Title: Rock Tales
Word Count: 1230
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: John Centric
Series: The Sharing part Nine
Summary: Stories are told, history is given and something is found.
“Open it,” Dr. Rodney McKay, the Head Scientist of Atlantis told Major John Sheppard as he pushed him forward towards the tunnel and the door within.
John responded with a dirty glare at McKay before stepping closer to the door. Once he neared the door he noticed that the walls turned from rock to polished metal. The door was like most that they had found back on Atlantis, the only different was that the controls were dark and didn’t respond to his touch at all. “Nothing. Rodney, see what you can do,” he said as he backed his way out of the tunnel so that Rodney could try.
“No problem, it’s only been 10,000 years. I’m sure I can make it work,” McKay complained as he made his way into the tunnel and the door before pulling open the control panel.
As McKay worked on the door John turned back to the rest of his team. Teyla was asking the rock what they knew of the Wraith or the Ancients, which seemed to be very little that his team didn’t already know…except for what happened before the Ancients arrived. John glanced back at McKay before he leaned on the rock dome and listening to the rocks story.
“Long ago, before the first darkness we had may friends among the stars…our world is rock, rock that other wish to have, most came looking for metal to mine but they found us. Some asked to study us, some tried to claim this world without our consent, but most were happy to trade and talk and that we did. We can not leave our world so we rely on other to come here. We would trade metal for stories of the stars. How we loved those stories. They were of glories battles, everlasting love, and grand adventures. Dozens of different race would speak with us. Traders and wanderers, they had the best stories,” the rock stopped for a moment as the creature turned and looked to the stars, “…that is how we first learned of the Wraith. An explorer and his crew found a beautiful world. They found a new race to talk and trade with. Then the Wraith fell upon that world feeding…few people were able to escape…one fled here…we did not understand then…none did. The Wraith fell upon the many races that filled the stars. Those that could fight back…some even held out for a short time but in the end all fell and for ages we were alone for so long…so long…then they came. The Atlantican, we tried to warn them but they did not listen,” the rock shifted to turn to Major Sheppard, “they were full of pride and believe that they were unstoppable…they were wrong. They met the Wraith and they fought. Fewer and fewer came till he came at last and we were told that all of the other had left…that all the stars were now the Wraith’s. He did not leave…” the rock stopped and looked over the group watching them. “He did not leave…he stayed to fight them…then he stopped coming and we have been alone again…till now. We have told our story, tell us yours.”
John looked over at Teyla before he stepped forward, closer to the rock creature, “The doctor, Lt. and I aren’t from around here, we’re from a different group of stars very far from here. We came here looking for the Anc-Atlantican, but all we found was Atlantis. We’re looking for anything they left behind in this Galaxy. We have to fight the Wraith and protect this Galaxy and ours,” John said before looking at the rest of his team. The rock creature kept looking at him when it hit John that the creature was waiting for more, “uhm…I have a good story, it’s how we first got here. Like I said we’re from pretty far, so far that normally the Stargate can’t travel the distance but we found a way to make one trip, so a team of us were put together. Now most are scientists like McKay,” he explained pointing to where McKay was trying to open the dome door, “But some are soldiers like the Lt. and me. When we first got here…” and so John told the rocks of their arrival in Atlantis, meeting Telya and the Wraith and of the rising of Atlantis.
John was about to go on to the next story when McKay’s shouts of joy got their attention, “I’ve got it, it’s open,” McKay yelled, as he came out of the dome.
***
“What is this place?” Teyla asked as she, McKay, and Sheppard made their way down the first and what appeared to be the main hall of the dome. Ford had been left by the entrance to both keep an eye on the rock and to go for help should something happened to the three inside.
“It might be one of the Ancient’s out-posts…like the one in Antarctica maybe,” McKay rambled as he tried to open the door they came across after reaching a corner.
The door was set right next to a turn that went into the center of the dome. John looked around the hall and guessed that the first hall was 20-25 feet long and after the turn it when as far as his light so at least another anther fifty or more feet.
John was pulled out of his planning when McKay started arguing with the door, loudly. “Rodney, yelling at the door wouldn’t open it.” he said in his best smug like tone that he knew Rodney hated.
It worked perfectly as McKay turned from the door to John with his now condescending voice, “I know that, but it helps me work. Now do you want this door open or not.”
“No,” John said surprising McKay with his response, “I want to go over the rest of this hall first.”
McKay just looked at Sheppard, “well…then…fine,” he said as he shoved the crystals back into the panel that he had been working on. After shoving them in he slammed it shut and just when he was about to stand the large double doors hissed parting a few inches causing all three to look at the doors, “Without even trying,” McKay gloated.
“Since it is open should we not investigate?” Teyla suggested hoping to forestall any further arguments.
“Since it is open, lets,” John conceded giving McKay a look, “you first.”
“What?! Why me, what if, what I mean is…”McKay stammered.
“I will go first,” Teyla said wedging her finger in the crack.
“You ruin all my fun, “John mumbled as he moved in to help Teyla with the door.
“What was that Major I couldn’t hear you,” she asked as they pulled the doors.
“Nothing, nothing at all,” he responded as they pulled.
The room beyond was filled with machines and equipment of all shapes and sizes. The room also held a number of different control consoles like the one back in Atlantis. The room was also dark and inactive, the only light was from three beams of light that the team held.
“So this is a lab,” John said as he looked around.
“No, no it isn’t Major,” McKay stated, as he looked closer at one of the bigger machines.
“Why do you say that Doctor,” Teyla asked.
“Because this is a hyper drive.”
The End