Doctor Who: Changes in Time and Space: Chapter 10: P6Y-362
P6Y-362
Three hours after the Doctor had talked to General Landry, SG1 and the Doctor’s companions were ready to go on their mission.
“Remember, you have to follow my orders,” Mitchell said to the companions.
“I remember,” Tamsin snarked.
The other two nodded.
“Chevron Six encoded.”
“Watch this,” Mitchell directed.
Tamsin, Kiara and Felicia watched as the seventh chevron locked
“Chevron Seven, Locked!”
The wormhole formed within the Stargate with a kawoosh.
“Wow!” Felicia gasped.
“That’s putting it mildly!” Tamsin said.
“That’s nothing compared to the experience of going through the ‘gate,” Mitchell said. “Let’s go,”
SG1 and their assistants walked up to the gate. Mitchell walked through first, followed by Teal’c.
“After you,” Carter suggested to Tamsin.
“OK,” Tamsin said. She stepped forwards, through the event horizon...
P6Y-362
Tamsin emerged on the planet designated by the SGC as P6Y-362. “That was incredible,” she enthused.
“I told you,” Mitchell said as the remainder of SG1 and their accompanying ‘specialists’ emerged from the ‘Gate.
“Wow, it looks just like a Canadian forest,” Felicia said.
“Research suggests that the Ancients and the Goa’uld both preferred this type of biome,” Carter said.
“You mean that the Stargate is usually placed in a forest like this?” Felicia asked. ‘It is definitely a beautiful view,’ she thought.
“Statistically speaking, both here and in the Pegasus Galaxy, yes,” Jackson said.
“That’s interesting,” Tamsin said.
“You have been in Canada?” Mitchell asked.
“A few times with the Doctor,” Tamsin said.
“We had to stop Ice Warriors from taking over the Yukon Territory,” Kiara said.
“Tell us more,” Carter said.
Tamsin began to tell of the adventure in the Yukon...
They started walking away from the Stargate towards the nearby settlement.
“So, we’re here to see if the Priors have been espousing Origin here?” Tamsin asked.
“Indeed,” Teal’c said.
“You read the mission brief, that’s right,” Mitchell said.
Tamsin muttered.
“She’d like more background information,” Kiara said.
Carter looked at Dr. Jackson.
“The people on this planet were brought here by the Goa’uld thousands of years ago,” Daniel said.
“Yes, but what about the ‘Gate in Antarctica? Couldn’t the Goa’uld have brought them through there?” Tamsin asked.
“How did you find out about that?” Colonel Mitchell asked, surprised. That was ‘need to know’ information.
“She pestered the records officer,” Kiara said.
“After the Doctor’s psychic paper didn’t help,” Felicia said.
“Psychic paper?” Carter asked.
“I don’t want to know,” Daniel said, referring to Tamsin’s pestering of the records officer.
“I wasn’t that bad,” Tamsin said to Daniel.
“The Doctor has a piece of paper that he uses to get past problems with officials in various places,” Kiara said.
“How does it work?” Carter asked.
“I don’t know. It probably has something to do with the Doctor’s telepathic abilities,” Kiara said.
“Anyhow, Dr. Jackson, continue,” Tamsin said.
“A System Lord ruled from here for some time prior to abandoning the planet a thousand years ago. The Goa’uld continued to raid the planet for another five hundred years before leaving it alone. After that the locals advanced to a level similar to that of medieval Europe.”
“Cool,” Tamsin said.
“They have recently developed intricate clockwork,” Daniel began.
Tamsin hung on his every word.
While Tamsin was listening to Daniel, Sam asked Felicia; “Why did the Doctor stay behind again?”
“He wanted to do further investigation of the SGC...”
The SGC
Harriman called Landry to the control room. “What is this issue, Airman?” he asked.
“There is a slight power drain in the ‘Gate,” Harriman said, he called up a computer graphic showing it.
“Do you have any idea what is causing it?” he asked.
“None.”
“Investigate.”
“Yes, sir.”
P6Y-362
SG1 and companions entered the town closest to the Stargate.
“Looks deserted,” Cameron said as they started walking up the street from the main entrance.
“Impossible. This is a major trading town for this region of the continent,” Daniel said.
“So, SG1 has been here before?” Felicia asked.
“Yes, a few years ago,” Daniel said.
“We opened relations between this nation and the US,” Carter said.
“That’s good,” Felicia said.
“The contact has inspired cultural change similar to that in the Renaissance,” Daniel said.
“So the culture resembled that of medieval Europe?” Tamsin asked.
“It was similar, but only in the broad strokes, their pantheon was and is still inspired by the influence of the Goa’uld,” Daniel said.
“Swell,” Cameron said.
“It is similar all over the galaxy, CameronMitchell,” Teal’c said.
“Don’t have to like it,” Cameron said.
