Stargate SG1 Fan Fiction / Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Stargate: Atlantis Fan Fiction ❯ April Ninth ❯ Chapter Fourteen ( Chapter 14 )

 

 

Well hopefully, this chapter will register on the update email alert. If not, I'm really, really screwed.

 

Figuratively speaking, of course.

 

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Took us two days to cross the Thunder Plains. I would like to state for the record, that on a scale from one to ten, one being a ferris wheel with a hot date watching fireworks go off, and ten being, oh… A Hiveship, this place definitely rates a nine.

 

I got struck by lightening twice. Twice! Saying it hurt like hell is like saying General O'Neill is a tad eccentric. Doesn't do the subject justice. Ow. Ow. Ow.

 

I tried not to use too many potions. We all did, as a matter of fact. They act like painkillers at the same time they're rejuvenating you. Carson would kill for these things, but the side effects are not so great. Felt like I was high as a kite. On the plus side, I was able to dodge a few lightening strikes after my first.

 

On the negative side… I was giggling the whole time I was trying to release this demon thing from a boulder. Fortunately Auron managed to pull me back in time, and Yuna used some spell or another to sober me up. Which put the pain of the lightening strike right back to burning my insides up!

 

I tried not to complain, I really did. For God's sake, Rikku was screaming everytime there was thunder. She told some story about being electrocuted as a kid… But her nervous looks at Wakka, her whole demeanor, and the fact that being electrocuted doesn't produce thunder… I asked Lulu about it, and she sighed.

 

“We heard about this from her father, since she is Yuna's cousin,” she stated quietly, as we were in the rear guard position (Not like that, Rodney! I know if you ever find this you'll be screaming Oh my God, he's Kirk! Hopefully you got it out of your system a while ago, but knowing you…), and thus everyone else ahead and unable to hear us.

 

“She was caught in an ambush by Yevon raiders, when she was playing on the beach,” Lulu went on. I nodded thoughtfully.

 

“Post traumatic stress, huh?” At her confused look, I elaborated.

 

“It's a psychological condition that certain people develop after going through trauma. Soldiers go through it sometimes after being through a heavy firefight, civilians after a natural disaster…” Lulu nodded.

 

“Yes… So anything similar to such events, such as the boom of the thunder, will bring back the memories of that experience. That about right?” At my nod she sighed.

 

“You see then why she wouldn't tell the truth,” the gothic witch concluded.

 

“Not wanting to piss off the religious extremists. That's a fairly valid motive.”

 

We made it to a shelter near the end of the plains, where Yuna decided to share her decision on Seymour's proposal: She was going to say yes.

 

On one hand… Sort of relieved, because I can make that disconnect from her emotionally if she's married. On the other, it's Seymour! The guy practically screams “I'm a psycho! Mwahahahahahaaa!”

 

Tidus looks like he got the wind knocked out of him. Poor kid… He needed to latch onto something, after being knocked a thousand years into the future… Which is now being taken away from him, in his view. Auron's about the job, Kimari looks… Per his usual, Wakka's a bit concerned, Rikku is trying to be happy for her cousin, Lulu is obviously concerned but trying to hide it, and me… Well… I've already done me.

 

Why hasn't Atlantis found me yet? Was that the Daedalus up there that was destroyed? Was my team on it? If they were… Was I written off because the ship was taken down? I can understand that, I guess… Losing an entire ship to rescue one man makes most people reconsider the whole “no one gets left behind” deal. Trading over 200 lives for one… I'm never sure if it's worth it. I never will be. I do know, however, that you have to try to rescue someone left behind. And I guess I got my attempt. Which failed.

 

… Looks like I get to keep my current job then. Keeping a certain stubborn Summoner safe, and trying to find a way to defeat Sin that doesn't involve her having to die.

 

No problem… I've done things like this before. I can handle it.

 

… I am so completely screwed.

 

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They'd parked the Puddlejumper a little ways away from the huge city. Based on what they'd gotten from the trading post, they'd forgoed the P-90s. Ronan wasn't bothered (he had his sword and various knives), nor was Aeris (with her staff, Princess Guard) or Teyla (she'd picked up some suitable fighting sticks). Daniel, after his training with Jack, Sam, and Teal'c, was confident in his hand-to-hand skills but still kept a zat gun tucked away in his backpack. Rodney, of course, was less than enthused about carrying only a Wraith stunner in his own pack.

 

“Look, all I'm saying is that our guns have a much bigger advantage if we get into a fight,” Rodney was saying, looking rather irritated. Ronan rolled his eyes.

 

“You'll be fine.”

 

“Fine? Easy for you to say, Tarzan, but some of us haven't been trained to kick someone's ass with no weapons!” They soon passed through the city gates, the majority of the colors making up the ancient city being shell gray, light blues, and silver. Teyla scanned the crowds while keeping up the conversation.

