![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Title: Red Sky At Dawn - Part Thirteen
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kellifer_fic
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis, that is,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
pegasus_b
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They come from the SciFi Original Series Stargate:Atlantis. Don't own, don't sue!
Summary - “No, you didn’t. You explained about your master plan but there’s something that you’re holding back, some other idea that you probably think is too dangerous but will ultimately be, because it’s you, insanely brilliant.”
Part 1 can be found here
“Are you going to tell me?” Teyla asked gently, lowering herself onto the bed next to John. He felt like he hadn’t slept in days, hell, he hadn’t slept in days and he just wanted to curl up and shut out the world for a little while and Teyla picked that very moment to ask the question.
“Can we just… I’m really tired,” he sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face but he still had to be touching her and he realised that she’d noticed. During the meeting he’d had fingers circled around her wrist. On the walk back he’d rested a hand lightly on the back of her neck. Now he was gripping her thigh tightly, probably tight enough to bruise and he eased up a little with a start, even though she hadn’t protested.
“This is not just about what happened to me and I know you went to see Daniel. He told you something, did he not?” Teyla prodded and John groaned, rolling over so he was face down in the bed.
”Do we have to do this now?” he grumbled, his voice muffled. He felt the gentle press of Teyla’s forehead in the small of his back and smiled despite himself. One of the things he loved about her was her persistence and he supposed he couldn’t choose when she would be persistent to suit himself, no matter how much he would want to.
“Alright,” he sighed, rolling over again. Teyla lifted her head long enough for John to be settled and then dropped it onto his stomach, watching his face. “He’d been looking into the Ascension stuff and…hell, I don’t know. It’s crazy.”
“John,” Teyla admonished, knowing he could talk his way around a subject for hours without actually getting to the point if he really wanted to and calling him on it.
“He said that there were documented cases that while the Ancients were studying Ascension, they started developing… abilities.”
“Abilities?” Teyla asked, her brows drawing down. In answer, John extended his arm and pressed his palm flat against her chest at exactly the point where a bullet had entered her body only days before. He gently stroked the perfect flesh beneath his fingertips and Teyla followed his movement, bringing her own hand up to cover his. “You mean healing?”
“Among other things. There were also cases of heightened awareness, telepathy and in some instances telekinesis. Some of the Ancients even started having visions of the future.”
Teyla felt coldness steal over her body. The nightmares, she thought. They get worse when danger is near.
“This all worries you?” she prompted.
“It’s probably nothing but yes, it worries me.”
“John, I have had it explained to me that… genetically you are closer to the Ancestors than most people. This city responds to you better than anyone, except maybe Colonel O’Neill. Perhaps you were just destined to develop these abilities you speak of?” Teyla wasn’t sure whether she was trying to reassure John, or herself.
He carded fingers through her fringe, pushing the hair back from her face. “Ever since the sarcophagus,” John winced at having to say the word, “I felt a little disconnected from everything, but it was a background thing, just a slight feeling. I think it’s getting worse.”
Teyla sat up, arresting John’s restless fingers and bringing them to her lips. She pressed them to her warmth for a few moments before she could trust herself to speak. “You died, many times over. It would only be natural for you to feel a little separated from everyone else.”
“Teyla, it’s not my separation from other people that worries me. I feel disconnected from myself.”
Teyla had grown up fighting. For survival, for her people, against the Wraith. She’d always known what to do and did it without hesitation. Although she would never admit it, she didn’t know how to fight this. How to keep John tied to her and the world around them. She didn’t want to admit it to John, but she had to admit to herself that for some time now she’d felt him slipping away, like a shadow she couldn’t hold.
Teyla moved up the bed and threaded an arm under John’s head, bringing it to rest against her chest and the beating of her heart. “Whenever you feel this way,” she said, bringing her hand up to press his head more firmly against her skin. “Remember, my heart beats for you. Anchor yourself with the sound of it.”
Teyla felt John’s body relax his breath evening out.
“It beats for you,” she repeated in the darkness.
xxxxxx
“You were holding something back.”
