Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of the Four Orders are entirely my own.

Chapter 4

Day Four – Terra Atlanta

"1000500 BC?" – O'Neill finally exploded.

"Yeah." – Lucifer replied.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING HERE?"

"Well, we have to make a few adjustments."

"Will they alter our future?" – Samantha asked.

"Slightly, yes."

"Slightly?"

"Yes, tiny winy bit."

"What do you want to do?" – Daniel asked.

"Oh, uh, we have to infiltrate Atlantis, add a few subroutines, and take something, which will not be missed." – Lucifer elaborated.

"Infiltrate Atlantis?" – O'Neill repeated. "While it is full of Ancients, make a few changes here and there?"

"Yes, and without being seen or caught!" – Lucifer replied then looking excited added. "Exciting, isn't it?"

"Ha, ha, very." – O'Neill did not find it neither exciting nor amusing.

"Oh, come on. Don't be such sissies! It will be fun."

"There is this little problem." – Daniel said.

"Yes?"

"We don't speak Ancient."

"Oh, that," – Lucifer exclaimed amused. "Don't worry you will be."

"We have to learn it first." – Teal'c said.

"Not at all, Teal'c. I'll be like a universal translator inside your minds. For all intense and purposes, you will sound like genuine Ancients."

"This is very reassuring."

"And what are...should we be doing?" – Daniel asked.

"Oh, well, we have to add a few subroutines into Atlantis and take a few schematics."

"Such as?" – O'Neill demanded.

"Well, we need schematics for one of their prototype vessels. They have never really made it work though. They had no idea how. And we need to make sure that Atlantis can be linked to any other city its size – computer link. It is to be able to link the helm systems so Atlantis can be the lead vessel and so one would not need any crew in the other one."

"Why do it here?" – Samantha asked.

"For one simple reason, Samantha." – Lucifer said. "It has to be done this way so when they make another such city that particular subroutine will already exist and so they will..."

"They will put it in the other one as well." – Samantha replied.

"Very good, yes, and so the system will be functional for both cities and all of their future ships, every single one." – Lucifer finished his thought.

"Without being seen?" – O'Neill reminded.

"Oh, well, not literally seen, I mean we will be there. It is just that they must not realize what we are doing and most importantly why."

"Sounds easy enough."

"Yeah that part is. Doing it however is a very different story." – Samantha remarked.

"True!" – Lucifer agreed. "Shall we?"

"What cover story do we use?" – Daniel asked.

"Oh, uh, first we have to go to one of their colonies so we can take another vessel. They must not see this one or they will figure out what it is and this simply said cannot be allowed for logical reasons." – Lucifer replied.

"Where are we going?"

"Dakara. Dial it up."

Daniel dialled Dakara and they flew through the gate. On the other side, they arrived at an amphitheatre of splendid marble and stone. A marvel, maybe one fifty feet high, protruded. It was a giant statue of an elderly man sitting on a throne.

"Fly casually," – Lucifer said. "Put us down somewhere there behind the second hill."

The entire place was crawling with Ancients in their simple little gray robes. SG-1 had wondered why Lucifer had taken some clothes like that but now they knew. They had to blend in. O'Neill landed where he was instructed. They got into the clothes and left the gate ship. Turning around, the ship had vanished.

"What? Where is it?" – O'Neill asked.

"It is still there. It is simply cloaked, sir." – Samantha replied.

"It can do that?"

"Yes, sir." – Samantha smiled.

"Cool!"

"You'd be better if you walked in pairs like most of the Ancients." – Lucifer suggested. "Oh, and Teal'c, we have to find a way to hide your...your, eh..."

"Oh, yeah, the tattoo, I'm sorry Teal'c."

"Maybe not, sir. At this point in time, the Goa'uld are not known."

"That's not the point, Carter." – O'Neill replied. "He's looking different."

"And we are trying to pass like Ancients." – Daniel added.

"Hum, true." – Samantha admitted.

