stargateficrec | The Sweep of Easy Wind by blackchaps (NC-17)

Show: SGA
Rec Category: Sheppard/McKay
Characters:: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Het/Slash/Gen: Slash
Warnings:Highlight: Slavery, dub-con, references to past non-con
Author on LJ:

blackchaps
Author's Website:
Link: The Sweep of Easy Wind

Why This Must Be Read:

Caught up in his own concerns, McKay has managed to miss the fact that there are slaves in the ranks of the SGC. A mute, compliant, naked Sheppard kneeling at McKay's feet is impossible to ignore. Appalled by the abuse of Goa'uld technology for the purpose of enslaving 'convicts' and determined to save John, Rodney embarks on a crusade spanning two galaxies and engaging multiple alien civilizations. It's one hell of a roller-coaster ride following Rodney in his quest to make things right for John and, by extension, the rest of the slaves.

Excerpt:
The stargate closed behind them, and a huge slab of mud fell from his shoulder and splattered on the floor. Lorne laughed, slapped him on the back, and muck flew. "Let's hit the showers."

There was a large communal shower directly off the locker room, but Rodney never used it. His quarters were much more private, and the last thing he wanted was to be popped on the ass by a towel. He didn't think they would, but there was no reason to tempt them.

"I'd rather, um—"

"McKay," Lorne interrupted, "you get mud all the way to your room and all over your room, and you're cleaning it up. We clear?"

"Crystal." Rodney sighed heavily and trudged after him; his boots heavy with mud and water. Elizabeth had her mouth covered, and Teyla looked amused also. He glared, stopping to grumble, "Next time, you go meet the mud people!"

Teyla nodded gracefully. "I am looking forward to it."

Rodney almost wiped his hand across his mouth before he remembered he was caked. He'd fallen several times - stupid mud. Elizabeth shooed him away before he dripped on them, and he caught up with the rest of his team in the locker room. Lorne was already half-naked, and Rodney averted his eyes. Ford flicked some mud at him, Stackhouse laughed, and Rodney pretended not to notice, encouraging them would be a bad idea.

"Teyla will be ready to join the team soon. She's a good shot, better than McKay," Ford said with a laugh in his voice.

"Only with a P-90," Lorne replied. "She's having trouble with the handgun part of the test, but I think she'll pass this week."

Asking the question was more difficult than he'd thought it would be, but it was time to get it over with. He and Lorne weren't anything more than cautious co-workers, except that Lorne thought he was in command. Rodney needed to know the truth, and then he wouldn't be disappointed.

"So, um, when she's ready for the team, I'm gone, right?"

Lorne's eyes widened in surprise. "Stackhouse is joining Bates's team."

"Oh." Rodney tried not to look relieved. It wasn't that he cared, except, well, that he did.

"Or is this your way of getting out of it?" Lorne asked with a trace of suspicion in his voice. "You bitch and moan enough."

"No! That's not it, and if I'm not complaining, I'm not happy. Really." Rodney tried to convince him. This would be easier if they were friends. He tried to smile. "Okay, then, go team."

"I love your enthusiasm." Lorne flashed a smile, and Rodney wished he knew what it meant. For now, he'd take it as a win. Mud slid from his hair, smacking the floor, and he sighed in disgust. More gunk dropped as he slunk out of his tac-vest. It would need to be hosed off, and he didn't have much hope for the power bars in the pockets. The electronics he set aside carefully to be thoroughly cleaned later. His jacket wasn't quite so dirty, but he made sure the pockets were empty.

"Thanks, Shep, but why don't you go help McKay get his boots off? He got the worst of it," Lorne said.

Rodney turned around, frowning. The last thing he wanted was some ham-handed Marine ripping his feet off. "Wait, um, what?" He edged away from a tall guy with crazy hair who stared at him intently. "Lorne?"

"That's Airman John Sheppard. Everyone calls him Shep. Colonel Caldwell assigned him in here for a few days. I guess things are damn dull on the Daedalus right now. He'll help us clean up." Lorne grimaced. "I have mud up my ass."

"Like we needed to know that!" Rodney spat, staring at someone he'd just met in complete fascination. "What's that silver disc in the middle of his forehead?"

