Rogue Element

Blue.

The sky was a brilliant blue. Undisturbed by a single cloud. A vibrant shade that melted into the deeper blue of the ocean's waters as the sky bent to kiss the land. A mirage of the horizon that captured both blues together.

Rodney McKay wasn't interested in the beauty of the scene. In dismay he turned from the sight, ran to the group of monitors in Atlantis's control room. "Anything? Anything at all? They can't have just vanished into thin air! Okay, they did, but that ship has to be somewhere! It has to be a ship, some ship of some kind that our remote sensors did not pick up!"

"There's nothing, Rodney," Radek Zelenka was leaning over two consoles, running scans. "There's only a wait, wait...a blip! Here...it's reading as a Jumper so it could be one of our own."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Rodney ran to Radek's side, all but shoved him out of the way. His fingers flew over the keyboard. "The energy signature is slightly different! Ours are here!" He tapped the screen where a pair of green dots were flying. "Damn it! McConnell, report! Head to vector three two seven! Can you see it?"

"Rodney," Elizabeth Weir said, placing a hand on the scientist's shoulder but it did not calm him.

"No, doctor. There's nothing–"

"He must have a cloaking device! Damn him! He's oh shit, oh shit, I'm detecting a hyperspace window opening at mark six!" Rodney ran to another monitor. "Move!" he shouted, shoving a hapless technician out the way. "Stop him! If he goes through that he could take her anywhere!

Stop him!"

"Rodney," Elizabeth attempted again.

"The Jumpers won't reach him in time...they can't even detect him," Radek informed. Sighed and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Whatever that ship is it is too fast, too hidden."

"McConnell, break off. Repeat, break off pursuit and return to Atlantis."

"What?" Rodney whirled, his voice nearly squeaking in shock as Elizabeth gave the order.

"We can't catch him, Rodney, but we will. We know he has to come back here to access the anomaly, correct? It's the only way home for–"

"What if it isn't? There could be more anomalies out there that open up to his Atlantis, his version of ours! We have to pursue them! We have to! It's my fault! You don't understand! It's my fault she's gone and John will never, never forgive me!" Rodney was starting to hyperventilate in sheer panic, guilt. He turned back to the consoles. "Wait, wait! I can track her! Key in her subcutaneous tracking device and maybe, maybe compute a trajectory!"

"Not through the hyperspace window," Radek reminded.

"Plot a trajectory for that too! Where could he be going? Think! Think!"

"Rodney!" Elizabeth's hand on his shoulder was a firm pressure now. "Calm down. We'll find them. Make your projections and keep all sensory scans online."

Rodney nodded. "I...I...okay, okay, I can do this. I can find them. I have to find them," he muttered, all but collapsing into a chair.

Ronon Dex groaned. Groggy and sore he opened his eyes. Black smoke curled in the air, all but blocking the sight of the blue sky. He sat, too quickly as his head swam. An acrid smell stung his eyes, made them tear. He blinked, blinked, stared round. The village square was a mess. Trees were still burning. Buildings were crumpled like toys. The central square was a desolate chunk of shattered masonry. The statue broken into pieces.

He stared. Jumped to his feet but swayed, sagged to his knees. Peering through the smoke and dust he didn't see John Sheppard anywhere. He located the body of a marine, who was moaning, struggling to his feet. Hearing voices he whirled, gun raised. Saw blood streaking down his bare arm but ignored it.

A man staggered past the burning trees. Fell. Struggled to rise again. Another behind him. Two marines who looked worse for wear but at least were still alive. Unlike another who was sprawled across the rubble. Turning the stones crimson with his blood.

"Ronon!" Evan Lorne ran into view, followed by two marines. Another was helping an injured man into the clearing. "Where's Sheppard?"

"I don't know. He was there." Ronon coughed, pointed at the village square. "What the hell?"

He moved to his feet, looking up at the sky. Dread chilled him. A rumbling shook the ground. Shook the air. Vibrations of pure power. Pure menace. Something was blocking the sunlight, even parting the smoke in its wake. "Wraith?"

Evan looked up to see the Hive ship cutting across the sky. A culling beam shone down. A bluish light tracing along the outskirts of the village. "Down, down!" Evan shouted, shoving Ronon to the rubble, then himself. The men emerging from the burning woods dove out of reach of the snatching beam. The light disappeared. Then the ship as it faded from view, breaking atmosphere as it headed for the stars. "Oh crap," Evan realized. A sick, sinking feeling in his gut as he once more eyed the empty village square.

Ronon had the same thought. He snarled, as if by sheer will he could take the ship out of the sky and force it to deliver its hostage. "We have to go after him!" Ronon urged, taking a lurching step somewhere, anywhere.

Evan tapped his radio. "Reynolds, copy? Bring your wounded to the Jumpers. Dial the 'Gate. Bogeys away."

"What happened to Torres, sir?" Jason asked, his voice crackling on the radio.

