Disclaimer: We own nothing
A/N Tinuviel Undomiel: This idea came from the game Halo which I watched my sister and brother play since I have no knowledge of anything with a controller. When all you Shweir fans read this you will probably be confused and wondering "How are they going to get together?" have some faith in me is all I can ask. Other than that, sit back and enjoy the show.
A/N Nerwen Aldarion: Hey guys, this is a little triloty we like to call the War Trilogy, also known as a our second Libra Trilogy because it is extensive, unique, huge and all together fun to write (and hopefully read) I LOVE the Spanky I have cooked up for you, it is something I've never done before and as always juicy to the core.
Note: the opening is sort of our little commercial. We are very proud of it so I suggested putting it in.
JOHN (VO):
Survival. It's basic instinct in humans.
We are in a constant battle to ensure we make one last breath, one last heart beat.
We survive war, but it pushes us to do so many things.
It leads to anger… (Shot of Ronon and Teyla fighting)
Shortcuts… (Shot of Elizabeth in her holographic form)
Revenge… (Shot of Ronon's assassination attempt)
Hatred… (Shot of Teyla glaring at Ronon)
Betrayal… (Kinsey trying to kill John and Elizabeth)
Secrets… (Shot of Elizabeth inside the Library of Knowledge)
And if we fail, it leads to death (Shot of the Elites falling in battle)
(Shot of John meeting Elizabeth for the first time)
(Shot of Ronon killing Teyla's father)
(Shot of Teyla receiving her father's medal)
(Shot of the Library of Knowledge being destroyed)
This is the beginning.
Casualties of War
Chapter 1: New Friends and Old Enemies
The sky of Barintor was smothered with dark grey clouds heavy with moisture and heat. A small back dart weaved in through the haze until it found the perfect spot to drop its cargo. The projectile whined as it fell from the sky and then hit the ground with a bang. Dirt and plants were ripped from the earth and thrust into the air. A bubble of fire rose up and folded into itself as it spread upwards. The sky was chocked by angry black smoke that burned the throat when breathed in.
The battle field below was speckled with charred holes and bodies. Soldiers scurried about, searching for the next kill and struggling to survive for one more heartbeat. Areits wobbled around with their plasma pistols cackling with glee as they spotted a soldier and fired to end his life.
One battered transport evaded the fire from the Alcean Alliance ships and succeeded in landing. The ramp was lowered and five figures stepped down. Three Areits had been laughing when they saw the ship and were prepared to fire, but they recognized the symbol on these new human's uniform. Two swords were crossed in front of an eagle with the flag of humanity in the background. It was a sign of the deadliest force the Acreus Federation of Humanity had in service. These were the Elites.
Upon seeing what they called monsters, the Areits turned and fled as fast as their stout legs could carry them. The Elites noticed the retreating aliens and their leader delivered the word "Fire!"
Bullets sliced through the air and pierced their bloated bodies. Blue blood spilled from their wounds and puddle into sticky pools on the blackened grass. The Elites stood in formation as an armored G-37 Tank rolled up to the transport. A robust middle age man with fading red hair but a still fiery mustache climbed out of the tank and greeted them with a blank face.
"You the help Hammond sent?" General Mendez asked.
"We are," the leader of the group responded, "I'm Supreme Captain John Sheppard."
Mendez shook his head and spit on the ground, "Five men, that's all Hammond sends."
"Sir, five of our men equals twenty of yours."
Mendez narrowed his eyes, "Is that so? I'd like you to prove it, Captain. Three squads of my men have all tried to recapture that base and they were slaughtered. Let's see how long you and your little band go before you call for help."
The Captain Sheppard smiled, "It will be our pleasure sir."
He took off his wrist com and the other followed suit. He handed them over to the General, "We won't need them."
Mendez stared at the transmitters before accepting them from the Elite, "Okay, superhuman, let's see if your brain is as smart as your mouth."
As they marched away from Mendez and his tank, one of the Elites turned to the captain.
"Don't you think that was a bit rash?"
"Not really," John said, "We need the challenge."
"Oh I'm not saying we don't. I'm just worried that we won't hear them when they call for help."
John laughed and slapped his friend on the shoulder, "That's the spirit, Tarek."
The grey fortress of the base was in poor condition. Its walls were battered and stained from battle. The field surrounding it was littered with bodies of both alien and human. Yet this base was the center of the western wing of the Acreus Galaxy.
John stared over the blood soaked earth and admired is goal. Alliance ships had landed outside the base and he could see Lautians buzzing over the roof as well as Goruuns, the class above the Areits, guarding the outside. He smiled at the challenge like a young boy receiving a gift. This was what ever Elite longed for, what he dreamed of.
Battle.
Six Weeks Later
A crowd of people were gathered inside the ceremonial room in the military base on the space port Cadua.
