Author's Notes: Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

I was watching the Atlantis episode of Seaquest and this popped into my head.

This is set in the same universe as my stories Knight And Day & Unwanted Destiny. It's not necessary to have read them, the history will be explained.

This will focus more on the Seaquest at first but there will be more with the Stargate later chapters.

Enjoy

Jonathan Ford had never considered himself an explorer. That was until Nathan Bridger took over as Captain of the Seaquest. Now he'd been involved in discovering so many amazing things but nothing like this.

Moving closer he could see what appeared to be crystal shards lying across the ocean floor. Hidden amongst them was a box. A box made from the same crystal, symbols covering every side with a strange glow emanating from it.

"Captain, I have definitely found something," he reported moving closer.

"Alright, Jonathan," Bridger's amused voice came over the radio, "Bring it in so we can let Dr Ferguson and her team look at it."

"You might want to get O'Neill too," Jonathan told him, "There are strange symbols all over it."

Bridger chuckled, "I'll let him know."

Starting his retrieval Jonathan stopped when a face appeared in the surface of the box, "What?"

"Something wrong, Commander?" Ortiz asked.

Knowing that what he'd just seen was crazy Jonathan decided against saying anything, "Nothing. I'm heading back."

x

The box sat on the bench; it had been through decontamination and was now ready to be studied. Dr Mandy Ferguson smiled as she looked at the artefact in front of her.

Tucking an errant strand of her long blonde hair out of her face, she pulled the gloves on so that she could begin her examination.

"Commander," she turned to Jonathan, "Was there anything else at the site you found this?"

Jonathan shook his head, "Just a load of crystal that looked like it had been smashed."

She chewed her lip in thought, "We need to gather it all up, I want to see if there is anything else there."

Jonathan nodded, "Captain Bridger wants the symbols copied for O'Neill to look at, if someone could get that done?"

Mandy nodded, "Of course. I'll have that done and passed to Lt O'Neill as soon as possible."

Jonathan started out hearing her calling orders to her team. He was looking forward to seeing what he'd found.

x

Tim sat in the ward room and spread out the pictures of the transcribed symbols from the box Ford had found across the desk. He scanned all the pages trying to find a natural starting point, something he recognised that would give him a way to get into the translation.

Standing he began walking around the table thinking that perhaps the different angles would help.

Three hours later he still had nothing and was beginning to get frustrated.

"Yeah?" he called when someone knocked on the door, smiling as Miguel appeared with a mug in his hand.

"Thought you might want something to drink," his friend said handing Tim the tea, "How's it coming?"

Tim sighed, "It isn't."

Miguel chuckled, "You'll get it. Just keep…"

"Staring at these bits of paper?" Tim cut him off sarcastically.

Miguel rolled his eyes, "Well go see the actual thing. Maybe that'll help."

Tim nodded, "That's a good idea. I'll see if Dr Ferguson will let me look for a while."

"You look at the box and I'll look at her," Miguel grinned.

Tim shook his head, "You know she's engaged, right?"

"Why would that stop me looking?"

x

Tim stood staring at the box hoping for an epiphany, making sure he kept out of the way of the scientists.

It was beautiful, other than the symbols there were intricate designs covering the crystalline structure that were catching the light, the patterns were almost hypnotic. As he stared at the box Tim was suddenly struck by a thought, his mind working through the symbols he'd stared at for three hours suddenly making a connection.

"You got an idea?" Miguel called after Tim, chuckling that the other man didn't even acknowledge him, knowing his friend's mind was somewhere else.

Tim headed back to his research and began writing, he had no idea if what he was doing was even remotely right but, for the moment, he was going with it. After half an hour he ran out of steam and read what he had written. Reaching over the desk he hit the comm. button.

"Captain," Tim called, "I think you need to see this."

"Something wrong, Lt?"

Tim shook his head, "Not wrong, just…you need to see this, Captain."

As the radio clicked off Tim stared down at the paper in front of him and waited.

"Atlantis," Tim whispered, letting the soft sound echo around the room, "Oh wow."

x

"Are you sure?"

Nathan rolled his eyes at the man looking at him in amazement, "According to O'Neill the box is connected to Atlantis."

McGrath frowned, "Keep this to yourself and keep O'Neill working on the artefact. I'll join you as soon as I can with someone to authenticate the find."

Nathan nodded, sighing in relief as the screen switched off. There was something odd about the way McGrath had reacted to the news, not exactly something he could put his finger on but just something.

"Captain," the voice of Ortiz came, "Commander Ford has asked that you come to the bridge."

Nathan sighed and pushed McGrath out of his mind, "On my way, Ortiz."

x

"And they're sure?"

