DISCLAIMER: I do not own this show, or these characters; I just borrow them.
Weathering the Storm Part 1
It was one of the few days that the emergency klaxon or a knock on the door did not wake up the leader of Atlantis since coming to the Pegasus galaxy. That should have been her first clue that something was going to go amiss; Dr. Weir determined what that something was when Major Sheppard called in from Jumper 1 to inform her that there was a storm coming to Atlantis. For John to sound as non-cynical as he did in that conversation was the clue that this storm was going to be bad.
While John was getting aerial views of the storm, Dr. Weir called in two scientists that would be able to help Atlantis prepare for the storm. Dr. Zelenka and Dr. McKay were prompt in coming to the briefing room when summoned; however, they were not as quick with ideas on how to save Atlantis. Like all brilliant scientists when a new situation arises, Drs. McKay and Zelenka started talking in technical terms about what was going on. A stern, "focus," from Dr. Weir brought them back to the meeting; however, the only plan that they came up with was that they would have a plan before the hurricane hit. Wonderful, Dr. Weir thought while she was walking back to her office. In the meantime, she decided to start plans to evacuate the Athosian settlement, and asked Major Sheppard to start looking into planets that would be willing to put up with the Athosians and the people from Atlantis. I hope the planet is friendly enough just incase we can't get back.
Major Sheppard and Lieutenant Ford came back with good news. The Manarian people decided that they would give hospitality to the entire population of Atlantis until the threat from the storm wasover. Elizabeth breathed in a sigh of relief as one hurdle was dealt with. She watched as the Athosian people and some of the personnel from Atlantis started to go through the gate and was wondering what would happen to them if Atlantis was destroyed so that they could not return through the stargate. How will Earth know where to find us, and how with the Athosian people deal with losing their home for the second time in months? Elizabeth brought her thoughts back to the present situation and told herself not to borrow trouble before it happened.
The plan to save Atlantis did come before the storm hit, as Dr. McKay said. However the plan was not a foolproof plan. Therefore Dr. Weir, Dr. McKay, and Major Sheppard were to stay behind to try and put the plan in action; a few military personnel also stayed behind to keep some of the major systems online and to guard the gate. The plan to save the city involved separating the four main grounding stations on Atlantis. This would cause the lightning to go through the unshielded parts of Atlantis and feed into the power supply for the shield. Hopefully this would save the majestic city.
The call came in that changed the day from bad to worse while Major Sheppard was going to separate the last grounding station. One of the guards radioed in to Dr. Weir that there was an attack on Manara and that there were injuries involved. Great, can this day get any worse, Dr. Weir thought as she and Rodney hurried to the gateroom. When the two of them arrived, Dr. Weir was reminded that no one should ask that loaded question.
"What the hell is going on?" Dr. Weir asked as she barreled into the gateroom. She noticed the guns pointed toward herself and Dr. McKay. She looked around for the guards that she left stationed here, and noticed that there were two bodies laying on the floor near the gate with a pool of blood underneath them both. Elizabeth could tell that they were both dead as she could not see their chests rise and fall in the tale-tell sign of life. If looks could kill, the man coming down the steps toward Rodney and her would have been long dead. This was not the first death that the leader of Atlantis has dealt with since coming to the Pegasus Galaxy; however, it hit the closest to home, literally. Dr. Weir was pissed off that these people had come into the one place that her people had felt safe in, and started to call home, and defiled all thoughts of safety even within these city walls. Her eyes blazed with these feelings, and Dr. Weir could tell that the man coming down the stairs enjoyed this show of emotion. Therefore Elizabeth put on a stoic mask as the man stood in front of her.
"Doctor Elizabeth Weir," Kolya stated as he noticed her facial expressions close off from the outside world. I will see those emotions again, he thought longingly as the person in front of him acknowledged that yes, she was Dr. Weir, and therefore the leader of Atlantis. Kolya learned that Dr. McKay was the other person standing in front of him when Sora came over and told her leader this. Commander Kolya did not like the rebellion that he was receiving from the people in front of him. Dr. Weir was not showing him her emotions, and Dr. McKay would not respond to his direct question of who he was. They will pay for their insubordination.
"You seem to know a lot about us. Who are you?" Dr. Weir asked once it was determined that the man in front of her was the leader of this incursion team. Rodney mentioned that they were the Genii.