"Oh, one more thing, I just want to make sure that you don't screw up." – Lucifer added. "You will not refer to them as Ancients."

"Oh! Then how?"

"They are the Alterrans." – Lucifer answered.

"We have to work on the cover story." – Daniel reminded.

"We do and Daniel, lose the glasses." – Lucifer said.

Ready as much as possible and under the constant instructions from Lucifer, they joined into the busy current of Ancients. They headed to the research centre.

There they found only very few people working on the consoles. They paid no attention to the newcomers.

"Third console on the left," – Lucifer said to Samantha. "Yes, good, press the forth on the right. Daniel, look at the screen on the left."

"I'm not a baby." – Daniel whispered.

"I'm not saying you are but you are not familiar with the tech either so be so kind."

"Right."

"Jack, yes that one, press it, good, now let's see." – Lucifer continued with the instructions. He was looking for a way in. In the list displayed on the console he found the necessary names and the perfect cover story. The question now was where those people were. They had to make sure they don't spring on them. The information suggested they were on a research colony on the opposite side of the galaxy close to Earth. "Excellent, let's go!"

They left the research centre and headed towards the landed ships east of the statue. There, SG-1 saw their first Ancient vessels. They looked like giant space fishes.

They ventured into one of them where they found many gate ships. They boarded one. Closing the hatch, O'Neill visibly relaxed.

"Daniel, dial Atlantis."

"Not yet," – Lucifer intervened.

"Why not?"

"First, we have to make sure the real people don't run into us while we are on Atlantis." – Lucifer explained.

"You don't suggest we kill them, I hope? – Daniel asked.

"Daniel, Daniel, these guys are the Ancients."

"So?"

"He means there are other ways of achieving our goals." – Samantha replied. "Suspended animation, perhaps?"

"See great minds think alike."

"Where to?"

"P1A 414."

"That's the Alpha site." – Samantha noticed.

"In your time period, yes. In theirs, it is a research colony."

"But we have never found anything belonging to the Ancients there."

"Maybe you didn't look carefully." – Lucifer smiled. "Or in the right place..."

They arrived on P1A 414 and Samantha instantaneously knew why they had not located the base as it was in orbit of the planet. It probably did not exist in their time – a million years is a lot of time.

O'Neill docked with the station.

"You stay here." – Lucifer said to Teal'c and O'Neill.

"And if..."

"Don't worry we will be fine."

They left them and moved inside.

"What are they doing here?" – Daniel asked.

"They are conducting studies of the local star." – Samantha replied taking just one look at the consoles.

"Where are the ones we are looking for?"

"We have to find them. Samantha, find the stasis chambers while Daniel and I locate our people."

Daniel and Lucifer left while Sam went through the database to locate the stasis chambers but as she was not used to work with the consoles it took her more time than anticipated, and someone walked on her.

"What are you looking for?" – A voice interrupted her.

Sam turned around. 'Oh, OMG, it is an Ancient.' She said to herself. "I'm searching for the last analysis on the stasis pods. I required it for my overall report on our studies here before I head back to Atlantis." Sam's fingers were crossed.

"It has been changed to another directory." – The ancient said. "Here," He pressed a button on the left. "These are all the reports on the effect the solar radiation has on the station, and here, you will find what you need."

"It is much appreciated." – The ancient nodded and left through the right corridor.

Sam visibly relaxed. This was close. She located now fairly easy the stasis pods but she had to make sure they are not discovered by accident.

"Sam, we found them." – Daniel called on the radio. "Come two levels down."

"I'm on my way." – She reached them. "What have you done to them?"

"Oh, nothing, it is just a sleeping pill." – Lucifer explained. "Did you find the pods?"

"Yes, I did. Follow me!"

They managed to bring the fallen ancient into the pods Sam had selected without anyone seeing them.

"Now what?" – Daniel asked.

"I have rigged the system to think they are not operational." – Sam replied.

"Good work."

"Oh, this is not enough."

