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Part 3 of Daniel of Malksur
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2020-11-05
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Integrated Circuit

Summary:

Pain and sorrow have marred the once hopeful staff of the SGC.  With recent changes in the staff, people are questioning the security of their positions.  The Tok'ra, faced with problems of their own, depend more on their allies than ever before.  Fighting among the Goa'uld has them fearing it is something more.  Caught in the middle, can the allies survive an all out war?

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Integrated Circuit

By: Lopaka Tanu

Disclaimer: I do not own SG-1 or anything there in.

Category: Adult Slash Het.

Warning: Character Death, Violence, Language, Sexual Situations, Battle Scenes.

Archive: RSD, Area 52.  Anyone else ask.

Feed Back: lopaka_tanu @ yahoo.com

Spoilers: Season's 2 & 3.

Pairing: Jolinar/Aldwin, Martouf/Sha're Daniel/Martouf.

Series: Daniel of Malksur trilogy, 3/3.

Summary: Pain and sorrow have marred the once hopeful staff of the SGC.  With recent changes in the staff, people are questioning the security of their positions.  The Tok'ra, faced with problems of their own, depend more on their allies than ever before.  Fighting among the Goa'uld has them fearing it is something more.  Caught in the middle, can the allies survive an all out war?
_______________________________________________________

 

 

The Alkesh shuddered in response to the explosions along the hull.  Rapid firing caused ship's lights to blink on and off before going out.  Several explosions rocked the ship before the walls buckled under the pressure and the entire compartment was exposed to space.  Quickly, a force field settled over the hole, but not before two of the Jaffa in the cockpit were sucked out.

They were about to bring the ship around for another attack when the enemy suddenly disappeared from sight.  Leaning forward in his chair, the Goa'uld Ptah's mask turned to face his First Prime.  "What happened to them?"

"I do not know, my lord.  The Alkesh was behind us a moment ago, now nothing."  At the main control, Neros stared in shock at the readouts.  "I can find no trace of the enemy Alkesh."

Growling in frustration, Ptah gestured for the man to be shot from behind.  "Bring us about to the planet, continue scanning."

"Aye, my lord."  The new First Prime kicked his predecessor from the chair and took his place.  Activating the controls, he controlled the ship to make a descent back towards the planet's surface.  "Entering the atmosphere and signaling the palace for repairs."

"Have they found who damaged my Ha'tak?"  In his mask, Ptah awaited the response.  When none was forth coming, he turned red glowing eyes upon the Jaffa.  "I command you to answer!"

"A dead man can tell no tales."

Spinning in his chair, arm raised to fire the ribbon weapon, Ptah was caught off guard and thrown from his throne by a ribbon blast.  As he crashed to the ground, his helmet retreated back in to the armored collar.  He tried to stand up but was hit by another blast.

"Remain where you are."  Ascending to the throne, the figure pressed a jewel on his wrist device.  "Ptah has been neutralized, but alive."

"We have no use for it, toss it in to space and retrieve the Alkesh."

Hands curling in to fists, the black garbed figure turned on Ptah.  Blue eyes flashing gold, he raised his arm and activated the personal shield.  His free hand slammed down on the control panel of the throne and the emergency field holding the air in the compartment shut down.

The last thing Ptah saw before his body exploded was the outside of his ship from the vacuum of space.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"In the last three months we have lost contact with over a dozen minor goa'uld.  What all these goa'uld have in common, aside from the fact they are of little to no importance, is that they are on the edge of territories belonging to the most powerful system lords."  Kolak waved a hand over the holo imager and the image of a star field exploded over the briefing room table.  "The green stars each represent the sight of an attack."

"Do you have any idea who is behind this?"  Saroush folded her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair.  It was becoming harder for her to come to these meetings, but that would not stop her until she was dead.  They still needed her in spite of her advanced age.

"No, and that is what is upsetting the Council."  The operative sat forward in her chair, arms folded on the table.  "We believed it was important that you know this information.  Tension among the system lords is mounting and the situation may be come critical at any time."

"Thank you, it is very kind of our allies."  Hammond acknowledged Kolak with a smile then turned to the new heads of his staff.  On his right sat Saroush, head of cultural studies; Major Maybourne, head of security; and Dr. Fraiser, chief medical officer.  To his left sat Jack, second in command and head of SG-1; Major Carter, head of technologies; and finally Teal'c, arms commander.  "With the weapons you have so recently provided, we have begun to train our personnel to repel invasions both here and our off world bases."

