Sticks and Stones - Chapter 3 - by Emma Nisbet (grnfield)
Once outside I key my radio "Carter, this is O'Neill do you read me? Come in Carter."
There's a moments pause before my radio springs to like once more. This time I can make out the somewhat frantic voice of Major Samantha Carter. "Sir I was getting worried. I couldn't raise you on the radio, what happened? Are you alright?" she asks.
"Calm down Carter, we're fine. I told you that Daniel opened a doorway into the largest pyramid and that we were going in for a look around. I guess the rocks blocked your signal. Daniel's still in there – reading the walls - some kind of weird mixed up writing. A combination of Egyptian, Goa'uld and something, as yet, unknown." I tell her, "So did you find your piece of flying scrap?"
"Well that's just it sir – no we didn't. We got to where the UAV was supposed to be – where the sensors said it was – but it's not here. Someone or something has ripped the locator beacon out of it and just left it on the floor. Whether whoever they were realised that it was still transmitting I can't tell but it certainly seems like a statement that they have our equipment and we can't have it back. They haven't just smashed it up, they've taken it away almost like it could have told us something that they don't want us to know. Frankly, sir, it's worrying. Teal'c's trying to find some sign of which way they went with the UAV. I know it's not huge but it's big enough that just one person couldn't pick it up and walk away with it. Even a couple of people would be hindered by it. So far he's come up with nothing though."
I don't like the sound of that, not one bit. "Keep me posted, Carter. I'm going to check on Danny, then I'll come back out and you can let me know if Teal'c has found anything"
The hairs on the back of my neck are prickling now, that feeling of dread is making it's presence felt – big style. In fact it feels like it's trying to pick it's way out through my left eye socket – ow – not good.
#
I hurry back down the tunnel to find Daniel – amazingly – exactly where I left him. Well that's one less thing to worry about anyway.
"Daniel," I say as I walk up behind him, "Someone's stolen Carter's eye-in-the-sky."
He jumps slightly - he obviously didn't hear me coming despite me rushing. I guess that proves that he's totally engrossed in what he's doing.
"What? Stolen? Who? Why would someone do that?" he stammers.
"Beats me, Daniel, but it was someone who understood our technology. They left the locator beacon behind as a little gift for Carter." I tell him. "The rest of the UAV is nowhere to be seen and Teal'c's not having much luck tracking the thieves either."
"Hmm, that's strange, Teal'c usually picks up a trail pretty much straight away. I wonder why today's any different?" he asks, not really expecting a reply.
"I don't know, Danny. Anyway I'm going out again for an update but just wanted to check on you first. Obviously we're not as alone here as we originally thought" I state.
"No, obviously not." He says, "There's no clue to who took it or to where?"
"Not when I came back in here any way. You getting anywhere with the wall?" Come on Danny, I bet you've got the whole story translated by now.
"Jack, this is fascinating, it's much more recent than the writing in the corridor. The Goa'uld I can read pretty well, and the Egyptian too of course. The combination of the two together make for an odd sentence structure though. The third language is baffling me at the moment. I'm going to have to film as much as I can and work on it back in my office with my reference books." He sighs – he never likes leaving a job half done in the field. He's much better than he used to be at admitting that he's not the fountain of all knowledge in every language and that people really don't mind if he has to finish off the translations back at the SGC.
I know he usually gets the basics down while off-world and hopefully he can do the same here.
"So what does it say?" I prompt him, hoping that he may be able to give me some sort of an answer.
He looks at me with frustration on his face. "I just told you, Jack, it isn't making much sense at the moment. There's something here about a 'knowledge of genetics'. Look at this here…" he points at some squiggly line as if it should mean something. "Roughly translated this talks about something called a 'regeneration chamber' but I'm not sure that can be right. There's also some mention down here..." he points at another section of wall, "…that says something about 'our Goddess', but I can't find anything anywhere yet that actually names her. It looks like another Goa'uld took over this complex after Ra left, maybe a minor Goa'uld trying to make themselves look more important than they were due to the grand location? I can't tell yet how long after Ra though."
"Daniel?" I ask him. "What's wrong with a regeneration chamber? Why not? Sounds like a sarc to me."
