Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

"Sure, it's going to kill a lot of people, but they may be dying of something else anyway."

Air Part 1

It was dark, very dark. The room was cast in only a pale blue light from the iridescent mathematic improbability behind him. The metal floor was so cold where his knees thrummed from the cruel impact. His left hand clutched his military issued duffel bag as he ducked instinctually. A large black crate flew over his head, narrowly missed him, a backpack connected painfully with his back.

Fingers digging into flesh, a bruising grip around his bicep, shoulder socket wrenched painfully. Charlie found himself being pulled out of the way as another crate slammed into his previous position followed by a person. Dull confused eyes gazed around the too dark room, dozens of people were scattered about, some injured, all yelling. It was too loud…it was too everything.

It was chaos, everywhere people were crying, screaming, shouting. Everyone was confused; there were so many questions and no answer in sight. And more people just kept coming. They were tumbling out of the Stargate like the Devil was on their heels.

"Where are we?" A female voice yelled, her words barely registering through the panic. Charlie recognized the voice, but he couldn't see over the congregating mass. It was that one woman from IOA, but he couldn't remember her name.

"Move off to the side," a male voice replied, barely covering the hysteria. Lieutenant Scott, the soldier that had been assigned to him and his student. Speaking of which, where was his student?

Scared brown eyes darted around the room, a shout for a Medic momentarily distracting him. He was positive Eli had made it through before him, so where was he? The influx of people finally came to a halt and the young Professor turned to the still active Stargate fear and trepidation settling uncomfortably in his chest.

The event horizon shimmered forebodingly before a body was rocketed out of the wormhole and nearly twenty feet across the room. It took Charlie micro seconds to plot the fall trajectory, the person would be lucky to survive. The Stargate deactivated even before the man had hit the ground and the room was cast in true and complete darkness.

The sudden darkness and activation of the cooling system underneath the gate had the group of survivors in near hysterics before flashlights started to appear all around him. The small torches did little to stave off the dark, but it was better than nothing and Charlie felt a small portion of panic leave him. He wanted Don here; his brother would know what to do. But his brother wasn't here, and Charlie knew he needed to get himself together. He needed to find Eli.

It was the bright red shirt that gave him away. Nobody else on the Icarus base would wear such a bright color. Charlie made his way over to his very promising but unmotivated student who was standing nearly underneath the curving staircase. Excuse me, and beg your pardon were ineffective in clearing a path, so the Professor resulted in pushing and shoving his way through the congregated mass.

Fingers latching onto his student's elbow, Charlie barely made it to Eli's side before a panicked "TJ!" had everyone surging to the sides. From his new position next to Eli, Charlie could see what the panic was about. Colonel Young lay still and unmoving on the metal floor. TJ, who Charlie assumed was a Medic finally made it to Scott's side and he watched as the younger man attempted to reign in his own panic as he took in the group of survivors.

"Wallace!" Scott yelled, and his student finally took his eyes off the injured man and Charlie was able to see his pallid face set in shock. "What is this place?"

A question everyone wanted answers to, but why would his student know? "I just," Eli turned away from Matt and his light hazel brown eyes met his own dark ones. "I just did what Doctor Rush told me," panic and hysteria coloring his voice. His eyes pleading for understand, forgiveness… he just wanted somebody to tell him that it wasn't his fault.

Anger, disbelief, and desperation danced across the Lieutenants face, none of which Eli saw, his eyes still latched on his Professor's. Charlie squeezed his elbow in comfort but did little else to reassure him. "Where is he?"

Only once Scott had asked did Charlie realize that the Scotsman was missing. "You two," two fingers pointing at the Mathematicians over the heads of the Icarus personnel separating them. "Help me find him." Lieutenant Scott moved off a few paces, conferring with a soldier Professor Eppes had never seen before. They were too far away to hear and Charlie was simply too… everything to care.

Numbers, trajectories, statistics ran across his mind, a coping mechanism that was effective in stemming the panic he was feeling. He was pulled back into the nightmare when a strange sense of vertigo overtook him and his vision was momentarily washed out with colors. It seemed to set off another bout of hysteria over the group.

Only when Eli winced and shifted uncomfortably next to him did he realize his grip had become too strong. Turning to apologize, he was interrupted when Scott yelled at them. "Eppes, Eli, NOW!"

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"I've solved it," Eli Wallace shouted, slamming the door open, wood bouncing off wall and almost hitting him in the face. His excited exclamation was lost on the one person in the room, since he was wearing sound cancelling headphones and heard not a word.

The slightly chubby 25 year old pulled a facial expression that he would deny was a pout until the day he died and tried again. Approaching the other who's back was turned; he tapped on the shorter man's shoulder and waited for his presence to be acknowledged.

"Eli, it's good to see you," Charles Eppes, the CalSci Math Professor, said as he pulled himself away from the chalk covered black board. Equations covered the board in atrocious handwriting, barely discernable to even the creator, and Eli was sure he had never seen anything so amazing.

A huge smile plastered itself across the younger man's boyish face as he held up a notebook. "Professor, I solved it." His Professor looked upon him in barely concealed amusement, dark brown eyes twinkling, before he grabbed the book and opened it slowly. He was being humored. "I know I got it…this time." Eli sounded less sure, wanting so badly to be right, wanting to please his Professor.

"That's what you said last time…and the time before that," Charlie stated with no malice and a little bit of fondness. He knew his student had been trying so hard. The pages before him were scribbled in numbers and a language he had never seen before last month.

When his newest student approached him about an equation hidden in a computer game, the Professor saw a great teaching opportunity. Eli was great kid, and a brilliant mathematician in the making, but he was so unmotivated it was almost painful. Charlie had been trying to find a way to motivate him into doing something with his mind, and now he had found the perfect means.

Eli had come to his Professor, hoping for an answer, or at least a push in the right direction. Instead what he got was a mischievous smile and a shove out the door. Professor Eppes wanted him to solve the problem on his own, so he did. Of course if he got too off track, Charlie was more than willing to steer him back into the right direction.

Charlie could have given him the answer, after all it had only taken him a week and a half to solve the equation, but that would have defeated the purpose. So instead he pushed Eli to do it himself, and Charlie knew that he would. Though his student may have been unmotivated, he loved his video games and a challenge.

So far, the equation looked sound. Charlie spent a few more minutes, going over the work while Eli fidgeted in place, anxiousness oozing off of him. The young Professor was tempted to let the kid sweat it out for a little longer, but he wasn't that cruel. "And this time…you are correct Mr. Wallace. You have solved it."

A holler met his statement and he was suddenly engulfed in a bear hug as Eli yelped in joy. Charlie patted him on the back and laughed at his student's joy. Once the other had calmed down, he let his curiosity get the better of him. "So, what did the equation do?"

The joy left Eli's face and a look of annoyance took over. "Absolutely nothing, can you believe that?"

A knock interrupted Eli's rant and they turned to the door as a man dressed in military blues walked in. "Eli Wallace?"

Eli glanced over at his Professor in confusion. A hard look spread across the Professor's face and he stepped in front of his student, blocking him from the older man. "Who's asking?"

An indulgent smile spread across the other's face as he entered the room fully. "Don't worry Professor Eppes; we just want to ask him a few questions."

The CalSci student glanced between his teacher and the stranger in trepidation. The way his Professor was acting scared him, but curiosity won out. Still standing behind the young Professor he asked, "About what?"

The grey haired military man turned away from them and waved to somebody down the hall that they couldn't see. Seconds later another man, this one dressed in civilian clothing, stepped into the room and Eli heard his teacher inhale sharply. "Rush," Charlie said in what wasn't exactly a greeting.

"Eppes," Rush replied.

The standoff continued for several more seconds before it was broken by the older man. "O'Neill, with two l's," Eli found himself smiling in spite of himself.

"What can I do for you two, gentleman?" Charlie asked in a rather frigid tone, arms crossing in a defensive manner.

O'Neill removed his hat and came further into the office while Rush started to explain. "Mr. Wallace, you spent a rather lot of time recently playing an online fantasy game called Prometheus, did you not?"

"Is this what this whole thing's about, a game?" Eli asked, moving from behind his Professor. Charlie was liking the situation even less. "Seriously, does Big Brother have nothing better to do?"

"Last night, you solved the Decara's weapons puzzle," Rush continued, ignoring Eli's quip.

"A month of my life went into that," a look passed Eli's face. "Do you know what happens when you solve it…" he leaned forward conspiratorially. "Nothing."

"We're here…that happened," O'Neill chimed in from his position at the Professor's desk. He was picking up random objects, inspecting them, before placing them where they clearly did not belong. Don did the same thing, so Charlie was completely unaffected by such a juvenile action.

Rush smiled softly, completely undeterred. "To complete that particular puzzle you have to solve a millennium old mathematical proof written in another language. And for that you have won something of prize."

Eli rolled his eyes; something about the situation didn't feel right. "Yeah, well I had help," gesturing halfheartedly to his Professor. Charlie smiled at him softly, even as he felt his heart sink at the words.

