Salvae Mae; part 1

[Akren Garkos]

The Puddle Jumper extended it's weapons pods as it exited the space gate, the Stargate shutting itself off as the ship cleared the gate & made it's way into the depths of space.

"Are you sure this is wise?" Richard Woolsey asked, looking across at Lt. Colonel John Sheppard as he sat in the pilots char, controlling the Jumper with the manveurable hand-controls as well as his mind.

"As sure as I'll ever be" Sheppard replied, "Besides, Rodney thought it would be a good idea"

"Dr. McKay?" Woolsey asked, looking at Atlantis' resident genius, sitting across from Sheppard.

"I didn't necesarily sat it was a good idea, just that it was an idea worth pursuing" McKay replied.

"Hey, you were the one whom said that you could make the original idea work" Sheppard replied, looking over at Rodney & giving him one of his looks.

"I still think this is ill advised" Woolsey replied, looking over at Ronon, Teyla & Dr. Keller all sitting in the back weith him nearby, each doing their own thing.

"But you approved the mission anyway?" Teyla prompted, looking at Woolsey, Dr. Jennifer Keller making one of her little smiles, catching Rodney's eye as she did so, as the team argued back & forth.

"I somehow doubt I could stop you from going, hence the reason I authorised this mission, against what is perhaps my better judgement" Woosley replied, a sour look on his face.

"See?" John replied, grinning back at the others, "He's learning already!"

The others grinned back at his a joke, Woolsey not finding it in the least bit funny, as Ronnon looked ta Woolsey & patted him on the shoulder.

"Besides" He said, We'd do the same if it was for you, Mr. Woolsey" Ronnon replied, "After all, she's family"

"Comming within sensor range now, you should geta visual soon" Rodney said, his console beeping at him, looking up from his laptop as the H.U.D. light up on the windshield of the Puddle Jumper, showing several green blips, or dots, on the tactical Heads-Up Display in front of John.

"I've got it confirmed on sensors" He replied, the H.U.D. de-activating as they came within visual range of their target.

"There she is" John said, Rodney gasping in shock, the others crowding around the pilots seat to get a view of what they had all came so far to see.

Floating in the depths of space, frozen solid, eyes closed serenly as if she were alseep, a look of peace on her face, was FRAN, the Friendly Replicator Android created by Dr. Rodney McKay - or rather, the Replicator which looked like FRAN which housed the living consciousness of Dr. Elziabeth Weir, former leader of the Atlantis Expidition.

"Look, there are the others!" Dr. Keller cried, pointing to the other Replicators, floating nearby, as cold & lifeless as Elizabeth.

"We only came here for one" Sheppard said, using his piloting skills & the mental interface to ease the Jumper in a 180 degree about-face, reversing slowly & cautiously towards the frozen Weir.

"Easy, easy!" McKay cried as the Jumper came with meters of the unconscious Weir, checking his instruments as everyone suited up & donned their spacesuits; ready for the 2nd, final - & most dangerous phase - of the rescue mission.

"Opening rear hatch" Sheppard said, concentrating hard, sweat pouring down his brow as everyone put on their helments, Dr. Keller checking the pressure & readings on everyone's suits as the rear hatch opened as the Puddle Jumper backed up ever-so-slowy, the unconscious form of Elizabeth Weir floated into the hatch.

"Got her!" Rodney cried, his PC tablet making a distinct beeping sound as everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Closing rear hatch" Sheppard said, waiting for the back hatch to close completely before giving the okay for Ronnon & Teyla to open the adjoining hatch, Elziabeth - now in FRAN's body, resting on the floor, eyes closes, arms by her side, hands balled up into fists, her body covered in ice.

"It's OK, pressure is normal, we have atmosphere; we can take these off" McKay intoned, breathing a sigh of relief as Dr. Keller came & checked their suits one by one before helping them remove their helments; Rodney exhauling deeply & sucking in cool, fresh air as Dr. Keller removed his helment.

"Thanks Jennifer" He said, smiling at Dr. Keller as she helped him remove his helmet.

"You're welcome Rodney" Keller smiled, taking his helmet & placing it by his feet at the floor; before moving on to Ronnon, whom grunt his thanks, Rodney giving the former Runner a dark look as he did so; their rivalry over Dr. Keller still on-going.

