CHAPTER 125
EPISODE…………………..OUTCAST, with a twist!
(A.N. There is a crossover with the new Knight Rider series here. The pilot episode and first episode have already taken place at this point. If the time line doesn't match, I don't really care and say it does in this story. I apologize greatly for the long wait on getting these chapters out so late when they should have came out shortly after the episodes of both series. I really suck at trying hard to get them out sooner.
I have no idea if Sheppards mother is alive since I do not recall it ever being said or anything, so I am saying she is.)
It was a normal day at the moment for Atlantis. Everyone going about their day doing their job and no problems coming up yet. Ford was helping Sally with her school work with Amy while Jacob was off fishing with some of the personnel.
Carter was working in her office, hating the paperwork she had to do, but doing it anyway as she remembered watching Ford do it so often back at the SGC when he was in command. She would have had Ford come down and do it himself and know he would do it for her, but she'd have to look it all over later anyway then to keep up with what was happening, so the idea was pointless even though it would allow her more time with Sally and less hand cramps, not to mention back and neck cramps as well, along with eye strain and a few parts of her body that sometimes fell asleep from lack of use if she kept working for so long she didn't get up at some point to stretch or at least move. The only upside was the massage Ford could and usually gave her later that night that eased and or removed all that pain for the day.
Rodney was working on some project in his lab with other scientist, as usual, Teyla was doing exercises, Keller was doing medical stuff and Sheppard was golfing off one pier. Ronan was probably sparing if he wasn't working out or eating.
"Okay princess, if me and your mother were racing our cars…." Ford said inside her bedroom by her desk.
"Ford!" Amy said appalled from a chair on the other side of Sally, startling both of them. "That is a bad image!"
"We never have raced or plan on it." Ford said as he tried to alleviate her fears while hating himself for fibbing slightly to his mother in law. "It's easier on her if I use examples of something me and Sam might do."
"Yeah, like I believe that." Amy said crossing her arms with a glare. "I've seen and heard how many tickets you both got. It is a wonder you two can still drive and an even bigger wonder you two haven't been in any accidents. I know you two have raced before."
"There is a difference between speeding and racing Amy. And the question has to do with a speed so…." Ford said rolling his hand.
"Use some other example. I don't like having that mental image." Amy said shaking her head.
"Our cars are almost indestructible." Ford stated.
"Even if they were completely incapable of being harmed, Sam could still get injured from the car rolling over or bouncing around. You can come back, she can't. I don't need that nightmare or image." Amy said while waving a finger in his face.
"Alright. Um…" Ford said thinking a moment after rubbing his face. "Think our cars princess, but not us driving them…."
"No." Amy stated.
"Grandma…" Sally moaned.
"Why can't you use trains like other school books usually use?" Amy asked.
"She hasn't seen many trains much less knows a lot about them. I've been teaching her about cars for over a year or more now and it is easier to use them." Ford said with a small whine. "Besides the fact she's been in them enough and helped me with ours to know what they can and can't do. For the most part anyway."
"Okay, fine." Amy said getting up. "I'm going for some coffee. Be on the next problem by the time I get back please."
Ford nodded.
"I better not see you driving recklessly like your father or Sam when you get older." Amy said shaking a finger at Sally. "Because I will take your keys away."
"Yes Grandma." Sally said nodding.
"Good." Amy said sweetly as she patted Sally on the head.
Once she left the room, Ford sighed and shook his head.
"I can drive fast like you daddy when I am 18, right?" Sally whispered.
"Only if you are that good like me. Which I have no doubt of." Ford said rubbing her head with a smile. "But never tell grandma or grandpa that. She will have my head, literally."
"Okay!" Sally said with a smile. "We'll have to make my car have a push button start so Grandma can't take the keys…"
Ford laughed hard as did Sally.
"Deal princess. I didn't do it with the General Lee because I like having that feel of the keys. Alright, so me and mom decide to race our cars. We both start at home…no. We both start on the south pier. You do remember the map of the city right?"
She nodded and pulled up a map on the screen above her desk with the computer built into her desk.
"Very good. Okay, we both start here. Sam's car is a bit slower than the General so she takes off first at…60 miles an hour with this route to get to the pier on the opposite side. I take off at 80 miles an hour, one minute afterward and take this route, which is about half a mile longer and a bit harder on the cornering. Now, we both manage to end up at the opposite side at the same time. The question is, at the point where I am on par with Sam, how long does it take for me to get there after I take off?"
"Hmm…" Sally said thinking as she starting pushing different buttons for calculations that brought them up on the screen so she didn't have to write it out, but still had to figure it out herself.
"You definitely take after us." Ford said proudly while ruffling her hair as his cell phone went off. "Yeah Sam?"
"This isn't Sam. Don't you check your caller I.D.?" a familiar male voice asked.
"Sorry Jack. I'll be right back princess." Ford said getting up to leave the room and talk more privately as Amy went back in. "It's Jack."
"Tell him I say hi." Amy said.
"Amy says hi, so does Sally." Ford said walking to look out the window.
"Cool. Tell them the same for me." Jack said.
"I will. I'm betting you aren't calling to just talk." Ford said after relaying the message.
"That easy to tell?" Jack asked rhetorically.
"You don't call all that often Jack." Ford said. "Seeing as we usually try to get together at least once a month and such…"
"True." Jack said and then turned serious. "Ford, only because we are such good friends and I am able to even get hold of you and see what is going on before the I.O.A. and the N.I.D. try to drag you back here for questioning….."
"Try is the operative word considering they'd have to have a really good reason otherwise I'd be kicking some serious ass, literally, for wasting my time depending on who was sent. So, what's wrong?" Ford asked with a little worry since he could hear Jack was worried.
"Well, they think you gave out classified secrets to…um…" Jack said as Ford heard papers shuffling around. "A company or group called the Knight Foundation, or Knight Industries. Oh, they seem to be the same company."
"Last I talked to them, or K.I.T.T. specifically was several months back, but he's with my android version." Ford said as he swore he heard but didn't ask about the fact he thought he heard a scoff noise in the background. "We've talked off and on and they don't talk to Earth or even go there. Before that, there was the day that K.I.T.T. came for help, otherwise, I haven't talked to anyone from that place. Why do they think I have something to do with a security leak?"
"Because the companies latest project is using…um, those little robots…" Jack said snapping his fingers.
"Nanotechnology?" Ford asked.
"Yeah, that. They think you gave them the idea or whatever. The new car…" Jack said not seeing Ford's eyebrows raise with extreme interest. "Apparently has the ability to…transform and repair itself similar to Replicator technology. They want to send a few teams in and check things out, but are afraid of causing trouble because of the various agencies that are working with this Knight Foundation now, one of which is the C.I.A. They called me to find out from you what's going on."
"This call is being monitored isn't it?" Ford asked.
"I'm at the Pentagon with a few people in my office, of course it is being monitored." Jack stated sarcastically. "I'm on speaker phone, can't you tell?"
"I kinda figured it was a speaker phone since your voice sounded funny. Hmm, well, whether you believe me or not, this is news to me. I'll come check things out right away. Someone else must have gave the technology to them because I wanted nothing to do with them after what they did to K.I.T.T. Or I should say tried to…" Ford said trailing off. "I thought the program had shut down and everyone moved on."
"I believe you, but the people before me don't look like they do." Jack said with a warning tone only Ford really heard.
"No surprise. Thanks for the info." Ford said hanging up.
"You really take after Sammy dear. I can barely understand some of this stuff, and I was rather smart at one time." Amy said as Ford walked back in. "Everything okay?"
"No. Well, here it is, but I have an issue to deal with elsewhere. Some trouble on Earth has came up dealing with stuff we do, and I need to go back and check things out. I'll be back later." Ford said shrugging. "Sorry Sally, I'll make it up to you."
"I know you will. Take care daddy." Sally said hugging him.
"You to princess." Ford said kissing her head as he hugged her back. "Catch ya later Amy."
Sam wrote off on a report and then the man left as Ford entered.
"Hey." Carter said with a smile.
"Hey, Jack says hi." Ford said seeing her eyebrows raise in interest.
"Hmm. Why'd he call?" Carter asked sitting on the desk. "I guess nothing bad happened since you aren't saddened or anything like that."
"No deaths or injuries thankfully. Problem arose back on Earth. I need to go back and check on it. The I.O.A. and the N.I.D. think I gave classified info to a government agency." Ford said with a sigh.
"We've been here for quite awhile and not on Earth much lately. What sort of info anyway?" Carter asked curious.
"Replicator like nanotechnology." Ford said not surprised at the look on her face.
"Damn. That is serious. I guess it was bound to happen." Carter said worried. "Who's the agency?"
"Apparently the Knight Foundation." Ford said.
"The one's that made K.I.T.T.?" Carter asked surprised.
"The same." Ford said nodding his head.
"That's damn peculiar. How'd they even get hold of it and why?" Carter asked as Ford shrugged. "You're going to have to take the T.A.R.D.I.S. then aren't you?"
"I'll go to Earth and do some checking around quickly and then send her back here and call her back when I am done. That way…" Ford said.
"Yeah, if the city is in danger, I can put the shield up. Wish I could go with you." Carter said.
"You could…" Ford began.
"Yeah, but I have all this paperwork and right now, my mind is centered on it enough to not have to go over it again, plus I have ideas to add and such." Carter said.
"Paperwork sucks doesn't it," Ford stated.
"You have to ask? You did deal with it for a year." Carter said as Ford nodded and apologized for leaving her to it. "Let me know what you find out."
"I will." Ford said turning around.
"Wait.." Carter said.
"What's up?" Ford asked turning around.
"I want a goodbye kiss. You might be gone for many hours or a couple of days." Carter said.
"I hope not. We have plans with the family tonight." Ford said giving her the quick kiss anyway. "Plus you look like you need a good massage…"
"In more ways than one." Carter said with a sly smile he returned.
He landed a couple miles away from the facility that the Knight Industries used, which was a huge A-frame type designed building that gave the appearance of being abandoned and was mostly made from concrete. Doing a very intense scan and finding out all about the new K.I.T.T. which was currently inside, otherwise know as the Knight Industries Three Thousand, along with downloading everything they had in their computers, he quickly went back to Atlantis in surprise and shock after checking a lot of it over. It had only been an hour since he left and was now in the conference room with Sam and Rodney, looking at the technical aspects of the new K.I.T.T. on several large plasma screens.
"Oh my god! This is a lot like Replicator technology!" Rodney said amazed. "The car can transform into a truck and a few other vehicles! Instant repair, even withstood a direct missile hit and was barely damaged in a recent attack."
"If not for certain things that only my General Lee has, this K.I.T.T. would be much superior than the General." Ford said impressed. "Correction, it is better than mine in ways I wish my General had."
"What's the General have that he doesn't?" Carter asked knowing some of the answers already.
"Shields, flight capability. Time travel if need be. More speed and better armor to a point. I do like the turntable system they have for K.I.T.T. to work on him. Need those instead of the floor lifts." Ford said with crossed arms. "I have to admit, I am very envious. And great ashamed at myself for not thinking and implementing this idea already."
"So am I, on both accounts. I've spent more time with Replicators than either of you. Imagine what we could do with this technology! These nanites are continuously doing self repairs on the car along with other functions. If it wasn't for the A.I. and the fact it is a car, I'd swear…." Rodney said as he looked at the programming code. "If they were to adjust the programming in this thing, quite a lot of adjusting actually, the car could turn into a human form Replicator!"
"I noticed that as well." Ford said with a frown.
"Since you aren't behind them getting this technology, how did they get it?" Carter asked.
"Haven't figured that out yet. Must be something they came up with…" Ford said as he shook his head.
"Highly unlikely." Rodney said shaking his head as well "This is so much like the nanites in the Replicators. This Knight Industries could be a very small subsidiary that the SGC works with silently. Like that Wallace guy that took my sister."
"Possibly. It must have been a hand over thing instead of something electronically done. I can't find a trail from Area 51 or from the SGC. There may be a paper trail or something, but I haven't dug deep enough, or thought about trying to see if they are a subsidiary." Ford said.
"What's your plan then?" Carter asked.
"I'm going directly to their headquarters to find out the info." Ford said as she raised an eyebrow. "The guy who built the original K.I.T.T. is there so he should have the answer I need. There is a lot of people with high security clearances in there, but mine is much higher, so…"
"Try to keep from getting in trouble." Carter said.
"Me, get in trouble?" Ford asked with feigned ignorance.
