Now that I'm back from my camping trip, I will try to post three times a week and at this stage it will probably be on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Chapter 6: Exiled.
Shalite awoke to a pounding on her door; she had a fair idea who it would be, so she chose to take her time before answering it.
Nightmares had plagued her again as she'd slept, so she really wasn't in the mood for a lecture from Tuart this morning, but she suspected that he was here to beg her to remain on board the Phoenix and not to do anything rash. She had made up her mind the night before that she was definitely going with John and Rodney and she was going to help them, because in her opinion it was the right thing to do.
After slowly getting dressed and trying to tune out the constant bashing on her door she slowly walked over to open it and it didn't surprise her at all when she opened it to find Tuart standing there with Roget.
"What can I do for you gentlemen this morning?" She asked with indifference while stifling a yawn.
Roget took her hand and she could see that he was about to beg and plead with her, so she took a deep breath and waited for him to speak.
"Shalite please don't go with Rodney and John, think about your career and your reputation, as an archaeologist. If you go with them you will never be able to work at the Coalition science academy again."
She really couldn't believe what she was hearing, "I think that moving Atlantis and saving it for future generations is notable, but if you people can only see the bad in this situation, then I have nothing left to say to you."
"Please reconsider, for the sake of our family?" Tuart pleaded and despite him begging she could still see that coldness in his eyes that she had seen the day before when he'd struck John.
"I am doing this for our child; I don't want him to grow up thinking that his mother is a coward. I will stand up and do what is right no matter what the cost and I want him to know that."
"We're having a son? How long have you known?" Tuart asked with softness in his voice.
"Dr Jarvis told me yesterday, but given our argument, I wasn't in the mood for talking to you."
She turned her attention to Roget when he spoke again, "how do you know what you are doing is right. What if John does go back in time and change history, does he have the right to change all our futures?"
Shalite turned to looked at her husband and she spoke to him with sadness and determination in her voice. "He didn't ask to be here in this time, he's here because of a freak accident, so I believe he has the right to go home. If he can find a way home, I intend to help him, whatever the cost, or change to the timeline."
"Well in that case there is nothing I can do for you. You will be asked to leave the ship at 0900 hours along with John Sheppard, Dr McKay and I believe that Dr Jarvis has made it clear that he will be going as well." Tuart told her and she couldn't miss the sadness in his voice.
"I understand, so I will say goodbye now Tuart, because when this is over I will not be returning to you no matter what happens."
She watched as Tuart bowed his head towards her and turned to leave, Roget smiled at her and followed.
Once they had left she decided that she would go back to bed for a while, since she hadn't slept that well the night before. She really couldn't shake the image of the monstrous face that she had seen in her nightmare and it was the same as the face she'd the night before last. She knew that she'd have plenty of time to discuss it with John over the next few days and she had every intention of doing so.
Thinking about John made her smile, how could this handsome stranger from the past have come into her life and changed it so drastically? But then she knew that even if she'd wanted to she couldn't become romantically involved with him, because no matter what happened she was going to help him get back to his own time.
She rubbed her swollen belly and was surprised to find that her son was kicking her, she wondered what kind of life she could give him as a single mother, but she knew that leaving Tuart was the right thing to do.
When she had met Tuart he had been incredibly loving and considerate towards her and she had lapped up the attention that he gave her. He was an officer in the Coalition Space Academy and a good ten years older than her, so she very quickly fell in love with him. When he was promoted to Captain he'd asked her to marry him. The first year they were married things continued on the way they had when they were dating, but after he was given command of the Phoenix things began to change.
Shortly before he had been notified of his posting to the Phoenix she found out that she was pregnant and at the time he couldn't be happier, but then after his first voyage things began to change. He started to become more distant and at times he was given to angry outbursts, but she had still loved him with all of her heart, until he had become violent and punched John in the nose. If he could do that to John in an angry outburst, what could he do to her or her child? She sensed that his temper was getting worse and one day soon he may lash out at her. What she didn't know was, had he always been like this and been hiding it well for so long, or had something happened to him that had changed him?
Thinking about all of this was hurting her head, so she closed her eyes and hoped that she could go back to sleep for an hour or two, before her life was going to change forever.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
John awoke the next morning to the door chime being activated, he decided not to answer it because he really hoped that whoever it was would go away and let him go back to sleep. He hadn't slept well, because he had spent most of the night worrying about the future and there were so many questions racing around in his head. Would he ever get back to his own time and manage to save Teyla and her son, or would he be stuck in this time period and put in jail, all because he wanted to get back to his own time? But if he managed to get back to him home in the past, he knew that he would do the very thing that these people were trying to prevent him from doing; he really hated time travel.