"She looks like she's asleep, almost peaceful, serene" Teyla said, walking over to Elizabeth & looking at her friend & former leader.

"Careful Teyla!" Woolsey cried, not wanting anyone to get hurt, "She still might be dangerous!"

"It's OK, she's de-activated...for now" Rodney replied, taking his tablet & scanning her prone form, icicles still clinging to his unconscious friend. "We will know more once we get back to Atlantis"

"What about the others?" Ronnon said, pointing out through the view port into space, indicating the other Replicators. "We can't just leave them here, what if they manage to wake up or something?"

"Oh Ronnon!" McKay cried incredieously, "They're frozen solid, de-activated for crying out loud; they're hardly a threat!"

"They still pose a threat" Woolsey replied, "We can't be safe & they won't stop being a threat until they're destroyed"

"You can't possibly?!?!" Rodney cried, "That's murder!"

"Are you forgetting that they tried to sink the city & almost killed of us last time they were on Atlantis?" Woosely replied calmly, shuddering at the thought of it himself.

"Can we not find some way to transplant them into flesh-&-blood bodies, make them Human, as Elizabeth herself suggested?" Teyla replied, "It was their original plan after all"

"Would you trust one of those things near your son, Teyla?" Woolsey replied, Teyla grimacing at the thought of a Replicator hear her son, Torren.

"I guess not" Teyla replied.

"I saw we blast them, we've got drones" Ronnon said, Woolsey nodding his agreement.

"For the record, I don't like this" Dr. Keller replied, "It doesn't seem right"

"I still say it's murder" McKay said, grimacing in his usual manner.

"Sheppard?" Woosley asked, looking over to Sheppard in the pilot's chair.

"I don't like it, but you're right: they still pose a threat"

"Then it's settled then" Woosely replied, turning to Sheppard & saying: 'You know what to do"

"Sheppard, you can't!" McKay cried, "John!"

"Colonel, I am giving you a direct order to destory those Replicators" Woosley cried, standing up & glaring at McKay.

"Sorry Rodney" Sheppard said, looking at McKay with a pained look on his face. "Orders are orders"

So saying, Sheppard brought the Puddle Jumper around as swung past & fire off several shots in succession, one drone per Replicator. De-activated & helpless as they were, the Replicators didnt stand a chance.

Rodney glared at Woosely, giving him the most foul look imaginable as the resulting explosions lit up the darkness of space.

"All targets destoryed, sir" Sheppard said to Woosely, Rodney checking his data pad & confirming the kills.

"I hope you're happy" McKay said to Woosely, "They've all been totally destroyed. Obliterated. There's nothing left. They're gone"

"Thank you Colonel" Woosely replied, never taking his eyes off McKay, "You did the right thing. You can dial the gate & take us back to Atlantis now"

"Hold tight kids, we're going home" Sheppard replied, dialing the gate, watching it kwoosh! as it did so, before heading back to Atlantis.

Some time later, Sheppard & the rest of his team, along with Dr. Jennifer Keller & Richard Woosely, made their way into Rodney's lab, Dr. Carson Beckett by his side.

"How is she?" Sheppard asked, looking at the still-prone form of Dr. Elizabeth Weir, no longer iced up, but still with eyes closed & unconscious, her body covered in diaodes & other medical equipment, all hooked up to monitors which moinotred her vitals from a nearby computer.

"Medically, she's fine as she can be, given what she's been through"

"All her other functions are fine, form what I can see"

"Then we can wake her?" Teyla asked, looking at docotrs Keller, McKay & Beckett.

"Medically, she's fine" Beckett said, re-iterating his point from a medicial stand-point.

"I concur" Dr. Keller said, nodding.

"All good here" McKay said, looking at his tablet.

Nodding to two nearby security guard, armed with A.R.G.'s, Woosley looked back at Team Sheppard; satisified everything was ready.

"Do it" He said.

So saying, McKay activated his tablet, Dr Beckett & Dr. Keller monitoring her vitals as the Replicator before them was brought back to life.

At first, it was gradual; her fingers on her right hand moving, then the other, then her entire right hand; her breathing becoming steady before she gasped suddenly, eyes flying open, sitting bolt upright on the gurney.

