Sibling Rivalry
Oh, for the love of…
The echo of a sigh reverberated through Samantha Carter’s mind. She longed to free it, but past experience had shown that the colonel would either ignore her or become annoyed. Neither event would get him out of her lab.
“So, this thing does what again?” Jack O’Neill asked for the third time. Leaning his elbows on the worktable, he inched a hand towards the alien device dominating the surface.
Instinctively, Sam wrapped her hand around his. “You really shouldn’t touch that, sir,” she advised. Isn’t there an unspoken time limit on drop-in visits? she wanted to say. As happy as she was that he had stopped by, she really wanted to get on with her work.
His fingers spasmed, entwining loosely with hers. Too startled to snatch them from his grasp, Sam watched as his eyes traveled in a deliberate arc from the device, to their conjoined hands, and finally, to her face. The corner of his mouth lifted in a bemused grin.
Her breath stilled, heavy in her chest, as though she was drowning in the dark chocolate pools of his eyes. A raucous ringing got her breathing again, the din eliciting a surprised gasp. Sam shook her hand free, and shoved away from the table, diving for the phone on the wall behind her.
“Carter,” she coughed. “I’ll be right there, Sergeant.” Shooting a glance in the colonel’s direction, she hung up the phone and started towards the door. “That was General Hammond’s aide. The general wants to see me in the briefing room.”
“I’ve got nothing else to do,” O’Neill said. “I’ll come with you.”
Her lips twitched, a grimace disguised as a smile. “Yes, sir.”
On the colonel’s invitation, Sam slipped into the elevator ahead of him. Turning, she fixed her gaze on the glowing red numbers ascending in order as the elevator dropped. This isn’t at all awkward, she tried to convince herself.
The colonel had held her hand. The general’s summons had given her the perfect opportunity to flee, to put space between them and work out what it meant. Damn the man for not giving her that.
Truth be told, he hadn’t given her much of late.
It’s your own fault, you know. How many times has he gone all charming on you and you’ve blown him off with some flippant remark? If he was serious, he’s probably lost interest now and moved on to someone else.
Yet, it wasn’t all that long ago, he admitted he cared about me more than he was supposed to. Okay, it was the only way to prove we weren’t both programmed assassins for the Goa’uld, but still…
And something happened during those time loops, I just know it. He can deny it all he wants, but that look he gave me when Daniel asked if he’d done anything crazy… did we finally give in to this… whatever this is between us?
Sure, he pulled back from me after that fiasco involving the Enkarans, but that was understandable. He nearly killed his best friend—and I provided the means for him to do it. Of course, he’d want to keep his distance for a while. Who’d want to be reminded of something like that?
I know we got close again on P3R-118. I don’t remember much of the false personality Calder had seared into my brain, but there are remnant sensations—body memories, voice imprints—that I can’t shake. While we were confined underground, with only the dim light filtering through that ice encrusted dome, the colonel held me against the cold.
Then, once we got back to Earth, he turned colder than that perpetual winter we’d been trapped in. In the last five months it seems he hasn’t come within ten meters of me unless duty required it.
Which is why that brief contact this morning caught me by surprise. Maybe it’s not too late. I’ve just got to change the game plan a bit. Stop hiding behind smartass replies and let him know how much I appreciate his attention.
The elevator doors opened, and Sam strode from the car behind the colonel. She’d managed to find time to herself after all, even if it was only in her head. Unfortunately, she was no closer to figuring out exactly where she stood with him.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” Sam automatically straightened her spine as General Hammond turned to her, admiration and respect as much as protocol solidifying her posture.
“Major Carter, I—” Hammond’s brow jerked upward. “Colonel O’Neill, I don’t believe you were invited to this meeting.”
“No, sir,” O’Neill quickly acknowledged, “but, I was in Carter’s lab when the call came in, so—”
“The colonel was inquiring into my progress on the backward engineering of the Travian moisture collector.”
O’Neill’s face pinched as though something unpleasant had passed under his nose. “That’s what that thing was?”
“I see.” Hammond’s eyes shifted, one to the other. “Colonel, shouldn’t you be preparing for the inductee orientation instead of disturbing the working members of your team?”
“Orientation’s not until tomorrow, sir. I’ve briefed what, two hundred newbies in the past four years? There’s very little preparation necessary; I’ve got it down to a ‘T.’”
Hammond snorted softly. “I suppose you do. Very well, Colonel, if you’d like to sit in, I have no objection.”
“What’s the meeting about, sir?” Without further prompt, O’Neill pulled out a seat and dropped into it.
Sam slid into the chair next to him. It bucked slightly, and, adjusting her foot to compensate for the shift, she flinched when her knee bumped something solid. Heat rose from her core at the momentary press of the colonel’s leg against hers, but years of discipline snapped her attention back to the general as he began to speak.
“Major Carter, SG-8 has just returned from P8X-708. I spoke with Major Callahan in the gate room and he believes they’ve found a heretofore unknown type of alien technology. This discovery falls squarely under the jurisdiction of the science department. I’d like you to give it high priority. You know the sort of technical information you’ll need to determine who is best qualified to work on this project, so feel free to ask questions during the debrief.” Hammond glanced at O’Neill, his normally composed expression tinting towards amused. “Of course if you have anything to add, Jack, I’d welcome your comments as well.”