Admiral George Hammond was giving the proper accolades to a fighter pilot that had taken on three rogue wings, ultimately saving the cruiser Corington. The applause erupted when the pinned the medal on the pilot and saluted in respect. Once it died down he turned his attention to another man that stood apart from the rest of the people in the room
"We have all heard of the accomplishments of the Elites but at the battle of Barintor the Elites proved it by taking on hundreds of Alliance soldiers with so few a number. They fought valiantly and courageously and are the reason why we have recaptured the eighth quadrant." His eyes focused on this particular Elite, "John Sheppard, you stood with your comrades in that battle and now you stand here on behalf of all the Elites." Hammond picked up a medal, "For you and your comrades' courage we honor the Elites with the medal of bravery."
Again applause erupted and when silence returned Hammond's eye turned to the young woman standing before him in military dress, "We all remember the great man Tughan Emmagen and the endeavors he did to help humanity and destroy the alliance. He single handedly stopped the assault on Tritana, led troops to victory at the battle of Mersai, survived six months of torture at the hands of the Alliance and led the invasion on the planet Cortuda. We all knew of his feats before his death and now we honor him today," he looked at the woman, "Commander Teyla Emmagen, please accept the medal of heroism, the highest honor an officer can receive, on behalf of your father. He will never be forgotten."
Teyla stepped forward and accepted the award; she stared at the gleaming disk in her hand, tears in her eyes blurring her view. More than anything she wanted to be in the crowd watching as her father accepted the award, a wish that should be real if his life hadn't been cruelly cut short.
After the ceremony the refreshments were brought out and people began to mill around and converse, after a while the crowds began to thing and now only the receivers of the awards and several high officials remained.
"I understand that you are taking passage on my ship The Cheiron." Teyla said to John Sheppard.
"Yeah, I'll be here a short while longer but then I will return to my comrades," he replied.
She smiled, "Have no fear, my men and I will get you there."
John nodded, "If you're anything like your father I'm sure you can hold your own in a fight," he continued, "and the evidence speaks for itself, you're the youngest Commander in military history."
Teyla smiled weakly, "Thank you for your praise but I'm sure the accomplishments of the Elites will overshadow anything else."
"True but we have advantages," John explained, "besides people would rather hear about the daughter of a hero than advanced humans." He looked at the time, "You'll have to excuse me but I'm late for something."
She nodded and watched him leave, it was the first time she'd ever met an Elite and truthfully she was a little disappointed. Teyla had expected a big imposing figure but Sheppard had looked like an ordinary man. But there was something different about him, like her carried himself carefully to not do harm to anyone else. Maybe once she saw one in action she would understand.
Teyla saw General Jack O'Neill speaking with Robert Kinsey or rather Kinsey was talking to Jack and Jack was trying to ignore him. Teyla could tell that Jack was begging for somebody to save him so she walked over.
"Commander Emmagen, it is so good to see you," Kinsey said to her, the man was like a leech trying to suck the dignity out of everyone he met to further his own desires, "Isn't it wonderful that your father is finally being recognized?"
"Yes well I've always been proud of the man he was," Teyla said and turned to Jack, "General O'Neill, have you seen the supply requirements for my ship?"
"Yes and I've already sent the paperwork through," he replied silently thanking her for coming over before he said something to Kinsey his superiors would regret.
Teyla smiled, "Good because with the extra men I'm going to need…" her voice trailed off when she caught sight of the man walking through the room. Ronon Dex was with several officers of his one rank on their way to report their accounts and finding from their mission.
Jack and Kinsey both caught sight of him as well, Kinsey was outraged. "This is preposterous! How dare he come through here now?!"
Jack was calmer, "I'm sure there is an excellent reason, he is after all returning from a mission from Starla."
"That doesn't matter, something should have been done; he is walking through a ceremony honoring the very man he killed!"
But Teyla barely heard them, her eyes were still locked with Ronon's green ones, she saw nothing else but him as everything else blurred around her except for those eyes.
When was the last time she'd seen him? The day she learned that they were no longer pursuing the case against him for her father's death. He had looked at her with eyes of regret; she had stared back with eyes of hatred.
Teyla watched him leave the room and released the breath she didn't know she had been holding. Ronon was a part of her past in more ways that one and the only way she wanted to see him again is if he was being convicted for her father's murder.
"Are you alright?" Jack asked her, she did look a little pale.
"I'm fine," she replied forcing a smiled, "I'm sure he was only allowed through here because he didn't know what was happening. He is reporting on a mission which only benefits the war for us," she said diplomatically.
Kinsey nodded his head, "Of course."
She smiled again, "I should go; I have things I have to do." Teyla bid them both goodbye before rushing out the door, running from memories that were welling up inside.
Now that the ceremony was over, John went outside the award hall, fiddling with the shiny new medal. It was a trinket, nothing more. Awards meant nothing, battle scars were better proof of courage and heroism.
An older man with black hair spattered with grey and a weathered face was waiting outside for the Elite and he offered him a friendly smile. "I see you are adding to your collection, Supreme Captain."
John's face lit up upon seeing the human commander of the Elites, "Colonel McGrath, what are you doing here?"
