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Celebrity Xpedition November 2010: Celebrity Xpedition Cruise Review by IBE KREWSIN
Overall Member Rating
Celebrity Xpedition November 2010
Destination: South America
Embarkation: Other
We had a 15-minute bus ride to the J W Marriott with a Celebrity representative on-board to give us a run down of what to expect at check-in and the itinerary for the next day. This was followed by a welcoming drink and hors d'oeuvres in the lobby, a check-in that took no more than a minute, and baggage delivered from the bus to our room. We were settled in our room in less than 1½ hours after the airplane touched down. The J W Marriott is a first class hotel.
Regarding More altitude at Quito: My wife had a little difficulty initially with the altitude at Quito, which is 9,200 feet. From what I have read, it helps to stay hydrated, avoid alcohol, take headache medicine and drink the coca tea that is readily available.
The breakfast buffet at the Marriott was good, not great. At 9:00 AM our group boarded the busses for the day-tour of Quito. I think there were three busses. There were about 24 people on our bus. Our Celebrity guide was Rodrigo. Whichever bus you get on is the one to which you are assigned until you go to the airport the next day to leave for the Galapagos. And Rodrigo was with us all the way, explaining the itinerary, what to expect, pointing out sights of interest and offering information about the history and culture of Ecuador.
There is not enough time to see very much of Quito on the day tour, which I would rate as fair to good. Rodrigo was an excellent guide and took very good care of our group. We made several stops in the morning—the Basilica, the Presidential Palace, another church, and the city square. We were taken to a nice place for lunch (Carmine's), where we were greeted with a glass of champagne as we came in the door. In the afternoon, the bus took us to the Equatorial monument, approximately 45 minute bus ride. There are shops and activities there. We spent some time there before returning to the Marriott by 4:30 PM. At 6:30, we boarded the bus for the Theatro downtown, where we had a good dinner and were entertained by singer known as Stahl. By now we had met quite a few people that we would get to know during the week. Back at the Marriott, we put our luggage outside our room (except for our carry-on) before 9:30 PM. The next time we saw this luggage was in our cabin onboard the Xpedition the next day.
To reduce the weight of the luggage, we put it in duffel bags and left our roll-on suitcases at the Marriott for the week—no problem. The only reason in my mind that this is a good idea is that it makes it easier for those loading and unloading baggage onto the Xpedition. I believe the weight limit for the luggage on the flight to Galapagos was 44 lbs. for checked luggage and 17 lbs. for carry-on, but it has been less than this in the past. I am not aware that the weight was ever checked. What I had read about clothing needed for this trip was absolutely true: You do not need a lot and many take too much. The dress is casual at all times and there is a lot of variance in the way people dress. But nobody cares. There is a good laundry service on the Xpedition, although it is one of the very few things that is not free.
After another buffet breakfast at the Marriott on Sunday morning, we boarded the bus to the airport at 7:00 AM. Celebrity has this transfer worked out beautifully. Fifteen minute bus ride, straight into airport security, then on to another bus to the airplane. We didn't even sit down or wait anywhere. The name of the airline is AeroGal and I believe most, if not all of the passengers are with the Xpedition trip. The plane lands in Guyaquil (Ecuador's largest city) to pick up additional passengers, and then on to Baltra, one of three islands in the Galapagos that has an airport. We did not get off the plane at Guyaquil. On both legs of this flight we were served a light breakfast (which makes three counting the one at the Marriott). Transfer from the airport to the ship is also seamless—short bus ride to a pier and then load into zodiacs (pangas) to get to the Xpedition. There were 89 passengers on our trip—I believe the capacity of the Xpedition is 92 passengers.
The Xpedition does not dock at any port. Everyone going to or coming from the ship does so by panga. We watched the arrival of supplies one morning from the town of Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz. The supplies came by a small barge towed by a panga.
Check-in aboard the Xpedition was very efficient and included a "Welcome Aboard" drink, handed to us as we stepped onto the ship. We were in Cabin 401, which is as close as you can get to the center of the ship. Our cabin was an "Ocean View", and was very satisfactory. We had been booked into Cabin 420, which is as close as you can get to the Bow, but for some unknown reason were changed when we boarded (which was fortunate for us because there is less rocking and rolling near the center of the ship).
Typical Daily Itinerary (approximate—times do vary):
-Breakfast around 7:00 AM
-First Excursion 8:00 AM
-Back on Board the Xpedition by 11:00 AM
-Lunch at Noon
-After Lunch: Rest and/or attend film or lecture in Discovery Lounge
-Second Excursion 3:00 PM
-Back on Board the Xpedition by 6:00 PM
-6:30 to 7:30 Cocktail party at Beagle Grill or Discovery Lounge
-7:30 Presentation regarding next day's itinerary in Discovery Lounge
-8:00 Dinner in Darwin's Restaurant
-10:00 Usually some entertainment provided by Naturalist/Celebrity staff. One night the
exterior lights are turned on to attract sea life and birds; sometimes the lights are turned off on the top deck to allow the viewing of the night sky.
Excursions on the Xpedition: Each night before dinner, there is a meeting (cocktail party) in the Discovery Lounge, during which the Cruise Director explains about the following day's excursions, the choices (long-walk or short-walk), what to look for, what footwear is appropriate, dry or wet landing, whether there is a snorkeling opportunity or not, etc. The presentation includes a slide-show. People then sign up for the long-walk (higher intensity) or the short-walk (lower intensity) for the next day's excursions. There are two excursions per day (three on Monday). There are five or six pangas on board, which are lowered into the water prior to each excursion. Each panga carries approximately 16 passengers, the boat pilot and a Naturalist. During the week, a total of 10 islands are visited, and 14 excursions are taken. The procedure for embarking and disembarking is very efficient. The Naturalists help you step on and off the panga, which sometimes is bobbing up and down, depending on sea conditions. Each time you board a panga, you have a Naturalist on board and you stay with the same group of approximately 16 during the entire excursion until you get back onboard the Xpedition. All excursions include walking on an island except the Monday morning excursion to Kicker Rock, which is solely a zodiac ride with a Naturalist onboard. Not everyone does all the excursions, but we didn't want to miss anything so we did all the excursions and I was not disappointed. We did all the long walks (high intensity), but I understand the short walks are merely abbreviated versions of the long walk, with some additional time onboard the pangas searching for sea life. Every excursion is unique. The Guest Booklet provided by Celebrity contains a list of animals and birds that you might see. This is a good checklist to have with you during the excursion if you are like me and have trouble remembering what you saw or what the names are. Note: When you arrive back to the Xpedition, you are greeted with a refreshing drink and some hors d'oeuvres.
Following are my notes regarding the excursions (chronologically):
North Seymour Island. After lunch on Sunday, the first day aboard the Xpedition. Approximately 1 mile hike, terrain is challenging, with uneven surfaces and boulders. We saw hundreds of Frigate Birds, Blue Footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, and Sea Lions. They are everywhere. We also saw marine and land iguanas and many other types of birds. As is the case with most all the wildlife in the Galapagos, the animals have no fear of humans—you can get up close and personal with them, although you are not allowed to touch them. You need to watch your step because you might step on a creature if you are not careful.
Kicker Rock. The first of three excursions on Monday is a panga ride around Kicker Rock. To be there at sunrise is an awesome experience, not to be missed. We saw lots of birds and some sea turtles.
San Cristobal Island. Visit to the Interpretation Center and a shopping opportunity at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. The islands are largely uninhabited by humans. Exceptions include small population centers on San Cristobal and Santa Cruz islands.
Espanola Island (aka Hood Island). Afternoon excursion on Monday is a hike approximately 1.9 miles. Terrain is challenging, with uneven surfaces and boulders. Again, we saw hundreds of Blue Footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, marine iguanas, sea lions and Sally Lightfoot Crabs. We also saw a Galapagos Hawk and two juvenile Waved Albatross. This was one of my favorite hikes.
Floreana Island. Tuesday morning excursion is a hike approximately one mile, first to a brackish pond in search of Flamingos (we did not see any here) then across an isthmus to a white sand beach. We saw blue herons, a lava gull, more sea lions. We headed back to the Xpedition early to get ready for the deep water snorkel near Champion Island. A 15 minute panga ride was required to get to Champion Island. Only approximately 20 people participated in this event—it was billed as an "advanced" snorkeling activity and I had read that the seas can be very rough here. We did not find that to be the case the day we were there. The water was slightly murky, but we did see lots of fish and a baby sea lion swam with us the whole way. The afternoon excursion is a wet landing and a short walk to the "Baroness Lookout". The Naturalist tells about the intrigue and mystery surrounding the disappearance of the Baroness and her two lovers. In the bay on our return trip to the Xpedition, we saw several sea turtles, a shark, a ray and many more sea lions.
Wednesday morning excursion to Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz Island is an easy walk to two lagoons in search of Flamingos (still none to be seen). We did see other birds and there is a snorkeling opportunity here.
Wednesday afternoon excursion to Bartolome Island is a favorite of many. There is a hike to the top of the volcano (374 feet high, 358 wooden steps). The view from the top is incredible. We boarded the pangas for a cruise around Pinnacle Rock and saw several Galapagos Penguins. Afterwards, we snorkeled in the bay next to Pinnacle Rock. The water was very clear here and we saw lots of fish and interesting volcanic formations. Some saw sea turtles and sharks here.
Thursday, after crossing the equator twice, the morning excursion is at Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos. An easy hike of approximately one mile. On the beach we saw a nesting sea turtle laying eggs. We saw lots of finches, mockingbirds and a young giant tortoise. We snorkeled here. The water was slightly murky. A sea turtle swam with us. On the way back to the Xpedition, we saw turtles mating in the open ocean. The channel between Isabela and Fernandina is the place where one is most likely to see dolphins and whales. We did see several Bryde Whales.
The Thursday afternoon excursion is at Fernandina Island, the youngest and most volcanically active of the islands. The hike is fairly short on dark lava rock. Here we saw marine iguanas, sea lions, Flightless Cormorants, Galapagos Hawks, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, and lots of other birds. In the water we saw sea turtles and rays. The marine iguanas are everywhere, hundreds of them. This was one of my favorite hikes.
Santiago Island. Friday morning hike is easy, approximately 1.4 miles. Half is along the coast. We saw lots of birds including yellow warblers, white egrets, yellow crowned night herons, mockingbirds. Again, there are lots of marine iguanas. Here we saw fur seals, another species of sea lion. We also snorkeled here, not my favorite.
Friday afternoon was back to the north end of Santa Cruz Island and a 1.5 mile easy hike around Dragon Hill. Here we finally saw Flamingos and lots of bird species. We skipped the snorkeling opportunity here.
Saturday morning on the south side of Santa Cruz Island to the port of Puerto Ayora. Short bus ride to the Charles Darwin Research Station, where we saw Giant Tortoises in the captive breeding program. We saw Lonesome George, the last member of the Pinto Island race. Afterward, we walked back through town. This is a shopping opportunity.
After lunch onboard the Xpedition, the Saturday afternoon excursion begins with a 25 minute bus ride starting at Puerto Ayora to the Highlands. The hike is an easy hike, less than a mile. We saw several Giant Tortoises, a Vermillion Flycatcher and other bird species. We went into a cool lava tunnel. I missed seeing the owls, but others did see them. We stopped at a farm where we had a nice break and cup of coffee. While there was a light mist, we did not experience extreme mud, nor did we have a problem with ants.
Post Cruise: Disembarkation from the Xpedition is handled very efficiently. Checked luggage is left outside the cabin before bedtime. There was a considerable wait at the Baltra airport. I believe it is necessary to get passengers off the ship early to get it ready for the next cruise. The airplane bringing the next bunch is the same one you take back to Quito. There is a shopping opportunity at the Baltra Airport. After arrival back in Quito, the transfer to the JW Marriott is again handled very efficiently by Celebrity. In the late afternoon, the schedule includes a bus trip to two shopping venues. Some of our group skipped this. Dinner was a Mexican buffet at the hotel, with a band entertaining us. The meal and the entertainment I would rate as good. Our flight was very early the next morning. The Marriott's breakfast buffet was open at 3:30 AM and we had a light breakfast. Celebrity made sure we arrived at the airport with plenty of time for check-in.
Fitness: I did not consider the excursions physically demanding. However, on several islands, the walking is on un-even surfaces, with fairly large boulders and the footing is tricky It is important to watch where you step and that is difficult because you are at the same time trying to see all the sights and take photos. On our trip, Elsie (86 years old) did every excursion, including the hike to the top of the volcano at Bartolome. This was the most physically demanding excursion, but the Naturalists stop several times for breaks and photos. There are two or three fitness machines on the top deck, but I don't know of any who found the time to use them.
Walking Sticks: Just prior to boarding the panga, you have the option of taking a walking stick that Celebrity provides. I found these very helpful for the following excursions: North Seymour and Espanola. Other excursions where a walking stick might be useful: Fernandina and Santiago. Most of the other excursions are easy walks.
Temperature and Weather: For our week in early November, the weather was mild. Only one day did we experience any rain and it was only a mist for a short time. I believe the temperature was in the 70s and 80s the whole week. Early mornings and evenings can be cool and a light rain jacket is recommended. I wore the jacket on some excursions and was not uncomfortable. The water temperature is cold, but not as cold as I expected. I believe it was in the 60s, maybe 70s at times.
Snorkeling: Celebrity furnishes wet suits—most are half suits with short legs and sleeves. Some have long sleeves. We were able to get the long-sleeve wet suits, and I would recommend asking for a long-sleeve suit. We also had previously purchased "skins". With the skins and the wet suits, we were quite comfortable in the water. It was not as cold as I had expected, but the temperature did vary, depending on the island. If I remember correctly, there were six snorkeling opportunities, and we snorkeled five times during the week. The water was very clear in some places and somewhat murky in others. My favorites were Champion Island (deep water snorkel), Bartolome and Isabela. We swam with sea lions, sea turtles and lots of colorful fish. Some saw sharks. We saw sharks, but not while snorkeling. The sharks do not bother humans.
Naturalists: They are excellent, well educated, helpful and knowledgeable. Our Naturalists were Fredy, Fatima, Veronica, William, Manuel, and Juan Carlos. They are much more than tour guides—they are a wealth of information about anything Galapagos. Our favorite was Fredy. Our cruise director was Jorge, also excellent.
Seasickness: The sea can sometimes be pretty rough. For our trip, it was very rough the first day we boarded the Xpedition and the day before we disembarked. The remainder of the time, the sea was fairly calm. We had put on the Scopolamine patches behind our ears before our flight to Baltra. They helped and we never experienced any seasickness. I took mine off after the third day on the Xpedition. The patch is not without side effects. For me it caused very dry mouth and some disorientation.
Service: Outstanding. The level of service provided by the entire Xpedition staff, as well as the Celebrity staff in Quito, is first class, and beyond any we've experienced on prior packaged trips or cruises.
Food: We found the food on the Xpedition to be the one thing that was less than perfect. The food was mostly good, and there were plenty of choices. However, some of the food was poor to fair. In our experience, the breakfast food was the least appetizing—with scrambled eggs that were runny and dry cereal that was stale. The hamburgers at the Beagle Grill were somewhat bland. All the fish, pasta and steak dishes I ate were good. We did not take advantage of Room Service.
Insect Repellant: I understand insects can be a problem at certain times of the year. For our trip in early November, we did not need insect repellant anywhere.
Down time: This cruise does not offer a lot of down time if you want to participate in all excursions. Dinner is served late, excursions start early and there are at least two excursions per day. This is an active vacation and many are worn out at the end. It is good to get some rest during the day, between excursions. This is a good time to take a nap.
Summary: If you require a casino, three days at sea, shopping at every port and a midnight buffet, this is not the cruise for you. If you don't like a structured itinerary, you may be disappointed. The Xpedition is a small ship, a unique and active adventure. It truly is "all inclusive"—you can put your wallet and credit cards away. Celebrity takes care of everything. It is likely that you will get to know most of your fellow passengers, some very well. Before the week is over, you will have been on excursions with all of them. Much of what you see in the Galapagos cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. And you will see a lot. Many of the postings I read called this "the trip of a lifetime" and I very much concur.
The long running thread called "Xpediton—Anyone Recently Back" on cruisecritic.com is an excellent resource for the Celebrity Xpedition adventure. Thanks to all who have posted there. The information was very helpful. Less
Published 12/01/10
Cabin review: XP401 Premium Ocean View Stateroom
Cabin 401 is in a great location, nearest to center of ship. It is next to Guest Relations and very near the Discovery Lounge. It is the closest cabin to the stairway leading to Darwin's restaurant.Read All Premium Ocean View Stateroom (XP) Reviews >>
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STAGE TUBE: Jane Lynch Honors Cory Monteith at EMMY AWARDS
As Robin Williams and Rob Reiner had done earlier in the night for Jonathan Winters and Jean Stapleton, GLEE's Jane Lynch took to the Emmy's stage to remember her late co-star Cory Monteith. Watch the video below.
Also remembered at the 65th Annual Emmys was James Gandolfini (The Sopranos) and Gary David Goldberg (Family Ties).
Monteith, who was dating his Glee co-star and Broadway vet Lea Michele, starred in the film Monte Carlo, oppositeLeighton Meester, Selena Gomez and Katie Cassidy. His other film credits include FINAL DESTINATION 3, THE INVISIBLE, DECK THE HALLS, and WHISPER. He left rehab in April of 2013, after voluntarily admitting himself to a treatment facility for substance addiction in March of 2013.
His television credits include a lead role on the series "Kaya" and a recurring guest-star role on KYLE XY. He has also made numerous guest appearances on television shows, including SMALLVILLE, SUPERNATURAL, STARGATE, FLASH GORDON, and INTERNS. Additionally, he starred in the 2007 television movie HYBRID.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Monteith moved to Vancouver Island at a very young age. Throughout his life he has held jobs as a Wal-Mart greeter, a school bus driver, a roofer and a cab driver, before pursuing a career in acting.
Click Here to Watch the Video!

