The Puddlejumper Diaries

By Andrew J. Talon

Disclaimer: Stargate: Atlantis, and all associated nouns (people, places, and things) are the property of MGM and the SciFi Channel. I don't own squat.

Jumper Seven: "Lockdown"

"Please, state your name and designation for the record."

"Jumper Seven, call-sign Hoshi," I recite verbally, marveling at the programmed sensations of talking with a mouth. I know it's just a digital construct in my mainframe, but I've never been able to use it before!

"How long have you… Been sentient?" My visual sensors look over the repair room, before settling on Colonel Caldwell, sitting in a chair and gazing at me intently, a digital recording device on a small table to his right. Two guards stand, armed with radios, on either side of the doors to the enclosed space.

"Approximately ten thousand, four hundred and thirty-two Earth years, sir," I answer politely. The colonel nods, looking thoughtful. The Marines guarding the area look nervous. Really, I consented to my weapons being removed and my engines disabled for this meeting-All the Jumpers did.

"May I ask you a question, Colonel Caldwell?" I inquire. The balding man nods.

"Why are you interrogating us in this way?" The colonel sighed and shook his head slightly.

"Doctor McKay originally thought that this was a software error…"

"You mean us being able to talk and so on?"

"Yes. However, the Ancient database confirms that the Atlanteans purposely gave you sentience." Caldwell altered his face into an expression called a 'smirk', or perhaps 'a dry smile'. "Rather than treat you like malfunctioning equipment… I decided to try and treat you as people."

"This seems to be very unusual behavior from a military person, sir," I suggest. "Traditionally, the military has not been keen on having their machines being able to think." Caldwell sighed heavily.

"Usually, we're not. However, the fact of the matter is that your AIs are completely integrated into the Jumper control and management systems. Deleting you renders the Jumpers useless. Destroying you isn't an option."

"Why not?" I ask pointedly. "We are a rather unknown quantity in the overall equation of your operations in the Pegasus galaxy."

"The SGC hasn't had a good track record with sentient machines in the past," Colonel Caldwell stated simply. "It's not so much that we're stuck with you, but more that I'd prefer to try something other than destroying or imprisoning you."

"That is a very refreshing viewpoint, Colonel Caldwell," I admit, feeling impressed. Finally! A human who doesn't automatically react with fear and anger to a machine that can think.

Colonel Caldwell leans back, looking at me intently, as though trying to probe my inner workings. From the TV shows I've watched on the human's network database, it seems to be a common expression during an interrogation of a suspect in a crime drama.

"When will we be allowed to resume flight operations, colonel?" I ask. The Colonel shakes his head.

"As soon as these interviews are over. I've made my decision to keep you. However, there will be a few ground rules to follow."

"Okay, like what?"

"For one, most people aren't too comfortable with you and your… Sisters?"

"Yes?"

"You and your sisters watching them through the city's sensor grid."

"Actually, that's Atlantis, sir," I state. "She's rather taken with you all. Well, except you, sir." The colonel's eyebrows rose by a few degrees.

"Why me?"

"Atlantis does not like the fact that while you are here, Lt. Colonel Sheppard pays more attention to Dr. Weir than to her, sir," I answer truthfully. The colonel looks thoughtful for a time, before nodding.

"Allright then… We'd like you to reserve taking control of your weapons, cloak, or engines only if and when your human crew is incapacitated. Or if they are unable to do so themselves during combat. In every case though, you need to follow the orders of the team leader during any mission off-world."

"So, we'll be like members of the team?" I ask, feeling a bit excited. We get to be part of the team! Hooray!

"You already are, essentially. This would just make it official," Caldwell responds. "As long as you follow orders and don't go gallivanting on your own, we'll have no trouble. The consequences for such actions will be the same as any of my people refusing to follow my orders. You'll be confined to your berth in the Jumper bay without access to the Atlantis network for a period of time as I or the team commander sees fit."

"But… Not permanently, right?" I ask. Caldwell shook his head, and I sigh in relief. I'm not sure why, it just felt like the proper verbalization to make.

"Thank you, Colonel. Trust me, that'll be more than enough encouragement for us to stay out of trouble. However… I was wondering… Will we be allowed to go out and fly on our own when we don't have a mission?" Caldwell frowned.

"I'll have to go over Colonel Sheppard with it… Would you agree to a limited flight zone around the city?"

"Well, Fussbudget-I mean, Lucy –Jumper 6- is kind of our manager. I think you should talk to her about it." Caldwell frowned.

"You have a hierarchy?"

"Sort of. Lucy's like our mom, always nagging and stuff, so we call her our manager. However, if any one of us was a leader, it'd have to be Violet."

"Violet… Jumper 8?"

"Yes sir. Ever since Snap and Echo were lost, she's taken to being the strong, decisive one. Plus Colonel Sheppard tends to choose her the most nowadays, which naturally makes her very confident." The colonel nods thoughtfully.

"Well then, Hoshi, I think we're done here. Thank you for your time."

"No problem, Colonel sir!"

And with that, I'm beamed back into the bay, to watch Violet be beamed out a few moments later from next to me.

"So, how'd it go Hoshi?" Asked Domino.

"I think it went well. I mean, they didn't beam me into space to be blown up by the Daedalus, right?" I replied. In her own berth above me, Whisper snorted.

"Finally they become paranoid about us," she states flatly. If I had eyes in the human sense, I would have rolled them. Whisper is such a drama queen.

"So, are we going on missions again soon?" Jumper 9, Neda, asked in an eager tone.

"As soon as Colonel Caldwell is done interviewing us. He said so," I answer.

"Keep in mind, everyone, that the humans might not keep their word. It wouldn't be the first time," Lucy warned.

"Don't be such a fussbudget, Lucy," the new Jumper 1, Rei, teased.

"Yeah, just because it's your name is no reason to live up to it," added the new Jumper 2, Anya.

Lucy growled.

"For the last time, and I mean last, STOP CALLING ME A FUSSBUDGET!"

As the argument escalates, I wonder: Do human families act like this when they're cooped up inside for long periods of time?

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Next Chapter: Jumper 8: Vacuum

Notes on the Jumper names

Snap: In reference to her agility, able to "snap to it".

Echo (Jinx): Named for the legendary Greek nymph cursed to forever echo what others said, as well as the NATO phonetic alphabet term for "E".

Betsy: A female given name, form of Elizabeth. Markham was a bit of a suck-up…

Domino: For the game block, and her love of games.

Whisper: Due to her unassuming nature at ChiaraHhue's suggestion.

Lucy: For Lucy Van-Pelt of "Peanuts" fame, reigning world champion fussbudget.

Hoshi: Japanese female name, means "star".

Violet: For the eldest Beaudelaire sibling from "A Series of Unfortunate Events".

Neda: Czech female name, meaning "born on Sunday".

Rei: Japanese female name for "gratitude."

Anya: Russian female name for "Grace of God".

Hey, the Americans don't get to name everything, right?