N/A: Here's the last chapter! I hope it was worth the extra wait. I saved the last scene because I simply couldn't bear to rewrite it. This is officially the end of this story. Lots of thanks go to TJuk and HyperCaz for all the support!
Once Captain Te'Lan had stopped laughing long enough to regain his composure, he smiled cruelly down at them. "Ready yer pistols, lads! A glass o' me best rum goes ta each man who makes a kill-shot tonight!"
The sound of pistols being drawn and their hammers being cocked sounded crisply through the air. But before the order to fire was given, the ship suddenly began to rock and shudder. The Ancient outpost had risen high enough in the water to tip the hull of the ship, and so the edge of the hull was slipping across the smooth surface along the incline of the dome. Te'Lan was nearly tossed over the side into the water, but managed to turn just in time to grab the side and push himself back. This movement caused him to plow into his first mate. Jess had been hefting his sword and appeared to have been deciding whether or not to stab Te'Lan in the back when the bucking of the ship had made the decision it for him.
"You… traitor!" Te'Lan gasped, vainly attempting to pull the blade from his body as he fell to his knees.
Jess stumbled backward, wrenching his sword free with him. A frightened, almost regretful expression graced his aged features. "Sorry, Cap'n, but ya know yer just too far gone in the head ta command this ship any longer. T'was plain foolish ta risk dumpin' them lads overboard in the first place."
The crew watched Te'Lan's blood soak the deck at Jess's feet, spellbound by the death of a man who many had considered the most ruthless captain they'd known, even if he had been crazy. Without another word, the former first mate dragged the body to the scuppers by the ledge of the gunwalls and pushed it overboard. It sank below the swells of the sea far more quickly than it should have while Jess turned to address the crew. "Te'Lan served Rumaar well, an' he'll be remembered for it. Now throw the lads in the water some rope, and make haste! When yer finished, weigh anchor an' unfurl the sails!"
The crew hesitated for only a moment before they put away their guns and helped Colonel Sheppard, Laura Cadman, Teyla, Lorne, Ronon with Rodney, Carson, and finally Henry up onto the boat. Jess took to his new role as captain fairly quickly, and to his crew's credit, it was only a few minutes before they were all aboard and the ship was ready to depart. The hull slipping on the rising dome had nearly knocked several of them into the water as they had climbed, but the crew was competent and strong, and they were soon heading back on their original course.
Without asking for permission, Carson went to fetch the surgeon's kit that he had used before. None of the crew questioned him as he began cleaning the tools with alcohol in preparation for use. It would be awkward to stop Rodney's bleeding with the primitive tools in the less-than-sterile environment, but he was a good surgeon and managed well enough. Rodney was still unconscious and wouldn't feel the pain, and he'd be able to properly clean and treat the wound later, assuming that he ever got back to his medical kit back in Henry's house at the port.
Once the ship was underway, though, the next most pressing issue at hand was finding out what the new captain intended to do with them. John stepped forward, still soaking wet, but made a sincere effort to at least sound polite. "Thanks for the help back there. I really appreciate it, but I don't understand why you bothered to save us. Are we your prisoners?"
"I honestly haven't decided yet," Jess said, turning back to him. "Cap'n Te'Lan didn't seem ta have such a bad idea in holdin' yer friends ransom. At the very least, if yer friend lives, his knowledge could still be useful… unless, o' course, ya have something of value ta trade for yer freedom instead."
"I'm sorry, but we won't give you weapons," he insisted firmly. "It's against everything we believe in."
Nodding, Jess pondered him thoughtfully. "Whichever country's flag flies over Port Legacy tomorrow, the war will likely be over. We likely won't be in a huge need for 'em then."
John smiled and looked around at the crew, who continued working as if it such a change was almost commonplace. "How about some food, medical supplies, and a few skilled doctors to show you how to use them, then? If your crew is any indication, we might even be able to spare a dentist."
"Aye," the captain laughed with a grimace, rubbing at his jaw. "Now there's somethin' that might very well be worth yer freedom."
