Chapter 16: Ancient technology.

John sat and stared at Rodney across the conference table. It had been three weeks since Rodney had announced he knew where the Ancients from Ilaria had gone, and they still hadn't found them.

His health had improved over the last three weeks, although he was still far from well. His speech had improved slightly, and he could walk with a cane for short periods, thanks to daily physical therapy sessions. He hadn't had a seizure in three weeks, so at least the medication was working. His headaches were still intense some days, so some days he just stayed in bed.

He had been released from the infirmary a week ago, and although it was good to be home, Amelia and Ronon were still staying in his guest room.

Carson had assured him he would eventually learn to look after himself and the children, but at the moment, he still needed help.

It was becoming obvious Amelia was pregnant, so Ronon had arranged to share lunch in his quarters to let their closest friends know. That was two days ago, and the entire base now knew, thanks to the Atlantis grapevine.

Carson and Jennifer had tried to argue with him when he started heading to his office every day. Eventually, they permitted him to work a few hours each morning, provided he reported to the infirmary each afternoon for a check-up and physical therapy sessions.

He had also decided that he would begin to wear his BDUs every day. It felt good to wear his BDUs again because it made him imagine things were returning to normal.

This morning he had called a meeting for the senior staff to find out what was happening with the ancients. He wanted to know why they hadn't found anything, and he wanted McKay to tell him why.

"Whaatsss, Happppenning McKKaay?"

He shuddered at how slurred his speech sounded, but at least he wasn't stuttering now.

"Umm…well, we have detected ancient materials on a planet nearby."

"Whaat, dooo youuu meeean?"

Rodney looked at him strangely, and he was convinced the scientist didn't understand, and as usual, this frustrated him.

"He said what do you mean, Dr McKay?" Ronon reiterated.

"Well, it could be a ship, or it might be a city. Although I haven't detected any life signs, I suggest we go and have a look.",

"Hang on a minute, "Carson began, "remember what happened the last time we went looking for answers?"

He glared at the doctor before opening his mouth, "Hooow, coullld, I fooorget,doccc."

"Sorry, General, but I don't want what happened to you to happen to someone else."

Sighing, he attempted to smile at his doctor, "Sooorry."

Lorne, who had been quiet until this point, entered the conversation for the first time, "I say we go and have a look."

Finally, someone was making sense. Although what had happened to him was terrible, there was nothing to say that it would happen again.

"Agreeed."

"I'm with Sheppard and Lorne," Ronon added, let's go and have a look."

"How long will it take by jumper, McKay?" Lorne asked.

"A couple of hours," McKay replied.

"Well, let's get going then, "Lorne suggested standing to his feet.

"Gooo…"

"Are you coming, General?" Lorne asked.

He knew that he would like nothing more to go with his friends, but seeing the look on Carson's face, he decided against saying yes.

"Nooo gooo withoutttt mee."

Lorne nodded and left the room.

Rodney looked excited as he stood up, "I'm going with him."

"Me too," Ronon announced, quickly following Lorne.

He felt exhausted by this time and knew he needed sleep, but there was too much to do to rest.

After his friends had left, he turned to look at his doctor, who seemed to be staring at him, "Whaaaat?"

"I can see it in your eyes, General. You want to go on that mission."

How could he express the countless reasons he needed to be on the mission? Even though his speech had improved, it was far from perfect, and it could be weeks before he could express himself fully.

"I know what you're thinking, General, and I happen to agree."

He looked at Carson and wondered when the man had become a mind reader. Perhaps it was that Carson knew him too well.

"Whaaaat?"

"You think that you need to go because there may be ancient technology that requires your ATA gene. And although Lorne and I have a strong representation of the gene, it's still not as strong as yours."

Well, that was one of the things he was thinking about, but it wasn't the only one.

"Yeesss."

"Although I agree with you, there's still the matter of your epilepsy. What happens if you have a seizure in the middle of a dangerous situation? You could put your team and self in danger."

"Meeedicationnn, woorkkkking dooc."

"I know, General, but it's only been three weeks since you had the last seizure. It's possible that the medication may not work long-term.

