Experiment part 6

Chapter 5: Hoverboarding

Hoverboarding was harder than it looked, but John Sheppard could fly anything. Or so he thought. It was easy to just stand on the board but without inertial dampeners it was hard to move the board without seriously upsetting your balance. Apparently only Nicole and a few of her friends had built inertial dampeners into their boards, so John’s didn’t have the modification,

“I think I’m getting the hang of this,” John said after an hour of slowly moving along the path he and his team had been following earlier. It turned out that the path took a roundabout way down into the gorge that he had fallen into. Suddenly, as they came around a corner he pitched off again.

The bracelets worked as advertised, kind of. They slowed his descent but he still slammed into the ground if he fell too fast. This time he fell into the trees, narrowly missing a giant, was that an oak? An alien oak tree.

He landed on his back and lay there for a minute looking up into the trees. The suns were setting, twilight was upon them. They had stopped at the Stargate and John had contacted Elizabeth. Nicole had made him keep it short and he wasn’t allowed to say anything about her and Sandra. Which struck him as odd, but he had merely stated that he had made contact with the people and would be staying longer.

“You all right Skywalker?” asked a voice that was becoming more familiar all the time. Nicole had been calling him Skywalker ever since his first fall. He was still considering calling her Princess.

“You know,” He started, “This is getting a little old,” He sat up to see her sitting on her dark board watching him teasingly, “The whole, me falling of every few minutes,”

“You lasted almost eight this time,”

“Oh ha ha,” He was only half kidding.

“It takes most people a while who aren’t Nox,” She was being completely serious now, “Still, you’ve shown much more progress than most in this past hour,”

“It sure doesn’t feel like it,” John began to sit up, making sure he hadn’t hurt himself.

Nicole smiled again, “Come on, we’re only a few more minutes away, hopefully you won’t fall again until we get there,”

“Within eight minutes?” He asked

She moved her head from side to side, “More like ten, but I have confidence in you.” John wasn’t very convinced. His board hovered next to him, having returned. He stepped on still willing to try.

They came into a small clearing about ten minutes later. There was a great grey rock face at the end of the trail. John stopped his board a little too fast and for a few seconds he nearly fell over. Then he regained his balance. He turned to see the other three watching, “What?” They averted their gazes to each other.

Nicole snapped her fingers and her board slid inter her shoes. The other two followed suit, dropping to the ground. John snapped his fingers too, and the board began to fold, but his feet didn’t have anywhere to stand when the board grew smaller than his feet. He stepped of onto the ground and had to wait until the board finished folding before he could pick it up.

He picked it up and put the now, very small rectangle into one of his vest pockets and after he looked around the clearing he then turned to look at the others. Nicole twisted to talk to Jacob, “See you at dinner,” Jacob nodded and then disappeared into the rock face. He literally walked through it.

Nicole gestured for John to follow her and Sandra. He approached cautiously. She shook her head and took his hand. She quickly pulled him into the very solid looking rock . It quickly became obvious that the rock wasn’t actually there.

When John was on the other side Nicole quickly dropped his hand. He looked around at the familiar looking room. It was an obvious Lantian design. Kind of like the Ancient outpost on Earth only much bigger. Two guards pointed stunners at them for a second before they recognized Nicole.

“Colonel Sheppard,” One said, both snapping to attention. John looked up automatically. Right she’s Colonel Sheppard too; this was going to take some getting used to he thought.

Nicole nodded at them, “Anything exciting happen?” She asked.

They both relaxed, “You mean beside what you did today?” The taller guard was smiling now. Sandra smirked and then tried to cover it with her hand.

“It’s not funny Sandra,” though Nicole was smiling too, “I’ll see you guys at dinner,” With that she started down a corridor. John and Sandra followed. A few minutes later she stopped outside a door.

Chapter 6: Big Explanations

It was exactly like the ones in Atlantis. She passed her hand over the consul and the door opened. It revealed a large room. It had three single beds two large windows that had window seats. There was also a desk against a wall with a Genii computer on it. Only more advanced, probably done by Nicole. Papers littered the area on and around the desk.

Nicole turned when the door slid shut and pulled out the middle crystal, “I don’t want anybody coming in,” She explained to John when he gave her a questioning look. Her demeanor changed completely. Sandra moved to the windows and closed the. Metal shutters coming on over them. It was dark for a minute before the lights turned on.

