Chapter Summary: The journey begins in ernest. And with possibly wet feet.
Chapter Word Count: 6,156
Quick Note: Sam and Jack call it a Gate (aka StarGate). The Clan calls them Rings. For reasons.
"How long do we need to stay here," Jack asked Joy, after she'd sent the messages to the probe.
"A week?" Joy said. "Or until we get a response back."
"So we need a camp," Jack said. "Does anyone have any experience camping out?"
"We've all had survival training," Andy said. "Both the Shadows and Troopers take a month long course. So, all of us." She gestured at the others in their hard suits.
"Good," Jack said. "We should set up our camp over that ridge, away from the Gate."
"You think someone will come through it?" Andy asked.
"I don't think we can risk it," Jack said. "Fortunately, it's summer here, so we don't need to worry about the cold. But we should find some source of food, so we don't eat our supplies unless we absolutely have to."
"The suits can provide energy for six months of nutrition," Andy said. "They'll turn anything organic into edible pellets."
"Yum. Pellets for breakfast. Pellets for lunch, and pellets for dinner," Harry said, grimacing. "You can have my share."
"Let's save that as a last resort," Jack said. "That makes MREs sound appetizing."
"We've only got a week's worth of MRE's," Sam said. "We weren't expecting to be out in the field for more than a couple days."
"We also need water," Janice said. "This looks very Earth like. Maybe there's fish?"
"I knew you planned this," Sam said to Jack. "A fishing vacation."
"While Joy is waiting to get those smoke signals," Jack said, ignoring her, "can we use some of those other toys to explore this area?"
"Of course," Janice said. "Already doing that." She pulled out a small flat device and placed it on the ground. She tapped it and a large half sphere appeared floating in the air above it.
"Sir," Carter said.
"Don't say it," Jack said. "I'm sure the nice Shadow will share if you ask nicely."
"She doesn't have to ask," Joy said. "Once you both get adopted into the Clan, Lady Shadow will give her access to all sorts of tech."
"As long as your General doesn't think we're bribing you to stay with us," Andy said. "That might be an issue."
"Bring back new tech that we can use? That's better than our tech?" Jack said. "He won't have a problem with that."
"We might not want to tell the General about being adopted into the Clan," Sam said. "That might be considered a conflict of interest in some quarters."
"Right," Jack said. "Don't want them to think we've gone native."
"Well, unless you have Clan ancestors, which is very unlikely, going 'full Clan' is difficult," Andy said. "The DNA therapy only works in special cases. And even then it's done only under certain conditions."
"I'd rather not have my DNA modified," Carter said. "I have enough problems with the NID as it is."
"Is that because of the naquadah traces in your blood?" Janice asked. "The current nanite design we use seems to react badly to that. In a white blood cell kind of way."
"That's not what happened to me, is it?" Andy asked.
"Sort of," Joy said. "They were too sensitive to it. So when you popped out of the portal near their Ring, your nanites may have overreacted. But that shouldn't happen again."
"So, you're immune to being snaked?" Jack asked. "No offense to the formerly snaked among us."
"None taken, sir," Sam said, grimacing.
"In theory," Janice said, "but I'd rather not experiment."
"And you won't," Andy said firmly.
"So, what can you show us?" Jack asked, returning to the glowing hologram.
"The lifeforms here are nine tenths Terran compatible," Janice said, "so if you find any fish they won't poison you, hopefully."
"Hopefully?" Jack said.
"We can test them so it won't be a problem," Joy said, giggling.
"There's a large lake to our north, which is in that direction," Janice said, pointing through the Ring. "There's an old road, though it's buried, that heads south of here towards some ruins."
"Ruins or a lake," Jack says, miming tossing a coin. "First the lake, then the ruins if we're still here tomorrow?"
"Sounds good to me," Andy said. "How old are the ruins?"
"Same age as the Ring, give or take a millennium," Janice said. "So there probably isn't much there. All my scanner is picking up are the outlines of foundations for several large buildings. It doesn't show up on the display at the moment."
"The lake and camp first," Jack said. "Who wants to go fishing?"
"What exactly is a Clan adoption?" Sam asked, as they sat around the fire, eating the fish Jack and Harry had caught that afternoon. They weren't feeling any need to rush to the next gate so they were resting before the next day's trip to the ruins.
"We don't have a ceremony of any sort, though some other Clans do. For us it's more about intent and paperwork," Ginny said.