The guards aimed their A.R.G.'s at Eizabeth, Woosley raising his hand at them in their direction without looking; as he watched along with the others.

"Elizabeth?" Sjheppard asked, a weird look on his face, Teyla & Ronnon smiling happily as Elizabeth gathered her surroundings.

"John?" Elizabeth asked, looking at them through Fran's eyes, her voice so different to that of the Elizabeth they knew & loved.

"It's good to have you back" Sheppard said, smiling.

"You're amongst friends, Elizabeth" Teyla said, smiling reassuring at her friend.

"Hello Elizabeth" Carson said, smiling down at his patient, both her & Dr. Keller working quickly & efficently to inspect Elizabeth as she regained full control over her body, Rodney looking at his tablet to ensure all her systems were functioning properly.

"Carson?" Elizabeth asked, looking up at the former Cheif Medical Officer, "I thought you were dead?"

"So did we" John replied beusedly, Elizabeth not knowing about Carson's clone & all that had transpired since her time frozen in space & the intervieing time since her capture by the Replicators.

"Where am I? Last I knew, I was floating in space"

"You were, we rescued you" Sheppard replied, "We couldn't leave you behind, you're family"

"And the others?"

Sheppard shot a look at Rodney, whom grimaced, before replying:

"Destroyed. Drone fire from our Puddle Jumper"

"By my order" Woosley added, nodding at Elizabeth, a stern, sincere look on his otherwise serious face.

It was clear whislt the course of action had been crystal clear, that giving the order to terminate the last of what was, essentially, the last of a sentient species - no matter what their origins, nor how dangerous a threat they may pose - didn't sit as well with Woosely as everyone probably thought.

"I see" Elizabeth replied, "You shouldn't of tried to rescue me, it was dangerous, & foolish. I can't be trusted"

"But it's you Elizabeth" Teyla replied, smiling; sincere in her beleif that she was whom she said she was - a stark change from their previous meeting the last time sheh ad been in Atlantis.

"I don't trust me - & you shouldn't either" Elizabeth replied grimly, "I am still a Replicator - I guess the only one, the last one, now - I still pose a threat to you & this base"

"Not for long" Woosely replied, smiling he added: "We would like to offer you a chance to finish what you started. Complete the missions you originally came here for but never got the chance to finish"

"A flesh-&-blood body?" Weir replied, "You want to construct a new body for myself & download by consciousness into it, like we first agreed to when I came here from sub-space?"

"Thats the plan" Sheppard reipled.

"I would need access to the Replicator machine again, raw materials. Even working around the clock without a rest or a break, it would still take time" Elziabeth replied, "And I still don't know if it's a good idea or not"

"We've already set everything up you need, the labs fully operational & ready to go" Rodney replied, "We can bring in other materials you need"

"Don't forget we have samples of your original blood work & DNA on file in our medical labs" Dr Becekett replied.

"Yeah, you could use that as a template to make yourself a new body, just like your old one" Dr. Keller replied.

"It's worth a try" Ronnon added.

"And we'd be taking every precaution" Sheppard said, "Isn't that right Mr. Woosely?"

"Indeed" Woosely replied.

"So how about it?" Dr. McKay asked, everyone looking anxeously at Weir.

"What about proving myself, I am sure you have a Virtual Relaity enviornment or something you uplod my consciousness into, let me prove myself more, so we don't have a repeat of what happened last time?"

"We considered that" Woosely replied, "I think you proved yourself whern you led t he rest of the Replicators through that Space Gate"

"Are you sure?" Weir aske,d Woosely nodding in return.

"Thankyou" Weir replied, nodding her head. "If you guys are OK with it, then I say we give it a shot"

"I knew you'd come through!" McKay said, pointing his finger truimphantly at Elziabeth, the whole team smiling, even Woosely allowing himself a small smile.

"When can we begin?" Elizabeth asked.

"We can start now, if you like; everything already set up & ready to go, just like I promised" McKay said.

"OK" Elizabeth replied, "Guess we best get to it. After all, no time like the present. . ."

