Ace In The Hole
Chapter 17
By the time Chaya and Sheppard re-enter the walled garden three figures are stood on the opposite side of the lawn staring at Alex Rodney and Lorne, Chaya gently nudges John forward to join the others before turning to leave.
"Where do you think you are going Athara?" Alex calls causing her to freeze instantly.
"She has been banished…. She has no business being in our presence unless needed" Seravus barks glancing at Chaya with disdain.
"I will decide on who I wish as a witness…. And I wish her to stay!" Alex snaps before turning to Chaya with a beaming smile "Now…. Get your bottom over here young lady!" Chaya rolls her eyes with a weak smile tugging at her lips before taking hold of John's arm and joining the group.
"You…. should have been reset eon's ago you impudent excuse fo…" Seravus stammers before the women besides him stops him
"Seravus my dear…. Let it go!" She smiles firmly before turning to face Alex.
"Altus Valaris…. It has been too long…. You are well I see"
"Atavus please…. Drop the pretence and tell me why I am even bothering to meet with you like this? What do you want?" Valaris is tall with long blond hair and a distinguished looking face aged around 40years old, dressed in a similar long plain white dress Chaya wore she looked slightly sad more than annoyed "You above anyone should know why we can not allow ourselves to interfere"
"I would have you see" Alex walks forward and hold out his hand which she quickly accepts.
"What's going on?" Rodney whispers to Chaya
"He is showing her his thoughts…. Explaining what it is…. he wants of her" Chaya explains in a whisper back to the scientist.
Moments later Alex turns and sits off to the side with a smile
"Seravus you and Thaika can go…. I will be back shortly" Valaris nods and the two others beside her suddenly glow then disappear "Please everyone take a seat…. I will not be repeating this"
The assembled group sit down to focus on the women in front of them, years of trying and failing to gain the attention of any ascended Ancients and in less than an hour Alex had got the Lantean equivalent of their president down off her cloud standing in front of them.
"Atavus…. Or Alex as you have called him is worried that you are beginning to doubt yourselves" Valaris offers with a sigh "He need's for you to know the truth"
"Truth about what?" Sheppard asks hesitantly
"The truth of your existence" Valaris states simply
"Excuse me?..."
"The reason for our highest law…. Why we do not interfere…. With the Ori…. The Wraith…. The Asgard…. And more importantly why we do not interfere with humanity" she sighs gently before continuing "I can sum this up in a single belief…. It is a belief all Lanteans know and hold on to…." Valaris smiles warmly before continuing.
"You do not have children in the hopes that they will be your equal….. you have children in the hope that some day they will take that next step forward that next leap ahead that will make them more than you yourselves are" Valaris smiles warmly to John, Rodney and Evan "Humanity is our greatest creation…. Not weapons or cities or ships…. You…. our children were created from the very best of us…. no matter how much we hate having to stand by and watch you suffer…. You have to see it is because we have faith in only one thing…. your people's ability to become so much more….. and yet not too make the mistakes we made getting there" A tear rolls down Valaris' cheek as she smiles "We made so many bad decisions when we were mortal…. To make one now could jeopardise our greatest creation…. You"
Alex steps forward and places a comforting hand on her shoulder
"Felt good to let that go didn't it?" he smiles to the teary Valaris
"They are our children…. Each time they fall it is so hard to watch…. But each step forward is so joyful to behold…. They are so unsure and hesitant…. Yet bold and fearless…. Could we have wished for more?" Valaris looks to them once more "Trust in yourselves…. You need nothing more…. The Asgard were right…. you are the fifth race…. Be confident and bold….. follow your hearts and you will find your way"
"Valaris turns to hug Alex before nodding to Chaya warmly then disappears in a glowing ball of light.
"Why do I feel like I just came of age" Lorne chuckles
"Short…. To the point…. Totally unhelpful…. I gotta get back before that bunch of baboons we call 'a research team' screw up my lab…." Rodney uses air quotes and rolls his eyes on about the other scientists back in the city.
"You guys head back to the Jumper…. I'll be back soon" Sheppard nods and the others leave him alone with Chaya
"I gotta go…. Work to do" he smiles weakly
"Atav…. Alex" she smiles "Alex has said he will visit me…. From time to time….If that is ok?"
"Of course…. You know you are always welcome in the city" he offers with a smile
"My place is here with my people…. but at least you have a greater understanding now"
"No pressure there then" John grins
"Valaris was right…. We trust in our children more than you realise…. Be safe John Sheppard" She kisses him gently on the cheek before disappearing in a ball of light.
Two hours later Sheppard has filed his report and explained what happened and what was said on Proculus to Woolsey, Rodney had quickly disappeared back to his lab and was organising the scientists into teams to sort out the myriad of problems they faced.
Lorne was in the mess hall with Teyla and Jennifer having a late lunch and was using this chance to catch up on a bit of friendly gossip
"She was a babe I gotta admit" Lorne nods
"You doubted my word Evan…. That hurts" Teyla thumps his shoulder playfully
"No…. I guess I kinda wanted….. I don't know"
"Makes it harder for you to fantasize about him playing for your team now doesn't it?" Jennifer grins as she winks at Teyla
"No!... He'd play…. I'm 90%... Ok 60% sure he would play" Evan sighs
"Let it go and move on…." Jennifer sighs
"I must agree with Jennifer Evan…. There are plenty men more suitable and available…. It is time you were happy"
"There's always your husband?"
