The First Steps
Chapter 3
Atlantis, Bristol Channel, Earth. T-minus 60 minutes.
"How we doing, Chuck?" Rodney asked. Pre-flight preparations for their return to Pegsasus were progressing well, so far.
"All systems nominal, Doctor," Chuck said. "Non-essential systems are being locked down, and the last group is ready to beam up to the Enterprise. Once they're away, Sheppard will block the Stargate with a Jumper,"
Rodney nodded absently and glanced down into the gateroom. Spotting one face in particular, he hurried down the stairs.
"Hey," Rodney said warmly.
"Hello, Saviour of the Universe," Keller said amusedly, before dropping the smile. "I'm not that happy about having to pack everything up and make the trip on the Enterprise. Why can't we stay in the city?"
Rodney had enough sense to look uncomfortable. "Woolsey and O'Neill want as few people here as possible," he said. "Even those of us who are staying have to wear pressure suits when outside the gateroom, in case the shield fails en-route. There are only going to be a dozen of us, and it's going to be quite uncomfortable, because we're going to be sleeping in the Jumpers,"
"I guess it'll be more comfortable on a ship that is actually designed to fly in space," she said. "You be careful. No heroics, you hear?"
"No promises!" Rodney chuckled. "See you on the other side. It's only four days,"
"That's four too many, but it'll be nice to be back," Jennifer said. "Now get back to your vital work, Doctor!"
"Yes ma'am," Rodney said, turning and gesturing to Chuck, who signalled Colonel Ronson on the Enterprise. Keller's group disappeared in flashes of light.
"Sheppard," McKay said over his radio.
"I read you," the colonel said.
"You're clear to bring the Jumper down now,"
Sheppard responded by opening the bay doors. The Jumper eased down a few moments later and parked it's nose in the Stargate, preventing any unwelcome surprises and finally allowing the SGC's gate to be dialled from offworld without jumping the wormhole or going via the Alpha Site.
Sheppard wandered out of the Jumper and up to Rodney.
"I'm going down to the chair now," he said. "Contact me when you've connected the Jumper to the city's systems,"
With that, he clapped Rodney on the back and sauntered out of the gateroom, leaving McKay to wonder if it might be practical to clone himself. Being a genius was tough sometimes.
–
Genii Prime, Pegasus Galaxy
The Stargate on the Genii homeworld was always guarded, and by the Genii's most elite soldiers. It would have been foolish for any enemies to assume otherwise. Their world had seen a great upheaval over the past few months, along with many controversial changes.
For this reason, the arrival of an armoured figure through the Stargate was expected, but still treated with caution.
The leader of the guard division greeted the figure, and enquired as to the hooded and bound figure that the armoured man had dragged through.
"The prisoner, as agreed with your leadership," was all the armoured man said, in a gutteral, artificial voice.
"Very well," the guard said. "The Chief is this way,"
The unlikely trio made their way towards one of the quaint decoy farmhouses that led to the vast subterranean city.
The guard did not make small talk with the mysterious armoured man. Very few among the Genii knew who were below the masks, and he was not one of them. He also had suspicions as to who the pitiful figure being dragged behind them was, but he also kept them to himself.
The first encounter had been when a small ship had landed near the Stargate several months ago. Since then, armoured figures had come and gone through the Stargate. Several Genii had dared venture to the address from which their visitors had come.
None had returned.
It was with some relief that the guard reached the Chief's anteroom. The armoured figure strode in without a second look at his guide, dragging his prisoner with him.
The Chief was at his desk, drumming his fingers on the wood. The visitors had never been late, and today was no different. The door opened, admitting the armoured figure.
"Greetings, Chief Athor, on behalf of the Vanir. I am Helblindi" it said.
"It's a pleasure," Chief Athor said gruffly. "Is that him?"
"As per our agreement," Helblindi said, whipping the hood from the prisoner's face. "Ladon Radim, your predecessor,"
Athor regarded Ladon with a sneer.
"At last, the weakling who would dilute the strength of the Genii and make us vassals to others," Athor said softly, rising from his seat. "What have you to say for yourself?"
