The Other Sheppard von T L Kay
John burst through the gate at a run with Kate in his arms.
“John, what’s going on?” Elizabeth asked, coming down the steps to meet them.
John ignored her and, placing his sister gently on the waiting stretcher, issued a series of commands to the medic. “Set up a level 3 quarantine, with armed guards at the door. Tell Dr. Keller that roughly 20 minutes ago a Goa’uld parasite took her over.”
“What!?” interjected Elizabeth, but John kept going.
“A few minutes later her heart rate slowed and her breathing became shallow. Got that?”
They nodded.
“Then go.”
“John, what the hell is going on?” Elizabeth asked as soon as the medics had left.
“We found a secret Ancient research chamber. There was an Ancient there, who happened to be a Goa’uld host.”
“What? How is that possible?”
“I don’t know. I wanted to kill him right at the start, but Katie wouldn’t let me. She seemed to think he was good.”
“But clearly he wasn’t if he took your sister as a host.”
John gave a cold, emotionless laugh. “No, she did this to herself.”
Elizabeth looked astonished.
“The man was dying and didn’t have time to tell us what he wanted to tell us. So she tricked me. She got me to move away, then allowed herself to be taken over.”
“But why would she do that?”
“I told you, she believes he’s good, and that he has valuable information that we couldn’t pass up.”
“This is bad John. The last time we had a Goa’uld in the city…”
“I know. But I didn’t know what to do.”
“It’s ok, I understand. Go on, I’ll get more information out of Rodney.”
John gave her a questioning look. “You sure?”
She nodded. “Go see to Katie.”
He gave her a grateful look and then raced after the medics. He got to the infirmary as they were transferring her from the gurney to a bed; Keller was issuing commands. As John walked through the door a flat beep met his ears.
“Katie!” he yelled, lunging forward.
“Get him out of here!” Keller shouted as she wheeled in the crash cart.
The marines stepped forward and attempted to bustle him out of the infirmary, but he ducked them and ran back into the room.
“Clear!” Keller said, before giving Kate a jolt from the paddles. “I said get him out of here!” For John had made another move for his sister.
He suddenly felt huge arms around him and twisted to see Ronon pulling him out of the room. He tried to get away but was no match for the bigger man. Ronon set John down outside the infirmary, but stayed close enough to him to prevent him from going anywhere. John thought for a moment before pulling out his firearm and pointing it at his friend.
“I will shoot you Ronon.”
“Good thing we’re next to the infirmary.”
“Damn it!” John said, pointing his gun a little closer. “Don’t make me do it.”
“Let the doctor’s do their jobs, Sheppard. They can’t save your sister with you interfering.
John’s finger was just inching toward the trigger when Dr. Keller stepped into the hallway. He took a step toward her and faltered. He didn’t know if he wanted to know what she had to say.
“She’s fine,” said Keller.
John sagged, catching the wall for support and easing himself onto the ground.
“We’ve stabilized her, but we were unable to remove the symbiote, not without killing her.”
“So what does that mean?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll have to wait until she wakes up. Which could be anytime.”
“Can I see her?”
Keller nodded. “She probably won’t know you’re there, but you can go ahead.”
John nodded and got up off the floor. “Thank you,” he said.
“No need to thank me, Colonel, it’s my job.”
He nodded again, then went into the infirmary. Ronon made to follow him, but Dr. Keller stopped him.
“She’s not out of the woods yet,” she said. “And if the time comes that her condition declines, I’m going to need you to keep him out of the way. Can you do that?”
Ronon nodded. “Do you really think that’ll be necessary?”
She glanced into the room, taking in Sheppard sitting by his sister’s side, holding her hand. Keller nodded. “Yes, I really do.”
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