Okay, this ended up longer than anticipated and has lots and lots of Kai/John. I hope you enjoy the update!
Please vote/comment!
Happy Reading!
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It was nearly midnight when Kai and John stumbled back towards the gate. The barkeep had been true to his word. Ford had come and gotten an address for a Wraith planet. The barkeep had provided the address, poured them each another drink and warned them that the planet had a large Wraith settlement on it. Kai didn't thank the man, but she told him they were square. Kai had wanted to leave immediately, but John talked her into staying and finishing their drinks.
Rationally he knew it was too late at night and they should head back to Atlantis, get some sleep, and go through the proper channels in the morning. But the scrap of paper was burning a hole in his pocket. They were so close to finding Ford he could taste it.
Whatever was in that drink hadn't been alcohol, John hadn't experienced this kind of euphoria since he had his wisdom teeth out and been given morphine. Everything seemed so simple. It made his limbs feel light and loose. Like he could do anything. Control was such a hallmark of his personality that to feel so light and free was exhilarating. There was literally no one else in this solar system he had to worry about. Right now it was just him and Kai.
He turned to Kai a challenging smirk stretching his face. "So what do you think?" He asked waving the piece of paper towards her.
Kai looked up at the Colonel and the moonlight from the twin moons reflected in his eyes making the angles of his handsome face stand out. She licked her lips to reply and his eyes followed the movement.
The intensity rose for a moment between them and his mouth opened for a second like he was going to say something profound. Then he seemed to jolt himself out of it. A boy-ish grin lighting his face. "Come on Kai!" He chastised in a sing-song voice. He took her wrists in his and swung her around playfully.
"Weir said not to get into any trouble," Kai replied studiously, she was fighting to maintain control her her body but she was failing. She could feel the drink working it's way through her. She should have passed, it had been a long time since she had a glass of Euphor. And neither of them had needed the second.
John snorted, and flashed her a boyishly charming smile that normally didn't work on her. But tonight under the twin moons it made her stomach flip flop.
"It's not like you and I couldn't handle it," he said swinging her around again.
Kai let out an uncharacteristic giggle. She had never seen this side of the Colonel before. Despite his sense of humor he was always so serious and in control underneath. The burden of command was something he took very seriously. To see him truly having fun was worth the headache she knew she would have in the morning. But the morning was so far off. It didn't matter as much as she had thought it should.
All that mattered was being in the moment now. She tipped her head back and let him spin her playfully around under the stars. She laughed again because she didn't know when the last time was she had laughed. She stumbled over her feet and expected to fall. But John caught her, pulling her into his arms. She gripped his forearms to steady herself, but his hands were strong and warm against her low back. The carefree joy on his face was infectious and Kai stared up into his eyes. She wanted to freeze this moment in time and bask in the glow.
A single strand of hair slipped free from her scarf and John reached up with gentle fingers and tucked it behind her ear. "I'm not sure there's anything we can't handle," he confided to her seriously.
Kai stared deeply into his eyes as her heart started thundering away in her chest. There were so many reasons why this was wrong and why she should pull away but she couldn't think of a single one of them.
"Have you ever seen the stars like this?" He asked, tipping his chin up to look at the stars overhead. "I haven't," he said. "Not a single one of them is familiar. That's pretty cool, huh?"
Kai's mind was absolutely blank. Things were so easy. They were like two puzzle pieces who's broken edges fit together somehow. She felt the hard nudge in her mind and John went still under her hands. He tipped his chin back down to look at her. His hazel eyes were incredibly intense as he stared down at her.
A ghost of a smile tugged across his face. "Is that you?" He asked in wonder.
Kai froze. His question went over her like ice water. She jerked free of his hands, nearly stumbling over her feet to get away. John frowned in confusion, but immediately let her go. Kai slammed her psychic walls down, cutting herself off from whatever might have been happening.
John scowled and rubbed at the center of his chest like it hurt.
Kai had to get away from him. This couldn't be happening, it was impossible.
"We should get back," she said and she quickly moved to the DHD, she didn't bother waiting for him. Her hands were trembling as she sent her IDC and as soon as they had confirmation from Atlantis she stepped through.
