Lightning Strikes 26
Okay folks! I am going to post the last four chapters. I also have two new stories that I will be posting as well - Silver Wings and Lantean Misery.
Title: Lightning Strikes
Author: Amycat8733
Rating: T
Pairing(s): John/Teyla
Characters: John, Teyla, Rodney, Ronon, Keller, Lorne, Woolsey
Warning(s): sentient Atlantis
Length: 73,530 words total
Disclaimer: The characters and locales of SGA don't belong to me. For fun, not profit. I just swim in the pool. No borrowed OCs were harmed during these productions.
Summary: A lightning bolt brings change to John Sheppard. His bond with the city deepens, bringing its own hazards. Friendship is tested as Rodney and John clash over his new strength. As John’s abilities grow and change, change also comes to Atlantis.
Some events are based around the Legacy series by Jo Graham, Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold. Takes place during Season Six.
Part 26
AN - This includes an event from my story “Brothers”.
Slowly waking, John enjoyed not having to jump out of bed for an emergency. He rolled out of bed and stretched to loosen his tight muscles. After two days of nothing but the small meals that Carson had recommended and naps, he was ready to get back to work. Teyla was already up and had left with Torren to take him to Aleeah, leaving him alone in the suite. He scratched at two days’ growth of beard as he headed for the bathroom. As he passed the dresser, he turned his iPod on and called up the new songs Carson had shared with him by a group called The Red Hot Chili Pipers. While the sounds of bagpipes and bass guitars filled the suite, he picked up his razor and set about repairing his appearance.
Shaving done, he stepped into the shower, the water coming on at his preferred temperature without touching a single knob. He turned his back to the shower head, letting the hot water massage out the lingering aches while he shampooed his hair and scrubbed his body. To rinse off he stood under the water with his eyes closed. He didn’t hear the bathroom and shower door open. The room was so full of steam that no temperature change alerted him to the presence of someone else until a pair of hands touched his back.
He thought the water off. His fists came up to deck whoever had just snuck into the shower as he spun around to confront his visitor. He stopped himself just in time when he saw Teyla.
Sagging in place, John ran a hand through his wet hair, water flowing in streaks down his body. “God, Teyla, don’t do that!”
“I am sorry, John.” A contrite expression crossed her face. “I did not realize that you did not hear me enter.”
He grabbed a towel, drying his hair as he stepped from the shower. “You surprised me and I almost decked you.”
Teyla smiled. “I would have ducked.”
John just shook his head and growled as he reached for another towel to dry off, but Teyla placed her hands on his chest, holding him in place. At the same time, he noticed she was nude, her luscious body streaked with moisture.
She placed her hands on his chest, stroking his skin through the mat of wet hair. “Am I forgiven?”
John cocked an eyebrow at her, a thoughtful look on his face as he looked her over. “Hmmm, I don’t know. I think you need to be punished.”
Looking up at his face, Teyla countered with a raised brow of her own. “Oh, I do?”
John nodded. “Oh, yes, and I know just the type of punishment to deliver.” He bent down, capturing her face between his hands, flicking his tongue across her lips before her mouth opened and allowed him access. While their tongues danced, his hands slipped down to her waist before moving onwards to cup her buttocks. As her hands slid from his chest to his back, her nails ignited fine trails of desire. His cock grew hard between them.
Stooping slightly, he picked her up and pressed her back to the wall. Teyla wrapped her legs around his waist, the head of his cock rubbing her center. He held her like that as he gently pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth before trailing kisses down her neck. As she moaned in anticipation, she dug into his back with her nails hard enough to leave marks. His head jerked back in response. His cock throbbed and a groan escaped his lips. On her second pass down his back, he lowered her onto his shaft, her cries switching from moans of anticipation to groans of ecstasy. Soon, cries of passion mingled with the remaining clouds of steam as they joined in the oldest dance of all. Their orgasms hit together, their cries blending into the music still playing throughout the suite.
As their heart rates lowered, John planted tender kisses on every part of Teyla that he could reach, their bodies still locked together. Knowing they needed to clean up, he backed into the shower while he turned the water on with a thought. The shared shower almost started round two, but John’s stomach grumbled just as things started to heat up again.
