What Lies Within Chapter Three Discovery
TITLE: WHAT LIES WITHIN
AUTHOR: STELLA_PEGASI
FANDOM: STARGATE ATLANTIS
RATING: PG-13
CHARACTER/PAIRING: JOHN SHEPPARD, CAMERON MITCHELL
SPOILERS: SOME MENTION OF EVENTS IN SG-1
WARNINGS: LANGUAGE
HET/SLASH/GEN: GEN
WORD COUNT: 19,325
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THEM, I WOULD HAVE TREATED THEM BETTER.
SUMMARY: WRITTEN FOR SHEPPARD HC SECRET SANTA AS PRESENT FOR TARI_ROO. THE PROMPT WAS FOR A SHEPPARD CENTRIC FIC WITH SHEPPARD STRANDED IN THE MILKY WAY GALAXY; ENTIRE PROMPT AT THE END OF THE STORY. HOPE YOU ENJOY, TARI_ROO.!
WHAT LIES WITHIN
WHAT LIES WITHIN
by stella_pegasi
Chapter Three Discovery
The constricted, overgrown trail that Sheppard had been following from the river soon ran into a wider, more defined roadway. He assumed it was the same path that originated at the stargate. Large rectangles of stone, worn with age, lay under their feet. Along the edges, Sheppard could make out Ancient print, much like that carved on the ruins at the stargate.
As he followed two of the several Tok’ra that had apparently accompanied Tovar, he recalled the additional information that Lanar had given him about the Ancient city. Tovar had only revealed second hand reports of a city in ruins located on a heavily forested planet. A large compound, surrounded by thick walls of carved stone soaring high into the air. What Tovar did not tell the SGC was he had visited the city already, but could not get inside. No matter what the first group of Tok’ra to arrive had tried, they were prevented from entering. It was then, that Partak, who was a member of the Tok’ra High Council, had remembered being briefed on the city of Atlantis during the fight against the Ori. From the description, Tovar deduced that the city could possibly be ancient, and he began to formulate a plan; a plan centered on Colonel John Sheppard.
High above them, sunlight blazed atop the leafy canopy, but below it was cool, damp, and dark. They continued on for another thirty minutes when the wall surrounding the citadel came into view.
There were tall, narrow four-sided structures protruding about three feet from the ground along the path. As Sheppard approached, one by one translucent panels inserted in the poles began to glow. By the time he stood in front of the massive gate, the area had taken on a soft blue-green glow. The gate doors were at least fifteen feet tall, made of familiar metal, and resembled the doorways on Atlantis. To the right of the gate, a large panel with three rectangular crystal bars was glowing as well.
Sheppard had stopped about two feet from the gate, his heart beating wildly. There was no mistaking the architecture, the inlaid carvings in the walls definitely resembled Ancient architecture. He estimated that the walls were at least five stories high. Tenuously, he reached out and touched the wall beneath the door control panel. Immediately, familiar sensations coursed through him. There was a feeling that something was trying to communicate with him.
“Colonel, are you alright?” Tovar asked.
Sheppard realized that he was staring at the sight in front of him, oblivious to all else. “Yeah...I’m fine…I just didn’t expect it to be so large.”
Another, quieter voice spoke to him, “Colonel; your concentration slipped. Do not forget, you must mask my presence.”
Sheppard acknowledged Lanar, but spoke to Tovar. “This is Ancient technology, there is no question about it. Why it’s here is the question” He quickly turned away from Tovar, concentrating again on the gate.
Tovar, who was standing several feet from the gate, rushed to join him. Sheppard was in front of the panel when Tovar caught up with him. “Colonel, this is amazing. The gene you carry caused the lights along the path to glow, did it not?”
Sheppard smiled slightly as he observed the incredulous look on the Tok’ra’s face, “Yeah, the gene is most likely causing the reaction.”
“I…I am impressed.”
“Well, hold that thought; we aren’t inside yet. You ready to try?” Tovar nodded and Sheppard reached up to pass his hand in front of the gate controls. Within seconds, the double doors of the gate began to slide apart.
Sheppard turned to Tovar, “After you,” as he swung his arm to indicate for Tovar to walk inside.
“No, colonel, after you,” Tovar said, a strange expression crossing his face.
Sheppard shrugged, wondering if the Tok’ra had just shown a slight bit of fear. Lanar whispered in his mind, “I believe fear is an apt description, colonel.” Laughing inwardly, Sheppard walked into the citadel.
+++++++
The event horizon hadn’t completely dissipated, and Landry’s headache was in full bloom; the cause, Dr. Rodney McKay. The Atlantis scientific director walked right up to him, pressing his nose into the general’s face.
“How the hell did you people lose a colonel? Do you have any idea where Sheppard is yet?”
Landry’s face remained impassive as he answered, “No, do you?”
McKay frowned, then uttering a grumpy noise, spun away from the general, heading for Dr. Lee. Mitchell corralled Major Lorne and they approached Landry. Lorne was grinning slyly.
“I see you’ve had a taste of Dr. McKay when one of his fellow teammates is missing, worse of course, when it’s the colonel. Sorry, sir, Colonel Sheppard can usually keep him in line; not an easy task for the rest of us.”
“I feel your pain, major. Did you guys come up with anything?”
