McKay walked into Elizabeth Weir's office and flopped into a chair. She looked up from the report she was reading and frowned.
"Rodney, you really do need to learn how to knock, or at least say hello." She saw his dismayed expression. "No luck?"
He shook his head. "No. Nothing. The address must be a mistake."
"I'm sorry."
"Well, the Colonel isn't as infallible with the Ancient technology as we thought." McKay said flatly. He started to rub his face with both hands then froze. "Or, maybe not."
"What?"
McKay held up one hand and tapped his transceiver with the other. "Col. Sheppard? This is McKay."
They both heard the response a couple of seconds later. "This is Sheppard."
"Can you come to Gate Ops, please?"
"I'll be there in five minutes."
Five minutes later, Sheppard climbed the stairs to Gate Ops.
McKay was standing next to an empty chair at the DHD. Elizabeth stood nearby, leaning on the railing. As Sheppard approached, the physicist indicated he should sit in the chair. He looked questioningly at them. She just shrugged and nodded at McKay.
"Sit." McKay swung the chair slightly to make it easier for the Colonel to sit down. "I think, I hope, I have it."
"What?" Sheppard looked up.
"Dial the address and press the middle two symbols together." McKay turned the chair again to face the Colonel toward the console.
Sheppard did as he was told, and a few seconds later a wormhole opened. The three of them, along with everyone in the Gate Room, stared at the shimmering event horizon. Sheppard saw the expressions on Elizabeth and McKay were very much like the moment he made the solar system appear in the Antarctic outpost.
"Rodney?" Sheppard stood up and went to the railing.
"I should have known." McKay said with disgust. "Since you were the only one who could get any of this out of the Ancient database, it's reasonable to assume that you'd be the only one that could dial the address."
"Well, I suppose we'd better send the MALP through." Sheppard signaled to a Sergeant on the floor below. Moments later, a MALP rolled into view and toward the Gate.
Elizabeth looked at him suspiciously as the MALP disappeared. "How did you know Rodney would figure it out?"
"Because he's the smart one." Sheppard replied as if it was the obvious answer. He moved around to the large screen as a technician counted off the seconds until re-materialization.
The image sent back by the robot was confusing. The room at the destination appeared to be oval, about thirty feet deep from the Gate and twenty-five feet on its short axis. The walls seemed perfectly smooth, but it was difficult to tell because the material was dark and absorbed almost all of the light and the radar. They had to guide the MALP over the entire room to verify its true size. It certainly did not look like a factory.
They watched as the MALP thoroughly explored the small space. The only distinguishing feature they saw other than the Gate was the DHD off to one side. Even that was odd. The DHD was a small pedestal, the symbol buttons looking like those in a jumper. It was made of the same material as the rest of the chamber. On the second turn around the room, McKay pointed to the image.
"Aim the light at the floor!" He peered closely at the image. "This looks similar to the place where Gen. O'Neill first had the Ancient database downloaded into his brain. I saw a video of it."
Elizabeth glanced at him. "That doesn't make sense, Rodney. This is supposed to be where the drones are made."
"I know. It could be another step in the security. Who knows? There has been too much cloak and dagger about this whole thing."
"Well, we know from the Aurora that they took security seriously. Maybe there's a doorway we can't see." Sheppard did not take his eyes from the screen. "How's the atmosphere?"
The technician checked the readout. "Looks good, Sir."
"Okay, scan it from top to bottom. There may be something there we just haven't seen." Sheppard put his hands on his hips. "Teyla and Ronon will be back from the mainland later. We'll take a look first thing in the morning."
"We're not going now?" McKay was confused. "We should go now."
"John?" Elizabeth was also taken aback.
"Yes, I do, but not without Teyla and Ronon." Sheppard glanced sideways at McKay. "Look, if this is the place where the drones are made, we can't have anyone else with the Ancient gene even think about Gating over. I need to get in there first."
"Wait, what do you mean?" McKay was alarmed. "What about me?"
"Sorry, Rodney, I think you need to sit this one out. Let me check it out first then you can come over and poke around to your heart's content."
"But, I can be careful. I won't turn anything on." McKay was becoming agitated.
"No. It's too important and could be extremely dangerous. You can watch." Sheppard was firm as he pointed to the screen.
Before McKay could respond, Elizabeth spoke. "I agree, Rodney. Let John make sure it's safe before you go."
McKay looked at the determination on their faces. He exhaled loudly and nodded. Then, he touched the controls and the Gate shut down.
