Chapter 7: Two Days Left
Disclaimer: Series not mine, OC is.
Rate and Review :) Bob's interrogation is been handled off screen by Ford in this in order for my plot to work, so you can imagine the events in your head if you so please.
"Not only has Teyla been able to ascertain that the Wraith are more interested in Earth than Atlantis, which is ... you know, terrifying, she realized that the hive ships will go right past the only surviving Lagrangian Point satellite" Rodney explained to the packed Conference Room.
"The last of what we assume were dozens of defense satellites destroyed during the Ancients' last stand with the Wraith" Zelenka chipped in.
"Yes, yes, yes, the point is, we think we can use it to our advantage" Rodney said.
"I thought you said it was dead?" John asked, confused.
"It is, but we think we've learned enough about it to bring it back" the physicist explained.
"If we are right about what is wrong with it" Zelenka pointed out.
"Yes, of course if we're right about what's wrong with it! But if we're right, and it's just out of power, the Wraith have simply been ignoring it" Rodney explained.
"Our preliminary estimates indicate a single naqahdah generator would be enough to bring it back online" Zelenka said.
"Why couldn't we use the generators to get the weapons systems of Atlantis working?" Ford asked.
"The weapons of this city were designed to be powered using our own power sources. At the very least, we could have powered the Control Chair for no more than a few minutes. The satellite, however, was not" Loros piped up from where he sat.
"And you think it's powerful enough to take out a Hive Ship?" John asked.
"According to the Ancient database, it should be able to take out all three when fully charged. Keep in mind that the Ancient technology was far superior, they only lost the war because they were vastly outnumbered" Rodney explained.
"Well we're vastly outnumbered!" John pointed out.
"However we have the weapons to fight them" Loros reassured them.
"Plus they don't see the satellite as threat" Radek added on to him.
"In military parlance, surprise ... is an element on our side" Rodney said.
"What do you need?" Elizabeth asked, having listened to the whole thing in silence and made all of her decisions.
"The satellite's fifteen hours away by Puddle Jumper. I recommend that we put together a small crew say myself, Grodin and a pilot" Rodney said.
"And in the event that they are unable to get the weapon working, I already have the Helios ready to render assistance. We will arrive an hour before they do so we can move out of sensors range" he said and Elizabeth nodded.
"I'll go" Sheppard said.
"No, Miller can handle it. I want you on the Helios with Loros to get an idea of what we're facing"
"The hive ships will be in range of the satellite in forty-nine hours. We're gonna need every last second of that time" Rodney said.
"Questions?" Elizabeth asked and there were none. "OK, let's get on it" she said and everyone began to file out of the room with Elizabeth standing and looking at Rodney. "Well, Rodney, I don't mean to put any undue pressure, but at this moment, that satellite is one of the few things standing between the Wraith and Atlantis" she said and she too left.
"No undue pressure" Sheppard said sarcastically.
"You will do fine, Rodney" Loros reassured and followed the Major out.
"John, Loros, can I speak to you?" Elizabeth said and they both turned and walked into her office. "We need to go over a list of Alpha Sites in the unlikely event our defenses fail" she said and they both raised a brow.
"Are you sure?" John asked.
"We do have the outpost. Why the sudden concern?" the Lantean asked.
"I just want to be prepared. You'll be going over the database with me and Sgt. Bates" Elizabeth said and they grimaced a little. "It's just precautionary" she said and they nodded, before leaving the room with her in tow.
(Later)
"M85-393?" Bates suggested.
"No. We've only been there at night and it gets ridiculously hot during the day, so no, not really an option" Sheppard said and Loros had to agree. A colony had been established there for a few days to see if it were viable. Needless to say, sunburn became a common condition.
"M5I-423?" Elizabeth suggested.
"It is too close to Lantea. The Wraith will detect the active Stargate" Loros said, shaking his head.
"How about M4H-212?" Sheppard tried.
"No, crawling with Genii spies" Bates said.
"You know that for a fact, Sergeant, or is your spidey sense just tingling?" Sheppard asked, amused.
"It's a fact, sir" Bates replied with a smile.
"Here we go: M1M-316. Stackhouse reported lush surroundings, and as far as his team could tell, it seemed uninhabited" Elizabeth said and Sheppard gave a nod.
"I'll get my team to check it out" Sheppard said.
"If I may, John, Elizabeth, I would like to accompany the team" Loros said.
"Are you sure?" Sheppard asked.
