01/12/2006: "Surprise! ToI Update!"

music: Gorillaz - Feel Good, Inc.
mood: Not tired at all

I lied. Here's an excerpt (for Steve, since he occassionally pokes his head in smile and Kam if she gets curious again).

My muse is surprising me, is all I'm saying (in case I might accidentally scare her away). Just added a whole new chapter for Twilight of the Idols

ToI Word Count: 2902
January Word Count: 17,208

I must now force myself to sleep, so I can wake up tomorrow. My last full day in Florida.

<--- Sad

Not tired though. Much love for ToI, hopefully I'll finish this story one day. Hopefully I'll finish this story before this year's Nanowrimo.

Managed to still fit that Wizard of Oz reference in. Go me. McKay's probably freaking out a little too much. Oops. It amuses me though. I'm very tempted to name this chapter after McKay's gag, because that came out of left field, and is still making me snicker. Poor Rodney, I have to torture him like this, because eventually I'm giving the poor man real angst and whumping in the story (like he somehow wound up having angst and ankle injury out of nowhere in "Dead or Alive"). I've got to keep him relatively whole until then... they'll be stuck in the past for at least two months, so maybe... >=D

No, bad Grey. Don't whump the McKay in addition to the whump he's already assigned. It's too greedy...

And too tempting.

Damn, I guess I'll just see what happens. When I plan these things out too much they stop themselves.

Let's see, that's a total of three different stories I've gotten some good headway done on today. Please don't leave me muse, I love you. <3

I think I might wind up finishing another fic before Linda finishes beta'ing, lol, poor girl... I think my writing is mostly nervous-waiting-to-post energy. Please muse, stay with me after I post this one. I've missed you so.

Okay enough, I seriously need to go to bed.

(...whump...)

Chapter Five: Maxims and Arrows

“I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

An odd strangled noise came from McKay as he stared at Sheppard with wide eyes.

“Um, McKay,” he eyed his friend with concern, “are you all right?”

McKay made the same noise again, and gestulated wildly with his hands.

“Rodney,” he really didn’t like the look the scientist was giving him. It was the look most horror movie victims saw right before an axe was buried in their skull. “I’m not afraid to say you’re freaking me out a little.”

The strangled noise came again, but this time it sounded more angry than confused.

Sheppard took a step back, quickly tossing a look to see if their captors had noticed any of this, but they hadn’t. “McKay, I know I’m going to regret asking this, but please start talking so things can go back to semi-normal.”

“You want me to talk?” The question was fired off at a rapid pace, and before Sheppard could answer, he’d already launched into a rant. “You want me to talk, when we are most certainly in very deep deep shit and you’re quoting freaking Wizard of Oz?! You want me to talk, when a giant fifty-foot statue that should survive even a heavy Wraith attack is inexplicably gone? All you can say that it’s not good? That we’re not in Kansas anymore?”

McKay’s voice was raising higher and higher, and Sheppard mimed for him to keep his voice down, watching the kidnapping bandits warily.

Thankfully, Rodney obliged him, his voice dropping to a dangerously low whisper. “Colonel, I’m starting to get a few ideas of what happened and they are most definitely ‘not good’!”

“Let’s hear them.”

“I’m not telling you them!”

Sheppard frowned. “Why not?”

“Because even I don’t believe them! They’re entirely too wild to even consider in the realm of possibility!”

“McKay, calm down, you’re panicking.”

“Sure I am, join me!”

“One of us has to keep a level head.”

“The statue is gone!” McKay squeaked, pointing at the empty valley. “We are not in the same place we were when you turned that damnable machine on!”

“Different valley?” Sheppard hoped.

“Even your sense of direction can’t be that bad,” McKay hissed, pointing back to the city, then back to the valley, “same damn city, same damn valley.”

“But no statue.”

“Yes! No statue!”

“We really should get back to Atlantis, see what happened.”

“Oh, why didn’t I think of that?” McKay tapped his chin. “Maybe because we’ve been kidnapped by the cast of Escape from New York?!”

Arash looked up at the sound of the raised voice and stalked towards the two prisoners. Sheppard cuffed the back of McKay’s head annoyed. “I told you to keep it down!”

Arash yanked McKay by the arm.

“Um, I’m going with him,” McKay pointed feebly as he was dragged away from Sheppard. “He doesn’t hit me.”