John followed but more sedately. He had no idea what had just happened. Kai's confusing reaction had sobered him and he was frowning when he appeared on the other side of the event horizon in Atlantis. The light feeling of euphoria was gone in the face of all that needed to be done. He gestured for them to cut the connection and raise the shield. He turned, but Kai was already striding down the hall away from him.
"Colonel," Weir and Teyla were waiting at the top of the stairs. "How was your trip?"
John turned back to the women, still feeling completely bewildered over what had just happened. He held up the scrap of paper. "I've got an address. We'll send the MALP in the morning." His voice didn't sound quite right, and he tightened his jaw, locking his body down and forcing it back under tight control.
Elizabeth scowled down at him. "Are you drunk?" She asked in surprise.
His answer was gruff but sounded more like himself. "I'm going to bed."
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John hadn't had a hangover this bad since college. His memories from the night before were foggy and felt like they had happened to someone else. He distinctly remembered Kai warning him about drinking the black liquid in his glass, and like an idiot he hadn't listened.
They had gotten the information which was the the most important thing, but something else had happened. He remembered feeling free, and laughing under the stars with Kai but he didn't know what he had said in his drunken stupidity that had made her so mad. The memory was hazy, but nothing he remembered saying should have pissed her off so bad she wouldn't speak to him. The last thing he remembered saying was some nonsensical question that seemed ridiculous now. But John Sheppard had learned a long time ago to never underestimate his ability to say exactly the wrong thing to a woman. Hell, he had had a whole marriage worth of practice.
John walked into the control room, holding a steaming cup of coffee. He had tried to eat breakfast, but even the smell of food had turned his stomach. He hadn't drank that much. His only conclusion was that the black stuff was poison he would never touch again. Sweet, delicious poison.
"Colonel?" Weir must have been speaking to him. He looked up and she and Teyla were staring at him expectantly.
"Are you all right?" Elizabeth asked. "You don't look like you're feeling that well."
He shook it off. "I'm fine," he told her. He took a long drink of coffee and his stomach rolled. He cleared his throat and turned to Chuck. "MALP ready to go?" he asked.
Chuck nodded and activated the gate. They all waited as the MALP went across the event horizon.
"I'm getting audio, video should be up any minute," he reported.
The video came and the screen flickered with interference. At first there was nothing but forest. As the camera rotated they were able to see the DHD and then as it rotated the camera landed on strange piece of technology.
"Is that Wraith?" John asked no one in particular.
"Can you zoom in on that?" Weir asked.
Chuck made the adjustments and the camera zoomed in on the device.
"Have you ever seen something like that?" Weir asked.
"No," John said.
"Nor I," Teyla agreed.
Weir nodded and activated her comm. "McKay, Zelenka, Kai, can you please come up to the control room?"
The two scientists and Kai appeared only a couple moments later.
Kai hesitated at the doorway for just a second. She had avoided both the mess and the gym that morning to make sure she wouldn't run into the Colonel. Her head was pounding from drinking the Euphor, but she couldn't get what happened out of her mind. She just replayed it over and over again. That comforting bump in the back of her mind followed by his smile and him innocently asking if it was her. Like it was nothing. As though the feeling was as familiar to him as it was to her.
She closed her eyes against the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Her hands balled into fists. It wasn't possible and she was going to do everything in her power to make sure it never happened again. She lifted her chin and quickly strode to the monitor, turning her entire attention to the display.
"Are you seeing any anomalies in the readings?" McKay asked.
Chuck shook his head. "No, none that I can see."
McKay grunted in annoyance and moved to Chuck's terminal. "Move," he ordered, flicking his fingers dismissively at the technician so he could look over the data himself.
Zelenka glanced down at Kai. "Have you ever seen anything like this?"
"No," she said. Kai took a step closer to the screen frowning. Kai cocked hers to the side as she studied it. It was some kind of device hooked into the DHD.
"Is it a power conduit?" She asked Zelenka. "Look at the cables..."
McKay stepped up next to her. "It would make the most sense. If you needed to power source and could figure out how to draw from it the gate..." McKay dragged off.
"My source informed us this planet has a large Wraith outpost," Kai filled in quickly.
