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Dragonlots aka Dana Bell
Chapter 15
Light danced across the waves as the sun slowly peeked over the horizon and bathed Atlantis in its warming light. Sam gazed out her window for the last time before grabbing her duffle bag and heading out. Her bags had been loaded onto the Deadalus the previous evening. Her last duty as the mission commander was to meet with Daniel before she boarded the ship to leave.
She entered what had been her office and paused, glancing around the once familiar room. She'd kept it crisp and clean. Daniel in contrast had books piled on the desk and on the floor all around it. There were several maps and other drawings mounted on the walls. It reminded her of his office back at the SGC and she still wondered how he ever managed to find anything.
"Morning, Sam," Daniel greeted with her with a smile as he came in, a mug of coffee in one hand and plate loaded with food in the other.
"Hi, Daniel." She was very glad he had been appointed the leader here and shuddered to think what might have happened if someone from the IOA had been chosen.
He set down his breakfast on a small clear spot on his desk." I do have a few questions."
"I figured you might." She sat down on one of the chairs and tried to get comfortable. Being pregnant had changed a number of factors and she was glad to be going home to Jack.
"Excited to be going home?" He sipped his coffee.
"Very. I can't wait to see Jack again."
"I know he was looking forward to seeing you." Daniel nibbled on a pastry. "We talked before I left and he told me."
Lightly her hand touched her stomach. "I have a surprise for him."
She hadn't missed Daniel's surprised expression. "Congratulations. I take it Jack doesn't know?"
"Not yet."
"I'm happy for you both."
"Thanks." She straightened slightly. "Now, let's get to your questions so Colonel Caldwell can leave on time."
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Staring out the main view port, Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. The damaged Cylon baseship hovered not too far away. Occasionally she'd see gases and other vapors escape the amputated limbs. Close by sat the Colonial freighter with a very suspicious commanding officer.
"What are we going to do?" asked the pony-tailed pilot.
"I have no idea." Weir had told lies to two potential allies to keep safe the secret on who was really manning her ship. Not that it was complete fabrication, there was a touch a truth in it, but she suspected Kara Thrace didn't buy it. "I'll be in my quarters."
Once the door closed on her only true sanctuary, she activated the internal jamming device that would keep the other replicators from accessing her thoughts. It was an accidental discovery she'd made and she was careful about using it so the others didn't suspect she was able to keep them out.
She sat down on her bed thankful she still had her organic body. The leader had meant to destroy her and siphon off her nanites to make her like them. By a sheer fluke, he'd failed when an unexpected rebellion surfaced and rescued her.
Elizabeth had gone with them because she hadn't had a choice. Now, a tantalizing possibility of escape existed just out of reach and she dared to ponder the possibility. Her only problem would be convincing the Colonials to take her aboard their ship and jumping away before the replicators discovered what she'd done.
Once she was far away, her tie to them could be broken. Whether or not she could go on and live a 'normal' life, Weir had no idea. But the risk was worth the chance and she might not get another opportunity.
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Vala was bored and she hated being bored. She wandered along the outside deck, her finger lightly trailing along the gold railing. Waves gently lapped against the city and she could hear the sound even as far away as she was. Overhead the sky was clear and she made a face. Didn't it ever rain here?
When she tired of the endless ocean view, she went back inside and hurried through the control area. Several of the techs glanced up and smiled as she did. Vala noticed Daniel and Sam were still talking. She wanted to say good bye to her old team mate, but now was not the right time. Later, she'd meet them at the Deadalus.
Once in the hallway, she stopped to think about what she could do next. Her eyes caught a figure striding out of sickbay and curious, she followed because she recognized Senator Collins. He was carrying a huge container.
"Now what are you up to," she murmured.
She used all the tricks she'd learned as a member of SG1 until she stood outside his quarters. He'd dashed in suddenly, dodging a patch of sunlight in the hallway. That seemed rather strange to her.
Granted she'd heard of people being allergic to sunlight, but she'd never met anyone who had been. He could be one of those rare few. Still, the creepy feeling she'd had about him lingered and she vowed she'd find out what it was he was hiding.
"Vala," a voice sounded in her ear. "Sam is getting ready to leave and would like to say good bye."
