Beyond the Gate

by Xeir Zith

The last thing Tanith remembered was Cameron cracking a very bad joke and Daniel cracking up in laughter. The next thing she knows is that she has a splitting headache and is in the dark, literally. As she unravels where she is, she finds out things she would rather not know. The SGC and Atlantis learn more of who the Furlings really are, and where they were hiding all that time

3. Tanith 2

Beyond the Gate

Chapter 3: Three of a Kind

Unknown Planet

Evening

The present

After Zane lead the way to the place he had left Sgt White, I was able to take in the surrounding countryside, I didnt recognise the area whatsoever. But it was recognisable to be a weapons cache as a longfall back point once Zane pointed out the armory he had found. A good two klicks or more from the Stargates area itself. Some of the area however was strange in its design, almost symetrical as I looked around.

It felt hauntingly familiar

The design of the farm was like any farm I'd find on Earth, but only much more designed to be something else, it was niether celtic, Norse or even Native American in design, but it could have been Mongolian, just looking at the design of the fences, possibly even colonial earth times during the American Revolution.

But try as I might, I was never able to figure it out. I doubt I ever will.

Handing the first aid kit to Zane I let him go into the structure he had left Sgt White. I said I'd patrol the area and started off. Making sure everything was secure, the armory door was locked, so I tried my code, it was recognised right away. I locked the armory behind me.

Once more carrying the Ori Staff like an oversized rifle as I patrolled the area, I had no idea what Zane was doing inside the structure. The two of us had no idea really what to expect or even if Sgt White could react to the first aid kits care packages.

I finished my patrol and found Zane cleaning his hands near a stream. "How'd he take it ?" I asked him

"Better then expected." Zane replied. "The wounds were not as bad as I thought, Sgt White really just needed rest I think, he's patched up for now though" he shook his hands, ridding them of eccess water.

"Is he awake ?" I asked. Zane nodded. Perfect, I could ask him what he remembered.

"He is, if you want to chat with him, go ahead. I'll go on a patrol around this area, maybe even follow your route ?" He offered, I smiled.

"Works for me. Take your Ori staff with you, I will talk to Sgt White," I said before we parted ways at that moment, with Zane on Patrol it would allow me a moment or so maybe even more, with Zackary White.

Inside the structure, Zackary laid on a table of stone. Built into the floor and wall. Seeing me he squinted. "Its not every day I see a woman, let alone be in this condition while seeing one" He said to me. Apparently he thought I was an angel because of the light streaming into the structure behind me.

I couldnt help but half smile. "Its not every day I am a cat woman" I replied to him simply, he smiled.

"Please do not let me laugh. I've been hearing things." Zackary told me. I gave him a concerned, yet curious look.

"What kind of things ?" I asked him as I looked him over, Zane did good in patching him up.

He looked around briefly, then spoke softly to me. "Well, when sleeping, I can still listen, so when Captain Artigas went to find the... stargate was it ? When he went to find it, I fell asleep, while I was asleep I heard voices, three of them, two male, one female, but I never could see them. I fear the owners of those voices, they might still be around" He said to me. Quietly as to not be overheard. Personally even with my enhanced hearing I could just barely hear him.

Finally I said "I see. Three voices ?" Zack nodded. "I have a new question for you, Sgt White" I said then

"Please, call me Zack, I havent been called a Sgt since I left the Marines" Zack told me

I smiled, showing my sharp teeth. "That answers that question easily then."

"Does it ?" He asked

"Just one of two questions" I said

"You said you had a question, not more then one" Zack pointed out.

"You catch on quick." I replied with a nod pointing a finger at him, and a soft smile was on my face. "But my question is this. What do you remember just before waking up here as... this ?" I asked him. He was a brown and black tabby. Like my own cat, Tannison.

Zack thought a moment, "I remember a rainstorm, I was parked under an overpass. Listening to the radio for signs of the weather clearing. Trying to find out what was going on. My phone was dead and not getting a connection either. Then came the rain, it was as if I was in a tornado or hurricane." Zack mumbled as he stared at the ceiling. "A truck pulled up behind me and parked, I figured they too were waiting out the rain. Next thing I knew, there was crack of thunder and suddenly bright whiteness, and then I was here."

