Life, with a little spice Chapter 22
They get a call from the SGC later during the day. Cam has been gone for several hours and Vala is really starting to get on everybody's nerves, screaming bloody hell that Cam is gonna pay for it – not keeping her apprised of where Daniel is and all.
"Jackson says you're a control freak," Sheppard remarks pointedly. "Let the man breathe, for Chris' sake!"
"We're receiving transmission from the SGC, Sir," Chuck tells Sheppard.
The other man nods at him in agreement. "Put them through."
Walter appears on screen, with Mitchell in the background. He's got that deep crease between his eyebrows that always signals trouble and his arms are folded over his chest. He briefly nods at Sheppard. "Colonel..."
Sheppard mirrors him. "Colonel… We were awaiting your call much earlier..." he prompts.
Mitchell smiles grimly. "Sorry. Protocol," is all he replies. John sees him tap impatiently on his arm.
He lifts his eyebrows. "You were never much of a talker," he banters, narrowing his eyes at him. "Care to elaborate?"
He sees Walter wince. "Sir, there's been a change in command here," he explains.
John chooses to keep his cool though there's that foreboding sense of doom looming over them. He taps Chuck's shoulder. "Get the others," he says, keeping his voice down low.
Vala is already there, bouncing on her feet impatiently. "No wonder," she exclaims petulantly. "Our dear General has more than deserved retiring after all the good work he's done. Time for younger people to run the show! Who's the new boss?" she wants to know. "And where's Daniel?" she adds impatiently for Mitchell's benefit. "I wanna talk to him stat."
He shakes his head and rolls his eyes but it's not him who answers her.
"Dr Jackson is on an important and, may I say, secret mission, for the SGC, Ms Maldoran." A tall man who looks eerily familiar fills the screen, stepping in front of Cam.
McKay, who's just arrived with the rest of the team, can't help scoffing, making the other man smir in return. "You got to be kidding!"
Senator Stevenson, formerly Head of the Appropriation Committee, weasel extraordinaire and incidentally uncle to former Head of the food service on Atlantis Buckley, only looks vaguely amused. "I certainly kid you not," he replies lightly, clearly making fun of the scientist.
McKay glares at him. "I was not talking to you, FYI," he growls.
John lays a warning hand on his friend's arm. "Careful," he says under his breath.
He nods at Stevenson. "Senator… May I ask when said replacement took place?" he asks coolly. He locks eyes with Mitchell for a brief moment and sees the same warning in his eyes. Stevenson's appointment is clearly very bad news, not because he's not military, but because he's not Weir's kind, but rather Kinsey's. And if he's managed to get that position, then it's running deep in the government and probably has for quite some time. Nothing happens by pure coincidence, especially not when it's about the utmost top secret program in the world.
"A couple days ago..." the other man replies casually. Obviously, he's not ready to give details.
"Which explains why it took so long to get back to you," Mitchell adds. "The Senator wanted to debrief me as soon as I arrived..." He raises his eyebrows at Sheppard, as if he hoped the other man could read his mind.
Mc Kay's eyes suddenly light up but for once he refrains from snapping his fingers impatiently and most annoyingly. "Yeah, yeah," he replies hurriedly. He crosses his arms on his chest too. "Well, you could have given us a call at least to keep us in the loop… Say, I've just arrived, so can you fill me in on what you said before? Rewind a little, will you?"
Vala huffs and slaps his shoulder impatiently. "He didn't say anything, stupid. We'd barely said hi when you showed up!"
McKay huffs but grabs Chuck's notepad and scribbles something on it. "Whatever!" he snaps back and props the pad on the console, in plain sight for everyone to see. "Morse, Mitchell, finger, pay attention!"
Amelia, who's sitting next to Chuck is the first to react. She starts taping the live feed a second before Chuck grabs a pen and paper and sits it between them. They both start scribbling, taking turns watching the screen, leaving the rest of the team to concentrate on what's being said.
McKay relaxes when he sees Mitchell lift his hand briefly from his arm as if he'd gotten the hint and then starts tapping his arm again.
"So," John prompts, giving time to Mitchell to deliver his message. "What's new? Where's everyone?" he adds lightly, hoping Mitchell will fill him in on who they can count on. "And why has Landry suddenly decided to retire without so much as a party?" he banters. "I'm sure General O'Neill was so planning on cake at the very least..." He hopes Mitchell will get his drift.
He sees he does from all the intel appearing on paper so he focuses most of his attention on the new commander of the base and only discreetly glances from time to time to his subordinates' scribbling.
"General Landry was replaced by the President," Stevenson replies curtly.
