Sympatric Speciation

Orange.

The color blinked. Marking a torturous circuit across the computer screen. Blinking on some planetary designations, but not all of them. Another line of red dots followed a different route. Yet another in green was even more haphazard, blinking in empty space in some areas of the map displayed on the screen. A thin blue line was linking some of the colors, but not all of them.

Moira Sheppard sighed, sipped her Coke. Licked her lips and input more data. Waited as the computer program searched all the required parameters. The lights blinked, blinked at her. She blinked back at them, trying to discern a pattern amid the apparent chaos. A hand snaked up her back, up to tangle in her ponytail. She started, but did not take her eyes off the screen. "John?"

John Sheppard smiled, standing close. "Who else?" he teased into her ear. His voice a warmth caressing her cheek. "Any progress?" he asked, eying the screen.

"No. Well, maybe. Rodney increased the search ratios and I defined the terms more exclusively to what we want, but it will still take time. There may be nothing here, John. I may not be able to even find a distinct migratory pattern, let alone a, a breeding ground."

"You will." He kissed her brow. "I have no doubt, sweetheart."

"Oh oh." She met his gaze. Seeing he was in full uniform. Atlantis black and blue BDUs, TAC vest, P90 swung casually in his free hand as the other continued to caress her back, her hair. "John? You're leaving?" Disappointment shone in her brown eyes.

"Yeah. MALP detected an energy spike so we're off to investigate. Rodney's convinced it's a ZPM and is practically drooling over it." He eyed the screen. Tapped it. "Here, somewhere. Not a planet on your trajectory...but it's out in this grid. Huh."

"Huh? Do you see something I don't, colonel?" she asked

"No. It's just interesting, that's all. That I'll be in the same grid you are currently mapping. This planet has no dots. What does that mean?"

"It means it's been eliminated from the search requirements. No Wraith cullings recorded. No Ancient notations about it. No Stargate activity recorded in the last one hundred years."

"Oh. That's odd, isn't it? I mean, to be devoid of all three criteria?"

"No, not really. There are a few more as you can see. Let's face it, John, these records are not complete. Or maybe too complete. Vast. Until the end of the war when the city sank. There's a huge gap there which leaves us completely in the dark."

"Oh."

She smiled. Touched his chest. Fingered the TAC vest. The pockets. "Oh? Yes, that about sums it up, John, thank you."

He met her gaze, gave her admonishing look. Glanced back at the screen. Licked his lips. Suddenly nervous. "So...um...Moira...I..." he hesitated, gaze dropping to her abdomen, back to her as she assessed him.

"Yes, John. I can wait. I guess a day or two more won't make much difference. To find out," she realized his unasked question.

He smiled. "Thanks, Moy. I want to be there when you find out. Either way."

"I...I want you there, John," she admitted. Looked back at the screen. She had been trying to ignore the possibility of a pregnancy until she could be definitively tested.

John turned her face to his, kissed her lips. Savoring the taste of her. "I will be. Everything will be fine, sweetheart, either way. I promise. Back ASAP." He kissed her again. "Keep on this. You'll find it, Moy, you always do." He kissed her again.

She smiled. "John. Be careful."

"Of course, sweetheart. You too." He kissed her once more, then left. He passed Evan Lorne in the hallway. "Keep an eye on her, major."

"Of course, sir. If this research doesn't put me to sleep first, that is," he quipped.

"Why do you think I'm going on a mission?" John stated, causing Evan to laugh.

John strode into the 'Gate room. Ignored the amused, impatient expressions of his team. "Dial it up!" he called, turned to watch the Stargate's chevrons light one by one. The KAWHOOSH of energy explode outward, then fall into a shimmering wormhole. "Let's head out! I'll take point. Ronon the six. Teyla, babysit Rodney!"

"Hey!" Rodney McKay objected, but dutifully followed his team leader into the event horizon. He emerged onto a flat plain. Moved to the DHD as his three companions spread out, examining the surroundings. Shallow hills shadowed the distances. A cold wind was blowing, stirring up dust and dirt and little else in the way of vegetation. The planet looked abandoned, picked over, as if it had been denuded of any beauty. "DHD functional, as expected." As the wormhole disengaged he retrieved his scanner from his pack.

"Well? Energy spike? I'd like to make it back for lunch," John stated. Nodded as Ronon Dex began a perimeter check. The Satedan circled, big coat flapping behind him in the wind.

"Ha ha. Here we go and...oh."

"Oh? That does not sound good," Teyla Emmagan commented. She stepped round the Stargate to exam the distances. The lack of any roads or dwellings unsettling.

"Oh?" John echoed.

"Yes. Oh. I'm not reading the signature now...but let me keep scanning. A signal that strong won't just go away on its own."

"Unless someone turned it off," John said, glancing round. He eyed the sky. Dark clouds were motionless to the west. Blue lightning sparking intermittently, but there was no taste of rain on the cold air. "Teyla?"

"I am unfamiliar with this planet, colonel. It is not among those we count as trading partners."

"Great. Okay, let's move out. See if anyone's home. Rodney, keep scanning. If you don't pick up that spike soon this mission's a scrub."