"Where did you wake up ?" I asked him. I smiled however at mention of the truck pulling up, Zane always liked to rent pickup trucks when traveling. So Zack was in the car ahead of Zane! I thought. It all made sense

"About a days walk, that way" He pointed away from the direction of the stargate. "In a old farmhouse apparently, I didnt know where I was, so I started wandering, I found some food, but it fought back before I managed to kill it. I guess it got me pretty good too." I could see where Zane had bandaged up Zack, his right hip and thigh had been torn apart. It was a wonder he was still alive.

"How long ago was that ?" Zane had told me he had been awake for ten days, and I felt awake for two of those ten days.

"About four days ago. I met Captain Artigas yesterday morning, he patched me up as best he could with what he had, then took off after leaving me here" Zack said. He smiled sardonically. "That was when I also heard those three voices." I nodded as he smiled.

I then took a careful look around the room. I smirked. I think it was time that I looked extensively around the building. "Stay here, I wont be long." I said as I stood, I snapped up my Ori staff and went into the hallway. Sweeping wide with the staff I took note of what was in the area. Nobody was there. But the faint scent of three people lingered. I could easily tell one was female, and two were male.

But known who and what they were, I could not hope for. Even with my newly enhanced senses I couldnt hope to identify who the scents were.

Yet.

Even so, I could feel three pairs of eyes on me as I briefly followed the scent and stepped outside the structure. A side door was on a sensor of some kind and slid open as I neared it, I briefly halted and stared at it. OK, that was interesting, thre door stayed open, so I stepped through and then carefully went full circle, not finding or seeing anything out of the norm. and then headed back inside the structure.

The door slid silently shut behind me. I stopped and looked back at it, at first glance it looked like a stained glass window.

Where had I seen such a thing before ? I shook my head and went to the second level of the structure to look around. Then headed to rejoin with Zack.

A minute later and I was back with Zack. Looking to the other cat, who I could see was a brown and black striped color pattern. "How are you holding up ?"

"Better then I thought. Is Captain Artigas back yet ?" Zack asked as he seemed more relaxed, I took a look at the bandage. Zack was healing faster then expected, was it because of the new cat bodies we possessed ?

And why did he wake up in a farm house ?

I shook my head no. "Not yet." I said, I had no real knowing of what time it was or how long Zane was going to be. But thankfully it was less then a hour later when Zane finally came back in and joined back with us. He had been gone for some time. Longer then my own patrol. "What kept you ?" I asked, a smile in my voice but my face was expressionless.

"Not only is it getting dark outside, but it also... well" He stalled in his line of thinking. "I thought I had seen something on the hills, in that direction." He pointed to the direct west. To my left. "So I went to see what I could find, if anything, I found a recently put out campfire, I dont think we're alone here."

"That's not good." I mused thoughtfully, a recently put out campfire could mean anything.

"I agree, we might have company. If that" Zane replied also in a concerned thoughtful tone.

"Indeed, when I didnt want to be seen, nobody could find me. Not even you" I said thoughtfully. "I could observe, and be unseen to everyone. Execept the Hammond and the Odyssey" Zane nodded at the mention of not being able to be found. Though he snickered at my mentioning the two of Earths five ships. There was the Daedalus, Apollo, The Hammond, and the Odyssey, and the newest vessel, the Lincoln.

"So whats the plan ?" He asked me. Of course he asked me, I was apparently the Woman with the Plan in any situation.

I sighed, I still held my Ori Staff in hand and went to the door as I spoke. "While you were exploring I felt eyes on me, Zack said that when you met up with me when you left him here in safety, he heard voices, two of them were male, one was female. But he was unable to see the owners of the voices." I told Zane everything that Zack had told me. I smiled, "He even swore he'd recognise the voices and put them to a face on sound alone..

"So we're not the only ones on this planet ?" Zane mused.

"No, but there was something weird, that stargate we found, that's a Milky Way gate if I ever saw one, but the DHD, I'd never seen one like it." I said to him.

Zane was thoughtful. "So there might be a second gate ?"

