Hi again! Sorry it's been a while since I updated, but I've been a little busy. Went on a fantastic cruise to Vanuatu and the Loyalty Islands before going back to work. Anyway, new chapter to add. You've probably gotten a notice about chapter 1 – I was reading it the other day and happened to notice some HUGE mistakes in it, so I've tidied it up. And don't tell me you didn't notice.
This chapter is a wee bit longer than the other chapters (an average of 4000 words longer!) but I didn't really give myself a lot of leeway when I split the pilot episodes in half. It probably would be better to be three parts, but I'm not sure where else I would have split it.
Once again, I would like to thank those at GateWorld for the time and effort they make to do those transcripts. I owe them hugely now. For those of you who have seen the pilot recently, you may notice a few things that are not exactly the same, but this is an AU, please remember. I tried to keep it as close as possible, while throwing Sierra into the mix of things and I hope I've done OK.
Oh, well. Let's continue shall we? But first, the mailbox!
To cflat, thanks. It seemed plausible, and slightly poetic to have O'Neill be the one to bring them to the same place. Plus I couldn't resist. (Evil laugh!)
To BlueDragon007, I had to think back a lot as well! I've also been thinking a lot about the end of the series (sniffle!) and what I'm going to do with Sierra. The transcripts from GateWorld were my lifeline though, and helped no end. I'm glad that you liked my added scenes. Those ones actually petty much wrote themselves. Thanks!
To jasminesmommy, keeping Sumner around would have been a nice change, but I had to admit that it never really crossed my mind. I read a fanfic story once where that happened (AU of course) but I found it hard to imagine. He was only a brief character in the show but I guess he was likable enough. I knew certain enough that he would have a big problem with Sierra (because she abandoned her post) and I kind of think that he would have made things way too difficult for her. But it would have been an interesting angle.
To Emagen Laile, thanks. I am surprised myself how well she fits. In my head, she was like an extension of John Sheppard, but it's never the same when you get it onto paper, is it?
To The City of Atlantis, thanks. I'm glad you like it; there's more John/Sierra interaction on its way. For five whole seasons! (OMG!)
To Asugar, no need to beg – the new chapter is here, finally. I'm glad you liked that chapter. It surprised me how well it flowed out of my mind. I figured that since Sierra and John haven't seen each other in a long time that it would be a bitter reunion. I'm thinking that Sierra is a little more tame than John at first, but he does seem to mellow out a little as the series progresses.
Thanks, all for reviewing. I love hearing your thoughts on this story. Now, please buckle your seatbelts, and hang on as the story dives on! Thanks!
-----Chapter 8 – Rising, Part 2-----
Stepping into the cool, stale room at the other end of the wormhole, Sierra took a moment to absorb her surroundings. In the eerie blue light from the Stargate, she saw that they had arrived in a large room of some kind. The vaulted ceiling was at least two-stories above their heads, with glass and metal walls. A sweeping staircase faced her, with a huge stained glass panel above it. The stairs led to balconies that overlooked the room, with darkness beyond them.
As she proceeded away from the 'gate into an open space, Sumner gave the order for the security teams to spread out. Sierra stopped next to John for a moment, her awe mirrored in his expression.
"I gotta go work now," she said, slightly patronizing. "Try to stay out of trouble until I get back." John looked down at her and smirked at her tone.
"No promises," he joked. Sierra couldn't help but smile at how familiar their banter felt. It somehow felt like nothing had changed. Turning away from him, Sierra nodded to Ford, the second half of her security team, and they proceeded down one of the halls that led from the room.
Sierra's mind was slightly distracted as she took the lead. Thinking back to their childhood, Sierra had always been the more responsible one of the two of them. Sure, she still got into trouble as much as John did, but she had only gone along with it to keep her brother out of even more trouble. There had been some times when they were between the ages of eight and fourteen that John would have gotten himself killed if she hadn't stepped in. Sierra could honestly say she didn't miss that part. Of course, Dave, who had idolized John until he was fifteen, got into as much trouble as his older brother did. Keeping them both out of trouble had been a full time job for Sierra until they moved out of home. Even then it had still been part-time.
A light in the wall ahead of them flickered to life, distracting Sierra from her train of thought. With effort, she turned her attention to her current occupation. As they began searching the rooms that branched off the hall they had been assigned, the young lieutenant beside her tried to strike up a conversation.
"So, ma'am," he started as another light flickered on ahead of them. "You and the major? I had no idea you had a brother."
"You don't know much about me at all, lieutenant," Sierra said as good naturedly as possible. She actually liked Ford. He was enthusiastic, friendly and very open-minded. For a marine.
At that moment, their radios buzzed. "Security teams," greeted Sumner's always terse voice. "Any alien contact?"
"Negative, Sir," Team 2 answered.
"Team 4: negative, Colonel."
"Team 1: negative here also, sir," Sierra reported as she and Ford descended a flight of stairs at the end of the hall. Sierra saw that Team 2 was already moving toward them from the other end so she signaled to them that she and Ford would take the next floor. As they headed down the stairs again, she decided to answer the lieutenant's question.
"Major Sheppard's my twin brother. I also have younger brother, Dave."
"Ah," Ford said. "Cool."
"What about you, Lieutenant," Sierra asked as a third light lit itself as they approached. "You got any brothers or sisters?"
"Nah. But I got a few cousins."
"You lived with your grandparents, right?"
"Yes, ma'am. My folks died when I was a kid. Been living with Grandma and Grandpa ever since. I had my cousins around me all the time. We all kinda looked out for each other when we were growing up."
"That's nice. Not about your parents, but having cousins around and all." Growing up, the Sheppard kids had never stayed in one town more than three years. Sierra had only met about half of her cousins once and the other half, she only knew by name. They passed through the next two floors in silence, the lights still turning themselves on whenever one of them got close. Sierra decided to break the silence.
"So, Ford," she said, swinging her P-90s flashlight around a bend in the hall. "You like your job much?" She could just make out his wide grin in the low light.
"Hell yes, ma'am." Sierra couldn't help but smile back at his enthusiasm.
"How'd you end up at the SGC, then?"
The kid shrugged. "It's kind of a boring story. I was asked by my last CO if I wanted the job and I said yes. Only three of us were given the offer." He seemed quite proud of that fact. "Me, Stackhouse and Hawkins. How about you, ma'am?"
Sierra looked at him, her eyebrow arching. As if he didn't already know.
"I know the part about the 302s in Antarctica," he said, knowing what her look meant. "But how'd you get into that? I mean, that comes under the secrecy act too, right?"
