Hi, my name is Dr. Arianna Marie Jackson and I am one of the "babies" recently transferred to the Stargate Atlantis Outpost. Granted, most of the new people that have come from Earth are usually called "newbie's" or "rookies", I am singularly blessed to be called the baby of the entire expedition. I guess it's only fair since I am only twenty-two. Gotta keep the old buggers on their toes!
However, even with two masters and a Ph.D. in linguistics and history, I think the only reason I was allowed to join the expedition was because I am the last of my kind, that we know of…I am an Ancient.
Now, I bet you're sitting there reading this going "Huh?" or even the more subtle "WTF!" Let me explain. When the Egyptian archeologists uncovered the second ZedPM on Earth, they also found cryostasis pods. And low and behold, in the last pod, tucked away in a corner, was a little, two week old baby…me. Of course there were bodies in the other pods, but let's just say they were less than … alive. The archaeologists had a field day. Just imagine, the answer to everyone's prayer with another fully operational ZPM, and the added bonus of a real live (well frozen) Ancient!
Now, from what I have come to understand from my adoptive father, Dr. Daniel Jackson, they wanted to take me away and do all sorts of little experiments that I am quite certain I would not have enjoyed. Well when my soon to be daddy dearest found out, he had three cows, two horses, and a chicken and somehow finagled it with Uncle Jack (Gen. Jack O'Neill) and adopted me.
That was four years ago. Again you're probably sitting there going, "Wait! Two weeks plus four years does not give you twenty two years old!" Don't worry, I'll explain that too.
After being removed from the clutches of the scientists to the SGC (which was way cooler in my opinion), dad began to notice that I was aging rapidly overnight. It was kind of hard to miss, even for someone who can be as oblivious as dad! It wasn't really a set rate and sometimes happened in spurts, but I was growing weeks, months, and sometimes even years overnight. Needless to say, the scientists wanted me back for testing, one time even went so far as to try and kidnap me but Uncle Teal'c took care of them, but dad and Uncle Jack would hear nothing of it. They did however want to figure out what was going on, so they and Aunt Sam went back to Egypt and carefully went over every single document pertaining to the pods in the database, while I got Uncle Teal'c to teach me how to shoot a P90 and the staff weapon, which, by the way, was so awesome!
Eventually dad stumbled onto the right set of documents. According to the document, I was actually a twenty one year old who they wanted to be able to stand the test of time, but knew that even though the stasis pods slowed the metabolism, it didn't slow it enough to keep me young until I was awakened, so they found a way to reverse the aging process and turned me back into an embryo and put me in the pod which was special engineered to keep the embryo alive while letting it grow at a significantly slower pace than normal.
More reading pointed to that after being removed from the pod, I would begin to age rapidly over the span of three years until I reached the age that I was before they reversed the aging process. Kind of odd if you asked me, but I suppose I must have agreed or volunteered at some point to be part of this little experiment because here I am. I retain some memories, such as the language, important names and faces, dates, facts, and other such things, but I can't seem to remember anything specific about my life, who I was, or even what my name was.
When dad tried to find out, he noticed a lot of gaps in the information, and the only thing he could find that even related to my heritage was a line to whoever found and woke me up. It referred to me as "The Daughter of the Great City", which they took to mean that I had probably once lived on Atlantis, and it told my caretaker's to take care of me so that I may one day be "restored to the City of Life". And that was all it said. It was kind of sad and it made me cry some when I was younger but Uncle Jack, Uncle Teal'c, Aunt Sam, and dad all made me feel better by telling me that I was here, now, with a family that loved me…… No matter how much trouble I got into! That part was courtesy of Uncle Jack.
Dad home schooled me with the help of Aunt Sam and sometimes Uncle Teal'c, and eventually I was schooling him, which was so fun to do especially if Uncle Jack was there to enjoy it. The only time dad allowed Uncle Jack to help him, Uncle Jack taught me the art of sneaking out while dad wasn't paying any attention!
I got my degrees and then delivered the news to everyone that I wanted to go to Atlantis. Needless to say everyone but Uncle Teal'c was firmly against it. They didn't want me getting hurt, or I was too young, or it was too dangerous…after that I just kind of tuned out the complaints and worries and waited until they finished. I then pointed it out that it would be the most logical thing to do because I was beginning to remember how to make ZPM's but I needed the Atlantis database to be sure what I was remembering was correct. I didn't want to blow up a continent in case I was wrong. Besides, according to my "Birth Certificate" from the Ancients, I eventually had to go back.
