Earth – New Beginning

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 18: Past Discovery

"We've been here five days," Cain commented, tossing a speculative look at Adama. "Are you sure this is the best place for our people."

Rain fell heavily turning the streets to mud and rapped on the roof overhead. Cain waited for his old friend to answer.

Adama took a sip of the beverage called coffee, setting the cup down before answering. "We're out of options."

Cain knew his fellow commander was correct. His unease came from strangeness of the place. A planet full of large reptiles the Terra Novans called dinosaurs. Not to mention their Earth brothers being from a future they wanted to prevent. Personally, he wasn't certain he wanted his daughter living here. She belonged in the cockpit of a viper.

His old friend's next words jarred him out of this glum speculation. "Thank you for rescuing Rae and her squadron."

He took a sip of his own bitter beverage before replying. "She's the best strike commander I ever had." He'd never learned the entire story on how she'd come to serve on the Pegasus before the colonies had been destroyed. Adama's recommendation had weighed heavily on his decision to accept her aboard his battlestar. Plus he'd known his old friend considered the warrior like a daughter.

"My son trained her." A pained look passed over Adama's face. "Jenn as well." He sighed heavily. "We lost her."

Jenn was another Adama's family had sponsored through the academy. Another orphan with no relatives accepted as yet another daughter. "Rae has talked about her."

"Amazingly skilled warrior." His friend finished his coffee rising to return the mug to the kitchenette. "Earth has plenty of room for all of us." He smiled. "Dr. Quest, from what Taylor shared, discovered several promising places for us to settle."

Cain had part of the same meeting two days ago, yet respected Adama's need to change the subject. "Maybe we should send out scouts to check the locations."

"Apollo and Rae's squadrons are the best qualified for flyovers."

"No ground teams?"

Adama shook his head. "Not with the continued threat of those hungry and invasive dinosaurs."

Cain nodded after hearing about the attacks on Terra Nova. "Maybe we should go hunting."

"The colonists, from what I've heard, go to great lengths not to kill the local dinosaurs unless they absolutely have to."

"These dinosaurs are proving to be deadly." He finished the last of his drink.

"They are at that."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Athena watched Boxey and Dillion as they played a tamed down version of Pyramid. They used mushies to place their bets with Muffet watching with apparent interest.

She worked on a message for her father to broadcast throughout the fleet. No doubt he'd change some of the wording. He always did.

"When do I get to see Rae?" Dillion asked.

She'd been expecting his question and already had a response ready. "I'm not sure Dillion. She'll see you as soon as she can." Or so she hoped.

The boy slumped placing his cards face down on the table. Boxey reached over and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I want to see Aunt Rae too."

"Why'd she have to go down to the planet?" Dillion looked lost.

"Because Commander Cain ordered her to," Athena explained knowing Dillion had been on a battlestar long enough to know how command worked. "I'm sure as soon as her mission is finished she'll come see you."

When they'd first arrived, it had been long enough to fill in her father, refuel and return to the Pegasus. After that had been a meeting between both commanders and then a trip to speak to the leaders of Terra Nova. She didn't envy her father having to negotiate between the council members and the colony's leaders.

Muffet bumped Boxey's hand and he scratched behind the mechanical daggit's ear. Dillion places his arm around the creature. It was one of those odd moments when Athena forgot that the robot wasn't real.

"What do you have planned for naming day?" Dillion asked Boxey.

Athena listened without appearing to curious as well.

"My dad and I are planning it."

"No hints?" Dillion sounded disappointed.

Boxey glanced at Athena for pretended not to be paying attention. "Want to play another game?" He pointed at the cards.

"Yeah."

The boys reshuffled and dealt the cards. Athena smiled and focused on composing her father's message. It would be ready for him when he returned from Earth, their new home.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Maddy had claimed a spot while Commander Taylor, her father and several other scientists hovered around Alona's desk. Dr. Quest and Malcolm Wallace were crowded next to Dr. Jackson and Dr. McKay toyed with a device the teen had never seen before.

"Ready?" she asked.

Alona nodded.

A three D image of city with graceful spires hooved over the cluttered desk while winged reptiles few overhead and brachiosaurus munched on leaves or drank from the lake where the place sat.

"Is that Laura?" Alona pointed to a spot and Kelly focused the image on the figure hunched down in tall grasses. Next to her sat the sabre cat.

