Chapter 10: We can't fix it ... without help
"Ah ... hello," Sheppard greeted the woman in return. "I'm Lt Colonel John Sheppard, that's Doctor Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex and Teyla Emmagen," he gestured to each of them in turn. "You call this place New Atlantis?"
"That is correct," Patentia agreed. "It recognises our path from the city of our origins. I am puzzled by your attire – where have you travelled from?"
"It's funny you calling this New Atlantis," Sheppard made the decision on the spot to cut straight to the chase. "We've just come from the old Atlantis – the city is in trouble and we could really use your help."
"That is impossible," the first signs of less than friendly emotions flittered across Patentia's face as she registered what John had said. "Atlantis sank to the bottom of the ocean thousands of years ago and was lost forever."
"You might need to update your history books," Sheppard explained. "The city was at the bottom of the ocean when we found it but we raised it and we've been living there for almost three years now."
"If it was still submerged then how did you get there?" Patentia was interested despite her lack of belief in their story.
"We came through the Stargate from Earth," Sheppard revealed, adding when Patentia didn't look enlightened, "in the Milky Way galaxy – big belt of stars?"
"Ah yes," Patentia nodded reluctantly. "One of the places my people settled in their quest for a permanent home. You used the Stargate to travel here as well?"
"We found your Dequitas device," Sheppard replied, giving her plenty of information so she couldn't doubt their sincerity or the validity of their request for assistance. "I got the nine symbol gate address from that."
"This is ... I must speak with our leaders," Patentia said, her whole air one of confusion and uncertainty. "Please ... I will show you to a place you can rest and await an audience with the city council."
"Ah ... okay," Sheppard raised an eyebrow at the others, getting vague nods and shoulder shrugs back in return. Patentia turned and led them silently through each of the ring buildings until they found themselves in the centre of the city. The garden there was like a summary of all the strange, precise, vibrant and excessively colourful things they'd already seen – as such it pretty much defied description.
"The plants in this garden have existed since the birth of this plane of existence," Patentia revealed. "The city was built around them, both to preserve and protect them."
"From what?" Rodney spoke up without thinking. When everyone looked at him pointedly he frowned. "It's just that from what I can see this place is idyllic – I can't imagine what threats are out there that it would need a whole city to keep them out."
"Our home is idyllic," Patentia agreed, "but we have come to realise that there is nowhere on any plane of existence free from the balance of light and dark."
"You have enemies?" Sheppard realised what she had said, looking at her in surprise.
"I will tell the council of your arrival and that you seek assistance," Patentia said without answering John's question. Before anyone could speak further she turned and walked briskly back inside the innermost ring building.
"Well that was ... disturbing," Sheppard offered, walking towards a set of stone benches arranged in the middle of the garden and sitting down on one.
"And I notice she failed to answer your question about enemies too," Rodney took a seat on the bench across from Sheppard.
"I can't see any evidence of attack or weapons," Ronon's whole demeanour made it clear he was on alert ... he didn't trust the situation despite the lack of anything to give him a reason for that.
"Not all conflicts result in battle," Teyla offered, "and not all battles are fought by means of weapons and defences."
"Is it likely they're gonna help us?" Rodney asked the question they'd all been thinking.
"They know about Atlantis," Sheppard pointed out, "and they've still got a soft spot for it if the name of their new home is any indicator."
"There is hope they will be sympathetic," Teyla concluded.
x
It took more time than Sheppard would have liked before Patentia returned with another Ancient in tow.
"This is Hieronymus – he holds the principal seat on the city council," Patentia introduced her companion. Sheppard's internal 'I have a bad feeling about this' instinct kicked in when he got a good look at the guy – his general appearance more than a little reminiscent of the Asuran leader Oberoth.
"Welcome to our city," Hieronymus said, nodding to each member of team Sheppard as Patentia introduced them.
"I assume Patentia filled you in on why we're here," John got straight down to business.
"She did," Hieronymus acknowledged. "It is a pity you were unable to make contact with us before making the journey here."
"Why is that?" Sheppard asked the question even though he was pretty sure he knew what the guy would say.
"We are unable to help you," Hieronymus said with no obvious remorse and no suggestions for who might.
'You mean you don't want to help us,' Sheppard thought to himself, noticing that Patentia was maintaining the same bland expression as Hieronymus. "You're descended from the original inhabitants of Atlantis right?" he asked aloud.
"We are," Hieronymus agreed.
"How did you get here?" Sheppard persisted. "And I don't mean through the Stargate – how it is there's even a Stargate here – did you guys set that up?"
