Visitors

Disclaimer: So very not mine.

Summary: Crossover between Stargate Atlantis and Power Rangers Dino Thunder. Secret identity meets military paranoia.

Warnings: Some swearing, a surprising amount of violence in later chapters.

Chapter 7: Communication

"Have you thought this through?"

Conner's a little surprised that it's Ethan quietly asking him this, and not Trent. Then again, Ethan is just as much a strategist as Trent is – arguably better, since he judges a situation by what it actually is rather than consistently finding the worst possible interpretation.

"Not really," Conner admits. He glances back at Trent and McKay, who are carrying the drained, grey-haired marine up the stairs behind them, accompanied by a lot of swearing and irritation from McKay. Trent's given Kira his knife, and she and Ronan are bringing up the rear, watching the dark and pretending like they're not also thinking of a dozen ways to kill each other. "I'm still freaking out over how badly I've f– how badly I've messed up."

"Nah." Ethan bumps a friendly shoulder against Conner's, making the flashlight wobble. "What's Dr O gonna say? Yes, you should have left the innocent civilians to their horrific deaths in order to protect our secret identities?"

Conner gives a harsh bark of laughter. It really shouldn't be as funny as it is.

"Besides it wasn't just you," Ethan continues firmly. "Any of us could have stopped you. You've met Kira, right? She could lay you unconscious in three seconds flat, and Trent and me aren't exactly helpless, so we're all in it together."

"Yeah, but I'm the –"

"So help me, if you finish that sentence with some moronic statement about red rangers being responsible for everything everywhere, I am going to thump you in the head."

He means it too. Conner stops and changes what he was going to say.

"I guess it's not too bad. It's not like they saw us morph. And it's another dimension; I'll bet that doesn't even count." He's warming to his theme. "And Sheppard can't be mad once he hears we saved some of his people."

Ethan's quiet for a second too long.

"What?" Conner demands.

"It's just… I'm not saying we shouldn't have saved them. I agree with that one hundred percent, and so do the others. But this world doesn't have power rangers."

"Yeah, but once we explain– "

"Read my lips, Conner. They don't have rangers. Think about what we look like to them."

Conner doesn't know what Ethan's getting at. It's not like they can even morph at the moment. Compared to what a ranger is normally capable of, they're soft fluffy kittens. Okay, so fluffy kittens that know martial arts. And have super powers. And who lie about what they are and can kill with their bare hands…

"…oh," he says.

"Yeah, oh," Ethan says. "See what I mean?"

"Yeah." Conner bites his lip. He really, really wishes Dr O were here. This situation needs delicacy and tact, and a bunch of other stuff Conner is really bad at. Not that Dr O is much better, according to Hayley, but he has about five years of experience in the uniform and more working behind the scenes, which should count for something. At the very least, it would give Conner a good reason to dump the decision-making on someone else.

Back home, this wouldn't have been a problem. Teams have been revealed before, like the Galaxy Rangers and Time Force, and who hasn't heard of the Astro rangers? Conner had an Andros action figure for way longer than it was cool to have one.

But back home rangers have been defending earth for ten years. People trust them. How would a ranger-less world react?

"Are we interrupting something?" That's McKay's bad-tempered tone from behind them, where he and Trent have stopped halfway up the stairs. "Because we could use a little help, if that's not too much trouble."

Conner and Ethan go back and carry the marine the rest of the way up. Not that Trent needs the break; it's McKay who's looking about five minutes from a heart attack. Conner wonders if him helping carry the marine was a good idea. They'd move faster if someone else took over, but it would also mean one less fighter if they run into another patrol.

"Oh god, my back is killing me," McKay pants, leaning against a wall.

"Two minutes' break," Conner says. "Then we need to get going."

"What if another wraith patrol comes?"

"And what if we walk straight into another one if we keep going?" Conner points out. "They're pretty randomly dispersed, so it's an equal risk either way. At least you'll be able to go faster if you catch your breath."

Conner tries to be matter of fact; there's no point in being a jerk about it. McKay's not a fighter. Conner would be just as outclassed if he sat in on one of Mckay's experiments. Probably even more outclassed; Hayley's the only person Conner knows who might be as smart as McKay, and he's not even sure of that.

