Dark Muse chapter four
Story: Dark Muse
Pairing: Sheppard/Lorne
Rating: M for the moment
Genre: AU from the beginning of season4, McKay is in charge and the Asurans are allies
Disclaimer: I own nothing but use everything without remorse
Warning: MM slash
Spoilers: none
Summary: After being freed from the Wraith Major Lorne must face a very different future to the one he imagined. Old friends will resurface and the tide of war will turn. Who will survive and who will fall? Sequal to Atlantis Manifest.
Link to other Chapters and Stories: AshtakRa Master File
Chapter Four: The Old Enemy
“Ba’al,” growled Sheppard and went for his non-existent sidearm, finding nothing there he immediately went for the Goa’uld with just his fists. The alien neatly stepped back and avoided any blows, instead letting two Wraith restrain Sheppard. The Colonel continued to struggle, reaching to hurt Ba’al in any way possible.
Lorne turned to Teth. “Are you insane?” He indicated Ba’al, simply standing back with his normal look of wry amusement. “Do you even know what he is?”
“We do, and although I personally find his race distasteful we have had dealings before.”
“That’s impossible,” muttered Sheppard, finally giving up his struggle and smoothing his uniform down, but his eyes still spoke of what he would like to do to the Goa’uld. “This ‘thing’ has been in our… in another galaxy - he’s had no time to deal with you.”
Ba’al laughed and stroked his goatee. “You humans amuse me no matter which galaxy - Sheppard isn’t it?”
“Please,” said Teth. “Such animosity is unwarranted - here we have other enemies to worry about.” The Wraith looked from one to the other until he seemed satisfied they would not try to kill each other, for while Ba’al remained impassive Teth would bet that the Goa’uld had some hidden weapon prepared. “Ba’al has certain skills we require; he is here not to battle you Sheppard but to assist us.”
“He’s using that little story again is he?” snorted Sheppard. “Been there, read the reports and no thanks.”
“Colonel Sheppard, you should know that my interests here are entirely material,” grinned Ba’al. “The Wraith I am dealing with are prepared to grant me territory and in return all I need do is enter the business of supply and demand.”
“Territory!” interjected Lorne. “Haven’t we got enough enemies in Pegasus, now we’re importing them from the Milky Way. Teth - the Goa’uld are deceitful, untrustworthy beings who only care for personal power and the subjugation of other species, and that’s their good points.”
Again Ba’al laughed and gave Lorne a sarcastic little bow. “You flatter me. Of course your opinion is as worthless as your roll here.” He walked up to Lorne, obviously considering him little threat. “This Wraith rebellion needs me but you,” he sneered and looked Lorne up and down. “You are nothing.”
A viscous smile crossed Lorne’s face and his arm shot out, alloy enhanced fingers and bionic implanted muscle squeezing the Goa’uld’s neck and lifting him off the ground.”
“No!” shouted Teth but Lorne held out his other hand.
“Stay back or I snap his neck.” Most Wraith in the room froze and the two near Sheppard smartly stood back. “Good,” continued Lorne. “Now I want to trust you Teth - but working with a Goa’uld is not earning you any points. Why is he here and please don’t lie to me?”
“I assure you major,” said Teth, raising his own gauntleted hands in an appeasing gesture. “Ba’al is here to help, not to work against us or you.”
Ba’al gave a choking groan as Lorne tightened his grip. “Why-is-he-here?”
“Food,” explained Teth in defeat. “He is here to arrange an alternate food source.”
Lorne held Ba’al for a while longer, bringing him in close till they were eye to eye. “Clones,” muttered Lorne, and threw Ba’al back. The alien landed heavily and wisely stayed down.
“He can make clones, you wouldn’t need to cull but then you might concentrate your technology and military might on eradicating any resistance while having all the ‘food’ you’ll ever need from Ba’al’s labs.”
“You are partially correct major,” agreed Teth. “With clones we would not need to cull worlds but you are wrong about the eradication - it is peace we want.”
“You might want peace - but what about others?” Sheppard said, moving up to stand with Lorne and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Evan trusts you, even now he wants to believe you and for that reason I will give you the benefit of the doubt.” He pointed at Ba’al. “But I assure you that no matter your benevolent reasons that creature will turn whatever you do here into some kind of Wraith civil war…with him as the only victor.”
“The Wraith are already at war with each other,” protested Teth, true emotion finally entering his voice. “Don’t you think I know the risks? I know what he is and know he will ultimately betray us.”
Ba’al tried to deny it but his voice was not working, Lorne having done more damage than the Goa’uld could repair quickly.
