“The M.A.L.P. reads full viability, and no immediate signs of activity around the stargate but it’s pitch black.” Dr. Grodin read off the data on his pad as it came in.
Sumner took in his men, his jaw tightening as Sheppard joined his team. Glancing up to the balcony at Dr. Weir, he suppressed his desire to go up and give her his opinion. How dare she interfere with his command! Giving her a look that plainly said, ‘Are you kidding, lady?’ he could only sigh at the look of determination she gave him in return.
If the situation weren’t as dire as it was, he would have taken the time to argue his case, but as things stood, he had little choice. Atlantis was running out of time and they needed to find a safe planet to evacuate to before the city’s shields failed. Sumner would just have to grin and bear Sheppard’s presence for now. There really was no time to argue the matter. Accepting the G.D.O. from Dr. Grodin, Sumner turned to his men and barked, “Let’s move out!” and stepped through the gate.
Once on the other side, everyone got into formation and even Sheppard fell into line. The area was clear, so he ordered his men to fan out in search of civilization. A few minutes after they had started, a commotion at the end of the line got his attention. Making his way over, Sumner bit back a growl. Sheppard. Of course. Casting a dismissive glance over the spectacle in front of him – two small boys and one adult male all but cowering in front of the major and Lieutenant Ford – he asked sarcastically, “Everything okay here, Sheppard?”
“Yes, sir. Just a couple of kids.”
Lowering his weapon, Sumner sighed. Yeah, he was sincerely going to regret having to deal with the major. He could feel it in his bones. When the man who’d been protecting the children got to his feet and seemed to loom over Sumner, he automatically raised his weapon to the man. He didn’t much care for it when people towered over him. Not that Sumner was short by any standard, but still.
“Halling,” the man said to Sheppard.
Sheppard looked confused as he replied, “I don’t know what that means.”
It took everything Sumner had in him not to roll his eyes as he said incredulously, “That’s his name.”
“Oh. Halling. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Are you here to trade?” Halling asked.
Sheppard nodded and, sounding more and more like an idiot in Sumner’s estimation, replied, “Trade. Yes. We’re… we’re traders.”
Nodding, the man turned his attention to the boy next to him and knelt down so he was eye level with him. “How many times have I told you not to play in the woods after dark?” Sighing, he touched his forehead to the boy’s and added, “I’m just glad you’re safe.” Getting to his feet again, Halling looked at Sheppard once more – and wasn’t that just terrific – and said, “Teyla will wish to meet with you. Come.”
Halling placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder and together they guided the team to a camp nearby. Barking out orders for two of his men to stay by the gate and contact Dr. Weir, Sumner sorted the rest of his men back into formation. The entire time they were walking, Sumner stewed over the situation. He wasn’t best pleased with what he’d seen so far of Sheppard’s abilities and it just confirmed his opinion on the man.
As they walked, Ford approached him. “If you don’t mind my asking, sir. I noticed you had a problem with Major Sheppard.”
Glancing briefly over his shoulder at the man in question, Sumner turned to Ford and said, “I have a problem with his record. I don’t like anybody that doesn’t follow the proper chain of command.” Sumner hoped the young lieutenant would take that to heart. He had a lot of potential, but was impressionable still and he didn’t really want to have Sheppard be a bad influence on the kid.
Ford looked back toward Sheppard. “Yes, sir.”
Good, he’d gotten the message. Shifting his attention back to his surroundings, Sumner’s mouth tightened. The camp they were approaching was primitive at best. What little he could see of it showed absolutely no sign of technology, which wasn’t a good thing in his estimation.
Halling escorted them inside a tent and Sumner suppressed a sigh. Yep, primitive and of no use to him or his people. As Halling let the woman know they wished to trade, Sheppard pulled his night vision goggles off and ran his fingers through his hair in a disarming fashion. “Oh, it’s… it’s nice to meet you.”
Sumner stifled a snort at the image of a schoolboy taking off his cap in church came to mind. As the woman introduced herself as Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tagan, Sumner took on introductions of him and his team. He couldn’t see how this diminutive tribal woman could be of any help, so he didn’t feel the need to be anything but direct. Then again, he was rarely anything but, anyway. “We have very few, specific needs-,” he started.
“We do not trade with strangers,” Teyla cut in empirically.
“Is that a fact?” Sumner muttered, reassessing her.
“Well… then we’ll just have to, err… we’ll have to get to know each other,” Sheppard said, offering her a charming smile. “Me, I like ferris wheels, college football, anything that goes over two hundred miles per hour.”
Sumner gave him an incredulous look even as Ford leaned into Sheppard and whispered, “Sir, that isn’t going to mean anything to them.”
Sheppard muttered from the corner of his mouth, “Feel free to speak up, I’m just trying to break the ice.”
Raising a brow, Sumner had to hand it to Sheppard, still he had a job to do. “These people can’t help us and I’d really rather not waste the time,” he said softly.
Before Sheppard could reply, Teyla spoke up. “Each morning before dawn, our people drink a stout tea to brace us for the coming day. Will you join us?”
