Chapter Twelve (Present Day- The SGC)
Alana was released from the infirmary, under guard to make sure she didn't make anyone become violent again. She was confined to the non-classified sections, but she longed to see the Stargate. Whenever Sam walked into the room she begged to see it. After a threat assessment was made, it was decided that she would be allowed to see it.
"Well, are you ready to see what your creation has evolved to become?"
"Finally!" Alana exclaimed in glee.
The blast door opened and Alana walked into the Gate room. She looked up in wonder at the Stargate that had come from her two small rings. She walked slowly up the ramp and pressed a hand to the cool stone.
"They added extra detail I see." She pointed to the carvings on the band of naquadah to the interior stationary piece of the gate. This was the part that wasn't the moving track.
"Did the inner track of yours spin?" Sam asked earnestly about the gate
"There was no inner track. There was no need, the Dialing Device detected the constellations and submitted a subspace code to the Stargate once it locked onto the locator star. They changed my design of the activation capacitors as well." Alana fingered one of the orange chevrons with a look of distaste.
"We have found research that was in your written language. Maybe that could close the gap between your knowledge and the evolved form of the Stargate."
"I would like that very much."
"Right this way."
Sam led Alana into her lab and picked up a heavy manual that was written in Ancient. Alana staggered under the weight of the book and flipped it open. Pages and pages were filled with documented research and Alana read it speedily, apparently taking in every word. She then pulled a device from her bag and inserted the razor then needle into a nearly invisible port behind her right ear. She concentrated hard and a small beep was heard. She snapped open the pack and removed a blood red crystal.
"I can interface this with one of your computers and give you all the information translated into English." Alana stated and held the small jewel in her hand.
"I'm not sure we can interface with that."
"Then I will build a terminal." Alana said and then asked
"Will you direct me to supplies that I will be free to use?"
"Sure." Sam set Alana up in an empty room with various nonessential things from the base. Alana began work immediately and in about half an hour she presented her finished work. She put the crystal in the slot and pulled up the display. Sam scrolled through to find that though the heavy volume occupied innumerable pages, most of it was because the ancient's writing was so much bigger than English. She read the information and turned to Alana.
"Could you build a Stargate?"
"Of course, though I would need to be supplied with sufficient naquadah."
"How much do you need?"
"It all depends on the size, if you want one that will accommodate a transport pod then..."
"What is a transport pod?"
"I believe it is similar in design to what you referred to as a 'Puddle Jumper' ."
"Ah."
"Like I was saying, if you wish it to accommodate a transport pod, it will use considerably more naquadah than a Stargate that is eight feet tall."
"How much would it take to make the little one?"
"Forty five thousand pounds of refined naquadah."
"Weapons grade?"
"No, just enough to be stripped of impurities, if the vein has not run dry, there is most definitely that much on the nearest world in the Ancient Alterran Empire, that was Adybosa."
"That planet has since been destroyed."
"Oh."
"Are you sure it takes forty five thousand pounds?"
"I am including the weight of the dialer."
"Oh, that is still a lot."
"I realize that much of the naquadah deposits have been mined in the last sixty five million years."
"Yeah."
"Would you like to know only the weight of the dialer, since you obviously already have a functional Stargate?"
"That would be a lot better."
"The full size dialer requires fifty pounds of naquadah."
"Would weapons grade bars work?"
"Yes, definitely."
"Sergeant, what did we do with the box of weapons grade naquadah that Daniel tricked away from the Lucien Alliance?"
"I think it is in the armory."
"Were there any plans for it?"
"No, a lot of experimentation, but other than that—"
"Ha ha!" Sam exclaimed and threw her arms in the air.
"What is the cause of your jubilation?"
"We have a sixty five pound case of refined weapons grade naquadah that one of my teammates stole."
"Is he the one that resembles the traitor?"
"Daniel?"
"Yes, with the name so much like the hated one."
"Yes, with a quick mind he deceived the traders and got away."
"I suppose I must admire his effort."
"You don't have to."
"I know." Alana replied. Sam looked rather annoyed but said nothing.
The case of naquadah arrived and Alana said
"I now require fifty four identical sensor crystals."
"Fifty four?"
"Yes, thirty eight of them detect the constellations and the other sixteen detect internal malfunctions etc."
"Lieutenant?"
"Yes ma'am?"
"Do you think the Tok'ra would give us fifty four identical sensor crystals?"
"I do not know, the Tok'ra have been less sympathetic to our requests since...oh ma'am I am so sorry." The lieutenant gained a look of horror at what she had been about to say.
"It's all right lieutenant, I knew this would happen, someday."
"It doesn't make it hurt less."
"I know, contact the Tok'ra."
"Yes ma'am."