"Yes, Professor Eppes," Rush said, turning to him. "I believe I approached you several months ago for this very same problem." Eli turned stunned eyes to his teacher. "You said no."

Charlie's eyes narrowed as he watched the man before him. "And I am still saying no."

"Professor," Eli's voice was suddenly very unsure. "What's going on?"

"How long did it take you to solve the Decara puzzle, Professor Eppes?" Rush inquired, "Three weeks…two…one?" Charlie's jaw tightened, refusing to answer. "Just as I thought," Rush opened his worn leather briefcase, pulling out two stacks of papers. "These are non-disclosure agreements-"

"Let me get this straight," Eli interrupted him, sounding defensive. "You people imbedded a top secret problem into a game hoping someone like me would solve it, because he wouldn't? Why do you need us now?"

Another soft smile, "I assure you, it will be worth your while to sign it."

Eli took both stacks when Charlie refused to touch them. "And if we don't?" Though he asked, the gamer wasn't so sure he wanted to know.

O'Neill straightened, resuming his position by the door. "We'll beam you up onto our space ship."

Eli chuckled nervously at how serious he sounded. "I am going to have my lawyer look over these-"

"And by lawyer you mean mother," O'Neill interrupted.

"So we agree, we will call you," Eli continued as if he hadn't been cut off, ushering them out the door before closing it in their faces. Turning back to his Professor, who still looked defensive, he said, "Well that was strange."

Eli moved over to Charlie, handing him his own non-disclosure agreement while he looked at his in curiosity. Charlie glanced at his like it was toxic. "Eli," he started, "I don't think we should even consider this."

Bringing his eyes up from the pages Eli looked at him like he had a second head. "Consider it, are you kidding me. Not me, nope, I am perfectly happy playing my 'online fantasy games' and besides, my Mom needs me."

A sad look passed over Charlie's face and he moved to comfort his student, but before he could, they were engulfed in a bright white light, and everything changed. "Wo…wha' th," Eli stuttered, gazing out of the window down to what could no doubt be Earth. Charlie was in the same shock, stapled papers falling from his limp hand.

"Welcome aboard the Hammond, Eli, Eppes," they both turned to Doctor Rush who looked rather smug and a little proud. "Yes that is Earth and yes you are on a space ship." Eli glanced around him, taking in the metal room and blinking systems, Charlie only looked at Rush. "We need your help, both of you, and to be honest…I don't know how long it is going to take."

"I should, ah, call my Mom. You know, tell her where I am," Eli said distracted, waving his cell phone around while he began to dial.

Another small smile graced Dr. Rush's features, filled with amusement. "That is probably not going to work up here."

"Right," Eli said, trying to sound like he knew that all along. Charlie found himself relaxing at the familiar behavior.

"There is a cover story you both will need to learn while we are on our way," Rush finally turned to them both.

Charlie moved up so he was standing less in the background, holding up a hand to forestall Rush from continuing any further. "On the way…" trailing off, not sure how to finish that sentence.

"To another planet of course," Rush stated. He made it sound like it was common place, then again, it might just be. "Twenty-One light years from Earth."

The distance made the situation finally kick home. "We can't go," Charlie said, hand reaching up onto Eli's shoulder in comfort. "I have obligations, and Eli has…his mother…"

"We know all about Ms. Wallace's illness."

Eli's face fell, feeling ashamed and saddened. "You guys just know everything don't you?"

"We also know that you are currently unemployed, in debt because of your school tuition, and your mother's medical coverage is an…" he paused to find the appropriate words, "ongoing issue. We'll see that she gets the best medical care while you are gone."

"And if I don't sign, what, you're going to erase my memory?" Eli said, laughing at the movie reference.

"Something like that," Rush replied in all seriousness. Both Charlie and Eli felt the hairs on the back of their neck stand.

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The Hammond broke orbit slowly as it made its way out into the galaxy. Once it was free of the Earth's gravitational pull, it entered Hyperspace and started its journey across the stars. Inside the great impressive space ship, Charlie sat with Eli Wallace in a small room. The chairs that were provided them were uncomfortable to the point of almost torture and the video's, after the first hour, even more so.

Charlie had heard about Daniel Jackson, the doctor who was laughed out of the archeological world before dropping off the face of the planet. And as they watched him narrate the footage, Charlie could see why. The Stargate was truly a fascinating device and the Ancients even more so, but after four hours of it, he was about to pull his hair out in frustration.

Eli sighed dramatically next to him, before he threw his pen across the room a stood suddenly. "Okay, time out, break time."

Charlie laughed at him, standing up as well. His back popped in several places as his joints decided to rebel. "I second that motion."

Eli turned to his Professor, a smile crossing his features. "Thanks again, for coming with me." Charlie just nodded his head, his own look falling as Eli turned away from him. This was the exact situation he had been trying to avoid, and now it seemed as if both of them were caught up right in the middle of it.

The first time Rush had approached him, Charlie had been curious, but had kindly declined. The military had, after all, told him that he would be gone for an undisclosed amount of time, with limited contact with his family. After the years Don and him had spent trying to repair their relationship, and finally finding a comfortable niche, he didn't want to give that up. No matter how tempting.

The second time Rush approached him, Charlie was even more curious. Why did the military need him so badly? But again he had refused. Rush didn't give up so easily though. It took hours to get the man to leave him alone, and only after a lot of yelling.

The third time did not end well at all. Charlie threw the man, and his military escort out before they could even get halfway through the pitch.

The fourth time, they went through his student. And it seemed to have worked. They gave Eli an offer he couldn't refuse. Medical Care for his Mother, his debt for college completely paid off, and the chance of a lifetime. The alternative, getting his memory wiped and everything going back to being the way it was before.

Charlie had seen what the military did to consultants like Eli. They would break him, chew him up and spit him out. They would ruin him and Charlie could not let that happen. So he did what Don would do, Charlie became Eli's temporary big brother, he came with him. Charlie may not have looked like much, or even been much at all, but he would protect Eli to the best of his abilities.

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"Where are you?" Alan asked, knife stilling from where he was chopping up a cucumber for dinner. Don, Amita, and Larry were supposed to come over in a few hours to have dinner, and now it seemed like they would be down one plate.

"I can't say," Charlie replied, a weird whooshing noise humming in the background.

Alan sat down heavily, sighing quietly in the phone. "Can you at least tell me what you are going to be doing?"

He never liked it when Charlie would suddenly disappear, only to come back weeks, months later, a little quieter, a little more scarred, a little colder. That was supposed to be over now; since Don had come back Charlie barely accepted any of the contracts he had been offered, and none that would take him too far away. There seemed to be something different this time, and he didn't like it.

"Math," Charlie replied, it was the only honest answer he could give. "I'm sorry, Dad. They didn't give me any warning."

They wouldn't have, the military was like that. Alan heard the front door open and close quickly. "Dad I'm home," Don's voice carried through the house and Alan could hear the sharp inhale coming from Charlie.

"I'm in hear Don," he replied, setting the phone down for a moment to explain to Don what was happening. When his eldest son entered the kitchen, he started to go on about his day before a look from his father caused him to stop.

"Dad, what's going on?"

His father sighed heavily again, before he put the phone on speaker. He didn't know what was going on, and he didn't know how to tell Don that. "Charlie's on the phone."

It was kind of mean of him to put it on his youngest son to explain, but Charlie had just sprung it on him. "Hey buddy," Don spoke loudly to be heard from the other side of the room, grabbing a beer out of the fridge. "What's going on, when you getting home? Dad's soup smells fantastic, you're not staying late at the office again, cuz if you are, I'm eating your share."

A dry laugh sounded from over the speaker, "No, Don, I'm not at the office."

Don paused at the counter, pulling the top off his beer, before he made his way slowly over the table. Something was seriously wrong. "Then where are you?"

When Charlie failed to answer after several seconds Alan answered for him. "He can't say."

Anger and worry overtook Don, and instead of sitting at the table with his dad he found himself pacing in anxiety. "Can't or won't? Charlie, what the hell is going on?"

"Can't Donnie, I'm sorry but it is classified. Very…very classified," Charlie sounded distracted. "Look, they gave me no warning, alright. One minute I'm in my office with one of my students, and the next I'm here."

"Damn it, Charlie. I thought you weren't going to take any more of these classified cases."

Charlie laughed dryly again. "I'm sorry Donnie, but it wasn't like they gave me the choice."

The FBI Agent stopped his pacing suddenly and rushed over to the table, worry for his little brother taking over. "Charlie, are you okay? If they have hurt you in any way, I swear-"

"Don," Charlie interrupted him. "I'm fine, they haven't hurt us. But, it's just, look Donnie, I might be out of contact for a while, and you can't be poking around for me. Okay, you have to promise."

"Buddy-"

"No Don," his brother sounded desperate. "These are not the people you investigate; they're the kind that can make you disappear. Promise me!"

Don wondered what his little brother had found himself involved in. Those who could make an FBI Agent disappear, it would seem. "I promise." Don wasn't sure if he was telling the truth but it seemed to be enough for Charlie.

