Book 4 - New Horizons 3
06/05/2024 – 16.47
With Helen in isolation & the extracted sphere in the lab for further investigation Rex reports to the SG Commander, General Mahonney, on events at and following SG2’s return from 21 – 8 – 22 – 17 – 4 – 12 – 29 after which he joins SG2 in the gate command room.
SG2 decide to try the code recovered from Wheat World, 3 – 17 – 21 – 9 – 13 – 14 – 11, the connection fails. It dawns on Didimos that the code is from Wheat World direct therefore it is incorrect for outbound operations from earth. The technical support chaps (SGTT) are in ongoing analysis to understand how codes are formed/operate.
As all good with Abydos (no further sign of ancients & permanent present of SG IS team established off world as an early warning & to assist locals with defence whilst overseeing exchange of SG technology for food etc) & no further exploration on Quillis is yet planned a new code is entered.
06/05/2024 – 16.53
As both away team RV’s destroyed & SGTT have not managed to complete their replacement/upgrade they have no means of advance observation. Agatha, rashly, therefore decides to step through but not before she is secured around the waste with a retrieval line.
06/05/2024 – 16.55
15 – 8 – 13 – 24 – 11 – 8 – 19
Stepping through Agatha finds herself on the gate plinth surrounded by mangrove swamp, it is hot, wet & sticky with abundant insect life/noises in the tree tops. Despite struggling to breathe & weighed down by higher gravity she steps of the plinth & sinks to her knees in water & clinging mud. After several minutes watching/listening & suffering from lack of clean air she decides to retreat but finds himself stuck fast in the slime below the water. Over jury-rigged comm’s back through the gate (two hand-held VHF units with a short length of connecting cable) she can hear other members of SG2 asking for a report. For whatever reason, she declines to respond & fires off the grapnel from her additional shoulder mounted cyber limb into the canopy above intending to pull herself out of the shit.
As the grapnel cable retracts she finds himself suspended/stretched above the scum between the retrieval cable running through the gate & the Kevlar reinforced grapnel line. Finally, the strain & lack of air takes its toll & she lapses into unconsciousness.
Back in SGC SG2 can hear her laboured spluttering over the VHF but are frustrated by her lack of response. After trying & failing to pull Agatha back into the gate chamber, Agatha is assumed to be in trouble.
SG2 therefore make ready to head through the gate.
06/05/2024 – 17.04
On the assumption that something is wrong Jayne & Rex - armed & dangerous - head through the gate initially but with the added benefit of & oxygen from medical whilst Didimos heads to stores to gather pukka away-day filtered respirators.
On the other side Rex & Jayne can immediately see Agatha’s predicament. Initial readings on their compact analysers suggest high gravity, 120% / 4776m radius, poor atmosphere, breathable barely/low level toxins with abundant drifting methane vapour.
Jayne triggers his motion sensors which show multiple fast moving contacts in the trees above suggesting considerable wildlife.
Communicating back to SG2 Dungip advises Rex how to disengage the grapnel cable from Agatha’s shoulder mounted cyber unit. Sliding through the slime Rex follows Dungip’s instructions. The cable releases from the unit & trails in the mud from the tree canopy above whilst Agatha drops to float face down in the shit. Between the two of them.
When the cable goes slack in SGC Dungip & Irving assisted by the returned Didimos start to pull. Between those in the chamber plus Rex & Jayne Agatha is dragged from the mud to the foot of the gate. Cobb removes his temporary mask & places it over Agatha’s face. Slowly she starts to come around.
Quickly samples are retrieved of plant life, water, mud etc & all three prep to head back to SGC.
As Rex & Jayne Cobb begin to drag Agatha through the gate Rex stops as he spots figures on the in the shadows/behind trees on the fringe of the clearing, 3, then 4 then more are noticed, Macintosh alerts Cobb to this. Figures are short/squat/stocky, long armed, armed with primitive/crude weapons (sharp sticks/clubs etc) although Rex is pretty sure he sees a glint of metal. The watchers seem extremely nervous/wary & remain in shadows.
Jayne consults his motion detectors but they show little, he reckons the numerous & dense trees are masking the movement of the watchers in combination with their careful/cautious approach suggesting they are well versed in avoidance tactics. Flicking his sensor array to infra-red the figures are identifiable but heavily masked by cold mud etc most likely deliberately smeared over their naked bodies, again suggesting that they are accustomed to being ‘hunted’ by something in the swamp.
