[Here is yet another chapter in this story that seems to be never-ending. But I'm still having fun writing it so more to come in the coming weeks so keep coming back.]

[I hope you enjoy it.]

Chapter 30 The Outpost

Unknown planet

The Explorer

07 JAN 2017

The Explorer drops out of hyperspace on the outer edge of the system that was found on the last planet. Cloaking as they moved toward the second planet in the system which was the only one with an atmosphere. There were eleven other planets and moons but they were not the mission.

"What do we have?" Young asked.

"We are not detecting any satellites or planetary defenses. There is a population of around seven thousand humans spread across the main continent. There are some old ruins that are similar to the ones on the last w. Sir, there is a crash site of an alien ship two hundred kilometers from the largest settlement. From the looks, it happened over a hundred years ago. There are two groups of people down there with signs of a recent battle." Technical Sergeant Burns reported.

"Keep your guess to your self Sergeant. Is it safe for us to go down there and what can you tell me about that ship?" Young said.

"Yes Sir, It is safe to go down. It doesn't seem to be any fighting going on now. The ship looks to be of a design we found on P2A-347 it was called the Stromos. It had crashed there carrying over a thousand people. SG1 found it fourteen years ago. They said it was one of three ships that had left their homeworld of Talthus. They were headed to a planet they called Ardena. After SG1 helped restore power to the ship SG4 helped relocate them to P2C-106. Where we helped them settle down. At last count, they have doubled their population." TSgt Burns said.

"So this could be one of the three ships?" Young said not asking but more of a statement. "Colonel O'Neill, What do you think was should do here?"

"Well, I fill we should introduce ourselves. We could bring a stargate here and send them to P2C-106 to be with their kin. But if they have been here over a hundred years they may not want to leave." JJ said.

"But if we make contact with one side the other may react." the TSgt Burns said.

"We don't want that again," O'Neill said standing next to Young.

"Your right about that. Are we detecting anything else down there?" Young asked.

"My sensors are detecting something in the sea four-hundred kilometers off the eastern coastline," Alice said. "It is three-point seven kilometers below the surface." Pulling an image up of the readings showed that it had three piers around a structure with towers on it. Each having smaller structures as well. It was buried in the seafloor.

"That's twelve-thousand feet!" one of the officers said.

"It looks to be intact. But how can we get to it?" Dr. Lewis asked.

"Deep as the Titanic is back home," Allie said. Getting some looks from O'Neill and others. "Seen the movie a few weeks ago. It's my mom's favorite movie so we watched it before I left home."

"It's too deep to beam to and we do not have any submarines onboard. So how are we going to get down there to see if it is worth recovering?" Young asked.

"What about the suits we found? Colonel Shepherd used some like them when they were trapped on the bottom of the ocean on Lantea." Andy offered.

"Those are are millions of years old and are in bad shape. I doubt that those were designed to be used underwater anyways." Dr. Lewis said.

"I can replicate new suits of the same design that would be suited for underwater." Alice offered.

"How long will that take?" Young asked.

"I can have four suits ready in three hours," Alice said.

"Get started but make eight. I want to make sure we have a backup." Young said. "What about getting down there."

"I can launch a probe to use an amplifier to transport a team down there," Alice said. "I would also be able to use the beams to uncover the city."

"Great looks like we're going down there. Is there any way you can scan the inside of it so that we will know where we are going?" O'Neill asked.

"I have a schematic of this type of design. It was used by the Alterra as an outpost station for minor worlds. It is two thirds the size of the Atlantis models. At the bottom of the center spire is where the power station is located. There will be a chair room the levels up. The main control room will be six levels above that. The main spire is very similar to the one on Atlantis." Alice stated while showing a hologram of it on the bridge.

"Bring us into a lower orbit above the outpost keeping us cloaked. Colonel O'Neill, have your team prepared to go down there. I will send Dr. Lewis with you he will be able to determine it the outpost is still viable. You will carry the ZPM to try an power it up." Young said.

"Captain, may I suggest that you allow me to go on this mission as well," Alice said.

"You wish to go on the mission. But you will be essentially going in the suits away as the suits AI." Young stated.

