This Story is dedicated to those that lost their lives
During the 9-11 attacks at both the WTC and the Petagon
You are missed. Rest in Peace.
The stargate shut down inside Cheyenne Mountain, "Remind me again why we are here" John said, "you say this dude, Vinny, was born in 1893? that is over a hundred years ago" John sheppard said clearly confused to his teams newst orders, which were.
"Return to Earth at once." and nothing else.
"Well it could be because the guy is telling the truth, he was born Oct 2nd 1893 of a Italien Family." Carter said as the team headed upstears for the briefing room where Vinny himself waited, looking just as he did on the trip where he and he now dead comrades left him.
... but we are getting a little too far ahead of ourselves! lets backup to the beginning of how all this started off...
Loaction: New York 18th & Broadway Ford Mustang Dealership.
Time: around one pm
Hmmm, this looks like a nice car Vinny thought seeing a cherry red Mustang GT Convertable, "hey mister, how much for this car?" he asked with a thick Itliean accent. he wanted the little red car, after all he had a lot of money and could use a car.
"For you Vinny? Anything. How is the flowershop?" the salesman asked, he knew Vinny owned three flowershops that were actually very busy two of them alone were on Broadway.
"The places is OK, I need not be there every minute of every day you know." Vinny said. he still wore the two crystal earrings, he NEVER took those off, even if he had to take them off to save his life he still wouldn't take them off. "anyway, I told myself I need a car to get around the city by." Vinny said, he looked to the skyline, something was missing though, the twin towers were gone, everyone knew that, only everyone NEVER let that horror filled day pass out of memory.
"Great, come on inside and we'll take care of the paperwork." the salesman said as he and Vinny went inside the dealership., "please sit." Vinny sat down at the indicated chair, "now there are a few things we need to fill out first, you know, to make everything offical." the man handed Vinny a set of keys, as well as a paper to sign.
Vinny looked at the paper, it stated, "name, age & date of birth." so Vinny put done his real name and age, 24, along with his true date of birth, 1893. and left with his new car, driving carefully back to the Main Flowershop he called home, a few weeks later he got a phone call, "Vinny's Flowershop, you name it we sell it, Vinny speaking" he said.
"Yes, this is Srgt Siler of United States Air Force." came the unmistakeable voice of Sargent Siler.
"Yes what can I do for you Sir?" Vinny asked now all business, "What can humble Vinny do for the USAF? Demolitions, tunneling, rock blasting, ifliteration, you name it Vinny can do it" Vinny said calmy, just he did when he spoke to Milo about his growing up way back then, he looked out of his front window, the view was right at Ground Zero, now being rebuilt into a very wonderful (at the time) memorial, I'm so glad Milo is still in Atlantis and never saw this happen three years ago, he thought.
"Well, if you woyuld be so kind as to come to me or allow me to come to you I can talk it over with you as I cannot talk over the phone." Siler said.
"I see, well, Vinny is available Monday to Friday nine to five, it is five thrity now so I'll tell you what you come in here to see me monday when I open up shop at nine am, I'm on Tenth street and Broadway."
"Very well, I will be there at nine am on monday." Siler said, then the phone went dead.
"Hmm, I wonder what the USAF needs Vinny for? it is bad enough they needed me to help blow up alot of the trash from 9-11" he said remembering having to blow apart many huge pieces of the now gone Twin Towers, he shook his head to get back to the point of the call, "wait a minute, it might because of my buying the car?" Vinny got on the phone and dailed Siler right back.
"Cheyenne Mountain, Sargt. Siler speaking." came Silers voice.
"Sarge, Vinny is ready when you are, I'll come to you, wherebouts you at?" Vinny was then given directions to the SGC, then left a note to his three daughters to open the shop and take care of everything until he returned.
When he arrived at the entry area of NORAD in Colorado three days later he handed the gate guard his ID and was allowed in, he parked near the gate and got out of the cherry red car, Siler was waiting for him, "Mr Vinny?"
