Atlantis Season 4 Episode 11 - Be All My Sins Remember'd
Episode summary: The team have the positions of every Replicator ship in the galaxy, and they plan to use this intel to go on the offensive. The Apollo and the Daedalus arrive in orbit. Rodney hasn't yet managed to create an anti-Replicator weapon, and so plan B is that the two ships will pick off the Replicators one by one. This works for a while, but then the remaining Replicator ships retreat to the Replicator homeworld, thirty-strong, and the Apollo and Daedalus alone wouldn't be a match for them. Atlantis recruit Wraith and Traveller ships to help them. McKay has an idea, and creates a replicator of his own to act as a magnet, pulling all the replicators into one big blob which can then be destroyed by overloading the Replicator planet's ZPMs, while the allied ships take on the Replicator fleet. However, there is a hitch in the plan, when the planet's power grid goes down and they can't overload the ZPMs. Sam – aboard the Daedalus – has an idea to use the planet's composition to cause the replicator mass to sink and implode in the planet's core, and they successfully destroy the planet, along with all of the Replicators.
Author's note: I noticed Sam was absent for the episode immediately following this one … and hey, they defeated the Replicators. That's got to warrant a face-to-face briefing, right?
The wormhole disengaged, and Sam was left looking at the now blank video screen, feeling a little shell-shocked.
"How did the SGC react to our good news?" Sheppard asked, appearing in her office doorway.
"I've been recalled to Earth to brief the IOA 'in person'." She told him.
"Really? Is that necessary?"
"I wouldn't have thought so, but you know what the IOA are like." Sam said. "They probably need a few more details so that they can find a way to complain about it."
"No way." Sheppard scoffed. "We just defeated the Replicators. There's no way they can spin that into a bad thing. It's got to be one of the most decisive victories we've ever had."
"Well, either way, you'll need to take command for the next few days."
"Do you know how long you'll be gone?"
"Not exactly, but I can't imagine it will be more than four days. A twenty four hour quarantine on Midway there and back, plus a couple of days of meetings … that sounds about right, doesn't it?" She squinted.
"Maybe they'll give you some leave time on Earth, so you can visit with your family." Sheppard said optimistically.
Sam smirked sceptically – it was unlikely, as it was less than three weeks ago that she'd been there last. "We'll see."
The twenty-four hours on Midway passed quite quickly – possibly because Sam's mind was thoroughly absorbed, writing an in-depth report of the events leading up to their victory over the Replicators. She still managed to get antsy and inpatient in the last hour though, as she had the last time, although this time she resisted the temptation to dial in early.
Jack and Landry were waiting for her at the bottom of the ramp.
"Welcome back Colonel." Landry said cheerfully. "And congratulations on your victory."
"Thank you sir." Sam smiled. "Although Dr McKay deserves most of the credit."
"The Odyssey is in orbit, so they've agreed to transport you to the Pentagon tomorrow morning at 0800 for your briefing with General Casey and the IOA." Landry told her. "Consider yourself on down-time until then."
"Yes sir." Sam nodded, and Landry gave Jack a pointed look and walked away. Sam looked to Jack.
"Shall we?" He asked.
She grinned and followed him out.
"So tell me Carter, did you defeat the Replicators solely to get yourself a bonus trip home?" Jack teased.
She gave him a withering look, although it was tempered by the grin she still couldn't quite contain.
"Who's babysitting?" Sam asked.
"Vala." Jack answered. "The boys are off-world, although they should be back before you leave."
"Are they still operating as a three-man team?" She asked curiously.
"Yeah. As we're not fighting a war at the moment, there hasn't been a lot of urgency to replace you or Vala, and none of them are particularly enthusiastic about the idea of breaking in a newbie."
Sam chuckled as they got in the elevator.
"Is Beth doing anything new?" Sam asked as the doors slid shut.
"Not since you saw her last." Jack said. "Her legs seem to be getting stronger but she's not doing anything new with them yet, and we haven't got into 'first word' territory yet either. She's still teething though, so she's a bit grumpy at the moment."
"I can't wait to see her." Sam said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Jack smiled and nudged her arm. "I'm glad you got an extra visit."
"Now all I need to do is defeat a new intergalactic enemy every week for the next two and a half months." Sam joked.
It wasn't quite the dramatic scene of her previous return home, but Sam still monopolised Beth for cuddling for a long while after she got home.
Vala happily announced that her baby was a girl, and that she and Daniel would be naming her Serena, after Vala's mother. Sam hoped her acting was good enough that Vala didn't spot that this wasn't a surprise to her.
Cassie joined them for dinner, and then drove Vala home, leaving Sam, Jack and Beth for a quiet night in alone. It was perfect, and exactly what Sam needed after a busy couple of weeks.
After they put Beth to bed, Sam took Jack's hand and pulled him into their bedroom, before kissing him fiercely.
She pulled her shirt off over her head in one quick, fluid move, and smiled at him seductively. "This might be the only night we get before I have to go back. We'd better make the most of it."
Jack practically growled with lust. "I can't wait till you're home for good."