Sierra nodded. She explained to him how General Kerrigan had made her the offer. She told him about her time in the Blue Phoenix squadron on the Prometheus and about her assignment to the Antarctic base. She edited of course, but gave him the basics.
"Cool. Your story's a lot more exciting than mine. If you don't mind me asking, ma'am, why did you want to go to prison instead of the Antarctic base?"
Sierra started at the question. No where in her story had she ever said that she would have rather gone to prison than the research base. "What the hell gave you that impression, Ford?"
The lieutenant shrugged, not deterred by her tone. "I kinda picked up from you that you didn't want to be there when we were at the research base. But the only other option for you would have been Leavenworth. You weren't happy you didn't go in?"
Somehow, Ford had managed to word it in a way that made Sierra think that he was asking an innocent question. Rather than bust him for insubordination, she felt compelled to give him a genuine answer.
"Well," she started, "I was glad that I didn't go to prison, but I had been expecting it. It was kind of a shock to me when I got reassigned instead. I had actually been put up for promotion by –" She cut off as a memory began to resurface, but immediately quashed it. "But they took that off me and sent me to Antarctica." She took in the look on Ford's face. "I just hadn't expected to have a life to go back to after that trial. It's still a bit of a shock to me now."
The lieutenant seemed satisfied with that answer and turned his questions to where the complex they were investigating was. Sierra was about to suggest that they were likely to be underground when they rounded a bend in the hall and came to a floor-to-ceiling window. The words died in her throat.
Bubbles of air the size of her head were drifting up past the stained glass window that looked out over the rest of the complex. It was vast; a huge city that spanned out around a central tower – the one they were searching currently.
But that wasn't what had Sierra suddenly paralyzed. Her heart rate had doubled and her vision was beginning to waver. Just beyond the glass, Sierra saw that they were underwater. Looking up through the top of the window, she saw sunlight filtering down through the waves on the surface. Watery blue light shone through the window giving everything a blue tinge. They had to be several hundred feet down!
Suddenly the walls began to close in around her. She could feel herself beginning to hyperventilate. Sierra was never claustrophobic – only when she was underwater. She could hear Ford exclaiming to her that the view was incredible, but she couldn't hear his words properly. It was like someone had stuffed her ears full of cotton. She saw his eager face turn towards her and then crumple in concern. She held her P-90 tightly in front of her, her finger as far from the trigger as possible, the barrel aimed away from the window.
Sierra heard Ford speak into his radio, but didn't grasp the words. Her attention was focused on the bubbles that were constantly drifting upwards past the window. They were little pockets of air, rising to the surface, drifting away from her, upwards, never to come back.
She tried to focus on her breathing; she was no use to anyone if she collapsed of asphyxia. Still unable to tear her eyes from the window, she worked on calming herself.
It seemed like only a few seconds later that she heard a clattering of feet coming towards her. A familiar face blocked her view of the window and began to move her away from it. Someone pulled the gun from her hands as Carson faced her away from the window and got her to sit on a bench in the hallway. Ford appeared over his shoulder, concern on his young face.
"You OK, ma'am," he asked. Carson passed her a canteen of water and two white pills.
"Ah, maybe." Her voice was small and soft, with a definite edge of panic to it. She looked down at the tablets in her hand and then back up at Carson. "What're these?"
"Valium. They should calm ye down a wee bit."
"Looked like she was having a panic attack, doc," Ford said.
"Aye," Carson said as Sierra downed the pills, anxious for a little relief. "We've had two more already."
"Just a thing from when I was growing up, is all," Sierra said as reassuringly as possible. Already, she could feel her heart rate decreasing, her blood pressure lowering and her breathing evening out. "I'll be fine in minute." It took her less than that for her to feel slightly normal again. She didn't dare look toward the window as she stood and reclaimed her weapon from Ford.
"All security teams fall back to the 'gate room," came Sumner's voice over the radio. Sierra and Ford exchanged a look.
"Oh, no," Carson said as he re-gathered his medical kit and hurried ahead of them.
"Carson?" Sierra called after him, willing her putty legs to keep up with the Scotsman. Ford was a half a step behind her in case she needed the help. "Carson, what's going on?"
"The city's losing power," he called back over his shoulder. "The shield holding back the water is going to collapse if the power level keeps falling."
Sierra clenched her hands tightly around her P-90 again at Carson's words. Those pills must still have been working, though, because she didn't start hyperventilating again.
"How long do we have?" she asked instead.
"McKay thinks only a couple of days."
Well, that wasn't so bad. If it had of been a couple of hours then Sierra was sure the panic would return despite the drugs. It wasn't long before they reached the Gate Room and John hurried down the stairs towards her.
He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Hey, you OK?"
She nodded, fighting down a gulp of stale air. "Yeah, I will be. As long as Carson doesn't run out of Valium and I don't look out any of the windows."
John gave a small laugh, dropping his hand. "I'm sorry. When Sumner said that we were underwater, I should have realized –"
"It's OK. I'll be fine. So what's happening with the city? Is it really Atlantis?"
"McKay seems to think so." A MALP was driven past them by Peter Grodan. "Oh, yeah, and we're goin' offworld to find somewhere to evac to in case the shield does fail and we have to leave."
"Could that really happen?" Sierra asked, unable to help the hint of panic that crept into her voice.
"According to McKay." John gave a disbelieving laugh. Sierra was forced to think back to a time in the war when they had trusted an 'expert' only to lose the lives of thirteen men and lose control in two major areas. She smiled at him reassuringly through her panic.
"He may be a huge pain in the ass, but McKay knows what he's talking about," she said as she moved to join Ford and John as they assembled for offworld travel. She was suddenly anxious to get off the base.
"You're staying here." Sumner's voice came from behind her as the Stargate came to life. Sierra couldn't help but jump at his sudden appearance. His eyes were cold, as usual, as he moved around to stand in front of them.
"But, sir –" John started. Sumner's piercing glare moved to him, silencing him instantly.
"I won't have you on my team, captain," the colonel said. "You are to remain here. You're in charge until we get back." Sierra saw the way his eyes narrowed at the last part of his order. He didn't like the idea of that at all. Back at the SGC Sumner had made it clear to her that she was going to be at the bottom of the food chain as long as he was in command. Putting her in a position where the men had to listen to her wasn't exactly his idea of punishment.
Sierra nodded meekly. "Yessir."
