Author's note: Okay here's the second chapter. And what really surprises me is that I just sat here and wrote it in about an hour. And I'm getting really excited. Man when i was rereading the first chapter to remember what had happened I almost felt like I was reading someone else's story. I mean this has to be one of my better written stories. I also kinda changed where I was going with this story too. But, I've had this one idea bouncing around in my head for a while now and this story presented the perfect opportunity for it. That and it just kinda went in that direction anyway. I won't tell you what that idea is yet. I want you to guess and the person who gets it right, well, I'm not sure what the prize should be. Maybe the getting the next chapter earlier than everyone else? (That and I don't actually have a beta reader so if anyone wants the job just let me know). Oh, and I've decided that I don't really like the title, but I'm not sure what to call it so suggestions would be nice. Anyway, i really hope you enjoy this chapter and please drop me a review to let me know what you think!
disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1 or Stargate Atlantis.
Chapter 2
"Rodney, I told you not to touch the button," Daniel said, quickly becoming irritated with the scientist.
"I didn't think anything would happen," Rodney replied sounding just as irritated as Daniel felt.
"Something always happens, Rodney."
"Well, it's not like this is my fault."
"What! How can you say this isn't your fault? You're the one who pushed the dang button!" Daniel practically yelled.
"Well, I only pushed because you told me not to!" Rodney was yelling now.
"Why don't you try and work on the device again, McKay," Ronon said stepping between the other two. Of all the things Ronon had done in his life never had he thought he would have to play mediator.
"Yeah, just try not to kill us while you're at it," Daniel said glaring at Rodney.
Rodney returned the glare, but didn't say anything. After a couple of seconds he finally moved over to the device and began studying it once more.
Daniel walked over to the other side of the room wanting to be as far from Rodney as he could be at the moment.
Ronon wasn't sure what to do or think. All he did know was that he really didn't want to be stuck in a room with these two for very long.
A couple hours had passed and Rodney was no closer to figuring out the device than he had been before. As far as he could tell the only thing the device did was shut the door when the button was pushed. Now he just had to figure out how to open the door, but that was proving to be very difficult.
Ronon just kind of wandered around the room from time to time. There was nothing to do and he was bored out of his mind. He had tried to help Rodney, but the other man had just snapped at him to go away. He had even tried to talk to Daniel, but for once the archeologist wasn't very talkative.
Daniel was sitting on the floor; his back leaned against the wall staring at the device Rodney was still puttering around. For some reason it seemed familiar to him. He really felt like he should know what it is, but he didn't. He was sure he had never seen the device before, so why would it be familiar?
"Well, I can't figure this thing out," Rodney said giving the device a contemptuous look. He was really starting to hate this thing.
"What do you mean you can't figure it out?" Ronon asked.
"I mean that I can't get it to do anything. All there is, is that button, and I think we all know what that did."
"Wait a minute," Daniel said, getting up and walking over to them, "I thought you could get anything to work McKay."
"What would make you think that?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that you said it."
"Well, I may have . . . exaggerated a bit."
"A bit?"
"Okay, a lot. But, look this thing doesn't make any sense. There is only the one button and all it did was close the door."
"Well, it has to do something."
"Okay, Mister 'I'm the expert on the Ancients', why don't you see if you can figure out how to get it to work," Rodney said sure that Daniel wouldn't have the first clue as to how to go about making the device work. It didn't matter that he didn't either.
Daniel stood there for a moment looking at the device. "It seems familiar," he said quietly after a while.
"Familiar? As in you've seen this before?" Rodney asked, at Daniel's nod he continued. "How can this be familiar if this is the first time you've seen the device?"
"I don't know," Daniel replied, "but I feel like I should know what it is."
"And do you?"
Daniel just shook his head.
Rodney stood there thinking. There had to be a way to get the device to work, but he had yet to figure that out. Now, Daniel says he recognizes the thing, but doesn't at the same time. How is that even possible? He was missing something, but he didn't know what that was either.
