Chapter 21.
Round-up - part 2.
Samantha Carter was little skeptical about the proposal plan how to get rid of Lanteans soldiers. She seemed, however, realize the fact that in the current situation and with the small amount of equipment, which they have, it could be the quickest way to eliminate the invaders... without sacrifices on the side of the people from the Earth.
Or at least that was the plan.
In truth that A'he'ye failed to send the message to Aquandi, calling for help, but even she was not sure if the message and support will arrive on time. Therefore, they could not just hide and wait. They had to do something... I they just were doing.
- We're almost there - said John to the earpiece.
- We already finished the calibration of the force field according to A'he'ye instructions - Sam answered.
- Set them on maximum power - added the young female. - With this load it will be able withstand several hours. And if spite of all Lanteans will open the door, the field will protecting you against them and their weapons.
- Anyone? - asked McKay somewhat pessimistic tone.
- Unfortunately, not against each... but I doubt that they brought here... for example, manual ion cannons.
- What if?
- McKay? - John growled to the earpiece.
- What?
- Shut up... And we stick to the plan. The faster it will do this, the sooner we get rid of... the problem... and we'll see what weapons they took with them - he said. - We're almost there. Soon we get out into the hallway - he added, stopping before crossing.
He pulled from his vest tiny mirror, to use it to explore the area on both sides.
- Clean - he said, and hiding the instrument.
He wanted to go out into the corridor, when suddenly someone grabbed his arm.
- No, wait - said A'he'ye. - Someone's coming... We do not have time to go unnoticed.
- How can you be sure?
- I can feel them... They are two.
- You can sense of nearby the Lanteans presence? - Radek ask.
- Well... It works on the principle... more like life detector - she explained. - I just feel the presence of other forms of life around me. I can determine how big they are and what kind of mood they have.
- Very interesting - he admitted.
- So, however, we have a second detector - John joked and he prepared the weapon to fire.
- They are close - Hydra added.
But the colonel also already know. Steps approaching soldiers have already become clearly audible for him.
He leaned out around the corner and gave the first series of shots. Several bullets hit one of Lanteans. He fell to the ground immediately. However, the second clung to the wall, hiding behind one of the many pillars that run along the entire corridor.
- Give me the gun - said Todd.
- Forget it - almost snapped John.
He again opened the fire, to under its cover, run on the other side of the corridor and also hide behind a pillar.
But before he reached the end, the man lying on the ground raised slightly his weapons and fired.
The colonel died almost motionless. Knees buckled beneath him, and before he fell to the ground, he lose his conscious.
The other three looked at him a little confused and suddenly Starburst jumped out of hiding, wanting run up to the Sheppard and take his gun. But before he could catch it, the other Lantean also jumped out from behind the pillar, by running his weapon. Numbing radius hit straight in the Wraith... but this time being attacked did not fall right away, unconscious. His body much better coped with the temporary paralysis of the nervous system, and the Commander only swayed on his feet, trying to keep his balance.
This moment, however, enough the man to run up to him trying to shoot him again, when suddenly, from the crossing, emerged another person.
A'he'ye instantly jumped to the Lantean, she grabbed his wrist to twisted his hand back and the same forcing the man to release his weapon. And then, equally fast, she twisted his arm behind his back, forcing the man to leaned slightly forward and with all the strength she pushed him against the wall.
He hit in the wall with force, he staggered and fell unconscious on the ground.
Then, a young female, grabbed his gun lying on the floor and shot him... just in case.
- WOW - said Radek after a moment, looking all the time this fight.
A'he'ye looked at him and smiled.
- Thank you.
Starburst raised little his eyebrow.
- You fight well... like on peacefully being - he said with a hint of irony.
She looked at him now.
- My grandfather taught me... He stated that one day it may be useful for me... if I meet Lanteans - she said, and crouched down beside the unconscious colonel, putting a hand to his forehead.
- What are you doing?
- We need him conscious - she explained and focusing with closed eyes.
She had to send some of her energy to the man body, in order to offset the effect of paralyzing wave.
After a while Sheppard twitched, then slowly opened his eyes and groaned. He felt uncomfortable tingling in every muscle of his body.
