A/N: sorry I'm such a slow writer all...more to come as I write it...
In the days following Dr. Jackson's astounding revelations toward Damien, Damien realized that he was starting to feel better about himself, maybe even starting to forgive himself. Although he hadn't known what the strange writing in the cave had been about, as soon as he had seen it he knew that others had to know about it no matter his personal consequences, and now his personal demons have been exorcised.
Now he wished he could have stayed with Dr. Jackson to help him in his research. The week following their discovery, Damien and Billy found themselves still following the Big Honking Tractor as it made its slow progress towards the hydroelectric plant. The BHT seemed to get tangled in the underground root systems of every tree the even came near. That meant the very physical labor of using pick axes and shovels to clear the blades of the BHT. Captain Thomas's attitude became sourer and sourer the longer it took.
Damien tried to push himself to be a good role model for the rest of the team and to stay in the Captain's good graces, but the physical labor was starting to wear down his slightly built thin body. Panting but still working, Billy and Damien needed to just move one more large tree trunk out of the way for the BHT to continue on its course.
"Billy, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. I'm just going to sit on this log until I can catch my breath," Damien said as he dropped down on the log.
But Billy was looking around to find where Captain Thomas was at. "Watch it Damien! Captain Thomas might see you, you know. Ever since there was that rumor that they're changing to another site for the Hydro plant, the Captain has been angrier than ever, you know."
Just then Captain Thomas called a halt, "Gordon, Hunt, come here, I need to talk to you both. Everyone else take five."
"Now you've done it Damien," whispered Billy as Damien got up from the log and they both reported to the Captain.
"AFC Gordon reporting as ordered, Captain, Sir," said Damien, as politely as he could, when they had gotten to Captain Thomas.
Captain Thomas was pulling out his plans and his laptop computer. The laptop had been specially made to be foul weather resistant for durability to withstand the damp conditions of the frequent rainstorms here on the planet. "Wait here just a minute," was his reply. Taking out his radio to be heard over the noise of the BHT, Thomas called out to his 2IC, Second Lieutenant Johnny Gambol, "Hey L.T., when you get finished shutting down the BHT come on over here and bring Master Sergeant Martinez with you."
"10-4," was the answer over the radio.
"I just received a call from the Base CO's office," Captain Thomas said to Damien and Billy, startling them as they were prepared to wait until his 2IC got there. "The entrance to the cavern with the drawings and etchings that you found has collapsed and General Grier wants everyone who has seen it to report back to the base for a debriefing."
"Hey Cap'n, you wanted to see us," said Second Lieutenant Johnny Gambol with his lazy Bronx Italian accent.
"I've been ordered to report to General Grier's office for a debriefing along with anyone who has seen that cavern that these boys found a couple of weeks ago. So I am putting you in charge of this motley crew. Now I am counting on you to get this job done in my absence. I know your service record is coming up for the promotion review board next quarter and getting this done will look good for the leadership experience portion. Master Sergeant Enrique Martinez will be your 2IC." As Captain Thomas continued his turnover instructions to the L.T. and Master Sergeant, Damien noticed their stances gradually changing from relaxed attention to a proud attention.
"Say Captain, will you want to take the Jeep back to the base or will they be sending a transport for you?" asked Master Sergeant Martinez with a decidedly East L.A. Latino accent.
"Actually, that's a good question. While I contact the base, why don't you boys go collect your gear off of the F.R.E.D.? Get mine too while your at it."
While they were getting their gear Billy looked at Damien with an anxious look on his face. "Damien, you don't think we are going to get in any trouble do you? You know how tongue tied I can get when put under pressure."
"Don't worry, Billy. I think that we just have to give our story of how we found it and what we remember seeing inside. And look at it this way, we are going to get out of the weather for a while and even get a chance for a hot shower for the first time in how many weeks?"
It turned out that they did indeed need to take the Jeep back to the base since that was the closest transportation currently available. Master Sergeant Martinez assigned one of the airmen from the crew to drive them to the base and then return to the crew's location. During the four hour drive back to the base, Damien and Billy slept in the rear of the Jeep while Captain Thomas rode in the front with Airman Alex Moore.
