A/N OK, so I have no idea where this came from. It just sort of happened. I was watching the Starcraft 2 tournament over at Assembly winter and saw one of the ASUS ROG commercials and my mind just went from there. I just want to mention that this is not supposed to be some secret commercial for ASUS, I just took their work and went from there. Once again, no beta so if you find a mistake, tell me and I fix it. Have fun.
Cadet Hailey wasn't exactly sure if she really wanted to be here. This was only the second time she had been allowed inside Stargate Command in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. And it was nothing like last time.
When Major Carter had brought her here after she had been almost kicked out of the Academy she was mostly curious about what was going on down there that Major Carter thought would convince her to rethink her stance on the Air Force. That, and she was really concerned about what to do with her life.
Now things were different though. She now had a purpose and a goal: she wanted to join the SGC. So when Major Davis, the Pentagon-SGC liaison had come to the Academy and told her that she was needed for a "special assignment" she was at first overjoyed.
That reaction didn't last too long. On their way to Cheyenne Mountain she soon realized that the Major seemed distracted if not to say concerned. That got her thinking. What exactly could upset him so much, but could be resolved by her?
It wasn't that she thought herself incapable of helping them, but she knew that even if she was considered one of the most brilliant minds of her generation the Air Force had, she also knew that the SGC had its fair share of people of equal skill but with far more experience and knowledge.
She was still pondering whether or not to ask what she was needed for when they arrived at the checkpoint. Well, it seemed asking questions would have to wait.
It didn't take as long as the last time, seeing as she was expected this time around. So a short while later she was walking down a corridor beside Major Davis.
"The technology you are about to see is classified." It was the first time Davis had spoken to her since the Academy. And that something inside the SGC was classified was hardly a revelation.
"You're here because it asked for a member of the Republic." She almost faltered. That was really unexpected. And on second thought a really loaded statement.
It wasn't so much the fact that the Air Force knew that she was a member of the Republic of Gamers, more that they cared about it in an official capacity. After all, what did it concern them that she spent most of her free time playing video games? She was briefly concerned that they did indeed care and for some reason objected.
Then the real meaning behind the sentence hit her. "It" had asked. Meaning not a person but the afore mentioned technology. Artificial Intelligence. An alien AI. Obviously alien, since they were in the SGC. And it had asked for someone of the Republic. Which posed a question.
"How does it even know about us?" Up until a minute ago she could have sworn that barely anyone outside the ROG knew or cared about their existence. And now she was told that an alien entity wanted to speak with them? It was mind boggling.
"It seems it has gained internet-access shortly after … doesn't matter. Shortly after it gained access it refused all further attempts at communication, locked itself inside this room and, as I said, asked for a member of the Republic." The Major sounded a bit whiffed. And who could blame him? By the sound of it it was a truly powerful AI that, instead of conversing with the most brilliant minds their country had to offer wanted to talk to a bunch of computer nerds.
During their conversation they had arrived at a glass door, completely atypical for the SGC. She curiously stepped forward and looked inside. It was a dark room, the only light coming from the same glass door she was looking through. Then she noticed the faint glow from the table in the middle of the lab. She couldn't make out what it was, but something about it pulled her in. It spoke to her in a way she didn't even know was possible.
She barely noticed Major Davis speaking again. "We were really lucky to have found you. After we finally understood what republic it was talking about we started to search for someone we could give access. Imagine our surprise when we realized the only member of the Republic in the Air Force in this state already had SGC clearance."
If Hailey had been more aware of the Major talking she would have probably seen the humor in the situation. As it was she was more fascinated with what was behind the door. She raised a hand and put it against the glass to block some of the light in order to better see inside. She had barely done so when the door opened.
She took a hesitant step inside. She could make out some for of movement, as if here arrival had triggered a reaction.
"The way we understand it, it has opto-arcustical sensors that allow it to react to its environment. But I have to stress that we know barely anything about it. The technology is way beyond our understanding."
Hailey once again barely even listened. She could only stare as the screen in front of her opened and a pair of speakers unfolded themselves at the side. A short gasp escaped her when she finally realized what was in front of her.
It was a laptop.
Well, it was a laptop in the same sense that an F-22 was an airplane.
It reeked of power. She barely had to look at it to see the potential. To realize what she could be done with this. It was awe-inspiring. Things she thought were impossible now lay before her. Goals she thought were unachievable now laid within her reach. She could barely breath.
Major Davis stepped beside her. The machine reacted in a way she could not have expected. It created an avatar, an almost 10 ft tool humanoid … robot for lack of a better word.
When it looked from the Major to her she was once again bound in its power. She gazed upon it and saw what was lying underneath. The power, the potential, the possibilities.
In another word: FUN.
Her mind was desperately trying to come up with all the things she could do with this machine. She couldn't speak, she couldn't move, her body barely remembered to breath. Never before had she felt such an aura of power. That such a thing even existed filled her with a happiness she never felt before. Not even the Stargate with all its untold secrets had inspired her as much as this.
"Unique talent detected." The voice of the avatar surprised both of them. As did the fact that it began to fold itself back until the laptop was once more sitting on the table as if nothing had happened.
"It appears you've been chosen." Major Davis sounded relieved, surprised and at the same time as if he had known this would happen from the start. It didn't matter. Hailey could barely grasp that the machine had accepted her. But then she was overcome with determination. This was what she had been waiting for. She thought the Stargate had been her destiny, and in a way it still was but this was something else. This would change everything.
"I'm ready."