Chapter 17: She wants out of that system
"Okay," Sheppard strode into Rodney's lab straight from his talk with Doctor Weir. "We're good to continue with the plan."
"You told Elizabeth already?" Rodney's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "How'd she take it?"
"Better than the virtual Doctor Weir," Sheppard replied. "She's annoyed that I didn't tell her straight away but she also made it pretty clear she won't be passing on any information to the SGC so ..."
"Good," Rodney nodded. "What about Teyla and Ronon?"
"I promised Elizabeth I'd fill them in once we've gotten past the current crisis with Aperio," Sheppard offered. "Let's focus on what needs to be done - what's the first priority?"
"We need to work out how you're going to lure Aperio to the right location," Rodney said immediately. "The avatar will be suspicious given the way you exited the system last time. You know her as much as anyone can - what do you think it'll take?"
"I had another idea for that one," Sheppard said uncertainly. "I can see how it will work inside the virtual environment ... I'm just not sure whether you can create the link here on the outside."
"Just tell me what you need," Rodney said impatiently.
"When the real Atlantis contacted me I needed a way to delay Aperio so I could go and talk to her," Sheppard explained. "So I offered Aperio Ascension."
"You offered an avatar of a computer system Ascension?" Rodney asked incredulously. "And she fell for that?"
"She was very keen," Sheppard insisted. "She wants out of that system - her main program imperative is gaining control over as many functions as she can. I guess from her perspective Ascension offers the ultimate scope for that."
"So you'll try to convince her Ascension really is possible?" Rodney looked at John expectantly.
"In exchange for her stopping what she's doing with the submersion subroutines," Sheppard confirmed. "Assuming she takes the bait I was thinking to convince her that the only way to get there is through the virtual version of her system. I need you to set it up so that it's really the portable data security device - they're both pretty similar looking in terms of their internal schematics. Aperio throws herself into her system thinking she'll Ascend and instead she ends up in the storage device."
Rodney looked thoughtful as he mulled over Sheppard's suggestion. John waited impatiently for some kind of reaction, finally giving in and demanding "Well, will it work?"
"If she truly believes that she'll escape she should release the locks she'd got on her code," Rodney replied. "If I set up the link to the device and her system to make them a sort of network then theoretically Aperio shifting herself as you described should result in a real transfer of code between them."
"So it'll work," Sheppard confirmed.
"If you can get her into the virtual system I can do the rest," Rodney agreed. "It's the getting her there that concerns me. How are you going to do that?"
"I don't know," Sheppard admitted. "To a certain extent I'm gonna have to ad lib once I'm in there based on the responses I get from Aperio. Don't worry - I can work it out."
"Okay," Rodney said in a voice that said if it was all the same to John he'd just continue to worry until the whole thing was over. "Give me a couple of hours and I'll have your disguised virtual Aperio system ready to go."
x
Sheppard had meant it when he told Rodney he was going to wait until after the current crisis was resolved before filling Teyla and Ronon in on his relationship with Atlantis. That's why even he was somewhat surprised when his journey away from Rodney's lab took him to the sparring room instead of back to his quarters like he'd planned.
The door swished and Sheppard stood in the open doorway, watching as Teyla and Ronon traded stick moves faster than anyone else he knew. Teyla noticed his presence immediately, calling a halt to the bout and completing the usual respectful bow before turning to him.
"John, is something wrong?" she looked at him with concern.
"Not really," Sheppard walked into the room, doors closing behind him. "There was just ah ... this thing I wanted to tell you both so I thought ... might as well do it now."
"Is this about removing Aperio from the Atlantis systems?" Teyla asked curiously.
"In a way," Sheppard agreed, picking up one of the spare fighting sticks and swinging it idly. "Do you guys remember that outpost we went to about a month ago?"
"The one that hit you with that energy beam?" Ronon slumped down on one of the benches, grabbing a bottle of water. Teyla moved across the room to join him.
"That's the one," Sheppard agreed. "I didn't know it at the time but ... turns out it did have an effect on me. You know I've always been able to do more with the Ancient systems than anyone else."
"Because you have the strongest ATA gene," Teyla nodded.
"Yeah," Sheppard acknowledged. "What I never told anyone was that I used to get a kind of feedback from the Ancient systems." Sheppard paused when both Teyla and Ronon looked confused. "Ah ... like that outpost. I knew we were getting close before McKay did because I could hear it humming in my head."
"The ancient technology ... hums to you?" Teyla looked up at John uncertainly.
"That's the best way I can describe it," Sheppard replied defensively.
"You said you used to get that feedback," Ronon said. "You don't anymore?"
"This is where it gets interesting," Sheppard quipped. "Since that beam hit me I've been talking to Atlantis ... conversations that take place in my head."
"How is that possible?" Teyla asked in confusion.
"I have no idea," Sheppard admitted. "Atlantis has an awareness that's a representation of all the different systems making up the city. I can hear that awareness and have whole interactive conversations with it."
"So?" Ronon looked at Sheppard with an expression that clearly said 'what's the big deal?'.
