part I

Season 2 – after Coup D’Etat

Maric and Jenna walked along the bank of the river toward the Travel Ring. It was Jenna who saw the body first. "Father, look!" she said, pointing.
They ran forward and dropped to their knees next to the body of a man who was lying face down, half in and half out of the water. He wore a short sleeved shirt which was badly torn and Maric could see immediately that his left arm was broken along the forearm. The upper part of the arm was swollen and there was some kind of wound across it. The side of his head had a ragged wound across the scalp while further investigation revealed broken ribs and a broken leg. The leg was broken in two places, one above the knee and one below. There was also a great deal of bruising across the man's back.
Maric sat back on his heels and looked at his daughter. "He's in a pretty bad way."
"Can you help him?" asked Jenna.
"I think so." replied Maric, who was a healer. "Getting him back to the village will be difficult though."
"We should get started then." said Jenna.
Maric gave a short laugh. "Just like your mother." he said.
As gently as he could, and with Jenna's help, Maric rolled the unconscious man onto his back and picked him up. The man moaned in pain and muttered something but remained unconscious. With Jenna leading they made their way to the Ring where Jenna dialed the address for their planet.

As Maric and Jenna neared their village they were greeted by a welcoming committee. A small group of men spread out before them blocking their way.
"Get out of my way Ferris." warned Maric. Ferris was the local troublemaker who unfortunately also wielded a lot of power.
"Who's your friend Maric?" asked Ferris menacingly.
"Someone who needs my help. Now get out of my way." said Maric. He continued moving forward, Jenna close beside him.
"He needs to be tested." said Ferris, not moving.
"He's seriously injured and needs medical attention." said Maric, starting to lose patience. "If I have to put him down I'm going to beat the tar out of you."
"You can't threaten me!" snarled Ferris.
"Oh really." said Maric, his own voice now menacing.
Jenna removed a pair of fighting sticks from her pack. "Who's first?" she asked, her voice hard.
"You haven't heard the last of this." said Ferris, backing down.
"I'm sure I haven't." said Maric softly. Then to Jenna, "Quickly, before he changes his mind."
Together they made their way to their house. While Maric placed the man they rescued in a back room, Jenna prepared hot water and bandages. Working quickly, Maric cut away the stranger's clothes and began a probing examination of the broken bones. Jenna entered just as he finished.
"How bad is it?" she asked.
"He's lucky, the breaks are clean. I'll need you to hold him while I set them." replied Maric.
Doing as her father directed, Jenna immobilized the limbs as Maric set the bones. The stranger cried out in pain, weakly pulling against Jenna but she held him firm. Then she gently but firmly held the splints against his limbs so her father could wrap them with bandages. Once that was done Maric turned his attention to the head wound. His probing fingers determined there was no skull fracture but it didn't look good.
"I don't like this. He should have regained consciousness when we set his limbs. I'm worried about how much damage the head wound has caused."
"He reacted to the pain. Isn't that at least a good sign?" asked Jenna.
"Maybe." replied Maric. "He's also running a fever which I didn't notice earlier. It could complicate things."
"Think the fever's from the wound on his arm?" asked Jenna.
"Almost certainly." replied Maric. "It looks like it's quite badly infected."
"I wonder what happened and who he is?" asked Jenna.
"We won't know until he regains consciousness." replied Maric.
Unbeknown to either of them, they would be waiting a long time to find out.

Maric was busily preparing a meal when someone pounded on the door. He sighed in irritation, knowing it would be Ferris.
"Would you like me to get that?" called Jenna.
"No. Stay with our patient." replied Maric, heading towards the front door. He opened it to find a small delegation led by the head of the village, Brandon. Ferris stood beside him. "What can I do for you Brandon?" he asked ignoring Ferris.
"You know why we're here." replied Brandon. "The stranger needs to be tested."
"You and Ferris only." said Maric knowing he could not refuse them. There was an angry muttering from the rest of the group.
"As you wish." replied Brandon stiffly. He and Ferris entered the house and followed Maric to the back room.
Jenna rose to greet them. "Is this really necessary?" she asked. "He is in no condition to be a threat."
"You know the law." said Ferris curtly. He placed a small object on the unconscious man's chest and then stepped back. For a few seconds nothing happened, then the object suddenly lit up and there was a faint hum. "Atlantean!" hissed Ferris, his eyes filled with hate.
"He can't stay here!" snapped Brandon, his face dark with the same hatred.
"He's in no condition to be moved!" said Maric, angrily. He picked up the device and thrust it back at Ferris. "Take this and get out of here! I'll take full responsibility for our guest until he is fit enough to travel."
"On your head be it!" said Brandon. He spun on his heel and stormed out of the house closely followed by Ferris.
Jenna was stunned. "I knew they hated the Atlanteans but I never realised it was that bad." she said.
"That's why they test everyone who enters the village." said Maric. "That's why they tested us."
"And if we had been Atlanteans?" asked Jenna.
Maric shook his head. "I don't know Jenna." he said.
"Do you think he's safe here?" asked Jenna, referring to their patient.
"For the moment." replied Maric.

Jenna sang softly to herself as she opened the curtains. A sound behind her brought her quickly to the bed. The stranger stirred again and his eyes flickered open.
"Good morning." said Jenna with a smile. It was several days since they had found him and this was the first time he had regained consciousness.
The stranger focused blearily on Jenna. "Where am I and who are you?" he asked, his voice thick.
"I am called Jenna and you are in my home." replied Jenna. "What is your name?"
"I... I don't know." stammered the stranger. "I don't remember."
"Can you remember anything?" asked Jenna.
"No. Nothing." replied the stranger, a note of panic in his voice.
"It's okay." said Jenna quickly. "You've had a crack on the head. That's probably why you can't remember anything. Your memory should come back in time."
"You think so?"
"Yes I do." replied Jenna confidently. "Now, we need to give you a name. How about Jonas?"
"Jonas? That sounds like a good name, thank you."
"You're welcome." said Jenna with a smile. "I imagine you're quite hungry. Do you think you can manage some broth?"
"I'll try." said Jonas. He tried to sit up but his body protested at the sudden movement. He moaned at the sudden, shocking pain and collapsed back against his pillows.
"Don't try and move!" ordered Jenna. "You've been badly injured and need to rest."
Jonas could only nod wordlessly, his teeth still gritted from the pain.
"My father can give you something for the pain." said Jenna. "I'll be right back." She quickly left the room and went in search of her father. She found him preparing breakfast. "Father, our guest is awake and in pain. Can you give him something to help him?"
"I have just the thing." replied Maric. "Did you find out who he is?"
"He doesn't remember." replied Jenna. "The head injury seems to have caused some kind of memory loss."
"It happens." said Maric. "Hopefully it's only temporary. We'll need to give him a name."
"Jonas." said Jenna, smiling.
Maric laughed. "I should have guessed." he said. "Why don't you finish preparing breakfast while I see to him?"
"Okay." said Jenna.
Maric shook his head and smiled as he gathered up his medicine bag. He went through to the back room and knocked politely before entering. "Jenna tells me you're in a lot of pain." he said as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Yes." said Jonas, his voice hoarse from the pain. His right arm was tight across his chest and his breathing shallow as he tried to protect his broken ribs.
Maric took a flask out of his medicine bag and poured a small amount of greenish coloured liquid into a cup, which he then diluted with water. "This should help." he said as he gently propped Jonas up.
Jonas gratefully took the cup and downed the contents, despite the awful taste.
Maric smiled at Jonas's expression. "The worse it tastes the better it works." he said.
"Must be pretty good then." said Jonas giving Maric a dark look.
Maric laughed despite himself. "You should hear what Jenna says about it." he said as he placed several pillows behind Jonas.
"You're Jenna's father?" asked Jonas as he tried to find a comfortable position.
"Maric." replied Maric. "Jenna said you have no memory of what happened."
"No." said Jonas, frowning. "How did you find me?"
"Jenna and I were collecting herbs on another world when we found you near a river." replied Maric. "You were pretty badly hurt and running a fever. We brought you back here and tended your injuries."
"How bad was it?" asked Jonas.
"Your leg is broken in two places, you have a broken arm, broken ribs and extensive bruising." replied Maric. "You also have a wound on your arm which was badly infected. You were lucky we found you."
"Jenna said something about a head wound." said Jonas.
"There was a nasty gash along the side of your head." replied Maric. "I imagine that's why you have lost your memory."
"But I'll get it back, won't I?" asked Jonas worriedly.
"I don't see why not." replied Maric. "I don't think the damage was severe enough to be permanent."
"That's good." said Jonas, relieved.
Seeing that Jonas had relaxed and his breathing was easier now the painkillers had kicked in, Maric got to his feet. "I'll let you rest while we finish preparing breakfast. Jenna will bring you some broth."
"Thank you." said Jonas. "For everything."
"You are welcome." said Maric as he turned and left.

