Okay this one got a little long.  I hope you enjoy!

Happy Reading!

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Allies cont.
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"Are we there yet?" Sheppard called sarcastically as he walked onto the bridge of The Daedalus. They were in hyperspace already, following the friendly Hive to the rendezvous where they would face a rival Hive to test the retrovirus gas.

Caldwell turned and scowled at both him and Kai who was trailing behind him. Kai had been absolutely right, Caldwell was pissed Kai was back on his ship and armed this time.

"Do you have any idea how difficult these maneuvers are going to be?" Caldwell demanded doing his best to ignore the armed Mortii standing over the Colonel's shoulder. He would never understand Sheppard's proclivity for surrounding himself with strays. The aliens of this system seemed nice enough, but Caldwell had been around enough from the Milky Way to know they couldn't be fully trusted. They may look human but that didn't mean they would behave the way you expected. The Mortii in particular made him wary, she wasn't even human.

"I'm guessing really difficult?" Sheppard responded, his sarcastic retort breaking Colonel Caldwell from his thoughts.

"We're going to be flying so close to that Hive ship you could reach out and touch it," Caldwell growled. "I'm going to insist on a few practice runs before we approach the enemy."

"I'm sure they'll be fine with that," Sheppard said placatingly.

"Coming out of hyperspace," one of the technicians called.

The inertial dampeners made it so they didn't feel the transition from hyperspace back to normal space, but Kai could hear the change in the engines.

Caldwell turned back to the technician. "Get McKay on the radio I want him to-"

As soon as the black of normal space appeared and the hyperdrive disengaged the ship was hit by rapid fire. The impacts threw the ship violently sideways. Caldwell staggered, barely catching himself on his chair. John was thrown into Kai. Instead of allowing himself to land on her he wrapped an arm around her waist and twisted them in mid-air. His shoulder hit the deck with Kai sprawled on top of him.

He grunted in pain. "Ugh, that hurt," he muttered.

"It's all muscle," she countered quickly.

John snorted as the two of the climbed to their feet.

The ship was struck again and they staggered. John gripped one of the support railings and grabbed Kai's upper arm so she wasn't thrown across the bridge. Alarms blared all around them.

"Shield's to maximum!" Caldwell yelled, climbing into his chair.

"Decks 1 through 7 of the forward section have decompressed and we're venting atmosphere!" one of the techs yelled.

"Seal off those sections, get a damage control team down there!" Caldwell ordered.

There was another flash of explosions on the front of the ship as the Wraith fired again. Alarms were blaring from all of the damaged system so loudly it hurt Kai's ears.

"Who's firing on us?" John demanded. He staggered over to stand behind Caldwell's chair where he could brace himself.

"I have two hive ships bearing down on our position, sir," the technician replied. "One of them is the friendly."

"Not so friendly," Kai growled.

"All main weapons fire on both ships at will!" Caldwell called. "Hermiod stand by to beam warheads onto the nearest Hive ship."

"It doesn't make any sense," John said. "Why break the alliance now?"

"They are Wraith," Kai said as though that were the only explanation they needed.

Caldwell looked up to meet Kai's gaze and nodded. It was perhaps one of the first times the two of them had ever agreed on anything. Neither one of them had been supportive of this alliance.

"But they don't even have the gas aboard their ship, we do," Sheppard pointed out.

"That's not my concern right now," Caldwell said.

There was another impact through the shields and a shower of sparks fell from the overhead wiring. Kai ducked away from the sparks as more alarms started blaring from damaged systems.

"Colonel Caldwell, this is Hermiod. The warheads are ready to deploy."

"Standby until we reach optimal range," Caldwell grunted as another hit shook the ship dangerously.

"You gotta give McKay and Ronon time to beam back aboard first," Sheppard said grimly.

"They've got until we reach weapons deployment range," Caldwell replied coolly. "If they can't activate their emergency transceivers by then, there's nothing we can do about it." 

