Turning to Hammond, Elizabeth smiled a slightly strained but genuinely excited smile. “I’m going to reserve final judgment until I make that trip, but right now I’d say it feels very exciting” She was still surprised that she had been chosen to head this trip. Not that she doubted in any way her suitability, more that it was such a fantastic opportunity, it still felt a little unreal that it should be hers to enjoy.

Now that she was here however, standing in front of a sea of faces, the faces of those she knew in so many different ways – Files, friends, colleagues, and once they passed through the game, a family, she knew that she had never felt more honoured.

“Could I have everyone's attention please?” – Fifty or so pairs of eyes shifted their attentions to her, and in a heartbeat she knew that she could do this, and so she spoke the words she’d been reciting in every spare moment the past week.

“Alright, here we go. We are about to try to make a connection. We have been unable to predict exactly how much power this is gonna take and we may only get the one chance at this, so if we are able to achieve a stable wormhole, we're not gonna risk shutting the Gate down. We'll send in the M.A.L.P robot probe, check for viability and go. Everything in one shot. Now, every one of you volunteered for this mission and you represent over a dozen countries. You are the world's best and brightest; and in light of the adventure we are about to embark on, you are also the bravest. I hope we all return one day having discovered a whole new realm for humanity to explore, but as all of you know, we may never be able to return home. I'd like to offer you all one last chance to withdraw your participation”

She looked around the room, confident that the selection process that she and others had spent months on meant that there would be little chance of those assembled backing out. However, emotions were something that couldn’t always be predicted, and she thought it only fair to offer a get out clause.

Nodding at the General, Elizabeth walked back down the ramp, and nestled in amongst those gathered at the front, her hand slipped into her pocket, running a thumb over the smooth familiar face of the pocket watch, feeling the seconds tick by as she waited for the dialling sequence to complete in the control room above and behind her.

Carson felt a lump swell in his throat, and he wasn't sure whether it was through pride or abject fear. Probably a mixture of both, but he was leaning more towards the fear side of things, really. Still he had committed to this, to moving to a whole other galaxy, and Carson was nothing if not honourable. He never broke his word. Besides, how could he, as a scientist, pass up the opportunity to explore something completely new?

He couldn't, that's how. No self respecting scientist could, so he wondered why so many hadn't seen it as the chance of a lifetime. Even though Carson was petrified of the thought of gate travel - and hadn't liked it the one time he had been to the Alpha Site - he wouldn't miss going to Atlantis. It felt as though it was his responsibility, having discovered the gene. A sense of pride swelled up through him, pushing the fear to one side as he caught Weir's eye.

Her speech was stirring and emotive, reminding everybody why they were there, why they had been offered a place on the expedition. Most of the expedition members were the first choices of the department heads, and, while there were a handful who were further down the list than some department heads would have liked, including one or two whom Carson himself would rather have left behind, by and large, everybody was happy with the team that had been put together.

Carson blinked hard, before brushing away a couple of stray tears that had threatened to eke down his cheeks. He really shouldn't be getting this emotional, but he couldn't help it. A smile twitched at the corners of his lips, and, as Weir drew to a close, he brought his hands together, beginning a round of applause.

What other way was suitable for starting a whole new life in a whole new galaxy?

The general noise in the Gateroom seemed to die down as Weir stepped up onto the ramp, Caleb smiled slightly at that, he had only met the woman once and she had given him and Claire the go ahead for quarters sharing. Which meant in his book, the Doctor was alright, as she delivered her speech, Caleb couldn't help gripping hold of Claire's hand, not really caring who could see.

This was the moment right here right now, as he watched as the chevrons began to click into place, the excitement building was insurmountable. The last time he had felt like this was when he saw this Stargate start up for the first time, that sense of dread and excitement, mixed in with a little bit of adrenalin nothing could compare to that. Well nothing on Earth that he had found anyway.

But this was the big moment, everything that had happened in the last month lead up to this day and yes he might be pretty much running on fumes to keep him awake - honestly a trip to New Zealand and England in the span of a few days that was some serious jet lag he was having to contend with at the moment - but that didn't matter.

He had a partner at the side of him, that had decided to come with him, he was taking a once in a life time opportunity to go to another galaxy! There was very little he could put into words as to how he was feeling, he felt like he was bouncing on the balls of his feet itching for the wormhole to form and to get going.

It seemed to take forever for that last chevron to lock into place, the whole Gateroom seemingly went deafeningly quiet as they waited with baited breath as to whether or not it would lock into place....

Claire squeezed Caleb's hand, a lump in her throat, as Weir gave her speech. It was stirring stuff, that was for sure, and Claire could feel the tears of emotion prickling behind her eyelids.

She wasn't sure which emotion was going to take precedent, though. She could feel excitement warring with happiness and fighting with the knowledge that she would never see her family again. However, she was moving towards a new life in a new galaxy, with a man she was utterly in love with, and, in that respect, she couldn't imagine anything better.

For a split second - not even that - she considered Weir's offer to back out. Claire made her decision by lacing her fingers tighter with Caleb's and glancing up to give him a beatific smile. This was it. Just a few steps now, and they would be heading towards their new life as a couple, with the other members of the expedition forming their new family. It was terrifying, and exciting, and, almost to her surprise, it was exactly what Claire wanted.

"Kei te aroha au i a koe, e te tau," murmured Claire to Caleb, up on tiptoe to get as close to his ear as possible as the chevrons rotated and locked into place. Not long now, and there would be no turning back.

Rodney looked around the room and noted not one person looked they were going to leave. He knew that he wasn't going to be one to turn away from this opportunity of a lifetime. Maybe even several lifetimes. He could see the trepidation in some of the faces around him, but determination and hope as well. It seemed like Weir's speech bolstered all of them up.

Rodney turned to the Gate and waited with baited breath. He felt a slight twinge in his hand as he tried to remember to loosen his grip on the cart before him. His hand was healed but still had a little tenderness when he held on too tightly to something. Carson had told him it was nothing to worry about, but he worried anyway. Needed to make sure to keep his hands in in prime condition. But the excitement of what they were about to do made him forget that as the hum of electricity moved through the emotionally charged air.

Rodney took a moment to let his mind wander over the possibilites of what they might find on the other side of the Gate. The new civilizations. Fully charaged ZPMs. Maybe even the Ancients; the Gate Builders, themselves! The excitement shivered through him and he tried to keep his mind away from the possibilites of hostile aliens out there. Where Earth couldn't send ships yet. They were working on them but the technology wasn't up there yet. Hopefully the Asgard would start helping out more. But that was a thought for another time. Now was the time to think of Atlantis.

((OOC: Edited for spelling errors and minor innter thought additions))