Chapter Six

Jennifer Keller was bored. She stared at her laptop screen as she slowly massaged her temples. It had been something of a slow week, and today was no better as she sat in the med lab going over the month's inventory report. She needed her request for supply restocks to go through soon. Now, this was the great conundrum of her profession – being bored was supposed to be a good thing. To want excitement meant wanting someone to get sick or injured. Certainly, she didn't want that, but she couldn't deny she wanted an indefinable something to happen.

Then the noise began, softly at first. She cocked her head and squinted her eyes, trying to focus on it. It grew louder, intruding into the med lab. Then she smiled – Carson was whistling. Again.

"Good morning, lass," he said as he entered the room and patted her shoulder. "It's quite the lovely day outside."

"Is it? I've been trapped at this workstation all morning."

"Oh, aye," he said, grabbing a lab coat from a rack in the corner. "Started my morning off with some fishing off the east pier. Just grand if I do say so myself."

She shut her laptop and spun her chair around – anything was better than spending another minute on inventory reports. Carson's fishing story was not the "something" she'd been secretly hoping for, but it was still something. "Did you catch anything?" she asked, trying her best to sound enthused.

He didn't buy her enthusiasm, but he couldn't help but appreciate the effort. A broad grin spread across his face and he took a seat on the edge of her table. "Indeed I did." He spread his hands about a foot apart. "Now, imagine to yourself a fish with four blue eyes. Green scales like emeralds, and I dare say eight fins."

"Sounds like quite the catch. Don't let the zoologists see it, or they'll be demanding to dissect it," she said with a laugh.

He nodded in agreement. "Aye, it was too beautiful an animal so I tossed it back."

"A true sportsman, Carson."

His face brightened as a brilliant idea caught his mind. "You and Rodney should join me next time. You don't get out of this lab nearly enough, and Rodney is… well Rodney."

She grinned resting her chin on her palm. "Just the three of us?" Her grin turned mischievous.

"Well, Sheppard's certainly welcome. Invite who you like. The more the merrier I always say," he said.

"You wouldn't want me to invite Dr. Porter?"

Carson blushed and pushed up off the table. "You can invite whoever you bloody well like. Do you think I'm the type of man who goes around telling people who they can and can't invite? Scotland takes pride in its hospitality I'll have you know."

She raised her hands in mock defense. "I wasn't implying otherwise. I was just saying…"

"No, no. I… I know what you're saying. Throwing around these wild implications," he said, quite flustered.

She nodded as he spoke, trying not to laugh. "Right. Wow. Umm, you've got it bad, Carson. You should umm… try to control that."

He sighed and shrugged. "You're telling me. Do you think I can blame that on the cloning?"

She covered her mouth to stifle her chuckle. "Sure, sure. If that's not a good excuse I'm not sure what is."

He nodded and turned his back, heading to a nearby computer station where his experiment had been running all night.

"But you worry too much," Keller said. "She thinks you're adorable."

Stopping in his tracks, he turned around. "She mentioned me?"

She glanced at the ceiling sheepishly. "I might have brought you up over lunch the other day. Possibly. It's so… you know it's so hard to remember. This month has been," she clenched her fists to drive the point home, "so busy. You know, maybe it was Teyla."

"Jennifer…"

"Dr. Keller," Woolsey's voice over the med lab intercom made her jump with a start.

She shook her head. "Yes, Mr. Woolsey?"

"We have an off world medical emergency – it's Sheppard's team. Please have your staff start prepping, and I need you in the gate room immediately."

She and Carson shared a knowing glance. "On my way," she replied. She leapt from her chair with a mixture of controlled panic, adrenaline-fueled excitement, and a small amount of shame to balance her excitement. "Carson, you feel like taking a trip?"

"Just say the word, missy."

"Get a response team together and head on up to the control room," she said, grabbing her coat as she headed for the door. Then she shouted over her shoulder, "and if you think we're done discussing Alison, you are sadly mistaken."

Keller rushed down the hallway towards the Atlantis control room, careening around corners, and throwing a few polite elbows where needed. Woolsey had been vague. "Medical emergency – it's Sheppard's team." That was it – no more details. What if McKay was hurt or finally had succeeded in blowing himself up with some strange alien device he shouldn't have been messing with? These thoughts raced through her mind.

