Confirming Carter Bk. 04 Expansion Ch. 06

"You're talking about the little brunette, right?" Sheppard asked. "She doesn't look like she could be over twenty."

"She's over a hundred and forty John." Carter told him. "She's Kinai and Simeon's sister. They're both over two hundred years old."

"Which means that their mother is probably four, if not five hundred or more years old." Tammy said. "And she's still alive. Simeon said she still acts like Matrei can do no wrong."

"No way." Sheppard said, shaking his head as he got up and got another beer. Larrin held her hand up, and he handed her one.

"Jennifer did physicals on all of them over in the med center on the east pier." Carter said. "Well, Susan actually did them, but Jennifer requested them."

"You have no idea how that pisses her off." Sheppard laughed. "She's gotten the training on the ancient medical systems, but Susan leaves her messages every day on something new she needs to train on."

"We know, Susan updates us on what she finds and trains on." Tammy said, grinning at him.

"Anyway, they had full body and brain scans." Carter said. "And they are all in the norm for what we know of the ancients themselves from the database. All of them are in the top twentieth percentile on the teaching machines. Kinai and Matrei are both in the top ten percent."

"And that means what for us?" Sheppard asked.

"It means that we have five very intelligent resources working for us now that know the ancient database and technology better than any of us ever will." Carter said. "Now we have to figure out how make the best use of them."

"You know we're going to have to give Matrei that outpost don't you?" Tammy said, shaking her head.

"We were going to have to do that any way." Carter smiled. "After I saw it, I'm thinking that we have them consolidate some of their existing facilities into a few of the other outposts. Andi has a list of their locations, and we can get people into them to see just what we've added to our domain."

"You've been thinking quite a bit about this, haven't you?" Tammy asked, reaching over and taking her hand.

"I haven't been thinking about much else since they told us about them." Carter said, moving her hand so their fingers intertwined. "There's space for the Travellers if we need it, research and maybe production areas for new technologies, and most importantly, footholds in parts of the galaxy we aren't active in yet."

"Wow, you are looking at the big picture, aren't you?" Tammy smiled. "Do I need to start playing catch up?"

"No, you need to keep doing exactly what you're doing." Carter said, looking over at her. "Keeping everything on track, and staying in touch with our people. You're better at that than I am. People can sense that about you. We need to use that to our advantage."

"What about Samuels?" Sheppard asked. "I'm not seeing her around as much. She replies to..."

"Andi is where she needs to be, doing what she needs to be doing John." Carter replied. "She's in the loop when she needs to be, and she has our complete confidence. She is still our foreign minister...and she's still in the game with us."

"We talk to Andi a couple times a day John." Tammy said. "Just because you don't see her doesn't mean she's not still working her magic."

(-)

Interior-Conference Center, North Tower

1400 Hours

Andi Samuels sat at the conference table tapping on her tablet, and as she did, different colored shapes appeared, each with a set of coordinates beside them.

"The blue dots are facilities managed by Simeon, green by Matrei, orange by Dorja, and yellow by Norjon." She said, glancing up at the monitor. "The white squares are ancient outposts, and the triangles are stargates."

"The information appears to be correct Dr. Samuels." Simeon said, looking back and forth between the monitor and his own data device.

"What is the purpose of this meeting Dr. Samuels?" Norjon asked.

"I will let the queens answer that question." Samuels said. "They will be with us shortly, they're talking to Dr. Jackson about this same subject. Give me a moment, and I'll check..."

"That won't be necessary Andi." Sam said as they walked into the room.

Tammy, Larrin, Pharris and Daniel Jackson followed her into the room. Tammy sat beside her at the head of the table as the rest took seats along one side of it.

"I haven't been able to get the outposts and your facilities out of my mind since you told me about them the other day." Carter said, looking around the table. She looked up at the image on the monitor as she went on. "Now after talking to Matrei about her plans for her outpost, then actually seeing it this morning, I'd like to know what the rest of you have in mind for when we bring those outposts online."

"We have not discussed the issue." Simeon told her. "Matrei is the only one of us that has expressed an interest in the outposts. It seemed pointless without a power source."

Sam looked at him, then at the rest of the group before she said anything.

