Chapter 9:The Lab

The gate kawooshed on P7X-419 and with in moments Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne's teams were on the planet. As they exited the wormhole they cautiously looked around, but all that was to be seen were trees.

Lt. Wallace, the fourth member of Lorne's team spoke up, "Looks peaceful enough."

"That usually means its not," the Colonel muttered. "Alright everyone keep their eyes peeled. As far as the recon team could tell this planet is uninhabited, but you never know." Sheppard remembered their trip to M5S-224 and their assumption about the "fog". And with that the teams headed South-South-West to find the Rings. It was about a 3 mile trek according to the recon team, and the scenery was beautiful, but they had to find someway to keeps themselves entertained. After about the first mile McKay, Zelenka, and Sheppard started an arousing game of "Prime, Not Prime" and to Lexa's surprise Colonel Sheppard had only missed one number. Hmm, must be a closet math genius. The whole cocky attitude must be a cover up. Teyla and Ronan were obviously seeing who could stay quiet the longest. There hadn't been a peep out of either of them since the numbers game started. Lorne and Lexa were having a private chat until they noticed how bored Wallace seemed, so the three of them started a game of "World's Worst." They tried to keep their laughter to a minimum, but when Lexa asked Lorne "World's worst person to be paired with on a mission," and he pointed to McKay, the three could not contain their laughter. Of course this interrupted the game of numbers the others were having because they just had to know what was so funny, but the three of them insisted it was nothing. Soon, thereafter, the laughter ceased for they had reached the temple-like complex that housed the Rings. It wasn't a very large building, just big enough to hold the Transporter Rings and probably a few guards. Colonel Sheppard's team, Zelenka, and Wallace all stepped into the rings, while Lorne and Lexa stood back and watched with a smile on their faces.

Lexa giggled, "You don't know how to work them do you?" She received a blank stare from those in the Rings. She turned to Lorne, "Would you like to do the honors, or shall I?"

"Why don't you, Miss know-it-all," Lorne flashed his adorable smile while Lexa stuck out her tongue. She operated the controls and the two of them joined the others in the circle. The Rings flew up around them and within seconds they were transported into a large circular room. The room had a few consoles and view screens, but for its size, was mostly empty. Once the group started wandering around, lights and consoles started coming on everywhere. The four corridors that lead off of the main room were positioned to the compass, and as Lexa neared one, its lights came on sequentially down the long, almost endless hallway. She froze, for she sensed that there was something to be found down the passage.

As Lexa stared down the west wing Colonel Sheppard was giving orders. "Well, there are four wings, so split up into teams of two." He noticed Lexa's attention was on the hall and not him. "Um, Captain, you with us here?"

Lexa shook her head to get herself out of the trance. "Oh, sorry sir. Yeah, um, Major Lorne and I can take this hall." She quickly paired herself with Marcus after hearing about his wonderful rompt through the woods with McKay.

Colonel Sheppard's eye's widened, "Okay then. That's fine. Um, Ronan if you'd go with Wallace to the South, Teyla and Rodney, you can take the East, and Zelenka and I will take the north. Radio if you find anything intriguing."

They all went off in there different directions. As they headed down the passageway, Lorne called Lexa on her odd behavior. "So, what was that? I mean, it's just a hall."

"I don't know. I just felt like there was something down here I have to find. Its weird I know, but I just have this gut feeling that there's something powerful down here," she broke off as they reached a door. They looked to the side for a crystal control panel, but there was nothing, there was no obvious way to open the door.

"Ok, so exactly how do we open it?" Lorne looked around the door again making sure they didn't miss anything.

"Well…" Lexa tilted her head, shrugged, and smiled.

Lorne looked up at the ceiling. "Oh no. Here we go."

Lexa's smile turned to a friendly glare. "Oh shut up." She paused. "Open sesame." Nothing happened. "Eh, it was worth a shot."

"Yeah, a shot in the dark. So now what?"

Lexa bit her lip and started to think. She took a step forward to examine the door more closely. A faint blue light appeared where a door knob would be located. She reached her hand out and touched it, it became brighter and the door slid open. "Uh, that's what." The two of them readied their weapons and stepped into the small lab. As they entered everything in the room lit up. There was a round pedestal in the center of the lab with an urn located on top of it. A beam of blue light came down from the ceiling and encompassed the pedestal which then allowed for Alexa to view the Ancient writing etched on the urn. "Trespasser" she read aloud.

"Huh," Lorne questioned.

"That's what it says on the urn. Trespasser. That's it. I have no clue what its supposed to mean."

"Well we should probably get Zelenka and McKay down here to go through the database, and see if they can't get any insight on what it's supposed to mean." Lorne activated his radio. "Colonel, its Lorne. We found a small lab in the west wing that has an urn in it that says 'Trespasser'. I think we should get Zelenka and McKay down here to take a look at it."

"Copy that Major, we're on our way," Colonel Sheppard radioed back.

While Lorne was contacting Colonel Sheppard, Lexa decided to get a closer look. She stepped up on to the platform that held the pedestal and was bathed in blue light. Lorne turned and noticed her. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You know me, just getting a better look," Lexa replied.

"Yeah well not to sound all parental but, you look with your eyes, not your hands princess."

"Oh come on. It's an urn, what could possibly happen?" Lexa lifted the lid. "See." She took a peak inside. "Empty. Figures." She turned to Lorne who had walked over and stood next to the pedestal, "No harm, no foul." And with that she fainted into his arms.