The George Hammond had left orbit of P3R-112 heading toward the Pegasus galaxy. Col. Carter had seen her husband probably for the last time for nearly two months. They were used to such separations, but it was more difficult now that they had gotten married. It had taken them years to even admit their feelings to themselves, and neither was about to break regulations and cross the line. However, Jack's promotion to lead Homeworld Security gave them the chance they needed for their relationship. Jack had wasted no time in asking Carter on a date. He proposed after only a year, many of there friends thought he had already waited too long.
Carter could still remember their wedding day so vividly. Teal'c had served as a groomsman, and Daniel as best man, for her Cassandra had served as Maid of Honor, so many others who they wished could have been there but were no longer with them. George Hammond the namesake for this ship, she had envisioned him walking her down the aisle, that honor fell on Cameron Mitchell. Jonas Quinn a good friend that should have been there. General Landry officiated the wedding. It was a beautiful service at Jack's Cabin by the lake.
This was the part of the journey to Pegasus that would wear on you. Two weeks of travel, with virtually nothing around the ship, the odds of encountering anything in this area, were beyond astronomical. Carter wondered about the ship checking on her crew, mingling with them and getting to know them. She knew her bridge crew Chuck and Banks would see to the ship, and alert her if anything was necessary. They weren't even passing close to Midway station as they were taking a slightly different angle for Pegasus, to start placing satellites immediately.
Carter had busied herself with making adjustments to the George Hammond's long-range sensors to extend them by 2000% just like the satellites. This would be done on all of the ships. In fact, on their way home, she hoped she could meet up with the Daedalus and Apollo to make the adjustments for their scanners.
Five days out from the Milky Way, Col. Carter was in the Officer's mess getting breakfast, when the red alert went off. She immediately rushed to the bridge, "Report!"
"Ma'am we have detected a gravitational anomaly ahead of us, nothing should be around us at this time," replied Chuck.
"What do the scanners report?" asked Carter.
"Ma'am unless there is something wrong with the scanners it's registering a star about 1.5 Solar mass, but it's moving at about 10% the speed of light," replied Banks.
"A rogue star here between the galaxies? Chuck drop us out of hyperspace, safely behind it," ordered Carter.
"Yes, Ma'am," Chuck replied.
About ten minutes later the George Hammond dropped out of hyperspace and accelerated to 10% the speed of light to follow the star. Full scans of the star, trajectory, and video were taken. The crew had a chance to watch this from the officer's mess and on monitors, it gave everyone an interesting distraction. However, after about an hour, they had to return to their course, and continue on to the Pegasus galaxy. A subspace packet with the information was sent to Homeworld Security. Carter knew the astronomers back there would have a field day going over that data.
Nothing else interesting happened as they made their way to the Pegasus Galaxy. Carter was on the bridge as they approached their first designated satellite location. These satellites were not very large, 72 of them fit in the cargo bay nicely. Only two of the F-302's had to be left behind to make room.
"Listen I want constant monitoring of long-range scanners. If anything moves in Hyperspace I want to know about it long before it's anywhere near us," ordered Carter.
Banks glanced at Col. Carter, "I will let you know as soon as anything is detected, Ma'am."
"Drop us out of Hyperspace at the designated coordinates," ordered Carter.
"Exiting Hyperspace in 5-4-3-2-1 now," Chuck replied.
"Beam satellite 1 into position." ordered Carter.
Chuck made some adjustments on the control panel, and a bright light flashed on the view screen as the satellite appeared ahead of them in space.
"Satellite is active and scanning, Ma'am," replied Banks.
"Excellent work, next location," ordered Carter.
"We will be there in about 90 minutes Ma'am," Chuck stated.
This was repeated about every 90 minutes to 3 hours, over the next 7 days.
Chuck informed, "Col. Carter we are receiving a sub-space message from Homeworld Security."
Carter ordered, "On Screen."
"Col. Carter this General Landry. I want to inform you we are receiving telemetry for the George Hammond. The satellites appear to be working correctly. Midway Station reports show they should have their sub-space receiver installed in another two days. Gen. Landry out." ended the message.
Another week of hopping around the galaxy was uneventful. They were down to the last eighteen satellites to place, on the far side of Pegasus. Midway Station and Homeworld Security were tracking all the activity the scanners picked up, and could easily follow them. The network of satellites that Carter and McKay had built would work like a mesh. To open any area to be vulnerable to pass through without being detected, you would need to come within range of three different satellites to destroy them to open a hole in the mesh between the three. That was impossible to do without being detected.
While making their hyperspace jump to the next location, their long-range scanners detected a Wraith Hive ship near the edge of the galaxy, but not in hyperspace. Carter made note of the location and determined they would keep an eye on that ship as much as possible. Four days later they had placed the last of the satellites.