"Okay…okay." Charlie sounded reassured. "Look, I'll try to contact you as often as I can, but where were going doesn't really have…service, for lack of a better word," he paused, and both of the elder Eppes could hear him forcing back tears. "I love you guys."

"Me too, buddy, me too."

"Stay safe."

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The hallways were even darker than the room they had just left. Lieutenant Scott was leading them, gun pointing down the hall in a sweeping pattern, Eli not far behind. Charlie brought up the rear at a more sedate pace, the adrenaline finally wearing off and leaving him feeling lethargic.

"Hey, I recognize these symbols," Eli's voice broke into his haze and Charlie hurried to catch up.

"From the game?" Matt asked, light shining on the door.

Charlie moved up so he could see as well, a dim light on the side catching his attention. Moving closer, he placed his hand upon it and it depressed like a lever, making a hissing noise before he could hear gears catching and the middle of the door twisting as it unlocked. The door opened suddenly, startling all of them in the process. That was soon forgotten by the sight that greeted them.

Rush stood before three large windows that took up an entire wall, and outside was a blending of colors. "We're on a ship?" Eli murmured, putting the pieces together.

"The design is clearly Ancient, in the truest sense of the word," Rush supplied quietly, his voice filling the otherwise quiet room. "Launched, hundreds of thousands of years ago. Faster than light, yet not through hyperspace. Who knows how far it's traveled." Charlie and the others approached him, also looking out the windows. He was right, of course, the ship was ancient. It looked to be falling apart at the very seams.

"Dr. Rush," Scott interrupted is strange monologue. "We have a lot of wounded and we need to get home."

"Lieutenant Scott," Matt's radio crackled, startling them all out of the daze they had been in.

"Yeah, TJ. Go ahead."

"One of the vents just shut down in here."

Eli took a deep breath before stating the obvious. "The air is getting kind of thin in here too."

Scott turned to Rush hoping for an explanation. "What does that mean?"

Rush took a moment to answer, eyes still riveted on the space outside. "It means the life support is failing. And we should probably do something about that."

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The air was becoming thinner in the Gate Room. TJ glanced over at the others congregating around the area. Adrenaline was still running high, but some people were collapsing from the realization of their predicament.

She turned her attention back to the Colonel. Young was still unresponsive, lying still like the dead as she took his vitals. The Senator's daughter approached her slowly, cautiously offering her assistance. Though inexperienced, she was thankful.

Colonel Young's eyes opened suddenly, but they were glazed as if he was lost in his own mind. "Colonel," TJ called, trying to get him to focus. For several seconds she thought she had succeeded, and then he started seizing.

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Professor Eppes stood uncertainly next to Eli as they took in the sight of their first alien planet. As planets went, Charlie thought it was quite unimpressive. It looked very dry. Eli on the other hand looked as if he was having the time of his life. Within seconds he had his iPhone out and was snapping pictures. Charlie almost laughed at the sight, but he knew Eli would be very disappointed when he realized that the military would not allow him to keep the pictures.

"Senator," a man in uniform approached them, a large smile plastered on his face. "It is my honor to welcome you to Icarus base."

Senator Armstrong shook his hand in a friendly manner. "Colonel," he greeted. "This is my Executive Assistant, Chloe."

The girl Charlie had seen talking with Eli in the mess hall on the ship held her hand out in greeting. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Pleasure," the Colonel agreed, a more natural smile taking over.

As they broke apart, Senator Armstrong snuck in the last word. "She is also my daughter." Eli looked shocked, nodding his head slowly to himself as if the world now made sense, but Charlie heard the barely concealed threat hidden in the Senator's voice. The way the Colonel stiffened, he must have heard it as well.

The Colonel turned to the others, "And you two must be…" he trailed off, not sure how to finish.

"The contest winners," Eli supplied helpfully. Charlie just shook his head in amusement. "That is a really big gun." Let it not be said that Eli was very good at changing subjects.

"Rail gun," another voice supplied. He was also dressed in a military uniform, younger than the one before them, and he seemed nicer. His smile was far more relaxed, as if he did a lot of it. "It shoots 500 rounds per minute," Eli's reaction, of course, was to take another picture.

"This is Lieutenant Matthew Scott; he is to be assigned to you, Professor, and your student."

"Shall we go inside?" Rush interrupted, clearly wanting to get on with it.

The expanding group started to make its way inside the mountain, Rush and the Colonel leading with Senator Armstrong, discussing something along the lines of shaving money and air conditioning. The conversation between Eli and Lieutenant Scott was far more interesting. "It's too dangerous on the surface," Scott was telling Eli.

"Why is that?" Charlie smiled an Eli's naiveté. It was obvious that Scott was picking on him, though in more of a friendly kind of way than hurtful.

"Dinosaurs, Eli, dinosaurs."

The look that crossed Eli's face was comical and Charlie had resist laughing as awe shown in the younger man's eyes. "Really!"

Scott looked at him for a second, before replying with a straight, no-nonsense, face, "No."

Charlie couldn't stop himself from laughing if he tried.

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The first time he saw the Stargate it was truly a magnificent sight. It was larger than he thought it would be. Eli stood in awe next to him, taking another picture of the amazing machine.

"Unbelievable," Eli whispered, still in shock.

"Yeah," Scott agreed quietly next to them. "It is. It is weird how fast you can take something like this for granted."

"So," Eli started, his voice distanced as if he was working on a problem out loud. "If a Stargate can instantly transport you to another planet, than why did we fly here on a space ship?"

"It has something to do with how this one is tied into the planet for power," Scott replied, pushing off of the wall he had been leaning against and making his way over to the two mathematicians. "Apparently it's been modified to only dial out because incoming wormholes are too dangerous. You two are the genius' you could probably tell me better."

Eli scoffed at him. "All I did was figure out a puzzle in a video game; Professor Eppes probably solved it weeks before me." Eli nudged him with his elbow, blushing at being called a genius.

"Stop selling yourself short, Eli," Charlie commented. That was always his favorite thing about his student. Eli could have discovered the answer to life as everyone knows it and still would have blushed and stumbled his way through the praise.

"Well, in any case," Lieutenant Scott interrupted their moment. "You two solved a problem that Dr. Rush has been trying to solve for months. And for that, a lot of people around here are really glad to see."

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"And of course you met Colonel Telford," Rush's Scottish lilt filled the large room, making introductions for the Senator.

Senator Armstrong grabbed the Colonel's hand to shake. "You ready for this Colonel?"

"You just give the word, sir," Telford replied, a rather shit eating grin spread across his face. Charlie zoned out at that point, choosing instead to watch the others around them. Eli was bouncing in place, excitement oozing out of every pore. Chloe, the Senator's daughter, appeared just as excited, but was restraining herself a great deal better than his student.

Before he knew it, the gate was spinning in place, making a loud grinding noise of stone on stone. It had begun. One by one, the chevrons locked in place, lighting the Stargate up in orange lights. "Chevron eight, locked," Sargent Riley said, peering intently at the screen. The whole base started to shake and tremble as the Stargate turned and turned in circles. "Chevron nine encoded."

Electricity started to dance around the gate, and everyone started to feel nervous. "What's going on?" Charlie asked their guide, Lieutenant Scott.

Scott turned to him, worry spreading across his own face. "I don't know, we never got this far before."

"Chevron nine…" Riley called, eyes never leaving the screen. "Chevron nine will not lock."

Telford crossed his arms, anger started to get the better of him. Rush shook his head in disbelief; ripping his glasses off, he made his way over to the screen. "We matched the power requirements down to the EMU…it must work."

"Power levels indicate capacitors are going into the red," Riley stated calmly.

"Shut it down," Colonel Young demanded making his way over to the group.

"Wait, wait, wait," Rush pleaded.

"Fluctuations indicate that-"

"Shut it down now," Young ordered, hand clasping the young Sargent's shoulder briefly. The Gate slowly powered down as the trembling finally stopped. Electricity still crackled along the top for a minute more before that too stopped.

"It should have worked," Rush told Young, approaching the man cautiously.

"Well, it didn't," the Colonel nearly snapped at him. "And drawing power from the-"

"Dangerous," Rush supplied, anger starting to creep up on him as well. "Yes, we were aware of that."

"Regardless," Young snapped, "of what's been spent or what's at stake my first priority is to ensure the safety of the people on this base." The way he said it was as if he had to remind Rush of the lives at stake. It made Charlie's hands go cold. Just what did he get himself involved in?

Rush turned his eyes to the Senator before he agreed quietly. "Of course," he turned his eyes to Young. "Of course."

"Eli," Rush didn't quite turn to the math student. "We best run through your equations again. Professor Eppes, if you will join me?"

Dr. Rush turned and walked off, a look of disbelief taking over Eli's features. "You are not seriously putting this on me?" He was right of course, Eli's math was sound. Charlie had checked it himself. Slowly others started to make their way out of the room, following Dr. Rush. Charlie waited with Eli as he stood their stunned. His student slowly turned to the rest of the group, words catching in his throat as Telford all but glared at him. "Not my fault."

