11 – Complications
(USS Spera – Shuttlebay – 13.02.2022, 0800)
Spera had landed on a desert moon codenamed Delta. Delta was located in the same solar system as the Frozen Planet that had been Atlantis' home. The science team figured this was their best option, because they had several years' worth of data on the local star. It would be the easiest to do the math on their time travel plans. Another reason was the fact that they had a map of Delta. It had showed a section of the planet where was water and they could easily built a camp. Between Mitchell's expedition and the people from the Liberty, there were more people then the were quarters aboard the ship. So they had landed and built Camp Pegasus.
"Thank you, Ajax," Laura Cadman said as she made his into the shuttlebay.
Ajax was the Ancient who had designed Spera back in the day. He had also been the rogue scientist of his generation. And he had added plenty of features that had not been requested by his bosses. One of these features had been several spaces where landing gear could easily be installed, should somebody decide it was necessary. Which was exactly what the engineers refitting the ship at Earth had done. And it wasn't the first time that Ajax's rule-bending had come in handy.
"Time to visit our little home away from home," Vale said as entered the bay as well.
"Did we really need to pitch all the tents ?" Cadman asked as they climbed down a ladder to the desert floor. "We needed to house nineteen people, not the full sixty." Camp Pegasus had been build using the ship's emergency's supplies, which included everything needed to settle the whole crew on a planet in a pinch. "Not that I'm complaining. Just being curious here, boss."
"Good question," Vale began. "And to answer your question…yes, we did," Vale led the way to the camp. "Those extra tents are for a little surprise for our Terran friends."
"What kind of surprise ?"
Vale was about to answer when the conversation was interrupted by two Scottish people yelling at one another. Seconds later, Dylan Calhoun and Nicholas Rush came from one the tents. Neither Vale or Cadman could understand a word of what they were saying, but it was pretty clear that the two were pretty angry at one another. ~Makes sense to me.~ Cadman thought.
~Calhoun is mad at Rush for abandoning the family. And Rush is mad at Calhoun for not telling him he joined the program.~ Before either of she or Vale could speak up, Doctor Beckett came from one of the nearby tents. Beckett proceeded to give both men a scolding in Scottish. Much to Cadman's surprise, when he was done, neither of them had a comeback.
"Carson," Vale began. "What did you just tell them ?"
"That's they're family, that the past doesn't matter. Because the situation is what it is and arguing won't change it. And that there is a whole city riding on us pulling this mission off. So they should stop acting like idiots and make this thing happen."
"Aye," Vale said, before turning to Cadman. "Shall we, Colonel ?"
"We shall, Colonel."
They entered the camp. The tents that were being used to house the extra personnel stood to the right of a central path, while the extra tents were to the left. These tents were connected to form one big structure. Vale entered the this structure, which was where his surprise was waiting. When Cadman saw the surprise, she whistled. She had a feeling that the Terrans would never see this coming.
(Sub-Atlantis – Street – 13.02.2022, 0830)
Sheppard couldn't believe that his story was about to end here. ~I survived the destruction of Atlantis and now this ?~ He put himself between the children and the guards. That was when something surprising happened. Instead of the guards killing them, there was a high-pitched sound. It didn't affect Sheppard's group, but the guards grabbed their heads. Their weapons felt to the ground, with them following several seconds later. The sound faded and Banks checked the pulse of one of the guards.
"They're alive," She said.
"What was that ?" Pedro asked.
"A sonic grenade," A female voice said. "One of only three we were able to smuggle in. It sends out a pulse that is amplified by Terran communications equipment."
The voice belonged to a robed figure, which had approached from deeper in the circle. There was something familiar about the voice, but Sheppard couldn't place it. Until the robed figure got close and took down the hood of her cloak. ~No way, it can't be.~ He heard Guide gasp behind him. She drew a crude sword and pointed it at Sheppard, who was still protecting the children.
"Teyla ?" Banks asked.
"How do you know me ?"
"Of course we know you," Guide began. "You are a legend. Teyla Dex of Sateda," He looked at Sheppard. "In our universe, Teyla and her husband Ronan were generals in the Satedan Army. It was the last world to fall to the Empire. Ronan was killed in the assault."
