Chapter 4: I have need of your services.

"Doctor McKay?"

Rodney looked up to see a middle aged woman standing somewhat hesitantly in front of his desk. She had shoulder length brown hair liberally scattered with grey and was wearing a simple summer dress, white with little green flowers scattered here and there. Her eyes were a warm blue, sparkling with humour, almost childlike but at the same time containing an awareness that was ageless.

"Yes?" he replied curiously.

"I was told that you are a theoretical astrophysicist with practical experience in the field," the woman replied. "I have need of your services."

"You need an astrophysicist?" Rodney repeated slowly. "Well - that's not something I hear every day! Um ... why?"

"Wormholes Doctor McKay," the woman said simply.

"I don't understand ... you want to talk about ... wormholes?" Rodney hesitated, confused.

"Not exactly," she smiled, openly amused by Rodney's air of confusion. "I wish to utilise one for the purposes of communication."

Glancing around his office at the clutter that was both familiar and strange he frowned.

Something wasn't right.

"Are you a student?" he asked, trying to work it out.

"Of humanity," the woman replied as though the idea amused her greatly. "Can it be done?"

"Well, theoretically a radio wave can travel in either direction through an open wormhole," Rodney agreed, letting himself be drawn into the discussion despite his confusion. "But creating the wormhole in the first place? How do you propose to do that?"

"By using the Stargate," the woman replied.

That was the point when Rodney realised he was dreaming ... not that the business like shirt and trousers he was wearing and the fact that he was in his office back on campus hadn't been big warning flags. It was the mention of the Stargate ... his active mind was saying 'the what?' but deep inside his real self knew exactly what the mysterious woman was talking about. He struggled to wake up, even pinched himself on the arm quite hard but reality refused to shift.

"Ah ... the ... Stargate?" he said instead. His eyes met hers and Rodney found his gaze trapped by the wisdom and knowledge in hers. "Who ... who are you?" Rodney whispered.

"Call me 'Tia," the woman smiled fondly. "You know of what I speak Rodney McKay."

"You seem to already know the answers," Rodney pointed out. "What do you need from me?"

"I cannot make use of these radio waves you speak of," 'Tia revealed. "The communication I wish to attempt requires more strength than I alone possess. But ... there is a device ... an amplifier that, when connected directly to the Stargate, will provide the boost I require."

"You want me to build you an amplifier?" Rodney wasn't being deliberately obtuse ... his mental processes felt sluggish and he wasn't sure if it was because the whole thing was a dream he couldn't wake from or because of some other reason.

"Such an amplifier already exists," 'Tia replied. "You have but to retrieve it."

"From where?" Rodney asked.

"Return to our origins Doctor McKay," 'Tia intoned, her voice echoing as if many other voices had spoken along with her.

"Your origins," Rodney repeated, feeling himself swaying tiredly. Wait - how could he be tired if he was already asleep ... surely that act itself would negate the feeling?

"You must go," 'Tia insisted, "you alone with the one who is next strongest in the gene of our creators. It is the only way."

"Who?" Rodney frowned, his confusion heightened every moment the dream continued.

"Our time grows short ... remember Doctor," 'Tia pleaded. "The life of our dearest friend depends upon it."

"Right," Rodney muttered. "Origins. Friend. Amplifier. Got it," his voice trailed off and he felt himself falling backwards towards the bed that had suddenly appeared behind him.

Rodney hit the mattress and, gasping awake, lurched up from his real bed in his quarters on Atlantis.

"Holy ...," he muttered aloud, rubbing hands over his face urgently. "That was ... weird!" Glancing at the clock ... 5:30 am ... Rodney sighed. No more sleep for him that night. Just as well - he'd have time to do a little research before telling the others about his dream.

oOo

"We need to go to Lantia," Rodney strode into Woolsey's office at two minutes past eight, knowing that Richard promptly turned up at 8am every morning without fail. Rodney had used the time since waking efficiently and was now convinced his dream wasn't a dream but rather instructions on how to help Atlantis find Sheppard. All he had to do was convince Woolsey to allow a mission to their old planet without spilling the beans on John's secret.

"By Lantia I assume you mean our former planet," Woolsey returned.

"Yes, yes," Rodney said impatiently. "I found something in the Ancient database that might help us locate Sheppard. We just need to collect something from Lantia first."

"Perhaps we should continue this discussion with the rest of your team present as well," Richard suggested, getting up and moving towards the control room.