"You are worse than Daniel and Rodney." Carter stated.
"Ouch." Ford said faking looking hurt.
"I'll take that as a compliment." Rodney said with a smile. "I'm going to take this info and research and see what I can do with a Jumper and maybe the cities systems."
"Simulations and small test stuff first." Ford said as she started to open her mouth. "Don't want the city to come alive and kick us out or have a Jumper become sentient either without some safety measures first."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Rodney said. "Don't go overboard."
"Keep me informed." Carter said. "And no testing without coming to me first."
Rodney took his laptop, downloaded the information and then left as Ford was still looking at the screens.
"What are you thinking?" Carter asked.
"A sweet idea." Ford said with a big smile. "And if it works…"
"There is one big thing you need to remember before you go working on the General Lee…" Carter said.
"It was that obvious?" Ford asked rhetorically.
"Duh. We've lived together long enough that I can tell what you are thinking sometimes." Carter said.
"Ditto." Ford said smiling. "So what is the big thing?"
"Remember who gives love back to you and who your first love is." Carter stated.
"Don't go crazy with the car. Got it." Ford said giving her a quick kiss and light squeeze on the butt that made her jump before leaving, followed by a wink. "See ya later…."
"At least Rodney wasn't in here." Carter muttered blushing as she watched him leave. "Or anyone else for that matter. If I didn't love him so much, he'd be insufferable. Dammit, he did that on purpose because I'm in the mood."
After showing K-9 the info he got and recently showed Sam and Rodney, the two were in the shop with the General Lee nearby and working on a computer program together. Just over half an hour into it, he jumped when he saw the General Lee suddenly beam away before his eyes.
"K-9, what the hell just happened?" Ford asked in shock.
"Processing Master…" K-9 said.
"And where is the program…" Ford asked looking at the blank screen in further shock. "I worked hard on that…."
"Process complete Master." K-9 repeated.
"What process?" Ford asked while turning around seeing the General was right back where he was a moment ago. "K-9…"
"If you would direct your attention to the screen again Master. I believe this is what you wanted according to the program we were working on." K-9 said. "Based on your preferences and what data I have on you, I finished the programming."
The holographic screen got bigger, becoming ten by ten quickly as it showed a lot of data and pictures.
"Is this satisfactory Master?" K-9 asked.
"Oh my god! K-9, if you were real, I mean alive in the organic term, and we could understand you, I would let you eat anything you asked for." Ford said extremely impressed as he gently touched the screen. "Or get you anything you asked for."
"Praise understood, thank you Master. Additional info Master." K-9 said.
"Yeah…" Ford said still mesmerized by the info before him and the pictures too.
"Only when I am inside the T.A.R.D.I.S. can I also be in control of the General if my help is needed, if you are in range Master." K-9 said.
"So, I go to Earth to figure this problem out and send the T.A.R.D.I.S back…." Ford said figuring that the range meant what he thought it meant.
"I will be unable to help you Master." K-9 said.
"Except by a phone call." Ford said.
"Affirmative." K-9 stated.
"Good dog K-9." Ford said rubbing the dogs head anyway. "I think I'm about to have a few hours of fun."
"The Mistress is currently very busy in a department head meeting Master." K-9 said.
"Not that sort of fun K-9." Ford said with a chuckle.
"My mistake Master." K-9 said.
Stopping by the Pentagon first and leaving the General outside in a parking spot while sending the T.A.R.D.I.S. home to land inside Carter's office, he went in and talked to Jack and the few people inside that still thought he was behind the leak. He didn't want to, but after Sam's instance, he wore his full uniform and heavy coat, no medals, hat or tie though. It felt strange to walk around without his guns, but he ignored it, along with the people who gave him looks because of the cane. He entered the room two hours after the call and wasn't surprised to see a couple people from the I.O.A. and the head of the N.I.D. still talking to Jack. The I.O.A people were not the same ones that SG-1 helped save on that planet with the Ori bug and these two guys were completely new to him. Setting the laptop tablet he brought along with the info he learned from a scan of the facility, he showed them what he found and told them his plan.
"You're just going to walk in and ask how they created those little machines?" Jack asked.
"That's the plan Jack. Charles Graiman is there and I do have the clearance to ask the questions. Better than sending troops in and causing chaos." Ford said as he gave a glance at the others in the room. "The new K.I.T.T. is a greater secret and more covered up than the first K.I.T.T. And you know the C.I.A."
"How do we know that you really aren't behind this?" the N.I.D. director asked.
"I know, my word means so little to you people." Ford said sarcastically. "After helping save this planet with SG-1, I felt like betraying that trust and giving vital info to a government agency that could use it to make Replicators to take over the world. How stupid of me."
"Ford…" Jack began as he saw the other people he insulted were rather pissed.
"They don't like me and want to blame me for something credible Jack." Ford said standing up. "I'm a thorn in a lot of peoples asses even more than you are and I break the rules too often, so they want an excuse to get rid of me. They only leave Sam alone because she proved herself even though she married me."
The looks on the peoples faces was enough to show he was pretty much right on the money with that statement and Jack saw it, even though he already knew it. Sam and the rest of SG-1, aside from Ford, were mostly left alone because of Jack's reputation and currently, the President backed Jack up on most things.
"I would like to say I am behind this, but I am not. You might as well accept the fact that the T.A.R.D.I.S. just doesn't have anything to give you because it is too complicated for even Sam to comprehend sometimes and even I don't know all the abilities. I've done what I can to share and help with what we have learned, but the medical help isn't what you want from her, it's the defenses and other abilities. But I'm not tearing parts out of her for your benefit." Ford stated. "Besides, you couldn't have the shield technology anyway because, quite frankly, there isn't enough nuclear reactors on this planet to even make up a fraction of the power needed to activate the shield. And despite what you have been told, over and over, there is no weapons on the T.A.R.D.I.S herself. Watch Doctor Who to get more answers."
"You will pay for this one day Mr. Carter." one of the I.O.A. guys threatened.
"Yeah, yeah. Same old useless threats. That's what they all say. Get off your ass and go out to some dangerous world to see what we live with at least once week and maybe you'll get an inkling of why a lot of us say and do what we do." Ford said waving a hand as he grabbed the laptop. "I'm like the Doctor, friends and savior to many, enemies to others including some allies, but too important to kill or get rid of. I'll keep you informed Jack."
"And if things get out of hand for you?" Jack asked.
"I have the General Lee with me and I can appeal to K.I.T.T. if I have to." Ford said waving the laptop. "Besides, I can shut the entire place down if it comes to that point, and have whoever you send in deal with everything while I take the car."
"I hope it doesn't come down to that." Jack muttered.
"Neither do I. If you look at some of the files of the missions that K.I.T.T. did back in the day, you'll see he did some impressive and important stuff, one of which was world saving." Ford said. "And if this K.I.T.T. is half of what the first one was…."
Ford was having a blast as he roared down the highway towards his destination in the General doing over 200 miles an hour sometimes. The Black General Lee from inside the T.A.R.D.I.S. was scanned and put into the General Lee as one of the modes of forms it could change into and the current mode he was using. At the moment, it was racing down the highway with a couple inches bigger tires in the back than the front, plus having triple exhaust pipes on either side behind the back wheels blowing out blue flames. It wasn't night unfortunately, otherwise the blue lights underneath would have shown on the road beneath him.
Another one was the flying ability gotten from the damaged Delorean, plus the time circuits, and then there was the hydroplane mode to allow driving on water, and then the normal orange color that the General Lee usually looked like when driving around. With the abilities the new K.I.T.T. had put into the General Lee, along with the other abilities the General Lee had to begin with, his car was more powerful, more dangerous and so much more fun than before. The few police that had tried to come after him had to give up quickly as he outran them within a few seconds.
Since he was able to see miles ahead and the traffic ahead and possible outcomes of where something may happen and when to move which direction, he was moving through traffic as though it was standing still. The computer helped if a collision was close to happening and would take over briefly, otherwise he did all the driving. One police helicopter tried to follow and he called saying to back off because it was a military matter, which they noticed was true as his file was brought up quickly after tracking his license plate. With no authorities of any kind in the way, he was traveling without any troubles and loving every minute of it, laughing most of the trip. Manipulating the traffic lights helped as well.
Once he was a few miles from the large A-frame like hanger, he inputted the code to make the door open, much to the surprise of everyone inside, and rushed in.
"What's going on?! Why is the door opening?!" Carrie Ruvia asked.
"I don't know! Someone inputted the correct code and is headed inside." Billy Morgan stated as he looked over his computer.
"K.I.T.T., can you tell us anything?" Charles Graiman asked.
"There is a heavily modified 1969 Dodge Charger, made much the same way I am, headed inside this facility. Whoever they are, they have activated the appropriate codes needed to open the door to enter this section. They shall arrive in twenty seconds." K.I.T.T. stated.
Several people were surprised and voiced what K.I.T.T. said.
"What's going on?" the new Michael Knight asked as he came out.
"Someone has breached the security and has entered this facility before we could even notice they were coming." Zoe Chae said from her desk. "They'll be here in seconds. In an old 69 Dodge Charger."
"Seriously?" Michael asked thinking she was joking as she shook her head.
"I want weapons ready and pointed as soon as the car arrives!" Carrie yelled as she pulled her gun.
"K.I.T.T., this may be an attempt to steal you." Charles said. "Go into battle mode and be ready to leave….."
The screeching of tires as the car came in drift style got everyone's attention as Ford stopped a few inches from the machine that K.I.T.T. was on. Several guns were pointed at him as he got out laughing.
"Oh my god! That was so much fun it should be illegal! I can't believe the power my car has now! My wife is going to be so jealous!" Ford said then, ignoring the weapons, he glanced around whistling and then clapped his hands in appreciation. "Wow! Certain better than the garage the original K.I.T.T. was in with Bonnie and Devon. Plus the Knight semi he used for mobile transport. This place is pretty cool. And the black Mustang, correction, a Shelby Cobra Mustang GT 500 KR is a nice idea for the new K.I.T.T. I'm really impressed!"
"Who are you and how did you get in here?!" Carrie asked as she walked with her gun still aimed.
"I am General, General Ford Primus Carter. USAF." Ford said tossing his I.D. security card to Charles. "Check and you'll see my security clearance gets as high as it can go. As for you and the others with gun, I suggest you lower and put them away. One phone call and this place is shut down permanently. But I have no intention of doing that. Having new personnel brought in to take over because certain people didn't listen to their superiors, I can do that."
"Yeah right." Billy muttered.
"I have the President himself on speed dial Mr. Morgan. The next step up from four stars in the Presidential seat, which I do not want, ever. Hey K.I.T.T., look me up in the Air Force registry. You got my name and rank, my number is 25 followed by the rest with zeros." Ford said while glaring at the various people who had guns on him.
"Um….K.I.T.T.'s search shows the man does exist and works on projects more classified than ours." Billy said nervously. "And that this man has been involved with the Knight Industries before. He gave the technology to allow the original K.I.T.T. to drive sideways. Listed at working at the Groom Lake Facility and the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado, with NORAD."
"Yes, I did do that." Ford said proudly. "Sure as hell helps with parallel parking in tight spots. I just love the look on people face when I do it. I had a cop make me do it over again just so he could make sure his eyes didn't deceive him."
"I can't even find out where he lives or anything other than his name and rank." Zoe said as she typed away. "And what little Billy found."
"Put them down…" Charles said waving a hand.
"What?" Carrie asked in confusion.
"What's going on? Who is he?" Alex Torres asked as he came from another room with his weapon ready.
"I know who he is Alex. He has more than enough clearance and people in higher places than we do." Charles said as he handed back the security card. "You're the one that deleted the original K.I.T.T. because he didn't want to be taken offline by someone else."
"What you actually got was a copy car, per say. The original K.I.T.T. is still alive and with a trusted friend, one of which you will never find. I can't tell you more because it is way past classified." Ford said closing the door as the guns were put away, though slowly. "Whatever the case, I am glad to see that the Knight Foundation is still helping those in need that can't get the authorities to do the right job and such. One man making a difference motto. I'd be doing this sort of thing or working here if not for my family and other obligations, which no offense, is a lot more important than this place."
"Why are you here?" Michael asked as he walked up.
"Who are you?" Ford asked.
"Michael Knight." Michael said.
"I met the real Michael Knight, AKA, Michael Long. You aren't him." Ford said. "Try again."
