LOCK YOUR DOORS, WINDOWS, AND SMASH YOUR TETRAGONAL GLASS
~ Γ ∞ γ Җ
χ Δ Σ ∰ ⋯
⋱ ~
ℷ
"Sergeant, I'm knocking off now, the minute, send a message
down to the Control Room, the minute they hear from General Carter
I want to be notified, doesn't matter what time it is, just notify
me."
~
Γ ∞ γ Җ χ Δ Σ
∰ ⋯ ⋱ ~
Three hours later on Level twenty-five there was a knock on the
door to General O'Neill's private quarters.
"Sir?"
"Just a minute, hold on."
"Sir sorry to wake you."
"Its alright Airman. Have we heard from General Carter?"
"Sir hes requesting access to the Base."
"Well let him through, whats the hold up?"
"General didn't you want to be notified when he got in touch?"
"I did but not so I could okay it, I wanted to em, never mind,
just run ahead and err, let him in."
~
Γ ∞ γ Җ χ Δ Σ
∰ ⋯ ⋱ ~
"Carter, Carter."
General O'Neill had gone over to Colonel Carter's quarters and
after getting no response to his knocking was now gently pulling
on her bare foot.
"Carter, are you awake?"
"Now I am Sir. Hi."
"Yeah sorry about that. Your pops here. Thought you might
want to.."
"Oh yeah, thanks, definitely, em, okay. Sir Daniel and Teal'c?"
"Well believe it or not Carter they're still down in Daniel's
office. Something about Hadad and something else about coloured
stones. Carter whats going on with that, colour slabs?"
"Sir hes convinced, well you already know hes really convinced
theres something to these colour stones dotted around the pyramid."
"Yeah but.. ..never mind. Okay see you downstairs. If you're
wondering, hes coming through now, so, when you're ready."
"Okay Sir thanks the lot, won't be long."
~
Γ ∞ γ Җ χ Δ Σ
∰ ⋯ ⋱ ~
"Jacob, lordy lord, ha ha. Nice threads. Very good of you
to return Sir."
"Well General we've got a lot to talk about."
"I tell you Jacob, one look at the friends you've been keeping
and I guessed as much. Oh by the way sorry about the delay in you
coming through just then. Apparently when I asked to be notified
of your arrival, they understood that to mean I wanted to be notified
when you actually rang. They were waiting for me to verify access."
"Its alright Jack. I did wonder though."
"Sam's on her way and Daniel and Teal'c are probably in the
Conference Room already so lets go upstairs. Jacob, are you hungry?"
"Jack I'm starving."
"Right I'll have some nosh brought up, down.
Err Jacob, I'm curious, do you, he, you two, both.. ..do you have
naquadah in his blood, your blood?"
"Naquadah?"
"Will you get back to me on that?"
"Ha, Jack, whats that? Whats this all about?"
"Can I let you know later? Jacob get back to me on that, please."
"Ha ha Jack, okay, sure thing. Sure thing General."
"I mean both of you by the way."
"I know what you mean, I'll do it."
"Thanks Jacob, I'll let you know."
"I know you will Jack."
"Sam's on her way down to see you."
"Hows she doing?"
"She works very hard. As a Colonel shes outstanding."
"But?"
"No but Jacob. Though after this Nebulium carry on a leisurely
holiday for her wouldn't go amiss."
"I'll look into that, I know shes got downtime due."
"Nice one."
~
Γ ∞ γ Җ χ Δ Σ
∰ ⋯ ⋱ ~
"Hi Jacob."
"Daniel, Teal'c."
"General Carter it is good to see you again."
"Hi Sam, you're looking well."
"Hi dad. Can't say it was a nice experience seeing you earlier
on. Are you actually safe with that lot?"
"I wouldn't say anyones safe with them Sam. They're the worst
of the underworld. Teal'c knows who they are. Teal'c?"
"Yes indeed General Carter. From the names mentioned they
are the ugly of the underworld. The kresh'taa pesdjet, g_ds of the
underworld."
"Is there any chance they could do what Goa'uld do, you know,
turn on you?"
"Well Jack theres always a chance of that. Selmak believes
they solicit me for my contacts amongst the other minor Goa'uld."
"Ah, what sort of looking to get support from other factions?"
"It seems they're trying to find a way to get themselves back
to system lord status."
"What so you're saying your pals used to be system lords?"
"Used to. Very long time ago though. Em, yeah its got to be
at least five thousand years ago, at least."
"Where've they been until now?"
"Outcasts. They were ostracised. They've been in the underworld.
That may well mean they've been spreading terror in other regions,
not in our system. Not in our galactic system. The underworld has
many levels, not all necessarily underground."
"And they're called what..?"
"O'Neill?"
"The err, come on guys help me out."
"Nebulium O'Neill?"
"Minor Goa'uld Sir?
"No, well sort of yeah, T ke, keg, keglu sholva?"
"Kresh'taa! Outcasts O'Neill. The faction of Goa'uld who allowed
themselves to be defeated by an enemy. Kresh'taa hakor kra terak
shree for allowing their greed to supersede their might.
"Banished to oblivion Teal'c?"
"Yes Daniel Jackson. As Jacob Carter says they are the lords
of the underworlds."
"Kresh'taa, right, make a note of that would you. And they're
showing up now because why?"
"Once you put out the feelers for spec on the Nebulium, somehow
they managed to get wind of that, probably through Zipacna."
"So let me get this right Jacob, is Zipacna one of them, these
kresh'taa?"
"No hes not Jack. Hes one of the em, you could say hes like
a lower.. ..he is a system lord but lower ranking. The thing about
Zipacna, hes always trying to side with whoever he thinks has got
the strength. Hes looking to climb his way up. I expect he believes
these outcasts are going to make a power move. Hes just backing
his horses that's all."
"Creep."
"He is. That's a polite way of describing him Jack."
"Dad is Us, Us'ak, Daniel?"
"Us'ma'ak'ma."
"Thanks. Is she the leader of the group?"
"No shes not Sam. The outcasts, I think there was nine altogether,
Teal'c?"
"Yes, nine."
"Okay so there was nine of them and they were lead by lord
Hadad."
"Right now Jacob, is this Hades?"