[Akren Garkos]

FRAN - or rather, the Replicator body of the Friendly Replicator Android which housed the living onsciousness of Dr. Elizabeth Weir, former leader of the Atlantis Expidition - typed away at her work-station, working like a woman possessed, entering line after line of data; stopping occassionally to check on the progress of the rapidly-developing clone in the status tank nearby; a slight grimace on her as she saw her own face, her true face - that of the woman who's body she originally inhabited when she had first come to the Pegasus Galaxy just over 5 years ago - reflected in the tank back at her.

"Hows it comming along?" Rodney asked, speakign through the microphone, his voice echoing into the gaurded & force-shielded room in which Elizabeth was working.

"Well it's been almost a month since you first revived me, & it's slow going, but we'll get there" She replied, never once stopping her work, talking to Rodney at the same time. "Having my original DNA & blood smaples on file certainly helped speed up the process"

Rodney looked at her, & then at the clone body her consciousness would eventually inhabit, the clone almost grown to maturity already; marvelling at the ruthless, perfect efficency of it all, feeling a sense of completedness, as well as a sense of deja vu, at seeing Elizabeth complete the work she had originally intended for her & her Replicator brethen the last time they were in Atlantis nearing completion, their goal tantilizing just of out reach.

"As soon as the clone body is fully grown to maturity & once Carson & Jennifer verify my results & determien that the body is healthy, we can proceed to the next phase" Elizabeth said, her hands flying over the consule she was working on with all the efficency & pin-point accuracy that the Replicators were known for.

"Get some rest Rodney, I wil lsee you in the morning" Elziaberth said, lookign up at Rodney through the observation pane, her fingers never once stopping what they were doing.

"OK" Rodney replied, "See you in the morning. Good night, Elizabeth"

"Good nigh Rodney" She replied, turnign her head back ot concentrate fully on her work.

3 weeks later. . :

"We're done" Elziabeth replie,d putting the finishing touches to the console she was working on, punching in the last sequence & hitting the enter button with a satisifed smile on her face; looking up at Rodney throgh the viewing pane. "We can proceed to the next phase"

So saying she looked over at the now fully-mature clone of herself, floating serely in the status tank, eyes close, hair floating about her ethereal-like, making her naked form looking a nymph, the clone instinctly curled up in a fetal position, arms & legs overing breasts & her private parts; as if sheltering her modesty from the world at large.

Weir shook her head & dismissed the notion, the clone, although fully mature & medically sound, was brain dead - there was no nueral activity whatsoever - at this point just an empty shell waiting to receive her consciousness & being her new life in a new body. Her old body. Her original body. They body she belonged to. The body her consciousness would inhabit again.

Nodding to two security gaurds nearby, Rodney waited for them to walk around to the door of the lab - docotrs Beckett & Keller in tow - before deactivating the forcefield. The two gaurds walked in, aiming A.R.G.'s at Elziabeth to ensure she didn't try anything funny, as Carson & Jennifer walked in; a gurney & other medicial equipment between them.

"Shall we begin?" Elziabeth asked, the pair nodding as thye prepared their equipment, helped by 2 medical aides each as Elizabeth frist drained the tank of the life-sustaining embyrotic, nanite-infused fluid & then de-activating the statsu tank; the tow docotrs helping the prone form of the cloned Elizabeth Weir onto the gurney, checking her vitals, taking blood samples & otherwise doing their jobs.

Once all were satisfied that all was in order, as it should be, & that all in attendence were in complete readiness; Rodney summon the others, including Mr. Woosely, to the lab for the final phase of the operation.

"So, let me get his straight?" Sheppard said, "You put your hand in her - I mean your - head, transfer your consciouss from FRAN's - I mean, your Replicator body - & once your mind has gone from here" He pointed to the Replicator in front of him, "TO there" He pointed ot the cloend body of Elizabeth, now wearing medical scrubs, laying onthe gruney in front of them, "The nanites in your Replicator body will de-activate & fal apart; right?"

"Thats right" Elizabeth said, "Once the transfer is complete, the kiron pathways holidng his Replciator form will be sevred, permanently. I wake up in my old body, this one distingerates. Then thats it : no more Replicators"

"Sound great to me" Ronnon replied.

"It will be good to have you back in your own body again" Mckay said.

"That it will, Rodney" Elizabeth replied, smiling. Looking at Woosely, her face deadly serious, she asked: "Shall we proceed?"

"Dr. Beckett, Dr. Keller, Dr. McKay?" Woosley aske,d addressing the three doctors in turn.

