Major John Sheppard lay against the rear bulkhead of the jumper, agony coursing through him. He’d been attacked by a parasitic creature on the Wraith homeworld whose fangs were now embedded in his throat. It used pain and paralysis to immobilise him while it slowly sucked the life out of him. He looked around the jumper but it was strangely devoid of personnel except for one man who was kneeling next to him. Even stranger, no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t seem to focus on the man’s face. Apprehension bit into him as he realised something was seriously wrong. Gritting his teeth against the pain he managed to ask, “Who are you? What do you want?”

“Your pain.” came the chilling response as the man lifted a bottle of salt water and poured it over the creature feeding off Sheppard.

For one heart stopping moment nothing happened then Sheppard screamed, his back arching off the bulkhead as searing pain shot through him.

Dr. Elizabeth Weir watched as Sheppard’s team stowed their gear in puddlejumper 1. She had a nagging feeling of apprehension about this mission that she couldn’t explain. She shrugged it off as Sheppard came up to her.

“We’re ready to roll.” he said.

“Be safe.” Weir said. “I don’t have to tell you how important this is John. We really need a trade agreement but we don’t want another situation like the Hoffans or the Genii.”

“I know.” Sheppard replied. “From what I hear the Larosians are a peaceful people. We shouldn’t encounter any problems.”

“That’s what we heard about the Genii too.” said Weir.

“If I think there’s any danger, I’ll get out.” said Sheppard. “I won’t risk the team if I don’t have to.”

“I know.” said Weir. “Good luck and keep me updated.”

“Will do.” said Sheppard as he made his way back to the jumper. Once on board he made sure they were good to go and then dropped the jumper down into the control room as Ford dialled the gate. As soon as the wormhole was established he sent the jumper through.

Once through, Sheppard pulled the jumper to a higher altitude so they had a better view of the terrain. As with most of the worlds they had visited, there were stretches of open grassland surrounded by woodland. A display screen popped up indicating a power source not far from their location.

“Looks like a settlement of some kind.” said McKay as he checked the readings.

“Okay, let’s go check it out.” said Sheppard. He set the controls of the jumper and moved off in the direction of the settlement. A few minutes later he set the jumper down in a nearby clearing and they walked the rest of the way in. The settlement appeared deserted.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” said Sheppard and then he cried out as a sharp pain went through his head.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” asked Teyla.

“Sir?” asked Ford.

The pain went as quickly as it came but Sheppard was left with a dull headache. “I’m okay.” he said, rubbing his temple. “It’s just a headache.”

“Headaches don’t just happen for no reason.” said McKay.

“I know.” said Sheppard. He started forward and then stopped short as a man appeared from behind a building.

“Welcome.” said the man. “My name is Jaerod. If you will come with me I will take you to the Council. They’re waiting for you.”

“How did they know we were here?” asked Sheppard.

Jaerod smiled. “I will let them explain.” he said.

Sheppard looked at his team and then moved to follow Jaerod. He had an uneasy feeling that something wasn’t quite right but there was no obvious sign of danger so he decided to see where this would go.

As Jaerod led them through the settlement more and more people started to appear. From what the team could see of them and their houses they appeared to be a fairly simple people but as they had learned from the Genii, appearances could be deceptive.  They approached the far end of the village and saw that it backed up onto a cliff. Near the base of the cliff there was a long building and it was here that Jaerod led them. They followed him into the building to find that six men awaited them.

“I am Terrett.” said one of the men as he came forward. “Welcome to Laros. Please, join us.” he said, indicating a table at one end of the building.

“How did you know we were here?” asked Sheppard as they gathered at the table.

“An alarm sounds whenever the Ring is accessed.” replied Terrett. “When you neared the village we scanned each of you to learn your intent.”

“Scanned us?” asked Sheppard. “You’re telepaths?”

“Yes. Scanning you was a necessary precaution for which I apologise, but it was a surface scan only. We did not probe your thoughts.” replied Terrett.

“Then why was I the only one affected?” asked Sheppard.

“I don’t understand.” said Terrett. “You should have felt nothing.”

“Out by the edge of the village, I got a sharp pain through my head.” said Sheppard.

Terrett looked at the other council members. They all shook their heads. “It was not one of us.” said Terrett. “If I find out it was one of our people, I assure you they will be punished.”

“Thank you.” said Sheppard.

“You’re welcome.” said Terrett. “Before we go any further I feel we should introduce ourselves. My fellow Council members are Kieran, Mateus, Davian, Haldev and Piraed.”

“I’m Major John Sheppard, this is Lt. Aiden Ford, Dr. Rodney McKay and Teyla Emmagan.” said Sheppard.

“What brings you to Laros, Major?” asked Terrett.

“We’re looking for allies against the Wraith, but we’re also interested in negotiating a trade agreement.” replied Sheppard.

“We would be happy to trade with you, but we have no defences against the Wraith.” said Terrett.

“Then maybe we can help each other.” said Sheppard. “We can train your people to fight against the Wraith, help with defences, that sort of thing.”

“Your offer is most generous Major. We will need time to consider your proposal. In the meantime, please accept our hospitality.”

“Thank you, we will.” said Sheppard.

Sheppard’s headache got worse over the course of the day, forcing him to retire early to the quarters assigned to them by Terrett. As he slept he dreamt and the dreams were dark and unpleasant. Sometime during the early hours of the morning he awoke with a shouted “No!” from something he couldn’t remember, but which left him badly shaken. Unwilling to go back to sleep he got dressed and quietly left the house to get some fresh air. The warm air felt good on his bare arms. It soaked into him taking away the chill of the nightmares. For a moment he could almost forget that he was light-years from home but he was abruptly brought back to the present by a prickling sensation between his shoulder blades which told him he was being watched. He looked around surreptitiously but couldn’t see anything. The full moon shone with a brilliant white light but it had the disadvantage of casting deep, black shadows around the buildings. He thought about trying to flush out the watcher but then he remembered the Larosians were telepaths. Whoever was watching would know almost as soon as he did what he was going to do, so he decided to play the waiting game instead. He melted back into the shadows and stood motionless as he’d been trained to do. Long minutes passed in absolute silence and then he heard a faint sound off to his left. Staying in the shadows he went to investigate but whoever had been there was gone. Sighing in frustration he returned to the house and back to his room. Too keyed up now to sleep, he lay on the bed and thought about what had happened and how he suddenly seemed to have become a target for somebody.

The next day passed uneventfully as the Council deliberated on Sheppard’s proposals but that night the nightmares returned again. Sheppard woke sweating and shaking in the early hours of the morning, still unable to remember what he had dreamt. He stood up, wanting to get some fresh air and swayed as the room suddenly spun. He closed his eyes, leaning on the wall for support until the dizziness passed but it left him feeling slightly nauseous. He made his unsteady way to the kitchen to get a drink before going outside. This time he was joined by Teyla.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Just a bad dream.” replied Sheppard. “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“You had one last night too.” said Teyla.