"Yes but if my android form is down there I would be able to better guide the team. I am also fluent in all forms of Langaran and would be able to more quickly interact with the AI on the outpost. Plus the strength of the android may come in handy with block doors are passageways." Alice commented making her argument.

"Very well you may activate your android. You will be under Colonel O'Neill's command while on the mission as long as he has no objections." Young said.

"No objections here you may be very useful," JJ said.

Once the suits were made the team began to put them on. The back of the suit opened up as the person stepped into it adjusted to the person.

"How much air will we have once we are down there?" Andy asked.

"There is seventy-two hours worth of air in the tanks. However, the suit has the ability to extract air from the water as well as able to recharge the suits. There is a straw that can be used to keep you hydrated. They can also withstand up to four thousand atmospheres of pressure by using the shields for up to twelve hours." Alice stated.

"That is a lot," Bennett said.

"That is four times the depth of the deepest ocean on Earth. You will not fill the effects of the pressure as long as you stay in the suit until we have reached the surface. Otherwise, you will have to be placed in a decompression chamber. However, we are not going that deep at this time." Alice said.

"Well, then shall we get underway before I change my mind?" JJ Asked. "Colonel Young we are ready to transport now."

"Well be here if you need us," Young said. "Good luck."

Seafloor

Out Post

With a flash of light, the five of them appeared on the seafloor in total darkness. As the lights on the suits came on they spotted the structure. Walking towards it we harder than they expected if not for the servos in the suits it would have been even harder.

"We are at the structure now. Looking for the hatch now." JJ reported.

"Colonel, I believe that this is it," Bennett said.

"Yes, that is it. Opening the panel now." Dr. Lewis said as he removed the cover. Looking over the controls he sees the manual release and tries to pull it. But it would no budge.

"Let me, Dr. Lewis," Alice said as she walked up from behind him as he moved out of the way. Alice was able to move the release and the door opened a bit. She then moved to grab the door forcing it to slide open more.

"It is darker down here than I thought it would be," Andy said looking out into the void.

"Yes, it is quite dark here so keep your mind on the mission Lieutenant." Colonel O'Neill said as he stepped up to the doorway. Looking down he could see very far. He then pulled out some glow sticks that were made for the mission. Cracking two he dropped them down the shaft. "Any ideas on what's down there?"

"This is the hanger bay for the puddle jumpers as you call them," Alice said. "All we have to do is just step in and the suit will allow us to sink at a slow rate till we reach the bottom."

"How will we get back up?" Andy asked.

"The same way the suit will allow us to float back the same way. Even to the surface if the need arises." Alice said.

"Very well let's go. I'll go first then Bennett, Dr. Lewis, Spencer, and then Alice. Alice pulls the door closed before you descend. I don't want any wildlife following us in here." JJ ordered as he stepped off the edge and began to sink.

"I just hope none in here already," Bennett said. She followed him as well as the Doctor.

"We did not detect any lifeforms that would be a danger to any of you. Before we left on the mission." Alice said as she pulled the door closed and began the descent.

"Well if we can't save the whole city we may be able to get a few of these jumpers fixed," JJ said as he passed by the ten jumpers setting on their pads. Then he was on the bottom. "I'm down moving towards the door now."

"I can get us through," Lewis said pulling the panel off finding the manual release. The door then cracked open as O'Neill and Bennett pulled it open further. Once Andy and Alice had joined them they walked out into a hallway that opened into the control room. Stepping up to the main console Dr. Lewis tried the controls but nothing happened. "Well on to the power station then. There is no power here not that I expected there to be."

"The power station is this way," Alice said as she began to walk that way with the team close behind. It was darker here than in the entrance-way. With particles floating here and there. As they moved through the hall and descended down several flights of stairs. Reaching the right floor they walked down to they came to another door. Alice removed the panel and pulled the release opening the door. There was a power station with three ZPMs. Two had been pulled out already sitting on top waiting to be re-installed. Pulling the one that they had brought with them out. Dr. Lewis stepped up pressing on the one that was engaged as it released and came up. He then removed only to replaced it with the one they brought. He then examined the other two found that they were over half full. He then pushed the first one down. As lights began to come on around them.

"Let's go back to the control room and run some tests before we try to bring it to full power," Lewis said as he turned to head back up.

"Sounds good to me," JJ said.

