Chapter 1: Solar System Part I: The Face of Mars

Here is the first chapter. I could not put this in the Prologue as it would not make sense. I will be introducing main characters in each chapter so you will get to know them.

Introducing

Gen. Jack O'Neill - Supreme Commander Space Command

Col. Samantha Carter – Scientist, sometime member of SG-1

Dr. Parson Cryder – Atlantis Head Administrator

Dr. Rodney McKay - Chief Scientist – Atlantis

Dr. Radek Zalenka – Associate Chief Scientist – Atlantis

Lt. Jennifer Hailey – Chief Scientist – Area 51, sometime member of SG-1

Col (General) Abe Ellis – Commanding Officer of Apollo

Ships

Atlantis – HQ of Space Command (San Francisco Bay CA, USA, Earth)

Apollo - Daedalus Class B304 , Orbiting Earth

CHAPTER ONE: Solar System Part1: The Eyes Have It Or Was That a Pockmarked Face

Earth SGC, Cheyenne Mtn, Sol System

SGC Year 2009 Late Summer

"General we have been on a war footing for a while now. Do you mind if I take a look around the solar system to take some readings? Our previous satellite readings while good lack refined sensors we have now. I like to take one of the Atlantis jumpers to explore."

Col Carter asked with the best smile she can come up with hoping for Jack to sign off on it. Dealing with the bureaucrats was out of the question, especially after Atlantis was moved under the new command separate from SGC.

"I have no problem with it Sam. If Atlantis bites off on it, so will I. Besides, I am curious to see what Titan is really like or was it Calypso or something and its oceans." He asked and saw the smile on Sam's face but he was actually serious.

"I will gladly take a look for you, sir. I will start with Jupiter's Galilean moons and Mars. If I have time I will take a look and see if there are any precious metals that we can use in the asteroid belt."

Jack noticed that she was genuinely excited by her demeanor. It seemed everyone needed a vacation lately, including him, after the massive battle with the Wraith. Now a distant memory but the mark of that battle was felt all over the world with continuous speculations out there overwhelming public relations eventually forcing their hand of non-disclosure soon.

"I kind of wonder why we didn't in the past." Jack retorted while looking at the paperwork on his desk. He wished he was going with her to avoid tackling that offensive sight and she would not be bad company either.

"Well, being under constant threat would make such trips immaterial since nothing was ever found on any of those planets or their moons before using our previous technology." Sam responded and took a quick glance at Jack's pile of paperwork and winced.

"True." Jack sighed still staring at the three piles on his desk or was it four or was it two. He looked up at his beautiful blond-headed friend.

"You have a go, Colonel." He pulled something out of the desk drawer that look like a prepared order including watermark.

Jack stood up and handed her a military order stating that he was okay with her taking a Puddle Jumper from Atlantis which was under his command.

"Thank you sir. I guess you saw this coming already." Her face brightened when she had the orders in her hand and was visually stunning to him when she smiled and about to speak. "Don't, Sam, just go"

"I have dibs on any other planetoid you see" He said smiling sitting back in his chair.

"You got it sir, something along Ceres size we haven't seen, yet?" She asked and shocked that he actually knew what a 'planetoid' is.

"Ceres?" He questioned perplexed.

"Nevermind sir." She smirked.

She saluted and headed for the door, she turned and asked.

"Can I have Lt. Jennifer Hailey accompany me?"

"Sure, she is at Area 51 still in between SG-1 assignments. Do you really want to take her along?" He looked at her quizzically.

"Outside of me, Dr. McKay and his group think at Atlantis, she is probably next in line in what you considered nerds or geniuses." She answered nonchalantly.

Jack thought about it for the moment sizing her up. Lt. Hailey was a handful for anyone and some by his own doing with the training he put her through. "True. I will make the call."

"Thanks." She left his office in a great mood and thought of the things they can actually see up close visually.

A lot of things bothered her and them being so busy with the wars against the Ori and Wraith they truly did not get to gallivant around their own solar system like any other space faring civilization. They never updated any satellites, basically did nothing but fought wars even though they have the technology to do a lot of things and with Atlantis was the center of it, the possibilities were endless but not taking advantage of.

Sam packed her bags and was beamed to the orbiting Apollo and then they promptly transported her to Atlantis that sat in the San Francisco Bay, still under cloak.

Atlantis, Earth San Francisco Bay

SGC Year 2009, Late Summer

"We are going to have to do something about this soon. We just don't have enough personnel." She said to herself while looking around the various avenues that sat outside the central tower command center of Atlantis where she was transported to. It was still barren with uniform personnel here and a civilian scientist or doctor there walking about but no shops or restaurants you normally see in a city.

She entered the main spire, which unlike the outside was bustling with activity. Personnel from dozens of countries with their flag or lapel on their uniforms or coats used for recognition milled about doing their various tasks. A tall and well-built man came toward her in brisk walk. Sam smiled laying down her bags and extended her hand.

"Mr. Cryder, how are you doing today?" Sam greeted the new liaison and administrator in charge with a hand shake. He replaced Dr. Richard Woolsey who was transferred to World Space Command shortly after the battle with the Wraith Super Hive accepting his new promotion.

"I am doing well Col. Carter, Gen. O'Neill sent the request ahead." He spoke while they walk to the reception desk with Sam where a marine was seated and he promptly got up at attention upon recognizing her, which she quickly motioned to him to sit down. She handed the orders to him and he nodded that all was good.

"I have some good news. Dr. McKay have made some modifications to one of the Jumpers. It has been updated with the best sensor package available on any vessel for your trip. He was planning on going himself at some time but other projects became priority namely creating something to take care of potential rioting when we go public soon."

Sam's ears perked up hearing that bit of news and that made Mr. Cryder smile. She usually was in the know but her curiosity tends to loosen her lips so it must have been hush-hush.

"He said he had a plan that when things slowed down he can get back to what he prefer and what we as humans should do, explore and try new things that does not involve war" Mr. Cryder explained.