Some distance behind the ship, an explosion echoed across the cloudless skies. A mushroom-shaped plume of steam erupted from the water, and a shockwave hardly big enough to sway the ship rippled across the waters.
Tick… tick… tick… tick…
It was the ticking of an old grandfather clock. Or, at least, something that sounded like one. The sound grated on Rodney's nerves incessantly. Another person might have been calmed by such a steady and rhythmic tone, but not Rodney. It was just another reminder to him that he was waking up to a horrible haze of pain and morphine. He groaned, trying to roll over onto his stomach in an effort to go back to sleep, but gave up when he found the movement caused intense pain to shoot through his abdomen.
"Easy, Rodney," a soothing voice with a Scottish brogue assured him. A cool hand suddenly held his, feeling his wrist for his pulse. "If yer not careful, you'll pull your stitches."
Rodney turned his head slowly and felt drool at the corner of his mouth. He mumbled softly, his voice cracking and sounding weak. He'd tried to say 'Go away'.
"What was that ye said?" Carson asked, sounding closer.
Colonel Sheppard spoke then. "Was that even English?"
Rodney's eyes shot open. "Colonel Sheppard?"
"Yeah, Rodney. It's me."
He tried to sit bolt upright and immediately regretted it. Clutching at his stomach and fighting off a wave of medication-induced nausea, Rodney grimaced, very near to tears and not entirely due to pain. "You're alive! I… We thought you were dead. We saw the ship you were on sink."
John smirked. "It's a long story and you need your rest, so I'm not going to even try explaining it right now."
Rodney nodded, wearing an expression that resembled both relief and disappointment. His head began to swim, and dizziness threatened to overcome him.
"Lay back down before ye hurt yourself more," Carson demanded sternly, placing a firm hand on his chest. "I only just managed ta finish cleanin' up yer wound with my medical kit yesterday, an' your fever just broke a couple of hours ago."
Reluctantly complying with the doctor's orders, Rodney shook his head. "I need to know. How did we get back here? What happened to the ship?"
"Ye certainly missed out on a hell of fight while recovering, Rodney," Carson assured him with a smile. "Jess killed Captain Te'Lan, took command o' the ship, and then led the fleet's attack on Port Legacy himself. We were picked up by another Jumper not long after it started, which is why you're alive right now, but we heard he an' his entire crew won the battle by quite a wide margin. Jess, his entire crew, and now Henry as well are likely still celebrating in the pub as we speak. Either that, or they're dead from alcohol poisonin'."
John grinned with more cheer than he actually felt and rubbed at his head tiredly. The memory of all the celebrating they had done the night before last and the hangover he'd woken up with yesterday still plagued him, amazingly. "Yeah, those guys sure know how to party. It took them less than four hours to pillage and destroy the entire Gulran navy parked at Port Legacy, but the hangover from the booze will haunt you for days. Ronon and Teyla are sleeping off their own hangovers on the couches downstairs. Of course, Carson stayed with you most of the time."
Rodney nodded again and was almost glad he'd missed out on their fun. Drinking and carousing wasn't really his thing.
After Colonel Sheppard had finished giving Rodney his well-wishes and made enough hints to be awarded a Tylenol from Carson, he left Rodney and Carson to rest. Atlantis was due to contact them again in less than an hour, and he was sure as hell ready to leave this place.
But Carson remained at Rodney's bedside, staring down at the sheets that his friend had kicked off of him in his sleep. He was lost in thought and unsure of how to say what was on his mind.
"Will you quit staring at me like that?" Rodney complained after a few minutes. "It makes me nervous that you're worried I'm going to die." Then, after a few seconds, something occurred to him. "I'm not going to die, am I?"
Carson sighed. "No, Rodney. You're not goin' ta die. I'm just…"
The scientist blinked. "Just what?"
"I just…" Carson trailed off, and then resolved himself to just get it over with. "I suppose I just need to say 'thank ye'."
"For what?" Rodney asked incredulously. "You're the one who just saved my life. I should be thanking you."