Sheppard looked at her sideways. “Didn’t know you were such a light sleeper.” he said after a moment.

“It’s what comes of being hunted by the Wraith.” said Teyla.

“I can’t imagine what it must be like growing up with that.” said Sheppard.

Teyla knew he was changing the subject but for the moment let it slide. “When you’ve never known anything else it just becomes a part of your life.” she said.

“Most of the people on Earth have no idea that races like the Wraith and the Go’auld even exist.” said Sheppard.

“Go’auld?” asked Teyla.

“I don’t know too much about them except that they enslave other races.” replied Sheppard. “They fight each other to become the dominant power in our galaxy. A few of us are trying to stop them.”

“Is that why you came here?” asked Teyla.

“Partly.” replied Sheppard. “The Ancients left an outpost on our planet. We came here to try and find out more about them and maybe find a way to harness their technology.”

“If you find what you seek, will you return to Earth?” asked Teyla.

Sheppard smiled. “No. There is so much here to see and explore. I wouldn’t mind going back for a visit but only if I  knew I could come back.”

“That’s nice to know.” said Teyla. “You’ve brought hope to many people since you’ve been here.”

“We don’t believe anyone should be on the menu.” said Sheppard with a half smile.

Teyla was silent a moment and then said, “Do you think the nightmares have anything to do with what happened when we approached the village yesterday?”

Sheppard sighed and looked out across the village. “I don’t know.” he said eventually. “It could just be a coincidence.” Like it was a coincidence that he was being watched last night he thought.

“Whether it is or not I think we ought to be careful.” said Teyla. “You hold a lot of valuable information. If you’re attacked, Atlantis could be compromised.”

“Point taken.” said Sheppard. “If I think there’s any risk I’ll get the team out.”

Teyla smiled, pleased that he had taken her warning seriously. She knew he would never risk his team but he seemed to have little regard for his own safety. “Why don’t you get some rest?” she said.

“In a little while.” Sheppard said.

Next morning Terrett came to see the team. “I’m afraid the Council still hasn’t reached a decision.” he said as they gathered in the kitchen. “You have to understand, we are a peaceful people not given to violence. It was not always this way. Centuries ago our people were warriors but the Wraith decimated their numbers and so they went into hiding, giving up the warrior lifestyle. Since then our numbers have grown again, beyond what you see here in the village.”

“Where are the rest of your people?” asked Teyla.

Terrett smiled. “Why don’t I show you.” he said.

Terrett led the team through the village to the base of the cliff. Half hidden in a stand of trees was a long, low building. Inside were a pair of iron bound doors let into the side of the cliff. Terrett opened the doors and stepped through, closely followed by Sheppard and the rest of the team. As with the Genii the Larosians had built an entire city within the confines of an enormous cavern. There was a moment of awestruck silence before Sheppard turned to Terrett.

“Why now?” he asked. “We’ve been here three days but you’re only showing us now.”

“We had to be sure of you.” replied Terrett.

“You scanned us again?” demanded Sheppard.

“No Major.” replied Terrett. “We observed you. You in particular are very open and that, combined with what we learned of your intent from our scan, was enough for me to convince the Council that you could be trusted.”

“Thank you.” said Sheppard.

“If you will accompany me I will show you around the city.” said Terrett.

The tour took most of the morning and the team were surprised by how advanced the Larosians were. They were easily one of the most advanced races in the Pegasus galaxy, even surpassing the Genii.

“The caverns protect us from the Wraith, allowing us to grow and prosper.” said Terrett.

He showed them schools, libraries and hospitals among other things, taking them from one end of the cavern to the other. By the end of the tour Sheppard felt distinctly ill. He’d had to stop several times as he was overtaken by waves of dizziness. So far he’d managed to disguise it from the rest of the team so they had no idea anything was wrong. The feeling of being watched had returned too but try as he might he couldn’t detect any signs of anyone following them. It was beginning to set him on edge.

“You okay sir?” asked Ford, noticing Sheppard’s tension.

“Just tired Lieutenant.” replied Sheppard. “I think we could probably all use some R and R.”

“I like the sound of that.” said Ford. “We’ve been on non-stop missions since we got here.”

“Yeah, it would be nice to get some work done in the science lab for a change.” said McKay.

“Trust you to think about working on your days off.” said Sheppard dryly.

“What?” said McKay.

They stopped in front of what looked like a mess hall. “Would you like to get some refreshment?” asked Terrett.

“Great idea.” said McKay. “I’m starving.”

“I think that means yes.” Sheppard said to Terrett.

“I’ve arranged for you to be moved to new quarters in the city.” said Terrett as they ate a late lunch. “Please feel free to go anywhere within the city.”

“Thank you, we will.” said Sheppard. The food had helped settle the nausea but he still didn’t feel well. He had another headache too.

“There’s something else you may be interested in.” said Terrett. “There is a temple of the Ancients some distance from here. It is reasonably intact although all the artefacts were removed over the centuries. It contains many hieroglyphs which we have only had limited success deciphering.”

“I should be able to help with that.” said McKay. “I’ve been able to decipher quite a lot of Ancient.”

“Whatever help you could give us would be welcome.” said Terrett.

“That’s great.” said McKay enthusiastically. “When can we start?”

“McKay.” said Sheppard warningly.

“It’s okay Major.” said Terrett. “I should be able to arrange a visit to the temple for the day after tomorrow.”

“Your generosity is much appreciated.” said Teyla.

Terrett left them shortly after that so the team took a casual stroll around the city, revisiting the market place among other things. Sheppard picked up a small urn thinking it would make a nice souvenir for Weir and was startled to find his hand shaking. He put the urn down hurriedly as the shaking spread throughout his body. It lasted no more than a few minutes then stopped as quickly as it started, leaving him feeling more than a little unnerved. He began to think about aborting the mission but he knew how important it was to secure a trade agreement and so, for the moment, decided not to.

Nearby, Teyla was keeping a watchful eye on Sheppard. The nightmares worried her, as did the fact that he was more subdued than usual. She caught the brief startled expression that crossed his face and moved across to where he was standing. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“I was just thinking of getting a souvenir for Weir.” replied Sheppard with a disarming smile.

Teyla wasn’t fooled for a minute but she realised she would gain nothing by pushing him. “I think that’s an excellent idea.” she said instead. “Dr. Weir will appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

“I thought so.” said Sheppard with a return to his usual humour.

Teyla couldn’t help but smile. Sheppard’s humour was infectious but she didn’t let it blind her to the fact that something was going on. She resolved to keep a close eye on him and find out what it was.

After buying the urn, Sheppard gathered up his team and they moved off to explore more of the city. They spent the afternoon mixing with the Larosian people and learning about their culture. Sheppard did his best to appear normal but the shakes became more frequent and he was hard pressed to keep them hidden. His headache persisted throughout the afternoon too as did the feeling of being watched. By the time evening came around he was feeling exhausted and had to struggle through dinner before retiring to bed.

