Note: Little bit of a wait for this chapter, sorry - I've had a nasty case of laryngitis, which is not nice and keeping silent is always difficult for a chatterbox like me. Christmas shopping is almost complete and the decorations need to go up soon – lots to do and not much time for it. I hope everyone is well (some nasty bugs about) and thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter – clearly a favourite for people. I wonder why... Honestly, poor John. Anyway, onto more bad times for John...
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Chapter 20 – The Inertia
It had taken twelve minutes of constantly dialling back into M1K 177 until they had finally gotten a lock. Sam had immediately sent through two teams of Marines, and the remaining part of John's team, in hopes that they would still arrive in time to be the rescue they all wanted it to be.
The report that had come back was actually one of the worst a Commander could hear though – there was nothing to be found on M1K. No sign or clue of what had happened to John, outside of numerous weapons scorch-marks on the surrounding trees. Whoever they had been, they had even taken the time to brush clean the ground surrounding the Gate. There wasn't even a boot-print as a clue as to what had happened to John.
Sam's only hope was that the Marines sweeping the surrounding area would find something – hopefully the Major. But, then, the life-signs detectors hadn't picked up anything or registered his transmitter locally and he hadn't responded to any radio calls.
As she headed across the Control Room to the short set of steps down to the landing overlooking the newly activated incoming wormhole, Sam looked back towards where Sumner and Jack where frowning worriedly over Zelenka's shoulder as the latest information was coming in from the teams on M1K.
"Is Jumper One ready?" Sam asked.
"Yes, Ma'am," Chuck answered her quickly.
Sam nodded as she stepped down onto the landing and turned towards the active Gate in time to see Rodney explode through the event horizon, Ford a fast step behind him. They spotted her immediately at the top of the steps and hurried across the open floor of the Gate Room.
It was hardly the first time she'd been stuck in the City, removed from being able to help in a practical way in the latest crisis, but waiting at the top of the stairs rather than in the Control Room felt like something.
"Anything new?" She asked the two men as they jogged up the stairs. On any normal day, seeing McKay jog anywhere would be worthy of a comment, but not today. Not now.
"I've got the last fifty or so Gate addresses that were dialled," Rodney reported what she already knew. "Which one is the right one is anyone's guess," he added with worried, and slightly angry, bitterness.
"Nothing new from the surrounding woodland?" Sam asked Ford as they both reached her.
"Not yet, Ma'am," Ford replied, sounding slightly out of breath. "Maybe Dr Lindsay can help get some local knowledge, but the locals seem just as freaked as us. They say they heard the weapons fire and just hid, thinking it was the Wraith attacking us."
"Are there any signs on the ground that he fled into the forest?" Sam asked, despite already having had the report through the wormhole.
"Nothing," Ford confirmed with a heavy shake of his head. "Whoever they were, they covered their tracks completely."
"Is there any chance that he's being held in the local village?" Sam asked next.
"He's not there," McKay insisted.
"There's no sign of his transmitter," Ford replied more logically, his face drawn. "If I had just-"
"There is no point in blaming yourself, Lieutenant," Sam cut him off. "What we need to do is make absolutely certain that he's not somewhere in that forest."
If John had gotten away but was injured, he could he holed up somewhere out of range of the handheld life-signs detectors. It was possible that he'd lost his radio or was unconscious.
Or...
Sam turned, leading them back into the Control Room, and maybe also away from her darkest of thoughts of what might have happened to John.
"They'll not have risked keeping him on M1K," McKay argued from behind Sam's shoulder as she headed towards Sumner and Jack, who were waiting and already listening.
"Send the Jumper," Sam ordered Sumner and he nodded sharply.
"Get that Gate shutdown," Sumner ordered Chuck before reaching up to his radio mike. "Jumper One, you have a go. I want you through the Gate and scanning the immediate area from above."
The Jumper's sensors would be able to cover all of the neighbouring area for John's transmitter. If he was still on M1K, even if he was dead, the Jumper would find him.
"Yes, Colonel," the response faintly registered in Sam's own radio earpiece.
"He's not on M1K," Rodney insisted again as Sam moved into her former place next to Jack at the main command console. Zelenka was sat in front of her, two laptops glowing with the latest maps of the local area around M1K 177.
