Chapter 7
"Doctor Weir, we have a problem!" Radek called from the control room. It was only a minute or so after O'Neill has left, but already most people have gone to their respective stations. Especially the scientists were in for a busy day, seeing as they were the ones that were to keep Atlantis together through her ascent from earth and her journey back to the Pegasus galaxy. But with three ZPM's the task did not seem insurmountable.
On the floor of the gate room only a small group was still gathered: Elizabeth Weir, John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Sitnalta and one squirming dog. At Radek's worried voice, Elizabeth turned and ran up the stairs. Once more she was in command of the city.
As John followed Elizabeth up the stairs, Rodney picked Sitnalta up and carried her up the wide stairway. One of the marines hovering in the gate room brought the wheelchair. John joined Elizabeth just as Radek started explaining the problem.
"We have multiple contacts headed this way," the Czech informed them, pointing at the dots on the screen.
"Helicopters?" Elizabeth asked.
"No, they're coming in too fast," Radek corrected her. "Probably fighter planes."
"Rodney!" Elizabeth called, turning her body towards the scientist, but her face still turned towards the screen; eyes focussed on the impending doom.
"I'm on it!" the scientist replied as John sprinted up the stairs to the control chair. Behind him he could hear Rodney telling Chuck to drop the cloak and activate the shields.
"Sheppard!" Rodney's anxious voice yelled in his ear through the ear piece.
"Give me a moment, McKay!" he yelled back. He was already running as fast as he can and within moments the room with the dreaded chair came into view. He ran into the room and in one movement ran up to the chair, grabbed an armrest to help him turn and sat down. Moments later the chair activated and leaned back.
"Ready!" he yelled; the channel between him and McKay still open. He concentrated a moment. Then a terrible rumble filled the whole of Atlantis as the star-drive activated. A small part of his brain wondered if everyone was safely seated or strapped down, for the rumble was accompanied by a jaw-shattering vibration.
Seemingly slowly Atlantis rose from the ocean.
But then another jolt shook the space-city...
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"They're firing at us!" Rodney exclaimed, disbelieving. "They're actually firing at us!" he repeated as another jolt from an impacting missile nearly made him topple over.
Elizabeth tapped her ear piece. "John," she calmly told him, "just keep her steady." The urge to see the fight suddenly overwhelmed her. And the best place to do it was the balcony behind the control-room.
Seconds later she was watching the city's flight through the slight shimmer of the shields. Already the outskirts of San Francisco were visible, meaning they must be gaining height. Yet the fighter planes – she did not know which model they were, but John probably would have, she reflected – were still coming, firing missiles at the city. She wondered if they realised their weapons were useless against Atlantis' shields.
As she was staring at the blooming fire-flowers of the impacting missiles, she realised the rest of those in the control room had joined her on the balcony. To her left stood Rodney and Sitnalta, the heavily leaning on the railing and Rodney holding her tightly. Beyond them Chuck leaned against the railing. To her right Teyla and Ronon stood; back from where they had been looking after the civilians. She noticed they stood very close together, yet did not touch.
And beyond them the Becketts and their lovers filed in.
For a second they stood there, watching the land disappear. The fighter planes were falling behind and the sky was thinning so she already saw a few of the brighter stars. Then she heard a soft hum next to her. She looked over at Teyla, who was the one humming. She tilted her head in question, and Teyla smiled slightly.
"It is the song from the ring ceremony," the Athosian woman replied. "Somehow this moment reminded me of it."
"I've heard it," Carson spoke from behind Teyla. "It is a very beautiful song."
Elizabeth understood how the woman felt. She nodded. "Please," she asked, telling Teyla she should sing it out loud.
Teyla looked out at the blue ocean. By now the planes have gone; Atlantis was too high up. Then Teyla raised her clear voice to the heavens:
"Beyond the night, a rising sun.
Beyond the night, a battle is won.
Fear and shame now in the past.
Pain and sorrow gone at last –
Gone at last."
Finally they left the atmosphere and the cool blackness of space surrounded them. Atlantis accelerated.
"Circle renewed, peace will be found
Beyond the night, on sacred ground," Teyla continued her song.
Finally John joined them on the balcony, standing close beside Elizabeth. She looked up and smiled at him. He smiled back at her. And as the earth faded from view, it seemed only natural that he should bend down and kiss her – lightly; once. As he pulled back she raised a single eyebrow.
"And that?" she softly asked.
"Just following a superior officer's orders," he replied just as softly. For the first time in years he felt content; right.
"I thought you didn't like following orders," she teased.
He shrugged. "You know me, I only follow those orders I like."
She narrowed her eyes at him, but she was smiling. "I'll have to keep that in mind." She cocked her head slightly. "So what exactly did General O'Neill tell you?"
He bent his head, his lips almost touching hers. "Not to make the same mistake he did by waiting too long," he said before kissing her once more – this time deeper, longer.
"River flows, led by the wind.
First new breath, our journey begins –
Our journey begins," Teyla ended her song.
Silence reigned on the balcony. Earth was only a dot by now, but John and Elizabeth did not even notice.
"Hey, do you think you can do that somewhere else?" Rodney's joking voice interrupted.
"Yeah, you're missing the moment," Ronon added.
The two pulled back from the kiss, but only to turn to the view of the fading earth. John pulled Elizabeth closer with one arm and held on to her around her waist. She sighed once and then rested her head against his shoulder. Together they watched the past slip away from them.
Finally Elizabeth sighed. She turned slightly to look at Rodney; her head still resting on John's shoulder. "I think it's time we went home," she told the scientist.
Rodney actually smiled at her. Then he lightly kissed Sitnalta before picking her up and placing her in the wheelchair. Teyla stepped up and pushed Sitnalta back inside in Rodney's wake. The rest of them followed. Only for a moment John and Elizabeth stayed behind; looking out at the stars.
"Will we be okay?" Elizabeth asked him. John smiled and kissed her once more.
"We'll live," he told her. Then they, too, turned their backs on the stars and headed in. Outside the past was fading; inside the future awaited.
