egyptiansoldier | Searching for Atlantis

Daniel takes a step back and looks over his work. Several dozen padded, hard-shell cases, packed full of supplies. Ammunition, food, clothes, and the like. Things that the Atlantis expedition either can't make themselves, or simply don't have access to, in the Pegasus Galaxy.

There's only one problem.

When the expedition first went through the Gate, they took far more than this with them. But they had Field Remote Expeditionary Devices (FRED, for short), supply robots capable of transporting tons of material without need for a human to carry them. Daniel doesn't have one, and he's not sure how far he's going to have to transport these supplies once he goes through the door.

All dressed up with nowhere to go.

He thinks about it for a while, as he stacks the crates closer together, and finally he makes his decision. Daniel sends a text message via PINpoint to his most recent contact. I don't suppose there are any spells to make things easier to carry?

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Hermione is getting a little tired of living on the run, and in the forest. She understands that some thing are necessary, she was looking for an escape.

So the message on her PINpoint is very welcome.

Sure there are. Depending on what the objects are. Why?

My shopping's done. I could use a hand moving everything, if you're free.

I can get away. Where do I meet you?

Fortunately, he's learned that PINpoints often come with a handy button to send coordinates for your current location, like leaving a callback number on voicemail. He makes sure the landing zone is free of any supplies, so she won't trip on anything or - God forbid - materialize inside of something.

Once Hermione gets the coordinates, she finds a safe place to teleport over. Her clothes are... well have been worn for a few days now. But the do have spells to keep things clean. So at least she doesn't smell bad.

"Hi!"

Daniel's been on his fair share of lengthy field missions where he's had to sleep in his combat gear for days, so he doesn't bat an eye at her looking so rumpled. "Hey there," he says with a smile. "How are you doing?"

"We are managing okay." Hermione responded, which is her way of not wanting to bother him too much.

Daniel has a knowing look on his face, not fooled by her casual demeanor. But he politely doesn't say anything yet, knowing there will be more opportunities later. And maybe, if they do get to Atlantis today, there will be a chance to help her. Whether it's getting her some supplies, some books, or just a nice view to look at and relax.

"It's good to see you again. It's been a while."

"It's good to see you."

"So what do you need help with?"

Daniel waves towards the stack of crates. They're each several feet long and several inches thick, like souped-up briefcases. Trouble is, there is easily a hundred or more. "It'd be kind of hard for me to try to transport this all myself in one trip."

Hermione pulls out her wand, and concentrates on one of the crates in front of her. "Diminuendo."

It shrinks down, to a much smaller size.

"Yes. That should work just fine."

Daniel's eyebrows go up. "How long does that last?"

"I can give you a Engorgement Charm, so you can cancel the spell when you want. Usually these spells last until they are countered."

"And that's something a... Muggle can use?" he asks, recalling her term for non-magic users. "If it's all the same to you, I actually wouldn't mind if you came along. Just in case something reacts badly with the spell."

"I can come with you, as long as you are sure it will okay."

"I won't lie to you, it could be dangerous," he warns her. "If we end up in a reality besides my own, I can't promise anything about the security on the other side. But if I'm right, and we do end up in Atlantis, or at least on my Earth, it should be fine."

She's too young for this... but from what she's told him, it's too late to stop that.

She would be mad if she knew he thought she was too young. Hermione has faced a lot in her life, and thinks of herself as a very capable person.

"I will have my wand. So there is that."

He nods once. "If you want to cast any defensive spells, or take any other precautions, now's the time." Daniel himself is fully kitted out, wearing his battle dress uniform with its accompanying kevlar vest. He wears a Desert Eagle pistol on his thigh, a K-bar knife on his belt, and carries a P90 machine gun slung on a strap across his chest.

"I am already armed with defensive spells."

"Fair enough." He meant more passive defenses, like temporary shields that don't need to be focused on, but if she doesn't have spells like that or doesn't think they're necessary, she's the expert.

"Let's get the rest of these shrunk down, then we'll head out."

Hermione goes through the stack of crates, casting 'Diminuendo' on each one.

Until they are all shrunk down, and ready to be carried to their new destination.

Daniel loads the tiny crates into his pack. "If we'd had access to spells like that years ago, we could've moved a hell of a lot more supplies to the Lost City," he says with an appreciative grin.

"How did you do it last time?"

"Lots and lots of manpower, and robotic assistance. We only had enough power to open the Stargate for a few minutes, and the maximum amount of time a Gate can remain open - outside of special circumstances - is thirty-eight minutes anyway. So we had one shot to move everything we could."