03x07 - Common Ground

[bunniefuu]

We must go faster, Rodney.

This is pretty much my top gear!

If we make a stand here, we can take 'em!

Negative. We don't how many we're up against!

Rodney, dial the damn Gate. Don't wait for us!

As if the b*ll*ts whizzing past my head
weren't encouragement enough!

Okay, six, seven.

This is McKay to Atlantis. We're coming in hot.

It's good to see you again, Colonel.

Kolya.

Anything?

There was no sign of Colonel Sheppard or our attackers.

And they covered their tracks well.

There's a good chance he was transported off-world,

so I've gathered the last fifty or so
Gate addresses that were dialed.

That should be helpful.

But since the transmission which summoned us to
the planet was sent using a code we gave to the Genii,

that will be our starting point.

What are you gonna do, like,
ask the Genii if one of them took Sheppard?

Yes, I am.

So is this...

Yes, it is.

Incoming wormhole.

We're receiving the new identification code.

Security teams, stand by.

Lower the shield.

Welcome, Ladon.

- I came as soon as I...
- What've you done with Sheppard?

Ronon... he is here as our guest.

How can I help?

Kolya!

I didn't k*ll you last time, remember?

You promised me points for that.

Kolya!

Dammit.

I should have k*lled him.

You're wasting your breath.

Didn't know I had company down here.

There is no escape.

Yeah, well, prisons are like that.

Never stopped me before.

How long have you been down here?

Many years.

How many is many? Five, ten?

It no longer matters.

That many...?

What did you do to get here?

I merely allowed myself to be captured alive.

Same here.

Look, I've got people looking for me.
When they find me, maybe we can both...

Move.

Where are we moving to?

I kind of like it here.

Commander Kolya insists.

Oh, he insists? Well, why didn't you just say so?

Pick him up.

I'm sorry this is necessary, but under
the circumstances, I'm sure you understand.

I came here as a friend, Dr. Weir.
I hope to leave as one.

And we appreciate your concern for Colonel Sheppard.

Despite the fact that it was your incompetence
that led to his capture.

- Rodney.
- I'm sorry, but there is no disputing the fact,

that it was a code we provided the Genii

that was used to lure us to that
planet where we were ambushed.

Dr. McKay is quite correct.

You entrusted us with codes,
and I allowed them to be stolen from us.

How and by whom is an ongoing investigation,
but I must assume it was someone close to me.

Or this is part of your plans.

Excuse me?

It would not be the first time.

I say this rhetorically,
since I should think it is obvious,

but if I were involved in this in any way,

or if my intentions were anything less than honorable,

would I have come to Atlantis?

With you, who knows?

All I know is my friend has been kidnapped
and you had something to do with it.

Which is why I have walked away from
significant responsibilities

as leader of my people
to come here and offer our help.

Now, you can either let me do that,

or you can continue to berate me
for my mistake. The choice is yours.

- Oh, we have more choices than that.
- Ronon!

I see no reason to stay here
if this is how I am to be treated.

Trust me, you're not goin' anywhere.

Ronon, I understand how you feel.

Believe me, I do.

But we're going to deal with this my way.

Let's continue this in my office...

Privately.

It's been some time.

You must have really missed me
to go through all this trouble.

Nice harpoon, by the way.

To capture an extraordinary soldier
takes extraordinary measures.

I'll take that as a compliment.

As you should, Colonel,

just as you should understand this is not personal.

As soon as my goal is achieved,
you'll be returned to Atlantis.

That simple..?

What do you want?

It's not a question of what I want.

It's a question of who.

Now, I entrusted the IDC codes you provided
to two men in my government.

My second minister, in the event of my death,
and my personal assistant, Cassel Massan.

I trust both of these men implicitly.

Or rather, I did.

- Are both men now accounted for?
- Yes.

In fact, they're in custody.

They're being questioned as we speak.

Really?

Don't underestimate the importance of this alliance
between our two peoples to the Genii, Dr. Weir.