Jonas moved fretfully, his dreams plagued by nightmare images of Wraith. They chased him endlessly through hauntingly familiar corridors, their hands reaching out to touch him. He came awake with a shouted "No!" and half sat up. Pain shot through his chest and he collapsed back onto the bed with a moan.
Both Jenna and Maric arrived on the run. Maric took one look at Jonas and ordered Jenna to get his medicine bag. "What happened?" he asked Jonas.
"I was dreaming." gasped Jonas, his chest on fire. "Something to do with Wraith."
"Was there anything in the dream that looked familiar?" asked Maric as Jenna returned. He took his medicine bag from her and prepared the green liquid, making it stronger this time.
"The corridors." replied Jonas. "They looked familiar but I don't remember where I've seen them."
"Don't worry about it for now." said Maric. He gently propped up Jonas and gave him the liquid. "It's stronger so it should help you sleep."
"Thanks." said Jonas. He drank, pulling a face at the taste.
Jenna's lips quirked into a smile. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like the taste."
"If it tasted good you wouldn't have any incentive to get better." said Maric. "Now, let's leave Jonas to get some rest." he added before Jenna could reply.

"How are you feeling?" Maric asked the next morning.
"Better, thank you." replied Jonas.
"Your wounds are healing rapidly. You should be on your feet in no time." said Maric with a smile.
"It'll be a relief to finally get out of this bed." said Jonas. "How long has it been now?"
"Several weeks." replied Maric. "It'll be good for you to move around again but you will have to take it slowly until you regain your strength."
"It will be good to feel the sun on my skin again too." said Jonas.
Maric frowned. "That may not be so easy." he said unhappily. "There's something you should know Jonas. I've been trying to shield you from this until you had a chance to heal but I see the time has come to tell you. When you were brought to this village you were tested, as were we when we came here."
"Tested?" asked Jonas apprehensively.
"They use a device that is activated when it comes into contact with someone who is Atlantean." replied Maric. "In this case, you."
"What does that mean?" asked Jonas.
Maric sighed. There was going to be no easy way to say what he had to say. "The people in this village have an abiding hatred of the Atlanteans, blaming them for bringing the Wraith down on them and then abandoning them in their hour of need. Basically, you are unwelcome. Not all of us feel this way but we are few in number and we are all outsiders, having come here from other worlds. While you are here you are under my protection and will stay as long as you need to in order to heal."
Jonas looked away from Maric, a muscle twitching along his jaw. He was dismayed by what he had just heard and wasn't sure how to handle it.
"Jonas." said Maric gently. He waited until Jonas looked at him. "While you are in my house no harm will come to you." he said. He couldn't have been more wrong.

"Easy." said Jenna as Jonas tried out the crutch for the first time. His muscles were weak from the weeks spent in bed and she was having to hang onto him as he stood unsteadily.
"This would be easier if I had two crutches." grumbled Jonas good-naturedly. He was only too glad to be able to get up, even if he did have to hang on to Jenna just to stay upright.
"Your arm is not strong enough." said Jenna. "The bone is still healing. Think you can make it to the door?" she asked.
"I'll try." said Jonas. With Jenna's help he made it, his steps becoming more confident the further he went.
"If you think you can make it we can go through to the living area where my father is preparing lunch." said Jenna.
"Sounds liked a plan to me." said Jonas with a grin.
Jenna laughed. "I thought the offer of food would get you out there." she said.
"That's cheating." said Jonas in mock indignation.
"Yes, but it worked." said Jenna with a mischievous smile.
"No fair picking on the patient." said Jonas as Jenna helped him into a chair. "Tell her Maric."
"Oh no." said Maric. "You keep me out of this."
"Wise choice." said Jenna.
Jonas sighed, his expression martyred. "What's a poor, defenceless man to do?" he asked.
Jenna laughed. "After all the cheek you've been giving me?" she said. "Defenceless indeed."
"She has a point." said Maric.
"Not you too." said Jonas.
Maric and Jenna laughed and after a moment Jonas joined in. He had a fleeting impression of a similar scene somewhere else but it went almost as soon as it came.
Maric noticed, his sharp eyes catching the momentary change of expression. "You remembered something?" he asked.
"A brief image." replied Jonas. "It's gone now."
"Still it's a good sign." said Maric. "These flashes are becoming more frequent. In time you should start remembering things."
"I hope so." said Jonas. "The not knowing is driving me crazy."
Jenna squeezed his shoulder sympathetically. "It will come when it's ready." she said gently.
"I know, but it's still frustrating." said Jonas.

Maric answered a polite knock on the door and opened it to find Marfan, a long time friend, outside. "Come in." he said. "You're just in time for breakfast."
"Never could resist your cooking." said Marfan as he went in to the living area. "No Jonas?" he asked, looking around.
"He's still sleeping." replied Maric. "He had a bad night last night."
"Nightmares?" asked Marfan.
"They're getting worse." replied Maric. "Every time it's something to do with the Wraith but he can never remember what it is."
"Does he remember anything else?" asked Marfan.
"Not much." replied Maric. "He's fairly sure he lives in a city but he has no idea where. His bloodline as you know is Atlantean so my guess is it's there."
"It's been a long time since anyone heard from the Atlanteans." said Marfan. "You really think he comes from the city?"
"Who knows?" replied Maric. "One day perhaps, he can tell us."

A short time later Jonas, looking tired, joined them.
"Why aren't you still in bed?" demanded Jenna.
"Good morning to you too." said Jonas as he gingerly lowered himself into a chair. His leg ached from a night spent thrashing around in nightmares.
Maric wordlessly retrieved his medicine bag and prepared the painkilling liquid for Jonas.
"I'm sorry." said Jenna contritely, realising he was in pain. "Can I get you something to eat?"
"That would be nice, thank you." replied Jonas.
"Here, drink this." said Maric, handing Jonas a cup.
"Thanks." said Jonas gratefully. He downed the bitter tasting liquid and tried to relax. "It's been a while since we've seen you Marfan. What have you been up to?" he asked.
"I've been trading on other worlds." replied Marfan. "I've been hearing reports that the Wraith are awake again and that their depredations are a lot worse this time."
Jonas frowned as fleeting images from his nightmares crossed his mind.
"What is it?" asked Maric.
"I don't know." replied Jonas. "I can't help feeling responsible somehow."
"You are not responsible for what your people may or may not have done." said Maric firmly. "The people in this village are fools to believe that."
"If we are not responsible then why do we not help these people?" asked Jonas, his voice troubled.
"I do not know the answer to that." replied Maric. "I suspect you don't either."
"I wish I could be as certain as you." said Jonas.
"One day you will be." said Maric confidently.

"No!" said Maric adamantly. "It's too dangerous."
"We'll all be with him." pleaded Jenna. "We can protect him."
"No!" said Maric.
"Come on Maric. It's only short walk and it's night." said Jonas. "No-one will even know we're out there."
"The villagers only tolerate your presence because you are in my house." said Maric. "Once outside, everything changes."
"Jonas has been cooped up in this house for weeks." said Marfan. "It will do him good to get out, even if it's only for a few minutes."
"You don't think I know that?" demanded Maric. He stalked off muttering but returned a few minutes later. "All right, five minutes only. That's all." he said.
"Thank you!" said Jonas gratefully.
"Jenna, bring your fighting sticks." said Maric. "Marfan, go outside and see if anyone is around."
As Jenna and Marfan hurried to obey, Maric helped Jonas to his feet. "If anything happens stay behind us. That crutch puts you at a serious disadvantage and your leg is not yet strong enough to stand on."
"I will." said Jonas. "Thank you for doing this."
"I just hope neither of us regrets it." said Maric.
"The village is quiet." said Marfan from the front door. "Now would be a good time to go."