Sam smiled. She liked the fact that Dr. Parson Cryder was handpicked by Jack and Pres. Henry Hayes. He was not like Dr. Woolsey but that was not necessarily a bad thing either since it is peace time and Dr. Woolsey was very good administrator when they were on a war footing.

"That is awesome news." She said joyfully.

"Go see Dr. McKay, he will fill you in on what he did." Mr. Cryder bowed his head indicating he was done with her and walked away greeting other personnel in the lobby area.

Sam picked up her things and headed for the all too familiar to her Rodney's lab or what he likes to call it, his domain. She can already hear him barking at Dr. Zalenka.

"You think you are smarter than me" He yelled.

"That is what you want to think, Rodney" Zalenka snapped back.

"Well the compositions are wrong, Radek. The Grodin can be modified to swivel on a mount"

"Yes but the power consumption is really high. It will overpower the ion generators, not to mentioned the stanchions it is attached to would melt from extreme temperatures or radiation leakage"

Zalenka sighed knowing arguing with Rodney was futile in most cases but he admired the intelligent man who taught him a lot during his time on Atlantis.

"Look, Rodney, only zpm's or the Asgard type power sources can sustain that firing rate, Naquadah base energy while powerful, will not."

"I know, I know, just damn annoyed we can't get around it. The weapon can slice up a Hive ship with no problem and the big wigs at Cheyenne Mountain want their huge freaking space guns to be attached to the new ships they have on the drawing board."

Dr. McKay did not mean to shout at Dr. Zalenka who he respected more than he would let Zalenka know of because no one understood him better than Radek and if he knew that no telling what Radek would do with that information.

Sam decided to let them know she was at the door.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, do you all need a hand?" She asked politely.

Rodney mood changed instantly which made Radek scowl even more.

"Sure, if you know how to crank out more energy for this weapon along with it not melting the housing it is residing in" He said pointing at the long alien looking barrel attached to a housing that was big as a tank.

"A Grodin, outside of the Asgard beam, is our most powerful single firing weapon. But why not leave it alone for now and work on the ion cannons, using pulse interrupters and fine tuning the power output that can be control. They can swivel, a Grodin needs to be stationery?" Sam looked at McKay and then at Zalenka. Then they looked at each other.

"Well, that is what we were trying to do, Sam, have the Grodin swivel in space, like a cutting beam?"

"Oh, my bad, sorry, well anyway to save myself from an embarrassing moment, I heard you made some sensor package modifications to a Jumper?" Sam tried really hard not to blush.

"Oh yes, I did. You have the gene therapy. The sensors will respond to your request naturally." He had that patented arrogant smirk on his face.

"You will be happy with the mods, it is Jumper #4" He slipped into his Samantha Carter smile as he calls it.

"Thanks, Rodney, you are the best" She returned the smile and turned heading toward's the door.

"We need to get back to work and don't wreck my ship." He shouted to Sam who was skipping out the door.

He and Dr. Zalenka continued their argument when she was out of sight.

Sam sighed but she understood the life as a scientist. Next thing up to take care of she thought and loved his idea of a Grodin that can move on a swivel then attached to their newer ships based on the Aurora frame or miniaturized to fit on the B304 and maybe the B303 as well if they continue to make them.

She headed back to the lobby and made a stop by Requisitions to pick up necessities, which toiletries being the biggest need. Taking a Jumper brought up some issues in regards to relieving yourself and taking a shower, so she made sure she had the portable devices scanned and checked for use.

She continued towards the bay area seeing people that used to work for her on the way there so she smiled, stopped and gave a quick hi to them. They knew not to keep her when they can see she was packed and dressed in her military blues.

"Sergeant, here is the paperwork for Jumper #4". She informed the tall MP when she arrived at the entrance to the Shuttle bay.

She handed the burly MP the paperwork. He stood impressive while at attention looked over the paperwork.

"Everything is in order ma'am; take a left then up the stairs to the 3rd level. I will radio ahead so you won't be bothered."

"Thank you Sergeant" Sam smiled. "At ease"

He relaxed and smiled. "Good luck on your trip."

"That was nice of you" Sam left the sergeant and took the stairs to the third level and found the Jumper.

The door automatically opened for her.

"Please run diagnostics" She asked while dropping her duffle bag and the provisions bag. "Set atmosphere to slightly cooler temp of 72 degrees, access Pandora and play 70's light rock" She got out of her uniform and then put on some jeans.

"Diagnostic completed no errors in the system confirmed" The computer acknowledged.

"Thank you, stealth mode and prepare launch, set GPS coordinates to Area 51." She slid into the pilot seat and gently attached the HUD controller which was like a wireless headset on her temple and her gene automatically activated it. The canopy showed all the Puddle Jumpers systems in different colors indicating separate sections.

"Col Samantha Carter, ETA to Area 51 is 20 minutes, stealth activated. All Air Traffic Control patterns are in the buffers." The Jumper core responded after computing her request.

"Jumper 4, put us above the highest cardinal point of the airliners and proceed to designated area." She ordered.

"Course correction will add around ten minutes to time." It responded.

"It's okay, I am not in a hurry and I rather be safe and not give an Air Traffic Controller a nightmare if we appear on their radar" She answered with a wry smile.

"Course correction noted, we are proceeding to 80000 feet, no airplanes heading west at altitude, estimated time of arrival 3:24 pm Western Standard Time" It droned.

"Increase music volume; let me know when we are in range." She closed her eyes listening to CCR.

She nodded briefly until Supertramp came on, prompting her to sing along.

"Colonel we are entering Area 51 airspace. Notification is required to enter restricted airspace." It warned.

"Copy that. Notify them that we are in cloaked mode. I know our tracking system can detect Teltaks so it can track us." She grinned. "Don't want them shooting us down."

"Message sent." It responded.

"Atlantis Jumper 4, this is Bravo Oscar tower, do you copy" A controller asked over her comm system.

"This is Jumper 4, descending from 80k at a rapid decent, do you have a place I can park?" Sam acknowledged.