"I have nothing to say to you," Ladon spat. Athor chuckled, activating the intercom on his desk.
"Send in a guard," he said.
Moments later, the door opened, admitting a soldier.
"Take him to a cell," Athor said, gesturing dismissively towards the former Genii leader.
"Let us get to business, Helblindi," he said, as Ladon was dragged out. "When will we be able to move to the next phase?"
"Soon," Helblindi said. "The Atlanteans still have only one ship in this galaxy, which is attempting to locate the main Wraith planets. Atlantis itself is still nowhere to be found, and we believe the ship is operating out of a smaller base,"
"Was the intelligence we gathered on the movements of the Wraith useful?"
"It was. There are a smaller number of consolidated factions now," Helblindi said, taking a small device out of his armour, and activating it to show a holographic map of the galaxy, with a number of planets of interest highlighted. "These are their main worlds, although there appears to be one faction more powerful than the others, and its leader has considerable charisma, aiding his attempts to unify the factions,"
"That's a worry,"
"Yes, it is. A plan is being formulated to disrupt this. It is likely that it will require Genii resources to be successful,"
"Anything you want. They're the biggest threat to both of us at this point,"
"That is reassuring. I will take your consent back to the leaders of the Vanir, and I will return within the week," Helblindi intoned, drawing the meeting to a close.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Athor said cheerfully. Soon, Acastus will be avenged. The Wraith aren't our only enemies, he thought, as Helblindi strode out of the room.
Atlantis, Earth Orbit, Milky Way
The city's takeoff had been uneventful, leaving no environmental damage behind them. The customary tsunami at liftoff had been averted by a more power-hungry but overall gentler flight profile.
McKay was checking the sensor screens when Sheppard's voice echoed through the control room. "Approaching fleet rendez-vous,"
"Screens up here confirm, John," McKay replied. "Signalling Enterprise now,"
McKay tapped a few controls. The icons representing their escorts, the Pegasus Fleet, consisting of Enterprise, Daedalus, Odyssey and Ajax blinked softly, getting nearer to the city. Sun Tzu was loitering over M35-117 and would return to Earth once Atlantis landed.
There were also a few other contacts on the screen. The Gagarin and the Hammond had press contingents aboard, covering Atlantis's departure, which was a novelty for all concerned. The relative ease with which space could now be accessed had yet to sink in for some. Homeworld Security and the IOA were looking for a big PR event, and McKay had heard rumours that the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11's landing would be conducted on the moon itself, to demonstrate the new frontier. Carter's moon base idea was moving forwards also, with sites at the lunar poles being surveyed.
"Enterprise, this is Atlantis. Ready to ship out on your mark," he said.
"Atlantis, Enterprise Actual," came the voice of Colonel Ronson. "Hyperspace activation will be in a quarter-orbit's time, synchronise mission clock at T-minus twenty minutes on my mark,"
"Enterprise, Atlantis. Copy that," McKay said.
"T-minus twenty minutes in three, two, one, mark,"
"Clock set and running, have a good trip,"
"You too, Doctor. Enterprise Actual out,"
McKay turned and surveyed the small contingent in the control room.
"Banks, take the next shift. I'll be down in the Jumper, having some lunch and then twiddling my thumbs," he said, gesturing towards the small ship in the gateroom below.
--
Apologies for the shorter chapter. For some reason I keep getting the urge to write a SG/nBSG crossover, and I keep thinking about that. Weird. Might also start up As According to Plan again.
The Earth ships have been divided into two fleets. In Pegasus there will be Enterprise, Odyssey, Daedalus and Ajax. In the Milky Way there is Sun Tzu, George Hammond and Gagarin.
The Vanir are playing Tok'ra to the Genii's Tau'ri, in that one side has advanced technology but with relatively limited manpower, while the other has plenty of bodies to throw at a situation in a low-tech way. I'm also thinking how the Daedaus Variations aliens and their funky Star Destroyer could fit into this, if at all.
Athor is mentioned by Sora (who might turn up later, who knows) as being a friend of Kolya and also the influential father of one of the soldiers killed by the gate shield during Kolya's takeover of the city.