Chapter 6: On-Going Preparations
Disclaimer: In all honesty I think they really put these on here to remind us of what we tragically don't own. Series is not mine, OC is however.
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Hazel eyes opened slowly to find it a little bit too bright with a nice breeze, but he didn't remember even opening a window. He could feel a gentle, warm hand on his chest and a head resting comfortably on his shoulders. Upon turning, he could see Loros, his face peaceful and a small smile once more on his face and it made him smile in return.
"Ahh screw it" he said, and gently shifted his arms without waking the other, wrapping them around him.
He couldn't care less about DADT at the moment. He had the Lantean that had captured his attention in his arms, and he couldn't be happier. Loros stirred and looked up at him with sheepish smile that he had returned.
"Morning" the Major said, voice still rough with sleep.
"Good morning, John" he said, a light blush dusting his cheek.
"How did you sleep?" John asked, amused at the reaction he had received from the Lantean.
"It was peaceful. I have never felt as relaxed as I do now" he said, giving off a small yawn. The two of them remained like that for a few minutes in a comfortable silence before Loros noted that the balcony windows had been darkened.
"You just notice it?" Sheppard asked.
"Did the city do that at your request?" Loros asked.
"Nope"
"How odd" the Lantean said. "Well, despite the fact that I am content to remain here in peace, I regret to say that we have work to do" the Captain said and he could hear Sheppard grumble, before leaving him go.
"Fine" he grumbled.
"Well it is never an uneventful day in this galaxy" the other said brightly.
"Understatement. Hey" he said, grabbing his arm. "The next time you can't sleep or you're having those nightmares, come to my quarters" John said but the Lantean shook his head.
"I would hate to disturb you, John" he said earnestly.
"Better you have someone to talk to then not sleep at all" he argued.
"Forgive me, but you do not seem like the person who is good at handling emotions" he said, amused.
"I think I can manage" he said in mock-hurt. "Just promise me you won't suffer. At the very least, seek out Teyla to talk to, she'll be more than happy to listen" Sheppard said and the other gave a small smile and a nod.
"Very well. I shall seek you out, only if you do the same for me" Loros said and Sheppard nodded.
"You got a deal"
They both got up and walked to the door which led to the balcony, a lock clicking before sliding open and the two walked in, thankful that only Elizabeth was in the Control Room. She turned to regard the two with a smile and she was holding two mugs.
"Thought you two could use some" she said and Sheppard looked at the Lantean.
"You drink coffee?"
"Actually it is tea. Sometimes I persuade either Teyla or Elizabeth to enjoy a small break" he said and he accepted a mug gratefully. "I find coffee to be... not to my tastes, to put it politely" he said, sipping on the piping hot drink.
"Anything other miracles I need to know about?"
"You consider my drinking tea a miracle?"
"No, I consider you getting Elizabeth to take a small break a miracle" he said with a small smile which turned into a grin when Elizabeth, in an uncharacteristic show of childishness, stuck her tongue out at him.
"Hence why I said persuasion" he said, turning to smile at her.
"So how was your cuddle session?" she retorted to the two and the Lantean looked down at his mug with an embarrassed smile and red cheeks whilst Sheppard merely scratched his neck.
"You saw that?" he asked in apprehension.
"Don't worry, I may be under Earth law, but so far as I'm concerned, who you spend your time with is up to you. Don't let a rule bother you, John" she advised in a motherly tone, although it held a hint of knowing. "And I will want to speak to you soon" she said and he gave a nod.
"If I may, what rule?" Loros asked, head tilted.
"It's an Earth rule" John said.
"It basically states that a member of the military is not allowed to have romantic relations with a member of the same sex. In fact it's illegal" Elizabeth said and Loros looked a little shocked. "Which is why I'm keeping it under wraps, plus I think it's cute" she said and he blushed again.
"Not that myself and John are in love, but it was just a hug. Why would that be an issue to them?" he asked.
"It's how people would interpret it. That is why I was going to as Chuck to lock the door when the city did it for me. It also darkened the windows to preserve your privacy" she said and he smiled gratefully.