"Runway 21 is in use, Wind 240 at 4, Altimeter 29.94, clear skies. Landing pad 6." The controller spouted basic air traffic control verbiage.

"Helipad is in range, got visual" Sam acknowledged and then landed the now uncloaked Jumper on the pad. She can see the honor guard type MP's come running out in a hurry because it was an unscheduled event in addition to seeing an Atlantis Puddle Jumper which is a rarity. She opened the rear view door and shocked them when she was not in her full dress blues.

Col. Jason White rushed to the site thinking this was a spot inspection. But when he saw the lovely famous colonel he just smiled but beneath he was actually angry. The look in his eyes toward Sam made her think "Uh oh, this was a bad idea"

"At ease, everyone. I just came here for one person." She said as everyone went to an at ease position, even Col. White. The colonel knew who Sam Carter was and she was someone no one messes with.

"Let me guess, Lt. Hailey, a new SGC assignment?" The Colonel hoped.

"Yes and no." But she could tell in his voice something was wrong.

"You want to talk privately?" She asked and by his body language he was practically screaming.

"My office if you don't mind." He said quietly. "Everyone can return to your post" He barked.

He waved off the guards while the others dispersed to their duties quietly thanking the colonel of not making them stand at attention on a tarmac in the sweltering heat.

They walked side by side not saying anything while a warm welcoming breeze blew as they made their way to the awaiting base operations office that was standard at any military airfield, but this was one different. Sam could see anti-personnel plasma repeater turrets and the huge Tollan based upgraded Ion Cannons strategically placed around the installation. In the distance two frames a B303 and a B304 was being built.

"Have they been assigned any names yet?" She asked the Colonel pointing at the construction platforms.

"No, but names were thrown around like Jeckyll and Hyde, Bellephron, Justice, Wellington, Magellan" He responded.

"Corny names." She miffed.

"Tell me about it, but that is above my pay grade. They are being upgraded to latest tech with mostly Asgard based shields and weapons but on a smaller scale due to power requirements. Gen. O'Neill insists that any trinium or neutronium we can get our hands on goes to constructing ships. But we lack the personnel to man them and we don't have the means to obtain them or train them quickly so I hope they have disclosure soon."

"I understand Colonel. I gathered that Jack, I mean Gen. O'Neill wants the same. It is becoming harder and harder to do background checks even vetting those from other countries or planets."

They made it to the office and thankfully for Sam the salutes were few and far between. She thanked Col. White for hammering that saluting is only required in certain situations and this was not one of them.

"Col. White I was giving approval to check out our many moons and have a Jumper with extra sensory package and since Jennifer is the most qualified after a few of us, I want her to come with me, but I can't force her."

She sat in a comfortable chair in a cool room that was air-conditioned with an ice cold beer sitting next to her that she started to nurse. She noticed that Col. White had a look of opportunity of getting the hot tempered lieutenant off the facility to clear her head before she kills someone.

He leaned back with his hand behind his head.

"Alright, going to be frank, she is not needed here at this time. She needs to go, vacation, holiday or something. She is breaking everyone, even me. She is temperamental, a bitch, hot-headed, bossy, there is not enough adjectives to describe her. "

He sighed and calmed down. "But damnit, she is brilliant, she fixes other scientists or technicians problems and shit and as long as they don't lie to her or make excuses, she genuinely tries to make them feel better about themselves and their accomplishments with a good pat on the back."

"So she swings from one extreme to another" Sam was starting to wonder if this was a good idea.

"I would say so, but when someone actually does something well and can explain it, well her smile is like sunshine, because we usually only see the dark clouds all day, every day." The colonel actually formed a small smile.

"Okay, I will go talk to her now and try to convince her to come with me and give your team a much needed break" Sam could see the relief on the man's face as she got up and left the office.

"Must have been that desperate." She thought when she entered the hallway.

She knew the facility quite well and it wouldn't take long to find Jennifer because of her position in the SGC, she had in the past had to come by and grab her on short notice.

/

Lt. Jennifer Hailey was at the computer terminal inputting some codes trying to decipher the latest find on the Reol who provided her with the pheromone that they were able to replicate but she wanted to know more about the properties. In her mind she thinks they were more knowledgeable than others realized and hid it. Whenever they gate to one of their splintered establishments, she tries to contact one of her friends that she befriended. In turn she brings them things they crave, especially for their children namely toys. It was a very powerful bargaining chip and seeing the kids come for the toys made her very emotional seeing their exuberance.

Their evolution was striking because on how they defended themselves on their first homeworld and thankfully the Stargate allow them to relocate when their effects were wearing off to the dangerous predators that were slowly taking over and their reluctance to create weapons to combat them, which prompted the study by Lt. Haile. Now they are scattered on six worlds and could all converge on one if need be but SGC made it a priority to ensure that the Reol culture and inhabitants survive by keeping them separate until their population increases and away from the more aggressive humans namely Free Jaffa and Goa'uld.

The intercom chirped. Then it chirped again agitating her.

"What is it?" She shouted angrily and then she heard a sigh that was all too familiar to her.

"Sorry Colonel, in the middle of something." She said apologetically.

"I know when you are into something you are really into something." Col. White understood and has developed a relationship with her knowing she was the prize airmen in all of Area 51.

"Just want to let you know, I gave the go ahead already. You will be having company soon." He hung up before she could reply and made her think that she was in some kind of trouble but for the life of her, she could not think of any reason. It is not like she broke someone's nose, or broke a limb lately, like a few months ago and didn't receive any punishment or reprimands for it. She hasn't struck anyone lately. Perhaps cussed out a captain or a major or two, but that is par per course for her when they are obtuse and they knew it would be useless to cry to the colonel about it.

The door rang to her isolated and restricted office or lab as most would call it. It was even furnished with a cot that she often used when she couldn't make it back to her dorm room.

"Enter!" She said as nice as she could not know if it was the military police or someone else that would want her for the colonel to inform her like that.

