Sarah continues to work on the computer. While she was able to get it to display things in a language that she knows, she still doesn't know what most of the terms mean, and there isn't any function within the computer that will explain them. If she was home and could access the internet, she could look up what megajoules and pascals mean, though that probably wouldn't mean much anyway except to a physicist.

She can get the basic operation of each section, but it will take her about a month to fully learn and master all the various functions. For example, she can figure out the internal atmospheric parameters--pressure, temperature, humidity, content--but would have a hard time balancing it all to make sense.

Some information simply isn't in the computer, such as the location of the weapons. Their status and the ability to fire them is there, but exactly where they are isn't indicated.

Well, she is no physicist but while it might not explain the words, she is walking around with a linguistics library on her tablet.  The words might not have context, but they exist with brief descriptions in her dictionaries!

Over the comms, ~Guys... I have the computer talking your language now. Does anyone want to actually come and examine the stuff it's monitoring?  I mean, I don't mind continuing to look around but I figure someone with a bit more of a science-ey background would get more from this.~

As the others checked the library or were still back at the control room, Lucky stood outside waiting for directions. He considered asking, but he didn't want to interrupt the excitement being shown at the find. Instead, he wandered back to the last room he and Hilda had checked to give it a more thorough sweep. If he could get in.

Walking back to the door, he tried to open the door just as Hilda had so he could take a closer look around.

Since everything else is under control and Kaspar has his nose buried in a book, Tate joins Lucky in this base's medical lab.

"I'm guessing that if these Alterants had something like the kara'kesh," Tate suggests, "they took it with them. I don't see any signs of a sarcophagus."

"On the other hand, we're familiar with the Goa'uld version. There's no reason to think that the Alterant version looks the same."

"Are you looking for anything specific?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:42, Mon 29 June 2020.

Hilda might have dismissed the swords earlier, but with a goddess's recommendation, she turned her attention back to them, drawing them again and trying out a few practice swings and testing their sturdiness by tapping the blade against the furniture. She had more interest in swords she could use than in books she could not, even if she did understand the value of knowledge. It was just more valuable with those who could read and make use of it. 'What is trinium? Is it magic?'

"You would probably consider it magic," Freyda replies to Hilda, "but it is just a superior metal. It will cut through most steel blades."

"It can cut through a staff weapon and Jaffa armor far more easily than a normal steel weapon."

"It will never rust or warp."

"Just trying to be useful." Lucky replied as he continued checking around. "Watching them go through books doesn't excite me, and maybe if we stay busy, one of them won't get the idea for us to start lugging them back to the Stargate to take home to study. Major Ansari still back in the control room?" He looked up "Maybe she and Sarah..., Miss Morgan will let us go to the next floor and scout. Hilda is here to guard Freyda if trouble shows up, at least until we can engage. What do you think?" He looked up at Tate.

Hilda stared at the swords for a good long time, with an almost audible 'Hmm.' If it had been anyone else, she might have passed over the blades as being strange and unreliable, but with the recommendation of a goddess, how could she not claim one as booty? She unsheathed the swords again, and made various practice draws and swings and thrusts, tested weight and balance, length and and grip. It was so hard to choose!

"The drone appeared in the room directly below us which is the room for the base leader," Naseem said over comms. "Anyone want to explore some more? I don't have the entire network mapped out but I can certainly keep sending the drone to look or we can explore rooms as I open them."

"I am interested in it all, but there is also a practical side to our mission," Kaspar mentions.

"Major Ansari, if you used the ring-gate to go to one of these other locations, could you use it to come back? I ask this because my primary interest would be to investigate this area labeled 'landing bay'."

"For that matter, if you send the drone there, can you bring it back? Would it not show us what is there?"

"A bit fancy for my tastes," Tate comments as Hilda examines the swords again.

"While they appear to be functional, usually that sort of fanciness is meant to impress people rather than be used in actual combat. At least, that's the way it is on Earth."

"Me, I'd prefer a good old cutlass. No frills, just a hefty blade to bash things with. Second choice would be a saber."

"I did a little bit of fencing back in in high school. Do you want to spar a bit with the swords? Isn't really anything around to whack on... no trees, stumps or carcasses. I wonder..."

"Do you think there might be something over in the gym room that might be intended for whacking on with a sword?"

Overhearing the comm exchange, Lucky was a bit too enthusiastic as he butted

>> "I'll go..... I mean, if you want someone to check out the hangar I could do it. Providing you can send me there and bring me back."

He turned to Tate, "You game ..."  He trailed off as he saw his teammate had wandered off

(OOC : assuming Tate went back to the library since he is talking to Hilda again and she did not join them)

"Stand by, Gunny. Let me send the drone there and bring it back before sending one of our team. I have no reason to believe I can't retrieve what I send out, Major Gorski but we're dealing with a ring network unknown to Hecate or myself. I'll send the drone to the hangar bay first, do some recon with it and then bring it back. Once I've established I can do so them we let our recon Marine do his job."

She activated the rings again, bringing the drone back to the room she was in first.

     OOC: While Kaspar has enough knowledge to recognize Egyptian hieroglyphs when he sees them, he does not, actually, have the skill to read Egyptian hieroglyphs.  However, since joining the SGC, Kaspar has learned the basics (Rank 1) of Speaking and Reading/Writing the Goa'uld language.  In the short look he took at the book, would Kaspar have been able to determine if the language printed in the book was, or was not, Goa'uld?