"Really?" Weir asked, crossing her arms over her chest as so shot a look towards Colonel Sheppard.
"Presumably that would be why Aiden was so interested in it?" Teyla asked. She worked at keep her tone low and soothing as the tension in the room continued to rise.
John nodded. "He wasn't able to buy or barter for Wraith enzyme so he would go where he could be sure to get it."
"And you want us to go there?" McKay asked incredulously.
"Look, we go in a cloaked jumper, quick and quiet. We don't engage, just run a sweep over the planet, no one will be the wiser."
"We don't even know if he's on that planet," McKay argued.
"No, and we won't until we can get the sensor data from it," John replied tightly. His head was still pounding and he didn't have patience to play McKay's games today.
"We don't know what that thing is," Mckay said gesturing to the display screen.
"I agree with Rodney," Weir said. "We don't know what that is. Kai is you are willing I would like you to accompany the team. You have the most experience with Wraith tech."
"That's not necessary-" Sheppard started to say but Kai was already speaking.
"I don't think-" she bit back her response, clasping her hands behind her back.
They both stopped, exchanging a tense glance before turning away.
"Well, I do," Weir snapped, impatiently. She didn't know what had happened on Lodan but they hadn't so much as looked at each other since they came back. Whatever their differences they would have to get over it. "I'm not willing to allow this mission to continue unless we can manage the risks. It is a Wraith inhabited planet, with an unknown piece of Wraith technology in play. It would make sense to bring the expert in Wraith technology, wouldn't you agree?" she turned to Kai. "Are you willing to accompany the team?"
Kai sighed. It was rare Doctor Weir asked this sort of thing from her. In fact, Weir had been very careful to keep Kai as far away from missions as possible. She knew that if she asked to be left out of it Weir wouldn't force her to go, but it was partially her fault Ford had gotten away. If they were going she couldn't let them go alone. "Yes, Doctor Weir."
"Good," Weir said turning to Colonel Sheppard. "It's all decided then."
John pressed his lips together angrily but he didn't say anything. He nodded once and turned to the others. "Meet in the Jumper bay in ten minutes," he turned back to Chuck. "Recall the MALP."
"Maybe it would be a good idea if Major Lorne went with," Weir said helpfully. "He hasn't been off world yet, and a scouting mission would be a good opportunity to gain experience."
John turned back to face Elizabeth. "Sure," he replied sarcastically. "Any one else you want to send with? There's still room in the jumper."
"I think that should do it," Elizabeth replied briskly, her tone making it clear she didn't appreciate the Colonel's sarcasm.
John grunted in annoyance but didn't argue any more as he turned and stalked off towards the locker room.
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The flight was miserable. They circled the planet in a grid, running the ships sensors in a constant sweep. It took nearly eight hours and Sheppard and Kai didn't so much as look at each other once the whole time. They kept their chairs turned firmly straight ahead and monitored their individual aspects of the ships systems. McKay seemed oblivious as he studied the data they were bringing in, but Teyla was watching them closely.
The Colonel was uncharacteristically silent, but the new young Major was making up for it by chatting happily with both Teyla and Kai. It was rare for Kai to open up so quickly to someone new, but the young man was funny and self-deprecating. He asked intelligent questions without any of them getting too personal and willingly shared stories about himself and his adventures with the SGC to keep them entertained.
Kai and Teyla were still chuckling over Lorne's last story when McKay cleared his throat, interrupting. "Well, that's the whole planet. Assuming his transponder is still working, it's safe to say there's no sign of him."
Teyla turned back to McKay. "Were there any signs of life at all? Perhaps the Lieutenant removed his transponder."
Rodney shook his head grimly. "None big enough to be human anywhere but near that outpost. If he was here either the Wraith got him, or he already left."
"Damn it," John swore. He raked one of his hands through his hair and turned the Jumper towards the gate. The trail was two months cold, he wasn't sure what he had hoped to find, but now they were back to square one.
As they approached the gate Kai leaned forward to dial the address without John having to ask her. Even with the tension between them, they were able to work together almost effortlessly. She dialed Atlantis, but nothing happened.
