Chapter 20
Hello, Hello Again
Carter, Landry and a very special guest waited at the base of the ramp. The chevrons glowed and the inside of the ring spun for this scheduled off-world activation. The whoosh funneled and the puddle danced before them as the iris remained open. They gave each other anticipatory glances right before Dr. Beckett and his nurse Tracy Nguyen stepped out of the event horizon pushing carts. They were followed by Dr. Simpson and more personnel, Sgt. Stackhouse and his team, and finally, the rest of Col. Sheppard's team.
The special guest shifted uncomfortably at the sight of Teyla and the newcomer with her. Landry spared him a keep it shut look and greeted the expedition members. "Welcome home and for those of you that this is your first visit, welcome to Earth and the SGC. This is Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, and I believe everyone but Ronon knows Sgt. Bates. I am Gen. Hank Landry."
Teyla's eyebrow went up at the sight of Bates. He, in turn, bristled at her look.
Rodney started shifting in impatience, but before he could release a lengthy tirade, Ronon asked, "This is the paranoid little man?"
Bates balefully glared at the group as everyone else smirked.
Ignoring the exchanges and unable to wait any longer, McKay hurriedly began speaking, "Introductions made, all the hoopla of visitors to our fair planet concluded, yada, yada, yada. We really need to get moving here people, 'cause the Wraith are only a day or two away." Rodney carried a large metal suitcase from the ramp and placed it on the floor. "Chop, chop people!" Others followed his example.
"Nice to see you too, McKay," said Carter straight-faced.
Rodney stopped like that proverbial deer and his face contorted into a show of gas or, maybe, fear.
Pursing his lips, Carson stepped in and introduced Ronon and Teyla to the welcoming committee.
After he regained his senses, McKay barked to anyone listening, "We don't have time for all this." He tapped his watch for added emphasis.
Landry studied the two newcomers. Ronon was huge and intense. He looked like he could take on Teal'c and have a good chance at winning. The others he knew of course from their last visit to Earth. But Teyla, she was deceptive. She wore what he would call a going to meeting coat and smiled graciously as Carter shook her hand. From what he understood, she was a damn good fighter. However, Caldwell and Weir trusted her and he would reluctantly go with that for the moment. She was still an unknown factor in his book.
He was still uncomfortable with allowing her so much responsibility in deciding their course of action. She was the lynch pin of whether or not they went with the rescue plan or the immediate destruction of the Hive ship. Bates already looked fit to be tied because of her presence here. And that was the reason he included the sergeant. The man was a rottweiler about security even if he was a desk jockey because of his injuries. The man would keep an eye on the pair just in case something went wrong.
Ronon eyed the smaller man and smiled. "You don't trust us, do you?"
"No, not really," Bates replied unapologetically.
Ronon's smile turned into a genuine toothy grin, "I like you already."
As the entire group started to move to the doors of the embarkation room, Landry laughed. This was going to be a lot of fun.
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He knew his voice was the antithesis of say, every good singer out there. He chose the song because, well, he really disliked Celine Dion and the song was perfect.
"All by myse-elf…" It sounded ten times worse off-key. "Don't wanna be, all by myse-elf…" Oh, it was so appropriate butchered the way only he could do it. "Anymore. Hard to be sure, sometimes I feel so insecure…"
Jim Bob was not the last child she dined on in front of him, only the first. He could see the change in some of the other human vassals that tended other things in the room including his little caretaker, Chuck. They never expected this of their Lucy. They thought that the status quo would be upheld, not with John Sheppard in the house. The bad guys like to take that one step beyond.
"When I was young, I never needed anyone, blah, blah, blah…" So he did not know all the words, so sue him. "All by myse-elf, don't wanna live, by myself, by myself, anymore…"
They were on the last leg of their journey. His ride in the Good Ship Lollipop was coming to an end. And, speaking of Chuck…she padded softly over to him without her normal supplies. Hers was coming to an end too.
He stopped singing as she approached with a determined set to her face. "How did you do it?"
"Do what?" John feigned ignorance which was not too hard since he had no clue what she was talking about.
"I can't let her continue to kill innocents, mere babies." Like she wasn't one herself…Stop the screaming of the lambs, Clarice…
"How did you kill the Keeper? We've all heard the rumors." She never looked directly at him and kept her hands squarely on her stomach.
The Wraith were mistaken, especially Lucy. She had had the greatest enemy in her cells and he had escaped. John knew the truth-- they had all escaped. She had not fed on one of his team members since she started her game. They would have been the first, second, third and so on until he could stand no more. He was not a threat to the Wraith, not like Carson or Rodney or any of the other medical and scientific members of the expedition. The Wraith's arrogance would definitely be their downfall. They would never suspect someone like Carson to be their greatest nemesis. She should have never let him go. He might not be around to see Carson deliver his retrovirus, but he would root them on from the afterlife.
"Used the pointy end of a stunner and let it get acquainted with her gut." He was indifferently cold now; no compassion left for any of them. If this wisp of a woman could do it, then more power to her. It would not hurt to ask one more time. "Free me, and I'll show you how."
She let her silence answer for her.
