The A-ware by Fandomatic
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Locked and Loaded
As soon as Jumper Four soared into the Puchek overcast sky, Beckett was already on his feet pulling out the bulky medical case that Zelenka had packed for him. He set it down on the bench next to him and flicked the latches open. The three marines watched him without a word as he left it there and returned to the monitor mounted over the head of the mobile unit. According to the readings, Fusia was already coming out of her drug-induced sleep. That fact increased his nervousness.
The Air Force captain circled the landing site and fired out a humorless list of planetary conditions. "Listen up. We're about to land on a savanna in the middle of a tropical rainforest. It's 44° Celsius at straight-up noon. It's hot, humid and it's a miracle it isn't raining yet. Forecast calls for afternoon downpours. Stay hydrated and keep your feet dry. Stay alert—the natives are restless and I see smoking debris to stargate north and one at stargate ground zero. Buckle up for a pancake."
Dr. Carson Beckett swallowed and looked nervously at the marines. They perked up at the mention of smoking debris.
Sergeant Sheehan caught his worried eyes. "We're just landing," he explained to the Scotsman.
"Oh. Aye."
"Yeah," Adcock smirked. "Landing in a hot-zone."
"How quaint." Their banter had done nothing for his queasy intestines.
The jolt announced contact with the ground and the marines erupted into a cacophonous motion of checked weapons with assorted clicks. Carson swallowed nervously.
"All right, Doc," Reed called over his shoulder. "We're at the gate site. Time to wake her up. Sergeant Sheehan, teams of two, cover the jumper, the gate and set up a perimeter. Looks clear from the air except for the bonfires." Reed slapped a hand over the hatch control and the humid, sickly stench hit them as the air seals broke contact on the ramp's descent.
Sheehan put a hand to his nose and tried not to wretch. "Crap."
"What the…"
"God, it stinks."
"Sarg, somethin' smells dead."
"Smokishy."
"Is that even a word?"
"Heard the colonel use it."
"You're making that up."
"Scouts honor."
"Dead 'n' burnt—smokishy," another verified.
"Can it." Reed got up and clipped on his P90. "I'm guessing that's the cleanup from the massacre. Doc, hurry up and do your thing. I don't want to stay in the area too long."
"You could can it, all right," a marine muttered on the way out.
The six men deployed out the back hatch without wasted motion and took up positions around the immediate area. Two of them headed off to check out the fire still smoldering off to one side of the gate. Reed joined Beckett in the back next to the plastic tent as he worked at bringing his patient back to consciousness.
"How's she look?"
Beckett glanced at Fusia's fluttering eyelids. "She's coming around." He gestured toward the smoking pile of debris off to the side of the stargate. "Funeral pyres?"
Captain Reed shrugged. "Adcock and Tiernay will check it out."
The doctor stared out at the smoking pyre and frowned. "There were no bodies up here when we picked up Rodney and Teyla."
Reed cued his headset. "Adcock. What have you got?" They both listened as Carson checked the monitor's readings again.
"Bodies. A dozen or more. Charred."
"Copy that. Stay alert. We're going to cloak."
Beckett's blue worried eyes rounded and he looked to Reed, but the captain was already headed into the forward cabin to initiate the cloak.
Their craft had landed a good sixty meters from the ancient platform and the mobilized marines covered the area from every angle.
"We're cloaked, just like Dr. Weir ordered." Reed's soft voice near his ear made him jump. Coupled with his sweat glands popping moisture all over his skin, his body overloaded with adrenaline and his nostrils filled with the stench of death, Carson didn't think he could take in much more stimuli and survive without heart failure. This alien world terrified him with its hostile smell and sweltering heat that alternately baked and drowned its occupants.
"Reed to Sheehan."
The lack of a response puzzled the two Lanteans. He could see Sergeant Sheehan standing behind the gate.
"Reed to Sergeant Sheehan. Come in."
"Reed to Tiernay. Come in… Adcock…? Can anybody hear me?" The captain paused a beat and turned to Carson. "Something's not right," he started to say as the sound of the jumper ramp closing interrupted him. "What the hell? Did you do that?" He glanced at Beckett who only shook his head.
Reed shoved by the gurney and rushed the rising ramp that was already halfway up. He tried countering the command with the door controls, but the jumper didn't respond and the hatch hissed shut. The second hiss came from behind as the bulkhead doors started to slide closed between the compartments. Beckett and Reed whirled just in time to see a sweat-stained, mud-splattered Colonel Sheppard wave to them from the forward compartment with a smirk plastered over his face.