Kai frowned and imputed the address once more.
Nothing.
"What are you doing?" John asked, scowling at her.
"It's not working," she hissed.
"You're just not-"
"I'm doing it fine," she interrupted him.
John reached over to do it himself and she jerked her hands back like he was going to burn her. John tightened his jaw but didn't say anything. He wanted this mission to be done. He punched the address but nothing happened.
"What's wrong?" McKay asked behind them. His voice high with tension.
"The DHD isn't working," Kai explained.
John's face was grim as he turned the jumper away from the gate. "It looks like we're stuck here."
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They set the jumper down a hundred yards from the gate. Kai pulled up the sensors and immediately began looking for the nearest star gate. "If we can't fix this one, the closest gate in this system, at maximum sub-light is 132 hours away."
"That's-" Teyla started to say.
"Five and a half days," McKay grumbled. "We don't have the supplies for that."
"Well we wouldn't starve to death," John replied. "We would make it."
McKay looked at him in horror. "Let's get out there and see if I can fix this instead. We can always starve later if there's no way to disable it."
"Pretty sure it's that nasty looking ball thing by the gate Doc," Lorne replied standing up and picking up his gun.
McKay grunted impatiently. "Yes I'm sure that's it, but I think it will be a little more complicated than that," he snapped. He turned to Kai. "We ready?"
She nodded, taking her own tablet under one arm.
John left the jumper cloaked and they fanned out, heading towards the gate. He was on point with the life signs detector in one hand and his P-90 in the other. So far there was no signs of the Wraith, but with the size of the outpost he would be surprised if there weren't patrols moving around. McKay followed closely behind him, his gun in one hand and his tablet under his other arm. Lorne was sticking close to Kai. John gritted his teeth but focused on getting the group safely to the gate.
As soon as they got there McKay sent Kai to plug into the DHD and see what she could find out while he began taking readings from the gate itself and the Wraith device.
"Try dialing by hand," McKay instructed.
Kai was crouched down over her tablet so Teyla stepped up to the DHD and started dialing. As soon as she pushed the last symbol there was a spark of electricity and she jumped back hissing in pain.
"Are you okay?" John asked, moving to her. Teyla was cradling her injured hand against her chest. "Zian, what the hell?"
"I am all right," Teyla assured everyone.
Kai shook her head. "I don't know what happened," she said, her fingers flying over the tablet. "The power was stable but as soon as she tried to activate it there was a spike. It's back to normal now."
McKay hustled over and grabbed her tablet out of her hand. "It's interference from the Wraith device. It's making the gate power unstable...All right according to these readings it looks like they are using this device to siphon power off the gate to a generator only a few clicks to the south."
John was helping Teyla wrap her injured hand. "Great, we take the jumper, blow up the generator and away we go."
"Not so fast Rambo," McKay snarled with a weary sigh. "Not everything can be fixed with bullets. See those changes to the structure where the device is attached?" he asked gesturing to where the wraith had connected their tech to the gate itself. "The physical gate itself is unstable. If we don't disconnect the power at the exact same moment we run the risk of causing a massive power surge through the gate."
"How massive is massive?" John asked, tying off the gauze on Teyla's hand and straightening.
McKay blinked at him. "It's impossible to say."
"Ballpark it for me," John challenged. He needed to know what they were dealing with.
"Well, on the low end probably what happened to Teyla's hand..." McKay said shifting his weight uncomfortably.
"And on the high end?" John pushed, arching his brows.
McKay swallowed and quickly looked back down at the readings. "Hiroshima," he muttered.
John swallowed but nodded. That changed things. Teyla and Kai exchanged confused glances. Neither understood, but the sobering effect McKay's words had on the Colonel was enough for them to grasp the severity of the situation.
"And," McKay continued. "As soon as we disconnect the power that outpost is going to know about it."
"We'll have to be fast then," John replied tightly. He glanced over the group. "Is this disconnecting something I could do by myself?"
McKay shot him a withering look. "Oh sure it's just like unplugging a toaster."