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When Lieutenant Matthew Scott made his way back to the Gate Room he could hear people shouting at each other, demanding to know what was going on. Just as he entered the room, lights came on and some people cheered. He had left Dr. Rush, Eppes, and Eli in the 'interface control room' as it was properly named and he quietly thanked them for getting the systems up and running.

Making his way into the center of the room, he tried to gather everyone's attention. "Listen up," it didn't work. He tried several more times before he finally shouted at the top of his lungs. "HEY, LISTEN UP!" That seemed to work, and everyone gave him their undivided attention. "We are on an Ancient ship," Scott's bravado leaving him as desperate faces met his. "That's all I got," he finished, sentence trailing off.

Senator Armstrong approached him, arm clutched around his mid-section, his daughter Chloe helping him to stand. "You need to use the Stargate to get us all back home." Though injured and weak, he still was able to command with strength. Scott resisted the urge to cow before him.

Nodding his head in a pacifying sort of way, he continued, "That is definitely on the list of things to do, but right now-"

"Consider that an order," Senator Armstrong interrupted him, teeth gritting as pain engulfed him.

"Were working on it, sir," Scott tried to keep the frustration out of his voice, but he failed miserably.

The Senator glared at him, "I need to speak to the person responsible for this," glancing around he shouted, "where is Dr. Rush, I need-"

"Just shut up for a second!" Lieutenant Scott shouted at him, at his wits end. The whole situation was way above his experience and it was beginning to show.

"How dare you…you-" Senator Armstrong cried out in agony, nearly doubling over.

"Water," Scott called out, as the Senator demanded for his pills. Once the Senator was stable he continued. "Look, I'm just trying to explain our situation," he paused, not sure how to continue. "We're on a ship, but we have no idea where we are in relation to Earth. With respect sir," Scott addressed the Senator, frustration nearly gone for the moment. "The reason you might be having a hard time breathing is because…because the ships life support system is not functioning properly." Panic started to once again set in on the group, but Scott continued before it could take them over. "Dr. Rush and Professor Eppes are working on that right now. Brody, and Park with me,"

"But these consoles just came on," Brody told him, fingers itching to explore.

"No," Scott nearly shouted at him, moving closer as if to physically stop him. "Nobody touch anything yet. Dr. Rush and Professor Eppes need your help. Everybody else," he turned back to the rest of the group. "Stay calm, stay put…please."

"Stay put," a voice shouted out from the group as Scott turned down the corridor, Brody and Park following after. "Wait, so you're just going to go like that?"

O0O~O0O~Page~Break~O0O~O0O

The blue fabric covering the chair that he sat on was worn and tearing. Even still, Charlie could clearly see the pattern forming as the mathematical equation behind it danced around in his mind. Briefly he started on what would have been a long winded but easily solved equation starting with ∂C/∂t = F(C) + D2C. It was almost enough to drown out Dr. Rush's annoyed huff as he paced back and forth in front of the white board.

Step-step-step-step turn, step-step-step-step turn. He paused only to set the marker on the board, neither altering nor erasing the numbers that decorated the smooth surface already, before he resumed his pacing. The sound of Rush's boots on the cement drew the young Professor's attention away from the navy blue pattern. Charlie only stared for a second, maybe two, before his mind started to pull the sounds into another long winded equation. Step-step-step-step turn, λ2 - γtr(A)λ + γ2det(A)= 0, step-step-step-step turn.

"There has to be a mistake in here somewhere," though Rush was talking, his sentence was phrased more at himself as he yet again paused to stare at the elaborate equations presented to the room. Charlie didn't even bother looking at it again. It was right, it had always been right. There was no mistake. The chair beside him squeaked as Eli twisted it back and forth, occasionally spinning in an entire circle and repeating the process.

They had been here for hours, Rush pacing, Eli spinning, and Charlie lost in the numbers. He wished Don was here, his brother had always been able to pull him away from the numbers when they made his head fuzzy, forcing him to concentrate on the here and now. Currently he felt in the beginning stages of blocking the world out. Before he could take the plunge into the equations that governed his entire existence, a sudden movement next to him yanked him back to reality. Eli had raised his hand.

A small smile danced across Eppes' lips as Rush just looked bemused before gesturing for Eli to speak. "Seriously, who uses a whiteboard anymore? You have computers, like, everywhere around here."

Charlie tried not to laugh. But then again what would he know; the Math Professor preferred black boards. Rush just blinked at him before he decided that it wasn't worth the effort to even acknowledge the useless statement. "The power flow was in the target range. Why wouldn't the address connect?"

"Wrong address?" Eli questioned, his chair squeaking loudly afterwards.

Professor Eppes' eyes snapped over to his student in surprise. Equations were already dancing through his mind as he adjusted the equation on the board to fit the new parameters. That could work. But he needed to narrow it down, either the sending address was wrong, or maybe…maybe the home address.

"There is only one, found in the Ancient database in Atlantis," Rush replied absently, biting his thumb in thought as he stared in a dazed sort of way at the whiteboard.

"With no other instructions?" Eli continued, speaking to the back of Rush's head. Charlie didn't like Rush, not even remotely, but even he had to give the man credit. Though he was thoroughly engrossed in the equation before him, he was still in the here and now. He was able to answer Eli's questions because he didn't get lost in the numbers, not like Charlie did. He envied Dr. Rush for that.

"No," Rush replied, he didn't sound annoyed, just positive in his findings. "No, but that's not the issue. It has to be your proof."

Charlie snapped his eyes up to his student when he stood abruptly and made his way over to the Scotsman. "My proof works," The conviction in his voice was the most self-assured Charlie had ever heard it. "You know how I know that it does? Because Professor Eppes said so and because you said so." His finger pointing from one to the other as he spoke.

Rush turned to him briefly, sighing softly as he took his glasses off and squeezed the bridge of his nose. Charlie couldn't tell if he was annoyed or tired, he had never been very good a discerning non-verbal cues. He was saved from having to decipher the equally emotionally stunted man before him by Colonel Young who walked into the room with a smile. At least somebody seemed to be in a good mood.

"Gentlemen, how's it coming?" The question prompted a small smile from Eppes, and a snort of laughter from Eli. Rush's reaction though was the most disturbing. He set the marker down and picked up the eraser, where he then proceeded to wipe the entire board clean. Charlie didn't much care; it would take him no time at all to rewrite the numbers. Eli on the other hand looked to be having a fit.

"Whoa, whoa. What are you doing?" Eli's shout turned several heads but nobody seemed even curious.

"Starting from the beginning," Rush replied, distractedly.

"Wait! Save! Save! Save!" Eli held his hands up in a T, desperately trying to get the other man to stop. When that didn't work he tried to make a grab for the eraser but it was too late. The board was blank, only fractions of writing visible on the spots missed by the older man. Colonel Young raised an eyebrow but didn't seem all surprised by Rush's spontaneous action. Then again, they had been working together on base for half a year now.

Eli barely caught the eraser that Rush carelessly tossed at him before the doctor picked up the marker and started writing furiously on the now clean board. The math student turned to the Colonel, flailing his arms in disbelief, "I can't-" Eli trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence. He wasn't even properly sure how to start it.

Colonel Young just smiled at him gently, used to Rush's behavior. "Professor Eppes, Mr. Wallace, I'd like for the both of you to join me for dinner in the officer's mess," The Colonel would have included Dr. Rush in that invitation, but he knew better than to even ask.

Charlie stood slowly, back aching from the torture device cleverly disguised as a chair. Eli on the other hand, whooped while throwing his arms in the air in relief. "Thank you, I'm starving. I…"

"We're very close to a breakthrough here, and actually I'd like Professor Eppes and Eli to keep working," Rush cut in, not even turning away from the board. Charlie glared darkly at the man's back, he wasn't comfortable with the familiarity that Rush was pushing onto his student. The man was manipulative to the core and Charlie didn't like what Rush was pulling Eli into.

Eli had had a rough life, but he pushed through it and his mind was going to take him places. But this also put people off, and made him the one looking in while everyone else seemed to be moving forward. By applying a first name, Rush was subtly telling Eli he was important. It made him seem more human, humble even. Show the kid compassion and he will bring you the moon.

"Well, we've been here for six months. It can wait a few more hours," Colonel Young said diplomatically before a fight could start. The tension was nearly palpable in the room, with Rush's domineering nature and Charlie's protective instincts going into overdrive.

Rush just stared in bewilderment as Eli practically ran out of the room. Charlie followed at a more sedate pace leaving the numbers behind before he got lost at sea. He whispered a gentle 'thank you' as he passed the elder military man, grabbing his military issued duffel, knowing from experience never to leave it lying around. People were prone to make it disappear, especially around the soldiers. Colonel Young tilted his head slightly in reply as he too made his way to the mess hall, leaving a tired and irked genius to stew in silence.