Rex & Jayne Cobb wait no longer & recover Agatha back to SGC.
Back in SGC Agatha is attended by a couple of medics overseen by Irving. Leaches are removed from his mud slimed body as well as from Macintosh’s legs. All three of them are pretty shitty. Irving orders all three to strip for inspection. Blood samples are taken & recovered samples are bagged. Initial digital recordings from personnel recorder units are analysed. It looks like the ‘scrap metal’ being used as melee weapons are alien to the swamp occupants, possibly being of a higher technology, interest is tweaked.
06/05/2024 – 18.41
Cleaned up & passed as parasite free SG2 get suited & booted ready to go back to Swamp World once the gate has timed out & been rebooted. This time they are ready for the poor atmosphere & are wearing independent air supply unit’s c/w with air scrubbers.
SG2 are met by a larger group of swamp things, maybe as many as thirty. Initial attempts are made to communicate but it quickly becomes apparent that the natives have no real vocal capacity other that unintelligible grunts although Dungip, the closest to a linguistics expert SG2 have, is positive that there is considerable & complex non-verbal communication between the natives. Numerous more flora & fauna samples are bagged as well as additional film footage.
Didimos uses tele-optics to better see the metallic objects carried by the natives & Jayne continues to use IR to monitor their movements, more seem to be coming through the trees. Amazingly 1 or 2 of the natives are spotted holding what looks like corroded & broken guns but they are being held by the barrel as a club suggesting the swampies have no idea what modern weaponry is. Additionally, around the neck of one is a rusted cog suspended on a necklace of vine rope. Others are seen to be displaying shrunken heads & bone ornamentation.
It becomes obvious that the swamp things are well versed with movement in the swamp & clearly can see where its best to tread to avoid the worst of the shit.
Rex raises an arm ‘we come in piece’ gesture. Seeing no sign of a hostile attack he raises his trusty fire axe before putting it deliberately on a handy tree stump as a gift before SG2 pass back through the gate. Didimos, wanting to contribute to the peaceable departure, takes a nutrient bar from his pocket, opens the packet & takes a bite then leaves the remainder next to the axe.
As SG2 drop kit to the deck in the gate chamber the surround IS troops shoulder weapons as a call of ‘INCOMING’ echo’s over the tannoy from the control chamber above followed by the chambers alarm alert.
As everybody spins to stare at the gate one of the Swamp World native’s steps through with Rex’s axe held aloft, behind him the gate auto-powers down as it times out.
SG2’s nominal leader (Rex Macintosh) attempts to establish friendly comm’s with the creature aided by Dungip’s new found ‘expertise’ in NVC. Dungip’s perseverance is rewarded as the creature is gently enticed away from the gate minus the axe & lead by Irving to Medical accompanied by Internal Security as well as SG2.
06/05/2024 – 18.59
Perched on a gurney in medical the swamp thing is checked over by Irving & other members of the medical unit. Physically Irving comments that their visitor is in excellent condition but that his physique is clearly evolved for a higher gravity planet. Surprisingly his breathing seems unaffected by the higher Oxygen levels/cleaner air on earth. When Irving takes hair, saliva & blood samples he comes very close to being laid unconscious when the shock of the needle causes the creature to lash out with the back of his hand. Ruefully Irving cleans the scratches on his cheek before administrating a salve.
With samples under the scope Swampy is lead back to the gate for return to his own world but not before General Mahonney has made it very clear he isn’t happy that security was so easily compromised. The set aside fire axe is given back to him, he beams showing very pointy teeth.
06/05/2024 – 19.26
With the gate powered up the control team in the chamber above look on as SG2 lead the Neanderthal looking biped back through the gate. On the other side they find a many as 80 swampies waiting patiently, there is a mix of male/female & off-spring.
Dungip, becoming more use to the gestures of the natives tries with much gesturing to ask where the shiny sticks are from, eventually he gets this across & their new friend points in a specific direction. After a hurried discussion SG2 decide to remain off-world & relay this back to SG Command via jury-rigged VHF units. Two IS grunts come through & take up watch at the gate & relay SG2 reports back through the gate to Command.
