Start Chapter 11

A/N-Yes, this is a semi-regular update. I've got next week off to so I should be able to get some more work done.

The Jumper landed on the only ship that looked remotely space worthy, the others looked like they had been used as target practice for a few years. Several of the ships had broken and drifted apart making the journey across the fleet quite treacherous. The puddle jumper docked with the ship and the crew proceeded to enter into it and begin the lengthy process of clearing it. As the team slowly made their way towards the bridge of the ship none of the ancient systems sprang to life as the usually did. The team proceeded further into the ship they came upon the decomposed remains of the former crew not an unknown sight to those who had been on some of the previous recovery missions but still not a welcome one.

The team arrived on the bridge to fine a new and vile sight the bridge was covered in blood the Ancient control chair did not contain any hint of its natural colors and no one relished the job of cleaning out this bridge. Deciding that the bridge was a lost cause the team headed down to the Auxiliary control room. When the team arrived they saw that this room appeared to be sealed and several bodies lay just outside the control room with their blood stains against the wall they appeared like the people were attempting to get inside the Auxiliary control room. As they attempted to open the control room they found that the doors were locked. The team was unable to bypass the door control, so deciding that the only remaining option was to blast them open. After the explosion the team entered the control room and secured it. They saw that the room was in much better shape than the other one. Several bodies were strewn around the room haphazardly but there were no traces of blood in this room.

***

The team had managed to activate several ancient systems however most were nonresponsive they had been unable to activate weapons, internal sensors, and long range sensors. As the team continued to work some noticed that there were some strange sounds however upon investigation they were unable to find the source of the sounds however their inability to activate internal sensors did nothing to calm the nerves of the skittish scientists.

"Doctor are the hyper-space engines online yet?" Major Boyd asked the lead scientists after another scientist had asked his team to check out a strange sound.

"Not yet we almost have sub-light engines online though."

"That doesn't really help us with getting back to Atlantis," He told Dr. Dyer before leaving to search the ship again. The scientist returned to work attempting to fix the hyper-drive. As the scientists worked diligently to get the hyper-drive back online they continued to hear the strange sounds and send the soldiers on wild goose chases.

***

"Doctor this is getting to be a bit ridiculous every five minutes one of your scientists is reporting some weird sound." Major Boyd said angrily as he entered the auxiliary control room after returning from another search for strange sounds.

"Look I'm sorry but the bridge and doors have made everyone a little skittish."

"Well I'm giving my men a break so you can tell your scientists to stop reporting this stuff."

"Ok I'll tell them but I don't think that will help."

"Why isn't the hyper-drive back online you've had 6 hours."

"We don't really know it's almost like someone did everything they could to get the hyper-drive offline I'd say were looking at a few days work at least."

"Should we stay or can you bear to spend the night here?"

"We'll be fine don't worry."

***

Aboard Ancient

"John why has your team not yet left the ship?"

"I guess there having some trouble getting the ship back online," he said focusing back on the sensor screen.

"Why would they attempt to get the ship back online?"

"So that we can salvage it and send it back to Atlantis they're probably trying to get the hyper-drive online."

"Are you people insane?" Ancient said as he brought the ships engines online.

"What are you talking about?"

"You sent a team to repair a level 5 biohazard ship," he scolded.

John shot him a look, "what does that mean?"

"It means that there is a hostile, intelligent, adaptive species onboard that vessel."

"So we clear it out and then fix it."

"You cannot clear out this species it will kill your team the minute the hyper-drive is fixed," Ancient turned the engines on to maximum and headed for the upper atmosphere. After a few seconds it cleared the planet's atmosphere and entered hyper-space.

***

"Wait what are you going to do?"

"Destroy the ship."

"What about the team if the hyper-drive isn't online didn't you say they'd still be alive?"

"Yes if you wish you can try to talk to them but that ship must be destroyed."

"Ok let me send them a message."

"John what is happening?" Teyla asked as she entered the bridge.

"That ship we told Atlantis about is infected with some sort of hostile species."

"Is the team still alive?"

"Yes."

"For the moment they will not live long," Ancient added as the ship exited hyperspace.

***

Onboard the Ancient Ship

"Doctor how is the hyper-drive coming along?" Major Boyd asked entering the engine room.

"Well we should have it operational in a few hours with the help were now getting."

"That's good news is I'll tell the carrier they can head back to Atlantis now," Major Boyd said heading up to the command center.

***

"Colonel Sheppard I estimate that the hyper-drive will be online within the hour and your teams survivability rate against the infection in open combat is approximately six hundred to one."

"Ok send them a message telling them to get off that ship ASAP. And what kind of infection is it?" John asked as he moved over to a nearby communications console and began typing a message to send to the team.

"The creature you encountered years ago that Jinto released, this one is an ancestor of it. It still has a physical body, but it projects that dark cloud to feed off of energy as a hunting mechanism. The physical body does require sustenance.."

"It will feed off of the hyper-drive in order to grow," Teyla said moving away from the console she was working on over to where John and Ancient were located.

"Yes that would be likely although it would prefer to have access to a planet if it cannot access the controls it will feed off of the hyper-drive and it should be able to grow quite large and it will consume your team as well."

"Ok I sent the message we should see them either respond or leave the ship shortly."

***

"Major we've just received a message."

"From the carrier?"