"He is my father. I was Michael Tracer, but now it is Knight." Michael said.
"Like father, like son. I can see the resemblance now." Ford said shrugging and then patted him on the shoulder. "Take good care of that car, and he'll never let you down."
"Why are you here General?" Charles asked.
"General, normal mode please." Ford said knocking the hood with his knuckles.
Everyone was rather astonished as the car transformed, except Charles who smiled, moving difference parts around until the car went back to looking just like a simple orange Dodge Charger, plus the flag and number as usual. He sat on the hood as he tossed his coat aside next to him and loosened his collar and complained about his uniform.
"When I saw the specs for the new K.I.T.T. and all those abilities, I had to modify my car as well. I was so impressed with those plans. Whoever was behind building this beauty…" Ford said slapping K.I.T.T.'s hood lightly. "Really knew what they were doing. Tremendously great job. Trust me, it takes a lot to impress me anymore."
"The Air Force isn't here for the plans and help to make planes do the same thing are they?" Charles asked worried. "Bad enough K.A.R.R. ended up being a major mistake."
"Nice idea, but no. Planes take more maintenance, fuel and have more boundaries on where they can go and what they can do, even though a A.I. flying vehicle would be cool too see. And thankfully K.A.R.R. is gone, leaving one less worry." Ford said not knowing that Charles meant something else. "I'm here because certain people above me think that I gave you or someone else here the nanite technology that allows K.I.T.T. his superior repair skills and more importantly, his morphing capability. Certain groups I am affiliated with, though in many ways I wish I wasn't, want to send a bunch of troops in here with a lot of technicians to find that info out themselves, but I was able to get them to just let me come in and hopefully talk…civilly."
"The Air Force thinks K.I.T.T.'s technology is stolen government property?" Billy asked. "We work for the government. This place is highly top secret."
"Yes. I looked into it very carefully and found there is much in common with a heavily classified…." Ford said rolling his hand as he thought. "We'll say more files than projects. Point is, they think I gave you the technology and since I know I didn't, I'm here to find out how and where you got the nanites so others don't storm the place and shut everything down. My wife and I are one of the few people with the authority and expertise to work with nanotechnology of this level and much higher. So, who wants to start?"
"The success of the first K.I.T.T. and his years of service made the government come to me several years ago to recreate a new car and A.I. for the same mission and any others the different agencies felt he would be suited for." Charles said.
"That explains the C.I.A.'s involvement." Ford said.
"Yes. I was having some troubles and called a few friends to see if they had any ideas, at least the ones still alive from helping with the original K.I.T.T project. We couldn't use the 82 Pontiac body again because of size issues, so me and a couple others picked the Mustang you see as the new design." Charles said.
"Very good choice too. Though I don't like the moving light you have. I preferred the one you had before that had a fading tail." Ford said moving his legs. "Like this one."
"You're car also has an A.I.?!" Carrie asked surprised. "I thought K.I.T.T. was the only A.I!"
"The General Lee has a very limited A.I. I wanted one like K.I.T.T. and can create one easily…." Ford said getting surprised looks. "Okay, not that easily but enough with some help. Unfortunately, with the job I have and having a family, I wouldn't get to have a lot of time with him. So I didn't make him sentient. Just follows basic orders."
"How did you build your car so quickly?" Billy asked. "K.I.T.T. has only been on the job for a couple of weeks, if that."
"Yes, this K.I.T.T. took me a couple of years to finish…" Charles stated. "But I have a feeling I already know how."
"You do?" several of Charles's people asked.
"I'm not at liberty to talk about it." Charles said. "Non disclosure policy."
"I have a I.Q. over 200 like my wife and….other than classified reasons why it took me less than a week…" Ford lied, hopefully convincingly. "I work with some very, very smart people. And a hell of a lot more funding and supplies."
When Billy and Zoe began to ask and talk credentials, he waved a hand interrupting them.
"No offense, but I work with much smarter people, otherwise, we would have came to ask you to work with us. Plus, I've already looked at your files before coming here. If you can come up with an idea close to the…um. Hmm, I can't think of anything I could say without saying secrets. You'll just have to take my word for it." Ford said. "You have important work to do and so do I. Just tell me how you got the Re…nanites."
"I know what you do, per say. We need to talk in private." Charles said.
"No one can monitored us in my car. Not even him, no offense K.I.T.T." Ford said.
"None taken." K.I.T.T. said. "If Charles knows you are safe and friendly, then I see no reason to distrust you. You did save my predecessor after all."
When more than one person started to ask him what was going on, Charles said he signed classified documents to keep quiet and wasn't surprised someone had came to ask him about K.I.T.T.'s ability. Charles was just surprised it didn't happen sooner. Once inside the General, Ford tinted the windows and activated the sound dampeners.
"Nice interior. I see you have the old style dash like the first K.I.T.T. Slightly modified." Charles said with a smile.
"Hard to drive with holographic pictures on the windshield, but it still can do that function. I can't even drive if the radio is on, extremely distracting. The whole car can morph and I haven't really decided on what I want the inside to look like yet. I'd give you the flying specs, but…" Ford said trailing off.
"I understand. Alien technology gotten through the Stargate project." Charles said.
"Partly, and I have to say I am surprised you are that well informed. Won't ask how or why, but I do need to know about this K.I.T.T. Mostly to get a few assholes off my back and off my friends back. Plus, I'd rather not see this place get shut down or anything. I barely know this K.I.T.T., but I have no doubt he is as great as the first one with the mission files I read." Ford said with admiration.
"Well, one of my former friends from the first project said he was working with highly classified materials, alien technology. He didn't go into details and I didn't believe him, thinking he lost his mind. When he showed me the nanites and what they were capable of, along with telling me a few other things, he helped me with the new K.I.T.T. I signed some papers about non disclosure and he said he'd keep me safe and the project safe as well. When you showed up asking questions, I was sure it was over, until I realized who you were." Charles said.
"Did he tell you want the nanites were originally for?" Ford asked.
"Not specifically. The code behind these nanites was really complex and nothing I had ever seen in computer code was anything like this. I couldn't use the metal they were originally programmed to use, so I had to adapt them to what we use now. Even though he helped, he told me specific things to avoid doing and programming in or else we'd loose control of K.I.T.T. So far, we have had no problems or errors taking place that have made us lose control of K.I.T.T. Several other programs about preserving human life, more than the original K.I.T.T. did, have been put in incase something did happen. Plus, there is a self destruct that installed in case anything does go wrong that not even K.I.T.T. could stop." Charles said.
"Hmm. Sad to hear, but a needed safety precaution. I have something similar in this. I need a name though." Ford said.
"Duncan Patton. He was or is an assistant to another scientist who was working with the nanites for whatever they were suppose to be for normally, somewhere in Area 51. He never spoke of it and I didn't ask. We have video files of our work in case you want to see them." Charles said.
"I'll need to. Charles, I really liked the original K.I.T.T. and we are very good friends. I talk to him from time to time. My point is, if you or K.I.T.T. need help, you call and I'll try to be here or wherever as quickly as I can." Ford said handing him a card.
"I will. Thank you General." Charles said shaking his hand. "I'm glad that someone else sees K.I.T.T. for what he can be as a individual than some weapon and or technology to exploit."
Charles got out as Ford rolled down his window.
"K.I.T.T., I'll be keeping a watch on you. Seeing how you progress in your self awareness." Ford said with a smile and two fingered wave before leaving.
A couple days later……………
"Yeah, I watched that movie last night. There was no fighting." Ronan said as he and Sheppard walked down a corridor.
"There's not suppose to be any fighting." Sheppard stated.
"Then why is it called Blades of Glory?" Ronan asked.
"Because it is about, skate blades." Sheppard said.
"And this is a real sport? Men and women dancing around on ice?" Ronan asked.
"Unfortunately." Sheppard said with a shake of his head.
"Your planet is weird." Ronan stated.
"Yes, you can say that again." Sheppard said in agreement.
"And the titles of your movies are so misleading. At least that Star Trek show has a name that makes sense." Ronan said.
They entered a room that branched into other corridors and had a transporter room. Sheppard agreed with him on Star Trek and Star Wars as he waved his hand over the panel.
"Hey, John, I got something I need to tell you." Ford said as he entered the room.
"Yeah, sure General. What can I help you with?" Sheppard asked.
"A message came through from the SGC about ten minutes ago." Ford said a bit uneasy and saddened at the same time. "Um…the news was bad, but considering what I am able to do…."
"You really look nervous. Which is something that doesn't happen very often." Sheppard said.
"Well, there is a problem with the news I have. I can help, but only to certain points." Ford said uneasy.
"Certain points?" Sheppard asked extremely puzzled.
"I have a time machine, but with that, comes extreme responsibility." Ford said.
"Yeah, got that. Even heard the, lecture as it where when you told Teyla about what you could on her people." Sheppard said. "What's this about?"
"Right. Glad you were there." Ford said with some relief even though he still looked very sad. "I was beginning to think I'd have to explain a lot of details."
"Did someone I know die?" Sheppard asked with worry.
"I'm sorry John." Ford said putting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Your father died in his sleep from a heart attack last night."
The two men noticed it hit him pretty hard and said nothing, feeling only sympathy for Sheppard.
"If this had happened years ago, or knew it was coming ahead of time, I could do something more." Ford said.
"What do you mean?" Sheppard asked confused after a moment of composure.
"If it was the far past, I could do what I did with Jack's son and with Sam's mother. Being so close to the present and the fact we got the information after he, passed on, going back to save him would be possible, however, he would have to live here from now on." Ford said.
"Why can't we go back and just save him from dying of the heart attack?!" Sheppard exclaimed.
"Because it would cause a temporal paradox. Because he died, is how we now know about it. Changing that would mean we don't learn about it, which causes all sorts of trouble for the time line. Understand?" Ford asked.
"I've been hanging around Rodney too much." Sheppard said with a un-cheerful chuckle that turned into a couple of coughs as he kept from tearing up and rubbed her face and forehead. "Okay, you said something about help. Saving him is possible if he comes here but that wouldn't work well with mom and the rest of the family once the truth comes out. Possible plan B or something. What's the other idea you had in mind?"
"Well, being the commander of so many people, I have to do background checks, which you are well aware of. You and your father weren't…tight." Ford said holding his fingers together. "But you weren't at the kick out of the family part either. The other option open, is to go back a few hours before the heart attack takes place, and you can talk to him. Tell him anything you want. I'm pretty sure he'd be very proud to hear what you have done with your life. You'd have three or four hours, depending on how long you want and what time he went to bed. From there, you both say goodbye and then, we come back here and you go back to Earth through the proper channels…"
"And be there at his funeral. I got it." Sheppard said nodding in understanding. "Can I have a few minutes to think?"
"Yes. Sorry I can't do more John." Ford said patting him on the shoulder before heading back to the control room. "Come get me when you are ready."
"Sorry man. I know it is hard to loose your parents." Ronan said after Ford left.
"I'm going to go to my room to think." Sheppard said.
"No problem. I'll catch up with you later." Ronan said.
On Earth, there was a woman in some large gray walled room, office type setting except for the computers along with other electronics besides the desk and no windows. The woman worked on one computer looking up information, finding a newspaper that showed Sheppards father on the front page and that he died. Going over to a copy machine/printer nearby, she printed off info as she glanced at her desk. On it, other than various items, was scatterings of the newspaper article and other info about Sheppards father, plus a couple pictures of Sheppard, Ronan and the mysterious General with them that she wasn't able to find much info on, other than he was a four star General in the Air Force, his name, married to a General Samantha Carter and had a daughter, which she had a few pictures of, but there whereabouts were completely unknown and what they did was a mystery. She even had a few pictures of their cars, but couldn't find out where they were since neither of their vehicles had been seen recently.
Sheppard made his decision and decided on saying his goodbyes instead of subjecting his old man to living in the city with the constant dangers. Not to mention, he was pretty sure that his father wouldn't want to leave his mother alone since they really did love each other a lot, aside from the rest of the family his father would miss. So, the two of them went to Earth, after finding out the exact time he died, and were able to jump back four hours before he was to pass on. Being so late at night, and no one awake in the house, Ford stopped time outside the T.A.R.D.I.S. up to around the outside of the house. Dropping in near the front door, then stopping time with the Time Dilation device the T.A.R.D.I.S. was able to recreate, he then landed inside the room. Sheppard had to stay inside the Console Room as Ford went out and carried the man into the T.A.R.D.I.S., sitting him down in a recliner as Sheppard sat in a padded massage chair that was in the Console Room next to his father.