"And we've already announced the intent to the Council. As soon as we get back we fill out tons of paperwork but as of now, both of you are Clan," Joy said
"We need to remember this spot," Jack said, leaning back. "Good fishing, no neighbors."
"No modern facilities," Harry said. "Not that some people seem to care." She waved at Andy and Miranda, cuddling on the other side of the fire.
"I think they deserve some private time," Ginny whispered. "They've been apart for years. Andy thought she was dead."
"Making up for lost time," Joy said. "When we get back they're going to be really busy."
"I bet the Boss has jobs already lined up," Janice said. "She won't let an opportunity like this go by. A bonded pair like that can go places."
"What about Ixchel?" Sam asked, glancing at the woman sitting by herself and staring up at the stars.
"No idea. It really depends on the entire Council," Joy said. "I'm sure they can find a use for her."
"They tend to give the benefit of the doubt," Andy said, speaking up. "Except for certain things."
"Certain things?" Sam asked.
"Drug dealers, and terrorists," Ginny said. "We don't like them."
"Ruins?" Harry asked the next morning. "Shouldn't there be something here?" She waved at the large empty clearing.
"A million years of dirt," Janice said. "It's under here." She stomped on the ground.
"And we're here why?" Ginny asked, retracting her helmet.
"Looking for any clues on the Ring," Janice said. "We know how to activate it, we know there are more, but we have no idea where they go. Any civilization that can build a Ring that lasts a million years should have left other things behind."
"And who gets to dig this up?" Harry asked. Jack pretended to not hear her.
Janice pulled out her sensor pack and looked at it. "We have a couple cavities to investigate. One over there down twenty meters, and one near that tree. Probably an old tower."
Miranda, who'd been quietly discussing something personal with Andy, snorted. "Shall we see what's there?" she asked. Turning into her energy form she floated over to the tree and disappeared. "It's definitely an old tower," she said over the comm. "You'll need a flashlight," she added, reappearing in the clearing.
"You couldn't tell us what's down there?" Harry said.
"And ruin the adventure?" Miranda said, raising an eyebrow.
"Miranda!" Andy said.
"It's an old empty tower," Miranda said, sighing theatrically. "Door at the bottom blocked by stones. If we were going to stay here I would recommend opening it up. It'd be dryer than our camp."
"And the other cavity?" Andy said. "Not that I want to spoil your fun..."
"If I must," Miranda said. She disappeared again. "Large hall," she said. "Looks like it was occupied when it was buried, and some of the residents are still here."
"Still there?" Andy said. "Wouldn't they have turned to dust after so long?"
"Yes," Miranda said, reappearing in the clearing. "Piles of very uncommunicative dust. But they did leave these behind." She held out a handful of small crystals.
"A reader would be helpful," Janice said, grumbling as she took the crystals.
Miranda handed her a small tablet like device. "I suggest you try this."
"I could hug you!" Janice said. "But I won't," she added after receiving a glare from Andy. "It's not a language our translator recognizes," she said several minutes later. Andy leaned over her shoulder.
"Looks a little like Latin. Anyone know it?" she asked.
"Must I do everything myself," Miranda said, taking back the tablet device. "It's not Latin. It doesn't make sense."
"Don't the Ascended know everything?" Jack said, smirking.
"Your Ascended may be arrogant enough to claim that but I've found them to be shockingly parochial when it comes to certain things," Miranda said.
"Which means," Jack said.
"They're boring," Miranda said. "And don't like new things."
"So, no fashion tips or advice from them?" Andy said, grinning. "And they don't care about clothes."
Miranda quickly flashed through her forms.
"Right, different priorities," Andy said. "So, we have some storage devices, probably from the people who built that Ring, but no idea what they say. Now what?"
"We don't tell Jackson," Jack said. "Can't keep him away from the stuff."
"Anything from the probe yet?" Andy asked Joy once they returned from their exploration of the buried ruins. "Anything on the Rings?"
"Artie said the Confederation knows about them but have never gotten them to work. There are at least a dozen in Clan territory in out of the way places," Joy said. "If we can get one to take us closer to the Sol system we can get a pick-up from Fleet."
"Any theories?" Andy asked.
"Not a complete DHD, so it probably only goes to a specific Gate," Sam said. "They were setting up for exploration. No idea what we'll find on the other side."
"Sounds like another day on the job," Jack said. "Jump through a Gate, hope the other side isn't under water. And you can't turn around until everyone is on the other side."