"That is me." Vinny said.
"Sargt. Siler USAF, assigned to the SGC program, this way please." Siler then led Vinny to the briefing room where he sat at a table, Vinny had his clothes the metal suit and leggings over a black turtleneck sweater and black match stick gloves.
Vinny looked around as he sat down at the table, "nice place." he looked down to the table and noticed the file in front of his seat. his eyes went wide as he remembered the photos on the table.
"You know something about all these?" Siler handed Vinny a few photos with him in them, Sure Vinny remembered, in fact his mind was going over how he asked Milo if he had anything sporty, like a Tuna or the like. That was fun times.
"You could say that, what is this all about?" Vinnys' earrings seemed to glow a bit as the Stargate started up with a rumble, "is that something I should know of?" Vinny went to the window as the Stargate did the kawooosh, and Team Sheppard stepped through, He heard Johgn ask, "OK remind me again why we are here? you say this dude, Vinny was born in 1893? that's over a hundred years ago."
... this is actually where you came in, anyhow shall we continue?...
"It seems so Col," Carter said, "the man was truly born in 1893, Oct 2nd to be on the dot, he's Itliean, went with a man named Milo Thatch and returned later with the rest of the crew minous the military leader Rouke, his second in command Helga and Thatch."
"When was this?" Teyla asked looking around the SGC for the first time ever. the team headed for the stairs to go up to where Vinny was as he sat back down at the table, looking over the pictures, remembering the whole trip in his mind. Looking up as the team entered Vinny did a double take, looking from the picture of Kida to Teyla, they look so much alike he thought, then seeing Johns rank he stood up. "Sir" he said as if part of the Army, which he had been before being arrested in Turkey.
"At ease." John said, "you are Vinny, date of birth Oct 2nd 1893 aged, one hundred and thirteen." John said as if stating a fact, Vinny nodded as John spoke, then he added to what John left out.
"I am Vinny, formerly Demolitions first class for the USArmy back in 1914 to 1923," Vinny said as the team all sat down. "but you all have me wondering, what is this all about?" Vinny had a very thick New York Itilian accent.
"Well, for one thing, your date of birth is well over a hundred years ago, yet you say you are in your late 20s with three children." Carter said.
"Yup" Vinny said nodding.
"But then that is threoratically impossible, nobody can be in their mid twenties and have three kids that are teenagers" Rodney said seeing one the files on the table that Vinny had three daughters, Maria, Jessica and Rebecca, all of them teens.
"Well you see, I'm unsure of how to say this but, this is about the Crystal is it not?" Vinny asked.
"Crystal?" Rodney asked as everyione looked to Vinny as he took off one of his earrings the crystal earring glowed in his hand, "this crystal, I have a piece of it on both my earrings, plus a piece of it in my flowershop." he said putting the earring back on his left ear where he took it from.
"Wait a second," Rodney said holding up a finger while looking at the photos of Vinny with a few Atlantean children, another of Vinny with a Atlantean opening up a flowershop, a third with Vinny atop a Atlantean flying machine, "you went to Atlantis?"
"Oh yeah, it was nice, lots of flowers and fish, and rocks." Vinny said, "along with a big crystal that seemed to be actually living." Vinny looked as if he were thinking as he remembered everything as if he just got back. "In fact I went back there twice."
"That's Impossible" John said.
"Oh?" Vinny asked confused.
"We just came from there" John said.
"Funny, I never saw any of you guys when I was there. You sure you came from Atlantis?" Vinny asked, everyonwe on team Sheppard nodded, "OK I'll play along, did you see a man named Milo there?"
"Who?" John asked.
"Milo, he's in charge there now, nice guy if I say so meself, also a bit too easy of a target for jokes." Vinny said remembering how he and Mole kepts playing jokes on Milo.