"There's only one thing you need to know, Dr. Weir," Kolya stated. "As of right now, we are in control of Atlantis." He looked around the gateroom at the marvelous city, and walked out onto the balcony to look at the approaching storm that was the reason for the security of Atlantis being lax. He took a few deep breaths and walked back into the city and towards the leader of Atlantis. He noticed that his men were carrying the dead guardsmen out of the gateroom. Kolya looked over to Elizabeth expecting to see the sorrow of these deaths on her shoulders; however, her eyes showed him nothing other than the fact that she was watching as the men were being carted away. She is colder than I thought. She will pay. All good commanders should go before their men, and fight for them, and she sits there worried more about herself than her men.
Kolya came and walked around the two doctors. "Who are you?" Dr. Weir asked, trying to size up the situation. I'm a trained diplomat. I can deal with this. Elizabeth wondered about what was going on with her people on Manara, and hoped that they were okay. She knew that she had to keep the situation on Atlantis in check so that the refugees could come back. She hoped that they would all make it through this storm intact.
Kolya responded to the question he was asked, "Commander Acastus Kolya of the Geneii. This Atlantis is extrodinary, more than I ever imagined." And so is it's leader he thought to himself.
"What have you done with the rest of my people?" she asked. While her voice hinted that this topic was of great importance to her, her face did not.
I'll defininetly need to work on her, Kolya thought. He answered her question in the hopes to get some visual response. "I'm quite sure they have no idea we're even here."
"Then they're safe?" she asked letting Kolya see a glimpse of hope in her eyes. When he replied that yes, they were safe, he was rewarded even more with a brief smile before she closed her emotions off from him yet again.
Later, Dr. Weir was escorted into her office, and she noticed Kolya sitting at her desk looking over various data that her team had collected since coming to the Pegasus galaxy. She stood in front of her desk, so this is what it feels like to be on the other side of the table she thought, before she, directed her comments to the Commander of the Genii. She hoped he would listen to the reasons why the city should not be taken from her and the others from Earth. "Thank you for seeing me. This city was designed to be inhabited by the Ancients and their direct descendants and although, yes, while there is limited functionality for those who do not possess the Ancient gene, it is only those who have it who can revive the city to its true potential."
"And do you have this gene?" Kolya asked. He hoped that she would say yes; this would give him an excuse for why he should keep her alive. However, he knew with the train of thought that was swirling in his head about the person in front of him, that she would prefer death. He smirked to himself.
Elizabeth responded to his question, "No, but many of my team do. The Wraith are slowly waking. Soon this entire galaxy will be embroiled in a war the likes of which our generations have never seen."
"A war that you expedited," Kolya spit out harshly.
Dr. Weir wanted to let the Commander know that he and his people could still work together with those in Atlantis to defeat the Wraith, and that this situation that the Genii started when they seized Atlantis could be put in the past. "Disagreements like ours will no longer matter. The only thing of any consequence will be how prepared we are and what defense we are able to mount. Now, this city holds many secrets which will help us win that war, but only if my team are here to discover them. So, fine, take whatever you need for your people, but if you don't leave us this city you're only hurting yourselves in the long run."
Kolya could not believe that this woman who stood in front of him had the audacity to guilt trip him into leaving the people from Earth the city in order to 'protect' his own people. "You believe your people, who are not even of this galaxy, are closer to the Ancients than we are? Your arrogance is astounding. We will take this city, we will mount a defense, and we will win, with or without your help, Doctor Weir." He threatened. Kolya stood from the chair and walked around the desk to stand in front of Dr. Weir.
Kolya decided that it was time to steer the conversation in another direction. "You seem to care more about your precious city, then about the lives of your men." He knew he was on a good line of questioning when Dr. Weirs eyes quickly shifted as she thought over what she had said and how her comments might have been perceived. That brief glimpse of emotion excites the Commander, this could be fun, he thought before he went on with his thoughts. "I can tell you don't care about your men. You looked on as two of your dead officers were carried away and you didn't even grieve for them. You showed no remorse for the shortening of their lives'. What type of leader does that make you?"
Elizabeth knew that he was trying to push her buttons, and she was very close to letting her anger bubble over and exploding at the man in front of her; however, she knew this would only give him the satisfaction of getting her upset. Consequentially, she changed her gaze from the wall behind Kolya's head to glance straight in his eyes. While she hoped that this would throw off his questioning, she was sadly mistaken. She noticed his eyes change focus from looking at her, to looking off in the distance, and it did not take her long to figure out that he was looking at something that she would not be able to see even if she turned around.
His voice even seemed more distant than his thoughts when he spoke. "You mentioned earlier that we could take what we need. Does that offer still stand."
Doctor Weir was shocked by the quick change of pace that this conversation was leading to. Therefore when her brain finally comprehended the shift she stuttered out a shaky, "Yes. I'll go get the supplies you requested." She knew that it would be hard to adjust without the medical supplies, and the explosives, but they were easier to deal without than the lives of her people. She turned away from him, assuming that the conversation, as odd as it was, was over.
