I found Chaya in her laboratory.
The girl stood at the control panel, watching the prototype of our Naquadah Generator hum and blink. The concentration on her face and the lack of reaction to the fact that I had been standing in the doorway for ten minutes (which she couldn't have missed, at least out of the corner of her eye) even aroused admiration for her immersion in her own work.
Finally, realizing that she really wasn't ignoring me, I knocked on the doorframe to get her attention. Startled, Chaya shot me a wary look. And went back to her work.
"I thought you were busy working on restoring the Satellite," I said, entering the lab.
"That's exactly what I'm doing now," the girl replied completely impassively. Tearing her attention from the data on the large monitor, she began to examine something on her laptop's display. "Enriching Naquadah in such conditions requires all my attention."
"We already have one reactor," I reminded. "Yesterday you demonstrated how well it works. And there isn't much Naquadah left."
I looked at the small stones lying on top of the burlap in which they had been delivered to Atlantis. I had delivered them myself. A couple of days ago.
At the moment, this is the last Naquadah that was mined on Ermen without having to clear collapses in the adits. Which, in fact, is now happening on Alvar Jensen's home planet.
The mining process had to be stopped due to the threat of the mine shaft collapsing. Kirik and Alvar went to the planet. The former had some idea of mining operations — he had worked in mines, though for metal extraction, before becoming a Runner. Alvar, on the other hand, was going to carry out a cleanup operation near the mine. The Athosians had noticed a pair of Genii appearing nearby. Since we didn't particularly need sabotage, we should either force the scumbags to surrender or eliminate the threat.
From Jensen's mood, I could even guess which path he intended to choose to solve the problem.
"But that doesn't mean we don't need it," Chaya objected. "Ore by itself is of little use. By enriching and purifying the ore from impurities, I can create a supply of power cells for our needs. The storage for dangerous materials is already functioning, so there's nothing to fear. Unless a little girl, barely able to tell a cube from a rectangular parallelepiped, decides to stick a 'black cube' into a power outlet."
Naquadah.
Seliza called the 'black cube' the resulting purified and enriched Naquadah ore that she saw in Chaya's lab two days ago. While Teyla was handling matters on New Athos, Kirik, Alvar, and I were on Ermen, and Seliza stayed under Chaya's supervision.
It's not that the Proculucian didn't like children... No, I even understand why Chaya categorically stated upon our return that the child's place is not in a city full of technical secrets and, consequently, dangers, but on New Athos, with other children. And I understand why Kirik opposed being separated from his ward...
I understand both of them.
As well as the fact that Seliza, whom Chaya had put at the entrance to her lab, simply got bored while the Ancient was assembling the systems of our first Atlantean Naquadah Generator. That's why she became interested in the question: "And what are these strange 'black cubes' lying on your table, and can I help you by sticking them inside this big machine?"
"She just wanted to be useful," I explained. "Celise is used to not being a burden during her travels with Kirik. And she thought that since there were slots in the generator that fit the size of the enriched nacahdah, why not put them in..."
Chaya froze in place. Even her fingers left the keyboard.
The Ancient looked at me with a careful, appraising gaze.
"I hope you're joking?" she asked.
"No, I'm just explaining a child's logic to you."
"Should I explain that if she had inserted even one of the three power elements into an unfinished reactor, a detonation would have occurred?" Chaya clarified. "Considering the nacahdah reserves in the lab, as well as the volumes in the Stargate, when the energy was released and the subsequent chain reaction happened, so much energy would have been generated that we wouldn't just have forgotten about Atlantis's existence, but about Lantea itself."
High-level concepts...
"Agreed," I nodded, looking at the energy rod of the first nacahdah reactor ever produced on Atlantis, glowing with an even white-blue light. "But you stopped her in time."
"Then, yes," Chaya agreed. "But what happens if she does something I don't notice?"
"We've already locked all the labs and rooms except a few," I reminded her. "And we send the nacahdah to the vault right after enrichment..."
"I understand what you're doing," Chaya sighed. "Yes, we need Kirik as a combat unit. And without Celise, whom he can see constantly and spend personal time with, he definitely won't stay here. But I'm talking about the safety of the entire city. Believe me, I've tried to anticipate every possible critical situation from having a child who isn't too familiar with the consequences of her thoughtless actions around. But, unfortunately, I can't anticipate absolutely everything. Even while in her room, she could just accidentally stick a fork into a power outlet and cause a short circuit in the entire residential complex! And that's..."