In fact, when I heard the news,
my first concern was...

We have an unscheduled off-world activation!

Identification code?

None, but we're receiving an analog video signal.

Bring it up.

Dr. Weir, if you're receiving this, please respond.

Who the hell is he?

Acustus Kolya.

A Genii m*llitary leader who
once tried to seize Atlantis.

Ladon was a member of his strike team.

I do know you are there, Doctor.

The existence of Atlantis is
no secret among the Genii.

It would be...

pointless not to answer.

Open a channel.

This is Dr. Weir.

Oh, good.

I wanted to be certain you
were there to see this.

What have you done to him?

Nothing whatsoever, Dr. McKay.

Okay, let me rephrase that.
What are you planning to do?

It's quite simple.

I'd like to make a trade.

Before we continue this conversation another second,
I want to speak with Sheppard.

Be my guest.

We'll rephrase that, too.

We would like him to be able to speak to us.

Very well.

On my command authority,
whatever he asks, don't do it, even...

Well, as you can see, he's his usual charming self.

Explain your terms, Kolya.

I have heard the familiar
voices of yourself and Dr. McKay,

but there is one person I know is there
who has yet to speak.

Ladon Radim is with you, is he not?

Why would Ladon be here?

To preserve his precious alliance with you, Doctor.

So that the Genii might remain
in the favor of Atlantis.

My sources have already confirmed this,
so there is no point in denying the fact.

Turn him over to me...

and Colonel Sheppard
will be released immediately.

I'll need time to consider your offer.

Allow me to help expedite your decision.

Oh, my God.

Sheppard could have left you to rot down in that hole
when we last met, Kolya. He does not deserve this.

Let's be clear, Dr. McKay.

No one does.

Don't do this.

Don't do it.

The choice is yours, Dr. Weir.

Do we have an arrangement?

Very well.

Stop!

Stop!

Enough!

You just crossed a line, Kolya.

We'd found that a minimum of three
hours between feeding sessions

is crucial to ensure the body has sufficient
time to recover from the trauma.

That's the time you have to decide.

Three hours.

They called you Sheppard.

Yeah...

that's my name.

Pleased to meet you.

You're in pain.

Well, I just got fed on by a Wraith,
what do you think?

I would not know.

Hopefully, you'll never have to find out.

I didn't think anything could hurt that much.

You're still alive.

Yeah, well...

I don't know how many years
the darn thing took off my life,

but I'll tell you this, if Kolya's men
hadn't pulled that damn thing off,

I'd be dust in a flak jacket.

Do you blame the Wraith or the master?

I'm gonna go with both.

There is a difference.

The Wraith must feed in order to live.

For a Wraith,

hunger burns like a fire.

Tell me, Sheppard,

if you found yourself burning alive,

would you settle for just one drop of water?

Or would you take more...

When did you hear them call me Sheppard?

Just before I started to feed.

Of course, you would see him only as the monster
who tried to take your City from you.

Kolya also k*lled several of our people.

He would have k*lled Dr. Weir as well.

I won't make excuses for his actions
or mine during the failed Atlantis mission.

We were soldiers under Cowen's orders. But that failure
shattered Kolya's stature among the Genii

and forced him from Cowen's inner circle.

You managed to stay.

Cowen had no choice but to keep me.
I was his chief scientist.

And you just left Kolya out in the cold.

That was his choice, not mine.

I will admit, in what little contact we had
before Kolya went underground,

he spoke of overthrowing Cowen's corrupt regime.

I was admittedly torn.

Out of loyalty to Cowen?

Out of the belief that neither man had
what it took to lead the Genii into the future.

So instead, you having what it took
overthrew Cowen yourself.

Kolya believes that I've taken his rightful place
as leader of our people.

No wonder he's pissed.

Well, obviously, he has men loyal to him
in your inner circle,

hence the codes.

Those traitors will be found.

Sounds like you're the traitor to me.

Must he be here?

The more I hear, the more I'm glad he is.