"Immm gooiing Doc."

Carson sighed, and John knew he was going to give in.

"I guess there's no way to talk you out of it."

"Noooo."

"Well, I think I will come just to keep an eye on you."

If he were able, he would have jumped for joy. It had been five weeks since the ill-fated mission to Hilaring, and there were times when he thought he would go crazy. Now finally, he had something useful to do.

"I'll goo and gett readyyy."

"I'll contact Lorne and tell him we're coming along, and I want to see you in the infirmary in half an hour."

He nodded at his friend. If it meant going on a mission, he was happy to go to the infirmary for a check-up.

With Carson's help, he stood to his feet and picked up his cane. Although, he was convinced that he could have done it without the doctor's help.

"Seeee, you inn halff ann hourrr Docccc." He said before limping through the door.

Once he was outside the conference room, he gritted his teeth. His leg and head ached, but there was no way he was staying on Atlantis if there were answers to be found, especially if there was a cure for Teyla or something that could help him.

oOo

Ronon followed Lorne down the passageway wanting to know why Sheppard wouldn't be coming on the mission. As far as he was concerned, Sheppard could fire a weapon with his left hand better than most marines could do with their right. The man might be unsteady on his feet, but he had more stamina than most people on the base - except maybe for him and Lorne. And Sheppard's speech might be slurred, but his mind was sharper than ever, so he could fight if he had to.

He stopped and grabbed Lorne's shoulder, "Hey, Lorne, I think Sheppard should be going on this mission with us.

"I happen to agree with you, Ronon, but you saw the look on Carson's face there was no way he was going to permit General Sheppard to go."

Just as Ronon was going to answer back, Lorne tapped his earpiece, and he got to listen to a one-sided conversation.

"Lorne here."

"Yes."

"An hour, you say."

"Okay, we'll see you then, Lorne out."

"What's going on?" Rodney asked, rushing up to join them.

A smile spread across Lorne's face as he answered, "Carson has decided that General Sheppard can come on the mission, but Dr Beckett will be accompanying us as well.".

"That's great, I have to get some things from my lab, so I'll see you in the jumper bay."

"We'll see you there in an hour Dr McKay, " Lorne told him.

Rodney nodded and walked off in the direction of his lab.

"I'm going to check on Amelia and the kids before I go," he suggested walking off in the opposite direction.

Ronon was happy as he walked towards the Shepherds' apartment. For the last few weeks, Sheppard had been depressed and seemed to have no direction. But hopefully, this mission will give him a renewed sense of purpose.

oOo

John stood, looking at himself in the bathroom mirror. The scars on his forehand were beginning to fade, but the wound on his left temple still looked red and raw. His hair was growing back where it had been shaved, but it still didn't cover the entire scar. His face was gaunt and pale, and his hand continued to shake slightly, and he had no idea whether he would ever look any better.

His children were in daycare that morning, so he didn't have to worry about them. The only problem was he was concerned about them. Torren was less talkative these days, and Charin seemed to cry a lot. He wondered if he shouldn't go on the mission and stay here with his kids. But he knew if there were something on that planet that could help him or Teyla, he needed to find it.

He was sure he could find some time to see his children before he went on the mission because they deserved to know where he was going and when he would return.

Amelia called to him from the other side of the door, and she sounded worried, "Are you okay, General."

He hated how everyone kept calling him General because he wasn't in command anymore and may never be again.

He opened the door and limped to the lounge to find Amelia and Ronon sitting on his couch. His leg was excruciatingly painful, so he fell into his recliner and looked at Amelia.

"Pleassee Callll meee Johnn?"

"Sorry, General, I can't do that. Until the SGC tells me otherwise, you are still my commanding officer, and I respect that."

"Itsss annn orderrr Bankkks."

She chuckled and quickly acquiesced, "Alright, John, I will only call you General when we are around the troops."

"Gooood enough, Bannnks."

Before she could say anything else, Ronon interrupted, "So, McKay tells me you're coming on the mission with us."

"Yeeppp, buttt havve tooo seee Crsnn first."