subset: commoncrawl


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Have Ford Questions? Ask a Mechanic for Answers ASAP
OKay lets first use some pliers and see if we can grab a hold of the cable and pull it. Do this while a helper smacks the hood with the palms of there hands to aid in the release disconnecting. If this fails then you will need to go through the grill and try and get to the cable to pull it there or cut it there and pull the wire inside the cable there. if this fails then try to go through the grill and remove the bolts from the latch or striker. Sometimes you must sacrfice the grill to gain access especailly if you cant get your hands in. Other than that there is no other less destructive methods.
Define destruction= I have customers come in which took grinders to there hood and cut a hole where the latch is, Ouch.


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On Paranal ESO operates the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) with four 8.2-m Unit Telescopes (UTs). Each UT can work independently, in which case it sends the light beam towards either a Cassegrain or one of two Nasmyth focus stations for facility instruments. In addition, the UTs can work together to form an interferometric array (VLTI): in this case, they send the light beams towards their Coudé focus station, where adaptive optic systems correct the light beams for atmospheric turbulence before forwarding them to an interferometric laboratory to be coherently combined.
ESO also operates four 1.8m Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs) which form the VLT interferometer small array (VISA).
Currently, 14 instruments are operational and offered for science observations. The 15th instrument to be offered to the community as of P98 will be Gravity at the VLTI. Furthermore, ESO also operates two survey telescopes, each with its own instrument: the 4-m infrared VISTA, and the 2.5-m visible VST.