"Well yes, I thought that." He agrees. "The only 'regeneration chamber' that we've come across would be a sarcophagus. Although I've never seen it described quite like that. A sarc could hardly be called a chamber now could it? A capsule maybe but 'chamber', I can't see it somehow. Maybe I've just got it completely wrong."
"Have faith, Danny. You'll work it out." I tell him confidently. "I wonder what happened to the other Goa'uld 'owner' of this place. You still think that no-one's been here for years?"
"Looking at this, yes I'd say hundreds of years, maybe even a thousand, or more. This is going to take way more time to translate properly anyhow. Did you say you were going to talk to Sam again? If she's not found any sign of the UAV maybe she can give me a hand in here. If it's getting into genetics it's more her field of expertise than mine. If she can explain some of the things that I translate then maybe it will speed me along in filling in the blanks."
I smile at his suggestion and he just says, "What?"
"My two science twins! You make a great team you two. You know I've heard the rumours about you two. I'm pretty certain there's one of the not-so-secret betting circles as to what IQ your children would have if you two were ever to get together. I know you're on the same team but that doesn't stop the rumour mill in that place. Especially with you being a civilian and all – yes it would be frowned upon by those 'higher up' but there wouldn't be half as many problems as there would be for say - two military team members becoming involved."
"No, Jack, just…NO. That is so not going to happen. Sam is like the big sister that I never had, and sometimes maybe a surrogate mother too. Just like you're my 'Dad' at times. I don't know how I'd have made it through my time at the SGC without you all around me. Having you, Sam and Teal'c around has come to be like family. I know it sounds mushy, and probably a little weak but I've come to depend on you all in my everyday life – even outside of the SGC. I look forward to our Pizza, Beer & Movie nights every Friday and you know I love our team nights too."
He stops then and looks at his feet - more than a little embarrassed about this emotional speech.
"Anyway that is neither here nor there. Please ask Sam to come and help me when she gives up searching for the UAV. I'll be here, there's got to be something in my notes that can help me with this third language. It just doesn't make any sense at the moment, it may as well be written in gibberish."
I give him a consoling pat on the shoulder and say, "I'll see what I can do about Carter. I'll be reporting in to Hammond as well so I may be a little while.
"That's OK, Jack, I've got plenty to do here. In fact the rate I'm going you could be a week and I'd still be sitting here with a puzzled look on my face." He shrugs his shoulders in a defeated manner and turns back to the wall.
I shake my head and start off down the tunnel yet again. When I reach the outside I key my radio and contact Carter. "Carter report, has Teal'c found a trail yet?"
"No sir," she replies. "Teal'c's still had no luck tracking the missing UAV although he did find some odd markings on the ground nearby that could have possibly been made by some type of vehicle. We think that the UAV may have been loaded onto this vehicle and transported away like that. Sir, the lack of tracks have lead Teal'c to speculate that the vehicle may be something akin to a hovercraft."
"So what you're saying, Carter, is that someone or something made your UAV literally float out of there?" I ask her.
"Well, yes sir. It does kind of look that way at the moment. I'm sorry sir, I don't know what else to suggest." She sounds a little uncomfortable at this statement.
"Alright, Carter, you and Teal'c start heading over this way." I tell her "Daniel wants you to help him with the translation in the tomb. He's found something on one of the walls that's talking about a genetics and he thinks that if you can understand what he translates that it may speed things up a bit."
"Yes sir, we'll just get our things together and we'll be on our way. Carter out"
"OK, Carter, I'm going to check in with Hammond via the MALP and then head back to the pyramid. When you're nearly there go ahead and try to radio me. Chances are I won't be able to hear you speaking but I should be able to tell that you're trying. I'll come out and get you and take you in to Daniel."
At this moment Teal'c speaks into his radio. "O'Neill, may I make a recommendation?" he asks.
"Sure thing, Big Guy" I say graciously.
"Thank you, O'Neill." He replies. "Once you have conversed with GeneralHammond on the situation with the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, may I recommend that you return with rapidity to the location of DanielJackson. I do not believe that he should be unaccompanied at the present time."
"Do you think we've still got company Teal'c?" I query. "Do you think there still around here somewhere?"
"I believe there is a great likelihood of that being correct, O'Neill." He opined.
Great, now Teal'c's starting to sound worried – that really can't be good. I think about the bad feeling that I've had all day and wonder if a certain Jaffa warrior was maybe experiencing something similar.
