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A/N: By popular demand a second installment to my episode tag to 'Vegas' that I titled 'Move'. This is mostly exposition. I think I can add at least one more, maybe two to tie up everything so John lives 'happily ever after'.
Move
Author: kwillads
Chapter 2
It was another four days before Jennifer…Dr. Keller let him out of the Atlantis infirmary. He'd spent eighteen days on a ship in its sickbay recovering from multiple gun shot wounds: one in his left shoulder and two in his abdomen. The two in his abdomen had done the most damage. Each bullet had pierced a vital organ. Because the bullets had traveled through his car before entering his body John ended up fighting off a high fever for most of the trip. His fever broke by day sixteen of his journey.
He was becoming restless and was finally allowed to walk around as long as he had someone with him at all times. On day seventeen Dr. McKay had come to escort him to the hanger bay showing off a bay full of experimental aircraft called F-302's. John found himself cautiously climbing a ladder next to an open cockpit to get a look inside. Once a pilot, always a pilot. Climbing those four stairs had done him in although the view from the top was fascinating. It was the most he had done in 3 weeks. Rodney wasted no time in taking him back to sickbay. He had one of John's arms wrapped around his shoulder while he wrapped the other one around the man's waste keeping him upright on the long walk back.
On day eighteen McKay came and got him again. Only this time instead of the hanger bay he found himself on the ships bridge looking out the front view port. The planet looked much like Earth. There was plenty of blue signifying water and the landmass was huge. It was nothing like John had even seen before. Realization was sinking in that he was not in Kansas anymore. The large ship broke through the cloud cover and there on the vast expanse of water sat a floating city. McKay called it Atlantis. He said it was the same city from myths and legends.
The room he was now entering was large. People were sitting around a rather large table that took up most of the space in room. John recognized only two people: Mr. Woolsey of the FBI and his doctor Jennifer Keller. Rodney had come to his assigned guest quarters to escort him to the meeting. Since John's release from the infirmary he had someone from the military chaperone his every move. He was told he wasn't under guard and could travel anywhere within the city. His guards or rather chaperones were most helpful answering his questions. Rodney pointed to a chair and John eased his battered but recovering body into the soft black leather.
"How are you feeling Mr. Sheppard?" Asked the FBI guy sitting at what John considered the head of the rather large table.
"Fine." He responded with a low graveled voice.
"Yes…well…Dr. Keller informs me you're doing rather well. I suppose you're wondering why you're here." Richard Woolsey announced.
"Not really. McKay offered me a job." That was the only reason he was here. The job offer. He was leaving everything behind. Moving on. But at the time he didn't know what he was moving on too…or towards. He just knew it was over for him in Vegas and he had to move on.
Woolsey was taken aback a little at the blunt statement. Composing himself as any good diplomat would he continued. "Let me introduce some people to you. You already know Dr. Keller, she is our Chief Medical Officer here. Next to her is Dr. Radek Zelenka, he is our Chief Science Officer here on Atlantis. Colonel Samantha Carter of the US Air Force. Col. Carter leads our primary gate team here in Pegasus. General Evan Lorne is the Military Commander here. I, myself, oversee the whole expedition. Teyla Emmagan and Ronon Dex are native to this galaxy and are members of Col. Carter's gate team along with Dr. McKay. After their worlds were destroyed by the Wraith they decided to join us in our cause."
John found it interesting as the FBI guy made introduction. This 'Atlantis' was a combination of military and civilian personnel from what he saw so far. It didn't take being a detective to notice the country of origin patch on the fronts of both the civilian and of the military uniforms. Over the last 2 days he'd counted twenty-three different countries so far. General Lorne looked way too young to have achieved the rank of General just like the medical doctor. And aliens. John chuckled at his own thought. He was sitting at a table with two aliens that looked much like humans…much like he did. Both were dressed in black military issue BDU gear. Dex sported a buzz cut like all new recruits back on Earth would and Ms. Emmagan kept her hair up off her collar in a bun like knot.
"Do you find something I said amusing Mr. Sheppard?"
"Oh…ah…just that I find it hard to believe that our government put an FBI agent in charge of an expedition. And not just any expedition but one in another galaxy." John carded his hand through his hair. A nervous habit he picked up long ago but as time passed John couldn't remember where or when.
"I don't work for the FBI Mr. Sheppard. That was just my cover story in case you did any checking. I work, or I should say, we all work for the CUA: Coalition for Universal Alliances. The CUA is made up of brilliant scientists and military from around the world working towards a fundamental action, a common goal. Back on Earth we have a governing body made up of representatives from around the globe. We came here to discover our lineage as well as our future. What we didn't expect to find was the Wraith."
"Well I'm not a scientist, nor am I in the military. So why am I here? Why the job offer?"
Before Woolsey could respond General Lorne spoke up. "Mr. Sheppard you were in the military. A Captain. Your record speaks for itself…"
"I know. I was a screw up. No need to remind me. I was there." John bit out bitterly.
"That's not what I saw when I read over your file. I saw an Air Force Officer willing to do whatever it took for the sake of the mission. Saving the people on the ground without regards for your own personal safety. I saw a military officer that had his hands tied one too many times keeping him from doing his sworn duty. You can fly almost any aircraft. If you decide to help us out and I'll tell you right now we can really use your help, you will be reinstated and promoted to Major. Over time you could be given your own gate team. What happened to you back on Earth is of no consequence to me."
"That's nice of you to say General, but I don't know if I could go through that again. Look, don't get me wrong. I'm thankful for what you did for me back there. You know…saving my life and all, but I don't think this is going to work out. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not that John Sheppard anymore."
McKay had been sitting quietly using his body as a buffer between John and the rest of the members seated around the table. "If you don't want back in the Air Force maybe you would consider working for me."
Doors on Atlantis had been automatically opening for him when he neared. He found himself on several occasions looking for the inferred sensor that sensed his approached but of all the times he stopped and stared he couldn't find it. It wasn't until Dr. McKay came to get him for his check-up in the infirmary that he was told about his DNA: a specific gene characteristic that had most of the scientists vying for John's attention.
John looked over at McKay. He was familiar with organizational charts, chain-of-command, evidentiary reports and police reports to know and understand the hierarchy of bureaucracy. So it puzzled him for a moment as to why McKay would want him to work for him. "Don't you mean Dr. Zelenka." John made it a statement and not a question.
"The only reason Zelenka is in charge of the science division is that I don't have enough time. I either go out on missions or stay here babysitting the scientists. I choose to go out on missions. I'm too valuable to end up as a babysitter. I told you back on Earth that I know everything there is to know about you. You could have been Mensa."
John's eyes opened wide at that announcement. Where ever McKay got his information he hadn't been wrong yet. He knew exactly how much money he had in the bank. That his car was his only prized possession. That he liked Johnny Cash music over all others. McKay even knew what gum he liked and he knew he owed Mikey over thirteen thousand dollars off the record. It shouldn't have surprised him that McKay knew he was a closet mathematician.
"Mr. Sheppard we value what you bring to the table. Dr. McKay would not have made the offer otherwise. You don't have to make a decision right now. Take a day or two to think about it. Get to know the people you'll be working with. Dr. Keller has not released you for any type of duty at this time due to your injuries so allow General Lorne to show you around the military and Dr. McKay can show you some of the labs. Explain what research is being done. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask."
"Thanks. I'll do that...just don't get your hopes up is all I'm saying."