Jason geared up, grabbed his weapons from the Armory and made it to the Gate Room with plenty of time to spare... and just in time to hear the General's reply to Doctor McKeon.

"Oh, hello there, Doctor," he said to Lizzy. "Are you on Special Assignment or have you been assigned to our team?"

When she replies, he informs her of what happened so far.

"I don't recall what got us interested in this gate address at first, but we discovered some... well, we think it's advanced technology. They have these handguns that fire bolts of lightning... apparently powered by some sort of crystal technology. Kind of like the crystals of the gate and that the Tok'ra use."

"We're still investigating that aspect. But, these Minotaurs have lost the knowledge behind them; they just know how to use them."

"The minotaurs are friendly. We think they've had stargate visitors before."

"Besides the chemical fog we ran into in the upper level of the arcology, there are two other dangers. First, there's a wind of some sort that blows down off the mountains. It's at least dangerous to the Minotaurs; we haven't stepped in it yet, so we don't what it will do to us. Best defense is simply not be be outside when it blows."

"We're not even sure what this wind is... chemicals, bacteria, virus... it might even be alive."

"The second threat is the psychors. These are insect-like creatures that feed off the crystals. They are inside the tower. Kyle was able to make mental contact with them. Convinced them we meant them no harm. They attack the mind. They thought we were invading their territory and their feeding grounds."

"That's it in a nutshell."

 Lizzy nodded and listened to the General and then Jason spoke, when asked about her assignment she will respond," Unsure Sir, was just told I was going along SSgt. "

 Lizzy thinks about everything he said and will say," Very good, we have the suits for the fog but I want to limit time in the fog just for safety sake as well. As far as this wind I would love to get close and get some samples. It could be a number of things." Lizzy seemed excited about investigating the wind.

"There's no guarantee that these dry suits will protect us from this wind," Jason replies, "so I'd rather figure out a way to examine it that doesn't involve entering it."

"Perhaps we can send the FRED into it to take a sample."

Now, they just had to wait for the gate to open. That was always the hardest part. He remembered that when he had to wait back in school that his mother told him to recite the multiplication tables... silently, of course. Oddly, he couldn't remember if it had ever worked.

Of course, he was well passed that these days. He had a better way to pass the time--replay the mission in his mind in case there was something they had missed... overlooked... forgot... or whatever.

 Lizzy nodded and said," Yes that is true SSgt, sorry have to remember these new worlds will be very different. Yes sending the FRED I assume is safe SSgt."
Lizzy will wait to see how this Gate works in person she was excited and her heart was beating hard.

In reply to Elizabeth 'Lizzy' McKeon (msg # 258):

Jackie smiles as she notices Lizzy watching the gate.

" Truth be told, the Gate is the greatest ride ever imagined. "

Kyle was grinning. He thoroughly enjoyed the Gate. Whoever had thought that up could make a killing at fairground rides.

Nothing comes up in the intervening wait time, so, when the scheduled time arrives, another announcement--"Gate activation in 30 seconds!"--is a final warming and also informs everyone that it's right on schedule.

The gate sequence is dialed and, when the final symbol is locked in, the wormhole whooshes outward for a second before it settles back into the puddle of water.

After the control room signals OK, Coleman is the first through the gate to make sure it is safe on the other side because they wouldn't send the FRED with the unconscious Minotaur on it through into danger.

Once Coleman signals it's okay, Jason pilots the FRED up the ramp and through the gate.

That leaves Kyle, Karen, Lizzy and Carter.
This message was last updated by the GM at 04:28, Mon 02 Sept 2019.

 Lizzy will double check everything, the opening of the Gate was amazing, she stood there marveling at the gate. Coleman went first you just walk right into it Lizzy noted, then Jason pilots the FRED through the gate.

 Lizzy will walk up the ramp to the gate, look at the open Gate, take a deep breath and she will walk through the gate, as she does she will say ," Here goes Nothing...." She was so scared and excited all at the same time as she was shunted to another world.

------->>>>>> To X3F-1622: Petropolis (SG-X2)

[From Supply]

Having gathered her things, Sarah made her way to the gate room.   As per SGC standard, she wore the usual uniform though as per normal, she wore no rank insignia.   She appears to have packed 'light' though still carried a backpack.  She has no obvious weaponry.

While she waits for the others to arrive, she pulls out a tablet and begins flicking through the various images and such captures during the previous foray through the gate.  A refresher of sorts....
This message was last edited by the player at 22:47, Tue 27 Aug 2019.

Jackie follows Lizzy in.