- Can you walk? - she asked.
- I think so - he groaned, rising with some difficulty. Then he looked around. - You get this other? - he noticed.
- Yes... And now hurry up before show up them more - she said and gave him a hand to help get up.
He looked at her a little surprised when without much effort she put him on his feet... although, probably he weighed more than she did, he thought. But before he could say anything, Todd gave him the rifle and the all three of them walked on.
The colonel caught up with them quickly.
- And where did your grandfather knows martial arts? - the Wraith asked with interest. - I must admit that your technique is similar to our martial arts - he said.
- He studied with this one, whom you call First Father - she said indifferently.
The Commander's eyes widened, clearly surprised, then he frowned again.
- How old is your grandfather? - he asked.
- He was born before the Great War - she said, and sighed heavily. - But as I tried to explain to people, in truth we left the Pegasus galaxy right at the beginning of the war, but because of the damage to the engines, for a long time were moving with the speed of light. This meant that, according to our perspective, have passed only five hundred years, since we arrived in this galaxy. While, for you, it's been ten thousand years.
- I see... You remind me a young Wraith female. She also is a good fighter, and talented engineer... She has similar abilities, like you - he added. - From a distance she can detect the presence of people... but not only.
- Probably she is very useful during your harvest - scoffed John at the back. - She tells you where people are hiding.
- She does not take part in the harvest... usually - almost muttered Starburst.
- Yeah. She could have broken her claw - colonel don't change his tone.
The Commander barked a warning, but as usual, a man did not care of this. But it was one of the traits of this man, which very annoyed the Wraith Commander: mocking with their culture, their habits... probably only because are different from humans, he acknowledged a long time ago.
- Apparently, we had to work together, Colonel - A'he'ye interjected quietly. - And do not comment on the cultural differences - she pointed out.
He looked at her.
- Whose side are you?
But she did not answered to him. They just arrived at the place, stopping in front of one of the few doors which they passed along the way. Zelenka moved his hand in front of the control panel and the two metal plates slid open, revealing a transition to a room with the ZPM control panel. Beside it, on the floor, stood a another device: power generator brought here by Hydra to temporarily powered a city and the outer shells.
And this device was their goal. They had to turn it off, and unfortunately its design meant that they had to do it here, directly.
A'he'ye blocked the door behind them from the inside and went to one of the two control panels.
- You fastening the handheld field generators, and we will prepare disconnect these outer.
- All right - the colonel said and he took the backpack from scientist, in which the man carried the needed them devices, then turned on the earpiece. - Sheppard to Carter... We are on the spot.
- Great... Because with the McKay we discovered that Lanteans regained control of the part of the system of the city - said Sam. - In this the internal sensors... which means that they know where we are.
- So, you cut off them again.
- We just trying...But they do the same as we before: they encoded access to these systems.
The man looked at the young female.
- When we disable your generator, all systems will go off?
- Yes. The Colonel Carter's team immobilize naquadah generators, so, now the only source of power for the city is ours... But I'm afraid that if Lanteans regain access to the sensors, they already know this and definitely will be trying to get here.
- Great - he murmured and began to pull out the devices from backpack. - So, hurry up before they will come here and begin to storm the door - he added and threw one of the thick disc to the Wraith. - You put it on the top... You're taller.
He only growled softly under his breath and walked into the first corner of the room, to embed the device as high as he could. At the same time John begin mounting the generators near the floor.
- A'he'ye, could you a little hurry up? - suddenly said a woman's voice from the earpiece. - We have a guest here... They're trying to get inside.
- I understand - she answered. - We will try to hurry.
- Thanks - Carter said and she looked back toward the door.
Just as do this the other people gathered in the room and sitting on crates.
The sounds, suggesting an attempt opening the door by using force, just faded away... but instead, on metal plates appeared pale-red spot.
- Oh shit - said the colonel.
- I hope that force field will withstand - Rodney groaned.
- It depends on what Lanteans use - she answered somewhat pessimistic.