“Actually sir, Dr. Zelenka remembered an obscure entry in the Atlantis database about an abandoned city. There wasn’t much, and it was kind of generally thought it might refer to the crashed city-ship that was located early in the expedition. Dr. Z said there was nothing to make them think it was in another galaxy at the time. He’s currently looking for the reference, and then he’ll join us. No one knows the Ancient database like Dr. Zelenka; even McKay will almost admit that, so we need him here. Dr. Beckett is also joining us; he was finishing up at an off-world clinic. He and I have the strongest natural genes other than Colonel Sheppard. We have a science team and three squads of Marines with us. All have the gene. I also have two jumper teams standing by in case we can use them. Only people I didn’t bring were Ronon and Teyla. They’re on MX9-716 evacuating several villages after a flood; Woolsey hasn’t informed them yet.”
“Good job, major. Now let’s hope that we have someplace to send you, soon.”
Within the hour, Zelenka and Beckett arrived and the science team set up in a lab just off the gate room. Delek had sequestered himself with the scientists trying to assist them in finding the planet. Landry had stopped in at one point and found them working intently, McKay pushing, pushing. As he watched he realized that there was a method to McKay’s behavior. He needled, cajoled, chastised; yet everyone one of the scientists working with him seemed to rise to the challenge and pushed themselves harder. Whether it was to get the job done despite McKay or because of him, Landry wasn’t certain. He just knew McKay got results. He had no doubts that McKay and his team would uncover the location of the citadel and Sheppard.
+++++++
After nearly six years of stargate travel, there wasn’t a lot that impressed or surprised John Sheppard. However, as he passed through the thick outer wall of the citadel what awaited them inside did both.
The forest had encroached on the grounds, but it was clear that at one time there were vast gardens intertwined with several large buildings. Many of the building silhouettes were very similar to those on Atlantis, but appeared to have been built of a combination of stone and metal. Instead of soaring towers, the buildings varied between five and ten stories tall. While they showed signs of wear, the buildings were in much better condition than the structures at the gate.
“Colonel, does this appear to be of Ancient origin?” The voice was Partak’s, not Tovar’s.
Sheppard tore his eyes away from the view to look at Partak, “Yes. It’s definitely Ancient.”
He began walking. The closest building was located approximately fifty yards down the main pathway. The entry doors mimicked the main citadel gate. As he stepped onto the portico, lights recessed around the door began to glow, as did an access panel next to the door. Sheppard passed his hand in front of the panel and, with some difficulty, the doors slid open and Sheppard stepped inside.
The entry reminded him somewhat of the gate room. The two story chamber extended the depth of the building; the far wall consisted of familiar patterned glass panels. Soft green, yellow, and purple colors creating curved patterns rather than the angular designs that appeared on Atlantis decorated the glass. Staircases led to mezzanines on each side of the room; the risers glowing with Ancient symbols, spelling out similar welcoming phrases to those on the Atlantis gate room stairs. Glass walled cubicles containing small desks and chairs lined the mezzanines. Sitting areas of deep green and grey chairs and couches were scattered about the ground floor.
“What is this place?” Tovar was standing in the middle of the room, slowly turning around to take in the room.
“My guess is some kind of welcome center. Welcoming us to what; that’s the question.”
Sheppard’s gaze took him beyond the glass wall out onto an expansive plaza. He headed toward the glass paneled doors set in the center of the far wall. Buildings lined the perimeter of the plaza, but what caught his attention was a tall, narrow structure sitting in the middle of the open space. A glass tower shaped like a ZPM. He thought the glass doors open, quickly striding toward the tower.
Tovar caught up with him, his eyes darting around, taking in everything. He pointed to the glass tower, “What is this place?”
“Don’t know; I suggest we go find out.” He swiped the door control. Entering the glass enclosure, his heart began pounding in his chest again. He felt Lanar’s voice.
“Colonel, you seem quite excited. This building must be very important.”
Sheppard didn’t reply; he stood staring at the pedestal that sat in the center of the room. The pedestal was very familiar, as were the three ZPM’s glowing softly in the shadows. He silently replied to Lanar, “Yeah, you could say that.”
Tovar’s voice was demanding as he reached out and roughly shook Sheppard’s shoulder, “I asked you a question, is that a power source? Those are ZPM’s?”
Jerking his shoulder away from Tovar’s grasp, he glared at the Tok’ra. “Don’t grab me like that again. To answer your question, yes, those are ZPM’s.”
Motioning to Curnon and another Tok’ra to approach, he seemed very pleased, “This is what we came for, we need those ZPM’s”
“No, don’t remove them.” Sheppard was thinking fast, he had to keep Tovar from removing the ZPM’s; if he did, then his advantage of being able to manipulate anything in the city would be gone. “They could be booby-trapped; leave them, until we see what else is here. They’re the power source, not the treasure you are looking for.”
Tovar’s head dropped and as he quickly looked up again, Sheppard saw a faint glow fading from his eyes. Partak was becoming sloppy, apparently finding it harder to hide behind the persona of a benevolent Tok’ra. Partak’s deep resonant voice permeated the quiet.
“Alright, colonel, we will do this your way, for now. I agree. We should see what other wonders exist here.”
Sheppard didn’t bother replying. His attention was on the top of a staircase railing that disappeared into the floor. He circled the pedestal, peering over the edge of the railing into the darkness.
“What is down there?” Tovar’s voice had returned.
“Time to find out,” Sheppard replied. He stepped onto the first step, causing the stairwell to illuminate. The stairs curved slightly toward the center of the sunken room. As he stepped onto the floor, the wall scones slowly brightened revealing curved walls lined with what could only be stasis pods.
The dark gray pods were approximately eight feet tall and approximately four feet wide. Translucent panels extended the length of the pods, revealing a faintly glowing smoky interior. Sheppard walked along the pods, examining the panels. As far as he could tell, the indicators seemed to show that the chambers were in working order. How much he would like to have McKay with him right now to decipher the readings floated through his mind. He had no sooner completed that thought when Lanar remarked.
