Sorry for the long delay in posting the next chapter for this one. Got stuck, plus I started a new story called Contact (nBSG, SG & DS Xover). I'm also preparing a young adult novel called Dragon Summer for a publisher who has expressed an interest. Hoping to have my manuscript completed and submitted by the end of June or July. I'll post on my profile page if it's accepted for publication.
Time to Begin
Dragonlots aka Dana Bell
Chapter 5
"That one," Cain identified.
"Finally," McKay breathed. Teyla had gotten him up early, not really his best time of day, to go through the planet listings with Commander Cain. It was now almost noon and Rodney was beginning to get cranky because his blood sugar level was too low. "You're sure." He didn't want to spend all day doing this if the Colonial was wrong.
"Yes." The silver haired officer smiled. "A good warrior remembers the location of planets and stars. Keeps him from getting lost."
"Of course," Rodney muttered, marking the location of the planet on his laptop.
Teyla stuck her head in. She'd been doing that constantly while they searched. "Any luck?"
"PG13XG." He hit save. "Or I'm guessing your people probably call it New Ethos."
She gave him a side look. "Thank you, both."
"Always happy to help." Cain gave the Ethosian woman a charming smile. "It was refreshing to have new faces aboard the Pegasus.'
"How long has it been only your crew?"
"Many yahrens."
Rodney frowned. "What's a yahren?"
Colonel Carter joined them before the commander could answer. "Find them?"
"We did." McKay closed his laptop. "If you'll all excuse me, I need something to eat."
"I think we could all use some lunch," Sam agreed.
The group left the small lab passing through several corridors before entering the cafeteria. The main eating area was still in the cathedral ceiling room, but they'd recently added outdoor seating. A long table had sandwiches set out, as well as fruit and pre-made salads. Another table held bottled water, cans of Coke, Pepsi, and other sodas, plus the usual large coffee percolators and another filled with hot water. There were tea bags sitting in a wicker basket along with packets of sugar, Equal and powdered creamer.
"I'm impressed," Cain said.
"Not quite like home," Sam told him.
"More than we've had." The commander picked out a sandwich and a bottle of water. "To me, this is a banquet."
"And here I thought it was just lunch." Rodney made his selections and headed for the outdoor seating.
It wasn't long before his team mates joined him, except Teyla who sat at another table with Cain and Carter.
"Heard you found the planet." John took a bite of his sandwich.
"Yeah. There is a gate, but Cain probably left them miles from it." McKay sipped his bottled water.
"I hear Katie's coming back." Ronon's face held no expression when he said that.
McKay shrugged. "Not for several more months. I was told she was cataloguing her finds at the SGC and had a tour planned to talk with a number of her fellow botanists."
Sheppard took a swig of Coke. "Sounds like you're still interested."
"I," Rodney didn't really know how he felt about her. "She's a good botanist."
"Sure." John winked at him as if what Rodney said meant something else.
"I'm sure she's found someone else."
"Now who could replace you?" Sheppard shot the scientist a teasing smile.
"I could think of few possibilities," Ronon added.
"Would you stop." McKay found he didn't like the idea that Katie might have found someone else even if he'd said it first.
"Sure." John got up and stretched. "How long before you think we'll visit Teyla's people."
"Could ask," Ronon suggested.
"Yeah. Think I will." Sheppard trotted over to the other table and sat beside Teyla.
Groaning McKay finished his lunch. He was sure by afternoon they'd be in a jumper and headed for the new planet.
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The Doctor shoved his black rimmed glasses on his hawk like nose and stared at the barely readable letters on the wall. His pockets were shoved in his coat pockets and restlessly shifted from one foot to the other.
"You've seen this." The Timelord turned to face Draal.
"It means nothing."
"Means nothing! Poppycock!" The Doctor pulled off his glasses and shoved them inside his coat. "You can't tell me YOU don't know what this says."
"Doctor," Draal's voice held a stern warning note. "I told you. This complex was used for the purpose for which it was intended."
"But you didn't tell them!" Pushing his thin face into the chubby Minbari's the Timelord was trying to get Draal to admit the truth.
"And what would I have accomplished by doing so?"
Pinching his nose, the Doctor muttered, "Why do I even bother?"
Draal released a full-bellied laugh. "Because you care. Besides, this place if leftover from a time long gone, Doctor."
"But still operational."