"Okay," I walked over to the girl and took her hands. "Breathe. She's just a child who wants to be useful. Nothing more."
"Misha, I've seen geniuses in high technology that most races in the galaxies you know don't even suspect exist. And, take my word for it, they also did everything to be useful. In nine cases out of ten, the fruits of their scientific research are known to you as dangerous experiments that you yourself forbid approaching," Chaya carefully freed her hands from my grip. "Atlantis is no place for children idly wandering around."
"You said it yourself," I smiled. "We don't need idly wandering children."
"It sounds like you want to hang another project around my neck," Sar tilted her head to the side.
"The holographic hall," I said. "There's a program there for educating young minds."
"That's not exactly what's suitable for her," Chaya shook her head. "That hall was used to educate representatives of younger races. Accelerated learning requires altered genetics, a mind receptive to knowledge uploads, prior physiological interventions..."
"I discussed this with Kirik. Just spare half an hour of your precious time while we're on the mission, find the most elementary knowledge for her, like the multiplication table, or start translating Ancient fairy tales into her native language, and lock the control panel so she can't change anything — and let the child enlighten herself. Obviously, she won't ever become your competitor, but at least she'll develop somehow. After all, she's one of us now, Chaya."
"And doesn't it seem overly hypocritical to you toward the Athosian children?" Chaya asked. "We didn't offer them this option."
"Because there was no need," I reminded her. "Besides, Teyla checked — none of them want to learn the sciences. They'd be much more willing to pick up rifles and go kill Wraiths."
Chaya looked at me, silently thinking something over.
"And that's it?" she clarified.
"That's it. Kirik had a heart-to-heart talk with her and gave her the strictest reprimand. I did too. She'll obey you in everything. And she won't poke her nose anywhere without your permission anymore. We gave her a radio, taught her how to use it..."
"And now she'll bother me with her questions?"
"No. I warned her — if she distracts you, she'll be sent to New Athos to learn how to plant beans."
"And? For the society she came from, that's a perfectly adequate activity. As I understand it, her people were at the same stage of development as the Athosians are now."
"On the contrary. You set an excellent example for Celise. A woman who possesses great knowledge. She wants to learn. And she looks up to you as a role model."
Chaya barely flinched.
"I'm not the best role model for the younger generation," the Ancient said. "There have been too many mistakes in my life."
"And who better than you to know how to keep a child from making them?"
Sar looked thoughtfully at the generator she had created, the size of a small cabinet, then threw a glance at me.
"Fine, I'll figure out how to make sure she learns at least something basic," Chaya gave in.
"I knew you'd agree!"
"Did I have a choice?"
"Not really..."
"That's what I thought," Chaya returned to her work. "And no, it doesn't help that you're watching me. Trust me, I know the difference between a power outlet and an information port, and I won't cause a disaster."
"I just wanted to ask when you can build another one of these wonderful reactors," a nod of my head toward the structure again distracted Chaya from monitoring the process.
She also looked at the generator, which she had assembled from technologies and materials from Ermen.
I was used to seeing a nacahdah generator as portable, movable by one person. Chaya, with the scope inherent to the Ancients, had built a two-meter-tall structure from a hybrid mix of miracle and Ermen materials, capable, according to her, of powering a tenth of Atlantis's auxiliary systems almost endlessly.
The multi-ton behemoth barely fit through the city's interior doors and, at the same time, barely fit into the cargo compartment of a Jumper. And that was lying down. If it weren't for the anti-gravity drives built into the structure, removed from a dismantled Jumper, this thing couldn't be moved from its spot at all.
And if desired, this thing would be suitable for blowing up a hive ship. Or a small planet, a moon. Look, the second moon of Lantea would also scatter nicely if necessary. Just like the first one, destroyed by the Wraiths ten thousand years ago. Though... why would we need two asteroid belts around Lantea at once?
A nacahdah generator produced by Chaya Sar.
"I hear notes of poorly concealed sarcasm in your voice," the Proculucian noted, looking at me.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Very."
"Well," I sighed. "It's at least reassuring that your hearing is fine. Because when I asked for a compact reactor for the satellite, I didn't assume that in the Lantean language, compact meant 'the size of a ship.'"
"Are you done?" Chaya asked.
