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bungakertas) wrote2012-02-20 09:52 am
bungakertas) wrote2012-02-20 09:52 am
A Small Problem - Chapter Four
A Small Problem - Chapter Four
Disclaimer and general Author's Notes are in the first entry, which is linked at the bottom.
Daniel gave a tug on Sam's arms together with Teal'c, as they, finally, conquered the last step to level 19.
With sighs of relief, they all collapsed onto the floor to catch their breath for a moment.
After a few moments, Sam spoke from beside him. "When I get big again, I think I may kiss the elevator wall."
"Indeed?" Teal'c asked from Sam's other side. He sounded amused.
"I dare you," Daniel agreed with a grin.
Sam sat up and gave them both mock-glares while looking down the hallway. "Hailey’s lab is over this way." She pointed.
The three of them staggered to their feet. "How far?" Daniel asked, glaring at the aches in his shoes. Generally speaking, even most off-world missions weren't this physical.
"That would just depress you," Sam sighed, starting off down the hall to the left of the stairs.
Daniel and Teal’c exchanged a scowl and followed their leader.
As they were walking Sam commented, "You know, it’s a minor miracle that we can actually breathe while we’re this small."
"Indeed?" Teal’c replied, in that tone that meant "indeed" was a question this time, as opposed to the affirmative "indeed," or the I-don’t-believe-what-you-just-said-for-a-second "indeed." Daniel fixed his eyes irritably on Teal’c for giving Sam an opening.
"The hemoglobin in our blood shouldn’t be able to cope with air molecules of this size. Technically, we should suffocate," she explained.
Daniel decided to accept that this was the case and not look into the mechanics. "Well, we’re figuring this is some sort of a machine, for the moment, right?" Daniel said. "What if whatever-it-is compensates for our small…ness?"
"That would make sense if we were dealing with nanite technology, but…," Sam trailed off, giving the men a glance.
"What would be the purpose of such technology," Teal’c supplied helpfully.
"Exactly," Sam said. "It doesn’t make us so small that we could really sneak around anywhere. But it does make us too small to really do anything effectively. And it disburses so fast that once a population is…infected—for lack of a better word—that there’s no real way to stop it. Not unless you know it’s coming."
"I believe you have just responded to your own inquiry," Teal’c informed her.
Daniel felt his blood run cold. He hadn't thought of it that way. Had SG-1 brought something back that was the precursor to an alien invasion? Again?
"It seems a most effective offensive technique,” Teal'c continued on, not seeming to notice the effect he was having on Daniel's blood pressure. “It has succeeded in crippling this base in very short order. If we were now attacked, I believe we would have a most difficult time defending this world. And if it was built as an offensive weapon, those who built it likely have a way to counteract its effects or render themselves immune."
His last comment gave Daniel pause. So he decided to weigh in. "Seems a bit…troublesome, though, as a weapon. Given how quickly it spreads, any tiny loss of containment would get your side rather than your enemies'."
"Maybe it was an experiment that was scrapped," Sam suggested.
"That is logical. I have never encountered such a phenomenon, nor have I heard of it from other jaffa," Teal’c said.
And that was a comforting comment.
They had walked all the way to the end of the hallway and around a corner on their right to look down yet another long hallway.
"Hailey’s is the fifth on our left," Sam told them.
Daniel checked his watch and frowned.
"How long did that take us?" Sam asked him curiously.
"That would just depress you," Daniel answered. They continued walking, crossing over to the other side of the hallway.
They had already passed the first doorway when they heard an odd clicking noise behind them.
SG-1 turned around and their eyes widened. Approaching them down the hallway was a cockroach, about two actual inches long. Daniel’s beretta, Sam’s P-90, and Teal’c’s staff all came up in unison, ready to fire.
*~*~*
Jason Coburn surveyed his diminished team. Sergeants Baker and Wilson had just come out into the hallway from the main mess.
"The airmen have got ‘Operation Toothpick’ down to a science, sir," Baker reported.
"Okay, now for the elevators," Coburn squeaked. SG-4 jogged down the hallway towards the elevators, all trying to ignore how long it was taking them. The only break in the monotony was when General O’Neill announced over the PA to begin going to the Control Room unless you were unable to, or had other orders. When they did finally reach the elevators, they were all a bit winded.