He rested his forehead on her hair, cheeks flaming with embarrassment. “Sorry, Teyla.”
Her hands touched his cheeks before sliding through the wet spikes of his hair.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” She pulled back, cupping his face in her hands. “You are a generous man, a thoughtful and considerate lover. You have done nothing to apologize for.”
John closed his eyes, relishing the feel of her skin on his. “I know, but we haven’t had much quality time lately and I feel like I’ve been neglecting you.”
Teyla stepped back, a coy smile on her face. “Well, Sam has volunteered to watch Torren tomorrow evening so that we may spend some quality time together. Since you say that you have been neglecting me, I shall have to come up with a suitable way to punish you.”
John groaned. “Keep that up and I’ll need a cold shower.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “You know this is torture, right?”
Teyla shook her head, grabbing a towel to dry off. “No, it is a promise. I shall leave you to dry off and dress.” Wrapping the towel around her, Teyla left the bathroom.
John dried and dressed quickly in his BDU. There were six days left before they moved the city and he had plenty to do. Jennifer had put him back on full duty as of today on the condition that he not engage in anything strenuous. He planned to keep his promise as far as not sparring or jogging, but his day was full otherwise.
He and Teyla headed to the mess hall. He had pancakes while she had tea and fruit, having already eaten breakfast with Torren. While eating, he glanced around at their fellow diners. He noticed that his troops and most of the scientists were getting along. The few scientists that were acting ugly were on the list to be staff for Kavanagh.
After breakfast, Teyla headed to teach some of her martial arts students while John headed for his office. As he walked down the hall, he checked to make sure that his iPod was in his pocket. He had more new music that he wanted to listen to while working on his reports in between settling disputes.
He was more than halfway through his reports when Rodney waltzed in to his office.
“Sheppard, what is that noise? Are you practicing new forms of torture in here?”
John looked up from his laptop and looked at the iPod display. “It’s a group called Nightwish. They’re from Finland.”
Rodney winced as the singer belted out the chorus of Bye Bye Beautiful. “They sound like Christmas cats singing Klingon opera.”
John snorted out a laugh. “This from the person that thinks Celine Dion is Canada’s greatest contribution to music!”
Rodney huffed, crossing his arms as he defended his fellow Canadian. “Well, I think her music is great.”
John shook his head as he looked at his friend. “No, tell the truth. You like her music, but you love the low cut gowns that she performs in.”
Rodney uncrossed his arms, planting his hands on his hips. “So what if I do? I’m male and not dead, so sue me.”
John let out a full throated laugh. “True. So what brings you to my humble abode?”
Rodney crossed his arms again. “Lunch. You’ve been in here since breakfast. You need to get out of this office for a bit, stretch your legs and eat. If you don’t, you won’t be ready for the move.”
John stood, stretching to his full height, arms extended over his head. “This is a switch - you telling me that I need to exercise.” He shut off the iPod, pocketing it as he turned towards Rodney. “Should I call Ronon and Teyla?”
Rodney smirked at him, falling into step as John exited his office. “Already taken care of; they’re meeting us in the mess hall.”
Lunch was a jovial affair. Teyla had Torren with her and Sam, Jack, Radek and Carson joined them. After Teyla left with Torren, John finished his meal, depositing his tray before heading out. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. Glancing back, he realized that it was Jack.
Remembering their last conversation, John dispensed with formality and treated the General like he would any of the city’s inhabitants. “What’s up?”
John saw a brief smile cross Jack’s face before his expression changed. “We need to talk.”
Smile fading, John stared at the older man. “Is this a ‘let’s go to my office’ talk or a ‘we need someplace private’ talk?”
“If this was Cheyenne, I’d say the former, but your office is too open, so it’s the latter.”
John nodded in acknowledgement. “I know just the place.”
Without waiting for an answer, John headed off through the corridors until he reached a transporter in a more remote area. John told it where to send them. The transporter flashed as soon as the doors closed. Jack gasped when he noticed that John never touched the controls. The doors ahead of them opened, signaling that they had reached their destination.