"Colonel?" As the closest person to the bulkhead door, Beckett was in front of it in two strides, frantically waving his hand over the control crystals. "Colonel Sheppard! What are you doing? Open the door."
Captain Reed joined him and pounded on the bulkhead. "Open the door, Colonel!" He froze and grabbed Carson's arm to stop him from hitting the door panel. A familiar hum vibrated beneath their feet. The doctor and the captain looked down at the flooring.
"Oh, bugger, we're taking off."
Reed's jaw jumped. "We're still cloaked. Nobody even knows we're leaving." He caught the look in Carson's wide eyes, and added, "Yet. They'll figure it out."
"Oh, brilliant." Beckett's eyes darted around the compartment with the comatose survivor. "What's he doing?"
"We're gettin' hijacked. That's what he's doing!"
"I know that! I mean, why?"
"What do you mean why? How about how? How'd he get by both of us?"
"How should I know?" Carson turned back to the door and raised his voice. "Colonel! It's us. We're here to help you. Come out and let's talk about this!"
The hum of the engines filled the silence between them.
"Colonel Sheppard!"
"He's not coming out," Reed decided and turned toward the supplies netted above the benches. The way he moved so purposefully, Carson expected him to pull out the Jaws of Life from the case instead of the two stunners. The captain offered him one of the guns.
"Wait." Carson darted back to the other bench. "I've got something even better." He flipped open the hefty case and lifted McKay's prototype anti-replicator gun from the self-molding foam. The bulky gun with a large mushroom nose attached to an oversized barrel made it difficult to balance and handle smoothly. A carrying strap looped from the tip to the stock to help support the clumsy tip. A handle welded to the side offered awkward handling. "I had Radak pack this before we left."
"That," Reed grinned and his brown eyes lit up, "is sweet." He tossed the extra stunner back onto the jumper seat and admired the doctor's foresight. "Dr. Weir told me they couldn't put together another one in time."
"I talked to Radek. Rodney's came back with the search team."
"That's a helluva cure, doc."
"Do you think it'll work through doors?"
Captain Reed rubbed his chin and studied the back of the jumper with the survivor's gurney in the center. "I don't know, but you can't shoot him while we're in the air."
"I'm not daft!"
"I can see that." The pitch of the engines changed and their eyes met in recognition. "We're landing now!" Reed hissed. "Here's the plan. When we're down, shoot him through the door. If it opens, keep shooting."
"Aye. I can do that," Carson nodded and wedged himself behind the bulkhead on the bench while the captain did the same thing across from him. He inserted his hand into the barrel and aimed the ARG uneasily toward the pilot's seat while they waited for the familiar bump of ground. Beckett let out the breath he'd started to hold and swallowed feeling his suddenly dry mouth. Nervously he told himself, This is little more than remote surgery. Not quite my usual fair because anyone can do it. That thought still didn't alleviate the nervous fear that he'd still somehow mess it up. As he waited, the engine hum died with a whine. Crap! Did we already land? When did we hit the ground?
"Now! Shoot already!"
Carson grimaced at Reed's impatience and pulled the trigger. The anti-replicator gun let loose an expanding radius of green energy that pulsed outward toward the door and dissipated through it on a wave.
When nothing immediately happened, Reed stepped over to the bulkhead and opened it with his first touch to the controls. The captain held his stunner ready and entered the cab covering every corner and looking for a target. Beckett approached warily, side stepping forward with his gun held awkwardly in front of him. He edged up behind the captain and joined him standing shoulder to shoulder in the empty compartment.
"Where'd he go?" Carson straightened and his weapon sagged to his side in confusion since there was nobody in there to shoot. The floor was clear and the seats empty. There just wasn't any place to hide in the forward compartment.
"I don't—" Reed began.
Carson jerked around at the sound of a Wraith stunner from behind them as Reed toppled to the floor. His startled eyes found the source as Colonel Sheppard stepped into the cabin and grabbed the barrel of the ARG with one hand and twisted inside Carson's defenses putting his body between Carson and the gun. An elbow crashed into his gut and Beckett let go with one thought about protecting his solar plexus.
The air whooshed out of his lungs as he doubled over. Dimly, he was aware of Sheppard telling him he wouldn't need it while he looped the ARG strap over his head to let it hang to one side.
"Or this." Sheppard stepped closer, thumbed off the restraining strap and took Carson's Beretta. "Sit."
"Oh, crap." Beckett caught his breath and gratefully sank into the jump seat.