Nicole turned to John, “You can sit somewhere and wait while we do a quick sweep of the room,” She then walked back to the door and began to run her hands along the panels. Sandra was already doing the same to the windows. He looked around again and decided to sit on one of the window seats that Sandra had already gone through.

He watched as the two women searched the entire room. They were soon done. Sandra sat on the other window seat and Nicole sat cross-legged on the middle bed, “How many?” Asked Sandra.

Nicole held out her hand revealing two small discs, “Two, you?”

Sandra tossed one at her, “Just one,” Nicole inspected the discs and walked over to the desk. She pulled out a small pair of tweezers and began to pull them apart.

Sandra turned her attention to John, “How is Elizabeth?”

John shrugged, “Fine, Pretty happy,”

Sandra nodded, “Major Carter?” She continued to question John about various people from the SGC while Nicole took the small disks apart. Occasionally Nicole would join in, asking about somebody.

Finally Nicole was finished peeling apart the disks. She put the pieces into a small bowl and set it off to the side, “Finished.” She sat on the bed across from John

He decided now was the best time to ask questions, “Where’s my team? And why couldn’t I tell Elizabeth that you’re here?” Those were just a few of the many John had.

“If you had told Elizabeth that we were here she would have insisted we return. However if we went to Atlantis right then your team would have been killed. If we had explained the situation to her she would have sent in people to help us rescue them, but that would be translated as an act of war.”

“Where’s my team? Come to think of it why did you attack us?” The questions were spilling out now.

“They are being held a few levels down. Mel and I thought you were allies of Jonas, so we took you. The last thing he needs is more help.” Nicole’s face showed absolute revulsion at the mention of this man. Sandra’s did also.

“Who’s Jonas?” He asked.

Nicole and Sandra exchanged looks, “I suppose you’ve been too busy with the Wraith to know of him.” Said Sandra, still staring at Nicole.

Nicole got up from the bed and started to pace along the floor. When John started to ask again she held up one finger. He waited for a few minutes letting her think.

She stopped long enough to look at his face, as if trying to figure out what she should tell him. She found curiosity, and worry. She understood both. The worry for his team, she’d been through that countless times.

Sandra spoke, “Tell him the basics, then answer any questions he has.” Nicole nodded her head.

As Nicole began to speak she continued to pace up and down the room, “Jonas took us from the Milky Way about two years ago. He did business with the Goa’uld. Sort of like a bounty hunter sometimes. Other times he simply brought them slaves when they asked. An intergalactic slave trade. I was off-world when he came to the planet we were on. He took Sandra and I among other inhabitants of the planet. However, before we could be taken to a System Lord, a sun that we were passing by exploded, sending us into the Pegasus Galaxy. He started all over again. Only now he serves the Wraith and himself. Sandra, Jacob and I became a part of his personal servants.”

They both shuddered remembering days in captivity, “After about three months we managed to stage a rebellion and a few dozen of us escaped to these caves,” She stopped pacing to look at John’s face after a moment. Nicole continued, “Ever since we’ve been working to destroy Jonas and his trade. Our numbers have more than tripled over the past two years.”

She stopped talking and sat down on the bed, through with her tale. John started to talk, “Well we’re not allies of Jonas, if anything we’ll help you. We can return you to Earth. Help with your fight by providing supplies and manpower.”

Sandra cut in then, “Mel isn’t going to simply going to let you go,” She exchanged another look with Nicole, “We think that he’s a spy for Jonas. He “Joined” us only a few days after the initial escape. That’s why its been so difficult to bring down Jonas. His operation wasn’t very large when he first got here. Only a tiny fraction of what he had in the Milky Way. We could have taken out the group early-on but for some reason he has always been one step ahead.”

Nicole joined in again, “Now his operation has doubled in size compared to what he had back home. We’re not sure how, and every once in a while Mel disappears along with a few people for about two days. He’s do to leave soon.”

John was stunned. How could they have missed this? An intergalactic slave trade. This was huge. They had been fighting the wraith, and the Replicators, on occasion the Goa’uld.