"No. Em, you would think he was, they've got similar roles,
but hes not Hades. Though I suppose you could say hes Hadad king
of hell, king of the hellish. Hes the leader of the g_ds of the
underworld. The kresh'taa."
"So, right?"
"If you're asking, Us'ma'ak'ma is his mate. Theres not much
difference between the two of them, they're both exceedingly nasty
pieces of work."
"So we should be grateful you didn't bring him visiting."
"Hes not here Jack. By all accounts hes on his way. Hes em,
they've been hanging out round a system, the Tok Ra have a record
of its coordinates. Its quite far from here actually. Extra-galactic.
And as I say the only reason they've made themselves know again
is because they feel they now stand a chance to seek revenge."
"What brought about the outcasting in the first place?"
"Jack from what you've told me of your Nebulium Fact Finding
Mission you've practically hit upon the reason. Just not quite joined
all the dots. Where are you up to with it?"
"Daniel do you want to take this?"
"Okay Jack. Jacob up to now we've worked out there was some
kind of a battle. With the Asgard? We understand the Goa'uld tried
to make an alliance with the Nebulium, but there was discord and
things turned ugly. Plus it looks like the Nebulium experimented
on the Goa'uld."
"Yes, yes and yes."
"Do you know anything about this General?"
"I do Jack. In fact the four Goa'uld I was with have been
talking of nothing else. They're out for Nebulium blood."
"Jacob we think they will but tell me, will they be coming
back?"
"Yes Daniel they will be. Your role here Jack is turning out
to be somewhat crucial. § Yes General O'Neill extremely crucial
§."
"Oh Selmak.."
"§ In their mind they believe that you hold the key to
them successfully winning back their status of system lords §."
"What?? Em.."
"§ They believe that in acquiring the details of the
whereabouts of the Nebulium, they will gather their number and go
in force of attack. Once they deal with the Nebulium they will have
eradicated their shame, as they see it. They will then once again
be entitled to claim their places amongst the system lords §."
"And they reckon I'm the one whos gonna let them do that?"
"§ They do. And to this end they have summoned their
ruler lord Hadad. He is approximately three days away from Earth's
space §."
"Hes on his way?"
"§ Yes he is §. Yeah Jack hes racing towards our
galaxy. As far as they're concerned theres a green light on them
being able to redeem themselves."
"Well look Jacob, theres no way we can allow them to get their
hands on that address at the moment. You know we've got people missing?"
"Yeah I know that Jack. I've been in contact with the Tok
Ra base on Kamd'ta, they relayed the message you sent me. But they're
not gonna like that Jack. As far as they're concerned they've got
every right to take revenge. Nothing can stand in their way, as
they see it. You know the Goa'uld mind set."
"Yes I do, monkey nuts and mindless mania. Besides, if they've
been outcast for five thousand years somethings obviously been standing
in their way?"
"Only lack of knowing where the Nebulium were. That's the
only thing that's been in their way. But apparently now they believe
that they'll soon know where the Nebulium are. They're desperate
for that revenge Jack."
"I'm telling you Jacob I just knew when I saw that drabble
of outcasts this wasn't going to be good. They look like they're
from the underworld."
"General Carter there are many Goa'uld and Jaffa legends about
Hadad. He was believed to have been killed in a battle long ago.
I see now the battle referred to is the one between the Goa'uld
and Nebulium and Asgard."
"§ The battle yes, but not killed Teal'c. Having been
defeated by the Nebulium and much later escaping their clutches,
no longer able to live as a system lord after being ousted, he left
this Galactic system never to return. Until now §."
"Yes Selmak I see."
"And as Goa'uld go, this Hadad..?"
"Hes bad, hes a bad one Jack. A real bad one. In fact the
kresh'taa are a real bad bunch. I mean all in all they're g_ds of
the underworld, and that's never a good place to be."
"Well yeah, em. So we can expect more of todays 'talks', fiasco,
with these underworld baddies?"
"Affirmative Jack. § Much more General O'Neill. Now that
they've had news of a chance of redemption, they're amassing their
numbers. They will come looking to execute this revenge §."
"And they figure we're in the way of that?"
"Dead centre Jack. § Yes they do §."
"Em, hi Selmak. Is my dad there please?"
"Sam?"
"Dad is there any chance that they'll miss you?"
"No. As far as they're concerned I've gone off to my domain.
No, its alright Sam, thanks."
"Jacob what if we don't give them the address?"
"Well Daniel the way they see it you're in the way."
"Yeah and we all know what the Goa'uld try do to people who
are in the way."
"Yeah, precisely."
"Em, Jacob, Selmak, em yourself, was lord Borad able to establish
what part the Asgard we're playing in all of this? You know they've
not got back to us yet."
"Even Thor, hes not contacted you himself?"
"Nope."
"§ There are many Asgard worlds in several galaxies throughout
the systems. We are aware there are different branches of Asgard
though we have never come into contact with any of them. Some we
believe to be more forthright than others §."
"Aggressive?"
"No Jack. The Tok Ra have never heard of the Asgard starting
a fight. From what Fa'an'tu had to say to me.. ..well to lord Borad,
the Nebulium came from a planet in a system that was in cosmological
dire straits. They had to leave with no time to spare. The problem
they had in finding an alternative suitable home world was they
needed a heavier gravity and also an uncommon atmosphere. They hadn't
had time to conduct recon on any of those requirements.
I'm told they got as far as the Ida galaxy before they needed more
fuel for the fleet. They put down on the planet Nifla in the hope
of finding the resources they required. They were greeted by a branch
of the Asgard called the Niflheim, they we're indigenous to that
planet.
The Nebulium were unable to produce fuel since they couldn't obtain
the resources they needed."
"If it was just fuel they needed why couldn't the Niflheim
give them a alternative power source and send them on their way?"
"Don't know Jack."
"Sir there is one reason I can think of. Maybe they had liquid
systems. In which case if the Niflheim didn't have the exact liquid
fuel the Nebulium needed, then it wouldn't be a case of just replacing
the fuel source you'd actually have to replace the whole ignition
rigging. Not an easy job Sir, could take quite a while, weeks, months."
"That sounds more like it Sam.
The Niflheim offered for them to remain until they could find an
alternative source of fuel. The problem here was that without fuel
they couldn't power their ship's life support. Without life support
they would be subject to the atmosphere on Nifla.
