A/N: hopefully this chapter answers some questions, the last one really will, and a sequel is on its way, not right away since im working on a short McKay fic to take a break from the Tialysians. The sequel will be more sinister, not sure to what extent as of yet. thanks for the reviews :-)
Chapter 7- Tour
The AC-304 was gliding over the landscape with ease, the trees and fields flying by with a blur. The AS: 2 team hoped they would reach the Gate before the Atlantis expedition sent a Jumper through, but there was always a chance they would not.
Commander Gallata was in the pilot's seat flying, Chief Belacu next to him, and Col. Akusi was seated behind the Commander. Attached to the side to the right of the Colonel there was a storage trunk that could be used to seat an extra person if the need arisen. Other than that, there was no other space. The Flyer still opened in the back, like usual.
"Commander, are you going to accept the promotion when General Kipodi retires?"
"Well Chief, I uh… haven't thought about it."
"What's there to think about sir?" Col. Akusi asked. "You would be running the ASC."
"Exactly, stuck at Avenue Control while you two get to travel to other worlds. Besides, who would you get to replace me?"
"I would take over the team then…sir." Col. Akusi replied with a slight smile.
Laughing, Cmdr. Gallata said "So that's why you want to get rid of me, right Colonel, you want a command for yourself. I knew you had it in you." Fenring kept laughing.
"You figured me out sir," Col. Akusi responded sarcastically and laughing also.
"But seriously Commander, you are the most qualified officer at the Base to take over." Chief Rone Belacu brought up.
"In that case, you would need to know how to fly a 300 series Flyer Chief, since the Colonel isn't a pilot. Here take over." The Commander programmed the Flyer for automatic and switched seats with Chief Belacu. Rone took the controls in his hand and set the Flyer back to manual. Immediately, the Flyer skyrocketed at a forty five degree angle into the sky.
"Chief! Use Both hands and push forward."
"Sorry sir, it got away from me for a moment." Rone dropped the Flyer back into the lower atmosphere and leveled it.
"That's alright. You're a better pilot than you believe. Trust yourself more and you'll be just fine." Commander Fenring Gallata had a lot of faith in Rone, but sometimes he just doesn't concentrate enough.
"I trust myself fine as a pilot sir, in science it's a different story."
"That family of yours is quite a one to live up to. Just your sister and brother alone heading research teams, not to mention your mother, grandfather…"
"I get the picture ... Sir."
Just then the Ancient's Stargate came into view, with an established wormhole and a Jumper coming through.
"Damn, we're too late." Col. Akusi said quietly as the Gate shut back down.
Back at the ASC, the team was getting a tour by Dr. Belacu and Sergeant Jude Dura, a man in his thirties and a member of AS: 11 (another Tialysian Avenue team), and being escorted by a couple of guards of course, just in case. They were shown all the boring rooms; the mess hall, other meeting halls, places like that before the interesting part began.
The group walked into a large room with dozens of people working on something large on the ground at one side. A DHD was over near where they were working. The room was rather similar to the Atlantis Control Room; it even had an overlooking command balcony. People were also up there, working on the computers.
Dr. Anirul Belacu addressed the team, "Welcome to the main hub of the ASC, the Avenue and Command Room."
"Is that what they're working on over there, the Gate?" McKay asked.
"Yes it is. The Avenue rebuild is on schedule, so you all will be able to go home tomorrow. I do not know if you all realize how lucky it is you came to Tialys today, and not two days ago."
"Why would that be?" Major Sheppard asked.
"The Avenue was still operational two days ago; you would have sent your probe right into our shield, destroying it."
"And we would have never come."
"Precisely."
Steering the conversation in the direction he wanted, Rodney asked "You mentioned back at your house your people have improved the Gate?"
"Yes, it will be easier to show you at the Control Computer."
The group headed up the stairs onto the balcony and gathered around. Anirul sat down at what seemed to be the main computer on a long desk of several. Other consuls were scattered around also. The computers seemed to be a mix of Ancient technology and human. Using a touchpad "key" board Anirul brought up a screen on a monitor.
"Actually the improvements on the Avenue are mostly dealing with the control of the Avenue. The only structural thing we have changed is the size; we have made it a few feet larger in anticipation of some future plans, after the Wraith are defeated. Now look here," Anirul pointed out some diagrams, "We can now determine where an incoming wormhole has originated, giving us more control over our security."
"And what is this here?" Rodney pointed to an icon in the corner of the screen.
"Let me bring it up... Ok here." A new screen came up. "This is where we can disconnect wormholes whether they are incoming or outgoing."
"Did you come up with this?" Rodney said as he was studying the screen.
"No, my mother did some years ago. She also left work that enabled my team and me to make our improvements."
Rodney absent mindedly spoke, "This is very interesting…"
"Thank you. That's all I wanted to show you in here, so we'll come back here tomorrow, when the Avenue is finished."
Anirul, Rodney, and one of the guards were heading to one of the many laboratories on the Tialysian base. The group had split up, since the others had a greater interest touring the training centers, weapon stores, and firing ranges with Sergeant Dura.
