Molly looked up in surprise as Augusta sat down next to her and logged into the system.
"I was just about to com you." Molly told her. "Aren't you and Neville supposed to be helping Harry chose sites to re-establish Potter Castle at?"
Seeing the very slight change of expression on the older woman's face, a change that most would not have picked up on, but seeing that she had raised seven children and a twin set of pranksters, Molly picked up on it.
"Augusta dear.is there something you want to share." Molly asked, thinking this was going to be good.
"Well." Augusta replied as she looked around. "Remember that project I was working on for the past few days."
Looking off to the side as she thought about it, Molly replied. "It had something to do with the lake I think."
"About repairing the bottom.And placing an island in the middle." Molly answered.
"We did that, finished yesterday and then seeing as it was the perfect place, nice and high, wonderful view of the city and forests, we place Potter castle on top of the highest point." Augusta told her as she brought up a picture of the lake with the now lush island in the middle.
Looking at the Hologram Molly was slightly surprised to see the island so lush looking and told her so. "I thought you would have to start an island from scratch and plant it out, where did you.No how did you move a whole island?"
"Aloria sent down this strange looking ship to help us out, she re-formed the lake bed and moved the island in a couple of hours." Augusta told her. "Neville was pleased with how lush and pristine the island is."
"And you are hiding up here because..?" Molly asked.
"I don't want to be around when Harry sees his families ancestral castle on top of the island, at least until Aloria has a chance to explain the positive points of it being there." Augusta whispered conspiratorially.
Laughing at how sneaky her friend was being Molly told her the reason she was going to com her. "There are two Earth people on their way here with proposals for colonization projects for their respective governments."
"And you wanted me to sit in and offer my advice?" Augusta asked.
"I think between the two of us we should be able to make sure that Harry does not have to go through proposals that he has to send back, because they are incomplete or do not follow the guidelines he set up under the first agreement." Molly brought up the display of the pertinent parts of the agreement as she said this.
"Maybe we should suggest to Harry that we take over screening the colonization proposals, that way he is not dealing with all these demands on his time when he could just read the final draft and give the ok for the target world and use of resources." Augusta offered.
"Harry thinks so too." Aloria interrupted.
Molly jumped in her seat and looked around. " What do you mean Harry thinks so to."
Harry's laughing voice came from the speaker near his chair. "What she means is that I agreed to take a day off from work, but that I did not agree not to listen in to keep myself informed of what was going on."
"Sneaky Mr. Potter, very sneaky." Augusta told him as she stared at the speaker in the table.
"Hey, everyone just assumed I would walk away for the day and leave everything behind." Harry countered smugly.
"Oh and before I forget, Gran there was no reason for you to go up city and hide from me. Neville pulled me aside this morning before we went over to the island and explained what you did and told me if I did not like the castle where it is, it would be easy to move it somewhere else." Harry informed her.
"Though I like what he said before we ever got to the island this morning, Neville explained your reasoning for placing the castle on this island. And I agree with the idea of it being close to the city yet apart and not casually available for everyone to stop by." Harry smiled when he said that even though they could not see it.
"Now Aloria has the co-ordinates to the island we built on Earth, just for the new Astria that will become active in five days time. There is also housing and such, so that teams can use the Astria to study different worlds as possible colonization sites." Harry informed them, as another display lit up and the information scrolled across the bottom of the picture of the island.
"No one nation has control over the island, and the island is warded heavily, so only those ships carrying one of the beacons will be able to pass through the wards and dock." Harry told them as a box of the beacons appeared on the table in front of his chair.
Molly stood up and went to the end of the table to retrieve the box. Opening it up she found a dozen small pyramid beacons inside. "How many do we hand out?"
"One to each group, we will hand out temporary, one use beacons to be used to ferry supplies and colonists to the island." Harry told them as they heard in the background someone yelling his name.
"One last thing before I go, make sure they understand that the island is under diplomatic control. Our control, so Alteran law takes precedence, also we can remotely destroy the Astria and island if we need to." Harry told them before closing the connection. "Thanks by the way for volunteering your time and a solution to a problem you discovered."
Augusta and Molly looked at each other in trying to figure out how Harry was always one step ahead of everyone else.
"David is accepting an incoming connection from Myrrdin station." Aloria told them interrupting their musings.
Looking up and over towards the Astria arrival area They watched Remus escorting two men through the Astria, but did not see Tonks or her team come through before the portal closed.
Once the group was close enough Molly asked. "Remus, where is Tonks and for that matter where are the prisoners?"
