John walks up to the strange, bubbling blue of the stargate, not really knowing what to expect. Pain maybe. McKay doesn't so much as flinch or hesitate, but this city seems so terribly important to all of them, John thinks it might just be the strength of a curious scientist's mind. He glances back at the alien, but the wraith is grinning and not of much help either. John is very sure that this one would walk through a wall of fire if it was his only way home.
So he takes a deep breath and just walks on. In for a penny, in for a pound, if the others can do this then so can he.
The world greeting him on the other side is dark and only semi-alive. Admittedly, he is standing within a hall-like structure inside of a building. He wouldn't know about the nature and wildlife and whatever else is out here in another galaxy, but this room looks lifeless to him, despite all the humans fussing about. Maybe it's the emergency light that bathes everything in a weak, gray light. Maybe it's how still everything seems, despite the noise of people.
They did tell him that they couldn't activate the city so far, that they are running out of power and will soon lose Atlantis to the floods of the ocean that cover her. John is kind of their last hope, his ATA-gene is strong and the wraith said with John there, Atlantis would rise again. But he doesn't know how he, the space-stuff newbie, could help them.
"Well, it's supposed to recognize you and light up now," McKay says next to him like he could read John's mind, but the man is talking to himself. The place remains dark and the Canadian shrugs. "Maybe she just needs a moment, after all these years."
That's right, John thinks. This place is ancient. Untouched for thousands of years. But all still looks safe and sound, and the impressiveness of that makes John feel very small. The great city of Atlantis is looming above him, a legacy he doesn't think he's worth holding the key to.
A woman walkes down the great staircase and introduces herself as Dr. Elizabeth Weir. Apparently she is the head of this expedition. John can see the glow in her eyes, the hope that he will rouse her precious city from its sleep. He smiles politely but inwardly recoils. He doesn't like disappointing people.
With her is a Colonel Sumner, whom John instantly doesn't like. This officer is the kind of man who would forbid him from going back for his comrades, even if there was more than just a shred of hope for them. It is evident that Sumner has read his file and doesn't like him either. Again, John smiles politely.
Everyone keeps glancing at the lights. It is McKay who finally bluntly snaps: "This doesn't work!" The man turns towards the wraith and glares accusingly at the alien, who, ignored so far, has made no attempt to take part in the conversation. In fact, he seems to be ignoring them as well.
It is strangely fascinating to watch. The wraith's head is swiveling ever so slowly in every direction, like he's just looking around, but he isn't. He doesn't look at the hall but past it and, John would bet, every other wall of this building. Whatever it is that he does see, it seems to please him. Tension falls from his frame like dust being swept away. Todd still stands rigid and straight, but this is more a matter of pride and posture than anything else.
John has half a mind to ask him if this galaxy is less silent.
"So, what does our expert say, why doesn't Atlantis respond to Sheppard?!" McKay needles on.
"She would, if he'd stopped doubting her and himself." The wraith's eyes land on John, looking at him with curiosity but also disappointment. Strangely enough John doesn't mind it though. It takes him a moment to realize that this is because the wraith isn't disappointed in him, but in McKay's not understanding.
"Well, excuse me for not knowing how to activate technology that, until a few days ago, I didn't even know existed," John defends himself anyway.
"I did not accuse you. It is only natural to doubt." The wraith walks up to him and it takes the marines around them a moment to scramble into action and lift their guns. It seems, John is not the only one who is a little too enthralled with the creatures strangeness. The wraith ignores them, secure in the knowledge that they will hesitate to shoot because at he moment he has a certain worth to them. Or maybe the self healing monster just doesn't care.
"But you must learn to push the doubt aside. I realize it might be a difficult feat, seeing as you harbor enough doubt to override the systems of a city that was built to wake for, and obey, your genetic code," Todd seems to think that system failure is funny, "but this is the only way."
John regards him, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He is still skeptical. The wraith probably spent so much time as the SGC peoples' captive, their worshiping attitude towards this city must have rubbed off on him. "Why would the city even know what I think?" he asks.
