Chapter 1: Athena, protector of runners.
Athena ran as fast as should could in the freshly fallen snow. Her ribs throb from the abuse her over active heart was dishing out; had she been human she would have keeled over from a heart attack by now. Her arms and back screamed their agony of having to drag a man twice her size halfway across a frozen ice land. Her lungs were almost frozen solid, and she was sure that if she blinked her eyes would be frozen shut. She could here the grating sound of wraith ships flying overhead. She could smell the stench of the wraith soldiers inching closer behind her. She could feel the life of the runner she was dragging slipping from him slowly.
She stopped in her tracks to assess the situation. The wraith ships were most likely dropping more soldiers down to the icy wasteland. The wraiths that were previously chasing her will catch up to her in two minutes. With no place to hide she would have to get to the stargate, which sat approximately four minutes away. Some of the wraith the ships dropped would be standing guard waiting for her at the gate. Athena looked down at the runner who sat on her make shift sled. He was wounded and looked like he hadn't eaten anything in a couple weeks. Her new runner was on his last legs. If she didn't get him to her home soon, he would surely die.
"Just leave me. I'll cover you for as long as I can," the runner whispered. "Give me your gun."
Athena looked at him. When they first met, not even a day ago, she promised him that if he came with her she would protect him. Of course he scoffed at the notion (like most in his situation), but she could tell deep down that's what he wanted. He wanted to be protected so he can stop running. That's why she keeps risking her life for all her runners over and over.
"I made a promise," She said between pants, "and I intend on keeping it."
Athena could hear the crunch of snow; the wraith soldiers were getting closer. She had to get to the gate, and she was loosing time. Athena handed the new runner the two guns strapped at her side. She shed her self of all her other weapons, including razor sharp stars, hidden daggers, and a stun gun. She took off her back sheath and held the sword in her hand. Hephaestus made it for her as a gift for her victory in her initial fight with the wraith. With this sword in her hand she had stood a mighty adversary of the wraith. Her name use to bring fear among them, her presence had made them run for their lives. When did all of that change? How did she go from a dangerous goddess in their eyes to an irritating thorn in their side? A barely missed shot by a wraith soldier brought her back to the present. This was going to be sticky and sloppy, but what other choice did she have.
"Yet another day in my life." Athena said under her breath.
" You don't have time to talk to yourself lady," the runner said. "You have to get out of here."
"Yes I know we needed to get out of here," She snapped back. "No matter what happens don't stop shooting."
The runner nodded his head and ready her two guns in his hands. Athena strapped the sword on her back.
"It's irreplaceable," she reasoned with herself.
Athena took a deep breath, grabbed the make shift reins of the sled, and made a made dash to the stargate. During her run her eyes started to glow a dangerous green. Veteran wraith soldiers new what it meant and moved out of her way. Rookies stood against her arrogantly, or in embarrassing naivety. Either way they quickly lost their lives as she opened the stargate with a mere blink of her eye. She didn't have enough energy to channel into dialing device to get to her home so she dialed the second best place to think of. Athena hoped with all that was left in her that the city had not sunk to deep under water that the pressure would kill both her and the runner as soon as they stepped through the gate. This could be worse, she thought. At least she got her runner.
Ronan absolutely hated debriefings, and this one was no exception. He shifted in his chair for the third time in the last minute. He ran a hand over his locked hair and than sat back and let out a silent sigh. Rodney was talking about something they found on planet P3X something, something, something. From what he let penetrate his skull, it had something to do the ZedPM's. He didn't care. All he knew was that this was a waste of his time. He could be doing something more interesting like... Well he didn't know but he was sure it would be better than this.
Ronan seemed to be board a lot lately. He would purposefully get into arguments with Teyla over stupid stuff. He was a little too aggressive with marines during their weekly sparing matches. He even started conversing with some of the many women that approach him on a daily basis. Shepard said he just needed to get away for awhile, and talked Elizabeth into letting the two of them take a jumper to the main land. She cleared it, but every time they were scheduled to go something came up. Last time it had something to do with sensor failure and a seemingly endless manhunt for an intruder that wasn't even there. And this time it's Rodney's theory on ZedPM's that couldn't wait until he and John got back from their trip.
Ronan came out of his thoughts as he realized the room became quite. He looked around subtly to make sure no one knew he wasn't paying attention. When he realized that they were all looking at Rodney with there jaws hanging open he decided it would be a good thing if actually paid attention.
"You mean you figured out a way to recharge the ZedPM's?" Elizabeth spoke up first.
"Well there is more to it than recharging, but yes I did." Rodney said "I think that's what the device we found on our last mission was used for."
"I thought you said that the technology did not belong to the ancients" Teyla interjected.
"Well no, but neither is ours and we are still able to use it on our ships." Rodney explained.
"So how does it work?" John asked slightly impatient.