Lorne shrugged and went around the partition to the showers. Rodney could hear the water running. Stackhouse was ahead of them all. Shep reached for him, and Rodney flinched.

"I'm okay. Seriously."

"Might as well give in, Doc. Shep always obeys orders." Ford dropped his shirt with a splat.

Shep took another step, and Rodney waved up and down. "He needs clothes!"

"It's a locker room, McKay." Ford snorted, and Rodney's calves bumped into a bench. Shep was there instantly, helping him sit down and starting on the boots. The sight of him, naked and kneeling, made Rodney gawk. With a slurping, smacking noise, Rodney's first boot popped off. Shep sat down hard, mud on him now, and Rodney waited for him to curse or yell or something. Nothing, but the guy rubbed his hand through his hair and started on Rodney's other boot.

"Hey, your butt okay?" Rodney tried not to look directly at the object in question. Shep frowned at the boot, yanked hard, and this time didn't fall down. His chest and arms were a muddy mess, and Rodney felt like he should apologize.

"Hey, Shep! Come wash my back, will ya?" That was Stackhouse, and Shep hurried away without a word. Rodney took several deep breaths, wondering what exactly was happening beyond the obvious. He wanted to go to his room and pretend this was a weird dream, with a wet, naked guy.

"McKay! You asleep?" Lorne's voice carried easily from the shower area.

Rodney grumbled under his breath, got to his feet, and marched into the shower fully dressed. There was no way in hell he was getting naked in front of his team. They laughed at him enough for being an out-of-shape geek. He was used to laughter; it brought back lovely memories of high school gym. It had been a required course, and being the youngest in the locker room had been a unique sort of hell.

"McKay's my first genius. Are they all so weird?" Ford asked loudly.

"Pretty much." Lorne laughed. Rodney refused to look any higher than their feet. He turned on the shower farthest away and upped the temperature a bit. Mud swirled on the floor, and his clothes grew very heavy. He lifted his face to the water, shutting his eyes. At least his face would be clean. A gentle touch on his arm surprised him, and this time, he flinched. Yelling was always his first reaction, but he pressed his lips together.

"Let him give you a hand," Ford said.

The crazy hair was plastered flat from water, and his eyes were almost brown, kinda green. He wasn't that much taller, but he was very lean. Rodney took in a hundred details in five seconds from the silver disc, down to dog tags and long toes. Shep didn't smile, grin, or in any way look as if he cared that he was being stared at by another guy.

"Come on, now, stop laughing. McKay is shy." Lorne's voice cut through Rodney's inspection. "We were all shy once, well, maybe not you, Ford. Meet us in the infirmary when you get clean, McKay."

Rodney nodded, and his teammates trailed out of the shower. Shep hadn't moved an inch. The sound of the water droplets hitting the floor seemed loud, and Rodney tried to sound normal. "You don't have to help me."

Shep shrugged, reached, and this time Rodney let him work the heavy jacket off. It hit the floor hard, and stripping away the T-shirt was easy in comparison. Rodney shivered a little, and Shep nudged him back under the water. Before Rodney could protest, Shep's strong hands were making fast work of his BDU's and boxers.

Vulnerable. He felt vulnerable, again, and he never liked it. His pride surfaced and he already had a long speech about his physical condition, or lack thereof, prepared. Opening his mouth to deliver it, nothing came out but a groan because Shep took the soap and rubbed it all over Rodney's back. That felt good, really good. The water ran muddier, and he tried not to go boneless and slither to the floor.

"Hey!" Rodney's knees stiffened, and he flipped around fast. Shep lifted one eyebrow; his hands pulled back. Rodney really did try to glare, but the water on his face made it hard to be convincing. Shep smirked. That was a smirk. Rodney found himself almost smiling as his eyes were drawn to the silver disc. It was about five centimeters across, definitely oval, and it couldn't be actual silver. There was also some type of ornate writing inscribed on it. Loops and whirls and his hand reached before he thought about it. Shep's eyes widened and he leaned away.

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." Rodney forced his hand down, but his thumb twitched in circles. He wanted to put the disc under a scanner. "The scientist in me wants to touch it."

After a long moment, Shep shook his head, and Rodney accepted it. He also gasped because Shep went to work cleaning him up and left no spot unwashed.

