I wake up on my side and see a picture of my family on my dresser. I get up and look out the window of the captain's quarters and see the sunrise over the East Pier. Today is the weekly Earth Dial. I grab an empty flash drive and plug it into my laptop. I type in my password and download my weekly email for my brother onto the flash drive. I log off of the laptop and take the flash drive. I exit my quarters and head towards the boarding elevator. Once I'm off the elevator, I head to the stairs into the south pier. I get in the transporter and tap the dot for the control room. I walk out of the transporter and head to Chuck's desk.
"Morning Chuck," I say as I walk to Colonel Carter's office. The door slides open and I walk in.
"Good morning," I say, "I've got a flash drive for the check-in with Earth." I hand her the flash drive.
"I'll be sure to send it to the SGC," she says.
"Thank you," I say as I turn around and start walking.
"Wait," says Colonel Carter, "I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch with me later." She smiles.
"That'd be great," I reply. I walk out the door and into the control room. The gate activates.
"Unscheduled Off-world activation," Chuck says. Colonel Carter walks out of her office. Ronon Dex runs through the gate. I notice he has a gunshot wound in the leg.
"Medical team to the gate room!" Colonel Carter says. A medical team runs into the room.
"What happened?" I ask Ronon.
"The Genii," he replies, "They got Sheppard and Teyla." Dr. Mckay runs through the gate. Bullets come through the gate shattering lights and windows.
"Shut down the gate!" I yell. The gate shuts down. Mckay is bent over with his hands on his knees.
"Kolya got Sheppard and Teyla," He says.
"I kinda gathered that," I tell him.
"They removed our locator beacons," He says.
"That means we can't beam them out," I say, "crap."
"How many Genii were following you?" I ask.
"Too many for one team to handle," he replies.
"I have an idea," I say, "I could take the Icarus and two teams to that planet and beam them into a non-populated area then they can find Sheppard and Teyla and we can beam them out."
"Do it," Colonel Carter says. I start walking up the stairs to the transporter. Colonel Carter puts her hand on my shoulder before I enter the transporter.
"Be careful," she says.
"I will," I reply. She puts her finger on her radio.
"Major Lorne, prepare your team and Major Leonard's team, I want you on the Icarus when it takes off," she says as she walks back to her office. I get in the transporter and go to the south pier. I run up the stairs and get on the elevator and run to the bridge. I sit down.
"Prepare for take off," I say, "We are going to save Colonel Sheppard and Teyla." We take off and head to space. As soon as we are in space, Colonel Walker appears on screen.
"Colonel, where are you going?" He asks.
"Going to save Sheppard and Teyla," I say, "Come with me." The Avenger starts moving along with us.
"Engaging hyperdrive," I say. Two hyperspace windows open and we go through them.
"Contact the Avenger," I say, "I'll brief them on the plan." Colonel Walker appears on screen.
"Colonel Walker, here's the plan, I will beam Major Lorne and Major Leonard's teams onto the surface, they will go find Sheppard and Teyla and I will beam them back up."
"Why not just go ahead and beam Colonel Sheppard and Teyla up?" He asks.
"According to Dr. Mckay, the Genii removed their locator beacons." I reply.
"Oh..." he says.
"Colonel," Steve says, "Coming out of hyperspace." The screen goes off and we drop out of hyperspace.
"Two unidentified ships are in orbit, sir," The weapons officer says.
"They're hailing us," Steve says. A man with a gray and brown uniform comes on screen.
"I suppose you're here to rescue Colonel Sheppard and the Athosian," He says, "I see your ships are more advanced than ours so I'll cut you a deal." I look at Steve in confusion. I look back at the screen.
"Colonel Sheppard and Teyla for one of your ships," he says, "You have a half hour to consider, I'll be waiting." The screen goes off as I look at Steve.
"I didn't think the Genii had ships," I say.
"Me neither," he replies, "The Avenger is hailing us." I look at the screen and see Colonel Walker.
"What was that all about?" He asks.
"They want to trade Colonel Sheppard and Teyla for one of our ships," I say.
"That's crazy, I say we destroy them," he says.
"They could have Sheppard and Teyla on board," I say.
"Oh," he says.
"How about we beam Major Leonard's team onto the ship and Major Lorne's team onto the planet?" I ask.
"That could work," he says. I look at my first officer and he nods. Major Leonard's team is beamed aboard the ship.
