Lightning Strikes, part 2
Here's the next segment. This is a WIP, so be patient with me.
Title: Lightning Strikes
Author: Amycat8733
Rating: T
Pairing(s): John/Teyla
Characters: John, Teyla, Rodney, Ronon, Keller, Lorne, Woolsey
Warning(s): sentient Atlantis
Length:
Summary: A lightning bolt brings change to John Sheppard. His bond with the city deepens, bringing its own hazards. Friendship is tested as Rodney and John clash over his new strength.
Part 2
Waking was a slow process. John was sure that even his hair hurt. His skin was tight and hot and reminded him of the one time he got sunburned real badly. His hearing returned first, bringing the familiar sounds of someone sitting vigil, but as he listened to the sounds he realized that the echoes were off. The room was too quiet. Opening his eyes took a bit more effort, but his struggle proved rewarding. Staring at the ceiling as his eyes focused, John noticed that something was different. The ceiling was further away than normal. Looking around, he noticed that the colors were right for the amount of light in the room, so he knew he was in Atlantis. He realized where he was when he saw the faint glow of light above him that told him he was in the observation room. As he tried to see who was with him, he shifted, which caused pain to flare all over his sore body and he let out a sharp gasp in response.
Teyla was at his side instantly. She placed her hands on his shoulders to keep him lying down. “Shhh, it is alright John. Be still and let the drugs work.”
Willing his eyes to focus, John looked up at Teyla. “Wha’ happn’d?”
Teyla picked up a glass of water and held it as he sipped. “You were struck by lightning. You have some burns, but none are serious. You also had some shrapnel in your right thigh and side, which Jennifer removed.”
John frowned as he tried to make sense of Teyla’s words. “Lightning? Shrapnel? How…?”
Teyla reached up and stroked his hair gently. “A bolt traveled through the Gate. You were struck just as you exited the Gate. The energy caused your 9mm to explode. Rodney said that your extra ammo didn’t explode because it was not in direct contact with your body.” Anticipating his next question, Teyla continued. “We are all fine, no one else was injured.”
At that moment Keller walked in. Seeing John was awake, she made her way to the bed. “How are you feeling today, Colonel?”
“Crispy. Still have a headache and my back and leg hurt.” John shifted and grunted in pain again.
Reaching into her pocket, Keller pulled out her penlight. “I hate to do this, but I need to look at your eyes before I give you your meds.” Forestalling a protest as John cracked his eyes open and glared at her, she held up a hand. ‘I promise to be quick and give you the good stuff when I’m done.”
Bowing to the inevitable, John grumbled. “Okay, Doc.”
Keller did as promised, quickly checking the responsiveness of each eye. Knowing it was coming, John kept himself from flinching. Putting her light away, she dumped the syringe into his IV. As the drugs started to take effect, both she and Teyla could see the pain lines ease. They both knew of Sheppard’s legendary high pain threshold, so they knew that he was truly hurting if he admitted it.
John welcomed the painkiller as it eased the migraine and the pain from his back and leg. He laid there drifting as Keller and Teyla changed the bandages on his back. As sleep crept up on him, he heard a voice. It sounded like McKay, but he hadn’t been in the room, had he? Forcing his eyes open against the siren song of the painkiller, John looked around. No Rodney. Just as he started to close his eyes again, he heard voices again. This time it was Rodney, Zelenka and some of the other scientists, plus a couple of Marines. Frowning, he closed his eyes. As he focused on the voices, he could hear another voice talking to him.
As they changed his bandages, Teyla noticed that John seemed restless. She saw him frown then saw his eyes flicker open. After he looked around, she saw his eyes slide closed again. A few moments later, his eyes flew open and she saw alarm in their hazel depths as they focused on her.
“Teyla, where’s Rodney?” John’s voice was breathy with pain and sleep.
It was Jennifer that answered. “He and Zelenka are inspecting some of the rooms on level 9 today.”
“Call him and tell him to stop.”
“Colonel?” Keller was worried, fearing he was feverish.
John caught the look as he sat up, pushing the whisper of sleep away. “I am not feverish. Call him and tell him to stop, dammit, before he kills himself, his party and a good portion of the population of this city! Atlantis says the room is full of a toxic gas.”
Jennifer looked skeptical, but Teyla knew that look and tone. “Teyla to Dr McKay.”
“McKay here. Little busy right now Teyla.”
“You need to stop. Do not open the door you are working on.” Teyla kept calm as she relayed John’s request.
On the other end, Rodney was shocked. “Are you kidding? Did Sheppard put you up to this because I’m not there with him?”
Teyla shook her head even though McKay could not see her. “No, John did not put me up to this. He says you need to stop or you will die.”
