And what, one asks, did I hope for when forbade Chaya work during recovery? Logically for Ancient to obey, rest and not climb into bottle.
How strongly I erred understood literally on tenth over next day flight from Ermen. Worth me only emerge from Stargate 'puddle' of Atlantis, immediately saw standing on balcony of command center Proculian.
Were Alvar beside me, he'd surely say something ironic about it. But Ermenian stayed on home planet—coordinated Athosians actions in Capital maraudering.
And I meanwhile fulfilled courier duties, hauling honestly looted from one planet to another.
Index finger lay on small black 'droplet', speaker going into ear canal, I inquired:
"Should've guessed you'd sabotage order."
"Such my nature," girl repeated movement, activating her wireless headset.
She little differed from such used on Earth in my time. However produced on Ermen. And yes, kit included radio-amplifier with built-in charging socket for comm device.
In fact—wireless earpiece coupled with microphone, and on tactile control. Nothing new for me, but for Alfhar one of newest technologies. For Athosians direct gift of gods.
And Chaya, getting such, only regretted need some time for its improvement and integration into city general comm system. Just so material Atlantis built from not shorten reception and transmission radius of info. But already technical details.
"And not afraid our captives find way escape?"
"Even if smart enough to get out of cells, I recoded lock in each separate brig box room," Proculian reported. "If cells open but no confirmation by Ancient gene scan, life support system in ten seconds suck all air from there. Well, and to me and you scanners get alarm signal from Atlantis central computer."
Recalling prison compartment wall thickness, found solution acceptable. And again thought we lack trusted people to populate city. Which time already pondered search of any Ancient ships that could fly, but then recalled have no idea how reach each of them.
And yes, only suitable for these purposes vessel on planet whose name (surprise) didn't match any in database. To occupy Chaya with something truly useful in her state, I shared with her several of my considerations on how discover needed planet.
And while we hauled necessary, she busied with combing database. Only search by categories 'supervolcanoes', 'outpost', 'geothermal energy' turned not too useful. City computer simply issued two thousand addresses. Which needed check. Even if act one by one, take eternity.
And besides I imagine what repair of that single ship we can find with minimal problems will cost us. Of course if they still alive...
"Then rise to bay," I suggested. "Take other 'Jumper' and go."
Honest delivery mechanism of maraudered property remained same: thanks Alvar Athosians discovered and carried out, but already to planet surface. There we loaded into 'Jumper', burying with all most needed (and nothing else here was). Then flight to Atlantis, 'Jumper' change, new loading and so to infinity.
Well, to infinity—as long as all 'Jumpers' not loaded. Then unloading time came.
Usually with me on predlast loaded ship to Atlantis went Teyla. I took sixth 'Jumper', she unloaded at least half of one occupied. Yes, could call some Athosian for her help, but sobering meeting with Genii reminded me that among any people can be their spies.
Bring them here so then they reveal location and all seen—not very appealing. These scoundrels could think up even worse.
However, anyway idea of populating Atlantis needed accelerate. I had several variants, but... All rested on search of needed ship. And such not that many in our surroundings. Yes, there's Wraith cruiser literally under nose. Think can raise and repair. Only control it, like many other high tech of life-suckers, can only Wraith. Or human with Wraith genes. Actually for this reason I decided contact Athosians—among them several such.
While most optimal way replenish our ranks—rely on Teyla who promised select most loyal Athosians. At least small guard personnel in city we still need. I'd even say vitally. But turn Athosians into soldiers this... In general won't work. At least short term.
"On planet Genii?" Chaya inquired.
"Yes," reluctantly admitted I, starting new ship. "From 'Jumper' discovered several groups near Capital, seems came after Tyrus group loss. Couple of them we killed. And took stolen from them."
"Info carriers?"
"Unfortunately no. Only weapons. Not to mention enemy blew several storages when understood we'll capture them soon."
"Understood," Chaya said.
Girl moved away from her dresses and now wore Ermen uniform. Even with protective elements. Now we all more like one team. Even Teyla with Alvar dressed up. Actually for that and marauder.
"So, suppose you not lay under healing radiation meditating and enjoying peace," I lowered 'Jumper' to Gate level and launched ship into waiting 'puddle'.
"No," Chaya calmly answered already on other side. "Worked on our Gate problem," she demonstrated small box studded inside with transparent crystals. "And made exception for dialing only two addresses from Ermen—Atlantis and New Athos. Any incoming wormholes as discussed lead for now to Proculus orbit."
"In that case time for us set our decoy," I suggested, lowering 'Jumper' not far from Gates.
Gates on Chaya home planet in space, so if someone interested in Ermen, max gets—full lungs of vacuum and interstellar void as far eye sees. Spacecraft Genii (and think interested in planet besides us only they) absent. Other matter Wraith... But for this case always have Athosian sentries at Gates and ruins who warn of enemy approach.
"What's this?" exiting ship, Chaya inquired about meaning of clustering barrels and numerous crates with unfamiliar to her marking near Gates.
"Fuel," I explained. "And also generators, some gear, weapons and ammo. We immediately sift it for Athosians. We don't need fuel generators and dynamo machines, but Athosians will for improving their new settlement."
"Much here," Chaya looked at me.
"While some load 'Jumper' for us, others prepare net with cargo for Athosians," I explained. "Before Gate flight to Atlantis I unload what our allies need, then fly away. While absent and especially while unloading passes, Athosians open Gates to their new home and send useful cargo there."
