Stargate Atlantis: S7—Fearful Symmetry
Wrath.
Colonel John Sheppard felt it like a living thing, coursing along his body like a wave of heat. If blood could really boil it probably felt like this. Tension rode nearly every muscle in his body and as he slammed the palm of his hand down on the table all noise ceased. He wondered if it was the expression on his face, as all were staring at him. The cacophony of voices was stilled at last, arguments hanging unfinished in the air, discordant words swallowed by the abrupt silence he had engendered.
John almost allowed himself to smile, but he didn't. Instead he leaned slightly forward on the long mahogany conference table and eyed the startled audience staring back at him. "It's simple, really," he began. His voice was gruff, deep, brooking no opposition or comment. "We've nearly pinpointed the enemy's location. We hit them hard and we hit them fast before they can manoeuver their fleet further into the galaxy. We're bringing as many ships as we can to this fight and I expect our allies to do the same."
His glare ran along the odd assemblage of scientists, bureaucrats, Air Force colonels, off-world dignitaries, allies and assorted Atlantis personnel including a very disgruntled Doctor Rodney McKay. John turned towards a data screen. At his touch a display was illuminated; a real time display of the furthest reaches of the Pegasus Galaxy. A grouping of red dots represented the enemy fleet. They were like red globs of blood amid the scattered stars and planets.
"Within two weeks we will have decrypted their communications adequately enough so that we can intercept and interpret them, giving us the tactical advantage. We will converge upon them here and here…" He pressed a button and the screen came to life as two sets of blue dots began to surround the red ones in a classic pincer move. "And end this threat once and for all."
With a wave of his hand the screen went dark. He turned back to his audience, gaze raking across expressions ranging from anxiety to fear to speculation and anger. "It's simple, really," he repeated. "You're either with us, or against us. You decide. Now."
There was a flurry of protest when Richard Woolsey cleared his throat and moved to his feet. His fingers slid to smooth down his tie, but he wasn't wearing a tie or a suit so his fingers slid along the gray confines of his Atlantis uniform instead. "I think what Colonel Sheppard is saying is that we need all of our allies involved to defeat this threat to the entire galaxy."
"I said what I meant to say," John corrected. His tone bordered on insubordination. Mr. Woolsey was a civilian and nominally in charge of this expedition but John wasn't worried about any military repercussions. Besides, it was John who had saved the city, evacuated it and kept it submerged until the worst of the danger had passed. Now that the city was afloat and populated once more Woolsey was back in command. Except that both men knew that the city and John had a very special connection now, a connection that went past authority and into genetic compatibility that not even others with the ATA gene had.
"What about the Wraith? Are they not your allies as well?"
John's green gaze moved to the speaker, a striking tall woman with curling auburn hair. She wore a tight, low-cut leather outfit and her lips were forming a supercilious sneer that John knew all too well. Larrin was the leader of a group called the Travelers. They were essentially nomads living on ships in space and had helped Atlantis in the past. Having lost their one and only Ancient vessel, however, they were none too keen to aid them now. "Yes, they are, until this threat is eliminated."
"And why aren't they here with us?" Larrin persisted. Her posture was hostile but her gaze nearly devoured the military commander of Atlantis. He was clad entirely in black. Scruff shadowed his handsome face and his wayward brown hair appeared more tousled than usual. His full, perfect lips were forming a scowl and Larrin recalled the taste and feel of those lips on hers during their erratic flirtation years ago.
"I will be meeting with them in a more neutral location."
"You're certain the enemy will be at that location in two weeks?"
John's gaze swung to the questioner. It was a man, hair cut short to match his finely trimmed beard. His gray military outfit marked him as a Genii. Recently they had developed the technology for space travel and were loath to risk their new ships on any venture. In the past they had proven to be somewhat unreliable allies, but beggars couldn't be choosers and John needed as many ships as he could get at his disposal. "Yes. We will have their exact route pinpointed by that time. We have a few listening posts out there, undetectable to the enemy."
"And by then we will have successfully cracked the language barrier and be able to eavesdrop on their subspace chatter, and to translate it." At John's frown Rodney shrugged and glanced round the room. "Just saying…"
"How many ships are at your disposal, and do they have the firepower to stand against these aliens and their fleet?" Ladon Radim was nothing if not persistent. Although valuing his tentative alliance with Atlantis a rivalry would always exist, as well as some distrust.
