Disclaimer: The Stargate universe belongs to MGM et al. - this is for fun, no copyright infringement is intended.
- Alternate reality. Isaac Newton.
"Hello, David. Beth." On entering engineering Dr. Janet Fraiser nodded in greeting at some members of the technical staff while parting ways with the crew member she had come with. "Where's Lindsey? Ah, yes, thank you."
Following the pointing finger she weaved through a number of personnel clustered tightly together in the limited space, noting with amusement that obviously news had traveled fast once again. It certainly looked like every last member of engineering had shown up to see the lookalike of their Colonel at work ... though some at least tried to appear busy. As she made her way through the group gathered around the console she was aiming for, with the alternate McKay and Lindsey Novak at the center, she caught first snatches of their conversation.
"OK, OK ... so you convert here and then root over to there..."
"Uhm, no -hic- we convert there and then..."
"Yes, yes, yes, I see. But why have you put that on the other side I would have thought the more obvious choice would have been..."
"No - I mean - that is -hic- it's because the second array is there and then it..."
"... would have been a potential hazard, right, I can see that but still..."
"Hi, Lindsey," Fraiser interrupted cheerfully, "Drink some water."
A visibly flustered Lindsey Novak spun around, nearly taking out one of her staff standing too close. Her naturally jumpy way to move seemed to have increased tenfold, hands, knees, elbows and surprisingly agile head all over the place. She hiccupped loudly.
"Oh, uhm, Janet, hi. -Hic- You - you already met Dr. M-McKay?"
"As a matter of fact, yes." Fraiser still looked amused though her eyes narrowed slightly since Rodney's focus was already back on the screen after not much more than a short look around.
"Oh. Oh, yes, right." Novak's long, flushed face seemed to become even longer and she hiccupped again. "Drat!"
"Lindsey, are you all right?" By now Fraiser seemed mildly concerned. It had to be almost three years since the chief engineer had had a hiccup fit that bad, and then it had been because she was requested to put on a spacesuit and search the field of debris that had once been the Marie Curie for salvageable parts. To be honest that grim task had taken its toll on the nerves of many more people.
"Oh, yes, yes, quite. I mean except for the -hic- hiccup. It's just..." Novak shot what was probably supposed to be a surreptitious look at Rodney, leaned confidentially forward and murmured out of the side of her mouth (and still loud enough for anyone to hear), "They are so very different!"
"So?" Amusement had returned to Fraiser's voice for a moment. Then she lifted it slightly to gain the attention of the man in question. "Anyway, Meredith sends us down to help with any questions that may come up."
Novak look relieved while Rodney first winced at hearing his hated first name then, previous train of thought thoroughly interrupted, processed a bit belatedly what the petite woman had just said. He turned in disbelief.
"Excuse me? Last time I looked your field of expertise was medicine not hyperdrive technology, and while that comes in handy, namely in the case of huge, ugly burns from staff weapons, I can't see any reason how voodoo should be of help here." He made a short pause. "Well, except you integrated organic components in you drive you have not yet told me about - what would be rather ... disturbing."
"Different but the same, yes?" Fraiser crossed her arms with a healthy dose of sarcasm. Then she suddenly smirked. "But you are right, Dr. McKay: No, my field of expertise is not hyperdrive technology." She lowered her head and closed her eyes and when she opened them again it was with a golden flash. "Mine is, however."
"Whoa!" Rodney backed into the console. "Oh, God, you - you are..."
"Jolinar of Malkshur." The alien lifted Fraiser's head with an arrogant smile.
"Oh." Rodney closed his mouth with a snap. Gulping awkwardly he twirled a hand. "Uh, sorry, but ... I thought the Tok'ra were ... you know, extinguished?"
Jolinar's expression became grave. "I'm the last of my people. Just as the humans on this ship are the last of their world."
"Oh," McKay repeated quietly.
And so it began.
However reluctant Colonel McKay had been at first to accept their proposal, now that he had made his decision he pursued it with the same determined vehemence. Crew members took turns to sit with the three teammates or follow them around, meticulously noting down any information they were given, relentlessly asking question about anything and anyone, going away to discuss them among each other and coming back for clarification.
So Rodney talked about power requirements, crystal arrangements and radiation shielding. He talked about parallels to Asgard technology and the stardrive of Atlantis. He demonstrated intergalactic navigation methods, adjusted coordinate systems and argued with Jolinar and Novak about figures and calculations and structural integrity.
