Lemea (pronounced Lee-Mayor)
Alisana has been piloting the Verdain ship through hyperspace for almost an hour, and they are 10 minutes away from Lemea (P3X-562). O'Neill joined Mitchell, Vala, Teal'c and Daniel at the back of the ship and they've been talking amongst themselves, Carter has been sitting next to Alisana the whole journey and looking around the Verdain ship with great interest.
"So how do the controls work?" asks Carter, eager to find out all she can about the ship.
"I don't know for sure, but I believe the ship uses a type of particle manipulation." says Alisana.
"What does that mean?" asks Carter.
"Well, the ship is essentially one complete block of metal, contained within the metal is a type of particle. The particle is manipulated to provide thrust, weapons and the controls you see here." explains Alisana.
"Ok..." says Carter as she shuffles closer to Alisana, "So you're saying the ship has no internal systems, no engine or weapon systems...basically the systems have no moving parts?" asks Carter.
"That's right." replies Alisana.
"So the particle you say is running throughout the ship, do you know what it is?" asks Carter.
"I have no idea, sorry." replies Alisana with a tiny laugh.
"No, don't be silly. This is very advanced technology, it's obviously way beyond our current understanding." says Carter.
Then an beeping sound is heard through the ship, indicating they have reached their destination.
"We're here." shouts Alisana.
O'Neill, Mitchell, Vala, Teal'c and Daniel stand up and look out of the front of the ship as they approach Lemea. Alisana slows down the ship as they approach the planet, O'Neill moves up to Alisana and leans with one hand on the dash and the other on the back of Alisana's chair.
"Look's quiet." says O'Neill.
Alisana looks up at O'Neill, "I'm not detecting any Verdain ships in the area, I think we're ok." she says.
"Alright, take us down." says O'Neill.
Alisana carefully guides the ship through Lemeas atmosphere and while hovering about 50 feet above the surface she heads toward the Yaculum. The planet is completely covered in bright glistening yellow sand, as they continue along the landscape they see small clusters of blue crystals, the crystalline entities.
After several minutes Alisana begins pressing on the dash with a slight sense of panic on her face.
O'Neill notices, "Everything ok?" he asks.
"I...I don't understand." replies Alisana, "The entrance should be right here." she says.
"Are you sure we're in the right place?" asks O'Neill.
Alisana presses more buttons on the dash which displays some type of map, "Yes, I'm sure this is the place." she says.
O'Neill turns and looks out of the window again, "I don't see anything." he says.
"It was here I swear...I swear it was here." says Alisana in a shaky voice.
"Hey, hey. We believe you, It's ok." says Carter.
"Is there a chance they could have moved it." says Daniel.
"I don't believe so." replies Alisana.
"I'll tell you what, take this thing down and we'll go take a look on foot." says O'Neill.
Alisana nods her head and proceeds to land the ship on the surface. The narrow door opens and the ramp emerges, everyone gets out and groups together about 10 feet from the ship.
O'Neill puts on his cap, "What exactly are we looking for?." he says.
"A large stone column." replies Alisana.
"When you say large?" asks Mitchell.
"About 30 feet high." replies Alisana.
"You know, if this planet suffers sand storms, it could have been buried." explains Carter.
"OK, everyone pick a direction and take a look around. Alisana, stay with me." says O'Neill.
Every heads off in opposite directions to try find the column, tall hills surround them but they manage to make their way up them. Alisana and O'Neill are having a look around together but not really saying anything.
"You believe me don't you, that it was here?" asks Alisana.
"Yes I do." replies O'Neill.
"So is General you're name?" asks Alisana.
"No, it's my rank. My name is Jack." replies O'Neill.
"Oh. So you're the leader of your people?" asks Alisana.
O'Neill stops for a moment and looks at Alisana, "Yes." he says, then he keeps walking.
"OK, Jack." says Alisana.
"It's General O'Neill to you." says O'Neill.
"Sorry." says Alisana, sarcastically.
