[Steve Hamrick]

2215
Medical Laboratory

"Arsenic, lovely. Like treating cancer, huh? Try to kill the disease without killing the patient. Though below the LD50 might not kill us, still symptons of poisoning." Steve got up to pace, needing to do something even if it wasn't particularly productive.

Pratt answered Steve's deep desire to thwack the Devas and Asuras both and, really, the Marine was glad the suppressant was working. Already had this bit with Malhotra, and if he immediately said what he was thinking, that they were not gods, just aliens, and that gods didn't need to ask lower things to do things like rescue princesses and didn't leave things behind for others to stumble on. Yep, not gods because there was no such thing. "We'll agree to disagree, Doctor. Veering into 'politics and religion' territory."

Still, as he sat down to help with research, he said softly. "As the greatest skipper ever said, 'What does God need with a starship?'"

It was the combination of Huntley's seventy-two hours and Pratt's comment that made Steve stand up, rubbing his head for the slight headache that using the ATA gene always gave him. But it wasn't as severe as it should be right now, and that worried him. He almost missed the migraine the chair had given him in the dinosaur reality.
"We'll keep the 'Ascend, do something about the impending explosion and get told off by the useless energy beings for interfering' plan for Plan F, Doc."

2232

Almost twenty minutes of research later, Steve could feel the growing connection, the more detailed yammering of the system about its status.

A subsystem shoved forward in the operating system's notification priorities. "Well, hell."

Steve reached for his radio. "I think our timeline just went down to much less than two days, unless you like really big super-volcanic eruptions."

<<Tag Henry Pratt , Evan Cross , Stephanie Martin , Javan Huntley >>

[Javan Huntley]

2110-2116

Javan glanced at the screen as the Doc confirmed his translation. "Great, well, on the bright side we'll be Gods in our own right."

When Hamrick told them about the impending eruption he groaned. "I hate this goddamn planet. Is it too late to go back in time and punch myself in the balls for even thinking about taking this assignment?"

He went back to his work on a cure. He found a couple chemicals that would work in place of the arsenic, but there were seven possibilities and he wasn't sure which would work. "You have two options, Hamrick, you can go help the others with the overload, or you can be a guinea pig for seven possibly deadly cures for this disease. I'll be taking on four of them myself, so you just need to test the other three. I have my affairs in order, but if you don't want to risk I'll test them on myself, small doses of course. The two most likely to work will be tested first."

He set the machine to synthesize the two cures. "It'll get done with about fifteen minutes to spare. So we either die from the overload, or the cures don't work and we either 'ascend' or die."

[Evan Cross]

2232

Project Control Center

Evan rocketed from where he was sitting on the floor and over to the console where Blake was monitoring the geological meltdown. His debate as to which of the two equally bad options was more likely to be causing false readings shattered. If these newest translations were correct, his time hadn't just been cut in half, but worse. Much worse. 15 minutes. 15 minutes to prevent a volcanic eruption that would consume the base. He gritted his teeth, holding back what seemed like an entirely appropriate curse. "This day just keeps getting better. I don't think I can fix this, not in the time remaining."

Theoretically, their two countdowns were born of the same base problem, not that theoretically really helped them right now. As he reasoned his way towards a solution, or a way to buy them more time, he kept coming up short. "I most certainly do not work better 'under pressure.' You guys, uh… you guys should go. There's still enough time to evacuate, if you hurry. I'll see what I can do down here." He made a shooing motion at Blake. "Did that sound suitably heroic coming from me? Because I totally don't feel like that. At all."

<Tag: Blake Warren , Vanessa Whitmore , Stephanie Martin >

[Henry Pratt]

2233
Medical Laboratory
[ 14 minutes until Overload ]

Henry continued to read everything the base database had about the goddess Mariamman. While he was a ‘Doctor’, his degree had been in archaeology, not medicine, and while he could easily translate the Hindu text on the screen before him, that didn’t mean that he knew what it meant. So far had hadn’t let the stress get to him. He still had a little over two days to try and find a cure before the geothermal experiment beneath the base exploded.

That all quickly changed - a message came through from the team working on the experiment that they’d learned some new information and had drastically revised their timeline - there was less than 15 minutes until the overload and resulting explosion were to take place.

