Acastus Kolya

"Kolya—that's a hard name to pronounce. Is that a first name?"

- John Sheppard

Acastus Kolya is a Commander in the Genii military and an enemy of the Atlantis expedition.

2004
During the storm season on Lantea, Chief Cowen ordered Kolya to raid Atlantis for their supplies of C-4. Kolya advised against it, citing that his team was not ready for such a mission, but Cowen insisted that this was their only chance. He carried out Cowen's orders and took control of Atlantis, killing two soldiers over the objections of Sora Tyrus. Upon learning of the plan to save the city, he decided to enact a more ambitious plan of taking the entire city. Sora protested that they did not have the resources to conduct such a mission, but he insisted. This proved to be his downfall, as Major John Sheppard was able to thwart his efforts, systematically killing Kolya's strike force and taking out an entire company of reinforcements by activating the Stargate shield. When it appeared as if the plan to save Atlantis would fail, Kolya decided to withdraw, planning to take Dr. Elizabeth Weir and Dr. Rodney McKay with them. Sheppard and Lt. Aiden Ford mounted a rescue, and Kolya was shot in the shoulder by Sheppard while trying to use Weir as a human shield. Although injured, he was able to escape through the Stargate.

2005
The failure of the Atlantis raid forced Kolya from Cowen's inner circle. Upon hearing that Major John Sheppard's team was close to recovering a Zero Point Module, but unable to get authorization to stop them, he organized a small team to steal the ZPM from them, both because because he thought the Genii had a better use for it and to deny them the ability to use it. Though he was able to trap them in an underground chamber, he failed to completely disarm them. Using some stun grenades the team managed to overpower his group. Sheppard decided to let him live, despite Kolya recommending that killing him would be better. Sheppard told Kolya that he wanted points for sparing him, but promised Kolya that if he crossed with him and his team again, he would kill him.

2006
Because of Cowen's growing ambitions, Kolya began plotting a coup. He took Ladon Radim, Cowen's chief scientist and a member of Kolya's raiding party on Atlantis, into his confidence. Ladon instead betrayed Kolya, forcing him to go underground. Following Radim's rise to power, Kolya captured Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, attempting to ransom his life for Radim's. He periodically allowed a captive Wraith to feed on Sheppard as a deadline. Sheppard and the Wraith were able to escape, but Kolya was able to flee as well. Sheppard bluntly informed him over the Genii communicator that he would kill Kolya if they ever met again.

Kolya later encountered Lt. Colonel John Sheppard and his team when a group of mercenaries called for Kolya's help, having grown sick of Lucius Lavin. Kolya captured the entire team, except for Sheppard who escaped with the help of Lucius. He demanded that Atlantis supply him with guns for a coup, reasoning that Dr. Elizabeth Weir would be more charitable if he kept his demands small. He threatened the life of the team if Sheppard didn't surrender. Sheppard eventually surrendered and Kolya ordered him shot to death but Sheppard survived due to Lucius' Personal shield emitter, which he had hidden under his vest. Unfortunately, it was depleted from the gunfire; however, Kolya's men were surrounded by the villagers and captured. Sheppard offered Kolya the chance to surrender but Kolya just chuckled. The two went for their guns in an impromptu duel but Sheppard was a faster shot. He shot Kolya in the chest, killing him, and his death was confirmed by Dr. Carson Beckett.

On the mainland of M35-117, a hallucination of Kolya, created by an alien artificial intelligence, appeared to Sheppard and (as part of the hallucination) severed his hand. This was intended to keep him from attempting to interrupt the AI's mission. The fake Kolya eventually revealed its true nature to John when his life was in danger.