"For example?" Alvar asked.
"Subspace distress signal from a Wraith ship," Chaya said, looking me in the eyes.
"Wraith in the system?" Teyla tensed.
"If they land in the city, I'll need a weapon," Alvar worried. "A couple remaining magazines for my rifle is for a small fight. And there definitely won't be such here."
"Wraith can't reach Atlantis now except through the gate," Chaya said. "Or with an Ancient ship to pass the shield. And no, signal too weak for functioning ship. Think shot down during Ancients-Wraith war. Energy signature so weak no doubt the ship non-operational. Probably suffered hard crash and crew abandoned."
"If so, already simpler," the Runner sighed. "Only... If Wraith knew one of their ships shot down, why didn't save anyone? I heard earlier they were much friendlier. Now ready to cut friend's throat on any occasion. True, they have only one care—where find more people."
"And I have another care," Chaya said in tune, looking at me. "Understand how Ancients in stasis connected with non-working Ancient satellite and Wraith distress signal from ship crashed ten thousand years ago on uninhabitable planet. Care to share information?"
"Let's say I have an opinion this will help us," I said. "Specifically what launched the distress signal."
"And what is it?" the Ancient didn't relent.
"You know the source of my informativeness," I gritted through teeth.
And she's one of three who understands the only place I can draw knowledge unknown to her is info from another universe. Future, damn it, which hardly remains the same if blab about it right and left to every met aborigine.
But purposefully presses to share this secret.
Moreover, interest noticeable on Teyla and Alvar's faces.
Sure if now I tell how arrived at Atlantis, flew to satellite, discovered on that dead planet what can help (as I think) Lanteans in stasis not die transitioning to new for them time, Chaya will do everything to draw attention to inconsistency of my "legend."
"Seems you have some personal problems," Teyla concluded. "Alvar and I better go."
"Yes, no, I'd stay," the man blurted. But the Athosian already lightly elbowed him in ribs, then grabbed under armpit and pulled toward lab exit. "And right, completely forgot Teyla promised to show me fighting techniques..."
"Yes go already," I threw.
As soon as door closed behind them, inquired:
"What are you achieving?"
"To tell everything you know," she said in the same second. "Everything about labs, galaxy, Ancient technologies—everything you know thanks to your origin and past."
"And why should I do that?" I inquired.
"Because we depend on each other," she said. "I help you, you help me."
"Ah, isn't it so now?" I asked.
"So, but not quite," the girl said, bringing from her computer to monitor a list of theses. First thought it's the same one she had at our acquaintance. But almost immediately discarded it.
For the list was in my native language. Moreover, every word written there was familiar to me.
"You hacked my handheld," stating the fact didn't evoke any emotion in the girl. Well yes, everyone does that.
"And I don't like what's written here," she said. "When were you going to tell⁈"
"Why should I share my plans with you at all?"
And the question here basically shouldn't sound like that. But asking "About what exactly?" stupid. Clear something in my to-do list (namely in it I listed all "bonuses" I remembered from the series) specifically pissed her off. So much she was ready to blab our little secret to a couple natives. And unlikely Alvar and Teyla, hearing I know upcoming events for next five years, wouldn't want to inquire how to change the worst. Especially those connected with Athosians.
"So we don't get into much bigger problems than Ancients did!" Chaya blurted. "'Reactivate nanites from lab and direct them to restoration work in Atlantis'? 'Use Wraith from transport ship to revive 'Aurora' crew with reverse feeding'? 'Find way to subjugate Asuran replicators'? 'Take queen from ocean bottom hostage and torture until tells all secrets'? 'Help Genii with atomic bomb, wake Wraith, disable gates in galaxy, activate 'Attero' device'? And what else 'Project Spartan'?"
"Do you basically read one sentence out of ten, or is this some special Olympics discipline?" I inquired.
"What else are you hiding from me?" she demanded. "Asurans survived? Wraith can prolong human life? Atomic bomb? You know where Attero device is?"
"And Teyla has Wraith gene too," I added.
"What?" Chaya was stunned.
"At Lantean ocean bottom there's a mobile drilling platform capable of providing us geothermal energy," I continued listing what Chaya couldn't know. Because I didn't note it in my notes.
And the notes themselves are no more than draft—I fixed my most crazy thoughts to simply not lose them. Even the most idiotic idea is an idea that can be "filed with a rasp" and get something worthwhile. Only beyond 'Aurora' crew situation I haven't gone yet.
Simply because for implementing the rest I need more info. And working hands.
"I heard about it but didn't think it's still intact," the girl said distractedly. "I thought of something similar... But database says lost: Wraith cruiser fell into ocean, explosion occurred in immediate proximity to platform. Rock thin there, magma proximity... In general and whole destroyed. So written..."
Chaya fell silent, throwing me a quick glance. Seems someone guessed I didn't start conversation just so.
"Ah, possibly not," she added.
"Possibly," I agreed. "And again, just 'possibly,' stop poking finger at me and saying I'm the most secretive here. I'm just trying to make it good for all of us here. And at the same time not let go down the drain the order of things that gives us advantage! Imagine what chaos starts if we wake Wraith, help create medicine from which they'll die, expose ourselves to Genii, reveal our location to Wraith and so on⁈ Will be exactly what I want to avoid! Chaos and catch-up position! We have advantage in knowledge! And I want to use it!"
"You don't realize what you're saying!" Chaya exclaimed. "'Attero' device impossible to rebuild or optimize. Best minds worked on it—and nothing! Exactly as can't just turn off all gates in galaxy during device activation so they don't explode! There are fundamental basics of higher physics you don't even guess! There are things that can't be fixed!"
"Oh, well the subordination, non-aggression and obedience code can be written for nanomachines⁉ That's programming basics!"
