A/N: So here's what happened. I finished chapter 27 and sent it to the best beta reader I know, Avenging Angels. The fact that she's the only beta reader I know shouldn't affect how you look at that at all. Either way, there were issues on her end of the line, which I won't go into, but the result was waiting a little longer than usual to post. Now that the beta'd chapter is up, I can bring you the next chapter. Ladies and Gentlemen, from the messy bedroom of some American teenager with a laptop, I present to you…chapter 28. I should stop rambling.
DISCLAIMER! There are names I don't know the true spelling of, so I spelled them the way I heard them. If someone gives me the real names in a Private Message, I will edit it to reflect the correct spelling, but what's there will have to do for now.
Atlantis' Sickbay:
"And just who do ya think ye are, cartin' dead bodies around like cargo?" Dr. Beckett asked, his arms stiff by his side. He was a little worked up about Ajax bringing dead bodies into his clean sickbay just because he could. Or, thought he could.
"I need an autopsy on this thing. The locals call it a Ra'zac, and when a few of them attacked us, I slashed this one dead. Can you find out how this thing works?" Ajax asked, not paying attention to the vein popping out of Beckett's head.
Still, curiosity got the best of him and he moved closer to peer at the strange creature.
"Aye, I can look into it, but try not to make this a regular occurrence, okay lad?" Beckett responded, peering at Ajax through narrowed eyes. Ajax smiled wryly. "I won't make a habit of it." he promised.
"How is that little green dragon of yours? I haven't seen her around recently." Carson noted, completely switching topics.
Ajax followed the bait.
"Cheeky as ever. She's pissed off Saphira three times this week, and then weaseled her way out of it by pointing out that she was doing as she was told to do. She nearly got me and Eragon involved in one of their scuffles, and I don't particularly feel like going against Saphira or Eragon, especially when one of them has teeth as big as my arm. Anyways, I'm headed for the mess hall. Care to join me for lunch?"
As the two men walked, Carson filled Ajax in on the goings-on in Atlantis.
"…so did ye hear the latest about Max and Fang?"
"…No…what's up with them?" Ajax asked, confused. He had to walk faster to keep pace with the Doctor.
"They'll be getting married! They've been thinking about it for some time now, but with you and Eragon here, they decided that they want to go through with it."
Ajax nodded, knowing how the two had been inseparable the last time he'd seen them. Also based off what he knew of their past Max and Fang were destined to be together. Ajax couldn't picture a better pair. Whether they were fighting to the death or telling the kids (Gazzy) not to do something stupid they were always there for each other. With each other, they could do anything….
"Anybody new or any new equipment come in on the last shipment?"
"No…although the Odyssey came in a day ago, with SG-1. Apparently, the Ori have invaded the Milky Way galaxy, and SG-1 is looking to block the 'super gate' that the Ori ships are using. I don't completely understand the mechanics of it myself, but Dr. Jackson and a certain Vala Malderan are here."
"Oh?" Ajax remembered Dr. Jackson from his time at Stargate Command.
"Yes, there are looking in the Ancient database for some weapon to help them in the war. Oh, and you'll be pleased to note that Dr. McKay left with Colonel Carter and Colonel Mitchell."
"Oh boy. There's going to be trouble over that. Did Sheppard at least give Mitchell his lucky lemon?"
"His lucky what?"
The two rounded a corner, and found Max striding towards them. "I'm getting married!" she exclaimed. Had she been a girly-girl, she would have been squealing in delight about it, but she was not a girly-girl, so the exclamation was more like a predetermined event such as a picnic, with a bit more excitement sprinkled on top.
"Really? When are you two lovebirds getting hitched?" Ajax queried lightly. Max punched his arm playfully at his choice of words but she was smiling. "We actually haven't set a date, but we wanted to go with an older-style ceremony, and we wanted you to be the one to marry us."
Ajax blinked for several moments. "Me? You want me to marry you guys?"
"Sure, you're a Dragon Rider, aren't you?"
