1/12/2018 UPDATE: Working on fixing some issues I have with this story, then I'll start working on some new chapters!
Chapter 10
"You need to make this quick," Jennifer said as Daniel and Cerine took a seat in front of Woolsey's desk.
"Ok, quick version," Daniel said with a heavy sigh. "I went through the gate. Met Cerine and Commander Shepard. Learned I was in an alternate universe where the entire Milky Way is under attack by giant sentient starships called Reapers."
Woolsey's brow furrowed and he glanced to Sheppard who only shrugged.
"Realized I couldn't get home right away. So, while we worked on a way to either find a DHD or come up with a dialing program, I helped fight Reapers. And then we came through the gate," Daniel said, recounting as quickly as he could the last few months.
Sheppard clucked his tongue. "Wow, now that was a story worth waiting for. Though I'm guessing there's a lot of details in there."
"If Elizabeth is alive, we need her help," Daniel said. "Not just for Shepard, but for ourselves."
"How so?" Woolsey asked, leaning forward on his desk.
Daniel looked to McKay. "Would you like to…"
"Of course," McKay said, "let's have McKay deliver the bad news. I never get to tell the good news."
"In this case there is none, McKay," Daniel replied.
Rodney nodded curtly. "Point taken."
"Dr. McKay?" Woolsey said impatiently.
"Right. So, the explosion in the gateroom at the facility severely damaged some of the power conduits and the facility is no longer functioning properly. After talking with Dr. Jackson, I've determined that the signal the facility was emitting was creating a sort of subspace barrier to protect Andromeda and the Milky Way."
"And the Milky Way?" Daniel asked. That was news to him.
"That's right, McKay said.
"From what?" Sheppard asked.
"Reapers," Daniel said. "There were Reapers here, a long, long time ago. The Ancients discovered their existence and that they would return. They were able to build this system across Andromeda that…"
"Would prevent the Reapers from returning," Rodney interrupted. "It's really quite ingenious. The Reapers can circle around Andromeda and the Milky Way all day long, but they cannot enter. Well… they couldn't, but now the signal is no longer transmitting and the barrier is down."
"He's saying the Reapers could return at any moment," Cerine explained. "And they will. Once they figure out there is nothing to stop them, they will return."
"If these so-called Reapers exist," Woolsey said with obvious skepticism, "then surely they've moved on by now. Why would they spend countless millennia waiting outside a galaxy they can no longer enter?"
"You don't know the Reapers like we do. An eon is but a breath to them. They could easily wait, knowing that eventually a system designed to keep them out would surely fail, or that its makers would die out. We need to help each other, Mr. Woolsey. The Reapers can be stopped, but neither of us can do it alone." She placed her hands flat on his desk and leaned down closer to him, locking her eyes with his. "First thing is we need Sheppard. Take us to this Elizabeth. Please."
Woolsey nodded. "Very well, but you understand my requirements if we do this."
"I do," she said. "Sheppard will remain off planet for the time being."
2002 C.E. – 7 Years Earlier – Milky Way Galaxy
A dark red sun was setting in the west and the tall tress cast their long shadows across the valley as the human crawled, dragging himself across the grass and dirt to the edge of a small stream. He quickly thrust his hand into the cold water and lapped it greedily from his cupped hand. He knew he was dying, but he wasn't ready to give up just yet. Though, truth be told, he didn't have the slightest idea of where he was or what had happened. He didn't remember much of anything before pulling himself from the flaming wreckage of a small shuttle about twenty minutes earlier. It was as if his memories were all buried behind a hazy fog his mind couldn't quite penetrate. For the moment though, survival was key; memories would have to wait.
Fortunately, he had crashed on a habitable planet. The leaves on the trees were changing and the temperature was dropping. He could only hope it wouldn't get much colder, though if he needed he could crawl back nearer the wreckage and keep warm by the fire of the shuttle. Dragging himself into a sitting position against a tree, he took stock of his wounds. His right leg was definitely broken and a small shard of shrapnel had pierced his right side. Added to that was a terrible pain in his neck and a number of serious cuts and bruises. If he didn't think of something soon, he would certainly die sitting by that tree.
