Chapter 3: Helping Out
Disclaimer: The only thing I own is my OC :(
Rate and Review :) Mostly back story for my main character, thought it would be necessary. Edited script ahead.
He looped his newly acquired radio into his ear for the morning, courtesy of Elizabeth who thought it would be a good idea if he was able to reach them if he needed. Dressing in his new expedition attire which consisted of a black zip-up shirt and gray trousers, he left his room, bound for her office.
"Loros, come in" speak of the devil.
"Yes, Elizabeth?" he replied politely.
"Are you heading to the Control Room?" she asked.
"I am. In fact I was coming to speak to you. I think I may have found something that could be useful to you" he said.
Well it was part of the truth. He didn't think he found something to help, he knew. He spent two nights pouring over every file, brushing up on all of the things he would likely have forgotten. Lanteans may have high intelligence, but even they forgot things some times.
"Oh, in that case, I'll meet you in my office" Elizabeth said.
"Of course" was the simple reply.
He had settled in really well with the expedition, finding that whilst the technology they had brought to help them use his peoples technology was primitive, it was still rather efficient. Needless to say, he was glad to be back home and helping once more.
"Loros, this is Sheppard" he heard the Major's voice.
"Yes, John?"
"Just thought you should know we're heading out. You still coming when we find it?" Sheppard asked.
"Of course. The moment you come back" he replied with a smile and the communication cut.
One of the ways he contributed to the expedition were his constant translations. From those, they began to learn what was dangerous, what needed more study, what was benign and what was not to be poked with unless it was an absolute dire situation. Not surprisingly, they found more things that shouldn't be touched compared to benign things.
"Morning" he heard Sheppard as he approached the Gateroom.
"I thought you were going?" he asked and Sheppard put on a look of mock hurt.
"And to think, I thought you were warming up to me" he said and Loros gave a small chuckle.
"Perhaps. Anyway, good luck with the mission" he said with a smile and he watched as the wormhole formed and they walked through the Gate. He could see Elizabeth gesturing for him to come up in the glass room which served as her office and he walked up the stairs, smiling and nodding to others.
"You think they'll get it?" Elizabeth asked.
"The Sudarians were a friendly people. This little trip should be simple enough" Loros said.
"You sure?" she asked.
"Of course I am" the Lantean said with a reassuring smile.
"You said you had something that could help us?" she asked and he gave a nod, asking for a tablet that was linked to the plasma screen in her office. Tapping a few commands into the device, he pulled up a file and they both stood to look at the screen. "A planet?" she asked.
"It is one of our Lantean outposts. Built in this system in the final decades of the war, it acts as a repair station for our warships. I myself, was a captain of one of these vessels" he began to explain.
"A captain?" she asked.
"Actually I was captain of the Home Guard Fleet, a small collection of five ships which patrolled the Lantean system and eliminated any threats from the Wraith"
"And I'm guessing a ship is there?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes, mine is. We received communications that four transports were heading back to Atlantis and were been pursued relentlessly by the Wraith. Their hyperdrives were damaged by Hive weapons fire and by the time we arrived, all vessels were destroyed, except for one, which was broadcasting a distress signal. This drew two Hives and their escorts out" he began to explain.
(Flashback)
Debris was strewn through space, the ships mangled messes as the Helios drifted by. Loros looked at a console that was on his left and he could detect nothing alive out there or any radio signals that weren't the distress signal.
"We were too late" he muttered sadly.
"A hyperspace window just opened" one of the crew members said.
"Two Wraith Hive ships and their escorts" another said.
"Shields to maximum" he ordered.
The ship shuddered violently as blue weapons fire impacted the ships shields and Wraith Darts flew at the large vessel, their own weapons joining in the barrage. He swung the ship around to face them and he concentrated wholly on the ships weapons.
"Firing drones" he announced.
A salvo of the squid-like weapons left the ship and flew at the incoming darts and two of the cruisers, destroying them with ease and relieving the shields.
"More hyperspace windows just opened up, now reading four Hives"
"Power back up weapons, focus on all fighters" Loros ordered.
Another salvo of drones left the ship as the pulse guns began to fire, the squid-like weapons dodging incoming Dart fire and pulse gun fire as well, heading towards one of the Hives. The weapons weave in and out of the ship, peppering the organic hull with breaches, before said ship erupted in a large ball of flame.
"Shields are starting to weaken"
As if to emphasize the crew members point, a panel sparks out right in front of him, making the crew member working at it jump out of his seat. More panels gradually began to spark out.
"Surges are spreading throughout the ship. Weapons fire bleeding through!"
"Re-route power from the pulse guns to the shields" he ordered.