Rodney looked up from his laptop to see Jack in his doorway, hip leaning casually against the frame and arms crossed. “You know, the whole cryptic thing gets annoying after a while,” Rodney said, but he was grinning.
“In the meeting. I could see it on your face.”
Rodney sighed in resignation, closed his laptop with a snap and looked up at Jack. “Just what are you talking about?”
“You didn’t tell us everything in the briefing.”
“I can assure you, I did,” Rodney snapped, getting irritated.
“No, you didn’t. You explained about your master plan but there’s something that you’re holding back, some other idea that you probably think is too dangerous but will ultimately be, because it’s you, insanely brilliant.” Jack pressed a finger to his lips. “Actually, considering it’s something you’re holding back even though you probably think it’s brilliant yourself and are probably busting to tell someone, leads me to believe that it will end up being something dangerous for me.”
“Really?” Rodney said incredulously, but there was a hint of something else under his voice.
“Yes, really. C’mon, out with it McKay.”
“You’re delusional,” Rodney snapped.
“And you’re a terrible liar.”
“Fine! Look, it’s nothing really. It’s too risky and it wouldn’t be worth it and-“
“Rodney,” Jack said, his voice low. “It’s your job to come up with the completely outrageous ideas. Out with it.”
“The device. The one that-“
“Took out the dart?” Jack prompted, raising an eyebrow, his eyes already alight.
Rodney grimaced. “We backwards engineered it from some plans that the Ancients had. They’d been studying Wraith technology for quite a while. Fascinating stuff. They’d-“
“Can I get the dumbed down, Colonel version please?” Jack interjected. Rodney narrowed his eyes.
“You get probably most of what I’m talking about and yet you always ask me to simplify. Why is that?”
“Because it’s quicker.”
Rodney scowled. “Right. Okay, the Ancients were experimenting with a kind of pulse weapon, similar to an EMP but that targeted Wraith technology. They abandoned the research because only a very small field could be generated for a massive power input. It wasn’t a very effective long range weapon and that’s what they needed.”
“You brought down a dart with that thing,” Jack reminded him and Rodney waved a hand.
“One dart and it burnt out the whole unit and I only managed that because the dart was so close. To bring down even a cruiser, we’d need a device the size of a…I don’t know, a Studebaker. Forget about a Hive ship.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “And yet, you have a way around that, don’t you?” he pressed and Rodney flushed, not really sure that Jack knowing him so well was such a good thing.
“We could use a device of a similar size to the one I used on the dart, but the device would have to be planted inside the ship.”
Rodney knew Jack more than a little as well and he recognised the eager glint in his eyes whenever something stupidly heroic was proposed.
“We get them to think they destroyed the city and they’ll leave. We don’t need to do anything more than that.”
“How many of those devices can you make in the next three days?”
“Jack, no! We have people that can fly the puddlejumpers but no where near good enough to do something like this. Only you and Sheppard-“
“Exactly,” Jack said, grinning. “He’ll love this.”
“We don’t need to do it.” Rodney had stood and crossed the room to Jack, planting his feet and regretting the very fact that he had said anything at all. “I won’t do it. I won’t put the devices together.”
“You will. I know you will.”
“There is no way Elizabeth will allow this.”
“We won’t tell her.”
Rodney opened his mouth, eyes wide. “We won’t tell her? Jesus Jack, what the hell are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that I’m tired of being on the back foot. I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of waiting for them to come and wipe us out! I’m not a sit-on-my-hands kind of guy. I’m just not built that way.”
“No, you’re… reckless!” Rodney snapped, holding firm when Jack’s eyes narrowed and the excited glimmer faded out of his eyes.
“Is that really what you think?” he asked slowly, a brittle edge to his voice.
“I don’t know Jack, you tell me. It’s like you’ve just been waiting for a suicide mission.”
“Could it be that I trust you and believe that if you thought of it, it’s probably something that will work?”
“Please! Trying to appeal to my ego? Even I can see through that.”
“Alright, we’ll do it your way. We’ll put it to Doctor Weir.”
Rodney snorted but Jack held up a finger. “You’ll present it as a fair idea and not downplay it or try to talk her out of it when you’re presenting it. Bald facts, that’s it. If she agrees and Sheppard agrees, then you’ll do it, no further protests.”
