Episode Fifteen: Exodus (Part One)

[Ian Wright]

OOC: Figred I'd bring Ian back in a big way

1135
Science / Engineering Building
Doctor Wright's Lab

Ian was having the time of his life working on advanced piece of technology and no aliens trying to kill them, just the science mam, thank you very much. He ordered his team to begin scanning the device and see what the necessary components for the device while Andy was getting the plans from Minerva. Ian was too focused on the generator to notice anything else going on as a smile on his face blossomed as he looked over his laptop that was showing the scans of the power distribution of the device.

Wright looked it over and he saw something that was off and that was the best word he could describe it as his smile faded. What the hell is that, no it can't be he thought to himself. Gesturing at one of his minions he said to her "Double check those readings, I'm gonna..."

Then the base's alarm activated and the shrill sound went through the lab and over that blaring alarm, Ian heard Troy shout out to lab at large.

"Need help out here!"

With a look of confusion growing on his face, Ian made his way towards the hall when a extremely hot woman came from Troy's location. She had the robes of an Alcaran on so the CSA thought she was Minerva he took a step forward and then her eyes flew to Wright. Then before the scientist could do anything, even open his mouth the woman had moved faster then anything he had ever seen, hit him on the side of the head and before Ian even think of anything besides oww, the evil woman had a hold on him from behind with her arm around his neck. In a angry, hurt tone, the scientist snapped at "Minerva" "HEY what.." Ian stopped in mid-sentence when she had a knife to his throat.

Wright could feel her breath on his neck as she growled to the CSA "Don't speak or I'll bleed you dry." He nodded to the woman that he couldn't see, with sweat going down his temple and swallowed the lump that had grown in his throat.

<Tag Room at large oh and help>

[Andy Buchanan]

1136
Science / Engineering Building
Hallway outside Andy's Lab

Neither Cutty nor Loveridge made it as far as Andy before all hell broke loose. He watched as his careful reasoning that spreading unnecessary panic or alarm was smashed into smithereens, swept into a trash compactor, squashed into firelighters and sold at a seven hundred percent mark-up.

The alarms blared.

So much, thought Andy grimly, for the subtle approach.

He darted out of his office fully and paused briefly to help Loveridge get Cutty back on his feet, then bounded, at full speed, back into Ian's laboratory, just in time to see Minerva/Athena, who for no explicable reason had taken her mask off again. She had replaced it right before leaving his office, which would have left her identity secret - what the hell had she been thinking?

Never mind that, what the hell are YOU doing wondering what the hell SHE was thinking?

She had Ian held in what could only be described as something of a compromising position. All around things were taking the express handbasket to Hell, and as he crashed into the lab, Minerva/Athena turned her gaze on him. She said nothing, but he instinctively read the flash of panic in her eyes as 'you have to get me out of here, Apollo'.

And thus Andy Buchanan found himself in a wee bit of a bind.

The mental process that played out the three options he could see was lightning quick, but went no way towards helping him decide what to do.

Let's figure this out, Buchanan, m'lad. Scenario One: you carry on the Apollo charade and rush to her rescue, get Ian free and disappear with her through the Stargate to whatever planet she's holed up on. This will go well right up until the moment that the real Apollo puts in a show and things get a touch messy. Alternatively, you carry on the 'I'm Apollo pretending to be Andy Buchanan charade that you just set up for yourself back next door. Thirdly, you come clean and stop the Apollo thing. Which won't end well for anybody. Yep, it's going to have to be option two.

Although now he'd come to that decision, he didn't have the first idea as to how he was going to get Ian out of the situation he was in. He was an engineer, not a negotiator.

He looked around helplessly, struggling with the urge to act as Andy Buchanan whilst not letting Minerva/Athena realise that he wasn't Apollo.

The paradoxical nature of his personal predicament was giving him a headache.

Eventually, he found words.

They were a bit rubbish, considering.

"What do you want?" he said.