"Gone. Blown out of the sky with his team. Let's go!"

"Go?" Ronon turned, blocking Evan before he could head for a wounded man. "We need to find Sheppard! He's on that Wraith ship and you know it! We need–"

"We need to get back to Atlantis! We need to get our wounded and our dead." Evan grimaced at the thought of the obliterated Jumper. The four men upon it. Now gone.

"NO! We need to find Sheppard!" Ronon bellowed, but swayed on his feet.

Evan was not intimidated. "We will. We need McKay to track that ship. We need to tend our wounded and to collect our dead. We don't leave anyone behind, and we won't. But we're down one ship and need reinforcements. Let's go! Help me get Peterson."

Ronon scowled. He looked up again but the ship was lost to view. He swore, nodded, and followed Evan to help the fallen marines.

Moira O'Meara found herself unceremoniously dumped onto a seat. She fought but Sheppard strapped her into the chair, then strode to the cockpit. Moira veered dizzily as the ship lifted, swerved. She stared round at the vehicle, recognizing the hybrid of Jumper and Viper she had seen before in the alternate Atlantis. She leaned with the ship as it veered again, accelerating higher, faster. "This, this is a hybrid ship...you...you brought a ship through the–"

"Yes, Moira," Sheppard rasped, piloting the vehicle. "Once we're clear come up here. The restraints aren't locked. Not yet. I'm sure you have questions."

Moira freed herself, staggered towards the co-pilot's seat. Fell into it as Atlantis grew smaller, smaller beneath them. As the planet rapidly fell away from them. The blue sky dissolved into blackness, into the darkness of space. She shifted, gasped as the seat conformed to her body, her posture.

Sheppard smiled briefly at her reaction. "It's ATA sensitive. Like the Jumper, but more so. Ah."

"Ah?" She stared at him, the similarity to her John Sheppard creepy. Just like the last time. So like John, but not her John. Not at all. "Where–"

"They're trying to pursue. Cloaking. They'll never catch us anyway. They won't even see us, or be able to track us. Pitiful. Your security measures. I mean his," he corrected, speaking of his alternate self. "Taking three teams to capture Ford? That's overkill. Caldwell must be breathing down his neck. God I hated that."

"What...what are you doing here, colonel? How did you access the anomaly? And how can you be allied with, with Ford? Don't you know he's not himself anymore?"

"Are any of us?" he observed grimly. Glanced at her. "Moira. Moira Sheppard?"

"What are you doing here?" she repeated. "Where are we going? Where are you taking me? Colonel, you can't–"

"Rendezvous."

"Rendezvous? What the hell does that mean? Colonel, please! I'm not your Moira. I'm his!"

"No longer. Entering hyperspace."

"What?" Moira exclaimed, staring at the stars streaked around the ship. "No! No! You can't! You can't just abduct me! What are you doing?"

He met her anxious, angry gaze as her voice rose in panic, dismay. He smiled. "What I need to do. The plan was to snatch you, but instead I planted the tags for you to find. I altered the plan. For you. For you, Moira."

"You...you...oh my God! You are working with Ford! Colonel, you are working with the enemy!" she accused.

He raised his hand to slap her, but instead caught her jaw. Drew her into a rough kiss. "I do what I have to in order to survive. You don't understand, Moira."

She shoved back from him. "No! I don't! How could you be in collusion with Ford? Oh my God...John! You set the trap for John! How could you betray yourself?"

"The city fell," he said gruffly. Irked by her outrage. Her concern for that other John.

"What? Atlantis? Your Atlantis..." Words failed her as she stared at him, aghast.

"Yes." He looked away from her. "Those last days...we couldn't hold out any longer. Evacuated as many as possible, but it was too little too late. Hundreds. Hundreds of casualties. Cullings. Killings. With that damn ATA gene they could access our technology, our systems."

Moira stared, appalled. Felt a wave of sympathy, of tears. His voice was even gruffer, harsher. Laced with emotion. Loss and regret palpable. Pain. So like John, yet not him. His handsome face in profile to her. Grim lines, haggard expression. Brooding. Severe. A few scars marred the skin near an eyebrow. "I...I'm sorry. So sorry..." she whispered.

He glanced at her, saw her genuine sympathy, sorrow. "We got out as many as we could, but it wasn't enough. Everything we did...was never enough. I set the self-destruct, armed to only my specific codes. I sent Rodney through to the Alpha site. As we were being invaded by those damn hybrid Wraiths. I was the last man to leave. Submerged the city as the self-destruct timed down...but something happened...only triggered half of it." He stared out the viewport.

"I...I don't know what to say." She touched his arm, drew her hand back, uncertain. "I'm sorry, colonel. I can't imagine..."

"No, you can't." He met her gaze. Green eyes weary. Haunted. "You can't even begin to imagine it, Moira."