"Speaking of bases, how is the new Alpha site coming, General?"  Carter tried to keep up a professional expression, but her recent brush with her father put her off.  "I am sorry I had to take time off, but it couldn't be helped.  Dr. Fraiser says now that my wounds have healed, I can get back to work."

"Only temporarily.  You still have three months of therapy before you can return to field duty."  Janet gave her friend a smile at the half hearted glare Sam sent her.  Adjusting her lab coat, she spun the chair a little to face the General.  "She can return to the lab and work on those weapons the Tok'ra have brought us any time, just so long as she doesn't over do it.  I am trusting everyone here to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Agreed."  Smiling paternally at her sigh, he adjusted the papers in front of him.  He could tell something was the matter with her, but decided to wait until after the briefing.  "As for your question, Captain, the Alpha site is only one of three off world bases we have established with the aid of the Tok'ra.  Most of our experimenting with the new weapons is taking place there.  Captain Bach is the head of R&D at the Alpha site, he has prepared briefs for you awaiting in your office."

"Thanks, sir.  I've been a little busy so I haven't had the time to stop by there yet."  Sam hadn't exactly lied, she had been too preoccupied with what her father had told her to keep much of anything on her mind.  It was killing her that he knew he was dying and had basically told her to mind her own damned business.  The fact that the job he offered wasn't what she wanted, only seemed to be a bigger affront to his dignity.  Now she was back in exile, only this time there was no hope of reconcile.  She would be an orphan in name, not just spirit.

Hammond noticed her distracted look and politely ignored it.  He had a pretty good idea what this was about.  There were times he cursed his old friend more than the Goa'uld.  Folding his hands, he turned his attention back to the Tok'ra operative.  "Is there anything else we should know about these?"

"Yes."  Pulling out a small laser pointer that had been provided by the SGC during the exchange, she pointed it at the green stars.  "None of these worlds is in existence anymore.  Whatever attacked, destroyed the planet and left no traces that there was ever an occupied world there to begin with.  If you check their addresses against those found on the Abydos cartouche, you will find they were previously charted addresses."

Jack waved his hand to get Kolak's attention.  "Whoa, hold on a minute.  Just to clarify, you mean they wiped out the surface of these planets, right?"

Inclining her head, Kolak flattened her lips in distaste.  "I did not lie, Colonel O'Neill.  The planet itself was completely obliterated."  At a gesture from Saroush, she sat back and took a less hostile posture.  "The technology exists, but it is a tightly controlled weapon only in the power of the system lords.  Beyond our grasp at the moment."

"Bet that gauls you that ya haven't been able to get your hands on these weapons yet?"  There was a dangerous tone to Jack's question that made even him flinch.  Sighing, he ran a hand down his face.  "Sorry, I just found out the goa'ulds have the ability to drop a bomb on us and wipe out all of civilization."

"It is quite all right, Colonel.  Your limited understanding of the universe is easily forgivable."  Kolak smiled sweetly at him before aiming the laser pointer at the largest green star.  "Until three days ago, this was a disputed territory of the former supreme system lord Ra.  When he died, his generals split up the empire he ruled, each claiming to be his successor.  One of the more disputed sectors until now has been this solar system.

"Up to just three days ago, it was controlled by the ruthless system lord and architect of Ra's fleet, Ptah.  His design of war ships was renown among the Goa'uld.  He preferred to use the Alkesh design, a type of heavy bomber.  In fact, of the one thousand ships he controlled, only four were Mother Ships."  She flashed the laser at the star and it enlarged to take over the entire holo image.

"Two days ago Baal launched a fleet against Ptah to test his defenses once again, he found no resistance.  Not in any of the twelve solar systems Ptah controlled.  Ptah's entire fleet has simply vanished, his home world left to rubble."  The reactions of the people gathered didn't impress Kolak enough so she leaned on the table to get their attention.  "Ptah was no minor, insignificant lord.  Ptah was a rival even for Apophis before you shamed him in defeat.  If nothing else, this is a clear message to the System Lords that someone among their number is serious.  Whoever they are, the threat to not just us but your civilization is unprecedented."