Rodney’s whole body seemed to collapse in on itself and he sagged into the chair at his left. “I’m scared for you, don’t you see that?”
“I’m scared for all of us. I need to do something that isn’t just waiting or hiding.”
“Okay. I need to prep Daniel and then we’ll talk to Elizabeth. Just bare facts. If she says no, that’s the end of it. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
xxxxxxx
Ronon was pacing back and forth, looking at the stasis chamber every now and again and scowling. Daniel watched him mildly. He hadn’t shown Ronon Ford yet, thinking it was probably something best kept for a later time. He’d explained that he was going to hook in to communicate with the city but not the real specifics and wasn’t sure why Ronon was now getting agitated.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“There’s something not right about this. You’re worried about something.”
Daniel raised eyebrows at Ronon. “Me? You’re the one acting like a caged tiger.”
“You’re better at hiding it than me, but you are hiding something. I know McKay asked you to do this and said it was important but there’s something you’re not telling him that you’re worried about.”
“What’s he doing here?” Rodney demanded as he bustled into the room. Both Daniel and Ronon looked at him, one with a smile and one with a frown.
“When I disengaged last time, I kind of fell out of the chamber. I’d rather not crack my skull open.”
“Oh, right. Okay. Well, you stand over there and don’t say anything.” Rodney directed at Ronon, gesturing vaguely towards a corner of the room.
“Something’s wrong,” Ronon snarled and Rodney turned to him with an exasperated sigh.
“What did I just say?” he demanded.
“This isn’t safe.”
“What? Of course it is. He’ll be fine.” Rodney waved a dismissive hand but Ronon crossed the room in two large strides and took Rodney’s shoulders, turning him forcefully so he was facing Daniel.
“You were his Adamo. Look at him and tell me he’s going to be fine.”
Rodney blinked at Daniel who smiled and shrugged in that I’m perfectly fine way that Rodney had learned to interpret a long time ago.
“Oh my god, you’re right! Daniel, what the hell is it?” Rodney demanded and Daniel rolled his eyes and sat back.
“It’s fi-“
“Don’t give me that! What aren’t you telling us?”
Daniel did an eerily accurate impression of Rodney’s exasperated face. “I’ll be fine. Ford helped last time. I’m sure he’ll be able to do it again.”
“Helped you? Do what?” Rodney was standing, fists clenched and face flushed.
“When I was inside last time, the city kind of… pulled at me I guess you could say. Ford shielded me, got me out. I’m sure he’ll-“
“You didn’t say anything. Why didn’t you say anything?” Rodney threw up his hands and Daniel stood also, reaching for Rodney and squeezing his shoulders.
“I can do this. You have to trust me. You need me to do this, right?”
“Look, we could probably-“
“No. You wouldn’t have asked unless you needed me to do this.”
“Maybe someone else can-“
“No, Rodney,” Daniel cut in, his tone patient. “The only other person that’s been inside is John and it would be more of a risk for him than for me.”
“What, why?”
“Long story that we don’t have time for,” Daniel made an impatient gesture with his hand and stepped into the stasis chamber, bracing his hands on either side of it.
“You tried to tell me this when I first asked you, didn’t you?” Rodney asked quietly, sounding stricken.
“Rodney, we need this. I can do it.” Daniel’s eyes flicked to Ronon, who crossed his arms and turned away. They ticked back to Rodney and Daniel smiled. “I’m ready.”
“Okay.” Rodney sighed, leaning forward to activate the stasis chamber.
xxxxxxx
Elizabeth stood at the railing, overlooking the ‘gate room. She had the strong feeling that everything was fragmenting around them, things falling apart.
They were going to lose part of the city, and that was the best case scenario.
She didn’t remember ever feeling so tired.
“We came to you for hope,” she sighed, curling her hands around the metal railing and feeling the city thrum beneath her palms.
It was the only response she was going to get.
“Please,” she sighed, “Please. These are your people now. Keep them safe. Let me keep them safe.”