"Let's move out," he called to the team. He moved past her and stepped through the 'gate, the marines following closely behind him. John glared after him and Ford shot her a sympathetic look as he crossed the event horizon.
"It'll be fine, Sierra," John said as he pulled his night-vision goggles on, sitting them on his forehead. "Just don't look out the windows." He gave her a wide smile before he waved to the control room and stepped through.
Sierra couldn't help but sigh.
-----XXX-----
She was finding it hard to concentrate. John and the other teams had been gone for nearly three hours now. Despite the fact that they had checked in barely twenty minutes after they left, saying that they had made contact with the locals, she was anxious that they hadn't checked in again. If this had've been the Milky Way she might not have been so edgy. But this was an entirely new galaxy and who knew what kinds of Bogeymen were lurking in the shadows.
To take her mind off things, she had ordered the remaining marines to help the civilians get settled. She had also posted sentries on the next two floors to make sure that nothing got in and no one got out. The last thing they needed right now was an alien attack or for someone to get lost and have send out a search party.
Carson handed her a small bottle of Valium in passing on her way back up to the Control Room after settling a dispute about whose crate-slash-lab-table was whose. "Keep tha' with ye, love," he said. "I've got plenty more." The bottle was only half full but it would last her until they got out of the city.
"Thanks, doc," she said, hoping that it wouldn't come to that.
She arrived back in the Control Room in time to see the 'gate shut down. Sierra made her way over to Dr. Weir, who was staring out over the balcony that overlooked the 'gate.
"What's happening?" Sierra asked.
The other woman frowned a little. "Colonel Sumner and his team are going to investigate the ruins of a city near the village. They'll be checking back in a few hours." She hadn't turned away from the 'gate and her eyebrows were pulling a little in the middle.
"What is it?" Sierra gently prodded.
"It's something Lieutenant Ford said. Something about a race called the Wraith."
"Who, or what, are they?"
"They're not sure. Whoever they are, they seem to have the locals frightened. Major Sheppard seems to think its possible they were the enemy that defeated the Ancients."
Wow, Sierra thought. That was something to worry about. The Ancients were by far the most powerful race in the history of the Milky Way galaxy, save for the Goa'uld. They had been even more powerful than the Asgard. A race that could have taken them down was a formidable enemy indeed. Sierra hoped that they wouldn't come across them any time soon.
For a moment, she let her mind wander. It was a bit hard for her to believe that they had only left the SGC a little less than five hours ago. It felt like longer. She hadn't even had time to take the pack off her back. She had left everything she cared about behind her only hours ago and was now trapped in an air-bubble with the force of a trillion gallons of water baring down on its thin shell. At least the Valium was working a treat.
Sierra thought again about the direction her life could have gone in had she not decided to come on this expedition. Her life would have been meaningless; pointless even. She was a part of the most fantastic secret in the history of the world and her life would be nothing without it. If they managed to get out of their current predicament in one piece, Sierra wondered what it would be like out there. Would they set up a base just like the SGC? Would they send teams to other worlds to gather technology and meet new races? Would Sumner let Sierra be a part of that? The sudden thought of Sumner holding her back from what she wanted to do because of his prejudices made her angry.
"Sumner doesn't like me, does he?" she voiced aloud. Elizabeth, who hadn't moved since the 'gate shut down, turned to look at her.
"What makes you say that?" she asked.
Sierra raised an eyebrow, surprised that the diplomat hadn't picked up on it yet. "He told me he didn't want me on the offworld team."
"Yes, I know," she said tightly. "I'll have to talk to him about that."
"Don't worry about it," Sierra said, slightly disgruntled. "He'd probably just make my life a nightmare behind your back anyways."
Elizabeth didn't seem very happy about this. "He isn't a bad person, Captain. I wouldn't have let General O'Neill assign him to the expedition if I didn't believe that."
"I know that. But he's a military man, through and through – it's his religion. And my past is… questionable."
"Surely he can see that –"
Sierra was already shaking her head. "No offence, Elizabeth, but you can't possibly understand the magnitude of my decision to abandon my post. Admittedly, he doesn't like John that much either; because he disobeyed an order. But his 'sin' pales in comparison next to what I did."
Elizabeth seemed to understand this. "It doesn't forgive his treatment of you, though."
Sierra gave a rueful smile and repeated John's words in the SGC Gate Room. "I'm sure he'll warm up to me once he gets to know me."
Sierra could see from Elizabeth's expression that she wanted to say something reassuring but Sierra didn't really want to hear it. She looked around her for something to else to talk about.
"I'm gonna go check on the security teams," she said. Elizabeth nodded as Sierra headed back down the stairs. She moved through the restless crowd of scientists, technicians, engineers and nurses that were trying to get comfortable on the next floor down. As she neared the stairs to the next level she heard a commotion from the security detail below her.
As the marines came into view, she saw that they were arguing with one of the scientists. The man was not much taller than her with long brown hair, pulled back into a pony-tail at the base of his neck. He had square glasses and an irritating, high-pitched voice. Sierra remembered that she had seen him talking to Grodan in the Gate Room back on Earth but hadn't interrupted when she saw the agitated look on Grodan's face.
"What's the problem here?" she asked. The marines looked at her graciously, but the scientist glared at her in disgust.
"These… men won't let me pass," he said in his irritating voice. The larger of the two marines bristled slightly at the doctor's implication.
"Easy, West," Sierra said. The marine settled but glared at the annoying man, who glared back. "They have orders not to let anyone to the lower levels," Sierra explained to the scientist. And marines are good at taking orders, she added to herself.
"But there was a lab I wanted to investigate on the next level –"
"And I said," Sierra started, her voice rising in volume, cutting him off, "that no one is allowed to go past these men. You have a problem with that, Doctor…"
"Kavanagh," the scientist filled in for her.
"Doctor Kavanagh. You have a problem with that, you take it up with your Chief of Staff." Kavanagh set his mouth in a hard line and glared off to the side. Something clicked into place in Sierra's mind.
"McKay is your Chief of Staff, isn't he?" she said, her smile was smug as Kavanagh set his shoulders in a sulk. McKay was the one who had discovered that the shields were failing because of their exploration and she doubted very much that he wanted anything to accelerate that. Sierra couldn't help but feel like she had won this round. "Well, until he clears you to go exploring, I'm afraid that you won't be going anywhere."
No one could pout like John could, but Kavanagh was definitely giving him a run for his money. Sierra struggled not to laugh her head off at him. Instead she gave him a wide, cocky smile and headed off to check on the other marines. She felt Kavanagh's eyes bore into her back but she ignored him easily.