The only way round this was for them to go down deep into the planet's
crust. It would be down there they could set up a suitable environment.
This environment would need to be contained in rock. Rock with heavy
metal elements in it. This is also where they would be able to gather
the type of food they eat."
"Really Jacob, food?"
"Yeah they eat some kind of microbe, metal, I don't know Jack,
they eat something and you find it deep down within the planets
crust. Has to be refined and all that, but its down there somewhere."
"Oh well err, that is good to hear, Carter, Daniel, because
we were a tad concerned maybe they we're eating something else."
"You mean, ha ha, you thought they we're eating the slaves
Jack?"
"Not me personally, I'm a little more optimistic than that.
But em, I think that concern had been voiced, yeah."
"No I don't think they do that. Well not that I've heard,
but you never know."
"Well if they eat that rock, whatever, what do their slaves
eat?"
"No idea. They didn't talk much about this."
"Sir its true that the further you burrow down into the rock
you find a lot of water reserve. Here on Earth and also on many
of the planets we've sampled you do find a type of krill, crustaceous
type of organism. Theres also a kind of algae down there, but probably
not much else.. ..to eat."
"A diet of just that would be enough to send anyone crazy.
Must be a real killer on the taste buds."
"Jacob Carter, what brought about the discord between the
Asgard Niflheim and the Mas'darr Knu'ha, the Nebulium?"
"From what these Kresh'taa have said, the Nebulium had to
enlist the help of Niflheim to dig down into the planet. They couldn't
do it themselves because to do so would exposed them to the existing
atmosphere. It all started off nice and friendly but then things
started to go wrong."
"How come Jacob?"
"From what we've pieced together, and you can imagine the
Kresh'taa have tried to play their role down, at the time, we're
talking five thousand years ago, the Asgard we're getting a lot
of flack from some of the system lords."
"These ones who are now outcasts, kresh'taa?"
"The very same Daniel. They wanted a share in some of the
resources to be found on Nifla."
"So basically they were being attacked by the Goa'uld?"
"Yes they we're. Now the Goa'uld, on hearing about this other
race that had been stranded on Nifla, went to them to try and make
an agreement to team up and fight the Niflheim, and then together
take over the planet.
Both the Nebulium and the Goa'uld liked the idea so off they went
into battle against the Niflheim."
"I take it it went badly for the Asgard, Niflheim?"
"It went very badly Jack. The Nebulium had a method for drilling
tunnels. They operated it from their ships.. ..firing beams down
into the planet's surface, at the same time boring a hole down as
far as they want to go."
"Don't tell me, they turned this drilling machine onto the
Niflheim didn't they?"
"Yeah they did Jack. Pulses of energy. Burns up everything
around it. So you can imagine with the Goa'uld whispering down they're
ear, they ran riot.. ..they ran riot burning up everything in sight."
"So they decimated the planet?"
"You've seen whats left of it Daniel."
"Decimated."
"But dad I thought the Goa'uld wanted resources?"
"They did Sam, but they wanted to win more than they wanted
the resources."
"That's about right isn't it Jacob?"
"That's the Goa'uld Jack."
"So the Niflheim wouldn't entertain the Goa'uld and the Goa'uld
destroyed the planet?"
"That's right Daniel. After the battle, the Niflheim were
practically wiped out. The leader Miollnir and a few others got
away, not before taking out most of the Nebulium ships."
"Jacob, Miollnir, Thor's hammer?"
"Yes. Thor's brother Daniel. Older brother."
"Whoa, what?? Is Thor a Niflheim?"
"No idea Jack."
"Sir don't forget, even if they are brothers after thousands
of years of genetic degradation they could each display completely
different characteristics."
"Sam do you mean Thor could be Asgard and his brother could
be Niflheim?"
"Not sure but there is a strong possibility."
"Which would make this whole issue exceedingly sensitive for
Thor?"
"Exceedingly Sir."
"That being that, the Nebulium quickly realised there was
some kind of unwilling arrangement between the Goa'uld and it's
host."
"Parasitic occupation.. ..okay an unwilling parasitic occupation."
"Yeah jack that's what we're talking about. Anyway when the
Nebulium sussed this out they thought it may be a way for them to
survive above ground. In which case they'd be able to push on off
to a different world and live above ground."
"On a less decimated planet?"
"Yes Daniel."
"General Carter what went wrong? What was the cause of the
breakdown of relations between the Goa'uld and the Mas'darr Knu'ha,
the Nebulium?"
"Teal'c I think by Goa'uld standards absolutely everything
went wrong. The Nebulium don't seem to have much going for them
but apparently technology wise they're very capable. They simply
captured the Goa'uld and started to experiment on them, work out
why, how they were managing to have a successful biological arrangement
with the host."
"I would have thought the majority of that reason was because
Goa'uld symbiotes can survive in our atmosphere and therefore they
only need to infiltrate the host's circulatory and nervous systems."
"That's right Sam but the Nebulium didn't know that at the
time."
"Actually dad we thought the Nebulium had discover unblended
Goa'uld in their natural surrounds and experimented on them for
longevity. I didn't know they were aware of the Goa'uld's blending
capability."
"Well there you go. They could have been searching for longevity
as well. Probably the only reason why they turned on the Goa'uld
was to see if they could get the same type of blending going."
"So they captured the Goa'uld?"
"Yeah they did."
"And at the time these Goa'uld were system lords?"
"Yeah they were."
"So how did they capture them?"
"Nema'tat said that after the battle there was a jal'shim."
"Summit O'Neill."
"Okay."
"It sounds as though it was at that summit that the Nebulium
overpowered them."
"Ah so that's why they got laughed out of town so to speak?"
"Yes Jack. In the eyes of the remaining system lords it was
unforgivable. Four system lords taken at one go. For allowing such
a thing to happen they were immediately outcasted never to return."
"Dad who were the remaining system lords, you said there was
nine of them altogether?"
"Sam we're not sure about all of them, but we do know Ra was
a member of Hadad's pesdjet. Anubis was probably another of them.
As soon as Hadad and the other three we're banished their systems
would have been taken by the remaining members of the pesdjet."
"So now they are out to redeem themselves by doing away with
the Nebulium, the ones who defeated them in the first place?"
"That's right Daniel."
"And they think they're gonna be able to do that by using
the StarGate address we have for P7X 377?"
