The Apprentice: SG-1 Series

Chapter Two: The Fifth Race; Part Two

Infirmary

I was sitting slumped over a table with my head resting on my arms. I knew Fraiser, Daniel, and Skaara were all standing in the room but right now I didn't really care, my head was hurting too much from the drumming sound beating in my head.

"The problem may only be affecting the verbal language center of your brain. It's a different function than writing, but it looks like the problem is advancing. Since she lost the ability to speak gradually, I think whatever is affecting her may be taking over incrementally," Fraiser explained. I could feel Skaara's presence next to me and I was glad for it.

"Well, what's the worst-case scenario?" Daniel asked.

"Well, your computer analogy is pretty good. Adolfina, your hard drive has been filled with information that is written in a language your computer doesn't understand. If it continues to progress the way it has thus far, you may eventually lose the ability to write or even comprehend us. Or, worse, the computer could shut down all together," Fraiser replied.

"I don't understand," Skaara asked.

"Mortium," I answered. {I just made this word up, I know mortem is Latin for death but they didn't say what it was in Ancient, so I just changed the Latin word slightly.}

"Death," Daniel muttered. Skaara grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him.

~(^.^)~

Briefing room

We were all standing around the briefing room. Sam had gathered us but right now I didn't really care. My head was hurting, and I was feeling really tired.

"Sir, we've been sending probes to the addresses Adolfina entered into the computer, hoping that one would lead us to the race that affected her mind. We think we may have found something," Sam stated.

"P9Q-281 has a pedestal near the Gate with symbols on it that match the alien language that Adolfina is speaking," Daniel continued.

"Then I suggest we check it out. You're authorized to go, Captain. Major Castleman will be joining SG-1 on this mission," Hammond responded.

"Well, if Adolfina's not going, then I have to stay," Daniel exclaimed.

"I too will stay," Skaara added.

"Why is that, Doctor?" Hammond asked, not bothering to ask why Skaara was staying. But then again, he really doesn't have to ask why he's staying. I mean it's pretty obvious.

"Well, if Jack, Sam and Teal'c make contact with the Ancients, and they can report back and...and then Adolfina, Skaara, and I will go, but until then, I mean, translating this language may be the most important thing we've done since we opened the Stargate," Hammond looked at him, "You see, I'm pretty sure that Adolfina is speaking the language of the original Gate builders. At the very least, I'm positive that it's one of the races that created the repository of information on Ernest's planet...the, uh...meaning of life stuff."

"And, Sir, I believe that the equation Adolfina wrote on the blackboard is a revolutionary formula for calculating the distance between planetary bodies," Sam interjected.

"And bottom-line, Sir, what about Adolfina? I mean, right now I'm possibly her only hope for communicating on any kind of serious level. I can't leave her like this, and I won't," Daniel concluded.

"All right. The rest of you will leave at 1600 hours," Hammond responded, nodding his head.

~(^.^)~