<Tag: All present, and woo hoo! This is my 200th post! Have cookies!>

[Vanessa Collins]

1132- 1238
Science / Engineering Building
Hallway Outside of Andy's Lab -- > Ian’s Lab


Vanessa looked at the Major as the woman spoke, smiling, “I’m Doctor Vanessa Collins. As for what is going on, it seems out new ‘allies’ just turned out to be our main enemy,” Cutty’s voice from the outside reached her ears, feeling the fear inside a bit, “and thus causing chaos. It might be best if checked out on what is going on; since I have recently returned to the base after being MIA.” There were only bits as pieces she could really remember in her mind, sometimes some things came to her unbidden and when she really wanted to unlock few on her own, and her brain would just shut down. Then left to check on what was going on noticing that Lang was along with her.


Hearing Troy’s voice, just second before the sirens blared all around her, Vanessa had looked at the situation before her wide eyed. Before she could do anything Athena was again on top of her game this time her victim was none other than Ian. No one threatens a friend of mine and gets away, she thought, before words could leave her mouth, Andy had spoken them, “yet better who is it you want?” she asked.

The look in the other woman’s eyes told Collins she had just played out the wrong card. Maybe I really shouldn't be here at all.

<<Tag All>>

[Troy Loveridge]

1136
Science / Engineering Building
Hallway outside Andy's Lab

Troy was helping Cutty to his feet when Athena - who had simply disappeared - reappeared again, this time with a knife to Ian's throat. The security personnel alerted by the alarm Troy had activated rushed into the hallway, weapons trained on the enemy. "Don't speak or I'll bleed you dry," she screamed, and Troy signaled for the guards to hold their fire. "What do you want?" Andy asked, to which a half smile appeared on her face. "The same as you do my friend, the destruction of this little problem called the Tau'ri," She replied.

It all made sense now; Athena thought Andy was Apollo! The mistake had been made twice before off-world as the two seemed to share a close physical similarity. In both times SD-1 had been able to use the ploy to their advantage, and now - even though it was risky - would be Andy's third outing in the Apollo guise. If he was able to convince Athena that Andy was Apollo, Andy may be able to get close enough to disarm and subdue her. It wasn't a good plan by any means, but it was a plan, and better than the alternative.

"Yet better who is it you want?" Vanessa added. Troy was thankful the psychologist was on base at the moment; if Athena was taken alive Doctor Collins would became a valuable asset to the interrogation of the Olympian ruler. "I want all of you...." Athena replied. "...DEAD!"

Now was the time to act. "Sergeant, take 'Minerva' and 'Sergeant Buchanan' into custody, both are enemy combatants." Nodding, the security teams slowly advanced forward, herding Athena into a corner - and most importantly - forcing Andy closer to her. C'mon buddy, get the hint!

< Tag SD-1 & Base Personnel >

[John "Cutty" Cutter]

1136
Science / Engineering Building
Hallway outside Andy's Lab

John got to his feet with help from Troy. He stood with his back to Troy and slowly pulled his tunic up to show he was armed with his sidearm. Hopefully Troy would see the weapon. He head was still reeling from Athena's romp through his mind.

<Tag Anyone>

OOC - Sorry about the short post, but it is 4 AM here and my muse is still sleeping it off

[Andy Buchanan]

1138
Science / Engineering Building
Dr Wright's Lab

Everything was happening fast, too fast, and Andy's head was pounding with the effort of keeping back the adrenaline that was now coursing through his veins. Adrenaline had, in the past, made him act in ways that were foolish beyond reasoning, although at the time had induced what felt like perfectly acceptable behaviour. Going into a collapsed building to rescue children. Holding a couple of wires together and exposing himself to alien radiation. Pretending to be an alien 'god'...

Naturally, the adrenaline won.

"The game's up, Athena," he said, in what he had come to think of as his 'Apollo' voice: accent-less and with an edge of commanding arrogance threaded through it. "Let us go quietly - for now." He chanced a wink at her and to his surprise, he saw something faintly vulnerable appear in her eyes.

"My Lord?" she replied, gripping Ian just ever-so-much-more tightly. "Do you not remember what I have told you?" Her eyes darted to the 'shield generator' and back again. Andy followed her gaze and swallowed. He had one bargaining chip to play.

He hoped this was it.

"If we give ourselves over to these people," he said, moving closer to her so that only she - and Ian - could hear him, "then we can hold them to ransom. You know the secret to disarm the device, do you not?"

She nodded and Andy moved a couple of steps closer. Around them, the security team was closing in, some looking completely bemused by the announcement that 'Sergeant Buchanan' was an imposter. Andy got close enough to her to put out a hand - oh so gently to take the knife from her, all the time holding her gaze in his own bright blue-eyed one.

