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carpenyxTitle: Deus Ex Machina (6/?)
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
carpenyx
Rating: NC-17
Characters: Main SGA Characters, with appearances by Zelenka and Major Lorne.
Pairings: Ronon/Melena
Word Count: 4,090
Warnings: Character Death, Sexual Content
Spoilers: Through season 3, most importantly "Sateda", "Progeny", "The Real World" and "The Return: Part 1". This story takes place in a future alternate season 3.
Beta: The super-groovynytel
Disclaimer: I do not own, just playing in the Pegasus Galaxy with my Flyboys. No copyright infridgement intended.
Summary: He remembered her; the smell of her perfume, the sweet honey taste of her lips, and the warmth of her body against his. It was almost as if she were still there.
A/N: Cross posted at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
atlantisfic, lostcityfound, stargate_fanfic, satedan_fire, and rdfever
Deus Ex Machina
Chapter 6
Forest - Bethdsha
Upon first glance, the planet seemed uninhabited. The Stargate was centered in a large clearing, surrounded by towering ancient trees. If one listened carefully, they could hear the sounds of the wildlife that occupied the area. It was nearing sunset – the sky was pale red due to the several suns that orbited Bethdsha.
John, piloting the jumper, headed towards the tree line. With ease and precision, he managed to land the jumper as close as possible to the trees for camouflage.
Once the jumper was safely powered down, both men geared up and headed out the rear door, activating the cloaking device once they were outside.
With his P-90 nestled against his shoulder, John scanned the immediate area. “All clear,” he stated as he moved towards the forest, hesitantly – he wasn’t certain of what would be accomplished by coming here. Ronon followed closely behind him.
“We might want to reconsider,” John suggested as he repositioned his P-90.
“No,” Ronon replied gruffly as he took refuge against a tree. Raising his pistol, he shifted his eyes, surveying the area.
“All right then,” John said reluctantly as he began to follow Ronon’s lead. He crouched down behind another tree. “Doesn’t look all that promising,” he commented. “The village could be anywhere and we’re blind. Should’ve grabbed the life signs detector,” he said regrettably.
“Don’t need it,” Ronon told him quietly, looking in his direction.
“You know where you’re going?” he asked curiously.
“No,” Ronon replied.
“Then how do you-”
“There’s a path,” Ronon said. He pointed in the direction of a barely visible dirt trail.
“Oh,” John said under his breath as he looked over in the direction Ronon indicated. John rose to his full height as he gestured to Ronon, “After you.”
***
After about a mile of walking, Ronon stopped suddenly and raised his hand, indicating that John should stop as well. “Hear something?” John asked quietly.
“Yeah,” he responded as he waved John over to hide behind one of the trees, while he took cover behind another. He looked at John, pointing in two different directions. Both positioned their weapons, remaining silent. “They’re surrounding us,” he whispered, his eyes darting from left to right.
“They?” he asked, surprised. He had expected most, if not all, of the inhabitants of the planet to be dead or otherwise.
“They,” Ronon confirmed.
“Great,” John muttered sarcastically. “Everything’s going according to plan.” He crouched lower, his gun supported against his shoulder and his finger hovering over the trigger.
***
Doctor Weir’s Office – Atlantis
“Major Lorne,” Elizabeth greeted him as he stepped into her office.
“Morning, Doctor Weir,” he said as he folded his arms.
She sighed, shaking her head, clearly frustrated. “I need you and your team to recover Colonel Sheppard and Ronon,” she explained. She rose from her desk, circling it and sitting on the edge of the desk. “I can’t stress enough how important it is to bring them home as soon as possible.”
Lorne nodded. “Of course, Doctor Weir.”
“Thank you,” she said. “How soon can you and your team be ready?”
“An hour?”
“Good. I expect you to check in within four hours, if you haven’t returned.”
“Of course.”
***
Holding Cell – Atlantis
Melena opened her eyes slowly. The room was spinning as she pushed herself up off the floor, rising to her feet. She inclined her head, looking around the confines of the holding cell before walking over to one of the walls. She reached out and received a surge of electricity. She flinched, a feral growl escaping her.
She began to pace back and forth, her eyes darting from one direction to another as she surveyed the confinement and catalogued every detail. Her eyes caught sight of a camera bolted to the corner of the ceiling. She grinned slowly as she saw that the camera was positioned on her. “It is only a matter of time before these walls will no longer hold me!” she hissed angrily before she ran into the cell wall again, her body taking another jolt of electricity.
***
Forest - Bethdsha
“This should be fun,” John said sardonically. He smirked faintly, his back up against Ronon’s and their guns aimed at the dozen men who were circling them, their weapons trained on the two invaders of their world. “Got any plans?”
“Yeah, one,” Ronon replied frankly.
“Care to share?” John asked as both men moved with the group of soldiers, turning in a circle of their own.
Ronon grinned roguishly as he fired his energy pistol, taking out several of the military soldiers before John realized what his plan was. “What a plan,” John muttered as he squeezed the trigger of his P-90, sending warning shots into the air.
Those shots meant nothing and without warning, several energy blasts traveled in their direction, stunning both Ronon and John instantaneously. Both men collapsed to the ground as they slipped into unconsciousness.
***
Holding Cell – Atlantis
Enraged, Melena punched her fist against the barrier repeatedly - it did nothing but send more shocks of electricity into her system. Her final attempt caused her to stumble backwards, her head lowering as she hissed, and her vision blurring as a piercing pain traveled up her spine until it reached the base of her skull.
