Hi everyone. So this idea has been with me for ages and I finally got time to write it. I really hope no one else has done one exactly like this before but this is my take on it. By the way I'm not sure of the title so any suggestions are welcome!
Spoilers: Season 2 and can be set either before or after No Man's Land.
Disclaimer: Don't own it, moths fly out of my purse!
A Darker World
1. The Chest
Colonel John Sheppard kicked a stone and watched it roll over to beside Dr Rodney McKay who was examining a piece of alien technology. He looked at the scientist waiting for a reaction but never received one and shrugged his shoulders disappointedly. Scanning their immediate surroundings he was satisfied that no one was about to pounce on them and took a seat on a nearby boulder.
He kept trying to focus on Rodney but his thoughts constantly wandered to Dr Elizabeth Weir. Usually he would start grinning stupidly as he imagined her face reacting to one of his jokes or how she subtly flirted with him, brushing by him ever so casually making him shiver.
But now all he could see was her frown, her eyes dark and sorrowful and tired expression whenever he approached her. Sighing he thought about everything that had happened recently, causing her to be this depressed.
In the past few months Elizabeth had dealt with a lot. She had had to watch him slowly turn into something ugly and sinister, also refuse him his pleas for death before turning completely into a Wraith creature. She had to authorize the use of torture on one of her own to gain information about a bomb a goa'uld had planted somewhere in Atlantis-this had really thrown her. She had nearly killed ¾ quarters of her expedition team and him because of some insane alien entity hell bent on killing her enemy and using her to do so. And only a week ago watch as Dr Carson Beckett's experiment with a Wraith fail miserably and thus result in Teyla's near death. Not to mention the worry he and his team had caused by not returning as scheduled from certain missions.
John was slowly watching his leader and trusted companion breakdown and he had no idea how to fix it. She now believed she was somehow turning evil, no matter what he or anyone else told her, and that there was no hope for her.
"Aha!" Rodney suddenly cried and stood up straight with a smug expression on his face.
"You got something?" John asked standing up and joining him in the cave.
"I think so." He replied fiddling with another knob and watching as the machine whirred to life. "It's not Ancient but it certainly rivals their technology."
"Cool." John muttered and clicked his radio on. "Ronon, Teyla, McKay's switched it on…wanna get back here?"
"On our way Colonel." Teyla's crackled voice responded and John walked around the silver looking chest.
Looking up at Rodney he raised an eyebrow. "Any gold?"
Rodney sighed. "No-"
"No jewels, necklaces, crowns-?"
"No, no and no." He grumbled folding his arms clearly not amused at his companion's joke. "The energy output for this is huge."
John nodded and then stared at McKay with wide eyes. "Aaaaaand?"
Rodney rolled his eyes. "So obviously it must do something big. Now, it's not a weapon but-"
"Then what is it?"
"Um…I'm not entirely sure." Rodney stuttered looking a little ashamed at his clueless ness.
Footsteps approached the entrance to the cave and their two teammates appeared looking expectantly at their commander. "So? What is it?" Ronon asked in a monotone voice.
"He doesn't know-"
"I just haven't figured it out yet!" Rodney cut off John and bent down beside the chest again.
"Have you tried opening the lid?" Teyla asked her soft voice echoing around the cave.
John and Rodney looked at each other, faces going slightly red and then John muttered. "Eh…no. We were just going to though."
Ronon smirked at Teyla who merely smiled back, eyes twinkling with amusement. Rodney placed his hands on the chest's lid and grunted as he tried to lift it. The others hung back enjoying the scientist's attempts at opening the device and every time failing. He finally cried out in frustration.
"It's amazing how the third strongest person in this team is left to open what seems to be an incredibly heavy lid without any help!" He growled and spun to face his teammates with an accusing face.
He was met by three disbelieved looks. "Third strongest?" John asked raising his eyebrows and then glancing at Ronon.
"Yes." He replied looking innocent.
"Third strongest?" Ronon repeated cocking his head to the side and then glanced at Teyla who lowered her head to hide her grin.