“Thank you, sir,” O’Neill replied flatly.
There was an underlying groan in the colonel’s response, and Sam battled to prevent her grin from blossoming fully. The general had caught him in his own game. Having invited himself to the briefing, there was no way for the colonel to gracefully retreat; he’d have to sit through it no matter how much he loathed the subject.
“Yes, sir, thank you,” Sam added brightly, hoping the colonel didn’t mistake her enthusiasm for mockery.
Voices drifted in from the hallway, and Sam twisted in her seat to greet the members of SG-8. Leading his team into the briefing room, Colonel Allen pulled up short. “Jack. Didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Didn’t expect to be here,” O’Neill grumbled.
“Take a seat, gentlemen,” Hammond invited. “Your video is cued. You may begin when ready.”
The members of SG-8 arranged themselves around the table. Seating himself in front of the video cart, Major Callahan plucked up the remote.
“This was a standard recon mission. Upon exiting the wormhole, I performed the usual tests. Environmental scans showed everything was just as the MALP had recorded. Then, when I checked for energy readings…” With a small dramatic flourish, he switched on the equipment. The monitor glowed with soft gray light, the imageless surface like a canvas awaiting the painter’s imagination to bring it to full life. “… I received a faint signal. It led us to a cavern in the side of a ridge approximately three kilometers south… where we found this.”
Sepia flowed through the gray, a wall comprised of reddish brown stone materializing on the screen. The camera skimmed across it, on its way to another subject. A white flash washed out the picture for a second, before it resolved into the image of a large cylindrical tower.
Apparently composed of some highly reflective material—the blaze had occurred when the team’s flashlights scanned the device—the tower was split into four distinct sections, one on top of the other. The topmost section flared out, sitting like a crown on the other, uniformly sized divisions. The whole thing looked like an inverted flashlight.
“The cavern is a few meters above the floor of a grassy plain. It didn’t look as though anyone had been there in quite some time; we had to create our own handholds in the cliff. The entrance is pretty inconspicuous, basically just a break in the rock.”
“You think someone was trying to hide this device?” Hammond queried.
Callahan shrugged. “I suppose it’s possible, sir.”
Sam rested her arms on the table, curiosity drawing her closer to the monitor. “What kind of tests have you run? Do we have any idea what it’s made of?”
“Not naquadah,” Callahan replied. “It didn’t register on any of the equipment I had with me.”
“Is this planet on the Abydos cartouche?”
Callahan glanced at his report. “It is.”
“That’s surprising. If this is Goa’uld technology, it should contain naquadah. I have a more sophisticated scanner. I’ll try again when we get there.”
“When?”
Startled, Sam glanced over her shoulder to the source of the outburst. The colonel pushed himself higher in his seat and Sam surmised that, true to form, he’d slumped in boredom during the techno talk. It seemed they had his attention now, though.
“Sir?” she queried.
“You said ‘when,’ Carter. Let’s not jump the gun, here. You’re not going anywhere until I…” The corner of his mouth lifted in a chagrined grimace and he tipped his head towards the general. “… we sign off on this mission.” He turned a hard gaze on Callahan. “What about the planet? Any signs of life?”
“No, sir. Near as we could tell, the place was completely abandoned. The UAV showed a ruined city about twelve kilometers west of the ‘gate, but there were no signs of inhabitants.”
“That is curious,” Sam said. Excitedly, she turned to Hammond. “Sir, with your permission, I’d like to take a science team back to run some additional tests on this device. I’d also suggest we schedule someone to check out those ruins.”
“You think whoever lived there built this thing?” Hammond asked.
“The best way to determine that is to check it out.”
“Wait a minute.” In serious danger of hijacking the meeting from under his CO, O’Neill quickly turned to the general. “Sir, if I may.
“Go ahead, Colonel.”
“Just because SG-8 found no indication of life does not mean there’s no danger. There might be someone on that planet just waiting for a bunch of science geeks, hopped up on the thrill of discovery and clueless about threat assessment, to wander into their territory. Why don’t you wait until the rest of SG-1 can go with you?”
“Teal’c's still recovering from his encounter with Tarok. He’s not due back from his retreat with Bra’tac until the end of the week. You’ve got troop orientation tomorrow and Daniel’s busy with that translation for SG-16. I’ve got nothing else that requires my immediate attention. I’m a trained combat officer as well as a scientist; I know how to protect my team. We could make it a quick jaunt—get in there, do our survey, and be back before you’ve vetoed your first recruit.”
“A quick jaunt? Like Daniel’s little exploratory missions are quick jaunts?”
Uncharacteristically, she bristled at the comparison. “I do know how to monitor myself, sir. I will bring the team back at the appointed time.”
“That still doesn’t address the issue of safety. I trust your skills implicitly, but even you’d be spreading yourself a bit thin keeping an eye on four civilians, watching out for threats, and studying this technology.”
“Need I remind you, sir, that some of our best scientists are also trained—”
“Major,” Hammond interjected, “Colonel. How about a compromise? Major, you pick two scientists to carry out your survey. I’ll assign the other two members of your team, whose only job will be to monitor the surroundings and warn you of any unforeseen threats.”
“That’s acceptable to me, sir,” Sam readily agreed.
“Colonel?”
