A/N1: Here it is the next chapter. I'm sorry for the long delay but I had some problems with my computer and it took longer to repair so anyway…
Also – I've started a new story "Selleyra – The Queen of Dawn", which is slightly related to this one. In this story, Elizabeth Weir is taken to a distant galaxy where everything for her changes. Then she comes back to help the team in a time of dire need when the Pegasus is attacked by a dangerous species, which she had come across during her absence.
A/N2: The chapter is long but hey I thought you deserve it given the long delay. Crython, Mitchell and Sheppard lead the way into this adventure where they'll find some answers, and will be given clues for where next to go by the most stunning messenger. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.
Chapter 10
The Commander and the Colonels
The moon has just risen over a dark, grassy valley where the trees and bushes were casting unnatural shadows on the ground as two stooped figures were crossing. They were using every bush for cover while approaching the ugly bump at the end of the valley.
At close distance, the bump took the shape of a scary organic monster with windows and automatic doors. The two stooped figures reached near one of the doors.
"Ready?" – One of them whispered. The other one nodded.
The door opened silently and the two vanished inside this unnatural beast, which happened to be the corps of a landed wraith hive ship.
Running still stooped, the two figures moved silently from one corridor to another until they reached one barred space, which could be qualified as a brig. Behind the bars, on the floor, they saw something that looked like a heap of clothes. But with closer observation one would clearly see that it was regularly rising, which suggested that it might be alive.
"Rygel?" – One of the figures whispered. "Rygel?" – This time the whisper increased slightly but still no effect. The figure then raised his voice more persistently. "Rygel?"
The heap of clothes moved and from somewhere underneath a head appeared with very sleepy eyes. It looked at the direction of the noise (the voice) and while yawning exclaimed: "Crython!"
"Shh, don't make such a noise, Sparky!" – Crython warned, pressing a finger to his lips. "Where are the others?"
"How on Hazmana should I know?" – Rygel shot. "Get me out of here!"
"Sparky, shush!" – Crython said slightly elevating his voice again to calm him down as the other figure turned around making a clear gesture to make them silent.
"Someone's coming."
"Sparky, stay still and don't speak!" – Crython said as he and the other figure moved away from the bars and into a shadowy corner.
Towards the brig, from the other side of the corridor, a wraith soldier approached. He threw a look at the heap, which was Rygel, and looking satisfied (although it is difficult to tell given the mask on the face) moved away. But as he was walking away, a bluish blast cut through the silence and the soldier fell.
Crython came out of the shadowy corner and with the help of the other moved the fallen soldier there. Then they came back to the brig bars.
"Where is McKay when you need him?" – Crython's companion said but he found the right combination, which surprised him.
"Thank you!" – Rygel said as Crython helped him out.
"It's okay, Sparky." – Crython said. "Sheppard…"
"I know." – Sheppard nodded while taking out the life sign detector. They were the only ones in this sector. "Let's move. We have to find the others before someone finds Rigel's missing otherwise getting out of here will prove very difficult."
They followed the corridor with Sheppard in the lead. They had to move again very silently finding cover whenever possible; fortunately with the life detector this was way easier.
Ten minutes later, they reached a control console. Sheppard never learnt properly how to use one but examined it. The very little he had learnt helped him to locate at least two other prison cell in the area.
"This way!" – He said and took the right corridor hoping that the wraith wouldn't have spread his friends all over the ship otherwise it would take too long to find them.
They continued for five minutes before Sheppard noticed a dot approaching them. He made a signal to the others to be silent and took refuge in the dark corner. Guns at hand, he and Crython waited.
At the other side, a minute later appeared the shadow of a figure that was approaching cautiously and looked very familiar. Sheppard stared unbelievingly. He moved out of the corner.
"Rodney…?"
12 Hours earlier
It was getting dark and the two moons appeared to be closer than ever to New Lantea, an illusionary effect but well placed, as the atmosphere in the briefing room was contributing to it. Never in the years spent in the Pegasus Galaxy nor since the stargate operates has anyone been on such a briefing as the one that took place in Atlantis' briefing room where the crew of Moya and SGs met face to face.
Richard Woolsey had been on many briefings, some strange, some odd but nothing like this one. He had never read nor thought possible that a group of people of different time lines would meet and their lives would so different. Yet, he was on the first such event.
The crew of the biomechanoid ship Moya – Dominar Rygel, Chiana, Noranti (who had descended lately from Moya to join her crew) were races no one has ever seen, yet they were quite interesting and intelligent despite the first impression. And then there was the human John Crython, John Crython who was the exact copy of Colonel Cameron Mitchell. But they were different – Crython was an astronaught for the IASA (something that did not exist in Atlantis reality) and Cameron Mitchell, a colonel of US Air Force (Cam has met before hand with himself of another time line but that oneself was like him a colonel and had his name but honestly nothing have had prepared him for this encounter).
The briefing took the entire day so for the group to be able to sort all things out. Moya's crew was briefed on the stargates and everything about them, and Crython then told his story, which was just as crazy as the stargates sounded to his friends.
"And then we lost my wife, Ayren. She had gone on a reconnaissance mission when Moya's sensors detected an anomaly reading but it was something we've never before encountered. Few hours later while we were examining her last known coordinates this strange shockwave hit us and brought us in your space." – Crython concluded.
"Hmm…" – McKay groaned while in full thinking state.
"Dr. McKay?" – Woolsey turned in his direction with an obvious questioning look.