“Indeed,” Teal’c said.
“Of course,” Tamsin said, annoyed at the influence of the System Lords on the Milky Way.
“We’re almost at the central square, sir. We should be walking through crowds,” Carter said.
“I haven’t noticed anyone looking out of the windows,” Kiara said.
“You sure?” Tamsin asked.
Kiara nodded.
“Neither have I,” Cameron said.
“What would cause this?” Felicia asked.
“No idea,” Carter said.
“Not a plague, we would be seeing the corpses,” Daniel said.
Tamsin nodded.
“So where did they go?” Felicia asked.
“The nearest settlements are less than a day’s journey away, but they are just villages,” Daniel said.
“Do they use the Stargate?” Kiara asked.
“Not often. It hadn’t been used for centuries when we arrived the first time,” Carter said.
“We may have to go to one of those villages. Do you know where they are?” Colonel Mitchell asked.
“Not exactly,” Daniel said.
“There’s a library on the other side of the square,” Sam said.
“A good place to start,” Kiara said.
“There may be clues as to why this happened,” Tamsin said.
Fifteen minutes later, later the team entered the town’s library. The place showed much evidence of a hasty departure, with loads of papers strewn around the many reading tables.
“This is going to take some time,” Daniel said.
“I’ll help you. I’ve had some field experience,” Tamsin said.
“Thanks,” Daniel said.
“You’re welcome.”
Five hours later the sun set and the planet’s two moons bathed the town in coloured light.
“Quite strange. A red moon,” Kiara said.
“It has a similar composition to Mars,” Sam said.
“The fourth planet in Earth’s solar system. I have been there with the Doctor. Needed a suit outside the TARDIS and the colonial habitats,” Kiara said.
“That’s the same as our Mars, except for that last part,” Mitchell said.
“Colonial habitats?” Carter asked.
“We visited in the late 23rd century,” Tamsin said.
“Quite beautiful, but barren,” Kiara said.
“I agree,” Sam said.
Daniel soon returned with Tamsin in tow.
“Have you found anything?” Felicia asked.
“Yes, there are multiple references to a Prior being here saying their usual Origin espousing spiel,” Daniel said.
“Then the Prior left, travelling back through the ‘gate,” Tamsin said.
“So what happened here?” Carter asked.
“They had heard about the Ori from their contacts through the gate. Apparently the nation had been sporadically exploring through the gate. It’s possible that the Goa’uld had left behind a co-ordinate archive like the one that was on Abydos,” Daniel said.
“The first planet you discovered, go on,” Felicia said.
“Right. After the Prior had left; they set up guards near the gate in case the Prior came back,” Daniel said.
“So the Prior came back?” Cameron asked.
“Yes. The guards saw the Prior emerge from the gate in the distance and immediately ran to the town. That’s when they evacuated the town,” Daniel said.
“But wouldn’t the Prior be here?” Carter asked.
“We think that he may have gone to one of the other villages,” Tamsin said.
“Where some of the towns’ people may have gone?” Vala asked.
“Yes,” Daniel said.
“We stay here tonight, and then set out for the closest of those villages. I assume that the library has a map of the region?” Cameron asked.
“It does. However, I must say that that village is the most likely destination for the Prior after this town,” Daniel said.
“Noted, We’ll set out at first light,” Cameron said.
“Right, sir,” Carter said.
“The sun seems to be setting faster than on Earth,” Tamsin said.
“This planet has a rotational period of just less than 19 hours,” Carter explained.
SG1 then prepared for the short night ahead.
Second day on P6Y-362
They left the deserted town, early in the morning, whilst it was still shrouded in fog.
“How are we supposed to find our way to that village?” Felicia asked. She could barely see 100 metres ahead of her.
“I’ve brought a map from the library. It clearly shows all the landmarks we need to follow,” Daniel said.
“It’s not that thick,” Tamsin pointed out.
“Not compared to fogs in the Silverpeak Mountains on Tyria,” Kiara said.
“Sounds dangerous,” Felicia said.
“No more dangerous than what we usually run into with the Doctor,” Kiara contributed.
“I suppose so,” Felicia said, as they left the town out of the gate that they had entered through the previous day.
Three hours later they neared the next nearest settlement to the Stargate and the abandoned town. As they approached they could see that this settlement was not abandoned.
“Does that map show any public meeting places, Daniel?” Cameron asked as they approached.
“There are a few meeting places around the central square.”
“Lead the way,” Cameron said.
As they walked down the main road into the village, SG1 could see that many of the people were looking at them.
In the central square SG1 approached the nearest of the meeting places. Cameron, Daniel and Teal’c walked inside. “Does anyone have any news regarding the abandonment of the Trading town near here?” Daniel asked.
There was silence in the room.
“We would like to have an answer,” Teal’c said.
