I hope everyone is doing okay, staying safe and this is for you guys! I love you all!
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"How are you doing?" I ask.
Teyla sighs. "Better. Though, I do still miss her."
"I'm sorry. I know Charin meant a lot to you, wish I was there for you."
"You were saving the city from The Trust, and ever since you have been checking on me every day."
I smile. "You're my friend Teyla! I know what it's like to lose someone who's close to you."
"Who was it?"
"Technically, he's no longer dead, so I'm lucky on that front. But Daniel Jackson died and he's my family so it was terrible losing him."
"I'm sure it was... How did you cope?"
"I had family and friends to rely on, and we helped each other." I pause, "I hope you know you can lean on any one of us."
Before Teyla can respond I'm being called too from the radio by Zelanka. "Major O'Neil."
"Yeah?"
"We've lost contact with McKay, and he crashed into the ocean."
"I'll be right there!" I practically shout as I stand.
"Sorry Teyla, Rodney's in trouble."
"Go. I'm sure he'll be fine."
I go running out from her room and I run into a man built like a brick wall. "Hey, you okay?"
"No, McKay may be hurt, and I have to help him."
Ronon grabs my arm. "Calm down, or you won't be of any help. I'll walk you there."
I nod, unable to answer and he leads me to the control room, where Radek is sitting. "I can't raise them."
I sit next to him. "Jumper 6, are you there, please respond."
We try back and forth for an hour, Weir, John, Teyla, and Ronon have all checked on us repeatedly to find out if we made any progress, and we begin to lose hope. "Rod please respond."
"Yeah, we're here." We finally get a response.
"Rodney! Thank God! We thought you... Ali and I have been trying to get ahold of you for over an hour."
I wave down a Technician. "Tell Weir and Sheppard we've made contact with Dr. McKay." I talk to Rodney, "How are you feeling?"
"I think we could both use an extended stay in the infirmary. What the hell happened?"
Zelanka answers the question. "The jumper you were flying dropped off our screens. It crashed into the ocean."
"Yes, yes, yes we..." There's a pause. "We're underwater." I can tell he's worried.
"Yeah, you're underwater," I affirm.
"Then how are you gonna find us?"
"We've determined the direction of your radio signal, but not the range." Zelanka answers.
There's a minute before Rodney talks again but when he does he gives us a bit of info. "You two are going to have to hurry it up. We're already twelve hundred feet deep and sinking at a rate of 20 feet a minute."
"Very impressive!" Radek exclaims.
"Excuse me?"
"Rod, we have theorized that the jumpers could be utilized as submersibles, this is good to know."
"I theorized it!"
"But twelve hundred feet! It's almost the maximum depth of a nuclear-powered submarine."
"We are not so keen on setting any records right now, so just..." He doesn't finish his sentence.
"Radek, Allison, the windshield's giving way under the pressure of the ocean."
"Move into the rear compartment! The seal should hold the water back."
"One step ahead of you, O'Neill."
And that the last we hear from Rodney. "The water probably destroyed the comm system in the front." Zelanka theorizes.
"That's not good."
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Elizabeth, Sheppard, Zelanka, and I are all walking to Weir's office when She speaks up. "I thought you two said life support could sustain them for days?"
"We said life support would most likely sustain them for days. I had no idea the ship would sink so quickly, or that the cockpit would flood." The scientist clarifies.
"That's when you lost contact?"
"If they didn't make it to the rear compartment in time..."
"They made it." Sheppard and I state at the same time.
"Still," The scientist continues, "They are going to be much harder to locate now that they're no longer broadcasting."
"Then find another way." Weir orders.
"Look, even if we do locate them, our options are limited. They're already than a rescue Jumper's windshield can handle."
"I'll handle the rescue, you just worry about finding them. I've already got some ideas."
"Looks like we have a timer to beat," I state, clapping my hands together.
"Ali's right. Let's get back to work."
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I've been working with Zelanka and the other scientists non-stop to try and find out where McKay and we've made some progress when Weir comes in. "How're we doing?"
"Well, we're making progress. Slowly."
"Show me."
The three of us walk over to the screen. "We started with the likely location of the Jumper based on the numbers we got while triangulating its position during its brief radio contact with us." I start explaining.
"Then estimate how far off course it has been taken, if at all, by the various currents, slipstreams, underwater rivers that the Jumper may or may not have run to. We then add it's descent speed at various rates." Zelanka finishes.
"That's all you've got?" Elizabeth asks exasperated. "You haven't narrowed the search area at all."
