Stargate Atlantis 2 : Zakmus part 1, Lost in memory

Part 2

In a briefing room. Sheppard is with his team (minus Ronon), Sam, Caldwell, Keller and Zelenka are with them.

CALDWELL: What do we know about this ship exactly?
MCKAY: We know that this is a much higher class than the Aurora. (He sees Sheppard smiling) BUT It is also an unfinished one.
SAM: How unfinished are we talking about?
MCKAY: Pretty much? Look, from what we've been able to read so far, this ship was just a prototype for what should have been the Ancient's next generation of ships.
CALDWELL: Then what stopped them?
MCKAY: What makes you think they stopped?
CALDWELL: Come on doctor, we may not have all of your degrees, but we're not stupid. If they did manage to produce such a fleet, we would have seen proof of it already.
ZELENKA: He has a point. (Rodney looks at him) You are right Colonel; the project was stopped. Unfortunately, we don't know why exactly.
MCKAY: Not yet, we don't.
SHEPP: Why? Is it still incomplete?
MCKAY: No, we have all of the data, we just didn't have the time to decrypt everything yet.
ZELENKA: They did a very good job at hiding those files.
SAM: What do you know so far?
ZELENKA: Well, we know more about the group of people behind the project.
SHEPP: You mean, the Mckays? (Quick look at Rodney's reaction)
MCKAY: I'll actually take that as a compliment, Colonel. (Shepp looks at him disappointed)
ZELENKA: They were called the Minoria and their leader's name was Salima Zakmus.
KELLER: Like the planet?
ZELENKA: The one and only.
CALDWELL: Who would name a planet after themselves? (Rodney and John raise their fingers. Zelenka is pointing at Rodney. They all look at them, not surprised) Right.
ZELENKA: We managed to have access to Suski Chan's journal, she was one of the lead scientists working on the project. We haven't finished reading all of it yet, my team is still working on it. But what we do know so far is that their group was not the most appreciated one on Atlantis. In fact, they were... pretty isolated.
SAM: Why is that?
MCKAY: We think that they were the ones behind some of the deadliest failed Ancient projects out there. (He pauses) Like the Arcturus one for example. (He is avoiding Sheppard's look)
ZELENKA: They were also pretty much FOR collateral damages. Killing innocent people wasn't a problem for them, as long as it contributed to their win over the wraiths. (He stops, very embarrassed)
KELLER: What?
SHEPP: (To Rodney) Still think it's a compliment?
MCKAY: Yes, and on top of that, the Minoria group was also known for hiring banished scientists.
CALDWELL: Banished?
MCKAY: Hum. People who went against the Ancients' rules and were forbidden from ascension.
CALDWELL: I didn't know it was possible.
TEYLA: Why would the Ancients allow such a group on Atlantis?
SHEPP: They were desperate. They were losing the war.
KELLER: That's not an excuse.
SAM: What happened to them? There are no signs of Minoria in any of the official records.
ZELENKA: That's because their work was not really official. The Ancients wanted to stay in denial about... needing their help, I guess...
SHEPP: Is it me, or the more we know about those Ancients, the more we realise they weren't all that good after all?
TEYLA: It might not be such a good idea to follow in their footsteps. (They look at her) Why would the Ancients hide the Minoria project like they did? There must be a reason why they chose not to mention this group at all. Maybe it is worth waiting for Doctor Zelenka to finish reading this journal before making any decisions.
SAM: I agree with Teyla.
MCKAY: No, we can't wait. It's a matter of time now, we need to get to that ship first.
SHEPP: First? Why wouldn't we be the first?
MCKAY: Well, I told you, I remotely disabled the cloak of the ship.
SHEPP: That's not answering my question, Rodney.
ZELENKA: With the cloak off Colonel, that makes the ship visible to long-range sensors.
SHEPP: Yes, I know that.
SAM: He means ALL long-range sensors. Including the wraiths'.
ZELENKA: I'm afraid so.
CALDWELL: Can't you just cloak it back?
MCKAY: Hum... (He hesitates to speak, getting very shy)
ZELENKA: The device Doctor Mckay used was not meant for a distance that far away from the ship.
SAM: You mean...
ZELENKA: Rodney broke it.
MCKAY: It's a twenty thousand years old device, it was probably almost depleted anyway.
SAM: I can't believe it.
TEYLA: Do the wraiths already know about it?
MCKAY: No, not yet.
SHEPP: But they will. (He looks at Carter)
SAM: (She sighs. To Rodney) If we get to that ship, do you think you can activate the cloaking manually?
MCKAY: Yes, I believe I can. (They all stay silent)
SAM: Colonel Sheppard, how long did it take you and your team to get there the first time?
SHEPP: Well, there's no gate in short range of the planet so... too long.
SAM: Then, we need the Daedalus if we want to be there fast.
CALDWELL: (He reads a paper) Hold on Colonel. (He looks at Rodney) It says here that M9G441 has a highly radioactive magnetic shield surrounding it. I need to know more about that before taking all of my crew even near that planet.
MCKAY: The ship hasn't moved in twenty thousand years, Colonel; I think it's safe to say that we should be clear of any radiation.
SHEPP: Yeah, we almost got sucked in last time, but it won't happen again. We know the grounds now. All you have to do is to bring us close enough, we can take a jumper the rest of the way.
CALDWELL: I've read the report, Colonel Sheppard, I know what happened. I also know that you and your team almost got vaporised because of those same radiations.
MCKAY: That's a bit of an exaggeration.
CALWELL: My point is, Doctor, that you almost died. What if the crew of that ship died because of the same reasons??
SHEPP: What crew? It's a prototype.
CALDWELL: Every flying ship has a crew, Colonel.
SAM: He's not wrong John.
SHEPP: I'm sure Mckay can figure it out once we get there. (Looks at Rodney) Can't you?
MCKAY: It... shouldn't be a problem.
SAM: Colonel Caldwell?
CALDWELL: (He hesitates) We leave in 2 hours. (They all smile, happy about his decision)