When the man awoke, he was rather startled but calmed down very quickly as he looked out the door and saw his bedroom and wife still in bed sleeping and his son nearby.
"Mr. Sheppard." Ford said as he knelt down near the recliner. "You probably think you are having a very strange dream, but I can assure you that it is not so. You can pinch, slap or whatever you think will work to make sure that you are in fact awake. Now, I am a time traveler, and your son John works for me, sort of. He can give you the details when you to talk."
The man did pinch himself and realized he wasn't dreaming as the unknown man before him looked at his watch and then moved to push a few buttons on the strange console before him.
"Because of certain circumstances, which John will go over, this is the only option that I can help him with. In three hours and 50 minutes, because of some medical complications to the valves to your heart, you are going to have a heart attack. Your wife will wake up in the morning, finding that you passed in your sleep. Once again, John will give you more details. I have brought him back a few hours before that happens, and have stopped time for those three plus hours, to allow you and him to have time together, say your goodbyes and such. Make peace between each other." Ford said.
"Who are you?" Mr. Sheppard asked.
"General, General Ford Primus Carter, U.S.A.F." Ford said shaking the mans hand. "John can tell you more. I'll leave you two to talk now. Oh, John, when the Console makes a bing noise, you have five minutes left."
"I understand." Sheppard said while wiping one eye.
Ford left, keeping an eye on his watch ever so often, as he tinkered around with his car more. When the ten minute till the five minute beep sounded on his watch, he got cleaned up and went to the Console Room. It was obvious the two men had talked about many things and said many more that caused a lot of emotion. With one minute left, they said goodbye and then Sheppards father shook Ford's hand saying he was very proud and grateful for what he did for John and him. Saying his goodbye, Ford gave the man a drink of water that had a mixture in it to help him go to sleep and would not be able to be detected on any scanner, other than Ancient technology. Putting him back into the bed, he then got back into the T.A.R.D.I.S., going back to the time device, and then back to Atlantis. Once time resumed after they were gone, the heart attack came, taking him very peacefully and without any regrets with his son anymore.
Sheppard looked up as the door opened to his room. Currently, he was packing up to go back to Earth to attend the funeral.
"Hey, I came by after I heard." Rodney said as he entered. "I wanted to say sorry."
"Thanks." Sheppard said as he kept packing.
"Are you okay?" Rodney asked with actual concern.
"Yeah, just fine for the most part. I didn't like the fact he died, but at least I was able to be there and say goodbye. Not many people can say that." Sheppard said zipping his bag. "Felt really good to hear him say he was proud of what I was doing."
Rodney nodded in understanding, even though his parents only knew him as an accomplished scientist.
"I tried to see if I could go with you, but the Ancient device on M7G-677, isn't working right." Rodney said.
"Isn't that the planet with all those kids?" Sheppard asked with a small smile.
"Yes." Rodney more or less grumbled.
"That's going to be fun for you. Don't forget to bring a lot of chocolate." Sheppard said.
"I know. I'd seriously get out of it if I could, but, they'll be easy pickings for the Wraith if I don't go. Radek is off on another mission and since Ford is going with you, I have little choice." Rodney said.
"Yeah. I found it a bit strange that my father asked him to be there for his funeral, even though he only knew him for a few minutes." Sheppard said grabbing a few extra things. "Guess his little talk made a strong impression."
"Ford makes a strong impression on everyone. It's either good or bad. I know Teyla would like to go see Earth, but her condition and what's going on…" Rodney said.
"Yeah, not a great idea to show up at a funeral with a pregnant lady. Ronan is going though. Despite the fact he thinks our people are weird." Sheppard said.
"Earth is weird though." Rodney stated.
"I know. I agreed with him earlier." Sheppard said.
"And Ford has always been an alien who loves watching cartoons, so that just makes things weirder." Rodney said.
"True, but don't let him hear you say that." Sheppard said.
"Yeah, I walked in on that argument he had about the difference between anime and cartoons with that, lieutenant or some ranked officer. He was rather defensive about it seeing as it was a ridicules argument. So, you want to talk or anything later…" Rodney said trailing off.
"You'll be somewhere in the city. I'll think about it." Sheppard said.
Rodney nodded and then walked out, going to get ready for his ever so important, but ever so dreading mission. Sheppard grabbed his bag, after making sure he had everything he'd need, and then left. Using the T.A.R.D.I.S., they arrived in the infirmary on Earth, since they had to go through the medical checks because of orders. After the check, Ford landed in the garage area, got his car out and sent the T.A.R.D.I.S. back to keep Atlantis safe. Ronan and Sheppard had changed into black slacks with white button up shirts and black suit like coats, though Sheppard wore a blue and black striped tie. Ford had a change of suits in the trunk, but was wearing his Air Force uniform, at the request of Sheppards father, minus hat and tie, with his heavy coat in the trunk along with his weapons. He didn't bother to wear any medals even though Sheppards father thought it might help some people see John was held in high regard to be working with such a prestigious person. Just having the four stars on his shoulder should be more than enough John said.
It was early morning, about ten, when they arrived. There was a lot of other cars parked in the large driveway to the two story, but very wide and many roomed house. Luscious lawns and well manicured trees along with some statues showed that Sheppard's family was actually very well financed. There was even a few limos parked, helping to explain the almost or over a hundred people there. A lot of people turned to look at the orange car as it pulled up, and then were a bit surprised or not as the three got out.
"Wow, there is a lot of people here." Ronan said.
"Yeah, my dad was well liked and made an impact on many too. Not to mention his financial status." Sheppard said.
"Nice place. Amazing what the night time does on effecting how things seem. I knew the place was huge when we landed here, but it's bigger than I thought." Ford said as he button up his dress coat. "If it wasn't for you father asking, I wouldn't have wore this."
"Feeling strange to have no weapons on you?" Sheppard asked.
"At least they are in the car if anything happens." Ford said as some man walked up. "If something does happen, I would bet my life it was someone up there interfering to make trouble."
"Hello John." the close cut, dark haired man in a suit said glancing at the two before looking at John as he walked up.
"Dave." Sheppard said.
"I wasn't sure you were going to make it." Dave said shaking Sheppards hand. "I contacted your commanding officer at Peterson, but sometimes those messages don't get through. I'm going to guess that you have a new commanding officer and that he needed to escort you here for today."
"Yes, he is my commander officer and good friend, but he's here to pay his respects. And this is another friend of mine. Ronan, General, my brother Dave." Sheppard said.
"Nice to meet you." Ronan said shaking the mans hand.
"Hi." Ford said shaking it next.
"How do you…" Dave began.
"Other than through your very incredible brother, who I am honored to serve with, I can't really say. I can say, other than I am very sorry to hear your father passed on, he was a very great man and I wish I had been able to talk with him more than the short time I did." Ford said.
"Ah, more top secret stuff." Dave said eyeing John.
"Something like that." Sheppard said.
"And what does he do with the Air Force?" Dave asked while looking at Ronan.
"Civilian contractor." Sheppard said.
"And the top secret stuff continues." Dave said with a fake laugh. "Okay. So, John, we need to talk."
"Yeah." Sheppard said.
"Good, we'll catch up later then." Sheppard said.
The man walked off, not noticing that there was a woman on the large porch looking at them intently.
"No offense Colonel, but that was a really lame excuse. Your bother could see Ronan was not that sort of person." the General said.
"Yeah, I realized that after I said it, but I couldn't come up with anything better at the moment." Sheppard said.
"I'm not gay John, but I have to say, you got the looks and charm, while he…" Ford said.
"Got arrogance?" Sheppard said.
"I was trying for something less offensive. When I saw your brothers face, I kept thinking, politician. And that was before he spoke. I guess you and him had a reconcile of…some sort. Sorry, I can't fix everything." Ford said.
"What you did last night was something I can never repay." Sheppard said.
"You've helped save the world, the galaxy and my city as it were, and continue to do so. That's more than enough for me." Ford said patting him on the arm. "Plus, you saved Jack that time in Antartica."
The wake continued on after the short ceremony inside. Everyone was mingling and walking around as Sheppard went back in and looked at the coffin. Ford was talking to a few people in the crowd, who wanted to know a few things about John, which he only was able to say only so much about, as Ronan walked around unsure of what to do. Finding Sheppard looking at his fathers coffin, Ronan walked away to the food table, grabbing a plate and loading it with several things, especially after finding out the food was free.
"Doing okay?" Ford asked.
"Yeah. What you did helped lift so many regrets, both of us had." Sheppard said as they both stood and looked out across the pasture nearby.
"I guess someone in the family liked horses." Ford said waving his orange juice.
"Never really was that into it, though it was fun at the time." Sheppard said.
"Sam likes horses. Went on a ride once during our honeymoon. I can fly planes, drive fast cars, pilot a ship amongst other things, but riding a horse, that scares the hell out of me." Ford said.
"Really? Lack of control?" Sheppard asked with a smile as he tried not to laugh
"Yes. Sure, I can't die, but I still feel pain. Being bucked off a horse is not fun. Especially when it happens five times. Just thinking of the memory makes my nuts hurt." Ford said with a grimace.
"I have a few memories like that." Sheppard said with a laugh that Ford also had.
"Sam laughed and said sorry as she continued to laugh. I wasn't mad and said I understood." Ford said. "Jack rubbed it in my face. Can't blame him."
"Hey, there is a lot of food over there." Ronan said as he walked up.
"Yeah. I'm good though." Sheppard said.
"Guess someone is hungry." Ford said seeing the plate and then declined as it was offered.
"So, is this the house you were brought up in?" Ronan asked as he looked back at it.
"Just one of them." Sheppard said as he picked at a blade of grass in his hand.
"It's really nice." Ronan said.
"Yeah, well I couldn't wait to get out of here." Sheppard said. "My dads idea of teenage rebellion was going to Stanford instead of Harvard."
"He's talking about schools. Very big and famous schools." Ford said as he noticed Ronan's confused looks. "One is better than the other depending on the persons point of view."
"Ah." Ronan said.
"He had so many aspects of my life planned out for me since I was 14. I had other ideas, which has lead me to where I am now. And knowing what I was doing, helped him pass on much easier." Sheppard said.
"So, what do we do now?" Ronan asked.
"Mostly people eat, drink, mingle as they are doing. Some eat more than others.." Sheppard said seeing the plate. "No one really has any idea on what to say, but still they talk."
"It seems that your brother is handling things very well." Ronan said.
"Yeah, that's what he does. Handles things." Sheppard said.
"I think he's talking to, big wigs. Some laughing, but a lot of hand shaking." Ford said.
"No surprise there." Sheppard said.
"Why didn't you ever say anything about a brother before?" Ronan asked.
"It's very complicated." Sheppard said glancing over his shoulder, only to turn back around quickly.
"Something wrong?" Ford asked as he saw a long brownish red haired woman in a mid thigh one piece brown dress walking towards them.
"Yeah. I did tell you I had an ex-wife, right?" Sheppard said more than asked.
Ford choked on his drink as Ronan said he heard something about it once.
"You okay?" Sheppard asked.
"Yeah Sheppard. Just fine." Ford said wiping his mouth.
"Didn't you read my file?" Sheppard asked.
"Not the personal aspects. I thought you were still looking." Ford said wiping off his coat.
"Hello John." the lady said as she walked up and John turned around.
"Um, hey Nancy." Sheppard said a bit nervously. "I didn't expect to see you here."
He was surprised when she gave him a brief hug.
"I am very sorry." Nancy said backing off.
"Thanks. Oh, Nancy, this is Ronan and the General. General, Ronan, this is Nancy." Sheppard said.
They both shook her hands and said hi.
"How long are you here?" Sheppard asked.
"Just for today. I have to be in Washington tomorrow." Nancy said.
"Oh, still with homeland security?" Sheppard asked.
"Yeah, I'm the new director." Nancy said.
"Hmm, congratulations." Sheppard said as the other two moved to look out over the fence while leaning on it. "Oh, so how's….um, Greg?"
"Grant." Nancy said correcting him. "He's fine. He would be here but he's trying a new case in Phoenix."
"Oh, sounds like he is doing well." Sheppard said.
"Yeah, yeah he is." Nancy said as it was very obvious to the four that they were all nervous about the situation, other than the funeral. "You know, your dad was always very good to me."
"Well…..um, in his mind, marrying you was the best thing I ever did." Sheppard said.
