“It’s a lot easier on the melon if you don’t think about it that much. Gunnery Sergeant Lucas Wheeler“ Lucky replied as he shifted his focus back to the drone. “Major Gorski, if we send a comm through the rings, I can test our  relay setup.

Now that the newcomer has been sorted out, the plan proceeds as formulated. Major Gorski, Gavan, Sarah, and Lucky are sent into the step pyramid via the ring gate while Major Ansari, Freyda, Tat and Major Coltrane remain outside for the moment.

Tate is controlling the drone that's now hovering above the pyramid. While Kaspar and Lucky make sure there's no threat, Gavan uses his radio to contact the outside group relayed through the drone, which works just fine.

You are standing in one of the corners of the bottom level of step pyramid. The corner contains a computer station though it doesn't appear to be an actual computer. Rather than just a screen and keyboard, though, there are several displays, touch switches and buttons. The system does not appear to be damaged but it also has no power.

Kaspar is facing down one hall while Lucky is facing down the other. Both are empty; no threats are visible.

However, what you see are a number of alcoves or niches set into both walls and at various heights. The closest one is about 10 feet away.


Once the first four have moved out of the way, the second group of Naseem, Freyda, Tate and Alex are gated in.

The first thing Naseem realizes is that there's a second ring gate system in the same spot! She is able to determine that it seems to connect the corners of the pyramid to a sublevel below the pyramid.

In reply to Alexander Coltrane (msg # 488):

     As Major Coltrane approaches Team SG-X1, assembled around the cleared patch of ground that holds a Ring Transporter, Kaspar believes he detects a bit of a northern accent to the man's speech -- Sheffield definitely, maybe with a hint of Yorkshire and ... yes, Kaspar is clearly hearing a trace of that 'educated polish' picked up by those attending University in the South of England.

     "Again, welcome, Major." Kaspar offers his hand when Alexander gets there, "I must say, I wasn't really expecting a replacement for Hilda to be assigned quite so quickly, but welcome."

     Kaspar runs his eyes across Alex's uniform, looking for more info on the man, but in holding with SGC policies (adopted from American policies), there is little more than a name tag and a pair of collar tabs -- one showing the 'Wreathed Globe' of the Royal Marines and the other showing the single Crown of a British Major's rank.

     Kaspar looks aside at his team and says, "And a member of Her Majesties Corps of Royal Marines, at that!  So, Major Coltrane, what's your operational specialty?  And, uh, if you don't mind me asking..." a mischievous twinkle comes to Kaspar's eye,

     "When you're in Mufti ... who's Tie do you wear?"

OOC: I hope I got that Brit MilSpeak correct -- my Google Search was acting kinda weird...
This message was last edited by the player at 21:46, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

Alex took the offered hand and shook with Kaspar. "Before I came to the SGC, I were a Swimmer Canoeist. Now, I'm not so sure." He was a little taken aback by the next question, "Mufti, tie? I went to Pompey, if that's what you mean." Best not to confuse things further with the mandatory drag clothing a Royal Marine was expected to have in their locker.

"Fist bumps and high-fives aside," Gavan says to the military men, "do we investigate the basement?"

"These corner computers were probably just training consoles... until they lost power. I'd have to guess the power came from below, so whatever may have happened to this facility probably happened down there."

"Also, Kaspar, check me on this, but all these alcoves along the walls appear to be sleeping areas. Does that seem consistent to you for the type of inhabitants we observed? This would be like an artificial cave for them, right?"

"The First Ones are clearly more advanced than these creatures, but is that intentional or the result of some miscalculation on the part of the Alterans?"

Tate was keeping watch down one of the side halls while Lucky did the same for the other. There was an almost vast sense of abandonment to the place. He was pretty sure no one else had walked these halls in years... if not longer.

"Do you want us to check out any of these compartments?" he directed to Kaspar.

"Might find some anthropological stuff... or whatever the equivalent would be for these creatures."

As he talked, he continued to operate the drone, bringing it down  to the level they were on since it was no longer needed to maintain a communication link with the outside.

