Blood Ties

Chapter twenty-five

Because Teyla had been among the first notified of their impending mission, she had been fully prepared for departure with ten minutes to spare. She'd joined Elizabeth in the control room in time to hear Dr. Jackson and Agent Larance reveal the nature of the beings that endangered Earth.

Elizabeth stood near the front of the room, the light of the active gate casting her in a wavering blue glow. "You mentioned earlier that this Awakening could be a two-pronged event," she said into the camera. "That would suggest the cambion are also looking for a way of triggering the Wraith genes in the human population at large. We may have a clue in that direction, or at least a partial explanation of how the Wraith communicate with each other."

As she detailed the science team's preliminary findings on the M1M-316 ginkgo, Teyla tried to brush aside a sense of unease. She could not yet rid herself of the lingering visceral terror of the iratus insect crawling up her body, poised to feed on her in order to become the vicious new species developed by Michael. This situation stirred many of the same conflicts in her mind.

In spite of the horrors Michael had perpetrated on the blameless Taranans-in spite of his actions against the Atlantis expedition in general and against her in particular-she could not find it in herself to completely vilify him, for she understood what motivated him. Intelligent, resourceful, accepted by neither Wraith nor human because of events over which he had had no say, he now sought what any being sought: a place for himself in the universe. Ancients, humans, Wraith, and the amalgamation of all three species, succubus and cambion-each struggled in their own way to define their existence and to seek meaning in their lives.

And yet the memory of the countless people Michael had discarded still lingered. While she could comprehend what drove him, neither could she forgive him for his terrible deeds.

"McKay to Control," Rodney's edgy voice came over the radio. Teyla smiled. She was aware that Ronon had taken him outside for a sparring session. "I was given a barely reasonable time limit with which to prep for this trip, and yet here I am at the appointed place exactly on schedule. Anyone else planning to join me?"

"We're on our way," Elizabeth told him, sharing a look of amusement with Teyla. They took the stairs to the jumper bay, where Major Lome was dividing a group of about twenty Marines between three jumpers. The amount ofpersonnel and armament being readied underscored the importance of this mission; Teyla had not seen such a high level of combat readiness in the city since the long-ago siege. A few seconds later, Ronon appeared in the bay wearing the long coat he favored, the one that concealed more weapons than any two Marines could carry.

"It's critical that you follow through on Katie's ginkgo research." Acknowledging the arrivals with barely a glance, Rodney was lecturing Radek from the ramp of Jumper Two. "Make sure her sub-literate lackeys run a biochemical analysis to determine the effects of various doses of ginkgo on the Wraith gene fragments found in human DNA. The experiments can be run as simulations based on-"

"These tests are in progress," Radek assured him, tucking his clipboard under his arm and helping one of the Marines load a large container into the jumper. "Dr. Brown and her staff have deferred much of their other work for this. They are using the program Carson and I developed for his initial experiments with the Wraith gene."

Making no attempt to assist with the loading, Rodney's only response to Radek was to charge ahead with additional instructions. "And then I want you to test them on actual biological material. Get volunteers if necessary, but the tests need to include the sample I left behind." Apointed look, one Teyla interpreted to mean that the samples included Rodney's blood and DNA, passed between the two scientists. "Get the results to me immediately. No more of this circumventing the chain of…" Stepping out of the way of two Marines carrying the last of the equipment, Rodney glanced over at Elizabeth.

Atlantis's leader, handing instructions to a technician, raised her eyebrows at Rodney. Perhaps she allowed his implication because she recognized his anxiety; he clearly feared what might become of him should the ginkgo indeed activate Wraith genes. In any case, she dismissed the technician and, striding to the rear of the jumper, said only, "We can take care of things on this end, Rodney. I promise you'll get a full report the moment we know anything."

"All right. We'll, uh, be in touch." Looking faintly appeased, Rodney turned and stepped into the jumper. The Marines had already stowed their equipment in the other three jumpers and were closing the hatches.