"We need to be certain, McKay," she explained, not that she didn't agree with him for the most part. "I want you to run all fifty of those Gate addresses through the database, see what they turn up."
"They won't work," Rodney protested though. "Whoever did this was smart about it and they'll have just gated off to another world from wherever they went first."
Sam made a conscious effort to will herself some patience as she turned to face McKay. His face was taut, almost panicked.
"I agree, but we still need to follow the trail," she replied calmly.
In the Gate Room, Sam heard the new outgoing wormhole explode to life, and she glanced out towards it to see the belly of Jumper One descending from the ceiling. The Jumper would be through within seconds and the scans wouldn't take much longer.
Their response had been quick, but in no way quick enough.
"You are cleared to proceed through, Jumper One," Chuck announced from the left and also through Sam's radio earpiece.
As she glanced towards the glowing Ancient DHD, Sam noticed that Woolsey was stood on the other side, nervously leaning against it. As the Jumper disappeared into the freshly opened wormhole back to M1K, Woolsey stepped forward.
"Why take Major Sheppard?" Woolsey asked, appearing confused and pale, or perhaps that was just the up-lighting from the glowing crystals of the DHD. The bureaucrat had happened to be up in the Control Room talking with Jack and Sumner about the Elite when John's team had abruptly returned while under fire.
The Elite...Sam wondered if they might be able to help with this in some way.
"Flight, this is Jumper One; do you read?" the radio frequency lit up in Sam's ears.
"Jumper One, this is Flight," Chuck responded, the atmosphere shifting in the Control Room as everyone listened intently.
"What have you got, Matthews?" Sam asked of the experienced pilot on the other end of the radio.
"I'm above the forest and I'm not detecting Major Sheppard's transmitter signal in any direction; in fact there are no other human life-signs in the immediate area, outside of our own people sweeping out from the Gate."
Sam let out a quiet sigh of disappointment. If John had managed to get away from his pursers and hidden, it would have been the perfect outcome. But, at least it meant that he wasn't lying out dead somewhere on M1K.
"Understood, Jumper One," Sam replied. "Can you please go up into orbit, under cloak, and just run a complete sweep of the planet. Just to be certain."
"Yes, Ma'am," Matthews replied instantly.
If John hadn't been moved elsewhere on M1K, or wasn't being held in a ship in orbit over the planet, then it meant that he had been taken off-world through the Gate. Sam turned to her people, her mind working fast through the possibilities.
"Woolsey makes a good point," Jack was the one to start the conversation though as a small circle formed by the main console, all eyes on Sam. "Why take the Major?"
"You're thinking this is someone from the Alliance?" Sam guessed.
"The weapons fire we heard included energy weapons," Lieutenant Ford repeated his earlier speedy verbal report. "They had to be from the Alliance."
"We know that Alliance energy weapons are smuggled out beyond their border," Sumner put in. "But we do know one man who has been out to get Major Sheppard for some time now; and who has access to Alliance weaponry."
Sam fixed her gaze to Sumner's. "Kolya," she had considered the same.
The Colonel nodded, his opinion clearly decided.
"For what reason?" Rodney interjected. "So far Kolya has tried to kill the Major at any chance he got. Why now kidnap him and drag him off-world?"
"You're assuming that he hasn't already killed the Major," Sumner responded bluntly.
The mood of the group shifted instantly, the less military-minded finally catching up on Sam's worst inward conclusions.
"If they had just killed him, why take him off-world?" McKay asked, the words catching slightly in his throat. Lieutenant Ford's face was pained beside him.
"Maybe to display the body somewhere; make a political point. Maybe Kolya hired some mercenaries and they needed the body as proof," Sumner provided some gruesome possibilities.
"If they'd just been out to kill Major Sheppard, they had plenty of time when they were chasing us through the trees-" Rodney argued, clearly getting agitated.
"Let's just," Sam interrupted as she held up her hands, stopping the negative spiralling, "assume for now that the Major's alive and that someone has taken him off-world. Our most likely suspect is Kolya, though we know there are others who might have energy weapons; including the Travellers. We need readings of the weapons damage back on M1K and perhaps we can pin down the weapons used."
"Maybe the Elite could help with that," Jack put in.
"That's what I was thinking," Sam met his eyes.
"Are we sure we want to include the Elite just yet?" Woolsey put in with a pinched expression.
