Ace In The Hole
Chapter 2
It had been three days since Sheppard's meeting with his uncle, three long days of wondering who to trust and what his next move should be, on his return to the city Richard Woolsey had informed him that the vote had not gone their way and for the moment the city would be staying put, cloaked, almost 100 miles west of the San Francisco bay but that he would resubmit a request to return the city to Pegasus at next months IOA meeting.
Sheppard had to admire his tenacity, he had doubted the man in the beginning but both the IOA and the SGC had been forced to admit he was an honest man with a fair and open minded approach, mind made up he stepped into Mr Woolsey's office.
"Colonel… what can I do for you?" Woolsey is sat hands tapping his desk gently as the Colonel takes a seat.
"Have… you… heard anything interesting yet?" Sheppard had to smile, a couple of years ago he would not have trusted Richard Woolsey for a second but now, he was a far different person, imbued with some of the qualities that had made Dr. Weir so valued to the expedition.
"Am I supposed to guess?" Woolsey smiles at John knowingly "Or are you referring to the private meeting of two high ranking IOA members and two equally high ranking US military officers that took place a few day's ago?"
"Aren't you curious to know what it was about?" John smirks at his fidgeting boss.
"Of course I am… but as you have not mentioned it thus far… I thought I would wait and see what you decided to do about it" Sheppard's smirk instantly slips and changes too a frown.
"You know what it was about?" John asks almost shocked.
"No… I have not got a clue what it's about… but it's obvious that you have taken the time to ponder things…. that has to mean something big is going down …. Wanna clue me in?" Richard offers John an honest open smile.
"Dunham and Xiaoyi told me the IOA vote results" Sheppard finally sighs.
"Well… firstly that is a direct breach of IOA protocols… and secondly… they could be lying to manipulate you for some reason" ever the lawyer Richard was already weighing the various reasons and possibilities in his head.
"I trust Dunham" John states simply.
"I know James… he's a good man…. but like most men in his field he knows how to manipulate people" Richard seems a little earnest.
"Richard …. He's my uncle …. I think he's about the only person in that place I would trust." John sighs wearily.
"Ok … I'm not sure I saw that one coming… so your mother was British, I didn't realise." Richard just smiles.
"Dad and Uncle James never got on to well he was a lot younger than Mom, so when she died we hardly saw that side of the family we stayed in contact letters, cards odd phone calls but eventually we drifted as families do" John rubs his hand through his hair "They wanted me to know Coolidge threw the IOA vote, and they have a plan to try and add some leverage to our cause."
"Leverage in what way?" Now Richard is intrigued… hearing about Coolidge was no surprise he had suspected that the idiot had voted out of fear rather than seeing the bigger picture.
"The Chinese and UK governments have offered me a command" Sheppard smiles weakly at his boss.
"One of their 304's I take it"
"No….. command of all of their 304's they want to take the wraith head on, stop them before they have a chance of even trying to head to Earth" John shrugs his shoulders and smiles.
"Ok….. I did not see coming either" Woolsey takes his glasses off and pinches his nose. "Of course you have to understand that the other IOA members may see this has an opportunistic power grab it could raise tensions further I'm afraid"
"That's what Colonel Carter said but Miss Xiaoyi seems to think that fear of being side lined may cause Coolidge to rethink and thus recommit Atlantis to Pegasus"
"Possibly….. But you and I both know that in the end this could backfire and that would leave four ships fighting an unsupported intergalactic war….. It's not without risks either way"
"The British have apparently already submitted their plans for a new Midway station to the IOA and SGC, James showed the plans to Carter and she was impressed by the security measures they have put in place, the Chinese have already started the construction so re-supply may not be the main issue…."
"What sort of security measures?" Woolsey looks puzzled slightly
"The new design comprises of three totally separate units... two small stations containing the two gates and a totally separate control station… walk through gate A, everything's fine you get beamed across to gate B if everything's not ok the stations vented and you get to eat vacuum" John wiggles his eye brows and smiles broadly "And before you ask what would happen if a dart where to come through… apparently when a gate activates it will automatically cause the activation of the other two stations shields meaning it will be trapped there and easily destroyed"
"What about Jumpers won't it cause problems there?"
"Sam already asked that question…" by now Johns starting to grin "they have a protocol already in place for them as well you know the Brits and their planning"
"Sounds fool proof this time… I can't see the SGC blocking it but the IOA may try too who knows at the moment"
"Well that's the thing the submission has been sent as a courtesy… not for approval the two gate stations have already been built and are sitting in the Ark Royals port landing bay as we speak, the control station is almost ready to be loaded onto the Sun Tzu"
"That kind of forceful forward planning will defiantly look like a UK/Chinese power grab" Richard was beginning to feel a sinking feeling in his the pit of his stomach, he knew from experience how delicate matters like this needed to be handled he could see the merits of what Dunham and Xiaoyi where planning but none the less the SGC and homeworld may not like the Chinese trying to manipulate the situation so blatantly, "I'm not sure it will go down well at the Pentagon"
"That's exactly what I said to them, General Landry would throw a fit but I have to admit my Uncle Jay is good…. The stations British designed the Chinese have funded and built it, but they want it manned by the SGC" Sheppard grins knowing Richard is a little surprised at the so obvious implications.