"Or in the middle of a cannibal village," Sam said. "Those aren't good."
"Underwater might be an issue for some of us," Harry said. "Or some airless moon."
"Now you've jinxed us," Jack said, shaking his head. "Murphy must love you."
"Murphy?" Ginny asked.
"Not important," Andy said. "Save it for later."
"So, ready to go?" Jack said, as they gathered near the Gate. "The exploration team, that would be Joy and Ginny this time, goes through the Gate, checks things out and comes back here. If they give it the all-clear we can all go through."
"We don't know the address of this Gate," Sam said, "but we're assuming the next Gate will send you back here. We've determined that this button," she pointed at a button on the DHD with an odd symbol, "is the reverse journey button. If pressing it doesn't work, if we don't see you in an hour we're coming through anyway."
"So, the goal is to not get separated," Jack said. "If you attempt to come back here and end up elsewhere, don't go anywhere. just wait for us to come for you."
"We can defend ourselves, right?" Ginny said. "If someone attacks us going through the Ring we can retaliate?"
"Yes," Jack said, checking things off with his fingers. "Protect yourselves. Safety first. Self preservation is important."
"Yes, Colonel, we get it," Ginny said. "No heroes today."
"And don't forget it," he said, activating the Gate.
Closing their helmets, Ginny and Joy stepped through the event horizon. Time seemed to slow and then rapidly speed up as they exited on the other side, the Ring standing in a foot of water.
"A bit soggy," Joy said, as they emerged into a small amphitheater set into a low hill. "Could do with a little drainage."
"Stone? Or something else?" Ginny asked, flipping through her suit sensors as they moved out of the water. "Seems fairly solid for something as old as it should be."
"Some kind of composite material," Joy said. "More of that crystal the Rings are made from, mixed with something else. So it could be that old. Let's see what's on the other side."
They jumped to the top of the stands in one quick leap. A huge plain was laid out in all directions as far as the eye could see. The suit aided eye could see even further, towards what looked like water glinting in the sun on all sides.
"So, huge flat island, with just this thing in the middle. Someone needs to talk with their tourism board," Joy said. "No points of interest to attract tourists."
"The beach could be nice," Ginny said. "Want to check it out? Plenty of time."
"I've always wanted to walk on an alien beach," Joy said. Jumping off the wall, she raced toward the edge of the island, Ginny keeping pace. As they neared the water, they started to see low walls and other signs of civilization.
"Looks like something came along and sanded down the shore," Joy said when they reached the water. "Guess they don't build them like they used to."
"Or they were built by someone else," Ginny said. "Are you getting this?"
"Of course," Joy said. "Always recording."
"Always?" Ginny said, sounding surprised.
"Always," Joy said. "Though I do require NDAs for certain activities to be removed."
"I don't want to know," Ginny said, her amusement clear.
"Someday," Joy said, smirking. "You never know."
"No," Ginny said. "Do we have enough?"
"Yes, back to the Ring," Joy said. "Nothing to see here."
The trip back took a lot less time, as they cranked their speed up to its max now that they knew they wouldn't be running in to anything or anyone.
"So, do we think it'll take us back to the others or somewhere else?" Ginny said.
"Back to the others," Joy said. "The DHD here is very simple. There's probably a different kind of control somewhere that lets you go to other destinations. We just need to find one."
"Ready?" Ginny said, watching Joy set up a bit of tech.
"Ready," Joy said. As soon as the event horizon settled down, they jump through the Ring.
"Looks like we made it back," Ginny said, in response to the sudden burst of comm traffic as they exited the Ring.
"Easy," Joy said. "Chill folks, we're here."
"What's it like?" Janice asked.
"So, the Ring worked as expected," Sam said.
"No fuss, no muss," Joy said.
"What's on the other side?" Andy asked.
"The Ring is on this huge island," Joy said.
"A huge, flat, empty island," Ginny said, sending video to the other suits. "With beaches and ruins."
"Anything useful?" Jack said.
"Only for a Memory," Ginny said. "Outlines of foundations. And the Ring is inside this huge amphitheater."
"So, just something to protect the Ring and the rest is empty? Any comm traffic?" Andy asked.
"A scanner is gathering data," Joy said. "But there didn't appear to be any sign of people. A very empty planet."
"Janice, please send one last message to the probe explaining what we are doing," Andy said. "Include the coordinates of our destination."
