As he lay dying in the Nevada desert, his life's blood slowly leaking out from his side, he looked up at the stars and wondered what the hell else was out there.
With the sun behind the mountains, the burning debris from the explosion gave off the last bit of warmth he would ever feel in his miserable life. No sense of redemption here.
Flat on his back staring into violet sky, he vaguely wondered if the explosion had damaged the original paint on his '77 Camaro. Son-of-a-bitch. Funny how the mind wanders on the brink of death.
(I know everything there is to know about you.)
As a disgraced military pilot whoíd disobeyed orders and blown a rescue mission in Afghanistan, he thought he'd seen every possible horror. He was wrong. As a soon-to-be-deceased Las Vegas PD detective, he thought heíd seen every possible weirdness. He was wrong.
He hadn't believed that McKay guy's bullshit before seeing Exhibits A and B. Maybe not even then if he hadn't already witnessed his murder suspect survive, and run away from, a dive off Planet Hollywood into the alleys behind the Strip.
(I'm telling you this because I think you have the same strength of character as that other John Sheppard.)
His murder suspect a life-sucking alien? Feds claiming to be based in another galaxy? Just take the money and leave town, right? But oh no...
(Do not engage. I repeat : do not engage!)
He'd gone and figured out the...what-ever's...location and called it in to McKay. What kind of security clearance can order up an air strike within minutes of getting a phone call, anyway?
Then he'd managed to get himself shot in the initial exchange of gunfire. Stupid, John!
He wished he'd kept the spearmint gum.
(Let me show you your destiny. John. Shep-pard.)
How'd that thing know his name anyway? Oh, yeah, McKay said they can get in your head. Bastard. I had a full house. Now, I'm down here in the dirt.
Shoulda kept driving...the stars...eclipsed. A billowing - what is that - the moon? No, a cloud. There's no clouds in my desert.
A face in the cloud. She reaches down...
(One thing you need to know - I can completely ruin your life.)
...touches his forehead...
(Well, I don't have much of one so go ahead.)
...places her hand on his chest.
His breath slows.
She bows her head.
He hears her speak but her lips do not move.
(It's time to release your burden, John Sheppard.)