Stepping out, Jack turned and shot him a speculative glance. “How long have you been able to do that?”
John headed down the corridor in front of them, footfalls telling him Jack was still with him. “Not touch the transporter pad? Almost five years. I used to touch it if anyone else was with me, but everyone here knows I have a strong bond with the city so I quit doing that. Now, if you’re asking about telling it where I want to go before I get there, that’s new.”
John turned down a narrow corridor, walked several yards and then thought open a door. He waved Jack into a small room that contained a spiral staircase, before taking the lead once again as they climbed the stairs. When he reached the top, John once again opened the door and waved the General through. Jack’s smile of pleasure told him that he had read the man right. John stepped in, mentally securing the door behind him. Jack was off to one side standing in front of the main feature of the room - its floor to ceiling windows which provided a magnificent view of a quarter of the city.
John sprawled on one of the room’s two couches, grabbing a bottle of water from a chest nearby. “I come here when I need to decompress. It’s off the beaten path. Lorne and my team know about it, but no one else. Until now, Teyla’s the only other person that I’ve shared this with. Most of the time, I come alone.”
Jack inclined his head toward John. “I’m honored. I have a cabin in the mountains where I go to unwind. Sometimes I take my team with me, other times it’s me and Sam or just me.”
John bid his time, figuring that Jack would get to the discussion when he was ready. Fortunately, he didn’t have long to wait.
“This enhanced ability of yours is what I want to talk about.” Jack moved to the other couch. “Teyla said that it’s from a rogue lightning bolt.”
John nodded. “Yep, I jumped through the Gate when I felt the ozone charge in the air but the bolt must’ve had my name on it because it followed me through the wormhole. It came through while I was in mid-air in the Gate room, catching me in the back. It traveled through me and grounded in the Gate room floor. I ended up with a super-charged gene, shrapnel in my right leg and side, and first and second degree burns from it. We realized that my connection to Atlantis had grown when I saved McKay, Zelenka and several other people, along with thirty percent of the population from exposure to a toxic gas in a lab they were about to open from the infirmary.”
John caught Jack’s look of disbelief. “You saved them … from the infirmary.”
John nodded, a cocky grin crossing his face. “I did, and Teyla and Keller were present when I did.” John stared out the window. “I asked Teyla where McKay was and suddenly it was like I was in the corridor with him. I could see the entire group clearly. I told them how to neutralize the toxins using information that came from Atlantis herself. After that, my sensitivity started building. McKay and Zelenka tried an impromptu test the next day. I was able to identify and diagnose several artifacts that they’d brought with them, plus some machinery that was being stored in the observation room.”
Jack was silent for a moment as he digested John’s words. “That’s very interesting. It also brings me to the point of this meeting.” The sober expression on his face caused John to sit up straight. “Word of this cannot get out. If the Trust finds out, you’ll never be safe at home again. Also, the IOA can’t know either.”
John waved a hand, relaxing back to his slouch. “I have no desire to be used as a stud, remote light switch or lab rat. I don’t flaunt what I can do and I’m not gonna start now.” He raised an eyebrow at the General. “I know you realized that’s why I had Woolsey clear the Gate room the other day.”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, I did. It was for protection - yours and everyone else’s.” He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “You just have to be careful.”
John nodded. “I plan on it. My life is finally going right for a change.” John rose and moved to the windows. “Y’know, it’s strange that out of all the places I’ve lived or been stationed, it took coming to another galaxy to find a place I can call home.”
Jack joined him; two pilots gazing out at the ice-crusted city. “What’s it like - your bond with the city?”
“It’s amazing.” John’s gaze softened. “Talking to Atlantis is as easy as talking to you. She has a distinct personality with a good sense of humor and she is also very protective.” He took a drink from the bottle in his hand. “I’ve felt her since the day I stepped through the gate, but it’s only been since the lightning strike that I can actively converse with her, although she told me that it would have happened eventually. While I’ve been recovering, she’s been teaching me how to shield my mind. It seems that I was doing it already, but I’ve gotten better.” He grew silent, his gaze turned inward for a moment. “Lantis says your gene is strong enough that you could feel her if you relax.”
“Really?” Jack sounded a bit surprised.