Ajax thought for a moment but couldn't deny it. Max blinked at him. "Alright, alright. I'll do it. Lemme get in touch with Dr. Jackson, he's a good friend of mine, and knows ancient history almost better than he knows his glasses."
"So he's a doctor of history?" Max said. Her distrust of this new name was fading, but still…
"Oh, yeah! He's an expert on Ancient technologies, and is here searching for something to help blow away the Ori."
"The Ori." Max's blunt statement left the question unasked.
Ajax nodded.
"Yep, that's what they call themselves. If you convert to their religion, and worship them, a trade occurs. You don't get killed by their Priors, and they get stronger for having been worshipped. The Ori derive the majority of their powers from their worshippers, and there's bad blood between them and the people who built this city, due to the fact that the Ori impose this religion on everyone they meet."
Max nodded, pretending that she understood more or less what was going on. Ajax wasn't sure whether she did or didn't, if she didn't, she sure fooled him.
When they got to the mess hall, it was nearly deserted. The Alpha shift had already cleared out, and it would be another half hour before the Beta shift would come in. Lunch was eaten around a discussion that never touched anything important, and Max managed to get Ajax to spew his iced tea twice during the meal over something she'd said. Fang had opened up more since coming to Atlantis, although he was still very reserved most of the time, except when it came to one subject.
"Black, anyone can wear it."
"No, no not anyone."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"Noooooo."
"Yes."
"OMG SHUT UP FANG!" Nudge bellowed, throwing her tray across the table only to be deflected by Fang's own, empty, tray. With a snort Nudge stood up and stomped out of the mess hall with everyone's eyes on her. When she'd gone Max turned to Fang and said, "I think she's mad at you." To which Fang rolled his eyes in a very Maxish way and half smiled.
After lunch was finished, and the trays were cleared away, Ajax left to find the holographic archive, figuring that either Dr Jackson would be there, or the hologram could tell him where Daniel had gone.
The door opened, but Daniel and Vala were too absorbed in whatever they were doing to notice.
"We got what we came for." Vala said. Her campaign to take Daniel sightseeing around the city was failing thus far, but maybe now she would get her wish.
"I know…" Daniel was thinking hard. Something about that hologram seemed familiar.
"Well, shouldn't we be out there, telling someone?" Vala pressed, looking at him then back at the screen.
"Not yet…"
"Okay, well, she told us the names of the planets; they were right up there glowing in the ceiling. Taoth Vaclaroosh, and Valos-Cor. She even gave us the addresses, which means we could be out there somewhere overlooking Atlantis, toasting with exotic beverages." Vala seemed rather excited by the prospect, but even she was unable to break through Daniel's concentration. Ajax realized that if Jackson would ever find magic, it would be now.
"There's something else going on here." Daniel said, thinking.
"What?" If Vala was anything, it was direct. Regardless, Daniel placated her curiosity.
"Well…it shouldn't have worked." He looked meaningfully at Vala for a moment, then looked back at the hologram. "I mean, I didn't expect it to when I asked Elizabeth to try, but I thought there'd at least be some remnants, something that looked vaguely similar to the words Castiana and Sahal and their Ancient language counterparts."
"She wouldn't know?"
"I don't know. Explain this to me." he paused, turning to face her yet still not noticing Ajax.
"How can this database translate -in real time- a language which was spoken eight thousand years after the Ancients abandoned Atlantis?" Jackson knew he was on something big, and proceeded to follow up on it.
"That's a tough one." Vala said, thinking about it. Jackson turned his attention back to the hologram.
"Is there an archive or visual record of the Lantean citizens who fled to Earth?"
"There is." she responded.
"Display them for me. One at a time."
As the images flashed in and out of existence, Vala sighed again.
"Well, as exciting as it is to viewing the Atlantis family album…-" Jackson cut her off. "I'm looking for someone in particular."
The images cycled a few more times.
"Well, I don't know any ten-thousand year-old Ancients." Vala said. Just then, another image showed. "I take that back. We know him!" She stood up from her resting position at the base of the archive pedastal, and pressed a button.
The main hologram appeared again standing off to the left of the person being displayed. "Mauros was the last High Councilor of Atlantis." the hologram said.
