After arriving back at the city, Archer and Mac walked their way to the briefing room. Archer had done a good job in changing the subject, making Mac laugh at a few different things on their ride back to Atlantis. When they walked back into the briefing room, Zelenka and Ripley were seated, speaking about some unknown thing.
Ripley noticed the two walk in.
"Finally." He said, motioning towards two chairs. "What did you do? Circle the planet?"
"You said an hour or two." Archer said as he and Mac sat themselves down in their chairs. "I chose two."
"Alright." Zelenka said. "Now that you're back, I think we should go over what you'll be doing on your first official mission."
A chill ran its way down Archer's spine at the words "mission". He was hours away from his first official Stargate mission.
"Major, if you would like to take them through what's what…" Zelenka said.
"I can do that, doctor." Ripley said. "You can go about your business. I'll give them the low-down."
It appeared that whatever hostility that had been going on between the Major and Doctor seem to have disappeared while Archer and Mac had been gone.
Zelenka nodded to the three of them as he gathered his folders from the top of the table. Without another word, he strode out of the Briefing room leaving the members of SGA by themselves.
"Alright, all-stars." Ripley said as he stood up at the head of the table. "This is what's going on."
He breathed in and out and began.
"The world of Talia has served as a trusted ally of Atlantis for the last ten years. Helping us with our Wraith problem, trading with us when necessary."
"Sounds like nice people." Archer said, leaning back in his chair.
"According to Zelenka, they are." Ripley continued. "Which is why we are following Talian tradition of renewing the treaty General Sheppard signed ten years ago."
"So, low risk of a fire-fight?" Archer asked.
"You gotta crawl before you can walk." Ripley said, shrugging his shoulders. "Zelenka wants us to go to the main Talian city, sign the treaty with the King and come home. Simple."
"Sounds good." Mac said. "Nice way to start our illustrious career as the SGA."
"Yeah." Ripley said. "So we'll be leaving in a couple hours so if you're going to sleep, I'd do it now."
But Archer was still way to excited to sleep. He was wide-awake.
"I'm going to assume you'd rather not sleep." Ripley said, looking at Archer.
"I'm good." Archer said, looking over at Mac. "Doctor, would you like to get some shut-eye."
"I'm fine." Mac said, standing up. "Let's gear up and do it."
Archer opened his locker in the male dressing room. "A. Archer" was stamped across the top. He hadn't really gotten a chance to decorate it so it was pretty drab and boring. He withdrew the bulletproof vest and belt and holster from where they hung on the hangars. He spent the next few minutes fitting the vest onto his body and belt onto his waist. The vests were worn over the Atlantis uniforms. While he was checking to see if everything was on straight in the mirror, Ripley came in lugging a duffle bag over his shoulder. He was already dressed in his vest and belts.
As he set the bag onto a bench, Archer walked over to where he stood.
"What's in the pack, Santa?" Archer asked as Ripley began to unzip the bag.
Ripley with drew a medium size gun that looked like a cross between a pistol and full-sized assault rifle.
"Standard issue P-90 submachine gun." Ripley said, holding up the weapon. "Gas propelled, single shot to automatic and has a firing rate of 900 rounds per minute. Its clip capacity is 50 semi armor piercing bullets and has an effective range maximum at 200 meters."
"Nice." Archer said, taking the gun from Ripley.
"There's a special hook on your vest that holds it up instead of an over-head holster. Great for quick draw."
Archer found the hook he spoke of and attached the P-90 by a small loop on the handle.
"One in the gun and two clips on your person." Ripley said, handing Archer two surprisingly small clips.
As Archer tucked them in a pouch on his belt, Ripley withdrew a small berretta and handed it to him.
"Standard 9mm berretta."
"What no grenades?" Archer said smiling, fitting the gun into the holster on his side.
"Oh yeah." Ripley said, handing Archer two small grenades that looked like they were alien. They were egg shaped with a red button in the middle.
"Don't you think this is a little much?" Archer asked, sticking the grenades in two special stanchions on the back of his belt.
"Always be prepared." Ripley said. "When we get back, I'll tell you about some of my old SG-1 stories. You wouldn't believe how things can escalate."
"Alright." Archer said, slamming his locker closed. "Let's do this."
After Ripley suited up his gear and weapons, he and Archer walked from the locker room.
As they walked to the Gate Room, Mac joined them. Being the scientist, she didn't have a P-90 strapped to her chest but a couple mini-computers. At her sides, she wore two 9mm.
"Nice fit, huh?" she asked Archer as they all fell into step together.
"You look good." Archer said. "We all look good."
"Fun time." Ripley said. "Onward to Talia."
The three Stargate explorers marched further and further until finally, they reached the Gate Room.
Zelenka was waiting a couple meters from the Gate with three uniforms holding a briefcase each.
"All right, you three?" he asked as they stepped up in front of him.
Archer and his new companions nodded.
"We have something to present you with before you leave." Zelenka said. As he said this, the three men opened their cases. In each of them was a small black comlink that fits on your ear and a small remote control like device. Next to the remote was a small card.
"These are your comlinks." Zelenka said as the three explorers withdrew the small black devices. As they tucked them behind their ears, Zelenka explained how they worked.
"They're already programmed into your individual radios. When the Gate is open, you can speak with us via the radios."
He then indicated the remotes.
"These are the GDOs "Garage Door Openers". They're used to tell us if its really you calling for a ride home. The cards have upon them your Identification Codes. Just simply put in the code on you GDOs and we will lower the shield over the Gate, allowing you to come through. This is especially important, Lieutenant Archer because if you go through the gate while it is blocked, your molecules will come apart and you will cease to exist."
"Ten-four." Archer said, taking his GDO and code.
"Please take a moment to remember your code."
Archer, Ripley and Mac all looked at their individual codes. After about a minute, they passed them back to Zelenka who pocketed the codes.
"And that's it." Zelenka said, extending his hand to Archer's right for Ripley to shake. Ripley shook it and then Archer then Mac.
"On behalf of Atlantis, I wish you could luck, SGA."
"Thank you, doctor." The three said as he strode way from them and up the Control Room stairs, his men following behind him.
When Zelenka reached the Control Room, the ring around the Stargate began to turn and the chevrons began to lock into place.
"One small step for man." Archer muttered as the seventh chevron locked and the water ball burst forth from the Gate.
"One giant, thousand light years from home step for mankind."
Ripley finished as the pool settled itself into the arch.
"Let's go." Mac said.
The three SGA members began to walk forward. With Ripley at his right and Mac at his left, Archer and his teammates stepped into the Stargate for their first mission.