"That's exactly what they think Jack. And that's exactly why
the leader of the kresh'taa, Hadad, and the others are all grouping,
that's why they're amassing in Zipacna's system as we speak. They
want that address Jack and they want it real badly."
"Ah, trouble in paradise."
"Dad how come the Nebulium know how to operate the StarGate
system?"
"Sam theres not just StarGates in our own galaxy you know."
"Oh, yeah, of course, yeah, okay."
"Jacob when you say they want the address very badly, real
badly, how badly is badly?"
"Jack.."
"O'Neill it is the sole purpose of the Goa'uld to feed their
greed and wanton desire. A system lord is able to do this without
restriction. A system lord is the ultimate degree of power status
available to any Goau'ld anywhere. Such system lord power status
commands armies, ships, slaves. It is a great power which allow
them to fulfil their greed and desire."
"§ Teal'c you are correct. The Goa'uld perpetuate the
Tau'ri meaning of seven deadly sins §. Jack they will come
at you. I suppose in their warped minds they have to, they have
to get back to system lord status."
"And if we refuse to give them the address?"
"They'll come at you hard. We've not been able to get any
intelligence on Hadad. We know his whereabouts, but not his forces.
We've got nothing on him. Hes been out of the picture for to long.
From Fa'an'tu and Nema'tat, from their behaviour you get the impression
that hes fairly well kited out."
"Man o man! We've just got rid of Anubis, now we've got another
nutter knocking at the door. Gawd damn!"
"Jack lets talk about the address."
"Sure. Sure Jacob."
"§ General O'Neill, in providing the Kresh'taa the StarGate
address to P7X 377 you eliminate any threat from the underworld
g-ds at this time. Their only concern is to get back into the ranks
of system lord §."
"Yeah I realise that Selmak, I do, I realise that, and err,
ideally I'd like to hand it over. In fact I'd like to hand it over
to lord Borad, I'm sure that would help matters, help your standing."
"§ Yes it would, thank you §."
"The fact of the matter is Selmak, you've heard we've had
contact with the Nebulium. Ten of our people are missing. We know
even more are missing in the form of shells.. ..infected people.
We think we've discovered how they've gone missing. Theres a plaque,
a floor plaque in the NID, err, Carter?"
"Yeah Selmak, it's a floor plaque, my dad knows what they
are. They're found in many of the government buildings here. Its
more for decoration purposes. This particular one is sunken ten
inches down into the ground, its, oh em, about eight feet in diameter.
Its cut from obsidian rock but the obsidian, which as you know is
amorphous, its inlaid with a soft tetragonal crystalline mineral
called shceelite. Iridium has been discovered under the foundations
of the plaque.
The plaque housing is lined with copper, but a few feet under the
quarry filling and cover soil it another metal sheet, it would have
been placed there when the plaque was installed. Its probably used
for condensation and things like that, err, seepage, etc. Anyway,
this metal sheet lining is an alloy containing iridium impurities.
Now we know in order to fire up the Crystal Skull you have to have
iridium in place. You don't need iridium if the Skull is used as
an incoming, receiving device, but if you want to use the Skull
to exit you need iridium in the mix."
"§ Yes I wasn't aware of these factors Colonel Carter
§."
"We haven't been able to get results on the shceelite yet.
But with iridium being present in these quantities its looking more
and more likely that the Nebulium may have used the floor plaque
as a crystallo-system with which to enter the NID headquarters,
and also escape the NID headquarters."
"§ I see. I see, and if they used it to escape, the one
place they could escape to is back to their own environment §?"
"Exactly! Right on Selmak. Right on the mark."
"§ So in providing the address to the Goa'uld you may
actually lose all chances of recovering your own people §."
"Oh I wouldn't say all chances will be lost, they'll still
be no chance and little chance. Yes Selmak, that's my concern too."
"§ We understand this is a concern, and at all costs
you must recover your own people first before you can consider any
agreement to hand over the StarGate address to the Goa'uld §."
"Thanks Selmak, good to hear."
"Sam, tetragonal, isn't that the same crystallographic system
as the golden coloured Crystal Skull?"
"Yeah Daniel, the crystal system on the Skull is tetragonal.
The system may have some bearing on either the destination or em,
something."
"Something, right okay, but basically what you're saying is
this tetragonal crystal is capable of being a transport system?"
"No not the tetragonal crystal on its own. But tetragonal
crystal with exceptionally rare inclusions like the Moldavite, yeah
absolutely."
"In which case Carter we're going to have to go through that
NID building again. See if theres any more tetragonal glass and
cap it off."
"Sir its not tetragonal glass its tetragonal crystal with
inclusion, amorphous tektites, oh, which is silica, glass."
"Hence Carter, tetragonal glass."
"Sir are you suggesting to smash it all?"
"No the floor plate in the NID headquarters is possibly a
gateway. A gateway that our people may have been taken through,
in which case it may be a way for them to get back. We don't touch
that plaque. I'll ask George to get some Teams out on that, get
them checking around. Who knows how many of those plaques there
are around the place. Each one of them needs to be tested, see if
they're capable of being a crystallo transport system."
"So Jack err, what we need to do is get our people out of
the pyramid first, hows that going?"
"I'll let you know on that tomorrow Jacob."
"Selmak, I can understand why the Goa'uld want this address,
but how come the Asgard hasn't come forward because we've been calling
them? Jacks even sent a personal message to Thor, unbelievably they've
not turned up."
"§ The Asgard Doctor Jackson are a very private race
and they absolutely do not take kindly to being attacked, by anyone.
What happened on Nifla, I think that's something the Asgard wish
to keep quiet. We have not been able to determine how the Asgard
deal with an enemy that has caused them so much damage, but deal
with them we are sure they will do. The Asgard have such long life
spans that as Jacob informs me, they give new meaning to the words
biding ones time §. One thing we can be sure of Daniel is that
they will be monitoring this situation, closely."
"Really? Hi Thor, you know you're welcome anytime. Jacob whos
Ingsa Vas by the way?"
"I don't.. ..§ Forgive me §?"
"Oh Selmak, sure you're forgiven."
"Sir I think he was talking to my father."
"Oh really? Sweet. Nice. Whats up Selmak?"
"§ Ingsa Vas! Ingsa Vas! Ingsa Vas §?"