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Silverware clinked against plates, metal chairs screeched painfully against the cement floor. Dinner on base was a rather normal affair. It reminded Charlie of dinner with his family, except these people were not his family. The young professor sighed softly as he took another bite of the potatoes and feigned interest in the conversation around him. He desperately wished to be home.

"So tell me," Chloe's voice cut through the din chatter as she gazed at Colonel Telford, who shared a remarkable resemblance to Ian Edgerton. Maybe they were related. "What's it like when you finally go through the gate?"

Telford took a moment to swallow before he smiled charmingly at the younger woman. "When you go through the gate you don't really feel it. I'm telling you," he leaned forward slightly, a more natural smile gracing his lips, making him look years younger. "The moment you break through the atmosphere in an F-302 and you see the stars? That's incredible."

"Wow, that just sounds so amazing," Chloe smiled back, sounding lost for words. She was right of course, Charlie could only imagine it. "Could I, maybe, go for a ride sometime?" Charlie thought she was flirting shamelessly, but for that kind of opportunity, he would too.

Eli's gaze glanced between the two, a slight glare coming into them when they landed on the Colonel. "I can arrange that."

People started to wonder aloud at the possibility of such an experience. Charlie saw his student wince. "So, uh, Colonel," Eli interjected, trying to change topics. "You really have no idea where this Ninth Chevron Stargate address will send you?"

The question seemed posed at Young, but Telford was the one who answered. "No idea at all," a small smile following the words. This was the kind of man who reveled in the unknown. Eli just hummed at him noncommittally. "But the Ancients built the Stargate with nine chevrons. It's gotta go somewhere."

If only it was that easy, Charlie thought to himself as Eli scoffed lightly beside him. The equation was thousands if not millions of years old. The destination could all but be obliterated for all they knew. Taking another bite, Charlie noticed movement from the kitchen. It seemed Rush had pulled himself away from the equation long enough to bother with eating.

"Well, if anyone's going to solve it, I think Eli will," Chloe's soft voice cut in expertly. She knew her way around words, a politician. Charlie never got along well with politicians, but he had yet to meet the young woman, so he would reserve judgment. Besides, Eli seemed to like her well enough, but that wasn't saying much, Eli liked everybody.

Eli blushed under the praise, but pulled himself together and puffed up comically in pride. Lowering his voice in a serious manner he replied, "Yes, that's right. It's true. I am 'Math Boy'."

Laughter followed the statement and Charlie nearly choked on the water he had been drinking. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rush leave quickly, one of the military personal still holding out a box of food, confusion and exasperation coloring his face. His attention was drawn back to the table when an older man stood up, wine glass in hand.

"I would like to propose a toast," Senator Armstrong started before Eli interrupted him.

"Oh, that's really not necessary…"

"Not to you," Armstrong cut him off, not even glancing at the kid. Charlie saw Eli deflate in embarrassment. "When the proposal for this project first crossed my desk, I didn't want to approve it." Next to Eli, Chloe practically slammed her glass back onto the table before she hid her face with her hands. Charlie didn't know who looked more embarrassed at this point, his student, or the Senator's daughter.

Both Professor Eppes and Eli heard a whispered, "Oh my god," come from the young woman before the Senator started in his speech again. Eli leaned in close to her, whispering so quietly Charlie couldn't make out the words, but he assumed they were words of comfort.

"It seemed clear to me at the time that there were enough terrestrial matter of importance that needed that kind of money. Now being a proud father of a beautiful you woman is one thing," here he smiled down proudly at his daughter while Chloe grabbed her glass once again, but instead of holding it up in a toast, she started to chug the wine, much to Charlie's amusement. "Having that young woman exceed every possible expectation is quite another. My daughter, Chloe, reminded me that there was no greater endeavor that the seeking and understanding of who we are and the mysteries of the universe in which we all exist."

Chloe turned to Eli, refilling her glass of wine and spoke quietly, "Not in those exact words. No."

"It was also her idea," Armstrong continued, either oblivious or uncaring of Chloe's obvious distress. "To embed the Ancient proof in a medium that would give us access brilliant young minds that we would have otherwise overlooked," when the Senator nods to both Charlie and Eli, Chloe takes the slight pause to interject and end what would have otherwise been a long winded speech.

Standing so quickly that she nearly knocked the bottle of wine over, she smoothly entered herself into the toast. Charlie was beginning to like her more and more. "And so, to all the brave….men and women who have volunteered-"

A loud rumbling roar interrupted her speech, as the table trembled slightly. "Okay, what was that?" Chloe asked confused and a little scared. Charlie wasn't known to be excessively brave, or skilled in combat, but he had been in situations and locations that Don would flip if he knew. That had been an explosion; there was no mistaking it, and a large one at that.

Young was talking into his headset, but Charlie was too lost in the numbers to notice. Sound waves, motion trajectory, terrain matter, base structure, it was all calculating so quickly that the Professor came up with the conclusion seconds after the explosion. They were being attacked, and that was almost, but not quite a direct hit.

Another explosion, this one shaking the entire room as kitchen equipment rattled around loudly and fell off of tables and shelves. "The base is under attack," Young's voice broke through the haze of numbers, tone calm even as those around them began to panic. There is a momentary pause, and then everyone is thrown into motion.

"All non-combatant personnel," Young's voice echoed throughout the base as support structures started to buckle under the onslaught. "Report to your designated areas. Everyone else, to you battle stations. This is not a drill," he turned to the group looking directly at Chloe and her father. "Senator, I need you and your daughter to go with Lieutenant Scott. Eli, Eppes, you too."

The Colonel's almost calm façade was enough to ease the edges of panic entering the Professor's mind as the numbers fled. Eli stood slowly from the chair, face pale and hands bunched up in his shirt. And then all hell broke loose.

O0O~O0O~Page~Break~O0O~O0O

Scott walked in a slightly hurried pace next to Greer. Park and Brody were bringing up the rear, Brody huffing as his body was unused to the exertion. Shouting voices ahead broke everyone into a light jog before they entered a chamber with consoles situated around a floor-to-ceiling mass of cables, wires, and other metal bits that Scott couldn't hope to place.

"What's going on in here?" Greer's voice, though not hostile, still sounded aggressive and easily ended the all-out shouting match between Doctor Rush and…Eli? Scott's eyes swept the room and found Professor Eppes not far off, gazing adamantly at a console, but not touching. He seemed absorbed in thought, completely oblivious to the outside world.

"The life-support system is on," Rush supplied, Scottish accent low in a calming tone, barely hiding the annoyance he felt. "But for some reason, it's not working properly. I'm attempting to reset it."

Wallace turned to Scott, hand waving as he whispered, loud enough for the whole room to hear, "He has no idea what he's doing."

Greer's dark eyes swept around the room quickly before he raised his rifle to point it at the Scotsman. Park and Brody moved quickly out of the way from behind the doctor. "Step away from that thing."

Eli continued on, oblivious of the gun and everything else, except for the antagonizing man before him. "That screen says that what you're doing is gonna overload-"

"Eli," Rush interrupted, almost gently but he couldn't get anything else in edge wise as Eli's voice took on an edge of panic and hysteria.

"Is that what is says or not?"

"You only think you know what it says on this screen because I embedded a rudimentary version of the Ancient language into the game. This is not a game," Rush stated in a placating tone. He didn't seem angry with Eli, which Scott found strange, just certain that Eli had no idea what he was talking about.

Eli seemed a little less sure, but still anxious enough that Scott didn't want to take a chance. "Don't touch it, Rush."

The doctor looked right at him, hand still hovering over the console. "If the oxygen aboard this ship falls below critical level, it will become increasingly difficult to concentrate."

"But what you're doing could blow up the whole ship!"

"Are you sure, Eli?" Matt asked, turning his back to Rush to study the math student before him. Eli didn't look positive, but he was anxious enough that it was a possibility. The kid was dancing nervously in place, hands clenching, and eyes darting between Rush and his teacher Professor Eppes. Eppes was still completely oblivious to the escalating disaster around him, lips moving silently as he took in the console before him. Matt wished he would snap out of it.

Greer saw Rush's hand getting closer to the screen and took an aggressive step towards the older man. "Back off now, or I will shoot!"

Scott moved towards his subordinate quickly before things could get out of hand. "Lower your weapon, Sergeant!"

Professor Eppes pulled his eyes away from the screen before him and found that a significant amount of time must have passed. There were four more people in the room, and it seemed like there was some sort of standoff between Dr. Rush and a darker skinned military man he recognized from the base, but he couldn't place him. Charlie wondered briefly what he had missed as the tension in the room continued to rise. "He already screwed us once, I'm not gonna let him do it again."

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Colonel Young raced down the halls, pushing against the tide of human bodies as they surged in the opposite direction. "I need to get through, people. Stand aside," yelling didn't help as full blown panic set in. Even so, he continued on.

Finally he found himself in another hallway, this one deserted. When he ran to a cell and swiped his keycard, lights started to flicker and the base trembled and cracked. Finally the door opened and Master Sergeant Ronald Greer stood before him, standing to attention, but his body was tense and eyes darting around worried.