Teyla talked about the Athosians. She talked about their old home, their beliefs, their sorrows, their trading partners of many centuries. She talked about the Genii and their hidden underground bunkers, about their attempt to take Atlantis, about Cowen, Kolya, Ladon Radim. She talked about the Hoffans, and their determination to sacrifice half of their people for a chance to avoid a next culling ... and how bitterly they failed. She talked about the civilization that managed to convert Wraith storage technology into something to save their heritage, and about those who bought safety by offering their criminals as food source to the enemy. She talked about the Wraith, their hunger, their tactics, their determination.
Ronon wrote down gate addresses, symbol after symbol, of all the many worlds he had visited in his years as a runner, of many of the worlds he had come to as part of Sheppard's team. He told the listening soldiers about the climate on them, of forests, deserts, fertile fields and green pastures. He told them which of them had good places to hide from the Wraith, which had friendly, helpful inhabitants, on which to expect a reception of flying arrows and which had been left dull and lifeless. He told them where they had found the most interesting ruins of the Ancestors or the most helpful allies, the locations of secret Wraith facilities and where they had met Ellia, the young future queen who wanted so much to be a human.
Rodney talked about Replicators and nanite programming while simulating crystal reconfigurations. He talked about which labs were more dangerous than others on Atlantis and which devices to keep your fingers off while crawling through maintenance tubes, under terminals and over man-high conduits. He explained how to bridge Ancient door controls by swapping around crystals while shoveling down tasteless pseudo-porridge with one hand and correcting schemata with the other.
Teyla talked about the mistakes they had made by experimenting with Carson's retrovirus. She talked about Michael and the converted hive and their guilt. She talked about Todd and the Wraith DNA in her own genetic makeup. She talked about those the humans of Pegasus called Ancestors, about ascension, about Chaya, the Aurora and Helia and her crew, and their end. She talked about Liam and the rest of his small fraction of Replicators who had searched for a soul.
Ronon looked away as he talked about Sateda. How they had fought. And lost. Everything. Sometimes even their honour.
Rodney talked about the Chair and drones and Puddle Jumpers and the ATA gene and how necessary it was to control Ancient technology. This led to a very amusing because aloud argument between Jolinar and Janet Fraiser about who should have use of their body since the doctor was eager to start her research while the symbiote argued the hyperdrive modification had priority. Jolinar won. The episode left Rodney with a whole new appreciation of the freedom he had been allowed while having Cadman in his head. Had he been in the position of Elisabeth, Sheppard or Zelenka he would probably had locked himself away and lost the key.
Teyla was intrigued and touched by the 'poster wall' in the mess where everybody had contributed posters or photographs for anyone to share. She smiled about the poster of Johnny Cash and complimented one of a great bridge, arching gracefully in front of the panorama of an illuminated city at night. She was told that the original of it was an oil painting of the Sydney Harbour Bridge by what had been a young, rising artist, Evan Lorne. Teyla was silent for a very long time after that.
When Ronon got tired of talking he started showing the marines and Russian soldiers fighting techniques of his galaxy. He hammered home a healthy respect for the resilience of the Wraith, their ability to heal themselves and was very plain about how many shots you should put in them to be mostly certain they would not raise again. He told them to leave the Wraith enzyme alone no matter how tempting the advantages. Aiden Ford, Lieutenant or otherwise, had not survived in this universe.
It was Jolinar who told Rodney in passing that Colonel McKay and Dr. Fraiser used to be married before she became a host for the symbiote, startling him so badly that he dropped an irreplaceable crystal. The ensuing scramble to save it resulted in a strained back for Rodney, a split lip for Lindsey Novak and teeth marks on Jolinar/Fraiser's hand. The crystal survived intact.
Teyla was very surprised to learn that Stargate Operations had stayed a civil organization albeit secured by military contingents of so called "Blue Helmets" up to the very end. Obviously a necessary compromise to avoid open conflict in a world still shaped by this strange Cold War since the Stargate stood on territory of the United States. She was not surprised to learn that for the last four years of Earth its leader had been Elisabeth Weir.
And there was, of course, the memorable moment Ronon walked into engineering and found it quiet with Rodney and Novak staring at two different terminals. Surprised he looked from one to the other.
"What, are you done?"
"N-no." Novak threw a nervous glance at her colleague from an alternate reality. "B-but Dr. McKay has been talking so much, and part of engineering can be very loud and you have to shout and so ... his voice suddenly gave out. Dr. Fraiser just left to get something for him."
"Really?" Ronon looked startled then a wide grin split his face. "Never thought I'd see the day!"
The glare Rodney bestowed on him for that was downright murderous.