"Okay." Nancy said uneasy. "Well, it was nice to meet you again John. You take care of yourself."
"I will." Sheppard said.
"Nice to meet the two of you as well." Nancy said.
They nodded and waved as she nodded back and then left.
"I would ask, but I'm guessing it's a…sensitive subject." Ford said.
"We'll leave it at that." Sheppard said.
"Ironic in some ways. Sam and I plan on naming our next daughter Nancy." Ford said.
"No kidding. Look forward to seeing how she turns out." Sheppard said.
"Too bad you are too old John, otherwise I'd say go ahead." Ford said.
"You actually trust me that much to go out with your daughter if I was able?" Sheppard asked.
"I trust Ronan enough too, if she was interested. Because I'm not really the one you need to worry about if she was hurt." Ford said. "I'd just probably kill ya if she didn't. Sam, I'm sure she'd torture you."
"That's almost disturbing." Sheppard said with a frown
"That is something to be proud of in my opinion. Family is important to protect." Ronan said.
Going inside to the bar area, Ford looked at the drinks beyond the counter with little interest as Sheppard leaned on the bar as well to his left along with Ronan.
"Can I get you anything?" the bartender asked.
"I can't drink. Low tolerance." Ford said. "Extremely low."
"That's a first for me. What about you?" the bartender asked.
"No thank you." John said.
Ronan said the same and the man moved to another person as a lady in a close fitting brownish dress with long reddish with blonde streaks walked up to them on Ford's right.
"General, Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard." the lady said.
"Yes." the two said.
"My name is Ava Dixon. And you must be Ronan." Ava said.
Ronan only nodded as the other two looked at her.
"Do we know you?" Sheppard asked after seeing the same confused look on Ford.
"No, but you all know the man I used to work for. Henry Wallace." Ava said.
"Doesn't ring a bell." Sheppard said as Ford rubbed his eyes.
"Look, I know you need to keep this up for public appearances…" Ava began.
"Lady, no offense, but this is a bad time." Ford said.
"And I am on a time limit. I know he was the one who kidnapped Doctor Rodney McKay and his sister, trying to get them to help on some highly classified research project involving alien tech…" Ava began with a whisper.
"What part of bad timing, keeping the public out of this and maybe the idea of catching us later when we were at my car haven't you got?" Ford said quietly while eyeing her.
"We need to talk, and the more quickly that happens the better. But not here." Ava stated.
"Fine, let's go to the car." Sheppard said. "I'm pretty much done here anyway."
All four left, heading for the car, passing Dave as he was taking to a few people.
"Take her to the car." Sheppard said.
"Hey John, there is something we need to…" Dave began.
"Um, look Dave, something has came up." Sheppard said.
"It's dad's wake." Dave stated.
"It's something work related. I can't get out of it." Sheppard said.
"National security or something equally important and top secret." Dave asked sarcastically.
"Something like that." Sheppard said.
"This is so typical." Dave said with aggravation.
"Look, you have something you need to say, just say it already." Sheppard said.
"The thing I need to know is what is your level of expectation here?" Dave asked.
"What are you talking about?" Sheppard asked confused.
"Are you going to challenge the will? I haven't seen it or any idea of what it says, but I can guess." Dave said.
"That's what you want to talk about?! You want to talk about money?" Sheppard asked.
"That's why you are here isn't it? You've been gone for so long, it's not much of a stretch." Dave said.
"You've got nothing to worry about. I deal with things much bigger than money concerns." Sheppard said waving his hands apart as he headed off.
"John, I'm sorry if I got the wrong impression about you, it's not my fault. Obviously it must be something important if your commanding officer came down as well, as it very high in rank too. And you were the one who left here, remember? I looked after dad, I ran the business, while you are off doing, only god knows what." Dave said.
"I….had assumed that is what dad wanted. As much as I regretted some of my decisions, I have made my peace." Sheppard said.
"It was never wanted he wanted. He regretted the fight that took place and regretted it all the way to the end." Dave said turning away with sadness as he left.
"Sorry bro. The regrets are all gone and he went peacefully with those regrets lifted, for both of us. One day, I'll let you know that." Sheppard said quietly before heading to the car.
"I was beginning to think a fight was going to break out. Glad it didn't." Ford said as Sheppard took the passenger seat.
"Yeah, well, he doesn't know the full truth." Sheppard said buckling in. "He thought I was here for money."
"Money can't buy true happiness. But it does help get there." Ford said turning the car on.
A beeping noise came up and then a holographic screen came on above the dashboard, which Ford switched to a different language quickly.
"What's that?" Sheppard asked and noticed the lady in the back seated was amazed, and yet not really, as she looked at it.
"Um, notice about a system error I need to look at later. Nothing serious. Probably fix itself soon anyway. Car is still new technically." Ford said lying. "And you, whoever you are, forget you saw that."
"Let me guess, more alien technology?" Ava asked.
"Something like that." Ford said driving out slowly.
They went to a restaurant in town, getting a private table in one corner, so they could talk alone. Ford sat on the outside while Ronan and Sheppard sat in the middle with her on the end. It was really late at night so they were lucky that the place wasn't jammed full of people. Though the other two staying in their outfits, coats open, Ford changed into a classy style black suit and his heavy coat. Sheppard was drinking coffee as was her and Ronan, Ford was drinking his third cocoa with marshmallows.
"I would have came to you sooner, but you are a hard man to find John Sheppard." Ava said.
"Well, you have our undivided attention, so, what is all this about?" Sheppard said.
"For the past three years, I have been working for a company called Stanton Research, a division of Devlin Medical Technologies. I was recruited out of collage by a brilliant scientist named Richard Poole. Together, we worked on a secret project, code named, Archetype." Nancy said.
"What kind of project?" Ronan asked.
"We were experimenting with nanite programming." Ava stated. "Trying to increase their complexity between their interactions."
Ford groaned while rubbing his face, only to groan longer as she finished.
"I'm sorry if this causes trouble. I only just recently learned of the kidnapping and some of the details involving them getting free, something you did General. Before that, we were given a key piece of programming that allowed us to make a major break through." Ava said.
"What sort of break through?" Ford asked carefully.
"It's entirely…" Ava began.
"No, just the straight answer please." Ford said.
"We built a self sustaining human machine out of nanites." Va stated.
"You built a Replicator?!" Sheppard exclaimed while barely keeping his voice down as Ford shook his head.
"Technically, that term is inaccurate. It is incapable of that function, but essentially, yes he is." Ava stated.
"There is no way you were given authorization to do that." Sheppard stated.
"Obviously, the security system we have going on to keep this from happening on Earth has failed yet again." Ford muttered. "K.I.T.T. I can understand and live with. Charles is very accomplished in his field. Someone who has no clue what they are building…"
"But you trust Rodney." Sheppard said.
"Rodney has experience. And so do I. And you trust him." Ford said. "How did you get this key piece anyway?"
"Richard told me everything we were doing was funded at the highest level and he was given the key piece to help continue the project. For awhile, it was slow, and then when we got that, advancements took off like a rocket. I never though for once that we'd even get a model started within my life time, and yet, we finished, for the most part. I only trusted and believed in him because he has been like a father to me. I lost my parents when I was very young, so I trusted him with everything." Ava said.
"Hmm." Ford said. "Well, this situation can't be all that bad. If it was, we'd be called by various people by now and the streets would be combing with troops."
"That and she wouldn't be talking to us." Sheppard said.
"But something did happen." Ronan said.
"Yes. A few weeks ago, Richard came back into the lab quickly. He had me begin shutting everything down, saying there was a security breach. I later found out it was the I.O.A. investigating Devlin Medical Technologies that made Richard want to get rid of all the evidence. As Richard tried to shut the project down, the man we created, he tossed Richard aside. I hit the alarm as he ripped the door off and fled. He killed two guards in his escape. I'm sure if he is threatened, he will kill again." Ava said.
"You're saying there is a Replicator loose on Earth?!" Sheppard asked, still barely keeping quiet.
"Yes." Ava said nodding.
"Well, since he is unable to replicate, he's more of an advanced android. I'm guessing more than capable of repairing any damage by using materials around him, but unable to recreate more of himself. Dangerous, but not enough that anyone has noticed, much less the I.O.A. and the SGC." Ford said.
"He's extremely dangerous!" Sheppard said.
"John, whoever this man they created is, is lost, confused and has no idea what is going on. He thinks everyone is out to destroy him. When we find him, the less of a threat we seem, the more he will hopefully be more open to talking." Ford said.
"What do we do if we are able to talk him down?" Sheppard asked.
"Help him understand what is going on, why we think he is a threat and, if lucky, maybe get him to allow us to examine him enough to make sure of certain things, and then give him a job." Ford said.
"Give him a job?" Sheppard and Ronan asked.
"This is technically a new life form, even though we have seen the same sort of thing. Once he understands what is going on and what we would like to do, he'll hopefully become a very important individual. The scientific bases for just watching a, for all intents and purposes, android find the meaning of his existence, is worth so much. He can't replicate, so in many ways, he isn't as dangerous as he could be." Ford said. "Baring all that, he can go to another planet, such as Gia'as. Harlan and them could deal with him."
Sheppard sighed while rolling his eyes. Ronan only shook his head, hoping for action anyway. She looked at Ford intently, with wonder and fascination.
"He at least deserves the chance to explain himself." Ford said.
"Fine, but if this blows up in our face, I reserve the right to say I told you so." Sheppard said.
"Okay. Now, um, Miss Dixon is it?" Ford asked as she nodded. "How long has it been since he escaped and do you have any intel that will help us locate him?"
"Three weeks. As for the intel…." Ava said.
A couple hours later, Ford, Sheppard and Ronan, plus a couple dozen troops from the SGC stormed a facility she pointed out. It was a bit surprising to find the place mostly abandoned. Opening the locked door with his Sonic Screwdriver, Ford stepped in with his gun at ready as the other two walked in. A somewhat short and balding man in a geeky clothes turned around from a computer.
"Colonel Sheppard and Ronan. And whoever you are. I should have known they'd send you two after me." Richard said as a guard came in and cuffed his hands. "How did you find me?"
"We had help." Ford said as he put his gun away.
"Ava!" Richard exclaimed.
"I'm sorry Richard." Ava said entering the room.
"My god Ava, do you realize what you have done?!" Richard yelled.
"I had no choice. Things had gotten out of hand." Ava stated.
"I had the situation under control!" Richard yelled.
"Dude, there is a frightened android out there, willing to kill people if he feels threatened, with no regrets! He's killed two guards already and who knows who else since escaping. You, are going to be dealt with by other people after helping us, and then we, the real experts, are going to see about getting him help." Ford said.
"Dude?" Sheppard asked.
"What?" Ford asked.
Sheppard tried to say something, only to shake his head as nothing came to mind.
"Never mind." Sheppard said as he put a device into the mans breast pocket. "Apollo, we're ready to beam up."
The three from Atlantis, along with Ava, Richard and the guard holding him, instantly were brought up into a computer room. Sheppard had Richard taken to another room to talk to him in a few moments as Ford went to the hanger bay, taking Ava with him to her surprise. The guards in the complex gathered what computer files they could, with help and had them transported to the Apollo for study.
"What are you doing?" Sheppard asked as he followed the two.
"I'm not leaving my car out for anyone to try and grab, not that they have a chance in hell. Hey Colonel Ellis, is my car in the hanger yet?" Ford asked.
"Yes General. I don't see why…" Ellis began.
"Thank you." Ford said sighing off as he reached into his shirt.
"General, are you…" Sheppard asked.
"Yes." Ford said pulling his phone out. "Hey Sam, need her for a few moments, everything okay?"
"Sure. Everything is safe and quiet for the moment. No Wraith ships anywhere near us or this solar system." Carter said. "Other than dreaded paperwork, everything is peaceful."
"Thanks. Catch ya later then. Love you." Ford said.
"Love you to." Carter said.
Hanging up, he pulled the object out attached to his dog tags, which he used his Sonic Screwdriver on and then whistled.
"I never tire of doing that." Ford said as a one door garage showed up in the middle of the deck.
"No, you don't." Sheppard said shaking his head. "Why did you use that Sonic thing on the recall device?"
"Change the shape. Otherwise I'd have to do it manually and then drive in." Ford said.
"Why are you showing her this really big secret?" Sheppard asked.
"I'd tell you, but it would spoil the surprise." Ford said with a smirk. "Hang here a moment, or go start talking to Richard. General, park inside please."
