Story of a Scientist

Chapter Two

I'm at Stargate Command along with several other scientists on Earth, being briefed by General Landry, Colonel Carter and Doctor Rodney McKay.

"You will all be going to help Destiny. Your expertise will be needed to repair this Ancient vessel. On the way you will all be able to familiarize yourselves with its systems through the Ancient Communication Devices. This will allow young Eli Wallace a respite from his vigil.

We have a general idea in which galaxy they are located but finding it will still be somewhat of a guessing game. As you are all aware, the city ships sensors aren't advanced enough to get an exact location of the vessel from here. We know from Destiny the route they took leaving this galaxy, but that was over fifty millions years ago and many of those galaxies find themselves far away from their initial encounter.

You will basically be galaxy-hopping, people, to get to her. Your return home will be a lot quicker though, so that's something - you'll actually know which way to go rather than having to zigzag.

You won't be able to take many scans of these galaxies though because you'll only remain so long as it takes to confirm your position and course. As a scientist myself, I understand your desire to check some of these galaxies out. Maybe a few of the locals will come out to see what's going on, but you are all under strict orders to ensure that we leave that area immediately. We do not have the time to be visiting or to be getting into fights.

Remember until Eli Wallace and the others are rescued, your only priority is ensuring the success of this mission. You will spend a certain amount of time aboard Destiny to familiarize yourself, though this won't be very much because all you will see is the control room. Otherwise you are to learn and practice. It is a city so you will have more than enough help." Finished Colonel Carter.

"Yes, by all means, get a buddy." Snided Rodney.

"Oh, get over it, Rodney. Are you still sore that I not only found the ZPM lab but also figured out how it worked. Come on, that was months ago."

"I'm not sore. I was making a practical suggestion."

"In a condescending manner."

"That's just how I act."

"You are, aren't you? You're still upset it hadn't been you? God, you're such a big baby."

"Am not." Rodney said like a child.

"You make my point."

We've just been beamed aboard Atlantis, which is still on Earth. We'll be taking off soon. I'm in one of the buildings on the East pier. I look out as the ship rises up off the ocean's surface. We're still cloaked. We'll rise up and no one will be the wiser. We'll be flying a bit from civilization first to be able to engage the shields without being seen. We'll need to switch over before we can exit the atmosphere.

I'm walking in some of the buildings on one of the piers. We're about to drop out of hyperdrive. I'm outside on one of the open-air walkways. We drop out of hyperdrive. A few minutes later, Destiny drops out of FTL. It's even more beautiful than I imagined. Two triangles represented in perpendicular fashion. One long triangle as the body of the ship and one incomplete short one on its top, more akin to a pyramid. It's crazy how it's still functioning after fifty million years. Made by a people who counted their eras in millions of years.

They made this ship at a time when the Ancients were bent on exploring the rest of the universe. They must never have thought that none of the Ancients who came after would bother to follow up on their massive undertaking. The city ship was clearly built millions of years after Destiny because their designs differ so very much, some estimates say twenty. Yet, a change in thought took place. Instead of exploring the universe as vagabonds, they decided to bring with them everything they would need. Destiny must have looked like going backwards in a way. All the advancements they had made must have made even the idea of Destiny seem like somehow going backwards or as going primitive.

Of course, we don't know that the Ancients never did visit Destiny. Even if only for a little while, we have no way of telling if at some point a few, if not generations, had called this vessel home. Perhaps this is how they first came to know of Pegasus and how empty of life she was. Did they visit the galaxy by dialing it from Earth? Did they ever set foot on one of these planets during their sojourn on Destiny? How many galaxies could have been studied this way?

I would learn later that the unmanned sections of the city had had their oxygen beamed over by the Asgard Beam sensors affixed to the main spire of Atlantis. This had apparently been installed sometime after the Asgard had gifted us all their knowledge. There were also sensors affixed to the main towers of the three largest piers.

While this was being done, a relief crew was sent over via three Puddle Jumpers, with several repair drones replicated with scans from Destiny (the scans were made by Eli and others inhabiting his body and were uploaded to Atlantis the second they were in range since that data couldn't be sent back via the Ancient Communication Device). I watched as the three puddle jumpers raised their shields and extended them around the shuttle hatches.

A few seconds after Destiny dropped out of FTL, three command ships appeared. From below, I see the Asgard Matter Creation devices spew forth our own army of drones. They group together. The Asgard Beam Weapons fire off thirty shots, ten per vessel. It was no contest. The ships had already deployed its own drones when they blew up. Now they floated inert. We would learn later that they could be reactivated if ten or more ships were in close proximity.

I'm just staring at the wreckage trying to recreate the command ships in my mind. It might have been ten minutes or more when five more drone ships appeared. They were farther off this time to their former kin. They were deploying their drones who were racing towards us.

Our drones were sent to intercept them while Atlantis flew towards the drone ships and set forth six shots each, destroying them easily. Now a massive bunching of drones laid motionless, ignored by our own drones who had been set to fire only on actively hostile forces.

"Destiny Support Scientists, report to the Jumper bay." That includes me. I head to the closest tower with a transporter booth. This will get me to the main tower and on my way to the jumper bay. Once there, I am informed of what we'll be doing.

