Chapter 18: Celsius Zero (Part 1)
Sub-Level 28, Stargate Command
SG-26 walked quickly towards the control room as the alarms continued to sound throughout the halls.
"What do you think happened?" The Major asked.
No one answered as they made their way towards their destination. Upon stepping up the stairs, the team found the gate already active. When she looked to her left, Alexeyeva noticed Carter and Mitchell looking at the gate in wonder.
"Something wrong?" She asked the General.
Carter looked back at the Russian, shaking her head.
"We are testing out the set of coordinates you recovered," The General replied, staring out at the gate as it spun.
"Chevron 4 engaged," Harriman announced as the fourth symbol was locked into the gate.
The Russian nodded as a reply.
"I see," She added.
"Is SG-1 going with us?" Witkowski asked.
"Chevron 5 engaged,"
Mitchell shook his head.
"Sorry pal," He replied. "But your training wheels go off today,"
"Too bad," Ortega added, smiling. "We defiantly are going to need help if we keep getting ambushed from the Alliance hombres,"
The Russian could only roll her eyes.
"Chevron 6 engaged,"
"There can't be any way that the Alliance could have gotten hold of the coordinates if the temple caved in," Mitchell thought aloud.
"Not unless they dug it out," Alexeyeva commented.
"Maybe," Mitchell replied.
"Chevron Seven locked,"
The kawhoosh was still something the Russian was trying to get used to. The fact that it was only the third time she saw it activate didn't help either. This time, however, she only felt herself lean back and blink.
"Wormhole established General," Harriman said, after reading his instruments.
"At least the address is valid so that's a good start," Ortega mumbled to whoever would listen.
"Ready to deploy the MALP," The technician said.
Carter nodded and gave the command for the MALP to be sent through the event horizon. Everyone watched as the probe rolled up the ramp and towards the blue puddle. Computers beeped as the MALP exited the gate on the other end.
"Receiving telemetry in..." Harriman said, eyeing the screen. "3…2…1…"
The first thing they all saw, once the video feed began transmitting was ice and snow blowing past the MALP's camera.
"Ma'am," The Technician began, looking at his Commanding Officer.
"What did you get?" Carter asked.
"Temperature is at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and viable oxygen is being picked up," Harriman answered.
"Alright then," Carter replied. "Have the probe look around for anything that might suggest life."
"Understood ma'am,"
Briefing Room, Sub-Level 27, Stargate Command
Alexeyeva read through the reports from the MALP as everyone else did the same.
"An Ice world," Ortega randomly commented, smiling at the Colonel. "Not a long way from casa is it, Ruso?"
The Russian only hummed an acknowledgment.
"Uh-huh,"
"All that snow and ice…"
"Uh-huh,"
"Plenty of tanks rolling down Red Square every victory day,"
"Uh-huh,"
"You're not being offended are you?"
The Russian shook her head.
"You make no sense," She replied. "Therefore, your humor, falls flat,"
"Who said I was making a joke?" Ortega asked. "Who knows, maybe I was going to ask you if you attend it?"
"Oi," Witkowski cut in. "Knock it off, both of you,"
The two looked at the Major, who was still reading through the file as if nothing happened.
"If you two darlings are done," He continued. "I found out that the gate on the other end is on nothing but an iceberg," Witkowski scoffed. "If you could even call it that,"
Jackson placed down his folder and looked at the others.
"If the people of P3E-610 did in fact come here and haven't left," He added. "Where are they?"
"One step at a time, Doctor," The Russian answered. "We have to determine whether or not they are still alive,"
General Carter nodded.
"Then it's settled," She said. "SG-26, you have a go, find out what happened to those people,"
Disembarkation Room
The Stargate had begun to spin twenty five minutes after it's last activation.
"Chevron 1 engaged,"
Alexeyeva felt the heaviness of her arctic uniform on her shoulders. The emitting heat from the clothing made her sweat more than she ever had. When she looked at her teammates however, she was surprised to find that none of them were bothered by the uncomforting warmth, especially Williams, whom was already used to wearing heavy equipment.
"Chevron 2 engaged,"
"You seem tense," Ortega commented to his commanding officer.
The Russian nodded.
"Da," She replied, checking her AK for defects.
Ortega then simply shrugged, which the Colonel took notice.
"Something wrong?" The Russian asked.
"Chevron 3 engaged,"
Ortega frowned.
