I don't own Stargate or Space 1999.
Please let me know what you think.
Earthbound.
From the viewport of the conference room, the hyperspace conduit was a beautiful mix of purples in various tones and blues and even specks of greens and whites as the Odyssey's hyperspace field formed the corridor they were in. The ship had been in FTL for several hours now, and already they had crossed thousands of light years. Koenig had done some basic maths using what was contained in the databases on the Odyssey, to work out how far they had come, and the calculation was so unfathomable that he had almost given up, but the number gave him hope for the future.
They had travelled a staggering 24,999,84000 light years. And they had only been in the hyperspace conduit for several hours.
But that wasn't the best of it. Koenig had done a lot of research into the Asgard computer core, and he knew about the Stargate technology; if they could construct test Stargates to see if the wormhole generators which were designed to connect to each other in a galaxy-wide web of Stargates scattered on different worlds, then interstellar and even intergalactic travelling for humans would become revolutionised forever.
"John, is everything alright?" Victor's voice asked behind.
Koenig turned and smiled at his old friend and mentor. "Victor. Yeah, everything's okay. I was just looking out at the hyperspace conduit."
"It is breathtaking, isn't it?" The scientist chuckled, just as Paul, Sandra, Helena and Alan walked into the room. Helena beamed at him and Koenig beamed back. David Kano was just behind them.
"Dashkas' on the bridge, on watch, Commander," David explained.
"Okay, good," Koenig and the others took their seats and began the meeting of the command council. "Right, now we're all here, and I've checked the room in case of bugs or other forms of listening devices, that means we're safe."
"Safe? John, it's late at night," Helena chided.
"Yeah, I know. I'll try not to keep you since I know you all have ideas," he couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that some of the Alphan population was already using the excitement between returning to the Milky Way to hook up with their lovers and loved ones and enjoying the time they had, "but I couldn't take any stupid risks. The thing is I haven't forgotten or gotten over what Simmonds did before forcing Project Earthbound down our collective throats. That's why I set this meeting up late at night, and why I checked the room for any bugs or comm locks in case Simmonds became suspicious. I also waited until he was in his quarters, sleeping. But that gives us plenty of time to talk," Koenig said.
"About what?"
"About our plans. When we were torn out of Earth's orbit by the wormhole, I was hoping we could find a way home, but when I saw that was impossible I learnt to live with it. We all did. But now we have the Odyssey, and the alien flying saucer, we have access to two FTL technologies which will help us return home. But I've listened to Professor Bergman here about what could have happened to Earth, and after we'd found ourselves at the other end of the wormhole, I accepted the fact we might be the only humans left in existence. Simmonds can't do that, he is so sure that Earth is how we left it, and that there are people there, waiting for us to come back. But I can't do that. As Commander, I have to consider every possibility; while it would be nice to get home, find everything okay and the human race still alive, we need to be pragmatic and be prepared for disappointment in case that is not the case," Koenig looked around the table.
"So what's the plan?" Alan asked.
"While we were on the dinosaur planet, I looked into the Asgard databases for habitable worlds in the Milky Way we could inhabit should Earth prove to be uninhabitable. At the same time, I looked for worlds in other galaxies. As you're all aware, the Stargate Program explored the Milky Way using the Stargates, and they also crossed into other galaxies, namely the Pegasus galaxy, where a team called the Atlantis Expedition began exploring said Pegasus galaxy. I want to find out if those planets are there, and if they're habitable. When we arrive in the Pegasus galaxy, I want to survey several planets under the guise of looking for food and water sources before we prepare for the final jump towards the Milky Way. But in truth, we'll be looking for worlds to colonise should the Milky Way prove to be unsuitable."
"Why do you say that?" Paul asked.
"Yeah, it's not like you to be this pragmatic," Alan observed.
Koenig didn't like how to take that. A part of him wanted to tell them he had become this pragmatic because of everything that had happened to them since this insane and yet incredible journey had begun. But he chose to ignore it. This was not a time for an argument. "I don't know myself, but there might be interstellar empires in the Milky Way, hostile ones, or some of the planets we'll be looking at will have some unhidden danger. Well, you all know what I mean there," he added grimly.