She was a bit amazed as the car started and moved inside the now open door, parking next to a Shelby Cobra inside, which answered question of where the cars were. As they got close, the door closed and the shape changed to a blue police box.
"What…" Ava began as the door opened.
When she didn't follow, he pulled her in.
"Oh…" Ava said in surprise.
"Yes, yes. Impossible and yet, it's really here. You're a lot heavier than I thought." Ford said.
"Excuse me?!" Ava asked as he worked on a couple controls on the console.
"And very life like for an android. Or, if you prefer, a Replicator that can't replicate." Ford said calmly as he kept working.
When she didn't say anything, he looked up and then flipped a switch as the T.A.R.D.I.S. dematerialized to move to the lab in the Apollo.
"I know you aren't human, organically. I'm not human either, not fully anyway. No one else other than Richard knows, unless he told anyone." Ford said.
"How long have you known?" Ava asked rather calmly even though you could tell she was nervous.
"When you got in my car, back at the funeral. The General alerted me to your strange life signs. I didn't want Ronan or Sheppard to try anything, especially in the car." Ford said.
"What are you going to do…" Ava began.
"With you? Nothing. For the moment, we'll keep this between us, but we need to find what might as well be your brother." Ford said going back to the console to open the door. "We'll deal with you later, though from what I see, there is nothing to deal with really. For lack of better words, you're programmed….right. Anyway, since you know Richard the best, you think he might cooperate?"
"No." Ava said after a moment of surprise at her situation.
"Go help Sheppard talk to him." Ford said as they walked into the lab on the ship. "I'll see if I can learn anything from his computers."
"Why are you…" Ava began.
"Trusting you? You came to us for help. And seriously, I can't think of any hidden motive you would have. You could have easily went into hiding or done something terrible, but haven't done anything other than seem like a normal human." Ford said. "And while I seriously doubt it was some plan to get my ship, since you obviously didn't know it existed, just in case it crossed your mind, she will destroy you before you could even begin to assimilate her."
"Okay, that made not a lot of sense, but I get what you mean." Ava said. "Thank you."
John was sitting at a table across from Richard in a empty room. Ronan was somewhere nearby in case anything happened, but not in the room. Ava was standing by the doorway, thinking a variety of things as John asked Richard the password needed to enter his system.
"Forget it. I'm not telling." Richard said.
"We'll eventually crack it ourselves." Sheppard said.
"Go ahead and try." Richard said with a smile. "It is encrypted…"
"Files are open. Got my ship searching for him right now." Ford said entering the room. "Doc say anything yet?"
"I just got started!" Sheppard exclaimed.
"Oh. Haven't you been here for several minutes?" Ford asked.
"I had to stop at the head first." Sheppard said as he stood.
"You're lying. There is no way…" Richard began.
"K-9 said your encryption level was, a 3 on his scale. He broke it quickly." Ford said and then spoke the titles of several files he came across.
"Where's Rodney rate?" Sheppard asked curious as Richard's face showed anger and surprise.
"Between 5 and 9, depending on how hard Rodney really tries." Ford said tilting his hand. "Sam and I rate a 8 to 10 if we work together, apart it varies. Let's go. Other people will deal with Poole."
"Can I help?" Ava asked.
"Ava!" Richard yelled.
"You refuse to cooperate with them Richard, so I must. He is not programmed with social interaction skills. He could kill again just because someone accidental bumps into him. This man is willing to try and save him if he can. Which is much more than you are even trying to do." Ava said with distain.
Leaving Richard to think, Ava and Ford went back to the lab to work on the information. Ronan met up with Sheppard and they proceeded down one of the hallways.
"Sheppard." Bates said.
The two turned around finding a black man in a dark suit.
"Bates!" Sheppard said shaking the mans hand with a smile.
"I guess you two know each other." Ronan said.
"Hell yeah. He was with us when we first got to Atlantis. Then he ended up in a fight with a Wraith that got him a pretty good beating." Sheppard said.
"He got the drop on me, but I did manage to get in quite a few shots myself. So, how are you doing?" Bates asked after shaking Ronan's hand.
"Doing good. You working with the N.I.D.?" Sheppard asked.
"I.O.A. actually. After I came back home from those injuries and got a honorable discharge, they contacted me. Wanted me to help them with field activities dealing with operational threats to Earth." Bates said.
"Cool, good to see you are back in action." Sheppard said.
"Good to see you to sir." Bates said.
"You don't have to call me that." Sheppard said.
"Old habit." Bates said following them. "So, what can you tell me about our prisoners?"
"Well, the girl is cooperating. The General has taken some liking to her for some reason that I haven't figured out and he won't say why. But I do know it's not anything that would lead him to have an affair. It's something else." Sheppard said.
"I'll have to ask him about it." Bates said.
"Good luck with that. He even let her see and be inside the T.A.R.D.I.S., which makes me think he might want to have her work at Atlantis." Sheppard said.
"Well, she did or does work with that doctor who created a Replicator. That is talent the SGC needs, so it makes sense he would look at her in that capacity. What about finding this Replicator though?" Bates asked.
"The General managed to get into his files and is searching them right now, with K-9. We should know something soon. Even Ava is helping. Knowing the General, he and his T.A.R.D.I.S. will know something very soon." Sheppard said.
They entered the room to see the various computers all on and showing different screens of info, along with the T.A.R.D.I.S. there and the door open.
"Anything yet?" Sheppard asked as he and the other two came in.
"A lot of things." Ford said pushing a few buttons. "For one, we've got his location. And from what I can guess at based on the info here about some of his abilities, he's basically in a defense mode. Hiding from everything and everyone until he comes up with some idea of what to do."
"Where's he at?" Sheppard asked.
"This warehouse." Ford said as he pointed at the map. "Second floor."
The screen in the wall showed a picture of a warehouse district, some in use, others abandoned.
"Alright, what's the plan of action General?" Sheppard asked.
"You, me, Ronan, Ava, and Doctor Poole are going to go down and see if we can talk to him." Ford said.
"I'm coming to. As a representative of the I.O.A., I must be there." Bates said.
"Very well." Ford grumbled.
"I trust him General. He used to work on Atlantis." Sheppard said. "Under my command."
"Oh, in that case, welcome aboard." Ford said shaking the mans hand. "Someone in that pathetic organization we can trust besides Woolsey."
"What now, bring a couple teams with us?" Ronan asked.
"Bringing a bunch of armed men is not a very good sign of friendliness. We want to get his attention through peaceful means, not with a lot of guns showing." Ford said while pushing a few buttons. "Someone go get the Doc. We leave in five."
"I'm going to go get armed anyway." Sheppard said.
"Sheppard, he's a lot like a Replicator. Bullets haven't stopped one before, why would they now? Especially since the programming data I have here says he can easily repair any damage by pulling material from around him for needed repairs, and there is a lot of metal around. Besides, he won't have any weapons, unless he throws something." Ford said.
"I'd rather be safe and hope that my vest stops anything he might do, just in case. You're going to wear your coat aren't you." Sheppard said.
"Touché." Ford said.
The Doc was brought in, with his hands still handcuffed, eyes blindfolded and earmuffed. Putting him in a chair nearby, Bates, Sheppard and Ronan were all wearing black vest and cargo pants, fitted with various items in the pockets like usual. Ronan had his energy pistol on his hip and was standing by Bates and the Doc as Ford dematerialized the ship and landed nearby the warehouse. Pulling up a map of the area within three blocks, he made copies for them in case anything happened and they had to chase down this guy. After leaving the T.A.R.D.I.S., Ford had it turn into a large standing wooden crate to blend in with the other crates, then had them remove the blindfold and earmuffs.
Bates had a heavy machine gun, while Sheppard had a 12 gauge shotgun. Ava had no weapon and Ford didn't pull his even though all four were on him. Walking up to the large warehouse, Sheppard and Ford agreed that separating into groups was a good idea. Bates took Richard with him to go on the left side while Sheppard and Ronan took the right, leaving the front door for the other two. Giving them specific orders to try and talk the man down and only fire if they had no other choice, they split up.
"Hmm, he's leaving the back of the building." Ford said as they entered. Touching his earpiece, he relayed the info to the others.
"Understood General." Sheppard said. "We'll head there and hope to catch him before he gets too far."
"I see him General. He jumped a fence and is going into another warehouse behind his one. He's alone." Bates said while looking at the man through some binoculars.
"Move in cautiously." Ford said as he ran for the back of the warehouse.
"Understood General." Bates said sighing off. "Doc you need…"
Bates turned only to get a two by four smashed into his face, knocking him out instantly. Tossing the board aside, Richard ran for the fence and climbed over it as Sheppard and his team got to the end and looked around, seeing Ford and Ava come out the back.
"Anything?" Sheppard asked.
"Yeah, he's in that building still." Ford said while pointing his Sonic Screwdriver. "Ronan, blow that door off would ya."
The metal fence door fell off as he blew the hinges away. Going through quickly, they made it up to the white metal door, seeing it was still partly open.
"Hello? I know you are in here. You can come out." Richard said while looking around at all the different things from packaging crates to scrap metal parts to piles of wooden planks. "I'm here to help you."
"How did you know how to find me?" the man asked.
He turned seeing the dark haired man in a black colored full jumpsuit walk out from behind a few crates.
"Your nanites give off a very distinct energy signature. There is a couple of men here looking for you. They want to help as well, but only if I can convince them that you are not a threat. You just need to do as I say. All you have to do is self deactivate. You've done it before in the lab many times and I was always there to reactivate you. Please trust me. We don't want to destroy you. Everything will be alright." Richard said.
For a moment, it seemed like he got to him as he moved closer and touched his arm, trying to reassure his creation. When the door opened, the android became hostile, grabbing his neck and holding him in the air.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Ford said as he walked in quickly with the others behind him. "Just put him down. We won't shoot, or touch you. We just want to talk."
Richard was beginning to pass out as the android looked from him to the others.
"Guys, lower your weapons." Ford said waving his hand.
"But…" Sheppard began.
"He has no weapons Sheppard, therefore, he isn't going to shoot us. Trust has to begin somewhere." Ford stated. "And if you did shoot, you'd hit the doc."
The group lowered their weapons slowly as Ford took a step forward, putting his Sonic Screwdriver away.
"Just put him down and we can talk, peacefully. We are the only ones here. No one else is coming or outside." Ford said.
"What about Bates?" Sheppard asked while glancing around.
"Go outside and find him with Ronan. I'd rather not him show up and cause any problems." Ford said as the android lowered Richard to the ground, letting him breath but not letting go. "We'll be fine here."
Sheppard tried his com, only to get no answer as he and Ronan left. Calling the Apollo, he got a location fix and ran there quickly.
"Okay, as you can see, I am unarmed and so is Ava." Ford said holding his hands out. "I know you are unsure of what is happening and possibly no idea why Doctor Poole was doing what he was when he tried to shut you down. Killing him and anyone else isn't the solution."
"Please listen. We only want to help you. We aren't going to shut you off or do anything to destroy you." Ava said.
"Poole said otherwise." he stated while shaking the man he was holding.
"He is only trying to save his own ass. Look, I am a very important person, who has a lot of people that listen to my opinion and orders. I even know that Ava is like you. We haven't done anything to her and don't plan on it. We only want to…." Ford began.
A couple of boards several feet away dropped to the floor, startling all of them as they lost their balance from being stacked poorly as a cat ran off from upsetting the balance. Ford turned back quickly only to be knocked down with Ava as Richards body slammed into them. Fighting the ringing in his head, he sat up and touched his earpiece.
"Sheppard!" Ford said through a slight haze.
"We found Bates. His nose is broken and he's unconscious. I think Richards…" Sheppard said.
"Have the Apollo beam him up and get back here quickly! Talking failed!" Ford said.
"What's going on?!" Sheppard asked as Ronan followed behind him.
"He threw Richards at us and then ran off. We're following him out the back heading for some very old and large storage tanks!" Ford said.
"We're coming through the warehouse now!" Sheppard said.
Ford ran up the staircase seeing the guy still running.
"Wait! That wasn't…" Ford began.
The guy turned and grabbed a barrel, tossing it at them. Ford pulled his energy pistol and fired without thinking, making it blow up and knock the two of them over the railing. She hit the ground ripping her coat and pants as he landed beside her breaking his arm.
"Damn that hurt." Ford yelled while resetting it with a grunt and small cry of pain.
