Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.

Chapter 2

Recurring Memories

Planet Temonolous, or as numbered by the SGC P4S-619, was only two hundred light years away from Dakara. It had belonged in the past to a minor Goa'uld, named Tallic, the team had never encountered. It was there where Dr. Jackson discovered the Ancient tablets and began studying them. He deciphered a reference regarding a great project of the Ancients codenamed the Colossus Project. Dr. Jackson then found some stargate addresses that led the team to other planets where he found other clues pertaining information of the project when finally they reached their final destination where the horrible consequences took place.

Cam Mitchell and Vala reached P4S-619 just ten days ago, and began scouting the area where Jackson first found the tablets. Cam had a hunch they might have missed something more there the first time. The Ancients usually did not leave any manuals or tablets regarding secret or obscure projects of theirs. He hoped that there might a base or an outpost.

"Cam," – Vala had called. "How do you expect to decipher whatever we might find?"

Vala's question had been a valid one as Jackson was the resident expert on the Ancients.

"I've taken Jackson's notes." – Cam had responded. "I'll be taking the time to study them."

Vala had looked skeptically at him. "You, studying Ancient?"

"Yeah, I know how it sounds but someone has to besides there was mission report of a SG-1 mission where Teal'c and General O'Neil had to learn Ancient too." – Cam had countered.

"Yeah, I remember it had to do something with being stuck in a time loop, and we aren't."

"I know but what choice do we have if we are to solve this one?"

Vala had only nodded. She understood that they had no other choice.

They've spent on the planet now more than ten days snooping around like blood-hounds but found nothing. If there was something built by the Ancients then it was well hidden. It was in the last days, since they decided to spend just another four eight hours more, that they came across the something they were probably looking for. They found a temple of the Goa'uld – Tallic, and started exploring it.

"Vala," – Cam called. "I got something…I think."

Cam was examining the deepest basement chambers of the Goa'uld temple, which had also taken time to discover, with the scanners when they detected an even deeper chamber. Vala came to Cam at once.

"What do we have?"

"Look." – Cam showed her the readings.

"Great, but how are we going to reach it?" – Vala exclaimed.

"Ah, I'm not sure yet." – Cam hesitated. "But there must be a way. I doubt the Ancients would build something that can't be reached."

"Well, you never know." – Vala shrugged.

They started looking around for any sign or anything that could indicate the entrance to that chamber but found nothing.

"I say we call it a day." – Vala proposed after two hours of search. "And try tomorrow, we are both tired."

Cam just sighed.

"You want too much to happen at once, Cam."

"Maybe."

They returned to the Tel'tak, which they had landed just outside of the temple near a small forest. Vala lowered the canopy and entered.

"Wait!" – Cam had suddenly an idea.

"What?"

"Maybe, we could use the rings to go inside."

"It's too risky."

"How so? SG-1 did it on this planet with the fire, Proclarush."

"Yeah, but I doubt the structure here we survive the attempt. We can have the entire temple fall on us."

"Damn it!" – Cam exclaimed angrily.

"We'll find another way – tomorrow!"

Cam surrendered. He went to the back of the ship where they had made improvised beds and laid down. As soon he closed his eyes he fell asleep, and Orpheus took him in the dreamland.

The dream took Cam to the briefing room of the SGC where he was waiting for Jackson, who was as usual late, but the most important one, as he had to give the key notes.

"Where is he?" – Cam exclaimed.

"He said he would be here just in a minute." – Vala answered.

"Yeah, that was ten minutes ago." – Cam remarked.

Dr. Jackson appeared shortly after carrying as usual tons of old books, and a few maps.

"I'm sorry I'm late." – He said.

"No worry, we're about to take a coffee brake." – Cam said earning a smile on General Landry's face.

"Oh," – Jackson exclaimed. "Please do!"

"What have you got?"

"Well, as you all know on P4S-619, we found two Ancient tablets. I've deciphered them now."

"Yes that we know." – Vala interrupted impatiently. "Could you cut to the chase?"

"Well, I've been able to extrapolate some stargate addresses where the Ancients had made several outposts dealing with the Colossus Project. Apparently it was a huge brake through. It says on the tablets that an Ancient scientist, Devin, the father of the project, had made a device capable of scanning alternate realities…"

"You mean the one that sent you to an Earth that was almost conquered by Apophis?"

"Yes, that one." – Jackson confirmed. "We believed until now that the Ancients had nothing to do with it but apparently this was not the case. This was Devin's first step in the Colossus Project though and…"

"I'm sorry do we actually know what the Colossus Project is?" – Cam interrupted.

"Well, not exactly." – Jackson shook his head. "But what I've learnt so far leads me to believe that it has something to do with parallel realities."

"Then what's in it for us?" – The ever practical Vala asked.

"It's quite interesting as I came across a passage that mentions a stack of treasures, and as you remember during the campaign against Adria and her minions we were actually searching for Clavia Infinita."

