28. Test Run

The gateship was happy to see him, in a weird puppy-dog way. Ronon was helping him limp along, and John was glad for the help. There were times when pride was overrated.

“Never seen something like that before,” Ronon said as they approached.

“Me neither. But she flies, and they tell me she has a cloaking mechanism.”

Ronon stopped, picking up on what John wasn’t saying. “You’ve never actually flown it before.”

“Hey, I can fly anything,” John said, trying to sound stung, but his own arrogance came through loud and clear and he knew it. The ramp dropped open when John asked it too, the whole ship lighting up and nearly buzzing with excitement. It had not reacted that way with Stackhouse flying it, and John wondered about the difference as he pushed Ronon off and went to the cockpit. Everything lit up as he walked through, and Ronon stopped dead.

“You’re an Ancestor.”

“No. But I’ve got something in common with them.”

“The legends say the Ancestors brighten the Dark Places of our Worlds, their steps bringing light and wisdom.” Ronon looked unconvinced.

“All I intend to bring is some hurting onto those Wraith bastards who took my people,” John said, focusing on the dashboard. He nearly missed the moment when Ronon spun around and pulled out his gun, pointing it out the back. John looked up from all the meaningless blinking lights to see the Emmagen pointing her gun back at them, standing on the ramp, armed with two extra P-90s hanging off of her and her sticks still strapped to her back.

“Do not move, Satedan,” She growled.

John gave them props for what was the most ridiculous standoff ever outside of a spaghetti western. She was half the size of Ronon, but they were both armed to the teeth and John figured the only one who would end up dead would be him, from friendly fire.

“Ronon Dex, meet the Emmagen. I have no idea what her name is.” John waved a hand around in mockery of formal introduction. He was not prepared for Ronon to drop like a stone to his knees.

“Emmagen.” He bowed his head.

She did not drop her P-90, but came forward slowly and put a hand on Ronon’s head. “Be at peace, Sataden Ronon Dex. Why have you come here to this desolate land?”

“I am a Runner.”

She finally lowered her weapon, sucking breath through her teeth. “My sincerest grief for your life, Ronon.”

Ronon didn’t move. The Emmagen looked up at John. “Everyone is dead or taken. We must leave the Runner here and return to Atlantis.”

“See, that’s not going to work for me.” John turned back to the dash.

He heard her re-arm herself. “You are choosing to run away?”

John didn’t bother answering, closing the ramp and fully powering up the gateship. Finally, after a few mental queries, a head’s up display appeared and John started to figure out the different systems.

“No, he’s waiting for the Wraith to open the ring, so he can fly into the Hive ship and save his people,” Ronon said, the amusement in his voice clear.

“I do not understand.”

John finally turned to face off with the business end of her gun. “They took McKay and everyone still alive to their Hive ship. So we—“ He motioned between the three of them, “Are going there, boarding the ship, saving everyone we can find, and then maybe, I don’t know, blow the fucker up or something.”

John kind of missed the camera on his smart phone, because the look on the Emmagen’s face was priceless. She was torn between laughing at him and being struck dumb by his stupidity, but she did at least lower the gun again. “You are mad.”

“Yeah, he is.” Ronon agreed affably, still on his knees.

“And you are joining him in this madness, Ronon Dex?”

He paled a little under her gaze, and John wondered yet again exactly who the hell she was.

“I’ve run for ten years. I’m done. I came home to die, one way or another. A dishonorable and cowardly end killing very few Wraith, compared to going to a Hive ship and killing many. His madness has honor to it. It’s a warrior’s way to die, trying to save others.”

She nodded. “It is nonetheless madness—”

“Ah ha!” John’s brain finally latched onto the cloaking mechanism. “Check it out! Invisible!”

They looked around at how much nothing had changed, and the Emmagen raised an eyebrow at him.

Sighing, John lowered the ramp. “Go outside and see if you can see the ship.”

At the Emmagen’s nod, Ronon jumped up and ran out, then ran back in. “Can’t be seen!”

“The city has this technology, but I was unaware the gateships could cloak as well. This does give us an advantage.”

“I killed the remaining Wraith. Soon, the Hive will dial in to send more hunters,” Ronon offered.

“That’s when I fly through the gate and up to the Hive ship.” John smiled, trying for charm and confidence.

She looked torn. John figured she felt a duty to return to Atlantis and whatever else she did for a day job, versus trying to help save McKay. Taking a risk, John turned serious and looked her in the eye.

“Would McKay come for you?”

Her chin went up. After a long moment of silence while they stared at each other, she nodded. “If he is alive, we will bring him home.”

John smiled. “Damn straight. Now settle in while I give this baby a test run. Don’t want to bump into the gate on a fly through.” He rubbed his hands together as he turned back to the dash.

---

Waking up cold and sticky was not Mer’s favorite thing, especially if not proceeded by a night of filthy, dirty fucking. In a turn that was about as far from that scenario as he could dream up, he figured out quickly that he was in a Wraith cocoon, probably in the bowels of a Hive ship, put up like leftovers. Literally.

Across from him he saw Kavanagh deep in another cocoon, still out like a light. Mer himself felt dizzy and his thinking was muddled, something he figured was from a chemical in the webbing or a drug he had been given. Slowly the memories hit, though, of waking up being dragged through the ship, half his team dragged along with him. He remembered seeing Ford and Simpson, but not Kavanagh or the red headed sergeant, or, worse, Teyla.

He had never been on a Hive ship before—no one had, and come back. It was a death sentence and all that was left was for the smartest man in two galaxies to wait to be turned into human sushi. Furious at himself and the Wraith and Sheppard and anyone else he could think of, he struggled at the webbing, but even in his slightly drugged state, he knew enough to know that he was just fighting himself. There was not going to be a rescue, and both he and what was left of his team were as good as dead.