On the Big Silver Disc

Agnes holds a soft brush in one hand and top rung of the stepladder in the other as she carefully sweeps away at the dried mud. The big silver disc glitters in the sunlight and, despite the chill air, she hasn't felt this at ease with her work for a long time. There is something calming about the methodical cleaning of the surface. Below her, a tarpaulin catches the falling pieces of clay and above her another ripples and catches like a sail overhead in the light breeze.

The disc is mesmerising in its plain uniformity, and there, at the top of ladder, it's like she can feel the world turning on its axis around it. Like a wheel. For a moment she loses her footing slightly and places her hand firmly against the surface of the disc to steady herself. It is warm, almost hot and there is the tiniest sense of friction but it must be because she is falling, not because it's turning. She lifts her hand and inspects her palm. But there is nothing to see except the dust from the disc. Agnes glances across the curving surface, could it be a wheel? She shakes her head and turns back to her cleaning. So far she has found nothing but a small shell and some fossils from the cliff mud, the disc appears to be completely free of markings of any kind.

In the Atrium at SGC:UK

Professor Peter Cromwell is in his element giving Professor Gail Overton a guided tour of Star Gate Command. As they walk around the complex, the General wanders along obediently at their heels, his doleful eyes taking it all in. '...and this is our hub, where we run operations from. So I hope you...'

Before he can finish his sentence, there is a thunderous crashing sound, echoing up the tunnels from the quarry, followed by screaming and yelling. 'What the..' Without thinking, Peter and Gail both run towards the tunnels but ahead of them is the General, ears flying as he runs towards the commotion. By the time they reach the quarry, the noise and dust has subsided and Agnes is being stretchered away from the fallen scaffolding which held up the cradle the disc was on, her ladder in pieces on the ground. For a moment Peter and Gail can scarcely work out what is going on.

'Agnes, what happened? Are you hurt?'

'My leg! I'll be OK, I think it's just a sprain. The scaffolding gave way, just as we finished cleaning the disc, it all sort of leapt up in the air...ouch...'

'Take her directly to hospital. You need an X-ray on that leg... no, don't argue!' Peter waves the two first aiders holding the stretcher towards a Jeep.

'Peter, I think you should take a look at this...' Beside him, Gail is holding onto The General's collar as he tries to leap up in the air, trying to catch something. Above their heads, perfectly suspended in mid-air, the large silver disc is floating unsupported by anything and is starting to slowly spin.

In the Tower of the Magus

'Now, I shall need to talk to someone, someone who will remember the time of the giants... We must travel to Maere!'

'Maere? The nightmare realm?' Daniel asks, 'Why there?'

'Yes, why there?' Jack adds, not keen on the thought at all. 'Is this giantess you mentioned there?'

'No! We must travel to Maere because that's where some of the creatures from the time of the giants still live and hopefully still remember.' Aelix replies. 'We must find Spinner, she'll know.'

'Spinner?' Jack asks, really not liking the name. 'Spinning a web sort of Spinner?'

'Exactly. Now Daniel, do you have one of your magik coins for Maere?'

'No, no I don't, we'll have to go back to SGC:UK for it, I'm afraid.' Daniel pushes his glasses up his nose and sighs. 'I was hoping for a little bit longer here, with your books to be honest.'

'I am sorry, Daniel. But if this is a wheel from a giantess's chariot we have no time to waste.'

'And why is that?' Jack asks. 'And how will talking to, no doubt, a very scary spider on the scary planet of Maere help the situation?' But Aelix has already leapt through the portico to the little boat waiting beyond and does not answer, all Daniel, Teal'c and Jack can do is follow on.