The pain progressed causing her to bite down on her lower lip, her teeth nicking the sensitive skin, and blood began to seep through the small cut. Soon, she was unable to keep her balance and she collapsed to her knees as she placed her head in her hands. Melena let out a chilling scream.
“Ronon?” Melena whispered softly. She snuggled up to him, draping her arm over his bare chest.
“Yes, Mel?” he replied, brushing her dark locks from her face and tucking one strand of hair behind her ear gingerly.
“I love you,” she admittedly shyly. It was the first time she ever uttered those words to him, even though she had loved him from the moment they met.
A grin slowly spread across Ronon’s face as he cupped her face in his hand, drawing her closer. “I love you too,” he told her breathlessly as he engulfed her in a deep and loving kiss.
“No!” Melena screamed as her fingers tangled in her hair. The pain was increasing as memories threatened to cripple her. She tightened her grip, pulling angrily as her body trembled from the rush of images attacking her mind. “Lies!” she spat out, enraged.
She didn’t know how much longer she could handle the sudden assault of memories; her head was throbbing with pain, her vision was laced with blackness and silver speckles as she tried to regain control.
“Wh…ere… am… I?” she coughed, blood spattering onto the ground. Her clothes were covered in layers of blood, mud, and shredded. She inhaled sharply as she looked up at the man who had knelt down beside her.
“You are safe now,” he explained to her. He placed his hand against her shoulder, his cold and unnatural hand. “You are in the City of the Ancestors,” he told her with a warm smile.
“W...what?” she managed to get out as she coughed again, her body shaking.
“We will take good care of you, my dear,” a woman said as she joined the man, kneeling beside him. She, too, smiled but there was an eerie aura behind her action.
“Pain… so... much pain… pl… please,” she whimpered.
“Shh,” another man whispered from behind her as the man beside her reached out, and shoved his head into her forehead, causing Melena to scream out in excruciating pain as the man probed her mind.
Another scream escaped her as she doubled over, the pain overtaking her and her mind being cluttered with images and flashes of a life she couldn’t even be sure was her own. She curled up, her body shaking violently as she clenched her teeth. The pain was becoming unbearable.
***
Detention Center – Bethdsha
He didn’t know how much time had passed when he woke. His hands were bound behind his back. A growl escaped him as he looked over at John. “Sheppard?”
John groaned, opening his eyes. “What happened?” he questioned, looking around slowly. “What the…?” he muttered, feeling the restraints tied around his wrists.
“We were captured,” Ronon told him as he yanked on the bindings, trying to pry them apart, but it was useless. He hissed angrily.
“Yup, this was a great plan,” John commented dryly as he struggled against his restraints.
“You could’ve backed out,” Ronon suggested with a slight grin.
John rolled his eyes.
When the bunker door opened, both men looked up. Ronon narrowed his eyes as several guards walked into the room, followed by what appeared to be the ranking military officer. The man tilted his head as he looked between both prisoners. “I see you are awake,” the man said.
“Very observant,” Sheppard said smugly.
The man chuckled lightly.
“You in charge?” Ronon asked, his eyes trained on the man.
“More or less,” the man stated as he moved closer to the prisoners. He crouched down slowly, coming to eye level with them. “And who might you be?” Ronon gritted his teeth, struggling against the restraints.
“Colonel Sheppard.”
“And your friend here?”
“Ronon,” he spat out. Ronon glared at the man.
“What is your purpose for coming to Bethdsha?” the other man questioned.
“We’re on a simple trade-”
“Looking for a man named Talus,” Ronon interrupted Sheppard, who sighed, lowering his head, discouraged.
“Talus,” the man said, nodding his head. “What business do you have with Talus?”
Ronon and Sheppard exchanged looks for a moment before returning their attention to the military officer. “We just want to talk about some trading options with him,” John explained.
“I see.” The man rose to his feet. “Untie them,” he ordered the guards who walked over behind the two men and cut the restraints from them wrists, freeing them. “I do apologize for the harsh measures, however, we have been subjected to quite a number of attacks from warring planets and the Wraith,” the man explained. “I have become very wary of visitors.”
John rubbed his wrists, looking at the man. “We understand,” he said.
Ronon quirked his brow, looking at John.
Sheppard looked at Ronon, having a pretty good idea what he was thinking as he gave him a slight shrug before looking back toward the officer.
“So, you are seeking Talus for trade?”
“Yes,” John confirmed.
“I am Talus,” he said as he looked between both John and Ronon.
Ronon felt every muscle in his body tighten at the man’s words. He narrowed his eyes, his lip twitching every so slightly as he felt the rage creep through his veins.
“Come,” Talus said as he gestured for the guards to open the bunker door. “We shall talk over dinner.”
***
Doctor Weir’s Office
“Elizabeth?” Rodney said as he tapped his knuckles against the doorframe of her office.
She looked up from the reports Carson had given her earlier. Rodney noticed the dark circles forming under her eyes and the paleness of her skin. It was obvious that Elizabeth was distressed over the events of the day. She leaned back in the chair, sighing softly. “Come in, Rodney.”
He walked inside, taking a seat on the opposite side of her desk, across from her.
“You did a good job today, Rodney,” she said with a hint of smile.
Rodney looked from Elizabeth to Melena - unsure of his ability to carry out the plan. He really wished Zelenka were the one to do this; it was his idea after all. Rodney clenched his teeth and kept his hand grasped firmly around the object behind his back.
“Do it,” Elizabeth ordered Rodney, just above a whisper. She kept her eyes on Melena.
He pulled the weapon out from behind his back, raising it to point at Melena. He swallowed hard as he squeezed the trigger. The pistol sent a white energy blast towards her.
