Hello, Stargate Lovers!
Happy Sunday!
Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 72: Original Chapter 0.29
"Hello, Alexandra."
"Adria." The scientist opened her eyes at the voice. She was in her lab and at the sight of the Ori, Alexandra placed herself in front of the boxes.
"I see you got them all." Dark eyes smiled, mischieveously.
"You won't have them."
"You don't even know what they are for."
"And do you?"
An evil smirk appeared on her lips as Adria walked around the other woman.
"I know they will cost you Atlantis. Your friends. John Sheppard." Dark eyes found brown eyes once more.
At her words, Alexandra looked down, seeing a silver dress drapped on her. Her Ancient attire. Had she ascended once again? It felt so real.
"I will have what is mine, Lantean."
"Not while I'm alive. And I'm not that easy to kill as you well know."
"Good thing Ganos Lal is not here to protect you anymore then."
"What did you do, Adria?" Alexandra heartbeat began pumping fast, afraid.
The Ori raised her hands. All the oxygen, all the energy, all the warmth of her body started to fade.
And, as she fell, Alexandra woke up, in a sweaty mess, tangled in her sheets, breathing hard.
It was barely dawn when John appeared in the mess hall and his hazel eyes immediately fell on the woman sitting by her usual table, alone, a big cup of tea in her hands. She looked deep in thought as her own eyes stared at the slow sunrise. He remembered those weeks when she didn't talk with him, angry at what he had done and imagining she was intent on leaving Atlantis.
Worried, he frowned, and with his own tray, he stepped closer to her, seeing her twirl the cup for a moment.
"Bad night?"
Startled out of her thoughts, Alexandra looked up, for a moment acknowledging the worried frown on the pilot, before noticing the soft smile on his lips.
"Something like that." She managed a smile, straightening herself up on the chair as John sat down in front of her, taking a sip of his coffee. "Spent the last two days with McKay translating some of the information I brought the other day. So, you can imagine how bad the nights have been..." Alexandra confessed.
"Yeah. I know. Have you... slept since then?"
"Tried. I even tried the boxes again..." She stopped her words, since the last time she had released her energy into the boxes it made her dream with Adria. Mere twelve hours ago.
"It's been a week, Alex." Now, he had the worried tone again as he leaned forward on the table. "The Sun Tzu is inspecting some of the coordinates you translated. So, you should relax in the meantime. We'll have answers soon."
"Yeah. I know. I just... I just need to work on the translation." Alexandra sighed, taking the last sip of her tea before standing up.
His eyes went over her face. John felt sorry for her, knowing full well how taxing it was to work with McKay. And looking out for Adria. He could only imagine what kept going through her head. The whole base was on high alert.
"You know, it's sort of my day off." John followed her, knot in his stomach making him forget about his breakfast, placing his hands in his pockets as he watched her from the corner of his eyes. "Things have been quiet with the help of the Sun Tzu, keeping the Wraith controled. So I thought I would go to the main land. You know, catch some sun, take T.J. for a run. He shouldn't spent so much time..."
"She's been quiet, isn't she?" Alexandra suddenly asked, interrupting him, not paying much attention to his words.
"Who?" The pilot raised his brow.
"Adria. What I did to her the first time we met... she should have recovered by now. It's been months. She should have come find me by now." THe scientist mumbled as she made her own calculations.
"What did you do?" John frowned, remembering that day.
"Well, I drained her energy. Sort of. I think. I don't know how I did it... I just wanted her to stop hurting all of you. But I think that's what I did."
"Alex." He saw her turn to him. "Is there something I should know?"
"What do you mean?" Now a frown marred her features.
"You're not thinking on talking with her, are you? Calling Kal and go to her?"
"No... No. Of course not. There's nothing she would say, that I would want to hear." Or did she?
"Good." However, his frown stayed in place, knowing her well enough to know that she probably would want to do it, if it meant protecting them.
"Alexandra..."
The boxes seemed to mock her.
The scientist was starting to feel frustrated.
The dream. Adria. Memories. Her own power. The want of... of what?
"Come to me..."
She had just spent another set of hours translating with Rodney and they were no near of finishing it.
