STARGATE ATLANTIS: The Furies (Book 4 in the Legacy series) Read Free Page A

will have recalled
Odyssey
by now. It will probably take
Odyssey
weeks to get back to Earth with its ZPM, but the minute it does we’ll have Colonel Mitchell and SG-1 blowing in here locked and loaded.” There was a good deal of comfort in thinking of that. It might look like she and Caldwell were hanging out to dry, but Sam knew they weren’t. Millions of lightyears away Jack and Cam were moving heaven and earth.
    Caldwell nodded as though he found that thought comforting too. “Look, Sam, we know there’s nothing here we can’t handle. But they don’t know that. If it looks like there’s too much of a crisis the IOA is going to panic.”
    “And what? Order Atlantis back to Earth? We haven’t got the power to go around the block, much less back to the Milky Way.”
    Caldwell looked at her sideways. “And scrap the project.”
    “They wouldn’t do that,” she said.
    “They wouldn’t?” Caldwell’s eyebrows rose. “In case you didn’t notice while you were fitting out the
Hammond
, there’s a global economic crisis at home. How much do you think this expedition costs? And how much do you think they’re recouping?”
    “It’s not about immediate cash,” Sam said. “It’s about the long term opportunities. The scientific advances. The technologies we’re discovering are priceless.”
    “Right now what they are is expensive and useless,” Caldwell said. He shook his head. “You scientists get all hot and bothered about things that might pan out sometime, but the math on Earth is this — is it worth any money?”
    “We’re not a bunch of conquistadores out looking for treasure,” Sam said. “This isn’t about finding nifty stuff that can go on EBay.”
    “Or opening new markets?” Caldwell snorted. “Not a lot of new markets here, Carter. Just a lot of people needing humanitarian aid and a whole ton of Wraith. It’s costing a lot of money and a lot of lives for a lot of nothing.”
    “What are you saying?” Sam straightened up. “We can’t just pack up and go home.”
    “And we won’t,” Caldwell said. “The Air Force has a big investment in ships and we’re getting our money’s worth in technology that gives us superiority at home. We’re not going anywhere. But the Atlantis expedition isn’t cost effective. If it starts looking like a liability, the IOA will pull the plug.”
    “If we don’t have a base, we’re screwed,” Sam said bluntly. “Right now. Today. The kind of damage the
Hammond
took…”
    Caldwell looked at her sideways. “How much did you massage the report?”
    “I massaged the summary,” Sam said, reaching up to push an errant lock of hair back behind her ear. “The devil’s in the details, but the IOA won’t read them unless O’Neill gives them the full version. Which I doubt.” Which she’d stake good money on. The
Hammond
didn’t belong to the IOA. They’d never know how close she’d been to losing it with all hands.
    Caldwell shrugged. “Mine too,” he said. He straightened up. “We can’t stay out of communication like this until
Ody ssey
gets back to Earth. If the IOA has two solid months or so to stew, they’ll eat Woolsey alive and pull the plug on the whole thing. I need to get back to a Milky Way gate and dial in. Those reports aren’t doing any good sitting on our hard drives.” He let out a deep breath. “The
Hammond
is still under repair. That last series of shots took the Asgard drive out.
Daedalus
needs to make the run. And I feel better about leaving the station with you here to hold Zelenka’s hand. He’s an ok guy, but not who I’d want in charge in Atlantis.”
    “I’m sure he feels the same way,” Sam said. Something about Zelenka clinging to her arm and expostulating had clued her in.
    “You know the ropes and you’re better qualified to hold the fort than anybody,” Caldwell said. “I’ll leave Hocken and the 302 wing here with you. I don’t need it to run six days down to the first Milky Way gate and