Ace In The Hole
Chapter 35
"I'm not sure... how exactly I got off the hive" Ford says whilst handing everyone a drink, they are all sat around a large table outside his and Lulara's café in the warm afternoon sunshine, "I remember coming to with a Wraith about to feed on me... I still had enough of the enzyme in my system to take him out but after that... I was stuck on an unknown planet with no idea where the gate was... and that was even if there was a gate"
"How long?" Teyla asks looking concerned.
"Too long... to get more enzyme that is" Aiden fidgets nervously glancing at Sheppard "I ended up going through withdrawal alone in a cold damp cave... but after three days of vomiting and cramps I was clean... it felt strange... like I had woken from a bad dream or something"
"So you're clean?" McKaye says bluntly as ever whilst shovelling an energy bar into his mouth as fast as he can, Sheppard and the others glare at him but Aiden just smiles.
"See you haven't changed much" he looks Sheppard in the eye "Haven't touched it since that day" Sheppard nods and smiles.
"Then what happened?... how did you come to be here on Galdora?" Teyla asks shaking her head at Rodney.
"A hunting party found him wondering aimlessly on the planet Taycor" Lulara says with a smile.
"Taycor?... I've been there" Ronon says more to Sheppard than anyone else.
"I too... have also been there" says Teyla nodding "It is a good world for hunting... lots of game"
"The Wraith also hunt there" Lulara says with a shiver "Aiden was fortunate one of our hunting parties found him when they did" She smiles lovingly to Aiden whilst rubbing her hand through his hair tenderly.
"I was in a mess when they brought me to the town but I was alive... after getting better I began helping to repay their kindness any way I could... then I met Lu here and..." Aiden grins at Sheppard.
"So you run this establishment now?" Teyla asks diplomatically.
"No... I help out when needed but this is Lu's... I'm on Gladora's governing council... I'm basically in charge of protecting the towns and outer villages" Aiden says with a smile.
"How many?" Sheppard says with a frown.
"Galdora is the largest town but there two other towns Drowfal which is near the Western mountains and Stellik to the East by the coast... then there is about 16 villages"
"How many people are living on this world?" Teyla asks surprised and confused.
"Around 250,000 give or take" Ford grins.
"Don't the Wraith ever cull here?... that's a pretty large population for Pegasus" McKaye asks suddenly interested.
Lulara just glances at Aiden warily, but Aiden smiles at her reassuringly before turning to McKaye with a grin.
"The Ancients left a gift here" he says cryptically before disappearing into the back room momentarily.
When he returns he is holding a small pad shaped device, at first glance it looks like a hand held life signs detector but the screen is different, Aiden hands it carefully to the doctor before retaking his seat.
"The Ancestors gave three of those devices to my people when they left us... they have kept our people safe ever since" Lulara says with a smile.
"What are they?" Asks Teyla trying to take a look.
"They tell my people of the Wraith's arrival"
"From what I have figured out they are linked to some sort of sensors... all I know is the instant anyone comes through the gate or a ship comes into orbit we know thanks to this" Aiden explains pointing to the pad.
"Each of our three towns have one... it gives our people time to get to the emergency shelters deep underground where they are safe" Lulara says.
An hour later Sheppard and Ford are alone, everyone else had tactfully made excuses to be else where, Lulara had taken Teyla and Ronon on a tour of the rest of the town, Lorne and his team had gone to check out the Inn at the top of the hill on Aidens recommendation, so here he and Sheppard sat alone in silence neither one of them quite sure where to start.
"I'm sorry" Aiden says looking at Sheppard with trepidation.
"Look... if anything... it should be me saying sorry" Aiden frowns confusion evident of his face causing Sheppard to sigh "You were on some wacky Wraith drug... if anyone failed its me... its me who let you down" Sheppard emphasises the 'you' and then drops his gaze to the floor.
"Sir" Aiden says with a grin gaining Sheppard's attention "That is complete bull shit and you know it... You tried too get me to see sense... you tried every chance you got to get me to see what that stuff was doing to me... I was an addict John!"
Sheppard's eyes lock with his and Aiden nods, remorse is clear in his face but there is no shame and more importantly no blame.
"I was off the rail's and it was no one's fault but my own... like any junky I had plenty of chances to stop and even though a part of me knew It was wrong I still needed that fix" Aiden smiles "You have nothing to feel guilty about... you've always wanted what's best for me... I know that... I knew that then... but when you are on that stuff... it messes with your head like any other drug if you miss use it" Aiden grins.
"Mr Legalise it all... lecturing on a drug" Sheppard grins lightening the mood.
"I still believe in legalisation... they haven't have they?" Aiden says raising his eyebrows in hope.
"Not last time I checked" Sheppard grins... "I believe you told McKaye by 2015 wasn't it"
"I still have a few years" Aiden grins "I may win that bet yet" he nods in mock determination causing Sheppard to laugh.
"So how is everyone?... hows Dr Weir?" Aiden sees the pained look in Sheppard's eyes and chastises himself silently.
"We lost her to the replicators... we have lost quite a few people along the way... but we're still hanging on" Sheppard smiles and Aiden grins upon seeing that particular smile.
"That good?"
"Earth has defeated the G'ould... and the Replicators... and the Ori after them" Aiden just frowns. "Ascended bad guys... you could call em Ancients with attitude" Sheppard grins and nods at Aidens nod of understanding.
