Chapter 12: A glimmer of hope.
John was utterly exhausted, his body craving nothing more than a few hours of undisturbed sleep. His once pristine clothes were now caked in red dust and filth—at least someone had found him some clothes, so he wasn't walking around in infirmary scrubs. Halling was now two days old, and John had barely managed to steal a few moments of rest. The weight of their situation, the constant threat of danger, and the uncertainty of their future had taken a toll on him, leaving him physically and emotionally drained.
Dave had healed his injuries two days ago, and the hologram seemed to be sulking about something. Carson had attempted to engage Dave in a conversation about the healing devices in the infirmary on more than one occasion, but Dave remained obstinately silent. The hologram stubbornly insisted that if they had a medical need, he would deal with it, but the devices wouldn't leave Golondia, the name of the ancient city they were in—the ruins of the city anyway. John suspected Dave was sulking that the Ancients had left him behind, trapped in a sterile room in the city forever.
Thanks to Carson and Logo's assistance caring for Halling, Teyla managed to get more rest than John. However, when he wasn't aiding Rodney, John found himself torn between his paternal duties and the relentless challenges they faced, leaving him with little time for rest.
John stepped out into the courtyard near the room they'd called home when they first arrived on the planet. The three suns had set hours ago, so the night air was cool—a welcome relief from the relentless heat of the day. The stars were scattered across the sky, a breathtaking sight that filled him with a sense of awe. They twinkled like a thousand fireflies, each a tiny beacon of light in the vast darkness of space, a reminder of the beauty that still existed in this harsh, alien world.
The moon was beginning to rise, casting strange shadows over the desolate landscape, and every so often, he caught a glimpse of a rock or dead tree. As he gazed at the bleak view, a sudden thought came to him. Had the planet always been this harsh and unforgiving, or had a cataclysmic event happened, causing whatever life may have existed to perish? Perhaps that's why the ancients abandoned the city. He might never know the answer to that question, so it didn't bear thinking about it. But there was a glimmer of hope that Rodney might find some information in the database.
They'd been stranded on this chunk of rock for almost a week, and it had been a week and a half since they'd left Atlantis, the only home he'd known for the past ten years. The vast expanse of the alien landscape seemed to stretch on forever, a constant reminder of their isolation. Yet, John and his team remained resilient, facing each day with determination.
His thoughts turned to Lorne and the others and what might happen on Atlantis. Teyla had explained what had happened to her and how she ended up walking into a portal that led her to this planet. Had the hostiles been overthrown? How were his children, and who was looking after them? Lorne was probably beside himself with worry about Teyla, but they could not contact him to let him know Teyla was okay. If Lorne and Teldy had dealt with the intruders, John was positive they'd be doing everything possible to mount a rescue mission. But even if Lorne could retake the New Hillaring homeworld, the uncertainty of finding them on the chunk of rock they were on was a heavy burden, casting a shadow of doubt on their chances of being rescued.
A voice interrupted his musing, which was probably good because, given his circumstances, he could easily end up in a dark place. His thoughts were a jumble of worry, fear, and uncertainty, a storm raging in his mind.
"I'm sure the children are being cared for," Carson said, standing beside him at the twisted, rusty railing. His presence was a comforting reminder of the bonds they shared, the friendships that had sustained them through the most challenging times.
John sighed and gripped the railing tighter, "Yeah, I know. I'm just wondering how Lorne's going on Atlantis."
John didn't want to have an emotional conversation with Carson, and his discomfort was evident. The world's weight was on his shoulders, and the burden seemed heavier over the last few years.
"I wonder if I'm getting too old for this life. My life is constantly in danger when I'm out in the field. But even on Atlantis, things aren't safe. Teyla was on Atlantis when hostiles invaded the gateroom. She was kidnapped and crashed on the mainland while she was pregnant with our son."
"The dangers we face on Atlantis and in the Pegasus galaxy are real. But now we have a whole new Galaxy to explore, and I can't see myself doing anything else," Carson remarked, his gaze fixed on the stars.