"True." Draal put his hands behind his back.
"Dangerous in the wrong hands."
"Are you suggesting,"
"Of course not. Far be it from me to insult the honor of a Minbari."
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Elizabeth knew her presence wasn't really needed on the bridge, but she sat in the command chair anyway just staring down at the planet. Her many memories, both happy and not, filled her mind, and she found she wanted to walk the ancient corridors again.
"Difficult isn't it?" Lyta's voice cut into her memories. "To be so close and yet denied the one place you've ever called home."
"You sound as if you understand."
The telepath cocked her head. "I do."
"Any idea where you want to live when we're done here?" Weir was curious.
"Sounds as if we've found the key to finding Teyla's people. I'm surprised the Rangers haven't insisted we leave so they can go home."
The pony-tailed ranger gave them an odd look before concentrating on the instruments before her.
"One thing I've found about missions," Elizabeth said sitting back in her chair. "There's always more than one level."
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With the Book of Word set on his desk before him, Adama stared at the pages he'd read so often he really didn't need to see the words. His finger tapped the first opening line.
The fled the city now sunk in the ocean and established a new place for them. A place where the Eye of God would know no danger and new spires were built of stone. A place to begin again, where the Lords of Kobol would rise and populate the galaxy.
How much of what was written was truth and how much was legend? He'd often asked himself that. Slowly he rose from his chair and walked to look out the one luxury he had - a window to look out and view space. Adama watched the stars outside as the fleet passed by them. Any one of them could afford a new home to a tired populace. Even now, the Council of Twelve pushed for stopping the search for Earth if a suitable planet was found.
'As if the Cylons would allow us to live in peace,' he mused. Not to mention the new threat of the beings called Wraith of which the natives of many worlds they'd passed talked about. They would just be trading one life threatening danger for another.
His buzzer sounded interrupting his thoughts. "Come."
Apollo entered followed by his wife Sheba. His daughter-in-law spoke first. "We've scouted the next system, Commander." She shivered. Not something that she normally did and that caused great concern. "The report about these Wraith is the same."
"Seems there's no world they haven't touched," Apollo told him.
Adama nodded. He'd suspected that.
"One thing," Sheba added. "These people have been contacted by a team out of Atlantis."
Atlantis! The mythical birthplace of the Lords of Kobol! He could but hope!
"But they aren't native there. The people told us they came from another galaxy."
"Did they say where?" Adama waited for her answer.
Sheba nervously bit her lip. "Earth."
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"Colonel Carter?"
Sam hit save on her laptop and gave her full attention to Major Lorne. His team had just returned from visiting one of their allies. "Yes?"
"Planet we were just on reported seeing some strange flying craft. Descriptions matched that viper Cain arrived in."
"Did they talk with the pilots?"
"They did. Told their visitors about us and Atlantis."
"I don't suppose we got lucky and got some coordinates for them?"
He shook his head. "Sorry, no."
"Damn. Thank you, Major."
Lorne left. Sam tapped her fingers on the desk. She didn't want to send the Deadalus or the Apollo out blind. Plus, she couldn't afford not to have two of her best defenses sitting in orbit, not with the unknown potential threat that Weir might, or might not pose, in that advanced version of a Replicator ship.
Carter sighed. She'd just have to wait and see if the Colonial Fleet made their whereabouts known and then go out for a First Contact meeting. There wasn't much else she could do at the moment.
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The odd screeching humming sound startled Katie and she almost dropped the precious specimen she'd brought back from the Pegasus galaxy. Carefully she put it back on the counter in the botany lab. Slowly she turned to confront the odd threat of a blue London style police box suddenly sitting in the middle of floor. Too bad it was between her and ability to sound an alarm!
A head popped out the door looking rapidly from side to side. The man saw her and offered a friendly grin. "Hello. Have I managed to find Stargate Command."
"Uh," she swallowed and tried again. "Yes."
"Good." He strolled out, shutting the door firmly and offering his hand. "I'm the Doctor."
"Who?"
"I get that question a lot."
She couldn't help but giggle. "I'm Dr. Katie Brown."
"On, another doctor." He chuckled like it was some sort of private joke.
"I'll take you to General Landry."
"Didn't come to see him."
"There is someone here from the IOA."
The man made a face. "Definitely didn't come to see any of them."
"Then who are you looking for?"
He leaned toward her. "You."