She felt some small relief as she was entering the control room. The gate was active and Mckay's voice was coming through the radio.

Woolsey appeared at least slightly annoyed, standing beside the console, currently being manned by Chuck, with his arms crossed. "Who are they, Dr. McKay?" Woolsey insisted.

Keller could tell from his tone that that was probably at least the third time Woolsey had asked that question.

"I've just told you," McKay replied with annoyance. "This is one of those rare instances where you know almost exactly as much as I do. You should go mark it on the calendar."

"Now, is not the time, Dr. McKay. I need to know more. You have no idea who you are about to send through that gate," Woolsey countered. "Where's Colonel Sheppard?"

"Carter asked him to stay down in the lower gateroom with our… guests. He's helping get things organized. You know, being a boyscout. Look, Sheppard, Carter, and Jackson all seem to be in agreement on this. If these… people don't get help, some of them will die, Woolsey."

That last statement caught her attention and she impatiently stepped closer to the console. "What's this about?" she asked.

Woolsey held up his hand, motioning her to hold on for a moment, which made lips twitch and her face burn, as he finished his conversation with McKay. "Alright, Dr. McKay, you've made your point. We'll have everything ready. However, would you please inform Colonel Sheppard again that I need to speak with him as soon as possible." He turned to Keller. "Dr. Keller is here now."

"What's going on, Rodney? What's your status?"

"I'm really not sure," he replied helplessly. "They're just giving me tidbits. Sheppard says we may have as many as twenty wounded. Some of them are critical."

"What happened? Who is injured?"

"I don't know, Jen. All I know is it's none of our people. There was an accident and Dr. Jackson had to use the Stargate. Five minutes later he comes back through the gate apparently with a tribe of wounded in tow."

"Do you know the nature of their injuries?"

"Yeah, hold on. I've got Sheppard on the other end filling me on some of the details," Rodney said. He was silent for a few moments. "Ok, I've got some more from Shepard. There are currently four critically injured in the elevator on the way up. They should be heading through the gate in the next five minutes or so. Shepard says the Hammond's medics will deal with the minor wounded, but they're sending the serious ones straight through the gate to you."

"How many is that?"

"He says besides the four injured on the elevator he has twenty-one people with him in the gateroom. There are two critically injured still in the gateroom and nine seriously injured. Hold on one second, Jen."

There was a clank over the radio as Rodney removed his earpiece and tossed it on the table. Woosley and Keller glanced at each other as they could hear McKay arguing in the background. After about thirty seconds he came back on.

"Alright," he said with a sarcastic chuckle, "Sheppard says you need to prepare your staff… and let me be clear I have no idea how one prepares for this, but you need to be prepared to treat aliens."

She glanced questioningly at Woolsey. "Aliens? Are there wraith?" she replied in shock.

"Not wraith. I don't know what. Sheppard says besides the humans, he can see at least four distinct alien species in his group. And some of them are apparently… kinda big."

"How the hell do I treat someone whose physiology I have no experience with?"

"That's what I told Sheppard, but he says the group has a couple of medics with them that will be able to help," McKay tried reassure her. "He says their injuries are combat-related. Now, he says not to get confused, but one of the patients is named Shepard."

"I think I can cope with two people having the same last name, Rodney," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger. Hold on a second," he said and pulled off his earpiece again.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Woolsey said.

As they stood there, they caught random bits of Rodney's conversation through his discarded earpiece that only strengthened Woolsey's unease. "What do you mean there's a robot… ok, why is the robot angry… violating its mission parameters… just tell it to shut up or I'll come down there and rewrite its mission parameters… sentient... are you serious.. fine fine… Ok, Sheppard, I said fine."

The radio crackled as Rodney snapped his earpiece back on. "Ok, Sheppard says you might want to have a security team ready just in case. Tensions are running a little high."

"Did you say something about a robot, Dr. McKay?" Woolsey asked.

"Yeah, that's just something," McKay replied offhandedly.

From her spot in the control room she could see Beckett and his team prepping down on the main floor to go through the gate.

"Dr. McKay," Woolsey interrupted, "Dr. Beckett's team is ready, so we need to cut this conversation short. Shut down your gate, and we'll send the doctor through to assist in getting the wounded back here and to assess the situation."

"Don't forget the security team on standby. Just in case," Rodney suggested.