"We need more pilots," girl sighed, approaching DHD.
"You understand what risk," I said. "And not about pilots. We lack resolutely all. Including protection for Atlantis. Not only inside but outside. Remains only guess when Wraith decide visit Atlantis. Best if by then 'Satellite' already functioning. Best of all—dozen such."
Chaya opened control panel, ignoring dozen Athosians interestedly watching her actions. They guarded Gate passage, and also monitored surroundings. All as one dressed in Ermen uniform they were our last line of defense on central square. Several more patrol squads and 'secrets' located in ruins.
"I assembled several spare parts from disassembled 'Jumpers'," she reported. "Think they'll fit for repairing detected external satellite damages. However, without power source repairing it waste of time."
"Seems rest not only strange word in Athosian language," with smile addressed approaching us Teyla. Must say uniform suited girl like no other from her people.
"With work feel better," Chaya reported, replacing several crystals inside 'mushroom'. Must be, and I thought she'd just plug whole box. "Ready. Now from here can dial only New Athos and Atlantis coordinates. Actually, as and to here can reach only from there."
"Mikhail," Teyla addressed me. "If don't mind, I'd like handle cargo sending to Athos. Besides, we need medicines—among my people many sick."
"Something serious?" Chaya worried.
"Take what need," I permitted. Medicaments we delivered to Atlantis and plan deliver more suffice for hundreds years. True, significant part of left medicaments more relate to field medicine. But 'general' drugs stocked plenty too. "But Chaya right, if something serious."
"Not more than heavy cold," Teyla said. "While settling new place many fell ill in cold. Think little medicines and warmth in new homes quickly put all on feet."
"New... homes?" I asked.
"Yes," Teyla pointed at two dozen large crates. "These inflatable houses. Alvar said in such arranged field camps. Inside each small house can live warmly several dozen people, inside large—from hundred to two. There panels heating when working from generators we already delivered."
"Something like quick-erectable constructions with heating systems," Chaya understood. Suspect not only minimal conveniences there. "Yes, we could use such too. In them can arrange field camps or planet study labs. Same miners camps, e.g."
"Alvar permitted take all from two storages," Teyla saddened. Let she not too demonstrated, but Chaya's words puzzled her. Seems she strongly counted on these 'homes'. And can't blame her for that—on new planet Athosians still to familiarize with new climate. Good no different tyrannosaurs roam there.
"And quite right did," I assured. "We already resettled you to new planet. So should care so on new place you live not worse than on old."
"Thanks," Teyla smiled, heading to another group of arrived Athosians. Those dragged in huge bags and bags next luxury items of perished race. What's inside don't know, but and oversee inspections not going. After all, we're allies. Means need share what have. Anyway we all not 'swallow'.
"I pondered organizing several labs outside Atlantis," Chaya explained her words as we returned to 'Jumper'. "Experiments with naquadah not safest."
"And on other hand we have all-abandoned Athos," I reminded. "And Ancient outpost on planet. With geothermal energy source."
"I thought we use it for own drilling installation," Ancient frowned.
"If manage revive Ermen technologies and build their naquadah generators, then short term no need build our drilling platform," about how many forces and resources this construction will take I preferred not say. "Especially since one such already exists. Need just solve issue with queen and ship. And also with that first can blow second."
"Resist Wraith in mental plane very hard," Chaya said quietly. "Only Lanteans developed enough for that. And even first Wraith generation brought them to knees. Because of that war almost immediately went not by plan—they managed draw from Lanteans minds much of what put on arm against us ourselves."
"Exactly for this reason not burning desire go to second planet of Lantean system," had to admit. "Wraith possibly still alive there clearly from those attacked Atlantis. And means he can be stronger than all we can cope with."
"Wraith commanders in mental plane much weaker queens," girl said as we approached huge funnel. On its bottom people bustled, stacking on ground discovered in tunnels achievements of perished civilization. "Much of this builds their matriarchal society structure."
"And also they can exchange telepathic commands with each other," I recalled, landing ship. "We can blunder into story if that Wraith and queen connect and think how fool us. Four sentients in huge city—not what can oppose bloodthirsty monster in strength. Because if arrange him prison somewhere outside Atlantis, no guarantee he can't escape from there."
"Only prison place you're sure—Atlantis brig?" Ancient clarified.
"Exactly so," I confirmed. "Throw wherever, everywhere we like carry suitcase without handle. We lack people, resources, ships... And without one can't get other... And so on."
"And again approach idea that at least to start we need more people," Chaya sighed. "And can't get Lanteans, as your plan of their revival to life implies Wraith participation, right?"
"Right," I admitted, following with girl to ship exit. "You know, I have idea how increase our soldiers number. From those who one way or another hate Wraith and never cooperate with them or any other our enemies."
"Truth?" Chaya interested. "Unexpected. Not that you have such idea, but that you wanted share it."
"We agreed start all from clean slate, forgot?" I clarified, noticing approaching us Jensen. "How affairs progress?"
"Somewhere good, somewhere bad," he admitted. "Me and Athosians cursory examined all small storages in tunnel network under Capital."
"Already?" I surprised.
"Had time," Alvar shrugged. "Several times ran into Genii, but smoked them out where finished. In three places bombardment destroyed tunnels—so they penetrated inside."
"So what with knowledge storages?" Chaya asked. "Wanted examine them."
"Well, follow me," Jensen smirked. "Leave ship here. Let Athosians at least rest, or work like damned."
"Reasonable."
***
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