"Mr ... Chuck," he glanced at the gate room technician as though it were his fault Richard didn't know his last name, "please relay a message to Ms Emmagen and Mr Dex to meet us in the conference room immediately.

"And Lorne," Rodney said quickly.

"Major Lorne as well," Woolsey added, casting a curious glance Rodney's way.

"I ah ... I need him along to help," Rodney explained. "Just him ... Teyla and Ronon need to know about the mission but ... they don't need to be there. If you approve the mission, it has to be just Lorne and I."

"If I approve the mission," Woolsey agreed in that way of his that said he thought the only person who really made any sense was himself. "Shall we?" he motioned for Rodney to lead the way to the conference room.

Ronon and Teyla arrived promptly only minutes later with Major Lorne close on their heels.

"Doctor?" Woolsey threw the meeting over to Rodney without introduction once everyone was seated.

"We need to go to Lantia," Rodney started again. "There's a device I found in the database that can help us use the Stargate to find Sheppard."

"A device back on Lantia?" Lorne clarified.

"Yes," Rodney agreed, "I think so."

"How?" Woolsey asked curiously.

"How what?" Rodney returned with his usual 'why do I have to explain everything' expression firmly in place.

"How will it help us find Colonel Sheppard?" Richard expanded impatiently.

"Well," Rodney hesitated, realising this was the moment where he'd either come over as crazy or inadvertently give away too much and reveal John's secret. "Ah ... it's a kind of amplifier and ah ... when you connect it to the Stargate someone ... someone with the gene will be able to ah ... to search for Sheppard through an open wormhole."

"Colonel Sheppard himself is the most proficient in the ancient gene is he not?" Teyla commented, watching Rodney closely.

"Yes and if he were here we wouldn't need to do anything!" Rodney retorted, more like his usual self. "We've never really tested how the ATA gene works ... I suspect some of it is just practice and some of it is genetics which is why I asked the Major here to join us. With the amount of practice he's had using the Puddle Jumpers he should be able to do what we need."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence McKay," Lorne returned, faintly amused.

"You're welcome," Rodney shot back snidely.

"There's no Stargate," Ronon pointed out simply. "We took it with us."

"He's right," Rodney told Woolsey. "I have however found a space gate nearby, relatively speaking. We use a Puddle Jumper to gate there and then fly the rest of the way."

"How nearby, relatively speaking?" Lorne asked, already pretty sure Rodney had him slotted in as pilot as well as ATA gene user in his grand plan.

"Ah, twenty hours, give or take," Rodney admitted quickly.

"Forty hours in a Puddle Jumper with you?" Lorne muttered. "Great!"

"Ha Ha Major," Rodney returned sarcastically. "So, can we go?" he turned to Woolsey hopefully.

"Where exactly is this device McKay?" Lorne asked before Richard could reply.

"Um ... in the drilling station," he admitted in a low tone.

"The drilling station?" Lorne's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The deep sea drilling station? The one that in all likelihood we destroyed when you and Colonel Sheppard made the city fly? That station?"

"I only said we'd probably destroy it," Rodney insisted, "not that we definitely had. And just because it's a possibility doesn't mean we shouldn't go and look just in case."

"There are none of these ... amplifiers on Atlantis?" Teyla asked.

"As far as I can work out, No," Rodney replied, meeting Teyla's eyes hoping she'd pick up that he didn't want to share a lot of detail inside the meeting. "It'd take me months to build something from scratch but why would we do that when we don't need to? Besides, Sheppard can't wait that long."

Teyla frowned, narrowing her eyes as she watched him closely.

"And you just stumbled across this in the database?" Woolsey commented.

"Well, no ... not really," Rodney felt compelled to reply as honestly as possible. "I ah ... something made me think of using the Stargate for communication and that was enough to prompt a search of the database for ... for ideas. Look, there's no guarantee we'll find anything but since we have nothing else at this point I can't see the problem."

"Very well," Woolsey said thoughtfully. "Major Lorne and Doctor McKay will take a Puddle Jumper to Lantia to retrieve this device." Shuffling his papers together with a decisive snap, Richard rose and after nodding to everyone present, turned and left the conference room.

"Major," Rodney carefully kept his eyes away from his team mates, "I need to grab some things from my lab. I'll meet you at Puddle Jumper Two in ten minutes."

Wordlessly Lorne cast his own glance at Teyla and Ronon before nodding once and turning to leave the three alone.