"Sergeant," Young's voice commanded his attention easily. "We're under attack. Don't know who, don't know why. Consider the charges dropped," the Colonel tossed the younger man a tac vest and weapon, who caught it easily. "Go take your anger out on them."

"Yes, sir," Ronald replied, relief clear in his voice. Now he was in his element.

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Colonel Samantha Carter stood on the Bridge of the battle ship Hammond. It was a nightmare. Colonel Young's voice broke through the radio as someone put a fire out behind her. "Who have we got, Colonel? Lucian Alliance?"

"That would be my guess," another shockwave went through the ship as there shields were hit portside with an out of control glider. Carter prayed it wasn't one of theirs. "They haven't introduced themselves. They started shooting the minute they came out of hyperspace," Sam gripped the back of the command chair as another missile slammed into their shields. "Our shields are holding, but we're not the target."

Explosions lit up the night sky as the planet below was assaulted. "What's heading our way?"

She hesitated momentarily, watching the view-screen intently. "A whole squadron of gliders and a troop transport. We've cut them down some, but the rest'll be on your doorstep in less than three minutes," Carter wished she could give them more time.

"Telford, did you copy?"

"Roger that." Colonel Telford replied, firing up his F-302 for takeoff. "If we can get to the transport before they land the troops, we stand a chance," engines roared to life, and Telford flew into the night sky, prepared to buy the people on base some more time.

O0O~O0O~Page~Break~O0O~O0O

"I am going to press that button," Rush's hand moved a fraction lower as he talked. "It's gonna fix the life support, and then you and I and everyone else will be able to breathe and think much better," Eli rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, shaking his head adamantly. Charlie eyes darted around the room, nervous as the tension became nearly palpable. "You can shoot me now it you like. But if, however, there are any negative consequences in resetting the system," Rush's voice became slightly smug as he smiled at the man holding a gun to his face. "I suggest you might still need me to help resolve them."

"Don't do it," Greer threatened, voice soft as he shifted his weapon.

Lieutenant Scott moved around to Greer's side. "Okay, look, Sergeant. I know we are in a tough situation here, but I am giving you an order. Lower…your…weapon."

Greer glanced sideways at Scott, before he returned his heated glare back at Rush. His gaze momentarily landed on the baby professor he had heard about. Nearly 27 years old, three years younger than himself and a math prodigy with several PhD's. The younger man was gazing around the room in interest and not a little trepidation. His gaze wasn't fixed on Rush and the impending explosion though, no, it was fixed to his gun.

Reluctantly he lowered the weapon, a smirk danced on his lips. If the kid didn't think Rush was doing anything wrong, then who was he to question a genius. Rush lowered his hand slowly, as if expecting to get shot, and pressed his fingers to the button gently. Everyone tensed in anticipation…and then nothing happened.

Scott looked around for a second, as if to check to make sure nothing changed. "So?"

"Well, I suppose that would have been too simple," Rush stated as he huffed in annoyance, before he left the room at an annoyed but sedate pace. Nothing seemed to faze that man.

"Apparently, that did nothing," Eli chuckled weakly as Eppes gazed at him with fondness. Scott and Greer exchange a bemused sort of look before the Lieutenant shook his head helplessly. They sighed almost in unison…scientists.

Grabbing the radio, Scott spoke calmly into it as he once again gazed around the room. "This may take a little more time, TJ. Hang in there."

"Copy," TJ's voice was one of resignation as she gazed sadly at the unconscious Colonel.

O0O~O0O~Page~Break~O0O~O0O

Camile sat behind her desk, papers organized in neat little piles, hands folded in her lap. Tamara Johansen stood tense in front of her. "Does Colonel Young know about this?" Wray questioned gently.

TJ bobbed her head slightly. "He knows."

"Two weeks ago, you told me that this was the best experience of your life. Something must have happened," Camile hinted softly as she leaned casually back in her chair, trying to portray a trustworthy confidant. She nearly succeeded, but not quite.

"The scholarship came in," TJ supplied, shrugging. "I-I guess I've been too afraid to admit what I really want."

Wray smiled skeptically at her. "Well, you didn't tell me you had even applied."

"There's nothing else going on. You know I'd tell you!"

"Unless," Wray leaned forward slightly. "Unless you were protecting someone else."

"I'm not," Tamara replied forcefully. "Like I said, I just hadn't made up my mind."

O0O~O0O~Page~Break~O0O~O0O

TJ eyes caught those of Camile Wray who looked worse for wear. They all did. Blood was dripping down the side of Camile's face, but it was just a small cut, nothing to worry about. TJ nodded her head back at her as Wray acknowledged the medic. She then turned her attention back to Colonel Young, who was still unconscious and bleeding from the head wound.

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F-302s flew through the air gracefully like in a twisted ballet as they descended upon the gliders and troop transport. It was and aerial dogfight, there was no other way to explain it. Complete and utter chaos and destruction.

Colonel Young watched the air crafts burst into flames, one after the other from the entrance to the base. The rail gun booming heavily behind him as other troops fired upon the enemy. He prayed that they would survive this night.

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Dozens of people milled about near the Stargate, waiting to evacuate as the base started to collapse around them. Sergeant Hunter Riley sat diligently behind his station, watching the monitor. When it beeped he turned to the scientist behind him. "Dr. Rush? I'm reading a dangerous energy spike in the core."

Hands yanked at his hair as his eyes darted around in panic and disbelief before they settled on Eli Wallace who was near another station. "Eli," he called desperately. "Eli, I need your help."

"With what?"

"The ninth chevron."

"What?," Eli shouted, approaching the panicking scientist. "We need to get the hell out of here!"

"Look," Rush grabbed the younger man's arms. "It took us two years to find this site. The properties are unique. This may be our last chance," Rush pleaded. Another bomb exploded overhead and the entire chamber shook as the ceiling started to crumble. "If this bombardment continues, the radioactive core's going to go critical."

Eli tore his eyes away from the splintering cracks that were spreading to the walls. "Y-you mean the planet? It-it's going to explode?"

"Yes!" Rush shouted at him, letting the student know exactly what was at stake.

"Ah! Oh-oh-okay. Um, um, um…" Eli was trying desperately to think. Professor Eppes would know what to do, but he couldn't see the professor. Okay, then, what would the Professor say? Suddenly an idea caught on and Eli went with it. "If my math works-"

"We can't assume that!" Rush yelled desperately, releasing the boy and turning back to the board.

"I said 'if'! Then, if it works, it's not a-a-a power supply issue. It-it's the gate address!" Eli forced the words out of his mouth quickly, trying to keep up with his own mind, stumbling in places.

"We've known the first eight symbols for years. The ninth has to be the point of origin!"

"S-so," Eli continued, filtering in the new data. "What if we're not on the planet you're supposed to be dialing from?"

"This is where we are!" Rush shouted as if to point out the obvious.

"Okay, what if we are not supposed to be here!"

An idea started to form in Rush's head as they gazed at each other meaningfully.

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Telford flew his F-302 expertly, dodging other ships, missiles, and firing upon any enemy within view, even as he gazed around at the aerial battle. There was too many of them. For every one he took out, two more seemed to take their place. "Icarus Base, Telford," he called into his radio. "We can't hold them back!"

Several gliders broke through the line and then they fired upon the entrance to the base. Young dived for cover from the explosions as the rail gun was hit and destroyed. People were screaming and even more were dead. This was a nightmare.

"Let's go," Colonel Young shouted at the remaining survivors as he pulled himself up from the ground, gesturing towards the entrance. "Go!"

Another officer's voice joined his over the sound of gunfire and explosions. "Fall further back! Go, go, go!"

The surviving military personal ran into the relative safety of the base, passing the Colonel. Young gazed one last time at the night sky, as he saw an F-302 get ripped to shreds before lighting up the sky in a fiery explosion. He grabbed an injured officer and dragged him towards the entrance, blood trailing after them.

"Sergeant Riley," he shouted into the radio, trying to be heard over the noise of battle. "Dial the Stargate to Earth."

"Take cover!" Another voice shouted as a damaged ship started to lose control. Young dived for the entrance, still dragging the injured man behind. The ship crashed into the spot they had just been, causing a collapse in the structure, cutting them off from the outside world. They were sealed in.

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Another explosion rocked the base, this one strong enough to bring everyone to their knees as the mountain started to buckle. "Chevron One locked," Riley's voice was calm, but his hands were trembling.

"Okay," Eli started, idea set and explanation ready. "Follow me; the-the symbols on the Stargate are constellations as seen from Earth. That's what you said."

Rush smiled at him, pleased that somebody had paid attention to him for once. "Yes, yes."

"Okay, so what if Earth is supposed to be the point of origin?"

"Chevron Two locked."

Rush frowned in thought. "The only viable power source was here, light years away."

"Chevron Three encoded."

"What if it doesn't matter," Eli continued, trying to ignore the people screaming around them. "Wha-what if it's the only combination that will work, like a code?"