Moira rubbed her eyes, straightened. Looked over as Evan did the same. She smiled. "Seeing spots?"

"Cute. Yes. Too many," Evan complained. Sighed. "Are you sure these search parameters are precise? It seems we're just going in circles here, Moira. Considering the age of this data and its relative inaccuracy today what do you hope to find?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. Shrugged. "Some kind of pattern from which we can extrapolate backwards to find the origin. The source. It's just a theory."

"A theory? A crackpot theory, because I don't see much in the way of science here," Evan teased.

"Cute. There is science here but yes, it is mainly supposition." She sighed. "Maybe we need more eyes. Fresher eyes on this, but I don't think anyone would volunteer."

"That wouldn't be a problem," Evan noted. Glanced at the screen as another planet joined the trajectory. "So we're going forward in order to go backward. Right. Here's another one."

"It would, believe me," Moira disagreed. "This isn't any kind of high priority or even low priority work. It's just a, a crackpot theory, I guess."

"Doesn't matter. You'd get any and all volunteers you need. You being married to Sheppard and all. Whatever Sheppard's wife wants she gets," he informed with a smirk.

"Oh? Really?" she asked, eying him as he glanced at the screen again. "I wish. I've been craving a certain flavor of Doritos for months now and I–"

"I'm serious, Moira," he corrected to her sarcasm. "Rank and privileges."

"Really, because I've tried requesting those Doritos and so far I haven't gotten any."

"You need to ask Sheppard. He'll get them for you, I'd bet you any amount of money on that."

She shook her head. "Right. Hey, are you saying that since I am married to the military commander of Atlantis I get certain privileges above even that? Wow."

Evan laughed. "Yeah...it's sad what you have to do to get those Doritos, but yeah."

She laughed. "Cute. Very. I'll have to test this theory of yours, Evan. But I still don't believe you. Not for stuff like this. I see through your plan. You'll say anything to get out of this, but too bad. You are going to help me with this. Oh come on! You are serious?" she asked as he met her gaze, solemn.

He nodded. "Yes. I am. I'm not saying your queen of the city or anything, but whatever you need is at your disposal now. Don't be so naive, Moira."

"Oh." She shrugged. "Whatever. So...who is queen of the city?"

Evan laughed. "Do I really have to answer that one? Hey, let's grab some lunch while this thing computes this stuff. We can check it later. Okay?"

"No. We can eat later. We should keep an eye on it. Oh what?" she asked as he rolled his eyes. "What is it? Do you have something better to do?"

He smiled. "I'm sure I can think of something. Okay, back to work, Mrs. Colonel."

Moira laughed. "That's right, major, and don't you forget it!"

"Well?" John asked, clearly annoyed. He scanned the bleak horizon. Spotted Ronon way ahead of them, striding across the dirt landscape as if he owned it. They had encountered no one. No buildings. Only a few animals that had taken cover at their approach. "Well?"

"You're impatience won't make it oh oh...spiking! This way!" Rodney broke into a jog, surprising John and Teyla who exchanged a glance, followed.

"Ronon!" John called, heading the Satedan in their direction. Rodney was breaking into a run, swerving around boulders and strange plants that looked like brown cactus as if something was pursuing him. John sprinted to catch up to the physicist, leapt over a boulder and landed almost on top of the other man as he had abruptly stopped. "Whoa! Rodney?"

"It's here! There! Look!" Rodney pointed.

John looked past him. "Whoa. Hold up!"

The ruins of a vast city sprawled before them. But it was unlike any human-built city they had seen. The angles were strange. Geometric, precise, but very narrow. Too narrow for any human build. Or Wraith build. John gestured, cautiously advancing, gun at the ready. Twisted metal crunched under his boots. The iron eroded by centuries of weather. Of neglect. Of destruction as scorched walls told the story of an attack. "This isn't..."

"Human," Teyla supplied. Staring round. She stared at the narrow doorways. The corrugated metal that was blistered. An intense heat had melted it.

"Or Wraith," Ronon added. "I've never seen anything like this." He prodded a huge metallic sheet with his gun. It fell over, then collapsed as if made of dust. Silver particles filled the air. He stepped next to John, muttered quietly, "I feel eyes on us."

"Yeah, me too, but no life sign readings," John agreed quietly. "Teyla?"

"I am not sensing the Wraith," she assured. Tightened her grip on her weapon. "Yet I too sense that we are not alone."

"This isn't Ancient," Rodney stated, oblivious to the suspicion of his friends. He was kneeling in the center of a pile of broken machinery. Long pieces that resembled hinged skinny arms. Or legs. "Whatever it was it was very advanced. These pieces...they resemble Ancient tech but are different...more...sophisticated and...hmm...I bet I could fix this. Whatever it was." He pocketed a triangular device. "And the signal? Gone. I think it's a residual echo of...oh no. No! It's on again!"

"Here?" John asked, staring round, as if expecting a giant robot to emerge. Or at the very least a giant ZPM.

"No." Rodney met his friend's gaze. "It's from the, the Stargate!"