"You mean Milo Thatch, the man who spoke of a missing island of Atlantis" Carter asked, Vinny nodded, "that's the guy" Carter shook her head, "according to this, he was found mauled to death by a panther in the south Hawallan Jungle" Carter said showing a picture of a body that might have been Milos.
"Well, who you gonna belive? me or that?" Vinny asked, he stood up, "In fact, I know how to get to Atlantis, and I would not mind showing you to the place to talk to Mile himself." he said.
"Hold on a minute" John said, "sit back down a sec, you say that you know where Atlantis is?" Vinny nodded as he sat back down. "then where is it?"
"Under Hawaii" Vinny said causually leaning back in his chair.
"Under Hawaii?" Rodney asked, then he asked, "what is that glowing under your... uh... shirt?"
"Oh this," Vinny took out the long pencil sized crystal out from under his metal armor like suit, "it was given to me by Kida, she's a lovely lady too, you'd like her when you get to see her." he said putting the crystal back under his armor.
"This... Kida... she's a?" John started to asked.
"She lives there, daughter of the old King, really pretty, about 8,800 years old, white hair, bold attitude" Vinnu said.
"She's old" Rodney said.
"And married" Vinny said his black mustache hiding a smile as he noticed Teyla give John a 'look' "anyway, you wanna go see the place or not?"
"Well, I have an idea, you say that the place is under Hawaii right?" Vinny nodded as John asked his questions, "lots of water? Great, Tell you what, you come with us back to Atlantis, the one we came from, we'll get a ship that has shields, then you can guide us to the place after we get to Hawaii" John then looked to the rest of his team, everyone was quiet, "sound good?"
"Fine with me, I see no reason why, only thing is, how big is this ship, can it fit... oh I don't know, a few houndred pounds of TNT, Nitro, some wicks, glue, tape, some clocks, paper clips... big ones?" Vinny asked, John just looked at him as if asking, 'you are kidding right?' Vinny kept talking, "you know, office supplies"
After about a minute John nodded, "OK you ready to go then?" Vinny nodded and stood up, "Dail the 'Gate" John called down as the team and Vinny headed down the stairs. the gate started up and the group went to Atlantis.
----------------
On the other side Vinny took a look around, "hey look man, this place no look like Atlantis? where's me flowershop down the street to the Palace? Where's the damned Chinese Laundry?" Vinny wanted to be SURE nothing would blow up unless he wanted it to.
"What?" Weir asked when she came down the steps, "Col Sheppard who is this man?" she asked looking to Vinny, who had a old 1910 style hate on his head, he took it off and bowed, "I am Vinny, from New York, Tenth and Broadway to be exact"
"Like the man says, Vinny, Dr. Weir, Dr. Weir, Vinny, now that we all know the other can we please get going to this other Atlantis" John said going up the stairs, Vinny right behind him, in step with Teyla.
Seeing that he was next to Teyla as the group headed upstairs, he leaned over to her and asked, "is he always this way?"
"Indeed." Teyla said, "sometimes though he can be a little... motivated... by something" she said remembering that kiss they had shared that one day when John was going into that transformation the year before.
"OK then, Vinny makes it his business to know everyone he works with, meaning, might I ask you your name?" Vinny asked Teyla.
"I am Teyla Emmagan, of Athos" Teyla said not looking to Vinny as he stopped when John opened the door to the jumperbay, he both looked on as Teyla walked on as well as stared at the dozen or so puddlejumpers sitting in the three level room.
"Teyla, nice name, sounds a lot like Kida." Vinny said to himself as he followed the group into a jumper, hmmm looks like enough room to hold what I might need. he thought seeing the space inside the thing.
"OK is this enough bang making stuff for you?" John asked seeing Vinny next to what looked like a few pallets of demolitions stuff. Vinny nodded, "the first time I went to Atlantis I ran out of TNT and had to use a road flare to light the way." he loaded everything into the jumper, amazed there was still room in the thing for the team and himself to be able to sit down.