The door chime sounded again, so he decided that he may as well get up, to see who it was. He made sure that he put some clothes on, because he hadn't forgotten yesterday's embarrassing incident, "I'll be there in a minute," he yelled while he was getting dressed and he was sure hoping that the person on the other side of the door was friendly.
He had two black eyes and his nose was one big bruise thanks to yesterday's altercation with Tuart and he didn't fancy getting hit this morning
When he finally opened the door, he was relieved to find that Joe and Rodney were on the other side with trays of food, "hey guys have you brought me my last meal before I am exiled." He quipped, but he was half serious.
"We thought that maybe we could all share breakfast, before we are all exiled." Rodney told him as he entered to room and sat down.
John looked behind them, hoping to see Shalite, "Where is Shalite? Is she going to join us as well?"
"I saw Tuart and Roget heading toward her quarters earlier, so I think that she may be tied up for a while?" Joe told him with a look of concern.
John was feeling annoyed by what he had just been told, "I hope they don't do anything to blackmail her into changing her mind, or what would be even worse is if they hurt her in anyway."
"I don't believe that Tuart or Roget will hurt her, but I wouldn't put it past them blackmailing her into staying on board. Tuart used to be a good man until he was given command of the Phoenix, now he seems to be having an angry outburst every other week; he has never been violent until he hit you yesterday though." Joe explained.
He looked at the food in his friends' hands and decided that he was feeling ravenous, "I will contact Shalite after we have had our breakfast, so what have you guys got for me this morning?"
"Bacon and eggs, juice and lots of coffee, well their version of coffee anyway," Rodney explained putting a tray down on the table.
John sat down at the table and looked over at Rodney who had a tray of food sitting in front of him and wondered whether he was going to attempt to eat it, "so how's the eating going?"
"Well I don't know why, but my creator didn't bother to create me with taste buds, so the food is bland and unappetising, even though I can manage to eat it and process it. I even went to the toilet yesterday and…"
John held his hand up and interrupted him, before he had a chance to go any further, "okay McKay you can stop right there, you've just given me way too much information."
"I can help you with that Dr McKay I have a friend who is an expert in holo-engineering and he has been working on minute changes in holograms, taste is one of the things he's been trying to implement it the latest holograms." Joe told him and John could see pride in his voice, but then John watched his countenance change, before he continued on, "but who knows what's going to happen, we may be on the run for the rest of our lives, or worse still we may end up in jail."
John looked into the face of his new friend and he saw sadness there, so he knew that he had to give him the chance to back out if he wanted to, he would do the same for Shalite after breakfast, "Joe you do know that you don't have to do this don't you? As much as I'd appreciate your help, I won't ask you to possibly give up your entire life for me."
"John as I told you before, it is not your fault you are in our time; you are here because of a freak accident, so if that had never happened, the timeline would be different anyway. I still believe that you going home, is a good thing, so if we can find a way I want to help you achieve that. Besides, I would really love to see Atlantis fly, so I am happy to help you."
All John could do was smile, there was no way that he was going to change Joe's mind about this and he suspected that when he spoke to Shalite she would feel exactly the same way. He still felt worried about having her along though, because he knew that if anything ever happened to her baby then he would never forgive himself. He had already been unable to protect Teyla and her baby and they had been killed by Michael, even though that was 50,000 years ago, he still knew that if he'd been there it may not have happened.
Looking down at his food he decided that he wasn't really hungry, so he pushed his food away and decided that it was time to go and speak to Shalite, "I'm going to talk to Shalite, feel free to stay and finish your breakfast," he told Rodney and Joe before heading out the door.
Taking a deep breath he headed toward the guest quarters that she had stayed in the night before.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Shalite had barely closed her eyes when the door chime activated and she decided that she really didn't want to talk to anyone right now, so she just ignored it. She had a few short hours before she was to be put off the ship, so she wanted to enjoy sleeping in a comfortable bed for as long as possible.
The door chimed again, so she rolled over in the bed and put the covers over her head, as there was no-one she wanted to talk to right now. Again the door chime sounded and it became obvious to her that the person outside her door was not going away.
Arriving at the door a few minutes later, she was happy to find that John was on the other side, "good morning John, what can I do for you?"
"I just came to talk to you and make sure that you're making the right decision, for you and your baby by coming with me."
She sighed, they had gone over this last night, she had made up her mind that she was going with him and nothing he could do would change her mind, "John there is nothing to discuss, I am coming with you because it is the right thing to do and no-one is going to change my mind. I must tell you that Tuart and Roget were here earlier trying to change my mind though."