John chuckled and looked at his friend, "I remember when you were afraid to go through the gate."
"I'm still terrified every time I go through the gate. But I do it anyway, so one day, when I have children, I can make the galaxy safer for them," Carson stated with a faraway look in his eyes, his bravery shining through despite his fear.
"You and Jasmine are thinking of starting a family, Doc?"
"Aye, neither of us is getting any younger, and now's as good a time as any," Carson said optimistically about starting a family, his hope for the future palpable.
"You'd make a great Dad, Carson," John replied, his determination to continue his dangerous life evident. Despite his discomfort with the emotional talk, he continued, "I can't imagine myself doing anything different, so I'll probably be going through the gate until the day I die."
"Me too, lad," Carson replied.
Carson patted John on the shoulder and walked away, leaving him staring at the vast emptiness of space and asking a myriad of questions. Would they ever get off this rock, and if they did, would they ever find a way home being the main two? Despite the uncertainty, a glimmer of hope shone in John's eyes, a testament to his unwavering optimism.
oOo
Two days had passed since Lorne and Todd had interrogated the prisoners, and a lot had happened in that time. The mercenaries had become ill, and Jennifer had to move them to the infirmary. And right now it didn't look good. They were all in a coma, and Jennifer didn't expect them to survive. This led Lorne to wonder whether they'd poisoned themselves or if they were inflicted with an illness, in which case there was a possibility that Atlantis personnel were infected. Still, Atlantis hadn't gone into lockdown. Basically, they were back to square one. If they unblocked the gate to the New Hillaring homeworld, more hostiles could come through, but if they didn't, they couldn't contact KK203.
A small voice interrupted his contemplations, "Where are Momma and Da?" Although it was the voice of a child, it was demanding.
He looked across the General's desk and found Charin standing on a chair, staring at him with the same puppy dog look General Sheppard used. Her big brown eyes had tears, and Lorne had no idea what to tell her because he didn't know where her mother and father were.
He stared back at Charin, and she looked more like Teyla every day, except for the crazy black hair—that was John Sheppards.
"Why are you alone, Charin? Who's supposed to be looking after you?" Lorne asked, looking around the control room.
"Aunt Melia," Charin replied, her voice tinged with a pout, "Where's Momma? I want Da!" Her distress was palpable, and Lorne felt sympathy for the child's innocent plight.
Lorne felt a surge of panic. The child's distress was evident, and he felt a weight of responsibility towards her. He was unsure how to comfort a crying child, but thankfully, Torren's arrival spared him from the situation.
"I'm sorry, Colonel Lorne. Charin ran away from Aunt Amelia when she was dealing with Sharnie. I'll try to keep a better eye on her in the future. Come on, Charlie. Let's go and find Aunt Amelia."
Lorne was relieved when the children turned to leave. He was about to contact Dr Keller when Torren turned around and asked, "Do you know where my parents are?"
Of course, he had no idea how to answer that question, but perhaps he should tell them the truth, "I'm sorry, but your mother's missing, and your father is still in galaxy KK203, and we cannot contact him."
Now Torren looked like he was going to cry, so he was relieved when Amelia came rushing into the office with Sharnie in her arms.
"I'm sorry, Colonel. I hope the children didn't disturb you."
He should speak with Amelia and explain what happened with John and Teyla. Perhaps she could tell them something to soothe them.
"Torren, please take Sharnie and Charin to the conference room, I need to talk to Aunt Amelia alone?" Lorne asked kindly. He knew Torren would take excellent care of Sharnie and Charin for a few minutes.
"Come on, Charin, I know where Dad keeps some toys for you to play with," Torren suggested, and Lorne could sense the sorrow in the child's voice.
Once he was sure the children had left, he closed his eyes with a thought and invited Amelia to sit down.
"What's this about, Colonel?" She asked with hesitation in her voice.
