DRAFTED FROM GROOM LAKE and a NIDorous CHINESE WHISPER

~ ζ λ μ π γ χ ψ Γ Ξ ζ μ ~

ℷ

"Oh hi there Teal'c. Can I just introduce you to Doctor Emilia Grange, shes an epigraphist, and Professor Eamon Heslop, hes an expert in Mesoamerican.. ..hes an ethnologist, eh yeh. The specialists drafted in from Area 51.. ..here to assist us on.. ..so we can get through this as quick as possible. Yep, given General O'Neill's concerns we need to get through this ASAP so we can present him with our findings."

"Indeed Daniel Jackson, General O'Neill is extremely concerned with everything related to P7X 377. It is a great pleasure to meet you both. Have you had time to inspect any of the samples recovered?"

"No, as yet we haven't had time to go through any samples Mr Teal'c. We've been concentrating on the video footage, that's whats going to give us the overall picture of what we're dealing with. Get the macro.. ..the macro view so to speak."

"Yes, I see Professor Heslop. Daniel Jackson, Colonel Carter is not here?"

"No, she just took a few of the samples down to her lab, well, up. Shes running a few chemical analysis tests, she'll be back in a little while."

"Doctor Grange have we not meet before now?"

"No I don't think so. No I'm quite sure. I'm sure I would have remembered you. No I don't think we have. Perhaps I've got one of those familiar faces."

"Indeed."

"Hey Teal'c, see you've met Doctors Grange and Heslop."

"Yes Colonel Carter. Yes, we have been speaking."

"Good."

"Colonel Carter, your findings? Daniel Jackson tells me you have been in your lab conducting tests on some of the samples found."

"Yeah Teal'c, I'm running a number of consecutive programs. Zvi, Mr, Doctor Equalsee, you've met him haven't you? The Geochemist brought in from Groom Lake. Hes taken the organic matter off to research and hes telling me they'll let us have the results back, the earliest they can do it is tomorrow post meridian, which is cutting it close because I want the Reports ready for the General no later that O fifteen hundred hours. Anyway, em, as for the rock samples, obsidian,"

"Really Sam?"

"Yeah its em, they're just little pieces of obsidian."

"Obsidian, Doctor Carter, was widely, extensively, used throughout ancient Mesoamerican civilisations. Its been used for tools, weapons, its also been used to manufacture icons. It was one of the more favoured materials."

"Well now that is interesting Doctor Heslop. Because the rock is foreign to P7X 377, so it does perhaps indicate that we're on the right track. Daniel believes that the Mayans and the peoples before them, we're sort of kidnapped if you like, rounded up and transported into the pyramid to form work forces."

"At this stage Doctor Carter, taking in to account the evidence of obsidian along with the images of the glyphs that we've seen up to now, I would say that is a very fair assumption."

"The main thing is is that we're building a picture. We're going to have to work hard and fast on this one. We need to publish a Mission Report for General O'Neill's attention.. ..as a matter of urgency."

"Doctor Carter, Doctor Jackson was informing us that you've suspicions about the markings that appear in the shapes of dots and bars. He said you feel that this could well be a numbering system."

"Yes Professor.. ..Doctor Heslop, I've been thinking about that and I am convinced that's just what it is."

"In that case Colonel maybe that's a place where I could begin my studies."

"Well yeah okay then, because if we can come up with numbers from the numbers we might be able to educe names and or addresses."

"StarGate addresses Colonel Carter?"

"That's right Teal'c, that would be a scoop."

"I'll begin on this immediately Colonel."

"Doctor Grange, Doctor Jackson will provide you with the frames you need. Daniel have you got the heating turned up in here? Seems quite hot."

"Erm no.. ..no not that I've noticed. Maybe its just you, you've been dashing about all over the place."

"Yeah could be."

"Eh Doctor Heslop what do you make of this?"

"Whats that Doctor Jackson?"

"The em, these different colour masonry blocks. Seem to be dotted around over the pyramid. Sort of washed out now but you can vaguely see some kind of colouration in them. Does this mean anything?"