"He's had basic training, sir. He knows how to use a gun and you are down one man with Dr. McKay off base" Bates said and John thought it over before nodding.
"Okay" he said and Loros smiled.
(M1M-316)
The planet was as lush as Stackhouse had reported with plenty of trees, a decent climate and a clean source of water. All in all, if the outpost is discovered, the planet would make a good home if all else had failed.
"Did this planet have anything on it?" Sheppard asked the Lantean.
"Maybe a civilization at one time. It was never colonized by my people" he said, trying to remember.
They continued to walk before spotting what looked like a large hole in the ground and they ran to it, finding a footprint like that of a birds, only much larger and no doubt bearing sharp claws based on the gouges.
"What could have caused that?" Loros asked.
"Stackhouse didn't encounter one, that's for sure" Sheppard said.
"Whatever made this is probably aggressive" Teyla said and the others nodded, grip tightening on their weapons for reassurance. Suddenly a large roar could be heard and it was quite close to them and they swung their weapons in it's direction.
"We're about to find out" Sheppard said.
A large reptilian creature, quite large and stood on it's hind legs, looking a lot like the dinosaurs that the Lantean had learned about whilst reading the scientists books burst through the trees. They looked at one another before running back to the Stargate, relying on the foliage to delay it whilst Loros hastily hit the DHD.
"Send your code!" Sheppard yelled to Ford as the he and Teyla fired at the creature, scaring it off for the time being. "Atlantis, this is Sheppard, lower the shield" he said and as soon as they had confirmation they booked it through the Gate, firing their guns as they did. Back on Atlantis, the Gate shut down and they breathed a sigh of relief.
"I told you she was a liability, sir! Now I'm not gonna let your personal feelings endanger this facility any longer!" Bates was ranting and Loros stepped in front of Teyla to stop her from moving too close.
"What?!" she exclaimed.
"Look, I'm not accusing you of doing it intentionally, but the Wraith must be getting information from you!" he said and the Lantean raised a brow.
"I am afraid you are mistaken, Sergeant" he said calmly.
"Yeah, what the hell are you talking about? We ran into a... uh... what the hell was that?" John asked.
"Looked an awful lot like a T-Rex, sir" Aiden answered.
"Yeah, a T-Rex! It wasn't even a Wraith! So why don't you check those accusations?" Sheppard asked.
"I take it you don't recommend it as an Alpha Site, Major?" Elizabeth said.
"Wouldn't be my first choice" he responded.
(Loros' Quarters)
His motion sensor beeped to let him know that someone was outside of his door and he put the tablet he was using down on the bed and got up with grace. He answered to see a more stressed Sheppard and he wasted no time in letting him in.
"John, is all well?" he asked in concern.
"Teyla just hit Bates" he answered.
"For what reason?" the Lantean asked, sounding quite shocked.
"Apparently he accused her of serving the Wraith" he said and Loros nodded in understanding. "You think she was right to do it?" he asked and he gave a frank nod, shocking the ranking military officer into silence.
"From what you have told me, it is a surprise that she did not do it sooner. In my opinion, which I know is different to yours, she was right to, considering the fact that he has accused her and her people of helping the Wraith many times" he said calmly and Sheppard seemed to digest it. "I will not ask you to try and see it from her perspective because she is unique in that she has Wraith DNA. The insult will hit her harder" he said and Sheppard seemed to deflate.
"I never thought of it that way" Sheppard said.
"You were following protocol and were obviously not it possession of all of the facts"
"I knew all the facts"
"Then you were unaware of the impact of the insult. Do not dwell on it, John. It is a simple matter that will resolve in due time and all will be well" Loros said, sitting back down on his bed.
"You sure?"
"Disagreements happen, John and more often than not they are always solved"
"Ten-thousand years in stasis have made you very deep" John said and Loros gave a small chuckle.
"My mind has aged and it has given me plenty of time to reflect on everything" he did say and John smiled. "We have at least three hours before we are required to go to the satellite" Loros said, looking at his military issue watch.
"Let's hope they get that weapon online"
"They will be fine. I did request that at least two automated repair drones be taken with them. I figured out how to program them to repair any systems damage" Loros reassured and Sheppard nodded.
"Plus it's Rodney. He does well under pressure of death by aliens" John said.
"I would think that anyone would" he retorted.
"You're becoming more of a smart-ass every day" Sheppard said with a mock-glare.