----> X3F-1622: Petropolis
This message was last edited by the player at 23:16, Tue 27 Aug 2019.

Being the Marine she is where early is on time and on time is late Naseem was already in the gate room when Sarah came in. She was going last minute checks on her gear before they deployed.

She nodded when Sarah walked in. "Ma'am. Ready for another go at this? I know I am."

She appeared to have the same gear she did last time and was checking her magazines, Zat, and ribbon device. Her staff weapon was resting across her lap.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Wed 28 Aug 2019.

Hilda arrived on time, more or less, in her standard uniform and kit and all the rest she added to it, with sword and shield and Viking helm. She didn't see a need to change her bundles; there wasn't much else in the others that she could make use of.

'Well again.' she greeted Sarah and Naseem, having decided that the Tok'ra ettin was probably alright after all.

Tate walked in to the room as he pressed his jet black ball cap on to his head, grinning widely.

”Right, take 2, only now we’ll have those headbands that negate bad vibes or whatever.” He said as he shifted the weight of his pack slightly so that it sat better on his shoulders.

Lucky adjusted his boonie cap as the gate room door opened, and he had to suppress a smirk, "Thought I'd come early, but not early enough apparently." He looked at those present, to see who was missing, then asked, "Anyone know if Gorski is going back with us? Guess better question is will the General be briefing us and deciding who's top kick before we go back?"

Looking at the FRED controller, and smirked at Tate, "No Rock Paper Scissors this time."

Karen follows Carter and Litzy back through the portal.

[To Petropolis

"Well met, Hilda. You did well on the range yesterday. Just need to learn to compensate a bit more for recoil and you'll be a pretty good shooter. You have excellent hand-eye coordination," Naseem told Hilda when she walked into the gate room.

Tate chuckled, ”Why Lucky, you afraid you’ll lose again?” he said with a wry grin, ”Honestly I’d be fine leavin the thing. I mean, sure it’s useful for checking to see if we’ll suffocate, or set off any traps, but it sort’a feels like cheating to explore an ancient booby trapped structure with a robot out front. Takes away from the sense of adventure, ya know?”

'Thanks.' Hilda said to Naseem, as she checked her gear for the last time before going through the Ring of Stars. She was gaining respect for Naseem after she'd observed her prowess as a warrior on the firing range, and learned her tastes in music. But Hecate remained a fearful serpent to her, however. 'I think it is because I'm used to the bow. Its recoil goes the other way.' she decided. She pulled out her composite bow and hooked a string on one end, bending the bow with great force in her arms until she hooked the other end.

"No, scared they'll make me pay for the damage I'll cause if I have to keep driving the damned thing." Lucky replied with a shrug. It had been a short time, but he felt more at home with this group than he had with SG-X3. "I dunno, if we don't take it, we have fairly disposable to put out front in case of booby traps. Oh wait, isn't that what they use Rangers for."

He looked over at Hilda, and suggested, "Should have thought of it at the range, But if you can handle the stock being a little bit longer, we can see Fred when we get back and get you a recoil pad for your rifle. It will take a lot of the kick back out and help you steady your aim."

“Good idea, Gunny. We might be able to get her up to Army standards. A few months of daily range time maybe Marine. I would be interested in learning to use a bow if you’re willing to teach me, Hilda.”

Naseem slapped her magazine into place on her P90, snapped it to her ETLBV, picked up her staff weapon and waited for the others.

In reply to Naseem Ansari--Hecate (msg # 274):

     Kaspar walks through the open door into the gate room, dressed in full field kit--minus a helmet, though he's got a forage cap shoved under the left shoulder strap of his MOLLE vest--and he's only sweating a little bit under the weight.  He's wearing the same color field uniform as everyone else--which may seem odd, as he hadn't contacted anyone on the Team to either ask or instruct what to wear.

     Stopping just inside the entrance, Kaspar looks around--and when his eye falls upon Sarah, he makes a beeline for her.

     "Colonel Morgan," Kaspar says, halting next to Sarah and performing that Polish heel-click-head-bow thing they do rather than saluting when both parties aren't wearing headgear--which, frankly, looks even more ridiculous being performed by a man with just under a hundred pounds of gear on his back.

     "Might I have a moment of your time, before the Team leaves?"

Sarah greeted each of the arrivals in turn despite seemingly focusing on her tablet.   "Naseem.  Hilda.  Tate.  Lucky...."  It almost sounded like a roll call - and she gives the later a half-smile as she concludes the list only to have Kaspar arrive.

