Post by mal on Jan 16, 2011 0:18:57 GMT -5
Max felt overly burdened with the M32, and stun baton. He liked to travel light. A discretely hidden derringer, or a small plastic explosive.
At most he liked a collapsible sniper weapon ... but orders were orders. And, as one of the most heavily trained in weapons, he was told to carry the 40 mm.
He put on his leather jacket and cowboy hat, but did put on a light high tech flack vest beneath. Again, on orders. Useless against energy weapons, but they might encounter lower technologies. He felt like he was back in boot camp with the heavy pack on his back, weapons strapped to the sides.
A new member was supposed to meet them in the ready room ... an archeologist of some sort. Made sense considering they'd met ancient egyptians on their last trip.
He entered the ready room, and droped the pack onto a chair. Then slipped his cowboy hat back a bit, looking around and popping a stick of gum.
--
Caira had never been one for military anything, but the job was a job and it paid well enough. She was also never one for rules, so when they dictated what she would wear and what she would carry, she nodded, smiled, and promptly forgot it all. She arrived wearing barely the minimum protective gear, and carrying a notebook and pen. No weapon. Not that she didn't know how to use one, but she felt that if they were going to hire the brain dead to fight, she wasn't going to take their jobs from them.
They'd explained things to her, but she'd only half believed them. Stepping into the room she glanced around, eying the others. Fantastic. This looked like it was going to end in disaster. She'd been warned that this wasn't going to be her normal run of the mill job. She'd been okay with that. Now? She wished she'd have taken the dig she'd been offered just after accepting this.
She walked up to the others, but kept her mouth shut, eying them and studying what she could about them.
--
He looked over, and saw Caira come in. Either she was the new member, or she was a pretty lady he'd like to meet. Hopefully both.
He turned as she walked in and smiled, flashing lots of white teeth. Yes, some were crowns from when he'd been thrown from that horse, but she didn't need to know that.
"Hi, I'm Maxwell ... I'll be filling in as away team leader while Larson is taking care of security issues. We have some new ... guests ... on base."
He offered his hand.
"And you are ...?"
--
She looked him over. "Caira Karis." She shook his hand while still trying to decide if he was a brainless twat like Larson or if her had something upstairs. "I was told there might be a need for someone to translate written words from various languages. That or you're planning on digging something up. Either way, I'm the girl for the job."
She blinked a little at him. "Guests on base?" Which was followed by a casual shrug. "Not my business, not my problem. So if you're in charge, when are we getting this little game on the road?"
--
"A lady of action. Excellent. Just a heads up, some of the brass are pretty mucked up ... like in any agency. And trust me, I used to work for the Agency. But the opportunity here is unlike anything, anywhere, any time. We can definitely use help with translations. The gate seems to have a strange side effect of endowing uses with common languages, but only the spoken aspects. Believe me, it was disheartening. I speak six languages, and to find out this thing implants spoken linguistics was a kick in the ego. But we saw tons of engravings all over on our first mission."
He looked about.
"I don't see a standard pack for ya. Since you're not a combat specialist you don't have to pack heavy like me, but some light gear and maybe a side arm are good ideas."
--
She shook her head. "So long as it doesn't take anything away I should be fine with the ones I speak already. I read and write them as well. Well rounded and all that."
She smiled, wondering if he was perhaps the trigger happy kind like that other buffoon. She blinked at the mention of a firearm. "While I'm trained in the use of several hand guns and a few long range rifles, I find that violence is usually best left to those more equipped to deal it out than I. I'm not about to carry a weapon when I have no intention of using it. It only means something someone can get their hands on should I be taken prisoner or killed. You wish that to happen? No, I didn't think so. If I get into any trouble, then we just hope I can get out of it."
Caira moved a few steps. "I have what I need for right now. Anything else I will either have to work around, or remember for next time. Is that acceptable?"
--
There was a pause while he considered 'well rounded' and locked his eyes tightly on Caira's face.
"The next batch of weapons is going to be modified with hidden safeties but I see your point. I used to make first contact with Afghan tribes.
Bringing a weapon could be a death warrant."
He nodded.
"Perfectly acceptable."
He grinned, an easy southern boy grin, and stepped over and hoisted up his pack. Then took out some gun, and popped a piece in his mouth, and offered her a piece.
"Gum. If you ever go through a gate that hasn't been checked, chew gum. The exit gate might be at a different altitude. However, this wormhole we'll be travelling through has had a test pod sent through and they've pressurized the gate area to match. So, no popping ears .."
--
She smiled at him. "Excellent. I am glad to see some people with military training still know how to think beyond point and shoot. Unlike that other man..."