They made their way back to the control room as Dr. Lewis and Alice worked through the consoles. "I will see if we can begin to bring the life support systems online. There are breaches in the hull on the second and third pylons closing them off now. The water will be pushed out through the pumps."

"The Explorer has begun to clear the debris away now. I have linked the city to the Explorer to help guide the recovery." Alice said. "We now have communications."

"Open a channel to the Explorer," JJ ordered.

"Colonel O'Neill, can you hear us?" Came Young's voice.

"Yes, we read you it looks like we are going to have a small city to work on," JJ responded. "We are bringing the systems online now. There are a few hull breaches but nothing to bad so far." O'Neill said. As lights were seen outside a window as the transport beams flash removing more debris. Turning to Dr. Lewis. "How long before we can raise the shields."

"Once the debris is cleared from the emitters. We will have access to the shields. I am now powering up the stabilizers and working on gravity dampeners. I have also started running the diagnosis of the hyperdrives." Alice informed him. It was then that the water rose from the floor as the room filled with air. Alice looked at the heads up display in the helmet. It showed that the air was clear and breathable. There was a vibration through the city as pressurized air pushed the water out. "Raising the shields around the central tower now. That was from the air pocket exiting the city. I have reduced the pressure through the city it will be stabilized in a few minutes."

"Can we get out of these suits yet?" Andy asked just as the vibration hit. "Never mind I'll keep mine on." Grabbing a nearby console to stabilize himself.

"Keep your suit on lieutenant, the suit can maintain you at the surface atmosphere. Once we get to the surface or back to the ship then you may leave the suit." JJ said. "Have you figured out how to cloak the city once on the surface yet?"

"That will be no problem, Colonel. I have already uploaded the proper program into the database." Alice said. "I fill that we can release the city from the seafloor any time now. It should float to the surface and wash the remaining sediment away."

"Very well, inform the Explorer that we are ready to bring her up," JJ said. "Find something to hold onto. Let's go."

The anchor that was holding the city down released and then nothing happened at first then slowly it began to rise from the seafloor. The lights on the three piers came into sight and then more light could be seen coming from above. As the central tower broke through the surface light from the sun came in the control room. For the first time in millions of years. Once there Alice activated the cloak as the city vanished.

Alice walked to the side of the room and her suit opened up as she stepped out. Taking the first steps finding the floor slippery. There was a thin layer of sediment on the floor and every other surface. "The floor is very slippery Colonel, it is better that you stay in the suits for now. I will see if the cleaning systems are still functioning if so it will take twenty minutes for it to sterilize the city. There will be no harm to us." Alice said.

"Good ideal precede," JJ said. "I wonder what's going to be severed in the mess tonight?"

"Chicken a la King over rice with steamed vegetable on the side," Andy answered. "I also overheard that they were running low on green jello."

"Crap I really don't like Chicken a la King and like green jello. Maybe there be something else that I like better." JJ said as a beam could be seen coming from the far side of the room. As it came closer he could see the floor was now clean as were the consoles and walls. Once the beam got to him he stepped forward into it. The beam even cleaned the mud that was on the bottom of the suit. "Cool! I need one of those for my quarters."

"It would do you much good, Colonel. You need a team of maids to clean up after you." Allie jested him getting a laugh from Andy. They had both been to his quarters, saying it was a mess was an understatement.

"l am afraid that this is an integrated system, Colonel," Alice stated. "You may exit your suits now, if you like."

Stepping next to where Alice had left her suit. O'Neill's suite opened in the back and he stepped out. Pulling his arms and head out. Turning with his face making grimacing, "Wow this place stinks. I thought that the beam sterilized this place?" he said.

"It has, however it has not finished yet, and there some areas where the system is not functioning properly," Alice said. "These areas will have to be cleaned by hand."

"What have you found out about the stargate?" O'Neill asked.

"It has been locked out and I have not been able to access it yet." Dr. Lewis said. "It may be something that can be done in the chair room."

"I'll head down their, Bennett your with me. Spencer, you stay here to see if you can help get some of these systems working." O'Neill said as he and Bennett headed down the stairs.

Once there JJ sat in the seat leaning back but nothing happened. Clicking his radio. "Something is wrong, the chair is not responding."

