Home
"Go ahead."
"What do you mean, go ahead? This was your idea, you do it."
"Yeah, but they're your kids."
"So wh-."
"Sshh, did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"How long did you say Teyla would be gone?"
"About an hour, why?"
"Cause she was pretty pissed the last time, that's why. And unlike you, I don't enjoy getting beat up by women."
John glared across the bassinet at Rico and then glanced down at the sleeping boys. He grinned. John and Jared had gotten so big. It was amazing.
"Would you go ahead?"
"Would you shut up?" Both men leaned forward.
"John, what are you doing?"
Teyla turned on the lights in time to see John and Rico bump heads. She smothered a laugh.
John rubbed his forehead and turned to face his wife. He smiled, trying to look as innocent as possible. John opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off.
"Col. Sheppard, this is control."
He activated his ear piece.
"Go ahead control."
"Sir pleased be advised that Major Lorne is returning from the mainland with an injured party. His ETA is fifteen minutes."
"Did he say who the injured party was?"
There was a moment of silence.
"It's Jinto sir. Halling is accompanying them."
"Copy, Sheppard out."
General Sheppard, John, Teyla, and Major Lorne quietly talked, while Beckett and Halling saw to Jinto's comfort.
"What happened?"
Lorne let out a long sigh.
"After I dropped off the supplies, Jinto told me he'd found a room in the mountain and wanted to show me. At first he couldn't remember exactly where the entrance was. He ran his hand along the rock and fell into the side of the mountain. One minute he was there, the next he was gone. I heard him yell so I went in after him. It was a corridor. If I hadn't known better I would have sworn we were in Atlantis. I was kind of freaked out so I grabbed the kid and left."
John frowned.
"Do you think you could find the place again?"
Lorne nodded.
"Yes sir."
John turned to his father.
"Take two teams. Find out where it is, what it is, and make sure it's not already occupied."
He grinned.
"Yes sir."
It's here."
Major Lorne looked at John.
"It's somewhere along this section of the mountain."
"Rodney, any readings?"
"Nope, the cloak is still blocking all energy signatures."
John turned to Ronon.
"Can you see any tracks?"
Ronon surveyed the area, walking further down the trail, and then knelt down for a better look.
"There are small, light footprints here."
He pointed to his left near the mountain wall.
"They stop here, were a set of larger prints overlap."
Ronon stood facing the mountain side.
"It looks like they went through here."
He reached out to touch the rock, but his hand went right through.
"Yeah, this is it."
John smiled.
"Okay folks, pair up. Give the team in front of you thirty seconds to clear out of the way and then proceed."
John looked at Lorne.
"Ready?"
They paused at the top of the stairwell as the lights activated, then continued down the corridor.
"Man, you weren't kidding. This has to be an outpost for Atlantis."
They paused at a T intersection.
"Rodney, anything?"
"Yes, take a left to the transporters. It looks like there's a control room a few levels up."
It took two trips for everyone to reach the large tri-leveled, circular room. The first level, being the highest outer ring, was where the entrances and display panels were located. The second, slightly lower, level contained the control consoles. And in the third and lowest level, was a control chair. Rodney ducked under one of the consoles, searching for an interface. He popped up a minute later and grinned at John.
"Got it."
"Good. Scan for life signs. I want to be sure that we're the only people here and then see if you can find a more detailed layout of this place."
"I'm on it."
John glanced around the room as Rodney busily typed on his laptop; he looked back when McKay suddenly froze.
"You find anything?"
Rodney slowly glanced up from the screen, his eyes wide with amazement.
"I think we've just hit the jackpot."
Rodney pointed to the display screen and turned back to the people in the conference room.
"Its name is Mount Olympus."
He smirked.
"Talk about ironic. Anyway, it's a stationary defense system for Atlantis. The mountain has a total of ten levels; the top contains three of what the Ancients called Cerberus canons, the next level holds a cache of drones. Level eight is a Jumper bay, level seven is the control room, and levels six through one contain living quarters, dining and common areas, medical facilities, and storage rooms."
Elizabeth's brow rose.
"ZPM's?"
He shook his head.
"No. Because it is a stationary post the Ancients decided to give it a more natural power source."
Teyla tilted her head.
"More natural, as in the sun?"
"Yes, solar power. At maximum power each canon charges a total of fifty rounds."
Caldwell frowned.
"Fifty rounds. That's it?"
Rodney rolled his eyes.
"Each round is capable of destroying a Hive ship."
"But if they had that kind of fire power, how is it that the Ancients lost the war?"
Rodney turned to Ronon.
"As they've said before, they underestimated their enemy. The Ancients had never run into a foe with technology that rivaled their own. Add to that the sheer number of the Wraith and it was too much for them. Even with one hundred and fifty rounds from the canons, there were so many Hive ships on there way to Atlantis that they knew Olympus wouldn't survive. So they evacuated and cloaked the post."
Aiden glanced at Elizabeth.