Jonas breathed in the warm air. "It's good to be out again." he said quietly. "I've missed seeing the stars."
"Do you get to leave the city much?" asked Jenna.
"All the time." replied Jonas. He looked startled as he realised what he'd just said.
Jenna smiled. "I thought being out here might trigger a memory." she said.
"I hate to break this up but I think it's time to return." said Maric. "We can always do this again another night."
"Of course." said Jonas. He cast one last look at the sky before following the others back into the house.

Jonas's night-time excursions continued over the next week, each time going a little further. Occasionally he and Marfan went alone. Jonas enjoyed listening to Marfan's exploits on other worlds, something the others had heard many times. On one such evening they were returning from their walk when Jonas suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" asked Marfan quietly.
"I heard something." replied Jonas, his voice little more than a whisper. A prickly sensation down his back warned him they were not alone.
The attack when it came was quick and soundless. Before Jonas or Marfan could react they were overpowered and clubbed senseless. Then they were carried some distance away from the village.
"Wake him!" ordered Ferris.
Jonas came awake with a start as water was thrown in his face.
"Did you seriously think you could walk around the village unnoticed?" asked Ferris menacingly.
"I mean you no harm." said Jonas. "As soon as I am able I will leave your village."
"Silence!" said Ferris sharply. He brought his hand up and pointed at Jonas who saw with a chill of apprehension that he was holding a whip. "Maric may believe your lies but I do not!"
"Whether you believe it or not it's the truth." said Jonas desperately. Ferris's men were all around him and they all carried a club of some sort.
"Well, we'll just have to see about that." said Ferris, his voiced dripping with venom.

Maric paced restlessly across the room. "What's taking them so long?" he demanded angrily.
"Do you think something could have happened?" asked Jenna anxiously.
Maric stopped suddenly and looked at his daughter, the same thought going through both their minds. Without another word they both hurried out the door and stood listening. There was nothing but the silence. Apprehension gripping them both, they searched the immediate area but could find no trace of either Marfan or Jonas.
"We need lanterns and weapons." said Maric softly. "Then we search away from the village."
Quickly and quietly they returned to the house. As they were gathering what they needed someone pounded on the door. Maric opened it to find Marfan standing there with Jonas draped across his shoulders. "What happened?" he demanded.
"We were attacked." replied Marfan. "Jonas has been badly hurt."
"Let's get him to his bed." said Maric. "Jenna! I need hot water, bandages and my medicine bag."
Jenna appeared out of her room and took one shocked look at Marfan and Jonas. Then she rushed off to get what was needed.
Between them, Maric and Marfan got Jonas lying face down on the bed. Maric swore angrily as he took in the torn and bloodied shirt. He was even angrier as he cut the shirt away and saw what was underneath. Jonas's back was badly bruised and swollen from the savage beating he had taken and it was criss-crossed with a number of long, deep cuts which were bleeding profusely. Maric rolled him onto his side and saw more of the same bruising on his chest and abdomen. His face was also bruised and there was a lot of blood from a cut to the side of his eye.
Maric glanced at Marfan who had slumped into a chair and was sitting with his eyes closed. "Are you okay?" he asked sharply.
Marfan opened his eyes and Maric could see that they were glazed. "I'm fine. I just have a headache."
"You're not fine." said Maric. He felt around Marfan's head and found a large lump just behind his ear. "You may have a concussion. I'll give you something for the headache when I've seen to Jonas."
"What happened?" asked Jenna as she came into the room.
"They were attacked. Jonas has been given a severe beating." replied Maric.
"Ferris!" Jenna said angrily.
"Yes." replied Maric. He looked back at Jonas and for the first time spotted the blood on his trouser leg. His stomach turned over and he began to feel sick. It was the right leg, which was still healing from the two breaks. "Clean the wounds on his back." he instructed Jenna as he slowly moved across to the bed and took out his knife. Taking a deep breath he began to cut away the leg of the trousers to reveal what was underneath. It was not good. Jonas had been kicked liberally and the leg was badly damaged. Maric was half-afraid Jonas would never walk on it again.
"It's bad, isn't?" asked Jenna, who had been watching her father.
Maric almost didn't tell her. He considered trying to disguise the truth for as long as possible but decided it would be unfair to his daughter. "Jonas may never use the leg again." he replied quietly.
Jenna looked stricken. "Why?" she demanded. "Why is this happening? Jonas has never hurt anyone and he's no threat. Why can't they just leave him alone?"
"Ferris is a rabid fanatic." said Maric. "We can talk about this later. Right now we have a lot of work to do."

Jonas stirred and moaned, coming awake. Maric, who had been dozing in a chair nearby, was instantly by his side. "Try not to move." he said gently.
Jonas was lying on his side to keep as much pressure off his injuries as possible. "What happened?" he asked groggily.
"You were attacked by Ferris and his gang." replied Maric.
Jonas tensed as he remembered and immediately regretted it as pain lanced through him.
"Easy." said Maric. "I'll get you something for the pain." He left, returning a few minutes later with a cup of the green liquid. "Here." he said, helping Jonas up to drink.
"Thanks." said Jonas after emptying the cup. He gingerly lowered himself back onto the bed with a groan. "Why are they doing this?" he asked after a moment, the anguish plain in his voice. "I did nothing wrong."
"I know." said Maric sympathetically. "If I had known their hatred would turn to violence I would never have brought you here. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." said Jonas. "If I had not insisted on going outside this wouldn't have happened."
"I think the time is fast approaching for us to leave." said Maric. "We will go as soon as you are strong enough."
"Why not now?" asked Jonas.
"You took a lot of punishment." said Maric. "You are not well enough to travel."
"The longer I stay the more you are in danger." said Jonas stubbornly.
"That's a chance we'll have to take." said Maric. "No arguments." he added warningly.
Jonas acquiesced, although he remained convinced that it was a mistake to stay. Ultimately, he was proved to be right.

Jenna was standing looking out of the window in Jonas's room, her thoughts distant. She and her father had taken it in turns to watch over Jonas as the attack had triggered a resurgence of the nightmares that had plagued him when he had first arrived. The continual thrashing aggravated his injuries, making them worse. Jenna had already awoken him several times this night. A low moan from him brought her back to herself. She was about to go check on him when a movement caught her eye. Ghostly images slipped in and out of the trees along the edge of the village, closely followed by the distinctive whine of Wraith darts.
Jonas jerked awake instantly, gasping as pain shot through him from the sudden movement. "We have to get out of here!" he said through gritted teeth.
"No!" said Maric as he hurried into the room. "We stand every chance of being caught if we try and run."
"Then leave me!" said Jonas. "You can come back for me when the Wraith are gone."
"We stay together!" said Maric. "We are as safe here as anywhere."
"Do you agree with this?" Jonas demanded of Jenna.
"Yes." said Jenna emphatically. "We will not leave you and anyway, the Wraith will be expecting us to run. They won't expect us to remain here."
At that moment there was a heavy pounding on the door. It was Marfan.
"The Wraith are attacking the village! We have to run!" said Marfan, panicked.
"We can't abandon Jonas." said Maric. "Stay with us. We should be safe enough here."
Marfan hesitated a moment, casting an anxious look at the sky and then nodded. He followed Maric into the back bedroom where Jenna waited with Jonas. For what seemed an eternity they sat huddled, listening to the whine of the Wraith darts and the screams of the villagers. Eventually however, it was over and an eerie silence descended.
"Stay here." said Maric. He left the room and went to look outside the house, Marfan close behind him.
The village appeared to be deserted but they could hear an ominous rumble of voices from nearby. A few minutes later a mob of villagers appeared led by Ferris.
"Where's that traitor? Bring him out here!" demanded Ferris.
"Traitor? What traitor?" asked Maric.
"Jonas!" replied Ferris. "He betrayed us to the Wraith and now he's going to pay."
There was a rumble of agreement from the villagers.
"He did not betray us to the Wraith!" snapped Maric. "You're taking this entirely too far Ferris!"
"Get them!" yelled Ferris.
Caught by surprise, neither Maric nor Marfan had time to react before they were surrounded, their arms pinned to their sides as they were shoved away from the house. A number of villagers went inside and dragged out a struggling Jenna but it was several minutes before Jonas appeared. Pale and drawn, he had a fresh bruise on his cheek where he'd been struck by one of the men handling him. Although he had been given one crutch to use, his progress was slow as his body protested violently at the forced movement. The crowd pushed and shoved against him and Jonas felt real fear as he saw the hatred reflected in the faces around him.
Impatient with the slow pace, Ferris signalled his men. They grabbed Jonas, relieving him of the crutch as they dragged him unceremoniously to the village hall. Maric, Marfan and Jenna were forced to follow. Jonas was taken to the front of the hall and held behind a long table, while the others were forced to stand nearby. Unbeknown to any of them, the Lantean device used to test Jonas was in a wooden box on the end of the table. As soon as he came within range of it, it activated.

