Chapter 17: Chapter 16: A lie becomes true if no one can correct it.

It took only a moment before my [Temporal Domain] collapsed, and I got the warning.

 

— WARNING! —

Timeline rewrite in progress.

 

Now I just had to wait for the new stargate team to come through the gate, and basically be wiped out. I was planning on connecting to the computer as soon as that happened to download as much information as I could from the computer core before system failure.

 

While I was waiting, I started to take very deep and detailed scans of Atlantis as a whole, and more on how their rooms were designed. I want my prank to be as authentic as possible. Well, I might be taking this way too far, but what is life without some fun right?

 

After about two weeks, I picked up the stargate starting to activate. During these two weeks I discovered a few things. One of the main ones being that all Atlantis tech did not activate or even seem to pick me up. So it let me explore the main tower freely without having to worry about burning any of the city's power.

 

I had spent an entire day in the main hub that overlooks the stargate, scanning the main computer core. The core, while connected to the city, was self-contained with a micro power generator. Not enough to even power the core up, but enough to prevent any data loss should the main power grid fail. This gave me an idea to try when the Atlantis SGC team is here.

 

I will set up a [Temporal Domain] at maximum speed, and provide power to the core myself. Time will be moving so fast that on the outside, the Organics won’t be able to see anything happen at all. This way I’ll get all of the Ancients data, sooner. It’ll also make it so if my interfacing with the technology causes something to go wrong, it won’t matter in the end because of the timeline rewrite that Elizabeth Weir will cause.

 

Phase shifting, I went back to the main hub and waited for all of the Atlantis team to show up. As John Sheppard and Rodney McKay started to climb the stairs up towards the main hub where I was phased, the lights all started to come online.

 

Weir: “Who’s doing that?”

 

I was always kind of surprised she asked that. Like she’s never seen or heard of automatic lighting before. Silly Organic.

 

Sheppard: “The lights are coming on by themselves”

 

He said while looking at McKay, who was looking around amazed at what he was seeing. When he saw the computers and such behind Sheppard, his eyes lit up, and he quickly entered the hub to look at everything like a kid in a toy store.

 

‘Null damn, look at them all. So many Organics are coming out of the gate. The TV show never really impressed upon us just how many personnel came through the gate. Sure, it showed a lot, but I already picked up over a hundred, and they are still coming through.’

 

When Sheppard finally got close enough for the main core to start up, I was sure if I could smile I would be. Whether that smile was of pure joy, or something darker is best left up to debate.

 

As soon as he walked away I moved to the computer, and double checked no one was watching. While I was sure no-one would notice me using the computer, it would be less of a hassle to make sure. Confirming that no-one was indeed in line of sight of it, I opened my [Temporal Domain] at max power and started to supply the core with power via touch while phasing back.

 

As I started downloading all of the data, I was absolutely blown away by the sheer size. Thor was not joking when he said his people barely touched the surface of the Ancient’s knowledge. There was almost a 1000 YB (Yottabyte) of data here.

 

‘How in the fuck did Jack’s brain not instantly melt after absorbing so much… oh, that’s how.’

 

I was wrong about the amount of data. The Ancient’s have a super advanced way to compress data, which makes sense. It is vastly more than 1000 YB. 

 

‘Still, this is an insane amount of data! It is going to take a long time to download. It was the right decision to parse while downloading like I did with the Asgard’s. Honestly, this kind of makes everyone else more impressive, that they could keep up with this civilization.’

 

While I was downloading the data all of a sudden I came across something that sent me into battle mode. It seems, in this version of the Stargate universe that is, that the Ancients had help and were uplifted as a “worthy” race. The name of the race that uplifted them? The name that caused me to actually FEEL hatred and disgust?

 

Nova: “Hatred: Phantasmal.”

 

While my voice was just as monotone as normal, and I could tell my face was still expressionless, just saying the name caused me to feel so much hate that I wanted to destroy this planet. It was almost overwhelming after not feeling nearly anything for so long. 

 

Soon enough, I cooled down and was able to think clearly again. But after experiencing that, I had a terrifying thought. My [Gamer Body] negative was heavily muted emotions. What if that too was actually muted.

 

‘Null damn creator, you really want beyond the deep end with hate. How were you sane enough to even make me? I really hope I don’t meet one, one day, or they and more than likely everyone around them will die.’