After she did her rounds she headed back to the Gate Room. Someone had dug out a crate of MREs and the civilians were helping themselves before drifting back downstairs. Sierra leant around a technician and pulled a chocolate-flavored power bar out from the box and grabbed a fresh canteen. She glanced up at the Stargate as she tore the wrapper with her teeth. What on Earth could be taking them so long? Admittedly it had only been an hour since they had checked in last, but it still had her anxious.
At that moment she felt a rumble in the floor beneath her feet. She froze instantly, her heart pounding with fear, waiting for the water to come crashing through the windows. Silence filled the Gate Room as everyone else seemed to wait for the same fate. Long minutes passed and then one of the nurses spoke up.
"Are we dead yet?" he asked quietly. The engineer standing next to him gave a slightly hysterical giggle. The atmosphere relaxed quickly and Sierra gave a shaky laugh at herself. The blood still pounded in her ears but at least her breathing was returning to normal. Taking a seat on the huge staircase she downed a Valium and ate half the power bar in one go. She sighed as she surveyed the group of people milling about the Gate Room.
So far only two others had had panic attacks at the discovery of them being underwater (she had passed one of them in the hall before, with his head between his knees). That was pretty good considering that so many of the civilians were either obsessive compulsive or hypochondriacs. She guessed that came with knowing everything.
Sierra sat on the stairs for a half an hour, just watching the people below her, keeping an eye out for trouble. Then Grodan and Elizabeth hurried up the stairs past her. A thrill of panic coursed through her when she saw the look on Elizabeth's face.
"How're we doing?" she asked McKay in a controlled voice. Sierra stood up and moved to the top of the stairs. "Look, if we can just buy ourselves another day, maybe we could –"
McKay cut her off. "The city is sacrificing parts of itself in order to maintain these main areas but catastrophic failure is inevitable."
Elizabeth didn't seem happy with this news at all. "Not in my wildest dreams would I hope to find the lost city of the Ancients so completely untouched, so pristine, and we have no choice but to walk away from this?"
McKay's voice was terse as he said, "In order to save it." Sierra could see Elizabeth's frustration and could understand it. Elizabeth had put so much time and effort into this expedition, and for them to come here, the Lost City of Atlantis, the place that philosophers had been searching for for centuries, and then to have to leave? Sierra didn't think that she had that much self control.
She didn't hear Elizabeth's next words. Sierra turned to the window that was above the stairs. More bubbles rose towards the surface, but Sierra forced herself to see past that, to see the city beyond.
Ford had been right before: it was amazing. But 'amazing' couldn't be the right word. 'Magnificent' was a closer simile. Even in the dim light that filtered down to the city, Sierra could make out spires and whole city blocks rising up from the piers that surrounded the central tower. The tallest that she could see was about twenty stories high and only reached halfway up to the central tower. The city was immense. And beautiful. Sierra imagined what the city must have been like when the Ancients still lived in it, when it sat on the surface. And now, to have to leave it to be claimed by the ocean?
Sierra's radio clucked. "Attention all personnel," came Elizabeth's voice from both in Sierra's ear and several feet behind her in the Control Room. "This is Weir –"
Suddenly the whole tower shook violently, causing several piles of boxes and a few people to topple to the ground. The shaking didn't stop this time and Sierra knew that this was it. She turned away from the window and headed down to help in the Gate Room.
"Prepare for immediate evacuation," Elizabeth all but shouted over the rumble. "Dial the 'gate," Sierra heard her say to McKay. Seconds later the chevrons on the 'gate began to light up and McKay called, "We've got an incoming wormhole!"
"Everyone move!" Sierra ordered as she seized a botanist by the collar and pulled her out of the way of the vortex. McKay raised the shield and then lowered it again to reveal John and the rest of the marines. Following them, however, was a whole village – or it seemed that way.
Men, women and children, battered, disheveled and covered in dirt and soot, strolled from the wormhole and looked around bewilderedly at the large Gate Room. Sierra threw an accusatory look at John before stepping forward to help the villagers find a place to sit or stand. All the while, the city continued to shake itself to pieces.
"Keep movin', folks," John said casually as more people began to materialize through the wormhole. "Move away from the puddle."
"Major Sheppard," Elizabeth called as she headed towards them down the stairs. "Major Sheppard, who are all these people?"
"Survivors from the settlement," John explained as Sierra came to stand next to them. "We were attacked. Sumner and some of our men were taken." A confused look passed over his face as he took in Sierra's pale face and the shaking floor. "What's goin' on?"
Elizabeth didn't answer his question, she just looked pissed. "We are in no condition to help anyone right now," the diplomat hissed, pulling him away from the villagers.
John frowned, his gaze passing around them at the shaking walls and toppling crates. "What the hell's going on here?"
"We are about to abandon the city." Despite the anger at John in her voice, Sierra managed to pick out the despair.
John motioned behind him to the 'gate. "Going back there's a really bad idea."
"Major Sheppard," she said, clearly trying to remain calm. "The shield is about to fail and the ocean is about to come crashing in on us." Sierra couldn't help the way her heart rate began to race. She briefly wiped her palms on her BDUs. "Do you have a better place for us to go?" Elizabeth demanded, oblivious to Sierra's change in emotional state.
John turned around to the villagers that had gathered around the 'gate. "Jinto," he said addressing a boy that was about twelve years old. "Do you have any other addresses we could 'gate to?"
"Yes, many," the boy said in a rather confident voice. He didn't seem too shy or scared at all. John promptly took hold of his arm and steered him towards the control room. Sierra and Elizabeth looked after them, surprised.
"He's just a boy," Elizabeth stuttered out, pointing at him with the aerial of her radio.
"I am Jinto," the boy said eagerly.
"She's pleased to meet you," John said as they started up the stairs. Sierra hesitated at the bottom to pop another Valium but it was knocked out of her hand when the floor shook her from her feet. Sierra hadn't known that it was possible for her heart to start pounding any faster, but somehow it happened. Panic started to rise in her as every part of the base shook fiercely. Acting on pure instinct, she crawled up the stairs on her hands and knees toward her brother. John, who was leaning protectively over Jinto, reached out his hand to her. It clamped around her arm tightly as Sierra put her head into his shoulder. Jinto huddled into John as Sierra felt a lifting sensation, like taking off in an airplane.
"We're moving!" John cried over his shoulder.
