Let it Rise...

Posted on Tue Feb 25th, 2025 @ 6:20pm by Major General Richard Lockhart (Raynor) & Colonel David Hawkins (Raynor) & Lieutenant Colonel Jonathon Raynor & Sterre Forster & Scarlett Hayes Dr. & Chief Petty Officer Marisa Harlan

Mission: Jumping Right In
Location: Atlantis
2184 words - 4.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Raynor stood in the heart of Stargate Operations, his eyes scanning the control panels, each illuminated softly in the dim light. The city had been surprisingly stable considering its age, but the uneasy feeling gnawing at the back of his mind was starting to grow. The faint hum of Atlantis’ ancient systems filled the air—a constant reminder that they were standing on something both powerful and fragile.

Suddenly, the soft lights flickered. At first, it seemed like a minor fluctuation, but within moments, panels across the command center began dimming in sequence. Raynor's gaze shot toward the readouts as the system displays started to blink out, one by one. He could see reports flooding in on the screens—shielding systems across Atlantis were failing.

A loud, persistent alarm pierced the silence, signaling something catastrophic. He rushed to the central console, but before he could issue any commands, the entire control room began to tremble. Raynor’s grip tightened on the nearest support beam as the structure beneath his feet vibrated with increasing intensity.

"Shit," he muttered, glancing at the readouts. The shields protecting the central tower—Atlantis’ core—were collapsing. The energy fields that had held back the crushing ocean were rapidly failing.

He tried to raise the Gladiator on the comms. "Colonel Raynor to Gladiator—do you copy?"

Nothing.

Static filled his ear, and the screen showing external communications went dark. His heart rate spiked as he punched in commands, trying to reestablish contact with the ship. “Colonel Raynor to Gladiator, respond!” But all communication channels were dead.

And then it happened—the floor beneath him jolted violently. The entire city seemed to shift. The tremor was so forceful that Raynor was thrown forward, barely managing to grab onto the console for support. Panels on the walls flickered and shattered, sparks raining down as systems began overloading.

The hum that had once been a steady presence turned into a deep, unsettling vibration as the city shuddered. The sensation of motion hit him next. Atlantis was moving. The station itself was shifting beneath the water.

Raynor steadied himself, heart pounding, as he tried to process what was happening. The ground rumbled ominously, and for a moment, it felt as though the entire city might buckle under the stress.

Atlantis was no longer just a dormant relic of the Ancients—it was waking up, and whatever had been keeping it at bay for so long was starting to fail. The city was alive, and now it was moving, with or without them in control.

Scarlett had been clinging onto a nearby station until she had been unceremoniously thrown to the floor. “It’s rising! The station is rising! It must be programmed to rise if the power to the shields starts to fail.”

Sterre had been caught off guard and not being the most graceful person in the first place she'd fallen to the ground and decided to stay there while the city shook around her. She heard Scarlett cry out that the city was rising and her only thought was that maybe she wouldn't drown after all.

Raynor gripped the edge of the console tightly, feeling the tremors intensify as Atlantis surged forward with a new, unsettling momentum. The floor beneath him was no longer just vibrating—it was jolting, as if some ancient mechanism buried deep within the city had finally roared to life. Sparks flew from several consoles as systems shorted out, while the walls around him groaned under the strain.

The sound of creaking metal reverberated through the command center, joined by the eerie echo of water pressing relentlessly against the shield that separated them from the crushing ocean outside. The faint light illuminating Stargate Operations began flickering wildly, casting an otherworldly glow across the faces of Raynor and his team, illuminating their tense expressions in brief, staccato bursts.

The city gave a sudden, violent lurch. Raynor staggered, bracing himself as the entire structure shifted upward. Through the reinforced windows, he could see the deep ocean around them growing lighter by the second. Fleeting glimpses of murky green and blue water became visible beyond the failing shields, rushing past in an unstoppable torrent as Atlantis rose with ever-increasing speed. The station wasn’t just trembling now; it was shaking violently, the deep, seismic roar of motion echoing throughout the halls as it surged toward the surface.

He glanced toward the faint outline of the control room window. Shadows and sunlight began to filter through the water, casting shimmering rays across the command center as Atlantis neared the edge of the ocean. The pressure on the shields was immense, the framework groaning as it strained to hold against the overwhelming force. Finally, with one last tremendous lurch, Atlantis burst through the surface.

Water poured down the sides of the massive city, waves crashing against its edges as it settled onto the ocean’s surface, sending sprays of mist into the air. The view from the control room was breathtaking—the vast, open ocean stretched endlessly on all sides, with sunlight streaming down from above, painting the city in brilliant hues of blue and gold.

The tremors slowed, becoming sporadic until they stopped entirely. The city sat still, peacefully floating on the waves as the shield stabilized, giving the sense that Atlantis had finally returned to the world, awakening from its slumber after thousands of years beneath the waves. Raynor released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He took in the view, his gaze scanning the awe-inspiring architecture around him.

Atlantis had resurfaced, and they were now at the helm of one of the most legendary cities ever known.

Marisa was riveted to a vantage point, watching the consoles and keeping track of the energy readings. A furrow just above her nose appeared when Colonel Raynor wasn't able to raise the Gladiator. She hung onto the side of the console she was at, to keep her balance. Marisa didn't want to find herself falling on her behind from losing her balance.

" I think we've arrived." Marisa flashing an impish smile towards the others. "That was some journey." she added.