I could have told you anything.
I chose to tell you the truth.

If you trade my life for Sheppard,
you'll not only be yielding to blackmail,

- but you'll be planting the seeds of civil w*r.
- So what?

I say we turn him over, let 'em fight it out.

- We can't do that.
- Why not?

Because...

Well...

can we?

Colonel Sheppard has already ordered us not to.

At this point, it's not his decision.

There's still time for us to find him

and launch a rescue operation.
Has there been any progress?

We have a list of planets where recent Genii activity
has been documented,

but we'd have a much higher margin of success if Ladon

would be willing to point out firm locations
of Genii safe houses and shelters,

maybe even hidden Wraith-infested t*rture chambers.

Your anger will only weaken you.

I don't think so.

- You realize he is torturing both of us.
- Oh, yeah?

- What'd he do to you?
- He stopped me.

Really? And how is that t*rture?

Have you ever known starvation, Sheppard?

The few years I took from you
are barely enough to keep me alive.

- The strength I gained from you is already fading.
- I don't really give a damn.

You pace in your cell,
cursing that I took years from you...

I stand here cursing that I was not allowed them all.

Each in our own way, we suffer.

This might come as a surprise to you,

but I'm not really in the mood for conversation.

So why don't you just do me a favor
and shut the hell up!

These are your last hours, Sheppard.

If you wish to spend them in silence...

- then so be it.
- No.

I'm getting out of here.

I've got a life to go back to and
I'm damn well going back to it.

- You're sure of that.
- Yeah.

I've got friends.

And they're going to come for me.

I hope you continue to believe that...

the next time I feed.

Elizabeth, I'm just saying,
if you decide in favor of trading for Colonel Sheppard,

it'd be best if you did so before the next feeding.

I honestly don't know how many sessions a man can take,

even someone as strong as Colonel Sheppard.

Is it possible he can recover from this?

We still know so little about the feeding process.

All I can tell you is that each time he's fed upon,

his chances of survival diminish severely.

Dr. Weir!

We've got a match!

We went through the database.

Between our list and Ladon's, there's only one
potential location that makes any sense.

- Go.
- All right.

All right, people, let's do this one by the numbers.

We get in, we get our man, we get out.

Stay sharp and stay alive.

What are you on about?

Oh, just things that Sheppard would say,
so I thought I would...

- well said, Rodney.
- Just stay behind me.

Right.

Just bring him back.

I thought you said this wasn't personal.

The truth is, I would've settled for Dr. McKay.

But I don't imagine I would enjoy his constant wailing.

They're never going to make the trade, Kolya.
Why don't you just finish this?

I think you underestimate the...

sympathetic nature of Dr. Weir.

Then you underestimate Elizabeth.

You'd prefer I stormed Atlantis
and take Ladon by force?

You've got...

half a dozen men and a starving Wraith?
Yeah, you go right ahead.

One way or the other, Ladon is mine.

Protecting him is a waste of my time and your life.

What'd he do to you?

I was the one planning to overthrow Cowen.

Ladon disclosed those plans, forcing me underground,

then staged a coup of his own.

He took what was rightfully mine.

Bring in the Wraith.

Just the caretaker.

Rodney!

I thought I saw something
out of the corner of my eye. I just...

you know, I reacted.

What is it?

A... mouse.

Really big one, though.

- More of a rat, really. Possibly rabid.
- This isn't the place, is it?

I do not believe so.

No. Sheppard wasn't here.

And we've just wasted two and a half hours.

Move out!

And a mouse.

Your intel was wrong.

Well, then the only way for me to help is to return to
my home world and mobilize the resources of my m*llitary.

You can contact them from here.

Do you think I don't know the real
reason you're keeping me here?

You're a head of state.

It was John Sheppard's last order that
we do not submit to Kolya's demands.

And it is my own country's policy
to never yield to t*rrorists.

Those are the reasons you're still here, Mr. Radim.