"No shit!" Sierra shouted back, oblivious to the child huddled next to her. Sierra kept expecting the window above their heads to shatter into a cascade of icy seawater, but instead the white surf gave way to glorious sunlight. She couldn't help the gasp that escaped her as the entire tower burst free of the ocean.
Sierra's heart wasn't pounding with fear anymore, but relief. The shaking went on and on until finally, the city came to a stand-still. Sierra stood up on shaky legs, leaning on John for support.
John pulled Jinto to his feet before turning to Sierra. "You OK?" he asked.
"Yeah," she breathed back. "We're not dead, that's gotta be something."
John laughed lightly, turning to look out the window in front of them. Sierra, who still clung to him loosely, followed. Water streamed down the window in huge droplets, making the view outside shimmer and ripple. Beyond, the midday sun reflected off the glistening, wet towers and windows, making the city shine and sparkle like it was made of diamonds.
Sierra felt others crowd around them, moving to also look out the window at the city. Elizabeth came to stand on Sierra's other side, while Jinto slipped under John's arm and practically pressed his face to the glass. McKay came to stand beside them, and Ford put a hand on both Sierra and John's shoulders leaning up to look over their heads.
"We're on the surface," the young marine said excitedly, relief tinting his voice.
Beside Sierra, Elizabeth sighed. "Well, I was hoping for one more day," she said. "Looks like we just got a whole lot more than that. Let's not waste it."
Sierra couldn't agree more. Her fear at being underwater already seemed like a thing of the past. Now, they finally the chance to do what they had come here to do – explore.
Eventually, when everyone had gotten enough of the view, they started to move off. Elizabeth and McKay headed back to the Control Room to check the status of the power source. Ford headed down the stairs to get the villagers from the planet settled on the next two levels. Sierra radioed down to the marines to extend the perimeter to the next level to try and make some more space for their guests. John tapped her lightly on the shoulder.
"Can you take care of things while I get a rescue started?" he asked without the faintest touch of doubt.
"Of course," Sierra replied. "What happened there?"
John sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We were attacked. Three ships came and, sorta, scooped up a couple of our men and some of the villagers. Sumner, Bates, Thomason, Zimero; and a few Athosians, including Teyla, their leader, and Jinto's dad, Halling." John cast an apologetic look at the boy who was still gazing avidly out the window. At the sound of his name Jinto turned to look at them.
The boy then came to stand next to John, pulling on his sleeve. "You will find my father, won't you, Major Sheppard?"
"Yeah, kid," John said gently. "'Course I will. I'll get your father back, I promise." Sierra took in the look on John's face. She knew that look. It was the same look he had when Dex was pinned down by enemy fire and John had decided to save him. It was the same look he had when their dad had taken his car keys and John was still determined to sneak out with his friends. It was no doubt the same look he had when he decided to go back, against orders, and try and save those men trapped behind enemy lines. That look was one Sierra knew well.
John looked up at her and Sierra couldn't help the look of skepticism that passed over her face. Could he do it? Sierra wondered this question allowed.
Her brother shrugged. "I'm gonna try," he said softly. He then turned back to the boy. "Jinto, this is my sister, Sierra. I want you to stick close to her, OK?" Sierra blinked in surprise. So now she'd been assigned as baby-sitter? She was about to argue when Jinto turned his grief-stricken, panicked eyes on her. Sierra shut her mouth.
Jinto nodded. "Good boy," John said, putting a hand on his shoulder before heading up to the Control Room. Sierra looked at the boy for a moment.
"C'mon," she said holding an arm out to him. "Let's get you something to eat." The boy stepped closer to her and she put her arm across his shoulders, guiding him down the stairs. They passed Ford who was directing the flow of traffic between the Gate Room and the next floor. Sierra stopped at a crate of Mess Hall supplies and popped the lid. Inside she spied layers and layers of MREs. "Oh, score," she said, digging a pasta-and-vegetables one out. She tossed it to Jinto, who fumble with it slightly. "Hold onto that for a second."
"Um, alright." Sierra fixed the lid back on the crate and lifted it to take it to the next level. The boy trailed behind her, examining the plain packaging. "This does not look edible," he said.
"It's what's inside it that's edible," Sierra answered as she started down the stairs.
"I see." There was a slight pause. "You and Major are siblings?" he asked.
Sierra couldn't help but laugh. "'Major' isn't his name," she said lightly. "It's his rank. His name is John. And yes, we are brother and sister." As she set the box down, Sierra saw the boy nod.
"I do see the resemblance between you." Sierra glanced sideways at the kid.
"How old are you, Jinto?"
"I am thirteen winters old," he answered with a smile on his face. "I will be allowed to join the hunting parties soon."
"Good for you. So, do you have any siblings?"
"No," he replied, his voice a little sad and his eyes downcast. Sierra sat down on the floor next to Mess crate and held her hand out for the MRE. Jinto placed it into her hand and said, "It is just me and my father. My mother was taken by the Wraith after I was born. I don't remember her very well."
"I'm sorry," she said, tearing off the top of the foil bag. "I know what it's like losing a parent." She tipped the contents of the bag onto the floor in front of them. She motioned for Jinto to sit. The boy watched avidly as she started assembling the meal. Sierra poured a small amount of water into the flameless ration heater, slid it gently into the boxed meal and leant it against the flashlight of her P-90. She then tore open the packaged bread, using the back of the spoon to smear peanut putter over it. She handed this to Jinto.
He sniffed it experimentally and Sierra smiled, chuckling lightly. "It's safe; you can eat it."
The boy's eyebrows puckered in the middle. "I have never known food that looks like this to be very enjoyable."
Sierra struggled to suppress her smirk. "Trust me on this." To prove it, Sierra licked the back of the plastic spoon. She didn't normally like peanut butter, but the brand they used in the MREs didn't taste like normal peanut butter and she liked it. Jinto seemed to wait a few seconds to see if she would die of poisoning and, when she didn't drop dead, he took a small bite.
Sierra watched the kid with curiosity as his face went from caution to enjoyment. Jinto's eyes widened in delighted surprise and then took a larger bite, devouring half the bread slice in one bite. Sierra laughed gently.
Once the main course had been properly heated, Sierra gently removed it from the box and peeled back the foil covering. She put the spoon in Jinto's hand and presented him with the meal. He took the same approach, sniffing it first before eating enthusiastically once he got the taste in his mouth. Sierra watched him eat, picking at a power bar she dug out of crate behind her.
Looking around her, Sierra saw the Athosians, as John had called them, and the expedition members milling about. Someone had done what she had and handed out MREs. A few of the civilians were showing each group of Pegasus locals how to use their meal.
