245Disclaimer - I do not own SGA or its' characters, nor am I making a profit from this.
Silas Ripley placed the bag of pills in the sweating bar keeps hand gripping the man's hand and crushing it into a fist as he did so, "Remember fool, do this and your family will be safe. They're very pretty girls you have. Hate for anything to happen to them," Ripley sneered walking toward the back entrance of the tavern. He turned adding, "Oh and remember, the big one with twisted hair, make sure he gets twice the dose," he finished opening the rear exit and disappearing from sight.
Tiberius Neeve clutched at the pills in his hand; he shook in anger and fear. He hated Silas Ripley with all his being. The man was powerful, too powerful for him to ever say no. When he wanted something it was better to do as you'd been instructed than argue... his daughters were in danger. He felt sorry for the people he'd been asked to drug but his love for his daughters outweighed the strangers well being.
"Tiberius, what's keeping you?" Selma Neeve called out.
Tiberius wiped his face on his apron and pocketed the pills, "Nothing wife, I'm coming."
Teyla and Ronon met with Sheppard and McKay outside the 'The Mill'. "Okay guys we meet with this Aaron guy in ten minutes, let's just hear him out," Sheppard patiently requested looking directly at McKay.
"Oh yes direct that at me because I'm the most impatient person here," McKay snorted staring at Ronon intently.
"Come on," Sheppard sighed walking toward the tavern's entrance.
Tiberius Neeve watched a group of four enter the tavern. They took their places at a table near the door. The largest man with strangely twisted hair approached his bar. This had to be the man Silas warned him about.
After the man gave Tiberius his order he nodded his understanding and reached for four jugs. He moved to the back bar and the large keg. Tiberius carefully dropped one of the pills he held in hand into the amber liquid setting it to one side to repeat the process. Feeling the big man's scrutiny upon him he turned, "Take your seat, I'll bring them over."
Ronon nodded and turned slightly to inform the man where he was intending to sit when he watched the bar keep chuckle and say, "My friend you are not easily missed."
Tiberius drugged the remaining ales ensuring the giant of a man got two pills. He calmed his nerves and threaded his hands through the jug handles. He nodded his greeting as he approached the table and placed the drinks before the foursome.
Ronon drank deeply from his ale, it wasn't good but he'd had worse... just. As the minutes ticked past the team drank the ale talking about the fruitless missions they'd been a part of thanks to tips from so called 'trading partners'.
"Is everyone feeling... normal?" Teyla slurred slightly.
"Actually no. Kinda woozy," McKay uttered rather surprised.
"Go easy guys this stuff might taste like dish water but I guess it's got a kick to it," Sheppard answered blinking quickly as his vision became fuzzy.
"Maybe we should get back to... the...Stargate?" Ronon grumbled slurring slightly himself.
"We should...," McKay garbled before collapsing on the table.
"McKay!" The trio cried.
Teyla tried to help Rodney as she too lost the battle to remain conscious, slumping in her chair.
"Drugg...ed," Ronon drunkenly hissed at a nodding Sheppard who was holding onto the table with all his might.
Sheppard fought to stay conscious; he could just make out the edges of Ronon's large frame. He whispered, "Damn it..." before crashing onto the table top.
Ronon knew they needed help he just couldn't get his body and brain to work in sync. Ronon pushed himself up off his chair swayed violently. He tried to turn to face the bar keeper who'd drugged them, but as he managed to turn he stumbled backwards into the table.
Silas Ripley slipped into the tavern using the main door; all eyes were on the strangers who were passed out at their table, all but the angry giant of a man. Silas smiled, Duras was right the man should never be underestimated.
Silas walked up to the large swaying man, he stopped in front of him smiling, "Go down big man, for your own sake."
Ronon snarled at the man in front of him, he couldn't make out his face just the shape and voice, "Never," he growled drunkenly.
Silas smirked pulling out a stun gun, "As you wish," he pulled the trigger on the gun aimed at the struggling Satedan. He watched as the man fell to the floor, finally unconscious.
Silas looked about the tavern and the shocked faces of its patrons, "Go about your business people, this doesn't concern you." He turned to Tiberius, "help me get these four into the back."
Sheppard started to wake from the drug induced sleep, feeling hung over. His mouth was dry, he smacked his lips together desperate for a glass of water. Then he remembered they'd been drugged on Mena. His team, he panicked, Sheppard tried to sit up... he couldn't. It was then he realized his arms were restricted, pinned above him by chains.
Sheppard tried to maneuver himself into a better position so he could look about his surroundings, he tried to speak but his mouth wouldn't co-operate. Frustration coursed through him as grabbed the chains secured to the cuffs at his wrists. He hauled himself upright so he could see, he instantly swore. About him also clamped in irons were the unconscious members of his team. The last thing Sheppard remembered was nodding at Ronon his understanding that they'd been drugged.
Teyla was coming to, her head ached and her mouth was drier than she could ever remember. She moved slightly testing her body's reactions. She heard the clinking of metal and opened her eyes, suddenly aware she was chained to the wall behind her. She clasped onto her restraints and shifted her lower body into a more seated position. Teyla's head throbbed, the actions of moving making her stomach rebel. She cautiously scanned the room looking for her team mates. Her eyes met with Sheppard's and she smiled in relief not yet able to vocalize herself.
