A/N I'm going to take a minute and poll my readers on a question. There's an episode of Stargate Atlantis where the Rodney McKay of another reality visits the show's reality. There's a few different ways I could go in writing that episode and I'd like your opinions on the matter. Do I use the McKay from one of my established au's, The Protectors or The Brave, do I use the McKay from the episode itself, not my first choice or an original McKay. Some things to bear in mind. Any au McKay from one of my established au's, is going to know information about Xander and Cordelia that they don't know about themselves and their teammates don't know about them. In addition, the McKay from the au used in the show, wouldn't know them at all. If you have an opinion on this matter, please note it in the comments. Thank you for your input.

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Over the next several days, Elizabeth Weir completed one of the most important treaties she'd ever negotiated. In exchange for the use of the Tarani docking facility and crew support with on the job training, Earth would provide resources, training and officers for the Wraith Slayer. The two groups, Earth and Taranis, would work together to repair and utilize the Ancient warship in defending the Pegasus Galaxy from the Wraith. Though it would take weeks to finalize repairs with McKay and Zalenka working nearly around the clock, it was finally completed to their satisfaction. Recently promoted to Lt. Colonel, Evan Lorne, formerly of AG 3, took command of the Wraith Slayer and began patrolling the Pegasus Galaxy, ready to defend any world attacked by the Wraith. No one knew when it would have its first confrontation, but the crew was as ready as they could be.

The Wraith Slayer's very first confrontation happened when AG 1 'gated to a world where Ronan had sought aid from the populace when he'd been a runner. Unfortunately for both him and them, the Wraith had tracked him to that world and culled many of the people. Consequently, they were very angry at him and attempted to take the team prisoner when they saw them. They shot at them with arrows, which resulted in McKay getting shot in the butt and Ronan being captured while Sheppard and Teyla laid down cover fire and Xander carried McKay to the Stargate. Using information gained from the tracker Carson had removed from Ronan, they were able to track him to his homeworld, Sateda and 'gated there, finding themselves playing hide and seek with the Wraith, while waiting for the Wraith Slayer to arrive. Once it did, the Wraith Slayer found its first prey in the hive ship and blew it out of the sky. It made for an incredible fireball. And Ronan had proof, his team, even McKay, would come for him.

Atlantis had sent a malp to a new world and there on the view screen, were images of the Ancients being broadcast back to them. One of them leaned into the camera and said.

"To the people who sent this device through our Stargate, we would welcome the chance to meet new people." An invitation that excited everyone a great deal. So why was Xander feeling uncomfortable? As everyone around him was excitedly discussing taking them up on the invitation, he suddenly realized what the problem was.

"Shut it down! Shut the Stargate down right now!" He shouted.

"Captain?! What are you doing?!" Elizabeth demanded to know.

"McKay, check the sensor log from the malp. I think you'll find it's not recording any heartbeats from whoever those people are." He answered.

Frowning, McKay did so. Then checked again.

"Elizabeth, he's right! There's no heartbeats being recorded. I've turned the malp's sensors all the way up and I'm getting nothing."

She hesitated and then said. "If they have no heartbeats, what are they?"

"Replicators." Xander said flatly.

"Shut it down! Now!" Elizabeth ordered.

"We always wondered where they came from." Xander said. "Now I guess we know. The Replicators are another of the Ancients messes."

"Your hearing must be even better then I thought." Carson said.

"Actually, no it's not. I mean I can hear heartbeats and people breathing if everything else is quiet. But with all of you talking, I shouldn't have been able to."

"Maybe it's another instance of our Ascended doubles tweaking things so we see a danger we would have missed." Cordelia suggested. "I read the SGC's reports on the Replicators, they're scary."

"What are Replicators?" Teyla asked, not having encountered them or heard anyone mention them before.

"Machines with intelligence and in the case of human form ones, self awareness." Elizabeth answered. "And they keep trying to kill people. The last thing we need is another enemy. If it was your Ascended doubles who made it possible for you to know that, they have my sincere gratitude, Xander."

"Mine, too." He answered.

"Well, there's another malp we won't see again." McKay said, gloomily.

"They're yours and Zalenka's version of pets, aren't they, McKay?" Xander snarked.

"Ha, ha. Very funny." McKay grumbled.

"I thought so." Said Sheppard.

"I'm pretty sure he sings them to sleep at night." Cordelia offered.

"I do not! I double check to make sure they're comfortable, that's all." McKay joked back.

"McKay, you made a joke! And it was a good one!" Xander exclaimed.

"I'll have you know, I can be pretty funny." McKay said, a tad grumpily at the implication that he wasn't funny.

"Yeah, usually when you're not trying." Sheppard said.

As Elizabeth listened to AG 1 joke and release the tension of the last few minutes, she silently prayed to whoever might be listening, that the Replicators would not end up being a problem for them in the future.