This was where Caldwell and Sheppard were fundamentally different. Kai could practically feel Sheppard's mind racing to figure out a way to help his friends. He didn't leave people behind, no matter what. Caldwell on the other hand was willing to sacrifice the few for the good of the many. After living her ninety years with the Mortii who had no problem sacrificing their people, Kai tended to agree with Sheppard.

"It's time," Caldwell said grimly.

"Just give them a few more seconds!" Sheppard implored. He would never forgive himself if he didn't do everything in his power to help his friends. John knew Ronon well enough to know that he just needed enough time and he would be able to get him and Rodney out.

"I'm sorry Colonel, I can't do that," Caldwell said grimly. "Hermiod, deploy warheads when ready."

Kai sucked in a breath as she felt a flash of anguish through the Bond. Her head snapped towards John. He was staring out the windows at the Hive with a tormented look on his face. Just as quickly as she felt the emotions she was cut off from them. John's jaw tightened and his face shuttered.

"Colonel Caldwell," Hermiod said after a moment. "Doctor McKay's code has failed to breach the Wraith countermeasures. I am attempting another series of codes."

"Work as fast as you can. The shield ain't gonna hold up forever," Caldwell responded.

Another shower of sparks rained down on them and the ship shook under the barrage of the two Hives.

"Some 302's might be able to take out their hyperdrive, save us some time," Sheppard suggested. He couldn't just stand by and do nothing, he had to do something to help.

"Do it," Caldwell nodded sharply.

Sheppard reached up and touch his earpiece. "Hermoid, do you need Zian?"

"Negative, her rudimentary grasp of the equations will only slow me down," Hermoid replied.

Kai snorted at the Asgardian's ego but didn't argue. Hermoid was one of the smartest beings she had ever worked with. Chances were good all she would do was slow him down.

"Great, Zian you're with me. I need a co-pilot for the 302's," he turned back to Caldwell. "Are your flight teams ready?"

Caldwell nodded. "I have other pilots that can fly with you, she's not-" Caldwell started to argue.

"I'm not flying with someone I don't know," Sheppard called over his shoulder and hustled out of the room, before the arguement could go any further.

"Shields are at sixty percent!"

Sheppard and Kai ran through the halls of the ship. When they reached the bay they ran past the jumper towards one of the F-302 fighters. Kai hadn't been in one or had the opportunity to work on one yet. It was one of the few fighters they had access too that she hadn't been able to work with. She was a little apprehensive about being John's co-pilot in a combat situation when she didn't know the machines.

John pulled a flight suit out of the locker and quickly pulled it on. He dug out one that would fit Kai and tossed it to her.

"What's wrong with you?" John asked as he zipped up his suit.

"Are you sure-" Kai started to say.

John frowned and took a step towards Kai. It wasn't like her to be self conscious. "I need you with me right now," he said, his hazel eyes serious. The rest of the flight were running for their fighters, not paying the two of them any attention, but John couldn't help feeling like they were on display. "I don't fly with people I don't know," he told her.

Kai tightened her grip on the flight suit. I don't know the ship, someone-"

"Doesn't matter," John cut her off harshly. "You know me and I know you."

There was a hard nudge in Kai's mind. She scowled wondering how she could feel John so clearly through the Bond when she struggled with it.

"There's that scowl I love," John said brightly. And when Kai turned a severe look his way as though she were going to argue he winked at her. Seeing that fire burning in her eyes reassured him they were on the same page. "Get suited up Zian. Wheels up in two minutes," and he jogged towards their fighter, confident she would follow.

Kai pulled her scarf off her head and tied it around her waist so the helmet would fit over her head. John was already in the forward seat running preflight when Kai scaled the ladder. She settled into the rear seat and pulled the helmet on, securing the oxygen mask across her face. John flipped more switches and multiple screens and lights came to life on the controls around her.

"Can you hear me Zian?" John's voice came through the speaker in the helmet.

"Yes," Kai responded as she quickly familiarized herself with the controls. Most of hers seemed to have to do with navigation, communications and weapons.

"Okay, here we go," John said and he lifted off.

