Disclaimer: The characters of, "Stargate: SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis", are owned by Robert C. Cooper, Brad Wright, Sci-Fi Channel and whoever else was involved with the creation and production of these two shows. Any new characters and story lines that come into play are of my own creation. No copyright infringement is intended. This is a fan fiction intended for entertainment purposes only and no money is being made off it.
Chapter 30: Spirits and Sky
Ereshkigal allowed the Tigrians nearly thirty minutes to attack Atlantis before her arrival. The ship entered the atmosphere and the city of Atlantis came into view, she saw that half of her fleet had been destroyed. Her ship's shield blocked several blasts from the Atlantian ships. She wasn't surprised that the people of Atlantis had prepared for an attack but she was taken aback that they were still fighting.
She wasn't concerned about the death of the fighting Tigrians because they could always be replaced. She knew that if any of the descendents or the Athosians escaped now, death would come to them later.
She glanced at the ornate box that was on a stand next to her and within was the only crystal she had left. She allowed the image of the destruction of the Wraith ship enter her mind. She felt elated and exalted at the memory of showing the Wraith and the descendents her power. Eliminating an old enemy in one fell swoop had been what she needed to return to her true self.
She placed her hand on the box. She didn't want to use the crystal too soon. She wanted to prolong their suffering.
She had waited a long time to destroy Atlantis and those that dwelled within, but she was patient and it would all be over soon.
Her mind jumped to Sheppard, causing her anger and annoyance to flare up. There was another feeling hidden within. It was an emotion that she had tried to discard but had so far been unsuccessful.
Her pilot directed her ship and stopped to hover over the entrance to the city. Ereshkigal opened the box and gently picked up the crystal. She closed the lid of the box and made her way to a circle on the floor of her ship. She nodded to her pilot, giving him the signal to transport her to the city's surface. When she arrived, she didn't hesitate to head inside.
The first room was empty and her ears didn't detect a sound. She causally wondered if they had prepared some type of ambush for her. An arrogant grin slowly appeared on her face. She wasn't surprised or concerned. The bloodlines of the Ancients were cowards and had hidden themselves away, probably on the mainland. Any that remained in the city were fools; destined to be wiped away from existence like wiping away a crushed insect from the heel of a boot.
She entered the gate room. Teyla and Ronon were across the room in front of the doorway that led into the inner part of the city.
"Where is Sheppard?" She questioned them, noting amusedly that the two warriors had prepared to fight her.
"He's around, but you are not going to see him," Ronon yelled as he raised his arms, a weapon in each hand and fired both of them at her simultaneously.
She moved to the left and right, avoiding the weapons blast.
Teyla lifted the dart gun and fired.
The dart stuck in Ereshkigal's left forearm. She grabbed it and yanked it out. She tossed it aside and smirked at Teyla. "Do you really believe that you can render me unconscious with a drug?"
The Athosian didn't respond.
Ereshkigal flew toward Teyla and threw three punches. The first punch struck her face, the next one hit her chest and the last one was to her gut. A loud crack filled the air and Teyla fell to the ground, clutching her stomach.
Ronon roared as he flung himself at Ereskigal, a dagger clutched tightly in his hand.
She stood calmly and grabbed Ronon's arm lifted him up and threw him against the far wall. She strolled away as he slid to the floor, his eyes closed. He didn't move. She didn't look back as she strode away.
She went to the tower, knowing that Sheppard would be there waiting for her.
She arrived at the top and walked outside. Sheppard was standing facing the entranceway, casually leaning against the rail.
"You should've come to face me yourself," she sneered as she walked towards him. "Your friends tried to stop me and they failed."
Sheppard remained silent, his gaze locked onto her dark blue eyes.
She chuckled cruelly. "That is what your people would consider admirable and brave while I call it foolish. Now, you have chosen to face me. Instead of being called brave for facing me, you should be called a fool."
"I have been called that before." He shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't bother me."
"I see that you've been planning for my arrival as well as the arrival of my army."
Her gaze flickered to the sky. She noticed something not quite right and focused her gaze. She noticed the Tigrian ships had stopped firing on the enemy.
Sheppard looked over his shoulder and swept one of his arms across the sky. "I see that you've noticed that the Tigrians have stopped attacking. We've convinced them that you are not a goddess, but a monster."
She turned and looked back at Sheppard. "I only allowed the Tigrians to exist only here for my use. I have kept them from the Ancients and the Wraith, so that they could do my bidding. If they have defied me, then they shall be destroyed. I can always find more servants that I can bend to my will."
He slowly nodded his head. "You may try to control others, but it will never last forever."
"Oh?" She questioned raising an amused eyebrow.
"The spirit in all beings can never be eradicated. The spirit can be weakened, broken, deceived and diminished, but never completely destroyed."
She threw her head back and laughed. "You are a fool, John, to believe in something such as a being's spirit."