"That's what I thought. Can't let go that Papa was a lunatic, hunh?"
She finally looked at him and aimed her own brand of indifference at him. "Lia and I wanted your people to know how it feels to lose everything."
"Been there, done that little girl." Maybe his world had not literally been taken from him, but he had had his life turned upside down and inside out and wrung out until nothing remained. He looked at his current predicament…case in point.
Lucy decided to come home at the exact right moment. It could not have been a coincidence. She wore a demented grin on her face. Say good-bye to the football, Chuck.
"She knows," he whispered to Osy.
She stood back far enough for him to see a good old-fashioned stake hidden in the waist band of her skirt. "I know." She looked peacefully resigned to the job she assigned for herself.
"Go get her Buffy." He would drop the Chuck because of that stake. Charlie Brown never went after Lucy with an eight inch spike-- even if she did deserve it on some level.
Fire replaced the hollowness and she gave a dark smile. "See you soon."
The Grinchy grin curled a little tighter on Lucy's face. "Little human…" she purred.
Osy started speaking while still facing him, "My name is Osy Berje, daughter of Jae Berje," she turned to face the Queen, "remember it, spawn of hell."
Delight crossed the starkness of the Queen's features and she crooned with pleasure, "Come to your death, human!"
They ran at each other. It was not pretty, it was not necessarily the best tactic, but it was effective. Lucy was faster and stronger, but Osy was very determined. Both their blows struck home when they collided. Osy screamed as the Queen's hand met her chest and the Queen screeched as Osy's stake imbedded in her abdomen.
Linus and a couple of Jasons rushed into the room as the females of the two different species struggled. They hesitated, unsure of what to do.
"That boys is what we call a catfight. Oh no, don't break it up. Maybe they'll kiss," Sheppard jeered at the lackeys. It was the least he could do.
With her free hand, Lucy pulled the stake out and threw it to the floor. Dark blood left smears as it skittered along. The injury only intensified her feeding on the girl. Osy shriveled until the skin dried to her bones and her eyes sank into her sockets- just like everybody else. The graceful daughter of Papa Jae folded up and crumpled to the floor at Lucy's feet.
"I never, never, never, needed anyone…"
John Sheppard laughed, because it was the only thing to do. He laughed until he cried, because it was the last thing to do.
The Queen swayed, staggered and stared directly at him. "Aah, there it is." She clutched her abdomen blood oozing through her fingers as Linus helped her to her circular bed. "The despair-- it is not time yet, just hold on to it." She curled up and closed her eyes. Linus directed a Jason to go fetch a snack.
If the chance ever came, no matter how small, he was going to kill her even if it was the last thing he'd ever do.
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The I's were dotted and the T's were crossed. Everyone had worked tirelessly for the last thirty-six hours. The mechanisms were installed in their respective ships. The alien contraption that Perit had so generously allowed them to scavenge was installed in an F-302. The device itself was made for a smaller ship and hooked up with a minimal amount of cursing.
The cloak, on the other hand, was installed with more cursing and a few power fluctuations. But it was ready to go. Now they waited. Teyla stood next to him in the engineering room along with Ullr and Sam. If at all possible, Ullr was more condescending and irritable than Hermiod.
"This plan has as many holes as the Delurian Black Hole cluster. It would be easier to teleport all the Wraith into space…not that I would condone such an action."
"We'll keep that in mind and while I know our little plan has a colander quality to it…" Rodney pondered how to tell an Asgard to shut-up. "I'm in a pissy mood, so stop talking."
The little gray man raised his eyebrow-less brow and went back to work.
The only real problem he could see was that they had no help. The Jaffa had not confirmed whether they were sending any reinforcements. They had sent the three members of SG-1 back with a we're still talking about it answer, which was no answer at all. Apparently, Jackson's negotiated skills fell far short and not even Teal'c could talk any sense into them. The Colonel and Teal'c had been thrown out right after Jackson. They were relying on Master Bra'tac to convince the Council now. They did not have a snowball's chance without the Jaffa.
Warning klaxons sounded and lights blinked on consoles around the room.
"We have a hyper-space exit forming…" Carter announced. "Engage the cloak…"
"Oh hell, they're early…." said McKay dejected. They could not hold off an attack to rescue anybody. It was going to be the outright destruction scenario.
"Was there an RSVP I didn't know about?" Mitchell asked from his F-302.
"No colonel, it just means we have only one option…"
A Ha'tak followed by another Ha'tak exited into the solar system. Two squadrons of Al'kesh appeared on sensors next.
"Way to go Master Bra'tac!"
"You are welcome Col. Mitchell," Bra'tac's voice responded over the airwaves. "I bring the free Jaffa ship, Blinding Light and her sister ship, Harbinger of Justice."
"It is good to see you join us old friend," Teal'c greeted. "And to bring reinforcements when I thought the Council was about to abandon us."
"The Council still has leaders worthy of the Jaffa; they just needed some extra persuasion and reminding." The tone in his voice told of a tale better left unsaid.
Col. Emerson spoke next, "The Odyssey welcomes you and sends it regards. We can coordinate our attack. We could sure use your Gliders."