"I'm actually disappointed to hear that Simeon, but that will work for my plans." She said. She glanced at Matrei as she went on. "But I'd like to hear what you have in mind for the outpost we looked at today Matrei. You mentioned consolidating some of your facilities..."

Matrei looked surprised, then got to her feet and walked over to stand next to the monitor at the end of the room.

"I manage these six facilities, and as you can see, these three have stargates, but these three, Rellia, Korinau and Buguim do not, making it necessary to bring supplies and personnel in by ship. We have a ship stationed at Korinau, but it can only carry a dozen people and very little cargo."

"My outpost is here, in the same sector as my other facilities." She said, pointing at it on the chart. "What I would like to do is consolidate these three sites into the outpost, since it has a stargate, and can be easily supplied, and personnel moved as needed."

"What benefit besides having access to a stargate would there be?" Norjon asked. "I do not see where the cost and disruption of..."

"The primary benefit would be reduced costs by eliminating shipping to those three sites. But two of them do similar work, so we would also see an increase in efficiency by consolidating them. And having all of my facilities accessible by stargate would just make my life easier."

"You've mentioned before that Korinau and Buguim often duplicate their efforts." Dorja said, glancing at Simeon. "Perhaps that issue could be addressed as well."

"That issue has been resolved." Simeon told her.

"The boss always says that when the new owners hear something isn't going right." Tammy smiled. She looked over at Matrei and asked, "Has the issue been resolved Matrei, or do you still see duplication of efforts?"

"We still see similar work being done for different clients, but no longer see the same work being assigned to both sites." Matrei replied.

"Okay. We've spoken to Daniel, and he assures us that barring serious problems with the labs and production areas, he should be able to have that site cleared by the end of next week." Sam said. "So Matrei, I'd like to see a plan as soon as possible detailing how you would go about..."

"There is already a plan." Kinai said, glancing at Matrei, then Simeon. "Matrei and I worked it out years ago, more as a game, because we didn't believe we would ever..."

"Personnel could be relocated quickly if we had ships." Matrei said. "They only need to be moved to a planet with a stargate..."

"And the equipment, and more importantly, the data files for the sites?" Tammy asked.

"The equipment would be left behind and the sites shuttered. We would keep them as a backup in case of a failure at another site." Matrei told her. "All the data files would be moved with the staff so they could resume work immediately. All three sites are already running low on supplies, so moving what little there is would be pointless."

"Were the facilities on planets without stargates put there as a defense against Wraith attacks?" Sam asked.

"Yes, we lost a facility to a Wraith culling early in our venture." Simeon said. "As a precaution, we established facilities on remote worlds without stargates, and all of our facilities are underground, and able to withstand an attack from space for an extended period of time."

"Having the facility underground didn't do much good when Durrim Samar was attacked a month ago, and I doubt if it would have done much good when Dorasmus was attacked yesterday." Sam said. "We don't think these attacks were just cullings, the Wraith were looking for something. Kinai identified the Wraith in command when Durrim Samar was attacked, and the Apollo confirmed that he was on one of the cruisers they engaged at Dorasmus."

"You knew this Wraith, Tammy showed me a picture of him." Kinai said. "How did you obtain this information?"

"We've had dealings with him in the past." Carter told her. "Col. Sheppard was held prisoner with him by the Genii, and he has from time to time, been a source of information and assistance. We call him Todd."

"You deal with the Wraith?" Dorja asked in disbelief. "How could yo..."

"We did not deal with the Wraith, we've dealt with a Wraith." Carter said. "He was the one that told us that all of their queens had died during a battle while they were selecting a new primary. He didn't know how it started, but told us that the queens and eighty percent of the Wraith in the galaxy had died as a result. The last time we talked to him, he asked us to assist him in fertilizing eggs to produce queens. We did not give him an answer, but have since decided to hunt down and destroy the remaining Wraith in the Galaxy."

"Have you confirmed this for yourselves?" Norjon asked.

"Yes, there is now an artificial black hole where the Wraith were reported to have gathered, and the explosion was witnessed by Traveller scoutships monitoring the gathering." Sam told him. "The Apollo has been locating and tagging idle hives and cruisers, and setting nuclear weapons on the hives so we can destroy them if we need to."