"I suppose it will not hurt to share with you our history," Hieronymus said reluctantly, moving to sit on one of the unoccupied benches. "The fact that you are here implies that you are aware of our goal to Ascend into beings of pure energy," he waited until everyone acknowledged that before continuing. "At many points in our history portions of our race were more committed to this aim than others. Such was the case on Atlantis. When it became clear the Wraith were an insurmountable enemy that group devoted all their focus to achieving that state with partial success. Not wanting to leave the rest of their people behind they endeavoured to explore the higher plane, discovering it was a destination much like another dimension or reality."
"They worked out that if they had the means they could travel here without Ascending first," Rodney couldn't help but clarify his understanding of what Hieronymus was telling them.
"That is correct," Patentia spoke up, using Rodney's interruption to find her place within the conversation. "The first of their group to achieve Ascension built the Stargate you arrived through, risking the wrath of the others but determined to save everyone from the Wraith. When the decision was made to retreat back to your planet they urged the rest of their group as well as any others who wished it to join them through the Stargate instead."
"Did they put the gate address into the Dequitas device?" Sheppard asked curiously.
"They wanted to ensure that others could follow them in the future if they so desired," Patentia explained, "and that they could return home if circumstances changed."
"It was their act of facilitating future access to this plane that prompted the other Ascended beings to intervene," Hieronymus added. "They disabled the communication device and threatened banishment if the newly Ascended failed to commit to their non interference policy."
"They committed to that, didn't they?" Rodney guessed.
"Most did," Hieronymus agreed, "although some persisted in their efforts to make life easier for the people they had encouraged to move here. They were banished from the ranks of the Ascended and forced to live out the remainder of their lives as corporeal beings again. History records that those who remained on Atlantis made preparation to sink the city before retreating through the Stargate, including removing all evidence of this place to protect us should the Wraith discover where we had gone."
"The Wraith are still a threat," Sheppard took over the narrative at that point. "We've made some headway in defeating them but that's all gonna be for nothing if the city falls."
"The power supply unit is dying," Rodney explained to Hieronymus. "We can't fix it ... without help."
"I wish that we could help you but it just isn't possible," Hieronymus denied their request yet again.
"It wouldn't take much for you to give us a new PSU," Rodney persisted. "Surely the Ascendeds wouldn't protest at that!"
"Our technology has moved on almost beyond recognition since we left Atlantis," Hieronymus explained. "Our power supply systems are no longer compatible."
"Oh," Rodney looked around curiously. "This ... ah ... there isn't any evidence you've got a higher level of technology here."
"We have had 10,000 years to transform and evolve our methods and understanding," Hieronymus looked at Rodney almost with amusement.
"Do you know where we could find a replacement power supply unit?" Sheppard asked.
"We cannot help you," Hieronymus reiterated, getting up to look down on them. "You are welcome to rest here before leaving our city."
"Surely you don't want to see Atlantis disabled!" Sheppard exclaimed, getting up too. "Just put us on the right path and we'll do the rest!"
"I am sorry," Hieronymus said sadly, "but only you can find the right path for yourselves."
"Enough with the mystical Ascension crap," Sheppard retorted heatedly. "Are you that scared of the Ascendeds that you aren't willing to take even a small risk?"
"Things are not as simple as they appear," Hieronymus began. "The –"
A loud ringing sound interrupted him before he could finish. Hieronymus and Patentia turned and ran from the garden without explanation. Motioning for the others to follow, Sheppard ran after them, heading back down the corridor towards the outermost building where they'd entered. Sheppard and the others ground to a halt just behind Hieronymus, in time to witness the shield - a shimmering green curtain - rising from the ground in front of them. Rather than curving up over the city like they might have expected it shot straight up into the sky going further than human eyes could track.
Moments later the shield shifted and glowed with the evidence of impact from the other side.
"What's going on?" Sheppard drew the council leader's attention back to them.
"The Nahtoo," Hieronymus said as though they should know what that meant. "They come often to check on us ... but not usually to attack like this." Turning he narrowed his eyes, looking at each of them in turn. "Is it possible that you have some genetic connection to our ancestors?"
"McKay and I have what we call the ATA gene," Sheppard admitted in puzzlement. "It's the gene that allows us to operate the Atlantis technology ... that's how we were able to take up residence in the city in the first place."
"Of course,' Hieronymus nodded in understanding. "Have you made use of the gene since you arrived?"
"McKay's got a scanning unit," Sheppard admitted with a puzzled frown. "That's how we found your city."
"The Nahtoo are here for you," Hieronymus announced grimly. "I am sorry Colonel Sheppard – you and your companions must leave immediately."