He smiled at the nearly admitted gratitude from his friend. Even though he didn't actually say it, Carson knew it was sincere. "I'm thankin' ye for keeping hope, Rodney. I'd almost lost hope for a while there. I was just doin' my job an' tryin' tae stay alive, but you… ye didn't give up when things got tough. Ye didn't let me die when they threatened ta kill me. So, thank you."
For a moment, Carson thought Rodney might actually say, 'You're Welcome'.
"Oh, cut out the wishy-washy tear-jerker nonsense, will ya? The last thing I need right now is to be overcome with tears of joy and laughter."
Carson shook his head and smiled away his frustration. The man just couldn't take a compliment. "Better turn yer head, then, before ye toss yer cookies on my boots from the sight of yer own blood. It's about time ta change yer bandages again."
The wind was blowing powerfully strong that night, but it had rained earlier and the sand beneath their feet was too wet to blow into their faces too much. Carson Beckett and Lt. Laura Cadman held hands as they strode happily along the moonlit beach toward the lighthouse, a cool and breezy wind disheveling their hair despite Laura's numerous attempts to tame hers.
Henry had told him about the lighthouse, had treated them to another fine meal that next evening, this one thankfully uneventful, and had promised his eternal gratitude and friendship. After bidding him a fond farewell, Carson had felt obligated to do something special for the women he owed his life.
As she glanced over at him, Laura discreetly admired the sight of his now tanned skin since he'd had time to recover for the most part. She blushed at the sight of his loose-fitting white shirt that rippled with the wind, along with a dark red sash that fluttered behind him. He'd borrowed them from Henry, and she had to admit that the simple clothing certainly flattered him.
Laura smiled, gazing sweetly at him, and he returned the look, grinning happily. She had chosen to wear her simple uniform and jacket, and although it wasn't overly feminine, he appreciated the way her strawberry-blonde hair flowed behind her and how she smiled at him. Squeezing her hand, he urged her forward to walk closer to the lighthouse that stood protectively before them and over the inlet behind them.
"Come, love," Carson said just loud enough to be heard over the strong wind. "There's somethin' I want ye tae see."
Carson urged her up the walkway that led to the steps that circled around and up to the top of the lighthouse. As they reached the top and Laura looked out, she sighed at the beauty that lay before her. She could see the streetlamps of the port stretching into the darkness to the west, and saw moonlight glinting on the surface of the churning water below and out to the east. A fine mist blew over the surface of the water, creating a faint haze that dampened the sharpness of the glinting just enough to make it one of the most beautiful sights she'd ever seen.
"It's wonderful," Laura said softly, only just barely audible over the wind. "I don't know how I would've managed out there all alone on a pirate ship."
Carson smiled at her reassuringly and put his hands on the railing to distract himself from the harsh memories with the beauty of the scene. "Well, I wasn't really alone. Rodney was there, too, an' as much as it pains me tae say it, I don't think I would'a made it through all that if I'd been alone. There was a moment when I'd just about given up hope, but he held together for me. I'll have tae thank him properly when he's up an' around again."
Laura turned to face him and smiled again. "Well, I'm glad you weren't alone, then. How is Rodney, anyway? Is he doing alright?"
"Oh, aye," Carson laughed uneasily. "T'was a clean wound. It stitched up nicely. In fact, he's catchin' up on his sleep in the infirmary as we speak, an' so is Colonel Sheppard an' just about everyone else except us. But I do want tae say… thank you. You saved my life and Rodney's life, an' I'm grateful for it."
"Does that mean I've earned a kiss today?" Laura asked, grinning playfully.
Carson returned her smile warmly as he gazed into her eyes. "Ye've earned much more than that."
Without another word, the pair slunk off into the darkened interior of the lighthouse, wrapping their arms about each other to ward off the chill of the wind that wafted inside. Smiling to himself in the darkness as he held Laura close, her touch healing the wounds of his soul as surely as the wounds of his body were healing, Carson couldn't help but wonder if perhaps this planet hadn't been such a bad place after all.
THE END