 

After realising what I just thought, I facepalmed. If that wasn’t a red flag, then I don’t know what is. With that out of the way, I went back to downloading and parsing the data. I learned a bit about the Phantasmal race. It was easier to control the hate and other feelings after that initial burst. But it was still a crazy amount of feelings I am not used to anymore.

 

It seems a very very long time ago, the Phantasmal showed up one day, and just started to mingle with them, sharing technology and stuff. One thing I noted is that the Phantasmal didn’t share their language or writing. They learned what the Ancient’s were using. They also adapted all of the technology they were sharing to the Ancient’s style as well.

 

‘So that’s why they didn’t recognize the technology from the planet I was on, nor the writing about me and my pod.’

 

This sharing and such went on for a few hundred years before the Phantasmal just up and vanished one day. The Ancient’s tried looking for them, but never found them.

 

‘Well, they did. But they had no idea it was actually Phantasmal tech they were looking at.’

 

I ended up spending a good nine days in the [Temporal Domain] downloading everything. I couldn’t help but internally smirk at some of it either. All those “rogue” researchers and scientists that the AR-1 (Atlantis Reconnaissance) and SG-1 found? Yea, they were not as hidden as they thought. Not even close. They all had a hidden subspace link to the main computer core here. A special feature taught only to the High Counsel and sworn to secrecy. Them, and everyone they know would be killed if they broke the pact.

 

‘Which happened a few times. I am surprised it wasn’t widely known after sometime though. But meh, a win for me.’

 

This subspace link was built directly into the designs of the computers themselves. So unless the scientist built a brand new computer with an original design, it was connected. And it seemed that none, at least the ones from the TV show, had done that.

 

So I now had the context and weapon designs for a Sangraal. A weapon capable of killing all Ori and Ascended in a massive range, typically galaxy wide. I planned to make this out of phase, and as soon as the time rewrite was done. The perfect weapon for those wanna be god bastards.

 

‘I wonder why the High Counsel of the Ancients didn’t do anything about stuff like this when they ascended? Maybe they just don’t think of it as their problem? They can’t be that arrogant, can they?’

 

Shaking my head at the perceived stupidity of the High Counsel, I finished up my last bit of parsing. Turning around to look at the Atlantis team, I noticed they moved a bit. Showing just how long I was in here for. Collapsing my [Temporal Domain], phasing out and giving myself a mental pat on the back for a job well done, I made my way back to the science lab I claimed as my own.

 

As soon as I entered the room, I brought up the [Temporal Domain] and waited a few moments before it collapsed and I got the warning again.

 

— WARNING! —

Timeline rewrite in progress.

 

 

That should be the last time the timeline is rewritten.

 

‘I think. I hope anyway... Oh well, time to customise this baby!’

 

Opening yet another [Temporal Domain] I slowed time so I had plenty of it to design the room to my new “Cage.” I planned to very much fuck with the Atlantis team. And I could use a lot of the knowledge I got about the Phantasmal to do it as well.

 

‘This should be fun.’

 

With a burst of Morphium, the entire room was covered. Everything in it was absorbed nearly instantly and cleaned out. I also extended the room a bit. I intended the back of the room to be the “power supply” room of sorts. I left the front of the room with the transporter room alone for the most part. 

 

‘I am glad I didn’t spend any time making the ZPM’s before the rewrite. Because while the Asgard knew how to make them, they didn’t have the latest design which is significantly easier to make. For me that is at least.’

 

Holding out my hands I started to make two ZPM’s. One was depleted though, and the other was full. The depleted ZPM only took one minutes to make, while the full ZPM took ten. A marked increase in efficiency, that’s for sure. I thought about making an original Replicator nanite and absorbing that, but the abilities said “Asuran” specifically, so there might be something special about them that I need.

 

‘Anyway, back to my plan. I want 1000 of these depleted ZPM’s, so that’s going to take about 8 hours. The things I do for some fun. Heh.’

 

After 8 hours, like I guessed, I was done. I had made an interface for all of them along the back wall, and installed a sliding wall of sorts to “hide” them.

 

Then in the centre of the room, I created a cylinder shaped containment area that will house me, and connected it to the wall of ZPM’s. The front half will be see through, so you can see me. To help me visualise it all I created a hologram of myself in it. I’ll be curled up to my knees facing the viewer. With energy chains all around me, holding me in place. And in the centre of the thing, will be the word “Warning!” in Ancient writing in black, with a red background. It’ll fade in and out softly.