"Do you have any idea who it might be?  Your network is pretty extensive, surely you must know something."  Harry felt pretty stupid to be the one asking, but it had to be said.  From what he learned about these people, they didn't lie to you directly.  However, unless you specified what you wanted to know, they wouldn't tell you.

"We know what the System Lords do not know.  It is one entity or organization.  Every major System Lord has been hit.  Our theory is that a group of minor lords have taken possession of the planet destroying technology.  They are using it in coordinated strikes to amass a fleet then destroying the planets.  This serves two purposes, to hide their involvement and place blame on another System Lord."  Swallowing, Kolak took a deep breath to steady her panicking host.  "It is working.  Two of our Operatives were killed by the Goa'uld Cronus when they tried to infiltrate his armies as defectors from rival Goa'uld.  This was just days after a border world on the far side of his empire was destroyed."

"Unless we find out who, there is a chance that all of our operatives may be at risk.  The Council has asked that you keep the worm hole on the beta site unshielded in case one of our people must flee through the gate."

Hammond sat back in his chair, raising an eyebrow in thought.  "I don't think..."

"Please, we understand that it is risk.  We need a world to act as a stopping point before they may gate home safely.  The Beta site has not been established beyond ground surveys and would work best.  We could install weapons on the gate to stop any unwanted incursions without putting an iris over the worm hole.  Colonel Shirkov has given his support on this, despite that it would be his command forfeited if you agreed."  Kolak tried not to sound too desperate.

"Very well, I will take this into consideration."  Nodding at her, Hammond felt disturbed by the lack of information she provided.  "What else can you tell us about these attacks?  Aside from the fact they are provoking the System Lords in to war with each other, is there anything specific about them, a pattern?"

"No.  That is what has been most disturbing."  This she felt more comfortable with discussing.  She had been studying the Tau'ri and their information gathering ways.  "According to the Council and Major Davis, whom I have been working with to understand your language, there has been no MO on which to project any specific attacks.  That is why we believe there is more than one person planning these attacks.  What may seem random to us, may in fact be a set of collaborations based around personal vendettas.  Which, as you know, is the source of most Goa'uld battles."

"Damn.  Thank the Council and Major Davis for me."  As he spoke, she rose from the table.  "You will of course keep us informed."

Kolak nodded her ascent.  "Of course.  The Council wishes nothing but open existence between us."

"That's good."

She smiled at him, bowed slightly then swept out of the room.

"Well that was painful."  Fiddling with his pencil, Jack swished his chair from side to side.  "That woman's edges are so sharp I thought she was gonna cut her way through the table."

"She is efficient."  Placing her hands together, Saroush tapped her fingers against one another in thought.  Her mind kept going over the information that was implied and wondering just how bad it had gotten in her absence.  "From what little they know, I am surprised they even reported this to us at all.  Usually they wish to have some form of solid evidence before they presented their findings."

"Perhaps they wish to know if we had any information we had not shared," Teal'c added.  He too found this strange, if not alarming.

Sighing, Hammond felt that it was more than that.  "Perhaps.  Then again, perhaps they wish us to find out for them.  They are after all unable to infiltrate the major goa'uld strong holds.  Teal'c, I want your teams ready for action by the end of the month.  If we are going to have to be the ones to find out, I don't want any surprises."

Teal'c inclined his head.  "As you wish, General Hammond."

"Major, get those new designs for security systems on my desk by the end of the day.  I want to approve them and begin implementation immediately.  Doctor, the same goes for you.  If we can improve the triage and save as many lives as possible, all the better.  Jack, you and I will brief the team leaders, you will handle any problems they have in those regards."  Taking a quick breath, he turned to Captain Carter.  "I need you to review the weapons data Captain Bach has sent us.  There are some new designs he was talking about.  The flaws in them, if solved, can provide us with greater protection."

"Aye, sir, I will get right on it."

"Dismissed.  Captain, if I may have word with you."  Hammond waited until the others had left before he addressed his concerns.  Leaning forward on the table, he patted her hand tenderly.  "I heard about your father, if there is anything I can do to help fix this, I am willing to try."

"Sir, he's dying and he doesn't want me around to see it.  There is nothing you or I can do about it, and quite frankly, sir, I don't even want to try.  His mind is made up and I just can't handle being told to fuck off again by my own father."  Taking a shuddering breath, she rubbed at a spot between her eyes.  "If you don't mind, sir, I got a lot of work to do."