The woman seemed to crumble at his gaze and she relaxed her grip on Ian enough that the erstwhile Doctor could get away if he so chose. Andy caught Athena's knife hand in his own grip.

"Let us do this together, my heart," he said, and for a moment, he meant it. For a moment, his already-confused psyche turned him into Apollo. It must have been enough, though, because her resolve wavered. Her vulnerable expression, however, hardened.

"You do outrank me, my Lord Apollo," she said, as he let the knife clatter to the floor. "I will bow to your greater wisdom in this."

Thus spoken, the two 'Olympians' stood together and waited to play their next move.

Swallowing back his sudden urge to throw up, Andy held his head up proudly.

"The device which my beloved has brought to you will detonate in approximately five and a half hours. Only we know how to disarm it. If you agree to let us leave, we will make sure that it, and this base - and everything for several miles around - don't become so much dirt and rock. If you do not agree to this, then in five and a half hours time, we will all be dead."

<Tag: All>

[Vanessa Collins]

1138
Science / Engineering Building
Dr Wright's Lab

"I want all of you...." Athena replied. "...DEAD!"

And then there was that, Collins thought dryly, the most cliché set of words, ever to be said out. She looked in surprise when Andy took the bone Troy had thrown at him. She watched him take charge. He was playing the act of ‘Apollo’ well enough to fool Athena and disarm her, but even to confuse the heck out of the security for a while. Full shock covered her face when Andy announced the device was actually a bomb, quickly covering her expression, she made her way towards Troy, without anyone noticing. Five hours wasn’t enough time to try to disarm the thing, “Anymore bright ideas, Colonel?” she asked from the side of her mouth.

<<Tag Troy, All>>

[Troy Loveridge]

1138
Science / Engineering Building
Dr Wright's Lab

Andy, following Troy's lead, closed the distance between himself and Athena, closely tailed by the security personnel. The two had a short conversation, during which Andy was able to take the knife from her hand, all the while gazing deeply into her eyes and speaking in a hushed voice. With the knife and Ian's life both within Andy's friendly hands, Troy relaxed somewhat. After a short converse with her, Andy addressed the rest of the gathering. "The device which my beloved has brought to you will detonate in approximately five and a half hours. Only we know how to disarm it. If you agree to let us leave, we will make sure that it, and this base - and everything for several miles around - don't become so much dirt and rock. If you do not agree to this, then in five and a half hours time, we will all be dead." The ruse had worked, and Athena was now convinced Andy was working on the same agenda as she was. Now to move to phase two of the plan.

From the other end of the room, two special forces security guards had gained entry to the lab through an opened window, and using the desks as cover, had positioned themselves behind Athena and 'Apollo'. With Olympian Stunners at the ready, then met Troy's gaze, waiting for the signal to move in. "Anymore bright ideas, Colonel?" Vanessa asked as the tension in the room mounted. "Just one," Troy replied, and with a subtle hand signal to two soldiers rose and fired at Athena and Andy, bringing the two to the ground with stunned weapon fire. The security teams moved in, securing the two of them and hauling them off.

"Get to work on that bomb," Troy said, making a mental note of the current time and their five and a half hour deadline. Let's hope Andy can work his magic...



1145
Security Complex
Holding Cell

From outside the holding cell, Troy monitoring the cell's two occupants through the closed circuit TV. While the rest of the team was back in Ian's lab working of the bomb, he was here with Doctor Collins and Sergeant Cutter to watch the cell. The plan was to interrogate Athena, although she would be a tough egg to break. Having Andy in the cell provided her with someone to confide in - perhaps if she was led to believe she was about to die Andy could convince her into diffusing the bomb. It was a long shot, but at the moment all they had going for them. With a rustle, Andy and Athena woke up, and the mind games began.

< Tag SD-1 & Base Personnel >

OOC: Vanessa, Cutty, Andy and myself are at the cell, everyone else is in Ian's lab working on the bomb. Watch the time stamps!

[Andy Buchanan]

1146
Security Complex
Holding Cell

Dear Gods, that smarts.

The four words filtered into Andy's consciousness as he began to stir. He hadn't had a clue that the special ops guys were going to take them out that way, and as a consequence, the confusion on his face as he came too was entirely genuine. Athena was already awake and alert, her physiology different enough to his own that she had recovered her wits swiftly.