John sighed and chose that moment to amble over to Carus before Bertha decided to start cuddling again. The scarred man eyed John warily. “What do you want?”

“Listen, we’re sorry about the whole trespassing thing, setting off a bright beacon that’s probably going to attract the attention of the bad guys, and uh, McKay’s sorry for being an ass—”

“Speak for yourself Colonel! Ow!” McKay grunted as Arash twisted his arm behind his back. “Why does he get to roam free?”

“But if we promise to stay out of the city will you let us go home?”

“Where is home?” Carus asked suspiciously.

“Through the Stargate,” Sheppard smiled diplomatically.

“Sorry,” and with that he shoved Sheppard back into Bertha’s waiting arms. “Let’s keep moving. Arash, muzzle that one if he doesn’t shut up.”

“That’s not fair! Sheppard’s just as—mmfff!” Rodney’s eyes widened in horror as Arash forcefully stuffed a filthy looking rag that might have once been a handkerchief in his mouth. His eyes sought Sheppard desperately. “Mmmf maanff mff mff!”

“Thank you,” Sheppard smiled sarcastically at Carus as he was roughly shoved down the road.

“Mmff mmff Emzabeff”

* * * * *

“Mmmf!”

The one-sided muffled rant had continued all the way back to camp, much to the annoyance of the hunting party. Sheppard had gone from amused, to annoyed, to frustrated, to ready to strangle McKay, and then back to amused.

“Everyone!” Carus stood at the front of their group, raising his voice to be heard over McKay’s muffled complaints. Several heads poked out of various make-shift huts, wig-wams and lean-tos. “It is likely the Deimos will be returning soon, we must all make preparations!”

What Sheppard assumed to be villagers looked at each other in dismay and fear, and many were galvanized into action, while others started firing off questions at each other and their leader. Carus turned around and motioned his two henchmen to the far side of the encampment. “Secure them; we’ll deal with them later.”

Morven roughly shoved Sheppard against a tree, securing his hands behind his back with rough hemp. Arash tossed McKay to the ground gave Morven a wild look and stormed off, presumably before he did something very bad to the scientist. The large women secured McKay before rejoining Carus, who was directing the evacuation.

“Mmmf!”

Sheppard looked at McKay. “Having fun?”

That same strangled noise and axe murder look returned.

John eyed the gag with trepidation. “It is kind of gross.”

Rodney squealed again.

“You want me to take it off?”

McKay nodded eagerly.

“I don’t know, obviously it hasn’t been very effective.”

Rodney whined desperately.

“How am I supposed to take it off with my hands tied?”

A set of big, blue, puppy-dog eyes gazed at him sorrowfully.

“It’s gross.”

A sad nod.

Sheppard clenched his jaw. “Not a word of this to anyone.”

McKay quickly shook his head.

Heaving a deep sigh, and clenching his eyes shut, John grabbed the gag with his teeth and yanked. Thankfully Arash hadn’t secured it too tightly and it came away, he quickly tossed it away, spitting on the ground. “That thing tastes horrible!”

McKay coughed and was trying to scrape his tongue with his teeth. “I coulv’ov vold vou vat.”

Sheppard blinked. “Are you going to vuck my vlood voo?”

McKay spat and pinned Sheppard with a glare. “I’m sorry, did you find me trying to rid the taste of sweat, blood, and fear from my tongue amusing?”

“Maybe you wouldn’t have tasted it so much if you had shut up on the way here.”

“They wouldn’t remove the gag!”

“I wonder why,” Sheppard rolled his eyes. “I’m wondering why I did.”

“Because despite all that bed hair and rampant Kirk hormones you’re a somewhat decent human being.”

“Was that supposed to be a compliment?”

“I mean thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Sheppard eyed the frantic movement of the villagers. “You know, they don’t seem very evil to me, just very frightened.”

“I prefer the Sheppard worshipping villagers,” McKay admitted quietly. “They were nicer.”

“Maybe next time someone threatens to gag you, you’ll listen.”

“Don’t take their side!”

“Focus Rodney.”

“On what?”

“Preferably something other than panicking and being gagged.”

“You’re not giving me a lot of choices here.”

“Then stop distracting me at least,” Sheppard watched the villagers intently.

McKay fell silent and glared petulantly at their captors. John flexed his wrists, testing his bonds, but they were secured tight. It figured that Bertha knew how to tie a knot. Sheppard let out a frustrated sigh, yanking hard at this bound wrists, just out of spite. McKay gave him a long wary look, before looking back at the villagers.

