“Dead?” O’Neill’s expression didn’t change.
“Worse,” Sumner said. “He’s gone AWOL. And with all due respect, sir, I warned you that he wasn’t a good fit for the expedition. His record in Afghanistan proved he was unreliable, and —” He stopped abruptly. “The other you. Sir.”
“But —” Carter began, and subsided at a look from O’Neill.
“That’s ok,” O’Neill said. “I’m sure there are unexpected and subtle differences between our — counterparts.”
Teal’c lifted an eyebrow at that, and didn’t think Sumner bought it, either.
“Anyway.” O’Neill pushed himself back from the table. “It’s been a long, weird day, Colonel, and I think we should turn in. What do you say, kids?”
Carter pushed back her own chair. “Yes, sir.”
“Whatever you say, Jack,” Daniel muttered, but he, too, reached for his tray.
“Sergeant Bates!” Sumner waved the man over. “He’ll show you back to your quarters, sir.”
“Thanks,” O’Neill said, without much attempt at sincerity.
“Indeed,” Teal’c said.
Bates brought them back to the battered building — now roofed with a city-camouflage tarp — and waited to be sure they stayed, on the pretense of being sure they had all the necessities. O’Neill assured him that they did, and dismissed him, while Daniel switched on the battery-powered lamps they’d been given.
“You know, Jack, I never liked that guy.”
“Colonel Sumner’s a fine officer,” O’Neill said, and motioned for Daniel to keep talking.
The archeologist’s jaw dropped, but he picked up gamely. “Well, if you say so. I’m not sure I really understand what’s going on with the Athosians, or, for that matter, with the Wraith —”
Teal’c nodded, recognizing O’Neill’s intent, and began to search the main room. He found the first bug within minutes, tucked inside the empty packing crate that was serving as a table, but he didn’t stop until he had finished his half of the room and the bedroom. O’Neill held up a second bug. Teal’c nodded again, and pointed to the front door. Behind them, Daniel was still talking, running on about the Ancients and vampire myths. O’Neill leaned out the door, then held out his hand. Teal’c handed him the bug, and O’Neill disappeared into the dark. He returned a moment later, dusting off his hands.
“I defy them to hear anything interesting from there.”
“You didn’t,” Carter said.
O’Neill nodded. “Just don’t talk about anything important when you visit the latrine.”
Daniel grimaced, and O’Neill shrugged.
“What? They’ll pull them out as soon as they realize we found them — and that I’m not going to put up with eavesdropping.”
“Is it a good idea to show your hand so soon, sir?” Carter asked.
“What are they going to do, complain that I moved the bug they weren’t exactly supposed to plant on me in the first place?” O’Neill shook his head. “Don’t worry, Carter.”
“I do not believe that matters are well here, O’Neill,” Teal’c said.
“No kidding,” Daniel said.
“Sir, you can’t really believe Sheppard just went AWOL,” Carter said.
“He might,” Daniel said, reluctantly. “I mean, these people all look like the people we know, but they come from a different timeline. There may well be subtle differences in their behavior. Look at McKay, he’s not —“ He stopped abruptly, flushing, and Carter gave a wry smile.
“He’s acting like he’s never seen me before. And I’m not complaining.”
“I don’t think Sheppard would desert,” O’Neill said. “That’s too much of a change. And I also don’t think it was going to be a good idea to talk about it in public. Sumner’s clearly touchy about his authority, and there’s no point setting him off yet.”
“And at the moment we’re stuck here on the far side of a lake with no way to confirm anything he’s telling us,” Daniel said. “You never dated him, did you, Sam?”
“God, no.”
Teal’c remembered all too clearly that at least one of her former lovers had tried to set himself up as a god. He felt his eyebrow rise.
“No, really!” Carter said.
“Kids.” Just for a moment, O’Neill looked painfully weary.
Teal’c straightened. “Colonel Carter. There has been no chance to consider the matter before now, but — is there any possibility that we will suffer side effects from the ouroboros device?”
