Chapter 4.
Unexpected departure.
When the teleporter materialized them in the gate room, they realized that they were not the only ones unexpectedly brought to Atlantis.
Most of the basic crew was already there, and the rest were currently materialized... including with Richard Woolsey hand clasping Daniel Jackson, and Carson Becket saying goodbye with Samantha Carter.
All four of them froze for a moment, disoriented from the sudden change of scenery, and then they glanced around.
- What's going on? - choked finally Woolsey and looked up the stairs, where on the terrace stood a young woman. - Miss Banks ?! What's going on ?!
- I'm so sorry, but I had to bring you here - she said, coming down. - Atlantis will lift-off soon... Doctors McKay and Zelenka try to work around the system, but so far to no avail.
- What do you mean: lift-off? - he repeated.
- I do not know - she said resignedly. - One of the technicians assembled the teleporter, came to calibrate a tracking system on our console. And when he had finished, suddenly the alarm went off and the countdown to the lift-off began... I think it was his fault.
- Where is he now? - asked Sam.
- I do not know. He disappeared when I was checking what was happening.
- Do you think it's sabotage? - asked with a slight disbelief Richard.
- This should be taken into consideration... Although I have no idea who could have done it, and why - she said, and walked in the direction of the control center.
- Getting rid of Atlantis from Earth would suit many factions in this galaxy - Daniel remarked. - Not to mention the possibility of taking over her control.
- This was not likely - said behind one of the laptops Rodney and looked at them. - One thing we are sure of: a program that controls Atlantis set the autopilot on a course back to the Pegasus galaxy...
- We have an autopilot? - interjected little surprised Sheppard.
- Apparently - said the scientist. - Unfortunately, engines and control systems are being blocked, and each of our attempts to work around it ends in failure. As if the program anticipated our every move.
- Therefore we believe that it could be the Ancients' safety mechanism in case of leaving the Pegasus galaxy by Atlantis - Zelenka said.
- I do not know much about it, but something like that should have worked a long time ago... after our departure from Pegasus, and not only after a month? - asked Beckett.
- It is possible, that our previous interventions in the systems, switched off it, and wasn't activated until during the work on the teleporter - Carter said, looking at the readings on the laptops' monitors.
She wanted to add something, when suddenly the entire structure shuddered.
- Hold on, we lifting-off - said McKay. - I will switch on the shield...
- Then we will become visible - Woolsey noted.
- If I do not this, we will burst before we get into orbit - said the scientist.
- McKay is right - Sam admitted. - But I think we can wait until we rise to a height of about five kilometers... at least beyond the reach of the human eye.
- All right - Rodney said. - ...But until then we will be shaking.
Woolsey nodded and the scientist quickly punched in the appropriate commands, waiting for the right moment to push "enter".
Atlantis was already high above the city, and most of the residents of San Francisco were too busy with daily affairs to possibly notice her sudden appearance. But, to the keen eyes of observers, this phenomenon definitely would be not missed. And certainly not to a few helicopters from local television stations.
Therefore, McKay waited as long as he could, to make the shield which was so far making Atlantis unseen outside, quickly turn into a force field.
- We are at a height of 2.4 kilometers and we still a rise - informed Carter and she looked at the others. - Do we have enough power to go back to Pegasus? - she asked.
- Unfortunately we do not... but apparently the flight control program does know this - said Rodney.
- We calculated quickly, that with this power... and with luck... we will barely get somewhere in the vicinity LGS-3 - Radek said, pointing to the screen on wall, showing s predictable trajectory.
- That means? - Woolsey asked.
- This is a dwarf irregular galaxy, also known as the Pisces Dwarf - said Samantha. - Is located about three-quarters of the way between us and Pegasus...
- Sir... Stargate Command is on line - Amelia interjected.
- Please connect - ordered Woolsey.
- Richard?... What's going on? - asked O'Neill with his usual calmness. – The Daedalus had to move me to the SGC, so I would be able to contact you.
