“It’s a reasonable question,” Strom said. “How much has losing Dr. McKay cost us? Including your efforts to get him back.”
“I would characterize those efforts as part of our normal operations,” Dick said. “Which the IOA has already funded for the fiscal year.”
“Are you saying your normal operations include your personnel getting kidnapped by the Wraith?” Martin asked, sounding almost curious.
“It’s a risk that we understand to be part of our activities in the Pegasus Galaxy.”
“A risk that could in many cases be avoided by better judgment in the authorization of missions,” Shen said. “There is no sense in sending non-military personnel to respond to combat situations.”
“We’re not made of money, Mr. Woolsey,” Strom said. “I understand that in the past, you’ve had a great deal to say about the need to weigh the costs and benefits of missions that involve substantial risk to American — or international — personnel.”
“The benefit, in this case, involved keeping our allies from being slaughtered by the Wraith,” Dick said.
“A handful of local hunter-gatherers,” Shen said. “Who were not, as it turns out, in any danger. And in exchange, you have lost a valuable scientist, compromised Atlantis’s security, and risked one of Earth’s only battlecruisers.”
Desai, who’d been listening quietly for some time with an expression that suggested he had a headache, spoke up mildly. “The Athosians are descended from an advanced technological society with a long history, now decimated by the Wraith,” he said. “They have extensive trading contacts within the Pegasus Galaxy.”
“We’re not there as merchants,” Shen said. “This is a scientific expedition, and its goals should not be compromised by ill-conceived military actions.”
“I think the goals of the expedition have evolved,” LaPierre said. “It’s all very well to study Ancient technology, but keeping the Wraith from reaching Earth has to be a priority.”
“Which losing Dr. McKay didn’t help, either,” Nechayev said.
“I frankly question whether either one requires funding a project of this magnitude,” Dixon-Smythe said. “If Atlantis had remained on Earth, we could have studied the Ancient technology without further provoking the Wraith.”
“So I advised,” Shen said.
“If Atlantis had stayed on Earth, it would have been the property of the Americans,” Nechayev said. “Do you really think they would have let you play with their toys?”
Strom cleared his throat. “There may have been a number of misunderstandings,” he began.
“I think I understood very clearly that the American government claimed Atlantis as long as it remained within American territorial waters,” Dick said. “As I recall, the IOA’s position was that returning Atlantis to Pegasus under international jurisdiction was a preferable situation. It’s not as if now we can bring it back.”
“Because your ZPM was depleted in landing the city,” Shen said. “How convenient for certain parties involved.”
“If you’re implying that I’m somehow misrepresenting our current power situation — ” Dick began, stung.
“I am sure you are not,” Shen said. “Just as I am sure that there is some malfunction preventing Atlantis from communicating with Earth.”
“They could be having some technical difficulty,” Dick said.
“Like what?” Martin asked.
“I don’t know,” Dick said. “I don’t have any more information than you do about why Atlantis isn’t dialing Earth, but I’m certain that Colonel Sheppard will be in touch as soon as he can.”
Shen shook her head. “I wish I were as certain.”
“You can’t seriously be accusing me of… I’m not even sure what you’re accusing me of,” Dick said.
“Let me just say that I have serious doubts about whether the first loyalty of any of the leaders of the Atlantis expedition is to the IOA,” Shen said. “It might well prove in your own best interests in the short term to have your operations in Atlantis proceed without our oversight, but let me make this perfectly clear. In the long run, all you will accomplish is the end of the Atlantis project.”
“If the IOA ceases to be interested in funding the Atlantis mission, I think there may be other options worth exploring,” Desai said.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Strom said. “Mr. Woolsey, I think we could all use some more information here. I’d like you to prepare some notes on your reasoning for assigning scientific personnel to field missions in Pegasus. I think we’d all be interested in hearing about your thinking there.”
“I’d be interested in hearing from Atlantis,” Dixon-Smythe said. “When do you think they might manage to dial in?”
“I don’t know,” Dick said. “I’m as eager to hear from them as you are.” And I actually care about more than whether they’ve wasted any money, he thought but managed with an effort not to say.
“If they’ve all been killed by the Wraith, this is going to turn out to have been an incredible waste of time,” Nechayev said.
“Not if the city of the Ancients is intact,” Shen said.
“Now I think we really are getting ahead of ourselves,” Martin said, his eyes on Dick as he spoke. “I don’t think we should write off these men and women yet.”
“Thank you,” Dick said quietly.
“This meeting is adjourned,” Strom said. “We’ll be in touch to schedule the next session.”
Martin lingered by the table as the others filed out, Shen and LaPierre already back to arguing in low tones. “I don’t expect you to like me much, Mr. Woolsey,” he said. “I wouldn’t, if I were in your position.”
“Your congressional record is impressive,” Dick said.
“Like I said, I wouldn’t like me much,” Martin said. “I’ve actually read all those reports you submitted, which is more than I suspect you can say for a couple of other people who were just sitting here. I can’t fault your commitment to your people.”
“Thank you,” Dick said again. It meant more to hear than he would once have believed it ever would.
“But Shen’s got a point,” Martin said. “You’re supposed to be representing our interests out there. If not America’s, then…” He waved a hand around the conference table. “And I can’t help wondering if that’s really what you’re out there to do.”
“I’m out there to represent Earth,” Dick said.
“To represent Earth,” Martin said. “That’s a tall order.”
“And yet someone’s got to do it,” Dick said. “In the Milky Way, that’s the IOA, and under their auspices, the Stargate program. In Pegasus, right now that’s the Atlantis Expedition, because we’re the ones who are out there. You sent us back to Pegasus, and so there we are.” He shrugged. “I personally still believe that’s for the best.”
“Someone has got to do it,” Martin said. “I think the question we’re all asking right now is whether that ought to be you.”
“I can’t answer that question for you,” Dick said. “I have only one question for you in return: who else would you prefer?”
“Personally, I’d rather have all our extraterrestrial operations back in the hands of the U.S. Air Force,” Martin said. “With congressional oversight, of course. But I don’t think that’s going to fly anymore. Carter ruffled too many feathers.”
“Colonel Carter did an exemplary job of defeating the Replicators,” Dick said.
“On behalf of the Air Force,” Martin said. “Or at least that’s some people’s feeling. Not to repeat every bit of the gossip that I’ve heard since taking this job — oh, about a week ago — but let’s just say that the best thing that I’ve heard said about the situation was that Carter’s Air Force through and through, and she wasn’t about to let American interests take a back seat.”