Ace In The Hole
Chapter 37
The sun is low in the summer sky and clouds are gathering out across the sea a small storm brewing in the distance, the artist in him would love nothing more than to stop and admire the view, but it's the solemn figure sat quiet and alone at the end of the pier that has Evans complete attention.
Alex is in a world of his own staring into the depths of the ocean in front of him, so much so that he barely registers the footsteps approaching and its not until his shoulder is nudged playfully that he realises Evan is sitting next to him patiently waiting for a response.
"Gonna tell me what's up or do I have to guess?" Evan smiles but its clear from the concern in his eyes that he is worried, Alex smiles but when the smile doesn't reach his eyes, he sighs once more when he realises by Evans frown that he is now even more concerned.
"The second ZPM was installed last month" Evan can't help frown even further at the randomness of Alex's comment, Alex just returns his gaze to the ocean leaving Evan in total confusion.
"And is that a problem?" Evan asks timidly noting the tension in Alex's shoulders.
"No... I guess it just made me realise... I truly am the Last of my kind..." Alex hangs his head.
"Lexy... what's going on?... you have been getting more and more distant for weeks now... even Tim and Jake have commented how quiet you were on the last mission" Evan says shifting to face side on to the young man before him.
Alex shifts uncomfortably and a flash of guilt crosses his face before he seems to come to a decision.
"She has no soul" Alex says his voice quivering "Chitsonia and I were the last two city ships left... I made it to Lantia... but she was ambushed and took heavy damage... her avatar" disdain drips off his tongue surprising Evan slightly "Decided to take the cowards way out... and Ascended"
"If it was the only way" Evan tries to reason but Alex's glare is enough to silence him.
"He abandoned his city on that world... it was only though sheer luck that the humans there had the gene... otherwise the Wraith would have been able to plunder her secrets years ago!" Alex flails his arms and Evan can see the suppressed emotions beginning to cascade forth.
"I never did like him... always was and always will be a jerk!"
Inspiration hits Evan like a bolt of lightning and the name is out of his mouth before his brain has chance to stop it "Seravus" the look of revulsion on Alex's face is all he needed "That's why you were so blunt with him on Proculus..."
Alex nods frowning "He should have stayed... protected that world himself... instead he ran like a coward" Alex sighs, once more looking deflated.
"Alex... are you angry because he left?" Lorne takes a deep breath "Or are you more angry because you didn't?"
Alex looks at Lorne his eyes watering slightly... "I never wanted to leave... it's just..."
"Abandonment issues?" Evan grins causing even Alex to manage a weak smile...
"I guess it just hit me... I truly am alone"
"You have us now... we are you're new family" Evan smiles "And once we give your sister" Evan frowns at the term causing Alex to smile at last "A soul?... you won't be alone ever again" Lorne smiles but its only momentary when he sees Alex's smile change quickly to a questioning frown.
"And how are you going to do that?"
"Me?... well not me but McKaye maybe" Evan smiles but once more the smile slips as Alex's frown deepens.
"You think I'm just some form of advanced A.I. Don't you?... I mean really I don't blame you... most my own people saw us that way in the end" Alex gets a sad far away look in his eyes for a minute before shaking his head... "Evan... when I said I was born... I meant it!"
Alex jumps to his feet and marches off across the pier leaving Evan slightly stunned before he chases off after him.
"He's was an Ancient?" Sheppard asks in slight amazement.
"It took me ages to coax it out of him" Evan says glancing at the surprised faces of Teyla and Rodney.
"From what I can gather it was the Alterans highest honer... only the best and the brightest were chosen to bond with a city ship" Evan explains. "To become their soul"
"Guess it makes sense" Rodney says looking slightly bored.
"It doe's?" Teyla looks at him confusion clearly playing upon her face.
"Think about it... the Ancients only managed to reach Ascension a few millennia ago... the cities were created Aeons ago... by putting their best and brightest into this form... plus still giving them a physical form to boot, they could live on indefinitely with the hope of one day ascending" Teyla nods but still looks just as confused as before.
"So... did he have a name?" Sheppard asks but his curiosity is wiped out by Rodney's usual bluntness.
"Atlantis is millions of years old... do you really think a single Alterans name from that period is gonna be known by any one of us... I mean come on Sheppard your skill in history probably ends at Nixon!" Sheppard glares at McKaye who just grins.
"It seems that each generation has given him their own name, I mean we call him Alex but Chaya called him Atavus... but he said his name was Amelius" Evan shrugs but Rodney suddenly frowns.
"Amelius?... where have I?" McKayes eyes suddenly turn to saucers causing the other to stare at him.
"You've heard of him?" Teyla asks.
"Theeeee Amelius?" McKaye leans forward shock and excitement clear on his face.
"McKaye?" Sheppard asks.
"If its Thee! Amelius he... he... he's a genius... possibly the biggest genius ever... he would basically makes Janus look like a cheap trickster" McKaye is up and starts pacing Sheppard's office in jubilation.
"Rodney!" Sheppard barks causing McKaye to drop back down on his chair. "Who is he?"
"Oh... no one important... Only the inverter of the Stargate... and the first ever hyperdrive... oh and the Arc that saved us from the Ori" McKaye starts ticking off his fingers "His work on particle physics was the basis for shields and all kinds of other technology... he's like... any scientists holy grail"
"I'm not the holy grail Rodney" Alex sighs from the doorway.
