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Poisoning the Well Cont.
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Kai was already in the co-pilots seat when they brought in the Wraith. The team of marines were in position as Ford and Sheppard guided the Wraith into the shuttle. He wore manacles around his wrists and ankles that connected to his waist and neck. She glanced back at him. Exactly how long he had been without food would determine if the chains would be strong enough. They didn't know the wraith like she did.

They sat the Wraith down between two armed marines with Ford and Bates sitting across from him each holding Wraith stunners.

The wraith paused as it spotted Kai already sitting in one of the pilot's chairs. It cocked it's head to the side like a cat who had spotted something interesting. It's nostrils flared and it's eyes locked on her. She could see the desperation in it's features. It was starving and it had picked up on whatever made her people that much more appealing to the Wraith.

John made his way to the front of the ship. He noticed the Wraith's intensity as it stared at Kai and purposefully stepped between them. He expected the woman to be nervous but she was doing a remarkable job holding it together. She had simply turned back to the controls and went about her business. There was tension in her shoulders and he suddenly felt bad for asking her to fly this mission. They still didn't know how long she had been stuck on that planet being hunted by the Wraith and now he had locked her inside a shuttle with one. He needed to get his men trained up on the Jumpers. She was a civilian and this was a more dangerous proposition than he had let on to Weir.

He set his gun down in easy reach as he took his chair. "How we doing Zian?" he asked casually. From what he knew about her he could guarantee she wouldn't show any hint of the nerves she felt.

Kai had the sensors pulled up. "We're ready," she said, "I already ran pre-flight."

"Good," he said. His long fingers moved across the controls with practiced ease. He glanced at Kai out of the corner of his eye. "No reason to be nervous," he said half under his breath so only she could hear him.

She glanced up at him sharply. Something flashed behind her eyes. "I'm not afraid of a Wraith," she replied confidently.

John found himself caught up in the flash of determination in her grey eyes. This was not the side of Kai she showed here on Atlantis. A small smirk tugged up one side of his mouth as he kept his gaze on the controls. "Course not," he replied. "I meant me," he said with a teasing grin.

Kai rolled her eyes and went back to her work. She was sure that charming smile worked on plenty of women but it wasn't going to work on her.

"Jumper Two this is Weir, what's your status?" came over both their headsets.

John reached up and touched his ear wig. "We're nice and cozy in here, ready to depart."

"Be safe Major," her voice was tight with worry.

"That's the plan," was his confident reply.

"Jumper Two," came the voice of the controller. "You are ready to depart."

John drew in a deep breath. "Here goes nothing," he said, suddenly serious. His eyes turned to Kai. "Dial it up."

Kai reached out and glided her fingers over the DHD dialing in the sequence for Hoff. When she glanced back the Wraith was watching her closely. It bared it's teeth at her in a Wraith version of a smile.

"Hey man," Ford growled from across from him, drawing the Wraith's focus back on him. "This isn't supposed to be fun." The young Lieutenant didn't like the attention the Wraith was giving Kai either.

The Wraith shook his head. "What funny little creatures humans are and how careless with your queens. You would risk one of your females for such a venture?" it asked cocking it's head to the side.

"You don't worry about our females," Sheppard growled leveling an angry glare at the Wraith.

The Wraith laughed. "When I escape," he told the Major. "She will be the first I feed on. I can smell her vibrancy from here."

Kai kept her focus back on the controls. It was nothing but words. Posturing between the Major and the Wraith. The Wraith obviously considered Sheppard to be the biggest threat. It was smart. The Major hid his intelligence behind his easy smiles and jokes but the Wraith had seen through that to the powerful soldier beneath. The Wraith was testing Sheppard. Wraith placed high value on their females and he was hoping to get Sheppard to react by threatening who it perceived to be the weakest among them.

The only reason the wraith was focusing on her was because she appeared to be the weakest in the group. This was one of the potential problems with her whole ruse. At times like this it was more dangerous for her to appear nonthreatening. At the same time she was better equipped to handle an attacking Wraith then most, but if she put one down without a gun there would be awkward questions. It was easier to keep her head down and focus on the Jumper.

