Chapter 16: The battle begins.
It had been a gruelling two days since they'd left Teyla and the others on the original Hilaring, and John was standing on the bridge of the supply ship again. The Journey was long, and John's heart ached, his longing for his wife and child a constant companion. Despite having Ronon and Rodney for company, it wasn't the same. Rodney spent too much time in engineering insulting the engineers, and Ronon was always in the gym or running. He had spent some time with Ronon running and sparring, though.
Voth spent half the journey asking him about battle tactics, which left John wondering what kind of soldiers he would encounter when they finally reached the surface. He suspected they wouldn't be anywhere near as trained as the troops on Atlantis. But this would be all he had to work with, so he'd have to make things work. John was determined to adapt and make the best of the situation.
As they approached New Hilaring, John was struck by its stunning beauty. The view from orbit was breathtaking, with arid deserts, lush forests, and snow-capped mountains painting a picture of serenity that starkly contrasted with the impending battle that awaited them.
He had a few short minutes before he was due in a meeting with Voth and the others, and then it would be show time. As far as he knew, the plan hadn't changed. They would de-cloak the supply ship right before transporting into the tunnels below the ancient city. It was still assumed the ship would be destroyed, giving John and the troops a chance to take the Coreans by surprise and reclaim the ancient city, giving them access to the control room and the stargate, so John and his friends could return home. The anticipation for the impending battle was palpable, as John was positive that, as always, something would go wrong.
They hadn't seen the Ancient warship that the Coreans stole since they left the original Hilaring planet, and John was surprised it wasn't orbiting New Hilaring. However, he suspected they would have to reclaim that at some point. The Ancient warship could be a game-changer in the impending battle with its advanced technology and firepower. He only hoped the Hilarians wouldn't have to destroy it because it would be a valuable asset.
John sighed, wondering how they'd become involved in the politics of a world in another galaxy, not just one world but two, because Teyla was currently involved in negotiations for the two groups of people on the original Hilaring planet. However, they'd been involved from the moment they were sucked into the strange anomaly, a mysterious event that defied all known laws of physics and sent back in time. What would the consequences of becoming involved in politics in another galaxy be? Would Stargate command court-marshall him? Although all he had to do was explain that they needed access to the stargate on New Hilaring, but the Coreans had ceased control of the planet, not allowing anyone from Atlantis or New Hilaring to use the gate. It might be a simple explanation, but it was the only one he could offer.
But then, perhaps it would be a good thing if he retired and returned to Earth. Let the young ones continue the fight in the Milky Way, the Pegasus, and now KK203. But who were they fighting? He'd lost track. They could be at peace with the Wraith in five years, and John had no idea what was happening on Earth—maybe he should spend some extra time reading mission reports from the SGC. What about KK203? All John was doing was trying to return home; he didn't want to be involved in an interplanetary war.
He'd considered returning to Earth many times over the last few years, but something had always stopped him: Teyla and Torren. Could he really ask them to give up their birthright for him? Charin and Halling were also half-Athosian and deserved a chance to know their mother's people. As for him being their father, as far as he was concerned, he was Lantean, and Atlantis was his children's birthright. However, his internal struggle was intense, a constant battle of conflicting emotions and thoughts. He would like his children to meet their Uncle Dave. So maybe when this was all over, they would vacation on Earth and visit Dave.
A gruff voice interrupted his thoughts, "Are you ready, Sheppard?"
He turned around to find Ronon, Rodney, and Voth behind him. " Yeah, I'm ready for the meeting, but are we having it here on the bridge?" John asked, confused.
Voth stared at him with deep brown eyes, and John took the time to take in the man's appearance. He was over seven feet tall and incredibly lean and muscular; his skin was tanned, his hair was dark brown, and he was an imposing sight. However, at the moment, his clothes were dishevelled, and he seemed exhausted, which left John wondering how much sleep the man had had in the last two days.
"I do not believe we need a meeting, General, because we all know the plan, and it is time to enact it," Voth replied, and John could sense his determination.
"Alright, when everyone's ready, I'll drop the cloak and transport you down to the planet," John told them with authority.
"But I thought it would be my job to drop the cloak!" Voth stated forcefully.
"No!" John forcefully stated, "I need you to transport Ronon and Rodney with you so your people know they are friends."
"But what if you don't make it?" Rodney added, and John didn't miss to worry in his friend's eyes.
"Ronon and Voth can devise a plan to retake the ancient city," John replied, "and Voth assures me there are plenty of soldiers in the tunnels under the city to help."