His intense gaze was full of sorrow, regret. Anger. Moira felt tears. She looked away from him, trying to keep focus. That this wasn't her John. "Then why did you come here?" she asked. "You wouldn't have abandoned the survivors just for me. No version of John Sheppard would abandon his duty."

"Really? Not even for you?"

She met his gaze. His expression had softened. "Why did you ally with Ford? What does he have that you want?"

He looked at the controls. "Coming out of hyperspace."

"Colonel! It can't just be me! You wouldn't have had to ally with Ford if you only came here for me." She frowned. "Colonel, you have to help me. We have to rescue John. You know you can't leave him in Ford's clutches! He's too valuable. Without him my Atlantis will fall!"

"He won't reveal anything," Sheppard noted dourly. "He'll die before he'll talk. But Ford's got some Wraith gadgetry that will force some information out of him...eventually. Unless he cooperates. Of course, he doesn't have to, now. Since I have you and Ford doesn't. We'll just go back to my Atlantis, shall we?"

"No!" she exclaimed. She could see he was enjoying baiting her, telling her what could befall her John at Ford's hands. "What the hell is going on? What does Ford want with John? Intel? Revenge? You have to help me rescue John!" she demanded.

"I don't have to do anything, Moira," he calmly noted.

"Colonel! We don't leave anyone behind! You must help me! You must!" Sheppard was gazing out the viewport, seemingly immovable to her distress. Possibly even enjoying it as he checked the ship's sensors. "Look...I...I'll make you a deal," she finally said, deciding. Doing what she must to save John. Using what she had. What the colonel would want.

Sheppard looked at her. Gaze narrowing. "A deal?" he asked, a trace of amusement on his handsome face. "Why would I need to make a deal? I have you now. All I need to do is to fly us to the rendezvous, drop into atmosphere, and use this," he tapped a crystal sheaf on the console, "to access the anomaly. McKay's invention. Brilliant. But it requires a lot of power. It can only open this particular reality, at certain points. One on Atlantis. Another on the planet below us. I have what I need to end the Wraith once and for all."

Moira considered. "Okay...okay....it's true you don't need to make a deal. But John Sheppard, any John Sheppard cannot be that callous, even with himself! Or that reckless, to leave valuable intel in enemy hands. Would never leave anyone behind if he could help it. So...I'll make you a deal, colonel. You help me rescue John and get him back safely to my Atlantis."

"And?" he prompted, sounding surly. But pleased as she was falling right into his hands. Had known she would. Knew her weak spot and exploited it fully.

Moira inwardly cringed, but knew she had no choice. Accepted it. For John. "I...I'll do whatever you want. Willingly." She looked at her hands. Stomach clenching, knowing full well what he would want from her.

Sheppard watched her, pretending to ponder. Saw her sorrow, her tension. Her fear for John, the love overriding everything else. "Willingly?"

"Yes."

"Anything?"

"Yes."

"Anything at all? Because you know what I want. What I need. And you would do that? You would go so far as to give him up for me?"

"No. I'd do that to save him. I'd die for him if I needed to...I did, once, sort of...maybe...I'd do anything," she said, meeting his gaze fiercely. "I love him. I love him and I will never love you in the same way. He is my husband, my lover, and I will do what I need to do in order that he survives."

Sheppard frowned, jealous. Pissed. He looked away from her. "He was rash. To marry you. After Nancy. That debacle." He altered course.

"So? Does this mean we have a deal?" Moira asked, wondering about that first marriage. "Can I trust this John Sheppard's word at least?"

"You can." He lunged across to her, yanked her into a deep, hard kiss. Pulled back as she pushed, flustered. He smiled. "Sealed with a kiss. Anything. Willingly. Oh, just so you know, if you renege on this deal I will kill him. Oh, and just so you know I'm not only here for you, Moira. I'm here for reinforcements. Armaments. Ancient tech untouched by the Wraith ATA hybrids. Your systems are more primitive than ours, which will prove useful. Ford doesn't know it yet but I'm taking his organization."

"You...you..." she stammered, staring.

"Yes, I'm playing him. He expects me to be as gullible as your John, but I'm not. I take what I want, what I need. And the rest is just collateral damage. But you...I won't give you over no matter what. Hence the altered plan and elaborate ruse."

"I...I don't understand. Ford wants me as well?"

"Leverage, Moira. If he only knew you were married to John...oh the leverage he'd have over him. He'd bring him to his knees in submission, cut you up like a piece of meat to achieve his ends. But he'll never know. He also wants your scientific knowledge. All that evolutionary theory and Wraith biology. But that's all mine now. I'm protecting you, Moira."

"Protecting me?" she scoffed, but quickly changed her tone. "The science...to what end? Colonel, you–"

"Call me John!" he snapped. "Here we go."

Moira stared as they dropped out of hyperspace. "That's...that's a...a...a Wraith cruiser!"

Sheppard smirked at her shock. "Yeah...cool, isn't it? In we go."