A/N A reviewer asked how they're transporting through the shields. The Asgard can beam through shields and the Prometheus has an Asgard transporter on board. Hermiod took out two Wraith ships doing it on the show. I'm sorry I didn't make that clearer earlier, but I'm not sure where I could have included it as part of the story. The outpost has to do the same thing since its shield has to be up permanently.

"Allyson is getting people started on checking the labs." Alexander reported to Jon a few days later. "I want to get started on teaching people to fly the jumpers."

"Jumpers?"

"That's what Sheppard is calling the gate ships. I gotta admit, I like it."

"Jumpers. Huh. Works for me. I take it only the descendants can fly them?"

"Yes. They're high level, like the control chair."

"Go ahead. We may need them at some point."

"They're a secondary line of defense, all of them carry mini drones, like the Altimah, but don't have a control chair. Too small."

"I can see that, they'd be one person ships if they did."

A few hours later, Alexander reported back.

"Sheppard's a natural and Lorne's pretty good too. Beckett is not allowed to fly one, unless it's an emergency. He's just too nervous. It's the drones, he knows they're there and they bother him. All the rest need flight time to get comfortable."

"Good. Especially since I'm recommending you assign Sheppard to lead AG 1."

"I'd already decided that myself. Markham will lead team two, Stackhouse team three. Those are the only first contact teams I'm putting together right now. Teams four, five and six will be follow up teams. Lorne will escort Dr. Weir when we have someone for her to negotiate with. I want to make sure that some of the reverse engineered shield emitters and pulse pistols are here on Atlantis, in case the shield is ever breached. The descendants can use the equipment that's gene locked."

"Sounds good. Have you picked a world for us to start with?"

"Sateda. They were an industrialized world 10,000 years ago, within decades of being able to reach their moon. If the Wraith are no longer a concern, they'll be centuries beyond Earth at this point, unless they suffered a different setback, internal strife, for instance."

"Sounds like a good place to start. Let me know what you find."

"I will." Alexander tapped his communicator. "Sheppard, collect your team and meet me in the hanger bay, we're going on a field trip."

"Be right there."

About twenty later, Major Sheppard flew the jumper he'd claimed as his own through the Stargate and onto Sateda.

"Oh my God." Captain Maxwell Jenkins muttered.

"You can say that again." Sheppard agreed.

Before them was a devastated landscape. An industrialized world, destroyed. Alexander used the jumpers scanners.

"Gods, I'm reading Wraith energy signatures, orbital bombardment. Recent, this world died less then a decade ago."

"Then the Wraith are still around." Sheppard commented.

"I'm reading the current level of technology the Satedans had, it's not as advanced as it was 10,000 years ago. Who knows how many times they had to fight their way back over the last 10,000 years."

"Either they gave up and left or there weren't any survivors." Sheppard said.

"Less then a decade. It's been nearly four years since Corda and I ended up here. To come so close and be late."

"This isn't your fault, Alexander."

"No, it's my people's fault. A terrible war strategy and then they just abandoned them. After being responsible for both the humans and the Wraith existing."

"They couldn't have foreseen the Wrath evolving."

"No, but our military leaders did foresee the evitable end to our leaders war strategy and our leaders refused to listen. Take us back to Atlantis, Major. There's no one on this world for us to help."

"Yes, sir."

"We'll try another world tomorrow. Hopefully we'll have more success."

Alexander reported to Jon after Sheppard docked his jumper.

"You're back sooner then I expected." Jon said, when he saw Alexander.

"Sateda's a dead world. Orbital bombardment, Wraith energy signatures, less then a decade ago."

"Then they are still around."

"Yes."

"Damn it, I was hoping - ."

"So was I."

"What's the next world on your list?"

"Athosia. Also advanced. A spiritual people with a deep respect for their world, but not afraid to fight."

"Sounds good. Go see Corda, you need a break."

"So do Sheppard and his team. He's doing loop de loops. It'll relieve some of their stress."

"I understand. Jack saw alot of death in his career and he learned to try to find joy in the little things."

"So do most soldiers."

All too soon it was the next day and AG 1 headed out to explore a new world.

"I'm reading human life signs just a few miles from the gate." Alexander reported. "I'm also reading the remains of a city just a few miles beyond them. Long abandoned and no energy signatures still evident. The people I'm reading, I'm seeing small hints of technology, but mostly, it looks like they're living in tents. Maybe nomads."

"Well, I'm going to set down a few miles away from them. I think we should walk. If they're living in tents and have minimal technology, the jumper might not go over so well."

"Good thinking and leave it cloaked."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, let's go meet the neighbors." Alexander ordered.