Didimos is startled to note that there is no gate control pedestal near Swamp Worlds gate.
Dungip scans all frequencies of there comm’s units but all he gets us silence.
No knowing the actual time or planet rotation SG2 guess from the glimpses of the sun through the tree canopy that it is maybe mid-afternoon. Surrounded by the creatures SG2 are lead through the swamp on hidden trails that skirt the worst of the swamp can offer.
Rex uses his enhanced scent tracking to memorise the route whilst Didimos utilises a digital tracker to record arbitrary reference coordinates.
06/05/2024 – 20.42
An hour or so after leaving the gate on gradually rising/drier ground the track emerges to a circle of tree cleared ground. Taking in the scene it is clear that the ground level has been artificially raised through accumulation of soil, rocks & branches over many years.
Jayne & Rex keep the gate guards in the loop as to what is happening so they can report back to SGC but they are starting to lose comm’s due to range.
Initial feedback from SGC confirm that samples of flora recovered are new species/alien to earth & that fauna is similar not of earth origin, some of both are poisonous/venomous.
Lead in to the settlement they are surrounded by many more creatures who are patently curious about the strangers & what they carry etc. There is much poking, pulling, sniffing & licking. In total the settlement consists of maybe 150 occupants, maybe 2:1 in favour of males, even the children’s numbers reflect this. Structures are very basic, simple/crude lean-to shelters. There are several strange skins stretched on drying racks as well as bones & unrecognisable animal carcasses dotted around the clearing. Didimos observes no sign of fire pits etc.
Irving’s eye is drawn to three lashed up frames formed of crudely hacked branches on which 3 similar Neanderthal figures are trussed. Two are clearly dead with many wounds, one looks alive if only just.
Over the remain hours before the inevitable darkness, communication, difficult at best, is continued & again it is confirmed that the metallic objects come from ‘a long way over there’ Dungip eventually gets it across that SG2 would like to visit this place. There new friend, who’s status has clearly risen to the top of the pile, indicates that darkness is coming so maybe tomorrow.
From the activity in the settlement & the general arm waving & grunts it looks like SG2 are invited to tea.
Jayne & Macintosh continue to update the gate guards as to what’s happening & that they plan an overnight stay however comm’s is now hit & miss.
From Irving’s observations & earlier examination of axe-man he is convinced that the creatures lack of vocalisation stems not from a lack of intelligence/evolution but from the physical lack of vocal chords.
All observations also suggest that whilst this settlement shows signs of regular use the natives are more likely nomadic hunter-gatherers.
06/05/2024 – 21.28
Doc Licance is startled when somebody grasps his holstered pistol.
Turning, it is in the hand of a native who waves it above his head held by the barrel like a cosh. Awkwardly & without wishing to cause a conflict Irving eventually manages to ‘persuade’ the return of his handgun but not before he is wetly licked about the face by the thief & he in return licks the face of the thief, with that concluded the gun is reluctantly given back.
As darkness falls it is clear that fire is unknown to the settlement, fortunately the sky is clear & the moon, singular, is particularly bright so with no tree canopy over the settlement it is manageable to SG2. Didimos suggests giving them fire however he is persuaded that maybe it isn’t time to become a god. What does intrigue the natives however are the many pretty ‘captured’ fireflies that adorn SG2’s clothing & ‘clubs’
Eventually the feast is served/laid out, it consists of bloody chunks of unidentifiable raw meat & large leaves piled with a vast assortment what is assumed to be edible roots & fruit. As SG2 are encouraged to eat, Dungip pulls the old urine finger trick & chews on a protein bar, Agatha however causes a scene by politely refusing to eat, its pointed out by the others that this isn’t how honoured guests behave. Under disapproving eyes, both the other members of SG2 & the natives, Agatha eventually picks the smallest bits & eats making everybody happy bunnies. Didimos, whilst joining in eventually can’t take it & throws up violently, this doesn’t appear to cause offence only grunts of amusement along the lines of ‘at least he tried’
Didimos, once recovered does offer a protein bar to natives sat around him, the outcome is the equivalent of feeding a baby something healthy, lots of spitting, choking & scraping off tongues
Hoping that the feast is at an end SG2 are appalled to see their new BFF carrying out a flattened section of tree bark on which is prepared ‘human’ head. Glancing towards where the third captive had been strung they can see it is no longer alive & headless.