The energy blast struck and stunned her, causing her to collapse to the ground beside Teyla and Carson. Her body went rigid and her eyes widened with surprise before the effects of the weapon overtook her and she slipped into unconsciousness. The marines moved in quickly to immobilize her.
Anxiously, Rodney gripped onto the gun tightly – his knuckles turning white as he kept his eyes locked on Melena. His hand was shaking and sweat had coated his forehead.
“Get her out of here,” Elizabeth ordered the marines as she stepped to the side, out of the way. She turned to Rodney, “Good job.”
“Uh, yeah, it was nothing,” he said. His hand was shaking even more as he held the gun - it was still aimed at the spot where Melena had stood.
Rodney shrugged his shoulders. “Anytime,” he said proudly.
Elizabeth nodded. “So, explain to me again how that gun was able to immobilize her, when anything else we’ve used in the past on the Asurans has failed?”
“Oh, that’s simple,” Rodney said as a matter-of-factly. “A couple of months ago, when we first encountered the Asurans, Ronon’s pistol was the only thing that seemed to have any effect on them.
“So, Zelenka and I attempted to duplicate the energy signature of Ronon’s gun. Even though we don’t know much about it, we were still able to mimic the type of energy it produces. We constructed several prototypes, none of which worked until I came up with the idea to link them to Ronon’s gun, using his gun as a charger. Actually, it’s almost exactly l like a battery charger, it produces enough energy in the chambers of our prototypes so that we can use them,” he explained with enthusiasm.
“And why wasn’t I aware of such tests?” Elizabeth inquired with a slight smile. She tilted her head, looking at Rodney.
“It was going to be a surprise?” he suggested.
“I’m impressed, Rodney. I never thought we’d have something that was of use against-”
“Well…” he said, looking at her with a doubtful look. “The prototypes aren’t quite the answer we’re looking for. We can only get one or two shots out of it before it stops working. They won’t hold a charge any longer and we aren’t sure why.”
“So we only have one more shot left before the gun’s useless?”
“Exactly.”
“Great,” Elizabeth said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
***
Infirmary – Atlantis
Teyla stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes slowly. She was lying in the infirmary, hooked up to several machines, all of which were monitoring her.
“Nice to see you awake, love,” Carson said as he walked over to Teyla’s side.
Teyla nodded slowly as she looked up at Carson.
“How are you feeling?”
“Very tired,” she said softly, “but all right.”
“Good to hear, you gave us quite a scare there for a moment... or two.”
“I apologize,” she said with a slight smile. “I do not recall much of what happened but Melena… is she all right?”
Carson sighed. “She’s… it’s complicated, love. If you’re up to it, Doctor Weir will be coming down to speak with you after her briefing.”
Teyla looked at Carson, quirking a brow. “Is there something wrong, Doctor Beckett?”
“It’s been a long day,” he told her.
“I understand,” she said, deciding to leave her questions for Doctor Weir.
***
Talus’ residence – Bethdsha
Ronon felt more than strange as he walked into Talus and Melena’s home. Her honey scent still lingered in parts of the building, causing Ronon to flinch at the thought of her having another life, one without him. “Do you live here alone?” he asked, looking over at Talus.
“Yes, well… I didn’t,” Talus said, shaking his head. “I had a wife but she was taken in the latest Wraith culling, only a couple of nights ago.”
John looked at Ronon, wishing he knew what was going through his head. It discouraged him, knowing that he couldn’t read Ronon, especially when he wasn’t visibly angry. The blank expression on his face disturbed John. He wished Ronon were visibly angry, the calm composure made the man scarier even if John knew better.
“I’m sorry,” Ronon said coldly, as he continued to move around the living area of the house.
“Thank you,” Talus said. “I just pray to the Ancestors every day that she did not suffer. I see no way of how she could have survived,” Talus told him. “She was a lovely woman,” Talus said with a hint of a smile, remembering her. “Very stubborn, but also very strong, I loved her dearly.”
John placed his hand on Ronon’s shoulder. He knew why Ronon had wanted to come here, but now that they were there, he wasn’t sure he could let Ronon do what he wanted to. Ronon shrugged John’s hand away.
“She was one of the best things to ever happen to me,” Talus said.
Ronon growled lowly.
“Ronon,” John warned.
Ronon looked at John, shaking his head before looking back to Talus. He placed his hand against his pistol, switching the setting from stun to kill. Wrapping his hand around the gun, he inclined his head. In one swift motion, Ronon pulled his gun from the holster and leveled it with Talus, a roguish grin on his face.
Talus’ eyes widened, looking at the man. “What’s going on?”
“Ronon,” John warned again.
“No, Sheppard, this is something I have to do.”
***
Conference Room – Atlantis
“Thank you for coming.” Elizabeth touched the sensor on the wall, the conference room door sliding closed. She walked over to the end of the table, taking a seat as she looked at the other people there. “Carson,” she addressed first.
“Aye, Doctor Weir?”
Elizabeth smiled slightly. “How is Teyla doing?”
“Much better, she is resting for the moment.”
“Good.” Elizabeth looked around the room. “We have a lot to address and not a lot of time,” she explained. “Carson, it’s all yours.”
“Aye,” he said with a nod. He typed in a few commands onto the laptop in front of him, which caused the screen on the wall behind him to power up. “The majority,” he started, “of the Replicators that have been encountered in the past by Stargate Command are composed of modular blocks, which were created using nanotechnology. The Asurans are designed by the same basic principles; however, they’re built on a more cellular level, using aggressive nanite technology-”
“We already know all this,” Rodney commented dryly.
