Title: Lines: Diverging One
Author: Marianne H. Stillie
Categories: AU Episode Tag for First Strike
Rating: K+
Pairing: Ronon & Elizabeth
Series: The Lines Series – Story #15
Season: Season 3
Sequel To: Lines: Reconciling, Blending, Hoping, Grieving, Merging, Parting, Joined, Mocking
Summary: The city of Atlantis is damaged and lost in space with her people struggling to survive.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and places for Stargate Atlantis are the property of MGM Worldwide Television Distribution, Sony Pictures Television and Acme Shark Cooper/Wright Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment, not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks are intended. Previously unrecognized characters, places and this story are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Archive: Please do not archive anywhere without the author's permission.
Copyright (c) 2007 Marianne H. Stillie
Author's Note: This is the last Lines Series story for Season 3. Due to the unacceptable changes in canon SGA, AU Season 4 will be diverging significantly from their 'new direction'. In this AU, Atlantis will find a new home, the Asurans will be dealt with once and for all, Earth and the SGC take on threatening roles, Carson is found and a new chapter is opened in Atlantis' fight against Michael and the Wraith. There will be much more on all the personal relationships chronicled in Lines: Joined, especially Elizabeth and Ronon. Two more Season 3 standalones, Epidemic and Lost & Found, will be coming over the next few weeks. I hope you'll stay with me for the next parts of the journey.
Lines: Diverging One
Ronon's hand was soothing on Elizabeth's back as they entered the conference room. After the somber private conversation they'd just had, she knew the tender touch was his silent attempt at dispelling her heavyheartedness as best he could in these last hours. As they took seats at the table, their footfalls made soft crackling noises on the ancient floor tiles. The glass was hard to avoid in certain areas. Shards were everywhere thanks to the Asuran laser that had broken through the asteroid and grazed the city before the shield could be restored. They'd escaped the laser weapon and the Lantean planet only to be stranded in an unknown area of the Pegasus Galaxy with finite hours of protection remaining from the shield.
This time they sat beside each other instead of the usual separation as expedition leader and team member. Elizabeth needed her husband's closeness for what was coming in this meeting. She felt fresh twinges of pain from the stitches and touched the large bandage on her forehead. When she looked at Ronon, she caught his mixed expression of concern and relief. What he didn't show was the pain, in his back and sling-wrapped arm, from the falling debris he'd protected her from as the laser sliced through the edge of the control tower and demolished her office. She couldn't help questioning the how and why of their survival, especially now.
At the sound of fresh footsteps, she looked toward the open doorways. The three key staff members entered, one by one, faces grim and set as they took seats around the table. A strange feeling of déjà vu crawled up her spine as memories from last year's crisis resurfaced. She was very grateful that the three who were missing then, John, Rodney and Ronon, were here, but her heart lurched at this year's missing face. The hurt and damage their city had suffered needed Carson Beckett's presence to fully heal it.
Dr. Tim Weber was the last to enter, gripping his ever-present computer pad tightly against his chest. Elizabeth gave a silent sigh of relief. Carson was missing, but they had a good man in his place.
Elizabeth's eyes went around the table, gauging levels of emotion, from John Sheppard's darting, impatient eyes as he sat beside her husband, to Teyla's steady, waiting gaze across the table next to Rodney. The young Athosian woman had returned to Atlantis only two days ago yet her reactions in this new crisis had been as if she'd never been away.
Clearing her throat, Elizabeth began, "I want to thank all of you for your efforts in the aftermath of this attack. I've never been prouder to be a part of this expedition than I am today. I'm also grateful that you've accomplished the tasks I requested so quickly. We have only twenty-two hours left before the shield fails and we need every minute to prepare our evacuation." When there was only expectant silence, she continued, "Tim, I'd like your report first."