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Soups transform garden produce in the freezer into extravagant lunches from little effort. Companion veggies you love that fit well together, choose favorite spices or herbs, a broth of your choice. Cook until soft and blend. Lunch is ready. Here are two soups: one based on cauliflower, the other on winter squash.
Winter Vegetable Soup
- 2 tab. Olive oil
- 1 leek, chopped
- ½ cup minced ham (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, mashed
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 turnip roots, peeled and chopped
- 1 head cauliflower, any color, chopped
- 1 quart of water or stock, or bouillon cube added to water
- salt and pepper to taste.
- Dollop of cream or sour cream or coconut cream
Slowly cook the leek, ham, garlic, carrots, turnip roots and cauliflower in a large saucepan until all are limp and soft. Blend in a food processor until they are smooth and return all to the soup pan. Add the broth, salt and pepper. Heat. Just before serving, add the cream or sour cream.
This soup can be altered to fit other cuisines. For Indian tastes, add curry and turmeric. For Italian, add grated Parmesan cheese. For a Southwestern touch, add Pepper Jack Cheese and chopped chilies of your choice.
Spicy Winter Squash Soup
- 1 medium butternut or other winter squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 leek, chopped
- ½ cup minced ham (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, mashed
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon of curry powder and turmeric and cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of chutney
- Squeeze of orange juice
- 1 quart of broth, water or water with bouillon cube added
- Dollop of cream or sour cream or coconut cream
Slowly cook the squash, leek, ham and garlic. Blend in a food processor and return to the soup pot. Add the spices and chutney. Taste and adjust as needed. Add the cream just before serving.


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A MAGISTRATE who is used to banging up criminals became a prisoner himself for a day to raise money for a children's charity.
Malcolm Bell from Buckhurst Hill, who sits at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, was bundled onto former naval ship HMS President, moored at Blackfriars, where he had to hit the phones to raise sponsorship for Action for Children before he could be "released."
"The idea was to make £10,000," he said. "Eight of us were captured and we're all high profile people.
"We were incarcerated for two and a half hours on the HMS President, ringing around to get people to sponsor us."
The 65-year-old retired IT company director, who lives in Forest Edge, is deputy chairman of the Essex Family Proceedings Court, which deals with children being placed into care.
"It's not the reason I am supporting Action for Children," he said. "I've been a lifelong supporter, but the two tie up.
"We're working with children who care for their parents and provide them with respite time.
"A lot of these children are bathing their parents, having to make breakfast and when they go to school, they can't relax.
"The idea is they can go and play like children should."
Anyone who wants to sponsor Mr Bell should visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MalcolmBell.


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LECHLADE will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to six games and maintain their lead at the top of the Glos/Wilts Division when they travel to fourth placed Biddestone.
The Manor Ground skipper Captain Joe Breet is fully aware that tomorrow's fixture is a must win game for Biddestone who currently trail the leaders by 49 points.
He said: "I thinks it's fair to say that Biddestone's outside tittle challenge will be over should they lose to us on Saturday.
"We are in touching distance of the title and a win on Saturday will take us closer so we will need to be on our best form this weekend.
"When we played Biddestone last year in the title run in we knew a win would as good as hand us the tittle.
"In that game we allowed Dwaine Perry to dominate us with the bat and score an unbeaten 144 and dent our title push so we will need to make sure we don't allow him to do the same this weekend."
Breet acknowledges Biddestone are far from a one man side.
He added: "In addition to Perry they have Neil Bredenkamp who is also an accomplished batsman who has constantly been in the division's top ten batsmen since his arrival at Biddestone two years ago.
"On the bowling front they have Naeem Khan who has taken nearly 300 league wickets in his time at Biddestone and he bowls at his best on his home ground and is also a potential match winner for them."
Lechlade name an unchanged side for this weekend's game so there is still no return for wicketkeeper Sam Burdock who has now fully recovered from his thumb injury sustained at Tewkesbury two weeks ago.
Breet is confident that his side will have learned from last years' experience and will be at their best this weekend.
"We have a strong side and one that includes 11 potential match winners and that as a team, I am sure will get the job done this year and gain promotion to the Premier Leagues for the first time in our long history," he said.


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KASHIWA, CHIBA PREF. – It would take a Herculean effort for Kashiwa Reysol to match their 2011 achievements over the coming season, but the reigning J. League champions see no reason why they cannot raise the bar and go even higher.
Reysol won their first league title last season just a year after being promoted as second-division champions, and capped a scarcely believable 12 months with a semifinal appearance at the Club World Cup against South American heavyweights Santos in December.
Last season's success has earned Kashiwa a crack at this year's Asian Champions League for the first time, and new signing Daisuke Nasu believes his teammates have what it takes to pull off an unprecedented J. League-ACL double triumph.
"Obviously it won't be easy, but we have players with the potential to do it," said Nasu, who has transferred from Jubilo Iwata, at Kashiwa's season-opening event on Tuesday evening. "The manager is excellent, and the image I had before coming here was of a very solid unit. We definitely have the potential to win both, and I want to play a part in it."
Nasu has been joined in Kashiwa by Brazilian striker Ricardo Lobo, who hit 12 goals last season for second-division Tochigi SC. Brazilians Jorge Wagner and Leandro Domingues were a big factor in Kashiwa's success last season, and Lobo is licking his lips at the thought of linking up with his fellow countrymen.
"Leandro is better than good — he's fantastic," Lobo said of last season's J. League player of the year. "He's a very intelligent player with great passing ability, and not only does he create goals but he scores them too. With him playing behind me, I'm sure I will get plenty of chances."
Lobo is also excited to be working with manager Nelsinho, who was given a predictably raucous welcome when he took the stage to greet fans at Kashiwa Civic Culture Hall on Tuesday.
"He's a very clever strategist," Lobo said of Nelsinho. "He knows exactly when to make his substitutions, and he's very calm under pressure. He gets results, and it will be great to play for him."
Oswaldo Oliveira will be a tough act to follow after leaving Kashima Antlers over the winter, but replacement manager Jorginho's reputation certainly gives him a head start.
The 1994 World Cup-winning Brazilian was revered in Ibaraki during his four years there as a player from 1995 to 1999, and his return has sent spirits soaring after the disappointment of last season's sixth-place finish.
"It makes me very happy to be back here and meet the fans again, and I was given a very touching welcome," said Jorginho, who was assistant to Dunga in charge of the Brazilian national team at the 2010 World Cup. "When we won the title in 1996 and 1998 we had great celebrations with the fans. I remember the love and respect they showed toward us then, and I can feel it again now.
"Antlers are the club with the most titles in Japan, and we have to build on that by always being conscious of it and always aiming for the top. We have to be the main force in this league always — we can't be second or third."
Gamba Osaka also welcomed a blast from the J. League's past, with former national team striker Wagner Lopes returning from his native Brazil to take up a position as head coach.
The 43-year-old, who was granted Japanese citizenship in 1997 and played at the World Cup in France a year later, was originally offered the manager's job at Gamba only for the Japan Football Association to rule him ineligible.
Jose Carlos Serrao will now lead the Osaka club into the new campaign, but Lopes is more than happy to assist his compatriot.
"It is a position of responsibility, and I will do everything I can to support the manager," he said. "The aim is to treat every game with importance, win, and capture the title. We need everyone pulling together to do that, and we are aiming for the championship."
Quoteable: "This is the first time in my career that I've changed clubs, but it hasn't really sunk in yet."
New Vissel Kobe signing Takuya Nozawa adjusts to life away from Kashima Antlers.


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Most seventh graders use their Thanksgiving break as a time to lounge around the house playing video games or cruise the mall, but not Ilah Wiemann - she's busy organizing a community blood drive for the American Red Cross.
Wiemann is a student at the Montessori School of Covington. A large component of a Montessori education, developed by Maria Montessori in 19th century Italy, is community service.
"In middle school we are required to do one service project a year for our birthdays," Wiemann said. She is doing her's a bit early this year as her birthday is not until Feb. 21.
Wiemann chose the project from a list given to her class by her teacher. She said she was the only one to choose a blood drive, probably because it had special meaning for her. She understands the importance of giving blood as one of her cousins had to have several blood transfusions as an infant, and is now a healthy teenager. So, she began to organize.
"The first thing you do is you meet with a representative of the Red Cross and you tell her what you think you would like to do-where you want to host it - and she comes up with a date for you," Wiemann said.
Once a date is selected, the Red Cross prints flyers for the person or organization coordinating the blood drive to distribute. Wiemann has placed flyers all over Covington from shopping centers to fire stations.
She has knocked on the doors of the all the homes in Clark's Grove subdivision collecting names of those who plan to participate. She said she has had the most luck garnering participants at local fire stations.
As a fruit of Wiemann's labor, approximately 20 people have signed up to give blood. If people couldn't be persuaded to participate simply to help out their fellow man, the Red Cross and Wieman have provided some incentive. Everyone who gives blood in the state of Georgia is placed in a raffle to win a $1,000 gas card. Wiemann has also secured gift certificates for Scoops ice cream, Merle Norman cosmetics as well as massages to be raffled off at the event. Snacks also will be provided for those giving blood.
Wiemann said she was surprised at the amount of work that has gone into organizing a blood drive.
"I thought that it would have been a lot easier and more people would have said yes than no," Wiemann said. "I didn't realize I would have to spend my days going around town knocking on doors and asking people to do this."
She said many people who said they couldn't participate due to prior engagements or health conditions, wished her well or allowed her to post a flyer at their business.
She also encouraged those who were unsure whether they could give blood to visit www.redcrossblood.org or call (800) 448-3543.
Wiemann said she is no stranger to community service, having visiting retirement homes and collecting roadside litter in Montessori School projects during her seven years at the school.
"When we're young, we're learning how to be adults," Wiemann said. "Montessori teaches you how to be part of a community."


text:
Select Entry Mode
You can switch between entering text and math.
In the context bar, the current mode is indicated.
From the Edit menu, select Switch to Math Mode or Switch to Text Mode.
In the context bar, the modes indicator switches to the new mode.
Repeat to toggle back to the original mode.
You can also toggle by clicking Text or Math on the indicator or by using the F5 shortcut key.
At a Maple prompt, this menu item allows you to switch between 2-D math and 1-D math (also called Maple Input) modes. In this case, "Text" applies to Maple Input. See also Context Bar for Maple Input.
Note: Set the input display mode from the Display tab of the Options dialog. See Options>Display.
See Also
2-D Math Shortcut Keys and Hints
Context Bar for Maple Input
Worksheet Toolbar
Download Help Document


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You have no items in your shopping cart.
The Winter Collection has arrived at penfield.com. A combination of Penfield Icons, both classic and contemporary, with an injection of modern silhouettes and technical fabrications, the Fall/Winter 2016 Collection blends 40 years of rich history with innovative craft and design.
Click here to view the Men's and Women's Lookbooks.