"Escorting you to your meeting," he replied vaguely as he shook his hand warmly.
"How do you know about it?" John asked as they walked down the corridor of the port.
"I helped arranged it," McGrath said as they stepped aboard the transport.
The doors closed and the transport let out a hum as it descended down to a lower level, the numbers blinking on the screen. "Shouldn't you be torturing new Elite recruits?" John inquired.
McGrath let out a sigh and shook his head, "The Elite Program has been stalled again for the time being. Kinsey is leading this new band of politicians in trying to completely remove the program. They are spouting about the moral issue again."
"I would be happy to give a statement saying that I have no regrets for my training and advancements," John declared as the doors opened on the transport.
The colonel gave him a sad smile. "That is generous but I don't think that will do much good. For now, we can only have faith that the more good you and your comrades do for the Federation, the more the political side of humanity will see how helpful the Elites are."
John nodded and finally took in his surroundings. They were on one of the lower levels of the spaceport, one he had never ventured to before. The doors were made of a touch steel and the windows were opaque so only those inside could look out through them. "What is this place?"
"This is the science wing."
He frowned, "What am I doing here? I thought I was going to a meeting."
"More of an upgrade," McGrath said, "The doctor will explain when we get there."
He was led to one of the steel doors that had a plaque fused to it engraved with the name Lab 21, Doctor Reynolds. McGrath opened the door and ushered John inside where he was greeted with the sight of steel tables and white walls. Screens with equations scrawled on them decorated the plain walls and a few plaques and pictures. A reclining chair, like one for surgery, was in a separated room off to the side.
A man sat at his desk deeply engrossed with his console. The man John assumed to be Reynolds was apparently in his fifties with graying temples stark against his sandy brown hair. He looked up when the door opened and John could see that he had simple brown eyes that held great wisdom and sadness. Strange, but this scientist seemed to have suffered a lot.
"Colonel McGrath," he said in greeting and then looked at John, "You must be the Elite Supreme Captain John Sheppard." John nodded in reply. "I'm Dr. Edward Reynolds, chief scientists of the AI project."
"AIs?" John repeated, "Artificial Intelligence?"
Reynolds nodded, "I was the pupil of Dr. Finley, who created the first AI."
John had seen a few of these 'smart computers'. They were amazing pieces of technology with extensive brain cores that could contain a massive amount of knowledge. They appeared as holographic human forms, programmed by their creators to maintain a natural figure though they could change their form at any time. They may look human, but John could tell they didn't know how to act like their creators. They were cold in voice, carrying no sense of emotion. But they did as they were ordered with no question of commands.
"That is interesting," John admitted, "but what does AI technology have to do with me."
Reynolds stepped away from his desk and pulled out a series of files, "For the past three years I have been developing a process which will allow an AI to enter a human brain."
John's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "That's cool."
"Indeed," the doctor agreed, "The process is simple. I will implant a microchip into your brain, it's harmless I assure you. The chip is a receiver which will allow the AI passage into your mind."
A suspicious thought entered his mind. "Will this thing be able to access my entire mind and take over my body, cause I don't like that idea."
Dr. Reynolds chuckled, "No, there are measures to ensure that won't happen. She'll merely stimulate your senses and speak to you inside your head."
John frowned, "She?"
"The AI I have planned for you," he explained.
"Where is she?" he asked, his eyes darting around the room.
"Here," a feminine voice said as the image appeared into view in front of him.
If she was human, John would have called her beautiful. She had curly brown hair that flowed past her shoulders. Her body was trim and molded perfectly to the cream colored dress she wore, or at least portrayed in her image. The most attractive part of her was her eyes. The deepest green he had ever seen and they seemed to gaze back at him with emerald facets.
She stared back at him as if measuring him up, a strange thing for an AI to do. She flashed to his left, making him to turn his head. Next she appeared at his right and then behind him.
"Stop jumping around, will you?" he begged. He was starting to feel like he was on display in front of a live audience, naked.
The AI finally appeared in front of him again and she did something he had never seen her kind do. She smiled.
"You're not as large as I thought you would be."
"I'm plenty big where it counts," he replied cunningly but a frown creased his features.
Now she laughed, "You're witty, I like that. I think we'll get along very well."
John's frowned deepened and he exclaimed, "What kind of an AI are you?"
"Edward, you didn't tell him?" she asked creator, again startling John with her lack of formality.
"I assumed Colonel McGrath would have already explained this," the doctor said.
"I find it hard to explain, and figured it would be better coming from you," McGrath replied.
"Elizabeth is a new form of AI," Reynolds began, "I created her from the human brain tissue of an infant. I reverted the tissue to its original state of matter and bound that into the neuropathways that form her core. I call her a 'living machine'." He stated that proudly. "She feels human emotions and this also gives her an unlimited storage of knowledge and lifespan."
"Impressed?" Elizabeth asked John.
"That and a little freaked out," he replied.
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, John," Colonel McGrath said, "If it is too strange…"
"No," he cut in, "It's strange but this can help the Federation. That takes precedence over my…discomfort."