Teyla finished fastening a cargo net, then followed Ronon into the cockpit and took her customary seat while Rodney completed the preflight checklist with methodical efficiency. She knew the people of Earth were unaware that life existed on other worlds, and the tight grip with which they still held on to their naivete continued to surprise her. It was not her place to question the wisdom of hiding the truth, though. From the outset, Teyla had understood that Earth was unlike any world she had encountered on her many travels. Its population was enormous and segmented, societies often warring with one another over differences that seemed trivial in comparison to the constant struggle just to survive in the Pegasus Galaxy. How would the dynamics of their closely packed society change if they were to learn just how different `different' could be'? While she knew Colonel Carter had recently visited a parallel Earth world where just such a scenario had occurred, Teyla suspected the poor outcome there had resulted for reasons beyond merely the knowledge that the people of Earth were not alone in the universe. The reasons likely were more complex, resting with the fact that such knowledge might challenge the customary beliefs of many inhabitants.

While the jumpers descended, one by one, into launch position in the gate room, Teyla gazed out at the patterned glass of the far wall and recalled the histories of her forefathers, when some among them had been taken and then returned by the Wraith. What her people had at first seen as a blessed gift had all too quickly been branded as an abomination. It was disheartening to her that bigotry could arise so swiftly and bring with it such tragic results, opening a dark place that seemed to reside in all of humanity, regardless of what galaxy they inhabited. Even here on Atlantis it had been evident from the first awareness of her heritage that some members of the expedition did not trust her.

But not many, she reminded herself. For the most part, expedition members regarded her as a friend and viewed her skills as useful attributes in their mutual struggle against the Wraith. Still, fear of the unknown was a powerful emotion, and no one was entirely immune from the terror that they might harbor something within them that could transform them into a Wraith. Rodney was on edge, others seemed distracted, and Teyla's own recollection of the iratus insect lurked at the edges of her consciousness. Perhaps it was for the best that the people of Earth did not know that some among them likely carried the genes of a ruthless, insatiable species, for they would surely turn on one another.

Jumper Two was the last of the four craft to enter the wormhole. Once it did so, Teyla had just enough time to wonder if she would like this world, the birthplace of her cherished friends, before she was propelled through the gate and into an austere gray room fronted by a huge glass window.

The images she had seen on Atlantis's monitor when speaking to the SGC had not misled her; the gate room was every bit as confined as it had appeared. Where Atlantis's architecture melded practicality with grace, this facility had been designed strictly for utility. Indeed, the very room they had entered had once housed a nuclear weapon John had described as a Titan missile. Her eyes went to the first level visible through the windows, and she smiled as she caught sight of John, standing behind a seated man who she knew from previous communications was Chief Harriman.

John's lips moved, and his voice came over the radio. "All four jumpers accounted for, Atlantis. Shut down at your discretion. Good to see you guys," he added, looking in through Jumper Two's windshield, and even from a distance Teyla could see in his expression how sincere a statement it was. "Welcome to Earth, Teyla. It gets a lot prettier than this, I promise."

"I have no doubt of that, Colonel. Thank you"

"Go ahead and park in the bay, Rodney, and stick around up there. We're going to head out as soon as possible. You'll get most of the briefing on the way."

"This is what I get for traveling with the Marines," Rodney muttered, complying with John's request and lifting the jumper toward what Teyla soon saw was a chamber above the gate room. "Supposedly they're always `first to go, last to know. "'

In the bay, which also felt stark next to its Atlantis counterpart, technicians had quickly swarmed in to install additional equipment on the other jumpers. Jumper One, which John had brought to Earth some time ago, had already been outfitted with the new devices. A spectacled, balding man with a beard, whom Teyla did not recognize, was supervising their work, and the Marines had gathered in an empty corner of the room to await further orders. Before long, the bay doors opened to admit General Landry, followed by Dr. Jackson, Agent Larance, and John.

"Thank you for coming." The SGC commander addressed Teyla and Ronon directly. "I know this isn't your fight."

"I do not believe responsibility for this fight can be cleanly divided, General," Teyla replied. "We are the same people, created by the same beings, and we face the same destiny."

Acknowledging her viewpoint with an approving nod, Landry turned to the assembled Marines. "There will be some major unknowns in this situation. First and foremost, we have no way at this point to distinguish succubus from cambion, Lilith from Ninlil-or any other human for that matter."