O’Neill pursed his lips, clearly considering whether additional argument would yield him a favorable result. Giving in less than graciously, he huffed, “Yeah. Alright,” before slumping back into his seat.
“Good. Major, I’ll get those names to you later today. You’ll ‘gate out at 0900 hours tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
Hammond nodded. “Dismissed.”
Standing as the general began to rise, Sam moved around the table, intent on finding out everything Major Callahan knew about the device. She glanced up as the colonel headed for the exit. Catching his eye, she mouthed thanks. His lips pulled back in what, to anyone else, would appear a conciliatory smile. But Sam knew her CO far better than the casual observer and that tight grin told her he was not happy.
“I promise, sir,” Sam laughed lightly, “I have everything.”
Turning away from her CO as she crossed the threshold of the ‘gate room, Sam eyed the young airman extending a P-90 in her direction. Thankfully, he appeared not to have noticed the oddly coquettish lilt of her response to the colonel’s query regarding the contents of her pack.
It had been no great surprise to find him waiting for her outside the gear up room; every time one of his kids went off-world with another team, Colonel O’Neill provided a personal escort to the ‘gate room. He also habitually grilled said team member with an aim toward ensuring he got them back safely. This morning, though, the colonel’s inquiry had turned decidedly playful.
“Extra socks?” he challenged, his scarred eyebrow waggling expectantly.
Sam’s heart thudded against her breastbone. Is he flirting?
“Would you like to check my pack?” she parried.
“Can I?”
Discomfited by the genuine smile that accompanied his reply, Sam turned away. Her face warmed, and she made a show of donning her cap to mask what was surely a fierce blush. “My team is waiting, sir.” The colonel only half a step behind her, she marched determinedly to the group standing beneath the control room window.
O’Neill greeted the pair of Marines Hammond had chosen for the mission. “Captain Olsen, Sergeant James. Drew the short straws, did you?”
Olsen shared a pained look with his fellow ‘guardian.’ “It’s a dream assignment, sir,” he said.
The pleasant grin Sam flashed was as false as the Captain’s statement. To his credit, though, he had managed to infuse his response with some sincerity.
“Yeah, well, watch yourselves,” O’Neill advised. “Dreams have a bad habit of turning into nightmares.”
“So noted, sir. Don’t worry, we’ve got their backs.”
“Has it occurred to any of you testosterone-ridden military types that it will most likely be the scientists who win this war with the Goa’uld?” Half a foot shorter than both O’Neill and Olsen, Doctor William Tsai tipped his head back and gazed at them over the rounded tip of his nose. “Without us, you’d have no way to determine if this technology is one of those, how do you say it, ‘big and honkin’ space guns’ you overgrown boys are so fond of, or just a specialized silo for grain storage.” Satisfied he’d made his point, Tsai spun on his heel and strutted to the end of the ramp.
James snorted. “I’d judge that one a little light in the loafers.”
Sam glanced at Captain Olsen, who, though he was James’s immediate superior, took a step back, ceding to her status as team leader.
Turning to James, Sam pierced him with a glare. “You have no authority to judge anyone, Sergeant,” she snapped, careful to keep her voice low. “Especially not a civilian.”
Brow drawn in a severe knot, O’Neill moved into the Marine’s personal space, eying him critically. “Do I have cause to pull you from this mission?”
James blanched even while pulling himself to attention. “N-no sir,” he stuttered. Looking to his colleague and finding no support there, he quickly added, “It was an inadvertent slip of the tongue. It won’t happen again, sir. I swear.”
O’Neill slid his considering gaze from the Sergeant to Captain Olsen, then to Sam. She nodded faintly and, though he backed off, apparently content the Sergeant was genuinely contrite, he growled with emphasis, “I had better never hear of anything like that coming out of your mouth again, am I understood?”
It seemed impossible, but James stiffened further. “Yes, sir.”
“Because if I get the slightest whiff that you’ve harassed anyone under this command, I’ll make sure that you’re reassigned to a place so remote there won’t be anyone around to harass. Are we clear?”
“Most definitely clear, sir.”
“Colonel, is everything alright?”
Taking a step back, O’Neill smiled blandly at Hammond, who peered down at them from the control room. “Everything’s fine, sir. Just giving a few last minute instructions.”
Returning his gaze to the Marine, the colonel watched him a moment longer before turning away. He marched off a few paces, and Sam followed.
“Thank you, sir,” she said.
“It’s not that I think you couldn’t handle him, Carter. But, the last thing you need off world is to worry whether you can trust the guy who’s supposed to be watching your back. I just wanted him to know I support your stance on the topic. I don’t think he’ll be giving you or Doctor Tsai any grief.”
“I agree, sir.”
The issue of James’s indiscretion handled, O’Neill grinned mischievously. “So.” He flicked his fingers at the third member of Sam’s survey team, Lieutenant Ellen Van, who stood by the MALP conversing with Tsai. “Went Hammond one better, huh? Chose yourself a scientist who is also a combat trained officer.”
“Military training notwithstanding, Lieutenant Van is one of the brightest minds in the science department.”
“Giving you a run for your money, is she?”
Sam erased all expression from her face. “I don’t know what you mean, sir.” Glancing to the control room window, she nodded to the general. Immediately, the Stargate began its cycle.
“Come on, Carter. You love competition. I’ve even seen you trying to one up Daniel, and he’s one of your closest friends.”