"Good to go here boss" Keller replied, giving the thumbs up.

"Aye" Carson replied, nodding.

"In the green here" McKay replied.

"Then it's time then" Elizabeth replied, taking a deep breathe & centering herself, visably nervous as walked up to herself, the prone form of her cloned body laying before. "Here goes. . ."

So saying , she placed on hand on the gurney, gripping the bed for support as she slowly & deliberately plunged her right hand, palm flat, fingers extended forward, into the clone's forehead, concentrating hard, eyes firmly closed, as she transferred her consciousness from the FRAN Replicator body into her newly cloned one; looking up at her fiends through Replciator eyes one last time as the nanite bonds holding her body together were severed, distingrating to dust beforetheir very eyes.

"Transfer was completed successfully" Dr. McKay said, looking at his tablet, "She should be comming around any mintue now"

Dr. Keller & Dr. Beckett immediately moved in, checkign Elizabeth's vitals & mointoring her brain functions; her heartbeat & brainwaves coming through strong on the portbale medical mointors they had brought with them.

"Medical equipment says everything is in the green here" Keller said.

"The Ancient scanner confirms no trace prescence of nanites; she's completely clean. Not a single Replicator cell or nanite to be seen" Carson added, smiling.

"Why is she not moving?" Teyla asked.

"Well she's breathing, that always a good sign" Sheppard replied, point to the up-&-down motion of her chest.

"Give it a mintue or two for her body to catch up, she's no longer a Replicator now, so it may a minute - " Rodney began, only ot be interrupted as Elizabeth took a deep breathe & exhauled sharply, her eyes flying oopen, trying to sit up as Carson & Keller eased her back down onto the gurney.

"It's OK, it's OK. It worked" They both said, smiling down at her.

"Am I?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, you are." Sheppard replied, "You're back"

"Here, see for yourself" Rodney said, handing her a mirror; Elizabeth taking it & admiring her face - her true face - for the first time in a long time.

"It worked" she said, smiling, tears running down her cheeks. "It worked!"

"Welcome back, Elizabeth!" Sheppard said, smiling along with everyone else; big grins of happiness beaming acorss their faces.

"The Replicator cells?" Eliabeth asked, a sudden look of concern acorss her face.

"Gone" Carson assured her, showing her the medical scans on the Ancient hand-held scanner. "Not a skerric nor trace left"

Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief, visbaly relieved at the news, looking down at the floor at the pile of sand-like particles at was all that remained of her former Replciator body.

"So, what do do now?" She asked.

"First, we do some more check-ups & tests, just to make sure" Carson replied, smiling down at Elizabeth.

"I'd also like ot keep you in qaurtine under gaurd for the time being, just until the test confirm you are no longer a dnager to this base" Woosely added, Elizabeth nodding her agreement.

"Of course" She said, nodding back; understanding compeltely where he was comming form. She owuld of done the same if she were still in his shoes.

"After you're better, we'll throw a big welcome home party!" Sheppard replied, smiling from ear to ear.

"And you can meet Torren!" Teyla said, smiling.

"I'd like that" Elizabeth said, smiling.

"It's good to have you back Dr. Weir" Ronnon said, smiling.

"Welcome back to Atlantis, Dr. Weir" Woosely added.

"Yeah, welcome home Elizabeth!" Rodney a-joined, smiling like a kid in a candy store.

"Home" Elizabeth said, freely crying, letting her emotions get the best of her, enojoying the feeling of real tears on real skin for the first time again in far too long. "I'm finally home. . ."

[Akren Garkos]

Dr. Elizabeth Weir looked at herself in the mirror, smoothing the creases out of her uniform, dressed once again in the gray slacks & jacket with red under shirt she originally wore during her tenure as the former leader of the Atlantis Expedition.

Wringing her hands together, she rubbed her wrists & put her hands by her side, taking a deep breathe & composing herself before looking about her quarters; looking at her bed & the nearby shelf with a photo of herself with Carson, John, Teyla, Rodney & Ronnon, the Athosian gourde given to her by Teyla during her first year on Atlantis next to the framed photo & her grandfather's watch. Smiling as looked to the photo, a memory of happier times coming to her mind. hearing the door chime, she turned & looked at the sliding door of Ancient design, marvelling at the technological sophisitication & simple, yet elegant design of the city about her.

