Book 4 - New Horizons 9

22/05/2024 – 08.32

The following morning Mahonney had somewhat calmed down & listed again as Rex recapped the previous day’s events, keen to maintain the fresh source of food the base commander suggested Rex & his team headed back tout de suite to investigate, it was agreed however that as there were other pressing matters & the potential for things to escalate only Jayne, Xuraa & Dungip would go through accompanied by a couple of IS grunts (Privates Igor Raminski + Carlos Madalena) without further ado the away team headed to the armoury to tool up.

22/05/2024 – 09.05

On stepping through the gate, it was immediately obvious that the game was afoot. The iron gate fitted across the gate wasn’t locked, the refurbished gas lights were off & the double doors to the room were closed. Further the pair of SGIS grunts (Jack Werbanuk + Pablo Guntersberg) rotated on a four-hourly shift, were absent as were the local militia.

Silently Jayne directed the two accompanying grunts to take up position to cover the exit whilst he put his ear to the door, all was quiet & from the lack of light spilling under the door it looked like the gas lamps were out of service.

Back at the gate Dungip & Xuraa checked out the control panel to see if any 3rd party had come through before them however the gate simply showed the last activity as their own arrival a few minutes earlier.

Casting about the room their torches revealed the residue of an energy weapon blast high on the gate itself as well las a couple of slugs embedded in the doorframe & surrounding stonework.

It was also noted that the remote comms unit cable had been sheared when the gate last closed confirming that protocol had been broken & the guards hadn’t voluntarily left their post. On the off chance Xuraa squelched the hand units to see if she could raise the guards, there was no response. Similarly, Dungip ran a wideband scan but nothing was being broadcast however this far into the ziggurat the signal was pretty much killed.

It was quickly discussed whether they should report back or push on but keen to establish just what had occurred they agreed that they should proceed.

22/05/2024 – 09.10

Taking point Jayne nodded & Xuraa carefully edged one leaf of the doors open. Quickly, weapon at the ready Jayne stepped through, all was still although there was feint flickering light around the first corner some 30’ ahead. Flanking each other to provide cover the team moved up towards the first corridor dog-leg.

Peering around the right-hand corner the light was marginally brighter but its source was beyond the next bend so 30’ away to the left. At the next corner Jayne called a halt. The team new that the corner there was a corridor of around 60’ to a ‘T’ junction, the left-hand turn lead towards the centre of the ziggurat whilst the right-hand passage lead towards the outside, maybe 150’ as the crow flies away around several turns. On the left of the corridor ahead however was the secret passage recently exposed housing the exposed screens & touch pads whose activation was the source of the beacon emanating from the cap of the ziggurat.

Holding the corner all five SG members could her feint conversation most likely it seemed to be from within the discovered passage which lay approximately half way along the next corridor section on the left. Dungip listening carefully confirmed that the words spoken were not Coptic but a language he wasn’t familiar with. Peering around the corner the flickering light – burning torches maybe – was coming from the recently opened passage.

Without the need for spoken word – the benefit of the times square marquee optics surgically installed to allow thought controlled texting onto the lens of the recipient – the team edged forward until Jayne, still on point, could see into the ‘control room?’

Inside were two figures studying the screens on the wall, both were archaically armoured in suits reflecting what SG1 had encountered on Abydos, & both had energy staffs although they were leant casually on the wall behind them. The armour stopped at neck level showing dark skinned Mediterranean features.

Regrettably, some minor noise alerted the pair to Jayne’s presence & both, startled, looked in disbelief at the combat ready warrior in front of them. Jayne bellowed for both to raise their hands. Either not understanding, or ignoring, Jayne’s command to hold they unfortunately, belatedly, lunged for their staffs maybe not understanding what the ‘stick’ at Jaynes hip was capable off. As they reacted the armour at their neck seemed to unfold to encompass their heads. When the pair didn’t obey, Jayne didn’t hesitate for a second & near emptied the A80’s clip at the two targets.

The noise in the confined surroundings was immense if not deafening. The armour, as good as it may have been against blade or energy weapons, was no match for the Kalishikove’s heavy slugs, the torso of both were peppered & bloody. Whilst the grunts propped the dead warrior’s staffs in the main corridor for later collection Dungip & the others stared at the wall screens. One showed an image of three grinning people staring up at a screen, it was themselves whilst a second showed a chamber with somebody angrily glaring back at them, he too was of similar appearance to the two cooling corpses on the floor, he didn’t look impressed. On the remaining screens were several moving/live? aerial shots of Memphis & a second city, presumably Hermopolis.