"Are you alright, Apollo?" The concern in her voice was very real and Andy pulled himself slowly into a sitting position, her eyes on him the whole time.

"I've had worse," he said, managing a tight smile. He knew that they would be under observation, knew that he'd gotten himself in deep this time, knew that he needed to keep up the charade for as long as possible and the concept both terrified and, bizarrely, amused him.

And the winner for the Best Actor In A Saving The Universe Role goes to...Andy Buchanan!

Really? Oh, the honour...I'd like to thank my mum, my cat, that woman I bumped into on the London Underground once...

"Why are you smiling? This is not a funny situation." Athena stared at him coldly.

"My apologies, dear heart, I was just thinking of the look on the - uh - on the Tau'ri's faces when they realised that their precious little base is going to be blasted to Kingdom Come."

Over my dead body.

I think that's the point.

Shush.

Andy concentrated briefly on keeping his inner monologue at bay. Of late, he had taken to externalising his inner thoughts and it hadn't always proved to be prudent to say what he was thinking. Certain allowances were made amongst his own people, who were aware that he had issues. He couldn't afford to give himself away to Athena. Too many lives were at stake.

No pressure, of course.

Shut up.

Shutting up.

"So this is it," said Andy, unable to resist paraphrasing one of his greatest sci-fi characters. "We're going to die."

"Not if we can get out of here and through the Stargate, beloved." Athena caught his hands up in her own and gazed into his eyes in what Andy could only read as utter adoration. He felt an inappropriate pang of guilt for misleading her in this way, but let it slide as he remembered the atrocities the Olympian woman had committed - at least, according to the intelligence files.

"We can try," he said, dubiously. "But in the event that we succeed, are you prepared to meet your Maker with courage in your heart and defiance in your eyes?"

"With you at my side, Apollo, there is nothing that cannot be achieved." She leaned into him and kissed him passionately. After a startled moment, he kissed her back. It wasn't too hard to fake that - she was rather stunning, after all. Then he very firmly took her shoulders and held her at arm's length.

"We will allow these creatures to ask their questions. Do not fear them, for we are greater than they. But, beloved, I must ask you. Is there a limit to which you will be pushed? At which point you will diffuse the bomb and choose to live?"

"None of us would choose a life in captivity over death, Apollo, what sort of a question is that?"

"Ah, forgive me, it has been so long since we have had time alone...I feel a deep regret that it might all end abruptly." Truly caught up in the role now, he cupped her chin in his hand and stared into her eyes. "Eternity is a long time to spend without you, beloved."

You smooth son of a camel dealer's daughter. Why can't you say that sort of thing to Earth girls?

<Tag: SD-1 and all present in the holding cell area>

[John "Cutty" Cutter]

1145
Security Complex
Holding Cell

Cutty stood by Troy and listened in on events in the holding cell. Andy was speaking with Athena and trying to get whatever information he could. Colonel, sir..... I tried to get back to warn you, but I was cornered in the hallway. She was in my mind, and I tried to keep her out, but......... There was nothing he could say. Whatever was in his mind, she took. His leg was still sore and now he had a pain in the back of his head, courtesy of Athena. John had resigned himself to accepting whatever punishment Troy dealt him. I'm sorry, sir.

<Tag Troy>

[Penthesilea]

1146
Science / Engineering Building
Dr Wright's Lab


If anything was certain, it was the fact that Silea was even more at an unease that she was before. Putting all logically thought to abandon, when she saw what was going on with Andy and Athena, she wanted to attack right then and there; claiming what was hers. Thankfully, the two were swept away to the security complex before she could act on her not thinking. (OOC: Just be thankfully she not there to see that kiss :BIC)

So since she was left her in the lab, with the potentially explosive device, Dr. Wright and his people....and the two remaining Alcarans. By then Silea was pacing the room, eying the two mask people, wondering if one of them were going to spring up as gods themselves as well. What she wouldn't give for one of them to be Ares. Her hands felt nervous, out of control....she need something to do with them, preferable something like hitting someone or something. Instead she resulted to twirling her dagger in what looked like impossible ways. It would make any normal person nervous to be around when she was flipping the dagger as such. Coupled with her looks to their 'guests', she wondered if they were shaking in their boots...or masks.