Carter sighed. “I really don’t know, Teal’c. I’d assume that we’d have seen them already if there were going to be any, but…” Her voice trailed off, and she spread her hands. “I just don’t know.”
“Well, that’s one good excuse for talking to Dr. Beckett,” O’Neill said. “Because I’d like to know a lot more about this anti-Wraith drug of Sumner’s.”
“Me, too,” Daniel said. “It sounds like it could be a spectacularly bad idea.”
“Or it could work exactly as advertised,” O’Neill said. He shook his head. “Ok. All of this isn’t actually our problem, assuming that Carter’s right and this isn’t our own timeline. Our first priority has to be getting home.”
“I don’t think we’re going to be able to do much without help from the expedition,” Carter said. “Including McKay.”
“Sorry about that,” O’Neill said.
“I don’t know if we’re going to have the option of not getting involved, either,” Daniel said. “We’re stuck in the middle of what’s starting to look like Sumner’s own private war, and — Jack, I’d really like to talk to the Athosians and find out their side of the story.”
“That’s going to have to wait,” O’Neill said. “All right. Tomorrow, Carter, I want you and Daniel to start working on a way to get us back to our own reality.”
Daniel started to say something, and O’Neill held up his hand.
“And if that means finding out more of what’s going on, I don’t exactly have a problem with that. Just — prioritize.”
“Yeah, ok.” Daniel nodded.
“And in the meantime,” O’Neill went on, “Teal’c, you and I should probably have a word with Dr. Beckett.”
“Indeed.” Teal’c dipped his head in acknowledgement. He had met Carson Beckett at the SGC, had found him a pleasant, mild-mannered man — not the sort of person who seemed likely to develop drugs with such complex side effects. He was also incapable of keeping a secret. Yes, a conversation with him was likely to prove enlightening.
CHAPTER FIVE
Interlude
THE QUEEN reclined in her chair of bone, long limbs comfortably sprawled, scarlet hair caught up in a style as complex as any of her blades’. The lords of her zenana, her private household within the hive, moved in cautious orbit, none quite willing to break the spell with the unfortunate news from Athos. The Master of Sciences Physical lifted his head, caught the Consort’s eye, and subsided into silence. The Consort rested his hands on the wing of the Queen’s chair, and she looked up at him, smiling faintly. He seemed about to speak, the star tattooed around his left eye very dark in the pleasant light, then dipped his head, conceding defeat. At that, the Master of Sciences Biological turned sharply, the skirts of his long leather coat brushing game pieces from their table, but he ignored their clattering fall.
*We cannot go on pretending nothing has happened.* His mental voice was a sweep of light, seeking through the dark.
*I could,* the Master of Sciences Physical murmured, his tone the blue snap of electricity.
*It wasn’t your men who died.* That was the Hivemaster, and they all jumped a little at the touch of his mind. He was the queen’s full brother, and it was not entirely malice that proclaimed his birthright was to be mostly invisible.
The Queen straightened, the amusement vanishing from her face. *Tell me what happened, then.*
Seldom Seen spread his hands. *You’ve seen my report. I sent men to Athos to Cull, as the feedi
ng cells are growing empty — experienced hunters, all of them — and instead of the nomads we expected, we were met by sophisticated weapons and humans determined to fight back.*
*You said they didn’t have energy weapons,* Spark said.
*They didn’t,* Seldom Seen agreed. *But they had gunpowder weapons that fired at a previously unknown rate of fire, enough to overwhelm our drones when the Young Queen’s Pallax sent men to retaliate.*
*An unwise choice,* the Queen said. She had not yet resigned herself to her daughter’s favorite.
*I beg to differ,* Seeker said. He picked up the game pieces one by one, set them into a new pattern on the board. The Consort raised his brow ridges at the sight. *It was perfectly reasonable, given the available evidence.*
*Nonetheless, you would have done differently?* Spark examined impeccably tended claws.