Chapter 7: Plans

Nicole got up and began pacing again, “I have a plan, but you and your team are going to have to trust me. Tonight we’ll head to the Gate and you’re going to tell Elizabeth that you need a few days to study the people. When Mel leaves to report to Jonas we rescue your team and the seven of us will go to Atlantis.”

“Seven?”

“You, your team, Sandra, Jacob and I. We are the only remaining people from the Milky way.”

John only had to think about that aspect for a minute, “Okay. I’ll cooperate, under one condition,”

Nicole eyes grew guarded, “And what is that?”

“You tell Elizabeth everything,”

“Did you not hear me earlier Skywalker?”

“If we explain to Elizabeth she’ll understand,”

Sandra scoffed, “You don’t know do you?”

John turned to her, “Know what?”

Nicole glared at Sandra *You’d better shut it* The force of Nicole’s thought betrayed her anger. Sandra just snickered.

John draw back from the sudden wave of anger that went into his own head, “What was that?”

Nicole turned to him, “You have the Gene?”

“Yeah,”

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, “Nicole put the crystal back in.”

Nicole grimaced. John recognized the voice even without the anger, Mel. Nicole got up from the bed and walked over to the desk, “Hold on,” She called.

Sandra quietly got up and whispered into John’s ear, “Keep quiet and remember, no Earth remarks,” Sandra quickly moved to the bed where Nicole had been earlier as she walked over to the door. John noticed the bowl of parts in her hands.

Nicole put the crystal back into the panel and opened the door. It revealed Mel flanked two guard-like looking people. He wasn’t beet faced anymore, just a little annoyed.

Nicole held out the bowl that contained the pieces of the circles she and Sandra had discovered earlier, “I believe these are yours,”

Mel stared at the bowl for a second. John was surprised when he coolly said, “You are mistaken,” John had expected another child-like tantrum.

“Ah,” Nicole obviously had been expecting this answer, “Then you won’t mind this,” She dumped the bowl’s contents onto the floor and stepped on the pieces, “Just in case my taking them apart didn’t do the job.” There was a hint of challenge in her voice and John would be willing to bet that is was in her eyes too.

Mel ignored the pieces that were now ineffectual bits of dust, “I was wondering if you were going to take your guest to the training grounds. What is his name by the way?” He pretended to be curious.

John got up and stood next to Nicole in the doorway, “John Sheppard,” He was pretty sure he was not supposed to use his rank. That would probably give away the fact that he was Earth military, “I am curious where my friends are,” John thought it was best that he saw them before they gave they’re plan away. Even if he didn’t totally know the plan. He figured that he would somehow be able to talk to his team and together they could figure out what to do.

“Of course. They are in the southern caves about ten minutes away by hoverboard,” Mel answered appearing not to be surprised.

Nicole jumped in next, “Why don’t the three of us go visit his friends so that John can be satisfied that they will not be harmed, and then meet you at the training grounds?”

Mel lowered his head in a way that reminded John of Teal’c from home, “Very well. However dinner will be served in a few hours. We won’t have time to do much more than sparring.”

“I’ve already given him a small session in hoverboarding. He’s about as good as I was.”

Mel laughed lightly, but the laughter didn’t reach his eyes. John began to realize that this wasn’t a real conversation, but more like a chess match. A game.

“Well I will see you and your guest at the grounds,” Mel strode off flanked by his two body guards.

After they turned the corner Nicole exhaled, “I have to admit that was clever, but now we’re going to have Mel at the grounds at the same time as us.”

“Then why did you invite him?” John asked

Nicole turned into the room, “Because that’s how you play the game.” Sandra was under the middle bed digging out something.

Chapter 8: Discoveries

“Got it,” She exclaimed holding a stuffed bag made from leather pieces. For the first time John examined their clothing. Both had on long leather pants. Then they had rough looking tan shirts. Nicole had a leather vest that matched her pants.

Nicole smiled at Sandra’s bag, “You know if we use what we have you’re going to have to make more tonight.”

Sandra shrugged, “I’m sure John will want to know how to make it anyway. Remember the first time you had some?”

Nicole groaned, “Yeah maybe we should give him half a dose,”

“Give me what?” John was getting sick of this back and forth talk between the two of them that he couldn’t understand.

“Have you ever met and Ancient?” It wasn’t exactly the answer John had been looking for. He was getting sick of that too.

“Yeah,” Six long months with a bunch if them trying to ascend.

