Ace In The Hole
Chapter 3
"Ok Sheppard spill"
"Rodney … I have no idea what you're talking about"
"Yeh right… Jennifer and I are gone for like two weeks whist we are on honeymoon and in that time not only has the IOA reversed its decision to let us to return to Pegasus but a new Midway Stations been built… deployed and brought online and to top it off the IOA have placed five battle cruisers including Odyssey at our disposal ….. Am I in the twilight zone? …..Are you screwing the President or something?"
"Yes Rodney … that must be it I'm screwing the President" Sheppard rolls his eyes at his friend whilst staring across the mess hall watching various expedition members scooting back and forward excitedly "Can't you just accept things are going our way for once?"
"No!... That's usually when something bad happens" Rodney sighs dramatically "I gotta go meet Jen…. Later?"
"Sure…. " Rodney hurriedly exits the mess hall leaving Sheppard to wonder how he is going to pull this off, commanding a military base is one thing but commanding a task force is an entirely new matter, when the IOA announced the change of plans or Operation Pegasus as they were now officially calling it, he had expected them to leave him in charge of the city but put the task force under someone else.
General O'Neill had made it clear from the start that he was still in charge of the task force and he had too admit to being a little nervous. His promotion to full Colonel was still relatively new and he knew this was going to be a big challenge logistically, caught up in his own thoughts his mind a million miles away he almost jumped a foot in the air when he realised someone was sat opposite grinning at him wildly.
"Colonel…. sorry to startle you there" Lorne chuckled
"Major …. Sorry….Lieutenant Colonel…congratulations on the overdue promotion….." Sheppard smiles warmly… he couldn't help it, when ever Lorne was around him his life felt a little easier he took so much of the day to day crap off John's shoulders and seemed to effortlessly thunder through mountains of paperwork always with a smile on his face, course he knew like most military men Lorne was no grinning fool but he had to admit to himself he often envied the ease at which he seemed to glide through life.
"Sir… I've been going through some of the preliminary schedules and seem to have settled on a flexible plan…."
"Stop ….Lorne not today … today is officially a rest day remember… this… last day off for long time are you understanding?"
"Sorry Sir guess it's the excitement getting to me … so how are you Sir?" Lorne quirks a knowing grin "I hear you are sleeping with the President"
"McKay?"
"Of course, but I have to agree with him on one thing it's a rather big change of policy, I thought my secondment back to the SGC was looking a little permanent for a few moments there"
"As if I would let you go that easy… your ass is mine!"
Lorne can't help but laugh as Sheppard realises the double meaning of what's been said.
"Professionally speaking that is …. I mean … You know?"
"I get it Sir" Lorne nods smiling mockingly, he had realised a long time ago that as cool as Colonel Sheppard was in the field John Sheppard the man was awkward and socially inept, this duality was what put most people at ease with him he wasn't perfect he was just an ordinary man finding his way though life.
"So Sir… have you spoken with Ronon or Teyla? I know they will be glad too hear we are going to be back soon" Lorne knew it had been tough on Sheppard when they had decided to return too the Pegasus Galaxy six months ago, and although Daedalus had returned to New Athos twice since then a lot could have happened to them by now.
"Caldwell said Ronon is helping to train some of the Athosians and even a few Genni in the hopes of strengthening the Pegasus Treaty…. I think Woolsey gave him the whole we are better as one fighting as one speech" Lorne had to smile too himself at the thought of the Satedan Warrior falling asleep through Woolsey's speech… it had happened before on numerous occasions, "And No …. I can see what you're thinking there Lorne…. He didn't fall asleep…. Not this time anyway" Lorne merely grins as he stands to leave.
"I have a few things too do before we leave Sir, so I guess I will see you in the morning at the briefing?" Lorne turns too leave smiling,
"See you in the morning Colonel" John smile as he watches Lorne leave the mess hall, the room is still buzzing with excitement scientists and military eager to get back to their mission…
Their mission the very thought in Sheppard's head makes him want to laugh out loud…. A few years ago he was stuck at the bottom of the world his reckless nature once again getting him into trouble now here he was about too lead his people in an effort to free an entire galaxy from the clutches of the wraith, when Elizabeth had asked him to join the relatively small expedition to Pegasus he had been nervous but now leading an expedition of his own ten times the size of the original he was defiantly feeling the pressure.