"I've got every security team on standby, Dr. McKay. Let's hope Sheppard knows what he's doing."

The elevator began its several minute ascent up the shaft. The elevator was barely deep enough to accommodate the stretcher with Daniel and Carter at each end of it. So Daniel found himself with his back pressed hard against the rear wall while Carter's face was mere inches from being crushed against the doors. Two other critically wounded – a human male and a quarian female lay on stretchers on the floor. Cerine was supporting a third, Sgt. Mileta, who could barely walk, while Kaeta continued to try to stabilize Shepard. The sound of wheezing breath – lungs filling with blood – permeated the small room.

"Without T'soni this is going to be a lot more difficult," she said to Daniel.

Daniel couldn't disagree. "I know, but we have Mordin's research, the dialing program, and all the prothean data we could get our hands on."

"Daniel," Carter said trying to interrupt as politely as possible, "we have a few minutes until we get up top. Can you please give me the short version?"

Daniel let out a sigh and couldn't help but smile. "Short version. Right. Umm… alternate universe."

"Janus actually designed a gate to travel to alternate universes? The science behind that must be incredible."

"Well, yes and no. He didn't design it alone."

"Who helped him?" she asked curiously.

"That information is a little sketchy, and part of the longer version of this story."

"A little bit of time seems to have passed for you."

"Unfortunately the gate I came out of did not have any sort of control device. It took us months to create a dialing program and uncover the right coordinates for us to come back to the moment just after I left."

"Months? How long have you been gone?"

"Just over five months, give or take," he replied.

"What was all that about asking the wraith for help?"

"A long story. In the alternate universe the entire galaxy is under attack by an advanced race of hyper-intelligent starships… more or less."

"The Reapers," Cerine chimed in. "Every 50,000 years they come in and wipe out all the advanced civilizations."

"Oh my God. So, something like the wraith," Carter said in disbelief.

"Maybe, but very different motivations. Trust me," Daniel said, "it's worse than it sounds. I just came from Earth. It's a smoldering husk."

"Well, we're glad you're back."

"Unfortunately, I didn't come back with good news," he said apologetically. "This is all just the beginning. I believe the Reapers, or some form them, exist in our universe. This facility all ties into this somehow. I believe our Ancients found a way to destroy the Reapers or at least drive them back. We need to figure out how, so we can help my new friends save their galaxy."

Cerine's omnitool radio crackled. "This is Lt. Asil."

"Lt., this is Medic Ithos," the salarian said. "Cronos is… agitated."

Cerine's brow furrowed. "Define 'agitated.'"

"He says he was sent here by Legion specifically to help Shepard, but he logically cannot help Shepard if he is not with Shepard," Ithos explained. "Being in this room is violating his mission parameters. He does have some minor damage, and I believe being separated from the geth network is… affecting him."

"Cronos has always been a little odd… for a geth," Cerine conceded. "Assure him that he will return to normal mission parameters shortly. Tell him… tell him that he can help Shepard by helping the wounded. She will need them able to fight with her when we return to Earth."

"Affirmative. I will attempt your solution."

She then looked at Daniel and Carter who were watching her closely and gave a weak smile. "The joys of a new command."

Carter smiled to herself knowingly. It hadn't been that many years since she'd been given her own first command, and now she had just stepped into a brand new and quite different one. She tried to focus on those thoughts and not the burning fire that was traveling up the muscles in her arms. It wasn't that Shepard was overly heavy, but the difficult position of being forced right against the door made it nearly impossible for her to move or adjust her position.

The elevator finally, mercifully came to a stop and the doors slid open. Dr. Beckett was already waiting right outside the entrance with half a dozen gurneys and an equal number of nurses and medics.

"Alright, we're up. Let's get these patients loaded and back to Atlantis stat," Carson ordered.

"This one is the most critical," Kaeta said as they came out of the elevator with Shepard. "She's lost a lot of blood and has extensive burns. She was knocked at least 10 meters and has internal bleeding. Her cybernetics are overheating due to the strain."

Beckett was momentarily taken aback by the turian. The doctor in him quickly pushed curiosity side and focused on the patient. "Bloody hell. I certainly hope there are none worse than this," he replied and assisted one of the nurses in sliding her onto the gurney.