I shook my head in a confused shrug. "I dont know, Unless each stargate has a different DHD, more then likely." I sigherd. "For now, we'll stay close to the stargate we know of. That UAV came from Earth, I'm sure of it. But somehow that area also feels, hauntingly like home." I said in reply. Zane had no idea how to answer that train of thought.

"So whats the plan ?" Zane asked me. "I mean in the sense of the firelight I saw in the hills to the west of us. Far as I know, that UAV might have spotted it or even crashed." He said

I had no real idea how to answer that train of thought, so after a moment I said in repy. "Possible, but highly unlikely, the UAVs wouldnt crash unless shot down, more then likely it landed somewhere. The things run for twenty four hours, in an ever widening circle of a preprogrammed mapping pattern." I explained

"So if we're lucky it could even pick up this location, and also others in its sweeps. Which could be both good and bad." Zane mumbled in thought

I smiled, an almost childish expression on my face. "Right now I just want to get my bearings, once it is full dark I can see the stars above. Once I am able to do that and we're good to go. I might even figure out where we are in the galaxy if I'm lucky." I said in reply. Yeah right, my luck lately wasnt that good.

Then again I did just get hit by lightning two days ago. Maybe I should buy a lotto ticket when I get back to Earth ?

"What about dialing to the Iota Site ?" Zane asked me, I was thoughtful, we hadnt tried that yet, and I wasnt sure we should just yet.

I was quiet for another minute, then I said "first thing is first. Lets focus on getting Sgt White healed up and back on his feet. Hmm ? The last thing we need is one of us to be injured unable to fight should we be ambushed or worse, we're being tracked as we speak" I said in reply

"Fair point." Zane replied. By all accounts my plan made more sense to him.

"Did you see or smell anything else on your patrol ?" I asked

"No" Zane replied, "Just the firelight at the top of a hill, if it was a signal fire or camp fire I dont know, I was going to come back here and report back in, so to speak, and then head for it again if you wanted me to do so." Zane explained to me.

I thought a moment, it was possible we werent alone on that planet. And if that was the case it was also possible that there were others already living here. But when the Daedalus had scanned the place when we tracked the Ori there, the planet was devoid of anything biologicial in origin, like ourselves. Just natural wildlife. "Go" I finally said to Zane, "See if you can figure out what that firelight was, if it is a fire, and if who made it is friendly. If you cannot; come straight back here. Take a kull suit if you have to."

Zane smiled, "I doubt it will come to that, but alright." He stood from where he sat. Zane I could tell was happy single, I myself pined for a dear friend. I was quite sure I wouldnt see him again. I found myself hoping Tharon was safe. And also partly wishing he was there.

"Good luck," I said as Zane nodded, taking up his Ori staff he headed off. As if going hunting. I saw him to the doorway. And then took a post just within the shadows of the door. I felt those eyes again. I could feel three sets of eyes watching us.

And the snoring from Zack wasnt helping matters much either.

I found myself looking up at the sky, the sun was starting to head towards sunset. I smiled. Speaking softly to myself as the shadows I hid within grew thicker. "Soon as it is dark I can figure out where we are by just using the stars in the sky. I hope"

I used a light I had found from an armory and started writing a note. Mostly in english. But also in Ancient, as I loved the style, and it was also much easier to write freehand.

I figured that if I could send the note through the gate like a paper airplane somebody could read it. So I wrote it first in Ancient, then in Aurebesh, another favorite writing style. Hopefully some of the geeks at Iota could reocgnise it.

A good four hours later and the sun finally set. I was able to look outside and see the sky above. The spiral galaxy I witnessed before me was not the Milky Way. But why was there a Milky Way stargate on this planet ?

Where the fuck were we ?

A minute passed, then another. And when those two minutes were about to birth the third, I heard footsteps. I raised my Ori staff in the direction the footsteps came from. "Its me" I heard Zane say as he stepped into view. The light of the structure. Naturally backlit somehow. Showed him none the worse for wear, Zane also smelled like shit too.

"What happened ?" I asked, then my nose wrinkled, "The fuck did you step in ? Pollicle shit ?"

