Janus: After She Slept

Leaving Her to Slumber

I looked at Dr. Weir and she looked back as we had finished the program to keep the city alive. "Tell me Elizabeth Weir, what was your team like? The ones you lost." I asked. It felt rude but my curiosity got the better of me. "If it's ok to presume I can ask." Dr. Weir looked at me with a faint smile. The question hurt but she enjoyed the company all the same. "Well, Rodney McKay was as brilliant as they come. He is- he was... an expert on your technology." She had told me. It all must be hard for her.

"And John Sheperd, he was a last minute edition to the Expedition to Atlantis. He was naturally able to activate Ancient technology." She said. "Then there was Lieutenant Ford. Bright young man. Probably 22 years old." I looked at her with sadness and feeling behind my eyes. "I'm sorry we couldn't help them. But we can help them this time. This time, the city will rise to the surface when the power gets too low. They'll all survive." I told her, hoping it would help. For the first time I got to see a real smile on her face.

"Yes they will. It's all thanks to you Janus." She said. I smiled to her and handed her a data pad. "It is thanks to you and your expedition that Atlantis will survive another 10,000 years and maybe more. It is I, and the rest of my people who should be thanking you Elizabeth." She smiled again and looked at the pad. "What's this?" She asked me. "Gate adresses to worlds with more of our power devices. The... ZPMs as you call them. Give them to your expedition when you see them again." She slowly took the pad and held my hand.

"Thank you again." She said. I gave her a nod as I wasn't sure what else I could say to her. Elizabeth had endured much already and now she had to be left behind in order to assure the city lived long enough for the failsafe program to work. She was to be alone, left to sleep on and off for 10,000 years to take care of a city by herself. I held out my hand and smiled. "Come with me Elizabeth, there is something I must show you before you are to sleep." I told her.

She took my hand and I started to walk with her. "Where are we going?" She asked me, lightly tugging my hand in slight protest. "Don't worry, I just want to show you the best view of the place you wish to save." I said to her reassuringly. She stopped pulling and her grip on my hand tightened a little as I took her to a window. "Oh my God..." Elizabeth said to herself as she got an amazing view of the city. The buildings were grey, lights of yellow were showing, and you could see the city shield.

The tall towers as well as the ocean around the city, holding back both water and weapons fire from the Wraith. "It looks beautiful, in a frightening way..." She said. I smiled, both of us watching the weapons fire hitting the shield, the pattern dispersion making it look like orange and blue fireworks. "Indeed it does. Elizabeth, may I ask you something?" She nodded when I asked. "What does your kind think of us? How are we remembered?" I asked her. She kept holding my hand and raised our hands together as if she thought I'd never ask for her thoughts.

"You are the builders of the Stargate, inventors of life across our galaxy, keepers of the Repository of Knowledge, and an inspiration to many including us and the Asgard." She said. I smiled, even blushed I was sure. "You hold us in such high regards Dr. Elizabeth Weir. I'm sorry my people and I have not lived to your expectations of us." I wanted to say more but she stopped me and held my face. "You have. Even though the others haven't, Janus you are exactly what I pictured an Ancient being like. You're doing exactly what I imagined you would for us." She said.

She continued. "Though I may never see my home again,or Earth, you will. I will do my part and live on knowing that you did everything in your power here today. No one could ask for anything more." I looked at her and smiled more. "It's no wonder you're a diplomat Elizabeth. You use your words well. You are just as inspiring to me as you believe we are to you." I told her. "In less than 10,000 years there will be none left to help you or your kind." I continued.

"Maybe not. But you and others like you paved the way for what we would someday become. Like you, we aren't perfect but we try." She said. I nodded and looked her in the eyes. "It's all we can ask of ourselves and eachother." I said in an optimistic way. I had nearly gone jaded before Elizabeth showed up and now that she has, I found myself amazed at humanity and the potential it has produced in their short existance. "Do you think this galaxy will remember us like yours has?" I asked her, hoping to find comfort in the decision to abandon this galaxy.

"I have no doubt in my mind that the war between you and the Wraith may never be forgotten, and that your legacy is known better here, in the Pegasus Galaxy than it is anywhere else. You'll be remembered. Not as fools or as failures. But as saviors who tried to rid this galaxy of a great evil. They'll make grand stories of your return to defeat the Wraith and that more than anything will help the humans of this galaxy survive because you have given them what is most important. Hope." She told me.

I was amazed at her words. Elizabeth continued being inspiring and I couldn't help but be impressed. "That was certainly reassuring Elizabeth. I can only hope that you are right." I took her hand and we went to the control room to finsh the last of the preperations. As we did I had to go down to the Stargate for a moment to speak with Moros. "Where is Dr. Weir?" Moros asked me. "I sent her out with the second batch of evacuees." I told him. Moros and Ganos Lal were satisfied with that answer and stepped through the Stargate back to Earth.

I stepped up to the Stargate myself and slowly turned around to see a frightened Dr. Elizabeth Weir. She slowly put her hand up and waved me goodbye. I smiled reassuringly that the right thing had been done here today. She politely returned that smile and I while looking her in the eyes I slowly backed into the event horizon of the Stargate. "Good look Dr. Weir. May your journey be worthwhile, and your people saved." I said to her, as we gave our final looks to eachother. I fully backed into the event horizon of the Stargate and found myself on Earth.

The Stargate shut off and suddenly I was detained. "What is the meaning of this?"  I asked, knowing full well what this was about. "You said Dr. Weir was with one of the first batches back to Earth! She is NOT here Janus!" Moros yelled. "You have again disobeyed the wishes of the council Janus." Ganos Lal said. "What council? What rules? Look at how many of us are left. We left Atlantis with the hope our kind would one day return and we left knowing that future was really going to happen. I had to help her!" I said, not letting up.

Ganos and Moros looked at eachother. "It... is our wish to return. You must admit Moros it is comforting to know that our city is not forever lost." Ganos said. Moros sighed and gave in. "Since we cannot return for her, the damage is done. But you will not disobey again Janus. This is the last time." Moros demanded. "You need every one of us. There is not anything you can do to me." I said. "That being said, we have a problem. The humans of Earth are in the hunter-gatherer state of evolution now." Ganos said.

"We cannot rebuild our empire here. If we did we would severely impact their development. We must find another world." Ganos continued. "We have abandoned colonies in this galaxy, we could see if we can re-inhabit them. I believe Dakra is a good option." I chimed in with my opinion. Something Moros did not usually like, but in this instance he found it acceptable. "Very well. We shall find our ships, and vacate this world in search of a new way to live on." Moros said as he looked around. Everyone including myself started to get work.