"So, now what?"
She, in turn, glanced at John.
He grinned.
"We finish the security sweeps of the mountain, man the outpost, give the Athosians real homes to live in, and offer to move some of the families that have children to the mainland, they would be safer there."
He looked up at Elizabeth, who nodded.
"I agree."
Mount Olympus: Four Weeks Later
"To Jinto."
John raised his cup to the boy sitting across the table.
"May your adventurous spirit and avid curiosity never diminish. And to Olympus, may she be a safe haven as well as a home."
He drank from his glass, glancing around the large common area filled with Atlantians and Athosians. The sound of cups and glasses clicking filled the room as everyone seconded his toast. John resumed his seat and smiled.
"This is amazing."
He turned to Elizabeth.
"What is?"
"This brunch; I haven't seen this much food in a long time. I knew that harvest had gone well, but this is…."
John grinned.
"Amazing? With the Daedalus bringing in supplies and having such a good harvest, we were able to divide the food into thirds instead of half; some went to Atlantis, some into storage and the rest for daily use. We've had a really good year."
"I'll say this," Rodney paused from eating and licked his finger, "Athosians are really good cooks. We should have more celebrations on the mainland. It would be a shame for their talent to go to waste."
Rico shook his head.
"The real shame is not being able to see those canons in action before we leave. Now, that's just heart breaking."
John Sr. sighed.
"True, guess we'll just have to be satisfied with the report on the test results."
John smirked at his father, who shrugged.
"What?"
"I'm just waiting for the waterworks to go with your sad story."
The general glared across the table.
"Very funny junior."
John winced, causing the others to laugh.
"Actually, while we have you all here, Rico and I would like to say thank you. You accepted us and made easy what could have been a very uncomfortable situation. Thank you. You know, for a long time I couldn't understand why John would want to risk his life so far away from home, but after meeting you all and being here, now I do. You're good people, good friends, you're family."
John Sr. glanced around the table stopping when he noticed Rico's smirk.
"What?"
"You couldn't understand? What do you mean, you couldn't understand?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Old man, I bet you fifty dollars that if Shep wouldn't come home it was because of a woman."
Rico gestured towards Teyla.
"Voila. Now, where's my money."
The general glanced at the ceiling and sighed.
"Do you know how proud I am of you?"
John pulled back from his father's hug and smiled.
"Yes. Take care of yourself and try to keep Rico out of trouble."
John Sr. smiled.
"The same thing goes for you, Teyla and the twins."
He glanced over John's shoulder at Rodney, Aiden, and Ronon.
"And the three stooges."
John laughed.
"I will. Bye Dad."
"Goodbye son."
The general turned to the gate, were Rico waited.
"You ready to go?"
Rico took a quick look around the gate room, smiling at small group who'd come to see them off. He returned his gaze the John Sr.
"Yeah, let's go home."
With one last waive to their family and friends, they stepped through the wormhole.
John stood on the balcony staring at the stars in the night sky. He leaned against the banister and sighed. Finally. He'd been going over the last few years in his mind and even he could agree that things were starting to look up. Their luck was finally changing: they could defend themselves from the Wraith, their food supplies were overflowing, and the Athosians had a home, a real home. John had let go of his guilt for waking the Wraith a long time ago, but it hadn't changed the fact that the Athosians had lost their home. It had been an accident, but still… For a while, things had gone well, but suspicion, doubt, and accusations soon separated Atlantians from their strongest allies. Finding the mainland had been convenient, the Athosians volunteering to leave, even more so. It hadn't set well with him then, or the many months that followed. For them to live in Atlantis, while the very people who introduced them to other worlds and shared their harvest lived in tents and cabins on the mainland, was unforgivable; and yet they had been forgiven. Trust had slowly been regained and now….
John stilled as two arms slipped around his waist. Teyla rested her forehead against his back.
"It is late. Come back to bed."
He pulled her around to face him.
"I will in a minute."
She tilted her head.
"Missing them already?"
He grinned.
"Yes, but that's not what I was thinking about."
"Well then, what are you thinking about?"
"The Athosian's new home."
Teyla turned, resting against his chest.
"Olympus."
"Yes."
"John, they chose to-."
"Things are finally as they should be."
Teyla felt him stiffen as he waited for her reply. She decided the let the matter drop for now.
"Did Jinto tell you what he wanted as his treat for finding Olympus?"
John relaxed.
"No, what did he say?"
"He would like for you to teach him to shoot a P-90."
"I'll be glad to, in another few years."
She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"In that case, he would like to spend a day with you on Atlantis."
"That can easily be arranged."
Teyla smiled.
"I will tell Jinto, he will be very pleased."
John touched his forehead to hers and sighed.
"Come on, let's go to bed."
Authors Note: I'm sorry it took me so long to finish. I've been a bit busy lately. I'll try to keep the stories short for now, so that you're not left up in the air. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.
Devine
P.S. You'll most definately see the Cerberus in action