"Come in" She said, the door chimming again & sliding apart as Sheppard stood in the doorway, Teyla, Ronnon, & McKay standing in the corridor behind him.

"Ready?" Sheppard asked, smiling.

"As I'll ever be" Weir replied, smiling back.

"John, I, I - I wanted to thank you" Weir started, gesturing to the rest of his team, "All of you; for saving me, for giving me the second chance I never thought I'd get to have"

John & his team smiled at her from ear to ear.

"Don't mention it" He said, still smiling.

"I, I just, I - " Weir started, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Like I said, don't mentioned it" Sheppard replied, "You're family - right guys?"

"Of course!" Team Sheppard chimed in, each offering her their heart-felt sympathy & sincere love & support for the woman before them whom meant so much to each & every one of them.

"Shall we get going?" Teyla asked, breaking the ice, smiling invitingly at Weir.

"Yeah, you don't want to keep Woosely & the I.O.A. waiting" McKay added dryly.

"Rodney!" Sheppard said, eying Atlantis' resident genius with one of his look in their trade-mark exchange.

Ronnon & Teyla just smiled as Weir looked at Rodney & smiled, her lips turning up in a small smile at her friends.

"It's OK John, it has to be done; & I'd rather get this out of the way sooner, rather than later" Weir said.

"After you" Sheppard said, gesturing out the door; Weir walking out of her qaurters, the others following close by; attending the meeting with the I.O.A. for moral support.

"Dr. Weir, thank you for coming" Mr. Richard Woolsey said, seated at the table with two other members of the I.O.A. & a member of the S.G.C.'s military command to their right.

"Thank you for having, Mr. Woolsey" Weir replied, taking a seat on the other side of the conference table; Team Sheppard taking their seats next to their former leader.

"Do you know why you are here?" Mr Woolsey asked.

"Of course" Weir replied, "You want to debreif me on my time with the Replicators, as well as when we were uploaded subspace"

"That's right" Woosely replied, "It is also an assessment to see whether or not you still pose a threat to this base, & by extension, Earth; as well as to see if you are fit to resume activate duties"

"I understand" Weir replied, "I would do the same in your position"

Nodding to the military reps from the SGC, she turned to Mr. Woosely & said : "Shall we get on it then?"

"Agreed" Woosley replied nodding back to Weir. "Everyone here already knows the story & the basics, but we need you to start from the beginning"

"Alright" Weir replied, nodding.

"And please be as thorough & detailed as possible, Dr. Weir" One of the military reps from the SGC added.

"Of course" Weir replied, starting, as instructed, fro mthe beginning, relating the events that had led to Rodney & Dr. Keller re-activating the dormant Asuran nanites in her body when the command tower had been damaged during their flight from Lantea when it had come under Replicator attack, the raid for the ZPM on Asuras, her time between now & then, her time spent uploaded into subspace, & her rescue & re-awakening by Team Shappard, as well as the construction of her current body & the downloading of her mind into the clone construct she currently inhabited.

"Thankyou, Dr. Weir" Mr Woosley said, raising his hand & stopping her when he felt that both he & the military brass form the SGC had written down or otherwise obtained enough information. "That will be all for now. We will pass our findings onto Stargate Command & the International Oversight Advisory before making our recommendations & imforming you of their decision"

"Thank you Mr Woosely, gentlmen" Weir said, nodding to both Woosley & the SGC reps. "I eagerly look forward to your report & await your decision"

After they all had left, Dr. McKay turned to Weir & said: "That's it!?!?"

"Not quite Rodney" Weir replied, "That was politics & power play at work, beuacracy in motion if you will. It's a game I am used to playing"

"Certainly the most detailed, thorough & intense debriefing I've ever been to" Sheppard replied.

"Whay all the prcautions & the run around?" Ronnon asked.

"Do they not trust you, Elizabeth?" Teyala asked.

"Did you, when I downloaded my mind in FRAN's body, before I accquired this one?" Weir replied, making Teyla frown in upset as she remembered their last meeting.