Exhausted and sick with pain, Jonas struggled to stay on his feet. He leaned heavily on the men holding him up as the hall rapidly filled with people.
"What's the meaning of this?" demanded Maric.
"The Lantean betrayed us!" accused Ferris, striding up to the table.
"That is an absolute lie!" said Jonas hotly.
Ferris backhanded him across the mouth, snapping his head to one side. "Silence traitor!"
"He did not betray us!" said Maric. "He was in as much danger as we were during the culling!"
"Really? Then why did the Wraith stay away from your house?" replied Ferris. "The Lantean betrayed us just as his people betrayed us by abandoning us to the Wraith!"
Angry mutterings swept through the crowd as Ferris fueled their hate.
"That's not true!" yelled Jonas, trying to make himself heard above the noise. He cried out in sudden pain as a nearby villager rammed the butt end of his staff against Jonas's injured leg. If it weren't for the men holding him up he would have collapsed.
"He colluded with the Wraith to save his own miserable skin!" Ferris yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at Jonas. "That's why the Wraith stayed away from Maric's house!"
"Traitor!"
"Kill him!"
The crowd erupted in anger and for a moment Ferris thought he'd gone too far. Jonas's heart thudded in fear as the crowd surged forward baying for his blood. Even his captors reacted nervously. He glanced at Maric and saw compassion mixed with fear in his friend's eyes. He was suddenly afraid for them and was gripped by a powerful sense of hopelessness and despair as he felt the helplessness of his situation.
It took some time but Ferris eventually restored order. When the villagers finally subsided he said, "It's time to deliver a verdict on this traitor. What say you Brandon, as village elder?"
"I say brand him and stake him out for the pyrenti!" replied Brandon eagerly.
"You can't!" shouted Maric, appalled.
"That's barbaric!" yelled Jenna.
"Get the iron." Ferris said, grinning viciously. He'd been grooming Brandon toward this verdict and had a branding iron already heating in the fireplace along the left side of the hall.
"No!" yelled Jonas as he was roughly shoved onto the table. One guard twisted his left arm up cruelly behind his back while the other put a thong around his right wrist and pulled his arm out straight. In his weakened condition, Jonas could do nothing to stop them. Maric fought to free himself but he was held fast and was helpless to do anything but watch.
Jonas lay on the table, his breath coming in heaving gasps as fear and adrenaline coursed through him. The din from the villagers washed over him in waves leaving him feeling strangely detached. After what seemed an eternity Ferris was handed the branding iron, it's end glowing white hot. Seemingly in slow motion, Ferris turned towards him grinning evilly. Still in slow motion, he saw Ferris position the iron above his wrist. He felt the ferocious heat as it crisped the hairs on his arm, then jerked back as the searing agony ripped through him. Then all hell broke loose. As Jonas screamed and went backwards off the table Ferris staggered back, his chest riddled with bullet holes. The staccato sound of gunfire reverberated around the hall panicking the villagers. Pandemonium broke out as everyone tried to get out.

Jonas lay, shaking violently and clutching his arm. Then the images came.
A Ring activating...
A city rising from the sea....
Wraith attacking...
Faster and faster the images crashed through his mind as he writhed in agony.
A spaceship...
A satellite weapon....
Familiar faces...
And then he remembered his name....

Earlier that day....

"It's back!" said Rodney, startled.
"What is?" asked Elizabeth.
"That signal we picked up a couple of months back." replied Rodney.
"Can you track it?" asked Elizabeth, hardly daring to hope that it might be John Sheppard.
"Tracking." said Rodney as he rapidly punched a series of codes on the computer. "Got it!" he exulted as he pinned down the location of the mysterious signal.
"Major Lorne report to the control room immediately." said Elizabeth. "It's definitely the same signal?" she asked Rodney.
"Yes, yes." replied Rodney impatiently. "With any luck it'll be Col. Sheppard trying to make contact."
"What can I do for you Doctor?" asked Marcus as he hurried into the control room.
"I want you to put a team together. We have a possible contact." replied Elizabeth. "Take Col. Sheppard's team and Jax."
"As good as done." said Marcus.

As the puddlejumper cleared the Stargate Rodney brought up the main display. A few minutes later a signal established itself just to the north of them.
"I'm reading Col. Sheppard's biosigns!" said Rodney jubilantly.
"Thank God." said Marcus.
"That's wonderful news." said Teyla, relieved.
"I'm picking up a lot of other biosigns." said Rodney. "They're all with Col. Sheppard."
"That doesn't sound good." said Ronan.
"I have a bad feeling about this." said Jax.
"Get us in as close as you can." Marcus instructed the pilot, Sgt. Jason Nixon.
Nixon maneuvered the puddlejumper and put it down just outside the village.
"Let's go!" ordered Marcus.
As they left the jumper they could hear the uproar from the villagers.
"Come on!" yelled Marcus. He led the way to the village hall at a dead run.
As they broke into the hall, there was a piercing scream. Marcus' quick eyes took in the situation in seconds and then he fired, stitching a line of bullets across Ferris's chest. Ferris staggered backwards, the iron flying out of hands to land against bundles of rushes stacked along the wall. They immediately caught alight.
The gunfire terrified the villagers and there was a rush for the door. Teyla and Rodney managed to break free but the others were pushed back by the press of villagers.

Maric was stunned by the animal ferocity of the villagers. It had been a mistake to bring Jonas here and now he was going to pay the price. He looked on in horror as Ferris approached with the branding iron and redoubled his efforts to try and escape. Beside him, Jenna and Marfan were doing the same. "Ferris! Stop this madness!" he yelled but the noise in the hall drowned him out. As Ferris brought the iron down and Jonas screamed, there was a commotion at the back of the hall followed by rapid gunfire. Maric saw Ferris thrown backward as he was hit and then he was free as their captors fled with the rest of the villagers. He ran to Jonas and knelt beside him. "Jonas, hold still!" he said urgently as he tried to see the extent of the injury.
"John!" said Teyla as she and Rodney came and knelt beside them. She was shocked by John's appearance "What's going on?" she demanded of Maric.
"Who are you?" demanded Maric in return.
"We don't have time for this." said Ronan as he, Marcus and the rest of the team came up.
Maric looked past Ronan to where fire licked hungrily at the wall. "I'll have to carry him. He can't walk."
"What do you mean he can't walk?" demanded Rodney.
"This is not the time!" snapped Maric. "Try not to struggle." he said gently to John before picking him up.
Pain flared across John's back and in his leg but it was nothing compared to the pain in his arm. He was trembling uncontrollably and was starting to go hot and cold as he slid into shock. His emotions raged out of control as memories flooded his mind while he fought to come to terms with what had just happened. Overloaded beyond the point of endurance, his mind suddenly shut down and he passed out.
They were just leaving the building when Maric felt John go limp. He cradled John protectively as he led the others to his house.
The team formed up protectively around them in case the villagers decided to try anything. They reached the house without incident and Marcus ordered his men to stand watch as John's team followed Maric, Jenna and Marfan inside.
"I'll get your medicine bag." said Jenna as soon as they were inside.
Maric meanwhile, led the way to John's room and carefully laid him on his side. He'd seen the blood on John's shirt and knew the wounds on his back had been re-opened.
"What the hell is going on?" demanded Rodney.
"Before I answer, I need to knows who you are." replied Maric.
"I am Teyla Emmagan. This is Major Marcus Lorne, Dr. Rodney McKay, Ronan Dex and Jax." replied Teyla. "We are friends of Colonel Sheppard."
"Colonel Sheppard?" said Maric. "Is that his name?"
"Lt. Colonel John Sheppard." replied Teyla.
"I am Maric, this is Marfan and my daughter Jenna." said Maric. Taking his medicine bag from Jenna he worked quickly while he explained how they had found John and what had happened after their return to the village.
"What is this test?" interrupted Rodney, his interest piqued.
"There's a device that was left behind by the Lanteans. It activated when it touched Jonas." replied Maric.
"It must be some kind of transmitter. That explains the signals we picked up." said Rodney excitedly. "Where is this device? I'd like to see it."
"It was in the village hall." replied Maric. "Hopefully it will have been destroyed in the fire."
"It might still be possible to save it." said Rodney.
"No! It's too dangerous." said Maric. "Ferris fueled the villagers hate. It won't take much for them to attack you."
"I'll go with him." said Ronan.
"There's no point." said Jenna. "The entire hall is alight. It will be impossible for you to get in there."
"That is so typical." said Rodney. "The minute we find some Ancient technology it's destroyed."
Teyla shot Rodney a hard look. "What happened after John.... Jonas was tested?" she asked, turning back to Maric.
"He was targeted by a particular group led by a man named Ferris." replied Maric. "At first it was only verbal abuse but then it started getting violent. Jonas was recently given a severe beating which may have permanently damaged his leg. The level of violence escalated after the Wraith cull earlier. For whatever reason, the Wraith left us alone which gave Ferris the perfect excuse to accuse Jonas of collaboration with them. If you hadn't arrived they would have killed Jonas for being a traitor."
"He is no traitor!" said Teyla indignantly.
"I know that." said Maric gently. "The villagers however are convinced that he is. He is no longer safe here."
"We need to get him back to our people." said Marcus. "He'll be safe there."
"Jenna and I will go with you." said Maric. "It's too dangerous for us to stay here."
"I would like to come too." said Marfan. "I don't know these people any more."
"You would be welcome." said Teyla. "We will leave as soon as you are ready."
"We'll pack what we need." said Maric.
"I need to get some things from my house." said Marfan.
"Jax and I will go with you." said Ronan.
"How bad are John's injuries?" Teyla asked after the others had gone.
"Pretty bad although his leg is the worst by far." replied Maric. "The rest will heal given time but the injuries to his leg are beyond my skill."
Chill apprehension ran down Teyla's back. She exchanged a worried look with Rodney before turning back to Maric. "Our doctor will be able to tend his leg." she said.
"Jonas... John... doesn't know had bad the injury is." said Maric. "We agreed not to tell him that the damage might be permanent."
"Then we won't either." said Teyla with a meaningful look at Rodney and Marcus. Both men looked uncomfortable with the idea but they both nodded their agreement.