"Not that I want to avoid this whole thing, but how are we on repairs?" John asked.
"Well judging by the fact I had to hunt around for coffee due to the scientists working on the Helios drinking so much, I'd say we're almost ready to go" she said, before looking at what they were wearing with a grin. "I recommend getting changed before we have this talk. We'll speak in my office" she said and they quickly polished off their drinks before running to the nearest transporter and heading back to their quarters.
(Half an Hour Later)
The two of them were sat in her office, dressed in proper uniform, the Lantean forsaking the jacket however. A screen was set up with the three ships still been tracked, a harrowing reminder of what is coming to them.
"We need to think about a strategy" Elizabeth started.
"It's going to be difficult with a lack of people. Have you contacted Earth yet?" John asked.
"I'm waiting on Rodney to finish setting up the data burst" she explained.
"If I may, but even if we can reach Earth, they have not got a ZPM of their own. We will be without any reinforcements" Loros said.
"True, however, we can ask that they send the Prometheus to help us. Although I am kind of dreading that conversation. However, we're starting to digress. What to you recommend for your ship?" she asked and he thought for a moment.
"I recommend engaging them when they are at the very least two days away from the planet. Despite the fact that they would be occupied if we engaged them in orbit around the planet they can still send Darts and we want as much shield strength as we can possibly get" Loros said and she gave a small nod just as Sheppard did.
"What about the city's drone supply?" the Major asked.
"We found only a few dozen. We've managed to find an automated system for creating them, however it needs a lot of mental energy to create them" Elizabeth explained.
"Not to mention a lot of power" John said but Loros shook his head.
"It takes only mental energy to make a drone. My ten thousand years in stasis haven't stopped my gene advancement. I controlled that ship with considerable ease when compared to what I had done during our first siege" he said and she looked concerned.
"Still we need you in fighting form if the effects last a long time"
"I should be fine. If I sit in the Control Chair for two days I can have the supply fresh. I will do also do the same for the Helios" he said and John looked at him as Elizabeth did, in concern.
"You sure about that?" he asked.
"We need every resource we can to win this battle"
"And not to sound insensitive, but you're a resource, a valuable one at that"
"You have such poetic terms John Sheppard" he said and the others couldn't help the grin.
"What he meant was that you're an Ancient and one of the most competent user of any of the tech here and we may need you when the time comes" Elizabeth said and he gave a nod in understanding but she could see resolution in his eyes. "You still won't back down?" she asked and he nodded.
"John is more than capable of using the weapons platform" he replied simply.
"But I have no experience with drones other than the Jumpers. I can't see my targets" John gave a small protest.
"To put it simply. Just think 'Hive Ship' and 'Cruiser'" he said.
"Did you really just dumb that down?" he asked.
"I prefer the term simplifying. Sounds far less insulting" he replied with a grin and Sheppard gave a mock glare at the two. "It will be fine. You may not have to worry about the fleet anyway. If all goes well the fleet will not make it to Atlantis" he said with a small smile.
"It doesn't always go well" Sheppard said.
"I know. I have an idea on how to get us more time" Loros said.
"Aside from what we have?" she asked.
"It involves the Helios. Even our oldest ships had shield technology and whilst the ships are no longer contained in the database, the data on the shields is. It was a little venture that I did whilst I was looking for information on the outpost" Loros said.
"Okay, go on" Elizabeth said, interest piqued.
"It involves modifying the shields. The energy frequency of the Wraith weapons is automatically logged into the ships system for research. My idea consists of matching the shields to this frequency to deflect their weapons with ease" he said and Elizabeth raised a brow.
"And you're oldest ships could do that?" she asked.
"Yes"
"Why didn't you use it during the War?" Sheppard asked.
"You know as well as I do the overconfidence of my people" Loros reminded with a frown and John decided that he never wanted to see it again. "It is to my understanding that your Earth vessel has some Asgard technology. Does that include hyperdrives?" he asked.
"Yes, but we don't know how long it takes for them to get to another galaxy. It's never been used for anything more than interstellar travel" she said and he nodded.
"Could we find out?" John asked.
