by Graham, Jo
“You’d have done better asking us for help,” Sora said. “At least we have food to spare for our friends.”
Carson’s attention sharpened. They hadn’t exactly been keeping that a secret, they couldn’t, given how hard they’d been trying to set up trade relationships, but that sounded as though the Genii had been keeping tabs on them.
“But not medicines,” Rymmal said. He met her glare squarely. “You know that to be true.”
The color flared again in Sora’s cheeks. “And have they helped you?”
Carson winced, but Rymmal dodged the trap.
“Dr. Beckett has been very good.”
Somewhere in one of the outbuildings, a baby began to wail. A woman’s voice scolded briefly, and fell away. A moment later, a young woman emerged from the house, cradling a baby in a brightly patterned sling, bouncing it in a vain attempt to stem the crying. An older woman followed, glaring over her shoulder at the Genii still in the building. At least there was no violence, Carson thought, not yet. Sora was a loose cannon, you couldn’t tell what she was going to do. And thank God the team wasn’t with them, Teyla’s presence would send her right over the edge—
Sora jerked her chin at one of the waiting soldiers. “Tass. Search his supplies. Make sure it is just medicine.”
The man grinned. He wasn’t very tall, but he was broad through the body, with a nose that had been flattened and a look in his eye that reminded Carson of a playground bully. He shouldered his way forward, deliberately jostling Carson, daring him to protest. Carson took a careful step back, mouth tightly shut. He was very aware of Sora’s eyes on him, her mocking smile.
Tass stooped, unlatched the nearest case, the flipped the lid back with the barrel of his rifle. He fumbled with the sealed packets, sifting through them with his free hand, then gave the box a kick that scattered half a dozen sterile dressings onto the ground. Carson stiffened, made himself relax. Sora was just looking for an excuse, and he would not give her one.
Tass opened the next case, stared for a moment at the boxes that still half filled its interior, and kicked it over, spilling the contents into the dirt. Rymmal made a noise of protest, quickly stifled, but Carson kept still. Everything in those cases was sealed, the medicines would survive being bounced around a little—And then Tass wrenched open the lid of the cooler, scooped out a handful of vials. He swore at the cold, and tossed the bottles onto the exam table. They bounced and scattered, clattering intact to the ground, and Tass set his heel on one, grinding it into the dirt.
“Oh, now, that’s just wasteful,” Carson said, in spite of himself.
Sora’s smile widened. “Be careful, doctor.”
Carson shoved his hands back into his pockets to hide his clenched fists. Tass had moved on to the open boxes on the work table, the racks of medicines and supplies not yet cleared away from the last patient. He examined them incuriously, then lowered the barrel of his rifle and swept the table clear.
“All right, that’s enough!” Carson took a step forward. “You’re making a mess of things you can’t replace—”
Tass swung to face him, rifle coming up, and Carson froze. Tass grinned, stepping around the end of the exam table, and shoved the muzzle under the point of Carson’s chin. It snapped his head back, the metal cold against his throat, pressing painfully above his adam’s apple.
“Where’s your team, doctor?” Sora said, softly.
Carson swallowed. “There is no team,” he said. “It’s just me.”
Sora eyed him for a long moment, and Carson held himself rigidly still. That was one problem with being a doctor, you knew exactly what a rifle shot at close range would do to a human body—he’d seen it before, the kind of head wound that had the ambulance attendants cracking black-humored jokes because the reality was unbearable to look at. Headless horseman, that was a motorcycle crash he’d seen when he was a student at Edinburgh; Atlantis’s Marines talked about eating a bullet…
“Hands on your head,” Sora said abruptly, and Carson gasped, releasing breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. He did as he was told, and slowly, almost reluctantly, the pressure eased. Tass gave a grunt, almost of disappointment, and stepped away.
“Goran, help Tass go through all of this,” Sora said. “But carefully. I don’t want anything damaged. We’re bringing it back with us.”
“You can’t do that,” Carson protested.
“I most certainly can.” Sora was smiling again, flushed and impossibly pretty, like a teenager on her way to a party. “And what’s more, you’ll be coming with them.”