Part Fourteen
Author:
kellifer_ficFandom: Stargate: Atlantis, that is,
pegasus_bRating: Mature
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They come from the SciFi Original Series Stargate:Atlantis. Don't own, don't sue!
Summary - “No, you didn’t. You explained about your master plan but there’s something that you’re holding back, some other idea that you probably think is too dangerous but will ultimately be, because it’s you, insanely brilliant.”
Part 1 can be found here
“Are you going to tell me?” Teyla asked gently, lowering herself onto the bed next to John. He felt like he hadn’t slept in days, hell, he hadn’t slept in days and he just wanted to curl up and shut out the world for a little while and Teyla picked that very moment to ask the question.
“Can we just… I’m really tired,” he sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face but he still had to be touching her and he realised that she’d noticed. During the meeting he’d had fingers circled around her wrist. On the walk back he’d rested a hand lightly on the back of her neck. Now he was gripping her thigh tightly, probably tight enough to bruise and he eased up a little with a start, even though she hadn’t protested.
“This is not just about what happened to me and I know you went to see Daniel. He told you something, did he not?” Teyla prodded and John groaned, rolling over so he was face down in the bed.
”Do we have to do this now?” he grumbled, his voice muffled. He felt the gentle press of Teyla’s forehead in the small of his back and smiled despite himself. One of the things he loved about her was her persistence and he supposed he couldn’t choose when she would be persistent to suit himself, no matter how much he would want to.
“Alright,” he sighed, rolling over again. Teyla lifted her head long enough for John to be settled and then dropped it onto his stomach, watching his face. “He’d been looking into the Ascension stuff and…hell, I don’t know. It’s crazy.”
“John,” Teyla admonished, knowing he could talk his way around a subject for hours without actually getting to the point if he really wanted to and calling him on it.
“He said that there were documented cases that while the Ancients were studying Ascension, they started developing… abilities.”
“Abilities?” Teyla asked, her brows drawing down. In answer, John extended his arm and pressed his palm flat against her chest at exactly the point where a bullet had entered her body only days before. He gently stroked the perfect flesh beneath his fingertips and Teyla followed his movement, bringing her own hand up to cover his. “You mean healing?”
“Among other things. There were also cases of heightened awareness, telepathy and in some instances telekinesis. Some of the Ancients even started having visions of the future.”
Teyla felt coldness steal over her body. The nightmares, she thought. They get worse when danger is near.
“This all worries you?” she prompted.
“It’s probably nothing but yes, it worries me.”
“John, I have had it explained to me that… genetically you are closer to the Ancestors than most people. This city responds to you better than anyone, except maybe Colonel O’Neill. Perhaps you were just destined to develop these abilities you speak of?” Teyla wasn’t sure whether she was trying to reassure John, or herself.
He carded fingers through her fringe, pushing the hair back from her face. “Ever since the sarcophagus,” John winced at having to say the word, “I felt a little disconnected from everything, but it was a background thing, just a slight feeling. I think it’s getting worse.”
Teyla sat up, arresting John’s restless fingers and bringing them to her lips. She pressed them to her warmth for a few moments before she could trust herself to speak. “You died, many times over. It would only be natural for you to feel a little separated from everyone else.”
“Teyla, it’s not my separation from other people that worries me. I feel disconnected from myself.”
Teyla had grown up fighting. For survival, for her people, against the Wraith. She’d always known what to do and did it without hesitation. Although she would never admit it, she didn’t know how to fight this. How to keep John tied to her and the world around them. She didn’t want to admit it to John, but she had to admit to herself that for some time now she’d felt him slipping away, like a shadow she couldn’t hold.
Teyla moved up the bed and threaded an arm under John’s head, bringing it to rest against her chest and the beating of her heart. “Whenever you feel this way,” she said, bringing her hand up to press his head more firmly against her skin. “Remember, my heart beats for you. Anchor yourself with the sound of it.”
Teyla felt John’s body relax his breath evening out.
“It beats for you,” she repeated in the darkness.
xxxxxx
“You were holding something back.”