*Irrelevant, as I wasn’t there.*
*I agree with Seeker,* Seldom Seen said. *It was what any blade would have done, in his position.*
*It’s what we’re trained to do,* the Consort said. He looked down at the Queen, her hair redder than human blood in the warm shiplight. *Shall I take a larger force, see what’s there?*
The Queen lifted her hand. *Athos. We have not Culled there since we woke from hibernation, and that’s, what, at least half of one of their generations?*
*A full generation, maybe more,* Seeker answered. *So if you were thinking it was some plot of your sisters’ to keep us longer in hibernation the next time, I do not believe it likely.* He paused. *Though it is possible they withheld information.*
*It’s been known to happen,* the Queen agreed. She pushed herself out of her chair, her gown of midnight silk swirling about her. *Perhaps we will go to Athos. I’m curious about these new humans.*
She swept from the zenana, and behind her back the lords exchanged wary glances. The curiosity of a queen was always a deadly thing.
CHAPTER SIX
Morning on Athos
THE NEXT morning dawned chill and damp, though by the time Sam finished her uninspiring breakfast the fog had burned off the lake and the sun had risen above the trees. Sergeant Bates was barking orders at the team of Marines readying the boat to cross the narrow water, and a group of scientists was huddling outside the mess tent peering at the images on someone’s laptop. Daniel had joined them, head tilted to one side as he craned to see the screen, and Sam started toward them.
“Colonel Carter!”
Sam barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes as she turned to face McKay. He’d been perfectly well behaved the whole time they’d been here, but it was hard not to expect him to start hitting on her again. The lack of appropriate circumstances hadn’t stopped him before. Although — this was an alternate universe. Maybe for once that was working in her favor. “Dr. McKay?”
“Colonel Sumner — and General O’Neill — said I could have you for the day. We’ve been working in what I think was the main power generating station for the city, and I’d like you to take a look at the ZPM.”
“You found a ZPM?” Sam stared at him.
“We found a dead ZPM.” McKay pronounced it ‘zed pee em,’ Canadian style. “But there’s something peculiar about the way it’s hooked into the city, and I’d appreciate another pair of eyes on the problem.”
“Sure,” Sam said. “Just let me grab Daniel.”
“Fine. Bring him along. The more the merrier.” McKay brushed past her and disappeared into the mess hall brandishing a travel mug.
“Sam?” Daniel looked at her over the top of his glasses.
“Dr. McKay wants me to take a look at the city’s power plant,” Sam answered. “It seems there was a ZPM, but it’s depleted.”
“No surprise there,” Daniel said. “You want me to stick close?”
Sam hesitated. “I think I’m fine with him — maybe in this reality he isn’t interested — but I’d like you to come anyway. McKay said something about the installation being unusual.”
“You’re hoping it’s Janus,” Daniel said.
Sam nodded. “This was an Ancient city almost as large as Atlantis, at least from the look of it, and the gate address is the one that came up first when I was in Atlantis’s database. I can hope.”
“I’d like to take a look around just in general,” Daniel said. “But, sure, I’ll tag along for now.”
Sam lowered her voice. “And General O’Neill?”
“He and Teal’c were going to try to have a word with Dr. Beckett.”
“Colonel Carter!” McKay was glaring at them and Sam gave him a wide smile.
“Coming.”
McKay had assembled his team, but didn’t bother to introduce them, striking out instead along what had once been a broad avenue leading into the center of the city. Sam trailed behind him, and by the time they’d reached the narrow square where most of the work seemed to be being done, she’d sorted most of them out. Kusanagi was the deferential Asian woman, Grodin — call me Peter — was the Englishman, and the sunburnt redhead was Campbell. Airman Salawi was a technical specialist who’d worked in the gateroom at the SGC, but McKay treated her as an unwanted spy. And to be fair, Carter thought, she wouldn’t exactly put it past Sumner to expect Salawi to spy on the scientists.
To her surprise, there was a guard post at the end of the street, where the wreckage of a house had been rearranged to create a defensible machine gun nest, and one of the Marines lifted his hand in greeting as the group approached.