"Are you alright General?!" Sheppard asked as he and Ronan ran up seeing Ford clenching his fist a few times.
"I'll be fine. He threw a barrel that exploded when I shot it." Ford muttered. "That was rather stupid of me. Losing my touch…"
"What about you…" Sheppard began asking her.
"I broke my arm catching her." Ford said quickly. "Where's my gun?"
"Then why are her clothes ripped?" Sheppard asked.
"Rolling on the ground hard will do that. Thanks Ronan." Ford said taking his gun back, putting it away and pulling his Sonic Screwdriver. "Okay, he's moved on, but I still have him."
They ran through the decaying structure, going through a couple dark areas before finding him outside next to the harbor. Seeing them following, he looked around and then started climbing a large crane that put supplies in cargo boats, oil tanker size usually.
"Dammit! Look, would you wait! We aren't here to…" Ford began again.
They all took cover behind wooden crates or whatever was nearby, Ford dropping to hide behind the large tarp that had a massive bundle of rope on it. The guy they were after had pulled a metal bracing pole off and tossed it in their direction, missing everyone as it went through the dock boards and into the water underneath where they once stood.
"You know, I think he doesn't care anymore!" Sheppard yelled.
"Fine, we can fix him after we capture him!" Ford said.
Sheppard opened up with his shotgun, hitting the guy once in the leg. Ronan fired a few times, but it only seemed to singe the clothes.
"Stay here and don't shoot me." Ford said running over and then up the ladder.
The two quit firing after Ford finally got up to the level that had the walkway. It didn't take long to catch him on the top level over the water below.
"Wait! Don't jump!" Ford yelled as the man looked at the water and then him. "Look, you can jump at any point and they won't shoot as long as I am this close, so you don't have to worry about being attacked anymore. We can stay here, talk without any interruptions…"
Mixed feelings ran through him as the man jumped off into the water, sinking quickly and moving away fast.
"Damn!" Ford yelled.
The two were at the bottom as he came down muttering curses under his breath.
"Give up General?" Sheppard asked.
"Yes." Ford stated as they started away. "I tried and I failed. Don't dare say I told you so, I already can see it on your face."
"What are you worried about, besides the danger he poses. He's just a machine…" Sheppard began.
Sheppard stopped quickly as the General turned on him with a hard glare.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that Colonel." Ford said. "A cloned group of SG-1 is technically machines."
"Sorry, my mistake." Sheppard said holding up his hands.
"Damn straight." Ford muttered as he walked off.
Some hours later, the area was being searched by various teams from the N.I.D. and the SGC. Divers were checking the water and floor bed, but nothing was found.
"Hasn't the T.A.R.D.I.S. picked up anything yet?" Sheppard asked as they looked out across the water.
"No. He must have figured out some way to shut that off, or is masking his energy signature. I think it's more he figured out how to reprogram himself than anything else." Ford muttered tiredly as he rubbed his face with one hand. "K-9 is going over the other parts of the data in hopes of finding something to help us."
Back on the ship, they were sitting around a table in the T.A.R.D.I.S. talking. Bates was already fixed up, thanks to Vala being able to help after being beamed in and then back to the SGC after being done, and was currently in the room with Ford, Sheppard and Ronan. It had been two days since the funeral and they were rather tired and wanting to go back to Atlantis, especially Ford, who had been up most of the time since he found it very difficult to sleep alone. Other than being able to call and talk to Sam for awhile, a few times over the last two days, they hadn't been able to see each other, which was screwing up both their sleeping states, including making Sally sad.
"Ava took Richard dying pretty hard. She did think of him like a father as she said, but if he was that close to her, why did he go and get himself killed? It doesn't make sense." Sheppard said while wearing a different but same looking suit and blue tie.
"How so?" Bates asked.
"Sure we wanted to capture his experiment, and from what the General here told him, wanted to try and fix the errors and allow the guy to live a life like everyone else does. But to go in and talk to it without thinking it wouldn't kill him like it almost did before in the lab over three weeks ago, it doesn't make any sense. Even if everything worked out, we were able to talk him down, bring him in and get him fixed, Poole was still going away for a very long time, no matter what the outcome. The only thing that does make sense to me, is that he went in there to try and save his creation, because he was going to turn around and sell it." Sheppard said. "And more than likely, someone was going to be able to get him out of prison, even if it was in Area 51."
"I didn't really see anything like that in the data, but I can have K-9 look for anything like that. His funding is pretty much legit, even though a lot of the technology he got was stolen." Ford said while thinking.
"It would make sense though." Bates said. "Selling it to some military person, Colonel at the most since a General would be to high risk and I doubt anything less than a Captain. Possibly ex-military as well. Could even be someone in the N.I.D. or I.O.A. Neither would be able to use official channels, so everything would be happening cloak and dagger style."
"I have at feeling it is something else." Ford said. "But I'm not going to make any assumptions until I know more."
"You already know something that you won't say though." Sheppard said.
"I know a lot I'm not saying. General privileges." Ford said with a small smile. "Or Time Lord if you prefer."
"Did you find out anything about that project Ava mentioned?" Sheppard asked. "Might shed some light…"
"I went through official channels and am still waiting for answers. I'll give them a call back and see if they tell me anything. If not, I'll just hack in and get it myself." Ford said.
"That is illegal and just hearing it…" Bates began. "Wouldn't matter since your reputation alone is too important to even try bringing you in for illegal hacking and god only knows what else."
"I work with the most top secret stuff in, on, around and dealing with Earth. Pretty much, I have the clearance to know anything I deem important." Ford said getting up. "The Pentagon and various other agencies across this planet are so easy to hack into, I could write down the instructions and have my daughter get in for me."
"It's really that simple?" Bates asked bewildered.
"With the T.A.R.D.I.S., yeah. Hell, even K-9 can do it. There is few systems that we can hack with trouble." Ford said.
Ava was in the lab that they created the guy in, packing up her and Richards things. The rest of the complex was full of several teams, keeping watch or guard as other things were taken out to be looked over and examined. Sheppard gave the guard a nod as he walked in.
"Hey." Sheppard said.
"Hello Colonel." Ava said looking at him before going back to the box before her. "They said I could come in and take some of his personal things."
"I'm sorry about what happened. I know we really tried, but Poole figured he could do better." Sheppard said.
"I know. I only wish I could have had more time to talk to him. He died thinking I betrayed him." Ava said sadly.
"You don't know that." Sheppard said.
"That's nice of you to say, but you didn't know him like I did. This project meant everything to him." Ava said grabbing something from another desk as Sheppard sat down.
"Well, maybe you meant something to him too. You never know what people are thinking. Sometimes you can tell, sometime not." Sheppard said.
"Even those you are closest to?" Ava asked.
"Well, with those you are very close to, you tend to realize what they are thinking by how they react to something or someone. Even if they are just close friends." Sheppard said.
"Hmm." Ava said.
"Hey, I know this is a really bad time to ask questions, but there is some things I need to ask, is that alright?" Sheppard said.
"Sure." Ava said nodding her head.
"Did anyone else know about the project you were working on with Poole?" Sheppard asked.
"No. It was just us." Ava said.
"No one came in to check on your progress?" Sheppard asked.
"No. Richard and I were the only ones with access to the lab. And very few people if any sometimes worked here at all. And no one besides myself and him worked in the lab itself." Ava said.
"Was he in contact with anyone, ex-military, phone calls, emails perhaps?" Sheppard asked.
"Not that I know of." Ava said.
"Okay. Thanks." Sheppard said getting up.
"Hey Colonel, has that man….General was it?" Ava asked as he nodded. "Did he tell you a lot about the details he found in the data? Anything specific that would help find, him?"
"Not yet. He and that robot dog of his you saw are checking over a lot of things. Come to think of it, only he has looked at the files, other than K-9. He must have found something very interesting that he doesn't want anyone else to know about." Sheppard said thinking. "Only some of the files and info was given to the Apollo scientist to allow them to try and find our guy with their sensors, but not all of the info Poole had. Do you know something about that?"
"Not that I can think of. I can come with you if you want to ask him about it if you don't believe me…" Ava said.
"No, I'll ask him about it myself. It's probably something personal in the files dealing with you that he didn't think you needed to know. No offense, but an older guy you looked to as a father and a beautiful young woman in the same room, working together for long hours…."
"Nothing but professional work happened here Colonel. I can assure you of that." Ava said quickly.
"Doesn't mean he probably didn't write it in a journal or secretly recorded you or something. Maybe its something else Ford is keeping from us, I don't know. If it's anything important for you to know, I'll convince him to tell you." Sheppard said.
"Okay." Ava said with a small smile.
Sheppard got back on the ship and went straight to the T.A.R.D.I.S., finding Ford sitting in the recliner, asleep.
"General?" Sheppard said.
"Yes?" Ford said groggily while opening his eyes and then rubbing them. "Damn, I really am going to have trouble sleeping when Sam passes on."
"What's in the files that you aren't telling us?" Sheppard demanded, but not forcefully.
"Sorry?" Ford asked as he was still trying to wake up.
"You are hiding something. And it is making things very difficult with this current situation. What are you keeping back that is so important? I suspect it is something about Ava because you don't normally allow people you don't know into this place." Sheppard said.
"It is about her." Ford said standing while yawning and then rubbing his face. "I didn't find anything about Richard doing anything double dealing or selling to another country or anything. If he was, it wasn't part of the files as far as K-9 and I can tell."
"That's not what I asked, but thanks anyway." Sheppard said.
"It's not important John." Ford said tossing his heavy coat into the recliner.
"Was the man interested in her for some specific reason? Sexual? Exploitation? What is…" Sheppard began.
"John, you really don't want to get involved with this. What I plan to do with this info on her could cause some very serious problems for me with the SGC and affiliates." Ford said as he rubbed his face again.
"She already knows you know this secret and I suspect you knew when you brought her in here for the first time. What the hell is going on General?" Sheppard just about yelled.
"John…" Ford began slowly.
"I don't care Ford. This is a team effort and I don't like being left in the dark…." Sheppard stated.
"Ava Dixon died in a car crash over a year ago." Ford said slowly as he looked away and then leaned on the console. "Whether out of love, or some other reason, Doctor Poole remade her into a Replicator. Or in this case, a very sophisticated android. She can't have children but just about everything else works as if she was human. Even can eat apparently and has to sleep to basically recharge. She didn't want anyone to know."
"Oh my god." Sheppard said in shock.
"You're best bet is to forget that I said anything. Once this is over, she's either coming to work at Atlantis or I'm going to go back and switch her body out before the accident and then place her current consciousness into it, giving her, her life back." Ford said.
"You're worried that the I.O.A. and or the N.I.D. will try and have her destroyed before then if they figure this intel out." Sheppard said.
"Yes. That's why the data was brought in here first and only certain parts taken to the Apollo." Ford said.
"That means she is a threat…." Sheppard began.
"She is no threat John. She was in here! Which meant I got a complete scan of her, down to the mole on her left shoulder blade. Her programming has her so human like, and almost like the person she used to be that she'd barely kill in self defense." Ford stated. "She could have taken over the General Lee that day and we'd be in serious trouble right now."
"Alright, but I want to hear it from her." Sheppard said.
"Fine. We can go get her in my ship. I have her signature on file anyway and I found out what Archetype is, that gave us a pretty good idea of where Richards experiment is going." Ford said as he rubbed his face again.
"It does?" Sheppard asked.
"Archetype is, or was, a plan for another project that has since been shut down. But K-9 came across a file that made mention of a code word once used in shipping materials. The location of which was in Redding California." Ford said.
"Okay, meaning what exactly?" Sheppard asked.
"The location is where a lot of Neutronium is stored. The best material needed in building human form Replicators." Ford said as they touched down.
"But you said he can't make more of himself." Sheppard said as Ford opened the door.
"He can't, but he can repair himself best with that material." Ford said walking out and then brought her and a couple boxes of packed stuff in. "Hello again Ava."
"Um, hi. Why am I here?" Ava asked.
"Because you were about to go to Redding weren't you?" Ford asked as he pushed buttons for the ship to go back to the Apollo.
"Wait, how did you…" Ava began.
"That's where our Neutronium is stored." Sheppard said. "And where we figured that guy is going. He told me what you are."
She glared at him a moment and then sat down in the chair nearby.
"So…" Ava said.
"You have two options. Both of which will mean either working for the SGC or coming to work in Atlantis with us. John, go get Ronan. We'll head over to Redding in a few minutes and wait for him to arrive." Ford said.
