Author's Note: More set up in this chapter, no action yet. But soon :D

Chapter 3

"Chevron six encoded," Sergeant Harriman announced over the loudspeaker.

Selene watched as the Stargate rotated slowly towards the final chevron. She suppressed a grimace at the absence of her usual weapons. She knew she shouldn't be annoyed, it was the opportunity of a lifetime, despite the circumstances. Though her usual job involved combat and covert ops, having a basically unlimited lifespan meant she had plenty of time to dedicate to other subjects, and the part of her that had enjoyed earning her two doctorate degrees was relishing the opportunity.

Nevertheless, she was a warrior first, and being without her own weapons was bothering her. The US Air Force had issued her an M9 pistol, but the weapon was unfamiliar. On top of that, she didn't have any 9mm silver nitrate rounds for it. Without her speciality ammunition, she might as well be unarmed if it should come to a direct confrontation with the lycan agents.

Hopefully it won't come to that, she thought. Then again it would be just my luck for the damned lycan to be on duty right when I walk through this thing.

"Chevron seven encoded," Harriman announced.

She was the only person in the shipment to Atlantis. Atlantis. Wasn't that a fine thing to find out was actually real? Given the revelations about the Ancients and their place in human history, she wondered how many of the world's ancient legends had some kind of basis in fact.

"Chevron eight, locked," Harriman announced.

A loud electrical hum issued from the gate as the superconductors released their stored energy. What looked like a fountain of water issued forth from the center of the gate, quickly stabilizing into the coruscating colors of an active wormhole.

"Remarkable," Selene said.

"Dr. Shackleford, you are clear to proceed," General Landry said over the intercom. She turned and nodded to Landry and proceeded up the ramp.

She stepped through, closing her eyes on instinct. For all that the event horizon of the wormhole looked like a puddle of water, there was no sensation of dampness or wetness when she stepped through. Her skin went cold, and an odd stretching sensation enveloped her. It seemed to last forever, but at the same time it was over almost before she could register it.

She emerged from the wormhole in Atlantis's gateroom. The area was bustling with activity as supply crates followed her through the gate. A man with dark hair in Air Force BDUs approached her, and held out his hand. "Dr. Shackleford, I presume?"

She took his hand. "Yes."

"Major Evan Lorne, United States Air Force," he greeted. "Dr. Weir will want to see you as soon as you get settled in." He handed her a tablet. "This is yours to keep while you're here. I took the liberty of bringing up your housing arrangements, I figure you'd probably like to get all your stuff in your bunk right away."

"Thank you, Major," she said.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Lorne said.

Selene looked around, surreptitiously. The briefing packet said that the Atlantis base was enormous, so it was unlikely any lycan agents were in the room with her, but she didn't want to take any chances.

Everyone around her seemed regular human, though. Lycans were crafty, it wasn't out of the question that he was watching her even now, but somehow she didn't think so.

She shook herself from her thoughts. Can't stand here forever. Work to do.

She found her bunk quickly enough. It was in one of the lower levels, not far from Dr. McKay's main research labs. The room was fairly spacious all things considered. Far nicer than she would've expected for a military outpost, but then again, Atlantis hadn't been built purely as a military installation either. She dropped her stuff off and left immediately to return to the gateroom.

Upon returning to the gateroom, she made for Dr. Weir's office, but the base commander was still involved in something that looked important. Rather than disturb the woman, Selene went to the balcony and stepped aside.

Atlantis was floating serenely in the middle of the ocean. There was a gentle breeze, and it carried a strong ocean smell to it. But the smell wasn't quite right. Familiar, but different. It was a clear day without a cloud in the blue sky, a sky that was not quite the right shade of blue.

That's when it hit her. My God, I'm actually standing on another planet. In another galaxy.

"It's a nice view."

Startled, Selene turned to see Dr. Weir approaching her. Pay attention, she chided herself. You just got surprised by an ordinary human.

"Very nice. Very alien," Selene said. "It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Weir."

"I'm glad you're here Dr. Shackleford," Weir replied. "So what do you think of our little operation so far?"

"Haven't been here long enough to say for certain, but it's remarkable, that's for sure," Selene said.

"Remarkable we do before breakfast. Unbelievable comes after that most days," Weir said. "Come step into my office for a few minutes."

XXXXXXXXXX

John Shepard stood as Weir returned to her office with Dr. Shackleford. Shepard held out his hand. "Lieutenant Colonel John Shepard. A pleasure."

Shackleford was slender and fit looking with hair as dark as midnight. She was unusually pale, as if she spent as little time in the sun as possible. Not too uncommon among research lab types, but it made her a striking individual, the sort of person you wouldn't easily forget.

"Likewise, Colonel," Shackleford replied, shaking his hand. Nice strong grip she has, Shepard mused. Looks like she works out a bit. She'll probably be able to keep up with us in the field, thank God.

Everyone seated themselves. "Colonel," Weir began, "Dr. Shackleford is here to study how the Wraith feed. She and I were both hoping you'd be able to arrange for her to go into the field with you."

"Doctor, I assume you've seen the videos?" Shepard asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Well, I have to say, if you're still willing to study the Wraith up close after seeing that, then you're made of pretty stern stuff," Shepard said.

"Someone has to do it," Shackleford said. "I am quite ready to begin."

Shepard nodded. She wasn't the soft around the edges academic he had been afraid he'd be stuck with. "I've got a good feeling about this, Doctor. I think you're going to be an excellent addition to the team. We were planning an expedition to M6V-231 three days from now. I know that's hitting the ground running pretty fast, but do you think you'll be ready by then?"

"Absolutely," she said.

"Great," Shepard replied.

"With that taken care of, if you don't mind Dr. Shackleford, there a few other items I need to discuss with Colonel Shepard. Why don't you go and make yourself at home?"

"Of course," Shackleford said. "Good day to both of you."

Once Shackleford had left, Weir said, "So, what do you think?"

"She's really intensely focused," Shepard said. "Frighteningly so. Her bearing is almost military, not what I would've expected from an academic. Somehow, I don't expect that she will have trouble in the field."

"Rodney doesn't have trouble in the field," Weir pointed out. "Can't judge a book by its cover."

"Yeah," Shepard grimaced. "Rodney had to kind of grow into his role, but credit where it's due, he eventually did."

"Any word on the location of Lieutenant Abramson?" Weir asked.

"No," Shepard sighed. "We have no idea where he is. I ordered him not to go wandering around the unexplored parts of the city, but I'm betting he did anyway. I've got search teams still looking."

Weir nodded. "Am I the only one getting a bad feeling about Abramson?"

"No," Shepard muttered. "It's been one of those kinds of weeks."

XXXXXXXXXX

"-one of those kinds of weeks," Selene heard Shepard say. Her superhuman hearing had stood her in good stead once again.

Could Shepard's missing man be the lycan agent? If so, why is he hiding? Or did Abramson discover the lycan agent? Maybe the lycan killed him to protect his cover.

She wasn't sure, but she knew she had to find out. It might be nothing, probably was nothing, but she couldn' afford to assume that.

While she could walk during the daylight, she still preferred to hunt at night. I will get settled in as Weir suggested. Once night falls, then the real work begins.