Mission #837 - P7H-396

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German Military Cemetery Vandalized, Robbed

CRETE -Deutscher Soldaten Friedhof, the German war cemetery overlooking the Maleme airfield, is a crime scene today following a recent outbreak of thefts and defacements. Over half of the cemetery's 4,000 graves are believed to have been tampered with, and local officials have called upon the International Criminal Police Organization (ICP0)-Interpol to aid in determining the culprits and their motive. 

"I've never seen anything like this," said cemetery caretaker Daphnis Zaharopoulos. "Security has always been light here because everyone has always been respectful. Whoever did this took advantage of decades of peace and good will."

Most of the damage to the graves appears to be the result of digging, though remains were only removed from an estimated fifty Waffen-SS officers' graves.  "Clearly this means the thieves were looking for something in particular," Interpol Investigative Officer Walter Kidman said. "Whatever they were after, they must have found it. We have officers combing the island and checking with the international collectors' market.  These hoodlums won't get far." 

Historians and archaeologists have been asked to help determine what might have been valuable enough to encourage such an unusual crime. Being the final resting place for Nazi soldiers killed in the 1941 Battle of Crete, the cemetery wasn't thought to hold anything of significance. "We wouldn't have buried anything important," said Bairbre Jacoumis, who was ten years old when the Nazis invaded the small Mediterranean island. "I remember my father and the other men searching all the bodies, taking all the identification papers and weapons. Those grave-robbers were after something else... Unless their goal was merely desecration."  

Strangely, cemetery caretakers report that much of the graves' disturbed earth is apparently missing.  "It's only a guess right now, but we're looking at as much as several hundred pounds of missing dirt," said one caretaker who wished to remain anonymous.  "What anyone would do with it, let alone how they got it out of here, is beyond me." The most reasonable explanation thus far points to horticultural uses for the earth. "Grave dirt is rich in minerals and nutrients known to accelerate plant growth," said Richard Fowls, head of Botanical Research at New York's Green Thumb Society.

The vandals etched strange marks upon various gravestones and the cemetery's front gate. "We've seen similar markings in Austria, Germany, and France," said Kidman, "sometimes at crime scenes, sometimes as graffiti. We initially believed they were variations of ancient Germanic runes being used as gang signs, but this event changes things. Why would neo-Nazi gangs vandalize the graves of people they admire?"

The hill upon which the cemetery rests was vital for the control of the Chania airport in 1941, which has since been replaced by the smaller Maleme airport. A total of 6,580 Germans were killed in the Battle of Crete, along with almost 2,000 Allied soldiers.

The Allied cemetery is 6 kilometers away at Souda, one of the most strategically important NATO anchorages in the Mediterranean.

Mission Briefing

Objectives:

 

 

 

SGC Team

SG-21

 

Planet Designation

P7H-396

 

Planet Name

Garnib

 

Mission Date

08/07/04

 

Mission Type

Scientific Ops - Survey (SOP pg 60) 

 

Situation

The SGC discovered a new planet designated on 1/25/2002.  Through standard operating procedures to determine the planets eligibility status, the planet was originally deemed unsafe for human life.  Ambient temperature typically was in excess of -150 degrees during previous probe readings.  For the past 6 months the temperature has risen to an average daytime temperature of 0 degrees, and an average nighttime temperature of -30 degrees.

 

Mission

Obtain ice core samples in search of trace Naquadah, and scout up to 6 miles for planetary inhabitants.

 

Execution

Mission directives are at the discretion of the CO.  

 

Mission Time (hrs)

8

 

Check-in (hrs)

8

 

Command

As per rank of SG-21

Planet Eligibility Status:

 

 

 

Plotting Start

1/25/2002

 

Wormhole Established

1/27/2002

 

MALP Sent

1/30/1998

 

Mission Ready

7/27/2004

 

Last Surveyed

8/05/2004

Planet Environmentals:

 

 

 

Thermosphere

Cold to Frigid (base temperature ~ 0 to -150 degrees F.) 

 

Atmosphere

Normal (base pressure 1.02 Atm.) 

 

Hydrosphere

Humid

 

Geosphere

Mountainous / stable

 

Biosphere

Sub-Arctic Wasteland

 

Notes

 

Planet Antrhrosphere:

 

 

 

Tech Level

Late Medieval pg 448

 

Military Outlook

Sensitive pg 448

 

Government

Autocracy pg 449

 

Xenophobia

Open pg 449

 

Civil Rights

Very Progressive pg 449

 

Origin / Culture Age

Ancient

 

Origin / Culture Roots

Korean

 

Notes

 

Planet Visual Telemetry:

 

 

 

Gate Status

Operational

 

Gate Location

Edge cliff face.

 

Gate Use

None apparent

 

DHD Status

Operational

 

DHD Location

30’ from gate away from cliff edge.

 

Gate Surroundings

The gate is located within 5 feet of a cliff edge.  The event horizon entry point is on the non-cliff facing side of the gate.  The gate reception area spans approximately 100 feet towards another cliff facing higher up the mountain side.  A wide ledge continues down the mountain facing to the left, upon exiting the gate.  The terrain to the right of the gate is impassible.

 

Notes

Thick sheets of ice or snow cover the ground in all directions.  The cliff face has countless ice “water falls” upon its surface.


Mission Debrief

The inhabitants rescued from planet P7H-396 were successfully transferred to another planet for temporary living.  They are being chaperoned by SG-23 until P7K-172 (Ivanna) can be explored and deemed suitable.  Ivanna was the planet suggested for relocation by Galan, the apparent Sholva Jaffa in the ranks of the Goa'uld Pelops.
 
After SG-21 returned through the stargate from planet P7H-396, SG-21 received orders from General O'Neill to evaluate the planet Ivanna.  Should the planet be deemed appropriate for population transfer, SG-21 and SG-23 will then have a "go" to transfer the population of P7H-396 to Ivanna.
 
The ore sample retrieved from P7H-396 contained heavy amounts of Naqua'dah.  Originally Slimah (the elder of P7H-396) had indicated that they had only retrieved 30 pounds of Naqua'dah ore in the past generation.  After SG-23's Scientist, Major Haplo, had discussions with Slimah and compared weights and measures.  Major Haplo determined that the local inhabitants of P7H-396 had actually mined in excess of one ton of raw Naqua'dah ore.
 
Ice core samples collected on P7H-396 showed no trace of Naqua'dah or other sought after material.
 
After SGC lab personnel tested tissue samples from the severed hand, they determine the nanocytes are identical to the samples taken from O'Neills blood after aging rapidly on planet P3X-8596 (Argos) (Season One - Episode Six - Brief Candle).
 
The bracer controlling the nanocytes (Nanocyte Control Transmitter) has several settings upon it.  Apparently it has the ability to accelerate and reverse aging, enhance abilities (character stats like strength), provide rapid healing, and create injury and disease upon those infected with nanocytes.  The bracer emitts a "radio" frequency to control the nanocytes.
 
Slimah and a large sampling of the uprooted inhabitants were tested for nanocyte infection.  The results were negative (no trace).
 

NPCs Met

  • Galan - Sholva Jaffa in the ranks of Pelops.
  • Arthon - chief of the tribe. 
  • Slihma - respected elder of the tribe.
  • Dantur - commoner of the tribe.
  • Melanna - commoner of the tribe, and woman who treated wounds.
  • Istar - commoner of the tribe, and woman who treated wounds.
  • Junton - commoner of the tribe, and miner with bucket.
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