Sam
"Sam! Sam, wait up!"
Sam turned to see Daniel running to catch up to her.
"Hey, Daniel. Wow, did you get any sleep last night at all?" Sam took in the dark bags under his eyes with concern.
"Uh, not really. I was working on something and I want you to take a look at it."
On the way to Daniel's lab, Sam listened carefully as Daniel explained what he had discovered. He recounted discovering what the text said and his conversation with Vala. The more she heard, the more she found herself agreeing with Vala's idea of waiting. In the end, though, she decided to trust Daniel and agreed to see if she could get it to work. Before she started though, she called a briefing with SG-1 and General Landry.
Sam watched as everyone came in. The only person missing in the end was Teal'c. For a second Sam wondered when he was going to return from his time with the Jaffa, but then focused on the briefing. Daniel told of where and how they had come across the device and talked on the inscriptions he had found on the sides of it. When he began to explain what he believed the device did, Landry stopped him.
"You're saying you believe the device can lengthen human life? How?"
"Well, sir," Sam cut in. "We're really not sure yet. That's why I'm going to begin work on it. To see if I can learn how to turn it on."
"Is that…wise?"
Everyone looked to see Brigade General Jack O'Neill standing in the doorway to Landry's office. Sam and Mitchell shot out of their chairs.
"Sir!" they both said in unison.
Jack looked disgusted.
"Sit down. I'm on vacation. I'm pretending I don't belong to the military for the time being."
Sam looked over and took a moment to appreciate the blue jeans, black tee, and brown leather jacket Jack was wearing. Jack looked at her and she gave him a small smile.
"Anyway, as I was saying." Jack continued. "Do you really think it's wise to play around with some device the Ancients just left behind? Shouldn't that tell you something?"
Vala nearly jumped out of her chair with excitement.
"That's what I told him!"
Jack glared at her and Vala made a face back.
Daniel looked at Vala and sighed. Then he turned to Jack.
"We're not going to turn it on; we're just going to figure out how it works. After that, we'll discuss whether or not to turn it on."
Jack nodded in agreement and moved to take the last chair at the table by Vala. He gave Vala a sideways glance and then turned to Sam.
"So, when do you start?"
"Actually, right now sir."
"I think I'll go do some more research," Daniel said as he also got up from the table.
One by one the others left until it was just Jack and Vala. She looked at him with her biggest smile and started to say something.
Jack quickly cut her off by getting up, mumbling something about helping Sam, and quickly left the room.
Sam held a small part of the device under a highly focused magnifier. Without warning her former CO's face appeared.
"Whatcha doin'?"
Sam held back a giggle at the sudden blast from the past.
"I'm trying to determine how this works, remember?"
She tried to sound irritated but knew she had failed.
Jack straightened up and looked down at her.
"Ah, yes. And how goes it?"
"Actually, not so well, sir. This is an incredible piece of technology. I can't even find what it's using as a power source."
Jack looked skeptical.
"Look, Carter, I know I'm not some genius like you, but it has to have a power source. I mean, things just don't run on thin air."
Sam shrugged in frustration.
"Of course it can't run on thin air. I just can't find what it does run on."