Col. Carter walked into her office, stunning Lt. Hailey who tried to straighten up around her area quickly. For the colonel to come see her must be a special occasion as no orders for SGC duty was on the horizon.

"Col. Carter sir, ma'am, sorry, just excited to see you!" She stammered and saw the look Sam gave her told her to stop what she was doing.

"Long time no see and don't worry about the mess, mine is worse. We are alike, when we are into something, we are into something." She smiled and saw that Jennifer relaxed and kind of giggle hearing Sam repeat what the colonel said to her not a few minutes ago.

"Besides, what are you working on?" She asked and it was genuine unlike the hustle and bustle the others on the base bothered her with on latest weapons or defensive techs.

"The Reol enzyme in time will not be effective which forced them to flee their original homeward and they refuse to create weapons to defend themselves, which reminds me of the Nox from the reports I've read." She answered. She typed her last response and started to save her work and log out.

"Interesting, that enzyme got us some info and out of spots and I did notice that the longer time you are around the effects gradually wears off." Sam offered.

"Yes, the Goa'u'ld symbiote has something to do with that when they sense something wrong, they will emit a secretion from our own glands to 'feel' for it."

"Hmm, that is why Daniel said that time was critical on some of his missions, he somehow sensed that they were up to what he was doing." She realized.

"Exactly, but I know you are not here to see my work knowing the good General Jack Daddy is not asking for the latest weapons or shields, it has to be something else." She asked catching Sam off guard calling Jack 'daddy' but she said it in a playful way and would never say it in front of the other airmen.

Sam had to laugh. "Interesting way to describe, Jack, errr I mean Gen. O'Neill"

Jennifer already knew that Sam have some really deep feelings for him and him for her by the way they talk to each other or look at each other. It went further than mutual respect.

"Secret is safe, Sam, if you don't mind me calling you that." She said as she hated rank more than anything.

"Sure as long as it is not in ear distance of others that are not in our circle." Sam responded seriously.

"Sam, besides, what is the meaning of this trip and I know it is not to shoot the shit or the latest escapades of SG-1?" Jennifer stated now relaxed in her chair and totally dedicated to talking to the closest she acknowledged as family.

"Have you ever wondered about our own Solar System?" Sam questioned and the way she said it, Jennifer saw that she was really serious about this.

"When I was growing up, yes, but all the satellites deem them unworthy for study and we have ships that can travel to other galaxies. To be honest this is insignificant to the grand scheme of things and probably a waste of our time." She answered and then got up and walked over to her fridge.

"Beer?"

"Sure, what kind?"

"Doppelboch."

"Pass, any pale ale?"

Jennifer handed her one that she kept in stock just for occasions like this and always attempted to get Sam to try the darker stuff she craves.

Sam continued. "I do see what you are saying, but I want to satisfy a curiosity. I remembered that I wanted to visit the moon as an astronaut, then Mars, or the moons of Jupiter to see if our own satellites were correct in their scans, especially Voyager early readings."

"I do admit you have a point as I dreamed of similar things. If you order me I will go, but I have work to do here for our world, not go around site seeing that I could do when I have time." Jennifer said and noticed a slight change in Sam's posture.

"No, I am not going to order you, Jennifer. I just wanted to spend time with you because you are somewhat like me."

Jennifer face contorted slightly.

"Sam, I don't think so. I am more so like Jack than you." She smirked knowing that Sam agreed with her with a smile of her on.

"True in your ways you are, I am just asking. I want to spend time with someone who has similar interests as me in regards to our childhood dreams." Sam noticed that she went too far bringing up childhood which was taboo around Jennifer due to her upbringing.

"Sorry, it did not come out like I wanted it to. Inadvertent slip of the tongue about childhood."

"No worries, without the dreams you've mentioned, I might be in jail or dead now." Jennifer explained with a serious look on her face trying to put Sam at ease for her slip up and then the smile returned like no harm no foul.

Jennifer continued. "You know what Sam, thinking about it, this might not be a bad thing. I do need a break from here or I will continue to break people or things if I don't have a few days off and not be around here."

"Yeah, I read the reports and thankfully Jack and I for the most part gave you Carte Blanche on your behavior, but seriously you broke two airmen nose, broke one's arm, numerous cases of cussing out officer's that outrank you and that is in the last six months alone." Sam tried to be serious but couldn't because everyone knows that Lt. Hailey is on par with her and Dr. McKay an asset they could not afford to lose.

Jennifer head went down. "Well I can't defend what I did, but for the most part they had it coming to them."

"That is life and since they did not press charges we pretty much assumed that they tried something you did not agree with." She said arching her eyes.

"You can say that and that is why I won't date for a while." She answered and then Sam smiled and figured it out, she was protecting herself because of her rough teenage years going from foster home to foster home.

"I know what you mean. How long do you need to pack? I am thinking about four days of doing some sampling the moons of Jupiter, Mars and then look at Ceres and the other asteroids for trace elements. If we have some time, Venus and Mercury as well."

Jennifer looked at Sam, who she respected and even loved like the mother she really never had. For the fact that Col. Carter was probably as smart as she was made it better.

"About two hours I should have everything I need." She responded while looking over her office which would require probably another few hours more to straighten up.

"K, I will swing by and pick you up in 3 hours. I really look forward to this." Sam noticed that Jennifer was looking at the mess and probably figured that some of the work she was doing was more classified in nature than even the airmen on this base.

"As do I, Sam. Well time to clean up, I do have my uniform and regular clothes already packed. You never know when Col. White grows tire of me and have me kicked off the base." She was about to smile, when Sam let loose a laugh and she joined.

"You think of everything, don't you, Jennifer?"

"Of course, you never know, call me Jen, it is easier on the tongue." She asked Sam, who smiled again.

"I can do that Jen and thanks."

"For what?" Jennifer responded.

"For doing this." The smile Sam gave her was genuine and Jennifer could actually feel it and it made her feel better as well, like she belongs, her little family of Sam, Jack, Daniel, Cameron and Teal'c.