"I'll see if I can do anything from here." Dr. Lewis responded.

"I'll see if there is something wrong with the chair itself," Allie told him removing a panel on the floor.

A few minutes later. "Me readings show that nothing is wrong. It should be working." Dr. Lewis said.

"Spencer get down here ASP. It may just be me, I haven't used anything that requires the ancient gene." JJ said. "This may be from the coning process that Loki used. Another reason not to like him." setting back up to get out of the chair when Andy got there which wasn't too long of a wait.

When Andy walked into the chair room, JJ could see he looked nervous. "Relax Lieutenant, you need to clear your mind and don't think to had," O'Neill said as he got up. Andy took his place leaning back in the seat again nothing happened. "Still nothing down here."

"There may not be anything wrong. If the timeline is the way I think. The Alterra had not populated the galaxy with humans yet or the Lantians for that mater. Your ancient gene may just be to polluted. We may need an Alterran to operate it." Dr. Lewis said.

After making there way back to the control room. "Ok, guys I'm calling it. O'Neill to Explorer." He called out on the radio.

"What you got Colonel?" Came Young's voice.

"I'm calling it for the day. How long till other teams can beam down. From what Alice has informed me we need some engineers to start the repairs. She had the cleaning system do what it could but there are some areas still needing to be cleaned so send some pressure washers and mops. The smell is awful but getting better now that we opened up some windows." JJ said.

"Well done Colonel, we'll get you up here in the next half hour," Young said.

"Colonel Young, I'll like to stay here a little longer if I can?" Dr. Lewis Asked.

"Very well Doctor you can stay if you like. Just let us know when your ready come back aboard." Young said.

"Will do Colonel, thanks." Dr. Lewis said.

Dr. Slydell was with the first team to arrive walk up to JJ. "Colonel O'Neill, I'm Dr. Elisabeth Slydell it is a pleasure to meet you." holding her hand out to him as took it. "We'll take it from here you can return to the Explorer now." She informed him with a smile.

"Great to meet you as well, I know how much you science guys love this stuff so have fun," JJ said shaking her hand. "I would start with the chair room. Ok guys parties over time to go home. Alice, are you coming?"

"No Colonel, I will stay here to help Dr. Slydell's team. I will not need to return to the Explorer for another seventy-two hours for recharging." Alice said flatly.

After beaming back to the Explorer the three members of SG-1 went to take showers before heading to the mess hall. Once they had made it there, they grab their plates with O'Neill getting two deserts green jello and a slice of chocolate cake. About halfway through their meal Colonel Young came over with a cup of coffee and sat down.

"Good evening hows your diner?" Young asked setting down.

"Not as bad as it looked, Colonel." JJ said, "You not eating?"

"No, I had some before you got here. I spoke with General Carter about what we found. She is pleased that we have found something." Young said letting out a long breath.

"But there is something else. There is always a 'But' when someone starts off like that." O'Neill said taking another bite of his meal.

"Your right Colonel there is. But she is worried that we haven't made contact with the natives of this world yet. I informed her that it looked like there were two warring factions and that we didn't want to start something between them. So now that we have recovered the outpost from the seafloor. That puts us in a bad spot now. If we were to fly it away that would be considered stealing. That would look bad in the eyes of our allies. So we have to find a way to get the native people to let us have the outpost." Young told them as he took a sip of his coffee.

"I have an idea. Call one of the ships we left at the other planet to come here and not cloak. My team and I will beam over and take a 320 down to the surface to make contact at first light. We won't mention the outpost yet to see what they know about their origins. We didn't detect a stargate on the mainland so how did they get here? If a Goa'uld brought them here it could have taken it after an uprising or when it no longer wanted this planet. At any rate, we will find something out." JJ said

"Sounds good to me. I'll have one here then." Young said getting up to head back to the bridge.

"By the way, have you heard anything about our other forces?" JJ Asked.

"Both worlds have surrendered. We lost twenty men and five 302s in Ellis's forces. Caldwell landed their troops and didn't have to fire a shot." Young told him. "I have the full reports you can read for yourself on a datapad. Come up to the bridge I'll give it to you."

"I'll be there shortly," JJ told him as he turned to walk away.

{Thanks for ready please leave a brief review they mean a lot to me.}