eslaterans straightened. "This is an acceptable compromise. Please make the necessary arrangement so that Ladon Radim leaves this galaxy before nightfall."
The Eslaterans turned to leave and Kenny followed, but not before he gave a sly, complimentary grin to Richard.
Colonel Sheppard moved to stand at Richard's shoulder and watched them go. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
"Let's just hope it was worth it and they don't start to suspect anything now."
The chevrons began spinning on the gate, and Chuck announced Major Lorne's IDC had been transmitted. A minute later, Lorne's team escorted Ladon and Dahilia Radim through the wormhole and into Atlantis.
"Where's my jury?" Ladon asked in confusion when there were no Eslaterans in sight.
Sheppard stepped forward and unlocked the handcuffs on Radim's wrists. "Mr. Woolsey was able to negotiate a plea bargain before you arrived. You're going to Earth."
"They really aren't going to send me to another dimension?" Ladon seemed as shocked by the news as Richard was that the Eslaterans bought into the idea.
"After some convincing, they agreed it was in the best interest of the Pegasus galaxy for you to leave," Richard told him. "Fortunately, they also agreed to an alternate destination from the one they originally intended."
"You need to make any arrangement for succession of power pretty quick," Sheppard informed him. "You leave in an hour."
"Dahilia has already assumed the leadership of the Genii. She will act as Chief in my stead until I can return."
"If you return," John stressed. "We're nowhere near the end of this race yet."
Colonel Sheppard was right; Richard knew it. Hopefully, however, they were one step closer to the finish line.
* * * * *
Continued in Part Four