132Counterparts
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, Stargate or any of the other universe or characters that shall be mentioned here.
Summary: Searchers of Merlin's Avalon cave find a second long range communication device, or at least that's what they believe.
Timing: Stargate Season 9 just before Beachhead
Author's notes: This is just something that's been bouncing around in my mind for quite a while now. This is going to be a short fic and no sequels are planned-in fact I intend to finish this fic very quickly. Now on to the story
Chapter 1 The Incident
The SGC, General Frank Landry's office
"You've found what?" repeated General Landry afraid that that he hadn't heard right the first time.
"Well sir, we think we've found a second Ancient long range communication device in Merlin's cave, " repeated the SGC scientist Dr Winifred Burkle simply.
"Another Ancient device…like the one Dr Jackson used to reach the Ori galaxy?" the general asked for clarification.
"Well…it bares some resemblance to the device Colonel Mitchell and Teal'c destroyed, though it does have quite a bit of Ancient writing on it that the linguists have yet to decipher-they say the majority of it is written in some type of code, and Daniel is going to be having a look in a couple of hours," Dr Burkle explained to the general.
The general sat back in his chair contemplating Dr Burkle's words, "And what about the parts they have been able to decipher?" he asked cautiously.
"Well, they summed it up pretty well though it doesn't actually make sense…" Fred .
"Dr Burkle-what does it say?" General Landry said firmly.
"Uh, well, it says use with caution-you might not like what you see," she answered succinctly.
The general blinked, what did that have to do with a communication device? "You're right it doesn't make sense." He stated. He looked up expectantly at Dr Burkle.
She blinked at him waiting for him to say something. He didn't so she took the initiative, "So sir, can we test it?" she asked earnestly.
"No doctor, permission denied," the general stated firmly, she opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off, "At least not until you have Dr Jackson finishes the translations." He finished much to her surprise, "And then, only after Jackson has confirmed that it isn't a hazard to the base-then you can start playing around with it."
Dr Burkle smiled happily and said, "thank you general, you won't regret this!"
"Keep you gratitude till after Jackson gives you the translation, now you're dismissed, I've got more paperwork to do," General Landry said, gesturing her to leave.
Dr Burkle bounced happily out f the General's office.
xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox
Dr Winifred Burkle's lab, a short time later
Dr Burkle was in her lab waiting for Daniel Jackson to come by and see the artefact. The artefact was sitting alone on a table in the middle of the lab, when compared to the destroyed long range communication device that had been previously destroyed-this thing had a much sleeker appearance and the crystal at the pinnacle of the device was green not blue. However, the most startling aspect was that almost every surface of it was covered in writing write in a strange Ancient code the translation of which had eluded the linguists to this point except a few scattered remarks that made no sense when applied to describe the function of the device.
She was busying herself by scanning the device and attaching electrodes to it to measure and monitor its power output. Daniel entered the room with Vala hot on his heels.
"Isn't there something else we could be doing than this?" complained Vala, "Couldn't you lend me your credit card and let me see Earth instead of this?"
Daniel sighed irritably and replied in along suffering tone, "For the last time Vala-NO!"
"Can I just remind you what happened the last time we used something like this?" Vala said pointedly.
Daniel just ignored her and turned to Fred who had been watching the spectacle with an amused glint in her eyes, "Hey Fred, how's the family?"
Fred smiled at him and said, "They're fine. Wesley's at home today with the kids."
"That's good to hear, so how old are they now?" Daniel asked with a smile.
"Well Julia's six now and John's five now, and both are little terrors," she grinned happily, "They've both entered the phase were they want to know everything-especially about the mechanical stuff…if we leave them alone, they start taking stuff apart." She complained with a happy smile.
Vala spoke up before Daniel, "That's nice-can we go now?" she demanded irritably of Daniel, "You've come and everyone's fine. Can we go?" she repeated again with a bored sigh.
Daniel raised a finger in warning at Vala and turned to Fred, "Sorry about that…maybe you should show me the artefact?" he suggested apologetically.
Fred wasn't insulted and nodded, she had heard about Vala's behaviour and considering that the last time Vala used a device created by the Ancients, she got burnt at the stake, Fred couldn't blame her for her desire to get as far away from this thing as she could.