Ronon just stood there looking back and forth between the other two. Daniel was staring at the device, but Ronon couldn't read the expression on his face. Rodney was standing there looking as confused as Ronon felt.
"So, do we know what the device is or not?" Ronon asked after a while.
"No."
"Yes."
"What?!"
Daniel looked from Ronon to Rodney in confusion. Why had they both just yelled like that and why were they staring at him. "What?" He asked.
"You said yes," Rodney replied.
"To what?"
"I asked if we knew what they device was," Ronon began.
"And you said yes," Rodney finished.
"I did?" Daniel was confused.
"Yes, you did. Don't you remember?" Rodney asked.
"No. I don't even remember Ronon asking the question."
"Well, you were staring at the device rather intently," Ronon said shrugging. "You could have just been too distracted."
"No, I don't think you were," Rodney said looking at Daniel.
"So, then what?" Ronon asked.
"I don't know," Rodney replied still looking at Daniel. Rodney had this feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong for some reason and he had no idea why. But that same feeling was telling him that Daniel was going to be right in the middle of whatever was going to happen.
Daniel was having trouble focusing on the conversation. He was having trouble focusing on anything other than the device. It was almost like it was calling to him, beckoning him to come closer. It almost sounded like it was humming.
"Do you hear that?" Daniel asked suddenly.
"Hear what?" Rodney asked looking around to see if anything was making noise.
"Humming."
"Humming? Coming from where?"
"The device."
"The device isn't humming."
Daniel looked at Rodney in confusion. "Yes it is. I can hear it."
Rodney glanced at Ronon. "There is no humming," he said looking at Daniel again.
"I don't hear anything either," Ronon said.
Rodney was beginning to get worried. Daniel wasn't acting like himself. Just as he thought that the archeologist began walking toward the device in an almost trance like state. When he reached the device he stretched out a hand as if he wanted to touch it. Rodney was really worried now.
"Don't let him touch it," Rodney said to Ronon as they both rushed over and tried to pull Daniel away.
But somehow Daniel's fingertips managed to brush the top of the device causing a wave of energy to fling the three of them backwards.
Ronon landed hard, the air rushing out of his lungs. Of course it didn't help when one of the others landed on top of him. "Get off," Ronon muttered pushing himself up off the floor.
"Sorry," Rodney replied. He quickly stood up and made his way over to where Daniel lay motionless on the floor.
"Daniel," Rodney said shaking the other man gently and checking for a pulse.
"McKay?" Ronon asked kneeling down on the other side of the archeologist.
"He's alive, just unconscious," Rodney answered.
"So, what happened?"
"Something happened; I'm just not sure what."
"Okay, but that device just did something and it only did it when Jackson touched it," Ronon said trying to work out what had happened, which was another thing he wasn't used to doing.
"It released a wave of energy. Why? I don't know. He almost seemed drawn to it."
"He said it was humming."
"Yeah that too. But, if it was going to respond to the presence of a person you would think it would have done something for me, Sheppard, or Lorne. I mean it's an Ancient device, it only makes sense that it would react to the presence of the gene, but it didn't."
"Jackson doesn't have the gene?"
"No, so that raises the question of why it reacted to him. What about him would make it do what it did?"
"He's died a bunch of times?" Ronon suggested.
"If it was just that then it would have reacted to Sheppard. Technically he's died too. No, it has to be something specific. Something that only Daniel has . . ." Rodney's voice trailed off, causing Ronon to look at him.
"McKay?"
"Ascension."
"What?"
"Ascension. That has to be it. The device responds to ascended beings."
"But Jackson's human, he was sent back."
"Maybe it recognizes the fact that he used to be, maybe he wasn't sent back all the way, I don't know, but ascension is the only thing that makes sense and Daniel is the only one to have ever accomplished that."
A low groan interrupted Ronon as he was about to reply to Rodney. They both looked down to see Daniel's eyes slowly open.
"Daniel? Are you okay?" Rodney asked quietly.
"Not really. My fron hurts."