Elizabeth sipped hot tea from a mug and leaned back in her chair. "You'd think the installation on Doranda would have had this kind of security. The weapon there was much more powerful and potentially more dangerous to the Ancients."
"Well, the Dorandans would have needed access to it to help the Ancients run it." McKay observed. "And, maybe even run it by themselves once installation and testing were complete."
"They may have left it like that on purpose. If the Wraith tried to bring it online, it would have destroyed any ships in the vicinity." Sheppard suggested.
"It's possible." McKay looked thoughtfully at the Colonel. "But, maybe it did have a level of security similar to that of the drone lab."
"What are you talking about? You got it running." Sheppard frowned.
"Yeah, but you were there the whole time." McKay waved his hand over his own mug. "And, you did your magic trick with the ATA sensor, didn't you?"
The next morning, McKay waited nervously in Gate Ops until Elizabeth and Sheppard arrived.
"Where have you been?" He demanded. "Where are Ronon and Teyla?"
Sheppard looked sideways at him. "They'll be here in a few minutes, Rodney. Stop it, will you?"
"Well, I still don't really see why I can't go." The physicist protested as he followed them into her office. "I won't touch anything!"
Elizabeth sat at her desk. "The decision has been made, Rodney. There is too much at stake here. We need the drones, and if we have found…"
"I know, I know! It's just not fair!" He pouted as he looked at Sheppard. "You'll tell me as soon as you know it's safe, won't you?"
"Yes, Rodney, as soon as I know." The Colonel nodded patiently.
At that moment, Teyla appeared at the door. "Col. Sheppard? I am sorry to interrupt. We are ready when you are."
"Do you have the video camera?" McKay asked Teyla.
"Yes, Dr. McKay." She held up a small digital recorder. "And, I know how to use it."
"I've rigged a transmitter so we'll be able to see what you're recording. Just press this." He pointed to a button on a small attachment on the device. "Spare disks and batteries?"
She touched a pocket on her vest. "Yes, Rodney. Do not worry. I will record everything I can."
"Yes, Rodney, stop worrying." Sheppard glanced back at Elizabeth and smiled. "Ready?"
"I just want to make sure we see everything." McKay walked through the door, followed by Elizabeth and Sheppard.
A minute later, Ronon and Teyla waited on the Gate Room floor as Sheppard stood at the DHD, flanked by Elizabeth, McKay and Radek Zelenka. He dialed the address and the wormhole opened. They activated the MALP again to ensure the destination was unchanged. Sheppard took a deep breath and he hurried down the stairs. After a quick wave, he walked through the event horizon with Teyla and Ronon.
"Be careful." Elizabeth said softly, as she had so often done before.
McKay looked at her sharply. "Are you worried?"
She shook her head as she sat next to the technician running the MALP and lied. "No, not really."
"They'll be fine." He glanced at the Gate. "You were probably right about just Sheppard going with Teyla and Ronon. Until we know what's there, it's the safest thing to do."
Zelenka added, "Col. Sheppard knows what he is doing."
They turned to watch the transmission from the MALP. The technician operating the MALP camera had swung around to show the Gate on the other end. Within seconds, they saw Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon come through the event horizon. The chamber was immediately flooded with light. The camera followed Sheppard as he walked to the center and stopped.
"Well?" McKay was too impatient to wait.
"We know there's at least some power for the lights." The Colonel lowered his P-90 as he peered around the room. "I can't see where it's coming from, though."
"It is very strange." They heard Teyla's voice. The technician started to swing the camera on the MALP. They saw the image from Teyla's recorder on a laptop set up under the main screen.
"No, no, stay with the Colonel. Wide angle." McKay ordered and the technician obeyed. Sheppard came back into view and the perspective widened to show more of the chamber.
The feed from Teyla's recorder showed them there were no seams or corners in the room. Gentle curves made the transitions where ceiling and floor met wall. Even the base of the DHD and Stargate appeared like they grew from the floor. The material absorbed almost all light, making it difficult to gauge depth or size.
Ronon came into view and stood next to Sheppard. He looked around the room. "The walls are smooth. There's nothing here, no writing, no door, nothing."
"What about the floor? Is there anything on the floor?" McKay demanded. "Walk around. If it's like P3R-272, the place where Gen. O'Neill found the library, you may need to walk across the sensor."
They saw Ronon look down to search the floor then disappear from the camera's range. Sheppard, however, didn't move. Instead, he closed his eyes.