"We've got enough to hold them off but not enough to ensure victory and some have firepower sufficient to match theirs," Colonel Abraham Ellis answered before John could. "I can't get into specifics at this stage." The truth was that without Ancient ships and only a few Asgard ones the situation was dire indeed.
"You really expect us to risk our ships on this fool's errand in an alliance with the Wraith?"
John glowered, anger flooding him but his voice was quiet, calm. "Either fight with us, or die alone. We're done here." He stalked around the table.
"Colonel! What Colonel Sheppard means is that we value your cooperation and aid against this enemy," Richard began to temporize, trying to head off more arguing and ill-feeling. "As you all know this new alien threat is dire. They have already obliterated several worlds, killing thousands of humans and if we don't stop their incursion into this galaxy many, many more will die. It's true we are outnumbered and outgunned, but I believe we can defeat them. We can defeat them only if we stand together, and yes, that does include the Wraith," he continued, raising a hand to forestall any objections. "The enemy of our enemy and all of that. So please, await our signal and meet us at the rendezvous point in two weeks."
The note of dismissal was unmistakable. Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone moved to their feet, muttering amongst themselves. Rodney stepped round to where John was standing at the back of the room, staring at a star chart. "Well, that went well," he commented.
John grunted in response.
Rodney shook his head and eyed the chart as well, listening to the various sounds of departure amid Richard's conciliatory tones. "You know…we might be up against them by ourselves."
"I know."
"John, a word."
Both men turned at the female voice. They exchanged a glance. Rodney sighed. "Why do you always get the beautiful alien?" he muttered, causing John to briefly smile. With a shake of his head the physicist made his way towards Richard who was still ushering guests out of the room.
"What is it?" John asked.
Larrin smiled at him, stepping closer, but a frown marred her brow as her charms appeared to have no effect on him at all. She rested her hands on her hips, as if to accentuate her figure. "I don't like being kept in the dark. This alliance with the Wraith…if they don't show there's no chance, is there?"
"They'll show."
"What makes you so certain?"
"They have a stake in this too. We all do, and the sooner you realize that the sooner you will give me all the ships that you can."
She tilted her head, as if sizing him up as her gaze met his. "Is that so? Last time things didn't work out so well, Sheppard, if you remember?"
"I remember. Things are different now."
"Different? How so?" He was silent, unreadable. A man etched in stone, all in black. "Damn it, Sheppard, I need more than—"
"That's all you're gonna get. You either meet us at the rendezvous point or you don't. Take it back to your people and convince them."
"We—" She touched his arm but he drew away, scowling.
"We'll be in touch," he curtly noted over his shoulder, dismissing her.
"Sheppard, a word." Abraham glanced at Larrin in passing before returning to the conference room. He waited until the doors had silently closed, giving them privacy. "You and I both know that we don't have near enough firepower to take out a fleet of enemy ships, let alone one or two. The IOA knows it as well and that is why I have only been authorized to join you with one Asgard ship, the Aegis. You and I both know that these so-called allies will only muster up about half of what we need."
"You and I seem to know a lot," John quipped, but anger threaded his tone. "Sir," he added as an afterthought, because Abraham did outrank him. "We don't have a choice. If we don't head them off now they will overrun this galaxy, and who's to say if they'll stop here or try for the Milky Way. In any event the Wraith do have the firepower to even the odds and they will join us."
Abraham frowned, gaze narrowing. "Let me make myself perfectly clear. I know you've seen this threat up close. I know you've lost men to it, and have had other personnel injured by it. I respect both your experience and your judgment in this. Just don't let any emotional considerations cloud your command decisions."
"I won't," John tersely assured. The lights flickered in the room, as if reflecting his inner ire.
"I will hold you to that. As much as I may agree with your assessment of the enemy you and I both know the IOA won't commit to this fight any more than it already has. Unless you've got a few tricks up your sleeve this is going to be a very close engagement."
John smiled. "Oh, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, don't worry." He ignored Rodney's cough as the physicist added his own non-verbal commentary.
"Doctor McKay, you have something to add?"
