NON REVERSABLE EFFECTS

CH 3

To tell the truth, I was expecting something else entirely. A tablet probably, but this? How was Daniel supposed translate anything on these when I couldn't even see any obvious writings? There were two of them, whatever they were. They looked like short rulers that were the color of bone; they actually looked like bone too; like flat individual sections of the spine connected together. On either side of the sections was a flat protrusion, like little spikes or something.

I tried to resist the urge to touch it, to pick it up. It was bad enough that I took and opened it without Daniel noticing, and the thing that peeved him the most was when someone touched some sort of artifact that was in his office. These were in his office, and I knew that I would get some if he caught me. But I picked one of them up any way and as if for punishment, one of the spike things sticking off the side, jabbed my finger. I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to yell out the appropriate "OW!". It drew blood, a single drop welling from the prick in my finger. Without thinking I stuck my finger in my mouth and sucked on it. When the bleeding stopped and the sting went away I took it from my mouth, the cut already healed.

I picked it up again, carefully this time and looked at it closely.

At first glance it was as I had said; the top of the band was plain and smooth with no writing whatsoever. But when I turned it over to the other side, I noticed some inconsistencies with the flat and smooth surface. I peered closer at it, finding that with my sharp vision I could see a a faint imprint of some kind. I angled it just so, and when the lights from above hit it just so and a shadow was cast.

I held back the growl that wanted to escape, but just barely. I recognized this writing and Sebastian could translate; Quatonian. I hated them - no, I corrected myself, I hated Joshua. I couldn't condemn a whole race of people because they just happened to be associated with that *C-word! I forced myself to calm down, to dime my anger down as I felt the stretch and pull of the transformation taking over my body.

I forced myself to relax, to think calming thought - Merry-go-rounds and what not; ever since I was a kid I had found those relaxing. I knew that I had anger problem, for which I was 62% good at controlling. The other some 28% was just under the surface, waiting to come out and cause some trouble. And the last 10% got out and caused destruction and got me in shit.

This time I was able to control it - there was no clue as to what could of happened if I did transform. I knew that I would never have attacked Daniel, but it was Colonel Mitchell that I was worried about. With an unfamiliar person and scent around me when I'm in 'fit' we'll call - something of which I was not proud of in the least - couldn't be pretty.

With the band still in my hand, I twisted around and peered over the desk at Daniel and Mitchell who were still in conversation. My eyes slipped and changed into predator mode as I watched them; feeling a little playful. Daniel was leaving soon anyway and it hurt to think that I would be alone in this place again. I knew that I still had Ryan Stevens, but we had drifted apart over the years. It was stupid of my to think that this random Colonel could change Daniel's mind about going to Atlantis - it was an impossible task.

"Pssst," it came out like a hiss and purr crossover; my sharp toothed grin hidden as both men jumped.

"Nick, what the Hell?" Daniel exclaimed, blushing slightly as he glanced over at Mitchell.

Wow, they really did look similar. "I think I know what these are." I told him.

"What . . .?" Daniel trailed off as he looked down at his feet and noticed that the silver case was no longer near his feet. "Nick," he ended my name with a stone-hard K.

I winced, not feeling that playful any more. I chance a glance at Colonel Mitchell, who had the decency to give me a sympathetic look. "Daniel-" I tried, but he wouldn't have it.

"No, Nick." he growled, coming over to me. "How many times have I asked you to not touch anything? You're worse then Jack and I know that you know better than him. You're supposed to be helping me pack, not getting into things that you're not supposed to."

"No Daniel," He reached down, intending to grab one of the bands form my hands. I tried to jerk it back out of his reach, but he was quick, tearing the band the band from my hand. "Don't . . ." but I knew that it was too late when I saw the slight eye twitch, and I knew that one of the spikes from the side spin had pricked the skin.

I looked at him, my expression pinched. If these were what I thought were, then Daniel was going to uber-pissed. Not the normal anger, but pull on fury, like the Goa'uld had nothing on him - the Devil would have nothing on him. My suspicions were correct when I felt a sudden energy in the air, on that caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise, one that made my hackles want to rise. The bands started to vibrate.

Daniel looked down at his as the vibrations started to grow stronger, so strong that they started to buzz. "What the ...?" he opened his hand, releasing the band, but it didn't fall to the floor and instead stayed in the air, continuing to vibrate. He took a step away, but the band turned, pointing straight at him. As he went to take another step back, the band flew towards him, wrapping itself around his wrist.

He tried to pull kit off, but to no avail. I looked down, but the band was no longer in grasp and instead wrapped found it wrapped around my wrist. I looked up to find the Daniel that I had predicted, but I knew that this would not compare to the Daniel I would be seeing when he knew the whole truth - that is . . . If I lived long enough to see it.

"I did tell you . . ."