"Receiving you loud and clear, Teal'c" I say, hoping that he understands I am taking his warning more than seriously. "I'm heading for the gate now and will be contacting the SGC in a couple of minutes."
#
I walk up to the DHD and dial the gate. As I bend down to activate the MALP, I hear a vaguely metallic sounding thumping noise. I stand up and look around but can't see any obvious signs of a disturbance. Even so that dread feeling has just jumped up another notch and I decide to get my transmission sent to the SGC as soon as possible so I can get back to check on Daniel and his translations.
I turn back to the MALP and activate it. I hear General Hammond's voice and inform him that the 'UAV is now officially MIA'. Needless to say he sounds pretty disturbed by the fact that someone has obviously made off with our equipment. A fact that's made even more annoying by the fact that they've removed it's tracking device as well.
Hammond is talking to me, asking me what our next plan of action is when I hear a large muffled 'thump' followed by a loud 'crack'. I tell the General "Sorry sir, something's some up I'll have to call you back" and cut him off before he gets the chance to question me.
As I spin round searching for the source of the sounds my heart is in my throat. This is the moment that today has been leading up to.
This is 'IT'.
I don't even notice when the wormhole blinks out behind me - the MALP transmission not keeping it open any longer.
A deep rumbling noise starts up at this point and I look towards the pyramid complex where I left Danny. The rumbling is now accompanied by a building vibration and I get the distinct impression that it's coming from the direction of the pyramids.
I get out my binoculars for a better view and as I look over towards the pyramids I am dismayed to see a dusty haze surrounding all three. 'What the heck is going on over there' I say out loud, even though there's no-one around to hear me.
Abandoning the MALP, I start to run towards the tombs. As I get nearer I can clearly see that the dust cloud is originating from within the largest pyramid. Dust and dirt is belching from the doorway that I have been using all day. I look up the face of the pyramid and am dismayed to see that there is also dust escaping from large cracks that have appeared on the surface of the pyramid itself.
In my heart I know it's useless but as I continue to move forward I grab my radio and shout, "Daniel can you hear me, come in Daniel"
Nothing, there's no response from Daniel. Not even a click of acknowledgement on the radio.
However a few seconds later Carter comes on her radio. "Sir, is there a problem? We seem to be experiencing some seismic activity in our area. Can you feel it where you are sir? Have you spoken to the General? Have you made contact with Daniel? I didn't hear him reply to you."
The vibrations in the ground are so violent now that I'm having problems keeping my footing, let alone managing to progress forwards towards the pyramid.
"Carter, yes we have a problem. Yes the ground is moving. It's moving a lot." Maybe I'm shouting louder than it strictly necessary by this point, I'm not sure if this is to make myself heard over the rumbling ground or just the panic that's barely hidden below the surface of my mind.
"I was talking to Hammond when all this started and no, I haven't spoken to Daniel yet. Just get to the MALP, pronto. Put Hammond on alert - we're probably going to need the search and rescue teams when this is over. Get him to get some teams on standby." Please don't question me, Carter, just follow orders – please.
"But sir…" Damn her, I knew she wouldn't be able to leave it at that.
"No buts, Carter – just follow ord…" What I was going to say was cut off as I was shaken to the ground. "Damn it, Carter, just get moving – NOW."
"Yes sir, we're on our way." She replied
Unable to get up due to the vibrations I sat where I'd landed and found myself looking up at the largest pyramid.
The cracks that I'd seen from further away were more vicious than before. Even as I watch they seem to widen and more of the dust billows out. All around are the sounds of stressed stones scraping together.
There is a horrendous creaking noise, louder than all the surrounding noises. I realise, to my horror, that the pyramid is beginning to collapse in on itself. The centre point, with its metal cap, shifts dramatically. As I watch it seems to shudder, then suddenly it plummets downwards into the interior of the pyramid.
Once this happens and the top is no longer holding the structure together the side walls quickly follow it.
I get the briefest glimpses of the walls collapsing into a pile of rubble before I get caught up in the huge expulsion of dust and debris that the falling tomb creates.
As the dust cloud hits me I find that I can't breathe, can't see, can't hear.
As I start to lose consciousness my last thought it that Khufu's tomb has now also become Danny's. There is no way that anyone inside could survive such a total and utter collapse.