Cerine came quickly out of the elevator, nearly dragging Mileta. She quickly hoisted her loyal commando onto one of the gurneys and rushed to Carson, who was already at work on Shepard, and grabbed his arm, not too gently. Carson was taken aback, by yet another alien, but also by the determination in her tired face. "Doctor, this one cannot die."

"If I have anything to do with it, none of them can, lass," he replied.

Cerine shook her head and tightened her grip. "You don't understand. If she dies… trillions go with her." Her voice, even her blue eyes, became pleading, "you have to keep her alive."

"Then perhaps, you'd best let me get to work," he said simply.

She nodded and released his arm.

Carson looked to Sgt. Vakarian. "You said cybernetics? I need you to come with me young lady. Sounds like Dr. Keller may need you on this one."

She turned to Cerine for confirmation.

Cerine nodded. "You're assigned to Shepard for the time being, Sgt. Do not let her out of your sight until you see me again."

They immediately began wheeling her out of the room to the stargate as the nurse started an iv. Neither Carson nor the nurse questioned the turian as she continued to apply medi-gel.

"I'll see her to the gate and then be back to work on the others," Carson shouted back at them.

"Daniel, you should go with her. I need to stay here to watch over our people. I want to be here to reassure them as they come up," Cerine suggested.

Daniel nodded and followed them out of the room.

Cerine turned to see Carter and the other nurses getting the rest loaded onto the remaining gurneys. She smiled, for the first time that day, and suddenly felt there was hope again.

The brilliant ribbons of blue energy enveloped the Aurora-class ship as it rushed through hyperspace. On the bridge, Elizabeth paced back and forth, musing over the events of the past half hour. The soft blue glow filtering through the windows provided an ethereal quality to the room. Her people were in danger. Her people. She smiled at the thought. The replicators were here people, despite there being less than a dozen of them, and she was afraid for their safety; she was still adjusting to the preposterousness of the idea. Nevertheless, they looked to her for protection and guidance, and she would do her best not to let them down, but it wasn't just them. Atlantis was in danger. Indeed, she feared the entire Pegasus galaxy was in peril. She knew that Oberoth had survived the destruction of Asuras, and he would stop at nothing to exact revenge them and on every last human in galaxy.

Toran studied the results on the screen. This was the fourth time he had scanned and the results were conclusive. "If this is accurate, then we have a problem," he said.

Niera looked up from her console on the other side of the bridge and turned around in her chair. "What is it?"

"All traces of the Aelsa Wave are completely gone."

Elizabeth stopped her pacing. Toran was young, and now he was afraid and such a thing was a completely foreign experience to him.

Niera jumped from her seat and rushed past Elizabeth over to him. "What do you mean gone? You said it was just decreasing in intensity."

"It was! I've run four separate scans. In the first scan the strength of the wave in this sector had decreased by 20%. It grew weaker in subsequent scans and in the fourth it is now completely gone."

"Could it be a problem with the sensors?" Elizabeth asked, though she knew the answer.

Niera nodded. "Possibly. Toran, run a diagnostic on all the systems. There may be a problem with the sensor array."

He shook his head vehemently. "There's no problem with the sensors. It is simply gone!" he snapped and gave an insincere chuckle. "The Aelsa Wave is dead…"

"And us along with it," Niera said, completing his thought.

Elizabeth clasped her hands behind her back and turned towards them. "Perhaps," she said, "Oberoth got what he wanted. If he managed to find the last relay…"

Niera scoffed and shook her head. "Not likely. He searched for the location for years. If he had discovered it, he would've destroyed it. And with the destruction of Asuras the potential for him to find it would be statistically insignificant."

"Does the reason matter at this point? Something has happened," he argued.

"Could we repair one of the damaged relays?" Niera asked.

It was Toran's turn to scoff as he spun back around to face his console. "Oberoth made sure any Aelsa relay that was discovered was obliterated from existence, and he eliminated any data that might allow us to construct a new one."

"We need help with this," Elizabeth said and took a seat in her captain's chair. "I'm taking us to Atlantis. Call it a hunch… but I think they're involved in this. We always had knack for getting into trouble in the most unexpected places."

Toran and Niera both turned to her. "We don't know where it is," they said in comical unison.

"No." Elizabeth gave them a cryptic smile. "But I do, and fortunately, Atlantis also has a knack for getting out of trouble in unexpected ways."