Chapter 6
P3X-105
A few hours later
Daniel had found his journal thrown aside from earlier in the day and began to write down the translation of the text. Bruce had left a few minutes earlier to go back to the camp, with a promise he would return in the morning. In Daniel's opinion the man just need to sleep on this new piece of information he had found in order to think about things properly. He returned his gaze back towards the wall that hid the terrible secret of this forsaken planet, and continued to transcribe the text into his journal.
Translation of the alien text found on P3X-105, begins to tell a story of how they came to be here.
Once long ago, a race of creatures called the Lys settled on the planet Jord after many nomadic generations spent roaming the universe. They carved out a peaceful existence there, coming to know the land and animals and bathing in the power of what they called the "light of Jord." To prolong the life of the planet they decided to harness the light by building Energy controllers that would be housed in holy temples. They built they built three temples, one in each of their settlements, and linked them to their most sacred place, the great temple. A golden age of peace and prosperity blessed them.
In the year 2435, they tracked a meteor on a crash course with their planet, and could do nothing but watch as it approached. The meteor's strike scorched the earth, cast the seas into convulsions, and spread a veil of darkness over all that they the Lys knew. But that was not all. The explosion and the energy from the meteor opened up a dimensional rift in the planet, spawning a second planet that existed in a different dimension. Dimensional rips soon bloomed all across the land, and soon an evil race of dark creatures ventured forth, spreading violence. The Lys named these creatures the Morke, and soon created portals to follow them into a world they would come to know as Ond Verden.
Those of the twin planet, which had given birth to the Ond Morke horde, was a poisonous mirror of their own, and the Lys retreated from its damaging effects. Over time, however, as the Morke continued to make war on the people and began to possess creatures and friends, the Lys had to return and fight. They set up beacons of light that acted as protective oases against the dark creatures and fought tooth and nail against the darkness. The war raged, and a stalemate soon became apparent, neither side could win.
The stalemate did not last forever. The planet's energy had been divided between the light and the dark worlds, and both sides wanted to control it. The Lys created an Energy Transfer Module designed to absorb the energy from Ond Verden, only to have it stolen and used against them. Their temples fell one by one, until their last, the great temple, remained. After a while many of the Lys people fled the planet through the alien device found on the planet when they arrived to these coordinates, a handful of the people stayed behind refusing to give up their planet so easily, deciding to fight to their very last.
With only enough planetary energy to support one world, this temple was all that stood between Ond Verden, completely eclipsing light Jord, eradicating the last of the people.
Despite the circumstances Daniel was very excited knowing that this was the proof that the Lys were the very same people who had created the quantum mirror technology. For a moment in his excitement he wished Sam was here to share this discovery with him, but remembering his predicament he quickly dismissed the thought.
Bruce had said it earlier quite plainly; this was no contagion they were dealing with. They were in fact dealing with the other dimensional race; the Lys had called the Morke. He wished he understood the complex principals that were involved in this dimensional rift, and how a creature from one dimension could, possess a creature from another dimension. All Daniel could do now was accept it as it was.
This also meant that no matter where they were they were all at risk. It also meant that even though he had found the answer, he had not found the solution. Or rather the solution he had found involved taking part in a war that had been raging on for centuries. And even if they had succeeded in eliminating the threat of the Morke, they still had no way home.
Even if he was considering engaging the Morke, they would need the energy transfer module, which according to the text was in a completely different dimension. Daniel sighed in frustration wondering how he gotten to this point. Perhaps this decision he should take up with the rest of the team.
"Daniel!"
The voice breaking the silence of the temple had made him jump making him drop his journal and pen on the ground. He turned around only to find Major Benson standing there, with his flashlight shining directly on Daniel. Daniel scrambled to get up and face the man, not knowing what to expect from the man. "Major Benson, what are you doing out here?" Daniel asked him calmly truly curious as to what he was doing wondering the temple corridors.
"I was looking for you; I could ask you the same question." He spat back as he took another step closer. Daniel didn't step back from the major's attempt to intimidate him. Daniel just stood there waiting for him to say what was on his mind. A minute passed and both men just stood there in the chamber waiting for the other to act. Finally after letting out a shiver from the eerie silence Benson continued. "I was just wondering, Jackson, how is it that Colonel Darnic tried to kill you, and you walk away without a scratch?"
Daniel thought a moment about the question. Truth was he had a lot of scratches after that fight with Colonel Darnic, but somehow the amulet he had dangling from his neck had taken care of all those. He could see why Benson thought the situation was suspicious. In Benson's mind if Darnic had gone violent Daniel would be the one that was dead.