"The point isn't even that it's possible! Nanomachine code was only created by Ancients, but they rewrote it themselves! Can't just insert something own in middle of millions code lines! It doesn't work like that! Absolutely!"
"Why do you think so?"
"Because I was familiar with the team that created them!" Chaya cried out. "Nanomachines were their calling card! They knew everything about them! And the fact creators erred and allowed such only proves—this isn't the technology that should exist and interact with us!"
"So you fried those nanites in the lab with EMP generator?" I asked.
"Yes! How can't you understand....If Asuras nanites really survived and developed into a community, linking with them very bad idea," the turquoise girl shook head. "They won't help us. We're not those they fear and obey. Ten thousand years ago they were ready for dialogue, but now... Can't even imagine how much they changed and became dangerous after..."
"After Ancients tried to destroy them?" I clarified. "After created nanomachines programmed to kill any living without Ancient Gene, including Pegasus galaxy people, after realized error but too late⁈ That's what you wanted to say. Or tell about another Ancient experiment on weapon creation resulted in simple nano-weapon evolving into independent, though artificial, species refusing to kill? And for that Ancients sent starships to their home and blew everything to hell? Clarify please what exactly you didn't finish telling me? For since we started digging in my secrets, perhaps time to share yours?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about," Chaya said.
Only she averted eyes, fearing to give herself away.
"When we discussed negotiations with Athosians, I told you there's a city on the planet where Ancient buildings traced," I reminded. "And you scanned everything you could while we were there. And found something. For despite what I told you: I know in events known to me Athosians eventually return to Athos and live there long and happily, you decided to scare them properly. Drive away from the planet."
"But you saw the supervolcano yourself!"
"And know if not start drilling there, exploding tsar-bombs or something, nothing happens," I replied. "See, when showing underdeveloped races scanner data, best think someone of them remembers Lantean language symbols on marks, then translates."
"And what did you translate?" the girl shuddered.
"Supervolcano 'plug' thickness—not less than kilometer of superdense rock," I replied. "It itself calm and not preparing for eruption. 'Plug' intact. Everywhere except one place. First I long wondered what 'generator' in magma chamber there. Then remembered something... And matched one with other: my knowledge of similar situations and your words you already thought of geothermal energy."
Chaya looked at me, lips slightly pursed.
"In ruined city on Athos were Ancient buildings. In supervolcano magma chamber ancient generator, and we both know who put it there," I voiced my guesses. "You wanted to drive Athosians from home planet to launch ancient geothermal power station!"
"Yes."
To her credit, Chaya didn't deny. Actually, no hint of regret on her face for done.
"And for what?" I asked. "Organize 'Jumpers' charging station there? Or what goals did you pursue?"
"This ruined city called Emeg," Chaya said. "I read about it in Atlantis database. Athosians lived there many thousands years ago. They were developed enough for Lanteans to install outpost there and direct contact. However, when war with Wraith began, Lanteans left. But outpost remained. And all equipment in it. And besides generator and barracks for outpost garrison, there was shield generator powered by geothermal energy."
"Very interesting and promising," I agreed. "But let's closer to matter. So far didn't see minuses."
"Their planet open to Wraith strikes," Chaya waved hands. "They live on supervolcano. Kilometer rock, two, five—good orbital bombardment simply destroys this place and planet becomes uninhabitable. Technologies important for Atlantis will be lost."
"We have shield, ZPM..."
"Could be shield generator parts, parts for other systems, resources for recycling and creating needed hull elements!" Chaya said firmly. "Not to mention terminals, crystals, wiring and much else there. But main—this geothermal reactor. I only heard of this Lantean, and exclusively Lantean, technology. This generator could provide us energy on household level! Power all city corridors, all labs, all secondary systems! Exactly what we talked about—free ZPM from side consumers!"
"We generally tried to reduce number of consumers on contrary," I reminded. "And you wanted to turn on everything here on contrary."
"Because no matter how much I try to minimize consumption, I barely succeed," she explained. "City hermeticity violated long ago. Many sections damaged and flooded. In piers corridors and compartments already mold and mushroom. Turning off life support there won't make better. On contrary, much worse. Damp, dark, low-power energy flows... Before we can repair Atlantis, it falls apart! And that's the simplest problem! Can't cover all city problems, but know we use not even one percent of its functions. We repaired one lower hangar, there are two. What's in second, no idea—no connection with that city part. We have power break and shorting power sections on north pier, but again, no wiring to fix!"
"You told about problems," I reminded. "And we discussed solution paths. But why hide such from me?"
"And what would you tell me?"
"I'd tell that drilling rig survived, in my memory they launched it and it even gave energy to city," I said.
"And Wraith cruiser fall? And thin-walled crust at collision site? Explosion, finally?"
"Surely all without exception was there. But I speak for what I know—drilling rig intact and most likely not badly damaged. In known events it worked. But," seeing how Chaya lit up, I wagged finger at her. "However needed that drilling rig, while we're only four and no one helps in case of failure, we won't poke there."
"But additional energy⁉"
"And Wraith queen on cruiser board who'll blow it if we don't release her from planet?" I inquired.
"What?" Chaya doomed horrified and, retreating couple steps back, collapsed on chair. "There are live Wraith on this planet⁈"
"As much as I'd like to say 'no,' but 'yes,'" I admitted. "And small remark. Not just queen—this queen of entire Wraith union who led them to war against Ancients..."
On Chaya's swarthy face appeared deadly pallor. Seemed the Ancient so scared lost melanin responsible for skin color.
I noted girl's hands started trembling... She stared at one point but hardly saw anything there.
"Chaya?" I called her. "You all right."
"No," she whispered. "On same planet as us Queen Death. We're done..."
***
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