"Alliances of Sorts"
Ch. 10
(Old mining planet, campsite a few miles from the Phoenix Cave)
I woke up before anyone else got up this morning. As soon as I woke up I pelted for a nearby tree and started throwing up again. This was the second morning this has happened. I felt queasy all day yesterday and had a horrible headache that I just couldn't seem to get rid of.
Once that everyone had eaten breakfast and packed up the site they started their journey. They had to stop for me because I would need to barf every once and a while. Because we had to keep stopping it took us longer to get to the Phoenix cave. But, eventually, we arrived at our destination.
"What now?" Emma asked.
They all stood in front of the entrance to the cave.
"We found another part of the cave that seemed to be sealed off somehow," Daniel said. "Nicole and I found the scrolls right outside of that part of the cave."
"It's pretty deep inside. It'll take us a few minutes to get there," I said.
"Let's go then," Jack said.
We all nodded and followed him inside. It got dark and damp as we slowly made our way through the cave. We finally arrived in front of the sealed entrance. I moved my flashlight over the faded phoenix paintings on the walls. I went over to a bowl that had been placed on top of a cabinet where Daniel and I fount the scrolls.
"Okay, now how do we get it open?" Brennan asked.
"Teal'c break out the C-4," Jack ordered.
Teal'c inclined his head a little, and reached into his pack.
"Hang on," I said. I put up my hand to stop Teal'c. "I have a better idea."
Everyone looked at me. I took off my phoenix necklace. Then, I grabbed my knife from my belt, I slit a cut in my palm, then I squeezed my pendant into the pool of blood in my palm.
"Nicole, what are you doing?" Shalimar asked apprehensively.
"It's alright," I dropped it into the bowl.
The door slid open to reveal a massive round room, big enough to hold 2 football stadiums; a huge bomb fire in the middle of the room; and a cocoon like object floating inside of the flames. I wrapped my cut, grabbed my pendant and put it back on. I stepped inside and the others followed.
"What the hell is that," Brennan gasped, pointing to the cocoon engulfed in the flames.
"It looks like a cocoon. But, what is it for?" Adam asked.
"You're asking me?" Jack said.
"No, Colonel, I was asking my niece," he said.
"This whole chamber appears to be a place where the transformation takes place," I said, ignoring Adam completely.
"How can you possibly know that?" Emma asked.
"I have know idea. But, I feel like I've been here, on the planet. Ever since we first arrived," I told them.
"But, this place has been deserted for hundreds of years," Sam said.
"I know," I said hastily. "I can't explain it."
"Perhaps I could be of some assistance," a familiar voice said.
Thor beamed down, seating in his usual chair.
"Thor," SG-1 and I said, happily.
"Hey, buddy," Jack greeted the alien.
"Greetings O'Neil," Thor said.
To be continued . . .