14

Gathering Forces

Two years, nine months and eighteen days after the second homecoming.

General Hank Landry walked into the conference room at the upper level of the Cheyenne Mountain complex and slammed a bunch of papers on the table. The gathering of six IOA members seated around the table looked up at him. Colonel Jack O'Neill carefully straightened where he stood bent over a computer screen behind Doctor Zelenka's back and frowned. NID agent Barrett leaned back against the glass wall situated at the back end of the table while Colonel Sheppard and Major Teldy shared a curious look to his left.

"Thank you all for coming," Landry said seriously. "I am sure that you all remember that our well-funded Icarus project literally went up in flames a little over a year ago."

Carl Strom and Richard Woolsey shared a dark look at the table while the rest of the IOA members remained curious as to what the General wanted to tell them.

"I do hope this is important, General Landry," Strom said arrogantly as he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. "We have a lot of questions to sort out here and I have a very important meeting-,"

Landry's eyebrows shot into his hairline as he took a step toward the Committee Head of the IOA. "If it's about the continued funding of the Destiny Expedition you might want to hear me out," he said.

Strom remained unfazed by the General's light outburst.

"Two hours ago, we lost all communication with the ship. Destiny is badly damaged and in need of repair. As you all know, the expedition members are currently residing in the ancient stasis pods. Even if Destiny manages the jump to another galaxy, there is no way of knowing if anyone onboard survives the journey. If they do - and I stress if – there is no telling whether or not they can ever be brought out of their induced comatose state."

"Then everything would have been for nothing," Woolsey blanched as he uttered what was on every person's mind at the moment. "It is a disaster."

O'Neill took a step forward, addressing the IOA members. "Homeworld Command and Stargate Command is pulling the plug. Now, it doesn't mean that we're abandoning them but we need to focus on other efforts, preferably before it is too late," he finished.

"As you know, Doctor Rodney McKay, with the help of a team of scientists, managed to confirm our earlier theories about the unknown call from the Pegasus Galaxy earlier this year," Landry explained.

"That is old news," the Chinese representative muttered sarcastically. "The man is supposed to be brilliant but had to work for months – even over a year – to understand what he was doing."

O'Neill shrugged and made a face. "Hey, I was the first one to ask what was taking them so long but I'm just a General. I don't know that much about sequential gate communication from another galaxy which have been rerouted several times across the universe. You know - point of origin and all that stuff - it complicates things-,"

"Jack," Landry gave him a subtle glare which he acknowledged with a lazy wave.

"That call came from our allies in the Pegasus galaxy," Colonel Davis broke in seriously. "A little over two weeks ago, our off-world team got ambushed by the Wraith while researching an ancient outpost. Allied worlds are now falling into the hands of an enemy we'd managed to keep in check due to our presence in the Pegasus Galaxy."

"Because of your greedy interests, the only thing that can threaten those creatures sits in our backyard, dismantled and used for studies in order for you to make some money," Landry finished angrily.

"If the United States hadn't called upon their rights to keep Atlantis to themselves, as it sits in US territorial waters, everything would have been a lot easier," Strom fired back. "You need to stand corrected, General Landry. Everyone has gained profits on the Lantean technology, not only the IOA."

"Everyone except those who needs it the most," Colonel Sheppard spoke up in a grave voice.

"The people of the Pegasus Galaxy," Colonel Davis added.

"For all we know, the Wraith might be coming for us as we speak," Landry told them.

"That is impossible," Strom protested. "Neither the Daedalus nor the Apollo has found any evidence of an enemy force readying themselves for a strike against us. We are getting continuous reports from the Pegasus Galaxy."

Richard Woolsey reached up with his hand to rub at his forehead, closing his eyes briefly. "Our ships can't cover the entire Pegasus. Going one-way takes three weeks, add some intel gathering and the return trip-," he paused and glanced around the table. "What I am trying to say is that, even if Daedalus and, occasionally the Apollo, is doing proper reconnaissance, the Wraith are tedious and clever enough to hide away. If you think one counterstrike a few years ago is going to keep them grounded then I'd say you are wrong."