The Atlantis briefing room was packed the large triangular desk had never seen so many personnel but of course this was no ordinary briefing, sat along one side was General O'Neill, General Landry, James Dunham, Shen Xaioyi, along another side sat Colonel Yuan commander of the Sun Tzu, Colonel Liow commander of the Yun Zhou and Colonel Richards commander of the Ark Royal and Colonel Lorne, finally Colonel Sheppard, Dr Rodney McKaye, Dr Jennifer McKaye, Dr Beckett and Mr Woolsey sat slightly squashed in on the third side of the table.
"Colonel Granger will be unable to attend this briefing I am afraid… if the Adaris is too leave on schedule that is." Woolsey offers with a slight grin. "Miss Xaioyi ….please" Shen Xaioyi rises too her feet and bows her head slightly before speaking to the assembled group.
"For too many years the nations of this world have looked to their neighbours with fear and distrust in their hearts…. we have seen many wars and many lives have been lost and still nothing changed…. When our Ambassador first gave his report to my government about the Stargate program there were many that feared what the US would do…. how could we ever hope to survive an attack from the USA when she had such overwhelming technology? What would happen to our people? Our way of life, our homes?... Thankfully the General Secretaries wife was a lot more optimistic, she reminded him of an old saying from long ago that when you are threatened by a far off land the only true allies you have are the grumpy neighbours next door"
The assembled group smiled openly at Shen's joke "Who would have guessed that the Stargate… a single piece of technology could accomplish in less than a decade what governments have failed to do for so long" Miss Xaioyi nods politely and retakes her seat as James Dunham stands to speak.
"Most of us know why and how we are here… I can honestly say I was not entirely happy having too force the IOA's hand like we have… but it was something that had too be done…. The threat the Wraith pose to each and every world in this galaxy is extreme… now I know there are a few here that think wiping out the Wraith is nothing short of genocide but believe me I don't think we have much of an option"
"Erm…. Excuse me don't mean to interrupt or anything but I thought we had perfected the DNA treatment on Todd?" Rodney couldn't stop himself from butting in. He knew Carson and his wife had been working tirelessly for the better part of a year now, he also knew from Sheppard that it had been almost nine months since Todd had been able to feed on a human being.
"There was a slight complication with the treatment Rodney…. The treatment worked and for a while and he could gain sustenance from his food….but…there were unforeseen complications" Carson looks to Colonel Sheppard who gives an almost unperceivable nod in return as he quietly relays a few orders into his radio.
"What sort of complications? Jen? His wife merely sighs and offers Rodney a sad look as the meeting room doors open.
The sight that met them was a sad one indeed the figure sat in the wheelchair being pushed in by a marine looks old and frail, its thin translucent skin looks barely strong enough to be holding on to the sharp bone underneath, its head is bald and covered in deep wrinkles and the once defiant determined eyes are now milky and lifeless, Todd has aged rapidly without a Humans life force to sustain him he has gone mad… withered and faded away within months and both Carson and Jennifer knew he would not live much longer, in their hearts they knew that their research had failed and they knew what that would ultimately mean for the Wraith.
James Dunham sighs quietly allowing those around him to re-gather their thoughts before he continues.
"Unfortunately removing the Wraiths ability to feed is no longer a useable option… unless we are to use it in a combat situation…. Personally I don't like the idea of turning them into a bunch of pensioners before we shoot them…. Seems a little cowardly and inhumane…. The actual way you neutralise the threat is up to ultimately decide on Colonel … I truly am sorry here guys but we are willing to provide the tools and support but ultimately it's going to be your responsibility on how to proceed…. General?"