"Major Sheppard said that you come from a planet that is 'far, far away'," Jinto said as he finished off the last of his pasta and vegetables. "How far is 'far, far away'?"
Sierra thought for a moment of how to explain. "Hmm… well, Jinto… did your father teach you about the stars?"
The boy nodded. "He says that they are the eyes of the Ancestor's. And that they watch over the planets, giving life and warmth."
Sierra liked that analogy. She nodded. "OK. And you've traveled to quite a few planets before?" Again the boy nodded. "How many of those stars you see at night have a planet that you've been to before?"
"Several."
"OK. All those stars you see in the night sky, they're close… relatively speaking. They are all places that you can go to using the Stargate–"
"What is a 'Stargate'?" Jinto interrupted.
"The big round thing you used to get here? You probably call it something different…"
"Yes. We call it the Ring of the Ancestors."
"Right. So, all those planets are relatively close and you can use the Star– Ring of the Ancestors to go to these places. Well, the planet that we come from is so far away that you can't use a normal Ring to get there."
"So, how did you come here?"
"Well, our… Ring back on our planet is different and we were able to travel a very long way. But it takes a lot of energy. And we don't have the power to go back, so…"
"You have to stay here?" Sierra nodded. The boy was quiet for a moment.
"What is your planet like?" he asked enthusiastically. Sierra was reminded of Ford for a moment.
"Well, it's a busy place. Very different from what you probably know. The whole planet is like a packed market place. You can see lots of people everywhere you go. And all sorts of people, too."
"Wow," Jinto said leaning towards her as he exclaimed in excitement. "Can we go there one day?"
"Maybe," Sierra said. "One day." Sierra didn't really want to think about all the trouble that Jinto could get into on Earth. Sierra instead asked him about his planet and all the places that he had been to. He described to her his home, Athos, and several places that he had gone to with his father. He talked fast, with animated hands and facial expressions, and Sierra sensed he was the kind of kid who wanted very much to please those he looked up to. She could also tell that he already idolized John.
It wasn't long before John called her on her radio. "Sierra," he said, a sense of wonder creeping into his voice, even through the radio. "You've gotta see this."
Sierra cleaned up the remains of the meal, pocketing the desert, which appeared to be some kind of glazed pastry. She doubted that the kid's system could handle that much sugar. Taking Jinto to the nearest group of Athosians, Sierra promised that she would be back.
John told her to head up past the Control Room and into a room that held several cylinder-like ships. In the centre of the room one of the ships was hovering several feet off the floor. A humming noise filled Sierra's senses, almost echoing into her core. As she took a step closer, the ship turned, lowered itself to the floor and the rear-hatch opened. John peeked around a dividing bulkhead and smirked at her.
A slow smile spread across her own face as she took a few steps inside the craft. "Wow," she sighed, glancing about her. The humming sensation increased slightly. "What is that?" she asked.
"That vibrating in your bones?" John asked, knowing what she was talking about. "Dunno, but I think it's the ship. Started as soon as the thing turned on."
Sierra came to stand next to him. He pressed a button and the hatch closed. John then adjusted the controls in front of him and the ship lifted off the ground again. Sierra expected to feel the sensation of lift-off but she didn't.
"Inertial dampeners," she said. "Cool." She looked at John as he pulled on the controls to adjust their altitude. "Are you flyin' this thing?"
"Oh, yeah," he said, sounding like he was a kid in a candy store.
"Can I try?" she asked excitedly. John glanced at her like she was asking if she could play with his favourite toy. "I got the same gene as you, you know. I can probably fly it just a well as you can."
John looked back to the controls. "Maybe. But for the moment, I'm the only one who needs to know how to fly this thing, so…"
"Whoa, hold on a second – what?" Sierra grabbed his shoulder and turned him towards her. "What d'you mean you're the only one who needs to know how to fly? What about me? Aren't I going with you?"
John stood and pursed his lips in a perfect imitation of their father. "No," he said forcefully. "You're staying here."
Anger flared in Sierra, the same anger that had she felt towards him that night he told her he was leaving again. "I'm sick to death of always being left behind, John. I am going with you!"
"No, you're not!" he all but yelled at her. "As the second-highest ranking officer currently on this base, you have to be in charge in case we don't make it back."
Sierra bit back the angry words she was about to hurl at him. She couldn't deny standard procedure. It made too much sense. But there was no way she was going to leave it at that.
"What if you need my help?" she demanded. "What if you get injured or –" she couldn't help but shudder "– or killed and there's no one to fly the others home? What then?"
John managed to pull a poker-face on. "That won't happen," he said, sitting back in the chair and facing the controls.
"How do you know that?" Sierra said, folding her arms.
"Look," John said, turning to face at her again. "If we're not back in… three hours, then you gather the rest of the marines and come after us – it's that simple." He turned away from her.
Sierra huffed out a breath. She knew that there was no more arguing with him; his mind had been set.
"Fine!" she said, surrendering with poor grace. "But you had better swear to me that if it all goes to shit, you will get yourself outta there. In one piece. Clear?" Sierra knew she had no right to give him orders, but this wasn't an order as an officer, it was a demand as his sister.
John looked at her as impassive as possible and said, "I swear, Sierra. I'm comin' back. This isn't a suicide mission."
Could've fooled me, she thought to herself. Instead, she nodded and sat in the chair on the other side of the cockpit. There's gotta be a way to give them more of an advantage, though, she wondered. At that moment, one of the crystals on the control panel in front of John began to flash. They both stared at it.
"What the hell?" Sierra muttered.
"What did you do?"
"Me? Nothing!"
John reached a hand forward and twisted the crystal like a dial on a stove. Nothing happened inside the ship, except the humming sensation Sierra was feeling changed; now her skin felt like it was tingling. They shared a glance and then looked out of the front window. Something had changed, that much was clear. Perhaps the fact that her skin was tingling was an indicator.
"Open the hatch," Sierra ordered. John set the ship down and then opened the hatch for her. Sierra exited the ship, took a few steps away from it and then turned around – and her jaw practically hit the floor. "Holy crap!" she shouted. From her perspective, there was no ship. It was completely invisible.
"What?" John demanded. "What is it?" Sierra didn't answer at first. She took a few steps towards where she imagined the hatch was and passed through the invisible barrier. The ship reappeared, letting her see the open hatch and John's confused face as he stood there. Sierra took a step backwards again and everything disappeared. She stepped forward again and it was all back. She gave an amazed laugh.
