O'NEILL BEGINS TO CHANGE IN BETWEEN LEVELS IN THE LIFE.. ..THE ELEVATOR

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General O'Neill had stayed in Daniel's office longer than he'd anticipated. After listening to Colonel Carter's heartfelt whereunto re the SG-14 fallen, he was then enthralled by the telling of some of Daniel and Teal'c's translations.

They had made interesting discoveries, the contents.. ..context of some of the text markings on the Mayan pyramid. Between the two of them they had now succeeded in translating the runic symbols. As Daniel was keen to point out the inscriptions were made up of characters from the oldest runic alphabet, the Urnordiska Futhark. The original one consisting of twenty four characters. The one the Asgard used.

Daniel had the pyramid pegged at around five thousand years old, maybe more. But the Runic inscription intimated that the Nebulium had been around a lot longer than that. There was also some indication that the Nebulium had actually come to, been chased to, P7X 377 after fleeing the planet Nifla. Nifla, the planet according to it's own Stella position, soon to become the new Ot Halla, the Asgard jewel planet in the Ida galaxy. In this particular case a dull, uncut and heavily included jewel at that.

As the General headed back to his private quarters on Level twenty-five, he was pondering on whether Daniel and Teal'c's findings regarding the Asgard were theory or fact, a ponderance Thor could clear up the moment he got in touch.

A long ago battle lasting many years between the Nebulium and the Niflheim, a branch of the Asgard, well a race, an unheard of race of the Asgard. Yah, fact or theory. He needed to know and the sooner the better.

The General showered and slept, and after three hours received his afternoon wakeup call from Lieutenant Bowekervale. He got up and got dressed. Since the Base had been on DEFCON Four General O'Neill had had little sleep. Snatching up to two or three hours whenever it was appropriate.

Feeling refreshed General O'Neill was amusing himself with a pleasant little tune as he made his merryway to Level twenty-five's elevator bay. He was on his way to his offices on Level twenty-seven.

The lift was empty when it arrived. General O'Neill stepped in, stretched out his arm to the control panel and made to press for Level twenty-seven.

"Aaarrrrh!! Jeerrraaaahaaa!! Ah!! Aaahhaa!!"

Sweat began dripping off him profusely. He clutched at his chest. The pain! Shock, oh yes please, if only. The thumps blasting inside his chest were deafening. His breathlessness was completely disguised by dizzy sensation and weak feeling. He was sure he was about to pass out.

"Hhaaaaeeeyyy, jeeezzzzas. What!! What?? Oh no! Ahh!!"

He absolutely freaked. His heart in his chest was running out of control. He felt like he was going to take off and cut out at the same time.

"Oooorrrdd!! Ooorrrdd!! Ttssuuoooh! Jeeeezzzass!! Ahh!! Oouuh.. ..gad help.. Aaaarrrh! What??"

He slammed his arm fulcrum against the control panel, keeping himself balanced and upwards. He tried to subdue the pain.. ..by pressing his chest, that definitely didn't work, the pain was deep set. His whole body was on fire. He was trembling, shaking all over and hot, painfully hot. No, hot but more than painfully so, much much more. He opened his eyes, there were tears coming out, not sure from pain or fright. He tried to focus on his left arm and hand that was holding him up against the wall of the lift. His vision cleared and he saw.. .. jeeeezzzass!!.. ..There were celestial licks of ultra bright light extending out from the tips of his fingers and the palm of his hand, left hand. He was still clutching his chest and massaging the pain with his other hand.

He jumped, darted startled, running backwards away from his left hand, which followed him closely behind. He smashed into the back wall of the lift.. ..the elevator. He was jumping up and down, totally freaked out and in a lot of pain. He was feverishly wafting his left hand about. Violently wagging it back and forth. Trying to wrench his hand off, trying to shake off the light, to get away from it.

He couldn't do that, he couldn't escape the light. The excessively bright light was pure and simply emanating out of himself. He was its source. He was untamed and wild cat, running around in the elevator like wild-fire, trying to shake his bright and glowing hand off.

At that very moment General O'Neill, man of light and leading, was freaking, puffing, panting, in pain and frantically stamping all over his own light.. ..and shadow. His panicked actions were surely about to cause an unhealthy reaction in his heart. He couldn't breath. He was dizzy. He was so hot he was melting. And he was being completely aggravated by the phenomenally loud banging of his heart.