Motioning for the two to sit Remus replied. "Tonks will be back shortly."
Grimacing Remus told them. "The one tried suicide by poisoning as soon as he came out of the Astria on Myrrdin station. He is currently in the med bay there, as they heal the damage done."
Sitting down across from the two Remus finished his explanation. "The other one was stunned as a precaution and being examined by the healers also."
Looking over at the two men Remus had escorted to the city Molly had to ask. "Do people from your world do that often, killing themselves when captured?" She really meant non-magical folk.
"Not anymore, we tend to try to stay alive and hope for rescue or escape. Government employees working undercover or across hostile borders that is." Vladimir told her his accent a little thicker than normal.
Deciding that she would never really understand non-magical people even though she really tried, Molly started the meeting. "I understand that each of you have completed proposals to deliver."
"It is fortunate for you that I was the assigned Watcher today, Augusta and I are in charge of any colonization efforts, and once they have been finalized we take them before the Lord Commander for his approval." Molly told them as she introduced each of them at the appropriate times.
"Very fortuitous indeed." Ambassador Lei said.
"Shall we begin by going over the colony charter that each of your separate groups would be governed by?" Augusta told them.
Going through the folders each man handed over the bound brief of their respective colony charters to one of the ladies.
After several minutes where Molly and Augusta went through the paperwork, asking questions when something was not as clear as it could be and marking the changes in the margins, Augusta exchanged her proposal with Molly's.
After several more questions and numerous notations in the margins they closed the proposals and Augusta looked at Molly and in Alteran commented. "It was your idea Molly so I shall defer to you. Other than the one proposal needing to have the independence clause added they look complete."
"I suppose since it was my idea I don't mind leading the team. And agree with your observation on the missing clause, let's ask shall we." Molly replied.
"Sorry gentleman, sometimes it is easier to switch to a language you do not understand than to be constantly raising and lowering silencing shields." Molly informed them.
"Everything looks to be in order except for one small section in your proposal Ambassador Lei." Molly informed them. "There needs to be an independence clause added to your proposal."
"We understand that colonization is a large investment, and a government would like a certain level of control over their investment." Augusta told him.
"But each colony must have a point that once it is reached it becomes independent of its mother world." Molly added.
"According to the charter the Americans submitted, their colony will reach independence once one hundred years has passed with the colony either supplying or purchasing what they need to survive and prosper." Augusta told the Ambassador.
"Your comrade's proposal has set a monetary value that once the colony meets will give them independence." Molly offered as an example.
"I understand, I will get with my government and we will correct that oversight." Ming told them formally.
Smiling at the formal man's reply. "I see no reason that you cannot still go forward with your plans to investigate possible colony planets while your proposal is being corrected." Molly let him know.
Opening the box and pulling out two of the crystal pyramids Molly placed one in front of the ambassador and the commander.
Activating the Holo display in the center of the table Molly brought up the image of the island Harry had shown them. "This island is along the Tropic of Capricorn and is heavily warded so that the only way to gain access to the island is by boat. And only if this beacon is secured to the ships metal structure."
"The island should be considered Alteran soil and as such our laws govern those on the island." Molly informed them.
"In four days time one of the new Astria will be placed on the island for colonization and search purposes." Augusta told them as she read the report of when the island would be up and running. "It us up to you to man the facilities with your search teams and support staff."
"We will leave the staffing and scheduling of the use of the facilities to be handled among yourselves, but see no reason that you all can't share the facilities at the same time." Molly watched their expressions as she slid the proposals back to their respective owners.
"I am sure you have questions for us." Augusta invited questions.
"It is my understanding that you are providing system security for the Americans colony, will you be providing the same for each new colony?" Vladimir asked.
Not sure what he meant by system security as she did not remember seeing it in her hasty skimming of the agreement. Molly asked for input by the only other one that would have been part of the negotiation. "Aloria can answer this?"
The hologram changed to show one of the weapons platforms they used to secure the system, rotating it so they could see it from all angles. An image of the space shuttle appeared next to it for size comparison.
"Of course Molly. As you can see this is Paer class station, four of these are capable of defending a planetary system.
They are fully automated and sealed against all access attempts and any attempts to breach it would be met most severely.
A quad of these stations have been provided for planetary defense of the target colony world the Americans are developing." Aloria explained.
"So once we find an acceptable world you will similarly emplace the means to defend it?" Ming asked as he made notations on his notepad.
"Freely.No." Aloria told him. "If you agree to the terms the other Alliance races have, then yes."
Confused for a moment as he followed her words Ming asked. "What terms are you talking about?"