“The truth is our race is beyond desperate,” he continued. “Many have already starved and millions have died not by the alliances’ hands but by other clans. I cannot promise peace or even that the other Wraith will look at a ceasefire but the way it is there is only annihilation. This is a chance, and it is the only one I can see.”
Silence ensued as Lorne and Sheppard considered the situation. Neither liked it and both knew it would most likely end in failure and they would have to somehow save the day. They gave each other a knowing look and nodded. “Fine,” said Sheppard. “I guess we couldn’t really stop you anyhow.” He walked up to Ba’al and kicked his foot. “You remember - we’ve beaten you before and we didn’t even have a fleet then; so you’d better be sure that those clones aren’t super-soldiers, aren’t fodder for a whole new batch of Goa’uld and most important,” he waited until Ba’al looked him in the eye. “If they have so much as a glimmer of consciousness I will personally hunt you down and take my time killing you.”
SGASGASGASGA
Even here, in his office, the acrid smell of burned electrics and welding metal pervaded his small moment of repose. It had been twelve hours and still no response from any of the Asurans. Any of them that had been in Atlantis or the fleet above had suddenly disintegrated, leaving critical systems unattended and three cruisers had re-entered the atmosphere, crashing into the ocean with little hope of retrieval.
The stargate was still out of action and the scattered reports they were getting indicated a full Wraith assault from all sectors. They had already lost a dozen systems and were retreating from a half dozen more. The control room was in pieces, two of his colleagues dead and he had no idea of Chuck’s condition. A quick call would tell him but McKay was too scared to ask and knew that the medical staff were overworked as it was. Wounded from ships that had retreated to Atlantis were filling the hospital wing and they would soon have to open one of the other towers.
McKay was just about to give in and call the doctor when Radek knocked and entered. The man looked worse than McKay felt. Thankfully his expression had a half-smile which boded well as the man slumped in the chair and McKay automatically got up and poured him a whisky (something Beckett had got them into). Keeping a glass for himself Rodney sat back down, this time in the chair next to his friend.
Radek took the offered drink and sipped at it half-heartedly. “He should be fine, though it was touch and go for a while.”
“That’s good Radek, I…” although he was never good at this the Czech was his best friend and needed more than the standard offering of support. “He saved us all Radek, if he hadn’t risked his life the Wraith would have kept coming - or dropped a bomb through, or sent a dart, or maybe even.”
“Yes Rodney, thank you.” Radek did smile a little wider. “So when did you figure us out?”
“Oh please,” mocked the physicist. “Between Teyla and Ronon clearing out their entire floor, the fresh round of military personnel getting up close and personal with the veterans and Sheppard and Lorne’s little dance you think I didn’t notice what two of my best friends were up to?”
“Well you never seemed the type to notice.”
“You’re confusing my ability to observe with my care factor,” said McKay smartly, nudging Radek to take the bite out of his words. “The truth is I’m actually very happy for you both - certainly from my point of view your work standard has improved.”
“Rodney!”
“And your temper.” Radek just nodded at that. “But you are a fiend,” continued McKay. “Here you are going at it and you never thought to tell me - I could have walked in on something that would seriously damage my very precious brain.”
“I doubt that.”
“What?” asked Rodney, pouring another drink. “You weren’t getting it on?”
Radek snorted but held his glass for another shot. “Yes, we were as you crude Americans-.”
“Canadian.”
“North Americans,” emphasized Radek, “say, going-at-it. But I assure you we always locked door.”
“Like that would stop me,” harrumphed McKay. “Seriously though Radek, I’m glad he’s okay and I’m happy for you.” He put a hand on the man’s shoulder, knowing that for him, and for Radek this was a grand display of affection. “I don’t know what he sees in you but I will still give him the ‘hurt my friend and I’ll kill you’ speech.”
“But he is your friend too.”
“Good point - Radek if you hurt Chuck I’ll kill you.”
They laughed and had another drink, letting companionable silence fill the air. Finally Radek stirred, “Do you think Sheppard and Lorne have finally…?”
“I hope so,” gasped McKay. “Even the marines are finding ways to get the two together but every time something seems to go wrong - do you remember the gravity malfunction when we were in the Ferrier system last week?”
“Mmm.”
“Apparently SGA4 had set up a romantic picnic on the south pier, looking out at the twin star system it was meant to be quite a view - they managed to get Sheppard there on some fake meteor strike and I forget how they got Lorne there but all I know is they both came back covered in Athosan wine and some kind of alien dip - without it happening in the fun ‘now take off your shirt’ kind of way.”
