Episode 7

29/2/2034 10.30 hrs

Joining Mahonney in the briefing room Schultz makes clear her intention to revisit Abydos and investigate the Great Pyramid, as the events to date are examined SG1's requisition for flashlights, cemex, 12 sleep gas grenades, 2No gas masks for Bo & Schultz, etc are dumped in the SG chamber for collection on route.

Discussion inevitably turns to security of the SG chamber, particularly now that the gate is free of its hook up from the gate on Abydos. Whilst permanent measures are to be agreed, in the short term it is decided that the reception unit will be "armed" with sleep gas canisters. It is mooted however that should the armoured warriors emerge it is possible that the ornate, yet highly effective headpiece may have in built respirators or similar, Mahonney advises that he will chase up the report on the armour recovered. Given that others may now try to ingress through the gate it is, bizarrely, decided that the away team, each member, will carry yellow rubber balls with them, before returning through the gate 1 of the balls will be thrown through for recognition purposes.

Discussions at an end SG1 tool up and head for the SG chamber, to the surprise of Mahonney Schultz is carrying one of the energy staffs. As the technician's dial up Abydos a request is quickly made for hessian sacks to be thrown through before the gate is closed as SG1 intend to sand bag the booby-trapped fuel dump.

Emerging in to the chilled pre-dawn air the group are surprised/shocked to see a mountain goat astride the clay more fitted fuel drum, nervously they shoo the indignant goat away. Immediately Schultz heads for the plateau rim while Gomez taps into the bug's left at the pyramid entrance, in both instances there is negative activity.

Deciding to run the scree rather than go the long way round the group slide/stumble there way down the steeply shifting slope. As per the earlier scramble up the scree minor knocks and bruises are collected. Reaching the sands below they directly head for the pyramid, JJ and Gomez obliterate all traces of their passage to all but the keenest of eyes. 1½ hours later SG1 gather just beyond the entrance steps, deciding that if any body were inside they would have been alerted by the earlier noisy/blinding approach the group make a direct run for the entranceway.

Passing over the threshold the group flick their flashlights around and are somewhat disappointed to note that the walls/ceiling are unadorned plane cut stone. Continuing on the vaulted entrance runs some 60 yds into the pyramid at the rear of which is a corridor continuing inwards. Scanning the floors, walls etc footprints, scuffmarks can be seen in the wind blown sand, however there is no other sign of occupation. Eventually the corridor branches, left, right or straight on, pick the central passage Schultz and co press forward. As they reach what is probably the heart of the pyramid the group pick out steps leading down, cautiously preceding they step into a column lined high roofed hall.

Kapek and Bo, despite their curiosity take position to either side of the open doorway whilst Schultz, JJ and Gomez fan out across the hall. Setting up area lights reveals what to Schultz's amazement are hundreds of gate codes adorning the walls. Gomez, Kapek and Schultz immediately start recording and downloading digital images to Schultz's pocket CPO unit. JJ meantime investigates the raised plinths to either end of the room as well as the low dais central to the far wall.

The stepped/low level dais appears to be formed of the same stone as the walls, columns etc. Of more interest however are the two plinths, as with the dais they are formed of a single block of stone, which Gomez identifies as grit stone, roughly cut into a block 9' x 4' x 3' high. The surface of the stone is crudely cut and still shows evidence of tool marks. Within the top face however is a depression roughly biped in shape about 8" deep, JJ comments that it isn't big enough to accommodate the dark skinned warriors so recently encountered.

Touching the inner face of the depression Gomez/Schultz are surprised by its smoothness, it feels like liquid glass, so smooth so as to be completely frictionless. Curiosity getting the better of him and despite the apprehension of Schultz and Gomez, Kapek strips to his fatigues and climbs onto the slab and lies back into the recess. Kapek finds it difficult to lay still as gently slides from side to side, seeming not to touch the polished surface. Much to the relief of those watching nothing happens. Watching these events from the doorway Bo heads for the second plinth and unnoticed by the others he climbs on and then into the empty sarcophagus.

As Bo settles back into stone Kapek falls silent and still, suspicious of the sudden calm on Kapek's face Schultz and Gomez reach forward towards Kapek however they are unable to touch him. It appears that some 2" above his body there is some kind barrier, invisible to the eye and having the same frictionless sheen as the recess itself. In an attempt to "see" what it is Gomez tips a cup full of water onto Kapek, the water flows over the surface, which shows the barrier/field clearly follows the Profile of Kapek's body, indeed water pools in the crevice between his arm and torso. A hurried inspection of the second cask shows Bo to be similarly encased.

Kapek & Bo - Only the soul/mind exists, no memories, no concerns, no knowledge, no senses just existence, calmness, awash in a sea of blackness, time has no meaning, there is no future, no past, just now.

Over the next few hours the barrier resists JJ and Gomez's best efforts to allow Bo or Kapek to be removed. So violent are JJ's efforts to break through the barrier with gun butt that he bends the gunstock. Desperately the remaining three search the plinths and the dais, apart from a darkened ring shaped stain central to the dais, all is to no avail. Indeed so desperate are they to release their comrades that they try spilling blood, their own, on the stained dais. Approximately 1½ hours later and apparently unrelated to any of his teams' efforts, Bo rises from his catatonic state, when questioned he is completely oblivious to the immediate past events. As far as he is aware he has only just lain back in the cask, he does however feel rested. Approximately 1 hour later Kapek comes round; he too is unaware of the passage of time. Unsure of what, or why, these events have transpired, the group collect their chattels and hastily depart. Following the same route back they arrive at the base of the scree as the sun starts to dip over the mountains.

As with their previous ascent the climb is hard going for the group for all except JJ who's climbing skills allow him to outstrip his teammates, it is no surprise when Kapek falls and slides some 33 yds down the steeply sloping shale. Returning to help JJ assists the battered and bruised Kapek to the plateau. Catching their breath the group gather their wits and dial home, remembering at the last to throw a yellow ball through the opened gate. Stepping through they are greeted by the now familiar reception committee as well several large gas bottles, presumably filled with sleeping gas.

29/2/2034 18.45 hrs

As the gate is powered down behind them it occurs that they have left the remaining trial bike, the quads and trailers as well as the unprotected and booby-trapped fuel drum.