"Pegasus Galaxy or Milky Way?" someone called. The sense of excitement was palpable, even to Rodney.
"Let's not get too ambitious at the outset. Initially, we just need to maintain the integrity of the ship and know that we can find our way around without ending up in some backwater star system. On that count, we'll also need to make certain that the Stargate will continue to operate as per usual. As far as we know, the DHD automatically compensates for stellar drift, but I'd like to run several tests once we're in space to confirm that."
The murmurs in the room grew louder as various once-incredible possibilities began to take shape in everyone's minds. For once, Rodney couldn't bring himself to shush them. Atlantis in flight had been beyond their imagination, and now they were ready to make it happen. A brief daydream of a thought flitted through his mind, and he pictured the look on Sam Carter's face upon seeing the city sail into Earth's solar system.
But even ifhe believed that travel to Earth was a good idea- and he wasn't sure he did, because there was a lot to be said for continuing their mission in this galaxy-that decision was about five steps too far down the line for the time being. "I'm currently planning an incremental shutdown of the Polrusso terraforming machine," he continued, "so I should be able to send at least one ZPM back here very soon. That will allow us to test-fire one engine, just to clear two years' worth of barnacles."
"Very well done, Rodney," said Elizabeth, enthusiasm and pride lighting her eyes. "This is quite a moment for us all. Everyone, you have your instructions. Please be careful and thorough in your preparations, and report any updates or problems back to your supervisors." She spread her hands. "Let's get to it."
The group filed out like a hockey team charged up for a game, carrying with them a sense of purpose not seen since the early days of the expedition. Once the lab had cleared, Radek approached Rodney with a clipboard in hand. "With sufficient power, I am confident that the city shield will comfortably sustain the hazards of interstellar flight."
"Good, that's one thing checked off the list. In that case, you can come with me to Polrusso."
The clipboard fell to Radek's side. He peered suspiciously at his colleague. "First it was underwater. Now it is another planet?"
Rodney dismissed the reaction. "You've been off-world before. Don't tell me you're still sulking over a little face painting."
"So," Radek continued, folding his arms across the clipboard. "You need me."
Oh, no. No way was he going to start that game all over again. "Only in the sense that I need an additional pair of hands that are at least two sizes smaller than Ronon's, preferably attached to a person educated in something other than shooting things. Yours will do. I might have considered taking Kwesi, but even assuming he gets back in one piece, our illustrious military commander is currently negotiating a trade arrangement for him."
"I don't understand. Trade with who?"
"Whom."
"Is what I said. Who?"
Unwilling to explore the deep and meaningful subtleties of English grammar with the Czech, Rodney let out an exasperated sigh. "With the Daedalus c resident Asgard to recover the Athosians from the mainland."
"Ah! So you agree that the calibrations I designed for the Daedalus force field will keep it safe from nanites."
"I never said-ow!" His intake of breath prompted a sudden flare of pain. He pressed a hand to his jaw and ran his tongue experimentally across the tooth he'd chipped earlier. "I don't believe it!" Withdrawing a fragment, he demanded, "What the hell kind of shell did they drop in that bar, a bullet casing?"
Without any trace of sympathy whatsoever, Radek said, "Go see the dentist."
Suppressing the suddenurge to hyperventilate, Rodneyreplied hurriedly, "It's just a chip, barely scratched the enamel."
Radek shot him a knowing look. "I do not wish to endure your pain."
Ignoring the jibe, Rodney began packing the equipment he would need on Polrusso. "I'll get a Tylenol.. or maybe a Vicodin. Don't forget to download the analysis of Ea's machine and bring it."
"That data is on your computer."
Rodney was about to snap out a reply when Sheppard poked his head around the doorframe. "Hey. Elizabeth said you were ready to go back to Polrusso?"
"Almost," he replied, running his tongue across the damaged tooth again. Obviously he was paying the price for the military's policy of buying everything, even food, from the lowest bidder. "I need to see Carson first."
"He's on the Daedalus, headed for the mainland."
"Well, that's just great." Couldn't the man have sent one of his underlings? No matter-Rodney could still get a couple of pills from whichever voodoo specialist was currently on duty in the infirmary. Pointing to the equipment he'd stacked by the door, he told Radek on his way out, "All of that needs to come with us."
With selective hearing skills honed long ago, he ignored the scathing bilingual comment about indentured servitude that followed him into the corridor.
Teyla stepped out of the jumper and trudged through the mud to Hailing, standing by a tree whose roots hung over the newly carved riverbank. Like every piece of vegetation that remained, it had been stripped of leaves until nothing but broken kindling remained. Further down in the valley the torrent of water had spread far across the lowlands. Except for the speed at which it continued to flow, it could have been mistaken for a large brown lake. Dead animals and birds lay scattered across the ravaged ground, but of the Athosians who had fallen into the river the night before, Teyla could find no sign.
"The Ancestors do not want us here, Teyla," Hailing said by way of greeting. "We are being punished."
Teyla felt compelled to deny his words, and yet he had uttered Ea's very sentiments. "As children we idealize our parents. It is only when we grow older that we come to understand that they are both flawed and fallible." Halling went to speak, but she motioned for him to let her finish. "That does not diminish our love and respect for them. Indeed, our greater understanding allows us to judge their shortcomings, and our own, less harshly."
"Then should we no longer aspire to be worthy of them?"
Gently clasping his arm, Teyla looked up into his troubled eyes. "Not all of the Ancestors were as pure in spirit as we once believed. We should aspire to be worthy of those who were. But perhaps more importantly, we should aspire to be worthy of each other."
Taking a step towards the jumper, she added, "Come. The Daedalus will be arriving soon to evacuate everyone." When Hailing did not respond, she turned to see him staring bleakly up at the mountains. For his next question, she could provide no answer.
"I wonder how Jinto is faring."
Chapter Ten
"Very efficient designers, the Ancients," Radek commented when he saw the proximity of the lab entrance to the Polrusson 'gate. Anxiously looking across the sand dunes, he added, "Not a step wasted."
"I'd classify it as a healthy sense of self-preservation more than anything else. It's always prudent to have an escape route nearby." Rodney checked his pack one last time, wishing it wasn't always so crammed full of equipment. Ancient technology was great stuff, but if their designs had all been a little smaller and lighter, they would have made his life a lot easier.
"Could be that they were just lazy," suggested Ronon, drawing a smirk from Sheppard as the Colonel eased Jumper One to the ground on the opposite side of the 'gate to the DHD.