"OK you ready to go?" John asked, when Vinny nodded he shut the back ramp and started up the jumper, flight this is jumper two, we are ready to go, Rodney dail Earth." Rodney did so and the team headed for Earth and the so called Island of Atlantis.
-------------------
Within two hours the jumper was flying over the Ocean, Vinny had fallen alseep as he was so bored with the banter between Rodney, Teyla and John about the real city of Atlantis. Ronon though had yet to fully trust Vinny, so he stayed near the back door to keep an eye on him and his stuff.
"What do you think Rodney?" John asked.
"Well, I don't know, there was nothing in the database back at Atlantis that said anything about a island named after the place." Rodney said.
"OK so it is worth checking out then?" John said, looking from Rodney to Teyla. "Besides, we never got very far into the database back home anyhow"
"I belive so, if what he says is true, then it would be best to see for ourselves." she said, then she pointed forwards, "what... is that?"
John looked closer, "looks like smoke from somewhere," he said when the HUD came up, "oh my" Rodney said, he sat back in his chair, the team had been in Atlantis in Pegasus two months before the 9-11 attacks, they never knew about what happened in New York.
"Rodney, what is it?" John asked seeing the horrorfied look on his friends face. "Rodney." John waved a hand in front of Rodney's face, "yooohoo." John wistled as well.
"I am still alive John, that is ash and smoke from something big, I'm guessing a volcano or the like" Rodney said, which woke up Vinny from the way he slept, a green tanktop, plaid shorts, and a pair of sleepingshades, he sat up stiff as a tree, "we there yet?" he asked out of pure tired wakefulness.
Getting up off where he was sitting Vinny went over to the front and looked out, seeing what everyone was staring at, "Oh, that is just from the big attacks four years ago, I thought the smoke had cleared up."
"What big attacks? Wraith?" Ronon asked coming to the front to stand near Vinny as everyone starred at the now thin smoke.
"What?... No, worse, you guys know of the World Trade Center?" John and Rodney nodded, "well, you're looking at what's left of it." Rodney fainted dead away, "At least Milo never got to see it happen." Vinny said mostly to himself.
"See what happen?" Teyla asked.
Vinny was about to speak when John cut in, "I don't think we wanna know, better yet I don't think we wanna find out either, trust me guys, to me it would be better to be killed by the Wraith then in whatever happened to that place" John said Vinny nodded, "like he says man, best not to know you know."
Vinny then looked out the front window as thew jumper went up into space to get around the thin yet thick smoke cloud, "hey man where we at you know, I remember coming out of Kiluia about two weeks after we left the ship in the sub."
"Where was that?" John asked as Teyla sat down in the nearby seat, John brought up a map, "can you find where you guys went down?"
"Yup, right there." Vinny pointed and a crosshair appeared with a small red circle, "that is where we split off from the Liews & Clark" he said.
"And you went where?" Teyla asked looking uot over the vast ocean.
"Well, we came up just east of Pearl Habor. everyone thought were was some kinda, I dunno huge whale of somekind, anyway, we were able to get back home about a day or three later you know." He pointed to the volcano, "in there, straight down then a hard back this way."
"OK everyone hang on, the dampeners might not be able to keep us smooth riding." John said as the Jumper headed into Kilua, headed downwards faster then ever thought possible, he then managed to slow down enough to hover about a meter or so off the ground. "and now forwards yes?" Vinny nodded, it had been a long time since he was last there.
They came to the opening where the newly rebuilt bridge was at, "hold it here, take a look, when we get to the city itself it is huge" Vinny said. by the time anyone looked his way he had his old clothes on, he looked around the back of the jumper, "how do you open this?" he asked.
"Right here" Ronon said hitting the control for the back door, the ramp came down and the team and Vinny found themselves staring right at six Atlanteans all wearing the same masks that they wore the first time Vinny arrived there, Ronon though held up his gun, unsure of what to do, "who are these guys?" he asked.
