Emergency Contingency Plan Put Into Action Part 2/2

Posted on Tue Dec 17th, 2024 @ 7:44am by Major Troy Blackwell [GM] & Captain Cedric Shepherd
Edited on on Tue Dec 17th, 2024 @ 7:44am

1,597 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Floodgate
Location: Stargate Command, Briefing Room
Timeline: July 2004 -- Preparations for Mission 1

on
And now the continuation…

Omega team leader Lieutenant Declan O’Rourke, a wiry but confident figure with a clipped Irish accent, jumped in. "Yeah that should be easy to do, I doubt Ancient technology is affected by water. You know crystals and such like from the Antarctica base."

"Once we get the city's control systems back online, General, using our naquadah generators, Delta team will find the ZPM generator and head there." Troy offered as without a map it would take time to search and time with an oxygen meter was not a good combo.

General O’Neill glanced toward Major Troy Blackwell, his gaze softening slightly as the Delta team leader broke the tension between Alpha and Beta. He listened with arms crossed, nodding faintly at the points being made. When Troy finished, O’Neill tapped the table, bringing the monitor to show a larger view of Atlantis.

“You’re right, Major—this isn’t exactly a five-star map. Hell, it’s not even Google Earth. What we’ve got here is a best guess based on Ancient schematics from the Antarctica base and whatever scraps the M.A.L.P managed to transmit before, you know, it got soaked.”

O’Neill gestured to the city’s detail-lacking layout image on the monitor, zooming in on an approximate location for the ZPM generator room, though the path to it remained a maze of corridors and unclear areas.

“Your job’s going to suck, no way around it. But you’re Delta, so I’m assuming you're already used to being the backup plan when things get messy. Your first objective is to establish a clear route to the generator room. If the first expedition’s gear is salvageable, use it. Anything that speeds this up is fair game—just make sure it won’t blow up in your face.”

As O’Neill paused, the Omega team leader spoke up. Lieutenant Declan O’Rourke of the Irish Defence Forces leaned forward, arms resting on the table. “General, I agree with Major Blackwell. If the first expedition left anything useful behind, we’ll make it work. Ancient tech has a habit of being sturdier than it looks—just look at the Antarctic outpost. I’ve got my team prepped to get those shelters up and running, no problem. Once the control systems in the Gate Room are connected, we’ll rig our naquadah generators to get a jumpstart on power until the ZPM’s in place.”

O’Neill smirked faintly, giving O’Rourke a nod before turning his attention back to Blackwell.
“See, Major? Omega’s got your back. While Alpha and Beta are playing tag in the Gate Room, Gamma and Omega will be getting your shelters operational, giving you a base of operations to work from. Once the city’s control systems are online—at least partially—you’ll move your team to the generator room and get that ZPM where it belongs. The quicker that happens, the quicker we all start breathing a little easier. Literally.”

He stepped back from the table, giving the monitor one last glance before meeting the eyes of the gathered team leaders.
“Alright, you’ve all got your marching orders. Alpha and Beta, secure the Gate Room and surrounding areas. Gamma and Omega, shelters and submersibles are your domain. Delta, get that ZPM workin. Work together, stay sharp, and keep the comms open. You’re not just saving a city here—you’re setting the stage for everything we’re going to do in the Pegasus galaxy.”

O’Neill’s expression shifted to one of firm resolve as he leaned back against the edge of the table.

"Understood sir." Cedric supplied.
"Aye sir," Troy replied.
"Yes sir," came the united replies from Reynolds and O’Rourke.

Troy turned to his fellow leaders and smiled. "We got this, though..." He said and turned back to the General. "Sir I think it prudent to have an overseer that can better coordinate us. I realise I'm the most senior officer currently assigned to the mission but I think we will need more administration help."

Cedric nodded while his eyebrows knotted together, "While I agree sir that we should have a single Officer-in-Charge, it does not need to be the senior most officer, will you be able to run your team, find and get the ZPM running while monitoring and directing the progress of the other teams." Cedric asked the Major cautiously.

O’Neill leaned back slightly, arms crossed, as Major Blackwell voiced his concerns about coordination. His brow lifted in mild surprise when Shepherd chimed in, and he glanced between the two leaders before standing upright, letting out a small sigh.