"Actually, Captain, there is something else."  Shifting the folders in front of him to grab at the one on bottom, he handed it over to her.  "Recent events have made the security arrangements around here even more complicated.  With off world bases operating with commissioned staff and the SGC being the central hub, your position can no longer be held by the rank of anything less than a Major."

Sam froze, letting the folder fall back on the table unopened.  "Are you telling me I am no longer in charge of the technologies department, sir?"

"No.  I am telling you that as of the end of this month, you will be given the field promotion of Major.  At the next congressional meeting, the promotion will be confirmed and everything it entitles will be conferred on to you.  Congratulations, Major Samantha Carter."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nirrti sat the flask down she had been drinking from, the sweet liquid inside making her feel slightly flushed.  Recent changes in the guard had allowed her to once again indulge in the recreational substances.  Stretching back over the couch, she allowed her hair to fall in cascades from the end.  When her cats batted at the beads in the locks, she broke out into a laughing fit.  Seeing her son playing with his pet made her laugh even harder.

Holding Aldwin by the back of his neck, Daniel gathered him close and trailed his free hand down the drugged Tok'ra's body.  His fingers caught in the pubic hair and twirled them in to curls.  His fingers lightly touched the warm erection, each time causing Aldwin to softly gasp.  Daniel bent down and ran a tongue over his throat to his ear and nipped the lobe.  "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Naked from tip to toe, Aldwin shivered from the words.  "Yes."

Daniel's fingers tightened until painful.  "You should enjoy this, it is the last time you will ever feel the narcotic effects of the hash hisha!"  Pulling him to his feet, he dragged the now struggling man from his the queen's bed chamber.

"Let me go!  What do you think you are doing?"  Aldwin tried to gain some footing only to have his legs kicked out from under him by Daniel.  His hands shot out and locked on to Daniel's belt and tugged himself up.

"Did you spawn with her?"  The harsh whisper filled the empty corridor of the palace.  Daniel had purposely dismissed the guards so he may confront his fellow operative in private.  When Aldwin only continued to hold on to him for support, Daniel grabbed him by the head with both hands and forced him to look him in the face.  "Did you spawn with her?"

Aldwin frowned.  Trying to concentrate, he found his mind kept wandering and losing his train of thought.  "Spawn?"

"Did you fuck Nirrti?"  His fingers tightened until the drugged Tok'ra cried out in pain.  "Pay attention.  Did you have sex with the queen?"

Trying to shake his head, he found the grip prevented him.  "No, no.  She wanted to, but I couldn't make it work.  I think she drugged me."

"Of course, you fool."  Hauling him to his feet, Daniel slid his hands down Aldwin's body and gripped him by the balls and ass hard.  "You belong to me, remember.  If I wished to, it would not be beyond me to cut this off."

He winced from the pain.  Nodding, he found himself slammed up against the wall by Daniel and pinned bodily there.  "What are you doing?"

"I've been very busy.  You will distract me from my work."  Placing his face in the neck of his lover, Daniel inhaled the sickening scent of the drugs and growled.  "There will be no more of this, do you understand.  No more.  We can't afford you to become so careless!"

"I wasn't!  She drugged me!"  Aldwin found himself the unwilling bearer of several bite marks as he wrapped himself around Daniel.  "Jolinar, I would never willingly jeopardize the mission."

"See that you don't."  Daniel pulled back.  Staring in to the man's eyes, he pressed him by the throat in to the wall.  "I have been lenient up til now with your petty indulgences, my pet.  If you are caught in her presence unguarded again, I will not spare you a second time."  Pushing the other man from his body, Daniel let him fall to the floor and walked away.

Aldwin rubbed at his sore body and coughed.  Gasping for air, he caught sight of the barely clothed figure of Nirrti retreating back to her rooms.  Fear gripped him as he realized how close they had come to discovery.  Yet again he wondered why Jolinar delayed their return to the Tok'ra.  This was becoming far too dangerous for them.

Making up his drug addled mind, he climbed to his feet and shakily headed for Malek's rooms.  If Jolinar was back, then so was his fellow operative.  If he couldn't talk sense in to his supposed lover, then he would reason with their colleague.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam sat at her desk reviewing the data on her computer.  This was the tenth time she had tried to figure out what was wrong with the presentation but couldn't understand why.  Everything seemed in order, it was a straight forward information packet about a modified, multi shot staff weapon.  The design was for Teal'c's people and the Special Forces teams he had been trying to teach the Jaffa fighting tactics too.

