Chapter Eleven – History Will Not Repeat Itself

The Intendent had muttered something unintelligible under his breath as Lani ushered the stranger through the door and into one of the more secure areas in the basement where the ancient artefacts were stored.

Normally they would have needed clearance, but considering the day's events, anyone claiming to be able to fight the aliens was welcomed, although maybe not with open arms. It dismayed the doctor no end to hear the firefighting outside and the whine of the small ships picking up the citizens in groups never to be returned again. It was a waste of life and a horrible way to go beyond. As a friend to some of those who'd been taken she was grieving but as a doctor she was angered beyond reason.

Her anger wasn't necessarily directed at the Wraith but at her own people and their unsettled differences that made them fight against each other when they needed unity the most. More and more people on each side were coming to that conclusion but it took time, too much time, time that they didn't have.

Ironically the lives of those in the great city were dependent on another group of aliens, the descendants of those who'd fought and been defeated by the enemy that had now been brought upon them. One of them was walking ahead of her, a scientific man that the Inner Circle would be proud to have in their community.

Lani didn't know why, but she had absolute confidence in Rodney McKay and his two companions. Maybe it was because Dadan trusted them and he didn't trust easily, or maybe because she so desperately wanted someone to trust, someone she could turn to and not have to be afraid of being stabbed in the back and handed over to another fraction. Also, being a doctor, she was thrilled by what they had told her so far about their heritage and the ATA gene. It wasn't much and she sensed they really didn't hand over information or trust easily, but that something was enough to keep her marveling about medical improvements and such.

Since Teyla and Ronon didn't have the ATA gene there was no point in taking them to the museum and they'd jumped ship at the nearest access way to the old city in the hope of finding Sheppard down below. Rodney didn't like it but he had other concerns at the moment. He needed to call Atlantis for help and there was no way for him to do so under the circumstances. That was why he and Nadim had turned up at the museum in order to try and find something useful.

Since the museum wasn't of Lantean origin there was no terminal or access port to the Lantean database. In order to tap into that system he would have to go below and into the real Lantean city, or what was left of it. He would do just that later to join Teyla and Ronon.

He quickly rummaged through the old things and brightened when he found a crystal rod. It appeared undamaged so he pocketed it, intending to analyze the data on it later. He also found two more life signs detectors and a personal shielding device. Even though those were treasured findings, he craved for something to communicate with, something to fix the gate with. As for the latter, it had been a little farfetched to expect to find something at the museum but he had to try. Then again, Janus had been operating from the old city below and he usually had at least one ace up his sleeve.

Rodney suddenly stopped as his fingers brushed something that looked like a fat Frisbee at the bottom of a large box.

"What is it?" Lani asked curiously.

Rodney hesitated before reaching for it, remembering what had happened to Vala and Daniel when they'd shifted the stones on what they believed was a harmless ancient device. "I don't know," he said, his voice no more than a whisper.

He took a deep breath and retrieved the object from the box and set it down on the bench. It came to life, having registered his ATA gene.

Lani unconsciously took a step back as blue glinting symbols appeared on the dark surface. She then let out an audible gasp as a small version of a grown woman shimmered into existence.

The woman's features were slim, her skin tanned and her long hair jet black. She was dressed in a long white dress, but what attracted Lani's attention was the large glowing pendent around her neck. It was the same symbol that Dadan carried – his symbol of luck that had been passed on through generations.

"If you hear this message you are of our kind," the woman began in a low monotone voice, yet it was so filled with emotions that it made Lani shiver.

The M.E cast a glance at the scientist standing next to her and saw him swallowing.

"I'm broadcasting this on the beacon because Askula has been lost. We came here in peace. It was a most promising planet. There is life here that we do not wish to impose on. They are primitive but our hopes are that they will evolve with time. We established a beta site here to gather intelligence and to discuss how to overcome the imposing threat from the Wraith. We grew overconfident and did not realize the speed at which the Wraith evolved.

And now I deeply regret to voice that it is too late. They attacked us a few days ago. Luckily we managed to draw the attention of most of the Wraith to let the other cities present take off. Myself and a handful of others are all that remain of the inhabitants of Askula. We found a natural cave system not far from here where we brought our deceased, with the help of the tribe here, and we can only hope that the erected force fields will be enough to prevent the Wraith from ever coming here again.