[In The "Library"]

     Kaspar had put the book back on the shelf, where he'd originally gotten it from, as he finished his etymological discussion with Hilda over the origin of the English phrase 'Booby Trap', and had then joined in the radio discussion of the discoveries about the Ring Transporter being made by Major Ansari and Hecate.

^COMMS>>> "Acknowledged, Major Ansari." Kaspar radios back, "I'll gather everyone up, and we'll all head back your way.  Inform me, please, if you have any difficulty recovering your drone.  Gorski, out." ^<<<COMMS

     Kaspar looks to the people in the 'Library' with him,

     "Well, people, as fascinating as this library, or whatever the Alterans may have called it, is, according to the base schematic that Sarah pulled from the computer, it is also the last chamber in this area.  So, as much as I would like to stay and study these tomes, it sounds like Major Ansari and her companion, Hecate, are well on the way to unlocking the ability for us to use the base's Ring Transporters."

     "So, let's all head back towards the Control Room.  Once the Ring Transporters are determined to be safe, we'll be moving on to other sections of this facility."

'On Cimmeria, a sword is made to be used. A jarl may own the fanciest sword, but if it cannot be used in battle, then, well, he will not be jarl for very long.'' Hilda pointed out, now examining her reflection in the bluish blade. 'But Lady Freyda says this metal might be trinium.' she breathed in wonder. Wondering, that is, what trinium was and if it really was all it was made out to be.



Hilda drew her own sword to compare, a plainer but sturdy Viking sword with long straight blade, double edged and pointed, with a cross-guard and heavy pommel, both bearing cryptic Norse designs. 'This one, you can bash a foe with both ends, slash them, or stab them. It is "multi-purpose"!' she laughed.



With a grin, Hilda tossed Tate one of the Alteran swords, saying 'Já, we can always find something to hit...'

That was when Kaspar spoke up and made other plans. Hilda looked dangerously disappointed at him. 'So, no sword-fighting then?'
This message was last edited by the player at 05:58, Mon 06 July 2020.

[Ancient Alteran Lunar Base.  In 'The Library']


     Kaspar halts on his way out the door, and turns back to look at Hilda,

     "Now, I didn't say that." Kaspar answers, "Remember what we were saying about Booby Traps.  All kinds of threats could yet pop up that might require...swordplay...to resolve."

     Kaspar was trying hard not to smile, as he continued,

     "And also, as you, yourself, pointed out, Hilda, these Booby Traps, if there are any, were primarily set up to catch Goa'uld.  So, it's possible, as we continue exploring, that we could encounter--accidentally release, that is--any Goa'uld that have been trapped.  Or even some of those Gator-Jaffa.  You can shove the pointy-end of that sword into as many of those that you want to, as far as I care."

     "Now, come along.  And bring your new Snake Slicer with you."

>>”Copy that. Be there in a moment.” Lucky replied as he completed his fruitless search

Returning to the control room, he shrugged as he entered, “Thought maybe after all the books in the library that the briefing room might have some maps or charts or something, but no luck. Unless it was there and I didn’t know what I was looking at. Got a question though. Now that you know they are there, has anyone found a way to control the ring transporter thing? I can’t see all of the Alternates having a having a handheld device, and even if they did, shouldn’t there be a back up controller to beam you up in case your batteries go dead so you aren’t trapped in your room?” He asked, while looking at the ring on the floor.

"The kara'kesh do not have 'batteries' as you understand the term," Freyda responds to Lucky's question.

"They are powered by the naquadah in the blood of the Goa'uld host, or just the Goa'uld itself if it should be without a host. That is why you Tau'ri can't use one... unless you were ever a host to a Goa'uld."

"But, yes, Naseem has finally figured out the controls for the rings."

"Keep in mind that her kara'kesh is probably different than the ones the Alterants had. She can change the frequency of hers to access the different locations. I do not know that the original Alterant ones were designed to do that, except maybe the commanders."

"Actually, Naseem, you could send me through the rings," Gavan suggests after she brings the drone back. "Even if you can't bring me back, I can phase through the walls and return anyway."

"The drone will not necessarily be able to determine where it has gone."

Naseem thinks for a moment before nodding. "Good plan, Gavan. Step into the circle and I'll send you through when you're ready. I'll send the drone with you so we can test if it will work and give us an extra set of eyes and ears."

Hilda stared with ice-blue eyes at Kaspar for a long, long moment, knowing that she was being played with. But at last, she declared 'There better be, Old Man.' With that, she strapped the sheathed the new sword and strapped the scabbard to her belt with the other. The Alteran blade could only be truly proven in battle.

Gavan steps to where the ring appeared.

"Okay, I'm ready," Gavan said.

In reply to Gavan (msg # 60):

     Kaspar looks to each of the Technical Advisors, before speaking,

     "Very well, if everyone feels this is a good idea, I'm behind giving this a try." Kaspar says, then gestures to Naseem,

     "Major Ansari, Hecate, go ahead..."

"Right. Off you go then. I'll be watching for any signs of distress. Any trouble get right back to the ring and I'll bring you back."

Naseem hit the button on her hand device to activate the rings.

The rings descend around Gavan and he vanishes in the light of the transporter.

A moment later, you receive a radio call from Gavan, but there is no signal from the drone.