“You know how they have cool abilities? Moving things with their minds, healing abilities? Well this serum gives us these abilities for about forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Depends on the bloodline of the person and how strong the gene is.”

“Cool,” John couldn’t even begin to state just how “Cool” that was. It could give them a serious advantage over the wraith. Beckett was going to have to examine the serum the second he got back to Atlantis. Come to think of it, Beckett would probably be one of the first to use it. He would love being able to heal his patients in a blink of the eye.

“It takes ten to fifteen minutes to take effect. I’ll administer to you before we leave for the training grounds.”

Sandra tossed a needle to Nicole who took it and tapped to get rid of any air bubbles. The serum was a gold color. She stuck it into her arm and injected herself. Sandra did the same.

“Hold on, why can’t I have some now?”

“Because we need to go, and it can be very…” She drifted off for a second, “Powerful the first time,” John thought about Nicole’s grimace and wondered what she had done to herself, or somebody else.

Sandra transferred some more of the items from the large bag into a smaller one. Each was wrapped in the same rough cloth that made up their shirts. When she was done she said, “Ready,”

Nicole turned to him, “You’re going to want to ride with me. It’s going to get dark soon and you’re not ready to try boarding in the dark.”

“Fair enough,” John agreed. He wasn’t nearly confident enough to try riding at night, yet.

Nicole nodded her head at the door. Sandra walked out and John followed. The halls were fuller now. People walked past some smiled and greeted Sandra and Nicole, others ignored them completely. Though more smiled and spoke John was still slightly disturbed by the blank or sometimes hostile faces.

After the third hostile one he turned raised his eyebrows at Nicole. She pursed her lips, “Some of Mel’s followers don’t like me,” She lowered her voice to a whisper now, “We are split almost evenly, that’s why Mel doesn’t challenge me and I don’t challenge him. Neither one of us are entirely sure what the outcome will be. That and our numbers will literally be split in half. We tolerate each other,”

Nicole stopped speaking as two more people walked past. They both smiled and greeted her. She smiled and replied. When they were gone she began speaking again, “We’re pretty sure that most of his followers don’t know about his true allegiance, just those within his inner circle. After I visit Atlantis I plan on overthrowing him and putting someone who I trust at the head.”

She didn’t say what she wanted to do after that but before John could ask they came to an open door. Dusk was upon them. Both of the suns were setting in a glorious painting of reds, oranges, and yellows. Nicole stared at the sight for a moment, “The sunsets are brilliant here,” She spoke more to herself than John. He had to agree though. They continued to stare at the sight each was wrapped in their own thoughts.

“All right, the southern caves?” Sandra broke the moment of awe. Both of them looked at her. Nicole nodded.

John got onto Nicole’s board again with her and after a moment the three of them shot of into the trees. They were moving a lot faster now that Nicole and Sandra didn’t have to wait for John. John had to learn to anticipate Nicole’s moved to dodge the trees. There were times when he could feel how close the trees were. Only an inch or so away.

Though John couldn’t see a path of any kind, but both Nicole and Sandra seemed to be following one. It took them eight minutes by John’s watch.

He knew they were nearly there when Nicole began to slow. He saw light appear in the trees before them and she stopped and lowered the board the few feet down to the ground.

When Nicole hovered an inch above the ground John jumped off and took a step away as she snapped her fingers. Sandra was a few feet away already on the ground.

Nicole took the lead and walked toward a group of people standing next to another rock wall. There were four of them each carrying a different weapon. One woman had two Bantos rods. The other had a Genii gun. One of the men had what looked like Ronon’s gun and the other a sword.

Both guns were pointed at the three of them and both hand weapons were spun and ready until the guards recognized Nicole. They all relaxed their weapons, but were still tensed. Three brought their right hands to their brows while the other just stood there.

Nicole brought her own hand to her head and the three relaxed. One stepped forward and greeted them, “Colonel.” He nodded at Nicole. Then he looked at John, “Is this the one who fell?”

Nicole nodded. The man examined John for a second. Then he directed his gaze to Nicole, “Mel said you would be coming,”

“He wishes to see his friends.”

The man nodded and then returned to the other three guards. One was staring at John and the other two were watching the other guard. He nodded and one of the women pressed a button on a band on her wrist. The rock wall rippled in front of them like somebody had thrown a rock into a puddle of water. When it was done the wall looked the same.