Lorne sighed, wondering why he was carrying such a heavy burden, "Teyla was nowhere to be found on the mainland, and given the situation on the New Hillaring homeworld in KK203, we can't contact Colonel Sheppard either. The men from KK203 are all in the infirmary in a coma, and I don't know whether they are sick or poisoned. Jennifer hasn't told me anything yet."
"Okay, have you spoken with the senior staff and tried to devise a plan?" Amelia asked, the shock and confusion evident in her voice.
"Of course I have," Loren replied exasperated." How could you think I wouldn't be trying to devise a battle plan?"
"Sorry, Colonel. You just seem a little on edge. When's the last time you slept?"
Lorne sighed; he had no idea when he'd last slept eight hours.
"I'm not sure the last time I had a good night's sleep," Lorne admitted, his exhaustion evident in his voice.
"Perhaps you should go and rest now," Amelia suggested, "I'm sure Jennifer could give you something to help."
"You're right; I'm no good to anyone when I'm this tired," he admitted more to himself than to Amelia. "Do you think you can tell Torren and Charin something because I'm unsure what to tell them?"
"Don't worry. I'll tell the children something, and between Jennifer, Jasmine, and me, we'll look after them until their parents return. And they will return."
"Thank Amelia," Lorne replied with a yawn that threatened to split his head in two.
He watched as she left and contemplated her suggestion. Maybe he would go and sleep, and when he was refreshed, he might be more able to devise a plan to solve the issue of how to get to galaxy KK203 to rescue his friends.
oOo
Carson stared at the hologram in front of him. He'd never seen a hologram cry before—not that he'd seen many holograms.
After he'd left Sheppard in the courtyard, he'd come to the infirmary to see how Teyla and Halling were. He found Dave in tears, and Logo tried to comfort him. Teyla and Halling were still asleep, and he had no idea where Rodney, Ronon and Toth were—hopefully getting some sleep.
"What seems to be the problem here?" Carson asked with utter bewilderment.
"I want to know why the ancients left me behind," Dave said, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and sorrow. Tears streamed down his holographic face, and his features contorted in an eerily human way, a sight that struck Carson deeply.
Carson had no idea what to say to the ridiculous hologram—surely he was just a computer program, so why did it matter? Dave's beige tunic and pants were as pristine as when Rodney activated him, and his hair was meticulous. The only change was his tear-stained holographic face. The hologram's meticulous appearance starkly contrasted Carson's own dust-caked clothes and hair.
"Umm… I'm not sure why the ancients left you, Dave, but maybe there's a way we can take you with us when we leave," Carson offered, his eyes reflecting a genuine concern and empathy for the hologram, his heart aching for the being in front of him.
"Do you think there's a way we can do that?" Logo asked from his seat, a glimmer of hope crossing his holographic face.
Carson just nodded and continued staring.
"You should be able to download my computer module into your ship's systems," Dave suggested, his breath hitching in between sobs.
"I'll see if Dr McKay can arrange that," Carson offered, not sure what they could do for the strange hologram.
"Thank you, Dr. Beckett," Dave said, tears drying up. Can you please deactivate me until it's time to go?"
Carson considered discussing the healing devices with Dave again, but the hologram seemed adamant that he wanted to be deactivated. Carson felt torn. On the one hand, he understood the hologram's desire for rest, but on the other, he couldn't shake off the feeling that there might be more to this situation than met the eye.
Once Carson had deactivated the hologram, he turned to Logo and said," What was that all about?"
Logo shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine."
Before Carson could reply, John walked in, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion, his eyes heavy with sleep deprivation. Carson was hoping he'd come in for a rest. Now Teyla and Halling were sleeping soundly, and he assumed Rodney and the others were John had no reason to be awake. John's steps were heavy, and his usually alert eyes were now dull with fatigue, a stark contrast to his usual vibrant self.
"Hey docs, what'd I miss?"
"Well, Dave was upset that the ancients had left him behind, "Logo began, "and he began to cry?"
"Really!" John commented with a lopsided grin, "I would have liked to see that."