“Yes, you are interpreting the readings correctly. These chambers appear to be in working order. The beings inside are in exceptional condition.”
Without realizing it, Sheppard spoke out loud, “So, they’re alive?” He caught himself from saying anything else, but from the look on Tovar’s face, he regretted not being more careful. He had noticed the Tok’ra looking at him suspiciously since they had met up.
“Sorry, just thinking out loud; from the displays, they seem to be alive, readings all seem strong. Like we could just open the do…” He stopped abruptly. One of pods was becoming brighter, a series of small round lights above the translucent access door were turning from red to amber to green. Within the pod, visibility was improving as a soft swooshing sound seemed to indicate that the gaseous interior was being vented.
They watched in silence as the pod’s interior became brighter and the outline of a figure became visible. As soon as the all lights above the door turned green, the door hissed and opened. Sheppard and Tok’ra alike held their breath as a tall, slender figure emerged.
The being was humanoid, apparently male, and was quite tall; Sheppard estimated close to seven feet. He was very slender. His long dark hair held in place with an embroidered headband. He was wearing loose-fitting tunic and pants, simple slippers on his feet. His wide dark eyes immediately tracked to Sheppard, and he glided more than walked toward the colonel.
“Please do not be alarmed. I am Ganero and I am the Master of the Arx. It has been many, many years since we were awakened by an Elago Unes. Welcome.”
“I am Colonel John Sheppard; this is Tovar of the Tok’ra.”
“I have been awakened by your appearance. We are here to serve, allow me to awaken the others.”
“Wait, before you do, can you answer some questions for us?”
“You are Elago Unes. I will answer any questions that you have.”
“Well, for starters, what’s an ‘elago unes’?
“You are among the select ones. We are here to serve you as we serve the others.”
Tovar moved closer, but it was Partak who spoke, “What do you do for the select ones?”
“We serve their every need, provide them with knowledge, wisdom, empower them. We give to them the untold treasures of the universe in order to prepare them for service.”
Sheppard was watching Ganero intently. He failed to notice the two Tok’ra who accompanied Tovar into the chamber raise their weapons which they had hidden under their tunics. Partak’s voice reverberated very close to him.
“Yes, I believe we have what we need. This place will do fine to serve as our base while we learn those secrets that will prepare us to return the days of the Goa’uld Lords.”
Ganero reacted in fear, “I do not understand; you bring weapons into the Arx. It is forbidden. We are committed to learning, to peace. You must leave now.” He turned to Sheppard, “You are Elago Unes, dispel them.”
Sheppard turned to Tovar-Partak, already trying to determine what resources might be available to him to stop the rogue Tok’ra. Before he could do anything, one of the Tok’ra reacted to Partak’s order to stun him. The bright blue light from the weapon enveloped him, and he fell to the floor.
+++++++
Rodney McKay was frustrated. Sheppard was missing and he didn’t believe they were any closer to discovering the location of the so-called citadel. He had gone to the mess to grab something to eat and to think. The silence in the lab where they had set up was deafening. The background noise from the chatter of people seemed more conducive to his thinking. He was staring into the distance when Cam Mitchell sat down across from him.
“McKay?”
McKay finally reacted to Mitchell snapping his fingers in his face. “What? What do you want, colonel?”
“Well, if you want to know, I just wanted to see if you were OK?”
Sighing deeply, he answered, “I am not OK…Sheppard’s in trouble, and we are no closer to knowing where he is than we were several hours ago.”
“The lead that Zelenka had didn’t pan out?”
McKay frowned, “That’s just it…it seems to be a reference that is out of place somehow. Zelenka found the mention of an Ancient city in a section of the database devoted to learning or training. We’ve only just begun to investigate that section of the database. We’d sort of been side-tracked the last few years by needing to know about weapons and shields and stuff. This data was left for the luxury of time. Yeah, like we will ever have that.”
The frustration in McKay’s face was obvious, and Mitchell fumbled over his words in reply, “McKay…I …you know that John’s resourceful and damn smart. He’ll survive until we… you, figure out where he is. Then we’ll go get him.”
McKay looked at Mitchell and was about to answer when the overhead intercom cackled, “Colonel Mitchell, Dr. McKay, please report to the gate room.”
They hurried into the gate room to find Landry, Lorne, and Delek facing three arriving Tok’ra.. One of the Tok’ra was restrained; her hands cuffed behind her back.
“General, who’s our new friend?” Mitchell asked.
“Ah, colonel, we may have gotten lucky. I’ll allow Delek to explain.”
“This, this is the Tok’ra Malon. She was an assistant to Partak regarding his duties as a member of the High Council. We have determined that she was in collusion with Partak and the others. My operatives tell me she has information.”
Malon’s eyes glowed brightly, her anger and defiance evident. “I will tell you nothing. The Goa’uld will rise again, and the Tau’ri cannot stop us.”
Before anyone else could reply, Delek leaned into Malon’s face. “We will stop you. The Tok’ra will not allow the resurgence of the Goa’uld by our own kind. You are not Goa’uld. You are only a weak Tok’ra who wishes to pretend to be powerful. You are not powerful. You are only pathetic.”
Landry intervened, “Get this woman to a holding room and keep a guard on her.” As the Tok’ra and Marines led Malon out of the gate room, Delek addressed the others.
“Since we last met, we have developed new methods of interrogation. I am not pleased to admit this, but the Council recognized that some among our ranks might desire power once the threat of the System Lords was alleviated. After all, all races are the same; the hunger for power and wealth always seems to show itself. The Tok’ra, who accompanied the prisoner brought a drug which will force the truth from her. Malon may know where this citadel is located.”