The group knew precisely what Koenig was saying. Ever since they came up with Operation Exodus and had tried, more than once, to put it into effect, the planets they had encountered had some unexpected or undetected hazard on them that they had never been able to deal with and they'd had to continue on their journey into space.
"When we return to Earth, I want us to have a minimum of 3 planets that we can consider for colonisation in case something goes wrong, and we need to keep this plan from Simmonds if we can," Koenig went on.
"That won't be easy," Sandra was unable to hide the disgust she felt for the Commissioner from creeping over her features. She had never forgiven or forgotten what Simmonds had unleashed on Alpha, and she would always remember his thugs trying to attack her while he had been trying to get them to build a ship to return to Earth despite the hopelessness of the idea. "He's not stupid. He's a fool, but he won't be easily fooled for long."
"What if we mask the survey with a survey?" Helena suggested.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we could say we're looking for edible plants, fruits and vegetables and meats and water from different planets, which won't be far from the truth, and at the same time we would be seeing for ourselves in the planets are safe or not," Helena explained, looking around the table.
"That is a good idea," Victor said.
"Yeah, it is. How long will our food supplies last?" Koenig had to ask.
"Oh, we've got plenty of time for that, but we'd better be prepared to keep it topped up at all times," Helena smiled.
Koenig smiled back at her. "That should provide us with all the cover we can get. At the same time, we can keep the whole crew appraised of how far we've come."
"What do we do if Simmonds finds out what we're doing?" Kano had to ask.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Koenig replied, but inwardly he was hoping they could keep it a secret since Simmonds would see they were collecting fresh foods and fresh supplies of water for their stores. "If Simmonds sees we're surveying planets for food and water, with a bit of luck he won't suspect what we're doing, but the problem is Simmonds knows of the view you have, Victor, of the state of Earth right now, but with a bit of luck he will realise we are keeping up our end of the bargain to return to Earth."
"I still find it hard to believe I fell for those lies about Project Earthbound," Alan commented, "I voted for it because I wanted to see if we could return home. But after spending weeks and weeks in an Eagle trying to find minerals to bring back to the moon, and finding nothing, I still can't believe I was such an idiot."
"At least you weren't like those idiots who threatened me or would have threatened Professor Bergman because we were part of some 'main mission elite,"' Sandra sneered in distaste.
"Sandra's right, Alan. When I heard what those bastards nearly did, I could have gone for Simmonds myself," Paul remarked with a frustrated shake of his head, "I couldn't believe how low they fell. But at least we have a way of getting home now, and when they see how far we're travelling every day, we will be putting paid to those idiots' views for good."
"They're right, Alan. You thought we had a chance and you quickly realised that their ideas were bogus. Simmonds had them all thinking if we put him in charge of Alpha, we would somehow magically find a way of getting home, but it wasn't going to happen, and I stand by my views that going back to Earth will not be a good thing for any of us," Victor said.
"I'm dreading that day. How will we be in hyperspace for anyway?" Helena asked, changing the subject.
"When we get to the rim of the galaxy," Alan replied. "We'll get there tomorrow morning. According to the database, an intergalactic flight is possible, but every once in a while, the ship will come out of hyperspace for the navigational arrays to take course corrections. It's a bit like getting navigational fixes with a compass on the sea."
"When we get to the outer rim, I want us to do some basic exploration of the area. This is the first time in human history that we've had faster-than-light travel that's sustainable. We'll spend an hour exploring a small section of the outer rim of the galaxy before we resume our way back to Earth. What we learn here will be used for later space explorers that will come after us," Koenig said.
Victor perked up at the thought of space exploration, but Alan wasn't convinced this was a good idea to indulge in. "Sir, with all due respect, is that wise?" Alan asked shortly.
Koenig knew what Alan was getting at. They were on a timetable, but at the same time he had joined up as an astronaut because he had been interested in space exploration himself. He had longed to see what was on the moon, on Mars, and in the asteroid fields. "It will only be for an hour, Alan, we will just be running some extra scans and taking a look in any solar system we encounter, and then we'll return to Earth. Besides, it will be good practice for us when we travel to the Pegasus galaxy. I think that's just about it. Are there any other points?" He asked.
Everyone looked around at each other, but in truth, they were all too tired to really pay much attention. Helena walked with Koenig to the quarters Koenig had saved for himself. They didn't say anything, they just relished being in each other's company. Finally, they reached the cabin door. Koenig was just locking it when he turned and found Helena stripping out of her uniform. Koenig was unable to take his eyes off her appealing body.