"Ames, I'm impressed. Three big words and even used correctly. You been reading the dictionary again? Lucky said completely flat as he kept watch down the opposite corridor. He glanced over his shoulder as a smirk started to tug the corner of his mouth.  "But he's right Major, a couple of us could do quick sweeps if you want before we move on."

"Yeah, Gavan's been teaching me to talk like a real Marine," Tate replies.

At Kaspar's nod, he headed down the corridor, checking out every alcove both high and low.

It didn't quite feel like an old musty tomb but perhaps that was because there weren't any bodies.

Reaching the next corner, he finds the expected dead-as-a-door-nail console. If Lucky went the other way, they should both be able to see each other's lights around the corner.

"Same console down here, Major," he reports back over his radio.

After rounding the first corner, Tate continues down the next hall until he meets up with Lucky at the second corner. With a shrug, they pass and continue back to where the others are waiting.

He holds up what looks like a sock puppet made out of natural fibers.

"All I found is this. I think those creatures outside used to live in here. Can't help wondering why they didn't turn out like the First Ones. Failed experiment? The Alterans weren't infallible."

"Or did some disaster happen?"

"We will not find an answer to those questions on this level," Freyda replied. "I do believe it is time to go down to the next level."

"Are you ready for what we might find, Alexander? This is all new for you."

"Ready when you are, Naseem. Two shifts of 4? You, me, Kaspar and Lucky in the first group. Tate, Alexander, Sarah and Gavan in the second."

"Hope it doesn't get too crowded."

"Pleased to meet you, Alexander." Sarah finally spoke up. "I'm Sarah Morgan. I'm actually the team's negotiator and diplomat, not the strong silent type impression I've been giving."

"Dealing with the First Ones and then the Base AI was exhilarating! I've become a bit absorbed with the First Ones and moving forward with diplomatic relations. It's such a unique situation--I don't want to... screw up, I guess is the easy way to say it."

"Sounds like you had some interesting experiences, too. It's those unique perspectives that we each bring to the team that makes us so successful."

"I'm ready," Naseem told them as she stepped forward. "Also, there's a second gate system in the same spot as this one. It connects to a sublevel beneath the pyramid, as near as I can tell."

She looked around to make sure everyone in the first group was ready then tapped the jewel on her hand ribbon to activate the gate.

Although Naseem's activation of the secondary ring system sends 4 of them into darkness, they all had flashlights on due to the dim light of the interior.

What your lights reveal is both astounding and... unexpected.

This level of the step pyramid appears to be a continuation of the structural progression of the building--20% larger than the level above they just came from.

The ceiling in here is 40 feet high. All four walls... and much of the interior... are filled with a wide array of electronic cabinets and consoles, most of which is probably computers. They are all dark and lifeless, though... and every last one that you can see has been attacked! Huge claw marks seem to gouge the front and sides of each cabinet.

And then your lights find the crater.

In the center of the room, around 20 feet in diameter, there is a hole in the floor. The outline is jagged but the actual interior sides of the shaft are nearly as smooth as glass as they drop 100 feet straight down to a mirror-polished hemisphere at the bottom.

Meanwhile, Naseem has passed out.

Although Naseem passed out, the Hecate Tok'ra symbiont is able to take control of Naseem's body to keep her from falling to the floor.

"Do not be alarmed. Naseem will recover momentarily. Neither of us realized that this ring system no longer had any power. When Naseem activated it, it drew the necessary power from her own personal energy."

"I believe Freyda's chair can provide the necessary energy to bring the others down here."

Even as Hecate works on reviving Naseem, Freyda extends the sensors of her Asgardian hoverchair out in search of the dead ring system. There did not appear to be anything wrong with it--it just did not have power. Diverting power from the chair to power the rings was nearly as easy, and even as Naseem regained consciousness, Freyda brought the other 4 team members down to this level.

"I can not detect any other levels below this one," Freyda then informed the others. "This would appear to be the bottom of the pyramid."