Rodney broke in, sounding dubious. "You're calling them the Lilith and Ninlil?"

"The Lilith worshippers are the ones we're after," said John. "The guys subscribing to Ninlil's philosophy supposedly are on our side, although it's hard to say what their motivations are." He glanced at Agent Larance, whose expression was unreadable to Teyla.

"Lilith and Ninlil." Rodney shook his head. "Military originality strikes again. With ten seconds of thought you might have been able to come up with marginally less ridiculous names."

"Well, we could have gone with `dark side succubi and incubi' versus `maybe good side succubi and incubi,"' Dr. Jackson pointed out, "but these names have ten thousand years of history to them. Changing them now just to accommodate your idea of coolness, McKay, seems a bit tacky."

Landry's frosty look silenced the group. "There's a good chance some of you will be going into a cave system that I'm told is anything but simple," he continued, "so be prepared for close-quarters combat. Maneuverability will be very limited and, while the outer galleries have staircases and good lighting, the inner areas are not as user friendly, so staying oriented will be critical. Remain in radio contact at all times."

This time Rodney raised his hand tentatively before speaking. "If that's the case, is it absolutely necessary for me to go along'? There are plenty of people better suited to climbing around in enclosed spaces-not that I'm complaining," he hastened to add. "I'm a professional and an offworld team member, and I'm perfectly willing to-"

"We need you to work with Dr. Lee on something else." Daniel Jackson tipped his head toward the man supervising the jumper modifications. "He and Agent Larance have a theory about using harmonics to repel or even disable the succubi and incubi."

"We've tried that before," Rodney said dismissively.

"Only on Wraith," countered Agent Larance. "These are hybrids. We believe there's a reason why mythology texts suggest invoking the names of the angels Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof as protection against an attack by Lilith's children-or what we now know are her creations using her DNA. The vocalization of those words sets up an unusual harmonic wave."

Rodney looked as though he wanted to scoff at the idea, but he restrained himself. "So, Germany?"

"Nope. Tasmania." John crossed the bay, heading for the hatch of Jumper One. "Like I said, I'll fill you in on the details in the air."

General Landry dismissed the Marines to their jumpers with a curt "Good luck." Teyla went with Ronon, Agent Larance, and Dr. Jackson to join John in Jumper One's cabin while Major Lome, Rodney and Dr. Lee took Jumper Two. A squad of Marines dispersed between the two craft and boarded as well.

As Teyla slid into the right cockpit seat, John's fingers skipped over the instrument panel with practiced ease. "Tasmania is off the southern coast of Australia, not too far from Antarctica," he told Teyla and Ronon, activating his radio link to the other jumpers. "While Jackson was getting you guys and Elizabeth up to speed, I was listening in on a phone call between Woolsey and the Australian government. Both national and international law enforcement agencies have had their sights on a particular shipping company for some time. The company, Goeldi Limited, is suspected of transporting illegal goods-drugs, guns, people, all the usual under-the-radar stuff that makes big money and would give the Lilith access to worldwide transport. The Australians have offered us their full support."

Jumper One rose from the floor as John went on. "German authorities spotted a group of climate-controlled container trucks, the kind that are often used to transport live animals, parked at the entrance to the Blaubueren caves twice in the past couple of months. They were back this week, on the night the police were killed. Anyone want to guess who owns the trucks?"

"Goeldi," Rodney responded from Jumper Two. "Quite the coincidence. What are we going to tell the Australians when we get there?"

"Their government is aware of the actual situation, since they're signatories to the Antarctic treaty. They're also concerned that over the past few weeks a number of hikers have failed to show up as planned at the southern end of the Overland Trail, a well known walk. Tasmania doesn't have large carnivores, and aside from a few bush fires the only natural hazards are rapidly changing weather conditions.

"The cover story for the military and the general public stays the same. We're there to contain a virus discovered by an Antarctic expedition and which may have fallen into the hands of a fundamentalist terrorist organization." John's mouth curved into a smirk. "You really need to give Radek more credit for his good ideas."

Teyla heard Rodney's grumble of acknowledgement only peripherally as she turned her attention to the view through the windshield. The smooth, stone-like walls seemed to stretch upward for miles. "Jumpers, engage cloak," ordered John. "We're cleared for a rapid climb to low orbit."

