Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine.
A/N: This was a LONG time coming. :D If it weren't for my wonderful beta Atlantisfan101 and the contributions of many other people (including my mother, who doesn't even really like fanfiction), I've actually got a full plot BEFORE I start a big story. And they're going to harass me till I post, so you don't have to worry TOO much about me going years without the next chapter. That said, my life is really, really stressful right now. Therefore, it might not be as fast as you want it to be, and bugging me about it in your reviews will not do you any good.
Anyone who's both read my fanfic Fitting (Stargate SG-1) and seen the Stargate SG-1 episode 200 will totally know that I called the wedding scene. You can find it on youtube .com... She calls him Sir, he calls her Carter. I rest my case.
The Weapon Within
"Colonel Sheppard! Colonel Sheppard!" Rodney's voice carried down the long hallway, and, because John couldn't think of an excuse not to stop, he turned and waited for the scientist to catch up with him.
"Yes?"
"Have you seen Elizabeth? She has to see this." John had to lean back to avoid the laptop being brandished in his face by the excited scientist. "She really has to."
"She's getting the ATA gene therapy this afternoon, I think. She's probably in the infirmary." He checked Rodney's rush in that direction with a firm hand on the shoulder. "I'll walk with you, and you can tell me about it on the way."
"Fine, fine." Rodney made an exaggerated show of waiting for John to start walking before he started talking a mile a minute.
"So I was searching through some of the Ancient database, and I found the mention of a gene."
"The ancient gene."
"No." Rodney smiled smugly. "Another gene. They called it the Atlantis gene, and it developed by them instead of just passed down. They knew that the one day they might come up against an enemy that they couldn't face and they couldn't run from, so they created this gene. It's designed to work with the Ancient gene; I suppose they thought they'd use it on themselves, if necessary. When one person has both of the genes, they become sort of a..." He waved his hand around, searching for the right phrase. "Super Ancient. It didn't give specifics, but it seems to be things like controlling the technology with their minds, and being closely in tune with everything the Ancients built."
"So what's so urgent?" It was exciting, sure, but nothing that needed immediate attention.
"The Ancients didn't want to leave humans without defenses, so they seeded the human race with the Atlantis gene when they ascended. So..." He trailed off, looking expectantly at John.
"So if we can find a person with this gene, we can give them the ATA therapy and we'll have a valuable weapon against the wraith."
"Exactly. The gene is really, really rare, though. Still, maybe one person on Atlantis has it."
John grinned. "You have a point. To the infirmary, then."
Neither of them said anything as they speed-walked (because they had some sense of dignity left, and besides, if they'd run, people would have panicked) to the infirmary. As Rodney rushed through the door, John called, "If she's still tired, this can wait until after we see if the gene took, ok?"
And then he almost ran into the hyper-active scientist, who'd stopped dead just inside the room. "Oh, it took alright." John followed his gaze to the bed where Elizabeth was lying... and realized why Rodney had stopped.
She was leaning back against the pillows, eyes closed as though in a brief nap. From the inside corners of her eyes seemed to be sliding navy dye, running in a line down her cheeks like the tear markings of a cheetah.
"What the hell?" John started to make his way across the room, only to be stopped by Rodney's hand on his arm.
"That's... that's..."
"What is it, Rodney?" He had a sneaking feeling that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.
"Oh, the Ancient gene definitely took. Colonel, that's the marking from the database."
"What?" He was putting two and two together and getting four, but he wasn't sure he liked that number.
"The one from the file on the Atlantis gene. She must have had it, and the therapy..."
"Turned her into a super-Ancient." John turned to stare at the commander of the expedition, the woman he'd grown to respect and care for over the course of their time there. "Oh boy."
As though she felt his stare, her eyes slid open, and their color had deepened to a dark, cobalt blue. "John? Did you need something?"
A/N: Muah... semi-cliffy