"Right, I'll come with you," Ronon offered, standing to his feet.

He looked at Ronon and wanted to tell him to stay with Amelia while he went to the infirmary, but he was too tired.

Ronon came back a few minutes later with his wheelchair, and he was relieved to sit in it and let Ronon take him to the infirmary.

He knew that the mission would take every bit of strength that he had, but he was determined to see it through for the sake of his family.

oOo

Rodney entered his lab and was surprised to find Jennifer waiting for him. He had told her about his discovery that morning, so perhaps she was eager to know what was happening.

"Hey Jenn, what are you doing here?"

"I've just moved Eva Robinson to the infirmary because her condition has become critical."

"And why are you telling me?"

"Because I'm hoping you can find something to help her on your mission."

"Do you even know what's wrong with her, Jenn?"

"The illness may have been caused by an insect or spider bite, but we don't know for sure."

He was worried as he looked at her, "I'm not sure what we'll find, Jenn. I'm positive there are ancient materials on that planet, but I doubt we'll find any ancients alive."

"What makes you say that, Rodney?"

"I think that there may be a crashed ship."

"Do you think the database is still intact?" Jennnifer asked, and Rodney didn't miss the sadness in her eyes.

"I hope it is for everyone's sake."

He was surprised when she kissed his cheek, "I must get back to the infirmary."

Once she left, he grabbed his laptop, took one last look at his lab and headed towards the jumper bay. If all went according to plan today, they might return with something to help Sheppard and Teyla. Perhaps he should add Dr Robinson to the list of people who needed help because she was a valuable member of the expedition and one of Jennifer's closest friends.

oOo

By the time he reached the infirmary, John felt better, and he was sure that it had something to do with the fact he was sitting in a wheelchair.

Ronon had kept a steady pace, and they reached their destination much quicker than he'd expected.

When they entered the infirmary, he saw Carson exit the ICU, and he didn't look happy.

"What'ssss wronng, Docccc?" He asked with apprehension.

"Dr Robinson has taken a turn for the worse and is now in a critical condition."

He'd known that she was sick, but until now, he had no idea how sick. Although he was never a big fan of her profession, she was lovely, and suddenly he felt compassion towards her.

Do you know what's wrong with her?" Ronon asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"We think she's been bitten by some kind of insect. She has venom in her system unlike anything we've ever seen before, so we're hoping that on the mission, we might find some answers for her as well."

"Can't you put her in stasis like you did with Teyla, Doc?" Ronon asked, and it was what exactly he had been thinking.

"Her Will states that she doesn't want to be kept alive by artificial means, that includes stasis. All we can do now is keep her comfortable and hope we can find answers on that planet."

"Letsss gooo thennn," he began, " cominnng with usss, Doooc?"

"Yes, I am, General, and before we go, I have something to give you."

"Whaattt?" he asked inquisitively.

How about you lay on the exam bed, and I'll get it for you."Carson suggested before leaving the room.

Nodding, he allowed Ronon to help him onto the exam bed, where he was happy to lie down for a while. Closing his eyes, he decided that sleep wouldn't be a bad thing before they left for the mission. No such luck, as Carson came back a few minutes later.

"Here we go. This should help support that right leg of yours."

He opened his eyes and looked at what Carson was holding, and it appeared to be some kind of brace for his leg. It was made of soft metal and padded material, and it looked to be sturdy.

"Aaa leeggg braacce, Doocc?"

"Yes, General, you should be able to walk for hours with this on, and you won't have to use a cane."

He knew it would help him for now, but he didn't want to rely on it long-term.

"Okayyy, letsss puttt ittt onnn."

"Ronon, can you please wait outside?" Carson directed before turning to John, "Do you want me to help you put it on? We can put it over the top of your pants for now."

"Yesss thankkkss Doccc."

He lay still while Carson helped him with the brace, and he was surprised at how gently the doctor was because even though Carson was a good doctor, he could be unnecessarily rough at times.

"Thanksss Doccc.," he said, standing to his feet.

"Okay then, lad, how about you head to the jumper bay, and I'll see you there in fifteen minutes. I want to check on Eva once more before we head out."