McKay laughed a harsh, mocking sound. “Put the flyboy on.”
Teyla took her radio from her ear, handing it to John. “He wishes to speak with you.”
John took the proffered radio, quickly settling it in his ear. “McKay!” John put as much command into his voice as he could. “This is not a joke. If you open the door you are looking at right now, everyone with you and a sizable portion of the population of this city will die.”
Rodney was silent for a moment. “How do you know that?”
John sighed. He should’ve known Rodney would be difficult. “Atlantis told me. She says that room was used to research bio-agents. Several of the containers have broken and mixed. The entire room is a toxic deathtrap. If the gas mixes with oxygen, it will spread and kill over 30 percent of the expedition.”
Silence again. “Okay, not that I doubt you, but since you can see me, where am I, specifically?”
John closed his eyes. An image of a door popped into his mind. “You are on level 9, in corridor G3, outside of room 23, and if you look two feet up from the floor at the door frame on the right hand side, there is a gouge in the border from a bullet ricochet.”
Silence greeted this statement. In his mind, John could actually see Rodney checking the door frame. “What the hell…? How did you know about the gouge? Did one of your grunts put it there for you?”
John sighed. “No, Rodney. I can see it, right now. Just as I can see Zelenka put his shirt on wrong side out, Miller has an ink stain on her lab coat, Cpl Jamison has his tac vest unzipped and Lt Wilkes is scratching his ear.”
Looking around as John talked, Rodney realized that he was right. Radek did put his shirt on wrong, Miller did have an ink stain on her coat, the Corporal’s vest was unzipped and the other officer was scratching his ear.
Rodney realized Sheppard was talking again. “…tis says you need to release the neutralizer.”
“What neutralizer?”
“Push the blue, red and yellow buttons on the wall panel in front of you.”
Just as Rodney was about to ask ‘what wall panel’ one slid open in front of him, near Zelenka’s shoulder. He looked at Radek “Push the blue, red and yellow buttons on that panel” and pointed over the man’s shoulder.
Zelenka turned, following Rodney’s finger then quickly punched in the sequence.
“That did it.” John’s voice was soft in his ear.
Zelenka hooked his laptop to the panel and downloaded the readings from the room. He analyzed the data as it downloaded. When it finished, he turned to Rodney, pale and with a hint of fear in his eyes. “Rodney, we owe Colonel great debt.” He pointed at the readings on his laptop. “He saved us all from horrible death.”
*on to part 3*
Title: Lightning Strikes
Author: Amycat8733
Rating: T
Pairing(s): John/Teyla
Characters: John, Teyla, Rodney, Ronon, Keller, Lorne, Woolsey
Warning(s): sentient Atlantis
Length:
Summary: A lightning bolt brings change to John Sheppard. His bond with the city deepens, bringing its own hazards. Friendship is tested as Rodney and John clash over his new strength.
Part 2
Waking was a slow process. John was sure that even his hair hurt. His skin was tight and hot and reminded him of the one time he got sunburned real badly. His hearing returned first, bringing the familiar sounds of someone sitting vigil, but as he listened to the sounds he realized that the echoes were off. The room was too quiet. Opening his eyes took a bit more effort, but his struggle proved rewarding. Staring at the ceiling as his eyes focused, John noticed that something was different. The ceiling was further away than normal. Looking around, he noticed that the colors were right for the amount of light in the room, so he knew he was in Atlantis. He realized where he was when he saw the faint glow of light above him that told him he was in the observation room. As he tried to see who was with him, he shifted, which caused pain to flare all over his sore body and he let out a sharp gasp in response.
Teyla was at his side instantly. She placed her hands on his shoulders to keep him lying down. “Shhh, it is alright John. Be still and let the drugs work.”
Willing his eyes to focus, John looked up at Teyla. “Wha’ happn’d?”
Teyla picked up a glass of water and held it as he sipped. “You were struck by lightning. You have some burns, but none are serious. You also had some shrapnel in your right thigh and side, which Jennifer removed.”
John frowned as he tried to make sense of Teyla’s words. “Lightning? Shrapnel? How…?”
Teyla reached up and stroked his hair gently. “A bolt traveled through the Gate. You were struck just as you exited the Gate. The energy caused your 9mm to explode. Rodney said that your extra ammo didn’t explode because it was not in direct contact with your body.” Anticipating his next question, Teyla continued. “We are all fine, no one else was injured.”
At that moment Keller walked in. Seeing John was awake, she made her way to the bed. “How are you feeling today, Colonel?”
“Crispy. Still have a headache and my back and leg hurt.” John shifted and grunted in pain again.
Reaching into her pocket, Keller pulled out her penlight. “I hate to do this, but I need to look at your eyes before I give you your meds.” Forestalling a protest as John cracked his eyes open and glared at her, she held up a hand. ‘I promise to be quick and give you the good stuff when I’m done.”