Her energy was prickling again. Alexandra could feel it in the tips of her fingers.
She needed a release, she needed... her feet carried her to the boxes and she placed her hand near them.
"You will lose..."
"Alex?!" Rodney's voice ranged far away in her mind as a light appeared around her and a burst of energy flowed outwardly, going through the ancient city.
"Rodney!"
Brown eyes opened and she sat up on the gurney, looking around the infirmary, her breath winded.
"Easy." Cameron's voice ranged near and Alexandra looked up at soft blue eyes. "Breathe, Alex."
"What... what happened?" The frown that appeared between the pilot's brows told her something bad had happened. "Cam, what did I do?"
"Just stay calm."
"Dr. O'Neill." Woolsey appeared at the same time, concern etched in his expression. John following right behind the Atlantis leader. "Do you care to enlighten me on what happened in the lab?"
Flashes of memories came to her as she closed her eyes and frowned. Her hands came to the sides of her head.
"We were translating. Something... I heard a voice. I got closer to the boxes. I don't... Remember." Her eyes opened in realization. "My power... it just..." Oh, no. She felt like the first time she had felt the energy flow through her body, many years ago. "Where's Rodney?" Fear laced her tone and her eyes. And John's heart leaped and crumpled at the pain he could see in them.
"He's okay, Alex. He's uncouscious. But Keller says he's going to be okay." The Atlantis second in command answered, his tone quiet, trying to remain calm for her sake.
Hours later
"She's weak. She's still weak."
Stopping in his tracks, John turned to the woman that stopped right beside him. She had a bit more colour on her cheeks and was back on her uniform, her hair in a ponytail. However, her eyes shone bright, with concern and anxiety at the same time.
"Shouldn't you be in the infirmary? Where's Mitchell? I thought he was keeping you company."
"I told him to go away."
"And he complied?" The colonel raised his brow, admired by it. He would think that after everything, the other pilot would be more concerned about her wellbeing.
"He's not as stubborn as you." Alexandra raised her brow as if in challeging him to contradict her. Only a small smile appeared on the colonel's lips. "Anyway, she doesn't have her religion here. Not yet, at least." She continued. "The Wraith are not keen on praying to Gods and she's only using them to enslave the humans, so she can regain her power. However, with our help, she's not getting anywhere. Therefore, she's still weak after our confrontation."
"So, she needs prayers." The pilot concluded, seeing her pace back and forth in the middle of the hall.
"Yes. And if she's weak, I can fight her. I can destroy her. Once and for all."
With a sigh, the pilot considered her words.
"No."
"John..."
"We don't know where she is. And, Alex... you're too dangerous to be inside a ship to go on some kind of quest to find her."
Stopping her pacing at his words, Alexandra looked up at him.
"Come here..." Predicting a scene, John softly grabbed her arm and they entered in one of the many Atlantis rooms, closing the doors.
"Listen, I might not get what you're feeling, but I get what you're saying. But I can't... I need to think on everybody else safety."
Rationally, she knew what he meant. Emotionally, she needed to do what she was meant to do.
"John..." Alexandra took a step closer to him. "I need to go. Maybe I should call Kal. Everyone would be safe..."
"No!" His hand found her arm again. "Alex, are you crazy?" His heart was beating fast at the prospect of having her alone with the Ancient.
"I can't sleep. I can't think. I can't..." She sighed, letting her head fall onto his chest. "I need to end this."
Surprised by her closeness, his hands were hitching to touch her, but he couldn't. Or he would never let her go.
"Alex, I can't..." What were the words?
Bringing her eyes up, for a moment, they fell on his lips. Then, hazel and brown met.
[Col. Sheppard. There's a message from the Sun Tzu.] The moment was interrupted as John's hand went for the radio.
"Go ahead, Chuck."
[They need assistance. They sent coordinates.]
"Send it to the Daedalus. We'll be ready in ten."
[Yes, sir.]
"I have to go. We'll finish this conversation when I get back."
"John..."
"No. Alex, please..."
"I can help. It will be a way to release some of my power. What happened with Rodney... I'm in control now, John. I promise."