"Ready Major?" she asked, ignoring the Wraith.

John exhaled and nodded. If Zian could ignore the threats so he could he. Steve was just trying to get him riled up. He was feeling guilty bringing Zian on this mission and it made him tense. He closed the back hatch and lifted off.

Kai had never flown with Sheppard before and she found she enjoyed it. They worked surprisingly well together, though she would never admit it. He was a talented pilot and was incredibly comfortable with the jumper. He set it down on the outskirts of the city. There were two battalions on Hoffan troops waiting for them as well as another team of marines with Teyla and Rodney standing among them. It was a lot of firepower for one Wraith.

Sheppard stood and turned. "Let's get this show on the road," he said. He glanced at Kai but she stood, intending to follow them. He was tempted to offer her the chance to wait in the Jumper, but there was no way to do so without making her appear even weaker in the eyes of the Wraith.

They led they way through the city into a large underground complex. Kai was following behind the large group silently taking in the sights of the city. She had been on Hoff once before for a mission, but it had been dark. Not much had changed since. She also noted that the Wraith was carefully observing as they walked. Even if the drug didn't kill the Wraith he could never leave this planet alive. He had already seen too much.

The Hoffan people led the way into an underground bunker. They brought the Wraith into a large steel cage. Once he was secured the marines all took up their places around the edge of the room. One every ten feet. Kai was lingering in the doorway when Sheppard turned back to her.

"Look, they probably have another room you can hang out in while all of this goes down."

Kai looked up at the Major. Honestly she was curious if the drug would actually work. "I would rather stay with our own people," she confessed. She had surprised the Major, she could see it in his hazel eyes, though no emotions showed on his face. He couldn't afford to let them. He had presented himself as the primary jailer for the Wraith and he couldn't show any weakness.

Teyla marched into the room and approached the major. "They are ready," she reported under her breath.

Kai was nearly positive only she and the Wraith heard her aside from The Major. Teyla stepped aside and ended up next to her. Teyla nodded hello, but didn't speak again.

Kai watched as Sheppard drew in a breath and it was like watching him lock away pieces of himself. He transformed from John Sheppard into nothing but Major Sheppard. His face hardened and his movements became tight and powerful. Kai realized in that moment what in integral part of Sheppard's personality she had never seen because she had never seen him on the battle field before.

He stepped up to the bars, his hazel eyes hard and determined.

"Careful, sir," Ford warned from behind him. Kai wanted to kick the young soldier for undermining the Major's power in front of the Wraith. They understood so little about them. To both the Wraith and her own people expressing concern for a superior showed a lack of confidence in their ability to lead.

The two doctors came in escorting a tired looking man. Kai sniffed and her nose was filled with the scent of his illness. Sheppard stayed in front of them, his shoulders set. The Wraith's nostrils flared and he turned as though just realizing they had come into the room. His eyes locked on the sick man. Suddenly Kai wasn't the weakest looking person in the room.

"This is the sustenance you promised?" The wraith asked, his eyes traveling to John.

"A little change of plans," Sheppard replied grimly. "You tell me something right now, or the dinner party's cancelled."

"What do you want to know?" The Wraith asked tightly, unable to take it's eyes off it's potential meal. If they weren't careful they were going to drive it into a rage.

"How many hive ships have become operational since we awakened the first one?"

A slow smile crossed the Wraith's lips. "All of them Major Sheppard. First, they will travel their own feeding grounds and gather strength. We are a patient race Major. When we have taken our fill and gathered our strength we will join forces and come for you," he snarled dramatically.

One of the marines beside Kai and Teyla stiffened, as the Wraith had intended, but Sheppard didn't blink.

"You have any idea when that will be?" he asked calmly. "Morning? Afternoon?" he asked glibly.

The Wraith groaned in frustration sitting back in his seat. Sheppard's interrogation approach was off beat, but effective.