Bowing to the inevitable, John grumbled. “Okay, Doc.”
Keller did as promised, quickly checking the responsiveness of each eye. Knowing it was coming, John kept himself from flinching. Putting her light away, she dumped the syringe into his IV. As the drugs started to take effect, both she and Teyla could see the pain lines ease. They both knew of Sheppard’s legendary high pain threshold, so they knew that he was truly hurting if he admitted it.
John welcomed the painkiller as it eased the migraine and the pain from his back and leg. He laid there drifting as Keller and Teyla changed the bandages on his back. As sleep crept up on him, he heard a voice. It sounded like McKay, but he hadn’t been in the room, had he? Forcing his eyes open against the siren song of the painkiller, John looked around. No Rodney. Just as he started to close his eyes again, he heard voices again. This time it was Rodney, Zelenka and some of the other scientists, plus a couple of Marines. Frowning, he closed his eyes. As he focused on the voices, he could hear another voice talking to him.
As they changed his bandages, Teyla noticed that John seemed restless. She saw him frown then saw his eyes flicker open. After he looked around, she saw his eyes slide closed again. A few moments later, his eyes flew open and she saw alarm in their hazel depths as they focused on her.
“Teyla, where’s Rodney?” John’s voice was breathy with pain and sleep.
It was Jennifer that answered. “He and Zelenka are inspecting some of the rooms on level 9 today.”
“Call him and tell him to stop.”
“Colonel?” Keller was worried, fearing he was feverish.
John caught the look as he sat up, pushing the whisper of sleep away. “I am not feverish. Call him and tell him to stop, dammit, before he kills himself, his party and a good portion of the population of this city! Atlantis says the room is full of a toxic gas.”
Jennifer looked skeptical, but Teyla knew that look and tone. “Teyla to Dr McKay.”
“McKay here. Little busy right now Teyla.”
“You need to stop. Do not open the door you are working on.” Teyla kept calm as she relayed John’s request.
On the other end, Rodney was shocked. “Are you kidding? Did Sheppard put you up to this because I’m not there with him?”
Teyla shook her head even though McKay could not see her. “No, John did not put me up to this. He says you need to stop or you will die.”
McKay laughed a harsh, mocking sound. “Put the flyboy on.”
Teyla took her radio from her ear, handing it to John. “He wishes to speak with you.”
John took the proffered radio, quickly settling it in his ear. “McKay!” John put as much command into his voice as he could. “This is not a joke. If you open the door you are looking at right now, everyone with you and a sizable portion of the population of this city will die.”
Rodney was silent for a moment. “How do you know that?”
John sighed. He should’ve known Rodney would be difficult. “Atlantis told me. She says that room was used to research bio-agents. Several of the containers have broken and mixed. The entire room is a toxic deathtrap. If the gas mixes with oxygen, it will spread and kill over 30 percent of the expedition.”
Silence again. “Okay, not that I doubt you, but since you can see me, where am I, specifically?”
John closed his eyes. An image of a door popped into his mind. “You are on level 9, in corridor G3, outside of room 23, and if you look two feet up from the floor at the door frame on the right hand side, there is a gouge in the border from a bullet ricochet.”
Silence greeted this statement. In his mind, John could actually see Rodney checking the door frame. “What the hell…? How did you know about the gouge? Did one of your grunts put it there for you?”
John sighed. “No, Rodney. I can see it, right now. Just as I can see Zelenka put his shirt on wrong side out, Miller has an ink stain on her lab coat, Cpl Jamison has his tac vest unzipped and Lt Wilkes is scratching his ear.”
Looking around as John talked, Rodney realized that he was right. Radek did put his shirt on wrong, Miller did have an ink stain on her coat, the Corporal’s vest was unzipped and the other officer was scratching his ear.
Rodney realized Sheppard was talking again. “…tis says you need to release the neutralizer.”
“What neutralizer?”
“Push the blue, red and yellow buttons on the wall panel in front of you.”
Just as Rodney was about to ask ‘what wall panel’ one slid open in front of him, near Zelenka’s shoulder. He looked at Radek “Push the blue, red and yellow buttons on that panel” and pointed over the man’s shoulder.
Zelenka turned, following Rodney’s finger then quickly punched in the sequence.
“That did it.” John’s voice was soft in his ear.
Zelenka hooked his laptop to the panel and downloaded the readings from the room. He analyzed the data as it downloaded. When it finished, he turned to Rodney, pale and with a hint of fear in his eyes. “Rodney, we owe Colonel great debt.” He pointed at the readings on his laptop. “He saved us all from horrible death.”
*on to part 3*