Realising that the noise may well have alerted others to their presence they quickly moved to the ‘T’ junction.

22/05/2024 – 09.13

From the ‘T’ junction Jayne & Xuraa slipped left moving into the ziggurat whilst Dungip & the grunts readied themselves should anybody approach from the main corridor.

30’ on the corridor that Jayne & Xuraa crept along turned to the right, all was in darkness. Around the corner they knew the corroder ran onwards towards the hearty of the complex however immediately around the corner was the small chamber where the sarcophagus had been discovered. As they moved around the corner scuffling could be heard in the chamber on their right. Messaging Dungip they were going to investigate they moved forward.

Behind them Dungip & the grunts waited, after a few seconds a feint flicker of light could be seen approaching, the need for speed was communicated to the forward party.

Peering into the sarcophagi’s chamber there was no sign of activity however there were several low moans. Flicking on torches both could see several naked battered & bruised figures hogtied on the floor. Entering they found both IS grunts as well as four stripped locals, all six looked like they’d gone several rounds with a tank.

Knowing they had very little time Xuraa & Jayne cut the trusses releasing the six prisoners however the ties had been so tight that they’d drawn blood & none could immediately stand as circulation had been severely impaired. Dragging them up Xuraa called for the IS grunts to assist.

Dungip, message received, sent the two privates to assist with the released prisoners. Ahead the growing light suggested that whoever was coming was nearing the last corner before being in direct line of site to Dungip’s position, not waiting for them to appear he expertly fired an underslung fragmentation grenade along the length of the passage. Seconds later there was dull pop as the grenade, which had bounced around the distant corner, maybe 75’ away, exploded. Instantly there was a collection of screams.

Jayne & Xuraa, assisted by the accompanying grunts cajoled, dragged & pushed the stumbling prisoners ahead of them, as they reached Dungip’s position at the ‘T’ junction the fired grenade exploded, despite still having two still in the chamber, he reloaded a third grenade.

Jayne along with the two grunts continued to move the beaten group towards the gate chamber, collecting the energy staffs left in the corridor. Xuraa dropped to her knee at the corner to give support to Dungip as the others retreated.

A few moments later both could see figures, four abreast & at least two rows deep, shuffling along the corridor towards them staffs raised to fire. Unhesitatingly Dungip fired a second grenade, it bounced of the ceiling & dropped behind the approaching group. Xuraa, not to be outdone peppered the front line with her Ingram. Further screams erupted as several figures dropped however fire was returned.

Both Dungip & Xuraa were struck despite using the corner as cover. Dungip, benefitting from flak jacket & pants as well as Skinweave below was hit a couple of times but barely felt the impact, Xuraa however was not quite so lucky, a third blast hit her right foot, which, despite Skinweave, was left in a mangled mess.

With a glance over his shoulder Dungip could see that Jayne & the others were at the very least beyond direct line of fire, shrugging he grabbed the floundering Xuraa’s collar with one hand &, resting the butt of the Sturmkarabiner on his hip, fired a fourth grenade towards the remaining warriors. Not waiting for the outcome & dragged Xuraa behind him.

At the doors to the gate chamber, ready to give covering fire, Jayne waited as the two grunts bundled the released captives into & through the still open gate. Moments later he saw Dungip half dragging a clearly distraught & struggling Xuraa behind him. Running forward he & Dungip took a shoulder each & carried their hobbling comrade between them. As they hurled themselves through the gate, what was left of their pursuers rounded the last corner, raised staffs & fired.

22/05/2024 – 09.19

As the Dungip, Jayne & Xuraa fell onto the gantry in front of the gate in SGC the iris valve snapped shut behind them. The chamber was a hive of activity, at least a dozen armed personnel stood ready to repel all boarders & to provide cover to the returning team members (alerted by the IS grunts who had moments before passed through the gate back to SGC) Additionally there were medical staff & others lead by Irving & Rex flooding into the chamber to assist the injured captives (the four Memphis militia were throwing up in addition to the battering they had received) Agatha too was present, she stood by to offer counselling to any that required it.

Xuraa, pumped with painkillers & hooked up to a drip, dropped back on to a gurney in relief as the pain began to subside, as her eyes closed she heard Jayne suggesting Rex might want to make a new report to Mahonney.