“I think now would be an excellent time for Plan F,” Henry suggested. “Or any of the Plans G through Z.”

Captain Javan had made some headway, announcing that he’d discovered a number of chemical combinations that might stop the effects of the virus, and had already tried a number of them on himself. He’d identified two possible cures, and was in the process of synthesising them. Henry wasn’t sure he agreed with unsupervised human experimentation, but the nature of their current situation didn’t give them much other choice.

“Let me know how I can help,” Henry offered. He didn’t have formal science training, but he was measured and methodical in everything he did.

< Tag Steve Hamrick & Javan Huntley >

[Blake Warren]

2233
Project Control Center

It wasn't like you could exactly 'fix' the core. Blake looked at the warning information scrolling on the screen. "You have a warped definition of the word 'better,' Cross."

As Blake looked for any suggestion in the data about averting this, he shook his head. "I'd expect to hear that from her," gesturing toward Captain Martin, "but not another civilian. Besides, we've got like ten minutes before we really have to leave, that's practically an eternity. I'm staying."

He didn't see any particular bit of good news in the screens, but he translated the displayed text anyway. Maybe somebody would figure out something in next few minutes.

<<Tag Evan Cross , Stephanie Martin >>

[Steve Hamrick]

2233
Medical Laboratory

Steve stood up from the computer, already considering that what he was considering was a bad idea. "Just call me the god of stupid ideas, Huntley. That's gotta be a thing in somebody's religion. Sounds like a paradox to me, ascend, change time so you never come on the mission, then this doesn't happen."

And what a choice. If he stayed, best case was cured in time for disaster. Worst case, unable to fix anything. Middle case, do something and get to a point where the virus couldn't be reversed. He headed for the door to reach the nearest transporter in the city. "If the place doesn't go boom, I might be back to try one. Assuming that whatever stupid idea comes to mind doesn't mean this becomes irreversible."

"Well, my plan F is the worst, most unlikely to work idea I've ever had, Doc, but it's all I've got." Truthfully, Steve didn't have a real idea. Yet. He'd think of something once he got to the scene. As for help.

"Think positive thoughts, Doctor Pratt. But if you don't hear good news in ten minutes, both of you need to join the evacuation." And Steve took off to head for the control center.

Even as he headed through the hallways, mostly empties with the evacuation of many personnel, Steve dug his fingers into his temples, anticipating the sort of migraine that always came as he headed down.

2238
Project Control Center

As he walked on, he momentarily ignored the surprised squawk and the upset, Dixie-accented exclamation. "There's no time for pleasantries, which of these is the main computer?"

"What are you doin' here?"

"Trying to do something before we all explode, kitten." Steve rubbed his head, reaching for the mental interface. "You're infected, too, Martin, I might need you. I think we've gone far enough with the virus to be able to shut this down."

He didn't let his emotions get in his way as he checked the written translations laid at each console, but used it as he touched the keys and reached for the system, the control program of the generator almost cheerfully responding.

<<tag Henry Pratt , Javan Huntley >>

[Stephanie Martin]

2238
Project Control Center

Stephanie was trying to formulate a response to Blake when Steve came walking in with the whole mess of the situation. Right now she was not really focused. Her brain was trying to run connections between way too many things. She shook her head and the thought of all of everything going on. She had to screw her head on straight.

"Yeah. I'm right here. Captain Obvious. What can I help you with?" okay well at least that was a little better. She followed Steve's lead to whatever this mess was. She was fairly certain someone else had a better clue than she did. The woman really needed to wake up her brain.

<Tag: All the people>

[Henry Pratt]

2238
Medical Laboratory
[ 11 minutes until Overload ]

With time running out, Colonel Hamrick declared that he had come up with a self-confessed bad idea and ran from the laboratory. The last thing he said was that Henry and Javan should think about joining the evacuation. Henry tried to stop him, but Steve was down the hallway and out of sight before he could call out.

“Well that leaves you as our only test subject,” Henry said, returning to his work. As much as he hated the idea of human experimentation, the circumstances didn’t give them a better option. On a positive note, Captain Huntley had self administered a number of potential antedates to himself, and while they hadn’t cured him, at least none of them had killed him. That had to count for something.

The archaeologist continued to pour over what little research about Mariamman they could find on the base database. The minor goddess didn’t spend much time around the base going by what Henry was reading. Maybe the others didn’t care for her attempts to artificially ascend?