"Well said," Reynolds spoke with admiration, "Shall we begin?"
John was given a sedative so he wouldn't feel the pain as Dr. Reynolds bore a hole into his head. It took a particularly long time for him to cut through the skull cap which was fused with a metal alloy like all the bones in and Elites body to protect against breakage. The chip was implanted and the skull fragment replaced. Reynolds filled the wound with a gel solution that would be a tight barrier against blood and allow the flesh and bone to heal faster.
The doctor gave him another injection to revive him from the sedatives. John was grateful to be out of the haze as the drugs made him feel vulnerable, something that the Elites considered to be a sin.
"Are you ready to give this a try?" Reynolds asked.
Although still a little dizzy, John gave him a nod. Elizabeth's image appeared at his side and gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I don't bite."
"Glad to know," he quipped back.
She faded from view and John began to feel a light pressure in his mind as well as peculiar warmth. Then a voice sounded in his head.
"Hmm, just as I thought: empty."
"Oh ha ha ha very funny," John said aloud and his head was filled with laughter.
"I suppose I try to make up for the fact that none of my kind has any sense of humor at all. They are rather quiet."
"Something I'm wishing you would be," he retorted.
Elizabeth laughed again, "I'm afraid I'm not only intelligent but also curious so it will be rare that you will have any quiet moments with me."
John rolled his eyes, "Perfect," he mumbled.
"You seem to be getting a long well," Reynolds remarked.
"Just peachy, is there any way to shut her up?"
The doctor laugh, "Not only does she have human emotions but she also has the power of choice. I can't stop her anymore than you can."
"Oh goody," he said with false enthusiasm and turned to his commander, "Why did you want me to do this again?"
McGrath smiled, "I'm sure you'll get used to it."
"Elizabeth," Reynolds said, "how about you leave the captain for now?"
John felt the warmth of her presence leave his mind and she appeared beside them. "I will be joining you on your mission to Demitrus."
"You won't have to be in my head the whole time, will you?"
Reynolds gasped a little, "That reminds me." He walked over to his desk and pulled out and circular remote, "This is another receiver. If you ever wish her to pull out of your mind for whatever reason, you simply press this button. That will open the pathway for her to leave."
"Thanks," John said as he took the device from him. McGrath walked over to the door and waited as the Elite turned to look at the AI. "See you later, I guess," he said uncertainly.
She smiled warmly, "You and I will be sharing a rather personal space of yours; it would help if you thought of me as your partner and not just a machine. It might make things more comfortable for you."
He nodded, "I'll give it a try."
He and McGrath left the lab and John rubbed the spot where the chip was implanted in his brain. It was a strange feeling sharing his body with someone else. He wondered if adapting to this situation was going to be easy or even possible at all.
Being a machine gave Elizabeth many wondrous advantages. She could attach herself to the Federation's main computer and slip into files and networks that would normally be closed off to her.
It had taken ten years for Edward to fully complete her but even back when she had only half the intelligence she now carried, Elizabeth had easily figured out her way through the consoles. Many times she enjoyed relieving her boredom by releasing a virus into the main frame or misplacing medical files with mundane supply reports.
Once she had managed to deprogram the keys on the consoles so the when one typed an A or a T they would find a C or G. It had been a lot of fun seeing them struggle a little and try to determine the problem.
General Hammond and that boorish Kinsey had been furious when had managed that trick.
"That contraption is a hazard to our government," Kinsey had accused, pointing a finger at her direction.
"She is evolving," Edward had explained, "In a way she is like a child. I'm teaching her to try and occupy her time with other methods."
"I want that thing destroyed!"
"I don't think that is necessary, Senator," Hammond had said, "We understand how great an advantage she will be when she is complete. But right now you must try and curb her…curiosity."
Like a young girl, Elizabeth had obeyed her creator, her father. She no longer played tricks but she did enjoy hacking into the security cameras and, occasionally, send out a counterfeit order to an officer who she disliked.
After meeting her Elite, Elizabeth chose to follow him using the cameras. He had no idea of her presence and she was content with just watching him. John Sheppard was certainly a handsome specimen. His hair she particularly liked it being in a strange, ruffled style. He walked into his apartments and she though briefly of following but changed her mind. She was sharing his mind which was personal enough; he deserved this small bit of privacy.
Instead she chose to immerse herself into the computer again. It took only three milliseconds of searching for her to find the file she was looking for.
The official record of Supreme Captain John Sheppard was fairly large. She read through the list of battles, over two dozen and was surprised that he was only 28, a young age for a man to have seen so much war as he. He had excellent marks. He had been the best of his regiment ever since his training as a child. It was strange though, he was neither the fastest nor the strongest of the Elites yet he still managed to reach the top.
She had read about the Elites before but now she had the sudden desire to look them up again. Seven milliseconds later, Elizabeth had retrieved every record of the Elites.
The program had been led by a Dr. Karen Hatley. She had searched through orphanages and homeless shelters for children with exceptional abilities. John Sheppard had been three when he was selected.