"But everything's OK now?"
"Well now that Earth only has the Lucian Alliance to contend with" Sheppard grins "Space pirates that think they're the new bad in town... anyway since Earth's relatively safe they're heading towards full disclosure"
"Really?"
"Atlantis has been cut loose... so to speak..."
"As In?"
"As in... free... alone... no longer Earth property... to be honest we haven't even begun to sort that part out" Sheppard rubs the back of his neck.
"Alone with no help... doesn't sound to good" Aiden frowns then frowns harder when he sees Sheppard smirk.
"Not alone as such... we are get this" he makes air quotes with a grin "Paying!"
"paying?"
"Paying" Sheppard nods "For Earth's protection... its all a big looks good on paper kinda thing" Sheppard waves his hand.
"So Earth can send ships now?" Aiden says "Regularly I mean"
"Earth is building itself quite the little fleet... we have five 304's stationed in Pegasus... we had a few problems to start with when they first arrived... but we have sorted things out... after all we had help"
Sheppard looks up to Rodney and Alex as they come walking over to the two of them smiling.
"A cloaked satellite?"
"Yes Sir... It's in geostationary orbit above the stargate" Alex says with a nod.
"The satellite is capable of detecting Wraith ships on approach they are programmed to send a warning signal to the planet below" Rodney says handing the pad to Sheppard.
"We usually get about an hours warning" Aiden says looking at Rodney.
"I thought that it is impossible to detect a ship in hyperspace?" Sheppard frowns at Rodney and Alex.
"Normally it is... but the Wraith ships are organic... they emit a kind of... trail for want of a better description" Rodney says hesitantly.
"To be honest sir this satellite was not built by anyone in Atlantis... the design had to come from another city... possibly Althara or Clandissa it has some of their design flourishes" Alex smirks.
"Has the training program changed that drastically since I've been gone?" Aiden stares at Alex in surprise. "I knew squat about the Ancients before I got here"
"Sorry" Sheppard smiles and makes his mind up instantly much to both Alex and Rodney's surprise "Ford this is Lieutenant Alex Weir... when we are in company... not everyone knows the truth... yet" Sheppard starts rambling "What I mean is I and my team know... and Lorne and his team... and"
"Know what sir?" Aiden grins snapping Sheppard out of his ramble.
"That I am Atlantis" Alex holds his hand out to Aiden with a smile, Aiden looks at the offered hand then at Sheppard and bursts out laughing.
"Why are you laughing?" Rodney glares annoyed and wanting too get home to his work and wife though he is unsure in what order.
"It's a joke right?" Aiden sees McKaye's annoyed glare then he notes Sheppard's amused I knew you would do that look before taking in Alex's warm knowing smile.
"Its a pleasure to finally meet you Lieutenant" Alex says shaking his hand.
"I..." Aiden just looks at him in stunned silence.
"I know... it takes a bit to get your head round it" Sheppard smirks.
"Yes well... while you lot have been yaking... I have accessed the satellites sensor logs and hey presto" McKaye hands the pad to Alex once more who stares at them for a moment before frowning.
"I have never seen these type of emissions before... but now that I know what I am looking for I should be able too lock down the Wraiths locations better" Alex says with a smile. "Also it might be possible to provide other worlds with this kind of technology"
"How?" Sheppard asks.
"Tie them into the Sentinels" McKaye says clicking his fingers.
"Sentinels?" Ford asks confused.
"Cloaked spy satellites from Earth... they relay info back to the city but I guess we could manufacture a pad like these and the satellites could be set to warn the planet just like the Ancient satellites doing here" McKaye says suddenly in a world of his own.
"It would give people warning of an attack but they still need shelters..." Aiden says "There are fortified bunkers all around the town that lead down into the shelters below... they were created centuries ago when the Galdoran's were at their peak technologically..."
"The Wraith can't get into them I take it?" Sheppard says knowing that by the number of people on the planet there system of defence had to be working.
"They have tried... believe me" Ford grins "Last summer a hive spent two weeks bombarding the town of Stellik from orbit and even though most of the town was reduced to rubble not one life was lost"
"What of the town now?"
"Almost rebuilt... The shelters have long underground tunnels that link to a network of lakes and caves of Tupla moss" Sheppard and McKaye look confused but Alex just smiles and explains.
"Tupla moss grows in dark damp caves... it is possibly the best thing in the world for absorbing carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen... but its not the moss as such its the algae that lives on the moss" Sheppard nod in understanding.
"The three towns have these shelters the outlying villages are much smaller and vulnerable hence less people live there"
"It looks like you have really made your self at home here" Sheppard says hesitantly and Aiden just sighs and smiles at him.
"That is because it is home now Sir... don't get me wrong I miss the adventure the fun"
"Life I constant danger what's not to like" Rodney gripes but shuts up at Sheppard's glare.
"My family is here... Galdora is my home now..." Sheppard notes the smile on his former XO's face and he frowns as he realises that he can literally feel the waves of contentment coming off him.
"Look... I am not gonna ask you to come back... but we're still you're family... don't ever forget that..." Sheppard pulls him into a hug and Aiden hugs him back tears welling in his eyes.
"If sorry" He chokes out once more, the dam finally breaking on his emotions, Sheppard just hugs him tighter.
"Like I said there was never anything for you to be sorry about" Sheppard chuckles.