“Chevron One encoded,” the ‘gate technician called.
“There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, sir. And Daniel’s just as likely to challenge my viewpoint as I am to challenge his.”
“Point taken. You’re expecting big things from this little field trip, huh?”
Sam shrugged easily. “You never know,” she said hopefully. “The energy readings are very low, but it was enough to lead SG-8 to that cave in the first place.”
“I know,” O’Neill groaned. “I was at the debrief.”
“Right. Anyway, the placement of the device in a cave with a well camouflaged entrance, together with the fact that the nearest city has been abandoned, makes this too good a mystery to pass up. Plus, it’s not like anything we’ve encountered before. I’m just going to get a good look at it, take a few readings—”
“But, you’re not going to actually touch anything, right?”
Sam beat back a responsive frown. That’s the sort of thing he generally says to Daniel. “Not unless I’m thoroughly convinced it’s safe to do so,” she hedged.
Obviously expecting the response, O’Neill rolled his eyes slightly, his mouth tipped in a knowing slant. “Wish I was going with you,” he said spontaneously.
Sam snorted. “No, you don’t. Though you may yet get the chance to join us off world.”
“I may?”
“Well, you and Daniel. He was just so disappointed to learn that SG-8 hadn’t done a thorough scan of the cave for signs of writing, I promised him I’d keep an eye out.” She shrugged, offering an apologetic grin. “If we find the slightest smudge or impression, I’m to call him in.”
O’Neill sighed, but bobbed his head in understanding. Sam and Daniel were kindred spirits when it came to discovery.
Eager to lighten his mood again, Sam blurted a little too enthusiastically, “What are you going to do with yourself while I’m gone?”
“Oh, you know, the usual. Paperwork. Meetings.” He twitched his eyebrows slyly. “Good thing Daniel will be here to break the monotony.”
Sam jolted, surprised by a sudden frisson of jealousy. When the colonel was bored, he was just as likely to come to her lab as to Daniel’s. For the next few days he’d only have Daniel to bug, and, strange as it seemed, she didn’t like the thought that Daniel would have his undivided attention, distracting as it often was.
You’re being ridiculous, she chided herself. Daniel and the colonel are best friends. Of course they should spend time together.
“Chevron Seven, locked.”
Preoccupied, Sam looked up sharply when the wormhole gushed forth. Her recovery nearly instantaneous, she gestured her team through the ‘gate, tagging on to the end of the procession. She paused at the event horizon and turned back.
The colonel lifted a hand in farewell. “Have a good time,” he called and flashed a grin, his dark eyes shining amiably.
“Yes, sir,” Sam replied by rote. Shaking herself from the spell his easy manner seemed to have cast on her, she spun on her heel and strode through the ‘gate.
Wandering the corridors on Level 18, Jack contemplated James’s ill-advised outburst and his own response. He’d made the right decision in allowing the Marine to accompany the science team. Jack had put the fear of God into the guy. Plus, Carter could handle him. James would behave himself on this assignment. Still, a remark like that couldn’t be ignored, and Jack made a mental note to have a long talk with the sergeant when he came back.
Course of action chosen, he put the incident behind him as he neared Daniel’s office. “Hey,” he automatically hailed as he crossed the threshold.
“Hey,” Daniel returned, his attention never wavering from the book he perused. “Sam get off okay?”
Sauntering up to the work table, Jack picked up a small statue. “Yeah. And I have to say, as much as I hate lending out members of my team, I am glad that, for once, it wasn’t you.”
Lifting his head, Daniel met his gaze evenly, a brief knotting of his forehead the only acknowledgment of Jack’s admission. He shot out a hand, plucking the artifact from Jack’s grasp, and went back to his reading.
“I’m just saying,” Jack continued, completely unfazed by the repossession, “it was different, saying goodbye to Carter. You didn’t mind, right?”
Daniel glanced up again, his open-mouthed regard a sure sign of confusion. “What, that you escorted Sam to the ‘gate room and made sure she had everything? No, Jack. You’re her team leader; you’re supposed to watch out for her welfare.”
Unhappy with the response, Jack frowned, and Daniel sat back, eyeing him speculatively.
“Did you expect me to be jealous?”
“Well,” Jack challenged, “I was attending a beautiful woman while you sat here in your dimly lit office with your nose in a dusty old book—”
“SG-16 needs this research for their next mission.”
Jack shrugged disinterestedly. “Whatever. Carter sure seemed to appreciate my gesture.” He slanted an eyebrow, a roguish grin lifting the side of his mouth.
“What exactly does that mean?”
“I don’t know,” Jack conceded, abandoning the intrigue now that he had Daniel’s full attention. “It was kinda weird, actually. She was acting all… moon-eyed—”
“Moon-eyed?”
“Yeah, you know, all kinda…” Jack flapped his hand, searching for the right word. “Fangirl-ish. Awestruck.”
“By you?”
“What? You don’t think I can strike awe?”
Daniel captured his bottom lip between his teeth, trying unsuccessfully to bite back a grin. “I’m sure you can. What you’re describing just doesn’t fit Sam.”
“I know! That’s why it was weird.”
“Look, I’m certainly not discounting your immense charm here, but maybe your observations were a little skewed by your state of mind.”
Considering the comment, Jack leaned a bit closer, lowering his voice. “You mean because we…”
“Apparently, early morning sex agrees with you,” Daniel concluded with a slightly reproachful smirk.