"Pack your things, kids, we're going on a road trip," Jack said, rubbing his hands together.
"Same order as before?" Andy asked, as soon as Janice signaled she was done.
"Works so far," Jack said.
"Watch you feet," Ginny said, before leading the way. "The other side is covered in water."
One by one they stepped through the Ring.
"At least it isn't under water," Jack said, grimacing as water covered his feet. "Do we want to stick around?"
"Joy, get your equipment packed up. Harry and Janice can go next," Andy said. The trooper and Shadow nodded.
"Not bad leading," Miranda whispered in her private comm. "And cooperation."
"Just following a certain person's example," Andy said.
"I wasn't much for sharing," Miranda said, "so I know you aren't using me as an example."
"If the lovebirds could pay attention?" Joy said, laughing. "You missed Jack's speech about the wonders of exploring new planets and ancient civilizations."
"If only Jackson could hear you now," Sam said. "He wouldn't believe it."
"I can be sensitive and excited about exploring new worlds," Jack said. "I'm very historian like."
"I didn't say that," Sam said. "But obviously this trip is agreeing with you."
"I'm sure he'll have opportunities for being crabby," Andy said. "And being skeptical."
"The snark hasn't gone away, so we know this is still Jack," Miranda said.
"I've never been snarky with you, M," Jack said. "I'm an officer and a gentleman."
"And occasionally even you believe that," Miranda said.
"Let's get this show back on the road," Jack said, frowning at her. "Maybe we'll find a map on the other side." He quickly activated the Gate.
"We're going," Janice and Harry said, jumping through the event horizon.
"They're adapting well," Sam said. "It's like a big game for them."
"We grew up in the Matrix," Ginny said. "Reality has a whole different meaning after that."
"The Matrix?" Sam asked.
"It wasn't the Matrix," Joy said. "It was a virtual world environment, similar in design. But a lot safer."
"Why?" Sam asked, looking at Andy as the most senior of them.
"Not my story to tell," Andy said, "but all learning involving physical activity is done in the learning pods, a sort of Matrix-like virtual reality environment. If you're true clan all motor memory and physical changes that occur in the pods affect your physical body and mind."
"So, learn a martial art in these pods and you really learn it?" Sam asked.
"Yes." Andy said. "There's also a time dilation effect. Spend a month in a learning pod and less than a week might pass in the real world. In some ways it's a good thing."
"I liked it," Joy said. "As long as you don't think too hard about what is happening in the physical world."
"I would like to see this," Sam said excitedly.
"That can be arranged when we get back," Andy said. "It's certainly an interesting experience."
"I've had a whole Ancient library downloaded into my head," Jack said. "I think I prefer learning the regular way."
"Your head doesn't look big enough to stick a library in it," Ginny said. "Did it hurt?
"It was kind of scary for the rest of us," Sam said. "By the end, before it was removed, he was talking in Ancient and no one could understand him."
"Not the most exciting experience from my end, Carter," Jack said. "And I didn't know you cared."
"You're my CO and friend," Sam said, glaring at him, "Of course I care."
"A small case of UST?" Joy said to the others privately. "We should hook them up."
"There are rules about that in their military," Andy said. "They could get in trouble."
"They're adopted into our Clan. I think it's our rules that matter here," Ginny said. "Besides, it could be years before we get home." She switched to the common channel. "This is like some overly long and boring episode of Voyager, except on foot."
"Without the crazy encounters with hostile aliens," Joy said. "And the Marquis conflicting personalities."
"We don't seem to have the crabby Klingon engineer," Ginny said. "Though some of the Fleet engineers can get crabby if you scratch their toys."
"Speaking from personal experience?" Jack said.
"Got a little too close to a large mine in the middle of clearing out a lair," Ginny said. "The techs had to cut my suit off. Chief wouldn't let me on active duty for a month after."
"That might have been because you looked like one big bruise," Joy said. "Lady Q wasn't happy."
"Lady Q can be downright suicidal in battle," Ginny said. "We're just following her example."
"Can't wait to meet her," Jack said.
"She's not what you'd expect," Andy said. "Her grandmother is a Hungarian princess."
"And she's an alien? How did that happen?" Sam asked.
"Long story that I can't tell you right now," Andy said.
"She claims to have been one of those mean cheerleader types from the horror movies," Ginny said. "But no one believes her."
"Sam was a geek in high school," Jack said, "and look at her now."
