The last engagement
Part 1
The new man
‘Colonel Sheppard! We’re detecting a hyperspace-window opening.’
There was a little pause in the gate room. Nobody was expecting a ship coming. The fear of the Wraith might be at the doorsteps of Atlantis had flown through the city in seconds. Shortly after Major Cory looked up again.
‘It’s the Daedalus! General O'Neil is waiting.’
The entire city calmed after only a few seconds of fear, but it seemed forever.
‘Open a channel!’ Sounded Sheppard’s order. ‘This is Colonel Sheppard talking.’
‘Colonel! Good to hear your voice! Requesting permission to be beamed down.’ Answered O'Neil from the Daedalus.
‘Permission granted, sir!’
In that very second a glowing light and the well-known sound appeared just in front of the gate. The General was there with another person who was not known by anybody.
‘Congratulations! I heard you got promoted.’ Said O'Neil to Sheppard.
‘Thank you, sir! Since the IOA wanted to increase military attention in the Pegasus galaxy, it seemed appropriate for them to put me in charge of this city.’
‘That’s great responsibility. Think you can handle it?’ Asked ironically O'Neil.
‘I think I can live with it.’ Answered John with a huge smile on his face.
‘This is Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Marshall.’ Pointed at the guy who arrived with him. ''I assigned him to take over your off-world team, Sheppard. As the leader of Atlantis you’re not, unless it’s necessary, suppose to go to off-world missions. Is that clear?’
‘Absolutely, sir! Colonel Marshall! We are all glad to have you here. You!’ Told to a man standing at the door. ‘Show him his quarters!’
‘Yes, sir!’ Saluted the man, and walked away with Marshall.
O'Neil got only a few seconds to look around what changed since he last had been there. When he was about to look at one of the mission reports on a laptop, Dr. McKay ran in.
‘Sheppard! You have to… Oh, General, nice to see you again. Anyways, I got something that both of you should see.’ He sounded like he found the answer to the meaning of life.
‘Is it one of those creepy, not understandable, scientific stuff.’ Asked Jack. McKay nodded. ‘Great! I’m looking forward to hear one of those, again!’
McKay looked extremely pissed because of what the General said. He took them to his lab anyways. It was in the main tower, just three floors down from the control room. He was nearly running to get there, like they were going to miss something, if they don’t get there on time. When they arrived McKay sat down to his desk, opened his laptop and began talking rapidly.
‘Okay! So you both know that Atlantis is in need of some kind of energy source that is either equal or more effective than the ZPM.’ Sheppard and O'Neil nodded. ‘I found a way! Actually it was my sister. Remember a couple of years ago my sister was here because of the idea of a time-space bridge, but it wasn’t working? I made it to work without taking any risks. And it gives us power equal as five ZPMs!’ McKay was flustered. Sheppard could tell that he’s been working on this project for weeks without sleeping. O'Neil took the chance to have a word.
‘So you’re saying that this… bridge thing… can take Atlantis back to fight against the Wraith?’
‘Yes, that’s the interest for you in this energy source. And it opens God knows how many new doors to discover about the Ancients!’ Answered McKay edgily. Why the General was always thinking of fighting? Well, maybe because he was a soldier. But it was hard for McKay to understand. Before anybody else could speak up the radio started rasping.
‘Colonel Sheppard! We’ve got an off-world activation. You might wanna come up to the control room.’
‘Thanks Cory! We’re on the way.’ Sheppard and O'Neil left in a hurry. When they got up to the gate floor Tod’s face was already on the main screen. He saw Sheppard entering the room.
‘Sheppard!’ Whispered John’s name in Tod’s exasperating voice.
‘Tod! I thought I never gonna hear from you again.’ Said Sheppard mockingly.
‘You thought that, huh?’ Guffawed Tod so loud that it echoed in the entire control room. ‘Well, you were wrong. I survived that battle against the last remaining Replicators. And here I am, again.’
Everybody could see that Sheppard wasn’t entirely satisfied with that fact.
‘Here you are seeking what? You wouldn’t contact us unless you need our help.’
‘And once again you are mistaken, John Sheppard! I’m here rather to offer you something that could be quiet useful in your war against the Wraith.’
That sounded crazy. Why on Earth would Tod help them again against his own kind, when there Civil War has ended by that time? And Sheppard knew that. Or did they miss something while they were back on Earth?
‘Okay Tod! That doesn’t sound right. I thought the Civil War ended.’
Tod had the look on his face that made John quiet obnoxious towards him.
‘Let me explain! Yes, the war has ended. Which means that the Wraith are settling down for reparations and to once again, go back to sleep. Which leaves us big hives with a handful of soldiers only. Easy to set bombs, and ravage enemy hives.’
Sheppard had to think. It was a good chance, all right, but he could sense something behind that. He wasn’t entirely sure what, but this case was, in fact, doubtful.
‘Gotta think about that Tod!’ Answered with a little grogginess in his voice.
‘Take your time, John Sheppard! I’m transferring the gate address where you can contact me. You’ve got 24 hours before I leave.’ And the gate shut down.
‘We received the gate address, sir.’
‘Thank you, Major!’ Sheppard switched on his radio. ‘Ronon! Teyla! Colonel Marshall! Meet me in my office in 5 minutes!’ They acknowledged the order. Sheppard also told the General, that he should attend that briefing too. O'Neil agreed, so they left to the office. In exactly 5 minutes Ronon, Teyla and Marshall appeared in the room.