Meeting Elizabeth's eyes directly, Tim said, "There are fourteen casualties with varying degrees of injuries in the infirmary. The two most critical are stabilized and should be ready for transport when the time comes. Despite the damage to the infirmary, there are enough medical supplies and equipment for our needs. My people are already packing." After a brief pause, his steady professional voice continued, "There were five fatalities: Drs. Claudia Biro, Donald Parrish and Jennifer Keller, Lt. Kenneth Rogers and Sgt. Anthony Russo."
Into the sorrowful silence, Elizabeth said, "Thank you, Tim. John?"
John leaned forward, the tension in his mind and body palpable. "One side of the jumper bay was grazed along with that side of the control tower. Two jumpers took the brunt of the damage and are too far gone for repair. That leaves us with eight jumpers for the evacuation. There was no damage to the roof controls but I'd recommend we open it well before zero hour, just to make sure."
After a simple nod at her military commander, Elizabeth's eyes shifted to her chief scientist across the table. "Rodney?'
"As you all know by now, several support areas took the worst of the laser beam, including the mess hall and botany lab. Radek will be heading up the full science team. He and I have put together a list of what the evacuees will need most in equipment, personnel and general survival needs like the hydroponics stores."
"Am I missing something here, Rodney? What about you?" John asked anxiously.
"I'm going to stay in hopes that I just might pull a miracle out of my genius ass at the last minute," McKay answered in an unusually matter-of-fact voice.
"Unacceptable!" John said loudly.
Elizabeth cut in, "We have to be realistic, John, especially in light of your news about the two damaged jumpers. Of the eight left, we need three to carry the bulk of the food, water, clothing, survival gear, medical supplies and weapons. We have to take as much as we can since it may be days before we even find a planet. That leaves only five for passengers with their individual supplies and equipment. At maximum capacity there just isn't enough room for everyone."
A panicked look on his face, John asked, "You're evacuating with the women, aren't you Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth felt her husband's hand cover hers. "I won't let the Asurans kill anymore of my babies." She heard John's relieved sigh and quickly continued with the other subject she needed to discuss. "Even if we hadn't lost jumpers, there still wouldn't have been enough room to evacuate everyone left in the city. All personnel not designated as necessary for the group's survival will be given the opportunity to draw lots for the remaining places."
"I get to choose the other seven pilots, right?" John asked harshly and looked straight at Ronon.
After three years, Elizabeth could read John Sheppard's expressions and vocal inflections perfectly. His behavior had been unusually volatile since he'd returned from the Genii home world. She short-circuited the explosion she knew was about to erupt by placing her other hand over Ronon's, a way of begging her longtime friend not to make this situation any harder than it already was.
"I'll take my chances with the lottery, Sheppard," Ronon said bluntly, diverting his team leader's anger away from Elizabeth.
The Sheppard look changed to cold acknowledgement as the reality of Ronon's altruism settled in his gut. His tone frigidly professional, he said, "All the jumpers should be packed and personnel on board one hour before expected shield failure."
Rodney's voice broke through the tensely hanging silence, "It's going to take split second timing to get all eight jumpers away as soon as the shield goes down. This plan is a huge risk and there are no guarantees that the evacuees of Atlantis will find a safe haven. But at least it's a chance at survival for some if the shield fails."
More silence then Teyla quietly said, "I would like Ronon to work with me to load the mess hall supplies onto the jumpers, Elizabeth."
"Of course, Teyla, and thank you," she said softly. Regaining control of her emotions that had begun to slip during the heated exchanges, Elizabeth said in a strong voice, "We lost friends and colleagues today but the mourning will have to wait. Survival comes first. I would like an update from each of you every three hours. I'll be moving around the city but you can reach me by radio at all times. Again, I'm very proud of all of you."
Without preamble, Teyla got up and made her way to the other side of the table. "As we are of you, Elizabeth," she said and hugged the older woman warmly.
One by one her friends and colleagues quietly left the conference room, leaving Elizabeth alone with her husband. Green eyes met green eyes and each smiled.
"We always seem to be saying goodbye, Ronon Dex."
"There's always eternity, Elizabeth."
"I'll hold you to that promise, my love."
Their arms went around each other tightly and held.