From the start, the children were put through such a rigorous training that even Elizabeth was shocked. They would have to run through advanced obstacle courses, hike for miles on ends through forests and practice marksmanship at age nine. If they failed to complete these tasks satisfactorily they were stripped of their meals for the next day.
She supposed it was harsh treatment but the rewards had surpassed the expectations of both Dr. Hatley and Colonel McGrath. The Elites were the toughest, strongest and most powerful soldiers the Federation had ever seen.
Criticism of the Elite Program was vast. Many politicians shouted about the moral dilemma of pulling children from orphanages and changing their lives forever. The military viewed the Elites as superhumans, beings of great power that were not to be trusted. They also felt that the Elites were overstepping their battles and running them out of jobs.
Elizabeth pulled out of the network and returned to Edward's laboratory. He smiled she he saw her appear on her pedestal. "What have you been up to?"
"Nothing mischievous," she assured him, "I was simply doing a little research on the Elites and John Sheppard."
Edward shook his head, "I thought you finished that a long time ago."
"Seeing him in person made me curious again," she replied, "I hadn't realized how much controversy the program was in."
"No more than you," he said, "Many of those same politicians see you as a threat as well."
"They feel you created me for more personal reasons rather than for the war," Elizabeth finished and appeared beside his desk.
Her eyes sought out the picture standing proudly on the desk. It was a young girl with long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. She smiled at the camera with as much dazzle as a sun. Her eyes betrayed a loving expression towards the person who captured her image.
"I suppose I was an outlet for your grief," she mused as she continued to stare at the picture, "It was only six months after her death that you began my creation."
Edward ducked down sadly, "Elizabeth was my world," he whispered before looking back at the AI, "I did wish for a companion who would never leave me, but in no way did I create you in the image of my daughter."
"I know," she replied, "I chose to name myself after her. I was always afraid you disapproved of that."
Edward smiled a little and shook his head, "I was honored. You are like a second daughter to me; I'll never regret creating you and giving you a sense of humanity."
Elizabeth smiled and returned to her pedestal. While her creator returned to his work, she retrieved John Sheppard's file again and gazed at the picture for a long time. Would this handsome man be the one to give her what she desperately wanted?
The day came where Teyla's ship The Cheiron was to leave Cadua, she had been busy making sure all the men and supplies were coming aboard which is why she had been more than a little surprised when she was told to report to General O'Neill.
As she got closer to his office she heard his shouts, "This is unacceptable! I don't care how important this is if he get's on that ship he might not make it there alive!" Jack was silent for a moment listening, "Either she'll kill him or her men will and I don't know how much good he'll do for you then." Again he listened and finally said, "Fine but when I have to clean up this mess I'll be sure to mention that I protested." With that he hung up and looked up to see Teyla standing in the doorway, "You're going to want to sit down."
"Is something wrong?" Teyla asked as she followed his orders.
Jack sighed, "You're going to be escorting someone else besides Supreme Captain Sheppard."
Teyla was confused, "I don't see the problem."
"It's Ronon."
As soon as Teyla heard those words she felt the world tilt and honestly thought she might faint, Ronon on her ship? It was unfathomable. She pulled herself together after a moment, "No, I can't have him on my ship."
"There is no other way," Jack explained.
"He killed my father!"
"I know you think that and about ninety percent of the Federation agrees with you," Jack continued, "but nothing was ever proven" he reminded her.
"How could this happen?!" she asked, "I was promised that I wouldn't have to cross ways with him again."
"The squad Ronon was with was attacked by Viscor," Jack began.
Teyla knew about the Viscor, they were a deadly race of the Alliance, round aliens with long legs that would jump onto a human and attach themselves to the person, reconfiguring their DNA and taking over their body. Thankfully their numbers were not so numerous.
Jack continued with the story, "when reinforcements got there they found that ever single member of that squad had been turned into Viscor…all but Ronon."
"Perhaps they didn't blend with him out of courtesy," Teyla said sarcastically.
Jack shot her a disapproving look, "They tried, for some reason they were unable to blend with Ronon, something about him repels them. That is why he is going on your ship; you need to escort him to the lab on Jakerta."
"Why my ship?" Teyla asked, "Surely someone else can take him."
"They want him there as soon as possible and your ship is the only one heading in that direction at the moment," Jack explained, he saw her crestfallen expression, "If they find out what it is that makes Ronon different they might be able to find a way to produce it for the rest of the Federation…it would save thousands of lives."
"You don't have to explain that to me," Teyla told him, "I just find it distasteful that in order to save lives I have to escort the man who took my father's."
Jack sighed, "The importance of getting Ronon to Jakerta outweighs your prejudice…I'm sure you can find a way to avoid seeing him through out the trip though," He paused for a second, "but he needs to get there in one piece, you better explain to your men that if anything happens to him they will be discharged no questions asked."
"I understand," Teyla said standing up to leave his office.
"You didn't always hate him," Jack reminded her, "remember that if you see him."
