He studied his results; these were beginning to look more and more promising with each test. He was getting close to figuring out how to defeat those creatures and he would be able to take his research to the Council.
The snarl from the creature made him turn and he quickly injected more sedative into it. It took several minutes but finally it stopped snarling and slipped back into its unconscious state.
Only a few more tests then he could tell them, only a few more days and he could tell them that they could defeat the Wraith.
*********************************************
"How long are we going to be here for?" John demanded his arms folded tightly across his chest as the Doctor moved around the TARDIS console checking things.
"Couple of hours," the Doctor replied, he hit the control panel as the panels started to fade grinning as they lit up properly again before sighing, "And I was a little wrong about the date. We're about two hundred years before the City was abandoned."
"It's not that bad," Jeannie chipped in, "We stay a few hours while the TARDIS manages to re-power to get us back to Atlantis," she glanced at her brother and his friend with a little distaste, "Guys, you really should change into something less...encrusted with mud."
"That's a good idea," the Doctor called from under the controls, "Makes a better impression on the natives."
Rodney looked down at himself, "We're not exactly at our best."
"I'm fine," John snapped quickly.
"You look like you just rolled down a hill," Jeannie told him; she caught her brother's arm, "Come on Rodney let's leave Colonel Cleanliness to sulk."
With that she pulled Rodney away from the TARDIS console room so he could change.
"You're being an idiot," the Doctor called absently from beneath the controls, "Jeannie's right to be mad at you."
"It's none of your business," John told him stiffly.
The Doctor slid out rolling his eyes, "I really don't care."
John glared at the Timelord, "Then why are you interfering?"
"Because Jeannie is an absolute pain in the neck when she's in a mood," the Doctor replied jumping to his feet, "So get on her good side would you."
John rolled his eyes not saying anything else considering he wasn't happy about this situation. He was stuck in the past, with the one person he was trying not to think about and the brother of said person who more than likely would punch him if he knew what he was thinking about. Not to mention his wrist was in absolute agony. After ten minutes the twins reappeared Rodney looking comfortable in jeans and a dark blue sweater, they were talking in what seemed to be only half sentences.
"Are we ready then?" Jeannie grinned, "Let's have a look outside."
-
"You know that this place hasn't changed at all," Rodney noted as they stood outside the TARDIS, glancing around the room they were in.
"It's one of the things about lying at the bottom of the ocean for thousands of years I guess," John murmured as he stared out across the water.
Jeannie rolled her eyes, "Are we going to stand here all day or are we going to explore?"
"No," John snapped, "We stay here and wait for the TARDIS to power up then we head back to our own time."
Jeannie and the Doctor swapped glances before she turned to John, "You don't get how this works. We stop in a place and we look around."
"No, we're not," John replied, the words `that's an order' stopping short of leaving his mouth.
"You're not in charge here, Colonel," Jeannie told him sharply her eyes narrowed, "The Doctor is."
With that said she purposefully walked along the corridor in front of her.
"Nicely done," the Doctor laughed as he headed after Jeannie.
Rodney turned to his friend, "What's with you? We'll actually get to meet the Ancients."
John watched Rodney run to catch up with his sister, "That's what I'm afraid of."
-
As they moved further into the city people appeared wandering through the corridors, mingling with each other and paying no attention to the newcomers.
Rodney was looking around hoping to see something that would give them an edge over the Wraith but there was nothing except people. He looked down to see Jeannie take his arm and smiled at her, there was something actually quite calming about being in the city with a population more suited to it's size.
"So where are we going?" John demanded a little huffily.
"To see what's going on," the Doctor replied nodding to where streams of people were walking.
The twins hung back as the other two walked on ahead.
"You know," Jeannie said to her brother, "He's a real killjoy."
"It's the military mindset," Rodney told her; "He doesn't like not being in charge."
Jeannie laughed and they headed after their companions.
*********************************************
He slid along the smooth floor knowing there were people nearby, he could inhabit any one of their bodies but then he felt something else. It was powerful and would make him powerful as well, powerful enough to destroy his enemies.
If he had a mouth he would have laugh, if he had hands he would smack them together in glee. Instead all he did was slither towards the feeling of power.
-
There was something resembling a carnival as they moved further into the city. Jeannie found a spot to perch so she could watch it enjoying the music and acrobatics quite amazed by how different this was to the image she had of the Atlanteans from her own time.