"They are yours to command," answered Bra'tac. Gliders immediately left both Ha'taks and took up positions with the Earth fighters.
"We're sending instructions for your motherships and the Al'kesh," Emerson transmitted the data immediately.
"OK," Carter indicated, "next hyper-space window should be our uninvited guests."
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Ronon had already admitted that waiting was not his strongest skill. His mind wandered to a similar day.
"I'll see you after work."
Those were the last words he heard Melena say. Work turned into seven years of running. This planet faced the same problem that his did that day except they had plenty of warning. He would be damned if he would let this planet be culled. He never found out what happened to Melena and the rest of their families. He could guess of course. However, he had no eyewitness accounts and no solid proof. One day he would gather his courage and find the proof.
Six-billion people. Sateda had a few hundred million. The number was unthinkable in a galaxy full of Wraith. These people's greatest enemy was not from space, it was themselves. Sateda had a few skirmishes between factions who disagreed on land or politics but nothing compared to the wars waged here. He had been reading the database in his down time on Atlantis, especially since he was visiting. They were spoiled and yet, charismatic. They were willing to help others which was also unheard of in a galaxy full of Wraith. Each man for himself pervaded the Pegasus galaxy way of thinking.
He looked around the entrance to the mountain. If any darts broke through, then the SGC, world capitals and large cities would be their first targets. Most leaders were hidden and some people gated to the Alpha Site. Teyla and he had spent the last day instructing the soldiers in hand to hand combat tactics for the Wraith. They introduced him to the Zat'nikatel. Too bad the expedition had not brought any of those along with them. They were very effective.
If the Wraith broke through, they would go after addresses for other inhabited worlds. This is where they would try to gain entrance. The culling beams from what he could tell could not penetrate buildings. Most everyone taken was out in the open. He would not let any get through here.
The outside was cool and very rocky. The remote location surprised him, although it should not have. On his and other worlds, the Ancestral Ring was close to towns for easy access. Since this world kept it a secret and under a mountain, a little remoteness was not a bad thing. The Earthlings were strange about visitors, but he could not wait to explore this little mud ball. He would have Bates show him around.
The soldiers with him had had as much experience fighting an alien foe as he had. They were ready. Now it came down to his least favorite past time, waiting.
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Carson double checked the converted storage hangar. The military was exceedingly efficient at setting up medical facilities at a moments notice. They were always prepared for numbers outside of the average as well.
"Let's hope that everyone else is ready," said Dr. Lam joining him in the grand survey.
Carson had spent a better part of the last day instructing others across the globe on what to expect. Soon after realizing the scope of what they hoped to achieve, a little help from Earth bound allies was in order. Everyone with some connection to the expedition or Stargate program had makeshift infirmaries set up in large secluded areas. His image had been broadcast using satellite communications to ten different countries. He had answered questions, given scenarios and reiterated the need for security personnel to be present- the transporting of Lt. Ford from the waters off Atlantis being his main reason. The beam may not differentiate between a Wraith and the person they were feeding on.
He also tried to convey the level of distress the victims could be in. After the crisis was over, they would confer and touch base on what went right and what did not.
"Aye," he finally answered. "Let's hope."
"I'm still not sold on letting weapons in here," she added after a few moments.
"I know and I share that caution. But, after Lt. Ford's rescue, we can't be too careful. At least, the boys will leave the P90's home and only have the zats and the sidearms. That should be enough."
"I still don't have to like it," she said just shy of a pout. She left him to make her own rounds of the facility one last time.
"No, but since when do we like anything an enemy is capable of?" Carson replied solely to himself.
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Teyla watched Rodney as his face paled and he hunched over.
"Mother f…" he glanced at Carter, "…puss…bucket," he quickly amended. "Not now, not now."
"Rodney, more of the nerve pain?" She helped him to sit in a chair.
"How very perceptive of you, Teyla. You have a medical degree from Carson now?" He took a long cleansing breath and let it out.
Carter looked between the two. "She's only trying to help, McKay."
"I know, I'm not stupid."
Teyla was readying her retort when the cold ache formed in the pit of her stomach.
"Dr. McKay."
"Oh, what is it now? Gonna remind me to take my medicine?"
"No, it is too late for that. They are here."
A bridge officer's voice reported over the comm, "Long range sensors have picked up an exit forming on the edge of our solar system!"
"Engaging cloak," Carter announced one more time.
"Shit! Crafty," commented McKay as he pulled back up to the console still shaking. "They're checking out what we've done."
"Not too surprising really, they have no experience with our planet," observed Carter.
"Get ready everybody, because here they come," transmitted Emerson to all ships.
Rodney spoke without ever looking at her. "Teyla, it's time. Do we or don't we?"
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A/N: Well, just watched the season finale for SG-1. I had it on the DVR and just got around to viewing it. I might as well stop now- the Ori ships are way more bad ass than anything I can come up with. The End.
Maybe not, but darn it, that was great! Very exciting indeed. The bunnies are cowering at the greatness but fear not, if they can throw a duck under the bus, then those Ori ships are no match for their egos.