Chapter 3
"Oh, but how did you get to, what did you call this, Pegasus Galaxy?" the large man was deeply confused at being so far from home, but something more troubling was on his mind.
"Yeah, 3 million light years from Earth or Milky Way. How did you get here, I mean it must have been something incredible. It's not like walking down to your local grocery store." Rodney sat next to the displaced man from Earth and not just wanting to know the technology that brought him to Pegasus, but was genuinely concerned about get him and this man out of the cell and off this ship. McKay was hoping that, if his size was any indication of strength and possible fighting ability, that made his job all the simpler, he could protect Rodney, while he figured away to freedom.
"I don't know." The man said somberly
"You don't know, what? How you got here, the aliens or ship or technology, what exactly don't you know?" Rodney said a little frustrated.
"Anything, I can't remember who I am or where I came from. All I remember was waking up in a tube of some kind in space, drifting. I was in there for days, before ending up here. All I know is my name is Derrick Johnson." Derrick pulled out his wallet and an ID card with his picture on it.
"Let me see." McKay grabbed the wallet and looked through it.
"No driver's license, just this name tag, but this is important though." Rodney had hoped not all of this man's memories where gone. Experiencing different individuals from the Stargate program that had lost their identity, but had for the most part retained their training to some degree.
"Why" the man asked hopefully
"Because you worked at Intel, in fact this badge is from the Seattle center and your badges color and design means you were in the Engineering department. This can be a huge advantage for getting us off this ship." McKay was excited he started going through the tablet looking for something specific, but before he could find it Derrick interrupted him.
"Do you think this can help?" from an inner pocket of the Jacket he was wearing Derrick pulled out a cell phone.
"Well, maybe, I can check your phones motherboard and see if it has anything worth using. But I am not too optimistic about it. Most of these "Smart Phones", aren't really useful for doing anything other than playing games." As he was talking and working on his tablet Derrick interrupted him again. Rodney had a frustrated look on his face.
"I really think you should look it over. Most of the things like apps and what not are there, but there is a weird interface on the last panel of the phone." Derrick did a weird design connection various dots on the opening screen that unlocked the phone.
"How did you know how to do that?" Rodney yet again was validated by his theory of Derrick retaining certain muscle memory and secondary skills that you don't have to think to do.
"I don't know, it just seemed the right thing to do." Rodney waited not really interested in what a smart phone can hold that his tablet, with ancient technology couldn't do.
"See, this doesn't look right, does it?" Rodney's eyes widen as he was looking at the 5th panel of this smart phone. It was a simple menu, but it's what the menu said that was very interesting.
"Probe, Diagnostic, Advanced systems and interface. What type of phone did you say this is?" Rodney seemed perplexed at this phones uncharacteristic functions icons.
"Not sure, when you go to settings on the phones menu and look for the personal info, nothing is there. Only basic generic information, but the apps work and so does the other features." Derrick raised the phone at McKay who quickly felt nervous.
"Ah what are you doing?"
"Probe…." The phone made a very faint chime
"Diagnostic…" on the screen a 3D reference of Rodney with several points of information were available. Derrick handed it to McKay.
"Holy crap, medical, neurological, chemical, biological and technological. This is amazing…." Rodney selected different panels to see the information in the drop down list. Under medical Rodney selected a bright orange dot that was located on his brain image. A panel with a series of information and energy wave pattern showed up.
"Oh my, this this this is unbelievable." McKay was astounded
"What?"
"About a year ago, I was infected by a parasite that caused me to lose my memories. I was taken to Talus a planet that used to belong to the ancients by some friends who wanted to help me regain partial memory clarity, so they could say their good byes."
"That's harsh"
"Yeah, that's what I said, but if they hadn't I wouldn't be here. Anyway, the parasite shrunk from exposure to some gamma radiation the ancients uses a long time ago. Dr. Keller was able to do an interesting surgical procedure that removed the parasite from my head. Your scans are showing those radiations energy signature."
"You mean you still have the radiation in your head or something?"
"No, it's more like an imprint of the exposure to the radiation imbedded in my cells, that your devices picked up. The technology to do something like that is even greater than the ancients or has a very advanced understanding of DNA beyond the subatomic layer." McKay started going through the other information on the smart phone.
"So it's helpful enough that we can find a way to escape?" Derrick leaned over McKay's shoulder as he navigated the phones interface.
"That's a big fat yes. Do you think you can remember the password to get access to the advanced features?" Derrick looked at the 8 digit code and started slowly pressing numbers. The first two attempts were unsuccessful.
"Don't try to over think it, do what you did to open the phone from the lock screen." The words, "One wrong attempt and the phone will disable." Was flashing above the digital keyboard.
ATLANTIS
"Col. Sheppard the Daedalus is ready to depart once you come up with a plan of action for the search of Dr. McKay." In the conference room Woolsey, Teyla, Ronon, Zelenka, Sheppard and Col. Coldwell were brain storming the situation of Rodney's disappearance along with the elders and engineers from the Primori village.
"With the improved long range sensors on the Daedalus fined tuned to this radiation output, theoretically we should be able to track it. " Zelenka pushed back his glasses
"What if they went into hyperspace?" Col Caldwell asked
"Once we do some preliminary modifications to the Daedalus' Asgard Sensor to track this specific radiation, it may also allow us to find the ships unique hyper drive frequency, but as I said it is untested theory."
"Let me know if there is anything you need Col. Caldwell to help speed up the modifications on the Daedalus. Sheppard, Teyla, Ronon take a squad of Marines with you. We don't know who ever took Dr. McKay are hostile or inquisitive, so I would like to be prepared for either. Along with sending Dr. Keller in case there is any emergency medical needs. Be careful."
"I just need Zelenka and his team to make the modifications ASAP so we can be on our way, if I'm not mistaken this time sensitive?"
"Yes, the radiation at the village has already started to decay, but we can get to the planet in an hour and pick up any residual radiation in orbit." They all rose from the table
"Okay, Zelenka get on board the Daedalus with your team and make the modification. I'll get Major Lorne and his squad and meet up with you guys on the Daedalus." John was leaving when Woolsey motioned with a head nodded to walk with him.
"What's up?"
"I know you are anxious to find Rodney, but I need for you to be unemotional to a point. Again we don't know what has happened to McKay or what situation he's in. A very wise man once said, prepare for the worst and hope for the best. What I'm saying is, just be prepared to do your job, just like with Dr. Weir."
John thought long and hard about leaving Elizabeth behind with the Replicators. Many a night he had lost sleep, about what he could have done different and swore he would never let that happen again to a member of his team or to someone he carried about. He thought to himself again, not on my watch.
"You know there is saying I've tried to live by. Leave no man behind, sir." John turned and went to find Major Lorne and his team.