"Well, I've now deactivated Dave, and it's time you got some sleep, Carson instructed forcefully. "You've hardly slept in two days."
"I need to see Mckay and the others are up too," John told him, sighing wearily.
"I think they're asleep in the control room, "Logo surmised, "but how about I go and look?"
"Okay, but will you let me know if they need me?" John said, oblivious to Carson's glare.
Logo nodded and left the infirmary, leaving Carson alone with John, "Right, now Logo has gone. I want you to lay down with your family and sleep for at least four hours, and before you argue, I'll sedate you if you don't."
"Come on, Doc. I doubt you've got any sedatives on you."
For a minute, his anger flared. There was no way he was taking chances with the general's health. "Do you want to try me, General?" Carson's concern for John's well-being was palpable. John mumbled something that Carson couldn't hear and went to lie beside his wife and son. John was exhausted and needed as much rest as possible to get them all out of the mess they were in.
John was asleep within a few minutes, so Carson decided it wouldn't hurt to get a few hours of sleep. He trusted Logo to ensure the others were doing the same; feeling confident in his newfound colleague's capabilities, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
oOo
A sudden, unfamiliar buzzing sound abruptly pulled Lorne out of his deep slumber. Disoriented, he struggled to identify the source. Unready to face the day, he attempted to ignore it and return to sleep. But the persistent buzzing, like an insistent alarm, refused to be ignored. He glanced at his clock, realising he had barely slept for an hour. Frustrated and confused, he reached for his alarm clock, only to discover it was not the culprit. It was his earpiece, emitting an irritating noise.
The dimly lit room cast strange shadows, and he wondered where the light was coming from. Was it moonlight somehow pouring into his room? It took him a few minutes to become fully aware, and he soon realised sunlight was shining through his curtains, casting a warm glow on the familiar objects in his room-the desk cluttered with papers, the bookshelf filled with old books, and the digital clock blinking.
"Lorne here, " he said groggily, trying to wipe the last vestiges of sleep from his bleary eyes.
"It's Dr. Keller here, and Sillian is awake and wants to talk to you." She sounded tense, as if something were bothering her.
"That's great, Doc, but do you know what was wrong with them in the first place?"
There was silence on the other end, and he wondered whether she'd cut the connection, "Doc, are you there?"
"Yes, Colonel, I'm here. But don't you remember me telling you they poisoned themselves two days ago? I wasn't expecting them to survive because their life signs were continuing to deteriorate until an hour ago when Sillian suddenly woke up."
"Oh yeah, I vaguely remember. Perhaps you can fill me in when I arrive in the infirmary. Give me ten minutes, and I'll be there."
"Will do Keller out."
As Lorne made his way to the infirmary, he contemplated many things. Why did Sillian suddenly wake up, and what about the others? Were they destined to die, or would they also have miraculous recoveries? What did Sillian want? Was he willing to help them, or would he need to bring Todd in to help loosen his tongue? Lorne was resolute, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.
When he stepped into the dimly lit infirmary, he was surprised to see Dr. Keller at her desk. Her exhaustion was palpable, and he couldn't help but wonder when she had last found a moment of rest.
"When was the last time you slept, Doc?"
"I don't know, it's been a while, but Jasmine isn't feeling well, and Carson's still missing, so I'm spending most of my time here."
"Do you have any idea what's ailing Dr. White?" Lorne inquired, his concern for her health palpable in his voice.
"Hopefully, she'll be fine in a few weeks," Jennifer grinned.
Lorne ignored Keller, thinking he knew what was happening with Jasmine, but it wasn't his place to comment.
Lorne stood taller, put on his military persona, and asked, "Can I speak with Sillian now?"
"Sure, Colonel. Come this way," Jennifer said, leading the way into the infirmary's main ward.
A row of beds was set up along one wall, and most of them were occupied by Sillian's men, who all appeared to be sleeping, but Lorne knew differently.
As Lorne approached the man at the end of the room, he noticed his eyes were open, staring at the ceiling. His gaunt, pale face and empty eyes were a stark contrast to a man who had woken from a long slumber. Lorne couldn't help but wonder why this man had survived and if the others would.