Sheppard dreamed. He was running from the Wraith after an abortive mission. They were toying with him, herding him as he ran through open woodland. They remained hidden but he knew they were there, waiting for him to make a mistake. Back in his room he stirred, shifting in agitation as he dreamt.

As he ran he sensed the Wraith relentlessly closing in. Feeling hopelessly trapped he made his first mistake. He didn’t watch where he was going and ran straight into trouble. A web strung between two trees held a creature which attacked with lightning speed, sinking its fangs into his neck.

Sheppard moved fretfully, moaning in remembered pain. He became increasingly restless as the dream progressed, crying out every time the creature used pain to try and immobilise him. In his mind he somehow made it back to the puddlejumper but there was no help for him there. At first the puddlejumper appeared empty but as he collapsed to his knees in the rear compartment a figure stepped forward out of the shadows. Sheppard tried to see who it was but his eyes refused to focus. Wordlessly the figure came forward and Sheppard could see that he held a bottle in one hand. Unable to find his voice, Sheppard could only watch as the figure knelt next to him and raised the bottle.

Sheppard jerked awake and half sat up with a pain-filled yell. The sudden movement made his head spin and he had to shut his eyes and swallow against the nausea that accompanied it. He was breathing hard and trembling from the intensity of the dream which this time he remembered. He was about to lie back down when someone hammered on the door making him jump.

“John! Are you okay?” demanded Teyla.

Sheppard got up to answer the door and sat straight back down again as he was hit by another round of dizziness and nausea. “Just a minute.” he called as he tried to settle his stomach and stop the spinning. Using the wall this time he slowly got to his feet and made it to the door without another attack. He opened the door to an anxious Teyla.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine.” replied Sheppard but his looks belied his words and Teyla picked up on it.

“You don’t look fine. Did you have another nightmare?” asked Teyla.

Sheppard sighed. He knew he wasn’t going to get out of this easily so he invited Teyla into his room. “I did have another nightmare.” he admitted. “It was about the Wraith parasite that attacked me.”

“It must have been very intense.” said Teyla.

“It was.” said Sheppard. “It shook me up a bit, but I’m okay now.”

Teyla wasn’t convinced but she could see he wasn’t going to talk about it. “You should think about aborting the mission.” she said. “The nightmares appear to be getting worse as is their affect on you.”

“Let’s give it a couple more days.” said Sheppard. “If the Larosians haven’t come to a decision by then we’ll return to Atlantis.”

“I don’t like it.” said Teyla. “I know there’s more to this than you’re saying. Don’t you trust me?”

“I do trust you Teyla.” replied Sheppard. “I just need some time to work this out.”

“Don’t take too long, or I may not be able to help you.” said Teyla as she opened the door to go.

“Thank you.” said Sheppard, touched by her concern. After she had gone he went and lay back down. He didn’t mean to go back to sleep but his body knew he needed the rest and before long he slipped into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Sheppard awoke next morning feeling rested but his body ached, almost as though he had flu. He managed to get up and get dressed without another attack of dizziness so he went in search of something to eat. Halfway to the dining hall, Teyla caught up with him.

“You’re looking better this morning.” she said.

“I feel better.” said Sheppard, even though he still ached everywhere.

“Good.” said Teyla. “I still meant what I said last night though.”

“I know.” said Sheppard. “If I think we need to abort the mission, we’ll abort the mission.”

“John.” said Teyla, stopping Sheppard in the corridor. “Don’t let your sense of responsibility cloud your judgement on this.”

“I won’t risk the team, you know that.” said Sheppard.

“It’s not the team I’m thinking about.” said Teyla. “You push yourself too hard. You are the military commander of Atlantis, you can’t afford to be compromised.”

“That’s not fair.” protested Sheppard.

“No it’s not!” snapped Teyla, losing her temper. She then went on to read him the riot act and finished with, “If you won’t look out for yourself then someone else has to.”

“And that would be you I suppose?” demanded Sheppard, losing his own temper in turn.

“If needs be!” replied Teyla hotly. She took a deep breath, trying to rein in her temper. “What you need to realise John is that I only want to help.” she said more quietly. “I can’t do that if you don’t let me in.”

The anger went out of Sheppard at that point and was replaced by a deeper emotion. “I don’t let people in.” he said, looking away from Teyla. “Not since…” he trailed off, unable to finish.

Teyla caught the look of hurt in his eyes and instinctively knew he’d suffered a great personal tragedy at some point in his past. “I can’t guarantee that I won’t be killed,” she said gently. “but I can guarantee that I will be here for you if you need me.”

“I appreciate that.” said Sheppard. He was silent a moment and then said, “You were right last night. There is something going on, I’m just not sure what it is.”

“Why don’t you tell me over breakfast?” Teyla suggested.

“Do you still feel like you’re being watched?” asked Teyla after Sheppard had brought her up-to-date on what had been going on.

“Not at the moment.” replied Sheppard. “That could change at any moment though.”

“You should consider aborting the mission.” said Teyla.

“I already have.” said Sheppard. “We need this trade agreement Teyla. There’s no concrete proof that I’ve been attacked, it could just be a virus combined with fatigue.”

“What about the feeling of being watched?” asked Teyla.

“I don’t know.” replied Sheppard. “That could also be due to fatigue. We’ve had so many run-ins with the Wraith lately, is it any wonder we start expecting them around every corner?”

“I hope you’re right but we still need to be vigilant.” said Teyla.

“Agreed.” said Sheppard.

“What about the temple trip tomorrow?” asked Teyla.

“I think that should go ahead as planned.” replied Sheppard. “We could learn something useful.”

“You should stay here and get some rest.” said Teyla.

“I’d rather be out in the field.” said Sheppard.

Teyla suspected there was another reason but decided not to pursue it. She looked at Sheppard speculatively for a moment and then noticed he was flexing his left hand. “Are you okay?” she asked in sudden concern.

“Feels like I’ve strained every muscle in my hand.” complained Sheppard. He still ached as though he had flu but his hand was really sore and protesting against the flexing, forcing him to stop. Suddenly realising that Teyla was watching him, he looked up at her and smiled. “It’s probably nothing. Just another effect of the fatigue.”

Teyla wasn’t convinced. “You should get Dr. Beckett to check you out.” she said.

“As soon as we get back.” promised Sheppard.

At that moment Ford and McKay turned up, stopping any further conversation.

“It’s not like you to be late for breakfast.” observed Sheppard to McKay.

“I would have been here sooner if you hadn’t kept me awake all night.” said McKay.

“Another light sleeper.” grumbled Sheppard. “Just what I need.”

“What’s the problem?” asked McKay.

“It was just a bad dream.” replied Sheppard defensively.