There was something wrong with the design of the entire thing, yet she couldn't put her finger on it.  It just felt wrong some how.  Setting it down with a sigh, she decided to take a break from it.

Thinking to take a break, she pushed back from the desk.  The knock on her door distracted her and she shot back in to the wall.  Wincing from the twinges of pain, she climbed out of the chair.  "Come in."

"Carter, just coming to check up on ya."  Jack poked his head in her door.  Upon seeing her, he walked in all the way.  "Is there something the matter, Captain?"

"No, sir.  I just can't seem to concentrate on these designs."  Gesturing at said item, she walked around to stand in front of her desk.  "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Not really."  Frowning, he continued to glance around her office.  With his eyebrows raised, he returned his attention to her face.  "Hey, heard about the new promotion, congratulations are in order!  Wanna go out and celebrate?  My treat.  What do ya say?"

Smiling, she shook her head.  "I don't think that's a good idea, Jack.  I am still on the medicine and a night of boozing it up is not on Janet's list of okays.  Besides, I have too much I need catch up on here."  Leaning back against her desk, she winced.

Jack caught the reaction.  Stepping closer to her, he put a hand on the unharmed shoulder and squeezed gently.  "We are friends, yes?"

"Yes, we are."  There was nothing more to say about it.  They were friends, but he was still her CO, it kinda forbade any other situations.  As it was, in her opinion they had been spending too much time together recently.  Putting on a fake smile, she patted his hand.  "Sir, why don't you take Teal'c with you and pick me up something from the Mushu Taipei.  Bring it back and we can eat here.  All three of us."

Jack caught her meaning and smiled.  Stepping back, he held his hands at his sides with no where else to put them.  "I'll do that.  Anything special?"

"You know what I like, sir.  Just make sure to get extra duck sauce this time.  Daniel eats that.... You know what, just get me whatever is on the menu.  I am sure I will enjoy it."  For a minute there she had forgotten.  The last time they had gotten the take out was before Daniel...  Her mind bulking from the idea, she stood up suddenly.  "Get Teal'c something from the fried menu tonight, he hasn't had that yet."

"Yeah, I'll do that."  Backing out of the room, he gestured over his shoulder.  "I'll just go get T and be right back."

"Thanks, Jack, I'll be here when you get back."  She waved him through the door then sighed with relief as he disappeared and the door closed.  It wasn't that she didn't want to be around him, it was the fact that he was starting to look at her in more than just a CO kinda way.  Sam felt the attraction to him, but it was more than she could handle right now.  Ignoring it was the best option.

Figuring there was no need to take another break, she turned around to look at her desk.  Seeing them upside down, it suddenly occurred to her.  "Of course!"  She ran around behind her desk and pulled out a packet of trace paper.  Holding it over the design, she redid several parts and smiled at the new product.  "Now it works."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It amuses me to no end that you are still with us."  Garshaw pushed the crystal across the playing board towards her opponent's goal.  When she captured his piece, she smiled at his glower.  "That you have lasted these many months among our people is a testimony to your strength of will."

"Not really."  Taking her piece with one of his own, Paul set it aside with a smirk.  His triumph grew as her eyes glowed.  "I find your people very interesting.  They are like nothing I have encountered, yet there is very little difference between us."

"I see.  It has been our pleasure having you here.  The ties between our peoples have increased greatly thanks to you.  There was so much about the Tau'ri we have forgotten since the goa'uld abandoned it."  Frowning, she moved another piece and removed his next to it.  She was about to declare game when his piece took hers.  Glancing up at him, she almost slapped the triumphant look off his face.  "It appears you are learning fast."

"I didn't get this job because I was the prettiest one at the SGC.  Had you shown up sooner, it would have been Dr. Jackson who got that title."  Sighing, Paul reset the board for a new game.  "From what little I met of him, he was an okay guy.  Very prissy at times, but nice."

"Prissy?"

"High maintenance, full of himself.  He was pretty sure of himself, but then again, he was always right.  Colonel O'Neill just hates that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Martouf drew the scythe back across his stomach, cutting the stalks of wheat he held in his other arm.  The stalks fell limp in his arm.  Standing, he carried them towards the pile and deposited them on the growing bundle.  The stalks would be mixed with mud and baked to create bricks.  Tying the bundle, he set them standing so the heads were up.