/

"Jack, she is going and I have a feeling she was ready to go before I even got there. Just had to break down a few walls to make sure she understands that we are behind her in anything she does." Sam explained to Jack while on the phone in the dormitory lobby.

"Yeah, Capt. Butera and Lt. Crestview offered their thanks for taking the she-devil away." Jack laughed.

"Ah, the ones with the broken nose and arm? Those names were on the report I read when I was flying here. It almost made me turn around."

"Yep, they were screaming at Col. White to do something about her and he basically told them both in a briefing after the incidents that if you date Lt. Hailey while drinks are pouring, you better not cross paths with her or you might get punched or kicked." Jack explained. "The fact they don't know she is like the fourth most important person on this planet means she can practically get away with anything short of murder"

"I know but does she knows that?" Sam asked curiously. Someone of her position in Space Command could do a lot of things.

"Of course she does, I told her but she always told me that she won't kill anyone unless she asked me first" Jack chuckled. "I think she was dead serious too."

Sam sighed. "Well time is up, I should make my way over there. Thanks again, Ceres right?"

"Whatever Sam, just have fun and bring back some good news. Surely our antiquated technology probably missed something or three before we got real space ships."

"Will do Jack, see you soon." Sam hung up the phone before it got embarrassing with the gushing.

She swung by the office of Lt. Hailey and noticed some noises coming from the inside. She rang the buzzer to the door.

"Enter" She heard Jennifer's voice and then a grunt.

The room was noticeably cleaner and stuff put away. It seemed that she was moving a fridge or something and saw the weapons on the cot, a Zat, a crowbar, a shiv and a Oranian pulse pistol. The assortment of weapons made Sam's eyebrow arch.

"Ahem, what the hell are those for, we don't need any weapons, unless someone owes you some money along the way?" Sam said looking at the now beet red Jennifer.

"Nah, I just need to secure them. More than likely someone will snoop around because having personal weapons are kind of taboo on this base. I know, not for me, but I would like to keep some sort of semblance of being equally treated like everyone else and not above the law. So I am bringing them with me unless you want to swing by Atlantis and put them away?" She explained.

It made sense to Sam and very observant of Lt. Hailey to not bring any more discord on the base of being treated like she was a god or something.

"Okay, just make sure you put them in a duffle bag, but a crowbar, what the hell, a crowbar?" Sam said astonished.

"Good at smashing things or hooking things!" She gave a wicked smile. "Especially things below the belt."

Sam's eyes went wide and shook her head mockingly with many bad thoughts crossing her mind about the poor airmen here. The base population was heavily male and Jennifer being attractive created an atmosphere of her being one of the few they could go out on a date with, like a trophy.

"They called you a she-devil, you know that right?" Sam said thinking about the ways that Jennifer can maim the hapless airmen that approached her given her extensive knowledge of martial arts.

"That is all? Weak, very weak, I thought they would come up with something that is more original" She sneered while she threw her various weapons into the bag. "I'm ready. Let's go"

She took the other duffel bag and had her dress blues attached via a hanger in a plastic protection sack to the ones with her clothes.

A golf car was waiting with Col. White driving when they arrived at the dorm entrance. Sam could tell that the man was in a great mood and wouldn't put it pass him or his airmen that a party would be thrown tonight when Jennifer is off the base on a needed vacation and they needing a vacation from her.

Sam snickered to herself while Jennifer put on her patent scowl that they all love hated to see. She knows they will be happy to get a week or two without her being around making them walk on eggshells. She had the power and they didn't and that bothered some of them.

"Colonel, Lieutenant, enjoy your vacation. I hope the trip is fruitful and perhaps you see or bring something back that we can study outside of weapons and defense that could help the planet." Col. White offered, smiling like a proud peacock. He eyed Jennifer who knew the deal. Her smirked towards him confirmed it.

"Enjoy your vacation Colonel and the beers you will have tonight on my behalf with the colleagues. You all deserve a break as well." Jennifer stated with a cockiness that baffled Sam.

"Thank you Lieutenant, did you bring your crowbar along as well" He caught Sam off guard with that remark but when she saw Jennifer about to laugh it must be a joke between the two and left it alone.

"Yep, don't want them going through my office finding the weapon I threaten them with and have it hanging in the mess hall as a trophy." Then they both started laughing and Sam just sighed.

The back door of the shuttle opened allowing the two occupants to enter. Jennifer threw her bags down next to the provisions bag smiling knowing that Sam was thorough making sure they had everything. She walked toward the front into the other seat and saw that Sam was working on her HUD device that was attached to her temple and clicked on a few switches.

The Jumper computer informed Sam that all checks were complete and Air Traffic Controller gave them clearance for takeoff. The Jumper cloaked and then headed straight for the atmosphere and Jennifer looked back at Earth a blue marble and how beautiful it looked from space.

It took them about two hours to reach Jupiter as the planet grew bigger and bigger to its two-person crew. The giant Red Spot was massive close up and they could see why it was regarded as bigger than Earth, it took up their screen when Jumper sat in front of it.

"Watch the gravity well, Sam, dampeners is noticing s some tugging." Jennifer stated nervously. Even though the scenery was incredible it had dangers attached to it.

"Copy that, reversing speed." The Jumper stopped its inertia and used its reverse thrusters. The spot grew smaller and smaller in the distance. She confirmed with the core that they are out of danger.

"We are in standard high orbit if you call it that but jeezus this planet is huge. Switching on RADAR and LIDAR." Sam thought the request while Jennifer adjusted the means on the screen for clarity.

The many moons showed up on the LIDAR system. The HUD displayed the findings on the cockpit glass so Jennifer could see it as well. They were even more beautiful in person and they never thought once to take a look at these small planetoids while they had the craft to do so.

"Conducting scans on Galilean moons" The computer answered the thought coming from Sam. Jennifer was inputting codes into the system rapidly when the computer computations were relaying all the relative data that the previous antiquated systems could not do. Some of the readings made her look twice like she did not believe what she was seeing.