"What are you doing?" McKay looked at Elizabeth and Zelenka. "What is he doing?"
"Quiet, Rodney." Elizabeth spoke softly.
Zelenka whispered. "He's thinking."
"Oh! Sorry." McKay peered at the screen.
Teyla and Ronon came back into the image, standing either side of Sheppard. They both glanced at him then turned to study the walls of the chamber. Suddenly, Sheppard opened his eyes. He walked to the wall to the left of the Gate, stopping inches from it, but not touching it. He slowly moved around the full curve of the chamber until he was on the right side of the Gate. Then he went back to the middle and handed his P-90 to Ronon.
"Hold this for me." Sheppard said.
Ronon looked at Teyla who quickly glanced at him. "Sheppard?"
"Mmm?"
"You should keep your weapon with you." Ronon frowned as he scanned the chamber again.
"It's okay. We're all alone here." The Colonel replied absently as he looked around the entire chamber. He walked back to the left end of the oval and placed his hand on the surface in front of his chest.
The wall around where he stood began to change. The outline of a large doorway seemed to morph from the surface in front of Sheppard. It was about ten feet wide and ten high, and was bordered by an intricate geometric design. His fingertips traced the design upward along the left side of the door, then the right, stopping very briefly at different points. As they watched, Sheppard reached up and touched the top left corner of the door. It slid up with a quiet hiss.
In Gate Ops, McKay pulled the technician from her chair and sat down. "Oh, my God."
"How…?" Zelenka leaned closer to the screen. "There was nothing to indicate a door, or anything."
McKay threw up his hands and shook his head, but didn't take his eyes off the screens.
Beyond the open door, they saw a space about six feet deep. Sheppard entered and touched the wall at the other end. It, too, became a door and slid open. The area was instantly illuminated when he crossed the threshold. He disappeared from sight. Ronon followed with his weapon at the ready. Teyla entered next to him, still filming.
McKay tried to keep up with the MALP, but it was far behind. Elizabeth and Zelenka watched the video from Teyla's camera. Her slow pan of the area showed a much larger chamber. It was more or less rectangular, and again, there were no sharp corners. A small console occupied the wall at one end, a large display screen above it. She turned the recorder to show the rest of the room. At the other end, they saw Sheppard standing in front of a weapons chair just like the ones in Antarctica and Atlantis. The area between the chair and console was empty, featureless.
Teyla and Ronon entered the room, closely followed by the MALP. Rodney halted the robot just inside the door and swung the camera to follow the Colonel, who was approaching the console. His fingertips brushed the sensor pad and the screen came to life. Within moments, Ancient text and images streamed across the screen.
Teyla stayed back, but zoomed the recorder to capture as much of it as possible. Sheppard's sleeve was just visible at the edge of the image. In Atlantis, McKay and Zelenka spoke over each other as they watched. McKay moved the MALP forward to record the data as well.
McKay stood up. "Colonel. Slower, make it go slower! I want to record this!"
He sat down again as the flow of information stopped, looped back to the beginning then began again at a relative crawl. McKay moved the MALP close enough for the screen to take up the whole image being transmitted. His and Zelenka's excitement diverted Elizabeth's attention, too. They watched for several minutes, barely breathing for fear of missing something.
"Are those shipping reports?" McKay leaned closer.
Zelenka squinted at the screen. "Looks like it might be."
"Shipping?" Elizabeth asked with skepticism.
McKay was glued to the screen. "Yeah. Sounds very ordinary, isn't it?"
"Except for what was being shipped, very." She agreed.
They didn't notice the perspective from Teyla's recorder change as she followed Sheppard to the chair at the other end of the room.
"Rodney?" Sheppard's voice made them jump and turn to the computer. "Feel like coming on a little trip?"
McKay almost fell over backwards trying to get up from the chair. He ran down the stairs. "Yes, yes! I'm on my way."
"McKay!" The Colonel's raised voice made him stop.
"What?" McKay looked from the Gate to the Ops balcony in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"You don't need to run."
The physicist straightened himself with all the dignity he could muster. He retrieved a wheeled case that was waiting at the edge of the Gate Room floor and walked slowly through the Gate. Zelenka and Elizabeth chuckled as they watched the physicist leave. Then they turned and sat at the console again. A few seconds later, they saw him enter the Gate Room at the destination. He looked around nervously.
McKay stopped in the middle of the room for a moment then noticed the Teyla. "Why aren't you recording the data?"