"I remember that everyday," Teyla informed him, "it only serves to make me hate him more."
On The Cheiron, Teyla stood on the bridge overseeing the reports and her men hard at work. She had been a commander for two years now but she was still in awe over the responsibility she had and the leadership her men needed from her. Sometimes it was on the tip of her tongue to tell them not to salute but then she reminded herself that she was their superior officer and it was their duty to do such things.
One of her officers walked up and saluted before introducing, "Elite Supreme Captain John Sheppard."
Teyla nodded in recognition of the Elite, "It is good to see you again."
"Like wise," he replied.
"Ma'am," the officer continued, "I was also to inform you that an AI will be assisting us on this ship."
Teyla frowned and stared at the pedestal an AI would typically appear on. "Where is it?" she asked.
"Here," John pointed to his head.
The commander blinked at him in surprise and disbelief. "Is this some sort of joke?"
He shook his head, "I'll show you."
He pulled out a circular disc and pressed the button. Within a second and miniature woman appeared on the disk. She flashed again and reappeared on the pedestal before giving Teyla a smile. "Brigadier Commander Teyla Emmagen, I am Elizabeth."
Teyla gaped at the AI with astonishment. "How is this possible?"
"Captain Sheppard has a micro-receiver implanted into his brain," Elizabeth began to explain; "I can hop into his mind and then out at will."
Teyla frowned, "You seem so…"
"Different?" she finished, "I was created with human emotions."
"How interesting," Teyla said.
"And annoying," John added, "Sometimes I can't get her to shut up."
The AI turned her eyes towards him, "Half of that is boredom, the other half is just to annoy you."
"Then try and find some other way to occupy your time," he suggested.
She quirked an eyebrow. "Like what, painting? I suppose I could do what I did during my first year of my creation, wrecking havoc on computers, switching files and uploading viruses."
"Drive him crazy if you must but don't tear apart my ship!" Teyla exclaimed.
Elizabeth laughed, "Don't worry, I only do irreparable damage to the people I don't like. You I like already."
The AI stood up straight for a second and her face went blank, "I have just made a few minor adjustments to the engines, you should be running 20 percent faster without burning any more fuel."
Teyla nodded, very impressed, "Thank you. Would you please see what other modifications you can do to my ship?"
"Right away."
Teyla turned back to the Elite, "Captain perhaps you would like to settle down in your quarters? It will be a long journey to Demitrus."
He nodded, "Thank you."
Teyla went back to the bridge and stared out at the stars in front of her. Yes, being commander was a tiring job that gave her an immense amount of responsibility, but she wouldn't trade her job for anything in the galaxy.
When Ronon was told that he was taking passage on The Cheiron an uneasy feeling had derived from the pit of his stomach, since boarding it had only gotten worse. The ship had now been in route to Jakerta for two days and the stares and murderous looks from the other soldiers had become a daily observance for him. Under normal circumstances he was used to people condemning him with his eyes, the cause for his unease was due to the fact that now he was on a ship under Teyla's command.
He'd gotten a glimpse of her while she was on the bridge speaking with her navigator about something, Ronon was certain that she hadn't seen him. He had been amazed that she was able to command the men with such ease, then again he shouldn't be she always did display as much strength as she did grace. The fact that she was lovely didn't seem to detract from her role as a leader even though he already knew that it had not gone unnoticed from her men.
Now Ronon was in the mess hall doing his best to not meet anyone's eyes and mind his own business, an art he had perfected over the last five years, loneliness was something he had gotten used to. More than once he wondered over the wisdom of not leaving the Federation after the charges had been dropped and truthfully it was getting harder and harder to remember why he had decided to stick around.
Ronon was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice that another soldier had come sauntering up; this was another thing Ronon had gotten used too, mockery from the other men.
"Well you sure don't look hungry anymore," the soldier said swiping the kitchen's staff's attempt at chocolate pudding.
Ronon rolled his eyes, "I didn't realize we were in primary school again."
"What did you say killer?" The man asked with hatred in his eyes.
"I said that if you want to play your games," Ronon elaborated, "why don't you go back to the playground and pick on someone closer to your own intelligence: a second grader."
And just like a second grader, when the soldier took offence to that, he threw the bowl full of pudding at Ronon. But Ronon had expected that and had twisted out of the way causing the pudding to cover another soldier. The latter soldier was angry that his uniform was soiled so he lunged at the soldier that had been mocking Ronon. A fight broke out that the other men in the mess hall quickly circled around, taking bets and cheering for their favorite man, at least until their superiors broke it up.
Ronon was long gone before that, favoring the silence in his room before anyone thought to question him on the fight. But the confrontation with the man had caused him to remember just why he had decided to stay in the military; he wasn't going to let them bring him down.
The shrill sound of alarms woke John from his sleep. He glanced over and saw Elizabeth standing near his bed.
"Get to the bridge," she ordered, "we're under attack."
She disappeared again, probably returning to the bridge, and he quickly threw on his clothes and grabbed his weapons. Out in the corridors, soldiers were scrambling about, some half dressed, desperately trying to reach some sense of order.