"It would seem that two events are linked." – He answered thoughtfully.
"The two events?" – Woolsey inquired confused.
"The shockwave, we registered when it almost drowned us and the event that brought Commander Crython and his friends here. I think that also the previous event they detected is related." – Rodney explained patiently.
"Yes but how?" – Sheppard asked.
"I don't know, yet." – Rodney shrugged and turning to Crython added. "I'll need all data your ship has registered. And hopefully, we'll know where we stand. For these set of events are really odd. From previous SG missions we know that setting a charge through the event horizon of a stargate while passing through black hole realities can be merged or when a solar flare interacts with a passing one. But this is something unusual and different and needs much more careful examination."
"But you said they were coming from a parallel universe." – Sheppard reminded.
"Yes, I did." – Rodney retorted. "But it needs careful examination, not to mention that I have to know how it happened so we could see if he can reverse its effects. You can imagine they would want to return to their universe."
"Yes but…"
"John, the universe is a balance, a carefully observed balance."
Sheppard looked at Rodney with nothing but confusion as Rodney was again starting to speak in his tongue that no one understood.
"What I mean is that everything is balanced. Now if this balance is distorted it would become a serious problem. It could destroy the universe. And…"
"Well, this is what you had to say – universe destroyed." – Sheppard cut him off.
"Always the simple explanation, huh?" – Rodney said irritated.
"Yes, it spares you the headache." – Sheppard smiled.
"Whatever it is, I'm sure Dr. McKay will look into it." – Woolsey intervened. He had already got the knack of cutting off these two before their tirade takes over.
"I shall provide you with the necessary data." – Crython nodded.
"In the meantime, I invite to enjoy Atlantis' hospitality." – Woolsey added.
"Thank you!" – Moya's crew said.
What a sight to the Atlantis members were Moya's crew you can't even imagine for many races had visited Atlantis but none as much interesting as these. Everywhere they went heads turned.
The floating in the air, Dominar Rygel attracted much of the attention. He was small, no more than a meter high but with a majestic aura around him. The ever inquisitive Chiana whose innocent and childish looks was so cute. And Noranti, the three eyed alien as many dubbed her, was also very interesting. Her knowledge of plants and their properties was most impressive and useful.
And then there was the most stunning sight – Mitchell and Crython walking side by side. They indeed looked so identical that it was difficult to tell them apart except for the weapons they carried – Mitchell's Zat gun and Crython's pulse pistol.
The tour of Atlantis for Moya's crew was most interesting and informative, not to mention that Chiana discovered a room the others have not yet seen (I mean Chiana is Chiana – she always finds something) but we aren't going to speak of it for now. Then they headed for a tour on Moya (so to meet pilot as well who for obvious reasons can't make the tour of Atlantis).
"You have a most impressive ship, Commander." – Mitchell shared while they were on the bridge.
"Thank you! Your city and ships are just as impressive, even more." – Crython said.
"Well, we're in constant war. To be honest I envy you. I envy you for the freedom of just exploring."
"Hmm, this freedom was short lived. I thought they had come back to their senses but apparently I was wrong." – Crython said sadness in his eyes.
"You said that you convinced them by the means of a terrible weapon."
"Yes, I did but I can't reproduce the effects of it and even I could I wouldn't."
"You didn't say what kind of weapon it was…"
"I'm sorry, Colonel. I have no desire to speak about it. Suffice to say it was terrible. It is the kind of weapon, which you never want to see ever again."
"I see. I'm sorry. I didn't want…"
"To learn what it is so you could use against your enemies…" – Crython finished his sentence. "I understand that it is your mandate to acquire alien technologies, mostly weapons but trust me this one is too terrible. And it should never be used, ever again."
"I didn't want to sound…"
"It's perfectly understandable. You see the Peace Keepers and Scarrans have been chasing my ass for five years all over the galaxy trying to get their hands on my knowledge but when they finally got to see it they were terrified as well. That's why I didn't say what it is. I don't need something like that in your universe although I do not possess the knowledge anymore. The Ancients of my universe finally removed it so I could have peace and quite. Unfortunately, it became clear that the Scarrans could not be trusted to uphold the peace treaty."
"Well, apparently they met with our enemy here – the Wraith."
"What?"
"Yeah, I don't know how it happened but this is what the log of D'Argo Crython says."
"WHAT?" – Crython exclaimed, expressing total shock.
"Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention this one. Come with me." – Mitchell said.
"My son…but that's impossible. He is on board Moya." – Crython exclaimed. "Pilot, where is my son?"
"He's in his quarters."
"Commander?" – Mitchell exclaimed but Crython has already turned right onto the next corridor and willy-nilly Mitchell had to follow.
They reached Crython's chambers and there on the floor a ten year old boy was playing with a miniature toy shuttle. Crython however did not relax. He wanted to touch him to make sure he's really here for he had a bad feeling. And he was right. The moment he wanted to shuffle through his hair his hand went right through it. The child smiled and vanished. Crython was at loss of words and only the expression on his face said it all.
There they stood in silence then with great difficulty Crython turned to Mitchell.
"Where is my son?"
Mitchell raised his hands in defence. "I'm not really sure but I have to show you something."
And he led him back to the city where the Farscape module and the two interceptors were. On one of the interceptors, Mitchell pressed a button and the log was played once more. Crython listened in silence.