He was slipping down to the floor. Maybe the elevator was moving, swaying, maybe it was stationary. He himself was moving, fast at many Navy knots. Spinning around. Through the haze of pain and consciousness he saw someone standing in the corner of the lift. The General held out his strangely glowing hand to them. The person came forward to help him.

"Cauac! Cauac.. ..help me, aahhh.."

Thunderously loud palpitations in his chest and head were chaotically drumming out a heavy, steady beat. His hand was all ablaze with beautiful, truly frightening bright light. Light that was growing, shimmying and caressing his whole hand and wrist. He foisted his lit up hand into his arm pit and brought down his other arm to form a vice trap. He was squeezing and squashing his left hand, trying to mangle it, wring the light out of it. He was squeezing his eyes shut as well and gritting his teeth. His chest and body were still very painful, pound loud and tremulous.

Cauac knelt down in front of him and smiled.

"No. Please no. Don't do this."

The General was in a lot of pain, on his knees now and talking to no one.

He was pushing himself back into the wall.

Cauac took hold of the General by his rigidly wrapped closed arms.

"No! No!! I don't want this. I don't want this.. ..No!"

Slowly, with all at his disposal, Cauac, Canopic g_d of the Southern skies, carefully began to blow a cool Southerly breeze all over General O'Neill. Soothing him and taking away his suffering. The heat in his body stopped burning. The noise from his heart stopped hammering. He ceased spinning out of control and found the ground. The light from his hand.. ..the cool Southern wind killed the watt.

He let go the vice and rapidly swung his hand down and around to his back, leaning on it as hard as he could against the elevator wall, leaving no free place for the light to return. Still breathlessly panting he turned to thank Cauac. Cauac wasn't there, but thankfully his light and leading was. He recovered his regular heart beat, his good conscience.. ..a clear mind, and a half decent breathing rhythm. He reached for his cell and speed dialled.

"Teal'c! Elevator! Level. Level. Erm. Jezz. Teal'c, jeeezzzzas. Twenty. Twenty-five. T Level twenty-five. Or six. Between Levels.."

"You are in the elevator conduit O'Neill?"

"No. In the elevator. I halted it. I stopped it.."

He had no strength. He dropped his cell. His now clear mind had him punch the alarm on the control panel. He mustn't be seen by anyone, not in this condition. If the elevator had been moving, now it wasn't.

"Hello? Hello?.. ..Hello? Please respond. You have ten seconds to respond! Please respond. You have eight seconds to respond.."

"Siler."

"Hello? Hello? You are occupying the elevator. You are stopped between Levels twenty-five and twenty-six. Hello? You have two seconds to.."

"Siler its me."

"General? General O'Neill. Sir?"

"Siler cut the AV."

"Sir?"

"That's an order!"

"Sir are you compromised?"

"No I'm not compromised Siler, 76324, I'm testing something. Siler that's an order. Now!"

"Disconnecting now General."

Audio and video to the elevator, inside the lift and also the shaft, was manually operated and monitored in response to a Base alarm, an emergency elevator stop or a mechanical failure. That same AV feed could also be discontinued manually upon the cessation of the alarm, resolvement of the emergency or clearance of the mechanical fault. Or of course, by order of the Commander in Chief of the Base.

As ordered Master Sergeant Siler promptly switched off the video record and cut the duplex audio feed to both the elevator and shaft.

Teal'c rushed at top speed along the corridor on level twenty. Just before reaching the man hatch to the secure subterranean utility shaft, he dialled zero on his mobile phone. The SGC Base operator answered.

"Security, Level sixteen."

"Yes sir, patching you through now."

"This is Teal'c. Thank you. Have a Security Officer meet me on Level twenty-six at the secure utility man hatch. Have him open the hatch on my mark so that I will then be able to enter into the corridor from within the utility shaft way. Lieutenant, effect this order immediately."

"Teal'c Sir, someone will be waiting for you at the L26 hatch!"

He pressed end, closed his phone, reached the hatch and instructed an Airman to seal the way behind him. He half slid, half stepped and leaped down the metal ladder stair way. He soon reached Level twenty-six.

"This is Teal'c, open the hatch."

The Officer who had already opened one of the levers in readiness, quickly opened the hatch and stood back. Teal'c jumped through and carried on, shouting back to the Security Officer to close the hatch and make it secure.