"Yes, Daniel, I remember, thank you!" – Vala retorted given that it was a trap laid by Adria.

"Sorry, I forgot." – Daniel suddenly realized his mistake. "Yes, so, as I said I came across a passage mentioning Clavia Infinita and I have a gate address."

"Mission's approved." – General Landry said.

"Good job, Daniel." – Carter said while appearing from the General's office.

"Sam!" – Cam exclaimed. "Where were you? We were worried."

"Oh, you shouldn't have." – Carter smiled.

"How did it go?" – Jackson asked.

"As we expected, the wraiths definitely got our message and are not going to try anything that foolish again. " – Carter replied. "They know now their days are numbered."

"Great!"

"So, we are ready for another great adventure?" – Carter asked cheerfully.

"Oh, I hope not." – Landry exclaimed. "Just find the Ancient treasures without pissing something out."

Everyone had laughed at this comment but truth to be said every time they were to make a grand discovery they were falling in either finding a dreadful race or another disaster just waiting to happen, and it was not far from the truth.

"Alright, where to?" – Cam turned to Jackson.

"We are going to P9S-333. It is on the outer spirals of the galaxy, I think." – Jackson replied.

"Good, your geography skills are improving every day." – Cam added.

"There is always first time for everything." – Carter remarked.

The gate was dialed and the M.A.L.P. sent. The atmosphere was deemed stable to sustain humans. The team got ready to embark.

"Be careful and Godspeed." – General Landry wished from the control room.

"We'll be, sir." – Cam replied. "Alright, SG-1, let's move it."

They crossed the threshold and arrived shortly after on P9S-333. It was an odd little world. It had tropical trees in a snowy environment making one wonder how these trees would even survive the low temperatures.

"Jackson!" – Cam called. "Where to?"

"We go north." – Jackson replied looking at his notes.

"North, it is."

"Always Coca-Cola!" – Sam joked making the others chuckle too.

"Need a polar bear?" – Cam added.

"Maybe." – Sam replied suppressing a smile.

They walked till they reached the most curious building they've ever come across. By all means of physics this building could not possibly exist though. Imagine several cubes – one cube as a base, the next put on its outer left, the next crooked on the right over the second and so on.

Sam moved forward with her scanner but nothing revealed the mystery of the strangely standing cubes. It seemed as though they were held by magic.

"Well, as you said Sam, there is first time for everything." – Cam noticed.

"Actually, Cam, this is technically impossible." – Sam said while still scanning the odd building. "These buildings, physically, shouldn't be able to stand the way they do. It is simply impossible."

"And yet here they stand."

"Yeah."

"Hey guys, I think I found the entrance." – Jackson called from the eastern side of the odd buildings.

"Daniel, be careful." – Sam cautioned. "We don't know if it has defenses."

"It doesn't." – Jackson said. "I've already checked."

"It is safe." – Vala said popping her head out of the door, which apparently already had ventured. "It's unbelievable inside here."

The others followed in, Sam and Cam, as usual, very carefully. You never know when a trap would spring so it's best not to enter unprepared.

The inside of the building was just as crazy as the outside. Every single object was standing in an abnormal way. There were a few consoles on the ceiling in an upright position as though its users had to have the ability to defy gravity at will. There were a few on each of the walls, and hopefully some where they were supposed to be on the ground.

Sam went to examine those that were accessible, on the ground. But they were all written in a language unknown to them.

"We have a problem." – Sam announced. "This is not ancient, is it Daniel?"

"No, I'm afraid not." – Jackson shook his head while examining the symbols on the console.

"Let me see." – Cam came closer. "You never know it could be like the ones in the cave."

"Oh, no thank you!" – Jackson exclaimed. "We have no need of another ORI invasion."

"I thought you've accepted the blame for that one." – Vala teased.

"Very funny." – Jackson snapped.

Vala did not bother answering back. She had just spotted something very interesting. She had spotted a symbol, one which she recognizes all the time.

"Daniel," – She called. "Come see this."

"Not now, I'm busy." – Jackson replied.

"This one is more important than those there." – Vala insisted.

"Oh, what is it?" – Jackson shot frustrated.

"Look." – Vala gestured towards a symbol on one of the console on the wall. The symbol was the one that seemed to be universal for all – the symbol of infinity.

"This is interesting." – Jackson exclaimed. The others joined him.

"See…told you." – Vala smiled victoriously.

"Good, now what?" – Cam asked.

"Now, we are looking for a symbol that resembles a key or a chest." – Jackson answered.

"Alright, spread and look." – Cam commanded.

Cam just went under the consoles on the ceiling where he started staring. He thought best to take his binoculars out and look at those that were higher above. Teal'c joined him.

"Colonel Mitchell," – Teal'c said suddenly, and pointed. "There!"

"Where?"

"There."