Sheppard smirked and stepped forward. “I love a good cup of tea. Now you know something else about me. See? We’re practically friends already.”
Sumner’s lips twitched as he watched the interaction between the major and Teyla. Perhaps there was more to Sheppard than he’d initially thought. He’d warmed the woman up to them much faster than Sumner had believed possible. Away missions never went quite as smoothly in his opinion, but to Sheppard it seemed… easy. Maybe there was hope for the man yet.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Attention all personnel. This is Dr. Weir. As you may be aware, power levels are dropping and the shield is failing. We are going to have to abandon the city as soon as we possibly can. When Colonel Sumner reports he has found a safe place, I need each and every one of you to sort out quickly and quietly.”
Evan and Ioan exchanged ominous looks before turning to the balcony as one. Dr. Weir beckoned them upstairs and they double timed it. “Gentlemen. I’m going to need your help. Major Lorne, with Colonel Sumner and Major Sheppard gone, you’re next in line for command of the military contingent. We need to organize an evacuation, and we need to do it fast.” With a glance to Dr. McKay and Grodin, Elizabeth added, “Dr. McKay and his team are doing everything they can to minimize power usage and to boost what power Atlantis has with our generators, but I’m afraid it isn’t enough. I’m counting on you, Major.”
Evan nodded. “Yes ma’am. We’re on it.”
The brothers saluted her, then headed back to the gate room where Evan began barking out orders to sort through and gather the essentials for survival. Crazy as it was, considering they had spent so much time preparing and gathering ‘essentials’ prior to coming to Atlantis, he knew they would have to pare down even further. They might not have time to get everything through, after all, and people would be the most important.
Evan noticed Ioan talking to a couple of people who Evan thought were part of the medical team. He recognized Carson as well as a few of the nurses, but the young man with dark hair and a ready smile that stood next to Ioan he was unfamiliar with. Shaking his head, he scolded himself. Now was not the time to worry about who was who, or for checking anyone out, no matter how attractive they were.
A few hours later, but still faster than he would have believed possible, Evan had everything that was deemed absolutely essential set close to the gate for immediate evac, and he had sorted personnel in groups nearby. Everyone had been given specific orders on what to take and when.
The city was experiencing frequent tremors as more and more of the shield collapsed and people were starting to panic. Evan had to set a couple of Marines on guard duty to make sure everyone kept their cool. He noticed that Carson had put several of his people on standby as well, which Evan was grateful for.
Kate Heightmeyer was walking around, offering words of comfort and reassurance everywhere she went. When she reached Evan, she smiled at him and patted his arm. “How are you holding up?”
Evan gave her a tight smile in return and tried to look self assured. “Better than most, I guess.” It wouldn’t do to seem frightened, after all. He was in charge and people looked up to him.
Kate seemed to get that as she nodded. “If there’s anything I can do, let me know, alright?” she said sotto voce.
“Thanks, Kate,” Evan murmured.
As she moved on, Evan walked over to Ioan who was talking quietly with the young woman he’d pointed out to him, and Miko. “Hey, Ioan. Everything okay here?”
“Yeah, Ev, we’re fine,” Ioan assured.
Turning to the women, Evan smiled with as much confidence as he could muster. “Dr. Kusanagi, Dr. Smyth.”
Kimberly grinned. “Kimberly, Evan. How many times do I have to remind you?”
Evan chuckled. “Kimberly, then. Not causing any trouble with this one, are you?” he said, jutting his thumb at Ioan, who smacked his shoulder in retaliation.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Major. I-,” she started jokingly, but cut off when the city shook violently.
“Attention all personnel,” Dr. Weir radioed, “prepare for immediate evac!”
Evan looked up to the control room and saw McKay trying to dial out, but before he could establish a connection, the stargate engaged.“We’ve got an incoming wormhole!” Rodney said, stunned.
Excusing himself, Evan hurried up the stairs just in time to hear Grodin say, “I’m reading Lieutenant Ford’s identification code.”
“Let him in!” Elizabeth shared a hopeful look with Evan, who sent up a quick prayer that it was good news.
Evan headed back down the stairs in case he needed to help, but faltered in his steps when he saw a slew of indigenous people come through after Major Sheppard. Elizabeth came running down the stairs, demanding to know who they were.
“Survivors from the settlement,” John said. “We were attacked. Sumner and some of our men got taken.” Frowning, he looked around as the city trembled again. “What’s going on?”
Beckoning Ioan over to help rally the new arrivals so they were out of the way, Evan suppressed a sigh at the news. He couldn’t help but think they’d gotten out of the fryer and into the fire. He was vaguely aware of Elizabeth and John arguing, but Evan was too busy trying to calm everyone. Many of the refugees John had brought along appeared to be in shock, while some were excited and in awe of the new surroundings.
Then the city began to shake worse than it had up till that point and things began to come crashing down, sending people sprawling and scrambling for cover. Evan could hear cries of pain from several directions and people crying out in terror. It was all he could do to keep it together himself. Clasping Ioan’s arm, he focused on keeping his little brother safe and pushed thoughts of drowning and of hurting their family as far away as they would go.
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