"Did they hurt you in any way?" John asked and she could see the worry in his eyes.
Looking at his face all she could see was one big bruise covering most of it, "I'm sorry for what Tuart did to you, it never should have happened."
"It wasn't your fault, the only person's fault it is, is Tuart's and no matter what he thinks of me, there is no excuse for violence."
"Don't worry about me John, I will be fine and I will see you at 0900 hours on the bridge. Just remember I am with you no matter what." She had the sudden urge to kiss him, so she leant in and kissed him on the cheek.
A smile lit up his face and he waved at her before turning around and heading out the door.
Heading back to the bedroom, she wondered if he had someone waiting for him back home, she suspected that this friend Teyla that he often talked about was very special to him, but she was long dead and had turned to dust a long time ago, so unless he could find a way home, it wouldn't matter.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
John walked onto the bridge just before 0900 hours with his head held high, there was no way that he was going to let Tuart or anyone else for that matter see him defeated, which for some reason he was feeling right now. Rodney, Joe and Shalite were already there and he was relieved that he wouldn't have to stay on the ship much longer. There were no goodbyes for him to say, as the only three people that mattered were going with him, so he looked straight at the captain and told him to get it over with.
The transporter beam enveloped him and the bridge of the Phoenix disappeared to be replaced by the Atlantis control room. It didn't take long for the transporter beam to dissipate and the first thing he saw was the stargate. It was standing in the middle of the gateroom, just as it always had, but now it looked lonely and neglected. He wondered if he could travel through it again, perhaps there would be enough power for him to make one last trip to earth, but if he tried would there be anyone to greet him on the other end. Did earth still even exist, if he stayed in this time, he would certainly try and find out, but for now his major concern trying to move Atlantis? Once they had managed to do that, perhaps the others could try and help him find a way home.
They had decided that rather than try to find quarters that were habitable they would set up camp in the control room and they would try and make sure that no-one was alone at any time. They would eat and sleep in the gate room and he and Rodney would spend most of their time in the chair room. Shalite still wanted to do some exploring, so Joe had offered to be her chaperone, so that she wouldn't be alone.
He looked at his friends who were standing looking around the control room, which was still bathed in the eerie red glow of the red giant, which he assumed at some point it would go down for the night; he certainly hoped so.
"Okay kids, let's get set up?" he quipped trying to put their minds at ease.
It didn't take him long to find a spot for his sleeping bag and then he turned his mind to finding a place to store the food and water that had been provided for them. There appeared to be a lot, but he really hoped that it would be enough.
"Hey guys can anyone show me where there's a bathroom?" Shalite asked looking around the room.
John just rolled his eyes, remembering back to what Teyla was like before she was taken, "McKay can you take Shalite to the toilet and check to see if it's working?"
"Really you want me to check out the bathrooms, I've really got more important things to do?" Rodney whined, sounding a lot like the original McKay.
"Yes Rodney, it would be a big help, if you could do that and then Joe and I can finish stashing the rest of this food away."
"Well okay, I must admit my back isn't up to moving to many boxes around." Rodney explained with a pained look on his face.
John almost laughed a hologram with a bad back that had to be the funniest things he'd heard in quite a while, "thankyou Rodney."
He turned back to what he was doing and saw that Joe was smirking too; he knew that it was going to be a long hard day, but at least he had some close friends to share it with.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Rodney stood in the chair room looking at the data that Sheppard and Atlantis were throwing up on the computer scream, it appeared that there were quite a few systems that needed fixing, but he was convinced that she could fly again. The only problem was where, were they going to put her. He and John had decided to wait until the evening, so they could get some input from Joe and Shalite. It felt good to have friends in this time period, since this is where he was going to be stuck for the rest of his life and he had no idea how long that was going to be, he was a hologram after all.
Suddenly the computer systems glitched, interrupting his contemplations, then he heard a strange noise coming from the control chair, he looked up and over in that direction and was amused to find that Sheppard was snoring. "Hey Sheppard wake up?"
There was no response, so he spoke a little louder, "hey Sheppard wake up?"
There was still no response, so he had to yell at him, "hey Sheppard wake up!?"
That certainly got John's attention and he stifled a laughed when Sheppard almost fell out of the control chair, "What's going on Rodney, why are you shouting at me?"
"You fell asleep and I couldn't wake you up, so I shouted at you. We still have a lot of work to do today, so try and stay awake please?"
"Sorry buddy, I didn't sleep well last night, I was too busy worrying about the future and the past," John replied stifling a yawn.