"I saw her service record," Joy said. "The parts not blacked out. If we ever make it back I'm starting a fan club."
Jack nodded, pretending to not see Sam blushing. "You can open a chapter in this dimension. The Asgard named a ship after her."
"They named a ship after you also, sir," Sam said.
"A big honking ship," Jack said. "And Kinsey can't touch it."
"We don't name our ships after living people," Ginny said. "I'm not sure who they are named after actually."
"Lady Air decides," Joy said. "She says they're her ships so she gets to name them."
Before they could continue discussing names of ships, the Ring turned on and Janice and Harry came back through.
"That was quick," Joy said.
"Big cavern inside of a mountain," Janice said. "Not much to see."
"It's winter there but the cavern is warm, so there must be a source of heat," Harry added.
"So, off we go?" Andy said. Jack nodded. They lined up again and once more slipped through the Ring.
"Homey," Jack said. "Add a bonfire and it'd be just like camping in a cave."
"There are some buildings along the far wall," Harry said. "Thought we'd save exploring that for later. There's an exit over there," she added, waving towards another wall with a large black opening in it. "We can get you your wood for the campfire through there."
"Do we need to block it off?" Andy asked.
"Might make it warmer in here," Jack said.
"It's an interesting space," Miranda said. "There must be a reason why this Ring is in this cavern."
"Weather," Sam suggested. "Or protection from something."
"This one doesn't match the few we have records of," Janice said. 'But neither did the other two."
Joy came back from the exit, after placing monitors and sending off several of her miniature probes. "We probably don't want to spend any time outside," she said. "Although it isn't deadly, there's enough background radiation to make things uncomfortable long term without the suits."
"So a quick exploration and then move on?" Jack suggested.
"I'd like to take a closer look," Joy said. "Some of the readings are similar to the results of a war using fissionable materials. We don't get much opportunity to see that years afterward."
Andy frowned, not sure how to answer. She looked at Sam and Jack for their reaction to the request.
"How much of a rush are we in?" Sam asked. "Do we have time for exploration?"
"Not my decision," Jack said. "I think we should get home as soon as possible."
"We've informed assorted authority figures that we're headed home but we weren't able to give them a good idea of how long. So far we've just been moving forward without much time for serious planning. I think we should take into account the specialties and expertise of our team," Andy said.
"So, plan for a couple days, a week, near each Gate?" Jack said. "Do we have the supplies to handle that?"
"We can modify one of the suit provision generators," Janice said. "Sort of."
"Explain 'sort of'," Jack said.
"We have some spare parts and nanite build tools. We can use them to duplicate any suit parts," Janice said. "So, we can make something like a food replicator."
"Can you do that with anything else?" Jack asked.
"Yes," Janice said. "Given the right base materials, we can create almost anything."
"Hard suits for the three of us?" Jack asked.
"That would be more than we can do," Joy said. "We couldn't build a complete hard suit, even the nanites we have with us can't do that. But we could design armor that would be more protective than what you are wearing now."
"Okay," Jack said. "If we can make this comfortable, how long would you need?" He waved at the cavern.
"Two weeks?" Janice said.
"If we can make this space livable for two weeks, you can work with Carter to provide some kind of wearable armor for the rest of us? Myself, Sam, Ixchel? And Miranda?"
"I do not need anything," Miranda said.
"So, let's check this out to see if we can use it," Jack said. "An hour? Two?"
"Thanks, Jack," Joy said.
"Hey gang, buddy system again. Explore in pairs," Jack said. Janice and Harry headed off in one direction, towards the dark structures, while Joy and Ginny headed off in the other.
"You know I would have agreed to your plan, whatever it is," Jack said to Andy in a low voice. "You're their boss."
"I'm the person they are protecting," Andy said. "If they thought I was doing something wrong they would stop me. The JJ's are trained to operate in hostile territory and can take care of themselves. Harry and Ginny are part of Lady Q's command cohort. They look young but they are highly trained and some of the best we have. I'm just a journalist who lost her wife and was given the opportunity to get her back. Yes, I did go through trooper training before they would agree to me going on this, but, I'm just me."
"You're doing an excellent job," Sam said. "All the training in the world won't help if you don't have the ability to lead."
"Well, I feel like an amateur next to you two, and them," Andy said. "And, though they don't consider Miranda part of the command structure on this team, she also has a lot of experience leading."
"Running a magazine and guiding a 'lifeboat' team such as this are very different," Miranda said. "And you are leading. Even when you defer to Jack, it's clear you are in charge."