“Sounded pretty intense.” said Ford.

“Not you too.” said Sheppard.

“You know, you’ve been tense ever since we got here.” said Ford.

“This trade agreement is important.” said Sheppard. “I don’t want to screw it up.”

“Have you forgotten what happened when we arrived?” asked McKay bluntly.

“Of course not.” snapped Sheppard, becoming irritated.

The others all exchanged glances. Sheppard was rarely given to angry outbursts even in stressful situations. It was a measure of how much strain he’d been under that his temper had flared up.

Sheppard took a deep breath as he tried to control his irritation. He knew his team only had his best interests in mind and he appreciated that. “I’m sorry.” he said. “Let’s just get the job done and then we can go home.”

“Sounds reasonable.” said Ford.

“All right but if there’s any sign you’ve been compromised, we abort the mission.” said McKay.

“Fair enough.” said Sheppard, but there was a hard edge to his voice warning McKay not to push it any further.

The team spent the rest of the afternoon exploring more of the city. Although enormous the cavern was only one of a series of interconnecting caverns and the city had spread through most of them. They moved from one cavern to another, marvelling at each in turn. By the time they made the last cavern Sheppard was beginning to tire rapidly. The pain had spread from his hand up his arm and across his chest and back. He was feeling nauseous too although there hadn’t been any more attacks of dizziness. They stopped off at another dinig hall before making their way back to the main cavern. Sheppard was exhausted when they finally made it back but he managed to spend an enjoyable evening with his team in what passed for an ale house before heading off to bed. Once there, it didn’t take him long to fall asleep. And to dream.

Sheppard lay against the rear bulkhead of the jumper, agony coursing through him. He looked around the jumper but it was strangely devoid of personnel except for one man who was kneeling next to him. Even stranger, no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t seem to focus on the man’s face. Apprehension bit into him as he realised something was seriously wrong. Gritting his teeth against the pain he managed to ask, “Who are you? What do you want?”

“Your pain.” came the chilling response as the man lifted a bottle of salt water and poured it over the creature feeding off Sheppard.

For one heart stopping moment nothing happened then Sheppard screamed, his back arching off the bulkhead as searing pain shot through him.

“John! John!” called Teyla, desperately trying to wake Sheppard as he thrashed in the grip of a nightmare. The rest of the Atlantis team hovered anxiously nearby, brought on the run by his screams.

Teyla shook Sheppard again and he woke with a start, sweating and shaking from the intensity of the dream. His eyes frantic, his heart hammering from the fear and the pain, he jerked away from her, a move he instantly regretted as waves of dizziness and nausea swept over him.

“It’s okay, it’s only a dream.” said Teyla reassuringly.

Fighting to regain control, Sheppard dropped back onto the bed. “They’re getting worse.” he said, looking away from her.

Teyla noticed a discolouration on his neck where he had been bitten by the Wraith parasite weeks ago. She gently touched it but he flinched in pain causing her to jerk her hand away.

“That can’t be good.” said McKay.

“Sir, I think you should return to Atlantis and let Dr. Beckett check you out.” said

Ford.

“I’ll be fine.” said Sheppard trying to shrug the whole thing off but he knew Ford was right.

“You should listen to him.” said Teyla.

“That may not be necessary.” said Terrett from the doorway. He came forward into the room closely followed by another. “Some of our physicians are skilled at dealing with illnesses of the mind. Jenev is one of the best. If you will allow Jenev to scan your mind he may be able to determine the cause of the dreams.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” said Sheppard. He was not about to let the Larosians probe his mind.

“John, please.” said Teyla.

“Teyla, I can’t.” said Sheppard emphatically.

“I understand your concerns Major, but I give you my word that your knowledge will not be compromised.” Terrett said. “You will be aware of what Jenev is doing at all times and you can stop it if you feel the need.”

“Let them do this, please.” said Teyla. “I will be here, I will make sure there is no impropriety.”

Emotions in turmoil, Sheppard didn’t know what to do. The effects of the dreams would soon become apparent to everyone and he was now afraid to go to sleep. It wouldn’t be long before his ability to lead and effectively make decisions would be compromised.

“Okay.” he said, finally making his decision. “It has to be a surface scan only, no probing.”

“Of course, Major.” said Jenev, taking Teyla’s place on the edge of the bed. “Close your eyes and try to relax. In a moment you will feel my presence inside your mind. Try not to fight it. Just relax and let me guide you.”

As Sheppard closed his eyes and willed himself to remain still, Jenev gently touched him on the forehead and closed his own eyes. They remained this way for several long minutes before Jenev withdrew his hand and they both opened their eyes.

“The Wraith creature that attacked you left something of itself behind when it was removed and it is this that is causing the dreams.” said Jenev.

“Why now?” asked Sheppard. “That happened weeks ago.”

“Have you been experiencing any headaches or fatigue beyond what is usual?” asked Jenev.

“Yeah, now you come to mention it, I have.” replied Sheppard. “I thought it was just from the missions; we’ve had a lot of run-ins with the Wraith recently.”

“Unfortunately not.” said Jenev. “What you have been experiencing is the cumulative effects of this condition. Left untreated the problem will get worse until eventually your mind will shutdown and you will fall into a coma.”

“Can you help?” asked Sheppard apprehensively.

“I believe I can, if you will allow me to work with you.” replied Jenev.

“I need some time to think about this and to talk to our people back at Atlantis.” said Sheppard.

“I understand but do not take too long.” said Jenev getting to his feet. “Let me know when you have come to a decision.”

“I will.” said Sheppard as Jenev and Terrett took their leave. He looked around at the rest of his team. “There’s nothing more we can do tonight so why don’t you get whatever sleep you can.”

“What about you?” asked Ford.

“I’ll be okay, don’t worry.” replied Sheppard.

The team reluctantly returned to their rooms, worried by this new development. Teyla, however, remained. She sat on the edge of the bed and asked, “Tell me the truth. How bad is it?”

“Bad enough.” Sheppard replied. He stopped abruptly, unwilling to carry on.

“John.” Teyla prompted gently.

Sheppard was silent for a long moment but at length he replied. “You saw what happened when you touched my neck.” he said quietly. “The pain is not just in the dreams anymore. It’s real, constant.”

“Is it bad?” asked Teyla.

Sheppard flicked a glance in her direction and nodded. “It’s like it’s happening all over again.” he replied.

If she didn’t know him as well as she did Teyla would have missed the slight tremor in his voice. It made her realise with a shock that he was afraid. She’d never known him to be afraid of anything before, not even the Wraith. She took his hand in both of hers. “We’ll get through this. We did it before, we can do it again.”

He grasped her hand, grateful for her support.

Sheppard went to breakfast the next morning looking pale and tired, but he managed to hide the pain behind an easy smile.

“How are you feeling sir?” asked Ford.