"Oh, I see it. Jackson"

Jackson came to them and looked in the pointed direction. He noticed the symbol at once but reaching that symbol would seem impossible unless they were missing something. Sam, however found an alternative way of reaching it, actually it was the shoot first way. She took out her Zat gun and shot the console.

"Sam, no!"

Jackson cried but it was too late. The floor under their feet shook violently.

Someone shouted, "NO", and Cam fell off the bed. He opened his eyes and saw the very distressed Vala over him. Cam blinked and realized he was in the Tel'tak. The dream so vividly reminded him of the first mission on P9S-333.

"Cam, are you alright?" – Vala asked still distressed. Cam only nodded. "I heard you scream. Bad dream?"

"You can call it that way." – Cam swallowed.

"It'll pass." – Vala comforted him.

"I was dreaming about the mission on P9S-333 where Sam shot the…"

"The ceiling console, I know, I remember."

"And then I fell of the bed." – Cam added, now, with a smile.

"Oh." – Vala chuckled. "Go back to sleep, it's still dark."

Cam woke up and looked around. The morning was dim. Heavy, dark clouds covered the skies. He moved to the cockpit of the Tel'tak. Vala was not there. Cam then went to the cargo bay to fetch something to eat. Today was leaving day unless they find a way inside that deep chamber. Cam sighed. There was simply no way in just like on P9S-333.

Suddenly Cam was hit by a thunderbolt idea, yes, just like P9S-333. He left the Tel'tak and headed to the basement of the Goa'uld temple. There for his surprise he found Vala. She had illuminated the entire basement and was sweeping the walls one by one.

"Hey." – Cam called. Vala turned around.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." – Vala teased.

"What are you doing?"

"I had an idea." – Vala replied. "It came to me after your nightmare."

"Me too."

"It seems we start thinking alike," – Vala said then added, "Which is very disturbing."

Cam looked offended. "Very funny,"

"Just kidding," – Vala added quickly. "Come, see here."

Cam came quickly. On the wall, he noticed a vaguely distinguishable symbol, the symbol of infinity. Next to it, there was another symbol. That symbol or a drawing of sorts resembled, possibly, a ship unlike anything they've ever come across. It had a distinct body like a whale and two outer spirals beginning from the middle of the ship and joining on the tail like two arms or legs.

"What do you make of this?" – Cam asked Vala regarding the odd drawing.

"I don't know, maybe a ship of some kind." – Vala replied, still examining it.

"There's another drawing just next to it." – Cam said while grating the wall to better distinguish the drawing. "It looks like a, like a," – Cam shrugged, "Like a shuttle, perhaps."

"Let me see." – Vala moved beside him. She took out her flashlight and concentrated the light on it. "Yeah, it is definitely a shuttle, like the ones on Earth."

"Oh, no," – Cam shook his head. "Our shuttles don't look like this, although it is very close." – Cam looked at it again, "No, definitely not, I've seen many designs but this isn't one of them."

"Hmm," – Vala mumbled. "But only Earthlings make ships with this kind of design."

Cam looked at her, depicting a face of total offense.

"Well, look at the span of its wings, only you design shuttles in this fashion." – Vala insisted. "Look how a Goa'uld cargo ship or a shuttle looks like and how does an Earth one…"

Cam had to admit that Vala had a point although he could swear he had never seen an Earth shuttle resemble anything like that drawing on the wall. The shuttle on the drawing looked smaller than the usual NASA design for space mission's shuttles but it was difficult to tell. This one looked more like a ship for two or three passengers but the span and the curve of the wings were quite interesting.

"Cam," – Vala called. "I found it."

"Found what?" – Cam asked cautiously.

"The symbol of the key." – Vala replied victoriously.

"Don't press it, yet." – Cam said heading towards her. "We have to see if there are other symbols."

"Yeah," – Vala said approvingly. "I agree."

They started grating the walls more vigorously than before. Soon, they discovered exactly eight symbols for each of the two – infinity and a key.

"Do you remember the order?" – Vala asked.

"I think so." – Cam replied.

"Think so?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Cam closed his eyes. His mind took him back on P9S-333 where after the fiasco with Zat gun, Jackson had figured out the order in which the symbols had to be pressed, and they tried again. This time, they had used long sticks of wood to press on the symbols, which were not accessible by hand simply because they were too high. The sequence was completed and a distortion had appeared in the middle of the cube's room, which led the team to another place where they discovered the next portion of clues.

Cam now remembered the exact order. He and Vala started pressing the symbols. As the last symbol was pressed, they all became lit up. The walls of the temple started to shake, and thud sound was rising. Clouds of dust and falling storm of small stones indicated that a doorway or something somewhere was opening. Suddenly, both Cam and Vala sensed that the floor was the something opening. They tried to reach the stairs but it was too late. The floor opened briskly, the lights faded and they fell…

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Lordheaven