Chapter 119

Pluto

Aboard Arkos station, within the Jumper storage bay used for newly completed Jumpers stood a man and a woman. These two stood next to a craft unlike the other craft in the bay, but one in which both parties were intimately familiar. The triangular shape of the Goa'uld cargo ship was in stark contrast to the clean lines of the surrounding jumpers. Taking the basic design as a jumping off point many improvements over the original had been made.

"The cloak we replaced with an upgrade. Instead of the problematic Goa'uld cloak which was ineffective during planetary reentry we've opted for an ancient design like that found on the jumpers" said Dr. Bill Lee.

"A cloak's a cloak I always say. It made it invisible before, so I don't see the difference" objected Vala Mal Doran.

"Wraith sensor technology is vastly superior to anything the Goa'uld ever dreamed of. They would have detected you with the old cloak. With this one you're safe and sound" answered Lee assuredly.

"Got anything else in that bag of tricks for me big boy" asked Vala with a smirk.

"I um, now I'm blushing. You know, I'm a married man, um" stuttered Lee.

"Easy now big fella. As you were saying about the upgrades" urged Vala.

"Oh right! The ship! We've upgraded the sensors dramatically, along with the hyper drive. In place of the transport rings we've installed an Asgard transporting beam array, and that is controllable by a wrist remote" stammered Lee while his blushing subsided.

"Can I take it out for a spin now" inquired Vala lightly.

"General Landry gave me strict instructions that you are not to leave the station with this ship until you and it are loaded aboard your transport to Pegasus" protested Lee.

"Pity. You and I could have had so much fun. A nice bottle of wine, soft music, a secluded solar system all to ourselves" hinted Vala.

"Please no" pleased Lee.

From a distance it looked as if the two were having a great time since Vala was laughing riotously. Ignoring them the Air Force technicians going over the newly finished jumpers smirked while trying to ignore them.

Elsewhere on the station a new crew member was boarding Destiny for the first time. Colonel Ian Davidson had recently been named the ancient vessels new commanding officer. Having proven his ability to effectively command a vessel during his brief stint as Odyssey's commanding officer this posting pleased him greatly. When offered two him the Colonel had jumped at the chance. Little did he know that it was being given to him since he had no family to leave behind for a mission of unknown duration.

Walking the corridors of the ancient vessel Davidson inspected his new command. In the coming days he and technicians from Arkos station would take the vessel on the first of several short trips. These trips were meant to test the recent upgrades to Destiny's FTL drive, shields, and the myriad of other systems. It was something the Colonel was greatly looking forward to. Rounding the corner the Colonel entered the control interface room. Seated at one of the interface terminals was Doctor Nicholas Rush.

"Doctor Rush, a pleasure running into you here" graciously stated Davidson.

"Hello Colonel. To what to I owe the honor" asked Rush.

"Just doing a walkthrough of Destiny" answered the Colonel.

"You'll be commanding the mission then" asked Rush.

"I'll be in overall command, but you'll be heading up the scientific front Doctor" replied Davidson.

"Great. Did you need something" asked Rush.

"Actually, I have a question for you. I'm well aware of the problems you had with Colonel Young. While I hope we don't have any similar flare ups I must ask, are you and I going to waste our time going at each others throats" asked Davidson honestly.

"Colonel, Young and I had our issues and I won't make light of those. You must understand the strain everyone was under while aboard in those early days. Towards the end of our time in that corner of the universe he and I got along smashingly" replied Rush.

"Young told me as much. I just wanted to make sure we didn't get off on the wrong foot" admitted Davidson.

"Now I have a question for you Colonel. Are you committed to this mission? We're not going out into the universe on a pleasure cruise. The answers we're seeking could very well bring about an absolute understanding to man's every question about our existence. I need to know that you're in this for the duration" demanded Rush.

"Doctor, I commend you on your dedication. You're very much the man your file says you are. To answer your question yes I am in this for the long haul. We're going out on a voyage of discovery and I don't intend to bring us back until that mission is complete" replied Davidson.

"Fair enough Colonel. I think you and I will get along just fine. Now if you'll excuse me I must return to the calculations I'm going over for Destiny's FTL upgrades" said Rush in closing.