"The villagers are getting restless." said Ronan when he returned with Jax and Marfan. "It's time to go."
"We have everything we need." said Maric.
With two of his men carrying John on an improvised stretcher, Marcus led the way back to the puddlejumper. The villagers followed at a distance but without Ferris to drive them they lacked the courage to attack a well-armed group. Nixon quickly got the jumper under way and went through the Stargate without incident.

"How is he?" asked Elizabeth, referring to John.
"His injuries are extensive." replied Carson. "Severe burn on his wrist, partially healed cuts on his back, heavy bruising. The Colonel's been through a difficult time."
"What about his leg?" asked Elizabeth.
"That is a lot more serious." replied Carson. "The leg was broken in two places and hadn't fully healed when he was attacked. The damage they inflicted on him was severe but I think I can repair it."
"Will he have full mobility?" asked Elizabeth.
"Aye, I believe he will." replied Carson.
Elizabeth sighed in relief. "Does he know how close he came?"
"No. Maric never told him." replied Carson.
"Then we won't either." said Elizabeth.
"It may be best." agreed Carson.
"Is he awake?" asked Elizabeth.
"Yes but he's heavily medicated so he may not be entirely coherent." replied Carson.
"I'm sure we'll manage." said Elizabeth. She moved down the infirmary and stood by John's bed, watching him silently. He was lying with his eyes closed, breathing evenly. The scrubs and the bedclothes hid most of his injuries but she could see the bruising on his arms and face and the cut around his eye. Her eyes moved down to his right arm and the dressings covering the burn. She still couldn't believe the villagers had gone that far. Her eyes traveled back up to his face and she was startled to find he was watching her.
"Elizabeth." he said, his voice soft.
"It's good to have you back John." Elizabeth responded warmly. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been ten rounds with Mike Tyson." replied John. "Thank you for honoring the deal I made with Jax."
"He was a big help in tracking you down." replied Elizabeth. "You made quite an impression on him."
"It still took you a long time to find me." said John looking away. A muscle twitched along his jaw line as he thought back to the village.
"Maric told us what happened. I'm sorry you had to go through that." Elizabeth laid a gentle hand on his arm. "Once Jax made contact we sent teams to every address held in the Stargate of the world you were on. We still had ten worlds to go when the Ancient transmitter activated. As soon as Rodney pin-pointed the location we sent Major Lorne along with your team."
"What about the first time it activated?" asked John, his eyes reproachful.
"The device shut down before we could trace it." replied Elizabeth, stung by his look. She was conscious of the fact that this was the second time he'd spent months waiting to be rescued, even though the first time had been a matter of hours for everyone else due to the time dilation effect of the forcefield that he had passed through. She knew he had issues with abandonment and felt badly about letting him down when he had needed her the most. "Your team never stopped trying to find you John. They worked themselves into the ground searching for clues to your whereabouts."
John sighed heavily. He knew he was being unfair but he couldn't help feeling angry nonetheless. He was still hurt and confused by the persecution he had suffered and for the first time was questioning the value of his heritage. Confined to bed as he was he had no outlet for the emotional turmoil inside which only added to the anger.
Elizabeth watched the play of emotions on John's face and knew intuitively what he was feeling. She couldn't blame him for being angry after everything he'd been through. Her gaze flicked to his wrist and she realised with a guilty start that she was wondering what the scar looked like.
"It's the symbol for Atlantis." said John, who had been watching her.
Elizabeth went scarlet with embarrassment. "I'm sorry John." she said, mortified.
John tried unsuccessfully to hide an amused smile. Her acute embarrassment had completely diffused his anger and given him a bit more objectivity. He lifted his arm off the bed and said, "Maybe I can start a new fashion."
Elizabeth laughed despite herself. "I don't think it will catch on." she said.
"Maybe not." said John with a shrug.
"If you're up to it, can you tell me what happened after your disappearance?" asked Elizabeth.

part II

Detailing the events leading up to part I

John came awake suddenly, unsure of where he was. He pushed himself into a sitting position and regretted it immediately as dizziness hit him. He saw enough to realize he was in a forest clearing before he had to close his eyes to let the dizziness pass.
"Good morning Major." said a familiar voice from behind John.
John spun around to look at the man behind him. "Kolya!" he snapped angrily. "I thought you were dead?"
"Obviously not." replied Kolya off-handedly. He was sitting on a fallen log pointing a gun at John.
"I thought we weren't going to do this anymore?" asked John.
"I don't like owing favors. Now we're even." replied Kolya.
"How does this make us even?" demanded John incredulously.
"If I hadn't stepped in when I did you would now be a prisoner of the Genii." replied Kolya. "They put a price on your head."
"I know." said John. "Ladon said he would get back all the wanted posters."
"He obviously missed one." said Kolya sarcastically. "I intercepted the bounty hunters that captured you and persuaded them not to hand you over. At least not straight away."
"What do you mean?" asked John.
"I persuaded them that it would be more entertaining to hunt you down first. At least it gives you a sporting chance to get away." replied Kolya.
"You're going to turn me into a runner for your amusement?" asked John in disbelief.
"Something like that." replied Kolya. He smiled maliciously. "And to make it even more interesting I'm going to give you a going away present." Without warning he fired.
John jerked backwards as the bullet hit him, stifling a cry as it gouged a furrow across his upper arm.
"You have until midday before the hunters come after you. I suggest you get going." said Kolya, his voice cold.
Cradling his left arm, John got unsteadily to his feet and headed for the forest. As soon as he was sure that Kolya could no longer see him, he changed direction and picked up his pace.