"Yes Selmak, Ingsa Vas, thats actually what I said. Not three
times though. Teal'c found a bunch of names written on the pyramid
two floors up, next to an unfinished crush nigh."
"Oh the symbol of Korosh-Ni O'Neill."
"That one T. I mentioned the name to one of the infected NID
agents and they all went mental, absolute bananas. I mentioned the
same name to your pal Zippy as you were all leaving the Base earlier
on, he went nuclear."
"Ingsa Vas is clearly a weighted enemy of both the Goa'uld
and the Nebulium O'Neill."
"I'll say. The enemy of my enemies an'all."
"Jack Zipacna was the last one to come through the Gate back
to Men'ka'ar. He was riled up but he didn't say why. I guessed you
must have said something to upset him."
"Every chance I get Jacob."
"§ General, General O'Neill, Ingsa Vas is the father
of our race! He is the mate of Queen Egeria. He died in battle against
Ra more than two thousand years ago. He was attempting to free Egeria
who had been caught by Ra's forces. It is believed Ingsa Vas and
Queen Egeria had been journeying to find and establish a home world
for their people, for us, the Tok Ra. It was during this journey
that our Queen was captured by Ra, and as we now know, exiled, to
be found much later by the Pangaron. To die by their means §."
"Oh. Err, sorry about that. They did apologise, and genuienly
too. Anyway em, this makes a lot of sense to me now. Okay Selmak
try this, Gensa Vas."
"§ Yes! Yes! He was the brother of Ingsa Vas §."
"Ah okay, Ou Nee."
"§ Ou Nee. She was the attendant to Egeria §."
"Em, hold on, hold on, hold on, err Co.. ..Colingg?"
"§ I am not familiar with that name §."
"Anybody? T?"
"Yes O'Neill. Kuuslel."
"§ Yes. Kuuslel, yes!! Yes. Kuuslel was ak'be'ir, he
was the first to come forth of Ingsa Vas and Egeria §."
"Right okay. Erm, okay hold on?"
"Jack, Selmak, Chengisa and Na Dthu?"
"That's it Daniel, they were on the list too."
"§ Yes, yes!! This is amazing. This is to incredible.
General where are you getting these names from? These names are
so rarely spoken. You would view them as our recent ancestors and
forefathers. Because of the tragic circumstances in which they were
taken from us we tend never to speak their names §."
"Well you'd be interested to know, actually Selmak we can
show you pictures and I can tell you for a fact that they've come
off the wall of the pyramid on P7.. ..where the Nebulium are shacked
out."
"§ This makes no sense §."
"Really, um."
"§ Yes General O'Neill this makes no sense. Why would
these names be displayed so. The Tok Ra had no contact with the
Nebulium. §"
"Selmak take a look at the pictures, you'll see they reveal.."
"Daniel, pictures please."
"Coming right up."
"T?"
"Yes indeed. The pictures will disclose that the names are
in fact displayed in Goa'uld characters and that these same letters
are over shadowed by the symbol of Korosh-Ni."
"§ But it makes no sense §."
"Indeed it does Selmak. Clearly they were enemies of the Goa'uld."
"§ Yes they were. They were Teal'c. We are! But what
doesn't make sense is that the Goa'uld would place our names, names
of our people, on a pyramid belonging to a race that none of us
have ever come into contact with §."
"Selmak are sure about that. I mean are you sure you've never
met the Nebulium, well they, your ancestors had never met them?"
"§ I am less sure now than before §."
"Selmak, em, my dad's probably asking you this very same question
right now. If the Goa'uld asked the Nebulium to saddle up with them
against the Niflheim, is there any chance that the Niflheim would
have asked the Tok Ra to side with them?"
"Excellent question Carter."
"Thanks Sir."
"§ The Tok Ra have had very little contact with the Asgard
over time, however we are considered to be their allies §."
"So they don't have any problem making the distinction?"
"Jack nobody has problems making that distinction. The Goa'uld
and Tok Ra are different people.. ..come on Jack you know what I
mean."
"I know what you mean Jacob and I agree."
"Thanks."
"Colonel Carter, if as you suggest the Tok Ra sided with the
Niflheim against the Goa'uld and the Nebulium. And then the Niflheim
were slaughtered, and the Goa'uld were subsequently taken into custody
by the Nebulium only to escape at a later date. It would be on point
of that escape that the Goa'uld would have opportunity to engrave
the symbol of Korosh-Ni against the Goa'uld lettering on the pyramid."
"Yeah but Teal'c remember what Daniel found, those letters
were put there a couple of thousand years before the symbol of Korosh-Ni."
"Yes Colonel Carter, indicating that the names of the Tok
Ra enemy were inscribed on the pyramid at that time the Goa'uld
we're first taken to the pyramid. Three thousand years later when
the Goa'uld were leaving, fleeing the pyramid, the symbol of Korosh-Ni
was placed next to those names. The Goa'uld are most vigilant in
keeping account of their enemies."
"Teal'c that doesn't pan out. The battle was five thousand
years ago, meaning the Goa'uld were prisoners for three thousand
years, but by my reckoning the Goa'uld glyphs were placed on the
pyramid a thousand years after the Goa'uld were already prisoners."
"Yes Daniel Jackson but we must consider.."
"Em, T, put a spin on it please."
"I will O'Neill. Colonel Carter, Selmak, the Goa'uld were
aware that the Tok Ra had entered into battle against them, they
made a note of that as in the inscription on the pyramid. The inscription
was placed there by a Goa'uld, perhaps a Goa'uld who had managed
to escape the pyramid in the early days of capture."
"What in the first thousand years?"
"Yes."
"T this seems an awful long time to keep a prisoner?"
"Not necessarily O'Neill. Goa'uld synbiotes have been known
to be placed in stasis for exceedingly long periods of time. We
also do not know the Nebulium methods or their perception of time."
"Okay, yeah okay?"
"Thousands of years later when all the Goa'uld we're fleeing
the pyramid they made a special note to vilify the names of the
Tok Ra. A symbol of Korosh-Ni was placed next to the names on the
front of the pyramid to achieve this."
"Okay, ah, I'm with you. Ha, why would they, ha?"
"Yes O'Neill, why would they?"
"Sir, Teal'c?"