 

In front of the pod, off to the side near the wall I created a console and programmed my background into it. Well, my background for them anyway. I also added metal shielding around the room so the main Atlantis sensors, or the Humans, couldn’t detect me. Also added a damaged sensor near the door to make it look like it had sensors at one point.

 

I cut this room off from the main power grid, to make it look like it was fully powered by the 1000 empty ZPM’s. I also set up a Hologram that would interact with anyone with the Ancient gene on the console if they didn’t want to read everything. I just made the hologram look like some random unimportant female scientist from the records.

 

‘Looks good. This’ll be great!’

 

Dismissing the hologram of myself, I went inside and closed the opening. I floated till I was slightly above the warning message, and then curled up. I then created a hologram of golden glowing chains all around me, and spread out to the corners of the chamber. The chamber was fully functional, and would actually do what I am making it look like it would. But, well, I didn’t give it any actual power. Everything will be done via holograms and fake sensor readings.

 

Satisfied with my creation, I reversed the flow of time, so I didn’t have to wait too long for the Atlantis team to come back again. Few seconds later, I sensed the stargate start to power up. I eased up on the time manipulation a bit so it was easier to sense what was going on. Eventually I got to the point where I wanted to intervene for my debut as it were.

 

Dropping my domain, I focused my sensors on the two human-like life signs that were in the halls. These were most likely the kids who were playing when they should have learned to listen to the adults. I was able to confirm this when one of them went into the transporter room. It was here that I changed things. I took over the transporter, and directed him here instead.

 

The little Organic looked terrified, and slowly came out of the transport room and into my room proper. He walked right up to my chamber and looked at me. My eyes were open, and looking down and I was up high enough that I could see his face. He almost had stars in his eyes I swear. If an adult were to stand where he was, I could most likely only see their chest and down.

 

???: “Whoa. She looks so pretty. Her eyes are really cool!”

 

I inwardly smiled at the compliment, even if it was coming from an Organic. It was nice to be praised.

 

A few hours later, a broadcast came from his father.

 

???: “Jinto. If you can hear me, I am not angry. I just want to know that you are safe. If you are lost, or hurt, stay where you are. Make some noise if you can! We will find you.”

 

He then started to say a prayer, and Jinto looked very guilty. I think he’s wondering if he should answer back or not, but soon shakes his head and just sits back down in front of my chamber.

 

An hour or so later he got up and started to poke at the console near my chamber. It won’t do anything for anyone without the gene, too bad for the little Organic. He got lucky though, as Weir started up another announcement to try and contact him again.

 

Weir: “Jinto, can you hear me? If you can–”

 

Jinto: “Hello? Can you hear me? Can anyone hear me?”

 

Sheppard: “Jinto?”

 

Jinto: “Major Sheppard!”

 

Weir: “You okay?”

 

Jinto: “I am a little scared.”

 

Sheppard: “Where are you?”

 

Jinto: “I don’t know! I am in a strange room with a girl floating in chains”

 

McKay: “What now?”

 

Weir: “Jinto, start from the beginning. Tell us how you got to where you are.”

 

Jinto: “I was in the hall outside of my quarters.”

 

After a few minutes of a pause, Sheppard spoke up.

 

Sheppard: “Where did you go next?”

 

Jinto: “I can’t remember!”

 

Teyla: “He is used to the forest, being able to see the stars at night.”

 

Jinto: “I found a small room filled with boxes from Earth.”

 

Sheppard: “No boxes.”

 

Jinto: “They are here with me.”

 

McKay: “Someone thought it would make a nice closet.”

 

Sheppard: “This is definitely not a closet. Did the panel start to glow when you stepped inside?”

 

Shinto: “Yes!”

 

Sheppard: “Did you touch it?”

 

Shinto: “Yes…”

 

McKay: “Just before he disappeared, we got an unusual energy reading from this area here.”

 

And soon, they were transported to my room. Jinto saw them as the door opened up, and must have looked happily at Sheppard if his voice was anything to go by.

 

Jinto: “Major Sheppard!”

 

Sheppard: “What in the hell…”

 

McKay: “Is this….”

 

The two men walked up to my chamber, and looked me over. I was mostly right, I couldn’t see past their chest. I didn’t want to move at all, wanting to give off the impression of being locked in place or something to that effect.

 

Sheppard: “Dr. Weir. Firstly, Jinto is fine. Secondly, we most likely have a problem. Please step into the transporter room thing, and come here. It’s the only pink dot on the display that will show up. Jinto, you go stand in the room as well, so you can get back to your dad.”