OOC: apologies for this longer than my normally long posts, here--but, in my defense, I did have my head shoved up my butt for a really long time....

---

      "I was indeed asking about your Old School Tie, Major." Kaspar responds as he shakes Alexander's hand, "The University of Portsmouth is a fine institution--especially for one considering a career with the Royal Marines..."

     Kaspar suddenly snatches his hand away from Alexander's as if it had suddenly burst into flames,

     "Hold on...did you say, 'swimmer canoeist'?" Kaspar asks in a tone of surprise, gawking at the man "You're SBS? Holy Mother of God, man!  What are you doing here? Did you break the heart of the First Sea Lords daughter, or something?"

     Kaspar looks aside at the rest of the Team, and explains,

     "Ladies and Gentlemen...Major Coltrane is a member of the British Royal Navy's Special Boat Service.  Um, what you Yanks would call something like the US Navy SEALS..."

     Kaspar gives a wink towards Tate and Lucky, and a bit of his native Polish accent slips into his voice,

     "But Soviet Red Army considered SBS better than SEALS.  And Spetznaz GRU soldaty only grudgingly admit they thought SBS was almost as good as them."

     Kaspar turns back to Alexander, and his Chicago accent is back,

     "Well, well.  Welcome aboard, Major Coltrane.  Welcome to Team SG-X1."


     "Well," Kaspar responds, "we know that the Alterans on this planet were involved in the genetic modification and evolutionary advancement of a number of species.  To what end, I am not yet sure.  Given the nature of the creatures we saw outside this facility, added to the very cave-like environment we find here, inside, I'd say there's a good possibility that the Alterans were trying to develop a winged intelligent species, perhaps something like in that old movie--they wanted 'flying monkeys'...?"

     Kaspar gives Tate and Lucky a simple nod of acknowledgement when they state their intention to search around the Ring site.

     "I think we can safely assume that this level, at least," Kaspar says, after those two have searched around a bit, "does give the impression of having been used for some kind of species uplift training.  I hope you men took lots of video, as you searched...?"


      "That grouping is fine by me, Freyda." Kaspar responds, once again drawing his Makarov pistol from its worn leather holster and thumbing off the safety--then holding the weapon one-handed and pointed at the floor,

     "Naseem, Hecate, ready when you both are." Kaspar nods at the Tok'ra equipped US Marine Major.

     A flash of light later, as the transport rings drop away, revealing the large chamber to the Team's lights, Kaspar notices Naseem stagger,


     Kaspar anxiously spins towards Naseem, as he sees her stagger, but relaxes at the Tok'ra assurances.

     "That actually was what I was about to ask after, thank you Hecate." Kaspar chuckles, "Lucky--stick close to the Major.  Give her or Hecate any assistance they may require, until Major Ansari has fully recovered.  Maybe...step just over there, to clear the Ring..."




      "I'm no technology expert," Kaspar says, breaking-and-shaking a chemical glo-stick and dropping it down the hundred-foot shaft,

     "But I think we've found where this facilities power generator used to be..."

"No offense Majors, but we all know the Russians tend to exaggerate the facts, but if SBS are as good as guys in Special Recon Regiment I met in the Sandbox, then glad to have you aboard. Lucky replied  before following into the ring with his P90 at the ready.

He saw Major Naseem stagger as as was already moving closer as Hecate took control. He hesitated, still not certain about the whole Tok're situation. " Yes sir, one leaning post if required." He smiled as he stepped closer just in case as they moved clear of the ring transporter.


He watched Kaspar drop the glow stick, "Tell me you don't want to go down there." He groaned

"There won't be any answers down there," Gavan said looking down the strange shaft. "Not only has it been scoured clean... down to the atomic level is my guess, but Freyda's Asgard sensors should be able to pick up any subatomic residue from up here."

"What concerns me is what may still be here. All these consoles look like they were attacked... and yet they weren't totally destroyed. If it's not still here, how did it get out? If it is still here, where is it? What is it?"