John nods, deciding to play it cool. No need to rub the good senator the wrong way – yet. "Of course..." In his mind, he can see it quite clearly. There's a whole world of difference between the President signing the order that everyone knew would inevitably come some day soon, Landry having done more than his share and making no mystery about his desire to retire, and him having to because someone he owned to would suddenly decide it was the right time for him to call him on his debt.
"You're well aware, I'm sure, that the President – as our Commander in Chief – can decide of anyone's appointment or end of, for that matter, including your own, Colonel Sheppard," Stevenson goes on.
"Now, wait a minute!" McKay can't help exclaiming angrily.
"Or yours..." Stevenson adds offhandedly.
"If anyone were stupid enough to accept said positions..." Vala sniggers. Stevenson raises his eyebrows. She clears her throat. "I mean, you know, galaxy full of mean enemies ready to ask for your head every other day…"
He pouts. "Very funny, Ms Maldoran! Anyway," he adds, turning to Sheppard again, "I'm still trying to find my bearings here so I just wanted to inform you that as of now, I won't be able to dispense with Colonel Mitchell. You'll have to do without him. You can keep Ms Maldoran though."
"That's very kind of you," McKay replies, making a face.
Vala giggles, pleased that she's yet again managed to piss him off, then sobers up. "That's kind of you, yes, Senator, but I need to see Daniel. Where is he?" she demands.
"I told you already, Ms Maldoran. What don't you understand in the word secret?" he mocks her.
"Jackson MIA. Will try find him," says the message immediately translated on the paper.
Vala gasps but lowers her gaze and falls silent when Teyla elbows her. No need for Stevenson to know something is up. If Mitchell needs to work on his end, he's gonna have to make Stevenson believe he can trust him. "Then we'll have to manage without them both," Teyla says softly, her tone appeasing, and nods at Stevenson with a smile that they all have learned to identify as the eye of the storm.
Mitchell has finally stopped tapping his arm and is now eerily sedate. No one seems to have noticed what was going on, back at the SGC, except for Walter who's turned once towards him briefly. Walter has been part of the program from the start. There's no way he would willingly betray them. Of course, all kinds of scary scenario pop into everyone's mind, even Teyla's rational one, but there's not much they can do to help Mitchell at the moment.
"Yeah, you're on your own, kids," Mitchell banters though his grim look belies his words. From what they've just read on the transcripts Amelia and Chuck have worked on, they are all indeed isolated and can only count on themselves and since Stevenson is at the helm of the SGC now, probably not even on each other.
"Do you need anyone else with you?" John offers, ready to sacrifice one of his own team to go help Mitchell. "Not that I can really spare a lot of people, especially with the search, but still, if you need anyone, Mitchell..." he says, hoping the other man will take the hint if he needs it.
"We'll manage here," Stevenson cuts them in. "As for that search," he adds, letting the last word hang in the air for a second, "I'm sending you an order from the President to stop the search for Ms Léger as of now." He nods at Walter to send said file. "I conversed with him just this morning and we agreed this was really a waste of time and staff. You need to refocus on the City and its safety, first and foremost."
John's look turns so murderous, even Ronon has to warn him with a "man, careful, here..."
"We don't leave our own behind," he replies curtly, his eyes daggers as he locks eyes with Stevenson.
The other man scoffs. "Really? As I remember properly, you did leave quite a few of your own behind, Colonel Sheppard..." His voice becomes sweet and sour. "Shall I quote names? Ford, Weir, Beckett..." he says wickedly, ticking the names on his fingers. "Not that I'm saying you weren't right to do so, Colonel," he adds hurriedly with a devious smile. "They were indeed lost to us. Accept that Ms Léger is too. It'll be better for everyone, especially you and your position on Atlantis..." he warns him, narrowing his eyes at him.
"Is that a threat?" John replies through clenched teeth.
Stevenson barks a laugh. "Come on, Colonel, you know how things go. It's certainly not your first rodeo. I'm merely stating a fact. You disobey the President's orders, he'll have you replaced. That's how it works."
John looks away, his jaw still clenched. "Understood, Sir," is all he manages to utter. "We'll call you back tomorrow to keep you apprised."
Stevenson nods curtly. "SGC out," he only replies and nods towards Walter to severe the connection.
"Tell me you're not seriously considering abandoning the search," Rodney demands as soon as he's sure the SGC can't hear them.
John turns coolly towards him. "I'm not considering it. Of course." He taps Chuck on the shoulder. "Get me those transcripts as soon as you have them at the ready. We'll need them to make decisions."
He then turns to the others. "In my office." It's not a request. It's an order and for once, McKay doesn't discuss it.
TBC