"Are you sure, Helena?" He asked. They all knew that the rest of the Alphans were taking advantage of the freedom granted to them to finally hook up, and while a part of Koenig would have preferred for them to wait after they colonised a planet or resettled on Earth before they thought of having families but he found he didn't care.
Helena strode over to him and they kissed. "Positive," Helena whispered before he got undressed….
X
"We're dropping out of hyperspace now, Commander," Alan smiled, remembering the incredible night he'd had the night before, and knowing that Koenig had enjoyed his own night with Helena.
Everyone on the Odyssey bridge turned their attention towards the HUD mounted on the wall. The Alphans had been on the edge of a galaxy before when their moon was pulled along by nothing but gravity and the low warp effect which allowed them to travel faster-than-light - just about - but the narrow size of the HUD made it extremely hard for them to take in the sheer size of the blackness of space. It was just sheer black with only a few gleams that were likely distant galaxies spread out before them. But in front of the Odyssey was a large galaxy in the distance.
"That's the galaxy we have to reach," Alan said.
"We're a long way from it. How soon before we get the course corrections?" Koenig asked.
Alan checked. "Not long, sir. That gives us time to look around."
"Is there anything to see that's worthwhile?" Kano asked.
"There's very little, sir," Alan said.
Koenig could see that some of the crew were taking note of what was being said, and he wondered just how many of them had supported and still supported Simmonds. He had to think fast. "We'll stay for a little bit longer, gathering scans. We've been on the edge of a galaxy before, but we've never had the means to really take a look from one ship before. So I don't see the need of launching an Eagle. At the same time, this is a good opportunity for us to see how the hyperdrive is doing."
Reaching for the comm lock, Koenig pressed the intercom switch. "Koenig to engineering," he said.
One of the technical crew answered. "Yes, sir? Benton, here."
"Benton, how's the hyperdrive?"
"It's doing great. The ZPM and the generators are still ticking over. We're keeping a good eye on it," Benton replied.
"Well, we've got time for a check right now, Benton. We're doing a course correctional check and taking a brief look around before we use the drive again," Koenig said.
"Understood, Commander."
Koenig turned to Alan. "Sublight engines, Captain Carter. Turn us to Starboard. I want to take some good scans before we resume our course," he said.
"Yes, sir," Alan replied as he adjusted their heading. For the next half an hour, the Odyssey explored the region before they opened a new hyperspace window and went off into hyperspace.
X
"What are you reading?" Koenig asked Helena when he found her in sickbay, but he hadn't expected to find her just reading something from the Odyssey's computer.
"Hmm?" Helena's eyes brightened up when she spotted him. "I was just reading some of the files on the planets in the other universe."
"Anything interesting?" Koenig asked.
"I found a note of a world where a planet of some kind was able to hold the key to cold fusion, but I was more interested in the Asgard file on cloning, and a technology which repairs injuries, and extends life," Helena replied.
"Better not tell Simmonds, he's the type who'd want to live forever."
Helena remembered Simmond's attitude to the report the people on Ultima Thule had lived since the 11th century following some kind of wormhole that sent them all back into the past. Simmonds had not realised the long-term damage immortality had caused would shatter everyone's morale since many people on Alpha wanted kids. But then again, Simmonds was rather more interested in the prospect of using their interstellar ship, but the people destroyed it.
"How come you're looking at it?" Koenig sat down.
"Curious. I haven't really had an opportunity to study the medical knowledge of the other reality before now, and I felt now was a good time. How are we doing? I heard we're in intergalactic space?"
"We are," Koenig confirmed. "We'll be in the next galaxy in a few days."
"How long will it take for us to pass through that one?"
"Not long, just a couple of days, maybe a few hours. It's hard to be sure. But we're going to pass through this galaxy nonstop unless it's to get course corrections."
Helena frowned. "We're not going to stop off and pick up supplies?"
"We don't need to. We've got more than enough to live off for a week," Koenig replied.
Helena nodded before she lowered her voice. "When we get to the Pegasus galaxy, how many planets are we going to look at?"
"I checked on the Odyssey database. There are only three planets I want to have a look at."