Of Allies or Enemies

by stephaflea

After years of planning, many disappointments and many failures … At last he has finally succeeded. Acastus Kolya is now the leader of the Genii people and is in full control. What does this mean for Atlantis and how does John take the news?

2. Chapter 2 You Have Got to be Kidding

Title: Of Allies or Enemies

Author: Flea
Rating: M (for some major swear words)
Pairing: John/Teyla (only slightly at the moment)
Main Characters: John, Elizabeth and little bits from the others
Word Count: 2697

Genre: Angst?/Romance/Action a mixture of many
Summary: Kolya is know in control of the Genii and wanted to continue the Alliance with Atlantis. What will they do and how will John react?

Warnings: Just some bad langue at the moment
Spoilers: Vague one through all three season up to season 3's Irresponsible. Spoilers mainly from 'Common Ground'

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended. All characters belong to MGM I'm only borrowing them for my own personal enjoyment.

Chapter 2 - You Have Got to be Kidding Me!

Elizabeth was sitting in her office waiting patiently for John and his team to arrive. It was a little past 7am and Elizabeth hadn't slept at all since the Genii's message arrived a little under 7 hours ago. That message was about the change everything on Atlantis and Elizabeth had a bad feeling it wasn't going to be for the better. She only hoped John wouldn't react too badly.

Elizabeth had lain awake all night thinking of the best possible way to break the news to the Colonel and his team, but still the answer evaded her. If she wanted to up hold their alliance with the Genii she at least had to hear Kolya out, but the last thing she wanted to do was allow that murdering bastard back into her city.

It was true that the Genii were the next best hope of defeating the Wraith after them and their alliance could prove very useful in the future, but could she trust Kolya to up hold that alliance. This was the man that had kidnapped her leading Military officer and fed him to a wraith just for his only personal enjoyment.

Voices began to drift in through the open door, looking up Elizabeth saw the man that had occupied her thoughts for most of the night. John Sheppard stood by the door of the conference room that incredible smile pasted across his face as he spoke to Teyla and Ronan. Elizabeth continued to watch 3 of the finest people she had ever met as they carry on unaware to the trouble about to fall upon them.

It wasn't long before the unforgettable sound of Carson's voice found her ears just as the young Scottish doctor rounded the corner followed closely by a very stressed out doctor McKay.

"Look Carson, 5 minutes that's all I'm asking"

"No Rodney."

"Five minutes." Rodney pleaded again holding up his hand to envision the 5. "No more no less."

"It bloody 7am Rodney, I've got work myself to do. Why don't you ask Major Sheppard?" With that final comment Carson quicken his steps to join the other 3 just has they entered into the conference room.

Elizabeth didn't hear Rodney exacted comment just a noise of frustration as the door closed behind him.

It wasn't just John's reaction that Elizabeth had spent the night worrying about, but that of his team as well. Over the last 3 years that they had been on Atlantis; John Sheppard and Rodney McKay had formed a strange but strong friendship. With Teyla and then later Ronan the four had become closer and closer as the months passed. Yes they had their ups and down; who didn't. But the fact of the matter was anyone of them would risk their own lives to help the others.

Elizabeth closed her laptop dreading what she had to do next. Taking a deep breath she pushed herself up from out of her chair. Grabbed the papers she needed before making her way quickly to the door; before nerves go the better of her.

Walking out of the office she nodded to the Lt. who was still sitting at the controls from the night before. She'd given him the poor job of informing the occupants of the next room about the change in time to their briefing that morning. To say there were surprised was an understatement; annoyed was properly a better word possible even angry in Rodney's case. Elizabeth had even heard the scientists' shouts over the radio as the Lt. informed him of the early start.

The walk to the conference room was quicker than she expected, standing behind the door for a few seconds Elizabeth took this last moment to compose herself and prepare for what awaited her inside. How would they react? What would they decided? So many questions all of them without answers. The sounds of happy voices vibrated through the door; laughing and joking. All that was about to change.

John knew something was wrong even before Elizabeth started speaking. The looked on her face as she entered the briefing room gave it away, a looked of discomfort; of worry.

Silence filled the room as Elizabeth heading towards her chair sitting down slowly. John watched as she fiddled with the papers that lay in front of her, hands slightly shaken as if she was nervous.

"So what was so important that it couldn't wait till our briefing at 9?" Rodney's voice seemed to vibrate around the room bitterness sounding load and clear. For such a smart man he's people skills were rubbish.