"Yes," Jack said. "I'll give advice, and direction for small things, and Sam will also, but we're junior on this expedition. You don't need us second guessing your actions."
"Gee, way to add to the pressure," Andy said.
"Welcome to leadership," Jack said. "Sometimes things work exactly as planned and sometimes you get flying monkeys."
"Okay, Mr. Solid Blacked Out Service Record, what do we do about Ixchel?" Andy said. "How do we get her to pull her weight? She's not being obstructive but she's not helping."
"Find her a task?" Jack said. "Some job that is useful but not critical?"
"You cannot humiliate her," Miranda said. "She came with us because we kidnapped her. We didn't give her any choice. And now she thinks she's being taken back to be judged by your Clan Council. You need her to cooperate and not act out."
"Always the difficult tasks you give me, Priestly," Andy said, winking at her wife.
"Okay," Andy said, as they all gathered in front of the Ring, "what did you find?"
"We need at least a week to study this planet," Joy said. "We can cover a lot of territory with my nanite probes.
"We figured out the door," Ginny said. "It looks like it was left open so there's grass growing in it, but a little digging should free it. There's also some kind of guardhouse next to it that we can use."
"Those structures along the west wall are living quarters," Janice said. "With ancient doors. Not sure if they'll close. But we can clean them out easily. Plenty of room for us all."
"There's also a larger communal area," Harry said. "And something that might have been a kitchen at some point though it's hard to tell with something that old."
"So, we can make use of it?" Andy asked. "We can stay here for several weeks while we prepare for the long term? Additional uniforms and clothes for everyone. Better armor for Jack, Sam, and Ixchel?"
"Let's call it a month," Jack said. "A couple days to make this habitable, and then Sam and Janice can start working on the protective gear. And Joy tries to figure out what happened outside?"
"Sounds good," Andy said, nodding.
"And the rest of us?" he asked.
"Jack, we really need to work out a better plan than 'seat of our pants' to get us home," Andy said. "I'd like your help with that and if Miranda can work with Ixchel?"
"Did we miss anyone?"
"Harry and Ginny," Joy said, smirking. "They'll get very bored standing around in their cute armor."
"Eventually, we'll need to draw on their expertise, and yours and Janice's, when we work out our plan." Andy told her. "For now, they can work with you two."
"They didn't leave much behind," Ginny said, helping Joy clean out one of the small rooms.
"A couple hundred thousand years," Joy said reminding her. "Anything organic is long gone now."
"What about this?" Ginny asked, holding up some crystals.
"We'll have to try them later in that comm pad. Let's finish up so we can do something else," Joy said.
They moved into the larger room. It was circular and had benches built into the walls.
"We can have game night," Ginny said, looking around.
"Not a chance," Joy said. "You cheat."
"But, pictionary!" Ginny said.
"Not a chance," Joy said. "I remember what happened last time."
"It was an accident," Ginny said, pouting.
"Still no," Joy said.
"What do you think of this place," Harry asked Janice, as they worked to get the main door closed. "It's like they built a hidden Ring station."
"No signs of intelligent life yet," Janice said. "My probes aren't seeing anything. Just lots of stunted trees and ice fields."
"So, do we think the Ring builders came here after that or were part of it?" Harry asked.
"There's no radiation in the complex, that I've detected so far. It's possible they came here afterward for some reason. Or there was another Ring they couldn't use so they built this one."
"No real answers then," Harry said.
"And not likely to be, unless there's something on those crystals you found," Janice said. "Even with our fabulous Shadow tech, some designed by me, a million years is too long to decipher things from dust."
"Maybe we'll find a secret chamber or something," Harry said. "Places like this are full of secret chambers in the movies."
"All the buildings are made out of something my scanners can't penetrate," Janice said. "We'd have to get past that first."
"You and Joy are geniuses at that kind of thing," Harry said. "I'm sure you'll figure it out."
"Flattering, but I don't think we'll have enough time. Andy isn't giving us a lot of free time," Janice said. "And we do have to find a way home. Do you want to miss out when the Bugs show up?"
"I've seen their projected path," Harry said. "If we'd stayed at that first Ring we would have been right in their path, if they remain as predictable as they have been."
"We would have been massacred," Janice said. "Just three combat ready troopers, if you count Andy. Two intel specialists, two civilians and two soldiers from another world. And no backup. Do you know what happened the last time we fought them?"