* * *
Jennifer struggled through the tangle of leaves and fallen branches that littered the forest floor. Ahead of her, the Wlander woman paused between trees, looking back impatiently, as Jennifer fought to move faster. She had thought she was fit, made extra efforts to keep in shape, to be able to do these missions, but this… Nothing prepared you for the fear that robbed you of your breath.
“We’re almost there,” Aari said. “Look, you can see the Ring.”
She pointed, and Jennifer stooped to peer through the leaves. Sure enough, there was the Stargate, the cold metal gleaming even on a cloudy day, sitting alone in the center of a clearing—alone except for the Genii soldier leaning against the DHD, rifle slung casually over one shoulder. Seeing him, Jennifer could have groaned aloud. That was the last thing she needed—how the hell was she going to get past him?
“They have left a guard,” Aari said, unnecessarily. “What will you do?”
“I have no idea.” Jennifer shook her head, and moved carefully toward the edge of the woods. The trees came within fifteen yards of the gate, but that wasn’t nearly enough… The next time I go offworld, I’m taking a sidearm, Jennifer thought. I’m going to get Lorne to teach me how to use it, and I’m going to go armed. This isn’t Earth, there’s no rules about medics being unarmed, and, oh, God, I could use a gun right now…
She shook herself. She didn’t have a gun, didn’t even have a tranquilizer shot, which was maybe more practical for next time. At least she already knew how to give an injection.
“I could distract him?” Aari said, but she sounded doubtful, and Jennifer shook her head.
“No. Too risky. You’re going to have to live with them.” Regardless of what happens to us, she added silently, and surveyed the situation again. A distraction was a good idea. Maybe if he heard something strange, he’d go investigate it. She looked at the ground around her, found a rock the size of a golf ball, and crouched to sweep her hands through the leaf litter until she had half a dozen stones marble sized and larger. The trouble was, she also had to dial the gate and get a lock, and she wasn’t really sure how long that was going to take. No, she’d have to get him away from the gate, bring him closer and somehow knock him out or something. It wasn’t like she had anything to tie him up with…
“I have a stick,” Aari said suddenly, and there was a rustling as she held out a length of branch as thick as Jennifer’s ankle. “If you can get him here, I will knock him down.”
Jennifer bit her lip, considering. Yes, throw rocks at the Genii and get him to come closer, but, no, don’t hit him unless we have to… She’d always been good at darts, at ring toss and horseshoes and bar games that involved throwing things. If they could get him closer… She hefted the largest rock in her palm, judging its weight. It should be enough to bring down a man.
“All right,” she said, and heard her voice higher than usual with fear. “This is what we’re going to do. I’m going to throw these rocks at him, try to get him to come over here, and when he gets close enough, I’m going to knock him out with this.” She held up the biggest rock. “If that doesn’t work, then you hit him.”
This didn’t sound like the sort of plan Colonel Sheppard would approve—it sounded more like something Ronon would try, that needed Ronon-sized muscles to pull it off—but Aari was nodding in agreement.
“I am ready.”
“Right,” Jennifer s
aid. She braced herself, and flung the first stone, hoping she’d hit close enough to at least make a noise. She was stronger than she’d realized, or maybe the adrenaline was helping. The stone hit the turf a couple of yards from the Genii and tumbled to a stop practically at his feet. He looked up sharply, and in the same instant Aari gave a soft cry, something between a human voice and a bird’s.
Jennifer threw a second stone, aiming shorter this time, and the Genii unslung his rifle, moving slowly toward the treeline. Jennifer held her breath, willing him closer, and swore as he stopped about five yards away. She froze, watching him scan the trees, swore again as he reached for his radio. How could she have forgotten that the Genii had radios, had technology? Almost without thinking, she grabbed the biggest rock, pitched it as hard as she could at the Genii’s head. It struck with an ugly thud that she could hear from where she stood, and the Genii fell forward, sprawling onto the grass.
“Oh, my god,” Jennifer said, and at her side Aari gave a crow of delight.