"§ General O'Neill I would be most grateful if you would
tell us your discovery §."
"Come on Selmak, you've got Jacob in there, hes gonna know."
"§ Ah. Yes, I believe he does. Could this be §?"
"Jack?"
"Daniel why would you want to, what was it T, vilify, yeah,
why would you want to vilify a stack of names if the holder of those
names were all dead."
"Oh. Oh. Yep why would you."
"Sir. Teal'c, so you think that the Tok Ra didn't go down
in the battle?"
"Yes."
"Well where are they?"
"I have no idea about that Colonel Carter."
"But why would the Goa'uld go to so much trouble to put the
names there in the first place?"
"I have considered this matter carefully."
"Pray do tell T."
"Perhaps the holders of the names were not Tok Ra at all."
"§ Teal'c you're mistaken. They are the first Tok Ra
§."
"Indeed they are Selmak.. ..now. However before they were
Tok Ra they were Goa'uld system lords. Perhaps even members of the
same pesdjet as Hadad, Anubis and Ra. Perhaps it was the battle
at Nifla that was the catalyst that sparked the creation of the
Tok Ra nation.
Colonel Carter, if my supposition is true, if some of the system
lords sided with the Asgard, the Niflheim, then there is no end
to the trouble the remaining system lords would go to to make note
of that fact."
"Teal'c if true that certainly does put a lot of things into
perspective. Dad?"
"Interesting Sam. Teal'c very very interesting."
"So we're saying Ingsa Vas and Egeria and these other .. ..vilified
names were in the battle at Nifla but they managed to get away,
possibly with Thor's brother?"
"Yep Jack, they turned up again three thousand years later
as the Tok Ra founders, only to be defeated by Ra. That was about
the time Queen Egeria was captured and exiled, and Ingsa Vas disappeared,
presumed dead."
"So then Jacob, Selmak, is it possible that these Goa'uld,
Ingsa Vas and Egeria assisted the Niflheim in battle against the
Goa'uld and Nebulium and whilst most of the Niflheim we're fallen
they escaped and later established the Tok Ra movement?"
"Well its definitely feasible Jack. That would also explain
how they had come into contact with the Nebulium."
"Though it wouldn't explain their long life cycle, not unless
they had the use of a sarcophagus."
"§ Oh §."
"O'Neill as Goa'uld that is a practice with which they would
have been accustomed."
"Good point T. Selmak let me ask you a question. If the Tok
Ra founders had something to do with this battle, and it actually
seems as though they did do, otherwise we wouldn't have the name
chart up on the wall there, how come you, the Tok Ra, don't actually
know about it?"
"§ General O'Neill unfortunately we have little knowledge
of the early Tok Ra movements, the Tok Ra times. Those were perilous
days. For survival purposes Egeria and Ingsa Vas separated from
the small group they had spawned. They left in search of a new home
world for the Tok Ra people. It was to be the new beginning, the
start of the resistance against Goa'uld oppression, those were the
days of the foundation of the Tok Ra nation §."
"So let me sum this up Selmak. Essentially what you're saying
is Ingsa Vas and Egeria took off with a bunch of people, the 'names'
shall we call them, to find a new home world. And during that time
you lost your king, queen and the whole bunch of names. And no new
home world was ever discovered?"
"§Unfortunately so General O'Neill, and that is why until
this day, today, we have had no knowledge of any encounters incurred
by either Ingsa Vas or Egeria §."
"Cut off at the root! Right okay, well Jacob.. ..Selmak, looks
like yous have got something to tell the folks when you get home.
I'm sorry we can't be more helpful on that score. We'll look into
it on our side, SG-1?"
"Yes Sir."
"O'Neill."
"We'll follow up on this Tok Ra Times connection Jack."
"There you go, If we come up with anything at all we'll let
you know. But em, its doubtful. We'd never actually heard these
names until Daniel and Teal'c discovered, well deciphered the glyph
markings. You can take some of those.. ..we'll run off copies of
those images for you. Erm yeah, if we hear anything you'll be the
first to know."
"§ Very very grateful General O'Neill. Doctor Jackson,
Teal'c, we're grateful for this. The Tok Ra are indebted to you
all. Colonel Carter, this means a great deal to us. You have managed
to discover another piece of our history. We are not forgetful that
you discovered the existence and whereabouts of our Queen Egeria
§."
"Yeah if only we would have discovered her earlier though."
"§ Nevertheless we are in your debt. You provided us
the opportunity to at least allow her to blend with one of our people
§."
"Not a host, one of your people, that's nice, I like that
Selmak."
"§ It is how we view the blending §."
"Yeah I'm beginning to see that. Anyway it sounds better.."
"§ We consider ourselves very fortunate to have had the
opportunity to afford such a blending so that before she passed
our Queen was able to see that her people have survived and are
doing all to continue that survival base upon the principles with
which she founded our nation §."
"Well Selmak The SGC was very happy to be of some help in
that matter. Anyway it looks like we've all got a lot to consider.
A, lot, to consider."
"§ Yes General O'Neill thanks to you we do have §.
Jack its probably best for me to get back. How do you want to leave
things?"
"Well for a start no more home hospitality for the Goa'uld.
Lets not have these kresh'taa crossing into our space."
"Jack I imagine they're going to want a meet. They will definitely
attempt to bargain for the address to the Nebulium pyramid. Where
do you propose to have such a meeting?"
"You know what happened at the last meeting I went to with
Zipacna in attendance, you know right?"
"The one where he attacked the Tollen?"
"Precisely. And I assure you that little mental minky isn't
going to be my cosmological constant."
"The biggest blunder Sir."
"Precisely! So a meeting.. ..with blunderhead Zipacna in attendance,
what, we only need tables and chairs right? Right? Well Jacob if
the kresh'taa do get back in touch with you, and of course you reckon
they will, lets hold that meeting on Nifla. Ha ha, I'm sure you'll
appreciate the irony of that Jacob."
"It's abandoned, barren, reminiscent of their biggest defeat,
you're not pulling back on the punches, I'm sure they'll get the
point."
"In the meantime I'll ask George to send a direct message
to Zippy, tell him if he comes in our space we'll view it as a violation
and act of war. Hows that?"
"All in all Jack Zipacna's a coward. He won't start anything
unless hes got serious backing. It certainly doesn't hurt to let
them know where you stand. Let him know he can't go wandering into
restricted space."
