"Colonel Sheppard!" Teyla cried into her radio, "We cannot win this battle."

"Hang in there," Sheppard ordered as he jumped out of the 302 and tossed his helmet back inside.

"I do not think we can. They have beamed in a thousand more soldiers; we are losing ground and men. The battle has now entered the city as well."

"Colonel Sheppard," Carter added, "The Chekov is taking severe damage. We're still outgunned, and it doesn't look like the Daedalus, Hammond, or the Odyssey can last much longer. We've barely scratched the surface off the mothership.

Sheppard ducked as sparks erupted from the 302 bay wall beside him. "The 302 wave failed; I'm beaming down to the city to see what I can do from there."

Mr. Woolsey looked up sharply at the sound of footsteps. Shaking his head, he glanced back down at the paperwork in his lap. Hearing another sound, he stood up from his desk – Sheppard's desk, as it was now – letting his papers fly and grabbing a coffee mug from off of the desk. He crept to the door as inconspicuously as possible. He saw one slender hand reach into the room and grasp the doorjamb – a hand bearing a circular tattoo near the thumb. Woolsey's eyes widened; the enemy took a step in and whirled around to face him, looking almost equally shocked to find anyone in the empty office. With a terrified shriek, Woolsey threw the mug at the man, striking him squarely in the head and sending him to the floor. He kicked the body experimentally, grimacing when it twitched under his shoe. Then, glancing around, he straightened his tie and let out a small, proud "Hmph."

Sheppard and a small group of others, including Todd, beamed into the gate room. As the others rushed to their positions, Sheppard cursed violently as a chunk of the city fell dangerously close to his men just outside the door. "Rodney," he snapped as the man in question sped across the room. "I need the shield now. This city is falling apart."

"I'm about to fix it. I need a security team."

"I don't have anyone to spare!"

"I can't go all the way to the southwest pier by myself! There are bad guys in there! You know I can't shoot a gun to save my life! Um… that wasn't… no pun intended, I mean." As Sheppard rolled his eyes, Rodney's expression sobered. "Look, Dr. Lee is dead. I have to get across the city."

Sheppard's eyes widened momentarily, mouth twisted into an expression of remorse. He glanced around, eyes falling on Todd, who stood silently by his side with a stunner in hand. "Todd, help McKay."

"What?!" Rodney squeaked. "The only other person who could even begin to understand this system just sacrificed himself to keep it working, and you're sending a wraith who hates my guts to protect me?'

Sheppard rolled his eyes and nodded Todd on, then ran out to the balcony. "Play nicely."

"Right," McKay said, eyes flicking nervously between the tablet and Todd. "Now, we need to get across to the lab on the southwest pier so I can shut down –" He stopped suddenly as Todd effortlessly knocked aside a Jawailan who rushed towards them. "Um, thank you," he said, fidgeting with one hand. "This way."

"Rodney!"

He looked up to see his wife pulling a gurney loaded with supplies through the crowd of people. "Jennifer? What are you going here?"

"Medics are dispersing throughout the city."

"Wait," he said, still walking briskly towards his destination. "You're in charge, shouldn't you be staying back at the infirmary?"

"We don't have enough personnel to spare." She shot a glance at Todd and asked quietly, "What's he doing here?"

"My security team," Rodney said bitterly, returning his gaze to the tablet in his hands.

A cry in the corner diverted her attention. "I have to go. Be careful." She ran forward to the man laying in the corner.

"You too," he said quietly, squeezing her hand quickly.

Jennifer ran forward with the gurney, kneeling next to a man blackened and trapped beneath a fallen beam. "What's your name?" she said quickly. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Gibbs," he coughed. "Gunnery Sergeant."

"Right. Your legs, can you feel your legs?" she asked him hurriedly.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Great." She flicked a flashlight into his eyes. "It looks like you're in shock, but you're going to be fine."

Gibbs spluttered again, "Those swords are pretty nasty," he said with a pained grin, one hand traveling to the wound on his abdomen.

"You'll be just fine. I'm going to see if I can move this beam off of your legs, OK?" Crawling over, she tried to push the beam up, but it was too heavy. "I need help! Somebody help me lift this!"

Rodney turned almost immediately, hearing her cry only a few feet down the hall, but Jennifer shook her head as he came rushing back. "You need to get the shield back online."

With a disgruntled growl, Todd thrust his stunner into Rodney's hand and about-faced to help lift the beam.

"Right," Rodney said, gripping the gun resolutely and turning to continue on his way.

Todd pushed his way through the chaotic mass of soldiers crossing the city to where Jennifer knelt by her patient. He linked his fingers underneath the end of the beam and tossed it easily to the other side of the room.