Because believe me,

- if it was simply my choice...
- I understand.

Good.

Now we don't have much time.

I want you to look over our list of planets
again, see if there's anything you could...

Unscheduled off-world activation!

Looks to be another video feed.

Patch it through and open a channel.

Dr. Weir...

as promised.

Where's Sheppard?

I'm pleased to see you're wasting no time.

So neither will I.

Will you turn Ladon Radim over to me
in exchange for Colonel Sheppard?

Dr. Weir?

No.

I can only conclude you doubt my sincerity.

Enough.

Three hours.

Where are your friends?

They'll be here.

You still believe that.

Yeah, I do.

They just need more time.

- No one has ever left this place alive.
- Well, I'm going to.

Kolya will k*ll you before your friends
have a chance to reach these cells.

How well do you know the layout of this place?

Well enough to know what they would be up against.

What about us?

Do you know enough about this place...

to get us out?

You and me...

Why, they going to let you go after I'm dead?

No.

Then what do you got to lose?

My life.

Oh, yeah, you've got a great one down here.

Listen...

it makes sense.

We have a common goal.

As I said before...

there is no escape.

Move.

He still has years ahead of him, Dr. Weir.

My offer stands.

So does my answer.

Then you're effectively ending his life.

I'm not gonna go there.

Is Ladon there?

I am.

I can't help but wonder what you've told them
so they choose you over one of their own.

That I betrayed you.

That I took for myself what you believed to be yours.

The truth?

I must say I'm surprised.

If you release him,

you may return to our people
with my promise of amnesty.

Please, Ladon, I trained you better than that.

- There are things that cannot be undone.
- That's not true.

You can end this.

Strange, Doctor,

I was just about to say the same thing.

Take your fill.

Who told you to stop?

He's near death.

Shall I finish him?

Get it out of here.

Now it's two hours.

If he's fed upon again, he's as good as dead.

We don't know that.

Aye, Rodney, we do.

He may already be past the point of no return.

We know that a large percentage of those
that survive a partial feeding

die anyway...

due to complications as a result
of strain on the system.

What appears as physical aging is actually
a byproduct of a complex process

we barely understand.

I can't imagine him surviving another session,

whether it's two hours or 10 hours from now.

If you were half the man Sheppard is,

you'd volunteer to make the trade yourself.

The truth is,

I'm not sure whether or not I would have made
the trade if our roles were reversed.

So I ask you,

allow what you have done for me to be worth something.

There is nothing more I can do here,

but I can get you the information
you need to find Sheppard

if you allow me to return and interrogate the men

who stole the codes from me.

You know, I could've sworn
I was gonna wake up dead today.

You are strong.

Stronger than any human I have ever fed upon.

You stopped yourself.

Yes.

Why?

Because the longer I feed, the weaker you become...

and we will need what strength you have left

to escape.

Now he wants to escape.

I lack the words to thank you, Dr. Weir.

I didn't do this for you.

Well,

nevertheless,

I'll be in touch the moment
I have the information that you need.

Thank you.

Why do I have the sinking feeling
we've just made a terrible mistake?

Because we have.

I am not so sure, Ronon.

Which way?

This way.

It will heal.

This way.

They did this together.

They've taken weapons.

I want ten armed men at the Stargate.

The rest of you, hunt them down.

How far is the Stargate?

It will be guarded.

We've got g*ns.

They will be waiting for us.

Don't be so negative.

You think you're going to make it?

If I feed.

Well, don't look at me.

When we make it to the Stargate,

we both go our separate ways.

Until then...

we're gonna need each other.
Deal?

Dr. Weir?

How long has it been?

It's coming up on two hours.

We should receive the next
transmission any minute now.

Yes, I'll be there in a moment.

I was blindfolded all the way to the bunker.
It wasn't this far.

If I could just move faster...

We'll rest here a few minutes.

You should go on without me.

No.

The Gate's guarded.

We'll have a better chance of
taking out the guards in a crossfire.

I still need you.

Very well.

