Stevenson nodded and highlighted all the purple dots within the galaxy. Sheppard saw a hundred or so locations strategically spread throughout various sectors.

A connection clicked in his mind. "That's why the Ancient warships didn't have fast hyperdrives. They didn't need to go very far to get to the sector gate. Probably faster to get across the galaxy this way than to travel all the way using hyperdrive…where's Earth?"

The purple dots faded back to normal and another dot further out from the galactic center brightened and enlarged. Only red lines intersected it.

"Did all that stuff you did on the DHD have anything to do with these colored lines and the different color stargates?" Sheppard hazarded a guess.

Stevenson nodded.

The Colonel's pulse spiked. He had a feeling he was onto something big. "Are the gates different from each other?"

He nodded again.

"Twenty questions then…do colors only connect to similar colors?

Again, a 'yes.'

"We came through a red and exited from a yellow, right?"

Stevenson nodded and pulled up a diagram of two gates and a DHD that superimposed over the galaxy map. Both gates glowed red and a red line connected them. They disappeared and reemerged as a red and a green without a connection.

"Ok, different colors don't connect. I get that. So why did we come out a yellow when there was a red a few steps away?"

The DHD suddenly showed seven symbols highlight. Stevenson tapped a button and an 8th illuminated. When it did the red gate changed colors to green and a connection formed between the two gates.

"Damn, I wish Rodney were here. Ok, so you can change the gate's color with the DHD?"

Stevenson hesitated, rolled his eyes in helplessness, then reluctantly nodded 'yes.'

"What was that look for?"

Stevenson pointed at the gates outside, then did an amicable job of forming the shape of the gate crystals with his fingers.

"The gates…colors?" Sheppard guessed.

He nodded, then pointed back to the faint dots in the galaxy map.

"I'm sorry, I don't get it."

Stevenson blew out a frustrated breath and reached a hand up to Sheppard's temple. A moment later the Colonel suddenly understood and the Captain looked even more exhausted than before.

"Neat trick," Sheppard said, a bit impressed and creeped out at the same time. "So the crystals don't actually change colors, but the gates act like they're a different color.

Stevenson nodded, relieved.

"So why didn't we come in through the red gate?"

Stevenson pointed at his chest and shook his head 'no.' He pointed away from himself and shook his head 'yes.'

Sheppard glanced back at the gates for a second before catching on. "You can dial out, but not in? Some type of security precaution?" Sheppard guessed and Stevenson confirmed with a tired nod.

"So we got here by switching colors, which you managed with the extra symbol on the DHD. I thought that was for dialing another galaxy."

Stevenson again nodded.

Sheppard frowned. "How can it do both?"

He held up nine fingers in response.

"Ninth chevron?" Sheppard said as his jaw dropped. "It moves us between different color gates?"

Another nod.

"But you only input eight chevrons?"

Stevenson used the DHD diagram and input the standard six symbols, then the point of origin, then the activation bubble in the center. A line connected the two stargates, both of which had been reset to red before he began.

He held up a finger to forestall another question and input the standard six symbols again, then a seventh, then the point of origin. The gates connected and a galaxy to galaxy line appeared.

"Intergalactic," Sheppard noted.

The two gates switched to one red, one green. Stevenson reinput six commands, the point of origin, then another symbol before hitting the activation bubble.

The two gates connected when the green gate turned red. Stevenson pointed to the point of origin icon in the string of eight symbols hovering just below the DHD.

"It comes after the point of origin," Sheppard said, catching on. "That's why it doesn't dial intergalactic."

Stevenson reset the diagram one more time with one red gate and one green gate. He input six icons, then belatedly a seventh, then the point of origin, then the ninth chevron before finally the activation bubble.

The green gate turned red again, but this time the intergalactic connection showed up again.

"Eight for in-galaxy gate-jump, nine for intergalactic gate-jump?" Sheppard asked, feeling like a stargate rookie getting his orientation lesson. And to think, the SGC and the IOA thought they had a complete list of every stargate within the galaxy. The Ancients had far better security than he'd ever given them credit for.