"It is not? Why?"

"Well, they can still be discovered by accident. We can't risk it."

"Alright, what do you suggest we do?" – Sam asked.

"Well," – Lucifer began. He had a thought what to do with them. "We have to move them from here."

"And put them where?" – Daniel said.

"Oh, well, ah, on the surface..."

"What surface?"

"Of the planet – near the gate – well not that near the gate but somewhere close," – Lucifer replied.

"What?" – Daniel exclaimed. "We can't do that. No, this is not what..."

"Daniel, I understand but the point is anyone can find them by accident and then we will inherit a world of trouble. We have no choice. They will perfectly safe. The pods are designed to last a long time."

Daniel sighed. "And how do you suppose we get them off the station?"

"We jettison them." – Sam replied. "And then picked them up with the ship."

"So many things can wrong,"

"What did you expect that it will be a walk in the park? Seriously?"

"Let's just do it and be done with it." – Daniel said.

Sam configured everything so not to be detected at once and jettisoned the pods.

"I'm done."

"Alright, back to the puddle jumper."

"Oh, thank God, we were starting to worry about you." – O'Neill exclaimed when they returned.

"Let's get the hell out of here." – Daniel said and sat down.

"Ah, not here, Daniel," – Lucifer interrupted. "We have some goods to pick up."

"Goods – what goods?" – O'Neill looked up.

"Oh, just drive. Samantha will explain along the way."

The puddle jumper undocked and O'Neill moved it towards the jettisoned pods. Picking them up was not difficult and in a moment they headed to the surface.

"Would you explain to me again how we are going to place them near the gate?" – Daniel asked sarcastically.

"I did not say this gate." – Lucifer retorted.

"So why am I then heading to the surface?" – O'Neill asked.

"Beats the shit out of me."

"Crap,"

O'Neill directed the ship back to the gate. "Dial it up!"

"Atlantis?"

"No, Dakara."

"Oh,"

They placed the pods near a forest and covered them with branches and bushes hoping they will not be discovered by any stray walking ancients right away. They then returned back to the ship.

"Alright, now let's go through it again." – Lucifer urged.

"I'm Donos," – Daniel said.

"The connection escapes me." – O'Neill remarked.

"Then again, almost everything else does. Go on, Donos."

"I'm Donos, research antiquarian transferred from Teus Vash to Atlantis."

"Good, Teal'c?"

"I'm Tealus and along Jonus, we are qualified pilots of transport and war class vessels."

This took quite an effort for Teal'c to speak in this fashion, not to mention the smug smile on O'Neill's face when it happened.

"Sam?"

"I'm Sotra,"

"Sotra?" – O'Neill looked up.

"It comes from Snotra,"

"What the hell is that? Daniel?"

"Ah, I think it is Norse."

"Yes, and it is?"

"It is a Goddess. It means the clever one." – Lucifer replied with a smile. "Don't you think it is fitting?"

"Yeah, it is." – Daniel nodded.

"So, I am Sotra, research master in astrophysical events."

"Perfect, let's go."

They dialled the gate and ventured through. Emerging through the event horizon O'Neill halted the ship. They were not in Atlantis. The gate was placed in the open.

There were a few ancients waiting to activate the gate.

"Move it, you moron," – Lucifer exclaimed in panic.

"I just didn't expect this." – O'Neill said.

Lucifer did not bother with an answer. He took control over the motor function of O'Neill and flew up the ship before the people down get suspicious of the delay.

"Do you mind? Those are my hands and body." – O'Neill exclaimed.

"Well, lot of good that did us." – Lucifer retorted. "I told you no hesitation. If you are not up to this..."

"I can manage thank you!" – O'Neill snapped.

"You'd better." – Lucifer flared up. "This can never happen again. The Alterrans will notice anything out of the ordinary. Try not to forget those are the Ancients. They are not Oma or whatever, keep this in mind. One mistake and all goes to hell not to mention the future."

