Virtual Reality

Dr. Weir, Dr. Beckett, Colonel Caldwell, and Teyla all stood in the control room waiting for the team to return from their mission. The wormhole had been active for five minutes and the I.D.C. was transmitted, but so far no one had come through the gate. When the first body flew out of the event horizon, everyone stared in shock. It sailed five feet before finally hitting the floor with a loud thump. Carson and his medical team snapped into action. They were down the stairs and assessing the victim's injuries when three other bodies flew out of the wormhole landing within inches from where they worked. Once the shield was activated the security team allowed Teyla, Elizabeth, and Caldwell access to the gate room floor. They stood transfixed as that medical teams labored to revive the four men. After a few minutes Dr. Beckett gave the signal to stop. He stood and slowly approached the small group.

"I don't understand it. There are blast holes in there clothing showing where they were hit, there's blood even, but no injuries. They're not breathing and I can't get a heart beat. I'm sorry lassies, but they're gone. Their medical records will officially pronounce John, Rodney, Aiden, and Ronon dead at eleven fifty-seven z."

08:30 Zulu

Elizabeth pushed down her sleeve, ensuring that she did not disturb the band aide that Carson had just placed on her arm.

"I'll have the results to your blood work by the end of the day."

She frowned.

"That long? I thought you would be able to tell me in an hour or so."

"Normally I would, but we're still having problems with one of our systems. Radek says he'll look at it for me this morning, but I have a weeks worth of tests to run."

She nodded.

"Thanks Carson."

He smiled.

"Sure thing love. If I'm able to get the results earlier, I'll swing by your office just before lunch."

08:45 Zulu

"Sheppard!"

Ronon Dex knocked on the door.

"Time's a wasting."

The door slid open; John stepped into the corridor while he slipped into his vest. He glared at his three teammates.

"While I appreciate the gesture, you guys really don't have to meet me at my quarters to ensure I'm on time for our missions."

Rodney snorted.

"That's what you said the last time and what happens? You show up late."

They were nearly at the end of the hall when John her Teyla's call. They turned as a group to find her leaning out of the doorway holding a P-90. John grinned sheepishly and slowly jogged back to his quarters. He reached for the gun.

"Thanks baby."

He tried to give her a quick kiss, but she wrapped an arm around his neck and deepened it. John slipped his free hand around her slightly swollen waist and cupped the side of her stomach. He pulled back.

"I've gotta go."

"Be careful."

"I will."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

John gave Teyla another quick kiss before turning and clipping the gun to his vest. She waved at the three men standing door the hall. Simultaneously, they waved back. They continued down the hall once the door slid closed behind her.

"Now I understand."

John glanced at Ronon.

"Understand what?"

"Why you're late. Those goodbyes have to take a good twenty to thirty minutes."

John smirked. Aiden looked at him and smiled.

"What?" John looked over his shoulder.

"Teyla and I starting saying our goodbyes a little over two hours ago."

12:05 Zulu

The gate room was silent when the wormhole finally deactivated. John groaned. His chest hurt like hell and he could feel an odd, yet vaguely familiar, tingling sensation running through his body. He sat up and saw Rodney, Aiden, and Ronon slowly getting up from the floor. He heard a small noise and glanced over his shoulder. Col. Caldwell and a small medical team stood frozen. They all looked as if they'd seen a ghost.

"Sir?"

John stood.

"What happened?"

10:26 Zulu

John glanced up as the colorful bird soared overhead. He grinned. This planet was a paradise; tropical weather, lush green forest, exotic fruit, and wild life. It was perfect. Which made him wonder why it was uninhabited. They'd found the ruins of a small village, a farming community, that looked like something from the early nineteen hundreds. Rodney'd picked up energy readings from a tower in the center of the village. The tower itself was a mystery; it stood about twenty feet high, was made from a dark grey material, and was topped with a shiny black globe. John tilted his head back to get a better look at the globe.

"Why do I have a feeling that this wasn't built by farmers?"

Ronon looked at him.

"Do you think they traded for it?"

"That, or it was already here when they settled."

Aiden stood on his other side.

"What do you think it is, sir?"

John shook his head.

"I have no idea, but something tells me, it ain't good."

Rodney rolled his eyes.

"Oh for Pete's sake, we just got here and you're already talking as if it's time to leave."

John looked at him.

"We're not leaving, but I want you to be extra careful. Okay Rodney?"

Rodney snorted.

"I'm always careful."

John glared.

"McKay?"

"Oh alright, I'll be extra careful."

Rodney walked around the tower looking for an access panel.

"Bingo."

Aiden whipped around.

"What?"

Rodney smirked.

"Calm down, G.I Joe, I just found the access panel is all."

Leaning forward, Rodney ran a hand over the panel and received a strong electrical shock.

"Ow!"

"What?"

"I touched-."

They all glanced up and took a few steps back as the tower hummed to life.

"Rodney!"

"I didn't do anything!"

He looked at John.

"I swear!"

Aiden continued to back away from the tower.

"Can you two finish this discussion after we take cover?"

The team ran for the tree line. When John reached the edge of the forest, he turned to look at the tower. The black globe began to rotate, locked on its target, and fired. He dived into the bushes, the blasts missing him by inches. John looked over his shoulder at the tree that now contained a large hole. He glanced up at Ronon, who shrugged.