"The team back on Earth determined that the temple around which we found the crafts is almost five thousand years old. And it is with great surprise that we understood that your ships have endured so long there without a scratch. We speculated that they were protected somehow though how we don't know. But apparently your son and this girl I would assume have crossed through a wormhole that led them straight here, straight into our universe, five thousand years ago."
Crython was listening to Mitchell but there was something that wasn't making any sense.
"But how? My son is only ten years old."
"I do not know the answer for this."
"I might." – Rodney interfered.
Both Mitchell and Crython turned into the direction of the door where Rodney stood.
"I've been examining the crafts since Colonel Mitchell brought them to Atlantis and I discovered something unusual but I didn't have time to confirm it. The crafts bear a residual energy signature that oddly coincides with two others – one carries chronotrons for better choice of words and the other one is consistent with the shockwave that brought you here."
"Chrono – what?" – Mitchell exclaimed.
"Time travel." – Rodney answered. "As these events are connected on a level previously unseen. I can speculate that your son was propelled in time while he was travelling through a wormhole and then inexplicably shot backwards in time of our universe. So when he arrived here, he must have been already an adult. Why, I don't know."
Crython was listening intently to Rodney's explanation.
"While he was in the wormhole if he was to be hit by the shockwave could that have transported him back in time?" – He asked after a while.
"Ah, well, it is possible. However, we know almost nothing about this shockwave or its properties while interacting with wormholes." – Rodney replied a bit stunned of Crython's question. "We don't know why this has occurred in the first place. I think an after-effect must have taken place before the actual action had occurred."
"You refer to a parallax effect?" – Crython asked.
"Yes, indeed I do." – Rodney replied still stunned. It would seem that Crython was speaking Rodney's language.
"Excuse me, would you care to let me in?" – Mitchell interfered for he had understood nothing of their babbling.
"A parallax paradox is when you see the result of an action that has not happened yet." – Rodney explained.
"What?" – Mitchell did not understand a single word of it.
"How should I put it?" – Rodney pondered. "Alright, colonel, you remember the mission where colonel Sheppard was trapped inside the Ancient ascension zone."
"Ah, yes," – Mitchell thought for a while. He had read that report. "Where he spent six months or something while on the outside had passed only six hours…"
"Yes. Now imagine Colonel Sheppard seeing himself on the other side of the time barrier while he is still standing in front of it."
Mitchell's grey cells were processing the image. "Ah, I see now." He finally understood Rodney. "And you think this is what happened to…"
"Yes." – Rodney cut in.
"So this refers to the shockwave?" – Mitchell asked.
"Yes, I believe so."
"What about the chrono something?"
"Well, I don't know and it is still a speculation."
Crython was about a question when Dr. Radek Zelenka came in hastily. He looked straight into Rodney.
"Rodney, we are picking up something unusual."
"Define unusual!" – Rodney answered back.
"Well, you'd better come and see. I'm a bit at a loss." – Radek indeed looked confused and lost.
"Which is not something unusual." – Rodney muttered under breath so only Radek could hear him.
They arrived in the control room where Rodney sat immediately at the monitors that have registered the 'unusual' event. Crython who was always inquisitive about these sorts of things joined him.
Rodney stood silent several minutes more than Mitchell was used to but then Crython spoke instead of Rodney.
"It is a highly dispersed energy signal transmitted on low level frequencies through subspace."
Rodney looked up to Crython. He was pleasantly surprised that Crython before actually spoke his language and he was now convinced of it. Finally, he had found an equal to talk to.
"Yes, indeed it is." – Rodney confirmed. "But it is strange nonetheless. It has almost the same properties as the energy signature of an open gate."
"How come?" – Mitchell inquired.
"Well, we can not detect an activated gate wherever it might be, even if it is the closest to us." – Rodney explained but elaborated further. "I mean we can't detect an incoming wormhole to our gate or any other in the galaxy. But this reading suggests an activated gate, well, at least the energy it's emitting while receiving an incoming wormhole. And this qualifies as strange and unusual."
"Yes, as usually, you see the Atlantis sensors are not calibrated nor that sensitive to detect an event such as this." – Radek added.
"But this is transmitted through subspace, isn't it?" – Sheppard asked. Rodney turned around. He had not seen him coming. He was concentrated before the monitor at the time.
"Well, it is."
"Can you pinpoint its origin?" – Crython asked.
"Yeah, that's easy." – Rodney said, pressed a few buttons and a dot appeared on the screen. It was on the far edges of the Pegasus, a place where no Atlantis team had ever gone before.
"Is this on the list of gate addresses?" – Sheppard inquired.
"Let me just check." – Rodney said calling up the gate address directory. "Well, strangely it is but we've never been there."
"Well, in this case, let's go and see." – Sheppard said excited.
"Er…colonel, don't you think you could ask me first?" – Richard Woolsey who had just arrived in the control room asked.
Sheppard just smiled but answered. "Yeah, sure, can we?"
"What do you expect to find?"
"Well, the reason for this unusual energy reading. It could be a new power source."
"Or a well laid trap." – Woolsey added.
"Well, we follow protocol – sending the M.A.L.P. first and if it is okay, we go, again according to protocol."
"Yes, colonel but the MALP will not confirm if it is a trap."
"Well, obviously not. But if it is viable then we will take a Jumper and will have all the necessary protection."
Woolsey looked at Sheppard intently for a minute but gave in. "Alright, you can proceed – tomorrow morning."
"I think we could benefit from Commander Crython's expertise." – Rodney added.
