Title: Thousand Miles
Characters: John, Teyla, team, and others...
Episode: possible events after EATG
Disclaimer: Sadly, Stargate Atlantis and its characters are not my own. I make no profit, only for fun.
Comment: This fic was done for Scifan1 for this past Christmas' Beya's Secret Elf. I will be posting all of the chapters this week.
Colonel John Sheppard nodded to Mr. Richard Woolsey before joining his team waiting in the Gateroom. For John, these missions had long become routine. But yet, it always seemed like he along with his teammates always found themselves in life or death situations, so there was rarely any mission he took for granted and today's was no different. He had lost many good men on missions that were supposed to be routine.
Walking through the Stargate on any mission, everyone knew there were no guarantees, no assurances that anyone of them would return, but rarely talked about between them. Yet John and Teyla had spoken about the uncertainty of their missions a great as of late. John had made Teyla a promise. It was a promise he intended to keep even if he had to walk a thousand miles to do it. John frowned as the Stargate activated.
0800 hours
The Stargate was activated. Shortly thereafter Colonel John Sheppard and his team enter the event horizon of the Stargate and disappeared through it. Mr. Woolsey watched the team exit the Gateroom from the balcony with his normal casual concern. For him, there were always concern for any mission his numerous teams went on, but this wasn't one of those missions, this was a mission of exploration, possibly establishing new trading partners with the planet's inhabitants.
According to the Intel, they had received about the planet there was no Wraith's presence, but that didn't alleviate his fear. And although with their ongoing battle with the Wraith – the Wraith's dominance that had once reigned in the Pegasus Galaxy had diminished greatly. And their relationship with Todd however, tenuous, had been beneficial to both parties. But the Wraith weren't considered friends by any means. Mr. Woolsey felt that familiar shiver went down his spine. The incident on the Daedalus always reared itself as a frightening reminder even with the passage of time. Trust with the Wraith was like a leave or flower with the changing of the seasons, it blossoms for a season or two, only to die in winterkill.
1500 hours
Mr. Woolsey hurried in the control room. "Amelia…have we heard any word from Colonel Sheppard and the others?" Amelia nodded no. Mr. Woolsey frowned. "Please see if you can establish some form of communication with them. I'm afraid Colonel Sheppard's presence is needed more here at the moment." Mr. Woolsey said, a frown cementing his brow.
"Yes Sir." Amelia turned from looking at Mr. Woolsey, to look at the control panel in from of her. She pressed down on a couple of the controls on the console. "Colonel Sheppard this is Atlantis, please come in. Colonel Sheppard, this is Atlantis please reply." There was no reply. Amelia tried several more attempts, communication was silent. Amelia turned to look at Mr. Woolsey who was hovering close by. "I'm sorry Sir no response from Colonel Sheppard."
Mr. Woolsey looked at Amelia now clearly concern about the status of the Colonel Sheppard and the Colonel's team. "I want you to continue to try to get Colonel Sheppard or any member of his team. Let me know immediate if you do. Otherwise, I think we may have to consider sending out a rescue team or teams if we haven't heard anything from them in the next couple of hours."
Amelia nodded. "Yes Sir." Once again she turned to look at the control panel in front, one of her hands adjusting the radio at her ear as the other touch the controls. "This is Atlantis, Colonel Sheppard, Dr. McKay,…"
1700 hours
"Mr. Woolsey…"
Mr. Woolsey touched the radio to his ear. "Amelia…"
TBC