"The ship's invisible," she explained at John's bewildered face. She moved to stand in the hatch as John did exactly what she had done. John never left her vision but she could see his astounded expression as he saw her and the ship appear and disappear. She couldn't help but laugh at his surprise. Once he'd gotten his head around that fact, he came to stand next to her.
"I'll never get used to this," he muttered.
"Sure, you will," Sierra encouraged. "It's a cloak. Goa'uld cargo ships have got the same thing."
John soon got over his shock and went back to practicing his flying, this time with the cloak on. Sierra had to admit that the tingling sensation on her skin felt kind of good.
About ten minutes later, Rodney and Elizabeth came around the corner and entered the room. Elizabeth looked straight at the ship but Sierra knew that she couldn't see anything. Rodney was gesturing and pointing, looking annoyed. John chuckled lightly to himself before turning the cloak off. Sierra saw their faces light up with surprise when they saw the ship appear out of nowhere. Sierra could sympathize; it definitely wasn't something you saw every day.
John tapped his radio. "You said you wanted a tactical advantage?" he asked, no doubt referring to something that Sierra had missed earlier. She threw a quizzical look at John but he ignored her, focusing on Elizabeth. Sierra then assumed that this had something to do with his rescue attempt.
Sierra glanced at Elizabeth. The other woman was staring at the ship in amazement, her eyes shining. Sierra saw something pass across her face, but couldn't put a name to it.
"Alright," she replied through the radio. "So you can fly that thing. It doesn't mean you can pull off a rescue."
John pursed his lips, flicking a slightly exasperated look at Sierra. She doesn't get it, his look seemed to say. Sierra had seen that one, many, many times. He touched his hand to his radio again. "Doctor, this is why you brought me here," John said, his words slow, like he was speaking to someone slightly dense – or their father.
Sierra tensed slightly in her seat, their previous conversation playing in her head. She hated being left behind; especially by John. Every time he did something heroic, or lifesaving, or suicidal, he always, always, ordered her to stay out of it. She knew that it was only to protect her, to keep her from getting hurt, but she couldn't stand staying behind when it was possible that he might not make it back. That had happened twice in the Gulf and Sierra knew that she never would have forgiven herself if he hadn't made it out of those situations alive.
John was landing the small ship to let McKay aboard to run some tests. Sierra excused herself and slipped out the back. Elizabeth stopped her as she came around the side of the ship.
"Are you OK," the other woman asked.
Sierra nodded. "We've talked it over," Sierra said, trying to keep her voice level, "and we decided that I'll stay behind to lead the back-up team should they need it."
"I hope it won't come to that. We can't afford to lose many more people."
Sierra nodded stiffly. "I agree, ma'am," Sierra said, using Elizabeth's title for the first time in a while. "Another reason for me to remain behind. Marines've gotta have someone to follow… in case they don't make it back." Sierra felt a lump form in her throat as she completed her sentence. She swallowed it as best she could.
"OK," Elizabeth said, nodding. "Alert your teams – tell them to be ready." Sierra wasn't sure she could reply to that so she just bobbed her head and headed for the exit.
-----XXX-----
Sierra stood overlooking the Gate Room with her arms folded across her chest. John had clapped her on the shoulder as he passed her on his way up to the ship bay, but hadn't said a word to her in leaving. It was his custom. Never say goodbye.
She had watched as the newly named 'Puddle Jumper' descended down to the Gate Room and vanished through the event horizon, all with a slightly sullen look on her face. She was nervous for them.
Don't sweat it, John would say. I've done this a hundred times; when have I ever not come back?
Well, obviously he had never not come back, but that was beside the point. What if something went wrong? What if the ship broke down and they were stranded? What if they ended up being severely outnumbered or John decided to do a kamikaze run and blow the enemy to Kingdom Come, himself included? Sierra wouldn't put it past him.
Her brooding for the last half hour had caused her mood to darken and had aggravated her temper. Most of the technicians that had been excitedly experimenting with the Ancient controls were now talking in hushed voices after Sierra had bellowed at them for quiet. McKay was huffing to himself as he sat at the closest control station to her. Sierra had known for a while that he was huffing at her.
After one particularly vociferous 'humph' Sierra whirled to face him, her hands gripping the control station, her face inches from his. "What?" she hissed at him.
She could see him trying to maintain his commanding façade, and failing. His eyes darted about and his ears began to flush red. "N-nothing," he muttered his voice two octaves higher than normal.
Sierra narrowed her eyes at him, before pushing off the station and turning back to the balcony.
"I was just –" McKay started before cutting himself off. Sierra heard him stand up and move to just in front of his work area. "I was wondering –" Sierra left out a frustrated grumble. "Why didn't you tell me that you had the gene?" he demanded in one rushed breath.
Sierra turned to look at the astrophysicist. "I didn't have to tell you squat, McKay," she said, her temper building. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the other technicians watching them.
"Well, it's just…" McKay pushed one hand into his pocket and fumbled the fingers of his other, a clear indication of his discomfort. "It would have helped me out a lot," he finished, sounding slightly pathetic.
Sierra narrowed her eyes at him. "I was not there as a tool for you to wield, Doctor. I was there for a reason. And that didn't include participating in your research. The whole world doesn't exist to serve you!" And with that, Sierra stalked off before she would lose control of her temper completely.
Despite being John's twin, Sierra had unfortunately inherited her father's volatile temper. She felt it now, bubbling under her skin. She headed up to the ship bay and sat at the controls of one of the jumper/ships. She hoped that no one was stupid enough to follow her.
Almost as though the jumper sensed her intent, the dash lit up and the control for the cloak began blinking, just like it had when John had been learning how to fly. Sierra immediately turned the dial, feeling the suddenly familiar tingling sensation crawl over her skin. Somehow, it soothed her anger.
It was an hour before Grodan called her on the radio, telling her that there was an incoming wormhole. Sierra immediately left the Jumper Bay and headed back to the Control Room.
"What's going on?" she demanded as the shield was lowered on the 'gate.
"I'm receiving Lieutenant Ford's I.D.C.," McKay said from his station near the D.H.D. He refused to look up as Sierra passed him to stand at the balcony.
"Let 'em in," Elizabeth ordered before coming to stand next to her. Sierra watched with baited breath for the Jumper to return her brother. A few seconds later, though, everyone dived for cover as several energy bolts shot out of the active 'gate and exploded against the walls.
"Give them a few more seconds!" Elizabeth shouted from where she was pressed against a pillar. Sierra herself was hidden behind the pillar on the other side of the balcony. She poked her head around the column in time to see the Jumper rematerialize suddenly and then slow to an incredibly abrupt halt.