"I guess we could take Rygel with us. He has a knack of finding things just as much as Chiana." – Crython suggested.
"Well, this should be interesting – the first Inter Universes Team." – Sheppard smiled. "Colonel Mitchell, you are coming too?"
"I wouldn't miss for the world. It is an occasion."
"Gentlemen, should I remind you that this might turn badly?" – Woolsey cool intelligence kicked in again.
"Mr. Woolsey, why always the pessimist?" – Mitchell asked with a smile.
"It's called realism, Colonel .You are walking into the total unknown. I would prefer that our guests remain here."
"And in any other case I would agree with you but our guests have certain useful abilities which would be a bonus in this mission." – Mitchell countered.
"And why this mission?"
"Well, I can answer that." – Rodney cut in. "The energy signal we are detecting might be closely related to the…to all previous events."
"How come?" – Woolsey inquired.
"Well, according to Atlantis' sensors, it appeared almost at the same time as the last disturbance." – Radek answered instead of Rodney.
"And why are detecting it now?"
"Well, we did detect it. We just did not pay attention at the time."
"Well, this is what you had to say in the first place. Why does every conversation has to be so complicated?" – Woolsey exclaimed frustrated.
"I've been asking the same question all the time…" – Sheppard shrugged while Rodney gave him a dirty look.
The next morning (which was just four hours away from the night's talk), after the M.A.L.P. came with positive results about the viability of the planet, the 'inter universes team (or IUT for short)' as dubbed and led by Colonel Sheppard crossed through the gate.
They emerged into a stunning view, which was not immediately visible from the MALP as the gate and the surrounding trees were in a steep hollow. It became clear that the jumper was their only viable solution. The hollow was surrounded by a vast lake whose water was the color of ice though it was clear it was not ice.
"Is there land around here or is it only an ocean?" – Chiana asked.
"What's wrong with that?" – Rygel sounded offended.
"Well, we know you enjoy the water, Sparky but we'd prefer land." – Crython said.
"Rodney, the energy signal – where is it?" – Sheppard asked.
"Due south." – Rodney replied.
The jumper glided towards the south. After ten minutes of flight, the jumper's sensors picked up land.
"Right over there." – Rodney pointed.
"I see it." – Sheppard said.
"It looks like a building." – Mitchell noticed.
"And it is. Judging by its structure I'll say it was built by the Ancients." – Rodney observed.
The building just as many others built by the Ancients was enormous. It resembled a king sitting in his throne (except that the head of the monument, which as usual was missing).
"It might be an Ancient repository." – Rodney said.
"You mean one of those head sucking things?" – Mitchell inquired.
"Yeah one of those." – Rodney nodded. "General O'Neil had encountered two of those and…"
"We know, Rodney." – Sheppard cut him off. "But where is the signal coming from – the monument?"
"No, it is this building next to it." – Rodney pointed to a smaller building that was not visible at first glance.
The building was a large dome, which perhaps was only the top of the building; the rest must have sunk in the ground during the thousands of years (it was not something unseen). Sheppard landed the jumper in the nearby forest as a precaution (you never know when something would go wrong).
Once on the ground, the IUT realized that this was the whole building (there were no parts that might have sunk in the ground). Then again, it was a bit strange of a structure for the Ancients to build. The years however were reflected upon the building. Several liana plants have mostly engulfed its sides, having grown quite densely reminding the group of the old castle of the Sleeping Beauty.
Rodney had taken the lead, the scanning device in his hands. He ventured the front door of the building. He found himself in a large atrium. Its walls were covered upside down with the lianas and the floor was of polished stone that even after all these years was still perfectly shiny and dustless.
The energy signal was getting closer and as they moved out of the atrium they came in the largest circular room they've entered into. In the middle of the room, stood the most amazing sight they've ever seen. Surrounded by a circle of diamond tombstones each with engraved symbols that were illuminated in a strange almost moonlight, even ethereal glow stood an arc like gateway (which mostly resembled the gates of a cemetery). The arc was not empty. A faintly visible veil was folding under an invisible wind.
The arc was built of unknown material, which looked like a black diamond. It was also glowing as though it had an internal light making it alive. The arc was about fifteen feet high and as much wide. Before it, there was space where there was a glimmering web, which as Rodney discovered soon enough was a very sophisticated hologram display. It showed a large number of big and small objects moving closer to the arc, through and back from it.
The team stood dumbfounded before it for a good time. The sight was intoxicating and enchanting.
"What the hell is this?" – Mitchell asked finally regaining from the first shock of the sight before his eyes.
"Well, I don't know." – Rodney replied honestly. "But I will."
"Then get to work." – Sheppard said.
"I will stay and help out." – Crython added moving to Rodney.
"Good, Colonel, you and I better check the perimeter." – Sheppard proposed turning to Mitchell.
"Agreed." – Mitchell nodded in agreement. "Stay put until we return."
"Who can possibly come?" – Rygel asked.
"Well, if I'm guessing right these dots might be ships so we'd better make sure we're alone." – Sheppard replied.
"McKay, how long do you think you'll need to find out what this is?"- Mitchell inquired.
"I don't know. It might be a day it might be a week." – Rodney shrugged.
"I'll take the first guess." – Mitchell said. He had no desire to stay here for a whole week. "Stay put."
And he and Sheppard left the building. Then they separated each heading around the building to check if they were alone (for Mitchell had a bad feeling about this place).
