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 17
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(Taylor grabs Jessie and Mary and they disappear. There's a faint sound they've come to associate with Taylor phasing through walls and then a minute of silence before the sound repeats and she reappears.)
Taylor: We're good on that end but were not sure for how long so we really need to hurry. (She grabs Mitchell and Teal'c and pulls them after her through the wall.)
Mitchell: Ok. THAT feels really weird.
Teal'c: Indeed (they suddenly feel hands on their arms and Jessie appears in front of them)
Mitchell: Aren't you supposed to be invisible?
Jessie: I am but you can see me because you are too.
Mitchell: Oh.
(Taylor makes quick work of getting everyone through and as soon as the military people make sure it's safe, Jessie lets them become visible again.)
(On the other side of the wall the Genii finally make it through the vent and are confused to find no one in the room. They quickly tear off down the hallway and meet their unfortunate demise at the hands of the claymores. Back with the group, they hear the explosion and everyone winces, Sheppard and McKay, Jack, Mary, Taylor, and Jessie more than the others.)
Jack: No sense regretting it now. Same groups as before. Everybody split up.
(The groups re-form: Jack, Teal'c, Sam, Mitchell, and Ronon run down the hall in the general direction of the gate room. Sheppard, Mary, Jessie, Taylor, McKay, and Daniel take off in the opposite direction.)
Mary: Where are we going exactly?
McKay: To one of the old labs no one uses anymore.
Jessie: A lab? Why a lab?
Sheppard: Because we're the ones who aren't supposed to get caught.
Jessie: Oh. Right.
(Back to the others, valiantly sneaking forward in the most unsuccessful distraction-ish charge ever.)
Jack: (swears under his breath) You know, people are generally supposed to see the distraction, and be distracted by it.
Mitchell: I can't help it that nobody is here to be distracted!
Ronon: (from the rear of the group and irritably) With all the noise someone is bound to hear--
(The others stop and look at Ronon.)
Sam: What is it?
Ronon: (motions for silence, and stealthily walks over to a door the group just passed) Someone's in here.
(Ronon stands to one side of the door, Teal'c takes position on the other side, and Ronon hits the panel to open the door and rushes in, while Teal'c covers him. Silence from inside. Finally Ronon comes out.)
Ronon: Guess who I found?
(Teyla appears in the hallway behind Ronon.)
Sam: Teyla.
Teyla: Colonel Carter, Colonel Mitchell, General O'Neill, Teal'c. What are you doing here?
Sam: We're rescuing the city.
Teyla: (looks at Ronon) You did not get Colonel Sheppard?
Ronon: He's in another part of the city with McKay, three girls and some guy who was here before
Teal'c: Doctor Jackson.
Ronon: Yeah. Him.
Teyla: Three girls? And what are they doing if you are the distraction?
Jack: Let's just go in here and we'll fill you in. (They walk back into the room she'd come out of.)
(The other group has reached the lab they were headed toward.)
Sheppard: (opens the door) Everyone inside. (They all go in and there's a click as Sheppard mentally locks the doors.)
Taylor: That is cool.
McKay: Yes, yes, can we get this thing figured out now?
(McKay, Mary, and Jackson set the Jewel down on the counter and look it over.)
Jessie: Humph.
Taylor: What?
Jessie: Nothing.
Taylor: Whaaat?
Jessie: It's just; it's not as shiny as I thought it would be.
Taylor: You lost me.
Jessie: (waves at the Jewel of Atlantis) It. It's not shiny. And it's got all those squiggles. And it's about as big as a grapefruit.
Taylor: Well, yeah. I'd assume the squiggles were words. And it has to big otherwise there wouldn't be enough room for the words. I'd bet it's a users manual.
Jessie: But, they could have made it shinier.
Taylor: Fair enough. We'll have to complain to them about it.
(In the other room…)
Teyla: So these young women have super-human powers, and we're using them to get and figure out this Jewel that no one has ever heard of before, which is going to kill every one of the Genii?
Teal'c: That is the plan.
Jack: So, you going to be a distraction with us?
Teyla: I shall join you. I can lead you to where the others are being kept, if it will help, but for now, they are in no immediate harm.
Sam: It might me better to leave them where they are.
Mitchell: Yeah. There might be shooting, after all.
Ronon: I'm counting on it.
Jack: Agreed, the others will stay where they are. Now, let's get you some weaponry, Teyla, and then let's move out.
(The group leaves the room after Ronon checks the hallway to make sure its clear.)
Mitchell: Alright, where's the nearest armory?
Teyla: It would be down this hallway, but it is heavily guarded.
Jack: How heavily?
Teyla: There are many of them. They know I am still here and there are many of them at all of the closest armories.
Sam: So where's one we could go to?
Teyla: I believe the armory on the south pier is unguarded.
Ronon: None closer?
Teyla: I do not believe so.
Jack: Alright. South pier it is then.
(The other group...)
(Taylor and Jessie are sitting their corner debating the pros and cons of Atlantis versus the SGC)
Jessie: I don't know. I'm partial to Jack you know.
Taylor: As am I Sheppard. We know. But I'm asking, Underground base or Floating city?
Jessie: Atlantis is shiny.
Taylor: SGC has Siler.
Jessie: Atlantis has those beam-ing elevators.
Taylor: SGC has earth. I like earth.
Jessie: True. Earth has O'Malley's.
Taylor: Atlantis has the view. And you've never been to O'Malley's.
Jessie: You've never seen the view.
McKay: Could you two Not talk about that now?
Daniel: And Please don't start comparing us to one another either.
Sheppard: (from guarding the door) How's it coming over there with you three?
McKay: Oh, fine. We've already figured it out. Now we're just working on cold fusion to pass the time.
Mary: We are? But we haven't even figured out the Jewel yet.
(The men just stare.)
Taylor: (from her corner) He was being sarcastic, boss.
Mary: Oh. Okay.
Taylor: (to McKay) You really oughtn't to do that.
McKay: But...
Sheppard: Yeah, I'm pretty much at a loss here too. So, no progress yet on the Jewel huh?
McKay: ...uh, No.
Sheppard: Right. I'll be over here then. (resumes guard position)
Taylor: Mary? Can't you read it?
Mary: Well yes, its just it doesn't make any sense.
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