Her mind was also reeling with what Athena had called her before, when she was still disguised. 'Halfbreed'...what was that all about. It was another reason she wanted to be there and not here....not babysitting these, hell, she didn't want to call them people. She really hated that they wore masks.

"So, did you know?" she asked the Alcarans, "Were you in on the scheme as well?" Silea smirked, just itching for a good fight. 'In all honesty, we are just as surprised by the deceit as you are.' one of them said. Silea listened carefully and hear the honesty in the voice, she was a little disappointed.

Silea turned to Dr. Wright, "What do you think?"

<tag Ian>

"Not them! About the device....can you do something about it?"

<tag Ian>

(Hope she doesn't scare anyone too much with the knife twirling and flipping!)

[Vanessa Collins]

1145
Security Complex
Holding Cell

And this was one of his bright idea Collins wondered as she watched the two being somewhat dragged in to the cell, while the she along with the two members of SD1 stood behind the glass looking at the ‘couple’ talking after they woke up. She couldn’t argue with herself since she had wanted to hear his idea and this was it. Her eyebrow rose when she saw Athena kiss Andy, if they keep this up they just might need a room, but luckily it didn’t come to that.

Listening to him asking if she would defuse if the shove came Collins didn’t seem surprise when the answer was long, but really a short of a big fat NO. Getting this woman on the same page, if possible was like breaking wall with a toothpick. But there was something in a way she had said with the word captive triggered a reaction in her brain. She had never exactly met this woman before today then why was her voice familiar to Vanessa?

“I’ll never tell you where it is,” Vanessa heard her own voice in the memory, a tired and defeated voice with no flicker of hope.

“You can choose to be captive or choose to live, my dear,” the hooked face had been her in the cell, wherever she had been held, “Give us what we need.” There had been a threat in the voice.

Giving herself, a forced jolt to reality, Vanessa sent a quick gaze to Troy and John praying that they hadn’t noticed her wandering attention, she had just caught the apology leaving Cutter’s lips. Feeling a damp sweat over her forehand Collin’s used her tissues wipe to pat dry her temple.

“A will likes hers will be heard to break, unless...” she shook her head, it was a crazy idea. Andy was likely to kill her. “Since Andy’s already playing ‘Apollo’ and her attraction to him, is there a change of play that card? I know a long shot, but for now that’s all we have.”

She wasn’t going to mention her little memory at the moment. If she couldn’t understand it; what were the chances that Frank or Troy would.

<<Tag Troy, John>>

[Andy Buchanan]

1148
Security Complex
Holding Cell

After 'Apollo' had spoken his surprisingly eloquent and poetic words, Athena had fallen into an uncertain silence, considering him thoughtfully. Eventually she spoke, reaching across to take his hand in her own. Her affection for him was easy and evident and Andy felt the guilt pangs of misleading her in this way start up again.

"I had heard rumours that you were working on a ploy to win back Zeus's favour. He is still angry with you, even now - so long after you fell out with him. I hadn't realised that I would find you on this miserable little planet."

A brief smile quirked Andy's lips upwards. He suspected that the 'falling out' of which she spoke probably had more than a little to do with the fact that the first time Andy had been forced into the Apollo role, he had ended up punching Zeus in the face. It had never occurred to him at the time - or indeed afterward - that such an action might have had interesting repercussions amongst the Olympians.

"Ah, you know me," he said, casually. "I don't like to be predictable."

She laughed, but there was little humour in the sound. "Perhaps," she mused, "the time has come for us to break away from the others and do what we always said we would do. Do you remember the promise we made to one another following the last summit?"

Oooh, she's got you there, Andy-boy.

Improvising wildly, Andy nodded sombrely. "And it is a promise I intend to keep," he chanced, hoping it was cagey enough to be accurate. "In the short term, however, we need to figure our way out of this situation. As it stands, if we don't come up with something radical in the next few hours...well, we won't be keeping any promises to anybody any more."

"I always loved that you were a man of action, Apollo." Her eyes burned with passion and excitement. "But please - allow me to bring back some of these accursed Tau'ri. My torture chamber has been far too empty for far too long."

