Author's Note: This has honestly been the most overwhelmingly positive response I have ever had for a first chapter – or in most cases an entire fic. Thankyou all for your reviews I have enough now to do something I've always wanted to try but never had enough reviews for it to seem worthwhile.

Sapar: Thx for the review, your guess about the pod is pretty much correct and I will hopefully be wriiting SGU stuff for a long time to come.

Lame: Thx for the review. The chapters will start getting longer as I get used to the setting I'm writing in. As to the plot the basic plot is the same as SGU's plot has always been. Unlike SG1 it isn't about discovering new technologies, or (with Atlantis) defeating a genocidal alien race. SGU has always been about surviving. I fail to see how a basic plot sketch would take more than ten minutes maximum.

lylev: Thx for the review, the typo you mentioned had been fixed. Feel free to say if you spot more

SusanMarieS: Thx for the review, the rest of the crew will appear shortly however I think if I'd listed all of Destiny's crew the chapter would have lost a lot of it's impact.

samcarter2: Thx for the review, positive comments always welcome, negative ones as well providing they aren't just flames.

ResistanceIsNotFutile: Thx for the review, I can't wait either.

lee: Thx for the review, Eli's fate will be revealed, I left it deliberately ambiguous in the first chapter.

And now for the big reveal I believe...

As one the stasis pods slid open. Friends and colleagues stepped into their new lives as easily as they'd stepped out. The drones were gone and life would continue.

Two pods did not, however in the confusion that followed it would be some time before anyone noticed who was missing.

"Dr. Rush! I want a report on all the ship's systems as soon as possible."

"I'll put Volker and Morrison on it immediately."

"No, you won't, you'll do it yourself, if there's something wrong with the ship I need to know."

"I can't. I'm busy." snapped Rush, "Now if you'll excuse me I need to get to the interface room." Rush moved to walk away when Young grabbed him by the arm and spun him so they were face-to-face.

"What could possibly be more important right now than ensuring the ship is not about to fall apart on us?"

"I'm looking for Eli."

"Surely you can just check the pod?"

"I would except the pod is no longer there." Rush shouted, in one of his periodic outbursts.

"That shouldn't be possible. Should it?"

"No. Hence why I'm busy."

Young walked alongside the frustrates scientist, reaching a decision as they entered the interface room. "Have Volker and Morrison see to the system diagnostics and repairs. You find Eli."

Young would have added more if the radio hadn't burst into life.

"Col. Young? This is Greer. We need you in the stasis chambers now." There was an almost uncertain tone to Greer's voice.

"This is Young. What is it, Sergeant?"

"You need to see this for yourself sir. Greer out." There was that uncertain tone again, as though the ever resolute sergeant wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

"You'd better see to that. Greer may be a soldier but he's not a fool, if he says it's important it probably is." This was from Rush who was already bent over a console typing madly.

"I'm on my way." Young said into the radio, breaking into a jog.

"This isn't possible. I saw him get out of the pod. I saw him." It had been ten minutes since Sgt. Greer had radioed Young and he was becoming increasingly agitated.

"Calm down Sergeant. I think it's safe to say he's been dead longer than a few hours." This was TJ, acting voice of reason for everyone in the stasis chamber.

"But I saw him, Lieutenant. I saw him. He was with us when we left the stasis room." Greer repeated.

"I know Greer. I was there as well."

It was at this point that Col. Young walked in. There was a general relaxation from the occupants.

"Sgt. Greer, what is it?"

"In the pod, sir. It's Lt. Scott, sir. He's dead, sir."

"Dead? How?"

"That's the thing sir. See for yourself."

The body of the late Lieutenant Matthew Scott was not in the best of condition. Two years being exposed to increasingly toxic air inside a small enclosed space can do that to a body. Rotten flesh clung to an off white skull, held on by what were probably quite fascinating species of mould and bacteria but which were entirely unwelcome in the circumstance. The only reason he was identifiable at all was his uniform.

Author's Note: Yes, I know it is still distressingly short, in my defence this is the first time I've ever had to use completely non-OCs and am having trouble adapting to the mindsets of the characters – although I think I can passably write TJ, Rush and Greer. This is also why Young may seem somewhat OOC. And I'm also sorry it took so long.

On the other hand I honestly think this fic is going to be the one to get me above the mediocre status.