Powerless

_Warning: "The Siege, Part 2" and "Before I Sleep" spoilers...and **lots **of them._

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Powerless

She stood within the control center of the Wraith Hive Ship, facing the wide window. Her presence went unnoticed, the Wraith swarming around the room, their heads never once turning her direction. A soft glow surrounded her form; a gentle halo hugging her body. A sorrow clung to her eyes as she stared down at the majestic city below. From this view, as the Hive Ship descended upon the city, it seemed so small and so frail…and that it was. Without the shield that her kind had built for Atlantis, it was remarkably insubstantial.

So many people had given their lives to keep Atlantis alive. Glancing downward, she recalled the day when Elizabeth Weir had come into Atlantis during the Wraith attack, begging for help. She returned her eyes to Atlantis as a fleet of Darts descended upon it in the darkness. Purple sprays of bullets lit the air. When her kind had ascended, they discovered what Janus had done to help Elizabeth. The leaders had reprimanded him, but they didn't step in to stop Elizabeth Weir from saving the future expedition. Perhaps, someway, they hoped that the expedition would be successful. _'And they were…but that might not matter for much longer,' _the woman thought to herself grimly. Orange and yellow bursts of energy flew into the towers of Atlantis, bits of debris flying through the air. The beauty of the destruction was an added sting.

Hundreds of people had given their lives for Atlantis and even more had risked everything. Elizabeth Weir had stayed in solitude sleep for ten thousand years knowing full well that she would not live to see much become of her life. Janus had risked his life for the future of the expedition, and he had paid his own price for that. John Sheppard, Rodney McKay; all of the Earthlings, all of the descendents of their kind, had done much for the expedition. Even those unrelated to the Ancients, like Teyla Emmagen, dedicated their lives to Atlantis as well.

Her eyes surveyed the damage as the Wraith Darts were individually swallowed by fire, exploding into nothing. Atlantis was winning…but for how long? She turned around, watching the Wraith in silence. There had been so much that they hadn't known about the Wraith when their attacks had begun on her kind ten thousand years ago, so much that they now knew…so much that the expedition now could use. They had won but one battle. Her feet were soundless against the floor as she approached the console of the ship, touching her hand to it though no feeling reached her fingers. Even if she slipped a little, just a _little _information to the Atlantis team about how the ship was built, they could win… But she would be punished for it. Her eyes fell on the mess of switches and keys next to her hand, and she settled her hands on a few; a code that made sense only to the Enlightened. If she was to be punished…why not be punished for something that was certain? Something that could destroy both Hive Ships with one press of the fingers; something that could save the expedition?

There was a faint glimmer in the corner of her eye, and she turned. Immediately, the hope, the wonder, the plea, in her eyes faded. The Others were here; their forms hovering in the corner of the ceiling, their eyes ever-watchful. If she were to press the keys, they would stop the reaction and exile her. Then what help would she be? Even if, **if** they allowed the reaction to take place…there would be other attacks. Other Wraith, trying to defeat the stronghold of Atlantis. She looked down to the floor, allowing her hands to fall through the console to her sides.

She looked back to Atlantis and saw that the fire had long since dimmed from the night sky. Her eyes returned to the ghostly forms of the Others, and she hung her head. If Atlantis were to continue…it was not with the help of the Ancients. Everything that they had sacrificed; the original expedition, Janus, the Ancients themselves, _everyone _that had risked anything for Atlantis…it did not matter.

The future of Atlantis rested on the shoulders of those on Atlantis, and no one else.

A bright light enfolded the woman for a moment as she looked toward Atlantis once more. Sunlight streamed across the edge of the planet, lighting Atlantis. There was still hope. Faint, ill-conceived hope…but it was still there. And hope would remain until the last human on Atlantis fell. The bright light enveloped the woman until her body disappeared and all that was left was the blinding light. It swarmed around itself before moving forward, merging with the others and moving away from the Hive Ship without any regrets.

This was the way it had to be. The Atlantis mission was on its own.

But there was still hope.

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Author's Note: Okay, this random idea came to me while I was watching "The Siege, Part 2" today. Odd, pointless, but what the heck. :) I hope you liked. And if it was confusing, basically the "woman" was an Ancient on Atlantis. -shrug- I hope you understood and enjoyed...but then again I'm dead tired and ready to pass out on this keyboard, so I have no clue what makes sense and what doesn't. Anyway, please review!

Liz


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