John led the flight out of the bay, heading straight for the Hive ships. A second 302 was just off their left wing. The other two were behind them.

"Delta 2 on my lead," Sheppard said through the comm. "Get ready to shut down their hyperdrive at a moments notice. Zian, I believe you know a 'number of external weaknesses that can be exploited by a small fighter'," he repeated her earlier words back to her. "Care to enlighten us on the best place to do that?"

Kai blinked, a little shocked that Sheppard had been listening to her so closely he was able to repeat her earlier words verbatim. "Ah yes. Aim for the hyperdrive  generators, on the bottom of the ship."

It was so easy to be distracted by Sheppard's sense of humor and easy going nature and miss the keen intelligence that hid beneath the exterior. You didn't get to be one of the best fighter pilots in two galaxies without being incredibly intelligent and having a razor sharp attention to detail.

"Roger that."

"I've got incoming," Delta 2 called over the comms.

The amount of darts coming out of both Hive ships was overwhelming. It was a swarm that raced straight for their four small fighters.

"Delta 3 and 4 try to keep those darts off our 6," Sheppard commanded calmly.

"Roger that."

"Half of the darts are pursing Delta 3 and 4, the others are following us," Kai informed Sheppard. She flicked a few switches changing the controls over from visual to thermal. There were too many darts to differentiate visually.

"This is Delta 2, I'm taking fire, I've lost the generator."

"Stand by to break left on my mark," Sheppard ordered. "Mark!" he called and he pulled back sharply on the stick, decelerating so fast that all the darts flew past them. Kai immediately began firing on the available targets now that Delta 2 was out of range.

"We're in the clear, continue to target."

John's calm confidence in the fighter was truly something to behold. He was a hell of a Colonel and ran the military unit based on Atlantis well, but his true calling was right here. He flew them straight for the Hive McKay and Ronon were aboard.

Caldwell's voice came clearly over the helmet comms. "Colonel Sheppard get your flight back to the ship. We need to jump out of here as soon as possible.

"Two minutes, we can shut down that hyperdrive."

"Sheppard, we have two darts trying to get a lock," Kai interrupted.

"Delta 2 we could use some cover for our attack run of the enemy hyperdrive," Sheppard said.

"Roger that leader, I'm on my way," she responded but the darts had already started firing.

Caldwell's voice was tight with stress. "Unless you can shut down their weapons it's not going to do us much good we-"

A glancing blow shook the small fighter. Delta 2 swept in and destroyed the two darts.

"Caldwell?" Sheppard called into the comm.

"I've lost communications with the Daedalus," Kai said. She tried rerouting the comms, but she didn't know enough about the systems to change much.

"Damn it," Sheppard muttered.

"The remaining darts are returning to the hive," Kai said.

"Delta 2 can you go to max thrust?" Sheppard asked.

"Negative."

"All right, return to the Daedalus," he ordered the other ship. He wasn't about to have them risk themselves, but he wasn't going to give up on the only chance McKay and Ronon might have.

"Roger that," Delta 2 agreed and turned around to return to the ship.

"The hives are about to open hyperspace windows," Kai told him.

"If they do that Ronon and McKay are gone..." John dragged off.

"We have to stop them," Kai said determinedly.

"Kai," John said after a beat. "I have a really bad idea."

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No Man's Land
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"This might be the worst idea you've ever had," Kai grumbled. She shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable. They had been stuck to the bottom of McKay and Ronon's Hive ship for the better part of an hour. John had managed to engage the docking clamps seconds before the Hive opened a hyperspace window. Now they had front row seats to hyperspace travel. Normally she would have found it fascinating, but instead she was wondering about the structural density of the small shield of glass between them and the hyperspace tunnel. The small ship didn't seem like enough protection against such forces, they didn't even have proper shielding.

"Hey now," John said indignantly. "I have a long history of terrible ideas. This doesn't even make top ten."

Kai rolled her eyes but sitting behind him, John wasn't able to see.

"Okay, we can't sit here forever," John agreed after a few moments. "We hit them while they're in hyperspace and they'll never know what happened." He hit the button that prompted the computer to offer to disengage the docking clamps.

