Zalenka reviewed the message attached to the report the Curiosity had received. Col. Carter was asking for his assistance in reviewing everything going on with this Nexus station. A detailed report was attched providing all of the information they did have. This was going to take some time to process before understanding everything.
Mitchell asked, "Zalenka do we need to hang out here longer or can we get underway?"
"Yeah I think we can get moving. This is going to take some time to fully comprehend," replied Zalenka.
Zalenka made his way back to his lab. He activated several electronic boards. One board all the information on the Andromeda Strain, which was essentially nothing at this point. Another board for the Dyson Sphere Replicators, he felt they had to be connected. Another on Nexus detailing what was known, such as a time/space engine. Finally a board for showing the timeline between this universe and the next universe, indicating the significant points between the two, such as Destiny crossing over, Destiny sending the signal, a big question mark for when Janus crossed back over from the other universe, and when the old ones crossed over.
It didn't take long for Zalenka to realize we needed some better language around this. Carter had been referring to parallel universes as collections, this wasn't accurate it really was a tree, a universe tree. Then this entire next universe thing would just be the next universe tree. The entire group of universe tree's would basically be a forest. Now the fun part is those trees could grow up side down.
Zalenka looking at everything, began to draw out the two tree representing the next and current universe trees. Realizing a cross over from a branch in on one tree could only lead to a specific branch on the other tree. What would determine to which branch on the next tree the wormhole at the center of the universe would lead to. Could it be that instead of each tree being separate universes, that all the universes were split when a single decision was made. That would mean we have parallel forests that would appear to be stick figures. This was leading Zalenka to some interesting ideas, it would certainly help connect things.
After spending a couple of days pondering everything, he realized the only thing that would make sense is if multiple universes were connected with these wormholes at the center of the universes, however every decision point made in any of those universes would cause a new branch in the timeline fo all of them. It wasn't a universal tree, it was a single tree, and every point on that tree was a series of universes interconnected. Going back to the equations Carter had sent him, he began mapping this out to the targeting system. It quickly fell into place, being able to target a connected universe, along the parallel timelines.
Hailey came into Zalenka's lab, "How are you doing?"
"This is amazing, we are looking at the entire universe incorrectly. Look instead of parallel universes think of it as parallel timelines, and these wormholes at the center of the universe interconnects the universes. Hailey began looking over the work Zalenka had done, even going as far as to call Wallace to come review it as well, his mathematical skills would help look for any flaws.
That night at dinner, Mitchell asked, "So what have you figured out?"
"Well Jennifer and Eli here were able to review and could not find anything wrong with my mathematics. I think we have been looking at this entirely wrong on how the universes work," replied Zalenka.
"Do we need to send this to Altera?" asked Mitchell.
"Yes we should send our message, with this much information for them to review. It will take them a few days to process it so if we just drop out hyperspace and send the message and let them know we will collect any response on our next scheduled communication stop," replied Zalenka.
"Make it happen. Eli and Maj. Hailey I want you two to work with Zalenka, as much as possible. Anything we can do from here to help them decipher this mystery," ordered Mitchell.
"Yes sir!" replied Wallace, and Hailey.
"Radek, I've got some ideas on the timelines we can go over in the morning," replied Wallace.
"Why wait let's go to my lab and discuss them now," replied Zalenka, grabbing his food and leaving for his office. Wallace and Hailey grabbing their food and following along.
"Is it me or are they acting like they found a candy shop? asked Gardner.
Nicole agreeing, "Candy shop, I was thinking chocolate factory."
"If it was the chocolate factory I'd be there!" replied Gardner.
"No Willy Wonka's experimental candy here please," replied Mitchell, with everyone remaining laughing.
Zalenka coordinated with Ginn to send a communication burst to Alterra with his initial findings. Wallace, Hailey and Zalenka spent far into the night discussing the timeline and various implications.
"Ok, so we know that Destiny crossed over at this point in the timeline. We also know from the dyson replicators that Destiny sent them as a signal through the wormhole, six months after it crossed over, in that timeline, which was six months before it crossed over here," spoke Wallace.
"Your assuming time has the same flow in there as it does here. We only know that Destiny sent the signal that was the dyson replicators six months before entering it here, we don't know how much time passed after it crossed over," replied Zalenka.
"We are also assuming the replicators are telling the truth that they were that massive signal sent through the wormhole that was detected by the entire stargate network," replied Hailey.
Zalenka nodding, "Right they could be lying to us."
"Well we do know that Destiny would already have been in that timeline, before the old ones crossed over here," replied Wallace.
Hailey agreeing, "True we do know it was there, but we don't know for how long, or was it before or after it sent that signal?"
"Assuming time does work like it does here then Destiny sent that signal after the old ones would have arrived," replied Zalenka.
"Right of course, but we are making an assumption there. It could be something about that wormhole as well," replied Wallace.
"Your right we need to keep that in mind," replied Zalenka.
"In our universe time is relative, we can't assume it's relative once you cross over. Everything could be a different set of rules," replied Hailey.
"Can it?" asked Zalenka.
"What do you mean?" asked Wallace.
"Well we know the physics behind wormholes, wouldn't it need to be the same on the other end, as it is on this end for it to function correctly? I mean it couldn't have a completely different set of rules that governs the other end of that wormhole could it?" asked Zalenka.
"That is a fair point, anything is possible I guess," replied Hailey.
"You know you brought a fair point a few minutes ago. We need to determine if these replicators are telling the truth," replied Zalenka.
