Story Title: Still working on that, right now it's Atlantis Rising
Chapter Title: The Unexpected
Author: Me, who is just back from vacation, but who is still missing her muse, Steve's here somewhere, I know he is . . .
Disclaimer: If I owned Atlantis I would be the happiest person on Earth. Since I do, occasionally, get bouts of annoyance and/or frustration, I do not own anything (other than a cat, a calculator and about five bucks).
Author's Notes: So, so, so sorry about not updating sooner! I was gone for a week and had no time to write. I do, however, have about half of the next chapter done and I hope to write about this much per chapter from now on, but it'll probably vary.
Quezacolt: It's nice to hear from you! My steady reviewer . . . ah life is good. Here's the next chapter and the 7th should soon be up . . . just for you.
TTO: Thanks . . . it's great knowing that even though you have inside information on my story, you still want to read.
And on with the show . . .
IMPORTANT: For everyone's information, this story takes place right after the episode suspicion. Teyla is gone off with her people and will come back when convenient for me . . . I will add thing that are a character (ex: Sheppard naming the Wraith Steve). That, I believe will not change, no matter how far off the AU is.
Weir turned toward the command center, "There's a good explanation for this I hope?"
"All part of the plan Doctor." McKay answered.
Elizabeth turned and worked her way back to where McKay was, leaving Sheppard behind on the balcony, "So you do have a plan?"
McKay and Amorina looked at each other. "Well sorta," McKay said.
"What do you mean sort of?" Weir started at Rodney, demanding to know more.
Amy, however, was the one who answered first. "We've connected all gate functions to the main system energy output module, but unfortunately that means . . ."
"Within hours the cit will be completely drained of all energy. Life support, gate travel- all will be gone. We'll be sitting ducks." McKay finished.
Weir looked at them in disbelief, "You are feeding the shield with city-wide energy until our entire supply is depleted? And this was the best you could come up with?"
"Well on short notice," Rodney answered, "Yes."
Amorina echoed his 'yes' but her attention had drifted toward the dark city and the bright, burning, red shield that lit it. Her hear ached for what Atlantis used to be- a bustling, metropolis of people and cultures. The only true hub of power and technology and intellect in this part of the galaxy, but that was gone. Destroyed as the galaxy fell into utter anarchy. The strength of the Ancients had held the delicate framework of civilization and when that collapsed, so did the species connected.
Subconsciously she began to wander, her feet taking her away from the commotion and towards the silence. Her finger tips lightly ran over the wall and the counsels bedded in them. With just one touch the city could be alive again, She thought, and fall back to ruin. She grimaced, it was neither the time nor the place to waken the city. Not yet.
Amorina found herself standing before the StarGate. Without realizing it, she slowly began raising her left hand, her eyes concentrated on the first chevron, and the gate began dialing.
"What's she doing?" McKay asked, his attention diverted from his computer.
"What's who doing?" Sheppard responded, turning toward the gate. "Hey." he yelled. "Hey!"
Sheppard grabbed his gun and sprinted down the stairs, pushing past Elizabeth, who was planning on asking him where he was going, when she noticed Amorina. She followed, running out to look over the scene bellow.
Jumping the last three stairs, Sheppard landed and ran to where Amorina was. Letting his gun drop to his side, he rammed his body into hers and forced her arm down, locking it in a secure hold. His right hand was ready to grab the knife in his boot, if she reacted. They fell to the ground in a heap, Sheppard quick enough that he was able to catch himself from crushing Amorina who landed underneath him.
She looked at him in surprise, her eyes wide, as he began pulling her up by her left arm, before she fell limp.
Sheppard just barely maneuvered his arm under her shoulders before her head hit the floor. Looking upward he gave Weir a desperate look and she motioned him to bring Amorina up to the command center. Placing his other arm under her knees, he pulled her close to him, nudging her head onto his shoulder and lifted her off the ground.
Amorina's body responded immediately and she sank deeper into Sheppard's hold. Sheppard noticed this immediately, and grew angry. Just who was she that they were all bending backwards for? So, she might know something about this part of the universe- but so did Teyla. All she was was a lost, lonely, little girl who could barely fend for herself. Sheppard continued arguing with himself as he made his way back up to the command center.
Even as he mounted the last step, Sheppard noticed that Amorina didn't feel any heavier than when he had first picked her up, and any of the usual tiredness or soreness that Sheppard typically carried with him was gone. Even the gun shoot wound in his left shoulder was improving, and it was a noticeable difference. For the first time in years there wasn't even a slight tingle and the muscle felt wonderfully flexible and strong.
Elizabeth, Rodney and Beckett were there to meet him as Sheppard entered the control room.
"What happened?" Beckett asked, checking Amorina's pulse and other vitals.
"Where'd he come from?" Sheppard asked, not bothering to answer Carson.
"I called him as soon as Amorina started dialing the gate." Weir answered.
"He brought tranquilizers." McKay said, a smug grin on his face. "He was going to shoot her."
"I thought you liked her." Sheppard answered, shifting his grip on Amorina slightly so Beckett could feel the base of her skull.