"Oh, you're going to suddenly talk to me now?" Rodney asked. His acerbic tone was in full force.
"Rodney—" John tried to temporize, but the physicist had never gotten along with Ellis after the colonel had disparaged him years ago. Rodney had never forgotten it, even if Ellis had.
"I have plenty to add, but I certainly wouldn't want to waste your valuable time with any scientific solutions, now would I?"
Abraham frowned. "Doctor, if you have a solution I would like to hear it."
"And I would like a lot of things but unfortunately we can't always get what we want."
"Doctor McKay! If you have something solid to offer and are not just aggrandizing I want to hear it now!"
"Don't worry. Rodney's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve," John offered, trying again to deflect the antagonism but to no avail.
Rodney glared at the other man. "I don't report to you. As far as I am concerned you are just another lackey in a chain of lackeys sent here to nitpick and bombast your way around while the scientists do all of the real work!" Rodney glanced at John. "I'll be in the lab."
John nodded. Before Abraham could reply Rodney had opened the doors and stalked out of the conference room, clearly irritated. John eyed his superior officer. "We should be ready to move in two weeks, give or take, once I get more intel and an exact position."
"How can you work with—"
"He's a genius, believe it or not, so just go with it."
Abraham swallowed his anger and the several curse words floating in his mind. The passage of time has certainly not softened the physicist's temper or ego. "And what about the Wraith?" Abraham asked, dismissing Rodney for the moment.
"I will contact them as soon as I have the pertinent information."
"What I don't understand, Sheppard, is why you don't just fly the city into battle? Atlantis would be more than a match for any alien ship, no matter how powerful."
"I won't do that. I've already explained my reasons." John crossed his arms in front of his chest, intractable.
"So you did, and I am still not clear on them. As you know this city is in actuality a fully functioning ship, and the power she could bring to the fight could tip the scales for us."
"The power she would require would drain every last ZPM that we have. Besides, I won't risk the city, not after having just restored her. Atlantis stays where she is and that's final."
"I still think you are neglecting a powerful resource and—"
"I am not. I am preserving one."
"Fine. I will keep the Aegis in orbit until the attack. Those tricks of yours had better be damn good ones."
"Oh, they are, believe me. They are."
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John stepped into the control room. After Abraham had left John had remained in the conference room, calming himself and shoving the anger back down into a dark place. The lights flickered wildly, as if the city empathized. John moved to a console and eyed the various screens.
"Well, that could have gone better," Richard remarked, joining him.
John shrugged. "And it could have gone worse. Sorry…not a diplomat."
"I figured as much." The men briefly shared a smile. "Look, John, I know that time is of the essence but you've only been back from Earth a few days. Why not take a few days off to—"
"No. As you said, time is of the essence and I'm fine." John looked up to see everyone staring at him, expressions ranging from concern to curiosity. He particularly found the gaze of Ann Teldy unsettling, the flow of compassion from her blue eyes disturbing, especially given their romantic history. John swallowed. "I'm fine." He restored his gaze to the screen. "Bring up the latest schematic," he stated.
Chuck Campbell nodded and wordlessly typed, filling the screen with views of ships and lists of numbers and logistics.
John scanned the speculative readings. He nodded and stepped round to leave the room. The soft touch of a hand on his arm halted him and he paused in the hallway. "Ann?"
"John. Oh John…I just heard. About the car accident," she clarified at his blank look. "How awful for you!" Ann engulfed her former lover in a hug.
John did not return it. He awkwardly stood, stomach churning but his resolve never weakening.
Ann drew back, blue eyes full of worry, beautiful face drawn in concern. "Are you okay? I know, it's a stupid question but you know what I mean. It…it must have been terrible, and then for you to come back here and…"
"Yeah. I'm fine. Excuse me." John tried to extricate himself.
"John, don't. Not with me. You know you can always talk to me. Even about this." Ann kept hold of his arm, searching his gaze, searching his handsome face for any sign of relenting. "Despite what happened between us, I know you were, you were happy with her and I certainly wouldn't wish what happened on you or her or anyone."
"Thanks. I gotta go."
John freed his arm and strode down the hall. He fled the concern. He fled the sympathy.
He fled.