While McKay sits down, Trent moves to take watch down one end of the corridor, while Ronan takes the other. He watches the rangers as much as he watches the corridor, which is nothing new; Ronan had never made any secret of the fact he thought the rangers were shifty. While Sheppard and some of the marines had sometimes seemed vaguely uneasy, as if they couldn't quite work out what bothered them about four seemingly average teenagers, Ronan had looked right at them and recognised them for what they were. Dangerous. Conner wishes he knew what had given them away. Do they move different? Talk different? Unfortunately Ronan's not much for small talk, so he can't really work up to it in conversation.

Conner sits down on the top step next to McKay.

"Dr McKay, can I ask you something?"

"So long as it's not about sex or reality television or whatever anorexic child is supposed to be top of the pops at the moment."

"Nah, it's not that. I wanted to know; do we scare you?"

"Subtle dude," Ethan mutters. "Real subtle." Kira gives Conner an exasperated look she had to have ripped off from Hayley. But McKay looks startled and a little worried, as if Conner's question had caught him flat-footed.

"No?" He says in a voice that's in no way convincing.

"Because we're not bad guys," Conner says. "We kill monsters, not people."

"Sure…" McKay's gaze darts between them. "Look, you really want an honest answer?" Conner nods and McKay says: "Why should I believe anything you say? You've been lying from the moment you got here."

"I told you, that's what we do."

"So you're saying you'd never hurt a human? Ever? That you're completely one hundred percent safe?"

Derek flashes through Conner's mind.

"Not a hundred percent," he admits. "But you're not either. All you'd have to do is pull a trigger and you could hurt someone. You might not even have to mean it."

McKay studies him.

"Do you always mean it?"

"I've only ever killed monsters. I've never laid a hand on a person."

"That's not an answer."

Conner doesn't dare look at Trent, afraid of what he might give away. One thing he's sure of is that bringing up Trent's past isn't going to help anyone not be afraid of them.

"At least we kill monsters, not create them." Kira's statement could be completely casual– and it would be except for the way the flat, evaluative gaze she directs toward McKay. Ronan shifts his weight, hand moving casually to his gun.

"What are you talking about?"

"We're not stupid," Kira says. "Those monsters are part human. You only have to look at them to see that."

"Someone created them," Trent agrees, lounging against the wall and eyeing Ronan like he's trying to decide whether the knife would look better in his eye or in his chest.

"That's not –" McKay flushes. "That wasn't us." He's oddly flustered for someone completely innocent and Conner drawls:

"Sure, we believe you."

That, apparently, is a step too far, and McKay rallies himself impressively.

"For someone throwing around accusations of genetic manipulation, you four are pretty suspect. The only way you could recognise human DNA in something like a wraith is if you have a measure of comparison, and after seeing what you can do, I'm guessing you have a lot more in common with monsters than you do us."

His rant is greeted by dead silence.

There's a ringing in Conner's ears and a hot tight feeling in his chest. He really wants to hit something, and the funny thing is it's his own impulse, not ranger instinct. Just rage and hurt and frustration.

"You think we're monsters?" McKay flinches as Conner stands, and Conner gives him a scornful look. "We saved your lives, we've told you things we haven't told our own families, and you think we're monsters. F–" The word changes shape in his mouth, almost choking him. He can't even fucking swear when it's called for. He has to wait until the strangling effect of the censor fades.

Kira is white with anger, Ethan struggling – and failing – to hide a look of deep betrayal. Even though he's the one who'd pointed out that Atlanteans' reaction might not be entirely positive, he probably hadn't expected it to be this bad. Trent's expression is sardonic, with a distinct hint of 'I told you so'.

"Oh calm down," McKay snaps. "I didn't say you were monsters, I said you were like monsters. Don't be so literal."

"You don't joke about things like that," Kira snaps.

McKay's brow furrows.

"Okay, clearly there's a language barrier here. What do you mean when you say 'monster'?"

Kira hesitates, taken off-guard.

"It's complicated."

"Fine, if you'd rather hold a grudge than communicate –"

"It's not that." Kira folds her arms. "It's just…there's a lot of different places monsters come from. It depends."

"So how do you know it's a monster? What makes it a monster to you?"