"I'm worried about the lady," He said, eyeing the Canadian, who was watching the gate spin. "I don't know what she said to that alien hombre but I know this: Her mind isn't all there."
The Russian raised an eyebrow.
"What are you saying?" She asked.
"Chevron 4 engaged,"
"What I'm saying, Colonel," Ortega explained. "Is that…"
"Try not to think about it, Sergeant," The Russian tried to assure him. "Private Williams won't do harm…"
The Lieutenant Colonel paused, beginning to feel unsure of herself.
"I…I'll make sure of it,"
"Chevron 5 engaged,"
"Can you?" Ortega asked.
"Can you keep her from…"
"Zat-knis, Sergeant," Alexeyeva snapped. 'Shut up'
She suddenly became stern, determined. She took one glance at the Canadian, who was still eyeing the Stargate, before turning her attention back to the Spaniard.
"You never doubted me before, have you?"
"Chevron 6 engaged,"
"Trust me, Sergeant Ortega," She continued.
"This team will not loose anyone today or tomorrow or any other day."
"Chevron 7 locked,"
Alexeyeva closed her eyes as the kawhoosh exploded from the gate, reopening them as the kawhoosh receded.
The Russian looked back at the control room, where Harriman was telling the General that the vicinity around the gate on the other end was still safe.
"SG-26, you have a go," The General said to the embarking team. "Good luck out there,"
Alexeyeva saluted Carter before she followed the rest of her team up the ramp. Before the Russian stepped through the event horizon, she looked back one last time. Placing her scarf over her mouth, she turned back to the blue portal and stepped through, anticipating the same uncomforting feeling of traveling through a wormhole.
New Designation: N7M-321
02:00 P.M Zulu Time
Witkowski knelt at the edge of the iceberg, looking out at the distance.
After the team had exited the gate, they discovered that not only were they were surrounded by ocean but also that they were also moving down the river.
"Major," The Russian called out from the gate.
The Englishman turned his head around.
"Did you see anything interesting?"
"Nothing," The Major replied. "Just bloody ocean is all."
At the gate, Alexeyeva nodded and began to explore the small icy island.
Ortega shivered as he rubbed his hands over his arms aggressively to keep warm.
"Maldición que se hace frío," He mumbled. 'Damn, it's cold!'
His breath could be seen ascending into the sky, eventually becoming one with the air.
Williams was using a thermometer to determine the temperature of the water.
"Private Williams," The Russian said, approaching the Canadian.
"Anything?"
Noa shook her head."The water is pretty cold but not cold enough to be solid ice…obviously." She replied.
"So we can't advance beyond this iceberg." The Russian said, sighing.
"I don't think we should anyway," Noa replied.
"And why is that?" The Russian asked.
"Why? Well, because look around you," Noa answered, waving her hands around. "We're on an iceberg!"
Alexeyeva scratched her chin.
"I can see that, Private," She replied. "But this small piece of ice is still big enough to search for clues or the such…we should go look for them,"
"How?" Noa asked.
The Russian pulled a shovel from her backpack and tossed it to the Canadian.
"Carefully," She answered with a smile.
Ortega could feel his finger tips become numb as he as he swept snow off the ice.
"Ah," He moaned, exhaling on his hands. "I knew I shouldn't have brought fingerless gloves,"
Noa laughed.
"Got cocky again, Sarge?" She asked, pulling out snow with her shovel.
Ortega waved his right around.
"Nah, I just felt like being a bad-ass," He replied, sarcastically.
"And look where that got you," Witkowski replied with the same tone.
Ortega chuckled and continued to dig with his hands.
"You can use the shovel if it helps," Noa replied.
"Do you have full gloves?" Ortega asked.
"Duh,"
"Then give it here," Noa tossed the shovel to the Spaniard, who had begun to dig much faster than before.
"Careful now sunshine," Witkowski said. "You're gonna burn yourself out before you have to,"
"Since when did you care?" Ortega asked.
The Major rolled his eyes.
"Since I was assigned to watch over you cheeky little monkeys,"
"You're confidence in all of us is heart touching, Major Witkowski," The Russian called from the other side of the iceberg.
"Don't flatter yourself Colonel," The Englishman replied. "I still don't trust you,"
"I think that is the first time you openly admitted that," The Russian replied. "So much for that cooperation,"
"Hey, I think I got something!" Ortega exclaimed as his shovel hit something solid.