Anirul Belacu opened a door to a dark room, but when she turned on the lights a large consul about seven feet long was revealed. It had a few Tialysian versions of laptop computers attached to it and stools were lined up in front of each. The guard stayed outside.
"I thought you would be interested in this Dr. McKay," Anirul said as she turned the machine on and opened one of the 'laptops.'
"It's an Ancient computer." Dr. McKay was practically hypnotized, anxious to get a look at it.
"Yes it is. It was found along with the Flyers and other miscellaneous artifacts."
"There was more than one Flyer?"
"Two actually."
There was a question Rodney just couldn't get out of his head. It had been bothering him since the First Minister told then of finding the Jumper.
"Your people can use all of the original Ancient technologies?"
Anirul started slowly, unsure at first of what he was getting at, "Yes… … I assume you are referring to the fact the Ancients designed their equipment to only work for people with a certain genetic makeup?"
Rodney quickly came to a resolution. "I am. You have the gene."
"All Tialysians do."
"Everyone!" Rodney was amazed at this claim; the Tialysians were closer to the Ancients than they were.
"Not all of your people do?" Anirul asked.
"No, not all."
"Hmm… interesting." Anirul was lost in thought and was going to say something, but she changed the subject. "We use addresses to other planets that were originally found on here. Unfortunately, Atlantis wasn't one of them. If it was, you would have found us occupying Atlantis when you reached there from… Earth was it?"
"Earth it is, in our little corner of the universe."
Dr. Belacu laughed, "You're far away from home Dr. McKay."
Rodney smiled, "In distance, but it's just a step through the Gate."
"With enough power." Anirul pointed out.
"We have had problems with power… Your people must have a tremendous need for power, all the shielding you use." Rodney had also been pondering this.
"That we do. We have a couple sources, but they're not very efficient. Bealle alone requires five of our generators working practically constantly, not including if we ever have to raise the force shielding in addition to the cloaking. There is a study under way to develop a new source, but it is slow work."
Rodney was eager to see what other technologies the Tialysians possessed, and what he could learn from them. They obviously seemed to be a friendly, sharing people; he being shown this computer was jut one sign of that fact.
"I would be glad to assist in that research."
Anirul was lost in thought again. "A new perspective could be used… … But anyway I wanted to show you something on here. We have deciphered that most of the information on the Ancient computer is medical research, but there are some schematics on the Flyer and a few weapons."
On the screen was some of the Ancient medical research, but before Anirul could change it, Rodney was sitting down and reading it.
"Beckett should have a look at this… …I don't recognize this word here."
"Oh it's not important at the moment. I actually wanted to show you this."
Dr. Belacu moved closer to the computer, and incidentally to Rodney, so she could open a specific file. Rodney glanced up at her and noticed the sparkle in her blue eyes.
He was brought back to Earth... err Tialys, when Anirul started speaking.
"It is a map of a large city of some sort, but there is no other documentation referring to it. I am hoping you know more about it."
"Actually it is a map of Atlantis. You see there is the Control Room, and this is the rest of the city."
"Why would it be on here though?" Anirul inquired.
"It's not unusual for someone to have a map of where they live."
"Perhaps you could use it then."
"Of course yes." Rodney kept looking at the computer, going over as much of the map as he could.
The guard that was standing outside came to the door.
"Dr. Belacu," She turned around to face him. "I just received a communication from Control, AS: 2 is escorting a Jumper from Atlantis. They will be here in approximately an hour and a half."
"Thank you Captain." Anirul turned back to Rodney, "What do you say Dr. McKay, should we meet with the others before AS: 2 arrives? The computer will always be here."
"Sure let's go." Rodney stood up and Anirul turned the computer off, then the lights as they left.
"How was the lab McKay?" Major Sheppard asked as they all met in one of the hallways.
"Very interesting actually, they have an Ancient computer that contains some medical information and-"
The Major and Lieutenant were too eager to share what they saw to sit through Rodney's scientific banter "That's good McKay," John began, "We saw some of their handheld weapons."
"Including the one Dr. Belacu used on us back at her house." Lt. Ford said.
Teyla was just as excited as the boys, "They are very impressive."
Lt. Ford explained how this weapon worked, "It uses some sort of sound wave to knock out a group of people's senses and render them unconscious for a period of time."
"I would really like to have the other weapons back at Atlantis also."
"Anyone hungry?" Sergeant Dura asked the group.
"Are you kidding, I'm starving, as long as there's nothing citrus." McKay immediately responded.
Teyla agreed, "It has been a rather long day."
Sgt. Stackhouse and two other military personnel from Atlantis were escorted by two guards and walked into the ASC's cafeteria to see Major Sheppard, Lt. Ford, Teyla, and Dr. McKay sitting at large table eating at a rather generous spread.
Major Sheppard looked up and saw Stackhouse, "Sergeant, welcome, want anything eat?"
With his mouth full, McKay commented "The food is really great, you should try some."
Stackhouse was a little bit confused as he spoke, "Dr. Weir sent us to rescue you, sir, but it seems you don't need much rescuing."