"Big bang?" Jack repeated.
"That's pretty big," Melony said. "An explosion large enough to blow up a planet is bound to mess with more than just that planet…"
Sam nodded.
"It will, but there isn't anything else in the system to be damaged – the sun if far enough away that it should be able to simply absorb any impact waves that manage to reach that far."
"And it'll block the wave from continuing even further," Rodney added. "At least in that direction."
"So we're not going to blow up any other planets with this?"
Sam shook her head.
"Which is another reason we really wanted to use Talonopolis. It's as isolated as any planet we could have hoped for – which is probably why the Mok managed to survive here when they were extinct everywhere else."
"Because no one could find them…" Daniel said.
"Yes."
Melony frowned as she and Talon contemplated the plan that had been laid out to them.
"We have a problem, however, Colonel," she said, finally. "I can't enlarge the escape device to take in a dart and assemble the shield dropping mechanism before the Wraith reach Talonopolis…"
Sam smiled.
"I'll take care of the shield dropper, Colonel."
"Can you?"
Melony didn't doubt her, but she hadn't actually considered that Sam might be able and willing to step forward and take over one of the tasks.
Sam nodded.
"I've studied it more than enough to understand the technology behind it. I can set it up." She hesitated. "There is one problem, though…"
"What's that?" Jack asked.
"The trigger to the shield dropping device is going to have to be put on a dart. And it's going to need to be activated off the planet's surface. Well out of orbit."
"Why's that?" Daniel asked.
"Because of the lava flows," Rodney said. "If we activate the shield dropper device on the surface, the planet itself will shield any Wraith hive ships that are on the far side of the planet. The flows are impervious to scans and radar, and pretty much every kind of transmission we've ever tried – and we're pretty sure it will block the shield dropper's signal as well."
"So someone will have to get far enough away from the planet to keep that from happening…" Jack said, understanding.
"Yes."
"And then haul ass back to the lava base to get through the escape device before the planet blows." Sam told them, looking worried. "It'll be close, because we don't know how long we'll have before the Wraith can get their shields back up, and we don't want to wait too long to detonate the planet."
"I'll do that," Jack said.
Melony frowned.
"I can do it."
"You're going to be too busy getting the Jaffa off the planet," Jack said. He already knew that she planned on being one of the pilots of the darts that collected the Jaffa in the lava base. And he was aware that she was a good enough pilot to be able to. "I can do it."
"But-"
"Melony." His brown eyes met hers, and she knew he wasn't going to back down. "I'll do it."
He's probably the best pilot we have… Talon told her. The symbiote had seen all the pilots – including Sheppard – and he'd already decided that Jack O'Neill would have the best chance of completing that dangerous task.
With Talon behind the choice of Jack, Melony didn't really have any choice. She was going to have her hands filled with collecting the Jaffa, and there wasn't anyone she'd trust more for what was probably the most important part of the plan.
Finally, she nodded.
"Okay, you do it. But haul ass back to the lava base as quick as you can…"
She'd be loath to leave until she knew he was on his way, after all.
Sam released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. It was important that they all agreed on who was doing what long before the Wraith arrived above Talonopolis. Things would go smoother that way.
"So we have the plan," she said, addressing the group. "Are there any questions?"
"Who's doing the flying?" Sheppard asked. "I volunteer."
Sam nodded.
"We're going to need five darts for the Jaffa pick up. They'll be going into the lava base in intervals, 'scooping' up Jaffa, and sent through the escape device only moments apart."
"Which means five of the best pilots," Melony said. "Aside from Jack, who will already be above the planet."
Sam nodded.
"I will pilot one of the darts," Teal'c said.
"As will I," Tao said, surprising no one.
"I have one, and Major Sheppard has one," Melony said. "And Corporal Sanders will pilot the other."
"Duck?" Ford asked, surprised. "Is he that good?"
Sheppard nodded, even as Mitchell spoke.
"He's that good."
Sam didn't let them have any discussion over it.
"Any other questions?"
Mitchell raised her hand.
"You're going to be working on the shield dropper, and I'm going to be working on the escape route, so to speak… who's going to help Doctor Beckett get my Mok off the planet?"
Rodney raised his hand, frowning.
"I am."
Sam nodded.
"He hasn't had as much experience with the technology Talon and you have engineered, so while he could probably make himself useful helping me, he definitely knows more about the Wraith technology than anyone other than myself – so he'll help make sure that your Mok and the baby Mok are safely integrated into the darts before the Wraith arrive."
Melony looked over at Rodney, and then at Carson, and finally shrugged. Yeah. Those two would make sure her Mok population was safe. She could trust them.
"Then let's get to work," she said.
They had a lot to do, and not all that much time.