The angle changed as Teyla turned toward the corridor to the other chamber. "Sorry, Dr. McKay."
"Don't listen to him, Teyla." Sheppard came into view again as he walked through the doors back to the chair room. "Rodney, come set up your toys."
McKay followed the Colonel, trying to study his surroundings at the same time. He paused at the door of the chair room then headed for the console. "Where is the light coming from?"
"Don't know." Ronon leaned against the wall near the door. "Does it matter?"
"Well, no, not really. I just…" McKay lay the case on the floor next to the console and unloaded a laptop, data pad and other gear. He started to set the laptop on the console, but stopped. "Can I touch it?"
"Yeah." Sheppard circled the chair as he spoke.
"Why is it off?" The physicist pointed at the blank screen then looked sharply at Sheppard.
"I want to see if you can turn it on."
McKay frowned then nodded anxiously. Sheppard's caution had sunk in. He set the laptop on the console and quickly made the connections necessary to record any data they found. He hesitantly placed his hand on the sensor pad. Nothing happened.
"Colonel?"
Sheppard was already standing next to him. He raised his eyebrows in silent query. McKay crossed his arms and nodded at the sensor.
"Relax, Rodney. I don't think this controls anything that can actually do damage." He glanced at the chair on the other side of the chamber. McKay followed his glance.
"Are you positive?" McKay's eyes went back to the sensor.
"No. Not a hundred percent, but fairly sure." He grinned and slapped McKay on the shoulder. "Just be careful what you think, that's all."
McKay gave Sheppard an apprehensive glance. "Gee, thanks!"
"Don't worry, I'm right here." The Colonel was more serious. "Come on, Rodney, just try it."
"Okay." McKay nodded and, with a deep breath, put his hand back on the sensor. He stared at the screen, which remained blank.
"Relax." Sheppard leaned over and spoke softly. "Be a little more Zen about it."
"Zen?" McKay looked at him in disbelief.
Sheppard nodded, mischief in his eyes. "Zen. Now, what do you want?"
McKay opened his mouth to speak.
"Don't tell me. Tell it."
Teyla and Ronon glanced at each other, just as Elizabeth and Zelenka did on Atlantis. Sheppard reached to put his hand on McKay's shoulder, but stopped just before making contact. Instead, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and stepped back a pace.
"It won't work for me." McKay put his hand back on the sensor and closed his eyes. After several seconds, he dropped his hand and turned to the Colonel. "What if I…?"
"Rodney." Sheppard stepped forward again. "Okay. Let's try something easy."
The chamber they were in went black first then the Gate Room. Only the light from the MALP shone until Ronon turned on the light on Sheppard's P-90. Teyla flicked on her P-90's light a moment later. The small beams created an eerie effect in the chamber. There were no shadows, any light falling on the chamber surfaces being absorbed completely.
"What the hell are you doing?" McKay whirled on Sheppard. His voice was half an octave higher than normal.
"Colonel?" Teyla glanced back at him. "What is happening?"
Ronon looked around, his hand on his weapon. "Are you doing this, Sheppard?"
"Yes. Everything's okay." Sheppard looked over his shoulder at Teyla and Ronon then turned back to McKay. He pulled out a small flashlight and shone it on the console. "Rodney, put your hand on the sensor."
McKay reluctantly did as he was told. He turned to the console and put his hand back on the pad. "What do you want me to do?"
"Turn the lights on, of course."
"Well, what if I set something off? If this place is really where they made the drones…"
"Rodney." Sheppard looked sideways as one would an annoying child.
McKay said impatiently. "But, you won't let that happen, will you?"
"No." The Colonel nodded at the console. "Time's a-wasting, Doctor. Just the lights."
"Yes, yes. Just the lights. Zen." He took a deep breath. A couple of seconds later, the lights came up in the room.
"The Gate Room?" Sheppard prompted. McKay nodded and screwed his eyes shut tight. It lit up as well. "Very good! How about the screen? Just turn it on."
McKay opened his eyes and stared at it for several seconds, be it remained dark. He closed his eyes again and breathed deep. A moment later, it activated. Sheppard slapped him on the shoulder. "There ya go!"
"Well, maybe now that we're here, the security isn't as tight." McKay was visibly relieved. He exhaled and looked around. "Now what?"
"Get your gear ready." The Colonel walked towards the chair at the other end of the room. He stopped in front of it, hands on hips.
"What is Zen?" Ronon quietly asked Teyla. She shrugged.