"Now what, sir?" Wilson asked. SG-4 looked up in dismay at the small keycard device on the side of the elevator.
"I have no idea," Coburn sighed. Their keycards were as small as they were, so using them was more than slightly ridiculous.
"If I had a knife…," Hailey frowned. "I may be able to get the elevator to come to this floor and get the doors open, assuming I were inside that box."
The boys patted down pockets until Coburn managed to come up with his Swiss Army pocketknife and held it up. "Will this do?"
Hailey nodded. "That’ll be perfect, sir."
"So now we just have to get to it," Baker nodded.
Hailey looked at the large cables running up to the box. "I think this is going to have to be a one-person job, Baker. The only way up is by those cables."
Coburn frowned. "You up for this, Hailey?"
Hailey nodded. "I can do it, sir."
Coburn handed her the knife. "Get going."
Hailey began clambering up the cables headed for the elevator box.
*~*~*
Sam, Teal’c, and Daniel all looked at the cockroach in disgust, hoping it didn’t approach them.
"I am beginning to find these insects even more disagreeable than I previously had," Teal’c said.
"I hate roaches," Sam agreed.
The roach scurried towards them and all three opened fire. The bug was apparently not used to high-speed projectiles and energy blasts because it quickly altered course away from the three.
"Hold fire!" Sam yelled.
"Why?" Daniel asked, complying with the order anyway.
"We have to save our ammunition. There’s only so much in our size," Sam explained.
"I believe we have severely damaged the insect," Teal’c told them. There was a trail of bug juice following the roach as it scurried into one of the offices.
Sam had a very feral look on her face watching it go. They turned and had all taken a few steps towards their goal when a very high-pitched scream issued from the office that they had just watched their injured foe enter. The first scream proceeded directly into shrill and carrying yells for help.
SG-1 readied their weapons again and ran into the office.
Chapter One - A Little Bored
Chapter Two - In The Infirmary
Chapter Three - Down In Fraggle Rock
Chapter Five - Troubleshooting
Chapter Six - You Can't Always Get What You Want...
Chapter Seven - Research For Its Own Sake
Disclaimer and general Author's Notes are in the first entry, which is linked at the bottom.
Daniel gave a tug on Sam's arms together with Teal'c, as they, finally, conquered the last step to level 19.
With sighs of relief, they all collapsed onto the floor to catch their breath for a moment.
After a few moments, Sam spoke from beside him. "When I get big again, I think I may kiss the elevator wall."
"Indeed?" Teal'c asked from Sam's other side. He sounded amused.
"I dare you," Daniel agreed with a grin.
Sam sat up and gave them both mock-glares while looking down the hallway. "Hailey’s lab is over this way." She pointed.
The three of them staggered to their feet. "How far?" Daniel asked, glaring at the aches in his shoes. Generally speaking, even most off-world missions weren't this physical.
"That would just depress you," Sam sighed, starting off down the hall to the left of the stairs.
Daniel and Teal’c exchanged a scowl and followed their leader.
As they were walking Sam commented, "You know, it’s a minor miracle that we can actually breathe while we’re this small."
"Indeed?" Teal’c replied, in that tone that meant "indeed" was a question this time, as opposed to the affirmative "indeed," or the I-don’t-believe-what-you-just-said-for-a-second "indeed." Daniel fixed his eyes irritably on Teal’c for giving Sam an opening.
"The hemoglobin in our blood shouldn’t be able to cope with air molecules of this size. Technically, we should suffocate," she explained.
Daniel decided to accept that this was the case and not look into the mechanics. "Well, we’re figuring this is some sort of a machine, for the moment, right?" Daniel said. "What if whatever-it-is compensates for our small…ness?"
"That would make sense if we were dealing with nanite technology, but…," Sam trailed off, giving the men a glance.
"What would be the purpose of such technology," Teal’c supplied helpfully.
"Exactly," Sam said. "It doesn’t make us so small that we could really sneak around anywhere. But it does make us too small to really do anything effectively. And it disburses so fast that once a population is…infected—for lack of a better word—that there’s no real way to stop it. Not unless you know it’s coming."