"Each system that we provide security for must provide at least two thousand personal to be stationed with our own security forces throughout the galaxies.
They will serve on this city, as search and rescue, as crew for our cruisers and various support positions.
Each person shall be given training in their field to bring them up to galactic standard before they will be asked to serve, and must agree to serve a minimum of two years before we will agree to their training.
The Americans have already provided the required personal who are being trained in their chosen careers while providing help with the thousands of rescued infants from a planetary evacuation that went wrong." Aloria explained the terms worked out in the agreement.
"I believe from what I overheard while working in the nursery, they have planned to split up where the recruits go once they cycle out of their obligations, half to go back to their home world taking their new skills with them, while the other half go to the colony world." Molly told them what she remembered.
"And who would our people answer to while assigned here?" Vladimir asked thinking this sounded like a good way to get a lot of people training not available on Earth.
"They would find themselves living and working under Alteran law, and while in our service, they must put their loyalty to the Alteran Empire first and foremost. Just like the soldiers in your armed services must put their loyalty to their country first and foremost." Molly told them.
"That is not an unreasonable request, and a prudent one." Ming told her while thinking if the troops assigned to the United Nations forces followed that logic they would not have near half the problems they did now with the peace keeping forces.
"My president wishes for this project to go through with all due speed. We have a list of the worlds visited by the SGC that hold promise, they were never considered as there was no way to defend them against the Goa'uld, but now.now several of them open up as possibilities of a new start for my people." Vladimir spoke thoughtfully.
"Would you be willing to share this list with my government?" Ming asked quietly.
"Yes.yes we would, I will mark the three worlds that we plan to send teams out to as soon as possible, these worlds would be our first choices as colony worlds." Vladimir was excited.
Pulling two folders out of the pile in front of him, and quickly marking three worlds and their co-ordinates as the ones they were planning to develop on both copies, he passed one over to the Chinese Ambassador.
Bowing his head slightly hiding his surprise. "Thank you." Ming offered his peoples thanks.
Very pleased with the results so far Vladimir had a thought, hoping the answer would be positive as it meant more of his people no longer starving or relying on theft to survive, he asked. "This two thousand recruits, is this per world or just in total?"
"It would be per world." Harry's voice came from the speaker.
"Lord Commander." Molly chastised. "You are supposed to be relaxing."
Laughing Harry told her. "Molly right now I am laying on the beach, while Cadfael is down by the water with Jack going through basic martial arts moves while Bryce and Neville are plotting on how to get me to agree to build several greenhouses on the island."
"It sounds like you are building an army." Ming sounded suspicious.
"In a way I am." Harry told them. But continued before they had a chance to respond. "What I am building could be termed a galactic police force, along with a rescue and medical force."
"It is one thing to stay safe in a closed system, protected from any and all hostile intruders, but eventually with commerce comes trade vessels coming and going and between accidents and those who believe that might makes right, a galactic security division will be needed." Harry informed them of part of his plans.
"The Alliance will meet in the coming months and come up with a list of galactic laws each treaty signatory must agree to abide by while off world. A set of galactic laws you might call them." Harry expanded on his idea.
"Plus as you must have realized this is one of the quickest ways to train up your people. Oh I suppose we could just give you the databases of knowledge and let you muddle through, but it a lot better if we teach you in a safe environment." Harry told them, eyes closed soaking up the warmth of the sun.
"Four days." Vladimir muttered. "You say that the new gate will be operational in four days time correct?"
"Yes, the remotes shall finish it in three days, but I have allowed a day for testing and whatever else Steven wants to do to make sure he is satisfied." Harry answered as he sat up to watch Bryce and Neville carrying a large amount of blueprints walk his way.
"How soon can we start sending the volunteers through? Would we be able to start sending them as soon as the new gate is functional?" Vladimir asked quickly, mentally adding up how soon they could get several thousand people to the island he had written down the co-ordinates of its location.
"You can start as soon as the Astria is available, makes no difference to me. Though I should inform you they will be interviewed to make sure they are volunteers and they pose no threat to humanity or the Alliance in general." Harry told them groaning as he was now sure Bryce and Neville were headed his way.
"Gran what is it with your grandson." Harry groaned out." He is perverting my perfectly good fosterling, I am about to be bombarded by enough greenhouse drawings to make my head swim."
Molly couldn't stand it and started to laugh at Harry's tone., a laugh that was infectious and had them all laughing.
Hearing something that sounded suspiciously like traitors had a new round of laughter breaking out especially when they heard Neville yell. "Hey Harry we have something we would like you to look at." Before the connection was terminated.