“You know, I was starting to feel good about this. A little camaraderie, a few ‘yes, sirs,’ and now we’re talking about adding another layer of bureaucracy to what’s already a headache-inducing op.”

He tapped a finger lightly on the table, his smirk returning briefly before his tone sharpened.
“Major Blackwell, you’re not wrong. Trying to juggle five teams in a flooded alien city while dodging threats and trying not to drown—that’s the kind of logistical nightmare I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. But here’s the thing: Atlantis isn’t just some random outpost. It’s a city we barely understand. Your job, first and foremost, is getting that ZPM in place and the shield up. That’s priority one. You can’t do that while playing den mother to everyone else.”

O’Neill shifted his attention to Shepherd, catching the cautious expression on the Beta team leader’s face.
“And Shepherd, you make a good point too. The person running the show doesn’t have to be the senior-most officer. What matters is having someone with a level head who can keep the big picture in focus without stepping on everyone’s toes. Lucky for you, I think I’ve got a solution.”

Before anyone could respond, the door to the briefing room opened. Master Sergeant Walter Harriman stepped in and gave a crisp nod to O’Neill. “Sir, they’re here.”

O’Neill waved him in with a casual gesture, his smirk growing as a tall, sharp-featured civilian entered the room. The individual carried themselves with confidence but also with a hint of surprise, clearly unaware of the role they were about to be assigned. O’Neill clapped his hands together and motioned toward them.

“Everyone, meet Dr. Victor Kerrigan, formerly of the British Navy and now enjoying an exciting second career as the IOA’s handpicked observer. The IOA, in their infinite wisdom, insisted on having someone tag along. What Kerrigan doesn’t know—until about now—is that they’ll be your on-the-ground coordinator.”

Dr. Kerrigan, recovering quickly from the surprise, straightened up and glanced at the room with a calm expression. “General, I wasn’t informed of—”

O’Neill cut him off with a grin, raising a hand. “Yeah, yeah, I know. They didn’t tell you. Welcome to the wonderful world of Stargate Command, where surprises are part of the job. Don’t worry, Kerrigan—you’re not being thrown into the deep end without a life vest. You’ve got experience with deep-sea operations, and these folks—” he gestured to the gathered team leaders “—are professionals. You’re here to help them coordinate, keep progress on track, and make sure we don’t end up with five teams running in five different directions.”

He looked back to the team leaders, his tone turning slightly more serious. “Before anyone says it, Kerrigan's job isn’t to take over your missions. Blackwell, you’re still in charge of Delta. Reynolds and Shepherd, you’re still running Alpha and Beta. Kerrigan’s here to keep everything moving smoothly. Think of him as... air traffic control for Atlantis.”

O’Neill leaned forward, his gaze sweeping across the room. “So, questions, comments, or are you all finally ready to start packing?”

Troy nodded after O’Neill’s remarks, holding the General’s gaze for a moment before glancing toward Doctor Victor Kerrigan. The newly appointed coordinator looked calm enough, but Troy wasn’t entirely sure how the IOA would play into the mission dynamics. Still, he decided to keep his thoughts professional.

“No questions or comments here, sir,” Troy replied, his tone firm but respectful. He kept his focus on O’Neill as he spoke, then gave a brief nod to Kerrigan before settling back in his seat.

"None sir." Cedric answered while looking at the General.

O’Neill’s gaze lingered on the two team leaders for a moment, as though gauging their reactions. With a faint smirk, he clapped his hands together and spoke. “Good. I’d hate to think we were dragging this out just to hear ourselves talk.
Kerrigan's in, you’ve got your orders, and Atlantis isn’t going to save itself. So, get your teams prepped and be ready to move. Dismissed.”

As the leaders rose to leave, O’Neill’s smirk widened ever so slightly as he added one last remark, half to himself and half to the room: “Let’s try to make this one a win, folks. I’m tired of writing ‘we tried’ reports to the IOA.”

off
GM: Well, Shepherd, you are free to do a solo about your team preparing for deployment. I'll do the same with Delta. If you wish to have a leader to leader chat, I'm for it, maybe a quick test of the deep-sea gear?

 

RSS Feed