“Better, thank you.” replied Sheppard, despite his stomach rebelling at the thought of food. He settled on a glass of water instead, a move which didn’t go unnoticed.

“Sir, do you think you should be going out to the temple today?” asked Ford.

“I’m fine, really.” said Sheppard.

“You don’t look it.” said McKay bluntly.

“Shouldn’t you be with Jenev?” asked Teyla as she joined them. She’d stayed with Sheppard for the remainder of the night keeping him talking to take his mind off the pain and the nightmares.

“I’ll go see Jenev later after I’ve talked to Weir.” replied Sheppard. “In the meantime I’m going to the temple.”

None of the others were happy about this but they knew Sheppard could be particularly stubborn once he’d made up his mind to do something.

“You should stay here and get some rest.” said Teyla.

“No.” said Sheppard emphatically. The last thing he wanted was to be left alone. “I promise I’ll take it easy and do as little as possible.”

Teyla understood immediately. She knew Sheppard was afraid to sleep and that he didn’t want to be left on his own and her heart went out to him in sympathy, but she was still unhappy about the field trip. “We go in the puddlejumper and you put it as close to the temple as you can get it.” she said.

“That way we won’t have far to carry you when you collapse.” said McKay.

Sheppard shot him a dark look but McKay was undeterred.

“Look Major, I know you feel responsible for the team but you’re in no condition to be walking around the countryside.” said McKay.

“I’ll be fine.” said Sheppard defiantly. “Besides, who else is going to fly the jumper? You?” he asked.

Sheppard was teaching McKay how to fly the puddlejumpers but his progress was slower than either of them had hoped.

“I’ll manage.” McKay said relentlessly. He was about to continue when Teyla cut across him.

“Dr. McKay!” she said sharply. She knew the more McKay argued the more set and stubborn Sheppard would become.

McKay was about to make an angry retort but Teyla inclined her head ever so slightly in Sheppard’s direction. He suddenly caught on and wisely kept his opinions to himself.

“Anyone else have any objections?” asked Sheppard.

Fortunately no one did.

Sheppard’s hands moved effortlessly over the jumper controls. He was feeling relaxed for the first time in days, and was enjoying the simple pleasure of flying. He missed flying combat aircraft more than he cared to admit. The jumpers were too intuitive, he only had to think of something and it was done. He preferred the old-fashioned seat-of-the-pants flying that he got with his old mustang. His grandfather Ben had found it for him and together they had spent many happy months restoring it to full flying condition. He’d entered it in air races whenever he could, much to his father’s disapproval. His father had never wanted him to fly because his uncle had been killed in a flying accident but Ben had recognised early on that flying was in his blood and had encouraged him to indulge his passion at every opportunity. Since his posting to the Pegasus galaxy all that had come to an end and he’d had to regretfully mothball the mustang until such time as he returned, if he returned.

“You okay, sir?” asked Ford, startling Sheppard out of his reverie.

Sheppard was momentarily confused, caught between two realities. “I’m fine.” he replied, trying to collect his thoughts. “I was just… thinking.” he said.

“About what, sir?” asked Ford.

“About flying.” replied Sheppard.

“You miss it, don’t you?” asked Ford.

“Yes I do.” replied Sheppard, wondering if he was that transparent to everybody. “You ever fly anything lieutenant?” he asked.

“Yes sir. A friend of mine has a Stearman which he taught me to fly.” replied Ford. “We had a great time.”

“There’s nothing like it.” said Sheppard with a smile.

“Looks like we’re coming up on the temple, sir.” said Ford, regretfully changing the subject.

“So we are.” said Sheppard. He manoeuvred the jumper into position and set it down within yards of the temple.

When everyone was assembled, McKay turned to Sheppard and said, “You stay with the jumper. If you need anything, use the radio.”

Sheppard nodded, trying to hide a smile. McKay had come a long way since they arrived in the Pegasus galaxy and it was refreshing to see him handing out orders instead of taking them. He watched as McKay led the team into the temple and then moved up to the entrance so he could keep watch.

Sheppard sat on a low wall, exhaustion finally getting the better of him. He seemed to be developing a fever and that, coupled with the pain, was becoming a heavy drain on his reserves of strength. Troubled by what he should do next, he scanned the surrounding area and noticed Teyla coming towards him. She’d been a constant companion over the last few days and he found her presence reassuring.

“Sitting down on the job?” she asked as she came up to him. Her shrewd eyes took in his appearance and she didn’t like what she saw.

“Thought I’d check out the wall.” Sheppard replied. “Care to join me?”

Teyla sat and put a hand on his arm. She could feel the heat coming off him and the slight tremor in his muscles. “You shouldn’t be here.” she said.

“I know.” replied Sheppard.

“Then why are you here?” demanded Teyla in exasperation.

“You know why.” replied Sheppard quietly.

Teyla stalked off muttering imprecations under her breath but she didn’t go far. After a few minutes she came back to the wall and sat down. “When we’re finished here you’re going straight to the Stargate to tell Dr. Weir what’s happening and then we’re going to see Jenev.” she said matter-of-factly.

“Yes, ma’am.” said Sheppard with a half smile.

Some time later, McKay and Ford returned to the jumper. McKay was waxing lyrical about the writings in the temple while Ford was looking somewhat shell-shocked. Sheppard smiled. He’d developed quite a good working relationship with McKay but Ford was still learning how to handle him. The practice would do him good.

“That was great!” said McKay. “The temple contains a great many writings and they are all intact. We need to get a team out here to decipher them.”

“One thing at a time.” said Sheppard. “First we get the trade agreement, then we send a team into the temple.”

“Yes.” said McKay looking crestfallen. “Of course.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance.” said Sheppard.

“Not if we abort the mission.” said McKay.

“I’m sure the Larosians will give us the agreement.” said Sheppard. “Then, you can bring a team in here and decipher as much as you want.”

McKay gave Sheppard a disgusted look. “I know you don’t like all the science but if we’re going to beat the Wraith we need every advantage we can get.”

“I know that.” said Sheppard. “That’s why we’re here.”

“You shouldn’t be here at all.” said McKay. “Isn’t it about time you told Weir what’s going on?”

Sheppard sighed. McKay’s tenacity was becoming irritating but this time he kept a tight hold on his temper. “If you’re done with the temple we should go.” he said.

“We go straight to the Stargate so you can tell Weir what’s going on and then you go see Jenev.” said McKay, unknowingly echoing Teyla’s words.

Sheppard’s expression darkened but Teyla cut in before he could say anything. “Why don’t you let Dr. McKay fly back to the city? He could use the practice.”

“Thanks. I think.” said McKay.

“Why not.” said Sheppard, giving in.

“We have an incoming wormhole.” said Peter Grodin over the commlink to Dr. Weir.

“I’ll be right there.” said Weir. She left the briefing room and arrived at the gate room just in time to see the wormhole establish itself and the shield go up.

“It’s Major Sheppard’s IDC.” said Grodin. “Audio feed only.”