"Why not?" Sam asked, fixing her eyes on him.
"Major Sheppard may be recovered quickly, so, before we inform them that we've lost Elite Emmagan's husband, maybe we should-"
"What's the point of the damn contract if we don't use their resources?" Sumner interrupted him.
"And we didn't lose him," Rodney objected. "He was taken; probably because he's Elite Emmagan's husband."
"Let's," Sam interrupted firmly again, working to forestall an imminent argument, "get the data back on the weapons damage first, see if Lieutenant Cadman's teams have found any other clues in the woodland, and by then Jumper One should have checked in again. McKay, I need you to get working on those Gate addresses, and then we can reassess the situation and inform the Elite at that point."
And if someone, maybe Kolya, had taken John for a reason, then surely Atlantis would be hearing from them very soon.
She just had to hope that they had kept, and would keep, John alive.
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The Incident Room was full of people beyond the console in front of Halling. Given that several hours had now passed since the last appearance of the target Hive, he'd made the decision to move the base of operations into one of the Facility's incident rooms. In here, all those working on the many questions around the new attacks were all in one place. All of the analysts, technicians, engineers, and non-active Elite working strategy oversight were together in the large room, able to work more effectively together and enabling a free-flow of information and ideas. If the Hive attacked again, which was unfortunately highly likely, the Emergency Response Station was only a door away for Halling and the other Elite.
For now, every console, table, display screen and electronic pad was working overtime as every snippet of information was gathered, analysed, and shared. Which was another purpose for the Incident Room.
Halling dropped his gaze to the main Lead console in front of him. All of the links channels were alight and the technician stood on the other side of the console nodded that the camera focused on Halling was recording. The recording was for the official record, but would also be accessible for any Elite unable to listen in via link in real time.
"If I can have everyone's attention?" Halling called into the large room and immediately the noise of conversation died away, all turning towards him for the latest update on the incident.
From the room or over link, all ears were listening to him, all eyes on him, waiting for the latest information and analysis update.
Halling tapped the first command on his console and looked over his shoulder as the massive screens on the main wall behind him lit up with images.
"What you are seeing is the latest composite information of the target Hive, compiled from visual capture and sensor data from Atreus and the Negese System's engaging ships and local sentry satellites," Halling introduced the new main image displayed large and central just above his shoulder. All eyes were focused up on the turning image.
"Analysis of small fragments of the Hive's hull collected from the orbital battle site over Atreus have confirmed, along with all sensor scans, that the Hive is, at least in regards to its hull, a standard Wraith Hive ship," Halling reported as he tapped another button, sending the display through a series of more detailed images that he'd selected for the report.
"All analysis confirms the usual components of a Hive's hull, albeit that this one is excessively enlarged, particularly in one area, the aforementioned likely new drive pod," Halling explained as he looked over his shoulder to the displays. "As yet, we have no firm details on what exactly this new drive does or how it does it, but we are assuming at this stage that it is the source of the new type of radiation.
"Scans from above Atreus and in the Negese System, confirm that there was an intense burst of energy and the radiation as the Hive arrived and also just prior to its departure."
He triggered up the next screen and looked back to the faces watching. To one side, Massa stood with Oneakka, both well aware of what the screen was about to display, but both still watched the new frozen image behind Halling.
"The visual recordings that you are about to see were captured from various angles and distances, and have been cleaned up through various filters to cut through the static created by the radiation. These recordings capture the moment that the target Hive disappears from orbit above Atreus and then when it disappears from the Negese System."
Halling triggered the recordings to play and turned to watch them himself, though he had studied them thoroughly since they'd finally been ready to share.
The first recording was captured from one of Atreus' defence ships that had been just a perfect distance from the Hive during its departure that the radiation hadn't blocked the visual capture. However, the recording was still filled with lines of static, even after the tech teams had cleaned it up as much as they could.
The Hive could be seen turning on the recording, explosions lighting up across one side of the ship as the defence fleet and the Alliance fighters barraged one of the Hive's fighter bays.
"At this point, the radiation increases in a massive burst," Halling reported and the recording flickered and buzzed with interference, but there was enough to see something flash to life in front of the Hive's nose and then a split second later the Hive seemed to vanish. The room murmured in response.