"We have an incoming wormhole." said Preston as the Stargate activated. "Dr. McKay's IDC." he added after a moment.
"They're early." said Elizabeth as she moved to the railing to watch the arrival of John and his team. They had gone offworld to negotiate a lucrative trade agreement.
First Rodney, then Teyla and Ronan came through the Gate. Elizabeth waited expectantly for John to follow but there was no sign of him before the Gate shut down. Concerned, Elizabeth met the team at the head of the stairs. "Where's Colonel Sheppard?" she asked.
"We lost him." said Ronan with his usual bluntness.
"We didn't lose him." said Rodney irritably.
"What else would you call it McKay?" demanded Ronan.
"Gentlemen!" said Elizabeth sharply. "Teyla, what happened?"
"We were returning to the Stargate to report when we were ambushed." replied Teyla. "We were shot with tranquilizers and when we awoke Colonel Sheppard was gone."
"Any idea who was responsible?" asked Elizabeth.
"No." replied Rodney. He held up a small datapad. "I downloaded the Gate addresses from the buffer of the DHD but there's no way to tell which one he was taken to."
"Is there any way he could still be on the planet?" asked Elizabeth.
"We searched with the help of Brador's people and there was no trace." replied Rodney.
"The tracks indicated he was taken through the Gate." said Ronan.
"Why Sheppard? Why not the rest of you?" asked Elizabeth.
"It's possible Ladon did not recover all of the notices put out by the Genii." said Teyla.
"In which case whoever has him might try and trade him to the Genii for the bounty." said Elizabeth. "Ronan, Teyla I'd like you to go with Major Lorne to the Genii homeworld and talk to Ladon. See if anyone's approached him yet. Rodney, I'd like you to work on those Gate addresses. If we have to send out search teams it would be good to have a place to start."

After sometime, John came across a small stream. He dropped to his knees and drank deeply before washing his arm which was covered in blood. Still bleeding the wound throbbed painfully and, knowing he was losing too much blood, John wondered what he should do about it. Without his flack jacket he had no bandages and he was reluctant to use his shirt without knowing how cold it was going to get when night fell. Undecided, he sat looking at the stream for a moment before it occurred to him that he might be able to use mud to seal the wound. Scooping out a handful from the streambed he plastered it across his arm, gritting his teeth against the pain. He knew it increased the risk of infection but he couldn't afford to be weakened by loss of blood. Satisfied the wound was for the moment sealed, John turned his mind to the rest of his team. Where were they? Rodney had also been on the wanted list put out by the Genii. Was he somewhere on this planet too? Sighing in frustration as his thoughts went round in circles, he got to his feet and headed upstream.

John continued upstream for the rest of the day, stopping frequently to listen but the forest was quiet and there was no sign of his pursuers, if indeed they actually existed. He only had Kolya's word that he was being hunted after all but Kolya didn't seem the type for practical jokes so he kept moving. During mid-afternoon it began to rain heavily, soaking him within minutes. He briefly considered finding shelter but decided against it. The rain would provide excellent cover and he could use it to put some distance between himself and the bounty hunters. He didn't notice that the rain had washed the mud off his arm and the wound was slowly beginning to bleed again.

"What can I do for you Major?" asked Ladon.
Marcus had some misgivings about being among the Genii again so soon after his recent capture. "One of our people has been kidnapped. We suspect it's by someone who has one of those wanted notices you put out."
"Who is it?" asked Ladon.
Marcus hesitated a moment. "Colonel Sheppard." he said eventually.
"And you think they will contact us to negotiate for him." said Ladon.
"Yes." said Marcus. "If they haven't already."
Ladon smiled, amused. "I can assure you Major, there has been no such contact. Should there be, we will of course secure Colonel Sheppard's safe release."
"Thank you." said Marcus. "You're cooperation is much appreciated."

"What did Ladon say?" asked Elizabeth.
"No-one's contacted them yet." replied Marcus. "If they do he will negotiate for Colonel Sheppard's release."
"Do you believe him?" asked Elizabeth.
"His people need our medical help." replied Marcus. "For the moment I think he can be trusted but in the future? Maybe not."
"I think you're right." said Elizabeth. "Assuming then that Colonel Sheppard was taken for a different reason, I think we should start searching the Gate addresses that Rodney recovered."
"I'll get teams prepped and ready." said Marcus.
"Take Teyla and Ronan. Their local knowledge could be a big help." said Elizabeth.
"Will do." said Marcus.

The rain turned the forest floor into slick mud, forcing John to slow his pace to a walk. He felt hot despite the rain but didn't pay much attention, putting it down to the physical exertion. No longer bleeding, his arm was swollen and sore where infection had set in. John paid scant attention, concentrating instead on keeping his footing in the mud. The going was becoming increasingly treacherous but he was determined to cover as much distance as possible before nightfall. As the afternoon wore on the rain turned cold and he knew he was going to have to find shelter. Unfortunately the undergrowth wasn't thick enough to provide cover and the trees weren't the sort that could be easily climbed. Shivering uncontrollably as the temperature dropped, John searched in growing desperation until he finally found a tree with low hanging branches. Ignoring the sharp protest from his arm he hauled himself into the tree and climbed to where the foliage gave him some shelter. The rain finally died away during the night but it was replaced by a biting cold, chilling John in his soaking wet clothes. He dozed fitfully in between bouts of uncontrollable shivering. Towards dawn he was woken by the sound of voices below him.
"A pity the rain washed away his tracks." said Velkan.
"No matter. He showed no sign of leaving the stream so we should catch up with him sooner or later." said Devlyn.
John clenched his jaw to stop his teeth from chattering as the two men paused below him.
"What is it?" asked Devlyn.
"Thought I heard something." replied Velkan.
Both men listened intently for a few minutes before moving off upstream. John breathed a sigh of relief but didn't move until he was sure they were some distance away. He stretched, loosening muscles cramped and stiffened by the cold and then almost fell out of the tree as he tried to get down. Badly infected and swollen, his left arm was almost totally useless and he was forced to manage without it. Once he was down he went to the stream and drank thirstily before splashing water across his arm. The cold water felt good against his hot skin. Reluctantly, John got to his feet when he was done and forced himself to carry on. He moved away from the stream knowing that to stay would now be too dangerous. It was still dark beneath the trees as the sun was only just above the horizon and John had to move carefully. Unfortunately he wasn't careful enough and didn't see the ravine until it was too late. The sodden ground gave way beneath his feet, plunging him into a wild and uncontrollable slide down the side of the ravine. Miraculously, he didn't hit a single tree on the way down but his luck ran out when he reached the bottom. Unable to stop himself he slammed into a tree, knocking himself out.

"How are you coming with the Gate addresses?" asked Elizabeth.
"At least half are worlds we've been to." replied Rodney tiredly. "Some of those are space Gates which eliminates them from the search. Major Lorne has five teams offworld, with another three making preparations to go."
"You've been at this all night?" asked Elizabeth.
"It's morning already?" asked Rodney, having lost all track of time.
"You should get some rest." said Elizabeth.
"I just need some coffee." said Rodney
"I understand how you feel, but you won't do John any good by collapsing." said Elizabeth.
"I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway." said Rodney.
"I could ask Carson to give you some sleeping tablets." persisted Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth!" said Rodney, getting irritated. "I need to do this right now."
"All right." said Elizabeth. "You can stay. For now." she warned.
"Thank you." said Rodney.

It was early afternoon before John finally came awake. Every muscle in his body ached abysmally and his back was so stiff and sore from his contact with the tree that it hurt to breathe. His head throbbed and it was long minutes before his eyes focused enough for him to see where he was. The ravine was quite narrow at this point but it opened out further down and there were fewer trees which meant cover would be minimal. He considered climbing out but the sides were too steep, especially in his present condition. Unwilling to move, John lay for a moment listening. The sound of gurgling water from somewhere nearby made him realize how hot and thirsty he was. Gingerly, he pushed himself into a sitting position and had to close his eyes as the world spun sickeningly. Swallowing against the nausea, he opened his eyes and looked around. The water came from a small spring at the base of the other slope where it pooled before emptying into a small stream. Cradling his arm, John used the tree to get to his feet and stood swaying as bright lights exploded in front of his eyes. His head pounded making him feel sick and dizzy and it was several minutes before he felt well enough to try walking. It was almost more than he could handle and he came close to blacking out again, but he made it across to the pool. Dropping to his knees he drank deeply from the refreshingly cold water before splashing it over his face and neck. Feeling a little better he moved to a nearby tree and sat with his back to it, closing his eyes.