"Any other questions that you need answers to." Remus asked as he looked at the time, wondering what was taking Tonks so long.
"I think for the moment I have nothing further. Assuming of course that once we get to the island communication is possible?" Vladimir said as he gathered his folders and notes.
"Yes there is a fold space transceiver already installed in the main building on the island." Remus informed them, having spent the meeting time reading through all the specifications of the island.
"I too am finished for the moment, I must get this information to the Premier so he may make the changes. I am sure he will have further questions for me to relay." Ambassador Lei told them as he stood up and bowed slightly in the direction of the two ladies.
"That would be my queue." Remus said as he stood up. "Gentleman if you would follow me I will escort you back to the Astria so you may return to Earth in one trip this time."
Hearing the Russian ask how it was possible to return in one trip when it took two to get here in the first place, Molly tuned the answer out as she sat back in her chair rubbing her temples.
"Merlin, Harry does this day in day out fourteen hours a day, sometimes longer for all those months. I don't know how he does it, two hours and I am exhausted." Molly muttered to Augusta.
"Harry has a dedication that few others can even hope to achieve." Augusta thought of all the people she had known in her life and how none of them even came close to man Harry was.
XXXX
Day 6
Yesterday was fun Harry thought as he walked away from the arrival area on the embarkation deck.
Climbing the steps towards his work area chatted a few minutes with the theta shift Watcher before bidding the woman a good night.
Sitting down Harry activated all the displays that let him know what was going on around Alteran controlled space.
Deciding to move forward the Ark's departure date if they were ready, they should be as he had planned for several extra days just in case.
'Aloria open a fold space transmission to the Ark please.' Harry asked down the bond.
Seeing the bridge of the ark in the central Holo emitter, Harry spent a few minutes watching as everyone came on shift and chatted with the skeleton crew before relieving them.
Seeing Charlie walk onto the bridge Harry thought he should let them know he was listening in.
"Morning Charlie." Harry activated the Holo emitter on the ark so that they could see who was talking.
Chuckling Charlie called. "Susan I owe you a Galleon."
"Morning Harry, What do I owe the pleasure of your call so early this fine morning." Charlie was practicing his smooth talking.
Harry stared back before slowly saying. "You bet on if I would contact you today?"
"Actually the bet was that you would contact us this morning and order us to get under way." Charlie sounded smug.
"Incredible." Was all Harry could say.
"So we are fully loaded, have been for the past two days and are ready to move as soon as you give the word." Charlie told him, before whispering. "Don't tell her I said so, but I miss mum's stew."
"Well let it not be said I have the audacity to get between a Weasley and his stomach." Harry laughed.
"Right, let's do this officially." Harry said as his voice started to echo on the last word as he glowed brightly.
Placing his hand on the input link Harry's voice echoed throughout the command deck and to all stations in system.
"All stations prepare for Ark Shift." Harry' voice spurred them into action.
Powaqa quietly handed two Galleons over to Steven as she walked up the steps to command level one yelling out. "Report.All station report readiness."
As station after station reported in Harry watched the displays show each of the individuals report the fact to Powaqa.
Walking down the length of the command level one until she was near the balcony that overlooked the work platform Powaqa looked over the edge and reported through the com system. "Lord Commander, all stations report ready."
"All system traffic reports standstill stations." Aloria chimed in. "Weapons platforms report automatic targeting at stand down stations."
Looking at the Holo display of the Ark bridge Harry's voice echoed through the fold space com. "Ark report."
"All stations report green to go, dimensional drive at full power." Charlie replied in excitement.
"Ark prepare to shift.You are cleared to shift in Five.Four.Three.Two.One. Ark SHIFT." Harry ordered.
Harry stared at the displays as the Holo of The Ark in Earth's orbit showed it fade from sight and he turned his head to look up and out the window to see the Ark fade into sight several grids distance from the docking station.
"Secure stations.Weapons platforms to ready status." Harry ordered as the displays told him the ark had made it safely.
"Welcome home Charlie." Harry told him as his glow disappeared and his voice returned to normal.
Smiling at the sight of the Ark bridge crew plastered to the Holo displays as they took the first good look of their new home. "Are all your passengers properly stowed in stasis?" Harry asked knowing the answer already.
Breaking away from the Holo, long enough to look at the Holo of Harry. "Yes." Charlie told him as he turned back like the others taking in the visage of their new home.
"Good then dock that thing with the docking station and get your arse down planet." Harry grinned devilishly." Before I tell your mum that you're here and went to see the twins first."