He nodded and began his walk towards the jumper bay, and he was surprised at how much stronger his leg felt - it's a shame Carson couldn't do anything about his slurred speech or headaches.

oOo

Carson watched his friend leave, and in that instant, he felt sorry for him. John Sheppard was a soldier, a man of action who could barely walk or speak right now. But he also knew that Sheppard was determined, and if he wanted to get well, he would do whatever it took. Even if he never got well, John wouldn't stop trying.

He knew he shouldn't feel sorry for his friend because Sheppard hated any kind of sympathy, although a bit of compassion wouldn't go astray.

Sighing, he walked into the ICU to take one last look at Eva before he went on the mission.

He arrived to find Dr Jasmine White taking her vitals. The young Doctor had come on board Atlantis right before this upside mission back in time had started. She was younger than Dr Keller and almost as brilliant, her blue eyes shone in her toned face, and her long blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail.

"How is she, Dr White?"

"There's no change, Dr Beckett."

"I'm about to go on an away mission to explore some ancient materials we have detected nearby. If you have any problems, Dr Keller will be in the infirmary shortly."

The young Doctor nodded her head, and he found himself liking her more. He shook his head to get any thoughts of pursuing her out of his head - she was way too young for him. Besides, he was too busy to consider having a relationship with anyone right now, and it didn't matter anyway because he was a clone.

oOo

John was completely shocked when he entered the jumper bay and found a tiny pair of arms thrown around him and an excited voice yelling in his ear.

"Daddy! You're walking without a cane."

He pulled his son in closer, glad of the sturdy brace on his leg, "Yesss, anddd, hopefulllly, I will neverrrr neeeddd onnne againnnn."

He shuddered at how slurred his voice still sounded, and Torren mistook it for him being cold.

"Are you cold, Daddy?"

He kissed his son on the top of his head, "Noooo. Isss Charllliee hereeee?"

"She's here, General," Amelia announced, stepping out of the jumper.

He was surprised to see her, and he wondered why she'd been in the jumper until Ronon stepped out.

He put Torren down, and Amelia handed him, Charin. The little girl's face lit up, and when she opened her mouth, he was convinced she would cry. He was pleasantly surprised when she spoke, "Da."

There were tears in his eyes as he held his daughter close. Charin was his princess, who was more beautiful every day - just like her mother. He suspected that in a few months, she would be walking and getting into all sorts of mischief - just like he had as a young boy.

While still holding his daughter, he looked down at his son. There were things he needed to say to his children, but right now, he struggled to express himself verbally.

Luckily Torren spoke for him, "Dad is it true you're going to look for a cure for Mom?"

"Yesss."

"Uncle Ronon said he might find something to help you too."

'"Yesss."

Torren threw his arms around his father's legs again, "well, you'd better get going then."

Charin had been playing with his dog tags throughout the entire exchange. He knew he would have to give her back to Amelia soon, and his heart was breaking.

"I'llll seee you soooon."

"I love you, Dad."

"Iiii lovvvee yooou tooo." He choked out.

He handed a crying Charin off to Amelia and tried to hide the tears in his eyes. The last time he'd been on a mission, he was whole. This time it was different, he couldn't speak or walk properly, so if something went wrong, he might not return home to his family.

Once Amelia and the children had left the jumper bay, he walked into jumper one - his favourite jumper, and sat down in the co-pilot's seat.

"Whooos flyyying?"

"Lorne's just contacted me to say he needs to stay on Atlantis because Teldy's not well, so either Carson or Rodney."

"Greaaattt," he muttered.

Carson entered the jumper a few minutes later, followed by a complaining Rodney.

"Why do you have to fly? I'm just as capable as you, Carson."

"Your mind needs to be sharp when we land, so it's best if you rest while we fly."

"Yes, yes, you're right, Carson. You'll need my genius mind to figure out what's going on when we land."

John rolled his eyes at Rodney. The man had a huge ego, but he had got them out of trouble on more occasions than he could count, so he decided he'd put up with the man's inflated ego for now.

"Letsss gooo," he suggested turning around to face Rodney.