When John awoke it was almost dark and the temperature was dropping. He felt a lot better than he had earlier although he was still hot and very thirsty. After drinking his fill from the spring he considered what to do next. He knew the night would be cold but was reluctant to build a fire as it would give away his position to anyone who was looking. He needed shelter but in the dark there was no chance of finding any and in his condition he wouldn't be climbing any trees. The chill finally decided him and he set about clearing an area for his fire. Movement was still very difficult and he tired quickly but luckily it didn't take long to find what he needed and he was soon warming himself in front of a small blaze. It reminded him sharply of his childhood and he wiled away the hours reliving memories of happier times. The temperature dropped sharply during the night but John was able to keep the fire going enough to keep himself warm. When dawn eventually lightened the sky he reluctantly decided it was time to give up the fire and move on. He smothered it with dirt and then hauled himself painfully to his feet before making his unsteady way to the spring. If anything, the stiffness was worse this morning and he knew it would make him an easy target but he hoped it would wear off once he got moving. His throat was dry and sore and he was hot despite the chill, the fever from the infection burning him up from the inside. He drank thirstily wishing he had a water bottle. His progress would be a lot quicker if he didn't have to stop all the time for a drink. He could use some food too. He hadn't eaten for two or three days, which along with the fever, was steadily draining his strength. At that moment he would have given almost anything to see Carson Beckett appear through the trees but there was a very real chance that he might never see the good doctor again. Or anyone else from Atlantis for that matter. It was highly unlikely they even knew where he was or they would have been here by now. Despair hit him as he realized how truly alone he was out here. He was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by enemies and with no-one he could turn to for help. Fully fit he might stand a chance but sick and injured as he was he couldn't hope to outrun or even fight his pursuers. He could save himself a lot of trouble and pain by staying where he was and waiting for them to find him but something deep within him rebelled at the idea. His friends were out there somewhere, searching for him. Sooner or later Rodney would figure it out and find him. He just had to give them time. His resolve strengthened, John got to his feet and moved off down the ravine.

Several hours later the ravine came to an end at the edge of a large valley. John's heart sank as he saw the open ground ahead of him, devoid of all but a few trees. He needed cover if he was going to stay free so crossing the valley was out of the question. Even moving down the sides would be dangerous. Exhausted and sick, John almost threw in the towel at that point. Helpless frustration surged through him making him feel like everything was conspiring against him. In desperation he scanned the valley looking for something, anything that would help him. And then he saw the Stargate. His heart leapt as he suddenly realized he had a way out. Reaching it would be difficult as it was well down the valley but he had to try. Buoyed up by hope, John stepped out into the valley. In that instant the Gate activated and a Wraith stepped through. Even at that distance John could tell what it was and his hope was snuffed out to be replaced by a desperate hopelessness. The Wraith stood for a moment before striding purposefully down the valley, straight towards John. Knowing he couldn't take on a Wraith in his condition John retreated back up the ravine. Finding some cover he settled in and didn't have long to wait before the Wraith suddenly appeared. It stood for a long moment, eyes intently scanning the ravine. John's heart hammered as it looked right at him before abruptly turning away and stalking off. Breathing a sigh of relief John left his hiding place and crept down to the edge of the valley. He looked around for the Wraith but couldn't see it, which left him with a problem. He desperately needed to get to the Gate but the Wraith could be hiding nearby, just waiting for him to make a move. On the other hand, the Wraith could keep the bounty hunters busy giving him time to get away. Torn by indecision, John made the mistake of staying where he was. Without warning, the Wraith suddenly appeared and shot him with its stunner.

Marcus stared pensively over the balcony railing as another team returned empty handed. They had tried this once before when Aiden Ford had kidnapped John and his team. Then as now, the task of searching every planet in the DHD buffer had fallen to him and not once had there been any trace of the team found. The task they faced was almost insurmountable but there was never any suggestion of quitting. He would search every planet in the Pegasus galaxy if he had to but the longer it went on the less chance there was of finding John Sheppard.
"A penny for your thoughts." said Elizabeth quietly as she joined Marcus at the railing.
"You won't like them." replied Marcus.
"You think this is hopeless, don't you?" asked Elizabeth.
"We're looking for a needle in a haystack." replied Marcus. "Our only real hope is the Genii."
"Are you saying we should give up?" asked Elizabeth.
"No ma'am." replied Marcus. "All I'm saying is that we stand very little chance of finding Colonel Sheppard."
Elizabeth sighed. "Unfortunately, I agree." she said. "Without knowing who has him, we have no way to know where to start looking."
"Thinking of calling the search off ma'am?" asked Marcus.
Elizabeth smiled briefly. "No Major." she said. "I just wish we had a better idea of where to look."
"So do I ma'am." said Marcus.

Jax squatted easily in the underbrush covering the gully and watched the man before him. His eyes narrowed as he took in John's haggard appearance. The way he held himself clearly showed that he was injured, beyond the obvious wound on his arm. Even from this distance Jax could see that the wound was badly infected. He sighed in frustration, undecided about what to do. He'd spotted the bounty hunters while eluding the Wraith and guessed the man in front of him was their quarry. If he was a fugitive on the run then Jax wanted no part of him but something nagged at him. Instinct told him there was something more to this man and he felt an obligation to help him. Swearing at himself under his breath for being a fool, he rose to his feet and was just in time to see the Wraith shoot John. Ducking back down he watched as the Wraith approached its quarry and knelt down preparing to feed. As it drew its arm back Jax shot it. Looking surprised, the Wraith slowly collapsed across John. Checking to make sure there was no sign of the bounty hunters, Jax left the gully and went down to where John lay unconscious. Throwing aside the Wraith he knelt and lifted John across his shoulders. Pushing himself to his feet he headed up the ravine to where he had earlier spotted the remains of John's fire.

John came awake slowly. He'd slept off the worst of the effects of being stunned but still felt groggy. It took him several minutes to realize that he wasn't a prisoner on a hive ship but was still on the planet and that it was night. He sat up gingerly and started in shock as he saw Jax sitting across the fire from him. Two thoughts immediately went through his mind; the bounty hunters had finally found him and following that, that Ronan had found him. Hope flared and died as he realized it wasn't Ronan.
"How do you feel?" asked Jax.
"I've been better." replied John warily. "Who are you?"
"My name is Jax." replied Jax. "Why are the bounty hunters after you?" he asked bluntly.
Just like Ronan thought John. Remembering the Wraith he came to a sudden realization. "You're a runner, aren't you?" he asked.
Jax raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Yes. How did you know?"
"We rescued a runner and took that device out of his back." replied John. "When I saw the Wraith come through the Gate I figured he had to be after another runner."
Jax was intrigued. "You removed the device?" he asked intently.
"Not personally, it was our doctor that did it." replied John. "We could do the same for you if you wanted."
"Why?" asked Jax, suspiciously. "Why would you do this when you know nothing about me?"
"You help me, we help you." replied John.
"What do you need me to do?" asked Jax, warily.
"Get me to the Gate so we can go to my people." replied John as hope surged through him once more.
"Gate?" asked Jax.
"Ring of the Ancestors." replied John. "Will you do it?"
"Why are the bounty hunters after you?" asked Jax, giving himself time to think.
"Someone put a price on my head." replied John. "A misunderstanding which should have been sorted out."
Jax was silent a long moment while he considered John's offer. An end to the endless running was very appealing and all he had to do was return this man to his people. Whom he knew nothing about. "Who are you? Where do you come from.?" he asked.
"Lt. Col. John Sheppard, from the city of Atlantis." replied John, knowing that nothing but the truth would get this man to help him.
"You're one of the Ancestors?" asked Jax, surprised.
"Not exactly." replied John. "It's a bit complicated."
Jax's curiosity was definitely aroused now. It couldn't hurt to find out more he thought. "All right, I'll help you." he said.
"Thanks." said John, sighing in relief. He didn't realize until just then how tense he'd been while waiting for an answer.
Jax meanwhile was silently assessing John's condition. He could see that John was on the verge of collapse and that he was in a lot of pain. "When did you last eat anything?" he asked suddenly.
"Two, three days ago." replied John.
"And you're still on your feet?" asked Jax, amazed. His respect for John went up on hearing that.
"Never did learn how to quit." replied John with a half smile.
"That's good." replied Jax. He opened the satchel he was carrying and took out a small package. "It's not much but it should help you." he said, tossing it to John.
John opened the package and ravenously ate the contents. He had no idea what it was but at that moment he didn't care. All that mattered was that it was food. "Thank you." he said gratefully when he was done.
"Get some sleep. I'll keep watch." said Jax.
John wasn't about to argue. The days events had taken what little strength he had and he was still feeling the effects of being stunned. He lay as close as he could to the fire and was immediately asleep.
Jax got up quietly and moved around the fire to John. He gently laid his hand on John's forehead and was unsurprised to find it hot. He needed medical attention and quickly, before it was too late. Unable to do anything more for him, Jax moved off into the darkness to stand watch while John slept.