"One thing at a time, beloved," he said. "For now, the only thing I can think of is that we bargain the only thing we have. Your knowledge as to how to prevent the device from going off for our freedom." He swallowed, hoping she wouldn't notice. What he was about to suggest was possibly insanely risky, but he was acting on impulse and pure instinct. He had never claimed to be any sort of planner, or to possess the ability to come up with elaborate stratagems. He was an engineer - not a general.

"We diffuse the bomb, the Tau'ri give us our freedom - and we retreat to your base. They will no doubt send a pursuit squad after us, but we should have enough time to alert your troops and strike back - or leave the planet."

"I have a better plan. We diffuse the bomb and we go to my base. And then we destroy the Stargate on the other side. That way, the Tau'ri won't be able to get to us easily. From what I hear, their intergalactic capabilities without access to the Gate system are limited, primitive at best. We can get word to Zeus - he will arrange evacuation for us when he can spare the ships. And whilst it is just you and me on the planet..." She nudged up to him and whispered in his ear.

From the flare of crimson on Andy's face, it wasn't exactly hard to guess what she was suggesting they do whilst they were on the planet together.

Is anything that she just suggested actually anatomically possible without dislocating all your limbs?

I don't know. But I'm a bit worried she might try to find out.

He gave her a weak smile and, unthinking, spoke to her in his native Welsh accent. "There's lovely for you," he said.

<Tag: Those at the holding cell>

[Ian Wright]

1135
Science / Engineering Building
Doctor Wright's Lab


After he was released from Athena, a very relieved Ian got his team to begin working on the former generator now bomb to try and figure out how to stop it. Out of his suit and back into his BDU to continue his work, Wright compared the scan with the readings he had taken previously when he thought it was just the shields output. From his seat he looked over his laptop at the bomb and red his chin and kept typing and checking his the scan for a way to deactivate the bomb, when two of the engineers came in.

Standing up from his chair he clapped his hands together and said to the gathered scientists and engineers in a quick pace, "Folks pay attention, we're splitting into teams Hewlett, Nykl and Flanagan access the inside of the bombs container, while I work on shutting the bomb off when you get it open.... so let's get moving." While the three men set off to begin working on the outer casing of the bomb, Ian went back to his laptop and looked at the interior scans of the bomb tring to isolate where the energy buildup is taking place for the bomb.

Ian was in the middle of rubbing his face when he saw Silea playing with her knife while she watched the Alcarans. He looked betwen the two he wanted to say something but he just decided to ignore the amazon when he heard her say to them.

"So, did you know?" she asked the Alcarans, "Were you in on the scheme as well?" Silea smirked, just itching for a good fight. 'In all honesty, we are just as surprised by the deceit as you are.' one of them said. Silea listened carefully and hear the honesty in the voice, she was a little disappointed.

Silea turned to Dr. Wright, "What do you think?"

Bringing his eyes off his laptop screen to the woman and responded in a distracted tone "Ummm interrogation wasn't something I learned at MIT."

"Not them! About the device....can you do something about it?"

Realization was upon his face as his cheeks burned a bit red in embarrassment and said quickly "Oh right right, the device is interesting Athena integrated Olympian and Alcaran technology together to make this it's amazing, really.

<TAg Silea>

Cringing from Silea raised voice, Ian raised his hands in defense "Sorry, right I think we can shut it off but I really need to get in there first before I can really say anything else." As Ian brought his eyes back to his laptop sifting through the data for a way out of this that didn't end in death particularly his own

[Alec "Wildcat" Styles]

OOC: Anyone alive?

1148
Security Complex

After taking all able-bodied personnel on a sweep of the base for additional devices, Sergeant Major Alec Styles returned to find the Colonel watching the monitors. Nodding to Troy as he entered, the Marine also noticed that General Kepler was here as well. "Sirs," the SEA began, "I've been studying this situation and I have some ... disturbing ... news. Aside from yourselves and Major Lang, every senior officer is off-world. Should we not be able to disarm this weapon, I've enacted our evacuation preparations but I just had Sergeant Lacey attempt to contact the Alpha Site ... and we could not get a lock."

<Tag Kepler>

Nodding, Styles continued, "The Iliad is out of contact range at this point, and with the Daedalus's departure yesterday, we're not due to have the Iliad back for another week and a half. Basically, if we have to evacuate, we should probably start looking for space with our allies, because ALL of our contingincies have been compromised."

<Tag Troy or Kepler>