Stargate Universe: Ascension

Chapter 8

     Eli had returned to Destiny and he arrived, Marrec was waiting for him. Eli could tell by the stern look on his face that he wasn't impressed. "Interference?"

     "Not yet, but you're pushing your luck, Mr. Wallace." Marrec admitted.

    "Well, it's just a backup to make sure the power doesn't go out." Eli explained. "What if I promise to return it before anyone wakes up?"

     Marrec seemed rather curious about the idea. "Explain."

    "If I return the module to McKay before the crew wakes up, they'll never know it was ever here and won't ask to keep it. I'll give it back to him the way I found it, fully charged and ready to go."

     Marrec paused for a moment. "The elders are satisfied. You are to return this module before anyone awakes. Anything more would be considered interfering and the elders will not hesitate to punish you for it as they did Dr. Jackson."

    "Thanks." Eli said as he cracked a smile. "I just want to be sure they'll make it. I don't want my sacrifice to be in vain."

     "I understand, Eli." Marrec said as he began to walk down the hallway. "Follow me."

    Eli did as he was told and the two beings wandered through the halls of Destiny for what seemed like days but was only a few hours. They said very little at first, but finally Eli's patience got the best of him. "Where exactly are we going?"

   "To the only place where that module can be connected to Destiny's power cells." Marrec answered. "We're not too far from it now."

     "Why don't we just beam there?" Eli asked. "Why the walking?"

     "Some of you might say that I'm a sentimental old fool." Marrec said as he placed a hand on one of the bulk heads. "I could wander around this ship for centuries and never bore of it."

     "Kind of like Scotty and the Enterprise." Eli observed.

     "Sorry?" Marrec asked, slightly confused.

     "Nevermind." Eli replied as he resumed walking to keep up. "I need to ask you a few questions."

     "Very well." Marrec said. "What would you like to know?"

    "When I was here, alive, on Destiny..." Eli started, "There were moments when the ship almost seemed to come alive and defend itself. Did you have anything to do with that?"

     "Such as?" Marrec asked.

     "Like when a member of the Lucian Alliance was fried in the hallway." Eli inquired. "I know you're not supposed to interfere, but did you have anything to do with that."

     "Maybe." Marrec cryptically answered. "I didn't directly do anything, but I might have kicked started a few dormant programs that allow the ship to defend itself."

     "I see, so you've been watching over us?" Eli asked.

     "No, I've been watching over my ship." Marrec corrected. "You just happened to be here."

    "So basically I'm getting away with this now because you've been getting away with helping Destiny for a very long time now." Eli said, already aware of the answer.

     "In a word, yes." Marrec confirmed. "If this had been any other situation I am not sure the elders would have been as considerate with your actions."

     "Fair enough. I promise to be more discrete." Eli said.

     "I appreciate that Eli, as will the elders." Marrec replied.

     Eli took a deep breathe. "I have another question to ask."

     "Go a head." Marrec said without turning back to face him.

    "I was under the impression from the video Dr. Jackson made concerning ascension that my body would turn into pure energy along with my soul. But my body is still down here, in the infirmary. Do you know why?"

    "I do." Marrec answered. "But at this time I am not allowed to discuss it." Marrec suddenly stopped walking. With a wave of his hand, two large doors before the opened all by themselves. "This is the place."

     The two men walked into the room, and Eli couldn't recognize it but it was very close to the power cells that carrried Destiny through space. Once in the room, Marrec made a gesture for the Zed PM, and Eli immediately handed it over. He watched as Marrec began to connect the power source to the module, and once it was connected the difference was instantanious. Lights in the hallway light up, the engines seems to hum a little better and things seem to look a little more normal and not as dark as it did before.

     Eli smiled. "I think its working."

     "It is." Marrec said as he returned the smile. "Now that the Destiny has an alternate power source to rely on should something break down, you are free to make any repairs you deem necessary.

     "That's awesome." Eli said, still smiling. "Thanks for your help."

    "Like I said Mr. Wallace, we are both here for our own agendas. They just happen to benefit one another at the moment." Marrec said. "But you are welcome."

     Eli wanted to ask another question but when he turned to look at Marrec, he was gone. This gave Eli a small idea of what it was like for everyone else on earth when he was zapping in and out of their plane of existance. It was like Batman bolting on Commissioner Gordon in mid sentence, making him look like a fool on the room of the Police Station. He felt bad about what happened on the Atlantis station and McKay but he was confident the military men who came in were up to something. He didn't trust them enough to hang around to find out what they were up to but at the same time he didn't want to leave them brewing in anger either. He needed to head back to earth and explain himself to someone. The real question was who could he trust at this point to not freak out and give him a moment to talk. The answer to his own question came quickly as if it came from the book he was reading a while back. Eli knew what he had to do and as quickly as he arrived, he had departed from Destiny. On his way back to Earth to do a little damage control.