While the big boys were doing their respective jobs, Chiana and Rygel decided to explore all the corners of the building (you never know what treasures you could find). Chiana was moving alongside a darkly lit corridor heading to west of the center circular room. It seemed that there was nothing to see but Chiana's curios eyes had a little special ability of spotting energy spots and soon enough she spotted one (the curios part was that she did not see the arc), which was coming from somewhere beneath the corridor. The energy spots had the most attractive (for her) glow – dark bluish. But how to get them?
As she reached the end of the corridor she noticed something that looked more of a hole than of an opening in the wall. It was actually penetrating the wall and covered in a hardened skin (you could say). The inside of the hole was indeed a bit gloomy but living on Moya such a sight is not something unusual so Chiana crept in. There were tentacles spread like a dark creepy web but Chiana was moving quickly among them. Soon she found her way down and reached near the energy spots. They were inside something that resembled a cocoon suspended upside down. There was a control panel (of sorts) with strange symbols some of which reminded her of those in Atlantis. But before she could examine them properly a bluish blast came out of nowhere and knocked her down. She lost consciousness immediately.
Rygel was hovering on the east side of the building. He had spotted other openings, which could be rooms full of treasure. He reached the first one and peeked in. The room was covered upside down with very odd looking objects. They looked like fishes out of the water though they were big and dark yellow with sort of tentacles instead of fins. They were arranged in racks. Somewhere at the middle of the room, on the ceiling Rygel noticed a retracting roof.
"Well, not so interesting after all." – Rygel muttered under breath.
He moved out of this room and continued his exploring. The next two rooms were almost empty – there were just a few consoles with odd looking symbols but they were not interesting. And then he found himself into the last room and that one was interesting (for him, of course).
"Treasure!" – Rygel exclaimed. "Come to Rygel!"
The room had again of these odd consoles though these ones were even stranger. They are all mostly looking like a tri-star. They numbered four. Three were empty but the forth was filled with three cylindrical objects that glowed faintly in orange yellow light. Rygel, of course, tried to remove one of them (quite unsuccessfully), which frustrated him but then he saw other curious objects. They were put on shelves. Those objects were of different sizes and shapes but all were diamonds and crystals (and very attractive to the greedy Hynerian nature). That is why Rygel did not hear the footsteps behind him. Nonetheless he turned around just in time and saw the ugliest creature he's ever seen (no actually he'd seen even uglier). The creature bore a mask and only his cold eyes peered at him. It was carrying a stick shinning at the back and finishing with a sting. The creature lifted the stick and a bluish light came out of it but Rygel's quick (and self preservation) reflexes moved him out of the way. The creature quickly understood that shooting down this being will not be as easy as it was hovering. Rygel adopted quickly the shouting mode for help as there was nothing else to do while evading the blasts. But soon enough more creatures came in and as he was evading one of the blasts another managed to hit him. He lost consciousness almost immediately.
Meanwhile, Crython and Rodney were making progress with the arc. Actually, it was Crython that noticed in the glimmering web other smaller dots that were actually stars. And Rodney quickly identified them.
"All right, this is odd." – Rodney exclaimed. "These readings…they don't make any sense. According the data here, this device derives power from the tombstones…no…damn…they don't…"
"I think the power source is in the arc itself and the tombstones are more like…like a keyboard…" – Crython said.
"Yeah, they are like the DHD on the stargate though I thought the symbols are constellations like on the gate." – Rodney agreed then as he crawling through the data he froze.
"What is it, doc?" – Crython looked up as Rodney was looking as someone that had a sudden revelation.
"This glimmering net is an actual hologram that displays a real time feed. This can only mean that this portal actually exists…not exists…oh my god!"
"What?"
"It is a projection."
"A what? A projection of what?" – Crython looked confused.
"The gates here project their image through subspace into open space where it opens a gate just like the ORI created a supergate. But this one is different for it is here the real control room so to speak while the true gate, the one that opens to somewhere, is at open space. It is amazing." – Rodney explained. "The Ancients created the stargates but through the stargates only people and jumpers could go through. Now with this, whole armadas of ships can travel, can go through gate…it is unbelievable."
"Are you saying that this arc here is opening a gate of some sort into space by projecting its coordinates and outlines…"
"No, not exactly, see it as a…, the real gate is the one here. However instead of placing it in space like the gates, the Ancients have placed it here projecting its effects into open space. It is like opening gate that could be controlled from distance."
"You mean like the event horizon of an incoming or outgoing wormhole appears not in the gate but in open space." – Crython said following his reasoning.
"Yes, exactly." – Rodney nodded.
"Well, in this case I have to agree with you – wow! It is amazing." – Crython exclaimed. "But is it a stargate like your stargates because this one has a very different form and every such occurrence is proportional to the size of its gate."
"Yes, I've been thinking the same. Now we detected it because of the event that brought you here. The shockwave spread the energy through subspace…"
"That's why the energy signal was so dispersed otherwise we wouldn't have detected it…"
"Unless we were really close." – Rodney finished the long sentence he'd begun. "Ha. It's very curios. It's almost like…"
"It's almost like we were shown the way." – Crython finished Rodney's thought.
"Yeah, strange. The readings, well, they are very confusing. Here, look at this." – Rodney showed them to Crython.
"Wow!" – Crython exclaimed.
"What?"
"Those readings are curiously similar to some of the data Moya collected of the first energy reading we picked up."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. It is very, very odd."
"Well, we'll have to check the data in Atlantis." – Rodney concluded.
