The Relevant Data, by Millefiori (Mission Report Challenge)
Title: The Relevant Data
Author: Millefiori
Summary: SG1/SGA crossover. Sam Carter is convinced there’s something hinky about the reports coming from Atlantis.

For the Mission Report Challenge, based on The Wheel, Atlantis, Wars, And So On by Speranza. Many thanks to luthien and 30toseoul for beta help, and to cesperanza for letting me riff off her story.


The Relevant Data
by Millefiori


“So, we done here?” Cam asked, looking expectantly around the conference room table.

“There is one thing,” Sam said. Daniel, already halfway out of his chair, sighed and sat back down.

“Something has been bothering me about the recent developments in Atlantis," Sam continued, "and I’ve been going over the data burst transmissions from their discovery of the ZPM.”

Cam let his head fall back in a clear gesture of frustration. “This again?” he growled. Sam ignored him.

“This is from the status report on July 27th, when they found the ZPM.” She pressed a button and Elizabeth Weir’s tinny-sounding voice wafted from the speakers:

“…A zero point module was discovered in an underwater wreck, and when tested proved to be almost fully charged. This has enabled us to operate all known city systems, as well as bring many previously undiscovered systems online. We have currently suspended offworld activity in order to allow our offworld teams to focus on unexplored areas within the city.

The Science Department overview contains preliminary reports on power consumption projections and--”

Sam paused the audio. “Now here’s where things get weird. Apparently there were questions from the IOA about staff assignments. And you don’t have to parse this bit to see that both McKay and Doctor Zelenka are working on something other than the Ancient database.”

“So?” Cam sighed.

“So, what is more important than finding out what’s in that database?”

Daniel sat forward. “She’s got a point.”

Sam pressed the button.

“…Analysis of the Ancient Database continues to be a priority, as you will see when reviewing encrypted attachments C, D and G. Per your request we are focusing on identifying potential weapons and defense systems.

“In response to your personnel concerns, Doctor McKay is not currently working on the database project, but focusing his energies on communication with Atlantis’s dolphin equivalent by way of a translation device also discovered during underwater exploration. It should be noted that it was this project which provided us with the new ZPM, and I feel it would be premature to pull him from it until we have exhausted all of the possibilities. With Doctor McKay’s energies focused on this project, Doctor Zelenka is temporarily acting as head of the Science Department, which is why he and not Doctor McKay is signing off on reports.

“Doctor Zelenka is working on the analysis of a possible transformational generator, a project also begun prior to the discovery of the ZPM. We do not yet fully understand this equipment, but Doctor Zelenka believes, and I concur, that an understanding of its workings will be extremely beneficial, and should not be discontinued at this time.

“I have complete faith in the abilities of the personnel currently on the database project, as do Doctors McKay and Zelenka—-it is why they were chosen for the expedition. If you will review the work they have submitted, I believe you will agree that faith is justif--” Sam paused the machine again, cutting off Weir’s voice, and looked around the table.

“Sounds like important stuff,” Cam said, shrugging.

Sam raised her eyebrows. “The SGC has determined that the database project is top priority--may contain information we need to fight the Ori and the Wraith-—and the top two scientists on Atlantis aren’t on it?”

Teal’c inclined his head. “That does seem…odd.”

Sam nodded her agreement. “Now,” she said. “The August 10th transmission only mentions McKay once, and not only is he still not on the database project, he’s not even in Atlantis.” She pressed the button again.

“…Doctor McKay left the city in order to continue his work on the dolphin project from an outpost at sea. Colonel Sheppard and his team are acting as liaisons--” Sam stopped the machine again.

“She sounds a little tense,” Vala offered.

“Yes, well. We get this a week later:”

“…As of October 39th, revised Atlantis time, we have lost contact with Doctor McKay.”

“Lost contact?” Cam straightened, interested at last.

“Does she say anything else?” Daniel asked.

Sam shook her head. “Just that one sentence. And I almost missed that; she slipped it in while she was listing routine personnel file updates.”

Vala’s eyes narrowed. “It’s like she didn’t want anyone to know.”

“It’s exactly like that,” Sam agreed.

“Now wait a minute,” Daniel said, sighing.

Sam raised a hand. “On August 24th we get this:”

“…Colonel Sheppard left the city on October 47th, revised Atlantis time, to search for Doctor McKay. As per military protocol, Major Lorne has assumed official command of the Atlantis military contingent in his absence. The official military report was filed--”

“It took them over a week to decide to go looking for him?” Daniel asked in disbelief.

Teal’c, his fingers steepled in front of his face, raised an eyebrow. “I do not understand why a simple search would require a handoff to his second in command.”

Vala looked around the table, clearly fascinated, and just as clearly having no idea as to what the answer might be.

“So what happens next?” Daniel asked.

“Well,” Sam said, cueing up the next transmission excerpt. “There’s nothing for a couple of weeks—“

Now it was Daniel’s turn to raise his eyebrows. “No mention of them at all?” he asked.

Sam shook her head. “Nothing until September 22nd. Then we get a data burst with a ton of information gleaned from this dolphin project, and this time everything is directly from McKay. But there’s nothing about where he was, what he was doing, why it took them so long to find him—-and not another word about Doctor Zelenka’s transformational generator either, by the way—-this is all she says:”

”…Doctor McKay and Colonel Sheppard returned to Atlantis on November 11th, revised Atlantis time. They were both cleared to return to active duty, and Doctor McKay continues to work on documenting the data gathered over the course of the dolphin project.”

“Okay, so maybe it’s a little weird,” Cam allowed, "but I’m not seeing the problem here.”

“I wouldn’t call it a problem, per se.”

“Do you think she’s lying?” Daniel prodded.

“No,” Sam said slowly. “There’s almost more information here than we can process, and it fits with an advanced underwater scientific process.”

“But?” Vala was practically bouncing in her seat.

Sam bit her lip. “I’m not sure. There’s just…something we’re missing here.”

“So you think she’s hiding something,” Daniel said.

“I don’t know,” Sam replied, frustrated. “But whatever is going on there, it’s not in these reports.”

“We should go back to Atlantis then,” Vala said, nodding decisively. “Go back and talk to Doctor McKay himself.”

Sam froze for a long, long moment.

She cleared her throat.

“On the other hand…this…really does seem rather straightforward.”

Teal’c smiled, a tiny, almost imperceptible smile.

“Are you sure, Sam?” Cam asked, a patently false look of concern on his face. “This has really been bothering you. I’m sure Doctor McKay would be happy to clear things up. For you.”

“I wouldn’t say I’ve been bothered,” Sam said, glaring at him.

“But you said…” Vala looked around the table, obviously confused.

“After all,” Sam hurriedly continued, “it really would be unusual for the transmission reports to contain every little bit of day-to-day minutia. The Atlantis expedition is huge, and now that they have a charged ZPM, they’re dealing with massive amounts of new information…”

Teal’c inclined his head. “Indeed.”

"And Doctor Weir would certainly have notified the SCG of anything unusual..." Sam bit the inside of her cheek.

There was another long moment of silence.

Cam clapped his hands. “So, we done here?”

“Yep,” Sam replied, smiling brightly as she snapped the laptop closed.


End