The sound of missiles pounding onto the hull of the ship reverberated through his ears as he pushed his way through the sea of men. The lights flickered momentarily, urging him forward.
At last he reached the bridge where Teyla waited for him. "What happened?" he asked.
"We needed to make a stop to recharge the hyperdrive," she explained, "The Alliance was waiting for us here."
"Where are we?"
"Prilloc," she said, "The Alliance must have taken it over in secret; we had no idea."
The ship shook at another booming of torpedoes. "Elizabeth, what's your report?" Teyla called.
Elizabeth appeared in front of them, "The ship is under heavy fire. I've managed to charge the weapons at max but they will overheat if put under too much strain." A far off look entered her arms and then a sense of alarm, "We have been breached! Alliance troops are entering the ship!"
"What kind?" John asked.
"Areits," she said, "as well as Goruuns and Venators."
"Is that all?" he inquired, "This should be easy."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I don't think you understand you battle happy fool. It's not just one or two troops; I'm detecting at least five squads of Areits and over two dozen Goruuns and Venators. Not even you could survive those odds, not on your own."
The ship lurched again, far worse than any shudder before. "The ship isn't going to last much longer," Elizabeth said, "I would suggest beginning evacuations."
"Not without a fight," he swore.
"I knew you'd say that," she groaned, "Men and their fights, you're just begging to get yourself killed aren't you?"
"I have to agree with Capt. Sheppard," Teyla announced, "I can't relinquish my ship without trying to save her first."
The AI sighed, "If that's what you wish I will do my best to recharge our shields and prevent more Alliance troops from entering."
"Where are most of the Alliance soldiers located?" John asked, pulling out his gun.
"Well aren't you eager," she remarked, "The cargo hold has been opened in the stern. Most of them are located there."
"Order all available men to head towards the breaches," he instructed Teyla, "this way we still have a fighting chance."
She nodded in agreement and he heard her give out the orders while he walked off the bridge.
He took out his guns from his belt and locked them into position then Elizabeth appeared at his side in life size form. "What is it?" he asked.
"I don't like this."
"You made that clear."
"Just…don't be stupid," she warned.
John stopped preparing for his little battle and stared at her hard. "Are you…worried about me?"
"Of course," she said automatically and then gave him a smile, "If you died I'd have to find someone else to annoy."
"I may just shoot myself," he replied, only half serious and then coldly walked away. He didn't see the sad look on Elizabeth's face nor heard her sigh before flickering back to the bridge.
John went down the corridors a ways before running into a team of five soldiers already loaded with weapons. "Commander Emmagen sent us to assist you, sir."
"Alright, fan out," he ordered, "shoot anything that doesn't speak basic."
"Yes sir," one of them said gleefully and cocked his gun.
"Let's fry some Alliance ass!" another cheered.
At least they have spirit, John thought to himself. He knew they would never be as good as his comrades but they would get the job done.
The men stalked out in front of him, checking rooms and calling out 'clear!' They were getting closer to the cargo hold when John gave them the signal to stop. Every man froze in his tracks and listened to the still air. The silence was interrupted by the clatter of footsteps from above. All eyes rose to the ceiling and trailed the air vents.
One soldier stood directly under the opening and before John could call his blunder, it burst open and a fat, screeching mass gunned him down with a plasma pistol. The floodgate was opened and Areits poured out and attacked the troops.
"Pull back," John ordered and emptied his guns on the mass of aliens.
He didn't have time to reload so he dropped his pistols and retrieved his knife from his belt. An Areit spied him with gleeful eyes and readied his plasma gun. John whipped the gun out of his claws at a speed no normal human could achieve and gutted the alien with a knife.
As his brother lay dying, an Areit fixed his red eyes on John and filled with fear. "Monster!"
"Look in a mirror before you call me that," he replied and picked up the fallen plasma pistol and shot him in the face.
The total count of dead was four Areits and three soldiers. "I suggest we get out of here," John said, "We should probably split up, we can cover more ground."
"Whatever you say sir," one of them said and reloaded his gun before following his comrade.
John picked up his guns and filled them with ammo. Her scrounged around the bodies and retrieved a few plasma grenades and extra bullets. He sighed over the fallen troops and thought of his Elite friends. Sure all of this was a challenge, one he needed, but good help was hard to find.
He attached his new weapons to his belt and set off down the corridor. The ship had turned into a massacre. Bodies of dead soldiers littered the hallways. The walls were scarred black and riddled with holes. Blood lay in thick puddles and stuck to the bottoms of John's shoes.
He stared at the mess and shook his head. "Times like these, I wonder why war is so exciting," he murmured to himself.
Behind him came a gasp, "They really are animals."
Elizabeth had appeared and she seemed to be terrified by her surroundings.
"What are you doing here?"
"You can't go that way," she said, "There's been another breach. Teyla is ordering everyone to pull back, that includes you."
"I can handle this," he replied.