Ronon looked as if he were about to protest, so John pulled his I'm in charge card, "do I have to make it an order?"
"No, I'll do it, even though I don't agree with you."
John took a deep breath before replying, "Is everyone ready?" He hoped he wouldn't regret his decision to be the last to leave the ship.
"We're ready," Voth replied confidently. However, John could sense his apprehension.
John moved across to one of the consoles as Rodney and Ronon stood beside Voth. They'd left the rest of the crew on a nearby planet, home to other Hilarians. It was now or never, and again, he hoped he wouldn't regret the decision to stay behind.
He pressed the button to drop the cloak and immediately engaged the transport beam. For some reason, the ship could only transport up to three people at one time. He would give it a few minutes and then engage the transporter to get off the ship himself.
Only a minute passed before the first explosions shook the ship, making his next decision easy—it was time to get out of there. He punched the controls and waited for the transporter to activate, and nothing happened," Aww crap," he muttered before a second explosion rocked the ship.
He tried to activate the transporter again, but nothing happened. A third and then a fourth, and shortly after, a fifth explosion rocked the ship, and he suspected it wouldn't last much longer.
A console exploded on the other side of the bridge, sending Sparks and shrapnel across the room in his direction,
He thumped the console in desperation as debris began to fall from the ceiling. The flames were getting closer, and when he hit the console again, something from the ceiling hit him in the head, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. He was desperate by now, so he kicked the console while punching the button right before a large beam hit him in the back of the head - he was unconscious when the flames reached him, and right before the ship exploded, the transporter beam enveloped him.
oOo
A resolute Lorne entered the holding cells, determined to seek help from the two Coreans imprisoned there. He was determined to find a way forward, even if Fillian and Rollonk were initially unwilling to assist.
When Silian tried to speak to the Coreans through the Stargate, Lannar insisted on speaking with Bannar, Jannar, or Kannar; only then would he believe that Atlantis belonged to the Coreans, and Lannar would send others through the gate. Unfortunately, they were all deceased.
As he approached the cell the men were in, he looked at their appearance. Both men's usually tanned faces were pale and much thinner than when they had invaded Atlantis.
"I need your help?" Lorne asked in a matter-of-fact tone.
"And why would we help you?" Fillain sneered.
Lorne found himself at a crossroads, unsure if he could keep his promise and hoping he wouldn't regret what he was about to say.
"Because if you help me, I can help you?"
Rollonk replied with curiosity, "And how can you help us?"
"We can give you amnesty from your people," Lorne informed the two men, hoping that General Sheppard wouldn't object to him making that kind of offer.
Before the conversation could progress, a sudden tug at his arm startled Lorne. To his surprise, it was Charin.
"What are you doing here, Charin?"
"Looking for you." She replied in a determined voice.
Torren came around the corner and apologised, "I am sorry, Colonel Lorne, but Charin ran away from Auntie Jasmine, and somehow she followed you here."
"Where, Dadda, where, Momma?" Charin asked before he could reply to Torren.
"I am sorry, Charin, but I do not know," Lorne replied truthfully.
What Charin did next surprised Lorne. She approached the holding cell and asked the two men, "Where, Momma? Where, Dadda?"
Suddenly, Lorne felt afraid for the child, so he grabbed her hand and pulled her back, "Charin, why don't you go with Torren and find Aunt Jasmine?"
Charin pouted and put on her best puppy dog look before allowing Torren to lead her away. Lorne was about to follow when Fillian spoke to him.
"Who are the kid's parents?"
"General Sheppard and Teyla, the woman who disappeared from the mainland," Lorne replied before looking at Fillian.
Fillian looked thoughtful momentarily before nodding, "Give me some time to think about it, and I will let you know."
Lorne nodded and left the cells, wondering what had just happened. Had a Sheppard saved the day again? He certainly hoped so.
oOo
Teyla kissed her son on the head and entrusted him to Gia's care. The older woman's blue eyes shone with a reassuring warmth, and Teyla was comforted by the thought of Gia looking after her child. Over the last twenty-four hours, she had observed Gia with Halling, and she was kind and caring towards her son and certainly knew how to look after infants.
Gia also explained that she kept her people's historical records, a treasure trove of knowledge that could shed light on the current situation and would share them with Teyla that morning.
She was sitting in the main cavern at a small table. She'd just shared a meal with Gia before feeding and changing Halling.