Mitchell spoke for all of them, “It’s about fucking time we got a break.”
Dr. Lam had intervened, only allowing the interrogation if conducted in the infirmary. After discussing the process with Delek and discovering that the host could be at risk from the drug, she demanded that the drug be administered under her watch.
One of the Tok’ra administered the drug, a highly potent truth serum, by injection into Malon’s brain stem. The drug would quickly flood the Tok’ra’s neural system, forcing her to tell the truth. Immediately, the host’s eyes opened, glowing brightly.
Delek addressed her, “Malon; we have uncovered facts that you are a member of Partak’s plan to revive the Goa’uld dynasty. Do not attempt to deceive us, the drug, we just administered to you, will prevent you from lying. Now, tell me where is Partak?”
“I do not know.”
“You do not know…elaborate.”
“He is on a quest for to uncover technology that will assist us in obtaining power, but his exact whereabouts is unknown to me.”
“Do you have a general idea of where he might be?”
“I have been told he is on a planet where he suspects there is Ancient technology.”
“What is the gate address to the planet he is on?”
“I do not know. Partak kept that information to himself. Only he and Curnon knew the exact location. I only know that the planet is in the Karmani system.”
Landry turned to Mitchell, “Go, tell McKay.”
+++++++
“He is awakening, master.”
Sheppard heard a soft rustle near by and sensed someone sit down next to him. He slowly opened his eyes to see Ganero smiling at him. Looking past the master, Sheppard saw that Partak must have released everyone who had been in stasis. There were several others dressed like Ganero scattered about the room.
“Welcome back to us, Colonel John Sheppard. We are pleased you are not seriously injured.” He sat up with Ganero assistance. “How are you feeling?”
Thanks to Lanar, he felt better than he normally would have after being stunned. “I’m fine.”
“Lanar said you would be.” Ganero smiled was a bit brighter.
“Lanar; you know about Lanar?”
“Yes, I detected the presence of the beings in all of you when I was awakened. I admit that I was confused that you, who possess the Alteran cistron, were host to a serpent. We, of course, know of the Goa’uld and the Tok’ra. However, our contact has been limited in the last millennia. My race is telepathic, colonel; while you were recovering, I was able to link with Lanar. He has given us detailed information about what has occurred and what is occurring now. We must work together to thwart these renegade Tok’ra. We cannot allow the Goa’uld to regain a foothold in this galaxy or anywhere else.”
“Colonel, he speaks the truth; he can communicate with me. I have provided Ganero with information regarding our situation. He has explained the nature of this facility and what is available here. I believe the means for you to defeat Partak and his minions exists.”
“How long was I out?”
“Nearly an hour, I couldn’t risk exerting the energy to revive you while Partak and his men were close to you. It was only after he removed the others from stasis and moved us all here that I took the chance to expend the energy necessary. I must tell you that I am concerned that he suspects my presence.”
“Where’s Tovar? Well, I guess I should call him Partak; where is he?”
“We have not seen him, since we were brought here, but I believe he is conferring with his people; more have arrived.” Ganero answered.
Sheppard straightened up at the news, “How many more?”
Ganero turned to one of his companions, “Guide Lerat, did you see how many arrived?”
“Master, I counted at least twenty. They were carrying weapons.”
Lanar commented, “I would imagine he had them waiting near-by, all along.”
“Ganero, what is this place.” Sheppard asked.
The master rose from the upholstered bench that Sheppard was sitting on and walked to a translucent panel on the wall. With a wave of his hand, the panel displayed an image of the outside main gate, surrounded by beautiful landscaping, bathed in daylight. As the imposing entry gate doors parted, the citadel came into view. Appearing as it had once stood, pristine buildings, glass glimmering brightly in the sunshine, colorful gardens adorned with statues and fountains.
“This is how the Arx appeared when my people and the Alterans, along with the Nox populated this galaxy. Races from other galaxies visited the Arx regularly; taking advantage of the information stored here, science, literature, arts. We provided the civilized populations of the universe with knowledge; teaching became part of our offerings. We soon became the repository of knowledge of the four races once the Asgard joined us. We educated countless thousands of beings in the knowledge we possessed.”
Ganero paused as he watched the images slide across the screen, then turned back to Sheppard. “Colonel, those who carried the cistron…”
Sheppard interrupted, “Cistron…do you mean gene? Whatever it is that I have that controls Ancient devices?”
The master smiled, “Yes, although it is strange to hear the Alterans referred to as Ancients…I suppose they were in my time as well. The Alterans are considered to be the oldest race in the universe, although there are stories of a much older race. The fact is that the Alterans created and constructed the Arx. Our love of the arts and sciences led them to ask my people to be the caretakers of this repository, a role which we gladly accepted. This Arx stood as the center of the universe for thousands of years. Until the plague hit that is, the Alterans were dying, as were my people. Many followed their chosen path to ascension. Many others left this galaxy, some in their city-ships, some in their large starcruisers. Some Alterans chose to leave with my people, all spreading to other galaxies. My companions and I were free from the plague, and volunteered to remain here in stasis until someone came to revive us. The Alterans placed defensive measures around the Arx and locked the facility from access by anyone except an Elago Unes. Your cistron is special, colonel. Few among your race have the form of the cistron, gene that you have. We could not have been revived, unless one of Elago Unes discovered us. The Alterans meant for the Arx to survive.”
Sheppard didn’t comment, even Lanar was silent. So many thoughts racing through his head, but he did have one definite question.
“Ganero, you mentioned your race, but you have yet to reveal who you are.”