"Rodney!" John kept his voice quiet but firm hoping McKay would get the message, he didn't

"What ... I'm sorry but being woken up at 6am, when I might add I'd only got to bed about 4 it's ..."

"Rodney!" John growled

John saw the look which McKay shot him but before he could say anything else Elizabeth spoke up.

"Its ok John ..." She looked hesitant and John noted that her hands were still shaking.

"Is there everything wrong Elizabeth?" Carson asked from his seat in-between Rodney and Ronan. He'd also notice that she was acting a little unlike herself this morning.

Raising her head Elizabeth looked at Carson making eye contact for the first time since she's entered the room. She saw worry reflected in the doctor's eyes, worry and confusion.

"In the early hours of this morning we received a message." She began noting the expressions of everyone who sat before her. "It was from the Genii." holding her hand up quickly she silenced John before he had a chance to interrupt. "Please let me finished."

John stopped mid breath as he waited for Elizabeth to finish what she had to say.

Elizabeth tried to steady her hands as she looked down at the copy of the message that she held there. The message was short not more than a few lines, but that fact didn't make saying them any easier.

"As I was saying..." Another breath "...early this morning we received a message from the Genii informing us of a change in their leadership."

"A change" Teyla asked obviously shocked. "Has Ladon stepped down?" She asked

"More like overthrown." Rodney added in, and the room seem to erupting in a ambush of questions.

"Please!" Elizabeth raised her voice grabbing everyone's attention and plunging the room back into silence. "I do not know the manner of how this change came about, I am just telling you what I know and at this point that isn't much. She glanced at the faces that stared back at her anxiously waiting for her to continue. Her eyes linger on Johns a little longer than the rest.

"They have requested a meeting ... a chance they say to introduce themselves to ..."

Elizabeth's voice faded out in Johns mind. He could still see he her lips move as she continued to explain what was happening. A change in the Genii the thought filled him with dread. He knew who it was; how could he not with the way Elizabeth was acting.

"Who is it Elizabeth" He already knew but he had to hear her say it.

"John ..."

"Who is it?" His voice sounded harsh but he had to know. She was stalling, not wanting to say what he knew was coming.

Elizabeth eyes locked with Johns and in that second she knew that her knew.

"Kolya"

John heard Teyla gasp from beside him, but his eyes never left Elizabeth's. He knew it was coming but for a brief moment he held on to the hope that he was wrong. That hope had just been smashed.

Kolya a name John would be happy if he never heard again in his life; guess he wasn't that lucky. He should have known that he would succeed one day, if Kolya was anything he was determined.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Rodney's voice again filling the room; snapping John from his thoughts.

"Kolya ... his the new leader of the Genii?"

"Yes Rodney." Elizabeth explained

"And he wants to arrange a meeting with us" Teyla spoke up; unlike Rodney's her voice was calm and controlled.

"Yes Teyla"

"Here in Atlantis?" Elizabeth could only nod her head in response, she looked at John but his mind seemed to be else where. He and Ronan had so far said nothing; Elizabeth didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

"And you agreed to this" Rodney stood beginning to pace a round, an annoying habit he had of doing when he was nervous. "I mean a known murder, who may I also add has held a gun on every single one of us ... how ... how could ... What where you thinking?"

"Rodney I'm sure ..." Teyla tried to calm the scientist down but it was no use.

"Sure ... sure that we'll all be dead if we let that man through the gate. I mean come on people have we forgotten everything his done I mean ..."

"Rodney!" John shouted "Shut up!"

The room once again thrown into silence everybody's eyes turned to John. He didn't dare look up, not wanted to see the look of shock on their faces. Shock or would it be pity? They all remembered what happen between him and Kolya, with the kidnapping and the wraith; it was pretty hard to forget.

"Yes … well …" Elizabeth broke the eerie silence. John wouldn't look at her, he wouldn't look at anyone. She could only image what he was going through, what he could be thinking.

"I haven't agreed to anything yet."

"Well that's … that's good." McKay stammered

Elizabeth looked at him, waiting but the scientist said nothing else. She released the breath she didn't even know she'd been holding and continued.

"Kolya has asked for nothing, except a chance to speak with us and continue the alliance between our people."

"What are you going to do?" Ronan finally spoke his voice as usual not showing any emotion; giving nothing way.