John glared at him but it wasn't worth the fight. He let out a sigh and turned back to the group. "Zian, you and I will take the jumper to the generator. Lorne and Teyla will keep the gate secure while McKay works here. We'll stay on the radios and disconnect there the same time you disconnect the gate. Then you three can dial in immediately and we'll be right behind you."
No one argued. Kai was faster than McKay and it would be the riskier mission.
"Sir," Lorne said stepping forward. "Requesting permission to join you and Kai as backup in case the Wraith come."
John's jaw tightened when Lorne used her first name. The familiarity shouldn't bother him, but it did. "Not necessary," he responded more sharply than he meant to. "Your job is to get McKay and Teyla through the gate as soon as it can be dialed."
"Understood sir," Lorne agreed.
Sheppard and Kai strode to the jumper together. It took less than five minutes to fly to the generator, but the terrain was rough and would have been difficult on foot. John set the cloaked jumper down as Kai pulled up the sensors. "I'm picking up five Wraith life signs around the generator," she reported clinically. "Maybe we should have had Lorne with us."
John scoffed and climbed to his feet, hefting his gun. A fight would be a welcome relief from the frustration and tension of the day. "Think we can't handle it Zian?" he challenged.
It was so close to a fuzzy memory from the night before it distracted Kai for a moment as she remembered standing beneath the stars having him say something very similar. Then she snapped back as the Colonel strode down the back hatch.
They were still concealed by the cloak when Sheppard started shooting. Kai was shocked, she had expected some kind of plan. She pulled her hand gun. It took the entire clip before the first one dropped. She scowled as the Wraith shot towards them. Sparks erupted as they hit the concealed jumper. Sheppard killed two with his P-90 but he had to stop to reload. The Wraith had damaged the cloak and when the jumper appeared the rest charged. Sheppard looked up at the charging Wraith with a calmness Kai didn't feel as he reloaded. Unwilling to wait for them, Kai pulled her blade and another knife and ran out to meet them.
"Zian!" John yelled after her as she bolted past him, running straight into the danger without thought. Now she was between him and the target and he couldn't provide cover. He swore under his breath and ran after her. She had a death wish.
Kai had already slit the throat of the first Wraith and started to fight the second. John fired off a spray of shots into the first, finishing the kill. When he turned again she had launched herself at the second Wraith. She locked her legs around the Wraith's torso, burying her knife into it's chest. She rotated her body and did a complicated throw, rolling them both onto the ground. She moved fast, slamming her Blade up and under the warrior's helmet. The body jerked and went still. Kai pulled her knife free and climbed to her feet.
John stalked angrily towards her. He fired another spray into the body without looking at it. "What the hell was that?" he challenged his eyes snapping with temper as he got in her face.
"Me?" Kai asked in disbelief as she whirled back to face him. She was breathing hard. She had lost more than she realized during the two months of healing. "What was your plan?" Kai asked in astonishment. "To have them charge the jumper? They already damaged the cloak. Or did you want them to damage the generator in the crossfire?"
John scowled at her outburst. "It was a good plan, it worked didn't it?"
Kai spun around and stalked back into the jumper to get her tablet and tool bag. "It was a stupid plan," she snarles as he followed behind her.
John glared at her as he dropped into the pilots seat and powered up the jumper. "Well excuse me," he hollered back over his shoulder sarcastically. "We can't all graduate from Super Galactic assassin school."
Kai made a noise of disgust low in her throat as she spun back around to face him. "Well, you certainly would not have had to graduate. Every first year cadet could have told you that the first step to every plan is to not risk blowing up the star gate!"
"I didn't blow up the star gate!" he yelled defensively.
"You could have!" she snarled and she stalked away down the ramp towards the generator. She was still fuming when she activated the comm. "McKay."
"Yep," came McKay's immediate reply.
"I'm here," Kai said going to work on the generator. There were several secondary components she had to disconnect first.
"I know," McKay replied unapologetically. "The comms have been active the entire time."
Kai went still as she realized their entire had fight had been broadcast straight into Teyla, McKay and Lorne's ears. She sighed, hanging her head as frustration coursed through her. She drew in a deep, centering breath and exhaled. She fought to bring herself back to calm. She was never emotional, emotions made you sloppy. John Sheppard shouldn't be able to rile her up the way he did. "Well, I'm here. I've loosened the power coupling and I'm ready to pull it at your word."
