Looking at huge construction covered entirely with wires, blinking sensors, relays and other technical abominations whose names I even approximately didn't know, vague doubt crept...
"And for this we week searched junk on Ermen?" I inquired.
"Not junk but tech remnants," Chaya corrected me. Week after we discussed plan on Runner search and Proculian started work on it, she looked hardly better than before. Still sleep under regenerating radiation in medbay—great idea.
Pity only we can't do so—equipment tightly linked to certain development of healing organism physiology and cell structure. For people hardly not deadly—at least at prolonged impact brains definitely flow from ears.
Maximum for our allies—several minutes under radiation. With subsequent gastrointestinal disorders, bone aches, headache and so on... Yes, this just theoretical assumption, risk body to check endurance limit and possible equipment rebuild efficiency no one of us dared.
In general, stocked medicines on Ermen not just so.
"Exactly, honestly say but see girl inside huge cage covered with metal mesh-like, somehow not liked me." "Sure this safe?"
Chaya looked at me with sympathy.
"Lack of knowledge on high energy physics, subspace fluctuations and pinging turn for you my actions to magic?" she asked.
"Not for him alone," Alvar voiced. "This construction reminds me electric cube in which executed state enemies on Ermen."
"And what's that?" Chaya interested.
"Metal cage where drove convict," Alvar willingly shared knowledge. "And then connected power from nearest reactor with gradual power increase. In five minutes only bones left. But often even they exploded."
Visual story on how vaporize living being with reactor help. Oh this wonderful new world.
However... Compared to what Alvar told, electric chair direct prelude.
For experiments with extracted from Jensen subspace beacon, Chaya chose another empty lab. Couple tables, couple computer terminals.
And monstrous kind cage assembled Ancient from samples of technologies we got on Ermen. Recalls that in known events one Ancient assembled from toaster disposable Stargate.
And here Chaya from household appliance debris, torn from underground wires and other electric devices assembled... Hm... And by chance not with this thing Doctor Frankenstein revived his monster?
"No, this construction completely safe," Chaya calmed us, locking from inside tiny door. Girl remained alone inside device powered from massive glowing construction in lab corner. And at her side only lab table, scanner yes portable Ancient computer. "Created it to shield transmitter signal on subspace and other frequencies. But at same time if all succeeds, can get data on comm channel."
"And so we'll find other Runners?" Emmagan coped.
"Yes, think can find other Runners by their subspace beacons. If of course," Chaya looked at me, "discharge didn't destroy all possible. In that case need little miracle to restore it. If possible at all after discharge. Significant part of transmitter nerve fibers simply fried."
Well yes, judge me.
"Actually I saved human life," I reminded.
"And for that grateful to him," Alvar voiced. "And for reference—idea attract Runners not most right."
"Aren't they bad warriors?" Teyla asked.
"If alive till now—then no, good fighters," Alvar objected. "However not all of them good guys. Runners not liked not only because bring Wraith after them. But also because many of them extortionists, murderers, robbers or just thieves. When goal survival, morality questions can go to another plan."
"Not going organize boy-band from all Runners in galaxy," had to remind. "And perfectly understand they not pink ponies cleaned all this time yes flowers gathered. Need experienced soldiers. And not just army unit able dig trenches, build houses or go attack with cries 'Short—bayonet!' But exactly mobile recon-sabotage squad. Ideally—several. But only those we can trust, and not fear they'll stick knife in our back."
In galaxy where survival at any cost elevated to absolute, not that hard betray. But and value of friendship with those who can rid you of unenviable fate of animal in pen also not worth underestimate.
As and presence of 'bandits' and people working for Wraith.
"Connecting power," Chaya reported, attaching to tiny subspace transmitter thin wire whisker.
At first nothing happened, but then multicolored blinking indicators on cage stopped. Tiny Ermen-produced diodes lit with even light.
"Blocking cage works," Chaya translated glance to her computer monitors. Coupled with scanner, that demonstrated multitude not very understandable data. "Well... Device suffered, of course, but not as strong as thought. Seems developed with certain durability reserve. Burned peripheral contacts, power source, but sensor itself intact. As and subspace antenna. Registering frequency it works on... Oh, this two-way comm channel. How interesting. Thought simple beacon with pulsing signal. And turns out all much more interesting..."