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I moved to US 6 years back and lived mostly in Nashville. I work as a Software Business Analyst/Project Manager for a Health Insurance Company. I work hard, love my job and play harder on weekends and whenever I get free time.
I'm an outgoing, friendly, easy to talk to. I'm well educated, confident and have goals. I am a constant hobby developer. My current list includes-
Singing (mostly Bollywood songs)
Trying out new food at new restaurants
Sand volleyball
Really curly Hair
Movies: Shawshank Redemption, LOTR, Matrix Trilogy, Inception, BATMAN Series, Pans Labyrinth, Bond series, Tim Burton movies, LOTR, Quentin Tarantino movies etc
Shows: Two and half men, Daily Show, Colbert Report, Family Guy, Chopped, Man V Food, No Reservations, South Park, House, Breaking Bad, Friends, Seinfeld, Louie, Tosh.0 etc
Music: JLo, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Cold Play, Train. Aerosmith, Lynard Skynard, Led Zepplin, The Who, Enrique etc,
Food: Greek, Italian, Thai, Sushi, Mexican
sense of humor
Ice-cold water bottle
Car (keys)
Other Time - Just try to find ways to enjoy life and try to find happiness in small things
You are friendly, cool, outgoing, interested in learning or trying new things or have similar interests.


text:
- Parent Category: News
Prairie Central schedules meetings to discuss closing school
A series of four meetings have been scheduled in the Prairie Central school district that could lead to the closing of one building.
Meadowbrook Elementary School in Forrest would close after the 2015-16 school year under a plan the school board discussed Thursday.
Officials believe the district would save $1 million a year in the move, including cutting a dozen teaching jobs and related administrative and custodial staff.
A decision is expected August 20.
The school board, in March, approved borrowing $4.3 million to cover costs over the next three years.
About a dozen community members and school staff members attended the meeting, but none spoke against the closure. The district is set to host informational meetings on the plan at each of its elementary schools: 7 p.m. June 29 at Meadowbrook, July 6 at Westview, July 20 at Chatsworth and July 27 at Chenoa.


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Valley grad Hill recovers strongly from injury at Ohio
Ohio redshirt junior tight end Troy Hill has recovered from his most frustrating year of college football to produce his most satisfying season.
After undergoing surgery on his left ACL and sitting out the 2011 season, Hill has climbed to new heights.
A 2009 Valley graduate, Hill has a career-high 14 catches for 169 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games for the Bobcats (8-2, 4-2), who compete in the NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference.
However, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Hill won't soon forget those months of rehabilitation and being sidelined for an entire season.
"It was tough," Hill said. "I was playing a lot my freshman year, and I was really looking forward to the (2011) season coming up. We had a new offense, and everybody was excited about that. I fought through it with support from my family, faith in God, coaches and friends."
In 2010, Hill broke into the Ohio lineup and recorded three catches for 24 yards, including a 1-yard reception against Troy in a 48-21 loss in the New Orleans Bowl.
He looked forward to a more productive 2011 campaign, but those plans were scuttled by the ACL injury he suffered in preseason camp.
After Hill rebounded physically and was able to run again, he still faced the mental challenges of a serious injury.
"In the summertime, I started second-guessing myself," Hill said. "I wasn't confident. Eventually, I got comfortable. I wanted to come out and help the team."
In a season-opening 24-14 victory over Penn State, Hill started and made one catch for 5 yards.
For Hill, that game was a major turning point.
"I feel like I was ready," Hill said. "Everybody was comfortable after getting through the Penn State game. I was ready to do my part, no matter if it was receiving or blocking or whatever."
Ohio started 7-0 before losing two of its past three games. The Bobcats have two games left. They visit Ball State (7-3, 4-2) at 8 p.m. Wednesday and Kent State (8-1, 5-0) on Nov. 23.
Ohio still could earn a bowl bid.
"We've incorporated some new things," Hill said. "I try to do what I have to for the team. I have to block, catches passes, be versatile, whatever the scenario is."
Paul Kogut is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 724-224-2696.


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How about some simple ideas for easy breakfasts that are easy to fix and quick on a hot summer day — especially when you'd rather be with your family and friends instead of in the kitchen.
Flaky Ham and Egg Bake
1 8-ounce tube refrigerated crescent rolls
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup cooked ham, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped cheddar cheese
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick vegetable spray. In a single layer, arrange unrolled crescents in pie plate, pressing seams together. Pour eggs over top. Sprinkle with mushrooms, ham and cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Serves 6.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
1 18 1/2-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 3.4-ounce package instant coconut pudding mix
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Stir together dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, oil, sour cream and lemon extract in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients. Stir sugar mixture into cake mix mixture, pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serves 10 to 12.
Breakfast Apple Sandwiches
1 16.3-ounce tube refrigerated jumbo biscuits
1 8-ounce package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
2 apples, cored and sliced into 16 rings
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup butter, melted
Split biscuits. Lay each biscuit half on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of cheese on each biscuit. Top with an apple slice. In a bowl, mix together cinnamon and brown sugar. Spoon some cinnamon sugar on top of each apple slice. Top with a small amount of butter. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Makes 16.
Breakfast Pizza
2 6-ounce tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 pound ground pork sausage, browned and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen shredded potatoes, thawed
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Press crescent rolls into an ungreased pizza pan or a 13-by-9-inch baking pan, sealing all seams. Sprinkle sausage and potatoes over top. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over sausage and potatoes. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 25 minutes or until golden. Serves 10 to 12.
Overnight Caramel Rolls
1 25-ounce package frozen dinner rolls
1 3-ounce package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, melted
Evenly space rolls in two greased 13-by-9-inch baking pans. Sprinkle dry pudding mix and brown sugar over rolls, drizzle with melted butter. Cover with a tea towel, let rise at room temperature over night. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden Makes 20.
A Little Bite of Heaven Breakfast Bake
1/2 cup butter, melted and divided
6 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup biscuit baking mix
1 cup milk
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
8 biscuits
Use one tablespoon of butter to grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine remaining butter with eggs, onion powder, baking mix, milk and cheeses. Pour into pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 40 to 45 minutes or until lightly golden Serve over biscuits. Serves 8.
Quick Quiche Lorraine
1 9-inch pie crust
6 thick slices bacon, halved and crisply cooked
12 slices Swiss cheese halved
4 eggs
2 cups light cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Nutmeg, cayenne pepper and black pepper to taste
Line a 9-inch pie plate with crust. Over lap bacon and cheese slices to cover bottom of crust. In a bowl, combine eggs, cream, flour and seasonings to taste, beat well. Pour over bacon and cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°. Bake for an additional 30 minutes. Serves 6.
Pepperoni Pizza Egg Casserole
4 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
1 cup pepperoni, diced
10 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
Spread cheese in a greased 13-by-9-inch baking pan, sprinkle with pepperoni. In a large bowl, whisk eggs with milk and seasonings. Pour mixture over cheese and pepperoni. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife tip inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serves 12 to 14.
Hearty Sausage Squares
1 pound ground pork sausage
1/2 cup onion chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 cups baking mix
2/3 cup milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 egg yolk, beaten
In a skillet, cook sausage and onion over low heat until sausage is browned; drain. Add cheeses, egg, hot sauce, salt and parsley. Stir until blended and cheeses are melted. In a bowl, stir together baking mix, milk and mayonnaise until dough forms. Spread half the dough in a greased 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Cover with sausage mixture. Spread remaining dough over top. Brush with egg yolk. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes at 400° until golden. Cut into squares. Serves 4 to 6.
Sweet Jam Muffins
2 cups biscuit baking mix
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup jam, any flavor, divided
In a bowl, combine baking mix and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk just until moistened. Mixture will be thick. Spoon one tablespoon batter into each of 9 greased muffin cups. Top each one with one teaspoon jam. Spoon remaining batter equally into muffin cups. Bake at 425° for 12 to 14 minutes or until muffin tops are lightly golden. Cool in tin for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Drizzle with orange glaze (recipe follows). Makes 9.
Orange Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons orange juice
In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients until smooth.
Smoked Sausage Breakfast Burritos
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
14 ounces smoked pork sausage ring, diced
1 tomato, diced
6 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
4 to 6 flour or corn tortillas
Garnish: salsa
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, sauté until tender. Add sausage, stir until browned. Add tomato, cook until heated through. Add eggs, scramble as desired. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap tortillas in a damp tea towel, microwave 30 seconds until heated. To serve, spoon egg mixture into tortillas top with salsa and roll up. Makes 4 to 6.
Rabbit Scones
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 8 1/4-ounce package carrot cake mix
1/3 cup half and half
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup cream cheese frosting, warmed
In a large bowl, cut cream cheese into dry cake mix using a fork or a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in half and half, egg, cinnamon, walnuts and raisins until stiff dough forms. On a floured surface, knead dough 6 times. Divide dough in half, form each half into a ball. Press each dough ball into a circle about 3/4-inch thick and 6 inches in diameter. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place one inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 18 to 22 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden. Move to a wire rack; cool for 10 to 15 minutes. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt frosting. Drizzle over scones. Makes one dozen.
Homemade Granola Bars
2 cups quick cooking oats, uncooked
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Press into a greased 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. Score bars while still warm. Cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes 1 dozen.
Speedy Skillet Breakfast Pie
4 slices bacon
2 cups frozen shredded potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs
In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon. Cook potatoes in drippings until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Place bacon slices across potatoes to create 4 equal portions. Break an egg into each portion. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook just until eggs are set, about 10 minutes. Makes 2 large servings.
• • •
If you have any recipes you would like to share with our other readers, you can send them to me at email@example.com.