"We could, however even if we can find out, the Prometheus is still serving the Milky Way and keeping it safe from any threats" Elizabeth said and they both looked grave.
"It is not a pressing issue. We have a viable defense so far"
"For now, but we can't rely on you too much or we'll end up tiring you out if the Wraith continue to try and attack us" Elizabeth said. "Well, let's get to work" she said and they all got up. They had two weeks before they arrived and they needed every second of that time.
(Two Days Later, Chair Room)
Sheppard watched as Loros' fingers continued to tap the gel in the arms of the chair, the black circles around his eyes giving indication that he was tired. Rodney was off to one side, monitoring the amount of drones they now had.
"He's filled all of the holding bays" Rodney announced.
"Good" Sheppard said.
The Chair lurched forward and powered down as Loros opened his tired gray eyes, looking to Rodney for confirmation. The physicist gave a nod and he smiled in relief before spotting John of to the side. Standing up, his legs starting to shake as they struggled to hold him up and Sheppard wrapped one of the Lanteans arms around his shoulders and he wrapped one of his own around his waist.
"Come on, let's get you to bed" he said, helping him to walk.
"Thank you, John" he said tiredly.
"Don't mention it" the Major replied.
They made it to a transporter, but instead of heading for the transporter which corresponded with the one closest to Loros' quarters, they headed for Sheppard's, passing Carson on the way who looked at him in concern.
"Is he alright?" the Scot asked.
"I'm taking him back to mine so he can get some rest" John said and Carson moved to help.
They made it to his quarters, John leaving him for a moment to peel back the quilt. They both lowered him gently into the bed and pulled the blankets up, the Lantean falling asleep in an instant.
"Why is he so tired?" Carson asked.
"He volunteered to put himself in the Control Chair to start replacing the drone supply" John said.
"How long was he in there for?" he asked.
"Two days flat" John said.
"Two days?! I don't care if he's Lantean, I'd rather him be healthy" Carson said and John put a calming hand on his shoulder.
"He did it for us. Atlantis was able to keep him alive, somehow transferring basic nutrients to him so that he would stay alive. Just don't give him a lecture, doc. I'll stay here and watch him" he said and Carson was about to speak again. "And I will radio you if something happens" he said.
"Be sure that you do, Major" the Scot said, walking out of the room.
The door closed and the lights dimmed. John managed to drag one of the white leather chairs he had in his quarters next to his bedside and he sat, grabbing his 'War and Peace', which he began reading, only stopping to make sure Loros' was still sleeping. His door chimed then and he got up to answer, finding Teyla at his door.
"Teyla, come in" he said, gesturing inside.
"How is he?" she asked, sitting on the bedside, not stirring the Lantean.
"He's pretty damned tired. Fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow" John said.
"And he intends to do this again for his ship?" she asked and he nodded which brought about her own concern. "He should not be doing this to himself. Even if it is for our own benefit" the Athosian said and he nodded in agreement.
"I know. But he wants to make a difference" he said.
"And there is nothing that we can say to dissuade him" she added on to his sentiment.
"He's more stubborn than the other Ancients. Where they were willing to retreat, he's willing to keep on going" John said and Teyla turned to him with a knowing look. "What?"
"You have some form of affection for him" she stated.
"How'd you guess?" he asked.
"There are many things that I have noticed" she said.
"Such as?" he asked.
"Yesterday, on board the Helios. You seemed to transfixed by that serene look on his face, so much so that you did not hear Rodney or myself. Now you bring him back here to rest and show considerable concern for him" she said and he looked guilty.
"No one else but you and Elizabeth must know about this" he said.
"Elizabeth already knows?" she asked.
"She saw us on the Control Tower balcony and managed to make us more comfortable with some of the technicians. She also managed to urge the city to lock the balcony door and darken the windows so no one could see us. Needless to say we had a cuddling session" he said and she smiled.
"I am truly happy for you, John" she said and he looked relieved.
"Thanks" was the reply.
They sat, making quiet conversation. Teyla left only once to get them both some food and have some reserved for when the Lantean awoke, however they both found him asleep for a lot longer than they imagined.