He reached the elevator bay, not out of breath but exceptionally rattled. He swiped his key, no response. He discretely knocked on the automatic elevator doors.

"O'Neill?"

"Hold on T."

The General disengaged the stop. The elevator operated and dropped down to floor level of Level twenty-six. The doors automatically opened. Teal'c found General O'Neill pinned back against the far wall, one arm lodged behind his back. He look very excited, dishevelled and not altogether to concerned.

"O'Neill?"

"Shush, come in, come in."

Teal'c stepped forward and let the elevator doors close behind him. Without discussion he pressed for the Level above and then pressed for the elevator to stop between Levels. He assured Sergeant Siler they we're testing.. ..something.

"O'Neill? I was deeply concerned about you."

"Sorry about that T. To be truthful I was deeply concerned as well just a couple of minutes ago."

"More evidence O'Neill?"

"Very more. I think I've solved our little problem."

"Our serious problem O'Neill?"

"That's the one, real serious too T."

"..Indeed. After your call I believe I also have arrived at a position of resolvement."

The General, still leaning on his hand, pointed upwards and shook his finger.

"We agree then?"

"Yes O'Neill. We do agree. You have been in intimate contact with them on several occasions. O'Neill perhaps they have you in their sights."

"Well they almost had me in their living room a few minutes ago. T buddy, just take a look round here and check my hand and arm for me."

"It is indeed your hand and arm O'Neill."

"No change?"

"No. What has transpired?"

"Teal'c, I went to press for the Level I wanted and light, Desala type light, was flying everywhere out of my hand, my fingers. Jeeezass!"

He was still sweating, and coming to terms with what had happened.

"It affected only that area of your body?"

"Yeah. I may have actually prevented the rest of my body changing, I don't know, it all happen so quickly. It totally freaked me out T. Totally. Well at first it did, but the calmer I got the less I lit up. Just my hand really."

"O'Neill you do not look well."

"No I don't Teal'c. Its how I feel. It felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest and run away. We need to see someone. Urgently! Get this sorted out. I can't let this go on. Apart from which, I can be made to step down as unfit."

"O'Neill with an ability such as this you would become super fit. You are in fact beginning to display the phasing ability of the Ancient's. After all, your various contacts with them.. ..their knowledge. O'Neill it has all served to prepare you to Ascend."

"Trust me, I'm not going anywhere."

"O'Neill, I do believe that choice will be yours, but only after you have learnt to master the ability."

"This is not on! We need to speak to someone about this. T we have to see someone?"

"Who do you suggest O'Neill?"

"Other than Thor, I can't think of anyone. Can you?"

"Yes, Daniel Jac.."

"Not yet T, not yet. If either of them two find out about this they won't be able to do their work properly and now is a very crucial time, theres bigger dangers on the way."

"You see O'Neill, your abilities."

"Come on Teal'c, we both know theres danger on the way, you don't need the Ancient's repository for that. T, think on it. We need to see someone, get this fixed. Urgently! Look lets just hang out here for a while, make certain its not going to start happening again."

"Yes."

"And decide who we can get to fix the problem."

"Perhaps. O'Neill there are implications, consequences. We are now just learning of the Ancient's deployment of a Ninth Chevron."

"Silver pickle!"

"Sterling O'Neill."

"Something happen T. I didn't tell you. It's the reason I stopped freaking out. The reason I started to calm down. When I started changing someone helped me."

"O'Neill a member of staff was with you??"

"Not really."

"Then who witnessed your transformation, will they depart what they have seen?"

"Not really."

"O'Neill!?"

"I don't know how to put this to you without sounding nuts."

"Speak, I am listening."

"T, I saw this guy in the elevator, he looked exactly like me, his face, it was like looking in a mirror. He was dressed in an old leather flying jacket and.."

"Your Avatar! The Canopic g_d of Colonel Carter's waking dream. The g_d of the Southern heavens. Cauac!"

"Big yes. T he helped me to calm down. He stopped me from changing."

"O'Neill this is something different. More different."

"Really?"

"We must examine your predicament thoroughly and immediately."

"T I just need to get changed, dry clothes, then lets go down to the Control Room, we need to get hold of Thor. Whats keeping him! There must be something left inside me from when he connected me to his ships computers. Maybe he didn't get everything out."

"O'Neill, I do not believe this to be something that can be extracted from you. I believe it is an awaking."

"Ooh I think I'm about as awake as I need to be."

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