"It's over here, "Fred moved over to the table. Daniel followed her while Vala moved to the far side of the room, Fred picked up a pile of papers here's everything transcribed from the device so far. Most of it doesn't make any sense," she finished.
Daniel took the papers and began quickly looking through them, skimming to get the gist of what the other linguists had deciphered from the device. He frowned, this really didn't make sense, and this part he'd just reached, if he read it right it said…
Daniel froze, this couldn't be right could it? Could it?
Fred was watching as the blood drained out of Daniel's face, "Is everything alright?" she asked concerned.
"Just a sec, I have to check something," he moved towards the device and searched out the offending piece of text to double check that the others had written it right. It took him a few minutes but he found it.
"Oh god…" Daniel muttered.
Fred and Vala were at his sides in an instant, "What is it?" they both asked in tandem.
"This part here…it I'm reading it right, it says…Beware the C'tan, the Star Gods, gods of the Materium-the Soul eaters." Daniel finished ominously.
The two women were shocked by Daniel's translation; the Ancients were warning about a race of Soul eaters!
"You see! I told you! You aught to get rid of this thing right now!" exclaimed Vala in vindication.
"Wait a second, what's it say afterwards?" asked Fred.
Daniel looked down at the artefact and read on, "Beware the Celestials, Avoid Galactus the demigod-consumer of worlds, Beware the Ancient Killers-the Yonji Sinhidrea, Avoid the Borg Collective, Beware Morgoth, Beware the Dark Lords of the Sith." Daniel stopped suddenly, "It's a list," he stated in surprise.
"Yeah but a list of what?" Fred asked.
Vala snorted, "Of things to avoid if you weren't paying attention to what he was saying," she said snidely.
Fred glared at Vala, "I meat why's it here? On this device in particular?"
Vala shrugged.
"I have no idea…" stated Daniel as he continued to study the artefact.
Silence descended on the group as each one mulled over all that Daniel had said-and the fact that these things mentioned were mentioned by the Ancients.
"Did somebody decide to hold a party and forget to tell me?" came a cocky voice from behind the trio.
They turned around to find Colonel Cameron Mitchell and Dr Caroline Lam standing by the doorway staring with interest at them.
"Well?" prompted Cameron when no on answered.
"Nothing much, the Ancients are just warning about Soul Eaters and other evils in the universe-that's all," Vala quipped sarcastically.
She snickered as Cameron's eyes practically popped out of their sockets in surprise.
"They're what!" He screeched.
"I've managed to translate some of the writing on this device they found in the Avalon cave. It's a list of species and people the Ancients are suggesting that we avoid or beware of," Daniel quickly explained for Cameron.
Dr lam frowned, "But why is this list written on this device?" she asked confused.
"Well that's the sixty four million dollar question," Daniel quipped.
Cameron strode to the table and looked down at the device, he turned to Daniel concerned, "Isn't this like that thing that sent you to the Ori galaxy?" he asked pointedly.
Fred answered for Daniel, "Well we think that's it's something similar"-though we're still working on it," she confessed.
"Ah huh, okay," Cameron said. He looked deeply at the green crystal that was at the pinnacle of the device. "How come the crystal is green?" he asked quizzically.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Fred admitted to him.
"Heh, okay," Cameron said quietly.
"I have a question though," Dr Lam cut in.
"Yes? About what?" asked Fred politely.
"Should it be glowing like that?" she asked pointedly.
"What!" said Fred in surprise and alarm as she whorled around to look at the device. Dr Lam was right, the green crystal was giving off a soft glow that was barely noticeably. Fred ran to her computer and checked her read-outs, "Energy usage is up 10 percent-twenty…twenty five…"
"Doctor, shut it down," commanded Cameron.
Fred starting tapping on keys on the device, after a few moments she shook her head, "I can't!"
The crystal continued to glow the light becoming more intense with every second as everyone backed away from it trepidation and fear.
"Energy spike!" warned Fred.
The green crystal pulsed once brightly then everyone in the room collapsed bonelessly onto the floor.
The crystal stopped glowing and the device became quiescent once more as if nothing had happened at all.
Author's notes: Here's a nice little cliffhanger for you to enjoy. Expect the next chapter soon! I won't leave you hanging long.
Next time: Awakenings