"Yeah and…" – Crython paused in the middle of his sentence.
"What? What is it?"
"Where are Chiana and Rygel?" – Crython reached for his communicator. "Rygel? Chiana? Where are you guys?"
But no response came.
"I'll go look for them."
"Sheppard, come in Sheppard!" – Rodney called on the radio but only cracking noises. "Commander, I have no contact with the others."
"Is it possible this room is shielded somehow?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
"Alright, I'll go to look for Chiana and Rygel, and you go outside." – Crython proposed.
"Good idea." – Rodney nodded, taking up his weapon and heading outside.
Crython looked around and saw two corridors – one leading west and one east. He pondered for a moment and took the east one. He walked cautiously drawing his gun. A bad feeling crawled in him as he was approaching the end of the corridor. The lianas of the right side were very different from the ones on the left. And as he approached he noticed that those on the right side looked more like a skin, a hardened skin. There was a small opening in them. Crython took a quick peek inside. It resembled Moya after a devastating battle in a way with slimy ropes but living connectors just like on Moya. Something however was telling him to look in the other room where on the floor he saw Rygel's royal cloak (if we could call this way as it was very ragged). On the walls were visible traces of blast firing.
It would seem that his royal highness has been captured but by whom…suddenly it hit him – the Wraith. They told him that the wraiths are using organic technology that's why at first they confounded Moya with a hive ship. He had to find the colonels now.
Crython moving slowly out of the room made his way back to the circular room. Rodney McKay has not returned. Nonetheless, he spotted two shadows moving into the room. Crython found cover quickly behind a tombstone. He was ready to shoot when he recognized Colonel Mitchell and Sheppard.
"Colonels!" – He called appearing from behind the tombstone.
"Commander!" – Mitchell visibly relaxed. "We have a problem."
"The wraith!" – Crython said.
The other two were a bit shocked but nodded.
"Yeah, I just saw them taking Rodney away." – Sheppard informed.
"Yeah, and I saw Chiana in their hands too." – Mitchell added.
"And Rygel is caught by them too." – Crython completed.
"But how? Chiana and Rygel were with you in here."
"I can answer that. Follow me!" – Crython said and led the way.
At the end of the corridor they saw their answer.
"Great. They've invaded the building from underneath. Just great." – Sheppard grunted out.
And just as they were about to enter two bluish blasts shot from the hole. Fortunately they missed them by an inch.
"Retreat." – Sheppard exclaimed.
A second later, out of the hole, appeared four wraith soldiers that started shooting at them. Sheppard, Mitchell and Crython responded immediately. The four soldiers fell dead on the floor.
"Let's go back to the jumper." – Sheppard proposed.
But this was not as easy as it sounded. As soon as they reached outside, they saw other wraiths appearing and shooting from the hip at them. This unexpected event separated the three. The wraiths obviously not expecting to bump into three that run in three different directions were a bit confused but only for a moment. The wraith separated and headed after each one of them.
If the wraiths thought that they would catch the three easily as each one of them was alone they were certainly mistaken. These three were the best the humans had to offer.
Colonel Sheppard managed to take care easily of his pursuers for he simply ambushed them. Then he took out his life sign detector and seeing no one else proceeded to help his team mates.
Crython was having some trouble losing his pursuers for they were more than eight. He managed to kill at least three but the other five cornered him. He had found a suitable hiding place but the wraiths were advancing. He was shooting back but his opponents were moving to surround him. Fortunately at the last moment, Colonel Sheppard arrived. He shot two that were in Crython's back while Crython finished off other two. The last one was trying to escape but a shot out of nowhere struck him down. Soon the two saw his shooter – Colonel Mitchell.
"The jumper is inaccessible. The wraiths have surrounded it. I'm afraid we're stuck." – Mitchell informed still panting.
"We need to find our bearings." – Sheppard said.
"And to rescue the others." – Crython added.
"How long until Atlantis calls?" – Mitchell asked.
"At least six-seven hours." – Sheppard replied. "And the gate is inaccessible too. Without a jumper we can't reach it."
"And we can't return to the building either…it's crawling with guards." – Mitchell said.
"How many do you think are there of those?" – Crython asked.
"Well, it's either a cruiser or a hive." – Sheppard answered.
"So a lot…"
"Yeah, I'm afraid so."
"We need a plan." – Mitchell said.
"Let's go and find their ship then we could make a plan." – Sheppard proposed.
"Agreed." – Crython nodded.
"And we'll have to wait for the cover of darkness to approach." – Mitchell added.
"Indeed." – Sheppard agreed. "On the way here, I saw a small cavern."
"Hopefully with no bears inside." – Crython interjected and the other two chuckled.
The three arrived shortly at the cavern, which was not very big but it was enough.
"I'll take first watch." – Crython volunteered.
"Alright, wake me in two hours." – Sheppard said.
Crython took watch. His thoughts were frequently going to his son that has disappeared without a trace just like Ayren. Once he thought he might lose them at the hand of the Scarrans but back then he was playing the nuclear terrorist. And now…now he was lost in an alternate reality, an alternate universe with a himself (also explorer) but a military colonel and in another galaxy where the Earthlings had space capabilities and were fighting life sucking aliens. True he had met his share of abnormal aliens but this was a little too much. Colonel Mitchell (his other self) also had mentioned a crazy story in which he, a member of his team (that was now dead) and their other self had to find a way to stop an evil that was set loose. All the time the same story, team explores – finds evil – looks for help – defeats evil. But is it going to be that easy – probably no – it never is.