As he got closer, Sillian turned to look at him and smiled, a hopeful sign that the man was willing to help.
"Colonel Lorne, I must apologise for my actions and tell you the truth."
"And what is the truth?" Lorne asked sceptically.
"The truth is I am a Hilarian military officer, and I am undercover to try to stop these men from doing whatever they're trying to do."
Lorne felt a glimmer of hope; at least they had some help now. Now, The question was whether the other mercenaries were on their side.
"And the others?"
"Oh, none of them are with me. They're all hell-bent on ruling the universe."
"Okay…and what of the poison, why didn't it kill you?"
"The capsule placed in my molar was put there by a Hilarian scientist, who is also undercover. He did the capsules in all these men's teeth, so they should all wake up soon. The poison was half a dose and not meant to kill as a total dose would have."
Lorne nodded, knowing what a risk this man had taken to protect his people. He wondered if he could do the same.
"So, are you willing to help me devise a plan to take back your home?"
"Of course I am," Sillian replied with a yawn, "but I think I may need to go back to sleep for a while first."
"And I want you to return to your room for another few hours, Colonel," Jennifer demanded, entering the room.
"What about you, doc?" Lorne asked, his concern evident.
"Dr. White will be here in a few minutes, so when she arrives, I will head to my room for a few hours."
"That's great, Doc. When can Sillian help me devise a plan?"
"I'll let you know. Now off to bed with you. Or do I have to sedate you?" Jennifer replied with a stern look.
"No need to get nasty, doc," Lorne replied, rolling his eyes.
He took one last look at Sillian before leaving the room. Finally, there was a glimmer of hope that they'd escape their mess.
oOo
A child's cry pierced the silence, jolting John out of his deep sleep. It took him a moment to realise it was his son, Halling. Opening his tired eyes, he looked around the infirmary and saw Teyla, his strong and compassionate wife, pacing the room with their son. His immediate reaction was to jump to his feet; his heart filled with a father's determination to comfort his son.
"Does he need to be fed?" He asked, thinking of the first thing that came to his mind.
"No, John, " Teyla replied with frustration. "Halling has been fed and changed, but he still does not want to settle down."
"Maybe he's missing his Daddy," John suggested, using his most Charming grin because the last thing he wanted was to upset his lovely wife.
"Please take him, John. He's been crying for a while and doesn't want to settle down," Teyla replied, and John could sense the exhaustion in her voice.
It made him wonder how long he'd been asleep because, for some reason, he felt more refreshed than he had since the ill-fated mission began.
Teyla handed the baby to John, who held him over his shoulder. he started whispering soothing words to Halling while pacing up and down in the tiny infirmary, and very soon, the child began to settle.
Once the baby had settled, he turned to find Teyla lying on a bed, fast asleep. He decided to let her sleep, and he would take care of their son.
He sat in a comfortable chair and continued whispering soothing words to his son. He had no idea where the others were, but he didn't care right now. It was quiet, and he was spending some quality time with his son, something he hadn't had the opportunity to do since he was born.
His peace was disturbed a minute later when Rodney came running into the room with Carson close behind.
"Guess what, Sheppard!?" Rodney shouted. I've managed to fix the communications device, and we sent a message to the Hilarians on their old home world."
Halling seemed to stir for a moment, and John was afraid he would start crying again, but luckily, he remained quiet.
"Shh..McKay, I've just got Halling settled, and Teyla is fast asleep."
"Sorry," Rodney whispered, "but we've sent a message to the original Hilarian home world. Hopefully, some of the team helping the local population will receive the message and send a ship to help us get to New Hilaring. Toth, Ronon and Logo are in the control room waiting for a response."
John sighed; he'd had enough of this rock and couldn't wait to get off it. Then, the hard work would begin. They somehow needed to take control of the New Hilaring homeworld and gain access to the Stargate. It was just another day at the office.
TBC…