"Chevron Three locked."

"A code," Rush's eyebrows rose upon the realization. It couldn't be that simple…could it?

"Yeah!" Eli shouted smiling at his idea.

"Chevron Four encoded."

Rush ran over to Riley, gesturing madly. "Stop the dialing sequence."

The Sergeant didn't even look at him, just continued staring at the screen. "I have my orders."

The doctor grabbed the younger man by the shoulders and bodily shoved him out of the chair. "Get out of the way. Get out of the way!" Riley looked up from his position upon the floor, shocked and a little worried the doctor had cracked. "We can't risk dialing Earth."

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"Come on," the Senator shouted at those around him. "Let's go."

Charlie was a little behind Chloe, rushing with the other survivors to the Stargate to evacuate. It was getting harder to see, smoke from the fires made them crouch down and move slower, while dust filled their lungs and choked them. Charlie's eyes watered, vision reduced greatly by the combination. He wished for Don.

Another explosion rocked the base, and Chloe lost her balance. The young professor grabbed her around the arm and yanked her back on her feet as the others around them screamed and panicked. He could see the Senator helping another man up behind them, and the crowd surged forward in desperation, separating Chloe from her father. Another shockwave…and Charlie watched fascinated for half a second as the ceiling spider webs in cracks. The numbers were beautiful. But they are all leading to one thing. Charlie grabbed Chloe's arm and dived as the whole corridor behind them collapsed.

Chloe got up slowly, the professors body half on her. She turned slowly, not understanding what she was seeing, until she does. "Dad…Dad?"

She stumbled towards the debris, but an arm around her waist pulled her back. "Chloe!" Lieutenant Scott yelled.

"Dad!" Chloe didn't hear him. "My father! There could still be people trapped on the other side!"

Charlie was standing now also, side aching from the impact with the floor. Others turn to look as well. "All right, let's go people. You need to move it to the Gate Room," most start to leave, some stay. Chloe and Charlie included. Scott grabbed his radio, still holding Chloe tightly. "This is Scott. I've got about a dozen or so people cut off from the Gate Room. Southeast Corridor."

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Greer ran down the increasingly less stable hall, a man thrown over his shoulder, wounded. "Oh my god," TJ mumbled as she came around the corner and met him. "What happened?"

"He was helping pull wounded back from the surface," Greer replied, easing the man down onto the floor. TJ crouched down to assist him.

"Come on," she whispered, supporting his head as they laid him on his back. "All right. I got you. I got you."

"Greer," Young's voice came from behind them as he approached. "We're pulling back."

"There people still out there," Greer replied, not insolent, but desperate.

"Listen," Everett replied, hand on Greer's arm to stop him. "Hammond's already started beaming up anyone pinned down on the surface."

Greer shook his hand off, voice trembling as the lights flashed a dull yellow around them. "Somebody's gotta make sure."

Grabbing Ronald's tac vest, he pulled the younger man towards him. "Sergeant, listen to me. I got people cut off from the Gate Room. The base is shielded, which means the Hammond can't help them. I need you here, now!" Both hands on the tac vest now, Young yanked them so they were eye to eye. "Go," and then Greer was running as the Colonel shoved him off, a desperate look on his face.

Blood was everywhere on her clothes, her hands…her face. Tears ran down TJ's face as she tried to stop the bleeding from a man's carotid artery. Seconds later she shifts to CPR as the man lied still…so still. "Oh god," she cries, compressions on his chest as blood soaked her legs, through her pants, making them stick. "Dammit."

Young turned a corner, command on his lips before he saw the man lying still as death on the floor. "Oh my god. Is that Dr. Simms?"

"Stay with me, okay," TJ begged, voice shaking as her eyes blur with tears. She could barely see through them. "He was helping pull people back from the surface," she told Young, not taking her eyes of the gaping wound at his neck. "Simms, can you hear me?"

"TJ," Young crouched down next to her. "TJ"

"No!" She screamed, trying to get his heart started.

"Hey, Tamara," Everett tried again, voice soft. "Tamara," she finally looked up, sniffling as the tears left streaks through the dust and blood on her face. "Come on, We've gotta go."

She looked one last time at the lifeless body of Simms and screamed at the unfairness of it all.

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Nicholas' fingers darted across the keyboard as he finished putting in the address. Slowly the Stargate started to turn, smoke rising as each Chevron locked. Electricity dancing around the ring, Eli gazed upon it in awe. The room shook, this time not from an explosion, and then the wormhole erupted from the center. It took moments later to retreat back into the event horizon, and then it stabilized. "That…is…impressive."

Riley tore his eyes away as the computer beeped a panicky note. "Power's fluctuating at critical levels.

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There was an explosion on the Bridge of the Hammond. Carter pulled herself off the floor and made her way over to Marks' station as another explosion rocked the gigantic ship. "Colonel," Mark shouted. "I'm detecting a massive build-up of energy from the planet!"

"Recall our fighters," Sam ordered as she took in the data pouring over the screen. It could only mean one thing. "Radio Colonel Telford. He's got two minutes to get his people aboard before we jump to hyperspace."

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The Gate was active, the wormhole stable and there was over 50 evacuees, citizen and military alike, and not one made for the Gate. "What's everybody doing?" Young shouted as he came running into the room. "I ordered an evacuation!"

Eli yanked his eyes off of the impossibility before him and glanced at Rush before he hurried over to the Colonel's side. "He uh," Eli began hesitantly before he soldiered on. "He didn't dial Earth. It's the Ninth Chevron address."

"What?" Eli winced as Young shouted in anger and disbelief. The Colonel left the younger man dumbfounded as he marched up the ramp to meet Rush.

"The attack started a chain reaction in the planet's core," Rush supplied, not sounding the least contrite or worried. "There's no way of stopping that. And any blast could easily translate through an open wormhole. It's too dangerous to dial Earth."

His excuse was flimsy and they both knew it. "You could have dialed somewhere else," Young stated, eyes glaring in accusation. "Anywhere else!"

"This could be our only chance," as if that made his excuse any better.

"Shut it down," Everett ordered, violence swimming in his eyes.

"We can't," Rush didn't sound smug, but it was close. "It's too late."

"Riley!" Young turned, asking for confirmation with the one word.

Hunter's fingers trembled as they flew across the keyboard. "System's not responding, sir."

Colonel Young turned back to the scientist, desperation coloring his words. "I need to get these people outta here."
"We have a way out," that time it did sound smug.

"We don't know what's on the other side!" Young yelled. "Dammit, Rush!"

Eli approached both quarrelling adults slowly, afraid to get caught in the crossfire. "Can't be worse than here," eyes darted back and forth between the two men. "Can it?"

More explosions rocked the base, cutting off Everett's argument. Young ground his teeth and clenched his rifle tightly as he looked around. "Nobody move. Await further instructions."

And then he was gone.

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Park's brown eyes moved from one figure to the other as Greer paced the room in lazy circles. She sat next to Lieutenant Scott, a little closer than warranted, who was rather young and good looking, and completely out of his depth. Eli and Rush were standing side by side, reading off of the same console. Brody crouched in front of what could only be some sort of terminal, or interface.

She turned her gaze to the other scientist in the room, Professor Charles Eppes, who was studying another console not far off. Mathematical genius, he was the professor of applied mathematics at CalSci. He attended Princeton University at age thirteen, published his first mathematical treatise at the age of fourteen, and graduated shortly after his sixteenth birthday. Eppes had attained multiple PhD's, was a recipient of the Milton Prize and a nominee for the Fields Medal. He was a continuous consultant for the FBI, NSA, and rumored CIA as well, with a TS/SCI security clearance.

The scientist couldn't help but gaze at him with something akin to fascination. He was seven years younger than her, two years younger than his student. That made him the second youngest person on board, right after the Senator's daughter. It was astounding. She remembered reading about him in his dossier, as well as Eli's. Eppes' was a great deal larger than his student's, but a lot of it had been blacked out or redacted. Reading about him was one thing, but meeting the man was something else. The sterility of the file didn't prepare him for how young he looked.

"What's that?" Rush's voice pulled her from her musings as Scott checked his weapon for the fourth time.

"Well," Eli started, moving further into the doctor's personal space, not the Rush seemed to notice. "It doesn't look like life support."

"Yes," Rush sighed, not annoyed, just tired. "I realize that," his hand hovered for a second before he pushed several buttons and a holographic screen appeared with a dull hum.

"Whoa," Eli breathed, stepping around the interface and closer to the screen.

"What are we looking at?" Scott questioned, awe in his voice, as he joined Eli.

"That's a star map," Rush said quietly, realization and resignation colored his tone.

Park moved up from behind Eli, Charlie following right after. "That's the Milky Way," she commented.

"I believe it's a…visual log of the ship's journey," Rush replied, the only one who hadn't moved towards the screen in fascination.

"So this is where we are now?" Eli questioned, finger pointing to the screen, but he was too enraptured to look away.

Rush stared at him momentarily before he replied. "No," he said, turning away as if he didn't want to view everyone's reactions. He turned back to the console and started to push more buttons. "That's where the ship originally embarked from."