Mitchell reaches the top of a hill, slightly exhausted and has a look around but sees nothing but more sand, he sees Teal'c standing at the top of another hill.
"Anything Teal'c?" asks Mitchell on the radio.
"Nothing." replies Teal'c.
As Carter reaches the top of a hill she hears the radio conversation, "I've got nothing either." she says. They all continue to look around for a while but all they see is yellow sand, O'Neill gets on the radio and orders everyone to meet back at the ship.
"There's nothing here, let's head back." says O'Neill.
"Sorry. I was so sure it was here." says Alisana.
"Don't worry about it, we gave it a shot." says O'Neill as he touches Alisana on the shoulder, "Let's go." he says.
"Wait a second, Sir." says Carter, who spots a crystalline entity protruding from a sand dune, "I have an idea." she says.
Carter and the group walk over to the crystalline entity.
"Carter?" asks O'Neill.
"We know they can communicate with us sir, if we can talk to it may be we can find out what happened to the Yaculum." explains Carter.
"It's worth a try Jack." says Daniel.
"Yeah, ok. Just don't get too close." says O'Neill.
Carter moves closer to the crystalline entity and kneels down in front of it, she looks in to the reflective crystal, "Hello." she says softly. Nothing happens but she doesn't give up, "We're from Earth, we just want to talk to you." says Carter.
The crystal appears to come to life and mimics Carter's face, Carter turns and looks at the others with a smile, turning back to the crystal she moves in a little bit closer.
"Hello" says Carter.
"Hello" replies the crystalline entity.
"We're looking for something called the Yaculum. Can you help us?" says Carter.
"Yaculum." says the crystalline entity.
"Yes. A stone column about 30 feet high." says Carter.
The image of Carters face on the crystal disappears and the crystalline entity becomes lifeless.
"Can you help us?" says Carter, "Hello" she says.
"Not very friendly are they." says Vala.
Alisana has been watching and listening from the back of the group, she moves forward and kneels beside Carter, she leans forward to the crystal.
"Please, it's very important that we find the Yaculum." says Alisana.
"Forget it, it's not talking." says O'Neill.
"We have a Nuntus." says Alisana as she holds out the Nuntus crystal in front of her.
The crystalline entity springs to life once again and mimics Alisana's face this time, "Please." says Alisana. The face smiles at her and then looks beyond them, they all turn around and see the yellow sand slowly blowing off the hills.
The sand gathers more and more, then begins spinning like a tornado but it looks more like a tube. Soon the tube shrinks and as the sand clears, a stone column appears before them, it is what they were looking for.
"Wohw, that was awesome." says Mitchell.
"Awesome, Indeed." says Teal'c.
"Oh yeah." says O'Neill.
Carter and Alisana look at each other with happiness then look at the crystalline entity, "Thank you." says Carter, then the crystalline entity becomes lifeless once again. Alisana jumps to her feet, "Come on." she shouts as she runs off in the direction of the stone column.
"Hey, wait for us." shouts O'Neill, "Let's go." he says.
They arrive at the stone column which is sitting on top of a large circular platform with a small pedestal at the front of the column, Alisana runs right up to the column, "This is it, come on." she shouts.
"J..Just..hold on a second will ya." says O'Neill, with his hands on his knees slouched over, fighting to catch his breath.
As they all gather around the stone column they all share a feeling of wonder and excitement at what lays ahead of them.
"Is this the Yaculum?." asks Daniel.
"No, this is the entrance to the Yaculum." replies Alisana.
"How do we get in?." asks Carter.
"By placing the Nuntus on the pedestal." says Alisana.
"So what are you waiting for?" asks O'Neill.
"I've wanted to see this my whole life, now I finally will." says Alisana, smiling.
Alisana takes a deep breath and steps to the pedestal, after hesitating for a brief moment she slowly and gently places the Nuntus on to the pedestal and steps back. The Nuntus glows and starts hovering and spinning in the air about 2 feet above the pedestal, then a single transporter ring rises from the circular platform and transports the group away.