Here's the next installment. It's a bit later than I intended, but I had an out of town art show and then a publisher who's been considering my manuscript asked to see it, so I spent a long weekend getting it ready to go off to them. Hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Time to Begin

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Chapter 2

The appearance of a replicator ship in orbit rattled Dr. Rodney McKay. He tapped on his laptop as he nervously looked at the scanner. He frowned noticing the second ship. The system didn't recognize the design.

"Thought your plan was fool proof," Colonel Sheppard half teased, half accused. He stood trying to look over the edge of the laptop though his concern over the new situation wasn't lost on McKay.

"It was. We must have missed one."

"Could have been on a deep space probe," Colonel Samantha Carter put in as she joined them. "Who's the second ship?"

"There's nothing in the Ancient data base." McKay turned in his chair. "Maybe the replicators are trying out a new design."

Sam shook her head. "Somehow, I don't think so."

"Yeah," John quipped. "They aren't known for their openness to creative new ideas."

Rodney grimaced. "Very funny."

Carter seemed thoughtful. "Have they made any hostile moves?"

"Like weapons systems warming up?"

"Yes." She sounded like the question should be obvious.

"No."

"Open a channel to the Apollo and Deadalus."

McKay nodded when it was ready.

"Colonel Ellis, Colonel Caldwell, move your ships around the planet so you're visible."

"That will ruin any hope of a surprise attack," Caldwell reminded.

"I'm aware of that."

"Bad move, Colonel Carter," Ellis objected.

"May I remind you I'm the ranking officer here."

Ellis muttered something.

"What was that?" Carter demanded.

"Aye, aye, sir."

She nodded at his agreement.

"May I at least suggest we put the shield up?" Rodney didn't want tons of weapons fire to rain down on his head and maybe destroy the building he was in.

"Do it."

His fingers flew over the controls. Just a few more seconds and they would be safe.

"This is Colonel Abe Ellis of the Apollo,"

"What is he doing?" Sheppard demanded.

"Colonel Ellis," Carter began.

"This is Colonel Steven Caldwell of the Deadalus,"

Leaning forward Rodney reported, "Caldwell is using a different frequency. Maybe he's trying to contact the other ship."

"Doesn't matter," Carter snapped. "They both acted without orders."

"Replicator ship has altered course,"

"Damn." Sam took a deep breath. "This is Colonel Samantha Carter,"

The voice that answered took them all by surprise.

"This is Dr. Elizabeth Weir,"

"Elizabeth?" John's voice reflected his shock.

"Wait a minute," Rodney objected. "The replicator Dr. Weir said she was dead."

"Yeah, I know."

Carter cut them both off. "State your purpose here, Dr. Weir."

There was a slight pause. "I suppose I should have expected your reaction, but I can assure you I'm the original me."

"I have no such assurances. I'm ordering you to leave orbit immediately or I will order the Apollo and Deadalus to open fire."

"Determined isn't she?" another woman's interjected.

"If I were in her place, I can't say I'd blame her, Lyta."

"You do know," the woman continued as if it were a normal conversation. "That this ship has the same technological advancements as a Whitestar."

"What are they talking about?" Rodney wanted to know.

"I have no idea." Carter looked puzzled. "I repeat. Leave orbit at once or I will order the Apollo and Deadalus to open fire."

"I suggest instead," Weir countered. "That you scan this ship."

"Trap?" Rodney inquired of Carter.

"Colonel Ellis, Colonel Caldwell, stand by to open fire."

"Rather stubborn aren't they," the voice of Lyta commented.

"Rodney," Elizabeth pleaded. "Please. Scan this ship."

"Why? So you pin point our position and blow us up?"

"Why do you want us to scan you?" John's face held a curious expression.

"What did they tell you about me?" she countered.

John hesitated before answering. "They told us you were too dangerous to keep alive."

"I see." There was a long pause. "Rodney, please, scan this ship. All you're going to find are human readings."

"Well, not all," Lyta said. "They are a few Minbari on board."

"I forgot. Thank you."

Rodney glanced at Carter waiting for her okay.

"I say take a chance," John urged. "If for some reason the replicators lied to us." He left the rest of his statement open allowing Carter to draw her own conclusions.

"Do it, McKay. Ellis, Caldwell, if that ship so much as twitches."

"Understood," they both replied.