"I must take my leave, John. Please radio me if he awakens?" she asked and he gave a nod.
"Good night, Teyla" he said with a small smile.
"Good night, John" she replied.
He soon found himself drifting off where he sat, though he willed himself awake, wanting to make sure that nothing happened to him whilst he slept. Never had he been so protective before for anyone in his life.
"It would seem that our positions have changed" he could hear a sleepy voice say.
"I was wondering when you were going to wake up" John said.
"In truth, I probably could have slept longer, however, I have evicted you from your own bed" he said and he made to get up, but Sheppard stopped him. "This is your room. I believe I have more than enough energy to make it back to my own" he said.
"I'd prefer it if you'd stay here. I'm under strict orders from the doc and Teyla to keep them updated on how you're doing" he said, before getting up and grabbing some nightwear, including some that was brought down for Loros'. "Change into this and then move over" he said. They kept their backs to one another as they changed, before climbing into bed.
"Thank you again, John. You do not have to do this" the Lantean said.
"Trust me, if Carson wants an update, he's getting it" John said.
"Well at least if I have a nightmare, I am already here" the Lantean said and he could hear Sheppard chuckle softly.
"Get some more sleep, Loros" he said softly.
John was barely conscious when he felt a hand come up to rest on his chest and he smiled, doing as he had done this morning and wrapping his arms around Loros. He took a risk and placed a soft kiss to his head, before closing his eyes, unaware of the small smile that was on the Lanteans face.
(Following Morning, Helios)
The Chair lurched forward and Loros looked to Rodney who gave only a simple nod, much to his relief and once more he found Sheppard standing there. This time, he didn't look or feel tired and for that he was thankful, lest he be chastised again by John.
"How many?" Sheppard asked.
"Five hundred in both bays" Rodney reported and the Major nodded.
"It's all starting to come together" he said with a small smile. "We may have a shot at winning this" he also added and Loros gave small smile at the Major's enthusiasm. "What's next?" he asked and Rodney turned to him.
"Well us smart types, and by us I mean me, are going to finish dealing with that power transfer issue"
"It's still not been solved?" John asked.
"Yes well the genius that installed the guns had done it all wrong so we are busy trying to create a sort of bypass so we can avoid having to take them out and reinstall them. We would do that if we had time but, there we are" Rodney said before heading off.
"How does someone install these wrong?" Sheppard asked.
"When it came to building the ships of the Home Guard those who built them were used to the 'normal' model" he said, using air quotes on 'normal', much to the Majors surprise. "That and pulse guns have not been used for many years in our ships so applying them to the newer vessels is understandably a lot more difficult. It was a miracle that they had even worked in the first place" he said, looking around.
"So why do it?"
"Pardon?"
"Why install weapons that would be difficult to apply?"
"We needed powerful ships to defend the Lantean system. And our drones were only finite, even if we could make them using automated systems" Loros explained.
"Speaking of drones, how do you make them with just mental energy?" he asked.
"There was a lot of material loaded into the city to create them. An entire pier is dedicated to storage of material and it seems that we have plenty of material to make many more" he said and John grinned.
"Awesome" he said simply.
"Quite. Well that is it. All defenses are more or less ready to go" Loros said.
"Nervous?"
"A little bit" he admitted. "However I am still rather confident that we can defeat them or at the very least, delay them. Did Elizabeth make contact with Earth?" he asked and John gave a small nod.
"Yeah, they said that they were working on getting the Daedalus, our newest ship, ready to assist us in this battle as well as locate a ZPM to get them here quicker" he said and Loros smiled, looking quite optimistic.
"That is good news" he said.
"That's only if they can get it operational"
"From what you tell me, you're people have made significant advancements. I have faith in them" he said and John smiled. "Now, if you will please excuse me, I have to recalibrate the shields to the Wraith weapon frequency" Loros said.
John smiled and left the Lantean to work, his hopes now high for the future battle approaching. It was needless to say that Loros' optimism was rubbing off on him and he was receiving weird looks from Rodney for quite a while as well as questions from Teyla, although she knew that Loros had something to do with his chipper mood.