Authors' Note: Hi there, just so you know, this story was co-authored with my friend Nimeria. This story is as much hers as mine.
Disclaimer: We don't own anyone or anything you recognize. Except for ourselves. And that last bit's only a "maybe" on a good day.
Why to Always Have an Escape Route
Chapter 8
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Sam: We think we may have figured out what the Genii want.
Mary: Wow. Nice. Glad to know someone knows what they're doing.
(Taylor glares at Mary. Jessie pokes Mary in the arm.)
Mary: Ow! I wasn't talking exclusively about you, you know!
Jessie: Sorry, Mary, she made me do it.
Taylor: Did not. I merely suggested a course of action.
Jack: Ladies? Can we focus on the plan please?
Mary: Fine, but I'm not sitting by them.
Taylor: Stop acting childish.
Mary: You poked me!
Jessie: Girls! Enough!
(Mary and Taylor stop squabbling in surprise at Jessie showing restraint.)
Daniel: Right...So, I've been going through the data we downloaded off of Atlantis's Memory Banks, and I've found a reference to what is called "The Jewel of Atlantis".
Jessie: Is it shiny?
(Mary and Taylor relax now that Jessie is acting like usual again.)
Daniel: Well, (he pulls out a notebook and starts flipping through it) There isn't really a reference to it-
Mary: No Jessie. It's not shiny.
(Jessie sulks and Taylor passes her the ice cream.)
Sam: It's a weapon, we think.
Jack: You think?
Mitchell: How can you not be sure?
(Sam nudges Daniel from his notebook.)
Daniel: Er, it only mentions that this "Jewel of Atlantis" can wipe the enemies of Atlantis from her city.
Jack: How?
Daniel: We don't know.
Teal'c: Where is this device located?
Daniel: We don't know that either.
Jack: What DO you know?
Daniel: That it is a device built by the ancients to kill everyone who, according to whoever is holding the device, is an enemy.
Sam: Sir, with a device like that...
Jack: Yeah. And we can't really let them get their hands on it either.
McKay: So, what's the plan?
Sam: McKay, you were there when we decided we were going to split into two groups.
McKay: When was this?
Daniel: Just a few minutes ago, as we walked in the door.
McKay: Oh. No, not paying attention.
(Sam growls in frustration.)
Mitchell: Two groups? That's the plan?
Sam: Yes. One group will look for the jewel, and the other will create distractions to buy them more time.
Taylor: So who's in what group?
Jack: Why don't we just leave that for when we get there? To expand on the plan… We go in. One group finds the Jewel thing as quickly as possible; the other is the decoy group. We'll keep that in mind when creating the groups.
Jessie: How did that expand on the plan?
Sam: (quietly) It didn't but it lets him feel important so roll with it.
Sheppard: Did they catch Teyla?
Ronon: No.
McKay: At least not as of when we'd left.
Jessie: So, Taylor and Mary and me, we're all on the same team, right? The one not getting shot at?
Mitchell: That sounds about right. We'll have to have Jackson and McKay go with you as well.
Sheppard: I'll go with the girls too. It's probably a good idea to have someone stand guard while they're looking for this thing.
Mary: The Jewelly/Ancienty/Devicey thing.
Jessie: (gloomily) That isn't shiny.
Mary: Well Jess, it might be shiny. We just don't know.
Taylor: Wait, so we three are on a team with just John Sheppard, Daniel Jackson, and Rodney McKay?
Jack: ...Yes?
(Taylor turns excitedly to Mary.)
Taylor: MaryMaryMary!
Mary: What?
Taylor: We're going to go to Atlantis and be chaperoned by Rodney and John and Daniel!
Mary: Ah! None of that now. Jessie, leave Jack alone.
(Jessie sulks away from where she was going to glomp Jack.)
Mary: Now, there will be no glomping, prancing, squealing, world domination, or anything of the like while in Atlantis.
Jessie: Awww...please?
Mary: Absolutely not. We're there to save a city.
Taylor: How about after? After we save the city can we take over the world? Please? It'd be fun...
Mary: Nope, today is a Thursday and Thursdays don't work for me. Now, if
you can hold out until Saturday, I'll even join in.
Taylor: YAY!
Jessie: YAY! WE HAVE PERMISSION!
Mary: Now, back to seriousness, you know what we're doing.
Taylor and Jessie: Yes Mary.
Mary: And no stopping to ogle the Stargate or the walls or the pretty water?
Taylor and Jessie: No Mary.
Mary: Ok. (turns to the rest of the party behind her) So, we're all set. When do we get there?
"Attention! All Personnel! Coming out of Hyperspace in T-minus five Minutes!"
The three girls: Aaah.
Sheppard: Alright then everyone; to the puddle jumper. (He looks at Taylor who meets his eyes, grins and jumps up to go over and walk with him. They walk in silence for awhile.)
Taylor: Can I really ride shotgun?
Sheppard: Yep. Can you really walk through walls?
(Taylor walks ahead of him and through the doorway to the hanger bay, and sticks her head back out.)
Taylor: Yep.
Sheppard and Mitchell: Cool.
(Taylor grins. They load into the jumper with Taylor taking shotgun as promised and Jessie grabbing the seat behind her. Despite his aversion to the girls McKay grabs the remaining seat up front to avoid the crowd in the back. Mary stands calmly leaning on the wall behind Taylor. Sheppard takes off and cloaks the jumper. They fly in silence until they come up on the city and there's a simultaneous intake of breath from the girls.)
Taylor: Oh my god it's gorgeous.
Jessie: Ooh! It's actually a shiny city!
Mary: Nice.
Taylor: I could get used to this...
(Jack smiles)
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