"Bottom line," I said. "This outpost is Ancient military base. Meant for servicing Ancient military ships. We're Ancients. So... What conclusion follows, chancellor?"
"That you won't blow up the planet!" he narrowed eyes. "You need this place! Just like us!"
"You don't need it at all," I delicately corrected. "You haven't evolved enough to work with such tech type. Maybe someday... But definitely not in your lifetime or under your rule. Clear?"
"Want my people to overthrow me?" he hissed.
"Want to see supervolcano eruption from front rows?" I inquired.
"You're giving me ultimatum, Mikhail?" the man who could be my father even in past life tried to pull himself together.
Father... Think if I had such dad, I'd smother him in sleep with pillow.
"All right, chancellor," I confirmed. "Ultimatum. You abdicate office. This outpost, Hippaforalkus ship, and all tech on Taranis belonging to our ancestors passes to our gratuitous disposal. Any settlements and any approach of your people to outpost closer than one hundred fifty kilometers inadmissible. Do it—and we'll be very upset. Hope that's clear, leading scientist?"
"Four, seven, three, zero..." Norina muttered. Noticing all looking at her, she perked up. "What did you say, Mikhail?"
Lord god, why me this...
Had to repeat.
"Yes, of course," she looked around absently. "A... Why are you saying this to me?"
"Because he wants to see you as our nation head, fool," Leikos hissed, looking at the woman with hating gaze.
"Ou!" the youthful lady even beamed. "Mikhail, I'm so glad! We must urgently discuss all details alone! Tonight at dinner, for example!"
Teyla coughed. Light panic flashed on Kirik's face. And I wanted to press blaster trigger. Just aim at one lady's head...
"Supervolcano will erupt under your feet soon, and you chatter about date?" Chaya grimaced.
"What?" Pero caught on. "Supervolcano? Where?"
"Did you even listen to us?" Teyla clarified.
"Yes, of course," Norina said absently. "And calculated distance between us and passing Wraith ship..."
Damn, bitch... If not spoiling moment, surely I'd slap a facepalm. Seems my idea to install puppet government here slightly (very slightly) smells like giving monkey open nuclear briefcase with 'Press here!' inscription on big red button...
Okay, deal with that later.
"Taranis people won't forgive you this," Leikos promised me.
"Think they will when we tell them what happened here and bring proper apologies," I promised. "Chaya, how much time till supervolcano eruption start?"
"Three hours," she announced. "Pressure in magma chamber already maxed. Destructions starting..."
"Enough info," I assured, looking at chancellor. "And now—you have one hour to clear territory. Gather your things and take your minions. Complex will be sealed. And, Ascended forbid, we find even one hiding bastard in it—I'll personally find you, Leikos, and make answer for another deception. Clear?"
"Our people already started traveling through gates!" he persisted. "If you take complex for yourselves, how will they do that?"
"And that's no longer your concern, chancellor," I noted, looking at standing beside me with burning eyes Norina Pero. "Get out. Everyone except Mrs. Pero."
"Miss," she squeaked, stepping aside to let moving to exit guards pass.
Surprised that at her age she's still 'miss'? Not particularly.
But that on Taranis address from my homeland accepted... Think worth learning more about this people.
But not from this clinger.
*
When all four emerged from the gate, Alvar finally could exhale.
"Another fifteen minutes, and I'd go to Athosians," he reminded, looking at comrades.
Mikhail thoughtful, like Chaya, Kirik perky, but Teyla...
"You really planned to blow up their world!" Emmagan blurted, angrily looking at Mikhail and Chaya. Ancients glanced at each other, then simultaneously giggled with laughter. "For you life of whole people, existence of planet where Wraith don't come, a joke?"
"And you, looks, don't skimp," Jensen whistled, exchanging glances with Kirik. "They really wanted to blow up planet?"
"At least that's what they said," the latter said uncertainly, looking at laughing pair. "And now not quite sure..."
"I thought they'd shoot me before you come," Chaya said through laughter.
"I thought they'd finish all three of you," Mikhail smoothed hair with hands. "You saw chancellor nearly burst with anger. By god, thought he wouldn't buy it..."
"You sold something there?" Alvar didn't get.
Kirik briefly outlined passed negotiations.
Jensen, listening to end, with shade of admiration and shock issued untranslatable verbal construction having on his home planet both swear and overly expressive color.
"Threaten to blow up planet to take ship and bunch of corridors over ready-to-explode supervolcano?" Alvar clarified, looking at laughed-out Chaya and Mikhail. "Ancients, you're sick in head!"
"Exactly what I wanted to say!" Teyla supported. "You accused chancellor of terrorism, and yourselves were ready for mass casualties! Murder of whole Taranis population!"
"They're of course some bastards," Kirik muttered, "but... Yeah, now it doesn't seem funny to me."
"Breathe out," Mikhail advised. "Kirik, you yourself advised preparing backup plan."
"Yes," he glanced at Alvar. "Couple hundred armed Athosians and Jensen as commander... Why not option?"
"My people would come to return me!" Teyla stated hotly.
"Yeah," Mikhail nodded. "And me with personal shield field," he parted edge of jacket and showed glowing green crystal attached to t-shirt, "had nothing to fear at all. Risk only that Chaya reaches you two in time. So all in one place..."
"I didn't risk much either," the girl said embarrassed, also moving jacket edge. There one could discern similar to Mikhail's device. Only it glowed saturated blue. "Assembled in spare time... Not as powerful as Mikhail's, but still... In some ways better."
"It just stretches to five meters radius," Mikhail waved hand. "Insurance for Kirik and Teyla if Taranian start shooting."
"I'd not mind a shield too," Kirik stated.
"Agreed," Jensen supported.
"How does this justify your actions to blow up alien world?" Emmagan asked.
"There'll be no explosion there," Chaya sighed. "When we came to outpost, I connected to its internal network. Changed several demo and warning inscriptions. And when understood nothing shines for us except captivity, activated template."
"Siren wailed like hell," Kirik admitted.
Teyla distrustfully looked at both Ancients.
"So you didn't plan to blow up their generator?" she asked.
"No," Mikhail smirked.
"If Alvar didn't succeed, second program would work and in five hours generator really would go amok," Chaya said.
"Didn't get," Misha paled. "You really wanted to blow up whole planet?"
"Just insurance," Chaya spread hands. "For most-most emergency case. But first all complex doors would open so Alvar and Athosians enter. And all exits except central would lock."
"So no one exits," Mikhail realized.
"Yeah," Chaya shrugged. "And overall I set voice control there, so any moment could cancel all... Or detonate reactor and blow up complex."
In reigning silence with noise dissolved Stargate event horizon.
And following sounded Chaya's laughter. From which somehow others got funny too. Only first laughed because it was fun for her. And rest—from nerves.
"You should've seen your faces," the Ancient said laughing out. "Of course no plan in plan. I planned to blow up nothing."
"Fu-u-u-u-h," Mikhail, Kirik and Alvar exhaled together.
"What jokes you have," Mikhail said, adjusting choking him t-shirt collar.
"Never do that again," Alvar requested. "Thought I'd go gray."
"I need a drink," Kirik voiced.
"Come on," throwing disapproving glance at Chaya, Teyla said. "I have a jug of strong Athosian wine in my cabin."
"I'm with you," Alvar said shaking head, catching up to the pair. "Think we'll need something stronger than wine..."
"Then we'll get second jug," Teyla said decisively. "I just want to forget this day."
"Agreed," Kirik supported gloomily.
"Sorry!" Chaya's voice carried. "It was a joke..."
"To Wraith such jokes," Alvar muttered when their trio vanished around corner. "Even don't want to know how other Ancients will joke when they appear here."
"We can always shelter on New Athos, right?" Kirik inquired of Teyla.
"Not sure anymore," she said quietly at that moment when Mikhail ran up to them. "Misha, we not offended, but..."
"To hell with offenses," the latter muttered. "Come on, let's get drunk. Seems first gray hairs appeared on me."