“Yeah, and if you lived here long enough, you could probably talk to her almost like I do.”
From the corner of his eye, John saw Jack shake his head.
“No thanks. I haven’t had good experiences in the past with things that talk inside my head.”
John laughed and Jack joined in. After a moment, the laughter trailed off.
“So, any other potential enemies after me?”
Jack shook his head. “Nope. But you might want to remind McKay to not mention how certain things get done in his reports. I’ve noticed that he tends to overshare a lot of the time.”
John chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.” He turned towards Jack. “Anything else we need to discuss?”
Jack was silent for a moment. “Nope, I’ve said what I wanted to say.”
“I do have a question for you, though.” A flash of apprehension crossed John’s face. “I would like you to be Second Pilot when I move the city in a few days.”
Jack tilted his head slightly in curiosity. “Why me? Why not Carson or Lorne?”
“It’s a major battle to get Carson to sit in the Chair. He piloted the city to Earth only because I wasn’t available and Lorne’s gene isn’t strong enough. He can fire drones, monitor the auto-pilot and run some of the low level diagnostics, but that’s it. Plus Carson is not a pilot; he doesn’t understand flight mechanics like you and I do.”
“What kind of timeframe are we talking?”
“It’s going to take approximately thirty-six hours to get to our new home, which would be two twelve hour shifts for me and one for you. Carson has agreed to monitor and step in if either of us becomes too exhausted.”
A flash of surprise crossed Jack’s face. “You already asked him?”
John grinned. “I did. He’s rather relieved.”
Jack tossed it around in his head, but he knew it was a foregone conclusion and so did John. “Alright, I’ll do it.”
John’s grin deepened, a spark of mischief appearing in his eyes. “Great. Feel up to a trip to the obstacle course?”
Jack tilted his chin down and looked at the younger Colonel. “I thought you were supposed to be taking it easy?”
John smiled as he motioned the older General to take the lead. “I am; doesn’t mean that I can’t show up and watch my troops run it.”
Jack smiled back. “Now you’re talking. Let’s see how inspired the sergeants get by our presence.”
Sporting matching grins, the pair headed off to torture John’s troops.
Title: Lightning Strikes
Author: Amycat8733
Rating: T
Pairing(s): John/Teyla
Characters: John, Teyla, Rodney, Ronon, Keller, Lorne, Woolsey
Warning(s): sentient Atlantis
Length: 73,530 words total
Disclaimer: The characters and locales of SGA don't belong to me. For fun, not profit. I just swim in the pool. No borrowed OCs were harmed during these productions.
Summary: A lightning bolt brings change to John Sheppard. His bond with the city deepens, bringing its own hazards. Friendship is tested as Rodney and John clash over his new strength. As John’s abilities grow and change, change also comes to Atlantis.
Some events are based around the Legacy series by Jo Graham, Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold. Takes place during Season Six.
Part 26
AN - This includes an event from my story “Brothers”.
Slowly waking, John enjoyed not having to jump out of bed for an emergency. He rolled out of bed and stretched to loosen his tight muscles. After two days of nothing but the small meals that Carson had recommended and naps, he was ready to get back to work. Teyla was already up and had left with Torren to take him to Aleeah, leaving him alone in the suite. He scratched at two days’ growth of beard as he headed for the bathroom. As he passed the dresser, he turned his iPod on and called up the new songs Carson had shared with him by a group called The Red Hot Chili Pipers. While the sounds of bagpipes and bass guitars filled the suite, he picked up his razor and set about repairing his appearance.
Shaving done, he stepped into the shower, the water coming on at his preferred temperature without touching a single knob. He turned his back to the shower head, letting the hot water massage out the lingering aches while he shampooed his hair and scrubbed his body. To rinse off he stood under the water with his eyes closed. He didn’t hear the bathroom and shower door open. The room was so full of steam that no temperature change alerted him to the presence of someone else until a pair of hands touched his back.
He thought the water off. His fists came up to deck whoever had just snuck into the shower as he spun around to confront his visitor. He stopped himself just in time when he saw Teyla.
Sagging in place, John ran a hand through his wet hair, water flowing in streaks down his body. “God, Teyla, don’t do that!”