“I’ve already apologized for waking you.”
A gentle smile curved Daniel’s lips. “Yes, you did. Sorry I brought it up again. But now you’ve got to go or I’ll never finish this report in time for SG-16′s briefing with the General. Besides, isn’t there a room full of eager new inductees awaiting your considerable pearls of wisdom?”
Jack backed away from the table. “Yeah. I should be through by lunch.”
“Come and get me when you’re ready,” Daniel agreed. Pulling his book closer, he reached for a notepad.
Pleased with the reply, yet annoyed that Daniel had immediately delved back into his research, Jack slipped out of the room, leaving his lover to his work.
“Look at these readings,” Lieutenant Van chirped. “There is definitely something out there.” Marching along at Sam’s left, Van thrust out her handheld device, placing it side by side with Sam’s more advanced diagnostic implement to compare the readings.
“I’d say we’re very close,” Sam agreed with a supportive grin. The young redhead was practically vibrating with excitement. Sam well understood the feeling; it had been a few years, but she still remembered the rush engendered by her first glimpse of the Stargate. She searched the barren expanse that surrounded them. “It’s a good thing we have the capability of scanning for energy. You sure couldn’t guess from the surroundings that there’s anything interesting nearby. According to the report, the cavern is in that hillside.” She cocked her head towards a steep ridge approximately one and half kilometers across the grassy flatland stretched out before them.
“My first alien technology,” Van enthused.
On point, Captain Olsen glanced over his shoulder. He cast a quick gaze over the three scientists, acknowledging Sam with a quick grin, before passing a significant look to his counterpart, who brought up the rear.
“Ah, ah,” Tsai scolded, “Remember the rules, Ellie.”
“No running ahead. Go where the major tells me. No touching anything unless requested to do so by a superior officer. Leave without question or complaint when the order is given.”
The recitation was given without the slightest bit of resentment, and Sam nodded approvingly.
Not surprisingly, she thought of Daniel. From the beginning, her teammate had balked at such heavy restriction. His years working with the military hadn’t suppressed that tendency, either; he still tested limits, toeing the figurative line the colonel drew at every opportunity, and more than once, boldly crossing over.
She’d pushed a few boundaries herself, of course, but, lately, it seemed the colonel was more tolerant of Daniel’s little rebellions.
Maybe he’s just tired of fighting, she mused with a sigh.
Or, a voice in her head immediately countered, maybe he’s more inclined to cut Daniel some slack in the field because of a change in their personal relationship?
Sam frowned, instantly recognizing the voice as her more practical side.
You’ve had the feeling he’s moved on to someone else, the voice continued. And Daniel is right there.
Memory transformed the open plain into the enclosed space of an SGC elevator. She stood inside with her father looking into the hallway as a clearly flustered Daniel, struggling with his heavy pack, trailed behind an impatient O’Neill. Once the doors closed the men snarked at each other—not an uncommon event—but then something so unexpected occurred that Sam squirmed with embarrassment. A sly grin pulling at the corners of his mouth, the colonel reached out and pushed Daniel’s glasses further up his nose. The gesture was so intimate that even Daniel was momentarily discomfited.
Unsettled by her role as interloper on their private moment, Sam looked to her father for support. Rather than comfort, Jacob’s patently sympathetic frown had only lent credence to her suspicion.
That’s why you shut him down when he tried to talk to you about it later, the voice accused. Good thing he was called away or you might not have gotten off so easily.
Sam shook off the indictment. There was nothing to talk about. The colonel touched Daniel all the time; it didn’t mean anything beyond the obvious—the colonel was helping a teammate. Daniel’s glasses had slid down his face and his hands were otherwise occupied.
Besides, the colonel had demonstrated his affection for her during the Atoneek armband mission, when he’d refused to leave her trapped behind that force field on Apophis’s new ship. He’d risked death rather than leave her. That had meant something. So much so that their subconscious attempt to cover up the incident had led to them being falsely suspected as zatarcs and held in isolation, under guard. It wasn’t until they finally vocalized their feelings that they were released.
The voice scoffed. He said he cares about you. That’s a rather nebulous phrase, don’t you think? I’m sure the colonel ‘cares’ about Daniel and Teal’c, too.
Oh, shut up, Sam snapped. He was especially pleasant this morning. He obviously had more on his mind than just making sure I got safely through the ‘gate. She determinedly refocused her attention to the mission, effectively cutting off any further internal debate.
Captain Olsen pulled up as they neared the ridge. Squinting into the sun, he scanned the cliff side. “What is it we’re looking for?”
“Chips in the rock,” Doctor Tsai reported. “SG-8 cut handholds and footholds. They should be fairly obvious. The opening to the cavern where they found the alien tech is approximately four meters above.”
Olsen turned left and led the march along the rock face. Ten minutes later, he slowed again and pointed just ahead. Invisible from a distance, a set of crudely cut depressions became more distinguishable the closer they approached. The opening to the cavern showed as nothing more than a gash in the stone.
“Okay. Sergeant James, you keep an eye out down here. I’ll go up first. This planet is supposedly uninhabited, but it never hurts to be cautious. I’ll stay up there while Major Carter conducts her tests.”
James glanced up to the cave’s opening. “Yes, sir. Regular radio contact?”
