Ace In The Hole
Chapter 45
"We really are pushing the boundaries of madness on this one" Rodney grimaces whilst peering out from under the console
"It will work Doctor... believe me" Cairns sighs.
"Rodney... this new drive has been recreated directly from the blueprints" Radek huffs "Nautilus has copied them to the exact same specifications that the Destiny has been using for millions of years"
"I'm not talking about the Slipstream drive" Rodney huffs whist standing up to dust himself off.
"Ahh" Radek says suddenly understanding.
"Opening a hyperspace window is tricky enough... without trying his hair brained idea" Rodney glares at David who merely grins in return "See I told you he's gone mad"
"I'm not mad Rodney... I just know with every fibre of my being that it is going to work... and if it works on the test it can be scaled up to work on a normal ship"
"You guys wanted to see me?" Sheppard saunters in with Jeannie trailing behind.
"Mer... I've gone over Dr Cairns computations like...a hundred times already... I honestly think it will work!" She says her voice tinged in exasperation at her brothers stubbornness.
"Shouldn't you be off baking a cake or something?" Rodney glares but Jeannie sees through his annoyed look.
"You're still pissed he had the idea before you did" She grins causing everyone in the room to nod in agreement, except Rodney.
"What... No!" he huffs but the slight twitch at the corner of his eye tells everyone a different story. "Opening a hyperspace..."
"We know... Rodney!"
"Colonel... we have gone over this so many times already... if this works..." Radek says
"OK doc... once more from the top" Sheppard says to Dr Cairns holding his finger up to Rodney for him to be quiet.
"We think that it may be possible to activate a Destiny type slip stream drive whilst a ship is already travelling in hyperspace... if we are right it would increase a vessels speed in hyperspace almost ten fold" Cairns says excitedly.
"We think this may be the missing part of the equation" Radek says with an excited smile.
"Missing part of what?"
"The Asgard could travel at incredible speeds but even though the hyperdrives we currently have were designed by them our ships can come no where close to the speeds the could achieve" Rodney says with a sigh.
"This could be the missing piece" Cairns says with a grin.
"So this is all about getting Destiny back right?" Sheppard frowns.
"That was our primary goal yes... although there is the slight problem in the fact that Destiny lacks a hyperdrive... and as good as the people on board are they just don't have the skill or resources to build an hyperdrive from scratch" Cairns sighs.
"We would have to build a ship capable of taking one to them" Rodney adds unable to stop himself.
"OK... I get we need to help the people there but how does this help us?" Sheppard sighs "Teyla has 74 worlds signed up to the alliance already... but you guys have spent the best part of two month's now going over this"
"In our spare time" Radek adds suddenly annoyed.
"I know that Radek... I'm not saying you've been slacking or anything I just want to know why its been worth so much extra work?"
"If... and I do have my doubts" Rodney says "But... If it were to work you could cut down the travel time from Earth to Eden from 4 days like the Odyssey can do with the ZPM tied in to only 9.6hours" Rodney says with a sigh "If it works"
"OK... when you put it like that" Sheppard smiles.
"Destiny has a lot of technology that is unique too her... her shields are powerful enough to enter a star... but!" Cairns says.
"Going by the blueprints we have they should be no stronger than the cities shields" Jeannie says handing him the pad.
"According to that" Rodney points to the blueprints "What she is capable of... Its simply not possible"
"She has to be using a different type of emitter crystal" Cairns says excitedly.
"OK we test the theory then what?" The assembled scientists merely grin.
"They wish to begin building ships?" Teyla says slightly stunned.
"Teyla... Earth is loaning it's ships to us for the moment... but at the end of the day they are Earth's ships" Sheppard sighs.
"Look we need to begin construction of a fleet of our own... it's as simple as that... We can't rely on others to always be there and the traveller ships are basically armed transports at best" Rodney says fiddling with the pad in front of him.
"I agree we have to become self sufficient but the resources needed to build a ship" Teyla says trying to get her head around the idea.
"Look... Teyla... It's not my place to tell you what to do" Sheppard grins at her frown "But I am advising you to at least put some thought into the idea"
"When I agreed to become President of the alliance" Teyla sighs "I didn't think that these kind of decisions would fall to me"
"Well sorry but they do" McKaye mumbles earning a dig in the ribs off Sheppard "Sorry" Rodney mutters to Teyla whilst glaring at Sheppard.
"Do we even have the resources needed?" Teyla looks at Rodney who just glances up from his pad long enough to nod to her.
"Resources are not the problem... man power is..." Sheppard says with a sigh "Earth has the military services of every nation to fall back on... apart from the travellers... ninety nine percent of the people here haven't even ridden a bicycle let alone flown an air superiority fighter or intergalactic starship"
"There are many of our allies I trust... but would we really want to put a warship in the hands of someone like the Gennii" Teyla sighs once more.
"We have an idea there but its going to take a while..." Rodney smiles finally looking up from the pad "Wanna see the design we have in mind?"
"It better not be..." Sheppard says
"It's not" Rodney glares "Besides L.S.S. Enterprise doesn't have the same ring to it" Rodney smiles.
"And it better not be a Star Des..."
"Really!... Lucas would sue the ass off of us" Rodney sighs looking once more at the pad in his lap.
"Are you thinking of building an Aurora class vessel?" Teyla asks but frowns at the look of horror on Rodney's face.