"Sam, interesting composition coming from Europa and Io. It seems our old satellites were not up to par. The Europan ocean is not as deep as we thought and the ice thickness is manageable but there is something beneath it, naquadria, lots of it."

"Are you serious?" Sam said trying to keep the excitement down.

"Take a look." Jennifer pointed while Sam took the device off her temple to see the composition. The liquid ocean insulated the deposits that sat around three miles below the icy ocean mantle but there was something else.

"Oh my god, this would have helped us a while ago." Sam said while she sent another ping to an object that sat near the vicinity of the large deposit that caught the computer's attention.

"Were we so occupied with off worlds and wars that we neglected our own Solar System." Jennifer added seeing the same anomaly as Sam did, trying to refocus the sensors to at least have a silhouette of it.

"You have a point." Sam conceded.

"Okay, you are not going to like this. I have a focus on the anomaly. It is an object, mechanical in nature, something similar to a pulley or derrick. Mining platform by all indications?" Jennifer had a frown on her face trying to figure it out.

"Is it Goa'uld, possibly something Ra left behind?" Sam queried.

"No, it is composed of trinium and some neutronium which they never seem to use by my recollection. Also based on the design the structure is Ancient in nature. It has to be a mining platform of some type that was mining the ore there. "

"How so? " Sam asked wondering how Jennifer figured it out so she peered over to her screen and saw the Ancient database on the Jumper was linked to the one in Atlantis.

"It is similar to the mining platform that was on the first Atlantean planet in the Pegasus galaxy. Some minor differences but confirmed that this is an original model based on schematics. As for it being way out here brings up more questions." Jennifer explained.

"Well it should make the folks at home happy now because we actually found something that can be explored but I do not know how we are able to get to it, that ice is several miles thick." Sam said.

"Not if we use a Grodin." Jennifer answered smiling.

This made Sam smile. This would be a perfect job for a Grodin. It slices things with scalpel like precision unlike the Asgard weapon which disperses matter when it hits it.

"We have another problem. We have neither ore carriers nor mining equipment so we are stuck with the question on how do we mine it?" Sam said dejectedly.

"Why don't we build them? Divert all future trinium and neutronium for ore carriers and bring them here. They would pay for themselves within a month." Jennifer said and a smile crept up on Sam's mouth.

"Good thinking." She finally said as several beeps can be heard from the console. "What is it?

"Life signs, actual life signs" Jennifer said more excited than she normally is.

"Really?"

"Nothing sentient but microbes, water based insects, actually fish, some quite large, not as big as whales but large, all confined to the ocean, plant life too, a lot of it. They also breathe other gases." Jennifer read the computer display read out.

"Wow first scans and we hit a gold mine. Prep one of the two probes we have in the back and leave it here so they can continue scanning. Have it linked to our Jumper. I will not send it to Atlantis yet." Sam said and she watched Jennifer move to the back where two Class 6 probes sat, which were modified for space use instead of the MALPS they used for Stargates.

Jennifer configured the probe to scan the big moons of Jupiter and to send the data specifically to this Jumper only.

"Done."

"Okay beaming it out." The probe disappeared and appeared astern to the Jumper and activated its jets on a pre-course pattern.

"It looks like Io has some deposits as well. The probe is programmed to pick up scans there after its completion here. We should swing back around when it obtained its full reading." Jennifer explained relaying the information from the computer to the probe.

"Okay, inputting coordinates to Mars, prep the other probe for the asteroid belt, center it on Ceres, Mars is not too far away if we need Apollo to bring us another probe. Too bad it is a war vessel; they could be probing the moons of Saturn." Sam said feeling the course change in the Jumper.

"And let them take all the credit?" Jennifer questioned. They looked each other for a second and shook their heads, then laughed.

"Let's go see the face of Mars, it was one of the most intriguing things I saw growing up and I swear I saw a light in one of the eyes, but no one believed me." Sam said as excitement was slowly creeping up on her again.

"You saw it too?" Jennifer questioned.

"I guess you have as well." Sam acknowledged as the reddish hue planet was coming into view.

"Yes, and I got laughed at. So I had to punch a few people till they backed off." Jennifer grinned in the satisfaction of feeling someone's nose caving in from her small but dangerous fist.

"Well, we will see if we're right." Sam said thinking of the poor people that Jennifer assaulted that made fun of her. She must have been a handful at any school. She did not back down nor took any crap from anyone.

"Approaching Mars outer atmosphere, passing atmosphere, now below atmosphere, shields are up to fend off radiation, outside temperature dropping rapidly." The computer droned.

Sam thought about the Face of Mars and the computer understood the recognition and changed course. They were over the mountainous region several hundred miles away.

"Course correction, receiving odd data, compensating." The computer continued and then some alerts started to emanate from the console alerting Jennifer as well.

"What? Something is not right, we are being bombarded by subatomic and subspace particles, like we are being scanned?" Jennifer looked up at Sam who noticed it as well.

"Shields on max, ascend now" Sam warned Jennifer who latched in quickly.

Two blue hued balls that looked like drones headed toward them so quick they did not have time to make a course correction. It broadsided the shuttle impacting shields. Alerts sprouted all over the console with electric arcs forming on in various places but the shields held with a slight variance in strength.

"What the hell was that?" Jennifer shouted looking at the shield strength which indicated full. A few seconds went by and the readout pointed out that these particular drones were testing shield strength with no explosive yield but not quite like an EMP and surmised it was probing the encroaching ship. The Face must have picked up the shuttle and sent the missiles to discern if it is friend or foe as they rapidly approach the Facility.

"Something is coming through communications and it is in Ancient." Sam said, noticing the archaic language over her HUD. "Great, I don't have Daniel here."

"Isn't a translator device setup in this soup up Batmobile?" Jennifer jabbed.

"Why yes, I remembered it is." The gene inside her sent the request instantly and all the Ancient writing switched to English, even the communication.

