Brimstone

Chapter Twenty-three

Almost as soon as Sheppard and Mara were out of sight, Saul returned to the circular chamber. He was accompanied by a small army of guards. He walked straight to the cell where the team was being held and pressed the button, opening it up so that only the energy beams contained the prisoners. He examined them for a long moment, and then began to speak.

“I wish we’d had time to run all of you through our training, but it can’t be helped. Gravity has put somewhat of a crimp in my ability to alter schedules, so I’m afraid the time has come,” he said. “If we are going to get through all the planned levels of the night’s grand entertainment, we have to start soon.”

He gazed at each of them in turn. “The only question that remains is, who shall I choose?”

Unable to contain a sudden burst of rage, Ronon charged at Saul. He struck the beams of force containing them with incredible force. The air crackled with energy, and he cried out. The force of the collision knocked him back, dazed, and he dropped to one knee, shaking his head, stunned.

“You really should save your energy for the arena,” Saul said drily. “All of you will get your chance.” He glanced down at Ronon. “You will be one of the last. There has been much speculation about you — a lot of money has changed hands.”

“Money?” Rodney spluttered. “Who cares about money? We’re all going to die!”

“As I would have expected from one so caught up in the science of things,” Saul said, “you have missed the point entirely.”

He gestured to one of the guards, and the man deactivated the energy beams. “That one,” Saul said, pointing directly at Teyla.

“Wait a minute,” Rodney said, stepping between Teyla and the advancing guards. “You don’t want her. I know, I know, she looks tough and athletic, but really — she hasn’t got what it takes for your arena. She’s a teddy bear, and besides — Saul has lied to you. This lady,” he pointed back at Teyla, “can’t even turn on your weapons. She won’t last five minutes in there. You should take me.”

Teyla stared at Rodney. All of them did. Ronon stood, still groggy.

“I know who I want, and in what order, Dr. McKay,” Saul said. “I’m also aware of Colonel Sheppard’s claim that only the two of you contain the genetic makeup to use our weapons. I find it odd, though, that he’s not here. I find it unlikely that, if he was the only one who could enter that arena and survive, that he’d walk away and leave all of you to take his place. He seems a more courageous and honorable leader than that. Unless there’s something else you’d like to tell me?”

Rodney’s mouth opened, and then it closed. He didn’t move out of the way, but neither did he speak. The guards pushed their way into the room and brushed him aside. Ronon staggered toward them, but he was quickly overwhelmed. The guards grabbed Teyla by the arm, but she shook them off. With an angry glare, she followed them out of the room, never once looking back. Ronon lept after her but was tossed backward and the beams of energy returned, cutting them off from the outer room and any hope of helping their comrade.

“Don’t worry,” Saul said. “You’ll all have the opportunity to follow her progress. We wouldn’t just separate you and leave you waiting and wondering about her fate.” He smiled. “We’ll be starting soon.”

Then the door closed and cut them all off from the rest of the city. Ronon smashed his fist into it in frustration.

Once Sheppard and Mara cleared the passageways leading to the arena, she led him back through the main hall where they’d first met. It was silent, a giant empty cavern. Without the lights and dancers and music, it felt like an amphitheater after a concert or the fairgrounds an hour before the roustabouts knocked it down and carted it to the next town.

“There are cameras and security circuits everywhere,” she said. “I’ve never had any reason to give it more than passing thought, but now I see how it is that Saul always seems to know exactly what’s going on. I don’t believe his people can monitor everything at once, though. If they are watching for us in my room, somewhere else should be safe, for a while.”

She led him across the chamber, and he recognized the passageway they entered on the far side. “The observatory.”

Mara nodded. “It’s one of the last places anyone in Admah would go during Saul’s entertainments. Why visit the beauty of the universe when all the excitement you need is waiting for you inside? Or maybe they just don’t want to be reminded how false all of it really is by comparison to something — infinite. It will buy us a few moments.”

She led him up the stairs for the second time, and again they came out into the room with a ceiling of stars. For just a moment the two of them stood, staring up into that vast, open expanse.

“I needed to get you away from the cell where your people are held,” Mara said. “If there is any chance at all to break them out of there, it has to be after the entertainment has begun, and it has to happen from outside the cell. There have been attempted break-outs before, and Saul has tightened his hold on the cells themselves. Even your Dr. McKay will have a hard time getting around that.

“From out here, though, we have a chance. Security will be busy with the combatants and the crowds, and Saul’s attention will be focused on making certain his plans are not altered or spoiled. Particularly tonight, with everything he’s been telling the people on the line, he will be in fine form.”

