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.
Thanks for all the reviews again, this story is almost finished. I'm slightly ahead of myself so the chapters will hopefully be coming quicker! Oh there is a spoiler to the film Titanic below (seriously, I worked in a reference to one of my favourite films!) so if you haven't watched it yet and intend to, you may want to look away!
Chapter Five: Eleven Down, One to Go!
'McKay, dammit! McKay answer!' Sheppard demanded into his radio. The Atlantian alarms were still clanging and were causing a pounding pain in Sheppard's head. Causing him even more pain was the fact that he didn't know why the alarms had gone off in the first place because McKay wasn't answering Sheppard's frantic calls.
The vibrations in the floor stopped as soon as they had started and Sheppard was convinced that it'd been caused by an explosion, the only question was where the detonation had taken place.
'What is it Sheppard? I'm slightly busy saving all our lives again, here!' McKay moaned, full of self-pity, which was usual in situations like this.
'Could you fill me in? I kinda need to know the status of the base. Where was the explosion? I'm guessing not the control room as you're still talking to me!' Sheppard asked hastily.
'Well done Sheppard for once again proving how unintelligent the military is! No it's not the control room,' McKay said arrogantly, he loved discussing how clever he was compared to Sheppard, conveniently forgetting that Sheppard had passed the Mensa test. 'If it was, Atlantis would already be filling with water.
'The explosion was on the north pier. Sergeant Smith had only taken out one of his hostiles so we can safely assume that it was the other hostile on the north pier!'
'What does Smith have to say about it?'
'He's not answering his radio; he may have been caught in the blast.' McKay said, without emotion. The Atlantis expedition seemed to be becoming desensitised to death as they had seen so much of it.
Sheppard filed that piece of information away for later, there was nothing he could do for Smith at the moment and he still needed to save Atlantis. 'Atlantis is alright then? There'll only be minimal damage surely?' He asked wistfully.
'Not quite!' McKay answered. 'As you can tell from the highly irritating alarms, the city is in distress. The north pier is flooding and is erecting force fields to stop the spread of the deluge and therefore save the city from sinking.'
'Oh yeah like the Titanic!' Sheppard exclaimed excitedly.
McKay huffed noisily. 'Yes Sheppard, exactly like the Titanic.' He said patronisingly.
'But it didn't work for the Titanic!' Sheppard remembered. 'It kinda sunk! That's a bad plan!'
'Fortunately, the Atlantians were slightly more advanced than White Star Line so I'm sure it'll work this time!' McKay assured.
'Alright then.' Sheppard replied, not convinced. He remembered seeing that film and it didn't end well for most of the passengers including Leo!
'Could you tell me the position of my hostile so that I can kill him?' Sheppard asked pleasantly, he had decided to trust McKay that the city wasn't sinking under him.
'Have you not been listening to a word I've been saying? McKay shouted. 'Me and Zelenka are at this moment hurrying as fast as Radek's short legs will allow to the north pier!'
'You didn't tell me that!'
'Yes I did Sheppard; you just won't admit you weren't listening.'
'You didn't and I was listening, I heard all the huffing and puffing as well, I just didn't realise it was because you were doing physical exercise!' Sheppard retorted.
'That's Zelenka, not me!' McKay muttered defensively.
Yeah right! Sheppard thought, grinning. McKay couldn't even open a power bar without getting out of breath. Though thinking about it that could be more about excitement over his favourite food rather than exercise!
'Why are you going to the pier? I thought you said the city was handling it?' Sheppard asked.
'It is, unfortunately the city is saving what it sees as important areas and is sacrificing areas that it doesn't feel are as vital. The problem we have is our naqahdah generator that is in that area-'
'Let me guess,' Sheppard cut in 'it's not in a vital area and is in danger of getting a little wet?' Sheppard guessed sarcastically.
'That's right!' McKay sighed, why was his life never simple? 'The generator won't appreciate ah 'getting a little wet'. In other words it'll stop working!
'Zelenka and me are going to try and divert some of the force fields to protect the generator.' McKay explained simply.
'Alright but be careful McKay. The most important thing is the safety of Atlantis; we can always get new generators.' Sheppard warned.
'I know what I'm doing Sheppard, nothing will go wrong!' McKay promised.