“Major, what can we do for you?” asked Weir.

“Dr. Weir.” replied Sheppard, keeping his voice carefully neutral. “I need to talk to you, privately.”

A slight chill of foreboding ran up Weir’s back. She nodded to Grodin who switched the feed directly to her headset. As she walked to a more isolated part of the room she asked, “What’s wrong John?”

“I have a problem.” admitted Sheppard reluctantly. He then went on to tell Weir everything that happened.

“Do you think the Larosians can be trusted?” asked Weir.

“If they wanted information they could take it from us and we wouldn’t be able stop them, so as far as that goes, yes, I think they can be trusted.” replied Sheppard.

“But?” asked Weir, sensing there was something more.

“It’s Jenev.” replied Sheppard. “There’s something about him that gives me the creeps.”

“It’s your call John. What do you want to do?” asked Weir.

It was difficult for him to make the admission but finally he said, “I can’t do my job like this. Whatever it takes, the nightmares have to stop.”

“I agree but just to be on the safe side I’m going to send Dr. Beckett to you.” said Weir. “He can monitor your situation and take whatever action he thinks necessary to maintain your health.”

“Thank you.” said Sheppard gratefully.

“Keep me informed of any progress. And John, stay safe.” said Weir. She stood for a long moment silently thinking about the conversation with Sheppard before leaving the gate room and heading for the infirmary.

“Dr. Beckett.” she said, as she entered the infirmary. “How would you like to go off world?”

“You know exactly what I think of scattering my molecules all over the galaxy.” replied Beckett acerbically.

“I know. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.” said Weir.

“What’s happened?” asked Beckett. He could see the worry in her eyes.

“Major Sheppard appears to be having a relapse of sorts from the Wraith parasite episode.” replied Weir.

“What do you mean?” asked Beckett.

“He’s been having violent nightmares which are beginning to manifest themselves physically.” replied Weir. “The Larosians think the parasite left something behind before it was removed and that’s what’s causing the problem.”

“What are the physical symptoms?” asked Beckett.

“Pain, dizziness and nausea mostly.” replied Weir. “He also sounds exhausted.”

“He told you all this himself?” asked Beckett in surprise.

“Yes. Why?” asked Weir.

“John Sheppard is not the kind of man to admit to anything like this.” replied Beckett. “Even when he was hit by the Wraith stun gun he was out of the infirmary almost as soon as he could move. Against my orders.”

“He told me he only took a partial hit.” said Weir.

“He lied.” said Beckett. “I can almost guarantee that whatever he’s just told you doesn’t even come close to the truth. The sooner I get out there to make an evaluation, the better.”

“How soon will you be ready to go?” asked Weir, alarmed by Beckett’s words.

“Ten minutes.” replied Beckett. “I just need to add a couple of things to the standard med kit and then I’ll be ready.”

“Let me know what you find.” said Weir, worried now more than ever.

Beckett stepped out of the Stargate expecting the worst and he wasn’t disappointed. His trained eyes picked up all the things Sheppard was so carefully trying to keep hidden. He didn’t like what he was seeing. “Major.” he said by way of greeting. “I want you back at the city now for a full exam.”

Sheppard acquiesced with a nod which spoke volumes to everyone.

“And Major.” said Beckett. “You’re not flying the jumper.”

“McKay is doing the flying.” said Sheppard.

“Good. Let’s go.” said Beckett, his tone allowing no room for argument.

Back at the city, the team waited impatiently outside Sheppard’s quarters while Beckett conducted the exam. Finally, he opened the door and allowed them in.

“What have you found?” asked Teyla.

“If I didn’t know any better I would have said Major Sheppard has been poisoned.” replied Beckett.

“You don’t trust the Larosians?” asked Sheppard.

“The mind is quite capable of producing all the symptoms without a physical catalyst, so the Larosians could be correct.” replied Beckett. “However, I would still like to send some blood samples back to Atlantis for analysis.”

“What makes you think he’s been poisoned?” asked Teyla.

“He has all the classic symptoms.” replied Beckett. “Pain, fever, dizziness, nausea. The Major’s quite ill. If it wasn’t for this whole mind thing I would confine him to a bed in the Atlantis infirmary.”

“Is it really that bad?” asked Teyla.

“Aye, but from what I can ascertain it’s only been this bad over the last forty eight hours. Up till then the physical symptoms have been quite mild.”

“But who here would wish to harm Major Sheppard?” asked Teyla. “And why?”

“Somebody with something to gain by demolishing the trade negotiations?” suggested Sheppard.

“Or someone with a personal vendetta.” said McKay. “The Genii have contacts all over the place.”

“Well, we’ll let the blood tests tell us what’s going on.” said Beckett. “I need someone to take them back to Atlantis.”

“McKay, why don’t you and Ford go to the Stargate while we go see Jenev.” said Sheppard.

“Who’s Jenev?” asked Beckett.

“The psychologist who diagnosed the problem.” replied Sheppard. “He reckons he can remove whatever the parasite left behind.”

“That’s settled then. Let’s go.” said Beckett.

“Welcome Major.” said Jenev. “I’m glad you have decided to let me help you. Please, have a seat.” he said indicating a chair to one side of his office.

Sheppard went and sat on the chair, which to him looked a dentist’s chair, and tried to relax. Beckett came and stood to one side of him while Teyla went and joined Terrett who had arrived a few moments before them.

“To begin with, we need to go through your memory of the event. It will help to determine what is real and what isn’t.” said Jenev. “It could well be unpleasant.”

“Do whatever you need to.” said Sheppard.

“Drink this.” said Jenev, handing Sheppard a glass of some pale coloured liquid. “It will help you to relax.”

Sheppard took a sip and found the taste to be extremely unpleasant. Not wanting to appear childish in front of the Larosians he downed the lot and handed the glass back with barely a shudder. Almost appearing to read his thoughts, Jenev just smiled.

“Just try to relax Major.” said Jenev. He flicked a switch and the chair slowly reclined. Once it was in position Jenev brought up a chair so that he was sitting behind Sheppard. He placed his fingertips on Sheppard’s temples and closed his eyes, composing himself. Then he slipped lightly into Sheppard’s mind.

Sheppard ran through the trees, the Wraith not far behind. He turned, firing a round to where he thought the Wraith was. He listened for a moment but there was only the sound of his own breathing. He walked backwards, scanning the trees for any sign of movement but the Wraith was playing with him. Heart hammering, he turned to make a run for the puddlejumper and ran straight into trouble. Strung across the space between two trees was a web and in the middle was a creature like nothing he’d ever seen before. Frighteningly fast, it sank its fangs into his neck. Searing pain overwhelmed him, sending him to his knees.

Sheppard moaned, moving in agitation as he relived the attack. Teyla made to move to his side but Terrett stopped her. “He’ll be fine.” he said. “Jenev is very good at what he does.”