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Fanfare for the Common Man
To play the media you will need to update yourFlash plugin.
Concert Band (Score & Parts) - Grade 3
Grade 3 Edition. Composed by Aaron Copland (1900-1990). Arranged by Robert Longfield. Boosey & Hawkes Concert Band. Boosey & Hawkes #M051661978. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48019431).
Item Number: HL.48019431
9x12 inches.
Arguably the most famous fanfare ever written! Now available in a version written with standard wind band instrumentation and playable by most bands. The key has been lowered and technical demands have been modified, however, this superb adaptation still maintains all the power and majesty of the original. Dur: 3:00 (Grade 3).


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The 2012 NDAA authorizes the U.S. military to arrest and indefinitely detain anyone, including American citizens on U.S. soil, without a warrant or due process if the military simply suspects them of supporting terrorism. This is exactly what the U.S government did in 1942 to 120,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were American citizens, and who spent years in prisons without notice of charges, the right to an attorney, or the right to a trial.
The amicus brief filed by the families of Fred Korematsu, Minoru Yasui, and Gordon Hirabayashi describes a terrifying parallel to the incarceration of Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II. Under the pretense of national security, the NDAA essentially repeats the decisions in the discredited World War II cases of Korematsu, Hirabayashi, and Yasui, allowing the government to imprison people without any due process rights for an indefinite time.
These potential infringements on the constitutional rights of citizens and residents doom us to repeat history and subverts what should have been lessons learned from the wartime imprisonment.