Zane looked at me confused, "the fuck is a pollicle ?" I just looked at him, my nose still wrinkled from the reeking stink. He shook his head "Nevermind that. I found another group of structures, about half a days walk from here, the fire was in the middle. I kept to the shadows as best I could but I might have been seen." Zane reported.

"What do you mean ?" I asked him. "Spotted by who ?"

"There were a bunch of feline creatures around the fire. They were like us. I dont think any of them saw me. But a few might have. At least those I didnt see could have been keeping watch." Zane explained. "I counted at least a good two dozen, possibly more." He gave a sardonic smile towards me. "they were all naked."

Naked people. I thought, great. "Great, so we're not alone ?" I asked him. He nodded. "Anything else ?" Hopefully he had some meat to go with those rotted carrots of bad news.

"I found the UAV, it landed about a klick or so to the north. The direction I was returning in. I pretty much tripped on it." Zane said

"I see, its preprogrammed mapping software more then likely ran out." I mused. I smirked. "It works out, tomorrow, the SGC will more then likely send a new UAV to scan for the first one, reactivate the first one, and download its data, then send a team here to retrive the data. If we're lucky, I can send this letter to the Iota site; or attache it to the UAV" I said as I held up the letter I had written up.

Zane smirked as Zack woke up. "Hook that onto the UAV, send it back through, and then what ? Hope we dont get experimented on by scientest back home ?" He said to me.

"How long was I asleep ?" Zack asked as Zane chuckled at me. It made me nervous hearing that throaty noise. I actually missed someone important to me.

"Nearly five hours." I replied softly.

Zack sat up and looked at me "Five hours ?" He asked. I nodded. "And where were you ?" He then asked to Zane. I could tell he looked much better, dsid we also have advanced healing skills ?

"I was on patrol. Dont worry, for the moment we're safe, The LC here told me you heard voices, but she didnt anything when she searched the area" Zane told him

"Then its your words against me. I know what I heard." Zack said

I shook my head "And we're not saying you dreamed it, because I can confirm that you didnt, I felt eyes on me when I was searching the patrol route while you were sleeping." I said, speaking up so Zane and Zack would not undo what Zane fixed up. "The point is, we're about an hour from the Stargate and can dial back home within minutes. This might be news to you, but we're not humans anymore."

Zack and Zane were both quiet as I spoke. "We wait until sunrise, and then we head for the place where the UAV is waiting, I have a letter informing of three of us needing to return to the Iota site fast as possible, and for a medical team to stand by." I looked between the two mancats carefully. "The last thing I want is the two of you at each others throats for no reason!"

Zack relaxed then, "You're right. When I got gored by that boar, I also felt eyes on me. Zane was it ? What did you find ?" Zane looked at me, I nodded, so he repated what he had told me. Zack went thoughtful. "Others like us ?"

"A good two dozen, that I could readily count, there might have been more. But I didnt see them" Zane replied

"So as far as we know we have at least twenty four others on this planet with us, but we, or they, are too scared to make contact." I said simply

"What about the weapons ? Swords and daggers and throwing stars I recognise, but those" Zack said, nodding towards the kull blasters on my wrists and the ori Staff in our hands. "I've never seen them before"

"That is because they're not of Earth to begin with. They're from an army known as Ori Grand Army" Zane replied, "We got bunches of them in every armory on various planets, any soldiers we kill, we take their gear and add it to our collective assets."

Zack had to smile. "That makes sense. You must have been a Marine ?"

"Yeah" I said in reply. "I'm Lt Colonel, Tanthial Raines, you can call me Tanith, This is Captain Zane Artigas US Army. We were in command of a location known as the Iota site" I said to Zack

"Tech Sgt Zackary White, US Marines, retired" Zack sat up straight as he could and saluted to me.

"We're not in uniform, for all I know I'm retired now too thanks to that IED I hit. At ease." said to him, Zack noticably relaxed as I spoke.

"You mentioned a... Iota site ? It doesnt sound like a place I am familiar with, and also this stargate thing ?" Zack was infact quiet lost on the terms I had been using. I found myself remembering bits and pieces of my father, a cat apparently named Silvermane. Very briefly in Zack I saw him, but then Zack himself was a black and white patchwork or tortishell type pattern. Like a penguin.

