Chapter 5
Know that much may happen here, but above all, do not forget this—you may trust in me. We cradle each other's lives, and what threatens one of us, threatens us both. And if you find you cannot trust me, trust in your training. Trust in yourself. Never doubt what you have done. All your decisions have brought you to this point. And now, perhaps, they shall see what you have become.–Darth Traya
The silence from General O'Neill's words seemed to leave many silent an uncertainty of what to do. Dr. McKay had just been attacked by the walking tin can, but released on the woman's command. If that didn't make matters worse she had all but insulted them that their weapons were primitive toys in her eyes. A personal pet peeve of his from his earlier years as SG-1's former leader, he had lost count of how many times he had heard that line.
"You know it's not nice to insult the hosts who saved you by calling their choice of weapons primitive." Jack chided in a light playful tone trying to get the conversation going as he moved forward to the woman who stood between him and the robot. "I'm General Jack O'Neill and you must be the Exile?" He asked holding his hand out to shake hers.
This man was different…She could feel it in the force around him. He could have been a Jedi she was certain if he had been given the training to harness the force and wield it.
Moving her hand out she took General O'Neill's and shook it, "Yes that is my name General and forgive my rudeness if it insulted you but I was given a tour by Ronon and Teyla and saw what your people call a firing range. Weapons such as that were long ago converted over to blasters in the Republic space. Only Tusken Raiders use such weapons."
Jack smiled shaking her hand feeling from his grip alone she was tense, she had every reason to be and he couldn't blame her, "It's alright I forgive you, I know I've had my fair share of slip ups with other alien races in the past. So I hear from Dr. Beckett and Dr. Keller you were once a General yourself?" He asked curiously.
Moving her teal colored eyes to lock with O'Neill's she nodded, "Yes, but war stories from my time aren't something I like to discuss openly for all to hear. I know many praised me as their leader and hero but when I look back on the time I served under Master Revan…I know now their were things I should have done and stopped to avoid many casualties of the Mandolorian and Sith wars." She spoke quietly as she drew her hand back to rest at her side.
"Well I plan to be around for awhile, you ever get bored or in the mood to talk maybe we can sit and share stories over a drink." Jack grinned widely.
A thin smile pulled at her lips as she nodded, "I might take you up on both accounts General O'Neill. I don't suppose you have Corrielian Whisky?" She asked knowing it was a long shot.
Jack laughed at her openness as least she wasn't afraid of him. "Can't say I have that brand but I'm sure I have a whisky or three lurking about, but I'll look forward to our talk, Exile. I don't suppose you have another name I could call you? That just sounds rather plain to me."
"If I tell you General O'Neill it will be when I'm lost in the drink." She smiled relaxing a little more around him finding him rather calming to be around and cocked her head to the side curiously, "We're you born of Jedi parents or potentional force users? Your presence in the force is very warming, inviting and soothing." She pointed out.
That comment alone from her made everyone in the room blink. Many of them had assumed the worst she was going to fight back and attack them but here she was carrying on a normal conversation with Jack O'Neill. A part of John Sheppard felt slightly jealous, perhaps a little upset out of all the people she had spoken to were all his closest friends and now his commanding officer and former leader of SG-1. He wanted to get to know her but she couldn't get past his looks to see he was a different person from this Atton guy.
"Nope, no Jedi parents or any of the sort, just your normal average human." Jack gestured to himself.
"Mmm and you do have the ATA gene General O'Neill which is what she has but a original raw untainted form of it." Rodney piped out feeling left out.
"Yes…Thank you Dr. McKay for reminding me of that." Jack said glaring at him.
Looking back and forth between Dr. McKay and Jack she could almost sense a pissing contest brewing. "I see, if you had been trained in the force General O'Neill I'm sure your force powers would have been interesting to see in their matured state, but I do wish to convene later in private with you to talk, but perhaps now might be a good idea to order your men to put their weapons down? I'll order HK-47 to not randomly grab and choke people while here." She assured as she looked over her shoulder at the silent droid.