“Well done! Go now, before he wakes.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon,” Jennifer said dubiously. The blow had sounded like breaking bone. She started toward the gate, but paused for an instant beside the Genii, automatically feeling for a carotid pulse. It was there, slow and thready; she frowned, feeling quickly along the man’s skull, and felt bone give under her gentle touch. A definite skull fracture, right where the rock had hit—
“What’s wrong?” Aari called from the edge of the wood, and Jennifer scrambled to her feet. She had to go, had to get to the gate—oh, God, she could have killed him, maybe had killed him, but there was nothing she could do about it now. She ran for the DHD, tasting bile. She would not vomit, she would not fulfill that stereotype.
The DHD loomed in front of her, the rings of symbols for a moment all equally alien. She took a breath, controlled herself the way she would master herself before surgery, and pressed the first symbol. She punched in the address, trying to ignore the still body on the grass behind her, the taste of copper in her mouth. Carson needed her, needed the gate team, and maybe the Marines—and at last the final chevron locked.
The gate opened with a rush of light, and she staggered through into the gate room.
“Dr. Keller?”
She didn’t recognize the voice, couldn’t bother to look, concentrating instead on getting the problem across in the fewest possible words. “Dr. Beckett is in trouble. I need Colonel Sheppard now.”
Her knees went weak with sudden reaction, and she sat down on the gateroom steps as alarms began to sound. Someone came hurrying down the steps—Dr. Zelenka, face drawn into a worried frown.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.” Jennifer shook her head for emphasis. Her hair was coming down, where a branch had caught and pulled loose a pin, and she began mechanically to tidy it, seeing again the Genii guard’s collapse.
“Dr. Keller.” That was Colonel Sheppard, shrugging into armor as he spoke, a group of Marines forming up behind him. “What happened?”
Jennifer took a deep breath, trying to order her racing thoughts. “We were just finishing up the clinic and Rymmal’s son told us that the Genii had come through the gate. Carson—Dr. Beckett told me to go back to the gate and get help.” She paused. “Before you ask, they didn’t hurt anybody, but they were definitely acting in a threatening manner. Dr. Beckett was concerned, and the Wlanders were definitely afraid.”
Sheppard looked over his shoulder at the baby-faced Marine lieutenant, who nodded sharply. Ronon was with them, checking the charge of his blaster, and Teyla was adjusting her P90. And—Jennifer’s breath caught in her throat—there was Rodney, armored and ready, an odd smile on his face as he met her eyes.
Sheppard said, “How’d you get back here, Dr. Keller? Didn’t they have someone watching the gate?”
“Well,” Jennifer said. “Yes. They did. I, um, knocked him out. With a rock.”
Sheppard blinked once, and then a slow smile spread across his face. “Nice work, doc.”
Jennifer forced a smile in return. “Colonel, I want to come with you.”
The rest of the team was ready at the gate, waiting for Sheppard’s order. Jennifer was conscious of her straggling hair, the dirt on her hands, the fear that they must still be able to smell. She made herself meet Sheppard’s eyes squarely.
“Please.”
Sheppard hesitated a moment longer, then nodded. “OK.” He looked over his shoulder. “Dial Wland, please.”
“Dialing now.”
The chevrons lit, locked, and the gate whooshed open. Jennifer took a deep breath, and saw Rodney looking at her. She forced another smile, and plunged into the wormhole.
They came out into empty meadow, the Marines straightening from their ready crouch as they realized there was no one there. Jennifer looked to her left, toward the woods where she had left the Genii soldier, but he was gone. There was nothing she could do, nothing to be done, but she felt as though a hand had closed around her heart. She might have killed a man, and she would never know.
“Jennifer.” That was Rodney’s voice, and she shook herself, shoved that knowledge aside until she had time to face it.
“Yes.”
“Come on.”
“Yes,” she said again, and followed after them.
Chapter Twenty
Negotiations
The field beyond the gate was empty, no sign of the Genii there or in the trees beyond. Ronon straightened, twirling his blaster, and out of the corner of his eye saw Sheppard signal the Marines to move ahead, checking further along the path. He doubted they’d find anything, which didn’t bode well for Beckett, and Sheppard turned back to Jennifer.
“Dr. Keller.”
“Yes.”
