It's Great to be Eight!

Chapter 1

Colonel Jack O'Neill and his team stepped through the gate and returned momentarily to their base: the SGC. General Hammond met them at the end of the ramp, thankful to see that they had all returned in one piece.

"How was the mission Colonel?" the General inquired of the flagship team's leader.

"Piece of cake General. We went, we saw, we conquered."

General Hammond raised his eyebrows at that comment and turned to Major Carter, certain he would get a straight answer out of her.

"We obtained the piece of technology that the Tok'ra told us about Sir. Daniel took some rubbings of some symbols that were etched in the walls of the building we found it in. Hopefully that will give us some more answers about this device," responded the ever-informative Major. She held up a triangular device that was a little larger than the palm of her hand.

"I take it you didn't run into any trouble then?"

"Not a Jaffa or Goa'uld in sight Sir, present company excluded" stated Jack, looking to Teal'c. "No one came back with even a scratch this time," he smiled proudly.

"Very well SG-1. I want you to get checked out in the infirmary, showered and changed. Debriefing in one hour. Oh and Major, make sure you bring that device with you to the briefing."

"Yes, sir," came four different responses and they made their way out of the control room to carry out the General's orders.

The four members of SG-1 sat at the usual spots in the briefing room: Jack and Sam to the General's right, Daniel and Teal'c to his left. Daniel was busy pouring himself a second cup of coffee when the general directed his next question to him.

"Dr. Jackson, do you have any idea what the symbols on the...what did the Tok'ra refer to this thing as Major?"

"A Triplexus Sir. So named because of its three sides I assume."

"Yes, a Triplexus. So Dr. Jackson, do you have any ideas what the 3 symbols on the Triplexus mean?" continued the General.

Daniel pushed up his glasses and held the device in his hand. "I'm not sure yet what they might mean General. But I have some ideas. This first one is the figure of a woman. The second resembles a child, looks like a girl by the longer hair. The last one has me puzzled. It's just a wiggly line with two short lines connected to the larger one at the top. The back of the Triplexus has more writing that appears to be Goa'uld in nature but it is very faint; almost worn off in some spots. It will take me a while to figure this out."

"Understood Dr. Jackson. I would like you and Major Carter to work on studying this device for the next three days. We'll meet after that time and see what you have come up with."

"Sir, we could use Teal'c's help as well with this. He might be able to make out more of the Goa'uld writing than I can," Daniel spoke up.

General Hammond looked to Teal'c. "OK. Teal'c you work with Dr. Jackson and Major Carter on this device."

Teal'c nodded his assent.

"I'll just supervise their progress sir," quipped Jack, a grin on his face.

"Yes, Colonel, after you have completed your mission reports from the previous three missions!"

Jack glanced at his team mates who were trying to hold in their smiles. "Yes Sir," he answered, looking down at his papers with feigned concentration.

"Dismissed then, people. Good luck."

The four members of SG-1 got up from the table and exited the room, three of them heading toward Sam's lab with the Triplexus.

Daniel stretched his arms over his head, trying to work out the kinks in his back and neck. They had been working on trying to decipher the Triplexus for five hours now. They had made little progress. Daniel was usually one who could work for hours on end but he was getting frustrated with the lack of development.

"Hey, let's say we take a break and head to the commissary? I'm ready for some coffee and something to eat."

"I too could use some nourishment Daniel Jackson. We can resume our work here once we have satisfied our hunger," responded Teal'c.

Sam was right in the middle of inputting some data about the device into her computer. She wanted to finish up before she left to eat. "You guys go ahead; I'll catch up to you. I just want to finish this data entry."

"OK Sam, but don't take too long. Jack will have my head if you don't stop and get something to eat," Daniel replied.

Sam smiled up at him, "Don't worry. I won't let that happen! Go – I'll be there in ten minutes; I promise!"

"I'll give you fifteen!" Daniel smiled as he and Teal'c got up and left the lab. He knew Sam always took longer than she said. Besides, if Sam wasn't there in fifteen minutes, he'd send Jack after her!

Ten minutes later, Sam saved her data and locked up her computer. She looked at the Triplexus sitting in the middle of the table. It was a strange looking device; and she had seen many strange things in her last 7 years of working here! Sam picked up the Triplexus, turning it over and examining the markings on the back. She flipped it again so that it was resting in the palm of her hand, the figure of the woman residing at the top. Sam puzzled over the meaning of the three symbols, wondering what they could mean and what this device was supposed to do.

Suddenly, two thin prongs shot out of the bottom of the Triplexus and embedded themselves in Sam's wrist. Sam shouted out with pain as they pricked her skin and dug into the veins in her wrist. She felt liquid fire begin to run up her arm and into the veins in her neck before she passed out; dropping to the floor in a heap with the Triplexus still clutched in her hand. Her body twitched as a blue light engulfed her prone form, then she was still.

Whistling to himself, Jack made his way to Carter's lab. Daniel had told him that Sam promised to join them for a meal in 15 minutes. It was now over that deadline, so he had asked Jack to go and get her. Jack smiled to himself; Daniel knew that Sam was more likely to listen to him than to Daniel. Probably due to the fact that he was her CO, but still! Daniel was a pushover as far as Jack was concerned and Sam had the guy wrapped around her finger. Well, in all truth, she had all three of them wrapped, but who was counting!

"Oh Carter!" Jack said in a sing-song voice as he turned into her lab. "You are way past time for your lunch date with three handsome guys!"

He looked around in puzzlement at the quiet lab. Carter appeared to have left already for there was no answer upon his entrance. Her computer was logged off but the lab's door had been left opened. He knew she didn't leave the door to her lab open if she wasn't there. Jack made his way around the large table in the middle of the lab. Maybe she was hidden in the shadows reading something. As he edged around the end of the table, he stopped in shock. There, lying on the floor unconscious, was a young girl with blond hair; clutching the Triplexus in her small hand.