"That would diffuse tensions between them and the SGC but would still be a blatant screw you to the IOA…. clever I guess" He had to admit the plan had merit it would allow the UK/Chinese coalition and the SGC the ability to once again continue their work in Pegasus with or without direct IOA approval, Atlantis would be a major asset but its absence would mean the only organisation not represented in Pegasus would be the IOA, this above anything else would upset Mr Coolidge.
"Richard?... Come on I can see the cogs turning" Sheppard chuckles playfully.
"Coolidge will have too back down…. If he doesn't the IOA has no voice in Pegasus he can't block them directly, their ships… though duty bound to protect Earth when needed are otherwise there own sovereign assets to do as they wish within the IOA guidelines and the SGC has no reason to block using Midway if they are relinquishing control of the station to them directly… Coolidge will have to send us back" Both Sheppard and Woolsey had no choice but to sit smiling cheerfully at each other after almost two years of waiting and countless false starts Atlantis was another step closer to going home.
In New York at the IOA headquarters tempers were flaring as the details of the coalition's plans had finally begun to leak out.
"You son of a Bitch… you won't get away with this… I will make damned sure both of you and that Chinese bitch pay dearly for making me look like a complete arse!" Coolidge is raging, arms gesturing wildly as he comes thundering into James Dunham's office.
"Oh… I think you're doing a good enough job yourself in that regard" James can't hide the smirk on his face as Coolidge realises Dunham is not alone.
"General O'Neill… I… Um…. Good to see you General." Coolidge stammers trying desperately to regain his composure.
"You were saying James?" O'Neill merely blanks Coolidge offering him the slightest of withering looks.
"Construction and placement of Midway II will take a couple of weeks…. possibly around the 23rd, we were hoping that if it where at all possible Colonel Carter could help with the final calibrations and checks before the official hand over to the SGC…. we are confident of our tech guys but it never hurts to be over cautious" Dunham smiles cheerfully as O'Neill smiles cheerfully in return.
"I'm sure she would be happy to help, as for putting Sheppard at the head of this task force of yours…." O'Neill couldn't help notice the smirk slipping onto Coolidge's face "Both myself and Landry would feel better knowing that if he is to lead, that he do it from the bridge of a US ship therefore we are giving him temporary command of the Odyssey and she will head the task force" Coolidge's jaw drops stunned at the news.
"That is very gracious of you Jack…. I'm sure that my Nephew will be more than a little pleased to hear that" Dunham smiles wildly at the news before both he and O'Neill turn to smile at the stunned Mr Coolidge.
"Colonel Sheppard?... Your nephew?... And you knew all along General?... You're both playing me here….What the hells going on?" Coolidge is red with rage by now.
"What's going on is that I don't like being manipulated…. I don't like all the good work the SGC and Atlantis Expedition did put in jeopardy by a pen pushing moron…. I can't order the IOA to send Atlantis back…. I can't commit the resources I would like too… but I can commit a single ship… on its own it wouldn't last too long …. Thankfully I have a few friends who seem to think that saving the planet a few dozen times counts for something!"
"You are both insane…. Pegasus is billions of miles away the Wraith are stuck there we can leave them be and concentrate on the rest of the threats here in this galaxy such as the Lucian Alliance"
"So we're leaving the Pegasus galaxy to the Wraith while we plunder Atlantis for each and every bit of useful technology" Dunham is beginning to loose his temper with Coolidge's callous attitude.
"Atlantis is IOA property and belongs to us now!"
"Actually it doesn't…. under the terms of Mr Woolsey's agreements with the coalition of Pegasus governments he agreed and put into writing that Atlantis is an asset of the Pegasus galaxy and the IOA is merely temporary custodians"
"What ever Woolsey signed is irrelevant!"
"Go read the charter and a copy of Mr Woolsey's mandate… oh I forgot… here I have it for you" Dunham smiles handing a thick file to Coolidge "It states that as Diplomatically elected representative of the IOA the leader of the Atlantis Expedition has ultimate discretionary powers for creating alliances and treaties for the protection and safety of the city and its occupants, all IOA states are duty bound to honour all negotiations made in good faith"
"You are joking that's your argument… good luck enforcing that in court… oh wait you can't go to court without full disclosure!" Coolidge sneers mockingly at Dunham and O'Neill
"You're right that's why I have this…." Dunham waves a second file at Coolidge "It contains copies of signed letters from the heads of state of 24 of the 27 countries currently aware of the Stargate program including The British Prime Minister, Chinese Premier, German Chancellor, Japanese Prime Minister, Australia, New Zealand, Canada I could go on but basically put … it is demanding the IOA begin preparations for full planetary disclosure of the program… now either way you play it Coolidge… Atlantis is going to be going home"
"You couldn't have ….. You wouldn't …. General?" O'Neill just smiles at the stuttering politician,
"Way I see it Coolie….. It's Time"