Chapter 7: Fancy meeting you here…
"Colonel Young, we have a situation here.' Lieutenant Scott called from the bridge.
"Can it wait? I am trying to relax here." Young replies.
"Sorry Sir; but we're picking up a distress signal about 20 minutes ahead of our current position and it seems to be human. It's odd in the ship name and designation; but they do seem to be human, from what the video transmission shows." Scott replies.
"Okay, bring us out of FTL so we can see what we can do; though this old ship isn't likely to be of much help." Young responds.
"I'll be on the bridge in 5 minutes. Young out."
20 minutes later, having had Eli and Volcker work things out with the Destiny, they dropped out of FTL and within range of the distress call.
"This is Colonel Young of the Destiny to the survivors of the USS Arcturus, do you read?" Spoke Young into the ship's communication array.
What seemed like minutes passed; but in fact was but seconds.
"Colonel Young, this is Commander Far'na Gerani of the USS Arcturus, we are glad to hear your voice. Can you render assistance?" The Commander replied.
"We can, though this ship is a bit worse for wear. How many are there of you and can your Life pods get to us? Are there any medical emergencies that need priority attention? If you've a doctor, they should come aboard in the initial batch of survivors as well." Young responded.
Everyone aboard the USS Arcturus' Life pods were generally okay, some were in shock; but nothing life threatening.
"So, Commander Gerani, what happened?" Was Colonel Young's first real question, once all the pods had connected with Destiny and survivors had come aboard.
"Well Sir, you won't believe this; but we hit or were hit by something that destroyed over half our ship. That though isn't the oddest of it all, we aren't from this universe." The Commander replied, expecting Colonel Young to be shocked at this information.
"Well, I could tell that, though you do have human crew aboard your ship, many are non-humans, like yourself. Those of you who are non-human are of races we've never met before. Where are you from? I also knew you weren't of this universe, as the atomic signatures of your ships hull are at variance with the signature of the material from this universe. Destiny showed us that when we got your distress call. By the variance from our signature, you're from a parallel universe that is very different to this one in many ways." Young answered.
"Interesting, and yes, we're from another universe; but more on that later. Can you track our life pods? I ask as we have a few, including one with our Captain aboard, that are heading to a nearby system, that has what was hoped were habitable planets." Commander Gerani asked.
"We will first send them a message that we are coming to get them. Once aboard Destiny, we can swing back and salvage anything from your ship that you think you might need. We might find stuff to help us as well, this old ship sure needs work." Young responded.
"Scott, this is Young."
"Scott here, sir."
"Send a message to the other life pods from the Arcturus, let them know we are coming to pick them up and then going to be coming back to salvage as much of the USS Arcturus as we can." Young replied.
"Sir! I'd suggest leaving one of the shuttles, and some of the survivors here and some of our scientists, to start the salvaging." Scott responded.
"Good idea. Get it done, you lead the effort." Young replied.
"Commander, I'll leave you to help check in on your people and I'm heading to the bridge. Sargeant Greer will be done to help you momentarily." Young continued, turning on his walkie-talkie and letting Sargeant Greer know to come down the the canteen to help with things and act as a conduit between the Acturus crew and Destiny's.
Once out of the Canteen, Young contacted Camile Wray.
"Camille, I need to let SGC know about what's happened here. Can you be on the bridge?" Young spoke, as he headed to the Communication Stones room.
"Sure, don't be long." Camile replied.
SGC
"Airman, get me General Carter or Mitchell, I have important matters to discuss with them." Colonel Young ordered. The fresh-faced Airman blinked and gave the ever so obvious look of confusion, staring into the face of a female fellow Airman, whose name was Sarah Jackson.
"Sorry, who are you?" The Airman asked.
"I'm Colonel Everett Young, from Destiny. Now get me the General." Young replied, a bit exasperated and amused.
"Sir! Though note, General Carter is in a meeting right now with Doctor Elizabeth Weir and an Asgard, named Thor." The Airman responded.
"I'll go upstairs myself and speak to them, let me through." Young now loosing patience.
"Yes sir."
Out in the corridor, Young turned and started toward the Control Room and thence to the General's Office. Faces looked at the Airman in whom Colonel Young was inhabiting, the change in demeanor was evident and people were getting out of the way.
"Airman, you can't go up there." Were the word from Walter.
"Walter, it's me, Colonel Young." Young replied.
"Oh, sorry sir, go right ahead." Walter replied.
Upstairs, though the meeting was supposed to be taking place in the General's office, it had moved out into the Briefling room, with Generals Mitchell, Carter and Colonel Sheppard, Dr. Weir, Dr, Jackson, Teal'c and President O'Neill all being there.
"Good day sirs." Young announced, waiting for the conversation to offer a moment to interject.
"Airman?" Replied President O'Neill.
"Actually it's Colonel Young, sir." Young replied.
"Everett, you woke up…" Said O'Neill with an obvious grin.
"Yes sir, and you're now 'The Man', how does that feel?" Young replied.
"Oh, don't get me started on that. We all know what I think on that topic." O'Neill responded.
"You just checking in after waking up from what was a decade of sleeping?" O'Neill continued.
"That too sir, but there is additional issues that have just arisen that I have to appraise you all too as well of." Young replied.