"Thank you," Jennifer sighed, rushing over to collapse the gurney and lower the bed surface to the ground. "Help me get him on the bed."

Wordlessly, Todd pushed his end of the sheet under Gibbs' feet and lifted him onto the bed. Jennifer raised the gurney back up and rolled it across the hall to a nurse running by. "Take him to the infirmary," she ordered. "He's losing blood."

"Where's the damn shield, Rodney?" Sheppard barked, back at his rail gun on the balcony.

"I'm working on it."

"McKay!" he growled.

Rodney stopped in his tracks. His wife's orders, still faintly audible, were cut off by a resounding explosion. "Jennifer!" he yelled immediately, whirling around and running back to her, dropping the computer and Todd's stunner. "Jennifer!" He rounded the corner to see her lying on the ground. "Oh my God, Jen," he whispered, cradling her head in one hand.

She shook her head quickly, wincing as she sat up. "I'm fine."

Her eyes widened suddenly when a figure appeared beside them. Surrounded by a faint white aura, Todd turned his head to face them. "Nothing could have survived that explosion," Jennifer said quietly, mouth dropped open in awe.

Todd gave them a last glance and walked resolutely forward, passing easily through the wall as if it weren't there.

The couple exchanged a glance. "What just happened?" Rodney asked, still holding his wife up.

"I have no idea."

Sheppard's eyes traveled across the city, where crumbling debris was dropping from the walls and bodies littered the ground below. "Colonel Caldwell," he said, tapping his radio as he stepped away from his rail gun. "How badly damaged is the Odyssey?"

"It's definitely the worst off." Caldwell gripped the armrests as a blow rocked the Daedalus, sparks flying behind him. "But I should mention that we're not doing too well either."

"I need you to beam everyone off of the Odyssey and get all of our other ships out of range," Sheppard ordered.

"May I ask why?"

"Look," Sheppard said, eyes steely on the horizon. "There's no way you can take down the mothership even if you managed to kill the others before…" He trailed off, running a hand over his hair.

Caldwell's eyes widened in recognition. "You're going to ram it." He exchanged a fearful glance with Major Marks. "A short jump through hyperspace would… Sheppard, we won't have time to beam you out before you hit the mothership."

"Just do it, Caldwell."

Caldwell turned to Major Marks but didn't speak, his head hanging.

"That's an order," Sheppard snapped.

Sheppard strode into the drone chair room where Lorne sat next to the deactivated chair. "Sir," Lorne stood up immediately. "Let me get out there and fight –"

"I'm leaving you in charge of Atlantis," Sheppard interrupted.

Lorne blinked. "What?"

"I'm going to destroy the hive ships the only way I know how before this city collapses. Once it's done, I need you to contact Teyla and have her clear the mainland, then fire every drone you have at the Jawailans. Am I understood?"

Lorne merely opened his mouth, finally managing a "Yes, sir."

"After that, it's your responsibility to contact the SGC and transport the dead and critically wounded back to Earth."

Lorne shook his head. "Sir, you're… What about Reynolds? He's second-in-command."

Sheppard shook his head. "As of now, you are officially in command of Atlantis," he said quietly.

Lorne nodded resolutely and snapped to attention, forming a crisp salute. "It's been an honor serving with you, sir."

Sheppard stood at the control panel of the empty Odyssey, hand hovering over the keyboard. "Atlantis, this is Sheppard. It's been a pleasure."

He typed in a short sequence, eying the hives warily through the bridge window, closed his eyes, and lowered his finger to execute the hyperspace jump.

But then a quiet voice startled him. "Trust him."

"What?" Sheppard turned around. "Who's there?" He stopped in his tracks. There, standing serenely in a cherry-red shirt, her face young and fresh and just as he remembered, was a familiar face. "Elizabeth?"

A slight smile appeared. "Trust him, John."

"What?" He blinked, and she was gone. Turning back to the keyboard, he jumped to find yet another beside him.

Todd, shimmering and white, extended one hand, nodding for him to take it. When Sheppard instinctively flinched, Todd let out a deep, rich laugh and grasped his shoulder with a hand wreathed in the ghostly pale aura just as Sheppard's finger pressed the keys.

Teyla turned quickly, face disheartened, as a rumbling explosion filled her ears and a flash of bright, blue-white light appeared in the sky where the hive ships had once been. She closed her eyes, composed herself, and returned to the battlefield. "Pull back to the city!" she shouted over the din of clashing swords and weapons fire. "All forces, clear the field! Retreat to the gate!"

Some gave her quizzical looks, but urged by Stackhouse and the others, returned to the gate as a rush of orange light flooded onto the battlefield, destroying all in its path.

The battle was won.