Fic: Chase the Morning {9/37}
Chapter Two: Release
Date: May 16, 5 A.I. [2005]
Location: Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Radek was dozing lightly by the time Jess got back, accompanied by Daniel and Jack, to whom Jess had been properly introduced a few minutes earlier. He woke up when the cell door opened, blinking sleep from his eyes. ‘You’re back,’ he said, pushing himself from the slumped sitting position he had adopted while leaning against one of the walls.
‘Yep,’ Jess replied, grinning. ‘Guess what?’
‘What?’ John asked, watching Daniel and Jack warily.
‘We made some new friends, Colonel.’ Jess said happily. ‘You’ve got to come see this. I think you’ll like it especially, McKay.’
‘Why?’ Rodney inquired, following John and Radek out of the cell.
‘Just wait and see. It explains that siren you heard earlier and a few things we’ve been wondering about from the database.’
‘Does it, now?’ John looked interested. ‘Any chance of us getting our stuff back?’
‘In time.’ Was Jack’s reply. Jess seemed rather bouncy, like a young child eager to show off a new discovery. Radek walked behind her, smiling slightly at her enthusiasm. After a few minutes, they went up a flight of stairs and emerged in a room with a large table set in the center. Jess stepped to one side, revealing a slightly heavy-set man sitting at the head of the table, two stars that were pinned to a strip of cloth on the shoulders of his short-sleeved white shirt glinting in the shine of the overhead lights.
‘General Hammond, may I present the rest of the Atlantis contingent?’ Jess asked as Rodney and John came up behind her. ‘Doctor Rodney and Teshryn McKay, Doctor Radek Zelenka, and Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard.’ She gestured to each in turn as she named them, and Hammond gave a terse nod in greeting.
‘Welcome, gentlemen,’ he said, waving for them to take a seat at the table. ‘To the SGC. I’m General Hammond. I understand you’re the military leader of Atlantis, Colonel?’
‘Yes, sir.’ John replied, taking a seat. The others followed his lead, Radek sitting next to Jess and Rodney next to John. ‘Connor said there was something you wanted to show us?’
‘Yes. Doctor Jackson, if you would do the honors?’ Hammond turned towards Daniel, who nodded.
‘In 1928, an archaeologist made a discovery in Giza that changed the world. The United States government received control of the artifact found in Egypt somewhere around 1969. It stayed under lock and key until around 1996, when a successful attempt to decipher the inscriptions on the device was made. It was found that the device was capable of almost instantaneous transmission of matter across interstellar distances, via stable wormholes through space.’
‘That’s impossible.’ Teshryn interrupted, coming to the fore with a frown forming on his face. ‘Wormholes are theoretical. There’s never been a proven instance of one forming. And the legends of the Chappa'ai are just that- legends.’
Jack and Daniel glanced at each other, smiling slightly.
‘Sam and Jolinar would love this,’ Jack muttered, shaking his head. He turned to Hammond. ‘Permission to prove him wrong, sir?’
‘Go ahead, Colonel. SG-22 is just about to leave.’ Hammond replied.
‘Follow us,’ Jack told the Lanteans as he got up from his seat. Exchanging confused looks, the three men followed Jess up another flight of stairs and into a busy control room. Their attention was instantly captured by the large ring-shaped object standing in the center of the room visible through a large window.
‘What is that?’ Radek breathed, his eyes widening behind his glasses.
‘That is the Chappa’ai, or Stargate.’ Said Sam’s symbiote, Jolinar, who was sitting at one of the control boards. ‘SG-22 is ready to go, sir.’
‘Start dialing.’
The technician working with Jolinar nodded and typed a series of symbols into the computer in front of him. Below, the inner ring of the Stargate began to spin. Red lights shaped like triangles lit up as each of the chevrons were dialed in, until six out of the seven visible were active. When the seventh chevron locked, a massive blue-white plume of energy boiled out of the ‘Gate and then settled back into the ring.
It elicited startled cries from the Lanteans, even Jess, who had only seen the ‘Gate when it had already been activated. Hammond leaned forwards and keyed an intercom mike.
‘SG-22, you have a go. Good luck and Godspeed.’
One of the BDU-clad figures below turned and waved up at the Control Room, a big grin on her face, before following her teammates through the ‘Gate.
‘Looks like Doc Anderson has taken a shine to you, Walter.’ Jack chuckled, patting the ‘Gate Tech on his shoulder. Walter smiled sheepishly and hit a touchpad on the console. A metal iris emerged from the housing, covering the inside of the ‘Gate.
‘Now what do you think, Doctor McKay?’ Daniel asked the Canadian. ‘Still “just a theory”?’
‘I guess not,’ Teshryn replied distractedly, his eyes still fixed on the ‘Gate.
‘Teshryn, stop drooling. You have more than enough toys at home.’ Anora drawled amusedly after Jess relinquished control to her symbiote.
John turned at the word “home”, a hopeful look on his face. ‘Speaking of which,’ he said, looking towards Hammond and Jack. ‘When can we go?’
‘Once we get a few things settled, we’ll take you back to where we found you.’ Jack said. ‘There’re just a few technicalities to work out, is all.’
‘Technicalities?’ Radek asked, raising an eyebrow. ‘Such as?’
‘If you’re willing to share information with us, as well as technology found. We’d do the same, of course.’ Hammond replied.
‘That sounds reasonable, but I’d have to talk it over with Doctor Weir.’ John said after mulling it over. ‘Maybe if someone came along with us?’
‘I was hoping you’d suggest that. Doctors Jackson and O’Neill will be going with you.’
‘Can we fit that many people in the Jumper?’ Jess asked Radek in hushed tones, switching off with Anora. ‘We’ve already got eight people. What did Torres say was the projected maximum capacity of the Jumpers?’
‘He wasn’t entirely sure, if I remember correctly.’ He said thoughtfully.
‘We may need a second Jumper.’
‘Presuming that the first one is still in the area,’ Rodney pointed out, breaking into the conversation.
‘Yes, well, there is that, but still-’
‘As fascinating as this is, I’m sure everything will be okay.’ John said. ‘We’ll see what happens when we get there.’
The three scientists shut up, Rodney looking slightly annoyed.
‘Come on, we’ll get your gear for you.’ Sam said, getting up from her chair and stretching slightly. ‘It’s all there.’
‘It’d better be.’ Rodney muttered.
‘Don’t worry, we didn’t take anything.’
They trooped out, following Sam, Jack and Daniel down to a storeroom where their packs were waiting for them, along with their weapons and vests. Radek found his gear and quickly looked it over, checking to see if everything was intact and accounted for. It was, including the special items he had salvaged from the shops.
‘Ready?’ Daniel asked, adjusting his thigh holster.
‘Ready.’
‘Ready.’
‘Let’s go, then.’