Back At SGC:UK

Agnes pauses in her research and checks the time. Several hours have passed and still she is no closer to pinpointing a particular myth or legend that points to a Giantess with a chariot that ended up buried in the cliffs of Dorset. But a more general picture is emerging. Across the world, there are references to giants who are in some way connected to the land or the sea and who are now bound down by it. It's as though at some point in pre-history there was a great uprising and these creatures were cast underground. Many of these creatures are not from earth. If you put all the fragments of myths, folklores and histories together, you see a bigger picture, one where supernatural creatures arrived at this planet, at the dawn of humankind and tried to enslave them. Eventually they were defeated and driven underground into rocks and mountains and hills, or into the sea, often with the help of other supernatural beings.

Agnes finds herself at the search engine results for 'basalt columns worldwide' and is surprised to see such a long list of features around the globe. Perhaps they are just a volcanic phenomenon and not the crash site of a Giantess's space travelling chariot. Unless it was an epic worldwide battle. An ad in the corner of the internet page catches her eye. In an intricately bordered square of Celtic knots is a simple statement. 'Ask me to untie the meaning of the knots.' Without knowing why she clicks on the add. A pop-up window appears on her screen and Agnes curses under her breath, click bait, she should have known. She is about to close the window when a face, framed with greyish curly hair and twinkly eyes looms in too close to what is clearly a webcam.

'Helloo! Helloo! You just caught me, I was about done for the day. This is a premium rate number so you'll be charged for my time, I'm afraid. What can I do for you?' The man sits back down at their desk and Agnes can see more of the room, a modern office with a pictures of Celtic art on the walls. The man is in his mid-forties, dressed casually.

'Hi, I'm sorry I just randomly clicked on your ad. I didn't realise it was to a...a chatline thing..' Agnes now isn't at all sure what it is she clicked on.

'Not one of those chatlines I can assure you!' The man's laugh is reassuringly hearty. 'My name's Cameron Galbraith and I run web seminars on interpreting Celtic designs. I'm an artist and I teach Celtic design long distance over the web as well. I though you were one of my students.'

'Oh OK! My name's Agnes Dale and I'm a.. a curator for the British museum, in the coins department.' Agnes decides not to reveal she is working for SGC just yet. 'I was researching some Celtic legends about giants and I clicked on your ad by mistake, Mr. Galbraith.'

'Don't worry and you can call me Knotty, everyone does. Celtic Giant legends? Just my sort of thing. Which ones in particular?'

'Call you naughty?' Agnes asks, thinking she must have heard him wrong.

'No, no not naughty, KNOTTY like knots. It's the accent!' He breaks out into laughter again and Agnes finds herself smiling too. She is finding him a little too attractive and she is almost relieved to see he is wearing a wedding band. 'The Giant's Causeway in particular.'

'Ah yes, Finn and Benandonner, I know the legend well. There are many giants sleeping across our lands. Theirs is a more famous tale.'

'Sleeping?'

'Bound to the earth. Often under mountains or in the sea. I have this pet theory that Celtic knots are a literal translation of these binding spells. Passed down through the generations but still keeping all the giant foes and wee creatures from our myths under control. Tied up in knots you see. Just a thought, really. We have meanings for the endless knot, that is what these designs are called, in its various patterns but well...these pattens start appearing just as all these mythical creatures disappear. '

Agnes is about to ask a question when the General bounds into her office and leaps up at the desk, followed by Professor Pete Cromwell, standing at the doorway. 'Ah, there you are Agnes, any luck because that wheel is getting faster and still nothing from the away team...' Pete's voice trails off as he can see Agnes frantically trying to signal for him to stop by indicating with her eyes and head to her screen. Pete walks over to her desk and glances at the face on the screen.

'Who's this?'

'This is Knotty I mean, Cameron Galbraith an expert on Celtic mythology. I was just asking about...'

But Pete doesn't wait for an answer. 'Excellent, we can do with all the help we can get. Find out where he is and I'll get a helicopter to pick him up... Come, General. We need to get ahead of this thing!'

'A helicopter... to the British Museum? You do know I'm based in Edinburgh don't you?' Knotty asks, slightly perplexed from this sudden turn of events.

'I'm sorry. I wasn't being completely truthful. I did work for the museum but now I work for a secret military organisation that deals with... with classified happenings.'

'Like giants?' Knotty asks, slightly bemused by this strange webcam conversation.

'Like giant spinning ancient chariot wheels that are found in cliff falls after storms.' Agnes states baldly.

'Oh, well, that's OK then.' Knotty replies calmly. 'And the name of this organisation? Hey, wait... is this to do with the cliffs in Dorset after the hurricane? I saw something on the news.'

'Yes, it is. We are called Stargate Command and we are based in Wiltshire. Will you help us?'

'Stargate?'

'As in a gate to the stars.'

'To the stars? Like space travel? Now this I must see. A helicopter?'

'Yes, you will need a cover story for your family.'

'There's only my husband, James and me and he's on a business trip, he won't be back for a week.'

'OK, I'll pass you over to one of the operatives in command and they'll arrange your transport. I'll see you soon, Knotty.'