There was murmuring amongst the patrons of the establishment before a young lady slipped away from a group and approached the trio. “We don’t like talking about the situation,” she said.
“Indeed?” Teal’c asked.
“I’ll say more elsewhere,” she said.
“Let’s go,” Cameron said, as he noticed most of the other people in the room getting restless.
“Follow me.”
Sam and the companions saw the rest of SG1 come out of the tavern. “Any information, sir?”
“There was none. Apparently this lady is willing to divulge the information in the face of tremendous social pressure,” Daniel said.
“It’s not that bad,” the lady said.
“We haven’t been introduced,” Cameron said.
“I’m Aa’lsvaiii’ Ye, local leader of the Record Keeping Guild. Come to the Records Hall and I will fill you in on the situation,” she said.
They soon approached the Records Hall, a building which resembled the library that they had seen in the other town.
Aa’lsvaiii’ lead SG1 to a side entrance and opened the door. “We’re going into the restricted area of the Records Hall. Don’t touch the records without permission,” she said.
‘Of course, the Records Hall is a library,’ Kiara thought. ‘But that would mean that Aa’lsvaiii’ is a librarian.’
They passed through the non-public area, which on Earth would be called the ‘Stacks,’ to a large room on the other side of the structure. “This is the Recordkeeper Guild’s meeting room, but the other members are busy at the moment,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said.
They sat on various chairs as Aa’lsvaiii’ laid out some glasses of water.
“We heard from our contacts on various worlds of the Priors and this ‘Origin’ that they are espousing. We knew that it wouldn’t take long before they would get here,” Aa’lsvaiii’ began.
“And so a Prior came,” Cameron said.
“Yes, the people of Re’iav Lleag were frightened, but they sent messengers with the message that a Prior had come. So plans were put in place in case a Prior should come back. I have also heard that teams have gone through the gate in search of uninhabited worlds,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said.
“Impressive,” Sam said.
“Indeed,” Teal’c said.
“So the town was abandoned. But when we arrived there, there wasn’t any Prior,” Cameron said.
“If he found the town deserted he may have gone back to the gate,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said.
“No doubt that is what you’re counting on, but he may just journey to another settlement,” Daniel said.
“Then that settlement would be abandoned, too. We will not let them dictate to us, or enslave us as our ancestors were enslaved!” Aa’lsvaiii’ said. She grabbed a tome off a bookshelf. “I’m sure you are familiar with the subject matter,” she opened the tome and placed it in front of Daniel.
He read a paragraph from the tome before realising that it depicted the planet’s revolution against the Goa’uld. “But the Ori are worse than the Goa’uld! They will not give up as easily as the System Lords did,” Daniel said.
“We shall see,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said as she took a sip of her water.
Tamsin was about to interject when there was a knock on the door and another young woman, dressed similarly to Aa’lsvaiii’, came in.
“Sorry to interrupt, ma’am, but there is an urgent message,” she said.
“Let her in,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said.
“Yes, ma’am.”
The messenger paused upon seeing the team in the room with Aa’lsvaiii’. “Who are they?”
“They are Tau’ri. They can hear the message,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said.
“You sure?”The messenger asked. Aa’lsvaiii’ nodded. The messenger began delivering the message to her and the others.
“...And so the Prior is on his way here,” the messenger concluded.
“That’s not good news. Go and find the rest of the Guild,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said.
“Yes, Ma’am,” the messenger said, she hurried out.
Cameron then appeared to be in thought.
“What are your plans?” Aa’lsvaiii’ asked.
“We are going to intercept the Prior,” he said.
“We are?” Daniel asked.
“We are not going to let another village full of people leave their homes behind because of some idealistic plan,” Cameron said.
“We are leaving this village as soon as we can organise,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said. “In the meantime, you are welcome to look in the Records Hall,” she continued.
“Right,” Daniel said.
“Thanks,” Tamsin said.
Daniel and Tamsin were looking at various books in the Records Hall as Cameron and Aa’lsvaiii’ began to argue.
“I’m certain that this village will be abandoned,” Tamsin said.
“I agree,” Daniel said.
“But they are just going to leave all their stuff here?” Tamsin asked.
“Somehow I think they have that planned too. Send periodic expeditions to retrieve the artefacts that they had left behind,” Daniel said.
“Makes sense,” Tamsin said.
“Another question. How are you understanding the writings here?” Daniel asked.
“The TARDIS,” Tamsin said.
“The TARDIS, what?” Daniel asked.
“It’s translating the writing for me; same with speech in most places we go,” Tamsin said.
“Interesting, but how could that work over interstellar distances?” Daniel asked.
“I don’t know. It could be using the Stargate Network as a relay for all I know,” Tamsin said.
“I think the SGC would notice that,” Daniel said.
“Probably,” Tamsin said.
The SGC
General Landry entered the control room.