"Well, at least now we know what it is."

12:18 Zulu

Carson looked up as the doors to the infirmary swung open and choked on his coffee. John walked over and patted him on the back.

"Surprised?"

"What the bloody hell is going on? I declared the four of you dead over twenty minutes ago."

John slowly shook his head.

"Ye of little faith."

Col. Caldwell looked at the doctor.

"Once the wormhole deactivated, they popped up as if they'd been cat napping on the beach. So I brought them to you."

Carson sighed.

"I need a drink."

Rodney smiled.

"Come on Carson, it can't be that bad. We're alive aren't we?"

Beckett gave a small smile.

"Yes, you're alive, which means I may have to sedate Elizabeth and Teyla after all."

John frowned.

"What?"

"They didn't take the four of you dying too well. As a matter of fact they dropped like stones."

"Where are they?"

Carson pointed to the partitioned area near the back of the room. He and Caldwell trailed behind the four men as they walked to the end of the room. They found the two women resting peacefully.

"They're fine and should awake in a little while, which doesn't give us that much time."

Aiden frowned.

"Time? Time for what?"

"The four of you died lad. The lack of oxygen alone should have caused serious brain damage and yet you seem fine. I'm going to need full physicals on all of you; blood work, brain scans, the works."

11:43 Zulu

They were almost home free. Unfortunately, the only thing they could do was make a run for it. After the initial attack Rodney had discovered a grid of energy signatures positioned throughout the forest. Every half a mile they ran into another tower. Aiden had quickly devised a system were he tossed a grenade temporarily disorienting the targeting mechanism and then Ronon shot it down. They'd destroyed four towers that way, but were now out of grenades. John stood hidden at the edge of the clearing. The DHD was less than thirty feet away. He turned to his teammates.

"Ronon, Aiden, I need you to keep that tower busy."

Aiden grinned.

"I've got an idea."

"Rodney, as soon as I get the gate open, transmit your I.D.C."

McKay nodded.

"I'll take cover behind the DHD and see if I can do any damage to the tower while you guys go through the gate. Let's go."

One minute later everyone was in position. When the first pack of C-4 discharged, John sprinted to the DHD. He'd dialed Atlantis and taken cover behind the DHD when the second pack exploded. Aligning his sights, he began firing on the tower. Rodney ran for the gate as the third pack of C-4 went off. He was still a few feet away when the blast struck him from behind.

"Rodney!"

John rushed forward to pull Rodney out of the direct line of fire. He was inches from McKay when a blast hit him in the chest. The force of the blow lifted him off his feet and thrust him backwards into the wormhole. Aiden and Ronon set off the last two packs of C-4 and rushed for the gate. They paused briefly to grab hold of Rodney, dragging him behind them. Neither man felt the multiple blasts that propelled them through the gate.

14:35 Zulu

Aiden, John, Carson, Rodney, and even Col. Caldwell laughed at the look of anguish on Ronon's face. His back had to be on fire, but he'd never tell that to the two women who were trying to squeeze the life out of him. John, Rodney, and Aiden had already endured their share of hugs, so they knew exactly how he felt. Carson finally took sympathy on him.

"Come now lassies let the man breath."

They let him go and climbed back onto their beds. Teyla smiled as she leaned into John's side.

"It is good to see you well Ronon."

"Thank you."

He groaned. Aiden snickered. Ronon glared at him.

"What did I miss?"

Rodney sighed.

"Nothing much. We can only assume that the grid was a defense system that malfunctioned. When the villagers or whomever, tried to fix it, the grid considered them a threat and killed everyone."

"But the tower killed us and we're alive?"

"Yes, but only because we are not longer on the planet or have a wormhole connection."

"So what happens if we redial the planet, will we die?"

"No."

Everyone turned to Caldwell. Elizabeth asked.

"How do we know that for sure Colonel?"

"Because we've already dialed the planet and nothing happened. Once the initial connection is lost, it's as if the parameters are reset."

Aiden grinned.

"You mean like a video game."

John smiled. Ronon grunted.

"It'd be a good place to practice military tactics."

John and Aiden looked at Ronon. The three turned to Caldwell, who was nodding in consideration. He looked at Elizabeth, who frowned.

"Don't even think about it."

11:40 Zulu

Elizabeth and Teyla, both glanced up when the knock sounded on the office door.

"Carson, come in."

"Hullo ladies. Teyla, would you mind if I had a word with Elizabeth please?"

"Of course, doctor."

She rose from her chair and handed Elizabeth a sheet of paper.

"If you see anything else you want added to the list, just write it down and I'll do so later."

Elizabeth nodded.

"Thank you Teyla."

She smiled at Carson as they circled around each other.

"Excuse me."

Beckett sat once the door slid closed behind Teyla, and smiled.

"I have the results from your blood work and you, my dear, are in very good health."

Elizabeth frowned.

"Then why did you ask Teyla to leave?"

Carson sighed.

"Well, there was one thing that I thought I should tell you in private."

"What?"

"You're pregnant."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide.

"I can't be pre-!"

"Unscheduled off world activation!"