Jax smothered the fire and woke John, holding a hand across his mouth so he didn't make a noise. When John opened his eyes Jax leaned forward and whispered, "Bounty hunters."
John nodded to show he understood and Jax helped him to his feet, then caught him hurriedly as his knees buckled. Swearing under his breath, Jax put John's good arm across his shoulders and half-carried him down the ravine. It was still several hours before dawn, which helped to hide them but made the going difficult. John did what he could to help Jax but the fever had finally taken hold and his body felt terribly weak. His throat was dry and sore and he was desperately thirsty but he knew they couldn't stop. Half way down the ravine he passed out.
Jax stumbled as John suddenly went limp in his arms. He knelt quickly and lifted John onto his shoulder, before starting down the ravine once more. He couldn't hear anything from behind but he knew that meant nothing. The bounty hunters could just be playing games with him. He arrived at the valley at the same time as the dawn and was just in time to see the Stargate activate and a Wraith step through. He swore profusely and considered his options. Looking around, he spotted a game trail that John had missed the previous day. It didn't offer much of a chance but it was better than nothing. Shifting John's weight, Jax began to climb. He was almost to the top when he heard a twig snap somewhere below. Finishing the climb, he quickly found a place to conceal John before taking up a position where he could see the Wraith as it reached the top of the ravine. He waited and listened as the silence deepened. Even the native animals had gone quiet, sensing the presence of a predator. As the minutes passed Jax began to get the uneasy feeling that he'd made a mistake. It was always dangerous to underestimate the Wraith, even deadly and somehow he had done just that.

John stirred and came awake, his senses warning him of danger. He lay and listened but could hear nothing but the silence. Slowly he pushed himself into a sitting position and looked around for Jax who was nowhere to be seen. A movement to his right caught his attention and he drew in his breath sharply as he saw the Wraith. It glided forward sinuously, a leering expression on its face. John was helpless to do anything but wait for it and hope that Jax was somewhere nearby.
The Wraith hissed as it came closer. "You are a poor specimen." it said. "No matter. I will feast upon you anyway."
"Not today Wraith." said Jax. He fired as the Wraith spun to face him, killing it instantly.
"What took you so long?" demanded John.
"It outflanked me." said Jax. He bent and picked something up from the Wraith. "Here." he said, handing John the Wraith's handgun.
"Thanks." said John as he tucked the gun into the waistband of his trousers Wordlessly Jax handed him his water flask and John drank gratefully until the flask was empty.
"You up to walking?" asked Jax as he took the flask back.
"I'll try." said John.
Jax helped him up and took his good arm across his shoulders. "If we head east there's another way down to the valley. We should be able to get to the Ring of the Ancestors from there."
"Lead on." said John.
Slowly and steadily they made their way across the plateau, stopping often so that John could rest. Jax foraged for berries and fruit during the rest periods, which helped John to keep going. Eventually they came to another ravine, which had a fast flowing river running through it.
"We're close now." said Jax. "Just a bit further along there's an easy trail down which comes out not far from the Ring."
"We'll take it from here runner." said Velkan as he and Devlyn stepped out of the trees. Both had weapons pointed at Jax and John.
Jax let go of John's arm and moved away from him, his hand hovering near his gun. "He's mine." he said, his voice hard. "And I don't plan on sharing the bounty."
John was startled by the apparent turn of events but he wasn't given time to wonder about it.
"I don't think so." said Devlyn with a snarl. He raised his gun and fired.
Without thinking John lunged forward, hitting Jax. Thrown off balance, Jax missed his footing and went backwards over the edge of the ravine. At the same instant something red hot hammered into John's skull. Lifted off his feet, he spun around and fell. The last thing he remembered was seeing the river rushing up at him.

Jax crawled onto the riverbank and collapsed, breathing hard. He'd been caught in a strong undertow and had been carried far down the river. It was only when the river had widened and slowed that he'd been able to swim to the bank. Battered and bruised from his passage through the ravine, he lay for long minutes while he recovered his breath. It was only when he tried to get to his feet that he realized his arm was broken. He sat back on his heels and cut a strip from his shirt to use as a sling. His arm secure he got unsteadily to his feet and began to search for John.

It was getting towards evening when Jax finally found where John had left the river. He could see by the tracks that John had been found by two people but he was fairly certain it wasn't the bounty hunters. The tracks led to the Ring of the Ancestors which meant Jax had no way of knowing where John had been taken. All he could do now was try and find John's people and hope they would honor the bargain so that he could continue his search. He owed John a debt for saving his life and wasn't going to stop until the debt had been repaid.

"This is getting us nowhere." said Ronan as team after team returned with no news of John.
"If you have a better suggestion, please tell me." said Marcus.
Ronan spun on his heel and slammed his hand against the wall. "I don't." he said in frustration.
"We have as many men as we can spare out there searching. You, Teyla and Rodney are practically dropping from exhaustion." said Marcus. "Until we come across his trail there's nothing else for it but to search every possible planet." He was as exhausted as Ronan and just as frustrated. They'd been at this for weeks now and still weren't any closer to finding John. Caldwell was all for giving up but Elizabeth had virtually read him the riot act and sent him out to help with the search. The scanners on the Daedalus made searching planets easier and quicker and they were able to cover more ground that way.
"We have an incoming wormhole!" said Preston, interrupting Marcus's thoughts.
"Who is it?" asked Marcus as he left the briefing room.
"Sgt. Stackhouse's IDC." replied Preston.
"He's not due back for hours." said Marcus, hardly daring to hope that they might finally have some news. He went to the railing and watched as Stackhouse and his team returned, accompanied by a stranger. Glancing at Ronan, Marcus hurried down to the Gateroom to find out what was going on.
"Major Lorne." said Stackhouse as Marcus approached. "This man claims to have news of Colonel Sheppard."
His heart hammering Marcus asked, "What news?"
Quickly, Jax filled them in on what had happened. "I've been searching for both you and him ever since." he concluded.
"Have you heard anything to indicate whether Colonel Sheppard is still alive?" asked Marcus.
"No." replied Jax. "He seems to have gone to ground somewhere but I have been unable to discover where."
"What's going on?" asked Elizabeth as she and Carson entered the Gateroom.
"This man is a runner." replied Marcus. "He found Colonel Sheppard just after he went missing and was trying to get him back here but they ran into a couple of bounty hunters and got separated. That's the last time Jax saw him."
"Colonel Sheppard and I had a deal." said Jax. "If I helped him, he would get the tracking device taken out of my back."
"It can't have been easy searching for us when you were being chased by the Wraith." said Marcus.
"It wasn't." said Jax. "I not only risked myself but anyone I came into contact with."
"You'll be safe here." said Elizabeth.
"If there's nothing else, why don't we go to the infirmary so I can get that device out of you." said Carson.
"I'll go with you." said Ronan.
"Come to the briefing room when you're done." said Elizabeth. "You too Carson. We need to discuss what we're going to do next."
"It's good to have some news at last." said Marcus when the others had gone.
"It certainly is." said Elizabeth with relief. "We still don't know where John is but at least we have somewhere to start looking.

Epilogue

After Elizabeth left, John lay for a long time staring at the ceiling. Even though he had talked about it, he was still finding it difficult to come to terms with what had happened. He was familiar with persecution having served in the Middle East but he'd never been subjected to it in this way before. Everything he'd previously taken for granted about himself and about the Ancients had been completely turned around and he was now forced to see it in a different, somewhat unpleasant light. He was also sharply reminded of the fact that he was responsible for the early awakening of the Wraith. Their depredations were reaching new heights and there was nothing the present day Atlanteans could do about it. Sighing heavily, John looked down at his wrist. That mark would be with him forever, along with the guilt. At least now he had a real reason for wearing the wristband.




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