Chapter 29
"Are there many of them on your world?" Alice asked curiously.
"Many of who?" John said absently. Theo and Lily had boxed Teyla into a corner, and for a moment he thought they had her.
Until she kicked Theo hard enough to knock him back several steps, ducked Lily's swipe, and just like that she was on the other side of their painstakingly choreographed blockade.
Lily took a step back, swinging her staff; they'd found the longest stick they had and she was using it like a bo. They hadn't been able to do anything about Theo's tonfa, though; he was using two sticks, like Teyla.
"Many of them." Alice lifted her chin towards the fight.
"Oh. Um…" He did the sum quickly. "About sixty, I think. A few more, maybe."
"If you'd asked me to choose a rebel when the People left, I would not have chosen Zordon," she mused.
"You knew him?" he asked in surprise.
"Of course. He was young when they left Pegasus, but he was born here." She smiled as Theo tripped Teyla. "Your government allows this? They are vigilantes."
"Hey!" Theo protested. "I heard that."
"They're not vigilantes," John told her, trying not to laugh at Theo's outraged expression. "And yeah. The government allows it." Theo started to speak, and he added quickly, "The government can't stop them. They have their own support system, their own resources, and we're superfluous. Zordon made sure of that."
Lily crashed to the floor at his feet, and he bent down automatically to help her back up. "Thanks!" she chirped, grinning at him. "Not so superfluous as you think."
She then flew—literally—back across the room. Teyla only just managed to dodge her in time.
"It's the Power that lets them do that, right?" John murmured.
"Enhanced speed, strength, stamina, flexibility, healing, accuracy," Alice reeled off. "But they're inactive. They've lost much of what was given them."
"They were better than this? Teyla's been fighting them for fifteen minutes and they haven't gone down yet."
"You spar with Teyla and Ronon all the time. You know the heights the human body can reach when pushed. And they were pushed."
"Yeah, but I'm used to Teyla and Ronon beating people."
"Zordon's children have greater stamina. That's why they're still standing. Teyla will defeat them."
John studied the fight, rapidly coming to the same conclusion. The kids were more and more often falling into defence instead of offence, and every minute or so one of them disengaged totally, taking several quick breaths before launching back in.
"They're not going to stop, are they," he said quietly.
"They're used to fighting for their lives." Alice's voice had hardened, suddenly, and he looked at her in surprise.
"What?"
"I don't understand the question."
"Why are you angry?"
She hesitated for a moment, and he thought she wasn't going to give him an answer; but she did, finally, still hard and angry. "Zordon tied the powers to their survival instincts. The more they believe they're going to die, the more power they draw on."
"So?"
"Humans have fight or flight for a reason, John. No Ranger will ever choose flight, no matter how many years out of uniform they are. They have nothing approaching normal threat assessment anymore."
"It's not…so bad," Theo offered, hands on knees as he tried to draw in enough oxygen.
"It's messing with your biology. I'm not surprised he got caught."
"As far as we can tell," John told her, "he allowed himself to be caught to protect a team of Rangers."
His radio beeped before she could answer; Teyla and Lily paused, looking up curiously.
"That's fine, just keep an eye on them," he said, flicking it off. "Your team mates are going exploring on the south pier," he added before they could ask. "You're invited."
Theo looked at Lily, flat on her back on the mat, and Teyla, hovering over her. "Draw?" he suggested.
"Draw," Teyla agreed, switching both her weapons to one hand to help Lily up.
"Are you coming?" Lily asked, passing over her weapon. Theo tossed his to her, one at a time, and she caught them easily, stowing them neatly in the rack.
"I think not. I have work to do." She caught John's eye and he wandered over to join her.
"You'd have beaten them," he told her, taking the weapons from her to stow them away.
"I am not so sure."
"I am. You had them beat, they just wouldn't fall down."
"I have rarely fought someone so willing to take punishment. Even when it became clear they would not win, they did not back down." She looked past him at the kids; Lily was attempting to spray Theo with her water bottle, laughing as he ducked her. "And they are children."
