I know, I know… I am so sorry it's been so long, but with a 19 credit semester and finals and graduation and the move home… I've barely had time to breath let along write. But I'm back now, so here's a new chapter… there's so many characters between these two shows it's hard to give everyone the time that I want to… but I'm trying… I promise…
A few people have pointed out the fact that I have Lorne and Lt. Ford both on Atlantis, and like I said earlier, this is an AU…. Yes I AM a cannon whore… but I still don't like the fact that they got rid of Ford… so I'm just pretending like he never went all crazy and Dex never was… or at least stayed with them… I know… feel free to throw things… haha…
And without more talking… enjoy…
…oooOOOooo…
Dr. Weir and Captain Bridger had been sitting in Weir's office for well over three hours trying to work out the logistics of a possible prolonged stay in Atlantis for the SeaQuest crew.
"Well, that should be enough space for your whole crew." Weir set down her tablet computer.
"Are you kidding me, they'll have over twice the living space they did on the SeaQuest. I don't think we'll hear any complaints. If anything, they'll be singing your praises. This city certainly is big."
"That it is, we haven't even been though half of it yet."
"If this little scheme to get us home doesn't work we certainly give you a hand in going though it all… How did you even find this place to begin with?"
"Actually, we came across an Ancient outpost on Earth, in Antarctica. We discovered the gate address there."
"Amazing, and no one ever ran across it before?"
"No, it was buried beneath half a mile of ice."
"How'd you find it then?"
Elizabeth grinned, "That is quite a long story, but the short version is that SG-1 found it after a member had a vast amount of knowledge downloaded into his brain."
Bridger paused for a second, "And I thought my mission reports were far fetched."
Out her window to the gate room, Weir saw Tim O'Neill wobbling up the large flight of stairs, Dagwood obviously trying to help. They were quite the comical duo, Tim was waving a crutch at Dagwood who was practically carrying Tim up the stairs. Weir stifled a laugh. Bridger, noticing her attention had shifted, followed her gaze.
"O'Neill certainly is in seventh heaven here." He grinned. "He's been studying every myth and story about Atlantis since he was born I think."
"This place sort of throws them all out the window doesn't it."
"That's for sure."
The sound of approaching crutches signaled Tim and Dagwood's arrival to Weir's office. "Hello gentlemen, how can we help you. Come to steal your intrepid captain away?"
Dagwood cocked his head curiously, "You cannot steal a person…"
Tim interrupted, "No, we were just wondering how thing are going on the planet, we haven't really heard anything, did they find the other half of the ship?"
"Colonel Sheppard and Commander Ford reported in a while ago. They recovered the other half of the SeaQuest and were going back for the KraTak ship. In fact the first survivors should be here anytime now." Weir informed them.
"I just came from Dr. Beckett in the infirmary for my check in. You'd think the entire Navy was going to come though his doors with the way he's prepared." Tim said.
Weir grinned, "He does tend to be over prepared, but it's better then the opposite."
"Quite true." Bridger came back.
"And I must say," Tim said, "His painkillers, are fanTAstic."
"Yes, so I've heard." Weir smirked, looking between Bridger and O'Neill
…oooOOOooo…
An hour later the first survivors came though the gate. Beckett and his team were waiting at the gate to meet them. Surprisingly though, there were few injuries. Tragically, most who came though the gate were casualties. Bridger tried with all his might to look on the bright side that most of who lived suffered at most concussions and broken bones.
Captain Bridger was also there to meet them; he did feel some guilt that he wasn't on the planet when they first were rescued. But there were only so many places he could be at once and he had enough of his crew already on Hyperion, that he felt his best place was on Atlantis for now, helping prepare things on this side of the gate.
The first thing the SeaQuest's crew did after being released from Dr. Beckett's wing was head straight for the mess. A few were instructed to report back after they had food in their systems. Bridger went from table to table, talking with each person, reassuring them that they were safe now where they were, and that they could trust the people on Atlantis. Tim and Dagwood, also mingled and even laughed with their crewmates. Even with the enormous loss of life, the fact that they were still alive and the fortunate circumstances of their rescue were enough to lift their sprits. All around him, he could hear stories being shared of their time trapped and amusing anecdotes about those they had lost.
An airman from the control room contacted while he was moving between tables. "Captain Bridger."
"Yes," He tapped his newly gotten radio.
"Sir, Commander Ford is calling for you from the planet."
"Patch him though please."
"Yes, Sir."
Next voice he heard was a familiar one for him. "Captain."
"How are things going on that end Commander?"
"So far so good sir, we've just brought up the KraTak ship and cleared it. A couple of their people are coming over from Atlantis to assist Lucas and McKay with the technology."
Bridger turned and left the mess, "I'm coming over with them; I want to see that ship."
…oooOOOooo…
Bridger, Commander Ford and Sheppard were standing outside the carved out entrance. The two younger men had just finished a lengthy report as to what had been happening in the retrieval thus far. "I'll tell you this much," Sheppard gestured to the ship, "I do NOT want to spend anymore time then I'd need to in that room."
Ford grinned, "I haven't really meet Dr. Zelenka yet, but I'm sure just having Lucas and Dr. McKay in the same room is enough to drive anyone crazy."
"I don't know how Dr. Z stands it, less then five minutes in there and I was about to pull out my hair." He reached up and ran his fingers though his hair. "That's why I left."
"Colonel, this is Lorne," Sheppard's radio cracked to life.
He tapped it, "I'm here, what'cha got."
