Chapter 15: McKay and I need to have a little chat

"Okay, what's the plan?" Rodney demanded when Sheppard turned up in his lab early the following evening. John had been released from the infirmary that morning with the usual warnings from Doctor Beckett to take it easy for a few days. He'd spent a number of frustrating hours in his office trying to catch up on two weeks of reports and was relieved to have an excuse to delay the rest for the time being.

"Can you write an avatar program of me?" Sheppard asked. "One that reacts as I would, that I can guide and direct without having to put my mind back inside that system?"

"Ah ...," Rodney thought for a moment. "The avatar bit definitely. The interactive bit ... that might be a bit more challenging."

"So that's a yes, right," Sheppard stated confidently.

"That's a maybe," Rodney insisted irritably.

"Okay, so assuming we have this interactive Sheppard avatar in operation, the next bit of the plan requires some kind of portable storage device big enough to contain Aperio's program."

"You don't want much do you?" Rodney complained. "Do you remember what I said when we found the Aperio system? It's substantial ... as in much bigger than any disk or hard drive we have available to us."

"What about Ancient devices," Sheppard persisted. "Is there anything we could use to contain Aperio?"

"No," Rodney reacted immediately but his facial expression said he was still thinking. Clicking his fingers excitedly he contradicted himself. "Wait, there is something. That device you helped me with last month!"

"I helped you with a lot of devices last month Rodney," Sheppard pointed out.

"The ah ... the one I got my hand stuck in," Rodney mumbled quickly. Sheppard looking at Rodney in amusement, waiting until he looked up to raise an eyebrow in query. "It's a portable database security device," Rodney explained. "They used it to transfer completed projects from research outposts back to Atlantis. Its unique architecture makes it capable of holding vast amounts of data. The reason I got my hand stuck when I tried to make a connection is because I didn't enter the appropriate security codes. You were only able to release me because you didn't try to get anything out of storage."

"We still don't have those codes do we?" Sheppard quizzed. "Doesn't that mean the same thing would happen?"

"You're gonna have to put your hand in there anyway," Rodney admitted, quickly adding when Sheppard frowned, "just long enough for Atlantis to make a connection and get the code for us - assuming she can do that."

"Do you know about this device?" Sheppard checked with the city.

"Yes - the device Doctor McKay speaks of would be capable of doing what you plan," Atlantis chorused. "We will help."

"Atlantis can help," Sheppard told Rodney. "My idea is that we put the Sheppard avatar into the system, hopefully convincing Aperio that it's the real me. We tell her we've discovered some problem that means we have to remove her but rather than just destroying her I convince her I can help her Ascend for real. We rig the data security device into the system in a way that will convince her it will lead her to Ascension. She takes the bait and hopefully the end result is her program transferred into the portable device."

"You're right," Rodney agreed in a deceptively casual tone. "That is a wacky idea."

"But it will work," Sheppard insisted. "How long do you think it'll take to get all the parts prepared?"

"Programming the avatar and setting up the data security device won't take long," Rodney thought out loud. "The interactive aspect will be difficult and time consuming though ... probably at least a week, maybe more."

"Better get started then," Sheppard advised. "Let me know when you're at the point you need Atlantis to help. I'll fill Elizabeth, Ronon and Teyla in on what's happening tomorrow."

Rodney nodded, already distracted with the specifics of what he needed to do. Sheppard left him to it, returning to his quarters. He wouldn't have admitted it, but he was still not fully recovered from his two weeks in a virtual coma. Slumping down on his bed wearily Sheppard considered the plan he'd pitched to Rodney, looking for the weaknesses.

"Will Aperio be fooled by my avatar?" Sheppard directed that question to Atlantis.

"It is difficult to say," Atlantis admitted. "Aperio was able to pick up on your thoughts and use your fears to manipulate you. Her interaction with your avatar will be different. You will have to convince her you have entered her system in a more controlled fashion - that you have cut off her means of influencing you."

"I can do that," Sheppard said confidently, "as long as Rodney gives me a quick enough reaction time."

"We will assist you as much as we are able," Atlantis promised, before delivering a warning. "Aperio will not be content to remain confined now that she has had a taste of freedom. You and Doctor McKay must remain vigilant."

"I'll make sure Rodney's monitoring Aperio," Sheppard promised in return.

x

"We have a problem," Rodney strode into Elizabeth's office a few days later, interrupting a meeting between her and Sheppard without apology.

"What is it this time?" Sheppard grumbled.