Askula will never be able to fly again, she's too badly damaged, and we are too few to make repairs. She will be left here as a guardian of the people on this planet. Her shield has been modified and her power modules are almost full. She will disguise any life signs down here from space and she will not be visible to anyone entering orbit. Janus has developed a new shielding technology that will remain active and prevent the Wraith from breaking through the defense perimeter of Askula, but as of the rest of the planet, it will remain unprotected."

Rodney cursed under his breath as the holographic woman flickered out of existence, but then just as suddenly as she'd disappeared, she reappeared.

"I have lost contact with Atlantis, she is no longer within range, but I know she has set course toward another galaxy so far away that the Wraith will never know of it. I hope she will make it there and one day return. I have heard that Lantea has left the surface of our home planet to defend it. It is too dangerous for the remaining flying cities to go there in fear of attracting the attention of the Wraith. I can only hope that our civilization will survive. I will leave this planet through the Stargate and I will not return until it is safe to do so. We never wished harm upon the tribes of this planet, still I fear that's the only thing we've brought them."

Lani Nadim found herself shaking with the revelation in front of her and she let out a shallow breath. All the years they'd wondered about the strange city, all the tales told. This was the truth. Dadan loved to tell her old story's about the magic city that no one dared to enter for a very long time. How people had ventured into the old city never to return, of forces unknown, of powers that shouldn't exist. Then she'd read in school about the brilliant physicist who managed to tame the strange powers and tap into it. How the new city had been built above and used its power.

Rodney turned to look at the Medical Examiner, his features stiff and his expression grim. "Let's go and find Sheppard; we won't be able to find anything useful here," he said seriously.

"Why?" Lani said suddenly as she remembered the woman's last words. "Why didn't she return?"

"The Lantean civilization died out, Lani, or most of it did anyway. The planet Lantea was lost and so was the city named after it too, the other cities were never heard of again. Atlantis managed to get to Earth where a base was established and a Stargate built before she returned to the Pegasus Galaxy where she was hidden. The inhabitants then walked through the gate to my planet and lived out the rest of their lives there."

Rodney and Lani shared a solemn look before they headed out to join Teyla and Ronon in their search for John.

OOOOOO

Sheppard came to awareness slowly, his weakened body not really ready to give up sleep. However, the rough manhandling set frayed nerves on end and pain receptors on fire. He opened his eyes to slits, acutely aware that he was being dragged through a seemingly endless white corridor. It felt surreal, like he was walking a strange version of death row. Heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor, the insulation in the walls not enough to prevent it. He was once again underground but not in any part of the Lantean city.

The guards stopped in front of a steel door and waited for it to be opened from the inside. It didn't take long before he was roughly shoved inside and dumped on the floor.

Sheppard squinted at the brightness of the room, everything was white and in sharp contrast to himself.

A figure, a man who'd been facing the wall, suddenly turned around with a stern look on his face. He was impeccably clad in a dark green uniform with red and golden stripes on his arms and some kind of designation on the right side of his chest.

They scrutinized each other, stared each other down while strengths were measured. Sheppard recognized the presence of a high ranking military officer.

"John Sheppard," the officer began politely yet coldly. "Welcome to the experimental bunker."

A look of defiance crept over the now standing Military Commander of Atlantis but he remained quiet.

"In only a few days you've managed to escalate the conflict between the Supreme State and the resistance to the extent that a civil war is now unavoidable. I can only hope that the allies you've brought with you will unite my people," Katan said harshly.

Sheppard, undeterred by the little speech, stared back at the man, and when he finally spoke it was with equal contempt and coldness. "It seems you think you know a thing or two about me," the colonel began.

A faint smile appeared for the first time on the interrogator's lips. "A little intel has never hurt anyone," he said casually.

"Then let me correct a few things, M.O Katan," Sheppard returned coldly.

The man did a good job at masking his surprise that John knew of him but as a trained professional Sheppard quickly saw the subtle signs.

"The Wraith aren't my allies and they didn't come here for me," he replied.

"How did you get here, Sheppard?" Katan asked bluntly, tired of games. "Hitched a ride with the ship?"

Sheppard said nothing.

Katan nodded at the guards who took a step closer to their prisoner.

