Chapter 4

"Colonel how are you?" General Landry asked as he joined Colonel Sheppard in the briefing room.

"Fine sir," John replied verbally but thought to himself Atlantis is much better.

"Good then lets get down to business shall we?" Landry asked and gestured for Sheppard to take a seat at the table.

"Yes sir," John said and sat in the second seat on the right of the General.

"Colonel you'll be joining one of the SG teams," Landry said handing him a folder with the SGC logo on it.

"Which team exactly sir?" John asked opening the folder and flipping through the papers inside.

"You'll be joining SG-1 until a command position opens on another team. They'll show you the ropes…any questions Colonel?" Landry asked.

"None at the moment sir," John said continuing to read the files contained in the folder.

"Alright your next mission briefing is scheduled two days from now at 12:00 and the mission at 16:00," Landry said and stood from his seat nodded to John and then he walked back into his office.

John closed the folder and stood from his seat Guess I should go meet my new team members John thought to himself. Still wish I was back on Atlantis though. There I wouldn't need to be meeting new team mates there I could be sitting with Teyla watching football or sparring with her.

Back on Atlantis Rodney McKay was refining their plan and deciding whether or not to tell Elizabeth. On one hand I know she wants John back just as much as we do but on the other hand she'd be obligated to tell the SGC what we're planning. McKay thought to himself as he sat in the empty lab Teyla and Ronon having left some time ago. Weighing the pro's and con's of the situation for a few more minutes Rodney finally came to a decision.

"Weir this is McKay come in," Rodney spoke into his radio.

"Yes Rodney?" Weir voice asked over the open channel.

"Are you busy at the moment Elizabeth?" Rodney asked hoping the answer would be a negative.

"No why do you need me to see another fascinating device you've discovered?" Weir asked feigning excitement.

"No I wanted to talk too you," McKay said.

"Okay I'll meet you in my office in say ten minutes?" Weir asked and waited for his response.

"I'll see you in ten minutes then," McKay said closing the radio channel and packed up all the information he'd gathered and walked out the door heading for the control room.

In the gym Teyla was sitting on the window sill deep in thought about the information on Caldwell. I can not believe someone wouldn't want John on Atlantis. Even Colonel Caldwell should want John to remain here on Atlantis there is no one better to control Ancestor technology then he. At least we know who got John transferred but I want to know why Colonel Caldwell did it he must have something to gain from doing this.

On the bridge of the Daedalus Colonel Caldwell sat in the captain's chair reviewing another status report on his ship.

"Sir I just received an encoded message?" one of the bridge officers said from their station.

"From Atlantis why's it encoded?" Caldwell asked curiously wondering why Atlantis would encode a message when the Daedalus was sitting on the East Pier of the city.

"It didn't come from Atlantis, sir?" the officer said confused.

"Then who'd it come from we can't receive messages from Earth we're to far away?" Caldwell asked wondering who could have sent this message and why.

"It looks like it was uploaded while we were on Earth and set on a delayed delivery. It's addressed to be e-mailed to you sir," the officer said looking at his CO.

"Upload the message to my PDA Lieutenant," Caldwell said handing the man his PDA. The officer held the device up to IR port and uploaded the message to it.

"Here you go sir," the officer said handing the PDA back to his CO.

"Thank you I'll be in my quarters if I'm needed," Caldwell said and left the bridge walking down the corridor of the ship towards the elevator. The doors obediently opened upon the arrival of the elevator and Caldwell pressed the button for Level 6 crew quarters and the doors closed in front of him.

"Thank you for meeting me Elizabeth," Rodney said after entering Weir's office and taking a seat in front of her desk.

"I always have time to talk to my Head of Science Rodney," Elizabeth said with a smile.

"Of course you do," Rodney responded.

"What can I do for you?" Weir asked leaning back in her seat.

"I was wondering if I could arrange leave to go to Earth when we make the next contact." Rodney asked waiting for her reaction to his request.

"Of course I don't see why that would be a problem…is that all?" Elizabeth asked wondering why he'd come all the way up from his lab to ask her this when he could have done it from his lab.

"Also I was wondering if Teyla and Ronon would be allowed to join me." Rodney asked wondering if she'd allow the two to journey to Earth with him.

"Why?" Weir asked curious as to why he'd bring Teyla and Ronon along with him.

"Because…I need their help with something," Rodney said not really sure how to word the statement in a way that he didn't sound like an idiot but also was generic.

"What exactly?"

"Since John left for Earth the three of us have been doing some research and found out something but we need to go to Earth so that we can get John back here." McKay said.

"Again what exactly did you find?"

"Caldwell's been in contact with the Trust and NID as well as members of the International Committee. We think he's behind the Colonel's transfer to Earth I mean he has everything to gain from John out of the picture here." Rodney said spilling the bean on their whole operation. Now the moment of truth will she let us go. Rodney quietly mused to himself.

TBC