After much persuasion, begging, pleading, and even the occasional puppy eyes of doom, I got permission. I was so giddy that I hardly listened to any of their conditions, which in the end turned out to be pretty dumb. I later got an email from Uncle Teal'c detailing everything I had missed because he knew I wasn't paying attention. I felt my bubble of joy burst when I read all of the conditions. I would have a group of babysitters on Atlantis, which I just knew the people on Atlantis would be about as happy as I was about that, and depending on the need, I wouldn't be allowed to go off world on any missions, or rather off world…period. That one pissed me off more than anything and I made it known quickly how mad I was about that. Aunt Sam later told me that they had to get dad to translate everything after I left because I was yelling at them in ancient. Oops, my bad.
Well, it got me what I wanted at least. Uncle Jack approved off world missions if and only if I were with Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, military leader off the Atlantis base, Major Evan Lorne, Sheppard's 2IC, or the alien Satedan, Ronon Dex. Why this man Ronon was included in Uncle Jack's exclusive list I guess I would find out shortly. He, Lorne, Sheppard, Dr. Elizabeth Weir, Dr. Rodney McKay, and the Athosian leader, Teyla Emmagan, were supposed to be waiting to greet me, Dad, Uncle Jack, Uncle Teal'c, Aunt Sam, and my platoon of marine body guards when we came through the gate bridge to the other side. I swear overprotective family relations can be such a killjoy, especially when they have the ability to control every aspect of your life.
I packed quickly three hours before we were to leave (because Ancients know I love to procrastinate), and brought everything from my room on the base, which was, believe it or not, was quite a bit of stuff. This mainly being because I lived on the base and not out in the city. Three suitcases and four storage boxes later saw Uncle Teal'c and I walking away from my room toward the 'gate room, him carrying two of my suitcases and I carrying the other one.
Upon arriving, I saw everyone waiting for me and Teal'c and we watched as my storage boxes and suitcases were sent ahead. Glancing around one last time, I walked up next to Uncle Jack and dad and said while grinning, "Permissum nos adepto is secui coepi!¹"
Rolling his eyes, dad translated for Uncle Jack who merely chuckled before giving me a noogie. Scowling playfully, I huffed and joined Aunt Sam and Uncle Teal'c who chuckling quietly at our antics. Uncle Jack turned to the control room window where he hollered up to Sgt. Harriman, "Alright Walter, dial her up! And go ahead and leave the porch lights off, we won't be back for at least two days!"
And with that Uncle Jack, Aunt Sam, my platoon of babysitters, dad, myself, and Uncle Teal'c stepped through the event horizon, in that order.
SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1
The day long quarantine at the Midway station was unbelievably boring and there was absolutely nothing to do except constantly giving my babysitters…I mean bodyguards the slip, which kind of made up for being locked in my room for the last 6 hours of the stay. It was funny watching the marines running up and down the hall past my little hidey hole whining about how Gen. O'Neill was going to kill them for losing his niece…again. I'm just glad Uncle Teal'c was on my side! Otherwise I would have been found in like 3 seconds flat!
Anyway, moving on…literally. Twenty four hours later on the dot, the Pegasus gate dialed into Atlantis, and I felt a sharp tingle of excitement race through me. I was finally going home! Although, I wasn't sure what to expect, I knew that I would happy. Somehow, I just knew.
Uncle Jack had told me earlier that I would be the last to enter just in case something was up and they could keep me on the safe side. I just rolled my eyes and sighed and was about to walk away when I felt a pen hit the back of my head. Turning sharply, I glared at Uncle Jack as he just smiled innocently. Pfft…yeah right.
So I stood and watched as everyone crossed through before me, dad being last gave me a smile and a jaunty little wave before stepping through. Sighing, I waited for the ok. An agonizing three minutes thirty-six seconds and twenty seven nanoseconds later I heard Uncle Jack call me through. With a haughty reply of, "Coming your grace!" I slipped my back pack over my shoulder, took a deep breath, and stepped forward into my future.
SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1
"Welcome, General, Colonel, Dr. Jackson, Teal'c……and a whole mess of marines. Wow." Col. Sheppard noted while saluting then accepting the hand shake from Jack.
"Thanks Sheppard. As for the marines, well consider them an add-on to your already busy schedule. A gift from me to you…and just think, it's not even Christmas." Jack replied easily with a smirk.
