Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.
Part 23/24
-Chapter 23-
Remember Me
-Atlantis – Present-
Sunlight poured through the Gateroom's beautiful stained-glass windows. It illuminated the crowd gathered there and the two banners hanging in front of the Stargate. One was an American flag; the other one Satedan, obtained from Ronon's former comrade Solen.
John and Ronon lost the argument over whether a memorial service should be even be held at all. Elizabeth – and surprisingly, Colonel Caldwell – firmly overruled all their objections, pointing out that everyone, from the expedition members to the Athosians to the crew of the Daedalus, needed to commemorate the two men who had saved them.
It was Caldwell, in fact, who finally cut the ground completely from under their feet. He pinned each of them in turn with his hard, dark eyes and said, "You're both soldiers. You both know the importance of tradition in maintaining the morale of those who serve. The memorial is scheduled for thirteen hundred hours tomorrow. You will both be there."
The Gateroom itself and the entire control room level, as well as the steps leading up to it., were packed an hour before the memorial service was to begin, the overflow spilling out into one of the access corridors. The space directly in front of the Gate was left open, where a low podium and lectern had been set up just outside the vortex safety zone.
Five minutes before the stroke of the hour, the leaders of the Atlantis expedition, civilian and military, filed into the Gateroom, accompanied by Colonel Caldwell and Hermiod, and took their places to the right of the Gate. At thirteen hundred hours exactly, two honor guards, drawn from the crew of the Daedalus, paced in solemn cadence into the room, beginning the memorial service proper.
Elizabeth stepped up to the podium placed out from the two flags, her expression reserved yet somehow serene. She slowly scanned the crowd from one side of the room to the other before she spoke. "Ladies and gentlemen, we gather here today to pay our final respects to two men who not only proved their bravery and loyalty to this city and her people; but also proved that love and commitment can truly overcome any obstacle." She paused for a moment, then continued in a surprisingly strong voice. "We gather here to honor a Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard and a Specialist Ronon Dex, both of whom overcame incredible odds in their journey from the future. They came to bring us warning of an imminent and terrible danger; they gave their lives to save Atlantis and her people from that danger. For that I know we all will be forever grateful to them. The memory of them and what they did for us will stay in our hearts for the rest of our lives." She stepped down from the podium and returned to her place.
Rodney, looking a great deal more nervous than Elizabeth, took her place on the podium. "Um, well, as you all know, eloquence has never been my strong suit. However, I asked Elizabeth if I could give the future John Sheppard's eulogy, because I have some things to say to him and about him that I never got to say when he was still alive. I think they need to be said now." Rodney shuffled his feet a bit and discreetly tugged at the collar of his suit. "Colonel Sheppard did more than just save Atlantis -- he made us, made me realize. . ." He paused and cleared his throat. For a brief, panicked second he wondered why he was doing this, and if it were too late to get out of it. But no: this needed to be said, and he was going to say it. "I struggled with this, wondering what I could possibly say about this man that would be worthy of him and his heroic actions. I can say this: he made me realize that Atlantis is my home, the place I truly belong, and that everyone here is family. Families stick together; they look out for each other; and sometimes they actually give their lives for each other. Sheppard felt that way about his Atlantis; and I believe that's how we all feel about ours." He turned from the crowd to face the American flag. "So I thank you, Colonel." He lowered his voice so he could speak only to the memory of Sheppard. "Thank you -- for everything."
He yielded the podium to Teyla, who gave him a quick, approving smile as they exchanged places. She looked out at all the soberly attentive faces.
"We are here today to honor two great men. Dr. McKay has already told you of one; I am here to speak of the other. Ronon Dex was a complex man: determined, passionate, marked deeply by the destruction of one home world, and unwilling to see another destroyed by the same evil. To stop that, he was willing to die a hundred times over to assure that we were all safe." She paused, looking over the faces again. "Though he did not die a natural death, he died for a noble cause. For that reason, my people and I offer to his memory – to both their memories – our Ring Ceremony." Soft music began to play just outside the Gateroom. As strings thrummed and a pipe took up a haunting counterpoint, Teyla lifted her voice in strong, clear song.
The last notes died away. She returned to her spot among her teammates. A Marine in full dress uniform stepped forward and raised a trumpet to his lips. As the haunting strains of Taps echoed through the reverently silent Gateroom, the two honor guards received the flags that were carefully lowered into their waiting hands. They snapped the flags crisply, folding them with the expertise of men and women well-practiced.
The Satedan flag was pressed into Teyla's arms and saluted, as the American flag was presented to Elizabeth. Doctor Weir preserved her calm gravity. However, as volleys of drones were released from their supply in salute to their fallen heroes, Teyla couldn't help the two tears that slipped down her cheeks; or the thought that hope should not have to hurt this much.
To Be Continued. . .