"No, no, in fact, we've increased it slightly."
"And how does that count as progress?"
I answer. "Because we aren't guessing anymore. We know for sure that this area is where they are."
"Ok." She shrugs.
"Elizabeth, even if we do find them, there's no way..." Radek starts to warn, but Elizabeth interrupts.
"Sheppard's working on a grapple system that should be able to raise the Jumper."
"Really?" The two of us ask in sync.
"Really. It's gonna be ready in a couple of hours. I need you two to be."
We nod and get back to work.
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"I'll meet you in Elizabeth's office," I say to Zelanka giving him a wave deciding to go early.
"Okay."
Just like this morning, I run into Ronon. "I was just coming to see if you know what's happening.
"We're going to go cement the rescue plan with Sheppard and Elizabeth. We've narrowed down the area we have to search, but... it's not going to be easy."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm starving but I'm worried about Rodney and Griffin. We all know McKay isn't the best person to be stuck with, I just hope they're both okay."
"You'll find them."
I give him an appreciative smile as I make it into the control room. "I'll see you later." Then walk into Lizzie's office and Zelanka is right behind me.
We show them the search area that we came up with.
"Three miles, a very searchable area, and you've narrowed it down. You two did a good job." Sheppard praises.
"He's too deep. Your grapple's only got a 1000 feet of cable." Radek cautions.
"Well, we know the Jumper should be able to dive at least a thousand, so if he's above 2000, we should still be able to get him with the grapple."
"And if he is deeper?" Weir asks.
"Most likely, he is deeper. The area we've got her goes all the way down to 6000 feet down."
"When the Wraith attacked the city, you were able to turn the shield into a cloak."
"Yes."
"Why can't we do the opposite?"
That's when I get what John is saying. "We turn the cloak on the Jumper into a shield."
"That's right," John confirms.
"That would hold back the water, but it would take significantly more power."
"We shut down everything we don't need."
"But it would take hours to reconfigure."
"Radek, we take what we need and we'll make the changes down there," I suggest.
"Oh no, no, no, no, no... I cannot possibly..."
"Radek."
"I can't even swim!"
"There's not a lot of swimming under 1000 feet of ocean." Sheppard counters.
"Look, I'm not gonna order you to go," Weir says to the man.
"I will!" John shouts.
Both Elizabeth and I give the raven-haired colonel a look. "All I'm saying that if Rodney can't turn to you, who can he turn to?" She asks, clearly guilt-tripping him.
Zelanka is quiet for a moment and looks at me. "Please."
He sighs. "Right. Give me a few minutes and I'll get my gear."
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All three of us are loaded into the Jumper and are ready to begin our search.
"Alright, we're above the search coordinates."
Zelanka comes and sits in the seat behind me. "Ok, it should transition seamlessly."
"Alright, then. Here goes nothin'."
Sheppard then plunges us into the ocean and our search for the Jumper begins.
I start singing as quietly as possible.
"You only sing during missions when you're nervous. We're going to find him." Sheppard reassures me.
"I know."
"And sing louder," Zelanka adds making me chuckle and I willingly listen.
John calls in while we still can."Atlantis, this is Sheppard come in."
"We can barely hear you, John." Elizabeth answers.
"Soon we're gonna lose you altogether once we get deeper, Lizzie. So, it's a good time to wish us luck."
"Good luck, then."
"We'll contact you as soon as we head back to the surface. Have the divers on Jumper 8 standing by."
"Will do. Weir out."
"What d'you think, Radek?" John asks the scientist working behind us.
"About what?"
"We're underwater! I've always wanted to try this." Sheppard exclaims. He's like a kid in a candy shop.
"Yes, yes, yes. Just make sure we're not under too much water."
"I've leveled out and holding steady at 990 feet. How's it coming?"
"Only life signs I see here are sporadic readings."
"As in... sea monster life signs?"
Before I answer the Jumper groans making Zelanka jump. "I'm gonna need those shields up and running."
"Yes, well then, stop talking, please."
"Will do!"
That's when I return to singing, hoping to calm Radek down a bit.
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We've been in the Jumper for a while now, with me and Zelanka working hard to get this shield working. Finally, we hit a breakthrough. "I think we may be on to something."
I rush to the co-pilot seat. "Initializing shield." I cheer when all the hard work pays off.
"Nice work! Ok, let's take this thing a little deeper." Sheppard starts to take us deeper but Radek stops him.