- We don't know exactly - said the man. - Some kind of program took control over the Atlantis engines, and set a course back to Pegasus... Colonel Carter and Doctors McKay and Zelenka are trying to figure out what...
- Carter is there? - O'Neill interrupted him, surprised.
- Yes. She was accidentally teleported with Doctor Jackson, when Miss Banks brought on the Atlantis basic personnel.
- So, send them away.
- There's no time for that... Sir - Sam interjected. - Moreover, in the current situation, I think it would be better if I stay here. We have to as soon as possible turn off the program. According to preliminary calculations, we do not have enough power to go back to Pegasus, and we may get stuck somewhere along the way...
A series of glitches interrupted her from the speaker.
- We entered in the radio silence zone - informed Radek. - The communication should return in a few minutes.
- I thought the city needed someone to pilot the control chair - she said, using the break in communication with the SGC.
- That's true... But apparently, the one who wrote the program cleverly workaround this - Rodney explained. - The chosen course seems to be very precise. It takes into account the Doppler effect, so we should not fall for anything.
- Comforting - she almost muttered.
- Can't we just disconnect the ZPM after entering orbit? - Woolsey asked.
- It's too risky. We do not know exactly with what we're dealing, and over how many systems the program took control - McKay said, back to the analysis of the data on the laptop. - I never thought I'd say this, but at the moment it would be safest, if we wait until the program will do the rest... In the worst case, we will get stuck somewhere along the way, and then SGC will send the ship for us.
- A brilliant plan, Rodney - Sheppard snorted.
- You have better? - cut off the scientist. - We are constantly trying to restore control over the system, but when Atlantis goes into hyperspace, rummaging in the drive will be the last thing I would have suggested...
- We still have one problem - suddenly said Sam, and the other looked at her. - The program has found just the parameters of your flight to Earth using the wormhole drive... and just started to copy it.
- It's impossible - Rodney interjected, coming to her and looking closely at the data. - ...This requires extremely complex calculations. How is the program...? - he paused for a moment, returning to analyze the information displayed on the screen.
- What? - asked Sam.
- ...This is no ordinary program - he said at last and looked at the others. - It must be highly advanced, since it searches the database... and learns from it...
- ...Atlantis, this is Stargate Command, do you hear us? - interrupted them male voice coming from the speakers.
- Atlantis here, we hear you again - said Carter. - We are entering the low orbit.
- I see - said O'Neill. - Any new discoveries... from those few minutes?
- Truth be told, yes, sir... McKay believes it would be safest to wait until the program completes itself... and to be honest, currently I agree with him... We just noticed that the program searched the database and copied information regarding the wormhole drive... the one which was used so to Atlantis could quickly reach Earth a month ago - she explained.
- And that means...?
- That the program is much more advanced than we thought. It learns. Therefore, we are concerned that attempts to disable it, or any interference, can't end well.
- Carter... You told me few minutes ago that you do not have enough power to get to Pegasus - the general recalled.
- That's right, sir, but after all it will be safest - she said. - Nothing is threatening us. Even if we get stuck somewhere, we will send a subspace message, and you can send for us the ship. The brought crew is not large, so we should be enough supplies. We also have Mark IV generators. We confine our action area to save power.
- Are you sure about this?
- Yes - she said at the same time with Rodney.
- ...All right - said Jack with a slight hesitation. - I will inform the IOA about everything... They will be delighted. They had big plans for Atlantis... and Todd - he murmured.
- Yes, I heard - she said reluctantly. - We'll contact you as soon as we get there, sir... Wherever it will be.
- OK... In that case, good luck... O'Neill out - he said, and hung up.
The woman looked at the others.
- He took this well - said with a slight amusement McKay.
- The general always retains stoic calm in these situations - Sam said and walked over to him to look at the laptop screen. - We just entered high orbit... Get ready for flight. I think the program is just finishing the calculation - she added.
- How long can the flight take? - asked Daniel.
- I have no idea. At normal speed, with our partially exhausted ZPM, probably... it'll take a few days. But it is hard to say what modifications were introduced to the flight the program... We'll try to find out it, but it will take a while - she said, sitting down in a chair.