"Okay then. Daniel can we have a courtesy message to Thor
as well, after all it is still one of their planets."
"Jack with it being the kresh'taa do you think Thor might..
..oh, actually he probably won't mind. I'll have that sent out."
"Ta."
"As soon as theres any movement I'll inform you Jack. As I
say Hadad's on his way. He'll be rolling up at Zipacna's place in
three days time. Presumably they'll want to jet straight here. Nifla."
"Nifla Jacob. On the same token if we have any developments
on the missing people front I'll tune you in. We'll send any messages
via your base on Kemd'ta. As I said earlier Jacob, handing over
the address hangs entirely on whether we can get to our people,
we're sure, Carter?
"Ninety percent Sir."
"We believe they're in the temple, in the pyramid. Theres
no way we're handing the address over if we've not extracted, no
way."
"That's understandable Jack, I go along with that. Right I'll
be in touch."
"Okay, and Jacob, watch your back. You know the Goa'uld..
..are the Goa'uld. Just keep your eyes open. You too Selmak."
"§ Thank you §."
"Thanks for that Jack, the Goa'uld are the Goa'uld, they are
aren't they, yeah will do thanks. Sam are you gonna walk me down?"
"Sure dad come on lets go."
"General Carter it has been good to see you. Please take great
care. The Kresh'taa are masters of deceit and cunning."
"Thanks Teal'c, its this Hadad I'm worried about, we'll see
soon enough, thanks."
"Jacob if you need anything, just get in touch with us. Be
careful won't you."
"Thanks Daniel I will. Okay take care you lot, I'll see you
soon."
~
Γ ∞ γ Җ χ Δ Σ
∰ ⋯ ⋱ ~
Jacob with Selmak had just departed. It was already two a.m. in
the morning. SG-1 and the General we're finishing up in the Conference
Room.
"Sir I'm still waiting on getting samples out of NID HQ. I
need them sent over to the Lake for analysis, recognition. Svi's
on standby, he said as soon as they come in he'll take the samples
off to be scanned. Once hes done that we can establish for a fact
whether this floor plaque is or is not a teleportation crystallo-system."
"I've been thinking about that Carter. I'll be speaking to
George later on in the morning. We'll be able to get samples out
today.
Look people the way we stand right now, we're very shy of intel
and we've got people missing. All roads point to the pyramid so
we're going to have to go in there and see what we can see.
The Teams selected to go in will be issued goggles, will be wearing
goggles err, Daniel?"
"Yeah what we'll do is seal the goggles so they're safe. Make
them airtight. After seeing the Nebulium, how they operate, how
they infect, eject from the eye cavity, like an octopus they can
probably squeeze through extremely narrow gaps, so by sealing the
glasses on to the face we'll eliminate that possibility."
"Okay kids we're out of options. We're gonna go in, a front
door assault. As to what we do when we get there, we've all seen
the place, we're not going to be able to abseil down and surprise
them. Nothing easy like that. Speed is paramount. Short stay only.
Any longer and.. ..radiation, I think we all know what I'm talking
about. I'll be with you on this one. I'll take point with you three."
"Sir!"
"O'Neill you can not come with us."
"Ha ha. What??"
"You can not accompany SG-1 on this Mission to the pyramid
on P7X 377."
"Seriously, what??"
"It is not safe for you to do so."
"Sir I have to agree with Teal'c. General you can't come with
us. We'll go without you Sir."
"Excuse me??"
"Jack its not a good idea. You really shouldn't come with
us."
"Ha ha.. ..what is this, you won't let me join your Team,
mutiny in The SGC. What you talking about?"
"Sir you can't travel. You can't go in the wormhole."
"What??"
"O'Neill you are in the process of accustomising your ability
to phase shift, to Ascend. Should you enter the Seven Chevroned
wormhole and begin to shift during transit you will become like
Anubis, without integrity."
"He means cellular integrity Sir."
"Indeed Colonel Carter, cellular integrity."
General O'Neill looked horrified. True he'd suffered isolated incidents,
including his life saving phase down to earth, down to the NID HQ
back alley. But that this problem should interfere in such an all
intrusive way, that was hard to accept.
"Jack even the Ancients were worried about this otherwise
they wouldn't have incorporated the Ninth Chevron. Anubis must have
been caught transforming, phasing whilst travelling through a Seven
Chevron wormhole. He would not have been able to fully reintegrate
in the horizon. Leaving him with no integrity. On more than one
level it would seem."
"So Anubis lost some of himself, his outer integrity, because
he began to phase whilst passing through the wormhole?"
"Yes Jack, I believe that's the case. I also believe that
the Ancients envisaged this kind of incident and thats why they
built in the Ninth Chevron, for protection."
"Don't worry I'll be fine."
"No Sir you won't. When entering the horizon the properties
you enter with are encoded, packaged into a stream of energy. The
receiving Gate's horizon gives you back those exact same properties.
Now if those property values change en route for some reason, say
phasing, the receiving horizon can not reconvert the reconverted,
it can only reconvert the initial converted, what was converted
by the transmitting horizon."
"What, Carter what you sayin'? No don't tell me. Right so
I can travel in a Nine Chevron wormhole yes?"
"No Sir, I think that like the Ancients our anatomical structure
must first be susceptible to Ascension. And that's a thing we as
a species are far from attaining. Before ascending we must have
reached a level of mental suitability and also either by natural
evolution or with directed help, our physical mapping must also
be suitable to Ascend."
"I've been glowing lately don't you know."
"Not enough though Sir, not yet."
"What about Daniel, he should be able to travel through a
Nine Chevron wormhole?"
"I can't answer that without doing an excessive amount of
work. And even then I would never suggest he try."
"Deathdefying?"
"Big yes Sir. The StarGates were designed by the Ancients
for the Ancients. We just adapted them, well no we can't actually
do that can we.. ..we just use them, same as everyone else, and
we're all subjected and restricted to usage as defined by the Ancients
design."
"No really I'll be fine, I can sort of feel when its going
to happen."