General Landry sat down at the edge of the table and pushed the papers toward the Head of the IOA. "On behalf of the Homeworld Command, the Pentagon and Stargate Command I urge you and your organization to let Atlantis go home," he said seriously. "You can either do it willingly or-,"

"So, this is a threat?" Strom demanded coldly.

"The decision has already been made," Landry replied curtly. "Your signature is merely for the benefit of your layers."

Strom glared at him before grabbing the pen.

"I am glad that we agree on things," Landry added with a faint smirk. "Evacuation begins immediately, all contractors are relieved."

Richard Woolsey slowly got up from his chair and began to ready his papers. "I assume that you want me to resume my place as the expedition leader?" he said jovially.

The General looked at him. "No," he countered. "Atlantis leaves Earth with SGC personal in charge, without any members of the IOA present."

"This is outrageous," the French representative of the IOA burst out. "We have poured money into your projects for a long time now. Surely we must have something to say in the matter."

Landry promptly ignored him as he turned to John. "Colonel Sheppard, you will resume your position as the Military Commander of the Atlantis Expedition effective immediately. When Daedalus arrives in orbit she will be at your disposal, use her everyway you see fit."

"Understood, sir," he replied.

"As for the leader of the Atlantis Expedition; I'd like to have word with him first, before I announce anything," Landry added enigmatically.

OOOOOO

Seventy-two-hours before zero hour

At various destinations around the globe, phones pinged.

Teyla swiped the recent picture of the Eiffel tower away to see the text message. It was short and troublesome. She frowned as she watched Torren John laugh with delight at the mess he'd just created by spilling ice cream on Laura Cadman's floral shirt.

"Come on," Laura groaned and tried not to smile at the little boy. As she looked up, she saw Teyla coming towards them with a troubled look on her face.

"What is it?" Laura asked.

"We have to go," she said cryptically.

OOOOOO

"Recalled?" Rodney read aloud in disbelief as he had Jennifer on the speaker.

"Yeah, me too," she said seriously. "I'm packing as we speak. I just don't know what to bring."

"It's been three years and then some," Rodney protested. "What are we going to do with the house? What am I going to do with all my research – typical – I was so close to getting the Nobel Prize."

"Rodney, just grab the things you'll need and forget about the rest. I am sure we can figure something out," Jennifer reasoned.

OOOOOO

Radek Zelenka heard the ping but since he'd been sitting in on the meeting, he already knew what it said. SGC was summoning the Atlantis Expedition personnel. He had waited for this for so long that he couldn't believe it was finally happening. Now he really had to find some way to tell Adrianka what he'd been up to in the States or he would lose her forever. He suddenly glanced at his watch and scrambled from his chair and ran out the door, on his way to the ground floor of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.

"Hey!" Sheppard hollered after him. "Where is the fire?"

"Prague!" Radek said. "I have to get to Prague."

OOOOOO

Doctor Carson Beckett was dozing on a commercial airliner en route to Scotland as the ping of his phone awakened him. He apologized as it woke up the man next to him and blinked his tired eyes open, fumbling with the smartphone. "Do they know what time it is?" he muttered sullenly to himself as he opened the message, thinking it was from the agency where he had booked the extended stay in his home country. After all his troubles working in Africa, he really longed for the castles and moors in Scotland – even Loch Ness seemed alluring right about now.

The message had him wide-awake within seconds and he felt his heart thumping in his chest. "The missing piece is leaving for home. Countdown seventy-two hours. Please head to San Francisco and call the office for further instructions."

It was a well-coded message but there was no mistake to those involved; Atlantis was leaving for Pegasus and she was leaving in a hurry.

He muttered a string of curses as he wondered when the next flight back to the States left Heathrow.

OOOOOO

Amelia Banks stared at her phone; not sure she trusted her eyes.

"What?" Ronon asked curiously as he reached for it and read the message.

"The Atlantis Expedition is being relaunched," she mumbled.

Ronon broke into a grin and slapped her on the back. "It's about time," he said.

OOOOOO

To be continued