"Well not to me, no. But that doesn't necessarily mean to say its irrelevant, its just that I can't see any significance in it."

"Oh. Its just that they've obviously gone to the trouble of painting them. Erm, I thought maybe it meant something."

"Well I've never seen the likes of it in any of the pyramids throughout the ancient Mid Americas."

"Oh eh, none?"

"None, non.. ..I mean a lot of the societies where tremdously artistic but they just didn't really apply it to the temples, pyramids. I suppose they felt the structures themselves were demonstrative enough. No Doctor Jackson, I'm afraid I've never come across this before."

"Oh well em, it was worth a try."

"From the sounds of it Doctor Jackson we need to go through this with a fine tooth comb."

"Thanks Doctor.. ..Professor."

"Your welcome Doctor."

"Colonel Carter do we have a carbon date on the skeletons?"

"No we don't Teal'c, nothing yet but, oh that's coming as well tomorrow, afternoon. We'll be getting near enough all the results back tomorrow afternoon. Have you got any guesses on age?"

"No I have no guesses. We have no clues as yet."

"Okay, well hopeful we'll get the info tomorrow."

"Very good."

"Doctor Grange do you have any preliminary conclusions on the frames you've looked at so far?"

"Not really Colonel, I'd say not. Though you were correct in you approximation. Usage of dot and bar system began around the beginning of the first common millennium. I'm starting to think that perhaps these particular markings are more a show of decoration."

"Have you not noticed that there seems to be a regular pattern formation emerging?"

"I wouldn't attribute to much importance to that. Its common when we're dealing with peoples who had limited access to expression, the written expression. You tend to get an awful lot of regularity in the markings, this phenomena does point to some type of pattern formation but it lacks intelligent meaning."

"Rrright..

..Daniel while you're at it could you run me off a copy of the same set of frames that you've given to Doctor Grange."

"No Colonel that won't be necessary, I'll save you the work, its quite alright, I'll get through this speedily. I'll be able to work through this, so theres no need for repetitiveness, especially since we're all working to deadline."

"Rrright.."

Daniel noticed Sam flinching as Doctor Grange spoke. It seemed the two ladies were not getting off to a good start. Strange though, Sam was usually very welcoming of visiting specialists.

"Yeah Sam I'll run you off a copy."

"Thanks Daniel."

"You're welcome Sam."

"Em, Daniel I'll just pop up to my lab, see if the last series of tests are completed. See if the computers finished analysing the rock sample I fed it. Teal'c do you fancy a walk."

"Yes I do."

The Colonel and Teal'c left Daniel's laboratory and headed to the elevator bay.

~ ζ λ μ π γ χ ψ Γ Ξ ζ μ ~

"What do you think about them Teal'c?"

"I have not been thinking about them Colonel Carter."

"Well do me a favour and think about them now. Give me your opinion."

"Doctor Heslop is very amicable."

"Yeah hes lovely isn't he. Hes a Professor Emeritus. Daniel tells me hes one of the top experts in his field."

"Yes I assumed he would be a top expert. Area 51 seems to employ only the best experts in each field."

"Oh yeah good point, that's true. What do you think of Grange?"

"Um."

"Um? Um good or um bad?"

"Neither. I have seen her before, although she denies ever having met me."

"What you think you've met her before?"

"No I do not. However I am sure I have seen her somewhere in the past.

"Under what circumstances?"

"I do not know Colonel Carter, but I will pay attention and endeavour to recall."

"Yeah, please do, that will be interesting Teal'c. I'd like to know where you've seen her before. Was it in.. ..well just keep thinking on that one."

"I will."

"What do you think about what she said?"

"I do not believe she is correct."

"Ah but Teal'c you did just say she was a top expert in her field."

"Yes, but Colonel Carter, even top experts can make incorrect assumptions."

"Well yeah that's true. Whats she not right about?"

