*
"Should place under storages more suitable spot," I muttered, collapsing into conference room chair.
Six hours hauling various cargo from Jumper bay to that part of central city buildings where now our arsenal, medical storage, ammo, provisions, and gear. And good have teleporters, otherwise all this running stairs and floors—complete ah-tung.
Though, Teyla didn't look tired. On other hand, she carried things, not firearms-explosives good. And back... Legs hum like high-voltage lines. And hum, hum, hum...
"Seems," Emmagan, though not first try, but opened tin-like can and easily hooked knife piece of syrup-dripping fruit, "for such could work a bit."
I sniffed air... Yes, if smell matches taste, forget my complaints! This pineapple!
True, pink.
"Lenin bequeathed share," I said, approaching girl with unambiguous hint.
"Who bequeathed?" she didn't understand.
"Girl Lenin."
"And to whom he bequeathed this?" Teyla continued acculturating to Earth, sharing can.
"To kulaks."
"And this...?"
"Those who should share."
"Not quite understand..."
"Not you alone, don't bother," I advised, fishing juicy slice from can. And yes, I was right—for such reward could and should work properly.
There's something else Alvar omitted in story of his race wonder-knives. Inside hiking spoon-fork. To choose tableware, just flip construction needed side. Not quite like on Earth, but even with three tines fork is fork. Let tea spoon, but spoon. In Atlantis, e.g., we found no tableware. And eating wooden from those Athosians passed... After couple splinters in tongue something appetite interrupted.
With light hiss doors turned and into room quick step entered Alvar. One glance at him sufficed to understand—guy came to senses. Well and brought self in order.
Black pants from camo set, light T-shirt, holster strapped to thigh with pistol. And universal fatigue expression on face.
And following him...
"Aren't you supposed be in medbay still?" I left can and contents to Teyla and was beside Chaya. Supporting girl, helped her sit in chair near entrance.
"Nothing critical for health," Proculian said. Well, at least voice perky, already pleases. "They tortured me, not killed..."
"By your appearance can think mere chance separated one from other," Alvar threw glancing girl briefly.
"Take as compliment," she promised, folding bruise-covered hands... Glance caught barely regrowing nail plates. Teyla shuddered, I pretended urgently need sit where was before, Jensen looked at her with sympathy.
Chaya, pursing lips, placed hands one on other, hiding torture traces from present.
"Need return to Ermen," she said.
"Joking or what?" I was taken aback. "Nearly killed us there."
"But didn't, right," girl parried. "We didn't complete mission as planned. Need return."
"Don't think good idea," Teyla stood on my side.
"Agree with Chaya," Alvar unexpectedly said. "Need return. In light of what I learned..."
He fell silent, throwing quick glance at Chaya. Girl, also dressed in Ermen uniform, now little differed from dark blue camo. At least 'flowering' bruises in normal conditions appear not in day, but much later. Think matter in apparatus and Proculian physiology—she recovered much faster than ordinary people.
What to say—even my pain and bruises already stopped touching alive.
"Don't misunderstand," I said. "We need all that can be useful. However Genii..."
"Genii substituted my race under Wraith blow," Jensen interrupted. "And now calmly rummage in its legacy. Don't want them get more than already have."
"You interrogated captives?" Chaya quietly asked. Teyla, not withstanding her glance, averted eyes aside.
"Yes," Jensen took word. "Tyrus knows little, but even what he said enough to understand—Genii not our friends."
"Spill," I asked.
"Several months before they attacked us, group of refugees arrived on planet," he began. "Among them these two, Tyrus and Sora. Personally didn't see them, but heard of survivors from Wraith strike. Don't know how, but they ingratiated to one high post officer. And somehow got data on our nuclear project. Reactors, bombs, missiles, engines... Much of this in principle just prototypes, but reactors functioned forty years already. Tyrus claims they bribed some our military and those allowed take with them some blueprints and prototypes stored on base. Genii used them, and valuable ore from our planet, to improve own inventions."
"What material in question?" I interested.
"Don't know its name. Heard Ancients built Stargates from this material," Jensen shrugged.
Chaya and I met glances.
Alvar spoke of naquadah. In known events, mined on many Milky Way planets. About Pegasus heard no such. But logical it's here somewhere, since Pegasus has Stargate network where this material key.
From what remember naquadah superheavy and superdense. In Milky Way used for power sources or weapon power. Also as weapon naquadah greatly enhances energy, making it extremely powerful explosive in combination with usual explosive. Earthlings in known events enhanced rockets with naquadah to destroy enemy ships.
Physics of this material quite fascinating, as e.g. mineral also had liquid form and exactly in such used in Milky Way weapons by some factions.
For possession of planets with naquadah mines there could wage wars generations and kill millions sentients on both conflict sides.
But besides Gates, material has other peaceful use. Earthlings, spying tech from other aliens, e.g. created super-powerful reactors giving colossal energy output. In known history these reactors powered Atlantis after relaunch at Earth expedition appearance.