She ponders the man's request for the briefest moment before shaking her head, "Firstly, my name is Sarah.  In a team this small, using a title is pretentious and immediately reveals a chain of command.   Let's avoid this, please."  She concludes that point before adding, "As to a moment, I'm sure anything that needs to be said can be said in front of the team.   I have no secrets and my laundry - dirty or otherwise - has been well and truly aired."

In reply to Sarah Morgan (msg # 276):

     "Actually, Col--forgive me--Sarah.  That is what I wished to ask you about." Kaspar responded.

     "General Hammond explained to me your disdain--or, perhaps I should just say, your dislike--of my use of honorifics and formal politeness.  I do understand your feelings that my holding to the use of such mannerisms may seem empty, or meaningless, or may even be some kind of social deception on my part.  But I assure you that nothing could be further from the truth."

     "That's just the way I was raised--to always show respect to others by recognizing any honorifics or titles they held, and to never assume the level of social intimacy that using a person's Given Name means, without their express permission to do so."

     Kaspar pauses a moment, as a shadow of some remembered pain crosses his face,

     "Though you may not fully understand this, please remember that, until I was in my early Thirties, I lived under Soviet Occupation, and if we did not smile and behave in this polite manner--even to each other, because you never knew who might be an informant--then we could be seen as social dissidents.  And social dissidents tended to disappear in the middle of the night, never to be seen again."

     "Over the years, that happened to several of my friends."

     Kaspar runs his right hand through his lightly salt-and-peppered dark hair.

     "As you know, our fields of expertise--Anthropology and Linguistics--do overlap, to a degree, so, of course I had read many of your published works, as well as followed your career in the news.  Along with many others, as we all do, in our professions.  I had a solid, professional respect for your work--though I admit, I had failed to notice that in most of those professional works, how you tended to avoid the mention of any of your Degrees and Awards...or Military Ranks--before we ever met.  I don't believe I can think of a single publication were you were ever referred to as anything more than as an 'expert in linguistic sciences', for that matter."

     "Then, when you suddenly joined the Team I was both pleased and thrilled to be able to work with you.  But, as I said, it is not in my nature to assume to go right ahead and start calling someone by their Given Name, and I didn't know if it would be proper to call you 'Doctor' or 'Professor', or what!  I was thus both a little perplexed, as well as a bit flub-mouthed...uh, that sounds better in Polish..."

     "And then, as we were examining the planet-side Henge, our exposure to whatever-it-was began, and things started making a left turn--for which I am both ashamed and humbly apologetic."

     "So.  That's all I wanted--to ask you, officially, what form of address you want me to use with you.  And, if I understood you correctly, you have just stated that you wish to simply be called 'Sarah'.  That's something that I can easily accommodate...Sarah."

     Kaspar finishes with a hopeful grin.

'Já, maybe I will try it.' Hilda agreed, adjusting her bow and giving it a few test draws.



She had to think about this, but the Cimmerian was more accepting of working with "the ettin" than Kaspar had feared back on that moon. A history of tit-for-tat raids and feuds, shifting alliances and duels over honour and mere drunken brawls, and then living with it and working together after, among the Norse made her much more accepting of yesterday's enemies becoming today's friends, of finding friends among enemies, than one might expect. She glanced over her shoulder to Sarah and Kaspar, hoping they could do the same. 'Okay, at the range next time. If they will let me shoot a few arrows into the targets instead.' She nocked a blunt arrow and carefully drew it back, the bow creaking, before she let it fly across the gate room, clattering wildly against the far wall. 'There's more... care in the bow, I think. You cannot kill right away, you must take the time to think it through.' Then she went to retrieve it.

Gavan entered the Gate Room with a FRED following behind him.

Asherrra was walking beside him.

"As you saw when we came through, this is the stargate," he explained to felinoid. "The one buried near the First City will look identical to this one."

"As you saw when we went through the gate on the ha'tak, the controller--what we call the 'dial home device', or DHD--was that triangular panel atop the short column."

"We don't have one of those here, or even the circular one. We still don't know what happened to the one that originally went to this gate. Instead, we had to use our computers to figure out the correct address and dial it on the gate."

"Your triangular DHD may be buried with the gate. I suspect that the Alteran computer will one day direct you to dig up the gate... when it feels your people are ready to deal with any threat that might come through it."

"On the other hand, perhaps the Alterans didn't take into account the Tau'ri arriving there. You also have the Alteran defense system, so maybe it is time to raise the gate."

"Now that we have Sarah on the team, perhaps she can talk to your Elders and the Alteran computer and work out something."