The Doctor was standing leaning against a wall his head bobbing along to the music, John was standing with his injured wrist held protectively to his chest looking annoyed especially when Rodney decided to join his sister to simply watch the parade.
"So," the Doctor said once the parade had passed, "Who's up for some dinner?"
"Great," John replied as the Doctor started walking, "Which way for the local Pizza Hut?"
Jeannie jumped off her perch, "You're an ass," she told John following the Timelord.
"She's right," Rodney told his friend, "What is your problem?"
"I just don't like being here," John told him, "I want to get back to our own time as fast as possible," he looked at Rodney confused, "I thought you'd be going ballistic over the whole can't change the past crap you spouted off when I was trying to watch Back To The Future that time?"
Rodney shrugged, "According to the Doctor, the moment we arrived here we became part of the timeline so no matter what we do it's fine. So knock it off."
John sighed annoyed that the one person he thought would be on his side for this wasn't. Finally he decided to follow them.
-
They had been walking for ten minutes when the Doctor stopped and turned to him, "When did you last take something for your wrist?"
John shrugged, "Before we left to save...help Jeannie."
"You're in pain and you never thought to mention it?" Jeannie asked incredulously and a little worried, "I was right," she rolled her eyes, "You're an ass."
"It's nothing," John tried to deflect all the concerned looks he was now receiving.
"We need to get him seen to," Jeannie decided turning to the Doctor, "Do you know where there is a..." she paused and grinned, "Physician?"
He frowned because he couldn't make the obvious comment back.
"Follow me," the Doctor told them leading the way.
John let out a sigh of annoyance as he followed on behind the Doctor and Jeannie who were talking, staring at Rodney when he joined him.
"You should have said you were in pain," Rodney told him, "You know Carson will bitch at you when we get back."
"If he finds out," John glared at him.
Rodney grinned, "If he finds out."
Before John could reply Rodney caught up with his sister leaving him to trudge along behind them.
-
"Excuse me," Jeannie smiled disarmingly at the young geeky man, John decided looked around fifteen, who stood just inside the infirmary, "My friend here is in need of a doctor."
"Of course," the teenager looked flustered at Jeannie's attention to him, "Just come this way."
Jeannie motioned John to move, he did as he was told scowling in annoyance as he could see Rodney and the Doctor both grinning from where they were leaning. An elderly man exited a small curtained off area and walked to them.
"Broken wrist," he mused studying John's injury without even bothering to look at him, "Somebody just wrapped it..." he finally looked up at John, "Primitive methods. Let me guess you came from the West of Atlantis."
"Little further," John muttered only to be elbowed in his ribs by Jeannie.
"We did the best we could," Jeannie explained in a slightly breathy voice with a bright smile, "But neither of us have any real medical experience."
The man's brusque demeanour softened as he smiled at Jeannie, "You did a good job for a temporary measure."
"Thank you," Jeannie gave him another sweet smile, "Can you do something more for him?"
John was speechless at the guileless sweetness she was radiating making sure no question were asked of who they were and how he'd been hurt. Jeannie was definitely much more dangerous than he'd realised at first.
"We'll fix the bones," the doctor told her, "And he'll be completely free of the pain."
"That's wonderful," Jeannie smiled, once he'd left to get the equipment she turned to John.
"What the hell was that all about?" John demanded.
Jeannie grinned leaning back on her bed on her elbow, "Did he ask us any questions?"
"You're..."
"I told you I had people skills," Jeannie replied, "I've had to do this once or twice. Life can be dangerous when you're a time traveller."
Before John could say anything the physician arrived back with a box on a trolley, the man opened it up and placed John's wrist on it. When it was closed over and started John let out a slight gasp of shock as all he felt was warmth sliding through his arm. After about thirty minutes he was released and stared in amazement as his broken wrist was completely healed.
"Thank you," Jeannie said as John left to join the other two, "You've been so kind."
*********************************************
The power was so close, it had taken him a long time to slide to the laboratory but he was almost there. Soon he would be powerful, he would have form once more and then he would destroy the Doctor.
Even in this weakened state he could feel his rival and companions, he could feel a bond between two of them but the third...there was possibility as anger grew.
The Master smiled without a face, laughed without a voice and slid closer to his destination.
Power...that was what he needed...power.