"Why didn't you tell us who you were?" Rodney glares.
"That is the key word there... Were!... I am Atlantis now... I am Alex now... what I was then has passed its who I am now that is important" Alex sighs "I stand by my work and accomplishments but it is your time to shine now... like I said I am only here to serve, protect and guide..."
"And then some... its because of you... that the gate network even exists... its because of you that..."
"It's because of me your race was subjugated by the Goa'uld... it's because of me the Wraith have decimated this galaxy" Alex says no regret or remorse evident in his voice.
"Is that why you chose not to Ascend?... Guilt?" Sheppard asks hesitantly.
"I gave up guilt long ago... I may of created the technology its use was beyond my control... the universe it seems demands a little sacrifice and suffering on the path to development" Alex takes a seat next to Evan and smiles at Sheppard "We are all playing our part"
"You say that like you believe some higher power is at hand?" Sheppard looks surprised.
"Is it so hard to believe?"
"You... possibly... the smartest man ever... and yes I say that... grudgingly" McKaye nods "Believe in all that religious hocus pocus?"
"There are higher plains Rodney my people are evidence of that... as a scientist you can not rule out the idea that there is that possibility"
"Proof!... hard cold empirical proof!... show me that then I will believe" Rodney says adamant in resolve.
A small smile forms on Alex's face.
"What?" Rodney glares.
"That is precisely why you don't need me" Alex's smile broadens.
"So why are you here... now I mean?" Sheppard says gaining his attention.
"The other city... I kind of had an idea..."
A month later Sheppard is standing patiently by the side of the hospital bed waiting, he stares down at the women sleeping peacefully before him and sighs as a dozen memory's race through his mind each one bringing its own emotion along.
Wonder, fear, excitement, jubilation, dread and sadness all tear through his heart and but his breath hitches slightly when he finally feels her loss. He sighs and gets past the pain and a small glimmer of hope kindles in his chest as she finally begins to awaken.
"Easy..." Carson comes rushing in.
"Where?... What's?..." She blinks at both Sheppard and Carson fighting the last vestiges of sleep away before sitting up sharply causing Sheppard to smile.
"Welcome back... Elizabeth"
"John!... what have you done?" Elizabeth glares and Sheppard can't help grin.
"You're not a replicator any more if that's what you were wondering" He hands her a small mirror and she smiles at seeing her own reflection staring back at her.
"How?" Elizabeth narrows her eyes and Sheppard can't help but throw his arms around her.
"I've missed that glare" he chuckles.
"And sorry but Carson? I thought you were..."
"Aye lassy... but like you... I'm a clone" Elizabeth's eyebrows rise in surprise but before she has chance to say anything else Teyla, Ronon, Rodney and Jennifer enter the room.
"Elizabeth... it's good to see you again" Teyla says bowing her head respectfully.
"John... what's going on?" Sheppard smiles he knows Elizabeth has a keen mind and he knows that for them to have done this it had to be important "Why am I back in Atlantis?"
"You're not" Rodney grins.
Sheppard takes her hand and leads her towards the balcony as the door opens Elizabeth's breath is taken away by the fact she can clearly see Atlantis in the distance, she glances around the city that she is standing in and its then she begins to see the subtle differences, buildings clearly Lantian but definitely not ones she had seen before, colours are different blues and greens a shade lighter whilst reds and golds are deeper richer.
"Avalon" Sheppard says.
"Avalon?..." Elizabeth turns to Sheppard with a small smile.
"The city needed a heart... a soul... it needed you" Sheppard says. "I cleared the plan with Earth"
"Not that they had any choice..." Rodney mumbles causing Elizabeth to frown.
"Politics" Sheppard shrugs.
"That can wait..." Elizabeth smiles "I want to know if everyone is OK... and everything that has happened here first"
"I'm married to Jennifer, Teyla's married to Kanaan and have a kid, Sheppard and Lorne are daddies" McKaye grins at Sheppard's glare.
"Rodney!... so help me one of these days I will shoot you" Sheppard mumbles causing everyone to laugh.
"Lets go find somewhere comfortable" Elizabeth says diplomatically "I have a feeling there's lots to catch up on"
Three hours later just Sheppard and Elizabeth are alone.
"I can't believe you're a dad" Elizabeth grins "They looked just like you... and Lorne" Elizabeth smiles but Sheppard picks up on the unasked question.
"Nothings happened" Sheppard sighs "I still can't believe you knew all along"
"I'm good at reading people... and the fact you checked out my ass then Dr Jacksons the day we met... kinda gave it away" Elizabeth smirks.
"I have feelings for him... I'm just not sure yet"
"You John Sheppard admitting you actually have actual feelings..." Elizabeth mocks with a smile causing Sheppard to merely roll his eyes.
"I know damn well he has feelings for me... its just... rules" Sheppard finally sighs.
"What rules?" Elizabeth asks a small smile forming on her lips.
"Airforce rules" Sheppard glares.
"John... technicality you are not in the Airforce any more...
independence means just that... you have to make your own rules... lead... don't be led... and don't turn your back on this if its what you want... you'll only regret it"
"What would you do?"
"Easy... Trust my instincts" Elizabeth smiles.