Chap 3/ Getting ready for destiny
It had already been nine hours and the control room was busy trying to get as much info possible, Rodney had been running like a maniac between computers or what was left of them because of the virus. How could a day bad enough in the beginning turn to hell in two hours? Rodney was seriously questioning his luck.
He watched as Elizabeth organized evacuation groups.
Carson had brought Zelenka to the control room so he could help Rodney by telling him what he knew since the computers in the lab were out of reach, and the virus seemed to affect more and more systems. Radek was under some treatment but seemed to be tired above all.
Rodney and Radek were once again arguing with each other.
"Yes Rodney, I did the calculations three times before plugging the generator!" breathed the Czech.
"However you still can't tell me how the core radiations were emitted?"
"No I can't we were still working on it!" exclaimed Zelenka.
"Radek you are no help!"
"YOU were too busy chatting with you know who! YOU should have been doing YOUR job!" accused Radek. Looking pointedly across the room to a certain someone busy coordinating evacuations.
"Excuse me? I have no idea of what you are on about. And stop meddling with MY life!" their voice grew louder and the control room became quiet around them.
Rodney was embarrassed because he was being the center of everyone's attention and Elizabeth was looking at him questioningly. Radek had touched a nerve and Rodney was in denial somehow.
Radek came closer and looked at him in the eye, he spoke so quietly only Rodney could hear, "Get over your feelings now before you kill us all, you don't even notice how smitten you are. Just go back to work and forget her." and he left.
Rodney was left speechless people around him avoid eye contact, Elizabeth was on the contrary watching his every move. He went back to work sulking.
He knew that his behaviour had changed and couldn't help it. However, he was now overcome with guilt. Guilt for losing concentration on his work and also because Radek knew what was going on in his mind, whereas himself was so lost at the moment.
A few minutes later, they received a communication from the Daedalus saying they would be arriving in a few hours.
Time had passed quickly since the Wraith cruiser detection and people were getting agitated by the impeding threat:
"They are getting closer, we cannot wait to evacuate people!" said Rodney.
"I know Rodney but we are still waiting for Ronon and Teyla to report to us, we can only use the puddle jumpers."
"Alpha site is ready, we should start sending people there." ushered Rodney.
" Right, but the trip is taking too long we won't be able to evacuate everyone."
"That's why we have to star now!"
"Fine, I will call the first group." conceded Elisabeth.
Twenty minutes later two jumpers left the bay for the Alpha site.
When Ronon and Teyla came back they informed Elisabeth of the agreement they got for asylum, Elizabeth knew she had no choice to the terms and sent more refugees.
In these situations, time passes so fast and today the evacuations were not going well, even with eight jumpers available the trips were taking too long.
When the Wraith ships came into Atlantis' orbit, the city was about 3/4th empty.
The ships started firing with no mercy and the Daedalus was yet to arrive. Blasts could be heard above them, and the city started shaking.
"The shield is affected by the virus, it will stop working very soon, the next blasts will seriously damage the city we have to get out of here!" declared Radek.
"We have to keep the city at all costs!" said Elizabeth.
"Some part of the city are getting flooded." announced Rodney.
Elizabeth was ordering more people to leave.
"I need update on your work, I need facts, Rodney?" he didn't say a word.
Zalenka answered, " The control stations are not responding, and there's no way to access the device from here. We are powerless, we don't even know if shutting it down will help. We ran some simulations with the small data we had and…"
"We figured that running a cleaning sequence into the device by powering a new sequence might help us get the shield back." said Rodney.
"We don't know for sure, and we don't have enough time Rodney." said Radek.
Ronon and Teyla who had just come back from sending another group, did not say a word, but they knew the situation was hopeless.
"I think I know what to do…"
Rodney had stopped speaking, looking straight, ahead, clearly thinking about something, he was lost for a minute. The walls were still shaking and Elisabeth gripped the table while looking at Rodney.
"Rodney?" asked Elisabeth.
His eyes went to hers. He thought, his plans, if executed right, would be their salvation, it was the only choice. After talking to Radek about the device, he had come to only one conclusion, there was a way to disconnect the device and stop it from invading the system, only that someone had to do it and that person would probably die from it.
"You know what to do" he told Radek
Looking at Elizabeth eyes, told him why he had to do it. Why he had to save her. They would understand his decision. It was only for the good of the expedition.
"Rodney? Do you have an idea?" she asked
He approached her took both her hands in his, and said to her:
"Just remember this Lizzie. I want you to know that I love you." he smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the lips and then left the room, running, leaving Elizabeth staring into the space he had just left.
She touched her lips, her eyes wide opened, wondering what had just happened.
End of the chapter.
OMG! Did I just write that?
This chapter was harder because of my "Stargate not working". I don't know how far are planets in the Pegasus galaxy but I just want this to look a bit real, even if travelling that far would take years so! Another explanation would be: they go to the closest planet with a Stargate and use the gate! Tada ! fute-fute la fille!
And Rodney is a total chaos in his head, what the hell is he going to do?
Any idea? Review !