-
"Can we go eat now?" Rodney demanded as they wandered through the spotless corridors of Atlantis, "My blood sugar levels have dropped to almost nothing."
With a smile Jeannie pulled a power bar from her pocket, handing it to her brother who grinned at her, he hugged her quickly and she rested her head against his shoulder before pulling one out for herself.
"Any more?" John asked as Rodney tore into the power bar with glee.
Jeannie glanced at him with an amused smirk, "Wouldn't you like to know," she grinned as she opened her own snack
The Doctor laughed before stopping suddenly making the other three bang into the back of him.
"Is there a reason we've stopped?" Jeannie asked blandly with a long suffering roll of her eyes, "Or did you just think we'd been walking too long?"
"You know," the Doctor mused giving her an annoyed look, "I think I know someone around here. We should drop in on him."
"Drop in on him?" John asked getting irritated at the constant jumps in topics.
"Before or after we eat?" Rodney called as the Doctor and Jeannie started off down another corridor.
"I think that means before," John sighed, "Come on before we lose them."
-
"What are you doing here?" the man working in the laboratory they found ten minutes later demanded, he was tall with piercing brown eyes and short grey hair, "This is a restricted area."
"Ah Tollas," the Doctor laughed, "You haven't changed a bit."
Tollas frowned in confusion, "Do I know you?"
"Of course I've changed," the Doctor murmured making Jeannie giggle slightly, "I'm the Doctor."
Tollas stared at him in astonishment, "But you can't be, you..."
"It's amazing what a good nights sleep can do for you," the Doctor said walking in and shaking the dumbfounded man's hand, "How's the genetic research coming?"
Tollas shook himself out of his amazement, "I have made many breakthroughs recently. Of course my new associate is an incredible scientist," he looked at the other three as if he had just noticed them, "And you are?"
"This is my companion Jeannie McKay," the Doctor introduced, Jeannie gave a slight nod smiling winningly at the man, "Next to her is her brother Rodney and finally John Sheppard."
John noticed that the Doctor left out both his military status as well as where they were from.
"A pleasure to meet you," Tollas nodded checking his chronometer, "Are you all hungry?"
"Completely," Jeannie replied for them.
"Well please join me and we can catch up," Tollas smiled as he motioned them out of the lab.
-
"I don't think we've made it to this part of the city," Rodney murmured under his breath as they stepped out onto a balcony where several tables and chairs were set out.
"We'd better let Elizabeth know when we do," John replied, "She's been saying she misses eating out."
"Don't we all," Rodney rolled his eyes.
They caught up with the other three just as Tollias pulled Jeannie's seat out for her, she flashed a smile at the older man making him smile back. As the others took a seat Tollias noticed someone across the square and stood up to wave over whoever it was. John and Rodney eyed the man who walked over to them behind the Doctor and Jeannie. He was about the same size as John with light brown hair and steely grey eyes wearing a suit similar to all the other Atlanteans.
"My friends," Tollas said gesturing to the new arrival, "This is my new associate..."
Jeannie turned to greet their new dinner companion, "Aris?" she gasped standing up to face him shock covering her face.
Aris stared at her before grabbing her in a tight embrace. Jeannie wrapped her arms around him tightly tears slipping along her cheeks.
She finally let him go wiping away her tears, "Guys this is Aris, Aris this is my brother Rodney and his friend John Sheppard."
"Hi," Rodney nodded to him as John merely nodded to the man Jeannie was holding onto.
"Aris," the Doctor smiled, "It's good to see you again. How did you manage to get here?"
Aris turned to him and frowned confused, "Do I know you?"
"This is the Doctor," Jeannie explained with a soft laugh as she wiped away the tear that was still slipping along her cheek.
"Doctor? You look different," Aris noted before he pulled over a seat beside Jeannie letting her sit first, "Well after the explosion, I found myself floating in space in a completely different part of the universe. The Atlanteans found me and gave me a place to live, to continue working."
"That's great," Jeannie said she dropped her head for a second her voice thick, "I thought you were dead Aris. It's wonderful to find you here."
John scowled as Aris kissed Jeannie's hand, throughout the rest of the meal he didn't say one word.
Tangled Triangles von LE McMurray
Story Bemerkung:
Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
This is the final chapter, thanks to everyone who reviewed and encouraged me to finish this.
Enjoy.
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