"Ah, gee sir, you shouldn't have gone to all the trouble…really." John answered with a grin. He was used exchanging light banter, thanks to the banter fests with McKay. "Well, you all know McKay, Dr. Weir, Teyla, Ronon, and Lorne. So intros aren't necessary. So tell me sir, where's Miss Dr. Jackson?"
"Probably chaffing at the bit wondering what's taking dear old Uncle Jack so long." Daniel replied sidling into the conversation with an easy grin. Smirking in the direction of the gate, Jack touched a hand to his earpiece.
"Alright Jackson, get your ass over here." He said saucily over the connection, grins marring the features of his old team…well Teal'c had more of a slight smirk than a grin. A haughty reply of "Coming your grace," echoed through the earpieces of everyone present. A snort of laughter was heard from Ronon.
"I think I like her already." Sheppard snickered in to the back of his hand.
"Oh, just you wait. She's an angel when she wants to be, but she has the uncanny ability to turn into a P90 on full auto at the drop of a hat. You're gonna have a blast Sheppard." Jack replied with his eyes focused on the gate as his niece appeared through the event horizon. That's when things got weird.
The lights flared brightly making everyone blink in the sudden brightness, balcony doors swung open, and some sort of electric current danced in the air, not touching any one. Arianna gasped and then squealed in delight. Sheppard rubbed his forehead as Atlantis suddenly began singing in his head. Then Arianna began to speak rapidly to the air as the currents circled around her.
"Wow! Es vos Atlantis? Ego can non puto ego sum denique domus! Exspecto… Quis? Meus matris? Quis operor vos vilis? Vos can non exsisto meus matris , vos es a urbs quod ego sum a humanus. Ego operor non agnosco. Retardo! Ego can tantum take adeo notitia simul! Vos ire ut desparatus meus mens!²" Arianna finished with a wince as she grabbed her head. She would have fallen to her knees if Sheppard hadn't quickly stepped forward and grabbed her, gently lowering both of them to the ground with a small grunt.
"Yeah kid, I know the feeling. Atlantis is singing an Opera in my mind too. Just try to breathe through it and let her calm down." Sheppard said panting slightly. "Elizabeth, call Beckett, if she's feeling anything like I am, she's gonna need some of his good stuff." Closing his eyes, Sheppard trusted Elizabeth to do as he asked. Fighting off a wave of nausea, he opened his eyes and looked down at Arianna's scrunched up face and felt her shiver violently despite the warmth of the room. "Ronon, give up your jacket. She needs it."
Nodding, Ronon slipped out of his jacket and gently slipped around the small woman's shoulders. That's when both Jack and Daniel found their voices and apparently were on the same wave length as they shouted in unison, "What the hell just happened?!" Feeling Arianna flinch at the volume and knowing exactly how she felt, Sheppard waved a hand trying to silence them.
"Wait till Carson gets here with his drugs, then I will be more than happy to answer any and all questions that I can. Until then, please be quiet! I feel like Ronon is tap dancing inside my head with an elephant!" Sheppard groaned quietly as Ronon grunted at the very idea of him dancing anywhere, let alone Sheppard's head. About thirty seconds later Carson and two medical teams with two gurneys rolled in, Carson puffing slightly.
Kneeling next to Sheppard, Carson gently reached out to touch him on the arm. When he flinched and glanced at Carson, his eyes widened marginally in realization. "She got you too huh doc? She is being rather loud isn't she? Feels like my head's about to split open. She must feel a million times worse." Sheppard grimaced slightly as he nodded towards the shaking woman still lying curled up in his lap. He mentally made a note not to move his head too much. He glanced down again as he took a closer look at Arianna's hands and then groaned mentally.
"Aye laddie, she is makin' one bloody hell of a commotion and my gene is much weaker than yours. I don't even want to imagine." Carson nodded taking Sheppard's pulse. "Bit quick there, but I guess with your migraine at the moment, it's to be expected. Now, let's get you two untangled so I can look at the wee lass."
"I hope you brought a crowbar then. She's got a death grip on my other hand and my vest. I can feel them spasm slightly, so I don't think you're going to get her off." Sheppard sighed, sliding Ronon's coat off slightly to show his hand and vest to the doctor. Looking closer, he could now see that her finger's had torn through his vest and where actually holding onto a little bit of his shirt underneath.
Beckett attempted to pull her fingers loose, but only managed to crack one of his own. "Aye, looks like she not only fell for you within two minutes of seein' ya colonel, but now she doesn't want to let go either. Aren't you the lucky one. You're both going to have to ride on the same gurney. You mind holding on to her a little longer?" Carson asked, concerned about the steadily decreasing pallor of his young female patient.