Teyla wasn’t happy but she refrained from intervening. Beckett meanwhile was actively monitoring Sheppard’s vital signs and was growing concerned. Sheppard’s pulse was racing and his breathing was ragged from the pain. He didn’t like the way this was going but for the moment he too didn’t intervene.

Sheppard lay on the ground with Ford kneeling next to him. McKay and Teyla looked on as Ford manoeuvred his gun into position to shoot the creature in its soft underbelly. Everything else they had tried had failed as the creature healed itself by sucking life energy from Sheppard. McKay had serious doubts about what they were doing but Sheppard had insisted. Ford, his heart pounding, gently squeezed the trigger.

“I don’t like this.” Teyla muttered angrily as Sheppard cried out sharply.

“Jenev wouldn’t take Major Sheppard through this if he didn’t think it was necessary.” said Terrett but his expression showed he wasn’t entirely convinced.

Sheppard lay against the rear bulkhead of the puddlejumper, staring uncomprehendingly at the puddle-of-water effect of the Stargate. It took him a few moments to remember where he was and what had happened. The jumper seemed strangely devoid of personnel and he had the sudden feeling that something was wrong. Somehow he knew he’d been here before. Many times before. With that thought came the realisation that he was in the nightmare and consciously aware of it. All the exhaustion, fear and pain of the last week finally got the better of him and he panicked. With a strength born of desperation he managed to push himself to his feet. Slowly and painfully he made his way forward, clinging desperately to the bulkheads as his knees threatened to buckle at any moment. He had to fight the nightmare every inch of the way and it was rapidly draining his last reserves of strength. His one thought was to reach the event horizon of the Stargate. If he could get through he might find a way back to consciousness. He almost made it but his strength finally gave out and he collapsed. He rolled onto his back almost sobbing in frustration. He was so close his outstretched hands could almost touch the puddle effect in the centre of the gate. He was just about to give up in despair when he suddenly sensed a presence to his right. He tried to see who it was but his sight blurred out of focus. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision but they still refused to focus.

“Problem, Major?”. The voice was deep with a hint of mockery in it.

It was not one of the jumper crew but the voice was disturbingly familiar, and terrifying. Fear tightened Sheppard’s chest making it difficult to breathe and for a moment he was unable to talk. Fighting down his emotions he managed to ask, “Who are you? What do you want?”

“Who I am is not important. What is important is the reason we are here.” responded the voice.

“And what reason is that?” asked Sheppard.

“The Wraith, Major. Conventional weapons have little or no effect, which leaves us open to their depredations. What we need is an advantage. Telepathy should give us that advantage but we need to know how to use it against them. That is where you come in.”

“Why me? I’m nothing like the Wraith.” said Sheppard.

“You are a warrior and as such are stronger and more formidable than those I have previously had to work on.”

Sheppard wondered just how many had gone before him. “My people will find out what you’re doing and stop you.” he said, knowing that he was probably never going to regain consciousness.

“How can they when I have you trapped here in your own mind?”

“They’ll find a way.” said Sheppard but his voice lacked conviction. Despair hit him as he felt the hopelessness of his situation.

“Yes Major. This is all you have left.”

The owner of the voice reached into a pocket and withdrew a bottle of salt water. Sheppard drew in his breath sharply, knowing what was coming. The man reached forward and allowed a tiny drop of water to land on the parasite. It reacted instantly sending hot pain shooting through Sheppard. He gritted his teeth determined not to scream. He desperately wanted the ordeal to end but he was damned if he would give the man the satisfaction of hearing him beg.

“Very good Major. Breaking you will be pleasurable.” said Jenev.

Everyone jumped as Sheppard let out a piercing scream, his body going rigid in the chair.

“Stop this now!” yelled Teyla, moving quickly to Sheppard’s side.

Jenev, that’s enough! Terrett commanded telepathically.

“If you don’t do something we’ll lose him!” said Beckett urgently. Sheppard’s breathing was laboured and his pulse was becoming erratic.

Jenev! demanded Terrett.

Sheppard suddenly went limp and Jenev sagged back into his chair. “I’m sorry.” he said tiredly, opening his eyes. “I was momentarily overwhelmed. The problem is a lot worse than I originally thought.”

“What do you mean?” demanded Teyla and Beckett at the same time.

“The Major himself is a part of the problem.” said Jenev. “When he regained consciousness back at Atlantis he suppressed the memories of what happened instead of dealing with them. Now that he is under attack again, so to speak, the memories have resurfaced and he is actively re-living them.”

Unbeknown to Jenev, Sheppard had struggled back to consciousness. The abrupt end of the nightmare had allowed him one last-ditch effort to save himself and he took it. Fighting against the restraints imposed on his mind, he managed to speak. “Carson.”

It was soft, almost inaudible but Beckett heard it. “John.” he said urgently, interrupting the conversation. Sheppard was dreadfully pale and his eyes were glazed, adding to Beckett’s concerns over his failing health.

Behind Sheppard Jenev was frowning, his eyes narrowed in disbelief. He’d underestimated Sheppard badly and might now pay the price for it. It all depended on how far Sheppard could break the programming.

Sheppard was vaguely aware of everyone clustered around him but his vision was beginning to blur and dim. The voices urgently calling his name began to fade into the background which seemed to be dissolving. He closed his eyes momentarily and re-opened them to find himself back in the puddlejumper. Hadn’t he just been somewhere else? Wasn’t there something he was supposed to be doing? He figured the pain and the fever were making him hallucinate.

“John! You have to stay with us!” urged Beckett but it was too late, Sheppard’s eyes flickered closed.

“Can you get him back?” Teyla asked Jenev.

It was just what Jenev had been waiting for. “I’ll try.” he said as he slipped into Sheppard’s mind once more. This time he made sure that Sheppard would not regain consciousness. After a few moments he opened his eyes and said, “I’m sorry. His mind is turning in on itself. I’ll do what I can but I may not be able to save him.”

“That may not matter.” said Beckett. “If we don’t stabilise him quickly we’ll lose him.”

“We can move him to the hospital. My people will give you whatever aid you need.” said Terrett.

It took some time but they finally managed to stabilize Sheppard’s vital signs. Garen, a young doctor assigned to Sheppard, ran every test he could think of but they all came back negative.

“I don’t understand.” he said to Beckett. “The psychological aspects should not have affected the Major’s body in such a dramatic way but I can’t find any physical reason for it either.”

“You don’t think it could be his mind turning in on itself as Jenev suggested?” asked Beckett.

“I would have expected a coma but nothing else.” replied Garen. “I don’t claim to be an expert but I know just enough to know this is not usual.”

“Do you think Jenev is lying?” asked Beckett.

“No. I just think there’s something else going on here as well.” replied Garen.

“There is.” said McKay from the doorway. He came into the lab, closely followed by Ford and Teyla.