“Morning, Doc.”
“Good morning,” McKay snapped. “Have you seen any Wraith, or is this another pointless exercise?”
“If we see ‘em, Doc, you’ll be the first to know.” There was a note of genial contempt in the Marine’s voice that made Sam glance quickly at Daniel. It wasn’t unusual for there to be some tension between the civilian scientists and the military personnel, but this was the worst she’d seen. Daniel shook his head slightly, a warning that they’d discuss it later, and she let McKay lead them into the ruins.
The upper floors of the building had long ago collapsed onto the foundations, and McKay and his people had shored up the entrance with timber and stone salvaged from the wreckage. Sam gave the improvised supports a wary look, and Peter Grodin grinned at her.
“Don’t worry, Colonel, Dr. Zelenka set up the whole thing.”
Zelenka was an excellent engineer, and Sam nodded. “Where is Dr. Zelenka, anyway?”
Grodin’s face closed. “I have no idea,” he said, and gave Salawi a significant glance.
Sam raised an eyebrow at that, but knew better than to ask directly. Instead, she ducked under the low lintel, and came out into the ruin of what must have been the city’s main power station. It had been beautiful once, she thought, long and narrow and low-ceilinged, yes, but the walls had been carved with a pattern of stylized trees and — yes, those were dancers, male and female, weaving hand in hand through the forest so that their chains of two and three became part of the design. Daniel whistled softly and moved closer, tracing what looked like a ribbon trailing from the nearest dancer’s hand.
“Emege,” he said. “For the peoples of Emege — the children of the Ancestors of Emege?”
“Apparently that’s the name of the place,” McKay said. “Emege. Not that I see where that gets us.”
“You might be surprised,” Daniel said, with deceptive mildness, and Sam stepped in hastily.
“And that’s the ZPM station.”
“Yes.” McKay refrained from pointing out that she’d just stated the obvious. “Only the ZPM’s completely drained.”
Sam picked it up carefully, noting that the contacts were still clean, the surface smooth and undamaged despite the object’s apparent fragility.
“They had three ZPMs here originally,” McKay went on, pointing to the sockets set at the points of the triangular central console. “And presumably the power was transmitted through a series of overhead conduits, all of which are smashed.”
Sam looked up.
There had apparently been some sort of dropped ceiling, because some of the grid that had held it still dangled from the cracked and uneven surface, but now there was just a mess of broken stone and jagged metal. “What’s holding all this up?”
Grodin overheard the question and came to join them, opening his laptop. “When the tower fell, most of an intermediate floor came down in one piece. That caught most of the rubble and preserved this chamber intact.” He turned the screen to show a schematic. “And we’ve put in jacks in the back there where things looked a little dicey.”
Sam looked from the screen to the heavy metal props that braced the ceiling at the edge of the lighted area and back again. Salawi was out of earshot, so she risked what she hoped was a safe question. “More of Dr. Zelenka’s work?”
“Yes —”
“Contrary to what you might think, the state of the ceiling, and the hundreds of tonnes of rubble directly overhead, isn’t actually the most interesting thing here,” McKay said. “Here’s the really interesting part.”
Sam followed obediently to a second console set apart from the others. She recognized the controls and most of the markings, and frowned. “That’s a weapons console.”
“Uh-huh. It runs both a shield, like the one on Atlantis that’s keeping the water out, and a series of weapons emplacements around the perimeter of the city. Probably firing drones like the ones in Antarctica, but also maybe including beam weapons.” McKay paused. “We haven’t found any sign of a chair, though. And since the Wraith attacks, Sumner isn’t letting us go too far outside his secure perimeter.”
Daniel had drifted over to join them, was studying the lines of elegant script carved into the side of the console. It formed what looked to Sam like a decorative band, but Daniel ran his fingers over it and looked up at McKay. “Have you tried to read this?”
“Of course. It says something like, this is a weapons console, no unauthorized access. The Ancients liked to put labels on things when it was spectacularly unhelpful.”
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