Olsen turned to Carter. “Do we know how far back this device is?”
“SG-8 reported it’s in a chamber approximately fifteen meters from the entrance.”
“I’ll report when we reach the cavern,” Olsen determined. “Once an hour check-ins after that ought to do.” Returning James’s curt nod, Olsen clipped his weapon to his vest and moved to the base of the crag. Choosing efficiency over grace, he quickly clambered upward and disappeared into the rock. A moment later, he poked his upper body through the gap and waved the scientists on. “You’ll have to pass your packs to me,” he advised. “You’ll never get through the opening otherwise.”
Lieutenant Van turned to Sam, entreaty spilling from her excitement-enlarged eyes.
“Go ahead, Lieutenant,” Sam relented. “But wait at the cave entrance until Doctor Tsai and I get up there.”
“Understood, Major.” Securing her weapon and her scanner, Van easily scaled the cliff. She paused at the entrance, anchored herself with her right hand and unclipped her pack with her left. She waited just long enough for Captain Olsen to take it from her and step back before swinging into the opening.
Sending Doctor Tsai after her, Sam brought up the rear. Lieutenant Van was already monitoring her diagnostic device when Sam slid into the small cave that served as a sort of reception room to the main cavern. Only slightly larger than necessary to accommodate the four of them, the cave featured oddly smooth, dark walls.
Sam pulled out her flashlight. A quick scan revealed a tunnel to their left.
“We’re definitely on the right track, Major,” Van reported.
“We’re good to go?” Olsen asked.
“We’re good to go,” Sam confirmed.
Olsen waved an ‘all okay’ to Sergeant James and, weapon at the ready, led the way down the tunnel. Sam motioned the others ahead, moving in to cover their six.
The passage started out narrow, wide enough to allow only one person at a time to pass. Within half a dozen meters it widened significantly, and Doctor Tsai quickly moved into position beside Lieutenant Van.
True to her word, Sam scanned the walls as they went, looking for any sign of writing. Leaving no corner unexplored, she cast the light above, the beam glinting off minute reflective particles in the rock. The circular glow illuminated the entire width of the low ceiling, but revealed no text or significant markings.
“There it is,” Doctor Tsai muttered suddenly, his hushed announcement almost reverent.
Automatically redirecting her light, Sam found her forward view blocked. She canted her head, peering between the two scientists, and just made out an opening in the right side of the tunnel wall, less than two meters distant.
Captain Olsen covered the span in a few hurried steps, Tsai and Van right on his heels. Sending his dubious gaze back and forth between the team members and the fissure in the rock, he queried, “Your tower is in there? I thought you said it was in a room?”
Sam smiled. “What were you expecting, ornate double doors with brass handles?”
“Well, an entrance wide enough to walk through naturally would have been nice,” Olsen returned bemusedly. He shined his flashlight into the narrow gap. “You’re sure this opens into a larger space?”
“SG-8 was able to get in and out without difficulty,” Lieutenant Van pointed out.
“She’s right,” Sam seconded. “You might not be able to see it from this side, but according to SG-8′s report there is a fairly sizeable cavern just through that crevice.”
“Yeah, alright,” Olsen sighed. He frowned at the opening. “Let me go first. I’ll holler when I’m through the other side.”
Skirting the others, Sam moved to the front and held her flashlight on the wall, illuminating the area for him. Olsen sidled into the gap and shined his light down the narrow passage. “It actually doesn’t look too deep,” he reported. Weapon leading the way, he moved slowly forward.
Van and Tsai shuffled closer. Intimately familiar with the eagerness that had propelled them, Sam grinned. She glanced at her watch just as Olsen called out.
“Well, I’ll be damned. SG-8 was right. There is a cavern here.” After another few minutes, he directed, “Okay, Major, send them through.”
“Doctor?” Sam invited.
Tsai hefted his backpack, carrying it awkwardly in front of him, and slid into the opening. He’d no sooner disappeared from view than Lieutenant Van stepped up.
Sam nodded. “Go ahead. I’m right behind you.”
Sweeping her flashlight around the tunnel one last time, Sam followed. The chamber, illuminated by Captain Olsen’s lamp, was clearly visible at the other end of the passage, if partially obscured by those who preceded her. Taking a quick look at the walls, Sam determined it was a natural formation. Straight and narrow, it cut through the cave wall at a slight angle for a distance of three meters.
“Oh my god,” Lieutenant Van breathed.
Hurrying through the last meter, Sam glanced into the chamber. Longer than it was wide, the roughly oval shaped space was approximately the size of the SGC briefing room. Dimpled walls soared upward nearly six meters, the ceiling dotted here and there with small stalactite-like protrusions. Sniffing discreetly, Sam wrinkled her nose at the musty air.
“It’s humid in here,” Tsai observed as Sam moved in behind him.
“Yeah,” Olsen grunted, “and just a bit too warm for my taste.” He shot a finger at the wall, indicating darker patches in the stone. “Did you know about the mold?”
“It was in SG-8′s report,” Sam replied. “They took samples back to the SGC. Preliminary tests didn’t reveal anything remarkable about it.”
“Bet they didn’t test for odor. God, what a stink!”
“Not likely, no,” Sam muttered distractedly. She aimed her beam at the knots on the ceiling. “There’s obviously a source of moisture somewhere. On Earth, features like that are generally caused by calcium deposits from dripping water.”