"Our universe ?" Teyla said.
"This is not the Emperor," Guide said. "He is….from somewhere else."
"And why should I believe you ?" Teyla gave Sheppard a dirty look. "Instead of doing the universe a favor..," She put the tip of her weapon to Sheppard's throat. "…and killing this…," There was hate burning in her eyes. "…thing."
"Gamma Alpha One Two Zeta Five," Guide said, making Teyla drop her sword. "I am One," He turned to Sheppard. "I killed the man who used to live in the house you now occupy."
"Yeah, I figured as much," Sheppard said. ~Here we go.~ He had figured it out as soon as Guide had told him what had happened to the man. "But I didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth." So he had simply not said anything. "So, care to clue me in ?"
"Circles One through Five have resistance cells," Guide said. "The leaders of the cells are codenamed after their circle. I am One."
"Delta Beta Two One Alpha Three," Teyla said as she put away her sword away. "I am Two." She turned to Sheppard. "So, you are leading this….operation ?"
"It's an escape." Sheppard began. "Which will end very badly if we don't get out of here now."
"Follow me," Keyla said.
The group followed Teyla, leaving the stunned guards on the ground. None of them noticed a figure in the shadows. The figure took out a small radio and activated it. Something told the onlooker that she would want to know about this.
(Atlantis – Royal Chambers, Balcony – 13.02.2022, 0833)
Empress Amelia Sheppard looked at the capital city of Terran Empire. ~Well, at least in the Pegasus Territories.~ One of her spies in what the slaves called Sub-Atlantis had just given her a very interesting piece of information. Inside their quarters, her husband and his Admiral were planning the invasion of the alternate reality.
Even with the vast recourses of three galaxies at their disposal, the Terrans would need a well prepared combat strategy to take over the territory Emperor John wanted to claim on the other side of the dimensional divide. From what she had heard, his goal was to conquer both the Pegasus Galaxy and the Milky Way galaxy once more. ~Alas for him, he will never see that day.~ She took a deep breath and went into their quarters.
"John ?" She said to her husband, who was standing over a large table with a map.
"Yes," Sheppard said, looking up from the map.
"The day has come for you to die."
Before he could even blink, she drew an energy weapon and vaporized him with a single shot. The battery was good for five shots, so she vaporized the four highest ranking admirals as well. That done, she put the weapon down on the table. Then she turned to Admirals Evan Lorne and Jonas Quinn, the only two left alive.
"Now, are you loyal to me ? Or do I need to call Security ?" The two men bowed to her, answering her question. "Good," She smiled at their fear. "Admiral Quinn, one of my spies just told me that my husband's counterpart is in Sub-Atlantis. Arrange for him to be brought to me."
"What about your own counterpart, ma'am ?"
"Kill her."
"Yes, ma'am."
Quinn bowed and walked out. As soon as he gone, Sheppard gestured for Lorne to join her at the slightly scorched map table. She had the conquest of another universe to plan.
(Delta – Camp Pegasus, Tent – 13.02.2022, 0900)
The surprise inside the tent had once been a Goa'uld cargo ship. In fact, it had been the cargo ship that had been recovered after the attack on Sateda. While the ship itself would never fly again, two of its escape pods had survived. So these had been salvaged from the craft. They had then been modified using salvaged components from the ship, creating a super-pod that they would use for their plan to rewrite history and save Atlantis. Of course, they had to get there first. Cadman was watching as Eli and the other eggheads were doing the math on how to do that, when Colonel Mitchell came in. The look on his face made it clear that there was a problem.
"What's wrong ?" She asked.
"We've been going over the sensor logs of the Liberty and," He took out a data-pad, which had the sensor data on it. "Two people were beamed off Atlantis by another cargo ship. We've identified them as Amelia Banks and Colonel Sheppard."
"So, they've been captured and we have no idea where they are now ?"
"Yes."
Cadman nodded. She understood that this made Mitchell unhappy. But if they succeeded, Sheppard and Banks would never been captured and this whole thing would become an non-issue. ~On the other hand, this whole thing might lead to complications down the line.~ Alas, only time would tell.