Chapter Six: Just like a jumper
The three companions made their way to the back of the room. Finding no life forms beyond the door, Sheppard opened it cautiously. The large, square room resembled the puddle jumper bay in the city. Two small crafts hung from scaffolding above a large trapdoor in the floor. The crafts were similar to puddle jumpers, but smaller and more streamlined in shape. The engines were more to the rear and did not appear to retract as the jumpers' did.
"Nice," Sheppard declared. He was looking forward to driving one.
"Do you think they still run?" Beckett asked.
"One way to find out." He walked around the room until he found a set of steps leading into the rear of each ship. He climbed inside one and found the familiar four chairs and controls.
McKay came in behind him. "Well? Can you drive it?"
"Piece of cake. It looks just like a jumper."
"Rodney! Major Sheppard!" Beckett called from outside. "I think you'd better have a look at this."
"What is it?" McKay asked. He stuck his head out of the back of the sub, but could not see the doctor.
"Some kind of control unit." His voice was coming from the other side of the room.
McKay and Sheppard made their way around the subs to where Beckett was waiting in a small alcove. He had found controls mounted on a pedestal. The baby lizard around his arm hissed at Rodney's approach, but made no move to bite him again. McKay glared at the creature before turning his attention to the mechanism.
"This should operate the door," he told the others.
"Can you work it?" Sheppard asked.
"Of course I can! Give me a minute."
Sheppard left the scientist, knowing he could get touchy when working. "So, Doc, what'cha going to do with the little guy?" he gestured at the lizard.
"I don't know," he admitted, glancing down at his passenger. "I just hope I can get my arm back someday." He smiled. Even after what he'd been through, Carson couldn't abandon such a helpless looking creature. "I think he's getting hungry," he added.
"Aren't we all," Sheppard replied. He was beginning to wish he'd had the foresight to bring some power bars with him. He sighed; it was too late now.
"Got it!" McKay cried triumphantly. The trapdoor slid open with a small whirring sound, revealing dark water.
"Good job, McKay," Sheppard was mildly impressed.
"Thank you," he replied smugly.
"Let's go, then."
Inside one of the subs, Sheppard took the pilot seat. McKay helped Beckett into one of the other chairs, being careful to avoid Carson's little friend, before sitting next to the Major.
"Okay," Sheppard said. "So, how do we get down?"
As if in reply, the mechanism holding the sub in the air released. For a split second, the ship seemed to hang suspended before plunging down into the water. The impact had all three men grasping desperately for support.
"Are you crazy?!" Beckett cried. "You could've killed us!"
Sheppard shrugged. "I doubt that. I don't think Ancient technology would allow it."
"Seriously though, Major," McKay reprimanded. "You should be more careful!"
"Alright! I thought we were in a hurry."
"To get to Atlantis: yes. To get killed: no."
Sheppard didn't reply, but gently guided the sub deeper into the water. Used to puddle jumpers, he was surprised to find the craft slow and hard to maneuver. In an effort to speed their progress, he pulled harder on the controls. The sub shot forward abruptly.
"Major!" McKay shouted. He covered his face as an underwater mountain loomed into view.
Grim with concentration, Sheppard stopped the craft several feet from the obstacle.
"Holy crap," Beckett mummered. "That was close."
"Not really," Sheppard told him. "We're still a good three feet away." He didn't want to admit that he had been a little nervous himself. Only a little.
McKay was much less calm. "Are you trying to get us killed?!" His voice was rising almost to the point of hysterics.
Sheppard sighed and, deciding to ignore the scientist, carefully turned the sub around. With a thought he brought up a map of the ocean. From this, they could see that the underwater base was affixed to a nearby mountain peak, several hundred feet below the surface, so that it stuck out like a ledge. The map also showed Atlantis to the east, almost a thousand miles away.
"Well, I think we can relax now," Sheppard announced. "We'll be back in time for supper."
"That's good news," Beckett said with relief.
Careful not to accelerate too fast this time, Sheppard sent the sub speeding off in the direction of the distant city.
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Dr. Weir was considerably relieved after her conversation with her missing friends, but she couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive. She wouldn't be completely happy until they were safely back in the city. Determined to do what she could to ensure this, she turned Peter, who was working on the controls: "Can you locate the source of that transmission?"
"I can try." He fiddled with the controls for a minute. A small map of the planet popped up. "There." He pointed to a small, blinking spot some distance from the city.
"How far away is that?"
"About a thousand miles."
"How long would it take to get a jumper out there?"
"Maybe fourty-five minutes to an hour."
Weir nodded in understanding. She activated her radio and contacted Lt. Ford, who was still in the Ancient lab. "Lieutenant."
"Yes, ma'am?"
"We've just had contact from Major Sheppard. Apparently they're in an underwater facility quite a way from here. I need you to get a team together and head out in one of the jumpers."
"Are they in trouble?"
"No, but I'm not taking any chances."
"Understood. I'll be right there."
Half an hour later, Lt. Ford, Teyla Emmagan, Markham and Stackhouse took off in a puddle jumper with Markham flying. Ford spoke to Dr. Weir from the copilot's seat: "We're on our way."
"Alright. Good luck."