The drones had stopped firing altogether as Loros' attention was divided between giving orders and trying to bolster the shields power through shutting down non-essential systems. Suddenly, most if not all of the panels in the room sparked out.
"We have a breach!"
"We have to leave. Plot a course to the repair station" he ordered.
The ship swung away from the Hives, however before it jumped, they took a final hit, striking one of the shield emitters and causing more internal damage as well. It soon subsided and they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"One of the primary shield emitters are down. We have areas of the ship exposed"
"Seal off all breached areas, engage interior shielding" he ordered, before accessing communications. "Central Control, this is the Helios" he said.
"This is Councilor Melia, Loros, what is your situation?"
"We arrived at the location of the distress signal. All four ships were destroyed and the Wraith attacked us. We have sustained damage and we are falling back to the repair station" he reported in.
"Acknowledged" was the simple reply.
(End of Flashback)
"Most of the damage was never repaired because by the time we managed to begin work, we were all ordered back to the city to begin preparing for the evacuation. Upon our leaving, the outpost activated its automated defenses and cloaked, which draws little power from the large pockets of geothermal energy under the surface" he finished.
"How extensive is the damage?"
"Quite" was the simple reply.
"Is it still usable?" she asked and he gave a small nod.
"It is. Most of the damage is internal with a few external hull breaches which are easily repaired. If you wish to use the ship then you need to focus on repairing the shield emitter relays as well as a power transfer issue between the shields and weapons. Upon running diagnostics just prior to the evacuation, we discovered that the back-up pulse weapons were installed incorrectly and were in fact drawing a large amount of power from the shields" he explained and she nodded.
"Anything else?"
"Some minor sensor damage" he added and she smiled.
"Put simply" she said and he gave a small chuckle.
"Much of the external damage can be repaired through the use of the facilities repair equipment. The only damage that can't be repaired is the internal equipment, which again, brings me back to the repair station" he said, gesturing to the screen.
"What is this?" she asked.
"This is all of the data I was able to compile on the outpost and how it functions. There is only one issue that will have negative repercussions" he said and she urged him on. "Over time, the equipment will be giving off a small but noticeable signal and one flaw is that the cloak cannot be activated whilst the repair robots work otherwise we risk creating too much pressure and we could end up causing the destruction of the planet. This means that the Wraith will be drawn in if any are nearby and considering that humans inhabit the system that the outpost is in, I would say that it is very likely" he said and she sighed.
"Any idea as to how long it would take?" she asked.
"Until I can get a closer look at the external damages, I'm afraid not" he said and she nodded.
"We'll wait for Rodney to come back before we send a small science team and you to this outpost. That ship could have major benefits for us, in terms of defense and also in a potential way of getting supplies from Earth" she said and he nodded.
"Of course" he said and she smiled.
"Never would I have thought we would be presented with an opportunity like this" she said.
"Well, there was another reason as to why I was put into stasis" he said and she raised a brow.
"Go on" she said and they retook their seats.
"Prior to the final evacuation of my people to Earth, Janus spoke with me just before he implemented his plan. This was just after the alternate you witnessed the destruction of the transport" he began and she listened intently.
(Flashback)
"There is one other reason why I asked you to do this aside from preserving the city" Janus said and the other urged him on. "Once her expedition team arrives, it is likely that they will not be aware of all of the potential dangers in the city. I cannot translate the database as the Council is watching me" he said.
"So you want me to guide them?" Loros asked.
"Not guide them" the scientist replied.
"So what exactly?" the other asked, quite curious.
"Actively help them. If the Wraith are still a threat, which we must assume that they are in their time, then they are going to need every single bit of help they can get" Janus said, and the other gave a resolute nod.
"I have something that can help in the future" Loros said.
"The Helios?" Janus asked and the other gave another nod. "I have a small list of planets which contain our power sources" he said, handing him the slip of paper to look at. "Please make sure that the other Dr. Weir gets this in the event that her older self passes before she can speak to them"
(End of Flashback)
"You want to do what your people couldn't?" Elizabeth asked and he gave a nod.
"Our goal was eventually to return. However, soon we acknowledged that going back was not possible and so my people no doubt spread out or devoted their lives to the pursuit of Ascension. Your mere presence indicates that some took lovers who were human" he explained. "I, however, do not wish to Ascend. Living a life with Atlantis and now your people, my new family, is something I do not wish to give up, so yes, I intend to do what they could not" he said passionately.
"And we'll start by securing ourselves" the Atlantis commander said with a wide smile.
"Indeed we do" the Lantean said.
(Hours Later)
The Stargate began to dial and both Elizabeth and Loros walked into the Gateroom as the team walked through, covered in dirt, grime and even a cut or two.