"You are going on this mission without us?" Teyla asked with just a hint of censure as soon as the doors had closed again.

"Um ... yes," Rodney admitted. "I ah ... it's just a simple retrieval mission ... you'd be bored."

"But you need Lorne?" Ronon spoke next, pointing out that Rodney was taking someone.

"Why not Lorne?" Rodney went on the defensive. "With Sheppard out of the picture I need a back up pilot just in case, you know, I sprain a finger or something and can't fly the Jumper myself. Plus I don't have a lot of experience flying one under water – the Major is probably the most qualified to do it."

"Sprain a finger?" Ronon scowled in disbelief. "Su-re McKay."

"Rodney," Teyla said firmly, the expression in her eyes telling him that her patience was wearing thin.

"Fine," Rodney muttered, glancing up quickly to make sure the conference room doors really had re-closed before launching into his explanation. "I had a dream last night about using the Stargate to find Sheppard. Part of the dream involved going back to Lantia."

"You dreamt of a way to find Colonel Sheppard?" Teyla asked uncertainly. "And you believe it to be accurate?"

"Yes," Rodney returned simply.

"This is unlike you Rodney," Teyla pointed out, her thoughts probably firmly fixed on the past where Rodney had been sceptical of her own dreams about Kanaan.

"Not necessarily," Rodney replied. "I never discounted the idea that dreams can be more than just ... dreams."

Teyla and Ronon both looked at him with identical expressions of disbelief.

"All right, all right ... it was Atlantis," Rodney said it in a rush as though that would stop the others from questioning his conclusion. "She couldn't communicate with me like she does Sheppard so she did it in a dream. I mean, it makes sense when you think about it. Easier access to the subconscious without the conscious mind putting up barriers."

"Atlantis spoke to you in a dream," Ronon grumbled, glaring at the other man impatiently.

"Look, I know this all sounds like a stretch," Rodney said insistently, "but at the same time ... I know it was her. She wants to find John and ... she wants me to help her ... me and Major Lorne."

Ronon and Teyla exchanged glances before Teyla moved to stand beside Rodney. "I understand your desire to find John ... I share it. But John would not want you to take unnecessary risks on his behalf Rodney. If Mr Woolsey knew the full story he would not have approved this mission."

"It's not a risk," Rodney replied, looking at Teyla openly so she would see he believed what he was saying. "Lorne will fly us to that planet, we'll either find something down near the drilling station or we won't ... and then we'll come home."

"Okay," Ronon shifted, shrugging when Teyla glanced at him. "He's right - unless there's something to shoot down there I wouldn't be much help anyway. You either."

"Very well," Teyla agreed reluctantly. "But you will be careful Rodney."

"Of course," Rodney grinned for the first time that day. "And the best thing will be that if we do find this amplifier we'll have a way to locate Sheppard."

"Without Woolsey finding out about Sheppard and Atlantis?" Ronon commented pointedly. "Without Lorne finding out?"

"I ah ... I haven't worked that bit out yet," Rodney admitted.

"Then you had best put some thought into how you intend to explain this Rodney," Teyla suggested seriously. "Before you return to Atlantis."

"I'm on it," Rodney agreed.

oOo

Five minutes later than he'd said Rodney finally made it to Jumper Two, finding Major Lorne already in the pilot seat and impatient to get moving.

"Nice of you to join me," Evan said pointedly.

"Ronon and Teyla weren't happy about being left behind," Rodney explained openly, getting a nod of acknowledgement from Lorne.

"Understandable," the Major agreed. "You got everything McKay?"

"Let's go already," Rodney said impatiently, like he hadn't been the one to delay their departure in the first place.

"Control, this is Jumper Two ready for approach to the Gate," the Major announced.

"Jumper Two, you are clear to proceed," Chuck replied.

"Acknowledged," Lorne adjusted the controls and within minutes the Jumper was dropping down in front of the open wormhole. Lorne sent the little ship through, arriving into space moments later. "Now for the boring bit," he quipped, setting a course for their old planet.

"I'll just ...," Rodney trailed off, gesturing to the rear section and his laptop vaguely.

"You do that McKay," Lorne agreed casually.

Authors Note:

I know - no Sheppard this chapter but don't worry ... we'll check in on him next time. Also, thanks to jasminesmommy for pointing out my error with using the planet near the La Grange Satelitte originally - no gate there! So I changed it just a bit.