She wished that she can't see what is happening on the corridor. There was not a camera, and their lives detector was disrupted by forcefield. Until now they use it to checked if someone is not coming... but now they were completely cut off from the rest of the city. So, if Lanteans will get inside before Sheppard' team disconnected Hydra generator... well, then everyone here will be in the fatal trap.
And probably on this had hope the attackers, when they were trying to open the door using a handheld plasma cannon, focused radius on the metal plates isolated them from the control room.
The device was a length of the Wraith rifle and to using it enough one person.
Alnani Calderi stopped by a group of her soldiers.
- What's the situation? - she asked.
- As you said, all were gathered in this room. They blocked the door from the inside, so we try to burn a hole... but it will take some time - said one of them. - Doors are solid.
- Because this is Atlantis. All strategic rooms have stronger protection... How many of them are there?
- I did not count... but at least ten people... They had to turn off some force field, because at some point we lost them with sensor - he added, showing the detector.
The woman looked at the device.
- I understand - she almost muttered, not too happy. - Working on... We going to the main generator - she said and moved on along with several soldiers who came with her, carrying the generator.
The strategy of people surprised her. She did not understand why everyone is locked up in a single room. Or are so naive that they consider that the Hydra force field protect them from attack... or they have a plan.
Barricade one of the control room and the room of the main generator could not be accidental. So far she underestimated these people, but their actions clearly proved that they plot something. That's why she and her team had to quickly find out what it is... before the situation again gets out of their control.
And now, when she learned that a larger group of people has additional internal force field, she was afraid that the same thing they might encounter when they arrive to the generator.
She raised her hand, pulling up communicator, placed on her wrist, to mouth.
- Kemayos... do you see another group of people on the sensors? - she asked.
- …Yes - a man's voice answered her after a while. - They are already for some time in the main generator room - he said.
- You not detecting from there any interference or power source signal?
- No. The main generator is still disabled.
- And other sources of energy? For example, the Hydra generator?
- I'd have to calibrate the sensors - he said.
- Do it and tell me immediately... I feel that these worms plot something bigger than we ever thought.
- Yes, Commander - answered her the man's voice.
The woman pulled back her hand from mouth. They already came out on the stairs leading down to the tower, at the level where was a main generator room.
Moving in this way was cumbersome, but they not had other choice. Transporters did not works, so, it was the only way to get to the place. Which, unfortunately, gave the enemy more time to realize their plan... And that's what annoyed her the most.
She never understood why her ancestors were so fascinated these creatures. Only because they were considered for second evolution of the Lanteans? But as always, and they were far to the Lanteans. They were primitive with the even more primitive way of thinking. If give to them even small part of Lanteans knowledge, they would not know what to do with it.
Anyway, there was no need to look far for an example; perfect was on the board of Atlantis. From gathered, so far, information shows that people discovered the city a few years ago, and they still barely cope with its control. Pathetic, she thought.
- Commander? - said Kemayos voice from the communicator.
The woman pulled back device to her mouth.
- Yes?
- Just as you suspected... In the room is a Hydra generator... I do not have precise data, but I suppose that besides the basic systems, also powers additionally outer force field... If they shut it off...
- We'll all be dead - she snapped. - That's why they barricaded in these two rooms. They have internal force field and they are planning to off the protective field around the main tower... It's wretched vermin really begins irritate me - she hissed angry. - Watch them. Soon we will get there - she added, when they left the stairs, entering to the corridor.
Immediately their eyes saw two bodies lying on the ground. One of the accompanying her soldiers came closer to check their pulse.
- Orell still alive - he said with relief, checking that who was lying at the wall.
- Awake him. We moving on - she snapped.
The soldier nodded and reached into his pocket for a small vial, which put to the neck his companion. Miniature pneumatic syringe contained a stimulates substance, at the same time neutralizing effect the stun weapons.
The woman and the other immediately moved on.
- Commander? - Kemayos spoke again. - I just lost the second group of people from the sensors - he said reluctantly.
Calderi hissed, furiously.
- Destroy this goddamn door! - she ordered.
One of the soldiers nodded and pointed at the door with his weapon.
A steady stream of energy hit the metal plate separating them from the room of the main power generator of Atlantis.