"I do . . .but still, I wanted to see what she would say drugged."
"God, you are so twisted." Sheppard stared at Rodney.
"You just have no sense of fun," Rodney sighed.
"Me!" Sheppard exclaimed.
"Gentlemen, please," Weir broke in, peace settling upon the group.
"John, I need you to set her down here," Beckett pointed to the far wall, "and Rodney I need your jacket."
"But," McKay began.
"Don't," Weir interjected, holding up her right index finer, "just do what he says."
"It's cold in here," Rodney mumbled, handing Becket his coat.
Taking off his own outer layer, Carson folded the two jackets together to form a make shift pillow. "Place her here."
John moved forward and gingerly lowered Amorina to the floor. She mumbled a few incoherent words, but showed no other signs of regaining consciousness. Her ear piercing scream, as her head touched the pillow, was unexpected and shocked everyone. John remained still, hovering above her, with his arms still under her shoulders and knees.
Without warning Beckett pushed him aside and pulled a needle out of his lab coat, injecting Amorina. The effect was immediate and as soon as the tranquilizer hit, Amorina became silent, falling into a deep, meditative sleep.
Brushing the sweat from his brow, Carson called one of his assistants and they began running test on the drugged girl.
"Well I guess you'll get your chance," Sheppard said to Rodney while pulling himself put off of the floor.
"What chance?" McKay answered, his attention solely on Amorina and the doctors, not on Sheppard and his sarcasm.
"The chance to see her drugged."
"Oh, yes, that. Well let's just say it's not going to be as fun as I once thought."
"Huh?" Sheppard stared at Rodney, who was typing furiously on the computer that they had interfaced earlier.
McKay looked up at Sheppard, "Even if I do come up with a brilliant plan that could save us all, I still won't have the slightest idea where to began carrying it out. I've never been this deep within the Ancient's systems and one false move could be very, very bad. Amorina knew what she was doing. I do not."
"Oh, that's not good."
"No, it's not." McKay agreed, turning back towards his computer.
"So, Doctor, any change?"
Beckett looked warily over at Weir, who was standing over him. Rising, he pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes, "No. Her vitals are stable but the tranquilizer should have worn off by now, and she should be conscience. Her brain activity, however, is exceptionally high. Higher than anything I've ever seen before."
Weir remained still, with her arms folded over her chest, "You've seen the SGC records, correct?"
"Of course, I practically have them memorized." Carson opened his eyes and sighed, "But nothing has ever come close to this."
"And you're sure your machines aren't malfunctioning . . ."
"Doctor. I'm using the most up-to-date technology possible and I'm telling you Amorina's brain is so hyperactive that if she was human, she'd be dead by now."
Silence fell over the room, but Elizabeth didn't care, she just wanted to hit something. There had always been the slight glimmer of hope that Amorina was human, and she could be easily integrated into the team, but now even that was gone. Just knowing that Amorina had greater than human abilities did not sit well with Weir.
"But that's not all." Beckett motioned for Weir to follow him to the empty corridor, and out of hearing range of the rest of the crew.
"The thing is Doctor," Carson began, but stopped.
Weir allowed him a few moments before she talked, her voice full of warning, "Carson."
"Sorry, it's just Amorina, she . . . she has naquada in her blood."
Both knew what that meant.
"Oh, God." Weir said, "She couldn't possibly be a Goa'uld, could she?"
"It would explain a lot, but no, at least she isn't now. We did the ultrasound and there's nothing there."
"But could she have been? I mean, before she collapsed?"
"It would certainly explain her ability to control certain aspects of the city."
Weir not only wasn't to hit something, but cry as well. It was completely unlike her to even consider showing emotion, but to have encountered a Goa'uld in this part of the universe really threw her over the edge and her tightly reigned in emotions threatened to overflow.
"So what do we do?" Weir asked.
"I don't think there's much we can do. We can wait until she naturally wakes or I can try to wake her with certain drugs." He shrugged, "I just don't know."
"You know," Weir said, absentmindedly, "I've been hearing an awful lot of that lately."
"Excuse me?" Beckett responded.
"Oh, never mind, Doctor. Try to wake her, but safely. Nothing that will harm her. We may not be able to trust her, but we do, however, need her expertise if we're going to get out of this."
Carson nodded, and moved back to the main room, issuing orders as he entered.
Weir chose to remain alone, her mind much too busy to be bothered by the questions of her team. The mere idea that she had helped release another enemy disgusted her, but there was still that nagging thought in the back of her mind that reminded her that Amorina hadn't acted Goa'uldish. Ever since she had been released she had never demanded anything and why would she help them? Unless it was a play, but then her reaction to the transmission had been too real for a Goa'uld. Weir's mind screamed in frustration as she released her pen up anger on the near by wall. As her fists hit the solid structure pain flew up her arms and a resounding thunk echoed down the passage way.
A Goa'uld, Elizabeth thought, How do I fix this?"
evil laugh not quiet a cliff hanger, but the closes I've ever gotten to, yet . . .