"Only one in the colony with a large cat," Taylor commented.

"What is she doing?" Maddie couldn't tell.

"Observing," Kelly answered.

"She said something about bringing back some of the babies," Dr. Quest added.

"What for?" her father asked.

"Future transportation I believe." The scientist smiled. "Rather clever if you ask me."

"But we have rovers," Maddy objected.

"Not forever," Kelly reminded her. "Part of Laura's job is to find solutions for problems we haven't thought of yet."

Alona's eyes followed the large reptiles. "Might be fun to ride one of them." She leaned forward as a huge brachiosaurus lumbered toward Laura. "Is that Boalo?"

"He's huge," Dr. Quest muttered. "I hadn't really noticed when she rescued me."

"He's grown." Malcolm watched with interest. "He must be full grown now."

Taylor pointed at the city. "Any movement?"

"None." Alona stared at the image. "Kelly, see that golden pyramid etched into the side of the building with the flashing stone on top?"

Dr. McKay leaned closer. "Interesting."

Maddy wondered why it might be important.

"Gou'ald?" Dr. Jackson speculated.

"Too early," Kelly answered.

What in the world was a gou'ald? Maddy wondered. "It is important?"

"We don't know the full history of when they started," Alona continued as if she hadn't heard Maddy's question.

"Gou'ald?" Her father glanced between the two women.

"Snake like creatures who inhabit a hosts body," Kelly explained briefly. "That flashing star is not consistent with what we know of their mythology."

Alona sat back, shuffling through her ancestor's files. "Wonder what it means?"

Dr. Quest frowned and Maddy suspected he might know something they didn't.

"Dr. Jackson, your ancestor had discovered a new language. Where he wouldn't tell me." He scratched his jaw. "He said it was hard to see due to the flashing light."

"Wait a sec." Alona flipped thought several pages. "This is the last report he filed before the Stargate program shut down. There was a comment."

Curious Maddy waited to see what discovery would be made.

"Here it is." Dr. Jackson opened the report on her desk. "On our last mission we discovered a very old dealing address. I convinced General Landry to allow SG1 to explore it. It led to a dead world covered with a vast desert. The ruined city had many pyramids predating Egypt and overhead in the sky was a pulsating star. I found some writing on a pillar and discovered the planet had been called Kobol and I suspect human life may have begun here."

"Kobol?" The all turned to find Commander Adama and his son Apollo standing in the door. "Who told you about Kobol?"

"My ancestor." Alona tapped her finger on the report. "Have you seen this symbol before?" She pointed at the etched pyramid.

Adama's face paled and Maddy wondered if the man would pass out. "It can't be," he muttered.

"What can't be?" Taylor demanded.

"That." He came closer and examined the floating image. "It matches the description of the mythical city of Atlantis."

"From the Book of Word?" Apollo asked.

"You mean the city that sank beneath the ocean?" Maddy couldn't believe the story might actually be true.

"We know nothing about that." His eyes flickered over the image. "The Book of the Word tells us some of the Lords escaped the tragedy by leaving in a flying city. Beyond that no further mention is ever made."

"I wonder if this fracture has a similar history," Dr. Quest mused.

Maddy glanced around at all the adults. "So Atlantis is real?"

"Very," Alona confirmed. "Some of our ancestors lived in the city centuries later."

"Like mine." Kelly bit her lip.

The missing T Rex stuck its head out of the trees. Several brachiosaurus males rushed to defend the females and unhatched eggs.

Dr. Quest suggested, "I think Laura could use some help."

Thunder shook the building and rain fell sounding like gunfire on the roof.

"Laura can handle herself," Taylor assured the other man.

Maddy watched as the T Rex attacked. From what she could see it limped.

Boala lowered his head and Laura scrambled on his back, while the sabre cat joined her. The reptile broke into a run with the T Rex pushed through the other males and tried to pursue the fleeing dinosaur.

Taylor hurried out the door with her father following.

"What's going on?" Adama wanted to know.

"They're heading for the colony," Kelly explained. "He's going to get the sonics ready to head off the T Rex."

"I just hope Laura makes it through the gate safely." Maddy liked the woman and her cat.

"Excuse me." Dr. Quest ran out.

Alona watched and turned to Kelly. "I think he's in love with her."

"Ya think?" Kelly grinned. "That's gonna be a fun courtship to watch."

Maddy had to agree.