« The shadows of the past »
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Rated: T or M for some chapters.
Spoiler : The action takes place after the last episode of the series
Author's note:
-This fic is the sequel to my previous fics and especially the one entitled "Welcome to Whistler"
- A huge "thank you" to my beta Lanteanscribe who help me with the translation.
Chapter 1 : Sometimes, we'd like to kill someone….
Seven months ago…
A brown cloud of dust rose up under the landing ship. The side door opened and they went down one after the other, and spread out quickly through the deserted streets. The day was barely rising above the ruined city. The morning light had not yet dispelled and the misty streets were littered with rubble and skeletons. They progressed along the empty buildings, knowing exactly where they needed to go.
A small group went into a house whose the roof had been damaged leaving the first floor and the furniture to be prey to the bad weather. One of them, who seemed to be in command of the squad, examined the ground, removing with his foot all the books, scraps and chairs scattered around the room. He then entered what seemed to be a bedroom. Stones fell on the bed, and on the wooden chest against the wall. He went to the cupboard and there, beneath a thick layer of dust, he saw it. He took it and looked it attentively. His face darkened with a furious expression. Then, suddenly, he slipped it inside his black uniform coat and left the room.
The imposing building had better withstood the attack, but not it's the south wing. The second team headed for that part of the building. They came to a miraculously intact metal staircase leading up to the first floor. The explosion had blown in the entire facade. Through the holes of the wall, they could see the remnants of other homes in the city. A field of ruins... Desolation and death. They carefully inspected all the debris around them. After a few minutes, one of them attracted the other's attention and they all gathered around his discovery. They shared a look of complicity before completing their task.
An hour later, all found themselves in front of the ship parked in the middle of the square. The commander talked to his counterpart:
"Do you have it?" he asked.
"Yes. We can go" the other replied, showing the five sealed bags carried by his companions.
"Okay" the first one added with a satisfied tone.
They went into the ship and the aircraft took off slowly before leaving this apocalyptic landscape.
OoooooooooO
Today, City of Atlantis…
"We must talk about very important things, Mr. Woolsey." The man with the gray tie absently leafed through his portfolio.
"Obviously Mr Clarke, we are here to give you some explanations and we hope you could bring us some answers too..." the leader replied, throwing a quick glance toward Sheppard.
"So, the whole team is here, Dr. McKay, Colonel Sheppard, Mr Dex and Mrs ... " The man paused, searching in his file some information about the beautiful young woman sitting in front of him.
"Teyla Emmagan" the Athosian said, staring at him intensively.
Not paying much attention to this revelation, the man continued:
"Good. As I said, you're all here so we can discuss your team's discovery four months ago in the Canadian mountains..." Clarke said, looking to McKay.
"Yes, um ... Well ..." Rodney began, before being interrupted by Sheppard.
"Excuse me! But I think we should first talk about something much more important!" the soldier exclaimed.
"Oh? Something like what? "replied Clarke irritably.
"Like Atlantis! "Sheppard fulminated. "What decision's have been made regarding the city? For eight months we have hung around here without any information! We must go back to Pegasus! The people of that galaxy need us. The Wraith threat has not been eradicated!" Sheppard caught Teyla's eyes.
"Listen Colonel, the city is on Earth now. Do I need to remind you that the Ancient seat in Area 51 has been destroyed by the Wraith attack and that Earth is currently without defense as well? The city has become our only bulwark against a possible Wraith or Goa'uld invasion."
"Ok, the city is a giant ship with an extraordinary weapon and we saved the Earth a few months ago. But now you've studied our weapon's system enough to be able to improve those already in place on the General Hammond and the Daedalus. Both those ships can protect Earth. The people of Pegasus are not so lucky."
"The Athosians depend on Atlantis! "Teyla exclaimed, unable to contain her exasperation anymore.
"Yes of course, but you remember that the city can't reach Pegasus without a new ZPM to ensure its proper functioning once there. And we can just send the General Hammond or the Daedalus to have a look on the people of Pegasus, from time to time." the bureaucrat said.
"From time to time?" Ronon growled.
Clarke ignored him.
"The ZPM found on the Black Tusk Mountain is completely depleted" Rodney confirmed with a sigh. "We maintain the basic systems of the city and the cloaking shield using some conventional naquadah reactors".
"So there's nothing more to add. Let's talk about the Black Tusk Mountain. And another famous discovery, these dissidents from the Ancient people! The ... Dylonians, right? So if I sum up ... " Clarke said, consulting his notes " ... during your stay in Canada you found a cave housing a Dylonian temple".
"Correct ... and elsewhere ..." McKay replied, abruptly cut off by the bureaucrat.
"These individuals were Ancients who did Ascend, but who were not in agreeance to not interfere with the destiny of the people of the galaxy. And so, having taken the decision to help these people despite opposition, they were banned and went into exile, leaving some of them to their mortal coil in order to build these sanctuaries. "
"Not exactly ..." McKay tried again.
"The console contained a dylonian hologram which served as a guide for the eventual realization of Ascension. This console was badly damaged when you started the self-destruction system ..."
"We did not really ..." the scientist insisted.
