Lacrimosa

The Gate closed behind AT-13 on a lush green planet. Doctor Paris Cruz took out his instruments and showed them the direction from where he had picked up some signals.

“Alright, lets move out!” called Major Mirkwood to her men and looked up into the sky. There were two bright suns beaming down on them. This was the right place and Major felt somehow anxious. With this her mission would be complete and so her work on Atlantis. She felt like this was it. The end.

Captain Irons and Lieutenant Evans moved in front of her, keeping their eyes open for any danger. Their archeologist, Doctor Eaton had just discovered some ruins that were hidden under the overtaking nature. He wanted to study them but Major kept them moving along over the hillside. Here and there in the knee-high grass were great statues sculptured out of reddish stone. Some of them reminded human heads but others were like some sort of animals they didn’t recognize.

The wind breezed over the meadow and made the green landscape wave like open sea. Doctor Eaton tried to figure out why there were these stone figures but it really didn’t matter because getting on top of the hill, they saw a great city surrounded by perfectly round wall. But no one seemed to live there. The place was also taken over by the growing plant life.

“I’m getting readings from there,” said Doctor Cruz and Major nodded. So far there was no Wraith anywhere in sight and the locals seemed to be extinct.

Getting closer to the citadel, the more Major thought about this. The planet was rich and was able to support life. Why there were no people around anymore? They even had the Sampo to make living much easier. Or because Sampo there was no one left to tell the tale? She didn’t know but feared the worst.

The city gates were open and the bridge lowered for the guests. Or was it the other way around? Carefully they entered the great city and looked around on the central square. There were no fighting scars on the buildings or anything that might have indicated war or culling. It was like everyone had just left all of the sudden. The city seemed to be deserted for hundreds of years.

Doctor Cruz measured the signals coming from within the city and asked them to follow him. They walked through the narrow streets until Doctor pointed to one large building that stood out from the others. When most of the houses were made of red and light brown stones, then this one was made of white ones. It had columns and some decorations that gave it the look of some old university back in home.

The doors were made of dark wood and braced with red metal ornaments and great hinges. It really did look like a university even if they stepped inside. Doctor Eaton agreed with that thought which made them even more question why this educated race had left their home.

“This way. The signal is getting stronger,” said Doctor Cruz and went deeper into the building to find one reason why everything there had deceased.
***
Colonel Sheppard stood in Doctor Weir’s office and ranted on.

“I’m going after her! That’s it!” he yelled.

“No,” said Doctor Weir for the last time.

“Hey, I’m running the military here!” he snapped and glared at her. He just couldn’t believe why she didn’t let him go after her for back up. He was certain if he didn’t go, she’d come back dead.

“Colonel, don’t let your heart get in the way,” hissed Doctor Weir. “Major Mirkwood is a strong woman and I believe she can handle this easy mission.”

“But what if…”

“Colonel!” shouted Doctor Weir, “I will restrain you if you do not obey my orders!”

Sheppard stared at her for few seconds and them muttered under his breath that he will stay put for now.
***
Doctor Cruz had led them to some science lab where they found several technological pieces lying around on tables. Everything was covered with dust and in some places the moss had started to grow on them. Captain Irons and Lieutenant Evans stayed on guard on the door while Major started to inspect the find. Doctor Cruz was trying to locate the exact instrument that was emitting the signal and finally pointed to a round metal box. Its lid was covered with colorful crystals that glow faintly under the dust.

“Yes, this is Sampo,” said Major and noticed then the cables that were coming out that little machine. Doctor Cruz had noticed the same and started to examine them. Soon he had the answer as he had found the archaic computer to what the Sampo was connected to.

“What were they trying to do?” asked Major and looked over the logs of this experiment. It was all written in Ancient but that was no problem for her when she searched the outcome of this research. There was none. All the tests had failed and the last log was incomplete, ending from mid-sentence.

“I think they were trying to change their whole history. To make wrong things right and so on. They wanted to be perfect,” said Doctor Cruz.

“I guess they manage to write themselves out of their history all together,” smirked Doctor Eaton and then shut up.

“This is why I hate Sampos,” muttered Major and ordered to pack the Sampo and get the hell out of there.
***
Six hours had passed and Colonel Sheppard was so ready to get his team and head to that planet to where Major Mirkwood had gone. He was tired of waiting and worrying.

“AT-13 is returning,” sounded in his headset.

“They are? Everyone alive?” asked Sheppard in a hurry as he ran to the nearest transporter to get the Gateroom as fast as possible.

“Yes, sir,” came the answer and Sheppard felt like he could cry. Within a second he was on the other side of the city and jogging towards the Gateroom. And there she was, holding the case that probably contained the infamous Sampo.

“Ilmatar!” screamed Sheppard and ran towards her, almost knocking her down when he hugged her. “You’re back! I can’t believe this! And you’re alive!”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” asked Mirkwood who tried to shove him away from her.

“You’re… you…” stammered Sheppard.

“I got the Sampo,” she said coldly and presented the yellow case to Doctor Weir who had come to witness her return.

“Good,” she said and took the case from Mirkwood, “Briefing in one hour.”

“Yes, Doctor Weir,” answered Mirkwood who was ushered to a medical examination. Sheppard tagged along and refused to leave her alone.

Doctor Weir didn’t give the case to any scientist but went with it to her office. There she opened the case and smiled when she saw the last working Sampo. It was a beautiful masterpiece with pretty ornaments covering its sides. There was also a warning written on its lid but Doctor Weir ignored it as she lifted the Sampo out of the case and onto her table.

“Right, lets see what this baby can do,” she said with a smile and etched her fingers under the lid and tried to open it. Crystals on the lid started to burn brighter but the lid itself didn’t budge.

“Damn it,” she muttered and banged her fists against the table in fury. Then she clicked her headpiece and ordered to send Major Mirkwood to her office.