Sierra gasped, instinctively moving away from the ship, falling onto her hands before realizing the ship had stopped. She picked herself up off the floor and moved back to the balcony. The shield was active and Sierra distinctly heard the impact of three large, fast objects that had followed them through the wormhole.
Sierra breathed, suddenly aware that she had stopped breathing. She pulled in a few ragged breaths, leaning over the balcony as John – mercifully her brother had managed to survive – piloted the ship up into the Jumper bay. As the ship ascended, the cockpit window turned towards them and she saw John give her an exhausted smile. Sierra couldn't help but shake her head at him and give a small laugh.
Well, at least he had made it through Day One without getting himself killed. Who knew how many more they'd have left to survive through.
-----XXX-----
Sierra was chatting with Ford next to the buffet table when a breeze blew off the ocean. The salt air was refreshing after the stale, filtered air of the city. True, now that Atlantis was now on the surface, they were giving the life support system a bit of a break and opening all the windows they could, but it was still refreshing to be outside in the open air.
Sierra glanced up at the foreign sky above them and saw millions and millions of bright stars. It wasn't often that she had seen skies this clear back home. She dropped her eyes to the horizon and spotted John standing alone near at the balcony, lost in his thoughts. Sierra had been there the second he stepped out of the Jumper and had taken in the haggard look in his eyes. She had also heard his story of what had happened to Colonel Sumner, and how John had fired the shot that killed him and Sierra knew that leaving him alone with his thoughts wasn't a really good idea right now.
John, whether it was intentional or not, bore the weight of the world on his shoulders. Every man and woman that was in a hundred mile radius was part of his responsibility. It was a protective streak that had gotten him into too many fights and battles over the years. But it was a part of who he was, and Sierra knew that would never change.
Motioning to Ford, she and the lieutenant joined him. Sierra offered John some of the food she had pick up off the buffet table. He took a slice of cheese and nibbled at it.
"I guess this is home now," Ford said, his easy-going manner perfect for starting a conversation.
"I guess so," John replied, his demeanor not at all one for a party. Sierra wanted to shake him until he laughed.
"I'm thinking of a little place with an ocean view," Ford continued pointing to a distant pier. "Out of the way." Sierra watched as John let a small smile escape him. Sierra threw a thankful smile of her own at the young man.
"Major, Captain, Lieutenant," Elizabeth said, handing them all a stainless mug of wine. "I thought the occasion merited opening this. Compliments of General O'Neill."
"Cheers," John muttered before lifting the mug to his lips. Sierra, not much of a wine person, took a small sip before setting it on the balustrade beside her.
Elizabeth looked at John, and seemed to notice his glum mood. "You did good, John," she said. Sierra noticed the way the diplomat encompassed the rescue attempt (where, admittedly, things hadn't gone exactly according to plan) and the evacuation of the Athosians all into one day of accomplishments. She was glad that Elizabeth didn't blame him for what happened in the Wraith complex, because Sierra could tell that John certainly did.
John shrugged, shaking his head slowly. "I dunno about that."
"I couldn't have done it better," Sierra offered lightly. John glanced at her with a slight grimace.
"Hey," Elizabeth said, reproachful. "There was no way you could have saved Colonel Sumner."
John dropped his eyes from her slightly, his shoulders rigid. "And I have to live with it." Elizabeth nodded lightly, a flash of sympathy crossing her face. Sierra put a reassuring hand on his arm before dropping back to her side. John sighed.
"I'm beginning to think you were right," he said to Elizabeth. "I've made things much worse. I haven't made us many more friends out there."
The diplomat raised an eyebrow at him. "No? Look around you," she said, turning to face the control room, where both expedition personnel and the Pegasus locals were spilling onto the balcony. They were mingling together in crowds, chatting, laughing and making new friends. Nearby, Jinto and his father, Halling, were standing together, their foreheads touching in what Sierra now understood as an affectionate gesture. The woman John had introduced as Teyla Emmagan, the Athosian leader, was standing near them and turned at Elizabeth's words.
"I agree, Major Sheppard," she said. Sierra noticed for the first time how graceful the alien woman was. Without hesitation she moved to stand in front of John, placed her hands on his shoulders and inclined her head towards him. John threw a glance at her and Ford. Ford dropped his eyes, grinning into his cup. Sierra just raised an eyebrow at him. John looked back to Teyla and nervously lowered his head to touch hers.
John had always been awkward when showing emotion toward anyone, be it a friend, partner, teammate or wife. Family was easier for him, but more with Sierra and their mom. It was something he'd picked up from Dad.
After a moment, Teyla raised her head. "You have earned both my friendship," she said before gesturing to the people gathered on the balcony, "and that of my people. With our help you will make many more friends." She stepped back from John, smiling pleasantly at him, and then turned to engage Ford in conversation. They soon moved off towards the buffet table, leaving only Elizabeth, Sierra and John near the edge of the balcony.
"One more thing I'd like both of you to sleep on," Elizabeth said, stopping them as they began to head after Teyla and Ford. "I have a few thoughts on it myself..." She trailed off cryptically.
"Thoughts about what?" Sierra and John asked in union. They shared a glance, a tiny smirk pulling at the edges of John's mouth.
"Who the members of your teams might be?"
"My team?" John asked, surprised, at the same time that Sierra asked, "Teams? Plural?"
Elizabeth fought off a smile while the twins looked at each other again.
"Well, Major, you are the ranking military officer now; or do you need to be reminded of that?" John lowered his eyes with a mixture of sheepishness and regret. Elizabeth turned to Sierra. "And you, Captain, are now his Second in Command. A position like that needs a team to go along with it, don't you think?" Sierra's jaw became slack. She fumbled for words for a moment before Elizabeth continued. "We need to get back out there, do what we came here to do."
Sierra and John nodded in sync as Elizabeth stepped up to the balustrade to lean against it. Sierra was in shock. My own team? Really? This was the best! She immediately regretted that sentiment because of the price that had been paid in order for her to get what she wanted. Regret and shame started to swamp her but she pushed it back. There would be time for that later, in the darkness of her room. Instead, she shared another look with John before moving over to join their boss.
"You do realize," John said, "that I can get us into all sorts of trouble, right? And that's just me."
"You've got both halves of the Sheppard Disaster Duo on your hands," Sierra chimed in, finally finding her voice. "That means a lot of bad luck... for decades to come."
-----XXX-----
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