Ganero’s face was haunted for a brief second, then he answered, “We are the Furlings.”
AUTHOR: STELLA_PEGASI
FANDOM: STARGATE ATLANTIS
RATING: PG-13
CHARACTER/PAIRING: JOHN SHEPPARD, CAMERON MITCHELL
SPOILERS: SOME MENTION OF EVENTS IN SG-1
WARNINGS: LANGUAGE
HET/SLASH/GEN: GEN
WORD COUNT: 19,325
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THEM, I WOULD HAVE TREATED THEM BETTER.
SUMMARY: WRITTEN FOR SHEPPARD HC SECRET SANTA AS PRESENT FOR TARI_ROO. THE PROMPT WAS FOR A SHEPPARD CENTRIC FIC WITH SHEPPARD STRANDED IN THE MILKY WAY GALAXY; ENTIRE PROMPT AT THE END OF THE STORY. HOPE YOU ENJOY, TARI_ROO.!
WHAT LIES WITHIN
WHAT LIES WITHIN
by stella_pegasi
Chapter Three Discovery
The constricted, overgrown trail that Sheppard had been following from the river soon ran into a wider, more defined roadway. He assumed it was the same path that originated at the stargate. Large rectangles of stone, worn with age, lay under their feet. Along the edges, Sheppard could make out Ancient print, much like that carved on the ruins at the stargate.
As he followed two of the several Tok’ra that had apparently accompanied Tovar, he recalled the additional information that Lanar had given him about the Ancient city. Tovar had only revealed second hand reports of a city in ruins located on a heavily forested planet. A large compound, surrounded by thick walls of carved stone soaring high into the air. What Tovar did not tell the SGC was he had visited the city already, but could not get inside. No matter what the first group of Tok’ra to arrive had tried, they were prevented from entering. It was then, that Partak, who was a member of the Tok’ra High Council, had remembered being briefed on the city of Atlantis during the fight against the Ori. From the description, Tovar deduced that the city could possibly be ancient, and he began to formulate a plan; a plan centered on Colonel John Sheppard.
High above them, sunlight blazed atop the leafy canopy, but below it was cool, damp, and dark. They continued on for another thirty minutes when the wall surrounding the citadel came into view.
There were tall, narrow four-sided structures protruding about three feet from the ground along the path. As Sheppard approached, one by one translucent panels inserted in the poles began to glow. By the time he stood in front of the massive gate, the area had taken on a soft blue-green glow. The gate doors were at least fifteen feet tall, made of familiar metal, and resembled the doorways on Atlantis. To the right of the gate, a large panel with three rectangular crystal bars was glowing as well.
Sheppard had stopped about two feet from the gate, his heart beating wildly. There was no mistaking the architecture, the inlaid carvings in the walls definitely resembled Ancient architecture. He estimated that the walls were at least five stories high. Tenuously, he reached out and touched the wall beneath the door control panel. Immediately, familiar sensations coursed through him. There was a feeling that something was trying to communicate with him.
“Colonel, are you alright?” Tovar asked.
Sheppard realized that he was staring at the sight in front of him, oblivious to all else. “Yeah...I’m fine…I just didn’t expect it to be so large.”
Another, quieter voice spoke to him, “Colonel; your concentration slipped. Do not forget, you must mask my presence.”
Sheppard acknowledged Lanar, but spoke to Tovar. “This is Ancient technology, there is no question about it. Why it’s here is the question” He quickly turned away from Tovar, concentrating again on the gate.
Tovar, who was standing several feet from the gate, rushed to join him. Sheppard was in front of the panel when Tovar caught up with him. “Colonel, this is amazing. The gene you carry caused the lights along the path to glow, did it not?”
Sheppard smiled slightly as he observed the incredulous look on the Tok’ra’s face, “Yeah, the gene is most likely causing the reaction.”
“I…I am impressed.”
“Well, hold that thought; we aren’t inside yet. You ready to try?” Tovar nodded and Sheppard reached up to pass his hand in front of the gate controls. Within seconds, the double doors of the gate began to slide apart.
Sheppard turned to Tovar, “After you,” as he swung his arm to indicate for Tovar to walk inside.
“No, colonel, after you,” Tovar said, a strange expression crossing his face.
Sheppard shrugged, wondering if the Tok’ra had just shown a slight bit of fear. Lanar whispered in his mind, “I believe fear is an apt description, colonel.” Laughing inwardly, Sheppard walked into the citadel.
+++++++
The event horizon hadn’t completely dissipated, and Landry’s headache was in full bloom; the cause, Dr. Rodney McKay. The Atlantis scientific director walked right up to him, pressing his nose into the general’s face.
“How the hell did you people lose a colonel? Do you have any idea where Sheppard is yet?”
Landry’s face remained impassive as he answered, “No, do you?”
McKay frowned, then uttering a grumpy noise, spun away from the general, heading for Dr. Lee. Mitchell corralled Major Lorne and they approached Landry. Lorne was grinning slyly.
“I see you’ve had a taste of Dr. McKay when one of his fellow teammates is missing, worse of course, when it’s the colonel. Sorry, sir, Colonel Sheppard can usually keep him in line; not an easy task for the rest of us.”
“I feel your pain, major. Did you guys come up with anything?”
“Actually sir, Dr. Zelenka remembered an obscure entry in the Atlantis database about an abandoned city. There wasn’t much, and it was kind of generally thought it might refer to the crashed city-ship that was located early in the expedition. Dr. Z said there was nothing to make them think it was in another galaxy at the time. He’s currently looking for the reference, and then he’ll join us. No one knows the Ancient database like Dr. Zelenka; even McKay will almost admit that, so we need him here. Dr. Beckett is also joining us; he was finishing up at an off-world clinic. He and I have the strongest natural genes other than Colonel Sheppard. We have a science team and three squads of Marines with us. All have the gene. I also have two jumper teams standing by in case we can use them. Only people I didn’t bring were Ronon and Teyla. They’re on MX9-716 evacuating several villages after a flood; Woolsey hasn’t informed them yet.”