As he regained the use of his lungs, Carson watched him efficiently break apart his 9mm, check it, reassemble it and tucked it in the small of his back. Beckett's expert eye traveled over Atlantis's chief military officer whose previously black BDUs had sweat stains cutting into the dust stains under a layer of mud stains. The boots were no longer clean but sported mud and dust caked over the haphazard laces. The tac vest had a few green leaf fragments sticking to his back with their natural Velcro fibers in between the dirt spatters. His wet hair stuck out at all angles even more wildly than usual and his canteen rode easily on his belt like it was empty. He looked a bit thin and distinctly feral.
"What are you doing, Colonel?" Carson asked. "You look a mess."
Sheppard snorted and unclipped Reed's P90. "Should've seen my last uniform." He attached the submachine gun to his vest.
Beckett kicked himself for talking to him like it was the colonel. Whatever he is, Sheppard's not himself anymore and I'd best remember that. "Fusia told us about the A-ware taking you over. If there's anything left of Colonel Sheppard in there, then you know we could work together to bring your criminal to justice and free our people. We're on the same side here."
Integrated Sheppard glanced up at Beckett as he brought Reed's hands behind his back and zip-tied them. "It's me, Carson, and you're not helping. You're trying to stop me. You tried to kill me."
"No, I didn't!"
"Yes." John pilfered Reed's canteen along with the sidearm and magazines. "You did." He thrust the Beretta into his empty holster and stowed the clips. When he retrieved the stunner, he stood up.
"That gun wouldna killed you. It would've freed you from the A-ware!"
Sheppard's energetic movements paused as he gave Carson a momentary look of irritation before he motioned the doctor to get up. With suppressed annoyance, he pulled Dr. Beckett by his vest into the rear compartment and had him sit down on the bench across from the gurney. The colonel put the stunner down on the opposite bench while he slipped the ARG gun strap over his head.
"Whatever you think, I'm still me, Carson." Carson watched him return the anti-replicator gun to the medical case and latch it with finality. "Think about it. You know what size the implant is." Sheppard tossed the heavy case back up behind the overhanging cargo mesh and faced the doctor with the same aggravated expression. His eyes locked onto Beckett's doubtful face. "It's using a significant portion of my brain to operate, so you can believe me when I tell you that I am one hundred percent certain that if you kill the A-ware, we're all going to die."
Wee bit of an ego there, John. "Oh, I doubt—"
"The man I'm chasing is insane, Carson. He's already spread his insanity to over a million people—"
"Mental illness is not catching!"
"It is if you're integrated." Sheppard scowled at him and picked up the stunner. "He's got a special link. His implant mobilizes populations to create…things or ideas or research. Whatever he wants, gets done. And he wants to hurt people, Carson."
He sure sounds like the colonel… Dr. Beckett leaned forward. "Fusia said the A-ware assumes control of its host."
Sheppard frowned and his eyes flicked over to the tented gurney beside him. "Hear me out before you make up your mind whether I've been hijacked or not."
"All right. I'll listen."
"The catalyst has found a way to hurt a lot of people besides hers." John crossed his arms casually pointing the stunner pistol away from his captive audience. "Puchek is the site of an ancient experiment to tap into the dimensions. If the catalyst activates the temple in two hours—worst case, the galaxy's inner systems become a giant smoke ring." Sheppard closed in on Beckett and grabbed his vest, hauling him to his feet. "You're going to help me stop the worst case, the hole in the galaxy, from happening." He guided him to Fusia's monitor.
"You didn't have to hijack me for tha'!"
"I seriously doubt Reed would've cooperated."
"For the love… We're here because of you. We brought her tae find you!" Beckett pointed to the enabler. "We're mounting a rescue."
Sheppard snorted. "Well, consider me found. Anyway, I needed Fusia here."
"What's Fusia got tae do with it?"
"Wake her up and find out."
"Aye, well, she is waking up. I already stopped the drip."
John's eyes darted to Fusia's slack expression. "She's too groggy. Give her a stimulant."
"Colonel, it would be best to let her…" Carson started to protest as Sheppard's combat knife didn't wait for compliance and sliced through the side of the isolation tent.
"I hate repeating myself," he growled as he peeled back the plastic side. "She's not infectious. Now give her a damn stimulant!"
"Okay." With a frown, Dr. Beckett turned to his medical kit and efficiently prepared a needle. Sheppard watched him distrustfully, keeping the stunner targeted on him as he worked. After Carson injected the IV line, the colonel visibly relaxed and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "It'll take a few minutes to work," Beckett warned as he tucked the syringe back into the case.