“Sir, I have determined the source of the power drain in the Stargate,” Harriman said.
“And?” the General asked.
“It’s that TARDIS. It’s somehow tapped into the ‘Gate’s control circuitry.”
Landry decided to deal with the situation right away. “Call the Doctor to the control room, now!”
“Yes, sir.”
N’b, Ao Plaaileala, Tiloana (P6Y-362)
“I’ve also noticed that everyone is understanding the villagers, not just you,” Tamsin said.
“Yes, on most worlds, there is a translation matrix hidden in the platforms beneath the gate. It works in a radius of 100 kilometres,” Daniel said.
“Interesting,” Tamsin said.
Then Aa’lsvaiii’ entered the Records Hall from outside. “Preparations to leave the village are well underway. Colonel Mitchell is also asking for you,” she said.
“Right, let’s go,” Daniel said. Tamsin followed him out into a scene of frenzy. Villagers were running about trying to organise their departure. They quickly found the rest of SG1 close to the Records Hall.
“This is Lana Halaia. She will accompany you on your interception of the Prior,” Aa’lsvaiii’ said, indicating a nearby Record Keeper.
“That isn’t really necessary,” Cameron said.
“I insist, besides, she can hold her own in a fight,” Aa’lniii said.
“Right,” Cameron said, doubtfully.
Lana whirled her staff in the air and stopped a few centimetres short of driving it into Cameron’s face.
Seeing the tough expression on Lana’s face, Cameron pushed the staff down. “I see your point. Are all Record Keepers like this?”
“Not all, Tau’ri. Only after training in the Guild for more than three years,” Lana said.
“Good to know,” Cameron said.
Fifteen minutes later, SG1 left the rapidly emptying village in the direction of the Prior’s advance.
“We should intercept the Ori forces in less than an hour, Colonel,” Lana said.
“Remember, follow my directions, and don’t just charge into the formation,” Cameron said.
“I’m not stupid, Colonel!” Lana retorted.
Cameron sighed.
The SGC
The Doctor couldn’t been found anywhere in the SGC and hadn’t been noticed leaving. So there was only one place he could be; in the TARDIS. General Landry knocked on the TARDIS door. The Doctor opened it.
“Hi, I know what this is about. And answer is no,” he said.
“How did you know?” Landry asked.
“There is no other reason I can think of,” the Doctor said.
“What is the purpose of the power tap into the gate?” Landry said.
“Come inside and I’ll explain it to you,” the Doctor said.
“Fine,” Landry said. He stepped into the TARDIS. ‘The descriptions don’t do it justice,’ he thought.
The Doctor sat near the console. “I’m not drawing power from the gate, the TARDIS is sending and receiving signals via the gate to and from the planet.”
“For what purpose?”
“It translates the foreign languages into a language that my travelling companions can understand,” the Doctor said.
“Really?” Landry asked.
“Yes,” the Doctor said.
“But it doesn’t need to use the gate for that,” Landry said. He was about to explain that the gate already had a translation method, but the Doctor interrupted.
“No, it doesn’t. But it’s easier than projecting the signal at interstellar distances. Do you even know where the planet is?”
“P6Y-362 is over six thousand light years away,” Landry said.
“The signal will continue to use the gate. It won’t interfere with its normal operations,” the Doctor said. He pressed a control on the console. “There, the TARDIS is providing the power, rather than your facility.”
“Doctor, the gate already provides a translation method,” Landry explained.
“I’m sure it does, but whatever method that is probably doesn’t do text. It will continue until SG1 gets back.”
“Fine,” Landry said. He turned and then left the TARDIS.
Ao Plaailealan countryside, Tiloana
SG1 and their companions were moving wearily through a forest. “Are you certain this is the direction they are approaching from?” Cameron asked.
“Yes,” Lana said.
“She seems quite insistent,” Vala said.
“Right...” Daniel said, warily. They continued moving forwards.
They soon came to a clearing. Teal’c raised his staff weapon. “They are very close,” he said.
Lana gripped her staff with two hands. “I agree, Jaffa,” she said. She stood defensively by his side.
Kiara came up and stood at the ready to the other side of Teal’c, who activated his staff weapon.
The group was not prepared for who they would see next...
Two Priors emerged from the trees. “Hallowed are the Ori,” one of them said.
“Hallowed, my butt!” Lana called out.
“That is not necessary, Ms. Halaia,” Teal’c said.
Lana glanced at the Jaffa. “I will not be letting my energy be sucked out in worship!”
“How do you know that?” Daniel asked behind her.
“Alteran Lies!” the other Prior said.
“The Tau’ri are not the only ones whom have come into contact with the Ancients, Dr. Jackson!” Lana said.
“I guess not,” Daniel murmered.
A large group of Ori troops emerged from the forest and surrounded SG1 and their companions. Leading them was Adria!
“So, we meet again,” she said.