“I certainly hope so!” Scarlett responded as she emerged from where the last lurch had thrown her nursing a small head wound. “I’ve had enough of being tossed around for now.”

Raynor steadied himself against a console, a flicker of amusement crossing his face despite the chaos. “If that was the welcome mat, I’d hate to see what happens when this place wants us to leave,” he quipped, glancing at Scarlett with a quick nod toward her injury. “Make sure you get that looked at. Last thing we need is someone out of commission.”

He turned to Marisa, who was still clinging to her station. “You’re not wrong—looks like we’ve made it. Let’s just hope the journey didn’t shake anything else loose.” Raynor’s voice carried a note of tension. His attempts to contact the Gladiator had been met with nothing but static, and while the city seemed stable for now, he knew better than to trust appearances.

Just as he was about to issue further instructions, his earpiece crackled to life. “Colonel Raynor, this is Hawkins. Do you copy?”

Relief washed over him as he tapped his comm. “Hawkins, good to hear your voice. We’re stable, but it’s been a wild ride. What’s your status?”

“We’ve got eyes on you,” Hawkins replied, his tone laced with awe. “The city… It’s enormous. Looks like a snowflake from up here, spreading out in every direction. Massive towers, a central spire—Raynor, this thing is a technological marvel.”

Raynor exchanged a glance with Marisa and Scarlett, his lips curving into a faint smile. “Guess we made a splash."

"How did you do that?"

Raynor looked around at his team before shrugging. "Quite honestly, it happened on its own. So we have no idea at the moment. We think there was a shield of some sort that was losing power and then lights started flickering before we were launched up to the surface."

"Fascinating." the commander of the Gladiator replied.

"What’s your position?”

“We’re holding a steady orbit above you now. Sensors are running scans, and we’re prepping to beam down additional personal. The city seems intact, but there’s a lot to unpack here... Hold on," Hawkins paused for a moment as he seemed to be talking to one of his bridge crew before he spoke up again. "Looks like there are 3 areas large enough to land. We will start doing some scans up here and see if they are a possibility."

"Probably a good idea to secure that area and and make sure its safe," Hawkins remarked.

"We will take it one step at a time. From what we are picking up. Looks like the piers were flooded." There was another pause, but once

“Understood. Keep us updated, and send that crew when ready. We’ll secure Stargate Operations and prepare for further exploration. Atlantis has a lot of secrets waiting to be uncovered.”

“Copy that, Colonel. Gladiator out.”

Raynor lowered his hand, his gaze shifting to the massive windows that now offered a breathtaking view of the ocean surrounding the city. The team was silent for a moment, each taking in the reality of their situation. They stood not just in a city, but in the heart of history, a place that could hold the key to countless mysteries.

“Alright,” Raynor said, his voice firm, breaking the quiet. “Let’s get to work. Atlantis didn’t resurface after millennia just for us to sit around admiring the view.”

Having stayed where she was as she listened to the conversation around her it suddenly dawned on Sterre that she should get off the floor if her legs would carry her. "Think it's safe now? For exploring I mean?"

"Well, there is nothing wrong with admiring the view, just taking a moment to take in the fresh air." Marisa giving a chuckle. "However, I am wanting to go check out the rest of the site and see what needs to be repaired and see what wonders await us." giving a huge grin. "Maybe there is a place to make a garden."

Scarlett was in awe looking outside the newly risen station at the view. “Now that’s a beautiful sight, this place is enormous!” She smiled warmly even though she had a sore head. “Guess I’d best get my head sorted.”

"Well... shall we get out there and explore? I am ready, and really want to go out there. I know I am a bit eager but who knows what we will find." walking over and holding out a hand to assist Sterre up from the floor.

"Thank you," Sterre said offering a smile and accepting the hand that helped pull her to her feet again. "Where do we begin?"

"Maybe we get a map and close our eyes and stick a pin where we could go first? Or even as I keep on twittering about it, finding places to grow things. Or see if they already have a garden area that is already here?"

Marisa turned towards Raynor. "What do you think? Or get ourselves a place to stay before we go all exploratory?"

Raynor looked between the group as they gathered themselves, the energy in the room shifting from tension to anticipation. Around them, others were beginning to settle, taking in the reality of what they had accomplished.

"I'd say, with this place safe from destruction," he said, glancing toward a distant set of windows where the vast expanse of Atlantis stretched before them, bathed in the light of a new beginning. He took a slow breath, letting the moment settle before continuing.

"... it’s time to do some looking around." He turned back to the group, a small smirk forming. "But let’s do it smart. First priority is getting a proper layout of the city. We need to secure living quarters, identify critical infrastructure, and assess what’s functional. If we don’t know what’s stable, we’re just asking for trouble."

He crossed his arms, nodding toward Marisa. "A garden? Not a bad idea. Long-term sustainability is something we’ll need to plan for. If the Ancients had anything like hydroponics or dedicated green spaces, finding those could be key."

His gaze shifted to Scarlett, noting the way she still looked a little dazed. "And yeah, make sure you get that head checked out. We’re here for the long haul, no need to push through injuries."

Scarlett offered a brief nod. “I will Sir.”

Finally, he turned back to Sterre and Marisa. "We’ll start by mapping out key sections—control rooms, power sources, food storage, medical. From there, we can start expanding outward. But I like the enthusiasm." He gave a nod, then added with a hint of amusement, "If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll find that garden of yours on the way."