"Don't be stupid," Elizabeth hissed, "You may be the best of the Elites but even you can't…look out!" she warned as the Venator swung his heavy mace at him from the shadows.
John rolled away but he could hear the whistle from the club as it missed his ear by hairline. The nine foot tall wrinkled monster let out a grunt and ground its teeth together as it raised the mace again to strike.
The lights flickered out suddenly and the Venator groaned in confusion. Using the darkness to his advantage, John attached a plasma grenade to its chest and ran blindly to the other side of the room. He crouched down and covered his head. The Venator let out a shout of pain as it exploded; the whole room shuddered and blood splattered across the walls.
John got up at the same time the lights returned. The room smelt like burnt flesh and black blood smeared the floors and ceiling.
"Are you alright?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'm fine," he said, "Did you turn out the lights?" She nodded. "Don't do that again."
Elizabeth frowned, "I was helping you."
"Elites don't ask for help," he replied, "We were trained from day one to depend only on ourselves."
"But…"
"I'll see you back on the bridge," he said punched the door panel to leave the room.
Everyone on the ship was retreating to the bridge but the Alliance was anxious to keep them fighting. Areits let out idiotic battle cries and tried to sound larger than they actually were. Goruuns used their cunning minds and superior skills to kill the humans, even willing to sacrifice their own troops.
The body count continued to rise and John could see that Elizabeth was right. Evacuation was inevitable.
In the belly of the ship, the battle was still thick. John picked up a rifle from the stiff fingers of a dead soldier and proceeded to shoot the small army of Goruuns. Areits surrounded the area and eagerly tried to shoot him with their plasma pistols. A rhythm set in, he would fire and then duck down behind his crates, fire and duck again.
One Goruun got down on his spindly hands and knees and crawled towards the crates. He was banked up against them and the Monster with the rifle couldn't see him to shoot. His teeth glistened with saliva as he gloated over his plan. With a shout, he leapt up on top of the crates, ready to kill his victim.
A shot rang out through the room but it didn't come from the Goruun or John. A smoking hole ran through the alien's middle and he toppled backwards to the ground. John stood up and looked for his rescuer.
It was a tall man standing on the open story above him. He was large with brown hair styled into dreadlocks. He gave John a little salute and shouldered his sniper again. John hated having someone help him but considering this human had just saved his life, he returned the salute.
Elizabeth waited impatiently in the bridge as the battle progressed. Being incorporated with the ship made this skirmish difficult on her; every time a shot pierced a wall or a grenade exploded in a corridor she felt a shudder through her circuits. It was the closest thing to pain she had ever felt.
"The shields have failed," a technician informed a very tense Teyla.
"I also should tell you that the guns are completely fried," she said tentatively.
Teyla closed her eyes and sighed. She put her head in her hands for several minutes as the ships flickered outside in space. If she was human, Elizabeth would have put a hand in her shoulder in comfort.
"It's over isn't it?" Teyla said in a low voice. At last she raised her head and turned to her first officer, "Give the order to evacuate."
"Yes, ma'am."
An alarmed look appeared across Elizabeth's face. "Oh crap!" she swore and vanished from the bridge.
Not far from the bridge, John felt a rush of energy surge into his brain and he fell to his knees in shock. A sigh of relief sounded in his head. "That was close," Elizabeth's voice said.
"What the hell was that?!" he growled as he climbed to his feet.
The lights on the ship went completely dead and then the back ups kicked into power. "As you can see, the Alliance has completely infiltrated the ship and just cut the main line of power. If I had remained in the ship I would have been completely wiped from the ship's circuits."
"Meaning?"
"Essentially, I would have died. Now would like that to happen?"
"Let me think about it," he muttered and for the first time since she had been in his brain, Elizabeth was silent.
At last she said, "Teyla has given the order for evacuation I would suggest heading that way."
"Has she left the ship yet?"
"No, why?"
"Because if I know her like I think I know her, she isn't planning on evacuating," he said and headed towards the bridge.
Only two people remained when he got there and as he had suspected, Teyla was standing beside the technician with a look of determination on her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked when she saw him, "I thought you had left."
"I'm about to, but first…" he bent down and scooped her over his shoulder, "you're leaving."
"Put me down, Captain!" she shouted and pounded on his back. It was a wasted effort as he couldn't even feel her punches.
She was still kicking and shouting when he shoved her inside an escape pod. "You have no right to do this!"
"We have enough dead heroes," he said, "Have a nice trip."
"Captain Shepp…!" the door closed and he punched the button for the pod to launch.
"I don't think she appreciated your help," Elizabeth voiced.
"The Federation needs her, I had to do it."
"I don't disagree; I'm just suggesting that you might have to watch your back."
The ship lurched from its precarious position in space and started to dip down into the black.
"I suggest leaving this ship at once," she said.
"No arguments," John replied and stepped into an escape pod.
A/N: What did you guys think? Next chapter John and Elizabeth meet Ronon and Teyla becomes a prize in a card game, you don't want to miss it.