Sensing he wasn't going to get anything more from the prisoner he turned to the guards. "Open it up."

John drew his gun and stepped back in case the Wraith decided to charge and make a run for it. Knowing Wraith, Kai didn't think that was as likely until after he fed. The ill man stepped towards the door.

Beckett grabbed his arm. "You don't have to do this," he warned.

The man nodded. "I know. I'm ready." He stepped into the cell, and Kai could feel the discomfort of everyone in the room.

The wraith's nostrils flared as though he could smell the man's fear. Kai didn't know if it were possible or not she certainly couldn't smell emotions. As far as she could tell her sense of smell was better than most humans, but not as good as the Wraith.

The man unbottoned his shirt, bearing the top of his narrow chest as the Wraith prowled towards him, a predatory glint in his eyes.

The Wraith bared his teeth. "He is weak," he snarled, his eyes landing on Sheppard.

He brought his feeding hand back and slammed it into the man's chest. There was a moment when the entire room seemed to freeze. The Wraith scowled down at his hand, then he ripped it away. He snarled and paced to the back of his cell, refusing to look at anyone.

The excitement in the room was palpable. They filed out, leaving the marines to guard the cell. John and Teyla followed the others.

"Please, this way," one of the Hoffan's said with a pleased smile. "We have prepared a room for your people." A woman led them down several halls and into a comfortable sitting room. "Let me know if any of you require anything else." She paused, staring hard at Kai, her eyes locked on her scarf. "That's a very interesting scarf."

"Thank you," Kai said suddenly tense. The Hoffan weren't advanced enough to have had any contact with her people she didn't think, and she had completed her mission here undetected all those years ago.

Sheppard glanced towards Kai. "We should be finished up here soon. Once we're done we'll send you back with one of the teams of marines."

Kai nodded moving around the room. The shelves were covered in books. It had been a long time since she had a chance to relax with a good book.

"For now, we just wait for Beckett to tell us what's next."

"Major Sheppard," Kai could hear the Major's comm active with Ford's voice. "You better get down here sir."

"On my way," he promised. "Teyla you're with me. Kai, stay here."

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Once the Wraith died Bates began organizing the marines for the trip back. Kai spent most of her time in the guest room with Teyla. She found the other woman to be a relaxing companion. Similar to Zelenka Teyla didn't ask questions about her past and seemed content to spent there time in companionable silence. Kai found a book on the shelf and sat in a chair to begin reading.

John stepped into the room a short time late. Kai set her book down as she and Teyla rose to their feet. "We got problems," he said grimly. "The drug doesn't just shield the victim, it kills the wraith."

Teyla's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Beckett's positive."

"If this has become a weapon against them..." Kai started to say.

"Exactly," John agreed, impressed Kai had caught on so fast. "They'll come here and wipe out everyone on this planet. We have a meeting with the Chancellor in five minutes."

Teyla pushed herself to her feet nodding. John's eyes flickered over to Kai. She held up her hands. "I'm a mechanic," she said simply. "I am not a negotiator. Let me know if there's something wrong with the Jumper and I'm your girl."

John smiled grimly. "Yeah, me either, Bates is wrapping things up then he'll send someone down to get you."

"I'll wait here," Kai agreed, moving back towards her seat. "Let me know if you need me."

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John was beyond frustrated. He had hiked back and forth from the jumpers three times already keeping Elizabeth informed on what was happening here. Both he and Weir had been in agreement. It was too dangerous to risk this virus being turned into a biological weapon. The Wraith would never let such an affront go unanswered and the entire planet would pay, as would any world who had contact with them. The poisoning of their food supply was simply not something the Wraith would tolerate.

The Hoffan's were obsessed however and couldn't be swayed. The other shoe had dropped that morning when Beckett realized they had begun inoculating their people the day before without knowing if the drug was even safe. John couldn't say for sure if Beckett's feelings for the Hoffan doctor had gotten them into this mess or not, but it was clear something was going on there. He hadn't mentioned it to Weir, he preferred to handle things like this himself, quietly. Fraternization was dangerous, emotions clouded the issue and divided loyalty. He and Beckett were going to have a very serious talk once they got out of this mess.