"There is a mental component to the Lanteans' technology," Todd explains. John gives McKay a "Could've told me that!" kind of glare.
The scientist glowers. "I wanted to explain all of this here," he says.
John rolls his eyes and turns back to Todd. "Well, you show me then. You're good with this mental stuff, aren't you?"
To his surprise, the wraith laughs. All people around freeze, the rattling sound scaring them. John isn't entirely sure if Todd's laugh sounds so rusty because of the general rasp and echo in his voice or because the wraith just hasn't laughed in a very long time.
"John Sheppard, I would not know how to access a lantean city like that. I am the enemy and she is built to resist me. And even if I could, this city is a corpse to me. I will probably never understand why they included mental components into something so... dead." The wraith cocks his head to the side, still amused. "Perhaps they were just too lazy to push buttons," he muses.
John can't help but grin a little while the others grow a little red in the face and seem pissed. Apparently for them, the Lanteans are nothing to laugh at. He looks at Todd, thoughtful. "Well, your talking implies you know how to activate other technology via mind. So show me that, maybe the similarities can help me out," he finally demands.
"Excuse me, but we have no wraith tech here, nor would we allow him anywhere near it if there was!" McKay interrupts them.
"There is no need for that..." Todd says, the strange echo that makes his voice sound so layered more present than before. The subtle reminder that he is not human, and needs not actually present an object to show it to someone, serves well for John, yet everyone else doesn't seem to get the hint. There is confusion and the clicks of readied weapons when he steps forward to free Todd's hand from the restraints because he refuses to kneel down so the wraith can touch his head. John freezes, but rolls his eyes.
"Captain Sheppard, what are you doing there?" Sumner snarls while McKay yells "I thought only the Queens can posses you like that?!"
The air force only very reluctantly reinstated John, and he pulls a face at the reminder of his demotion. Not that he cares much for the rank, but Major Sheppard just has a nicer ring to it. He slowly raises his hands up to calm down the trigger happy marines. Chancing a side glance at Todd, he is surprised to find the wraith is looking back with an equally exasperated expression. Their understanding does not help them though, it just unsettles the other humans even further.
Finally, Dr. Weir speaks up. "Dr. McKay, please calm yourself. Captain Sheppard, if you would please explain to us why you attempted removing the restraints of a wraith?" While she doesn't seem very open-minded when it comes to Todd, she at least remains calm and asks for explanations.
"Didn't feel like stooping down to my knees for the whole zapping pictures into my brain thingy. And what's he supposed to do? I think he's smarter than to attempt and free himself with that many guns pointed at him, regenerating powers or not. And he's in for the bigger game, right buddy?" There is a mocking quality to his voice. Just because he somewhat defends the wraith right now doesn't mean he actually likes the guy. He can't forget the casual arrogance with which the wraith seems to have decided that his life is worth more than that of someone else, nor does he think he can ever forgive it. Todd just looks at him and grins, understanding John's tone perfectly well it seems. Which is just another thing that drives John up the wall. He hates that all-knowing gaze, which reads him far too easily.
"Zapping pictures into your brain thingy?" McKay echoes, apparently unsure what to make of that.
John raises his brows. "Yeah, you know, when he touches your forehead and... no?" He trails of when none of the people present seems to understand. He turns to Todd.
"They don't know. Neither do all Sheppards." For the wraith that is obviously explanation enough.
"Oh," says John, not knowing what else to say. He feels mildly flattered.
"Wait, you mean he can transfer actual, sharp pictures into someone's head if he touches their forehead?" It seems Dr. McKay has finally understood and is quite intrigued. "I mean, we know about those ghost-hallucinations, but... Well it makes sense, when it comes down to it; we operate on electric impulses. I assume the ghosts happen when the wraith produce impulses so strong that they impact on us. After a while we grow kind of immune to them because our brain learns to filter them. Touching could help transfer the signals much more precisely, allowing for the wraith to use our mind as a canvas..." He turns to mumbling about how he needs to discuss that with Carson. John doesn't know who Carson is, but assumes he'll get to know the man sooner or later.