"No sir it's from Colonel Sheppard," The technician said rereading the order confirmation in order to make sure that they were authentic.

"What really? The Colonel left the ship already?"

"I don't know sir."

"Ok what does the message say?"

"Classified, I'm sending it over to that console," he said indicating the one on the far side of the room.

"Thanks and send off that message to the carrier."

"Yes sir," the Technician said turning back to his work while the Major moved over to the console.

The technician turned, "Ok Major…" he stopped midsentence when he saw that the Major's face had gone completely pale.

"Order everyone to the jumper," the Major said distantly still staring at the message unable to fully believe its contents.

"Sir?"

"Just do it I don't have time to explain."

"Do I go there to?"

"Yes of course send it off and head there on the double."

"Where are you going sir?"

"The Main bridge."

"Why?"

"I have to activate the self-destruct."

"Why?"

"No time." Boyd made for the door, flipping the safety off, "MOVE IT CORPORAL!" the Major said as he left for the bridge in order to ensure that the ship was destroyed.

***

Ancient

"Colonel I see one life sign heading for the bridge of the ship."

"That's probably the Major he's probably going to activate the self-destruct."

"That would be unwise as soon as they realize what the Major is attempting to do it will kill him and anyone else on the ship."

"Can we contact the Major on the radio?" Teyla asked.

"Not without alerting the creature," number began scrolling across Ancient at a furious pace.

"Could you contact his mind?"

"No I could only do that if he was onboard the ship," The numbers slowed and began a more leisurely pace across him.

"What about another message would they not see that as well?"

"No one is in the room to receive it."

"What was your plan regarding the ship you didn't seem to think that the team had a shot of getting off I assume you were going to destroy it somehow correct?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I am not unarmed."

"Ok now how powerful are the weapons you were going to use?"

"They would break the atomic bonds that make up the ship and all things contained within the ship," Ancient explained blandly as if he had done this thousands of times before.

Sheppard did a double take as he realized the amount of energy that would require, "wow that requires a bit of energy."

"Quite," he said annoyed at Sheppard's underestimation of his power.

"Do you have anything smaller like a missile?"

"I have less powerful weapons why?"

"Well if we open fire on the ship with those the Major might assume that the ship is going to be destroyed anyway and head to the jumper."

"Activating point defense weapon systems they should be ready to fire in a few seconds."

"That's quick can I see the ship and impact sites?"

"Yes," Ancient said bringing up an image of the impact sites and a damage report of the targeted ship on a nearby console. A few seconds later beams of energy cut into the ship burning away parts of the hull and activating dozens of alarms on the damage report screen. "He appears to have understood your message he is now moving towards the others. That is unfortunate."

"What?"

"It has awoken and is now moving to intercept your team."

"That's unfortunate? Those people are going to die do something."

"I can do nothing."

"Fire on ship target unoccupied areas away from the team it should move to the energy source," Teyla ordered as she watched the creature moving closer to the jumper.

"That will be insufficient."

"Just do it," Teyla again ordered and a moment later more weapons cut into the ship's hull vaporizing several decks and heavily damaging dozens of others.

"It is still closing on both the Major and the jumper."

"Keep firing just maintain a route for the Major and make sure the ship doesn't blow up."

"Understood," he said as a continuous barrage of energy weapons cut into the ship's hull.

"Is it working?" they both asked earnestly.

"It is now closing at a much faster pace although it appears to have split and part is now heading towards the weapons fire."

"So they have a chance?"

"A slim one."

"I'll take it now move your ass Boyd."

"It is unlikely that he will make it he is still several compartments away and the creatures are closing at a much faster rate now that it knows time is short."

"Take out part of the ship that is directly opposite the jumper that should distract them for a few seconds."

Ancient grumbled but complied and soon half of the remaining ship was vaporized and the damage reports seemed to indicate that the rest of the ship was falling apart with the atmosphere leaking out of most of the remaining compartments despite damage control measures. The remaining parts of the ship glowed an eerie orange as they boiled away under the intense heat of the energy weapons. "Your Major appears to be approaching the airlock."
"Nice job now just get out of there."

"Uh-oh," Ancient said as he sent another salvo towards the ship impacting near the engine core.

"What?" John and Teyla asked looking at the screen for a clue.

***

"MAJOR LETS GO," the marine said firing his P90 at the monster.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS THING?" another asked no one in particular.

`"DOES IT MATTER IT'S UGLY AND IT SURE AS HELL ISN'T ON OUR SIDE," the Major answered as he ran towards the airlock turning and firing as he went.

"WE LOSE ANYONE?"

"A FEW, KAIDAN AND TWO SCIENTISTS DON'T KNOW WHICH ONES THOUGH," another marine yelled as the Major joined their defensive formation. They opened a salvo on the creature as it moved around the corner, the bullets caused it to temporarily retreat.

"IS THE JUMPER ONLINE?"

"YES."

"THEN WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE LET'S MOVE," he barked motioning for them to fall back inside the Jumper. They followed him into the jumper as the creature moved in on them taking one of the marines with them before they managed to close the airlock. When the airlock closed they all let out a breath before they heard the creatures attempting to break down the door. "Let's get out of here," Major Boyd said making his way towards the front of the jumper through the surviving members of the eight man team.

End Chapter 11

A/N-Reviews are appreciated and have a happy valentines!