These people were willing to risk everything for even a chance to defeat the Wraith. They were fanatical and it wasn't something he was willing to risk with their own people regardless of what the Hoffans did moving forward. He and Elizabeth had been in complete agreement. He was heading back into the city on foot to pack up their people and head home. They were done.

The guard at the mouth of their underground facility saluted him as he passed. He turned to head towards the rooms the Hoffans had given his people since they had been on site for nearly a week now.

"Sir," the guard called after him.

John turned to face him, arching a brow.

"Your people were all called to the hospital," he reported.

A bad feeling went over John. Images of some kind of uncontrollable epidemic went through his head. He had only been gone a couple hours.  He turned and started jogging towards the hospital. When he got there it was pandemonium. Hoffans were everywhere on stretchers, chairs and beds. His people were all working as Beckett called out orders.

The first person he recognized was Kai. She looked exhausted as she hurried from bed to bed, following behind Beckett. Her dark braid was coiled over her shoulder, but a strand of hair had fallen loose into her eyes and she brushed it away in annoyance. 

Teyla was the first to spot him. She hurried over to him. "Major Sheppard," Teyla greeted. "The Doctor's say they began arriving last night and their numbers have been increasing by the hour. We are at well over two hundred. Every single one of them was inoculated."

John took in all the people surrounding them. This was exactly the kind of thing Beckett had warned them against but they had refused to listen. They had done this to their own people.

"Major," Beckett called when he spotted Sheppard.

"I'm on it," he said briskly. "Lieutenant, I need you to run back to the jumpers and radio Weir. Tell her we need a full medical support team on a jumper and inbound asap."

"Roger that," Ford agreed and he ran for the door.

Teyla trailed after Doctor Beckett. He looked around and spotted Kai supporting a man with his arm over her shoulders. He was coughing uncontrollably as she fought to support him. John hurried over and took the man's other arm. Kai looked up at him gratefully.

"Where to?" he asked taking the majority of the heavy man's weight.

"Here," Kai said leading them towards an empty chair.

Once the man was settled they stepped away.

"A chair?" John asked looking around in wonder. He had never seen anything like this outside a battle field triage tent.

"It's all that's left," Kai said gravely as she used her wrist to brush her hair out of her face. She met John's eyes, hers were pained. "They're dying," she confided in a low voice. "Nothing Beckett has tried has been able to stop it."

John shook his head in disgust. "What a waste," he muttered under his breath.

"Yeah," Kai agreed. Death didn't bother Kai. She had done her fair share of delivering it to the unsuspecting, but this was something else. They were sacrificing their own people when something as simple as patience could save them. Pointless death was disgusting to her.

"Please!" a woman's voice shrieked from the door. "Someone help me!"

John and Kai were side by side as they ran for the door. The woman turned to face them, clutching a little boy no more the six years old in her arms. "Please help him," she begged.

John moved to take him but the woman shirked back. Kai wasn't surprised, John looked intimidating. He was in his full combat gear and a stranger. She stepped forward holding her arms out for the small boy. The woman nodded to her in relief and handed over her son. "What's wrong with him?" Kai asked gently.

The little boy was pale and his small body was being rocked by coughs. "I don't know," she said wringing her hands together. "He was just here yesterday, and he was fine."

John's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What exactly was he here for yesterday?"

"The inoculation..." the mother replied.

Kai felt all the blood drain from her face. She turned to take the boy to Beckett. John turned with her so their backs were to the woman.

Kai looked down at the dying boy in her arms. "They gave the inoculation to children," she said in a low voice. She glanced up into the Major's eyes and was surprised to find him only inches away.

He was staring down at the small boy cradled in her arms as rage flooded his features. "I'll be back," he growled.