"Well, it is you who got us into this mess in the first place."

"Do you want to defeat your problems without wiping out the human race in the process, ah?"

"I'm starting to wonder if it is worth the trouble."

"It is worth." – Lucifer's voice thundered. "Everything in the universe happens for a reason. If you are wondering whether we are supposed to be here, the answer is yes we are. You and your team went back to 1969. Do you think that was supposed to happen?"

"Well, I don't know – maybe."

"Or maybe not – but it did. So here we are to make a difference without interfering. I know it is difficult but hey it is so every time you cross through the gate. You were not complaining then why now? It is not that different. Well, it is but the point is it is important."

"Alright, already, I will try my best."

"Good, that's what we can all hope for."

"Ah, guys, - Atlantis – ahead." – Daniel interjected.

The city of Atlantis came into view. It did not seem yet fully completed.

"They are still building it." – Sam observed.

"Actually, they are rebuilding it."

"Why?" – Daniel asked.

"They had had an unpleasant encounter and we will stop there."

"Why?" – O'Neill insisted.

"Temporal Prime Directive," – Lucifer replied.

"What?" – Daniel asked.

"It is a Star Trek thing, Daniel." – O'Neill replied.

"What does it mean?"

"It means it is linked to events and details you are not supposed to know about." – O'Neill replied and everyone looked surprised at him. "What? It is a..."

"Yes, we know – Star Trek."

"And it also means that someone kicked them in the balls. Right, Lucifer?"

"Right,"

"It is a marvellous achievement." – Daniel exclaimed exalted.

"Huh?"

"He meant the city."

"Oh,"

"Put her down on the East Pier."

O'Neill landed where Lucifer had shown him. All four exited and followed Lucifer. The city of Atlantis was a dream for anyone. It was majestic in its grandeur, architecture and technology. It was hard to believe someone has managed to damage it.

"Now where?" – Daniel asked.

"We are going to talk with Jelis." – Lucifer replied.

"Who the hell is that?"

"She is the chief inventor of Atlantis."

"About?" – Carter asked.

"Actually, I'll do the talking." – Lucifer said. "Daniel, you will be my conduit."

"What a cheerful thought…" – Daniel remarked.

They continued on their way descending to the lower levels. In a small lab, they found Jelis. She was bent over the consoles inputting data.

"Good day over the sun!" – Lucifer greeted using Daniel's voice.

Jelis lifted her head and looked at the newcomer. "Good day over the moon." She replied and a tiny smile appeared on her face.

"I'm Donos, research antiquarian transferred from Teus Vash to Atlantis."

"Ah, yes, I recall. How is Vellus?"

"He sends his greetings to his most accomplished student." – Lucifer replied. "He hopes your duties will soon subdue long enough for you to visit him."

"Alas, my duties will not be leaving me soon." – Jelis said. "I'm glad though he has sent you."

"It is mine."

"Who are they?" – Jelis asked.

"These are Tealus and Jonus!" – Lucifer pointed at Teal'c and O'Neill. "They had qualified for transport pilots. Vellus thought they would be of use given the circumstances."

"Yes, indeed," – Jelis nodded.

"And this is Sotra." – Lucifer motioned at Sam. "She is the leading expert on astrophysical events."

"Yes, I have heard of you." – Jelis said approaching Sam. "I could use someone with your skills."

"It is my honour to serve." – Sam replied.

"Tealus, Jonas, you could report to Vendrix. We can always use additional pilots."

"Where can we find him?" – O'Neill asked.

"He should in the main control room or in the shuttle bay."

Lucifer appeared shortly showing them a map. Teal'c and O'Neill understood they had to go at once. They thanked Jelis and were on their way.

"Sotra, I could use your input in my research." – Jelis said.

"Sure..."

"Donos, master Telic, he is on level six. He will be delighted."

Daniel left and Sam was left with Jelis. To her it seemed surreal how everything had fallen into place in the first moments of their presence in Atlantis. The work Jelis had in mind for Sam turned out to be something she could manage even in her sleep.