"Richard you are to remain in over all control of the city... you are a good diplomat and administrator but the cities primary function is to support and aid the task force which is under Sheppard's control, we are asking you to be more like his conscience than his boss this time round… exploration and retrieval of technology is still paramount too achieve our goals so that is to continue but ultimately that is for you too decide… the Ancients have left us a hell of a mess to clean up… but as we have proven before the Tau-ri are up to the challenge"
O'Neill couldn't help but smile as those words came from Landry's mouth he was proud of the work both the SGC and the Atlantis Expedition had done over the past few years, he knew in his heart the Ancients were sitting on their collective asses watching their every move and he knew every time humanity succeeded to right one of their wrongs their heads fell a little further in shame.
"Right guys you have two weeks to stock up finalise your plans and get everything ready to go …. Think you can do it?" O'Neill smirks at Sheppard and Woolsey playfully.
"General we could do it in a day" John smirks back.
"Cool then…. you're a go for the 5th!" O'Neill quips back Sheppard's smirk drops instantly…
"Sir…..That Is Tomorrow!" Sheppard is frowning as is Woolsey beside him.
"So it is…. You said you needed a day… You better get to it!"
"This is crazy Sir!... I can't believe General O'Neill is holding us to this deadline… you had to goad him you couldn't let it go." Sheppard chuckles at his now frantic XO.
"Lorne… will you quit worrying and just go check that all personnel that should be in the city are in the city and that all the equipment and ammunition we need is here … oh and that everyone knows that we leave at 23:45 tonight…. Not tomorrow"
Sheppard waits quietly counting …one …two….thr,
"WHAT! …. Want to run that past me again?"
"I want to be gone ASAP …. Before they change their minds… Rodney has been on and on at me for months saying that she's good to go…. I have it all planned in my head…so I'm gonna show O'Neill and everyone else we mean business" Sheppard is buzzing he knows it and Lorne knows it, excitement and adrenaline are pumping through his system. After months of waiting countless hours going over all the mistakes and lost opportunities John is determined that this time they get things right. "Colonel Lorne … I believe you have a lot to do and little time to get it done" Sheppard can't help grin.
"You are crazy Sir…McKaye is gonna flip…. you do realise?"
"Oh Yeh… I know"
"Are you insane? Or are you just trying to give me a heart attack? Cause I'm not sure here?" Rodney is already tapping away at his laptop as a dozen scientists freeze mouths a gasp at Sheppard's plans.
"Can we do it? We have the power… everyone's settled in the city and ready… supplies are on board… hell you even have the industrial complex on the north east pier up and running… what's stopping us?" Johns smiling at the scientist knowingly, he's almost sure that Rodney was planning a romantic night with Jennifer and now those plans would be shot to pieces.
"Fine she will be ready to go, What about the task force? They will take longer to get to Pegasus than Atlantis?"
"The Ark Royal and the Sun Tzu are holding station at Midway… actually part of the point of re-establishing Midway is to recover the Tria"
"Helia's ship? …I said we should have brought that thing back to Earth but no one listens to me though" Rodney sighs as he continues to tap his keyboard furiously.
"Well they are gonna dock it at Midway…. its out the way and thanks to the gate bridge easily accessible from Earth… good a place as any to get it up and running and try to figure out what else it can do" Sheppard can't help but remember something his uncle had commented on "I get the feeing that O'Neill and my uncle have bigger plans for the place … maybe ship yard or research station …who knows"
"That would make sense…..it's out of the reach of most major powers…. in a remote a place as possible… the SGC can control who sees what…. definitely makes sense" Rodney stops typing momentarily as he ponders the options of what he's doing "What about the other ships?"
"The Odyssey, Yun Zhou and Adaris if she's ready in time are going to head out tomorrow meet up at Midway then all five are gonna rendezvous with us on PX31-7AJ" John gets up to leave "Oh that's after we finish off on Lantea"
"Lantia?" McKaye barks in surprise.
"I have an idea… to put the submersible drilling platform there to good use…. I'll fill you in on the flight to Pegasus….later" Sheppard's out the door before Rodney even gets chance to protest he knows he's dumping a lot on his friend… but he knows that when he excels.