 

He nodded his head, and quickly ran into the room. A few seconds later the door closed, and then opened again to reveal Weir.

 

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Weir: “What in the world? Any idea’s John?”

 

Sheppard: “I have no idea who, or what she is.”

 

His answer caused the console nearby to light up, and the hologram I made to appear.

 

Holo: “You are looking at the most advanced piece of weaponry ever created by the Phantasmal. Model: O-0001: Omega Class First Generation Automaton. Her designation is Nova.”

 

I assumed the three of them looked a bit startled if the looks of their fancy footwork was any indication. I really should have set up a hidden camera I could connect too.

 

McKay: “Wait. You said her, and not it. She’s sentient and sapient?”

 

Holo: “Yes. She is literally a living weapon. Truly the finest creation of the Phantasmal’s.”

 

Weir: “Who were the Phantasmal?”

 

However, the hologram simply ignored her. I programmed both the console and hologram to only respond to people with the gene. And Sheppard seemed to catch on pretty fast.

 

Sheppard: “Who were the Phantasmal?”

 

Holo: “They were the race that uplifted the Anquietas after they were deemed worthy.”

 

I assumed everyone had a gobsmacked look on their face. I am really regretting not putting up that camera.

 

McKay: “Up… Uplifted?”

 

Holo: “Yes. They discovered the Anquietas long ago, and found them worthy. And thus began the golden age for the Anquietas. It lasted a few hundred years before the Phantasmal vanished one day. Never to be found or seen again.”

 

McKay: “A race more advanced than the Ancients. It is hard to believe.”

 

Weir: “Very. And what exactly was this…. Girl made for?”

 

Once again the hologram ignored her. I could just tell Weir was getting slightly annoyed.

 

Sheppard: “What exactly was Nova designed for?”

 

Hologram: “To sum it up in one word? Extinction. She was designed and created by their best scientist who had gone mad with grief and hatred. The official records have been removed about what exactly happened. But it was later found that Nova was programmed with the express purpose of wiping out the Phantasmal’s.

 

Luckily for them, they were able to prevent the mad scientist from fully activating Nova. And later placed her in the care of the Anquietas.”

 

McKay: “Yea. About that. Why does her uhh.. Sealing chamber? Yea, let’s go with that, why does it have ‘Warning!’ flashing constantly.”

 

Holo: “Her containment chamber is running dangerously low on power. It is highly recommended you replace the power cells very soon.”

 

Sheppard: “Uhh.. exactly how much power are we talking about?”

 

The hologram turned around, and you could hear the wall in the back opening up.

 

Holo: “It takes a total of 1000 power modules to prevent Nova from getting free. While they prevented full activation of Nova, she was still able to apply some of her power.”

 

All three: “WHAT?!?!”

 

McKay: “You’re telling me it actually takes a THOUSAND ZPM’s to keep her contained?!”

 

Holo: “ZPM?”

 

McKay: “Our name for the ‘power modules’”

 

Holo: “Noted, and updating the database. Yes, it takes 1000 ZPM’s to keep her contained. And these are almost depleted.”

 

Sheppard: “How long till she breaks free.”

 

Holo: “Around 10 hours.”

 

Weir: “That. Is not good.”

 

McKay: “I am really glad I have this personal shield now.”

 

Holo: “Please note. That shield generator will not be able to stop Nova.”

 

Sheppard: “What?”

 

Holo: “The reason the Phantasmal and thus the Anquietas fear Nova is because they were able to read part of her design specs before her creator erased them. Nova is able to destroy planets with ease, at the very least. And she has been constructed from an unknown metal. The single sample the Phantasmal had was eventually lost along with them. But from all the tests both the Phantasmal and Anquietas conducted, the metal is virtually indestructible. Nothing either race did was able to damage the sample. The metal literally defied physics.”

 

Sheppard: “Great. So, in 10 hours, we got an unstoppable machine who can destroy planets, getting loose.”

 

McKay: “We are all so dead. There is NO WAY we can even hope to charge her containment chamber… 1000 ZPM’s.. What the actual fuck…”

 

Holo: “There is a high probability that Nova will not attack, or destroy this planet. Her main programing is to wipe out the Phantasmal, and not the Anquietas. An Automaton this advanced though is a first, so while the chance is small, it is not zero that she will attack.”

 

Weir walked up to my chamber slowly, and looked at my face.

 

Weir: “Ignoring the fact she is a weapon capable of murder to an extreme degree.. She is rather cute. Her eyes are gorgeous.”