His mouth flopped open. “What are they doing?!”

“Keep it down!” Sheppard whispered harshly. “Do you want them to put the gag back on?”

“He’s going to break it!” McKay’s eyes widened and gestured with his head to Arash who was tilting the scientist’s laptop in all sorts of directions, looking as if he was about to throw it to the ground. “He can’t break that or we’ll really be screwed! I need that to study the machine!”

“Calm,” Sheppard soothed.

Arash set the laptop down, moving to the next item in the scientist’s pack.

“See? It’s all right. No harm done.”

McKay took in several deep breaths. “So help me God, if we get out of these bonds, I’m not responsible for what I do to him…”

“Mental note: Never touch a geek’s computer.”

“Shouldn’t you be working on our grand escape plan?”

“You mind putting that huge McKay brain to work on it too?” Sheppard grunted as his fingers clumsily slipped from the knot of his bonds. “It might help a little.”

“Right,” McKay muttered. “Sorry.”

“No problem,” Sheppard smiled tersely, biceps bulging as he contorted his wrists painfully. “Just don’t feel like sticking around for when Carus gets done organizing his exit.”

“Me either,” McKay’s eyes involuntarily found the knife sheathed at Carus’s hip and immediately focused his attention on ways to extricate he and Sheppard from this mess.

* * * * *

“Carus,” a woman in her early thirties stepped out of one of the larger huts, scrubbing at her hands with a soiled rag, “is it true? Are the Deimos returning?”

“Bechard,” the leader greeted, “how is your patient?”

Bechard smiled sadly, “I’m afraid there’s not much more I can do. It’s amazing he’s lasted this long.”

“I see,” Carus’s hopeful expression crumbled. “You have done more than your duty to my brother.”

Bechard shook her head sadly. “He will not last much longer, especially if we have to move again. I am sorry Carus.”

Carus closed his eyes. “There’s not much else we can do. There is no doubt in my mind that the Deimos will come.”

“Why is that?”

Carus cast an angry glance over at Sheppard and McKay. Sheppard smiled sarcastically at him, while McKay lifted his chin indignantly. “They are why.”

Bechard’s eyes widened, “Carus, what are you doing?”

“They were in the city, they activated a bright light, a beacon of some sort. There is no way the Deimos will have not noticed it,” Carus growled.

“You can’t tie them up!”

“They need to be punished, the Deimos would have left us alone for several more months!”

“No!” Bechard used the soiled cloth to rap Carus’s knuckles. “We are better than the Deimos, we do not treat our own kind like this!”

“For all we know they meant to lead the Deimos to us,” he frowned at the ineffectual, but very expressive, attempt to discipline him. He would never understand his brother’s wife.

“Bite your tongue Carus!” She pinned her brother-in-law with a fierce glare before storming over to the far end of the encampment.

“What are you doing woman?” He followed her, attempting to grab her arm, but she deftly avoided his grasp.

“Untying them.”

“You can’t do that!”

“They’re our guests Carus,” she spun, feet away from the two captives, to face her brother-in-law, “or do you prefer we Daphnians be the barbarians that the Deimos are trying to force us become?”

Carus clenched his jaw, but didn’t respond.

“I thought so,” she gave him a final hard look before dropping next to McKay and loosening his bonds. Her eye caught the gag not far from him, and gave Carus another scolding look before working at Sheppard’s knots.

“I assume Morven tied you up.”

“Big woman?”

“Yes. I’m afraid she ties the tightest knots,” her eyes met John’s and she smiled kindly, “and your attempts to escape have only tightened them.”

“I, uh,” he tossed a nervous glance at Carus, who pretended like he didn’t see what was happening, “was impatient to get on my way.”

“I can see that,” she finished pulling away the hemp and eyed Sheppard’s wrists critically. “Your wrists will need tending to.”

“They’re fine,” John offered her his most charming smile, only to elicit an angry growl from Carus, who leaned forward menacingly.

“No they’re not. I have a salve for them in my tent. Follow me.”

She led Sheppard away, despite Carus’s obvious displeasure. McKay looked between Sheppard’s retreating back and the very irritated village leader. “Hey, why don’t I look at those too. I’m a doctor!”

“Don’t make up excuses McKay,” Sheppard shook his head.