"Approaching craft, you are in a restricted zone and your credentials do not match our interrogation system. If you do not turn around you will be fired upon." It droned in a way that Jennifer hated with an archaic English dialect.

"Oh shit. We are turning around." Sam said, immediately telling the Jumper to do a 180 to avoid the zone around the Face of Mars throwing Jennifer around in her seat in the tight turn.

More alarms blared as two golden drones was approaching them rapidly unlike the previous ones, this one was intended to destroy them based on the red alert and yield display versus their shield strength. About three miles from rear of the shuttle they stopped pursuing and then reverse course and followed its flight path back to an orifice that was not too far from the Face.

"Sam, do you think we should let Atlantis know about this." Jennifer was concerned that something was going on and it was above their heads. Someone needed to know about this.

"Apollo, this is Jumper 4, do you copy" Sam immediately called the Apollo which was in high orbit above Earth.

"This is Apollo, Col. Carter?" The communication officer answered and little baffled hearing the voice of the one-time commander of the Apollo.

"Affirmative Capt. Larks, I need a secure line to Gen. O'Neill ASAP, Code 1" She snapped. By stating code, it meant no delay, no questions; just get a hold of Gen. O'Neill.

But the request did not get pass Col. Ellis.

"Col. Carter we can be there in a few minutes." Col. Ellis replied over the same line and Sam was perturbed as she purposely avoided Ellis for something like this as he "questioned" things a lot, too much for her taste.

"Stand down Colonel, we are okay, we have a Code 1 situation and I have no doubt that Gen. O'Neill will let you in on it. The less people know the better." Sam explained to an officer that was up for a promotion to General.

"Alright Colonel, I will keep in silent mode until further instruction, but we will be listening just in case something does happen." Col. Ellis remarked in his usual stern taciturn way.

"Thank you, Colonel. I promise if I have any trouble, you will be the first I call" Then communications went blank.

Sam turned to Jennifer who was still trying to process it all around her. The surface was red everywhere with a smattering of brown and tan breaking up the monotony. The Face an enigma of several centuries was there and bigger in person than Sam thought. It was hiding something; she could feel it. They pinpointed where the drones exited an orifice about twenty miles from the base of the Face.

"What do you think we find here?" Sam asked the now wild eyed Jennifer which Sam took that she was thinking a mile a minute.

"Anything, everything, I just don't know. The blue hued drones must have been sensor or probe drones. I never thought our ancestors would probe something before blasting it out of the sky. The yellow were killer drones as I noticed the yield was substantially higher and I figured the first set determined this Jumper had decent shield strength." Jennifer was in her scientist mode deciphering all what transpired in the last 15 minutes.

"So it is definitely hiding or guarding something, right under our noses as well" Sam surmised as she waited for a communication from Jack.

"I would say so, thank goodness we did not use a Teltek, we wouldn't be talking right now." Jennifer said solemnly.

"You are correct, that was my other choice, so glad we didn't go that route." Sam said then saw the communications console light up.

"Code 1? Sam this better be good. You have us amped up now after what Ellis reported." Jack answered more excited than normal.

"That snake, he eavesdropped on our request." Sam said ignoring all that was on her mind. Ellis really did get under her skin.

"That is what he is paid to do, Sam. I know you have a bone to pick with him, but do it at another time. I want to know what you've found." He said in kind way to drop whatever beef she had with Ellis.

"Well, we found some nice things on the Jupiter moons, like naquadrah and trinium, lots of it." She said dangling some bait and waited for his response.

"Well that's nice and all, our prices go down or relying on other planets ramifications but I wouldn't call it Earth shattering." O'Neill deadpanned.

"How could you tell that wasn't the big news? " Sam miffed.

"Because finding some naquadrah or trinium is not Code 1 material, being threaten by another space faring species or a major find that is unlike we've seen before is." Jack reminded her. "Besides, I wrote the manual, we both did" Then he smirked.

"Okay, now I am being serious, what spooked you or what did you find on Mars? By your geo-position you are several hundred miles from the Face and you always talk about visiting it when we got a chance. So what is it?"

Sam knew that Jack knows her too well and listened to everything she has said or did. He might not understand a lot of the technobabble, but he did listen and when she talked about Face of Mars, he remembered. This is what made her feelings for him grew each time they talk, adventure or be around each other.

"We were attacked by drones, blue to be exact about 200 miles from the Face. They weren't the type to destroy but they seem to emit some type of field probing our shield strength. We thought nothing of it and continued and then some Ancient gibberish came over the comm along with erratic radiation sweeping around our Jumper and eventually two what we determined high yield drones headed for us after we found the on button to turn on the Ancient translator just in time to turn around and the drones stopped and went back to the orifice it shot out from."

Jack listened to it all without interruption. Though the situation seemed dangerous Sam did not believe they were in trouble until they crossed an invisible barrier. Something on the planet was built by their ancestors and it warned an Atlantean built Jumper to stay away and that part rubbed him the wrong way.

"You sure it spoke in Ancient?" Jack asked to be sure before he calls the team in.

"I am sure, sir, it is in the logs." Sam answered wondering what Jack was going to do.

Sam heard a sound like the transporters were activated. It was a long two minutes before she heard something back.

"Sam, this is Rodney, Jack is with me. He is calling in some people and he wanted me to talk to you."

Sam slowly figured out what was going on. Jack wanted to keep this silent as this was a find that they could not let out.

"I was able to pilfer your logs from here. You know, I built the Jumper to my specs so I have intimate knowledge of it and by your logs and your positions you did find something big as some of the Atlantis computers started to act funny when some of your findings were linked to its core."

Sam recognized that Rodney's voice was quiet yet he was excited and about to burst. He recognized something but not revealing it.

"So what is going to happen, what do we need to do" Sam asked the brilliant scientist.

"Nothing, just sit there and observe. Atlantis is spitting out information on Mars now and even though it looks vague, the information you receiving is incomplete but we have a lead. " Rodney explained.

"I do not understand" Sam said perplexed as she can see a lot of commotion in the background.