"Do we go back there and interrogate them? They didn't seem like they wanted to talk to use any further," replied Hailey.
"We analyze the signal the gate network picked up," replied Wallace.
"That's a good idea!" replied Zalenka.
Zalenka began pulling up the data from the gate network those years ago. Fortunately Curiosity contained all of that information from Alterra. The computer system began to analyze all of it, and try to break it up into chunks.
"Radek, it's time for bed," replied Hailey.
Zalenka yawning, "You're right. Let's get back together in the morning."
Wallace headed off to Ginn's room, while Zalenka and Hailey headed off to her room. Nobody was trying to keep things secret anymore.
The next morning Mitchell, found himself on the bridge with Ginn, alone. Moran who had taken the night shift had headed off to get some rest. Nicole was off reading in her quarters, as she had been doing a considerable amount of time lately. Zalenka, Hailey and Wallace were now working together in the lab. Mitchell was feeling positively bored.
"So Ginn, anything on sensors? Anything please?" asked Mitchell.
"Sorry sir, nothing. Are you as bored as I am?" asked Ginn.
"Maybe more so," replied Mitchell.
"It is extremely quiet in here today," replied Ginn.
Gardner had joined everyone else in the lab to see if she could be of any assistance.
Gardner looking over the timeline information, "Your making another assumption here that O'Neill crossed over and brought Janus back to this universe, as some point in time."
"Well how else would Janus be here?" asked Hailey.
"Wasn't he already here?" asked Gardner.
Zalenka shocked, "Your right, we know Janus was here during that time, could there be two of them here at the same time?"
"Two ascended Janus's?" asked Wallace, "Is that possible?"
"Ok we don't know for sure if O'Neill or Janus crossed over and crossed back. But we do know from the Nexus database they did these events here in the timeline of our universe," replied Zalenka.
Gardner looking over the timeline, "Wait we know that right here, Janus left Atlantis and came back to Earth. Right when Nexus was started."
"Wait your right. I hadn't thought about that." replied Zalenka.
"O'Neill would know where to find him then," replied Hailey.
"How would he know anything about us or to trust O'Neill?" asked Wallace.
"Elizabeth. Dr. Weir in the alternate timeline, she traveled back in time, and met Janus. He knew about us from ten thousand years in the future," replied Zalenka.
"That does put a twist on things," replied Wallace.
"So is it possible for our Janus to have built the Nexus? I mean that is far more advanced than anything we knew about." replied Hailey.
"He never shared that piece of information before crossing over?" asked Gardner.
"He didn't need to share it, because he already knew we would win," replied Zalenka.
"Because the O'Neill that went back in time, somehow, told him," replied Gardner.
"That would explain how O'Neill and him seemed to be such buddy's," replied Hailey.
"That makes so much sense," replied Zalenka.
"So our O'Neill sometime in our future, travelled in some form back in time, to ten thousand years ago, and met Janus on Earth then convinced him to help him build the Nexus, in order to prevent the Andromeda Strain?" asked Gardner.
"That seems like the explanation," replied Zalenka.
"How does this help us figure out what the Andromeda Strain is? Or what to do about it?" asked Hailey.
"This helps us understand what transpired. Now we have some context of things," replied Gardner.
"Sarah can you write that up for the next communication to Alterra?" asked Zalenka.
"No problem. What's next?" asked Gardner.
"We are going to begin analysis of the replicator signal. We need to know if they are a part of this or not," replied Zalenka.
Zalenka, Hailey, and Wallace sat down to begin breaking down the signal detected. All of the data had been pulled up from the Asgard core. Mountains of data was available on it. Thankfully Avidan had been able to shift through it and remove redundant data, and provide what appeared to be a clear signal.
"This has to be compressed data," spoke Zalenka.
Hailey thinking, "Could it be compressed? I mean they were trying to hit a magnetar's magnetic field to process and host the data sent."
"Part of it would have to be on how to de-compress the rest," replied Wallace.
"Let's see if we can figure that part out," replied Zalenka.
"Wait, let's take another approach, why not set up a simulated Magnetar in the computer and push the data to it?" replied Wallace.
"Do we have the frequency of the EM field from the magnetar?" asked Zalenka.
Wallace checking the sensor logs, "Yes we do!"
They began by setting up an isolated computer that was not connected to any of the ship's systems. Adjusting it to simulate a magnetar at the appropriate frequency for the EM field. Next they push the signal to the simulation. At first nothing happened, they could see the signal in the EM field, but nothing was changing. However after about five minutes, they picked up on subtle changes in the code. It was slowly decompressing the data. Over the next four hours they saw the data grow to 1500% of it's original size. That is when they froze the simulation and began examining the code.
"This is written in ancient," replied Wallace.
Zalenka showing relief, "Good I was hoping if Destiny generated this it would be Ancient."
"So this part here is unchanged, it must be the decompression code," spoke Hailey.
"This remainder must be the code for creating the replicator," replied Zalenka.
"That is alot of code to go through," replied Wallace.
"Tell me how does a signal form in a magnetar, then execute, and finally form nanites?" asked Gardner.
"All any computer is, is a electromagnetic processor, a magnetar's field is very similar to memory in a computer. It was stored in memory and as the EM waves hit it processed. I'm sure we could spend a year studying this further alone. Now how it made nanites, that is still an excellent question," replied Zalenka.
The team continued to study the code, trying to isolate the different parts of the code, they were slowly making progress.