“It has been a long while since I’ve been able to talk with another healer,” Bechard dipped her head in greeting.

“He’s a doctor of science, not medicine,” Sheppard corrected sourly, fixing McKay with a look.

“Don’t leave me,” McKay squeaked as they reached Bechard’s tent.

Bechard laughed. “Do not fret Doctor, my people will not harm you. It is safe to stay out here.”

McKay whimpered softly as Sheppard was led into the tent. “No fair.”

“Go make sure Bow Boy didn’t hurt any of your precious equipment,” Sheppard waved him off before the flap of the tent dropped, obscuring both of them from view.

McKay harrumphed and crossed his arms. “Enter the Kirk.”

The woman who had untied him indicated for him to take a seat on a make-shift chair. “I’m Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard by the way.”

“That is certainly a long name.”

“Lieutenant Colonel is my rank, despite what McKay likes to believe,” John grinned. “You can call me John if you’d like.”

“That would be less of a mouthful,” she agreed as she gathered a few supplies from her make-shift cabinet, which was actually more of a large crate. She knelt next to Sheppard, pulling one of his arms out to inspect the wear on his wrist. The burns weren’t too bad, all things considered, but if a pretty lady wanted to treat his wounds, he wasn’t going to refuse.

“So what am I supposed to call you? Doc? Ma’am? Madame?”

“You may call me Bechard, as everyone else does.”

“Bechard, nice name.”

“Your charm is wasted on me John. I have a husband.”

“Darn.”

She took one of the leaves that she had gathered and put it in her mouth, chewing it thoroughly before removing the wad and spreading it across the chaffed skin. John grimaced, now glad that he had left McKay outside so he wouldn’t have to hear about this later.

“That’s kind of gross,” he finally said as she finished with the wrist and reached for a roll of what he guessed to be gauze.

She grinned at him. “It is a crude form of medicine, but it works just as well as my mother’s method.”

Sheppard raised an eyebrow. “Family business?”

“Yes,” she responded softly as she finished wrapping one wrist and taking his other to repeat the process. “My grandmother was a doctor before the Deimos attacked. She taught my mother, and she taught me.”

“I’m sorry.” Seeing the sadness she was trying to hold at bay, he decided to carefully change the topic. “Why does Carus believe our presence is going to bring them back?”

“The Deimos keep watch on the old city,” Bechard frowned at him. “They’ve always come when anyone dares to venture there.”

“Sorry about that by the way,” John shrugged honestly.

“You are not from here, are you?”

“That obvious?”

“We have not encountered many strangers. Daphnis was a grand city, and its people spread out far, but anyone we have encountered has always known the dangers of venturing beyond its walls.”

“Yeah.” It was hard to argue with that kind of logic. “Listen, do you know of anyone called Barclay. He was elder of a village around here.”

“Barclay?” She shook her head. “I’m afraid I’ve never heard that name, and we do not have any elders.”

“No elders?” John asked nervously.

“No. Anyone too slow is caught by the Deimos.”

Sheppard frowned. He’d never heard of the Wraith capturing old people. It really didn’t make sense, since they didn’t have that much life to steal anyway.

“You’ll have to forgive me Bechard, me and McKay came here with our friends, but when we came… things were a lot different.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Different? How so?”

“It’s, uh, hard to explain, but is there anyway we can get to the Stargate?”

“The Stargate? You wish to travel through the ring of ancestors?”

“Yeah. Carus got a little testy when I asked him earlier.”

“Not many people know how to use the Stargate,” that cautious look entered her eyes again. “And those that do, never get a chance to use it.”

This just kept getting better and better.

“Let me guess, the Deimos?”

She nodded.

“It’s really important I get to the gate Bechard. Could you please talk to Carus, get him to listen to reason?”

She closed her eyes. “I do not want to.”

“Why?”

Bechard shook her head. “I am a healer. It goes against my very nature to send a person to their death.”

Sheppard rolled his eyes up to the tent’s ceiling, silently praying for patience. There was no way he was going to be able to deal with both these people and a testy McKay with low-blood sugar.

“Please?” He repeated, trying to keep his impatience out of his tone.

She sighed. “Very well, now if you wouldn’t mind, I have another patient to attend to.”

Sheppard glanced to the back of the tent, not able to make out more than a vaguely human shaped lump in the darkness. He nodded his thanks to Bechard and peeled the flap to the tent back, looking around for his wayward scientist.

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January 2006
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