Vkinny pushed Ronons gun downwards, "is OK, I know him... err... her" he said pointing to the one Atlantean in the center, the person passed the spear like weapon to the soldier next to her and the mask to the same man, her bright blue eyes and smiling face was all Vinny needed to know that the group was welcome, "hello Kida" Vinny tried to say when he was taking into a hug by the woman, after about a moment Vinny spoke, his voice sounded strangled, "uh... I need some air" he said, Kida smiled and let Vinny go.
"Where are the others? did they not come with you?" Kida asked, the white haired woman was tall, and had the same skin color as Teyla. only thing was Kida was more wondering about the rest of the crew, Cookie, Sweet, Audrey, Packard, Mole, she was glad though that Vinny helped save her home from Rourke.
"Good to see you too, ah, hmmm, well Sweet got himself a job helping out children that are ill, only thing is I'm unsure of where right now. Cookie is back with the Army" Vinny said, he once more had a unlit match in his mouth. "everyone else... uh... they died." he said, his voice had a hint of sadness in it.
Kida nodded, then broghted up, "who are these you bring with you?" she asked seeing Teyla for the first time, the two women stared at the other for a moment. something about the two staring made one of the Atlantean soldiers ask Vinny something, which was in Itliean, 'who is she?'
John spoke up, "I'm John Sheppard, this is Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Rodney McKay and Dr. Beckett" he said introdeucing his team, "we uh, got a call to find out if Atlantis was truly here, only thing is, we actually came from there. And we are really confused about it." Kida looked to John confused, then looked to Vinny, who nodded. John then went on, "So, if you could take us to the head guy here, that'd be great."
Kida smiled, "welcome to the city of Atlantis, Come, you must speak with my husband." She said as Teyla and John traded a look. The latter just gave a half smile and stepped out of the jumper he grabbed Vinny, "is this really Atlantis, because we were just there, you saw it didn't you?" Vinny nodded, "so where are we?"
"Same place, different part of the Earth." Vinny said as the group walked along the newly rebuilt bridge. "uh that is, if the place we came from was from up there" Vinny said pointing upwards..
"Actually that was in a whole different galaxy, what amazes me though is that this place seems pretty nice for being underground for so long." John said, Rodney stepped up beytween the pair.
"Is it just me, or does Teyla and her look alike?" he said pointing to the two women that were talking to the other, "other then hair and eye color they look alike." John looked and nodded, "I see what you mean. But don't worry, hopefully behind the old spear and rocks for axes these people might have a few things we could know about." John said. "Like the possiblity that..."
"... these are living breathing Ancients!" Rodney was as happy as a kid at Christmas, the idea of meeting living Ancients was something even John could not handle, though John could hold his excitement inside better.
"I'm sorry if this is a stupid question." Vinny said, "what?"
"You see, Atlantis was made by people we call Ancients, known in some places as Atlanteans, these people, the city you were in was made by them, only thing is, it could fly." Rodney said giving Vinny a good lowdown on what was up behind the scenes. "So the legend is true, in fact, the city did sink, only on another planet in another galaxy." Rodney conculded as the group made it to the other side of the bridge.
"Yeah but that place was not underwater, I was able to see outside y'know" Vinny said.
"Right well, we brought it to the surface, it was a failsafe that did it, when the shield failed the city rose, that simple." Rodney said. He looked around at the people as they walked, act normal, it is just a city underground on your home planet, act normal Rodney told himself over and over. he leaned over to the Atlantean next to him, "how many of you guys live here?"
"A few thousand of us live in this city." came the reply.
"Well, it is sure not the Atlantis I know." Rodney said.
"What do you mean?" the soldier asked.
"Well for one thing, Atlantis is as big as Manhattan Island" he said, "which is a lot of people" he added seeing the confused look he got. the group stopped and Rodney walked into Ronons back as he stood looking at the now repaired door to the throne room.
They had arrived.