When they got to the base, Damien and Billy were hoping to get a quick bite to eat and a hot shower before the briefing but were ushered straight into the General's office. It was a tight fit inside the office with the General, his 2IC Lieutenant Colonel Edward Lynch, Captain Thomas, Billy, and Damien as well as a T.V. monitor on a rollaway cart. Damien and Billy stood at attention to either side of Captain Thomas as he reported them in. "Captain Sinclair Thomas with Senior Airman William Hunt and Airman First Class Damien Gordon reporting as ordered, General," he said with a smart salute.
"Thank you for getting here as fast as you did, Captain. Please sit down all of you," General Grier told them. "What you are about to be told cannot be discussed outside of this room, gentlemen. You were told when you were called in that the cavern entrance has collapsed, yes?" seeing their nods he continued, "Well, further evidence points to it not being due to a natural cause as first thought."
Lieutenant Colonel Lynch continued the briefing, "Dr. Jackson asked us to place several wireless closed-circuit cameras in the caverns to watch for any changes during storms. One of the cameras caught the silhouette of someone entering the cave and then leaving about 15 minutes later. An hour later the water in the chamber on the right started to rise and then flooded the outer chamber which then washed out the entrance."
"We wouldn't have found this out, as all of the camera equipment was destroyed by the water and subsequent cave-in. However, as the cave-in was occurring the cameras were transmitting that hour's download to the satellite server," General Grier put in. "We just got satellite's download this morning. Go ahead and start it, Colonel."
As it was starting, Damien jumped up to dim the lights. On the screen they watched the scene play out with the image of cavern wall displaying the Ancient writing there, it automatically switched to the image of a shadow appearing on the wall next to the main cavern entrance. As they watched, a silhouette crossed the view of the next camera's display. There were several minutes of various camera views as the cameras continued with the prescribed routine, then the same view displaying the silhouette leaving the cavern.
Lieutenant Colonel Lynch pressed a button to fast forward to the scene of the water rising and as the entrance washed out the display became static as the cameras were damaged by the water and debris, one by one. Then Lieutenant Colonel Lynch rewound to the image of the silhouette and paused the image.
"Wow, that definitely looks suspicious, doesn't it?" breathed Captain Thomas. "Is it safe to assume that you are having the recording enhanced in order to try to see that guy's face?"
"We have sent a copy back to Stargate Command for analysis. Hopefully Colonel Carter's people can work their magic and get us a clear image," replied the General.
Damien, who was peering closely at the screen suddenly asked, "What's that in his hand?"
"That's another part of the puzzle that we are hoping the Carter's people can enlighten us with. He seems to have an odd shaped head too, maybe night vision goggles or the like." replied Lt. Colonel Lynch.
"Could you replay that part in slow motion, Colonel?" asked Captain Thomas.
Lt. Colonel glanced toward General Grier for permission and seeing his motion to go ahead did so. During the slow motion replay, Billy noticed a flash of lightning that briefly illuminated the cave, "Sir, could you pause it right at the lightning flash?" Then looking as close as he could at the screen he groaned, "You know, I thought that I could recognize him for a moment but it's gone now."
"Really? Well, we are just going to have to look at the colonies' personnel files together aren't we, Mister Hunt?" said Lt Colonel Lynch as he eyed Billy almost suspiciously.
"Well in the meantime, I need to speak with your Captain privately so you two are dismissed to get some chow and check into the transit barracks for the night. Get plenty of rest as you need to be back to the briefing room at 0600 to go over everything that you remember seeing in that cavern." Getting a questioning glance from his 2IC he added, "You'll also be going over those files with Colonel Lynch here and you'll need to remember everyone that you have talked to about that cavern since it was found. Dismissed!"
With that dismissal, they stood to attention, saluted and left the room. "I hope that there is something good left in the cafeteria, I mean it is almost 2100," Damien said as his stomach started to growl and he smothered a yawn.
Billy just grunted as they made their way to the cafeteria. Eating their chow hungrily left little time for talking, but suddenly Billy dropped his fork and looked up with a bright look on his face. Damien looked at him, "What?"
Billy shook his head as his face fell, "I'm so sure that I recognized that guy, you know but I just can't remember from where, it's just so frustrating."
"Well maybe you'll remember after a good night's sleep," said Damien hopefully.