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Title: Roanoke
Author: Annerb
Summary: Finding Atlantis at all had been a miracle, but they've answered one mystery only to find a dozen more.
Categorization: Drama, mystery, horror, apocafic, future.
Pairings: None
Rating: Teen
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing for fun!
Author's Notes: For the 'We'll Always Have Pegasus' ficathon on lostcityfound. I claimed the prompt: "life, after all, isn't a fairytale" and then this happened. It's the weirdest thing I have ever written, and probably reinforces why I should never be allowed to really write for these shows. Lol. Special thanks to holdouttrout for the handholding.
Sunlight streams across her face, the colors bent towards amber by the tinted, steepled windows on her left. Atlantis shines, all polished edges and cool sweeping curves. She's captivating--Atlantis, in the sunlight. She'd had almost forgotten.
They've been apart so long.
Above the gentle hum of Atlantis, the voices in the next room reach a heightened pitch, one voice loud over the others. "I don't trust her."
She doesn't need to look to know the blunt voice belongs to Ronon, characteristically heavy with suspicion. He's always searching for that hidden agenda, that deadman's trigger. It's probably why he's still alive in the first place.
"We may not have a choice," Teyla's voice counters, calm and even, softening Ronon's hard edge.
A disgruntled sigh comes next, heavy with responsibility unwillingly taken up. "I really hope you're wrong, Teyla," John says, resigned.
His words quiet the others, the discussion once again soft and indistinct and no longer distinguishable from the hallway she stands in. John's word is the final call today, maybe it always has been. John and Atlantis. Atlantis and John.
The weariness in John's voice is easy to understand. She wishes this wasn't necessary either, such a drastic step, but they have no time to waste, no margin for error. The Wraith are coming. They must-
The floor trembles beneath her feet, steady Atlantis listing firmly to one side. Losing her ground.
"John!" she gasps, trying to move up the hall, towards those familiar voices, but she's sliding backwards, slipping down with Atlantis.
The city shifts, glorious sunlight fading, sucked away as if the stars themselves have all been snuffed. The temperature falls with it. Her breath comes out as a shuddering cloud as she struggles against gravity, Atlantis' slick surfaces offering no purchase.
In the cloying darkness she hears their arrival, hears them draw closer, the building crescendo, clambering towards her. Pale faces glowing through the hissing din.
It's too late. They're too late. She stumbles, connecting hard with a solid wall as she falls. The darkness creeps closer. They don't have a choice.
"John, do it now!"
Somewhere in the distance is the grinding, earsplitting sound of overstressed metal giving way, a yawning cavity opening.
Atlantis screams.
Gasping, Addy heaves up into wakefulness, nearly toppling the fragile frame of her cot as she moves. She slaps her hands to her ears, but above the frantic beat of her heart, she can still hear it, the haunting scream following her into waking, leveling out into a soft moan, the walls themselves keening in the murky green light. She can't catch her breath, she can't breathe in this tomb.
With trembling hands, she reaches for her lantern, knocking a stack of books to the floor in her haste. Leaning further, she reaches again, her fingers wrapping around the reassuring bulk of the lantern. She flips the light on.
The harsh fluorescent light cuts through the stubborn murk clouding the room, reflecting off metal surfaces and revealing five other cots all tidy in their neat rows.
All is quiet.
Addy sits there another long moment, holding her breath as her ears strain to hear any sounds, to sense any movement in the darkness beyond the reach of her light. There's nothing.
She drops back onto her cot, lying with one arm across her eyes as she wills her breathing to slow, her pounding heart to slide back down out of her throat. Just a dream, she tells herself. Just a dream.
"There's no such things as ghosts," she reminds herself in a whisper, but she's still shivering, her voice wavering through chattering teeth. Maybe coming to this city had been a bad idea, as much as she's loath to admit it.
Sitting up again, Addy's registers that all the other cots are empty of inhabitants. "Dammit," she says, shoving her blankets aside and pushing to her feet. She's overslept yet again. She glances at her watch. 8:30. Marshall is going to have a field day.
Reaching for her clothes, she changes quickly, pausing only long enough to twist her hair up into a ponytail, shove a meal bar in her pocket, and grab her pack. Picking up her lantern, she steps out into the hall. It's even darker out here. There are no windows in the corridor to let in even the feeblest light that made it down this far through the seawater.
She breaks into a slow jog, telling herself she's just trying not to be any later than she already is, rather than admit that she still feels like she's being watched, like the shadows here might be something more than simply an absence of light.
Addy lets out a breath of relief when she rounds the next corner to see a pool of light pouring out of the main conference room. The twenty other members of the expedition are already seated inside, listening to the morning updates. She steps into the back of the room, heading for the rear row of seats.
"Finally!" Carrie whispers as Addy slides into the open seat next to her.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" she asks, reaching for Carrie's cup of coffee.
Carrie gives her a look of disbelief, pulling her cup away to safety. "Wake you up? Are you kidding me? A marching band could have danced across your pillow, you were so far gone. I'd swear your brain was in another galaxy."
Addy winces. She's not usually such a sound sleeper. Of course, she's not usually scared of her own shadow either. "Sorry," she murmurs, stifling a yawn as she tries to tune in on what Mark from linguistics is saying. The poor language guys have had nothing to do but these briefing since they first arrived. There's not much of a need for translators when there's simply no words to begin with. A failing of Addy's own unit, this inability to glean any sort of data from the hulking structure.
So far, Atlantis has been very good at keeping her secrets.
"Are you sure you're all right?" Carrie asks, giving her a critical once over. "You look rather…peaked."
If she looks anything like she feels, 'peaked' is probably far too polite of a term. A low, throbbing pain has begun to creep into the base of her skull. Just another fun side effect of the damn dreams. With her luck today, she probably left her painkillers back in the dormitory, too. "It's nothing," she says. "Just weird dreams."
Carrie's getting that gleam in her eye again, like she might reach for her tablet and ask Addy to lie down on a sofa at any moment. "About what?"
"What do you think?" Addy snaps.
"The Five?" Carrie asks, her voice taking on a hushed quality as if speaking of them out loud here is sacrilege. Or might summon ghosts. Addy doesn't find that notion quite as laughable as she once might have.
Carrie's still regarding her, waiting for an answer and Addy just nods. Of course her dreams had been about The Five. They're the reason they're all here in the first place, right? Scientists and researchers and film crew, all here to solve the greatest mystery of the Modern Age. "I don't need a psychologist to tell me I've got a lot on my mind, Carrie."
"Hmph," Carrie says, probably deciding it isn't worth the energy to push the point. "Personally, I'm surprised more people aren't having nightmares. This place is creepy." Her eyes drift toward the hallway, pulling her sweater tighter across her chest as if fighting off a chill. "It's not natural."
Addy lets out a soft huff of amusement. "Is that the clinical term for it these days?"
In front of them, Tom turns in his seat, glaring back at them like they are naughty school children, and they fall silent, Carrie mouthing a silent apology. Addy just rolls her eyes. Physicists. They're so damn touchy.
Pulling out her breakfast bar, Addy nibbles on it, her attention quickly wandering from the briefing to the large multicolored window off to one side. It's a lot like the one in her dream. Only, unlike those brilliant sheets of glass, this window offers no light, only a view of impenetrable, brackish seawater that seems to sap warmth rather than radiate it. The briefing room has been set up with large shop lights in each corner, inundating the room with steady white light, but the insidious murk still seems to push back against the artificial flood, waiting just around the next corner.
God, when exactly did she become this fanciful? Maybe Carrie's right. Clearly she's letting this place get to her.
Besides the slightly greenish cast of whatever sunlight manages to reach them this far underwater, Atlantis herself sits on a slightly uneven oceanic plate. The entire city rests at a slight angle. It's only a few fractions of a degree off level, not enough to seriously impact their work, but just enough to make everything feel a bit off-kilter, like you keep taking a wrong step. Enough to make your pencils slip off horizontal surfaces when you're not paying attention.
Atlantis is just…unsettled. And unsettling.
Staring out into the seawater and remembering that awful scream, Addy can't help but think that something terrible must have happened here.
"Good morning, Doctor. Nice of you to join us."
Addy jumps, her attention snapping back to the meeting. The seats around her are empty now, most people milling around, the briefing apparently having adjourned while she was woolgathering. Dane Marshall, producer and leader of the expedition, is standing above her, his arms crossed over his chest.
Marshall's never particularly liked her. Probably because she isn't here by his choice, but rather by demand of his benefactor. He's not the kind of guy to appreciate being dictated to, not even by the guy who pays the bills. On top of that, she has the gall to be damn good at her job. Not that she's been able to prove it on this ill-fated trip. She's an electrical engineer without electricity. She'd be happy to explain why that is such a problem again if he really needs to hear it.
"How is the survey of the Northwest pier going?" he asks.
"Pretty good," Addy says, keeping her tone even and friendly. "Shouldn't take much longer."
He smiles his charming 'This is how I get my way whenever I want it', handsome guy smile. "Well, we're getting really behind. Would you mind terribly if I moved your team over to the next section?"
Addy's a bit surprised. She had thought he wanted to leave no stone unturned. Shrugging, she says, "Sure, if you think that's best, though there are half a dozen rooms down there we haven't surveyed yet."
"Right," Marshall says, drawing the word out as if pondering the situation. "Is there any way you could finish those up on your own today? I'd really appreciate it."
Ah, and there it is, the patented jellyfish move. Convince people your plan is their own idea, and then back them into a corner so they can't say no. And don't forget to smile while you do it, and look handsome, if at all possible. Well done, Marshall.
Next to her, Carrie's mouth has popped open in protest, but she holds her tongue when Addy not so gently stomps on her foot. She doesn't need anyone else getting on Marshall's bad side for her sake. She suspects he can make them all more miserable than imaginable, if they make this disaster of an expedition any worse than it already is.
"Of course I can," Addy agrees with a wide smile of her own.
Marshall squeezes her shoulder, hyena smile firmly in place. "Thanks for being such a team player, Doctor."
She knows that's supposed to make her feel good and valued, but she just ends up feeling scammed. "You know me," she manages through clenched teeth.
Carrie sends her a disapproving look as Marshall steps away. Addy just shrugs and hooks a thumb over her shoulder. "I'd better get moving."
"Be safe," Carrie says, and the worry on her face is in no way making this situation better.
Addy rolls her eyes, desperately clinging to flippancy. The city is inert, empty. What exactly is she supposed to be safe from? Tripping over her own lantern?
"See you later," Addy says, turning her light back on and slipping out into the hall. Within minutes, she's alone again. Alone in the murk.
"Just you and me, Atlantis," she says to the darkness.
No one answers.
Addy throws her gauge to the ground, listening to the loud clatter of the instrument with petulant satisfaction, barely resisting giving it a kick for good measure. It's not like there's a store around her where she can get it replaced. She settles instead for glaring at the open hatch in front of her.
Blowing out a breath, she forces her temper to cool, sitting back against the offending console. Her complete lack of progress shouldn't be a surprise. She's had two weeks of the same damn thing, after all. Like most people on the expedition, she successfully had the ATA gene therapy over a decade ago, has used Ancient technology successfully in the past. And yet… The clear crystal controls are all in place, in flawless order. Each one is capable of carrying a charge. Each one is in perfect working order.
Only they won't work.
Addy bites back an even more colorful curse. Why won't any of Atlantis' systems work? Sure, she's been missing for thirty years, hiding on this godforsaken uninhabitable planet in the middle of nowhere, but she'd sat untouched for thousands of years before the first Stargate Expedition, only to come back to life with ease for them. Thirty years are not nearly enough to account for the complete breakdown of the technology. Hell, there's hardly even any rust on her hull, lack of shields or no. Though, if the seabed had been even a few hundred feet lower, the pressure might have enacted its own vengeance.
Finding Atlantis has been the pipedream of an entire generation of humans, something like a modern day holy grail that every Dick and Jane with funding and an interstellar ship tries to find. Such a find promised not only the legendary wealth of technology in the city, but also the priceless answer to the decades old question: What happened to Atlantis?
No one had managed to find even the smallest clue, not until this expedition. Finding Atlantis at all had been a miracle, but they'd answered one mystery only to find a dozen more.
Addy's not sure what she really expected to find that first day their submersible breached the lower moon pool. Maybe part of her had been foolish enough to hope for survivors, even after all this time. That bubble had been burst within moments of first walking into Atlantis, into her empty echoing spaces.
It's nothing like the descriptions provided by the survivors, the hundreds of people who had been evacuated from Atlantis to a safe planet before the Wraith arrived. They lived on that planet for three weeks before the Deadalus arrived. And nothing was ever heard again from Atlantis. Or the five people who disappeared with her.
The city obviously wasn't destroyed by the Wraith in the final throes of that messy war as many feared. There are no bodies waiting for them here. Absolutely no visible damage to the city. Nothing that might tell them how Atlantis ended up here or why. The city is simply empty. No logs, no memos, no scrawled final messages. Nothing. Just a Stargate wielded stubbornly shut, unworkable systems, and the quiet bulk of Atlantis lying dead and rusting on the floor of a shallow sea on a planet that can't even support life.
Why? Why is the city here? What happened to the five people that disappeared with her? Always, always why.
It's Addy's job to get technology to speak to her, her specialty, but no matter how much she tries, Atlantis isn't sharing any of her secrets. Not one bit of data. Not the tiniest spark.
The strangest part of it all, if it were possible to distinguish between levels of strange in a place such as this, is the fact that they have managed to get life support functioning. It's running at bare minimum though, just enough to keep them all alive while it bled their energy reserves at an inexplicably rapid pace. It's taking way more energy than it ever should. If Addy didn't know better, she might think someone or something were trying to get them out of here as fast as possible. Which is ridiculous on more levels than she can count.
The bottom line though, is that if one system is working, there's no logical reason for the others to be so stubbornly inactive. Other than life support, they haven't been able to repair or power up a single other system. Not communications, not lighting, not shields, not even the chair. It's almost as if Atlantis herself is working against them.
Addy bites back a laugh. Now she's giving inanimate objects motives and personalities, the ability to independently act. Maybe it's lucky for all of them that they are rapidly running out of fuel. They'll have to abandon this place again in a few days. Marshall may have a hard time finding new funding for this expedition after their complete inability to deliver. She's probably not as sorry about that as she should be.
Her work ethic should be appalled. She doesn't accept failure. But she hasn't really been herself since she first caught sight of this city emerging from the water's shadows.
Fighting another yawn, she gives herself five more minutes to rest, her head dropping back against the console. Just a few minutes, then she will pick up her abandoned tools and stick her head back into that damn open hatch with its uncooperative systems.
She feels it in the control crystals first, a gentle vibration, like a low hum building up slowly under her fingers. Her first thought is that she has actually managed to get something to work, but the controls are still dark. They haven't miraculously reincarnated themselves. They're just…moving. The shuddering motion spreads gradually to the entire room around her, the floor flushing cold under her knees.
Her lantern flickers like a wick in a breeze, and she grabs for it, pulling it tight against her chest like a life vest, willing the little diode to hold steady. It dims, but doesn't go out.
With a soft hiss, the door behind her opens.
Reaching out with her free hand, Addy grabs the first heavy tool she comes in contact with before turning slowly.
A tall form fills the open doorway, features obscured by shadows and distance.
"Hello?" Addy manages, the word little more than a croak.
It steps forward into the ring of light thrown by the struggling lantern, its face coming into high relief. Addy chokes, jerking back against the table behind her, almost dropping the tool as her elbow smacks into the edge.
God, she wants to run, to scream for help, to grab for her radio, but all she can do is stare at it, that thing in the doorway. Long, lanky hair frames a gaunt, sunken face, its skin pallid, almost blue, seeming to peel away in places, like it's in the process of decomposing.
She knows what this is; only it can't be. She's seen pictures. Hell, everyone has.
But the Wraith are extinct. Dead. Gone. All of them.
Addy shrinks back against the console behind her out of some strange impulse to make herself as small as possible. It's not real. It can't be real. The thing just keeps staring at her though, its mouth hanging open but no sound coming out.
Then it moves.
In a flash the Wraith crosses the room, almost seeming to momentarily disappear before instantly blinking back into life right in front of her. Addy's vision begins to black around the edges, fear sucking away her breath, taking with it any ability to move.
The Wraith leans in closer, its putrid breath harsh against her face, a hiss beginning to build in its throat as it lifts its hand to her chest.
"No," Addy gasps.
Around them, a high-pitched shriek fills the room, the Wraith lurching back as if in pain, releasing an agonized moan. Something's wrong with it, its face suddenly even more disfigured, thick black viscous fluid dripping down from open sores. Addy's stomach lurches as the smell envelops her--the sharp, musky scent of decay.
For a moment, it reaches a hand towards her, like it might actually be…asking her for help. Which is almost more ridiculous than seeing a Wraith in the first place.
Pulling together whatever wits she has left, Addy pushes into motion. Shoving past the creature, her hand slaps against it and it feels like icy slush, sucking at her skin. She lets out an indecipherable yell, pushing harder, and breaks into a run the moment she is free of it.