Elizabeth thought for a minute … what was she going to do? There were lots of things to take into consideration. One being these people were the best technological advanced world that they had discovered in this galaxy, they could help a lot. They had spies on hundreds of worlds; worlds which they hadn't even been too. But the down side to all of that was this man; just one single man.

Kolya was an evil conniving bastard who she wouldn't trust if her life depended on it. It was bad enough with Ladon as leader, John and he's team didn't trust him but compared to Kolya … Elizabeth didn't know what to do. What would be best for Atlantis?

"Truthfully" she began still unsure what to say "I have no idea."

All looked at her shocked, all that is except for John.

"It is true …that we've had some difficulty with Kolya in the past …"

"Difficulty!" McKay almost choked out. "He tried to take Atlantis or have you forgotten that, for Christ sake Elizabeth he held a gun to your head … not to mention what he did to …" Rodney stopped before saying John's name. It was a sore subject and McKay as well as the rest of them knew it was a subject not to be spoken off.

Elizabeth saw her chance to break Rodney's ranting and took it.

"Yes Rodney I know …" Holding up her hand to silence him "I know what he has done, and believe me I don't like this any more than you do. But we have to look at the facts … the Genii are a strong people which had proven useful in the past and could do again."

"But this is Kolya"

"Yes Teyla I know." Elizabeth stared at the Athosian pleading with her eyes that she would understand where she was coming from.

"I have not made a decision because I do not believe it is only my decision to make." She turned looking at John

"John?"

John was dreading this moment. He could feel her eyes on him and the eyes of all the others. Yes it was true the Genii could prove to be useful but it was also true that they couldn't be trusted.

"What do you want me to say Elizabeth?" He raised his head looking her in the eye.

"Just your thoughts John!"

Her voice was soft just above a whisper and filled with sympathy; it annoyed him. He didn't want these people to feel sorry for him … he'd learnt to deal with what Kolya did, what the wraith did; why couldn't his friends. All he wanted to do was put it behind him and forget it ever happened.

"Why are you asking me?" His knew his voice was harsh but he didn't care. All he wanted at that moment in time was to get the hell out of there. Go down to the gym get rid of some of his anger on the punch bag maybe do some sparring with Teyla … maybe even Ronan and forget all about Kolya and the damn Genii.

"You are the ranking Military officer of this base John you have …" but before Elizabeth had finished John interrupted her.

"Is that the only reason?"

The look he had in his eyes was one that Elizabeth had never seen before and she prayed she never saw again. His eyes were so full of anger; and hate. But for who? For her? Kolya? Was it aimed at himself … so many chances he'd had to take out Kolya and every time he'd let it pass.

"You want to know my thoughts?" His voice was a little softer pulling Elizabeth back into the present moment.

"I think Kolya it a conniving son of a bitch." He paused taking a deep breathe. "If he wants this alliance to continue it only means that some where in his sick and twisted little mind is a plan to screw us all over." His voice was rising; he could feel the anger pumping round his body.

He had to get out of there otherwise he was going to say something or do something he'd later regret. Using the table as support he pushed himself up his legs a little shaky as John tried to controlled the anger he felt.

John could feel his teams' eyes on him wondering most likely what he was about to.

"I see your point really I do" His statement filled with sarcasm "Yes the Genii could prove useful … but for all I care they can go to hell." His last word practically yelled

He saw the shock flash across Elizabeth's face closely follow by hurt which John felt bad for causing, but how she could even consider becoming allies with Kolya was beyond him.

Kolya had tried to take Atlantis; he'd held a gun to hers and Rodney's head; threatening to kill then. Not to mention what happen on Degan with the whole underground, brotherhood thing and lets not forget the whole feeding him to a wraith.

"John?" He heard Teyla soft voice beside him, normally hearing her voice would calm him but not today, not at this moment in time. He was angry and wanted to stay angry.

John glanced around at his team, his friends the people he trusted more than anyone else in the world. He eyes landed on Teyla and stayed there just a little bit longer than with the rest.

"John …" She reached out a hand and gently rested it on his arm. Before he knew what he was doing he'd pulled away ignoring the look of hurt which showed in her eyes. Quickly he moved towards the door swinging it open with a little more force than needed.

"Oh by the way Elizabeth…" John turned around "Just to let you know." He flashed Elizabeth a smile but it was not a smile of happiness.

"John ..." she tried once more.

"If you let that man through the gate … I will put a bullet in his head." And then he was gone, Elizabeth and the others could only watched as the door swung shut.