‘Okay guys! Tod contacted us to hand us a great chance of conducting a final strike on the Wraith. He said that they went back to sleep to gain energy for a final engagement on us.’ Started Sheppard.
‘It’s weird! Why would he do that?’ Cut in Ronon.
‘Well I’m guessing he wants to take over the ruling.’
That was kind of obvious. Of course Tod had to have something on mind.
‘Anyways, it is still the best chance we had so far. So are we gonna do it or not?’ Everybody nodded. ‘Good! The three of you: be armed and ready to go off-world in 15 minutes. You’re gonna meet Tod to make an agreement, and probably to bring him here. Colonel Marshall! Are you ready to lead this mission?’
‘Absolutely, sir!’ Agreed Marshall.
‘Thank you! Questions?’
And there were no questions, so they left. Sheppard and O'Neil went back to the gate room to wait for the others. John wasn’t convinced that this could work, but when he looked at the General and even he was, the he felt better.
After 11 minutes the team arrived ready for the mission.
‘Major Cory! Dial the gate!’ Gave out John the orders.
Everybody on Atlantis hoped that this will work…
The last engagement
Part 2
No surprise
“We’ve got a stable connection, sir.” reported Cory.
That was at least a good beginning. Tod actually gave them an address which is related to a world. In just a few seconds they opened a radio channel, and contacted him. He was there, waiting for them to arrive. When Sheppard tried to tell Tod that he can’t leave Atlantis, so his team will go, Tod stated that he would only talk to the Colonel. So he didn’t have a choice, because he didn’t want to let that chance to slip out from his fingers. So he picked up a gun, and he went through the gate with Ronon, Teyla and Marshall. When they arrived they performed basic military procedure and made sure that the area was clear. It was, Tod wasn’t lying. He was alone there waiting.
“Sheppard! I knew you’ll come.”said Tod with a little relief in his voice.
“Wouldn’t wanna miss this one!” answered Sheppard ironically. ‘You have to come with us to Atlantis. There we can discuss this deal of yours.’
Tod didn’t have much choice but to go with them. Sheppard asked him to take off his sub-space tracer device. Tod unwillingly, but took it off. Ronon stepped to the DHD and dialed Atlantis.
“General! Receiving Colonel Sheppard’s IDC!” turned Cory to O'Neill.
“Lower the shield, Major!” and just a second after he did, Marshall’s team, Sheppard and Tod stepped through the gate. The security soldiers were aware of Tod’s being a threat to the city. So they were armed and ready for his arrival. They headed towards Sheppard’s office, on the way he motioned the General to stick around.
“So you’re Tod” started O'Neill “I thought you would look more… friendly, I guess.”
“Who is this, Sheppard?” asked Tod with a slight distrust in his voice.
“General Jack O’Neill” replied Jack instead “The boss, you might say.”
“I will only speak to John Sheppard!” stated Tod once more.
Jack thought it might be a good idea to let him talk to only John, so turned around, and left the office.
“So you damn better talk now!” turned to Tod starting to be a bit angry.
“I can give you coordinates to altogether 27 hive ships on rest time on different planets. It would only take a few precautions for your people, and you could destroy approximately 27,000 wraith at one time.”
“And what’s in it for ya?” asked John suspiciously.
“That after this I will take over, and lead the remaining wraith. You recognize me as their leader, and from that on we leave each other alone.”
“Yeah, right. And how you gonna solve the feeding thing on humans?” asked John sarcastically.
“We are willing to take the virus developed by Dr. Carson Beckett, that will leave us to be wraith without the need of feeding on humans.”
“Yeah... I’ll need to discuss that with my superiors.”
“Do not forget John Sheppard: the wraith went to sleep to gain energy for a final strike on Atlantis and Earth!”
John was hesitating. He told the guard standing at his door to take Tod to a highly secured room. He went to the control room and grabbed the speaker.
“Ronon, Teyla, Rodney, Marshall and General O'Neill! Please come to my office immediately. Sheppard out.” and he stepped back to his office.
In just about a minute all who were asked to come were there. John motioned them to take a seat. Ronon was the first to speak up.
“So what did he say?”
“He did offer 27 coordinates, each opening to a resting hive.” said John while he seemed he was thinking.
“And what does he want for exchange?” asked Jack.
“To be recognized as the leader of the remaining wraith, live in peace, willing to take the anti-feeding virus that Carson developed.”
“Yeah, and we suppose to believe that.” spoke Rodney up.
“Right now there is no reason for us not to. And in fact the wraith are gathering energy for a last great siege on Atlantis and Earth.”
“No surprise on that fact!” a little sarcasm could be heard in Ronon's voice.
“So General?”
“So what?” picked up his head.
“Well, you’re giving the orders.”
“Forget it, Sheppard!” snapped Jack “You are in charge of this city!”
“Okay, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Anyways, do we have enough nukes for this at all? ”
“Well” started Jack “We have about 100 Mach3 naquadah bombs on the Alpha Site. With the Daedalus it shouldn’t take more then 2 weeks to deliver it here.”
“Good! Then I think we should do this. Guys?”
“Killing a lot of wraith. Got no problem with that.” said Ronon, and everybody else acclaimed.
Just as John was about to finish this meeting outside of the room, in the gate room, the stargate activated. Cory grabbed the speaker
“Incoming wormhole”
All six of them ran out to see what’s happening.
“Cory, raise the shield! No team is off-world right now.” ordered John
“I can’t sir! It’s not responding!”
All of them got shocked when the traveler came through the gate.
“Now that is a big surprise!” shouted Jack smiling