She still has a dislike for Larson and had only met him in passing. Her grated her nerves to the core.
She took the piece and looked it over.
"Interesting. I will try to remember that." Along with asking later how they handled people who casually spit out the gum on the other side, or dropped the wrappers. All these things were pet peeves of hers. If she was studying an area, she preferred it be pristine.
"Just how hostile is the place we're traveling to that you need something like that?" She pointed to his weapon. "Wouldn't mace be somewhat more effective and less lethal?"
She adjusted her clothing and the jacket they insisted she wear. Something about absorbing fire or something. She hadn't paid much attention.
She knew in combat to duck and cover. That was about all she wanted to know.
--
He nodded.
"The 40 mm grenade launcher may look totally lethal. And it can be ... with explosive or armor piercing rounds. But there is a round manufactured by the Taser corporation that can fire a shocking cartridge up to 200 feet. It's charge can vary to take down a human, or a small rhino."
He shrugged.
"On the bad side, it is ANYTHING but silent. Close up we have combat batons, which are also made by Taser."
He didn't mention the collapsible sniper rifle he had in his pack. It wasn't exactly regulation.
"The first planet we travelled to, the natives shot first and asked questions later. With energy weapons WAY beyond anything we have. We returned the favor a few days later."
And possibly started a Goa'ould war ... but that's another story.
--
Caira lifted an eyebrow. Planet? He'd said it too. Off world. Planet. Things she had brushed off as hype. He was talking as if he was fully convinced. She smiled, but it twitched at the corners of her lips.
"I see. Well, if you look at things from the natives' perspective, you could have been viewed as hostile enemies because of your appearance, your dress, even a color you were wearing. There's a long list of things. It's best to study a group of people for a while before barging right in so you don't encounter some misunderstandings with permanently erode your chances of a positive interaction."
She flashed on Larson's face.
"However there are some people who just beg to be shot at. And for that there's little you can do. What is the goal of this mission? Are we going in to look around in secret, or are we going to barge into the center of a town and try to make friends?"
--
He smiled at her.
"My thoughts exactly. That's what I used to do. Infiltrate. Investigate. Report. And while I'm in charge, we'll do just that. Observe first, then meet and greet. If we can develop trade with other planets ... acquire technologies beyond our own. Think of the spice trades to the orient. It can benefit both sides immensely, no matter which side of tech balance we lie."
--
She nodded. "I think I could get used to working under you, sir. Your other friend? Larson? I want to throttle him with barbed wire. But that's between you and I."
She winked at him. "Now, shall we get the show on the road, or are we waiting for something to happen?"
--
He chuckled.
"Sir? I haven't been in the military since I was 22. CIA ... covert ops. Just call me Max. Or Edison. Either will do. Caira is okay then, or Ms Karis?"
He gestured then walked with her toward the gateroom. Again, there were the annoying mantrap doors ... ala Get Smart.
"What could happen THIS side of the gate?"
Well, lots of things, but that was another story ...
--
Caira smiled at him. "Sir is still a term of respect for non-military as well. But very well, Max. Caira is fine." For him at least.
She fell into step beside him as he walked, looking up and around the room. Her eyes tried to note anything on the walls or doors. She was still trying to find her way around and hated to admit she might not know how to get from point to point yet. And she was not one to stop and ask directions.
"Well, I'm certain there is a lot that good. China could go to war. Korea could unleash a nuke. Someone could smuggle tribbles into the base."
She paused and looked at him to see if he'd get her humor. "But no, what I meant was, were we waiting for something, or are we good to go?"
--
He laughed.
"I'm ALWAYS good to go ... and you'll not be disappointed."
The last door slid open and before them was the stargate. The gateroom was being re-engineered to slide into the floor, and to have a large titanium 'stopper' slide into place to prevent unauthorized use.
They were there but a few moments when the inner wheel began to turn, churning out the combination of symbols which would mean their destination. After the last symbol was reached, the wheel slide back to the default or origin symbol and there was the great sideways 'flush' of energy. And the event horizon formed ... looking much like a glowing veritical pool of water.
"Voila. The Chappa Ai or stargate."
--
She looked at him, smiling. "Always? I will remember that when we need to make a hasty retreat some time. I'm rarely disappointed, because everything is worth discovering, no matter how small, old or obscure."
Her eyes followed the motion of the wheel, watching symbols slide around. The thing was beautiful, and she felt like she'd walked into a hidden chamber at Bubasti or something. She wanted to touch it, feel what it was made out of and see how the symbols were carved or created.