Stay alert everybody. Pair up for defense. Do you want to do a hard search, Kaspar?"

In reply to Gavan (msg # 506):

     Kaspar watched as his glowstick fell to the bottom of the shaft--it's tiny glow oddly amplified by the smooth, shiny surface.


     "Ha! So true!" Kaspar spontaneously barks out a sardonic laugh,


     Kaspar turned his back on the hole in the floor and shook his head,

     "Want to, Lucky?  No.  Have to?  Maybe..."

     Kaspar listens as Gavan points out that there may still be a danger lurking around on this level,

     "Yes, I'm afraid a hard search will be necessary, Gavan.  As you point out, any creature that could do all this damage..." Kaspar gestures around, "...to equipment this big is a clear and present danger to anyone spending time down here.  And with all this advanced equipment--even damaged--somebody is going to be spending lots of time down here.  We have to ensure that the level is safe and secure."

     "Freyda?  You see if you can figure out a way to hook one of our portable naquada reactors to that secondary ring transporter--we can't have Major Ansari passing out every time we use it.  Everyone else, weapons out..." Kaspar again draws his own Makarov pistol from its faded leather holster,

     "Let's look for whatever tore this place up.  Everyone alert and call out if you find something.  Nobody be a hero--not until our way out wakes up, at least."

"Too bad we don't..., We only have the one drone, right? Would be fairly easy to send one down there for a look." Lucky said as he continued to look down while staying close to Major Naseem.

As Major Gorski gave the order to look for whatever had attacked the cabinets. He looked at Major Naseem/ Hecate, "Are you okay to explore a bit, or want to hang tight here while your other half is out of commission?"j

"The drone only has a camera; it doesn't have any other sensors," Tate reminds Lucky. "So, sending it down the hole's only gonna get a pretty picture."

"And while Freyda isn't detecting any other radiation, there might still be something down there that interferes with the drone and we lose it. I'm not seeing a 'win' situation here."

He continues to search the area, but it was looking more and more like this 'creature' wasn't hiding amid the computers.

Even if anyone had thought to look up at the ceiling, it's unlikely they would have noticed anything unusual about the flat black material... until it started to fall.

Alexander was the first to detect this as a 3-4 pound lump silently dropped to the floor next to him, lightly brushing his leg and producing a tingling sensation. The pointed top of the 'drop' now extended a pseudopod in Alexander's direction.


Sarah was the next one to feel the stuff. The drop was close enough that it actually slid down her leg, leaving a numbness behind.


A half dozen drops now fell to the floor. In each case, it extended a pseudopod toward someone.

She was a diplomat, a negotiator, an expert on culture--she'd always had a knack for getting people to see eye to eye... or at least compromise. And she'd often wondered if and how that might apply to alien species.

So far, it had been 'normal', but then she hadn't actually met a truly alien species yet. Until now?

Her diplomatic training kept her from screaming at the brush against her leg--the 'never let them see  you sweat' school of thought, but as she moved away from the blob, she alerted the others.

"The ceiling! It's on the ceiling!" she called out. "It touched me and my leg's gone numb!"

"Thanks Ames, now I'm glad I said take a look and not scan everything." Lucky replied with a smirk. He heard something, and looked to see what it was as something moving caught the corner of his eye. Sarah's warning, combined with the black blob thing near his feet made him jump backwards, then check around his feet for any more.

"What the heck? No one said anything about being ambushed by Hersey kiss monsters when I got reactivated! Major, orders?" He aimed his P90 at the thing that reached for him, then immediately looked up for more.

     Kaspar's response is preceded by the distinctive cough of a Makarov pistol being fired.  Twice.

     "GÓWNO! Strzelanie do nich nie......" Kaspar started shouting in Polish, then quickly switched to English (though, in his agitation his accent was definitely more Slavic than Chicagoan)

     "I mean, I don't think bullets will hurt these things!  I just shot one of them twice, and it looks like the bullets just passed right through it!  Anybody got a miotacz ognia--a flamethrower?"