He stood up straight, his hands hanging indifferently at his sides. "That's were you're wrong. You have deceived the spirits of the Tigrians, but that has now ended. They are now free of you."
This, descendant of the Ancients, dared to stand before her and question her power. She cackled and shook her head. He would soon know that she could never be defeated.
. He walked right up to her, no fear or hesitation in his movements or in his eyes. "You don't know, do you? For someone who claims to be a Goddess, shouldn't you be omniscient?" He laughed right in her face, causing her eyes to shine in anger. Sheppard smiled smugly and leaned forward, almost as though he was going to share a secret with her. "We found your fatal flaw and your weakness." He lifted his hand and thrust a crystal at her chest.
A flash of light caused her to look down and saw a familiar crystal turning from a pale blue, to blue-black. "The Death Crystal," she gasped, fear and astonishment appearing on her face. "It shouldn't work on me."
Sheppard held onto the crystal, even though he felt as though he were holding a hot piece of coal. "We discovered a way to weaken you."
An image of Teyla and the dart darted across her mind. "What did you use on me? There is nothing in the universe that can weaken me," she hissed.
"Red Bell," he answered nonchalantly.
She felt her muscles weakening and her knees buckled. She braced herself as she fell to her knees. She struggled to stand, but her muscles refused to move. She glared at Sheppard, her dark blue eyes filled with darkness and hate. "How did you know which crystal to use?"
"I didn't," he responded.
"How?" She questioned again. Then, she saw a ball of white light appear next to Sheppard and take the form of Sinell.
Her eyes narrowed and her lips curled into an evil sneer as she fought to retain conscious. "So, you Ancients found a way to immortality."
"Yes and no," Sinell answered looking at her with a hint of pity. "There is more to life than living forever. For the many long years that you have lived, you have never learned about living. You have also never learned about the true spirit of beings, as John put it."
She chuckled and then coughed. Bloody specks flew from her mouth. "Foolish sentiment and useless words. One with long life is about having the power over those whose lives do not matter." Her breathing sounded shallow and she wheezed, trying hard to catch her breath.
"You truly believe I am the only one?" She laughed, then coughed up blood and spat it onto the floor. Others shall come."
"We'll be waiting and we'll be ready," Sheppard promised.
She smiled and her body crumpled to the floor. Her sky blue eyes became the color of the night sky without any source of light.
Sheppard realized now that Ereshkigal never had any light within her, only a destructive fire that would consume anything and anyone in its path.
He turned to look at Sinell and gave the Ancient a respectful nod. "Thank you, Sinell. We wouldn't have been able to stop her if it hadn't been for you."
Sinell sighed and bowed his head in shame. "If it wasn't for me, Ereshkigal wouldn't have been brought to Atlantis."
"I say that it was a mistake, but it was a mistake that was worth it in the end. We freed the Tigrians and she can no longer subjugate anyone else again."
"My work is done. You shall not see me again, Colonel."
"Goodbye, Sinell."
The Ancient turned into a ball of light and zoomed away.
John turned and threw the darkened crystal into the ocean, it's power now gone. He turned back and looked at the body. He felt a sharp pain causing a rip in his spirit as a tear rolled down his cheek.
Teyla climbed the final steps up to the tower. She stood in the doorway, observing her friend from a distance for a moment. He was standing at the railing, gazing not at the ocean, but up at the sky. She couldn't tell how long he had been there, but she thought that if he stood there much longer, he would leave an imprint of his boots.
She went and stood next to him, leaned against the railing and gazed at him. "Are you all right?"
Sheppard sighed softly as he gripped the railing and leaned backwards. He turned his head slightly and looked at her with sad eyes, but managed a slight, reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm alright. I am just enjoying looking at the sky." He looked back to the leisurely darkening sky.
"I am glad that you are alright. Why are you enjoying looking at the sky?"
He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. His face turned upwards as though wanted to catch a breeze across his face. "The sky seems so endless that you could travel forever and maybe find whatever it was that you were looking for."
Teyla nodded her head slowly thinking about Sheppard's words carefully. She was silent for several moments before she spoke. "You believe that Sky really existed?"
He lowered his head and opened his eyes. "Yes, but I didn't kill her. Ereshkigal did."
Teyla nodded. "Did you believe that Sky was still in Ereshkigal when you defeated her?"
He shook his head. "No, she was gone before that," he replied softly.
She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I shall leave you to your sky gazing." She dropped her hand and turned away, heading to the door.
"Teyla," he called out softly.
She turned around. "Yes, John?"
He nodded his head. "Thanks."
"You are most welcome," she responded.
She strode away, knowing that John was mourning a friend who had only existed for a short time. It would take time for his spirit and his heart to heal, even though his mind would remind him of Sky on occasion. It would happen whenever he looked at the sky when it was that perfect blue.