"Good luck Major Lorne," I say. He nods as he is beamed onto the planet.
"Hail the enemy ship," I say. The man appears on screen.
"Have you considered my offer?" He asks.
"No," I say, "I will confirm where you have my people then I will consider it."
"I removed their locator beacons," he says, "How do you plan to find them?"
"I have my ways," I say as I turn around to Steve, "Cut the transmission." The screen goes off.
"Incoming transmission from Major Lorne," Steve says, "Radio only."
"Colonel, we found them, they're on the planet, beam Major Leonard's team out of that ship and fire, intel says they have nuclear missiles," he says.
"Roger that Major," I say, "Phillips out." Major Leonard's team is beamed onto the bridge.
"Major Lorne found them on the planet," I say to Major Leonard, "According to him, those ships have nuclear missiles."
"Then we need to take them down," He replies.
"I gathered that," I say, "Thank you." I look at the weapons officer.
"Fire at will," I say. We start firing beam weapons at one of the ships. The Avenger fires at the other. Both ships break apart without firing a shot.
"Beam Major Lorne's team up," I say. All of a sudden Major Lorne and his team, along with Sheppard and Teyla, are beamed into the bridge in front of me.
"Colonel," Sheppard says, "The base on the planet is a factory for the Genii to build more of those ships, we need to destroy it."
"Already on it," I say, "Prepare to beam a Mark IX warhead into that base." Steve nods. Five seconds later I see a nuclear blast on the planet's surface.
"Sensors read no life signs in that area," he says, "Sensors are also picking up a hyperspace window forming." A hyperspace window opens and out comes a wraith hive ship.
"Fire!" I say. The Two ships start firing beam weapons and rail guns at the hive. The hive returns fire. The beam weapons start breaching the hive's hull.
"Shield at fifty percent," Steve says. One beam hits the hive's bridge. The hive ship starts descending into the planet's atmosphere. The entry burns up the hive's forward hull. Then the hive hits the surface and blows up.
"Incoming darts and one transport," Steve says.
"Take them down with the rail guns," I say. We start firing rail guns at them and the Avenger does the same. Darts blow up, and then debris from a dart hits the transport. The transport starts flaming up and then a rail gun finishes it off. The remaining darts head for the Avenger, seen as they lost what they were escorting. The rail guns of the Avenger and the Icarus combine and take out the darts.
"Get me the Avenger," I say. Colonel Walker appears on screen.
"Set course for Atlantis," I say.
"Copy that, Walker out," He says as the screen goes off. Two hyperspace windows form and we go through them.
"Thanks for getting us out of there," Colonel Sheppard says.
"No problem," I say, "Once we get back to Atlantis we'll have Dr. Keller get you another locator beacon." He nods and walks away.
One Hour Later
"Coming out of hyperspace," Steve says. We drop out of hyperspace above Lantea and see the Empress waiting for us. Major Lang comes on screen.
"Welcome home Icarus and Avenger," he says in his Chinese accent.
"Thank you Major," I say. We land on the south pier. It is sunset on Lantea. I walk to the elevator and get on it. It takes me down onto the pier. I walk down the stairs and into the transporter. I go to the control room and walk to Colonel Carter's office.
"What happened out there?" She asks.
"The Genii had ships, they also apparently had nuclear missiles on them, we destroyed them then a hive ship came along and we destroyed it," I say, "That planet was a factory for those ships, we destroyed the factory too."
"Good work," she says, "Get some food and rest, we'll have lunch tomorrow." I nod and walk to the mess hall. I grab a tray with a sandwich, salad, and an orange. I walk over to the fridge and get a bottle of coke. I sit down and eat. I watch two scientists playing chess. As soon as I get done eating I walk to the control room in time for the weekly Earth dial. Chuck starts dialing the gate. The security team sends a cart of files and flash drives through the gate. I leave the control room and go to my quarters on the Icarus. I lay down and go to sleep without turning on my music.
The Next Day
I wake up and slowly open my eyes. I look at the clock and see that it's 10:34 AM. I get up and get dressed. I go to the mess hall and get an egg and some bacon. I sit down and again watch the two scientists play chess. When I'm done eating, I walk to the control room and see that Colonel Carter isn't in her office. I look at Chuck, who is yawning.
"Where's Colonel Carter?" I ask.
"Still asleep," he replies.
"Thanks Chuck," I say. I walk over to a door leading to the balcony. I walk out to the railing and stare out onto the water.