- All right. You find out everything what you will be able - Woolsey said. - And we'll... wait.
- For a moment we will jump into hyperspace - Zelenka informed them from his seat, looking at the laptop screen.
Atlantis moved away from the blue globe, flying next to one of the ships.
Moments later, on a background of black space, it showed up a flash of white and blue light, to quickly enlarge in size. Right afterward, the station sped rapidly, disappearing inside the tunnel. And when the hyperspace window closed up, in the Earth's geostationary orbit remained only Daedalus class gray vessel...
Richard Woolsey left the control room of Atlantis and stopped at the top of the stairs, looking at the people gathered below.
- As you probably know, we just left Earth and at the moment we are on course to return to the Pegasus galaxy - he said calmly. - Colonel Carter and Doctors McKay and Zelenka all the time trying to restore control of the city, but the program, that has been running for unknown reasons and in unknown circumstances, proved to be more... complicated, than they previously thought. Therefore, it was decided to wait, until we get there. Trying to take back control of Atlantis, when it is in hyperspace, is too dangerous for us... Assuming the worst scenario, we would stay somewhere in... three-quarters of the way between the Milky Way and Pegasus - he remembered. - Then we will send the subspace signal and the Earth will send for us the ship... Until then, supplies on Atlantis should suffice for us... I know that your next few days were to look different. But you were brought here, because you constitute the core of our team. You are the best from the best, and I know, that together we will find a solution of this problem... and we will survive, as every time before. Because this is our daily bread... although, by the last time we became a little lazy - he joked a bit, which lightly amusement the gathered. - For now, however, we must be patient... Until then, I suggest you to return to your daily duties or to your quarters... That's all... You may split up - he added, and nodded slightly.
The people gathered in the gate room started to comment among each other the events the past minutes, slowly leaving in different directions.
- Nice speech - Teyla said unexpectedly from behind.
He looked at her a little surprised and torn out from his thoughts.
- Thank you - he said with a slight smile. - This flight is for all of us a great surprise. Now we have to just try to make it so that such surprise will be the last for today.
The woman glanced in the direction of the control center.
- I'm sure, that the three of them will, quickly find a solution - she said. - They are now in their element.
- Yes. Only they can pull us out of this - said Richard, also looking at the three discussing scientists.
.
.
In one of the underground rooms of Stargate Command Center in Cheyenne Mountain , General Landry was still staring at the screen, where a moment ago, on a high orbit of Earth, was a dot - Atlantis.
Then he looked finally at O'Neill standing next to him.
- It seems that they really flew away - he said.
- Well, the dot disappeared - he pointed at the screen - ... so I assume, that yes.
- I hope they can handle it - he said, looking at the screen again. - They are now on our own.
- Easy... Carter is with them - Jack said when the man looked at him. - And she always has a brilliant idea, when the situation seems hopeless.
- Yes, it's true - he said with a slight smile.
- I came up with a brilliant idea, that if we know where they will stop, we could send a ship out there now. Saving time.
- And if they get to the Pegasus galaxy?
- I do not think so. Carter agreed with the calculations, so we can calmly assume, that they did not get there.
- Right... Did you mean a particular ship?
- General Hammond waited on Carter to return from a meeting with the IOA... And since she is on Atlantis...
He did not finish. He did not have to. General Landry knew exactly what his friend meant.
- The IOA will be furious - he snorted lightly. - They probably already know that Atlantis flew away.
- The IOA is always furious when things do not go their way - O'Neill remarked calmly.
- So... who is going to talk with them?
- I was hoping that you would.
- And I had hoped that you would - said Henry. - It seems that we have a stalemate.
- Sir? - Major Davis interrupted, holding a telephone handset. - IOA on the line...
Landry sighed and walked over to him.
- They are in this faster absquatulate when it gets hot - he snorted. - Connect... Let's get this over with - he almost murmured, taking the telephone handset.
The officer nodded and pressed one of the buttons on the console.
- General Landry, I'm listening?