"I have no idea how we're going to drag this monstrosity through the airlock! Not to mention the connection, placement, and so on."
"In the base of the generator, besides the anti-gravity cushion, I also installed a powerful electromagnet," the girl said. "So it can be attached to almost any artificial structure. I generally took a ship reactor from the database as the basis..."
Ah, right. Why reinvent the wheel when you can just unscrew everything unnecessary from a scooter?
"So it," I pointed a finger at the giant reactor, "can power the satellite?"
"Not only can it power it, but it will also provide it with an energy surplus," Chaya smiled.
"Now, more details," I became interested. "You're a clever lady and perfectly understand that installing a super-efficient generator on a defenseless weapons platform would be a waste of resources."
"That's the whole trick," Chaya said. "If I can do everything as I planned, then the 'Satellite' will no longer be defenseless. And it definitely won't be knocked out in a couple of hits anymore."
* * *
A thousand years ago, something irreparable happened in the galaxy.
The mighty Genii Confederation, uniting thousands and thousands of human worlds in the Pegasus galaxy, was destroyed by the Wraiths during another feeding process. The insatiable monsters did everything to ensure that the formerly great civilization languished in poverty, oblivion, and hid its true essence from everyone, even other humans.
On the surface of their homeworld, they are just a bunch of harmless farmers and tillers, not even familiar with electricity.
But underground, many meters below the surface, in vast subterranean bunkers built thousands of years ago for completely different wars, loyal soldiers and brave scientists lay hidden, waiting for their time. The only ones capable of opposing the Wraiths.
The only ones capable of leading humanity in the fight against them.
The Genii underground bunker.
Only a handful of the numerous Genii people managed to survive in the underground bunkers. Hiding their survival and preservation of technological progress from the Wraiths, the Genii slowly but surely prepared for retaliation. The blood of millions killed in Wraith attacks would soon be avenged.
After all, the Genii didn't spend a thousand years spreading their agents across worlds throughout the Pegasus galaxy for nothing, did they? Not to alleviate boredom did they continue to develop their technical craft, improving technology and weapons.
All this is necessary for the time when the final blow against the Wraiths needs to be struck. To strike and win.
Under hundreds of meters of soil, concrete, and metal, in a small windowless office under the light of a desk lamp, sat a man outwardly unremarkable. Short, curly hair, a stocky, solid figure fitted in an earth-toned uniform with brown lapels, a wide, slightly fleshy face...
The Genii commander gave the impression of a prosperous farmer when he shed his true guise for the 'facade' needed to communicate with the strangers who came to their world.
But few knew that beneath this inconspicuous exterior hid the heart of a true patriot and the mind of a magnificent strategist. It was thanks to this man that the Genii had survived more than one attack by Wraith scouts. And thanks to his intelligence, as well as the intelligence of his predecessors and blood relatives by extension, the Wraiths had not yet discovered the Genii underground city.
And if this man remained in power, no one would ever discover the true power and greatness of the Genii.
At least, Ladon Rodim was sure that the Genii leader sitting opposite him thought exactly that about himself. Finally, a few minutes after one of the most intelligent Genii scientists had entered his office, Commander Cowan deigned to tear himself away from his urgent business, set aside his guard's report on sentiments within the society, and looked at the visitor with a penetrating and simultaneously heavy gaze.
Incidentally, the Genii leader had no other kind.
Commander Cowan, Genii.
"I expected your report twenty minutes ago, Radim."
Commander Cowan's voice rarely changed tone. For the most part, this man always spoke calmly, without unnecessary expression or aggression. The one holding the post of commander of all Genii simply doesn't need to lose his temper. After all, the Genii are one big, well-coordinated mechanism, laboriously working for the good of the entire nation, reverently meeting every victory, mourning losses with a united front, and knowing that they have no one to rely on but themselves.
At least, Ladon knew that Cowan thought so.
"Apologies for the delay, Commander," the middle-aged man, dressed the same as the Genii leader, expressed sincere regret on his face. "My team and I lost track of time."
"Studying the Ermen archives?" Cowan clarified. Though Ladon could bet the commander already knew the answer. Cowan's spies, informants, and observers had long and firmly penetrated every corner of Genii life. It's no wonder he knows about everything.
And about everyone.
"Yes, Commander. The second part that our people obtained, it's... quite informative."
"Medicine," Cowan demonstrated his awareness.