Rodney looked up from his laptop to see Jack in his doorway, hip leaning casually against the frame and arms crossed. “You know, the whole cryptic thing gets annoying after a while,” Rodney said, but he was grinning.
“In the meeting. I could see it on your face.”
Rodney sighed in resignation, closed his laptop with a snap and looked up at Jack. “Just what are you talking about?”
“You didn’t tell us everything in the briefing.”
“I can assure you, I did,” Rodney snapped, getting irritated.
“No, you didn’t. You explained about your master plan but there’s something that you’re holding back, some other idea that you probably think is too dangerous but will ultimately be, because it’s you, insanely brilliant.” Jack pressed a finger to his lips. “Actually, considering it’s something you’re holding back even though you probably think it’s brilliant yourself and are probably busting to tell someone, leads me to believe that it will end up being something dangerous for me.”
“Really?” Rodney said incredulously, but there was a hint of something else under his voice.
“Yes, really. C’mon, out with it McKay.”
“You’re delusional,” Rodney snapped.
“And you’re a terrible liar.”
“Fine! Look, it’s nothing really. It’s too risky and it wouldn’t be worth it and-“
“Rodney,” Jack said, his voice low. “It’s your job to come up with the completely outrageous ideas. Out with it.”
“The device. The one that-“
“Took out the dart?” Jack prompted, raising an eyebrow, his eyes already alight.
Rodney grimaced. “We backwards engineered it from some plans that the Ancients had. They’d been studying Wraith technology for quite a while. Fascinating stuff. They’d-“
“Can I get the dumbed down, Colonel version please?” Jack interjected. Rodney narrowed his eyes.
“You get probably most of what I’m talking about and yet you always ask me to simplify. Why is that?”
“Because it’s quicker.”
Rodney scowled. “Right. Okay, the Ancients were experimenting with a kind of pulse weapon, similar to an EMP but that targeted Wraith technology. They abandoned the research because only a very small field could be generated for a massive power input. It wasn’t a very effective long range weapon and that’s what they needed.”
“You brought down a dart with that thing,” Jack reminded him and Rodney waved a hand.
“One dart and it burnt out the whole unit and I only managed that because the dart was so close. To bring down even a cruiser, we’d need a device the size of a…I don’t know, a Studebaker. Forget about a Hive ship.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “And yet, you have a way around that, don’t you?” he pressed and Rodney flushed, not really sure that Jack knowing him so well was such a good thing.
“We could use a device of a similar size to the one I used on the dart, but the device would have to be planted inside the ship.”
Rodney knew Jack more than a little as well and he recognised the eager glint in his eyes whenever something stupidly heroic was proposed.
“We get them to think they destroyed the city and they’ll leave. We don’t need to do anything more than that.”
“How many of those devices can you make in the next three days?”
“Jack, no! We have people that can fly the puddlejumpers but no where near good enough to do something like this. Only you and Sheppard-“
“Exactly,” Jack said, grinning. “He’ll love this.”
“We don’t need to do it.” Rodney had stood and crossed the room to Jack, planting his feet and regretting the very fact that he had said anything at all. “I won’t do it. I won’t put the devices together.”
“You will. I know you will.”
“There is no way Elizabeth will allow this.”
“We won’t tell her.”
Rodney opened his mouth, eyes wide. “We won’t tell her? Jesus Jack, what the hell are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that I’m tired of being on the back foot. I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of waiting for them to come and wipe us out! I’m not a sit-on-my-hands kind of guy. I’m just not built that way.”
“No, you’re… reckless!” Rodney snapped, holding firm when Jack’s eyes narrowed and the excited glimmer faded out of his eyes.
“Is that really what you think?” he asked slowly, a brittle edge to his voice.
“I don’t know Jack, you tell me. It’s like you’ve just been waiting for a suicide mission.”
“Could it be that I trust you and believe that if you thought of it, it’s probably something that will work?”
“Please! Trying to appeal to my ego? Even I can see through that.”
“Alright, we’ll do it your way. We’ll put it to Doctor Weir.”
Rodney snorted but Jack held up a finger. “You’ll present it as a fair idea and not downplay it or try to talk her out of it when you’re presenting it. Bald facts, that’s it. If she agrees and Sheppard agrees, then you’ll do it, no further protests.”