"If planet has naquadah mines, then we necessarily," Chaya emphasized last word, "must find them. Get naquadah—I can assemble several portable reactors. We can connect them as alternative power sources for various city parts."
"And combat satellite," I prompted.
"First of all," she agreed.
"And from naquadah can make bombs," I sighed. "And seems Genii now know this."
"Maybe they'll put this material to good use?" Chaya supposed. "If we have energy problems, then they even more..."
Jensen crookedly smirked.
"No desire hear story end?" he asked. "Well, that very one where because of Genii my race exterminated."
"Sorry," Teyla conciliatorily raised hands up.
"If Tyrus not lied, then partially from our prototypes Genii managed finish and enhance power of their bomb," Alvar reminded. "They sent group to hive ship planet and tried blow it. But it survived. After which Genii spies very quickly left our planet. Literally couple days or so before Ermen attack. And by Tyrus words, us attacked same hive they planned blow."
"Can't be coincidence," Emmagan said.
"And not coincidence," I said, glad can 'cash' post-knowledge. "Among Genii was someone like scientist. Before death he told me that many years ago they managed shoot down Wraith 'Dart', found there info storage device, and on it—data on location at least one Wraith hive ship. Wanted infiltrate board and through this device find coordinates of all Wraith ships in galaxy."
"To then blow them?" Alvar clarified.
"Exactly. Kamikaze tactic."
"In that case their race must be very large," Chaya said. "In our time Wraith had tens thousands starships—from transports to hive ships."
"In any case, something need do with them," Jensen stated. "Won't forgive self knowing who ruined my race and do nothing about it."
"But we don't know reasons why Wraith attacked you," Teyla reminded. "Genii may be not involved here."
"Come on?" Jensen darkened. "They ingratiate to us, steal our secrets, build from them bomb—from which even we refused—send it to Wraith. And those after this quite suddenly attack Ermen? Not Genii home world, but mine."
"In your judgments gaps," Emmagan tried calm comrade. "Need check all."
"And by me here all clear," categorically objected Jensen. "Don't know how, but exactly Genii led to our world. Seems decided revenge for past."
"Tyrus told me once Ermen part of same Confederation as Genii. Then attacked you and they long thought no one left of you. Suspect checked in practice but found nothing, so left."
"I'm not history expert of past, but know several ways to clap them," Jensen said. "Need organize ambush on planet. One group missing and nearly day no contact, surely send more. Then more, more and more. We have about hundred Athosians who can handle firearms. We can..."
"Don't want involve my people in war with Genii!" Teyla raised voice. "We suffered enough from Wraith to also gnaw each other! Yes, I'll tell my people minimize contacts with Genii, but not go to war on them⁉"
"And why not?" Jensen asked, pointing at Chaya. "Show me mine, I'll dig so much naquadah suffice to destroy whole Genii planet. Or we continue sit here and wait while they loot my planet and use our knowledge to first blow Wraith, then other humans? Sure Genii could assemble own analogs of our prototypes, but made so their bomb had our parts! Likely exactly so Wraith reached us."
"But why not attack Genii?" Teyla asked.
"They hide well," I reminded. "Underground city and all, remember?"
"I can block Ermen Gates," unexpectedly for all present Chaya said.
"Sorry?" I clarified, looking at Proculian. "Block?"
"We do same with Atlantis Gates leaving it," Ancient reminded. "Block Ermen Gates from dialing by any others except us. I'll set redirection to other worlds, so no one pass there without our knowledge. Retuned dialing system will store in buffer energy of object and redirect to random galaxy coordinates."
"And to random not needed," I suddenly said to self. "We need captives for interrogation, right? Need understand exactly what Genii got from Ermen and how use it."
"Unlikely simple soldiers informed of such," Teyla supposed. "But commanders like Tyrus may..."
"In that case," I summed up, "need find planet where we can throw our unkind friends. Chaya," girl looked at me with poorly concealed suspicion. "On you—first of all recovery. And no objections. We all value you too much to just demand work from you to loss of consciousness."
"But I'm fine," dark-skinned girl covered in lilac-violet bruises sincerely surprised. Honestly from her half-open swollen eye direct shiver threw. Seemed any moment she'd demand motorcycle and clothes...
She looked around seeking support from Teyla and Alvar. But those didn't voice word of support to her separatist opinion continue work in such state.
"No need make invalid of me!" Proculian indignant. "I can work and rest! Especially since need go there and check server condition and..."
"We'll do it ourselves," Alvar said. "Think Teyla's people won't object help us haul all necessary."
"Especially since if data on other servers as damaged as on main, little you can do on site," I supported idea.
"This conspiracy!" girl sulked.
"Even say betrayal, pull lightsaber from sleeve and start cutting Jedi masters," I smiled. But expectedly joke not understood. "Anyway majority for you rest and recover. Faster happens, faster return to work. And we meanwhile deliver all you wish. Alvar, you know where find biggest tech dump?"
***
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