McGrath stared at the man in front of him, wishing he didn't have to have this conversation. They'd always known that this could be a possibility ever since the colonisation of the oceans.

"Bridger claims his Communications Officer is sure," McGrath told the other man, "General, if this is connected to Atlantis then the Seaquest can handle whatever they find."

"No, they can't."

McGrath took offence on behalf of the crew of the UEO flagship, "With all due respect, General O'Neill..."

"Look," O'Neill cut him off, "As much as I want to believe someone with the name O'Neill can work this out, I know he doesn't have the right qualifications. I'm going to send the one person on Earth who is qualified to deal with this."

"Hold on," McGrath frowned, "Does this 'person' have security clearance for the Seaquest?"

General O'Neill chuckled, "This 'person' has higher security clearance than anyone on that boat, including you."

x

Ford stood staring at the figure standing serenely near the pool watching Darwin. It was definitely whoever he had seen in the box when he'd found it but the arrival of the captain on the bridge pulled his attention and the figure disappeared.

"How are we doing, Jonathan?" Bridger asked.

"There's definitely something else out there but the WSKRs can't find anything," Jonathan frowned, "How's the translation coming?"

"Tim believes that this box is connected to Atlantis," Bridger told him soft enough so that no one could overhear.

Jonathan stared at him, "Seriously."

Bridger nodded, "McGrath is joining us and bringing someone to help authenticate it."

"What is it?" Jonathan asked at the thoughtful look that crossed the captain's face.

Bridger sighed, "I don't know. There is just something about this that seems odd."

"What can we do?"

Bridger sighed again, "We wait."

Nathan stood in the docking bay two days later waiting for the launch to dock and the doors to open. At his side Tim O'Neill was standing not happy that he had to leave the translation to greet their guests and trying his best not to show it.

The sound of the doors opening brought them both to attention and Nathan stepped forward to greet the man that walked through.

"Mr Secretary," Nathan took the other man's hand, "Welcome back."

McGrath nodded, "Nice to be back, Nathan. I want you to meet the expert I promised."

Nathan looked behind the other man to where a young woman stood. She had tanned skin, thick black hair that was pulled back loosely with bright blue eyes that looked completely out of place; she was dressed in a smart suit and as she moved towards them she studied them intently.

"Captain Nathan Bridger, Lieutenant O'Neill," McGrath introduced, "This is Dr Arianna Jackson."

"I hear you have something for me to look at," she smiled at them.

x

Ari tapped a finger on the desk as she looked over the copy of the symbols from the box before reading O'Neill's translation, she was still trying not to chuckle at the fact it was someone called O'Neill who had done it.

"Well?" the man standing at her side asked a little impatiently.

"It's not bad," Ari told him, unable not to tease just a little. It was something she'd picked up from the man she called uncle, "There are a few mistakes here and there but that's understandable."

She saw him stiffen in annoyance.

"Dr Jackson…" he started.

"Ari's fine," she cut him off, "Timothy or Tim?"

She could see the exasperation in his face before he nodded slightly, "Tim."

Ari laughed, "Ignore me I just like to see how far I can push. Considering I'm assuming you've never seen anything like this before then it's impressive how much of this you managed to translate."

Tim tilted his head slightly, "So, you agree this is related to Atlantis?"

"Not related," Ari replied, "It's from Atlantis."

He stared at her confused, "What do you mean?"

"Sorry, that's classified," she told him, "At least until I have a conversation. Excuse me."

Leaving him staring after her Ari headed to the room they'd assigned her.

x

"Hi, kiddo," Jack greeted her, "How's life on the ocean floor?"

Ari chuckled, "Surprisingly comfortable."

"So, what have they found?"

"They're right," she told him, "It definitely has a connection to Atlantis."

Jack frowned, "What kind?"

"It's a box," she told him, "They haven't opened it yet. I'll make sure they don't until I've completed the translation."

She paused biting her lower lip for a moment.

"What's bugging you about it, Ari?" Jack demanded, recognising her tell.

Ari let out a long breath, "There's nothing tangible but…"

"But you can sense something," Jack finished for her.

She nodded, "I don't know exactly what I'm feeling, Jack. I think I need to stay here for a while until this artefact is completely catalogued. Can you swing it?"

He grinned at her, "Who do you think you're talking to?"

Ari chuckled.

"Is there anything else?" Jack asked.

"There is a telepath onboard," she told him, "That could problematic and I need to know how much I can disclose to the crew."

Jack mused this over for a moment, "Be careful with the telepath. Don't forget to let her feel your presence or they could start looking into you too closely."

"I live in a world with telepaths every day," she reminded him, "But if I have to do something unusual that could be a problem."

"Good point. It is a closed community so you won't be able to hide if you do," he paused for a few moments, "Okay, only if you need to and I mean only if it is completely necessary you can tell Bridger and his ExO."

