Chapter 1: An Unusual Device
One Month Before, Sam Carter's Lab, SGC
A soft light illuminated the worktable in the otherwise darkened lab. As usual, Sam was intently studying an object on the table before her. The object was large and cylindrical, composed of some kind of metal. She leaned over it, carefully removing one of the many panels that made up the object's exterior. Peering inside, she exposed a complex series of wires and conduits, which were connected to a separate compartment within the device. The compartment was clear and filled with a bluish gaseous substance.
Sam was just about to attempt to remove the compartment from inside the device when Daniel sauntered into her lab, interrupting her. "Hey Sam. How's it going?"
Sam moaned quietly in frustration and put down the tiny screwdriver that she had been using. Although annoyed, she looked up at Daniel and managed to plaster a friendly smile on her face. "Hi Daniel. It's going pretty well. I think this artifact is a weapon of some kind. It is very similar in design to our bomb technology."
Daniel's eyes widened slightly as he looked at her in alarm, "Should you be fiddling around with it then? I mean, isn't it dangerous?"
Sam chuckled lightly and smiled at him. "It would be if it had a power source of some kind, but it has been removed if it ever had one. I can't even find any kind of explosive agent. It's really fascinating."
She turned the cylinder around to show him something as she continued her explanation. "You see this compartment here? It houses some kind of gas, I think. It could be like nerve gas or some kind of biological agent. I think the device is designed to release whatever is in this compartment and disperse it over a large geographic area."
"Do you think it was made to fight the Goa'uld?" Daniel asked hopefully as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his BDUs.
She shrugged and looked back at the object. "We can only hope. I'm going to remove the compartment and take it down to Dr. Brightman and her people for analysis. They will find out if it will be effective against the Goa'uld."
"What about the device itself?"
Sam shook her head discouragingly, "It's so similar to the bomb technology we already have that I don't think it will be helpful. I'll keep working on it though. The good news is that if the gas turns out to be useful, we can most likely figure out how to adapt it to our own technology with few problems." She was once again lost in thought for a few moments, transfixed by the technology before her.
Finally noticing the silence in the room, she looked back up at the patiently waiting Daniel. She grinned apologetically. "Sorry. I just get lost in my own thoughts sometimes. By the way, have you learned anything from the books that SG-6 brought back with this?"
Daniel looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry...that's what I came by to tell you. I'm going to need more time. I was going to start on the books this morning. It's just that I've been so busy with the other translation project – you know the temple etchings from MR6-525?"
Sam smiled at the memories conjured up by his words. "Right. What a great mission - beautiful scenery, nice weather, and plenty of temple ruins to amuse you. We should try and have more missions like that."
"If only we had a crystal ball. One of those could sure help us avoid thunderstorms... and mud... and snow... and angry natives and...well you get my point," he joked as he turned to leave.
"Sure, Daniel. Good idea. You let me know if any of the other teams run across one anytime soon. But while we're waiting for our crystal ball to arrive, could you let me know if you find out anything interesting about the people who made this device? I sure would like to know why at least."
"Will do, Sam. I'll see you for lunch?" he called over his shoulder.
"Sure thing."
When he had gone, Sam turned her attention back to the artifact from PX7-496. She gently used her tiny screwdriver to release the small interior compartment from the mass of wires connected to it. Once she had successfully removed it, she put it in an isolation container to take to the science labs later on. Again, she turned her attention back to the larger device and thought to herself, 'why would they need a weapon like this?'
TBC