“Cracks in the surface allowing rain through?” Lieutenant Van theorized.
“That’s a plausible explanation,” Tsai agreed.
“Does it make a difference?” Olsen asked. “I thought you guys were here to check out that tower, not the rock formations.”
Tsai tsked. “The tower doesn’t exist in a bubble,” he replied, taking on the air of a high school science whiz enlightening a dense peer. “The environment has to be part of our survey.”
Looking slightly put out by the civilian’s patronizing tone, Olsen moved back to the crevice. “The cavern is secure. This is the only way in or out. I’ll leave you to your survey and go check in with Sergeant James.”
Flashing a genuinely appreciative smile, Sam nodded. “Thanks, Captain.”
She turned her attention to the far end of the chamber. Set up close to the wall, the alien tech shone softly, its metallic surface sending back their lights in muted reflection. She’d noted the tower on her initial examination, of course. It had taken a great deal of will power to keep her excitement to herself, but, with Lieutenant Van having so recently quoted the unofficial rules, Sam couldn’t very well break ranks and run to explore, no matter how great the temptation.
She sighed internally. If she’d come with her own team, such self restraint would not have been necessary. Once she got the okay to proceed, she would have made a bee line for the technology, the colonel’s teasing, “Carter, is it really a good idea to pant all over that thing?” sounding behind her.
His voice in her head engendered a small smile. As much as she protested such comments, Sam had to admit she enjoyed the fact that he paid such close attention.
“Major?”
Sam blinked, smiling vaguely into the concerned visage of Doctor Tsai. Damn it, Samantha, keep your mind on the job. She turned to Van. “Lieutenant, what sort of readings are you getting?”
“No change,” Van reported. “Steady output. No energy spikes.”
“Good. Based on SG-8′s report, there’s no reason to believe the technology is dangerous, but I recommend caution just the same.” Sam pulled out her zat and cocked it, ready to fire. Spread out,” she ordered. “Let’s move towards it slowly. Keep an eye out for anything that may indicate a defense system, shields or weapons.”
The lieutenant and the doctor each sidestepped away from her a few meters. “Lieutenant, monitor the energy output. Let me know the second anything changes.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Signaling the advance, Sam placed her feet deliberately, plodding steps moving her forward. She scrutinized the technology as she approached. Just under two meters in height, its circumference approximated that of a rain barrel.
A low whistle pierced the air as they neared the object. Pulling up short, Sam cocked her head at the source.
“Sorry,” Doctor Tsai muttered. “Someone needs to give SG-8 cinematography lessons. Their video did not do the technology justice.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Sam agreed. “Still, we don’t know how sound might affect it, so let’s keep the whistling to a minimum. Lieutenant?”
“No change, Major.”
“Okay.” Sam handed over her diagnostic device. “Go ahead and give the tower a thorough scan. Don’t touch anything, though, and continue watching those energy readings. Doctor, do you want to get some better photos?”
Tsai plunged a hand into his pack, coming up with his digital camera. “Absolutely.”
“I’m going to do a quick survey of the walls. I promised Daniel—Doctor Jackson—I’d check for writing.”
“It’s too bad he couldn’t come with us,” Tsai said.
“He’s got a deadline on a translation. Without evidence that there’s something here for him to study, he couldn’t justify the trip.”
“Well, we’re pleased you were able to make it, Major.”
“Me, too.” Leaving them to their tasks, Sam deactivated her zat and turned to the wall. Beginning at the back of the device, she skimmed her flashlight across the stone from ceiling to floor. Noting intermittent dark stains, which closer inspection revealed to be the mold Captain Olsen had pointed out to them, she took another sample as part of their environmental survey.
Sidestepping a few paces to the left, she repeated the sweep with her light and, pushing to her toes, ran her fingers over a small indentation in the rock. She sighed. It was nothing more than a natural depression. Moving again to her left, she continued her survey in the same manner, stopping here and there to investigate any potential markings, until she’d made a full circuit of the room. Promise to Daniel fulfilled, she turned back to the tower.
“Find anything for Doctor Jackson to drool over?” Tsai queried as she approached.
“No. There’s no writing of any kind that I could find.”
Tsai pushed out his lips. The gesture struck her as odd, and Sam found herself wondering if the pout signaled his disappointment that Daniel would probably not be joining them.
So, our archaeologist has charmed him, too. It would be nice to see Daniel with someone. Sha’re’s been gone more than a year. Maybe someone like Tsai is just what he’s looking for. God knows none of the women on base have had any luck getting his attention.
Not that anyone’s getting much of a chance at him since he’s spending so much time with the colonel.
Frowning, Sam cut off her musings and refocused on the task at hand. “What can you tell me about the device?”
“I’ve been looking closely at this shell,” Tsai reported. “I think the lack of luster is due to its age. There are a few spots where the material reflects the light like a mirror. Beneath all the layers of dust and corrosion of who knows how many years, I’d bet this thing shines like the Hope Diamond.”
“Lieutenant, what about its composition?”
“The outer hull is mainly a mixture of trinium and carbon.”
“No naquadah?”
“No, ma’am.”
“But there’s a Stargate,” Tsai commented. “Wouldn’t that make this Goa’uld technology?”