“Mariamman was the goddess of rashes and chickenpox, in case that helps,” Doctor Pratt added, unsure if it was useful information for Javan or not. The countdown to the overloading geothermal experiment that threatened the base was quickly winding down, and Henry figured some wild brainstorming couldn’t hunt.

< Tag Javan Huntley >

[Javan Huntley]

2238
MedLab

Javan sighed as Hamrick took off, but he understood why. When the synthesizer went of he pulled out the two test samples. There was enough of each to cure everyone infected. He loaded a syringe with the first one. He closed his eyes, in a silent prayer, and stuck the needle into his thigh. He waited for two minutes and then doubled over and barely managed to get to a trash can in time to keep the floor clean. he ran a sample of his blood and found that the first cure did not work.

"Experimental cure number one, failure." He loaded a fresh syringe with the second cure and stuck it in his other leg. This time when he vomited the expelled material was tinged green. He ran another blood sample and grinned. "Feels like crap, but its killing the virus."

[Evan Cross]

2233
Project Control Center

Evan was reasonably certain that punching the console in front of him wouldn't actually improve their situation, but the thought did briefly cross his mind. The information Blake continued to translate, unfortunately, didn't help them in the least. In the end, it amounted to one thing. They'd run out of time, or near enough. "I thought you of all people would understand, Doctor. This base… it's a literal treasure trove of scientific knowledge. Is that not worth trying to save?"

2238
Project Control Center

The arrival of Lieutenant Colonel Hamrick changed things. Maybe. At the very least, Hamrick seemed confident in… whatever exactly his plan was. Evan wasn't quite clear on the details, but he had reservations, replying rather testily. "I fail to see how a virus you and your team contracted is going to fix this. Did you guys develop superpowers? Oh, I know! I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 50…"

<Tag: Blake Warren , Vanessa Whitmore , Steve Hamrick , Stephanie Martin >

[Steve Hamrick]

2238
Project Control Center

He didn't have time for verbal orders, the feedback from the system was so clear as he reached for Martin's wrists to place one of her hands on the right controls on the secondary console controlling the geothermal unit while intending to hold the other wrist to combine their efforts.

Steve definitely didn't say it out loud but gave her instructions regardless. 'Back me up, reach mentally for the generators, two people can turn it off.'

"Not the time for wisecracks, Doctor, I've never been ATA on like this." He spoke this time as he placed his hands to the console's controls and deliberately let go, letting go of the suppressed feeling caused by the temporary measure and telling himself that the warm feeling down his nerves and across his skin wasn't a bad sign of progression.

His eyes closed as he reached for the inter-tangled geothermal power destabilizing the planet's core and the chaos generator being kick-started by the geothermal.

And the system responded, the protocols running the generators slipping and whirling within the interface, and presenting a request for knowledge, identity. What had Pratt put forward in all of his translations about the project head? Indra, right.

The control programs recoiled back, as he pressed with it again. Then it budged, as a name brushed across his mind. 'Alina.'

It was a last exchange across the interface, as the generator started its power down. 'Commander Tar recognized. Code Airavata initiated.'

All over the control center, screens updated as the generator powered down and the overload countdown stopped before it blinked off.

His brain buzzed as he broke off the mental interface and everything went black as Steve fell toward the floor.

<<tag Evan Cross , Stephanie Martin , Vanessa Whitmore , Henry Pratt , Javan Huntley >>

[Blake Warren]

2238
Project Control Center

Blake was sure that what he'd said had sailed right over Cross's head. Stress made his Dixie thicker. "Which was why, bless your heart for misunderstandin', I said I was stayin' to the very last possible minute, Doctor."

As Steve touched the controls, Blake moved closer to stop him from doing anything to aggravate his condition. "Stephen Hamrick, what do you think you're about to do?"

The words ran together when he spoke as the screens changed, information switching around rapidly as his partner's body, even standing up, was far too still.

The screen changed fast, but Blake saw the shutdown and mentally translated the swirling Hindi. "Code Airavata, that was Indra's mount! Who names an emergency shutdown program after their pet elephant?!"

Even as the countdown stopped, he was moving to catch Steve before he hit the floor. "You just have to act on every damn fool idea that crosses your head, don't you?"