“I am sorry, John.” A contrite expression crossed her face. “I did not realize that you did not hear me enter.”
He grabbed a towel, drying his hair as he stepped from the shower. “You surprised me and I almost decked you.”
Teyla smiled. “I would have ducked.”
John just shook his head and growled as he reached for another towel to dry off, but Teyla placed her hands on his chest, holding him in place. At the same time, he noticed she was nude, her luscious body streaked with moisture.
She placed her hands on his chest, stroking his skin through the mat of wet hair. “Am I forgiven?”
John cocked an eyebrow at her, a thoughtful look on his face as he looked her over. “Hmmm, I don’t know. I think you need to be punished.”
Looking up at his face, Teyla countered with a raised brow of her own. “Oh, I do?”
John nodded. “Oh, yes, and I know just the type of punishment to deliver.” He bent down, capturing her face between his hands, flicking his tongue across her lips before her mouth opened and allowed him access. While their tongues danced, his hands slipped down to her waist before moving onwards to cup her buttocks. As her hands slid from his chest to his back, her nails ignited fine trails of desire. His cock grew hard between them.
Stooping slightly, he picked her up and pressed her back to the wall. Teyla wrapped her legs around his waist, the head of his cock rubbing her center. He held her like that as he gently pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth before trailing kisses down her neck. As she moaned in anticipation, she dug into his back with her nails hard enough to leave marks. His head jerked back in response. His cock throbbed and a groan escaped his lips. On her second pass down his back, he lowered her onto his shaft, her cries switching from moans of anticipation to groans of ecstasy. Soon, cries of passion mingled with the remaining clouds of steam as they joined in the oldest dance of all. Their orgasms hit together, their cries blending into the music still playing throughout the suite.
As their heart rates lowered, John planted tender kisses on every part of Teyla that he could reach, their bodies still locked together. Knowing they needed to clean up, he backed into the shower while he turned the water on with a thought. The shared shower almost started round two, but John’s stomach grumbled just as things started to heat up again.
He rested his forehead on her hair, cheeks flaming with embarrassment. “Sorry, Teyla.”
Her hands touched his cheeks before sliding through the wet spikes of his hair.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” She pulled back, cupping his face in her hands. “You are a generous man, a thoughtful and considerate lover. You have done nothing to apologize for.”
John closed his eyes, relishing the feel of her skin on his. “I know, but we haven’t had much quality time lately and I feel like I’ve been neglecting you.”
Teyla stepped back, a coy smile on her face. “Well, Sam has volunteered to watch Torren tomorrow evening so that we may spend some quality time together. Since you say that you have been neglecting me, I shall have to come up with a suitable way to punish you.”
John groaned. “Keep that up and I’ll need a cold shower.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “You know this is torture, right?”
Teyla shook her head, grabbing a towel to dry off. “No, it is a promise. I shall leave you to dry off and dress.” Wrapping the towel around her, Teyla left the bathroom.
John dried and dressed quickly in his BDU. There were six days left before they moved the city and he had plenty to do. Jennifer had put him back on full duty as of today on the condition that he not engage in anything strenuous. He planned to keep his promise as far as not sparring or jogging, but his day was full otherwise.
He and Teyla headed to the mess hall. He had pancakes while she had tea and fruit, having already eaten breakfast with Torren. While eating, he glanced around at their fellow diners. He noticed that his troops and most of the scientists were getting along. The few scientists that were acting ugly were on the list to be staff for Kavanagh.
After breakfast, Teyla headed to teach some of her martial arts students while John headed for his office. As he walked down the hall, he checked to make sure that his iPod was in his pocket. He had more new music that he wanted to listen to while working on his reports in between settling disputes.
He was more than halfway through his reports when Rodney waltzed in to his office.
“Sheppard, what is that noise? Are you practicing new forms of torture in here?”
John looked up from his laptop and looked at the iPod display. “It’s a group called Nightwish. They’re from Finland.”
Rodney winced as the singer belted out the chorus of Bye Bye Beautiful. “They sound like Christmas cats singing Klingon opera.”
