Stargate Atlantis: Knife's Edge
"John? John?"
John Sheppard sat up abruptly, heart hammering in his chest. He stared round the dark room, at first not recognizing it, but then he saw the familiar furnishings and felt the comfortable bed under him. More importantly he looked over to see Moira O'Meara sitting next to him in the bed, touching his bare arm and staring at him with concern.
John relaxed, breathing easier. The vestiges of the nightmare were fading and he couldn't recall them now. "Moira."
Moira caressed his arm, scooting closer. She gently kissed his lips. "John, you didn't hear the alarm. Are you all right?"
"I…yeah, I guess." He ran a hand through his disordered hair. He glanced at the clock. The early hour flashed at him as the muted alarm beeped and beeped. He reached over and slapped at the button, silencing it. He leaned back and turned to Moira who was watching him. She appeared sleepy. Her brown hair was a billowing cloud of softness that fell around her. She had on an oversized lilac t-shirt. "You okay?"
She smiled at him, still caressing his bare arm. In the faint light he appeared mysterious, a handsome, lean figure with a strong profile until he had turned to her. "Yes, John. Did you have a bad dream?"
"Yes. I can't remember it now, though. Crap." He sighed and reclined, folding his arms under the pillow and stretched out like a lazy cat.
Moira reclined and snuggled close to him. She ran her fingers along his chest, gently tugging at the dark and silver chest hairs, at the silver chain that held his dog tags. "Shouldn't you be going now, John? Not that I'm kicking you out of bed or anything."
"You better not be, baby," he said with a scowl, but he smiled and relaxed as she ran soft kisses up his throat. "I know. This bed is just so damn comfy."
Moira slid on top of him, running her fingers through his hair. "Only the bed?"
He chuckled, sliding his arms out from under the pillow to wrap around her. "Well…maybe the pillows too. OW!" he complained as she hit his arm. "Okay, okay, maybe, just maybe the blanket as well." He laughed at her frown.
"Hilarious, John. Hey!" She squirmed as he lightly smacked her rear then began to tug up the t-shirt. "John? Is there time for—"
"There's always time for, baby, don't you worry." He kissed her, abruptly rolled them so she was underneath him.
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Rodney McKay was talking and eating at the same time, waving his fork around like it was a baton. "And the sheer size of it is astounding, Carson! I was up almost all night trying to understand the thing and the mechanics of it! If I figure out a way to open it and link it to our own ZPMs we could keep this city running indefinitely!"
"That would be nice." Carson Beckett was trying to eat his own breakfast but Rodney's enthusiasm was both complicated and messy. He pulled back his own tray of food from the excitable physicist.
"Nice? Nice? It would be more than nice! Our number one problem has always been power! We never have enough ZPMs and we can only operate the Shield at half-power! We can't even dial Earth and let's face it she won't fly again, well, not any time soon! We have to reserve power for the Chair and the Drones plus maintain the primary systems all the while keeping this city afloat and stable and it's a big place, Carson, with the—"
"Our number one problem is making sure you don't devour all of our food," John quipped as he joined his two friends. Carson laughed in agreement.
Rodney scowled. "Oh ha ha. Morning to you too, John. Wow…you're going to eat all of that? Does that mean…oh don't tell me!"
"Yeah, it does, and yes, I am." John smiled and began to eat his breakfast, glancing at Carson. "What's the word, doc?"
"The word? On what? How are you feeling, John?"
"Fine. Sore and tired but fine. No wait…that's from something else."
"Oh please! Save the macho boasting for someone who would be impressed," Rodney snapped.
"I have and you are," John retorted.
Carson shook his head. "What's this about?"
"Him. His new girlfriend," Rodney explained, pointing his empty fork at John. "Don't ask."
"I won't. No headaches?"
"Nope."
"No nosebleeds?"
"Nope. Rodney, I need you turn that thing, that Penning trap into a weapon of some kind," John stated round a mouthful.
"I don't know if that's possible, John. It's a very complicated device which—"
"Don't care. Make it a weapon."
"Colonel Sheppard to the control room. Colonel Sheppard to the control room." Chuck Campbell's voice was calm as it blared over the PA.
John sighed and stood, eying the food still remaining on his tray. He downed his coffee and snatched a piece of bacon off the plate. "Why is it always when I am eating?"
"I thought that was my line," Rodney quipped, moving to his feet as well.
"That's because you are always, always eating." John smiled as Rodney scowled. The two men quickly made their way to the control room.
Richard Woolsey was standing at the console, frowning. "Relay it to a firewalled computer and establish the protocols," he instructed. "Keep the long-range scans running and track that ship."
"What ship?" John asked, as Rodney stepped to a console and eyed the screen.
"Wraith."
"What? Great. Where?"
"Not in orbit but they are close. Transmitting message, visual." Rodney moved to another screen as Chuck activated the computer.
The men turned to view the screen. Static filled it until with a snap the image of a Wraith bloomed upon it.
"John Sheppard," Todd crooned. His voice was a melodious crackle that sent a shiver up John's spine.
John scowled, folding his arms across his chest. He glanced at Rodney. The physicist had gone very still, staring at the creature that had murdered Jennifer Keller, his almost fiancée. John looked back at the screen. "Whaddya want?" he snapped.
Todd smiled. It was a creepy smile, full of teeth in a pale, elongated face. "We wish to pursue our alliance. We have something for you."
"Oh really? Wow…it's not even my birthday. What is it?"
"We have one."
"One what?" John asked, but he already knew. He felt himself tensing. He glanced at Richard. The Atlantis leader had realized as well and was staring at the screen intently.
"Huh?" Rodney asked, jolted out of his anger and grief.
"One of the aliens," Todd resumed, tilting his head in an almost coquettish motion. "Alive. We have encountered several difficulties with it. We cannot access its neural transmitter. We need you and your best biologist to help us examine it."
"I see. I can prep a team to-"
"No. My queen has expressly requested that only you, John Sheppard, and a qualified scientist will be allowed onto our Hive and have access to our prisoner."
"That is unacceptable," Richard intervened. "We can send a full science team to a secure location in the—"
"That is unacceptable," Todd argued. His gaze seemed glued to the military commander. "I am transmitting the coordinates. You will fly a ship there. We will be in orbit above the planet."
"And if we refuse?" Richard asked.
Todd finally met the Atlantis leader's gaze. "Then we will advance to Atlantis and deliver the prisoner to you personally, with interest." He smiled.
Before Richard could reply John said, "We'll be there. If this is a ruse or if you try anything or try to detain us you will be shot down."
"I said for you to come only with a—"
"Yeah, I got that…but I am going to bring some friends with me to visit the planet. I hear it's lovely this time of year. See ya." John gestured and Chuck ended the transmission.
"It's got to be a trap," Rodney said quietly.
"I don't think so," Richard mused. He looked at John. "I'm sure they will try something, but we can't pass up a chance at an alliance or a shot at one of those aliens at close quarters."
"Especially when those quarters aren't anywhere near Atlantis," John agreed. "I want two teams in Jumpers to follow and stay cloaked on that planet but in radio contact. I'll grab Simmons and we'll just see what's what."