"What?" Rodney pried his eyes open. Fatigue was setting in hard, and he wouldn't have minded sitting down during the rinse cycle. Shep patted Rodney on the thigh again. Rodney looked, stared even, and said, "Well, ow."

The water snapped off, and Rodney blinked in surprise. He hadn't done that, had he? Shep left him for a moment, but came right back with three towels. Rodney tried to do most of the work, but Shep didn't take no for an answer. "Yes, yes, I'm fine." He hissed when Shep pressed one of the towels into it. Suddenly, there was a rumble in the room, and Rodney's mouth fell open as warm, even hot air, came up from the floor. He nearly dropped to his knees to look for blowers, but Shep had hold of Rodney's leg.

The air felt good, and he was dry quickly - dry and confused. He'd wanted to be dry. Had he activated some program? The blowers cut off unexpectedly, but it'd have to wait until later because the pain in his leg was worse. Adrenaline was good stuff, but he was at the end of it. He couldn't get dressed with blood trailing down his leg, and he squeezed Shep's shoulder.

"I'll go sit down and call Carson."

Shep nodded and helped him back to the locker room. Reapplying pressure, Shep settled down by Rodney's feet, and Rodney fumbled for his radio. It was really hard to think with a naked man nearby.

"Carson?"

"Aye, lad, I was about to come find you!"

"I found a cut on my leg under all the mud, and it's bleeding, and I don't want to put on pants. Could you bring me a bandage or something?" Rodney draped the towels in such a way to cover as much skin as possible. "I'm in the locker room."

"On my way." Carson didn't shut off his radio. "Yes, Colonel Lorne, I'm going to get him. Rodney, are you alert?"

"What?" Rodney curled his fingers into Shep's bare shoulder. "I walked halfway across a muddy planet today! I'm exhausted!"

"Take your pulse."

Shep's fingers pressed into Rodney's wrist. Rodney slowly counted to thirty. Shep flashed him the number.

"It's ninety." Rodney frowned. "Why doesn't Shep talk?"

"Who?"

Shep pointed at the disc on his forehead.

"Rodney? Are you with me?"

"I'm fine." Rodney patted Shep on the shoulder. The urge to take apart the disc was stronger now and to get it the hell off Shep's forehead. This was obviously a blatant misuse of alien technology.

"Dr. McKay, do you need assistance?" Caldwell stepped inside the locker room, looking concerned.

Rodney felt Shep's reaction through his shoulder. Fear? Shep got to his feet fast; his eyes blown wide.

"Keep pressure on that, Shep," Caldwell barked. "Dr. Beckett is on the way?"

"I'm here." Carson had a gurney with him. "Lad, you should've come to see me first!"

"I didn't know, and Shep found it, and it only just started hurting, and it didn't bleed that much, but, um, ow."

Carson's medics took over, and Shep stepped back fast. Rodney didn't try to hang on to him. Caldwell frowned, and Rodney saw Shep swallow hard. They helped him hobble up onto the gurney, and the last thing he saw before they wheeled him away was Shep kneeling at Caldwell's boots. Bile forced its way up to his mouth.

"Rodney, don't be throwing up now."

Rodney breathed through his mouth. "Shep?" He wasn't sure what he was asking.

"One of Caldwell's crew off the Daedalus," Carson said softly. "The disc, it's Goa'uld. Keeps him docile. He's a criminal, murder is what I heard."

Shock. Anger. Disbelief. It all curled through him. Shep's hands had been gentle on him. They were the hands of a killer? His eyes had been kind, and it didn't seem possible. "Murder?"

"Hush, now." Carson repositioned the towel, and Rodney made up his mind to investigate further. Something strange was going on between the showers suddenly blowing hot air, Goa'uld technology being mis-used, and the repulsive way Shep had knelt at Caldwell's boots.

"But it's wrong," Rodney whispered. He didn't have all the facts, but he knew it was a bad thing.

Carson leaned over him so they were closer. "President Kinsey is a right bastard. We're lucky we're not Americans."

That was true, but it didn't make it okay. Rodney clutched his leg, cursing loud and long, demanding morphine. Everyone expected it of him, and while his mouth yelled, his brain swirled with possibilities and solutions.