“Teyla told us what happened.” said McKay. “How is he?”

“We’ve stabilised him for now but his condition is still serious.” replied Beckett. “What have you got?”

“Your people found something in Major Sheppard’s blood. They think it’s some kind of toxin.” replied McKay handing a folder to Beckett.

“That’s impossible. Our equipment would have detected it.” said Garen as he read the test results over Beckett’s shoulder. When he saw the chemical breakdown of the toxin he frowned. “May I borrow that?” he asked Beckett.

“Sure.” replied Beckett handing the results over.

Garen went to a bookcase and removed a large leather-bound volume. He quickly leafed through it until he found what he wanted and then compared it against the results from Sheppard’s blood tests. They matched. “You were right.” he said, turning to look at Beckett. “Major Sheppard has been poisoned. The substance is one of the very few that our equipment can’t detect, which is presumably why it was used.”

“Is there an antidote?” asked Beckett.

“Yes.” replied Garen. “I can have it ready in about twenty minutes.”

“We need to inform Terrett.” said Teyla.

“You think he can be trusted?” asked McKay quietly so Garen couldn’t hear.

“Yes I do.” replied Teyla. “If he meant us any harm he would not have shown us as much as he has.”

“I agree.” said Ford.

“Okay, let’s go.” said McKay.

They didn’t get very far before Terrett found them. “I need to talk to you about an urgent matter.” he said.

“We need to talk to you too.” said Teyla.

“What’s the problem?” asked McKay.

“I’ve been conducting an investigation into Jenev’s activities and I’ve found that he’s been doing research into Calanthe, a form of mental torture banned by our people centuries ago.” replied Terrett. “It appears he’s been using Major Sheppard as a test subject.”

“The Major’s been poisoned too.” said McKay.

“Why use poison if he’s using telepathy?” asked Teyla.

“To break down the Major’s resistance.” replied Terrett. “Major Sheppard has a strong mind. Normally it would take time to break him down but Jenev doesn’t have that kind of time. He’s attacking the Major’s body to shortcut the process.”

“Where is he now?” asked Ford.

Terrett’s eyes went momentarily distant and then he said, “I can’t tell, he’s blocking me.”

“The Major!” said Ford.

They took off at a run for the hospital but by the time they got there Jenev was gone. So was Sheppard.

“We need to search the city!” said Ford.

“How? There’s not enough of us and by the time we get reinforcements it could be too late.” said McKay.

“My people will help.” said Terrett. He sent out a telepathic alert and within minutes people all over the city were conducting searches.

Teyla, Ford and McKay all waited anxiously with Terrett while the minutes dragged by. Terrett kept them updated as reports filtered in but no one was able to find either Jenev or Sheppard.

“Has anybody checked the Major’s quarters?” asked Ford suddenly after the last report was in.

“No.” said Terrett.

“Get Beckett!” said McKay to Teyla as he, Ford and Terrett headed off to Sheppard’s quarters.

They arrived to find the door locked. Not wasting any time, Ford shot the lock and kicked the door open. Jenev was sitting on the edge of the bed with the fingers of one hand touching Sheppard’s forehead.

“I’m linked to Major Sheppard. Shoot me and he will suffer.” said Jenev in warning.

Terrett suddenly put a hand on Ford’s shoulder, making him jump. Distract his attention away from Major Sheppard he said in Ford’s mind.

With a slight nod Ford started moving away from the door and around behind Jenev, making Jenev twist around to keep watching him.

“What are you doing?” asked Jenev suspiciously. “I warn you, I will hurt Sheppard.”

With Jenev distracted, Terrett was able to slip into Sheppard’s mind and forcibly remove Jenev all the while shielding Sheppard from the effects of the sudden disconnection. Jenev wasn’t so lucky. The backlash from being forcibly removed hit him hard and Terrett quickly followed it up by stunning him with a mental blast designed to knock him out. Jenev gave a little cry and collapsed off the bed onto the floor.

“What did you do?” asked Ford in surprise.

“I stunned him Lt.” replied Terrett. “Our people might not believe in violence but there are a select few who have been trained in the old ways.”

“What about Major Sheppard?” asked McKay.

“I don’t have the skill to undo what Terrett has done but there are others who do. With their help he should make a full recovery.” replied Terrett.

At that moment Teyla, Beckett and Garen arrived. Garen took in the situation with one glance and then went straight to Sheppard and injected him with the antidote to the poison.

“The antidote should begin working almost immediately.” said Garen. “However, he is very weak so it may take more time.”

“There’s something I don’t understand.” said McKay thoughtfully.

“What’s that Dr.?” asked Terrett.

“Jenev seemed to require physical contact to link to Major Sheppard but you don’t.” replied McKay. “Why is that?”

Terrett smiled. “We don’t actually require contact to be able to enter someone’s mind. It just makes it easier.”

“What about the poison?” asked Teyla. “He never came near Major Sheppard until last night.”

“I won’t know until we’ve questioned Jenev but I would guess he visited the house you stayed in the first night and administered the poison then.” replied Terrett. “I suspect the Major was under his influence from the first day so he was able to come and go as he pleased without the Major being aware of it. There was also a large dose in the cup he gave Sheppard to drink earlier.”

“Could that be why Major Sheppard felt he was being watched?” asked Teyla.

“Yes, although he shouldn’t have been aware of Jenev’s presence.” replied Terrett.

“It could also be the reason he never aborted the mission.” said McKay. “Jenev made sure he wouldn’t leave.”

“I am deeply sorry this has happened.” said Terrett. “We will do everything in our power to make sure Major Sheppard recovers from his ordeal and I give you my word it will never happen again.”

“That’s all we can ask.” said Teyla.

Two days later, Sheppard regained consciousness. He looked around the hospital room in confusion until he spotted McKay dozing in a chair. “Rodney.” he said, his voice still weak.

McKay came awake immediately. “Welcome back. How do you feel?” he asked.

“Like someone dropped a puddlejumper on me. What happened?” asked Sheppard.

“What do remember?” asked McKay evasively. He was under orders to tell Sheppard as little as possible for the moment.

“Not much.” replied Sheppard. “I remember the city and the temple but that’s all. Where am I?”

“You’re in a hospital in the city.” replied Rodney. “You gave us quite a scare. We thought we were going to lose you.” He realised as soon as the words were out that he’d said too much and he cursed himself for being an idiot.

“Why?” asked Sheppard suspiciously. He was tiring rapidly from the effort of talking but he needed to know what was going on.

“You need to get some rest.” said McKay, completely avoiding the question. “We can talk more later.”

“Rodney.” said Sheppard, but already he was losing the fight to stay conscious. The room blurred and dimmed as he lapsed back into unconsciousness.

McKay breathed a sigh of relief. He mentally kicked himself for almost giving the game away but fortunately he’d gotten away with it. He made sure Sheppard was resting peacefully before leaving to update Weir on his progress.

The end.