"I will see you in about half hour, do not do or say anything just keep the Jumper at your present position." Rodney said and then she saw Jack arriving behind him.

"Sam, just stay where you are at. Something on the planet is still locked onto the Jumper and while it is doing it, somehow Atlantis is doing something like linking on to your signal and piggy backing it to wherever the source is originating from. Too much for me to understand except that you need to stay put. We are sending two Jumpers to your location, I, Cameron, Rodney, Dr. Zalenka, Daniel , Col. Sheppard and Dr. Vivien Long will be arriving soon."

Sam thought about who was coming, some of the names was unlike the others like Col. Sheppard and Dr. Long.

"Well at least the annoying one Vala Mal Doran is not among them." Jennifer chided.

"Such animosity toward the women. Do you know what she has been through? And if I might add, she got your butt out of some shit a few times on some of our missions" Sam said and was shocked in how much venom Jennifer had toward her friend.

"It's just her personality, it grates on you." Jennifer harrumphed.

"I admit, it something you have to get used to, say for Daniel, a very long time, but he realized that she being his opposite made his whole life better."

"Poor Daniel" All Jennifer could say as the sensors picked up the two Jumpers that was approaching visual range astern of their Jumper.

"Jumper 4 is Jumper 2, we have visual and reading radiation scans in our vicinity, do you copy" Col. Mitchell voice could be heard from Jumper 2 with some background noise sounding like Daniel and a female speaking.

"This is Jumper 4, we have you on screen and visual. I wouldn't stray too much further or the drones will fire."

"Copy that Sam, but Rodney has an idea. He is on Jumper 6 with Jack and Radek. Jumper 6 is a modified reconnaissance Jumper that has quick turnaround speed to outrun gun fire including drones. They will slip in pass you and head for the Face area." Cam explained.

"Copy that Cam, I see them now, who's flying Jumper 6?." She asked knowing that Jack wouldn't fly under this circumstance nor Rodney.

Jumper 6 flew by Sam's Jumper following the same flight path as they previously did but this time no drones came out and it was silent. She can hear Rodney count down the miles in tens until they were twenty feet away.

"Face is even bigger in person, several thousand feet across and taller than anticipated." Rodney exclaimed.

"I am extending sensors, let Sam know I will take over her shuttle sensors as well." Rodney indicated to Jack.

Jack opened his palms to indicate to Dr. McKay to do his thing.

"Sam, unhook the HUD from your temple and sit it on this pedestal so I can link the shuttles, so I can refine the sensors"

Sam did as she was instructed by Rodney.

"Whoa, Radek you seeing this?" Rodney poked his sidekick but it made Jack come out of his stoic stance and he interrupted "What?"

"I see it Rodney, I think we need to move." Radek said and the way he said it made Jack nervous.

"We need to move and we need to move now people." Rodney shouted.

"I'm on it." Sheppard calmed the occupants down as the shuttle shifted its position away from the formation and they heard a rumble.

"What was that?" John said suspiciously.

"You don't want to know." McKay answered.

A few seconds later an eruption came out of one eye of the Face. Ash and fire came out like a flame thrower shooting up hundreds of feet in the air.

"What the hell just happened?" Jack asked now standing.

"It is an elaborate ploy conjured by a hidden base or observation post in the small mountain…." Rodney turned and pointed. "…over there." Then he smiled. He keyed in a few commands. "Proceed to this coordinates, please"

The Jumpers formed up and by their location the hidden base signal lead them to a shield class volcano renowned around the world as Olympus Mons. They slowed down to see the majestic inactive volcano that was twice the height of Mt. Everest stretching heavenly before them.

"Now that is impressive." Coming from Jack made everyone around him look at him. A few seconds later they were interrupted by a different Ancient voice.

"Atlantean Jumpers 2 and 6 verified, Jumper 4 has been integrated in the system buffer. Still commencing sync with Atlantis." It continued and then they saw it, an opening in the side of the biggest mountain on the planet and solar system.

Jumper 6 entered first and the occupants of the shuttle were in awe as it was cavernous inside. The landing bay easily accommodated their small shuttles but also on the pad were space craft they never seen before, some look like fighter types.

Jack couldn't help himself but smiled. This Code 1 was a certified legitimate Code 1. The pad had around two dozen fighter type aircraft about half the size of an F-16 and about twenty shuttles, bigger than the Jumpers and they looked familiar to him.

"Quick, Rodney, do we have any pictures of the Destiny shuttles?" Jack asked playing on a hunch.

Rodney keyed in the request and the shuttle appeared, similar to Destiny but looked updated and not battered and overused like the Destiny shuttle.

"Thanks, that is what I thought." Jack thanked the doctor.

The Puddle Jumper sat down gently as the pylons retracted followed by the other two near an entrance, similar to what you see in a parking ramp.

"Checking atmosphere." Rodney thought using the mental interface and the readings came out perfect for the Earth born human.

"We are good"

"Weapons sir?" John asked and he received a nod from Jack while Rodney and Radek scowled, which neither were armed.

"Weapons hot, do you copy!" Jack ordered over the radio and everyone armed themselves.

"Sir, my wrist sensors picking up movement coming near behind that shuttle over there." She pointed at one of the Destiny type shuttles that was close to an apparent entrance.

The Kull like wrist blaster was an omni-tool that Jennifer devised as a side project to incorporate Goa'uld personal shield and a small radar along with the weapons. One of Jennifer's shelved projects was a tool similar to a Tri-corder that Star Trek provided ideas for her would be the next update.

"Coming into view in a few seconds." Sam said as her wrist small screen pinged with a big blob approaching with a meter indicator showing distance.

Jennifer had her Oranian pistol out in her left hand and a crowbar in another hand receiving looks from the others, which Sam noticed and had a small snicker escape her lips. Jennifer was able to stifle the laugh.

A being, similar to an Asuran was heading their way and each member raised their weapons and pointed.

This concludes the beginning of the new and improved version of my story.