"What happened?" the Lantean asked in concern.
"It's a long story. The point is, we have to go back with you" Sheppard said to Loros and the other gave a nod. "Before we go, what have I missed?" he asked and both Loros and Elizabeth looked grim, John raising a brow at them.
"We managed to access the long-range sensors" Loros began to explain and they walked up.
"Like space?" Sheppard asked.
"Yes. And when we did that, we discovered these" Radek Zelenka said, coming in to speak. He tapped a few commands on a keyboard connected to a large screen, three shapes showing up.
"What are they?" Sheppard asked.
"Three Hive Ships, in hyperspace" Zelenka said and the atmosphere took a more grim turn.
"If they maintain direction and speed, they will be over our planet within three weeks" Elizabeth added on. "If you're going back, I recommend it sooner rather than later" she added and the others gave a small nod, heading back to the Stargate.
(Dagan)
"Major Sheppard, Dr. McKay, you should not have come back" Allina, the woman that the two men had told him about said, approaching the Gate with two others holding guns. They raised their hands to placate the woman. "Who are you?" she asked Loros.
"My name is Loros" he introduced and she raised a brow.
"That sounds like a name of the Ancestors" she said and he nodded.
"It is because I am one of the Ancestors" he said and she shook her head.
"You came through with two people claiming to have been the Ancestors. They merely inhabit the city, so how do I know if you're not just dressed like one of them to deceive us?" the woman asked, her tone level.
"These people are just two of a large group of refugees fleeing from their home galaxy. I then gave our home as a refuge and they have been assisting in the running of the city since then" he lied smoothly and he ignored the near shocked looks of the other two. He merely turned and gave them a wink.
"Then why did you not come with them in the first place?" she asked.
"I was monitoring some Wraith activity heading for the city. The power source that my people gave to you would contribute greatly to our defense, and we in turn, will offer you safety in a time of great need" he said and he could imagine his two companions waving their hands furiously.
"Lower your weapons" Allina said and she approached him. "Why haven't any other Ancestors come through?" she asked and he bit his lip, before sighing.
"In truth, I am in fact the last known living Ancestor. My people have long since left this galaxy" he said and she looked into his eyes, searching them for any trace of a lie, but she could find none and she turned to her two people.
"Bring the Potentia" she ordered.
Loros let an internal sigh out, as did Rodney and Sheppard behind him. There was hope yet.
(Atlantis, a half hour later)
Rodney and John bore massive grins as they walked through the Stargate and Loros had a happy smile on his own, clutching the yellow crystal in his arms like it was the most precious thing ever. A cheer went up through the whole Control Room and when he saw Rodney practically salivating, he handed him the ZPM.
"Do with it what you will" he said, and he scampered off.
"Was it easy?" Elizabeth asked, walking down to see them.
"It took some convincing and a little bit of... manipulation to say the least" Loros said innocently with a matching smile.
"He told a big, fat lie" John said.
"You did not" she said with a smile. "That is so wrong"
"One thing that I have learned being around Rodney is that sometimes, lying in the pursuit of your own preservation is morally acceptable" he said and she gave a small nod. "At least their prophecy did come true and it was a Lantean that retrieved the power source" Loros added, before looking at the small cut on Sheppard's forehead.
"It's nothing" the Major said, waving him off.
"Maybe. But in this galaxy, even the smallest infection could cause you a large amount of problems. Or have you forgotten that this is not the Milky Way?" Loros asked and the other nodded.
"Okay, mother. I'll go see the good doctor" Sheppard said, before walking off.
"One ZPM to fend off a fleet. Will it manage?" she asked and he gave a small nod.
"The shield can hold under a bombardment for a few weeks with one. That will give us ample time to complete every single repair on the Helios" he said, walking back up to her office. "Elizabeth, I do have one condition for providing the Helios" he said.
"Anything"
"Please make sure that your governments are not out to pilfer the technology from this city. I do not mind sending them the database, but this city is still my home and whilst you may be commander, I will do everything I can to protect this city" he said and she gave a nod.
"Nothing is been taken from Atlantis, Loros. I can assure you of that" she said and he smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, Elizabeth" Loros said.
With smiles on every single person's face, they continued to work. Elizabeth focused on gathering a team to head to Nautilus, the name of the outpost whilst Loros accessed any more information that can remotely help them. They weren't out of the woods yet, however, for the Wraith can still pose a massive threat.
This is where I start to go off the path a little and make it AU. I will not be altering every single aspect of the plot, especially when it comes to the Siege. I will make up a complication or two that will lead to the hiding of the city.