"Technology that goes to other planets. In this case the Stargate opens a one way door from say, your backyard, to a planet on the other side of the galaxy. Does that make sense ?" I explained as quickly as I was able

"A little bit, not as much as I'd like, but I guess it can be enough." Zack replied, I sighed in relief. "I do not supposed that we know where we're going with this... stargate ?"

"That's just it., if we go to Earth without a garage door opener, we'd get destroyed on the spot just trying to go through. But, if we go to the Iota site, or even one of the other sites, we'd be shot like swiss cheese. However, I wrote a letter, I tape it to the UAV, telling them how many of us there are, and we need a medical team; Then from there, back home, sends us new gear, old garage door openers, next thing you know, we go home." I said.

Somehow it sounded that simple. But somehow in the back of my mind, I knew for a fact, it was incredibly complicated.

But it was not Zane or Zack who spoke the next question: "What if you are already home ?" I twirled around, Ori staff primed and active. In the light stood a tall black and white catman. "Its been a good month since we saw anyone new show up. You three are the first we found"

"Who the fuck are you ?" Zane asked, his Ori staff up and ready to fire. He looked ready to nail the unknown catman in the head. "How did you find us ?"

"We've been watching you, we wanted to talk to you sooner, but. Unfortunately we had a disagreement and three of us drew the short straw, so you got me and two others." The unknown tomcat said

Zack scoffed. "I recognise your voice. See, I knew I wasnt just hearing things." He said, I smiled, glad to be proven that I was wrong and we werent alone.

"Are you friendlies ?" I asked.

"I hope so." The tomcat replied

"Alright, names, You first because you alerted us to yourself." I said to him

The tomcat smiled. "I am Alonzo. With me is Tantomile and Quaxo. Our leader sent us after you after an intense debate concerning things at our campsite." Alonzo said, "Like I said, We drew straws and the three lowest were to follow the one who we caught scent of, in this case, that was you" Alone said, nodding towards Zane.

"So that was what you were aurging about ?" Zane asked as he carefully regarded Alonzo. The black and white faced tom was oddly calm, as if he knew we wouldnt harm him.

"Not entirely." Alonzo sounded tired, and upset that he had to make first contact with a new group. He then relaxed a bit. "You use weaponry we are familiar with, and also weapons we are not familiar with. Who are you ?"

I sighed. "Well, you introduced yourself and those with you. So I guess we should do the same. I'm Lt Colonel Tanthial Raines, this is Captain Zane Artigas, and Tech Sgt Zackary White." I said to him as I did the introductions.

"You use terminology from Earth, back home. But what are your names now ?" Alonzo asked me. His gazxe going from Zane to me. I eyed him, hard.

"I just told you who we are. What the hell are you talking about ? Our names now ? Seriously" I growled deep in my throat.

Alonzo took a deep breath and let it out, he looked at me, I never took my weapon off him. "Alright how do I explain this and have it make sense. You think you're human right ? Wearing a cat suit ?" He said, we all nodded. "I got news for you, its the real deal. You arent in a cat suit, you're a cat, a humansized maybe taller, but still, a cat." He explained

"So what exactly do you mean by our names now ? Those are the names we remember." I said to him. He just looked at me. I growled again, "Alright look, I just want to get this letter hooked into the UAV that Zane found, send it on its way to let the Iota Site know we're alive and safe."

"The sooner the better" Zane mumbled.

"I agree," Quaxo spoke up, stepping into view. In the gathering darkness he blended perfectly in the shadows, only his white face was seen, he reminded me of my cat I once grew up with. Named Awinita. A tuxedo pattern just like this massive man of a cat. "The sooner you inform those you know, the UAV as you called it we saw earlier. We feared it might be our enemies."

"And now ?" I looked at him. Turning towards him, my kull blaster ready.

"Now, by getting the letter to those who sent the UAV, its also possible your confirmation code will resume its use. Unlike my own." Quaxo said

"What do you mean, you were at a Site ?" Zane asked him. He lowered his staff. But kept it ready.