His mind was conflicted with what to tell the man. Should he tell him about the amulet and how he believed it healed him? Mind made up he decided it would be best to tell a half lie, "Before we left the colonel armed me with a zat and told me that I might need it. It took me a while to understand what he meant but I understood his full meaning. Benson, a few feet away from the gate he fell into a seizure, I knew what I had to do." Benson rolled his eyes and returned his angry gaze back at Daniel taking yet another step closer. "Yeah, that's what you said, but something about your story just doesn't add up Jackson. How is it that the gate is no longer , let's see how did you put it? An available option; just what the hell does that mean?"
"Major Benson, I think that colonel Darnic was wrong." Daniel stated carefully almost as if he were treading on eggshells.
"How's that?" Benson shot back.
"I don't think we are dealing with a contagion here, this-"
"So what are you suggesting; that our friends and comrades just went crazy and tried to kill everybody? I know you saw the bodies of the nine members of our team. They didn't look right. How could this not be a disease?" Benson interrupted before Daniel could finish.
"No, something was affecting them but it wasn't a contagion, major. According to this inscription in this chamber it is something far more serious." Daniel said as he gestured to the wall to Benson.
Benson couldn't believe the man in front of him. He had to turn away from him in frustration so that his anger wouldn't make him severely bring harm to the doctor.
At seeing the major's reaction he continued hoping he would see reason, or rather hoping he would believe him.
"Major Benson, this text speaks of a dimensional rift that was caused by a meteor many centuries ago. The wall between the two dimensions is weak, and things from the other dimension can affect the actions of things in this dimension." Daniel finished hoping what he said made some sort of sense.
"How's That?" Benson spat back
"I don't know exactly, but a war between the two dimensions has been raging for many centuries, and we walked right into the middle of it." Daniel tried to explain.
Frustrated beyond all reason with the man standing before him, Benson lunged forward grabbing a fist full of Daniel's shirt and pinned him against the wall. "Now listen here, Jackson, I am growing a little tired of your bullshit. You're hiding something, and I am going to find out what it is if it's the last thing I do." with that Major Benson released Daniel from his grip and walked away, Daniel assumed back to the camp.
"Well that went well." He said to himself as watched the major's light disappear down the corridor. He bent down to pick up his journal when gun shots stopped him in his tracks.
"Benson?" he called down the corridor he had just seen the man walk down not even two minutes ago. His call was only met by deafening silence. Grabbing his flashlight and making sure his zat was still strapped to his side he took off down the dark corridor to where he had heard the gunshots.
Daniel ran down the corridors not knowing what he would find in the chamber they had made camp. He had only heard the first few shots and that was it. The only other sound he heard was the sound of his combat boots slapping the stone floors of the temple. The silence was making him more worried than the gunshots. He was hoping that whatever had prompted the use of their weapons was long gone, but he knew that that was most likely not the case.
As he drew closer to the camp he noticed a dim grey light off in the far distance. While he was translating the script he had lost all track of time and from the grey glow Daniel assumed night had passed, and the morning was dawning on the planet.
Daniel finally arrived at the camp only to find it was completely empty. Eight members of the team had survived and they were all gone. Doing a wide scan of the area his gaze fell upon Sgt. Klingman. The only person left in the room huddled in the corner, and Daniel seriously doubted he would get any answers out of him, but it never hurt to try.
He cautiously entered the chamber keeping his eyes peeled for any threats, and made his way over to where the man occupied his corner. "Sgt Klingman?" Daniel gently spoke to the man hoping for some kind of response. When none came, he crouched down right beside the man, and tried again. "Max?" Daniel spoke in an even softer tone.
"They, slipping, the, off, edge, off the edge, thread, hang, by, slipping, come, they come" Klingman whispered to himself. Daniel not receiving any intelligible response left the man to himself. His initial assessment was correct he was going to get no answers from the man, and there was nothing he could do for him. "I'm sorry Max." Daniel said as he scanned the man. At seeing what he was looking for he reached across to grab the zat, deciding that it would be best to unarm him now, if he became possessed later. "Best to take this so you don't use it against me later." he finished getting up now armed with two zats, he began to look around the room looking for some clue as to where they had gone.
That's when he heard it. A small noise he barely heard, but he knew for a fact that he heard something. It sounded as if something where charging up. There. Unmistakably the sound was coming from the corridor that led to the monstrous empty chamber.
With one last glance back at Sgt. Klingman, "I'll be back," he called back to the man knowing he didn't hear a word he said. "I hope." he added as he cautiously began his track down the corridor. Zat at the ready, he followed the corridor as it twisted and led to the center of the ruins.