Before Sheppard could answer, Arianna began to mumble. All noises ceased as McKay, Daniel, and Elizabeth all moved closer to hear. "Nullus…Ego agnosco Matris…Urbs…Ego Imperium…Retardo!³" She moaned the last word, burying her face into Sheppard's vest as silent tears leaked from her eyes.
Daniel gazed sadly at his adopted daughter then turned to Weir and McKay and said, "I got "No, I understand Mother. City…I control' and then 'slow down.'" At their nods, he knew he heard right. Then the proverbial light bulb came on. "I get it!" He shouted, and then winced as both Arianna and Sheppard flinched. He continued quietly, "The text from Egypt referred to her as the Daughter of the Great City. We assumed that it meant that she had just come from the city of Atlantis. We never even considered taking it literally!"
"Wait, wait! That's impossible! It's a city! There's no way…" McKay was abruptly cut off as Ronon flicked him in the head and nodded to Sheppard and his load. Rodney had the decency to look sheepish as he realized he had been speaking too loudly. "Sorry."
"Let's finish the conversation after we get these two to the infirmary, hmm?" Carson asked before turning back to Sheppard. "You two are in a bit of an awkward position. Can you stand at all Colonel?"
Sheppard grimaced and then shook his head. "Been sitting like for too long doc. She'd not heavy but between her weight and mine and the time we have been down here, my legs went numb. Sorry Carson." Ronon snorted and stepped forward and glanced at Teal'c who had been standing silently next to him. At Teal'c's nod, the two bent down and lifted the two figures off the floor with such ease you'd think they had lifted a rag doll. Sheppard, unprepared, gave a slight yelp and tightened his grip on Arianna. Turning slightly, Sheppard glowered at the grinning Satedan. "You drop me and you get to spend the next ten missions with McKay if and when we split up."
At Rodney's indignant sputtering and Sam, Teyla, and Elizabeth's muffled snickers, the large man chuckled quietly. "Don't worry Sheppard, I'm not dumb enough to volunteer for that kind of torture." At this Rodney threw up his hands and stalked off muttering something about checking for any blown circuits. "Where do you want them doc?" Ronon asked turning to Beckett.
Slightly dumbfounded at the strength of the two men, Carson merely pointed to the stretcher. With a nod, both Teal'c and Ronon gently set their load on the stretcher. Shaking his head, Carson barked out, "Alright, let's go so I kin figure out this mess." And with that the stretcher took off.
Sheppard, feeling tired from the migraine, closed his eyes, giving brief thought to what an odd entourage they must look like: Carson and his medical team with the incapacitated duo on the stretcher followed closely by his team (minus Rodney of course), the leader of the Atlantis outpost, his 2IC, SG1, and an entire platoon of marines. Chuckling quietly, Sheppard tightened his grip on the small woman in his lap and finally allowed the darkness around the edges of his vision to swallow him whole.
SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1SGASG1
Well that's chapter numero uno. Now before these come up in reviews, let me explain some things now. Jack isn't in pain as well because he hasn't had the time to bond with Atlantis so she isn't really on speaking terms with him at the moment. Whether they will be in the future is still yet to be determined. Also, the artificial gene holders like Rodney don't feel or hear Atlantis for exactly that reason, their gene's are artificial.
I tried to cover most of Arianna's back story in the beginning but you have questions, don't fret because more will be revealed in the chapters to come. I just wanted to give you enough to whet your appetite and hopefully force you to come back for more!
Time for translations! This is all Latin so the translations are not exact but they are close enough for government work! I had to remember to not use contractions as I found they do not translate very well……ok, they do not translate at all!
1.Permissum nos adepto is secui coepi! – Let us get this party started!
2. Wow! Es vos Atlantis? Ego can non puto ego sum denique domus! Exspecto… Quis? Meus matris? Quis operor vos vilis? Vos can non exsisto meus matris , vos es a urbs quod ego sum a humanus. Ego operor non agnosco. Retardo! Ego can tantum take adeo notitia simul! Vos ire ut desparatus meus mens! - Wow! Are you Atlantis? I cannot believe I am finally home! Wait...Who? My mother? What do you mean? You cannot be my mother, you are a city and I am a human. I do not understand. Slow down! I can only take so much knowledge at once! You are going to overload my mind!
3. Nullus…Ego agnosco Matris…Urbs…Ego Imperium…Retardo! – No…I understand Mother …City…I control…Slow down!
And I think that about covers everything! Please remember to review! Merry met and Goddess bless!