"The third Alpha Site, I was the base cook. Third shift. From what I know of our motely group of twenty five others, uncluding Alonzo and Tantomile, I am the only one with military experience." Quaxo explained

"But you never found the Stargate ?" I asked him

Quaxo shook his head "I did not. I was never able to do so. However now, I think we can send word back that we are alright."

"Aheh... " I mused softly, Alonzo looked more at ease now that we seemed to have come to terms that the threesome did not mean us harm in any manner. So I had to ask; "What was your name at the Alpha Site ? Your name and rank I mean."

He smiled, "Master Chief Petty Officer, Thomas Wallace, US Navy" Quaxo said as an introduction. He motioned to Alonzo. "Like I mentioned, of the others, I am the only one with any military training. I was as I mentioned, the third shift chief cook. I oversaw all third shift meals for all soldiers on nighttime patrols and otherwise. The chow hall never slept."

"So you showed up here" Zack said, he had a bit more respect for this big man cat.

"I did" Quaxo replied, he looked at me. "Since you currently out rank me, I will defer my services to you in terms of respect of rank, but in terms of experience here on this new world of ours, you might have to defer to my experience." He said

"Well, Chief. That is where things get interesting. You've never been to any of the planets we established locked armories have you ?" I said. Quaxo shook his head. I continued. "Here's how things stand, there's a stargate not far from here, about two klicks to the southwest from here. Between here and there, there are two armory structures. That is where we got these weapons." I told him.

"The swords on your back, the clothing you wear, where did you find those ?" Alonzo then spoke up.

I turned to him. "Where I woke up."

"Where did you wake up ?" came the question, from a female voice. A slender feline woman, naked in just her fur, stepped into view. A torishell calico pattern.

"In a stone cold tomb, five other bodies were laid in it, one body, well, there were six, I think I was one of them." I said in reply to the question

Tantomile then turned to Zack. "In an old farmhouse, there was I think a body still laid on the bed, I woke up on the floor" Zack said.

She then turned towards Zane. "A open meadow, but I found my gear at a nearby armory like structure, there was also a body laid there. I did not disturb it." Zane said

I looked to the woman cat, Tantomile. "Why do you ask ?"

"The tomb you woke up in, what else was in it, where was it ?" Tantomile asked.

"From what I could see, there was clothing, well kept, I found this dress, these boots, leggings, the gloves. Everything fits me nice and snug. Its not my normal gear that I am used to, and I dont like showing this much skin, even if it is fuzzy." I replied. It made Zane smile, but he didnt snicker. Yes I was embarassed, but I would have decked him for laughing. The shirtly mancat.

"Where is it ? Where you woke up" Alonzo then asked, making me glare briefly in his direction before relenting my gaze. I didnt need to be so mean towards him, but it was I guess, the manner in which he asked, so I decided, since he asked, it wouldnt hurt.

"About five kilometers, that way." I pointed in in the direction that was oppisite the stargate. But still to the north.

"The armories are coded to your confirmation code, what is to say they are now fully locked ?" Quaxo then asked, the three of us traded looks. That was a scary thought.

"Before the armories become locked to us, we need more supplies, first aid kits, food, weapons, ammo. You name it, we need it. Looking at you, you could also do with a pair of breeches like Zane and a Ori staff, Chief." I said to Quaxo

"Please, call me Quaxo" He said simply. His manners reminded me a lot of Teal'cs own.

"Just because we're not in uniform doesnt mean we can go to that level yet, Chief." I said, expressing a point, but Quaxo had an expression on his face that said he was ready to push the issue. "I'll tell you what, I continue to call you Chief, because that is your rank. And the more we work together, the sooner I can call you by your name. Agreed ?"

A long moment passed, then another. Fiunally, Quaxo smiled and nodded. "Agreed" he said, though I could tell that he was not too happy about it, he knew I meant business. But I wasnt going to press the issue with him. He seemed like someone I knew I could trust to watch my back if shit went down.

The introductions over, I had a new question to ask. I turned to Alonzo, since the Chief remembered his past, would the other mancat ? My gaze also shifting to the only other female. Tantomile seemed oddly calm, as if expecting my question "What is the last thing you remember before waking up, looking... well, looking like that ?"