John nodded quietly. "Come with us?"
"No. I have a self defence lesson. Perhaps I shall find you afterwards."
"Do." He grinned, turning away. "Ready?"
Lily grinned, tipping the rest of her bottle over Theo's head. "Ready."
Theo rubbed off the wet, shaking his hands at her. "Let's go."
***
RJ was waiting just outside the door; he draped an arm around Lily and Theo's shoulders, leading them down towards the end of the pier. "Welcome to the great outdoors," he told them.
"You look better," Lily said with a grin.
"I feel better. Surprising what a bit of sunlight will do."
"This sun is safe, right?" Theo asked, peering upwards.
"Not if you look straight at it, amigo."
"It's safe," John said from behind them. "Sun burn factor today is about an hour."
"We'll be back inside by then," RJ promised.
Cam was standing near the end of the pier, watching Daniel with some amusement. He was perched between Dominic and Casey, and every time one of them refused to answer a question he swivelled to repeat it to the other. John wasn't sure, but it looked like the boys were sending the questions back and forth just to make him turn.
"He's learning about Rangers," Cam told him when they came into range.
"Oh? Any tips on how to be one?"
"Well, it seems to help if you attend a super-secret ninja…"
"Kung fu," Dominic corrected him.
"Academy," Cam continued, "or if your teacher used to be a Ranger. Or if your father is rich, that helps too."
"When did that ever…" Casey hesitated, thinking.
"Those aren't the requirements," RJ told him.
"The ability to look good in spandex," Casey said solemnly. "That's killer."
"Especially when you live in a pizza parlour," Dominic agreed, rising to his feet as Lily came to join them.
"And if you can take really bizarre stuff in stride without blinking? That makes everything easier," she told him.
"Less fun," RJ said seriously, "but easier."
"So," Cam said loudly, turning to John. "What's the fishing like around here?"
***
John was starting to think about rounding the group up to get back indoors—their hour was almost up, and he didn't feel like explaining sunburn to Carson—when his radio beeped.
"John, we have incoming!" Elizabeth warned him.
"Incoming from where?" he protested, adding "Everyone inside, now," when they just gaped at him.
"They jumped inside the solar system," Rodney said hurriedly. "Daedalus is powering up but the Darts are going to get here first."
"Get some 'Jumpers in the air," John ordered. "Get inside!"
Theo and Dominic both reached for Lily, hurrying her towards the door without looking back. Cam pushed Daniel after them. Casey was waiting for RJ, slowest to respond.
"Who's coming?" he asked John.
"Wraith. Come on."
RJ finally moved; Casey stayed half a step behind him, and Cam was on his heels. John looked up as the 'Jumpers finally launched.
"Three?" he demanded into his radio.
"Major Lorne's off-world" Elizabeth reminded him. "And we need Rodney and Carson here. Where are you?"
"Just coming in off the south pier. Get 'Jumper One prepped."
"I can fly," Cam told him.
"A 'Jumper? In combat?"
"I've flown a 'Jumper."
"In combat?" John repeated. Cam didn't answer, and he sighed. "Elizabeth, get another 'Jumper prepped and get an engineer on board. Colonel Mitchell's going to fly."
The others were waiting for them at the head of the pier; Daniel and Dominic were watching the sky, ready to yell if the Darts approached. Theo and Lily were reaching for Casey and RJ, urging them on.
"Incoming!"
Rodney's voice was high and alarmed; John was drawing breath to demand clarification when a Dart screamed overhead, coming from the city, beam already active and searching.
Cam tackled Casey and RJ, bringing them down in a tangled heap. Theo and Lily, as one, jumped for Daniel. Dominic was on their heels until John hit him from the side, forcing him out of the beam's path.
"Fight or flight," Alice said from somewhere very far away.
"Not now," he growled. Dominic was heavier than her looked, and he'd ended up on top. "Mitchell!"
"Plus two! Jackson!"