"I'll be right there." She hurried off but had the strangest feeling she was being watched. She turned around, saw no one and shrugged. Must be her imagination or else, maybe, the city was haunted.
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"Atlantis?" Jessica's face registered an innocent look but Lee wasn't fooled.
"I heard you talking about it remember? I even mentioned it in the quorum meeting."
She pushed away from and got off the bed. Jessica reached for her clothes. "It's nothing."
"An Earth colony?" he ventured.
Yanking on her dress, she impatiently zipped it closed. "Drop it, Lee."
"You said we were closer to Atlantis than Earth."
She fluffed her hair and pushed her feet into her shoes. "I've said a lot of things."
His eyes narrowed suddenly aware of how much she'd said he'd accepted as truth. Now, he found himself suspecting she might have been lying or else telling them only what she wanted them to know, leaving out important details.
Lee got out of bed and pulled on his robe. "You're not leaving until I get the answers I want."
"You can't stop me."
He grabbed her by her wrists. "I want to know about Atlantis."
"Let go of me. Now." Her eyes seemed to glow a dangerous red.
"Atlantis," he repeated.
She hissed and lunged at him, knocking him to the floor. Jessica sat on his torso, her fingers curled like claws and her knees locked around his rib cage. She'd moved so fast he couldn't counter her movements. He blinked in surprise.
"Drop it, Lee!" she warned. Her knees squeezed his sides.
A deep chill spread through him and he suddenly sensed he was confronted by something that wasn't entirely human. Jessica wasn't a Cylon he knew that. But she was a creature of some sort. Very deadly if the swiftness of her actions were any indication.
"For now," he agreed, beginning to feel a little light headed as his lungs fought for air.
She got to her feet, a look of regret crossing over her face. "I won't be having sex with you anymore."
Slowly he leveled himself up. "Fine by me."
Jessica pivoted and raced out of his quarters. The door slid shut and for just one long moment, Lee regretted his question.
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Vala joined Daniel and Sam on the East Pier. She slipped an arm around her husband and he smiled in return. Several officers scurried around in the background busy loading the Deadalus for departure. Dr. McKay, Colonel Sheppard, Dr. Keller, Teyla and Ronan were approaching and she assumed they also wanted to say their good byes.
"I'm going to miss you, Sam," she said as she hugged her friend and former team mate.
"You stay out of trouble, Vala. I wouldn't want Daniel getting distracted because he's worried about you."
"I try." Vala resented thinking she'd be a liability to her husband.
"Thanks for everything, Sam." Daniel quickly embraced the other woman. "Good luck and let us know about the baby."
"Baby?" Vala stared at Sam. "You're pregnant?"
"I am, and Jack doesn't know yet, so don't you go and ruin my surprise."
"Wouldn't dream of it." She sent a resentful glance at Daniel. Seemed everyone else was having a baby except her.
He pretended he didn't see her look. He stepped away as the Atlantis team said their good byes and well wishes to Sam. The group moved a safe distance away as the hatch closed the ship slowly rose and headed for space.
"So," Colonel Sheppard inquired, "what's our first mission?"
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Adama laid on the couch and stared at the metal ceiling. He wanted to believe Laura. He really did. Yet a nagging doubt lingered and he suspected Jessica Collins had been correct when she said they were headed in the wrong direction.
He heard a few sounds from the bedroom. The president probably couldn't sleep again. That happened a lot and he suspected it would continue to get worse as her cancer got worse.
His heart ached at the knowledge she would soon be taken from him. Bill had come to respect and to love her. He just hoped she realized his feelings for her before it was too late and returned them. Even if they were only together a short time, one could love a lifetime in those precious seconds.
A light knock at the door roused him from his musings and he rose to answer as he pulled on his maroon robe. He was surprised to find Lee standing in the hall. Even more shocked the younger Adama stood there in his bathrobe.
"Sorry. I need to talk to you."
He nodded and slipped out to join his son. "What's wrong?"
"It's," Lee took a deep breath. "Jessica Collins. She isn't entirely human."
"You think she's a Cylon." He'd suspected that could be the case.
Lee shook his head. "No. She's something else. Something very dangerous."
He frowned. "How can a woman from Earth be dangerous?"
