Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters just in case someone wants to sue!
Warning: There is strong violence in this story and scenes that some people may find upsetting so ye be warned!
Thank you to my beta The Bog Witch who corrected all my mistakes.
The Chosen Twelve
Chapter One: Coming in Hot
Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard slowly walked down the corridor, on his way to debrief with Doctor Weir. He and his team had had an uneventful off-world trip for once where the only danger was that Sheppard might give in to his urges and throttle Doctor McKay.
The ancient technology that McKay had promised was nowhere to be seen and he had complained the whole trip, making the hot, humid planet a lot less pleasant. Sheppard had gladly left his team, including the still complaining McKay, in the infirmary being checked over by the chief medical officer, Doctor Beckett.
Sheppard was crossing his fingers for the lack of excitement in his and everyone else's lives on Atlantis to continue. There had been no wraith or genii activity for a week now and no drama on Atlantis, unless you count McKay being his usual arrogant self, which Sheppard didn't.
All of a sudden a loud claxon sounded, followed by a hasty shout. 'Unscheduled off-world activation!' Sheppard picked up his pace and ran the rest of the way to the control room. He met Elizabeth Weir by the ancient consoles at the top of the stairs.
'What's going on?' He asked Weir impatiently. 'Major Lorne's team are the only ones off-world and they checked in just after I got back.'
Weir nodded calmly. 'I'm well aware of that Colonel, why don't we wait and see.' The seventh chevron locked into place and the wormhole opened with a whoosh.
'We're receiving Major Lorne's IDC.' The technician told the two expedition leaders standing over him anxiously.
'Put me through to his radio.' Weir ordered.
The technician nodded once he had done so. 'Major Lorne, what's your status?' She asked clearly.
The major's voice came back in a rush, he was obviously running hard. 'The wraith have attacked the planet, there are two, I repeat two hive ships bearing down on us. I've just gone back to help the dozen villagers that we were able to save. Permission to bring them back to Atlantis ma'am.'
Weir frowned, the safety of Atlantis was paramount and the less people that knew of its continued existence, the better. 'Can't you dial the alpha site Major?' You know full well that these villagers would be a threat to security here.' Weir's disapproval of Lorne's actions was plain in her voice.
'Yes ma'am I know, Lieutenant Geller dialled the gate, not knowing of the people I had rescued.' He told her, referring to his second in command. 'There's no time to dial the alpha site, the hive ships are overhead.' There was the sound of rapid gunfire over the radio.
Weir looked to Sheppard imploringly. 'What do you think John?'
Sheppard shrugged, 'If they come here, those villagers can never be trusted to leave again. They may tell the wraith that Atlantis isn't destroyed like they think it is… which would be very bad!' He added on seeing Weirs look of confusion.
'I know that!' Weir muttered hastily. 'But that doesn't help me decide what to do.' She sighed. 'I can't leave them there to die. Lower the shield.' She told the technician. She tapped on her radio. 'Major Lorne, you are all clear to come through.'
A few seconds later Major Lorne stepped through with his team, all looking worn out but with no apparent injuries, followed by the twelve villagers that Lorne's team had rescued. Weir sighed, another community wiped out by the wraith she thought sadly to herself. She stepped forward to greet the remaining villagers.
Sheppard gazed distrustfully at the twelve people standing by the gate, his gut telling him that something bad was about to happen. He wanted to grab Weir and tell her to be careful but there was no sign of anything wrong. The villagers looked exactly like they should do, though it was odd that only grown men had survived the culling.
It happened so fast that most people were unaware of what was happening but Sheppard saw it in sickening slow motion. One of the villagers leant forward and grabbed Lieutenant Geller's P90 and the remaining villager's surrounded Lorne's team, leaving them unable to help. The villager pointed it at Weir, who was walking down the stairs, and fired. Sheppard acted immediately.
