kbk

Title: Hospitality
Author: kbk
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Rating: R
Summary: An off-world mission takes an unexpected turn.
Notes: This is me attempting both dark!fic - I'm an old hand at angst, but that's different - and a much barer style than usual - dialogue and physical description only. The bulk of the fic was written for sga_flashfic's slave challenge. I left an ambiguous ending and was asked for more. Thus, the continuations in the comments to this post. Each thread is a divergence: thus, the comments which reply directly to the post continue from the main body of the fic, and each comment thereafter continues from the comment to which it is a response. If that makes sense. Different threads obviously have different levels of detail and of pain. If this format is unreadable, tell me and I'll try to fix up something better.
Feedback: Here, please.
Warnings: Abuse - physical and sexual. Killing. Brainwashing. General bastardry. Death. A little gore. A few bad words, but if you can't cope with that...


"We really... uh, Major? Seriously, we should just go back now, I can get some work done, you can take the rest of the day off... We don't want our, uh, not-so-hospitable former hosts realising we're still on their land... Ford, Teyla, help me out here."

"Orders are orders." Ford's eyes are shadowed.

"We will follow where the Major leads." Teyla does not smile.

"Thank you. And I am leading this way." Sheppard points straight ahead of them. "To the city beyond the hills."

Rodney stumbles, stares, then hurries to keep up. "Uh. Why? I mean, fine, send someone to meet with them, but how do you even know they're there? And what good will it do anyway if..."

"McKay. Zip it. We're going this way." Sheppard keeps his eyes forward.

"But why? I mean. I mean, why?" Rodney gesticulates, movements sharp and agitated.

"Because I say so, and I'm in charge, now shut up."

"You don't seriously expect that to satisfy me, do you, because..."

Sheppard hits McKay across the face. McKay falls. His lip bleeds.

"Don't make me do that again." Sheppard is smiling.

Rodney watches as Sheppard turns away from him and walks on.

Teyla follows Sheppard.

Ford nudges McKay with one foot. "Move it."

Rodney scrambles to his feet and trots forward, eyes fixed on the ground and fingers twitching frantically by his side.

The four walk in silence for several minutes.

Rodney tilts his chin up. "Major. You have a duty to Atlantis and the people under your command."

Sheppard smiles pleasantly. "I wasn't aware you understood the concept of command. Or of duty. Since you do: I am in command and it is your duty to do as I say. It's not difficult for the others."

Teyla and Ford smirk.

"Ah. Sorry." The others wait. Rodney blinks for a few seconds. "Sorry... sir."

Sheppard nods approbation. The four walk on.

A little later, they stop to refill their water bottles at a small stream. Rodney is slow, holding his bottle under long after the bubbles have stopped.

Rodney stands slowly as well, but keeps pace thereafter.

"Major. That citrus tea the chief gave us, I think it was drugged, because I didn't..."

Rodney falls to his knees before he realises Sheppard has hit him again.

"Chief Ergan is a good man."

"His people chased us out with spears!"

"Keep walking."

The sun sets when they are high in the hills. They make camp. Rodney is not assigned a watch.

The radio crackles on as Teyla builds a fire.

"You're late, Major Sheppard."

Sheppard dons his charming grin, his charming tones. "Sorry, Dr Weir. We got a little side-tracked, looks like we won't be coming back just yet."

"I see. Care to explain a little further?"

"I don't know, Elizabeth. McKay started muttering about energy signatures and next thing I know he's halfway to the river. I swear, one of these days I'm gonna put a leash on him."

"That could be misinterpreted, Major. About these energy readings, perhaps Rodney could give me some details?"

"Ah. Best not. He's, ah, sulking."

"Oh. Oh dear. Well, remember we need him. And I expect you back here in twenty-four hours, understood?"

"Understood. Sheppard out."

Ford waits for a ten-count, and then releases Rodney.

"You lied to her!" Rodney is red-faced and sweating.

"Yes." Sheppard is expressionless.

"Are we ever going back?"

"If we survive."

"If we... what the fuck? What the fuck is wrong with you, you..."

Rodney curses as Ford pins him again, curses until he runs out of breath to do so.

He does not wake until the morning.

Half an hour of walking brings them through the highest passes. The city below reaches up into the foothills, but it is composed of huts very like those of Ergan's people. They surround a single gleaming spire, hundreds of feet in height.

It takes over an hour of further walking to approach the city, and once they are close enough to be seen, they keep to cover. A path leads to a metal archway not quite as large as the Stargate. The outermost huts lie perhaps a hundred feet to the other side. A few guards sit on either side of a wooden fence which stretches across the archway.

Sheppard and Ford shoot the men, neatly and efficiently.

The four of them disguise themselves with the outer layers of the men's clothing. They thread their way through the narrow streets, always heading for the spire.

There are more guards at the bottom of the tower: these have their throats slit. A woman placing a flower on the pile nearby also dies.

At the top of the tower is a single item. It is a shield generator.

"OK, I thought we weren't going to go removing people's shields any more, that's what you said."

"Disable it."

"Why? And what's with the killing? I mean, seriously, that's not... not good, and you'll hate yourself when you're back to normal and I don't understand..."

Sheppard hits him.

Rodney stands firm. "You should be back by now."

"Disable the shield."

"No."

Teyla catches Rodney's left hand in both of her own. "Your knowledge is necessary. Your fingers are not."

She bends back the pinky until it snaps.

When Rodney's sobs have subsided, Ford crouches beside him.

"You have toes, too. Ribs. Lots of little bones in your hands and your feet. Then there's all the soft bits. They let you get creative." Ford chuckles.

Teyla smiles.

Sheppard wipes the fresh blood from Rodney's lip.

Rodney sighs. "Why are we doing this? Why attack them like this? I'll disable the shield, just... tell me why."

Sheppard nods, and the three of them begin to speak.

"The Wraith do not Take from this city."

"They cast Ergan out."

"They cast his people out."

"They deserve to die."

"They will all die."

"We will kill them."

"As many as we can."

"We will kill them."

"They deserve to die."

"They will all die."

"At our hands or those of the Wraith."

"They will die."

Rodney shakes his head.

John takes Rodney's left hand and snaps his ring finger.

Ford frowns. "Sir, I'm sure C4 would do the job."

"Rodney'll do it. Won't you?" John's hand in Rodney's hair forces him to nod. "There, now."

John guides Rodney to the machine, and settles him in front of it with everything he might need. He sends Teyla and Ford out into the city, then sits at the window, rifle in hand.

Hours later, there are crowds screaming in the streets. Rodney's left sleeve is tied to his chest. He removes another crystal from inside the generator, and an unnoticed subsonic vibration stops.

"You did it, Rodney." John smiles and pulls Rodney to his feet. Rodney gulps for air, swaying.

"God, those sounds you make." John presses close to Rodney, pushes Rodney's good hand against the bulge in John's pants. His own right hand traces the bruises on Rodney's cheek, and when Rodney gasps John pushes a thumb into his mouth.

There are gunshots below. John curses. "Later, I'll fuck this mouth. I've dreamed of it. Making you shut up for once. Shut up and take it. God. Fuck you till you pass out. Maybe even after. But first, I have to kill them. So later. Yeah."

Sheppard runs down the stairs, and soon the gunshots sound almost constant.

Rodney curls up among his scattered kit, cradling his injured hand.

He watches the doorway and waits.