"It's already working," John announced and drifted closer to the side that Beckett had left. Fusia's eyes flew open and she gasped suddenly trying to catch her breath. Tremors traveled over her body as she tilted her head and found John's clinical eyes peering down at her.
"We're cloaked," he murmured. "You're safe here."
"Hid—" Her voice cracked and she swallowed. "Hidden?"
"Yes. It worked. You're hidden and he can't sense us." Sheppard paused. "But you can't stay here. As long as the phase crystal is on Puchek, Integratia is in danger. The crystal is now the threat. If you don't take it off world, it's going to blow a big hole in the galaxy in less than two hours when the ring towers dial in. Integratia is within the blast radius."
Her blue eyes widened with dread and darted over to Beckett, who had joined Sheppard at her side when he heard her voice. She closed her eyes for a moment and her voice became stronger, but the trembling continued in her lifeless limbs. "He changed tactics again?"
"No. This is a consequence of screwing around with technology we don't fully understand!" The vehemence in his voice alarmed Carson.
She matched his intensity. "And you would destroy it!"
"Yes," John instantly snapped. "I would destroy it before it destroyed me. That is an acceptable loss."
She struggled to rise and found herself unable to make her muscles comply. "At what cost? You would destroy years of research!"
Sheppard's lips compressed. "I don't have time to argue about this. Are you ready?"
Silently they considered each other and she nodded hesitantly. "You depleted my implant. I'll need more material to stabilize the crystal."
"Way ahead of you. I brought lunch." John calmly reached over to place his stunner in her opposite hand and curled her fingers around the butt. Then he dug into his vest pocket and pulled out the small leather drawstring bag. Spilling four implants into his palm, he pressed them into her other hand. She fingered the pellets and smiled sadly at the death represented in the palm of her hand.
"I can't alter, John Sheppard. You'll have to initiate."
Dr. Beckett interrupted them uneasily. "Wha' exactly are you talking about doing here?" Judging from the conversation, the two knew each other already. Fusia had lied to him and Weir.
Sheppard glanced up at the doctor as he slipped the small bag back in his pocket. "I'm going to fix Fusia's implant so she can stabilize the phase crystal and take it through the stargate."
"Wha' crystal?"
"The one inside me that I took from the temple."
"Bloody hell! How did it get inside you?"
"It's not stable outside the body." Sheppard looked down at the enabler and clasped her hand with the implants between their palms. "Fusia volunteered to hide the crystal with the cloak and bring the ordnance to blow the temple. After I give her the crystal, you're gonna fly her through the gate."
"And then wha'? You're going tae blow up the temple?"
"If you have a better plan for going up against a telekinetic with an ancient shield bent on galaxy-wide destruction, I'd like to hear it." Sheppard snorted when he didn't answer. "I've got one thing going for me. He doesn't know I'm coming. He wants the crystal so bad that he'll turn off the shield to get it. When the shield goes off, the A-ware uploads, presto, instant lobotomy, I blow the temple, the galaxy's saved."
Beckett's eyes narrowed. He didn't even mention Lorne or McKay. And he didn't appear concerned about rescuing them as he stood over the enabler and closed his eyes.
Carson's lips parted and he opened his mouth to object to this plan when the colonel's dark roots turned silver and the untamed hair rapidly grew metallic. Then he opened his eyes. Dumbfounded, the doctor observed that his irises had flooded with the neutronium. An instant later, Fusia's body convulsed as the neutronium flowed into her body.
Her body slumped back into the gurney pad while the neutronium streamed into her blond hair and undulated like a prehensile entity. Her blue eyes faded into silver and she lifted the stunner with a trembling hand and smiled with satisfaction at her mobility. She focused on the Wraith weapon and silver filaments entwined around the gun from her unnatural silver fingernails. Carson's eyes traveled to the colonel's hand and he noticed the same unnatural silver, coating his nails.
In the next instant, he recoiled as he saw a red vibrant shape encased in a mass of filaments emerge from the colonel's chest and slowly extend toward the enabler's breast. The fine neutronium strands sheathed the blood red crystal in a net that he quickly dismissed as containing a heart. A web of silver fibers stretched up from Fusia and slipped around the phase crystal and quickly mimicked the complex paths one by one as Sheppard's strands withdrew. The transfer complete, the silver encased red crystal sank into the survivor's chest.
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Next chapter, Betrayal...