Stevenson nodded curtly, apparently satisfied, and turned back to the map. He got rid of the diagram and input some new commands. Another long pause ensued while the computer worked on something.

"What was with all the flashing symbols when you dialed?"

Stevenson held up his forearm and started tapping on his wrist, pretending he had a GDO.

Sheppard raised an eyebrow. "Some kind of access code?"

Stevenson nodded as a few of the dots on the map began to disappear.

"Dead gates?" Sheppard guessed.

He nodded regretfully. Once the system completed the update, Stevenson scrolled through a list of planets and found the one he wanted. It was listed as having a green stargate only, and suddenly the green gate outside the window flashed to life, but without the corresponding kawoosh. The event horizon just popped into place.

"We moving on?" Sheppard asked, adjusting the pack on his shoulders.

Stevenson held up the wait finger again.

A picture materialized over the galaxy map, revealing another large chamber with ancient-looking tech. This one had numerous struts extending from floor to ceiling with what looked like workstations spread around their bases.

"Are we seeing that through the gate?"

Stevenson nodded.

"Did you send a probe through?"

Stevenson shook his head 'no' this time. He made the stargate circle symbol with his finger.

"The stargate? Wait a minute, are you saying the stargates have a camera in them?"

Stevenson turned to look at him and nodded an ironic 'yes.'

"Why the hell didn't Rodney find that? Ah…of all the times we needed intel about what was on the other side of the gate we had the perfect tool right under our nose!"

Stevenson motioned to Sheppard to come with him as he headed for the door.

"Guess we're going."

They wound their way back through the maze of hallways and down the staircase. When they got to the green stargate it was still open and Stevenson walked through without preamble. Sheppard followed close behind, glancing up at the green crystals just before he passed through.

They both emerged on the other side into what Sheppard immediately guessed to be some factory. He didn't have any hard evidence to back that theory up, but the congestion of equipment and lack of windows gave it that feel to him.

Stevenson quickly found the control panel he wanted and suddenly the entire facility hummed to life with a restored power flow. He brought up a display screen and a list of data. He highlighted several sections and hit an overly large button on the control panel in front of him.

Sheppard glanced over his shoulder as the machinery started to activate, doing what he couldn't imagine. "What is this place?"

Stevenson motioned for him to follow, and together they worked their way through the now active facility into a storage depot on the opposite side of the complex. Inside Sheppard saw small, empty racks lining the walls and partitions.

"What are these for?" Sheppard asked.

Stevenson reached into the one and only occupied alcove in the depot and pulled out a ZPM.

"No way!" Sheppard said in utter shock.

Stevenson held up two fingers.

"Two? Where's the other one?"

Stevenson pointed out into the center of the facility.

Sheppard glanced out the door, then back to the numerous empty racks. "Does this place make the ZPMs?"

Stevenson smiled…and nodded 'yes.'

Sheppard fist-pumped the air. "Now that's what I'm talking about."

The Captain smiled and motioned for him to follow. He led him back to the gate and reactivated it. Sheppard glanced back at the active machinery. "How long is it going to take to make another?"

Stevenson made a looping motion with his outstretched finger.

"A while," Sheppard translated as he followed Stevenson back through the gate.

When they got back to the 'gate center', as Sheppard thought of it, he noticed that they'd come back through the yellow gate again, not the green gate that they'd left through. He guessed yellow had a higher security rating than green, and followed the Captain back across the open platform to the wall alcove and the stairway to the control room.

Instead of going back there Stevenson led him further into the facility and into what looked like personal quarters. They both pulled some rations out of the packs they'd grabbed from the SGC armory and stretched out on the low beds. The cushioning had long since deteriorated, but the solid slab that was left proved adequately relaxing.

Stevenson finished his rations and laid down in a meditative pose. He remained motionless for the following six hours, in which Sheppard sat with his back against the wall, relishing his regained freedom and the awesomeness of where he currently was.

After soaking it all in he finally managed to fall asleep.