"I know it might seem like I know everything, but unfortunately I don't. We didn't exactly bring the machine back with us. All I know is that if we get this new machine to work, we may never have to search for ZedPM's again." Rodney turned to Elizabeth, "I'm gonna need to bring the machine back here or we need to revisit P3X7789."
" Alright you all can move out tomorrow morning," She sent an empathetic look Ronan's way "I guess you'll have to wait one more day for your trip."
Everyone stood up and cleared out. Ronan left before anyone else, his boots making a hard clank as he went. He stood on the balcony and overlooked the gate room. He knew he their would be some changes when he signed on to Shepard's team, but this was ridiculous. He needed out. He needed to stretch his legs and feel the breeze against his skin. He needed to smell dirt and foliage. Ronan would kill to be able to go for a run on the beach, or hunt a perfectly dangerous animal. He needed to be apart of life that didn't involve so many people. He needed off Atlantis or he was going to lose his mind. One more day, he thought to himself. And then he and John can take a jumper to the main land and go hunting. He just had to cool his jets until then.
Ronan heard someone call his name and saw Cassie, the lovely new nurse that he had been having relations with a few nights a week. At first he thought sex would do the trick, but that theory proved wrong and now he has Cassie's undivided attention. Not that it was a bad thing. He was about to make his way to her when he heard the gate dial up.
"Unauthorized gate activation and their is no IDC," the gate operator shouted.
"Raise the shield," Elizabeth ordered.
"The shield will not respond."
" Marines to the gate room." Elizabeth barely got the words out before twenty or so men and women swarmed the gate room, guns aimed at the gate and ready to fire.
"What's going on Elizabeth?" John questions as he ran into the gate room himself.
"Unauthorized gate activation."
"Just raise the-"
Elizabeth cut him off, "They won't close. Do you think it's the wraith?"
"Sounds more like the something the replicators are capable of." John answered.
Ronan's attention was drawn to the gate when a women, no taller that 5'2, ran through the gate room with a man on what appeared to be a make shift sled. He noticed how her chest heaved and her how wild her hair looked. Her clothes were thin and torn to shreds. As she ran snow drifted off of her making her look like an angel and wild beggar woman at the same time.
" The gate. Shut down the gate." The man on the sled shrilled. It was obvious he was in his last hours.
A wraith blast came through the gate room barely missing Ronan's head as it whirled past and hit the wall. The woman let go of the reins and with a wave of her hand shut down the gate. Ronan, John and Elizabeth all ran down the steps to get to the intruder. The marines closed in and trained their guns to her.
"Are you ok," The woman said.
"No worse than before," he responded.
The woman nodded and focused all of her attention on the marines. The green glow in her eyes flared slightly, making some of the marines shift uncomfortably. Faster than any of the soldiers could comprehend, the woman drew her sword from her back sheath and stood still in a defensive stance.
"This man with needs medical assistance. Allow me to dial my home and he and I can leave."
"I can't allow you to do that," Elizabeth responded. " You are hurt and so is he. And you were being chased by the Wraith."
"You would hold us captive because we are enemies of the wraith? Do you worship them? Cause if you do, I will tell you that acolyte or not they will not hesitate to..."
" We are peaceful explorers and we mean you no harm. We just can't let you go until we know what's going on here. Besides you look like you need help. We can offer you the medical assistance you acquire." Elizabeth said easing closer to the mystery woman.
"This doesn't look very peaceful to me." The woman said looking around at all the soldiers. She had a point.
"Stand down men." John ordered.
"But sir..." an ignorant soldier spoke up.
"I said stand down."
The marines put their guns away slowly. The mystery woman sheathed her sword hesitantly. Her eyes faded back to their normal black color.
"My name is Dr. Elizabeth-"
"There is no time for pleasantries Elizabeth. My runner is dieing. He needs to see your physicians now."
Every one in the gate room stared at her openly. Their brains not moving fast enough to register what was said.
"Have no worry Elizabeth. I have turned the device in his back off." The mystery woman reassured.
"Of course you did." Elizabeth answered as she hit the com link in her ear. "Medical team to gate room, we have a man down." she turned to the woman " They are on their way."
The mystery woman looked Elizabeth up and down. Soon after Elizabeth could feel a slight throb at her temple. When Elizabeth reached up to touch the spot the mystery woman spoke up.
"You will be safe," She said to the runner "they are humans from Earth. Allies of Thor and the Asgaurd." She turned back to Elizabeth. "Allies of Thor are Allies of mine."
"How did you..." Elizabeth couldn't get the words out before the mystery woman fainted. She would have hit the ground if not for Ronan's quick feet. Ronan gathered the woman in his arms and followed the medical team to the make shift hospital.
"I think we should keep an eye on her. I'll post a guard near her bed." John said.
Elizabeth stood wide-eyed with her hand still to her temple. Some where in the pit of her stomach she felt as though she had just been raped.
"She just read my mind John. She can activate the stargate at her whim and she can read minds. She read my mind."
"I'll make that a team." John responded.