"Wait!" Kai said hurriedly. She reached forward and slapped at John's elbow, knocking his hand away from the controls. "You might be able to maneuver within the field but we can't pass through it. We'll be ripped apart."

"Okay," John said slowly lowering his hand away from the computer. "So plan B then."

Kai sighed. "If it's as good as plan A we're in trouble."

"Haha, you're hilarious," John muttered. At that moment the window around them dissolved as the Hive ship seemed to halt in normal space. "Well, now we're talking," he said triumphantly. "Time to do some damage. Can you get the communications up and running?"

"No," Kai said with a shake of her head. "I'm not familiar enough with the systems to know what parts I can cannibalize without risking our safety."

"Okay...so what about our personal radios? Can they penetrate into the Hive?"

"I don't see why not," Kai said.

"Ronon, Rodney can you hear me?" John called into his radio. "Rodney, I know this is a long shot, but if you can hear me please respond." He waited a few moments. "If you're near a radio I need you to respond. I need to know your location. Guys?"

There was a long moment of silence and a quiet click as the radio activated. "Colonel Sheppard? Is that you?" a deep voice asked cautiously.

John groaned before he activated the comm. "Who's this?" John demanded but he had a pretty good idea of who it was.

"You know me as Michael."

"Sorry," John snapped sarcastically. "I got the wrong number," he reached forward to switch off the radio.

"Ronon and Doctor McKay are still alive," Michael spoke quickly to try and keep John on the line.

John hesitated. "What are they going to do to them?" John asked warily. As happy as he was that his friends were alive it didn't exactly bode well for them that the Wraith wanted to keep them as prisoners.

"If you want them to live, listen to me. If your friends are in pursuit you need to disable the ships in order for them to reach us."

"If you really want to help why don't you just do that?" John snapped back. He hated the idea of working with Michael again. Not only had he turned on them, twice now, but the last time he had been near Kai he had nearly killed her.

"They would know."

"Aren't you, 'they'?" John snapped irritably.

"Please believe me when I say I was as deceived as you."

"I don't know, I was pretty deceived," John grumbled.

There was a long pause and when Michael spoke again his voice was softer. "It seems Colonel that because of what you did to me the wraith no longer see me as one of their own."

"Oh, that's why you wanna help, because you don't feel welcome," Sheppard mocked sarcastically.

Michael made an impatient sound in the back of his throat. "We don't have time to discuss this."

"Sure we do," John responded sharply. "We've got..." he looked down at his screen. "Three hours of air left."

There was a long thoughtful pause. "Where are you?"

John snorted. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I need to know what level you're on so I can guide you from there."

"You mean trust you?" John asked incredulously.

"Are you really in a position not to?"

"Oh, I've got you right where I want you," John said confidently.

"I doubt I will be able to live much longer, and I would very much like to keep living. If you want to survive as I do, then I suggest you tell me where you are."

John blew out a frustrated sigh and clicked off the comm. "What do you think?" He asked Kai.

Kai pressed her lips together. "If Rodney and Ronon are alive we owe it to them to do everything we can to rescue them."

"This will make the top ten," John told her.

"I look forward to being included in such a prestigious company," Kai teased gently. She knew John was hesitating because of her. If he was alone he would have gone straight at the Hive guns blazing. Even though he would never admit it he could be very protective.

John clicked the comm back on. "I'm outside the Hive in a 302 about to blast your ship. You still want to help? I'm about to fire on the...what am I firing on?" he asked over his shoulder. 

"The ventral hyperdrive  generators," Kai said.

"Yeah, the ventral hyperdrive generators."

There was a pause. "That would be most effective," Michael agreed. Sounding impressed. "I suggest you act now before you are discovered."

"Are you sure McKay and Ronon are no where near the area I'm about to light up?" John asked.

"I'm certain, good luck."

"Thanks, it'll be a walk in the park," John said activating his systems once again. "A very scary park filled with monsters who are trying to kill us."