"What about the guy who's doing the translation?" she asked before chuckling, "And don't think I'm not laughing my ass off that his name is O'Neill."

Jack rolled his eyes, "You'll pay for that kid, but if you think it's appropriate tell him. I trust your judgement in this."

"I'll talk to you later, Uncle Jack," Ari promised.

"Arianna," Jack said sternly, "Be careful. Sara will have my head if something happens to you under my command."

Ari mockingly saluted him before the screen blinked out.

x

Ari looked around the small room she was going to be staying in, amazed by how comfortable it was compared to what she thought it would be. She'd grown up spending a lot of time in a military base so she didn't expect much in the way of comfort.

Opening her bag she pulled out the picture that sat on top, the picture she always took with her no matter where she went. Setting it beside the bed she smiled looking at her parents smiling back at her.

They'd left Earth to travel the day after Ari had received her doctorate, her father pointed out that this would let her work away from his shadow. Her mother just chuckled not believing that he would manage to stay away for any length of time. They were both surprised as so far he had.

Taking the hairclips out Arianna pulled a brush through her thick black hair, her Abydonian heritage clear to see whenever she looked in the mirror with the exception her bright blue eyes.

When she was a little girl her father always told her that her eyes were blue because she was special, she'd had no idea exactly how special it had made her.

The radio beeped, "Dr Jackson."

Ari touched the button, "Yes?"

"Can you come to the bridge," the Captain said, "There's something I think you should see."

"So what did you find on our guest?" Nathan asked. He'd been annoyed McGrath had dodged the questions before he left them once more so had set his genius the task.

Lucas nodded and tapped on the keyboard bringing up a picture of their guest, "Dr Arianna Jackson, twenty two. She received her doctorate in archaeology last year; she also has a Masters in sociolinguistics.

Nathan frowned looking around the briefing room, "That's pretty young and newly qualified to have such high security clearance."

"What's her area of expertise?" Tim asked thoughtfully.

Lucas shrugged, "According to this Egyptology."

"So why is she our expert on Atlantis?" Ford mused.

Nathan leaned back in his chair thinking for a few moments, "What about family connections?"

"Her father is Dr Daniel Jackson," Lucas continued, bringing up a picture of a man with the same blue eyes as their guest, "He was widely regarded as a crackpot by the archaeological community after he gave a lecture where he claimed the pyramids were older than was commonly accepted. There were jokes made about him claiming aliens built them but I've read the lecture and his articles, he doesn't mention aliens once."

"Stay on topic, Lucas," Nathan motioned the teenager to hurry up.

Giving a slight shrug Lucas did as he was told, "Jackson disappeared after that, there are a few conflicting reports that he died. Though there at least three instances this has been reported and then retracted but basically a year after his lecture he reappeared married. There is very little information about his wife."

He paused and brought up another screen, "The only thing I can find that might explain her security clearance is the fact her parents both worked for the Air Force."

"In what capacity?" Nathan leaned forward interested.

Lucas shrugged again, "As far as I can tell translators."

Nathan sighed, it made even less sense now.

x

Nathan sat in his chair on the bridge musing over the find and their guest. He didn't like being kept in the dark, especially when it had to do with his boat and his people.

Now Ortiz was sensing strange readings with the WSKRs near where they found the box. O'Neill had left his translation of the symbols for the moment and was sitting at his station helping their sensor chief look over the readings.

"You called, Captain," their guest asked as she was escorted over to him.

Nathan was good at reading people but he couldn't read her at all which worried him. He stood and motioned her over to Ortiz's station.

"We're getting strange readings from the area near where Commander Ford found the box," Nathan explained, "I wanted to know if you recognised anything?"

Dr Jackson frowned as she studied the readings, "I'm an archaeologist. This is not my speciality."

Nathan grimaced, "Then why exactly are you here, Dr Jackson?"

Dr Jackson tilted her head defiantly, her long black hair falling back, "I'm here to check a translation, Captain."

Before Nathan could retort Henderson's voice cut through the tension.

"Sir, we're caught in something," she called, "I'm not sure what it is."

"Ortiz?" Nathan yelled.

"WSKRS are getting the same strange readings but it's nothing that could be pulling us anywhere," Ortiz answered.

"Then what the hell is?" Nathan mused annoyed.

He looked around the bridge at his crew, his eyes settling on their guest. She was tapping a pen against her leg as she watched the WSKR readings.

"Dr Jackson?"

He saw a subtle shift in her posture before she turned to him, "You need to stay back. These readings mean there is something we need to avoid."

"And what would that be?" Nathan demanded.

She let out a sigh, "The way to Atlantis."