The chamber had been a complete mystery to Daniel, the moment they had explored the ruins. It seemed to serve no purpose. The team of archeologists could find no writing, anywhere, on the walls, the floor, the pillars, the ceiling, anywhere. There was nothing in that chamber except empty space. The chamber served no purpose, it had seemed, but then why was it the largest chamber in the ruins. Daniel, and Bruce had been fascinated by the complete lack of anything in the chamber, and would have examined it further, but one thing had prevented them from doing just that. The chamber seemed to emit the worst feeling of dread than anywhere else in the temple, even on the planet. The chamber held a forbidden feeling, and for once Daniel was more than willing to give into his instincts about the room.
And up to this point he had avoided the chamber completely, but he certainly had no choice now. Even though his concern for everyone else was a leading factor for striving him forward, curiosity was the number one reason why he really wanted to go to the chamber now. If the chamber was completely empty, then what was making that sound?
Finally the corridor twisted and connected to the foreboding chamber. It may have been empty when he had last seen it but it sure was not empty now. There on the floor before him, laid Dr. Bruce Berman with his eyes wide open staring lifelessly at the ceiling of the chamber. Dr. Davison, Dr. Chowley, and Major Benson were at the far end of the chamber with their backs towards Daniel, busily bustling about. What really took Daniel's breathe away was the device that now stood in the center of the room.
It was massive and took up a good portion of the chamber. From what he could tell at first glance the device had probably been lowered from the ceiling that seemed to disappear in darkness. Daniel walked cautiously up to Berman, checking for a pulse. Finding none, he pulled Berman's, eyes shut, and paused a moment out of respect. "Awe, Bruce" he whispered quietly mourning the loss of yet another friend. Looking up, he set his gaze upon the remaining people in the room.
it was the device that was making the sound, and it definitely sounded as if it were being charged. With his vast knowledge and experience in his department of alien technology, he knew that it was not a good thing three members of the team were charging it.
Zat raised and pointing at the remaining three members of his team, Daniel tried to decide his best course of action. He could tell, the three of them were possessed by Morke, something about their movements were off. He had to act. He didn't know what this device was getting up from Bruce's side he primed his zat and aimed it directly at Major Benson's body. He seemed the most logical choice since he was the one pushing all the buttons.
At the sound of the Zat activating Major Benson turned around to discover the threat that was Daniel. Daniel fired but the Major jumped out of the way, dodging the electrical discharged. Rolling up from the ground he motioned at Chowley and Davison. Both made their way awkwardly but unnaturally faster than Daniel could react. Before he knew it the two Doctors grabbed him roughly and knocked him down to the ground. The Zat flew out of his hands as he hit the ground. He struggled to get free, but like the Colonel they seemed to have unnatural strength.
The two doctors finally succeeded in pinning Daniel to the ground. Both of them, satisfied Daniel wasn't going anywhere, turned their attention back towards Major Benson. In one quick motion the Major rose his hand at the device lowered in the center of the room, and it sprung to life.
He was immediately captivated by the device as it swirled to life, watching the glassy mirror like surface of the device as it spun. Daniel no longer noticed anything else in the room as all of his attention was turned to the mirrored surface. He gazed at the surface not finding the reflection of anything in the room, but instead a dark dreary world he knew must be Ond Verden. Both Chowley and Davison were gazing into the mirror as well, transfixed on the world behind the glass. Things began to click, and a new fear began to surface. Despite his fear, he could not move to act.
Across the room, Major Benson's body awkwardly made its way towards them. As the creature drew nearer his chest began to grow warm. The closer he got the warmer it got, until it came to a point where it began to burn him. The creature stood before him ready to strike him dead, when suddenly he cried out in pain. Major Benson stumbled back completely taken by surprise. The amulet around his neck now burned hotly, and the other two released him and also screamed out in pain. They fell to the ground in pained gasps.
Seizing the opportunity he grabbed for his other zat holstered at his side and got up from the ground, and once again aimed the weapon at Major Benson. He shot once at the man, and he let loose a terrible cry of pain as he fell down to the ground unconscious. He turned to fire at the other two but the room shook suddenly knocking him to the ground again once again loosing the zat as he hit the ground.
All four doors to the massive chamber dropped shut locking them in the chamber shaking the chamber violently. It was at that moment the device had fully activated. Green sparks shot out of nine crystals circling the mirror surface. They struck everyone in the room, and Daniel was over taken by immense pain, similar to a zat blast, that left him tingling. His vision began to swim with white dots. Slowly his vision began to fade. The device in the center of the room was still spitting out green lightning every which way. Cold crept through him, and took him by surprise as he let out a body wrenching shiver. The amulet had stopped giving off heat the moment the device had activated. Finally Daniel slipped into unconsciousness, and knew no more.