Rodney’s whole body seemed to collapse in on itself and he sagged into the chair at his left. “I’m scared for you, don’t you see that?”
“I’m scared for all of us. I need to do something that isn’t just waiting or hiding.”
“Okay. I need to prep Daniel and then we’ll talk to Elizabeth. Just bare facts. If she says no, that’s the end of it. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
xxxxxxx
Ronon was pacing back and forth, looking at the stasis chamber every now and again and scowling. Daniel watched him mildly. He hadn’t shown Ronon Ford yet, thinking it was probably something best kept for a later time. He’d explained that he was going to hook in to communicate with the city but not the real specifics and wasn’t sure why Ronon was now getting agitated.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“There’s something not right about this. You’re worried about something.”
Daniel raised eyebrows at Ronon. “Me? You’re the one acting like a caged tiger.”
“You’re better at hiding it than me, but you are hiding something. I know McKay asked you to do this and said it was important but there’s something you’re not telling him that you’re worried about.”
“What’s he doing here?” Rodney demanded as he bustled into the room. Both Daniel and Ronon looked at him, one with a smile and one with a frown.
“When I disengaged last time, I kind of fell out of the chamber. I’d rather not crack my skull open.”
“Oh, right. Okay. Well, you stand over there and don’t say anything.” Rodney directed at Ronon, gesturing vaguely towards a corner of the room.
“Something’s wrong,” Ronon snarled and Rodney turned to him with an exasperated sigh.
“What did I just say?” he demanded.
“This isn’t safe.”
“What? Of course it is. He’ll be fine.” Rodney waved a dismissive hand but Ronon crossed the room in two large strides and took Rodney’s shoulders, turning him forcefully so he was facing Daniel.
“You were his Adamo. Look at him and tell me he’s going to be fine.”
Rodney blinked at Daniel who smiled and shrugged in that I’m perfectly fine way that Rodney had learned to interpret a long time ago.
“Oh my god, you’re right! Daniel, what the hell is it?” Rodney demanded and Daniel rolled his eyes and sat back.
“It’s fi-“
“Don’t give me that! What aren’t you telling us?”
Daniel did an eerily accurate impression of Rodney’s exasperated face. “I’ll be fine. Ford helped last time. I’m sure he’ll be able to do it again.”
“Helped you? Do what?” Rodney was standing, fists clenched and face flushed.
“When I was inside last time, the city kind of… pulled at me I guess you could say. Ford shielded me, got me out. I’m sure he’ll-“
“You didn’t say anything. Why didn’t you say anything?” Rodney threw up his hands and Daniel stood also, reaching for Rodney and squeezing his shoulders.
“I can do this. You have to trust me. You need me to do this, right?”
“Look, we could probably-“
“No. You wouldn’t have asked unless you needed me to do this.”
“Maybe someone else can-“
“No, Rodney,” Daniel cut in, his tone patient. “The only other person that’s been inside is John and it would be more of a risk for him than for me.”
“What, why?”
“Long story that we don’t have time for,” Daniel made an impatient gesture with his hand and stepped into the stasis chamber, bracing his hands on either side of it.
“You tried to tell me this when I first asked you, didn’t you?” Rodney asked quietly, sounding stricken.
“Rodney, we need this. I can do it.” Daniel’s eyes flicked to Ronon, who crossed his arms and turned away. They ticked back to Rodney and Daniel smiled. “I’m ready.”
“Okay.” Rodney sighed, leaning forward to activate the stasis chamber.
xxxxxxx
Elizabeth stood at the railing, overlooking the ‘gate room. She had the strong feeling that everything was fragmenting around them, things falling apart.
They were going to lose part of the city, and that was the best case scenario.
She didn’t remember ever feeling so tired.
“We came to you for hope,” she sighed, curling her hands around the metal railing and feeling the city thrum beneath her palms.
It was the only response she was going to get.
“Please,” she sighed, “Please. These are your people now. Keep them safe. Let me keep them safe.”
Part Fourteen
Tags: