Confirming Carter Bk. 04 Expansion Ch. 01

"You do that. I should be back in a little while. I doubt if the training will take more than an hour." Tammy said as she looked back through the door. "Let me know if you hear anything from Sheppard or Lorne."

Interior-Col. Sheppard's Office, North Tower

0810 Hours

"Look doc, we don't know what we're going to do yet, but McKay knows more about the systems on those ancient ships." Sheppard said as he moved around behind his desk and sat down. "It's bad enough I have to let Tammy go. I'm not sending the royal wizard out there unless I have to. You can wait till we get that station back here, then you can play with it all you want."

"Wait a minute!" McKay said, turning to look over at Zelenka. "He gets to be a wizard? I'm a..."

"Be quiet, Rodney!" Zelenka said as he stepped over in front of Sheppard's desk. He looked down at Sheppard as he said, "Then why are you sending Rodney? You can wait to contact those people until we get the station moved back here. And I know as much about the ancients technology as he does. I..."

"He looks the part, Dr. McKay, you don't." Caldwell said. "But Zelenka's got a point, John. I think we should keep this operation as small as possible, and keep the risk to a minimum. If Tammy can get those ships moved into the station, then jump it back here, there's no need to send anyone else."

"I agree." Sheppard said. "We can wait on the science teams, but I still want Mc..." He paused and reached up, tapping his comm. "Go on Sheppard."

He listened for a moment, then said, "Confirm. Advise Apollo we'll be sending jumpers within the hour. Sheppard out."

He grinned as he looked up at Zelenka, then over at Caldwell.

"They found a gate, and Ops says they have the address for it in the database." He said. "Apollo is holding station, and will wait for the jumpers."

"Stephen, let's go talk to the boss, and let her know." He said as he stood up and came around the desk. "Rodney, get your gear together, just in case we decide we want you to go with them."

Interior-Col. Carter's Suite, Office

0835 Hours

"I don't think we need to send McKay." Tammy said as she scrolled through screen after screen on her terminal, then looking down to check the memory module. "I don't even have to go on the ships, there's a tractor beam we can use to move them into the station, and I've already plotted a course back here. All I'm going to have to do is upload it, get the ZPM's swapped out, and press a few buttons."

"I was thinking more about Fran, than McKay." Caldwell said after a moment. "I know the teaching machine won't work on her, but can't we upload the information she'd need to her? Then we might not have to send Tammy or McKay."

"That's a good idea, Stephen." Tammy said, turning in her chair to look at him. She glanced over at Sam before she continued. "She should be able to directly interface with the stations systems, and load everything up, no problem. But even if we go that route, I still need to go. She's going need someone to help her make the connections. And we'll need someone who knows how to pilot that station in case she can't do it."

"McKay's not going to let us send her without him." Sheppard said. "But I thought that she had some kind of glitch. Wasn't there a problem with her programming?"

"One of the elements in her personality profile caused a problem with the bonding protocol." Sam told him. "But we've been monitoring her, and we haven't seen anything out of the ordinary since we did the reload on her."

"We think that one element is faulty, and we're not going to use it anymore." Tammy said as she stood up and stretched. "And Fran told us about a simulation we can use on the personality profiles to check them for faults. We've been running it on different configurations for Boris and Angelo, and we think we're about ready to load them, and see what happens."

She turned and smiled at Sam, then looked over at Sheppard.

"Call McKay, and tell him to bring Fran over to my lab." She told him. "I should have everything together by the time they get there, and it will only take a few minutes to upload it to her."

Interior-Apollo Bridge, Sector 522R7

0940 Hours

"Atlantis One just docked in the port bay, sir." The weapons officer said. "Lady Tammy says they'll be with us in a few minutes."

"Confirm. Wilkins..." Lorne said, then looked over at the weapons station. "Wait a minute. Why Atlantis One, Parker? I thought they were in jumper three. You know something I don't?"

"Well, there's a queen onboard sir." Parker said, grinning back over his shoulder at Lorne. "You know, like Air Force One. The call sign for any aircraft the president is on changes to Air Force One. I just thought our queens deserve the same distinction."

"Remind me to tell Col. Sheppard about that." Lorne laughed. He turned and tapped out a series of commands on his panel as he said, "Take us back to the station Wilkins, we don't want to keep the lady waiting any longer than we have to."

Interior-Control Room, Space Station Creonimus, Sector 522R7

1015 Hours

Fran sat in the chair in front of the helmsman's console while Rodney lay on the floor moving crystals on the underside of it. Fran's shirt was open, and one of her breasts had been removed so a thick data cable could be plugged in. It trailed across her legs and onto the floor, the other end already connected to a port in the side of the console.

"Okay, what are you getting now, Fran?" Rodney asked as he flipped a crystal over and reseated it in its slot.

"That's much better, Rodney." Fran said, staring straight ahead. "I am now able to access the station's systems. I will attempt to access our memory module, and load the course Tammy plotted."

"Okay." Rodney said as he slid out from under the console and stood up. He tapped his comm, waiting a moment for it to beep.

"Tammy, we've got Fran connected, and she's trying to access the memory module. How's your end coming?"

"We just got to the power room, so we should have the ZPM's swapped out in a few minutes." She replied.

"Uh, Sam said that you need to leave the power room before they start swapping the ZPM's out. Well, what she actually said, was that you're not even supposed to go into the power room." McKay said softly. "She made me promise to remind you."

"I didn't go in the power room, Rodney. I'm down the hall from it." She laughed. "The marines we brought with us know what to do. Private Lewis has worked with me before when we were charging them, so you don't need to mother me. I get enough of that from Sam."

"I'm just saying." McKay said. "She said that you guys have had problems, and that radiation can cause you to start reconfiguring or something like that. She said it's happened to both of you."

"I'm reading increased power levels, Rodney." Fran said, not moving in her chair. "I believe they have replace one of the ZPM's."

"Tammy, Fran says that she's getting increased power readings, so it looks like they got one of the ZPM's in." Rodney said.

"Copy that, Rodney. I told them to swap the depleted one first, then do the other two." Tammy said. "They should be done any time now, so we'll be with you in a few minutes. In the mean time, have Fran see if she has enough power to bring the ships into the bay with the tractor beams. That'll save us some time."

* * * * *

"Am I the only one that thinks that this has been too easy?" Tammy said, grinning at McKay as she walked into the control room, followed by three marines.

"It's always like this." He answered, leaning over and checking one of the readouts on the console. "Then something goes horribly, horribly wrong, and we end up captured by the Wraith, or stuck out in the middle of no..."

"Relax Rodney." She laughed, moving over to sit in the command chair. "We got Fran hooked up and the ZPM's swapped out, it's all down hill from here."

"How are you doing moving those cruisers, Fran? Are you having any luck?"

"Luck does not enter into the equation, Tammy." Fran replied. "I am currently moving the

Rorceliea, and will have it positioned in approximately two minutes. I am also accessing the systems on the Merassipal and the Konasinil, and can confirm that the crews are indeed in stasis pods."

She paused for a moment before she went on. "Two hundred and eighty-two of the pods are active on the Konasinil, the rest have failed, and the ZPM is currently at two percent capacity. The ZPM on the Merassipal is at nine percent capacity, and six hundred and twenty-eight of the pods are active. There have however, been seven failures due to mechanical problems."

"Can you confirm if they're in a virtual environment like the crew of the Aurora was?" Tammy asked. "And can you tell what kind of shape they're in? Are their bodies going to be able to..."

"Sadly, no. It is as Rodney feared. Their bodies are virtually moribund, and they will not be able to live outside the pods." Fran said. "There is a virtual environment active on the Merassipal."

"Okay, keep me updated as you get them situated." Tammy said, reaching up to tap her comm. "Major Lorne, this is Tammy, come in please."

"Go on Lorne." The response came a moment later.

"Evan, we're moving the cruisers into the station, and should have that done in the next half hour or so." She said. "I was wondering if you wanted to bring the Apollo in and jump with us, or would you rather follow us, just in case?"

"I'd prefer to follow, if it's all the same to you, ma'am." Lorne replied. "I doubt if anything is going to go wrong, but we might be able to do something if it does. Worst case scenario, we beam you out of there, and take you home in the Apollo."

"I can think of worst case scenarios alot worse than that." McKay muttered as he sat down at the console next to Fran. "We could expl..."

"I agree Evan, but I wanted to give you the option." Tammy laughed, grinning over at McKay. "Dr. McKay thinks...well, I think you know how..."

"Yes ma'am. I know how he is." Lorne laughed. "I've been updating Atlantis as you update me, and I'll let them know what's going on. Colonel Carter asked me to remind you..."

"Oh for god's sake!" Tammy laughed. "Next time you talk to them, tell that overbearing bitch to quit mothering me! I never got within fifty feet of the power room. I know that I can't go near it."

She paused, looking over at the marines seated near the door.

"Lewis, when we get back, you're going to tell her that I stayed by the fucking elevator, and never got close to that damned power room." She said, smiling broadly. "She's still going to have Jenn test me for god only know how long..."

"Uhhh, Lady Tammy." Lorne said. "I agree with her. Just being on that station could put you at risk, and we don't have any idea what a hyperspace jump could do to yo..."

"Evan, if you say anything about that to anyone else, you'll be doing every shit job I can think of for the rest of your life." She said quietly. "I'm here, nothing is going to go wrong, so let's just finish what we're doing and go home, okay?"

"Yes ma'am." Lorne answered. "I just think we..."

"What a minute." She interrupted him. "We already did a hyperspace jump. We did one to get here from the planet, so whatever damage there might be is already done."

"The first ship has been positioned, and I am moving the second ship now." Fran said. "The ZPM on the Konasinil has dropped to less than one percent capacity. I believe I may have affected it by accessing the ships systems."

"Shit. Back out of those systems, Fran." Tammy said, getting up and moving over to stand behind her. "Have any of the pods failed as a result?"

"Negative, and I am already out of the systems on both ships." Fran told her. "Rorceliea is already connected to internal power, and I will connect the other two ships as they are positioned. This will not charge the ZPM's, but will relieve the drain on them."

"Well that's good to hear." Tammy said, resting her hands on Fran's shoulders, gently massaging them absentmindedly.

"Mmmmmm, that feels delightful." Fran purred as a shiver ran through her body. She glanced down at Tammy's hand, then up at her face. "But it is distracting. So if you would be so kind..."

"Oh, sorry Fran." Tammy said as she moved her hands and stepped back. "I didn't mean to...I was just..."

"It is quite alright, Tammy." Fran said lightly. "If you would like to continue when we get home..." She paused, then added, "The second ship is positioned and is connected to internal power. The drain on the ZPM has stopped, and no pods have failed. Moving the third ship now."

"Very good Fran." Tammy said, then leaned close and whispered in her ear. "But were you just hitting on me? I could have sworn that..."

"Yes." Fran said, not moving from her position in front of the console. "Three minutes on the third ship."

"Hmmmmm, interesting thought." Tammy said to herself as she went back over and sat in the command chair. "I'll have to talk to Sam about that."

* * * * *

"Evan, tell Atlantis that we have all three ships positioned and secured." Tammy said, leaning back in the command chair and looking around the control room. "Fran has our course loaded, and we're ready to go any time you are."

"Copy ready to jump Atlantis One." Lorne replied. "Standby, we'll update command and advise. Apollo out."

"Did he say Atlantis One?" Tammy asked.

"I think he was being facetious." McKay said, looking at her as he stood next to Fran's chair. "The Americans change the name of any aircraft the president is on to Air Force One. Except the marines, they call theirs Marine One. I guess they have to be diff..."

"I like that. It makes me feel all special!" Tammy laughed. She looked over at Fran and Rodney and smiled. "But let's do one last check on everything, okay people? Just to make sure we're not going to jump into a black hole or anything."

"Ohhhhh, did you have to say that?" Rodney muttered, leaning over and whispering in Fran's ear. She nodded, and a low pitched whine began to fill the room.

* * * * *

"Lorne says they're ready to jump." Sheppard said, leaning back in his chair and looking over at Sam and Caldwell. "And he's calling that station Atlantis One, since Tammy is on board."

"They do that for the president." Caldwell said. "And our queens are heads of state too. But do we want to get into the habit of advertising when the queens are on board a vessel?"

"You don't think our comms are secure, Stephen?" Sam asked, smiling at him. "If you don't, you better do something about it."

She turned and looked over at Sheppard.

"Tell Lorne to ask Atlantis One to jump as soon as they can. And have Jennifer get the medbay ready, I want Tammy scanned as soon as she gets back." She said. "Just beam her right to the medbay. I don't want to have to listen to her whine about it."

Interior-Corridor 18C, Deck 19, Ancient Cruiser Merassipal

1255 Hours

The jump to Atlantis had been uneventful, and Tammy had not resisted Keller's scans of her. She'd actually thought it was funny that Sam had had her beamed right to the medbay.

She was standing next to an empty stasis pod, watching as Zelenka and McKay connected their equipment to it.

"This should only take a couple of minutes." McKay said, glancing over at her. "Zelenka and I have gone through the database, and we know alot more about these things than the first time we ran across them. There should be almost no risk to you."

Zelenka turned and knelt next to a panel on the wall, tapping out commands as he paged through the screens. A moment later, the pod opened, and a long tray extended from the wall.

He stood up and came around, holding out his hand to her.

"If I may." He said, then helped her climb up and get settled on it.

"Thank you, Radik." She smiled up at him.

She relaxed and waited as they attached electrodes to her temples, then her neck, wrists and ankles.

"So are you attaching their stuff, or ours?" She asked.

"Both actually." McKay answered. "We're connecting you to the virtual reality, but we're also going to be monitoring you with our equipment, just to be safe."

He paused, making an adjustment on his laptop, then looked over at Zelenka.

"I'm ready. You?" He asked.

"Ready." Zelenka said. He took Tammy's hand as he looked down at her. "You just have to close your eyes and think about leaving, and you'll come out. If we see that you are in distress, we'll bring you out. Do you understand?"

"Yes, thank you, Radik." She said, then closed her eyes. "Let's do it."

Interior-Virtual Reality, Ancient Cruiser Merassipal

1240 Hours

'Oh wow, this is freaky.' Tammy thought as she appeared in a corridor of the ancient ship. She looked around, then turned and strode down the corridor.

She walked quickly, turning randomly, but didn't see any of the crew. Stopping at a door, she palmed it open, smiling as she saw several people working at stations around the room.

"Excuse me." She said as she stepped through the door. "Could you take me to the captain please?"

* * * * *

"Who are you, and how did you get onboard this ship?" First Officer Meria asked as she stopped just outside the cell in the detention center. She stared at Tammy through the bars.

"I am Lady Tammy Ford, a queen of Atlantis." Tammy smiled. "And before you say it, I know that your Atlantis was ruled by a council, not a queen. Well, in our case, queens."

She looked down, and an envelope appeared in her hand. She held it out to Meria.

"Would you give this to the captain please, and tell him that I'll see him in his quarters in ten minutes?" She said as she laid the envelope on the thick metal bars. She smiled at Meria, then closed her eyes, thinking about exiting the virtual environment.

Meria stared into the empty cell, unable to believe that she had just seen the women inside it disappear in front of her eyes. After a moment, she picked up the envelope and hurried toward the bridge.

* * * * *

"Okay. I made contact with the first officer, and gave her a message for the captain." Tammy said as she sat up, looking back and forth between Zelenka and McKay. "I said I'd see him in his quarters in ten minutes, so we have a little time. What are you seeing from this end?"

"You're looking good." McKay said, holding up his laptop so she could see the telemetry. "You didn't have any problems, didn't feel disoriented?"

"No, I was fine." Tammy smiled. "It looks a little weird in there, everything is, I don't know...everything is sharp, and well defined, but there's a difference. I..."

"I know what you mean." McKay said, nodding in agreement. "I saw the same thing when I went in there on the Aurora. It's not the lighting, but everything is whiter, and cleaner, if that makes any sense."

"That's a good description, Rodney. It does look almost sterile in there." She said as she laid back down. "Gimme a minute, then put me back in. It's almost time."

* * * * *

The first officer was sitting in a chair watching the captain pace back and forth in front of his desk when Tammy appeared just inside the door. He stopped, his eyes going wide as he saw her, and the note he was holding slipped from his fingers and fell to the floor.

"I see you got my message, captain." Tammy said lightly, walking over and holding out her hand. "I'm Tammy Ford. I'm sorry, but I didn't get your name."

"Kerus Mar, Captain of the Merassipal." He replied, staring at her as he took her hand. "I...I don't know what to make of this. How did you get onboard my ship, and how did you get in here? There are guards at the door."

Tammy smiled as she leaned down, picking up the note and handing it to him.

"Didn't you read my note, or didn't you believe it?" She asked, looking around the room. She stepped over and sat on a couch, patting the seat beside her. "Come sit with me, we have a lot to talk about."