"These next recording shows the same from a different angle," Halling watched as another recording played, captured by an Atreus sentry satellite, showing the flash of light again but with far less static interference, but from much further out. "And now the same departure moment when the Hive disappeared from the Negese System," he reported as another image started.
"This was recorded by the Satedan Transport vessel The Gunvor as it approached the Hive on a sharp intercept course," Halling explained the fast moving images. Again the Hive was turning, moving its backside towards the approaching Gunvor, and there was a burst of static across the screen, though slightly reduced this time. "The Gunvor had already been briefed on the radiation signatures and was able to implement some extra filters, and was therefore able to capture more sensor data on the departure."
As before, there was a flash of light in front of the Hive, though this time it seemed to have a circular halo effect to it. There were more murmurs of quiet discussion in response to that. Not all in the room had seen this yet.
"Let's now replay that recording at a slower speed," Halling tapped the command into his console and the recording replayed, but running far slower.
The Hive was turning away from the approaching Gunvor, swinging its side with the slightly damaged fighter bay away first, and then there was the same flash of light ahead of the Hive. However, this time the slower speed showed that the burst of light formed a clear circular shape in front of the Hive and, a moment later, the Hive appeared to blur towards it, and it vanished completely in the next frame of the recording.
Whispers filled the Incident Room, no doubt every expert in the place immediately having opinions and ideas.
"I will play that again," Halling repeated the slow paced recording for everyone. "As we can now clearly see, there is an opening of sorts ahead of the Hive, not unlike how a hyperspace window opens. However, this clearly isn't exactly the same. The sensor readings do not match a hyperspace window and the Hive does not appear to simply fly into the opening. It is possible that there is something like a singularity being formed, but, again, sensor readings are unclear as yet." Halling set the recording to replay once again behind him as he turned back to the room. "There is also still the possibility that what we are seeing is some sort of cloaking field that encompasses the Hive and conceals it from any of our sensors. All analysis is, obviously, ongoing."
Massa raised his hand and Halling nodded towards him, knowing the point that Massa was going to make for all listening.
"There is some speculation that the Hive is using a wormhole drive," Massa asked. "Do we have any new data suggesting this might be correct?"
"We know that a wormhole drive is theoretically possible," Halling summarised what had been explained to him by the top experts stood just off to the left. "However, the readings captured so far do not match anything we have recorded from the Portal system before, and the energy readings of this new tech, though significant, are nowhere near the vast amount that is required to open up a wormhole as we know it."
He tapped several commands on the Lead console and looked over his shoulder as a new enlarged image of the Hive appeared on the display screens. Lines of information and data analysis played around the image.
"Whatever the tech is, what is clear is that the target Hive has chosen to retreat on two occasions, which is very unusual for the Wraith. Some of this may be because they have appeared in our territory and they are being cautious, but it may also be that they wish to keep this new technology out of our hands," Halling continued to the room. "With that in mind, and the importance of finding out what this new tech is, it is vital that we do everything possible to disable this Hive rather than destroy it. If needs must, then the Hive will be destroyed, but, all primary objectives are to disable and board the Hive. This is particularly important as it is possible that this tech might have been shared already."
Halling triggered up some new displays behind him. "There were three Wraith fighters on Atreus that were shot down intact enough for their computer modules to be analysed. From these we have been able to identify that all three fighters were originally from different former Hives, two of which were known to have been destroyed in the former Nest System battle. This corresponds with our theory that the Cruisers currently attacking our border near the Nest System are working with this target Hive."
More whispers of conversation started up.
"Therefore, we are running with the theory, for now, that this Hive, the Cruisers, and the mixture of fighters used, are all survivors of the Nest System alliance of Queens, and that this is an attack of retribution for our victory over them. It is possible that this new drive tech was developed by one or more of those Queens, which means that the tech may have been shared among the Cruisers and perhaps to a wider number of Wraith."
Halling called up a new image behind him which displayed a galaxy wide map of Alliance space. "What we can be absolutely certain of so far, is that there have now been three points of attack by the target Hive. There was Atreus," Halling tapped the console and a red light lit up on the map of the Alliance's space, "there was the Negese System," another light lit up some distance from Atreus. "And finally, we believe that Amduat was also attacked and destroyed by the same Hive." A third light joined the other two.