"I don't understand," Michael said, and Kai had to agree with him. It sounded like one of the many earth sayings she failed to understand.

"Never mind," John snapped. He reconnected his oxygen mask and reached forward to disengage the docking clamps. "Operation 'This will most likely end badly' is a go."

They disengaged and Sheppard whipped the fighter around in a tight turn as Kai locked onto to the external generator. "We're only going to get one shot at this," John said grimly. "Then their darts will be all over us."

"Agreed," Kai said. "Making calculations, we are locked on."

"Fire."

There was a massive explosion considering the single shot. The whole Hive seemed to shudder. "Target is destroyed," John reported back to Michael over the comm.

"Disable the second Hive as quickly as possible," Michael said through the radio. Over the open comm Kai could hear alarms blaring on the Hive ship. "Their fighters will already be headed your way."

"No kidding," John snapped as swarms of darts came out of both Hives bearing down on their position. "Okay how about some of that help you promised?"

"I told you to target the hyperdrive," Michael shot back defensively.

"We were already targeting the hyperdrive!"

"There's nothing I can do to recall the darts. They won't listen to me."

"This is not helpful Michael!" John snapped as he pulled the stick sharply to the left to avoid a flash of enemy fire.

"We have four more darts attempting to lock on!" Kai warned him. Her screen was a swarm of darts. The computer was nearly overwhelmed with the amount of darts trying to lock on to them.

"Shit, shit, shit," John chanted under his breath, but in such close quarters Kai could easily hear him.

Another blast hit, sending the small craft skittering away. "We've lost the right wing!" Kai called.

Then everything went eerily still. The only sound filling the cockpit was the two of them panting as the waited for the next hit that was sure to end them.

When it didn't come John activated the radio. "All right, they aren't attacking again Michael, what the hell is going on?" He demanded.

"They will send out another craft to retrieve yours. Be prepared, don't fight back and they will take you prisoner for interrogation. I will come help you."

The wait was agonizing, but they didn't have much of a choice. Once they were aboard the hive a group of six soldiers surrounded their damaged ship, pointing their weapons. The leader ordered them to come out.

John and Kai climbed out together, holding their hands up so they would see they weren't a threat.

"This one definitely takes the cake. Worst idea ever, hands down," John muttered.

"Silence!" The leader snarled. His nostrils flared and his eyes zeroed in on Kai.

John stepped forward, putting himself between them.

The leader growled and gestured for his men to search them and take their weapons. The guards each took one of their arms and hauled them through the hive. They slowed as a figure stepped out of the shadows.

"You shouldn't be here," the leader growled. He took a possessive step towards Kai and John. Kai's eyes were locked on the potential new threat, but John didn't miss the way the leader of the squad moved closer to Kai.

"She asked me to question the prisoners since I am familiar with them."

The leader hesitated, his eyes flickering back and forth between Michael and the prisoners as his instincts warred with the orders he knew he must obey.

"If you would prefer to discuss it with her..." Michael dragged off.

"Release them," the leader snarled.

Michael turned and pointed a stunner at Kai and Sheppard. "I will take it from here," he said and he shoved Kai further ahead of them. Purposefully placing Sheppard and himself between her and the squad.

They walked in the opposite direction of the soldiers. Once they were out of sight John turned to Michael. "You had me worried there."

"You did not tell me Kai was with you," Michael said his eyes glazing over Kai.

"Did it matter?" Kai asked. She hadn't missed the power play but she wasn't sure how her presence could have made a difference.

"They would not have been so hesitant to follow my orders if their instincts weren't commanding they protect a food source."

Sheppard's expression darkened dangerously. "What is it with you guys and a Mortii?" He asked, though his tone was hard.

Michael hesitated and turned back to face Sheppard. "They smell..." he slow blinked as he allowed himself the freedom to inhale deeply. A shudder ran through his body and he closed his eyes, his jaw tensing as he reined in his self control. "Like I have been starving for months."

"Why are you so obsessed with earth then? Wouldn't it make more sense to go attack the Mortii planet?" John asked exasperatedly.