“What’s your plan?” Sheppard said. “Do you have access to the computer system?”

“Everyone has access, but we won’t need that,” she replied with a laugh. “There is a panel right by their door that opens the cells. But you’ll need surprise on your side to pull it off — you’ll need to act when the entertainment is in full swing and the guards are distracted.”

Suddenly a soft, trilling sound invaded the room. Lights on the wall blinked, and Mara frowned. “It’s begun!” She stepped over to the lights and touched a button, causing a screen to drop down from the ceiling. “Saul has started the entertainment.”

The screen flickered, and then the arena came into sharp focus. They watched as Saul, on his platform above the ring, began his address to the crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he cried. “This is the night you’ve all been waiting for. Some of you have waited several lifetimes. I will do all within my power to see that your wait has not been in vain. There is a grand finale approaching, a last brilliant flash to lead us to whatever comes next, but it starts here, and it starts now. From this moment, until the last, I will be here. We will continue the entertainment that has escorted and led us through the years until the heavens decree it final and complete. I beg your attention.”

“What is he planning?”

“I don’t know…” Mara replied.

As her words faded away, Saul continued.

“As you all know, fate has dropped an unexpected bounty in our laps in these final hours. It has been many years since anyone of interest arrived through our gate. I can only take it as a sign that now, on the eve of our finest moment, fate has brought us some of the worthiest combatants to ever grace our arena. For your entertainment — fighting here for the very first time — I bring you the outsider known as…Teyla.”

“Oh no,” Sheppard said. He started back toward the door.

“Wait,” Mara said. “See who, or what, she is fighting. Maybe she can win. If so, she’ll be taken back to the cell. If you just go running back there, you won’t save anyone.”

On the screen, the first of the doors in the arena opened. Teyla stepped into view. She held a very long, very ornate sword in both hands. She swung it experimentally, and while she lacked the finesse of the blond barbarian from the previous night’s entertainment, she showed a natural grace and skill with the weapon. It seemed that the sword, whatever other powers it might possess, was also a well-balanced blade. At least that much was positive.

Then Saul began to speak again.

“For many years we have been searching for a good match for our very first Woard. One by one, the challengers have fallen. I had thought that Alden Zane would be the one — that we would match those two finally, tonight, but now…now I have decided on another. Maybe this will be the night this adversary’s streak will end. Perhaps this will be the battle that kills a legend. He’s fierce. He’s inhuman. I present to you, the First Woard! Let the battle begin.”

“My God,” Mara said. Her hand rose to her lips so quickly it nearly muffled her words.

The larger gates opened and a huge, misshapen hulk shambled into view. It vaguely resembled the Woard that had fought the night before, but it was huge. The creature turned its head from side to side, as if it had trouble focusing on the room. Sheppard thought it was possible that the thing had some genetic defect placing its eyes too far apart — that its system wasn’t equipped for its own immense size.

“This is bad,” Mara said. “The first Woard has never been defeated. It’s never even been damaged.”

“That sword,” Sheppard said, “is it supposed to do something special?”

“Of course,” Mara said. “Without some sort of weapons advantage, sending someone in against that creature would be like sending an animal to slaughter.”

“I was afraid you’d say that,” Sheppard replied. “There was a point where I thought maybe Saul really was in this for the sport of it, but he knows Teyla can’t use that blade, and he sent her in there anyway. Come on!”

He turned and ran down the stairs, turning back into the passageway. Mara followed, having trouble matching his pace. They made it to the large, central chamber, but there — waiting for them — was a group of guards.

“Let us pass,” Mara cried. “How dare you try to bar our way?”

“Saul has asked that you view this first battle in his company,” one guard said.

“What if we have other plans?” With a suggestive leer, Sheppard slipped his arm around Mara’s back and pulled her close.

“He insists. It’s going to be very special.”

Sheppard turned to Mara, who met his gaze levelly. “Then of course we will accompany you,” she said. “It will be our pleasure.”

The guard nodded and Mara grabbed Sheppard tightly, dragging him along toward the arena.

“I can’t watch this and do nothing,” he hissed.

“You have more than one person with you,” Mara replied, keeping her voice very low. “If you want them all to be killed, cause a problem now. Otherwise, come with me. We will get away from Saul as quickly as possible, and when we do, I promise you I will help. If you fight him at this point, he’ll know for certain that you are going to cause trouble and he’ll simply lock you away, or throw you in the arena.”

Sheppard still hesitated. Then the logic of her words struck him, and he nodded, hurrying along at her side and hoping they would not arrive too late to at least witness what was about to happen.