Suddenly the screen started to pull away, a blue solid line traveling across the screen.

"Earth," Charlie mumbled quietly, realizing what that meant.

"It's leaving the galaxy," Park uttered, nearly emotionless.

"It did," Rush supplied, glancing up as the blue line went from one white point to another in a twisted connect the dots puzzle. "Long ago."

"That was Pegasus," Brody commented, distracted almost. He stood on the opposite side of the screen, shifting back and forth in nervousness.

"So, those points are more stars?" Scott questioned as the blue line gained speed, hitting one dot after the other.

"No," Charlie replied, hands on his hips and slouching in resignation as the numbers flew through his mind. A quiet beeping filled the room, each one for every dot. "They're galaxies," even before he finished the sentence, over a dozen beeps sounded in the background, coming faster each time.

Scott swallowed past the knot in his throat as he moved slowly over to the doctor. Rush had his hand on his chin, the other around his waist and was staring at the console with an unreadable expression. "Rush," Matt nearly whispered, devastation in his voice. "Where the hell are we?"

Rush paused, as if he didn't want to know or supply the answer. When he answered his voice was just as soft, and he refused to look away from the screen. "Several billion light years from home."

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Scott was covered in a fine layer of dust, hands aching and bleeding in spots as he tried to pry another rock loose. Professor Eppes, just as dirty, stood next to him, helping to clear the collapse. They could hear Chloe crying softly in the background. "Please," she begged, but to whom or what, Charlie didn't know.

"Scott," Young's voice echoed down the corridor before he came running up with another soldier close behind. "Stand clear."

Both Scott and Charlie turned to him, the Lieutenant following the orders immediately and stepped away from the collapse. Charlie hesitated momentarily before following him. Charlie watched as a man with the word 'Greer' printed on his uniform and blood staining down the side pulled several tan rectangular blocks out of his tac vest and began wiring them together. It was C-4.

"You could take down the rest of the roof with that!" Scott nearly yelled, huffing from the exertion. Charlie was panting hard beside him as well.

"Look," Colonel Young said to Scott. "We don't have time to argue. I need you to lead the evacuees through the Gate," he turned to the two civilians, "And I need you two to go with him.

"W-what?" Chloe stuttered, hands going to her hair in frustration. "No! I-I'm staying here until I know my father's okay," she argued, face scrunching up as she prepared to fight.

Young didn't reply, just turned towards Scott with a commanding tone. "Make sure everyone carries as much of the expedition supplies as they can."

Scott stared at him blankly for a second before he responded. "Why?"

"'Cause," Young replied, stepping closer to the younger man. "You're not going to Earth. Rush dialed the Ninth Chevron," he seemed to sigh that last part. "Go," Scott hesitated, not sure how to respond to that. "Go!" Young insisted, and the Lieutenant took hesitant steps backwards. He shared one last look with Chloe, and then he was sprinting down the hall.

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Shockwave after shockwave shook the Gate Room as the bombardment continued, raining pieces of cement and dirt down onto the heads of the evacuees. Scott ran into the room and up the ramp, stopping only when he stood directly in front of the event horizon. He sighed quietly to himself, shrugging the tension from his whole body as he prepared to venture into the unknown.

Turning to the survivors he spoke loudly, but clearly, as the sounds of explosions tried to drown him out. "Once I'm through," he started, gaining everyone's attention. "Follow one at a time on a three-count!"

Moving back towards the Gate, he glanced at the ring before bouncing in place. Seconds later he was running through the gate, and survivors started to follow him. The first several followed his instructions, counting to three before stepping through the event horizon, but as the room continued to crumble around them, people started to panic. They ran through the Gate, pushing and shoving other evacuees, until it was one continuous mass of bodies, disappearing into the unknown.

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"You good?" Young questioned Greer as the Sergeant placed the last of the explosives. "Okay, let's go," the Colonel guided Chloe away, while Greer led Charlie around the corner with a hand on his back, pushing lightly. "If you can hear me," Young shouted as he moved towards the collapse. "Stand back!"

Seconds later he joined the three further down the hall. Chloe crouched down, hands going covering her ears. Charlie stood next to her, one arm around her shoulder, the other over his head. The warm weight of Greer's hand was still on his back when the dark skinned man handed the Colonel the remote detonator.

The Colonel pressed a few buttons before turning to face the others. "Okay, get down," Young said as they all crouched to the floor. "Fire in the hole!"

Charlie didn't hear the lever being depressed, but he definitely heard the following explosion. Chloe screamed as dust and debris flew through the air. Moments later Greer was up and moving towards the collapse, Chloe and Charlie coughing as they followed.

"Dad?" She called, turning the corner. "Dad?"

Seconds pass, and then they can see someone making their way through the hole. A woman came first, coughing heavily. "Put your weight on me," Greer told her, as he helped her away from the collapse, handing her off to Colonel Young who moved her further down the hall.

"Keep calm, everybody," Young called. Another person comes through, Greer carrying most of his weight. Chloe leaned heavily on the wall, Charlie's hand on her elbow, as she scanned their faces.

"I got you," Greer told another survivor.

"Please," Chloe whispered desperately.

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The mass of evacuees surge towards the Gate, very little order in the chaos. "Everybody stay calm!" TJ shouted, trying to ensure everyone's safety, even as she was shoved along. "Don't push!"

Rush disappeared through the wormhole as a large section of the ceiling fell and landed on the crates of supplies next to the ramp. Someone screamed, another stumbled and fell, taking two more people down with him. Hands grab and yanked them up, shoving them through the Gate.

Eli stood a little further back, shuffling forward slowly. His eyes were fixated on the puddle of 'not' water, a look of trepidation stealing over his features. He took another half step forward, and then he was at the front. A moment's hesitation, he took a deep breath, and then plunged.

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"Dad!" Chloe yelled, as the Colonel helped the Senator through the hole. "Ah! Careful," her father gasped painfully as they cleared the collapse, leaning heavily to right as he clutched his side. "Careful."

"You're okay, sir?" Young questioned, still supporting most of the other man's weight.

The Senator gritted his teeth, wincing in pain as Chloe moved up to his other side. "Are you okay?"

The elder man turned towards the Colonel, "I'm the last one," he told him, before he moved off with his daughter, painfully standing up right. "I'm all right."

"Greer," the Colonel called as Charlie helped another survivor to her feet, throwing her arm over his shoulder as they jogged down the hall. "Go. I'm right behind you."

The Colonel turned around, facing away from the moving party, before he grabbed his radio. "Hammond, this is Young, come in. Hammond," he tried again, "This is Young. Come in!"

No response.

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"Let's go, let's go, let's go," Greer called from the back of the line. "Come on people. Let's do it!" Grabbing gear, he hurried the last of the evacuees through. Chloe was several steps behind the professor, still assisting her dad.

Electricity was building up at alarming levels, and Charlie calculated that they had seconds left before the planet exploded. He had just enough time to grab one of the cases a soldier was reaching for, before he stepped through the Gate. It was a dazzling and terrifying experience.

Greer assisted the injured military personal up the ramp and through the event horizon, but his gaze was locked onto the form of his Commanding Officer. Colonel Young was rooting through the cases left behind, desperately looking for something.

"Sir!" Greer shouted, supporting an injured soldier who had shrapnel wounds on his left leg.

"Go!" Young commanded, not looking up from his search. He found the case he was looking for, shoving it into a black duffel bag as Greer and the injured man stepped through the Gate. Everett ran up the stairs and down the ramp, the base exploding behind him. Several yards from the Gate, the impact wave lifted him from the ground and propelled him through the wormhole.

The planet cracked, the crust exploding outwards as the core ripped the surface to shreds. Seconds later it exploded, taking three ha'taks with it. Icarus was no more.

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In the Pentagon, Walter stood over a screen, reading the report quickly as someone spoke softly in his headset. He nodded his head and then made his way over to a man he had worked with for over 12 years. "Sir," he called to General O'Neill. "We've got Colonel Carter, turning to the technician he commanded, "Onscreen."

Jack moved quickly to the screen, overtaking Walter's shorter strides. "General," Sam sighed as she saw him. "We barely got away. Planet was destroyed," her tone was sad, but she continued on. "We've managed to beam most of our people off the surface before jumping to hyperspace. We also believe that the enemy forces were destroyed," Carter paused as she let Jack take in the report. Moving towards the screen her voice quivered slightly. "A-any word on how they gained intel on our base?"

"No," Jack replied, an unreadable expression on his face. "What about casualties?"

"Twelve," Carter sighed. "Eighty-plus MIA. The bunker shielding technology prevented us from beaming out anyone inside," she paused. "How many people made it through the Gate to Earth?"

O'Neill shook his head, "None."

"None?" She sounded stunned. "Our-our sensors indicated that the Stargate was active for a full six minutes before the core went critical."

"Well, they didn't come through here."

The silence was deafening, before a shocked Carter stuttered out, "Then where'd they go?"