Michael snorted. "You have but one Mortii and though she is small for a Mortii, even alone she makes your people formidable. Imagine an entire army of them, a planet. Though many Wraith have considered if it might be worth it," he shrugged. "The years I would take from one such as you is but a third of what I would gain from her."

John scowled. "Well keep your sniffing to a minimum."

Michael bowed his head. "Your attack has slowed them down, at least for a little while. We need to get to a transport ship and hope your friends find us."

"Not until we free Ronon and McKay," John argued.

Michael reached into his belt and pulled out John's gun and Kai's knives, handing them over without hesitation. "We are headed towards them now."

John took his gun and chambered a round. "Now that's what I call help," He agreed and he handed the two Blades back to Kai.

Kai accepted the knives and twirled them through her fingers, feeling at once more in control now that she could defend herself. It took all of her self control to not attack Michael on principle, but she trusted John and would follow his lead.

The Hive shook beneath their feet. Kai staggered into the wall, her hand sliding off the sticky organic surface. She made a face a rubbed her hand on the pants of the flight suit.

"What the hell was that?" John asked.

Michael ran ahead of them to a terminal. His fingers moved over the controls rapidly as they joined him. "One of your ships has launched an attack. The first strike has done serious damage to this Hive."

"Good," John said triumphantly.

"The other Hive was undamaged. Their vessel is continuing to engage."

"Are we gonna go through the whole play by play, or are we gonna get out of here?" John pressed glancing over their shoulder agitatedly. This terminal felt too exposed for them to stop.

Alarms were blaring everywhere and Kai could hear the change in the sound of the ships systems. The engines were struggling.

"This way!" Michael called and he led the way down a side hallway and into a pod chamber. He hesitated outside of two that looked like they had been cut open.

"Where are they?" Sheppard demanded pacing an angry line in front of the pods.

"I'm sorry," Michael said, though he sounded anything but sincere. "They must have been taken for feeding."

"These were cut open from the inside," Kai said leaning into the fowl smelling mess of flesh. She snorted and shook her head in appreciation as she realized what must have happened. "Ronon."

John turned to look back at her and nodded in agreement. "They escaped."

"They could be anywhere on the ship," Michael said impatiently.

John shook his head. "If I know Ronon, they are somewhere that they can do as much damage as possible. McKay would know where and how to do that, so-"

"There's a control station this way," Michael called, running the opposite direction.

They jogged into the control station. Michael was the first to come into view and Ronon pulled a knife from his sleeve.

Sheppard shoved himself in between the two men. "Whoa, whoa, whoa whoa, he's helping us."

"Where the hell did you come from?" McKay asked as he looked back and forth between Kai and Sheppard.

"Good to see you," Ronon said and pulled Kai into a one armed hug.

"I managed to latch onto the hull of the hive before it went into hyperspace," John said proudly.

"Nice move," Ronon said with an appreciative nod.

Sheppard snorted. "I saw it in a movie once."

Another explosion shook the ship, this one sounded closer.

"Let's get to the Daedalus," Kai called to them. She could hear even more alarms sounding fifer her away, as well as more people moving through the halls.

"The Daedalus?" McKay asked incredulously. "The Daedalus is here?"

"First we need to get to the transport," Michael said.

Ronon narrowed his eyes and took an aggressive step towards Michael. "Now why should I trust you?" he snarled.

Michael took a confident step towards Ronon. "Because I am trusting you," he said and he held Ronon's belt and gun out to him. Ronon took it and as soon as Michael's back was turned he jerked his gun out of the holster and leveling it at the back of the Wraith's head.

Kai was faster than John and grabbed Ronon's arm, shoving it down while John stepped between them.

John glared at Ronon. "Because I said so," John growled, his voice filled with the authority he so rarely used.

Ronon met his gaze unapologetically but finally nodded. The others turned to follow Michael and Ronon waited to take up their rear, keeping himself as far from the Wraith as possible.

They boarded the small wraith transport vessel with little trouble. Most of the crew was distracted trying to save their ship. Michael led the way aboard the bridge and stepped to the helm, powering up the vessel.