Nicole nodded at the wall and John tentatively followed her.

A/N And this is the rest of what I have. Like I said in chapter 1, if enough of you like it, I’ll continue it, but otherwise this is just for the person who wanted what I have :-)

Chapter 9: Friends

John passed through the fake wall into what looked like a larger version of the cell room that was in Atlantis. Instead of only one there were four separate cells. Ronon, Teyla, and Rodney were in the one closest to them.

They looked over at John and his new friends. Rodney ran as close to the wall as he could without touching the forcefield. “Sheppard.” He cried. “They caught you too?”

“Not exactly.” Said John, “You see-”

Nicole cut him off, “Wait a sec.” She and Sandra did a sweep of the room similar to what they had done in their quarters.

“You don’t think he’d put them here too do you?” asked John.

“He knew we could tell your friends our plan and he had time.” Pointed out Sandra.

“Got one,” Nicole held out a device similar to the ones found in her room earlier. She dropped it onto the ground and crushed it with her foot.

Rodney kept harassing John with questions. John simply ignored him and regretted that he hadn’t brought a lemon with him. Teyla watched John knowingly, while Ronon stared menacingly at Sandra and Nicole.

John examined the wall and ceiling while they completed their search. Altogether they found four devices. Each was immediately crushed into the ground and then tossed into the force field that kept Rodney, Teyla, and Ronon in their cell.

“All right we should be clear now,” Nicole said taking another glance around.

“Can I speak now?” asked Rodney sarcastically.

John got fed up, “Look she doesn’t have to be helping us-”

Nicole cut him off, “It’s okay Skywalker. I would be doing the same thing.”

Rodney snorted, “You told her your name was Skywalker.”

“Actually I started calling him that after he kept fall-”

This time John cut Nicole off, “No need to go into that right now. Basically she’s from Earth.”

That shut Rodney up for a few seconds. He stared dumfounded at Nicole, “Earth?”

“Yeah as in the planet we live on,” John hinted. Rodney continued to stare.

Nicole spoke, “Colonel Nicole Sheppard at your service.”

Rodney’s dumfoundedness grew, “The Nicole Sheppard? The one who disappeared almost two and a half years ago?”

Nicole nodded and Rodney gave a small laugh, “Elizabeth’s going to flip.”

Nicole rolled her eyes. John looked at Rodney, “You know her?”

“Well I know about her. She was supposed to be the Military leader of the expedition. Until, that is, she disappeared off-world.” Rodney gave John a look that read, “Shouldn’t you of all people know that?”

“And then the systems sun exploded.” Nicole finished for him. “I know.”

“Well how did you get here?” asked Rodney.

“The sun exploded while we were entering hyperspace.”

“Oh. Yeah that would do it.” Said Rodney. It had happened before to Sg-1. He remembered Colonel Carter’s mission reports.

While Rodney looked thoroughly convinced, Ronon did not, “So are you going to let us out of here?” He growled.

Nicole shook her head, “I can’t. Not until Mel leaves.”

“Who’s that?” Teyla inquired from behind Ronon, who was now glaring at Nicole.

“I guess you could call him my partner slash vice president.”

“He’s the one who decided to kidnap us.” John put in.

Nicole looked a little guilty as she admitted, “Well, actually it was a joint decision.”

“Why?”

So Nicole gave the same explanation she had given John. Starting with what had happened earlier with John tripping over Ronon. Rodney had laughed at this part, while Teyla looked concerned, “It is a good thing you were there. You saved his life.”

“Well it was kinda my fault he was there to begin with.” Nicole stuttered. John noticed that Nicole was somewhat uncomfortable whenever Teyla spoke to her, and saved that information for later.

She breezed over the part about John falling all the time, knowing that she might need it as blackmail someday.

When she finished about the slave trade, Teyla spoke, “We once suspected that this was going on.”

“We did?” John exclaimed.

“Not Atlantis. The athosions. You see there have been rumours about people going missing. We just assumed that it was the Wraith, but now that I know about this I am not so sure that it was the Wraith.”

“Sounds like Jonas.” Nicole sneered, “Using the wraith as a cover. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in leage with them.”

“More wraith worshippers?” Rodney whined.