Part 4
Daniel scratched the back of his head. “So far, it only
tells about the reasons for their migration to
"You managed to read it? I couldn't make out heads or tails of it," Sam said.
"It isn't that difficult to read. The interesting part is that… it has a lot of similarities with the current Macedonian language, especially with the letters."
"That is interesting. You'd think it would undergo huge changes over the centuries."
"Mm…"
"Does it say why they moved?"
"Nothing more than what Utra has already told us. It tells about the stargate…" he sighed.
Sam looked at the other tablets and scrolls. "Well, we have 135 more to go," she said, trying to sound cheerful.
"We're going to be in here longer than we planned…."
---
The door next to the main gates opened again. A young woman with waist-long brown hair appeared, holding two plates with food. She approached Jack and Teal’c and without saying anything simply placed the plates on the ground.
Jack looked at the plates suspiciously. “Thank you,” he then said and smiled at the young woman. Opening his mouth again to ask a question, the chance was missed as the woman quickly went through the door. “Friendly girl,” he said and picked up the plate.
“She seemed frightened,” Teal’c noted.
“I probably shouldn’t blame her. Although I do hope Daniel and Carter managed to smoothen the image of us being evil.”
After the meal was finished, the smaller door opened again. This time Utra appeared with two guards. “Was the meal a tasteful one?” she asked the two men.
“Yes, it was. Thank you,” Jack responded.
When they stood up, Utra looked at Teal’c. Her subtle stare was a long one. “I am pleased. I wanted to let you know that Daniel and Samantha will be well taken care of.”
“Ex-cuse me?” Jack sounded confused.
“We respect their need for knowledge as well as being from Earth and therefore they will be alright.”
“That’s good to know. So is it too late for us to have a look?”
“I am afraid so. We can never trust military people from any culture. And even if Samantha has given us some concern, she has been allowed in. You two must leave.”
“We’re not going to hurt anyone…”
“Regardless, you must go.”
“Without the others, I don’t think so.”
“I do,” Utra responded and smiled.
Pale red smoke suddenly appeared around Jack and Teal’c. It then seeped inside their bodies and the two men disappeared.
When they reappeared out of nowhere again, it was back on their base. Checking to see if they were in one piece, Jack sighed. "Rats!"
__
"You allowed them to enter the library?" Borijan's harsh and surprised tone echoed in the oval meeting room.
"Yes," Utra responded calmly.
"You know that is not allowed," Betina said, standing to the right of Borijan's place.
The news of the arrivals in that library had sent a feeling of upset among the members of the Shest – the Krasnian's ruling council. The Shest consisted of six members – three women and three men. The room itself had three short and wide steps; on every step was a small throne-like chair of marble with synthetic blue fur on it.
"
"Safe for them to remain in the city, but not safe to enter the library," Keya said with a sharp stare.
Borijan sighed. He called over to a young man standing by the entrance. "Remove them from the library," Borijan told him.
The young man nodded and was ready to leave when Utra stopped him. "Wait!" she said and looked at the other members. "I think we can make an exception for them."
"Oh, really. And why?" Kovan asked.
"They are scientists."
"And Samantha is also a soldier, and yet to you allowed her to go in those rooms," Keya told her.
"In which room are they exactly?" Betina asked.
"The Early Age room," Utra responded.
The others exchanged uneasy looks. "The most secretive records of our history are in that room," Borijan reminded her.
"I know."
"They are scientists that work for the military. That makes their presence in the library even more unpleasant," Borijan said and nodded at the young man to exit the room.
"Wait!" Utra called him back again, without moving her gaze away. "They are from Earth."
"It makes little difference."
"They are our species!" Utra told them.
"They are our ancestor's species, not ours," Kovan replied.
"They are interested in our weapons. That is not acceptable," Betina added.
"Not entirely. Daniel is curious about our culture," Utra said.
"He is also the one that discovered how the Stargate worked, is he not?" Keya asked.
"Yes, but –"
"He is the only one who can read the writings. What makes you think he won't use the information he gains from the records against us."
"That's impossible," Utra replied. "They are fighting against the Goa'uld just like we are. They would not put us in jeopardy. They would not betray us to them"
"What makes you so sure?" Kovan asked her.
"And they are working for the military after all. They want our weapons. If we try to be naïve and give them our weapons, what makes you certain we won't suffer as a result," Keya said.
"I think we should trust them," Utra replied.
"I do not," Borijan told her. "You very well know that there is information in those records about every part of our history. Both our strengths and weaknesses are there. And we have managed to survive for this long only because no outsider has read them!"
"The only reason they have not waged a war against us is that they wish to receive our weapons without wasting their own," Betina said.
"They are from Earth! Our ancestor's planet. Does that not matter to you?" Utra became upset.
"The same planet we decided to not care of any longer after what our explorers discovered, Utra," Keya said.
Utra closed her eyes briefly. "They are trying to protect their planet from the same enemy."
"As far as we are concerned, that planet's fate has already been sealed by them. Our ancestors were correct in abandoning it," Borijan said and nodded once again at the young man.
This time Utra did not call him back. "I refuse to believe they would betray us."
"If that is what you wish, Utra. We are looking after our homeland as we have always done," Keya said. "You can show them the city; allow them to talk to the residents. But they are not allowed to enter the library or the Defense Chambers."
Utra observed her fellow consulates. In the end, she shared the same believes when it came to the security of Krasna. "I understand," she complied and walked out of the room.
"For our sake, I hope they hadn't gotten far with the records," Borijian said when Utra was gone.
The thought was made known by others in a form of a nod.
--
Back at the library, Daniel was trying to decipher the tablet when the door opened.
The young man with long hazel hair came in. "Daniel. Samantha," he called them.
"Yes?" Both scientists looked up at him.
"Please abandon your work and follow me."
Daniel and Sam shared a brief look. "W-what's going on?" Daniel asked.
"There has been a misunderstanding. You are not allowed in here," the young man replied.
"Why not?" Sam asked.
"You are outsiders. Please follow me," he replied.
"But we are not harming anything," Sam said.
"Please, follow me. Otherwise I shall have to request for the guards to have you removed," the young man's tone was harsher now.
"Oh, uh…" Daniel looked over at Sam. "Alright." They decided to respect the decision and follow the young man outside.
As they did, the question of why the sudden restriction occurred continued in their minds.
--