Sheppard was good, Katan had to hand it to him but the M.O didn't like to lose and he wasn't about to do so this time around either.

"You are a mercenary, a professional soldier," Katan deduced. "As such you didn't come here without a reason."

The colonel shrugged casually.

The guards grabbed him from behind and forced him down on his knees.

"You carried interesting equipment. Similar to what's on display at the lower levels of the museum," Katan said. "I imagine the resistance had you pegged as a member of my special operations teams."

John decided to continue listening only, not wanting to give the man satisfaction by saying anything.

"Aliens do not exist, John Sheppard, other than in the savages' minds. That is why we can't have you around to spread doubts about that," the military organizer finished.

"Explain me away, fine," Sheppard returned sarcastically. "But how do you sweep the Wraith under your carpet? Huh? You going to claim everything is just a big and happy costume party?"

"I'll ask you again," Katan returned, ignoring the remark. "What is your mission here?"

Sheppard, still on his knees, simply chose to ignore the question thrown at him.

Katan nodded at the guards and without a word they roughly brought Sheppard to his feet.

Katan stole a mischievous glance at Sheppard and looked very pleased with himself. "I know you came with the ship so there is no point in denying it. The Inner Circle has spoken of unusual activity a few months back. The thought of life on a distant planet has been met by heavy sceptics and the report has been tucked away in a confidential archive."

Sheppard swallowed, realizing he would have a harder time breaking out of containment than he first thought. It was hard for him not to draw parallels to Kolya and the Genii, but then again Katan was even more formidable as an enemy. He reminded him of a narrow-minded general from earth's twentieth century.

"The thought of another species, looking like us, having the firepower like you have simply horrifies us. You have the power to make threats to our entire civilization, carry them out and imprison us. It doesn't sit well with me or the rest of the military.

"The Inner Circle and the government might be persuaded to believe in the prophecy but I don't. I can't deny that evil green beings are…beaming away parts of our population, but I will not stand by and let them get away with it."

"You don't stand a chance," John said darkly. "In a funny way I guess you're lucky that you haven't encountered them before like the rest of the galaxy."

Katan's eyes narrowed. "You brought them here," he seethed, seemingly misreading what Sheppard actually meant.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a vivid imagination?" Sheppard quipped.

Katan eyed him suspiciously. "Maybe after a little while in the underground bunker you would be more talkative and reveal your true motive for being here?" He suggested with a glint in his eye as he turned his focus solely on the guards. "Take him away."

Sheppard swallowed, his mouth dry after all the previous running. To be taken deeper into the underground complex wasn't what he'd wanted to hear. He tried to come up with a solution for his predicament. When it came to rescue his hopes diminished a little for every day. There was a possibility that Atlantis had mistaken him for dead. That he'd died in the wormhole as the Stargate crashed to the ground, there was no way for him to tell and no way for him to contact them. His only ally on the planet, if you could call him that – the ME Teldan Tori - might even be dead by now. The Stargate belonging to the Lantean City buried underground seemed inaccessible. There simply seemed to be no way off this planet for him. However, he'd be damned if he was to be placed in detention, so it was now or never; John Sheppard had to run.

The guards, not knowing of their prisoner's plans eyed him carefully as they walked down the corridor but they didn't bother to secure him properly, judging that he wouldn't try anything since in their opinion there was nowhere to go. Besides, they were three and Sheppard was only one, plus the fact that he was injured and seemingly exhausted. Two of them walked alongside Sheppard while one trailed behind, all of them confident they could carry out their duty.

John Sheppard's mind was reeling. Where would he go? He didn't even know how to escape. This underground complex wasn't Lantean, most doors was locked and could only be opened with a keycard of a sort. He wondered briefly if that went for all the doors or just some of them. Then again, the alternative of staying behind wasn't an option to him. If he was blunt, it really sucked.

In a swift movement the Military Commander of Atlantis turned silently and took out the guards one by one before they could even blink. It was a well-practiced move performed at a precise moment that turned into a well-coordinated attack leaving little room for counterstrike. With a labored breath, he bent down and hauled up a keycard from the main guard's pocket and carefully glanced around the immediate surroundings before taking off at a run.

OOOOOO

To be continued

/Thank you for reading ;)