"Until the console is repaired and if, indeed, it is possible to fix it, these Dylonians remain a mystery".
"Hey! Will you let me finish my sentences please? "the physicist became angry suddenly.
"OK, Dr. McKay, explain to us . "
"Thanks! Well then, I've had many discussions with Dr. Jackson and, oddly, he had never heard of this group even when he was ascended. But his memory was erased when he returned to his body so ... Anyway, we are working on it. And for your information, the self-destruction was triggered because of the shots fired to save the members of our team and as you said, the console is currently out of service. However, we tried to extract some data".
"Mr Clarke, I agree with Colonel Sheppard" Woolsey added. "The Dylonian's case can be studied by Daniel Jackson. Our aim, today, is to bring Atlantis back to the Pegasus galaxy. We need SGC teams to helps us find a new ZPM. Other sanctuaries such as the one in Whistler could possibly be found on planets visited by the Dylonians.
"As I say to you Mr Woolsey, the President did not seem inclined to let Atlantis go ..."
"Mr President or the I.O.A?"
"What are you insinuating Woolsey?"
"I'm not suggesting anything, Clarke, but maybe I should ask for an audience with the President to state my opinion on the subject and provide him with ALL the details of the situation in Pegasus", the leader replied in a tone less than courteous.
At that moment, the conference door opened, revealing Jennifer, who apologized for being late. A little breathless and supporting her cumbersome belly, she sat next to Rodney.
"You can always try Woolsey" replied Clarke with disdain. "As Dr. Keller has now joined us, we can tackle another point. You have a Wraith prisoner in a cell in this city!".
Jennifer faced the inquisitive eyes of the bureaucrat.
"He is not in a cell, but in a stasis chamber. His condition is such that we had put him there in order to avoid his death. His life forces are exhausted and he needs to eat" the doctor explained.
"Is he ready to be questioned?" Clarke asked.
"Certainly not!" Jennifer exclaimed. "Without food, well I mean ..."
"Yes all of us understand Dr. ..."
"He won't survive more than a few hours..."
"It's not enough? "the IOA man replied .
Teyla winced. Ronon remained silent. Sheppard threw a dark glance to Clarke.
"I absolutely do not trust him. It's a Wraith. But he gave us ZPM's to fight against the super hive ship, and he has saved the life of one of our technicians without asking for anything in return" Sheppard commented.
"Perfect ... Which leads me to ask where is your treatment to cure his need to "feed on human's" doctor? Your famous genotherapy? "
"I'm working on it! "Jennifer decreed vigorously ". And I'm progressing well ..."
"With your condition ..." the bureaucrat began.
"I'm not sick, Mr. Clarke, just pregnant! "
"Yes, seven months and a half pregnant... In fact, I have not congratulated you Doctor McKay..."
Rodney refrained from responding. Apparently this guy didn't care about the feelings of hostility he could set off.
"So as I said, to prevent you from being overworked, and with General Staff concurrence and the President's one too, we have decided to give you a collaborator on this project".
"A collaborator?" Jennifer repeated with surprise.
"Yes, Dr. Walter is a renowned geneticist. He will assist you in your work. I know Dr. Beckett and Dr. Lam have conducted research on a plant discovered on a new planet which seems very promising. So I count on you to cooperate with Dr. Walter".
Jennifer was about to protest when Clarke added immediately.
"And by the way, about some newcomers to Atlantis, I inform you that an IOA inspector will be spending a few days with you to check on the proper functioning of the city. "
"What!" Woolsey exclaimed, rising up abruptly.
Clarke seemed satisfied with his announcement.
"Please Mr Woolsey, keep calm! Mr Wilson will make sure everything has been done properly since your return to Earth and will check the progress of the different ongoing research".
"There is no need to check my work ..."
"Orders from Washington, Woolsey. You can talk about it with the President when you go tell him your point of view ... "
Sheppard thought that Richard Woolsey looked like he would knock the bureaucrat off his chair or worse, strangle him with his silk tie. The man looked at his watch and closed his file.
"Well, I think we're done." He said and, rising with no regard for the rest of his listeners, walked toward the exit, leaving the group alone.
Ronon stood up and approached Richard Woolsey, still shocked.
"Do you want me to take care of him?" he asked very seriously.
The leader looked at him with gratitude.
"It would be a great pleasure Ronon ... But with this kind of person, you have to play tight ..."
"You know, we are with you Mr. Woolsey" Teyla said.
"What do General O'Neill and General Landry think about that?" Sheppard asked, knowing he could always depend on the two men who hated the IOA as much as him.
Woolsey sighed.
"They are a little overwhelmed right now with the team trapped on this Ancient ship, the Destiny, lost in the depths of space ..."
"So we're going to have to handle it ourselves this time ..." Sheppard said.
"At least, they did not ask one of their stupid scientist's to oversee my work!" Rodney exclaimed with a look of compassion to his girlfriend.
They went out of the room, leaving Richard Woolsey to fulminate alone in his chair. No! He would not let these miserable IOA rats interfere in the affairs of the city without doing anything! And he knew he could trust on Sheppard and his team, as always.
TBC…
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