"I hope you know what you are doing." Sheppard said.
"Always. Now go." Ford said waving at the door.
"I have two options. I guess the one that allows me to live is the best." Ava said.
"Both allow you to live. If you choose to keep this body, you'll be fine as long as you don't get hurt since it takes the Neutronium to fix your nanites properly. You'd have to work with us in Atlantis where your talents would go far, leaving Earth behind for quite some years, if not longer. The other option means I go back to just before your accident, switch your body out with a clone, and bring it back to the present. I then will take the memories of you now and place them in that body, and you go back to living a human life, but working with the SGC in Colorado. Considering your impressive talents, working with the SGC would be the best choice. Not to mention, you'll eventually be able to have children at some point once you find the right guy to settle down with. However, making that choice of having your human body back means that you'd have to change your name and never speak about this incident or of what I did." Ford said. "And no asking about it either."
"I like the second option." Ava said.
"Great, we'll do that once this is over." Ford said as he went back to the console.
"She's a Replicator?" Ronan asked as he came in.
"I prefer the term enhanced android." Ford said. "Once we get rid of this guy, I'll take you guys home and then fix her problem. Which I will explain on later."
"Alright, how do we get this guy anyway? I'm guessing the anti-replicator guns aren't going to do anything." Sheppard said.
"No, they won't. Not unless I reconfigure them. The plan is very simple actually. We go in, Ava will get him to come out since he can't kill her. Once he is actually seen, I will use this on him after she is back inside the T.A.R.D.I.S." Ford said waving his Sonic Screwdriver. "Since their programming is very close to the same and since I found out everything I needed with K-9's help dealing with his programming in the files, we can stop him by just activating my Sonic Screwdriver on a specific setting."
They landed in the building and he changed the configuration to look like one of the large wooden storage crates in one corner of the room. It blended in very well with the others, making it virtually impossible to tell from the other crates as they all got out and looked around after scanning to find if anyone or anything was in the building. There was various stuff stored inside, from barrels, piles of metal, small box crates to ones big enough to hold a small car, strange looking metal crates, other unknown stuff under tarps. There was some sort of order to where things were placed and stored, but there also wasn't considering how mismatched it all was as well.
"Our problem is that we have no idea when he'll show up." Ford muttered. "But, I have a solution to that."
"Which is?" Sheppard asked.
Ford reached into his pocket and pulled out a metal 3 inch diameter ball that had four lines on it on top while the bottom half was completely smooth. He messed with something on the bottom making it open the four panels. Inside was a complex series of electronics and two crystals that were of Asguard and Ancient construction.
"This metal ball is linked to the T.A.R.D.I.S. Once I activate it, like now." Ford said as the crystals lit up with a blue tint. "It will send signals to the sensors inside her. This will alert us to when someone or something enters the building, be it human, alien, machine or animal. All I need to do is put it somewhere no one will notice, and then we leave. Once we get a reading, we check on what it is, and if it is him, we come back."
He closed the panels, lifted a tarp and placed it on the ground between a couple of crates. They all got back into the T.A.R.D.I.S. and he dematerialized her, going a week into the future.
"We went a week into the future? How do we get the signals?" Sheppard asked.
"Subspace transmitter. According to this, we got five readings from it." Ford said checking the readout. "A couple of the readings indicate a couple guards, one delivery that took a couple hours, a bird that got in somehow and died because it couldn't get out, and him. And guess what, the readings indicate we are there too at that point."
"How's that possible?" Sheppard asked.
"We are a week in the future. Which means we get everything it recorded during that time. We go back, get him, come back to this point, retrieve the ball and go home." Ford said.
"Wait, why don't…I get it." Sheppard said nodding. "You have to leave the ball there even though we are going back in order to get the readings we get now for this moment."
"Very good Colonel." Ford said proudly as he flipped switches. "I wonder if Jack would have figured that out?"
They came back, one day later after the ball was left and landed ten minutes before he was suppose to show up. Still leaving the T.A.R.D.I.S. looking like a crate, Ronan and Sheppard took cover behind a large tarp covered object, armed just in case, as she stood in the middle of the room waiting. Ford stayed cloaked a couple feet behind her, with his Sonic Screwdriver out. As expected, the group looked at their watches as they heard a door open. Within seconds, he came around a large pile and found her standing there with the metal he needed several feet to her right.
"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" he asked while glancing around.
"Lucky guess." Ava said. "They know that I am not human either and are looking for me. I was able to escape uninjured and found the Neutronium is here. If I have to go into hiding, I figured I'd need some of the metal to fix myself at sometime in the future."
"Then why are you still here?" he asked suspiciously.
"I have the social skills programming that you lack. We can either both stay together and hide, bettering our chances, or go our separate ways. I know I can blend in much better than you can and decided to stay to see if you wanted my help or not." Ava said.
"Fine, we can do this together." he said walking forward while still looking around.
"We are alone." she said rolling her eyes. "I brought tools along to help with getting the metal and making it easier to transport. There's a truck outside we can use to get away easily. It has government plates that keep the police away from it, even if it goes above the speed limit."
"That will help in our escape greatly. I will get the tools…" he began.
"Do you even know how to use them?" she asked quickly. "I could show you, but it will only be a matter of time before they show up. You go get the metal uncovered and fix yourself while I get the tools."
"Where are the tools?" he asked.
"That wooden box crate over there. The tall one. I got here yesterday and hide them inside one of the crates in case anyone came inside to inspect things." Ava said.
"Why didn't you just kill the guards?" he asked.
"That would draw suspicion. Besides, I don't want to kill anyone." Ava said.
"Get the tools." he said pushing her towards the crate.
He glanced around as he watched her walk over to the crate and then grabbed the side like she was about to rip it off.
"That man that tried to talk to you, the one in the large black coat. Why wouldn't you try listening to him? He wanted to help…" Ava began.
"There is no help. They all want us both dead and would never do anything to protect us. We'd be destroyed the first chance they got. They are all like Doctor Poole was and deserve to die." he stated.
"I'm sorry." Ava said shaking her head.
She opened the fake crate door and went in as he started towards her. Pounding on the door as he tried to force it open, he quickly turned to a sound. Ford had uncloaked and was pointing his Sonic Screwdriver at him from over ten feet away.
"Sorry, you can't get in my ship. I would have…." Ford began.
With a growl, he charged forward as fast as he could. Ford pushed the button making his Sonic Screwdriver emit a sharp whine as Ronan and Sheppard came out of hiding with their weapons ready. Just as he jumped, his body turned into dust, coming down on and around Ford as he was knocked over. The two walked up as Ford sat up, blinked and then coughed several times.
"He got you and yet, he didn't as well." Sheppard said. "That's going to take awhile to clean up."
"Call the Apollo Colonel. I'd rather not sit here any longer than I have to." Ford grumbled and then coughed out the dust he inhaled.
Over an hour later, the cleaning crew finally got all the Neutronium out of his hair using a powerful vacuum. He had to drop down to his underwear, thankfully behind a series of moveable plastic walls they brought in, and was then given a robe. After getting changed back in the T.A.R.D.I.S. to a tan suit, he got Ronan back to Atlantis, then went into the past and switched bodies before the car wreck, then with K-9's help, managed to switch her consciousness from the Replicator body to her original. Changing her hair color to a shade of brown she liked and then getting a new identity, he went one day into the future and landed in the SGC. After giving a report to Landry of what happened, Landry said it wouldn't be any trouble to find her a suitable job, since she wasn't a threat anymore, even though Ford was adamant about the fact she wasn't one to begin with.
The I.O.A. and N.I.D. were rather pissed at what Ford did since technically, she was a Replicator. Now that she was human, she wasn't a threat and agreed to be watched by security if they felt it necessary, and once they felt she was safe enough to allow out of the mountain to live in a place of her own, she could live with staying in the mountain until then. Leaving her there and then saying hi to Vala, Mitchell and Daniel for an hour, plus explaining the situation with the new girl, he got his coat back and then dropped John off near his brothers home, letting him go talk to his brother and whoever else he needed to. Once he felt ready to come back, he just had to go to the SGC and dial Atlantis to get home. John gave him a hand shake and then a hug, thanking him once again for his help before watching the T.A.R.D.I.S. depart.
Knocking on the front door, he wasn't surprised to see his brother Dave surprised to see him. Giving him a small smile, Dave moved out of the way with a smile of his own while welcoming him in.
The day was almost over, but the sun was still up enough not to need lights, and Sam wanted to try the new General Lee out, even though Amy wasn't happy with the idea. Sheppard, Rodney, Ford, and several dozen other people who wanted to see the spectacle were there on the pier as Sam got into the drivers seat. Currently the car was transformed into the Black General mode that had the large wheels and extra pipes. After giving her a quick run down, she nodded and closed the door.
"Now remember, you won't go off into the water. We are high enough up the car will transform to flight mode before it gets near the edge or goes off, so stay more to the inside and you'll be just fine." Ford said. "If, in the unlikely event you end up in the water, either the car will button up shut to keep water from entering or it will go into the hydro mode as it should and float."
"Anything else?" Carter asked.
"Be prepared for some serious G-forces. If you let go of the wheel, the car will slow to a stop to prevent an accident. And if you keep going before that pole way down there, I programmed him to start slowing down before you run off the edge." Ford said.
"Okay, looks like everything is covered then. I should be just fine." Carter said starting the car.
More than a few people cheered as she revved the engine loudly, causing the blue flames to erupt out of the exhaust.
"How fast is this thing now?" Sheppard asked.
"Depends." Ford said loud enough Sam heard him. "You floor it, you'll peel out before taking off in a burst of speed. Say about two seconds to hit 60 then. Do it slow and then punch it, about two seconds or less."
"What's the top speed?" Rodney asked as he was scanning.
"Not sure. Haven't found a open spot long enough to try. K-9 believes I could hit Mach one, possibly two, if I had enough open space. Okay Sam, whenever you are ready." Ford said patting the top above her.
A lot of people cheered as she floored it. Ford realized he forgot to mention something else as the car lifted into the air on its back wheels and took off with her screaming a second later, leaving a nice burnt trail on the ground where the flames hit.
"Holy crap!" Sheppard exclaimed like many others did, some more of the vulgar variety as the car became a dot quickly.
"Oops." Ford muttered as he rubbed his head.
"Only five seconds have passed and she is already at the end of the pier. And most of the way was on the back wheels!" Rodney exclaimed. "That is incredible!"
"I hope the waves and rain will rub out these black marks." someone in the crowd said.
"I know." Ford said as he rubbed his face. "I plan on driving around the city a lot while teaching Sally to drive. She's coming back."
"Not as fast as before." Rodney stated.
"Was that suppose to happen?" Sheppard asked while angling his hand.
"Yes, but I didn't think she'd floor it, so I forgot to tell her about that." Ford said as she stopped near them. "I didn't realize it would happen to me either when I did it. But I thought it was cool myself."
Her hair was a mess and she got out shaking slightly.
"You okay Sam?" Sheppard asked as Ford was trying not to laugh with several other people.
"You, forgot, something." Carter stated with a steely voice.
"I didn't think you'd floor it. Nice hair by the way." Ford said.
"Ya think? It's going to take me an hour to get rid of the knots!" Carter exclaimed, and then, after taking a deep breath. "Other than that, I had a lot of fun! Kinda reminded me of my flying days, but without the wind. Now, I'm going inside in hopes that my stomach leaves my throat."
"Does that mean you want to do it again?" Ford asked to her retreating form.
"Another time, and with the window up." Carter said as she kept walking with her tense form.
"Rodney…" Ford said turning to him.
"Oh no. I can barely fly a Jumper, there is no way I am getting into that thing." Rodney said waving his hands. "I'd rather stand by and just watch, take readings."
"John…" Ford said.
"Can't wait." Sheppard said with a big smile as he got in.
Over the next hour, many people tried the car out. About a dozen of them ended up going over the edge, where the car transformed and flew back to the starting line, and then changed back. A few people let go right as the car took off, only to stop less than a hundred feet from the line. Thankfully, no one threw up, inside the car. A few people did get out and did so over the side of the pier though. Ronan came out to watch at some point but didn't try. When night came to the point it was difficult to see the pier, Ford got in to be the last one.
"Good night everyone." Ford said and then took off quickly, transforming at the last second to fly off into the sky.
Making a few passes around and through the city, he stopped at the pier that they lived on, put the car back into the T.A.R.D.I.S. and went in for the night.