"You can not O'Neill. On each occasion you had no idea it
was about to happen. Therefore when next it happens you will not
know it before hand as it will be the first time that you correctly
predict that you are about to phase shift. But as you have no experience
of predicting a phase shift you will not be able to correctly predict
a phase shift until after it has happened. In which case you will
not have predicted but instead experienced. Therefore O'Neill what
you feel in relation to your next possible phase shift is mere speculation.
We can not allow you to travel on these grounds."
"Look! You look, all of you, we have to go to the pyramid
and I'm going with you. That's the end of it!!"
"Jack, honestly, I strongly advise against travelling through
the StarGate. You're not developed enough yet to travel in a Nine
Chevron connection, theres also a great risk in travelling through
a Seven Chevroned wormhole. Remember Jack this maybe how Anubis
lost his corporeal integrity. Not a pretty sight."
"Forget all that. I'm going with you."
"Yes Sir that's fine. That's fine General, glad to have you
on board. Daniel, can you take my pulse please, I don't feel very
well."
"No need Sam. I can see from here you're not well, you've
probably caught my flu."
"Perhaps Colonel Carter you have also caught my cold."
"Sir when are we going to P7X 377? I'm sure I'll be feeling
much better by then."
"Okay, okay, okay. I'm grounded.. ..for now. I tell you this
can't go on! As soon as this damn deuced Nebulium bother is over,
if I have to catch the gawd damn bus I'll track Thor down, get this
all sorted out."
"Sir that's a Mission we'll happily go on with you.. ..by
ship."
"Okay. Naughty children! But you're right thought. You're
right. Thanks.
"General."
"Jack."
"O'Neill."
"Colonel you need to plan with me. In the meantime Daniel,
Teal'c re-examine all the P7X 377 footage, yet again, see if we
can't find any other way in. Now its been a very long day so lets
have lights out. I want you all to have some sleep, mediation, rest.
Daniel."
"Not tired Jack."
"Well make yourself tired that's an order. Three, four hours
Daniel, yes?"
"Yes okay Jack."
~
Γ ∞ γ Җ χ Δ Σ
∰ ⋯ ⋱ ~
He could hear a knocking sound, far far away and persistent. He
had a determined grip on his sleep. The knocking sound was more
insistent now, distracting his grip.
"Doh, whos that??"
He'd lost his sleep. He was awake now.
"Come in!!"
"Jack I've got it, away in to the pyramid, I've salvaged a
map!"
"You've found a map, a map. Daniel just map me out the time,
right now please."
"The time, oh its erm, I don't know Jack. Come on get up,
I need to show you this."
"Daniel did you sleep?"
"I did, couple of hours."
"Look I need to speak to George first so hang on for a while.
Get some breakfast eh."
"Yeah good idea I will. Do you want me to send some down to
you?"
"Err, maybe later, after I wake up."
"Oh, sorry Jack."
"No Daniel its alright, this takes precedent. Is everyone
in on this?"
"Yeah Teal'c is with me and I didn't want to wake Sam until
I knew what time we could see you."
"Okay thirty minutes, Briefing Room."
~
Γ ∞ γ Җ χ Δ Σ
∰ ⋯ ⋱ ~
"..Lock your doors, windows and smash your tetragonal glass."
"Its that bad?"
"More than George."
"Obviously Jack we can't smash the NID floor plaque yet we
need it. Until we get our people back we can't cut off that access
avenue. But based on what you've told me we're now looking for any
other combinations of minerals that could constitute the type of
crystallo-system device these Nebulium travel by. "
"Hows the lockdown going?"
"As you know everybody's turned up clean. Plus theres no sign
whatsoever of our missing people."
"What to do. What are you planning on doing down there?"
"Jack we're standing watch on the floor plate. At this time
theres very little we can do."
"George can you have your people at the NID pull back a little
so as not to be seen."
"You think there may be infected agents still at large in
the vicinity?"
"Don't know but lets be prepared just in case."
"Good point Jack. We've got people in place at the Smithsonian.
You think someone else might try to come through that way?"
"Well George Nick did so maybe for now we should keep that
door open but guarded."
"What are your thoughts on this situation here?"
"George I think the best thing to do, since everybody's clear,
is to get them all out of the building and don't let them back in
until we smash this crystallo.. ..floor plaque thing. We agree we're
not able to smash that until we get our people back safely, once
we get them back safely we can em, shut that down or relocate it
for examination.. ..under heavy guard, whatever, whatevers best."
"I'll tell you what I'll do. You're right we don't need to
hold the staff any longer, we'll release them and have the building
cleared. My men will pull back and make it appear as though the
building's locked down and empty. Before I allow my men to leave
they'll all be subject to another medical."
"Smashing. That should do it."
"The pyramid assault?"
"This is a difficult one George. I can tell you I'm not happy
about putting my people up against an unknown foe, capability. We're
in the middle of planning this one so I'll let you know. Is there
any sign of them?"
"No Jack. We've been using everything we've got including
long range. You don't know if they've got the type of cloaking technology
Anubis had?"
"Nothing on their technology up to now. We're at least looking
at standard Goa'uld gadgets. Jacob is sure we'll be able to pick
them up dropping out of hyperspace. A glitch pulse but big enough
to detect."
"From the sounds of it we have sixty hours or so before they
enter our space. But then according to that candid memo of yours
I sent to Zipacna they may not call our way."
"Not unless they're planning to violate our space, and since
we have the address and they want the address they shouldn't be
in a hurry to offend us, but then they are Goa'uld."
"In other words keep scanning."
"Keep scanning. George if we can find a way into the pyramid
ourselves, into the I don't know, caves, where ever Nick was held,
if we can get in there, search for our people and then get out,
then we'll be able to pass over the address no trouble."
"That's a much better option Jack but I understand you've
not been able to find a way into the pyramid."
"Not into the out of phase environment, true, but we're working
round the clock on it right now. On that Daniel wants to show me
something hes found, hes quite excited about it so thats always
a good sign, lets see. Whatever we come up with we're striking today."
"Is there any talking to these creatures, these Nebulium?"
"George we're not dealing with rational hu, em beings. Don't
forget I had a little bit of a chat with them at the NID headquarters.
You know they want to take over.. ..everything. They've attempted
to attack our power centres. Talking, sincerely, I think not."
"Jack if you need any help.."
"Thanks George. Speak to you later."
~ δ γ
Δ √ ∞ ≡ ⃜ ℜ Å ≡ ℷ
~
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