When they at last reached the surface, Teyla realized for the first time that it was night. She would have liked to get a better view of this world, to observe for herself what she had seen in so many pictures and movies, but she soon found that nighttime offered its own spectacular sights. As they climbed, the lights on the ground shrank to pinpricks, quickly joined by hundreds upon thousands more, brighter and denser than a star field.

"We couldn't take a jumper to Iraq because of airspace concerns," John said. "Luckily for us, the air traffic around Tasmania is just about nonexistent, so it'll be easy to avoid scheduled commercial flights. It's a pretty sparsely populated region by Earth standards. The only access to the cave system comes from logging roads controlled by the Forestry Commission, and those are being closed off for us as we speak. There are several large forest fires in the region, so the general public has been alerted to keep clear."

As if a line had been drawn below them, the lights abruptly ended, indicating that they were now crossing one of Earth's vast oceans. Then a sliver of sunlight burst across the thin atmosphere blanketing the curved horizon. Teyla found herself captivated by the sunrise illuminating her first view of Australia.

"Anyway, based on all the information we have so far, we think the Lilith are holed up in a cave system south of the capital city, Hobart," John concluded.

"How'd they get there?" Lome asked. "Smuggled in on cargo ships?"

"Goeldi owns some aircraft as well as an international tour company," said John. "Two tour groups of almost a hundred people each arrived on separate flights within the past month. One group is supposedly traveling around mainland Australia after finishing up a three-week wilderness trek in Tasmania. Although their plane did leave the island, supposedly with the correct number of passengers, there's no guarantee any of them were on board, because the first stop was an uncontrolled airstrip in the South Australian outback. The other group's still wandering around out in the wilderness. The Southwest National Park, where the caves are, is a popular destination for European tourists, mostly wilderness hikers, so there was no reason for anyone to be suspicious about this earlier. Now, though, the Tasmanian state government's trying to get a fix on their location."

"It's summer down here," Dr. Jackson said, "and at this time of year Hobart is one of the ports from which ships leave for Antarctica. A lot of Atlantis's scientists traveled through there during the planning stages of the expedition."

"They're trying to get to Antarctica. I'm sure of that." Agent Larance's voice was quiet, and she did not expand on her assertion before Dr. Jackson responded.

"What we need to keep in mind, though, is the fact that Tasmania was actually part of Antarctica while the Ancients were still on Earth. They could be searching for something that's now located in the extensive limestone system."

"How much distance are we going to have to cover inside these caves?" asked Lorne. "Miles'?"

Jumper One descended over mountain peaks and lush forests bisected by tracts of cleared land-farms, Teyla guessed. She pulled her gaze away from the windshield in time to see Jackson wince. "That's one of those unknowns General Landry mentioned. A few caverns have been mapped and are, as Colonel Sheppard pointed out, popular tourist haunts, but no one really knows the extent of the system. It's called the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area for good reason. The Lilith could vanish in there and never be heard from again."

"They have to eat," Ronon said simply, causing Teyla to wonder whether these beings were living more like humans or Wraith. In either case, she doubted they would find sustenance in a cave.

"Between that and the lack of easy transport to Australia until the last two hundred years or so, we think Europe must have looked like a better place for them to hang out until this recent Awakening." John brought the jumper around in a wide arc as the treetops drew closer. In the near distance, the forest was blanketed by a thick ashen haze. "There's also a third group of travelers-the ones responsible for the German policemen's deaths-somewhere in transit. More unknown factors."

Dr. Jackson nodded grimly. "They've been preparing for this event for thousands of years. It's virtually guaranteed that they have numerous alternate routes through the caves. Our plan at the moment is to stake out the known entrances and hope we catch them either coming or going."

Ronon voiced Teyla's immediate thought. "Not much of a plan."

"That's just our end of it," Dr. Jackson reassured him. "All airports and shipping ports have been alerted. The Australians are well prepared for this kind of thing; terrorism lockdowns are a fact of life these days. We just have to hope that no additional complications sneak up on us."

If hope was an integral part of their strategy, Teyla could not consider herself confident in their chances for success-particularly when she caught sight of the forest fires.