Seconds passed by as John made his decision.
As soon as they arrived on the coordinates sent by the Sun Tzu, the Daedalus was put on high alert, launching F-302's to help fight the darts engaged in battle with the Earth fighters above a bright green planet.
[These darts are not our usual ones.] They heard John's voice through the ship's coms. He had taken one of the fighters to command the Daedalus squadron. [They don't go down easy.]
"They're protecting the planet." Upon hearing Alexandra's words, Teyla came to her side by the window of the control room, where the scientist watched the battle.
"Are you sure?" The athosian frowned, watching her friend closely. Her body seemed like a steel rod, her eyes darker than usual.
The scientist closed her eyes, feeling the energy surrounding her.
Human. Wraith. Weapons. Daedalus core. Sun Tzu core. Biological matter of the hive ship. Ancient. Ori.
"Col. Caldwell, we're taking severe damage." Sgt. Parker announced as he looked at the monitor, making a report.
As the words left the young officer's lips a white light surrounded Alexandra. A trap. In her pursuit for answers, she had driven them to a trap. And she was beginning to lose control. She needed to leave before she hurt someone.
"Dr. O'Neill, what's going on?" The Daedalus commander frowned at the sight in front of him, not used to deal with Ancients.
Staring outside the window again, Alexandra saw a faint light going around the darts attacking the Daedalus.
"Why aren't we shooting back?!" John asked as he entered the room. After Teyla told him what was happening via radio, he had come back to the ship.
[Something is jamming the frequency on our controls, Col. Sheppard.] They heard Radek say through the coms.
"She's here." Alexandra whispered to herself as her eyes kept following the light.
"Alex!" John's hands grabbed her arms, making her look at him. Her skin was hot, her eyes as if in pain. "Talk to me."
"It's can only be her. Even in her weak state, it can only be her. I have to..."
"No."
"She's down there, John. Maybe I can get a shot at her."
"Alex. Please..." He's tone of command made her stop and look up at him.
Everyone in the control room stopped as colonel and scientist looked at one another as if in challenge.
"This is my mess, Sheppard. I released her."
"Don't you dare..."
Light surrounded her body and she left, a bright shadown going in direction of the planet.
Opening her dark eyes, Adria smirked as she saw Alexandra appear near the ruins that existed in that lost planet the Wraith hive ships have been protecting for the past few months. The only planet where she had found some sort of calm and quietness to recover from her last fight with the Ancient.
Alexandra stared at the Ori, sitting in what seemed like a throne. Her feet started to move in her direction.
"Hello, Adria." Her eyes caught Kal appear next to her enemy. "Funny, stationing yourself in what looks like to be the ruins of an Ancient temple. Isn't that a little hypocritical of you?"
The Ori stood, but didn't move.
"I would have imagined that, having all the boxes, you would find this location sooner."
"Forgive me for not exceding your expectations." Alexandra stopped, not far from what seemed like a dais as she scanned her surroundings. Some wraith soldiers were nearby, but nothing she couln't handle if need be.
"Memories playing a trick? I would imagine, if you have your present memories, but also... Mélya's."
The scientist jaw went taut at the mention of her ancestor.
"I see Kal have been filling you in."
Quietly, Adria went down the few steps, her eyes fixed on the Ancient.
"You've grown quite a bit, Alexandra." Her tone was soft, curious, barely there anger. "A lot of thing you didn't tell me when you were... teaching me, back in the Ancient plane. Leaving Earth. Atlantis. Mélya. How you found your powers again." The Ori walked around the other woman, seeing how tense she was, but with a confidence she didn't had years ago. She stopped in front of her. "John Sheppard." It had been a mere fraction, but she saw Alexandra's hands turn into tight fists.
"This is between you and me. There's nothing in between now. No Priors. No Ancients. No Ori. Vala. Daniel."
"Ganos Lal." Adria finished, her brow raised.
At that, a wraith footsoldier appeared, dragging a woman by her arm, letting her fall near the human.
Fear crushed Alexandra's senses as she took a step closer to the Ancient that helped her for the past year and that she had thought dead.