He threw himself at Weir who was still frozen to the spot on the stairs, staring at the P90 that was pointed at her. The bullet meant for Weir's heart tore through layers of the colonel's clothes and went straight through his shoulder. Sheppard couldn't help the scream that was ripped from his throat. The colonel's momentum pulled the pair down the stairs, Weir too shocked to put a steadying hand out to save herself. Sheppard groaned in agony at the pain in his shoulder hitting each step on the fall down before becoming deathly silent.
The villager with the P90 now had it set to rapid fire and was shooting randomly around the control room. Lorne and his team dove for cover, unable to do anything to help their falling CO's. In the ensuing chaos; the villagers scattered taking any possible exit out of the control room.
Weir and Sheppard finished their bone jarring tumble and Weir whimpered slightly as she strained to sit up. Lorne knelt beside her, supporting her as she swayed. 'Are you alright Doctor?' He asked her, concern evident in his voice.
Weir struggled to her feet. 'I'm fine, just a little dizzy, how's the colonel?'
Geller was knelt over Sheppard. 'Not so good ma'am. You'd better get a medical team down here.'
Weir quickly tapped on her ear piece. 'Doctor Beckett? We need a medical team in the control room right away, Colonel Sheppard has been shot.' Weir turned back to Geller 'Keep an eye on him till Beckett arrives.' She told him. She turned away from Sheppard's still form. She couldn't bear to look at his white face any longer or the blood that was seeping out of his body.
He had saved her life; of that there was no doubt. But she had to concentrate on the problem at hand. She turned to Major Lorne. 'I want all civilians that aren't needed to be confined to their rooms till this is over. Send out armed teams to capture these villagers, using minimal force, if possible. We want to find out why they are here and who sent them. Also this may just be a big misunderstanding and the villagers are just scared and acting in self defence.'
Major Lorne's face showed his disbelief over this theory. Weir continued 'No Major I don't really believe that either but we shouldn't jump to conclusions. You're in charge of military decisions until Colonel Sheppard is back on his feet.'
'Understood ma'am.' Major Lorne said and went off to follow out Weir's orders.
Weir hurried back to Sheppard's side, sending Geller off to report to Lorne. Sheppard's condition hadn't changed but she carried on the pressure on the bullet wound like Geller had been doing.
Doctor Beckett came rushing into the room closely followed by McKay, Teyla and Ronon and a nurse who was wheeling a gurney. 'Where's our patient then?' Beckett asked. Weir beckoned him over. Beckett took note of the blood spilling over Weir's hands, her desperate attempts to slow the bleeding seemed to have failed judging by the amount of blood covering the colonel's clothes and the floor.
'Carson, he was shot in the shoulder and then he fell down the stairs.' Weir hurriedly told him.
'Looks like you took a wee tumble yourself, lass.' Beckett noted, pointing to the large bump forming on Weir's head. He knelt down beside Sheppard and felt for Sheppard's pulse. 'Weak pulse.' He told the group assembled round the fallen colonel. 'Right lets get him back to the infirmary, Elizabeth, you've done a good job I'll take over from there.' He pushed down on the wound and nodded to the nurse to start wheeling the gurney back to the infirmary.
'Will he be o.k.?' McKay asked nervously, jogging after the doctor.
'I'll know more once we get him to the infirmary.' Beckett shouted back to them.
Sheppard's team went to follow Beckett down the corridor but Weir stopped them. 'I know you want to know what's going on with Colonel Sheppard but we have a situation on our hands. We have twelve possibly armed hostiles in Atlantis. Ronon, Teyla, I want you to check in with Major Lorne and join a team tracking down the hostiles. McKay, maybe you can bring up the life signs detector to help them search.'
'What do you mean maybe?' McKay scoffed 'Remember who you are talking to Elizabeth, of course I can bring up the life signs detector, just because I was wrong that one time…'
'Rodney!' Weir tried to interrupt.
'…about that whole ancient weapon-'
'Rodney! Stop! We know you can do it, so go and do it alright?' Weir told him in a tone that left no room for argument.
The three team mates nodded their agreement and left to follow Weir's instructions, careful not to look at the red puddle lining the floor at their feet.