"I suggest, if we must conduct this experiment, that we do so in a secure environment." Colonel Sumner speaks up.
Dr. Weir thinks about it for a moment, then nods. "I agree. Follow me, please." She turns and walks away, leaving John and the others to follow.
John walks at the end of the group. He observes them all, the more or less indifferent marines, McKay who is still pondering the scientific aspects, Weir who is weighting pros and cons, Sumner who doesn't seem happy at all, and Todd. Todd doesn't show much of what he is thinking. There is a vague expression of boredom on his face but John has a feeling that this is the wraith's default setting, meant to throw others off. It is quite interesting to see how the wraith can switch between a very expressive body language and a rather bland one. John wonders if he does so on purpose.
They enter a room which is quite obviously the brig. Or at least John can't imagine what else the cage made of horizontal planks could be good for. There is a generator hooked up to cables pulled from the wall, and when McKay activates it some kind of force field flickers to life, encasing the prison cell. It seems, without the city working at full capacity, they had to hack their way into the systems of the brig and fix it up.
Todd walks into the cell without much of a problem but bares his teeth as he regards his surroundings. He does not complain though. The others look expectantly at John. The now-captain looks back with raised eyebrows. Their safety measures consist of locking him in with the wraith?
"You do not have to do this," Weir says. "But you must understand, we cannot take any unnecessary risks. Wraith Queens can control people to a degree and if there's even a chance that the males can too..." There is a hard edge to her voice that tells John of lessons learned the hard way. Maybe, if John was someone else, this would be handled differently, but Weir seems to build on the fact that Todd saved John for more than just a ticket back to Pegasus, and therefore will not harm him. It is what John thinks, too. He has no illusions that he is more than a chess piece here, albeit still a useful one.
So he shrugs, and walks into the cell, the door sliding shut behind him. Todd looks somewhat curious and raises his left hand in anticipation. John frees it from the restraint and steps back while the wraith flicks the stiffness out of his wrist. Then the creature raises two fingers to John's forehead. John can hear the others hold their breath just when he does.
He walks through corridors, strangely organic in design, like the innards of a giant beast. Maybe Todd has heard about the story of Jonah and the whale while stuck on earth, and now makes some creative fun of John. If he does, then he is damn good at it because John can feel his surroundings. The corridors, no, the ship, answers to him, a subtle presence at the edge of his mind, not quite enough consciousness to be a true person but not dead or unfeeling either. There is even some intelligence there, sorting out impressions and data and letting him know the important things.
He reaches what has to be the bridge, another wraith steps away and he takes the controls. The ship's ghost hones in on him, expectant, waiting for him to tell it where to go. With a thought, the engines flare to life, the loading hyper drive a tickle in his legs. Then they're off, the ship is contentedly and quietly working and he relaxes until he can feel the cold of space on his skin, the hive ship warning him that the hull needs time to accommodate the strain the jump has put on it.
They drop out of hyper space and he does the mental equivalent to patting the ship on the shoulder. It has no true feelings, but neither is it indifferent to how they treat it. Not all wraith care about that, but he has made the experience that those who do are eventually called a legendary pilot. A well treated hive ship is a strong hive ship, ready to obey and be a home for thousands of years.
John almost drops to his knees when Todd takes his hand away, ending the transmission. He dimly recognizes the panicked questions of the humans in the room and distractedly waves them away with a floppy hand gesture. He is panting but doesn't care, just reproachfully stares at Todd. This has been a lot more intense than the strictly visual transmission he received the first time they did this.
"Next time warn me!" he demands between two intakes of breath. Todd smirks. If John was still ten years old he would've stuck his tongue out at the green bastard. But, he's a grown up, and so he straightens up, turns serious and looks at his surroundings. Is this the way this city is supposed to respond to him? Like another person, like something living? He carefully reaches out, timidly asking for the lights to switch on and replace the ugly gray glow of the emergency illumination.