"Well you can go back to sleep when we've finished here, so make sure you focus for a while longer."
He was relieved when John nodded and leant back in the chair again, "now check the shields, I need to make sure we have enough power to maintain them in our flight through space."
Rodney watched as the specs came up on the screen. There would certainly be enough power for a small trip, but he would still need to make some repairs. He had no idea how long it would take to repair the damaged systems in the city, but he certainly hoped that it would take less than two weeks.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
John was exhausted by the time he and Rodney had finished in the chair room and the walk through the corridors towards the control room seemed to take forever. They had determined that Atlantis would indeed fly and hopefully they would be able to have it ready within a week. He certainly hoped so, because he wanted to be long gone before the Louisan people showed up, as he had no desire to end up in jail. He knew that if he did he would have no hope of ever getting home.
Eventually they made it to the control room and John was pleased to see that Shalite and Joe were already there and had started to prepare dinner. "Hey guys what's for dinner?" He called out heading into the gate room and flopping on his sleeping bag.
"Boccel soup and toast," Shalite called back to him.
He had learnt enough over the last couple of days to know that a Boccel was some kind of bird that was similar to a chicken and it tasted similar as well, he also had a suspicion that they would be eating a lot on Boccel soup over the next few weeks.
Twenty minutes later they were all sitting around a makeshift table in the gateroom eating their dinner. The main topic of discussion was where they were going to move Atlantis too.
"Okay we have four planets in reachable distance, is there any problem with any of these?" Rodney asked Joe and Shalite showing them a star map on his tablet.
"Well the one you've designated, KF-889 is the Genii home world and they like to keep to themselves." Shalite answered with a roll of her eyes.
John was amazed that they had managed to survive thing long. "Really the Genii are still around; they always seemed to be causing some problem in the galaxy back in my time. Although they did become tentative allies after Ladon Radim staged a military coup."
"Okay, well what about GH-667?" Rodney asked a little impatiently.
"The Golians live there and again, they are a race who don't like to be disturbed." Joe answered.
John sighed he really, hoped that one of the other two planets would be uninhabited, because things would become a lot more complicated if they were, "well I don't know whether they existed in my time, but we certainly never came across them. What about the other two, is there anyone living there?"
John got the shock of his life when Shalite spoke next, "well, YX-990 is the original planet for the new Satedan Empire; they are a peaceful race and have developed many new technologies and medicines that they have been willing to share with the rest of the galaxy."
"Wow!" John exclaimed. "There was very few of them left in my time. I had a friend who was from Sateda and he came to live in Atlantis after he had been on the run from the wraith for seven years after Sateda was culled."
Shalite looked at him with a big grin on her face. "Well there are millions of them now and they have spread out across two galaxies. This one and I believe they are living in the same galaxy that earth is in." John sat and watched waiting to see if she had anything else to say and when she took a deep breath before she continued, he listened intently, "and I believe that they were experimenting with time travel technology at one point."
John was excited by what he heard, perhaps he could try and contact them at some point and see if they could help him find a way home. "Once we have moved Atlantis I think I might look them up and see if they can help me find a way home."
He felt Shalite's hand in his and he looked into her eyes as she spoke, "and we will go with you."
He smiled at her and then a look of longing came over his face, a longing for home, "has anyone you know, heard from earth in your life time?"
It was Joe who answered this time, "I'm sorry John, but no-one we know has travelled that far in twenty thousand years."
John put a fake smile on his face, "What about this last planet on the list."
"As far as we know that planet is uninhabited," Shalite answered him with a smile, which reminded him so much of Teyla, he suspected that she definitely had some Athosian ancestry, but he had no idea how he was going to be able to figure that out.
"Okay DF-556 it is then, we figure we should be able to move in a week or so, but when we do our ZPM will be totally depleted, so the first thing Rodney and I will need to do when we get there is go and find the ZPM lab the ancient data base has shown us." John explained.
"Well if that is all, I think that I might head to bed then," Shalite announced with a yawn.
John stood up and stifled a yawn, as well. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea, since we have so much work to do tomorrow."
Ten minutes later John was happy to be in his sleeping bag. The night was dark and cold since the eerie red giant had sunk below the horizon and he was glad of his sleeping bag and extra blanket for warmth. He looked over at Shalite, who was in her own sleeping bag lying next to him and he was happy that she was fast asleep already. Closing his eyes, he thought about his friends back in his time and he wondered if he would ever see them again. The thought made him a little sad, but he knew at this moment he had a job to do and he couldn't afford to let sadness and depression get him down. There would be plenty of time for that later.
TBC…