Carson shot a glare in Rodney’s direction, which Rodney returned with a smug smile. “Nanotechnology can be used to help reproduce or to repair damaged tissue, as you all are aware of. In Melena’s case, the nanites were implanted on the cellular level, right into the tissue, but they remained dormant until they were activated.”
“And we couldn’t see them while they remained dormant?” Elizabeth questioned.
“Technically, we should have-”
“Rodney,” Elizabeth warned, without even turning to look at him.
Rodney rolled his eyes.
“Aye, we should have been able to pick the nanites in her system and any foreign elements. However, it appears that these nanites may be far more advanced than what we’ve encountered before, including the nanites that invaded your system, Doctor Weir,” Carson explained.
Elizabeth flinched automatically at the thought of happened to her a couple of months ago. It was never a pleasant memory. She regained her composure quickly as she regarded Carson. “Explain.”
“The nanites in Melena’s system were originally an incredibly small amount, before their activation. It’s possible that the Asurans were able to tinker with-”
“We aren’t talking just tinkering with the structure of the nanites, we’re talking about completely altering their design,” Rodney added.
“Aye, they were able to alter the composition of the nanites, specifying certain tasks to be executed, as well as altering the structure in order for them to masquerade as every day cells in her body until activation.”
“What about replication?” Elizabeth asked.
“The nanites in her system didn’t appear to replicate.”
“How do you know that?” Elizabeth asked Carson.
“If the nanites had replicated before the time when we suspect activation occurred, I believe we’d have caught the invasion much earlier than this morning.”
“What activated the nanites?” Elizabeth inquired.
“And this is where I come in,” Rodney spoke up.
“Us, you mean,” Zelenka corrected him.
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “The transmitter that I found in Melena’s belongings appeared to be an every day radio transmitter,” Rodney explained as he lifted the radio up for everyone to see. “The only reason I found the radio even remotely interesting was because we haven’t come across many civilizations that are this far advanced. Well,” he said, pausing for a second. “Other than the Genii anyway.
“I figured this planet, Be… Buth… whatever-”
“Bethdsha,” Zelenka corrected Rodney again.
“Right. So, this place must have technology similar to the Genii and even us, which means they could-”
“The more interesting aspect of the radio is what was inside the radio,” Zelenka interrupted, jumping straight to the point.
Rodney glared at Zelenka. “I was getting to that,” he muttered. Rodney looked back to the room. “This morning I woke up and noticed a strange light coming from the radio. I opened it and found this-” Rodney reached for the plastic bag, but Zelenka grabbed it before him.
“This,” Zelenka lifted the bag, “is what the interesting part is. It’s another transmitter and like nothing that we’ve ever seen before.”
Elizabeth inclined her head slightly, looking at the object concealed in the plastic bag. “What is it?” she asked.
“We believe it’s what activated the nanites. It was emitting a low frequency energy wave,” Rodney explained. “It would’ve caused them to begin to replicate and thus, start taking control over Melena.”
“Is this why she attacked Teyla?” Elizabeth asked.
“We think that even though the Asurans were able to alter the composition of their own nanites, they still were unable to remove the programming that makes them attack the Wraith. Therefore, what Wraith DNA Teyla has would’ve caused Melena to react,” Rodney said.
“Is there any way to rid Melena of the nanites, like you accomplished with me?” Elizabeth asked, looking at Carson.
“I’m working on a solution, but I’m afraid that because of the structure and composition of the nanites, getting the nanites to respond in order to use an electromagnetic pulse is near impossible.”
“What about Wraith cell tissue?”
“I’m afraid these are much more sophisticated, and even though they would instinctively attack Wraith DNA, the clusters of nanites may not react enough for the EMP to work properly,” Carson said. “We also have to keep in mind, the nanites are attacking her system, sooner or later her body is going to be unable to handle the assault and she’ll die…”
“Do we have any solutions?” Elizabeth questioned, obviously frustrated.
Rodney raised his hand. “I have one…”
***
Holding Cell – Atlantis
It was only a matter of time before the pain ran its course and the haunting flashes of memories ceased. Melena released her fingers from her hair and she pushed herself up off of the ground.
A shiver traveled along her spine briefly before she looked around the prison cell, then to the camera. She smirked menacingly before moving to the front of the cell. She reached out slowly toward the barrier. Once she made contact, the electric pulses surged up her arm, causing her to twitch with each shock.
Melena’s eyes rolled back in her head and soon, only the whites of her eyes could be seen as she sent her own surge of energy right back into the energy field, causing it to short out. The shock forced her back against the far wall of the cell, hard.
With a groan, she forced herself back up to her feet, moved to the entrance of the holding cell, and used all of her strength to force the chamber open.
The guards ran into the brig, guns aimed on Melena as they screamed at her to stand down. She grinned subtly as she swiftly moved towards them, taking one down quite efficiently with the snap of the neck. She turned to the second guard, inclining her head slightly as he continued to fire his weapon on her, but it had no effect. She chuckled as she advanced on him slowly, then suddenly whipping around him and hooking her arm around his neck.
TBC
Previous Chapters:
+ Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 + Chapter 3 + Chapter 4 + Chapter 5 +
Author:
carpenyx Rating: NC-17
Characters: Main SGA Characters, with appearances by Zelenka and Major Lorne.
Pairings: Ronon/Melena
Word Count: 4,090
Warnings: Character Death, Sexual Content
Spoilers: Through season 3, most importantly "Sateda", "Progeny", "The Real World" and "The Return: Part 1". This story takes place in a future alternate season 3.