That is, even if we're going in the right direction.

You have no idea where the Stargate is, do you?

It was many years ago.

Way to go, John...

listening to a Wraith.

It was not my intention to deceive you, Sheppard.

Our reinforcements have arrived
at the Stargate, Commander.

k*ll the Wraith on sight, but I want Sheppard alive.

Well...

we learned two things.

One...

he likes me better than you.

Two...

we probably would've never made it
to the Stargate anyway.

Then it is over.

No.

Our people don't leave each other behind.
That's three things you've learned.

You still believe that?

Kolya doesn't know where we are.

He's wasting manpower

that could be used searching for us guarding the Gate.

The odds of my people finding us are going up and up.

You are more like Wraith than you know.

I'm not sure I like the sound of that.

There is much about a Wraith

that you do not know, Sheppard.

Kolya's late.

That is not like him.

We haven't heard anything from Ladon either.

We will.

Is it possible they were in on this from the beginning?

No. I don't think so.

Why would Ladon come here in the first place?

Throw us off the scent.

What kind of a plan would that be?

Genii.

True.

Either way, there must be a reason
why Kolya has not contacted us.

Perhaps he knew it would take
Colonel Sheppard more time to recover.

None of us are saying what we're all thinking here.

No, Rodney, we're not.

Tell Kolya there's nobody around the Gate.

Sounds like they're concentrating
their search around the Gate.

They must think we knew where we were going.

It was worth it...

if only to see the sky again.

I got slightly higher expectations.

My wound is deep.

If I do not feed soon...

I will die.

Buck up.

We got a deal, remember?

We both go home alive.

And if we were...

to meet again in the future?

What then?

All bets are off.

Then let us hope we do not meet again.

Try to get some sleep. I'll take the first watch.

I'm receiving the new Genii IDC
along with the video feed.

Ladon.

Put it on the screen.

Are you receiving me?

We were starting to get worried.

Yes, I'm sure you had doubts,

the truth is,
the interrogation took longer than I hoped.

We've secured the location of Kolya's base.

I'm forwarding you the dialing coordinates right now.

Are you certain?

Certain enough to send
a full brigade through the Gate.

It will take us an hour to marshall our forces.

I thought you might want that time.

What will we be up against?

Nothing one of your cloaked Jumpers and
my good friend Ronon couldn't handle.

I ask only that you leave Kolya
for my own forces to find.

No promises.

I understand.

All right, get a cloaked Jumper and a team of marines.

I'd like to reserve one of those seats for
a member of the medical team.

Done.

And if you do find Kolya...

no promises.

Exactly.

They're coming.

The facility is straight ahead.

We're detecting life signs
on the surface, miles from the bunker.

How many?

When it first came up, it was eight...

then four...

I don't get it, now it's just two.

What's going on down there?

One of them is definitely Sheppard.
His subcutaneous transmitter is still broadcasting.

Could the other one be Kolya?

Let's hope so.

Land a hundred meters to the south of their position.

Finish it.

As I told you, John Sheppard...

there are many things
about Wraith that you do not know.

Wait!

Leave him.

That's an order.

I don't understand.
We saw what he did to you.

He just undid it.

Lower your weapons.

How is this possible?

Don't ask me.

The gift of life is reserved only
for our most devout worshipers...

and our brothers.

I guess there's a lot about the Wraith we don't know.

Sheppard gave me back my life.

I merely repaid the debt.

What debt?

Are you kidding? He looks younger than he did before.

What about Kolya?

Kolya, this is Sheppard.

Kolya?

I figured you'd run.

Next time, I k*ll you on sight, you hear me?

Let's get off this rock.

What about him?

We had a deal, right?

I did not truly expect you to honor it.

You didn't k*ll him.

No, I didn't.

Get him in the Jumper.
We'll drop him off somewhere.

Thanks for showing up.

Sheppard.

I thought you...

there's a lot you don't know about humans.

I see.

Next time we meet?

All bets are off.