"Yes, Commander. The knowledge of our brothers could..."
"They are not our brothers," Cowan objected. And now severity appeared in his voice.
Cowan usually spoke like that only to enemies. Or, at least, to those he didn't trust. And it was getting easier and easier every year to end up in that category of Genii.
Ladon Radim, Genii.
"Yes, Commander," Ladon said submissively. "I misspoke..."
"For decades, Ermen developed using the knowledge left to them after the previous Wraith raid," Cowan began speaking as if he hadn't heard him. "They had magnificent knowledge that could have helped us. But Ermen didn't want to share. They came to us, looked down on us, bought our grain, and left. Not once did they mention anything that connected our peoples in the past. Although we know for certain — the Ermen who were here knew perfectly well that our ancestors stood shoulder to shoulder against the Wraiths. We were the first among equals, and they occupied only second place. But they always envied our ancestors. Our steadfast character, our determination, our technical genius..."
"And our stubborn desire to be leaders in the Confederation without having the resources for it — they obviously envied that too," the scientist thought.
"We've all read their historical chronicles," Cowan reminded. "They saw us digging in the dirt and breathed a sigh of relief. They realized they had a chance to finally surpass us, to succeed... So they didn't extend a helping hand, even though they saw we needed it. So, think next time, Ladon, before calling these traitors our brothers."
"Certainly, Commander."
"And now to business," the Genii leader changed the subject. "Did you manage to contact Tyrus and his people?"
"No," Radim admitted. "No matter how many times we tried, we simply can't establish contact with Ermen. Their gate is likely destroyed. Perhaps the Wraiths returned..."
"The Wraiths have nothing to do on that planet," Cowan cut him off. "They completed their mission — they found and destroyed our non-brothers. You know as well as I do, Ladon, that the Wraiths don't return to cleansed worlds. Especially when nuclear warheads are brought onto their ships from those worlds.
"The warheads were ours, though," Radim said to himself. 'And there was barely anything Ermen-made there.'
So far, scouts under the command of Tyrus and his daughter had managed to transmit only three relatively undamaged databases from Ermen to the Genii homeland. Before the gate became inaccessible, Radim, like other high-ranking Genii, had familiarized himself with them. "History," "Medicine," and "Atomic Energy."
Three information carriers staggering in their content. But only the highest commanders studied the "History," while the scientists tried to concentrate on learning information from "Medicine." The Genii's technological progress was high enough to understand something about the technology of atomic fission. But how to build state-of-the-art defenses or perfect the atomic warhead they were developing, they never learned.
However, with the help of some discovered trophies and studying the "Atomic Energy" database, the Genii made progress in the areas they were interested in.
Not much, but still.
Ladon, like his like-minded associates, believed that the failed strike against the Wraiths was enough to identify the problem. And for that, they needed to rework their main destructive weapon according to Ermen blueprints.
But Radim already understood perfectly: they needed protection for the scientists who would work with the new data without fear of lethal radiation. The deceased Ermen scientists had warned about this.
The Genii's own worker protection system left much to be desired — almost everyone who was in any way connected to the nuclear bomb project felt far from their best form. Many were already dying; the rest were about to join their ancestors.
"Finish studying 'Medicine,'" Cowan ordered. "Continue deciphering the atomic energy database. I want our new bombs ready as soon as possible. Understood?"
"Yes, Commander. I'll get on it immediately," Radim replied.
And he himself wondered who the target would be once the new warheads were manufactured and ready for use. He dearly hoped the Genii wouldn't start destroying the remnants of peoples that had once been part of the Confederation. But with every such meeting with the commander, Radim felt that less and less of Cowan's thoughts were turned inward toward Genii society.
Something needed to be done about this. And the sooner, the better. Because instead of using Ermen knowledge to improve the lives of ordinary Genii, Cowan dreamed of manufacturing a super-weapon.
If this continued, there would be a revolution in society. And whoever won, they wouldn't be up for victory or studying the Stargate.
"No, Ladon," the Genii leader said. "Let others handle the nuclear bomb. I need you as an expert on the Ancestors' Ring. Find a way to establish contact with Ermen. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Commander. Everything that is done is for the good of our entire people."
"Indeed, Radim, indeed..."
For the first time in thousands of recitations of the ancient Genii motto, the man thought that it had long since become nothing more than a legend about glorious, troubled times.