"Are you sure you're alright, Sheppard?" Rodney asked with a panicked look on his face.

"Yesss, nowww gooo."

He was relieved when the jumper finally left Atlantis and headed into space. He knew the flight would take around two hours, so now was as good a time as any to get some sleep.

oOo

Ronon watched as his friend fell asleep. It had been a difficult few weeks for John, and he couldn't imagine how his friend felt. The last seven months had been devastating for all of them, but he feared Sheppard and his children had suffered the most.

Although Sheppard was the eternal optimist, he was sure there were times when the man doubted his chances of getting well - he knew he would in Sheppard's situation.

When he was a runner for the Wraith, he'd spent a lot of time running. On the odd occasion when he'd been injured, he'd felt like giving up, but the determination to kill every last Wraith in the galaxy kept him going. He wondered what kept Sheppard going - was it his family?

A soft lilting voice cut through his thoughts, "I'm worried about him too."

Rather than tell Carson what he was thinking, he gave a simple reply, "he's strong, so he'll be fine."

"There's a good chance he won't be this time, Ronon."

Ronon knew the doctor was telling the truth, but he couldn't accept it, so he chose to believe that Sheppard would be whole again.

Deciding that he didn't want to talk about it anymore, he closed his eyes, "I'm going to sleep now, Doc. Are you going to be aright on your own?"

"I guess I'll have to be. Rodney and John are fast asleep already."

"Good man," he commented before drifting off to sleep.

oOo

It had been almost two hours since Ronon had fallen asleep, and all Carson could do was sit and stare out the window.

John was sleeping soundly, which was a relief because he knew how much pain his friend was in. Even though John was better than he had been after the initial gunshot injury, he still had a long way to go. Despite everyone's optimism, he knew that John would never fully recover - although he was finding it hard to convince others.

The planet had come into view twenty minutes ago, and the sensors had detected ancient technology on the side closest to them.

"Are weee there yettt?"

He looked around to find that John had woken up, looking refreshed, which was a good thing. The mission ahead of them would be difficult, so he knew that John needed all the rest he could get.

"We're almost there. We should be able to begin our descent in the next ten minutes."

"I'mmm, flyyying."

He looked at the determination on the man's face and decided to give him his way."

"Go right ahead, General."

A grin spread across his friend's face, and he couldn't be happier for him.

"Okaayyyy, Carsonnn, letsss switch."

He carefully switched places with John and watched as John took the controls. The man was a natural, and even if the airforce wouldn't let John fly conventional planes any longer, he should be able to fly puddle jumpers.

Rodney's first comment on waking was, "What the…?"

"What do you mean, Rodney?" Carson asked, trying to hide the smirk on his face.

"Why is Sheppard flying? Are you sure he can fly?" Rodney ranted.

"He's doing fine," Ronon said, and Carson didn't miss the grin on the big man's face.

Carson looked at the smile on John's face, and at that moment, he knew that whatever happened, his friend would be okay.

oOo

John couldn't believe it, he was flying again, and the only thing that would make him happier was if his wife and kids were here to see it.

The gentle hum of the jumper was soothing, and any pain he'd been experiencing before was gone. Now all head to do was land the thing.

The ride was a little bumpy as they passed through the upper atmosphere, and it wasn't long before he was flying through dark rain clouds. The clouds gave way to a grey, dreary sky, and up in the distance, he could see the remains of a large ship. The landscape he was flying over was lush and green, and up ahead were large rock formations.

As they approached the ship, it didn't take him long to realise that the large, ancient, ship had slammed into one of the rock formations.

A gasp behind him caught his attention, "whhaattt, McKaaayyy?"

"We are so screwed."

"Whyyyy?"

"I'm detecting a wraith weapons signature."

"Which means what exactly?" Ronon growled.

"It means a wraith hive shot down that ship."

"Oh dear," Carson muttered from beside him.

He brought the jumper in for a landing beside the derelict ship, and he couldn't help but wonder if there were still any wraith around.

If there were, McKay was right, and they were screwed.

TBC…

There's plenty more action to come in future chapters.