Spinning in horror of what his mum would do to him if Harry did that Charlie yelled out. "All right you lot you heard the man. Prepare for docking."
"That's downright evil." Powaqa told him from above him causing Harry to laugh all that much harder.
'Aloria, how goes the project to detect planets with high concentration of magical energy?' Harry thought.
'Very slowly, while Earth and Lantea have a unique energy signature, I am being hampered with search due to the state of the Astria network.' Aloria answered back.
'Maybe Steven should explain as he has been working on the problem.' Aloria told him through the bond, and her perplexed feeling came through along with her answer.
Harry placed his hand on the link panel. "Steven do you have a moment to come over and explain the problem with Astria network, Aloria tells me you have been working on the problem." Having no clue what the problem actually was.
Steven really did not want to leave his station un-manned, yet even though it sounded like a request, he knew an order when he heard one.
Locking down his control's he walked the thirty meters over to the working platform and chose the seat nearest Harry.
As soon as he sat down and placed his hands on the table a Holographic control panel that looked like his station lit up.
Tentatively touching the Holo controls Steven was surprised when information displays lit up and started to scroll information just like his station did. "Wow."
Chuckling softly. "In an emergency we could duplicate any of the command stations right here through the Holographic interface, but it is not as efficient or as quick to respond as the actual hard wired station." Harry explained amused at the look of awe on Stevens face.
"Now Aloria informs me you have been working on a problem with the Astria network." Harry prompted.
Startled out of his exploration of the neat controls, Steven remembered where he was and why.
"Um, how do you.?" Steven started to say as he looked around for the input controls.
"What do you need.' Harry asked still amused at his antics and his slight blush.
"Can you put up a representation of the Pegasus galaxy." Steven finally asked giving up on finding the normal controls.
Harry hand still on the link pad sent the command to the system and a large Holo display appeared representing a globular display of every system in the Pegasus galaxy.
Frustrated Steven ground out. "How in Merlin's name do you control anything from over here?" And then promptly turned red as he realized who he was being grouchy to.
Laughing, Harry took pity on the man and explained how the table interfaces work. "See the slightly raised panel off to your right."
Seeing Steven nod his head Harry continued. "Place you hand on it like I am and briefly touch your core and mentally give the command to the system. It will do what you have told it to do."
Placing his hand on the panel Steven touched his core just like he did every morning when he did his forms and was shocked to feel his mind link up with the Astria system.
"Whoa.This is so incredible. I need one of these at my.wait a minute there is one there I use it to prop up my notes on so that I can see them better." Steven said excitedly.
"How come no one has ever shown me what this panel is for?" Steven turned and looked at Harry.
'Aloria?' Harry questioned.
'Checking.seems not a single person has accessed the links from any of the command stations.' Aloria told him puzzled.
Frowning Harry answered. "I am not sure, seems somehow or other it has fallen through the cracks."
"Aloria please instruct every one of the command crew on how to properly access the link." Harry ordered correcting the oversight. "You were saying."
"Right." Steven said as he let his mind link with the system.
As three quarters of the systems turned slightly blue, Steven started to explain. "The blue represents archival records of the Astria network during the time that Tylene was evacuated."
"As you can see the Alteran's had control of most of this galaxy with Astria in each of the habitable or mineral rich systems." Steven told him before ordering the system to replace the blue systems with red for the next stage.
"The red systems represent the known Astria network, gathered from the Atlantis archives, at the start of the war with the Wraith." Steven told him solemnly.
"That's not even half of the previous systems." Harry was shocked to see how small the network had devolved too.
"The purple systems are of the known Astria network by the end of the war when they abandoned Atlantis and Lantea." Steven informed him very quietly.
"But.You mean to tell me they lost three quarters of the network." Harry spat out in shock.
"Aloria did you find any mention in the Atlantis archives explaining this." Harry said waving his hand at the display in the center of the table.
"Nothing, Harry there was no explanation anywhere. As far as Atlantis is concerned that represented the total known section of the galaxy." Aloria told him.
Staring at the Holo in front of him, Harry tried to get his horror under control. Narrowing his eyes at a sudden thought, Harry ordered. "Aloria mark each known nexus by blinking the dot."
The display changed once again, but this time when the nexus systems started to blink an answer presented itself to what had happened.
There in the display every single nexus except one was clearly in the blue areas.
Sitting back Harry thought out loud. "So at least we know how they lost contact with most of the galaxy."
"Now all we need to do is find out why it happened." Steven finished the thought.
Scott lent me his editing skills for this Chapter