The sudden flash of what looked like liquid startled her a little. "Are we going for a swim?"
It didn't take her long to close the distance between where they were and the gate. Her fingers touched the center. Now what? She wondered, but she wasn't about to stand around guessing It had been called a gate. And it had been opened. Even if her mind told her this wasn't exactly possible, she felt something inside her jump around and demand she go into the large sideways body of whatever. She turned and looked at Max.
"Through here, right? We just dive in?"
--
He laughed.
"You can ... and would probably look very cool doing so, but I prefer a leisurely pace. When more than half your body mass is into the 'event horizon' ... yes, that's what they called it ... you will be dematerialized and rematerialized on the other side. I've done it. It's quite a rush. Once on the other side, you'll speak the prevalent language of the planet. Assuming there IS one. And the test pod said it had good atmosphere."
He winked.
"I can carry you if you like? In case you're nervous ..."
--
Caira blinked. "Dematerialized... I don't remember that in the vacation brochure. You think they'd warn a girl before sending her out on some beam me up Scotty mission. So, just walk on through you say?"
She stepped to the edge, looking at it very intently. "Carry me, you say?" A smile tugged at her lips. "I don't think they'd approve of such hands on experience on company time. And having my body dematerialized in sync with yours sounds a little to intimate for a first meeting, Max. I think perhaps I'll wait on that. Raincheck."
She stepped into the 'liquid' closing her eyes. She wasn't sure how to explain the feeling but she stepped onto solid ground and waited, trying to remember she had to breathe.
Part of her expected to see the same room she'd just been in. After all, a gate to anywhere else? Just didn't seem possible.
--
Maxwell smiled.
"Gutsy lady. I'd have made someone else go first ..."
He grinned and stepped through himself ... again, the odd mental tingling ... the slight chill ... then he stepped out on the other side. It was much better since they'd begun to pressure match the target worlds. A little something he himself had suggested.
"Lafayette we are here ..."
He took a deep breath, smelling pine forest and morning dew. It was a beautiful world.
He looked over to Caira ... some people did not seem to notice the transition ... and some had a bad case of vertigo. He had a theory that polyglots were less affected, but this was only a theory.
"How ya doing ...? Welcome ... to another planet."
--
She opened her eyes and blinked. It wasn't the room. It wasn't anything she had expected to see. She swayed a little. "I'm good. This wasn't what I expected."
Another planet. That was different. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. She moved toward him.
"Another planet. Really? I honestly thought you all were pulling my leg. Where are we? Do you know? Any idea what to expect here?"
She looked around again.
--
He shook his head, then pointed to the sky. There were two moons, fading as the sun rose.
"Two headed werewolves?"
He looked about. They were in a temperate forest ... pine trees, spruce, elm ... lots of earth varieties of flora. But then the smuggler said humans had been seeded throughout the galaxy. So, why not plants.
"No idea. There could be humans. It could be a planet of the apes. We're the first modern humans here. You're exploring a new world. Excited?"
He himself was, though he tried not to show it. The last world had been viscious and dangerous. This one showed promise.
He adjusted the pack and went down the steps. The dialer could be seen a distance away on a similar dias. If one dialed out one would have to hurry to get to the gate before it closed.
Or was that the idea?
--
"Excited is putting it mildly,"
She said, starting to move around. Flora and fauna were not her strong points. She wouldn't know dangerous plants from any other. And as much as she would be tempted to take things back with her, such as samples, she was aware of risks when introducing things into new environments. So her camera came out instead, to snap photos of things. If the people back home wanted samples, they could send people more equipped to handle whatever might happen when they separated things from their environment here.
She watched him move away from the gate and fell in behind him. "The area looks remote. The trees don't seem to be cut, but broken from time or weather. We might be the only humans here. If you see something with writing or marks, don't touch it. It might be fragile, and I don't want a piece breaking off. You'd be shocked how many times a missing symbol can change something from 'Shiny happy water' to 'death sleep in the waves'. "
--
"No, I think something lives here. There are trails leading up to the stargate ... and I can't imagine why game animals would care about the gate."
He stopped and knelt down.
"Hoofprints. Looks like horses ... but not shod. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe animals DID make this trail ..."
--
She looked. "Anything that looks like wheels in there? But I hate to tell you, not everyone shoes horses. They'd have to have developed the equipment to make shoes. Think about it. Do you think Native Americans shod their horses? Early 'shoes' were little more than hide boots for the horses. You could just be looking at something earlier than you think. Besides, why would horses travel directly to the gate? If this was a feeding area, there would be more signs than just trails. You'd have grazing patches, and the prints out be spread out, right?"
--