Sheppard sighed, he had heard them words before, but McKay was more often right than wrong so Sheppard would just have to believe him. 'Keep me posted.' Sheppard ordered.
Sheppard looked up and down the corridor checking that the coast was clear. He then carried on the same way that he had been going before the explosion.
'Ronon, you there?' Sheppard asked, once again speaking into his radio.
'I'm here Sheppard.' Ronon replied calmly. 'I am on my way to assist you; I've taken out my hostiles.'
'That's a negative Ronon. I want you to head over to the gym. I left Doctor Weir on her own there and there's still one hostile at large.' Sheppard told him. 'Try and help her get our men out of the gym.'
'Understood.' Ronon replied.
Sheppard started walking down the corridor, his 9mm held out steadily in front of him in his good hand. The alarms made it hard to hear anything like the hostiles footsteps. He found that he was starting to get tired; the gun was getting heavier in his hand. The blood loss was finally catching up with him. Sheppard pushed his body on nevertheless, ignoring the warning signs that he needed rest.
The first that Sheppard knew that the hostile was behind him was when he was hit on the head with something blunt and heavy.
Sheppard painfully fell to the floor, jarring his shoulder and stomach wound. He slowly turned himself over, trying to clear his head of the stars that were circling it.
He looked up at the tall figure standing over him. It was the hostile he had been looking for but it looked like the hostile had found him instead.
Sheppard waited for the hostile's next move impatiently. He was too dizzy to even attempt to get up yet; he could probably add concussion to his list of injuries.
The hostile continued to stare at him unnervingly. Sheppard smiled at him from his position on the floor. 'So would you like to start or should I?' Sheppard asked politely.
The hostile stared down at Sheppard, a nasty grin appearing on his face. 'So this is the city of Atlantis' most fearsome warrior?' The hostile asked scornfully.
Sheppard frowned at this, the hostile couldn't mean what it sounded like he meant.
'Yes, I said the city of Atlantis! You may fool my underlings but you cannot fool me. This magnificent place could be nothing other than the destroyed city of Atlantis. Now it is obviously intact something that my gods will want to know above all else.' The hostile paused, checking that he had Sheppard's undivided attention.
Great, Sheppard thought it's time for the bad guy explains his wicked plan before he kills you, which you always get in films! It's just so cliché! 'Look are you gonna yammer on all day?' Sheppard enquired.
The hostile gave him a dirty look and continued his speech. 'And when I tell them the news, I will be honoured above all others!'
Sheppard got to his feet unsteadily. 'You know I'm not going to let you leave without a fight so let's fight already!' He demanded.
'As you wish Atlantian warrior but I fear that it will not be much of a fight!' He looked at Sheppard's weakened state with amusement.
'You got that right!' Sheppard replied confidently. I can take him! Sheppard tried to convince himself.
The hostile raised his long fighting pole that had given Sheppard his concussion a few minutes before.
Sheppard shakily raised his gun and without hesitation, he fired. The hostile quickly moved out of the path of the bullet. His pole swiftly snapped across Sheppard's extended arm, knocking the gun to the floor. Sheppard yelled in pain and cradled the injured arm to his chest.
The pole came at him again, this time hitting him on the torso, knocking the wind out of him. Sheppard had no answer for this man's strength or speed, not in his present condition.
Another blow came and another, forcing Sheppard once again to the floor. 'Say goodbye to your beloved city warrior! The wraith will destroy the city for good this time!' The hostile turned and walked away, in the direction of the control tower.
Sheppard lay, panting on the floor. At least a few bones were now definitely broken but Sheppard ignored this, instead focusing on the hostiles last words, 'destroy the city!'
'Like hell!' Sheppard grunted. He struggled to his feet and hobbled quickly after the hostile.
'Elizabeth!' Sheppard yelled into his radio as he got close to the control room. 'The last hostile is on route to the gate and I am in pursuit.'
Sheppard arrived in time to see the gate open with a rush. The hostile walked haughtily down the stairs towards the gate, smiling snidely at Sheppard before stepping through.
Sheppard ran quickly to the gate and dived through before it could shut off, injured and weapon less.
'John, wait for backup, do you hear? John?' Weir implored but the gate had already shut off behind him and Weir's plea was met with static.
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