As the giver of the new sacred axe the head is proffered first to Rex & then the others, again Dungip pulls the pissy finger stunt & gets away with however the others all find themselves licking a brain coated finger, Cobb finds it surprisingly tasty & Agatha goes the whole hog & plucks out a juicy eye which she chews enthusiastically. This time around Didimos manages to keep his stomachs remaining content to himself.
As the evening progresses Mr F decides that whilst he’s been told not to be the bringer of fire nobody said anything about glow sticks. He snaps one in the middle of the clearing causing both fear & astonishment. Eventually he shows SG2’s new but reluctant BFF how to break a second, instantly he holds it aloft along with his shiny new fire axe to the plaudit of all his clan effectively declaring ‘he is the man, he is the magic god’s friend’
07/05/2024 – 5.42
Next morning (the day cycle having been reckoned as about 20 earth hours) SG2 set off accompanied by 20 or so armed males but not before they see one of the remaining villagers trying to rebreak a used glow stick without success; in frustration he throws it at a passing child.
After a couple of hours, the trees start to thin out & the swamp is left behind, eventually they emerge onto open grass land with isolated copses of towering trees. On the grassy plain, can be seen numerous species of herbivore, small & large, reminiscent of the African Savannah.
In the distance, maybe 10 miles or so, stands the derelict remains of a city towards which they are lead with many nervous glances to the sky. With Smart-goggles & other beneficiary cyber optics it is clear that the towers of the city are skeletons of a dead culture surround by masses  of rubble.
07/05/2024 – 11.03
Several hours later SG2 go on full alert as the locals to front & rear drop to a crouch, pointy sticks at the ready.
Instantly a crowd rises silently from the long grass & charge throwing rocks at the party. Instinctively SG2 go into offensive mode & all, bar Agatha, raise weapons & fire a volley into the charging attackers, maybe 40 or so in total. At least half a dozen drop bloodily writhing in pain & screaming as best as a voiceless savage can. The other charging natives react instantly, most turn & flee whilst several crash to the ground cowering, the latter includes many of the ‘friendly’ group accompanying SG2.
Agatha not to be outdone takes off after the nearest fleeing attacker & despite the adverse effect of the higher gravity quickly catches him within a few paces. Using her cyber enhanced fist she beats the cowering native senseless.
Horrified SG2’s BFF stares at the bang sticks, hands firmly clamped over his ears.
Quickly Rex & Dungip work to calm the situation down. SG2 can see those one or two natives that held old guns as clubs have flung them to the floor in horror. Removing the cartridges from his Colt Enforcer Rex encourages his BFF to hold the gun, eventually fear overcomes him & he does. He then brandishes it to his clan pointing it at the cowering injured & captured. Before Rex can react, he uses the gun as a club & beats the living shit out of one of the injured attackers. His group quickly follow suit & with their own clubs & sticks slaughter the survivors who had not run.
Grinning Rex’s BFF returns the handgun before signalling they should continue, sighing rex reloads.
As SG2 walk past the cooling corpses they can see several discarded/rotting ‘modern’ weapons amongst the fallen that they too have converted to clubs.
07/05/2024 – 13.11
Reaching the periphery of the derelict city SG2 can see it is vast. A few skeletal frames as noted remain but it looks as if a stiff breeze would to topple them. Evidence of roads leading from city can be felt beneath the grass & there are hints of bridge abutments, roads & general infrastructure but all now is simply rubble. Regrettably nobody has any means of measuring background radiation but it clearly looks like somebody launched a considerable quantity of weapons of mass destruction at the city.
Samples are taken for carbon & chemical testing but it looks like the destroyed city has been like this for hundreds if not a thousand years or more.
Whilst their BFF’s clan have been here many times & collected shards of steel etc it is clear they do not like to remain long on the open plain. SG2 collect a few metallic scraps as well as something that is as opaque as glass but as hard as steel. When ‘questioned’ about this, not an easy task, Rex’s BFF mimes something which suggests the monsters come at night & they should leave.
07/05/2024 – 14.41
With samples recovered SG2 head back towards the tree line accompanied by sky glancing natives keen to be under the cover of the trees before darkness falls.