"Please... why would we want to build one of those, They're ugly and lack style?... No... what we need is a signature" Rodney grins.
"A signature?" Teyla asks totally lost but she notices Sheppard's smile so turns to him waiting for an explanation.
"The redesigned 303's, the planed 305 and 306 all have elements of the 304's design... they scream Tauri... they scream Earth" Sheppard says.
"It's all about image... sometimes projecting a certain type of image to your enemies is as important as what weapon to use" Rodney grins handing Teyla the pad "We wanna build something like that..."
"But that resembles"
"Yeh... Destiny"
"Jumper one to control"
[Go ahead sir]
"We are good to go... opening the bay doors"
[Understood Sir... and good luck... Control out]
Slowly Sheppard eases the modified jumper into the air and heads up towards the heavens.
"You didn't have to do this Colonel" Dr Cairns says from the cramped back section.
"Don't make it sound like you have doubts now doc!" Sheppard grins over his shoulder "Someone needs to pilot this thing... besides we have to rely on Rodney's hyperdrive actually working first" Sheppard grins at McKaye who is sat in the co-pilot seat.
"Hey!... my hyperdrive works... but just remember a jumper is not exactly the best test bed for these kind of technologies" Rodney grumbles folding his arms defiantly.
"I told you we can't risk losing a 304..." Sheppard sighs.
"So you decided to risk loosing us instead... I can't believe I agreed to come along" Rodney says jumping up heading to the rear "Will you shift out my way!"
"Sorry" Alex grumbles before dropping down into the now empty co-pilot's seat.
"He's just miffed you won't double check his work" Sheppard grins until he hears Alex sigh.
"He has to trust himself... he's double checked it sixteen times as I know of" Alex manages a weak smile.
"He like to be sure" Sheppard grins.
"He likes to drive me mad!" Alex says loudly so Rodney can hear, causing Cairns to laugh as Rodney issues a few profanities under his breath.
"Hyperdrive is now tied into the jumpers primary power core" Rodney says coming to stand behind Sheppard's chair.
"Slip Stream Drive is tied into the new secondary core and is ready... we are all set" David says with a grin whilst coming to stand behind Alex.
"Sheppard to Atlantis"
[Go ahead Colonel]
"We're about to begin our test run is the fleet in place?"
[We have as many ships as possible positioned at intervals along the route should something go wrong... Colonel]
"Thanks Teyla..."
[Good luck... and God Speed... Atlantis out]
With a nod from everyone on board Sheppard takes the jumper into hyperspace.
"OK here's were things get complicated" David says taking the co-pilot's seat squeezing past Alex who merely smiles as he vacates the seat for him.
"Slip stream drive online and at your disposal Colonel" Sheppard looks around and smiles until he sees Rodney's eyes are screwed tightly shut.
"McKaye?!"
"What?" McKaye opens his eyes to glare at Sheppard but Sheppard is merely smirking, Rodney looks at his hand hovering over the console and grimaces.
"Made you look" Sheppard grins as he hits the button.
In front of the jumper the usual blue and white streaks of the hyperspace field pull open to form a tunnel of misty green light much like the inside of a worm hole, but unlike the meandering worm hole the tunnel it forms is in a straight line. Outside the field stars seem to be whizzing past as pulses of energy ripple along the inner lining.
"It's beautiful" Rodney stutters.
"Congratulations doc" Sheppard grins.
"Thanks" David mumbles but its not until he sees the look of wonder on Alex's face that he finally smiles. "You like?"
Alex grins at him wildly adrenaline and excitement clearly rushing through his veins "I'm so proud of you... all of you"
"Well you better hang on to that pride for a bit... cause we ain't there yet" Rodney moans.
Exactly 57.6 minutes into the test "Power's holding steady" Cairns smiles but has he looks at the next display he suddenly frowns before a look of panic flashes across his face "Hang On?!"
The jumper jolts suddenly has it drops out of hyperspace, the tiny craft shooting out of the hyperspace widow like a rocket before slowing to a stop.
"What the hell was that?" Rodney says panic setting in.
"I think we may have been off slightly in our calculations" Cairns says pointing out of the view port at the planet in front of them.
"You said it would take 9.6 hours!"
"I guess I miscalculated!" Cairns barks.
"By a factor of ten you moron!" Rodney growls.
"Guys!... we have company" Sheppard says with a grin on his face has he sees the ship approaching.
[Hammond to jumper one]
"Go ahead Sam"
[Welcome back to Earth guys... and congratulations]
"This place is looking busy" Sheppard smiles as he and Elizabeth look over the cities balcony to the hustle and bustle below.
"Avalon has now officially taken over as home of the SGC... with the military and scientists that are now permanently stationed here... plus the diplomats and ambassadors it makes it seem a little more crowded than I was used to" Elizabeth grins.
"The city was built to hold one and a half million people comfortably" Alex says as he steps out on to the balcony with Daniel.
"True" Elizabeth nod's with a grin.
"So Colonel... what do you think of the new ship yards?" Daniel says with a smile glancing at the island just across from them.
"Cool... I'm just surprised that the city has been sited right next to them" Sheppard glances across the water "Its not exactly covert"
"The General public are not allowed in this area for now and the council thought that by putting it in full view it would alleviate any lingering mistrust" Daniel says with a smile.
"I can understand that" Sheppard grins.