"Bad news I'm afraid, Sir. The jumper's sensors have picked up five unidentified ships heading this way and they're booking it.
Ford sighed next to him, "Are they KraTaK?" Sheppard asked.
"There's a good chance, can't think of anyone else."
"I can't tell, but Brody seems to think so." Lorne relayed to Sheppard
"Well, if it is them. I'm sure they're not happy that we have their favorite ship. Well…" John turned and kicked a corner of the cut out door, causing a corner to snap off, "pieces of it at least. Go take a look, cloak the ship and see what's up. I'll meet you up there."
"Yes, Sir." Lorne signed out.
"Well Captain, Commander, if you'll excuse me, I have to go shoot some bad guys out of the sky."
…oooOOOoo…
Lorne and Brody paused Jumper Two midair as the KraTak ships approached.
"And… are you sure they can't see us?" Brody whispered to Lorne.
Ford kept his eyes on the ships as they became larger in the distance and grinned. "No they can't see us, and no, you don't have to whisper."
"Amazing."
Colonel Sheppard's voice came over the radios, "I'm lifting off now, I'll be there in five."
"Aye sir, they're almost right on top of us now. We're thirty miles out, once they pass we'll turn and follow them in."
"Good, don't do anything until I get there."
"Aye, Sir."
They may have been outnumbered, but the jumpers where far more maneuverable then the KraTak ships. The jumpers also had the advantage in the weapons area, their drones were target seeking, where as the KraTak's stayed on the same trajectory. Although if the jumpers did get hit by the larger ships, the damage could be devastating.
Sheppard closed in on Jumper Two's location, he noticed the larger ships heading toward him. A distance behind the five ships John spotted the other jumper on his HUD. Sheppard was perfectly capable of flying a jumper in a dogfight on his own, he was probably the only one who could pull it off. Granted, Major Lorne was more then a capable pilot, but he couldn't match the Colonel for combat skills or the control of the ATA gene.
"Alright Major, I'm right on the other side of them. On my mark we're going to uncloak and fire together."
"Yes sir, I see you. Sir, we've been studying their ships as we've been following them and we're fairly certain we've located their engine and weapons control. I'm sending you the schematics now."
"I see them. Alright, let's take out weapons first, we'll have surprise on our side so hopefully we can take them all out before they get a shot off. Target they're engines on the second pass. We'll cross each other, turn and cross again on the second run. Nice and quick, I don't want them to target us. Think blur Major."
"Aye sir," Lorne grinned.
Just as the two jumpers were about the same distance apart, "Now Major!"
Simultaneously both jumpers appeared and speed though the KraTak formation. Like a couple of box shaped ninjas, a total of five drones were let loose, all hitting their targets or at least close enough that the explosions damaged their targets.
"Should have looked at those diagrams again John," He said to himself.
Once though the KraTak formation, both ships executed graceful overhead arcs twisting again upright as they completed the maneuver. Coming back though the stunned enemy ships, it was evident Lorne and Brody were wrong about the weapons.
"Damn it Lorne, they're still firing at us." The two jumpers, who at this point had lost their element of surprise, darted out of the way to avoid they enemy fire. "I thought we got their weapons systems."
Brody responded, "I'm sorry sir. I had no clue they had secondary weapons."
"Well let's kill that now."
"On it sir," Lorne muttered back.
The plan went out the preverbal window as the two jumpers danced in and out of the larger ships. There was still a grace behind their flying though. Sheppard and Lorne were obviously familiar with each others flying skill, never once coming close to a collision or friendly fire. Although one might say the drones we're programmed not to hit other Lantian ships, but both pilots like to think otherwise. It was clear Sheppard was the superior pilot, skimming much closer to the KraTak ships and pulling faster, tighter maneuvers.
As John raced along next to one of the ships, as a drone collided with it's engines, he was surprised to find another ship too close for comfort. He pulled hard to port to avoid both collision and enemy fire. He almost made it too. The KraTak enemy blast crackled along the side of Jumper One. Thankfully the jumper's skin was tougher then it looked and after the power flickered only cosmetic damage was left of John's close call.
John quickly spun the ship around and took out the weapons of the ship that hit him. Quickly sending out another volley to finish their engines. That left who ships alive, the other three already either crashed into the icy waters or on their way.
Almost immediately after, Lorne's piloting skills we're enough for him to escape the two KraTak ships bearing down on them. Only one had weapons left, the other strictly herding the jumper to the other. Sparks inside the skip flew as their starboard engine was hit.
Jumper Two half limped/half fell out of the way of the two ships. By that time Shepard had reached them, he took out the first ship's engines, preventing them from stopping or moving out of the way of the ship that damaged Jumper Two. They didn't have the time to fully escape their trajectory, a series of explosions ripped though each ship, creating a fireworks display unlike anything you could ever see in space. Both jumpers flew, as they could, away from the blast. The entire fight lasted less then seven minutes.
"You two okay over there," Sheppard winced as he saw the damage the other jumper took.
"We'll be limping home, but we're fine for now. Although after McKay and Dr. Z see what happened to the ship, I may be in trouble."
"Oh I think you can handle them. Let's get back, I'm sure they'll come looking for their ships." And with that, the two jumpers slowly made their way back to the beach and the SeaQuest; while the KraTak ships sank in pieces below them.
…oooOOOooo…
yay… and as always… please review… I know this is a long story and your reviews are what keeps me going… I'm determined to finish this even if it kills me… I promise it won't take as long this time for a new chapter… grin
namarie