"That was what drove us away from our homelands," Harry said. "We survived by running away."
"This was probably one of our ancestral lands," Janice said. "Though the time and coordinates don't seem to match. The last Bug war was a hundred thousand years ago, not a million."
"You think? Maybe an earlier incursion," Harry said. "How far back does Clan history really go?"
"You took the same courses I did," Janice said. "The Clans escaped the last Bug infestation when the Bugs destroyed their home planets. That was what made us what we are. Before that we were dirt-siders."
"Well, this is your opportunity to explore a planet that has suffered that kind of destruction."
"Miranda, are you glad that I came after you?" Andy asked. "You're ascended now, doesn't that mean you have moved beyond a material life?"
"The Ascended Ancients in Samantha and Jack's home universe seemed to think so," Miranda said. "A self involved group of boring voyeurs. They are willing to watch the Goa'uld and other conquering races prevent other intelligent life from reaching its potential. Just for their own entertainment. And heaven forbid that anyone get any ideas about helping."
"That seems a little selfish," Andy said. "If you have power you should help others."
"They come from a different culture," Miranda said. "They don't have your Midwest sense of responsibility."
"What are we going to do about the Major and the Colonel?" Andy asked.
"Do? There is nothing to do," Miranda said. "Even though you've made them Clan they still have their own rules about such things. If they believe they can get home they aren't going to want to break them."
"It's kind of painful watching them dance around each other," Andy said.
"They'll get over it," Miranda said, "or they'll do something about it. They're smart and don't need our interference."
"What's it like being ascended?" Andy asked. Miranda wrapped her arms around her wife.
"There is no way to describe it," Miranda said. "It's like being all feeling and being everywhere at once. And feeling powerful at the same time. But also being separate from the material world."
"That doesn't..." Andy sighed. "I just can't visualize it. You've taken me places in your energy form but it didn't feel any different."
"That wouldn't," Miranda said. "Let me show you."
"Okay?" Andy murmured, looking around to see if anyone was watching them. She braced herself.
"This will not hurt," Miranda said. "It might be better if you relaxed."
Nodding, Andy took several deep breaths, closed her eyes, and tried to loosen her muscles. There was a deep golden glow outside her eyelids, and she could feel a slight tingling that spread over her entire body.
"Open your eyes," Miranda said softly.
Opening her eyes, Andy looked at Miranda, and through her. "This is amazing," she said. "I look like you, except a lighter color. Everything is warm. And I can feel everyone else. It's like being around bright lights."
"If you search out one of them specifically, feel what happens," Miranda said.
Andy concentrated on Ixchel. Suddenly she was feeling whatever Ixchel was feeling. She couldn't hear her thoughts but there was a deep core of sadness. And there seemed to be two distinct layers to her feelings below that. A feeling of being lost and angry in a complex matrix of other feelings, some that seemed very foreign.
Pulling back, she searched for the energy that was Harry.
Harry was very simple. The feelings Andy got from her were of duty, and honor, and love. Though the target of that feeling seemed surprising. Janice was right there so she explored her feelings but couldn't find anything distinct.
"Why can I see Harry's feelings but not Janice?" Andy said. "And Ixchel really needs help. She's very confused."
"I suspect that the so called Shadows have been trained to shield themselves from outsiders," Miranda said. "If I push really hard I can read them but they notice. With the others it's all on the surface waiting to be picked up."
"So you can't read minds?" Andy said. "I thought you could."
"If given permission, I can," Miranda said. "But it is not really worth the issues it causes. So I don't."
"What about Ixchel?" Andy asked. "She's worse off than I thought."
"We've all paired off for emotional support, either before or now," Miranda said. "We have each other, Samantha has Jack, Joy and Ginny are on the verge of a relationship, and Harry and Janice are becoming close friends. But she's alone. There's no one to pair her with and no one she fits with."
"But we have to do something," Andy said. "And is this what love feels like for you?"
"Non-physically, yes," Miranda said. "A deep warmth in my heart."
"And just for the girls and me," Andy said, feeling like she was dreaming. "Though not exactly the same."
"Love has many facets, as we've discussed before," Miranda said. "I love you no less than the girls but there is a difference."
"Let's get physical," Andy said, giggling, "and we can explore this facet of love."
"Later, when we can be private. The rooms are soundproof, according to Joy," Miranda said, returning them to their physical forms.
"It's a date," Andy said, kissing her cheek.