“Good job, major. Now let’s hope that we have someplace to send you, soon.”
Within the hour, Zelenka and Beckett arrived and the science team set up in a lab just off the gate room. Delek had sequestered himself with the scientists trying to assist them in finding the planet. Landry had stopped in at one point and found them working intently, McKay pushing, pushing. As he watched he realized that there was a method to McKay’s behavior. He needled, cajoled, chastised; yet everyone one of the scientists working with him seemed to rise to the challenge and pushed themselves harder. Whether it was to get the job done despite McKay or because of him, Landry wasn’t certain. He just knew McKay got results. He had no doubts that McKay and his team would uncover the location of the citadel and Sheppard.
+++++++
After nearly six years of stargate travel, there wasn’t a lot that impressed or surprised John Sheppard. However, as he passed through the thick outer wall of the citadel what awaited them inside did both.
The forest had encroached on the grounds, but it was clear that at one time there were vast gardens intertwined with several large buildings. Many of the building silhouettes were very similar to those on Atlantis, but appeared to have been built of a combination of stone and metal. Instead of soaring towers, the buildings varied between five and ten stories tall. While they showed signs of wear, the buildings were in much better condition than the structures at the gate.
“Colonel, does this appear to be of Ancient origin?” The voice was Partak’s, not Tovar’s.
Sheppard tore his eyes away from the view to look at Partak, “Yes. It’s definitely Ancient.”
He began walking. The closest building was located approximately fifty yards down the main pathway. The entry doors mimicked the main citadel gate. As he stepped onto the portico, lights recessed around the door began to glow, as did an access panel next to the door. Sheppard passed his hand in front of the panel and, with some difficulty, the doors slid open and Sheppard stepped inside.
The entry reminded him somewhat of the gate room. The two story chamber extended the depth of the building; the far wall consisted of familiar patterned glass panels. Soft green, yellow, and purple colors creating curved patterns rather than the angular designs that appeared on Atlantis decorated the glass. Staircases led to mezzanines on each side of the room; the risers glowing with Ancient symbols, spelling out similar welcoming phrases to those on the Atlantis gate room stairs. Glass walled cubicles containing small desks and chairs lined the mezzanines. Sitting areas of deep green and grey chairs and couches were scattered about the ground floor.
“What is this place?” Tovar was standing in the middle of the room, slowly turning around to take in the room.
“My guess is some kind of welcome center. Welcoming us to what; that’s the question.”
Sheppard’s gaze took him beyond the glass wall out onto an expansive plaza. He headed toward the glass paneled doors set in the center of the far wall. Buildings lined the perimeter of the plaza, but what caught his attention was a tall, narrow structure sitting in the middle of the open space. A glass tower shaped like a ZPM. He thought the glass doors open, quickly striding toward the tower.
Tovar caught up with him, his eyes darting around, taking in everything. He pointed to the glass tower, “What is this place?”
“Don’t know; I suggest we go find out.” He swiped the door control. Entering the glass enclosure, his heart began pounding in his chest again. He felt Lanar’s voice.
“Colonel, you seem quite excited. This building must be very important.”
Sheppard didn’t reply; he stood staring at the pedestal that sat in the center of the room. The pedestal was very familiar, as were the three ZPM’s glowing softly in the shadows. He silently replied to Lanar, “Yeah, you could say that.”
Tovar’s voice was demanding as he reached out and roughly shook Sheppard’s shoulder, “I asked you a question, is that a power source? Those are ZPM’s?”
Jerking his shoulder away from Tovar’s grasp, he glared at the Tok’ra. “Don’t grab me like that again. To answer your question, yes, those are ZPM’s.”
Motioning to Curnon and another Tok’ra to approach, he seemed very pleased, “This is what we came for, we need those ZPM’s”
“No, don’t remove them.” Sheppard was thinking fast, he had to keep Tovar from removing the ZPM’s; if he did, then his advantage of being able to manipulate anything in the city would be gone. “They could be booby-trapped; leave them, until we see what else is here. They’re the power source, not the treasure you are looking for.”
Tovar’s head dropped and as he quickly looked up again, Sheppard saw a faint glow fading from his eyes. Partak was becoming sloppy, apparently finding it harder to hide behind the persona of a benevolent Tok’ra. Partak’s deep resonant voice permeated the quiet.
“Alright, colonel, we will do this your way, for now. I agree. We should see what other wonders exist here.”
Sheppard didn’t bother replying. His attention was on the top of a staircase railing that disappeared into the floor. He circled the pedestal, peering over the edge of the railing into the darkness.
“What is down there?” Tovar’s voice had returned.
“Time to find out,” Sheppard replied. He stepped onto the first step, causing the stairwell to illuminate. The stairs curved slightly toward the center of the sunken room. As he stepped onto the floor, the wall scones slowly brightened revealing curved walls lined with what could only be stasis pods.
The dark gray pods were approximately eight feet tall and approximately four feet wide. Translucent panels extended the length of the pods, revealing a faintly glowing smoky interior. Sheppard walked along the pods, examining the panels. As far as he could tell, the indicators seemed to show that the chambers were in working order. How much he would like to have McKay with him right now to decipher the readings floated through his mind. He had no sooner completed that thought when Lanar remarked.