 

“Are you forgetting the time with Lieutenant Ford's guards, Rodney?” Teyla asked with a serene smile, as they moved past various stalls with merchants plying various wares. Rodney sputtered.

 

“That was different! I had taken a huge amount of the enzyme, which, by the way, nearly got me killed!” Aeris shook her head, exchanging an exasperated look with Daniel. The archaeologist shrugged, still taking down notes.

 

“The city's called Bevelle, and looks to be the capital of the religion Yevon,” Daniel spoke. “If we're going to find where Colonel Sheppard is, finding out where his Summoner was last is probably our first goal.” Rodney paused in his rant, before nodding. Technically he was the highest ranking member of the team.

 

“Right, okay… So, were do we find out this info?” Daniel pointed up at the central tower of the city. Rodney raised an eyebrow, as Aeris shook her head.

 

“It looks… Like a carnival slide,” the Ancient girl observed.

 

“Heck of a lot of flags,” Rodney put in. Daniel, looking a bit intrigued, stopped and looked it over.

 

“Huh… The whole thing resembles a flight of stairs, running up to a platform. An economic version of Mount Sinai.”

 

“Mount what?” Asked Ronan. Daniel licked his lips.

 

“Well, like most cultures, long stairs represents a climb up a mountain, indicating a journey. In this case, a journey upwards to enlightenment, which fits with a religious-based state.”

 

“The people see how much farther they have to go?” Teyla asked. Daniel nodded.

 

“Or, how far away they are from their leaders,” Aeris noted. She shook her head. “Just like Shinra… Physically putting themselves above the `common' people.” She turned her head to Daniel and smiled. “Truth be told I like your people's idea. Having your leader's home on the same level as everyone else's. Considering that many who are not in your government have better homes…” She shrugged.

 

“Well, let's not dwell too much on the architecture people. We need to find Sheppard. C'mon, move out,” Rodney directed in a commanding tone. He set off for the tower first, leaving the others to follow after staring after the Canadian for a moment.

 

“He is usually not this commanding?” Aeris muttered to Teyla. The Athosian woman smiled.

 

“No… Only when someone he cares about is missing…”

 

Ronan paused, and directed a glare at a few men dressed in robes and armed with spears staring at them. They quickly averted their eyes as the tall warrior nodded and moved on. Soon after, they sent a messenger ahead to the temple, indicating that several people with insignia similar to that worn by the infamous Colonel Sheppard had arrived…

 

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High above Spira, a hyperspace window burst into existence, as the mighty Earth vessel Daedalus emerged and easily coasted into a stable orbit around the planet.

 

“Doctor McKay, this is Daedalus, please respond. Doctor McKay's team, Doctor Jackson, please respond.” Lieutenant Kleinman shook his head and turned to Colonel Caldwell. “No response, sir.” The colonel nodded.

 

“Hermiod? Any progress?” Down in the engineering section, the Asgard engineer of the Daedalus worked at his control console.

 

“None as yet, Colonel. The interference from the planet's Lifestream continues to hamper our communications. It is possible that getting closer to the planet would aid in our efforts to contact the team, or Colonel Sheppard.” The colonel, back on the bridge, grimaced.

 

“How much closer?”

 

“… Within the upper atmosphere at the very least.”

 

“Can we still communicate with Atlantis if we do?”

 

“Unlikely.” Caldwell sighed. He turned to the comms op at the far end of the bridge.

 

“Lieutenant, relay a message to Atlantis. Inform them that we are proceeding into the atmosphere of the planet to try and contact any of our people on the surface. Sound alert stations and secure the ship for atmospheric entry.”

 

“Aye sir.” As various announcements went on over the ship's intercom, and personnel rushed to their duty stations, Caldwell turned to Sergeant Bunn on his left. The stocky blonde woman was here on her first trip to Pegasus, her face stony and determined. The colonel allowed himself a smile. First time's always the most serious…

 

“Sergeant, take us in.” He ordered.

 

“Yes sir,” she responded, as the large vessel accelerated for the planet.

 

“We're approaching the interference sir,” Kleinman warned. “Fifteen seconds to threshold!”

 

“Shields up! All hands, brace yourselves!”

 

The Daedalus's shields glowed vibrantly as they came in contact with the world's strange field of interference, and even more so as the great starship crossed into the atmosphere, the heat of entry whipping orange and blue streams of plasma across the energy bubble, before the vessel vanished into the clouds.

 

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Please review! I've put a lot of effort into this baby and I'd like to know how I'm doing!

 

Mid-season break of Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate: SG-1 is almost over! WOO HOO!