Ronon strode purposefully up and grabbed John's arm, pulling him to a stop. "I don't like this," he said.

"You got a better idea?" John asked.

"Yeah, we take this ship on our own and we leave him here," Ronon snarled.

"He's the reason I'm alive right now," John said.

"He also tried to feed on Kai, or did you forget that?" Ronon demanded.

John's eyes flashed dangerously. He opened his mouth to respond and whatever he was about to say, it wasn't going to be pretty.

"It won't work," McKay quickly interrupted. "It took me days to crack the wraith interface and this ship is a whole lot bigger than that."

"I don't like it," Ronon snapped.

"Yeah I get it, you hate the wraith," John snarled sarcastically. His patience was wearing thin. They didn't have time for this. If they were going to get out of this alive they were going to have to work together. 

"Him in particular," Ronon growled and he didn't take his eyes off of Michael.

Sheppard sighed exhaustedly and turned to McKay. "Is there anything you can do to boost the radio signal? I want to reach the Daedauls as soon as possible."

"Well I can try," McKay said in aggravation. He was exhausted and stressed and as usual the Colonel expected the impossible.

"Hang on," Michael said. "They'll most likely open fire on us as soon as we leave the bay."

"Oh great, the day just gets better and better," Sheppard sigh and stepped up to the controls between Michael and McKay.

"I'm broadcasting the message on their comm signal and setting a course for the Daedalus."

"Okay I have the signal as strong as possible, go ahead," McKay said.

John reached up and touched his comm in his ear. "This is Colonel John Sheppard authentication code Alpha, Seven, Tango, Three. Please respond."

"Colonel Sheppard," Colonel Caldwell's voice came over the comm sounding fuzzy but there. "We'd written you off."

Sheppard breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't go getting all emotional on me now. Look, I have Zian, McKay, Ronon and Michael aboard a Wraith transport ship."

"Michael?" Caldwell snapped angrily.

"Yes sir, and he's got a plan I think you're gonna like. But it probably won't be long before they start shooting at us."

"Understood," Caldwell said and the comm went dead.

The transport shook as it started to take fire. The five of them were immediately beamed aboard the Daedalus. They appeared in the middle of the bridge. The ship shook as it took another hit from the Hive.

"Colonel," Sheppard greeted.

"Colonel, you said something about a plan?" Caldwell demanded.

Michael stepped forward. "I've disabled their jamming codes, but it's only a matter of time before they realize."

John turned back to Caldwell. "All you have to do is send over a nuke."

"We deployed all of our warheads in the first attack," Caldwell said.

"The Hive is launching darts, sir," the technician reported.

Caldwell turned back to his seat. "Open up on those bays, all batteries."

They watched as not a single dart managed to escape the fire storm on the bay entrances. Unfortunately the Hive used the opportunity to open fire on the Daedalus. The hits were serious, sparks, wires and small fires erupted on the bridge as the ships shields began to fail. The Daedalus lurched as a huge explosion lit up the windows outside the bridge.

The pilot who normally sat beside Caldwell fell to the ground and another man ran up to help him. Sheppard staggered sideways into his chair his fingers moving rapidly over the controls.

Mckay and Kai ran back to the terminals that had started on fire.

"Report!" Caldwell yelled over the alarms.

"The plan worked sir, the concentrated fire on the bays created a number of secondary explosions. They've stopped firing."

"Nice work Colonel," Sheppard complimented.

"Fortunately, a draws a win for our side. Ship's status?" Caldwell demanded gravely. They all knew it was going to be bad.

"The shield is completely depleted and we're venting atmosphere."

"Seal off all of the effected decks," Caldwell ordered.

"Yes sir, but that last blast took out our life support and the backups aren't responding. As of right now, we're shallow breathing," the technician said in slow horror.

"Meaning?" Ronon demanded.

"Meaning," McKay replied sharply. "That in a little under nine hours we're all going to suffocate."

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Hope you enjoyed the update!