When Kolya heard the answer spill from Elizabeth's mouth he seemed to awaken from his inner thoughts. He noticed her turn and start to head toward her office door. Before she could get close enough to the door for it to open, Kolya was standing behind her with his right arm wrapped around her waist, and his left hand holding her forehead against his shoulder. Slowly Kolya drew his left index finger down Elizabeth's check while he replied, "I need more than what I originally came here for." He felt her pulse increase and her shudder of fear. He knew that she probably still had on the stoic mask. But he was exhilarated about getting this emotional response. Plus he knew that he would soon see many emotions crossing her face.
From the way Koyla had her in his grip, it was fairly evident to her, what he was talking about. She quickly looked around her office trying to find the nearest object that could be used as a weapon. When this is over, I need to decorate more. She thought as she looked around her utilitarian office. She knew that she wouldn't go down without a fight though regardless of her lack of 'weapons.' She remembered hearing in a lecture on campus that you use what you have, and she felt lucky to be blessed with hands and knees with which to try to fight back.
When Dr. Weir shuddered at his touch, Kolya was shocked still with the desire to see pain and fear from Elizabeth. This gave her the chance she needed in which to twist out of his arms and to attempt to fight him off. As she twisted out of his arms to face Kolya, she stomped on his foot. Without taking the time to think about the fact that she was harming another individual, she had kneed him in the groin. He grimaced with the blows she threw at him, but was quickly able to push his discomfort in the background of his thought, and to fully go after Elizabeth. He pulled out his knife and lunged at her. Elizabeth tried to scratch his eyes when he came after her, and failed to notice the knife that Kolya branded. She felt the prickling, burning sensation in her right shoulder before she smelled the copper twang to the air, or saw the red blood flowing from the wound. Her brain seemed to freeze as she saw the knife embedded in her shoulder. This pause was all Kolya needed in order to pin her to the ground with his hand about her throat. "How will your people feel about following a leader that cannot protect herself or her men." He whispered into her ear, and then he leaned forward a little more to nip at her earlobe. He sat up, and straddled her hips. He seemed to finally notice the knife still sticking out of her shoulder, and the steady stream of blood that the doctor was loosing. "Oh we can't have that, can we? If you loss too much more blood, you might black out and miss all the fun."
He bent back over the prone doctor and harshly planted his lips on hers. While he was kissing her, his left hand grasped the hilt of the blade, and he yanked it from it's hold. With a sickening slurping sound, the blade was removed; however this sound was muffled by the strangled whimper that was heard from Dr. Weir. When Elizabeth opened her mouth to try and cry out from the pain, Kolya took the chance to insert his tongue in her mouth. When he was finished with the kiss, he sat up and watched as Dr. Weir struggled to catch her breath, and to deal with the excruciating pain from her shoulder. Suck it up, she thought to herself mentally using a term she had heard one of the military using, if Rodney can deal with a knife wound, anybody can. She thought about the resident hypochondriac, and was amazed with how well he was fairing with all that was happening in the city.
Her thoughts where brought back to the situation at hand when she noticed the knife move toward her again. She tried to pull back from the blade, but as she was lying on the floor, there was nowhere to back away too. She closed her eyes in preparation for the worst. However, Elizabeth was shocked when the inevitable came without any pain. She heard ripping, felt the air hit her skin, and she knew what was coming.
Kolya cut down the front of the jacket and shirt that the doctor was wearing. Once it was cut completely down the front, he started to remove it from her. Once it was off, he started to tear her shirt into strips. Dr. Weir looked up at this new sound, and wondered what was going on. When Kolya noticed that she was watching him he replied, "I don't want you to miss out on any of the fun." Or me, he thought as he wanted as much time to watch the emotions play on her face. He knew that he would not get as much out of the situation if she would blackout and her face went slack. As a warrior, he was also skilled in first aid. Kolya helped Elizabeth sit up, and then he quickly and efficiently bound the wound with the strips of her old shirt.
Elizabeth sat still while he bound her wound, afraid that anything might set him off again. She was confused with his constant change in attitude, and was quickly trying to think of ways to use his shifting thoughts to her advantage. "We should get back to see how the plan is going to save the city, or else we will all loss out."
Kolya grinned as he realized what Elizabeth was trying to do. He clucked his tongue at her. "Nice try, but I haven't gotten everything that I came for yet." As he said this, his hands trailed down to the fasteners on her pants. He pushed her back down to the ground, and for the next 10 minutes, he was content with the emotions that he saw play out on the face in front of him.