Daniel didn't answer; John shifted his weight just enough for Dominic to feel the movement. "Dom?"
"Yeah," Dominic breathed.
"You Ok?"
"Yeah."
That was a lie, but John didn't have time to call him on it. "Can you move?" Dominic rolled off him; he pushed to his knees, saying quietly, "Alice?"
"Communications are temporarily down; they should be back up within a couple of minutes, and there's a rescue team on its' way here now." She still sounded like she was several miles away, but neither Mitchell nor Dominic sounded like that so it must have been her voice rather than his ears. "Daniel, Theo and Lily are gone."
"Shit," he muttered. "Dom, I have to get to control; I have to stop them shooting at the Darts. Are you Ok?"
"Yeah." Dominic still hadn't moved to sit up, and there was blood in his hair. "Head wound," he added when he caught John's look. "I'm fine."
"Cam! We got an injury here!"
"Yeah," Cam agreed, coming to hunker beside Dominic. "Casey sprained his wrist.—tilt your head, Dominic? Go, John, I'll join you soon as I can."
John passed the rescue team near the transporters, waving them on without pausing. The transporters were still on line, even if comms were still down, and he was in Control less than three minutes after leaving the pier.
"Stop firing on them!"
"The Dart that attacked you is already back on the Hive," Elizabeth told him. "Colonel Caldwell's been warned and Daedalus isn't firing. Who did it take?"
"Theo, Lily, and Dr Jackson." He leaned over Rodney's shoulder, reading the display. "Dominic knocked his head and Casey sprained his wrist, but we're Ok. Are we actually winning?"
"I wouldn't say winning, exactly. More like not losing yet." Rodney pushed his chair back, forcing John to back away. "Can you fly, or did you bump your head too?"
John made a face at him. "I can fly. Cam's on his way," he added to Elizabeth.
***
Twin Alices turned to look at him when he came into the 'Jumper bay, one on the ramp, one just below it. "Startup?" he asked, pausing below the ramp.
"Ready for takeoff," the Alice in the 'Jumper said cheerfully.
He turned to the other one. "Kids Ok?"
"Yes. Dominic has no signs of concussion and had been released. Casey only strained his wrist, not sprained it as they thought. It will work itself out."
"Good. Keep an eye on them. Where's Cam?"
"Almost here."
John was in the air before Cam reached the bay; he waited semi patiently for him, taking an occasional shot when the Darts came too close for comfort.
Cam's ascent was fast and assured and he came to an easy stop just off John's wing. "Now what?" he asked.
"Now you stay on my wing and do what I do."
Rodney's voice was a constant drone in the background, relaying information as they got it. John mostly ignored him; Alice knew his flying style well enough to flag anything he really needed to pay attention to.
"Colonel Mitchell's talking to his 'Jumper," she reported after a minute.
"A lot of pilots do," John said absently.
"Left."
"I see it."
"He's a good pilot, considering he doesn't have the ATA. Two degrees down."
John did it, watching on the HUD as Cam followed him without hesitation. The move put him in perfect position to shoot the next Dart.
"Let his own Alice do the flying for him, please."
"His own Alice can't talk to him, and he's not following the suggested routes she's putting on the HUD."
"Mitchell, watch your HUD!"
"I can't watch it and stay on your wing!"
"He's got a point," Alice noted.
"No, no, no! Sheppard, the Hive's getting ready to jump!"
"Can you track it?" John demanded, shooting another Dart. They were definitely pulling out.
"Would you like me to do anything else while I'm at it?"
"Find another ZPM?" John murmured along with him. "No," he added more loudly. "Just track the ship. Mitchell, stay where you are."
"He didn't like that," Alice muttered with a grin.
Whether he liked it or not, Cam obeyed, hovering just off John's wing as the last Darts returned to the Hive.
"Elizabeth, they take anyone else?"
"You were the only people outside," Elizabeth said distractedly. "Some structural damage, nothing serious."
"That's something, I guess. Cam, head back to base."
Above them, the Hive ship vanished into hyperspace.