 

McKay: “Wait, her eyes are open?”

 

Holo: “Yes. She is fully conscious, but can not move or exert more power than she currently is restricted too.”

 

Sheppard: “You’re telling me she can hear and see us right now? How long has she been like this?”

 

Holo: “Over 500 million Galactic standard years.”

 

Weir: “Oh my god.”

 

McKay: “That… is a very long time to be staring at a floor.”

 

Sheppard: “Are we sure she’s not insane?”

 

Holo: “It is impossible for an automaton to become insane.”

 

They then started to talk some more about myself and my creator. They eventually left my room and teleported out.

 

They came back when there was 10 minutes or so left before my “containment” failed, and I was released. I had made a file of the bio readings for Weir, Sheppard and McKay, so I could tell who three of the people were. No idea who the others are.

 

???: “Hard to believe she is a machine. Ignoring the fox ears and tails, she looks completely human.”

 

McKay: “I told you Carson. If I wasn’t so horrified that she might kill us all, I’d be super excited to talk to her.”

 

Weir: “Agreed. The knowledge she must have. Even contained, she must know something.”

 

McKay: “More than likely, yes. But I am not going to ask. You can ask the murderbot if you want too.”

 

I activated my battle mode at being called a murderbot. It didn’t really annoy me or anything, because I know that’s just how McKay talks when he’s nervous. But I want to give them a bit of a scare.

 

Sheppard: “I don’t think she liked that, Rodney. I suggest you apologise to the little lady.”

 

???: “I agree with the Major, McKay.”

 

McKay: “I would normally argue with you Ford, but I don’t want to risk it. Uhh.. Nova? I am sorry for calling you a murderbot. What I meant is you’re a wonderful achievement of technology and I am sure your creator is proud of you.”

 

I let him sweat a little, before returning to my normal mode. It seems Aiden Ford is with them. I guessed the last new person was Teyla.

 

Sheppard: “There see? She’s no longer glowing that scary red.”

 

Carson: “I agree. It was rather scary. How much time till containment fails?”

 

The hologram appeared again, and answered his question.

 

Holo: “She will be released in five minutes.”

 

Teyla: “Very soon then.”

 

‘Yup, that’s Teyla.’

 

They started to talk among themselves as well with the hologram for the last five minutes. Soon enough, I was finally set to “break free.”

 

Holo: “Warning! Containment failure. Good luck.”

 

And with that the hologram disappeared, and I raised my face to look at them all. And I was right about who was all here. Weir, Sheppard, Ford, Carson, McKay, and Teyla were all looking at me with a bit of trepidation. I noticed they did not bring any weapons, I guess they actually listened to the hologram about how I was made. I entered my Battle mode, and “shattered” my chains with pink/purple lightning arcing off my body.

 

While my “chains” were dissolving from the lightning I smashed my way out of the pod with a fist, and floated out. I made a show of slowly looking at each of them for several seconds.

 

Sheppard leans to McKay and half whispers, “What is she doing?”

 

McKay: “Best guess? Scanning us.”

 

Nova: “Confirm: You are correct, Organic. I was making sure you are not Phantasmal filth. You seem to be a devolved form of Anquietas. Who are you all?”

 

Carson: “Devolved…?”

 

Weir: “We are Humans, from the planet Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy. We’re explores, and came in search of the Ancients, the ones who built this place.”

 

Nova: “Disinterest: I see.”

 

McKay: “Um! Sorry for cutting in the conversation, but are you going to kill us all?”

 

Weir: “Rodney!”

 

McKay: “What? I am stressed out here!”

 

I just stare at him for a few seconds before shaking my head, and turning off battle mode.

 

Nova: “Decline: No. You are in no way responsible for my imprisonment.”

 

McKay: “Phew! Thank god.”

 

Teyla: “That is most good news. But, what will you do now?”

 

I look at the console next to me, and connect to it. Causing my symbol, Omega with fox ears, to appear.

 

Carson: “What are you doing?”

 

Nova: “Reply: I am downloading all of the information stored in the Anquietas computers.”

 

McKay: “All of it? How long will that–”

 

Nova: “Statement: I am done. It is disappointing that the Phantasmal have vanished for a reason other than me. I do not know what I should do now.”

 

I float down and set my feet on the ground, and look down.

 

Sheppard: “You could join us?”

 

This caused everyone's heads to snap towards him.

 

I look up at Sheppard and ask, “Query: Explain?”