"Mauros. Well, apart from the funny hat, he's a spitting image of Merlin, isn't he."
"You see, in Arthur's time, it was Myrdin. You see how a word can change over the centuries."
"I know where you're going!" Vala said, looking extremely pleased with herself. "You think that Merlin, or Myrdin, or whatever his name was, came back to Atlantis at some stage and hid these names here as clue for us to find."
Jackson had been nodding as if she was going in the right direction, but said. "No."
"No…" Vala repeated, confusion clouding her features.
The hologram broke into their conversation, the image of Mauros dissolving as she did so. "The first human to set foot in Atlantis after the city was abandoned was Dr. Elizabeth Wier, current leader of the Atlantis expedition."
"The first human to set foot in the city. What about ascended being?"
There was no response
"You're not really a hologram are you?" Jackson said, smiling. He knew what was going on, but still needed some confirmation.
The 'hologram' turned, and looked Jackson straight in the eye. "You have your answer Daniel Jackson, I suggest you act on it." she disappeared.
"I know you're still here." Daniel called out. "There's no point in hiding."
"Daniel, I don't think she coming back, especially if you shout at her." Vala pointed out, a small smile lining her lips.
"Oh, yes she is, she's gone this far, she's gonna finish what she started…you're not fooling anybody anymore!"
The door opened to show Dr. Wier. Dr Jackson didn't even notice, so intent was on finding the elusive 'hologram'.
"Dr. Jackson." she said, some surprise in her voice.
"Oh, hello." he said, not even bothering to look over his shoulder, then went back to searching the ceiling, as if there might be some clue there.
"Hi. Who you talking to?" she stepped fully into the room.
"Welll, I don't know what she's calling herself these days, but at one point in history her names was MORGAN LE FAY!" the last part was aimed at the ceiling again, Jackson's head whipping around as if to spot the 'hologram'.
Dr Wier looked askance at Dr. Jackson. "Morgan Le Fay was here?"
"Yes, posing as a hologram."
"Hm. May I?" She pointed at the control pedestal.
"Oh, yes." He cleared the deck as Dr Wier walked to the control pedestal. As soon as she stepped up, the pedestal lit up, and the 'hologram' reappeared.
"Hello." she said.
"That's her." Vala said, sure as the world about all this.
"You may enter your inquiry verbally, or by entering it-"
"You know you can drop the schoolteacher act." Jackson said.
"This is a computer-generated image of a Lantean woman who lived ten thousand years ago. I'm pretty familiar with the program, it hasn't changed." Dr Wier stated.
Dr Jackson's odd behavior disturbed her to a degree, but she tried not to show it. "Question: Who's image is your avatar based on, and what is the purpose of your program?
"I was created by Ganas Lal, in her image, for the purpose of assisting younger minds." she stated, her matter of fact tone evident.
Dr Wier looked across to Vala. "And what makes you think otherwise?
"Well for starters, she told us exactly what we needed to know."
"She did?"
"Uh-huh"
"Does this device have the capability to play back events from earlier in the session?"
"Yes."
"Can you play back the last sentence she said to me before she disappeared?" Jackson asked, thinking rapidly.
Once again, the hologram looked Jackson dead in the eye, and said "You have your answer, Daniel Jackson. I suggest you act on it." before returning to the neutral position.
"See? See! Her demeanor completely changed, she looked directly at Daniel, it was really creepy." Vala said, excited that she was right.
"Well, I did warn you that she could be patronizing." Dr Wier said, still not believing all this was happening.
"You said this device uses a lot of power." Daniel said. His theory was in place, but he needed one more piece to prove it all. "Is there any way of determining exactly how much?"
Dr. Wier nodded before calling on her radio. "Control room, this is Wier. I need you to access the power usage logs for the holo-room?"
"Yes ma'am." a moment later, "None."
"None?" Dr Wier asked. "Are you sure?"
"Well, the lights are on." the technition said. "Other than that…"
"Hey!" Vala said, snapping her fingers at the supposed hologram. "Got you."
Dr Wier turned towards Jackson. "I think I owe you an apology, Dr. Jackson."
