Rodney bolted for the stairs that led up to the Mirror control platform. "I need to make a last adjustment, then we go." He waved a distracted hand overhead. "The ceiling hatch will open automatically for the jumper, so that's not a problem."
John told Teyla, "I'll stay with him."
Teyla nodded and started for the jumper. "I will get Ronon inside and make sure the others are strapped in."
John followed Rodney up the stairs to the platform, keeping himself going mostly by force of will. He reached the platform to see Rodney at the big console, carefully manipulating a set of touchpad controls. Then he saw the miniature Mirror in the center.
He forgot his exhaustion, and limped forward for a closer look, circling around the console. From what this was showing him, the Mirror was an angry swirling cloud, throwing off jagged sparks of light. And he was going to take the jumper into it and hope it got them back home. Rodney glanced up and saw his expression. His mouth twisted in grim agreement, he said, "We've only got one shot at this."
"Yeah, well." John hadn't been expecting anything better.
John heard footsteps and looked at the stairs, expecting to see Teyla. But the figure standing at the top of the steps was Edane. The Eidolon halted, one hand on the railing, staring blankly at them. "I thought you guys were gone," John said, puzzled, though maybe the Queen had sent him back for some reason.
Edane said, "I stayed behind to help."
Occupied with the Mirror, Rodney barely glanced up. "I don't need help. After this last sequence engages, we'll be set to go."
Edane was looking at John, his alien eyes unreadable. That was when John knew why he was here.
John jerked the P-90 up but Edane threw himself across the small platform, slapping the weapon aside and slamming John backward into the floor. John caught Edane's arm before his hand could hit his chest, held it off inches away from him, the P-90 trapped between their bodies.
The bizarre thing was that Edane still didn't look that much like a Wraith. His features were still smooth and human, and his yellow eyes intent, lost in concentration; he was focused on his task and completely oblivious to the fact that John was pinned under him and fighting for his life.
Past Edane's shoulder John caught a glimpse of Rodney scrambling up, dragging out his sidearm and taking aim. Take the shot, Rodney, he thought, teeth gritted, all his strength concentrated on holding Edane back. He knew to his bones that he would rather take a stray bullet than be fed on.
Then Edane twisted, abruptly pulling away from John to slam the pistol out of Rodney's hand. It went off, flying across the platform. Rodney stumbled sideways, knocked off balance, and John tried to wrestle the P-90 up again. Edane grabbed it, tore it off the strap, and backhanded John. John's head bounced off the floor. Stunned for an instant, he saw Edane leaning over him.
Then somebody fired a 9mm, emptying the clip.
Dazed, John watched Edane stagger sideways and fall.
Trishen was standing beside the Mirror console. She set Rodney's pistol down on the edge with a shaking hand. She said, "We realized he was missing. Mother sent me back to find him."
Rodney dropped to his knees beside John, patting his shoulder anxiously. "You said you didn't feed on sentient beings!" he shouted at Trishen, furious and afraid. "What the hell was that?"
She shook her head. "I lied to you. That was the only lie."
John lifted a hand to his jaw. That really hurt. He managed to say, "Yeah, we figured that out."
John heard someone charging up the stairs, saw Teyla jerk to a sudden halt at the top, P-90 ready. John lifted a hand, signaling her not to fire. She nodded an acknowledgement, eyes wide as she took in the scene.
Trishen glanced back at Teyla and said, "It isn't-We aren't like the Wraith. We don't need the life force of sentient beings, but we can take it, and some are tempted. Some ofus go all our lives without ever feeling that temptation, others feel it and resist. But there are always a few who give in." She looked at Edane's body sprawled on the platform, and pressed a hand to her mouth. After a moment she continued, "They try to resist, but eventually they give way, and they take a life. A sibling, a friend, a child. It's terrible, and we punish them as the criminals they are."
"You have to kill them," Rodney said, sounding shellshocked. And now John understood what Kethel had said, about stun-weapons being forbidden. Of course they're forbidden. If you wanted to feed on someone, you needed him immobile but conscious, not dead. Rodney's throat worked and he shook his head. "Of course, you have to kill them."
Trishen nodded. "Yes. Once one of us succumbs, there is no turning back. Edane would have been dangerous to everyone he encountered." She made a helpless gesture. "We have tried to discover why, to stop it, but there's no answer. We can't tell if it's genetic, and there are no other signs of insanity or criminal acts. When we find places left behind by the Creators, that is the answer we desperately search for." She looked up, and this time John had no trouble reading the bleak misery in her expression. "My mother believes that the Creators were dying from the plague when they gave us life, and that they didn't survive long enough to finish what they had started. Some of the others here wanted to ask your assistance, thought that perhaps you could help us."
Rodney nodded, eyeing her. "Then we told you that we didn't know very much about the Wraith."
"Yes. And we knew the Creators didn't begin work on our race until long after they came here, so the chances of our solution even existing in your reality seemed small. My mother thought it safer for all of us if you left as soon as possible, then we realized the singularity was detaching and that there was no other choice. But we have the bodies of the Wraith killed inside the complex for our doctors to examine, and perhaps that will help us."
Watching her with a furrowed brow, looking torn between sympathy and disgust, Teyla said, "You were not afraid of us. You were afraid of what you might do to us.
Trishen turned toward her. "I was afraid of you because I knew you had every reason to kill me. The longer I was around you, there was something… strangely compelling. I was afraid that there would be those here who, though they weren't tempted by members of their own species, would be tempted by you."
John grabbed Rodney's arm, dragged himself into a sitting position. He said harshly, "We've got to go."
Trishen nodded, her face set in what might have been regret. "I'm sorry. I hope.. that you will be safe." She touched her transponder and an instant later the bluewhite light took her.
Teyla came forward hurriedly. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, just help me up." John held back a yelp as they hauled him upright. Once there, he thought he was fine; it was just that transition from sprawled on the floor to standing that he was having trouble with.
"Well, that was fun," Rodney said, grimly determined, picking up his side arm from where Trishen had left it and holstering it again. "Now let's go give the giant Quantum Mirror another shot at us, shall we?"
They got down to the jumper, and while John managed to fold himself into the pilot seat, Rodney secured the ramp. Rodney came forward to the shotgun seat to strap himself in, while Teyla stayed in the back. Powering up the board, John heard her quietly telling Miko and Ronon what had happened. Radek was only semi-conscious, strapped in on the bench with a couple of pillows from the sleeping bags to help pad him.
As they lifted off the bay floor, the ceiling hatch started to open, the triangular partitions sliding out of the way, letting in wan daylight and a strong breeze that carried dust all through the empty chamber. His voice tight with anxiety, Rodney said, "There's a chance of a strong concussion wave when we hit the accretion surface. Not hit. Pass through. I meant pass through the accretion surface."