Now, she was about to meet with the leader of the Hilarian people who occupied the planet. His name was Loth, and he seemed arrogant and self-important. He was over seven feet tall and on the small side for a Hilarian. His hair was dark brown, and his eyes were almost black. His skin was tanned, and his face was wrinkled and worn.
Rulan would negotiate for his people. Teyla had discovered that they came from the planet Core thousands of years ago. She wasn't sure how they came to be on Hilaring, but Gia would explain it later. She suspected these two peoples had a long and complicated history, given that the Coreans had now invaded the ancient city on New Hilaring, which sparked tensions and led to the current negotiations.
The softness of Carson's voice brought her out of her contemplations, "Loth is a no-show luv. Rulan has gone to see if he can chase him up."
"How about I tell you the history of my people?" Gia offered, her grin inviting and her bright blue eyes twinkling with anticipation. Her face turned serious before continuing, "I believe it's time you heard our history, as it may help negotiations."
Teyla was surprised and had no idea how the history of Gia's people would help with the current negotiations.
"How about I take Halling and keep an eye on him?" Carson suggested kindly.
"Thank you, Carson. He is asleep and shouldn't need feeding or changing for a while," Teyla replied.
Teyla watched as Gia handed Halling to Carson, "How about you come to my cave and sit on my sleeping mat? There is enough room for two of us."
Gia's sleeping mat was large and inviting, and her cave was a sanctuary of privacy, offering comfort and ease for their conversation.
A few minutes later, when they were sitting comfortably on Gia's sleeping mat, she turned to Gia and smiled, "How long have your people been on this planet, Gia?"
"First, I must tell you that there are several keepers of the records in every generation, and I am the last of my generation. Jolan is also a keeper of our records, but I fear he may be our last because a healthy child hasn't been born for fifteen years. Our women have given birth, but many children die in infancy, and we can't work out why. Perhaps your Dr Beckett can help us with an explanation? Anyways, the keeper of records is chosen when they are young because they have an extraordinary ability to remember large quantities of information."
Teyla nodded before replying, "I will ask Dr Beckett if he can help you. But first, can you give me a brief history of your people's time on this planet?"
Gia's voice was strong and clear as she began her story: " Three thousand years ago, we came from a planet at war. Our home planet's name was Core, and our population was small, but there were still enough disagreements between the different groups for them to start fighting. Each group tried to find bigger, better weapons to inflict the most damage on their enemy. A small group of people decided enough was enough and constructed a starship in secret and finally managed to escape the planet."
"How long was it before you found this planet?" Teyla asked with interest.
"My ancestors found this planet within weeks, but when we saw it was inhabited, we decided to try to find another. Unfortunately, their ship had technical issues and needed repairs, so they landed and asked the inhabitants for help. They were welcoming towards my ancestors and invited us to stay. My ancestors soon found out they were on the planet Hilaring. They settled to the south of the current city and kept to themselves. However, they traded with the Hiliarians on occasion."
When Gia paused, Teyla feared she was tiring and wouldn't continue. But Gia, with a deep breath, continued her story of resilience, "Some of my ancestors decided they wanted to live in the ancient city of Ilaria and study it, and initially, the Hilarians allowed it. Eventually, the Hilarians became uncomfortable with my ancestors studying the ancient ruins and claimed we wanted the city for ourselves. From my understanding, there was nothing further from the truth. All my ancestors wanted was to work with the Hilarian people to explore the ancient city. The Hilarians left a few thousand years ago to look for a new world. A few were left behind and kept to themselves mostly, but they often visited my ancestors looking for trade. Then, around a thousand years ago, a giant starship crashed on our city to the south, sending poison into our air. Many were killed instantly, but those who survived made their way to Ilaria, where we have lived for generations. Despite the challenges and our resilience, our numbers slowly dwindled, and the babies born were disfigured, but my ancestors were determined to survive."
Gia paused, and Teyla asked, " Why were the Hilarians unaffected by radiation?"
"I do not know. I can only assume the radiation never reached the Hilarians part of the planet. I do not know what happened to the Coreans, but I assume they still inhabit the original planet my ancestors left."
Teyla was able to ask the older woman's question, and she felt an incredible sadness as she answered, "The people of Core have invaded the ancient city on New Hilaring, and they have also invaded my home, Atlantis."
A look of horror crossed Gia's face, and a sadness filled her big blue eyes, "I am so sorry, Teyla. Is that where John and his friends are going."