Lucifer focused his attention onto Daniel. He had very little time to find out who is who in Atlantis and explore the relationships. The one good thing was that no one has seen researcher Donos in a while but there is always the possibility of a mishap, and meeting master Telic could be one of them.

"Master Telic, I'm Donos transferred from Teus Vash." – Daniel announced himself.

"Ah, Donos," – Telic said barely looking up from the monitor. "I'm examining the mineral engraving from last month's..."

Telic moved away from the monitor and froze. He was now face to face with Daniel that started to lose facial control if it was not for Lucifer it could have been major you know what.

"Donos?" – Telic repeated looking sternly at him.

Lucifer did not bother with a reply and moved to see what Telic was working on. Daniel tried to protest but he silenced him. It was not the time to fidget.

Telic was studying mineral engravings discovered in the middle of the main Euro-Asian continent. They were found several miles underneath the crest and presented a most wonderful enigma. It was certain they were the work of an advanced culture.

"The markings are extraordinary," – Daniel said. "It seemed they are perfectly cut into the crystalline structure without creating rough edging that usually appears while attempting mineral cutting."

Telic had continued to observe Daniel with the same stern gaze but the enchanting explanations of Lucifer were hard to resist.

"Yes," – Telic snapped out of it and moved to him. "The engraving process had taken under a minute with a precision tool of great sophistication. See here – how oval it..."

"And smooth..."

"Yes, it is like polished surface. There are no burning marks."

"Have you been able to translate it?"

"No, not as of yet,"

"Then, let's not waste any time."

"Donos, just a minute!" – Telic was not giving up easily. "I have no recollection ever seeing you."

"It is an understandable omission." – Lucifer replied.

"Omission?"

"Yes, Donos was not feeling well so master Vellus did not want to disappoint. He sent me instead. As we have the same name...you understand..."

"I see." – Telic said. "Master Vellus has always been the..."

"Yes, he knew you'd understand."

"Very well, young Donos let's get to work."

"Ah, one more thing, master Telic..."

"It is perfectly understandable. I shall keep it."

"Many greetings."

"Do you have assigned living space?"

"No, I came to work."

"I shall arrange."

"I haven't come alone."

"It is not a problem."

By the evening exhausted of work, the four met in their assigned quarters.

"Phew," – O'Neill exclaimed. "This was way too close."

"You want to speak..." – Daniel countered. "My encounter with Telic was the closest one."

"Oh, stop complaining," – Lucifer shot. "It was bound to have a few bumps onto the road."

"Lucifer, when are you planning for us to get the real work done?" – Sam asked.

"Yeah, when?" – O'Neill asked too.

"Well, we have to gain their trust...well not gain it we already have that but we have to spend time here. They must get to know us before we start pocking around."

"In other words, we must become invisible?" – Daniel hinted.

"Yeah,"

"How long is that going to take?" – O'Neill asked.

"A few…"

"Days?"

"Uh…."

"WEEKS?"

"Ah…months!"

"MONTHS – are you insane?"

"Well, I didn't say it is going to be easy!" – Lucifer answered. "We have to be inconspicuous in order for them to start accepting us as part of the daily routine. What you thought we are going to come and for two hours get the job and then get the hell out? The point is to make permanent changes. If we scarper at first opportunity someone is bound to get suspicious and then what? They are going to find out what we did and undo it and then it would have been all for nothing."

O'Neill sighed deeply and with frustration. "Why is it that you make things even more complicated?"

"Well, you do want to do things right, right?"

"I'm not so sure now." – O'Neill retorted.

"We hardly have a choice, O'Neill." – Teal'c said.

"True," – O'Neill said. "Alright, good-night, Tealus and I have flying tomorrow – lots and lots of flying."

"You can teach them fishing…" – Lucifer said.

"Very funny, good night Carter, Daniel,"

"Good night, Jack,"

"Good night, sir."

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