"I have lived among you for a few weeks. It should not be a surprise that I am picking up on some of your traits including sarcasm. I do, however, refuse to learn the profanities" he said and Sheppard gave an inward sigh. It was clear that Loros was still rather innocent despite his age.
"I don't blame you" Sheppard said.
"Major Sheppard. We have a situation in Generator Station One" a marine said over the tannoy.
The two of them got up and jogged out of the room to the nearest transporter and hit the one that was closest to the station. A marine met them halfway, a grim look on his face which had the other two concerned.
"What's the problem?" Sheppard asked.
"It's Bates, sir"
"What about him?"
"He's been attacked" the other reported and they followed him to find a battered and unconscious Bates on the floor.
"Get a medical team down here" John said into his radio. "Let Weir know what's happened
(Later, Elizabeth's Office)
"How is he?" Elizabeth asked just as the Lantean got off of his radio.
"He is fine. Carson has put him into a medically induced coma until the subdural haematoma is healed, however we will not be able to find out what has happened from him anytime soon" Loros reported and she sighed.
"John did say that Teyla and Bates were fighting?" she asked.
"Yes. However I do not believe Teyla would do such a thing. She knows that your people are able to accurately trace those that are responsible and she would never willingly attack one of your people to the point of death" Loros said and she nodded.
"Still, protocol states that we need all of the facts" Elizabeth said.
"That is understandable" he said with a small nod.
"There is still a chance that she could've been under the influence of the Wraith" she suggested.
"If that is the case, then surely they would know all of our defensive strategies and will have sent for more ships to compensate" Loros suggested. "However it is our only real theory that could have any possible links" he conceded.
"Exactly. You're clear to go" Elizabeth said and he nodded.
(Two Hours Later, Helios)
Loros and the crew that had been selected for the Helios walked into the Bridge and he sat on the chair, all systems and lights coming on in an instant. Sheppard stood to the side whilst Loros closed his eyes and focused on starting up.
"This is Weir, how long will it take?" she asked over his radio and John tapped it for him.
"We should arrive just before the Wraith fleet" the Lantean reported.
"Okay. Good luck, Helios" she said.
The ship rose from the landing pad it was on and soared into the sky as some of the city's occupants watched from the Control Tower. Once they were in space, the Lantean wasted no time in opening up a hyperspace window and jumping in.
"What if the Wraith open fire?" John asked anxiously.
"The shields have been properly calibrated to absorb all of their weapons, we will be fine" Loros reassured, opening his eyes to look at John. "Trust me" he added.
"I trust you" John said and he smiled.
His fingers continued to work on the control pads and he shut his eyes once more as information began to flow through his mind. The crew continued to work, constantly gathering data on the ship as they did for future reference and also to learn more about the technology.
An hour later they dropped out of hyperspace and Loros activated his communications, hoping that at least one member of the three man crew was on board the Puddle Jumper.
"This is the Helios. Rodney, come in" the Lantean said.
"Jumper 1 hear" they heard Rodney say and they breathed a sigh of relief.
"Is the weapon operational?" Sheppard asked.
"Yes it is. We're waiting for the Hives to get here before we power up at the last minute. You better be out of sensor range" Rodney said.
"We already are, McKay" John said.
Three hyperspace windows opened and the Hives with their nine escorts dropped out and began to fly towards the satellite, intent on passing it without any interruption. They switched off their comms but made sure they could hear what Rodney was saying.
"That's the fleet?" John asked.
"It would appear so" Loros replied simply.
"And this ship can take them on?"
"This ship can do considerable damage to a multitude of Hives at once providing the Captain is able to keep his mind on the target and firing the weapons" Loros explained and Sheppard merely nodded. He walked up to the front of the window and watched with anticipation.
"Doctor Weir, it's McKay. Satellite is armed and ready. It should fire within the next minute or so. Keep your fingers crossed" Rodney said.
"Fingers crossed" they heard her say.
A minute later, a green beam shoots out of the weapon and carves it's way through the Hive Ship, soon cutting it in half. A few seconds pass and both halves of the ship explode in a bright fireball and the crew on board the ship cheer.
"We have a kill!" Rodney said, clearly elated.
"We copy that Rodney" Elizabeth says in delight.
"One down, two to go" Rodney said.
The ships continue to head towards the satellite and Loros frowns as he receives data from the sensors and John notices. He looks at him and urges him to explain what is going on and Loros looks grim all of a sudden.
"Dr. McKay, the weapon is no longer operational" he said and he begins to urge the ship forward.