John snorted out a laugh. “This from the person that thinks Celine Dion is Canada’s greatest contribution to music!”
Rodney huffed, crossing his arms as he defended his fellow Canadian. “Well, I think her music is great.”
John shook his head as he looked at his friend. “No, tell the truth. You like her music, but you love the low cut gowns that she performs in.”
Rodney uncrossed his arms, planting his hands on his hips. “So what if I do? I’m male and not dead, so sue me.”
John let out a full throated laugh. “True. So what brings you to my humble abode?”
Rodney crossed his arms again. “Lunch. You’ve been in here since breakfast. You need to get out of this office for a bit, stretch your legs and eat. If you don’t, you won’t be ready for the move.”
John stood, stretching to his full height, arms extended over his head. “This is a switch - you telling me that I need to exercise.” He shut off the iPod, pocketing it as he turned towards Rodney. “Should I call Ronon and Teyla?”
Rodney smirked at him, falling into step as John exited his office. “Already taken care of; they’re meeting us in the mess hall.”
Lunch was a jovial affair. Teyla had Torren with her and Sam, Jack, Radek and Carson joined them. After Teyla left with Torren, John finished his meal, depositing his tray before heading out. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. Glancing back, he realized that it was Jack.
Remembering their last conversation, John dispensed with formality and treated the General like he would any of the city’s inhabitants. “What’s up?”
John saw a brief smile cross Jack’s face before his expression changed. “We need to talk.”
Smile fading, John stared at the older man. “Is this a ‘let’s go to my office’ talk or a ‘we need someplace private’ talk?”
“If this was Cheyenne, I’d say the former, but your office is too open, so it’s the latter.”
John nodded in acknowledgement. “I know just the place.”
Without waiting for an answer, John headed off through the corridors until he reached a transporter in a more remote area. John told it where to send them. The transporter flashed as soon as the doors closed. Jack gasped when he noticed that John never touched the controls. The doors ahead of them opened, signaling that they had reached their destination.
Stepping out, Jack turned and shot him a speculative glance. “How long have you been able to do that?”
John headed down the corridor in front of them, footfalls telling him Jack was still with him. “Not touch the transporter pad? Almost five years. I used to touch it if anyone else was with me, but everyone here knows I have a strong bond with the city so I quit doing that. Now, if you’re asking about telling it where I want to go before I get there, that’s new.”
John turned down a narrow corridor, walked several yards and then thought open a door. He waved Jack into a small room that contained a spiral staircase, before taking the lead once again as they climbed the stairs. When he reached the top, John once again opened the door and waved the General through. Jack’s smile of pleasure told him that he had read the man right. John stepped in, mentally securing the door behind him. Jack was off to one side standing in front of the main feature of the room - its floor to ceiling windows which provided a magnificent view of a quarter of the city.
John sprawled on one of the room’s two couches, grabbing a bottle of water from a chest nearby. “I come here when I need to decompress. It’s off the beaten path. Lorne and my team know about it, but no one else. Until now, Teyla’s the only other person that I’ve shared this with. Most of the time, I come alone.”
Jack inclined his head toward John. “I’m honored. I have a cabin in the mountains where I go to unwind. Sometimes I take my team with me, other times it’s me and Sam or just me.”
John bid his time, figuring that Jack would get to the discussion when he was ready. Fortunately, he didn’t have long to wait.
“This enhanced ability of yours is what I want to talk about.” Jack moved to the other couch. “Teyla said that it’s from a rogue lightning bolt.”
John nodded. “Yep, I jumped through the Gate when I felt the ozone charge in the air but the bolt must’ve had my name on it because it followed me through the wormhole. It came through while I was in mid-air in the Gate room, catching me in the back. It traveled through me and grounded in the Gate room floor. I ended up with a super-charged gene, shrapnel in my right leg and side, and first and second degree burns from it. We realized that my connection to Atlantis had grown when I saved McKay, Zelenka and several other people, along with thirty percent of the population from exposure to a toxic gas in a lab they were about to open from the infirmary.”
John caught Jack’s look of disbelief. “You saved them … from the infirmary.”