The Satellites had detected the hive ship had jumped to hyperspace, as it was at the edge of their range, they didn't detect where it went. Carter ordered the George Hammond to take a hyperspace path nearer the galaxy that would allow them to use their sensors to detect where the ship went. Four hours later they detected the ship was headed toward a planet without a stargate. Carter gave orders to alter course to the planet ahead of the hive ship to gather intelligence on why they are heading to this location.
Carter orders, "Exit hyperspace cloaked, so we are not detected."
"Yes Ma'am," replied Chuck, as he brings the ship out of hyperspace and into orbit around the planet.
"Scanners showing anything on the planet?" asked Carter.
"I see what appears to be a downed Wraith cruiser, about 20 Wraith, and about 150 humans," replied Banks.
"Can we beam the humans out?" asked Carter.
"Locking on targets. Yes Ma'am, I can get all the humans in two beam outs," replied Chuck.
"Do it!" ordered Carter.
Chuck worked the controls, "First group is in the cargo bay."
Chuck further working the controls, "Second group is in the launch bay."
"Get us out of here." ordered Carter.
The ship jumps to hyperspace. Carter makes here way down to the Cargo bay. She finds some frightened humans, but one recognizes her immediately.
"I know you! Your Col. Carter from the city of the ancients," Halling stepped forward.
"Halling it is good to see you. I know someone who will be happy to see and your people!" exclaimed Carter.
"Teyla lives?" asked Halling.
"She lives and now has a baby." answered Carter, "Please come with me. The rest of your people are in the other bay, you can help me calm them down."
Halling explains, "We were asleep, when they arrived, they culled our entire village. Next, we know we were on that planet where you found us, and that is where we have been for the past 10 days."
"10 days? Halling, you have been missing for nearly two years. Teyla has searched everywhere for you," replied Carter.
"Two years? How can this be?" asked Halling.
"You must have been in the matter conversion for that time period I don't understand why," replied Carter.
Carter is working with Chuck and Banks to determine how far they can travel with the larger passenger list. They do not have enough oxygen or food to make Midway Station. Carter sends a sub-space message to Midway Station and as it should be completed or nearly completed. Two hours later they received a sub-space message to hold near a stargate in the Pegasus galaxy.
Carter met with Halling explaining that they had a chance to leave the Pegasus galaxy entirely to a new home that would no longer be threatened by the wraith. At first, they were reluctant to leave the galaxy of the ancients, until Carter explained the new galaxy is where the ancients came from.
Six hours later, another sub-space message was received, giving Carter the green light to send the refugees over the bridge. A welcoming crew will be at Midway to meet them. Carter who was familiar with the safety protocols they had enacted. Captain Vega beams down to the surface to dial the stargate to enter the bridge. Once the gate is active, the refugees are beamed down and enter the stargate. Quickly all 150 pass through the stargate.
At Midway station Teyla, Sheppard, McKay, and Ronon are waiting on the Athosians. When the gate activates and Halling steps out. Halling sees his friends and rushes to them.
"Wait! Halling, you can not cross that line just yet." Teyla pointed, "Once everyone arrives they will lower the shield and you can cross over to this. This is just a security precaution." About 10 minutes later all 150 Athosians have arrived, the gate deactivates.
Maj. Marks over the intercom, "Lowering shield one."
Teyla runs to Halling giving him a big hug, "I never gave up on you." Sheppard, McKay and Ronon, are greeting those they were familiar with.
Maj. Marks over the intercom, "Everyone please move to the yellow area." Once everyone was out of the red area, the shield was activated again. Maj. Marks once again said, "Lowering shield two. please move to the green area."
Once everyone was in the green area, the shield was reactivated.
The Milky Way stargate is activated. Maj. Marks announces, "Welcome to the Milky Way" please proceed through the gate to Corlan.
Teyla, Sheppard, McKay and Ronon lead the way into the gate. Finally, they stepped out on Corlan, it was night, the stars of the Milky Way was brilliant in the night sky.
"Everyone please listen to me, the Tau'ri and their friends have prepared this planet with homes, and food until your able to produce your own, to help you settle in. This planet is large enough to hold all the people of Pegasus, where they will be spread out so they do not compete for resources. There are some new technologies here and people here to help you. Please follow me to New Athos, I picked the village out for you as it is most like our homeworld Athos." said Teyla.
Teyla showed them how to use the rings and reach their village.
"This is amazing. These homes are made from crystal?" asked Halling.
"Our friends the Tok'ra specialize in this. They are quite good at it." answered Sheppard.
The Athosians started to select homes that fit their families. Food had been prepared ahead of time expecting them to be hungry. They celebrated their new home, and reunion with friends till morning. There would be SG personnel around to show the Athosians where things where and how to move about on the planet.