"Everyone of you will help in stocking these puddle jumpers to send over to Destiny. As you know, they only have three docking bays so we'll have to take trips with several standing by for unloading. Their last remaining shuttle will be docked on Atlantis so that two replicas can be made. We have already sent over the main components needed to fix the most pressing systems. By the time you get over there, the air will be much easier to breath. You will aid in whatever way you can fixing this old vessel. You've all had at least some time on Destiny, even if just in the control room. You should be familiar with her layout and be able to easily navigate its corridors. On your tablets you will find a map with the sections you will be assigned to.

We won't be sending you over until there's a lull in their attack. Until then we all need to work hard to bring everything we will need up to the jumper bay." I spent the next few hours toting, carrying and dragging quite a few pieces of equipment. I knew almost nothing of the battle waging outside. Only that we were still winning.

We had finally gotten everything needed but the battle still waged outside. Now we had a break, I took this chance to go out on a balcony - as many of my fellow scientists did as well. Outside were at least thirty vessels, at least five were still fighting. As I watched they were punched full of holes. The remaining drones stopped putting up a fight, their strings cut. We would learn later that they somehow figured they couldn't take on Atlantis with a few command ships, so instead they had 'decided' to littler the battle field with drones who would become active later to take on Atlantis.

"Destiny Support Group, please board your respective jumpers." It was time to go over. I was in jumper number four, in the front compartment. There are three other people. I watch as we rise and slowly inch towards the middle of the room. Then, moving more quickly, we shoot for the roof. We're out just like that and in the blackness of space. I see Destiny already playing host to three jumpers, all of whom have extended their shields around the hatches so when they lower the rear hatch of the jumpers there they will be able to reach the doors.

Basically just sitting on top of Destiny, without being connected to anything. It looked weird, I thought, to see people, dressed normally, pushing crates and the like across the top of the ship.

They moved at a quick pace and in no time it was my turn to experience it firsthand. We land and the rear hatch lowers onto Destiny. We walk out and see the universe all around us, only held at bay by a shield. Two of us push the crates out at a time and into the now open door. In the corridor are Destiny crew members present to help quickly get everything inside. I join their ranks and walk away from the jumper that returns to Atlantis.

It's my turn to use the Ancient Communication device to see how the battle is going. I have only heard the most succinct of details. The drones keep coming and Atlantis easily repels them each time.

I take the stone offered me into my hand. I place it on the glowing pad. My eyes close and when they open I'm on Atlantis again. I'm standing on one of the open-air balconies looking up at the battle waging around me. Whoever's body I'm in must still be connected by the stone, but now inhabiting my body. IT's cool that I've jumped into this standing person's body, outside; already a witness to the carnage going on.

There were at least fifty vessels out there, most disabled or destroyed - shattered into pieces, however big or small. Ten ships were still active, their own number of drones increased by the surviving drones of the already defeated drone ships. They were coming at Atlantis with murder in their mechanical hearts. Destruction, their cry.

They had every possible drone deployed. It was weird to see. So many drones scrunched together like that, it looked more like a swarm of locusts. I saw our drones closing the gap between them, several in the front meeting their end already. Replacements were on the way though as I saw ninety be created at a time below before joining their brethren.

Atlantis, herself, moved closer to the drone ships. Any targets of opportunity were quickly destroyed by the Asgard Beam Weapons, five and seven at a time. Five of the ten were destroyed when ten more arrived, increasing to fifteen. Their inert drones quickly reactivated and started shooting once again at our drones. Now the Asgard Matter Creation devices were spewing forth wave after wave. Once. Twice. Three and four. At least ten times.

Five more appeared just as four were destroyed. Their drones were now so compacted that our weapons fire was being reduced as it sliced through their ranks. Holes appeared everywhere as whole lines were destroyed. Behind them, massive shock waves rocked their numbers forward. They were knocked off balance, some careening on their side in whichever direction. This moment of confusion allowed our drones a chance to dwindle their numbers without fear of reprisal, at least for a moment.

Seven remained now. Only their individual drones stalked towards Atlantis. Their efforts thwarted by the now inactive drones in their way. They all slammed into the ones in their immediate circumference. Our drones fired. The survivors bumped into the still inactive drones, their number now outnumbering those of the surviving command ships.

All in all, their offense was hampered by their own support, now motionless. The destruction of our drones decreased, all the while allowing us to increase our number to help destroy every enemy drone even while the battle waged. The matter creation devices were still spewing forth new waves of drones.

Now having sustained at least two hits each, a last volley with two to three beams each ended the battle. From below I see endless waves of drones continue to swell our ranks, half ascending, half descending. They all headed out to the battle field and immediately open fire on any and all drones within range.

I return to Destiny, my time up. I get up and make room for the next witness. I go out to where everyone is congregated and retell the last thirty minutes of the battle.

After the battle is finally won once and for all. Atlantis meets up with us. They work on repairing the outside of the vessel making use of their matter creation devices and the Asgard transporters. They also installed the five Asgard Neutrino-Ion generators with the transporters.

Atlantis then towed Destiny halfway between both galaxies and allowed us a few days travel in FTL to ensure all systems were in working order. Finally after exhaustive testing, Destiny was towed all the way to the edge of the next galaxies. Destiny learned that there were indeed Stargates in this galaxy.