She's out the door, and down the hall and God, there are pounding footsteps behind her, she can hear it catching up to her. She's not going to get away, not in time.
Careening around the next corner, she slams hard into something, biting off a scream as her precious lantern crashes to the floor. She struggles against hands holding her, trying to pull away, and it takes a moment for the familiar words to penetrate her panic.
"Addy? Addy!"
Looking up, she stills as she recognizes a familiar face, tries to match it with a name. "Mark," she says.
"God, Addy," he says, looking alarmed. "Are you all right? What is it?"
"Did you see it?" Addy asks, craning her neck back around towards the now empty hallway. "Tell me you saw it."
"See what?" he asks, his eyes still scanning the hallway. "I didn't see anything."
Addy takes a deep breath, straining to hear any footsteps or any last trace of that terrible sound, but all is quiet. "There was…" She breaks off, not quite able to say the word. The Wraith are extinct. They don't exist anymore. And certainly not here on Atlantis, a city they've been exploring for two long weeks without a single sighting.
She's got to be losing her mind.
"What?" Mark asks again and Addy's beginning to feel a bit foolish now as the adrenaline abandons her, as she stares at the empty hallway and knows that what she saw couldn't have happened. Looking down, she realizes she's still clinging to both of Mark's arms. She lets go of him, leaning back against the nearest wall. The metal is cold, so damn cold.
"Are you okay?" he asks.
"I'm sorry," she says, willing her voice to remain steady. "I let myself get spooked." That has to be the logical explanation, right?
"Are you sure?" Mark asks, looking a little dubious himself.
Addy forces herself to smile. "Yeah. It was just my imagination getting the better of me." The alternative doesn't even bear considering. She had to have imagined it.
Mark shakes his head, beginning to look a bit more relaxed himself. "Hey, I don't blame you. I keep expecting to find bodies every time I open a new door." He shoots her a glance then, as if realizing what he's said and to who. "Uh, are you down here all alone?"
Addy grimaces. "What can I say? I always pull the best duty shifts."
Mark's eyes narrow, and he's looking a bit too canny for his own good now. "Marshall," he guesses, his voice hardening.
Addy shrugs. She finds the best way to deal with Marshall and all his crap is to not let it look like he's getting to her. "It's no secret I'm not his favorite person," she says.
Mark slides her another look, something assessing in his gaze, and she really hopes he's not trying to gauge her sanity. "Does it bother you?" Mark asks.
Addy blinks up at him. "Excuse me?"
"That Marshall's just here for profit and glory," he elaborates.
"Ah." It's not the first time she's been asked that question, and somehow she doubts it will be the last either. "Truthfully? We both know neither the military nor the government had the resources, the money, or the drive to see this through, not anymore. So without private enterprise and corporate greed, we probably never would have found her. That's got to be something, right?"
Mark seems to consider her answer, canting his head to one side as he observes her. "You know, you talk about Atlantis like it's a person."
Addy feels goose bumps rise like a wave up her arms. "Do I?"
"Huh," Addy says, reaching down to retrieve her pack. This is really not something she wants to think about, let alone talk about. "I should probably get back to work."
Mark picks up her lantern before she can get to it. "You know, I have nothing to do for a while. Would you like some company?"
She wants to say no, wants to shake off this ridiculous feeling and finish her work alone. It's the principle of the thing really, but she can also still feel that frigid air, remembers far too clearly that tortured scream.
"I'd really appreciate that, thanks," she finds herself saying.
"No problem," Mark says, falling into step next to her. "Holding your lantern will probably be the most useful I've been this entire trip."
Addy cautiously looks around the next corner, her eyes tracking the outer edge of the lamp light as they move down the hall. "Have no fear, there's time left to discover some important graffiti or a candy wrapper left behind by the Ancients or something."
"Now you're just teasing me," he accuses, the light swinging gently back and forth as he walks. "Not a nice way to treat your lantern schlepper."
Addy lets out a quiet laugh, but the newly born levity doesn't last. She feels the Wraith room before she can see it, goose bumps rising on her arms. She pauses right outside the room and realizes that a large part of her expects it to still be in there. Mark glances at her before lifting the lantern and walking in first.
She counts to five and follows him in.
The room is silent and empty, nothing but her scattered tools, inert machines, and thick metal walls. There is nothing here.
"Can I ask you something?" Addy says, once she trusts her voice not to give too much away.
"Sure," Mark says.
She licks her lip, swallowing hard before she can force the words. "Do you believe in…ghosts?"
Mark is quiet for a moment, and she can't bring herself to look at him. "Not in the traditional sense, I guess," he eventually says. "I don't believe that dead people stay behind to shake chains and haunt the living."
"Yeah," Addy agrees quickly. Of course there's no such thing. She'd been stupid to even ask the question.
"But then again," Mark continues, stepping up next to her and leaning against the counter, "we know so little about the universe, what's out here, how things work… I suppose anything is possible."
She looks up at him then, trying to decide if he really believes that or if he's just trying to appease her. He seems sincere enough, meeting her gaze calmly, and for the tiniest moment she wants to confess all, even though he's a stranger, or maybe because he is.
But then he shifts, the light falling on him differently as his expression changes to one of barely concealed curiosity that she's seen way too many times not to know what it means.
"Do you mind me asking…," he says, stumbling over the words slightly as if nervous, and exuding a sort of charming haplessness that seems designed to make him appear harmless. Suddenly he looks like a completely different person to her. How had she missed it? "What do you think really happened here?"
Addy sits back on her heels and stretches her back. "Is this on the record or off?" she asks, testing her hunch.
She doesn't miss the beat of wry understanding on his face. "That obvious, is it?"
"Let's just say your hapless, bumbling academic act needs work," she says, turning back to her work.
Mark lets out a long sigh. "How about off the record then? I'd really like to hear your theory about this place."
Her theory? She'd go with haunted, if it weren't so illogical. Is it possible though, for an event to be so unspeakably horrible that it leaves an imprint of itself behind? Is that what is going on here? It makes her gut ache, that this place they loved so well could somehow be so corrupted.
"Addy?" Mark prompts.
She reaches into the panel again, her fingers closing around the dark, flat crystal, feeling the hum of life in them, like a whispered message. Maybe ghosts don't exist, but thinking the city is somehow speaking to her, isn't that insanity?
She's not sure she actually wants an answer to that question.
Pulling her hand back out, Addy closes the hatch and starts collecting her tools. "Sorry, Mark," she says. "I don't have a clue what's going on here any more than anyone else."
He doesn't look like he believes her.
She looks up as John enters the cell.
The Wraith are dead, agonized, terrible deaths that she can't even wish upon an enemy as insidious and bloodthirsty as them. She feels sick, light-headed, and the sensation is only growing.
The screaming hasn't stopped.
She thinks maybe it never will. Oh, God. What have they done?
John comes to stand over her where she sits with her back against the wall, feeling the wail of Atlantis against her skin. "I've sent Rodney to pull the ZPMs," he says.
"It won't work," she says, listening to the pitch and moans. Such terrible hunger, and it's only growing in intensity. "It won't ever stop."
John's expression hardens and he drops down on his heels to look her directly in the eye, one hand firm around her arm. "Did you know this would happen?"
"No," she whispers, meeting his gaze squarely. She never could have dreamed something so terrible.
She's not sure he believes her, but it doesn't matter any more how much they trust her or not, it doesn't matter that they can never accept her. All that matters is fixing this, in keeping Atlantis from ever being used in this way ever again. "You know what we have to do, John."
He stares at her a long moment, such a shifting riot of emotions on his face. The he drops her gaze. "No one can ever know," he says, and it's no surprise that he's already right there with her, his mind traveling the same impossible path.
She wants to reach out and touch his hand, to give comfort, but she knows the gesture would be unwelcome.
Above them, the lights shut off, plunging the room into darkness as the power sources are pulled. John clicks on his flashlight, and they stare at each other in the utter silence for one frozen moment. And then Atlantis shudders stubbornly back into life, a howl growing and echoing through the empty halls.
"No one can ever know," she says.
Addy is lying in her cot. The dream fades slowly, leaving her whole and still, yet shaken. There are tears drying on her cheeks, but her heartbeat is slow and steady, her breathing even. Something has woken her, something more than just the dream.
The walls are singing. Low, gentle, keening hum of metal meeting energy, of pressure meeting frame. Mind and body. She can feel it whisper across her skin like a breath.
Addy slips from her bed, soft reverberations in the metal floor under her bare feet. She picks up her lantern, but does not light it. Out in the hall, the sensations increase, pulling her out and to the right, towards the eastern piers.
She is not afraid.
She's not sure how long she walks, letting the city lead her, reaching out to feel the hum of the walls with her fingertips as she goes. Doors move as she approaches, sliding open and shut with the barest sigh of sound, like somehow they've just been waiting for her.
The soft glow of yellow light greets her at the end of the next corridor, a hum of life out of place inside the inert city.
It's a lab. A lab she's been in before. No. Not me, Addy corrects herself, knowing she's never been in this part of the city. It's that other woman she's been in the dreams, that woman has been here before. The strange double layer of experience disorients her until she's seeing it as it is and how it was, and maybe, she thinks, maybe how it will be.
This is where it happened.
And even though she shouldn't be able to, can't possibly be able to know, Addy drops to her knees next to a worktable, her hands sliding flat across the floor, searching. A seam in the floor catches the edge of her finger where a panel sits not quite flush with the others surrounding it. Digging her nails in the crevice, Addy pulls.
The thick metal plate grinds loudly, but acquiesces at her insistence, lifting to reveal a dark cavern of space in the floor. Reaching for her lantern, Addy turns it on, holding it above the hole. A single flat object, something like an old fashioned ledger, rests at the bottom under a heavy layer of dust.
Reaching for it, Addy half expects her hand to pass right through it, but then her fingers press solidly against it, sliding along the soft leather cover. It's real. Picking it up, she pushes back to her feet, laying the ledger on the worktable, pulling the cover open. Inside are creamy pages covered in feminine, but slightly hurried script.
It's a letter, delicate and handwritten and out of place in a world of technological wonders. The pages feel warm in her fingers, as if only moments have passed since it's been written, but there's dust at least a centimeter thick, testament to just how much time stretches between them.
If you are reading this, you have found Atlantis. Against all odds you have found these pages. Who you might be, I cannot even hazard a guess, but you have a decision in front of you, one we found no easier to make than you may.
There is a room in Atlantis, one never meant to be opened. Even the Lanteans, for all their failings, knew better than to risk it, knew better than to unleash such power. In our desperation, our ignorance, we did what the Lanteans would not.
The Wraith were coming to take Atlantis, and Earth too, maybe. There was nothing we could do to stop them.
So we opened the door.
The cost of this salvation? Greater than we knew, more terrible than we ever could have suspected.
I will not say why, cannot even give you how, say only that it is better that no one ever know. Then why leave this record at all, you may ask. I am not here to excuse what we did, nor to ask you to forgive me for what I will do here today. I write because I believe in the power of words, in the ability of these thin pages to tie us to this place always.
What we did, we did to save lives. And what comes after…we will do to save souls. To save hers.
They have all agreed to disappear with Atlantis, to fade into the tribes of Pegasus with our secret. Perhaps some of them could have returned to Earth. Maybe they could have lied, moved on, lived the lives they deserve. But they will not. They will not risk what might happen if this decision is left in other hands, people more familiar with power than wisdom.
And so they, like Atlantis, will be lost. But they will continue.
Teyla has husband and child and a fractured, battered people still looking to her for answers. Perhaps her cause will become theirs now.
Ronon is a man with no home but the people gathered around him. I doubt he ever allowed himself the luxury of calling Atlantis home, so assured of everything's impermanence. Where they go, he will always belong.
John, their leader, a man bound to Pegasus by loss as much as honor. I doubt he will ever quite be convinced that Elizabeth is dead and gone. Not even my own knowledge can convince him. He's tied to this galaxy through her, and Aiden, and Carson, or any other half-finished story with the slightest chance of turning out different.
Of all of us, Rodney has the most to lose. Loved ones who will have to live with never knowing, and, even more, a loss his profession, his life's work. In destroying Atlantis, we are destroying his purpose, one of the cruelest fates of all. But he will find another. He will stand by his team.
Dr. Keller, the last of them, is a stranger to me. I wish I could capture her here, do her justice, but I know her little. I don't even know why she passed up her chance to return to Earth, why she so stubbornly stood by them through the crisis. Maybe she felt she couldn't leave while any under her charge remained. I can't be sure, but it sounds like something Carson would have done.
As for me, Earth was never home to me and never will be. Besides, someone has to stay behind with Atlantis. Someone has to take her down and be her guardian, her companion. A lone sentinel. John would do it. He plans to do it, but it is not his place. I'm afraid I will take this one last thing from him as well.
I don't know who might find this. Part of me hopes that maybe it will never be found at all, that these pages might crumble into dust never to be disturbed by outside air, because I'm too scared to think what Atlantis could mean to this galaxy if she ever falls into the wrong hands, or even into good ones, because even the good ones are easily warped by indecision or fear. It is what we sacrificed everything to prevent.
But at the very least, I wish them to be remembered. I want it known as you walk the halls of Atlantis, as you try to pry out her secrets, how very much they each gave up to prevent this.
They may still be out there, somewhere, just another part of the scenery of this galaxy. You may try to find them. You may decide that they deserve meaner fates for robbing Earth of a precious resource when she needed it most, for stealing Atlantis.
That is not up to me. That is up to you. Maybe, ultimately, it is up to Atlantis herself. Will she wake for you or not?
And what will you hear if she does?
Addy flips the last piece of paper over, looking for more words, but there is nothing. No signature, no sign of who this anonymous author is or how these pages got there in the first place. The words and dreams and sounds and faces tumble together, a whirlwind in her mind.
What do you hear?
She's accomplished what she came here to do. She has her answers. She just doesn't particularly want them. Returning the pages to the folder, closing it gently shut, Addy leans low over the table, her head cradled in her shaking hands.
What do you hear?
The grinding sound of a door being forcibly opened tears through the calm, quiet hum of the room, a swath of bright artificial light cutting across the room, breaking the spell. She blinks against the shift of light and sound around her, the space inert and lifeless once again. Empty.
"There you are!"
Addy starts at the unexpected voice, turning with a jerk, knocking the fragile ledger off the edge of the table where it comes to rest in the shadows of the hollowed out floor at her feet.
Marshall and one of his assistants whose name she can't remember are standing in the open doorway. "We've been looking everywhere for you," Marshall says. "Is you radio turned off?"
"My radio?" Addy says dumbly.
Marshall crosses the room, his eyes narrowed. "What are you doing in this section?"
"I thought--," Addy says. She swallows hard, her mind still struggling to kick back into motion. "I thought there might be something down here."
Marshall looks around the room. "And?" he demands, impatience and eagerness tangled in with his drive, his ego. His edge of desperation that this city refuses to wake for him.
She knows why, now.
She was sent here for answers. Earth wants to know who to blame. But what Addy has learned instead is the taste of Lantian air, the solid feel of the city under her feet, the whispers against her skin. She can feel it now, that indescribable pull at the edge of her mind, the sensation she could never quite put her finger on: Atlantis feels a bit like coming home.
She understands at last.
"Dr. Miller?" Marshall asks. "Have you found something or not?"
"No," Addy says, sliding the grate back into place with her foot, feeling it shift down with a soft hush of air, the city whispering. "There's nothing here."
"It's ready," Rodney says, stepping back from the controls, his face pale and drawn. They've all seen far too much today. "We just have to decide who is going to…," he trails off, gesturing at the interface in front of him.
One of them has to stay. One of them has to make sure Atlantis never wakes.
"Me," John says, and the others say nothing. He has already plead his case, convinced them that it is his right, his place to do the stupidly heroic, to sacrifice. It always has been. She doesn't believe that this time.
"No," she says, stepping up next to him, doing what the others can't. "You're not."
Ronon moves first, hand shifting towards his blaster, but there's not enough time to stop her, not even for him. She lifts her hand to John's forehead and she can see that he understands. John knows he's lost the moment before she touches him.
She takes one selfish moment, a split second to brush up against his mind, leaving one last imprint, one last connection, proof of who she is. Goodbye, John. Then she lets him go, his body falling to the floor.
"I'm sorry," she says to the others, touching the interface, the city already reaching for her, absorbing her, welcoming her.
Maybe, she thinks, maybe this is why she came to be in the first place. A purpose.
She is finally free.
I am her. She is me. Her towers my arms and my feet and her synapses my blood. Her agony is so great, threatens to swallow us both, this abomination we forced her to become.
I'm sorry. So sorry.
But, there… Yes. Something else to cling to, an anchor. Something soothing to muffle the screams. We can still taste them, feel their echoes long after they leave, the warmth emanating from so many little lights, so many brief, mortal flames dependent upon our frame, then-now-again. They never leave us, once they have come. Not completely.
It is enough.
When it is time, we sink down, down, down, the water squeezing us, holding us close, protected, inert. It is she and I and us. Forgotten. Lost.
Atlantis falls quiet.


