Hold On, Hold On, Hold On

The second time Rodney tried to escape, they put him in a narrow cell with a bucket, a dagger, and a broken arm. When Todd finally showed up at the door, he’d been there for two days.



Rodney sat with his back to the door. Not bothering to get up from the floor, he eyed Todd in the reflection of the dagger’s blade. He was sure that his Wraith ‘assistants’ had given it to him in hope that he’d kill himself, but he’d failed to oblige. He now contemplated the odds of successfully attacking Todd with it, but in his current condition, they weren’t good.



“Where have you been?” he croaked accusingly.



“I was conducing unavoidable negotiations in another hive,” the Wraith informed him unapologetically.



Rodney snorted derisively. “Did you bring water?”



“Yes. And food.”



Rodney had been half-expecting neither. Careful of his left arm, he struggled to get up.



“You gave your word that you would not attempt another escape.”



“Yeah, well, I fail to see how my situation has gotten any less desperate,” fumed Rodney when he finally managed to get up and turn around. Stepping into the light, he let the Wraith get a good look.



Wrinkled skin, stooped posture, white hair. Rodney himself had had a lot of time to contemplate his own appearance, dimly reflected in the dagger’s blade. Through the magic of genetic selection, he looked almost exactly like his maternal grandfather. The grumpy old codger had died of heart failure at the age of seventy, a fact which gave Rodney palpitations just to think about. He thrust his hand out forcefully, gesturing at Todd to give him the water pouch he’d brought.



“So much for holding up your end of the bargain,” he said with his weird Grandpa Sullivan voice, before tearing off the seal of the pouch with his teeth and taking a few shallow gulps.



Todd grumbled the way he did when he was obviously displeased. “My crew was told you could be punished for infractions, but not to this extent.”



Rodney glared at Todd. With effort, he pulled the water away from his mouth. “I don’t know what your crew told you, and I probably can’t disprove any of it, but one of them did this to me before the escape attempt. Just for fun, or maybe on a dare. When you’re not around your crew has some major discipline issues. That’s why I tried to escape.”



“Who?”



Rodney took another swig of water. “I don’t know. It was dark, they snuck up on me in the workroom. Frankly, I think they were all in on it.”



“Then they will all be punished and replaced.”



“Yeah, like that worked so well the last time. Face it, this is not working out. To you Wraith, I’m just a walking Timbit.”



Todd blinked. “I’m not exactly sure what a tim-bit is, but I can assure you that I’ve never thought of you as one, Dr. McKay.”



“Gee, thanks,” said Rodney insolently. “But you’re probably the exception.” Rodney grimaced as another sip finished off the last of the water. He tossed the pouch to the floor. “Listen. I’ve worked my ass off for you – you’re a lot further than you were when I started. But I’m not going to be much more good to you because I’m not gonna last here! Do you understand? You *have* to let me go!” His voice was getting high and reedy, but he didn’t care.



The Wraith shook his head. “I’m afraid you don’t understand my situation, Dr. McKay. This hive has been ostracized from the alliance by its leader, the Primary, since she has discovered that we are without a queen. Finishing this weapon is the only hope we have of regaining any kind of status with my people.” He spread his hands apologetically, which only served to annoy Rodney even more. “I cannot let you go now, especially considering the recent breakthroughs you’ve managed to accomplish. It’s simply not possible.”



“Like hell it isn’t! You can’t protect me! If you don’t let me go, I will die here, or I’ll go insane, or, or, I’ll make a bomb out of that device and blow this whole place to dust!” threatened Rodney. “You know I can, and you know you can’t stop me. That thing’s so close to being a bomb already it would only take a couple of mis-wired coils.”



“I don’t believe you would do that,” replied Todd, although Rodney heard the slightest bit of doubt in his voice. Rodney stepped forward. Standing toe-to-toe with Todd, he scowled fiercely up into the Wraith’s face.



“Don’t. Test. Me.”



Todd met this gaze calmly, though Rodney was surprised to see no trace of responding anger or indignation, only genuine regret.



“Dr. McKay, I apologize,” he said quietly. “I know what it’s like to be trapped, far away your people, crushed by the despair that you will never escape. But I cannot grant you the freedom you so crave. At least… allow me to give you back what has been taken from you.” He raised his feeding hand to Rodney’s chest, and took hold of his shoulder with the other.



Rodney was still fuming, and didn’t have time to switch gears to fright before he was flooded with the most intense feeling of pleasure he’d ever had. John hadn’t ever told him that if felt like this, and Rodney didn’t blame him.



A few moments later, when it was over, Rodney was embarrassed to find himself clutching Todd’s chest for support. Pushing away, he discovered that he had the use of his left arm back, tingly and weak though it felt.



Todd’s breathing had become ragged, and when Rodney looked up he saw the Wraith’s eyes glazed with pain.



“Thanks,” Rodney managed, feeling his anger ebb away as an intense weariness set in.



The Wraith nodded and wordlessly handed over the small sack of food he’d brought, which Rodney ate silently while Todd escorted him back to his room. Rodney was momentarily too tired to argue about his continued captivity.



Pain and fear had driven away sleep for most of the last two days, and by the time they arrived at his regular cell, Rodney was drained enough to collapse.



The Wraith remained paused at the doorway, watching Rodney as he fell onto his narrow bed. Uncaring of the Wraith’s presence, he squirmed out of his vest and shirt before deciding he was too tired to disrobe any further.



“I have a solution to our problem,” remarked the Wraith, bemusedly, as though the thought had only just now occurred to him.



“Oh yeah?” mumbled Rodney, halfway asleep already.



“Yes. I will explain when I return, after you have had some rest.”



Rodney pulled his tattered blanket over himself, more out of habit than for any need for warmth.



“Okay,” he said. It didn’t sound to him as though the solution involved letting him go home, so he didn’t feel the need to get all excited about it. His last wispy thought was the hope that it didn’t involve becoming a Wraith.



*~*~*