~~AN's: These characters don't belong to me. I am just having some fun with them. Please don't sue. BTW, thanks to Joe for comments. Don't hate me; Teal'c will be in this story soon. Reviews are appreciated, if not craved.~~
The hillside gate on P4X-223 shut down with a snap. The partially forested area around the gate was momentarily silent. The twittering noise of birds, interrupted when the gate opened, resumed. Rustling sounds of small animals in the underbrush could be heard as they began again the daily hunt for food. Below the gate platform, a small creek rushed down a steep slope, continuing through a lush, green pasture that reached into a horizon decorated with snow-covered mountains. Behind the gate itself, the hillside rose steeply until it disappeared into a tree-covered mass that seemed to stretch forever towards an azure sky. The MALP sat silently overlooking the vista with its' unblinking camera eye, as the three figures lying crumbled at the base of the stone stairs leading up to the gate did not move.
This morning, 08:00:
The lighting in the briefing room was dim as General Hammond and SG-1 minus Teal'c, who was currently on a mission with SG-9, examined the MALP photos from P4X-223. Colonel Jack O'Neill sat back in his chair, twirling his pencil and pretending to listen as Dr. Daniel Jackson and Major Samantha Carter debated the pros and cons of visiting the new planet.
"Don't you think is a little, um, odd that we should be going to this place without more information?" Daniel said, tilting his head to the side. "I mean, why are we trusting the NID? Since when do we trust anything we would get from them? Especially after all they have done to thwart our efforts in the past."
"I don't know, Daniel," Sam said. "This file came from the off world rogue NID site and based on our own MALP readings, there is a concentration of Naquaada in the soil near the gate. We need to find out if it is localized or something more. You know we need all the Naquaada we can get for power generators and for weapons research to defeat the Goa'uld. This might be a good source, especially one so near a Stargate. Besides, the NID reports said that, aside from some small wildlife, this planet is uninhabited and our MALP survey concurs with that."
"That is what makes me nervous, Sam." Daniel said pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "I have a bad feeling about this."
"Both of you have valid points, Doctor," the general said, "but it is essential that we gain more Naquaada. To that end, trusting the NID information is risky, but is a chance we will have to take. What do you think, Colonel?"
Jack, jerked out of his ruminations on the latest chances of his favorite hockey team winning the Stanley cup, flipped his pencil into the air and deftly caught it. "I think we should go and check this place out, General. Carter can get her samples and Daniel can look for his "rocks"..."
"Artifacts, Jack." Daniel said, shaking his head at the futility of explaining for the umpteenth time. "They are called artifacts."
"Right, "rocks". Easy mission. Besides, I noticed a little stream off to the side of the gate area; it might make for a sweet spot of fishing which would be a nice change from our usual MRE's." Jack turned towards Daniel. "Aside from the NID unknown risk factor, lack of information and obvious "you're going fishing with me" innuendos, do you have any other problems with this?"
"No, just some nagging suspicions that the NID files aren't telling us everything."
"Suspicions are healthy, Daniel. Keeps you alive." Jack replied. "So, General, whaddaya say? Do we have a go?"
The general nodded. "SG-1 you have a go for a 48 hour reconnaissance mission to P4X-223," he said. "Be ready to gate out at 09:00. Need I remind you to take care? The NID may not seem to have any interest in this planet, but as we have seen in the past, appearances can be deceiving."
TBC??