"You people don't sound so friendly down there," a male voice spoke up. "I'm Commander Cain of the Battlestar Pegasus and while you've been having your little talk, my warriors have managed to get in behind your war ships."

"I don't want to provoke an attack," Weir objected.

"They won't fire unless those ships do."

"Confirmed," Caldwell reported. "Small fighters behind us." He chuckled. "They must be damned good to pull that off without us spotting them first."

"Best in the colonies," Cain bragged.

"McKay." Carter pointedly glared at him.

"Right." He fed in the correct sequence and waited for the city's scanners to do their job. "Twenty four human signatures, twelve alien." Slowly he raised his head. "No sign of nanites."

"None?" John straightened. "Are you sure, Rodney?"

"Yeah." He shoved the laptop around so Sheppard could see. Carter joined him as if she needed to view the results herself.

"How's that possible?" she wanted to know. "Rodney, I thought you said you activated the nanites to save Weir's life."

"I did and how should I know? Maybe she encountered some sort of cosmic all knowing doctor who could help her."

"Oddly enough," Weir informed them. "That's pretty much what happened."

"I thought the com was off." John stared wide-eyed at McKay.

"It is." McKay was indignant. Sheppard had no right to question his efficiency.

"Is he always like that?" Lyta asked.

"Pretty much," Elizabeth confirmed. "Well, are we clear?"

"I'd like to know how she heard us with the com off," John said to Carter.

"Me, too."

"Sorry," Weir apologized. "Lyta is a telepath."

Rodney couldn't believe what he'd heard. "Like the Wraith?"

"No, Dr. McKay. Not like the Wraith."

"From the way you say that," Lyta commented. "I'm beginning to hope we never meet one."

"Not unless you want to be the main course." John tapped the lid of the laptop. "What do you want to do, Colonel?"

"One more thing," Rodney added "That ship doesn't scan like a normal replicator ship. There are systems and organic substances that we've never encountered before."

"Somehow," John agreed. "I don't see the replicators using organic stuff."

"I can't endanger this city." Carter took a step away to pace. She did that sometimes to think.

"And I'm not asking you to," Weir stated.

"Maybe we shouldn't have sent her stuff home," McKay muttered.

John made a face. "Shut up, Rodney."

"I believe," Cain spoke again. "There's a woman named Teyla who would like to know where her people are."

Everyone in the gate room started.

"I'd like to assure her they're completely safe and apologize for not contacting her sooner." He chuckled. "I believed Atlantis a myth and didn't believe her people when they said that's where their leader was."

"Another culture with the same myth?" Rodney couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

"I think we want to gave a long talk with Commander Cain," John commented.

"I think so, too," Sam agreed.

"Elizabeth is not a replicator," Rodney reminded Carter. "Maybe we should,"

The colonel shook her head. "I can't endanger us."

"If I were in your position, I'd do the same," Weir assured them.

"Would you stop listening to us?" Sam requested.

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Draal shook his head. Children. They did so seem to bicker. Of course, Lyta ease dropping and Elizabeth answering didn't help.

"Not working out the way you planned?" the Doctor inquired, giving the Minbari a cheeky grin.

"Thought you decided we were even," Draal replied. He placed his hands on his hips and glared at the Timelord.

"Nice hologram." The thin man in the long tan coat walked all the way around and curiously poked his finger into the image.

"Stop that!" Draal stepped away. "It's quite rude."

"Never denied that." He stopped and glanced around. "How did the war go?"

"Sheridan and the younger races won."

The Doctor leaned in close. "You didn't tell them, did you?"

"I allied myself with them."

With a shake of his head, the Timelord said, "Not what I meant."

"They don't need to know."

"Ohhh. That so?" He strolled over and patted the wall. "Did you think I wouldn't recognize this?"

"Doctor," Draal's voice held a warning.

"Takion fields. Very unreliable because they're unstable."

"You came here for a reason?" Draal had had enough.

"Just waiting for you to ask." He put his hands in his coat and rocked back on his heels.

"Elizabeth Weir is important."

"Is she now?"

"Doctor," Draal walked forward and stopped close to the thin man. "I don't have time for the games you so enjoy."

"Long history of games on Gallifrey."

"A long dark history, you mean."

"Pish, posh."

"You would help her if I asked." He had no need to make a question out of it.

"You did say she was important."

"Is," Draal corrected.

"Semantics."