Crython's time elapsed before he could realize it. How time flies sometimes? He moved and woke Colonel Sheppard. Crython fell asleep at once though he wasn't that tired. But what happened in his dream state was mostly fascinating.
Crython opened his eyes. Was he sleeping or was he awake? He was standing in the most stunning environment. It was a misty ground and in the far corners he could see great columns of marble granite like spears slightly glimmering in silvery light. Crython quickly realized that he was not alone. He noticed the outlines of another, a figure that apparently was waking towards him. It soon became clear enough.
"Ayren?"
"No!" – The figure smiled.
"But that's impossible – you're…"
The figure made a gesture of silence. "I'm Vala, Vala MalDoran. You and Cam both need to go the memorial planet. McKay can find it in the Ancient database. You need to locate the Temple of the Axis."
"The temple of what?"
"The temple of the Axis – it will show you the way."
"But if you are Vala then where is…"
"Reach the planet and the temple and you'll get all your answers."
"Er…"
"When gone am I you shall remember me not only my message. Go the memorial planet and locate the temple of the Axis, the temple of the Axis, the Axis…"
Her voice faded as she vanished or was it he who was vanishing from the strange place. Crython woke up suddenly. Sheppard was nowhere around only Mitchell who also looked distressed. No he looked probably like him after a crazy dream. There was also a faint glow coming from Mitchell's backpack.
"What is that?" – Crython asked.
"What is what?" – Mitchell asked back.
"That glow…"
"What glow?" – Mitchell asked but looked at his backpack and the words were stuck in his throat. He opened the backpack and on the bottom he found four diamonds in which there were four silver rings. The rings within were glowing illuminating the diamonds, which now looked like small stars.
"This is very weird." – Mitchell said shaking his head as though he had suddenly remembered something. "I had…a dream telling me to go to…"
"The memorial planet and locate the temple of the Axis." – Crython finished his sentence.
Mitchell looked at him surprised. "You too, huh?" Crython nodded.
At this moment, Sheppard reappeared. The glow of the rings had gone almost immediately. Sheppard looked at them a bit confused and said nothing but. "Everything is clear."
"My turn." – Mitchell sighed.
"Two hours." – Sheppard reminded.
Two hours later, Mitchell woke the other two and they set on to locate the wraith hive ship or whatever they had. They reached very cautiously the temple but there was no sign of any wraith anywhere around.
"Let's be sure." – Sheppard suggested.
They entered into the temple and explored both the east and west corridors. The holes in the wall that were wraith tech penetrating the temple from beneath actually led to two control segments but there was nothing of importance there. Sheppard managed to determine at least the way they were detected. And before exiting the temple he made sure the little devices that gave away their presence into the temple were disabled. The segments led outside by separate outlets.
The three left the temple by one of those outlets and followed the obviously made path by the wraith. Ten minutes later, they reached an opening where they had to move extremely carefully as in the open space lay a dozen wraith darts guarded by two soldiers.
Passing around them, the three moved through the surrounding forest. They crossed it and there in the valley below them they saw their target.
"Just a thought." – Mitchell whispered suddenly. The other two looked at him. "If the wraiths have left the premises of the temple they might have left the jumper too. After all they can't fly it."
"Good thought." – Sheppard nodded. "I thought of that too. We have to have the means to get away pretty fast."
"I'll go and have a look while…"
"We find a way in and how things are."
"Making a plan as we go." – Crython added with a smile. It was his favourite time as plan A usually never works.
"Great. I'll contact you." – Mitchell said and vanished back into the forest.
"We can go." – Sheppard said.
"I'll wait for the moon rise." – Crython countered. "We do need some light going down there. Our flashlight will give us away."
And so at moonlight (as you recall in the beginning of the chapter) they entered into the hive and rescued Rygel. As they've done that they stumbled into someone else.
"Rodney…?"
Out of the shadowy corridor emerged the figure of Rodney. He looked a bit beat up. It seemed he had put some fight (which for Sheppard was a bit unusual).
"What happened to you?" – Sheppard inquired.
"Ah…well…I came outside looking for you and Colonel Mitchell but instead I bumped into two wraith. I shot at them and knocked one down. Then turned around and ran for dear life. I was hoping to reach the puddle jumper and seal myself in but unfortunately it was crawling with them. Hopefully I saw them in time, well sort of." – Rodney explained speaking quite quickly as though someone was after him.
"Sort of?"
"Well, I did not fall into their hands immediately. I swirled while shooting at them. Pretty soon however they cornered me and in a matter of seconds I lost my gun. A wraith came in from behind and shot me."
"That's was very brave, Dr. McKay." – Crython said impressed.
"Indeed." – Sheppard agreed. "Then what happened? How did you escape?"
"Well, they shove into a cell where I woke up several hours later (with a nasty headache)."
"Wraith blast." – Sheppard interjected seeing Crython's expression.
"Yeah, and following Ronon's example I remembered I had a small stack of little knives, which I used to open the door."
"You did?" – Sheppard interrupted again impressed by Rodney's ingenuity.
"Yeah, then I found the first control console so I could locate the others. I thought you're like me captured. While I was looking for other cells I stumbled on curios and disturbing information."
"Which was what?"
"Well, first the jumper…"
"They have it?"
"Oh, no, they are much cleverer than that. They've planted a tracking device."