He stood up and rubbed at his back as it protested the movement.  Holding a hand over his eyes, he surveyed the vast fields of the Abydos crops.  The wet season had come with a violent storm last night and today they had to pull in the crops if they were going to survive the flooding.  Like him, there were hundreds of Abydoneans in the field cutting the wheat, flax, beans, and dozens of other crops.

The brilliant sun shown down as it climbed in the sky.  Soon they would stop until the evening because of the intense heat.  Before then, though, the carts drawn by the Schads would come this way and carry away the sheaths.  The women would beat the wheat with flails until it was loosened from the stalks.  It was all a pattern that was very familiar to him.

Martouf had spent the last three months helping these people, learning of the, from them.  He knew almost every one of them by name and face, but not the one he had come to learn about.  They never spoke of his Jolinar's host in his presence.  His questions went unanswered with a polite, yet condescending smile.

Sighing, he decided that perhaps after the harvest was complete, he would return to his people.  This entire mission was pointless.  The Abydoneans didn't want to enlighten him and he wasn't about to go to the Tau'ri.

His ruminations were interrupted as a shadow passed over the sun.  He recognized the glint of the sun off the surface that it was indeed a Ha'tak class mother ship.  Clenching his hand around the scythe, he tracked the ship until it landed on the pyramid which housed the gate.  Apparently someone had become victorious enough to claim this part of Ra's disputed territory.

"Koshac kree."  Bending down, he went back to work.  Whoever this was, it would become apparent soon enough when the Jaffa would come among the people and demand their worship.  He would keep his head low and an eye out to try and infiltrate the army when necessary.  Until then, he had work to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Activating the wheel chair, Saroush powered up the speed control to her usual preference.  She lowered her goggles over her eyes and tied the scarf around her neck.  Gloves in place, she placed hands down on the controls and gripped the rests.  "T minus six, five, four, three, two... Ignition!"

The wheel chair shot down the empty corridor, rocketing around the round corners.  Cackling madly, she adjusted the control to avoid a collision with a laundry cart on the right side.  As she passed it, too late she noticed the person standing down the corridor and hit him with the front grate.

Ferretti crashed like a sack of cement in the laundry cart.  Feet hanging over the edge, he laid back dazed and confused.  "What the hell just happened?"  The whirring of a small motor drew his attention.  "Hello?"

Standing up shakily from her wheel chair, Saroush grabbed on to the edge of the cart and looked down in to it.  "Major, are you unhurt?"

"I think so.  What the fuck just happened?"  Rubbing at his rear, he dragged his legs in the cart.  He rolled in to a sitting position and glanced about the corridor.  "Did something hit me?"

Nodding, Saroush gave a grim smile.  "I am afraid that was me.  I did not think anyone would be on this level this early.  The mornings on Level 1 are usually spent to myself."

"Yeah, well, I kinda need to clear my head.  I thought walking around these deserted halls was a good idea."  Frowning as he climbed out of the cart, he stretched out the sudden cramp.  "So much for that idea."

"No, it was a good idea, just not practical in its application I am afraid.  Not especially with an old maniac like myself flying down these corridors, or so General Hammond has said."  Chuckling, she sat back in her wheel chair and pulled it back so Ferretti could stand.  Her chair made a beeping sound and she glanced down at the controls.  "The timer on the little digital clock the soon to be Major Carter has attached to this transport informs me that I am behind schedule.  I was heading for the elevators, do you need a lift?"

"Where would I sit..."  He trailed off as the back of her chair lowered down a reverse facing seat complete with buckles and safety harness.  "Let me guess, Major Carter?"

"Correct."  She lowered the speed by two clicks, enough to compensate for the drag and extra weight.  "Strap yourself in and hold on, this is going to be a bumpy ride."

Holding back for a moment, Ferretti thought about it.  Flying down the corridors with a half mad Tok'ra at the controls or limping back to the elevator and being late.  Not much of a choice.  "To hell with it, you only live once."  Climbing on the back, he ran the waist buckle over his body and strapped it down.  Grabbing the cockpit harness, he tightened the buckles in to place.  Glancing down, he noticed something hanging underneath the seat.  "Hey, what's this thing?"

"A gun mount."

"Gun mount?  What would you need that fo..."

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