"I believe your conjecture that the circle and line markings are a number system, is correct and I also believe as you do, that in that system is to be found areas of significance."

"Thank you Teal'c, and that is exactly what I think. I'll tell you something, theres a very interesting and possibly menacing P7X 377 picture evolving."

"Indeed there is."

"The General's concerns?"

"I think he most correct to be concerned."

"Yeah so do I.. ..so do I. And the more we find out about Nick's condition, the more that concern is being replaced with a disturbing amount of anxiety. We really need to get on with this Teal'c, get to the bottom of it."

"We do. Daniel Jackson and myself intend to work throughout the night."

"Well I might leave you to that. I'm stuck waiting for the test results, I also need to conference with a few of the SG Team leaders. Yeah I need to see where Doctor Lee is with the Golden Skull as well."

"Perhaps Colonel Carter, Doctor Grange will not discover an intelligent out come from her study of the circles and lines."

"You noticed that too. I've got that covered Teal'c. Daniel's run me off an exact copy of the frames hes given her. I'll examine it myself, work in my lab. She doesn't need to know."

"Yes she may not feel comfortable knowing that her project is being duplicated."

"Well shes not going to find out. Why do you think she was so negative about it?"

"She was extremely negative, though I believe she attempted to shield the negativity, her motive, I am unaware"

"Hey Teal'c what do you think about these samples. Look this is the obsidian."

"They're shinny."

"They are aren't they, glassy looking. Have you seen obsidian before?"

"Yes."

"Oh.. ..I haven't."

"Colonel Carter what is this? Some of the rock has signs of life."

"I noticed that as well, looks like it was green moss, its almost moist, perhaps it was moss but I don't think its alive anymore Teal'c, its more of a powdery residue now."

"Indeed there is little sign of life being able to exist in the P7X 377 pyramid."

"In phase theres no life signs, we need to discover whats in there out of phase. Yeah, okay, the computers nowhere near finished. I suppose we'd better get back down to the twentieth."

"Yes there is much to do."

"You're right about that Teal'c, heaps to do."

~ ψ җ Π Λ Φ π ∑ ≍ ∁ ℑ ~

"Daniel Jackson it does seem very warm in your office today."

"Oh not you as well. First Sam and now you. What is it, working under pressure getting' to you, ha ha."

Daniel was laughing at his own joke. Funny or not Teal'c was scowling, which made Daniel laugh even more.

"It simply appears to be more warm than usual Daniel Jackson."

"Well Teal'c the heatings not on. If you want I can turn one of the fans on. How about you Doctor Heslop are you feeling hot?"

"No actually quite the opposite. We're use to working in a different room temperature. Perhaps it's the stone walls of this place, not use to them."

"Em Doctor Grange are you hot, to hot?"

"No, same as Professor Heslop. I find it fairly cool in here."

"Oh sorry about that."

"Can't be helped."

"Well actually it can if we put the heating on."

"No really Doctor Jackson we'll manage."

"Sorry about this Teal'c and you Sam."

"I will be fine Daniel Jackson. Thank you."

Teal'c peeled off his jacket.

"Okay Daniel I'm going to call it quits here for now, I'll carry on up in my own lab. I'll ring through later and see how you're doing."

"Oh okay then Sam, em yeah okay, if theres anything interesting or urgent I'll give you a bell straight away."

"Okay see you later. Teal'c."

"Colonel Carter."

"Doctor Heslop, Professor, very nice to meet you. And Doctor Grange its also nice to meet you, and I'll be back later to discuss our findings."

"Before you leave Colonel, on my arrival I had a brief meeting with General O'Neill in his office. He did mention the Redderain System may be a possible location of the 'Mayan Giants' home world."

"Really the Redderain galaxy, oh well that's definitely a start. Thank you for that Doctor Grange, I'll get on to that immediately."

"Yes you're welcome Colonel Carter."

~ ψ җ Π Λ Φ π ∑ ≍ ∁ ℑ ~

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© Richard Dean Anderson all rights reserved June 2006