"So they can find your city!" – Crython suggested.
"Yeah, I guess that's their plan. Anyway, and the second part is this is the place where they control the portal as we found out. What we did not know is that this thing is actually a transdimensional portal."
"So this is how they got into his reality!" – Sheppard reasoned.
"What?" – Crython exclaimed.
"As you remember from the log of the prowlers, the wraiths have made an alliance with the Scarrans." – Sheppard explained.
"Oh yeah, I remember – a horrifying idea."
"Well, we will help you there but first things first." – Sheppard said. "Rodney, did you locate Chiana?"
"Ah…yeah, there is another top priority cell…this way." – Rodney said and led the way.
Turning two corridors they arrived a really dark one where at the end two wraith guards were standing. With a well aimed shot, Crython put them down before Sheppard or Rodney could react.
Crython reached the cell and whispered. "Chiana?"
"Crython!" – Chiana squeaked emerging from the cell and jumping into Crython's open arms.
"You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Good. Now, let's leave."
"This way!" – Rodney led again.
"Just a question – if the wraiths have placed a tracking device onto the jumper – how are we going to get out of here?" – Crython asked.
"We go back – Rodney removes it and we fly away." – Sheppard answered.
"Yeah, provided we remain undetected." – Crython inserted.
And as he was saying it an alarming howl disturbed the silence.
"So much of being undetected." – Crython remarked.
They were just turning in a corridor when they saw the source of the alarm. It was Colonel Mitchell killing the wraiths coming out of the hangar bay. Sheppard run quickly and assisted him.
"Hi!" – Mitchell said. "Missed me?"
"Very much!" – Rodney retorted.
"Since we're at the hangars why not take one of theirs?" – Crython asked.
"Not a bad idea though you're all going to have headaches afterwards." – Sheppard said.
"Better to have a headache than to be captured." – Mitchell remarked.
"Alright stay here I'll go to…" – Sheppard did not finish his sentence as a wraith blast hit him and he lost consciousness. Mitchell moved forward and stunned the wraith as Rodney and Crython moved Sheppard back.
"Dr. McKay, come and show me how to fly their flyers!" – Crython said. "While Colonel Mitchell holds them off!"
Rodney moved to the nearest dart and opened it. Crython jumped in. Rodney explained as quickly as he could how the dart is flown (while still dodging blasts) and how to rematerialize them once they're free. Then showed him how to dial the gate and gave him the Alpha Site address. They couldn't emerge with a wraith dart inside Atlantis.
"Alright take position; I'll pick you up in a minute." – Crython said and started the dart. It lifted off, made a round circle and picked up the grouped group with a single beam.
The wraiths (realizing that their prey is about to escape) contacted to their ships outside the system while others got into darts and pursued them.
Crython had to admit that flying the dart proved to be much more difficult than it seemed at first. He had also to evade the blasts of pursuing darts. Nonetheless, the manoeuvrability of the dart was unexpectedly fluid. He managed to swirl the dart and get himself behind his pursuers who before could react were already flaming pieces.
Crython headed for the lake with the strangely looking water. He was almost near as he noticed that there are more pursuers. Then suddenly the gate activated. It was an incoming wormhole. He couldn't dial out. This was unexpected. But Crython's thoughts were running coolly. He rematerialized his friends and landed quickly the dart near the gate.
Crython ran to them and put them out of sight. As soon as he had finished, the whining sound of passing above darts whooshed. Some wraiths appeared in the opposite direction but were heading their way. Crython saw no other alternative than to fight (for laying low was not an option as sooner or later they would discover them). Crython took Sheppard's and Mitchell's C4s and headed back to the dart. He placed them in it.
He had just planted them when a blast past his head. He returned fire and broke into run back to the cover of the forest. The first group of wraiths reached the dart and then Crython detonated it. The explosion killed all wraiths within its range.
The wraiths obviously enraged came quickly after him but Crython was holding his position. His pulse pistol was cutting their ranks with fierce precision. But soon their numbers became overwhelming and the cover Crython was using was beginning to be insufficient defence.
As the situation was growing overwhelmingly desperate, Crython noticed the familiar faint glow in Mitchell's backpack. He opened it while dodging another portion of blasts that were very close of hitting him. Inside he found the glimmering diamonds. Suddenly he had an odd feeling telling him exactly what to do. He made every of his friends to be in touch with the other. Then he grabbed Chiana's hand while taking one of the diamonds in his hand. It was in this time when the wraiths came in from behind his cover tree and surrounded them. But then a burst of blinding light surrounded the unconscious group and Crython and before the wraiths could react they vanished.
Back in Atlantis, Richard Woolsey was getting worried. Sheppard and the others were overdue with two hours. He of course dialled the gate and tried to establish contact but no response. He dialled the gate again but this time it couldn't establish a connection. This had Woolsey worried. As he had predicted, something bad must have happened.
He was about to order Colonels Caldwell and Lorne to investigate with their ships when in the middle before the gate the air suddenly became strangely illuminated. Everyone gaped with astonishment and confusion. The light was glimmering in moonlight silver. Then without any warning there was a sudden burst and in its place appeared Crython and the rest of the group (still unconscious). Crython was still holding the diamond whose glow faded slowly (though enough for Mitchell who was coming around to notice it).
"Everything will be alright." – Crython said with an odd voice looking straight into Mitchell.
Then he shook his head and spoke with his normal voice. "Wow. That was a hell of a ride!"
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