"Rodney?"
"Not yours…. Teyla's…. you plank!" Lorne and Teyla laugh at Jennifer's glare before she also starts laughing.
"Like I could put up with Rodney…. You my dear have the patience of a saint" Lorne says to a smiling Jennifer "Either that or you just dose him up at night" Lorne starts chuckling as Teyla just turns her head to the side to hide her smile
"Oh… don't look now…. but she's got him again" Jennifer grins
"Who's got who?" Lorne asks trying to look around discreetly
"I believe that is the third time in as many days" Teyla nods
"What?... ladies its not gossip if I don't know who its about" Lorne huffs
"Larin…. She keeps latching on to Alex…. She likes him!" Jennifer grins
"No way!" Lorne smirks and spins around eyes searching "He looks a little nervous…. I don't think I have ever seen him look like that before" Lorne can tell Alex is a little uncomfortable from his tight body language "I wonder if he?... 5 million years old…. Surely he's" Like a bolt of lightning a thought enters his head and he instinctively reaches for his radio
"Lorne to Reed"
[Reed here sir….]
"Jake…. Do me a favour radio Lexy…. Tell him McKaye needs him in his lab immediately"
[No problem Sir…. Reed out] seconds later he sees Alex tap his radio, swiftly make his apologies to Larin then hurriedly leave the mess hall.
"Ok…. Wanna tell us or we supposed to guess why you did that?" Jennifer asks looking slightly confused.
"He's never been with anyone" Lorne offers with a sympathetic shrug
"How could you possibly know that?" Jennifer frowns
"I just do"
"And you thought you need help getting laid" Jennifer grins
"I will have a talk with him later…. Find out for sure…." Evan stops speaking and starts frowning
"What?"
"They need you in med lab"
"What!" Jennifer asks slightly surprised
"They need you in med…"
[Beckett to Dr McKaye] Jennifer jumps as her radio sounds
"What's wrong Carson?"
[Sorry to do this Jennifer but Dr Kusanagi has broken her arm and it needs setting and I have to perform an appendectomy on Corporal Smith…. Any chance?]
"I'm on my way" Jennifer sighs "Evan….How did you know?"
"I have no idea…. Lucky guess?" He answers shaking his head.
An hour later Evan is just about to ring the door bell on Alex's quarters as the door slides open, Alex is sat at the top of the bed cross legged with his eyes closed in meditation
"Come in" Alex smiles warmly opening his eyes to look at Lorne
"You…. OK?"
"Thanks to you…. you are my knight in shining armour Sir" Alex chuckles closing his eyes once more
"Wanna talk about it?"
"I am 5 million years old…. Wise beyond even the Ancients…. Until it comes to one thing…."
"She likes you…. do you?... do you like her?"
"To be honest…. I'm not sure…. This body may be human…. But I'm a city…. Born and built to serve, protect and guide those within my walls…. I was never allowed…. I mean I never even thought…. What is I mean…"
"The Ancients loved you the city…. As the city…. Not you the man…. Was it forbidden?" Lorne asks hesitantly
"No…. not forbidden….. Just never encouraged" Alex sighs opening his eyes to look at Lorne
"Would you like too….. You know?" Lorne can't help smile at the deep blush creeping up Alex's neck.
"Ok…. Yes I like her…. She is brave and stubborn and direct…. She intrigues me…. She hasn't got the gene so there is an air of the unknown…. Plus she is kinda hot" Alex grins
"Sheppard seems to think so" Lorne huffs almost pouting
"He likes her…. But it's more…. Cat playing with the mouse than actual interest…. More a battle of wit's" Alex offers
"So what you gonna do?" Lorne asks but Alex just shrugs
"Hi…. I'm Alex the universes only 5 million year old virgin…. Wanna make out?" Alex chuckles trying to lighten the mood
"You could try…. Hello Larin…. Would you like to join me for dinner…. Kinda take it slow" Lorne smiles "Or….If not Larin…. There's a young marine that I know for a fact has the hot's for you…. I'm sure he wouldn't care that you are a virgin" Lorne chuckles
"Maybe I should date him first and see what its like" Alex says suddenly serious
"Hang on there…. Slow down…. Having a relationship with a guy is totally different to having a relationship with a woman…. Are you saying you are Bi?"
"I am neither Evan…. I'm a city…. Remember?" Alex quips "But male or female should make no difference it's the soul you fall in love with not the bits attached…. You should know that"
"True…. But even so most people find it hard to accept seeing you with a man one day then a women the next…. I doubt Larin would like it" Lorne grins
"And you…. say it was someone you like….Say Colonel Sheppard could you accept seeing him with a women or a man?" Alex grins knowing full well he is winding Lorne up now
"John is different…. All the things he has done…. All the times he has laid himself on the line…. I and everyone else here wanna see him happy that's all"
"You still didn't answer the question though?"
"I hate seeing him with a woman…. But it would kill me seeing him with another guy" Evan sighs
"Looks like we are a pair of hopeless cases then I would say" Alex grins.