"Yes, they will try to reclaim the ancient city for the Hilarains and then contact our home. Not that the Hilarians wanted the city for themselves; they were willing to share it with other civilisations; that's how the Coreans came to be in control."
"I am so sorry, Teyla; it must be hard to be away from your husband when you have a young baby."
Teyla didn't want to answer that question, so she changed the subject, "So how did your people come to see John as a deity?"
Gia chuckled, "Stories tell of people who came from the sky and had an ethereal glow. They offered hope for my ancestors, so they came to see them as gods. Eventually, they ascended to the stars and were never seen again. So when John Sheppard showed up, we believed one of the gods had returned."
Teyla wondered if ascended ancients had visited Hilaring in the last three thousand years, and that's what Gia's ancestors had witnessed, but she decided not to tell Gia about it.
Gia fell quiet, and Teyla wondered if she had anything else to say, but before she could ask her, Carson came rushing into the room with Halling in his arms.
"Is something wrong with Halling?" Teyla asked fearfully.
"No, he's fine, but Loth has shown up and demands that negotiations be started immediately."
Teyla sighed. The day had barely begun, and Loth was already making demands, and right then, she knew it would be a long day. But at least she knew a little about the planet's history, according to the Coreans.
oOo
Lorne had barely reached Sheppard's office when his comms activated. Sighing, he hit his earpiece and answered, "Lorne here."
"It's Lt Peters here, sir, and Fillian wants to talk to you."
"What about Rollonk?"
"Nope, he still refuses to help us."
Lorne sighed. He would have preferred for both men to help, and he didn't even know if Fillian wanted to help, but at least he wanted to talk.
"Okay, bring him up, but make sure two men guard Rollonk."
"I'll be there soon, Peters out."
Lorne sat down behind Sheppard's desk, and his thoughts turned to Teyla. They still didn't know what had happened to her, and Todd hadn't discovered anything, and after an extensive search. Atlantis' allies hadn't found anything either.
He had no idea what he would tell Sheppard when he returned home, but none of that would matter if Sheppard never made it home.
His thoughts were interrupted when Lt Peters arrived with Fillian.
Fillian looked even worse in the lighting in Sheppard's office than in the holding cells, and Lorne was convinced that if he didn't eat a decent meal soon, he wouldn't make it.
"Lt Peters, can you please wait outside?"
"Yes, Colonel, "Peters replied with a crisp salute.
"Please sit down, Fillian," Lorne said, showing Fillian the seat across from him.
Once Fillian was seated, Lorne got down to business, "What did you want to talk with me about?"
"I have decided to help you, Colonel Lorne, but I want some assurances before we proceed."
"And what do you want?" Lorne asked cautiously. He suspected he knew what Fillian wanted but couldn't say for sure.
"I don't want to return to my people when this is over. I would like to stay here on Atlantis."
Lorne took a deep breath before answering. He didn't know what Sheppard would think if he promised Fillian to stay on Atlantis, but he'd deal with that later. Right now, he needed the man's help.
"I'll see what I can do," Lorne offered, hoping he wouldn't regret the decision.
"Then I will help you."
Now that the man had offered to help Atlanis, Lorne had one question, "why?"
"General Sheppard's daughter got me thinking, and I decided I didn't want that child to grow up without a father."
Again, Lorne answered with one word, "Why?"
He was shocked when he saw a lone tear making its way down Fillian's cheek, "because I lost my wife and children on Core and at the time, I thought I had nothing to live for, so I joined the Corean army and fought to inhabit the city of the ancestors on Hilaring."
Lorne wondered if he would regret asking," How did they die?"
"I don't want to talk about it, but I will help you if you help me."
Lorne nodded, "Lt Peters will show you to some quarters and ensure you have a hot meal. We will enact the plan in two hours. That will give me enough time to assemble the troops to guard the gateroom."
Fillian bowed as he stood up, "Thank you, Colonel Lorne."
Once Fillian left, he buried his head in his hands and sighed deeply. The situation was undeniably complex, but at least now he had someone to help enact his plan.
oOo
Soft voices infiltrated his senses, and John wondered what had happened to him this time. He knew Rodney and Ronon were there, but where was Carson? Carson was always there when he woke up in pain. His head felt as if someone was rearranging his brain with a sledgehammer, and his arms were on fire, so something had definitely happened to him.
The softness of the pillows and bed told him he was in some kind of infirmary, but where? The last thing he remembered was trying to transport off the Hilaring supply ship and it exploding around him. His last thought was that he would be blown up along with the ship. The mystery of his current location and condition concerned him.
