Vegas: Evolution

"How paramount the future is to the present when one is surrounded by children."

15 years after invasion.

"Receiving telemetry now. There seems to be one large land mass near the equator…almost a super continent but not quite yet. The various continents are still separated but much closer now. There's an indentation in the center, well, off-center, like an inland lake but I think it is part of the ocean just being closed in by the encroachment of the tectonic plates. Most of the planet is ocean."

Colonel John Sheppard, formerly Detective John Sheppard glanced over at his wife as she was staring at the screen in front of her. Her expression was serious, bathed in the bluish light of the scanner as facts and figures filled the screen. He momentarily scowled. Instead of a long ponytail her hair was now cut shorter and only fell to her shoulders. He preferred her hair longer but resigned himself to wait until it grew back.

Instead he let his gaze wander over her curves, snug in a white t-shirt and khaki pants. He licked his lips, eyes following the swells of her body as salacious ideas filled his mind and he wondered if he could find a way to stow away his two sons in the rear compartment for an hour or so.

"Dad, the ship's detecting interference. Dad?"

John eyed his elder son. Johnny Sheppard was seated in the co-pilot's chair, hands resting on the controls. He didn't need a screen to access the Jumper's information, as his double ATA gene made it all available to him instantly. John activated the HUD and eyed the screen. "Just some residual static from the magnetic belt. Nothing to worry about, junior. Moy, atmosphere?"

Moira Sheppard glanced at her husband suspiciously, as if sensing his carnal thoughts then to the screen in front of her. "Reading normal…oxygen level is a little lower but breathable. No toxins except near that huge crater but it looks to be zoned off somehow. An artificial construct of some kind. Life readings are sporadic but there. Seamus, can you narrow this down to only count the human population centers?"

"Yes, mommy! I mean, mom," Seamus Sheppard corrected hearing the snort of derision from his older brother. He scooted next to her and touched the data pad. His double ATA instantly instructed the instrument as to what he wanted. "Coding in blue, mommy, er, mom."

Moira smiled, kissed his brow. "It's all right, honey. Johnny junior," she warned, glancing over as the other boy snorted.

"Sorry, mom." Yet the boy exchanged a wry expression with his father. He was a younger, mirror image of the older man, even down to the wayward brown hair and the smirk.

"I'm seeing scattered population centers, mostly around the inland sea and on the far coasts." Moira frowned, shaking her head. "There is less than we were led to believe, John. Seamus, can you narrow the parameters?"

"Yes. Where?"

"Here." She pointed to the map of the land mass. Seamus nodded, chewing on his lower lip just like his mother did, but in appearance he resembled his father very closely, even down to the green eyes. "Very good, honey," she said softly, causing the little boy to softly smile. "John?"

"Got it here, Moy. Good job, Seamus! Johnny, how is the cloak holding?"

"At ninety-five percent, dad. Should I boost it?"

"No. That damn, er, darn," he corrected at Moira's exasperated glance, "drive pod is just a little loose. We will have to have McKay fix it when we get back. Again."

"Uncle Rod will fix it, daddy! Uncle Rod can fix anything!" Seamus enthused.

John shrugged. "Everything except the DVD player," John corrected. "We will have to see, won't we, buddy? I just hope Ems is coping all on her own in Atlantis helping Auntie Katie."

Moira smiled at the concern over their young daughter. "I'm sure she is fine, John. She wanted to stay in the city to help Katie prepare the nursery. I told you she has no head for science. Not like these two bright boys here." Pride shone in her voice and the boys beamed.

John snorted. "Wonderful. One scientist is enough in this family!" The boys laughed.

Moira shrugged. "We certainly only need one grumpy detective. Isn't that right, boys?"

"Yes, mom!" they chorused, but giggled as John glowered at them.

"Hilarious, Moira! Locating target for final approach." He frowned. "There are some energy signatures, but nothing of significance. Huh. You'd think the levels would be higher, wouldn't you? Yet another thing the reports got wrong."

"The poles. There's not much ice there but that will change radically once the supercontinent forms," Moira noted. She sighed, shook her head. "We should have brought a team of geologists, John."

"No. They can't be spared from Atlantis right now. Besides, this outing is ours," he countered. "We should have insisted Emily come along with us."

"She would complain the whole trip, dad," Johnny argued, frowning.

"And she doesn't like flying," Seamus added.

"I know, I know, but she's young yet," John grumbled. It irked him that a kid of his, any kid of his would dislike flying. The love of flying was in his blood, even when he had been a detective and effectively grounded from all flight. He had assumed it would be passed on to his kids with a little gentle prompting, and so it had, at least in the boys.

"Maybe she will be a detective. She is a good snoop," Moira noted. The boys laughed.

John smiled. "That she is. Yes, another detective would be fine. Just no more scientists!"

"Spoilsport," Moira taunted, making the boys giggle.

"Dad, can I fly her in?" Johnny asked.

John shook his head. "After that comment, no. Not this time, junior. One more flyby and then we go in. Boys, strap in now. Scans down. Keeping cloak just in case. Radio silence on all frequencies. No need to announce our presence just yet." John's fingers played on the controls. Even after all of this time it still amazed him how easy it was to fly an Ancient Puddle Jumper. Using his ATA and mere thought more than the actual controls under his hands. He shifted in the chair. The Atlantis uniform was comfortable, but he still missed his old rumpled clothes from his detective days. Not to mention a fine Scotch.

Moira sat back, checking to see that both boys were secure in their seats. She ran a hand through her hair, looked at John. His strong profile was drawn in serious lines. Stubble shadowed his jaw and chin. There was more silver among the darker hairs but it only enhanced his handsome appearance. His green eyes were focused out the viewport. His full, perfect mouth was turned downwards, half pout, half frown. Completely irresistible to Moira as her gaze wandered over his long, lean form. Even after all these years he was still impossibly handsome. "John?"

"There is it, Moira. Look."

She drew her admiring gaze from him with an effort and looked out the viewport.

Everyone stared at the planet the Jumper was lazily circling. From space it appeared serene. It was surrounded by space debris and an asteroid field. A moon was caught in its orbit, circling as the planet circled, tilted somewhat on its axis. There were no nearby planets that could be seen from here, but John knew they were out there. This was the only one that contained life, however.

Human life.

It was a blue-green planet that was mostly ocean now, as Novo Pangaea was forming far faster than any geologist has been able to predict. The combination of ecological disaster, the opening of the space/time rift and the impact of a giant Hive ship had inexorably hastened the planet's evolution to this.

Something that should have taken over two hundred fifty million years was happening at an increasingly alarming rate. And nothing could stop it.

But the planet was still home for John and Moira, a home they had grown up on, a home where they had met and fallen in love and gotten married and had raised their children until departing at last for another world.

Exchanging their lives in Vegas for one in Atlantis.

But this planet, this blue-green gem in the vastness of space would always and forever be home to them both.

Earth.