John nodded, a cocky grin crossing his face. “I did, and Teyla and Keller were present when I did.” John stared out the window. “I asked Teyla where McKay was and suddenly it was like I was in the corridor with him. I could see the entire group clearly. I told them how to neutralize the toxins using information that came from Atlantis herself. After that, my sensitivity started building. McKay and Zelenka tried an impromptu test the next day. I was able to identify and diagnose several artifacts that they’d brought with them, plus some machinery that was being stored in the observation room.”
Jack was silent for a moment as he digested John’s words. “That’s very interesting. It also brings me to the point of this meeting.” The sober expression on his face caused John to sit up straight. “Word of this cannot get out. If the Trust finds out, you’ll never be safe at home again. Also, the IOA can’t know either.”
John waved a hand, relaxing back to his slouch. “I have no desire to be used as a stud, remote light switch or lab rat. I don’t flaunt what I can do and I’m not gonna start now.” He raised an eyebrow at the General. “I know you realized that’s why I had Woolsey clear the Gate room the other day.”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, I did. It was for protection - yours and everyone else’s.” He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “You just have to be careful.”
John nodded. “I plan on it. My life is finally going right for a change.” John rose and moved to the windows. “Y’know, it’s strange that out of all the places I’ve lived or been stationed, it took coming to another galaxy to find a place I can call home.”
Jack joined him; two pilots gazing out at the ice-crusted city. “What’s it like - your bond with the city?”
“It’s amazing.” John’s gaze softened. “Talking to Atlantis is as easy as talking to you. She has a distinct personality with a good sense of humor and she is also very protective.” He took a drink from the bottle in his hand. “I’ve felt her since the day I stepped through the gate, but it’s only been since the lightning strike that I can actively converse with her, although she told me that it would have happened eventually. While I’ve been recovering, she’s been teaching me how to shield my mind. It seems that I was doing it already, but I’ve gotten better.” He grew silent, his gaze turned inward for a moment. “Lantis says your gene is strong enough that you could feel her if you relax.”
“Really?” Jack sounded a bit surprised.
“Yeah, and if you lived here long enough, you could probably talk to her almost like I do.”
From the corner of his eye, John saw Jack shake his head.
“No thanks. I haven’t had good experiences in the past with things that talk inside my head.”
John laughed and Jack joined in. After a moment, the laughter trailed off.
“So, any other potential enemies after me?”
Jack shook his head. “Nope. But you might want to remind McKay to not mention how certain things get done in his reports. I’ve noticed that he tends to overshare a lot of the time.”
John chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.” He turned towards Jack. “Anything else we need to discuss?”
Jack was silent for a moment. “Nope, I’ve said what I wanted to say.”
“I do have a question for you, though.” A flash of apprehension crossed John’s face. “I would like you to be Second Pilot when I move the city in a few days.”
Jack tilted his head slightly in curiosity. “Why me? Why not Carson or Lorne?”
“It’s a major battle to get Carson to sit in the Chair. He piloted the city to Earth only because I wasn’t available and Lorne’s gene isn’t strong enough. He can fire drones, monitor the auto-pilot and run some of the low level diagnostics, but that’s it. Plus Carson is not a pilot; he doesn’t understand flight mechanics like you and I do.”
“What kind of timeframe are we talking?”
“It’s going to take approximately thirty-six hours to get to our new home, which would be two twelve hour shifts for me and one for you. Carson has agreed to monitor and step in if either of us becomes too exhausted.”
A flash of surprise crossed Jack’s face. “You already asked him?”
John grinned. “I did. He’s rather relieved.”
Jack tossed it around in his head, but he knew it was a foregone conclusion and so did John. “Alright, I’ll do it.”
John’s grin deepened, a spark of mischief appearing in his eyes. “Great. Feel up to a trip to the obstacle course?”
Jack tilted his chin down and looked at the younger Colonel. “I thought you were supposed to be taking it easy?”
John smiled as he motioned the older General to take the lead. “I am; doesn’t mean that I can’t show up and watch my troops run it.”
Jack smiled back. “Now you’re talking. Let’s see how inspired the sergeants get by our presence.”
Sporting matching grins, the pair headed off to torture John’s troops.