"Aperio," Rodney said starkly. "I've detected a bridge forming between it and the main computer. If we don't do something soon it'll have control of some functions within the main system."

"Which functions?" Elizabeth demanded.

"The submersion subroutine," Rodney admitted starkly. "We're lucky it's an isolated system - things could be much worse."

"Aperio might be able to sink the city and you're telling me we're lucky?" Sheppard asked incredulously. "Correct me if I'm wrong but without a ZPM powered shield isn't sinking the city pretty much the worst thing that can happen to us?"

"No!" Rodney disagreed heatedly. "Aperio could have gotten control of subspace communications and called down a fleet of Wraith Hive ships upon us - that sounds worse to me!"

"Gentlemen," Elizabeth broke in. "Let's not argue about the degree of the problem and just operate from the assumption that there is one. What do we do?"

"We step up the timing of the avatar plan," Sheppard said promptly.

"And there's the second problem," Rodney revealed weakly. "I've got the data security device ready and your avatar program looks and acts realistically."

"I can hear the 'but' coming Rodney," Sheppard retorted. "Just spill it!"

"I don't have the interactive interface ready," Rodney admitted, "and with the amount of time we're likely to have there's no way it will be."

"That's kind of a crucial part of the plan McKay," Sheppard pointed out sarcastically.

"I know," Rodney agreed heatedly. "There is another option ... you're just not gonna like it."

"No!" Sheppard stood up abruptly, glaring down at Rodney angrily. "It's too risky."

"It may be the only way," Rodney insisted.

"John?" Elizabeth looked from one man to the other in confusion. "What other option?"

"Sorry Elizabeth," Sheppard said. "McKay and I need to have a little chat." And with that he grabbed Rodney's arm and dragged him from the room.

"Atlantis could go in there and lure Aperio out herself," Rodney started talking as soon as they were out of earshot.

Atlantis picked up on Sheppard's thoughts as soon as the question was asked. "Not without risking the very thing we are trying to prevent," she answered. "We would need to move freely around Aperio's system necessitating a programmed link between us. This would provide a potential weakness Aperio could use to take over the main systems."

"But you got in last time to warn me – how'd you do that?" Sheppard thought at her with a frown, holding a hand up to stop Rodney from demanding he repeat what Atlantis was telling him.

"We transformed your room into a neutral conversation area," Atlantis explained. "Theoretically any avatar would have had the capability to enter that room and converse. The only way to exit the area was via the point of entry – you could not return to yourself through the doorway we used, and we could not enter Aperio's system through your doorway."

"Clever," Sheppard thought in admiration. "Sounds just like a chat room." Turning to Rodney he said simply "Atlantis can't help directly without risking Aperio getting full control of all the systems."

"Atlantis could keep your mind separate from the Aperio system, couldn't she?" Rodney moved on to the next idea. "If you go in directly like before we'd have an even better chance of luring her into the data security device."

"Doctor McKay is correct," Atlantis chimed when John asked if it was possible. "We will be able to ensure Aperio cannot trap you as she did before."

"And how do we explain to Elizabeth and the others that I'm getting help directly from the city?" Sheppard demanded heatedly. "Because you can bet Elizabeth won't just approve me returning to the virtual environment unless she gets some assurances I won't get trapped again."

"Oh," Rodney muttered weakly. "I ah ... I didn't think of that part. Look can't you just –"

"I'm not telling everyone," Sheppard interrupted grimly. "If the reactions I got within that virtual environment are any indication, the results of that would be a disaster - for me at least."

"Didn't Atlantis say the scenarios you experienced were driven by your concerns and manipulated by Aperio to draw you to her?" Rodney questioned. "If that's true reality will be much different from what you experienced last time."

"Can you guarantee that McKay?" Sheppard demanded. "Because the idea of being shipped off to Area 51 for dissection is only slightly less appealing than being treated like a freak by everyone in the city!"

"You have to trust what you know of everyone," Rodney said quietly. "They wouldn't betray you ... just like I haven't."

"Let me think about this," Sheppard requested seriously.

"Okay," Rodney agreed. "But do it quickly ... once Aperio gains full control of the submersion subroutine we'll only have minutes to fix it. What should I tell Elizabeth?"

"Just give me an hour," Sheppard replied. "I'll talk to her myself – one way or the other I'm gonna have to tell her something."

Authors Note:

I have no idea how long it would really take someone to recover (enough to go about their usual business) after spending two weeks in a hospital bed so I've portrayed Shep as having a quick recovery for the sake of moving the story along.