And suddenly there is color.
Not much, the city is silver-gray in design, but now he can see the blue and gold highlights. And they are beautiful. Fascinated, he walks towards the corridor, the cell door moving out of his way on its own accord, letting him leave and explore. He barely registers that, following the lights that switch on for him as if in trance. He gapes in awe when the room with the gate comes to life, control consoles blinking and screens full of data.
Atlantis is alive, different from Todd's ship in many ways, but the same in others. There is cold, technical data implanted in the back of his mind rather than the careful nudge of almost-feelings from something that is a part of you, but there is still a connection, there is something willing to obey and serve.
John feels light, he can't believe this is really working, but it does! Maybe, just maybe, this can be a new start for real. He turns to grin at McKay and Weir who had come after him and are still gaping. The scientist ignores John and heads for the control consoles, grabbing for a tablet PC with the enthusiasm of a child that was just given the plaything it always wanted. Weir stays to thank John, happiness overflowing from her eyes. There are cheers and someone pops a bottle of champagne.
Then the city starts groaning, the lights flicker, and everything goes to hell.
The walls creak and the floor vibrates. People scream and try to steady toppling crates and furniture. The lights turn gray again, and John doesn't know what to do. Just a moment ago everything worked so well, he should've known better than to expect it to last. He looks around for Todd, hoping the wraith would tell him where he went wrong. But Todd is busy, snarling at an angry Sumner who is pointing a gun at the alien and accuses him of sabotage. John makes his way across the shaking floor, trying to get their attention. He needs some instructions here, damn it!
Someone else seems to have the same idea. Dr. McKay scrambles over to the wraith and soldier as well, tablet PC clutched securely to his chest while he rants. "You said the city will activate if Sheppard is here, well it did! But what the hell is wrong now?! We still can't access her, but we need to or we're all going to die! The activation drained the ZPMs, the shields are failing and the ocean will drown us if that happens!" It seems the scientist is in panic.
"What are ZPMs?" John asks. Maybe he can fix what is broken if he knows what exactly it is.
"Energy cells! But it doesn't matter, we have nothing sufficient to replace them, our generators can't sustain the shields!" McKay is definitely panicking now.
Oddly enough, John is a little calmer now. Not his failing caused this, but the failing of the city's fancy batteries. He can think again. "So we need to use what energy we have left to raise the city, that way we can survive, right?"
"Yes but we don't know how to do that!" the Canadian snaps, and turns to the wraith, demanding answers with his glare.
Todd is the only one around who is perfectly calm. Now that Sumner has stopped yelling at him the wraith looks so at ease, John has to blink and confirm to himself that the calm creature in the middle of all this chaos is real. Turning to John, the wraith acknowledges their panic with a smug grin.
"All you need," he begins and his grin widens at McKay's rapt attention, "is a little patience..."
They are about to yell and demand a clearer answer, when the city lurches. John has that tingly feeling he sometimes gets when he uses a lift, this tiny pull when the cabin moves up that surprises him every time because he can't believe that after all the Gs he's felt as a pilot he's still sensitive enough to feel this unremarkable shift. And he grins from ear to ear as he realizes what is going on.
The vibration of the floor is not the shields giving out. It's the city rising.
He watches as understanding dawns on the human faces around him while the face of the wraith remains amused. Turning, he ignores the shaking floor and jogs towards the window, where he is greeted by the amazing view of silver towers rising from the sea towards the sky. Water cascades down gleaming facades, sparkling in the light, and John is giddy as a little kid in Disneyland when the city stabilizes and he can feel the presence of the digital consciousness again.
He turns back towards the room, where consoles light up again and everyone is back to cheering, and thinks to himself that, if Pegasus can offer cities like this, then it must be a really awesome galaxy. He can't wait to start exploring.