"Wraith can't track Atlantis by this signal?" Teyla worried.
"They find Runners even on other galaxy end," Jensen reminded.
"No, isolation cage works and jams signal with electromagnetic field," Chaya said, examining scanner screen she ran over beacon. "Hm... This tech more developed than ten thousand years ago."
"You also had Runner?" I surprised.
"No," Chaya said. "Wraith made beacons as souvenirs. And with help of people in their service passed them to Ancients. Allegedly as gift or under some other pretext. Before understood exactly how they find our building outposts, shipyards and so on, military objects destroyed by Wraith. Thousands objects across galaxy... Much after this Lanteans decided retreat to Atlantis. Well and actually here about these beacons learned—when Wraith headed to city."
"Ingenious trap," Jensen appreciated.
"In this hard refuse Wraith," Chaya agreed. "This beacon," she pointed at device, "quite cunning thing. Besides main power source has row fibers that grow into body over time."
"That's why didn't dare remove it but knocked out."
"And right did," Chaya noted, pointing lab probe at tiny black tentacles exiting lower device part. "Fibers programmed to fuse with skeleton and nervous system. Priority—spine, spinal cord, rib cage."
"And after this extract device impossible?" I inquired.
"Think that's calculation," girl said. "Human body generates certain voltage and thanks to it device gets power for development. Growth happens slow, but more energy in organism, faster occurs. If right, this beacon should replace bone tissue in several thoracic vertebrae with own, fuse with spinal cord and..."
"Cruel," Teyla appreciated. Despite that I and Alvar said nothing, essentially agreed with her.
"I finished," Chaya disconnected from subspace transmitter wire whiskers, then hooked massive clamp to it. Wire to latter went from that very glowing construction.
Clicking tiny switch on clamp, Chaya covered eyes with hand when Wraith device blindingly flashed.
Blinking from 'bunnies', I inquired:
"And what was that?"
Girl just climbed out of Faraday cage-like, holding Ancient equipment in hands.
"All data possibly useful from device I got," she reminded. "So best destroy it finally. Short circuit from generator burned its organic schemes. And now with guarantee can say it never work again."
"Better throw it into Gate activation funnel," I suggested. Energy vortex created at stable wormhole establishment guaranteed split everything from stones to space ships.
"As variant," Chaya folded her devices on other table and connected them to horseshoe-like Lantean console. Thin fingers danced over futuristic keyboard.
Horseshoe-shaped console.
"So," minutes later on nearest monitor appeared two-dimensional galaxy map. Bespeckled with blue planet dots, it also had blinking marks. "Atlantis long-range sensors cover only small galaxy part. But retuned them so act only on certain frequency... Thanks this increased sensor coverage zone. Also isolated feedback channel from beacon to tracking device. Can observe in real time Runners positions in galaxy. At least in its tenth part from us. While this maximum ready provide. But bit later write program for constant tracking with directed beam. So save energy and can check galaxy."
Girl looked at me with warmth in glance.
"Thanks for hint how make this quick and effective," she thanked.
"Glad help common cause."
That I told how done in known events not at all diminishes my merits.
"Not thick," Alvar said, examining five blinking dots. "Heard Runners not that many, but to such extent..."
Honestly, I also bit disappointed.
Recalls in known events theirs order more. Yes, five also good. But if estimate how many of them may agree work with us, not turn out linked to Wraith service, can boldly divide by two.
"No guarantee we see exclusively Runner beacons," Chaya warned. "In past ran into Wraith hanging them on each other too. Moreover this only one subspace channel. If correctly understand its coding, then secondary."
"Means?" I frowned.
"This like allocated frequencies of one directionality," Chaya said. "Imagine group frequencies of certain range on which subspace transmitter works. Those we discovered act on one say subfrequency within range. Possibly allocated for Runners, possibly used by specific hive ship. Can't retune to all now as transmitter gives access only to this subfrequency. Others have something like cipher..."
With short sound signal two dots vanished. Second passed, another...
"Equipment failure?" Teyla asked hopefully.
"Afraid no," Chaya slowly said. "Devices shut off abruptly. Either carriers died or transmitters simply destroyed..."
While she said this, another vanished.
I and Alvar glanced at each other.
***
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