"There's no need, Dr Wier." stated Ganas. "I'm the one who should be apologizing."
"You're an Ascended Ancient." Dr Wier said. She understood quite well the delicacy of the situation, but still wanted to talk with her.
"I am."
"Specifically, Morgan Le Fay. I thought I recognized you from the inscriptions in the archive on Veganbrae."
Ajax had quietly slipped back out while the door was open, determined to wait until Daniel finished whatever he was doing in there. After a few more minutes, a brighter light than that cast by the hologram shone through the door before fading away again. A moment later, Ajax stood up, as the three people inside were walking towards the door.
"…exactly what she knew would happen. She tried to interfere, and the others stopped her. We won't see her again." He heard Jackson say.
"Are they gonna punish her?" That was Vala's voice.
"I don't know."
"I think I understand why you came back, Daniel. I wouldn't have liked their company either." Vala remarked.
"Daniel! It's been a while! What have you been up to all this time?" Ajax exclaimed, pretending he hadn't seen or heard the recent events in the holo-room.
Daniel seemed slightly surprised to see him but brushed it off quickly. "Well, I've been running around with SG-1, helping translate stuff, assisting in the saving of the galaxy time and again." Jackson replied. "You?"
"Oh, I've had a lot happen to me since I left. I've become a Dragon Rider, so I'll probably send you a bunch of texts in the near future. I highly doubt I'll send the originals, but I'll copy them down, and send those to you. Anyways, in my official position as the Dragon Rider of Atlantis, Max and Fang want me to do an old style wedding ceremony for them, and I was wondering what sort of weddings you know about from ancient history."
"I guess I'll leave you to it." smiled Dr. Wier. "I have paperwork to deal with again."
Ajax and Dr. Jackson talked at length about ceremonies, and finally managed to find one that seemed appropriate.
"…we'd have to test the 'gate though, I'm not sure if that trick would work, otherwise we'll have to work up something else…" Ajax trailed off, thinking.
Max's Quarters, Atlantis:
The door chimed once, twice, then three times. It was a prearranged signal for the Flock members, and only used when they were alone. A moment later, there was a similar chime from the other side before the rust-colored door groaned open with a slight hiss.
"Yeah, what?" Max asked.
"I think I found a great idea for your wedding ceremony. Can I come in?"
"Sure. Where's Fang?" Max stood aside to allow Ajax entry.
"I don't know, I thought he was with me…he's in that stealth mode of his again, and sitting on your bed."
"How'd you know?" Fang asked, showing himself.
Ajax grinned. "Mental radar. Even though your mind is unusually protected, I can still feel your presence. It's like a tank. I can see the tank, I can't see the people inside it. Did I explain adequately? I ask because I had trouble explaining it to Jackson."
"So" Max said, waving her hand to gain his attention again. "You said you had a good marriage ceremony?"
"Yeah and Fang, you'll need a best man for this job."
I think I'm done here. I'm already working on the next one, but for those who think JP really messed it up with the forcibly breaking Max and Fang apart, well, I intend to fix it. I apologize for the extensiveness of the conversation in the holo-room with Morgan Le Fay, but it was necessary. To a degree, I copied the dialogue straight out of Stargate SG-1 Season 10 Episode 3, the Pegasus Project. Anyway, Answers to Readers:
Master of the Blood Wolves: Still working on the Freak of Unnatural; does eighty chapters from now sound good, or are you busy then? LOL. Anyway, I'm not so sure about being better than chapter 11 of your Brothers in Arms.
NinthFeather: Since you complained about the plot moving too fast, I dropped my feet. Not in terms of the update, that was…a different matter, but I think you'll find that I've slowed considerably in this chapter. If bagels are so important, what about donuts? And duct tape? That's important too, you know.
Captiosus: Noted. I have trouble with the descriptive elements, but I'm working on it.
Yo, Avenging Angels is in da house! Yeah that was lame moving on. So, I'm back and officially still Betaing for this awesome story. So R&R people! This guy deserves it!
Sincerely,
Avenging Angels