"I tell you I'm carrying on conversations with an inanimate object and you say 'so'?" Sheppard looked at Ronon incredulously. "I don't know what I was expecting buddy, but it wasn't that!"
"I don't see what the problem is," Ronon admitted. "There are lots of things I can do that you can't. Use it to help defeat the Wraith just like any other tool."
"I'm not sure Atlantis would be impressed with being referred to as a tool," Sheppard said in amusement, "but I appreciate the sentiment big guy." Turning to Teyla, Sheppard raised an eyebrow. "And you?"
"I am disappointed that you did not see fit to share this information when I first joined your team," Teyla said with a hint of disapproval in her voice. "I trusted you from the first day of our meeting and showed that by putting the welfare of my people into your hands. I would have expected the same level of trust in return."
"At the time I couldn't see any value in having an Ancient technology induced hum in my head," Sheppard argued. "You have to believe that it wasn't a matter of trusting or not trusting you."
"And more recently?" Teyla arched her eyebrow expectantly.
"I could have told you when I first worked out things had changed," Sheppard admitted freely. "I was still trying to figure out what it meant and ah ... I was worried about the reactions I'd get."
"What – that we'd start treating you like a freak?" Ronon's tone made that sound as stupid as it was.
"I know – stupid," Sheppard agreed openly. "Look we can talk about how messed up I am later. For now you guys need to be aware of the change in plans. The Aperio system is creating a bridge to the main systems through the submersion subroutines. McKay's not ready with my avatar so I'm gonna have to go in there myself."
"Won't that be dangerous?" Teyla asked in concern, putting aside her feelings about the news John had just shared.
"Atlantis can protect me," Sheppard said simply. "That's why I wanted to tell you about the connection – so you'd know it's not as risky as it seems on the surface."
"John," Atlantis called to him urgently, "Aperio has almost completed her bridge to the submersion subroutines."
"Aperio is close to gaining control of the submersion code," he told the others abruptly. "We need to get down to the lab right now." Tapping his earpiece Sheppard ran from the sparring room, Ronon and Teyla following close behind. "McKay, finish it up - Aperio has almost broken through."
"Already?" Rodney complained. "Look I'm pretty much good to go here - I assume you're on your way?"
"Be there in a couple of minutes," Sheppard confirmed, picking up the pace. "Elizabeth," Sheppard made another call while still heading for the labs. "The Aperio system is close to gaining control – we're heading down to the labs now to execute the plan."
"I'm on my way," Elizabeth said. "Don't wait for me though - do what you have to do."
"Understood," Sheppard acknowledged. Running into Rodney's lab he called out "Okay, let's do this."
"Did you find out how Atlantis is going to protect you?" Rodney asked quickly.
"We will tether you to our systems with bonds Aperio will not be able to break," Atlantis chorused when John asked. "Our tether will serve the dual purpose of stopping Aperio from accessing your mind. We will be able to extract you from Aperio's system when the need arises."
"She's gonna anchor me," Sheppard explained simply. "Have you set up the data storage device the way I wanted it?"
"Yes," Rodney agreed, "although your comment that the schematics of both systems are very similar as usual grossly underestimated the effort required to make them indistinguishable from each other."
"You're brilliant Rodney," Sheppard grinned when Rodney looked at him suspiciously instead of taking the compliment for what it was. "I'm ready."
"Should we not have Doctor Beckett here," Teyla asked, "just in case something goes wrong?"
"I guess," Sheppard agreed reluctantly. Tapping his radio John asked Carson to come down to the lab, bringing his portable scanning equipment plus anything else needed for a medical emergency.
One of Rodney's displays began flashing and beeping. "Oh no," he said sickly, looking up at Sheppard urgently. "The bridge is complete, you have to get in there now and stop Aperio from engaging the submersion engines."
"Okay, no waiting for Elizabeth or Carson then," Sheppard agreed. "How do I do this?"
"You're the expert," Rodney looked at John uncertainly. "Ah ... just try and talk to the system like you did last time ... and um ... good luck."
"Do not take unnecessary risks," Teyla added somewhat sternly.
"I'll just keep it to the necessary ones then," Sheppard replied, smiling when Teyla glared at him. Ronon laughed, doing the unspoken communication thing that said 'good luck and get it done' all with a single glance.
"See you all later," Sheppard quipped, sitting down in the chair Rodney had rigged up for him and putting his hands on the science console. He closed his eyes and thought strongly 'overview'. As before he felt the air pulse, shimmering a wave of energy over everything.
Opening his eyes Sheppard found himself apparently still in the science lab just like before. Looking around he noticed two things that were different. The lab was empty which hopefully meant this time he'd stopped the system from creating avatars of everyone to use against him. The other difference was that he could still feel his connection to Atlantis ... the hum in his head and the tingle under his skin. On top of that was the definite feeling of being anchored to the real world.
"Okay," Sheppard muttered, "time to find Aperio."
"You do not need to find me John Sheppard."
John spun around to discover that Aperio was standing only a few steps away.