"I believe you have just responded to your own inquiry," Teal’c informed her.
Daniel felt his blood run cold. He hadn't thought of it that way. Had SG-1 brought something back that was the precursor to an alien invasion? Again?
"It seems a most effective offensive technique,” Teal'c continued on, not seeming to notice the effect he was having on Daniel's blood pressure. “It has succeeded in crippling this base in very short order. If we were now attacked, I believe we would have a most difficult time defending this world. And if it was built as an offensive weapon, those who built it likely have a way to counteract its effects or render themselves immune."
His last comment gave Daniel pause. So he decided to weigh in. "Seems a bit…troublesome, though, as a weapon. Given how quickly it spreads, any tiny loss of containment would get your side rather than your enemies'."
"Maybe it was an experiment that was scrapped," Sam suggested.
"That is logical. I have never encountered such a phenomenon, nor have I heard of it from other jaffa," Teal’c said.
And that was a comforting comment.
They had walked all the way to the end of the hallway and around a corner on their right to look down yet another long hallway.
"Hailey’s is the fifth on our left," Sam told them.
Daniel checked his watch and frowned.
"How long did that take us?" Sam asked him curiously.
"That would just depress you," Daniel answered. They continued walking, crossing over to the other side of the hallway.
They had already passed the first doorway when they heard an odd clicking noise behind them.
SG-1 turned around and their eyes widened. Approaching them down the hallway was a cockroach, about two actual inches long. Daniel’s beretta, Sam’s P-90, and Teal’c’s staff all came up in unison, ready to fire.
Jason Coburn surveyed his diminished team. Sergeants Baker and Wilson had just come out into the hallway from the main mess.
"The airmen have got ‘Operation Toothpick’ down to a science, sir," Baker reported.
"Okay, now for the elevators," Coburn squeaked. SG-4 jogged down the hallway towards the elevators, all trying to ignore how long it was taking them. The only break in the monotony was when General O’Neill announced over the PA to begin going to the Control Room unless you were unable to, or had other orders. When they did finally reach the elevators, they were all a bit winded.
"Now what, sir?" Wilson asked. SG-4 looked up in dismay at the small keycard device on the side of the elevator.
"I have no idea," Coburn sighed. Their keycards were as small as they were, so using them was more than slightly ridiculous.
"If I had a knife…," Hailey frowned. "I may be able to get the elevator to come to this floor and get the doors open, assuming I were inside that box."
The boys patted down pockets until Coburn managed to come up with his Swiss Army pocketknife and held it up. "Will this do?"
Hailey nodded. "That’ll be perfect, sir."
"So now we just have to get to it," Baker nodded.
Hailey looked at the large cables running up to the box. "I think this is going to have to be a one-person job, Baker. The only way up is by those cables."
Coburn frowned. "You up for this, Hailey?"
Hailey nodded. "I can do it, sir."
Coburn handed her the knife. "Get going."
Hailey began clambering up the cables headed for the elevator box.
Sam, Teal’c, and Daniel all looked at the cockroach in disgust, hoping it didn’t approach them.
"I am beginning to find these insects even more disagreeable than I previously had," Teal’c said.
"I hate roaches," Sam agreed.
The roach scurried towards them and all three opened fire. The bug was apparently not used to high-speed projectiles and energy blasts because it quickly altered course away from the three.
"Hold fire!" Sam yelled.
"Why?" Daniel asked, complying with the order anyway.
"We have to save our ammunition. There’s only so much in our size," Sam explained.
"I believe we have severely damaged the insect," Teal’c told them. There was a trail of bug juice following the roach as it scurried into one of the offices.
Sam had a very feral look on her face watching it go. They turned and had all taken a few steps towards their goal when a very high-pitched scream issued from the office that they had just watched their injured foe enter. The first scream proceeded directly into shrill and carrying yells for help.
SG-1 readied their weapons again and ran into the office.
Chapter One - A Little Bored
Chapter Two - In The Infirmary
Chapter Three - Down In Fraggle Rock
Chapter Five - Troubleshooting
Chapter Six - You Can't Always Get What You Want...
Chapter Seven - Research For Its Own Sake
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