"Ganos..." She whispered, concerned.
"You're alive." Ganos Lal tone was rough and low, feeling the energy of her protegée flow into her body to help her heal. A soft smile appeared on her lips, thinking that it was so like her, to help and not think in her well being. "You need your power to fight her."
Brown eyes turned serious and turned back to the Ori.
"You're gonna pay for this, Adria. For everything you've done."
The Ori crossed her arms.
"We'll see about that, since my Wraith caught something very interesting sneaking into the planet."
At that, the SGA-1 team was dragged into the area by wraith soldiers. Alexandra narrowned her eyes, anger fueling her powers, not only because she hadn't foreseen this, but also for the recklessness of the team. She had left them behind for a reason. Why couldn't John stay still? Her eyes scanned every single one of them. John, Teyla, Ronon. Cameron. They appeared to be okay, spite the blood and the bruising appearing on their bodies.
"Hello, Col. Mitchell. Glad to see you again." Adria's tone was warm as she got closer to the team, taking Alexandra out of her own musings.
"Adria." The colonel narrowed his eyes at the Ori, the wraith making him kneel in front of her. Blue eyes caught brown eyes. He offered a quick smile as if trying to make her at ease, before focusing again on the other woman, his jaw set.
"Still trying to protect your beloved, Colonel?" The Ori leaned forward, her fingertips touching Cameron's bruised cheek.
"You know me, just trying to help." The pilot flinched away from her touch. "Perhaps teaching you a lesson is more like what I was hoping for."
"Oh, really?" Adria straightened her body, her eyes going between Cameron and Alexandra to then fall on the rest of the team. "Such loyalty, I see. I don't understand, to be honest. How can mere humans trust so much in a being that don't belong in their reality."
"There's no teaching in the universe to help you comprehend the true meaning of loyalty, Adria." Alexandra spoke, watching her step closer to each of her friends sides.
"You should rule them."
"Like the Ori ruled over a galaxy for a millenia? With fear and punishments? I am not like them. I am not like you, Adria."
The taller woman stepped closer to the scientist, her eyes reading her expression, her body. Controlled. What would it take to make her lose it?
"Not that different, Alexandra. We both want the same thing." The scientist leaned her head to the side, not understanding. "Power." Adria finished.
"Then, you don't know me. At all. Even after a year of lessons."
"Are you sure?" The Ori came to stand right in front of her. "Power to protect what we value. Power of knowledge. Power to defend our beliefs."
"I never wanted power. What I want, I can never have, Adria."
"And what is that?"
"A normal life."
"A normal life? That is so human..." Adria narrowed her eyes with a snort.
"And that's exactly what make us different."
"Again, are you sure?" A smirk appeared on the Ori's lips.
"Okay, I'll concede. Why are we the same?"
"You could have stayed on Earth. Not stay on Atlantis. In that way, you would have never fallen for John Sheppard. And your powers would have never come back. But here you are." Adria leaned forward slightly. "Be honest, Alexandra, you wanted more, to be something more."
Words rang in the scientist's hears, in her heart. She was right. After what happened with Cameron she could have just left the SGC, forget about it. Find another job somewhere. Instead, she took the opportunity to go to Atlantis. If she hadn't gone...
Hazel eyes had been watching the scene closely, hearing what was said. And knowing her so well, he was able to discern what was going through her mind. The Ori was getting to her.
"Don't listen to her, Alex!" John grunted in pain, feeling Adria's hand grab his hair and pulling his head back.
"Let him go, Adria!" John's voice had penetrated the fog of her doubts as Alexandra took a careful step towards them.
"Just give me what I want. Or else Col. Sheppard will cease to exist."
"Adria." There was a soft plea in Alexandra's tone. "Let him go. This is between me and you."
At the Ancient's words, Adria let go of John's head and her gifts made her appear in front of Alexandra, immediately grabbing the sides of her head.
"Finally, I have you." And pain flowed from one to the other and a scream exited the Ancient's throat.
An explosion ensued.
A light blinded everyone and a dark fog engulfed everyone.
I know... cliffhanger. Haven't done one in a while... hehehe...
Ps: Thoughts?