Blake lowered him to the floor and pulled aside the uniform collar to get a pulse. "Call medical and tell them Steve's done something stupid!"

[Henry Pratt]

2238
Medical Laboratory
[ 11 minutes until Overload ]

Unable to help, Henry could only sit by and watch as Captain Huntley used himself as a human Guinea pig to test the two possible antedates he had formulated. It was difficult for Henry to be idle given what the man was putting himself through. Medical experiments were one thing, and his dislike for biology had been a contributing factor to Henry settling on archaeology as his profession. Watching someone stab untested substances into themselves was something else all together.

The first sample failed to work, and only served to make Javan more ill. Doctor Pratt held his breath as he watched the second needle be self administered. If Henry had any religious leanings at all, now would have been a good time for prayer.

After a quick blood test Javan declared what seemed to be impossible - that he had found a cure. It was a miracle!

“We haven’t a second to lose!” Henry declared. He fished a radio out of his pocket and set the frequency to the one used by the USS Shiva. The expedition’s cruiser was in orbit of the base, helping with the evacuation. “Shiva, Doctor Pratt. Myself and Captain Javan need immediate transportation to the control room where Colonel Hamrick is working.” Under normal circumstances Henry and Huntley would have been expected to walk themselves out to where the experiment was being conducted. But right now, with the base about to be destroyed, no one was operating in a manner that could be considered ‘normal’.

“Grab everything you have,” Henry explained to Javan. “We’re hitching a ride out of here!”

2239
Project Control Centre
[ Overload Averted ]

In a blinding flash of light, Henry and Captain Javan materialised into the corner of the control room, instantly transported from their laboratory by the Asgard beaming rays of the orbiting USS Shiva.

Looking around, Henry quickly noticed that the countdown timers to the overload of the experiment had stopped. The base was saved! How or who the overload had been averted wasn’t clear at the moment, but right now with one crisis out of the way, Henry still had other business that he needed to attend to.

“We have something that might help,” Doctor Pratt explained. “Captain Huntley was able to develop an antidote to the virus affecting SV-3.” It was then that his eyes fell on Colonel Hamrick, who was lying unconscious on the floor.

We’re too late!

< Tag Evan Cross , Blake Warren , Steve Hamrick , Stephanie Martin & Javan Huntley >

[Javan Huntley]

2237-39
Project Control Centre

Javan hated the transporting, even the Stargate had made him violently ill. He staggered and pulled a syringe as soon as he saw Hamrick. He stabbed the needle into Hamrick's leg. and pressed the plunger. It would only take about two minutes for the first effects to be noticed.

"Martin you're next." He prepared a syringe. "Everyone else infected needs to get here in the next four minutes. That gives us a comfort zone of 5 minutes."


(sorry its short, not really much for Javan to do xp)

[Blake Warren]

2240
Project Control Center

Blake shifted the Marine's weight as the slight pain of the injection made him move without truly regaining consciousness. He was kneeling with one leg under him and bracing his partner in a sitting position. "Come on, Steve, wake up, you are not permitted to die on me."

The medical backup entered then, having followed Pratt and Huntley down to the control room. Blake felt Steve move and struggle and turned him as he convulsed, vomiting up green. Blake turned him to keep him from choking. "Bring it all up, that's it, just stay with me."

Blake looked up at Huntley. "This is supposed to happen, right?"

An incoherent mutter that Blake thought might have been a valiant attempt at his name followed as he was loaded from the floor to the gurney. He looked with helpless apology at Cross, not following Steve to the infirmary wasn't an option. And Huntley and Pratt, Blake nodded. "Thank you."

Gripping Steve's hand, Blake followed the gurney out as the others moved to aid the remainder of SV-3.

0100
Infirmary

The monitors beeped peacefully as Blake, no one willing to risk the anthropologist's wrath by making him leave, was dozing in the awkward position of being half sitting in a chair and half laying on the bed where Steve was asleep but largely out of danger, regaining full consciousness around midnight before falling asleep.

Blake woke up to the sound of night shift on rounds and it was for his own comfort that he reached a hand to feel Steve's heart still beating. As the nurse moved off, he propped both elbows on the bed. "This, this was close, I don't even want to think about how close. I can't lose you. I just can't."

<< END OF EPISODE >>