Beta: The super-groovy
nytel Disclaimer: I do not own, just playing in the Pegasus Galaxy with my Flyboys. No copyright infridgement intended.
Summary: He remembered her; the smell of her perfume, the sweet honey taste of her lips, and the warmth of her body against his. It was almost as if she were still there.
A/N: Cross posted at
atlantisfic, lostcityfound, stargate_fanfic, satedan_fire, and rdfeverChapter 6
Forest - Bethdsha
Upon first glance, the planet seemed uninhabited. The Stargate was centered in a large clearing, surrounded by towering ancient trees. If one listened carefully, they could hear the sounds of the wildlife that occupied the area. It was nearing sunset – the sky was pale red due to the several suns that orbited Bethdsha.
John, piloting the jumper, headed towards the tree line. With ease and precision, he managed to land the jumper as close as possible to the trees for camouflage.
Once the jumper was safely powered down, both men geared up and headed out the rear door, activating the cloaking device once they were outside.
With his P-90 nestled against his shoulder, John scanned the immediate area. “All clear,” he stated as he moved towards the forest, hesitantly – he wasn’t certain of what would be accomplished by coming here. Ronon followed closely behind him.
“We might want to reconsider,” John suggested as he repositioned his P-90.
“No,” Ronon replied gruffly as he took refuge against a tree. Raising his pistol, he shifted his eyes, surveying the area.
“All right then,” John said reluctantly as he began to follow Ronon’s lead. He crouched down behind another tree. “Doesn’t look all that promising,” he commented. “The village could be anywhere and we’re blind. Should’ve grabbed the life signs detector,” he said regrettably.
“Don’t need it,” Ronon told him quietly, looking in his direction.
“You know where you’re going?” he asked curiously.
“No,” Ronon replied.
“Then how do you-”
“There’s a path,” Ronon said. He pointed in the direction of a barely visible dirt trail.
“Oh,” John said under his breath as he looked over in the direction Ronon indicated. John rose to his full height as he gestured to Ronon, “After you.”
***
After about a mile of walking, Ronon stopped suddenly and raised his hand, indicating that John should stop as well. “Hear something?” John asked quietly.
“Yeah,” he responded as he waved John over to hide behind one of the trees, while he took cover behind another. He looked at John, pointing in two different directions. Both positioned their weapons, remaining silent. “They’re surrounding us,” he whispered, his eyes darting from left to right.
“They?” he asked, surprised. He had expected most, if not all, of the inhabitants of the planet to be dead or otherwise.
“They,” Ronon confirmed.
“Great,” John muttered sarcastically. “Everything’s going according to plan.” He crouched lower, his gun supported against his shoulder and his finger hovering over the trigger.
***
Doctor Weir’s Office – Atlantis
“Major Lorne,” Elizabeth greeted him as he stepped into her office.
“Morning, Doctor Weir,” he said as he folded his arms.
She sighed, shaking her head, clearly frustrated. “I need you and your team to recover Colonel Sheppard and Ronon,” she explained. She rose from her desk, circling it and sitting on the edge of the desk. “I can’t stress enough how important it is to bring them home as soon as possible.”
Lorne nodded. “Of course, Doctor Weir.”
“Thank you,” she said. “How soon can you and your team be ready?”
“An hour?”
“Good. I expect you to check in within four hours, if you haven’t returned.”
“Of course.”
***
Holding Cell – Atlantis
Melena opened her eyes slowly. The room was spinning as she pushed herself up off the floor, rising to her feet. She inclined her head, looking around the confines of the holding cell before walking over to one of the walls. She reached out and received a surge of electricity. She flinched, a feral growl escaping her.
She began to pace back and forth, her eyes darting from one direction to another as she surveyed the confinement and catalogued every detail. Her eyes caught sight of a camera bolted to the corner of the ceiling. She grinned slowly as she saw that the camera was positioned on her. “It is only a matter of time before these walls will no longer hold me!” she hissed angrily before she ran into the cell wall again, her body taking another jolt of electricity.
***
Forest - Bethdsha
“This should be fun,” John said sardonically. He smirked faintly, his back up against Ronon’s and their guns aimed at the dozen men who were circling them, their weapons trained on the two invaders of their world. “Got any plans?”
“Yeah, one,” Ronon replied frankly.
“Care to share?” John asked as both men moved with the group of soldiers, turning in a circle of their own.
Ronon grinned roguishly as he fired his energy pistol, taking out several of the military soldiers before John realized what his plan was. “What a plan,” John muttered as he squeezed the trigger of his P-90, sending warning shots into the air.
Those shots meant nothing and without warning, several energy blasts traveled in their direction, stunning both Ronon and John instantaneously. Both men collapsed to the ground as they slipped into unconsciousness.
***
Holding Cell – Atlantis
Enraged, Melena punched her fist against the barrier repeatedly - it did nothing but send more shocks of electricity into her system. Her final attempt caused her to stumble backwards, her head lowering as she hissed, and her vision blurring as a piercing pain traveled up her spine until it reached the base of her skull.
The pain progressed causing her to bite down on her lower lip, her teeth nicking the sensitive skin, and blood began to seep through the small cut. Soon, she was unable to keep her balance and she collapsed to her knees as she placed her head in her hands. Melena let out a chilling scream.
“Ronon?” Melena whispered softly. She snuggled up to him, draping her arm over his bare chest.
“Yes, Mel?” he replied, brushing her dark locks from her face and tucking one strand of hair behind her ear gingerly.
“I love you,” she admittedly shyly. It was the first time she ever uttered those words to him, even though she had loved him from the moment they met.