"Sheppard," Kai called after him on reflex. He turned and she hesitated she was getting involved. She had vowed to herself she wouldn't let her get involved. Keeping herself apart would keep her safe and make it easier to leave when the time came.

She licked her lips and spoke the words in her heart. "Give him hell," she said knowing the only place the Major could possibly be going was to confront the Chancellor. If she saw the man she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't plant a knife in the bastard's heart.  

"I will," he promised. Kai watched Sheppard storm angrily out of the ward.

She believed him.

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They worked overnight in the hospital. No one lived. Kai lost track of the people who died as she held their hands. It was eye opening for her. Until that moment she would have said she couldn't be touched by death. This was different. This wasn't death in combat. This was something else. When she watched that woman hold her son in her arms as he died something inside of Kai had broken.

The Major had stood at her shoulder as Beckett pronounced the boy. The mother had turned with tears in her eyes and proclaimed how proud she was her son had done his part as a loyal Hoffan. Kai felt bile rise in her throat. She took an aggressive step towards the woman and Major Sheppard closed his hand over her arm. She tensed but when she turned to face him his eyes mirrored her own frustration.

He tugged gently on her arm, pulling her back. He released her and reached up to touch the comm in his ear.

"Bates what's your status?" John asked.

"We're all packed up here Major," he reported.

"All right, tell Sergeant Markham and head on home in Jumper Four. The rest of you sit tight, we're headed your way." 

"Understood Major, Bates out."

Sheppard turned back to Kai. "We're getting out of here."  She nodded and followed the Major into the hallway. He touched his ear. "All right guys. We're pulling the plug. Meet in the lobby."

They moved through the tunnels back towards the Jumpers. Kai was exhausted, her muscles sore from hauling the oxygen tanks around the hospital all night. Beckett was trailing behind the others and she fell into step beside him.

"Are you okay?" she found herself asking. The Doctor had been kind to her since her arrival on Atlantis and she could see the weight he carried over what had happened.

"Aye," he replied glumly.

The group turned a corner, heading towards the exit.

"I'm told you are leaving," the Chancellor's voice echoed through the dank tunnels behind them.

Instinctively, Kai's hand dropped to the knife she had conceal against her spine. The others stopped and turned to face the Chancellor. Kai hung back, crossing her arms over her chest. There was nothing this man had to say that she wanted to hear. She just wanted to go home.   

"Yes, we are," Sheppard replied briskly. Kai could tell by his stance that the Major was barely containing his own temper over what had happened here.

"Not that it hasn't been lovely," Rodney replied snarkily.

The Chancellor looked back and forth over their group, though he didn't seem surprised to see their hostility. "I wanted you to see the result of the vote before you left."

Sheppard read the sheet of paper and handed it to Beckett. "Ninety-six percent in favor," Beckett read aloud.

Teyla stepped up, her brown eyes snapping with temper. "Does the vote include all your people?" she demanded.

"Everyone," the chancellor replied and he turned back to Sheppard. "So you see Major, we speak with one voice and we are resolute."

"Yeah," Sheppard growled. "I can see that."

The Chancellor puffed himself up as though Sheppard's comment was some kind of victory. "When next we meet I would like to discuss the best way possible to disseminate the drug on as many worlds as possible," he said importantly.

"We won't be doing that any time soon," Sheppard promised him taking a step towards him.

The Chancellor narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps our victory will change your mind," he growled. It was clear he didn't like being challenged by the Major.

Sheppard looked him up and down as though he were measuring the man. "If and when we ever return, I don't imagine you'll be here," he promised, and then he shook his head in disgust. "I don't imagine anybody else will be either."

Beckett handed back the paper.

"Good luck," Sheppard said and he strode away, leaving the others to follow him. His rage was palpable.

Only Beckett was brave enough to approach Sheppard despite his fowl mood. "Victory at all costs' sound familiar Major?"

"Churchill," Sheppard snapped back.

"Aye," Beckett said gravely. "Never thought I'd disagree."

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the update!!