"I am sorry if I offended you Elizabeth"

"I was upset, but I understood why. You were protecting your son" Elizabeth replied, "Any mother would do the same"

Turning to Ronon, she added:

"As for the run around, Iam sure the IOA & SGC want to gleaned as much intellgience as possible form me & make d**n sure I am not a threat or don't pose them any kind of security risk before they decide what do with me"

"Here's hoping they decide soon, then" Shepard replied, the rest of his team nodding in agreement.

3 weeks later. . .

"Dr Weir, so good to see you again" Richard Woosley said, smiling as he gestured to Elziabeth to sit down with him in the conference room, Team Sheppard sitting around their former leader, offerring their silent, unspoken support.

"Likewise, Mr. Woosely" Dr. Elizaveth Weir replied, nodding once to the new base cmmander.

"I have asked you here for this meeting to inform you of the I.O.A. & the SGC's decision in regards to your de-briefing & application to reusme normal duties & active status" Woosely replied, his face serious.

"The SGC is under the assumption that, given the results of Dr Keller & Dr. Becektt's medical exmaintions, & you accounts about your time under Replicator control as their prisoner, & later, as a willing participant in Neim's group; that you be re-assigned to another role here on-base at Atlantis with temporary security clearance until such time you can prove yourself & are deemed to pose no perminant threat to this Expidition, the SGC, Earth, her allies, or the people of this galaxy"

"That means she can stay on Atlantis & they restrict her clearance until they think they true her fully again, like last time when she was Expidition Commander; then after that, they'll give her her full clearance back again" Sheparrd whispered to the others; whom smiled at that statement.

"The I.O.A., however, is of the opinion that, in spite of you being in a wholy flesh-&-blood body cloned from your own DNA & bllodwork on file & in spite of there being no trace of Replicator nanites whatsoever in your makeup; that you may, & still do, pose a grave seucrity risk to this Expdition & this base"

"But thats -!" Sheppard began, before weir gave him one of her looks & Mr.Woosley glared at him, hodlign his hand up for silence.

"Please sit down & let Mr. Woosley finish, Colonel Sheppard" Weir said, quite formally & in her commanding voice that everyone knew so well.

"Yes, Elizabeth" Sheppard replied, doign as he was asked.

"Thankyou" Mr. Woosley rpelied, smiling at Weir in acknowledgement of her respecting his authority. "As I was saying, the I.O.A. intially considered youa threat, but I managed to convince them otherwise"

"How so?" Weir asked.

"By selling it to them at a different angel" Woosley replied, quite pleased with himself. "I told them that you would be an invaluable assesst to this Expidition. Your political expertise & experience as former commander of this Expdition would come in handy, not ot mention your time amongst them practically makes you an expert on the Rpelicators, as well as the information you rpovided us when you were in subspace inhabiting the various technologies your consciousness was in during that brief, but unfortunate, time"

"Wow, you certianly know how to spin it!" Rodney said.

"It's my job, Dr. McKay" Woosley replied. "As I was saying, I managedo t sway their thinking & got them to grant you your old job back, in a manner of speaking : whilst you will n longer be Expdition Commander, you will continue to serve as a key diplomatic advisor on behalf of the Expidition & our trading partners, friends & allies in this galaxy, as well as serve as my Second in Command, once you have satisified all the SGC's security requirements. Unti lthen, you will be returned ot limited active duty until your cleareance is re-instated in full, at which point you shall resume regualr duties on-base as diplomatic advisor & my Second in Command. Colonel Sheppard shall still be charge of Atlantis operations on the rare instances that both you or I are offworld"

"Thats - Thats more than I could of hoped for" Weir replied, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "Thankyou Richard!" She said, hugging Woosley in an embarrising, if somewhat greatful & affectionate embrace.

"You're welcome, Elizabeth" Woosley wishpered, as he returned the hug & the two quickly untangled themselve,s the pair of politicians smoothing down their uniforms & making sure they look all proper & professional, making the others laugh.

"Look at you pair of politicians!" Sheppard laughed.

"Always have to look good in uniform" McKay replied, miling along with Ronon & Teyla.

"Welcome back to activate duty, Sub-Commander in Commander in Chief & Diplomatic Liason, Dr. Weir" Woosley said,m extanding his hand, which Elizabeth shook; before saying:

"Thankyou Mr. Woosley, it's good to finally be back. . ."