"Oh, alright fourth strongest!" Rodney corrected and then pointed at the chest again. "Now, someone please open this damn thing!"
"No problem." John quipped and then he and Ronon both approached the device.
After much grunting the stubborn silver lid finally eased up and John and Ronon let it fall back to reveal what was in the chest. Neither got to speak since McKay shoved them out the way to get the first glimpse of 'treasure'.
"Hey!" John cried as he stumbled back and joined the scientist to look inside. "Huh!"
"What is it?" Teyla asked, sensing the disappointment in the Colonel's voice.
"Um…a ball." Ronon told her moving to the side to let her see.
"A silver ball, actually." Rodney corrected him and huffed. "Well, that was slightly disappointing."
John shrugged and glanced at his friend. "Well, you said it was giving off energy so it must do something. You'll figure it out Rodney."
"Of course I will." He grumbled back quietly pleased John had so much confidence in him. "Well, let's get this to the jumper and back to-"
Teyla, who held up her hand, silenced him. "Do you feel that?"
"What?" John asked raising his P90 in defense.
"The ground." Ronon stated glancing at Teyla who nodded. "It's moving."
John frowned not sensing anything and was about say so when all of a sudden the ground violently shook. "Crap!" He cried as all four stumbled about until the shaking stopped.
"Uh…maybe we should hurry back to the jumper." Rodney advised worry in his voice and watched John nod with wide eyes.
"Yep, come on. Let's get this to the jumper Ronon."
Just as Ronon and John went to kneel beside the chest to lift it another tremor came this time knocking Teyla and Rodney on to the ground. Ronon and John tried to keep their balance but ended up grabbing hold of the chest where both accidentally brushed the ball with their hands causing a white light to shoot out blinding them all.
John squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away to avoid the glare. Pulling his fingers away from the ball he cursed as the tremors started to fade until they were on still ground again.
Letting one eye open hesitantly he was relieved to see no light and finally took a good look around the cave. Teyla was now copying him as was Ronon and Rodney was still closing his eyes and moaning.
"Well, that was…interesting." John stated and offered Teyla a hand to get up. Not expecting her to accept she did so with an apprehensive smile and then turned to Dr McKay.
"Are you all right Dr McKay?"
"Is it gone?" His muffled voice asked and John shook his head.
"Yeah, Rodney. It's all over." He finally opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief while letting Teyla help him up. "Let's get back to the jumper. Ronon, a little help?"
They made their way through the small forest back to the jumper, John and Ronon carrying the heavy chest.
"I mean, what did it do?" Rodney kept asking dodging fallen branches. "Anyone see?"
"We were all blinded Dr McKay." Teyla said noticing the clearing coming up and informing the group.
"I just hope the jumper is all right." Sheppard grunted beginning to feel the weight of the chest but trying to hide it from Ronon who seemed perfectly fine.
"Oh, I'm sure it's fine." Rodney said smugly. "I mean their very dense and…" He trailed off reaching the clearing before the rest. Finally he stuttered as they joined him, "It's gone."
"What?" John gasped staring at the clear area of grass where they had left the jumper. Instead of their ship sat the Stargate, tall and proud. "The gate? But, I thought-"
"It was situated several miles in that direction." Teyla confirmed confusion etched on her face.
"But, but that's impossible!" Rodney cried walking up to the huge circle. "I mean…how did it move?"
John glanced worryingly at Ronon who merely shrugged. "Rodney, dial home. Let's get out of here before another earthquake comes."
"But-!"
"Not buts Rodney! With the jumper gone we're vulnerable. Let's get home first with this and come back to investigate." John ordered wishing he could dump the heavy technology now straining his muscles. The disappearance of the jumper had him very agitated now too.
"Fine." Rodney grumbled before punching in the coordinates and sending their GDO signal.
When the gate whooshed to life he was the first to step through followed by the rest of the team.
But when they got to the other side a semi-circle of men stood pointing guns at them.
A/N: What you think?