DISCLAIMER: see chapter one. Spoilers for Letters From Pegasus onwards.
22:20 Atlantis Standard Time (AST)
With the negotiations over with for the time being, conversations turned to more pressing matters.
"In the past, the Wraith arrived at Atlantis passing by the last Lagrangian Defence Platform. We'd like to send a team to repair the platform, in an attempt to hold off the Wraith for as long as possible." Shadow appeared to be the one leading the briefing at the moment. We'll be sending our long-range weapons expert, as well as our second engineer. We'd like to send Dr. McKay, Dr. Grodin, and Sergeant Miller with them."
"Wait a minute, why not Sheppard?" Of course that was Rodney, exactly who else could it possibly have been?
"Because, if you'd let me finish," the Scottish burr was stronger now, her irritation with the interruption clearly showing, enabling the entire room to hear it, "we'd like to send the Gen..Major on a different mission, if that's alright with you, of course?" That was a rhetorical question, and if he dared answer it, she would so be putting the smack down on his arse. He didn't dare. He'd heard Carson when he was in one of his rants, and if his daughter, who they were all assuming this was, was anything like him then, no thank you!
"Of course I have no objections. I mean, why would I have objections? We're all in the same boat here, right?" Please don't kill me, came the very loudly thought finishing message, heard by those of the group who had telepathic capabilities. Not that everyone needed to know that little fact.
"Good," came the response, not from Shadow, but from Hex, who was looking towards Rodney with an ever so slightly feral look in her eyes. Rodney subsequently moved her chair back minutely.
"From what I can't discern, you have already contacted Earth?" Shadow spoke up again, not giving Hex the chance to speak.
"Yes, we did that yesterday. Did Earth receive our message?" Elizabeth was the one who spoke, and the entire Atlantis team seemed to lean forward simultaneously.
Shadow answered, "They did indeed." The Atlantis team seemed to take a deep breath out all at once, and relieved grins crossed many of their faces, knowing that no matter what happened to them, Earth at least had received some sort of warning about the enemy they could face.
"In approximately 5.5 days, Earth will send a team of Marines through the Stargate, bearing rail guns designed for the ship Prometheus. They will carry word that Atlantis must hold down the fort for four days until the Daedalus, Earth's newest battle cruiser arrives.
"However, the leader of the Marines, a," Shadow paused her to glance at the laptop in front of her, "Colonel Dylan Everett, will relieve Dr Weir of her command of Atlantis base."
Shocked looks and the harsh in-taking of breath were all that could be heard. A small smile had appeared on Jason Bates face, but that smile soon disappeared once Shadow began speaking again.
"As well as bringing the rail guns, he also brought eight Naquada-enhanced nuclear warheads, which he used stupidly. He had them put the warheads in the direct path of the Wraith armada, and the Wraith then decided to send a few asteroids ahead of them, blowing up the warheads and making Atlantis base completely blind to the actions of the enemy. Then the first wave of darts came, and the few drones that Atlantis base had left had to be used to defend the city. So, because of him, the city was nearly lost."
The room was silent, and again they could almost see in their minds how this played out. People dying everywhere, Wraith scoop-beams carrying away their people, buildings engulfed in fire.
"Well, obviously the city wasn't lost, because here you all are," came the voice of John Sheppard, who had been trying to determine how all this was going to affect his city. Yes damn it, she was his and he would defend her to the very end.
"Well observed Major." Shadow again. She seemed to be talking a lot in this meeting, when she hadn't planned it.
"I try," returned the Major's voice, wittily, his smile rising across his face.
"The Daedalus arrived, commanded by Colonel Steven Caldwell, bringing with him a ZPM." Shadow tried to continue but the exclamations of joy from across the room prevented her.
A minute or so later, the room had quietened enough for her to continue. "The shield was powered up, and the Daedalus discovered alternate methods of destroying the Wraith hive ships once their ordinance proved to be having little effect."
The room erupted in yelps and screams of joy; the threat to the city would be over! Outside the room, everyone ever so conveniently nearby heard the commotion, but hearing no weapons fire, decided it could only be good news.
((Slightly shorter than normal, but the next few chapters should be longer))