She was paler even than usual, lips pursed in an unhappy grimace. The whole thing was hitting her hard, and Ronon wondered if Sheppard had made a mistake letting her come back with them.
“Tell me again,” Sheppard said, and amazingly his voice was quiet, almost soothing. “How many Genii did you see?”
Jennifer took a breath. “There were five, maybe six, at the compound, counting the captain. Yrran said a dozen came through the gate, but the rest had stopped in the ruins of the city.” She paused. “There was a woman in charge. I remember thinking that was odd.”
“The Genii don’t put women in command,” Ronon said, and Sheppard looked sharply at her.
“A woman? You’re sure?”
“Yes.” Jennifer nodded. “The ones who came to the compound, they had a woman captain.”
“Damn.” Sheppard lifted his free hand to get the others’ attention. “Hold up, people!” He looked back at the doctor, frowning now. “Describe her.”
Ronon frowned himself—what did it matter what the Genii captain looked like?—and Jennifer’s brows knit. “Um. She was young, red-haired—she had curly red hair, and she was pretty.”
Sheppard was looking thunderous, and Jennifer looked away. “I think. I didn’t get a good look at her, really—”
“Damn it!” Sheppard said. “You should have told me.”
Jennifer was looking confused and crushed, and in spite of knowing better, Ronon said, “Go easy, Sheppard. What the hell are you talking about?”
McKay said, in the same moment, “She couldn’t have known. She wasn’t even here.”
“Couldn’t know what?” Jennifer asked.
Sheppard ignored them all. “Teyla! We’ve got a problem.”
“Yes?” Teyla’s voice was tranquil, but her eyes were alert.
“It sounds like Sora’s in command of the Genii.”
“Ah.” Teyla’s mouth tightened fractionally. “Perhaps it would be better if I were not with you.”
“Who’s Sora?” Ronon asked.
Jennifer gave him an equally bewildered look, and McKay said, “Sora—she was one of Cowen’s agents, part of Kolya’s team when they tried to take over Atlantis. She thinks Teyla killed her
father. Well, Teyla did, sort of, but not on purpose—”
“McKay,” Sheppard said, and Rodney fell silent. Sheppard beckoned to the Marine lieutenant. “Karsten. Change of plan. You’ll come with me, and Teyla will take the team to the ruins. Keep in radio contact.”
“Yes, sir,” the lieutenant said, and Teyla nodded.
“We will be as friendly as we may. There is no need to antagonize them further.”
Huh, Ronon thought. He wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end of Teyla’s friendliness. He still had bruises from the last time they’d sparred. He liked this arrangement better, anyway. Karsten seemed like a good guy, but he’d only been in Pegasus for a few weeks. Ronon preferred to keep the new guys where he could keep an eye on them.
“Right,” Sheppard said. “Move out.”
Teyla nodded again, and turned away, half the Marines following. Sheppard said something to Jennifer, his words too soft, but she nodded, and pointed to a path that led into the woods. The way to the compound, Ronon assumed. He’d never been on Wland before, so he hoped somebody knew where they were going. He lengthened his stride to catch up with Sheppard as the group began to string out along the path.
“This Sora. She’s trouble?”
Sheppard grimaced. “Yeah. Like McKay said, she’s got it in for Teyla in a big way, and she’ll do her best to screw up relations with Atlantis on general principle. She was one of Kolya’s people—I assumed she’d gone down with him after we let her go.”
Ronon lifted an eyebrow at that. The obvious lesson, then, was that they shouldn’t have let her go—but from the look on his face, Sheppard knew that. Ronon fell back again, cocking an eye at Jennifer. She was looking better, less pale, more determined, and McKay was dividing his attention between the lifesigns detector and her. That was not so good, but Sheppard had seen it, too, and said softly, “Hey, McKay. Anything?”
McKay’s eyes flicked back to the device, and he started to shake his head. “No—wait, in the bushes. There.”
In the same instant, the undergrowth rustled, and Ronon leveled his blaster, flipping the setting to its highest point. Karsten brought up his P90 with a jerk, the other Marines following his lead, and Sheppard said, “Hold it!”