"Colonel, sit and can we get you anything?" General Mitchell spoke.
After letting all know of the situation with Destiny and such, a rough plan was hashed out as to what to do.
"So the plan is the use Auratora's knowledge and additional ZPMs to temporarily power a connection to Destiny?" Young asked.
"Whether is is Atlantis or Auratora is yet to be determined; but yes, that is it in a nutshell." Carter answered.
"Note, this isn't going to be an oft' done thing, people and supplies need to be ready to go once the connection is made on both ends. Injured and those not wanting to say on Destiny will come back first. Then the supplies and additional personnel will be sent to Destiny. We are also sending along an Asgard Core, whichever should help things, once enough power is provided via a ZPM and an interlink is created to power things that can repair the ship, etc. We though don't want the ZPM's power to interrupt Destiny's systems, so that will have to be carefully setup." Carter continued.
"And when do you think this connection will be ready and made? I ask as with the survivors of the USS Arcturus with us, until we have more supplies, things are going to be tight, though not unbearable." Young asked.
"We think the connection will be ready within 2 weeks." O'Neill replied.
"Oh, I know this is an odd time to bring this up; but seeing as we are all friends here and I have been itching with this collar on now for years, thank you Everett for bringing that up; I have an announcement to make…" O'Neill continued.
All turned and looked at the President, aware that he was the head of the strongest nation in the galaxy.
"If I may, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, slightly bowing his head in a sign of respect.
"Sure T, my thing can wait." O'Neill replied.
"Thank you. As you all know, I have been First Minister of the Jaffa Nation and a strong advocate for close connections with the UTF and before that, with the Tau'ri for now, nearly 25 years. But the past 10 years, though fruitful and important, have not been what makes my heart stir. I far preferred the days when we four, looking at Jack, Sam and Daniel, were out exploring the Galaxy." Teal'c spoke, before O'Neill "coughed" and interjected.
"Oh no, you're not going to rain on my announcement…" O'Neill fiegned insult.
"Yes, indeed I am. I have made it know that effective tomorrow, I am resigning as First Minister and will be returning to private life. I want to join you and General Carter, as well as Dr. Jackson, in retirement on Atlantis and Auratora." Teal'c finished.
"Great, you let the surprise out of the bag. Thanks T." O'Neill replied, caught off-guard that his friend had planned the same thing as he and Sam.
"How did you know?" O'Neill continued.
Smiling, Teal'c replied "A warrior never reveals his or her sources."
"Sam, so that means…" Mitchel started to ask.
"Yes, Jack and I decided a while ago. It will take effect next week, Friday and I know at HomeWorld Command is in your good hands." Carter replied.
"Well, congratulations are due all around." Young spoke up.
"There are a couple of things to be dealt with though first here on Earth." O'Neill said, smiling at Mitchell.
"Right sir." Mitchell replied, getting up and heading into his shared office with Carter.
"Carter, where did you put those new ranks? Darn it." Mitchell could be heard to yell from the office.
"Oh, these ones!" Carter held up the envelope.
"She does that to me all the time. The Secret Service doesn't even know how she does it." O'Neill replied, smirking as his wife gave him a deadly stare.
"Oh, so you did this just to have a laugh at the good ol' boy here…" Mitchell said, walking back into the room, laughing too.
"Everett, John, Cameron and Carter, please stand." Were the words spoken by the President.
"Sir!" They all replied, smiling and saluting.
Each received a new rank, Young and Sheppard becoming Major General's, Carter and Mitchell moving from Major General to Lieutenant General each.
"Drs Weir and Jackson, could you please stand as well." O'Neill continued.
"I confer upon each of you, the role of Ambassadors at Large for the UTF, and with special dispensation, that you are only answerable to the President directly." He ended.
Thank you's and surprises were apparent all around.
"Didn't know that one was coming, did you, eh Sam." O'Neill said to his beaming and surprise wife.
"I heard rumour that Cam was going to be recognized for his work; but I just do what I need to. Nothing special." Carter responded before giving her husband a kiss.
"So, with all these changes and retirements looming, I'm going to be looking for many new candidates to work the SGC, Atlantis and also, will have to bar some from gate travel." Mitchell spoke aloud.
"I also have far to many other SG staff to promote." O'Neill said.
Over the coming hours, impromptu PA calls were made, for staff on base to come upstairs to get promotions, awards and the like. The ease with which many spoke with the President and
General's Carter and Mitchell, just spoke to the long years of work and respect they all had.
Many were surprised to see Teal'c also there, two heads of state at what many would consider to be a minor event, promotions and the like.
"General Young, I have a number of promotions to pass onto your staff on the Destiny. I will be returning with you to make them later today." O'Neill remarked.
"I also am going to the promoting David Telford to be new base commander for the SGC, effective 2 days from now. His years of service and knowledge of Destiny will make him an asset. He will also be getting a promotion to Major General when I return tomorrow. He is aware of the change of command at the SGC, though not the promotion. Everett, will there be any issues with the two of you? Please note, you both will be reporting directly to Mitchell, not you though Telford." O'Neill continued.
"David and I have learned to work well together and though a decade has passed, I think that will still be the case." Young replied.