McKay startled awake kicking out his legs as he did instantly regretting any form of movement. He tried to speak but he was unable to make any saliva, not to mention his tongue, which felt swollen. McKay slowly opened his eyes shutting them instantly against the bright light. Rodney tried to move his arms, he couldn't. He was confused. He cautiously opened his eyes to look up only to see his wrists were shackled, he groaned. Rodney forced himself to sit up a little more allowing him to see that either side of him were his team mates.
All three team mates look toward the fourth, Ronon. The man always woke before everyone else, his resistance to stunners, poisons and the Pegasus galaxy in general higher than all of them. They were now worried, Ronon was chained like them but his feet were also chained and he was unconscious still. Not a good sign.
The large heavy door of the cell creaked open, more light flooded in the cell allowing its three conscious guests to take better stock of each other.
Sheppard used the extra light to visually check Teyla and McKay for injuries, he noted none. He couldn't quite make out Ronon his heavy mane of dreadlocks having worked themselves loose from their restraints acting as a curtain about the big man's face. Sheppard was worried; Ronon always woke before them all, was he injured?
The cell door opened to reveal a very average man; he was dressed in similar clothing to the people of Mena. Nothing stood out about the man except his ordinariness. His hair was sandy blonde, his build medium, his features neither striking nor plain, simply ordinary. He walked toward the unconscious heavily chained man.
Silas Ripley had always gone unnoticed by many, his ability to blend in anywhere thanks to his plainness a gift and burden at the same time. As he'd entered the cell and moved toward the large unconscious ex-Runner he felt three pairs of eyes watching him. He'd entered to check that he was still restrained. His bosses had enforced the notion that the one with the strange hair should be watched at all times.
Silas crouched in front of the big man, his hand shot out to grab a fist full of twisted hair, its owner paying no heed. He yanked back the inert man's head so he could see his face. Silas forced open his eyes checking his pupils. He was still drugged. He dropped the man's head carelessly.
"What...have... you done with... him?" Sheppard tried to spit out his words sounding jumbled as the drug was still affecting his speech.
Silas moved to stand nearer Sheppard, he spat on the floor by the Colonel's feet. He snickered, "Him, you care about him? He's not even one of you. Not really, he wouldn't go down. We gave him a double dose of the drugs and still he wouldn't go down. We stunned him, don't expect to talk to him for some time," Silas walked away from the prisoners back towards the door laughing as he pulled the door open. He left the prisoners just as confused as when he'd entered.
Ronon became aware of his surroundings, first smell then sounds. He heard scuffling... something or someone was nearby. He smelt spices, Teyla he thought. He couldn't open his eyes. It was as if his body couldn't cope with too many functions. He smelt what Orla had told him was coconut, Sheppard he thought, he used what was it he called it... wax in his hair that smelt like that he reasoned. Ronon could smell coffee, faintly but it was there, McKay he thought, his breath always smelt of coffee. He'd of bet money he was surrounded by his team mates.
The sound of the team came to him. He could make out McKay's voice, he was sure he was talking to Teyla. Why couldn't he hear Sheppard? Why couldn't he move, tell them he was awake? He wondered.
Ronon felt his body start to return to him slowly. He tried to move but something was strange, his arms and legs felt confined. He tried to move again, he heard chinking then realized he couldn't move his legs. Momentary panic filled him forcing him to open his eyes. As he did his stomach flipped threatening to empty, Ronon panted trying to force the need to vomit down. He saw his legs, his feet were chained. He carefully moved his head to see his wrists pinned in cuffs to the wall.
"Ronon, for god's sake answer me," McKay hurled at the Satedan desperately trying to get the man's attention.
Ronon's mind was fuzzy, he could hear the man, wanted to answer but he couldn't because his mouth was too dry. He swallowed and smacked his lips together, eventually he had enough control to answer, "I'm... 'k, McKay," he forced, breathing heavily through his nose.
"Ro...non," Sheppard uttered.
"Shep...pard?" Ronon gasped his head was ready to explode, he desperately wanted water.
The main door opened once again to reveal the very ordinary man only this time he carried with him a wooden bucket. He settled it on the floor of the cell nodding for a young boy to enter the cell. As the child did he took the bucket moving first to the woman, he ladled some water offering it to her. Teyla drank greedily and deeply, accepting the second offering willingly.
The boy moved toward McKay he repeated the process he'd used with Teyla. He moved onwards to Sheppard. The boy offered the water. Sheppard wanted nothing more than to refuse but his body screamed for the liquid. He too drank deeply, eagerly drinking the second offering.
Lastly was the giant man, he'd been told to offer water but to watch for signs of danger. The boy shook as he offered the half conscious man a drink of water. Seeing how affected he was he grew more confident holding the man's head as he tilted the water. He repeated the process until he went to bring forth a third offering. The average man barked at him to leave, he'd done his job, now go.
The young boy looked at the big man; he mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' before grabbing the bucket and quickly leaving the cell followed by the very average looking man.
The wooden door closed heavily. The cell once again fell into almost darkness.
TBC ... Please review
A/N - For those who may not have read any of my stories before Dr. Orla Grant is an OC who is always paired with Ronon Dex in my stories. This isn't a romantic story but in case you were wondering who she was from the first chapter.