“Not necessarily,” Sam corrected. “Generally, though, where there’s a Stargate, any accompanying technology is naquadah-based.”
“There’s something else, Major,” Van reported. “Some element my diagnostic instrument isn’t recognizing.”
“Isn’t recognizing?” Sam echoed. “You’ve scanned using every setting?”
“Yes, ma’am. Including the one we recently downloaded from the Asgard.”
“So, there’s something here even the Asgard haven’t encountered,” Sam posited.
Stooping, Doctor Tsai set his camera down. He reached into his pack and extracted a small plastic jar. “It might take a while to whittle away some of this sediment, but we really should try and get a sample of the metal.”
“Wait a minute. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Sam suggested. “I’d like to observe it a while longer before we consider scraping at it.”
“Ellie’s been continuously monitoring the energy output,” Tsai protested. “There’s been no change.”
Lieutenant Van tipped the screen of her diagnostic apparatus in Sam’s direction. “It’s true, Major. This reading has remained constant since we got here.”
Making note of the information displayed on the monitor, Sam strode in a tight circle around the tower. “Have you seen anything that looks like writing? I’d hate set off a trap only to have Daniel tell us later ‘Warning: This is a Trap’ was emblazoned on the side.”
“Wouldn’t Colonel O’Neill love that?” Tsai chuckled softly. “There’s no visible writing, but so little of the device itself is exposed. War and Peace could be etched into the side and we’d never know it.”
Sam pressed her lips together. “You have a point,” she reluctantly acknowledged. Checking the monitor again, she made another slow circuit around the alien device. This was the part of the job she found most challenging—attempting to reconcile her desire to investigate the unknown with her duty to protect her team and herself.
Carefully scrutinizing the tower while she considered all the evidence at her disposal, Sam proposed, “All indications are the device is harmless. There are no lights or obvious switches. It’s not emitting any kind of sound, and the only discernable energy signature is low level.”
“It’s just a big tube,” Tsai remarked. “Even this little fanning on top doesn’t add anything to its appeal.”
In spite of herself, Sam grinned at the comment. “It’s most interesting property does seem to be the mystery element.”
“And, unless we plan to blow a hole in the wall and take it with us, the only way we’ll solve that mystery is by taking a scraping,” Tsai concluded.
“Right,” Sam sighed. She unfurled her zat again. “Work carefully, Doctor. Lieutenant, keep your eyes glued to that monitor.”
“Yes, ma’am”
Tsai delved into his pack again, coming back with a scalpel. He stood slowly, and locked eyes with Sam.
Zat trained on the alien device, Sam nodded him forward.
Perusing the portion of the device that faced him, Tsai chose a spot at eye level. He tucked his specimen jar in a pocket on his tac vest and meticulously scratched off the debris of the ages. Slowly, he unveiled a three by five inch square of highly polished material.
“You were right about the reflectivity,” Sam said. “It is sort of like looking at a large diamond in full daylight.”
“Well, I know my gemstones,” Tsai said, clearly pleased with himself. He fished the jar from his pocket. “Now, let’s see if it’s as hard as a diamond.”
Placing the jar against the device, just under his scalpel, Tsai delicately chipped at the metal. After a moment, he gazed into the container and scowled. “We may have to take it back with us after all,” he said. “We’re sure not going to get a sample this way.”
Van briefly glanced up from her readings. “Do you think scraping harder might help?”
“I suppose I could—ah!”
As one, the teammates leapt backward as the flared section of the device fell slowly open like the petals of a rose in the morning sun.
“Lieutenant?” Sam inquired sharply, instinctively extending the zat.
“There’s no change in the energy level, Major,” Van replied. “The device is maintaining the same low level output.
“Maybe the panels were just shaken loose,” Tsai surmised. “Though, I wasn’t rubbing that hard, and I don’t think I moved it at all.” He shuffled a little closer to the device.
“Careful, Doctor,” Sam instructed.
Lieutenant Van made an adjustment to her diagnostic tool. “Major, I’m reading the presence of naquadah.”
“Could be the power source?” Tsai put forth. “Maybe this material was shielding it before.” He craned his neck and peered over the now-drooping panels. “Will you look at that? Guess we’ll be seeing Doctor Jackson after all.” Turning to the women, he smiled broadly. “There’s writing in here.”
Sam took a cautious step towards the device and briefly scrutinized the script. “I recognize some of those characters as Greek letters, but you’re right, we’ll need Daniel’s help with this.”
“I’m sure he won’t mind,” Tsai returned. “He’s been at Colonel O’Neill’s tender mercies for a few hours now.”
“The colonel will likely come with him,” Van pointed out.
“True,” Tsai conceded. “But, at least here he’ll have something to concentrate on other than relieving his boredom at Doctor Jackson’s expense. It’ll be his job to guard Daniel’s… assets.”
Sam coughed. “That’s enough, Doctor. This is hardly appropriate—”
“Major! These readings are spiking!”
“What?” Sam sidestepped and passed her gaze over the diagnostic tool. A quick glance was all it took to confirm the evidence of increased energy output. She turned back to the tower. “All right, let’s—”
A forceful blow to her breastbone cut off the order. Before she had time to register the attack, agony blossomed in her neck, screaming quickly through her. Sam blinked, and as her consciousness bled away, she stared, unbelieving, at the three small doors now visible in the side of the alien device.