A grin slowly spread across Ronon’s face as he cupped her face in his hand, drawing her closer. “I love you too,” he told her breathlessly as he engulfed her in a deep and loving kiss.
“No!” Melena screamed as her fingers tangled in her hair. The pain was increasing as memories threatened to cripple her. She tightened her grip, pulling angrily as her body trembled from the rush of images attacking her mind. “Lies!” she spat out, enraged.
She didn’t know how much longer she could handle the sudden assault of memories; her head was throbbing with pain, her vision was laced with blackness and silver speckles as she tried to regain control.
“Wh…ere… am… I?” she coughed, blood spattering onto the ground. Her clothes were covered in layers of blood, mud, and shredded. She inhaled sharply as she looked up at the man who had knelt down beside her.
“You are safe now,” he explained to her. He placed his hand against her shoulder, his cold and unnatural hand. “You are in the City of the Ancestors,” he told her with a warm smile.
“W...what?” she managed to get out as she coughed again, her body shaking.
“We will take good care of you, my dear,” a woman said as she joined the man, kneeling beside him. She, too, smiled but there was an eerie aura behind her action.
“Pain… so... much pain… pl… please,” she whimpered.
“Shh,” another man whispered from behind her as the man beside her reached out, and shoved his head into her forehead, causing Melena to scream out in excruciating pain as the man probed her mind.
Another scream escaped her as she doubled over, the pain overtaking her and her mind being cluttered with images and flashes of a life she couldn’t even be sure was her own. She curled up, her body shaking violently as she clenched her teeth. The pain was becoming unbearable.
***
Detention Center – Bethdsha
He didn’t know how much time had passed when he woke. His hands were bound behind his back. A growl escaped him as he looked over at John. “Sheppard?”
John groaned, opening his eyes. “What happened?” he questioned, looking around slowly. “What the…?” he muttered, feeling the restraints tied around his wrists.
“We were captured,” Ronon told him as he yanked on the bindings, trying to pry them apart, but it was useless. He hissed angrily.
“Yup, this was a great plan,” John commented dryly as he struggled against his restraints.
“You could’ve backed out,” Ronon suggested with a slight grin.
John rolled his eyes.
When the bunker door opened, both men looked up. Ronon narrowed his eyes as several guards walked into the room, followed by what appeared to be the ranking military officer. The man tilted his head as he looked between both prisoners. “I see you are awake,” the man said.
“Very observant,” Sheppard said smugly.
The man chuckled lightly.
“You in charge?” Ronon asked, his eyes trained on the man.
“More or less,” the man stated as he moved closer to the prisoners. He crouched down slowly, coming to eye level with them. “And who might you be?” Ronon gritted his teeth, struggling against the restraints.
“Colonel Sheppard.”
“And your friend here?”
“Ronon,” he spat out. Ronon glared at the man.
“What is your purpose for coming to Bethdsha?” the other man questioned.
“We’re on a simple trade-”
“Looking for a man named Talus,” Ronon interrupted Sheppard, who sighed, lowering his head, discouraged.
“Talus,” the man said, nodding his head. “What business do you have with Talus?”
Ronon and Sheppard exchanged looks for a moment before returning their attention to the military officer. “We just want to talk about some trading options with him,” John explained.
“I see.” The man rose to his feet. “Untie them,” he ordered the guards who walked over behind the two men and cut the restraints from them wrists, freeing them. “I do apologize for the harsh measures, however, we have been subjected to quite a number of attacks from warring planets and the Wraith,” the man explained. “I have become very wary of visitors.”
John rubbed his wrists, looking at the man. “We understand,” he said.
Ronon quirked his brow, looking at John.
Sheppard looked at Ronon, having a pretty good idea what he was thinking as he gave him a slight shrug before looking back toward the officer.
“So, you are seeking Talus for trade?”
“Yes,” John confirmed.
“I am Talus,” he said as he looked between both John and Ronon.
Ronon felt every muscle in his body tighten at the man’s words. He narrowed his eyes, his lip twitching every so slightly as he felt the rage creep through his veins.
“Come,” Talus said as he gestured for the guards to open the bunker door. “We shall talk over dinner.”
***
Doctor Weir’s Office
“Elizabeth?” Rodney said as he tapped his knuckles against the doorframe of her office.
She looked up from the reports Carson had given her earlier. Rodney noticed the dark circles forming under her eyes and the paleness of her skin. It was obvious that Elizabeth was distressed over the events of the day. She leaned back in the chair, sighing softly. “Come in, Rodney.”
He walked inside, taking a seat on the opposite side of her desk, across from her.
“You did a good job today, Rodney,” she said with a hint of smile.
Rodney looked from Elizabeth to Melena - unsure of his ability to carry out the plan. He really wished Zelenka were the one to do this; it was his idea after all. Rodney clenched his teeth and kept his hand grasped firmly around the object behind his back.
“Do it,” Elizabeth ordered Rodney, just above a whisper. She kept her eyes on Melena.
He pulled the weapon out from behind his back, raising it to point at Melena. He swallowed hard as he squeezed the trigger. The pistol sent a white energy blast towards her.
The energy blast struck and stunned her, causing her to collapse to the ground beside Teyla and Carson. Her body went rigid and her eyes widened with surprise before the effects of the weapon overtook her and she slipped into unconsciousness. The marines moved in quickly to immobilize her.
Anxiously, Rodney gripped onto the gun tightly – his knuckles turning white as he kept his eyes locked on Melena. His hand was shaking and sweat had coated his forehead.
“Get her out of here,” Elizabeth ordered the marines as she stepped to the side, out of the way. She turned to Rodney, “Good job.”