“Yes, you are interpreting the readings correctly. These chambers appear to be in working order. The beings inside are in exceptional condition.”
Without realizing it, Sheppard spoke out loud, “So, they’re alive?” He caught himself from saying anything else, but from the look on Tovar’s face, he regretted not being more careful. He had noticed the Tok’ra looking at him suspiciously since they had met up.
“Sorry, just thinking out loud; from the displays, they seem to be alive, readings all seem strong. Like we could just open the do…” He stopped abruptly. One of pods was becoming brighter, a series of small round lights above the translucent access door were turning from red to amber to green. Within the pod, visibility was improving as a soft swooshing sound seemed to indicate that the gaseous interior was being vented.
They watched in silence as the pod’s interior became brighter and the outline of a figure became visible. As soon as the all lights above the door turned green, the door hissed and opened. Sheppard and Tok’ra alike held their breath as a tall, slender figure emerged.
The being was humanoid, apparently male, and was quite tall; Sheppard estimated close to seven feet. He was very slender. His long dark hair held in place with an embroidered headband. He was wearing loose-fitting tunic and pants, simple slippers on his feet. His wide dark eyes immediately tracked to Sheppard, and he glided more than walked toward the colonel.
“Please do not be alarmed. I am Ganero and I am the Master of the Arx. It has been many, many years since we were awakened by an Elago Unes. Welcome.”
“I am Colonel John Sheppard; this is Tovar of the Tok’ra.”
“I have been awakened by your appearance. We are here to serve, allow me to awaken the others.”
“Wait, before you do, can you answer some questions for us?”
“You are Elago Unes. I will answer any questions that you have.”
“Well, for starters, what’s an ‘elago unes’?
“You are among the select ones. We are here to serve you as we serve the others.”
Tovar moved closer, but it was Partak who spoke, “What do you do for the select ones?”
“We serve their every need, provide them with knowledge, wisdom, empower them. We give to them the untold treasures of the universe in order to prepare them for service.”
Sheppard was watching Ganero intently. He failed to notice the two Tok’ra who accompanied Tovar into the chamber raise their weapons which they had hidden under their tunics. Partak’s voice reverberated very close to him.
“Yes, I believe we have what we need. This place will do fine to serve as our base while we learn those secrets that will prepare us to return the days of the Goa’uld Lords.”
Ganero reacted in fear, “I do not understand; you bring weapons into the Arx. It is forbidden. We are committed to learning, to peace. You must leave now.” He turned to Sheppard, “You are Elago Unes, dispel them.”
Sheppard turned to Tovar-Partak, already trying to determine what resources might be available to him to stop the rogue Tok’ra. Before he could do anything, one of the Tok’ra reacted to Partak’s order to stun him. The bright blue light from the weapon enveloped him, and he fell to the floor.
+++++++
Rodney McKay was frustrated. Sheppard was missing and he didn’t believe they were any closer to discovering the location of the so-called citadel. He had gone to the mess to grab something to eat and to think. The silence in the lab where they had set up was deafening. The background noise from the chatter of people seemed more conducive to his thinking. He was staring into the distance when Cam Mitchell sat down across from him.
“McKay?”
McKay finally reacted to Mitchell snapping his fingers in his face. “What? What do you want, colonel?”
“Well, if you want to know, I just wanted to see if you were OK?”
Sighing deeply, he answered, “I am not OK…Sheppard’s in trouble, and we are no closer to knowing where he is than we were several hours ago.”
“The lead that Zelenka had didn’t pan out?”
McKay frowned, “That’s just it…it seems to be a reference that is out of place somehow. Zelenka found the mention of an Ancient city in a section of the database devoted to learning or training. We’ve only just begun to investigate that section of the database. We’d sort of been side-tracked the last few years by needing to know about weapons and shields and stuff. This data was left for the luxury of time. Yeah, like we will ever have that.”
The frustration in McKay’s face was obvious, and Mitchell fumbled over his words in reply, “McKay…I …you know that John’s resourceful and damn smart. He’ll survive until we… you, figure out where he is. Then we’ll go get him.”
McKay looked at Mitchell and was about to answer when the overhead intercom cackled, “Colonel Mitchell, Dr. McKay, please report to the gate room.”
They hurried into the gate room to find Landry, Lorne, and Delek facing three arriving Tok’ra.. One of the Tok’ra was restrained; her hands cuffed behind her back.
“General, who’s our new friend?” Mitchell asked.
“Ah, colonel, we may have gotten lucky. I’ll allow Delek to explain.”
“This, this is the Tok’ra Malon. She was an assistant to Partak regarding his duties as a member of the High Council. We have determined that she was in collusion with Partak and the others. My operatives tell me she has information.”
Malon’s eyes glowed brightly, her anger and defiance evident. “I will tell you nothing. The Goa’uld will rise again, and the Tau’ri cannot stop us.”
Before anyone else could reply, Delek leaned into Malon’s face. “We will stop you. The Tok’ra will not allow the resurgence of the Goa’uld by our own kind. You are not Goa’uld. You are only a weak Tok’ra who wishes to pretend to be powerful. You are not powerful. You are only pathetic.”
Landry intervened, “Get this woman to a holding room and keep a guard on her.” As the Tok’ra and Marines led Malon out of the gate room, Delek addressed the others.
“Since we last met, we have developed new methods of interrogation. I am not pleased to admit this, but the Council recognized that some among our ranks might desire power once the threat of the System Lords was alleviated. After all, all races are the same; the hunger for power and wealth always seems to show itself. The Tok’ra, who accompanied the prisoner brought a drug which will force the truth from her. Malon may know where this citadel is located.”