"Can you obey that command HK-47?" She questioned.
"Statement: Oh yessss Master, I promise to not harm the fleshy meat bags. However nobody but you or the one I choked may touch my inner circuits." HK-47 boldly stated.
"I wish you wouldn't call me that." She sighed rubbing her temples.
"Statement: But you are in-fact my Master. You repaired me and brought me back many times now into full working order much like Revan did. It is in my programming to address you as such." He mocked his glowing eyes peering back at her.
"Yes, you've said this 30 times to me, yet your remarks get more crude or snarky." She stated.
"I like him." Jack joked and turned around a little making a gesture for everyone to lower their weapons.
"You say that now but you'll regret it later. He's only good at killing things." She admitted.
"It can't be any worse than McKay." John finally spoke wanting to make his own presence known to her that he was here and not leaving.
Turning her eyes to John she felt a chill course through her very body she had felt the force in John, what upset her the most around him was his presence felt so much like Atton's. Even the tinge of jealously now she felt through it and his words made her want to run into John Sheppard's arms and call him Atton Rand and slap him for deceiving her, but this man wasn't Atton…Atton had died at the hands of Darth Sion, his left arm missing, his blood pooling under him. It had stained her robes as she knelt in it cradling his dead body to her.
Why did this man have to look so much like her lover, it was as if the force was mocking her for not dying when she did? She had no clue how to address this man, but from everything Dr. McKay, Ronon and Teyla had explained to her he had aided in her release and saving her life. She owed him a thank you but it was so hard to say those words. Taking a deep breath the Exile moved over to Sheppard and extended her hand to him, "Forgive my rudeness Colonel Sheppard, but I owe you a thank you as well for saving my life…and I'm sorry for any outbursts or insubordinate actions I may have done to make you uncomfterble…" She said softly looking at him in the eyes however was difficult as she had to advert them to hide the emotion that was so noticeable in her violet colored orbs.
John Sheppard was no idiot, he had caught the way the woman froze when he spoke and how even now as he clasped her hand with his to shake it she was looking a little to his left, diverting her eyes from him, but it was a start. "You're fine Exile, I hope though maybe we could talk at some point once you've settled down some." He smiled though it was forced showing he was disappointed at her lack of tolerance to see him, but there was something that nerved him as he touched her hand for their shake, he almost felt a spark of sorts, but what it was left him confused on what the feeling could be.
"I…I'll try but I need more time. I'm sorry." She said pulling her hand away having felt that small spark like he did. 'No I will not form a force bond with him…' She thought to herself moving away from him.
"Well when you do come around you can find me floating around Atlantis." He said and turned his eyes to General O'Neill, "If you don't need me sir I will be going." John stated looking now for a reason himself to get away before he might say anything stupid, or do something stupid for that matter.
Peering between the two, Jack wanted to make a crack about sexual tension, but choose to be the more mature of the bunch and keep his mouth shut for now. "Your fine Colonel, go back to whatever it is…well I put you in-charge of doing here." Jack shrugged not caring as he respected Sheppard and what he did for the Atlantis expedition and the fact the younger man often reminded him of himself at times spoke in volumes of how Jack liked the way he worked.
"Thank you Sir." John said as he turned and left the room as quickly as he could, but as he moved out of the room he couldn't help but look down at his hand and touch it wondering what that feeling was he had only moments ago. He'd felt jealous of her getting along so well with General O'Neill than that spark between them had only made him more curious to learn more about her. If she needed time he would give it to her and stay away, but for now his priorities were to protect Atlantis and the people in it.
Note to Readers: I'm sorry if this chapter is short, but I had a hard time trying to work out in my mind what I wanted to happen as I don't want the Exile and Sheppard hitting it off right away. I'm trying to give him some of Atton's cold attitude like he had in the KOTOR games.
ALSO! PLEASE COMMENT! I love feedback or input. I' also sorry if spelling or grammar sucks, but I don't have a beta to help me out on this story which makes it a little flustering at times to work on stories so please don't be anal nazi's in regards to that.