“Uh, yeah, it was nothing,” he said. His hand was shaking even more as he held the gun - it was still aimed at the spot where Melena had stood.
Rodney shrugged his shoulders. “Anytime,” he said proudly.
Elizabeth nodded. “So, explain to me again how that gun was able to immobilize her, when anything else we’ve used in the past on the Asurans has failed?”
“Oh, that’s simple,” Rodney said as a matter-of-factly. “A couple of months ago, when we first encountered the Asurans, Ronon’s pistol was the only thing that seemed to have any effect on them.
“So, Zelenka and I attempted to duplicate the energy signature of Ronon’s gun. Even though we don’t know much about it, we were still able to mimic the type of energy it produces. We constructed several prototypes, none of which worked until I came up with the idea to link them to Ronon’s gun, using his gun as a charger. Actually, it’s almost exactly l like a battery charger, it produces enough energy in the chambers of our prototypes so that we can use them,” he explained with enthusiasm.
“And why wasn’t I aware of such tests?” Elizabeth inquired with a slight smile. She tilted her head, looking at Rodney.
“It was going to be a surprise?” he suggested.
“I’m impressed, Rodney. I never thought we’d have something that was of use against-”
“Well…” he said, looking at her with a doubtful look. “The prototypes aren’t quite the answer we’re looking for. We can only get one or two shots out of it before it stops working. They won’t hold a charge any longer and we aren’t sure why.”
“So we only have one more shot left before the gun’s useless?”
“Exactly.”
“Great,” Elizabeth said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
***
Infirmary – Atlantis
Teyla stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes slowly. She was lying in the infirmary, hooked up to several machines, all of which were monitoring her.
“Nice to see you awake, love,” Carson said as he walked over to Teyla’s side.
Teyla nodded slowly as she looked up at Carson.
“How are you feeling?”
“Very tired,” she said softly, “but all right.”
“Good to hear, you gave us quite a scare there for a moment... or two.”
“I apologize,” she said with a slight smile. “I do not recall much of what happened but Melena… is she all right?”
Carson sighed. “She’s… it’s complicated, love. If you’re up to it, Doctor Weir will be coming down to speak with you after her briefing.”
Teyla looked at Carson, quirking a brow. “Is there something wrong, Doctor Beckett?”
“It’s been a long day,” he told her.
“I understand,” she said, deciding to leave her questions for Doctor Weir.
***
Talus’ residence – Bethdsha
Ronon felt more than strange as he walked into Talus and Melena’s home. Her honey scent still lingered in parts of the building, causing Ronon to flinch at the thought of her having another life, one without him. “Do you live here alone?” he asked, looking over at Talus.
“Yes, well… I didn’t,” Talus said, shaking his head. “I had a wife but she was taken in the latest Wraith culling, only a couple of nights ago.”
John looked at Ronon, wishing he knew what was going through his head. It discouraged him, knowing that he couldn’t read Ronon, especially when he wasn’t visibly angry. The blank expression on his face disturbed John. He wished Ronon were visibly angry, the calm composure made the man scarier even if John knew better.
“I’m sorry,” Ronon said coldly, as he continued to move around the living area of the house.
“Thank you,” Talus said. “I just pray to the Ancestors every day that she did not suffer. I see no way of how she could have survived,” Talus told him. “She was a lovely woman,” Talus said with a hint of a smile, remembering her. “Very stubborn, but also very strong, I loved her dearly.”
John placed his hand on Ronon’s shoulder. He knew why Ronon had wanted to come here, but now that they were there, he wasn’t sure he could let Ronon do what he wanted to. Ronon shrugged John’s hand away.
“She was one of the best things to ever happen to me,” Talus said.
Ronon growled lowly.
“Ronon,” John warned.
Ronon looked at John, shaking his head before looking back to Talus. He placed his hand against his pistol, switching the setting from stun to kill. Wrapping his hand around the gun, he inclined his head. In one swift motion, Ronon pulled his gun from the holster and leveled it with Talus, a roguish grin on his face.
Talus’ eyes widened, looking at the man. “What’s going on?”
“Ronon,” John warned again.
“No, Sheppard, this is something I have to do.”
***
Conference Room – Atlantis
“Thank you for coming.” Elizabeth touched the sensor on the wall, the conference room door sliding closed. She walked over to the end of the table, taking a seat as she looked at the other people there. “Carson,” she addressed first.
“Aye, Doctor Weir?”
Elizabeth smiled slightly. “How is Teyla doing?”
“Much better, she is resting for the moment.”
“Good.” Elizabeth looked around the room. “We have a lot to address and not a lot of time,” she explained. “Carson, it’s all yours.”
“Aye,” he said with a nod. He typed in a few commands onto the laptop in front of him, which caused the screen on the wall behind him to power up. “The majority,” he started, “of the Replicators that have been encountered in the past by Stargate Command are composed of modular blocks, which were created using nanotechnology. The Asurans are designed by the same basic principles; however, they’re built on a more cellular level, using aggressive nanite technology-”
“We already know all this,” Rodney commented dryly.
Carson shot a glare in Rodney’s direction, which Rodney returned with a smug smile. “Nanotechnology can be used to help reproduce or to repair damaged tissue, as you all are aware of. In Melena’s case, the nanites were implanted on the cellular level, right into the tissue, but they remained dormant until they were activated.”
“And we couldn’t see them while they remained dormant?” Elizabeth questioned.
“Technically, we should have-”
“Rodney,” Elizabeth warned, without even turning to look at him.
Rodney rolled his eyes.