"There is a huge distance between these three points and, so far, we have not been able to identify any common features of these three areas that might explain why they were the attack points. However, as you can see on the display, all three are all on one half of our territory, and therefore there may be some restriction of distance for the new tech. Obviously, this is only a theory at this point."
Halling pressed another sequence on the console, populating the map with further information. "In preparation for another appearance of the Hive, we have Elite stationed on 81% of Alliance planets, moons, and primary stations. All Alliance satellites have been updated with the radiation signature of the Hive, all systems remain on high alert, and Battle Station and Deployment Station stand ready."
Halling turned back to his audience.
"For now, we have no clear method of predicting where the Hive might appear next, but we have every expert possible working on analysing what we have, and any further appearance will provide us with more data. As said before, our objective is to capture the Hive as intact as possible, but obviously protection of life is the ultimate primary focus."
Heads were nodding around the room as everyone had finished studying the map behind him. Their faces were somewhat grim but determined.
"Does anyone present have any questions?" Halling asked.
One hand appeared to one side and Halling nodded in that direction.
"Are the Fleet attempting to capture the Cruisers over destroying them?" a voice asked from the sea of bodies. "The Cruisers are surely in communication with the Hive."
"Indeed," Halling agreed. "If we can gain access to their inter-ship communications it will provide us with a wealth of information. However, the Cruiser strike attacks are seemingly at random points and are very quick, which it is making capture somewhat difficult with the Fleet spread so thin. Any further questions?"
There were no immediate responses.
"All data is available for all Elite to access through the usual restricted channels, and we will provide ongoing standard updates," he began to wrap up the report. "Any new sightings or developments will be reported instantly."
Halling looked across the large room, backlit by the many screens set around the walls of the Incident Room. In all the troubles that had plagued his thoughts of late, he knew that it was in times like this that he could be the Elite he was supposed to be. He had been able to focus again with clear purpose and experience today. He had no idea what ancient deadly enemy was waiting for him in the future, but he knew how to fight the Wraith.
If this was to be his last battle against a known enemy, then he could at least give this his all. For, if Sitayi' revelation had proven anything to him, it was that he would live long enough to face the unknown new enemy. So, for now, he could throw everything into this fight against the Wraith.
For now, he was useful.
"Let's get this Hive," he concluded to the room.
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The world slid back to John in small vague sensations.
Sounds came in and out of focus, his mind slipping in and out of drifting sleepiness. There was a repeating sound of something creaking and, occasionally, low voices murmuring.
It was only after awhile that John realised that he, and the world outside his eyelids, was rocking back and forth. The constant rocking was only adding to the sleepy, stunned feeling of his body and made it somehow more difficult to understand what was going on.
A sudden rush of sensation flooded over him though, snapping his awareness into sharper focus; the sensations of Gate travel unmistakeable.
He forced his eyes open, but everything was dark and smelt like oat bran. He tried to focus on what was in front of him, but it all seemed too difficult.
He could hear more voices now, but distant and he couldn't make out what they were saying. His mouth felt dry and his tongue tingly, which seemed all too familiar, not that he understood why.
His vision was focusing a bit now, and he managed to lift his head enough to be able to focus on what he'd been using for a pillow – it looked like a sack of grain or something.
He peered up beyond the burlap. The space felt small and confined around him and it was definitely rocking, and creaking.
Was he in a cart or something?
Frowning into the gloom, he could make out a few small pinpoints of light, which helped add some depth to the enclosed space around him. He focused on one little circle of light, only to realise that it was a hole. He couldn't see anything through the distant little hole, but he was almost certain it was sunlight outside. If he could just persuade his heavy body to move...
Only, something else moved amidst the creaking darkness.
John managed to turn his head enough on his reluctant neck to see shadows moving within the darkness.
"...he's waking up," a whispered voice was just discernible.
"Stun him again," another voice replied from somewhere behind John.
Panic shot through John's body, instantly bringing with it some more awareness of his slumped numb body. He needed to do something, except he only seemed to be able to move his head; the rest of him just wasn't listening to his mental commands to defend himself.
All he could do was lift his head higher to see one of the helpful pinpoints of light shine its tiny stream of sunlight across the barrel of a gun pointed towards him.
John opened his drool-filled mouth to object, but it was useless. There was a bright blinding flash of light and everything dropped away.
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TBC