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NEW ORLEANS — Olivia Grayson never found her shooting touch from the field Thursday night against UTEP.
But if there's two things Grayson can do, it's handle the ball during pressure-filled moments and make free throws.
Grayson, Tulane's senior guard, overcame 1-for-4 shooting from the field heading into the final minutes at Delvin Fieldhouse to score 15 points, including the Green Wave's final eight points of a 56-49 win.
"When I was sitting on the bench, coach (Lisa Stockton) said how we hadn't been hitting free throws," said Grayson, who made 11 of 12 free throws. "I knew when I got to the line I had to focus and be in a rhythm when I was shooting."
Grayson finished 2-for-6 from the field.
Thursday's game marked the first game between the two schools since UTEP defeated Tulane in the 2012 Conference USA championship game, sending the Green Wave to the Women's National Invitation Tournament instead of the Women's NCAA tournament, where it went as the conference champion.
On Thursday, the ball was in Grayson's hands for the final minutes as Tulane tried to hold of UTEP, which had rallied from a deficit as large as 13 early in the second half to come within three with Kelli Willingham's two free throws with 6:55 left.
But that's where Grayson took over ball handling, pacing the Green Wave, which was playing with leading scorers Whitney Bibbins and Danielle Blagg on the bench. Grayson made two free throws with 6:49 left then after a steal by Adesuwa Ebomwonyi, scored on a jump shot, extending the lead to seven.
Every time UTEP countered with a score, it was Grayson to take the challenge of finding a way to score for the Green Wave.
Her effort allowed the Green Wave to improve to 17-4 overall and 6-2 in Conference USA.
Meanwhile, Tulane enjoyed one of its better defensive efforts of the season, holding UTEP forward Kayla Thornton to nine points on 4 for 13 shooting.
"This team is a very high-scoring team, and a very good rebounding team," Stockton said. "To be able to beat them without our two leading scorers and also outrebound them, it's a tremendous effort."
Tulane outrebounded UTEP 49-43.
Tulane guard Jamie Kaplan scored 11 points, including a half-court shot to end the first half, giving Tulane a 32-21 lead. Forward Tiffany Dale added 10.
"Coach (Stockton) is always saying we need to make sure we step up and score those points while they're out," Dale said.
For UTEP, Willingham finished with a game-high 18 points.