"The question we want an answer to, is what are you doing that Todd might want? And how did he find out about it?" Tammy asked. "He's hit two of your sites in less than a month."

"There is no specific research being done that would attract attention." Kinai said. "Most of what w..."

"They want the ancient database." Simeon interrupted. "Each of our facilities has a copy of the database, a complete copy. There is something in it that they want."

"Kinai, you said that the Wraith took tons of computers and supplies from the facility on Durrim Samar." Tammy said. "Is there a chance that they already got what they were looking for, or part of it?"

"No, the database was purged, and the machines it was on were destroyed." Kinai replied. "We developed the process long ago, and are confident that the data cannot be recovered."

"We can get shields installed at your sites with stargates." Carter said. "But I want a plan to consolidate the ones on worlds without stargates as soon as possible. If we can consolidate them into two or three of those outposts, protecting them will be much easier."

"We do not need all of the sites we are operating at present." Norjon said. "We can manage the workload with six sites, but I would like to maintain ten, at a minimum. Col. Carter says she will be sending us work, so we should prepare for that."

"So we need four of those outposts brought online as soon as possible." Jackson said, looking at the chart.

"Make it six Daniel." Tammy said. "Kinai's people can use four, but I'd like to have two for our use. With Anchorage and the space station, we're going to need more people running projections and simulations, so if we can pull some of the people that Norjon just said he won't need, and train others..."

"I did not say we would not need the people Lady Tammy." Norjon said. "But personnel can be retasked to..."

"Pharris, Larrin, he's going into manager speak and I just don't want to deal with that." Tammy laughed. "You two get together with Norjon and Daniel, or whoever you need to, and get me a plan for working outposts."

"It would be more efficient to..." Pharris began, but Tammy cut her off.

"Talk to Norjon and his team." Tammy said as she got to her feet. She smiled at Kinai, then pointed at the door. "Like I just said, I'm not in the mood to talk about all this right now."

"Where ya goin' sweetie?" Sam asked as she watched her walk toward the door.

"I want to review that project I had Kinai looking at this morning with her." Tammy smiled. "I found something when I was looking at the data that I'd like her to explain."

"Is this something that's going to take a while?" Carter asked, smiling at her.

"It could, but you can feel free to check on us." Tammy said. "We'll either be in my lab, or in the pit."

(-)

Interior-Tammy Ford's Suite, Tower Fifty-Eight

1420 Hours

"We are not going to your lab?" Kinai asked as the porter door opened and she followed Tammy out into the hall.

"No, we need to talk." Tammy said as she palmed the door to her quarters and stepped inside.

"Angie, play selected video clips on the monitor please." She said as she stepped down into the pit. She unbuttoned her shirt and slipped it off, then opened the buttons on her pants and let them fall around her feet.

"Are we going to play, my queen?" Kinai smiled as she stepped down to the second level.

"No, you are going to explain yourself." Tammy said as she looked up at the monitor.

The screen showed Kinai laying back on the bed in the lab as she said, 'Pleasure me while I consider how this can be used to my advantage.'

The next clip showed Kinai as she laid on Angelo's back, hugging him as she whispered, 'I wish to worship her...'

"I see nothing to explain." Kinai said calmly as she pulled her t-shirt over her head, then pushed her jeans down over her hips. She stepped down to the next level as she stepped out of them. "Everything should be assessed as to how it can be used to ones advantage, and wishing to worship the predator queen cannot be..."

"I want to trust you Kinai." Tammy said as she laid out on the spongy surface of the pit, stretching lazily. "But your track record so far doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. You have a habit of providing half truths and misinformation wh..."

"As do you." Kinai said, dropping to her knees between Tammy's legs. "It is well known throughout the city that the Wraith gathering was destroyed by your ships, not a battle amongst the Wraith. Yet you just allowed Samantha to mislead my partners. Yet another secret I must keep for you."

"So just where do your loyalties lie Kinai?" Tammy asked, holding her arms out toward her.

"Where they should of course." Kinai smiled as she laid out over her. She giggled as Tammy wrapped her arms around her and rolled them onto their sides, one leg slipping between Kinai's. "They lie with my people, and my family, but most of all, they lie with my predator queen, and her sister."

