Title: Atlantis

Author: Tonia Barone

Rating: Teen

Spoilers: The Storm and a small one for Underground, but only in the sense that you know who the Genii are

Disclaimer: +sighs sadly+ If they were, we'd be seeing more of geek!Shep. Since they are not, however, we will likely never see geek!Shep again.

Notes: MEGA-big thanks to jakisbishlygay for beta'ing this. Thankyouthankyouthankyou! Also thanks for the patience. While the first seven were written in about 4 days, this sucker took over 2 weeks. Ugh. Here it is, hope it's worth the wait. Oh yeah. This is gonna be split into 4 parts cause it's so long. I know, I know. Some of you are probably gonna lynch me, but the places were too good to pass up and it was simply getting too long to handle. I'll post the other parts either later today or tomorrow some time. +go hides behind Radek+ Please don't kill me?

Summary: Danger comes at my Children from all sides and I am powerless to protect them.

The storm season has come and there is naught she can to do warn them. The storms have never been a problem in times past because of the shield she would erect to protect her Children and herself. This time, however, she does not enough power for the shield. It is sheer luck that her Favorite Child goes up in the puddle jumper with the Warrior in the hours before the storm would come.

The thinkers gather to pore over the situation, but none come close to the answer she wishes to give them. After a while all save her Protector and the Engineer leave and they start a discussion on hurricanes in their respective homelands. Now is the time she most wishes the Engineer could hear her. She nudges him as much as she can and rejoices when he finally gets it.

As they leave for the control tower, her Protector asked a question—probably meant to be rhetorical—and he had opened himself up just enough for her to slip in enough to answer. This seemed to shock him, something that amused her greatly. He knew she had the ability to communicate mentally with those in possession of what they called the ATA gene.

The Engineer tried to get his attention, but her Protector silenced him and continued to interrogate her. It wasn't long before he slipped and asked her a question aloud. The Engineer is far from stupid and was quick to pick up on the fact her Protector was speaking with her. She watched as the often quiet Engineer began to bounce in place, looking very excited as he fired questions of his own at her Protector. And then he slipped and it was her Protector's turn to pounce.

When her Protector discovered that she'd already communicated to the Engineer before himself, he began what would most likely turn into a spectacular tantrum. She quickly forestalled him by explaining what had occurred. After another pointed look to the Engineer, her Protector allowed them to resume their march to the control tower.

The Leader is as amused as she is by the back-and-forth way the two thinkers speak as they explain what must be done in order to power the shields. The two of them really work well off each other. It's good that her Protector has someone he's comfortable with besides her Favorite Child and the Healer.

Another puddle jumper returned to her, the Athosians and her Children spilling out. There was still one puddle jumper on the mainland, however, and that one held the Healer, the Second and the Warrior, who were waiting on three Athosians. She worried for them; even if the Athosians were to arrive now, they would never out-run the storms. Thankfully the puddle jumpers could withstand the force of the winds, so they would be safe from harm as long as they remained within them.

As her Children leave, she prays that it will not be the last she sees of them. She knows they will be safe where they are going, but a part of her wishes they would not leave her. She was alone for so long and it is not something she would like to repeat. Two guards, her Favorite, her Protector and the Leader remain with her. The last three plan on disconnecting the grounding stations that keep the lightning from harming her Children. It is a good plan to use the power of the lightning to allow her to raise the shield and she hopes it works.

She watches with amusement as her Protector assigns the Leader, her Favorite and himself grounding stations to disconnect. She has great amusement because he gives her Favorite the two grounding stations furthest from the control tower—or a transporter. She knows he can make it; in fact doesn't mind so much, but he must always put on a show for her Protector. She learned early on that it was a form of mating ritual for them, despite the fact that they had yet to mate. They cared for each other greatly, but worried what others might think.

If they only knew...

All but one of the grounding stations have been disconnected when the Doorway opens. The code of the Athosians is given so the two guards open the barrier and...

Oh no! These are not the Athosians! One kills both guards and orders the rest of his men to secure the control tower. Judging by the level of technology she detects from them, she assumes these are the Genii her Children encountered a few weeks ago. Oh, this is most horrible.

...and her Protector and the Leader are heading straight for them!