Alonzo thought a moment before replying. "The last thing any of us, besides Quaxo, was thunderous applause, and then lightning striking the theater in Miami. The last thing I remember was our electrical board operator and main go to man, known as Moose Mike, diving for the actor of Munkustrap. Next thing I knew, huge bright light, and waking up in a wooded glen."

I turned to Tantomile, who nodded. "As Alonzo has said, I too remember a thunderous applause of the finale of the tour" She said to me, "However, unlike Alonzo and Quaxo, I woke up inside a dark temple like place, my... twn I suppose you could call him, woke up beside me. Truth be told, it was most... enlightning thing I had happen to me."

"How long ago was that ?" Zane then asked

"We've been here nearly a month. Honestly, you're the first people we've seen other then the local wildlife." Alonzo said, he smiled thinly, yet kindness was in his voice. "Had you not followed our firelight, we would have nevfer had this meeting."

"Are you saying it was fate ?" Zack asked him, confusion in his tone.

"Maybe, but I do not want to be sure" Said Quaxo, I found myself likeing the black and white mancat, who looked like a bodybuilder by his frame alone. A towering massive cat. He stood taller than me by a good ten centimeters. But I was not the least bit intimidated, even Teal'c stood taller than me by a good six centimeters. "The fact of the matter is, sooner or later, your access codes will be locked out, and the armories will be of no use to you."

"You tried your own code ?" I asked him

"I am scared to do so." Quaxo replied simply. "I fear I might have lost access."

"The armories never required a thumb print if that is what you worry of, only an access code. But I doubt you would know where to look for an armory." I mused simply. "No offense is meant of course. You've just never been here I take it."

"No, I never have set foot upon this world. Nor did I know of the extra armories this world might possess. Everything you see on my person, was found in the place I woke up, like you, a tomb, sealed with me inside."

"But you never found an armory ?" I asked him, Quaxo shook his head. "Alright Chief, you know where the UAV went down ?" He nodded, "Good, Zane, I want you and Alonzo here to go to the UAV, put this into the main compartment, where the plug system is for the data transfer," I said, holding the letter to him.

"I will go with Captain Artigas" Quaxo spoke up, Alonzo had to smile, a sigh of relief in his voice and in his expresison.

"Data transfer ?" Zane asked me. Briefly ignoring the two other mancats actions.

"That UAV came from the SGC or even the Alpha Site, there's no doubt that they still use actual data cables to plug in, put this letter inside the casing so when they open it, they see the letter before trhey see the cable plug, I wrote it in three different languages, hopefully if Dr Jackson can get to it he can translate it." I explained. Far as I remermbered the SGC never used wireless device connections for their UAVs for fear the enemy, the so called gods of the galaxy would crack the wifi signals. It had driven Father Sheen crazy.

That reminded me. "Hang on a second." I said, I motioned for the letter, Zane handed it back to me, I went to the nearby window and quickly wrote in the starlight a name and brief instructions of an address. Hopefully Tharon kept the house. I thought. I turned back to Zane and handed him this letter. "The sooner Dr Jackson gets this letter, the sooner we can have answers. I just hope we're not too late." I told him.

"You want us to take the letter now ?" Zane asked

"Yes." I replied simply

"It would appear speed and prudence is of the utmost importance, Captain Artigas" Quaxo said, yeah he sounded like Teal'c alright.

"Are you sure you're not a Jaffa in a past life ?" I asked him, a half smile on my face. Quaxo merey smiled in return.

"We will not be long, the UAV you spoke of is not far from here" Quaxo said he turned to Zane. The two catmen left. Leaving me and Zack with Tantomile and Alonzo, who was dangerously close to getting bonked by my Ori Staff.

I sighed, "That went well." Zack said simply. He found himself oddly calmer, more relaxed now that he had gotten to meet the locals. So to speak.

"Hopefully they wont kill each other." I mumbled.

That earned a soft chuckle from Tantomile. "Knowing Quaxo, Captain Artigas is safer then he thinks." she said when I looked at her.

But instead of replying, she simply smiled at my unasked question.