Heartbeat by AndromedaMarine
New Planet, No Time
"Still too sharp!" Rodney yelled over the radios. "For God's sake even it out!"
"I'm trying," John grunted, fighting for full control of the chair. I'm trying to save our asses so I can go save Elizabeth.
Rodney was staring out the windows of the control tower, frightened and amazed by the orange color that licked the shield surrounding the most essential part of the city. He tore his eyes away from the windows and stared at his laptop. "John!" The orange glow disappeared and white clouds shot past. "Slow it down!" Although John couldn't see him he knew Rodney's eyes were bugging and his face was probably red.
John forced his mind to go beyond capacity, for Elizabeth, and he slowed the city in its descent, hovering over the water of the new planet for a moment before releasing all control and letting the city fall to its new home. He released a sigh of relief – and it was sucked back in as the city rattled violently when it landed on the water.
"So much for feather light," Rodney said sarcastically.
John didn't say anything in return. He'd been unusually quiet since their return from the Asuran Homeworld. Instead he left the chair room and made his way to his room. He stepped onto his balcony and expelled a sigh that most of the world would have heard had it been silent. He breathed in the fresh air of the new planet, the planet to which he'd hoped to bring Elizabeth. This was their new home. The door began to beep, indicating someone was waiting for him outside. He let whoever it was wait for another minute and then he walked back in.
"John," Rodney said, wringing his hands as he did when he was nervous. "What happened back there?"
John glared at him. "I landed the city, that's what."
Rodney gave him a look John knew all too well. "I mean on Asuras."
The colonel turned away from the Canadian and Rodney took it as an invitation to enter. The doors swished shut and John sat at his table, head in his hands.
"Please – all I've heard is rumors. Tell me what really happened." Rodney sat across from the colonel and folded his hands, looking at his friend expectantly. "John."
John looked up and Rodney saw bloodshot eyes and tears.
"Oh, God," Rodney said, sitting back and letting his hands fidget.
"She ordered me to, Rodney. I had no choice." His voice was low and his hands shook. "I – I didn't want... Rodney, if I had the choice I wouldn't have left." He breathed out and some tears fell. Rodney had never seen his friend and leader shed tears over anything. At worst he'd seen him go into convulsions and even watched John be fed upon – but the tears were worse. They showed the vulnerability that John seemingly didn't own. John didn't show this emotion voluntarily. "The hardest thing I did was walk away," he added, barely audible.
"We're going to get her, though, right?" Rodney said. "I mean, we have to try to save her, even if it's against all odds, we have -"
John cleared his throat and Rodney stopped talking. He talked slowly and quietly, letting the tears fall. "I know. But how? How, Rodney? Asuras is heavily fortified with Replicators and technology way beyond us. I wish it were as simple as you say it will be, but – she's...she's probably..." John's breath hitched and his vision blurred.
Rodney couldn't bear to look at his friend. He'd always been terrible with people who cried or showed any type of sad emotion. He closed his eyes. "Don't think like that. It's very possible that she's still alive."
John sobbed. "I want to believe that, Rodney, I really do. But you have no idea what – what she means – meant – to me." He got up angrily and threw a mug against the wall. Rodney jumped, frightened. He spoke angrily, quietly. "I loved her, Rodney."
The Canadian coughed. "You love her, you mean? See, it's not past tense until you actually know she's gone. Well, then what are we waiting for? We need to go rescue our leader." He stood up and faced John, something he probably wouldn't have done under normal circumstances, and prodded John's chest. "You're going to sit in here and cry over her when you could be out there saving her?" He puffed his chest out and stood tall, staring knowingly into John's hazel eyes. "Don't try to be logical with yourself, John. I know for a fact you'll fail. I've been working and fighting side-by-side with you for three years, John. Don't try to fool me into thinking we can't do anything. Elizabeth isn't here, and neither is anyone from the IOA. You're in charge, you call the shots. Authorize a tactical team to extract her, or whatever terminology you big shots use. I may care about her, but you – you love her." He coughed again. "Or so you say."
John's dark eyes flashed something Rodney couldn't mistake as anger. He'd completed his purpose and intimidated John. "I do."
"Then for Christ's sake let's go get her," Rodney hissed at John as if he was hissing at one of the scientists under his domain. "I sure as hell won't stand around and do nothing."
Considering for a moment whether or not he should get violent with Rodney John pushed past the Canadian and stormed out of his quarters. Rodney was left standing there for a few moments and then John stormed back in. "Out of my room, Rodney. We need to form a plan."
"I'm sure Ronon won't have any difficulty with that," Rodney muttered as he followed his friend to the control tower.
"I heard that, Rodney," John snapped as he stabbed the transporter pad for the tower.
The Head of Science shrugged as he followed John up the stairs into the control area. Ronon walked heavily up to John. "What are we going to do now? Just sit around?"
Rodney grabbed the first brownie he saw and stuffed into his mouth. "No time – we're planning how to rescue Elizabeth."
Ronon seemed game because he followed John and Rodney into the conference room, where Teyla and Lorne's team was already waiting for briefing.
John slammed a fist down. "We are going to rescue Elizabeth."
Evan smiled. "It's about time."