“Aye, we should have been able to pick the nanites in her system and any foreign elements. However, it appears that these nanites may be far more advanced than what we’ve encountered before, including the nanites that invaded your system, Doctor Weir,” Carson explained.
Elizabeth flinched automatically at the thought of happened to her a couple of months ago. It was never a pleasant memory. She regained her composure quickly as she regarded Carson. “Explain.”
“The nanites in Melena’s system were originally an incredibly small amount, before their activation. It’s possible that the Asurans were able to tinker with-”
“We aren’t talking just tinkering with the structure of the nanites, we’re talking about completely altering their design,” Rodney added.
“Aye, they were able to alter the composition of the nanites, specifying certain tasks to be executed, as well as altering the structure in order for them to masquerade as every day cells in her body until activation.”
“What about replication?” Elizabeth asked.
“The nanites in her system didn’t appear to replicate.”
“How do you know that?” Elizabeth asked Carson.
“If the nanites had replicated before the time when we suspect activation occurred, I believe we’d have caught the invasion much earlier than this morning.”
“What activated the nanites?” Elizabeth inquired.
“And this is where I come in,” Rodney spoke up.
“Us, you mean,” Zelenka corrected him.
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “The transmitter that I found in Melena’s belongings appeared to be an every day radio transmitter,” Rodney explained as he lifted the radio up for everyone to see. “The only reason I found the radio even remotely interesting was because we haven’t come across many civilizations that are this far advanced. Well,” he said, pausing for a second. “Other than the Genii anyway.
“I figured this planet, Be… Buth… whatever-”
“Bethdsha,” Zelenka corrected Rodney again.
“Right. So, this place must have technology similar to the Genii and even us, which means they could-”
“The more interesting aspect of the radio is what was inside the radio,” Zelenka interrupted, jumping straight to the point.
Rodney glared at Zelenka. “I was getting to that,” he muttered. Rodney looked back to the room. “This morning I woke up and noticed a strange light coming from the radio. I opened it and found this-” Rodney reached for the plastic bag, but Zelenka grabbed it before him.
“This,” Zelenka lifted the bag, “is what the interesting part is. It’s another transmitter and like nothing that we’ve ever seen before.”
Elizabeth inclined her head slightly, looking at the object concealed in the plastic bag. “What is it?” she asked.
“We believe it’s what activated the nanites. It was emitting a low frequency energy wave,” Rodney explained. “It would’ve caused them to begin to replicate and thus, start taking control over Melena.”
“Is this why she attacked Teyla?” Elizabeth asked.
“We think that even though the Asurans were able to alter the composition of their own nanites, they still were unable to remove the programming that makes them attack the Wraith. Therefore, what Wraith DNA Teyla has would’ve caused Melena to react,” Rodney said.
“Is there any way to rid Melena of the nanites, like you accomplished with me?” Elizabeth asked, looking at Carson.
“I’m working on a solution, but I’m afraid that because of the structure and composition of the nanites, getting the nanites to respond in order to use an electromagnetic pulse is near impossible.”
“What about Wraith cell tissue?”
“I’m afraid these are much more sophisticated, and even though they would instinctively attack Wraith DNA, the clusters of nanites may not react enough for the EMP to work properly,” Carson said. “We also have to keep in mind, the nanites are attacking her system, sooner or later her body is going to be unable to handle the assault and she’ll die…”
“Do we have any solutions?” Elizabeth questioned, obviously frustrated.
Rodney raised his hand. “I have one…”
***
Holding Cell – Atlantis
It was only a matter of time before the pain ran its course and the haunting flashes of memories ceased. Melena released her fingers from her hair and she pushed herself up off of the ground.
A shiver traveled along her spine briefly before she looked around the prison cell, then to the camera. She smirked menacingly before moving to the front of the cell. She reached out slowly toward the barrier. Once she made contact, the electric pulses surged up her arm, causing her to twitch with each shock.
Melena’s eyes rolled back in her head and soon, only the whites of her eyes could be seen as she sent her own surge of energy right back into the energy field, causing it to short out. The shock forced her back against the far wall of the cell, hard.
With a groan, she forced herself back up to her feet, moved to the entrance of the holding cell, and used all of her strength to force the chamber open.
The guards ran into the brig, guns aimed on Melena as they screamed at her to stand down. She grinned subtly as she swiftly moved towards them, taking one down quite efficiently with the snap of the neck. She turned to the second guard, inclining her head slightly as he continued to fire his weapon on her, but it had no effect. She chuckled as she advanced on him slowly, then suddenly whipping around him and hooking her arm around his neck.
TBC
Previous Chapters:
+ Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 + Chapter 3 + Chapter 4 + Chapter 5 +
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-26 10:57 pm (UTC)Sheppard? Ok, PRICELESS throughout the whole chapter. I'd quote, but there would be way too much in this comment :P
She snuggled up to him, draping her arm over his bare chest.
Can I be her? Please? :D
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-26 11:19 pm (UTC)Yay, glad that you enjoyed it, even Sheppard. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-27 12:31 am (UTC)True this cliffhanger wasn't as bad, but still bad :P
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-27 01:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-27 02:15 am (UTC)But I actually meant no stopping chapters :P haha! Just continuing the whole story in one chapter...it could work!...kind of :P
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-27 01:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-27 04:39 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-27 01:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-27 01:28 pm (UTC)And boy did I feel sorry for Ronon having to listen to that man talk about loving Melena! No wonder he pulled his gun.
You are doing an excellent job with this fic. You have a great detailed plot and it really feels like an episode. Well done!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-27 01:41 pm (UTC)Thank you very much! :)