The whispering continued, and he knew the only way to discover what was happening was to open his eyes. After three attempts, he managed the feat and was surprised by what he saw. He was in a cave with dim lighting, and it appeared to be some kind of medical hospital.
The voices stopped, and Ronon, Rodney and Logo came rushing over. But how could that be? He remembered leaving Logo on old Hilaring.
"How did you get here, Logo?" John asked with confusion.
"It's simple, General Sheppard. Logo is my twin brother. My name is Shilo, and I am a doctor here."
He looked at the man, who looked similar to Logo. He had the same dark-brown hair and bright blue eyes but was taller and leaner than his brother, with a more serious expression on his face.
"And where is here?" John asked, even though he knew the answer.
"We are exactly where we're supposed to be, Sheppard, "Rodney answered, "in the tunnels under the ancient city on Hilaring.
Despite his pain, John's thoughts turned to the mission they needed to complete, "where's Voth? We have a mission to complete."
"Are you in pain, General?" Shilo asked, and John was afraid he would keep him in the hospital and not let him go on any missions.
"I'm fine!" John stated forcefully.
"I can see you're not General," Shilo replied, "but since we have a city to retake, I will give you some mild pain relief and allow you to speak to Voth."
John nodded, "Thank you, Shilo."
Suddenly, John realised he had no idea what his injuries were. All he knew was his head hurt, and his arms were bandaged from wrist to elbow. Unfortunately he was wearing some kind of strange scrubs as well.
"What's the damage doc?"
"I had to put five stitches in the back of your head; luckily, you don't have a concussion. And you have first-degree burns to your forearms."
Rather than dwell on his injuries, he looked at Shilo and smiled, "Thanks for looking after me, Doc. Now, can I please speak with Voth?"
"Take your pain medication, and I will go and get him, "Shilo offered. In fact, he almost insisted. At least, that's the way it sounded to John.
He took the pills and a glass of water from the doctor and dutifully took the medication. Once he'd taken the pills, he handed the glass to the doctor and stared at him, hoping Shilo would get the message and find Voth.
Shilo nodded and left the small cave he was in. Once he'd left, Rodney spoke in a high-pitched voice, "What the hell happened, Sheppard? Why did you leave it to the last minute to transport?
John sighed, "I have no idea. The transporter didn't want to work. I guess I got lucky, and it activated at the last minute. How long have I been here anyway?"
"You were so lucky, "Ronon chuckled. Ronon turned serious before he continued, "You've been here for around five Earth hours, and you've been unconscious for all of that time."
John didn't miss Rodney's glare at Ronon and suspected Ronon was about to get an earful. Luckily, Voth walked in, and Rodney didn't have a chance to speak.
"I'm glad to see you are feeling better, General."
"Thank you, Voth. Now, can you please tell me what's going on?"
"We have just heard from one of our undercover men in the city. Sillian has contacted the city from Atlantis, claiming Bannar and Jannar have secured Atlantis."
"That doesn't sound too good!" Ronon growled.
"I'm not sure what's happening, but Sillian is one of us. So Atlantis may be in the hands of Lanteans again." Voth supplied, and John felt an inkling of hope. "However, Lannar doesn't believe Sillian and insists on speaking with Jannar, Bannar or Kannar. Lannar has given Atlantis one day for Bannar or Jannar to contact him before he sends more troops through the gate."
"And when is the deadline?" John asked. He knew what Lorne was trying to do and hoped his 2IC could pull it off.
"A little over two hours," Voth replied.
"Okay," John commented thoughtfully, "do you think you can have the troops ready to storm the city in four hours."
"Why four hours?" Voth asked with confusion.
"Because Sheppard thinks that Lorne is trying to mount an attack from Atlantis, " Ronon replied, "Lorne plans to get as many of the enemy through the gate and onto Atlantis, so we have less to deal with here. Lorne and his troops will take care of the enemy troops that go through the Stargate to Atlanis"
"That's exactly what I was thinking, "Sheppard said, grinning.
"I'll try to contact my man in the city in three hours, and the troops will be ready in four hours," Voth said, and Sheppard could sense the determination in his voice.
"Okay, We'll meet again after you contact your man, and then we can take it from there," John said as a yawn threatened to split his head in two.
"I will see you in three hours, General," Voth said before leaving the infirmary.
John yawned again, and for some reason, he felt like going back to sleep. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea because, within four hours, he would be leading a team to retake the ancient city of Hilaring, and then he could return to his home.
TBC…