"Why?" Tammy asked, lifting her leg as Kinai slipped her's between them. "You know nothing of us, and an infatuation isn't enough..."

"It is not an infatuation my queen." Kinai said softly as she ran her hands lightly up and down over her back. "It is the admiration shared by your people. You've shown more interest in us, and seen much done in the short time since you came to power. The people of this galaxy have not had hope for a hundred generations, if not longer. Now they do, and I wish to ensure that you will continue your efforts."

"Well said." Sam said from where she stood on the top level. "But come on, you have to admit that there is just the tiniest bit of infatuation for her."

"Not just for her Samantha, for both of you." Kinai said, releasing Tammy and rolling up onto her knees. "As I said before, you are rescuing me from a life of tedium and boredom. I may have Simeon reassign my duties so I can stay here and have you continue to entertain me."

"Simeon and I have already discussed you being the liaison between us." Sam laughed, stooping to pick up Kinai's t-shirt as she stepped down to the next level. She tossed her the t-shirt as she went on. ""He's quite eager to let you pursue other interests in the hope of restoring the life in you. His words, not mine."

"Well, I guess I'm not getting laid." Tammy grumbled, putting her foot against Kinai's butt and pushing her away. She rolled over, grabbing her clothes as she got to her feet.

"You can still play with her sweetie." Sam laughed as she watched her pull her clothes on.

"I'm not in the mood anymore." Tammy said, reaching down and pulling Kinai to her feet.

"Great! I'm in the mood for some food anyway." Sam laughed. She turned toward the door as she said, "I'm thinking Mexican..."

(-)

Exterior-Planet Dorasmus, Sector 782L7

1530 Hours

Todd knelt just inside the treeline, scanning the skies for activity. He had been hiding in the forest for two days.

The comm on his distress beacon beeped, and he pressed a button to activate the locator. Less than a minute later a dart could be seen in the distance. Todd stepped out into the open, and the dart activated its transport beam as it flew over him.

(-)

Exterior-Atlantis

1550 Hours

"Are you sure about this Chuck?" Sheppard asked as he walked around the stargate. "I mean, one gate will supersede the other right? If you dial this one with the DHD in a jumper, the one in the Central Tower won't activate? Or if someone dials our address, which one is going to open?"

"This gate will open an outbound wormhole if we dial it from a jumpers DHD." Chuck said as he squatted beside the gate. He opened a panel and removed a crystal, holding it up so Sheppard and Caldwell could see it. "We just remove the control crystal when we're not using it, so the gate in the tower responds normally. Of course, it someone dials in while this gate is in use..."

"They won't be able to connect." Caldwell finished for him. "So, how long are you planning your loading and unloading operations to take?"

"This gate is going to be outbound only, the gate in the tower will still handle inbound traffic." Chuck said. "We take in very little in the way of supplies and materials, and most of that is routed to other gates for inspection, then moved by ship."

"Okay, so how long will your loading operations take?" Caldwell asked, glaring at him.

"Less than half an hour." Chuck said as he put the control crystal in his pocket. "We'll have everything to be shipped out stacked and ready to go, so the only hold up is going to be how quickly the receiving end can move what we send through."

"Let's take this up to my office." Sheppard said, looking up at the sky. "It looks like it's going to rain again."

"I have an appointment with Dr. Samuels in a few minutes colonel." Chuck said. "But I sent you both plans for the outposts that she approved. We'll need the production facilities on an Aurora class when we're ready to build. The prefab sections for the buildings are too big to go through the stargate."

"We're crewing two right now, and both should be manned by the middle of next week." Caldwell said as they walked toward one of the buildings on the east pier. "I'm not happy about having to give up Marks, but he's ready for his own command."

"So who are you putting in the big chair on the other one?" Sheppard asked.

"Probably me." Caldwell laughed. "I talked to Lorne, and he didn't even let me finish before he said no. He's having too damned much fun gallivanting around on the Apollo."

(-)

Interior-Dr. Samuels Office, North Pier

1600 Hours

Andi Samuels looked up at the knock on her door, frowning when she saw that it was Chuck.

"Is it time for you already?" She asked, waving him toward a chair. "What did Sheppard and Caldwell have to say about your new stargate?"