"Wait. I was afraid of this. The shield is draining our power at an alarmingly fast rate."
"Why's that?"
I answer. "Well, a cloak draws its power at a constant rate, but a shield, the more you tax it, the more power it draws."
"So, being under several atmospheres of pressure..."
"Continuously drains power from the shield," I affirm.
"How much time do we have?"
"Once we're deeper," Zelanka starts. "Thirty minutes tops."
"Alright. Descending through 1000."
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Radek begins to curse in Czech, I would translate for John but what was said shouldn't be repeated, plus now he's just getting pessimistic.
"I think my Czech's getting better, cause' I know what you mean."
"Could be the shields, could be the depth... we're having trouble detecting the Jumper. Only..."
"Only what?" Sheppard asks.
"Colonel, can bring up the H.U.D. please?"
When he does, a little blip is moving around. "What's that?"
Zelanka answers not pleased. "Your sea monster. It's at least 6-8 times as large as this Jumper, so let's not venture too closely. Ok?"
"How're the shields doing?"
"We got twelve minutes," I answer. "Hey, you notice that too."
"Yeah, let's check it out."
Radek looks at us like we've lost our minds. "Why?"
"Look, it's still swimming in circles in the same area. It might have found something interesting, like the Jumper."
We go and investigate, and I get excited. "The jumper! The animal's circling around it."
"Jumper 6, this is Sheppard, come in."
"According to these readings, it's dead. There's no power." Zelanka explains.
"Alright, let's get a grapple on this thing and go home."
"No, it won't work," I say as I examine my tablet.
"Why's that?"
"It's taken on too much water. Sensors indicate even the rear compartment is partially full. The cable can't take the strain."
"But we can try."
"No, listen to me. It's a matter of simple physics." Radek tries to get the Colonel to see.
"I'm not coming this far without doing something!" Sheppard shouts.
We think for a moment. "The shield! We can extend it between the two Jumpers." Zelanka figures out.
"Do we have enough power?"
I answer excitedly. "Yeah, if you touch down on the ocean floor, we can conserve engine power. It would only be us walking between the 2 jumpers."
"Alright. I'll get us close."
We touch down on the ground and Radek extends the shield, and I call out to the Jumper on the headset.
"Rodney, Griffin. Do you copy?"
"Ali!" I hear McKay respond and I nearly jump for joy.
"Yeah, why don't you lower your door."
"That's probably a bad idea."
"No, Rod. Zelanka and I, mostly Zelanka, converted the cloak into a shield and extended it around your Jumper. Sheppard is right outside right now. I'll have him prove it." I yell out the door. "Bang on it, John!"
He does as I say. "What?!"
"Look, all you gotta do is open the door and walk to the Jumper with Sheppard."
We're waiting for a short while, I know John said something to him, but eventually, the door opens allowing water to rush out and Rodney to emerge.
"Stay here," I order Zelanka and rush over to Sheppard and Rodney.
I crouch down to where Rodney is on the floor. "Are you alright?"
"I will be."
"Where's Griffin?"
"He was in there." Rodney points to the front compartment.
We're all shocked, but the two of us pick up Rodney. "Alright, let's get you home."
"No, I need to decompress. Carter told me to increase the pressure."
I give him a look. "As in the woman who is like a mother to me, Carter?"
"I mean I did, I did. I told myself." He grimaces in pain and we start to drag him to the Jumper. "Oh, my head!"
I chuckle and whisper. "Hallucinations. Common, just don't tell me any details, you know how I feel about your obsessions.
"No, idea what you're talking about." He then looks up at the whale creature. "Oh, see, pal. Sorry, you don't get to eat me today."
"He's the reason we found you," John tells him.
"Really?"
We enter the Jumper and I help Rodney to sit on the bench, and Sheppard rushes to fly out of us here.
"We almost lost you there."
"I knew you'd think of something... subconsciously, at least."
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After getting McKay back home and into the infirmary, I go to my room to find Ronon and Teyla waiting for me.
"Hey what are you guys doing here?"
"We wanted to say you did a good job."
"Thanks, but I know that's not it."
"You said you were hungry when we talked, so we wanted to know if you want to come to get something to eat with us."
"Despite being exhausted, food sounds amazing. Let's go."
They both smile, "John has said he would like to join us."
"Good, I would invite Radek but he already went to his room to sleep."
---A/N - Is it just me or does Sheppard say "Alright" a lot this episode. This chapter is super long, but most of the episode is just Rodney and Samantha. I hope you guys like the new cover!