"What?! That circuit should be fine!" Rodney exclaimed.
"It has overloaded. We are moving into position now" he said and the other crew members looked at him for a moment.
The Helios arrives at the satellite and blocks the Wraith weapons before they hit the satellite, it's yellow energy shields holding easily under the bombardment. The pulse guns activate and begin to fire shot after shot at the fleet.
"Dr. McKay, I recommend repairing that circuit" Loros said.
"Moving in" Rodney said.
A salvo of drones is fired from the Helios which zoom towards the three Cruisers that were assigned with protecting the first Hive. The crew watch in amazement as the squid-like weapons weave in and out of the organic hull, causing multiple explosions before the vessels erupt in fiery explosions.
"How long do you need McKay?" John asked.
"A couple of minutes" he replied.
"We have Darts approaching" one of the scientists said to him.
The small fighters begin to fire on the shield, adding a little bit of stress, two panels sparking out in the Bridge, much to the Major's concern. A second salvo of drones heads toward the second Hive but each on is intercepted by the Darts.
"They're beginning to clue in on our tactics" John said.
"We're done!" McKay said.
"Excellent. Get Grodin and let's go" Sheppard said.
"Dr. McKay, bay one is open for use" Loros advised. More panels spark out then and the Lanteans own frown deepens and Sheppard looks concerned. A warning alarm sounds out as the shields are put under more strain.
"What's going on, I thought the shields could hold?" Sheppard called to him.
"It would seem that the calibration is failing. The Wraith are adapting their weapons and have changed the frequency" Loros reported.
"We're on board" McKay said.
"This fight is done" Sheppard told him.
The Helios turns around and heads away from the remaining fleet, jumping into hyperspace. The two Hives and the remaining Cruisers open fire on the satellite, obliterating it in an explosion, though there were no deaths on the humans side.
(Atlantis)
Loros is walking through the corridors in the Control Tower with Elizabeth and John in tow, a tablet in his hand. His face is as grim as his voice and it would appear that both commanders were grim as well at his news.
"Now that they know we possess one of our warships, they will likely send reinforcements" he said.
"And the Helios has sustained minor damage" Elizabeth pointed out.
"Yes. However it is the shields that are my main concern. The frequencies that we have in place are not close enough to match the weapons on board any of their ships which means that the next engagement could likely end in disaster unless me and Rodney can come up with a solution" Loros reported.
"What about Atlantis' shield?" John asked.
"City shields are impenetrable so long as we can keep powering it" Loros reported.
"And with one ZPM we can't do that"
"No we can not. Luckily we still hold the advantage of been able to contact Earth. Which reminds me, why were we looking for Alpha Sites?" Loros asked.
"If the shield is breached we can't risk any Wraith getting through to Earth if they beam down"
"I see. I must take my leave. Myself and Rodney are taking some off your people to repair the systems and also work on a solution to our shield problems. The Wraith ships are likely to wait before coming here" Loros said and they nodded.
(That Evening)
Loros was awake that night, sat on his bed and working on a tablet when his motion sensor went off. He answered to find a tired looking John in his nightwear and he looked at the time, finding it to be almost midnight.
"John, come in" he said kindly. "Nightmare?" he asked.
"No, just needed company" he said and Loros nodded.
"Will you be going back to your quarters tonight?" he asked and John shook his head.
"Nah. Even with a transporter, my quarters are several floors down and I just don't have the energy" he said, sitting down on the Lanteans bed with an audible sigh. Loros put the tablet down and sat beside him.
"There is something bothering you" he stated.
"It was the Wraith that had attacked Bates. We don't know what he's sent back to his fellow Wraith" he said and Loros nodded in understanding.
"I see. We are safe, John. We will be able to fight and we will continue to fight. Not only for this city but for this galaxy" he said and John smiled at him. A real genuine smile and Loros felt his heart skip a beat.
"I know we will" John said.
"Good"
Loros stood and shut the tablet down, placing it in the center of the circular table before heading into his bathroom to get changed into his nightwear. He came out and peeled the blankets back whilst John stared at the bed.
"This is big" he said.
"Been a captain had it's perks" Loros said with a grin.
They both climbed into the bed and assumed their usual position, with Loros' head laying on his head and John's arms wrapped tightly around him. John then placed a kiss on the Lanteans head and he in turn placed one on the Major's clothed chest. They then fell asleep in peace, safe in the knowledge that they could still fight to survive.