"Please, help her. Not because I ask, but because she's human." Draal smiled. "I've heard you like them."

"Always have had a soft spot for them." His face took on a thoughtful expression. "I'll figure it out you know."

"I know you will."

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Cain was getting tired of the word games being played back and forth. What he wouldn't give to be able to just fire a shot and end the hostilities.

"Are you two through arguing?" He finally snapped.

There was a brief silence before Colonel Carter answered. "You don't fully understand the situation."

"Maybe not. What I do know is that every centon you spend talking, the longer Teyla has to wait."

"Teyla's not on Atlantis right now," Sheppard told him.

"How soon before she returns?"

"We're not sure," Carter responded. "Look, I only have your word that you know where they are."

"And we haven't met so you don't know if you can trust me." Cain shook his head. He knew her type. He had hoped that contacting, even a remnant of the thirteenth tribe, would go smoothly. Instead, she reminded him of trying to negotiate with the Council of the Twelve. "Look, Colonel, where I come from, I outrank you."

"Is that a threat, sir?"

"Just an observation." Frak! For a micron he wished Adama was here. His old friend was a much better diplomat than he, Cain, had ever been. "Tell me, you haven't by chance come across a large civilian fleet passing through, lead by a ship like mine?"

"Sorry. Can't say we have."

That worried Cain. Either he had set a wrong course, or maybe…no he wouldn't allow himself to go down that path. It went very dark places he preferred not to go. He'd had a hard enough time when his wife died. Only Cassie had pulled him through those tough sectons.

"Just wondered." He shifted restlessly on his bridge. When he decided to take on three baseships alone, he'd shipped every warrior he could off the Pegasus. Many of the stations had been empty for several yahrens.

"Orders, Commander?" Tollen stood close by.

"Prep my viper."

His exec smiled. "Yes, sir."

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"Commander Cain is going to do something stupid," Lyta informed Elizabeth.

Weir just looked quizzically at the telepath and waited.

"He's taking one of his fighters down to Atlantis."

"He'll never get through the shield." She turned to a ranger. "We need to stop him."

"Won't be able to stop Cain," a voice Elizabeth remembered vibrated through the bridge. "I say, what an advanced piece of technology." The Doctor jauntily walked over the marble floor. "Not human."

"Minbari and Vorlon mix," she told him turning in her command chair. "Or so I've been told."

"Interesting. Draal didn't tell me that."

"And just where have you been," Lyta demanded, "that you wouldn't know about it?"

"You're the changed one," he observed with a quick glance at the telepath. "Know what you're for yet?"

Lyta glared at him. "I make my own destiny." She concentrated and started. "I can't read you."

"Good thing, too. My thoughts tend to get all jumbled." He made a motion with his hand. "I have a strong shield." His finger tapped his head. "You won't be able to get through that." With purpose he walked over to Lyta and met her gaze. "And don't you go and try. I'll know. I've got abilities as well."

The red head turned her eyes away. "What do you want to do about Cain, Dr. Weir?"

"I think the good commander can take care of himself," the Doctor said.

"The shield on Atlantis is formidable." Weir rose from her chair.

"I should hope, so," the Timelord responded. "I helped design it."

Everyone on the bridge stared at him.

He shrugged. "I am a Timelord after all."

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"There's a fighter in the upper atmosphere," Rodney informed Carter.

"What?"

"I'm only reading one life form."

John gave Carter a knowing look. "Want to bet it's Commander Cain?"

Panicked, Rodney glanced from one to the other. "If he hits the shield,"

"We Know, Rodney." John knew full well what would happen.

Sam bit her lip. "It could be a trick to make us lower the shield and open us up to attack."

"I know, Elizabeth." John took a deep breath. "I say lower it. If she wanted to attack us, she'd have done it already."

"That's assuming it really is Dr. Weir."

"Oh, come on now, " Rodney objected. "I told you there were no nanites."

"They could have fooled your scan."

"No," McKay shook his head. "They couldn't have."

"You've been wrong before."

"So, have you!"

Sheppard got into the middle of it. "What about the ship coming in?"

"Keep the shield up as long as you can, McKay. When the ship gets close, drop it." Sam activated her head unit. "Apollo, Deadalus, watch the replicator ship. If they charge weapons, you are authorized to fire."

"Understood," the two colonels replied.

"Guess we'll know soon." Rodney watched the small ship descend. "Lowering shields, now!"