It's a question Conner has never really had to think about on a conscious level. What makes a monster a monster? Not appearance, definitely. There are aliens and mutants out there who make buckets of crap look attractive, but who would never lay a finger on anyone. It's not even a question of species; Zeltrax used to be human and Conner wouldn't hesitate to classify him a monster.

"Back home…" Ethan looks at Conner for the go-ahead. Conner nods and Ethan continues. "Back home, there are these groups of…well, I wouldn't call them people exactly. Each group has a different agenda; sometimes they want to take power, sometimes they want to just loot and destroy, sometimes they're trying to prove a point and think violence is the right way to do it. They'll use monsters as weapons by sending them out to attack cities."

"Terrorists," McKay says, making it sound like a filthy word. Ethan shrugs.

"Sure, I guess. Some groups make their own, some bring them in from outer sp… I mean, other places. The ones we usually with are genetic recombinations. Like shark, bear, lion; anything dangerous. Though I never figured out the chilli peppers."

"Jesus. What do you do?"

"Kill them," Kira shrugs. "Only thing you can do with a monster."

"And the people who made them?"

"We kill them too, if we can catch them. The only thing worse than a monster is the thing that made it."

Trent shifts uneasily as if he'd say something, and Conner hopes he's not about to bring up his stint as crazy-Trent, but luckily he seems to decide that discretion is the better part of valour and stays quiet.

"So when I compared you to monsters," McKay says to Conner. "You thought I meant you were rapid animals that needed to be put down?"

"That's pretty much it, yeah." Conner tries not to show how much that pisses him off, but has a feeling he's not doing a very good job.

"Well that's not what I was getting at. I was trying to say that I wouldn't be surprised if you were genetically engineered. Not that I'm looking for a confirmation or denial, though I wouldn't say no…" McKay looks around hopefully and scowls. "Okay, fine. Keep your secrets. My point is it's not a bad thing necessarily, just different."

"Oh." That was… nowhere near as bad as Conner had thought. Not even on the same wavelength of bad. He shoves his hands in his pockets. "Sorry. I guess we kind of jumped the gun there." And now that he's calmed down enough to think clearly, it seems pretty frigging obvious; why should McKay mean the same thing they do when he says 'monster'? A world without rangers means a world without monsters.

Well, almost.

"So did you create these 'wraith'?" Trent asks, echoing Conner's thoughts. It's deliberately casual; all his attention apparently on the empty corridor, but Conner knows he's listening intently for McKay's answer.

"No." McKay grimaces, and Conner isn't surprised when he adds: "We woke them up. It was a stupid accident, but we did it and now Pegasus is paying for it."

Trent nods thoughtfully, as if that makes sense to him.

"Accidents happen," he says. "My dad says you make mistakes, and then you clean up after yourself; that's what being an adult is about."

"Your dad, huh?" McKay makes a try at being casual. "So is he like you?" The attempt at being covert is so transparent, Conner laughs. Trent is smiling as he says;

"I'm adopted."

Ronan snorts with laughter. And just like that, the tension is broken. Conner says to McKay;

"Do you think Sheppard will be mad?"

McKay frowns at Conner, as if he's trying to work something out. It's Ronan who says:

"You planning on killing anyone?"

"No."

"Giving away our location to the wraith?"

"No."

"Stealing weapons we need to defend ourselves?"

"No."

"Then you're good." Ronan shrugs matter of factly. "Worst he'll do is make you stay in your quarters until you go home."

"That's all?"

"And yell at you. He yells sometimes when you shoot the wrong person, or at the wrong time." From Ronan's meditative air, Conner has a sudden insight that Ronan is to Sheppard is what Trent is to Conner; the unpredictable sixth ranger to his red.

"Then we'll try not to shoot the wrong person." He realizes what he said a second later. "I mean we won't shoot the wrong person. We won't shoot the wrong person. Or do anything else to them. Promise."

"The fact you feel you have to promise that is worrying," McKay says, but he's smirking as he says it, like he finds Conner hilarious.

Conner dares to hope that things will be okay, as they make their way through the corridors of Atlantis – killing wraith as they go, and he was right; Ronan's gun is pretty damn useful – until they reach the infirmary. Major Lorne is so relieved to see McKay and Ronan alive he doesn't question how the rest of them got out.

"We have a problem," he says, speaking to McKay and Ronan, and ignoring the rangers. "Colonel Sheppard's been captured."