"Colonel, welcome back." Woolsey greeted as he walked down the steps in the control room, John by his side. "Any luck?"
"Yes." Daniel immediately answered. "We have spoken to one of the planet's inhabitants who will allow us to run some tests on one of the arks so that we can locate the one on Earth."
"So not such an uninhabited planet then?" John guessed as Woolsey asked.
"Why is it only Dr Jackson who looks happy?"
"Well it wasn't all plain sailing and were are one or two complications." Cam explained.
"Which probably wouldn't have existed if you hadn't threatened to destroy the temple." Daniel pointed out.
"Why would you threaten to destroy the temple?" Woolsey asked.
"They were ignoring us. I thought it'd get their attention." Cam replied.
"I bet my diplomacy skills don't seem so bad now." John whispered to Woolsey who stood feeling confused.
"Which it did." Vala commented, unaware of John's comment.
"And caused us to get imprisoned, interrogated and blackmailed." Daniel listed, not hiding his disdain of Cam's approach.
"Blackmailed?" Woolsey asked, feeling an ulcer growing.
"It's a long story." Cam said. "And we'll need McKay and Zelenka present when we tell it."
"Get your post mission checks done and come to the briefing room." Woolsey ordered. "I'll have the others meet us there." Nodding the trio disappeared into the corridor.
"He took the news calmly." Vala commented.
"He doesn't know all of it." Cam pointed out.
"Perhaps next time you will think before threatening to blow something up." Daniel chastised. "They would have come round eventually, they clearly want the arks returned."
"Fine." Cameron conceded. "Next time I won't threaten to blow anything up until you have got bored. Happy?"
"Not really, but it's a start." Daniel replied as they entered the infirmary. As they did so Cam's eyes immediately started to scan for Jennifer.
"She's not here." Cole said approaching. "And don't play dumb with me Colonel, we both know you are looking for Dr Keller. Before you ask she is out on a mission."
"She wasn't scheduled for one." Cameron pointed out.
"A request from an ally came in this morning. She could be gone for a couple of days." Cole warned. "So did anything unusual happen on the mission?"
"Unusual would be an understatement." Cam replied, trying to hide his disappoint that Jennifer was off-world. "I'm guessing you'll want to run a whole assortment of tests."
-00-
"So how exactly do you intend to get us out of this situation?" Woolsey asked a couple of hours later, once Cameron's team had finished briefing him and Atlantis's premier team.
"They have agreed that a team can go back and run tests on the ark." Cam said. "So I propose Jackson, McKay, Zelenka and Sheppard go."
"What are we? You canaries?" McKay asked.
"We can only send four and we still need to find the ark on Earth." Cam said. "To do that we'll need someway to detect it. If anyone can do that it will be you and Zelenka. Seeing the planet is in your territory I assumed Sheppard would like to the lead the mission and see the situation for himself."
"And if we return the ark, what then?" Woolsey pressed as John nodded his agreement.
"Then they leave us alone."
"You sure?" John asked sceptically.
"I am." Cam smiled.
"No reason to doubt them?" Woolsey asked.
"Nope, just ask Daniel."
"I don't think they're hiding anything." Daniel replied.
"Okay then. Colonel Sheppard I'll schedule your team to leave at nine tomorrow." Woolsey said bring the meeting to an end.
"Woolsey, can I have a word?" Cam asked. The question causing everyone in the room to stop moving, forcing Cam to add. "In private."
"Of course." Woolsey replied sitting back down as the others, except Vala, reluctantly filed out.
"I think I should stay for this." Vala stated, earning a nod from Cam. When the doors finally shut Woolsey said.
"I assume this is to do with the pack of lies you've just told us."
"It is." Cam said, slightly surprised that Woolsey had seen through him. Sensing his thoughts Woolsey explained.
"To get anywhere with the IOA you need to be good at reading people."
"Why didn't you pull me up on it in the meeting?"
"I assumed you had your reasons. If you hadn't explained them to me by tomorrow morning I would have classified you as compromised and placed you in confinement."
"Fair enough." Cam replied.
"What I'm curious about though is why you are willing to tell me but not Colonel Sheppard." Woolsey continued.
"Because Sheppard is going to go to the planet and he may get put in that brain sucking device, which would tell them everything I'm about to say. You aren't going to go to the planet so it is safe to talk to you."
"I see. So I assume you don't trust the inhabitants."
"No. I'd say they're crooked as a barrel of fish hooks." Cam confirmed.
"Anything specific to back that up?"
"Apart from their general shiftiness and the fact they know everything about us?" Vala asked
"I'm just wondering if they want these arks too much. What if they were scattered for a reason?" Cam said, ignoring Vala.
"You think if we return them all they'll have a weapon?" Woolsey guessed.
"I'm not sure. But something doesn't sit right. The Ancients removed the planet from the database, which usually means an experiment gone wrong. According to the translation the arks were taken to repeat what happened, but after they left, the planet started to die. What if the arks are actually some sort of power source that are needed to power the experiment?"
"Do you think they were deliberately scattered by the Ancients to stop them being used?" Woolsey asked.
"It's a definite possibility. The other thing that bothers me is the fact they are called arks."
"Are you seriously suggesting there might be a link between these and the ark of the covenant?" Woolsey asked.
"I'm not saying we are looking for that ark, it doesn't fit the normal description. But it is not the first time something Ancient has worked it way into normal life." Cam pointed out. "And the biblical ark started life out in Egypt, close to a Stargate. It could all be a big coincidence, or there could be some sort link. This is more Jackson's area of expertise. He's much better at making wild speculation about Earth artifacts."
"Although, may I just say you are doing an excellent job filling in?" Vala interrupted, causing Cam to roll his eyes before saying.
"But right now I need Jackson not know we are having this conversation."
"So his trust in these beings was genuine?" Woolsey asked surprised.
"He's Ancient struck. But don't worry he'll get over it." Vala explained.
"Understood, I think. So what do you propose?"
"We find the ark on Earth, run a few tests on it at the SGC and work out exactly what it is."
"And then."
"No choice, we have to return it. But I'm guessing they need all of them and we'll be damn careful not to give them what they're after until we know for sure what they are and we trust them."
"What about Colonel Sheppard?"
"After he returns tomorrow we fill him in. But anyone who may ever go there has to be kept in the dark. To be on the safe side I'm classifying this as strictly need to know. Right now that is us three. We'll amend that as and when it becomes necessary."
"Agreed, but you better pray you are back in the Milky Way when Dr McKay discovers the truth." Woolsey said ruefully.
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. Next chapter up on Wednesday.