"All right on my mark," McKay called "Three, two, one, mark."
Kai closed her eyes and ripped the organic cords out with all her might. Fluid sprayed everywhere coating her hands and forearms. She grimaced and quickly used her knife to slice through the remaining tendrils that bound the two together. She sliced off the ends of the cords and slammed one of her spare knives into the connection port of the now dead generator, ensuring they wouldn't be getting it up and running any time soon. She snatched up her equipment and ran for the jumper.
"We're in business!" Lorne called through the radio. "Wormhole is established."
"Get through that gate," John replied. He lifted off the jumper as soon as Kai was on the ramp. She hurried to her seat just as a warning alarm sounded.
"Darts!" she called pulling up the HUD. "The cloak is still down."
The jumper rocked as it was struck. "Crap," John muttered through gritted teeth.
"We're taking fire."
"Thanks," John snarled sarcastically. "I hadn't noticed."
"The darts are closing fast," Kai reported grimly as she stared at the read out. The jumper rocked again and another alarm started. "We've lost shields," she warned him. She climbed to her feet and moved to the rear control panel. "I'm going to see if I can reroute some power."
"I got it," John called back, he leaned forward as he twisted and arced the jumper to avoid the fire. He kept the jumper as close to the treetops as he dared. He was a better pilot than the Wraith chasing them and his mental connection to the ship made maneuvering almost instinctive.
Kai hissed as sparks flew from the control panel. The crystals were hot as she shifted them. "You've got 20% shields. But if we take another hit it will deplete them."
"Dialing the gate!" he warned her.
"Any ideas how you're going to avoid fire on the final approach?" Kai asked as she moved back to her seat.
"I'll think of something," Sheppard replied through gritted teeth.
"Two more darts locked onto us!" Kai called, her eyes widening when she realized what was about to happen. "J-" she started to say but the force of the blast too her breath away.
It destroyed their right drive pod and threw them sideways into one of the darts. The much larger Jumper hit the dart with enough force to sling it sideways towards the event horizon. The dart was going to broadside the star gate at full speed.
"John!" Kai yelled, she gripped the arms of her chair knowing there was nothing she could do, but stay out of his way. He was the better pilot.
The dart crashed into the gate, exploding in a massive fireball. John fought to pull up out of the way, but without one drive pod it was too late. The jumper clipped the side of the already unstable gate. A massive secondary explosion immediately enveloped the darts. The Jumper shields saved them from the gates explosion, but were completely depleted when they crashed.
Inside the jumper the force of the explosion was too much for the inertial dampeners and Kai was thrown to the side. She tried to grip her seat with her hands, but she wasn't strong enough. She heard John yell her name just before her head snapped to the side and everything went dark.
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McKay, Lorne and Teyla all made it through the gate. They hustled up the stairs so they would be out of the way of the jumper when it came through, but the wormhole closed behind them.
Weir ran to the balcony. "Where are John and Kai?" she asked.
"They were supposed to be right behind us!" Teyla promised.
"They May have the Wraith in their tail so be ready with the shield," Major Lorne warned.
Chuck nodded to show he understood.
"Do you need a Doctor?" Elizabeth asked hurrying to meet them on the stairs. Her eyes were locked on Teyla's wrapped hand.
"It is just a minor burn," Teyla explained. "It will be fine."
They waited for what felt like an enternity. Each of them running over all that could have possibly gone wrong.
"Incoming wormhole!" Chuck yelled.
"IDC?" Weir asked.
"Not yet."
"It's gotta be them," McKay said.
"Wait!" Weir ordered. "Not until we get the IDC. We have to know for sure," she said sternly.
It was that order that saved the control room. The explosion behind the shield was nearly blinding. Teyla and Lorne both stumbled back, shielding their eyes from it. But McKay stood dumbfounded in the middle of the room staring at the inactive star gate.
"What the hell was that?" Weir yelled spinning back to Chuck.
"I don't know," Chuck replied. "The connection was lost."
McKay swung back around to face her, horror etched on his face. "That was the gate just exploding."
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So...what did you think?