Radek laughed aloud at that and McKay smiled inwardly, pleased that his earlier funk was washing away. Chuck would recover but he had given them all quite a scare - stupid heroic fool that he was. He’d probably apologize for breaking the stargate instead of accepting any praise, of course he really did break the gate and McKay would hold it over the man for some time yet.
“Unfortunately our situation is looking rather poor.”
“The Asurans?” asked Radek, proving he had kept up on the news.
“No word. We have to assume they’re out of the picture.”
“But Rodney,” said Radek. “Without them we are,” he floundered for the right word and muttered something in his native tongue. McKay had been around the man long enough to know that the word he used fit perfectly.
“That’s just what I said,” he agreed and downed the whisky. Radek followed suit and stood up. They walked out to the control room together just in time for the whole room to shudder as something impacted the city.
“What the hell!” shouted McKay, holding a metal beam for support as another thump and shudder was felt.
“Its one of our escorting cruisers sir,” yelled Captain Kleinman, sitting at one of the few working consoles.
McKay ran over to the Captain, checking his screen but knowing Kleinman would not be mistaken. The man had come down from the Daedalus to help with repairs and if anyone knew how to read an attack by a heavy cruiser it would be the bridge officer.
“Weapons,” directed McKay.
“Systems are down,” responded Kleinman. “Hence the escort within the atmosphere.” He said it without panic and instead continued punching in commands. “Daedalus has responded and their battle group will be in firing range in two minutes.”
The city shuddered again and looking out the window Rodney saw a secondary support tower topple to the side, luckily away into the water. “We don’t have two minutes,” he said darkly. He could see the ship was within the shield perimeter, not that they had shield control anyway. “Thrusters - can we move?”
A shower of sparks on an opposite console answered his question. “Don’t bother, I think I know.” Damnit! He knew they had faced similar situations but he had thought them safe from an attack this far within alliance defenses. How could an Asuran ship be attacking them? Even if Wraith had boarded it there’s no way they could work the controls this quickly.
“Life signs,” he spluttered, inspiration hitting him. “Check the cruiser for life-signs.”
After a moment, during which several more explosions rocked the city, Kleinman’s eyes widened. “Two dozen - and sir, they’re Jaffa.”
“Of course,” muttered McKay, almost sorry they had enhanced the sensors two months ago to identify species instead of just generic life-signs. “Because we don’t have enough enemies from the Pegasus Galaxy.”
“The transporters Rodney,” suggested Radek, checking a laptop that had been linked to one of the ruined consoles. “They are still operational.”
“And here’s us without a naqueda bomb,” sniped Rodney, then clicked his fingers. “But we could-.”
“Yes,” replied Radek, “I’m already reconfiguring-.”
“Don’t forget to reset the-.”
“Done it,” shot back Radek. “But I will need you to-.”
“Yes yes,” muttered McKay and shoved Kleinman unceremoniously aside. He immediately started tapping keys and in only a few moments yelled out that he was ready.
“Transporting,” announced Radek and hit a button, after only a few moments the shots stopped and looking out they saw the cruiser dip slightly then veer off. It flew over the city, narrowly avoiding the spire before crashing into the ocean on the far side.
“Huh,” said McKay in a satisfied tone. “Messy but effective.”
Retaking his seat Kleinman had to ask. “What did you do - beam them off the ship?”
“Oh, in a manner of speaking,” chuckled McKay, with an evil smirk that was legend even among Daedalus crew. “You see they did have their own shields up, which prevented us using our long-range transporters - but Radek has an evil mind and he used the intra-city transporters to lock onto the crew.”
“The elevator transports that we use here,” continued Radek, trumping Kleinman’s next question, “Use less power but are more specified - they utilize narrower beam, since usually only being from one fixed point to another - it was simple to just use them to slice through shield’s weak points.”
“And luckily the cruiser was within the city’s perimeter,” continued McKay. “Their range is only a few hundred meters, and I don’t think the Jaffa knew to scan for them or they could have easily blocked them.”
Kleinman nodded, his awe of these scientists going up just a little more and thankful that they were on the same side. “So where did you send them, the brig?”
“I didn’t have time,” replied Radek, with an embarrassed yet self-satisfied expression. “Such accuracy is difficult - they are,” he pointed down with his finger. “Two hundred meters that way, give or take ten meters.”
“But that means,” said Kleinman, an evil grin lighting his own face.
“Yeah,” chuckled McKay while checking incoming damage reports. “They are swimmin’ with the fishes.”
tbc...
Next: Chapter Five