A twig snapped and he glanced into the now darkening forest. Three women emerged from the woods. He was taken aback and caught his breath. Their skin was a soft sapphire blue and in place of hair, their heads were topped with curved crests of flesh. They wore simple furs and carried swords in one hand, each of their other hands was enveloped in shifting ribbons of blue energy. They approached him cautiously.
"You're hurt," one of them said, stepping forward from the others to kneel beside him.
He nodded.
The energy around her hand dissipated, and she sheathed her sword on her back. "I am Tieryn. A protector of the Republic of Lonica. No one else has set foot on our world in many millennia."
He couldn't conceal the surprise on his face, and she grinned.
"Don't let these fool you," she said, gesturing to the furs. "We are not ignorant of technology or what lies beyond our world. We simply chose a different path."
"I would be grateful for any help you could offer."
Thirty minutes later he was resting in a hut in a small encampment. They'd cut away his
clothes, being as gentle as they could, and treated his wounds with a strange liquid that quickly eased the pain and began to seal the cuts. The camp, like their clothing, was simple – thatch huts, but they were warm and comfortable. The bed they'd laid him on was covered with deep luxuriant furs. As the serum worked through his body, he could feel the fog beginning to dissipate. As the pain in his neck began to ease, he could feel the veil beginning to slide away. Something at the edge of his memory was trying to break free, but the closer he came to remembering, the more fearful he became of what he would remember.
"Are you feeling better?" Tieryn asked.
"I am," he replied.
"Who are you? Why are you here?"
"My shuttle crashed," he replied. "Beyond that I can't tell you much."
"Do others know where our world is? Who else knows about Thessia?" she pressed.
"I don't even know where I am. As far as I know I crashed here by chance."
She sighed and shook her head. "My commanders will not accept that. I need to know who you are. Your ship showed damage from an energy weapon. Do you know who attacked you?"
He shrugged helplessly. "At the moment, there is nothing else I can tell you."
"You need to give me something," she said, stressing the last word. "My people survive because we are a secret. If the secret is out…"
"Survive what?"
She chuckled in disbelief. "Has it been so long then? Has the rest of the galaxy already forgotten?"
"In my case, I have forgotten everything," he reminded her.
"True," she acceded.
She leaned in close and touched his face gently. He was young, and had a strong, handsome face, though bald and light blue veins stood out stark against his pale skin. "I can help you remember then. If you'll let me?"
Something inside him told him to refuse, but her touch was overpowering and he nodded his assent.
As Tieryn joined with him, a flood of memories, more than this young man could have ever experienced washed over her, and she broke the link quickly. Horror and disgust spread across her face. "Who are you?"
"You… need to go," he groaned out painfully and then clenched his teeth.
Her eyes narrowed and she attempted to draw back but he grabbed her wrist with surprising strength. He smiled which slowly morphed into a cunning smirk. He leaned up close to her. Now, he remembered. Grabbing her by the back of the neck he pulled his face up close to hers.
"I am Sokar," he snarled and kissed her forcefully.
Tieryn emerged from the hut and approached her two fellow commandos who were gathered around a fire. She knelt down by the fire and tossed a bloody knife in front of her. They regarded her curiously.
"He attacked me," she said. "So, I put a knife through his throat."
"The Matriarchs won't be pleased," one of them said. "They would have wanted to question him."
She tapped her forehead. "I know everything we need to know about him. He's… a monster, and I don't mean that metaphorically. He really did end up here by chance. He was a wanted criminal, hunted for years. That he survived so long is remarkable, I'll give him that."
"The Matriarchs will want to hear from you. They'll want to know what he knows about the Reapers."
Tieryn nodded and picked up her knife. "I'll return to Lonica in the morning to share with them what I've learned, but he knows nothing of the Reapers. It's seems they've been gone so long, everyone except us has forgotten them."
"Maybe, they're gone forever?" One of them mused aloud.
"Or maybe there's something worse now," the other said with a shudder.
"Perhaps," Tieryn replied softly, glancing up at the stars. "Perhaps."