Sam Carter was looking forward to the big event.  It had been a while since she last saw Jack, and a retirement party seemed long over due.  She booked the days off well in advance, leaving Sheppard in charge of Atlantis.
        As she reached the platform leading up to the Atlantis stargate, Sam turned to take a look at the control center that had been her new home.  Because of this parting glance, she caught sight of Rodney MacKay charging through a knot of scientists.
        "Sam!  Wait!"
        Inside Carter sighed.  Rodney never failed to make her feel uncomfortable, even as he tried his hardest to keep the situation casual.  They usually could only connect over their common interest: science.
        "I'm glad I caught you.  I've got something you need to see," Rodney explained upon reaching her.  He bent over with his hands on his knees and gasped to catch his breath.
        Sam rolled her eyes.  "It can wait till I get back, Rodney."
        "No, no it can't," MacKay exclaimed.  "In fact, you should bring it with you to the SGC."
        "What is it?"
        Rodney snapped his fingers, happy to have hooked her interest.  "Zelenka found a section of the ancient database that was heavily encrypted, and through some rather brilliant algorithms on my part, we managed to access the data."  He paused to await her praise.
        Instead, Sam said, "I can't believe we haven't worked our way through that database yet."
        A lightly stung expression washed across Rodney's face.  "It's a big database."  He recovered quickly, noticing the gate was still active and sucking power.  "Anyway, what we found was very interesting.  It's a gate address."
        "So?"
        "But it's a gate address in the Milky Way."
        "Rodney, we've got thousands of unexplored gate addresses to visit.  What makes this one special?" asked Sam, trying not to lose her patience.
        "Right," he nodded, understanding the need to get to the point.  "Apparently, before the ancients left the Milky Way in Atlantis, one of their scientists theorized that our perceived universe is stuck in a three dimensional sink hole."
        Sam nodded.  "Our own scientists recently postulated the same thing."
        "Yes, I read those papers," Rodney agreed.  "So this ancient scientist, Kemrom was her name, was working on a way to access the higher dimensions."
        "How does the address fit in?"
        "I think it's where she kept all her equipment.  They wanted to keep it well away from civilized worlds.  It might be still out there."
        Sam sighed and glanced at the active stargate.  "Then it's been there for ten million years.  You can write a report and send it to the SGC for investigation when you've finished reading Kemrom's notes.  I'm sure it can wait a couple more days."
        MacKay reached out his hand.  In it was a small usb flash drive.  "I've put everything we've decrypted, plus the address, on this usb key.  Think about it."
        Sam took the key and pocketed it.  Rodney smiled, waved, then headed out the way he had arrived.  Sam shook her head and strode through the event horizon into the wormhole home.

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Please don't add to this story.  I'm just posting it as a work-in-progress.

    "I can't wait for the party tomorrow," merrily stated Vala as she walked alongside Colonel Cam Mitchell.  They were on P3X-M72.  It was a nondescript, barren place, with lifeless dirt and random misshapen boulders.  "What will you be wearing to General O'Neal's farewell bash?"
    Mitchell glanced at Vala then back to the rocky terrain ahead of him.  "The general said it was an informal occasion.  No need to get dressed up."
    She would not be dissuaded so easily.  "But think of how wonderful everyone will look, all dressed up!  Don't you get the slightest bit tired of wearing these dreary green fatigues?"
    "We won't be wearing fatigues to the party," argued Mitchell.
    "Exactly!" Vala exclaimed as she poked Cam in the arm.  "So why not put on something fancy for a change?  If we were to clean you up and put you in an Armani suit, I might even have to sleep with you."
    "Jackson!" Cam shouted, eager to escape Vala's line of conversation.  As he strided quickly towards the ruins containing Daniel Jackson, he missed the playful smile curling Vala's lips.  "Jackson, report!" he called.
    Covered in dust, Daniel ducked out a crumbling doorway into the open sunlight.  He took off his glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief from his pocket while he awaited Cam's arrival.  It was a bright, but barren planet.  The only signs of civilization they had found within ten miles of the stargate had been these ruins.  "Have a good walk?" asked Daniel as the colonel approached.
    "Yeah, even got some fasion tips from Vala," replied Cam.  "What have you found?"
    Daniel looked back into the dark doorway as he answered. "Well it was definitely built after this world was devastated."
    "Devastated?  It just looks like a big ol' rocky desert to me," Mitchell commented.
    Daniel's attention returned to Cam.  "No, actually this planet used to be lush with life, at least according to the writing inside.  There were oceans, lakes, trees, and millions of people.  They apparently worshipped a goa'uld named Mazu, who according to Earth mythology was Empress to Yu.  She was once mortal like us, then through good behaviour became a god."
    "More like she got a snake in her head," clarified Cam.
    "You could say that," replied Daniel.  "Anyway, like most goa'uld she got greedy and tried to overthrow Lord Yu.  In retaliation he destroyed her armies, her followers and her territories."  Daniel waved his arms to the encompass the lack of scenery.
    Mitchell nodded towards the ruins.  "So what's this then?"
    "Ah!  This," Daniel rested his hand on the doorway, "is a memorial.  It was built by the last survivors of that war to serve two purposes.  The first is to tell the story.  The second is to tell others where they went."
    "A gate address?"
    "Yes, but don't get your hopes up.  SG-8 was already there a couple years ago and found nothing," explained Daniel.
    Mitchell eyed Daniel suspiciously.  "Millions of people left no trace?"
    "I would assume the number of survivors from this scale of destruction to be somewhat less than that."
    Cam frowned.  "So that makes this a dead end?"
    "Pretty much," agreed Daniel.  "I mean, at least we got to learn some more about our own history.  Granted, no one outside of Stargate Command will ever know it."
    Vala, who had stood back to let the boys talk, finally commented with sarcasm, "Truly fascinating.  Can we go now?  This place is boring!  It's like a set from one of your old science fiction programmes."
    Daniel raised his eyebrows.  "You watch sci-fi?"
    "It amuses me what you people think goes on out here," retorted Vala.  "Besides, it's not like there's much else to do buried inside that mountain all the time."
    "Speaking of TV," Mitchell said as he glanced as his watch.  "The Packers are playing the Dolphins tonight.  Let's pack up and I might just be able to catch the game."
    Daniel gestured emphatically.  "Am I the only one who actually tries to enrich himself in between missions?"
    Vala grinned as she answered, "I tried to enrich myself during missions, but you made me stop."
    "Yes, different kind of enrichment, really," submitted Daniel.  "I'll gather my stuff.  Has anyone seen Taylor?"  Major Taylor was the newest member of SG-1.  After Teal'Q had returned to live with the free Jaffa, and Carter had been reassigned to Atlantis, the SGC insisted more military personnel fill out the team.  Colonel Mitchell managed to negotiate it down to just one person: a marine named Jason Taylor.  The man was sharp, and often anticipated Mitchell's orders.  He was also a powerhouse.  Not in Teal'Q's league, of course, but by human standards quite a specimen.  While sparring, Cam used to be able to surprise him with some So-Dan Warrior moves, but Taylor was a quick study and each move was only effective once.
    Colonel Mitchell pressed the talk button on his walkie talkie.  "Taylor, come in please."
    "Always waiting on the new guy," Vala said as she rolled her eyes.
    The major's voice came through the speaker.  "Taylor here, sir."
    "We're about done here, Major," informed Mitchell.  "Where are you?"
    "Just patrolling the perimeter, sir," replied Jason.  "I can meet you back at the gate."
    "Ok, Mitchell out," Cam finished.  Then to Vala he suggested, "Let's go help Daniel clean up."