Mitchell spoke for all of them, “It’s about fucking time we got a break.”
Dr. Lam had intervened, only allowing the interrogation if conducted in the infirmary. After discussing the process with Delek and discovering that the host could be at risk from the drug, she demanded that the drug be administered under her watch.
One of the Tok’ra administered the drug, a highly potent truth serum, by injection into Malon’s brain stem. The drug would quickly flood the Tok’ra’s neural system, forcing her to tell the truth. Immediately, the host’s eyes opened, glowing brightly.
Delek addressed her, “Malon; we have uncovered facts that you are a member of Partak’s plan to revive the Goa’uld dynasty. Do not attempt to deceive us, the drug, we just administered to you, will prevent you from lying. Now, tell me where is Partak?”
“I do not know.”
“You do not know…elaborate.”
“He is on a quest for to uncover technology that will assist us in obtaining power, but his exact whereabouts is unknown to me.”
“Do you have a general idea of where he might be?”
“I have been told he is on a planet where he suspects there is Ancient technology.”
“What is the gate address to the planet he is on?”
“I do not know. Partak kept that information to himself. Only he and Curnon knew the exact location. I only know that the planet is in the Karmani system.”
Landry turned to Mitchell, “Go, tell McKay.”
+++++++
“He is awakening, master.”
Sheppard heard a soft rustle near by and sensed someone sit down next to him. He slowly opened his eyes to see Ganero smiling at him. Looking past the master, Sheppard saw that Partak must have released everyone who had been in stasis. There were several others dressed like Ganero scattered about the room.
“Welcome back to us, Colonel John Sheppard. We are pleased you are not seriously injured.” He sat up with Ganero assistance. “How are you feeling?”
Thanks to Lanar, he felt better than he normally would have after being stunned. “I’m fine.”
“Lanar said you would be.” Ganero smiled was a bit brighter.
“Lanar; you know about Lanar?”
“Yes, I detected the presence of the beings in all of you when I was awakened. I admit that I was confused that you, who possess the Alteran cistron, were host to a serpent. We, of course, know of the Goa’uld and the Tok’ra. However, our contact has been limited in the last millennia. My race is telepathic, colonel; while you were recovering, I was able to link with Lanar. He has given us detailed information about what has occurred and what is occurring now. We must work together to thwart these renegade Tok’ra. We cannot allow the Goa’uld to regain a foothold in this galaxy or anywhere else.”
“Colonel, he speaks the truth; he can communicate with me. I have provided Ganero with information regarding our situation. He has explained the nature of this facility and what is available here. I believe the means for you to defeat Partak and his minions exists.”
“How long was I out?”
“Nearly an hour, I couldn’t risk exerting the energy to revive you while Partak and his men were close to you. It was only after he removed the others from stasis and moved us all here that I took the chance to expend the energy necessary. I must tell you that I am concerned that he suspects my presence.”
“Where’s Tovar? Well, I guess I should call him Partak; where is he?”
“We have not seen him, since we were brought here, but I believe he is conferring with his people; more have arrived.” Ganero answered.
Sheppard straightened up at the news, “How many more?”
Ganero turned to one of his companions, “Guide Lerat, did you see how many arrived?”
“Master, I counted at least twenty. They were carrying weapons.”
Lanar commented, “I would imagine he had them waiting near-by, all along.”
“Ganero, what is this place.” Sheppard asked.
The master rose from the upholstered bench that Sheppard was sitting on and walked to a translucent panel on the wall. With a wave of his hand, the panel displayed an image of the outside main gate, surrounded by beautiful landscaping, bathed in daylight. As the imposing entry gate doors parted, the citadel came into view. Appearing as it had once stood, pristine buildings, glass glimmering brightly in the sunshine, colorful gardens adorned with statues and fountains.
“This is how the Arx appeared when my people and the Alterans, along with the Nox populated this galaxy. Races from other galaxies visited the Arx regularly; taking advantage of the information stored here, science, literature, arts. We provided the civilized populations of the universe with knowledge; teaching became part of our offerings. We soon became the repository of knowledge of the four races once the Asgard joined us. We educated countless thousands of beings in the knowledge we possessed.”
Ganero paused as he watched the images slide across the screen, then turned back to Sheppard. “Colonel, those who carried the cistron…”
Sheppard interrupted, “Cistron…do you mean gene? Whatever it is that I have that controls Ancient devices?”
The master smiled, “Yes, although it is strange to hear the Alterans referred to as Ancients…I suppose they were in my time as well. The Alterans are considered to be the oldest race in the universe, although there are stories of a much older race. The fact is that the Alterans created and constructed the Arx. Our love of the arts and sciences led them to ask my people to be the caretakers of this repository, a role which we gladly accepted. This Arx stood as the center of the universe for thousands of years. Until the plague hit that is, the Alterans were dying, as were my people. Many followed their chosen path to ascension. Many others left this galaxy, some in their city-ships, some in their large starcruisers. Some Alterans chose to leave with my people, all spreading to other galaxies. My companions and I were free from the plague, and volunteered to remain here in stasis until someone came to revive us. The Alterans placed defensive measures around the Arx and locked the facility from access by anyone except an Elago Unes. Your cistron is special, colonel. Few among your race have the form of the cistron, gene that you have. We could not have been revived, unless one of Elago Unes discovered us. The Alterans meant for the Arx to survive.”
Sheppard didn’t comment, even Lanar was silent. So many thoughts racing through his head, but he did have one definite question.
“Ganero, you mentioned your race, but you have yet to reveal who you are.”
Ganero’s face was haunted for a brief second, then he answered, “We are the Furlings.”